South Africa: Ramokgopa condemns Tshwane infrastructure vandalism Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has condemned the alleged vandalism of electricity pylons, which led to the collapse of at least seven power line structures in Tshwane on Sunday. The collapse has left thousands of residents and businesses, particularly those in the east of the city, in the dark since the weekend. The challenges of attacks on our strategic and critical infrastructure are well documente, from rail lines, and now its pylons and also water infrastructure. It is something that is receiving particular attention. What is happening here is just a manifestation of rampant lawlessness and how brazen people are that they would go to any lengths to ensure that they sabotage this infrastructure. Thats why we have been calling for harsher penalties and re-categorisation of some of these crimes. These are economic crimes meant to collapse the economy of the country. We will wait for the investigations to be concluded but there is sufficient evidence, visually, to suggest that the structural integrity has been compromised. They have been eating away at these components for some time and thats whats led to the collapse, the Minister said. He joined the Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Cilliers Brink, on a site inspection at the collapsed pylon site on Tuesday. Ramokgopa said the outage will have a significant impact on the city, as it also affected Tshwanes automotive hub and other businesses. The impact is significant to the economy of the city and thats why we are working to support the city to ensure that we come up with solutions that are faster and more enduring going into the future. There are three teams from Eskom that we working with the city to ensure that we restore and energise these areas as soon as possible, he said. By Wednesday morning, Brink reported that power had been restored to at least 40% of the affected areas, with work towards full restoration ongoing. Our number one priority is to restore all of the power that has been off since Sunday. Weve followed up on two approaches. The most important is to restore the 132kv line, which ran on those pylons. We are in the process of procuring the pylons and doing the work to have a permanent solution. The second thing weve done is to restore power by a process of rerouting electricity to as much of the affected areas as possible. About 40% of the affected areas have been restored. For technical reasons, some areas can be back-fed and some areas cant because of the nature of the network. I have nonetheless spoken to officials and asked for an urgent set of measures to help those areas that have not had electricity since Sunday and that includes Mamelodi, Eesterust, Waltloo Industrial, as well places like Queenswood. Today, we will hopefully announce a set of measures to bring relief to those communities, Brink said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-04-12. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. IMF projects China's economy to grow 5.2 pct in 2023, "key contributor" to global growth Xinhua) 08:20, April 12, 2023 Pedestrians walk past the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, IMF official Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. "We're projecting (for China) 5.2 percent growth in 2023. That's up from 3 percent last year," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, director of the Research Department of the IMF, told a press briefing Tuesday on the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. "As COVID-19 waves subsided (in China) in January of this year, mobility normalized, and high-frequency economic indicators, such as retail sales and travel bookings, started picking up," said the IMF in the WEO report. "The reopening and growth of its economy will likely generate positive spillovers, with even greater spillovers for countries with stronger trade links and reliance on Chinese tourism," it added. According to the IMF forecast, the world economy will grow 2.8 percent in 2023, 0.1 percentage point lower than its January forecast. "A return of the world economy to the pace of economic growth that prevailed before the bevy of shocks in 2022 and the recent financial sector turmoil is increasingly elusive," said the IMF. An industry robot works at the analysis and testing center of Konfoong Materials International Co., Ltd. in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) Global growth is estimated at 3.4 percent in 2022, to fall to 2.8 percent in 2023, before rising to 3 percent in 2024, it added. The growth of advanced economies will decline by half in 2023 to 1.3 percent, before rising to 1.4 percent in 2024, said the IMF. "About 90 percent of advanced economies are projected to see a decline in growth in 2023," it said. "With the sharp slowdown, advanced economies are expected to see higher unemployment, a rise of 0.5 percentage point on average from 2022 to 2024," said the IMF. China and India are "two exceptions to the slowdown" that the global economy is expected to experience this year, said World Bank Group President David Malpass in a media call ahead of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings week. "India and China are expected to account for half of global growth in 2023. But others face a steeper climb," said Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva at a recent event in Washington D.C. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 66F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. North Carolina has its own Old Testament prophet. Maybe you remember from Bible study those prophets who preached about the peoples responsibility to care for the poor. Elijah, of course, fearlessly stood up to the authority of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and the prophets of Baal. (I Kings 18). One of the most famous prophets is Micah, known for his oft-quoted direction to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8). He also condemned those who mistreated the poor. Isaiah demanded, is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter. (Isaiah 58:7). Jeremiah condemned those who oppress the poor and needy and deprive them of justice. (Jeremiah 22:3). Amos condemned those who trample on the poor and force them to give you grain. (Amos 5:11). In his new book, Lessons from North Carolina: Race, Religion, Tribe, and the Future of America, Gene Nichol takes on the role of North Carolinas prophet. He writes about the abuses by those in power. He writes most eloquently about the poor and North Carolinas exploitation and inattention to them, condemning other ways the states powerful oppress the powerless. Nichol is a professor and former dean at the UNC Chapel Hill Law School. He served as law dean at the University of Colorado (1988-1995) and was president of the College of William & Mary (2005-2008). He served as the director of UNCs Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity until it closed in 2015. The new book, published by Blair, is scheduled for release at the end of this month. In Chapter 1, Rejecting the American Promise, The Reembrace of Racial Supremacy, Nichol attacks the actions of the state legislature for having blown through the barriers which had seemingly been set in stone. They included the right to vote, majority rule, free and fair elections, freedom of speech and religion, equal protection of the laws, unnecessary separation of powers, and an independent judiciary to keep the channels of democracy open and guarantee the rule of law. According to Nichol, a lot of these barriers have been freely and purposely blown through in the last decade. In Chapter 2, Politics, Tribe and (Unchristian) Religion, Nichol asserts that the chasm between the political agenda of most white Christian evangelicals and the teachings of Jesus is wide beyond wide. In Chapter 3, Politics and Poverty, Nichol, like the Old Testament prophets, points out that North Carolina has some of the developed worlds highest rates of poverty, child poverty and child hunger. He mourns that this terrible situation triggers no meaningful, majority-sponsored, state anti-poverty initiatives. In Chapter 4, Destroying a Priceless Gem, Nichol details examples of intervention by political figures in the operation of the university, including closing of the Poverty Center at UNC Chapel Hill, he had led, in retaliation for his critical newspaper articles. In Chapter 5, Movement vs. Partisan Politics, Nichol opens with It is no exaggeration to claim that, over the last dozen years, the North Carolina General Assembly has waged one of the stoutest wars launched by any American state in the past half century against poor people, people of color, the LGBTQ + community, public education, the environment, and even democracy itself. In Chapter 6, The Limits of Law, Nichol mourns the takeover of the U.S. Supreme Court by the originalist adventurism of former Justice Antonin Scalia and the current Supreme Court justices. He mourns particularly the high courts voting with seeming nonchalance to literally gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In his final chapter, Nichol addresses Democracy, Equality, and the Future of America. Speaking of the choices before the legislature, he writes if they have to choose between white ascendancy and the Declaration of Independences commitment to the equal rights of humankind, then apparently, its an easy choice. Power, not democracy, is what matters. Like the prophets of old, Nichol stirs the pot. Maybe too much. Maybe not enough. " " This illustration shows scholars using the Library of Alexandria. It wasn't the first library ever built but it became one of the best-known in antiquity. DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images It was supposed to be the largest single repository of classical knowledge in the ancient world, the holder of all the "books" known at the time. Built by the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt in the third century B.CE., the Library of Alexandria was said to contain hundreds of thousands of papyrus scrolls (as many as 700,000 according to one ancient source) as part of one king's Herculean effort to collect "all the books in the world." Great minds of the Hellenistic period studied and taught in Alexandria, a cosmopolitan capital on the Mediterranean founded by Alexander the Great. The mathematician and geographer Eratosthenes lived there, as did Aristarchus, the first astronomer to argue that the planets orbited the sun. They and others were referred to as the "heads" of the Alexandrian Library by various ancient authors, and we can easily picture these beard-and-toga geniuses hunched over scrolls inside a magnificent, colonnaded hall. Advertisement And then comes the tragic part: Julius Caesar started a fire to destroy the library and that along with the later fall of the Roman Empire is to blame for the collective loss of knowledge that plunged Western civilization into the Dark Ages. But is this true? As intellectually vibrant as Alexandria was and as large as the Library of Alexandria looms in our imagination, "our actual information about that period, and specifically for the library, is pretty thin," says Thomas Hendrickson, an historian of ancient libraries and their legacies. "If the Library of Alexandria really existed, we don't have any information about it. But even the legend of the library seems to have been a huge inspiration for the entire ancient world." " " Rows of rails for anti-tank protection follow the Maginot Line in France. Walter Sanders/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images World War I absolutely devastated France. Of the roughly 8.5 million French soldiers mobilized in 1914 to fight Germany and the other Central Powers, more than 6 million became casualties, either killed, wounded or declared missing during four years of grueling trench warfare. In the wake of that catastrophic war, the French government vowed to protect its vulnerable northeast border with Germany from any future attacks. With fresh memories of fighting and living in squalid, open-air trenches, the French spent a decade building a 300-mile (482-kilometer) series of underground fortifications that would be both impenetrable and comfortable to live in. Behind an imposing line of pop-up gun turrets, tank traps and 12-foot (3.6-meter) concrete walls were fully equipped subterranean military bases complete with mess halls, hospitals, recreation facilities and railway lines. Advertisement These impressive fortifications 142 large artillery forts called ouvrages or "works," 352 fortified gun emplacements called "casemates," and 5,000 smaller bunkers and pillboxes became known as the Maginot Line, named after the French politician Andre Maginot (pronounced Mah-ji-noh). The line wasn't Maginot's idea alone, but he helped push the ambitious, multimillion-franc project through parliament. " " This exterior view of the Maginot Line shows a triple casemate with 75 mm guns. Walter Sanders/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images Despite its monumental concrete glory, which was the pride of interwar France, the Maginot Line ultimately wasn't able to stop Adolf Hitler's Nazi war machine from quickly overwhelming and occupying France in World War II. But does that mean that the Maginot Line was the colossal blunder that many historians have made it out to be? Not according to Robert Kirchubel, a military historian with the FORCES Initiative at Purdue University. "The Maginot Line was meant to stop a World War I-style attack of infantry and artillery, and it did what it was supposed to do," says Kirchubel, who's written multiple books on World War II military campaigns. The problem was that Hitler and his generals abandoned the "static" style of WWI fighting for a far more mobile blitzkrieg attack that punched a hole into France through Belgium and the Netherlands. "That's the part that fell apart for the Allies." TD Cattle and Select Sires A record 9 million units of beef semen were sold to U.S. dairy farmers and cattle ranchers last year. This is an impressive number considering that sales stood at what was at that time a record 2.5 million units in 2015. While actual units of beef semen sold within the U.S. have shot toward the moon with 6.5 million units of growth from 2015 to 2022, the percentage gains moderate each year as momentum continues in the category. While the annual growth rate ranged from 1.3 to 1.7 million units in the category from 2018 to 2021, percentage growth slipped from 58% in 2018 to 21% by 2021. Thats because the denominator (larger sales total) in the math equation continues to grow each year. Even though 2022 posted a fifth straight sales record, sales were up only 3.7%. That took place as beef units grew by 322,000 units, moving from 8.7 to 9 million units over the past two years, according to sales data posted by the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB). Part of a triple play Beef on dairy is a part of a triple play that began over a decade ago. That triple play involves sexed semen, genomic tests, and beef on dairy. First came sexed semen that delivered more heifer calves. On a growing number of U.S. dairy farms, a large portion of virgin heifers are bred to sexed semen to not only get future replacements from the best genetics on the farm, but those resulting newborn heifer calves allow their first-time dams to have an easier birthing process and subsequently transition into the milking herd with fewer health issues. As a result, sexed dairy semen now represents 49% of the dairy units used by U.S. dairy producers, reported NAAB. Flush with heifer calves, the second part of the triple play genomic testing gained significant momentum. First introduced to the industry in 2008, it took a full seven years in order for one million tests to be run in the collective U.S. dairy herd. Then testing took off as six million tests were run in the next eight years. The U.S. passed the seven-million threshold in December 2022 as well over one million genomic tests were performed on females in the U.S. last year. These one-million-plus genomic tests are taking place in a national dairy herd with just over nine million cows. With plenty of replacements and equipped with the ability to sort out the very best heifers with over 70% accuracy by running a genomic test at birth, farmers are now preselecting the heifers and cows that will generate their replacements. Many of the other members of the dairy herd get bred to beef to capture additional value in the beef market. This strategy allows farmers to reduce one of the largest expense categories on the dairy feed and feeding replacements. A megatrend thats reshaping the dairy herd Until recent years, NAAB could not differentiate where beef semen sales were going . . . into dairy or beef animals. With enhanced data collection, NAAB reported that the units of beef semen used on dairies rose by 457,000 units while beef used in beef herds dropped. While not assigning a number to the reduction on sales to beef operations, data would indicate sales on cattle ranches dropped by roughly 135,000 units this past year. As part of the triple play, sex-sorted dairy semen rose by 245,000 units or 3% in 2022. From an economic standpoint, beef may be dairys best bet in 2023. Thats because strong demand coupled with limited supply as the nations beef cow herd stands at the lowest level since 1962 will result in strong beef prices. Long-term, beef on dairy will continue to transform the nations feedlots. CattleFax reported that there were an estimated 2.6 million beef-on-dairy calves born in 2022. Thats up from 2018s 410,000 head and represents 2.2 million more beef-on-dairy animals in a short span. CattleFax reports that there is a 4 to 5 million head potential by as soon as 2026. At the moment, beef-on-dairy accounts for 7% of the fed slaughter category. If the trends continue, 15% of the fed-slaughter category could be beef-on-dairy feeders by 2026, projected CattleFax. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2023 April 6, 2023 A healthy body includes healthy teeth, and when it comes to preventing cavities and even building enamel back up in demineralized teeth, plant-based dairy alternatives dont stack up to milk and real dairy, according to a new study published in the journal Nutrients. Researchers from the Netherlands recently compiled existing data to explore how dairy products contribute to strong, healthy teeth and how plant-based alternatives compare. The foremost indication of tooth damage is dental cavities, which are largely related to consuming high levels of fermentable carbohydrates like the sugars found in food and drinks. One of dairys best dental health attributes in relation to plant alternatives is the fact that milks natural sugar, lactose, is the least cariogenic (tooth-decaying) fermentable sugar. Plant-based products contain sucrose, glucose, and maltose as the major types of carbohydrates, all of which are more cariogenic than lactose, wrote the papers authors, Blerina Shkembi and Thom Huppertz. The fermentation of these sugars allows organic acids to be produced, and when acids are produced in the mouth or acidic items are consumed, pH declines. This creates an environment where dentine, the main bony tissue of teeth, and enamel, its covering, can be demineralized, or broken down. Plant-based beverages not only contribute to this cascade by containing more fermentable sugars, but the authors also cited that they appear to be more acidic than real dairy. Both dentine and enamel are mostly made of calcium phosphate, and the demineralization only occurs at reduced pH when the liquid in contact with the tooth is not saturated in calcium phosphate itself. Due to milks mineral content, the authors said this demineralization does not occur in the presence of dairy. Natural cheese provides another avenue to prevent demineralization. In addition to its calcium and protein, it helps stimulate saliva flow, which buffers pH changes in the mouth and helps neutralize plaque acids. The researchers also described that though the calcium content of plant alternatives may be fortified to be similar to milk, it is often in a form that is less soluble. The calcium in cheese and the calcium and phosphates in milk are available to help restore minerals that teeth may have may have lost due to other foods. Finally, milks proteins provide valuable phosphopeptide sequences that are not found in plant-based alternatives, the authors said. One study in rats found that even when casein, which makes up about 80% of milks protein, was added to drinking water or chocolate, cavities were reduced. Additionally, lactoferrin and other milk components contribute to antibacterial efforts and can limit cavities. In fact, lactoferrin is often used in many oral commercial products, such as toothpaste. As an ingredient, it is largely sourced from bovine milk. It is the combination and interaction of all of these components that make milk a smart choice for dental health, the authors conclude. Those same benefits are not found in plant alternatives and mark another way these products fall short of real dairy. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2023 April 10, 2023 American President Joe Bidens four-day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland begins on Wednesday: Air Force One, carrying the president, arrived in Belfast late Tuesday night. Biden came to the island to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended the bloody twentieth century on the island of Ireland, but at the same time, Biden, who is descended from Irish immigrants and otherwise Catholic, has a much bigger task: to restore the governance of Northern Ireland, which even the third British prime minister failed to do. An agreement split in two by Brexit Northern Ireland, with a population of only 1.9 million, is an important state from both an EU and a British point of view, as the situation in Northern Ireland represents the biggest obstacle to relations between the European Union and its superior country. Indeed, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and, accordingly, they also left the European Union on January 1, 2021, but at the same time, due to its turbulent and violent history, it remained part of the EU common market with its regulations. The reason for this is that the Good Friday Agreement concluded in 1998 also stipulates that a physical border cannot be established between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and this made the Brexit negotiations very difficult for the British government. There are two great traditions in the country, the self-professed Catholics Irish nationalists and the Protestant who claims to be British and imagines their future as part of the United Kingdom British Unionists. The 1998 agreement stated that the interests and values of the hitherto suppressed Irish nationalists were equivalent to the interests and values of the unionists, at the same time, the two traditions have completely opposite visions regarding Northern Ireland. The majority of Irish nationalists want unification with the Republic of Ireland, while unionists envision a future in the United Kingdom or in full the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The convention, as we presented on its anniversary, is basically based on the compulsory joint governance of the two traditions, thus preventing the British unionists from oppressing the Irish nationalists, as happened in the 20th century. The agreement worked, albeit with minor or major flaws, but the 2016 Brexit referendum showed the fragility of the status quo: while the unionists wanted to go, the Irish nationalists wanted to stay. And since the referendum, violence has broken out again, if not to the extent of the 20th century. After the referendum, Irish nationalists protested and demonstrated against Brexit because they feared that a physical border could once again be established on the island. However, there was no physical border, instead there was an economic border, the so-called Northern Ireland protocol on the island of Ireland between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, which the unionists did not like. With this, unionists as Britons feel that they have been abandoned by London and that they have become second-class citizens in their own country, the United Kingdom, which violates the 1998 convention as well as a British law dating back to 1800. Because of the protocol, trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is more difficult, while trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland operates smoothly, therefore, unionists fear that changes in trade will help move closer to the Republic of Ireland and secede from the United Kingdom. The unionist Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is therefore doing everything to abolish the current system. The party has essentially been obstructing the operation of the Northern Ireland government since last February: due to the resulting economic border, the DUPs first minister, Paul Givan, resigned, and then refused to step back after the May 5 election. However, since the Good Friday Agreement stipulates that the largest parties of the two traditions must govern together which the DUP is not willing to do -, that is why Northern Ireland has not had a government for more than a year, and a legislature for almost a year, moreover, the DUP single-handedly captured Northern Ireland politics by exploiting the rules laid out in the Good Friday Agreement. In addition, the DUP not only obstructs the formation of the government, but also the operation of the Northern Ireland legislature, Stormont: the DUP is the only party blocking the election of the speaker of the legislature. The 1998 convention stipulates that laws are only passed if they are supported by the majority of the legislature as well as the majority within the two traditions. Since there are 37 Unionist MPs in the 90-member Stormont, of which they account for 67 percent, 25 MPs, so until the DUP lifts its obstruction, it will hinder the operation of the entire country. Cutting through the uncut Gordian knot Joe Biden, who is himself Catholic and of Irish ancestry, thus undertook a considerable task as American president by accepting the invitation of the conservative British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to the 25th anniversary of the convention: to persuade the biggest unionists to return to the government, which Rishi still Nor did Suns predecessors, Boris Johnson, who piled scandal upon scandal, and Liz Truss, who enjoyed the same post for only 45 days. Biden arrived in Belfast on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday morning, in addition to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, according to press reports, he will also negotiate with five parties that have entered the Northern Ireland parliament. His most important meeting will obviously be with the leader of the DUP, which made the formation of the government impossible, Jeffrey Donaldson, and the future first minister, Sinnfeins Michelle ONeill. Sunak wanted to get the DUP to return to the institution of joint governance before the Good Friday convention so that it could host Biden, however, the concessions he won from the European Commission, the so-called the Windsor framework was not enough for the DUP: the Donaldsons are still unwilling to join the government, because they believe that the now diluted economic border still harms the interests of the unionists. Bidens visit was therefore in danger from the outset, but at the same time, according to press reports, the American president with Irish ancestry thought it was even more necessary for him to visit Northern Ireland. An American president has already done it The birth of the Good Friday Agreement was born on a rather bumpy road. US President Bill Clinton also played a role in the creation of peace, who gave a speech in (London)derry in 1995 about the importance of peace. Now it is more than likely that Biden will give a speech about the importance of the Good Friday Agreement and the importance of peace between the two traditions and joint governance at the University of Ulster in Belfast, while he can make an attempt to restore joint governance face to face with the party presidents. In addition, Biden is also in talks with Rishi Sun. The cooperation between the two countries can be discussed in addition to the war in Ukraine and the AUKUS agreement, as well as the stalled free trade negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom. however, the Bidens are not willing to negotiate with London on merit until the British government smoothes everything out with the European Commission and back home. A spokesperson for the White House told the Telegraph that the two sides are not currently discussing a possible free trade agreement, but the Bidens have already indicated to Johnson and Truss: Washington is not willing to do so until all the disputes that have arisen in connection with Brexit have been smoothed over. (Cover photo: Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak on March 16, 2023 in San Diego. Photo: Leah Millis/Reuters) Twenty-two churches throughout the Greater Charlotte and Piedmont regions of North Carolina will be hosting a Give as He Gave blood drive on April 22 and April 29. This is the second year that area churches have joined together with OneBlood to host blood drives in remembrance of Jesus Christ during the Easter season. Last years drive resulted in 378 successful donations, the largest single-day blood collection ever for OneBlood in the Carolinas. Organizers hope to top that number this year. Blood that is donated today will be on the way to help a patient within two or three days, said Susan Forbes, senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations for OneBlood. The turnaround is fast, making the need constant. Each whole blood donation has the potential to save up to three lives. In appreciation for this gift, donors will receive a free wellness checkup, a limited edition Give as He Gave T-shirt and a $20 e-gift card from OneBlood. Generally, healthy individuals who are 16 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds are eligible to donate blood. Jesus gave His life for us, said President Steve Page, an area faith leader for the Church of Jesus Christ in central Charlotte. He also taught us to love and serve our neighbors. There are many ways we can help others, but offering your own blood to save the life of another is a powerful symbol of what Christ did for us. How and where to donate Want to donate? Visit oneblood.org/save for the dates, addresses, and available times for all 22 churches participating in the Give as He Gave blood drive. 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 8 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. The deadline for the Salvation Army Womens Auxiliary annual $1,000 scholarships is April 19. Applications are available in the guidance offices at area high schools, on the Salvation Army Womens Auxiliary website: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/cabarrus-stanly/womens-auxiliary, or contact the Salvation Army at (704) 782-7822. Mt. Mitchell UMC will hold a hot dog sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church is located at 6001 Old Salisbury Concord Road, Kannapolis. 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 8 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. A seminar on "Managing Money: A Caregiver's Guide to Finances, Workshop and Panel Discussion " will be held from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Coltrane Memorial Room, Fellowship Hall of Central United Methodist Church , 30 Union Street Concord, NC 28025. This is a community partnership with the Alzheimer's Association, Atrium Health, Central United Methodist Church, NC Cooperative Extension and the Cabarrus County Extension and Community Association (ECA). To register: tinyurl.com/caregiverfinancesconcord or call 800-272-3900. Registration will be available at the door. For additional information contact Amy Beaver, Central United Methodist Church Parish Nurse at 704-786-4109, Extension 2006 or Pam Outen, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, NCSU Cooperative Extension, Cabarrus Center at 704-920-3310. Monday, April 24 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 25 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. Thursday, April 27 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 28 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 29 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 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, May 1 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, May 2 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, May 3 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, May 4 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, May 5 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, May 6 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 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. The Kneeling Gardeners Annual Plant Sale will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m . at Trinity Methodist Church, 416 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Kannapolis. (across from A L Brown High School) The Kneeling Gardeners is a volunteer organization of gardeners from around the area who grow local plants for an annual fund raiser. Plants include annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, herbs, houseplants, decorative potted plants and more. The Kneeling Gardeners meet on the 4th Monday of each month in the fellowship hall of Trinity UMC. 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. Attention Australians! Your personal data might be at risk. A report by Trend Micro reveals 75.2% of its Australian Identity Protection users were notified their data was found on the dark web. The Trend Micro annual cybersecurity roundup for 2022 has revealed that a staggering 75.2% of its Australian Identity Protection users were notified that their data was found on the Dark Web, with email being the most common piece of information found in a breach. With a record 146 billion threats blocked globally in 2022, a 55% increase compared to 2021, it's clear that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and their attacks more targeted. The report also highlights the need for heightened cybersecurity measures across the entire home network, as Australia experienced 118 attacks per connected household in 2022 - almost one attack every two days. The report highlights the prevalence of identity theft and the importance of data protection, which had a significant impact in 2022, following various high-profile breaches. Trend Micro saw a staggering 55% increase in overall blocked threats compared to 2021, with a record 146 billion threats blocked globally. Blocked malicious files also surged by 242%, surpassing 60 billion. Mobile threats remained steady with 36 million malicious apps blocked. The report indicates that anything connected to the internet is at risk, including smart TVs, which can serve as gateways to anything connected to the home network. Australia experienced 118 attacks per connected household in 2022 - almost one attack every two days - highlighting the need for heightened cybersecurity measures across the entire home network. "The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and 2022 was no exception," said Trend Micro AMEA VP of consumer business Tim Falinski. "Our 2022 Annual Cybersecurity Roundup report shows that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, and their attacks are becoming more targeted and destructive. With the continued rise of cyber threats, it's essential for individuals to stay informed about the latest threats, be suspicious of phishing emails and links, and use anti-virus software to help protect from potential threats." The report also emphasises that home users should not forget the basics of cybersecurity, as clicks on malicious links remained high. In Australia alone, 55,786,698 clicks on malicious URLs were blocked, ranking seventh globally. The local findings reveal that in Australia: 171,682,995 email threats blocked 55,786,698 blocked clicks on malicious URLs (7th in the world) 126,793,675 malware detections 682,599 malicious apps blocked (4th in the world) Image by MasterTux from Pixabay Microsoft has released 97 fixes, one of which is for a zero-day, on its Patch Tuesday for the current month. The zero-day has been given the ID CVE-2023-28252. Security firm Tenable's senior staff research engineer Satnam Narang said this was an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System. "It was exploited in the wild and it is the second CLFS elevation of privilege zero-day exploited in the wild this year, and the fourth in the last two years," he added. "It is also the second CLFS zero-day disclosed to Microsoft by researchers from Mandiant and DBAPPSecurity (CVE-2022-37969), though it is unclear if both of these discoveries are related to the same attacker. "Over the last two years, attackers appear to have found success targeting CLFS in order to elevate privileges as part of post-compromise activity." Narang said while this was the only flaw exploited in the wild, Microsoft has rated nearly 90% of the vulnerabilities as Exploitation Less Likely, while just 9.3% of flaws were rated as Exploitation More Likely. Adam Barnett, lead software engineer at security firm Rapid7, said a total of 114 vulnerabilities had been fixed in all. He said there were 45 separate remote code execution vulnerabilities patched, a rise from an average of 33 per month over the past three months. "Microsoft rates seven of this months RCE vulnerabilities as Critical, including two related vulnerabilities with a CVSSv3 base score of 9.8," Barnett said. Finnish telecommunications vendor Nokia and internet service provider OpenColo completed the first commercial field trial to transport a 1.6 Terabit/s traffic flow over an 800GE link aggregation group with 800GE FR4 optics. The initial trial included the Nokia 7750 SR-1se router equipped with FP5 silicon to enable 800GE interfaces and the Nokia 1830 PSI compact modular optical transport platform equipped with Photonic Service Engine (PSE) coherent interfaces. Nokia claimed to be the first vendor commercially shipping 800GE routing solutions in volume from 2022. This trial marks the application of 800GE link aggregation for high-capacity data centre interconnect, including both full link resiliency with coherent optical transport, Nokia said. With Nokia's ground-breaking release of 800GE, we had full faith in their ability to provide us with seamless line rate performance of 1.6 Tb/s without any packet loss. True to our expectations, Nokia delivered on this promise, said OpenColo co-founder and chief technology officer Scott Brookshire. The economic advantages of 800GE in comparison to 400GE are clear, being cost neutral to 400GE today and providing up to a 40 percent power savings versus 400GE today. Adopting 800GE routing is a simple and clear solution to the immediate power concerns our industry faces, said Nokia vice president IP hardware product management Jeff Jakab. OpenColo is a provider of data centre connectivity and colocation services with locations in Santa Clara, California and Miami, Florida. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 11 April 2023. COMPANY NEWS: As an ICT managed services provider company, the popular narrative is that the data centre is our single biggest emissions source, but an analysis of our operations challenged that notion, explains Tecala ESG Manager, Matthew Pedersen. Its been clear for some time that the data centres housing ICT equipment are significant contributors of carbon emissions: The European Commission describes ICT as one of the fastest growing greenhouse gas-emitting and energy management sectors. An often-quoted report from Ericsson notes that ICT equipment accounts for about 1.4% of total carbon emissions and uses about 3.6% of global electricity consumption. The ITU says a 45% reduction in emissions from the ICT industry is needed by 2030 to meet the Paris agreement on climate action. Consequently, the data centre has become the focus of efforts to reduce emissions and has been widely regarded as the single largest source of emissions in the ICT industry. However, as a managed services provider, we have conducted a detailed analysis of our emissions and discovered that the data centre is in fact, not our single largest source. Instead, "professional services," which includes outsourced suppliers and consultancies for domain expertise such as legal and marketing, account for a greater amount of emissions than our data centres. As we work with many external suppliers and consultancies to carry out various tasks that require specialised knowledge and expertise. Many of these external parties have different practices and policies regarding environmental sustainability, which, of course, impacts the emissions produced by these companies. For example, legal firms or marketing agencies may operate in energy-intensive office environments, use high-carbon transportation modes, or rely on paper-based processes. Similarly, suppliers of hardware or software may use materials or manufacturing processes that generate significant carbon emissions. When these outsourced services are factored into Tecala's overall carbon footprint, they contributed more emissions than the data centres, which are often subject to stringent efficiency and sustainability measures. One of our data centre partners, NEXTDC, has gone as far as being carbon neutral themselves. This highlights the importance of taking a holistic approach to measuring and reducing carbon emissions in business operations. Companies need to consider the entire supply chain, including external suppliers and partners, to identify areas where emissions can be reduced. By doing so, they can develop more effective strategies to mitigate their environmental impact and work towards a more sustainable future. Conducting this analysis has enabled us to identify and prioritise areas for action. First, we act as a professional services input to our own customers, and - if we arent carbon zero - become a contributor of scope three (indirect) emissions to their operations. By becoming carbon neutral, we arent contributing to the emissions boundaries of our customers that they then have to pay to offset. Second, our own workforce expects us to be more climate conscious. Businesses generally are past the point of simply setting environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals: these targets need to be backed with real and credible action, and both existing and prospective employees want to see evidence of that. For Tecala Group, that action comes in the form of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations. Climate Active is an ongoing partnership between the Australian Government and Australian businesses to drive voluntary climate action. It enables organisations to meet standards of carbon neutrality, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy. As of December 2022, we became certified as carbon neutral for our Australian business operations, the first mid-market MSP in Australia to achieve such certification. Unpacking the process In order to become carbon neutral, businesses and organisations calculate the greenhouse gas emissions generated by their activities and then reduce these emissions as much as possible by investing in new technology or making operational changes. If any emissions remain, these can be cancelled out by purchasing carbon offsets which are generated from activities that prevent, reduce, or remove greenhouse gas emissions. The most difficult part is to calculate the sources of all your emissions. Carbon accounting consultancies can assist in documenting your emissions boundary. For Tecala, this meant - among other things - approaching our data centre operators to figure out what refrigerant gases they use to cool their data floors; surveying our people to learn their daily commute and at-work transportation habits; and using algorithms to estimate the carbon footprint of our third-party suppliers, which is based on the amount spent with them each year. After you calculate your emissions, two things must occur. You must first decide on the type of carbon offset programme you want to choose. This is a matter of doing your research and selecting initiatives that are consistent with your company's strategy and values; our goal is to submit future decisions to employee vote while also ensuring the project's authenticity. Second, efforts must be made to reduce emissions. Every year, you should evaluate your operational emissions and make a commitment to persistent reductions. Using specialised carbon accounting or environmental, social, and governance (ESG) software, which is becoming more widely accessible, may make the process of reviewing and revising your emissions boundaries each year easier. Immediate, as well as mid- and longer-term, reductions can be achieved. For Tecala, switching to green power and improving waste management created immediate reductions. We also immediately offset our emissions. In the longer term, making use of carbon neutral suppliers - from data centre hosting to professional services and more - is likely to lead to a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Being involved in Climate Active means were now part of a community that promotes voluntary climate action. This enables us, and other accredited organisations, to find like-minded partners who can provide carbon-neutral services and further reduce their environmental impact. By prioritising carbon neutrality across their supply chain, businesses can contribute to the global effort to combat climate change. Cohesity, a leader in data security and management, today announced an expanded relationship with Microsoft that is focused on helping enterprises globally broaden and harden data security -- critical as cyberattacks are occurring every 39 seconds with 30,000 websites hacked daily and costing the global economy $6.9 billion in 2021*. There are two major elements to the expanded relationship between Cohesity and Microsoft. Cohesity Cloud Services are now available on Azure, empowering Microsoft customers to easily protect and secure their data across hybrid environments : Cohesity FortKnox , Cohesitys popular SaaS cyber vaulting service, provides another layer of protection with predictable data recovery. Live demos and product previews of Cohesity FortKnox on Azure are available now, with general availability planned in the coming months. Cohesity DataProtect delivered as a service , an easy-to-use enterprise-grade backup as a service (BaaS) offering, now supports Microsoft 365. Customers can use Cohesitys BaaS offering, which protects critical SaaS, cloud-native, and on-premises data, to back up their Microsoft 365 data to a data plane hosted on Azure. : Ushering in a New Era in Deriving Value from Data Cohesity, which is already using AI to help customers detect anomalies that can indicate a cyberattack in play, believes AI can be used in other ways to rapidly analyse vast volumes of data and enable IT and security operations to respond to a security breach -- faster and with improved accuracy. Today, Cohesity announced that it will put forth its AI-ready data structure that, when combined with OpenAI, will advance generative AI initiatives around threat detection, classification, anomaly detection, and more. To hear more about the impact AI can have on data security and management, Cohesitys expanded relationship with Microsoft, and opportunities for customers to secure, protect, and derive value from data, watch this special edition of Spotlight on Security on April 11, which will feature key Microsoft and Cohesity executives. Cohesity is integrating with Microsofts broad platforms across security, cloud and AI - all in order to help joint customers secure and protect their data against escalating cyberattacks, said Sanjay Poonen, CEO and president, Cohesity. This expanded collaboration will make it simple for thousands of Microsoft customers and ecosystem partners to access Cohesitys award-winning platform, including its differentiated benefits of scalability, simplicity and security, in hybrid-cloud or multicloud scenarios. We utilise both Cohesity and Microsoft solutions today and are excited about this expanded focus on advancing security, utilising cloud innovations to promote cyber resilience, and getting more valuable insights from data, said Niall Townley, backup administrator, Community Health Plan of Washington. As organisations like ours continue to accelerate the move to a hybrid and multicloud world, it's great that we can also continue to manage data simply and securely, wherever its located, via the Cohesity Data Cloud platform. Together, all these benefits help us optimise the cloud while also mitigating risk from cyber threats. With so many organisations expanding their data footprints into hybrid and multicloud environments, attack vulnerabilities are increasing, and data security and protection is becoming more complex. Cohesity seeks to meet customers where they are, whether on-premises or across multiple cloud providers, said Phil Goodwin, research vice president IDC. Cohesity strives to help customers get more value from data through better data logistics, a key part of which is data security and protection. We think integrating with Microsoft Azure will help Cohesity and its customers to stay a step ahead of cyber criminals through more intelligent security now and with other interesting use cases to follow. For More Information: Join Cohesity at RSA Conference 2023, April 24-27 in San Francisco, where Microsoft Sentinel integration will be shown at booth 5360. Hear Cohesity CEO and President Sanjay Poonens vision for why customers and partners choose Cohesity in this video. * Zippa: 30 important Cybersecurity Statistics [2023] Data, Trends and More. About Cohesity Cohesity is a leader in data security and management. We make it easy to secure, protect, manage, and derive value from data across the data center, edge, and cloud. We offer a full suite of services consolidated on one multicloud data platform: backup and recovery, data security, disaster recovery, file and object services, dev/test, and analytics reducing complexity and eliminating mass data fragmentation. Cohesity can be delivered as a service, self-managed, or provided by a Cohesity-powered partner. COMPANY NEWS: Katonic.ai, an ISO 27001 artificial intelligence-machine learning (AI-ML) company that helps businesses realise the ROI on their AI investments faster, has been awarded the Frost & Sullivan prestigious Best Practices 2023 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) machine learning operations (MLOps) industry for its value proposition and commitment to excellence. Katonic.ai designed its flagship product, the Katonic.ai MLOps platform, to help companies develop and manage AI-powered applications more efficiently and effectively. The award recognises Katonic.ai's exceptional performance in the field of MLOps and its dedication to delivering high-quality solutions to its clients in APAC. Frost & Sullivan is a globally renowned consulting firm that recognises companies that demonstrate excellence in various categories, including innovation, leadership, growth, and customer service. The award is presented to companies that have demonstrated a visionary understanding of the future, a strong focus on customer needs, and an ability to execute innovative strategies that have successfully resulted in superior performance. "We are thrilled to be recognised by Frost & Sullivan as the best MLOps entrepreneurial company in APAC. Katonic is a born-in and made-for APAC MLOps platform. Our leadership and advisory team have a rich experience in this region, and we truly understand the challenges and opportunities that are unique to this geography. Our entire focus is on helping businesses in APAC deliver better business results by harnessing the power of AI and ML. It is highly encouraging to see our product and strategy being validated by someone as prestigious as Frost & Sullivan," said Katonic.ai founder and CEO Prem Naraindas. Katonic.ai, with offices in India, Australia, and Singapore, is a company backed by Australia's largest investment fund, Artesian Investments and Boab AI. Katonic.ai helps businesses realise the value of enterprise AI faster. The company designed its MLOps platform to help organisations develop and manage AI-powered applications more efficiently and effectively. Designed to get ML models to production quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively, Katonic.ai's MLOps platform simplifies development and operationalisation and is fully open, flexible, and language agnostic. The platform runs in a Kubernetes cluster and can be deployed anywhere, such as multi-cloud, on-premises, or the edge. "Katonic.ai has developed a compelling value proposition by aligning its offering to customer needs and transforming industry trends as well as focus on best practices. The offering has demonstrated the ability to create strategic differentiation driving significant success in the APAC market," said Frost & Sullivan global vice president Nishchal Khorana. About Katonic.ai Katonic.ai is an AI-ML ISO 27001 company, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, that helps businesses realise the value of enterprise AI faster, with proven and practical approaches to create new applications and achieve breakthrough innovations. Katonic.ai's MLOps is a collaborative platform with a unified interface (UI) to manage all data science in one place. The MLOps platform is for customers and developers to introduce the MLOps practice into their production systems. The platform combines the creative scientific process of data scientists with the professional software engineering process to build and deploy ML models into production safely, quickly, and sustainably. Katonic.ai's MLOps platform runs in customers' Kubernetes cluster and can be deployed anywhere, such as multi-cloud, on-premises, or the edge. Katonic.ai is the only APAC AI company to be featured in the prestigious Everest Group's MLOps Products PEAK Matrix 2022. Related links Website: https://katonic.ai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Katonicai Twitter: https://twitter.com/AiKatonic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/katonic/ Politicians from five countries, including Australia, have written to US Attorney-General Merrick Garland asking him to drop the charges against WikiLeaks founder and publisher, Australian Julian Assange, and to set him free. Forty-eight Australian parliamentarians put their names to a letter sent to Garland. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said in a statement: "The widespread political concern for Julian Assange is a powerful reminder that this terrible saga has gone on for much too long and must be brought to an end." In the US, those who asked for the Australian's release were Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, New York Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Texas Rep. Greg Casar, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Missouri Rep. Cori Bush. The letters were sent on the fourth anniversary of Assanges arrest and imprisonment in London's Belmarsh Prison. The US letter said: "The prosecution of Mr Assange marks the first time in US history that a publisher of truthful information has been indicted under the Espionage Act, and went on to warn how a conviction on these charges would change the media and political landscape of the country: The prosecution of Mr. Assange, if successful, not only sets a legal precedent whereby journalists or publishers can be prosecuted, but a political one as well," it added. "In the future the New York Times or Washington Post could be prosecuted when they publish important stories based on classified information. Or, just as dangerous for democracy, they may refrain from publishing such stories for fear of prosecution. British Labour MP Richard Burgon said: British Parliamentarians are increasingly alarmed by the potential extradition of Julian Assange to the United States. Any extradition would, in effect, be putting press freedom on trial. It would set a dangerous precedent for journalists and publishers around the world. "Four years on since Julian Assange was first detained in Belmarsh High-Security prison, now is the right moment to draw a line under this outrageous prosecution initiated by the Trump Administration, drop the charges against Julian Assange and allow him to return home to Australia. Parliamentarians from Brazil and Mexico sent similar letters to the US Department of Justice. Assange is currently being held in Belmarsh prison in the UK, pending an appeal against his extradition to the US which was approved by former British home minister Priti Patel on 17 June last year. His legal team has appealed to the British High Court against the order. If that fails, then he can try to approach the UK Supreme Court. In the event that an appeal is refused, he has to be extradited in 28 days. The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the plaintiffs for the alleged violation of their rights. It also seeks the removal of any information held by the CIA which was collected from them during their visits to see Assange and prevention of the release of any this information to a third party. Technology is needed now more than ever to drive productivity in the construction industry, along with an increased need to deliver more infrastructure, transport and housing projects. According to Sumit Oberoi, Industry Strategist, APAC at Autodesk, government infrastructure and private commercial construction spend is increasing with the need to deliver more vital land, transport and housing projects across the country, and yet were seeing more construction companies under stress despite this increase in work. The industry is at a crossroad, and greater operational efficiencies are required to maintain competiveness. We have found that when a company adopts technology there is a direct positive impact on their revenue, said Oberoi. The construction sector has unfortunately seen a number of collapses, with at least 20 construction companies in Australia folding in 2022. There are multiple factors involved such as a challenging procurement environment, labour and material shortages, extreme weather and supply chain disruptions. Sumit Oberoi observed that a total of $255 billion in Australian Government expenditure has been allocated to infrastructure over the four years between 2022-23 and 2025-26 a three per cent increase over last years allocations. Additionally, in the October 2022-23 budget, the Australian Government announced an investment of almost $1.4 billion for vital land transport infrastructure projects in NSW alone to improve safety and reduce travel times. Government infrastructure and private commercial construction spend is increasing with the need to deliver more vital land, transport and housing projects across the country, and yet were seeing more construction companies under stress despite this increase in work. The industry is at a crossroad, and greater operational efficiencies are required to maintain competiveness. We have found that when a company adopts technology there is a direct positive impact on their revenue, said Oberoi. Last week, Autodesk announced the launch of its joint report with Deloitte, The State of Digital Adoption in Construction Report 2023, which surveyed 229 construction and engineering executives across Australia, Japan and Singapores architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector about how digital adoption affects them and what their outlook is in the face of such uncertain times. David Rumbens, Partner at Deloitte Access Economics, said, The survey showed nearly nine in ten AEC businesses are investing in new technologies, and businesses with higher levels of digital adoption are more optimistic about the future and more likely to have international operations. Additionally, 61% of AEC businesses see using new technology to deliver projects as a key source of growth. Nearly two in five businesses are using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and cloud management software, while over a quarter of businesses are expecting to implement these technologies in the future, said Rumbens. It is clear construction companies across Australia increasingly understand that to remain competitive in todays marketplace, they need to innovate. However, some of the challenges to increasing technology adoption in the industry will require addressing, including upskilling staff, change management and budget allocation, Oberoi concluded, Additional key findings of the joint Autodesk-Deloitte report included: 96% reported that previous digitisation efforts have boosted their business. For nearly half (45%) of businesses, the impact from digitisation efforts has already been high or very high Firms using more tech than average are 30% more likely to be optimistic about the future Just under two in three of (61%) businesses said using new technology to deliver client work would be a main source of revenue growth Nearly half said that growth would also come from using digital tech to improve internal processes Singaporean businesses are most concerned about high material costs and labour shortages Australian businesses are most concerned about uncertain economic conditions Japanese businesses are most worried about economic uncertainty and lack of skilled workers. Technology provider to the higher education sector, TechnologyOne, has confirmed it will submit an unsolicited proposal to NSW TAFE to modernise its student management platform to help set its students up for success for the next 10 years. TechnologyOne says this decision comes following earlier attempts by it over a number of years, to offer help to NSW TAFE to turn around their troubled project - and following recent media reports highlighting NSW TAFEs failed attempts to upgrade its technology, with employee representatives and current students detailing the serious and ongoing issues they face in relation to the IT upgrade. TechnologyOnes Chief Operating Officer Stuart MacDonald said: As a proud Australian company, we cant sit back idly. If we stood by and watched, we would be doing a disservice to NSW students and to the industry. We felt we had no option but to put our money where our mouth is and act by submitting an unsolicited proposal. That is why we have put forward an offer to help, which will see us remove all the risk to NSW TAFE by providing them with major cost savings and a market-leading solution locked in at a fixed price for the next decade. We can all see this long outstanding issue for TAFE and its students urgently needs to be resolved, and as the leading provider of this solution in the Education sector, we had no choice but to help. Our offer is an industry-first 10-year fixed price including implementation and a free proof of concept. We are the only partner who can make this offer of assistance, and it comes down to our unique understanding of, and experience in, the TAFE sector. We are removing the risk from TAFE, and putting it all on TechnologyOne, and in the end it will be the students that will benefit. Now is a timely opportunity for NSW TAFE, the new government and other key stakeholders to come together to solve this issue with a system that is fit-for-purpose and in the best interests of current and future students, MacDonald said. TechnologyOne says its proposal comes at a pivotal moment and follows the NSW Governments agreement with the Federal Government to deliver 120,000 fee-free TAFE and VET placements in New South Wales in 2023. When announced in December 2022, the $319 million agreement was stated to include approximately 40,200 fee-free places in the care sector, 9900 in technology and digital, 6900 in agriculture, 5200 in construction, 5000 in hospitality and tourism, 1200 in sovereign capability, and 51,400 in other priority sectors including foundation skills, TechnologyOne said. As the largest TAFE in Australia, NSW TAFE students deserve the best, especially at a time when the government has put skills and jobs at the top of its agenda. That is why we have developed a proposal that offers a proven solution using modern technology, fast implementation and $300m of cost savings to the NSW Government, MacDonald said. TechnologyOne is the leading vendor of student management solutions to the Australian tertiary education sector. Our software is used by two out of every three Australian TAFEs, and almost half of Australian universities. We offer the only dedicated software solution created specifically for the higher education sector. Given this experience and capability, we believe TechnologyOne is uniquely placed to support NSW TAFE with its current challenges, and to set it up for short and long-term success. We hope to work positively with NSW TAFE so we can deliver the truly world-class student experience they deserve. People are so dependent on the internet that it is ingrained in every aspect of life, making access a basic human right, a study revealed. Internet access particularly in developing countries can make the difference between people receiving an education, staying healthy, finding a home, and securing employment or not, according to University of Birmingham global ethics lecturer and Dr Merten Reglitzs study Politics, Philosophy, & Economics. Even if people have offline opportunities, such as accessing social security schemes or finding housing, they are at a comparative disadvantage to those with Internet access, the study said. Reglitz called for a standalone human right to internet access based on it being a practical necessity for a range of socio-economic human rights. He urged public authorities to provide internet access free of charge to those who cannot afford it, as well as providing training in basic digital skills training for all citizens and protecting online access from arbitrary interference by states and private companies. The internet has unique and fundamental value for the realisation of many of our socio-economic human rights - allowing users to submit job applications, send medical information to healthcare professionals, manage their finances and business, make social security claims, and submit educational assessments, he commented. The internets structure enables a mutual exchange of information that has the potential to contribute to the progress of humankind as a whole - potential that should be protected and deployed by declaring access to the Internet a human right. The study outlines several areas in developed countries where internet access is essential to exercise socio-economic human rights: Education students in internet-free households are disadvantaged in obtaining a good school education with essential learning aids and study materials online. Health providing in-person healthcare to remote communities can be challenging, particularly in the US and Canada. Online healthcare can help to plug this gap. Housing in many developed countries, significant parts of the rental housing market have moved online. Social Security accessing these public services today is often unreasonably difficult without internet access. Work jobs are increasingly advertised in real time online and people must be able to access relevant websites to make effective use of their right to work. The research also highlighted similar problems for people without internet access in developing countries. It cited a situation in sub-Saharan Africa where 20% of children aged six to 11 are out of school. Many children face long walks to their schools, where class sizes are routinely very large in crumbling, unsanitary schools with insufficient numbers of teachers. The study pointed that online education tools can make a significant difference. The internet allows children living remotely from schools to complete their education. More students can be taught more effectively if teaching materials are available digitally and pupils do not have to share books. For people in developing countries, internet access can also make the difference between receiving an adequate level of healthcare or receiving none. Digital health tools can help diagnose illnesses. A smartphone-based Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek) in Kenya has been used to test peoples eyesight and identify people who need treatment, especially in remote areas underserved by medical practitioners. People are often confronted with a lack of brick-and-mortar banks in developing countries and internet access makes possible financial inclusion, the study said. Small businesses can also raise money through online crowdfunding platforms. The World Bank expects such sums raised in Africa will rise from US$32 million in 2015 to US$2.5 billion in 2025. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 11 April 2023. MATTOON Two automobiles came together on the subway bridge at the corner of Charleston Avenue and South Eighteenth Street Wednesday evening, due to a Ford sedan, in which were two women, being driven without lights. The Ford suffered a damaged rear tire, the repairs to which, Patrolman C.C. Brooks, who was driving the other car, generously offered to pay. The identity of the women in the Ford was not learned...SHELBYVILLE At a meeting of the city council Tuesday night, a contract for the construction of the new electric light plant for Shelbyville was entered into with the Nixon-Keeley Construction Company of East St. Louis. If the construction company enters into proper bond and the trust company at East St. Louis takes over the certificates of indebtedness, as is expected after preliminary investigations are completed, work on the new plant will start April 16. MATTOON Thirty pounds of LSD, valued at $54,870 was seized in a raid at approximately midnight Saturday at the Holiday Inn in Mattoon by authorities, it was revealed late Wednesday afternoon. The cache is believed to be the largest ever confiscated outside a laboratory in the United States, according to William Dye Jr., assistant U.S. attorney at Danville. Arrested during the raid at Holiday Inn by Mattoon police, Illinois Bureau of Investigation agents and area law enforcement personnel was Scott A. Stearns, 20, of Decatur, who is a student at EIU. The IBI, in the press release Wednesday afternoon, stated that authorities had seized a total of 105 pound of marijuana, 41 pounds of LSD, 200 grams of amphetamines and 43 grams of cocaine...CHARLESTON The Charleston Recreation Board announced Wednesday that it will lease the old sanctuary of the First Christian Church to be used as a community center. Work will begin soon on revamping some of the rooms and areas for use in various activities, said Bob Carlen, city recreation director. Daniel Thornburgh, chairman of the recreation board, has proposed that the center be named the Linder Community Center in honor of the late Lewis S. Linder. Thornburgh felt that Linder's interest in the community, the church, and similar projects would make the naming appropriate...MATTOON The strike that has been threatened by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association against Ozark Airlines would have only an indirect effect on the Coles County Airport, according to airport manager John W. Farrar. There would be no immediate effect of the strike felt at the airport because Ozark has only administrative personnel assigned to Coles County Airport, according to Farrar. He added that if a strike did take place, commercial operations would eventually slow down and possibly stop, without maintenance personnel elsewhere to perform the needed periodical maintenance checks on the aircraft. Ozark serves 67 cities in 15 states, mostly in the Midwest. MATTOON The Lake Land College Mystery activity concluded in dramatic fashion Tuesday afternoon with revelations of a faked death and stalking, plus three arrests. The concluding event in Webb Hall began with police officers "arresting" President Josh Bullock, Agriculture Division Chair Ryan Orrick, and Dean for Workforce Solutions & Community Education Chris Strohl after their simulated wrongdoing was sleuthed out by area high school students and other participants who weighed the evidence and cast their votes on the suspects. "You three were at the top for being really sketchy," explained philosophy/English instructor Tara Blaser, who helped organize this mystery activity. The goal was to help students have fun while using their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve a case. The mystery centered on a fictional instructor, Simon Milleach, who was discovered to be missing when Lake Land classes resumed on March 13 after spring break. Students from Okaw Valley and other area high schools visited campus to interview suspects and search for clues, while others took part remotely. Participants ended up determining that Milleach had uncovered embezzlement at his employer in Wisconsin and decided to keep a low profile by taking a teaching job under a different name at Lake Land, where his longtime friend Bullock is president. Things were going well for Milleach at Lake Land until his real identity was about to be uncovered. Blaser said Bullock conspired with his "poker buddy" Orrick to fake Milleach's death so he could flee the country. She said Bullock, whose family owned a funeral home in this scenario, did this by using a cadaver that they then mostly dissolved in acid before leaving the remains in a van on campus. However, Blaser said Milleach's plans were thwarted when biology instructor David Turnbull and students in his "crime lab" determined that the remains belonged to a woman. The rogue college president/funeral home proprietor then had to scramble to obtain a male cadaver's hand from his family's business to plant as evidence. "You guys were awesome and were rolling with it. You brought the mystery to life," Blaser said to the cast. This included Bullock obtaining a portrait photo from his real life longtime friend, Paul Barfknecht, to portray Milleach. Strohl was arrested for stalking behavior after the student detectives conducted their interviews with her and other witnesses. They also found creepy calling cards bearing an image of an eye that she had left at various points on campus, including a memorial to the missing instructor. "(Strohl) got into her role a lot, so it was fun talking to her," said Okaw Valley junior Gabe Benning, adding that her character was intense. He also said, "It was really interesting to get to know all the characters." Members of the EIU chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (EIU UPI, IFT Local 4100) are disappointed by EIU President Glassman's April 10 statement regarding the progress of bargaining. EIU UPI President Jennifer Stringfellow released the following statement: Were thrilled that President Glassman has finally taken an interest in the bargaining process 13 months after it started. However, its disappointing to read his depiction of priorities; hes missing key parts of the full story. What President Glassman did not dispute was the change in EIU's net financial position by a gain of $15.4 million dollars from Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2023. The truth is that for the past five years, EIU has been on a steady trajectory of economic recovery. These gains were realized in part by the work of everyone on this campus, including our members. For example, over the course of eight years, our tenure track faculty have increased our overload work amount by 50%. Our faculty overload work is paid at a substantially lower rate than our regular wages (from 70% to less than 33%). As a result, our members have been doing extra work for less pay to save the university hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. In fact, EIU employees across campus and at all levels have been asked to do extra work, which is the result of many positions remaining unfilled. Balancing the operations of this university on the backs of overworked faculty and staff is not a sustainable approach to running an institution of higher education. We are also not convinced that there is an urgency this year to set aside substantial amounts of the $15.4 million surplus to take care of re-staffing, campus maintenance, and wages for workers in other sectors of campus because EIU, under President Glassman's leadership, has not actually implemented any of these priorities. Everyone who works at EIU knows that the raises have been low across all work sectors, except for President Glassmans most recent 10% raise, and positions have been left vacant so that work is distributed to those who stay. President Glassman's explanation comes across as convenient excuses to continue the austerity economic approach at EIU at the expense of all of EIU workers. The union has said all along that our priority is to build a stronger university, where our students can enjoy a stable and well-supported educational experience. The stability we have today is built on our work and the sacrifices weve made along the way to support the institution during tough times. One would hope that, as enrollment continues to increase, the university would spend more on student-facing instructional expenses. While that number has remained the same over the course of the last few years, weve seen the expenditure for administration increase by $3 million. Explain that priority. Finally, we question the effectiveness of President Glassmans lead negotiator. When the leader of their bargaining team does not work here, does not live here, and does not even come here except to do his job as a retained outside counsel, we are skeptical that his decisions and strategies are in the best interest of the sustained culture of our campus and our community. We call on President Glassman, Provost Jay Gatrell, and Board of Trustees President Joyce Madigan to work with us to end the strike and come to a fair agreement. This fight is about the sustainability of the human capital on our campus and about the learning environment for our students. So far, our students and community members have shown up to walk the strike line with faculty and staff every day. We will continue to do so until the administration offers a contract that adequately invests in the future of our campus. Photos: Eastern Illinois University faculty strike Ticks ability to spread Lyme disease and other illnesses is fast being stymied by the efforts of researchers and cadets at Virginia Military Institute. Introducing: tick rover. The size of a small dog, this handy little carbon dioxide-emitting robot combs through grassy areas, picks up ticks and quickly kills them. The unusual invention is the brainchild of Jay Sullivan and Jim Squire, both professors at the Virginia-based military college. Sullivan is a mechanical engineering professor and Squire is an electrical and computer engineering professor. These days, almost everyone knows someone whos been afflicted with a tick-borne illness, Sullivan said. From Lyme disease to alpha gal syndrome, these tiny parasites cause an outsize amount of human suffering. Before the rover, Sullivan said the only solution was to either stay indoors or use a toxic insecticide, permethrin, thats been linked to a number of serious health effects in humans and animals. Given the small classes at the Institute enrollment is approximately 1,500 inter-departmental collaborations are common. Over the last 20 years, Sullivan and Squire have brought dozens of cadets on board to help with research on the unusual invention. Holly Gaff, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at Old Dominion University, also joined forces with the team as they repeatedly put the tick rover through rigorous testing. In fact, Gaffs published work on the project reported an 85% to 95% successful tick density removal rate. At VMI our motto is learning by doing. Inviting these engineering students to help with this project emphasizes just that." Jay Sullivan - Professor of Mechanical Engineering At VMI our motto is learning by doing, Sullivan said. Inviting these engineering students to help with this project emphasizes just that. Whats more, some of these cadets are listed as primary authors on the tick rovers patents, an amazing feat for undergraduates. Sullivan and Squire have challenged the cadets to tweak the rovers performance to make it more user-friendly. In spring 2020, their efforts paid off when the tick rover won national recognition at a contest sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, qualifying the team for an all-expense-paid trip to compete at the international level in Spain. While the trip was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic, the students still reaped the benefits of the project. I came to VMI with the passion for wanting to do projects that are hands-on, applying what Im learning in the classroom right away. Joseph Lieber - VMI class of 2023 For Joseph Lieber, VMI class of 2023, the project has been an incredible learning experience. I came to VMI with the passion for wanting to do projects that are hands-on, applying what Im learning in the classroom right away, said Lieber, who is now in his fourth year of rover research. For me, the rover is the perfect example of what makes engineering a true helping profession. I see that light at the end of the tunnel and how this invention can benefit someones life. You want to build something that helps someone and, potentially, make their quality of life that much better. And Im part of that effort. This summer, the tick rovers testing will move to the national level. VMI is partnering with the CDC Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases at the University of Florida to test the rover at 25 sites from Massachusetts to Florida. So, from larva to nymph to adult: ticks beware. The tick rover is on its way. Apply today at vmi.edu or call 540-464-7211. Take a look at what else is happening at VMI in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com. A mother shot her three children inside a home on the south side of Winston-Salem while on a Facetime call on Tuesday, Winston-Salem police believe. The mother then apparently shot herself, police said. The person at the other end of the call witnessed the shootings. The dead were: sisters Sakendra Syann Steele, 9; Sakenya Syretha Steele, 12; their brother, Sakenlo Shawn Steele Jr., 14; and the childrens mother, Ethel Syretha Steele, who was 40 years old. The bodies of the four were found at 3140 Brookhill Drive, where police arrived to find the house locked after receiving a report of a shooting at 11:54 a.m. on Tuesday. The house is on a cul-de-sac at the south end of Brookhill Drive, in a normally quiet residential neighborhood called Ashton Grove thats on an extension of Pope Road leading west from Ebert Road. Winston-Salem police forced entry into the locked home and found the bodies of the three children and their mother. More than a dozen law enforcement vehicles arrived and officers used yellow police tape to seal off the street. An ambulance responded, but drove slowly and quietly out of the neighborhood around 12:30 p.m. The mother shot the youngest girl first, police believe. Then the older girl jumped up and screamed before she was shot twice. The boy was the last of the children to be shot. Police have not said where the familys bodies were found. A quiet neighborhood Shocked bystanders watched from the other side of Pope Road most of the afternoon. Around 1:15 p.m., a man get out of a car and walk toward the cul-de-sac. When the man reached the yard of a neighboring house, he collapsed to the ground, apparently overcome by grief. Police officers came over to help him, and stayed with him several minutes until he was able to get up again. The man then walked with police officers toward the house where the shootings occurred. Later, the same man could be heard shouting in his grief near Pope Road, as those around him tried to comfort him. As a big mobile crime scene bus and a smaller forensics police truck showed up on Brookhill, it was clear to bystanders watching that something very serious had happened. Shortly before 3 p.m., police told reporters that four people were dead but had no other information to release. Police did not at that time confirm that the incident was a murder-suicide, but they did say that no suspects were being sought and that there was no safety threat to the neighborhood. Police released the names of all four of the dead at 4:41 p.m. A woman who lives in the neighborhood described how her own children occasionally played with the three Steele children in the front yard of the home where the shooting took place. The neighbor described the family as reclusive, and said that she had not spoken with them much. Another woman who lives just a few doors down from the site of the shooting said she had not heard anything out of the ordinary Tuesday morning, and found the arrival of all the police cars alarming. This is a quiet neighborhood very quiet, the woman said. A man who said he was godfather to one of the children said the Steele family had just gotten back from a vacation to Florida. Talking about gun violence Chris Scott, a pastor who lives in sight of 3140 Brookhill, was on a teleconference call with others talking about gun violence on Tuesday, and when the call ended he walked outside and ended up talking to family members and offering them his help. This is just the beginning of the process, unfortunately, with grief, he said afterward. Theres a lot to come after. Scott said the group he was talking with, Live Free USA, advocates way to reduce gun violence, and in the conference had been discussing the recent shootings at a school in Nashville, Tenn. There is no reason that our babies should have to worry about being shot at school, there is no reason that we should be losing children to gun violence, he said, adding that common-sense solutions can be worked out between the left and right. This is a quiet neighborhood, nothing like this ever happens, he said. Everybody is very cordial. We all stay to ourselves, but people are struggling with something, you just never know. You cant look at someone and tell what they are struggling with. Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough arrived on Pope Road near the crime scene mid-afternoon on Tuesday, and could be speaking with people who appeared to be family members or friends. Kimbrough was not able to provide any details on the case: Its a sad situation, Kimbrough said. Thats all I can tell you. A hearse and a van from a funeral home arrived at the scene about 6 p.m. Numbers rising Tuesdays shooting comes at a time when murder-suicides involving guns are on the rise in North Carolina and nationally. This year, North Carolina already is nearly halfway toward its 2022 total of 20 murder-suicide incidents involving firearms, according to the national Gun Violence Archive. From 2019 through 2022, North Carolina averaged 21.5 gun-related murder-suicides annually, according to the data. There have been nine such incidents reported in the state this year, with one-third of them taking place in the Triad, including the latest in Winston-Salem. On Jan. 8, a 45-year-old man fatally shot his 45-year-old wife and three children before turning the gun on himself in their home in High Point. The children were aged 10, 16 and 18. Officers said theyd responded to calls from the same address five other times since 2014, including five days before the deadly shooting to serve an involuntary mental commitment order on the father. Police would not elaborate on what prompted that order, but said family members indicated that he suffered from some form of mental illness. On Feb. 8, Greensboro police responding to a reported assault found a 34-year-old woman dead after being shot, and a 31-year-old man with what was determined to be a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. Nationally, last years total of 670 murder-suicides involving guns was the most ever recorded in a single year, up from 594 in 2021 and 570 the year before. So far in 2023, the U.S. is averaging two firearms-related murder-suicides per day, putting it on pace to break last years record. Winston-Salem police said the deaths of the Steele children were the 14th, 15th and 16th homicides in the city, compared to 14 by this date in 2022. The investigation is still active, and police say anyone with information should contact police at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800. PHOTOS: Shooting at 3100 block of Brookhill Drive Wednesday. Different day, same theme. It was hardly the same there is no one size fits all but two days after five people were killed in Louisville and barely a week after six were slaughtered inside a Nashville elementary school, Winston-Salem just missed landing on a gruesome list that no chamber of commerce or tourism board would ever tout. A family of four, in an apparent murder-suicide reported just before noon Tuesday, will not be recorded as at least the nations 147th mass shooting in 2023. Not that it matters, given the lives lost including three siblings ages 9, 12 and 14. Every death and injury counts in a never-ending tally of a violent epidemic. The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks shootings in the United States, defines mass shooting simply: any incident when four or more people are shot, not including the shooter. (A nonprofit? What, you thought the federal government, perhaps the FBI or the Centers for Disease Control, would keep tabs on mass shootings in this country? The CDC is prohibited from looking at gun violence in any scientific way.) Anyhow, the Gun Violence Archive, in tracking this critically important data, makes no distinction in its baseline definition between workplace shootings (Louisville), those undertaken in schools (Nashville just being the latest), drive-bys or gang activity (any big city on just about any weekend) or murder-suicides. It does, however, provide as much detail as possible by including police reports and charting incidents by categories defensive use, unintentional, children wounded etc. on charts, graphs and maps. Suicides, due to privacy laws, are included as an aggregate number without detail. Still, by definition, the tragedy Tuesday on Brookhill Drive in Winston-Salem will not be included on this terrible list, a small, pyrrhic victory. According to Winston-Salem police, officers responded to a reported shooting shortly before noon. They forced their way inside and found a 40-year-old woman dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Further inside the residence, officers located her three children dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Investigators may never know why a mother would kill her own children. Stress and some mental illness almost certainly had to play a role. But other questions that police have grown accustomed to asking What kind of weapon was used? Where did it come from? Was it legally purchased? Could better background checks or red-flag laws have prevented it? havent been answered yet. Those answers, when and if uncovered, ought to be revealed if there is ever to be any hope of finding reasonable proposals for curbing the ongoing carnage. Perhaps some of those answers will come later this morning at the citys monthly public safety news conference. Right after police brass finish discussing speeding in neighborhoods, that is. Delays ahead on I-40, Peters Creek Parkway WINSTON-SALEM - Buckle up, buttercup. Contractors hired by the N.C. Department of Transportation to work on the long-awaited, much anticipated Northern Beltway and other projects will be closing sections of Interstate 40 over the next three days to work on bridges. Surprise! Heres the list: One of two lanes on I-40 west between High Point Road and I-74/U.S. 311 will be closed from 8 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Thursday. Tonight through Thursday, two of three lanes on I-40 west from U.S. 52 to Peters Creek Parkway will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. On top of that, the offramp from I-40 west to Peters Creek Parkway will be closed tonight from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. Plan accordingly or just stay home basking in the warm glow of the television. Abortion access discussed GREENSBORO Its no surprise that North Carolina has become a haven for women in the South to seek legal abortions since nearby states have moved swiftly to restrict access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. But the choices women have in this state could become severely restricted if an order by a judge in Texas suspending FDA approval of a drug used in abortions stands. We are in Greensboro. This morning, we had 20 patients, every one of them chose mifepristone as their treatment, said Kelly Flynn, the president and CEO of A Womans Choice Inc., the operator of several clinics, at a roundtable discussion about womens health held at UNCG Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and Rep. Kathy Manning facilitated the event. As appeals of competing court rulings about the availability of mifepristone work their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, expect more of these types of discussions. U.S. Rep. Jeff Jacksons 1.6 million TikTok followers arent all there to be his friends, he learned this week as he and another North Carolina congressman, Rep. Wiley Nickel, found themselves at the center of two ethics complaints. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed two back-to-back complaints with the Office of Congressional Ethics accusing the two Democrats of using their TikTok accounts to both campaign and conduct official congressional business. FACTS is a conservative nonprofit based in Washington, a dark-money group once run by former Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. Recently, members of both political parties have worked together in a push to potentially ban TikTok from devices throughout the country, though Republicans have taken a stronger stance in recent weeks. And Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, called on his colleagues in Congress to stop using the platform. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat from New York, stood out as one of the few voices in Congress defending TikTok. FACTS also filed, this week, a complaint against him for his use of the app. Federal law and House ethics rules require strict separation between campaign and official acts, the complaints against both Nickel and Jackson state. A member is prohibited from using official resources for campaign purposes and a member is prohibited from using campaign funds for official purposes. The complaints allege that not only did the men use their accounts to campaign for office, they went on to use content taken inside the U.S. Capitol to then publish on the same accounts once elected. The laws and ethics rules prohibiting Members from using official resources for political purposes are clear and longstanding, said Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACTS. Not only do these ethics rules protect taxpayer funds, but they also protect the integrity of the government and maintain citizens trust. Anytime a member does not comply with these laws it is troubling and should concern citizens. The OCE should act to enforce these fundamental ethics rules. Complaint against Rep. Jeff Jackson Jackson became more well known following the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank last month when he recorded a video at 2 a.m. for his social media platforms explaining in basic terms what happened and how Congress was responding. The freshman congressman from Charlotte posted his video to multiple accounts, and his TikTok amassed 29.1 million views, as of Tuesday. He is now followed by 1.6 million people. News articles followed Jacksons social media success asking the congressman why he chose to use a platform currently scrutinized by his colleagues as a potential international security risk and how he grew so popular. Jackson told other media outlets that he uses a burner phone that is connected to TikTok and nothing else. The ethics complaint alleges that Jackson describes himself as a member of Congress on his TikTok account while including a link to his campaign website. His TikToks also include campaign interviews and events. Later posts includes photographs of members on the House floor. Members are not allowed to use photos or videos taken from the House floor or in committee meetings for political purposes, even when first published by a third party. The complaint is wrong, Jackson said Tuesday. We looked at the rules closely to make sure we followed them, and we did. Jackson posted a video Tuesday morning about a judge banning the use of mifepristone, a pill that blocks a hormone that allows pregnancy to occur and is one of the drugs used in medication abortions. Jeff Jackson continues to put TikTok fame before national security and it has come back to bite him, said Delanie Bomar, spokeswoman for National Republican Congressional Committee, in a statement sent out about the ethics complaint against Jackson. Jacksons priority is going viral, not the people of NC-14. NRCC, a group that works to get Republicans elected to the U.S. House, has listed North Carolina Reps. Don Davis, Nickel and Jackson as targets for their 2024 campaigns. Bomar did not comment on the complaint against Nickel. Theyre throwing anything to see what sticks, Jackson said. This wont. Rep. Wiley Nickel Nickel has far less of a reach on the social media platform. Hes amassed 4,872 followers and while views for the majority of his videos stay in the triple digits, he once garnered 32,000 views on a post about his campaign opponent, Bo Hines, talking about needing money while living off a trust fund. Like Jackson, Nickels use of TikTok began while he campaigned for Congress and continued after he was sworn into office. Nickel, a Cary Democrat, represents North Carolinas 13th Congressional District. While his account biography lists that he is a member of Congress, it also links to his campaign website, one of the many complaints FACTS had with his account. Nickel also posted videos from campaign events, interviews and advertisements, before switching gears and posting videos created at the Capitol and of a C-SPAN interview he filmed in the building while wearing a pin given to members of Congress, the complaint alleges. These violations reveal a complete disregard for the clear and longstanding prohibition of using official resources for political purposes, Arnold said. Complying with the law and House Ethics rules are a fundamental obligation for elected officials. The OCE must move swiftly to investigate and enforce these bright-line standards and apply the requisite penalty. Nickel, however, sees the complaint as a partisan attack by a right-wing group, he said. Im focused on working hard to deliver for the people of North Carolina, and thats what Im going to keep doing, Nickel said. Nickel hasnt posted on TikTok since Feb. 25. SIDNEY The forest green roof and pair of bronze stags frozen in combat are impossible to miss as you drive down Interstate 80. So are the two corporate buildings 550,000 square feet of nearly empty office space, long offered for a $1 a year lease. The water tower looms overhead, painted in the same green, heralding what once was: Cabelas World Headquarters, City of Sidney. For 54 years, Cabelas made its home here, a juggernaut that kept the town humming. But in 2017, the sporting goods store sold for $5 billion to Bass Pro Shops a takeover that eventually made 2,000 jobs vanish in a town of roughly 6,600 residents. Sidneys outlook turned grim. Without Cabelas, leaders feared that the fourth-largest city in the Panhandle would empty out. A full-page ad in the local paper declared, Last one out, turn off the lights. But six years later, the lights are still on. The reality in this Panhandle town: Complicated. Sidneys population did shrink in the years after the sale then started growing again in 2020. The town has lost an estimated 436 residents since 2016, a 6% dip that mirrors population declines in similar Nebraska cities. The numbers dont signal a full recovery Sidneys median income, for example, has plummeted with the loss of Cabelas high-paying corporate jobs. But Sidneys staying power still surprises experts, who say its driven by two factors. One: Former Cabelas employees opening their small businesses, diversifying the economy in a formerly one-company town. Two: A recent influx of new residents, both retirees and remote workers. I would have predicted at least a 20% (population) decline, said Don Macke, a rural community development consultant who has worked in Sidney. When you lose an employer of this size, and a few years later, weve got a population thats comparable to what it was before, thats pretty unprecedented. *** Each spring, high schoolers from Nebraska and neighboring states flock to Sidney searching for the perfect prom dress. Their destination: Charlotte & Emerson, a downtown boutique and one example of Sidneys rebirth from the ashes of Cabelas. Co-owner Sarah Kaiser and husband Kurt Kaiser both worked at Cabelas. When the company was swallowed by Missouri-based Bass Pro, the family relocated there as Sarah Kaiser ran the combined companys human resources. But in 2020, they decided to return to Sidney, her hometown. Sarah Kaiser opened Charlotte & Emerson with her sister. Her husband launched an online fitness store, Frost Giant Fitness. Theyre two of many Sidney-based companies run by ex-Cabelas employees who decided to stick around and start something new. The corporate experience of these young folks really was key to this particular recovery, said David Iaquinta, a Nebraska Wesleyan University sociology professor who has researched Sidneys economic development. ... they combined that talent with a strong desire for the lifestyle that they had. They said, were here. Were rooted here. Budding companies are being boosted by E3, a Nebraska Community Foundation program meant to aid entrepreneurship in rural Nebraska. Already, new businesses have remodeled once-dilapidated buildings, said Sarah Sinnett, the programs community lead. This year, E3 partnered with Sidney Public Schools to hire an entrepreneurial navigator, who is helping small business owners grow their companies. Economic development in Nebraska used to be about cheap land, cheap labor and cheap incentives to nab big companies, Stinnett said. Now: If you want small towns to start thriving really it needs to be focused on entrepreneurship, she said. Economic success and failure often exist on the same block in Sidney. Next door to Charlotte & Emerson, the e-commerce company G.L. Huyett opened its expanded offices in downtown Sidney, with a shining new sign and the promise to grow their staff to 25. Just across the street, theres an empty storefront with a tattered awning, and a Greek restaurant with a boarded door and permanent closed sign. Two blocks away, a closed vintage stores windows are papered over. Across the street, Dawson Sharman, a promising young entrepreneur, runs Petals Flowers, the flower shop she bought last year. Losing Cabelas did mean fewer clients, several business owners said. Some fear that acknowledging the decline will hurt business all over again. The first time around was bad enough, said one business owner, declining an interview. Sharman, owner of Petals Florals, was in high school when Cabelas vanished. Her grandmother worked at the company. Sharman doesnt remember much of the impact. But she sees it when looking at the flower shops old monthly receipts. It was so much busier back then, Sharman said. It made so many people move out. When Bass Pro bought Cabelas, the number of homes for sale more than doubled, to an unheard-of 150. So many that realtor Stephen Wolff ran out of the For Sale signs he handmakes himself. The exodus caused a demographic shakeup that can be seen in census data. From 2017 to 2021, the median household income in Sidney dropped from $61,667 to $49,812 as white-collar corporate positions disappeared, replaced by manufacturing jobs. The number of people making more than six figures nosedived from 335 to 111. The young adults and young families Cabelas recruited are being replaced by retirees, residents say mostly Coloradans who realized they could buy a similar home for half the price in Sidney. From 2017 to 2021, the share of people 65 and older jumped to nearly a fifth of the population. I think were still trying to figure out what that looks like in a community, said Melissa Norgard, the citys former economic development director. Because its completely changed. Remote workers also took advantage of Sidneys cheap housing market, driven largely by the pandemic, Iaquinta said. The rise in remote work helped people already living in Sidney, too, Keen said, as former Cabelas workers who stayed in town started finding good jobs based elsewhere. Keen was one of the few Cabelas employees still employed at the post-merger Sidney corporate office. But in 2020, he left the company to join Nelnet. The Lincoln-based company hired employees in Sidney entirely remote. It didnt open an in-person office until 2021, growing to a staff of 81. I worked out of my home, said Keen, who now leads Nelnets Sidney office. Which wasnt necessarily something you could just easily find and do until the pandemic hit. *** The story of Sidney is a history of booms and busts. The construction of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. The Army ammunition depot that spiked during World War II then closed after Vietnam. For large stretches, its been a town driven by a lone major employer. In 1963, Cabelas sparked the latest boom, quickly becoming the backbone of Sidneys economy. One example: Sidney Mayor Brad Sherman, also an operations manager at UPS, said that the shipping company would move as many as 2,000 packages a day for the outdoor outfitter. Three UPS employees exclusively focused on Cabelas. The flagship store drove tourism into Sidney, too. Visitors would disembark from a bus in the parking lot, gawk at the array of taxidermied wildlife inside and spend serious money. Many families had their entire incomes coming from Cabelas, making the merger that much more terrifying, several former employees said. Bass Pro promised it would keep a few hundred employees in Sidney, sparing the call center and distribution center. By 2019, it had broken that promise. What city of 6,400 people loses 2,000 high-paying jobs? How do you come back from that? said David Scott, Sidney city manager. There was not a lot of hope for us. Sidney leaders poured money into replacing those lost jobs. In five years, the city has awarded $3.74 million in economic development funds to 14 companies, each pledging to bring in anywhere from 10 to 150 jobs. The vacant corporate offices are still the elephant in the room, Scott said. Weve tried everything we can to market those. But even if a company relocated and brought dozens of families into town, thered be nowhere for them to live, said Wolff, the local realtor. In mid-March, there were only about 30 homes on the market in Cheyenne County. Filling the building with one big company would be a mistake, Macke said. Then: Sidney simply becomes dependent on one more big thing, Macke said. And at some point, they may not have the resiliency to reinvent themselves. Sinnett hopes the new entrepreneurship program will make it easier for small business owners to get funded, create a business plan and open in Sidney. There are plans to start a local investment club, where entrepreneurs who dont qualify for a bank loan could seek funds from local investors. Its all part of the ongoing effort to diversify Sidneys economy. It may work, experts say. It may not. But Sidneys story is still being written. Theyre just in their first act post-Cabelas, Macke said. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. Photos: Scotts Bluff National Monument BERLIN Firefighters say they freed an "uncooperative" squirrel that was stuck in a manhole cover in western Germany echoing a similar incident that happened in the same city four years ago. The Dortmund fire department said a pedestrian alerted it to a distressed red squirrel Monday afternoon after she spotted its head peering out of a hole in the road. The woman covered it with a scarf to calm it down before calling for help. Firefighters who arrived at the scene carefully removed the manhole cover and tried to free the rodent. "This turned out to be quite complicated as the squirrel was uncooperative," the fire department said. After further attempts, the crew was able to extract the animal unharmed and it vanished up a nearby tree. Dortmund firefighters have previous experience saving stuck squirrels. In 2019, a similar squirrel rescue drew international attention. "It could not be determined if it was the same squirrel that had to be rescued from the same situation four years ago," the fire department said. A 35-year-old inmate out of Sarpy County died while working as part of a community corrections program. Chance Ryks was pronounced dead at a hospital after being transported by emergency medical personnel from his work location, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said in a news release Wednesday, April 12. Ryks was incarcerated at the Community Corrections Center-Omaha. A cause of death was not immediately determined. The Nebraska State Patrol is conducting an investigation, and a grand jury will conduct an investigation for an in-custody death. Sarpy County District Judge William Zastera sentenced Ryks to eight to 16 years on a felony second-degree assault charge. Ryks grabbed the wheel of a car driven by his girlfriend on Oct. 12, 2015, according to authorities. The car crossed the center line and collided head-on with another vehicle near 52nd Street and Cornhusker Road, resulting in the serious injury of the driver of the other vehicle. There were two young children in the car with Ryks when the crash occurred. Ryks pleaded guilty in exchange for prosecutors dropping four other charges. A 35-year-old inmate at the Community Corrections Center-Omaha died on Wednesday, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Chance Ryks was transported by emergency personnel to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a press release from the Department of Corrections. Ryks was serving an eight- to 16-year sentence for second-degree assault out of Sarpy County. He began serving his sentence in October 2016, according to the release. The cause of Ryks' death has not yet been determined and is being investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the release said. Nebraska law requires a grand jury investigation of any in-custody death. 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 Man killed when car hit house IDd OMAHA Police have identified the man killed early Sunday when a car collided with a house in North Omaha. Jefferson D. Gomez-Caceres, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene, an Omaha police spokesman said Monday. The crash occurred about 5 a.m. near 32nd and Hamilton streets. Investigators determined that Gomez-Caceres, the sole occupant of a 2009 Honda Civic, was eastbound on Hamilton Street. The Honda left the roadway for an unknown reason and crashed into the side of a house at 3124 Hamilton St. No other injuries were reported. Ceresco grocery store to close CERESCO After 10 years, Sweet Pea Grocers in Ceresco is closing permanently. Store owners said theyre closing because sales have dipped while the stores costs rise. Sweet Pea was opened in 2013 by owners Wayne Ambrosius and Pauline Mac, who said in a Facebook post that after 10 years, it is time to move on to our next adventure and open a new chapter in our lives. We want to express our thanks and appreciation to our customers and friends, the post continued. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve the community. The store is currently running a 10% off, everything-must-go sale. Sweet Pea was the only dedicated grocery store in Ceresco, and the only one on U.S. 77 between Lincoln and Wahoo. Motorcyclist dies after collision with semi A 22-year-old motorcyclist died after colliding with a semitrailer truck early Monday in west Omaha. The incident occurred about 6:50 a.m. near 132nd Street and West Dodge Road. Omaha police said a 2023 Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle was southbound on 132nd Street approaching the Dodge Street intersection. A northbound 2014 Freightliner semitrailer was attempting to turn onto the westbound on-ramp of Dodge Street when the motorcycle struck the trailer. Passersby began administering CPR to the unconscious motorcyclist, identified as Ty Rannals of Omaha, soon after the collision with the semi. Omaha Fire Department paramedics took over and transported Rannals to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy, where he died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The driver of the semitrailer was cited on suspicion of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide. Man allegedly threatened Super C clerk with knife A 66-year-old Lincoln man is in jail facing a felony charge after he threatened a convenience store clerk with a knife Saturday afternoon, police alleged in court records. After the 25-year-old clerk kicked Daniel Wheat out of the Super C at 17th and L streets at around 4 p.m. Saturday, the clerk said Wheat flashed a knife in his waistband from outside the store and told him, I have a knife with your name on it, according to the court records. The clerk said Wheat warned him not to call the police, inviting him outside to settle their dispute, Lincoln Police Officer Brian Gruber said in the affidavit for Wheats arrest. Instead, the 25-year-old phoned authorities, who took Wheat into custody near the gas stations parking lot and found a fixed-blade knife in a leather sheath on the 66-year-olds waist, Gruber said in the affidavit. Police took Wheat to the Lancaster County jail, where he is being held on a $25,000 percentage bond. The Lincoln man must pay $2,500 to be released. Prosecutors on Monday charged Wheat with terroristic threats, a felony. Man dies in Valparaiso mobile home blaze Firefighters responding to a mobile home fire in Valparaiso on Saturday night found an unidentified man dead in the trailer, according to authorities. Rescue crews with the Valparaiso Fire Department found the Saunders County mobile home, 150 N. Oak St., fully engulfed in flames when they arrived on scene just before 9 p.m. Saturday, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency said in a news release. Firefighters found one man and a dog dead inside the mobile home, which was rendered a total loss in the fire, the agency said. The Saunders County Attorney has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of the mans death. And the Fire Marshal Agency is still working to determine the cause of the fire. State Fire Marshal investigators are withholding the mans name until his identity is confirmed and family is notified, the agency said. Lincoln man found guilty of abusing girl A Lancaster County jury on Tuesday found a 79-year-old Lincoln man guilty of sexually abusing a child. Larry J. Wagner is set for sentencing in June on charges of third-degree sexual assault of a child and child abuse, both felonies, and third-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor. He could get up to seven years in prison. In 2020, a 15-year-old girl told Lincoln Police that Wagner had touched her inappropriately the night before at his home in Lincoln. In a forensic interview a day later, she described incidents over several years. In an interview with police that followed, Wagner admitted touching the girls breasts on three or four occasions and exposing himself to her to educate her and prepare her for boys trying to touch her as her body developed, police said. Wagners first trial in August ended in a mistrial over a juror issue. A firefighter was injured and a dog died after a mobile home caught fire amid gusty conditions Wednesday afternoon in north Lincoln. Lincoln Fire and Rescue crews responded to the fire, near North First Street and Cornhusker Highway, just before 2 p.m. Wednesday and found a mobile home fully engulfed, Battalion Chief Jeremy Gegg said. One firefighter was injured while fighting the blaze, which destroyed the mobile home at 342 Alexander Road and caused damage to the exterior of a neighboring unit, which was vacant, Gegg said. The battalion chief declined to detail the firefighter's injuries but said they were not thought to be life threatening. The firefighter was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Rescue crews found a deceased dog in the unit at 342 Alexander Road, but no residents were home when the flames broke out, Gegg said. LFR Capt. Nacy Crist said the mobile home at 342 Alexander Road was considered a total loss, with approximately $80,000 in damage to the structure and its contents. The other mobile home sustained about $7,000 in damage to its exterior. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear Wednesday afternoon. Gegg indicated Wednesday's conditions including a 25-mph wind from the south with gusts as strong as 33 mph likely contributed to the fire spreading to the second mobile home. Pointing to high winds and low humidity, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Wednesday for 30 counties in eastern Nebraska, cautioning residents to avoid outdoor burning and warning that "any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly." Photos: Firefighters in action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action Photos: Firefighters in Action The Lincoln Police Department is investigating the death of a 2-month-old girl after her parents brought her to a local hospital late last month and later lied to police about the circumstances of her death, investigators alleged in court filings. The child's mother brought the girl, who was unresponsive and not breathing, to Bryan East Campus on March 28, when the 2-month-old was pronounced dead, Lincoln Police Investigator Sara Prewett said in an affidavit for a temporary custody order made public Monday. In the two weeks since, the girl's mother has provided contradicting accounts about what led up to her daughter's death, including differing stories about where the girl was when she stopped breathing and how soon she and the child's father sought medical attention for the girl, Prewett said in the affidavit. Police also believe the parents directed friends and the mother's other children to lie to investigators about what happened March 28, according to the affidavit. In interviews with investigators, the deceased child's 8-year-old sister said the child's father, a 44-year-old man, was increasingly upset as he held the crying 2-month-old at his central Lincoln home, Prewett said. That's when the 2-month-old let out a scream before she went "blank," the girl's sister told police. The infant's eyes closed and she soon turned purple, her sister said. The 8-year-old told police that she thought her baby sister was just sleeping, but then her mom yelled at the 44-year-old to put the girl down, Prewett said in the affidavit. The man put the 2-month-old on a bed as the infant's parents called her name, trying to wake her, her sister told police. All four of the infant's siblings told investigators that the 44-year-old then punched a hole in the wall after the girl stopped breathing. The girl's mother and one of the 44-year-old man's roommates wanted to call 911, the 8-year-old sibling said, but he wouldn't let them. Police believe the infant's father refused to let anyone call 911 because he is a convicted and registered sex offender and is not allowed to be around unsupervised children as a condition of his parole, according to the affidavit. The 44-year-old drove the child and her mother to Bryan East and dropped them off at the emergency room before leaving the car there and walking away from the area on foot, Prewett said. The man broke his phone into pieces as he walked away, according to the affidavit. The infant's mother told police she called the girl's pediatrician and spoke to a nurse about her condition March 28, but investigators said the doctor's office has no record of the woman calling that day. Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Christopher Reid sought an emergency custody order Thursday on behalf of the mother's other four children ages 4, 8, 10 and 11 who had frequently been staying at the man's residence despite warnings to their mother from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Juvenile Court Judge Reggie Ryder signed the order Friday, granting custody of the four children to DHHS. The Journal Star is not naming the 2-month-old's parents because neither of them have been arrested or criminally charged in connection with the girl's death. In an email, Erika Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Police Department, confirmed LPD is investigating the childs death and said the Lancaster County Attorneys Office ordered an autopsy to determine the cause. The department's investigation into the girl's death marks at least the second time this year Lincoln Police have criminally investigated the death of a young child. Most dangerous cities in Nebraska Dangerous Cities in Nebraska 6. South Sioux City 5. Scottsbluff 4. North Platte 3. Lincoln 2. Grand Island 1. Omaha A note about the numbers Lincoln Public Schools officials are defending the use of classroom signs supporting LGBTQ students despite criticism about their use and amid a legislative push by state senators to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth. LPS recently approved the use of the signs, which display a rainbow pride flag above the words "all means all" and next to a brief statement in support of LGBTQ students. The small, card-sized signs, which are essentially designed to be displayed in windows of classroom doors, are available at all school buildings by request. "LPS believes that 'all means all' encompasses our students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+)," the statement on the card reads. "We stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ students, staff and community members. The individual displaying this card is committed to advancing safety, equity and dignity for all." The district's Equity Committee approved the signage in the fall at the request of social workers in the district who wanted to display them. Staff who want one of the signs, which were handed out in the past two weeks, can now pick them up from social workers in their building. The Equity Committee is a group of top district administrators "that comes together only to look at signage proposed by staff members that are intended to send supportive messages to students," Director of Communications Mindy Burbach said. The committee may include the associate superintendent of general administration and governmental affairs, director of student services and other top district leaders, Burbach said. The committee reviews signage if it concerns a "societal issue related to students about which it is important for LPS to affirm its support of students in general or for a particular group of students." Decisions follow district rules regarding the distribution of printed materials on school property, which prohibits obscene or other inappropriate materials. "All of our staff members are committed to serving each and every student thats why they are at Lincoln Public Schools," the district said in a statement. "These signs allow staff members to remind all students that they are a safe and trusted adult they can come to if they are experiencing issues at school. This is just one more way to communicate and reinforce that commitment." At Tuesday night's Lincoln Board of Education meeting, however, critics said the signs amount to pushing gender ideology and sexual content onto children. Luke Meduna, who has three elementary-age children in LPS, was one of about 20 people who spoke against the signs Tuesday. The card, which he said is in his fourth grader's classroom, sexualizes children, Meduna argued. "These are sensitive issues that parents should be directly involved in discussing with their children at appropriate times, and not the responsibility of a passive poster on a classroom wall," he said. Alaina Brouillette and Emmy Pollen, two Republicans running for school board in the May general election, likened the cards to the district distributing political materials in schools, which is prohibited. "The pride flag is a political statement," Brouillette said. "It would be no different than if you were to hand out cards with a Democrat donkey." Superintendent Paul Gausman said the signs are optional and do not mean the district offers less support to other students group. The signs are meant to show support to a marginalized group of students, said Gausman, pointing to the high rates of suicide for LGBTQ youths. "Someone's LGBTQ status is not political. This is a human rights issue. We are not asking our staff or our students to change their personal beliefs," Gausman told the board Tuesday. "We respect the right of each person to hold their own beliefs. We also expect our staff and students to respect those who hold beliefs different from their own, which often happens in the diversity of a public school setting." Gina Frank, an LPS parent, said the signs do not push a certain lifestyle on children but rather are affirming for LGBTQ students. "People's identity is not up for debate," Frank said. "Public schools are for all kids, and LGBTQAI kids are under attack right now and their families are under attack right now." The district's approval of the signs comes as a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors in Nebraska makes its way through the Legislature. LB574, introduced by Omaha Sen. Kathleen Kauth, would prohibit doctors from performing gender-altering surgery to anyone under the age of 19 or providing puberty blockers or hormone therapy. Any staff member at LPS can suggest the use of a sign to their supervisor, who may forward it to the Equity Committee for consideration, Burbach said. The Equity Committee considers a number of factors before approving a sign, including whether it aligns with district goals and is respectful of all student groups. Board regulations prohibit the distribution of materials that contain inappropriate content or that "amount to proselytizing, electioneering or lobbying." The associate superintendent for general administration and governmental relations ultimately reviews the signage and may forward it to the superintendent and his top executives for final approval. Other signage and messaging unrelated to a social issue goes through other departments, Burbach said. Health information, for example, goes through the district's Health Services Department. Top Journal Star photos for April 2023 A bill to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to low-income neighborhoods in Omaha that advanced on Tuesday also includes funding for Lincoln to begin work to secure a second source of drinking water. The Legislature gave first-round approval to a bill (LB531) from Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney that will provide grants to hundreds of proposals seeking to revitalize parts of North and South Omaha. Included in that proposal, which advanced on a 30-0 vote, was an amendment appropriating $180 million in American Rescue Plan Act money to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The department will, in turn, provide a grant to Lincoln to build a Southeast Nebraska regional water supply network that pumps water from the Missouri River to Lincoln and other communities. Lincoln Sen. Eliot Bostar, who introduced a measure (LB506) this year seeking $200 million for the project, said negotiations with members of the Appropriations Committee and senators representing east Omaha led to it being included in the broader economic development package. Bostar also said conversations with Gov. Jim Pillen about the project's benefits beyond the Capital City helped build momentum for the bill to be included. "Frankly, (Pillen) gets it and agrees this is a valuable project that is important for the state because it ensures we don't get into a position where we have to exercise our water rights and impair irrigator access," the senator said. Earlier this year, a 27-member advisory committee recommended Lincoln develop a second wellfield on the Missouri River to go along with its existing water supply that pumps water from wells on the Platte River near Ashland. Bostar said since the committee hearing for LB506, several other communities have expressed interest in joining the regional water supply network. Winning first-round approval is "extremely significant" toward moving the estimated $1.39 billion project forward, Bostar said. "It's also significant because it's demonstrating that we are going to be working to accomplish these water goals we have in partnership with the state," he added. Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2023 Nebraska took its turn at the forefront of the nationwide abortion debate on Wednesday and senators advanced a bill that would ban abortions if cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. The bill (LB626) from Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, which would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after about six weeks gestation, secured 33 votes to invoke cloture and shut down a filibuster. How they voted Senators voted 33-16 on Wednesday to stop debate on a bill (LB626) to prohibit doctors from performing an abortion if cardiac activity is detected in an embryo during an ultrasound. Those votes were also repeated to advance the bill to second round. Voting yes (33) Aguilar, Albrecht, Arch, Armendariz, Ballard, Bosn, Bostelman, Brandt, Brewer, Briese, Clements, DeKay, Dorn, Dover, Erdman, Halloran, Hansen, Hardin, Holdcroft, Hughes, Ibach, Jacobson, Kauth, Linehan, Lippincott, Lowe, McDonnell, Moser, Murman, Riepe, Sanders, Slama, von Gillern Voting no (16) Blood, Bostar, Cavanaugh, J., Cavanaugh, M., Conrad, Day, DeBoer, Dungan, Fredrickson, Hunt, McKinney, Raybould, Vargas, Walz, Wayne, Wishart Thirty-three senators all Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, as well as Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, a registered Democrat voted to end debate and advance the bill. The back-and-forth inside and outside of the legislative chamber illustrated the polarization that has gripped Nebraska and U.S. at large on the issue of abortion in the 10 months since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Roe v. Wade decision. The conservative majority on the court sent the decision about whether or not to restrict abortion back to the hands of state lawmakers last June. Several states have already done so, either through so-called trigger bills that went into effect when the Roe decision was overturned a bill from Albrecht last year that would have done the same fell just short of breaking a filibuster or in legislative sessions earlier this year. On Wednesday, all eyes were on Nebraska. Senators were met at the doors of the Capitol before Day 60 gaveled into session by advocates on either side of the debate, while supporters and opponents also organized rallies and filled the balconies to watch senators deliberations. At one point, supporters of the bill, including Catholics from around the state and others dressed in red, sat in the south balcony of the legislative chamber, while opponents led by Nebraskans for Abortion Access filled the north balcony clad in green. Over the noon hour, both camps huddled in competing rallies to bolster their support and pledge to keep fighting for their side. In the Rotunda, Omaha Sens. Megan Hunt and Machaela Cavanaugh and several religious leaders told roughly 150 opponents of LB626 that people of faith did not speak with one voice when it came to their views on abortion. Debra McKnight, the founding pastor of Urban Abbey in Omaha, said LB626 was more about controlling womens bodies than it was about protecting children, as supporters of the bill had claimed. This ban is not an act of faith I can get behind, McKnight told the crowd. Rabbi Deana Berezin of Temple Israel in Omaha said the Jewish faith considers a fetus as linked to but not superseding the life of the mother. Abortion is not only permitted, but required when a pregnant persons life is in danger under Judaism, she said. Berezin pointed out that the vote from senators was coming during the Jewish holiday of Passover that celebrates the Israelites uprising and escape from slavery in Egypt an entire people rising up in one voice saying let my people go so they could worship God. I stand here today as did my ancestors before me to demand religious liberty in the face of those who stand to hold it captive, Berezin said. On the sunny and windy north steps of the Capitol, flanked by Gov. Jim Pillen and two dozen other senators, Albrecht greeted about 200 supporters who showed up to support LB626. Children roamed through the crowd and one small boy wandered up to the line of speakers several times during the event, which featured signs proclaiming Protect Their Beating Hearts and A Heartbeat is a Universal Sign of Life. Tom Venzor, executive director for the Nebraska Catholic Conference, said Albrechts bill could save thousands of babies each year from elective abortions, while Dr. Elena Kraus of Lincoln, a specialist in maternal fetal medicine, said it would empower doctors to use their reasonable medical judgment when a womans life could be at risk. Pillen said Wednesday was one of the most important days in the last 50 years, since the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion was handed down by the nations highest court. This is the most important time for all of us to get this across the finish line, Pillen said. The physical separation between both rallies was reflected among legislators on either side of the debate that ended after 7 p.m. Wednesday, with senators staking out their position, but no one signaling they could be persuaded by either side. Albrecht described her bill as the most doctor and woman friendly abortion ban in the country, saying it did not authorize criminal prosecution of doctors who perform an abortion after cardiac activity is detected, nor did it create a civil action for physicians to be sued. But opponents to the bill, including Lincoln Sen. George Dungan and Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, said the bill did not repeal any existing criminal sanctions in state law. If proponents of the bill wanted to make it clear LB626 would not criminalize abortions, language would have been added doing so, Dungan said. We already have the crime on the statutes, Dungan said. We are creating a framework that a lack of adherence to would result in penalties. John Cavanaugh said a prosecutor seeking to boost their political career could use the language in LB626 to go after doctors who perform abortions. Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, who was sworn in on Tuesday to replace former Sen. Suzanne Geist, said prosecutors would not read language into statute that isnt plainly there, however. And Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar said opponents' claims that women or doctors could be prosecuted if LB626 becomes law was not only wrong, but was doing more harm than the bill itself by spreading fear. But opponents of the bill called LB626 problematic and said ambiguous language within it could be used to go after doctors and women. "This is not a clear legal document," said Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who pointed out the bill did not repeal existing penalties for abortion already codified within Nebraska state statute. "It is problematic to its core." Cavanaugh said doctors who testified in opposition to the bill in February told a committee that the bill would hurt their patients by preventing health care professionals from providing care to pregnant women until it was clear they would not face legal consequences if the pregnancy ended. "This is not a partisan issue, this is a health care issue we have no business in," Cavanaugh said. Sen. Jen Day of Gretna passed around Tic Tacs to other senators and pointed out that at six weeks' gestation, embryos were roughly half the size of the small breath mints. She said at that gestational age, embryos do not have any definable characteristics, but rather looked like a tadpole. That drew criticism from several senators, including Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, who said he believed that "standing for life can never be wrong." "To compare my children, your children, our children, to a piece of candy?" von Gillern said. "I'm more than disappointed." Several senators, including von Gillern and Rob Clements of Elmwood, told personal stories about adopting children or unplanned pregnancies of family members where the child was later adopted, adding those experiences had solidified their beliefs that abortion was wrong. Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte told lawmakers about the birth of his son at 24 weeks gestation. His son died five weeks later. Nobody is going to convince me my son did not deserve to live, Jacobson said. He was a real child. We need to protect human life. This is not health care when the perfect result is you take a life. Lincoln Sen. Anna Wishart said LB626 held a cynical view of women and warned the Legislature that last years trigger bill contained several provisions that would have prevented women from seeking care for ectopic pregnancies or in vitro fertilization. Wishart, and later Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, also said the Legislature could be doing more to make choosing to go forward with pregnancies easier by expanding social programs. Why dont we do that? Wishart said. Why do we automatically go to removing somebodys choice and exposing them, potentially, to criminal penalties? Ultimately, however, no one was persuaded and Albrecht received the 33 votes necessary to break a filibuster. After the vote, opponents of the bill remained in the Rotunda chanting bans off our bodies and my body, my choice, forcing the Nebraska State Patrol and the sergeants-at-arms to shut the outer door to the legislative chamber. Andi Curry Grubb, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraskas director of public affairs, said she and other opponents were not surprised by the outcome. Its what we expected, Grubb said, adding senators who supported the bill did not consider the effects similar bills have had in other states, and continually discounted the voice of experts and medical professionals and the majority of Nebraskans. Grubb said opponents would continue to work to try and communicate the impacts of the bill to senators before LB626 comes back for second-round consideration. These people came here today because they care deeply about this issue, she said, referring to opponents. Theyre not going to give up and neither are we. The ACLU of Nebraska, in a statement, said it planned to continue mobilizing Nebraskans to change the vote ahead of the next round. State senators who support this near-total ban are disregarding what most Nebraskans want, ignoring clear warnings from medical professionals, and preparing to rob Nebraskans of their freedom to control their own bodies, lives and futures, said Scout Richters, senior legal and policy counsel. The Nebraska Family Alliance, on the other hand, hailed the vote as a major pro-life victory. Its past time for our laws to see unborn children for who they are girls and boys who should be celebrated, valued, and protected, said policy director Nate Grasz. We will continue working with pro-life senators and Governor Pillen to ensure the bill crosses the finish line. Albrecht, who received hugs from more than a dozen of her colleagues after the vote was passed, said debate over the bill is not over til its over. A proposed amendment from Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston who didnt speak during Wednesdays debate, but voted for cloture and to advance the bill extends the time a woman could seek an abortion to 12 weeks. His amendment could come up during the next round. But Albrecht said she thinks most senators will reject it like they did last summer when the 12-week proposal was floated as the subject of potential special session. She said she remains focused on pushing LB626 forward. Im feeling good that we should be able to get this done this year, she said. Nebraskans have waited 50 years; 50 years theyve been praying for this. Photos: Abortion debate at Nebraska Legislature BEATRICE -- A bomb threat made at a business west of Beatrice Tuesday morning prompted a nearly 2-hour lockdown at nearby Homestead National Historical Park. Just before 7:30 a.m., the Gage County Sheriffs Office was dispatched to a business on Southwest 89th Road near West Hickory Road for a bomb threat. Upon arrival at the scene, deputies interviewed witnesses and learned that a person had called the business and reported a contract employee was possibly coming to the site with a firearm. Within a few minutes, the deputy and investigator at the plant determined the contract employee was actually working at another plant a half mile away. A press release stated that deputies made contact with management at the second site and confirmed the employee was working there; however, the employee was behaving normally and there were no concerns involving him. Gage County Sheriffs Office deputies, assisted by two troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol, were able to make contact with the employee outside his workshop and determined he did not bring a firearm with him and he did not have any ill intent toward the facility or his fellow employees. Deputies notified both businesses there were no criminal violations. Deputies are investigating the original call reporting the incident. The threat prompted a lockdown at Homestead National Historical Park, the National Park Service site around 3 miles south of the location of the initial threat. When were notified by local law enforcement that there is a potential risk for danger and their recommendation is for us to lock down the park, thats what we do, Homestead park superintendent Betty Boyko said. What we did was just put a note on the door that said we were on lockdown and for further information to call our number. Employees here were in the building and monitored the cameras for suspicious activity. Boyko said the lockdown went into effect before 8 a.m. Tuesday and was lifted at around 10 a.m. She added Homestead staff and area law enforcement handled the situation well. It certainly provided us with an opportunity to review our emergency response and address certain procedures if there is an imminent threat, but everyone was calm and weve discussed these situations in the past, Boyko said. Everything went really well and I was impressed with the Gage County Sheriffs Office for thinking about us and giving us the information. A new marina and other improvements for Lake McConaughy were a main topic of discussion at the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation Districts board of directors meeting. The improvements could include 100 boat slips and a restaurant or other concessionaires, said Jeff Fields of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, which will manage the marina. Fields told the CNPPID board that a request for proposals should be sent out in the next few months. The CNPPID meeting was conducted at Lake McConaughy Visitor and Water Interpretive Center in Ogallala on April 3. The improvements at Nebraskas largest reservoir will be funded by an allocation of over $40 million from the state. The need for the improvements was identified by a Statewide Tourism and Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability (STAR WARS) special committee that the Legislature formed in 2021. Then, in 2022, the Legislature allocated the funds through LB1023, which also provided money for other projects recommended by the committee. The 10 best beaches in Nebraska ... no, really! Lake Mac Calamus Reservoir Wagon Train Lake beach Niobrara River Branched Oak Lake Pawnee Lake Box Butte State Recreation Area Brick's Beach Swanson Reservoir Two Rivers State Recreation Area Lake McConaughy SINIYAH ISLAND, United Arab Emirates Archaeologists said they have found the oldest pearling town in the Persian Gulf on an island off one of the northern sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates. Artifacts found in this town on Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain, likely once home to thousands of people and hundreds of homes, date as far back as the region's pre-Islamic history in the late 6th century. While older pearling towns have been mentioned in historical texts, this represents the first time archaeologists say they have physically found one from this ancient era across the nations of the Persian Gulf. "This is the oldest example of that kind of very specifically Khaleeji pearling town," said Timothy Power, an associate professor of archaeology at the United Arab Emirates University, using a word that means "Gulf" in Arabic. "It's the spiritual ancestor of towns like Dubai." The pearling town sits on Siniyah Island, which shields the Khor al-Beida marshlands in Umm al-Quwain, an emirate some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Dubai along the coast of the Persian Gulf. The island, whose name means "flashing lights" likely due to the effect of the white-hot sun overhead, already has seen archaeologists discover an ancient Christian monastery dating back as many as 1,400 years. The town sits directly south of that monastery on one of the curling fingers of the island and stretches across some 12 hectares (143,500 square yards). There, archaeologists found a variety of homes made of beach rock and lime mortar, ranging from cramped quarters to more sprawling homes with courtyards, suggesting a social stratification, Power said. The site also bears signs of year-round habitation, unlike other pearling operations run in seasonal spots in the region. "The houses are crammed in there, cheek by jowl," he added. "The key thing there is permanence. People are living there all year around." In the homes, archaeologists have discovered loose pearls and diving weights, which the free divers used to quickly drop down to the seabed while relying only on their held breath. The town predates the rise of Islam across the Arabian Peninsula, making its residents likely Christians. Islam's Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 and died in 632 after conquering Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia. Umm al-Quwain's Department of Tourism and Archaeology, UAE University, the Italian Archaeological Mission in the emirate and the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University all took part in the excavation. Umm al-Quwain, the least-populated emirate in the UAE, plans to build a visitor's center at the site. Today, the area near the marshland is more known for the low-cost liquor store at the emirate's Barracuda Beach Resort. In recent months, authorities have demolished a hulking, Soviet-era cargo plane linked to a Russian gunrunner known as the "Merchant of Death" as it builds a bridge to Siniyah Island for a $675 million real estate development. Authorities hope that development, as well as other building, will grow the emirate's economy. However, even this ancient site bears lessons for the Emirates. The story of pearling, which rapidly collapsed after World War I with the introduction of artificial pearls and the Great Depression, holds particular importance in the history of the UAE particularly as it faces a looming reckoning with another extractive industry. While crude oil sales built the country after its formation in 1971, the Emirates will have to confront its fossil fuel legacy and potentially plan for a carbon-neutral future as it hosts the United Nations COP28 climate talks later this year. Those searching the site found a dumpsite nearby filled with the detritus of discarded oyster shells. People walking across the island can feel those remains crunching under their feet in areas as well. "You only find one pearl in every 10,000 oyster shells. You have to find and discard thousands and thousands of oyster shells to find one," Power said. "The waste, the industrial waste of the pearling industry, was colossal. You're dealing with millions, millions of oyster shells discarded." The pandemic changed everything from how Americans live to how we do business. And with many of those changes likely here to stay, voters need to grapple with one thing that hasnt changed as quickly but now threatens to make our state less competitive and prosperous for years to come: how Nebraska taxes remote work. A new report by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation ranks each of the 50 states on how their tax codes affect remote and mobile workers. Unfortunately, the Cornhusker State comes in as the second-worst state for remote workers which jeopardizes our long-term ability to attract them to our state. The good news? A legislative effort is already underway that would begin to fix this failure. Its aimed at solving the single most damaging factor for Nebraska cited in this report: the states convenience of the employer rule. Despite a friendly-sounding name, its anything but convenient for taxpayers affected by it. Nebraskas convenience of the employer rule applies to those working remotely for a Nebraska company while living in another state. Even though they may never set foot in Nebraska over the course of the year, they are expected to pay taxes to Nebraska, often in addition to paying income taxes in their home state. This rule is illogical and confusing. Only three other states enforce this rule Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware. It violates the basic principles of taxation. No one should pay taxes in states where they dont benefit from services. On top of that, it sets taxpayers up for double taxation. Nebraska is an outlier in interstate income tax policy. Typically, taxpayers working out of state can claim credits on their home state returns for income taxes paid to other states. However, Nebraskas aggressive tax policy toward residents of other states does not encourage interstate cooperation on credits. Those located out of state but performing work for Nebraska companies find themselves in a tug-of-war of taxes between two states. Nebraska also offers no filing or withholding threshold for income taxes. That means taxes are owed after one day of earning income in the state. It doesnt matter if you are a contractor on a single job or you are visiting family in Nebraska while working remotely, you owe Nebraska income tax. Employers must withhold income taxes to meet this law. Its no surprise that businesses and remote workers avoid the Cornhusker States complicated tax code. Its bad enough that our high taxes discourage businesses and workers from locating or staying in Nebraska. Its even worse when we penalize them for doing a single job or visiting for a single day. This outdated approach to taxing remote workers wont do anything to help Nebraska employers fill their workforce needs. Fortunately, a bipartisan effort is underway in the Unicameral to make Nebraska far more attractive to remote and mobile workers. LB754, the income tax package currently under consideration, includes bipartisan language spearheaded by Sens. Eliot Bostar and Kathleen Kauth that would set 15-day thresholds for filing and withholding. While higher thresholds and a full repeal of the convenience rule should be priorities for the future, these changes would represent a major step forward for Nebraska. Tax rules like these can seem obscure, but they can make a huge difference in the future of our state. Lets aim for a commonsense tax code that welcomes businesses, workers, and their families to the Good Life for decades to come. As a presidential candidate in 2016, frantic to keep evidence of his extramarital affairs secret, Donald Trump made extensive efforts to buy the silence of the women involved. There's never been much doubt about that. The behavior of the candidate and his allies was a corrupt effort to keep voters from learning the truth about Trump. The hard question is whether those efforts also violated the criminal law -- specifically, now that a New York grand jury has indicted him on 34 felony counts, whether they violated the laws of the state of New York. On that front, the indictment unsealed last week is disturbingly unilluminating, and the theory on which it 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. I'm not saying prosecutors will lose this case. They could well win, and I hope they do, because a failure to secure a conviction will only inflame Trump and his supporters in their claims that the criminal justice system is being weaponized against them. But the fears I had in the weeks leading up to the indictment about the strength of the case against Trump were in no way allayed by recent developments. The indictment and an accompanying recitation of the underlying facts offers almost nothing in the way of new evidence against Trump. No surprise there -- the tawdry details of Trump's "catch and kill" scheme to suppress damaging information from adult-film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal about their relationships with Trump have already been well-aired. They include the guilty plea by Trump fixer Michael Cohen, who admitted to paying off Daniels at Trump's behest and then securing reimbursement for the $130,000 in hush money by falsely describing the payments as legal retainers. Cohen admitted to, among other charges, violating federal election law -- specifically, making an illegal corporate contribution, and making a contribution in excess of contribution limits. But federal prosecutors neither brought charges against Trump -- he was president when Cohen was prosecuted, and therefore not subject to indictment under Justice Department practice -- nor pursued them after Trump left office. Which leaves open the question of whether New York state prosecutors can transmogrify this conduct into a state crime. Answer: maybe. And don't be fooled by the 34 counts: That healthy-sounding number doesn't signify anything about the strength of the case. They will all rise or fall together depending on whether prosecutors' theory of the case holds up. The theory is this: New York law makes it a crime to falsify business records. Ordinarily, that is just a misdemeanor. But if the falsification is done with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime, that act becomes a felony. "That is exactly what this case is about," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said during a news conference following Trump's arraignment. "Thirty-four 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." OK, but what are the other crimes Trump is accused of covering up? The indictment doesn't say, but Bragg was asked, and he offered a few possibilities. First, he said, the doctored records "violated New York election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means," including making false statements. Second, Bragg cited the federal election law cap on contribution limits. But, but, but. This is not well-trodden legal territory. If I understood Bragg's argument correctly, there is a certain circularity to saying that a false statement on corporate books becomes a felony, not a misdemeanor, because state election law makes it a misdemeanor to promote a candidacy by unlawful means, such as making false statements. Moreover, it's not at all clear that violating a federal law -- even if it could be proved that Trump did so -- would constitute the kind of other crime that would allow Bragg to bootstrap Trump's alleged conduct from misdemeanor to felony. In addition, Trump's lawyers will argue that federal election law supersedes state law. The federal law states explicitly that its rules "supersede and preempt any provision of State law with respect to election to Federal office." Again, maybe Bragg's theory of the case will turn out to be solid. Maybe not. But this feels like a dangerous leap on the highest of wires. The good news is that there's an issue uniting Republicans and Democrats in Nebraska, Iowa and in farm states across the nation. The bad news is that if lawmakers and college administrators can't reach a quick solution, families that operate farms and small businesses could pay a lot more to send a kid to college. Depending on your stage in life, the acronym FAFSA might induce nausea, drowsiness or heart palpitations. It stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It's up there with tax forms in terms of fun filling it out. But it plays a vital role for families trying to figure out what government help might be available to finance a college education. Congress passed -- and then-President Trump signed -- into law the FAFSA Simplification Act late in 2020. Simpler is better, right? Normally, but not in this instance. Not for farm families. The FAFSA's main job is to figure out what a family can contribute financially to a student's higher education. Without a change, land and business assets associated with a family farm or a family-owned small business would be added to what the government considers financial assets that could be used to pay for college. Previously, those had been exempted. Income-generating farmland or equipment can't easily be converted to cash the way other liquid assets asked about in the FAFSA can be. In one commonly used example, right now a family with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 on a farm valued at $1 million would be expected to be able to contribute just over $7,600 toward an education. Under the new rules, that same family would suddenly be responsible for a breath-taking $41,000 -- without anything else materially changing about their situation. Forty-five Nebraska state senators signed a letter to the Secretary of Education -- including the Nebraska congressional delegation on it -- asking for a change in policy. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle from across the Midwest have voiced support for a change. Congress can act. But it has to be fast. The new, simpler FAFSA is scheduled to be used later this year for those applying for aid for the 2024-25 school year. This rule change needs to be revoked. The nation's farm families and small businesses -- and more specifically, Nebraska's -- shouldn't be penalized by a change that disproportionately harms them. The voices united against this policy change should prevail -- illustrating what can be done when both sides come together and, more importantly, doing the right thing for people who drive our economy and enrich our communities. BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Northern Ireland must not go back to the violence that scarred it for years before a U.S.-brokered peace deal 25 years ago, nudging politicians to resolve a political crisis that has left this part of the United Kingdom without a functioning government. Speaking of the economic growth Northern Ireland has experienced since the Good Friday Agreement ended 30 years of sectarian bloodshed, Biden said: Its up to us to keep this going. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden dangled the prospect of more American investment to help fuel economic growth especially if Belfasts fractious politicians resolve a stalemate that has put their government on pause. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together, Biden said during a speech at Ulster Universitys new campus in Belfast. He said the glass-clad downtown building would have been unthinkable during the years of bombings and shootings known as The Troubles." Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning, built of glass," he said. Noting that Northern Irelands total economic output had doubled in the quarter-century since the Good Friday peace deal was signed in April 1998, Biden urged people in Northern Ireland to sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning. Biden urged all political parties to get back to work, saying democracy needs champions and that Northern Irelands future is in their hands. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, he said. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens." Biden's visit was timed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday accord, which the U.S. was key to striking. Biden credited people who were willing to risk boldly for the future by reaching the agreement, reminding the audience that peace was not inevitable. Referring to a February gun attack on a senior police officer blamed by authorities on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process Biden said "the enemies of peace will not prevail. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. While peace has endured, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Biden met briefly before his speech with the leaders of the DUP and Northern Irelands four other main political parties. Biden has faced mistrust from pro-British unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the U.K. Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British a claim the White House firmly denied. Biden's speech carefully navigated Northern Irelands complex political currents, referring to both his British and his Irish ancestry, and noting the contribution to the U.S. of largely Protestant Ulster Scots as well as Irish Catholics like his own forebears. Such things dont go unnoticed in Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said Bidens reference also to his own British ancestry I think indicates hopefully that we have a president that recognizes the United Kingdom is a close ally and friend of the United States. But Donaldson doubted whether the presidents visit would change the political dynamic. I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress that we all desire and that is that Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom is both respected and protected, and we want to see that in law, he said. Michelle ONeill from Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said Biden had sent a clear message to the DUP about the need to get back to work. Biden also had tea with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his Belfast stopover. The president spent less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland to begin a three-day visit, scheduled to include an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. U.K. officials denied that the brevity of the visit amounted to a snub. Sunak said he and Biden had a very good discussion about investment in Northern Ireland, along with foreign policy issues. Were very close partners and allies. We cooperate on a range of things, Sunak said. Northern Ireland's political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britains departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the U.K. and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, eliminating many of the customs checks that had irked businesses and angered unionists. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the agreement doesnt go far enough to address concerns about Northern Ireland's place in the U.K., and has refused to return to government. Biden, who has urged Britain and the bloc to put Brexit squabbling behind them, praised U.K. and EU leaders for trying to sort out the complex challenges created by Brexit. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Biden's visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. "Whether or not Mr. Bidens visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I dont know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. WIND LAKE A seasonal boat storage operation run by a VFW post can continue, after the Town of Norway approved a permit for the previously prohibited fundraising activity. Neighbors have complained about VFW Post 8343 using its property near Loomis Road and Racine Avenue for outdoor winter storage of boats at a cost of $50 to $100 per month. The operation generates revenue for the VFWs plan to build new facilities for military veterans. Racine County officials last year cited Post 8343 officials for improperly renting space to boat owners without a required permit, in a civil dispute that is still pending in court. County officials, however, have since agreed to issue a permit, and the Norway Town Board voted Wednesday to add its approval for the permit allowing the boat storage to continue. Town Chairwoman Jean Jacobson said she is satisfied that the boat storage would be limited to non-residential property on the VFW site and that the VFW would have to erect a barrier of trees or bushes designed to protect surrounding homeowners. Jacobson said she supports the veterans group, but the group must comply with the law. If they comply, I think its a good solution, she said. VFW Post Commander Brad Splan said the boat storage represents an important source of revenue for his post, so the group is committed to obeying the rules. Splan said Post 8343 has hired a lawyer and has taken steps to ensure the boat storage is proper and legal. We just wanted to make sure everything is right, he said. The Town Board added a few extra conditions to the permit, including a requirement that no boats are stored within 10 feet of the property line and another prohibiting any fuel storage. The veterans group still could face a fine of up to $452 in Racine County Circuit Court if found guilty of an ordinance violation issued last year when boats were allegedly stored without a permit. Members of the group officially known as VFW Schiller-Kulchar-Fohr Post 8343 acquired the 9-acre site at 26527 Oak Ridge Drive two years ago. Located in the unincorporated Wind Lake area of the Town of Norway, the property includes an old industrial site where boat storage is allowed with a permit and residential property where no such storage is allowed. The VFW is trying to raise money to build a new post and housing for homeless military veterans. The winter boat storage has generated between $2,500 and $5,000 a month for the group. Complaints surfaced, however, when the number of boats last year reached 50 or more, spilling over onto the residential side of the VFWs property and creating what neighbors called an eyesore. The new permit, as drafted by Racine County officials, allows boat storage only on the industrial property, only between mid-September and Memorial Day, situated behind a tree line that must be planted by June 30 and with boats organized in a neat and orderly fashion. If neighbors complain, the permit can be withdrawn if the VFW fails to address the complaints. Splan said he agrees that his group got carried away last year, with boat storage spilling over onto the residential property. Only 30 to 40 boats were stored this winter, he said, in what he described as a negotiated temporary arrangement but that Jacobson said was another violation of the law. Restricting the boat storage in future years to the industrial site, Splan said, will be a manageable alternative. Itll be a little smaller, he said, but well just continue it. Jacobson said the town has received complaints about the boat storage not only from nearby homeowners but also from others in the town. The county will be responsible for enforcing the permit. The whole situation has been a learning experience for Post 8343, Jacobson said. We support the VFW and their work, she added. However, there are ordinances and laws that must be complied with. 11 photos from the Veterans Day 2022 celebration at Memorial Hall Salutes 11:11 salute Veterans Dave, Krista, Zach, Matthew Smiling for the photo Dave, Matthew, Kaleb and Clyde Seats filled Dave Burgess's remarks Jenna, Natalie, Madelyn and Brooklyn Kaleb, Jaxon and Johnny The Gilmore Fine Arts Choir These are images of people charged with a crime in Racine County. Booking photos are provided by Racine County law enforcement officials. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted. UNION GROVE New renderings of affordable splash pad concepts are restarting interest in a project that local officials had previously thought was out of their price range. Consultants at a Dane County design firm have presented the village with unsolicited proposals to bring the outdoor summer recreation amenity to Union Grove for less than $500,000. That could mean virtually no upfront cost to the village, with Racine County offering $500,000 in startup funding. Jennifer Ditscheit, chairwoman of the Village Board Recreation and Parks Committee, said that if the splash pad project can be more affordable, it warrants closer consideration. After previously voting against the project, committee members have agreed to take another look. The committee met to discuss the issue on Monday. With previous construction estimates running as high as $750,000, a price tag of $300,000 to $400,000 could change the possibilities in a significant way, Ditscheit said. Thats a huge difference, she said. Thats why were digging in a little deeper. Racine County approved a $500,0000 allocation in its 2023 budget for construction of a splash pad in Union Grove, as long as the village would assume responsibility for operation and maintenance of the facility. A splash pad is an outdoor attraction with hidden water spouts some shooting straight up from the ground where people can have fun cooling off without a traditional swimming pool. The amenities traditionally are built in public parks. Racine County officials extended the offer to Union Grove because the community does not have a large lake or river like Burlington, Waterford and other nearby communities do. Union Grove village officials, however, balked at the project, out of concern about hidden costs, both before and after the splash pad is constructed. Officials cited possible startup costs as high as $750,000. With public support running high, the Village Board voted Feb. 27 to send the matter back to the Recreation and Parks Committee for reconsideration. Commercial Recreation Specialists Inc., based in Verona, then sent the village several full-color renderings of splash pad designs that the consulting firm said could be built much more inexpensively. One possibility depicts a splash pad at Village Square Park at a cost of $363,000 to $383,000, while another is shown at Leider Memorial Park for costs ranging from $275,000 to $500,000, depending on the type of design preferred. David Romens, a systems specialist for Commercial Recreation, said the firm has designed more than 100 splash pads for communities throughout Wisconsin. Romens said a typical splash pad can be built with about $150,000 to $200,000 in needed equipment, bringing the total investment to between $300,000 and $400,000. Something like that is not out of the ordinary, he said. The Dane County firm submitted its renderings and cost forecasts to Union Grove both as a way of clarifying the debate locally, and as a way of pitching its services for hire, if the project moves forward. Romens said the materials presented to Union Grove so far have been donated free of charge. Were always willing to do that upfront work, he said, to make their goals and dreams a reality. Ditscheit said her committee still wants to examine more projections for operation and maintenance costs that would become the villages responsibility. The villages annual budget currently stands at $11.7 million, which includes $2 million in property tax collections. The village also is planning a community meeting to discuss the splash pad, tentatively scheduled for May 16. Racine County officials have told Union Grove that a final answer is needed by July on whether the countys offer of $500,000 is going to be accepted. Ditscheit said the Commercial Recreation input is helpful, but that much research and study remains. We have to take the steps to figure all of that out, she said. Its a lot of work, but were doing it. In photos and video: a hot day at the Racine Splash Pad Funeral services and memorial funds have been set up for two northern Wisconsin police officers killed during a traffic stop on Saturday, according to the Barron County Sheriffs Office. Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek Police Department, and Hunter Scheel, 23, of the Cameron Police Department, had pulled over a vehicle driven by Glenn Douglas Perry, 50, after they received a report of concerning behavior, the state Department of Justice said Monday. Gunfire ensued, leaving Breidenbach and Scheel dead. Perry, who had a warrant out for his arrest, was taken to a hospital and later died, DOJ said. Since the slayings, theres been an outpouring of support for the officers and their families in Barron County and beyond. One memorial fund has been set up at Sterling Bank under City of Chetek Emily Breidenbach Memorial Fund. Donations can be dropped off at a Sterling Bank location, or mailed with a check payable to City of Chetek with Emily Breidenbach Memorial Fund in the memo line. The address is Sterling Bank, 427 Second St., P.O. Box 106, Chetek, WI 54728. The Hunter Scheel Memorial Fund is set up at Community Bank of Cameron, P.O. Box 457, 101 W. Main St., Cameron, WI 54822. The services for the two officers will be on Saturday at Cameron High School, 750 S. First St. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the funeral to follow. Police honors will follow outside the high school. Breidenbach was the daughter of former Chetek Police Chief Robert Breidenbach. She was the departments K9 therapy dog handler and had been with the force since 2019. She previously spent nine months with the Stoughton Police Department. Scheel had served as an officer for one year. Close Kara Weiland, wife of Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Jason Weiland hugs Tina Virgil Director of Special Investigations Bureau after the ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Members of the Memorial Guard at the start of the Memorial Ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Wisconsin State Patrol Sgt. Nic Betts representing Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper Anthony Borostowski who was killed April 11, 2017. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Leah Long after laying a flower for Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Jason Weiland killed March 22, 2017. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Members of the Madison Police Department Honor Guard at the ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Officer Craig Kolbeck with the Green Bay Police Department and Chair of Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Inc. at the beginning of the service. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking during the event. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Photos: Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony On Friday, May 11, 2018, the 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony was held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. The annual ceremony, honoring and remembering Wisconsin law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Kara Weiland, wife of Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Jason Weiland hugs Tina Virgil Director of Special Investigations Bureau after the ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Members of the Memorial Guard at the start of the Memorial Ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Wisconsin State Patrol Sgt. Nic Betts representing Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper Anthony Borostowski who was killed April 11, 2017. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Leah Long after laying a flower for Everest Metropolitan Police Department Detective Jason Weiland killed March 22, 2017. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Members of the Madison Police Department Honor Guard at the ceremony. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Officer Craig Kolbeck with the Green Bay Police Department and Chair of Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Inc. at the beginning of the service. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking during the event. The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL The 28th annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the State Capitol in Madison, WI. May 11, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL Hopes and fears often play a part in elections. That was evident in several area spending referendums as voters went to the polls in the spring elections this month. If you consider school spending as hopes for the future for our schoolchildren and beefed up police and fire spending as playing to fear of lawbreakers and fires, well, the fear vote did a little better than the hope vote. There were three referendums in Racine County on public safety issues and two of them were successful. In Caledonia, voters choose to exceed state-imposed tax levy limits to add eight additional police officers and six additional firefighters/paramedics boosting the tax levy from $17.4 million to $19.2 million and costing $1.78 million per year going forward. The vote was 4,812 in favor and 4,412 opposed. Similarly, voters in the Town of Waterford agreed to boost its levy from $2.18 million to $2.33 million and costing $150,000 annually in order to hire one new police officer. The only public safety referendum to be defeated came in the Village of Raymond, where voters rejected calls to increase the number of firefighters/EMT by two or three positions and, instead, voters said to leave the village budget as is. The firefighter/EMT hiring would have cost the village $547,060 to $736,440 per year. School spending issues didnt fare as well. Four Kenosha County school districts placed referendum questions on spring election ballots, but only one district saw them pass. Randall School District successfully passed two referendums one for $9.5 million in capital improvement projects, and the other an operational referendum allowing the district to exceed its state revenue limit for four years. Electors in Riverview School District in Silver Lake came 15 votes short of passing a similar referendum to exceed its revenue limit for three years, as did revenue limit referendums in Bristol School District (54% against) and Wilmot Union High School District (53% against). In Burlington voters rejected a proposal to exceed the state levy limits by $8 million per year for the 2023-24 school year through the 2025-26 school year for operation and maintenance expenses. Waterford Union High School voters rejected a proposed $24.5 million bond proposal for school facility improvement, renovating a former elementary building and school safety improvements. In the Washington-Caldwell School District, residents also voted down a proposal to exceed levy limits for four years that would have cost taxpayers a total of $1.4 million. The no vote was 443, while the yes vote was 386. District voters did, however, approve $2.5 million bond issue for a school facility improvement project for safety and security upgrades and infrastructure improvements. Voters in Yorkville Joint No. 2 School District did approve a bond issue of $12.1 million for school facility improvement on a vote of 654 to 437 as well as voting to exceed levy limits by $900,000 a year beginning with the 2023-24 school year. The referendums for both school spending and public safety spending that exceed the levy limits reflect a growing trend by school districts and municipalities to get around the limits set by the State Legislature and their frustration over the amounts in the distribution of state shared revenue. In fact, in the Spring Election, 82 school districts statewide had referendums to boost school spending. Thats a situation Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature have pledged to address in this biennial budget. If they dont, we can only expect to see a continued parade of referendums going forward. 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. 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 The Museum of Nebraska Art will host The Art of Jazz, with Humanities Nebraska speaker Randall Snyder, on Tuesday, April 25 at the Merryman Performing Arts Center. The event will be held in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month. Snyder is an accomplished composer, jazz musician and college professor, MONA said in a release. During his program, And All That Jazz, Snyder takes the audience on a musical journey through the development of American jazz from the late nineteenth century to the present with special emphasis on its African American origins and the stylistic idioms of individual performers, the release said. Incorporated into his program are images, historic recordings and live demonstrations. Also on view at Merryman, MONAs ARTreach exhibition On the Beat: John Philip Falters Jazz from Life featuring portraits of American jazz musicians. The Art of Jazz will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Merryman Performing Arts Center is located at 225 W. 22nd St. in Kearney. The event is free and open to the public. Humanities Nebraska provides major funding for this program. HN receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and private donations. According to court documents, Curtis Steier, 72, was sentenced in Buffalo County District Court to one to two years in prison for felony possession of child pornography. Steier must register as a sex offender for 25 years following his release from incarceration. Steier will serve his sentence following a 5-10 year prison sentence in a separate case. Steier was convicted of attempted first-degree sexual assault of a child for an incident that took place in Aug. 2022 with a 15-year-old child. Judge Ryan Carson gave Steier 228 days credit for time already served. Steier was initially charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child. He pleaded no contest to the charge, and it was amended to attempted to first-degree sexual assault of a child. BARRON A funeral service is scheduled Saturday for two western Wisconsin police officers who were killed during a traffic stop. The Barron County Sheriff's Office said the visitation for Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek Police Department, and Hunter Scheel, 23, of the Cameron Police Department, will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. The ceremonies will be held at Cameron High School, 750 S. First St., Cameron, with police honors to be conducted outside the school afterward. The sheriff's office said a procession away from the school will conclude the service, but a route has yet to be determined. Breidenbach and Scheel were conducting a traffic stop around 3:38 p.m. Saturday in the village of Cameron when there was an exchange of gunfire, the Wisconsin Department of Justice reported. Both officers were pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect, 50-year-old Glenn Perry, later died at an area hospital. The events leading up to the shooting remain unclear. In the days since the shooting, n outpouring of sympathy and support from residents and law enforcement has been directed toward Cameron and Chetek. Gov. Tony Evers offered support and sympathy in a Twitter post. "Our hearts are heavy for the Chetek and Cameron police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty yesterday. Kathy and I are praying for the officers families, Evers said. Locals also responded to the incident. Just totally shocked, Chetek resident Mary Berg said Sunday. Our hearts are heavy for the Chetek and Cameron police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Just feel heartbroken for the families. Totally heartbroken. Hopefully we can heal as a community. Its terrible, Berg said. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident. DOJ staff did not immediately respond to an email from the Herald seeking additional information. Wisconsin law enforcement escorted the bodies from Minnesota to Wisconsin on Monday. Officers stood and will continue to stand vigil by each officer's side until the services are complete. Breidenbach had five years of law enforcement experience, while Scheel had served for about one year. Breidenbach was engaged to be married and was daughter of former Chetek Police Chief Robert Breidenbach. Current Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said Breidenbach was the departments K9 therapy dog handler and had been with the force since 2019. Our love and condolences go out to both families and all those with whom they served, Ambrozaitis said. We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to Hunter and Emilys families. They will be missed by everyone. In a tribute on Facebook, Scheels girlfriend, Camryn Gosdeck, described him as a dedicated partner. "We had so much planned for our future and looked forward to growing old with one another. Because of this, I am absolutely heartbroken and never knew I could feel such an immense pain as having my other half ripped from me. My heart hurts for him, for his family and anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him," she wrote. Police officers and family members from Chetek and Cameron gathered early Monday to pay their respects as the bodies of their fallen colleagues were transported from Barron County to Minnesota for autopsies. Residents said the officers were well-loved and will be missed. They were just too young. Great people, said Ashley Elledge from Cameron. A lot of people in this area are very heartbroken. In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Josephs Hospital in Chippewa Falls recognize the challenging work, dedication and compassion of hospital volunteers. We are grateful these community members have chosen our hospitals to give their time and talent, said Brandy Sikora, manager of volunteer services at HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Josephs hospitals. Volunteers bring our patients and colleagues joy every day. Many of them have wonderful memories and stories to share from when the Sisters were actively working in our hospitals. In 2022, HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Josephs hospitals had a combined 147 volunteers who donated more than 22,000 hours to hospital ministries. Volunteer efforts include welcoming and escorting patients, working in the hospital gift shops, filing, assisting families of patients in surgery, holding book and bake sales to raise money for community scholarships, flower deliveries to patients, and coordination of the hospitals Love Lights ceremonies. The two hospitals welcome new volunteers year-round. Those interested in becoming volunteers can contact the Volunteer Services Office at 715-717-7439 or online at: HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital: www.hshs.org/SacredHeart/Volunteer HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and HSHS St. Josephs Hospital were also recently named among the Worlds Best Hospitals in 2023 by Newsweek magazine, and are among 20 hospitals in Wisconsin to make the list. The designation is based on a survey of doctors, health care professionals and administrators conducted by Statista, a leading global provider of market and consumer data. The survey looks at quality of service, patient experience, patient outcomes and quality metrics such as wait times and hygiene measures. From our clinical colleagues providing care at the bedside to those environmental services colleagues who ensure our facilities are clean and tidy, we truly care about each patients hospital experience, said John Wagner, president and CEO of HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Josephs hospitals. This worldwide recognition of our hospitals in one small part of the United States, and Wisconsin, is humbling and motivating. The Worlds Best Hospitals 2023 recognizes the best medical institutions across 28 countries. The ranking is live on Newsweek.com and is featured in the print edition of Newsweek Magazine. Kenneth George Breckner, age 89, of Menomonie went home to his heavenly Father on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Ken was a devoted husband and family man. His family will miss his endless knowledge, words of encouragement and wonderful storytelling ability. Ken was born Feb. 25, 1934, in Chicago to George and Myrtle Breckner. His family moved to Chetek, Wisconsin, in 1948 where he helped his parents build a family resort business known as Snug Harbor Resort. Ken married his high school sweetheart, Jeannette, in 1954. They celebrated 65 years together. Ken and Jeannette were blessed with three children. They settled in Menomonie to raise their family. One day Ken took Jeannette and their family 5 miles north of town and turned off on a narrow country road to show her a small quaint log cabin located under the towering pine trees of Tainter Lake. Ken looked at Jeannette and said, Dont worry honey, I can fix it up. After purchasing the property, Ken learned many self-taught handyman skills. Together they transformed the cabin into a beautiful home and a place to raise their family. They resided there for over 50 years. Early in his marriage, Ken served honorably in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of captain. He graduated from UW-Superior with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. In later years he attained his masters degree, majoring in elementary administration. He was a dedicated educator in the School District of the Menomonie Area, teaching fifth and sixth grade and also serving as principal at several elementary schools. Ken further enhanced core classroom learning as the director of the Chapter I and II reading programs. Ken retired after 32 years but soon discovered his passion for education continued. For several years he mentored and counseled UW-Stout education students as they prepared for their future in teaching. During retirement, Ken and Jeannette enjoyed traveling to various areas of the United States as well as their ancestral countries of Norway and Germany. He enjoyed occasional hunting and fishing trips with his buddies or a few family members. Ken was a faithful servant of God. He was an active member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Menomonie. His remarkable voice took him many directions there. Ken lectured, sang in the church choir and served as Sunday school superintendent and on various committees. Ken is survived by daughter, Jean (Reno Vuillemot) Breckner, daughter, Kris (Gary) Andress; son, Brad (Brenda) Breckner; six grandchildren: Jared (Kari) Hintzman, Jordan Hintzman, Kyle (Jill) Andress, Anna (Alex) Sinkus, Ethan Breckner and Kenna Breckner and eight great-grandchildren: Megan, Rachel, Lauren, Ethan, Logan, Emerson, Adaline and Aurelia. In addition to his wife, Jeannette, he is preceded in death by his parents, George and Myrtle Breckner, and his brother and sister-in-law, John and Nancy Breckner. The family suggests memorials in Kens name be given to Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Menomonie, or a charity of your choice. The family would like to sincerely express their appreciation to the staff of The Neighbors of Dunn County and St. Croix Hospice for their love and compassionate care. A private celebration of Kens life will be held at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Menomonie at a later date. Burial will be in Lake View Cemetery in Chetek. Olson Funeral Home of Menomonie is serving the family. To share a memory, please visit obituaries at www.olsonfuneral.com. For one high school student, donating blood has been a long-time dream. Now Oliver Olsons dream will finally come true at the blood drive he organized in honor of his 16th birthday, the youngest age a donor in Wisconsin can be. Ive waited forever, Olson said. Im excited that Ill be able to donate for the first time on my birthday. The inaugural blood drive of La Crosse Polytechnic School hosted in conjunction with the American Red Cross will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse. The event is open to the public; walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. To coordinate the event, the Polytechnic sophomore needed to secure a location, spread the word, educate around blood donation and recruit people to donate. Olson is grateful that he was able to recruit a lot of first time donors. He was inspired to donate blood after a sixth grade genetics lesson on blood types. At that time, he remembers thinking: If I was O negative, I would donate blood every day! Recently, Olson learned about a more personal connection to blood donation. Many years ago, Olsons uncle received a lung and heart donation. The community organized a blood drive for his uncles procedure hundreds of people showed up to volunteer. It really showed me what a community can come together and do for someone, Olson said. Every pint of blood donated will help contribute to scholarships for the students of Polytechnic, a donation system set up through Red Cross Blood. As a token of appreciation, donors will receive gift certificates to downtown businesses like Js Cafe, the Rivoli and Meringue Bakery. Olson is happy to be supporting downtown business through this event. Children and teenagers in Wisconsin would need parental consent to access social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram under a Republican-authored measure to protect minors from the hugely popular and addictive apps. Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard, unveiled the proposal Tuesday. It would prohibit anyone younger than 18 from using social media between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., require parental consent for minors to create a social media account and allow parents full access to a childs account. The way it exists now is very much the wild, wild electronic West and both predators and aggressive advertisers have unfettered, unblocked access to our children 24/7, Steffen said. So, providing some guardrails, some controls, parental access and a curfew are a way to address some of that. We have to give our parents a fighting chance and right now they are electronically, technologically outgunned. Specific bill language was not available Tuesday, but Steffen said the measure is modeled after a recently signed Utah law that creates regulations for social media companies to follow for accounts held by children. That law was signed last month by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox and is expected to face legal challenges before its scheduled to take effect in March 2024. Similar measures have been proposed in other states, including Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, Louisiana and New Jersey, according to The Associated Press. Kris Perry, executive director of the nonprofit Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, said proposals like Steffens could address rising concerns over social medias impact on children. Several studies have found that increased social media use is associated with anxiety, depression and obesity in children, particularly girls. Weve seen a change in the way that children are experiencing childhood as a result of their strong interest in these online platforms and experiences, and the harms now documented for over more than a decade run the gamut from cognitive to social, emotional to physical, harms, Perry said. To limit teens use of social media apps, Steffens proposal would require companies to develop and apply a digital curfew that would lock minors out of their accounts between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The measure also would limit advertiser and outsider access to a minors account, prevent direct messaging from individuals who are not pre-approved by the account holder and bar social media companies from most targeted advertising and marketing efforts directed toward accounts held by minors. Many social media companies, such as TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, make a large portion of their revenue with targeted advertising. If the bill were signed into law, social media companies that fail to follow such provisions would face a $100 daily fine for each account that is not in compliance. As proposed, Steffens measure would not go into effect until August 2024, and anyone with a social media account created before 2019 would not be required to go through the age-verification process. Enforcement challenges Its unclear how laws like the one being considered in Wisconsin would be enforced. The federal Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act prohibits companies from collecting data on children younger than 13 without parental consent. To comply, social media companies already ban kids younger than 13 from signing up to their platforms. But children have easily gotten around the bans, both with and without their parents consent. In an ideal world, we wouldnt need this legislation, Steffen said. Also in an ideal world, we would not need regulations on youth use of tobacco, alcohol or other things that can harm them. The reality is that parents need some help, too. As with Utahs law, Wisconsins proposal is likely to face legal and logistical challenges. Enforcement is going to be the next frontier, Perry said. We know there are harms, we know some of the good solutions, but now we are broaching this topic of, Who is going to enforce it? To the extent that parents can have a really good, strong, open communication with their children about their digital media usage and can come to an agreement on how to enforce these kinds of rules, it will be so much better than asking a government agency who doesnt know your family, doesnt know your child, to enforce these things, Perry added. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Increased scrutiny Wisconsins proposal is the latest example of increased scrutiny of social media apps over concerns about user privacy, hate speech, misinformation and harmful effects on mental health in children. One of the apps to receive considerable attention is TikTok, an app owned by Chinese company ByteDance that is used by two-thirds of American teens. The social media app has become the target of bipartisan scrutiny due to potential national security risks if used by the Chinese government to influence American users or collect data from millions of devices. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, last month proposed a bill that would provide the U.S. Commerce Department additional powers to regulate and potentially ban social media platforms and apps. Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, was elected chair of the new Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Gallagher, who has been a vocal critic of TikTok and has called for legislation to implement a nationwide ban of the app, said in January the new committee will focus on reclaiming U.S. economic independence in key areas and exposing the Chinese Communist Partys coordinated, whole-of-society strategy to undermine American leadership. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said in January he would ban the use of TikTok on state devices, joining a growing list of states to prohibit staffers from using the social media app on government devices. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 5 takeaways from TikTok CEO's first appearance before Congress Intro 1. Washington has already made up its mind about TikTok 2. TikTok CEO stresses its practices are no different than US tech giants 3. TikTok's impact on children a key point of focus 4. Chew criticized for avoiding questions. TikTok said Congress wasn't interested in his answers 5. Federal government ratchets up its rhetoric U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, will seek a third term in office next year as Democrats look to hold on to control of the U.S. Senate. The two-term incumbent would be a formidable opponent to whomever faces her in 2024, in a presidential election year that is expected to draw high voter turnout in the battleground state. Im committed to making sure that working people, not just the big corporations and ultra-wealthy, have a fighter on their side, Baldwin, 61, said in a Wednesday statement. With so much at stake, from families struggling with rising costs to a ban on reproductive freedom, Wisconsinites need someone who can fight and win. Baldwin paved the way as the nations first openly LGBT woman elected to Congress in 1999 and first openly gay person elected to the U.S. Senate. While in Congress, Baldwin played a critical role in helping craft the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which included a provision to keep dependents on their parents health insurance through age 26. Baldwin served seven terms in Congress before she defeated Republican former Gov. Tommy Thompson in the race for the U.S. Senate in 2012. In her 2018 reelection race, Baldwins popularity among Democratic voters played a key role in flipping 17 counties that supported former President Donald Trump two years earlier. Following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, Baldwin championed a measure to codify the right to same-sex marriage due to fears the courts ruling could overturn other precedential cases that rely on the same right to privacy justices determined the U.S. Constitution provided for abortion in Roe. Baldwin largely drove the Senate effort to bring Republicans on board to pass the legislation. Given the 50-50 makeup of the U.S. Senate, 10 Republicans had to support the bill for it to overcome a filibuster. Twelve Republicans voted in favor of the legislation in November. Baldwin is also lead sponsor of federal legislation aimed at guaranteeing abortion access across the country, including in states like Wisconsin, where near-complete bans are in place. The topic of abortion became a rallying cry among Wisconsin Democrats after Roe v. Wade was overturned. The issue has proven effective for Democratic candidates like Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz, who won their races in November and April, respectively. So far, no Republicans have formally announced plans to challenge Baldwin next year, though some individuals, including Madison business owner Eric Hovde and Franklin businessman Scott Mayer, are considering joining the race. The Cook Political Report lists Baldwins seat as one that leans Democrat. Theres a reason so many Republican politicians are hiding under a rug instead of running for U.S. Senate: they know that Wisconsinites trust Tammy Baldwin, Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler said in a statement. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is thrilled at the opportunity to put everything weve got into reelecting Senator Baldwin in 2024. National Republican Senate Committee spokesperson Tate Mitchell issued a statement describing Baldwin as a reliable vote for the far left, not a senator Wisconsin can count on. Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Rachel Reisner said next years election will be on the hot seat with Wisconsin voters, in a state where four of the last six presidential elections were decided by less than 1% and (President Joe Bidens) approval ratings are upside down. Baldwin has a lot of explaining to do after voting in lockstep for Joe Bidens unpopular agenda over 95% of the time, complete with its inflationary spending that has pushed our economy to the tipping point, Reisner added. Baldwin had more than $3 million in campaign funds at the end of last year, according to records with the Federal Elections Commission. Last November, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, defeated Democratic challenger and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes to secure his third term in office. A total of $144 million was spent on advertising in the states U.S. Senate general election last year, with Republicans spending $77 million to Democrats $67 million, the media tracking group AdImpact reported. Wisconsins U.S. Senate race was the fifth-most expensive in the country after Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Arizona, according to AdImpact. Wisconsins working families deserve a Senator whos going to fight for them not shady special interests or big corporations, Baldwin tweeted. Weve made a lot of progress, but the stakes have never been higher and our work isnt over yet. Baldwins announcement comes in the midst of her four-day Delivering for Wisconsin Tour, which started Monday and includes stops in Green Bay, Wausau, Eau Claire, Durand and La Crosse. Baldwin has highlighted her work to strengthen the economy; lower the cost of prescription drugs; increase spending on roads, bridges, broadband and water infrastructure; and to create the 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline last summer. 7 common types of anti-transgender legislation that have passed or failed in the last 10 years 7 common types of anti-transgender legislation that have passed or failed in the last 10 years Schools and education Health care Free speech and expression Civil rights Accurate IDs Public accommodations Other anti-LGBTQ+ bills Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. April 10, 2023. Editorial: Lackluster results dont justify DNRs delay Weve talked about the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources multiple failures with regard to wolf management several times in previous editorials. Reluctantly, were returning to the issue again. Last weeks release of approximately 3,500 comments received by the department on the subject was the definition of a Friday news dump. The strategy behind such a move is to make an announcement Friday in hopes that, by the time its noticed, most people are too far along in their weekend planning to care. In short, its a way to bury items you dont want the public to notice. And its obvious why the DNR would want this to sail past people. They had no option that wouldnt result in complaints. Some groups advocate for annual wolf culls to reduce the numbers in Wisconsin. Others oppose any such steps. And both sides have some very vehement voices who were not going to be satisfied with anything other than capitulation. Were not taking a position on whether annual culls are a good idea for the simple reason that were not experts in animal population management. Bureaucratic incompetence, on the other hand, is something weve seen plenty of times. We feel fully qualified to comment on that. Some of the comments released are from thoughtful, considered papers written by people who have clearly spent a great deal of time examining the issue of wolf populations in Wisconsin. Many of those, both from pro- and anti-hunting groups, include significant numbers of footnotes that underscore the time and effort put into reaching their conclusions. Others, unsurprisingly, were handwritten letters of varying legibility. And a third set of comments, which comprise a bit more than half of the 1,540 pages released by the DNR, were submitted online. In all cases, the vast majority of redactions were to remove address and contact information for those submitting their comments. Thats simple enough when dealing with the online comments. They were presented in spreadsheet form, so you simply delete columns. Well grant that the other submissions required more time for careful redactions, but we have a hard time seeing how that work took six weeks from the cutoff for submissions. Neither the redactions nor the compilation of the comments into a single pdf seem to warrant the delays the DNR had in releasing the material. Thats especially true, as we noted back in March when the DNR announced the delay, when the department knew the deadline for comments was approaching. How could it not? It set the deadline. In March, we called that an unforced error and argued the delays were problematic. The stated goal of redacting personal information and making the comments easily accessible, were understandable enough. But, while the DNR succeeded in the former, it utterly failed in the latter. Dumping a 1,540-page pdf onto a website makes an archive accessible. It does not make the archives content particularly easy to sort or parse. Nor does the dump make it easier to sort useful commentary from things like the person advocating for the state to Harvest humans not wildlife. While such comments should not be deleted (we can only hope theyre facetious), some effort at helping people sift useful comments from nonsense would at least have partially justified the delay. So, for that matter, would any effort on the DNRs part to allow readers to sort by whether the commenter is a Wisconsin resident. While the release of public comments is laudable, if belated, we cant help but think this could have been handled differently. It could have been done in a better and timelier manner. Its another fumble by a department that has had plenty on this issue already. Kenosha News. April 9, 2023. Editorial: Supreme Court race only opening round of in-state politics In an historic and high-spending race for control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz crushed former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly. Protasiewicz garnered more than a million votes compared to Kellys 818,000 a margin of 55.5% to 44.5%. The vote gave liberal justices a slim 4-3 majority on the states high court as it faces a lineup of cases that include abortion rights, redistricting and state election rules in the months ahead. It marks the first time the court will have a liberal bent in 15 years and Democrats were celebrating the opportunity Tuesday night. Protasiewicz made abortion rights the centerpiece of her campaign, implying to voters that she will overturn Wisconsins near-total ban on abortion after the states 1849 ban kicked in when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Kelly was backed by pro-life groups. If ideologies of the two candidates were striking, so was the spending in this race. News reports said spending on the race topped $45 million, three times the previous record for spending on a state judicial race. But if Democrats were giddy over the Supreme Court swing, they might want to temper that with a look at the 8th Senate District where Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, narrowly defeated Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin. Knodls win gives Republicans a supermajority in the state Senate 22 seats in the 33-member body. And that gives Republican senators the ability to impeach and remove civil officers without input from Democrats, if the state Assembly also votes to do so. Knodl, who supported false claims that Trump won the 2020 election and signed a letter asking Vice President Mike Pence to not certify Wisconsins vote, said during his campaign he would certainly consider impeaching Judge Janet Protasiewicz and other judges for being weak on crime. Presumably that would apply only to her job as a Milwaukee County judge and not to her new post on the Supreme Court which she will assume this summer. Thats the real political landscape that Wisconsin faces in the months ahead bitter, rancorous, brass-knuckle battles between the states two parties no matter the results of Tuesdays Democrat win. For evidence, we have only to point to Kellys concession speech Tuesday night in which he said, I wish that in circumstances like this I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. My opponent is a serial liar. Shes disregarded judicial ethics; shes demeaned the judiciary with her behavior. This is the future that we have to look forward to in Wisconsin. I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think its going to need it. Tuesdays election may have reshaped the makeup of the state Supreme Court, but it also kicked up some dust and triggered a whole new round of political battles. Buckle up, Wisconsin. END MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The second of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore him to his position. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope. You cant expel justice," Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. The Houses vote last Thursday to remove Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. The Republican leadership denied that race was a factor. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other senators sent a letter Wednesday asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether the expulsions violated the Constitution or federal civil rights laws and to take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nations legislative bodies. After the reinstatement vote, a throng of jubilant supporters greeted Pearson outside in a churchlike celebration. Pearson adopted the cadence of a preacher as he delivered a rousing speech with call-and-response crowd interaction. Accompanied by his fiancee, mother and four brothers, Pearson pumped his fist, jumped up and down and hugged relatives. Theyve awakened a sleeping giant," he said, as a drumbeat and roaring cheers echoed his voice. Pearson is expected to return to the Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, when the House holds its next floor session, and plans to be sworn in there. Republicans expelled Pearson and Jones over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. Shelby County's commission has 13 members, but only seven voted all Democrats in favor of Pearson. Two Democrats were out of the country and did not vote. The four Republicans on the commission did not attend the meeting. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. Marcus DeWayne Belton said he attended the rally outside the Shelby County government building after the vote because he supports Pearsons call for gun law reform. Its not even a Black thing anymore, he said of gun violence. This is Black and white. Any time you go inside a school and youre killing kids, Black and white, its serious. Things are getting worse. The expulsions made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two expelled lawmakers had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has avoided commenting on the lawmakers expulsion and instead said the controversy was an issue concerning the House. He has since called on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would keep dangerous people from acquiring weapons. In their return to the Tennessee Capitol, Pearson and Jones still face the same political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority, which were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. The speakers office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was very agreeable to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the state's dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were exaggerated to show "support of families who often wait decades for justice." Pearson has referenced Sherrell's comments throughout the expulsions and their aftermath. On Wednesday, Pearson said Sexton should resign his post, asserting the House speaker is "more willing to expel people who are asking for the end of gun violence than expel a member of the House who advocated for lynching. A refreshing earthy smell hung in the air of a sunlit studio on Third Street in downtown Winona. Sitting in front of her pottery wheel at Island City Clayspace on a recent afternoon, local artist Anne Plummer was hard at work on her latest creation. Surrounded by beautiful pots and sculptures, Plummer has spent many of her evenings sitting at the wheel. The vibrant colors and unique creations in her studio are a testament to her level of artistic experience and talent. But that talent certainly didnt develop overnight. Many years of her life have been dedicated to pottery and art. Plummers journey began when she was young, spending much of her childhood painting with her mother. Together, they would create oil paintings of the landscape as they sat outside, admiring the beautiful scenery of Rhode Island. Eventually, it came time for Plummer to leave the nest and as a starving artist, she had big dreams. But, straight out of high school, she lacked the means to make these dreams a reality. So she decided to join the United States Air Force. I was sort of rebellious and my father didnt want to send me to art school, Plummer said. I said ... Ill pay with my service. Ill get the GI bill to go to art school. After serving in the Air Force for a few years, Plummer landed in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she worked as a carpenters assistant until she was introduced to pottery. In her early 20s in the 70s, Plummer was part of the flower child artistic movement, and Provincetown was the perfect spot for her to sell her pottery to tourists until she went to art school in Rhode Island. After completing her bachelors degree, Plummer made her way to California where she acquired her Master of Fine Arts degree and spent eight years in Los Angeles sculpting and creating pottery. Eventually, she made her way to Winona, where she now spends her time with her husband and son when shes not at Island City Clayspace working on her projects or hosting workshops for the community. Plummer can also be found at the farmers market at the East End Recreation Center in the winter and Levee Park in the summer, where she sells a variety of artistic work. HOMER Town officials decided to leave the fate of the 103-year-old Homer Town Hall in the hands of voters at next Marchs annual meeting. With attendance at Monday's board meeting well beyond the 40 residents allowed into the meeting space, many sat outside on the lawn and steps to the town hall as they sought to save the structure from the wrecking ball. Doors at either end of the building were left open, as speakers passed around a microphone to share their thoughts with the Homer Township Board during its regular monthly meeting. The board previously had approved demolition of the building and put the work out for bids. This led to the formation of a petition organized by Homer residents to save the town hall. None of those who spoke Monday supported the board's previous action. In addition to plans for the town hall being decided by a vote, petitioners also were able to secure a special meeting with the board that will take place before the end of this year. Thatll give us time to start over and get numbers for both the renovation and construction, said Township Treasurer Kim Skappel. Its going to take time to gather. And in the meantime, we did what they wanted. Were not going to tear down the building. Petition organizer JoAn Moham said Mondays meeting was a partial victory with more work to come. The full victory will come when I hear them say we are going to renovate this building, Moham said. Today the board was peaceful, willing to work with us, explaining why it happened and giving us the details we didnt know. It was the way it should be. Township board member Pat Prodzinski introduced the motion to bring the town halls decision to a vote next year in a move he said was necessary to find a resolution. It should be up to the township residents to vote on, not just the people in Homer, Prodzinski said. Meeting-goers also requested to start a task force to aid the boards search for bids and options. The task force, comprised mainly of the group that started the petition, will research options, gather bids and meet with the board until this falls special meeting. The vote next year will decide what the township does with its more than $144,000 in American Rescue Plan Act relief money that had been slated to use for a new town hall. The township has until the end of 2026 to use the money. People think everything can be restored, said Township Board Chairman Harlan Larsen. Would you rather have a $150,000 new building or stick $150,000 into something like this? To me, it just doesnt make sense. The board said contractors have checked out the building and noticed some deficiencies regarding loose tiles, rotting wood, handicap accessibility and brickwork. Residents were given 45 minutes during the meeting to talk to the board openly. As the microphone was passed around the room, community members expressed frustration with the boards previous decision, in optimism to work together with the board, and with emotion about memories tied to the building. Its history, said Scott Shira to the board. I dont want to see it ripped off the map. The board also approved the creation of both a Facebook page and a website for the township board to post their meetings, agendas and minutes. I think all the work that the residents have put into it has paid off, said Homer resident Lance Hislop. I was actually surprised by some of the things the board said they were willing to do and work with us. Voters turned down Winona Area Public Schools two-question referendum in Tuesdays special election. Question one was defeated with 2,380 (65.6%) votes no to 1,250 (34.4%) votes yes. Question two was defeated with 2,378 (66%) votes no to 1,227 (34%) votes yes. Question one asked voters to invest $72.5 million into classroom and building improvements. These improvements would have taken the form of personalized learning spaces at all three elementary schools to support individualized instruction, small additions at Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko to improve accessibility, and remodeling the industrial tech wing at the high school to enhance career exploration opportunities. It wouldve also provided a fitness space at the Area Learning Center and address deferred maintenance issues district-wide. Question two asked voters to invest an additional $21.7 million for improvements to extracurricular spaces at the high school. The funding would go to a gymnasium addition, new locker rooms and the renovation of the schools music area. Question one needed to pass in order for question two to pass. School board chair Nancy Denzer said the election results are disappointing and the next steps will be to regroup with the districts community task force. Well talk to the task force, talk to the board, find out what direction the board wants to head, and then make some decisions on what we want to do from there, Denzer said. If both questions passed, the estimated tax impact of the $94.2 million referendum for homeowners would have been $247 for homes with a market value of $200,000 and $545 for $400,000 homes. The tax increase would begin with taxes payable in 2024. In the buildup to Tuesdays vote, residents expressed support for and opposition to the referendum. About two dozen Winona community members created a vote-yes committee touting the benefits of investment in the district. However, some questioned the necessity for such a large referendum after years of declining enrollment in the school district. Understanding why the referendum vote ultimately failed, Denzer said, will provide needed information to move forward. My sincere apologies to the students of the district. Its a big letdown for them, Denzer said. We feel real strongly that our students deserve to have the facilities that will help us really move forward in the future. In 2018, voters approved a $9.42 million referendum to address safety, security and accessibility needs. At the time, it was considered the first phase of a larger plan. This years referendum was the second phase in that larger project. Planning began in the summer 2021 and included 17 months of collaborating with community members, teachers, district staff, engineers, architects and consultants. Denzer said while the districts needs are still present, they are going to gather and put together a plan that is hopefully more palatable to the community. Vote counts are preliminary until canvassed by the school board at its April 20 meeting. 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! Explore Japan Series: Rashomon Wednesday, April 12, 6 p.m., Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. 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. East Troy Brewery Beer Dinner April 13, 5:30 p.m., East Troy Brewery, 2905 Main St., East Troy. Tickets: $65 per person. RSVP at info@etbrew.com. Five course meal with beer pairings, curated by Executive Chef Noah Higgins and Head Brewer Scott Slauson. For menu, click link at easttroy.org/events. Stargazing with GLAS April 13, 7:30-9 p.m., Matheson Memorial Library, 101 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn. Join Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM to look through telescopes to see galaxies, nebulae and star clusters, plus learn how to navigate the night sky constellations and more. Free event. 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. Sixth Annual Sprint For Spring Saturday, April 22, check-in starts 8:30 a.m., Geneva Lakes Family YMCA, 203 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva, www.geneva lakesymca.org/main/sprint-for-spring-5k. Registration costs: $35 adults, $25 ages 11-17, free for ages 10 and younger. Visit website to register or contact 262-248-6211 or melissa.monge@glymca.org. A chip-timed 5k run/walk, rain or shine. After check-in, group warm up is at 8:45 a.m. Run/walk begins 9 a.m. Course starts and ends at YMCA, going from the walking path by the Y southeast to Curtis Street, south to Townline Road, west to Highway 120, then south to head northwest on the path, east on Townline, north on Curtis, northwest on the path back to the Y. Healthy Kids Day Saturday, April 22, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Geneva Lakes Family YMCA, 203 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva, geneva This free to the public event is part of a national YMCA initiative to improve the health and well being of children and their families. Vendors, chalk art, free car seat checks, information and resources to help families celebrate Family Strengthening Month and more. The Anti-Boss Comedy Show April 22, shows at 4 & 7 p.m., The Bottle Shop. Tickets: $25 plus tax. An R-rated workplace satire. Seating limited. Call 262-348-9463 for tickets. Calendar Explore Japan Series: Origami Workshop April 15, 10 a.m., Lake Geneva Public Library. Learn a few basic origami projects, then practice folding. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Stoplight Party April 15, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Thumbs Up, 260 Broad St., Lake Geneva, thumbsuplakegeneva.com. Wear green if youre single, yellow if its complicated, red if youre taken. Free glow-in-the-dark wristbands. Explore Japan Series: Onigiri Lunch Workshop April 20, 11:30 a.m., Lake Geneva Public Library. Lunchtime workshop to learn how to make onigiri, a staple in Japanese lunchboxes. Registration required. Email ewardpac@lglibrary.org. Jane Austen Book Chat April 20, 6 p.m., House of Bogini, 152 Center St., Lake Geneva. Presented by Dust Bunny Books. Poetry & Written Word Open Mic April 20,6:30-8:30 p.m., Delavan Lake Store, 2001 North Shore Drive, Delavan. Dark Skies with GLAS April 20, 6-7 p.m., Matheson Memorial Library. Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM leads a presentation about light pollution, its effects and how people can help address this growing problem. Matinees at Matheson April 21, 1-3 p.m., Matheson Memorial Library. Screening of The Princess Bride with free popcorn and soda provided by the Friends of the Library. Movie is rated PG. Playboy Bunny Party April 21, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Thumbs Up, thumbsuplakegeneva.com. Half-price drinks for women wearing their bunny best, plus drink specials and music provided by DJ Hollywood. 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 Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul on Tuesday joined a multistate coalition of Democratic attorneys general in challenging a Texas district court judges ruling to block access to a commonly used abortion pill. Kaul, along with 23 Democratic attorneys general, filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit urging the court to stay Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryks ruling last week that could restrict access to the abortion medication mifepristone as early as Friday. The judges ruling, which was appealed Monday by the U.S. Justice Department, comes less than a year after the U.S. Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade dramatically curtailed abortion access in several states, including Wisconsin. The months following the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade have made it clearer than ever how vital it is for women to have access to the full array of life-saving reproductive health care services without interference from politicians, Kaul said in a statement. Mifepristone has been used safely for years, and the misguided district court order that would prevent the use of mifepristone must be blocked. Kacsmaryk on April 7 ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stay its 23-year-old approval of mifepristone, following a lawsuit brought by anti-abortion groups. Kaul was joined in the brief by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. You may have already seen them in some restaurants around the world: robots. They are about the size of a child. They can welcome people and lead them to their tables. They can deliver food and drinks and bring dirty dishes back to the kitchen. Some have cat-like faces and even make noises when you scratch their heads. But are robot waiters the future? It is a question the restaurant industry is trying to answer. Many people think robot waiters are the answer to worker shortages. Sales of robots have been growing in recent years. There are tens of thousands of them now moving through eating places worldwide. Theres no doubt in my mind that this is where the world is going, said Dennis Reynolds, head of the Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston. The schools restaurant began using a robot in December. Reynolds said it has eased the workload for humans and improved service. But others say robot waiters still have a long way to go before they can replace humans. They cannot take orders. And they cannot walk up steps to different areas of a restaurant. Restaurants are pretty chaotic places, so its very hard to insert automation in a way that is really productive, said Craig Le Clair from the advising company Forrester. Still, the use of robots is growing. California-based Bear Robotics introduced its Servi robot in 2021. The company expects to have 10,000 deployed by the end of this year in 44 U.S. states and overseas. In China, Shenzen-based Pudu Robotics, which was founded in 2016, has deployed more than 56,000 robots worldwide. Every restaurant chain is looking toward as much automation as possible, said Phil Zheng of Richtech Robotics, a maker of robot servers based in Austin, Texas. People are going to see these everywhere in the next year or two. In Madison Heights, Michigan, Li Zhai was having trouble finding workers for his restaurant Noodle Topia in the summer of 2021. So, he bought a robot from Pudu Robotics. The robot was so successful he added two more; now, one robot leads diners to their seats while another delivers food to tables. And his employees load dirty dishes onto a third robot to bring them back to the kitchen. Zhai said he now needs three people to do the same work that five or six people used to do. And they save him money. A robot costs around $15,000, he said, but a person costs him $5,000 to $6,000 per month. Zhai noted that the robots give his human servers more time to spend with diners, which increases tips. Tips are extra money given to food servers to reward them for their service. And diners often post videos of the robots on social media that lead to more visits. Besides saving labor, the robots generate business, he said. Betzy Giron Reynosa at The Sushi Factory in West Melbourne, Florida said working with robots could be problematic. You cant really tell it to move or anything, she said. She has also had diners who do not want to interact with it. But the robot is helpful, she said. It saves her trips to the kitchen and gives her more time with diners. LeClair of Forrester said worker shortages have greatly increased the use of robot servers at restaurants. In the U.S., the restaurant industry employed 15 million people at the end of last year. But that was 400,000 fewer than before the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Restaurant Association said. In a recent opinion study, 62 percent of restaurant operators told the association they do not have enough employees to meet their needs. The use of technology, like QR codes, to order food also prepared people to accept robots. Karthik Namasivayam of Michigan State Universitys Broad College of Business said, Once an operator begins to understand and work with one technology, other technologieswill be much more readily accepted. Namasivayam said that public acceptance of robot servers is very high in Asia. For example, he said Pizza Hut has robot servers in 1,000 restaurants in China. The U.S. was slower to use robot servers, but more restaurants are now testing them. Chick-fil-A is trying them at several restaurants around the country. The company said the robots have given human employees more time to serve and welcome guests. But not all restaurants have had success with robots. Chilis introduced a robot server in 2020. The restaurant company expanded the test to 61 U.S. restaurants before suddenly halting last August. Chilis found that the robot moved too slowly and got in the way of human servers. And 58 percent of guests surveyed said robots did not improve their overall experience. Haidilao in China began using robots a year ago to take food to diners tables. But managers at several restaurants said the robots have not proved as dependable or cost-effective as human servers. Wang Long, the manager of a Haidilao restaurant in Beijing, said his two robots have both broken down. We only used them now and then, Wang said, the machine can never replace humans. I'm Dan Friedell. And Im Faith Pirlo. Dee-Ann Durbin reported this story for the Associated Press. Hai Do adapted it for VOA Learning English. ___________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story dishn. a flat container for holding and serving food doubt n. a feeling of being unsure or of disbelief chaotic adj. in complete disorder automation n. the use of machines rather than people diner n. a person who eats at a restaurant QR code n. a square picture that is read by a computer and which provide information about a product or process guest n. a person who goes to a restaurant or hotel and uses its services ___________________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you. What do you think about robots replacing human servers? Tell us in the comments. Here is how our comment system 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. Chinese companies are planning to build an undersea internet link to connect Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Reuters news agency reports. Technology experts consider the planned $500 million project Chinas attempt to compete with a similar effort led by American companies. The Chinese project is known as EMA. It aims to create a huge network of high-speed internet cables on the ocean floor. Reuters reported that Chinas HMN Tech is to build the network and put down the cable. HMN Tech would receive financial assistance from the Chinese government for the project, the news agency said. Reuters reported that four people with direct knowledge of the plans confirmed the project. The individuals did not want to be named because they were not permitted to speak publicly about the plans. Chinas three main telecommunications carriers will help map out the operation. It is expected to be one of the worlds most modern and extensive undersea cable networks, the four individuals said. The proposed network would reportedly link Hong Kong to Chinas island province of Hainan. It would then continue to Singapore, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France. Reuters said it contacted representatives from HMN Tech and the Chinese telecommunications companies. But none of them were willing to provide comments. In a statement to Reuters, Chinas foreign ministry said it "has always encouraged Chinese companies to carry out foreign investment and cooperation." The ministry did not provide any specific information about the reported Chinese-led project. Undersea cables carry more than 95 percent of all international internet traffic. Such projects usually involve cooperation between many technology and telecommunications companies. The companies share their resources to build large networks to transport data quickly around the world. Such networks are considered important to supporting economic and military operations for the companies and governments involved. The undersea cable project is the latest technology competition between the United States and China. Experts say the China-led project aims to directly compete with another undersea cable currently being built by American company SubCom. That project, called SeaMeWe-6, will also connect Singapore to France, through Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and several other countries. Reuters reported that the SeaMeWe-6 project at first involved Chinas HMN Tech and the countrys major telecommunications companies. But a successful U.S. government pressure campaign resulted in the contract being given to SubCom last year. The campaign included the U.S. giving millions of dollars in training assistance to foreign telecommunications companies in exchange for choosing SubCom over HMN Tech, Reuters reported. The U.S. Commerce Department also put economic restrictions on HMN Tech in December 2021. The agency accused the company of seeking to secure American technology to help modernize Chinas Peoples Liberation Army. The restrictions made it impossible for owners of a Chinese-built cable network to sell internet connectivity to U.S. technology companies. China Telecom and China Mobile withdrew from the project after SubCom won the contract last year. Then the carriers, along with China Unicom, began planning the cable to be built by HMN Tech, the four individuals told Reuters. The three Chinese telecom companies are state-owned. The companies are expected to own more than half of the new network. They are also making deals with foreign partners, the news agency reported. SubCom chose not to comment on the competing cable. The U.S. Department of Justice oversees an interagency group that protects U.S. telecommunication networks from spying and attacks. The department also had no comment when contacted by Reuters. Large undersea cable projects usually take at least three years to complete. The Chinese companies are hoping to complete contracts by the end of the year and have the EMA cable operational by the end of 2025, Reuters reported. Telecommunications experts said one of the most important parts of the project will be establishing a new high-speed connection between Hong Kong, China and the rest of the world. The experts say the project will expand Chinas state-supported telecommunications carriers. They also say the network will provide protection in case they are banned from developing U.S.-backed cables in the future. One telecom executive working on the deal told Reuters about the competing cables, Its like each side is arming itself with bandwidth. Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Quiz - Report: Chinese Companies Plan Undersea Internet Link to Compete with US Project Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _____________________________________________________ Words in This Story cable n. a wire covered by plastic that carried electricity, telephone signals, etc. encourage v. to talk or behave in a way that gives someone confidence to do something map v. to plan the details of something especially how something is laid out over an area bandwidth n. the amount of information per second that can move between computers connected by cables _________________________________________________________ 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. Chinese navy ships reportedly remained in waters around Taiwan on Tuesday, a day after China said it had ended military exercises in the area. Chinese state media reported the ships continued to carry out actual combat training as of Tuesday morning, Reuters news agency reported. The military exercises which China said ended Monday were held in answer to a visit by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States last week. During her visit, Tsai met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, California. China had warned the U.S. government not to permit Tsai to visit or meet with McCarthy. China sees such meetings as showing support for Taiwanese voters and politicians who support full independence for Taiwan. China considers Taiwan a rebel territory. Chinese officials have said the government plans to one day reclaim the territory and would use force to do so if necessary. Taiwan rejects Chinas territorial claims. Although China said Monday night the drills had ended, state television reported that several warships "continued to carry out actual combat training in the waters around Taiwan. The report said the exercises were continuing to test the organizational and command capabilities of commanders at all levels and the combat effectiveness of weapons and equipment." State television described some ships performing combat readiness exercises in waters off Taiwan's eastern coast. The exercises included air defense and anti-missile training, the report said. Taiwan's defense ministry said it had observed nine Chinese ships and 26 aircraft carrying out exercises around the island late Tuesday morning. The ministry said Taiwan's air force, navy and land-based missile crews were closely watching the situation. Taiwan's government has repeatedly denounced the drills, but said it would not take any actions to escalate the exercises. Writing on her Facebook page shortly before midnight on Monday, Tsai defended her trip to the U.S. She said that as president, "I represent my country to the world." She added that her visits overseas, including stops in the United States, were nothing new and something Taiwan's citizens expect to see. "However, China used this to launch military exercises, causing instability in Taiwan and the region, Tsai wrote. This is not a responsible attitude for a major country," she said. China's People's Liberation Army issued a threat as it ended the exercises. A statement was issued by the Liberation Armys Eastern Theater Command. It said Chinese troops "can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story combat n. a fight, especially during a war capability n. the ability or power to do something escalate v. to become worse or more serious region n. a particular area in a country or the world resolute adj. purposeful or determined attitude n. how someone thinks or feels about something ____________________________________________________________________ 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 administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is aiming for new rules to push electric vehicle sales in the United States. Biden wants the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, to place new restrictions on pollution coming from cars and trucks. The effect of the rules is that most new vehicles sold in the U.S. will need to be electric by 2032. The new rules limit pollution that can come from cars and trucks produced between 2027 and 2032. The proposal is stronger than the one automakers agreed to less than two years ago. The plan could be put in place by 2024. It is part of Bidens stated goal to cut in half greenhouse gasses from the U.S. by 2030. Scientists say greenhouse gasses trap heat in the Earths atmosphere. Here are details about the EPAs proposal. The proposal The EPA will not tell automakers how many electric vehicles they must sell each year. Instead, the governments pollution restrictions will influence the kinds of cars and trucks automakers can offer. The EPA believes most smaller vehicles sold by 2032 will be electric and just under 50 percent of larger vehicles, such as trucks, will be electric. The head of the EPA is Michael Regan. Biden appointed him to lead the agency in 2021. Regan said the plan is the most ambitiousever for cars and trucks. He said it would result in cleaner air and lower fuel costs for Americans. What do automakers say about the plan? John Bozzella is the leader of an automotive trade group called the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. He called the new plan aggressive and expressed concern that the goals are too high. He said the Biden administration announced a policy less than two years ago that was already difficult for automakers to put in place. That policy required 50 percent of all new vehicles to be electric by 2030. Bozzella called that plan a stretch goal. He said the success of either plan still depends on two important factors: First, automakers must be able to produce enough electric vehicles to reach the goals. Second, most Americans need to be able to pay for the new cars. Bozzella said the question is not whether this can be done; Its how fast can it be done? He said the new plan requires the right policies and market conditions. How will the proposal help the environment? The EPA says the new requirements would reduce pollution from vehicles by 56 percent compared to the rules set for vehicles made in 2026. They would improve air quality and save car owners thousands of dollars in fuel costs. In addition, the U.S. would not need to import as much oil. Is the plan realistic? In the first three months of 2023, electric vehicles accounted for 7.2 percent of all vehicles sold in the U.S. Electric vehicle sales appear to be increasing. Last year, 5.8 percent of all new vehicles sold were electric. Automotive industry experts and research organizations say the cost of electric vehicles and the difficulty of charging them will continue to be a problem for Americans. LMC Automotive is an industry research company. It said new electric vehicle sales could make up 49 percent of all sales by 2032. But the number may not go above that until costs come down. A recent public opinion study said most Americans do not want to buy electric cars. Only 19 percent of those who took part said the next time they buy a car; it will be electric. Just under half said they were unlikely to buy an electric car. One member of the Biden administration, however, said the goals are reachable with the lead time they have. Ali Zaidi is Bidens climate adviser. He said the number of electric cars available has doubled and sales have tripled since Biden took office. The automakers havetechnology and infrastructure and supply chain to be able to achieve this, Zaidi said. Why is the new plan important? Transportation is said to be the largest producer of carbon gasses in the U.S. The EPA said transportation uses produced about 27 percent of gasses released in 2020. Electric power production came second with 25 percent of gases produced. Environmental groups say reducing pollution from cars and trucks would clean the air. They say less carbon gasses will reduce problems from bad weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes and fires. What else is Bidens government doing to help? The Biden administration is offering some Americans help in purchasing electric vehicles in the form of a tax credit. However, the reduced taxes are only available to Americans with incomes below a certain level. In addition, not all cars and trucks qualify for the full tax credit. Kelley Blue Book is a company that reports on the price of new and used vehicles. It said the smaller credit might not be enough to persuade Americans to buy electric cars. Right now, the average cost of an electric vehicle is about $58,000. Im Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press. ___________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ambitiousadj. requiring great effort or desire to do something factor n. a condition needed to get something done charge v. to add electricity to a device that provides a machine with power, usually to run a motor infrastructure n. the things needed in a modern society such as roads, bridges, power centers, railways and ports supply chain n. a network of businesses that supply the materials and parts needed to provide people with products and goods achieve v. to reach a goal income n. money made from work or investment __________________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you. Do you think the U.S. will be able to reach the electric vehicle goals? Tell us in the comments. Here is how our comment system 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. An elementary school shooting in the U.S. state of Tennessee recently left three 9-year-olds and three adults dead. Now, state legislatures across the country are moving forward with bills aiming to improve school safety. The bills have been introduced in both liberal and conservative states. Some bills would require schools to put in place technology like panic alerts, security cameras and emergency communications systems. Lawmakers see the bills as a way to improve school security while avoiding the dispute over gun control. But some experts say teacher safety training is more effective and less costly than the new technologies. Democratic state lawmakers have called for tighter gun laws to prevent school shootings. But many are now also supporting the school emergency measures that have largely been pushed by Republicans. In the northwestern state of Oregon, Democrats control the legislature. A bill there would require schools to send electronic warnings to parents as soon as possible after a safety threat. It passed the state House of Representatives with support from all lawmakers. Two Democratic lawmakers are the main writers of another bill that would require all public school classrooms to have panic alert devices. They would contact police or other emergency services when used. If passed, the panic alert bill would make Oregon the fourth state to pass the law. Florida, New Jersey and New York have all passed it. Several other states are considering similar legislation. Panic alert devices started being used more after the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Lori Alhadeffs 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, was among the 17 killed. She started the group Make Our Schools Safe and began supporting panic devices. She had texted her daughter as shots were fired that help was on the way. There's really nothing to lose by being prepared, said Lori Kitaygorodsky, the group's spokesperson. Some Republican-led states have approved more money for school safety to help schools pay for new devices like panic buttons. CrisisAlert, for example, costs at least $8,000 per school for a three-to five-year contract, said Will Fullerton. He works for Centegix, the company that makes the product. After a shooter killed 19 children and two teachers last May at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, state officials announced $105 million for school safety and mental health programs. Nearly half of that was given for bullet-resistant protection for school police. Seventeen million dollars was for school systems to purchase panic-alert technology. The Missouri House recently approved a 2024 budget with $50 million for school safety funds. That is on top of the $20 million already approved for school safety in the current year. Schools will be able to use the money on technology including door locking devices, communication systems and video surveillance equipment. Ken Trump is the president of National School Safety and Security Services. The group advises schools on safety measures. He said lawmakers often make one-time purchases of new technology, but do not fund the technology over longer periods of time for things like repairs. There's no budget to repair, replace and maintain them after they put them in," Trump said. He said the tools are often not properly used. He added that schools should center on training teachers to identify and recognize dangerous situations and make thoughtful decisions under stress. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. Quiz- US States Aim to Increase School Safety after Shootings Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story panic n. a state or feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally surveillance n. the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime maintain v. to cause (something) to exist or continue without changing situation n. all of the facts, conditions, and events that affect someone or something at a particular time and in a particular place stress n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc. Australia suspended a complaint to the World Trade Organization in a bid to reopen the Chinese market to Australian barley for the first time in three years in the new governments latest step toward repairing relations with Beijing. China effectively closed its doors to Australian barley in May 2020 by imposing an 80% tariff after the previous Australian government angered Beijing by calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous conservative government responded by challenging the tariff in the Geneva-based trade body. Yesterday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her center-left Labor Party government, which was elected in May, had reached an agreement with China that creates a pathway for the resolution of the dispute over Australian barley. China had agreed to review its duties on the grain over three or four months, she said, and Australia will temporarily suspend the WTO dispute during that review period. Obviously, if the duty is not lifted at the end of the review period, well resume our dispute in the WTO, Wong said. The Chinese Embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Wong said the Chinese review offered a significantly shorter time frame to resolve the dispute than the WTO offered. Official and unofficial trade barriers are costing Australian exporters an estimated $14 billion a year in products including beef, seafood and wood. Trade Minister Don Farrell said Australia hoped the review would become a template for resolving other trade disputes with China, particularly over wine. While barley growers have found other markets, Australian wine producers have struggled to find alternative buyers after China imposed trade barriers in late 2020. Australia has denied Chinas claims that it was subsidizing wine to export it at artificially low prices. Grain Producers Australia, which represents barley exporters, welcomed the new agreement. This process to reach a resolution would be significantly shorter than if the WTO process continued, Grain Producers Australian chair Barry Large said in a statement. We welcome the Labor governments constructive dialogue and positive progress towards stabilizing the relationship with China, and creating this process and opportunity to recommence the barley trade, Large said. In February, Australian and Chinese trade ministers held their first bilateral meeting since 2019, showing signs of improved relations since the previous government was voted out after nine years in power. During the online exchange, Farrell accepted his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentaos invitation to visit China. A date has yet to be set. In December, Wong became the first Australian foreign minister to visit China in four years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised his concerns about trade in November when he took part in the first formal bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping by an Australian government leader since 2016. China recently lifted trade restrictions on Australian coal that were first imposed in late 2020. ROD McGUIRK, CANBERRA, MDT/AP The trajectory of influenza infections is being closely monitored in case of a relapse after the Easter break, a medical director of the public hospital has recently said. Commenting on the current outbreak of flu, emergency room doctor and medical director at the public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital, Lei Wai Seng, told the press that, as per past experience, a flu outbreak usually lasts for a month. This current outbreak, he said, was initially detected in the Accident and Emergency Department in early April. Most patients who sought medical assistance at the department were children. The case figures peaked at 1,050 patients per day, 60% more than on a normal day. During the Easter break, the figure remained steady at circa 900 patients per day. Chan Man Si, an official from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, revealed that a rise in flu infections was observed from the ninth week of this year, with 110 cases of chain infections recorded during the 13th. Explaining the intense flu outbreak this year, Lei said that there were no outbreaks in previous years, weakening the response from peoples immune system to flu viruses. Based on that, he said that the Health Bureau had expected this years flu outbreaks would be more severe, adding that the eased mask recommendations had also facilitated the quicker spread of flu. Lei revealed that the number of elderly flu patients hospitalized has increased, due to the fact that they are more prone to medical complications, such as bacterial infections and pneumonia, following the contraction of flu viruses. In a previous severe flu case concerning a six-year-old girl, Lei revealed that the girl has been moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a normal ward, following improvement in her condition. She suffered from inflammation in the brain after contracting the flu. An elderly patient with severe chronic diseases were admitted to the ICU and is on a respirator. The doctor reiterated the recommendation for people to receive their flu vaccines. Authorities have pledged to strengthen joint inspections and improve supervision so as to protect the image of Macau as a tourist city and protect the rights and interests of tourists following a complaint that a group of tourists from mainland China was allegedly held at a jewelry store in Macau for two hours and forced to shop. According to media reports, a group from the mainland complained earlier this month about being trapped in a jewelry store and prevented from leaving the shop for at least two hours. The tourists posted videos about the incident upon returning to the mainland. As cited in a report by Macao Daily News, a Chinese tourist named Bian said that a local tour guide accompanied them and that they were prevented from leaving by two security guards. Bian was part of a low-cost tour that involved tours to Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai for the price of RMB2,880, departing from Zhengzhou Airport in Henan. They didnt tell us to do mandatory shopping, but they wouldnt let us out. I bought two necklaces there for over 3,000 renminbi and asked to leave, but they still refused, she said. During the weekend, a statement from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) stated that the flow of people at various entry and exit ports and tourist attractions increased during the Easter holiday. Therefore, along with the Public Security Force and the Labour Affairs Bureau they pledged to launch joint inspections, conduct spot checks on tour groups, and monitor the working conditions of tourism practitioners. The MGTO said it would also cooperate with the Consumer Council to conduct inspections on the shopping spots of tour groups to maintain the order of the tourism industry and protect the rights and interests of tourists. LV Macaus local tourism authority will bring Experience Macao Unlimited Macao Promotion in Lisbon to Portugal from April 15 to 22, in tandem with the Chief Executive Ho Iat Sengs visit to the region. The event represents the SARs first in-person tourism promotion in Europe after the pandemic. Organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the Experience Macao Unlimited Macao Promotion in Lisbon event will feature video mapping that showcases the citys diverse offerings as a destination through light artistry. Related Natural beauty is making a comeback. The rise of non-invasive skincare treatments has become one of the biggest beauty trends. For those who want to stay young naturally and achieve a state of wellness from the inside out, the Japanese traditional Kobido massage is definitely the one to opt for. Known for its natural rejuvenating power, the ancestral beauty ritual is a traditional holistic art featuring harmonious mix of kneading, pinching, rolling and a set of precise hand gestures. By facilitating microcirculation in your face, neck and shoulder by hand massage, Kobido restores skin elasticity and collagen to give a natural lifting effect that you will notice an improved contours after the treatment. It also reduces wrinkles and puffiness, brightens skin tone and relieves stress. Now you can enjoy the authentic Kobido lifting ritual in Macau at Tria, the award-winning spa at MGM with a five-star rating in the Forbes Travel Guide and SpaChina awards for consecutive years. The 60-minute massage by an expertly-trained therapist will give you a feeling of total relaxation from the face to neck and shoulders, and leave your skin revitalized and glowing. To enhance the treatment outcomes, organic beauty products from professional Italian skincare brand are used throughout the massage. The limited-time treatment is only available until the end of May, so make sure you dont miss out. For enquiry and reservation, please call Tria at MGM MACAU (853) 8802 3838 or MGM COTAI (853) 8806 2733, or email to triaspa@mgm.mo MGM Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen, NAPE, Macau T: 853 8802 2888 F: 853 8802 3333 E: sustainability@mgmmacau.com W: http://www.mgm.mo/ Switzerlands parliament is opening a special session yesterday to scrutinize the state-imposed takeover of Swiss bank Credit Suisse by rival UBS and possibly considering strengthening the legal arsenal to better gird against financial blowups. The debate could run up to three days, with expectations that lawmakers will voice and need to iron out disagreements over the 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.25 billion) fusion of the countrys top two banks, a thunderclap for a country that prides itself on finesse and acumen in finance. Swiss authorities stepped in as shares of Credit Suisse and other banks plunged last month after the failure of two U.S. banks sparked concerns about other potentially shaky institutions in the global financial system. Credit Suisse is among 30 financial institutions known as globally systemically important banks, and authorities worried about the fallout if it were to fail. Lawmakers were expected to raise concerns about thousands of expected job cuts, discuss possible strengthening of banking laws and accountability for long-troubled Credit Suisse, and look at state-backed guarantees of over $100 billion aimed both at holding the bank together until the merger is completed and buttressing UBS against possible losses as it combines with its rival. They also were likely to consider what it will mean that Switzerland is set to have one giant bank. MDT/AP PANAMACITYThe United States, Panama and Colombia announced Tuesday they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants multiplied this year. Details on how the governments will try to curb the flow of migrants that reached nearly 90,000 in just the first three months of this year were not provided in the joint statement. The countries also will use "new lawful and flexible pathways for tens of thousands of migrants and refugees as an alternative to irregular migration," but gave no details. The plan's third element is investment to reduce poverty and create jobs in the Colombian and Panamanian border communities, presumably so fewer people work at smuggling migrants. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday met with the foreign ministers of Panama and Colombia in Panama. A Madison man was charged Wednesday with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for a shooting outside a Downtown bar early Sunday that badly injured another man and was partly captured on video by a bystander. Kiante K. Jackson, 22, was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon for the shooting that happened after he and his friends got into a fight with another group of people inside Dannys Pub, 328 W. Gorham St., which continued outside after the groups were kicked out of the bar, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court. The 23-year-old victim was taken to UW Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, the complaint states. Doctors told police they would remove the upper left portion of the mans upper left lung, which had been shredded by the gunshot. Jackson appeared in court Wednesday and bail was continued at $100,000, which had been set during a bail hearing on Tuesday. According to the complaint: A witness told police she was with the victim when the fight started because another man had been talking to her. Another witness was able to pick Jackson out as the shooter from an ID scanning system used by the bar that captures the names and photos of people who enter. The witness, shown Jacksons photo, said Jackson was 100% the shooter. The man said the fight had started on the second floor of Dannys when one person was trying to grab the woman. He said Jackson got into the face of the eventual shooting victim before both groups were kicked out of the bar. A man who was in Jacksons group told police he had gone Downtown with Jackson and some others, and while at the bar, they met up with some other people they knew. After a while, a man he didnt know started hitting on a woman, and the womans boyfriend was not happy about it. The man said when everyone got outside, Jackson and another friend were arguing with two men who were with the woman in the bar. A physical fight started out of nowhere, he said, which moved from the front of the bar to a side alley. He hung back, then heard a pop. Later, the man told police, when he was with Jackson and others after they left the scene, Jackson said, I meant to shoot in the air. Obviously he didnt, the man added to police. Jackson was arrested during a traffic stop in Fitchburg about two hours after the shooting. A bystanders video showed events outside as they unfolded. At one point, Jackson went to the ground, pushed by an unidentified person. He got up and touched his waistband, then headed deliberately into the mass of fighters. He pushed one of his friends out of his way, and the shooting victim is seen on the far left side of the video, not fighting with anyone. As Jackson continued to push his way toward the crowd, it appeared he brought a handgun up from his waistband to a level position. A second later, a muzzle flash was visible. The frame of the video shifted as the person taking it began to turn and run. But a split-second before that, the shooting victim was seen standing away from the crowd with his hands on his hips. The complaint states Jackson has a prior conviction for possession of a firearm on school grounds. Court records for that case are no longer available to the public, possibly because the matter was expunged, but a Wisconsin State Journal news item states that on June 5, 2018, Jackson was arrested after police said he brought a gun to Sun Prairie High School. A McFarland man was charged Wednesday with homicide by negligent driving for the traffic death in October of a beloved former Watertown music teacher who was struck by a car and killed while crossing John Nolen Drive. A criminal complaint states that while Tom Heninger initially was believed to have crossed the street on his bike against a do not walk light, police later determined that the truck he was struck by was going about 25 mph over the speed limit and had likely run a red light before hitting Heninger. The complaint also charged Alan D. Tschury, 42, with second-degree reckless endangerment for the Oct. 27 incident at John Nolen Drive and North Shore Drive. Tschury is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. According to an Oct. 29 story in the Wisconsin State Journal, the morning Heninger died he was riding his bike a few blocks from his Downtown home to Monona Terrace to volunteer at the annual Wisconsin Music Educators Association conference, which he did every year. Heninger, 71, worked for the Watertown School District from 1974 until he retired in 2009. According to the complaint: The crash happened about 6:50 a.m. Another bike rider told police he rode across John Nolen Drive at North Shore Drive despite the do not walk light because there was no traffic. When he got to the other side, he heard a screech and heard the sound of an impact and saw a black pickup truck pulling over. The other rider said the truck apparently had been going very fast because he didnt see it when he initially crossed the street. Tschury was upset and shaken, police said. He told police he was on his way to work and reached the intersection as the light turned from green to yellow when Heninger struck his truck on the left front side. Heninger died about two hours after the crash. Tschury later said that although he was driving and holding his phone to listen to music he only manipulated his phone to repeat the song he was listening to. Police examined city street camera footage that showed two vehicles, one of them the truck, accelerating away from the rest of traffic at the Lakeside Drive intersection with John Nolen Drive. The speed limit at the North Shore Drive intersection is 35 mph, but by using camera footage and taking measurements, comparing the time it took the truck to pass landmarks, officers Brandon Mortenson and Samuel Brier determined the trucks speed just prior to the North Shore Drive intersection to be 59 to 63 mph. Brier also determined that the traffic light had been yellow for about 4.5 seconds before Tschurys truck entered the intersection, and that it turned red before he was in it. North Shore Drive cross-traffic already had a green light before the truck entered the intersection and collided with Heninger, Brier said. Photos: Madison's most dangerous intersections, as seen from space No. 10: Packers Avenue and International Lane No. 9: Zeier Road and East Washington Avenue No. 8: South Park Street and West Badger Road No. 7: Thierer Road and East Washington Avenue No. 6: North First Street and East Washington Avenue No. 5: Buckeye Road and South Stoughton Road No. 4: South Baldwin Street and East Washington Avenue No. 3: North Stoughton Road and East Washington Avenue No. 2: Watts Road and South Gammon Road No. 1: Pleasant View Road and Mineral Point A man wanted on multiple warrants tried to run over a group of officers assisting with his arrest on Thursday, Madison police reported Tuesday. At about 12:30 p.m. Thursday on Stewart Street on the South Side, members of the Gang and Neighborhood Crime Abatement Team, Special Weapons and Tactics team, and Safe Streets Task Force worked together to take Sorrell A. Gilmore, 28, into custody, police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said in a statement. Gilmore, who was wanted on several felony warrants involving weapons and firearms, drove toward officers before speeding from the area. Police used tire deflation devices to stop Gilmores vehicle and arrest him at the intersection of Dane and Taft streets, Fryer said. Gilmore was jailed on tentative charges of fleeing and eluding, being in possession of cocaine, possessing a controlled substance, possessing THC and his outstanding warrants, Fryer said. No one was injured during the incident, Fryer said. The US surpasses 160 mass shootings in 2023. Here's every event mapped 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 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 The US surpasses 100 mass shootings in 2023here's every event mapped 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 A Stoughton man who was not legally allowed to drive was charged Tuesday with homicide by intoxicated driving for a fatal crash on Interstate 39/90 early Friday that happened when he was driving in the wrong direction of traffic, likely without headlights. A criminal complaint also charged Jesse T. Boley, 26, with second-degree reckless endangerment and knowingly driving while suspended causing death for the crash at about 2:48 a.m. in the city of Madison that killed an Illinois man. Boley appeared in court Tuesday before Dane County Court Commissioner Jason Hanson in a wheelchair with a cast on his right leg. Assistant District Attorney Lexi Keyes said while she argued for $50,000 cash bail that Boley had already been cited three times this year alone for driving while his license was suspended and should not have been driving. He has shown he has a disregard for the rules, Keyes said. Hanson agreed to set bail at $50,000, citing the 24 times Boley has been cited since 2018 in state and municipal courts for such things as driving without a license, without insurance and with a vehicle that wasnt registered. The name of the 58-year-old Peoria, Illinois, man who died in the crash has not been released by the State Patrol or the Dane County Medical Examiners Office. According to the complaint: The State Patrol was notified by a witness that the driver of a white pickup truck was seen near the Highway 151 interchange traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-39/90/94. A few minutes later, a crash was reported on I-39/90 just south of the Cottage Grove Road overpass, about 4 miles away. A man in a silver Dodge Avenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Both the Dodge and the pickup truck, a Chevy Silverado, had heavy front-end damage. As a trooper approached the Silverado he could see a man later identified as Boley crawling toward the right shoulder, and could smell an odor of intoxicants coming from the man and in the interior of the Silverado. Boleys speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. He was injured and could not stand up. Boley said he didnt know how the crash happened or why he was driving in the wrong direction. Asked if he had consumed any alcohol, Boley at first said not much, then said not a drop. He also said he had no alcohol whatsoever. Boley said he had told the trooper earlier he had not much because not much is zero. The trooper found Boley was carrying 14 Adderall pills, a vape pen that tested positive for the active ingredient in marijuana and another vape pen suspected of being used for marijuana. A witness told the State Patrol that she was driving north in the right lane and the Dodge was in the middle lane when the Silverado, headed in the wrong direction, collided head-on with the Dodge. The witness said she thought the Silverados headlights were off because she never saw them coming toward her until the last moment, when the driver turned them on for a split second before the crash. The complaint notes that a blood sample was taken from Boley but no results were stated in the complaint. Photos: Looking back at deadly 100-car pileup on foggy interstate in 2008 Critical fire danger has southern and most of central Wisconsin under a red flag warning from 11 a.m. through 8 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. Wednesday is predicted to be the warmest day of the year, with highs cracking 80 for the first time across southern Wisconsin, southwest winds at 15 to 25 miles per hour and gusting to 35 mph, sunshine and low humidity, with no chance for rain. High fire risk is expected to continue Thursday and Friday, with similar weather forecast, before chances for showers return over the weekend and temperatures plunge to a high below 50 on Sunday. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday morning rates all counties in southern Wisconsin and all counties in central Wisconsin, except for the far eastern counties, under extreme risk for fires. The DNR has suspended burn permits in many counties and is asking the public to avoid all outdoor burning. Northern Wisconsin is not under high fire risk because of snow cover. On windy, dry days, embers from any fire, especially burn piles and campfires, can easily get out of control and cause a wildfire. Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday morning declared a state of emergency in response to the elevated wildfire conditions. Although northern Wisconsin still has considerable snow cover, the danger is extreme across much of the state today, Evers said in a statement. This executive order will give the Department of Natural Resources the ability to have all available resources ready to be quickly dispatched at critical moments to keep fires small and minimize damage. The DNR has requested wildfire suppression support from the Wisconsin National Guard due to the elevated fire danger across much of the state. The executive order will help in rapidly mobilizing the Army National Guards Blackhawk helicopters to areas of the state in most need of aerial fire suppression resources. The executive order also will direct all state agencies to assist in wildfire prevention, response, and recovery efforts. Photos: 150th anniversary of the 1871 Peshtigo Fire Two motorcyclists died Monday afternoon in separate crashes in Magic Valley, both occurring when the drivers drove off the road, police say. In the first incident, James Hollon, 21, of Buhl was driving a 2016 Harley Davidson south at 1300 E. 4300 N. at about 1 p.m. when he drove off the east side of the roadway and was thrown from the motorcycle, the Idaho State Police said. Hollon succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Idaho State Police were assisted by Buhl QRU, Buhl Fire Department, Magic Valley Paramedics, and Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office. In the second incident, Sean Michael Marcotte, 55, of Declo, was driving a 2012 Harley Davidson east on Interstate 84 at the Exit 211 onramp when he failed to negotiate the curve, the ISP said. The motorcycle continued off the left shoulder and struck an embankment and a fence. The driver was ejected from the motorcycle and succumbed to his injuries at the scene, the ISP said. The passenger on the motorcycle, who has not been identified, was not wearing a helmet. Both incidents are under investigation by the ISP. As the end of the public comment period for the Lava Ridge draft Environmental Impact Statement approaches, opponents continue to raise their voices against the massive wind energy project proposed for public land in Jerome, Lincoln and Minidoka counties. Several hundred people turned out to the Stop Lava Ridge Rally on Tuesday at Twin Falls Downtown Commons. Speakers addressed their individual perspectives on the possible impacts of the project. Counties sign resolution calling for halt to Lava Ridge, other wind projects in Magic Valley "I hope that this is enough to put a plug in this and stop these projects from desecrating our public lands," Commissioner Jack Johnson said. Navy veteran and cattle rancher David Loopers grazing allotments are in the impact zone of the project. He told the crowd that he loves living in the least regulated state but that lack of regulations also made Idaho a target for national corporations interests. They come here because they thought we were a bunch of dumb hillbillies, Looper said. They were going to slide it through and they were going to walk out of here rich. Developers werent expecting people to be so resistant, he said. They are on the defensive, and we are on the offensive, Looper said. If push comes to shove, Ill fight like a badger. Julie Arroyo also addressed the crowd, urging people to stand up for the non-English speakers in the area. Im going to ask you to blow up the phone of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and the Department of the Interior for the next nine days, Arroyo said. Arroyo told the crowd how the federal governments commitment to representation of minorities has fallen short in this instance. Spanish-speaking residents in Jerome County make up 40% of the population, Arroyo said, but there was no Spanish translation of the Lava Ridge draft EIS. Idaho is not going to stand down and let their minorities be treated like second-class citizens, she said. Joan Hurlock gave an overview of Lava Ridges impacts to wildlife and the habitat fragmentation from 300 miles of new roads. Wind turbines are not green, Hurlock said, referencing the 10,000 annual bird fatalities estimated by the draft EIS. They are bird-, bat-, insect-killing machines. The comment period for the draft EIS ends April 20. PHOTOS: Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd Rally against the Lava Ridge Wind Project draws a crowd No doubt about it. A large swath of the Idaho Legislature is still honked off about the Idaho Supreme Courts 2021 decision overturning a raw legislative power grab. In reaction to voter approval of Reclaim Idahos initiative to expand Medicaid coverage, indignant legislators passed a law designed to make it virtually impossible for the people to ever again exercise their constitutional right to legislate. The Supreme Court issued a well-reasoned opinion, affirming the constitutional right of Idahoans to make laws they want when the Legislature stubbornly refuses to act. Legislators have retaliated by denying cost-of-living pay raises for our judges. Last year, the Legislature provided 7% cost-of-living pay increases to most state employees, including court staff members, but failed to provide any increase for Idaho judges. Legislators did approve a bill that made substantial changes to the selection process for district and appellate court judges, tying it to a judicial pay increase for judges. The bill would have increased high court salaries by only 2%. The governor vetoed the bill because of obnoxious changes to the judge selection process. Even though legislators had time to pass a separate pay raise for judges, they refused to act. Legislative observers thought the lawmakers would correct their ill treatment of judges in the 2023 session, but that was not in the cards. In January, Rep. Bruce Skaug, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the judges were robbed last year, but the Legislature took no action to require the robbers to provide restitution to the judges. The Legislature did approve a pay increase for judges this year, which boosted pay for Supreme Court Justices by 3%, while all other state employees got 4%. That leaves an 8% cost-of-living gap in pay for high court judges. A case can be made that the Legislature has violated Article 5, section 27 of the Idaho Constitution by failing to provide cost-of-living increases to judges during these last two years. While the provision allows the Legislature to diminish or increase judicial compensation, it may not do so during a judges term in office. When the Legislature determines that an increase in compensation is necessary for state employees to compensate for an increasing cost of living, havent legislators diminished the compensation of the only state employees who were deprived of the increase? It would be interesting to see how a court might decide such a case. Make no mistake, the Legislature has long been aware that judicial recruitment, particularly for district court positions, has been hampered by the low statutory salaries. The current salary for Idahos district judges, who handle felonies and heavy-duty civil cases, ranks 49th in the nation, as compared to other states general jurisdiction judges. With the 3% increase this year, Supreme Court Justice will make $165,212, which equates to about $79 per hour. The Legislature was more than happy to pay $470 per hour to the private lawyer it hired to represent it in the initiative lawsuit that it lost in the Supreme Court in 2021. In comparison with another government position, the attorney generals new solicitor general, who is not even authorized to practice law in Idaho courts, is making $158,000. With the 7.5% pay raise for the AGs office this year, he will receive about $170,000, almost $82 per hour. District and appellate judges take a substantial pay cut to serve the people. They need to be compensated adequately if we hope to keep the remarkable judiciary that we currently have. The Take Back Idaho PAC, which supported reasonable, pragmatic Republicans in the 2022 primary election, will make judicial pay a high priority as it gears up for the GOP primary next year. Hopefully, those in the Legislature who want to financially starve the courts into capitulating to their way of thinking will take heed. Idaho has a remarkably even-handed, competent judiciary, but it will not remain so if vindictive lawmakers keep trying to make judgeships financially unattractive. Idahos judges need the strong support of the public to keep our justice system operating as the founders intended, which includes acting as a check on power abuses by the other branches of government. All fair-minded people need to speak up for our judges. By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO CITY Governor Manuel N. Mamba of Cagayan did not hold back when he voiced his opposition and expressed his concern over the new military facility that will be established in the province, following Malacanangs announcement of four additional locations for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that have been inspected and evaluated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Mamba repeated his opposition to creating a new EDCA site in Cagayan, citing his concern that the facility may serve as a magnet for strikes by US rivals. Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba As I previously said it is the Presidents call, but I disagree and continuously oppose EDCA sites in Cagayan because they are magnets of attack by US adversaries due to the presence of foreign forces (US Armed Forces), he said. Mamba expressed his hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will reconsider the decision, despite accepting that it is the Chief Executives call. I am still hoping that the President reconsiders his decision since there are five other sites being developed earlier. Cagayan is always a friend to our neighboring countries, Governor Mamba told Manila Standard. ADVERTISEMENT Mamba claimed that Cagayan had previously hosted major joint military training exercises and that if American forces were stationed there, it would directly harm the province if China invaded Taiwan. Being the northernmost point of Luzon island, Cagayan province fronts Taiwan, which is just 200 kilometers away. The governor believes the province was chosen under the recently extended bilateral military agreement with the United States, but that he had not been informed earlier. The Palace has already identified four locations that it deemed desirable for EDCA installations that American soldiers would be able to access. They are the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; La-lo Airport in La-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela, and Balabac Island in Palawan. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. China will set up a brief no-fly zone north of Taiwan on Sunday due to what the islands transport ministry described as space activities. The closure comes after Beijing completed three days of massive war games around self-ruled Taiwan last week, during which China simulated targeted strikes and practised a blockade of the island. The no-fly zone does not appear to be linked to the drills, with Taiwans transport ministry saying on Wednesday China had imposed the restriction on the convergence areas of many international routes on the grounds of space activities. The restrictions will be in place from 9:30 am to 9:57 am (0130 to 0157 GMT) on Sunday. The transport ministry said China had initially announced a three-day closure but revised it following objections from Taipei. The ministry had informed China this unreasonable designation will bring huge and unnecessary flight risks to the region, and damage the rights and interests of international aviation, it said. Taiwans Lieutenant General Yen Yu-hsien said the no-fly zone was within Taiwans air defence identification zone (ADIZ). Its around 85 nautical miles off the north of Taiwan, he told a news briefing. In the north, there are many international flight routes, including to Japan, Korea and the US. Japans top government spokesperson said Tokyo had also been notified of the no-fly zone. Chinese authorities notified us of the designation of an area that may affect the safety of aircraft flights for aerospace activities from April 16 to 18, Hirokazu Matsuno said. Chinas defence ministry and civil aviation authority did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Beijings space ambitions have become increasingly bold in recent years, successfully landing a rover on Mars, bringing samples back from the Moon and planning a lunar space station with Russia. War games Taiwan has been on high alert since China launched its military drills on Saturday. The exercises ended on Monday when Beijing sent 54 aircraft into the islands southwestern and southeastern ADIZ the highest recorded in a single day since October 2021. The zone is not the same as Taiwans territorial airspace and includes a far greater area that overlaps with part of Chinas own ADIZ and even some of the mainland. J15 fighter jets flown off Chinas Shandong aircraft carrier were among the aircraft that crossed the median line, an unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwans defence ministry said. The ministry also said eight warships and 35 aircraft were detected between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, after the war games ended. AFP Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. BEIJINGEmmanuel Macrons unexpected suggestion that Europe not follow US policy on Taiwan is being hailed as a brilliant decision this week in China, where state news outlets and social media users are lauding his independence. The French president sowed confusion across the international communityand left Western allies bristlingafter calling for strategic autonomy on Taiwan following last weeks trip to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping. But in Amsterdam, protesters noisily disrupted Macron during a speech about Europes future Tuesday as his domestic troubles intruded on his state visit to the Netherlands. Where is French democracy? shouted the banner-waving demonstrators as Macron, who has faced violent protests at home over pensions reforms, addressed a largely student audience at a theatre in The Hague. The 45-year-old Macron enjoyed a rockstar reception during his three-day visit to China, including being mobbed by selfie-chasing students in the southern city of Guangzhou, and local media has covered his subsequent comments widely, focusing on the phrase strategic autonomy. ADVERTISEMENT An opinion piece published Monday by the Chinese Communist Party-run Global Times said the comments were clearly the result of Macrons long-term observation and reflection and represented a path that was relatively objective, rational and in line with Europes own interests. Some people want to construct a false Europe in public opinion, masking true European voices and interests, the article added. Chen Weihua, Brussels bureau chief for state-run China Daily, wrote on Twitter that Macrons words about EU strategic autonomy and resisting a new Cold War and decoupling will also prove to be a brilliant decision. Macron is confronting the biggest challenge of his second term after pushing through his flagship pension overhaul, which includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The Dutch demonstrators had stood in an upper tier of the theatre and shouted You have millions of protesters in the streets while holding up a banner that read President of Violence and Hypocrisy. After security guards removed them, Macron said people who try to undermine laws passed by elected governments put democracy at risk, citing the 2021 US Capitol riots and a 2023 attack on the Brazilian Congress. Perilous times The pomp and ceremony of the visit later continued regardless, with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands hailing the 45-year-old French president at a state dinner in Amsterdam.Reform is not simple, the monarch said as he toasted his guest after a meal of asparagus soup with grey shrimp, followed by beef tournedos in a red wine sauce and a dessert made of traditional Dutch sweets. For us, for Europe and the whole world, it is vital that France is strong, prosperous and confident. Macrons speech earlier made no mention of Taiwan, sticking instead to themes of Europes need to look after its own interests. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory to one day be taken back, has long sought to break Western resolve on the thorny issue. And Macrons recent words on distancing Europe from Washington on the subject of Taiwan suggest Chinas efforts might be having some success. Daring to talk openly about autonomy, commented a user of social media site Weibo under a news article on Macron, Europe has progressed. Brilliant decision While the reputations of most Western leaders in China have suffered in recent years, Macron enjoys a largely favourable public image an attitude made evident by the hordes of students in Guangzhou. His willingness in the recent interview to differentiate French foreign policy from that of the United States on the issue of Taiwan helped bolster that fan base. One Weibo user commented: Macrons ideas are very good. Europes arrogance and inaction for many years have led to extreme strategic passivity, being pulled along by the US. But such triumphant Chinese perspectives have also been tempered by more sober voices contending that geopolitical realities necessitate that France and Europe remain largely aligned with the US. Hu Xijin, a prominent political commentator and former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, wrote Monday on Weibo that despite Macrons rosy comments it was unrealistic for China to think France would side with them in future confrontations with the US. Europe and the US have shared values and are bound together by NATO, wrote Hu. But we can firmly believe that as long as China treats European countries reasonably and fairly while the US forces them to oppose China, conflicts between their strategic interests will rise to the surface. Other online commentators were more cynical about the reasoning behind Macrons comments. Whats the use? wrote on Weibo user. Hell say one thing when he comes here to earn economic benefits, then do another when he gets the money. Its been like this for decades. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Lula visit expected to strengthen China-Brazil ties 08:29, April 12, 2023 By MO JINGXI ( Chinadaily.com.cn Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will kick off his four-day state visit to China on Wednesday, a trip that is expected to bring bilateral relations, both politically and economically, to a new level and contribute positive energy to the complex international situation. Accompanied by hundreds of businesspeople, state governors, congress members and ministers, Lula will be making his third official visit to China as Brazilian president. The visit was originally set for March but was postponed due to Lula's health at the time. It will also be Lula's first trip outside the Western Hemisphere since taking office for a third term on Jan 1. His visit will take him to Shanghai and Beijing. In Shanghai, he will participate in former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as head of BRICS' New Development Bank. In Beijing, Lula will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The two sides have maintained close communication about the visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. "The fact that Lula will lead a large delegation to China on his state visit so soon after his recovery speaks to the high importance both sides have attached to this visit and to our bilateral relations." China stands ready to work with Brazil and take this visit as an opportunity to upgrade mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various sectors and bring more energy for developing countries to coordinate in unity and jointly deal with global challenges, Wang said. According to a statement from Lula's press office, around 20 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. An article published by Valor Economico, a Brazilian financial newspaper, described Lula's visit as "a trip full of expectations". The speed in rescheduling a high-level visit, something unusual given the complexity of the agendas, reflects the political will of both countries to make the meeting happen, it said. The China-Brazil relationship has been closer and trade has increased in a continuous and sustained way since 2004, when Lula first visited Beijing. In 2009, he visited China for the second time. China has been the South American country's largest trade partner since 2009. According to the General Administration of Customs, two-way trade reached $171.49 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. "During the visit, the two countries are expected to consolidate the foundation of existing cooperation in traditional sectors such as infrastructure construction, agriculture and mining, and also expand cooperation in new areas including the green economy, digital economy and high technology," said Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies. Bilateral cooperation has already yielded fruit prior to Lula's arrival. On Feb 7, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Brazil, a move that will bolster bilateral trade and investment facilitation. Since diplomatic relations were established nearly half a century ago, China-Brazil ties have maintained steady growth amid changes in the international landscape and achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation across the board, setting a good example for major developing countries pursuing joint development through solidarity and collaboration. According to Wang of the CIIS, the development of China-Brazil relations will help to push forward China's cooperation with Latin America and deepen China's relations with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. "At a time when the international landscape is suffering systematic volatility and the global governance system is fragmented, the two countries' coordination and interactions on global hot-spot issues will also reveal the independent views of developing countries and important emerging market economies on global security and the international order," he added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed 65 criminal charges against suspected smugglers before the Department of Justice (DOJ), as the agency intensified its fight against all forms of smuggling in the country. Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said a majority of the complaints filed with the justice department include agricultural products, fuel, food, cigarettes, general merchandise, and used clothing. Rubio said the BOCs efforts to combat smuggling have been significantly improved in recent months. The Bureau of Customs remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguard our countrys borders and to protect our local industries from the harmful effects of smuggling, and we will not rest until we have put an end to this illegal activity, he said. The BOCs anti-smuggling campaign has yielded positive results in recent years, with the agency seizing millions of pesos worth of smuggled goods and filing numerous criminal complaints against smugglers. ADVERTISEMENT The agency has also collaborated closely with other government agencies and international organizations to improve border security and combat transnational smuggling syndicates. With the filing of 65 criminal complaints in the first quarter of 2023 alone, the BOC is sending a strong message to smugglers that their illegal activities will not be tolerated. Rubio further said the BOCs efforts to combat smuggling have been significantly improved in recent months. We will remain vigilant in our efforts to combat smuggling, and we will not hesitate to take legal action against those who seek to violate our laws and jeopardize the welfare of our nation, Rubio said. Earlier, Rubio said the Customs posted a strong collection performance in the first quarter of 2023 that exceeded its revenue target by 8.43 percent or P16.6 billion. He said total collection in the first three months reached P213.619 billion, higher than the revenue target of P197.020 billion for the period. For the month of March alone, the collection of P80.133 billion has exceeded its target of P72.282 billion by P7.851 billion or 10.86 percent. With Julito G. Rada Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. The United States is looking to forge a civil nuclear cooperation deal with the Philippines as the latter pushes to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. The US will be providing technical assistance and regulatory guidance to support the growth of the Philippines civil nuclear energy program, Blinken said in a press conference in Washington. Were looking to grow our cooperation through a 123 Agreement on civil nuclear cooperation which will make it easier for us to share technical knowledge as well as nuclear material and equipment, he said. The United States 123 Agreement is a legally binding framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the US and [its] partners, according to the US Department of State website. The criteria require 123 agreements to legally obligate our partners to observe specific standards in a multitude of areas including peaceful uses and prohibitions on enriching, reprocessing, and transfer of specific material and equipment without our consent, it read. ADVERTISEMENT A full-fledged nuclear cooperation partnership can lead to political and economic ties lasting as long as 100 years and can be the catalyst for cooperation on other foreign policy issues. In his first State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to prioritize the use of renewable energy to address climate change. The use of renewable energy is at the top of our climate agenda, Mr. Marcos said. We will increase our use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, geothermal power, solar and wind, he said. In January, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the two traditional allies are set to begin consultations on the drafting of its 123 agreement including the export of nuclear technology. As of 2022, the US has forged civil nuclear agreements with 23 states, including Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, among others. Aside from nuclear cooperation, Washington is also committed to helping the Philippines reach its ambitious goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2030, Blinken said. To do that, the US Government and critically, the private sector, are supporting the growth of the offshore wind market, the development of nickel and cobalt facilities that will help the Philippines sustainably process minerals essential to the clean energy transition, he said. With Vince Lopez Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. The Department of Agriculture is planning to reactivate the inter-agency El Nino Task Force to strengthen measures against the expected drought next year to the agriculture and fisheries sector. Under the 2023 El Nino Mitigation and Adaptation Plan, the DA will roll out strategies that aim to lessen the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on the agriculture and fishery industries and restore productivity in affected areas. The government intends to put up more water-related infrastructure such as hydroelectric power plants, flood control projects, and irrigation systems. An overall plan to change the way water supply is acquired will also be explored, according to the DA. This developed as Rep. Paolo Duterte of Davao City on Wednesday pushed for the passage of a measure that aims to establish the Department of Water Resources (DWR) as the lead agency tasked to secure the countrys supply of water and effectively manage the delivery of the vital resource. At the same time, Duterte said the measure should include the creation of a Water Trust Fund (WTF) in the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), which the proposed DWR can tap to fund water sustainability projects. ADVERTISEMENT House Bill 3727, which Duterte filed with Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, seeks to address concerns over a looming water and sanitation crisis in the country by creating the DWR and the Water Regulatory Commission (WRC). The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had earlier said that El Nino may persist until 2024. Based on the six-month rainfall forecast data of the DOST-PAGASA last March 22, at least 16 provinces in Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, the CARAGA Administrative Region, and CALABARZON, particularly the province of Quezon, will be affected by the prolonged dry season. Part of the governments master plan to address El Nino is to save the vulnerable areas through appropriate water management, while irrecoverable areas will be rehabilitated. The DA will likewise maximize water production in non-threatened areas, with massive information dissemination across locations to be undertaken. To ensure water supply will be managed efficiently during the dry spell, the DA encourages the adaptation of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) method. Through this technology, farmers may reduce the use of irrigation water without sacrificing the yield. Under AWD, irrigation water is applied a few days after the ponded water has been used up. Water systems including irrigation canals, diversion dams, and small-scale irrigation projects will be developed and/or rehabilitated even before the start of El Nino, which will be made available and accessible to farmers. The government will also impose an irrigation scheduling system and other water-saving practices as well as distribute farm production-related machinery equipment such as power water sprayers. To address the inevitable consequences of El Nino in the long term, the DA will establish more small water impounding projects and diversion dams and strictly implement water management activities. Moreover, pumps and engine sets will be positioned for tail-end areas. Cloud Seeding Operations will be conducted to augment rainfall. The technique involves the manual seeding of clouds with salt to modify the type and amount of precipitation that will fall on dams. The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Unit (DRRMU) has also set up a mitigation and adaptation plan that includes the promotion of drought-tolerant and early maturing crop varieties, organic fertilizer to increase retention of soil moisture, the adjustment of planting calendar and crop shifting while the DA has already identified hybrid rice varieties and other high-value crops that can be planted during the dry spell. Duterte said that under HB 3727, remittances from non-tax revenues related to water management, including raw water pricing, permit fees, registration fees, supervision, and regulation enforcement fees, filing fees, testing fees, and other service income from the use of water resources will form part of the WTF. The WTF shall be accounted separately from the governments general revenues and shall be automatically appropriated to the [DWR], the bill states. Duterte said proceeds from the WTF will be utilized for water development, water sanitation and wastewater treatment and management, and water sustainability programs and projects authorized under the measure. The bill provides that a maximum of 10 percent of the total income generated from raw water extraction shall be given as a share of the concerned local government unit (LGU) or indigenous people (IP) community which owns or has jurisdiction over the specific areas of land where the raw water was sourced. There are various government agencies battling this recurring water and sanitation [crises], and there is a need now more than ever to consolidate efforts to avoid duplication of functions, improve public service delivery, and prudently manage limited government resources to address this pressing concern, Duterte and Yap said in filing HB 3727. Duterte said establishing the DWR should not be dismissed as merely an added layer to the bureaucracy because its creation is not only crucial to averting a water and sanitation crises but is also essential in ensuring that all stakeholders are on the same page in ensuring the effective management of the countrys water resources. Improving the management of water resources covers not only its supply to consumers, but also to the agriculture sector, which the government has committed to support to guarantee food security, Duterte said. Duterte also pointed out that efficient water resources management is a critical factor in protecting the health of Filipinos by ensuring their access to safe, drinking water. Citing studies done by the global nonprofit organization water.org, Duterte and Yap said more than 3 million people in the country rely on unsafe and unsustainable water sources, while 7 million lack access to improved sanitation. Duterte and Yap said the creation of the DWR ensures that a primary agency is on top to identify, plan, oversee, and manage the efficient use of the countrys water resources. The DWR will also be the lead agency responsible for the planning and policy formulation toward the attainment of universal access to a safe, adequate, affordable, and sustainable water supply, as well as improved sanitation services for all Filipinos, the two lawmakers said. HB 3727 also seeks to create the WRC and its regulatory units under the DWR to oversee the functions and responsibilities of all water service providers. As an independent, quasi-judicial body, the WRC is authorized, among other powers, to impose and collect annual levies, fees, and surcharges on licensed water supply and sanitation services. Under the bill, the DWR shall exercise administrative supervision over the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) shall be transferred from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the DWR. Moreover, the functions and personnel of the NWRB, and other boards, offices, divisions, bureaus, and programs related to the management, planning, surveying, and monitoring of water resources shall be subsumed under the DWR. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Binance, the worlds leading blockchain ecosystem and infrastructure provider, recently held a Women in Blockchain event at Manila, in collaboration with Yield Guild Games (YGG), a gaming guild focused on blockchain play-to-earn games, to celebrate gender equality and empower more women to pursue a career in Web3. Female representatives in the Philippines Web3 space, such as Prayer Trairatvorakul, Marketing Director, APAC at Binance, and Mary Rose E. Magsaysay, Assistant Secretary of Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center (CICC), convened with other female community members at this event to share insights, network, and discuss the opportunities that Web3 offers women globally. Technologists gather at the Binance Women in Blockchain to discuss the role of women in blockchain, web 3, cyber security, and NFT held at the Penthouse 8747, Makati City. From left to right: Myrtle Anne Ramos, Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor; Een Mercado, Gaming Content Creator and YGG Ambassador; Mary Rose E. Magsaysay, Assistant Secretary of Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center (CICC); Kimberly Rocha-Delgado, Entrepreneur and Director, Galeria Paloma; Prayer Trairatvorakul, Marketing Director, APAC at Binance; Celeste Rodriguez Digital Creator and event host; and Kenneth Stern, General Manager of Binance in the Philippines. As an industry leader, Binance is on a mission to increase the freedom of money globally. A crucial part of this is bringing more diversity to the crypto ecosystem to ensure blockchain lives up to its full potential. Binance seeks to empower all crypto-curious women to become crypto-fluent through a range of ongoing initiatives and events and this Women in Blockchain event is the first to be held in the Philippines. At the event, Kenneth Stern, General Manager of Binance in the Philippines, emphasized the importance of providing more support for the increasing number of women who are entering the Web3 space. He added, As a company, representing women is a priority of ours and we have a female workforce that is higher than the industry average. Prayer Trairatvorakul, Binances Marketing Director, APAC, delivered an insightful keynote at the event and touched on how more women can enter the Web3 industry if companies encourage inclusivity, leverage existing networks to open doors, and create products specific for women. She revealed how shaping careers without gender preconceptions has succeeded for Binance, A lot of people that I work with started out as interns and are now leading global teams. An advantage of working in the Web 3 sector is that there is lower bureaucracy, which allows people, regardless of their gender, to be able to progress in their career. Creating their own place in the Web3 industry ADVERTISEMENT Other female speakers at the Women in Blockchain event also shared their experience working in Web3 and how they have been building their career in this male-dominated space. Mary Rose E. Magsaysay, Assistant Secretary of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), highlighted the effectiveness of women in leadership roles: When we talk about the government, some of the best managers are women since about 70 percent of managerial jobs are handled by women. Myrtle Anne Ramos, serial entrepreneur and angel investor, encouraged women to find other women in the tech space and collaborate with them to make a difference. She shared that people should create the world that you want to see. What we need to do is build that inclusive world that were creating for. Make a safe space for everyone and look for mentors. Kimberly Rocha-Delgado, Director of Galeria Paloma, advised women to seek out companies that value their strengths and make them allies in making space for other people to shine. By raising awareness about these issues, we can work towards greater representation and equality, she said. Een Mercado, gaming content creator and Yield Guild Games (YGG) Ambassador, advised women to carve out their own space and pursue their own paths in the highly competitive gaming industry. While it may be difficult to create content that hasnt been done before, its important to keep trying and find a unique way to stand out. Ultimately, success in the gaming world comes from having fun and enjoying the competition, while also being persistent in pursuing ones own goals, Mercado said. As part of Binances commitment to increasing female representation in Web3 and reducing the gender gap, the exchange has created its first formal internship and graduate programs, which offer more access to careers in crypto for diverse talent, including women. Binance also offers guidance and career advice to women through Binance Academys educational courses, female mentorship programs and talent workshops to teach more women on how to break into a career in Web3. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. TODAYS WORD is scrutinize. Example: Suspicious he was being overcharged, Uncle Ted scrutinized the bill. TUESDAYS WORD was hooligan. It means a violent young troublemaker, especially one in a gang. Example: Dont go down that alley; its often full of rogues and hooligans. Business jargon Theres a whole set of terms used in the workplace to describe various matters or conditions. Desk bomber: Someone who stops by a co-workers work area to chat. Resenteeism: Staying unhappily at a job. Loud layoffs: Tech companies laying off massive numbers of employees. Quiet quitting: Doing the absolute minimum at ones job. Hush trip: When a remote worker works from a new destination, such as a vacation spot, but lets the company think hes working from home as normal. Quiet thriving: Taking specific actions and making mental shifts that help one feel more engaged on the job. Rage applying: Applying for other jobs when you get mad at the job youre at, or the people or conditions of the job. Corporate villain: When you go through a spell of doing as few work-related responsibilities as you can, to the point of being a detriment to the workplace, just to reset ones work-life balance to restore ones mental health or well-being. Work wife or work husband: A co-worker with whom someone shares a special relationship with a bond and dynamics similar to those of a marriage. Work mom: An older or more experienced, helpful coworker. Career cushioning: Planning for a next job while settled in a job; giving oneself a Plan B or next option just in case you lose your job or something better comes along not actively looking for work, but being in position, such as through having ones resume updated and staying current on training, in case the need arises. Chaotic working: Using your position at work to help customers, even at a small detriment to the company, such as: giving discounts the customer otherwise wouldnt have known about, giving out free tickets, waiving overdraft fees, upsizing a food order Great Resignation: the ongoing economic trend of people resigning jobs en masse, especially in hospitality, health care and education fields; the Great Resignation started in early 2021 in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Tang ping: The rejection of overworking, where you let loose and do the bare minimum; the term means lying flat in Chinese. New books These are the new books at the library: The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda. Not the Ones Dead by Dana Stabenow. The Trackers by Charles Frazier. My Heart Will Find You by Jude Deveraux. Dark Angel: a Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford Breaking New Ground: an Amish Legacy Novel by Amy Clipston. TUESDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: Chameleons change their color to defend their territory, attract mates or reflect their moods. TODAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: How do chameleons change their color? Dallas Hairston, 44, of Chatmoss, has announced plans to run for Henry County Commissioner of Revenue. Hairston is a 1997 graduate of Laurel Park High School and studied business management with a minor in accounting and finance at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. I graduated from Guilford in May of 2001 and started with the City in 2002, Hairston said. Ive been employed by the City of Martinsville Commissioner of Revenue Office for 20 years and currently serve as the citys senior real estate appraiser. Hairston has been a licensed residential real estate appraiser in Virginia since 2006. I work in the city, but Henry County surrounds the city so everything that goes on, you know about it, said Hairston. I have a working relationship with Henry County and know a lot of them that work over there. Hairston said he has concerns about the Henry County Commissioner of Revenue Office being understaffed and although he had no disparaging words for the current state of affairs at the office, he felt there was room for improvement and believes he is the one to make that happen. First thing when you talk about changeI think it was Woodrow Wilson that said If you want to make enemies, try to change something, Hairston said. I want to be an advocate for and accessible to the Board of Supervisors and to the citizens that elect me. Hairston said his experience in the City leaves him qualified to serve as the Commissioner in Henry County. Ive been under Ruth [Easley] and shes a good boss and requires accountability in your job, Hairston said. I have a knowledge of the processes. Whether its the city or the county, what the commissioner has the authority to change is directed by the code of Virginia and for the county, the Board of Supervisors. The most pressing issue is accountability. Hairston admitted there are still small differences between the offices, such as land use and mobile home tax. The city doesnt have land use and doesnt allow mobile homes, Hairston said. Other than things like that, the state of Virginia and City Council or the Board of Supervisors dictate what processes the Commissioner of Revenue is over. As of Monday there were three candidates listed with the Registrars Office as approved to be on the ballot as a candidate for Commissioner of Revenue: Tiffany Hairston, a systems analyst for the Henry County Public Service Authority; Blake Minter, a real estate assessor for the Henry County Commissioner of Revenues Assessors Office; and Dallas Hairston. Antioch Christian Church in Spencer will hold an open house Saturday to celebrate the church building that was rebuilt after a tragic fire in 2017. Late in the night of Christmas Day in 2017, a wire on a light on a piano shorted out and caused a series of fires to break out in the church building at 555 Spencer-Preston Road. The fire rekindled two additional times after the initial flame and eventually took down the whole building. Deacon Jean Johnson, who has been with the church for 79 years, lives just a short distance from the church. She got a call saying smoke was coming from the church and went to see what was happening, when she found the church on fire. The fire completely destroyed the building of one of the oldest Black Disciples of Christ churches. Antioch was established in 1876, and the building that was destroyed had been built in 1976. The only items that were salvaged were one cross that is now displayed on the podium in the chapel and some Bibles, said Rita Wade, who is a deacon and the church clerk. Losing the church building was like somebody had died in the family, said Wade, who hasnt left the church since she started coming there at age 7. This is our home where we grew up, where we learned about Jesus, where we played together, prayed together, Wade said. It was just unbelievable. The Rev. Junior W. Wimbush, pastor of the church for 36 years, and the congregation of 53 active members were forced to find a new place to hold services. Many other local churches and businesses offered space for them to meet, but they eventually settled on renting a room at the Horsepasture Volunteer Fire Department where they held services for five years. Theyve been good to us, Wade said. Theyve been so, so good to us. Johnson said the adjustment of having the church she grew up in burned down and then going to services elsewhere was not easy. It was devastating, she added. The new church building, standing in almost the same spot as the old building, was used for the first time on the first Sunday in February, and the church members were excited to be back, Johnson and Wade agreed. Since rebuilding, the church has had a busy few months holding services, a baptism and also a funeral for its oldest member, the late Mary Ann Penn Redd, who died at 91. She had been in a nursing home for 11 years and passed away in February. Wade said Redd had always said she wanted her funeral service to happen in the church she grew up in. Weve always had a close church group, Wade said. Were just like a family. To rebuild the church they used insurance money and donations from both businesses and individuals, Draper said. The look of the new church building is totally different, said Church Elder Abe Draper, who has been a member of the church for 74 years. The churchs structure is a bit different with an area for balcony seating in the chapel, new ceiling style made of exposed wood beams and a new baptismal pool downstairs that used to be upstairs. The church is also bigger than it used to be with a larger kitchen, an updated fellowship hall, bathrooms on both floors and plenty of classrooms and storage. Nobody knows the blessing to us, Wade said. Because we lost everything that we had, Johnson added. God is good, Wade said. Believe me, we have struggles in the past five years. We have had ups and downs. Times when we didnt think wed make it, but God is so good We never gave up and always stuck together. On Saturday the congregation is welcoming the public in to see the new church building, from 1-4 p.m. They will be given a tour and light refreshments. Starting in May, the church will begin to hold Sunday school again and look into starting more services they used to provide in the past. The president of the National Cell of Financial Information Processing (Centif) of Guinea-Bissau, Justino de Sa, defended on Tuesday more transparency on the provenance of funds used in electoral campaigns, warning to the need to comply with the law. It is a concern. We all know that during the campaign period the parties use or resort to funds that nobody knows the provenance, said Justino de Sa, speaking to the media. The head of the anti-money laundering body questioned the origin of the funds that finance some luxury campaigns, bearing in mind that in Guinea-Bissau most militants do not pay dues. No one knows the provenance of the funds and when it is like this it is good to draw attention. It could be that the supposed financial backers could take advantage of the circumstances, since Guinea-Bissau is a very fragile country, to pass on these allegedly criminal funds, warned Justino de Sa. In his opinion, the Judicial Police and the Public Ministry should be alert, but also the political decision-makers. Guinea-Bissaus electoral law states that campaign financing can only be done through contributions from the state, from sister parties, from voluntary voters, from the candidates and political parties themselves, and from the proceeds of campaign activity. The law prohibits the financing of election campaigns by foreign governments and foreign governmental organizations. The same law also determines that contesting entities must, within 60 days after the official proclamation of the poll results, provide detailed accounts of their election campaign to the National Elections Commission, which publishes them in the Official Bulletin, after assessing the regularity of revenues and expenses. Two employees of the humanitarian organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were shot dead over the weekend in Amhara, a region in northern Ethiopia that has been plagued by unrest for several days, the NGO announced Tuesday. Demonstrations and road blockades in Amhara have been reported since Thursday, after the federal government began the process of disarming and reassigning members of military units under regional authority to the federal army or the police. Called special forces in Ethiopia, these units have been established outside of any legal framework for the past 15 years by some regional states. Chuol Tongyik, a security official, and Amare Kindeya, a driver, were shot dead in a SRC vehicle in the Amhara region on their way back to Addis Ababa after a mission, SRC says. The circumstances of their killing, which occurred on Sunday, are unknown, the U.S.-based Catholic NGO said. According to its website, CRS has been working in Ethiopia for nearly 60 years. The situation is difficult to assess in Amhara, which is closed to the press for security reasons. On Monday, restrictions including night-time traffic and meetings were imposed on three of Amharas main cities Gondar, Dessie and Debre Birhan. These rules were issued by the military command post in each of the towns, suggesting that the federal army is now in charge of their security. 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: Pregnancy rates in the United States suffered a steep decline during the last decade, new government data shows. The overall U.S. pregnancy rate fell by 12% between 2010 and 2019, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The pregnancy rate among women aged 15 to 44 was 85.6 per 1,000 in 2019, down from 97.3 per 1,000 in 2010, the report found. A drop in unintended pregnancies and teen pregnancies contributed to the overall decline in pregnancy rates. Pregnancies among teens declined by more than half (52%) during the 2010s, added the researchers, who were led by Lauren Rossen. Likewise, unintended pregnancies experienced a 15% decline, falling from 42.1 per 1,000 in 2010 to 35.7 per 1,000 in 2019. The drop in pregnancy rates is reflective of the overall decline in U.S. birth rates that has been going on since the mid-2000s, said Phillip Levine, a professor of economics at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. "The report is not terribly surprising," said Levine, who was not involved with the study. "We know that birth rates have been falling pretty dramatically, beginning around 2007." The pregnancy rate is calculated from three components: live births; lost pregnancies; and abortions, the NCHS said. These are compared to the total female population. Abortions experienced a heavy decline of 17% during the 2010s, while lost pregnancies and live births increased by just about 3%, the NCHS report noted. An increasingly larger proportion of women in their childbearing years simply aren't getting pregnant at all, Levine said. Many potential explanations have been suggested as reasons why young adults aren't having kids, Levine saidfinancial pressures like rising housing costs and student debt, a decline in religiosity, greater access to contraception, the decision to delay childbearing. Levine argues that none of those explanations really seem to work, and that the falling pregnancy rate appears to be due to a larger societal shift regarding family priorities. "If it's the case that people decide they're going to have their first baby at 30 instead of 25 or something like that, that would reduce the birth rate in the short term but eventually it would catch up, right? That doesn't seem to be happening. There's a reduction in childbearing over women's entire childbearing years. By the end of their reproductive period, they're having fewer children than they used to," Levine said. "What it looks like is that successive cohorts of women entering childbearing age, as they move through their childbearing years, they are having fewer children," he added. "It's about this long-term movement towards lower fertility." Young adults appear to be choosing to have fewer childrenor no childrenbecause they'd rather be doing something else with their lives than raising kids, Levine speculated. Under this theory, greater emphasis is now being placed on individual autonomy and a corresponding de-emphasis on marriage and parenthood, Levine said in a paper published recently in the Journal of Economic Perspectives. "The specific manifestations of this shift are taken to include a decoupling of marriage and childbearing, a change in the relationship between education and childbearing, a rise in childlessness, and the establishment of a two-child norm for those having children," Levine wrote with co-author Melissa Kearney, a professor of economics at the University of Maryland. More recent generations of women have been raised with stronger expectations of having life pursuits beyond their roles as wives and mothers, Levine's team wrote. Young couples also might have been influenced by the intense "helicopter parenting" they saw in their own childhood. "They would have a different idea of what parenting involves," and could decide they're not up to the perceived challenge, they wrote. Levine's report also noted that the U.S. birth rate, while in decline, is still higher than that of many other industrialized nations. In 2018, the U.S. fertility rate was 1.73 births per woman, compared to 1.68 in the United Kingdom, 1.5 in Canada, 1.54 in the European Union, 1.42 in Japan, 1.56 in Norway, 1.76 in Sweden and 1.41 in Finland, the researchers reported. More information: The Brookings Institute has more about birth rate trends in the United States. Copyright 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Marta Wave (Pexels) The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased weekday screentime for school-aged children says a new study involving the University of Ottawa published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers examined the change in children's screen time from prior to the pandemic to three separate pandemic waves between 2020 and 2021. Researchers found a boost of up to 1.35 hours per day during the weekdays compared to prior to the pandemic, particularly with school closures at the onset of the pandemic. While the weekend time was on par with pre-pandemic levels, this weekday jump was greater than expected for age-related growth. "We were interested in understanding whether initial spikes in screen time among school aged children were sustained during the pandemic," explains Dr. Nicole Racine, the study's co-author, and Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences. "We found that the biggest increases in screen time occurred during weekdays at the outset of the pandemic during school closures. When school resumed, weekday screen time decreased, but remained higher than pre-pandemic estimates. These findings suggest that children used screens to fill time otherwise spent at school or participating in extra-curricular activities." Dr. Racine is an ongoing collaborator with the All Our Families Study at the University of Calgary and she collaborated with researchers from the University of Laval and the University of Calgary on this study. Dr. Racine is also chair in child and youth mental health at CHEO and was part of the team behind a recent study showing a sharp increase in emergency department visits for attempted suicide and suicide ideation among children and adolescents during the pandemic. More information: Andre Plamondon et al, Changes in Children's Recreational Screen Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic, JAMA Pediatrics (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0393 Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics 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: Dr. Radwa Khalil, Neuroscience researcher at Constructor University in Bremen, recently published results from her study on creative thinking in the Creativity Research Journal. Credit: Radwa Khalil/Constructor University Recognizing and controlling our emotions is crucial to enhance our creativity. Researchers around Dr. Radwa Khalil, a Neuroscience Researcher at Constructor University in Bremen, recently found out how our response inhibition skill facilitates the effects of negative emotions on creative thinking. The results have been published in the Creativity Research Journal this week. In order to complete a task or achieve a goal, humans can block their automatic or pre-potent reactions using the mental skill known as response inhibition. It entails operating in a more controlled and deliberate manner as opposed to responding to impulses, inclinations, or habits. Response inhibition is characterized by behaviors like refraining from checking one's phone during a meeting or refraining from responding aloud to a question in class without being asked. Thinking creatively can be significantly impacted by emotions. Although previous studies highlighted the effects of emotional states on creativity, the interactions between specific affective, emotional states, and response inhibition remain elusive. "Our current study extends our understanding of the distinct mechanisms of specific emotional states on divergent creative thinking and the associated responses in the context of response inhibition," Khalil explained. "Our data revealed that response inhibition mediates the effect of negative affect and fatigue and in fact, enhanced psychophysiological arousal on divergent thinking." People can unlock their creative potential and reach new heights of achievement by embracing irritation and using it as a tool to inspire fresh ideas and methods. This assumption can lead to interesting implications for the application of potential strategy-based findings in practice, such as education, industry, and politics, particularly when creativity and innovation are necessary. Nevertheless, creativity tasks are rarely systematically compared, therefore, further research is required in this respect. While experiencing dissatisfaction can be frustrating, it can also be a strong catalyst for invention and creativity. "To sum up, we must encounter unpleasant consequences, but if we handle them differently and turn them into a motivator for our persistence, we may unleash our creative potential," said Khalil. More information: Radwa Khalil et al, Response Inhibition Partially Mediates the Relationship Between Emotional States and Creative Divergent Thinking, Creativity Research Journal (2023). DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2192605 Provided by Constructor University 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 During the first few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and some local governments may have underreported the percentage of Americans who experienced food insecurity by up to one-third. That's the finding from a new study spearheaded by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences' Public Exchange, published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Food insecurity is defined as not having access to enough food to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle for all individuals in a household. At the end of every year, the USDA collects data from American households about food spending, access to food, and other topics through its Current Population Survey. These data showed national food insecurity rates did not change significantly between 2019 (10.5%), 2020 (10.5%), and 2021 (10.2%). For California, the USDA reported that food insecurity declined one percentage point in 2019-2021 from 10.6% in 2016-2018. The USDA's recent data for California is in stark contrast to data from Los Angeles County, collected weekly by the USC research team and the U.S. Census' Household Pulse Survey. For example, the data from the Household Pulse Survey suggests that from February to April-May of 2020, L.A. County's food insecurity rate more than doubled to 21.8%. Investigating the frequency with which people are surveyedand therefore how far back in time they are asked to recallmight explain the significant discrepancy between the USDA's California data and the available data for L.A. County. Researchers with USC asked Los Angeles County residents questions related to their recent food security experiences 11 times throughout 2021. They found that in December, one-third of respondents who had reported food insecurity earlier in the year did not report it again when asked if they had experienced food insecurity at any point that year. "Memory plays a key role in accuracy," said Kayla de la Haye, the lead researcher and associate professor of population and public health sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC. "That's why the timeframe during which a survey is conducted is vital, as recall is biased against events that are less frequent or further away." Based on their findings, de la Haye and her colleagues believe the USDA and other government health departments may be underreporting the true extent of food insecurity by one-third. "Policymakers are ill-prepared to address the causes of food insecurity and to develop effective solutions if they don't have accurate data," said Michelle Livings, a Ph.D. candidate at USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute. "That's why it's so important for government organizations who are doing public health surveillance to reevaluate the frequency with which they survey people on this issue." To improve the accuracy of food insecurity estimates, the researchers recommend that the USDA and other agencies conduct surveys multiple times a year that ask people about their experiences of food insecurity for shorter time periods. For example, over the past week or past month. Further research is needed to determine the optimal recall period for food insecurity surveys. The report identifies areas for future research, including: How under-reporting food insecurity may lead to underestimating its impacts on population health To what degree under-reporting of food insecurity within communities of color impacts efforts to document and address food access inequities Why individuals with higher incomes were more likely to under-report food insecurity. More information: Michelle S. Livings et al, Food insecurity is under-reported in surveys that ask about the past year, American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.03.022 Journal information: American Journal of Preventive Medicine 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 More experience on the job does not protect resident physicians or their patients from the increased safety risks associated with long work weeks and extended-duration work shifts, according to a new study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital. To date, nationwide work hour guidelines in the United States have largely focused on resident physicians in their first year of residency (known as PGY1), omitting more experienced resident physicians in their second year (PGY2) or beyond (PGY2+). Brigham researchers analyzed national survey results from more experienced resident physicians and found that much like PGY1 residents, those who worked more hours per week or worked extended-duration shifts reported higher rates of safety events affecting patients, such as medical errors and preventable adverse events, as well as safety events affecting themselves, such as near-miss vehicle crashes and occupational exposures. Results are published in BMJ Medicine. "More experienced residents need sleep, just like anyone else, and when they work extended shifts or put in long weekly hours, they often do not have the opportunity to get the sleep that they need and are just as susceptible to these risks as first-year resident physicians," said corresponding author Laura K. Barger, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders in the Departments of Medicine and Neurology. "Our research shines a light on an issue that affects both resident physicians and their patients, and should prompt a reexamination of national guidelines." In the U.S., the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) set guidelines that went into effect in 2011, limiting first-year resident work shifts to 16 hours or less, based on recommendations made by the National Academy of Medicine and informed by studies conducted by Brigham investigators over the last four decades. But the ACGME endorsed extended-duration work shifts of up to 28 consecutive hours for more experienced resident physicians and up to 80-hour work weeks for all residents. In countries in the European Union, resident physicians are limited to work 48 hours or less per week. Barger and colleagues conducted a nationwide prospective cohort study of resident-physicians in the U.S., collecting responses over eight academic years (2002-2007, 2014-2017) from 4,826 resident physicians in their second year or beyond. Survey respondents answered questions about patient safety outcomes and about their own health and safety outcomes. Even after adjusting for hours spent in patient care, the researchers found that residents who worked more weekly hours or worked extended-duration shifts were at greater risk of making errors that endangered patients or themselves. Working more than 48 weekly work hours was associated with more medical errors, preventable adverse events, as well as near-crashes, occupational exposures, percutaneous injuries, and attentional failures. Risk continued to rise for residents working 60-, 70- and up to 80-hour work weeks (the current work week limit), with residents exceeding 60 hours of work being more likely to report errors resulting in death to a patient. Weekly work hours at currently permissible limits were associated with approximately three times the risk of a medical error or preventable adverse event, compared to residents working similar hours as those in the European Union. "Working just one extended-duration shift in a month was associated with increased risk of medical errors as well as having a near-collision on the way home from work," said co-author Matthew Weaver, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. "The ACGME currently endorses extended-duration work shifts of up to 28 consecutive hours for all residents, which means they are often working without adequate sleep." The authors note that their study is based on self-reported data and collected from residents who chose to participate in the survey. But participants were unaware of the study's focus, and questions about safety outcomes were included among others about caffeine usage and physical activity. In an accompanying editorial, also published in BMJ Medicine, the authors call for national policy changes to limit work hours and extended shifts, as well as screening for sleep disorders and providing sleep health education resources for resident physicians. "The harm of long work weeks and extended shifts affects experienced senior resident physicians in the same way as it does first-year resident physicians and that harm is reaching patients," said senior author Charles Czeisler, MD, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. "In other parts of the world, physicians are effectively trained while working safer hours. Our findings provide further evidence that it is time for guidelines in the U.S. to change to ensure that all resident physicians, regardless of their experience, have safer work-hour limits." More information: Laura K Barger et al, Impact of work schedules of senior resident physicians on patient and resident physician safety: nationwide, prospective cohort study, BMJ Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000320 Journal information: BMJ Medicine 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: Overview of a GMAI model pipeline. a, A GMAI model is trained on multiple medical data modalities, through techniques such as self-supervised learning. To enable flexible interactions, data modalities such as images or data from EHRs can be paired with language, either in the form of text or speech data. Next, the GMAI model needs to access various sources of medical knowledge to carry out medical reasoning tasks, unlocking a wealth of capabilities that can be used in downstream applications. The resulting GMAI model then carries out tasks that the user can specify in real time. For this, the GMAI model can retrieve contextual information from sources such as knowledge graphs or databases, leveraging formal medical knowledge to reason about previously unseen tasks. b, The GMAI model builds the foundation for numerous applications across clinical disciplines, each requiring careful validation and regulatory assessment. Credit: Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05881-4 A patient is lying on the operating table as the surgical team reaches an impasse. They can't find the intestinal rupture. A surgeon asks aloud, "Check whether we missed a view of any intestinal section in the visual feed of the last 15 minutes." An artificial intelligence medical assistant gets to work reviewing the patient's past scans and highlighting video streams of the procedure in real time. It alerts the team when they've skipped a step in the procedure and reads out relevant medical literature when surgeons encounter a rare anatomical phenomenon. Doctors across all disciplines, with assistance from artificial intelligence, may soon have the ability to quickly consult a patient's entire medical file against the backdrop of all medical health care data and every published piece of medical literature online. This potential versatility in the doctor's office is only now possible due to the latest generation of AI models. "We see a paradigm shift coming in the field of medical AI," said Jure Leskovec, professor of computer science at Stanford Engineering. "Previously, medical AI models could only address very small, narrow pieces of the health care puzzle. Now we are entering a new era, where it's much more about larger pieces of the puzzle in this high stakes field." Stanford researchers and their collaborators describe generalist medical artificial intelligence, or GMAI, as a new class of medical AI models that are knowledgeable, flexible, and reusable across many medical applications and data types. Their perspective on this advance is published in the April 12 issue of Nature. Leskovec and his collaborators chronicle how GMAI will interpret varying combinations of data from imaging, electronic health records, lab results, genomics, and medical text well beyond the abilities of concurrent models like ChatGPT. These GMAI models will provide spoken explanations, offer recommendations, draw sketches, and annotate images. "A lot of inefficiencies and errors that happen in medicine today occur because of the hyper-specialization of human doctors and the slow and spotty flow of information," said co-first author Michael Moor, an MD and now postdoctoral scholar at Stanford Engineering. "The potential impact of generalist medical AI models could be profound because they wouldn't be just an expert in their own narrow area, but would have more abilities across specialties." Medicine without borders Of the more than 500 AI models for clinical medicine approved by the FDA, most only perform one or two narrow tasks, such as scanning a chest X-ray for signs of pneumonia. But recent advances in foundation model research promise to solve more diverse and challenging tasks. "The exciting and the groundbreaking part is that generalist medical AI models will be able to ingest different types of medical informationfor example, imaging studies, lab results, and genomics datato then perform tasks that we instruct them to do on the fly," said Leskovec. "We expect to see a significant change in the way medical AI will operate," continued Moor. "Next, we will have devices thatrather than doing just a single taskcan do maybe a thousand tasks, some of which were not even anticipated during model development." The authors, who also include Oishi Banerjee and Pranav Rajpurkar from Harvard University, Harlan Krumholz from Yale, Zahra Shakeri Hossein Abad from University of Toronto, and Eric Topol at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, outline how GMAI could tackle a variety of applications from chatbots with patients, to note-taking, all the way to bedside decision support for doctors. In the radiology department, the authors propose, models could draft radiology reports that visually point out abnormalities, while taking the patient's history into account. Radiologists could improve their understanding of cases by chatting with GMAI models: "Can you highlight any new multiple sclerosis lesions that were not present in the previous image?" In their paper, the scientists describe additional requirements and capabilities that are needed to develop GMAI into a trustworthy technology. They point out that the model must consume all of the personal medical data, as well as historical medical knowledge, and refer to it only when interacting with authorized users. It then needs to be able to hold a conversation with a patient, much like a triage nurse, or doctor to collect new evidence and data or suggest various treatment plans. Concerns for future development In their research paper, the co-authors address the implications of a model capable of 1,000 medical assignments with the potential to learn even more. "We think the biggest problem for generalist models in medicine is verification. How do we know that the model is correctand not just making things up?" Leskovec said. They point to the flaws already being caught in the ChatGPT language model. Likewise, an AI-generated image of the Pope wearing a designer puffy coat is funny. "But if there's a high-stake scenario and the AI system decides about life and death, verification becomes really important," said Moor. The authors continue that safeguarding privacy is also a necessity. "This is a huge problem because with models like ChatGPT and GPT-4, the online community has already identified ways to jailbreak the current safeguards in place," Moor said. "Deciphering between the data and social biases also poses a grand challenge for GMAI," Leskovec added. GMAI models need the ability to focus on signals that are causal for a given disease and ignore spurious signals that only tend to correlate with the outcome. Assuming that model size is only going to get bigger, Moor points to early research that shows larger models tend to exhibit more social biases than smaller models. "It is the responsibility of the owners and developers of such models and vendors, especially if they're deploying them in hospitals, to really make sure that those biases are identified and addressed early on," said Moor. "The current technology is very promising, but there's still a lot missing," Leskovec agreed. "The question is, can we identify current missing pieces, like verification of facts, understanding of biases, and explainability/justification of answers so that we give an agenda for the community on how to make progress to fully realize the profound potential of GMAI?" More information: Michael Moor et al, Foundation models for generalist medical artificial intelligence, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05881-4 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: Concept and structure of magnetic soft-robotic chains (MaSoChains). a A schematic illustration of a standard MIS tool and a self-folding MaSoChain. The MaSoChains can self-fold into large assemblies at the tip of the catheter with multiple functional domains. b Potential application scenarios for MaSoChains. When pushed out of the sheathing catheter (marked in blue), MaSoChain can fold into large functional structures (colored star) in relatively open chambers in the human body (e.g., heart ventricles, colon, stomach, bladder). c The basic self-folding unit of MaSoChains, composed of rigid segments (in white) connected by soft segments (in black). Small NdFeB magnets are embedded at the same height as the surrounding surface. d (upper) A schematic illustration of the preparation of the MaSoChains. After assembling the small magnets, the MaSoChains are stretched and placed inside the sheathing tube, where elastic and magnetic energies are stored. (lower) The folding process of MaSoChain is initiated when a new segment is pushed out of the sheathing tube. The elastic energy (stored in the soft segment) folds the MaSoChain, and magnetic energy secures a stable assembly (marked as the rigid domain). MaSoChain is disassembled by pulling back with guiding of the fixed tube. The scale bar is 5 mm. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36819-z A camel cannot go through the eye of a needle. But researchers at ETH Zurich have now achieved something thatfiguratively speakingcomes quite close. They have developed a new approach to minimally invasive surgical instruments, allowing large objects to be brought into the body through a narrow catheter. Their demonstration study has been published in the journal Nature Communications. This works as follows: The researchers disassemble such devices into individual parts and then slide them through the catheter in a row, like a string of pearls. At the end of the catheter, the parts assemble themselves into a predefined shape thanks to built-in magnets. In its research, the teamled by ETH doctoral student Hongri Gu, who is now a postdoc at the University of Konstanzwas primarily concerned with demonstrating the many possibilities of this new approach. In a relatively simple way and using 3D printing, the scientists also constructed an endoscopic grasper. Moreover, they showed that the new approach makes it possible to assemble an endoscope head consisting of three parts. Credit: ETH Zurich / Nicole Davidson For their prototypes, the researchers combined soft, elastic segments with rigid segments, into which the tiny magnets are incorporated. This design method also makes it possible for an endoscope head to perform movements with very tight radii and angles that aren't feasible with today's endoscopes. This increased mobility broadens the possibilities when designing devices for minimally invasive surgery on organs such as the intestine or the stomach. More information: Hongri Gu et al, Self-folding soft-robotic chains with reconfigurable shapes and functionalities, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36819-z Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by ETH Zurich 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: Dr. Dean Fergusson holding a unit of blood. Credit: The Ottawa Hospital A large clinical trial of more than 8,700 patients published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the sex of a donor has no effect on the survival of recipients of red blood cell transfusions. "Some observational studies had suggested female donor blood might be linked with a higher risk of death among recipients compared to male donor blood, but our clinical trial found that isn't the case," said co-lead author Dr. Dean Fergusson, a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, Director of the hospital's Clinical Epidemiology Program and professor at the University of Ottawa. The possible impact of the sex of a blood donor on recipient survival has been an unanswered question in transfusion medicine since 2015, when the American National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute identified it as a research priority. Some evidence suggested that sex-related differences such as hormone levels in male and female blood might affect recipient survival, but the results of observational studies have been conflicting. "To answer this question definitively, we needed a large, randomized clinical trial, but those studies are incredibly expensive," said Dr. Michael Chasse, co-lead author of the study and intensivist at Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal and associate professor at Universite de Montreal. "By embedding this trial in real-world practice and using practical methods, we answered this question for a fraction of what a trial would normally cost." The research team estimates that using typical trial methods, this trial would have cost $9 million, but with their innovative approach, it only cost $300,000. The approach involved enrolling every adult patient at The Ottawa Hospital who might need a transfusion, randomizing them to receive male or female blood, and then collecting data from existing hospital databases and provincial registries. As male and female blood were considered equivalent treatments, patients did not need to provide written consent to join the trial, but were given the option to opt out after the first transfusion. With this pragmatic approach, the team was able to enroll 8,719 participants into their double-blind, randomized trial in just over two years. The study did not include patients without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan number, those who were massively bleeding and needed blood right away, or those with a complex antibody profile that made blood unit matching difficult. Study participants were randomly assigned to receive either male or female donor blood at all visits to The Ottawa Hospital during the study period. A total of 80% of patients received their first transfusion while they were inpatients, and 42% of those received it during surgery. Patient characteristics, laboratory and clinical data, and blood bank data were obtained from The Ottawa Hospital Data Warehouse. Blood donor data from Canadian Blood Services was linked with hospital data and health administrative data at ICES. The study found no statistically significant differences in overall survival between recipients of male donor blood and recipients of female donor blood. "Blood is the most common life-saving treatment given in hospital," said Dr. Jason Acker, senior scientist at Canadian Blood Services. "As a blood provider, we were happy to help answer this very important question in transfusion medicine. We hope the findings encourage all eligible donors to continue to donate." More information: The effect of donor sex on recipient mortality in transfusion, New England Journal of Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2211523 Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine 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 Early in the pandemic, video conferencing became the only way many of us could work, socialize, see a doctor or take a yoga class, among many other activities. By now, it's become a fixture of the work-from-home lifestyle. Two new studies led by Stanford Medicine researchers examined whether we work, behave and feel differently in these virtual versus in-person interactions and what's going on in our brains. They found that while people generally worked just as effectively in both situations, online interactions tended to reduce a particular aspect of conversation known as turn-takingswitching speakers. In these virtual meetings, less turn-taking was linked to less positive feelings about the interaction, according to the study published April 5 in the Journal of Neuroscience. "One mechanism of how video conferencing changes the way we cooperate is by changing our speech behavior," said Stephanie Balters, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Allan Reiss, MD, the Howard C. Robbins Professor in Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences. In another paper recently published in Cerebral Cortex, researchers reported a follow-up finding. They found a simple way to increase positive feelings about an interaction, whether in person or online: expressing appreciation for the other person. In fact, as two people exchanged appreciations (for their partner's creative ideas, for example), neuroimaging showed that the parts of their brains involved in social cognition lit up in synchrony. Balters is the lead author and Reiss is the senior author of both studies. Lab work To mimic work interactions in a laboratory setting, the researchers paired up 72 participants. Half the pairs met in person; the other half, over Zoom. Their interactions were recorded on video and audio, and their brain activity was monitored using portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging, which measures changes in oxygenation of different parts of the brain. Each pair was asked to collaborate on three work-related tasks that used different cognitive skills. "We could have chosen all kinds of tasks, but because we wanted it to be applicable to the work environment, we chose a problem-solving task, a creativity task and an emotion-sharing task," Balters said. In the problem-solving task, researchers asked participants to identify the four most important traffic safety rules on U.S. highways. In the creativity task, participants designed a solution to increase water conservation in California households. And in the emotion-sharing task, they discussed times when their needs were not met and how they felt. Before and after each task, participants took several surveys in which they recorded their own assessment of their energy and stress levels, how well their duo performed on the tasks, how well they cooperated and their sense of closeness with their partner. Afterward, the researchers reviewed recordings of the interactions and gave an objective rating of how well each pair performed on the tasks. Taking turns One behavioral difference stood outthe virtual pairs took fewer turns switching between speakers than the in-person pairs did. In other words, each person spoke longer before the other responded or interrupted. "I think people can empathize with that," Balters said. "If you interrupt one another on Zoom all the time, it's kind of awkward, so it appears people just reduce this turn-taking initiation." Pairs who took more turns switching between speakers reported a greater sense of cooperation and positive feelings about their subjective performance. These pairs also performed better on the tasks as rated by the observing researchers. "For the virtual pairs, we saw a decrease in turn-taking and that is actually a negative thing for their social interaction and task performance," Balters said. Perhaps with the lack of other cues like body language and facial expressions in the virtual environment, turn-taking has an outsized influence on how we perceive an interaction, Balters said. Lighting up the brain When researchers studied the neuroimaging data, they found distinct patterns: During in-person interactions, researchers saw the most interbrain coherence (when the activity in two brains matches) during the emotion-sharing task, while virtual interactions generated more coherence during the problem-solving and creativity tasks. More coherence isn't necessarily better, said Balters, because it could simply mean the same parts of both brains are working harder. For instance, if the auditory center of the brain is lighting up, that could just mean the partners are struggling to hear each other. The researchers also identified certain patterns of brain coherence linked to more turn-taking. "Once we understand what happens in the brain with neuroimaging, we can develop better technological interventions," Balters said. "We might be able to help video conferencing companies improve their systems with new features that facilitate turn-taking and make brain activity as close as possible to in-person interactions." For now, the researchers tested a non-technological intervention. After the tasks were completed, the participants were asked to spend two minutes expressing appreciation for their partner. The brief exercise made a big impact on brain activity. "We found increased interbrain coherence across many different areas of the brain associated with social cognitive processing," Balters said. Afterward, both in-person and virtual pairs reported feeling more connection with their partners. "That means, no matter the forum, expressing appreciation to your partner is beneficial because it will increase how connected you feel," Balters said. More information: Stephanie Balters et al, Virtual (Zoom) Interactions Alter Conversational Behavior and Interbrain Coherence, The Journal of Neuroscience (2023). DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1401-22.2023 Stephanie Balters et al, Expressing appreciation is linked to interpersonal closeness and inter-brain coherence, both in person and over Zoom, Cerebral Cortex (2023). DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad032 Journal information: Journal of Neuroscience , Cerebral Cortex The Missoula County Elections Office mailed ballots Wednesday for the upcoming Missoula County Public Schools general and special district elections on May 2. This is a mail-only election and polling places will not be open on Election Day. MCPS has several funding requests on the ballot. General Fund levies Under the State of Montana school funding formula, a portion of the allowed general fund must be voted. Locally voted levies represent about 20% of MCPS general fund revenue. These voted levies provide the funding needed for normal operating expenses, including staffing and programs, and also pay for utilities, insurance, supplies, curriculum and instructional materials. Elementary District (K-8) General Fund levy: Total amount: $261,504 Cost per $100,000 in assessed property value: $2.58/year High School District (9-12) levy: Total amount: $128,054 Cost per $100,000 in assessed property value: $0.69/year Building Reserve levies Building reserve levies provide funding to enhance safety with facility modifications, strengthen campus security with new equipment and system upgrades and ensure a healthy learning environment with timely repairs and regular maintenance, including roof repairs, electrical and mechanical system upgrades and grounds maintenance. The most recent MCPS building reserve levies were approved by Missoula County voters in 2011 and expired in 2016 (Elementary District) and 2018 (High School District). Elementary District (K-8) Building Reserve levy Total amount: $3.5 million ($700,000 a year for five years) Tax increase per $100,000 in assessed property value: $6.48/year High School District (9-12) Building Reserve levy Total amount: $4.9 million ($700,000 a year for seven years) Tax increase per $100,000 in assessed property value: $3.61/year For more information about these requests, please visit mcpsmt.org/levies. Pipes, bongs, ashtrays and herb jars are filling the Wildfire Ceramic Studios showroom for the month of April. The all-ceramic pieces are a part of the studios third annual High Fire Show, an exhibition dedicated entirely to weed paraphernalia. Bruce Kitts, a co-owner of the studio and ceramicist himself, said the idea for the show came out of Montanas changing laws around marijuana use over the past few years. With recreational marijuana legalized, Kitts thought it would be a good time to showcase the things people are doing with clay in that realm. The eclectic assortment of works in the showroom highlight the astonishing breadth of experimentation being done in the paraphernalia world. From pipes that look like colorful and textured sea cucumbers to a ceramic chocolate milk carton that you can smoke out of, the boundaries of functionality are pushed nearly to disbelief. Glass, I feel like, dominated paraphernalia for so long and for good reason, Kitts said. But its really fun to just see what people are doing with clay now. High Fire Show is a juried exhibition and all the contributions came from people who submitted to have their work shown. Kitts said most of the submitted work was able to find a place in the show, which includes over 50 pieces from 23 different artists. Contributing artists are from across the country including Los Angeles, Texas, and of course quite a few local Missoula artists. Local contributors include past studio manager of Clay Studio Missoula, Lee Stuurmans, as well as Jazmine Penelope and Matt OReilly. Kitts included a few of his own pieces as well, including a handful of beautifully decorative corked herb jars. There are also pieces by a Wildfire resident Gabs Conway. Conway is primarily a sculpturalist and said she doesnt normally make things that are functional. But the pieces she included for the show are part of her bigger body of work that explores human existence, and the simplicity of existing. Conways pieces include a number of pipes that are actual replicas of her own fingers. She used a method called slip casting which required her to take a mold of her fingers that she filled in with wetter clay. She then hollowed out the ceramic mold in order to make it functional for smoking. While Conway's pieces sold out almost immediately, she plans to create more for the upcoming 4/20 celebration event. The show is timed with the international holiday, 4/20, a celebration of all-things-cannabis. For this years celebration, Wildfire is hosting an event on April 20, or 4/20, complete with ceramic activities for attendees including the chance to paint your own bong and make an ashtray. There will also be a food truck debut and live music by Missoulas Hot Club swing band, Night Blooming Jasmine. Ten percent of proceeds from both the event and ceramic sales will go to the Last Prisoner Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping free people incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses. Kitts said donating to the organization has always felt like the right thing to do since Wildfire Studio benefits from the sale of weed-related products. Lindsey Tucker, Wildfires other co-owner, said on a local scale, the goal of the show is to provide a bigger platform for artists. Its also a great opportunity for artists, especially emerging artists, to show something and to make work for a specific topic, Tucker said. Photo: AP Ukraine launched an investigation Wednesday into a gruesome video circulating on social media that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier. The video spread quickly online and sparked outrage from Ukrainian officials. The Kremlin called the footage horrible but said it needed to be verified. The Associated Press was not able to verify the authenticity of the video or the circumstances of where and when it was shot. Meanwhile, a Russian defense official claimed that fighters from Russias paramilitary Wagner group have seized three districts of Bakhmut, the embattled city that for months has been the focus of Moscows grinding campaign in the east. The video circulating online appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. He is heard screeching before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him. A third man holds up a flak jacket apparently belonging to the man being beheaded. All three men speak in Russian. Since Russia's forces invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, they have committed widespread abuses and alleged war crimes, according to the United Nations, rights groups and reporting by The Associated Press. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of targeting apartment buildings in its strikes, and images of hundreds of civilians lying dead in the streets and in mass graves in Bucha after Russian forces withdrew have horrified the world. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. The Kremlin denies it has committed war crimes or that it has targeted civilians. Ukrainian troops have also been accused of abuses, and last year Kyiv said it would investigate video footage circulated online that Moscow alleged showed Ukrainian forces killing Russian troops who may have been trying to surrender. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said the violence in the latest video would not be forgotten and that Russian forces would be held responsible for such acts. Everyone must react, every leader. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass, he said in a video posted to his official Telegram channel. In it, he used strong language to describe Russian soldiers, including calling them beasts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that its necessary to thoroughly check the horrible video including verifying that it's real. "In the world of fakes we live in the authenticity of the footage must be checked, he said in a conference call with reporters. Ukraines state security service launched an investigation the video, according to a statement from Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the agency, known as the SBU. Posters in some pro-Kremlin Russian Telegram channels, while not confirming the authenticity of the video, did not dispute it. Some sought to justify it by saying that Russian troops have become hardened by combat. Andrei Medvedev, a Russian state TV journalist and a member of the Moscow city legislature, speculated that the timing of the videos release was fairly opportune for the Ukrainian army, saying it could help fire up personnel ideologically ahead of a planned major counteroffensive. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelenskyy, also linked the video's release to the expected offensive, but said it was meant to "demoralize the public mood or at least change the psychological perception of the war right now. Ukraines ombudsman on Wednesday said that he will request that the U.N. Human Rights Committee investigate the video. Dmytro Lubinets said he has also written letters to the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights, the U.N. Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the U.N. secretary-general and the International Committee of the Red Cross. He wrote on Telegram that a public execution of a captive is yet another indication of a breach of Geneva Convention norms, international humanitarian law, a breach of the fundamental right to life. The front lines of the war have been largely frozen for months, with much fighting focused around the city of Bakhmut. In the latest of regular video briefings, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Wagner forces had made some progress there. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment, but Zelenskyy has said before that his troops could pull out if they face a threat of being encircled by Russian forces. Konashenkov did not specify which neighborhoods of Bakhmut are now under Russian control, or how much of the city remains in Ukrainian hands. Elsewhere, at least four Ukrainian civilians were wounded as Russian forces shelled a Ukrainian-held town near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said. In a Telegram post, Lysak said that people are being pulled out from under the rubble after Russian shelling destroyed 13 houses and cars in Nikopol, across the Dnieper river from the nuclear plant. Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko alleged that Russian forces also attacked a town in the eastern Donetsk province with cluster munitions which are banned by an international treaty wounding one person. An AP and Frontline database called War Crimes Watch Ukraine has cataloged how Russia has used cluster bombs. TUESDAY, April 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Justice Department on Monday appealed a Texas court ruling that invalidates the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2020 of mifepristone, the first of two drugs taken during a medical abortion. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas is "extraordinary and unprecedented," the Justice Department said in its appeal. "If allowed to take effect, the court's order would thwart FDA's scientific judgment and severely harm women, particularly those for whom mifepristone is a medical or practical necessity." Pharmaceutical executives have also weighed in on the ruling, signing a letter on Monday warning about the impact if the Texas order was to take effect. "If courts can overturn drug approvals without regard for science or evidence, or for the complexity required to fully vet the safety and efficacy of new drugs, any medicine is at risk for the same outcome as mifepristone," stated the letter, according to the Associated Press. While Kacsmaryk's ruling said the order would not take effect for seven days, within 20 minutes of the order a federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling directing the FDA to make no changes that would restrict access to the drug in 17 states where Democrats had sued, the AP reported. The Justice Department has asked for clarification on that ruling. The Texas lawsuit was filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, the same group that filed a suit leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court last June. It alleges that the FDA should not have approved mifepristone because it did not adequately review its safety risks. Mifepristone has been used in the United States for more than 20 years. It is typically used along with misoprostol. It is not clear whether, if it is banned, providers will switch to prescribing just misoprostol for medication abortions or perform only surgical abortions where they are legal. "We don't know exactly what will happen," Jennifer Dalven, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Reproductive Freedom Project, told the AP. "What we do know is that there will be significant confusion and chaos as providers try to provide the best care they possibly can for their patients." TUESDAY, April 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 20 percent of the American population has had a family member killed by a gun, including by suicide, and one in six has witnessed a shooting, a new survey found. KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, surveyed 1,271 adults in English and Spanish between March 14 and 23. The survey also revealed about 4 percent have shot a gun in self-defense and 4 percent have been injured by a gun. For Black adults, the numbers were even higher, attesting to greater gun violence in minority communities. About one-third of Black adults had a family member killed by a gun compared with 17 percent of White adults and 18 percent of Hispanic adults. Black adults were also about twice as likely as White adults to say they witnessed someone being shot, with about 31 percent of Black adults reporting this compared with 14 percent of White adults and 22 percent of Hispanic adults. Many survey respondents reported living in fear of gun violence. Many others reported owning guns that are improperly stored. About a third of both Hispanic and Black adults said they worry daily or almost daily that a family member will become a victim of gun violence. Among White adults, about 10 percent feel that concern daily. Parents of children younger than age 18 years are more likely to report this fear, with about 24 percent of these parents reporting daily worry compared with 15 percent of other adults. Among Black adults, one in six does not feel at all safe from guns in their neighborhoods, a far greater segment than the 2 percent of White people and 9 percent of Hispanic people who feel that way. Gun ownership is common, the survey also found. About four in 10 adults, including many with children, say they live in homes that have guns. Moreover, about three-quarters of people with guns in their homes say they are not stored using common gun-safety practices. That includes 52 percent who say their gun is stored near its ammunition and 44 percent who say the gun is kept unlocked. More than one-third say that a gun in their home is stored loaded. About one-third of parents in gun-owning households store the weapon in an unlocked location, and approximately the same number store a loaded gun. About 61 percent admitted storing a gun in the same location as ammunition. Some have had conversations about guns with health professionals, including their child's pediatrician. About 26 percent report that their child's doctor has asked about guns in the home and 8 percent said they have talked about gun safety. A significantly smaller percentage of people without children in the home said they have talked about guns with their doctor. Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork, invoked the word freedom seven times on Tuesday as he spoke in front of the Montana Senate to advocate for a bill that would protect free speech and religious expression, even if its judged to be discriminatory hate speech by a licensing association or board, in the real estate industry and other licensed professions. House Bill 443 would prohibit discrimination based on the free exercise of religion or the freedom of speech and expression in the real estate industry and other licensed professions or occupations. It would also prohibit the investigation of a complaint against a licensed professional for unprofessional conduct based on the licensed professionals speech. The bill passed the House and second reading in the Senate and is likely on its way to Gov. Greg Gianfortes desk for a signature or veto. The bill was brought forward in the Republican-controlled Legislature largely in reaction to an incident when a Clinton pastor and former Missoula real estate agent, Brandon Huber, violated the National Association of Realtors ethics code over accusations of homophobic hate speech. Initially, in summer 2021 Huber withdrew his church from a local food-assistance program that distributed flyers promoting Pride week and LGBTQ rights, saying it was contrary to the churchs teachings. A third party made a complaint to MOR, triggering the administrative process of an ethics hearing. A Missoula Organization of Realtors hearing decision document attached to a July 27, 2022 Missoula County District Court filing shows Huber violated the Realtors Code of Ethics when he shared a social media post in November promoting an event at his church that would expose the LGBTQ agenda. MOR also reprimanded Huber for publicly sharing an ethics complaint against him. Huber later sued, saying he was discriminated against by the National Association of Realtors and the Missoula Organization of Realtors, but a judge dismissed that lawsuit. On Tuesday, Sen. Noland said he once worked as a real estate agent. He said he recently found out that the National Association of Realtors has a new policy that expands its code of ethics to cover members conduct outside of their real estate duties. That got me a little bit alarmed, Noland said. He said he believes people should have the freedom of expression when theyre not working. It can affect all of us, he said. And theyre trying to hamper us from being able to express ourselves with freedom. So this bill is a good freedom bill. We need to pass it. Our freedom of expression is vital. Our freedom of religion is vital. Sen. Andrea Olsen, D-Missoula, was the only one to urge her colleagues to vote against the bill. She said that although Americans have freedom of religion and freedom of speech as constitutional rights, various associations also get to create rules and ethics codes that members must abide by or face consequences. We know that even though we have free speech, even the Legislature has decorum rules, she said. We can say anything we want, anytime we want, but not necessarily without consequences. She said if a person happened to have a religious belief that prevented them from implementing blood transfusions or some type of medical care and refused to provide care, and it cost someone their life, they would be in violation of the states medical provider laws. Even though I have the right to do (things) doesnt mean I dont have consequences if I do things that also violate other peoples rights or the ethics of the associations I belong to or the standard of conduct thats required by law, she said. So all of our rights have some things that go with it and this bill basically says that if I say its because Im exercising my religion, I have no consequences. Thats just not workable in so many different ways. Sen. Barry Usher, R-Billings, supported the bill and referenced the Huber incident. Most of you may know about a pastor that was preaching at the pulpit on Sunday, he said. And what he said was turned into the real estate board because it went against their ethics, really has nothing to do with his real estate business, it has nothing to do with his real estate customers. I mean, he wants to keep his customer so he keeps that out of it. Its kind of like my business. I keep my politics out of my business. Usher said people shouldnt lose their license after saying something as a private individual. They went too far, Usher said. And we need to correct that. People need to be able to speak freely in America. Missoulian reporter Zoe Buchli's previous reporting contributed to this story. With record amounts of cash expected to pour into Montanas 2024 U.S. Senate race, Democratic Sen. Jon Testers reelection campaign says he has already raised $5 million in the first quarter of 2023. Hes the only candidate so far to announce that he's running for whats expected to be one of the most competitive Senate seats in the country next year. Tester, who announced his candidacy in February, is the last statewide elected Democrat in a state that has veered increasingly Republican in recent election cycles. The seat is considered by political observers to be the second- or third-most vulnerable for the GOP to pick off as it seeks to retake the Senate. Democrats currently control 51 out of 100 Senate seats, and Tester's past Senate runs were all decided by slim margins. "Im humbled by the enormous support our campaign has received from across the state and from hardworking Montanans, like our teachers, veterans and farmers, Tester said in a written statement. More than 95% of those contributions were under $100, according to his campaign. The $5 million quarterly fundraising total provided by Testers campaign more than doubles what the Democrat brought in during the same period in his last election cycle, in 2017. The campaign at the time reported just under $2 million in total contributions. Tester ended up topping $20 million in spending during an election in which a record total of $73 million was spent. That record sum for a Montana election was broken two years later in 2020, when $145 million was spent on the election for the states other Senate seat. The incumbent in that contest, Republican Sen. Steve Daines, had reported raising just $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2019. As of Tuesday, Testers campaign had yet to file its quarterly fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission. Those reports are due at the end of this week. The campaigns most recent report, filed at the end of 2022, showed it had $2.9 million in the bank. The Republican primary field of candidates to run against Tester is already garnering intense speculation. Neither of Montanas two House members, Reps. Matt Rosendale and Ryan Zinke, have publicly ruled out the possibility of a run. Rosendale was Tester's last general election opponent in 2018, losing by a 3.5% margin. And national outlets last month reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee is attempting to recruit Montana businessman Tim Sheehy to challenge Tester. Applications for the State Hail Insurance Program are now available through the Montana Department of Agriculture. Producers can insure crops against hail damage at the maximum coverage rate of $75 per acre for dryland and $114 per acre for irrigated land. Rates charged are a percentage of the insured amount and vary by county. A detailed list of rates by county and crop can be found online by visiting the MDA website at agr.mt.gov. State policies are available for purchase until Aug. 15. Producers who previously purchased state hail insurance will receive applications in the mail. Application forms are also available online or by calling the MDA office at 406-444-5429. Staff are available to process policies, file claims, and help answer any questions producers may have regarding coverage options. Completed forms can be emailed, mailed, faxed, or used as a reference when contacting the office by phone. " " A Travelers Express money order for $20.00 U.S. is ready to be filled out by the purchaser. 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Do not sign the back; that's where the recipient signs. Check it twice once you've verified that everything is correct, you can send it on its way. Last step be sure to keep your receipt for your records. HOOVER DAM Federal officials on Tuesday released a draft plan with options for emergency measures to prop up Colorado River reservoirs, including one that for the first time envisions cuts that would be shared by all users across the watershed regardless of their established rights to water. The plan spells out proposals to modify a 2007 shortage-sharing agreement and will be open for public comment for 45 days. If adopted this summer, it will affect dam releases starting next year. But officials with the U.S. Interior Department and its Bureau of Reclamation made clear that they view these options as placeholders, "bookends" between which consensus might be reached, while the states and tribes that share the river continue to seek consensus over the spring. The government will gather comment and refine its options by summer. Speaking at a news conference in front of picture windows with a view of Lake Mead's "bathtub ring" caused the huge reservoir's retreat, U.S. Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said the Colorado Basin's residents and ecosystems require new solutions for unprecedented strains. Fundamentally it is one community composed of 40 million people and landscapes that need us to get this right," she said. Federal officials acknowledged that relying solely on either existing legal priorities or on every user's pro-rata share of the river would create great hardship. They hope to avoid that if states and tribes can mix and match a better set of options. It is our hope and our fervent desire that the tools laid out in the (draft) never have to be used, Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said. Still, he asserted that the department has a responsibility to protect the system and the 40 million people who use it, and will act this year if the parties don't reach agreement. Representatives from the river states said they're making progress behind the scenes and are gaining confidence that they can reach a deal that does not throw out the old legal priorities or completely cut off cities and others that don't enjoy the same legal priorities as many farmers. Story continues "I am more optimistic than at any time since we started the conversations last summer," Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said. "There's a renewed spirit (of cooperation) among the Lower Basin states." Those states Arizona, California and Nevada must bear the brunt of new reductions because they're the only three that fully put their water entitlements to work. Buschatzke said they may be able to reach a consensus before Interior chooses a preferred plan, and that it could preserve key needs such as a health and safety allowance for municipal water providers regardless of their legal preference. After that, the old system of first-in-time, first-in-right could govern other cuts needed to keep water in the reservoirs. If the government chooses a plan to split cuts by percentage among all users, it could have profound effects on farm irrigation districts that traditionally have enjoyed some of the strongest legal rights to the river. Some three-quarters of the Colorado is spread on farm fields. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's vision offers two possible ways of saving 2 million acre-feet of water a year, representing more than 15% of what the shrinking river has replenished to reservoirs in an average year this century. The two options differ substantially in how they dole out those cuts. One would rely on legal priorities, forcing new usage cuts on some but rewarding those users who staked the earliest claims to the river or gained preference through the legal or political systems over the years. The other is a departure from previous allocation methods, splitting cuts among the three Lower Colorado River Basin states by percentage according to how much they use. The Colorado River is stretched thin: Can the 100-year-old rules that divide it still work? California holds the largest share 4.4 million acre-feet and has the most to lose in this proposal. Arizona is normally entitled to 2.8 million acre-feet, but already has given up some water based on its junior rights. Nevada is the other Lower Basin state and has a much smaller allocation, at 300,000 acre-feet. The four Upper Basin states have not yet developed all the water that was allocated to them. They dont face cuts in this proposal, but still must live within the limits of a river that does not offer as much as negotiators attributed to it in an interstate compact 100 years ago. Whichever option Interior Secretary Deb Haaland ultimately chooses, her staff made clear Tuesday that the need for swift action is urgent. The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million Americans, Beaudreau said in a statement before releasing the draft plan. It fuels hydropower resources in eight states, supports agriculture and agricultural communities across the West, and is a crucial resource for 30 tribal nations. Failure is not an option. Cocopah Tribal Vice Chair Rosa Long called on residents throughout the watershed to conserve water in their homes to ensure the river keeps flowing. Our action today will have a profound impact on the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. Long chairs the Ten Tribes Partnership, negotiating on Indigenous communities' behalf. She noted that the river is more than an economic driver for her people. "This is where our creation story came from," she said. Trying to avoid legal battles over Colorado River water The states and Interior have sought to protect the river without tripping a legal fight between states or their various water users. University of Arizona law professor Robert Glennon said that while he had not had time to review the draft on Tuesday and couldnt comment on whether it might trigger a lawsuit, the option of apportioning cuts by percentage is a necessary game-changer. Since 2000, water demand and evaporation have outstripped the rivers flow by about 15%, causing a rapid decline in storage and threatening power production and even the most secure of water rights downstream of Hoover Dam. Federal and state officials in 2007 agreed to a list of reductions that deepen as Lake Mead drops farther against the dam, but so far they have not kept up with the pace of losses. The Bureau of Reclamation plans to rewrite those guidelines when they expire in 2026, but last year decided it couldnt wait that long to impose stricter measures to protect federal dams and their storage. Tuesdays proposed options are meant as a bridge to keep water in Lake Mead and Lake Powell until 2026. This is serious business, Glennon said. He added that the focus will now shift to Californias Imperial Irrigation District, the rivers largest user and one with old water rights that so far have immunized it against cuts. Imperial board member J.B. Hamby said a plan that makes cuts entirely by percentage rather than using legal priorities would unduly harm California and his district's farmers. But he said he does not expect it to come to that as the states continue working toward consensus. "We need to come up with something more granular," he said. "I feel confident that we're going to be able to work things out." Whatever irrigators response, Glennon said the crisis demands shared cuts. Draining the Central Arizona Project canal to cut off Phoenix and Tucson but continue to fully supply farms would create its own cascade of problems, he said. It would be unthinkable to say Phoenix is cut off so (Imperial) can keep growing alfalfa for export, Glennon said. In a written statement, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said any outcomes that would decimate the water supply of population centers or force the states into a courtroom are "unacceptable and we will continue to double down on our efforts to find a consensus path forward. It can't come to that, said Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger. Like his counterparts in Arizona and California, he said he's gaining confidence that the parties can reach a deal that would avoid litigation. That's partly because everyone understands it's not feasible to cut off the Lower Basin's cities, he said. He equated such a prospect to "multiple Katrinas," because it would displace millions just as the 2005 hurricane displaced Gulf Coast residents. This year's promising snowpack may provide a buffer helping to reach a deal for at least the next three years, he said. After that, Entsminger said, the stakes get higher in a longer-term rewrite of dam operation rules. "We have to take this in edible increments," he said. Reservoirs on Colorado River can give no more The river has suffered not just from overuse, but from a warming climate. Longer growing seasons and greater heat stress have forced the Wests forests to transpire more water, while drying soils have sponged up more of the snowmelt that feeds the river. The result is that even near-normal snowpack like the Rocky Mountains experienced in 2021 can result in far below-average flows into the reservoirs. Over years, this contributed to a megadrought that scientists say is the regions driest in 1,200 years. This years abundant snowpack appears poised to slow but not reverse the losses. The seniority doctrine, known as prior appropriation, was a wedge that kept the states from proposing a unified vision for sharing new cuts earlier this year. Instead, six of the states coalesced around an idea that included proportionate cuts to account for evaporation and leaks, losses that are estimated to cost the river 1.5 million acre-feet a year. An acre-foot, or roughly 326,000 gallons, is the governments measuring unit for water. On average since drought began in 2000, the river has flowed about 12 million acre-feet a year, and the Bureau of Reclamation has users need to slash use by between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet. Until now the region has maintained deliveries by draining the reservoirs that had years worth of supplies, but they are approaching levels where the stores could give no more. Besides evaporation and leaks, the six states, including Arizona, proposed accelerating cuts that all accepted in a 2007 agreement, but which are tied to declining storage in Lake Mead. The reservoir hasnt yet sunk to the point of inflicting harrem on California water users, who take the most and enjoy a high legal priority under previous court and congressional decisions. California water users, including the Imperial district, balked at a plan that cut uses proportionately instead of by legal priority. At this time, Imperial's Hamby said in January, the modeling proposal submitted by the other six basin states is inconsistent with the Law of the River and does not form a seven-state consensus approach. Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com or follow on Twitter @brandonloomis. Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Colorado River states to share water shortages under federal plan Housewives' group trips are always unpredictable, but if there's one thing we've come to expect when the cast members from any city go on vacation together, it's drama over bedrooms. With that in mind, on the April 11 episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Dolores Catania made sure to bring up the room arrangements as the group headed to their Ireland castle. "Since I never get the big room, and I've given my room up many a time, and I planned the trip, I'm gonna take the nice room," Dolores said. "Because Teresa is the bride, she's going to get the other big room. Then we'll pick out of a hat for the rest." After arriving at Ballinlough Castle, the ladies were eager to see where they would be sleeping. Jennifer Aydin, however, didn't care which of the nine bedrooms she ended up in. "These bitches, they're such divas. They're always talking about the f--king room they're gonna get," Jennifer said in an interview. "Like, 'I want this room. I need this room.'" "I don't even care where I sleep," she continued. "'Cause guess what? I sleep in a palace every day of my life." Jennifer is, of course, referring to her massive home in Paramus, New Jersey, which famously boasts 16 bathrooms (take a tour of her house in the video above). Although Jennifer was initially indifferent about her accommodations for the trip, once she saw the room she would be staying in, she suddenly changed her tune. RHONJ Cast Ireland Castle After walking into her stunning bedroom with a massive bathroom big enough to have a soaking tub, seating area, and a chandelier, Jennifer declared, "I'm so happy right now." In an interview, she added, "Forget what I said. I am just like so enjoying this right now." "How about that?" she added. "The universe gave me the best room." RHONJ Cast Ireland Castle Photo: Bravo Melissa Gorga was also unfazed by the room selection process but for an entirely different reason. "To be honest, it doesn't even matter what my room looks like, 'cause I'm never in a million years gonna sleep in this room alone," Melissa said in an interview, referencing her fear that the castle was haunted. "I'll be sleeping with Jackie or Margaret." Watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo Tuesdays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock. Catch up on the Bravo app. A company that removes harmful substances from soil and water is bringing 226 jobs in Iredell County, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday. The company will invest more than $5.72 million to locate its first North American production site to Statesville. EPOC Enviro will occupy 263,701 square feet in a plant at the Statesville Commerce Center located at the intersection of Highway 70 and Barkley Road. Its great to welcome EPOC Enviro to Iredell County in the nationally recognized top state for business with the best workers in the world, said Cooper. Our fight against polluted water and climate change will be bolstered by this companys innovative products and its commitment to sustainability. EPOC Enviro is a subsidiary of OPEC Systems, an Australian firm with three decades of global environmental engineering experience, according to a press release from the state. EPOC provides a clean and sustainable remediation solution that removes harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, soil, and industrial systems. The company patented SAFF in 2016 as a natural process using air to permanently, and rapidly, remediate PFAS with zero harm to the environment, the state release said. The Statesville location will allow the company to expand into the United States. After looking at possible sites all over America we are delighted to have settled on North Carolina as the hub for our U.S. business activities, said Peter Murphy, president of EPOC Enviro. Statesville is perfectly situated in a beautiful corner of the country, and it is exactly the kind of community we were hoping to become an integral part of. Global manufacturers like EPOC are attracted to places with a diverse and skilled workforce, said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. North Carolina not only has the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeastern United States, but it also has a strategic economic development plan that prioritizes our workforce and training systems to help prepare our talent for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the states efforts to support EPOCs location to North Carolina. New positions include electricians, engineers, fitters, managers, technicians, and administrative personnel. Although salaries for the new positions will vary, the average annual salary for the new positions is $64,464, which exceeds the Iredell County average wage of $64,433. The project could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $14.5 million per year for the region. EPOCs project will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the states Economic Investment Committee, the release said. EPOC could have selected any place in the world for this expansion and were delighted they chose Statesville, said N.C. Sen. Vickie Sawyer. Manufacturers can reach more than 70% of the nations population in two days from Iredell County, and is near one of the worlds busiest airports, making it a great area for foreign direct investment. This is an outstanding win for Iredell County and the entire state, said N.C. Rep. Jeffrey C. McNeely. We sincerely appreciate the local and state officials and economic development professionals that helped bring these good-paying jobs and this new investment to our community. In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the North Carolina Community College System, Mitchell Community College, Iredell County, Iredell County Economic Development Corporation, the City of Statesville and Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the release said. Back in 1977, if you would have told Jimmy Autrey he would still be working on his senior project nearly 50 years later, he would have never believed you. When I was a senior, my teacher told me I needed to do something for a project here at the school, said Autrey, who runs the North Carolina School for the Deaf History Museum, told The News Herald through an interpreter. I never dreamed of it becoming this big, but thats what happened. The idea for the museum began in 1977, when Autrey needed to complete a senior project to fulfill the schools graduation requirements. By that point, he had already been a NCSD student for 12 years, but his history with school goes back even further. Autreys parents attended the school in the 1920s and 30s, and he said several other family members have attended the school since deafness runs in his family. This long history with NCSD gave Autrey a jumpstart on the project. He spoke with family members and wrote down their stories. Then he began going around campus looking for items he could put in his collection. He collected anything he found interesting, asking if anyone knew the history behind his objects whenever he had the opportunity. I collected different things with different stories, he said. I would ask, what is this item for? Some things didnt have a story, but I still kept them. Today, the history museum has grown beyond anything Autrey could have imagined back in those early days. It fills nearly a dozen small rooms on the first floor of Hoffmeyer Hall while its permanent home the old Superintendents House is undergoing renovations. When the renovations are complete, Autrey and his team will move the collection back over to the Superintendents House. He said there will be an open house and the entire community would be invited to explore the museum and the schools history. This highlights one of the main purposes Autrey hopes to accomplish through the museum. He hopes his work will not only preserve the fragile history of the school and deaf education in North Carolina, but also engage the hearing community in Morganton with the history of the students who have been their neighbors for nearly 130 years. Many just dont know about the deaf school, even though they live right next to it, many still dont know whats going on here, Autrey said. I think we need to include them in this history as well, because they are a part of Morganton, and they are a part of this history. To help him accomplish his goal, he has partnered with the Burke County Public Library Morganton branch. Were going to share things and information back and forth with them, so the library has helped a lot, Autrey said. He has also received a huge display case as a gift from the History Museum of Burke County. Its quite big so we have it in storage, Autrey said. But were looking forward to using it in the museum at the Superintendents House. In the years after Autrey graduated, the museum kept going until he returned to work at the school in 1995. When he arrived back on campus, he jumped back in where he had left off 18 years earlier, scouring buildings, collecting items and asking about their stories. Autrey began receiving donations of unwanted items from former students and alumni to help fill out the collection. In 1997, the schools main building, which housed the museum at the time, underwent a series of renovations. Autrey had to move his collection out. It moved to a couple of different places, he said. It went to storage for a while because there wasnt space for it. Autrey wanted to use a portion of the old Superintendents House, but at the time, it was home to offices. It was a struggle to be able to create that as the museum, he said. There were fees and prices and many different reasons. Autrey didnt give up, and in 2003, he was finally allowed to occupy the first floor of the house. When his collection returns after this years renovations, it will take up all three floors. For Autrey, historical preservation is important, especially for todays deaf students. With todays younger generation, they dont know much about the history of deaf education and deafness, he said. Theres a mismatch as the younger generation changes with their technological needs, but its important that we still learn from history and include history in our education. We dont want to go back to our old ways and repeat. We have to learn from history. The museum contains all kinds of adaptive technology that was used in deaf education, including a giant Text Telephone (TTY) from the 1970s that takes up an entire student desk. Autrey called it the original text messaging machine. Autrey also has yearbooks dating back to at least 1913 and newsletters and other school documents dating back to the schools early days in the 1890s. There are hundreds of hours of video and audio footage, piles of records, pictures, plaques and other memorabilia, alongside desks, textbooks and much more. As of a few weeks ago, however, there was one thing Autry didnt have. Blackboards were very important in deaf education, Autrey said. Without them you couldnt do much. Recent renovations to Joiner Hall, which is now part of the NC School of Science and Math Morganton campus, unveiled a huge multi-paneled blackboard from the buildings days as part of NCSD. Autrey and a few volunteers took it apart and carried it out piece by piece. It now sits on the first floor of Hoffmeyer Hall, the newest addition to the museums collection. The NCSD Historical Museum is on the first floor of Hoffmeyer Hall on the NCSD campus. For more information about the museum, contact Autrey or find the museum on Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/3arvjcu5. Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, March 31, 2023. Poilievre sent a letter to Twitter asking the company to tag CBC's various news-related accounts with a "government-funded media" label. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle The Opposition Conservatives are asking Twitter to apply a "government-funded" label on accounts associated with the CBC, even as other broadcasters decry the tag for not making clear their editorial independence. On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted a copy of a letter addressed to the company that made that request. In the letter, Poilievre asked that the label be applied to CBC's English "news-related" accounts. But he did not mention Radio-Canada, the broadcaster's French-language arm. The "government-funded" label appears above every tweet from accounts that are tagged with the description. Twitter added the descriptor to BBC and National Public Radio accounts last week after initially labelling them as "state-affiliated" a term usually reserved for government-run propaganda outlets in countries such as Russia and China. The social-media giant currently defines "government-funded" media as outlets that "may have varying degrees of government involvement over editorial content." Poilievre said he believes that applies to CBC. But CBC said in a statement on Wednesday that that is "clearly not the case," adding that it cannot comment on the motives behind Poilievre's letter. "As every Canadian knows, CBC/Radio-Canada is publicly funded. Its editorial independence is protected in law in the Broadcasting Act," a spokesperson for the broadcaster said. On Wednesday, NPR said it is quitting Twitter "because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent." "We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence," a spokesperson for NPR said Wednesday in a statement. "We are turning away from Twitter but not from our audiences and communities. There are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPR's news, music, and cultural content." CBC said it hasn't made a decision yet on whether it will continue to use Twitter if the company decides to label it as "government-funded," saying it cannot comment on hypotheticals. A man wanted on multiple felonies counts in Cleveland County was arrested in Morganton on Sunday. Morganton Department of Public Safety says officers found Kenteze Ravon Martin, 32, of 1300 Burkemont Ave., Morganton, hiding in a closet in an upright fetal position at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, said Capt. Keith Bowman with MDPS. He was wanted on charges from Boiling Springs Police Department on one felony count of motor vehicle theft, one felony count of speeding to elude arrest, one felony count of possession of stolen vehicle, receiving or possessing stolen goods, Bowman said. Bowman said Martin also was wanted by the NC Division of Community Corrections on two felony counts of interfering with an electronic monitor device. In addition, Martin was wanted on one misdemeanor count each of assault on a female and damage to personal property. MDPS charged Martin with two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest/hinder and delay, according to the arrest report. According to a search on the North Carolina Department of Corrections website, Martin was convicted in Cleveland County in September of possession of a firearm by a felon, convicted in Cleveland County in 2015 of breaking and entering vehicles, convicted in Cleveland County in 2011 of obtaining property by false pretenses, as well as other misdemeanor convictions in 2010 and 2009. Martin was taken to the Burke County Jail under a $50,000 secured bond. He was scheduled for a court date on Tuesday in Shelby, according to an arrest report. A mother shot her three children inside a home on the south side of Winston-Salem while on a Facetime call on Tuesday, Winston-Salem police believe. The mother then apparently shot herself, police said. The person at the other end of the call witnessed the shootings. The dead were: sisters Sakendra Syann Steele, 9; Sakenya Syretha Steele, 12; their brother, Sakenlo Shawn Steele Jr., 14; and the childrens mother, Ethal Syretha Steele, who was 40 years old. The bodies of the four were found at 3140 Brookhill Drive, where police arrived to find the house locked after receiving a report of a shooting at 11:54 a.m. on Tuesday. The house is on a cul-de-sac at the south end of Brookhill Drive, in a normally quiet residential neighborhood called Ashton Grove thats on an extension of Pope Road leading west from Ebert Road. Winston-Salem police forced entry into the locked home and found the bodies of the three children and their mother. More than a dozen law enforcement vehicles arrived and officers used yellow police tape to seal off the street. An ambulance responded, but drove slowly and quietly out of the neighborhood around 12:30 p.m. The mother shot the youngest girl first, police believe. Then the older girl jumped up and screamed before she was shot twice. The boy was the last of the children to be shot. Police have not said where the familys bodies were found. A quiet neighborhood Shocked bystanders watched from the other side of Pope Road most of the afternoon. Around 1:15 p.m., a man get out of a car and walk toward the cul-de-sac. When the man reached the yard of a neighboring house, he collapsed to the ground, apparently overcome by grief. Police officers came over to help him, and stayed with him several minutes until he was able to get up again. The man then walked with police officers toward the house where the shootings occurred. Later, the same man could be heard shouting in his grief near Pope Road, as those around him tried to comfort him. As a big mobile crime scene bus and a smaller forensics police truck showed up on Brookhill, it was clear to bystanders watching that something very serious had happened. Shortly before 3 p.m., police told reporters that four people were dead but had no other information to release. Police did not at that time confirm that the incident was a murder-suicide, but they did say that no suspects were being sought and that there was no safety threat to the neighborhood. Police released the names of all four of the dead at 4:41 p.m. A woman who lives in the neighborhood described how her own children occasionally played with the three Steele children in the front yard of the home where the shooting took place. The neighbor described the family as reclusive, and said that she had not spoken with them much. Another woman who lives just a few doors down from the site of the shooting said she had not heard anything out of the ordinary Tuesday morning, and found the arrival of all the police cars alarming. This is a quiet neighborhood very quiet, the woman said. A man who said he was godfather to one of the children said the Steele family had just gotten back from a vacation to Florida. Talking about gun violence Chris Scott, a pastor who lives in sight of 3140 Brookhill, was on a teleconference call with others talking about gun violence on Tuesday, and when the call ended he walked outside and ended up talking to family members and offering them his help. This is just the beginning of the process, unfortunately, with grief, he said afterward. Theres a lot to come after. Scott said the group he was talking with, Live Free USA, advocates way to reduce gun violence, and in the conference had been discussing the recent shootings at a school in Nashville, Tenn. There is no reason that our babies should have to worry about being shot at school, there is no reason that we should be losing children to gun violence, he said, adding that common-sense solutions can be worked out between the left and right. This is a quiet neighborhood, nothing like this ever happens, he said. Everybody is very cordial. We all stay to ourselves, but people are struggling with something, you just never know. You cant look at someone and tell what they are struggling with. Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough arrived on Pope Road near the crime scene mid-afternoon on Tuesday, and could be speaking with people who appeared to be family members or friends. Kimbrough was not able to provide any details on the case: Its a sad situation, Kimbrough said. Thats all I can tell you. A hearse and a van from a funeral home arrived at the scene about 6 p.m. Numbers rising Tuesdays shooting comes at a time when murder-suicides involving guns are on the rise in North Carolina and nationally. This year, North Carolina already is nearly halfway toward its 2022 total of 20 murder-suicide incidents involving firearms, according to the national Gun Violence Archive. From 2019 through 2022, North Carolina averaged 21.5 gun-related murder-suicides annually, according to the data. There have been nine such incidents reported in the state this year, with one-third of them taking place in the Triad, including the latest in Winston-Salem. On Jan. 8, a 45-year-old man fatally shot his 45-year-old wife and three children before turning the gun on himself in their home in High Point. The children were aged 10, 16 and 18. Officers said theyd responded to calls from the same address five other times since 2014, including five days before the deadly shooting to serve an involuntary mental commitment order on the father. Police would not elaborate on what prompted that order, but said family members indicated that he suffered from some form of mental illness. On Feb. 8, Greensboro police responding to a reported assault found a 34-year-old woman dead after being shot, and a 31-year-old man with what was determined to be a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. Nationally, last years total of 670 murder-suicides involving guns was the most ever recorded in a single year, up from 594 in 2021 and 570 the year before. So far in 2023, the U.S. is averaging two firearms-related murder-suicides per day, putting it on pace to break last years record. Winston-Salem police said the deaths of the Steele children were the 14th, 15th and 16th homicides in the city, compared to 14 by this date in 2022. The investigation is still active, and police say anyone with information should contact police at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800. PHOTOS: Shooting at 3100 block of Brookhill Drive While other school districts in the state are gearing up to ask voters to decide on school levies and trustee elections in May, Butte voters will not be faced with those same decisions this year. Butte School District has decided against seeking a levy to increase the elementary school districts general fund budget by $81,090.69, according to the director of Butte School Districts business office, Kevin Patrick. The district was going to put both the levy and a trustee election on the ballot. But there were three open trustee positions, and only three people filed to run, eliminating the need for an election. The trustees are all incumbents: Ann Boston, Tom Bilteen and Patti Hepola. Patrick said that because the levy would be the only thing on the ballot, and it was for such a small amount, the board chose to save money by not having an election at all. Boston, chairperson of Butte School Districts board of trustees, confirmed the plan. The amount of money we wouldve been able to get from (an) elementary levy was minimal compared to the cost of running an election, Boston said. It wouldve cost $50,000. It doesnt seem like a lot of money, but it could be a teachers salary, Patrick said. The board will look in other places for the money for next year, Patrick said, such as possible places in the budget they can cut. Based on Patrick's projection of next years budget, in addition to other factors such as staffing, the elementary school should be fine, Boston said. The budget at the high school is currently capped, Boston said, so they cant run a levy for the high school district. She said the budget for the high school could only be raised if it got an influx of students. Although Butte School District was one of many in the country to receive Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds due to COVID-19, the funds can only be used to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID. Using these funds to add personnel like nurses, janitors or teachers to account for learning loss and accommodate the need for smaller class sizes is OK, given the criteria. According to a February district allocation document from the Montana Office of Public Instruction, the Butte Elementary School District has spent all of its allocated ESSER funds, which totaled $88,662.00. The funds were distributed in three rounds. All ESSER I funds needed to be spent by September 2022, ESSER II needs to be spent by September 2023 and ESSER III needs to be spent by September 2024. The Butte High School District received ESSER funds totaling $18,193,705.00, and has spent almost $7.7 million, leaving a balance of about $10.5 million. Patrick said although the district can use ESSER funds to supplement the budget in some places, it has done its best to avoid spending it on operational costs. Because that money will go away, and we dont want a fiscal cliff, Patrick said. He said, however, the district has used the ESSER funds to fund a couple of new janitorial positions, a nurse and other teacher positions to account for learning loss and accommodate the need for smaller class sizes. Boston said theyll talk about some of this in more detail, including staffing, at the boards meeting at 5 p.m. Monday in the East Middle School library. An officer at the Butte Detention Center has been terminated from their position after reportedly using racist language and making threats recently toward an inmate. According to Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Ed Lester no one was injured and he has requested that the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigate the incident. The following day, the officer involved was served with a termination of employment notice. Because this is a personnel matter, the name of the officer involved is not being released pending the conclusion of the investigation, said Sheriff Lester. Stitches needed Early Monday night, two female inmates at the Butte Detention Center were involved in an altercation while both were in a cell. One of the women sustained a laceration to her head that required stitches. The incident is under investigation. Bullet penetrates building Sometime this past weekend, someone shot a hole into the outside wall of Stenson Physical Therapy, 524 E. Park St., penetrating the wall all the way through the inside of the building. Causing a disturbance At around 9 p.m. Tuesday, a call came into dispatch about a man in the 100 block of South Washington Street causing a disturbance. Witnesses said Scott Hockaday, 45, of Butte was yelling at people in the street while waving a stick. It is also alleged he threw a water bottle at a house. Officers located Hockaday near the intersection of Galena and Idaho streets. As he was being taken into custody for criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, it was reported he used loud and foul language all the way to the jail. Unwelcome guests There were some unwelcome guests in a truck Monday night, refusing to leave the parking lot at the Town Pump, 2324 S. Montana St. Because they decided to stick around, the cops were called. One of the persons refusing to leave was Kelly Taylor, 26, of Butte. She had four warrants out for her arrest two out of Butte-Silver Bow County and two out of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. She was taken to jail. Probation violations Late Tuesday night, Ken Peterson, 42, of Butte was taken to jail on two probation violation warrants. More reports A woman left her car overnight by the walking trail near the 100 block of Clear Grit Terrace. When she returned, the passenger-side window was broken out. Last Saturday night, someone took an ax to a couple of trees in Uptown Butte. A man parked his car in the 800 block of Utah Avenue and went to work. When he returned, the passenger-side window was broken, but nothing was taken. When she was a college freshman, Joslyn Chaiprasert-Paguio was told by a doctor she had a common sexually transmitted infection called the human papillomavirus but not to worry. Four years later, a few days before her wedding, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which caused complications when she became pregnant. She had a hysterectomy eight years later, after the disease returned in 2021. The 38-year-old medical journal editor of Menifee in Riverside County, California, hadnt been immunized as a teenager because there wasnt yet a vaccine for HPV, which causes nearly all cervical cancers and a handful of other potentially lethal forms of the disease in men and women. Now, her 10-year-old daughter, Samantha, is scheduled to get her first shot this month. This is the only vaccine that prevents cancer, Chaiprasert-Paguio said. A bill pending in the California legislature would require schools to notify parents that their kids are expected to be vaccinated for HPV before entering eighth grade, as part of a push to get more children inoculated against the cancer-causing strains of the virus, theoretically before they become sexually active. AB 659 stops short of mandating the vaccine for middle schoolers, as the bill originally proposed. Lawmakers stripped out that provision without any debate, reflecting the contentious nature of school vaccine mandates even in a state with some of the nations strictest immunization laws. Now is a tough time to be taking up that fight, said Michelle Mello, a professor of law and health policy at Stanford University, noting that anti-vaccine sentiment has drawn more attention since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic. The proposed legislation by Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry would instead require public college students under 26 to provide proof of immunization against the virus, a more palatable idea for parents uncomfortable with a vaccine that links teens to sex. Anti-vaccine activists pounced on the bill, denouncing it as an egregious example of government overreach. A group called the Freedom Angels claimed credit for pressuring lawmakers into dropping the vaccine mandate for young teens, calling it a huge victory. Most states do not require HPV immunizations for school as for diseases like polio and chickenpox, which can spread easily in classrooms through the air or touch. Just three states, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Hawaii, as well as Washington, D.C., currently require student vaccination against HPV for sixth or seventh graders. Mostly Republican pushback against covid vaccine mandates has spawned a spate of proposed legislation in conservative states, such as Montana and Idaho, which weaken or roll back government and private-sector requirements. In Iowa, which has the nations second-highest cancer rate, lawmakers are considering a bill that would strike a requirement that schools inform students about the HPV vaccine. Even before covid, a rising wave of parents who refused to vaccinate their kids allowed diseases that had been all but eliminated decades ago like measles and pertussis, or whooping cough to return. In this reality, passing good public health policy means long-term strategizing, said Crystal Strait, who leads the pro-vaccination group ProtectUS. Thats how she sees Aguiar-Currys amended HPV vaccination bill. Its a step, she said. We have to do something. Too many people are being harmed by preventable cancer. Nearly everyone contracts HPV at some point, though usually without symptoms. But a handful of strains of the virus can linger in the body and develop into cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, or throat. Studies have confirmed that the HPV vaccine reduced the risk of getting cancer by nearly 90% when given to girls and boys in their early teens, likely before theyre exposed to dangerous strains of the virus. Academic research shows that teens in states with HPV vaccine mandates have been much more likely to receive the shot. Weve had this war against cancer for decades, and now we have a cancer vaccine and people are debating whether we should work to assure that everyone gets it, said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a public health professor at the University of Southern California who previously served as San Franciscos director of STD Prevention and Control Services. Its hard to wrap your mind around. Rates of cervical cancer, once a leading cause of cancer deaths for American women, have fallen with the vaccine and stepped-up Pap smears. Still, more than 37,000 cancers caused by HPV are diagnosed annually, and cervical cancer alone still killed more than 4,000 women last year. By contrast, Australia is on track to become the first country to eliminate cervical cancer within the next two decades after launching a national school-based program in which school nurses administer HPV shots to 12- and 13-year-olds willing to get the vaccine. Public health mandates work best when they require things that have already reached a certain level of social acceptance, like wearing a seat belt or not smoking indoors, said Saad Omer, who heads the Yale Institute for Global Health and has studied vaccine skepticism. Mandates are strong medicine, but like every strong medicine, they come with side effects, said Omer. Santa Clara graphic designer Gilma Pereda, who was always a little skeptical of vaccines, admits to not being crazy about mandates. On the other hand, since she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016, shes undergone numerous surgeries and repeated rounds of chemotherapy. She has lost her uterus, her eyelashes, and her waist-length brown hair. She reached a low point in 2021 upon learning the cancer had spread to her bones. In deciding whether to vaccinate her daughter for HPV, the choice was clear. I did not want my child to go through this, she said. This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. USE OUR CONTENT This story can be republished for free (details). CHICAGO Michigan researchers found the wreckage of two ships that disappeared into Lake Superior in 1914 and hope the discovery will lead them to a third that sank at the same time, killing nearly 30 people aboard the trio of lumber-shipping vessels. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society announced the discoveries this month after confirming details with other researchers. Ric Mixter, a board member of the society and a maritime historian, called witnessing the discoveries "a career highlight." "It not only solved a chapter in the nation's darkest day in lumber history, but also showcased a team of historians who have dedicated their lives towards making sure these stories aren't forgotten," Mixter said. The vessels owned by the Edward Hines Lumber Company sank into the ice-cold lake on Nov. 18, 1914, when a storm swept through as they moved lumber from Baraga, Michigan, to Tonawanda, New York. The steamship C.F. Curtis was towing the schooner barges Selden E. Marvin and Annie M. Peterson; all 28 people aboard were killed. The society's team found the wreck of the Curtis in the summer of 2021 and the Marvin a year later within a few miles of the first discovery. The organization operates a museum in Whitefish Point and regularly runs searches for shipwrecks, aiming to tell "the lost history of all the Great Lakes" with a focus on Lake Superior, said Corey Adkins, the society's content and communications director. "One of the things that makes us proud when we discover these things is helping piece the puzzle together of what happened to these 28 people," Adkins said. "It's been 109 years, but maybe there are still some family members that want to know what happened. We're able to start answering those questions." Both wrecks were discovered about 20 miles north of Grand Marais, Michigan, farther into the lake than the 1914 accounts suggested the ships sank, Adkins said. There was also damage to the Marvin's bow and the Curtis' stern, making researchers wonder whether a collision contributed, he said. "Those are all questions we want to consider when we go back out this summer," Adkins said. Video footage from the Curtis wreckage showed the hull of the steamship, its wheel, anchor, boiler and still shining gauges all preserved by Lake Superior's cold waters, along with other artifacts. Another recording captured the team's jubilant cheers as the words "Selden E. Marvin" on the hull came into clear view for the first time on a video feed shot by an underwater drone at the barge wreck site. "We're the first human eyes to see it since 1914, since World War I," one team member mused. MANCHESTER, N.J. The 200-foot wall of flames, the burning embers landing miles away and the carloads of evacuees fleeing to shelter at a high school it all took place in New Jersey but could happen in almost every part of the country this week due to dry conditions and strong winds that raised the danger of forest fires. As firefighters worked Wednesday to contain a fire that tore through 6 square miles of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the National Weather Service issued so-called "red flag warnings" Wednesday for 20 states spanning the nation. The agency cautioned that dry, windy conditions similar to those in New Jersey were increasing the danger of forest fires elsewhere, too. The blaze in Manchester, near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, forced the evacuation of about 170 homes late Tuesday, with police and fire officials going door to door to ask people to take temporary shelter at a nearby high school. Helicopters were filling large containers with water from a nearby lake Wednesday and dropping it on the flames. No one was injured and no homes were damaged, although firefighters said 20 structures were still considered threatened Wednesday afternoon, by which time the fire had been 60% contained. "We saw the red glow in the sky, and every time the wind would shift, it got worse," said Jason Cylenica, who lives in the neighborhood closest to the fire. His wife, Cynthia Tiemper, said burning embers were landing in their backyard Tuesday night, making them decide to evacuate even before the fire department knocked on their door at 10:45 p.m. "We left so fast, I didn't even bring socks," she said. "It was like, 'You grab the dog, I'll grab this and let's go.' When we got back here this morning and saw that everything was still here, it was like prayers had been answered." Although the state is not in a drought, there's no chance of rain until the weekend in the part of New Jersey where the fire is burning. The state on Wednesday banned campfires and imposed restrictions on charcoal or gas fires. April is the peak month for forest fires in New Jersey, officials said. And despite its status as the nation's most densely populated state, 40% of it is forest. There are about 1,500 wildfires a year in New Jersey, according to the state Forest Fire Service. Forest fires are a common occurrence in the Pine Barrens, a 1.1 million-acre state- and federally protected reserve about halfway between Philadelphia to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east. On Wednesday afternoon, the Forest Fire Service responded to another blaze in West Milford in the northwest potion of the state near Route 23, but estimates of the size of that fire were not immediately available. "This fire exhibited extreme fire behavior," John Cecil, an assistant commissioner in the state's Department of Environmental Protection, said of the Pine Barrens blaze. "I don't mean to be dramatic, but this was a severe situation that these guys and gals managed to keep in a place and protect lives and property from that." About 75 firefighters, two helicopters, bulldozers and 15 fire engines were used to battle the flames. Greg McLaughlin, the Forest Fire Service chief, said the blaze began on the grounds of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a military facility spanning several municipalities, about 4 p.m. Tuesday. Military personnel tried to extinguish it, but winds soon spread the fire beyond the base's perimeter and across a busy highway, Route 539, necessitating a large response from numerous municipalities in the region. A cause of the fire wasn't given, but authorities said they're investigating. In the parking lot of a firehouse miles away from the fire scene, McLaughlin held up a plastic bag filled with small pieces of charred wood dead embers that had flown through the air over two miles away and threatened to start new fires. Last month, a wildfire in the Pine Barrens threatened over a dozen homes in Little Egg Harbor, not far from the site of a massive forest fire in 2007 at an Air National Guard target range. That fire burned nearly 27 square miles. Fire is an essential element of the Pine Barrens ecosystem; many of the pine trees there rely on heat from fires to release seeds from their cones, providing for the growth of new trees. Juul Labs, the e-cigarette maker, is paying $462 million to six US states and DC in the largest multi-state settlement yet for the troubled company that has been accused of contributing to the rise of vaping among youth. The settlement, which was co-led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, will force retailers to secure Juul products behind counters and verify the age of purchasers, and Juul must cease using people under 35 years old in its marketing materials that directly or indirectly target young people. Wednesday's announcement "places the most stringent restrictions on Juul's marketing, sales, and distribution practices in order to protect and prevent minors from underage smoking," according to a release from the New York's AG office. "Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it's harmless. Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused," James said in the statement. New York is receiving nearly $113 million and will use the money to fund programs that deter underage smoking. The lawsuit accuses Juul of directly promoting its products to high school students, including in one instance where a Juul representative "falsely told high school freshmen that its products were safer than cigarettes." It also said the company's ad campaign reached teens across the U.S., who then told their friends about Juul in "rapid numbers." Juul said that this settlement means the company is "nearing total resolution" of its "historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future," which now total more than $1 billion. "Now we are positioned to dedicate even greater focus on our path forward to maximize the value and impact of our product technology and scientific foundation," a Juul spokesperson told CNN. E-cigarette usage among New York City high school students soared from 8% in 2014, a year prior to Juul's launch, to to 23.5% in 2018, and caused to 2,500 hospitalizations for vaping-related illnesses, according to the release. About 2.55 million middle and high school students in the U.S. used e-cigarettes in 2022, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration. Based on responses to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 14.1% of high school students and 3.3% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes within the previous 30 days. Of those, 42.3% reported using them frequently, and 27.6% of them reported daily use. Other states are also receiving substantial amounts of money from this settlement, which will be paid out over an 8-year period. California is getting $175.8 million, Illinois is getting $67.6 million, Massachusetts is getting $41.7 million, Colorado is getting $31.7 million, New Mexico is getting $17 million and District of Columbia is getting $15 million. Other lawsuits This lawsuit is the second this week that Juul has settled. West Virginia said on Monday that Juul is paying $7.9 million for similar accusations of marketing toward youth. Last December, Juul Labs announced it settled more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs in the U.S., resolving a substantial amount of legal issues for the company. The company said the cases were variously personal injury, consumer class action, or from government entity and Native American tribe groups, but did not disclose the settlement amount. That followed a September announcement that Juul would pay $438.5 million to 34 states and territories after a two-year investigation into its marketing and sales practices like in West Virginia, Juul was charged with deliberately marketing its products to young people. At one point, Juul was selling some of the most popular vapes in the U.S., especially the flavored products which the company stopped selling in 2019. Last summer, the FDA ordered Juul products to be removed from the U.S. market. A court temporarily blocked the FDA ban, so products are still for sale in the country. ___ 6 stats that show which teens receive mental health servicesand why 6 stats that show which teens receive mental health servicesand why 2.4 million teens received specialty mental health services for feelings of depression Teens from low-income households were least likely to receive mental health support Teens in metro and nonmetro areas received mental health support at similar rates Girls were almost twice as likely to receive mental health care as boys Only 6% of Asian American teens received specialized mental health services Of the 82% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year, more than half were unable to get it MANCHESTER, N.J. (AP) The 200-foot wall of flames, the burning embers landing miles away and the carloads of evacuees fleeing to shelter at a high school it all took place in New Jersey but could happen in almost every part of the country this week due to dry conditions and strong winds that have raised the danger of forest fires. As firefighters worked Wednesday to contain a fire that tore through 6 square miles (15 square kilometers) of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the National Weather Service issued so-called red flag warnings on Wednesday for 20 states spanning the nation. The agency cautioned that dry, windy conditions similar to those in New Jersey were increasing the danger of forest fires elsewhere, too. The blaze in Manchester, near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, forced the evacuation of around 170 homes late Tuesday, with police and fire officials going door-to-door to ask people to take temporary shelter at a nearby high school. Helicopters were filling large containers with water from a nearby lake Wednesday and dropping it on the flames. No one was injured and no homes were damaged, although firefighters said 20 structures were still considered threatened Wednesday afternoon, by which time the fire had been 60% contained. We saw the red glow in the sky, and every time the wind would shift, it got worse, said Jason Cylenica, who lives in the neighborhood closest to the fire. His wife, Cynthia Tiemper, said burning embers were landing in their back yard Tuesday night, making them decide to evacuate even before the fire department knocked on their door at 10:45 p.m. We left so fast I didn't even bring socks, she said. It was like, You grab the dog, Ill grab this and let's go. When we got back here this morning and saw that everything was still here, it was like prayers had been answered." Although the state is not in a drought, there's no chance of rain until the weekend in the part of New Jersey where the fire is burning. The state on Wednesday banned campfires and imposed restrictions on charcoal or gas fires. April is the peak month for forest fires in New Jersey, officials said. And despite its status as the nation's most densely populated state, 40% of it is forest. There are about 1,500 wildfires a year in New Jersey, according to the state Forest Fire Service. Forest fires are a common occurrence in the Pine Barrens, a 1.1 million-acre state and federally protected reserve about halfway between Philadelphia to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east. On Wednesday afternoon, the Forest Fire Service was responding to another blaze in West Milford in the northwest potion of the state near Route 23, but estimates of the size of that fire were not immediately available. This fire exhibited extreme fire behavior, John Cecil, an assistant commissioner in the state's Department of Environmental Protection, said of the Pine Barrens blaze. I dont mean to be dramatic, but this was a severe situation that these guys and gals managed to keep in a place and protect lives and property from that. About 75 firefighters, two helicopters, bulldozers and 15 fire engines were being used to battle the flames. Greg McLaughlin, the Forest Fire Service chief, said the blaze began on the grounds of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a military facility spanning several municipalities at about 4 p.m. Tuesday. Military personnel tried to extinguish it, but winds soon spread the fire beyond the base's perimeter and across a busy highway, Route 539, necessitating a large response from numerous municipalities in the region. A cause of the fire wasnt given, but authorities said theyre investigating. In the parking lot of a firehouse miles away from the fire scene, McLaughlin held up a plastic bag filled with small pieces of charred wood dead embers that had flown through the air over two miles away and threatened to start new fires. Last month, a wildfire in the Pine Barrens threatened over a dozen homes in Little Egg Harbor, not far from the site of a massive forest fire in 2007 at an Air National Guard target range. That fire burned nearly 27 square miles (70 square kilometers). Fire is an essential element of the Pine Barrens ecosystem; many of the pine trees there rely on heat from fires to release seeds from their cones, providing for the growth of new trees. Associated Press writer Michael Catalini in in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed. Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC Photo: WEST SHORE RCMP Drugs and money seized by West Shore RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime Unit during a search of a pair of homes in Langford and Victoria. Four people have been arrested in connection with a search of a pair of homes in Langford and Victoria that turned up a stick of dynamite, along with a large amount of drugs and money and two handguns. The dynamite, which had a detonating cord, was detonated in a controlled explosion at the Saanich Public Works Yard on McKenzie Avenue in February, generating a bang heard throughout much of Greater Victoria. Three men and a woman ranging in age from 29 to 40 face pending charges related to drug trafficking and the explosive device. The West Shore RCMP Drug and Organized Crime Unit carried out the searches with help from the Greater Victoria and RCMP Emergency Response Teams, the Victoria Police Department and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C., which targets gangs. Drugs seized included a brick of cocaine weighing over a kilogram, an additional 17 ounces of suspected cocaine, more than 15 ounces of suspected fentanyl packaged in 150 bags for street sale, about six ounces of suspected MDMA, more than 35 bottles of liquid syrup containing promethazine and codeine, and over 1,000 unidentified pills. More than $68,000 in cash was also found. Cpl. Kevin Pollock of the Drug and Organized Crime Unit said seizure of the drugs, money and explosive device in the investigation has significantly impacted the drug trade in the West Shore. Hundreds of lives would have been affected and possibly lost to the overdose crisis by the sale of these drugs. We are thankful to the other agencies who assisted in this investigation. Personal information of more than 20,000 Iowa Medicaid members was compromised in a data breach of a state contractor last year, the Iowa Health and Human Services Department announced Tuesday. Independent Living Systems, a firm that was contracted to do work with Iowa Medicaid, was hacked between June and July 2022. The breach exposed the personal information of more than four million people, including 20,800 in Iowa, the department said. Names, Social Security numbers, financial information and Medicaid identification of affection individuals may have been impacted, according to Independent Living Systems. The HHS Department and Iowa Medicaid learned of the breach in February, the department said in a press release. At least five class-action lawsuits have been filed against Independent Living Systems because of the breach, which accuse it of irresponsibly storing patient data and not providing adequate notice to affected individuals. Independent Living Systems is working to improve network security and increase employee training in dealing with sensitive information, according to a notice on the companys website. The state Medicaid program is mailing letters to all affected members this week, which will include information on what was compromised and how to access free credit monitoring. Drone prohibitions Flying a drone over a farm or homestead would be a crime under a bill House lawmakers passed on Tuesday. House File 572 would make it illegal to fly a remotely operated aircraft over a homestead or farm for a prolonged period of time, and would enact harsher penalties if the drone has a surveillance device. Flying over a covered property would be a simple misdemeanor, and using a drone with surveillance equipment would be a serious misdemeanor. The bill would exempt people operating a drone with the consent of the propertys owner, for commercial and agricultural purposes, or for a public utility or railroad company, among other things. Adding Medicaid premium tax Iowa lawmakers hope to increase Medicaid revenues by imposing a 2.5% tax on premiums from managed care organizations that administer the states Medicaid program in a bill House lawmakers passed Tuesday. The federal government would reimburse 70% of the taxes paid by the organizations, which would bring in more than $100 million in federal dollars in each of the next two years, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill. The bill, House File 685, passed the House unanimously. Civil engineers give Iowa a 'C' Iowas infrastructure received an overall C grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers in its 2023 report card, holding steady from the last report in 2019. Most grades remained the same from the organizations 2019 report. Solid waste dropped to a B- grade while roads climbed to a B- the highest grades received among the 13 categories. The category that received the worst grade was dams, which received a D. Bridges received a D+. 20% of Iowas bridges are rated poor, making Iowa the worst state in the nation by number of poor bridges. Multiple sectors of Iowas infrastructure would benefit from funding the states Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, the organization said. The fund was created by a 63% popular vote in 2010, but requires a one-cent sales tax increase to be funded. Flooding and natural disasters are also a threat to Iowas infrastructure, officials said.re The report also argued for improving the resilience of Iowas water systems by putting money toward wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, dams, and levees. The complete results are: Aviation: C- Bridges: D+ Dams: D Drinking water: C Energy: C+ Inland waterways: D+ Levees: C Public parks: C Rail: C+ Roads: B- Solid waste: B- Since a court ruling threatened the availability of a key drug used in medication abortion, calls have been pouring in to the clinics Adrienne Mansanares oversees. Patients from near and far are incredibly worried about whether or not they still have a valid appointment, whether they can obtain the care that they need. Its heartbreaking, said Mansanares, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which has clinics in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. For now, the clinics and many others around the country are trying to assure patients that nothing has immediately changed while also devising backup plans in case the ruling stands. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas said the approval of the drug mifepristone should be revoked, a decision handed down at the same time a federal judge in Washington ordered the government to make the drug more easily accessible. The Supreme Court is expected to eventually settle the matter. If mifepristone becomes unavailable, many doctors say they would replace the usual two-drug regimen with a slightly less effective method using only the other drug, misoprostol. Mansanares said her staff has been sending text messages to patients to make sure they know they can still come in for care. Clinics are also telling people they're still offering mifepristone although many providers worry patients will question its safety in the wake of the ruling and news coverage about it. Currently, more than half of all U.S. abortions are medication induced, and some clinics offer no other options. Please understand that this judges decision does not mean that medication abortion is not safe," Dr. Iffath Hoskins, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said on a call with journalists this week. It is safe. It is effective. And it should be an available option for all who seek abortion care. Mifepristone, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000, blocks the hormone progesterone and is also used to treat miscarriages. Millions of women around the world have used the drug, and medical groups say complications occur at a lower rate than with routine medical procedures such as wisdom teeth removal and colonoscopies. With its future in peril, doctors are laying the groundwork for other safe options. Mansanares said she and her colleagues pulled together a task force of clinical experts to create a misoprostol-only protocol, so that if we needed to, we could flip the switch" from the two-drug regimen. She said nearly three-quarters of patients in her health centers choose medication abortions over surgical procedures. In Pennsylvania, Dr. Becca Simon, a family medicine doctor who provides abortions, said she would also offer abortion procedures and one-drug medication abortion. The one-drug option is safe, effective, and actually in some ways can be a little quicker than the two-drug regimen, said Simon, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health. It may have some more side effects, but we have medications" to help patients deal with them. Dr. Gopika Krishna, an OB-GYN in New York and another fellow in the group, said she and her colleagues are still weighing their options but are also considering the one-drug method. She pointed out that it's the subject of recent guidance from national medical organizations, is considered safe by the World Health Organization and is used in other countries where mifepristone isnt available. But some doctors said the one-drug regimen is not ideal. The two-drug combination is about 95% to 99% effective in ending a pregnancy. Used alone, misoprostol is less effective. Some research rates it around 85% effective, although other studies say it's closer to that of the two-drug combination. Dr. Iman Alsaden, medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said staff at her clinics in Kansas are gearing up to provide misoprostol-only abortions if needed. Consent forms and patient information sheets have been prepared. Staff has been trained. It would not be the most medically sound thing to do. But if we have to comply with the law, we will, Alsaden said. Shes worried about what could happen if misoprostol fails to end a pregnancy, especially for out-of-state patients driving up to 12 hours for care. Theres going to be people that, you know, came to Kansas from Texas, and they dont have the means or funds or ability to come back, she said. And now youre in a situation where that person is forced to be pregnant. Andrea Gallegos, administrator of the Alamo Womens Clinic in the southern Illinois city of Carbondale, has much the same concern, and is waiting to see how the lawsuits are resolved before making any decisions about what care to offer. Wisp, a company that provides telehealth medication abortions in nine states, would definitely offer a misoprostol-only regimen if necessary. But spokeswoman Jenny Dwork said the switch would involve website updates and other changes, meaning the company wouldnt be able to provide their services for around two weeks further restricting access to those who need it. Denise Harle, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed the lawsuit in Texas, said she was very concerned doctors were considering misoprostol-only abortions. To me, that would suggest, again, putting profit from abortion over the health and safety of women, she said, adding that it was premature to discuss whether the single-drug protocol would prompt future litigation. But doctors pushed back. Part of the tactic from anti-abortion groups is to create a sense where people feel like abortion is confusing, that abortion isnt safe, Krishna said. Thats not true. Alsaden said she's scared for the patients. I will continue to serve them as long as I can," she said. "But its just like totally devastating. Amanda Seitz contributed to this story from Washington, D.C. Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky and Hollingsworth from Mission, Kansas. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Frantic calls from witnesses reporting a mass shooting at a Louisville bank were released by police, including one from a woman who was on a virtual meeting and saw the shooter, as well as one from the mans mother, who told a 911 operator that her son currently has a gun and is heading toward the bank. The calls were released Wednesday, hours before an interfaith vigil was held in downtown Louisville to remember victims. The event at the Muhammad Ali Center is just a few blocks away from Old National Bank, where the gunman killed five and injured eight others on Monday before police fatally shot him. The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition has revealed its next course of action after calling off street protests. In a statement Tuesday, Chairman of the Azimio Executive Council Wycliffe Oparanya said the Opposition coalition will hold countrywide public barazas and town hall meetings starting this week. The first town hall meeting will be held on Thursday, April 13 in Nairobi. Oparanya said the barazas will allow the coalition to explain to Kenyans their next course of action in regard to the issues affecting the country. As the negotiators take up their responsibilities, we will embark on a series of direct engagements with members of the public through town hall meetings and public Barazas. We will hold the first town hall meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, 13th April 2023, to be followed by a peoples Baraza at the Kamukunji grounds on Sunday, 16th April 2023, the statement said in part. It added: The purpose of the town hall meetings and public barazas is to enable the party explain to the people where we are and the upcoming course of action following the suspension of protests. The proverbial 40 days of a thief came to an end last Wednesday for a wanted fraudster who managed to outwit police officers for three years by hiding in her own house. Claire Marisiana Odimwa had skipped court appearances since 2019, facing a Sh204 million tax evasion case and a separate Sh4.9 million fraud case. The court proceeded with the Sh4.9m fraud case in her absence and found her guilty of obtaining the money from Thomas Aul Ewald by pretending she was flying her sick relative abroad for treatment. However, the court could not sentence her as she was nowhere to be seen. In 2020, the court canceled her bond and issued a warrant for her arrest. Last Thursday, a Nairobi court heard that police would raid her house in Buruburu, Nairobi on numerous occasions but they could not find her. The suspects luck finally ran out Wednesday when her phone signal showed she was in the house but police couldnt find her. The cops ransacked the house and even searched the attic but their efforts were futile. It was not until they decided to check a closed cabinet under the stairs that they finally caught her. Marisiana had modified the space under the stairs into a hideout bunker to evade police raids. We checked for her in the [attic] but we could not find her, only to find her in a closed cabinet under the staircase at her Buruburu residence, the investigating officer told the court. The officer told Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi that the arrest was a breakthrough since the accused had been switching her phone on and off all this while. A lawyer defending Ms Marisiana claimed that she had been sick and that she had lost track of the proceedings after the court went virtual during the Covid-19 pandemic. The magistrate informed the accused that her fraud case had proceeded in her absence and sentenced her to two years in prison. You were convicted in absentia and now you will serve a two-year jail term with an alternative fine of Sh300,000, said the magistrate. President William Ruto has commended Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui for the smooth running of the Hustler Fund. Speaking Tuesday during the release of the Performance Contracting Report for the 2021-2022 financial year, Ruto said the CS had done a commendable job in the rollout of the Hustler Fund within a short time. I want to commend many public servants who put in their very best and we can see it; the people can feel it, were witnessing. I must commend the ministry responsible for Hustler Fund, in a record 90 days we had a product that seven million Kenyans are borrowing every day and paying, he said. Ruto added: We have a product that has given us an opportunity to lend Sh26 billion in a record five months. Data from the Co-operatives Ministry shows Sh26 billion had been disbursed to Kenyans by 7 am Tuesday, April 11. Borrowers had repaid Sh16 billion while savings hit Sh1.3 billion from 38.6 million transactions. 19.6 million Kenyans have registered with the fund while those who have borrowed more than once are 6.8 million. President William Ruto has said excellent performance by public servants must be encouraged and rewarded. He said the culture of suppressing high performance is primitive and has no place in any democracy. The President noted that a commitment to go the extra mile will ensure effective delivery of services to Kenyans. We must motivate, reinforce and support high performance, he said. He was speaking on Tuesday during the release of the Evaluation of the Performance of Ministries, State corporations and Tertiary Institutions Report for 2021/2022. The President noted that the Government was committed to institutionalising performance management so that we can experience considerable improvement in public service delivery. He added that the institutionalisation of performance management in government will be further anchored in a policy framework. To promote efficiency, promptness and transparency, the Head of State said progress is being made in developing the government online performance contracting information system. He observed that the Government will ensure completion of viable, budgeted for and already commenced projects. This will be done before we embark on new ones. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet and Principal Secretaries among other public servants attended the ceremony. Mr Gachagua said a vibrant and motivated public service was key to delivery of services. A vibrant and motivated public service is good for the prosperity of the country, said Mr Gachagua. Mr Mudavadi said strengthening devolution was part of efforts to ensure efficient service delivery. He said it was the duty of public servants to facilitate the implementation of government programmes. -PCS The Saint Helena Forum for Innovation & Creativity will present a free virtual discussion about laughter at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26. Doug Barr, board chair of the forum, will talk to biological anthropologist Sasha Winkler about "the surprisingly serious subject of laughter, and its evolutionary value for both human and non-human animals." Winkler is a Ph.D. candidate at UCLA and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow with a background in primatology. She holds degrees in biological anthropology from UCLA and in linguistics and cognitive science from Pomona College. Winkler researches social behavior in primates, with a focus on the evolution of play, vocal communication and learning. Her current research focuses on the cognitive effects of laughter in humans and bonobos. Founded in 2019, the Saint Helena Forum is an entirely volunteer, educational nonprofit, funded by donations and grants. Its mission is to inform, inspire and entertain by providing access to a broad range of humanities-based lectures, panel discussions, performances and interviews. For more information or to register for this free event, go to shforum.org. 15 sketch comedy shows worth your while 15 sketch comedy shows worth your while The Carol Burnett Show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Monty Python's Flying Circus Saturday Night Live SCTV The Muppet Show In Living Color Mr. Show with Bob and David Chappelle's Show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Portlandia Key and Peele A Black Lady Sketch Show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun With St. Helena facing important decisions about finance, development and housing, city leaders want the community to ponder an essential question: Who are we? The city is inviting the public to a facilitated dialogue to ponder questions like who are we, where have we been, and where do we wish to go? 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. That input, tentatively set to be collected in late May and early June, could help the city development a statement of community identity that can serve as a source of guidance for a variety of decisions, as City Manager Anil Comelo put it in a report to the City Council. Addressing the conflicts and contradictions among the various, competing narratives of community identity in St. Helena may be critical to successfully grappling with a number of important issues, such as how best to the allocate the citys resources, both in terms of funding and in terms of assigning tasks to City staff, Comelo wrote in the report. The council endorsed the idea on Tuesday. The cost of a facilitator is estimated at under $5,000, which can be absorbed in the current city budget. Councilmember Anna Chouteau supported the idea, but she noted that the city has conducted other visioning exercises. This time the council needs to take action based on the communitys input, she said. I dont want to come to the same place that we have in the past, where we come up with a beautiful vision and plan, but theres no way we can afford it, so the council takes no action, Chouteau said. That does more harm than good. The process isnt likely to change anybodys mind about key issues, but it could give us an awareness of our common ground as a community, Councilmember Lester Hardy said. We need to maintain an understanding and awareness of our roots, even as our population changes and the world changes around us, he said. Mayor Paul Dohring said its worthwhile to consider the roots that sustain us as a community. Its us trying to connect in a more profound, beautiful way to develop community, he said. I dont think government is necessarily really good at that, but its worth going through that effort to rethink why were here. Comelo said the city will cast a wide net to collect public input, with help from agencies like the UpValley Family Centers, Rianda House, St. Helena Chamber of Commerce and St. Helena Unified School District. Well be inviting the entire community, he said. During a March 20 meeting at the Cameo Cinema, Comelo said the city needs to come up with $6.4 million a year to provide additional staff and pay for capital projects. That could force the city to make tough decisions about city services and revenue sources. Photos: Napa Valley community members work on quilt squares for Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads exhibit Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 4 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 5 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 6 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 3 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 1 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 2 Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Margarita Garcia Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Get ready to say bonjour to a group of 27 French students who will be attending classes at St. Helena High School next week. The students, two teachers and a principal are arriving Monday, April 17, from Bergerac, a city in southwestern France. They will be spending a week with local host families. 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 high school will hold a reception to welcome the French students at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at the St. Helena Performing Arts Center Plaza. RSVP to swarin@sthelenaunified.org. The French students, all seniors, will attend regular classes alongside St. Helena students, said high school French teacher Sophie Warin. High school is quite different in France, with class schedules that vary from day to day and a rigorous final exam they must pass before graduation, Warin said. Theyre looking forward to experiencing life in St. Helena and life as an American high-schooler, Warin said. Students in Warins French class are already communicating with the French students via chat and Instagram, she said. Foreign exchange programs are useful because they teach teens that we are all essentially the same, but we have different ways of doing things, Warin said. They can learn from each other and make lasting friendships, she said. Bergeracs Lycee Maine de Biran last sent a contingent of students to St. Helena High School in 2014, when Michael Wrenn was teaching French. Theyre coming from a region thats also known for its wine, so they have something in common with St. Helena and the Napa Valley, Warin said. Photos: Highlights from Paris Fashion Week couture season Photo: John McKay A group of Canadian parliamentarians is in Taiwan this week to offer a show of support as the island faces the threat of a Chinese invasion. The delegation is being led by the chair of House of Commons defence committee, Liberal MP John McKay, and includes Conservative, Bloc Quebecois and NDP members of Parliament. McKay says Taiwanese leaders have been extremely grateful for the visit, which comes amid concerns about a pending Chinese attack to reclaim the island as part of its territory. He is also dismissive of concerns that the trip may hurt relations with China, whose embassy warned last fall that a planned visit by a different group of Canadian lawmakers would result in consequences. McKay says relations between Canada and China are already at a low point and that it is important for Canadians to show their support for Taiwan in the face of what he describes as Chinese bullying. The visit follows three days of large-scale Chinese military exercises in the area in retaliation for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. Five Ukrainian students who fled the country after Russias invasion and are now attending Pacific Union College will share their experiences during a meet-and-greet at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Scales Chapel on the colleges Angwin campus. Katya, Darii, Dasha, Monica and Emma will share their stories of survival. There will be a performance of traditional Ukrainian music and the screening of a film one of the students made about the impact of war. The students will also perform a musical number together. Local benefactors founded Mission: Ukraine after the Russian invasion to raise money for Ukrainian students to attend PUC, with substantial help from the college. The plan had been to help the students attend PUC for the 2022-2023 school year, but the college and Mission: Ukraine organizers are going to do what they can to keep the students here for the next school year. We cant send them back, said Mission: Ukraine founder Jennifer Klingbeil. The thought is unbearable. For information about the project and to donate, go to give.puc.edu/fund/mission-ukraine. Mission: Ukraine has received support from Dunn Vineyards, Palisades Pump Service, Inc., Dr. Jon Wheeler and Dr. Julie Perry, Soroptimist International of St. Helena, the Cameo Cinema, Golden Gate Sothebys International Realty, Meadowood, Health Spa Napa Valley, Pennyweight, Federated Women of Upper Valley, Forman Vineyards, Upper Napa Valley Republican Womens Federated, and Dr. Darrell Quirici, DDS. Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy's efforts to buoy a nation Recognizing the urgency and ongoing need to lower wildfire risk throughout Napa County, the nonprofit Napa Communities Firewise Foundation, also known as Napa Firewise, has created two effective programs specifically designed to help residents reduce the threat and impacts of wildfires and to increase public safety. The Defensible Space Cost Share and the Reflect to Protect Address Sign programs are relaunching in April for a limited time with grant funds from Cal Fire and the California Fire Safe Council. Residents can apply to participate in these programs at the Napa Firewise website (napafirewise.org). Take advantage today and apply for Napa Firewise's Defensible Space Cost Share and Reflective Sign programs, said JC Greenberg, Cal Fire/Napa County Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Battalion Chief and Napa Firewise boardmember. We're all in this fight together to make Napa County safer and more wildfire-resilient. Improving a home's defensible space and visibility to first responders are some of the most important things residents can do to make their families, homes and communities safer, said Piper Cole, Napa Firewise board vice chair. These programs not only provide guidance on what homeowners can do, but financial resources to help them do it. Defensible space reimbursement The Napa Firewise Defensible Space Cost Share Program is available to residents who live in or near Cal Fire-designated High and Very High Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones. People can start by taking Cal Fires defensible space self-assessment survey online to get a better understanding of how to protect their properties and defend against wildfires. Participants in the program will receive a free professional assessment of a property's fire readiness (defensible space and home hardening), which will help them determine how best to prioritize wildfire mitigation projects. The professional assessment report makes it easy for residents to apply for 50% reimbursement of their investment in approved wildfire mitigation measures, up to $3,500 per property. Residents who previously participated in the pilot program may apply for an additional $1,500 reimbursement for new work. "Reducing the fire risk around my home and property seemed daunting and almost impossible to complete, Calistoga resident Zane Murphy said. After realizing I had access to this grant, I felt like I had a place to start ... and with more money coming in, I have incentive to keep working on protecting my home. Reflect to Protect On the first day of the Glass Fire in 2020, Lissa Doumani saw flames come within feet of her familys home in the unincorporated area south of Calistoga. She didnt know if firefighters would be able to find her location, and there was no time for delay. Thankfully, help arrived in time to save her house. Doumani knows like many other residents, especially those living in rural Napa County the frightening reality that seconds matter when it comes to emergency response. Fire and medical personnel need to be able to quickly locate properties and people to respond effectively during wildfires and other crises. Reflect to Protect is a program created by Napa Firewise and implemented through some of its 20 neighborhood Fire Safe Councils to provide county-compliant reflective address signs at no cost to residents. Critically, first responders can see the street numbers on these signs in dark and smoky conditions. Reflective stickers added to the sign help firefighters during a wildfire by showing whether the property has a water source (e.g., water tank, pool or pond), and enough space for an emergency vehicle to turn around. The sign also displays the property's evacuation zone number. Thank you! These signs are a great idea, Doumani said. The fire came right up to the back of our house, and we were worried that the firefighters might not be able to find us. Residents are not alone in recognizing the critical role these programs play for our community. First responders also have direct experience with how individual preparations like these save lives. Very early on as a volunteer firefighter in Deer Park, I was called to a medical emergency. I was unbelievably frustrated that I could not find the address sign. There wasn't one to be seen, said Christopher Thompson, Napa Firewise board chair. You can rest assured that somewhere, sometime down the road, there will be an ambulance or a fire engine responding to a call, and this reflective sign program will have helped make the connection between the first responders and that person that needs help. Rain not dampening wildfire season Along with the benefits of significant rainfall this year come the not-so-welcome side effects of heavy saturation of soils, trees and other vegetation stressed by wildfires and drought toppling in storms, and an accelerated regrowth of hazardous wildfire fuel loads. Fire experts remind us that the need for ongoing mitigation and preparation for future wildfires remains critical. Preparing now will protect property and save lives. Napa's record rainfall has produced exponential vegetation growth that fuels our wildfire problems, Greenberg said. Per the Napa County ordinance, residents must take action to reduce hazardous vegetation within 100 feet around their homes and outbuildings. "California's wildfire challenges are year-round with many of our destructive fires occurring in late fall and December. Cal Fire/Napa County Fire urges our residents to start now in completing their defensible space vegetation clearance obligations and ensure their reflective address signs are posted for emergency responders. We are ready with the plans and the resources to partner with residents to help prepare them to be safer from the next wildfire, said Gretchen Hayes, Napa Firewise executive director. "Our goal is to help entire neighborhoods reduce their wildfire risk, so we encourage neighbors to help neighbors and themselves by participating in these critical safety programs. Napa Firewise programming seeks to educate, fund and encourage residents to take proactive, protective measures on their property, which also increases personal safety in neighborhoods throughout Napa County, according to Hayes. Photos: Napa County's new fire reality California Wildfires California Wildfires California Wildfires Atlas Fire Atlas fire Atlas Fire Atlas Fire Atlas Fire California Wildfires California-Wildfires Western Wildfires Western Wildfires California Wildfires California Wildfires California Wildfires California Wildfires APTOPIX California Wildfires California Wildfires APTOPIX California Wildfires California Wildfires Nuns fire Nuns fire Nuns Fire Oakville during the Nuns Fire Carneros Fire Damage Power shutdown Smoke Tourism Tubbs Fire Tubbs Fire Upvalley Fire Scenes California Wildfire Cause California Wildfire Cause The St. Helena City Council will hold a public hearing on the 87-unit Hunter project at 6 p.m. Monday, May 1, at Vintage Hall. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the project's tentative map on Feb. 7, citing state pressure to build housing. The project site is past the eastern terminus of Adams Street, behind the levee. Opponents have heavily criticized the project's effects on water, traffic and public safety, the potential for flooding if the levee fails, and a lack of specifics about the project's affordable housing component. The project's environmental impact report identified traffic (vehicle miles traveled) as a "significant and unavoidable" impact. The council can still pass the project if it adopts a "statement of overriding considerations" explaining how the project's benefits outweigh its impact. Photos: Go inside the most expensive home sold in Napa County in March. 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa 2937 Pine St. in west Napa Tuesday, April 4 0809 A PG&E crew asked for help while accessing power lines on a property on Madrona Avenue owned by a man whos been known to pull guns and point them at workers. 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. 1008 A passerby brought a lost elderly woman to the police station. An officer was able to locate one of her family members. 2115 Police cited a driver on Silverado Trail. 2256 Calistoga police asked for help with a foot pursuit near Franz Valley School Road. Wednesday, April 5 0823 Report of a man sleeping in a wrecked car full of garbage near Vintage/McCormick. Thursday, April 6 0846 A caller reported that someone had used their Social Security number to open a utility account in New York. Police took a report. 1625 Police cited a driver on Main Street. 1736 Report of a reckless driver tailgating and passing over double yellows on Highway 29. 1847 Report of a car alarm going off Wednesday night and Thursday night on College Avenue. 1950 Report of juveniles speeding down Hillview Place in a red Mustang. They turned onto Tainter Street. 2117 Police cited a driver near Main/Pine. 2247 Police cited a driver on Highway 29 north of Deer Park Road. Friday, April 7 0707 Police picked up a pink mountain bike that had been left at Carpy Field. 1124 Report of someone using a gas-powered leaf blower on Spring Mountain Road. Dispatch entered the complaint via the citys website on behalf of the caller. 1801 A Dodge Charger was reported stolen from Main Street sometime since Thursday night. 1957 Report of a fire near Spring Mountain Road. Cal Fire confirmed it was a controlled burn. 2218 Police cited a driver in the elm tunnel. Saturday, April 8 0701 Police cited a driver near Main/Pratt. 0724 Non-injury lift assist on Fulton Lane. 1019 Report of a reckless driver on Silverado Trail. 1048 A person reported receiving three concerning voicemails from an ex-partner who hadnt been in contact for about 43 years. Police took a report. 1059 Report of a pothole near Chardonnay/Colombard. Public Works was notified. 1358 Medical aid on Fulton Lane. 1405 Report of a reckless driver on Highway 29 in south St. Helena. 1644 Report of an approximately 2-year-old child wandering alone near Sulphur Springs/Crane. As officers were arriving, the caller said the childs parent had been found. 1822 Police cited a driver near Pope/Church. 2235 Report of an argument between a couple at a local hotel. The woman had already left the premises with luggage. 2247 Report of a woman screaming at a Main Street hotel. Officers responded and determined the couple had been in a verbal argument. Police took a report. 2328 A man said his wife was late getting home from work. 2353 Report of a possible drunk driver near Main/Charter Oak. Sunday, April 9 0242 Police cited a car parked in a blue zone on Pope Street. 1051 Non-injury hit-and-run on Pope Street. One vehicle was damaged. 1203 A pair of AirPods reported stolen from Napa were tracked to an address in St. Helena. Police recovered the AirPods and took a report. 1449 Someone on Tainter Street called 911 to ask what time it was. Dispatch said 911 should only be used for emergencies. Dispatch also told the caller that sometimes TV news channels display the time in the lower right-hand corner. Dispatch asked for an officer to check on the caller. 1551 Police issued a parking citation on Adams Street. 2037 Report of loud explosions, possibly fireworks, in the Mitchell Drive area. 2047 Multiple callers reported a non-injury hit-and-run on Pope Street. Police found the driver responsible and arrested the 38-year-old Calistoga man on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run. 2318 Report of a suspicious truck on El Bonita Avenue. Monday, April 10 1222 Report of a reckless driver using the oncoming lane to pass and almost causing a collision on Highway 29 near Zinfandel Lane. 1551 Report of someone using profanity around children on Adams Street. 1641 Someone called 911 to ask for Comcasts phone number. Dispatch said to call the non-emergency line for help with that. 1710 Vehicle keys were reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Magnolia Avenue. An officer found the keys under the seat. 1712 A dog escaped from home on Vineyard Avenue. An officer was dispatched to assist, and the dog was found. 1806 Someone said the drug collection box outside the police station was hard to open. An officer emptied the bin so it could receive more drugs. 1848 Report of a reckless driver tailgating and passing in the center turn lane of Highway 29 near El Bonita Avenue. 2213 An officer came across suspicious activity inside the bathroom at the city parking lot on Oak Avenue. Police took a report. PHOTOS: Training for an active shooter situation in St.Helena The St. Helena Hospital Foundations fourth annual Neighborhood Table is returning to the Adams Street/Library Lane area on May 6, with proceeds benefiting the hospitals Mobile Health program. The al fresco meal is served on what organizers call the longest dinner table in St. Helena. Tickets are $250 and available on Eventbrite.com. 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 event is a fundraiser for Adventist Health St. Helenas Mobile Health program, which offered vaccines to some of the valleys most vulnerable residents at the height of the pandemic and is now expanding into feeding the hungry. The hospital designed the program before the pandemic with the goal of serving local seniors. When the pandemic started, the team pivoted to provide COVID-19 testing and, later, vaccines. In addition to COVID, flu and Tdap vaccines, the Mobile Health unit now provides preventative screenings for BMI, A1C, cholesterol, and physicals for student athletes. The staff have brought their high-tech van/lab to the St. Helena Farmers Market, St. Helena Chamber of Commerce summer concerts at Lyman Park, and Kids Day at the Oxbow Commons in Napa. Mobile Healths services are limited right now, but Noemi Mauricio, supervisor for the Mobile Health program, hopes that with more funding the unit can provide primary care in patients homes. Mobile Health is returning to its original roots of addressing the health disparities in our community, Mauricio said. All of the services we provide are at no cost to our community members, and Neighborhood Table will help us continue to do that. At a telehealth conference in Copenhagen last August, the Mobile Health program was praised for setting a standard in how to overcome barriers to deliver vaccines to a vulnerable population, said Glen Newhart, president/CEO of the nonprofit St. Helena Hospital Foundation. Weve learned a lot about the communitys needs in the last three-plus years, Newhart said. Weve discovered a lot of gaps in care, and we can close some of those gaps by delivering care to people. One of those gaps is hunger. Neighborhood Table will fund efforts to distribute fresh, healthy produce and non-processed food to hungry residents around Napa County. Food is very expensive now, especially in the area we live, Mauricio said. The hospital is collaborating with Community Action of Napa Valley, the UpValley Family Centers, and the St. Helena Unified School District on food distribution, with monthly distributions planned at St. Helena High School starting this Friday. (The project is independent of the St. Helena Community Food Pantry and the Calistoga Cares Food Pantry.) We did our first event in Calistoga last Friday, and we ran out of food within 45 minutes, Newhart said. So were asking, do we need to double the size of our order? Is the demand that great? And can we meet that demand? A $250 ticket to Neighborhood Table will provide 250 pounds of produce to someone in the extended Napa Valley community that has a need, Newhart said. Why the health care staffing crisis persists despite returning to pre-pandemic employment levels Why the health care staffing crisis persists despite returning to pre-pandemic employment levels Employment in health care hit nearly 21 million in December Job openings in health care have far surpassed pre-COVID levels Job openings grew over twice as much as hires since 2019 What exactly is the resurrection all about then? The question came from a parishioner who had just heard me preach on a passage in Johns Gospel (11: 1-44). Its the story of Martha and Mary asking Jesus to come to them because their brother Lazarus is sick. To make a long story shorter, Lazarus dies, and Jesus doesnt show up until hes been buried for four days then Jesus calls him out of his tomb and back to life. Pretty much a huge attention-grabber, right? A once dead man, walking back to life! Not your everyday occurrence. But what I suggested was that while that miracle was significant, maybe even more important was Jesus meeting the sisters, sharing in their grief and helping them reimagine what life after death was all about. In other words, the bigger miracle may have been that Martha and Mary were resurrected to new life! They experienced a transformation in the way they viewed their brothers death, but as important as that was, they began to see their own lives differently. Having just celebrated Easter and Jesus rising from the dead, we Christians (pastors in particular) tend to focus on that miracle and to hope for our own resurrection into heaven after we die. But I think the resurrection didnt just happen to Jesus and isnt just about after we physically die. Its more about how we come to life, psychologically and spiritual now, when we are often the walking dead. We are resurrected people when we live and love and make decisions based on our trust that God really is as good as Jesus said, based on our faith that proclaims God is still not done with us or with this world just yet and that God is always working to raise us up from apathy, despair, cynicism, and isolation. Its when we care for each other, embodying love for our most vulnerable and forgotten neighbors, recognizing the beauty and worth of each person, generously sharing our resources. Didnt we learn through our pandemic isolation that interdependence is a foundational gift of what it means to be human? The longer we were apart, the more we realized how much richer life is in community with one other. The signs of the resurrection life in this life are all around us. Just two quick examples, with hopes that youll search for the signs around you. Theres a barber in Cincinnati, Ohio, Vernon Jackson, who cuts the hair of kids with special needs, raising money to be able to provide them with free haircuts. I saw him cutting a boys hair on Instagram and both were laughing, thoroughly enjoying what had previously been a painful experience. Vernon is raising funds to be able to take this ministry beyond Cincinnati. Then theres Community First! Village outside of Austin, Texas, where a former real estate broker has launched a community of tiny houses for previously homeless people. The goal is to build 500 homes, and theyre well on their way. Signs of resurrection all around us. Do you seen them? Art in the Library at Napa County Library Artist B.J. Thrailkill's works are on display during April at the Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St., Napa. The reception and art talk is on Friday, April 14, from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Thrailkill enjoys painting scenes found in nature. Birds, branches and landscapes inhabit many of her current works. Her work has appeared in many exhibitions throughout the North Bay. Napa Valley Writers' Salon at Jessel Gallery Jessel Gallery hosts its spring writers salon on Saturday, May 13, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Four authors will be reading from their works: -- Dr. Rebecca Levy- Gantt is a board certified OB/GYN and a certified menopause practitioner who has been practicing for the last 15 years in Napa. Originally from New York City, she has published two memoirs, "Womb With A View" and "Motherhood, Medicine and Me." -- Amber Starfire, an award-winning author and editor in Napa, whose first memoir, "Not the Mother I Remember," was a finalist for the Indie Book Awards for 2015 and the Sarton Memoir Awards in 2016. Her latest memoir, "Accidental Jesus Freak: One Woman's Journey from Fundamentalism to Freedom," explores the tensions between genders and between beliefs and reality. She also co-edited "Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the '60s & '70s." -- Rebecca Lawton was one of the first Grand Canyon boatwomen in the 1970s and '80s. She has lived a water-driven life as a fluvial (stream) geologist and writer about science, river culture and water in peril. Her essays, poems and stories have been published in her 10 books, many anthologies and journals like Audubon, Orion, and Terrain.org. -- Barbara Toboni has published three collections of poetry, "Undertow," "Water Over Time" and "Light the Way." In 2018, "The Bunny Poets," a childrens picture book was published. Soon to be introduced, in time for the Jessel Gallery Salon, is her new picture book, "The Library Book." Reservations are requested at jesselgallery@napanet.net. A $10 fee is payable at the door by cash or checks to cover the costs of the evening. There is no charge for children. Jessel Gallery is at 1019 Atlas Peak Road, Napa. 'Writing the Emotional Piece' with Randall McNair Napa Valley Writers will feature Randall McNair, the author of the multiple award-winning #BarPoems series, at their next meeting on May 10. Described by his inner circle as "poet laureate of the absurd," McNair has published poems in American, British, and Canadian literary journals. He splits his time between the SF Bay area, Los Angeles and the Philippines. You can learn more at barpoems.com and view some of his work-in-progress at mcnairpoet.com. Napa Valley Writers, a branch of the California Writers Club, holds meetings at Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Ave., Napa. The cost is $5 for members, $7 for non-members. Students with ID, free. For more information, contact lenorehirsch@att.net or see napavalleywriters.online. Always open to the public. Genre-based workshop In preparation for accepting submissions to their 2023 anthology, Napa Valley Writers will hosts a workshop for all interested writers on Saturday, April 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Napa Public Library Community Room Meet the section editors, hear a selection from a past anthology and learn what makes it an excellent piece and what errors that turn off the editorial team. The meeting is free and open to the public. Two local impressionist artists opened an art gallery together in Calistoga last week. Collings & Legere Art Gallery, at 1217 Washington St., is owned and operated by Marta Collings and Therese Legere. Collings Cabernet Vista, a large oil painting of a vineyard aglow in warm autumn colors can be seen outside, enticing visitors to step inside to view the works, which showcase the splendor of nature through original oils, limited editions, giclees, fine art prints, fabric art and more. A portion of the gallery is an art studio so that the two artists can paint while managing the gallery. Collings & Legere Art Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. During an interview, the two artists talked about art, hopes for their gallery, raising children and life in general. Though the basis for Collings and Legere joining forces to become gallery owners is their passion for art and their high regard for each others work, they are keenly mindful of the inequities between the sexes in the art world. And they want to do something about it. Women earn 70 percent of bachelor of fine arts and 65 to 75 percent of master of fine arts degrees in the United States though only 46 percent of working artists across all arts disciplines are women, Legere said, referring to statistics supplied by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Only 14 percent of living artists represented by galleries in the U.S. are women, she continued. Women artists still only account for eight percent of the art market. Honing her skills in Napa Valley Collings, who has lived in Napa for more than three decades, is a long-time member of the local art community. She grew up in Southern California; later, when her family moved to Northern California, she said she became an introvert delving into art. Collings majored in art at San Jose State University and Chico State University. Her formal education taught her the fundamentals in color, light, technique and composition, but the honing of her skills she credits to working with many talented artists in Napa Valley. For years, Collings put painting on the backburner as her time was filled with raising two children and working as a travel agent, but as her children grew older and her husbands business prospered, she began to paint again. At that point I was able to move on to pursue my love of painting full time, Collings said. Painting is meditation. Being outdoors or in my studio creating art is my passion. Collings work has been represented by North Bay Gallery, Jessel Gallery, Art Gallery Napa Valley and The Perfect Piece Gallery and Gifts. In the early 2000s, Collings co-owned the Blue Heron Gallery at Vintage 1870 with Betty Jo March. Betty Joe has lived in the valley most of her life and is a well-known watercolorist and oil painter," Collings said. She is in her 90s nowwe still keep in touch. I have an immense love of the Napa Valley and the beauty it provides, Collings said. My children were raised here. Also, the friendships I have developed here are irreplaceable. I hope that my art conveys the love that I have of our surroundings and gives the viewer the same feeling I try to convey of the ever-changing valley moments in time through my paintings, she continued. Finding a competitor and a colleague Collings will never forget seeing Therese Legeres work for the first time. I thought, wow, who is this? I havent seen her work before. It is amazing. I thought, shes my competition, Collings said, laughing. Me too, I felt the same way when I saw Martas art," Legere responded with good-natured laughter. "Our work was next to each others in the First Street Gallery. Legeres impressionistic paintings stand out with a style all their own. I wanted to get to know Therese. It was a competitive thing but at the same time theres mutual respect, Collings said. Ive got somebody that I feel is at my level that I can talk to about this (art), so we have a connection that way. Legere is an East Coast transplant now living in Calistoga. I moved here two and a half years ago because my husband was tired of shoveling snow, and we had grown children in the area, Legere said. We flew over during the Glass Fire. We couldnt go into Calistoga because it was closed off. Legere and her husband Norman live near the gallery, just a 15-minute brisk walk away. She has been warmly embraced by the local art community, and she now feels at home here but admits that there were times when she questioned leaving the East Coast to encounter fire worries and being a newcomer during a pandemic. The two artists finally met at Jessel Gallery and became friends while doing Art Association Napa Valleys Open Studios together. I was telling a lot of people that my dream was to open an art gallery in Calistoga because I felt it was a good place, said Legere. It has lots of tourists and is a vibrant town. Collings concurred and the two began making plans. When they found an available space near abundant parking, they eagerly took it. Were taking turns manning the gallery so that each of us has time to do our own painting and other things, Legere said. Marta has her art supplies here, and shell be setting up in the gallery for painting. Ill be painting here, too. Our studio will be by the front corner near the window. We have a lot of similar subject matter in our paintings because were attracted to the beauty of Northern California, said Collings. The landscape is so diverse, and we both love color. Two diverse styles Though their subject matter is alike, they each have a unique style that local art lovers are beginning to recognize (even without looking seeing a signature on a painting). Legeres work is characterized by the signature style she developed called Defined Impressionism that results in a stained-glass effect. She creates this by using bold colorful brushstrokes and defining certain shapes and forms to create a vibrant and energetic piece using an interplay of the light, vibration of form and movement in nature. Collings prefers a wet on wet loose impressionist style. She used to work with watercolors and oils, but these days she prefers oils because oils allow you to keep working on them but with watercolors you cant change it. Collings works quickly with large brushes and palette knives and tries not to obsess with detail. Recently, she is working mostly with palette knives. I rarely use a brush now, Collings said. I use a pallet knife 95 percent of the time, and if I want a soft edge for a painting, I use a brush for that. I try to convey the feeling of the warm sunlight, the blowing wind, or the smell of flowers and foliage, Collings said. My paintings are a moment in time, I want the viewer to be in the moment and appreciate the love of the landscape that I have embraced. With me it is a passion, Collings said. If something doesnt turn out right, I keep working on it until it is right. I refuse to allow anyone to see my work unless Im completely happy with it. Legere is a multimedia artist who was born in Canada. She has spent her life painting, drawing, sewing, weaving and dancing. She studied Fine Arts at the College St. Laurent in Montreal. Under the guidance of Jean Lefebure, a student and artist of the Automatiste movement in Montreal, she was strongly influenced by his classical approach to color chemistry, drawing, and oil and acrylic painting. In addition, Legere studied with Lucien Desmarais, a distinctive contemporary master weaver in Quebec. She also apprenticed with weavers in France where she learned how to produce fine fabrics made of silk, linen, cotton and hand-spun mohair. Legere received a couture certificate to create professional garments from her fine hand-woven fabrics, and her garments were juried into galleries and major shows in Montreal, Ottawa and Sherbrooke. She created the outfit worn by jazz master Yusef Lateef at the 1988 Grammy Awards ceremony. In Scotland, she wove panels and garments and taught weaving workshops. For the European Humanity Gathering, she directed and produced a 20-meter woven banner that symbolized the diversity and unity of all European countries. At the end of the week, the long banner was cut into smaller banners and given to each European country. Legere has included her fine woven work such as scarves in the new gallery. Over the years Legere has developed colorful impressionist oil paintings, intuitive abstract art, and created an angel series. I work in spurts. I work intensely for two months and then I catch my breath, Legere said. There were two times that I produced over 100 pieces a year in varying sizes, media and techniques Since her move to Calistoga, Legeres work has been in many solo and groups exhibitions throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma. Legeres work is represented at the Napa Valley Art Gallery, Jessel Gallery, Oli Gallery, and Riverfront Gallery in Petaluma. Im inspired by the enchanting Napa Valley of California, Legere said. Im documenting the colors, textures and light of the local vineyards and mountains and ocean in my paintings. My kids are grown, Legere said. This is my time, and the art community here has been so welcoming to me. People brought us flowers for the opening of our gallery. When I was business manager of the Fiber Art Center in Amherst, I noticed that customers were always so happy to come see art. The gift of art brings out joy and inspiration, said Legere. It is a business where people are happy to be there. For more information go to ArtInNapa.com. Photos: Get a picture of ArtHaus of Napa ArtHaus 6 ArtHaus 4 ArtHaus 5 ArtHaus 1 ArtHaus 2 ArtHaus 3 Cal Fires Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit responded to reports of a structure fire in the 4600 block of Dry Creek Road at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, with support from the Calistoga and St. Helena fire departments and the American Canyon Fire Protection District. The fire ignited one two-story residential structure, but didnt extend to any other structures and was contained was contained to mostly the second story of the residence, according to Erick Hernandez, a Cal Fire spokesperson. Hernandez said the agency responded with water tenders trucks that transport water for firefighting purposes owing to a lack of fire hydrants in the rural Dry Creek Road area. He added that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, and there were no injuries. Nearly everyone at a recent city of Napa Planning Commission meeting seemed to like The Crescent housing project proposed for an 8.6-acre site at 2344 Old Sonoma Road, including every commissioner present. 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. But a positive planning commission review, in the form of recommending the Napa City Council approve the project, was expected. The current proposal which would bring 154 condominiums and eight single family homes to Napa Countys former Health and Human Services campus has been praised repeatedly and has so far received no significant opposition while shooting through the citys review process. That included planning commission praise during a previous review of the preliminary plan before it was officially submitted to the city about eight months ago. The commissioners said they liked the project then, and they officially voted to support it at the meeting last week. Were talking 162 housing units in the middle of south Napa, and theres nobody here in opposition to that project, commission chair Bob Massaro said at the Thursday meeting. Thats amazing. The planning commission recommendation to approve follows one from the citys Cultural Heritage Commission about two weeks ago. That commission was involved because the plan seeks to reuse three historic Mission-style buildings and an existing crescent-shaped driveway immediately north of Old Sonoma Road. Indeed, the plan for that reuse has been the source of much support for the project. Ernie Schlobohm, a board member for Napa County Landmarks, said at the meeting that the group has been involved in discussions around how to use the site since 2016, and has advocated for the protection of the historic buildings and crescent while promoting a carefully planned housing development that could integrate the historic aspects of the site. Napa County Landmarks fully supported the proposed project, he said, because of how applicant Heritage Housing Partners has approached it. We hope you agree with our assessment that this development by HHP is a shining example of what can benefit Napa and be a successful model for other communities in Northern California to replicate, Schlobohm said. Several other speakers and organizations also expressed support for the project, in part because of the housing units, and affordable housing units, it would add. That included, in emailed comments, the Napa Valley Community Foundation, the Downtown Napa Association, the Gasser Foundation, Napa Climate Now!, the Napa County Bicycle Coalition, the Napa Housing Coalition and the Napa Valley Vintners. We see the need in our community for low-income, moderate- and middle-income households, so we are hopeful that the Crescent project will include as much of this type of housing as possible, wrote Rex Stults, vice president of industry relations for the Napa Valley Vintners. The exact number of affordable units offered by the development is dependent upon a $50 million state grant application which the city has submitted alongside Heritage Housing Partners. If all goes well with the grant application, 65 low-income and 47 moderate-income, for-sale units would be featured as part of proposed development, an increase of 64 affordable homes from the 25 low-income and 23 moderate-income units planned without the grant. Commissioner Beverly Shotwell said at the meeting, in reference to the proposal, that she was so incredibly enamored and giddy, and that she really hopes the project gets built. I just think this fits so well into the area, Shotwell said. It is such a unique and amazing opportunity for our community. It fits, it satisfies so much of our housing needs, our community needs and the development and the people behind it are just extraordinary. I believe this project will win accolades and awards in the years to come and I cant say enough about it. PHOTOS: Take a sneak peek inside these Napa apartments under construction SoCo Napa Apartments 2 SoCo Napa Apartments 1 SoCo Napa Apartments 3 SoCo Napa Apartments 4 SoCo Napa Apartments 5 SoCo Napa Apartments 5 SoCo Napa Apartments 7 SoCo Napa Apartments 8 SoCo Napa Apartments 9 SoCo Napa Apartments 10 SoCo Napa Apartments 11 SoCo Napa Apartments 12 SoCo Napa Apartments 13 SoCo Napa Apartments 14 Photo: The Canadian Press U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Perry, center, and his attorney Doug O'Connell, left, walk out of the courtroom during jury deliberations in his murder trial, Friday, April 7, 2023, at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas. Perry was convicted of murder on Friday for fatally shooting Garrett Foster, an armed protester in 2020, during nationwide protests against police violence and racial injustice. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's rush for a pardon is an egregious overreach to wipe aside the jury's unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who at the time of the shooting was working as a ride-share driver in downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and that she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. I just think its a travesty, Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon. Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governors move highly unusual and prosecutors condemned it as troubling. Abbott made his intentions known on Twitter less than 24 hours after the verdict and amid outrage from conservative voices on social media and television over the conviction. I just thought it was an egregious overreach of power, Dowell said. It's undermining due process. It's undermining democracy. I was upset, honestly. Perry was on active duty and working as a ride-share driver when he shot and killed Garrett Foster, 28, who had been legally carrying an AK-47 during a protest through Austins downtown. Perry is still awaiting sentencing from a judge. He faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who said she has not previously supported the three-term governor politically, said she worried Abbott wading into the case could cause other jurors to second-guess their decision. If your governor is coming out and saying you made the wrong decision, that may make you think twice about what you said or what you felt, she told AP. The AP has attempted to reach all jurors who served during the weeklong trial in Austin. Others have declined to speak about the case or not returned messages. Spokespersons for Abbott did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The trial had received little national attention prior to Friday's verdict and Abbott had not previously commented on the case publicly. He has has not elaborated on how he reached his conclusion about Perrys case, and his office on Monday referred questions to his statement on Twitter. The encounter leading up to the shooting began when Perry turned onto a street and into one of the demonstrations that swept the country after Minneapolis police killed of George Floyd. In video that was streamed live on Facebook, a car can be heard honking amid the downtown crowd. Then, several shots ring out, and protesters begin screaming and scattering. Perry drove off, later calling police to report the shooting, and officers arrived to find Foster shot. What led up to the gunfire was a core question in the trial that resulted in Perrys conviction. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry, and prosecutors said the sergeant could have driven off rather than opening fire with a handgun. Perry didnt testify. But his defense attorneys have said Foster pointed his gun at the driver and that the shooting was self-defense. I look forward to approving the Board's pardon as soon as it hits my desk, Abbott tweeted Saturday. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, whose office prosecuted Perry, said Tuesday he requested to meet with the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and present evidence. The board did not immediately respond to questions emailed Wednesday. During California's prolonged, wet winter, beekeeper Gene Brandi said he had to spend twice as much money on a sugary syrup to feed his honeybees and keep them alive. That's because the bees sent to pollinate blooming almond orchards took longer than usual to emerge from their hives due to chilly temperatures, wind and rain. Since the bees weren't out gathering nectar and pollen for nourishment, the 71-year-old beekeeper provided sustenance for them. We probably fed twice as much than weve fed in a normal year, said Brandi, of the Central Valley community of Los Banos. Its expensive to feed, but its more expensive if the hive dies. The challenge is one of many faced by America's beekeepers following the unusually wet winter that ravaged California's farm country, which feeds much of the nation. Most commercial beekeepers send their bees to California early in the year to help pollinate its $5 billion-a-year almond crop, then move them elsewhere to pollinate commodities ranging from avocados to cherries or to the Midwest to produce honey. The state was battered this winter by at least a dozen atmospheric rivers long plumes of moisture from the Pacific Ocean as well as powerful storms fueled by arctic air that produced blizzard conditions in mountainous areas. The wintry weather flooded homes, triggered power outages and brought much-needed rain to drought-parched agriculture, though in some cases, more water than the crops could withstand. It also took a toll on bees, who were slow to emerge from their hives during the cold front and weeks of showers. Almond growers say it's too soon to know if the delay in the bees' emergence will hurt the state's nut crop, which accounts for about 80% of the world's almonds, according to the Almond Board of California. With a slight reduction in almond acreage following three years of drought and the intense winter, its possible there will be fewer nuts this year than last, which was a boom year for the crop, said Rick Kushman, a spokesperson for the state Almond Board. Almond trees depend on bees for cross-pollination, and bees in turn feed on almond pollen, which helps sustain the hives throughout the bloom. While many people keep bees as a hobby, commercial beekeepers may have hundreds of hives and relocate their bees to pollinate various crops in distinct seasons. Bryan Ashurst, who sends his bees north from California's Imperial Valley to pollinate almond trees, said some hives were washed away by flooding. He said he sent six workers to try to feed his bees during the cold snap since they weren't out flying something he hasn't done in at least two decades and that cost at least $45,000. In bees, margins are thin, so we are putting out huge amounts of money, he said. Dan Winter, president of the American Beekeeping Federation, trucked his bees from Florida in late January to pollinate Californias almond orchards, which took longer than usual due to the weather. That delayed their return, so he said he now must hurry to get the hives ready to head to New York for apple tree pollination in less than a month. Weve got to kick it in gear and work a little faster, a little harder, Winter said. It just costs a little bit. There may be a sweet spot for California beekeepers as the rain is expected to bring a burst of spring wildflowers, which could provide ample forage for bees and potentially translate into a good year for honey. Brandi said he'll take his hives to coastal areas this spring so the bees can forage on a native plant to make sage honey, a premium product that he can only make every few years when there's ample rain. It is the finest honey we can make, he said, adding that the last sage honey he has in his shop dates to 2019. After that, Brandi, who sells honey to Bay Area buyers and a Midwest honey packer who supplies Costco, said his bees will head onward to feed on other plants and make more honey yet. Weve been praying for rain for the last three dry years, and we finally have it, he said. It should be a wonderful spring once it warms up for the bees. Democrats consider California pivotal to the party's efforts to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024, with a super PAC tied to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledging Tuesday to spend $35 million on competitive congressional races in the state. That's roughly triple what the group spent in the 2022 midterm campaigns in California, when Democrats underperformed in heavily blue states like California while fending off an expected Republican red wave in congressional races across the nation. "Democrats can't retake the House without winning seats back in California," said David Wasserman, a congressional forecaster for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Wasserman said Democrats' strategic decisions have historically teetered between the need to win House seats in states like California and the cost of campaigning in areas with such expensive media markets. In the November election, the party suffered the consequences for not spending big in California races and losing some close races. "Democrats abandoned multiple California districts that ended up being fairly close, and they spent a lot of money in other districts that didn't end up being very close," he said. The party and affiliated committees have "long been hesitant about laying down big bucks on California races because the markets are so expensive. They feel like there's a better return on investment" elsewhere, Wasserman added. Despite Democrats' overwhelming voter registration advantage in California, it is home to several competitive congressional districts, in large part because they are drawn by an independent commission that pays no heed to protecting officeholders. The Republicans' main congressional super PAC invested heavily in the state to protect the party's incumbents, won an open seat in the Central Valley and nearly knocked out a prominent Democratic House member. While the GOP took control of Congress in 2022 and Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy won the speaker's gavel in January, the margin of both victories was far narrower than expected, given historical trends, economic malaise and President Biden's lackluster approval ratings. Mike Smith, the president of the House Majority PAC, which is aligned with Democratic leaders in Congress, said the committee plans to focus on 18 congressional districts across the nation that are represented by Republicans but voted for Biden in 2020. Five are in California the exact number of seats Democrats need to flip to reclaim control of the House. "California is critical to the path," said Smith, a former senior Pelosi advisor. "We want to lay a marker down early." Under federal election law, the House Majority PAC is allowed to raised unlimited sums from donors for independent expenditures on individual races, while the national parties and candidates themselves face contribution limits. In 2022, Republican incumbents held on to seats in the Central Valley, northern Los Angeles County and Orange County that Democrats were confident about winning because of Biden's success in these districts. The reelections of GOP Reps. David Valadao of Hanford and Mike Garcia of Santa Clarita are prime examples, and were the result of finding candidates who fit their districts politically as well as smart and effective campaign spending, said Republican redistricting expert Matt Rexroad. "It's not going to be a layup" for Democrats, Rexroad said. "McCarthy has done a good job of recruiting candidates who can hold their districts for not just one term, but for an extended time period." Paul Mitchell, a Democratic redistricting expert, agreed that his party "totally walked away" from the Garcia race, which he believed was one of his party's best opportunities in the nation. But he also argues Democrats will have a better chance in a number of California congressional districts because 2024 is a presidential election year, which means greater turnout among young people, minorities and other voters who tend to favor Democratic candidates. "We are going to have much, much higher Democratic turnout," Mitchell said. The Democratic political action committee's pledge to spend a significant amount of money supporting the party's candidates comes months after former state Assemblywoman Christy Smith, who unsuccessfully ran against Garcia three times, called out national Democrats for not backing her campaign in 2022. "The utter lack of investment made no sense," Smith said in an interview late last year, shortly after she castigated her party on Twitter for failing to support her sufficiently in the race to represent California's 27th District, which includes Santa Clarita, the Antelope Valley and parts of the San Fernando Valley. The onetime GOP stronghold has grown more Democratic as Los Angeles residents moved there seeking affordable housing. The decennial redrawing of congressional maps made the district even bluer by excising Simi Valley. "Our campaign got next to zero outside resources to fight this battle," Smith said in her remarks on Twitter. With no help on the airwaves and little elsewhere from liberal committees and PACs, "we didn't stand a chance," she said. The parties' political action committees' 2022 spending in California was incredibly lopsided, with the House Majority PAC spending less than $12 million compared with $33.1 million spent by its Republican counterpart, the Congressional Leadership Fund linked to McCarthy. The Republican super PAC is expected to spend a similar amount in California this cycle to aggressively defend its incumbents in tight races and to try to oust vulnerable Democrats. "We won for two cycles in a row in California because of great Republican candidates and voters being fed up living in a state where Democrat governance has led to high crime and high costs. California will remain key in the fight to protect the House majority," said Dan Conston, president of the Congressional Leadership Fund. McCarthy has long been a fundraising powerhouse, and his prowess appears to have grown since he became speaker. In February, at his first fundraiser after being elected the leader of the House, he reportedly raised more than $12 million in one night. The Congressional Leadership Fund spent $2.5 million in the Garcia-Smith contest, while the House Majority PAC spent a little more than $23,000. Democrats argue that their 2022 strategy was grounded in the realities of the campaign including the anticipated GOP congressional victories across the nation and the cost of television advertising in California, home to some of the nation's most expensive media markets. Also, Democratic candidates such as Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine now running for retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein's seat had tens of millions of dollars in their campaign coffers, so they did not receive the financial backing that their Republican rivals did. The Congressional Leadership Fund spent nearly $6.8 million in the race backing former Orange County GOP chair Scott Baugh against Porter, while the House Majority PAC spent a little more than $91,100. Porter narrowly won. Mitchell said that while he didn't want to second-guess Democrats' past strategy, he predicts that the party is going to invest heavily in these districts in next year's campaigns. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A California lawmaker wanted to push more middle schoolers to get vaccinated against a sexually-transmitted disease that causes cancer. But now shes shifting her efforts to college students. Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, authored a bill that would have added the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine to a list of shots required for eighth grade enrollment. But amendments to her bill have since stripped the enforcement provision from the middle school requirement, stating that students entering eighth grade are expected to be fully immunized. The newer version of the bill would still require the HPV vaccine in the University of California and California State University systems. Students enrolling at public colleges would need to get HPV shots to attend classes. Aguiar-Curry said shes taking this approach out of concern that a mandate could hurt children already negatively affected by COVID-19 school closures and distance learning. Im doing this bill to help kids avoid serious health impacts later in their lives from this virus, Aguiar-Curry said in an email. But I decided not to enforce the requirement at the K-12 level because I dont want removal from the classroom to cause further harm to California children. HPV is transmitted through sex and can cause cervical cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children get vaccinated against HPV through a two-shot series starting at age 11 or 12, in order to protect them long before they become sexually active. About 69% of teens age 13 to 17 are up to date on their HPV vaccinations, according to data from the CDCs National Immunization Survey. But 89% of teens in the same age group have received at least one dose of the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, or tdap, vaccine, which is required for seventh grade attendance. No middle school shot mandate? California has strict vaccine requirements for public school students. Children must be vaccinated against a list of illnesses before enrolling in transitional kindergarten and seventh grade. Legislators in recent years have worked to close loopholes allowing for personal belief or medical exemptions, making it very challenging for parents to avoid vaccinating their children. Aguiar-Currys bill would place the HPV vaccine in a gray area. It would be required for eighth graders, but schools couldnt bar unvaccinated students from enrolling in classes. The assemblywoman believes even an unenforced requirement would help encourage more HPV vaccinations. The bill still requires HPV vaccines be added to the list of required vaccinations so parents will be made aware by their pediatrician, Aguiar-Curry said. I feel that educational process, with a health professional who cares for their child, will provide more education about and awareness of the virus and the ability to avoid potential illness in the future. Struggle to pass vaccine bills Anti-vaccine opposition grew during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become more organized. Lawmakers have struggled to pass bills expanding vaccine mandates. Legislators pulled nearly all their vaccine bills last session. This included a measure from Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, that would have allowed teens ages 15 and older to get vaccines fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration without their parents permission. Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration eventually pulled back from requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for public school attendance. Groups that oppose vaccine mandates are also fighting Aguiar-Currys bill. Freedom Angels, which has been organizing against shot requirements since 2019, celebrated the amendments and the lawmakers decision to postpone the bills Assembly Health Committee hearing in March. Group members on social media say theyre against the bill because HPV cant be transmitted in schools and young people 12 years and older can already get the vaccine without parents consent. But Freedom Angels also spreads debunked misinformation about HPV shot side effects and Merck, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the widely-used Gardasil-brand vaccine. Catherine Flores Martin of the California Immunization Coalition said she hasnt heard a lot of opposition to the HPV shot or other childhood vaccines in the same way parents expressed concerns about COVID immunizations. Im not sure that mainstream parents would be that upset about HPV, Flores Martin said. Ultimately, I think it would be successful. Ultimately, I think if weve stayed strong and made it happen, it would be successful. I think people were more concerned about COVID because of all the things around COVID, and its a relatively new vaccine. Planned Parenthood supports the bill, saying in a support letter it would close the access gap among teens and young adults who receive the vaccine late, or not at all. Flores Martin said the Immunization Coalition has not yet taken a position on Aguiar-Currys bill. A letter from the group suggests checking for the HPV vaccine at seventh grade, as schools already do for the tdap and chickenpox shots. The group would also like to see Hepatitis B added back onto the list of shots mandated for seventh graders. Education is great, Flores Martin said. .... But I think a lot of education is already happening. So, not a bad thing, but we were sort of in a position of do a mandate or not, basically. So its great that they want to check it, if theyre proposing checking at college. But if youre going to do a mandate, the preferred time would be at junior high age. Working in the government comes with a lot of assumptions from the general population. People often think government positions are limited to political affairs or the IRS. This couldnt be further from the truth. There are a lot of government jobs people dont think of as often, like teaching, firefighting, or police work. The salaries may not always be amazing for some government jobs, but they come with a lot of other benefits. Auto insurance discounts for federal employees can be excellent. Government positions almost always come with decent health insurance, retirement benefits, and perhaps even life insurance. Well talk about several of the reasons you should think about applying for a government job if youre looking for something stable to participate in throughout your life. Well also discuss some of the social benefits of working in the government, like getting to work in the community to help people you care about. #1 Health Insurance Benefits It can be difficult to find a private sector job that gives you health insurance benefits these days. Many private companies only hire workers for part-time shifts so they dont have to give health insurance benefits. Other companies simply dont have the money to give their employees health insurance. Whether you work for the police department, the fire station, or as a tax specialist, youll usually have pretty fair health insurance from the federal government. Make sure you sign up for benefits when you get hired, as they arent automatically given to you. You have to choose what package you want, what insurance company youre going to go through, and more. Having health insurance is a huge reason to take a job. It means if you have anything from back pain to a major disease like cancer, youll be guaranteed health coverage when youre working at a government job. #2 You Dont Have to Possess Specialized Skills Even though the government has a lot of jobs that require specialized skills, there are also a lot of careers with short training periods and they dont need a college degree. Working as a police officer usually requires several weeks of training, but no further degrees or education. Working as a school custodian would require basically no training. If youre someone who is struggling to figure out what career youre interested in pursuing, think about going online to a site like Indeed or Glassdoor and searching for government jobs. You can narrow the search by saying you only have a high school diploma. You might just find there are a lot of job openings youre qualified for. If youre someone who is struggling to find work because you have a criminal record, working for the government is a great choice. Many federal agencies are fine with hiring people with criminal backgrounds as long as youre honest about your past. Private companies often arent as forgiving. #3 You May Get Life Insurance This is pretty similar to the benefit of getting health insurance. Many private companies cant afford to provide life insurance benefits to their employees, but most government jobs can. Life insurance is one of the most important purchases you can make for your family, so lets cover some of the basics of its importance. If you have people youre responsible for, getting life insurance will help them in case anything tragic occurs in the family. Living a healthy lifestyle will contribute to getting life insurance for an affordable price. You should be warned that some jobs such as police work or government construction work are more dangerous and could lead to increased life insurance prices to make up for the risk of you passing away from an accident on the job. #4 Government Jobs Have Purpose Some people really want to make a difference in the world with their career choices. Working a government job almost always impacts many other groups of people around the city, state, and maybe even the country. Lets say youre a teacher. Becoming an educator requires you to have a knowledge of your subject matter, but also a deep understanding of how children tick. Impressing the importance of responsibility, perseverance, and patience upon students can be a very rewarding part of the teaching profession. Having students return to you and tell you how much of a difference you made in their lives is really valuable and makes you feel great about your job. Another example of purposeful government work is being a firefighter. Working in the fire department requires you to have the courage to save peoples lives, but it also gives you the rewarding feeling of impacting your community in an incredible way. #5 There is Great Variety Working in the government can be filled with a lot of variety. In fact, there are many federal agencies who hire workers from a ton of different career paths. If youre good with math and numbers, you should look into becoming a tax specialist or an accountant for a government agency. If you like working with your hands, becoming a painter, a construction worker, or an architect is a great opportunity for you. If you like driving, think about becoming a school bus driver. If youre into medicine, theres a chance the military is looking for medical workers to add to their branch. For many of these jobs, people only think about joining a private company when they get their certification or degree. Look for government opportunities so you can take advantage of your skills and get the other benefits weve talked about here. #6 You Get a Good Retirement Older people are struggling more than ever to have money in reserve when its time to retire, leading them to find ways to spend less. Many private companies are skimping on providing retirement benefits such as pensions or VIPs. Government jobs almost always have these retirement benefits, much like we talked about with life insurance and health insurance. Working for the government sounds scary at first. If you educate yourself on all of the different job opportunities federal places provide, that fear turns into excitement. Working for the government gives you personal pride and a sense of worth because youre affecting many other people in your community. Its a great experience everyone should think about having. Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. He wants to help people figure out whether working for the government is right for them. General Singh Rana: India and Iran are working to expand military cooperation State minister: Humanitarian goods, fuel imports to Karabakh completely disrupted Thomas de Waal: There will be new conflict between Karabakh and Azerbaijan digiPOS digital terminal from Ardshinbank: cash register in your smartphone Marukyan: US, France, Russia, EU ready to guarantee implementation of peace treaty to be signed with Azerbaijan? Israel ambassador expresses solidarity with Armenian people Aliyev promises Europe more Azerbaijani natural gas Azerbaijanis put You are entering the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan road sign near Hakari bridge Armenia economic activity index up 12.2% in first quarter Bob Menendez: It's time to halt security assistance to Baku Explanation made regarding Armenia v. Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan v. Armenia court cases Armenia opposition MP: Russia is taking steps on the spot, Azerbaijan internal troops are also there Pelosi: Last year our delegation had solemn honor to visit Armenian Genocide Memorial Armenia flag hoisted over Italys Reggio Calabria city hall Biden to run in 2024 US presidential race Karabakh MP: Negotiations to reopen Hakari bridge are in progress with Azerbaijan CoE Commissioner for Human Rights says she tried to visit Karabakh but could not Schiff: International observers should have been sent to Karabakh, Lachin corridor years ago US Congress members re-introduce Armenian Genocide Education Act to House of Representatives Adam Schiff: There should be sanctions on Azerbaijan Armenias Pashinyan to Israels Netanyahu: Our relations have positive prerequisites for moving to new qualitative level Chaarat Gold company discontinues talks for Lydian Armenia purchase American Armenians march, with huge Karabakh flag, to Turkey embassy in Washington Adam Schiff: I've never been more concerned, frankly, that there may be another major outbreak of war Germany Bundestag human rights committee head: New Azerbaijani checkpoint contradicts international law Loucas Fourlas visits border regions of Armenias Syunik province Adam Schiff submits to US Congress draft resolution recognizing Karabakh independence France FM to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan, to discuss situation in Lachin corridor Newspaper: Pashinyan-Putin telephone conversation result being awaited Karabakh ombudsman: Azerbaijan takes blatantly brazen step that directly contradicts tripartite statement Kamala Harris on Armenian Genocide: Let us never forget, let us rededicate ourselves to speaking out against hate Bruno Retailleau: Azerbaijani checkpoint installation on Hakari bridge could be beginning of new large-scale operation Canada FM issues message on Armenian Genocide 108th anniversary 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 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 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 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 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 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 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) 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) 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 Talks were to be held between us and the Azerbaijanis, the commander of the army corps was there to reach an agreement, but negotiations did not take place, there was a provocation by Azerbaijan. Narek Ghahramanyan, an MP from the ruling majority Civil Contract (CC) Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, told this to reporters in the NA on Wednesday. To the remark that in the respective video released by the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, it can be seen that the pickup truck of the Azerbaijanis is coming with about ten servicemen, whereas the Armenian soldiers are not firing at them, the lawmaker from Syunik Province said: "When the pickup approached, it was not as if it approached by shooting. Maybe they [i.e., the Armenian soldiers] thought that those negotiators came, maybe they thought that they came on some other occasion. If you have seen the video, the distance between the positions is about 20 meters. And if they were going to shoot, one can always shoot from 20 meters." Asked whether it turns out that the Armenian side is relying on the common sense of Azerbaijanis, Ghahramanyan responded: "In no case do we rely on anyone's common sense, except ours. Negotiations took place before that, too. They took place during that time, too. They were supposed to take place yesterday, too, but the Azerbaijani side resorted to provocation. Azerbaijan did not refuse the negotiations because later there were more negotiations to stop the fighting. At that moment, there was a provocation, a shooting started, which turned into a big battle." To the questions, what the objective of the Azerbaijanis is, whether they want to occupy Tegh village of Syunik Province, the CC faction lawmaker responded: "No. They are just resorting to provocation to disrupt the peace negotiations. They blame us for the same, but we know who is not benefiting from all this." At around 4pm on Tuesday, a group of Azerbaijani soldiers approachedunder the pretext of adjusting the deployment sitesthe Armenian servicemen carrying out engineering work in the vicinity of Tegh village of Armenias Syunik Province, provoked them, opened gun fire, then firedwith weapons of various calibersat these Armenian soldiers. And as a result of the ensuing exchange of fire, the Armenian side has four casualties and six wounded. Photo: Claire Wilson. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon addresses the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on April 12 Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced Wednesday (April 12) B.C. intends to become a leader in the digital permitting process with a $9-million grant to the Vancouver-based Digital Supercluster, a non-profit dedicated to advancing digital technology. The three-year grant will be dedicated to accelerating the creation of new technologies in the construction sector, according to the Ministry of Housing. The plan includes collaboration with partners in industry, academia and at all levels of government to create new digital tools for the construction sector. The grant will also work towards designing pilot projects to test those tools. The provinces investments in digitizing the housing sector will make B.C. a North American leader in digital construction and permitting through the digitization of the building code and advancing the adoption of technologies that help the sector work more effectively with regulators, Digital Supercluster CEO Sue Paish said in a statement. The Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Citizens Services will also work towards digitizing the BC Building Code and the building permitting process with pilots in select local governments in 2024, according to the province. These investments build on the Homes for People plan, announced at the beginning of April, which includes the intention to streamline and modernize permitting with the goal of speeding up the process and reducing costs, according to the province. This is meant to build off what the province has called a digital one-stop-shop for permitting. The one-stop-shop is meant to speed up internal decision-making within provincial ministries that involving the permitting process, Kahlon told Glacier Media. Building in the province requires multiple provincial permit applications involving different ministries and processes. The government has said previously the average approval timeline is about two years. In the ideal world, I'd love to see a time where all applications no matter where they are in the province go through one system, Kahlon said. And the system automatically identifies what level of government needs to see the application and then the progress of that project can be tracked through one system. That's the ideal. Digitizing building permits will take roughly one year and the work with Digital Supercluster may take up to three. We want to get within the next two years, a system that connects all communities to the provincial permitting process, Kahlon said. We want to find a way for proponents to not only have an easier way to go through one door, but also be able to see where their application is through the process. I know that uncertainty right now causes a lot of stress for people and we have to find ways to eliminate that. As of now, there is relative calm, there are no combat actions, there have been no positional changes, and the positions were maintained as they were before those combat actions. Armen Khachatryan, an MP from the ruling majority Civil Contract (CC) Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, told this to reporters in the NA on Wednesday, regarding Tuesdays incident in Syunik Province. On the remark that in the respective video released by the Ministry of Defense, it can be seen that the pickup truck of the Azerbaijanis is coming with about ten soldiers, and asked why the Armenian soldiers were not shooting at them and whether there was an order not to shoot, the lawmaker from Syunik Province said: "The Azerbaijani pickup was approaching our positions in order to negotiate; there is a constant negotiation there. They came, demanded something, demanded that our engineering work be stopped, or something like that, and we gave a response according to what was deserved. The response also resulted in combat actions. We conduct combat actions." He assured that the Armenian army very clearly fulfilled the task set before it on Tuesday. "Yesterday, our soldiers gave a worthy response to Azerbaijan's insolence. Of course, the combat actions ended with the falling of our servicemen; glory and honor to them! But the [Armenian] army brilliantly fulfilled the task set before it yesterday; it fulfilled [it] with difficulty, but brilliantly, and it is very good that this there is peace and quiet at the moment," Khachatryan noted. To the question as to what the Azerbaijanis are demanding, the CC lawmaker responded: "They are doing everything to prevent our engineering work from being implemented. Very major, large-scale work has been carried out there, which Azerbaijanis do not like." There was no mediation to stop the battle, it was stopped as a result of talks and negotiations between the respective representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Khachatryan said. "The matter was put like this: Do we continue to fight? Casualties, wounded. Does it become a war? Or is it being stopped and is stopped? I am sure that standing strong in yesterday's positions and striking back [by the Armenian servicemen] played a big role in the stopping," Armen Khachatryan stated. At around 4pm on Tuesday, a group of Azerbaijani soldiers approachedunder the pretext of adjusting the deployment sitesthe Armenian servicemen carrying out engineering work in the vicinity of Tegh village of Armenias Syunik Province, provoked them, opened gun fire, then firedwith weapons of various calibersat these Armenian soldiers. And as a result of the ensuing exchange of fire, the Armenian side has four casualties and six wounded. We must fundamentally reflect on the concept with which the Nagorno-Karabakh issue was pursued during the years of our independence. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stat this during Wednesdays question-and-answer session at the National Assembly of Armenia. "There we have two parts: before the Madrid Principles, and after that. Before the Madrid Principles, the position of the Armenian parties was that Nagorno-Karabakh was never part of independent Azerbaijan and exercised its right to self-determination in the context of the collapse of the USSR. Just as other subjects of the USSR, exercising the right to self-determination which is recorded in the Almaty Declaration [of December 1990], received independence, so did Nagorno-Karabakh received that right. Consequently, Nagorno-Karabakh became independent from the USSR. "In 2007, during the period of transformation or transfer of power [in Armenia] when Serzh Sargsyan was the Prime Minister and Robert Kocharyan was holding the office of the President of the Republic of Armenia, the Madrid Principles emerged at that time, where the principles of territorial integrity and the right to self-determination were being emphasized. It was recorded that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be adjusted by some mechanism, and that mechanism should, in fact, be agreed upon by Azerbaijan as well. "A very serious, conceptual change has taken place here. If before the Madrid Principles, the position of the Armenian parties was that Karabakh was never part of Azerbaijan and is not now either, therefore, there may not be a need to agree on the future status because Nagorno-Karabakh has already self-determined, the Madrid Principles record that an agreement should be reached with Azerbaijan regarding the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Moreover, according to reliable information, the author of those principles was the Armenian side itself," said the Armenian PM. According to him, a question arises here that if we do not consider Nagorno-Karabakh to be a part of Azerbaijan, why the issue of its status should be agreed with Azerbaijan. "This logic that they have placed, in the case of paraphrasing, means that Nagorno-Karabakh must be a part of Azerbaijan to be self-determined. Otherwise, from whom is it self-determined? This is the actual content of that policy. This is our greatest shortcoming, that we have not come forward with all this since 2018, and have not explained [it] to our people," said Pashinyan. Also, he emphasized that after leaving Nagorno-Karabakh out of the negotiations, Armenia has come and said: I have come to exercise the right of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination. But wait a minute, who are you, dear friend? It says, We are Armenia. But self-determination is about it [i.e., Nagorno-Karabakh] should be at the [negotiating] table, it's not someone else's decision, it's self-determination. Armenia has come, said, I have come to protect the right of self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh by leaving Nagorno-Karabakh out of the negotiation process. They said, If you are talking, then this is a territorial dispute, a territorial demand. And the whole essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue has been deformed. "If before the Madrid Principles, the place from which Nagorno-Karabakh was to self-determine was the Soviet Union, then after the Madrid Principles, as a result of the genius diplomacy of the Armenian side, the place from which Nagorno-Karabakh had to self-determine became Azerbaijan. According to the Madrid Principles, Armenia recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. We may be lazy most of the time from that record, but we are reaping its fruits today. It is very important that all this is said. It is our fault that we did not say this in May 2018. We thought that somehow we can get out of this trap, or at least it is our duty to do what is up to us to get out of that trap. But since the trap was internationally agreed upon, we could not do it," emphasized the Armenian premier. Photo: Mike Howell Troy Awasis with his dog, Rebel, on East Hastings Street Wednesday after being told to dismantle his tent on the sidewalk and pack up his personal belongings. Troy Awasis spent Tuesday night in a tent on East Hastings Street with his dog, Rebel. When he woke up, he was told to pack his stuff and leave his spot outside a red-brick residential building near Carrall Street, as a city-led operation that began one week ago to clear the sidewalks continued Wednesday. Every day, they come and tell us to take it down, said Awasis, who planned to find another spot on the sidewalk before nightfall. He has slept sometimes without a tent up and down East Hastings since a fire erupted a few weeks ago in the building he was living in at Columbia Street. The building didnt burn down, but there was enough damage that he couldnt return to his place. He had only lived there for two months, having been homeless off and on for seven years. Trying to find a shelter that will accommodate him and Rebel, who is a mix of Jack Russell, Pomeranian and Chihuahua, has proved difficult, said Awasis, whose focus Wednesday was to continue searching for a place that would get the two of them off the street. Last Wednesday, he said, when the city and police ramped up efforts to dismantle the encampment, he lost some of his personal belongings to a garbage truck. Trying to explain to city crews that his building was damaged in a fire didnt matter, he said. At the same time, he added, he understands the need to clear the sidewalks and the concern from residents and building owners about open drug use but emphasized a housing plan should have been in place for people on the street. Without one, he said, people like him will just return to the sidewalks. Its frustrating when youve got to take your tent down every day, but a lot of people down here don't know how to clean up after themselves, and that's probably why the city cracks down a lot, he said. But you just can't just kick people off the street with nowhere to go. You have to find some sort of housing for them. Glacier Media counted 27 tents and structures between Gore Avenue and Carrall Street at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Small teams of police and city crews moved up and down East Hastings to continue the decampment, but did so without closing down the street. The massive push April 5 and 6 to end the encampment was a continuation of the citys efforts to clear the sidewalks, as per Fire Chief Karen Frys order issued in July 2022. City officials told reporters last week that the safety of people living on the street and in buildings was paramount. More than 370 fires occurred on East Hastings Street in the past eight months. An email from the citys communications department Wednesday said the city has seen a marked improvement along East Hastings regarding fire safety, with fewer tents and structures along the strip. 30% decline in DTES fires As part of the operation April 5 and 6, crews took down 94 entrenched structures and removed 50 propane tanks from the encampment zone. More than 70 totes for storage were also provided to individuals and stored off-site, the city said. Since April 6, VPD are finding fewer weapons along this stretch of East Hastings, the city said. Engineering has noticed an improvement in sidewalk accessibility and bylaw compliance compared to last week. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services has confirmed nearly a 60 per cent decline in outdoor fires in Vancouver over the past five days and nearly a 30 per cent decline in fires in the Downtown Eastside since the cleanup. The city said its teams engaged with 56 people associated with structures removed over April 5 and 6. Of those, 18 accepted referrals to shelters, whose operators held beds for each of them, the city said. While the number of shelter spaces available can fluctuate, all residents experiencing homelessness and sheltering overnight in the East Hastings encampment who have requested a space were able to be accommodated, the city said. While some shelters have been at capacity, there have been spaces available every night in the system. From last August to April 5, more than 600 structures were removed from the area and more than 150 people accepted and moved into housing. And more than 165 people accepted referrals to shelter. The city pointed out some people who were in the encampment have housing and others were there for reasons such as vending or socializing. BC Housing and the city are working together to rapidly deploy additional social and supportive housing to provide options for people to come inside, the city said. City crews dispose of a tent on East Hastings Street. Photo Mike Howell 'Quick response teams' City manager Paul Mochrie told reporters April 5 that the goal was to end the encampment by the end of that day. The city acknowledged in its email what was obvious Wednesday that work continues to end the encampment, but wouldnt say if it is an indefinite operation. To prevent entrenched structures from returning, city crews with the assistance of the VPD will deploy quick response teams to remove structures under the street and traffic bylaw as soon as possible, the city said. In the longer term, we are looking at different integrated models for encampment response. The city reiterated what municipal politicians past and present have said for years about homelessness that it is a regional challenge, with Vancouver operating 75 per cent of the regions shelter spaces, 77 per cent of the supportive housing units and 50 per cent of the social housing. This model is not sustainable, the city said. The city looks forward to working in partnership with other municipalities, senior levels of government and non-profit partners on a regional homelessness approach to address this crisis. Meanwhile, Awasis predicted city crews would not be able to fully end the encampment. Even if they were successful, he added, people will just end up in other neighbourhoods. Where do you expect everyone to go? he said. You rip everyones tents down thats not going to solve the problem. Theyre going to have a tent up somewhere else, push them out of downtown and then thats really going to start bothering people. Biden lands in Belfast with vow to 'keep the peace' Biden lands in Belfast with vow to 'keep the peace' US President Joe Biden landed in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, hoping to help maintain the fragile peace brokered 25 years ago after decades of sectarian violence over British rule. Before boarding Air Force One, Biden, 80, said the priority for his trip was "to keep the peace" and bring an end to the protracted political deadlock caused by opposition among pro-UK parties to post-Brexit trading rules. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Biden on the tarmac when he touched down in the Northern Irish capital, just 24 hours after the landmark anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. But security remains a concern. On Monday, masked youths pelted police vehicles with petrol bombs during an illegal march by dissident republicans in Londonderry, which is also known as Derry. Despite the scenes, US officials said Biden was "very excited for this trip". "We'd like to see the national assembly (in Belfast) returned, clearly," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters en route to Belfast, with the Stormont legislature currently suspended. "The message is twofold. It's congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday agreement... (and) to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities as well as the United States," he said. Biden will deliver remarks on Wednesday at Ulster University in Belfast, set to focus on the economic promise of inward investment if the peace endures. He will also meet the leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties, the White House said, with reports he will press the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to resume power-sharing. Devolved government in Belfast is a key plank of the peace accords but it collapsed 14 months ago over the party's trenchant opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. Biden, who has Irish ancestry, will also travel south to Ireland for a three-day visit, in part tracing his family history. During a trip to County Mayo in northwest Ireland on Friday, Biden will visit his ancestral hometown of Ballina and meet distant cousins. (AFP) DPP colluding with external forces: Beijing Zhu Fenglian says that without peaceful development of cross-strait relations, Taiwan will not be able to have a stable environment for business. Photo: CCTV New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI/Ekom Sarovar): Are you ready to rediscover the wonders of India? The call to explore the vast and diverse landscapes of India was passionately put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the nation to visit at least 15 domestic tourism destinations by 2022. Although the pandemic stalled the dreams of countless Indians, Ekom Sarovar Vacations Pvt Ltd is ready to rekindle those aspirations, inviting travellers to traverse the country with renewed enthusiasm and excitement. As everyone embarks on this unforgettable journey, travellers can prepare to uncover the boundless beauty and marvels that India has to offer. A Power Duo at the HelmEkom Sarovar Vacations is led by an experienced and dynamic duo. Sonia Chauhan, with her 25 years of experience in the vacation industry with Diploma from IITC Delhi in Tourism brings unparalleled expertise to the table. Mahesh Hasija, a partner of numerous successful hotel chains, adds his keen business acumen and vast industry knowledge to the mix. This powerful partnership ensures that Ekom Sarovar Vacations sets the highest standards for travellers' travel experiences. A New Dawn in Domestic TourismLaunched on 28th February 2023, Ekom Sarovar Vacations aims to reignite domestic travel and contribute to India's socio-economic growth. They are dedicated to creating a lasting impact on the nation's travel landscape by setting new benchmarks for excellence and transforming how travellers explore India's wonders. Ekom Sarovar Vacations focuses on the unique 3-E Concept: - Environment - Ecology, and - Economy. This commitment is reflected in their business practices and offerings: Environment: Ekom Sarovar Vacations focuses on sustainable practices, minimising waste, conserving energy, and using eco-friendly materials. They encourage guests to participate in eco-friendly activities and adopt environmentally responsible behaviours. Ecology: Ekom Sarovar Vacations preserve and protect natural habitats around their properties, support local conservation efforts, promote biodiversity, and ensure harmony with ecosystems. They educate guests on ecological preservation and offer opportunities to engage with nature. Economy: Committed to supporting local economies, Ekom Sarovar Vacations create jobs, source from local vendors, and promote local tourism experiences. This approach contributes to community well-being and provides guests with authentic, culturally enriching experiences. Through their focus on the 3-E Concept, they aim to set a new standard for responsible and sustainable hospitality, ensuring that their guests can enjoy memorable and environmentally conscious vacations. Ekom Sarovar Vacations are committed to upholding the Prime Minister's call for domestic exploration by promoting lesser-known destinations, fostering a newfound appreciation for India's rich heritage and natural beauty. Collaboration is key to realising the Prime Minister's vision. Ekom Sarovar Vacations aim to work hand in hand with the government to amplify the call for domestic exploration, promote local tourism, and support socio-economic growth. Inclusive Accommodations and DestinationsEkom Sarovar Vacations strives to provide accessible accommodations and travel experiences for travellers with disabilities or special needs. By working closely with hotels and attractions, the company ensures that all travellers can enjoy India's diverse offerings in a comfortable and hassle-free manner. They also recognize the growing demand for experiential travel, where travellers seek authentic and immersive experiences that allow them to connect with local cultures, traditions, and environments on a deeper level. Experiential TravelRecognizing the growing demand for experiential travel, they are dedicated to curating extraordinary journeys that go beyond typical tourist offerings. From yoga and meditation sessions in serene settings to Ayurvedic treatments and holistic therapies, these transformative retreats are designed to rejuvenate and revitalise the mind, body, and soul, allowing travellers to return home feeling refreshed and elated. Ekom Sarovar Vacations specialises in organising off-the-beaten-path expeditions that take travellers to lesser-known destinations and offer unique experiences. From trekking through remote villages and exploring ancient ruins to participating in traditional ceremonies and witnessing rare wildlife, these bespoke journeys allow travellers to uncover India's hidden gems away from the tourist crowds. Ekom Sarovar Vacations actively promotes accessible tourism by raising awareness among industry stakeholders and advocating for improvements in infrastructure and services. Providers are dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity within the travel industry, enabling all travellers to explore India's beauty without limitations. As the world moves towards a new normal, Ekom Sarovar Vacations is poised to redefine the Indian travel industry. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a passion for discovery, the company promises to deliver unmatched experiences that will leave a lasting impression on travellers. Travellers can start planning their extraordinary journey with Ekom Sarovar Vacations today. You can visit the website www.ekomsarovarvacations.com to explore the myriad of travel experiences on offer and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. This story has been provided by Ekom Sarovar. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Ekom Sarovar) Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 12 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Digit's editorial team, using Generative AI tools, has envisioned a purely fictional future concept of Apple's first iPhone with a foldable screen, which is hypothetically being called the iPhone Fold Max - a groundbreaking concept for a future foldable smartphone, with innovative new features. According to Digit's editorial team, the iPhone Fold Max would most likely combine state-of-the-art technologies and Apple's signature design with amazing new features such as a foldable display, haptic buttons, a port-less design, and holographic video calling capabilities. Digit's editorial team used ChatGPT and Midjourney with creative AI prompts to envisage a futuristic yet functional iPhone concept device. Prompts ranged from the unimaginably simple "foldable iPhone" to the extremely detailed "A science - fiction inspired futuristic phone lying on a wooden table, 3D hyper-realistic hologram face of a young South Asian person rising out of the screen, octane render, hyper-realistic lighting" for the imagined device art. This concept device, the iPhone Fold Max, imagines a new standard in the smartphone industry, demonstrating how future iPhones could evolve to offer even more advanced features and enhanced user experiences. Soham Raninga, Editor in Chief of Digit, said, "If it were to materialise, the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max would illustrate a remarkable feat of engineering, perfectly blending Apple's expertise in design and technology." "It's a device that would not only transform the way users communicate and enjoy the content but also set a new benchmark for the entire industry," added Jayesh Shinde, Executive Editor of Digit. Mithun Mohandas, Managing Editor of Digit, emphasised, "With its foldable display, the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max would offer a level of versatility and portability that we have not seen before, enabling users to multitask effortlessly and enjoy a more immersive content consumption experience." Dhriti Datta, a Smartphone Reviewer of Digit, who helped envision most of the key features of the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max, said, "The holographic Face-ID and FaceTime features would be true game-changers, as it would allow users to communicate and interact in ways never before possible. Even in 2028, the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max will no doubt continue to push the boundaries of what's achievable in a smartphone. If realised, it will be yet another testament to Apple's unwavering commitment to deliver cutting-edge technology while maintaining their iconic design and user experience." Key features of the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max may include: Foldable Display: The iPhone Fold Max features a foldable Super Retina XDR OLED display with LTPO2 technology, providing a seamless and immersive experience. Users can enjoy an adaptable device that caters to multitasking and content consumption, with a 6.8-inch front screen when folded and a 7.8-inch display when unfolded. Haptic Buttons: By replacing traditional mechanical buttons with touch-sensitive areas, the iPhone Fold Max offers a more streamlined and futuristic design. Haptic feedback technology provides a tactile sensation, improving user interactions while enhancing water and dust resistance for greater durability. Portless Design: Embracing the future of wireless technology, the iPhone Fold Max eliminates the need for physical ports. MagSafe charging and wireless data transfer capabilities create a sleeker and more elegant design, while also promoting the adoption of wireless charging and enhancing the device's water and dust resistance. Holographic Face-ID and FaceTime: The iPhone Fold Max brings holographic technology to the forefront, introducing holographic Face-ID and FaceTime features. These innovations enable more immersive and interactive communication experiences while increasing the security and accuracy of facial recognition technology. In addition to the above groundbreaking features, Digit's editorial team also envisioned the hypothetical iPhone Fold Max to be most likely powered by the advanced A21 Bionic chip, which will most likely provide lightning-fast performance and energy efficiency. The device will also seemingly boast of an impressive camera system and capabilities, ensuring stunning still and video photography in any condition. For the past 22 years, we've been steadfast in our mission to be your most trusted friend when it comes to everything you may want or should know about technology. Serving millions of visitors from India and the world on Digit.in across 8 languages (English + 7 vernacular), Digit is amongst the top 3 online tech destinations in India (as per Comscore rankings). Digit strives to educate you on how technology can enhance and enrich your life by providing you with information, opinion, and advice on what to buy and how to get the most out of it. With our ever-growing community, Digit is a sum of all its members and followers who are an integral part of Digit. Digit is not a brand, it's a community that feeds your passion for technology. Digit's Gaming brand - SKOAR!, connects with gamers via its digital and on-ground properties like SKOAR! College Gaming Club (SCGC). Focussed on building the college-level gaming ecosystem in India, SCGC engages with gamers by partnering with colleges across India to establish gaming clubs/esports programs and support student competitive gaming leagues across dozens of colleges in India. Disclaimers:This press release is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Apple Inc. The iPhone Fold Max is a hypothetical concept device envisioned by Digit's editorial team and is not an official product or announcement by Apple Inc. The content, including any images and specifications, are speculative and solely based on educated guesses, and may not reflect the actual features or specifications of any future product from Apple Inc. All trademarks, logos, product names, and copyrights mentioned in this press release are the property of their respective owners. Apple, iPhone, and any other Apple product or service names are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. The use of Apple's trademarks and intellectual property in this press release is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply any affiliation, endorsement, or sponsorship by Apple Inc. Digit acknowledges and respects the intellectual property rights of Apple Inc. and does not intend to infringe upon any of those rights in the creation of this press release. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 12 (ANI/NewsVoir): The world's leading Color brand Wella Professionals, has launched an all-new edition of the Kromatic color collection - Kromatic 2.0 that celebrates diversity and self-expression. Kromatic focuses on encouraging consumers to discover and flaunt their own unique vibe by making hair color an everyday accessory. The brand has launched this diverse collection through interactive look and learn seminars held in multiple cities across the country, starting with Kolkata in February. Hosted by Wella Passionistas - Natasha Naegamvala, Elton Steve Vessoaker, Placid Braganza and Nikhil Sharma, the seminars showcased the experts decoding the collection color techniques and styling. The new Wella Kromatic Collection showcases an all new set of celebrities - Neelam Kothari, Prakruti Mishra, Shivaleeka Oberoi & Rohit Khandelwal, in customized looks created by 4 Wella Passionistas - Natasha Naegamvala, Elton Steve Vessoaker, Placid Braganza and Nikhil Sharma. This diverse collection by Wella has been designed to inspire and encourage hairstylists to create custom looks suited to their clients and to help people embrace their individuality and find their own unique vibe. The collection also works around breaking the stigmas around hair color, and inspiring people to make hair color an everyday accessory. With 4 unique customised looks the collection has something for all colorers - whether your vibe is Bold, Playful, Gorgeous or Edgy! These successful multi-city seminars had Wella Passionistas, decoding these celebrities' looks live on stage and interacting with the audiences on tips and tricks to create their "own signature" looks. Pravesh Saha, General Manager, South Asia, Wella Company shared, "Our brand, Wella Professionals, focuses on elevating the art of hairdressing in India by bringing in the very latest with respect to international trends. Kromatic 2.0 - our newly launched collection is designed to provide a canvas for hairdressers to express their creativity while addressing common concerns that consumers have regarding hair color. Consumers today value their freedom of expression and individuality. Our 4 celebrity partners - Neelam, Prakruti, Shivaleeka and Rohit, each with their distinct personalities and customized looks bring this to life and show us that if you co-create something with your hairdresser, what happens is absolutely magical. We firmly believe that Hair Colour is for everyone, let us help you find your vibe." Elton Steve Vessoaker, Hair Specialist, Makeup artist, & Educator shared, "I am extremely excited to be part of curating the second edition of the Kromatic Collection. As a hairstylist, I love breaking stereotypes and as a brand that has a global voice, Wella Professionals always allows me to change the tide by using my expertise into making new experiences for my customers. To create a unique look for Prakruti Mishra, I tried to match her spirited personality creating the #ElectricCopper look that shows her fun and adventurous take on life and amps up the electrifying flare of her persona. The Kromatic 2.0 collection allows hairstylists to help consumers in their journey of self-expression and I believe that a personalised hair color is the ideal way of allowing people to express their individuality." Placid Braganza, Owner at Placid Salon, stated, "Being associated with Wella Professionals is always a matter of prestige, and coming together to curate the Kromatic Collection once again gives me all the more pleasure and excitement. The thrill of delving into the unknown and customising a hair color that suits a specific personality gives me a great amount of satisfaction as a hairstylist. For Shivaleeka Oberoi, the challenge was in creating a look that matches her gorgeous and chic personality and at the same time allows her to unleash her inner diva. This glamorous #CaramelBrown look suits her perfectly. To match the great texture of her hair which has immense bounce, I dabbled with the color types of cool brown and blonde hues resulting in a gorgeous caramel brown hair color. The color exudes classic highlights and gives her hair the right amount of pop." Natasha Naegamwala, Director Nalini of Nalini and Yasmin Salon explained, "I believe hair color is for everyone and the Kromatic 2.0 collection is proof of that. No matter your age, personality, style, or vibe, everyone has a unique personal style and Wella Kromatic encourages you to discover that with help from your expert - the hairstylist. I loved working on the new Kromatic 2.0 Collection by Wella Professionals as it gave me the perfect platform to create something new. To match Neelam's bold personality I knew I wanted something Fearless and chic. I opted for creating a customised look with #MagnificentPink. I took slices of the hairline and worked back, and towards the center of her hair so that the color stands out through the perimeter of her hair, frames her face perfectly." Nikhil Sharma, Founder at Nikhil Sharma Hairdressing, adds, "Being a part of Wella Professionals has always been a matter of great pride. This year I am thrilled to create yet another exclusive look for the Kromatic 2.0 Collection. For Rohit who has been averse to color, I wanted to create something classic yet edgy to compliment his dashing personality. I experimented with the technique of dual toning using visual freehand to unlock the #IceBrown Hair color for Rohit. This customised hair color displayed a smooth and swift transition from icy cool tones to blended browns. As stylists we have the power to create transformative changes which can give a consumer the necessary confidence boost that they are looking for." It is your time to #FindYourVibe with Kromatic 2.0. Head to the Wella Salon nearest you and #AskAWellaExpert. Wella Company is one of the world's leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Sebastian, System, weDo, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally and a presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders. This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI/PNN): Ensologic, a global supply chain solutions provider, has announced a landmark business deal with Flipkart, India's leading e-commerce platform, for the development of Flipkart's private label brand. The expected business volume for this partnership is estimated to be about INR 1000 Cr in the current financial year, 2023-2024. With Ensologic's extensive integration in major Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, and PRC, combined with Flipkart's wide reach in the Indian market, the two companies are well-positioned to identify innovative products through their research teams and develop them to benefit their customers. Anil Agarwal, CEO of Ensologic, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, "Cross-border business has a long history, dating back to 500 AD with the famous Silk Road. However, it's time to transform it with technology at a micro level, where goods, information and transactions can happen in real-time." He highlighted the evolution of supply chains over the centuries, from horses to the industrial revolution, and now the need for technology-driven transformation. Anil credited the entire Ensologic- BEYOBO team and BEYOBO Investors, including Indian Angel Network, Hyderabad Angels, and Inflection Point, for their continuous support in terms of finance, guidance, connections, and mentorship. He acknowledged the growth of Ensologic as a startup in the past year and attributed it to the unwavering support of the team and investors. "50 years of domain experience and integration with interior parts of major Asian countries showcase the magnitude of the deal," said Anil, highlighting the expertise and capabilities of Ensologic. With e-commerce booming in India, the partnership between Flipkart and Ensologic, backed by investors and the dedicated Ensologic-BEYOBO team, is expected to have a major impact on the country's e-commerce and supply chain industry. Ensologic is a global supply chain solutions provider with expertise in major Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, and PRC. The company offers innovative supply chain solutions, leveraging technology and domain expertise to streamline processes and enhance efficiencies for businesses across various industries. For more information, please visit: https://ensologic.com/ This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 12 (ANI/PRNewswire): The State Industrial Investment Corporation of Maharashtra (SICOM) has scripted a remarkable comeback story with the key financial ratios of the company bouncing back to black along with an improvement in business while its stressed assets declined substantially leading to overall profitability. The company has achieved the comeback by successfully tackling bad loans, which once blotted its books, along with overall cost reduction practices and strict financial control and liquidity management. Top company officials said that in a period of one and half years, SICOM could recover as much as Rs.177 crore, worth of sticky loans. "Further, through our treasury portfolios, additional liquidity of about Rs.147.5 crore was infused. In place of the negative carry of Rs.11 crore, there is a positive carry of Rs. 1 crore for FY 23," Dr Nitin B. Jawale, a career civil servant and the Managing Director of SICOM, said. Carry is a term used in finance to denote the difference between a firm's income and expenditure. "Due to some good recoveries around the third quarter of FY 2022-23, our CRAR (Capital-to-Risk-Weighted Assets or Capital Adequacy Ratio) went up to 21% and the Leverage Ratio went down to a level of 5.64 times of the equity. We have set an internal deadline to steer clear of the default situation with the State Public Sector Units (PSUs) soon. We have also submitted a board-approved action plan to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to come out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework," he added. SICOM was placed under PCA by RBI after a spike in its net-NPAs a couple of years back. SICOM was set up by the Government of Maharashtra in 1966, to act as a catalyst for the industrial development of the State by providing financial assistance and advisory services to entrepreneurs. SICOM raises capital from the State PSUs and onward lend it to last mile entrepreneurs for taking up industrial activities. Through the six decades of its existence, SICOM, as a Systemically Important NBFC (NBFC-ND-SI as designated by RBI) helped promote over 8,000 industrial units in the State of which some of the prominent names include Future Group, Lupin Laboratories, Supreme Industries, Bajaj Auto, Jindal Iron and Steel. Chips started going down for SICOM by the end of FY 2020-21 when the general economic slowdown induced by COVID-19 pandemic hit the company badly leading to piling up of NPAs, The PCA framework put the company on a sticky wicket as drying up of fresh business started choking its cash flow. This has left SICOM with little options but to aggressively recover NPAs. The company is also planning to raise capital from State-run PSUs since it is now in a position to restart its industrial lending operations. SICOM is also planning to focus on the industrialization of unindustrialized and backward areas of the state. SICOM was set up by the Government of Maharashtra in 1966, to act as a catalyst in the industrial development of the State by providing financial assistance and advisory services to entrepreneurs. SICOM is entitled to take deposits from the State Public Sector Undertakings and it uses this capital to provide credit to entrepreneurs for industrial activities. In the six decades of its existence, SICOM, as a Systemically Important NBFC (NBFC-ND-SI as designated by RBI), helped promote over 8,000 industrial units of which some of the prominent names are Future Group, Lupin Laboratories, Supreme Industries, Bajaj Auto, Jindal Iron, and steel, etc. This story has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) Photo: The Canadian Press Kim Jong Un UPDATE 6 p.m. North Korea launched a ballistic missile that landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan on Thursday, prompting Japan to order residents on an island to take shelter as a precaution. The order has been lifted. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staffs said the North Korean missile launched from near the capital Pyongyang flew toward the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The statement described the missile as a weapon with a medium or longer range but didn't say how far the missile flew. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korea's military boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a firm readiness in close coordination with the United States. Japan said the missile landed in the water but did not immediately give a more exact landing location. Earlier, the launch had prompted the Japanese government to urge people to seek shelter on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. The government then corrected and retracted its missile alert saying its analysis showed there was no possibility of a missile landing near Hokkaido. Officials in charge of the government crisis management division could not be immediately reached. Last October, Japan issued a similar evacuation order when a North Korean intermediate-range missile flew over Japan in a launch that demonstrated the potential to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. At the time, Japanese authorities alerted residents in its northeastern regions to seek shelter and halted trains, although no damages were reported before the weapon landed in the Pacific. ORIGINAL 4:25 p.m. North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to enhance his nuclear arsenal in more practical and offensive ways. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staffs said the launch occurred on Thursday morning but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew and exactly what weapon the North fired. Japan's prime ministers office warned residents in its northernmost main island of Hokkaido to immediately seek shelter inside sturdy buildings or underground. It said the North Korean missile was expected to land near Hokkaido at around 8 a.m. (23:00 GMT). It's the latest in a barrage of missile launches that North Korea has performed this year to protest South Korean-U.S. military drills that it views as a rehearsal for an invasion. During a military meeting Monday, Kim reviewed the countrys frontline attack plans and various combat documents and stressed the need to bolster his nuclear deterrent with increasing speed on a more practical and offensive manner, according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA said that meeting discussed unspecified issues related to strengthening defense capacities and perfecting war preparations to counter the threat posed by its rivals' military drills. North Korea has long argued that U.S.-led military exercises in the region are proof of Washingtons hostility against Pyongyang. The North has said it was compelled to develop nuclear weapons to deal with U.S. military threats, though U.S. and South Korean officials have steadfastly said they have no intention of invading the North. There are concerns that North Korea could conduct its first nuclear test in more than five years since it unveiled a new type of nuclear warhead earlier this month. Foreign experts debate whether North Korea has developed warheads small and light enough to fit on missiles. Thursdays launch also came as South Korea accused North Korea of not responding to South Korean calls on a set of cross-border inter-Korean hotlines for about a week. The Norths alleged suspension of the exchange of messages on the communication channels could be worrisome because one of the hotlines' roles is to prevent accidental clashes along the rivals sea borders. Earlier this week, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Youngse, Seouls point man on the North, expressed strong regret over North Koreas unilateral and irresponsible attitude over the hotlines. Kwon also warned unspecified legal action over the North's use of South Korean assets at a now-stalled inter-Korean factory park in North Korea. South Korea pulled its companies out of Kaesong in North Korea in 2016 following a North Korean nuclear test, removing the last remaining major symbol of cooperation between the rivals. North Korean state media recently showed what appeared to be South Korean commuter buses running in the streets of Kaesong and Pyongyang. Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], April 12 (ANI/NewsVoir): Jagran Lakecity University crosses another milestone for students from across the borders of Central India by launching the much-desired MBA program in Business Analytics. It was launched on 11th April for the academic year starting from July 2023 in the presence of Chief Guest Rajeev Agarwal, President, Association of All Industries, Mandideep, Siddharth Talwar, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, Pradeep Pandey and Kapil Arora, Director, Learning and Development Academy, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, and team, Dr Vivek Khare, Registrar, JLU, Dr P.K Biswas, Dean, Quality Initiatives, JLU and Dr Subrata Dey, Associate Dean, Faculty of Management and Commerce. Business Analytics has become the most talked about subject in the world of Business education because of the multi-dimensional uses of data in revealing the trends, and problems and also indicating the future steps for a business enterprise. This is a rigorous 2-year MBA program launched in collaboration with Grant Thornton, a Global leader in Accounting and Analytics. Jagran Lakecity University has always been at the forefront of bringing the most contemporary business programs in Central India. The efforts of Jagran Lakecity University have been given a cutting edge by its collaboration with a global brand Grant Thornton which makes this Business Analytics program a pioneer in Central India. Apart from the generic management courses, the MBA (Business Analytics) will provide a strong emphasis on training the students with the most current software in analytics like R, Python, SPSS, Hadoop, Excel Power tools, and Excel BI. Advanced Business Statistics and Database Management with SQL, Big Data Management with Hadoop, and predictive modeling are the other highlights of the cutting-edge program. Grant Thornton brings with it a range of experts who will provide students with hands-on practical skills in Business Analytics and support it with internships and Placement in Corporate bodies across India. Grant Thornton's Director of Learning and Development Academy Mr Pradeep Pandey congratulated the Management of the university on making this coveted collaboration possible and presented the major corporate opportunities that it will bring for students from the perspectives of marketing, finance, operations, and human resources. Industry officials from Xebia and Sarva Foam participated in a panel discussion on the potential of this program and what it means for the Industry. This was followed by a range of questions from prospective students that were answered by Industry experts. Student enrollments have started for the batch of 2023-25 accompanied by required counseling about the program. This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) French carpooling firm BlaBlaCar is planning to expand its footprint in India. In an interview with ANI after meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the sidelines of India-France Business Summit here, Nicolas Brusson, co-founder and CEO of BlaBlaCar said it was planning to set up its first office in Delhi or Gurugram. Talking to ANI exclusively on Wednesday, the co-founder said, "My discussion with Minister Goyal was actually what BlaBlaCar can do and how it can grow in India and he gave me some good ideas around. BlaBlaCar allows the drivers to share a car when they're driving between cities. It's carpooling and Intercity carpooling." He added, "You drive from New Delhi to Pune and you have two or three empty seats in your car. You can go under our app and set up your profile. We verify your profile and then you can start like offering empty seats when you travel between the two cities and passengers can move with seats and share the cost of the journey." The company, which launched its services in India in January 2015, currently doesn't have an office in the country. "Today to give you a sense of size, we have four million active users in 2022 in India, and it's roughly doubling year on year. So it's really sort of like exploding right now," he said. The co-founder of the French Unicorn company said that the future is to work in other cities in India, he said, adding "We plan to invest more in India". Brusson said that the company's main motive is to find the right hubs. "We realise that there are some regions like Mumbai to Pune, New Delhi to Chandigarh, so you have this sort of corridors or region where carpooling actually makes a lot of sense, because public transport is not that good or it's too crowded or too expensive," the co-founder said. He said the company needs to identify all the different regions where it can scale No. 1 and No. 2. "It's all about building more and more trust features onto the product, and more reliability features so that people feel it's as good... it's safe and easy to book proceed in someone else's car to travel in the country," he added. Brusson said that the company is not competing with Uber or Ola, as these firms tend to be very different because it's all about like aggregating professional drivers, shorter distances within a city right and the price point is pretty high. "Whereas in our case, people are just like normal people and they ride once a month or week. So it's a non-professional service versus a professional service," Brusson said, adding, "And, because it's cost sharing, it's 10 times less expensive on a per kilometre basis... So today, we don't compete we just create like another activity around affordable travel and sustainable mobility." (ANI) New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI/India PR Distribution): Basictell's expert-designed list of India's top colleges to get admission for MBA, Engineering, Medical, Law, and Architecture. Education and Career platform Basictell have today unveiled its best colleges to get admission this year with the release of Basictell's Top Colleges in India 2023. Basictell's annual publication of top-picked colleges celebrates its expert analysis of where to get admission this year. Top Colleges in India 2023 is Basictell's annual list featuring the 10 best colleges in each field. Basictell's Top Colleges in India 2023 offers a comprehensive set of factors aimed at helping candidates to get admission to the right college as per their needs - while following along with ranking frameworks like NIRF and some seriously knowledgeable career experts from the education industry. The MBA field features the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore as one of the best Government MBA colleges, XLRI Xavier College of Management, Jamshedpur as the top private MBA college, and the Indian Institute of Management, IIM Ahmedabad as the top MBA colleges in India as per NIRF ranking. Students from the science stream planning to get entry into a Govt. Engineering colleges like IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and others can check details about the entrance exams, courses, fees, and other details. Also, there are some top Private engineering colleges like Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) to pursue a B.Tech degree in India. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi and Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore are the top medical colleges on the list offering MBBS, BDS, and related Medical and Paramedical programs for students. Candidates who want to become a legal professional with a LL. B, LL.M. law degree have the option to get admission into the top public law colleges like; National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru or private law colleges like; Symbiosis Law School, as well as National Law School of India University, the top law college in India as per NIRF ranking. In the field of architecture, Basictell has listed top architecture colleges such as IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, SRM IST, Lovely Professional University (LPU), best institutes to pursue a B.Arch or M.Arch degree or PhD at UG, PG, and doctorate levels. Basictell's Top Colleges in India 2023 lists are designed according to various ranking factors like NIRF and other authorities. The lists are then whittled down by its panel of education and career experts to just the top 10 colleges. Each is chosen for its courses, NIRF ranking, placement, experiences, and its latest offerings to education programs, accessibility, and campus life. According to Basictell's founder Sukanta Das, the release of Basictell's annual "top list" of colleges and offerings comes at an important time to be getting admission. "2023 is shaping up to be the year to explore courses that can open new career opportunities. To build a solid base from the beginning, candidates are looking for the best colleges, courses, and experiences." "The list covers colleges from all over India and their offerings," Das continues. "Each of the providing mentioned in Basictell's top Colleges in 2023 helps candidates to choose the right college as per their need." Basictell's Top Colleges in 2023 helps candidates to find popular colleges like IIM and IIT, popular private MBA colleges in India, best government Engineering colleges in India, and top medical colleges as per NIRF ranking. A trusted education and career platform, Basictell is part of the Fast India Media portfolio. Providing education and career guidance for schools, colleges, and job aspirants since 2011, Basictell reaches hundreds of millions of visitors each year, helping them achieve success. Basictell can be found on Basictell.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram through guides, e-books, videos, mock tests, and more. Over the past 10 years, Basictell has provided hundreds of guides covering school board exams, entrance exams, competitive exams as well as job interviews for students from India and all over the world. Visit Basictell at basictell.com and check the list of top colleges at basictell.com/colleges. 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) The discussion was focused on the impact of global development challenges like climate change, pandemics, fragility and conflict on development progress, and reforms at the World Bank, according to the Finance ministry. According to the tweets by the finance ministry, Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the calls to reinvigorate the World Bank present a historic opportunity to make the institution 'fit for purpose' to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, alongside addressing national as well as global development challenges, both present and future. Sitharaman highlighted two fundamental issues, concerning MDB Evolution, namely, building of consensus on the definition of global development challenges, and augmenting the financial and operational capacity of the World Bank Group. According to the ministry, the finance minister said that in the true spirit of multilateralism, the MDB Evolution dialogue needs to be inclusive, consensus-based, and recognise in full measure, the development perspectives and priorities of client countries. (ANI) Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia presented the 13th AIMA Managing India Awards to the country's high-performing management leaders and institutions for their contribution to nation building. A statement on Wednesday mentioned that Scindia congratulated the awardees and called the awards 'a wonderful portrayal of Indian capability'. "For me, it is a sobering moment but also a moment of tremendous pride because we see in India today the capability of straddling multiple domains with ease," the Minister said. Drawing on the diversity of the awards and awardees, Scindia said that the ceremony projected the vibrancy between the old and the new, between ingenuity and entrepreneurship, and between brick and mortar and technology. "This capability is the essence of the story of new India," he said. He emphasised that India has seen massive structural shifts combined with sustained strategic efforts to create an ecosystem of partnership. "The philosophy today is that in your success lies India's success," he told the country's business leaders. "Today, India has embarked on a tryst with a new destiny, on a new journey from her Amritkaal to her Shataabdikaal," Scindia said and stressed that the new India is predicated on infrastructure development. "India will achieve the target of becoming a developed nation by 2047 by following this very path," he said. Highlighting the achievements in the civil aviation sector, Scindia pointed out that in the last 9 years, 74 additional airports, waterdromes, and, heliports have been built, which has doubled the number of airports to 148. He referred to the 75 per cent increase in the number of aircraft in the country from 400 to 700. Scindia declared a resolve to build more than 200 airports over the next 4-5 years. He also predicted a doubling of the air passenger throughput in the 6 metros to 450 million by 2030. "It is our resolve to bring wholistic growth such that the civil aviation sector can support a $20 trillion economy by 2047," the minister said. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, received the Business Leader of the Decade Award. In his acceptance speech, Birla said: "It is a very special award because it recognises longitudinal contribution over a period of ten years." TV Narendran, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel Ltd was honoured with AIMA JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award on the occasion. Accepting his trophy, Narendran dedicated the award to the company's past and present employees. He pointed out that Tata Steel has many 5th and 6th generation employees, and it is the only company he has known in his 35-year career. He also acknowledged his wife. "My family has sacrificed the most for my professional success," he said. Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv Ltd received the Transformational Business Leader Award. He called the award important because it recognized the endeavour to transform a traditional banking and insurance sector that has not changed much in 200 years into a digitally-led, digitally-first avatar that is relevant to consumers of today. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company was given the Outstanding Institution Builder Award for making the TVS group a major force in the domestic and international automotive markets. The Outstanding PSU of the Year Award went to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) of the UPI fame. Vishwanath Krishnamurthy, Chief Risk Officer and Sampath Rangasamy, Chief of New Product Development accepted the award on behalf of the organisations. They credited the government and the RBI for NPCI's success. ABB India Ltd got the MNC in India of the Year Award. Sanjeev Sharma, Country Managing Director, received the trophy. He pointed out that ABB had been doing business in India for 100 years and manufacturing locally for 70 years. "ABB is well domesticated and we are enjoying growth in the country," he said. Samir Mehta, Chairman, Torrent Group received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He attributed the recent growth of the group to its founder's values. The Young Entrepreneur Award went to the founders of electric scooter maker, Ather Energy -- Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain. "We are engineers first and we are poor in management. So, we are happy to receive this award from a management organisation," Mehta said. Jain said that India needs more entrepreneurs not only in software but also in the areas of hardware and manufacturing. The jury for the awards was chaired by Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group. The jury was made up of eminent business leaders, including Shrinivas Dempo, Harsh Pati Singhania, Sanjay Kirloskar, Rajive Kaul, Sudhir Jalan, Preetha Reddy, Inderdeep Singh, P. Balaji, Vineet Agrawal and Yezdi Nagporewala. AIMA President, Shrinivas Dempo said that this year's Managing India Awards reflected achievements across the entire spectrum of Indian economy -- from conventional economy to avant-garde ventures, from young entrepreneurs to empire builders, from public sector to multinationals. --IANS scor/ ( 816 Words) 2023-04-12-20:20:03 (IANS) Often trollers escape after passing gross comments. But in this case, Celina had a different plan as she retaliated with a mic-drop reply. A Twitter user who claims to be a member of an overseas censor board made a comment about Celina's character by stating, "Celina Jaitly is the only Actress in Bollywood who slept with both Father (Feroz Khan) & son (Fardeen Khan) many times". Celina was in no mood of letting go of the troller easily after this type of remark. She responded with a befitting response. https://twitter.com/CelinaJaitly/status/1645679444865032195 The 'No Entry' actress tweeted, "Dear Mr Sandhu hope posting this gave you the much needed girth & length to become a man & some hope to cure you of your erectile dysfunction. There are other ways to fix your problem..like going to a doctor, you must try it sometime!" The reply was enough to shake the internet. The actress also requested the Twitter Safety account to take necessary action against the troller. Celina currently lives in Austria with her husband Peter Haag and their three kids. (ANI) Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has informed her fans that she can't attend upcoming promotional events of her upcoming film, 'Shaakuntalam' as she is unwell due to hectic schedules. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Samantha said that she is down with a fever and lost her voice as 'hectic schedules and promotions have taken its toll'. Samantha tweeted, "(1/2) I was really excited to be amongst you all this week promoting my film and soaking in your love. Unfortunately, the hectic schedules and promotions have taken its toll, and I am down with a fever and have lost my voice. In another tweet, she wrote, "(2/2) Please join team #Shaakuntalam at the Annual Day Event of MLRIT this evening... will miss you." https://twitter.com/Samanthaprabhu2/status/1646075728449146882 https://twitter.com/Samanthaprabhu2/status/1646075730810507264 Samantha has travelled across the country for the promotion of her upcoming film 'Shaakuntalam'. 'Shaakuntalam' is based on a popular Indian classic play 'Abhigyan Shakuntalam' by Kalidasa, ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. Shakuntala was the wife of King Dushyant and the mother of Emperor Bharata. Dev Mohan has been paired opposite Samantha. The film is all set to hit the theatres on April 14 and it will be out in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. Asked about the movie, Samantha told ANI, "It's a love story. And love is like a universe in itself. Our cultural heritage is rich. And the story of this film is inspired from one of our oldest classics. Apart from the story, the movie has high-level graphics and special effects." Samantha was recently seen in the sci-fi thriller film 'Yashoda' which received positive responses from the audience. She will be next seen in an upcoming romantic film 'Khusi' opposite Vijay Deverakonda and in the action thriller web series 'Citadel' alongside Varun Dhawan. (ANI) The national capital reported fresh 980 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with a positivity rate of 25.98 per cent, according to a daily bulletin issued by the Delhi Health Department on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the cumulative active cases in the national capital stood at 2876. "A total of 440 patients have successfully recovered from Covid. A total of 3772 tests were conducted out of which 1392 were rapid antigen tests," the health bulletin mentioned. The case fatality stands at 1.32 per cent. On Monday, Delhi reported 484 cases with a positivity rate of 26.58% and cumulative active cases in the national capital stood at 2338. A total of 603 patients recovered from Covid while a total of 1821 tests were conducted out of which 235 were rapid antigen tests and 1,586 were RT-PCR tests in the last 24 hours. Earlier India reported a total of 5675 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, decreasing marginally from Monday's case count of 5,880, stated a bulletin issued by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. India's overall active caseload currently stands at 37,093, with a daily positivity rate of 2.88 per cent and a weekly positivity rate of 3.81 per cent, according to the release. A total of 3,761 recoveries were recorded in the last 24 hours taking the overall count to 4,42,00,079.The recovery rate currently stands at 98.73 per cent. A total of 220.66 crore total vaccine doses (95.21 cr second doses and 22.87 cr precautionary doses) have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.In the last 24 hours, 358 vaccine doses were administered, the bulletin stated. Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday advised citizens not to panic amid rising Covid cases, saying that they should maintain proper hygiene. IMA, in a statement, said, "Don't panic. We have controlled it before, We will do it now also with your support. Covid cases are rising, but don't panic. Maintain hygiene". Covid-related deaths are mostly being reported in people above 60 years or those with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, among others, the statement said. It added that the likely reasons behind the rising Covid cases are a lax observance of Covid protocol and Covid-appropriate behaviour. Many people lowered their guard against the coronavirus, it claimed. (ANI) Congress released its first list of seven candidates for the upcoming Shimla Municipal Corporation Election on Tuesday afternoon. Cabinet Minister of Himachal government and Chairman of the Screening Committee for Shimla Municipal Corporation Election, Harshvardhan Chauhan released the list. Addressing a joint press conference State Congress Headquarters Rajiv Bhawan, State Party Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh and Harshvardhan Chauhan informed that, "Today we have released our first list of seven candidates and list of candidates for the remaining 27 wards will be released by tomorrow evening." "We have finalized the first list of seven members and the list of remaining 27 wards will be released by tomorrow evening after discussion with the CM. A total of 107 people had applied for 34 wards of the corporation. There has been BJP rule in the Municipal Corporation for the last five years during which the city has had to deal with many serious civic issues like water crisis and poor disposal of garbage. Congress will soon release its manifesto with ten guarantees on Shimla Municipal Corporation elections," said Chauhan further. The Congress has fielded Uma Kaushal from Tutikandi, Surender Chauhan from Chhota Shimla, Deepak Rohal from Pattiyog, Shinam Kataria from Benmore, Kusum Lata from New Shimla, Umang Banga from Lower Bazar, and Narender Thakur from Bhattakufar. Apart from this, Radha Sood has been declared as the party candidate from Palampur Uparla, a by-election of Palampur Municipal Corporation. The Municipal Elections are to be held on May 2 and results will be out on May 4. Currently, the number of municipal wards in Shimla stands at 34. While the previous BJP government had delimited Shimla municipal wards and increased the same from 34 to 41. However, after coming into power the present Congress government has reversed the decision and has abolished seven new municipal wards of the city. (ANI) With the arrest of three men, the Delhi Police on Tuesday said that they had busted a gang of highway robbers who used to steal trucks on GT Karnal road. The accused have been identified as Shamuddin alias Shamu, 59, also the kingpin of the gang, Kapil, 38, and Abad, 36, all residents of Loni in Ghaziabad. According to police, the special staff of Outer North district was working diligently on the gang of highway robbers after three cases of truck robbery were registered in the district in the last 3-4 months. "With the help of technical surveillance the police team checked almost 1,000 CCTV cameras starting from the place of incidents in Alipur, Delhi to Khanauri, Punjab covering almost around 300 km," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer North, Ravi Kumar Singh said. "The scanning of the CCTV footage led to the identification of the gang members and they were nabbed from Delhi and its peripherals," he added. "Shammudin, who is also previously involved in eight criminal cases registered across the city, had a business of raw materials some years ago but due to heavy loss in business and to recover the loss, he planned some highway robberies with his ex-drivers namely Abad, Kapil, Irshad and Shamsher," said the official, adding that further investigation of the case is in progress. --IANS ssh/vd ( 235 Words) 2023-04-11-20:18:04 (IANS) 8,314 suggestions made during first session of 14th NPC Xinhua) 08:37, April 12, 2023 Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, speaks during a meeting on the handling of suggestions made during the first session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, April 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,144 deputies and 23 delegations made 8,314 suggestions during the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, in March. Nearly half of all suggestions concerned the creation of a new development pattern and the promotion of high-quality development, about 16 percent were about the people's well-being and quality of life, and approximately 12 percent were related to the strategy for invigorating China through science and education and the development of a strong workforce for the modernization drive, according to a meeting on the handling of these suggestions held in Beijing on Tuesday. Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said at the meeting that the handling of the suggestions has been assigned to 204 units. Li urged the units to turn high-quality suggestions into policies and measures that facilitate reform and development. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Photo: The Canadian Press Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, speaks during a press conference in Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Popham announced an additional $10 million in funding from the province to support renovations and operating costs as the Chinese Canadian Museum prepares for its public opening on July 1. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nono Shen Vancouver's Chinese Canadian Museum will open its doors on July 1 on the 100th anniversary of racist legislation known as the Chinese Exclusion Act, after the province pledged an additional $10 million in funding. Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, says the investment not only recognizes the contributions of the Chinese Canadian community but will also help revitalize Chinatown, a beloved part of Vancouver. The Chinese Canadian Museum will be located in the Wing Sang Building on East Pender Street, one the oldest buildings in Chinatown. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the museum, says its opening will be a significant milestone for Chinese communities across Canada, and it will serve as a hub where people can learn more about the communities' intangible heritage. The museum's opening will feature a national exhibition titled "The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act," with July 1 marking the centennial of the passing of the Chinese Immigration Act, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. The legislation effectively eliminated Chinese immigration before being repealed in 1947. The museum will also showcase an overview of Chinese Canadian migration and provide a glimpse into the life of Chinese Canadian businessman Yip Sang and his family. The new funding, which brings the provinces total spending on the museum to more than $48.5 million, will cover renovations and operating costs. Grace Wong, board chair of the museum, says that by 2025, the building will not just operate as a museum, it will also be transformed into an educational space. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of attacking and injuring a lawyer. Judge Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed the applicant's claim that the complainant had fabricated facts to force the police to file a report because the complainant was a lawyer who was knowledgeable about how to do so. "Merely because a person is a lawyer or a practising advocate by profession, his complaint upon sustaining an injury by someone cannot be disregarded merely on the ground of his being a practising advocate and thus he knew how to draft a complaint. The same would imply that an injured person who has his or her complaint prepared by a lawyer will be at better footing, than a lawyer himself who has suffered injuries on the vital part of the body," the court said. The FIR against the accused was registered under different sections of the IPC for voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint and acts done in furtherance of common intention. There was a verbal argument between the complainant and his cousin, the accused and the co-accused, regarding the weight of chicken the complainant had purchased from the accused, according to the FIR. After the argument, according to the prosecution, the complainant went home and later returned with his brother and a friend to resolve the conflict, but after a physical tussle, the accused individuals struck the complainant in the head with an iron rod. He lost consciousness and received care at the trauma centre of AIIMS. During the course of investigation, discharge summary, X-rays and MLCs were obtained, pursuant to which Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC was added to the FIR. According to the applicant's lawyer, the complainant put pressure on him to sell chicken to him for less than market value, which he did to avoid a confrontation. However, the applicant claims that the complainant came back with 20-25 individuals, who slapped and pulled his hair before the applicant, acting in self-defense, he pushed the complainant, who sustained injuries after his head struck a marble slab. The applicant's lawyer further asserted that the complainant took Rs 15,000 from the accused's shop and that despite a complaint being filed, nothing was done about it. It was also claimed that only after nine days from the date of FIR registered, section 308 was added to it. But, Assistant Public Prosecutor Manoj Pant stated that because the charges were severe, the custodial interrogation of the suspect was necessary in order to identify more suspects and find the crime's weapon. According to the complainant's attorney, as the complainant was struck in the head with an iron rod, he could provide his statement after being deemed fit, which led to the addition of section 308 to the FIR. The judge accepted the submission and also recorded that the trial court had already sought an explanation from the SHO concerned on the issue. After rejecting the argument that the lawyer got the complaint registered owing to his knowledge of the law and by twisting facts, the court observed that if a person with a skill is able to help others, the skill cannot work to his disadvantage. "If a person has a position of authority or skill and he is able to help others, then in his own case, his own skill, profession or position of authority cannot work to his disadvantage," the court said. Moreover, it said that it was not the complainant's profession, but the fact that he was injured, which helped the court in deciding the application as the evidence revealed that the complainant had suffered a serious injury in form of a laceration on the forehead. It also noted that the iron rod allegedly used was yet to be recovered. Accordingly, the court held that no ground for grant of anticipatory bail was made out and hence dismissed the application. --IANS spr/uk/ ( 667 Words) 2023-04-11-20:54:04 (IANS) The Supreme Court has asked police officers in Maharashtra to compensate a woman for keeping her in illegal detention despite she being granted interim protection and two weeks to surrender by it. A bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and A. Amanullah observed that the woman, an accused in a criminal case, got the interim protection on November 17, 2021 and the apex court had granted her two weeks' to surrender and apply for regular bail. Expressing discontent with the illegal detention of the woman, the bench noted that the court had given interim protection to the petitioner and despite the same, she was taken into custody. The petitioner had submitted before the court that she had also shown the court's order to the police, though she was bailed out next but she was in custody for a day. The top court ordered that the petitioner should be compensated with Rs 15,000 for the illegal detention for one day which will be shared by the two police officers and the payment to be made within a period of two weeks. The bench noted that two police officers filed their affidavit seeking to express unconditional apology. However, the bench said that behaviour of the officers was in the teeth of the court's order and cautioned the police officers to be careful in future. The top court passed the order on a contempt plea filed by the woman against two police officers. In a previous order passed in January this year, the bench had noted petitioner's counsel arguments that despite the November 2021 order, within two days the woman was arrested from a hospital where she was working as a nurse. The bench noted that the police officers were ready to compensate the woman from their own pocket in the matter. In 2021, the woman had moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court order, passed in August 2021, refusing to entertain her plea for anticipatory bail in the case. --IANS ss/vd ( 347 Words) 2023-04-11-22:32:03 (IANS) A Delhi court on Tuesday acquitted a man who had been accused of violating the Delhi Excise Act for possessing liquor bottles beyond the permissible limit during a party at a farmhouse, stating that the prosecution's story was "false and concocted" in light of the facts presented. The court was hearing a case against Ritv Kapoor, who was charged under Section 33 of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 for allegedly possessing 24 liquor bottles, including 14 empty bottles, nine full bottles and one partly consumed bottle of liquor during a party at a farmhouse in Gadaipur in Mehrauli at around 2 a.m. on January 9. The prosecution claimed that Kapoor, the owner of the farmhouse, organised the party where alcohol was distributed although he lacked the necessary permits. "I hold that the prosecution has failed to prove its case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Benefit of doubt is given to the accused. Accordingly, the accused is acquitted of the offence punishable Under Section 33 of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009," Metropolitan Magistrate Ashwani Panwar said in a recent order. The magistrate said there was "no plausible explanation" for the non-joining of independent witnesses despite the fact that the place of recovery was a thickly populated public place. "Further, the seal remained with a junior police officer only and it has not been proved that the seal was handed over to any other independent public person and therefore, the possibility of the sample being tampered with cannot be ruled out," the magistrate said. The prosecution failed to submit the daily diary (DD) entries made by the head constable and sub-inspector about their departure from the police station for patrolling duties, the magistrate said. There was also no explanation for why the probe was not handed over to a superior officer. "No document has been filed pertaining to the ownership of the farm from where illicit liquor, as alleged by the prosecution, was recovered and no notice was issued by the investigating officer (IO) to the owner of the farmhouse for producing the ownership documents," the magistrate said, adding that the same renders the entire prosecution story as false and concocted. The magistrate said it is the cardinal principle of criminal jurisprudence that if there is a reasonable doubt with regard to the guilt of the accused, the accused is entitled to benefit of doubt, resulting in acquittal. --IANS spr/ ( 413 Words) 2023-04-11-22:46:02 (IANS) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday left the Enforcement Directorate headquarters here after being questioned for eight hours in connection with the alleged land for job case involving his father and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and other family members. He reached the ED headquarters at 11 a.m. and left at around 9.10 p.m. The CBI had questioned Tejashwi Yadav in the matter on March 25, and on the same day, his sister and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti was questioned. In March, the ED claimed unaccounted cash of Rs 1 crore, $1,900, 540 gms gold and 1.5 kg of gold jewellery and other incriminating documents were recovered during the raids conducted at 24 locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Patna and in Ranchi based on specific intelligence inputs. The ED had said that they detected around Rs 600 crore in "proceeds of crime" which were in the form of immovable properties of Rs 350 crore and transactions of Rs 250 Crore routed through various benamidaars. It alleged that the PMLA investigation conducted so far has revealed that several pieces of land at prominent locations in Patna and other areas were illegally acquired by the family of Lalu Prasad in lieu of jobs provided in Railways. The current market value of these land parcels is more than Rs 200 crore and several benamidars, shell entities and beneficial owners for these lands have been identified. "A property situated at D-1088, New Friends Colony, Delhi (independent 4 storied bungalow, registered in the name of A.B. Exports Private Ltd, a company owned and controlled by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and family) was shown to have been acquired at a value of mere Rs 4 lakh, the present market value of which is approximately Rs 150 crore," the ED claimed. An official claimed that huge amount of cash/Proceeds of Crime were infused in purchasing this property and few Mumbai-based entities, dealing in the gems and jewellery sector, were used to channel ill-gotten proceeds of crime in this regard. "The property has been though, on paper, declared as office of A.B. Exports Private Ltd and AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd, is being exclusively used as residential premises by Tejashwi Prasad. During the searches, Tejashwi Prasad was found to be staying at this house and was found to be using this house as his residential property," the ED alleged. The ED said that their investigation has found that 4 parcels of lands acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav for just Rs 7.5 lakh from poor Group-D applicants were sold to former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana by Rabri Devi with huge gains at Rs 3.5 crore. It said that their investigation has further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received, was transferred to the account of Tejashwi Prasad. --IANS atk/vd ( 485 Words) 2023-04-11-22:46:03 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that government employees are eligible for annual increment, even if they superannuate a day after earning the benefit. A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar said: "The Division Bench of the High Court has rightly directed the appellants to grant one annual increment which the original writ petitioners earned on the last day of their service for rendering their services preceding one year from the date of retirement with good behaviour and efficiently." Agreeing with Karnataka High Court's view in the matter, the apex court dismissed the appeal of the state government-owned Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) challenging the high court judgment. The bench noted that entitlement to receive increment crystallises when the government servant completes requisite length of service with good conduct and becomes payable on the succeeding day. It added that in the present case, the word "accrue" should be understood liberally and would mean payable on the succeeding day. "Any contrary view would lead to arbitrariness and unreasonableness and denying a government servant legitimate one annual increment though he is entitled to for rendering the services over a year with good behaviour and efficiently and therefore, such a narrow interpretation should be avoided," it said. The top court refused to accept the KPTCL's submissions that the annual increment is in the form of incentive and to encourage an employee to perform well and therefore, once he is not in service, there is no question of grant of annual increment. The top court dealt with the Regulation 40(1) of the Karnataka Electricity Board Employees Service Regulations, 1997 and analysed the purpose of grant of annual increment. "In a given case, it may happen that the employee earns the increment three days before his date of superannuation and therefore, even according to the Regulation 40(1) increment is accrued on the next day in that case also, such an employee would not have one year service thereafter. It is to be noted that increment is earned on one year past service rendered in a time scale. Therefore, the aforesaid submission (made by KPTCL) is not to be accepted." The bench said the moment a government servant has rendered service for a specified period with good conduct, in a time scale, he is entitled to the annual increment and it can be said that he has earned the annual increment for rendering the specified period of service with good conduct. "Therefore, as such, he is entitled to the benefit of the annual increment on the eventuality of having served for a specified period (one year) with good conduct efficiently. Merely because, the government servant has retired on the very next day, how can he be denied the annual increment which he has earned and/or is entitled to for rendering the service with good conduct and efficiently in the preceding one year," it said. Initially, a single judge bench of the high court ruled in favour of KPTCL, however the decision was set aside by the high court's division bench. --IANS ss/vd ( 525 Words) 2023-04-11-23:08:03 (IANS) During the hearing, the former Delhi Minister informed Special Judge Vikas Dhull, who is overseeing both cases, that he had filed transfer applications with the Principal District and Sessions Judge. The proceedings in the CBI corruption case have been temporarily halted by the Principal District Judge until May 4, when arguments on Jain's transfer application will be heard. Meanwhile, a similar application in the ED's money laundering case is set to be heard on April 13. Jain has requested that Special Judge Dhull postpone the matter "to see the outcome of said transfer applications". In response to a court inquiry, the ED's Special Public Prosecutor confirmed that he had received an advance copy of Jain's application related to the money laundering case. The court subsequently adjourned the proceedings. Jain was placed under arrest on May 30, 2022, by the central agency under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the PC Act, 1988 against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain, and Ankush Jain. A charge sheet was filed by the CBI on December 3, 2018, against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and other accused. Earlier, the ED had provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by Jain on March 31, 2022. --IANS spr/vd ( 311 Words) 2023-04-11-23:22:01 (IANS) As China attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh and fumes over Home Minister Amit Shahs visit on Monday-Tuesday, DoNER minister G. Kishan Reddy said on Tuesday that Arunachal Pradesh has been, is and shall remain an integral part of India. The Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister said that no nation provides a single inch of land to others and India too will not do this under any circumstances. "Be it Arunachal Pradesh or any other part of the country, our army is ready to protect every inch of its territory. China should realise that such a claim would only increase the gap between the two nations and shall neither benefit China, or India. "So China should understand and maintain peace, be it in Arunachal Pradesh or other borders. It should maintain the status quo and both nations should move towards development through fraternity. But China is not doing this with India. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had repeatedly raised this issue with China," Reddy told the media on the sidelines of an event here. The minister said that no nation has any right to interfere in India's development process within its territory. He added that few nations which want to capture the market here are unhappy with India's development but the country would continue to develop its infrastructure and transform into a manufacturing hub. "The government wants to develop all sectors and regions of India from all directions, but few nations are annoyed as our country is developing, manufacturing and improving its infrastructure. "We would not allow them to transform India into a market for selling their products. India would be the manufacturing hub and sell and export its products in the global markets," Reddy said. The minister also highlighted various development schemes and activities taking place in the northeast region, especially in the fields of connectivity, tourism, infrastructure development, trade and industry besides restoration of peace by reducing insurgency since the Narendra Modi-led government came to power in 2014. "During the past nine years, Rs 5 lakh crore has already been spent for the development of the eight northeastern states and more is in the pipeline," Reddy said, adding that to bring investment to the northeast region, the DoNER ministry would hold a northeast investment summit in Delhi soon, besides organising roadshows in all the major metropolitan cities across the country. However, the biggest challenge in the region is availability of suitable land, he pointed out. --IANS sc/arm ( 427 Words) 2023-04-11-23:26:01 (IANS) The criminal-turned-politician-mafia Atiq Ahmed on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday said that his family has been ruined and he is unaware of the situation in the Umesh Pal murder case. While addressing the media, Atiq Ahmed said, "My family has been totally ruined. I was in jail what will I know about it (Umesh Pal murder case)". On Tuesday Prayagraj Police were taking criminal-turned-politician-mafia Atiq Ahmed from Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj, to present him in a murder case and took a halt in Bundi. Earlier gangster Atiq Ahmed had said that police wants to kill him on his transfer from Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj. "It is not right. They want to kill me," said gangster Atiq Ahmed on being taken to UP's Prayagraj from Gujarat's Sabarmati Jail for production in a murder case. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said that the government is monitoring the whole matter and the aim is to get the harshest punishment. "We are following the decision of the court, now criminals will not be able to escape in Uttar Pradesh. The government is monitoring the whole matter, and our aim is to get the harshest punishment," he said on gangster Atiq Ahmed to be moved to Prayagraj by UP Police. On March 28, Mafia don-turned-politician, Atiq Ahmed was convicted by an MP-MLA court and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment in the abduction case of now-deceased Umesh Pal. Earlier on April 9, Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested three people from Delhi in connection with allegedly aiding jailed gangster Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and planning Umesh Pal's murder. The three arrested people were identified as Jawed, Khalid and Jeeshan. Earlier on March 28, the police arrested Khalid and Jeeshan from Delhi and recovered two weapons and live cartridges from the duo. They both have been charged with provisions under the Arms Act. During the course of the investigation, the duo (Khalid and Jeeshan) disclosed that they had also provided shelter to Asad and Gulam, who are wanted culprits in the infamous Umesh Pal murder case by Uttar Pradesh police. Meanwhile, on March 30, the police arrested the third accused Jawed from Delhi who disclosed that Asad and Gulam had also met him after Umesh Pal's murder. The police have arrested all the accused and are in judicial custody. Atiq Ahmed and his family came under the scanner in the Umesh Pal murder case. Atiq Ahmed, who has over 100 cases against him over the last 43 years, has been convicted in the same case. Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder of BSP leader Raju Pal and one of his two armed security escorts was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area on February 24. Several rounds were fired and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners. (ANI) With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) releasing the first list of candidates for 189 out of the 224 seats for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, the party fielded former Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao from the Chamrajpet constituency. A day before filing nomination for Karnataka Assembly elections, the former Bengaluru police commissioner on Wednesday offered prayers at Sri Dodda Ganapathi temple in the city. Nomination filing for the state assembly elections will begin on Thursday, April 13. "There is a need to bring about change in the lives of people. I will reach out to people from house to house and urge them to vote as the voting percentage is low in urban centres. During my tenure as police commissioner, I along with my force protected people as per the Constitution," Rao told ANI after visiting the temple. Meanwhile, supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest on Tuesday evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Further, supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over the ticket being denied to him. Chikka Revana who joined the BJP recently got the ticket from the constituency. BJP on Tuesday released the first list of candidates for 189 seats out of 224 seats for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections with 52 new candidates getting tickets. While addressing the press conference BJP's national general secretary Arun Singh said, "52 new faces, eight women, nine doctors, five lawyers, one retired IPS officer, three retired government employees and eight social activists have been given tickets. He further mentioned that Vijendran who is the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has also been given the ticket. State Ministers - Shashikala Jolai, R Ashok, Prabho Chauhan, Shankar Muniyakappa, Muniratna, ST Somashekar, VC Patil, Varity Vasuraj, Murgesh Nirani, CC Patil, Sunil Kumar, Shivram Hebbar have been given tickets. State Assembly Speaker Vishwaser Hegde has been given the ticket. "V Somanna MLA from Govindraj Nagar has been given a ticket from Chamaraj Nagar and Varuna Assembly. It will directly challenge Congress leader Siddaramaiah," he added. In this list, tickets have been given to Lingayat-51, Vokkalinga-41, Kurba-7, SC-30, ST-16 and 32 from the OBC community. According to BJP sources, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has started showing a rebellious attitude and has been called to Delhi. "Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has started showing a rebellious attitude. In fact, the party's high command is not in favour of fielding him, but Shettar does not agree. He has been called to Delhi. Shettar will be asked to work for the party. It is unlikely he will get a ticket for the upcoming elections " party sources said. BJP sources also mentioned that the wife of the late union minister Ananth Kumar will not get a ticket in the upcoming elections. "No ticket will be given to Tejaswini Ananth Kumar but she may be given a larger role in the organisation in the time to come," sources said. The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13. (ANI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Jagadish Shettar said that he will meet the party's national president JP Nadda on Wednesday and he is expecting "positive things will happen". BJP on Tuesday announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls and Shettar's name was excluded. "I will reach Delhi today to meet the party's national president JP Nadda. I expect positive things will happen. In the coming days, the party High Command and state leaders will specify everything", Shettar said. Shettar's name did not figure in the list of candidates released by the BJP yesterday. BJP declared 189 candidates for Karnataka assembly polls as it sought to strike a balance in terms of representation of various castes and communities while putting up "strong candidates" against senior Congress leaders. Apart from fresh faces, the BJP has also focused on "social engineering" in its first list of candidates, party sources said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will recontest from the Shiggaon constituency. Party sources said the list has 52 fresh faces and 21 sitting MLAs have been dropped. The polling will take place for 224 seats in the state assembly on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. With the party seen to have strong support among Lingayats, it has decided to give tickets to 51 members from the community. The list includes 32 candidates from the OBC community, 30 belonging to the Scheduled Castes and 16 to Scheduled Tribes. The list has eight women candidates. It has former IAS and IPS officers, five advocates, nine doctors, three academicians, former government employees and social activists. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is BJP's co-in-charge for Karnataka, said the list is a blend of dynamic new faces and experienced leaders. "I am confident they will work together to boost Karnataka's growth journey. With the double-engine government, Karnataka will touch new heights of development, progress and prosperity," he said in a tweet The minister said every section of society, including marginalised, women and youth has been given an opportunity. The list does not have any candidates from the Muslim community. Party sources said that candidates for the remaining 35 seats will be finalised by Wednesday afternoon. Among the prominent candidates declared by the party, BY Vijayendra, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, will contest from the Shikaripura seat. The BJP has fielded Manikanta Rathod, a 28-year-old youth against Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Chittapur. State Minister B Sriramulu will contest from Bellary Rural, State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K from Chikkaballapur and State Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan CN from Malleshwaram seat. State Minister R Ashoka will contest from two seats- Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. He is pitted against Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura. BJP general secretary CT Ravi will contest from Chikmagalur. V Somanna will contest against Congress leader Siddaramaiah from Varuna seat. V Somanna will also contest from Chamarajanagar seat. The candidates were announced at a press conference here addressed by union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the party's poll in-charge in Karnataka and party general secretary Arun Singh. Arun Singh said BJP's graph is growing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Congress is facing "divisions and groupism" while JD-S is "sinking ship". BJP leaders said that the party has done an elaborate exercise of feedback before deciding the party candidates and expressed confidence in the party returning to power in the southern state. Congress has already declared 166 candidates in two lists. (ANI) Drama unfolded outside the Aluva police station in Kochi when a transgender woman climbed up a banyan tree and threatened to end her life after she and her friends were allegedly attacked by a group of people, police said on Wednesday. Alleging inaction by police, the transgender woman identified as Anna Raju climbed up the tree outside the police station around 4 am today, they said. According to the police, Raju in her complaint alleged, that she and her friends were attacked by a group of men in Aluva city on Tuesday. "We have received a complaint," the police said. Meanwhile, personnel from the fire force reached the spot and persuaded the transgender woman to step down from the tree after repeated assurances from the police. The transgender woman was finally brought down at 8 am today, they said No arrests have taken place so far and further investigation is underway, police said. More details are awaited. Meanwhile, previously in March, Delhi police recovered the body of a transgender from the deceased's house after a complaint was received by the police that the house was locked and a foul smell was coming out. As per police, no visible marks of injury were found on the body of the deceased. According to police, the preliminary investigations had revealed the cause of death to be smothering. The deceased was identified as Lichi (50) by police, a resident of Krishna Basti, New Delhi. She was missing since February 28. A case of murder was lodged by the police. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail plea of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications incharge Vijay Nair in the money laundering case involving the Delhi Government's new excise policy (now scrapped). In his bail plea, Vijay Nair said he was being victimised on account of his political affiliation and there was no merit in the FIR or ostensibly the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED. The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma on Wednesday issued notice to ED and listed the matter for May 19, 2023. In his bail plea, Vijay Nair said the allegations against him were wrongful, false and without any basis and on the basis of such superfluous allegations, the Petitioner's liberty ought not to be encroached upon by the Respondent. "The Petitioner is liable to be enlarged on bail and his constitutionally protected freedom of liberty be protected by this Court," he plea said. In February, his bail was denied by the trial Court alongwith others. While rejecting the bail plea, the Rouse Avenue Court observed that none of the applicants/accused deserved to be released on bail in this case at this stage of proceedings as the allegations made against them were quite serious and related to the commission of an economic offence of money-laundering defined by Section 3 and made punishable by Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). Hence, their bail applications were dismissed. South-based businessmen Binoy Babu and Abhishek Boinpally already moved bail petitions in Delhi High Court. The ED in its second chargesheet in the liquor policy case had named Vijay Nair, Sharath Reddy, Binoy Babu, Abhishek Boinpally, Amit Arora and seven companies. Nair and Boinpally were granted bail by the trial in the CBI case in relation to the excise case, earlier. Later the CBI challenged the trial court order in the Delhi High Court, which is presently under consideration by the same bench. Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was also arrested by the CBI and ED in a case of alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Delhi government. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 and by ED on March 9, 2023. The trial court while denying bail to Sisodia in the CBI case recently said the allegations made against Sisodia were serious in nature and he did not deserve to be released on bail as he was arrested in this case only on February 26, 2023. According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the said conspiracy. The payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore was meant for him and his other colleagues in the Delhi government and Rs 20-30 crore 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, stated CBI. The evidence collected so far clearly showed that the applicant through the co-accused Vijay Nair was in contact with the South lobby and formulation of a favourable policy for them was being ensured at every cost and a cartel was permitted to be formed to achieve a monopoly in sales of certain liquor brands of favoured manufacturers and it was permitted to be done against very objectives of the policy, CBI said. In the case, the ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection. (ANI) BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said that thousands of party workers visited about one lakh Christain houses across Kerala on Easter as part of the 'Snehayatra' program. Javadekar said, "We have initiated 'Snehayatra' which is envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Thousands of BJP 'karyakartas' visited around one lakh Christian houses in Kerala on Easter. There is Vishu coming up this month, let's call our Christian friends to our houses, and give them 'Kaineettam' and 'Payasam'. Then on Ramsan, go to muslim houses and wish them, Eid Mubarak." "Due to the changed political situation in Kerala, the country is looking forward to the Prime Minister's visit. PM Modi's visit to Kerala will be a historic event", BJP state president K Surendran said. "Both the fronts (LDF and UDF) are moving ahead in Kerala by overcoming all their administrative failures. The minority vote bank is now reeling. Left and right fronts are looting the public. There are only subtle technical differences between the two fronts. They are fighting a shadow war. Both fronts destroyed Kerala. Kerala now has the most corruption cases, anti-women practices and also presence of anti-religious forces", added Surendran. He also added that BJP workers visiting Christain houses worried about the left and right fronts in the state. "Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's son-in-law (PA Muhammed Riyas, Minister of Public Works), who manages the chief minister's office, took a stand against this. The state government is trying to maintain the vote bank by making concessions", he alleged. "The Christian-BJP relationship is not something you can quickly dismiss. BJP has started a strong relationship. This 'Snehayatra' will be carried forward even stronger. The visit is not aimed at any religious group. Muslims also have a crucial role in it. Muslims are only seen as a vote bank by LDF and UDF. But it's not that way for us", Surendran added. In his speech, Surendran also said that when the Prime Minister went to the Christian church, both the right and left fronts were convinced that the Prime Minister had gained the support of lakhs of people. "Only the Modi government has helped Kerala. We challenge Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to any discussion on that. We will enumerate the project share and put it in front of the people. The state government tried to prevent the central government's schemes from reaching the people. Pinarayi Vijayan is responsible if Kerala's Jaljeevan Mission of the Centre fails. Modi government's interventions in each field will be implemented in Kerala. Plans will be made for the long term", he said. BJP Kerala State Leadership Meeting is underway in Kerala's Kochi district to discuss Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kochi on April 25. Former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, BJP State President K Surendran, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan, former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan, and former Union Minister for State O Rajagopal were present at the meeting. (ANI) A day after Bharatiya Janata Party released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with the party's top brass in New Delhi. The meeting was underway at Shah's residence where BJP chief JP Nadda, party general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were present. According to sources, the meeting took place against the backdrop of displeasure by several Karnataka leaders after the first list of BJP candidates came out. Meanwhile, former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi resigned as a Legislative Council member and from the primary membership of the BJP after he was denied the Athani constituency ticket. "I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone," Savadi said. On the other hand, supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest on Tuesday evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Further, supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over the ticket being denied to him. Chikka Revana who joined the BJP recently got the ticket from the constituency. According to BJP sources, former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar has started showing a rebellious attitude and has been called to Delhi. Shettar's name was excluded in the first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls. Shettar said that he will meet the party's national president JP Nadda on Wednesday. Addressing mediapersons in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said,"189 candidates' names have been declared. Consensus is there in almost all areas. Some people disagree (with the list) and a discussion will be done with them. I am in constant contact with them. I have spoken to Laxman Savadi (State Vice president) and asked him not to take any hasty decision," BJP declared 189 candidates for Karnataka assembly polls as it sought to strike a balance in terms of representation of various castes and communities while putting up "strong candidates" against senior Congress leaders. Apart from fresh faces, the BJP has also focused on "social engineering" in its first list of candidates, party sources said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will recontest from the Shiggaon constituency. Party sources said the list has 52 fresh faces and 21 sitting MLAs have been dropped.The polling will take place for 224 seats in the state assembly on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. With the party seen to have strong support among Lingayats, it has decided to give tickets to 51 members from the community. The list includes 32 candidates from the OBC community, 30 belonging to the Scheduled Castes and 16 to Scheduled Tribes. The list has eight women candidates. It has former IAS and IPS officers, five advocates, nine doctors, three academicians, former government employees and social activists. The list does not have any candidates from the Muslim community. Party sources said that candidates for the remaining 35 seats will be finalised by Wednesday afternoon. Among the prominent candidates declared by the party, BY Vijayendra, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, will contest from the Shikaripura seat. The BJP has fielded Manikanta Rathod, a 28-year-old youth against Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Chittapur. State Minister B Sriramulu will contest from Bellary Rural, State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K from Chikkaballapur and State Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan CN from Malleshwaram seat.State Minister R Ashoka will contest from two seats- Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. He is pitted against Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura. BJP general secretary CT Ravi will contest from Chikmagalur. V Somanna will contest against Congress leader Siddaramaiah from Varuna seat. V Somanna will also contest from Chamarajanagar seat. BJP said that the party has done an elaborate exercise of feedback before deciding the party candidates and expressed confidence in the party returning to power in the southern state. Congress has already declared 166 candidates in two lists. (ANI) The Supreme Court has directed the Jaisalmer Municipal Council that auction notice related to plot allotment of Goverdhan Das Kalla Awasiya Yojana shall contain a specific recital that the auction will be subject to the outcomeof the pending petition. A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Rajesh Bindal in a recently delivered order has made this clarification while disposing of a petition filed by one Dharmendra Singh Mohta. Dharmendra Singh Mohta has moved Supreme Court challenging the Rajasthan High Court and urged the top court to stay the entire process of allotment for Goverdhan Das Kalla Awasiya Yojana and direct the respondents to restrain to draw lots, declare the result of the lottery or conduct any further proceedings in pursuant to the allotment under the scheme in question during the pendency of the matter. The top court agreed to modify the Rajasthan High Court order by adding directions that the Auction Notice which may be published hereafter by respondent No 2 (Municipal Council, Jaisalmer) shall contain a specific recital that the auction will be subject to the outcome of the pending Writ Petition before Rajasthan HC. The top court also made it clear that while issuing letters of allotment to the allottees, the respondent Municipal Council, Jaisalmer shall incorporate in the letter of allotment that the allotment is subject to the outcome of the pending Writ Petition before the Rajasthan High Court. Dharmendra Singh Mohta was represented by Sanyat Lodha, Sanjana Saddy and Surbhi Arora. The petitioner has challenged the Impugned Order dated February 24 passed by theHigh Court of Judicature for Rajasthan at Jodhpur. The HC has refused to stay on the allotment of residential plots at concessional rate. According to the petition, the existing expression "anywhere in the State of Rajasthan shall not be entitled for allotment" has been replaced and substituted by " in any town of Rajasthan having population of more than 1 lac shall not be entitled for allotment. "...the High Court failed to consider that the interpretation of the words while applying the Golden Rule of interpretation shows the intention of the legislature to provide allotment of land at concessional rate to a landless person. However, by virtue of the impugned amendment dated October 30, 2021, at point No 6 (2) amendment of Rule 10 has been made without taking into consideration the object, scope and vision of the Rule making authority," the petition said. As per Rule 10 of the insertion or substitution made by virtue of the amendment Notification dated October 30, 2019, the petitioner, who is a landless person, does not own any land throughout Rajasthan, and was now made to compete with the persons who are already having one or more plots registered in their name, the petition stated. (ANI) According to police, the arrested person identified as Dilip had hidden the grenades near a sewer. Ravi Kumar Singh, DCP (North Delhi) on Tuesday said a police team has reached out to nab one of his associates, Kashiram, whose location has been traced to Madhya Pradesh. "Further investigation is underway," Singh added. Meanwhile, students at a school in Delhi were evacuated on Wednesday after a bomb threat via email. According to Delhi Police, an email was sent to Indian Public School in Sadiq Nagar this morning claiming that a bomb was kept on its premises. "The Indian School in Sadiq Nagar received a bomb threat via email. As a precautionary measure, the school has been vacated. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad informed", informed the police officials. Earlier in November, the Delhi Police said that an email was received on the official email ID of Indian Public School, Sadiq Nagar, BRT road under the jurisdiction of Defence Colony police station that a bomb is on the premises of the school. The school authorities immediately informed the local police. Soon after, Delhi Police personnel, the bomb disposal squad and the dog squad rushed to the spot. The school was evacuated and a thorough search was done but no bomb was found. (ANI) With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav meeting him and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as part of efforts to forge a common front against the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that it was a "historic step" towards opposition unity and for an ideological fight. Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of Kharge and him with JD-U and RJD leaders, said they are "standing together, will fight together - for India." "In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards opposition unity. (We are) standing together, will fight together - for India!" Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Janata Dal-United president Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh was also present at the meeting held at Kharge's residence. The meeting is being seen as an attempt by Congress and other opposition parties to take forward their "unity" displayed during the budget session of Parliament session that concluded on April 6. The session saw continuous disruptions over the opposition's demand for a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. The opposition parties also slammed the government over disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha following his conviction by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case. Kharge had earlier this month telephoned Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in an effort to build on "unity" displayed during the budget session of Parliament. Opposition leaders have in the past made efforts to forge a broad unity to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Congress is a junior part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar which also includes JD-U and Rashtriya Janata Dal. While Nitish Kumar leads the government, Tejashwi Yadav is the state Deputy Chief Minister. (ANI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday opposed the bail plea moved by Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to Excise case and said, "An Illegal ecosystem was created to give illegal benefits to liquor cartels to get kickbacks." Appearing for ED, Zohaib Hossain submitted before the Court that all the elements of conspiracy are present here in the matter. "Conspiracy is hatched in secrecy, the policy made in the public domain," submitted the ED lawyer and also said, "Every process of activity dealing with proceeds of crime is money laundering." The ED lawyer further alleged that Sisodia played a key role in modifying and implementing the modified policy. "We have proof that the policy was modified without any deliberation and discussion. And we also have sufficient statements from various concerned persons to show that the profit margin increased from 6 per cent to 12 per cent was meant as kickbacks," he said. In the matter, the expert committee suggested that individuals will apply and they will get two retail vends. This was to avoid cartelisation. This was supposed to happen through the lottery system but Manish Sisodia preferred the limited entity model. ED further asked. "If the policy was genuine, why were emails planted by Manish Sisodia in favour of the policy?" "Emails were planted through Minority Commission Chairman. Sisodia got emails planted on the mail address of excise dept which was the same address where the public comments were sought obverse the policy. Fabricated emails to show public approval for a policy. This is a sham approval," ED alleged. On the wife's health, ED said, "Other people and family have been taking care of his wife for long. While he was holding 18 portfolios and was holding public meetings, there were other people attending to his wife. The humanitarian ground can't be used here." After the conclusion of the arguments by the ED, Special Judge MK Nagpal fixed April 18, 2023, for rebuttal arguments, which are to be made by Manish Sisdodia's lawyer. Earlier, appearing for Manish Sisodia, Advocate Vivek Jain argued that no PMLA case has been made against him. "Section 45 of PMLA would come against me only if an offence under Section 3 is made out," the lawyer said. "ED's reply opposing my bail doesn't even show I have concealed any proceeds of crime or acquired any proceeds of crime, or I projected proceeds of crime. Not a single rupee has come into my account or my family's account. They have raided my home, and they have checked my bank accounts. They even have gone to my native place," Adv Vivek Jain argued. Manish Sisodia was physically produced before the Court on Wednesday during the arguments of his bail plea. The Rouse Avenue Court was hearing a bail plea of Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). Recently, the same court dismissed the bail plea of Manish Sisodia in a CBI case related to the Excise matter. Earlier, ED said, "The act of pro-active destruction of evidence leads to only one inference that Manish Sisodia made conscious efforts to destroy evidence of the offence of money laundering," while it sought remand of Manish Sisodia in connection with the Excise Policy case. Appearing for ED, Advocates Zohaib Hossain and Naveen Kumar Matta had earlier submitted that even in the statement given by Manish Sisodia on 07.03.2023 and 09.03.2023, he has been untrue. "On being asked about his association with Dinesh Arora, who handled the transfer of kickbacks from the South Group to Vijay Nair, he gave an answer contrary to what has been revealed by independent persons/stakeholders," it said. The ED earlier also told the court that Manish Sisodia had purchased SIM cards and mobile phones in other people's names. "There was a conspiracy behind framing the excise policy. The conspiracy was coordinated by Vijay Nair, along with others and the Excise policy was brought out for extraordinary profit margin for wholesalers," ED argued in the court. Countering Sisodia's lawyer's arguments, the ED lawyer told the court, "If the policy is a matter of executive then there would not be a coal scam or a 2G scam. He was arrested during his Judicial custody in Tihar Jail, where he was lodged in." The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9 arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail. The CBI arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case on February 26, 2023. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI earlier in its ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD. (ANI) "Both the accused were arrested on Tuesday and have been lodged in Madurai Central Jail," police added. Madurai police also released images of the two accused after the girl was sexually harassed. According to the police, the victim hailed from Ahmedabad, Gujarat and was studying chartered accountancy. "She had come to Madurai to attend a conference on December 17 and 18. She arrived at Madurai airport on the night of December 16 and rented a room in a lodge. On December 17, she fell ill during the conference and informed Anus Jain, who was staying in the next room," the Madurai police said. As per police, Asus Jain, who was already known to the victim, took her to the hospital and on her return sexually assaulted her before leaving her room. Further, police said, after the incident, Asus Jain left Chennai and alerted Kathiravan, who had come for the same conference and was staying in the same hostel, to bring food and medicine to the victim, who also sexually assaulted the girl, said police. "Katiravan and Asus Jain both sexually assaulted the victim separately," they added. Following the incident, the victim sent a complaint seeking action against both the accused, police added. "On the basis of the complaint, a case under section 376 of the Indian penal code was registered at Madurai city, all women Nagar, police station on April 8. "Further investigation is underway," police said. (ANI) The Kerala High Court has asked the State Government to take a decision for relocating the wild tusker 'Arikomban' within a week. The High Court stated that it cannot ignore the fear of the people and if the tusker is not relocated within a week, it will be transferred to Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary. The HC stated, "It is up to the State Government to decide where the elephant should be relocated. Places other than Parambikulam can also be considered. Catching an elephant and putting it in a cage is not the solution." Meanwhile, Nenmara MLA K Babu has opposed the transfer of 'Arikomban' to Parambikulam. The court was hearing a review petition filed by MLA Babu, who is also the Chairman of Janakeeya Samithi which has filed the plea. The court also directed the State Government that the elephant should be monitored 24 hours a day. The court also accused the people's representatives of misleading the people. The case will be heard again on April 19. The review petition submitted, "The Committee of Experts (CoE), that had been constituted by the High Court to advise it on matters relating to Human-Elephant conflicts, and had also been directed to submit a report striking a balance between the conflicting interests of the residents of the locality and the animal in question, had suggested the location only on the basis of the opinion of residents of Chinakkanal and their representatives of the local bodies in that area. The CoE had not sought the opinion of the residents of Parambikulam, where the elephant was proposed to be shifted. The CoE has not taken into consideration the details of the human-animal conflicts in previous years which occurred in the Palakkad District. The people in the locality are living in constant fear of attack from animals including elephants and the translocation of Arikomban, would further add to their woes. The CoE had not assessed all the possible risk factors including the threat to civilian life while making its recommendation." "As per Guidelines for Management of Human Elephant Conflict issued by the Inspector General of Forest, Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the site of release/relocation should be at a sufficient distance of 200-300 kms or greater so that it would be unlikely for the animal to get accustomed to the new place, and also to prevent any attempt to go back to its place of capture. The recommendation of the CoE lacks coherence since both Parambikulam and Idukki are well-connected forests and the human trekking route from the Parambikulam dam site to Chinnakanal village is approximately 158 kms. The elephant enroute would find easier and even shorter routes to return to the original site of capture. Instead of translocation, the CoE ought to have recommended captivity of the animal, particularly considering that the tusker has already killed 7 persons and destroyed 31 buildings in the past 3 months. The CoE had not considered relevant inputs from the Report of the Karnataka Elephant Task Force while making its recommendation," it added. "The translocation of the tusker, on the basis of a report submitted by the CoE, without gathering the opinion of the residents of the proposed locality for translocation and without considering the inputs referred above, would tantamount to violation of the Right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," it further stated. On April 5, the Kerala High Court ordered to shift 'Arikomban', the wild tusker which is roaming around Chinnakkanal in Idukki district and causing damages there to Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary in Palakkad district. The order of the High Court is based on the recommendation of the CoE. The court said, "The elephant should be captured and transferred, and there should be no fireworks or selfies when capturing." The court directed that revenue, police and fire departments should provide necessary assistance for the capture and there should be no celebrations through social media. Earlier the High Court constituted an expert committee to give its opinion on the matter of catching and releasing Arikomban. High Court had earlier rejected the plea of the Forest Department to tranquillize and capture the elephant, Arikomban. Arikomban, which got its name from its love for 'ari' (rice) and 'komban' means tusker, has damaged several houses and ration shops in Chinnakanal and Munnar areas at Idukki in the past few years. In order to lure Arikomban for tranquilising, a dummy ration shop is getting ready near the Cement Palam at Chinnakanal. A house which was earlier damaged by Arikomban will be rearranged as the ration shop. Various groceries and rice will be stored inside it. (ANI) Elon Musk departs the Phillip Burton Federal Building and United States Court House in San Francisco on Jan. 24, 2023. (Benjamin Fanjoy/AP) LONDON Billionaire Elon Musk has told the BBC that running Twitter has been quite painful but that the social media company is now roughly breaking even after he acquired it late last year. In an interview also streamed live late Tuesday on Twitter Spaces, Musk discussed his ownership of the online platform, including layoffs, misinformation and his work style. Advertisement Its not been boring. Its quite a rollercoaster, he told the U.K. broadcaster at Twitters San Francisco headquarters. It was a rare chance for a mainstream news outlet to interview Musk, who also owns Tesla and SpaceX. After buying Twitter for $44 billion last year, Musks changes included eliminating the companys communiciations department. Advertisement Reporters who email the company to seek comment now receive an auto-reply with a poop emoji. The interview was sometimes tense, with Musk challenging the reporter to back up assertions about rising levels of hate speech on the platform. At other times, Musk laughed at his own jokes, mentioning more than once that he wasnt the CEO but his dog Floki was. He also revealed that he sometimes sleeps on a couch at Twitters San Francisco office. Advertisers who had shunned the platform in the wake of Musks tumultuous acquisition have mostly returned, the billionaire said, without providing details. Musk predicted that Twitter could become cash flow positive in the current quarter if current trends continue. Because Twitter is a private company, information about its finances cant be verified. After acquiring the platform, Musk carried out mass layoffs as part of cost-cutting efforts. He said Twitters workforce has been slashed to about 1,500 employees from about 8,000 previously, describing it as something that had to be done. Its not fun at all, Musk said. The companys going to go bankrupt if we dont cut costs immediately. This is not a caring-uncaring situation. Its like if the whole ship sinks, then nobodys got a job. Asked if he regretted buying the company, he said it was something that needed to be done. Advertisement The pain level of Twitter has been extremely high. This hasnt been some sort of party, Musk said. After leaders from Tamil Nadu and Telangana flagged the use of only Hindi and English in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) recruitment exam, the Central Armed Police Force on Wednesday, clarified that it had "never conducted written examination for in house recruitment in regional languages". In a statement, the CRPF said it is conducting recruitment of CT/GD (Constable/ Ground Duty) through Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and of Constable (Tech and Tradesmen) through in-house recruitment. "Computer-based test is conducted for both the posts bilingual in Hindi and English only," the CRPF said. The statement further added, "The CRPF had never conducted written examination for in-house recruitment in regional languages". The advertisement for 9,212 posts of Tech and Tradesmen has been issued to conduct recruitment on the regular pattern in that Computer Based Test (CBT) is scheduled to be conducted in English and Hindi language, the CRPF said. "Department had never faced any problem with regard to the participation of candidates due to language problems," it said. Talking about the earlier recruitments of CT/GD, the CRPF said "The CBT was conducted in English and Hindi language only and participation of candidates from southern states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh was found normal." During the recruitment of CT/ GD 2018, the force said, 819 vacancies from Tamil Nadu; 3460 vacancies from Andhra Pradesh; 2,349 vacancies from Telangana and 1,586 vacancies from Karnataka states were filled. Similarly, during the recruitment of CT/ GD Exam-2021, it further said, 816 vacancies from Tamil Nadu; 1,296 vacancies from Andhra Pradesh; 574 vacancies from Telangana and 719 vacancies from Karnataka state were filled. The CRPF's statement came as leaders from Tamil Nadu and Telangana flagged the use of only Hindi and English in the CRPF recruitment exam, and opposition parties in Karnataka also objected to the policy of only using the two languages for the nationwide test. Like their counterparts in the Tamil and Telugu-speaking states, the Congress party has also demanded that the tests be held in regional languages too, reigniting the debate over Hindi imposition. Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately allow candidates the option of writing the recruitment exam in Kannada, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah had said, "Though candidates who studied in Kannada medium are smart, "they are unable to clear the exams because of language barrier", adding that, "This is injustice towards our youth". JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy also decried the policy and said that the Union government has continued imposing Hindi, even after opposition by the Southern states. "Exams should be held again for CRPF recruitment and candidates should be allowed to write in all languages including Kannada," he had said. (ANI) To ward off any untoward incidents, security arrangements for the Uttar Pradesh urban body elections, which are scheduled to take place in two phases on May 4 and 11, will be tight, said election authorities in the state. In addition to state police, paramilitary forces will also be deployed in the state. Seventy companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 110 companies of Pradeshik Armed Constabulary (PAC) will be engaged. Election authorities also said that instructions are issued to state officials including police commissioners, district magistrates to take strict action against possible criminal activities. There should be all efforts to stop money power in the elections. Candidates carrying more than two lakh rupees have to explain the source of the money otherwise money will be confiscated. As per the instruction, Strict action should also be taken against illegal liquor. The state election commission has started 24 hours control room. Candidates can also file their nominations on the official holidays of Ambedkar Jayanti on the 14 April and Eid on the 22 April. Enrollment centres will remain open even on holidays. UP urban elections result will give a glimpse of the political climate in UP ahead of the general elections in 2024. As it is, major political players of UP including the BJP have started active campaigning. The elections will also test the popularity of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adithyanath who has emerged in the recent past as a central political figure in the state. (ANI) Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar on Wednesday recused himself from hearing Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute. The plea was listed before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Ahsnuddin Amanullah, and Aravind Kumar. The Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will now constitute a different bench for the case. Earlier, three judges had recused themselves from hearing the case as they hailed from Karnataka. Maharashtra had filed a petition in the apex court in 2004 seeking the transfer of some of the Karnataka villages to its side. Maharashtra government had said that 865 villages and places from five Karnataka districts constitute Marathi-speaking people and should not be a part of Karnataka. The border dispute dates back to the 1960s after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines. The State Reorganisation Act, of 1956, aimed at reorganising the states along the linguistic line. After the implementation of the Act, Belagavi became a part of Karnataka. In May 1960, Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi (previously Belgaum) which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population. Karnataka contended that only Parliament could decide the state borders and not the Supreme Court. Last month, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai strongly condemned the Maharashtra Cabinet's decision on the health insurance scheme for border villages between the two states. Addressing mediapersons, Bommai said, "Maharashtra cabinet's resolution announcing health insurance scheme for the people of Karnataka border is an unforgivable crime. When spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said we should wait for the Supreme Court's order. It was agreed that there should be no provocation. Now, this is violated. The order should be withdrawn immediately." Bommai said Karnataka can also announce projects like this. "Many taluks and gram panchayats have already decided that we are not getting justice in Maharashtra and should join Karnataka. In such a situation, the Maharashtra government should act very responsibly," he said. The Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra announced an additional Rs 54 crore to implement the 'Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana' in villages bordering Karnataka. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a high-level meeting here in the national capital on Thursday to review security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The official word of his meeting was conveyed on Wednesday amid an encounter that broke out between terrorists and security forces at the Chakoora area of Shopian in south Kashmir. It is expected that the Home Minister will review the functioning of the security grid and various aspects related to security and give necessary directions to follow the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. The meeting is expected to be held around 3 pm in North Block office of Ministry of Home Affairs. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director General of Police Jammu and Kashmir Dilbagh Singh and other senior officers from Ministry of Home Affairs and Central Armed Police Forces will be attending the meeting. Director Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka and Central Central Reserve Police Force Director General SL Thaosen will also be present in the meeting, which is chaired by the Home Minister time to time to review the status of Jammu and Kashmir where several civilians and security force personnel are being targeted by militants over the years and several personnel have lost lives in such attacks. RAW chief and other senior officials of the Centre, including those from Jammu and Kashmir are also expected to attend the meeting. Matters related to various developmental works being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir are also expected to be in the agenda of the meeting. The Home minister, on his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir in October last year had also reviewed the security situation in the Union Territory. Shah had also held a review meeting in New Delhi on December 28, 2022 over the security situation and development aspects of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI) In recent years, Mizoram has made significant strides in improving access to education, particularly in rural areas. With a focus on improving literacy rates and reducing dropout rates, the state government has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the system. One of the key initiatives is the Mizoram Education Reforms programme, which aims to improve the quality of education and increase access to schools in rural areas. Under this programme, the state government has constructed new schools, recruited more teachers, and provided training and support to existing teachers. Another important programme is the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), a national program designed to improve access to secondary education. The RMSA has helped to increase enrolment rates in secondary schools, particularly in rural areas, and has also provided funding for infrastructure and teacher training. The state has also taken steps to improve the quality of education by introducing a new curriculum, textbooks, and teaching methods. The government has also implemented a school assessment program to monitor the performance of schools and ensure that they are meeting quality standards. These initiatives have had a significant impact on literacy rates in the state. According to the 2011 Census, Mizoram has the second-highest literacy rate in the country, at 91.3 per cent. This marks a significant improvement from the 1980s when the literacy rate in the state was only around 50 per cent. Despite these improvements, there are still significant challenges facing the educationsystem in Mizoram. Dropout rates remain high, particularly among girls and students from disadvantaged communities. The state government has implemented a number of programs to address this issue, including scholarships for girls and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as initiatives to improve the quality of education in rural areas. There are also challenges related to infrastructure and resources, particularly in remote areas of the state. Many schools lack basic facilities such as electricity, water, and toilets, making it difficult for students to attend school regularly. Despite these challenges, Mizoram's progress in improving access to education is a testament to the state's commitment to providing quality education to all its citizens. With continued investment and support, it is hoped that the education system in Mizoram will continue to improve and that the state will continue to be a leader in literacy and education in the country. (ANI) As many as 14 cities have recorded 40 degrees Celsius and above temperature. Jharsuguda has recorded the highest 43-degree temperature, while Baripada has recorded the second-highest temperature of 42.5 degrees Celsius. "Maximum temperature (day temperature) very likely to gradually rise further by 2-3 degree Celsius at many places over the districts of Odisha during the next 2 days and no large change thereafter. Maximum temperature (day temperature) likely to be more than 40 degrees and above normal by 3-5 degrees at a few places over the districts of Odisha during next 4 days," said a statement from IMD Bhubaneswar. In view of the heat wave condition, the Special Relief Commissioner, of Odisha has issued instructions to the collectors of 11 districts to closely monitor the situation and to take action as deemed necessary. Earlier on Tuesday State Government has also given the order to close all Schools and Anganwadi centres in the state from April 13 to April 16. (ANI) However, since Rana Kapoor has several other cases pending against him, he would remain in jail. The case pertains to the irregularities committed while giving a loan to HDIL in connection with which he was first arrested in March 2020 on money laundering charges. He was later arrested in several other cases, including Mack Star Marketing, registered by the CBI and the ED. The trial court in October last year took cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Chargesheet (Prosecution Complaint) filed against Avantha group promoter Gautam Thapar involving Yes Bank's Rana Kapoor and several employees in connection with a money laundering case. According to the ED, an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was registered against Gautam Thapar, Avantha Realty Ltd., Oyster Buildwell Pvt Ltd and others, alleging criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery for diversion/ misappropriation of public money during the period 2017 to 2019. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday, hit out at the BJP government over "financial management" and said that the state was reeling under an "economic misery" with a debt of Rs 92,840. He was addressing a public gathering at Baddi, during his maiden visit to the assembly segment after assuming the office. The Chief Minister announced sops for the Doon assembly constituency in the Solan district. He also announced the opening of the Block Medical Officer (BMO) office at Baddi and Patwar Circle at Jharmajri, and the opening of the Sub Divisional Magistrate Office at Baddi from October 1, this year. The Chief Minister also directed the authorities to prepare the DPR of the Baddi bus stand. Addressing the people, he said, "The situation was so bad that it was difficult to meet the government's expenses and the present government had to take a loan of Rs 6000 crores to repay the liabilities taken by the previous government. After forming the government, we made concerted efforts to bring the economy of the State on track by taking various prudent financial decisions". The Chief Minister said that the present government is working on resource mobilization so that funds could be made available for undertaking various public welfare schemes. "The water cess has been imposed on hydropower projects of Himachal Pradesh which will go a long way in improving the fiscal health of the State. We have auctioned liquor vends of the State due to which 40 per cent increase in revenue has been recorded," he said. CM Sukhu also emphasised about the Mukhyamantri Sukhashray Yojna focussing on the welfare of 6000 orphan children of the State. "Under the scheme, the government will bear the entire expense of higher education for orphans. Along with this, Rs 4000 would be given as pocket money and the government will also bear the expenses of their exposure visit once a year. Three biswa of land for building a house and financial assistance will also be given by the government to the orphans to build a house," he further said. The Chief Minister added, "Loans are being provided to poor students at the rate of one per cent for pursuing higher education so that no child is deprived of education due to lack of resources. A provision has been made in the budget to provide financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh to 'Ekal Nari' for constructing a house. Apart from this provisions had been made in the budget to strengthen the rural economy. He further added that the State Government would provide 50 per cent subsidy for the purchase of e-truck, e-bus, e-taxi and e-goods carriers which would make Himachal Pradesh as the Green State of the country. The Chief Minister also said that a new investment policy will be brought to promote industries, which will benefit the industrialists as well as the people of the state. "The state government is making sincere efforts to tackle the drug menace and he had requested the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for enacting a strict law to combat this menace. For providing provide self-employment avenues to the youth of the State, 40 per cent subsidy will be given on setting up solar power projects from the capacity of 250 KW to 2 MW," he said. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of five developmental projects worth Rs 22.30 crore in Doon assembly constituency. Health and Family Welfare Minister, (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, PWD Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, Ram Kumar Chaudhary and Sanjay Awasthi, MLAs, Vinod Sultanpuri, Suresh Kumar and K.L. Thakur, Chairman Zila Parishad Solan Ramesh Thakur, Vice-Chairman HP Small Saving Board Prakash Karad, DCC President, Solan, Shiv Kumar, senior Congress leader Hardeep Bawa, and other senior Congress leaders were present on the occasion. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Guwahati on April 14. Apart from AIIMS Guwahati, he will dedicate to the nation three other medical colleges in Assam. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday shared the pictures of AIIMS, Guwahati. "Ayushman Northeast! PM @NarendraModi Ji to dedicate to the nation AIIMS Guwahati, the first AIIMS of Northeast, on 14th April. Have a look at the stunning pictures of the New AIIMS of New India!" Mandaviya said in a tweet. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday shared the details of PM Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the state and informed that the PM would also be attending the mega Bihu celebration which is scheduled to be held in Guwahati on April 14. "Assam will witness a historical moment on April 14 as more than 11,000 boys and girls will participate in Bihu which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness. Prime Minister's presence will boost the morale of the people of Assam because we consider Bihu as the lifeline of Assam. The program will be unique and one of its kind and the people of Assam are looking forward to it", said CM Sarma. Listing down the several programs scheduled for PM Modi's visit CM Sarma said, "PM Modi will launch several programs from AIIMS Guwahati. One hospital will be built on the IIT Guwahati premises. PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of an institute and will attend the closing ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of Gauhati High Court at Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati." "PM Modi will attend the programme at Sarusajai Stadium. He will inaugurate the newly installed Assam Petro Chemicals Limited 500 project TPD Methanol at Namrup, costing Rs 1,709 crores. He will lay the foundation stone of another bridge connecting Palasbari-Sualkuchi on the Brahmaputra river, costing Rs 3,170 crore," CM informed further. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) and the coordination committee of All District Bar Associations on a plea seeking enactment of the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi. Justice Prathiba M Singh directed BCD and Coordination Committee to file a status report on their deliberations regarding the drafting of the Advocates Protection Bill. Advocate KC Mittal appeared for the BCD and stated that both bodies are in the process of drafting the bill. It was also submitted that the issue is also being discussed with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the law secretary and other senior functionaries. The Court thereafter passed the direction and listed the matter on May 25 for further hearing. A Petition seeks direction to the Central Government to ensure a safe atmosphere in Delhi for lawyers to practise their profession. It also sought further direction from the Centre and Delhi Government to consider enacting the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi in the wake of the killing of Advocate Virender Kumar Narwal on April 1, 2023 evening. The Petition has been moved by advocate Robin Raju for advocates Deepa Joseph and Alpha Phiris Dayal, the latter of whom is a member of the Dwarka Bar Association. The petition said that the broad daylight murder of a senior colleague of the Bar by two miscreants in Dwarka, Sector-1, has shocked the Petitioners like others in the profession. The petitioners felt perturbed more so because the incident happened in Dwarka, the area where one of the petitioners resides and that too to a fellow Advocate who also happened to reside in the same area where resides, the plea was submitted. The concern of the Petitioners about their own safety has been aggravated by seeing the visuals and video of the cold-blooded murder of an influential and senior member of the Bar. The murder of Virender Narwal has compelled the Petitioner Deepa Joseph to think about the safety of female members of the Bar like her, the plea added. The petition also mentioned that there is an alarming rise in incidents of violence inside the court premises of different district courts in Delhi. It is well known that a law intern had also sustained bullet injury when the dreaded gangster Jitender Gogi was shot inside a courtroom in Rohini District Courts, the petition claimed. The shootout that happened in Rohini Court in September 2021 that led to the death of Gogi had caught immense media attention and more importantly, the High Court had also taken suo-moto cognizance of the issue of security of courts in Delhi, the petition submitted. After the shootout, a writ petition was also filed before the HC by Deepa Joseph for ensuring the safety and security of District Courts in Delhi. The said case is clubbed with the suo matter and is pending before the Court of Chief Justices. The petition has stated that it is high time now that a decision is taken for the enactment of the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi, particularly when recently the State of Rajasthan has also recently passed such an Act. "Only an Act that guarantees protection to the fraternity of lawyers practising in Delhi will help remove the sense of fear that has embedded in the minds, particularly among young first-generation lawyers like the petitioners herein due to the repeated acts of firing inside court premises and altercations to state the least," the petition added. It is also stated that Section 3 and 4 of the Rajasthan Advocates Protection Act, 2023 provides police protection to any lawyer who is attacked or against whom criminal force and criminal intimidation is used that deters him from discharging his duties as an officer of the Court. There are also penal provisions in the Act that stipulates the period of sentence for committing an offence under Section 3 of the Act. It is said that the death of Advocate Virender Narwal has created an atmosphere that it does not feel favourable to practise the profession without fear. Hence, it impinges upon the right to practise any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business to all citizens under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India and also violates Article 21 of the constitution that guarantees protection of life and personal liberty, the petition further said. (ANI) E-cigarette company Juul Labs will pay Illinois more than $67.6 million as part of a $462 million multistate settlement over allegations that the company targeted its products to teens. (Seth Wenig/AP) E-cigarette company Juul Labs will pay Illinois more than $67.6 million as part of a $462 million multistate settlement over allegations that the company marketed its products to minors. This settlement is a culmination of several years of focused efforts in our respective states to hold Juul accountable for its leading role in the youth vaping epidemic, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said during a news conference Wednesday. For me, its quite personal because the product had entered my own home because of my teenagers. Advertisement Illinois filed suit against Juul in 2019 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging the company marketed its products to minors and misrepresented its products as smoking cessation devices. Juul did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement agreement. In Illinois, the settlement money will generally go toward treatment and awareness, he said. The attorney generals office is still determining specifics of how best to use the funds, a spokeswoman said. Advertisement Juul said in a statement Wednesday that the settlement funds will help combat underage use and develop cessation programs and reflect our current business practices, which were implemented as part of our companywide reset in the fall of 2019. A man vapes along the Chicago Riverwalk on April 12, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar / Chicago Tribune) As part of the agreement with Illinois, Juul may not directly or indirectly target youth when promoting its products. The agreement also prohibits Juul from using social media influencers to promote its products and from advertising on billboards. Also, Juul may not claim in promotional materials that its products are safer than traditional cigarettes or can be used to stop smoking, unless the FDA gives it permission to do so. California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and the District of Columbia will also receive money from the settlement. The settlement follows similar agreements between Juul and other states. Last month, the city of Chicago reached a $23.8 million settlement with Juul. In all, Juul has now settled with 47 states and territories. Late last year, Juul also reached a global resolution settling more than 5,000 other cases. Juul said in its statement Wednesday that, With this settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges. States, municipalities and others began filing lawsuits against Juul several years ago, alleging that Juul was promoting its products to minors. The lawsuits came as the number of teens using e-cigarettes skyrocketed. The number of high school students who reported using e-cigarettes within the last 30 days jumped 78% between 2017 and 2018, to just over 3 million, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Advertisement In Illinois, about 49% of high school students surveyed in 2019 said they had used an electronic vapor product, such as an e-cigarette, vape pen or vape, up from about 41% in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Illinois alleged in its lawsuit that: Like Big Tobacco, JUULs advertisements featured bright colors, young models in flirtatious and playful poses, and a sense that using the product would put consumers in a desirable social stratum. In recent years, Juul took a number of actions to try to curb use of its products by young people. It stopped selling mint, fruit and candy-flavored pods in stores and online in 2019. Juul noted in its statement that the use of its products has declined by 95% since fall 2019, based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey. Supporters of e-cigarettes say they are a less toxic alternative to traditional cigarettes for people who are already smokers. The new settlement comes as Juul continues to wait on a decision as to whether it will be allowed to continue selling its products in the U.S. long-term. In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered the company to stop selling products in the U.S., but a federal appeals court quickly issued a temporary stay on that order. The FDA then issued its own stay on the order saying, there are scientific issues unique to the JUUL application that warrant additional review. Kesavan resigned from Congress on February 23, saying that he had not even seen vestiges of the values that made him work for the party with dedication for over two decades. Rajagopalachari, who was the Governor-General of India, also served as leader of the Indian National Congress, Union Home Minister, Premier of the Madras Presidency, Chief Minister of Madras state, and Governor of West Bengal. Earlier on April 9, Kesavan joined BJP in Tamil Nadu, in the presence of several party leaders. Speaking to reporters after his saffron switch, Kesavan said, "I wish to thank the BJP for having inducted me into the world's largest political party, and, that too, on a day when our PM is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu." "PM Modi's people-centric policies, corruption-free governance and reform-led inclusive development agenda have transformed India from a fragile economy to the fifth largest economy in the world," he added. Kesavan had shared his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Twitter saying he could no longer concur with "what the party symbolises, stands for or seeks to propagate". (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the state government has referred the case against former NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela for the alleged financial irregularities in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation process in Assam to the Directorate of Economic and Vigilance. "We have referred the case to the Directorate of Economic and Vigilance. We have asked the Directorate to register an FIR officially," the Assam CM said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati. He also said that, if Prateek Hajela wants to go to VRS, he can do so. "He is an officer and he will come to Assam. If he doesn't want to do work, then why we will give him a salary? If he wants to go to VRS, he can. But when the police will call him then he has to come. VRS and enquiry are two different matters. If VRS will given to him then it will be the victory of the people of Assam," Sarma said. Earlier, Assam Public Works (APW) - the primary petitioner in the writ petition WP(C) 274/2009 pending before the Supreme Court, sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged a major corruption in the updation of National Register of Citizen (NRC) in the state of Assam. The APW said in the letter, "The updation of NRC was taken up in 2013 in Assam under the direct monitoring of the Supreme Court of India. Though the program was to be completed within three years, it is yet to be completed to date due to the irresponsible performance of the then State Coordinator, NRC Prateek Hajela (IAS) and there is hardly any chance that it is completed in near future". "Leaving apart the mismanagement of Prateek Hajela, (IAS), the then State Coordinator, there has been large scale corruption in the Rs 1,600 crore project by Prateek Hajela, (IAS) which has been reflected in the report of the Comptroller General of India (CAG) which was tabled before the State Assembly a couple of months ago. It is seen in the CAG report that there have been financial irregularities to the tune of a huge Rs 260 crore. Against remuneration to the data entry operators only, Rs 155.88 crore was siphoned off depriving the contractual staff. The Comptroller General of India held Prateek Hajela, (IAS) responsible for this huge corruption," the letter added. (ANI) The Mumbai Police swooped on a factory manufacturing fake products of globally recognised American brand Levi's - of Levi Strauss & Co, California, an official said here on Wednesday. Following a tip-off received on the scam by the Crime Branch Unit 12 in Dahisar, a team of sleuths maintained a week-long surveillance on the garment factory, Smita Enterprises, Dalvi Compound, at Film City Road in Goregaon east, allegedly indulging in the fraud. After verification, the police raided the warehouse of Smita Enterprises on Monday and seized around 300 t-shirts, brand labels, other materials, fusing and printing machinery, totally worth over Rs 16 lakh. The owner of the complainant company, Netrika Enterprises, who was present during the operation, checked and confirmed that the seized goods were all "fake products" intended to cheat gullible customers in the market. The Dindoshi police ptation has detained the prime accused - owner of Smita Enterprises, who has confessed to the crime - and booked him under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Copyright Act, as further investigations are underway. An official in the probe said that the fraudulent cheap products, passed off with the labels of the prestigious American brand, were being sold out in the open markets, in shops, malls and other outlets to dupe unsuspecting customers vying for such big labels. Suspecting it to be the tip of a possibly bigger scam, the sleuths are trying to find out the other associates of the accused, the retail outlets from where they were being sold and the probable fake use of other known international brand names in the entire racket. --IANS qn/vd ( 277 Words) 2023-04-12-19:22:05 (IANS) The local Panchayat body in Kinnaur district under the chairmanship of Hangrang Ringchen Cultural Buddhist Heritage Society passed a resolution to ban all rituals in marriages which do not follow their culture and tradition. On the occasion, the Assistant-Pradhan of the Sumra village Panchayat Tsering said, "This resolution was passed by the Panchayat to save the outside cultures which had started invading our marriage ceremony in the religion and it pollutes the local culture and tradition". "The matter of outside traditions intruding on our culture and rituals in marriages was brought up in our Panchayat Gram Sabha house last month. Rituals in marriage, Mehandi ceremony, cake cutting, Sehra tying, shoe hiding etc are not part of our tradition and rituals. The Gram Sabha of our Panchayat has agreed to ban it and we are happy about this," he added. Over a dozen village Panchayats are now planning to pass such resolutions to preserve and promote the rich culture of the tribal district of Kinnaur soon. Under the guidance of Lochen Rinpoche the 19th reincarnated lama of the Lochen Rinchen Zangpo. Dozens of villages in Hangrang Valley along the Indo-Tibet border are preparing to pass such resolutions following the Sumra village. In this regard, the HP Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi mentioned that there is nothing wrong in taking steps to preserve the local culture. "With the passage of time, the exposure of the people in tribal areas in our region has increased. People are going out to study and jobs. It is natural that the outside culture is added to local folk. The resolution from last village of Kinnur, the village Panchayat at Sumra has passed a resolution to protect, preserve and promote the local tradition. "I think there is nothing wrong with it. Our Culture of Kinnaur is very rich, if someone is doing such steps to preserve it willingly there is no harm in it," he added. He further stated that the promotion of the preservation of culture is the need of the hour. "There is a cultural society in Hangrang Valley and Lochen Rinpoche is the head of that society. Annually they organize cultural programmes and all village Panchayats participate in that rotations. It is good that they are trying to save the rich tradition and culture. Our society is very liberal as people follow Buddhism and Hinduism simultaneously. It will help to promote and preserve the traditional values among the youth and it is also the need of the hour. "I would like to appeal to the people to follow it but at the same time people should learn from other traditions and gain knowledge but also stick to their roots," he added. The Zilla Parishad member from Pooh Ward, Shanta Kumar Negi said that with the help of a Buddhist guru, people are coming forward. "Recently, the meeting of the Hangrang Ringchen Cultural Buddhist Heritage Society was conducted under the chairmanship of 19th Locha Ringchen Zangpo and Vice Chair Somang Rinpoche. In the general meeting of the organization, the matter was raised during the marriages. Especially in the Hangrang Valley, encroachment of external tradition has started. It was decided to let the people take this matter to the gram sabhas of all the panchayats of Hangrang Valley and it was decided to go and conduct an opinion poll. Supporting this effort, the Gram Sabha of Sumra Panchayat passed the resolution and sent it to the society. We are planning more such in near future," Shanta Kumar Negi said. Village Panchayat Samiti member Panma Dorjee mentioned that all the villages in the region are in favour of this. "In a General Body Meeting of Hangrang Ringchen Cultural Buddhist Heritage Society, our member villages of the valley participated and stated that the old tradition is being ignored at weddings. People protested against it and after making a consensus opinion was sought from village to village through Gram Sabhas. Sumra Panchayat has supported, it is expected that other member villages will also cooperate positively in this direction," Panma said. The local residents believe that Society has an impact on the people and any decisions taken in the past are followed by the local people. "In the Hangrang Valley we have faith in the guru Lochen and the society is associated with the Buddhist guru in the region. The general body of that society, the issue that new traditions are being established in marriages and old are wiping out. It was considered and people are now following it with Panchayati Raj Institutions and elected members, even before the English liquor and new initiative of serving meat were stopped by the intervention of the same society," a local resident said. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed the 2010 Orissa High Court decision to quash acquisition of 6,000 acres of land in 2006 for Anil Agrawal-led Vedanta Resources Ltd to establish a university there. A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari said: "It is not appreciable why the government offered such an undue favour in favour of one trust/company. Thus, the entire acquisition proceedings and the benefits, which were proposed by the state government were vitiated by favourism and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India." It said the most important aspect, which is required to be considered is the non-application of mind by the state government on environmental aspects and passing of two rivers from the acquired lands in question. It is not in dispute that from the lands in question two rivers, namely Nuanai and Nala are flowing, which as such were acquired by the state government, it added. "How the maintenance of the rivers etc. can be handed over to the beneficiary company. If the lands in question are continued to be acquired by the beneficiary company, the control of the rivers would be with the said private company, which would violate the Doctrine of Public Trust," said the bench. It added that the large-scale construction for the establishment of the proposed university as observed by the high court will also adversely affect the wildlife sanctuary, entire ecosystem, and the ecological environment in the locality. "It is a duty of the state to protect the wildlife sanctuary and it may affect the entire ecosystem and the ecological environment in the locality," said the bench. It further added that merely because the Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary is separated from the proposed site by a highway - Pthe uri-Konark Marine Drive, cannot be a ground to acquire the huge lands for the proposed university and as rightly observed by the high court, the same will adversely affect the wildlife sanctuary and the entire ecosystem and the ecological environment in the locality. "The aforesaid aspects have not at all been considered by the state government and/or the Collector and/or the appropriate authority even while considering the proposal and/or even the objections under Section 5A of the Act, 1894," said the bench. The top court dismissed the appeal filed by the Anil Agrawal Foundation against the judgment of the high court and also imposed a Rs 5 lakh cost. The bench said initially, 15,000 acres was proposed to be acquired, which is now reduced to 3,837 acres, meaning thereby, the proposal was for exaggerated demand and this was mala fide intention on the part of the appellant company/foundation. The bench observed that it is required to be noted that the lands were proposed to be acquired at the instance of one foundation/company and the state government was dealing with the lands belonging to the agricultural landowners. "It is required to be noted that the government is holding a public trust and has to deal with the lands belonging to private landowners, more particularly, agricultural landowners in accordance with law. The state government could not have considered the proposal from only one beneficiary/trust. There may be other public trusts/companies, who might be interested in establishing such a university. Even no proper inquiry seems to have been initiated by the government/Collector while considering the proposal by the beneficiary company," said the bench, in its 103-page judgment. The bench noted that the lands to be acquired are agricultural lands belonging to 6,000 families and their only source of livelihood is on the agricultural lands, which cannot be compensated in terms of money, therefore, the proposal made now has to be rejected outright. Citing the detailed findings recorded by the high court, the bench said: "We are more than satisfied that the High Court has not committed any error and in fact the High Court was justified in setting aside the entire acquisition proceedings, which has been vitiated by non-compliance of the statutory provisions under the Act, 1894 and the Rules, 1963 and vitiated by mala fides and favourism and is a clear case of the non-application of mind on relevant aspects. We are in complete agreement with the view taken by the High Court." --IANS ss/vd ( 722 Words) 2023-04-12-21:16:02 (IANS) Alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has made public his alleged WhatsApp chats with jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain and K. Kavitha, BRS leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Presently lodged at the Mandoli Jail in the national capital, Chandrashekhar is accused of extorting Rs 200 crore from a businessman's wife. In the purported conversations released on Wednesday, Chandrashekhar alleges that there is a connection between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and the BRS leader with regard to the Delhi excise policy scam. In a letter directed to Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, Chandrashekhar has accused AAP and Kejriwal of having multiple contracts and business deals with him. He wrote, "This very application and attached chats expose the link between the Aam Aadmi party, Arvind Kejriwal and BRS leader K. Kavitha, who are involved in the Delhi liquor scam." The allegations levelled by Chandrashekhar have raised concerns about the role of political leaders in the liquor policy scam. Further inquiries will likely provide additional insights into the mater. Chandrashekhar in his letter stated that the very application and chats attached show the nexus between the Aam Aadmi party, Arvind Kejriwal and Kavitha, who are allegedly involved in the Delhi liquor policy scam. According to Chandrashekhar, the chats submitted to the L-G will aid the ongoing investigation into the liquor scam. "The said chats are with regard to Rs 15 crore given by me to Arvind kejriwal and Satyendar Jain which was asked to be delivered to K. Kavitha of the BRS in Hyderabad," said the letter released through his legal counsel Anant Malik. According to the screenshots of the alleged chats, it is evident that Chandrashekhar had a coded conversation with a person whose number was saved as 'Kavita Akka TRS'. In one of the messages, the sender wrote, "AK bro package has to be given. It's ready with me." Chandrashekhar alleged that this package refers to an amount of Rs 15 crore. In another chat with a mobile number not saved on his phone, and claimed to be of Satyendar Jain, one of the messages read, "Bro Ghee tin ready. Yes bro 15 Kg." Chandrashekhar claimed that in their code words, 'ghee' refers to money and 15 kg meant Rs 15 crore. He also wrote "inform big bro" in the same chat, to which the receiver replied, "AK Bhai knows". --IANS ssh/arm ( 415 Words) 2023-04-12-22:14:02 (IANS) After siblings Misa Yadav and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Ragini was summoned to join investigation on Wednesday. She had reached the ED's headquarters at around 11 a.m. and left it at around 7.30 p.m. On Tuesday, Tejashwi Yadav was questioned for about eight hours in the matter. The ED said that their investigation has found that 4 parcels of lands allegedly acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav in just Rs 7.5 lakh from Group-D applicants were sold to former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana by Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi for huge gains at Rs 3.5 crore. It said that their investigation has further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received, was transferred to the account of Tejashwi Yadav. --IANS atk/vd ( 177 Words) 2023-04-12-22:20:02 (IANS) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday approved the much-discussed Right to Health Bill which was passed by the Assembly last month. The passage of the bill had led to an impasse between the government and doctors, who were on strike for 16 days. However, both sides came to an agreement on April 4. The bill was sent to the Governor for approval after the government and doctors agreed on 8 points. Passing of this bill implies that any citizen of the state will have to be given treatment by the state government-run and select private hospitals. Also, the cost of this treatment will be borne by the government. The passing of this bill will help in avoidance of pre-payment -- at the time of road accident, snake or other bite or any other emergency, and the common person will be able to get treatment without any prepayment. Hospitals will not pressurise the patient for any kind of fees. If the person is unable to pay after treatment, then the government will bear the cost. The patient will have the right to collect bills for all types of treatment from the hospital. Also, the patient will have the right to appeal if he/she is not satisfied with the treatment. The hospital will be fined if found guilty. The procedure for appeal and the mode of complaint have also been simplified. --IANS arc/pgh ( 243 Words) 2023-04-12-22:28:05 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023 in Washington. The two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums. "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met with the United States Treasury Secretary Ms.@SecYellen on the sidelines of the @WorldBank and IMF #SpringMeetings 2023, in Washington D.C., today," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Taking the discussions ahead from their last meeting in November 22 during the Economic Financial Dialogue (EFD), in India, the two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums. "Wide-ranging conversation between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on deepening bilateral economic partnership and engagement in multilateral fora," tweeted Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the US. Sitharaman, who is leading a high-powered delegation, appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including climate change. She also highlighted the role of G20, Quad, and IPEF in fostering this partnership. "FM Smt. @nsitharaman appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including #ClimateChange. FM highlighted the role of #G20, QUAD and IPEF in fostering this partnership," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Sitharaman also emphasised the importance of coordinated global action to address debt vulnerability in low and middle-income countries, besides the need for financial support to help developing economies achieve their climate goals. Yellen applauded India for focusing on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development bank during its G-20 presidency. She said the US was looking forward to continuing its close cooperation with India to help make India's G20 presidency a success. "I want to commend your presidency for its focus on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development banks. As you know, this initiative is a priority of mine and will be a major focus of our conversations this week," she said. Yellen said the G-20 can bring strong political momentum to bear to make sure that the multilateral development banks accelerate their work on 21st-century global challenges as part of their effort to end extreme poverty and expand shared prosperity. She also said that having the right leadership at the World Bank is critical in furthering the progress that they have made. The Finance Minister also met with the United States Ex-Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and discussed about the Digital Public Infrastructure, providing accessibility for all, including StartUps, besides supporting the growth of fintech. "FM Smt. @nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that scaling up of #DigitalInfrastructure and adoption of tech by common people in India has been phenomenal in the last couple of years," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Sitharaman also highlighted that in the space of manufacturing, India has the right kind of skills, including manpower and language proficiency along with a huge domestic market which provides a significant scaling advantage to the private sector. "In reference to the Union Budget 2023-24, FM Smt.@nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that India has announced setting up of 3 Centres of Excellence in the area of #ArtificialIntelligence as it is a key focus for the Government," added the tweet. (ANI) United States State Secretary Antony Blinken has spoken with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterated Washington's commitment to stand with Kiev " for as long as it takes," the US State Department said. "Secretary Blinken underscored Ukraine's success as vital to peace and security in Europe and reiterated the United States' commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes," said Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel in a statement on Tuesday (local time). The two leaders discussed ongoing preparations for Ukraine's spring counteroffensive, including security assistance pledges from allies and partners, said Patel. Taking to Twitter, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister also shared the same information, "During our call today, @SecBlinken reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. support and vehemently rejected any attempts to cast doubt on Ukraine's capacity to win on the battlefield. The U.S. remains Ukraine's trustworthy partner, focused on advancing our victory and securing a just peace." The US has been helping Ukraine since Russia started its special military operation on February 24, 2022. Last month, the US said that they will send Ukraine USD 350 million in weapons and equipment as the battle with Russian forces continues for control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. "Today, pursuant to a delegation of authority from President Biden, I am authorizing our 34th drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment for Ukraine valued at USD 350 million," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement issued by the US State Department on Monday. "This military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverine boats, and other equipment," the statement read. The US applauds the more than 50 countries that have come together to provide support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement read. "This week, as Russia's unconscionable war of aggression against Ukraine continues at a great human cost, we are again reminded of the boundless courage and steadfast resolve of the Ukrainian people, and the strong support for Ukraine across the international community," Blinken said. He added: "Russia alone could end its war today. Until Russia does, we will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes." Meanwhile, in February, the US announced a new security package plan, including authorisation of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at upto USD 425 million, as well as USD 1.75 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds, according to the statement released by US Defence Department. The package pulled USD 425 million from existing Defence Department stocks, and USD 1.75 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. The new package marks USD 29.3 billion provided to Ukraine since Russia's started its military operation last February. (ANI) WASHINGTON National Public Radio is quitting Twitter after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped NPRs account with labels the news organization says are intended to undermine its credibility. Twitter labeled NPRs main account last week as state-affiliated media, " a term also used to identify media outlets controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments, such as Russia and China. Twitter later changed the label to government-funded media, but to NPR which relies on the government for a tiny fraction of its funding its still misleading. Advertisement NPR said in a statement Wednesday that it will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent. Defund @NPR, was Musks tweeted response. His latest tiff with a news organization reflects a gamble for the social media platform he bought last year. Advertisement Twitter, more than any of its rivals, has said its users come to it to keep track of current events. That made it an attractive place for news outlets to share their stories and reinforced Twitters moves to combat the spread of misinformation. But Musk has long expressed disdain for professional journalists and said he wants to elevate the views and expertise of the average citizen. The Public Broadcasting Service said Wednesday it has also stopped tweeting from its main account and that the public TV organization has no plans to resume because Twitters simplistic label leaves the inaccurate impression that PBS is wholly funded by the federal government. Media analysts say growing friction between Twitter and news organizations since Musk bought the platform is bad for Twitter, and bad for the public. Its a shame to have proceeded in a direction where, intentionally or otherwise, Twitter is categorizing Russian propaganda outlets in a similar way to very legitimate news sources that get a very modest amount of funding from the U.S. government, said Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. This is just the latest example of Musk tangling with mainstream news organizations. He abruptly suspended the accounts of individual journalists who wrote about Twitter late last year, claiming some were trying to reveal his location. Twitter earlier in April removed the verification check mark on the main account of The New York Times, singling out the newspaper and disparaging its reporting after it said it would not pay Twitter for verification of its institutional accounts. Twitter used to tag journalists and other high-profile accounts with blue check marks to verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors. But Musk has derided the marks as an undeserved status symbol and plans to take them away from anyone not buying a premium subscription. Those cost as little as $8 a month for individuals and a minimum of $1,000 a month for organizations. Barrett said Musk appears to be intent on insulting and antagonizing individuals and organizations that he considers to be too liberal for his taste. But by driving away legitimate news outlets, Twitter is only harming itself, he said. Advertisement The drift is in an unfortunate direction, Barrett said. You want to encourage sources of reliable, well-reported news to be present and prolific on your platform. NPRs main account, which joined Twitter in 2007, had not tweeted since April 4. On Wednesday, it sent a series of tweets listing other places to find its journalism. NPR spokesperson Isabel Lara said its journalists, employees and member stations can decide on their own if they want to keep using the platform. NPR journalists have not been given the government-funded label, at least not yet. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company has said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. Much of its funding comes from sponsorships and dues from its member stations around the U.S., which in turn get revenue from a range of funders including public institutions, corporate donors and listeners. Twitters new labels have often appeared arbitrarily assigned. For example, Twitter hasnt added the government-funded label for many other public broadcasting organizations, such as those in Canada and Australia. It also has changed some labels without explanation, such as when it removed a United Arab Emirates state-affiliated media tag from the profile of Abu Dhabis The National newspaper earlier this year. In an interview Tuesday with a BBC technology reporter at Twitters San Francisco headquarters, Musk acknowledged that the British organization is not thrilled about the label it received and asked the reporter for feedback. Advertisement Our goal was simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible, Musk said. So I think were adjusting the label to be publicly funded, which I think is perhaps not too objectionable. Were trying to be accurate. The BBC said Wednesday it would welcome being described as publicly funded instead of government-funded. Hours later, BBC got its publicly funded media label, but not NPR or PBS. The literary organization PEN America said news organizations are making understandable responses to Twitters unpredictable and capricious policy decisions but the loss to consumers will be significant. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Musks approach to managing Twitter has come at the expense of information integrity and user trust, and it has only made it harder for users to sift through the maelstrom of online content to find what is credible. AP Writers David Bauder and Kelvin Chan contributed to this report. US State Secretary Antony Blinken has appointed Mathew Miller as the new spokesperson for the State Department. Miller was the former National Security Council official and was the Justice Department spokesman during President Barack Obama's administration. In a statement released by the State Department on Tuesday (local time), Blinken said he benefitted greatly from Miller's wisdom, his experience in government, and his deep understanding of foreign policy when he was tapped to head up my nomination. "Matt stepped up once again in the early months of Russia's further invasion of Ukraine when he took leave to join the National Security Council to lead our whole of government communications and outreach as part of our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and defence," Blinken said Miller previously served as director of the Office of Public Affairs and spokesperson for Attorney General Eric Holder at the Department of Justice making him "no stranger to navigating and communicating on complex, global challenges like those we face today," Blinken said. Blinken also thanked Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel for stepping in as the Acting Spokesperson and as Principal Deputy Spokesperson. "Matt, along with Vedant and the rest of the Office of the Spokesperson, will continue the Department's commitment to access and transparency," Blinken said. Miller succeeds Ned Price, who Blinken had in an announcement last month said is leaving the role to transition to a role working directly for Blinken. Price began to work as a US Department of State spokesperson on January 20, 2021. Blinken said that Price had started holding Department's daily press briefings within days of taking on the role, and has held over 200 briefings since then. "Ned began as Spokesperson on January 20, 2021. Within days of taking on the role, he restored the Department's daily press briefings, giving journalists the chance to regularly ask tough questions of our policy," the US State Secretary said. Blinken said, "Ned's firm grasp of the policies underlying our messaging made him that much more effective in his role. On a personal level, I have constantly benefited from his counsel, as have so many members of the Department. Fortunately, I'll be able to continue to do that, as Ned will continue to serve at State, working directly for me." He noted that Price has been a face and voice of US foreign policy and performed with extraordinary professionalism and integrity. He also thanked Ned Price for his remarkable service. (ANI) The US ambassador-designate to India Eric Garcetti arrived in India on Tuesday to fill up the position left vacant for two years after Kenneth Juster completed his tenure in 2021. Taking to Twitter, US Embassy in India said, "Namaste, Ambassador-Designate Eric Garcetti! We're thrilled to welcome you to #IncredibleIndia and work with you to build even stronger ties between our two great nations." On March 24, Garcetti was sworn in by US Vice President Kamala Harris as the new US Ambassador to India. Garcetti during the oath-taking ceremony, said: "I Eric M. Garcetti, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter." The Senate on March 15 (Local Time) confirmed the former mayor of Los Angeles, Eris Garcetti, to be the US ambassador to India. Garcetti won the mandate by a vote of 52 to 42, a major victory for US President Joe Biden as well, who stuck by his political ally in the face of the allegations and the prolonged process that has left the world's most populous democracies without US representatives. After the result, Garcetti said in a statement, "I'm thrilled with today's outcome, which was a decisive and bipartisan decision to fill a critical post that has been vacant for far too long. Now the hard work begins.""I'm deeply grateful to President Biden and the White House for the confidence and support throughout this process, and to all Senators on both sides of the aisle - whether they voted for me or not - for their thoughtful consideration. I'm ready and eager to begin my service representing our critical interests in India," he added. Earlier, the Senate voted 52-42 giving the advantage to the former Los Angeles mayor's nomination. Senate Foreign Relations Committee also voted in favour of the former Los Angeles Mayor to become the ambassador of India. The panel approved the nomination by a vote of 13-8, with Republican Senators Todd Young and Bill Hagerty joining all of the committee's Democrats in voting in favour of Garcetti. (ANI) On the inauguration of the drinking water supply project in Uganda, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the project will not only boost India's friendship with Uganda but also will further sustainable development. PM Modi took to his Twitter handle and retweeted the information shared by External Affairs Minister S Jaishakar on the project. PM Modi tweeted, "In addition to boosting friendship with Uganda, this project will further sustainable development." During his Uganda visit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also took part in the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of solar-powered piped drinking water supply, which is funded by India's Exim Bank. Following the event, Jaishankar tweeted, "Participated in the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of solar-powered piped drinking water supply systems funded by India Exim Bank in Uganda. This project will provide safe and sustainable water supply to half a million Ugandans across 20 rural districts." Apart from attending the launching of the water supply project in Uganda, Jaishankar also inaugurated the Uganda campus of India's National Forensic Sciences University in Jinja. This is the first foreign campus of NFSU and was a realisation of a personal vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the inaugural ceremony, Jaishankar tweeted, "A personal vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, its international footprint is a matter of particular satisfaction." Jaishankar said further that this was a proud day for India, a proud day for Uganda and for the India-Uganda relationship. The inauguration of NFSU's Uganda campus is an example of practical cooperation between the two nations, he added. Mentioning the courses offered by this university -- Forensic Sciences in behavioural sciences, cyber security, digital forensics and allied sciences -- EAM Jaishakar said he was confident that these courses will be in high demand from students and will bring immense benefits to all the stakeholders in Uganda and in Africa. In his remarks at the inauguration of the NFSU in Uganda, Jaishankar said, "India's National Forensic Sciences University is opening its campus in Uganda, partnering with the Ugandan People's Defence Forces. This is the first foreign campus of the National Forensic Sciences University. Even more important, it is actually the first government University of India to open a campus anywhere abroad in the world." Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Uganda and Mozambique to further strengthen India's "strong bilateral relations" with the two countries. (ANI) Indonesia's Ambassador to India Inna Krishnamurthy on Wednesday said India will strive and thrive in its G20 presidency and that many achievements have already been made by the country on the issue of digital energy transition and many other issues. "India will strive and thrive in its presidency, many achievements already done by India in the issue of digital energy transition and many other issues," Krishnamurthy said while speaking about India's G20 presidency and expectations. The Indonesian Ambassador to India said, "We're so looking forward as to what India can do until the end of the presidency, which is in November." She said that India put forward the principle of inclusivity in its presidency. Krishnamurthy said that though there has been no consensus during the past meetings so far, "we should not lose any hopes and optimism that something will happen during the summit, because the past meetings cannot define what is going to be the result and outcome of the summit." Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India was making an effort to include concerns of the Global South in the G20 framework under its presidency. Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Uganda and Mozambique, on Tuesday addressed members of the Parliamentary Forum on Indian Affairs in Uganda. "We (India) are doing it differently in the sense that no other chair of G-20 made an effort to consult all the countries of the Global South and ask it saying, look, you are not on the table. So what is your interest, what are the things you want? What are your concerns that we can put on the table on your behalf? We went through this very, very detailed, very exhaustive exercise in the month of January," he said. The External Affairs Minister also stated that India would like to use its G20 presidency to get the influential forum focused on its mandate of global growth and development issues. (ANI) The members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile have expressed worry about the Dalai Lama's purported viral video saying it is being pushed as a part of "Chinese communist propaganda". In the viral video, the Dalai Lama is purportedly seen kissing a boy and asking him to "suck his tongue". It further shows the Tibetan spiritual leader purportedly kissing the boy on his lips as the latter leans towards him to pay his respects. After a few moments, the Tibetan spiritual leader is purportedly seen pointing to his mouth and sticking his tongue out. Further, in the clip, the Dalai Lama is purportedly heard saying, "Can you suck my tongue?" Dorjee Tseten, a member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile said, "We need to understand the context within which this incident happened. It was, in fact, a public event and was being telecast live. Unfortunately, media and few social media personalities have used a carefully edited video, which has now caused concern in public." Tseten said, "Anyone who has followed His Holiness closely knows about his personality and his playful nature. Nevertheless, His Holiness' private office has issued a public statement which only shows His greatness. So, I think his holiness' contribution in the promotion of compassion and love to all human beings speaks to the person he is." Expressing concern about the video being pushed allegedly by China, he added, "While recognising the genuine concern that the public may have, we also have to be mindful about the negative campaign being carried out by interest groups especially the Chinese communist regime on this incidence." Another member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Namgyal Dolkar, said, "It's a very disturbing time for the Tibetans across the world. Speaking primarily as a Tibetan living in the free world and witnessing the impact of hyped media work and social media, how it can lead to huge misunderstanding especially when there are individuals and groups and people who are unable to understand the Tibetan socio customs, Tibetan way of life and our interpretation of gender and sexuality and how it has been looked from the lens of various other narrative and I find it very problematic very disturbing particularly as a Tibetan woman." She added, "I think it is important that we look into this issue solely as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is an internationally renowned leader and well respected by the international community across the world and his image has always been that of a man of peace and compassion so people to assume that such a low word and use it in a political manner." "We have to know that His Holiness was at that time in front of cameras and people. Even if such interpretation was given by several fake pages or news, we have to understand how it is even reasonable somebody would do something like that so openly," Dolkar added. Calling the viral video propaganda, the member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile said, "What I find more worrisome is how it has been criticised. I see many fake pages and I worry that those could be supported and pushed in by Chinese communist propaganda and this is something that we have to watch out for." An official statement was released by the office of the Dalai Lama on Monday, stating that the Tibetan spiritual leader "wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused". The Tibetan spiritual leader's remarks came on the heels of the video going viral on social media. (ANI) Prince Harry will attend his father King Charles III's coronation on May 6 without his wife Meghan Markle, Fox News reported. Buckingham Palace on Wednesday confirmed that Harry, the Duke of Sussex will attend the ceremony being held at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6. "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," Fox News reported. The coronation coincides with Harry and Markle's son Archie's fourth birthday. According to ABC News, preparations for the coronation have also been overshadowed in recent months by Prince Harry's damning allegations about the King, Prince William and other royals in his recent memoir, a Netflix documentary and a series of TV interviews. King Charles will be crowned alongside Queen Consort Camilla. As per the ABC News, the King's coronation takes place at a time when the British economy is in turmoil. This has driven the royals to opt for some cost-saving measures, such as cutting short the route Charles and Camilla will follow in a golden carriage. Prince Harry's attendance at the event could be seen as a matter of convenience as well as an acceptance of the olive branch extended through his invitation. The prince will likely have another engagement in the UK immediately following the coronation, according to ABC News. King Charles III's coronation will include a star-studded Windsor Castle concert, reported Buckingham Palace's press release. Buckingham Palace announced details of a three-day merrymaking jamboree. Among the highlights: a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle, a nationwide series of street parties and a national volunteering campaign, branded "The Big Help Out." "Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce further details on the ceremonial, celebratory and community events that will take place over the Coronation Weekend between Saturday 6th and Monday 8th May 2023," read the recent release by the palace. "The Service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. As previously announced, the Service will reflect the Monarch's role today and look towards the future while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry," read Buckingham Palace's release. Across the Coronation Weekend, there will be further opportunities for people to come together in celebration of the historic occasion. (ANI) The World Bank should take on added reform measures over the rest of this year, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday. The top US official said that the World Bank must undertake additional reforms to help developing countries meet global challenges such as climate change. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday participated in the roundtable on 'Multilateral Development Bank Evolution: Building Shareholder Consensus' hosted by the US Department of Treasury Secretary at World Bank headquarters. Secretary Yellen in her remarks stated, "There is an urgent call for the evolution of the multilateral development bank system to meet better the challenges we face in an interconnected world." "Now, almost 80 years after the founding of the World Bank, we call on these MDBs to evolve again to take decisive action on 21st-century global challenges and redouble their vital development and poverty reduction work," urged Yellen. According to the Finance Ministry, India's discussion focused on the impact of global development challenges like climate change, pandemics, fragility and conflict on development progress, and reforms at the World Bank. Sitharaman highlighted two fundamental issues, concerning MDB Evolution, namely, the building consensus on the definition of global development challenges, and augmenting the financial and operational capacity of the World Bank Group. According to the ministry, the finance minister said that in the true spirit of multilateralism, the MDB Evolution dialogue needs to be inclusive, consensus-based, and recognise in full measure, the development perspectives and priorities of client countries. Yellen also said upcoming events could be leveraged to keep momentum strong for the evolution of the World Bank. Those included the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact to be hosted by France in June, the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in India in September, the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Morocco in October, and the United Nations COP28 climate conference to be held in Dubai in November and December. On Tuesday, Sitaraman engaged in a bilateral meeting with her US counterpart. Yellen lauded India's leadership on the issue of reform of MDBs. Yellen also added that the US seeks G20's help in achieving reforms. "The G20 can bring strong political momentum to bear to make sure that the multilateral development banks accelerate their work on 21st-century global challenges as part of their effort to end extreme poverty and expand shared prosperity," the top US official stated. At the MDB Roundtable Yellen further said, "In the coming weeks, we will elect new leadership at the World Bank that can carry this work forward. I believe that Ajay Banga - U.S. nominee for President of the World Bank - is the right leader to take the baton from President Malpass and accelerate our work to evolve this institution." On the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Yellen also reaffirmed American support for Ajay Banga as the nominee for the World Bank president and stressed his Indian roots. The former Mastercard chief is the nominee for the job and is expected to take over later this summer. Later today, the finance minister is scheduled to participate in a Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, BRICS FMCBG, Development Committee Plenary, and a G20 working dinner. The minister in between will also participate in a few bilateral meetings. (ANI) One of the primary reasons why the nation is able to focus on the happiness of the people is due to its inclination towards Gross National Happiness (GNH) as an alternative measure to GDP. Bhutan has always presented a distinct view of progress in a world that is increasingly centred on materialism and economic expansion at the price of the environment and social well-being. According to Bhutan Live's report, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has set out on an ambitious mission to reshape the nation through education, government, and infrastructure initiatives while upholding the country's emphasis on happiness and sustainable development. Moreover, the King is also concerned about the welfare of its people as it works to address rising youth unemployment rates and a growing emigration of young people from Bhutan to other nations (20.9 per cent), the report revealed. His plan for Bhutan includes a number of initiatives, including the new youth volunteer programme "Desuung" (Guardians of Peace), the Bhutan Baccalaureate, administrative and governmental changes, new tourism regulations, and ideas for a connectivity and digital technology hub, Bhutan Live reported. The Desuung programme strives to provide Bhutan's youth with knowledge, training, and a feeling of civic duty so they can support the growth of their country. Another important component of Wangchuk's transformational programme is adjustments to the governance and bureaucratic structures of Bhutan. These changes are meant to increase accountability and openness while streamlining decision-making procedures and public service delivery, Bhutan Live reported. (ANI) China reportedly warned Taiwan's northern flight information zone on Tuesday of the upcoming airspace closure, to conduct aerospace activities in the area. China said the duration would be five hours per day from April 16-18. However, it will be reduced to about half an hour on only April 16, following the complaint lodged by Taiwan's ministry. The transportation ministry cautioned that the shutdown was inappropriate and would provide significant and unnecessary safety hazards in its complaint against China. China intends to block airspace over the high seas north of Taiwan, according to Taiwan's defence minister, who stated that defence officials will closely monitor Beijing's aerospace actions, which may include a potential satellite launch, according to NHK World. As tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate, Taiwan recently tracked the People's Liberation Army's 91 aircraft and 12 naval ships from 6 am on Monday (April 10) to Tuesday (April 11). In an official release, Taiwan's Defence Ministry stated, "91 PLA aircraft and 12 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. 54 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest and southeast ADIZ." "Yesterday, China completed the third day of live-fire drills but still, there are 8 vessels that are operating in the waters surrounding Taiwan," Taiwan's Defence Ministry said. The island country's armed forces were monitoring the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond in the event of an emergency. Chinese fighter jets and warships conducted simulated strikes on Taiwan during the weekend. Beijing's actions sparked protests in Taiwan. Beijing's drills on Monday are expected to include live-fire exercises off of China's Fujian province, located only about 80km (50 miles) south of Taiwan's Matsu islands, Al Jazeera reported. China began three-day military drills around Taiwan called "Joint Sword" after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. (ANI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday underlined that in order to address the mounting debt crisis around the world, it is necessary to supplement current global initiatives, especially those of the G20. Sitharaman made the remarks during the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable meeting alongside managing director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday on the sidelines of the SpringMeetings 2023, in Washington. World Bank President David Malpass was also present while Sitharaman discussed the global debt crisis. Taking to Twitter, the Finance Ministry wrote, "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman participated in the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable #GSDR meeting along with Ms@KGeorgieva, MD, IMF @IMFNews, and @DavidMalpassWBG President @WorldBank on the sidelines of the #SpringMeetings 2023, in Washington DC, today." "As a priority for the #G20India Presidency, FM Smt. @nsitharaman said that there is a need to augment present global efforts, including those of the #G20 to address growing debt distress across the globe," the ministry tweeted further. During the discussion, Sitharaman also emphasised the need for debt transparency, information exchange, and clarity regarding the treatment of different debt situations on par, predictability of the process, and timeliness of the process. On Tuesday, Sitaraman also engaged in a bilateral meeting with her US counterpart. Yellen lauded India's leadership on the issue of reform of MDBs. Yellen also added that the US seeks G20's help in achieving reforms. "The G20 can bring strong political momentum to bear to make sure that the multilateral development banks accelerate their work on 21st-century global challenges as part of their effort to end extreme poverty and expand shared prosperity," the top US official stated. At the MDB Roundtable Yellen further said, "In the coming weeks, we will elect new leadership at the World Bank that can carry this work forward. I believe that Ajay Banga - U.S. nominee for President of the World Bank - is the right leader to take the baton from President Malpass and accelerate our work to evolve this institution." Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (local time) reached Washington to attend the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund and other G20 meetings. She was received by Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Sitharaman is on a week-long visit to the US. (ANI) From left: "Calling on the Past" by Amir H. Fallah (2018, provided by the Smart Museum of Art and the 2018 Northern Trust Purchase Prize); "cross of the depths pains elsewhere they asked me to swallow my tongue swallow salt water, never to say again what we are going to say in a round Mami Wata (...)" by Julien Creuzet (2021, provided by DOCUMENT); To speak in silence by Aida Muluneh (2022, provided by the artist). The 10th anniversary edition of EXPO Chicago opens Thursday in Navy Piers Festival Hall and in venues elsewhere in the city. With the full title EXPO Chicago: The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, the art fair will host some 170 international exhibitors, as well as present panel discussions and lectures on contemporary art and cultural topics. Festival Hall itself will be a labyrinth of exhibition spaces with modern art of all kinds, presented by galleries from 36 countries. Chicago-area galleries represented include Aaron Galleries, Casterline|Goodman Gallery, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Stephen Daiter Gallery, Richard Norton Gallery, Volume Gallery, DOCUMENT, Kavi Gupta, ANDREW RAFACZ, Carrie Secrist Gallery, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, McCormick Gallery, moniquemeloche, Western Exhibitions, Alan Koppel Gallery and M. LeBlanc. Advertisement Other programs include a curatorial forum, a digital billboard activated with the help of DCASE, and a directors summit with emerging art museum leaders, as well as: /Dialogues: In partnership with the School of the Art Institute, a stage on Navy Pier will host panel discussions with artists, curators and arts professionals on current issues in art. Highlights for 2023 include a conversation with Chance the Rapper and artist Hank Willis Thomas focused on community building through work with underrepresented artists (7 p.m. Thursday), as well as Building Museums of the Future, lead by Madeleine Grynsztejn of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (3:30 p.m. Friday). Advertisement IN/SITU: Large-scale sculpture, video, film and site-specific works in Festival Hall. IN/SITU Outside: Public art installations elsewhere on Navy Pier and around the city, including Funtime Unicorn by Derrick Adams, on view through June 25 in Polk Bros Park. Woo woo Woo: Curated by Jeanette Bisschops, with a performance 3 p.m. Friday inspired by connections between religious rituals and collective dance, with choreographer Michele Rizzo. April 13-16, 2023 at Navy Pier; tickets $35-$150 and more information at www.expochicago.com dgeorge@chicagotribune.com Ukrainian human rights activists have reported that there are about a hundred places on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and in Russia where about a thousand civilian Ukrainians are being held. Source: Ukrinform news agency, citing the Media Initiative for Human Rights and the Tsyvilni u Poloni (Captured Civilians) NGO Quote from Tetiana Katrychenko, coordinator at the Media Initiative: "According to the Ministry of Reintegration, 950 civilians were held in detention facilities as of the end of February 2023. Our list, which we maintain in parallel with the support of the NGO Civilians in Captivity, contains approximately the same number of people. We cannot say whether the lists coincide or not, as the state information is closed." Details: According to the Media Initiative, 948 hostages have been identified; they are civilians on the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia. Human rights activists have presented a map with places of detention of civilians and prisoners of war. It shows one hundred places of detention from Donetsk and Kherson oblasts to Irkutsk Oblast in Russia. Prisons in the liberated territories of Kyiv and Sumy oblasts are also localised. According to the experts, the map was developed over a year. They had been monitoring social media and websites to identify people who disappeared during the occupation. The experts also interviewed people released from captivity. Katrychenko has noted that new prisons are discovered almost every day, so their total number could be several hundred, and the number of hostages might be up to 15,000. After all, much of Ukraine is still occupied, and detentions occur there every day, and human rights activists discover new places of detention. Police stations, administrative buildings, basements and recreation centres are reportedly used as places of detention and torture in the occupied territories. For instance, 4 to 10 people are held in each of the buildings at the recreation centre in the Arabat Spit in Kherson Oblast. Story continues In addition, some people from the occupied left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast were transferred to two pre-trial detention centres in Simferopol. The Media Initiative identified 70 Ukrainians who were held there. Katrychenko has noted that anyone who arouses "suspicion" among the Russians, in particular when trying to evacuate, can be held in such places. For reference: The Media Initiative for Human Rights is a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation founded in September 2016 by journalists Mariia Tomak and Olha Reshetylova. The organisation monitors and documents human rights violations in connection with the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, covers and investigates individual episodes, analyses the data collected and conducts advocacy activities. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Around 30 employees were treated for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a Kansas City, Kansas, meat processing plant Tuesday, according to the fire department. Just after 1:40 p.m., emergency services responded to a medical call at Premier Custom Foods on the 700 block of Pawnee Avenue. On scene, first responders said employees suffered nausea and difficulty breathing. Of the affected workers, 16 were transported to a hospital. One was taken in critical condition, said Deputy Chief LaRwan McClaine, a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department. McClaine said he is unsure of the employees current conditions. The cause of the chemical exposure remains under investigation, according to McClaine. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration could not be reached for comment Wednesday, though public records show no previous violations at the plant. Premier Custom Foods did not respond to The Stars request for comment Wednesday. The personal information of 2,280 current and former Modesto employees may have been accessed in the recent ransomware attack on the Police Departments IT network. The information may include names, addresses, Social Security and drivers license numbers, medical information in work status reports and state-issued identification numbers, according to letters the city sent in early March to the current and former employees. The city has about 1,200 employees, with about 300 of them working for the Police Department. Modesto Chief Information Officer Scott Conn provided the City Council and the public on Tuesday the citys most detailed account about the Feb. 3 ransomware attack, though the cybercriminals had been in the network snooping around since Jan. 31 before launching their attack. Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that hackers use to infect and hobble a computer or computer network until a ransom is paid. The crooks typically gain access through a type of email called phishing and through servers connected to the internet without adequate security. A phishing email can have a link with malware software in it. The malware is activated when someone clicks on the link. Conn told council members that city employees were not responsible for the security breach. He said the breach occurred with one of the citys vendors. What council needs to know is that through no act of a city of Modesto staff member or employee did this breach occur, he said. Nobody clicked on anything bad. ... It turns out one our trusted vendors got compromised outside of our system, and their user account captured. And they just happened to use the same user name and password to get into systems they are supposed to maintain at the city of Modesto. So it was an actual vendor of ours that got hacked and allowed the penetration of our Police Department to occur. Conn did not say in his presentation to the council whether the city had any responsibility in preventing the hackers from gaining access through the vendor. But when asked by Councilman Chris Ricci how Modesto could prevent the same type of breach from happening again, Conn said the city has taken measures to prevent that. Story continues City spokesman Andrew Gonzales said in a text message that Modesto would not provide the name of the vendor. Conn said Modesto refused to pay a ransom. We did not pay one red cent to these people, he said. They asked. We didnt pay. But Councilman Nick Bavaro asked Conn about the price the 2,280 current and former city employees would pay if their personal information is misused. Conn said Modesto has offered them one year of free credit monitoring, though he said just 4% have signed up for the service. Conn acknowledged this is a terrible situation for the current and former employees and the city is truly sorry. Hackers claim responsibility Gonzales, the city spokesman, said in an interview that Modesto has not received any reports of these current and former employees having their personal information misused. A ransomware group named snatch has claimed responsibility for the attack and has posted on its website 15 files that it claims contain information from Modesto. Ransomware attacks can target more than Social Security numbers and other personal information. Ransomware groups have released child abuse allegations, the names of confidential informants and investigations on the internet. Modesto has not said whether its ransomware attackers may have accessed other information in addition to the personal information of current and former employees. And while Modesto did not pay a ransom, the cyberattack may cost the city more than $1 million for expert help in recovering from it and for additional security detection and prevention tools that may have deterred the attacker, according to a city report. The City Council at its Tuesday meeting voted 7-0 to approve the spending. The spending includes as much as $586,645 for the expert help and as much as $497,000 annually for security detection and prevention software tools. A city report states the IT Department had planned to ask the council to approve the purchase of security tools before the ransomware attack. Modesto anticipates it will be reimbursed by its cybersecurity insurance provider for the cost of the expert help, less the citys $100,000 deductible. The city report does not name the firms that provided the expert help and the software tools. It cites California Government Code section 7929.210(a) in not doing so. The section exempts disclosure of information that if released would increase the potential for an attack on a public agencys IT system. The report states the experts who helped the city and the the security detection and prevention firms provide such narrow, specialized services that naming them would necessarily identify a specific vulnerability in the citys IT network. But the city has released the names of two of the firms that helped it in the security breach: MoxFive and Entara. Gonzales said the city would not release the names of the others. MPD disconnected from internet Conn told council members that Modesto responded to the cyberattack within an hour. He said the city essentially disconnected the Police Department from the internet and from its connections with other networks, including the Sheriffs Department and District Attorneys Office, so we would not be the ones who infected them. The ransomware attack meant police officers could not use their laptops in their patrol vehicles as well as other technology that they and other Police Department employees rely upon. Conn said the city developed workarounds so there was no interruption in city services. And Police Chief Brandon Gillespie has said the department provided extra staffing at the Stanislaus Regional 911 dispatch center to provide patrol officers with information they ordinarily would access through their laptops. Conn said Modesto restored critical infrastructure within three weeks and restored 95% of the Police Departments IT network within five weeks. He said the city response and recovery time were remarkable. Conn said that was due to such factors as the city implementing recommendations from a security audit from mid 2021, developing relationships with cybersecurity experts and practicing how to respond to a cyberattack. Officials from the agencies that helped Modesto in the ransomware attack, including the FBI, the CHP Computer Crimes Investigations Unit and the California Cybersecurity Integration Center, also spoke at Tuesdays council meeting and praised the city for its response. Adding out-of-the-box kitchen staples like peanut butter, pickles, and tomatoes can take grilled cheese sandwiches to the next level. locrifa/Shutterstock Grilled cheese sandwiches only require a few ingredients and are the perfect comfort food. Out-of-the-box kitchen staples like peanut butter can easily elevate your grilled cheese sandwiches. Avocado, tomatoes, pickles, and bacon also make delicious additions. Choosing the right kind of bread can immediately take your grilled cheese sandwich to the next level. Sourdough bread. Mariana L/Shutterstock "You don't want to choose a bread that's super dense or something that's not going to get crisp," Laura Werlin, the author of "Grilled Cheese, Please" and "Great Grilled Cheese," told Insider in 2021. "Sourdough is my go-to bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. It's the most versatile and keeps it interesting. Texturally, it's got all these little nooks and crannies that allow the butter, oil, or mayonnaise to really crisp up." "You want to get the ratio of bread to cheese right, and you're not going to get that if your bread is too thick," she continued. "A half-inch slice of bread is what I recommend." Heidi Gibson, the co-owner of American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco, co-author of "Grilled Cheese Kitchen: Bread + Cheese + Everything in Between," and winner of multiple grilled cheese competitions, agreed that choosing the right bread is key. "What you want to be careful of is choosing a bread that has sugar in it," Gibson said. "If your bread has sugar in it, it will burn more quickly. You're going to be better off with a more rustic bread than a loaf of processed sandwich bread." Grated cheese will allow for optimal meltage. Grated cheddar cheese. iStock "With grilled cheese sandwiches, the world is your oyster," Laura Werlin told Insider. "You can put almost anything you like in between two slices of bread with cheese and grill it. However, it's called a grilled cheese for a reason you still want the cheese to be the star." "Grated cheese often works better than sliced cheese," she continued. "That's because you want the cheese to melt as quickly as possible, so the bread doesn't have a chance to burn. There's nothing more disappointing than making a grilled cheese sandwich and cutting it open to find the cheese isn't oozing out because it's not cooked through." Story continues Werlin also explains that you can mix butter with some grated Parmesan and brush it on the outside to get a crispy coating. Experimenting with different cheeses, like blue cheese, can seriously up your grilled cheese game. Blue cheese. Igor Norman/ Shutterstock Werlin recommends using cheeses that are "medium to medium-hard," such as Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Gruyere. Gibson also recommends a cheese like Havarti, which is a little softer and melts very easily. You can also experiment with cheeses that have a distinct flavor, such as goat cheese, blue cheese, or ricotta. However, you want to be sure that none of the other ingredients compete or distract with the flavor of the cheese you choose. "The cheese or cheeses that you use will determine the ooze factor," Werlin said. "There's nothing better than melted brie, but if you use just that on a grilled cheese sandwich it doesn't become a stretchy cheese, it just becomes kind of messy. If you want the stretchy factor, you're going to want to add a slightly harder cheese to get that stretch factor." Many home cooks swear by smearing your bread in mayonnaise to get your sandwich extra crispy. Mayonnaise. Hollis Johnson/Insider Mayonnaise can add another savory flavor element to a grilled cheese sandwich, so you just want to be wary if you're using other strongly flavored ingredients. "Mayonnaise definitely makes for a crisp sandwich, there's no question," Werlin said. However, butter is a chef-approved alternative that adds a deliciously rich flavor to grilled cheese. Butter. Business Insider Video "With grilled cheese sandwiches, it's a canvas," Gibson told Insider. "There's a lot of flexibility there. For me, that's part of the fun. How can I make a grilled cheese sandwich into something extraordinary with these humble beginnings?" Both Werlin and Gibson swear by using butter on the outside of grilled cheese sandwiches. "I just love butter so much and the richness it brings to a sandwich," Werlin said. "What's on the inside will really dictate what fat I'm using. For example, if I'm making a riff on an Italian Caprese sandwich with tomato and basil, I'm not going to use butter. I'm going to use olive oil." Gibson said, "You can also make a compound butter by softening the butter and mixing in whichever spices you want to use. You can add chipotle powder, garlic, sage, rosemary, or thyme and get even more flavor in there. When you spread it on the outside, you get those layers of flavor." You can also experiment with different kinds of oils on the outside of your grilled cheese. Olive oil. dulezidar/iStock You can elevate the flavor of your grilled cheese by smearing the outside of your bread with everything from olive oil to truffle oil. Werlin recommends always spreading or brushing the oil directly onto the bread, rather than in the pan, so that the bread gets evenly crispy. Whether you're using oil, butter, or mayonnaise, Werlin also recommends using a nonstick pan for cooking your grilled cheese sandwich and covering it to expedite the melting of the cheese. Pantry staples like tomato or bacon jams are delicious in grilled cheese sandwiches. Double cheddar and tomato jam grilled cheese. Maren Caruso/Laura Werlin Many people might have jams floating around in their pantries without knowing how to utilize them. Adding ingredients like chutney, pepper jelly, tomato jam, or bacon jam can totally change the flavor profile of your grilled cheese. "Any jam, any chutney, even dijon mustard, almost any condiment will lend itself to a grilled cheese sandwich," Werlin said. "If you've got sweet or savory condiments like pepper jelly or onion relish sitting in the back of your fridge, those work great in a grilled cheese," Gibson said. Peanut butter is one surprising ingredient that can make for a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. PB and cheese grilled cheese. Maren Caruso/Laura Werlin In her book "Grilled Cheese, Please," Werlin gives a recipe for a grilled cheese sandwich with whole-wheat bread, peanut butter, bologna slices, cheese, and dill pickles. Though this might sound like a surprising combination, she explains that, somehow, the flavors all come together. "I cook those bologna slices a little bit to get them crispy and put a little mayonnaise on the outside," she told Insider. "It sounds weird, but it's honestly really good." Bacon makes everything more delicious, including grilled cheese sandwiches. Bacon. grass-lifeisgood/Shutterstock Bacon is an ingredient that might already be in your fridge or on your weekly grocery list, and adding it to a grilled cheese sandwich can take your meal to the next level. Give a French spin to your grilled cheese by adding ham. Grilled cheese sandwich with ham. Elena Shashkina/Shutterstock Ham pairs perfectly with easily melted cheeses like Swiss or Gorgonzola and adds flavor without any extra prep work. Add a slice or two or your favorite sandwich ham and you're good to go. "Ham is great, but it should be thinly sliced," Werlin said. "You're adding that smoky flavor." Pancetta and other cured meats can easily be added to a grilled cheese sandwich. Pancetta cubes. Diana Taliun/Shutterstock Cured meats like pancetta or bacon last longer in your fridge than fresh meats and make a great addition to most grilled cheese sandwich combinations. "I do like pancetta on grilled cheese sandwiches," Werlin said. "The only caveat is that, like bacon, you're going to have to cook it first." Greens like spinach, broccoli rabe, or arugula can add a fresh quality and cut through the richness of the cheese. Mozzarella with crispy prosciutto and broccoli rabe grilled cheese. Maren Caruso/Laura Werlin A grilled cheese made with gooey cheese and heavy bread can easily become too rich. Adding leafy greens and other vegetables can make your sandwich more balanced. "Arugula and spinach will melt brilliantly," Werlin said. "Almost any vegetable will lend itself to a grilled cheese sandwich, but if it's a hard vegetable like a carrot or broccoli or cauliflower ... they have to be briefly cooked first." Adding a smear of your favorite flavored cream cheese can also make for an extra creamy sandwich. Bread with cream cheese. Gamzova Olga/Shutterstock Whether you opt for plain, scallion, or onion and chives, a light dolloping of cream cheese will take your sandwich to the next level. However, be sure to either grill your sandwich quickly or go light on the cream cheese, as it will melt very quickly. Avocado also makes a delicious, creamy addition to grilled cheese sandwiches. Avocado. MSPhotographic/Shutterstock Avocado adds a delicious creamy aspect to grilled cheeses, but you might want to choose a harder cheese with a slightly higher melting point so it doesn't make your sandwich too moist. Roasted or sauteed peppers also add a lot of flavor and texture to grilled cheese sandwiches. Roasted peppers. FPWing/Shutterstock Bell peppers can be used in a number of different recipes, so they'll never go to waste in your fridge. However, if you're using them in a grilled cheese sandwich, Laura Werlin recommends cooking them a little bit before adding them. "Bell peppers should be a little bit softer when you put them in, so you might want to roast them," she said. "The key with vegetables is getting the water out, otherwise you end up with a watery grilled cheese," Heidi Gibson told Insider. Roasted butternut squash adds a ton of flavor to a grilled cheese sandwich. Butternut squash. Causeway/Shutterstock Gibson said that part of the magic of making a gourmet grilled cheese is taking the flavor combinations you love and figuring out how to incorporate them into a grilled cheese sandwich. "If you look at Italian dishes like butternut squash and sage ravioli, you can make that into a grilled cheese," she told Insider. "It's reformatting those beloved flavors. Butternut squash, Fontina cheese, and sage are great in a grilled cheese. You can make sage butter, roast slices of butternut squash, play with it, and voila, you've got a really interesting grilled cheese." Pickled red onion adds a briny flavor to grilled cheese sandwiches and can be prepared in a matter of minutes. Pickled red onion. DPRM/Shutterstock "It takes five minutes to make pickled red onions and they work so well," Gibson said. Pickles also add a fantastic crunch to grilled cheese sandwiches. Pickles. iStock "Pickled items are really delicious, particularly when you're using Alpine-style cheeses like Gruyere or Raclette," Werlin told Insider. "Olives and pickled okra also work really well in a grilled cheese," Gibson said. "Any time of pickle with a hard acid really balances out the cheese." Tomato slices are a fan-favorite addition to grilled cheese sandwiches. Grilled cheese sandwich. locrifa/Shutterstock Cheese and tomato are a match made in heaven, so why not add this common ingredient to grilled cheese? Werlin also explains that tomatoes are a great addition because you don't have to pre-cook them before adding them to a grilled cheese sandwich. If you have leftovers hanging around your kitchen, try incorporating them into your grilled cheese. Chicken tikka masala. Getty Images "You can take Indian dishes like butter chicken or chicken tagine you might have prepared the night before and put that inside a grilled cheese," Gibson told Insider. "It's delicious." Read the original article on Insider Two hundred and forty Democratic members of Congress are asking an appeals court to block a Texas judges ruling last week that will halt the prescription and distribution of mifepristone, a widely used pill for abortions and managing early miscarriages. The lawmakers 50 senators and 190 House members signed onto an amicus brief that was submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Tuesday backing the Biden administrations appeal of last weeks ruling. Emergency relief from the order is necessary to mitigate the imminent harm facing members of the public, many of whom rely on the availability of mifepristone for reproductive careand many more of whom rely on the integrity of FDAs drug approval process for continued access to life-improving and lifesaving drugs, the lawmakers wrote. The perils of this unwarranted judicial intervention into science-based determinations can hardly be overstated, they added. The brief, which spans 65 pages, argued that the ruling eliminating access to mifepristone was an extraordinary and unprecedented step by the district court judge, noting that the federal judiciary has traditionally respected that Congress delegates the drug approval process to scientists and experts with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The lawmakers suggested that the ruling second-guessed the FDA. The FDA has approved the use of mifepristone since 2000. The district court appears to have second-guessed FDAs scientific determination with cherry-picked anecdotes and studies, and on that basis, imposed a remedy that could significantly upend the status quo, they wrote. The group also contended that the ruling against mifepristone will reduce access to abortion, exacerbating an already significant reproductive health crisis, and warned of the far-reaching effects it could have. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by former President Trump, issued a stay on Friday that will block the prescription and distribution of mifepristone. The judge gave the government a weeklong window to appeal before his ruling goes into effect. The FDA quickly appealed the decision to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Story continues But also on Friday, as part of a separate case, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice, who was appointed by former President Obama, issued a ruling that blocked the FDA from altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone in 17 states and Washington, D.C., directly contrasting with the ruling out of Texas. The matter could reach the Supreme Court. Congressional Democrats have ripped the Texas ruling, dubbing it the latest attack on abortion rights after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June. In their brief, the lawmakers argued that the Texas decision would exacerbate the adverse effects that have followed the repeal of Roe. Since the Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, abortion has become inaccessible in much of the United States, the brief reads. The resulting delays and denials of care have already had baleful effect on the health of pregnant individuals, for some of whom pregnancy is a life-threatening condition, regardless of their desire to carry their fetus to term. The district courts order would exacerbate these adverse health outcomes by eliminating access to the most common method of early abortiona two drug regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol, it continued, noting that the ruling will also mean fewer options for treating early pregnancy loss that could, in some cases, be life-threatening. The threat posed by the Texas ruling, the lawmakers contended, is not just for mifepristone. They warned that undermining the FDAs approval of the abortion pill could lead to the same for other drugs. The consequences of the district courts remedy could extend far beyond mifepristone, for it undermines the science-based, expert-driven process that Congress designed for determining whether drugs are safe and effective, the group wrote. By disrupting FDAs two-decade old approval of mifepristone, the district court has interfered with the longstanding statutory framework and erroneously awarded an extraordinary remedy by substituting its judgment for FDAs scientific determination. As a result, the district courts order undermines the well-established statutory and regulatory framework for the approval of new drugs and the due process generally accorded to drug marketing application holders by statute. Its perilous consequences reach far beyond mifepristone, it continued. Providers and patients rely on the availability of thousands of FDA-approved drugs to treat or manage a range of medical conditions, including asthma, HIV, infertility, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) was the only Senate Democrat who did not sign the brief. In June, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe, the West Virginia Democrat said he was disappointed in the ruling but noted that he was raised pro-life and will always consider myself pro-life. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) led the effort with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The second of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore him to his position. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope. You cant expel justice," Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. The Houses vote last Thursday to remove Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. The Republican leadership denied that race was a factor. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other senators sent a letter Wednesday asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether the expulsions violated the Constitution or federal civil rights laws and to take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nations legislative bodies. After the reinstatement vote, a throng of jubilant supporters greeted Pearson outside in a churchlike celebration. Pearson adopted the cadence of a preacher as he delivered a rousing speech with call-and-response crowd interaction. Accompanied by his fiancee, mother and four brothers, Pearson pumped his fist, jumped up and down and hugged relatives. Theyve awakened a sleeping giant," he said, as a drumbeat and roaring cheers echoed his voice. Pearson is expected to return to the Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, when the House holds its next floor session, and plans to be sworn in there. Republicans expelled Pearson and Jones over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. Story continues Shelby County's commission has 13 members, but only seven voted all Democrats in favor of Pearson. Two Democrats were out of the country and did not vote. The four Republicans on the commission did not attend the meeting. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. Marcus DeWayne Belton said he attended the rally outside the Shelby County government building after the vote because he supports Pearsons call for gun law reform. Its not even a Black thing anymore, he said of gun violence. This is Black and white. Any time you go inside a school and youre killing kids, Black and white, its serious. Things are getting worse. The expulsions made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two expelled lawmakers had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has avoided commenting on the lawmakers expulsion and instead said the controversy was an issue concerning the House. He has since called on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would keep dangerous people from acquiring weapons. In their return to the Tennessee Capitol, Pearson and Jones still face the same political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority, which were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. The speakers office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was very agreeable to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the state's dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were exaggerated to show "support of families who often wait decades for justice." Pearson has referenced Sherrell's comments throughout the expulsions and their aftermath. On Wednesday, Pearson said Sexton should resign his post, asserting the House speaker is "more willing to expel people who are asking for the end of gun violence than expel a member of the House who advocated for lynching. ___ Reporters Jonathan Mattise and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville contributed to this report. 'Power of the Dog' and 'Brokeback Mountain.' We always love a queer cowboy film! power of the dog and brokeback mountain The words gay and cowboy go together like peanut butter and jelly. Just about everything about the cowboy way of life screams gay: leather, assless chaps, cowboy hats, denim jackets, tight jeans, and spending a lot of time building up a sweat with other guys. So really, its not surprising that some of our favorite queer films star cowboys. Cowboys are known for being rugged and strong, two things many LGBTQ+ people have had to be to survive in harder times. And two things that queer men have often been stereotyped as lacking. These queer cowboys show just how untrue that is. Theyll put on their rawhide and saddle up with any buckaroo. They know how to ride and they know how to use a rope. Next time someone says cowboys arent gay, simply point them to these five movies. Strange Way of Life strange way of life Pedro Almodovars upcoming short western stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke as a lawman and outlaw who travel across the desert to meet up with each other after 25 years apart. Its said to be Almodovars answer to Brokeback Mountain. It will premiere at this years Cannes Film Festival. Brokeback Mountain brokeback mountain Speaking of Brokeback Mountain, this is the blueprint for the modern gay cowboy film. Jake Gylenhaal and Heath Ledger starred in this groundbreaking, Oscar-winning movie about a doomed romance between two sheep herders. Brokeback Mountain was a heartbreaking movie, but it also was one of the first gay films to be recognized as a true masterpiece. Cowboys cowboys This modern western features a trans cowboy. It starred Steve Zahn as the troubled father of a young trans boy who takes him from his mother after the mother refuses to let him transition. 10-year-old actor Sasha Knight starred as Joe, the young trans boy who travels through the Montana wilderness with his dad. Power of The Dog Power of the dog Jane Campions Oscar-winning 2021 western starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smit-McPhee. It takes place in 1925 Montana and follows Phil Burbank (Cumberbatch), a rancher who gets jealous of his brothers new wife and starts to obsess over her younger brother (Smit-McPhee). The movie challenged ideas of toxic masculinity present in the western genre, and Campion won the Oscar for Best Director. Story continues Dashing in December dashing in december Its not exactly the same type of prestige drama as the other films on this list, but Dashing in December has its own special place in our gay cowboy hearts. The Paramount+ original romantic holiday film follows Wyatt Burwall (Peter Porte) as he returns to his familys Colorado ranch to try to convince his mom to sell it. However, when he meets charming new ranch hand Heath Ramos (Juan Pablo Di Pace), he learns the power of Christmas and of love. Fifty members from UK special forces were in Ukraine in February-March of this year, according to one of the leaked Pentagon documents. Source: The Guardian newspaper Details: One of the documents classified as "top secret" states that special forces from several countries not formally participating in the war are operating in Ukraine. Up to 50 members of UK special operations forces might have been in Ukraine between February and March. The document dated 23 March reports that the biggest contingent of special forces in Ukraine was from the UK (50 persons), then Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1). The document does not contain information concerning their exact whereabouts and the tasks they completed. The UK Ministry of Defence has refused to comment on this information. The UKs special forces is the most secretive organisation of the UK Armed Forces. Its members carry out their operations undercover, but unlike the work of the intelligence services their activity is not subject to external parliamentary oversight. Background: Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A new biography about King Charles III, authored by royal biographer Robert Jobson, is set to be released on Thursday 13 April. The book, titled Our King Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed, charts the new monarchs trajectory from his birth to his ascension to the throne, which took place after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year. According to his publisher, Jobson set out to reveal the real man behind the crown and examine Charless passions, purpose and motivations as the UK gears up for the coronation on 6 May. The author considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role. It also contains new claims about members of the royal family and about Charless personal feelings on how certain events in his life have unfolded. These are the biggest claims Jobson has made in his forthcoming biography: Prince Harry shocked royals by insisting Meghan accompany him to Balmoral after the Queen died On 8 September, the day Queen Elizabeth died and Charles ascended the throne, the Duke of Sussex notably travelled to Balmoral separately from his brother, the Prince of Wales, and other members of the royal family. Prince Harry took a private jet to Scotland, whilse Prince William drove the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh from Aberdeen airport. In an interview ahead of the publication of his memoir Spare, Harry claimed he received a horrible reaction from the royal family when he was reunited with them after Elizabeths death. Jobson claimed that Harry chose to travel to Balmoral alone after a disagreement over his wife, Meghan Markles attendance. The author wrote that Harry insisted Meghan accompany him to Balmoral, but Charles told him she could not come. A royal insider was quoted as saying: It did not go down well with the family, they were all shocked by his behaviour. Britain Prince Harry Coronation Queen insisted on meeting Liz Truss days before she died against doctors advice Only two days before her passing, the late Queen invited the newly appointed prime minister Liz Truss to Balmoral to form a government. Story continues According to Jobson, the monarch did so against the advice of her doctors, who worried about the Queen due to her frailty. However, close sources were quoted as saying that nothing was going to stop her from carrying out the official meetings with Truss and then-outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson. The Queen is said to have insisted that it was her job to formally install Truss as prime minister in the traditional kissing hands ceremony. However, the meetings took an awful lot out of her. Installing Truss was one of her last acts as Queen. Britain Politics (PA) Queen Mother disapproved of Prince Philips alpha male parenting style Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was reportedly not a fan of the Duke of Edinburghs preferred parenting style, particularly when it came to Charles. Jobson described the late Prince Philip as having an alpha male parenting style that was authoritarian and strict towards Charles, who was known for having a sensitive nature. The Queen Mother is said to have frowned upon his brashness and the way he treated Charles. Philip would set very strict rules and expect Charles to meet incredibly high standards, Jobson wrote. It was a way to exert control over his behaviour or activities. There was little warmth towards his son and, growing up, Charles often felt lonely and isolated. Charles agonised over his mistake of not calling off wedding to Diana It was claimed in Jobsons book that the King agonised over the fact he did not call off his wedding to Diana, despite being reportedly unsure about whether they were compatible. The author wrote that Charles believes he let down not only the monarchy, but himself and Diana too, through his inability to call off the wedding. He claimed that the then-Prince of Wales aired his reluctance about the marriage to his close circle of friends and said: I desperately wanted to get out of the wedding in 1981, when during the engagement I discovered just how awful the prospects were, having had no chance whatsoever to get to know Diana beforehand. Diana was also said to be having second thoughts, as she reportedly told her sisters Lady Jane and Sarah that she believed Charles was still in love with Camilla Parker-Bowles, who was married to Andrew Parker-Bowles at the time. But Charles has long accepted that his reputation in relation to his doomed marriage to Diana would be forever distorted, Jobson wrote. (Getty Images) Charles stopped taking Harrys calls after Megxit Jobson also claimed that King Charles stopped taking Prince Harrys calls after he stepped back from his royal duties in 2020. Jobson wrote that Harry regularly phoned his grandmother from California until he kept trying to air his grievances. In the end, [the late Queen] asked him to speak directly to his father instead, he claimed. The author wrote that a source told him: Her Majesty found Prince Harrys calls quite difficult and wearisome. She didnt want to interfere in the father/son relationship and would urge him to speak to his father. He alleged that Charles eventually stopped taking Harrys calls after his son swore at him and repeatedly asked for funds. When the Queen asked Charles why he hadnt given in, he told her that he wasnt a bank, Jobson wrote. Jobson claimed that the Queen felt let down by Harrys decision to step back from his royal duties, and that she saw the departure of the Sussexes as a missed opportunity. The Queen, however, apparently hoped her grandson would find peace and happiness in his new life. William known to speak forcefully to Charles The author alleged in his book that William had been known so speak forcefully to his father King Charles. One exchange between them was so heated that it left Charles shaken, he claimed. Jobson went on to claim that both of Charless sons tempers are reminiscent of their mother Dianas, which Charles had struggled to cope with during their marriage. Instead of a line being drawn under it, Charles relationship with his sons has apparently deteriorated further. Jobson added that both of Charless sons had challenged him on occasion. A group of 69 Republican members of Congress filed a brief urging an appeals court to uphold the decision of a federal judge in Texas last week that would halt the prescription of a widely used abortion pill, after over 200 congressional Democrats lobbied for a reversal of the ruling. The House Republicans that signed on were led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and included the likes of Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.). They argued that the federal government approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, which has been approved for over 20 years, is unlawful. The 11 Republican senators who signed on were led by Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (Miss.) and included Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Rick Scott (Fla.). The FDAs (Food and Drug Administration) unlawful approval and deregulation of chemical abortion drugs subverts Congress public policy considerations and safeguards for patient safety, the lawmakers said in the brief. A federal judge in Texas last week issued a stay that would block the prescription and distribution of mifepristone, giving the federal government a week to appeal the decision before it went into effect. The FDA quickly filed an appeal to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Officials have warned that the decision from the judge in Texas could throw the federal governments approval of a bevy of medications and vaccines into an upheaval, with courts second-guessing decisions from medical regulators. Democrats have also criticized it as another attack on abortion access from the judiciary. The GOP lawmakers, who urged the appeals court to allow the stay from the federal judge in Texas to stand, filed their brief after a group of 240 congressional Democrats urged the appeals judge to overturn the decision. The brief from Democrats, which included 50 senators and 190 House members, argued that the ruling from the district judge in Texas was an extraordinary and unprecedented step, arguing the courts have allowed the federal government to delegate regulatory responsibilities for drugs to scientists and medical experts. Story continues Emergency relief from the order is necessary to mitigate the imminent harm facing members of the public, many of whom rely on the availability of mifepristone for reproductive care and many more of whom rely on the integrity of FDAs drug approval process for continued access to life-improving and lifesaving drugs, the Democratic lawmakers said in their brief to the judge. But the Republican lawmakers said the decision to block the prescription of mifepristone would protect women and girls from what they say are the harms of such drugs, asking the appeals court to uphold the decision. We urge the Court to deny the emergency motion for a stay pending appeal, which will allow the District Courts Section 705 stay to go into effect and protect women and girls from the harms of chemical abortion drugs, the GOP lawmakers said. Zach Schonfeld contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Britain's Prince Harry salutes media as he arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, March 30, 2023. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP) LONDON Prince Harry will attend his father King Charles IIIs Coronation next month, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday, ending lengthy speculation on whether he would be welcome after leveling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family. But Harrys wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain in California with the couples two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the palace said. The May 6 date of the coronation at Westminster Abbey coincides with their sons birthday. Advertisement Harrys attendance comes despite the rift within the House of Windsor prompted by his decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book, Spare. The revelations included details of private conversations with his father, and his elder brother, Prince William. The disclosures fanned tensions between Harry and his family, which had become public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. Advertisement Harry and Meghan, who is biracial, have alleged she faced racist attitudes from both the palace and the U.K. press. The treatment contributed to their decision to leave the country. Spare also alleged that members of the royal family regularly hand out unflattering information about others in the House of Windsor on the condition that they get better coverage themselves. The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view in recent weeks when the Sussexes acknowledged that they were asked to vacate their home in Britain. Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, was the couples main home before they gave up royal duties and moved to a wealthy enclave in Southern California. The biggest leak of classified documents in a decade created a sprawling crisis in Washington this week as records detail alleged U.S. spying on allies, insights into American thinking on the war in Ukraine and at least two neutral countries mulling plans to support Russia. Pentagon officials are still reviewing the documents for validity and the Justice Department is overseeing a criminal investigation of the leak. At least one of the documents containing casualty estimates appears to have been altered, but its unclear how many of the roughly 100 leaked records were manipulated. The documents have circulated online since March and possibly as early as January before picking up attention last week after a New York Times report. There may be more documents to come, but the leak has already done a lot of damage, forcing crucial U.S. allies to respond in what has become an arguably embarrassing incident for Washington. Here are the seven biggest revelations in the documents so far. Ukraine air defense systems in peril Munitions for Soviet-era air defense systems deployed by Ukraine will soon run out, potentially imperiling Kyiv in the war against Russia, documents show. The S300 missile defense system is expected to run out of munitions by May and the SA-11 Gadfly system at the end of March, a document dated in February says. Both systems make up about 89 percent of Ukraines air defenses and are vital to fending off frequent Russian missile strikes. The Pentagon documents suggested that Ukraine could withstand only a few more waves of Russian missile strikes. Russian military bloggers and state-run media outlets have already published the details of the documents. Pentagon casts doubt on Ukraines spring counteroffensive Ukraine is expected to launch a major counteroffensive this spring, but the U.S. is doubting Kyivs ability to retake significant territory, a top secret document says. An early February assessment indicates force generation and sustainment shortfall for Ukraines military, The Washington Post reported. Story continues Ukraine is aiming to retake territory in the east and in the south, where Kyiv could cut off a land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula. Publicly, the Biden administration has signaled that Ukraine will regain territory in the coming offensive. But the documents paint a darker picture, with Kyiv likely to struggle against entrenched Russian positions in southeastern Ukraine and with deficiencies in training and munitions, according to The Posts review. US intel on Russia could now be compromised The documents also contain information about Russias forces in Ukraine, which the U.S. obtained through intelligence gathering. All the buzz around the leaks is likely to lead to a crackdown in Moscow on communications intercepts and internal leaking. Some analysts have said Russia is aware of U.S. intelligence gathering methods and has already been working to plug up holes. But Kurt Volker, a distinguished fellow with the Center for European Policy Analysis, told The Hill this week that Russia will certainly start looking more closely now. Theyll be scouring this and trying to figure out, Where are they getting this information from? How much of it is human intelligence, how much of it is signals? he said. Israeli spy agency supported domestic protests Some of the leaked documents indicate the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad supported nationwide protests against a proposed judicial reform from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the documents, Mossad encouraged agency staff and Israeli citizens to protest the judicial reforms, which would award the legislative branch controlled by Netanyahus party substantial power over the judiciary, including an ability to override rulings. Netanyahu delayed the controversial reform plan last month after a surge of protests across the country. The Pentagon leaks about Mossads activities also suggest the U.S. was spying on a major ally in the Middle East. Netanyahus office on Sunday denied the allegations against Mossad. South Korea was concerned about supplying munitions to US Other documents also pointed to potential U.S. spying on South Korea, a major ally in the Indo-Pacific, on support for Ukraine. The leaked papers said South Korea was open to supplying the U.S. with artillery shells to replenish American stocks but privately, Seoul was concerned about the munitions being diverted to Ukraine. On Tuesday, the office of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said a significant number of the leaked U.S. documents were forged, citing a recent conversation between the defense chiefs from both nations. The suspicion of eavesdropping in the Yongsan Presidential Office is a false suspicion, a statement read. But the fallout from the leak already sparked tensions in South Korea. The Democratic Party in South Korea, a liberal opposition political party to Yoons more conservative party, criticized the alleged U.S. spying. We deeply regret that the United States top intelligence agency has been carrying out illegal espionage activities against our allies, the Democratic Party said in a Monday press conference statement. Egypt secretly planned to supply Russia with rockets Another bombshell revelation from the documents included classified information that Egypt was secretly planning to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ordered up to 40,000 rockets to be produced and shipped to Moscow, according to one document. El-Sisi also planned to secretly provide gunpowder and artillery to Russia. He allegedly ordered his subordinates to keep the arms deal secret from western allies. Egypt is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East region. The U.S. provides more than $1 billion to Cairo annually. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday said the U.S. has not seen evidence to indicate Egypt has followed through on those plans. A senior Egyptian official also denied the allegations in comments carried by state media. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said if the allegations in the documents are true, it should lead to a major rethink of Americas relationship with Egypt. I have long criticized the Egyptian governments appalling human rights record, but if true this should raise profound questions for all who defend the status quo, Beyer tweeted. UAE agreed to work with Russian spy agents against US, UK The United Arab Emirates (UAE), an oil-rich Arab nation in the Middle East, planned to work with Russian spies against U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies, another document said. Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, claimed that UAE security officials agreed to the plan, according to a review of the document from The Associated Press. The Pentagon document cited signals intelligence, meaning the information was picked up through electronic messaging or telephone call intercepts. Washington apparently caught the FSB boasting about the agreement, according to the AP. The UAE is a strategic partner for the U.S. in the Middle East but also maintains close ties with Russia. An official representing the UAE told CNN the allegation is categorically false. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The managers of a Lucas County investment firm were indicted on multiple felony charges in a decade-long scheme to defraud at least 200 clients out of $72 million. >> MORE: Miami Co. man sentenced to 3 years in prison for over 15 theft, fraud, corruption charges Eight managers from Northwest Capital were indicted for 204 total felony charges that centered around deceiving and defrauding investors of tens of millions of dollars, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Department of Commerce Director Sherry Maxfield announced Tuesday. The eight defendants named in the indictment, filed in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court, were as follows: James DelVerne : 93 felonies Doug Miller : 39 felonies Gary Rathbun : 37 felonies Colleen Hall : 10 felonies Nancy Rathbun : 7 felonies Adam Solon : 7 felonies John Walters : 6 felonies Brad Konerman: 5 felonies The felony charges included engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, unlawful securities practices, telecommunications fraud, aggravated theft, perjury, money laundering, and several other financial charges, a spokesperson for the attorneys office stated. From January 2011 to December 2021, the defendants solicited investment advisory clients to purchase alternative investments from securities issuers without fully disclosing the managers conflicts of interest. The defendants also manipulated funds among interrelated entities to make the investments appear successful, the indictment stated. To continue raising additional capital from investors, the Northwest Capital managers and their business associates created new, affiliated entities for investment without disclosing to existing investors the poor financial condition of these companies and the monitoring fees skimmed by the defendants, the spokesperson said. They then certified false investment values, which were shared in annual statements issued to investors, the spokesperson continued. A total of 741 investments from at least 200 people, equating to approximately $72 million, were allegedly mismanaged, the spokesperson said. Story continues The indictment also included the following entities and investment funds: Briarfield Capital, ThunderRoad Partners, TRF Fund 1, TRF Fund 2, Kings Point Leasing and Winding Creek Partners. The case is the culmination of a multi-year investigation by the Ohio Department of Commerces Division of Securities and the Ohio Attorney Generals Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the spokesperson said. The Division of Securities previously revoked the investment advisor representative licenses of two of the defendants, Doug Miller and Gary Rathbun, for misconduct related to this action. If you suspect you are a victim of investment fraud or that a family member has been defrauded, call the Division of Securities Investor Protection Hotline at 877-683-7841. water view of Aruba with cruise ship in the distance If youre planning a Caribbean getaway, why not consider a visit to the One Happy Island of Aruba? That moniker didnt spring from just anywhere, and youll see that for yourself. This friendly, cosmopolitan destination is one of the ABC islands, alongside Curacao and Bonaire. Its also part of the Lesser Antilles family, with St. Martin, the Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, and several others. Whether youre going for the culinary experience, nightlife, or booze cruises, dont let the diminutive size of Aruba fool you. It may only be 70 square miles, but every inch of it is packed with personality and adventure. Here are eight facts about the culture and history of this Dutch island. The Flag of Aruba Tells Its History Photo Credit: Louis Luna Arubas flag was adopted on March 18, 1976, and its four colors werent arbitrarily selected. Blue symbolizes the ocean, yellow references abundance, red represents the love the locals have for their island, and white speaks to the color of the beaches. The star, or compass, is a nod to the islands international composition. One Of The Most Progressive Caribbean Islands Photo Credit: Lex Melony Aruba is one of the four countries that make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Oranjestad, the capital, resembles Amsterdam, and also like the Dutch capital, its quite LGBT+ friendly. As one might expect, Dutch is Arubas most commonly spoken language. Others include English, Spanish, and Papiamento, which is Portuguese-based Creole. If you speak any of the Romance languages, youll recognize some similarities with Papiamento. Bon dia, bon tardi, and bon nochi resemble the same expressions for good morning, good afternoon, and good evening in Spanish and Portuguese. Theres even a bit of German in Papiamento, if you can believe that! The word for thank you, is danki, which looks like the German danke. Aruba Is Great To Visit Whenever You Choose Photo Credit: Lino Ogenio Theres really no such thing as a bad time to visit the island. It depends on how much youre willing to spend, and what kind of vacation you want to have. Story continues During the high season period, accommodations are expensive. Generally, the high season includes the fall and winter months, when most want to escape the chill. The low season is during the spring and summer periods. As for hurricanes? They arent much of a concern in Aruba. Like Barbados and several other islands, Aruba is outside of the hurricane belt. That said, there are rainy periods, which are typically short in duration. In addition to surprisingly reliable weather, Aruba is also quite safe, so long as you exercise common sense. RELATED: Flamingo Island In Aruba: To Go Or Not To Go? The Carnival Period Is Serious Business Photo Credit: Venus Major Like its fellow Caribbean islands, Aruba takes Carnival seriously. You can expect great music, colorful costumes, and great vibes in the streets. Its a treat for locals as well as tourists. According to Victoria M. Razak, author of Carnival In Aruba, there are four phases of Carnival, historically. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth. The origins date back to the 1920s, when many of the social clubs hosted costumed celebrations. Over time, carnival expanded and evolved into the beloved event it is today. Getting There Wont Be An Issue Photo Credit: G Isle Access wont pose a problem, whether you travel to Aruba by plane or boat. According to Visit Aruba, the airport welcomes over 150 flights every week from Atlanta, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, and other cities. You can also fly in from The Netherlands, Suriname, Bonaire, Curacao, and other destinations. Carriers that offer service to Aruba include American Airlines, Delta, KLM, and JetBlue, to name a few. Aruba Has Great Beaches Photo by David Troeger Aruba promises to deliver where beaches are concerned. Relax with a rum punch or zip around on a jet ski. Its your getaway, and the choice is yours. The most celebrated stretch of sand is Eagle Beach. Reviewers on Tripadvisor named it the number-one beach in the Caribbean this year. Nearby accommodations include Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort, and the boutique Bucuti and Tara Beach Resort, which is only for adults. Baby Beach, with its distinctive half-moon shape, is ideal for families with younger children. The clear blue waters are perfectly suited for anyone in your group who likes to snorkel. The waters of Arashi Beach are calm, and the sunsets are nothing short of fantastic. The Street Art Capital Of The Caribbean Is In San Nicolas Photo by Pascal Muller If youre an artist or appreciate art, you will love Arubas art center of San Nicolas. Its just a 30-minute drive from the capital. San Nicolas has two nicknames. The commonly used Sunrise City and Chocolate City are a nod to its Black presence. The large, colorful murals range from pop art to hyper-realism, and everything in between. New art is added each year. If you want to make eye-catching posts for your social media pages, the murals of San Nicolas provide the perfect backdrop. You can venture on your own, or book a tour. There Are Black-Owned Businesses To Support Photo by Jean-Daniel Francoeur We always encourage people to support Black-owned businesses wherever they travel, especially smaller destinations like Aruba. Grab a coffee and pastry at Kulture Kafe, a cozy cafe owned by a Black couple. For lunch or dinner, head to ONiel Caribbean Kitchen. It was founded by Jamaican-born chef, Oneil Williams, who has lived in Aruba for many years. This may be the best spot on the island for jerk chicken, lobster curry, and other delicacies, and it has a 4.5 out of 5-star rating on Tripadvisor. RELATED: Make The Beach Your Office With These Oceanside Workspaces in Aruba The mass shooting at downtown Louisville's Old National Bank on Monday was first reported to police at 8:36 a.m. by a caller who witnessed it while tuned into a virtual meeting from a different location. "Oh my God, there's an active shooter there," she told the operator, screaming as she watched the situation unfold on the other side of the city. "... I just watched it on a Teams meeting." That dispatch was one of a dozen 911 calls released Wednesday from witnesses inside and outside the bank, including a call from the shooter's mother. She heard from her son's roommate that "he apparently left a note," but did not say what was written, and repeatedly told the Louisville Metro Police 911 operator her son who bought the AR-15 used in the shooting less than a week earlier did not own guns. She was shaking as she got in her car to drive toward the bank but stopped when the operator calmly asked her not to head to the location because other dispatchers had been told the scene on Main Street was already dangerous. "You've had calls from other people? So he's already there?" she asked the dispatcher. The call ended seconds later. Warning: This audio is graphic Listen: First batch of 911 calls from Monday's shooting at Old National Bank More audio: Second batch of 911 calls from Monday's shooting at Old National Bank One woman called 911 from a conference room closet inside the bank; gunshots can be heard in the background. She spent more than 10 minutes pleading for police to hurry to the scene before she was found by first responders. "I don't know," the woman whispered when asked what kind of injuries she'd seen, noting eight or nine people had been shot. "I just saw a lot of blood." The calls were released Wednesday afternoon by the city, a little more than 48 hours after the incident. They are graphic and disturbing but offer the closest look yet at what happened inside the building during the shooting, the worst in Louisville since 1989. Story continues Wednesday updates: Vigil planned tonight amid grief over Old National Bank shooting A total of six people died, including the shooter, who was shot by an LMPD officer who reached the scene within minutes. Eight others were injured. Officer Nickolas Wilt, who was shot in the head, remained in critical condition Wednesday. Killed in the shooting were Josh Barrick, 40; Deana Eckert, 57; Tommy Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and Jim Tutt Jr., 64. All were Old National Bank employees. The family of the shooter, identified as Connor Sturgeon, released a statement late Tuesday pledging to cooperate with law enforcement and expressing "anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community." The identities of the callers were not listed in the release and other personal information is redacted in the audio. LMPD previously said officers were dispatched at 8:38 a.m., and timestamps released with the calls note the first report came in two minutes earlier. The shooter's mother called at 8:41 a.m. Transparency is important even more so in times of crisis," Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a press release with the audio. In Louisville: 'Doesn't make sense.' A city grieves as Old National Bank goes from crime scene to memorial One caller who phoned police at 9 a.m. said they'd seen a man with "some type of like, assault rifle, walking around in like, a bulletproof vest" while they were at a Main Street stoplight a few minutes earlier. He was jogging around "like he was trying to get somewhere in a hurry," they said. Police also released radio transmissions from Monday morning. Much of that audio was recorded after the shooter was killed, with dispatchers alerting officers to different staging areas and directing them where to bring victims and witnesses, launching the first steps of the investigation. Within 25 minutes of the shooting, a dispatcher reads off the shooter's address, calling police to secure the location. Reporter Madeline Mitchell contributed. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville shooting 911 calls paint bleak picture at Old National Bank A protest in Amarillo, Texas, against the lawsuit to ban the abortion drug mifepristone. (Justin Rex / Associated Press) Mark my words: Contraception is the next front in the war on women. And we cant say we havent been warned. In 2010, when the Affordable Care Act Obamacare was close to passing, Republicans argued strenuously against requiring companies to provide contraception as a healthcare benefit. Many argued that all forms of female contraception are tantamount to abortion. A couple of years later, a man who was briefly a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, promised to be the first president to discuss the dangers of contraceptives in this country. Contraception, Santorum told a Christian political blogger, is not OK. ... its a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be. In 2014, the Supreme Court weighed in, elevating the personal religious beliefs of employers above the healthcare rights of women when it ruled 5 to 4 in the Hobby Lobby case that privately held, for-profit companies could deny birth control coverage to their employees. Last year, an even more right-wing Supreme Court upended American politics when it tossed out half a century of precedent and obliterated the federal right to abortion. In a concurring opinion in the Dobbs case, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that since the court had found no constitutional right to abortion, perhaps it should reconsider other similar precedents including Griswold, the 1965 decision that legalized contraception in the United States. And then last week, a federal judge in Texas declared that mifepristone, the safe and hugely popular medication used by more than half of the women in this country who choose to end early-stage pregnancies, should be off-limits because the Food and Drug Administration had wrongly approved it 20 years ago. On the same day, a federal judge in Washington state ruled just the opposite that the FDA must keep medication abortion drugs available. Story continues With conflicting rulings, this issue, obviously, is headed to the Supreme Court. Legal experts say it is almost unthinkable that the court would embrace such a precedent, allowing a judge to overrule the FDAs medical determinations. Almost. Given this current absurdist moment in American politics, people may have been distracted when the Right to Contraception Act, passed by the House, died in the Senate last summer after a single Republican senator (Joni Ernst, of Iowa) decided to block it. The act would have codified a federal right to birth control in all its glorious forms the pill, the IUD, vaginal rings, injections. Why would anyone especially people who believe that abortion is murder oppose a law like that? Heres how Gabrielle Jastrebski of FEMM Health explained it in 2019 as she discussed the evils of hormonal birth control at an annual conference of Students for Life, one of the largest antiabortion youth organizations in the country: Contraception and abortion are inextricably linked to one another, OK? she said. Contraception can really be seen as sort of the beginning of the road to abortion. We are told that in order to be pro-women, we need to be pro-contraception. This is absolutely false. (FEMM Health, funded by Catholic antiabortion financier Sean Fieler, sows doubt about the safety of hormonal birth control while concealing its antiabortion ties, according to a Guardian investigation. Its app helps women monitor their menstrual cycles and hormones to control fertility, and the organization says it has been downloaded more than 400,000 times.) The idea that abortion and contraception are two sides of the same coin is not a fringe view in right-wing Christian circles. And its why women of childbearing age in the United States should be very, very afraid. The title of Jastrebskis talk, by the way, was Green Sex, a concept that seems Goop-level silly at first blush, but rather dangerous upon examination. Green sex is promoted by antiabortion activists and so-called wellness influencers as a hormone-free, sustainable, natural and eco-friendly way to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Instead of birth control of any sort, including condoms, it touts a "fertility awareness method" or "natural family planning." According to the website Natural Womanhood, green sex can reverse the environmental damage that the pill and condom use cause. It also won't do much to prevent pregnancy. The green sex claim that massive amounts of estrogen are urinated into the wastewater supply by birth-control-pill-taking women has been debunked by scientists, who say that most estrogen in water comes naturally from soy and dairy products and animal waste. Also, say the experts, all human beings excrete hormones in their urine, especially pregnant women. The antiabortion activist Lila Rose, who rose to fame with contrived stings of Planned Parenthood, has described hormonal birth control as a pill that sterilizes you. Well, of course, neither the pill, nor Plan B (a.k.a. the morning-after pill) sterilize anyone. They prevent ovulation. Last year, Kiera Butler of Mother Jones covered the annual conference of the antiabortion group Heartbeat International. There, she discovered, attendees spoke about pushing a far more ambitious future agenda: expanding the definition of abortion itself to include contraception. Some, she wrote, considered anything that thwarted the meeting of sperm and egg to be unChristian. Is it so far-fetched to worry that a majority of our Supreme Court might agree? @robinkabcarian This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is racing this week to convince a federal appeals court, or possibly the U.S. Supreme Court, to put on hold a judge's order suspending the government's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in more than half of all abortions in the country. But even if those legal efforts fail and last Friday's order by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas goes into effect, essentially rendering the drug unapproved, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could nonetheless continue to allow access to the drug, legal experts say. The FDA, responsible for protecting public health by assuring safety, efficacy and security of drugs, is also facing an order issued minutes later on Friday by a separate federal judge in Washington state, barring the federal agency from changing the availability of mifepristone. The contradictory rulings may give the FDA reason to preserve the status quo while the government's appeal proceeds and declare that drug companies and doctors won't face legal risks for making or prescribing mifepristone, experts said. "One way in which the FDA could comply with this is to do nothing, to use its enforcement discretion to say we can't satisfy both judgments," said Rachel Rebouche, dean of the Temple University Beasley School of Law. The FDA can demand that manufacturers remove unapproved drugs from the market and if a manufacturer fails to comply, the agency can take the drugmaker to court. But the agency also has to make best use of its resources and has a history of not taking action when there is low risk to the public. The FDA has estimated that there are thousands of drug products marketed illegally without agency approval, including those that were available prior to the passage of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. In 2011, the agency issued guidance for prioritizing action against unapproved drugs and said it would focus on those that present potential safety risks, are ineffective, are fraudulent, or are formulated to avoid FDA enforcement. Story continues The FDA, which has said it stands behind it determination that mifepristone is safe and effective, declined to comment. Sources told Reuters the Biden administration is planning steps to support mifepristone manufacturers. CONTRADICTORY RULINGS The FDA approved mifepristone, which is the first of a two-drug regimen to terminate a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks, in 2000. On Friday, Kacsmaryk suspended FDA approval of mifepristone in response to a lawsuit brought by anti-abortion groups claiming that the agency approved the drug using an unlawful process and did not adequately consider its safety. Minutes later, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice in Spokane, Washington, blocked the FDA from making any changes to the current availability of the drug. His ruling applies in the 17 states and the District of Columbia that sued the government seeking to loosen the special safety restrictions around the pill. Both rulings apply while the cases proceed, and are not on the merits of each case. Kacsmaryk put his ruling on hold until Friday to give the Biden administration, which supports access to abortion, time to pursue its appeal. 1985 PRECEDENT But, even if the abortion pill's approval remains suspended, the FDA has precedent on its side to do nothing, legal experts said. "They don't have to drop everything and remove mifepristone from the market," said Evan Bernick, a professor at Northern Illinois University College of Law. "They haven't done that with other drugs, they've prioritized on the basis of safety risk, and mifepristone has a strong safety record." Forty years ago, prison inmates sentenced to death by injection sued the FDA because the agency refused to prevent the administration of certain drugs in executions, which allegedly violated their approved use. The case, known as Heckler v Chaney, found its way to the Supreme Court which ruled unanimously in 1985 that judges should not review the FDA's decisions about allocating resources. "I would hope the administration would recognize this as an opportunity to do what they have been saying they would do, which is take all steps available to them to maintain access to this drug," said Phil Katz, an attorney for mifepristone maker Danco Laboratories, which is also appealing the Texas ruling. An attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the plaintiffs in the Texas case, said if Kacsmaryk's ruling takes effect manufacturers cannot make mifepristone and it would be "extremely dangerous" for the FDA to suggest otherwise. "The whole problem here is that FDA didn't follow regulations and rulemaking in the first place," Denise Harle said. Kacsmaryk briefly discussed the 1985 case in his Friday ruling, saying the FDA "cannot shield their decisions from judicial review merely by characterizing the challenged action as exercising 'enforcement discretion'." Rebouche said she did not think Kacsmaryk's discussion of the 1985 case had any bearing on the FDA's authority. "The FDAs enforcement discretion is established by prior precedent," Rebouche said. "That case law would have to be overturned, which is not impossible but would be a major upending of federal agency authority." (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Diane Craft) By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -Abortion opponents on Tuesday urged a federal appeals court to allow the suspension of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, in a case with potentially far-reaching impact on how the U.S. government regulates medicine. In a filing with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, lawyers for groups and doctors who oppose abortion and challenged the FDA's more than two-decade-old approval of the drug said a government request to stay the suspension was "extraordinary and unprecedented" and should be denied. The plaintiffs reiterated their arguments that the FDA failed to adequately consider the drug's risks, including complications requiring hospital visits and psychological harm. They said doctors "will continue to spend their limited time, energy, and resources dealing with the tragic effects of these dangerous drugs, and suffer spiritual and emotional distress from these tragic events." The abortion opponents' requests came one day after the U.S. Department of Justice urged the appeals court to put U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's April 7 order voiding the FDA's approval on hold through the appeals process. Kacsmaryk, a judge in Texas appointed by Republican then-President Donald Trump, had issued only a seven-day stay. The groups and doctors are led by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, which was formed last August. It was not clear when the 5th Circuit would rule on extending the stay. Mifepristone is the first pill in a two-drug regimen for medication abortions used in more than half of all U.S. abortions. Several states have announced plans to stockpile mifepristone or the other drug, misoprostol. The Justice Department said on Monday that mifepristone was safe, and that Kacsmaryk's decision would "thwart FDA's scientific judgment and severely harm women, particularly those for whom mifepristone is a medical or practical necessity." Story continues Several hundred drug and biotechnology company executives not involved in making mifepristone on Monday called for a reversal of the judge's decision, saying they count on the FDA's autonomy and authority to approve new drugs for patients. "If courts can overturn drug approvals without regard for science or evidence, or for the complexity required to fully vet the safety and efficacy of new drugs, any medicine is at risk for the same outcome as mifepristone," they said. Some of the same executives joined in a formal friend-of-the-court brief filed Thursday. The case has drawn numerous other briefs. Twenty-three mostly Democratic-led states plus 28 municipalities including Washington, Baltimore, Boston and Los Angeles and most Democratic members of Congress weighed in with briefs urging the appeals court to stay Kacsmaryk's ruling. So did major public health and medical groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, along with more than dozens of abortion providers and advocacy groups supporting abortion rights, including Planned Parenthood. Many others backed the judge's decision, including anti-abortion groups, 19 Republican-led states and 69 Republican members of Congress who said the FDA's actions posed serious risks to women and girls seeking "chemical abortions," a term the judge also used. Kacsmaryk, based in Amarillo, Texas, ruled that the FDA exceeded its authority by ignoring mifepristone's risks and relying on "plainly unsound reasoning" when approving it. Eighteen minutes later, a federal judge in Washington state issued a contradictory ruling directing the FDA to keep the drug available in 17 states and Washington, D.C. If the split persists, the U.S. Supreme Court may be asked to resolve the matter. Federal appeals courts normally assign cases to three-judge panels. Twelve of the 16 5th Circuit judges who hear cases are Republican appointees. The court could rule any time after briefs are due Wednesday afternoon. Separately, the Biden administration on Wednesday proposed new privacy protections to prevent women's health information from being used to investigate or sue people who obtain or facilitate abortions. The abortion pill case is Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v FDA et al, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 23-10362. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot and Jonathan Oatis) EY logo seen in central Kyiv, Ukraine Accounting firm EY has called off its plan to break up its auditing and consulting divisions. The firm, formally known as Ernst & Young, announced it was "stopping work on the project" because its US arm decided to not to move forward. The Big Four - Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC - dominate the global accounting market share. The plan came as regulators called for major industry reforms over conflicts of interest and poor working practices. Had the deal - called "Project Everest" internally - gone through, it would have been the biggest shake-up in the accountancy industry for more than two decades. EY's announcement ends a year-long battle to build internal support to split the units. "We acknowledge the challenges with separating some of our businesses that have the deepest technical expertise in a way that gives both organisations the capabilities they need to compete in the market effectively," according to an internal note seen by the BBC. "We also recognise that we need more time to make the necessary investments to prepare the businesses for a separation." Financial supervisory bodies in the US, UK and Europe have raised concerns about large accounting firms, claiming they cannot fairly serve as an auditor of clients who also use their consultancy services. The project cost the firm more than $100m (80.3m) according to the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month, Germany's accounting watchdog fined and banned EY for its handling of audits for Wirecard, the insolvent electronic payment processor. The company owes creditors almost $4bn, after admitting large sums never existed on its books as part of a global fraud operation. The ban forbids EY from conducting from accepting major new audit mandates for two years. In 2021, UK regulators called to reduce the dominance of the Big Four following after high-profile company failures including construction giant Carillion and department store chain BHS. BHS's auditor PwC was fined a record 6.5m by the Financial Reporting Council. Story continues Last year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined EY $100m after its auditors were caught cheating on the exam needed to obtain and maintain their Certified Public Accountant licence. It was the largest penalty against an audit firm which was also accused of misleading investigators. At the time, Gurbir Grewal, director of the SEC's enforcement division said: "It's simply outrageous that the very professionals responsible for catching cheating by clients cheated on ethics exams of all things. "And it's equally shocking that Ernst & Young hindered our investigation of this misconduct." He added: "This action should serve as a clear message that the SEC will not tolerate integrity failures by independent auditors who choose the easier wrong over the harder right." "EY admits the facts underlying the SEC's charges and agrees to pay a $100 million penalty and undertake extensive remedial measures to fix the firm's ethical issues," according to US regulators. Wildfires can uproot lives and destroy entire forests, and in recent years iconic landmarks have been at risk from flames amid costly and devastating fire seasons. Atmospheric rivers have significantly improved the drought across parts of the West, but will that be enough to prevent another destructive fire year? AccuWeather forecasters have released their annual wildfire prediction for the United States, weighing in on that question and many others. AccuWeather's team of long-range forecasters, led by veteran meteorologist Paul Pastelok, says that the 2023 fire season is forecast to be near to slightly above the historical averages. There will likely be 60,000 to 75,000 wildfires that burn 6.5 million to 8.25 million acres of land, close to the average of 68,707 fires and 7,000,514 acres annually between 2001 and 2020. However, this is only half of the story. "A fire season is more defined on the impact to the public and not by the acreage burned," Pastelok explained. There is no better example of this sentiment than the 2018 wildfire season when the Camp Fire raged in California. The blaze scorched 153,336 acres and burned the city of Paradise, California, to the ground, killing 85 people to become the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in 100 years. It also destroyed more than 18,000 structures and forced 52,000 people from their homes. A home burns as the Camp Fire rages through Paradise, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File) In 2022, over 7.5 million acres of land burned across the country, the 11th-most on record. For California in particular, the number of acres burned was down when compared to previous years, in part due to some rain in late summer and early fall and infrequent wind events. Additionally, as COVID restrictions were lifted in 2022, fewer people traveled to the secluded mountains, which may have contributed to fewer fires started in the wilderness. Forecasting wildfire activity can be challenging for meteorologists, but not because of the weather. Story continues "Predicting wildfire numbers and acreage is very difficult, due to the fact that nearly 90% of fires are caused by humans," Pastelok explained. "Fires started by people are nearly impossible to predict." From the mountainsides of the Rockies to the forests of Alaska, here is AccuWeather's 2023 U.S. wildfire forecast: All eyes are on California following a prolific winter of storms loaded with rain and snow. A barrage of bomb cyclones and atmospheric rivers resulted in one of the deepest snowpacks in state history, which will delay the onset of wildfire season, but AccuWeather warns that it will not prevent fires from starting. Pastelok said that the recent precipitation will lead to "intense growth" during the spring and first part of the summer, resulting in more fuel for fires that ignite later in the summer and into autumn. The winter storms also blew down an abundance of branches, limbs and entire trees, which will add to the availability of fuels across the California landscape. A caution tape surrounds a fallen Eucalyptus tree at Elysian Park in Los Angeles Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) "Between April and June across California, the wildfire threat statewide is expected to be very low," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. The fire threat will gradually rise as the summer progresses as fuels dry out amid prolonged stretches of warm and dry conditions. Peak wildfire season is predicted to occur from August into September in Northern California and September to November in Central and Southern California. It is during these time frames that the ingredients for destructive fires will culminate. Lightning from the North American monsoon can be a natural ignition source for fires, while winds, such as the Santa Ana winds, which were absent for most of the 2022 season, can fan the flames of ongoing blazes and cause them to evolve rapidly into massive wildfires. The peak of the wildfire season will align with the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. The same wintertime weather pattern that sent storms into California also delivered significant rain and mountain snow across Nevada and the Four Corner states. The influx of moisture will hold back fire development throughout the spring, but the risk will gradually increase throughout the summer and into the fall. However, the entirety of the West did not benefit from the drought-busting winter storms. The interior Northwest and the northern Rockies face a high risk of wildfires this year following a winter that was drier than the historical average. The region includes portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and northern Nevada. Significant fires could break out as early as June or the first half of July. Still, this region's peak of wildfire activity is not anticipated until late July into early September. Heat waves could accompany the elevated wildfire risk across the interior Northwest and northern Rockies. "Dry periods can lead to some very warm to hot periods as well, increasing evaporation rates, and fuels dry out setting up favorable fire conditions," Pastelok said. Significant fires devastated towns across the Pacific Northwest in recent years, particularly in 2020 when the Almeda Fire destroyed 2,357 residential structures in southern Oregon. Outside of the western U.S., Alaska leads the country in wildfire activity, with 3.08 million acres burned in 2022, nearly twice the amount of land in Delaware. "The wildfire-burned acreage in Alaska can be less than 2022, but numbers will still be rather high," Pastelok said about the Alaska fire season. Most of the fires were in areas away from major towns and cities, but they sent massive plumes of smoke into the atmosphere that plagued the sky over North America. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts with Premium+ AccuWeather meteorologists say there is also an elevated brush fire risk in Florida, especially through late spring. "[The] Florida Peninsula is running drier-than-historical averages in 2023," Pastelok explained. "These conditions can lead to brush fires this spring." The fire threat will likely end early in the summer as thunderstorm activity increases and there is perhaps even an early-season tropical system that soaks the Sunshine State with rain. Wildfires can have a far-reaching effect on areas thousands of miles away from the flames. Smoke from fires in Alaska, British Columbia and the western U.S. can send massive plumes of smoke into the atmosphere. Millions of people across the East Coast could see a hazy sky, an uptick in air pollution, and, in extreme cases, the smell of smoke. On Sept. 15, 2020, a satellite image revealed a historic wildfire season colliding with a hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season. Wildfire smoke over the US A satellite image of the United States on Sept. 15, 2020. Smoke from western wildfires can be seen over the majority of the country while Hurricane Sally nears landfall along the Gulf Coast. (NASA Worldview) Intense fires burning across the West Coast states sent monumental plumes of smoke into the atmosphere, which gradually spread across the country. A smoky sky was observed over major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Meanwhile, Hurricane Sally slammed into the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane. That same month, smoke from fires in California and Oregon was detected as far away as Europe. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. After the Ada County Commission declined to provide more funding for people experiencing homelessness, Boise will foot the bill for rooms at a hotel in the West End. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Boise has been paying for Interfaith Sanctuary, a local homeless shelter, to rent rooms at the Red Lion Hotel through a series of federal programs. What started as a place to isolate people in the shelter system who came down with COVID-19 is now used to house medically fragile people and families with children. On Tuesday, the Boise City Council authorized $1.8 million for the program, which would pay for hotel rooms and on-site staffing by Interfaith until next spring. The citys expectation is that the year of funding is temporary, and will not be needed once Interfaith opens a new shelter on State Street next year. The city is looking to see if there are funds remaining from the American Rescue Plan Act than can cover the cost, and plans to otherwise spend general funds on the program, Courtney Washburn, Mayor Lauren McLeans chief of staff, told the Idaho Statesman. Twenty-five rooms at the hotel are now housing 48 guests, according to a memorandum from Missy Grothaus, of the citys Purchasing Department. Of those guests, 10 are families with children and 15 are medically fragile people. There are additional households in need of and waiting for shelter beds but, due to Ada Countys decision to only provide a few months of short-term funding, Interfaith Sanctuary has not placed them in this location, Grothaus wrote in the memo. Last year Boise asked the Ada County Commission to authorize enough federal funds to house people at the hotel until 2024. In December, the Commission instead authorized $697,600, which would cover housing at the hotel until April 15. When the Board of Commissioners provided the City of Boise with $697,000, we did so with compassion and respect for individuals experiencing homelessness who needed immediate shelter during the winter months, said a statement from the commissioners emailed by a spokesperson, Elizabeth Duncan. The four months worth of funds were allocated with a clear understanding that the county would assist with transitioning individuals ... to a more permanent location, the statement said. Story continues The county remains available to do so. However, due to the under-utilization of the current rooms at Red Lion, the lack of requested data from the city, and the expense to taxpayers, Ada County will not continue to fund the Red Lion project, the statement said. By phone, Duncan told the Statesman the mention of a permanent location was in reference to the Boise Rescue Mission, a Christian homeless services organization in the Treasure Valley. She said the commissioners had asked the city for more detailed information about the people who were staying at the hotel. At a public meeting in March, Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson said the county had been firm in December about its funds being short-term, and added that paying for the rooms was not sustainable. He said the short-term funds should have given the city enough for them to find new funding or a more permanent solution. In 2020, the county provided close to $34,000 in funds to pay for emergency housing for families experiencing homelessness, Duncan said. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean criticized the countys decision, saying it would push families out onto the streets, with no roof over their heads and nowhere else to go. McLean said she was shocked and deeply dismayed by the commissions decision to stop funding the rooms, which leaves Boise solely responsible for addressing countywide issues. Like Im human again. From the streets to finding shelter in Boise | Opinion In an interview with the Statesman, Jodi Peterson, executive director of Interfaith, said the funding from Boise would fill a vital gap. Interfaith Sanctuary is very grateful to the City of Boise for coming up with this funding, she said by phone. The years worth of funds should allow Interfaith to provide housing for the people at the Red Lion until Interfaith completes its planned new shelter on State Street. A lawsuit against the new shelter is pending. While Interfaith has an existing location in West Downtown for people experiencing homelessness, that shelter is full and cannot accommodate people who need extensive medical care, because such care often cannot be administered in a congregate setting, Peterson said. Peterson said it has been nerve-wracking providing temporary services through a hotel and multiple funding streams, and that the shelter is looking forward to its new shelter becoming a permanent solution. That is the solution, she said. She added that while its funding was uncertain, the shelter elected to not move some people from their waitlist into the Red Lion out of a concern that Interfaith might not have enough resources to continue serving them if the funding dried up. But she said the shelter was pretty successful at managing its waitlist during that period. The hotel shelter was always designed to serve two populations that are at the highest level of need and are the hardest to accommodate the numbers for, Peterson said. Then you add the increase of senior citizens who are falling out onto the street with chronic health issues. This hotel provides a home with that level of care that we cannot deliver at our emergency shelter. Rev. Bill Roscoe, CEO and president of Boise Rescue Mission, told the Statesman that his organization has shelter space available. Women and children can stay at its City Light home in Boise, while men stay at the River of Life shelter. Fathers cannot live together with children at those shelters, and Roscoe also said that while the organizations Recovery Lodge shelter in Nampa serves people with medical issues, it does not provide assisted-living care. The $1.8 million is on the consent agenda for Tuesdays council meeting. The city waived its standard practice of requesting bids for costs over $100,000 because Interfaith is the only organization that can provide the needed services, a spokesperson for the mayors office, Maria Weeg, told the Statesman by phone. DUNDALK, Ireland President Joe Biden returned Wednesday to his ancestral home of Ireland, where he was greeted by thousands of cheering people who lined up four and five deep and endured an hourslong wait in the cold rain in hopes of getting a glimpse, a photo or even the slightest touch from him. In the town of Dundalk, County Louths most famous descendant declared, I dont know why the hell my ancestors left here. Its beautiful. Advertisement Bidens mothers family comes from this corner of Ireland, and he appeared overjoyed to take a break from Washingtons grind to dive into his Irish heritage, which he often cites as a driving force in his public and private life. The buoyant president popped into several shops and restaurants in Dundalks town square, and he stretched over barricades to shake hands, make small talk and pose for pictures. Children were perched on the shoulders of adults, and some people stretched their hands as far as they could, hoping for the slightest bit of contact with Biden. He toured a food hall and later met up with some of his cousins at a pub. Advertisement A large Welcome Joe sign perched on a rooftop seemed to sum up the town sentiment. It feels like home, Biden said in remarks at Windsor Bar and Restaurant, where he reminisced about the values he said he learned from his parents. His sister Valerie and son Hunter sat in the front row of the small audience. He acknowledged that his ancestors emigrated to the United States to escape the Great Famine of the mid-19th century, but he added, When youre here, you wonder why anyone would ever want to leave. The experience was replicated earlier Wednesday a short distance away in Carlingford, a seaside village where the cry of bagpipes welcomed him on a cold, wet and windy afternoon. Biden gazed out at the water from the stone balcony of Carlingford Castle, which would have been the last Irish landmark that Owen Finnegan, Bidens maternal great-great-grandfather, saw before sailing for New York in 1849. A wooden sign on the road heading to the castle welcomed Cousin Joe. It feels like Im coming home, Biden said as he was led on a tour and looked out over Carlingford Lough, a bay that empties into the Irish Sea. As for the soggy weather, Its fine! Its Ireland! Biden said. County Louth is the home of Bidens mothers family, the Finnegans. According to a genealogy released by the White House, the presidents great-great-great-grandparents lived in Templetown and were married in 1813. Advertisement Their grandson, James Finnegan, born in 1840, emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 9 years old. The Finnegans settled in Seneca County, New York. James married Catherine Roche in 1846; they were Bidens great-grandparents. Bidens mother was Catherine Eugenia Finnegan. In Dundalk, Jerome McAteer, who owns the Food House with his husband Bobby Wain, said Biden bought lemon meringue, chocolate eclairs, bread and butter pudding, pear and almond cake, as well as a mug with an image of a dog on it. Biden paid with a 50 euro note and gave a 10 euro tip to some of the workers who have special needs, McAteer said, adding that the president talked a lot about his Irish background. Asked if Biden was how he expected, McAteer said: He was taller, he was younger looking, he had amazing teeth. He has just a really easy manner and he was absolutely brilliant with the special needs kids. Biden arrived in the Irish Republic after an appearance in Northern Ireland. He was supposed to visit a cemetery in County Louth, but that trip was scrapped because of the bad weather. As a result, he had to be driven 90 minutes to and from Dublin. Biden is spending three days in Ireland on his first visit back as president, with plans to meet with Irelands leaders, address the parliament in Dublin and attend a gala dinner on Thursday, and visit County Mayo, another ancestral area on the west coast of Ireland, on Friday before he flies back to Washington. Advertisement He had visited in 2016, near the end of his term as U.S. vice president, with a much larger contingent of his family, including all of his grandchildren. Irelands prime minister greeted Biden on Wednesday after he landed at the airport in Dublin. The president then went to a nearby fire station, where children of U.S. Embassy employees held American and Irish flags and signs that said welcome home. According to the Irish Family History Centre, Biden is among the most Irish of all U.S. Presidents. Ten of his 16 great-great grandparents were from the Emerald Isle. Biden is particularly fond of quoting Irish poetry, especially Seamus Heaney. Earlier Wednesday, Biden marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The U.S.-brokered deal brought peace to an area of the United Kingdom where years of sectarian violence known as the Troubles left some 3,600 people killed in bombings and other attacks. But recent political turmoil has left Northern Ireland without a functioning government, rattling the foundations of the Good Friday Agreement. In addition, a top police official was shot and injured in February, an attack that authorities have blamed on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process. The enemies of peace will not prevail, Biden said. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday voiced irritation with former President Donald Trump's renewed presence in the city for various legal proceedings and national Republicans' depiction of Manhattan as dangerous place that disregards victims' rights. We thought that we were in a good place because he was in Florida and, you know, he didn't tie up our city, Adams said at an unrelated press conference Wednesday, when asked about preparing for another Trump visit. Now, he's going to be back here often. Trump is scheduled to return to New York later this week to give a deposition in state Attorney General Tish James' business fraud lawsuit against him and his real estate firm. The historic indictment of the former president by the Manhattan district attorney brought hundreds of protesters last week to the Manhattan criminal courthouse. Meanwhile Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, a darling of progressive Democrats for his criminal justice reform policies, has drawn the ire of House Republicans, who say the top prosecutor should focus on violent offenders instead of Trump's alleged involvement in a hush money scheme. They plan to hold a so-called "field hearing" in New York City next week on violent crime. Adams criticized House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for his hearings singular focus on New York City when crime in congressional Republican areas per capita is through the roof." He faulted southern states for the proliferation of guns flowing to major cities. The hearing is the latest move by House Republicans to pressure Bragg, who is pursuing 34 felony charges accusing Trump of falsifying business records to bury damaging allegations of an extramarital affair during the height of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty. The House GOP recently subpoenaed a former Manhattan prosecutor who criticized aspects of Braggs investigation. Bragg sued to block it, calling the move a campaign of harassment. Story continues The House Judiciary Committees scheduled hearing on violent crime pledges to examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents. Adams said the committee hasn't communicated with city officials to prepare for the hearing that will be held in a lower Manhattan federal building. This is just an extension of Donald Trump campaigning and it really makes no sense, Adams said. WASHINGTON Generative artificial intelligence that fuels products like ChatGPT will embolden hackers and make email inboxes all the more tricky to navigate, according to the U.S. National Security Agency cybersecurity director. While much-debated AI tools will not automate or elevate every digital assault, phishing scheme or hunt for software exploits, NSAs Rob Joyce said April 11, what it will do is optimize workflows and deception in an already fast-paced environment. Is it going to replace hackers and be this super-AI hacking? Certainly not in the near term, Joyce said at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. But it will make the hackers that use AI much more effective, and they will operate better than those who dont. U.S. officials consider mastery of AI critical to long-term international competitiveness whether thats in defense, finance or another sector. At least 685 AI projects, including several tied to major weapons systems, were underway at the Pentagon as of early 2021. With enough training, the technology can handle menial tasks, such as answering questions and digging up contact information, or augment military operations by parsing tides of incoming information and facilitating exploration of areas deemed too dangerous for troops. Something as sophisticated as OpenAIs ChatGPT, Joyce said Tuesday, can be used to craft very believable native-language English text that can then be applied to phishing attacks or foreign influence campaigns. ChatGPT is capable of holding humanlike conversations with enough prompting, and it can provide content like poetry, essays or computer code within seconds. Thats going to be a problem, Joyce said. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged potential risks, telling ABC News in March that he worries about how these models could be used for large-scale disinformation and could be used for offensive cyberattacks. He also sought to explain its guardrails, meeting with lawmakers earlier this year to demystify the product. ChatGPT logged more than 1 million users within a week of its late-2022 launch. The application is thought to be the fastest growing in history, outpacing TikTok and Instagram to 100 million active monthly users. (photo:Canva) Two Alaska Native organizations are suing the federal government to protect subsistence fishing rights on two of the states largest river systems amidst a worsening salmon crisis. Earth Justice, a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization, filed a lawsuit last week on behalf of the plaintiffs the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in U.S. District Court asking it to reexamine groundfish catch limits for the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands. Collectively, AVCP and TCC represent more than 100 tribal communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region who have been fishing the area salmon for thousands of years. The tribes claim that a restriction on fishing for subsistence in the region with a preference for commercial fishing has halted the centuries-old practice for more than a decade. The region is one of the poorest in the state, making salmon harvest critical to food security. Families havent been able to fish for salmon for years, essentially at all, on the Yukon [River] and the Kuskowkim [River], said AVCPs General Counsel Joy Anderson in an interview with Native News Online. Thats what is prompting the lawsuit, but near-total collapse is what were experiencing right now. AVCP is a nonprofit tribal organization that promotes self-determination and protection and enhancement of cultural and traditional values, including advocating for the protection of the Bering Sea and its resources. It represents more than 27,000 people, primarily of Yupik, Cupik, and Athabascan heritage, and 56 federally recognized tribes in 48 communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers. We dont believe that management is prioritizing subsistence as high as it should be, Anderson said. Our hopes are that fisheries management start taking a holistic approach in what they are doing and that subsistence fishing is prioritized. Story continues The commercial fishing industry continues to fish the region for Chinook and chum salmon, which are being over-harvested, says AVCP. According to the lawsuit, NMFS relies on an environmental impact statement (EIS) completed in 2007 for the harvest specifications and an EIS from 2004 for the groundfish fisheries management plan. Our communities have a generational dependence and engagement with salmon and fishing, VCNs Natural Resource Director Jessica Hooper told Native News Online. The last three years, specifically, subsistence fishing, or fishing for food, has been completely restricted and closed for the entire salmon season on Yukon. With severe restrictions and complete closures for multiple years, for more than a hundred communities and thousands of families, you can imagine how that is impacting the region. Since at least 2007, western Alaska Chinook salmon stocks have been in decline, followed by collapses in chum and coho salmon stocks over the last three years, according to Earth Justice. As well, the Bering Sea has experienced warming ocean temperatures, loss of sea ice, shifts in the abundance and distribution of fish species, massive seabird die-offs and decreased nutrient productivity. AVCP and TCC contend the system used to determine harvesting is outdated and doesnt reflect the changes in the environment. The NMFSs analysis is almost 20 years old and a lot has happened in the Bering Sea, Senior Attorney for Earthjustice Kate Glover told Native News Online. This lawsuit is about asking the NMFS to take a look at the effect of the choices it makes in fisheries management decisions. Alaskan Native people rely on healthy ocean resources, including salmon, and we would hope that a new process takes another look at how it limits harvests. About the Author: "Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter for Native News Online who is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thompson has reported on political unrest, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous issues for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in international conversation. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminology & Law Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. " Contact: dthompson@nativenewsonline.net A team of Albanian marine biologists scan the azure waters of the Ionian Sea for a sign of one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. Mediterranean monk seals were once abundant, but now there are only a few hundred left in small scattered groups off Albania, Greece and Turkey and in Mauritania, on Africa's Atlantic coast. Yet there are glimmers of hope for their survival despite a dramatic decline caused by overfishing and the overdevelopment of their coastal habitat. Numbers are beginning to slowly rebound thanks to the creation of protected marine areas in recent years, experts say. The seals have gone from being "critically endangered" in 2015 on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s red list to now being simply endangered. Even so, they are still extremely difficult to track. Having previously lounged around on beaches, the seals have now retreated to the safety of isolated sea caves. In Albania, "scientists have spotted a handful of the species thanks to meticulous work to identify the caves and coves where these shy animals hide, especially to give birth," biodiversity expert Nexhip Hysolakoj told AFP. They have spent the past five years placing cameras in caves and other secluded spots along southern Albania's Adriatic and Ionian coasts to better track the animals. Hysolakoj, who works in the Karaburun-Sazan marine reserve, regularly sets out from the port of Vlora aboard a vessel named the "Foka", or "seal" in Albanian, to check memory cards in the cameras hidden along the coastline. It's "a real challenge because in order to capture the right images, they must be positioned toward the inner beaches of these caves, where the seals come to rest," he said. - Cameras and caves - The latest monk seals discovered by the team were spotted in January when they captured images of what was probably a female and her pup. They photographed two others in 2020, and there has also been a smattering of other sightings by tourists -- each greeted like a small victory. Story continues Researchers tracking the mammal mostly ply the marine national park created in 2010 along the shores of the Karaburun Peninsula and Sazan Island -- a sanctuary where commercial fishing is prohibited, and from which large boats are banned. Locals say monk seals were once numerous on Albanian beaches even though they were rarely tracked or monitored by scientists, especially during the decades of hardline communist rule. But even there their populations were mauled by hunting and overfishing -- with dynamite often even used -- while pollution, tourism and climate change have further eroded numbers. The illegal hunting of the seals and the "destruction of habitats or other factors have forced it to completely change its biological behaviour," said Aleksander Trajce, of the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania advocacy group. - Good omen - So cameras and regular field trips are some of the only ways of observing the species' health. "Only regular monitoring allows us to identify the presence of the monk seal and to define the sites to be protected," French researchers Jordi Salmona and Philippe Gaubert from the University of Toulouse's Evolution and Biological Diversity Laboratory told AFP in an email exchange. The waters off Albania have become increasingly emptied of fish over the years, fishermen say, which puts them and the seals in the same boat. "Seals feed mainly on fish, squid and shellfish. Less fish means fewer opportunities for them," said Baci Dyrmishaj, a fisherman in Vlora. So in a land where superstitions are legion, fishermen have invented a new one to try to protect the monk seals. "The seals bring luck to those who see them," said Dyrmishaj. "But if you disturb or hunt them, you will have bad luck." bme-ev/ds/fg Getty Images Almost 100 paper mill workers in Michigan are suspected of having an airborne fungal infection. Symptoms of blastomycosis include fever, cough, night sweats, and chest pain. The outbreak is believed to be connected to the environment where the patients work. Nearly 100 paper mill workers in Michigan are likely sick with a rare and serious lung infection caused by breathing in airborne mold, according to health officials. As of April 7, the Delta County public health department has confirmed 19 cases of blastomycosis, a type of fungal pneumonia. Another 74 people all workers at the same paper mill in Escanaba, Michigan have been classified as probable cases. It's tough to know exactly how common blastomycosis infections are, because many infections are asymptomatic and most people don't get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the sickness is "uncommon" overall, affecting only about 1 in every 100,000 people in states where the condition is reportable, including Michigan, Minnesota, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Wisconsin. "About a dozen" workers have been hospitalized so far in the paper mill outbreak, local steelworkers president Gerald Kell told the Detroit Free Press, and at least one employee has been in the hospital for weeks. So far, no deaths have been reported. "These are your neighbors, these are your family members, everybody in this town probably knows somebody impacted by this," Kell told TV6 news. Blastomycosis comes from soil or decaying material People can become infected with blastomycosis when fungal spores from natural sources like soil or decaying trees are released into the air, Dr. Luis Ostrosky, chief of infectious diseases and epidemiology at UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann, told Insider. The infection cannot be spread from person to person; you only get sick if you inhale the spores. This tends to happen when humans come in contact with the wooded environment, typically with construction or other activities that might disturb decaying wood or soil. Story continues "The spores get aerosolized airborne you inhale the spores and they start growing in your lungs," said Ostrosky, a fungus expert. Blastomyces fungus causes the disease blastomycosis. It mainly affects the lungs and may cause a flu-like disease, pneumonia, or a chronic illness similar to tuberculosis. Getty Images For some people, a blastomycosis infection might feel like a mild cold or flu as the immune system works hard to contain the threat. But more severe symptoms can include a bloody cough, chest pain, trouble breathing, fever, headache, and weight loss. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the blastomycosis death rate can fluctuate anywhere from around 9% up to 23% in a bad year, like 2021. It's unusual for an otherwise healthy person to get severely ill when coming in contact with a little bit of the fungus that causes blastomycosis. But even people with healthy immune systems if they inhale a lot of spores can get very sick, Ostrosky said. The illness can then incubate in the body for a few weeks, or a few months, before symptoms appear. "Fungi are relatively slow growing organisms," Ostrosky said. Once the fungus turns to yeast inside a person, it is very difficult to get rid of it. Treatment with antifungal medications like itraconazole can take anywhere from three months, at a minimum, to a full year. "And sometimes with immunocompromised patients, we can't ever stop treatment," Ostrosky said. Investigating where the fungus came from The fungus that causes blastomycosis is local to the Great Lakes region. Investigators from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health within the CDC have been working to definitively link the outbreak to working conditions at the paper mill. In late March, NIOSH officials toured the factory woodyard, mills, lagoons, finishing and shipping areas, and surroundings. They recommended that the mill continue providing disposable N95s to workers who want to wear them, and "give careful consideration to activities beyond regular mill operations" that might disturb dirt or other organic materials on the premises that could be contaminated with blastomyces fungus, according to an interim report that was shared with Insider via email. "It wouldn't surprise me that some sort of wood got disturbed or aerosolized, or a new technique in processing the wood is most likely the culprit," said Ostrosky, who is not involved in the investigation. Getty Images Larger outbreaks may become more common thanks to climate change In the past, blastomycosis outbreaks mostly occurred around the Great Lakes and Midwest. But, "in the past few years, we've seen abnormal patterns" Ostrosky said. Unusual cases of Valley Fever, another fungal disease common in California and Arizona, have shown up in the Midwest, a trend researchers expect will only get worse in the coming years due to global warming. "This goes with the whole story of climate change," he added. "Warmer environments, wind storms, and things like that." Read the original article on Insider Amanda Bynes has reportedly been released from mental health facility. (Photo: Amanda Bynes via Instagram) Amanda Bynes has been released from a mental health facility after three weeks, according to multiple reports. Sources close to Bynes told TMZ she left a hospital in Southern California on Monday after both medical professionals and the actress determined she was ready. The outlet claims Bynes, 37, will undergo outpatient treatment as she resumes normal activities. A source confirmed to NBC News that Bynes has left the facility and is currently receiving outpatient care. Yahoo reached out to a rep for Bynes, but did not receive a response. The actress's family has not spoken publicly about the situation. Last month, Bynes was placed on a 5150 hold, which is when a person can be involuntarily held for psychiatric assessment and crisis intervention for up to 72 hours. The She's the Man star was reportedly found wandering around downtown Los Angeles naked and alone when she came out of a psychotic episode. Bynes purportedly flagged a car down and asked for help herself. She was taken to a nearby police station, according to TMZ, and a mental health team determined she needed to be placed on a 5150. The hold was reportedly extended and Bynes remained as an in-patient. Bynes has spoken out about battling a drug addiction to Adderall. In 2014, around when the Easy A star's conservatorship was made permanent, Bynes claimed on Twitter that she had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and manic depression, but later walked the statement back. In March 2022, Bynes was released from a conservatorship after nine years with her parents support. "Following today's decision by the judge to terminate my conservatorship, I would like to thank my fans for their love and well wishes during this time. I would also like to thank my lawyer and my parents for their support over the last nine years," Bynes said at the time via her attorney. "In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter," she concluded. "I am excited about my upcoming endeavors including my fragrance line and look forward to sharing more when I can." According to TMZ, Bynes's parents are not considering another conservatorship. Amanda Bynes has left the hospital after being placed on a psychiatric hold last month. On Tuesday, April 11, a source close to the situation confirmed to NBC News that the 37-year-old actor has been released from a medical facility and is currently receiving outpatient care. Her release comes a few weeks after the Easy A star was placed on a 72-hour hold. NBC News reported on March 20 that a source close to the situation said Bynes was being treated at a medical facility. She hasnt been in contact with her family for quite some time, the source said at the time. At the time, the actors longtime attorney told NBC News that he was not in a position to provide a comment about the situation. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on April 11. The actor was hospitalized almost exactly a year after a judge terminated her personal conservatorship, which began in 2013. Her parents, Lynn and Rick Bynes, supported the former child stars petition to end the arrangement. Bynes conservatorship of the estate had previously been terminated in 2017 and her assets were moved into a trust. Rick Bynes had been named as his daughters trustee and Lynn Bynes was in charge of the actors medical and personal affairs. On March 22, 2022, Bynes released a statement through her attorney, David Esquibias, about her personal conservatorship coming to an end. In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter, she said. I am excited about my upcoming endeavors including my fragrance line and look forward to sharing more when I can. Ventura Superior Court Judge Roger L. Lund, who oversaw the case, said that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist. In 2018, the Hairspray actor spoke for the first time about substance misuse in an interview with Paper magazine. Story continues She recalled being in a dark place. I got really into my drug usage and it became a really dark, sad world for me, she shared. She said her parents helped her recover. Ive been sober for almost four years now, she told the publication at the time. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Amanda Holden turned heads in a two-piece during a sunny trip to LA. (Getty Images) Amanda Holden has wowed fans with stunning holiday snaps of herself in a bikini from friend Tess Daly's swimwear range. The Britain's Got Talent judge is relaxing poolside during her break in LA in a bright red two-piece from her fellow TV star's brand Naia Beach. In a post on Instagram, the mother-of-two can be seen reclining on the edge of a stunning pool soaking up the Californian sunshine. She is wearing the 'Ursula' style, which comprises of a 85 halterneck top and 65 side-tie bottoms. According to Naia Beach, the bikini also features a "double under-band for that little bit of extra support" and a "subtle sparkle of gold" detailing. Featuring lightly padded removable cups, it is currently available in sizes eight to 18 and is also sold in black. Read more: Amanda Holden reveals secret to staying motivated with exercise Holden accessorised her chic two-piece with a pair of Jimmy Choo statement sunglasses and elegant gold jewellery. She captioned the series of images: "Soaking up the last rays of sunshine." The radio presenter's post, which has received more than 28,000 'likes', saw Daly comment: "Omggggg you look amazing!" Louise Redknapp and Ashley Roberts were also among those to leave a string of 'flame' emojis, with Roberts adding "smokin". Strictly co-host Daly launched Naia Beach with her longtime friend Gayle Lawton in 2021 after the pair got to work during the pandemic. Read more: Amanda Holden celebrates 52nd birthday with bikini snap on beach Many items from the luxury swimwear brand, which also stocks swimsuits, are sustainable and are made from the nylon that comes from abandoned fishing nets. Daly joins other celebrities with their own swimwear lines, including Elizabeth Hurley's Elizabeth Hurley Beach, Emily Ratajkowski's Inamorata, Candice Swanepoel's Tropic Of C and Alessandra Ambrosio's Gal Floripa. Watch: Amanda Holden says 'Love Island' is 'just about looking hot' When you think of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, iconic international destinations like Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal and the Acropolis likely come to mind. But did you know there are some amazing sites on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations list right here in the U.S.? As of 2023, 24 World Heritage Sites are located in the U.S. and another 19 are on the countrys list of properties under consideration to be nominated for official designation in the future. Below, weve rounded up 15 highlights to inspire your next domestic vacation. San Antonio Missions David Kozlowski via Getty Images San Antonio Missions Named a World Heritage Site in 2015, the San Antonio Missions consist of five Spanish frontier mission complexes along the San Antonio River basin in South-Central Texas. The site, which was built by Franciscan missionaries in the 18th century, is home to the famous Mission Valero, aka the Alamo. Yellowstone National Park Ignacio Palacios via Getty Images Yellowstone National Park In addition to being the first national park in the U.S. (and widely regarded as the first in the world), Yellowstone National Park is also one of the two first UNESCO World Heritage sites in the U.S. Added to the list in 1978, the park is home to the famous Old Faithful geyser and spans nearly an area of nearly 3,500 square miles, mostly in Wyoming but also into Montana and Idaho. The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Prisma by Dukas via Getty Images The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright The most recently designated heritage site in the U.S. is a selection of eight buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in six different states. Added to the UNESCO roster in 2019, the list of buildings includes the famous Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, as well as the architect's Taliesin and Taliesin West estates in Wisconsin and Arizona, respectively. Papahanaumokuakea SAUL LOEB via Getty Images Papahanaumokuakea Located around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Papahanaumokuakea is the largest marine protected area in the world and officially became a heritage site in 2010. In addition to its natural significance as a major ecosystem, the area also holds cultural meaning to native Hawaiians. Story continues Grand Canyon National Park Dean Fikar via Getty Images Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon National Park was another early U.S. addition to the heritage site list, having joined in 1979. Consistently one of the most visited national parks in the country, the Arizona destination features stunning views, incredible hikes and a fascinating history. Independence Hall dszc via Getty Images Independence Hall Independence Hall in Philadelphia was named a heritage site in 1979, more than 200 years after the Founding Fathers gathered there to debate and adopt the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Due to the significance of these events, the building is considered the birthplace of America. Taos Pueblo Atlantide Phototravel via Getty Images Taos Pueblo New Mexico's Taos Pueblo became a heritage site in 1992. A cluster of ancient adobe structures, the pueblo was constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries and is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the U.S. Glacier National Park Jordan Siemens via Getty Images Glacier National Park In 1995, UNESCO named Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park a new transnational heritage site, consisting of Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Glacier National Park in Montana. The site is famous for its mountain vistas and namesake glaciers. La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site grandriver via Getty Images La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site Puerto Rico is home to La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site, a world heritage site since 1983. La Fortaleza is a 16th-century fort located on the water in the capital city, while San Juan National Historic Site contains a number of historic sites like Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, Castillo de San Cristobal. El Canuelo and the San Juan City Walls. Carlsbad Caverns National Park Doug Meek via Getty Images Carlsbad Caverns National Park Perhaps the most unique-looking UNESCO heritage site in the U.S., Carlsbad Caverns National Park joined the list in 1995. Located in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico, the park features rare geologic formations in a cave setting. Statue of Liberty Tetra Images via Getty Images Statue of Liberty A gift from France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence in 1886, the Statue of Liberty is an icon of New York City and the country as a whole. Located in New York Harbor, the sculpture played a significant role in welcoming millions of migrants as they reached the U.S., particularly in the early 20th century. It reached heritage site status in 1984. Everglades National Park Tetra Images via Getty Images Everglades National Park Everglades National Park was added to the UNESCO list in 1979 and is currently listed as endangered due to the degradation of its ecosystems. The Florida park is home to coastal and marine habitats and a variety of animal species. Cahokia Michael S. Lewis via Getty Images Cahokia Designated a heritage site in 1982, Cahokia aka the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Illinois is not simply a collection of scattered hills; it was home to the largest and most influential urban settlement of the Mississippian culture. The site showcases the sophistication of this early civilization's trade, culture and religious practices. Glacier Bay National Park urbanglimpses via Getty Images Glacier Bay National Park This scenic heritage site consists of four national parks and protected areas: two in the U.S. (WrangellSt. Elias and Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska) and two in Canada (Kluane and Tatshenshini-Alsek). Only Glacier Bay was listed in 1979, but Kluane and WrangellSt. Elias were added in 1992 and Tatshenshini-Alsek in 1994. Chaco Culture P_Wei via Getty Images Chaco Culture In 1987, UNESCO designated the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico a heritage site. Once home to the Ancestral Puebloans, the listed property also includes the Aztec Ruins National Monument and a number of smaller Chaco sites. Related... Labor leader Chris Smalls, president of Amazon Labor Union, speaks during the Labor Notes conference, in Chicago, Illinois. Smalls organized an Amazon Warehouse on Staten Island, New York, after being fired Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images As tensions within the union grew, Smalls was caught on camera fighting an Amazon worker outside a warehouse last year. On the night of December 5, the president of the Amazon Labor Union pummeled another union member. He did it in front of the only Amazon warehouse to vote in favor of unionization. As Christian Smalls landed blows to James "Most" Daley's upper body, Derrick Palmer, the union's vice president, tried to hold Daley back, a video of the incident obtained by Insider shows. "Ain't that supposed to be our union rep, acting like a damn fool out there?" a bystander said as the fight broke up. "Did you all vote for the union? Really? Really?" The whole thing had gone down in view of dozens of people standing at a bus stop outside of the JFK8 Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York. The fight was the culmination of months of tension between Smalls and Daley, 37, a former Amazon Labor Union organizer whom Smalls had lauded earlier last year for convincing coworkers to vote in favor of unionization. The men had a fraught history, and Daley had been threatening Smalls for months, according to messages Daley shared with Insider and interviews with two other ALU organizers. On that December day, Daley initiated physical contact with Smalls, Daley said in an interview with Insider. The video shows Daley moving aggressively toward Smalls. Daley can also be seen taking swings, though it's not clear if he landed blows on Smalls. The root of their disagreement, though, was related to Smalls' ascendant fame which many Amazon Labor Union organizers feel has overshadowed his responsibilities to the union he helped found. That sentiment has contributed to a rift within the union that goes beyond the dramatic confrontation with Daley, pitting Smalls loyalists against those who believe the union would be better served without him. The fracture deepened after a December 9 meeting, The New York Times reported, in which Smalls told people who did not support him to leave. Story continues "You got a problem with me? Deuces," he told union organizers in that meeting, the Times reported. Some longtime Amazon Labor Union organizers decided to begin organizing on their own, without Smalls. Since the union's victory last April in Staten Island, Smalls has risen to celebrity status as the face of a newly resurgent labor movement. With a shoestring budget and little formal labor-organizing experience, the Amazon Labor Union had scored a rare victory against a corporate behemoth that has spent millions in an attempt to sway union votes. The feat propelled Smalls onto magazine covers and red carpets. Smalls was invited to the White House to meet President Joe Biden, who told Smalls the labor leader was his "kind of trouble." Smalls and Palmer were named two of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2022. Both have received book deals, and Smalls has a Hollywood agent, according to IMDb Pro. But as Smalls' prominence has grown over the past three years, he has repeatedly come into conflict with fellow labor activists and has often responded to criticism by ostracizing his critics. Drawing on interviews, chat logs, and text exchanges, an Insider investigation found many organizers he has worked with view him as a threat to the success of the union and more focused on personal fame than the workers he represents. These incidents paint a portrait of Smalls' leadership that is very different from his carefully cultivated image of a beloved labor leader with a unique ability to organize disenfranchised workers. Over the past year Smalls has also dealt with personal issues that include failure to pay child support and spending a three-day stint in a New Jersey jail. Workers who support Smalls say his fame is propelling the union's success, not hampering it. To them, his critics are simply upset that their attempted "coup" didn't work, and recent media coverage of union infighting is a last ditch attempt from a losing side. Smalls is "helping to inspire" workers to unionize, ALU staffer Evangeline Byars said, and his increased status is a byproduct of managing to take on Amazon when no one else could. "Someone's gotta be a potential star in this thing," said Gerald Bryson, another of Smalls' close allies. "It happens to be Chris. He's the one who got us where he's at." Smalls dismisses the notion that he is personally famous. Union organizing, he said, is grueling work. His union salary was less than $30,000 last year, financial disclosures show. "Just because I meet celebrities don't make me a celebrity," he said in an interview surrounded by several of his supporters at the ALU's union hall, a small suite of professional offices in a wooded area of Staten Island. "I don't even have health insurance." 'We are starting a revolution' Smalls, 34, rose to national prominence as the face of the fight against Amazon in 2020. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized a walkout of the Staten Island warehouse where he worked to protest what he said were Amazon's lax safety measures. Executives at Amazon's highest levels took notice. In one meeting, Amazon's general counsel, David Zapolsky, derided Smalls as "not smart or articulate," and proposed making him the face of labor activism at Amazon in order to weaken the legitimacy of workers' demands, according to a meeting memo obtained by Vice. (Zapolsky later said his emotions got the better of him.) President Joe Biden invited Smalls to the White House last May. The White House Zapolsky's remarks generated an outpouring of support for Smalls and his nascent workers' movement. Smalls had just been fired by Amazon over what he said were his organizing efforts, and he seemed prepared to continue taking the fight to the corporate behemoth. (Amazon has said Smalls was fired for returning to work while in quarantine after having been exposed to a colleague who had coronavirus.) "We are starting a revolution and people around the country support us," Smalls wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian at the time. Smalls founded a group called The Congress of Essential Workers that traveled from city to city to stage protests, including in front of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' homes in Beverly Hills, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Smalls' courage in taking on one of the largest corporations in the world got him the attention of other labor groups and longtime activists, some of whom joined the Congress, which by the fall of 2020 numbered about 35 people. Within that organization, though, concerns were growing about Smalls' leadership. In late 2020, a group of 15 people involved in the Congress published an open letter criticizing Smalls' failure to file for nonprofit status, establish financial transparency, and take steps to ensure the safety of protesters at a rally, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Insider. "Smalls has created a culture of resistance to infrastructure and documentation," they wrote. "As a result of this avoidance, we have no organization. We have nothing tangible to offer essential workers no financial assistance, no substantial legal aid, no resources. We cannot even help our own struggling Amazon employee members." Smalls told them to stand behind him or leave. "I don't owe anyone anything," Smalls texted dozens of people in the organization's group chat, according to a transcript of the chat obtained by Insider. He added he was not "obligated to show proof to those who've been conspiring behind my back." "Those who I hope to have helped turned on me for what is really nonsense," he wrote, telling people who disagreed with him to "just simply dismiss yourself." The signatories, who were mostly women, queer people, and people of color, some with extensive organizing experience, quietly left the organization, according to interviews with three of them. All three said they believe in Smalls' mission and support the goals of the Amazon Labor Union, but worry about Smalls' ability to lead. "To see someone who I believe to be abusing their power, an emperor with no clothes, continue to gain traction was not only painful, but also to see the Amazon Labor Union, or the movement in general continue to grow, I'm like how do I speak to what I experienced without discrediting the entire movement?" said one of the organizers who criticized Smalls in 2020. Chris Smalls' rise to fame Smalls has placed himself at the center of the Amazon Labor Union and its success, a portrayal that has been amplified in the media. "This movement started from what happened to me," he wrote in a 2020 Congress of Essential Workers group chat. In Politico, he was "the ex-rapper who made unionizing cool again." In the New York Times, Smalls and Palmer were "the two best friends who beat Amazon." Time Magazine wondered if Smalls was the future of the labor movement. Smalls on the red carpet for an event honoring Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022. Angela Weiss/Getty Images Those characterizations struck some ALU organizers as erasing their painstaking work building support for the union among Amazon employees. And while the ALU had scored one early, momentous success at JFK8, elsewhere, it appeared the union's momentum was fizzling. Losses at a warehouse next to JFK8, called LDJ5, and at another warehouse in Albany, where workers voted against joining the Amazon Labor union last year, exacerbated the sense among some ALU organizers that Smalls' rising public profile was a double-edged sword. The history of labor movements often includes charismatic figures who become celebrities in their own right, to both the benefit and detriment of their unions. Leaders like Smalls can bring momentum and attention to organizing efforts, but can also become untethered from the difficult work of securing contracts and sustaining organizing efforts, three labor experts and historians told Insider. "It's not uncommon that people who build something are not necessarily the most equipped to run it," said Miriam Pawel, the author of books about labor leader Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. Among the organizers who bristled at Smalls' increasing status, Daley was especially incensed. In a New York Magazine cover story profiling Smalls, Daley publicly criticized Smalls, saying he had become self-centered and suggesting he was unfit to lead. Daley and Smalls had gotten along well until about a week after the election, Daley said. In a press conference on April 8, a week after the union won its historic vote at JFK8, Smalls introduced Daley by saying he'd seen Daley "call people on his damn phone and say, 'You better get your butt down here and vote for this union.'" (Smalls has since downplayed his compliments for Daley, telling Insider, "I praise everybody.") The next day, Smalls, Daley, and a handful of other Amazon Labor Union organizers attended a luncheon in Albany hosted by state legislators to feature labor leaders. Daley took a photo with Mayor Eric Adams. The Amazon Labor Union organizers returned to New York City that day. Smalls stayed behind. Daley and others later learned he had attended an exclusive after-party by himself. To them, it felt like Smalls was leaving them behind to enjoy the fruits of fame. Daley called Smalls out in an Instagram message. Smalls deflected. "What party?" Smalls wrote in a message to Daley. "Don't make up shit bro if you don't know." Smalls celebrates with Amazon Labor Union organizers after winning a unionization vote at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, the first and only Amazon warehouse to vote to unionize. ANDREA RENAULT/AFP via Getty Images Daley responded to Smalls with threats, two other ALU members said, and was kicked off the union's messaging platforms and uninvited to meetings. Over Instagram, Daley sent Smalls hostile messages over a period of several months, according to a messaging history Daley shared with Insider. "Listen and listen real good," Daley wrote, telling Smalls to "stop trying to play with my intelligence" and warning that "there won't be any talking." Daley also sent an Instagram reel of a person pretending to punch and kick the camera. "Finally caught up with my coworker that been talking sh*t about me," text overlaying the video read. (Daley said he'd originally received that video from someone loyal to Smalls and sent it to Smalls as an example of the type of harassment he was receiving.) Amazon suspended Palmer while investigating the fight, Palmer said, ultimately reinstating him. His supporters at the ALU offices pointed to Palmer's reinstatement as proof he wasn't in the wrong. Amazon declined to comment on their investigation. In a text message, Smalls criticized Insider's decision to report on the fight. There are "so many other things to report on with Amazon," he wrote, including that the company spent $14.2 million on union-busting consultants last year. The fight "isn't news for the public," he wrote. "It happened months ago and we're not talking about it anymore." Some Amazon workers have problems with Smalls While Daley's animosity toward Smalls took on the air of a personal grudge, other Amazon Labor Union members had begun to have similar doubts about how Smalls was handling his newfound fame, according to interviews with four ALU organizers. They felt that the more prominent Smalls became, the less interested he seemed in directing his attention to securing union victories at other Amazon warehouses or building support for the type of actions that might force Amazon to the bargaining table at JFK8. Last summer, some ALU organizers began publicly voicing concerns about the union's lack of infrastructure. As the face of the movement, Smalls was essential to organizing efforts, workers told Bloomberg. But some also said he was a mercurial manager who could not be relied upon to do the day-to-day work of union organizing, such as showing up to rallies. (Smalls has said it is dangerous for him to trespass on Amazon's property, where he is not a worker, because he could be arrested.) Emails from workers at other Amazon warehouses seeking to start their own union went unanswered. The labor union yanked its support from a warehouse organizing in Kentucky last October, according to Payday Report. It's still pushing for unionization at another Kentucky site, Amazon's KCVG Air Hub. The same month, workers organizing with the Amazon Labor Union at a warehouse in California withdrew their election petition. Byars, the ALU staffer, told Insider that workers at the California warehouse, known as ONT8, are still organizing and plan to seek an election, but she claimed Amazon inflated the number of eligible employees and began bombarding employees with anti-union messaging, prompting delays. (An Amazon spokesperson denied that the company inflated the number of employees at ONT8.) In the year since the Amazon Labor Union won its election at JFK8, there have been few visible organizing gains affecting the nearly 6,000 workers in the facility. Several workers Insider spoke with outside the facility described feeling relatively disconnected from the union and unaware of the drama that was engulfing organizers. One worker, who had voted for unionization, felt not much had changed about her work since the vote and said she didn't hear much from the union compared with the weekly texts and emails she received from local Amazon management. Smalls said about 2,500 to 3,500 JFK8 workers open the regular emails the union sends out. Organizing within the warehouse, he said, had been hampered by a new Amazon policy that banned workers from warehouses when they weren't scheduled to work. A federal labor agency directed Amazon last month to allow off-duty workers access to break rooms, which Smalls and Byars said will help the union by giving organizers more face time with colleagues. The disputes came to a head at the December meeting, The New York Times reported last month, where some organizers were surprised to see that the ALU's constitution had been amended to state that elections would be held only after a contract was reached at JFK8 which could take years. Until then, Smalls and others close to him would remain at the helm of the organization. Many organizers walked out. Smalls has partially characterized the rift along racial lines. Most of his critics in the union are white, while the union's leadership is largely Black, he told Insider. In an interview, his supporter Gerald Bryson described the walkout as a coup: "They wanted more power," he said. Amazon Labor Union members consoled each other after the union lost the vote at its second warehouse, LDJ5, last April. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Heather Goodall, who led the Amazon Labor Union's organizing efforts at an Albany warehouse last year, said Smalls' constant travel and seeming disorganization derailed her attempts to plan events around him. She was never sure when he would arrive at the warehouse, she said. Text messages between Goodall and Smalls show her repeatedly asking him to confirm when he would be in Albany. During one tense exchange, after Smalls said he would be late to a union rally and would miss a call that night, Smalls sent Goodall cash to cover expenses for lunch. "I just sent you $500 of my own money what else would you like me to do for you?" Smalls wrote. "I don't want you to send me your personal money. I just need to be organized," Goodall replied, "but we will talk about that when I see you." The union lost in a landslide last October. At that point, she said, she began losing faith in Smalls' leadership. "I started questioning Christian's actions, his traveling," she said. "We haven't seen or heard from anyone since the election." Criticism of Smalls' lack of involvement in union elections at warehouses outside JFK8 is misplaced, Bryson said. "You can't have someone like me over in Western Virginia recruit people. You gotta have the people in the building run it," he said. "It's up to that person to give support to their building to unionize. It's not up to us." Questions over ALU's finances Less than two weeks after the Albany warehouse lost its election, Smalls was at a Los Angeles gala hosted by Ebony magazine, which had named him one of its 100 most influential people of 2022. Since the start of the year, Smalls' Instagram has shown him in Canada, the UK, and Kentucky. Smalls told Goodall in late January that he needed to be constantly traveling in order to fundraise. "If I don't get us money from elsewhere we go bankrupt," he texted her in January. Goodall was skeptical. She emailed the union's executive board, asking for information about the union's finances. The board declined to answer. Goodall wasn't the only person to have raised concerns about financial transparency. "A lot of money was coming in once we won the first election, and a lot of money is going out," said Mat Cusick, a former ALU organizer who has said he was pushed out in May. Cusick published a public resignation letter laying bare his concerns about Smalls' leadership, including his perception that Smalls had launched "a secret consolidation of power." "There were not good accountability procedures in place at the time that I left, and there were serious concerns about embezzlement and misuse of funds at that point," Cusick told Insider. Cusick next encountered Smalls at a labor conference in June, where Cusick said Smalls pushed him. (Smalls denied doing so.) On Twitter the next day, Smalls accused Cusick of stealing money from workers. (Cusick has said that is false.) Financial disclosures filed last week by the ALU show that the union raised more than $850,000 last year, more than half of it from just three donors the American Federation of Teachers, the International Commission for Labor Rights, and the leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Smalls walks with Senator Bernie Sanders at a union rally last April. KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images The biggest single line item was $200,000 from the ALU's GoFundMe. The GoFundMe, though, had raised more than $440,000 from small donors between February and July last year, when the union shut it down and moved the donation page to the ALU's website. The other $240,000 raised through the GoFundMe is not reflected in the union's financial disclosures because it was spent on organizing activities before the union established a bank account last summer, said Connor Spence, who was previously the union's treasurer. Spence broke with Smalls last year and resigned his role in the ALU. That discrepancy is not necessarily an indicator of malfeasance, said John Logan, a labor studies professor at San Francisco State University who has testified before Congress about unions' required financial disclosures. It's not uncommon for young labor organizations to struggle to adhere to strict federal financial reporting requirements, he said. And because GoFundMe campaigns are relatively new in the world of labor organizing, it may not be clear how unions should characterize revenue generated through GoFundMe in those required disclosures, he added. "This is a cumbersome and unwieldy process," he said. "But the most common thing is mistakes rather than any kind of nefarious activities going on." Spence acknowledged that the union should have established more formal accounting structures sooner than it did. "When you're starting a new organization, no one tells you these things," he said. The union's finances are now managed by an accounting firm, Smalls said in a text message. Smalls has also said he needs to travel in order to book speaking gigs to pay his child support. Smalls failed to pay child support for nearly a year between September 2021 and August 2022, according to records provided by his ex-wife. He ultimately paid about $20,000 in child support arrears in two lump-sum payments, those records show, after he spent three days in jail last September. Smalls did not respond on the record to questions about his child support payments. The circumstances of Smalls' arrest are unclear. An electronic entry in the Bergen County jail's online inmate finder indicates that Smalls was taken into custody by police in Hackensack for three days September 2022 for "simple assault" and "arrears," the failure to pay money owed to another party. The Hackensack Police Department said it had no records of the arrest, and a clerk at the Hackensack Municipal Court said it had no records of a criminal charge against Smalls in 2022. A Bergen County Superior Court ombudsman said that records could only be obtained directly from the judge in the case. Smalls did not respond on the record to questions about the arrest. As the ALU rift grows, Smalls is eyeing a new project Even as the Amazon Labor Union has splintered, Smalls and a core group of trusted lieutenants have begun turning their attention to new battles. In February, Smalls, Palmer, Bryson and Jordan Flowers, who has also been involved in the union since its earliest days, registered a new nonprofit. They chose the same name as Smalls' previous organization, The Congress of Essential Workers, where he had once fought over the open letter criticizing his leadership. One purpose of the organization appears to be to raise funds for the Amazon Labor Union, according to its certificate of incorporation. That would mean the new nonprofit would be the ALU's fiscal sponsor a 501(c)3 organization soliciting contributions on behalf of a union, which cannot accept tax-exempt donations. Such arrangements are not uncommon in the world of activism. But the new Congress of Essential Workers nonprofit also has grander ambitions, according to its incorporation documents and an interview with Bryson. Bryson said the new nonprofit will also support labor movements at other companies "whenever we finish with Amazon, whenever this whole ordeal is pretty much under control, and everyone's falling in line." "We gotta deal with Jeff Bezos first. That was always the plan," Bryson said. Then "it's back to the next giant." Wooing philanthropists to fund new labor battles could pull the union's focus from the ongoing contract fight with Amazon, warned the Rutgers labor professor Susan Schurman. "The most important thing that the leadership of the ALU can do right now for the labor movement is to get a contract with Amazon at the warehouse," she said. "There may be people who think it's great that clearly this guy's a charismatic leader, they're thinking beyond organizing at Amazon, but the fact is a contract with Amazon at that warehouse would be a huge win for organizing everywhere." In the meantime, workers on both sides of the divide within the ALU say they're intent on continuing to organize within Amazon warehouses. Both Smalls' backers and the organizers who disagree with his leadership are still trying to mobilize Amazon workers and address their concerns, according to Justine Medina, an ALU organizer in New York City who is hopeful that the two groups will reconcile. "Ultimately," she said, "we're all fighting against Bezos." Read the original article on Business Insider Bouquets of flowers lay at the entrance of the Old National Bank for the victims of the mass shooting on April 11, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. On the morning of April 10, a gunman opened fire inside the bank killing four people. A fifth victim later died in the hospital. (Michael Swensen / Getty Images) LOUISVILLE, Ky. Frantic calls from witnesses reporting a mass shooting at a Louisville bank were released Wednesday by police including from a woman who was on a virtual meeting and saw the shooter, as well as one from the mans mother, who told a 911 operator that her son currently has a gun and is heading toward the bank. I need your help. Hes never hurt anyone, hes a good kid, said the woman, who identified herself as the gunmans mother. Advertisement None of the callers are identified by name and other information is edited out of the calls, but the first call that came in was from a woman who was on a video call inside the bank. She screams and cries throughout the four-minute call and says there is an active shooter at the downtown branch of the bank. I just watched it on a Teams meeting, she says. We were having a board meeting. With our commercial (lending) team. Advertisement We heard multiple shots and everybody started saying, Oh my God and then he came into the board room. Bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, used an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the attack Monday at Old National Bank, where he killed five coworkers while livestreaming before police fatally shot him. Eight others were injured, including a police officer who was shot in the head and remains hospitalized in critical condition. After the first call, others began streaming in. One of the callers says shes calling from within the building as numerous gunshots are heard in the background. Im in a closet hiding, the caller says. She says people have been shot and gives a description of the shooting, saying she knows the shooter. He works with us. How long will it be before they get here? she whispers and the dispatcher tells her that authorities are on the way and advises her to keep quiet. Asked what kind of injuries there were, the caller replies: I dont know. I just saw a lot of blood. Another call came from a man inside the bank, who told dispatchers the address and said, We have an active shooting in our building. White male. Hes an employee of Old National Bank. Get here now. We need somebody now. Another call came from a motorist driving down Main Street, who reported seeing a man with an assault rifle and a bulletproof vest walking around. Advertisement How long ago was it that you saw this? the dispatcher asks. The caller says it was about 5 minutes prior and asks, Has anybody else reported this? Like, I hope to God Im seeing things. The dispatcher then describes what others reported the suspect was wearing and the caller confirms it. Did you see him shooting or anything? the dispatcher asks. No maam. He was like kind of like jogging around like he was like trying to get somewhere in a hurry, the caller says, but isnt able to give the direction the shooter was headed. Wednesdays release included a half-hour of emergency responder radio traffic. Advertisement The release came hours before an interfaith vigil was planned at the Muhammad Ali Center to remember victims and allow the public to offer prayers for the injured. This is a very tough time for our city, and we were not meant to go through tough times alone, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement. On Tuesday, police released body camera video that showed the chaotic moments when officers arrived at the bank as the shooter, whom they couldnt see, rained bullets down on them. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked reporters through edited footage and still photos at a news conference and praised the responding officers for their heroism. Sturgeons parents said in a statement that their son had mental health challenges that were being addressed, but there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act. They said they are mourning for the victims and the loss of their son, and working with police to understand what happened. Advertisement The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Louisville. The five bank employees killed in the shooting were Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Jim Tutt Jr., 64, a commercial real estate market executive. Wednesdays vigil was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. local time. If you wish, were asking folks to gather together to share our strength, pray for those still fighting for their lives after Mondays shooting, remember all those touched by gun violence across our entire city and, together, begin working toward a safer future where we are truly preventing gun violence instead of constantly reacting to it, Greenberg, the mayor, said in his statement. Raby reported from Charleston, W.Va. 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. For most of the year, your go-to black dress is a total wardrobe superstar ideal for any occasion and something you know you can put on at the last minute and feel good in. But during the warmer months, your regular LBD can feel a bit boring. If youre ready for a change, then get ready to add the ANRABESS Square Neck Ruffle Midi Dress to your Amazon cart ASAP. Retailing for just $40 and available in more than 20 pretty colors, we have a feeling this versatile dress is about to be everywhere. This midi dress is the No. 1 new release in womens cocktail dresses on Amazon and is perfect for almost any occasion. Brunch with friends? Sure. A cocktail party with co-workers? Yep. A spring or summer wedding? Duh! While this style only comes in solid colors, the details really elevate it. From the shoulder ties to the removable waist sash to the thigh-high slit and ruffled hem, this design strikes the right balance between sweet and sexy. You can dress it up with heels or make it feel more casual by pairing it with flat sandals and a crisp denim jacket. The only downside is the fact that it only comes in sizes S-XL, but the back of the dress is ruched, which makes it more flexible if youre in between sizes. However, the limited sizes havent seemed to be a major turn-off for Amazon shoppers. One happy reviewer said, I got a thousand compliments on this little number. Another shared, I am in love with this dress! I chose not to use the tie sash because I honestly dont think it is needed. It hits in all the spots that I wish every dress would and makes me feel sexy and confident. I seriously cant praise this dress enough. Add your favorite color to your cart and get ready for everyone to ask, Where did you get that dress? More from In The Know: Heres how to plan a bucket list trip to Iceland on a tight budget Stop paying for multiple streaming services and try this free option that has over 40,000 on-demand shows and movies These are the best plus-size denim brands if youre looking for cute and comfy styles I swapped my expensive moisturizer for this cheaper Vitamin C formula, and my skins never been brighter The post Dont tell anyone, but we just found the perfect summer dress on Amazon appeared first on In The Know. A Mexican Red Cross ambulance transports two Americans found alive after their abduction in Mexico last week, in Ejido Longoreno, on the outskirts of Matamoros, Mexico, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Associated Press The survivors of the deadly Mexican cartel kidnapping have revealed new details about the ordeal. The two survivors told CNN their captors put guns to their heads and tried to make them have sex. The abduction happened last month in the Mexico border city of Matamoros. The pair of American survivors of last month's deadly Mexican cartel kidnapping have revealed harrowing details about the ordeal, including how they say their captors put guns to their heads and tried to force them to have sex with each other. LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams told CNN's Anderson Cooper during a Tuesday interview that they are still reeling from the attack that left their friends Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard, as well as another bystander, dead. "They didn't deserve that. None of us deserved it. But we're alive we have a lot of recovering to do," Washington McGee told Cooper. The four American friends were shot at and kidnapped by gunmen in a brazen ambush in Northern Mexico on March 3. The group traveled in a rented white minivan from South Carolina into the Mexico border city of Matamoros for a reported planned cosmetic surgery for Washington McGee. Gunfire abruptly started after the group crossed the US-Mexico border and turned down a side street, the survivors said. Williams said that while they were in captivity, they were blindfolded at times, and the kidnappers wore red plastic "Diablo masks." The captors put "guns to our head, telling us not to look up," he said. At one point, the kidnappers "tried to make us have sex with each other," said Williams. Williams said he and Washington McGee told the captors that they are brother and sister and that Washington McGee was pregnant. It's unclear if Williams and Washington McGee are actually related. Washington McGee told Cooper that during the nightmarish days-long ordeal, one of the kidnappers apologized, saying, "Somebody made the wrong call. They was high and drunk." Investigators believed a drug cartel mistook the Americans for Haitian drug smugglers, a US official previously told CNN. Read the original article on Insider Amoxicillin. Illustrated | Gettyimages An ongoing nationwide shortage of a common antibiotic is exacerbating an abnormally tough strep throat season in the United States. Here's what you need to know about the amoxicillin shortage: What is amoxicillin? Amoxicillin is an antibiotic commonly used to treat various infections caused by bacteria, such as "tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract," per Drugs.com. It is part of a group of medications known as "penicillin antibiotics" that work by "killing the bacteria and preventing their growth," according to the Mayo Clinic. The antibiotic does not, however, work for common colds, the flu, or other viral infections. Amoxicillin can be prescribed in many ways, but children "generally take the liquid form of the drug, which is where most of the shortages are occurring," Bloomberg reports. What is causing the amoxicillin shortage? The Food and Drug Administration added several amoxicillin products and dosages to the list of national drug shortages last October, and some are still unavailable in some pharmacies, NPR reports. "The current shortage is limited to pediatric versions of amoxicillin, which are liquid products that are easier for kids to take than pills." The shortage seems to be caused by the overwhelming demand for antibiotics rather than an issue with product quality. "In other words," NPR adds, " there are more people who need the drug than what's available." Some companies say the demand for the drug plummeted during the pandemic, "when COVID-19 mitigation measures also lowered rates of other infections," CNN writes. And while drug manufacturers typically make their product when there is a demand for it, "they need time to catch up when demand increases. "Indeed, these companies "typically look to see what their sales were the prior year" and adjust their production accordingly, Erin Fox, a national expert on drug shortages at the University of Utah, told NPR. "But with the really severe respiratory season we've had this year, it just simply was a mismatch between what people manufactured and what was available," she said. Story continues A spokesperson for generic drugmaker Sandoz, a division of Novartis AG, explained that the company was facing supply issues in the U.S. and other countries due to a "significant" surge in demand for amoxicillin. "The combination in rapid succession of the pandemic impact and consequent demand swings, manufacturing capacity constraints, scarcity of raw materials, and the current energy crisis means we face a uniquely difficult situation in the short term," spokesperson Leslie Pott told Bloomberg in October. Last winter, the U.S. was battling a so-called "tripledemic" that included a surge in RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which most commonly affects kids. While doctors do not need amoxicillin to treat that viral infection, "some children can develop secondary bacterial infections that may require antibiotics," CNN explains. How is the shortage affecting strep throat season? While "bubblegum pink" amoxicillin is a typical treatment for infections like strep in children, the "nationwide shortage of the antibiotic is making a particularly bad season of strep throat tougher," NPR says. Strep, or Streptococcus, can cause "a sore throat, fever, and swollen tonsils." It typically affects school-aged children, typically between December and April. So while it is somewhat normal to see a surge in strep throat during this timeframe, experts have warned Today that the current wave is the worst it's been in a long time. Dr. Greg DeMuri, a pediatric infectious disease physician with UW Health Kids in Madison, Wisconsin, told Today that he hasn't seen it this bad in all of his 30-year career. "We are at a level twice that of our worst year, looking back over the past 10, 20 years or so." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking an increase in "an especially nasty kind of strep," called invasive group A strep, NPR reports. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says invasive strep can spread from the throat to other parts of the body. After record-low cases in 2020 and 2021, cases of invasive strep are higher than usual this season, per the CDC. "Regardless of what kind of strep someone has," NPR explains, "strep infections need to be treated with antibiotics." The shortage became real for Rivers when both of her children were diagnosed with strep throat. "We had to visit several pharmacies to find the medication that we needed," she told NPR. "It just adds another burden on what's already been a really difficult winter respiratory season for families." You may also like Millie Bobby Brown appears to announce engagement to Jon Bon Jovi's son Leaker of damaging U.S. intelligence files was reportedly administrator of a Discord chat room NASA unveils 3D-printed Mars habitat where 4 people will live for a year Death threats were made against a high-profile Fresno lawyer and a Fresno County judge. Fresno Police said convicted felon Burton James Enloe of Clovis allegedly threatened to kill Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz and Fresno County Superior Court Judge Gary Orozco. Enloe, 34, is being held in Fresno County Jail without bail on a probation violation, as well as for making criminal threats against state officials. Why Enloe made threats toward Janz and Orozco was not immediately known. Enloe was arrested Tuesday, four days after police issued an officer safety alert about the threats. Fresno Police reported Thursday that Enloe threatened to kill Janz and Orozco in a conversation with law enforcement officers. Enloe was described as a convicted felon whos on felony probation and known to have access to firearms and other weapons. Police also were concerned about his location, and warned the public to notify authorities if he was seen around Fresno City Hall or Fresno County Superior Court. Janz was a Fresno County prosecutor before becoming Fresnos city attorney in November. He previously ran against Jerry Dyer for the Fresno mayoral position. And before that, he ran against Rep. Devin Nunes. Orozco has been a judge with the Fresno County Superior Court for 22 years. Among the trials Orozco oversaw was an October 2021 case against Enloe. Every year, hundreds if not thousands of West African migrants disappear trying to reach the Canary Islands and, they believed, better lives in Europe. The real death toll is unknown, and so many people and boats are never seen again. But in 2021, something strange happened. The boats, boats from the Atlantic coastal nation of Mauritania and other African nations, believed to have been used by migrants, weren't making it to the Canaries. They were emerging on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Caribbean and even as far as Brazil. All carried a sad cargo the bodies of young men and women who dreamt of a new life in Europe. Few were ever identified. They had drifted to death. For nearly two years, Associated Press journalists traced the origins of one boat and the people who died in it. Their remains were found aboard a white and blue pirogue a Mauritanian fishing boat drifting near the Caribbean Island of Tobago on May 28, 2021. As they traced what became of the men, they captured their journey. And arresting images emerged images that conveyed the heartache, the loneliness, the futility of trying to find new lives by taking the biggest of risks. These photos, by AP photographer Felipe Dana, chronicle the journey of these young men, of the places they left and were trying to reach. Taken together, the images show determination and desperation of the sort that many humans never experience and that far too many humans do. They show the village from where the men came, and the life they were trying to leave behind. They show the shores the men left, and the ones they reached only in death. They show kids not unlike those who were lost, wearing clothing similar to that found in the doomed boat. And, in an emotional collage, they show the clothes that the men on that unfortunate pirogue were wearing when they died clothes tracked down by the AP and removed from plastic bags, under watchful eyes, to gather evidence about who they were. Story continues In one image, the single doomed boat sits on the shoreline at dusk, cleared of remains, the only physical reminder of the young lives lost. In another, a hand in a protective latex glove examines the prized mobile phones of men who will make no more calls, check no more messages. In another, a dusty Mauritanian highway speaks to the bleak life these men wanted to get away from as they looked to the sea for their next chapter. And then there is a haunting silhouette of Soulayman Sangare of Kayes, Mali, stuck as he characterizes it in Mauritania. He might not say so, but he is one of the lucky ones. He tried to get out once, then twice, but was thwarted. He is still alive. But how long that will last is unclear. Like those before him, those who died alone and at sea, Sangare is committed to getting out. "I want to try and leave again. That is my decision. Asks a journalist: Nothing will make you change your decision? Nothing. Only death. ___ To read Adrift, by Renata Brito, the entire story of this journey, and see the digital AP presentation that brings the story to life, find it HERE. A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday rejected a bid by former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro to retain hundreds of government records despite a judges order to return them promptly to the National Archives. There is no public interest in Navarros retention of the records, and Congress has recognized that the public has an interest in the Nations possession and retention of Presidential records, the three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded in a unanimous two-page order. The Justice Department sued Navarro last year, seeking to reclaim hundreds of records contained in Navarros personal ProtonMail account that the government said should have been returned to the National Archives after the Trump administration came to an end in January 2021. Navarro acknowledged that at least 200 to 250 records in his possession belong to the government, but he contended that no mechanism exists to enforce that requirement and that doing so might violate his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected that claim, ordering Navarro to promptly return the records he had identified as belonging to the government. But Navarro appealed the decision, rejecting the notion that the Justice Department had any legitimate mechanism to force him to return the records. And he urged the court to stay Kollar-Kotellys ruling while his appeal was pending. But the appeals court panel which included Judges Patricia Millett and Robert Wilkins, both appointees of President Barack Obama, and Judge Neomi Rao, an appointee of President Donald Trump rejected Navarros stay request. Within minutes, Kollar-Kotelly put the squeeze on Navarro, ordering him to turn over the 200 to 250 records on or before Friday. She also ordered him to perform additional searches or presidential records that might be in his possession by May 8, with further proceedings scheduled for later in the month. Story continues The flurry of filings is the latest twist in a saga that began when the National Archives discovered that Navarro had relied on a ProtonMail account to do official government business the result of a congressional investigation into the Trump administrations handling of the coronavirus crisis. Navarro is also trying to fend off criminal charges for defying a different congressional investigation the probe by the Jan. 6 select committee into his role in strategizing to help Trump overturn the results of the 2020 election. He faces charges for contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena issued by the select committee, a case that has been repeatedly delayed amid battles over executive privilege and immunity for presidential advisers. In its brief order rejecting Navarros stay, the appeals court panel concluded that returning the documents would not violate Navarros protection against self-incrimination. Navarro has failed to articulate any cognizable Fifth Amendment injury, the panel wrote. Because the records were voluntarily created, and he has conceded both that they are in his possession and that they are the property of the United States, the action of physically returning the United States records to it will not implicate his [Fifth Amendment right]. It was not immediately clear whether Navarro would appeal the panels ruling. Justice Department attorneys argued that despite Navarros claim, there is a method for the government to enforce its ownership interest in the records Navarro has acknowledged retaining a provision of the Washington, D.C., code. That statute, known as replevin, provides a mechanism for property owners to reclaim stolen materials even while court proceedings are pending. Navarro has contended that this procedure was not contemplated in federal recordkeeping laws and had never been used to enforce the return of presidential records before. But the appeals court panel said he had not adequately demonstrated that the United States cannot proceed under the replevin statute. However, the panel said it would not prejudge any additional arguments about that issue that might be made as the case proceeds. Ariana DeBose is set to do the thing once again. On April 12, she was announced as the host for the annual Tony Awards for the second year in a row. Shes baaaack! tweeted the official Tony Awards account, announcing the news. I was honored to serve as host last year and even more so to be asked back! So looking forward to celebrating this incredible season and the people who make the work happen, DeBose said in a statement. Heres to adding some uptown flavor to the magic of the Tony Awards! DeBose is known both for her work on the stage and screen. Last year, she made history with her Oscar-winning performance as Anita in Steven Spielbergs film adaptation of West Side Story," becoming the became the first Afro Latina and first openly queer woman of color to win an Oscar. She has also been nominated for a Tony herself for her role in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical." More of her musical theater accomplishments? She was in the original cast of Hamilton" and more recently had a starring role in the Apple TV+ show Schmigadoon!, which just premiered its second season. This hosting gig comes on the heels of her viral performance at this years BAFTA Awards in February. DeBose opened the show with an original rap in which she mentioned some of the women nominated that evening. The words Angela Bassett did the thing / Viola Davis my Woman King / Blanchett Cate youre a genius / Jamie Lee you are all of us" took the internet by storm, resulting in memes and write-ups galore. Bassett herself referenced the song during her speech at the NAACP Image Awards After briefly deleting her Twitter account amid the blowback, DeBose soon took well to the online buzz, eventually even selling merch with the lyrics on it, with proceeds going to the U.K. based charity, Mermaids. The 76th annual award show will be broadcast live on June 11 from the United Palace Theater in New York City, and will be aired on CBS and Paramount+. Nominations will be announced on May 2. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Ariana Grande at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in January 2023. David Crotty / Getty Contributor Ariana Grande addressed concerns about her weight and body in a TikTok clip posted on Tuesday. "There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful," Grande said in the clip. The entertainer also asked fans to be "gentle with each other and yourselves." Ariana Grande wants her fans to know she's living her best life. (Really.) In a rare personal statement made via TikTok on Tuesday, the entertainer tackled recent concerns from fans on social media questioning her thinness. "There are many different kinds of beautiful," Grande said in the three-minute TikTok clip. "There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. I know personally for me, the body that you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly. And at the lowest point of my life, when I looked the way you consider my 'healthy,' but that in fact wasn't my healthy." Grande continued by saying she "shouldn't have to explain that," but explained that "something good might come" from her "openness" and "vulnerability." She added that it's difficult to know what a person is going through. "Even if you are coming from a loving place and a caring place, that person probably is working on it or has a support system that they are working on it with and you never know," Grande said, adding that people should be "gentle with each other and yourselves." Grande has previously discussed her struggles with mental health, posting on social media about the topic back in 2019. In a series of Instagram Stories, the entertainer included a quote from Jim Carrey about depression, according to W magazine. "Depression is your body saying, 'I don't want to be this character anymore,'" the quote read. "I don't want to hold up this avatar that you've created in the world. It's too much for me." "You should think of the word 'depressed' as 'deep rest,'" the quote continued. "Your body needs to be depressed. It needs deep rest from the character that you've been trying to play." Read the original article on Insider An Arlington Republican who faced backlash after voting against a resolution celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan says he has since met with Arlingtons mayor and members of the Muslim community and apologized. State Rep. Tony Tinderholt last month posted a statement on Twitter explaining his vote against the resolution. In it, he said that as a combat veteran, he served with many translators who were Muslims and good people. The statement also read: I can also attest that Ramadan was routinely the most violent period during every deployment. Texas and America were founded on Christian principles and my faith as a Christian prevents me from celebrating Ramadan. I want to commend Dan Patrick for choosing not to join the House in this celebration. Some criticized Tinderholt, including the The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who condemned the statement. Tinderholts tweet with the statement was deleted from Twitter as of Wednesday. The lawmaker Wednesday said on Twitter that hed met with Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and members of the local Muslim community and apologized. I would like to thank Mayor Ross and leaders from the local Muslim community for meeting with me to discuss recent comments I made that were interpreted as offensive to them and their religion, the post reads. I was able to apologize for the misunderstanding and talk with them. We are all aware of how truly important that freedom of religion is in this amazing country and the great state of Texas. They were generous and kind during our meeting and again, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to the Muslim community. Thank you for meeting with me! I would like to thank Mayor Ross and leaders from the local Muslim community for meeting with me to discuss recent comments I made that were interpreted as offensive to them and their religion. I was able to apologize for the misunderstanding and talk with them. We are all aware Rep. Tony Tinderholt (@reptinderholt) April 12, 2023 Tinderholt did not immediately return a call or texts seeking comment. Story continues In March, the Arlington Mayors Muslim Advisory Council and Levitt Arlington cohosted its first American Muslim Cultural Celebration. Ross confirmed that a number of people actively involved in the council were also at the meeting with Tinderholt. Ross said members of the Muslim community reached out to him and asked him to broker the meeting, which was held the weekend of April 1. The intent was to allow the Muslim community to express their concerns with having a tweet like that and provide Representative Tinderholt an opportunity to explain why that happened an his meaning behind it, Ross said. I found both sides very amicable. Yaman Subei, chair of the mayors council, was among those who went to the meeting. He had concerns that Tinderholt voted against the resolution and that he tweeted about it. The bigger concern then beyond that is whenever you have a politician go and tweet publicly information that just creates hate and division in the community, we immediately as a community feel the impact because it just empowers more hate, Subei said. That was a concern that we shared with him also. He saw the meeting as a success and said Tinderholt came in with an open mind. We listened to him, and he listened to us, and it was a very positive meeting, Subei said. Subei said attendees had specific steps they wanted Tinderholt to take, including a public apology on Twitter. Its the right thing to do and.. he was truthful to his words, and ultimately its the least that he can do in my opinion, for the damages, Subei said. Tinderholt has also been asked to support future bills or resolutions related to the Muslim community and their freedom to practice their faith in Texas, Subei said. Additionally, theyve asked Tinderholt come visit local mosques and learn more about the Muslim community. William White, director of the Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he met with Tinderholt in a meeting separate from the one mentioned in Wednesdays tweet. We want to thank Rep. Tinderholt for his willingness to meet with CAIR and his Muslim constituents to discuss his statement about Ramadan, White said. Despite our differences, Texans can celebrate and learn from each other. It is refreshing and welcomed that Representative Tinderholt took the time to listen, learn, and issue an apology. Chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party Allison Campolo called Tinderholts tweet the worst apology in a Wednesday post. In it, she quoted part of Tinderholts post where he said his comments were interpreted as offensive to them and their religion. This is the worst apology, Campolos tweet reads. Not even an apology. Sorry if you got your feelings hurt when I was a bigot. Ugh. Disappointed I got drawn into your district. Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his career as both an actor and a politician. But now he has a new title under his belt: road maintenance worker. On Tuesday, Schwarzenegger posted a video of himself filling up a hole on a California street, saying he did so because "the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that's been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks." "I went out with my team and fixed it," he said. "I always say, let's not complain, let's do something about it. Here you go." In the video, Schwarzenegger can be seen pouring blacktop repair patch onto the hole, which appears to be a long rectangular cutout of the street. He and a few other people then use shovels to spread the patch material and pat it down. At one point, a woman in a white sedan pulls up to the makeshift construction zone and yells, "Thank you so much!" "You're welcome," Schwarzenegger responds. "You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For 3 weeks I've been waiting for this hole to be closed." Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole thats been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, lets not complain, lets do something about it. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/aslhkUShvT Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 11, 2023 His new side job prompted humorous responses from his fans. One person dubbed his new nickname, "the tarminator," riffing on one of Schwarzenegger's famous movie roles. Another person responded, "Come with me if you want to pave." Despite the welcomed fix, it may not have actually been a pothole. Unlike most potholes, the one seen in the video seemed to have a specific shape that could have been cut out of the ground. A local reporter responded to Schwarzenegger's video saying that it was actually a "service trench related to active, permitted work performed at the location." Story continues CBS News has reached out to the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services for comment and more information about the hole that was filled. Los Angeles has been hit with a large influx of requests to repair damaged streets in recent months. According to the Associated Press, local officials announced last week that the city has gotten more than 19,600 repair requests, more than 17,500 of which have been filled. Tips to remember ahead of next week's tax deadline President Biden delivers keynote speech in Belfast Rare otter triplets born at U.K. wildlife park Mark Dolezal, co-owner of Durty Nellies, speaks with bartender Alyssa McDade on April 12, 2023, in Palatine. It plans to rebuild into a six-story apartment building with retail and a rooftop bar. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Durty Nellies in Palatine, one of the leading sites for live music in Chicagos suburbs, plans to close next year to allow its owners to build a luxury apartment building with a smaller music venue and rooftop bar. Owners Mark and Jim Dolezal announced Wednesday that they plan to demolish their current structure to build a six-story, 85-unit apartment building with a bank, retail and the pub on the ground floor. Advertisement They still would present live music, but would downsize from their current 10,000-square-foot music room to a much smaller scale of up to 4,000 square feet. The venue has struggled since it was partially rebuilt from a fire in 2019 and the COVID pandemic. Were too small for the big bands and too big for the small bands, Jim Dolezal said. We have thought long and hard about this decision and taken it very seriously; this proposed new development will help us to stay in the community that we love to serve. Advertisement The bar opened in 1972, two blocks east, and moved to its current location near the Metra train station in 2003. Durty Nellies shown from the Metra platform on April 12, 2023, in Palatine. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Durty Nellies which shares its name with a famous Irish tavern and a woman of Irish legend has played host to countless local rock and blues bands over the years, such as Umphreys McGee and Poi Dog Pondering, as well as national acts like The Marshall Tucker Band, Big Head Todd and the Jonas Brothers. A large boulder out front honors rocker Ted Nugents late mother, who was a Palatine resident and prominent member of the local rock scene. Its bittersweet, said Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen. Durty Nellies is one of those things that put Palatine on the map. Its sad that live music has changed to the point where its hard to be sustainable, because they are a big draw to our community and the northwest suburbs. But Im glad they want to reinvent themselves to stay in Palatine. Earlier this month, the Village Plan Commission recommended approval of the project. If given preliminary approval by the village board at its next meeting Monday, developers would need to submit a final plan for village board consideration, with more detailed architectural drawings and plans for engineering and parking. The venue would remain open the rest of this year, with demolition and construction starting in 2024 and expected to take 18 months to two years. (Bloomberg) -- Asia faces the biggest potential fallout from rising geopolitical tensions, according to a senior regional official at the International Monetary Fund, after China held military drills around Taiwan. Most Read from Bloomberg Geofragmentation risks have risen quite sharply over the last five years, and have been accentuated by the war in Ukraine, Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMFs Asia and Pacific Department, told Bloomberg TV on Wednesday. If those risks rise, then Asia risks to lose the most among all the regions in the world. The potential for Taiwan, the self-governing democracy Beijing claims as its own, to become an international flashpoint was again highlighted by Chinas response to President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stop in the US last week. Read: China Tries to Reassure Taiwan Businesses as Military Drills End Taiwan detected 91 Peoples Liberation Army aircraft and 12 warships in its surroundings late Monday, with a record 54 flights entering its sensitive air-defense identification zone. The military drills ran for three days, and PLA vessels remained in the area afterward. Yet at the same time, Asia is one of the bright spots in the global economy. The IMF predicts the region will grow 4.6% this year, a 0.3 percentage-point upgrade on its October forecasts, according to the World Economic Outlook. The improvement is underpinned by Chinas reopening following the scrapping of Beijings harsh Covid Zero policy. We have China rebounding much faster than we anticipated, so both mobility and consumption are projected to grow faster, Srinivasan. The US and Europe account for 20% of Asias exports, theyre slowing, so thats an offset. But China is compensating for that. Story continues Also: China Bets $1.8 Trillion of Construction Will Boost Economy Yet over the medium-term, the worlds second largest economy also faces major challenges, with Srinivasan highlighting that the fund has revised its medium-term growth forecasts for China to below 4%. There again its a question of productivity, its a question of aging population, he said of the challenges confronting the vast economy. --With assistance from Kathleen Hays, Haidi Lun and Shery Ahn. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi appeared in a Louis Vuitton ad last year, which quickly became one of the most popular Instagram posts of all time (Louis Vuitton) Revenue at luxury fashion and alcohol conglomerate Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) jumped by 17% to 21.04 billion in the first quarter of 2023 as the end of Covid-19 restrictions in Asia led to a rebound in demand. Long lockdowns had led to a decline in revenue from wealthy Asian customers, but the company said it saw a significant rebound in Asia in Q1. Revenue in Japan jumped by 34%, while in the rest of Asia it was up by 14%. Fashion continued to bring in the majority of the Paris-based giants revenue, at 10.73 billion, thanks to the success of brands including Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Loro Piana. LVMHs selective retailing arm, including beauty shop Sephora and some travel retail brands that were hit hard by the pandemic, was its fastest-growing division. Sephora opened a shop in Westfield during the quarter, marking its return to the UK after a 17-year absence. Revenue was up across all divisions, though its wines and spirits arm saw only 3% growth, as the company said the economic environment in the US hit sales of Hennessey, leading to a decline in cognac and spirits sales. LVMH boss Bernard Arnault is widely considered to be the worlds richest man, with a fortune of just under $200 billion, overtaking Elon Musk last year after Tesla shares lost almost 70% of their value in the space of nine months. Most of Arnaults net worth comes from his stake in LVMH, through a combination of shares held directly and those owned by fellow fashion giant Dior, which Arnault also owns. In total, Arnault owns almost half of LVMH. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Wednesday they dont have enough evidence available to prosecute anyone in the Shanquella Robinson case. That means any legal action over her death will come from Mexican authorities. Shanquella Robinson, 26, was killed while on vacation in Cabo, Mexico with a group of people at the end of October 2022. An attorney for her family addressed the public about the case on Wednesday afternoon. While expressing her disappointment, civil rights attorney Sue-Ann Robinson also revealed the U.S. autopsy performed after Shanquella was embalmed showed she did not have a spinal cord injury. That information directly contradicts the findings of Mexicos autopsy report. Federal authorities met with Shanquella Robinsons family earlier Wednesday to offer condolences and present their findings. The family had previously called on the state department and White House to intervene and planned to rally on May 19 in Washington, D.C. if that didnt happen. Attorneys, family ask for federal help again in Shanquella Robinson case The people Shanquella Robinson traveled to Mexico with said she died of alcohol poisoning. However, an autopsy performed in Mexico revealed that it was severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation. A video also surfaced of Robinson being attacked by another woman on the trip. Mexican authorities filed an arrest warrant but there have been no arrests. The FBI and prosecutors have made the case a priority, and have conducted a detailed investigation into the available evidence, they said. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiners Office also conducted an autopsy. As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed, federal prosecutors said in a news release. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. Story continues 9 FOCUS STORIES: Death of Shanquella Robinson Prosecutors said they dont normally share statements in cases like this but are doing so because of how public the case is. It is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued, the release concludes. It is not clear yet how the decision affects the arrest warrant that was issued by Mexican authorities. Disappointed but not deterred Sue-Ann Robinson began the press conference Wednesday afternoon by saying, We are disappointed but not deterred. Theres no reason why a Black woman should go on vacation with her friends, be returned to her family in a box, and nothing be done for five months, she said. She also said the FBI interviewed the people who went on the trip with Shanquella Robinson, but said the interviews didnt happen fast enough. She mentioned the cases of Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, and George Floyd, saying, Black and brown people always have to carve their own path to justice. Shanquella Robinson's family arrives at the FBI's Charlotte office on April 12, 2023. The U.S. authorities have to understand and have to know that, even if were them -- its not about Shanquella -- that United States citizens cannot go to Mexico, commit a crime that we all saw on a video, and then come back to America and say were on base. Were safe. Were not going to be charged with a crime, Sue-Ann Robinson said. That cannot be the message that the U.S. authorities want to send. Sue-Ann Robinson added, The Mexican autopsy says theres a spinal cord injury, but according to (USDOJ), there is no spinal cord injury. The U.S. autopsy did find brain swelling, she said. She also questioned why federal authorities decided not to prosecute when Shanquella Robinsons cause of death was still undetermined. How are you closing an investigation on a case where the cause of death is undetermined? Sue-Ann Robinson asked. She said the undetermined cause of death could have come from the autopsy being delayed. Sue-Ann Robinson said civil action can still be taken in the case, but for any further steps to be taken, there needs to be high-level intervention in the case. Meck County autopsy report shows no spinal cord injury Sue-Ann Robinson said there was no urgency from U.S. authorities on the case, and said there are discrepancies in Mexicos autopsy results and Mecklenburg Countys, which was performed more than two weeks later. Channel 9 obtained the Mecklenburg County autopsy report Wednesday. The office performed their autopsy on Nov. 17 and, along with additional examination from a neuropathologist, found no evidence of any spinal cord injury or atlas subluxation. However, Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Owens said, Based on the history and autopsy findings, it is my opinion that the cause of death in this case, is undetermined. The report disproves the findings in Mexico about Shanquella Robinsons injuries saying, Due to the limited nature of the prior examination, the spinal cord and the cervical vertebrae and ligaments were not directly visualized to confirm a suspected subluxation (disproven by autopsy.) The Mecklenburg County medical examiner added that they found, The most significant findings at autopsy are the hematoma of the forehead The hematoma of the forehead is consistent with blunt force trauma. Were going to stand with this family and continue to fight until some justice, some type of justice is served for this young lady, said Mario Black, community activist. Black, who has helped amplify the Shanquella Robinson familys demands, said they feel caught in the middle of a game. Its a ping-pong thing going on now, Black said. Mexico says they turned it over back in February to the United States and now here we are in April going into May -- the United States saying its over in Mexico. Former federal task force officer for the Department of Justice Robert Crispin is not directly involved with Shanquella Robinsons case but has followed it closely. Mexican authorities say the spine was severed. U.S. authorities say it wasnt. Thats a huge problem -- being able to authenticate the first original autopsy is a big deal in U.S. courts, Crispin said. Crispin said even though the U.S. Attorneys Office has declined to prosecute, the warrant that Mexican authorities issued for someone who was with Shanquella Robinson in Mexico still exists. Theres the MLATS, which is the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, and all the Mexican authorities have to do is request U.S. authorities to bring that person down to Mexico for prosecution, Crispin said. Sue-Ann Robinson and attorney Ben Crump released the following statement in response to the decision not to prosecute: There are U.S. and Mexican autopsy reports which show a difference in findings. These discrepancies can be credited to the delay in investigation by U.S. officials, who conducted a second autopsy once Shanquellas body was embalmed. When an investigation is delayed, the hard evidence to support prosecution diminishes, but in this case, that is due to the U.S. not considering this case to be a high priority. While it is discouraging for the loved ones of Shanquella that their own Department of Justice will not be pursuing charges against Shanquellas aggressor, it is our stance that justice is still possible for her death. We hope that there is still a chance at justice in Mexico. Mexican prosecutors have issued arrest warrants in this case and are willing to pursue charges. We strongly encourage The United States to move forward with the extradition of those responsible for her death to Mexico to face accountability there. Statement from Mecklenburg County: Shanquella Robinson expired while on vacation in Mexico on Oct. 29, 2022. A partial postmortem examination was performed in Mexico on Oct. 30, 2022, and her body was returned to the United States. Based on the limited examination performed in Mexico, her cause of death was attributed to severe spinal cord injury with atlas luxation. The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiners Office was contacted on Nov. 16, 2022, to perform a complete autopsy examination to verify/ascertain the cause of her death. A complete postmortem examination of Ms. Robinson was performed on Nov. 17, 2022. During this examination, the brain and spinal cord were further examined by a neuropathologist and there was no evidence of any spinal cord injury or atlas subluxation. The official autopsy report, neuropathology report and toxicology results may be obtained through the Document Request function using the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner online portal (www.ocme.dhhs.nc.gov). Dr. Thomas Owens, Mecklenburg County Chief Medical Examiner, has no further comment. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. SHANQUELLA ROBINSON CASE: (WATCH WEDNESDAYS NEWS CONFERENCE: Civil rights attorney Sue-Ann Robinson speaks on Shanquella Robinson case) The Texas Department of Public Safety's partnership with the Austin Police Department, which was announced last month to make up for the local agency's staffing crisis, has drawn polarizing reactions from city council members and the community. The Austin City Council will be briefed next week on the agreement and its impact on public safety in the Texas state capital. Council member Mackenzie Kelly, a volunteer firefighter and staunch public safety advocate, sent a memo to the interim city manager ahead of that briefing, requesting information on the numbers of arrests, gun seizures, and searches that Texas DPS has been responsible for. "I deem it crucial for the community to comprehend the commendable efforts of both APD and DPS in their collaborative initiative," Kelly wrote in the memo. "Thus, during the briefing, I request that we are informed of specific instances of such work." A Texas state trooper walks through the rotunda of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. Adam Loewy, a personal injury attorney in Austin, represents clients who have dealt with Austin's short-staffed police department firsthand. 'HUGE' PARTS OF AUSTIN LEFT 'UNPOLICED' AFTER CITY CONTRACT FIGHT TRIGGERS MASS OFFICER EXODUS READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Last month, Lacey Purciful was driving with her husband and two children when a suspected drunk driver cut across two lanes of traffic and slammed into them head-on. The family called 911 five times, but it took two-and-a-half hours for an officer to show up, at which point the driver had sobered up and was able to avoid charges. "I think the partnership was long overdue and is paying immediate dividends. I used to regularly hear from clients about APD not showing up to car crashes for hours - including most notably in the Purciful case. This was due to the staffing shortage," Loewy told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. "That has changed once DPS started patrols. There are now close to enough law enforcement personnel to respond to calls and enforce the laws." An Austin Police Department officer on patrol. Mayor Kirk Watson said on March 27 that state troopers and DPS special agents would focus on traffic stops and combating violent crime. The partnership has yielded 300 traffic stops and 16 arrests per day so far, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Story continues While the additional law enforcement presence has been welcomed by many, other city officials have criticized the secretive way that it was negotiated. "Austinties deserve accountability and transparency," Council member Vanessa Fuentes tweeted this week. "There's no use in setting high standards for local officers if they can easily be bypassed with an increased presence of State Troopers. They must, at least, adhere to the same rules and standards as their local counterparts." AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TURNS TO AI AS STAFFING CRISIS LOOMS Council member Zo Qadri accused state police of showing "a lack of accountability, transparency and concern." "DPS has no business patrolling Austin and making so many of our communities feel unsafe," Qadri tweeted. Austin police patrolling 6th Street, one of the busiest nightlife districts in Austin, Texas. Austin police's staffing crisis stretches back years, but the problem was exacerbated by the city council's decision to cut the department's budget by about a third in August 2020. That funding was restored the next year, but multiple cadet classes had already been canceled and officers left in droves. City officials have collaborated with police on retention strategies, including a 4% raise across the board and $15,000 bonus for new recruits that was announced last month. "Weve moved quickly to address staffing issues - recruit new officers, retain experienced officers, and staff up in our 9-1-1 call centers," interim city manager Jesus Garza said month. "But those efforts take time, and we cant wait to make sure Austinites feel safe." Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. By Gabriel Araujo RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Austria is looking to advance in talks with Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA at the LAAD defense and security fair on purchasing four or five KC-390 military cargo aircraft, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The move is part of the Embraer Defense unit's goal to expand its foreign revenue share this year, focusing on foreign sales of the C-390 Millennium - as the jet-engine transport plane is also known - as reported by Reuters this year. Austria participated in a meeting of KC-390 users last month in Portugal. Hungary, which already bought the plane, the Netherlands, which has selected the plane to renew its fleet, and the Czech Republic also attended the meeting. An Austrian delegation traveled to Brazil for LAAD, and one of the people said further talks regarding the KC-390 were on their agenda, although a final decision on a purchase was still to be made. The Austrian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside business hours. Austria is looking to renew its fleet of Lockheed Martin's Hercules C-130s. The country announced it would procure four to five aircraft for contract signing in the first half of 2024, with delivery no later than 2030. "The KC-390 is being looked at and there is mutual interest," a second industry source said on Wednesday. The news comes as Embraer on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Sweden's Saab to position the KC-390 as the preferred solution for the Swedish Air Force's tactical air transport requirements and to pursue new business opportunities. "There are talks with several countries," Embraer Defense CEO Bosco da Costa Junior told Reuters on the sidelines of LAAD. He did not specify countries, but noted it was public that Austria and the Czech Republic had recently participated in a meeting of KC-390 users. The company on Wednesday also launched the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft with a NATO configuration, initially focusing on meeting the needs of European nations, according to a statement. (Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Josie Kao) Angela Jones wear an autism acceptance-themed bracelet. Her daughter Raya Smith, 19, was diagnosed with autism after she stopped speaking at 18 months old. April is Autism Acceptance Month. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the nation, with one in 36 8-year-old children diagnosed with it. Previously, the incidence was one in 44, said Kathi Machle, managing director of the Autism Society Central Ohio, which helps connect people with autism with resources, including 12 support and social groups it offers. There are approximately 2.1% of adults ages 18 to 84 with autism in Ohio, according to a National Library of Medicine study based on 2017 data. Some states, such as California and Massachusetts, had a prevalence rate as high as 2.4%, with the lowest being 1.9% in Louisiana. 'She transforms onstage': Columbus teen with autism shines through love of song, talent April is Autism Acceptance Month and there are 5.8 million adults who live with autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a developmental condition that can affect a persons social skills, communication, language and self-regulation, according to the Autism Society of America. Theres no known cause of autism and the experience is different for everyone. The Autism Society changed the name of Autism Awareness Month to Autism Acceptance Month in 2021, hoping to create change in the lives of those with autism. Opinion: Autism awareness isn't enough. Acceptance is desperately needed. Autism Acceptance Month is a great reminder that we can and should see the individual, not a diagnosis, and work together to advocate for the unique services and supports that help each person live fully, said Christopher Banks, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America. Awareness vs. Acceptance The month was created in 1972 when there wasnt much awareness of autism, Machle said, but as time goes on, advocates have realized awareness is just the beginning. I can be aware that you have autism but still treat you like crap or still deprive you of access to opportunities, she said. Acceptance implies a seat at the table. Story continues We Rock the Spectrum: Columbus-area indoor playground is safe space for children with disabilities To Machle, acceptance still isnt enough, she believes there needs to be action in the form of personal and societal changes to make life better for people on the spectrum. Right now, she encourages inviting people with autism to participate in activities, befriending those with autism that you know, and trying to change negative attitudes about those with autism. Just because someone is different, it doesnt mean theyre less, she said. Why is the prevalence of autism increasing? Machle, whose son has autism, was surprised by the increase in those diagnosed with the disorder. She said 25 years ago the rate was one in hundreds. It makes me wonder what it is that has brought the rate to that, whether its always been that much and were just finally recognizing it, or (something else)." Hiring people on the autism spectrum: IT company comes to Columbus with one goal The Autism Society of America said higher rates of autism are caused by many factors, including an increased rate of diagnosis, as diagnostic screening and identification improve. Though, the prevalence rate is also increasing. Academic studies have also found that other factors can be genetic and environmental, related to the mother's health during pregnancy and due to a higher understanding and awareness of autism. Though most people are diagnosed as children, more and more people are being diagnosed as adults. The cool thing about being diagnosed late is, for a lot of these people, it's like this big relief, Machle said. It finally explains why I am the way I am. Im not weird. Im not sick. Im not stupid. Im not willfully misbehaving; Im autistic. 'It shouldnt be this financial burden': Ohio Autism Scholarship increases this fall to pay for special education Its critical to remember that every person with autism is unique, Machle said. (Its important to) celebrate that individual and their abilities and support the disabilities, she said. Local autism resources Manager Ashley McCarthy plays with her daughter, Avery, 7, at Rock the Spectrum Kid's Gym, 1250 E. Powell Road in Lewis Center. The gym specializes in creating a safe place for people of all abilities to play. There are a number of local autism schools, therapeutic organizations and more, Machle said. Including: dking@dispatch.com @DanaeKing This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Autism Acceptance Month: More children are being diagnosed with autism The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, part of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was formed from the special operations forces of the Azov regiment, is now recruiting. Source: 3rd Separate Assault Brigade Quote: "We are announcing recruitment for the Third Assault Brigade. We crushed the Russian troops in Kyiv Oblast and landed in surrounded Mariupol, stormed the occupiers in Zaporizhzhia, marched victoriously into Kherson and held the defence of Bakhmut. Our commanders are Azov veterans. Our fighters are experienced and professional soldiers. You will learn about and be able to do everything you need to and even more." Background: In January 2023, the Special Operations Forces of the Azov regiment became the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade as part of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are already fighting on the Bakhmut front in Donetsk Oblast. In February 2023, Azov, the Separate Special Operations Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine, was expanded into a brigade, and it is calling for recruits as part of the Offensive Guard initiative. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A woman was found dead in an Aliquippa high rise early Wednesday morning. Pennsylvania state troopers were called to the Eleanor Roosevelt Apartments on Sheffield Avenue just after midnight. State police are investigating an incident at the Roosevelt apartments in Aliquippa. According to Pennsylvania State Police, a 40-year-old woman was found dead in the building. Channel 11 saw a man placed in handcuffs and into a police vehicle. There were several troopers at the high rise as well as Aliquippa police. An autopsy for the woman will be performed at a later date, state police said. The investigation is ongoing and at this point, no foul player is suspected. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run in Point Breeze Baldwin police believe multiple brush fires may have been intentionally set Friends lost in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting shared love of baseball, donating blood Experts, FBI warn against public charging stations DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Sergiy Aleynik Belarus stance on Ukraine is clear: it is necessary to stop the death of people, immediately declare a truce and start negotiations, and the sooner the better, the post quotes the countrys Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik. Read also: Lukashenko expects Russian governors will succeed him in Belarus, says Levin Aleinik adds that Belarus and Hungary are on the side of peace, and claims that Minsk will keep trying to de-escalate the conflict. Since the very beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has made its territory available for Russian forces to launch continued attacks on Ukrainian cities. Read also: Russia to redeploy 2,000 troops from Belarus to Donbas, Ukraine says The minister then repeated the claim that the United States is responsible for the war in Ukraine. We consider the reasons for the start of the conflict in Ukraine to be complex, but we are convinced that it was provoked & stirred up by the United States & its satellites, the official said. Read also: Ukrainian military reports Russias plan to transfer 4,000 troops from Belarus to Donbas They benefit from the situation, whilst everyone else bears the costs. Read also: Ukrainian Air Force gives two theories about why Russian MiG-31Ks left Belarus for Russia On numerous occasions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that negotiations with Moscow will be possible once Russian troops withdraw from Ukrainian territory. Washington assesses that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin isnt prepared to engage in substantial peace talks for now. 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 35-year-old mother was fatally shot in a Dunkin drive-thru in what Pennsylvania police are calling a targeted murder. Rachel King had her 11-year-old son in the backseat when she was shot multiple times around 7:40 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, in Cheltenham Township, according to the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office. Authorities found King dead in the drivers seat of her vehicle. Her son was not injured, the district attorney said. The investigation revealed King had just pulled into the Dunkin drive-thru when a man in a light-colored car exited his vehicle and approached Kings, prosecutors said. The man fired multiple shots into the drivers side window of Kings vehicle, then left in his own car, according to the district attorney. This appears to be a targeted murder of a mother, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. The ... male did not attempt to open the victims vehicle door, nor did he appear to communicate with her prior to shooting her numerous times through her drivers side window. Officers have not captured the shooter as of Wednesday morning. He is described as having a thin build and was wearing light-colored pants and a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, prosecutors said. His vehicle is believed to be either a Ford or a Mercury. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cheltenham Township Police Department at 215-885-1600. Cheltenham Township is a northern suburb of Philadelphia. Rachel King was a beloved teacher King taught at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in Philadelphia, according to media reports. We send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones, Mastery Charter Schools said in a statement to KYW. We are devastated by the loss of an extraordinary teacher, who spent the last 10 years working with our students and their families. One of her friends, Charise Jones, called her one of the best teachers at the school, WPVI reported. King was a graduate of Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Story continues Rachel was one of the most energetic, life-living humans I had ever met, a friend said in a Facebook post. We met at Eastern University, shared many laughs and random hilarious moments. Rachel had an Iconic laugh that I will never forget. Rachel King was the light in every room, had the sweetest giggle and the warmest hugs, Maureen Keyser said on Facebook. She was always glowing. If you knew her, you know the glow. Mother found dead in desert after she left Baskin Robbins in mans car, Texas cops say Mom and three kids ages 9 to 14 found shot dead at North Carolina home, cops say Son put fentanyl in 72-year-old moms iced tea and shot her dead in shed, PA cops say China issues action plan to combat endemic diseases Xinhua) 08:40, April 12, 2023 BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China will consolidate and improve its prevention and control of endemic diseases, according to an action plan for the 2023-2025 period. Jointly issued by the national administration of disease prevention and control, the National Development and Reform Commission, and 15 other authorities, the plan laid out seven goals to be achieved by the end of 2025, which include continuously eliminating iodine deficiency, eliminating Kashin-Beck disease and Keshan disease, and continuously controlling drinking water-caused endemic fluorosis. All localities should incorporate the prevention and control of endemic diseases into their economic and social development plans, strengthen leadership of and ensure sufficient investment in their efforts, the document noted. China will intensify efforts to monitor key areas and groups, and carry out regular surveys on the prevalence of major endemic diseases, according to the action plan. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, right, gets applause after his farewell speech on his last day as alderman at the City Council meeting, April 19, 2023. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) A federal judge on Wednesday lamented the pervasiveness of public corruption in Illinois as she ordered a one-year probation sentence for a longtime Chicago fire inspector and 14th Ward precinct captain who admitted to lying to the FBI in connection with a bribery probe into former state Sen. Martin Sandoval. Rudy Acosta, 72, appeared for sentencing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse before Judge Mary Rowland nearly two years to the day after he pleaded guilty in 2021 to misleading the FBI in a series of interviews in 2017 and 2018 about its investigation into Sandoval and other elected officials. Advertisement Federal prosecutors said Acosta has cooperated in ongoing corruption investigations, but did not elaborate in open court. Portions of the hearing were conducted outside of public view, with some arguments from federal prosecutors and Acostas attorneys allowed to take place under seal. In delivering the sentence, Rowland stressed the importance of sending a message to those in positions of power across the state in order to deter official misconduct, but ultimately took into account Acostas health issues, that he is a caregiver for his daughter and his extensive cooperation in FBI probes. Advertisement Its funny because we call these offenses victimless offenses, but my personal opinion is that of all crimes that are prosecuted in this building, this is probably the most serious, does the most damage to society, Rowland said. We are living in an era where people are losing faith in government. Acosta spent decades around some of Chicagos most colorful and allegedly corrupt politicians, watching as a succession of his political mentors were hit with federal charges, including Ald. Fred Roti, the mob-connected leader of the old 1st Ward who went to prison for bribery, and current Ald. Edward Burke, who is awaiting trial on sweeping racketeering charges. But it was Acostas work as a liaison for Sandoval that finally landed him in hot water. Although Acosta provided information about the criminal activities of others, he lied or failed to disclose benefits, including money, free services, meals and travel, that both he and Sandoval had received from Individual A, an uncharged businessman who was under investigation for bribing Sandoval in exchange for his official support. Acosta also admitted in a plea agreement with prosecutors that he concealed from the FBI that hed made periodic cash payments to Sandoval related to support for his business, Power Washing Pros, and that hed also facilitated bribe payments to another public official. In a light blue suit flanked by his attorneys, Acosta expressed remorse to the judge, pledging to recommit to being a good citizen and neighbor. His attorney, Jeffrey Steinback, said Acosta is known for helping people in his neighborhood, including at one point securing laptops and equipment for a local elementary school. Steinback said Acosta suffers from his own health issues while also caring for his daughter, who has Huntingtons disease. Hes a go-to guy in the neighborhood for any problem that may arise, Steinback said, arguing for a probation term. Advertisement Prosecutors did not argue for a particular sentence, but did not dispute the advisory guideline of zero to six months in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Morgan said Acosta provided substantial assistance to authorities, but also lied to them on eight different occasions. These lies were not a momentary lapse in judgment, she said. They occurred on numerous occasions over multiple years to cover up official misconduct. Rowland noted that Acostas attorney spent quite a bit of time arguing for probation, and added that she was sorry that Sandoval was not able to be held to account for his role in the case. Sandoval pleaded guilty to taking bribes from a red-light camera company executive and was cooperating with federal prosecutors until his death in 2020 from COVID-19 complications. Judges in this building are so weary of public corruption so the sentences in those cases are becoming harsher, she said. Advertisement Rowland, though, said she did not want to take Acosta away from his ill daughter. An old-school remnant of Chicago Democratic machine politics, Acosta is among those who have pleaded guilty in a sprawling corruption probe that has so far led to charges against more than half a dozen elected officials and other political operatives. Acosta served for years as a 14th Ward precinct captain under Burke, who was charged in a racketeering indictment in 2019 with using his position as chairman of the City Council Finance Committee to strong-arm businessmen to hire his private law firm to appeal their property taxes. He was also a key aide for Sandoval, a Southwest Side legislator who was head of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee. Sandoval resigned after his Springfield offices were raided in 2019. After Sandoval was charged, rumors of Acostas cooperation began circulating in legal circles. He denied being an informant when approached by a Tribune reporter in October 2019. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Acostas son, Rudy Acosta III, is currently facing federal drug conspiracy charges alleging he distributed large amounts of narcotics in the Chicago area for Mexican cartel members. He is currently scheduled for a change of plea hearing on Thursday, according to court records. Advertisement To help bond his son out of jail while the case is pending, Acosta agreed in 2016 to post his longtime home on South Avers Avenue as collateral, court records show. He also offered his $65,000 annual firefighters pension as further collateral. The elder Acostas name surfaced in 2019 in a separate federal case alleging the operator of a clout-heavy Summit tavern paid $6,500 in bribes to two undisclosed officials in the southwest suburb in exchange for official acts benefiting one of his businesses. Acosta has been at the center of other political scandals through the years. In 2011, his home on Avers Avenue was found to have served as the home address for four students who were given legislative scholarships by Sandoval. One of the coveted free rides went to the son of Michael Jaws Giorango, a twice-convicted, mob-connected bookie and strip club consultant. But Acostas first loyalty was to Burke. After the longtime 14th Ward powerhouse was reelected in 2019 despite the federal charges, Acosta was among the ardent supporters who cheered Burke at his election night victory party at the Red Barrel restaurant on South Archer Avenue, according to a Sun-Times report. All these do-gooder people in office, what do they do? Take money. They all take money, Acosta said at the time. I cant tell you the amount of people hes helped. When hes done, Camelot is gone. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com Might another Cincinnati Bengals free agent head to the Carolina Panthers? According to ESPNs Field Yates, cornerback Tre Flowers had a free-agent visit with the Panthers this week. Flowers was an instant-impact waiver claim by the Bengals in 2021 and re-upped with the team in 2022, serving as a key tight-end stopper in Lou Anarumos defense. Hes still just 27 years old and very valuable in that role, so it was fair to expect the team would want him back. Going this long and meeting with another team, though, might hint at a playing time situation such as the one that wound up with running back Samaje Perine leaving the team. The Bengals signed Sidney Jones in free agency and havent brought back Eli Apple, so the depth concerns linger before the draft. Both Vonn Bell and Hayden Hurst already signed with the Panthers this offseason. More Latest News! Bengals met with Arkansas WR Matt Landers before 2023 NFL draft Bengals meet with yet another RB before 2023 NFL draft Bengals host another QB on top-30 visit before 2023 NFL draft Story originally appeared on Bengals Wire The details of the latest massive intelligence leak printed papers, crude photographs and an online forum for gamers is leaving the U.S. scrambling to sort out the source and motive behind the disclosure. Department of Defense and Justice investigators face a complex saga to reverse engineer how at least 100 sensitive documents appear to have been printed, walked out of government facilities and then scattered across the internet. Where exactly and who had access at that point, we dont know, we simply dont know at this point, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Tuesday. I will tell you that we take this very seriously. And we will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it. The emerging facts around this intelligence crisis are important markers of how this leak compares to, and is different from other, watershed intelligence breaches. They are now conducting audits to see who printed out all those 100 documents, Larry Pfeiffer, a former senior director of the White House Situation Room and chief of staff at the CIA, told The Hill. Im hopeful that universe of people is going to be a manageable number. And then once theyve got that manageable number, they can then begin to interview them.It does sound like a daunting task. Narrowing down the list of potential suspects will help investigators figure out the scope of the leak and the motivation to distribute the documents and put them on the Internet. Is it ideological? Or is it just some guy who feels like hes not being treated well, and Ill show everybody, Ill put some stuff out there. Or, Im going to show everybody how cool I am on my video game platform. Look at this cool material I have,Pfeiffer said. Theres those classic four motivation areas: money, compromise, ego and ideology. It could fall into any one of those four baskets. Story continues Jamil Jaffer,who previously worked at the Justice Departments National Security Division and as counsel to Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, said hiding the information in plain sight may have been the best way for someone to hand off the information to another party. It could very well have been an American working as an intelligence asset for a foreign country and this was the dead drop, Jaffer said. You store it in a place on Discord and thats where the handler goes to get it. This could be the online version of hiding documents under a rock or bridge in a park like Robert Hanssen used to in Northern Virginia. Other leakers behind major U.S. breaches have described themselves as whistleblowers. This includes Reality Winner, who in 2017 transferred a classified report detailing Russian interference in the 2016 election to the press. In 2013, Edward Snowden fled the U.S. with thousands of classified documents that he provided to selected journalists to expose the massive scope of American surveillance. Former U.S. Army private Chelsea Manning described her 2010 transfer of hundreds of thousands of sensitive documents to Julian Assange and Wikileaks as an act of opposition to the war in Iraq. The disclosure of actual materials is fairly unusual, or at least it used to be, said Jaffer. But he noted such leaks have begun to pick up pace. Since Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Vault Seven and now these documents, you wonder whether the moral feeling or the obligation we have for people with a security clearance is starting to decay at some level, at least for some people. Theres a larger problem here. The increasing frequency of the leaks is leading some watching the crisis unfold to question why such closely guarded documents are even able to be printed. Ive got to tell you the first thing I thought was, God darn it, get rid of printers. We dont need printers anymore!Pfeiffer said, noting how easily the material is carried out in pants pockets. Theyre not frisking every human being that goes in and out of these secure facilities, that would just be impossible. But you begin to wonder, how much printing do we really need to do or should printing be even a more controlled activity? Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute and a former top Pentagon official, said whoever is behind the recent leak would have had to sidestep several layers of security protocol to share the information. When I would go into the Pentagon, I would put my cell phone into a box, and then I would go into my inner office where classified, confidential and secret materials could be reviewed, Farkas said. Top secret materials, when being reviewed, would have to be retrieved from and put back in a locked safe, she added. And I mean, I suppose I could go out to my outer office, get my phone and bring it in and break the law, she said, speculating on the activities of the leaker. Thats hardcore espionage. Thats just, wow. U.S. agencies have made clear the next steps involve both identifying those responsible as well as holding them to account. Obviously our number one goal is to stop it, House Intelligence Chair Michael Turner (R-Ohio) said during a Monday interview with CNNs Jake Tapper. Two is to do damage control, how do we have to adjust as a result of these documents becoming public? And thirdly, finding out who it is, certainly if its an American bringing them to justice because this obviously is espionage and would write rise to the level of being a traitor to your country. The Department of Justice is going to be doing an excellent job in tracking down exactly who is responsible for this. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Photo: Getty (Getty Images) The Biden administration announced Wednesday that its moving to close a loophole in medical privacy laws that allows healthcare workers to report patients to the police if they suspect them of self-managing an abortion. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) doesnt require healthcare workers to make these reports, but it doesnt prevent them from doing so, either. The move comes amid a push from advocates and after reporting from Jezebel and others explained the dangers of the privacy loophole and the chilling effect it can have on health care in a post Roe v. Wade America. The proposed rulefrom the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rightswould add language to HIPAA to ban healthcare workers and insurance companies from sharing health information that would be used to identify, investigate, sue, or prosecute someone for seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care. HHS spells out that reproductive healthcare includes, but isnt limited to, prenatal care, abortion, miscarriage management, infertility treatment, and contraception use. Per a fact sheet, the proposed rule would cover people forced to travel to other states for abortions. Read more A senior administration official told reporters that the change is necessary because healthcare workers told them they wanted better legal protection. We found that even with the permissible disclosures [policy], some providers get fearful when they receive a subpoena or they might feel like they have to turn the information over, said the official, per Politico. Matthew Cortland, a senior resident fellow at Data for Progress, told Jezebel in a statement: The Biden Administration updating the HIPAA Privacy Rule to close, as much as possible, the loophole that allows for disclosure of protected reproductive health information is essential in the post-Dobbs hellscape the rogue U.S. Supreme Court has unleashed upon us. Its also popular with the electorate. Story continues The Biden Administrations move is especially crucial right now, as self-managed abortions stand to increase if a federal judge is successful at cutting off prescriptions of the abortion pill mifepristone. No matter what happens in that high-profile lawsuit, abortions wont stopproviders will move to a different drug regimen, or people will get the pills from international services like Aid Access. Healthcare workers already reported their patients to law enforcement while Roe was still on the books. An August 2022 report from If/When/How found that, in 61 cases where adults were investigated for pregnancy outcomes, 45 percent were reported to law enforcement by care professionals, including doctors, nurses, and social workers. In a horrifying example of just how real the risk is, about two weeks after Jezebel published our HIPAA story, a South Carolina woman was arrested for allegedly self-managing her abortion. The woman had gone to the hospital and told healthcare workers that shed taken pills to end her pregnancy. Previous polling from Data for Progress found that eighty percent of likely voters said they supported stronger enforcement of privacy laws when it comes to reproductive health records. And 63 percent of voters said they supported updating the HIPAA privacy rule, including majorities of Republicans and Independents. Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced a bill in February that would ban medical providers from disclosing information on abortion or pregnancy loss without patients consent in a court proceedingmeaning the bill stops short of a ban on sharing information with law enforcement and instead focuses on hampering prosecutions. Not only is that bill unlikely to pass the 50-50 Senate or Republican-controlled House, but this HHS rule change would be even more protective. Bidens proposed rule will be open for comments for 60 days, after which the administration will issue a final rule. So, for now, the old rules are still in place. But for any healthcare worker reading this, please know that its unethical to narc on your patientseven if it may technically be legal. As Jamila Perritt, president and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health, told Jezebel in February, Were asking for medical spaces to be safe for the people that we care for, and we know that they are often sites of criminalization. [Sharing reproductive information with law enforcement] is misaligned with the oath that we took to do everything we can to keep our patients safe. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The Biden administration announced new actions on Wednesday focused on safeguarding patient privacy following the ruling by a federal judge in Texas putting a hold on a common abortion pill. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a new rule that would prevent an individuals information from being disclosed to investigate, sue, or prosecute an individual, a health care provider, or a loved one because that person sought, obtained, provided, or facilitated legal reproductive health care, including abortion. It aims to strengthen protection under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as HIPAA. HHS also plans to issue guidance to doctors and medical providers that HIPAAs privacy protections also apply to patients electronic health information. The Department of Education will also issue guidance to more than 20,000 school officials to remind them of their obligations to protect student privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Federal Communications Commission will launch a new guide for consumers on best practices for protecting their personal data on phones. Vice President Harris, who has been spearheading the administrations response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year, will announce the new actions at the third meeting of the interagency task force on reproductive health care access on Wednesday afternoon. Efforts to protect sensitive health information, including related to reproductive health care, have taken on renewed importance, as states seek to penalize and criminalize health care providers and interfere in deeply personal medical decisions, according to a fact sheet released by the White House. The steps announced on Wednesday build on the White Houses work to defend the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) ability to approve of access to medication abortion. President Biden in January directed the HHS Secretary to ensure that mifepristone, a pill used in medication abortions, is as widely accessible as possible in the wake of the Roe decision. Story continues On Friday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a ruling that invalidated the FDAs decades-old approval of mifepristone. Biden on Tuesday called the ruling completely out of bounds. The Justice Department has appealed, asking to put a hold on the ruling by Kacsmaryk. It is also reviewing another ruling from a federal judge in Washington state that prevents the FDA from altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone in 17 states and Washington, D.C. The conflicting rulings could lead to a higher court decision, and the fight could reach the Supreme Court. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Biden administrations special presidential envoy for hostage affairs on Wednesday affirmed the innocence of the U.S. reporter who was detained in Russia last month on allegations of spying. Roger Carstens said during an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Wednesday that U.S. officials have received reports that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is in good health and good spirits. But he said U.S. officials want to be allowed to meet with him so they can see for themselves. The most important thing is we know Evans not a spy. He never was a spy. Hes never worked for the U.S. government. Hes a journalist who works for The Wall Street Journal. And as the president and secretary said, Journalisms not a crime, Carstens said. The State Department officially designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia on Monday. Both the administration and the Journal have rejected claims from Russian authorities that Gershkovich was spying for the U.S. government and have called for him to be immediately released. Russian officials have alleged that Gershkovich was trying to gain access to classified information in Yekaterinburg, where he was arrested. He was formally charged with espionage on Friday. Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage. Russias criminal justice system has been internationally derided for its lack of fairness, as more than 99 percent of all defendants are convicted in often flawed trials. Although the journalists arrest comes at a low-point for U.S.-Russia relations amid the Ukraine war, Carstens said the U.S. government has been able to find ways to bring Americans home from being held abroad even if the U.S. does not have a strong relationship with that country. We will find a way to do it. There are ways to do it and progress, and you have a good team, he said. The U.S. was able to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from a Russian jail after she was detained for almost 10 months. She was freed in exchange for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who had been serving a 2025-year prison sentence since 2012. Story continues Carstens said the State Department is partnering with lawmakers, non-governmental organizations and the Gershkovich family to bring Evan back to the U.S. Carstens also said a significant offer has been made to Russia for Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who has been held in Russia since 2018 on charges of spying, to be freed and returned home. He added that the determination of Gershkovich being wrongfully detained allows the government to go all out in pushing for his release. Were able now to cobble together all elements of the United States national government, the national power that this nation can bring to bear and working closely with the National Security Council, well find a way and a path to bring both Paul Whelan and Evan home, Carstens said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BELFAST, Northern Ireland President Joe Biden called for Northern Ireland to "recommit to renewal and repair" amid political unrest, marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that ended three decades of civil war. "Northern Ireland will not go back, pray to God," Biden said Wednesday during remarks at Ulster University in Belfast. "The lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: At times when things seem fragile, or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work is needed the most." In a 22-minute speech, Biden celebrated a Belfast "transformed by peace" that he said is "alive with commerce, art and, I'd argue, inspiration." It's a drastically different picture than the violence and barricades that dominated the city for three decades before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. "It's up us to keep this going, keep doing the work that we've done every day for the last 25 years to sustain the peace and unleash this incredible economic opportunity that is just beginning." More: President Biden visits Northern Ireland and Ireland President Joe Biden delivers a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023, as part of a four day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland for the 25th anniversary commemorations of the "Good Friday Agreement." Biden says he wants the Northern Ireland Assembly restored Biden's visit to Northern Ireland his first stop in a three-day swing to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland came as political division threatens the very agreement Biden came to celebrate. The Northern Ireland government hasn't operated for more than a year amid a political impasse between Northern Ireland's two major parties: British unionists and Irish nationalists. The Northern Ireland Assembly has stopped convening altogether. Biden discussed recent threats of violence in Northern Ireland, including the attempted murder of John Caldwell, a top police official, which law enforcement believe was carried about the New IRA, affiliated with the Irish Republican Army "I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored," Biden said. "That's a judgment for you to make, not me." Story continues More: President Biden visits Northern Ireland amid thwarted IRA bomb plot and fragile peace Police stand guard outside the hotel where President Joe Biden will stay in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. President Biden is visiting Northern Ireland and Ireland to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) 'Coming home' Biden says in visit to Ireland Exploring Irish roots: After his remarks in Belfast, Biden flew south to the Republic of Ireland, where he traced his Irish roots in County Louth, home to his Finnegan ancestors on his late mother's side of the family. "Feels like I'm coming home," Biden said as he toured the Carlingford Castle, built in the 12th century, in steady rainfall. A guarded city: Amid a terrorism threat elevated to "severe" in Northern Ireland, much of Belfast's city center, which includes Biden's hotel, was blocked off by police to pedestrians. Crowds lined the streets to watch Biden's motorcade arrive at the university. Meeting British PM: Before his remarks, Biden met and had tea with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is in Belfast for the ceremony. "Heck of a view out there," Biden said, looking out the 23rd floor window of a hotel conference room. Listening to dispute: Biden also sat down with leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties, including the Democratic Unionist Party, which left the Northern Ireland government following Brexit. "I'm going to listen," Biden told reporters. Micheal Martin, Tanaiste of Ireland, left, and President Joe Biden tour Carlingford Castle in County Louth, Ireland, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Why isn't Northern Ireland's government operating? The Good Friday Agreement, which the Clinton administration helped broker, established a devolved local government in Northern Ireland with power shared among Protestant loyalist parties that pushed to remain part of the U.K. and Irish Catholic nationalist parties that sought to unify with the Republic of Ireland. But members of the Democratic Unionist Party conservatives who backed the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU pulled out of the shared-power agreement after Brexit. More: 'Simple dignity': How President Biden's visit to Ireland tells the story of 'Blue-collar Joe' back home They oppose an arrangement between the U.K. and EU that preserved the free flow of trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which share the only land border between the U.K. and the EU. Biden on agreement: 'It shook political gravity' Biden said the Good Friday Agreement "shook political gravity," crediting former Sen. George Mitchel, who served as President Bill Clinton's special envoy, and Northern Ireland leaders for sticking through tough negotiations. "Peace was not inevitable" he said. "There were no guarantees that the deal on paper would hold, no guarantees that it would be able to deliver the progress that we celebrate today." Biden said "the American people are with you every step of the way," adding that a large share of Americans is "invested" in the future of Northern Ireland. "Your history is our history. But even more important, your future is America's future." Irish citizens wait for the arrival of US President Joe Biden on April 12, 2023 in Dundalk, Ireland. Biden stays out oflarger political fight On the streets of Belfast, residents seemed generally excited about Biden's visit but several took note of his short stay. Biden spent less than one day in Northern Ireland with plans to spend the bulk of his trip in the Republic of Ireland. That's probably not by accident, given the politically sensitive time in Northern Ireland. Amanda Sloat, the NSC's director for Europe, disputed the perception, suggested by a reporter, that Biden's trip is a "taxpayer-funded family reunion," pointing to Biden's packed schedule of events. Biden has drawn past criticism from unionists. Even so, the president avoided taking sides among the competing parties in his remarks. And less time in Belfast meant fewer chances to ruffle feathers. US President Joe Biden (L) reacts as he meets with Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast on April 12, 2023, as part of a four day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland for the 25th anniversary commemorations of the "Good Friday Agreement". (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: AFP_33D27UC.jpg Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden in Belfast: Political unrest marks Good Friday Agreement President Biden on Wednesday gave a message of hope in Northern Ireland while marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, expressing his strong support for the peace deal. The lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this, in times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Thats when we must make our theme repair, the president said at Ulster University in Belfast. The Good Friday Agreement, which was struck on April 10, 1998, ended the conflict, often called the Troubles, between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Biden pledged that the United States will stand with Northern Ireland to build the future for its young people. Young people in Northern Ireland are on the cutting edge of sectors that are going to define so much of the future, cyber, technology, clean energy, life sciences, here in Northern Ireland, he said. He said he has tasked Joe Kennedy, U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs, to bring more business and investment in Northern Ireland. Kennedy will lead a trade delegation of American companies in Northern Ireland later this year. The world is changing, its changing drastically and it presents enormous opportunity but also significant dangers, Biden said. The president also expressed his support for the Windsor Framework, saying that it addresses the practical realities of Brexit and called it an essential step, to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement is preserved. The framework is a new trade agreement aimed at allowing goods to flow freely to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom. The president met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of his speech on Wednesday. , The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, according to a readout from the White House. They also discussed how they welcome the Windsor Framework and they expressed their continued support for Ukraine amid Russias invasion. Story continues Biden arrived in Belfast on Tuesday evening and left for Dublin following his speech on Wednesday. In his speech, Biden hailed people of Irish heritage in the U.S., noting that an Irishman designed and built the White House. Actor James Martin from An Irish Goodbye was in the audience and Biden said he had met with him and took a photograph before his remarks. He also reminisced about the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which was reached when he was a senator. It took long, hard years of work to get to this place, he added. It took people all across Northern Ireland to make the choice to work for a brighter, shared future. It wasnt easy, Biden said. He said that the agreement shifted the political gravity in our world. Peace was not inevitable, we cant ever forget that, he added. Additionally, Biden said theres a large population in the U.S. that cares about what happens in Northern Ireland and is invested in it. Its hard to communicate just how deeply invested in your success that people across the United States are, he said, adding that family ties in the U.S. to Ireland run very deep. Updated at 12:26 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON A handful of lawmakers urging President Joe Biden to defy a court ruling that suspends approval of mifepristone are lighting the fuse on an explosive fight over the separation of powers that some experts warn could have consequences far beyond the nation's roiling debate over abortion. Two Democrats and a Republican have in recent days called on Biden to "ignore" a sweeping ruling from a federal judge in Texas that would halt Food and Drug Administration approval of a common abortion pill. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., brushed off the decision as a "power-grab" and suggested Biden could dismiss it. Even though the White House quickly batted down the advice, the idea had the potential to put another dent in the guardrails that separate the federal judiciary from politics at a time when polls show faith in the courts has ebbed. And it opens the door for future lawmakers of either party to question the legitimacy of a court's decision they dislike. Rulings: Dueling federal rulings plunge future of abortion pill into legal uncertainty Reaction: AOC says Biden White House should ignore mifepristone ruling Review: Mifepristone rulings set up first post-Roe abortion case at Supreme Court "This is a race to the bottom," said Josh Blackman, a law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston. "Once politicians start ignoring judges rather than taking appeals, the judiciary loses its power very quickly." How Ocasio-Cortez, other critics reacted to abortion pill ruling Story continues What's the danger in "ignoring" the court's mifepristone decision? Ignoring the ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on mifepristone or suggesting it should be ignored could open the gate for the executive and legislative branches to write off all sorts of decisions they oppose in the future, experts said. "The danger is you'll end up with a tit-for-tat game," said Timothy Johnson, a professor of political science and law at the University of Minnesota. "These political decisions that you make in the moment can always come back to bite you." White House: Biden will fight, not ignore, abortion pill ruling suspending mifepristone Transgender: Supreme Court sides with 12-year-old transgender girl fighting West Virginia's sports ban Some on the left have made a more nuanced argument about what they mean by "ignoring" the lower court. Although Kacsmaryk's decision suspends FDA approval of mifepristone, it does not require the FDA to enforce violations. To put that concept in another context: Congress has outlawed marijuana possession, but the federal government looks the other way as many states legalize recreational pot. For now, the White House is steering clear of such talk while slamming the ruling. "My thoughts are: Its completely out of bounds what the judge did," Biden said Tuesday before departing for Ireland. But a day earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the administration would "always follow the law, always." The Biden administration on Monday appealed Kacsmaryk's decision and the Louisiana-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is expected to weigh in later this week. Kacsmaryk placed a hold on his own ruling until Friday. President Joe Biden speaks to the press before boarding Air Force One, as he departs for Northern Ireland, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 11, 2023. Could Biden ignore the federal courts? Ask President Andrew Jackson. There have been moments in the nation's history when state and federal officials have attempted to ignore Supreme Court decisions. Those attempts have generally turned out far better for federal courts than for the politicians involved. When Chief Justice John Marshall crafted a majority opinion in 1832 invalidating a Georgia law that required non-Native Americans to have a license to live within the territory of the Cherokee nation, President Andrew Jackson was famously and, probably, inaccurately quoted as asserting that, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." Neither Jackson nor Georgia initially enforced the court's ruling, which led to the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their homeland. The actual dispute in the case was later caught up in and resolved by another crisis. Brown: Supreme Court affirmative action cases spark heated debate over meaning of Brown v. Board Overturn: The Supreme Court has overruled itself on segregation, saluting the flag and abortion In 1954, the Supreme Court held segregation had no place in public schools. But it took years and a showdown between President Dwight Eisenhower and the school board of Little Rock, Arkansas before the command was enforced. Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used the state National Guard to block Black students from enrolling. "Imagine if President Eisenhower was a whole lot more conservative and not as forward thinking as he was on civil rights issues," Johnson said. "If you have a president different than Eisenhower who refuses to send in troops and request National Guard help...then the Civil Rights movement would not have moved as quickly." Contributing: Maureen Groppe This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Abortion pill: Why Biden won't 'ignore' the courts on mifepristone US President Joe Biden entered the political cauldron of Northern Ireland on Wednesday, using a brief visit to promote the benefits of enduring peace and investment, but already facing heated criticism from pro-UK hardliners. Following a late-night greeting in blustery weather from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Biden arrived with the British-ruled province again gripped by political and sectarian squalls, 25 years on from a US-brokered peace agreement. The Irish-American president was due to meet Sunak, and greet the leaders of Northern Ireland's feuding political parties, before delivering a speech at a newly opened campus of Ulster University in central Belfast. Biden said Tuesday the priority for his trip -- which includes three days in his ancestral homeland, the Republic of Ireland -- was "to keep the peace" in Northern Ireland and help unlock its political paralysis. But senior figures in the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is under pressure to resume local power-sharing, were strikingly undiplomatic about the president. Sammy Wilson, a DUP member of the UK parliament in Westminster, branded Biden "anti-British" and accused America's second Catholic president of having "made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known". Another DUP lawmaker, Nigel Dodds, suggested any mediation efforts would prove futile. "Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all," he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. - 'Part of my soul' - Devolved government in Belfast is a key plank of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, but it collapsed 14 months ago over the DUP's trenchant opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. Despite Britain and the European Union agreeing to overhaul them earlier this year, the party is yet to back the new trading terms and allow the restoration of Belfast's Stormont legislature. Nonetheless, Biden's visit will mark the "tremendous progress" since the accords largely ended armed conflict between pro-Irish and pro-British militants in April 1998, the White House said. Story continues Biden's defenders note his delegation includes Joe Kennedy III, a scion of the Irish-American Kennedy clan, who was appointed special envoy for economic affairs in Northern Ireland and will remain in Belfast for several days. "I think the track record of the president shows that he's not anti-British," Amanda Sloat, National Security Council Senior Director for Europe, told reporters Wednesday. "The president has been very actively engaged throughout his career, dating back to when he was a senator, in the peace process in Northern Ireland." His message to the DUP and other parties would be one of "strong support for seeing the peace process move forward" alongside "broad support for the return of devolved government", she said. Less than 24 hours after arriving in Northern Ireland, Biden will head on to Ireland, which he says is "part of my soul", paying visits to the hometowns of his 19th-century ancestors. - Pipe bombs - Sectarian violence remains a concern north of the border, with Britain's MI5 security agency elevating its terrorism threat level for the territory ahead of Biden's visit. On Monday, masked youths pelted police vehicles with petrol bombs during an illegal march by hardline nationalists in Londonderry, which is also known as Derry. Police in Northern Ireland on Tuesday said that four suspected pipe bombs were retrieved from a cemetery in the Creggan area of the city. "All of these devices were located in the same area where clothes worn by participants in (Monday's) unnotified Easter parade were removed under the cover of umbrellas and burnt," officers said. Biden has brushed off any security concerns, and will see up close how much redevelopment has transformed Belfast since 1998. Biden's five-star hotel in Belfast only opened in 2018. Before 1998, the only place for visiting dignitaries to stay was the nearby Europa, which was attacked so often by the Irish Republican Army paramilitary group that it became known as the most bombed hotel in Europe. Deirdre Heenan, professor of social policy at Ulster University, told AFP that DUP hardliners were "uncomfortable with how he (Biden) wears his Irishness on his sleeve". But she added: "We cannot afford to turn our back on such an engaged advocate for a small place, and one who has just appointed an economic envoy." burs-jj-jit/phz/yad A bill expanding Texas medical marijuana program is headed to the Texas Senate. Rep. Stephanie Klick, a Fort Worth Republican, filed the bill that would expand Texas Compassionate Use Program to include chronic pain in cases where opioids would be prescribed, as well as debilitating medical conditions designated by the Department of State Health Services. The program allows doctors to prescribe low-THC cannabis to treat a limited number of medical conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorders. The program has been gradually expanded in recent sessions to include more conditions. As it has broadened, Klick has stressed the importance of a medical program that follows the scientific data. House Bill 1805, the proposed legislation, also changes how THC in the cannabis prescribed under the program is measured. Doctors could prescribe up to 10 milligrams of THC the component of cannabis that produces a high in each dose. Medical cannabis is sometimes consumed as oil or edible gummies. Klick during a March committee hearing said the change aims to address gastrointestinal issues that can be caused by consuming oil in excess. The House gave initial approval to the bill on Tuesday and gave it final approval on a 127-19 vote Wednesday. In 2021, the Senate removed a provision allowing low-cannabis THC for chronic pain from a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott. It must pass out of the Senate and be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott before becoming law. The four defendants charged in the ComEd bribery scheme are, from left, consultant Jay Doherty, lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker, retired lobbyist Michael McClain and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore. (Chicago Tribune photos) It could be a plot to one of his own James Patterson-style legal thrillers: David Ellis, a successful novelist and former top counsel to powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, was on the witness stand in a federal criminal courtroom. Advertisement Now an Illinois Appellate Court justice whose campaign was run by Madigan himself, Ellis was called to testify Wednesday in one of the biggest Chicago corruption trials in years, an alleged bribes-for-favors scheme targeting his former boss. In the end, Ellis real-life testimony may not have had the cachet of his own fiction. Advertisement Still, he played an important role as the ComEd Four trial transitioned to the defense, explaining to the jury in a personably wonkish style the tedious, behind-the-scenes work of drafting big utility legislation in Springfield, including bills involving ComEd at the heart of the allegations. Ellis, 56, was called by attorneys for Anne Pramaggiore, the former CEO of Commonwealth Edison, who is charged along with three others with cooking up a plan to coax the speaker into supporting the giant utilitys legislative agenda. [ ComEd Four bribery trial: What you need to know ] Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and purple tie, Ellis cracked jokes during his direct examination that had spectators and jurors in the courtroom laughing out loud, including a self-deprecating crack when he was asked whether his books had sold well. Well, the ones with Patterson are bestsellers, he quipped, referring to the books hes co-authored with the famed novelist. He was adamant, however, that while Madigans staff played an important role in getting ComEds bills to a vote, their focus was always on making the legislation better, often in ways that were detrimental to the utility. Ellis also made clear he didnt believe the speaker tipped the scales in favor of the 2011 Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act bill, which the indictment alleged was passed in part with Madigans support. Did Mike Madigan ever tell you to favor ComEd? asked Pramaggiore attorney Daniel Craig at the end of his two-hour direct examination. Ellis chuckled softly, before again answering, No. Advertisement Ellis took the stand shortly after prosecutors rested their case in chief Wednesday, which featured 17 days of testimony featuring some 37 witnesses, dozens of wiretapped phone calls and secretly recorded videos. Before the defense cases began, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber advised each of the defendants of their rights to testify in their own defense and whether they had made a decision either way. Pramaggiore informed the court she plans to take the witness stand herself a rare and often risky move in a high-stakes federal trial. Her testimony will likely begin Thursday. Pramaggiores case will be followed by defendants Jay Doherty, a ComEd lobbyist and former head of the City Club of Chicago, and John Hooker, a lobbyist and former executive for the company. The last defendant to present a case will be Michael McClain, a longtime confidant of Madigans who worked for years as a ComEd contract lobbyist and consultant. [ ComEd Four trial: Evidence seen and heard by the jury ] Unlike Pramaggiore, the other three defendants told the judge they still are considering whether to testify on their own behalf. Advertisement The indictment alleged the four defendants steered $1.3 million in payments from ComEd to Madigan-approved subcontractors who did little or no work in a bid to win the speakers influence over the utilitys legislative agenda in Springfield. The indictment also alleged the defendants schemed to hire a clout-heavy law firm run by political operative Victor Reyes and stack the utilitys summer internship program with candidates sent from the 13th Ward. The four on trial have all pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers have contended the government is trying to turn legal lobbying and job recommendations into a crime. Madigan and McClain face a separate racketeering indictment that is set for trial next year. The first witness to testify on Pramaggiores behalf was Val Jensen, a former ComEd executive, who said that Pramaggiore was a genuine leader who always said to do the right thing and do what we promised the legislature we would do. I think shes very honest, Jensen said. I was never in a situation when I felt she wasnt being honest. Advertisement Like they did with Ellis, Pramaggiores attorneys used Jensens testimony to play down any role that Madigan had in aiding ComEds legislative agenda. Jensen, who oversaw multiple ComEd green energy efforts and worked on legislation, testified it took major coalitions of labor, environmentalists and local public officials to pass utility-backed legislation and that the strategy did not include asking Madigan for a favor. On cross-examination, Jensen acknowledged he has no personal knowledge of the allegations in the case, or the alleged payments to Madigan allies as subcontractors. Ellis testimony, meanwhile, offered the jury an insiders view from one of the top legal minds of Madigans operation. As Madigans chief House counsel, Ellis was perhaps best known for playing a key role in orchestrating the legal strategy that led to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevichs 2009 impeachment. He also acted as the chief prosecutor in the Senate trial that ended with the wayward chief executive tossed out of office on a unanimous vote. Two years later, Ellis played a far less public role as one of the speakers chief negotiators on legislation that allowed ComEd to set up its smart grid program and establish formula rates that prosecutors have said led to more than a billion dollars in new profits for the company. Advertisement At the outset, Ellis acknowledged Madigan ran his 2014 campaign to get elected to the bench, including assigning staff and assigning him tasks. (Madigan) was in charge of it, Ellis testified. He was instrumental, no question. Asked if his association with Madigan affected his ability to testify impartially, Ellis quickly said: No, of course not. Ellis also acknowledged that both McClain and Hooker contributed money to his campaign but said hed not solicited the donations. I couldnt even ask my mother for a campaign contribution, although I did strongly suggest that she make one, Ellis quipped. Ellis testified that his assignment to work on the smart grid legislation was not unusual, particularly for a dense and technical bill that he said read like IRS tax code. Asked on direct examination whether it was his job to make sure ComEd got what it wanted, he said, No, I was not concerned about what ComEd wanted at all. I was just trying to make the bill better. Advertisement Ellis said he tried to focus on the things consumers noticed, like power outages or the amounts on their bills, as well as making sure the language in the legislation matched the utilitys rhetoric to the legislators. Ellis told the jury they fought tooth-and-nail with ComEd over many issues, including sunset provisions requiring the company to return to the legislature to renew formula rates every few years. Still, Ellis said, he didnt look at ComEd as the enemy. I didnt view them as an adversary, I just didnt care what they thought, he testified. I only cared what would be best for the rate payers. That was my focus. Ellis was also asked repeatedly whether Madigan ever asked him to go easy on ComEd during the negotiations. While he said he doesnt remember every conversation he had with the speaker, he found it very unlikely. He just did not talk that way, Ellis said of Madigans style. If he had ever said something like that to me I dont think I would have ever forgotten it. But Ellis smooth style vanished a bit on cross-examination, when his voice lowered and he seemed puzzled at times by the prosecutors questions. Advertisement At one point, Assistant U.S. Sarah Streicker asked Ellis if Madigan voting in favor of a bill showed that he supported passage of the legislation. Ellis sounded slightly baffled by the seemingly obvious answer. What? Voting yes is a way to support passage of it? Ellis said. Yes, of course. Ellis also acknowledged on cross-examination that he was not involved in the politics of Madigans operation. He said he knew McClain and Madigan had dinner together often, but he was not on the invite list, though he may have had dinner with them once, after the impeachment of Blagojevich. Ellis also had only a vague knowledge of some of the other political players in the trial. Asked if he knew Reyes, the longtime Democratic operative who had two separate contracts with ComEd, Ellis said hed met him only once. One of those awkward situations where he knew who I was but I didnt know who he was, he said. Did you know that Speaker Madigan helped Victor Reyes obtain legal work for his law firm? Streicker asked. No, Ellis replied. Advertisement Illinois Appellate Court Justice David Ellis, right, walks outside the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on April 12, 2023. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore walks down Dearborn Street after exiting the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in downtown Chicago following the first day of the "ComEd Four" bribery conspiracy trial on March 14, 2023. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Pramaggiores attorneys also called Justin Cox, who worked under Ellis on the smart grid legislation and later worked on negotiations over other important utility legislation such as the Future Energy Jobs Act. Like Ellis, Cox testified his impression was that Madigan was skeptical about legislation pushed by utilities. And when asked if Madigan ever said not to be so hard on ComEd, Cox said: I dont recall ever hearing that. The defense then called a series of character witnesses, who gushed so profusely about Pramaggiores integrity, honesty and other admirable qualities that prosecutors repeatedly objected. Leinenweber sustained the objections because they went outside of the restrictions on the testimony hed ordered earlier in the day. One of the character witnesses, ComEd engineer John Bettler, praised Pramaggiores vision for improving the companys reliability and technology as well as her attentiveness to employee needs. And though hed never met with her in a one-on-one situation, he said she seemed to be totally trustworthy. Advertisement Id trust her with my life, Bettler testified. Shes amazing. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Lois Gates, the assistant executive director at Misericordia, went even further, hailing Pramaggiore for her interest in the facility that helps people with various special needs. After prosecutors objected to her lengthy list of wonderful interactions with Pramaggiore, the judge held a brief sidebar with attorneys. When her testimony resumed, Gates launched into a defense of Pramaggiores integrity. Well, sitting here during that little break, Im wondering why Im even in this courtroom for someone like Anne Pramaggiore, Gates said. Shes really one of those few people that doesnt think about herself. She thinks about others. Jan Hickman, who worked on speeches and other communications for Pramaggiore, did not hold back any accolades, either. Her integrity is unparalleled, Hickman said. When she sees something wrong, she stops it. When she sees something right, she encourages it. Advertisement Prosecutors countered the effusive praise of several witnesses by getting them to acknowledge they did not have direct knowledge of the allegations in the case. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com IAC chairman Barry Diller spoke at the Semafor Media Summit on Monday, where he said media publishers should "absolutely institute litigation" to ensure payment for any use of their work by AI. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Semafor. Barry Diller warned publishers to prepare to fight in order to get paid for AI's use of their work. He said they should "absolutely institute litigation" over how AI uses published content. Diller made the comments at the Semafor Media Summit in New York. Media mogul Barry Diller blared alarms over the popularity of generative AI technology like OpenAI's ChatGPT, warning publishers that they should sue to prevent such tools from cannibalizing their content. The chairman of IAC, the media giant that owns the publisher Dotdash Meredith, told Semafor cofounder Ben Smith at the outlet's media summit on Monday that the emergence of generative AI tools for mass use evokes the dawn of the internet in the 1990s. "The amount of destruction that took place at the beginning when it was declared a free medium was enormous," Diller told Smith, according to a recording of the event. "And I think that today is potentially analogous to that, if publishers do not say, 'You cannot scrape our content, you cannot take it, you cannot take it transformatively to get to the key word in 'fair use' but you cannot take it and use it in real time to actually cannibalize everything," he said. Diller was referencing the legal concept of fair use, where copyrighted material can sometimes be used without permission in certain cases, like in making parodies. He also put out a sharp call to action, urging the media and publishing companies to "get immediately active and absolutely institute litigation," in order to make sure they would get paid for the the use of their work. "Companies can absolutely sue under copyright law," he said. Representatives for IAC did not share additional comments. Representatives for OpenAI did not respond to Insider's requests for comment on Tuesday. Federal copyright law allows creators with registered copyrighted works to bring legal claims in court, pursuing damages that can range from a few hundred dollars to a maximum of $150,000 for a violation, the US Copyright Office states on its website. Story continues Courts may issue penalties in the upper range of that spectrum if they find the infringement to be "willful," or intentional, according to the law. As the use of AI technology evolves, courts will consider how copyright laws might apply, said Frank Gerratana, a partner at the law firm Mintz who advises clients on intellectual property issues. "The way generative AI works is that these systems collect content from the Internet, and run it through a model that allows it to generate new content," Gerratana told Insider, speaking generally on copyright issues pertaining to AI tools and not on Diller's remarks. "It's not clear right now to what extent that has copyright implications," Gerratana said. "It's possible we'll see court decisions that apply copyright law in ways that we wouldn't have expected, because this technology is new, the circumstances are new, and the facts are new." Read the original article on Business Insider The unemployment rate for Black Americans reached a historic low in Fridays jobs report but is still 1.5 percentage points higher than the unemployment rate for the workforce overall. With the Fed raising interest rates in response to inflation and putting service-sector and lower-paying jobs in its crosshairs, economic barriers to maximum employment remain in place for many of the most vulnerable segments of the working population. Thats especially true for the disproportionately high number of Black Americans with criminal records, who can be shut out of the job market even after completing their sentences in ways ranging from the subtle and manipulative to the downright dehumanizing. The most recent definitive study published in 2017 by the National Library of Medicine found that fully a third of Black men have a felony conviction. And advocates working to reincorporate criminally convicted people back into society and the wider economy say any legislative efforts to expand the workforce need to start domestically. When I hear about a labor shortage, my blood boils, because I know people right now looking for jobs, Jay Jordan, national director of Time Done, a group that helps people with convictions find jobs and housing to get their lives back on track. I know 30,000 people in Florida like this right now, and most all of them are saying, I cant find a home, or Im working at a part time job but Im scared Im going to lose it if they find out about my record, Jordan said. Folks are enduring horrible labor conditions. Construction workers prepare a recently poured concrete foundation on Friday, March 17, 2023, in Boston. But many jobs are hard for former convicts to get, as employers lock them out based on their prison record. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Ready and willing to work but locked out anyway Terrence Stewart, a middle-aged Black man who served two years in prison in Los Angeles County on drug charges and then went immediately to college, told The Hill in an interview that he hit a brick wall as soon as he started looking for work. I started realizing how hard it was to get a job, even in simple places like McDonalds and stuff of that nature. It was really, really starting to get complicated on how to get a job, he said, adding that the requirement to disclose his criminal conviction to employers was making his job search demoralizing. Story continues Stewart, a father of two with a masters degree in higher education policy, had an even more difficult time finding housing, moving from one roach-infested apartment to another in Moreno Valley, California, where he said large wood rats would chew holes in the wall. Because I had a record, they treated me as if Id better be happy that I got a place to live, he said. Black unemployment has fallen, but a gap still persists Fridays jobs report showed the unemployment rate tick down to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent as the economy added 236,000 jobs in March. The unemployment rate for Black workers dropped to 5 percent from 5.7 percent, or about 1.1 million people the lowest rate on record, according to data compiled by the St. Louis Federal Reserve. Earlier this month, speaking with Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell confirmed the central banks projections that Black unemployment would rise this year by 2.3 percent, while White unemployment would increase by 0.9 percent. He said this was due to factors embedded in the U.S. economy but did not provide further details. Theres a persistent gap between Black and White unemployment, Powell said. When unemployment goes up quickly in a recession, it goes up much faster for African Americans. When the economy grows again it goes down faster. Thats somehow embedded in our economy. Job creation during the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the enduring strength of the U.S. labor market have confused economists and been a point of pride for President Biden, who has frequently boasted about it. Weve created 12.6 million jobs since I took office. The unemployment rate is close to the lowest it has been in more than 50 years and a record low for African Americans, the White House said in a statement on Friday. A labor shortage leaves out many workers looking for a job At the same time, business managers have been saying the strong job market represents a labor shortage and that the government should start importing more cheap labor from abroad through immigration legislation. We hear every day from our member companies of every size and industry, across nearly every state theyre facing unprecedented challenges trying to find enough workers to fill open jobs, Stephanie Ferguson, an employment policy advocate with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce business lobby, wrote on Friday. Right now, the latest data shows that we have over 10 million job openings in the U.S.but only 5.7 million unemployed workers, she wrote. Heres how policymakers have failed many Black Americans One of the reasons labor conditions for people with criminal records can be so bad is that not much is actually known about them as a segment of the population, which makes it difficult for lawmakers to design laws and policies that serve their needs. Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute called it a blind spot in U.S. national statistics in a 2019 statement before the Senates Joint Economic Committee. That same study published in 2017 by the National Library of Medicine, which only has data through 2010, found that Black Americans are five times more likely to have a felony than non-Black Americans. [Three] percent of the total U.S. adult population and 15 percent of the African American adult male population has ever been to prison; people with felony convictions account for 8 percent of all adults and 33 percent of the African American adult male population, University of Georgia sociologist Sarah Shannon and her co-authors wrote. Kevin Dolphin, a job placement specialist and counselor for people with convictions in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who has himself been in and out of prison, told the The Hill he has seen many similar cases of people with criminal records being shut out of the job market. I see this every day, I do a lot of field work, Dolphin said. Many of these people are not going to be able to get jobs because on their applications a lot of things are being held against them. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-HISTORY-BIDEN President Joe Biden, joins Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III, and others on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 5, 2023, to mark the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday Credit - Mandel NganAFP via Getty Images This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Plenty of ink has been spent linking Joe Bidens win in 2020 with Black voters. Its no exaggeration to credit his nomination to a unified Black electorate in South Carolinas primary, thanks in no small measure to the clout of Rep. Jim Clyburns endorsement in a state where more than half of Democratic turnout was Black. The throughline continues to that November, when Bidens win over Donald Trump came thanks to that slice of voters who remained loyal to the former Vice Presidentand deeply hostile to the man he was facing. If he wins again next year, Bidens final act in public life could be the surest flex of Black political power in decades. But, quietly, there have been some rumblings inside Democratic circles that Biden needs to do more to shore up his position with Black voters. While polls show almost half of all Democrats would prefer he hang up his Air Force One bomber jacket after one term, his support remains far stronger among Black voters. And yet, even that number may be going ever so wobbly. We are talking about movement on the fringes of a mainstay of Democratic politics, for sure, but recent elections have shown that even the slightest gradation matters. Bidens favorability ratings among Black voters have shifted from 84% right after he took office in 2021 to 74% at the end of March 2023, according to YouGov/Economist polling. (Thats still better than Bidens 46% favorable rating at the start of his term among white voters, which has since slipped to 40%.) Outside super PACs and friendly-to-Biden organizations have also picked up on these blips, both in polling and in focus groups in battleground states and are starting to figure out how to connect with Black voters. Story continues Historically, to be candid, Republicans have done themselves no favors in pursuing or persuading Black voters, and there are few reasons to think that is going to be quick to change. No, not even Sen. Tim Scotts announcement on Wednesday that he would form a presidential exploratory committeea tangible step that allows the lone Black Republican in the Senate to raise and spend money for an eventual White House campaignis likely to change the macro trends there. The Republican Partys longstanding opposition to a voting rights bill in Congress and their years of antipathy toward and obstruction of Barack Obama are tough to shake. Some Republicans have aligned themselves with Christian nationalists and groups with links to white supremacy. That all makes for a challenging recruiting pitch to Black voters, even if Scott on his own is a charismatic and compelling figure. Trump remains the nominal candidate to beat for the GOP nomination, and his comparable poll numbers show a deeply unpopular figure among Black voters; his unfavorable number fell to 60% at the end of last month in the YouGov/Economist poll, down from the 93% mark he posted during the summer of 2020. Still, with Bidens standing among Black voters on ground more like Hillary Clintons in 2016 than Bidens in 2020, its worth taking a beat to look at the hard numbers, and consider why. First, a little history. Since exit polls became part of Election Day data dumps in 1972, no Republican has fared better with Black voters than Richard Nixon, who managed 18% in his 72 re-election campaign. No Democrat has captured their partys nomination without the Black vote since 1992. (Sen. Edward M. Kennedy carried the Black vote in 1980 with 44% of the vote but missed the nomination, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson dominated that bloc during his 1984 and 1988 campaigns.) Put plainly: you cant win the nomination or the White House as a Democrat without the Black vote. Biden, facing no serious primary challenges at the moment, is expected to fall nicely into the historical patterns, but the general election might be a different story. Clinton in 2016 carried 88% of the Black vote, a slight swing from four years earlier when the country re-elected its first Black President with 93% of the Black vote. Still, those Black voters were relatively meh when it came to Clintons candidacy; Trump didnt seem quite so bad and had a certain novelty about him. When Biden ran as the nominee in 2020, he carried 87% of the Black vote, according to exit polls, and that was when voters faced a choice whether they wanted another four years of Trump. And, in last years midterm elections, Democrats drew the support of 86% of the Black vote. If all of this sounds statistically negligible, it is. Polling is of course imprecise; a margin of error is built into every survey, after all. And yet, its worth remembering that Trump prevailed in 2016 by besting Clinton by about 80,000 votes in just three states. If all holds steady, Biden could well end up in a rematch against Trump, who saw his support among Black voters climb from 8% in 2016 to 12% four years later. That shift wasnt enough to deny Biden a gig hes been chasing since his 20s, but it didnt happen by accident. Bidens record on race at this point is decidedly up for debate, too. He made good on his campaign promises to pick a Black woman as a running rate and put one on the Supreme Court, and continues to this day to enjoy the political riches from those moves. But Bidens efforts to get a comprehensive voting rights measure into law have come up short, his attempts to control gun violence are as stymied as they are frustrating, and it seems like every few weeks an unflattering story about Vice President Kamala Harristhe first woman and first woman of Black and Asian heritage in the jobseems to bandy around Bidens chums. Go any deeper in Bidens record and things get sticky. Read more: How Bidens Remarks About Police Violence Stack Up to His Actions To be clear: Biden is expected to keep Black voters as a reliable part of his coalition, and theyre his insulation from an electorate that, despite its increasing diversity, is still about 70% white. But campaigns are decided in small microtrends, and, with roughly 13% of the electorate steadily reporting they are Black, these voters cannot be ignored, especially if their allegiance grows less intense. (Other studies put Black voters clout around 20%, well ahead of what exit polls report.) Biden gets this all too well. Its why we saw the President release images of his call last week with two Black lawmakers from Tennessee who were expelled for leading a protest against gun violence. Its why so much of the White House and Cabinet-level travels have made outreach to Black communities part of their agenda. And its why, even as Biden continues to delay his actual entrance to the 2024 campaign, he has signaled to his advisers that theyve got to keep hitting the mark on building a diverse and inclusive team around him. That commitment may be as sincere as any politicians belief, but it also makes for good politicsand its been evident for decades that Biden seldom can count on good luck to be a lengthy visitor. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Maria Bartiromo joined Fox News in 2014 after a 20-year run at CNBC. (Fox News) Fox News was cited for "discovery misconduct" by the judge in the $1.6-billion defamation case filed by Dominion Voting Systems after he learned that recorded conversations with former President Trumps attorneys were not turned over as evidence. The potentially significant revelation that such tapes exist which could affect the upcoming trial came to light in a revised legal complaint filed Tuesday by Abby Grossberg, who worked as a producer for Fox anchor Maria Bartiromo. Grossberg is suing the network for discrimination and wrongful termination. An excerpt of the tapes was played by Dominion attorney Davida Brook during a pretrial hearing Thursday in Delaware. Superior Court Judge Eric Davis said the recordings belonged as evidence and admonished Fox News attorneys for withholding the information. Davis said he is also considering the appointment of a special master to determine whether other relevant material has been withheld. Dominion also can conduct another deposition with Fox News picking up the tab. In a statement, a Fox News representative said the company "produced the supplemental information from Ms. Grossberg when we first learned it. Davis also entered into the record a recent NPR report that said Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier proposed a special master to fact-check and debunk the voter fraud claims that had been spread by other programs on the network. The idea was not considered, according to the report, but there is no documentation in the evidence that shows it was discussed. The sanction was the second time this week that Fox News attorneys have run afoul of Davis. On Tuesday, the judge expressed frustration over how counsel "represented to him" that Fox Corp. Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch was not an officer of Fox News. Murdoch is executive chairman of the news outlet. Davis said that knowledge could have influenced the previous rulings he has made in the case. Story continues In a statement, Fox News said Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman of Fox News in its Securities and Exchange Commission filings since 2019 and that the filing was referenced by Dominion's attorney during his deposition. Fox News and Dominion are heading to trial on Monday. A jury will be asked to decide whether the network acted with malice when it presented the false allegations in the months after the 2020 election when Trump was promoting false claims of voter fraud as the reason for his loss to President Biden. Grossberg said taped conversations with Trump ally Rudolph W. Giuliani and lawyer Sidney Powell occurred before they appeared on the Nov. 15, 2020, edition of Bartiromos program Sunday Morning Futures, where the legal duo made false statements about voter fraud claims promoted by Trump. In one conversation, Giuliani acknowledges that he had little evidence to back up the claims he discussed on the program. Giuliani is a target of a Georgia criminal investigation into possible illegal attempts by Trump and others to interfere in the 2020 general election in the state where Biden won by a slim margin. The former New York City mayor has denied any wrongdoing. Grossberg said the recordings were on her mobile phone, which were taken by Fox News lawyers so that her texts and emails could be submitted as evidence last year ahead of her deposition testimony. Her complaint said the conversations were not included because they would hurt the networks defense in the case. Fox News knew that these recordings went against its interests in relation to the claims in the Dominion Lawsuit, particularly with respect to proving actual malice, and therefore, upon information and belief, intentionally or recklessly withheld and/or failed to produce this damaging discovery, the court filing said. Grossbergs complaint, originally filed March 20, cites a recording made on or about Nov. 15, 2020, when Giuliani admitted to Bartiromo that the Trump campaign could not prove some of the allegations regarding Dominion. Giuliani and Powell had gone on Sunday Morning Futures, in which they said the company's machines used software that manipulated votes to rig the election for President Biden. The filing said that in the same recording, Bartiromo also questioned Powell before she taped an interview for the program. What's most important and most compelling that you would like to that you can get out this morning? Tell me. Were not rolling yet, Bartiromo said. Powell presented nothing of substance, and Bartiromo did not press her further. Grossberg's phone also contained a conversation with an official from the Trump campaign who said there was no evidence that there was any problem with the voting machines in Georgia. The official urged Bartiromo to discuss the Jan. 6, 2021, vote by Congress to certify the election and how it was the last chance to reverse the outcome in favor of Trump. The Jan. 6 vote was interrupted by rioting Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol. Davis ruled Tuesday that Dominion attorneys cannot discuss the insurrection in their presentation. The conversations were held in front of David Clark, the Fox News executive in charge of Bartiromos program at the time, and a control room full of staffers, according to the complaint. Grossberg, who most recently worked for the Fox News show "Tucker Carlson Tonight," was fired by Fox News after she filed her lawsuit. The company said she was free to make a legal claim but was in possession of privileged information and was not authorized to disclose it publicly. Once she did so in her lawsuit, her employment ended. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NEW PHILADELPHIA The 12-year-old who took a gun and ammunition to Welty Middle School on Feb. 2 will be on probation for a year after spending 90 days in a juvenile jail. Tuscarawas County Juvenile Judge Adam W. Wilgus sentenced the boy on Tuesday. He also gave him a term in the Ohio Department of Youth Services that could last from six months until the defendant reaches age 21. The judge suspended the commitment on the condition that the boy complies with terms of his probation. He will be on electronically monitored house arrest after his release from juvenile jail. Initial court appearance: Boy, 12, denies taking gun to Welty Middle School, judge continues detention The incident: Student, 12, arrested after gun found in backpack at New Philadelphia middle school The judge told the defendant that he was concerned that he did not appreciate the severity of his actions: taking a gun and two ammunition clips to school. "You could have lost your life or the life of someone else, and there's no going back from that," Wilgus said. The judge expressed gratitude that no one was hurt. "I had no intention of hurting anyone, sir," the boy said. "It was just stupid." He appeared in court by video link from the Muskingum County Juvenile Detention Center, where he has been since being arrested. The judge gave him credit against his jail sentence for 68 days already spent in the detention center. Wilgus ordered the forfeiture of the .22-caliber handgun. He told the defendant to have no contact with another boy involved in the incident. Why did the boy bring a gun to Welty Middle School? The judge said the boy traded one gun to another juvenile for a pair of shoes. The defendant told the judge he took the gun to school "just to be a showoff" to the other boy. Wilgus placed the youth in the protective custody of Tuscarawas County Job & Family Services. He told the boy's mother that he expects her to have in place counseling and a doctor for her son when he is released from the Muskingum County Juvenile Detention Center on May 2. He said he expects her to follow all the requirements put in place by Job & Family Services, or he will be placed in the agency's custody rather than her own. Story continues Wilgus chided the mother on Tuesday for not having in place a plan for how his son will spend his days following his release from incarceration, since he has been expelled from school for a year. The mother told the judge she thought her son would be able to enroll in online classes, and she did not make arrangements because she did not know when he would be released. She said she believed her father would be at home a lot. Attorney Donovan Hill, appointed as a guardian ad litem to represent the boy's interests in court, said he did not believe the defendant had been honest about the incident with him or his mother. He said counseling was essential, and said the defendant might find someone in counseling to trust enough to tell the truth. After the incident at the school, the boy's grandfather told the Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office that two guns had been stolen from his home. The defendant previously admitted to carrying a concealed weapon, inducing panic and illegal conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance in a school safety zone. Wilgus ordered the boy's mother to pay court costs. Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com. On Twitter: @nmolnarTR This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Boy, 12, gets jail sentence, house arrest for taking gun to school Brazil's government on Wednesday announced new restrictions on social media, aiming to curb an "epidemic" of violent school attacks one week after a hatchet-wielding assailant killed four children. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's justice minister, Flavio Dino, said that web sites will be ordered to take steps to ban content and users who "are promoting or supporting attacks or violence against schools." Social media companies will also be required to send data to police on all users sharing violent content, and block users who have been banned for sharing violent content from creating new profiles. Platforms that do not comply may be fined up to 12 million reais ($2.4 million) and possibly have their sites suspended by federal authorities, the minister said. Last Wednesday four children between four and seven years old were killed in a preschool in Blumenau, a city in southern Santa Catarina state, when a man carrying a hatchet stormed the facility. The murders shocked the South American country, where two other attacks on schools -- neither with fatalities -- occurred on Monday and Tuesday. "There is an emergency situation which has generated an epidemic of attacks, threats of attacks (and) panic among families and in schools," said Dino, who vowed a "close regulation" of social media in order to contain the threats. On social media sites and in groups on messaging services such as WhatsApp, users have speculated about potential new violence expected in Brazil on April 20, the anniversary of a 1999 massacre in the US state of Colorado, where shooters slaughtered 12 fellow students and a teacher in Columbine High School. According to Brazil's justice minister, federal authorities are recommending state and local police reinforce their patrols in coming days given the circulation of posts regarding April 20. The federal prosecutor's office, meanwhile, asked Twitter on Tuesday to disclose measures the social media giant is taking to reduce content related to inciting violence against schools. msi/db-mlm/des RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived Wednesday in China to strengthen ties with his nation's biggest trade partner and win support for his long shot push for peace in Ukraine. Lula wants Brazil, China and other nations to help mediate the war as part of his nation's return to the world stage, but his proposals to end the conflict have irked Ukraine and some in the West. Less controversial is the Brazilian and Chinese mutual interest in trade after a rocky period under Lula's predecessor. China and Brazil are expected to sign at least 20 bilateral agreements during Lulas two-day stay, according to the Brazilian government. Lula plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and meet with his counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, investment, reindustrialization, energy transition, climate change and peace agreements, the Brazilian government said. China is Brazils biggest export market, each year buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef, iron ore, poultry, pulp, sugar cane, cotton and crude oil. Brazil is the biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America, according to Chinese state media. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and members of his family at times caused friction with Chinese authorities during his 2019-2022 term. In 2020, when Bolsonaros lawmaker son Eduardo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil called his words an evil insult against China and the Chinese people. Later that year, Eduardo referred to the giant Chinese technology company Huawei as Chinese espionage, prompting a sharp rebuke from Chinas embassy. Last year, China did not have an ambassador in Brasilia for eight months. The rift stoked criticism in Brazil, even among sectors that supported Bolsonaro, like agribusiness. I want the Chinese to understand that their investment here will be wonderfully welcome, but not to buy our companies. To build new things, which we need, Lula told journalists in Brasilia on April 6. Story continues Chinese companies are involved in public works projects in Brazil, including a metro line in Sao Paulo, the countrys business capital. One of the agreements Lula will sign in China will be for construction of the sixth satellite built under a binational program, a satellite that would monitor biomes such as the Amazon rainforest. Brazil cant afford to turn its back on the benefits China brings. The U.S. doesnt have the capacity to absorb Brazils exports as China does, nor occupy the same space in investment and infrastructure, said Pedro Brites, an expert on China at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank in Sao Paulo. And China is encouraging its companies to find new markets and foreign partners to reduce reliance on the U.S. "Lula knows you have to treat your clients well. Even more so when it is your best client, said Charles Tang, who chairs the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce. In what Tang suggested was the result of a renewed partnership, China ended restrictions on Brazilian beef just before Lula was initially scheduled to make his trip. Sales of Brazilian beef to China were banned in February following the discovery of an atypical case of mad cow disease. Lulas visit to China, initially scheduled for March but canceled after he fell sick, is also an attempt by the leftist leader to reaffirm Brazils role on the global stage following Bolsonaros term, who admired right-wing nationalists and showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. Lula visited Argentina and Uruguay in January and the U.S. in February, signaling the importance he gives to international affairs, experts said. He toured the world during his first presidency, particularly in his second term, when he visited dozens of countries, and has visited China twice before. Lula is implementing the promise he made that Brazil is back, said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. China and Brazil are members of the BRICS group of developing countries and have pushed for changes in what they say is a U.S.-dominated system of managing global political affairs. Russia is also a BRICS member, and a key piece of Lulas outreach abroad is his proposal that Brazil and other developing countries, including China, mediate peace. Lula has irritated Ukraine and some in the West with his position on the war, most recently by suggesting during a meeting with journalists in Brasilia last week that Ukraine cede Crimea as a means to forge peace. Xi met with Putin last month, sending a message to U.S. and European leaders that their condemnation of Russias invasion is not unanimous. Earlier this month, a Lula adviser, former foreign affairs minister Celso Amorim, took a discreet trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Amorim "went to listen and to say the time has come to talk, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told reporters in the capital, Brasilia, on April 5. There is at least some common ground. Vieira noted that the Chinese peace proposal presented in February contains aspects in common with Lulas, such as ceasing hostilities and starting negotiations. These are completely plausible and may be stimulus for talks, he said. ___ Bridi reported from Brasilia. Associated Press writers Joe McDonald in Beijing and Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo and AP researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report. The flag of Brazil Read also: Russia offers North Korea food in exchange for ammunition According to the report, German officials reached out to Brazil in 2022 with a request for ammunition Germany previously sold to Brazil. The response was unequivocal: not if it will end up in Ukraine. Being rather dependent on Russia for shipments of fertilizers and fuel, Brazil made it clear it wont supply Ukraine with weapons. I dont want to enter the war; I want to end it, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said earlier this year. Read also: Netanyahu says Israel has made no decision on supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine The recent leak of alleged Pentagon papers suggests Ukraine is in urgent need for more weapons to withstand Russian aggression, particularly when it comes to air defense systems something Brazil is in a position to supply. Making use of Brazils freedom of information laws, the NYT determined that authorities have refused at least two Ukrainian requests for armored vehicles, warplanes, AA systems, mortars, and other weapons. Read also: Chubarov says Russia placing nuclear weapons in Crimea would be step to nuclear war The report notes that Brazilian companies like Embraer also manufacture fighter jets, which at the top of Ukraines current military needs. Developing countries, such as Brazil, tend to make weapons that are cheaper to produce and maintain, compared to their U.S.-made counterparts. Read also: Ukraine does not trade its territories Ukraine to Brazil about Crimea And while Brazil maintains its foreign policy aims to remain friendly will all countries, it has a history of supplying weapons to warring states. Since the conflict in Yemen began in 2014, Brazil supplied Saudi Arabia and the UAE with $680 million in weapon and ammunition shipments, according to available trade data. 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 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva promised Thursday that "Brazil is back!" during a state visit to China aimed at strengthening trade ties and winning support for his push for peace in Ukraine. The veteran leftist, who arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday night, is seeking to reposition Brazil as a key global player after four years of relative isolation under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. "The time when Brazil was absent from major world decisions is in the past," Lula said at a ceremony to inaugurate his political ally Dilma Rousseff as president of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB). "We are back on the international stage, after an inexplicable absence." Lula will spend Thursday in Shanghai before heading to the Chinese capital to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping, with whom he is expected to discuss the Ukraine war on Friday. Both China and Brazil have positioned themselves as mediators in the conflict, despite Western concerns that they are overly cosy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. - Trade ties - The Shanghai leg of Lula's trip has highlighted another key goal of the visit -- to deepen economic links between the two countries. China is Brazil's biggest export market, buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef and iron ore. Rousseff, a former leader of Brazil, will head the NDB, a multilateral lender jointly set up by Brazil, China, Russia, India and South Africa, until 2025. After the inauguration ceremony, Lula visited a research centre run by Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Video on the official Brazilian presidential Twitter account showed Lula being greeted by musicians in traditional dress playing classical Chinese instruments. Huawei's chair then walked him through an exhibition showcasing the company's extensive presence in Brazil -- a contrast with the United States, where companies are effectively barred from doing business with the firm. Lula later tweeted that he had been given a presentation on 5G and solutions in telemedicine, education and connectivity, describing it as "a very strong investment in research and education". Story continues He was also set to meet the head of China's biggest electric carmaker BYD, which said in October that it planned to set up a vehicle manufacturing plant in northern Brazil's Bahia after Ford Motors closed its factory there. The company is already making electric buses and cars in Brazil for the Latin American market. - Smoothing relations - Back in office from January after having led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, Lula is seeking to smooth relations with China, after ties deteriorated under Bolsonaro. He was initially scheduled to make the trip in late March but had to postpone it after coming down with pneumonia. About 40 high-level officials are accompanying him on the rescheduled visit, including cabinet ministers, governors and members of Congress. In a delicate balancing act, he is also seeking closer ties with the United States, Brazil's second-biggest trading partner. His visit with Xi comes after a high-profile White House meeting with President Joe Biden in February. lg-prw-pfc/je/lb Two Fresno City Council members are slapping back at the county of Fresno, filing a motion in Fresno County Superior Court asking a judge to find unconstitutional a county ordinance limiting what they can transfer into their pending campaigns for county office. Sacramento attorney Brian Hildreth filed court documents late last week in response to Fresno Countys lawsuit against Garry Bredefeld and Luis Chavez, who have both announced their intentions to seek different seats on the countys Board of Supervisors in 2024 and to use their substantial City Council campaign treasuries to boost their respective election runs in 2024. Bredefeld, who will be midway through his second four-year term on the Fresno City Council representing northeast Fresno, and Chavez, who represents southeast Fresno, said in court documents that the countys lawsuit filed against them in March is subject to Californias anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) law because the Countys attempted restriction on (their) campaign expenditures is an unconstitutional restraint on (their) right of free speech. Fresno County adopted an ordinance in August 2020 that put a $30,000 cap on transfers or contributions from a candidates campaign account for non-county elective offices into their campaign for county offices including the county Board of Supervisors. In its lawsuit against Bredefeld and Chavez, the county is asking a court for declaratory relief and decide whether that limit can indeed be applied. There is an urgent need for a speedy trial on the proper interpretation of the Fresno County ordinances to avoid violations of the ordinances by Bredefeld and Chavez and to avoid any uncertainty or unfairness in the upcoming 2024 elections, Fresno County Counsel Daniel Cederborg wrote in the countys March 3 complaint. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Skiles is expected to hear arguments in the case on May 4. Bredefeld announced in February his plans to challenge Brandau for the District 2 seat on the Board of Supervisors, the same day that longtime Assembly Member Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, said that he was dropping out of his previously announced challenge to Brandau. Story continues With days of Bredefelds announcement, Chavez unveiled his candidacy to run against Quintero, his former boss when Quintero was a member of the Fresno City Council. Legitimate finance limits or a burden on free speech? Bredefeld and Chavez have both proclaimed their plans to shift money from their existing city council war chests to their respective supervisorial campaigns about $223,000 for Bredefeld, $110,000 for Chavez in defiance of the countys $30,000 transfer limit. Those public declarations triggered the countys legal action. The countys case, Cederborg said in court documents, is based on 2019 changes to state election law that required local government agencies to either establish their own campaign contribution limits or become subject to the limits and regulations applicable to statewide candidates. But the countys $30,000 limit does not apply to current county officeholders. That means that Supervisor Steve Brandau, who is being challenged by Bredefeld, and Supervisor Sal Quintero, who Chavez is hoping to unseat, would be able to roll their previous campaign treasuries into their 2024 re-election efforts. Hildreth noted in court documents that Supervisor Brian Pacheco, who was re-elected last summer to his seat representing part of western Fresno County, wrapped up his campaign with almost $420,000 in his 2022 account. Shortly after filing his closing paperwork for the June 2022 primary, Pacheco filed additional campaign paperwork to use those campaign funds for his 2026 reelection campaign. Bredefeld has described the county ordinance as an incumbent protection scheme, while Chavez said the countys lawsuit against the pair is a witch hunt. While Fresno County has banned intra-candidate transfers for outsider candidates, it allows incumbent members of the Board of Supervisors to use prior campaign funds in unlimited amounts to fund future campaigns, Hildreth asserted in the Bredefeld-Chavez motion. Thus, while the County Board of Supervisors wants outsiders severely limited when using prior campaign funds, they have no problem allowing themselves to use it without any limitation. According to an FPPC fact sheet on the state law, beginning Jan. 1, 2021, candidates may transfer non-surplus campaign funds from one candidate-controlled committee to another committee controlled by the same candidate for a different office if the committee receiving the transfer is for an elective state, county or city office. However, this provision doesnt apply to cities or counties such as Fresno County that have already enacted campaign contribution limits. Fresno County adopted its ordinance in 2019 and it took effect at the beginning of 2020. Bredefeld and Chavez, however, contend in their motion that the county is incorrectly interpreting the state law, noting that established legal precedent holds that the Countys attempted restriction on Defendants campaign expenditures is an unconstitutional restraint on Defendants right of free speech as well as the Constitutions equal protection clause. Princess Shaw, holding her daughter Chloe, speaks at a public meeting of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability held at the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Chicago on April 11, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The first meeting to solicit public comment on who should next lead the Chicago Police Department was held in the Austin neighborhood Tuesday evening, as West Side residents told members of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability that the next police boss should have strong ties to the city and have familiarity with the department. One potential applicant was front of mind: retired CPD Chief Ernest Cato III. Advertisement Over the course of the two-hour meeting, 16 speakers longtime residents, a teenager, current and former police officers told commission President Anthony Driver Jr. and Remel Terry, another commission member, that Cato has proven himself to be a community-focused law enforcement officer who knows and cares about the city. I have been in meetings with officers whove been under his command and I hear them share something that he has taught them, and that speaks to his leadership, said Arewa Karen Winters, a member of the 15th District Council whose great-nephew was shot and killed by a CPD officer in 2016. Advertisement I believe he deserves this extraordinary opportunity to lead the second-largest police agency in the country and earned the chance to help transform the narrative of what public safety truly means, Winters said. Another speaker, Claudia Montoya, told Driver and Terry that Cato is a man that exudes integrity, trust and understanding. Driver later addressed the 80 or so attendees to ask how many of them supported Cato. About 30 people raised their hands. Miller Rodgers speaks at a public meeting of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability held at Kehrein Center for the Arts in Chicago on April 11, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Cato was a finalist for the superintendent job in 2020, though Mayor Lori Lightfoot eventually offered the job to David Brown, the former chief of police in Dallas. Cato, who joined the CPD in 1992, was the chief of Area 4 on the West Side when he abruptly retired from the department last year at age 57. Cato also previously served as the commander of the Austin District, among other assignments. Reached by phone Wednesday, Cato declined to comment. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Tuesdays meeting was the first of four in which the commission will solicit feedback from residents about what they want in the next CPD leader. The next meeting is scheduled for April 19 at St. Sabina Catholic Church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side. The CPD superintendent job opened up last month when Brown announced his resignation just a day after Lightfoot failed to make the runoff election. Browns nearly three years leading the CPD were marked by a sharp increase in violent crime citywide, tanking morale among rank-and-file officers and lagging compliance with the CPDs consent decree, a series of mandated reforms that were born out of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014. Advertisement The July 2021 creation of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability altered the procedure by which a new CPD superintendent is selected. In the past, the Chicago Police Board would submit three finalists for the job. The mayor would then choose one of those three, and the selected candidate would then require approval by the City Council. Now, the newly created commission will narrow the field of candidates before submitting three finalists in mid-July to Brandon Johnson, who will be sworn in as mayor in May. Driver has vowed to keep the search process as public as possible. The commission was created to inject the communitys voice into public safety, Driver recently told the Tribune. (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire) Millions of workers in Britain will be about 1,300 worse off a year due to Brexit, leading experts have said. They highlighted the blow to peoples income, compared with what it would likely have been if the UK had not quit the European Union, its biggest trading partner. US president Joe Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were holding talks in Belfast today, with Brexit and the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland trade expected to be on the agenda. But claims by Brexiteers before the 2016 referendum that a US-UK trade deal would be quickly struck to make up for the lost trade with the EU have turned out to be false. The Governments economic watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, has said that the post-Brexit trading deal reached with the EU will reduce Britains long-run productivity by some four per cent, compared with if the UK had remained in the bloc. It added that both exports and imports will be around 15 per cent lower in the long run than if Britain had stayed in the EU. John Springford, deputy director at the Centre for European Reform, told the Standard: Britains productivity determines how much money people are paid. So a full-time worker with average earnings will be about 1,300 worse off a year as a result of Brexit. The OBRs estimate of the Brexit hit is the average of a range of forecasts undertaken by reputable economists, and isnt definitive. The impact in the long run could be less, or more, than the OBR thinks. But if its right, the impact of Brexit on peoples earnings will be substantial. Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: Most analysis, including that of the OBR, suggests that our productivity and economic output will fall by around 4% as a result of leaving the single market. What does that mean? Well in the long run we will all be about that much worse off on average, so people on average sorts of earnings might be 1,000 to 1,500 worse off (before tax) than they otherwise would have been. Of course it also means less money for public services like health and education. Story continues The International Monetary Fund yesterday forecast that only Italy is set to have worse economic growth than Britain next year, with UK output projected to fall 0.3 per cent this year and then growing by one per cent in 2024. Rishi Sunak has refused to acknowledge the economic blow to Britain from Brexit. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has accepted there are some harms from quitting the EU as well as benefits. A Treasury spokesperson said: Since leaving the single market, the UK has grown faster than France and Germany. The Government is making the most of our Brexit freedoms to grow the economy, including ambitious financial services sector reforms which will unlock over 100 billion of investment, and we are reviewing EU-derived rules in other critical growth sectors this year. However, there are fears that the City is now losing business to New York and other financial centres. Downing Street yesterday failed to give any reassurances that progress would be made on a US-UK trade pact by next year. As Britains trade with the EU has been hit, ministers are hailing joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership which includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. But the Governments own analysis suggest CPTPP membership will only boost the UKs GDP by 0.08 per cent. Ministers insist it could be far bigger as more countries join. Brooke Shields and Keith Carradine at the 2008 Tony Awards. Brooke Shields and Keith Carradine at the 2008 Tony Awards. Brooke Shields is praising an adult who she says took such good care of her when she was being sexualized as a child actor. The Suddenly Susan star said on The Drew Barrymore Show Tuesday that she felt male filmmakers exploited her when she was a kid. It was about these males needing me to be in a certain category [of beauty] to serve their story. And it never was about me, Shields said. It was never protective of me. It was fun and loving at times, but it was I was just there. I was a pawn. But Brookes credited one man in Hollywood who didnt fit that description: her Pretty Baby co-star Keith Carradine. Shields was 11 when she starred as a child exploited by the sex trade in the controversial 1978 film. Carradine, now 73, was in his late 20s when he played a man who ends up marrying Shields character. Shields told Barrymore that her first kiss was the one her and Carradines characters shared in Pretty Baby. Keith Carradine took such good care of me, Shields said. She told Barrymore what Carradine said to her before they shot their kissing scene: He looked at me and he said, You know, this doesnt count as a first kiss. That was gracious and protective and caring on a level that I dont even think I knew at the time, Shields said, adding that up to that point she had never kissed a boy before. Shields elaborates on shooting the kissing scene in her Hulu documentary, also called Pretty Baby, which was released earlier this month. In the documentary, Shields says she struggled while filming the intimate scene, and that the movies director, Louis Malle, was callous about her unease. Shields says she kept scrunching up her face in revulsion during each take, for which Malle reprimanded her. Eventually, Carradine asked to take a beat, pulled Shields aside and soothed her by telling her that it was pretend and make-believe which was exactly what she needed to hear to get through the scene. Story continues In an interview with Rolling Stone, the documentarys director, Lana Wilson, said: This is a moment I wanted to feature and unpack because, even if child Brooke was fully cognizant of the role she was playing, and even if she realized that acting was pretend, I cant help but think: This is an actual 11-year-old girl having to kiss an actual 29-year-old man. That inescapably is real, Wilson went on. And the impact of that is real, too. 11-year-old Brooke expressed discomfort during the filming of this moment, but that discomfort was not taken seriously by the director. Related... Brooke Shields at the New York premiere of Brooke Shields at the New York premiere of "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields" on March 29. Brooke Shields and Drew Barrymore are commiserating about their overbearing mothers. The former child actors emotionally chronicled their youths in the limelight during Tuesdays episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, where the host revealed her mother wanted to be with the people I was with and asked if Shields mother, Teri Shields, did the same to her. No, because she was in love with me, Shields told Barrymore during the interview. I was her main focus. And both of us were gonna be cut off from our sexuality. I was gonna stay a virgin. She was going to be just Teri Terrific. Barrymore, who shot to worldwide fame after starring in Steven Spielbergs 1982 classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, claimed her own mother, Jaid Barrymore, was so enamored with her famous daughter that she wanted to date Barrymores Hollywood flings herself. I dont get it, but I get it, Shields commiserated. Its so layered and its so needy. And its so sad and broken. Shields has been on a press run for Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, a Hulu documentary named after a 1978 film in which she played a 12-year-old who is abused in the sex trade, and recently reflected on posing for infamously suggestive Calvin Klein ads in her youth and participating in exploitative interviews. Barrymore and Shields have known each other for decades and had similar childhoods. Barrymore and Shields have known each other for decades and had similar childhoods. We all were aspiring to get approval from our mommies and daddies, Shields told Barrymore during their conversation. You either spend your life running away from, running towards, trying to not be like, trying to be like, your mother, she continued. And its primal. And you gotta go through the process of it. And its just a lot of work. Shields told Barrymore that her mother sat in during every interview she gave as a child star. Shields, who revealed last month that she was sexually assaulted in her 20s by a powerful Hollywood executive, said her mom was adamant. Story continues No ones going to get you, Shields said of her mothers mission. Im going to be there. Im there first. Youre mine. Im not going to give you to somebody. Under the guise of protection, but it was more ownership and fear, I think. Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields is available on Hulu. Related... After an awkward discussion that stretched for nearly three hours, the Broward School Board voted 5-2 on Tuesday to postpone a decision on whether to investigate allegations that two board members inappropriately touched a student and a staff member in separate incidents. The details of the touching incidents remain unclear, but the board members facing the allegations are Brenda Fam, who represents District 6, and Allen Zeman, who represents the entire county through the at-large Seat 8. Fam faces accusations that she inappropriately touched an 18-year-old student on the buttocks in late March at an awards banquet at the Signature Grand in Davie, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Fam said that she inadvertently brushed against someone with her hand, but didnt specify where on the body it was. Last week, she told the Herald she would cooperate with an investigation. In Zemans case, a male employee told then-Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright in December that Zeman had hit him in the buttocks during a meeting, but he didnt wish to file a complaint, the Sun Sentinel reported. Cartwright and the board mutually parted ways at the end of January. Zeman, in an interview last week with the Herald, called the incident a nothingburger. FROM LAST WEEK: Two Broward School Board members face touching allegations; chair calls for investigation On Tuesday, Interim Superintendent Earlean Smiley didnt provide details about the cases and didnt specify how the complaints escalated. She said one case involved a written complaint and the other a verbal one. Both cases had willing witnesses, she noted, and one was reported to a school resource officer. The board postponed its decision on hiring an external investigator to look into the allegations until a special meeting next Tuesday, April 18. The board voted to require Marylin Batista, interim general counsel for Broward schools, to attend that meeting and asked her to recommend future actions. Story continues Batista couldnt attend Tuesdays meeting because she was on vacation, said John Sullivan, a district spokesman. Batistas vacation an issue The board members in favor of pushing back the issue Torey Alston, Lori Alhadeff, Jeff Holness, Sarah Leonardi and Daniel Foganholi pointed to Batistas absence as the main reason to delay the vote on the investigation. Without her, they said they didnt have all of the information. The two who dissented in the 5-2 vote were board member Nora Rupert and board vice chair Debra Hixon. Batista was the only top district employee who worked closely with both Cartwright and Smiley during the time the allegations surfaced. In February, Batista told the South Florida Sun Sentinel she found the Zeman allegations to be without merit. I think its important for us to have all of the facts, all of the information, said Alhadeff, the boards chair. Theres holes right now, and we need to be able to look at this with confidence and then make a decision. The Tuesday meeting grew confusing at times not only because of Batistas absence but also because Batistas substitute, Kathelyn M. Jacques-Adams, told board members not to mention the names of their fellow board members involved in the alleged incidents nor the names of the alleged victims. Alhadeff also asked audience members to not name any board members, not even those facing allegations. READ MORE: Broward School Board moves forward with superintendent search. Want to weigh in on it? Foganholi argued the issue should be thrown out completely a position the vast majority of the people present at the meeting supported. Holness tried to throw out Zemans case but keep Fams saying Zemans alleged victim hadnt filed a complaint and Fams had. Alston accused Holness and Leonardi, the sole board member who supported Holness, of politicizing the issue. Both Holness and Leonardi denied it. Hixon said the board doesnt have all of the information it needs before deciding on the scope of the investigation. READ MORE: Spectacular in every way. Heres the winner of the Miami Heralds Honor Roll poll Were not here to make judgment on anyone. Were here for an item to have an investigator look to see if theres a concern. Waiting a week isnt going to change whether we should have an investigator or not there was an incident, Hixon said. Rupert, for her part, argued the board needed to launch the investigation immediately on both incidents. She pointed to her own case: In 2016, she and then-board member Robin Bartleman were accused by an employee of harassment but were cleared by the investigator. As somebody who was accused, it was horrifying, but it was the right thing to do and I think that we need to do this, she said. What do Zeman, Fam think of the allegations? Zeman didnt comment or vote during the Tuesday meeting because state law requires him to recuse himself. Last week, he told the Herald every complaint must be listened to, but noted the employee involved hadnt filed a complaint in the alleged incident concerning him. Fam didnt attend the meeting because she said she needed to go to the emergency room. READ MORE: Critics say voucher law will hurt public schools yet 3 School Board members at signing Was diagnosed with pneumonia and will be on bed rest for a few weeks, she told a Herald reporter. She directed questions to her attorney, David Bogenschutz, who didnt respond to a request for comment from the Herald. CLEVELAND (AP) Cleveland Browns second-year defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey was arrested in Texas on a misdemeanor assault charge earlier this week for allegedly causing bodily harm to a woman he was dating. According to Harris County court records, Winfrey was arrested at 7 p.m. Monday and charged with one count of assault. He was freed on $1,000 bond and told not to have contact with the complainant. A Browns spokesman said the team was aware of the situation and gathering more information. The official complaint said that Winfrey unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury to the woman by grabbing and pulling her with his hand. Due to the relationship, the charge was classified as an assault of a family member. A fourth-round draft pick by Cleveland in 2022, Winfrey was disciplined at least twice by the team last season for immature behavior. He played in 13 games, recording 22 tackles. After sitting out in Week 2 and being held out of practices, Winfrey had said he had turned a corner. I just feel like it was something that I needed to mature, Winfrey said. I feel like I wouldnt be the player that Im going to be now if it had not happened, so Im glad that it happened. Everything happens for a reason in my eyes. Winfrey had been expected to attend the team's voluntary offseason program next week. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Worcester firefighters put out a brush fire that burned about an acre behind houses on Harrington Way, near North High School, on Wednesday. Firefighters in Leominster, among other communities in Massachusetts, are contending with wind-driven brush fires. Meantime, the National Weather Service has declared a Red Flag Warning from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday for all of Massachusetts, except for Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard. Very dry conditions and gusty winds have resulted in potentially critical fire conditions. Crews from several communities were on the scene of a brush fire off Route 2 in Leominster at noon Wednesday. One lane on the eastbound side of the highway was closed. In Sturbridge, firefighters were battling a brush fire off Interstate 84 on Wednesday. One lane is closed on the westbound side of the highway. In Marlborough on Tuesday, firefighters battled a brush fire in Ward Park. Marlborough Firefighter Alex Peckham helps to extinguish a brush fire between South Street and Liberty Street Tuesday afternoon. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Brush fire on Route 2 slows traffic OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Billionaire Warren Buffett assured investors Wednesday that Berkshire Hathaway will be fine when he's no longer around to lead the conglomerate. Buffett said that after Vice Chairman Greg Abel takes over, Berkshire will still follow the same model of allowing its subsidiaries to largely run themselves while looking for other companies to buy with the substantial cash reserves it keeps on hand at all times. The problem for our board of directors is the day Im not around and Gregs running it, I am not giving him some envelope that tells him what to do next, Buffett said. Buffett said Berkshire is so damn lucky to have Abel ready to take over as CEO. The 92-year-old says he has no plans to retire, but Abel has been designated as the successor ever since Buffett's partner Charlie Munger let it slip at the 2021 annual meeting. Abel already oversees all of Berkshire's non-insurance businesses. Buffett and Abel appeared together Wednesday on CNBC from Tokyo where they are checking on several companies Berkshire has invested in, and to promote the conglomerate Buffett leads. Wednesdays appearance was the first extended television interview Buffett has done since before the pandemic. He used to regularly appear on the cable business news network to answer questions for three hours at a time, several times a year. Buffett and Abel fielded a variety of questions Wednesday, including regarding the recent bank failures and whether railroads, including Berkshire's BNSF railroad, need to improve safety in the wake of several recent high-profile derailments. Buffett said more banks will fail over time because some managers will continue to do dumb things to boost short-term profits, but most people shouldn't worry because their money is protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which is paid for by the banks not the federal government. Were not over bank failures, but depositors havent had a crisis, Buffett said. Banks go bust, but depositors arent going to be hurt. Story continues Berkshire sold off most of its bank investments in recent years except for a major Bank of America stake because of Buffett's concerns. I dont like it when people get too focused on the earnings number and forget what in my view is basic banking principles, he said. There has been an intense focus on improving railroad safety in the wake of the fiery Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment outside East Palestine, Ohio, that prompted evacuations and lingering health concerns after hazardous chemicals were released. Buffett said Norfolk Southern handled it terribly and was tone deaf in their initial response to that derailment. He pointed out that after a recent BNSF derailment, CEO Katie Farmer was on a plane right away to respond to the crash. Norfolk Southern's CEO Alan Shaw has repeatedly promised to make things right in East Palestine, but he was slow to meet with residents after the derailment and the railroad missed one of the initial community meetings to answer residents' questions. Norfolk Southern didn't respond directly to Buffett's comments, but a spokesman noted that Shaw was in East Palestine in the days right after the derailment when officials decided to release chemicals from several tank cars and burn them to prevent an explosion. Buffett and Abel said it's impossible to ensure there will be no derailments because of everything that's involved in running a railroad in all sorts of conditions, but the industry is generally getting safer over time, and it will get better now. Theres no question theres lessons to be learned for the industry as a whole and theres room for improvement, Abel said. Addressing the broader economy, Buffett said inflation remains a concern and that the reports he sees from Berkshire's businesses point to a economic slowdown. But he reiterated his longstanding philosophy that Berkshire doesn't make investing decisions based on macroeconomic factors. We havent changed our course in 58 years," Buffett said. "We want to buy good businesses that are run by people we like and trust at a decent price, and well keep doing that. And well keep buying treasury bills every Monday. Buffett did reconsider a $4 billion investment he made last year in chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor after he said he re-evaluated the geopolitical risk that China could intervene in that country and disrupt the company's operations. But Buffett remains one of Apple's biggest backers even though that company relies heavily on Chinese suppliers because he believes that most iPhone users would refuse to give up their Apple devices even if someone offered them $10,000. That customer loyalty makes Apple, which is Berkshire's biggest investment, attractive. The famously tech-averse Buffett said thanks to his longtime friendship with Bill Gates, he did have a chance to play around with one of the latest artificial intelligence tools, ChatGPT, a few months ago. He came away impressed after asking ChatGPT to rewrite the song My Way in Spanish, but unsure about the implications of the technology. I think this is extraordinary, but I dont know if it is beneficial, he said. One thing Buffett is pretty sure is a bad idea is Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He said people are essentially gambling on cryptocurrencies that he doesn't believe have much value, but he can't predict when the speculation driving those prices up will end. Ive seen people do stupid things all my life, he said. Berkshire owns dozens of businesses besides BNSF, including Geico insurance, a number of large utilities and an assortment of manufacturing and retail businesses. It also holds more than $300 billion of investments, including major stakes in Occidental Petroleum and Coca-Cola. Butler police Chief Eric Winbigler said a man was in custody Tuesday after being accused of shooting at at least one vehicle. BUTLER A Butler man accused of firing at passing vehicles and then at police officers has been arrested. The incident started around 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Butler police Chief Eric Winbigler. The suspect fired at least one shot at a vehicle with a long firearm, Winbigler said, declining to identify the weapon. No one was injured, he said Tuesday afternoon outside the suspect's house in the area of 132 Cleveland Ave. in the village. The round had not yet been found. "At about 6 o'clock in the morning we had a phone call, a dispatch call, for an individual walking up and down the sidewalk with a long-arm firearm. We went ahead and checked the area and found there was indeed an individual walking around with a long arm, actively pointing it at cars going by. We attempted to make contact with the individual and he took off running and went into the house behind me," Winbigler said, standing outside the home on Cleveland Avenue Tuesday. Butler and Bellville police officers arriving at the scene were met with gunfire, Winbigler said in a news release Tuesday evening. Additional units from the Richland County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Highway Patrol were called to the scene. At the scene Tuesday, Winbigler said the suspect "kind of barricaded himself for awhile." "We were able to make contact with him and he had a little change of mind as to what direction he wanted this incident to go," he said. A search warrant was obtained for suspect's residence and law enforcement seized multiple firearms, drugs and drug paraphernalia, Winbigler said. Butler Elementary School was delayed about an hour. Cleveland Avenue was shut down about 45 minutes while officers, with the assistance of deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Office, scoured the village looking for the man, Winbigler said. The suspect, who police did not immediately identify, was taken to the Richland County Jail on a charge of disorderly conduct, Winbigler said. The suspect has felony charges pending, he added, saying he has spoken with the Richland County Prosecutor's Office about what those charges will be. Story continues Butler police officers, with the help of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, brought out items from the apartment house on Tuesday afternoon. After 7 p.m., the Ashland County Sheriff's Office bomb squad retrieved several items of question, the chief added. "It seems to be an isolated incident and there is no danger at this point in time," Winbigler told the media, asking them to relay the information for the community of Butler. "I also want to ensure that their safety is of our primary concern and we appreciate the understanding as we navigated a delicate situation," he said. Winbigler said he wanted to thank all the responding officers for their assistance and professionalism throughout this event. lwhitmir@gannett.com 419-521-7223 Twitter: @LWhitmir This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Butler man accused of firing at passing cars, then at police officers California legislators advanced a bill Tuesday that would make social media companies liable for designing platforms that addict young people and expose them to harmful information. Yet even members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who supported the measure expressed concerns that it was too broad and not clear enough in some areas. I think that theres plenty of work that needs to be done, said Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, who chairs the committee. SB 287 prohibits social media companies from using designs, features and algorithms that they know lead people younger than 18 to become addicted to their platforms. They would be liable if children develop an eating disorder, or receive information related to buying controlled substances, firearms or dying by suicide. The bill is the latest attempt from California lawmakers to hold technology companies accountable for the increasing mental health challenges faced by young people, particularly girls. Tuesdays hearing included emotional support for the measure. Sophie Szew, 20, described how she developed an eating disorder after signing up for an Instagram account when she was 10. Standing with me today are millions of young people whose worlds were destroyed because social media companies knowingly and negligently risk our lives for the sake of profit, Szew said. And capitalize upon our vulnerability. Other moments were marked by the minutiae of crafting a bill on a complicated topic; Senators stopped to ponder how best to define addiction, message and content. Those answers are critical for a measure that faces strong opposition from major companies and is likely to be challenged in court if it passes. We need to get it right, said Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita. Dylan Hoffman, of the technology trade group TechNet, warned the bill would not hold up to legal scrutiny under the First Amendment. The organization represents major social media companies including those that own Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, according to its website. Story continues Were very open that we need to be better, said Hoffman, who oversees TechNets lobbying in California. But this bill is not well crafted to solving that problem. Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, acknowledged the proposal has a long way to go. During the hearing, she announced an amendment that would allow only the California Attorney General, district attorneys, and attorneys for counties and cities to bring lawsuits. That is in line with a similar proposal introduced last year that also attempted to make social media companies liable. The bill ultimately died in a Senate committee after also facing stiff opposition. I am committed to continue to work on this, Skinner told her colleagues. Still, the change wasnt enough to allay concerns about the measure. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. A California Democrat is continuing a years-long push to impose a state tax on guns and ammunition that lawmakers have long debated with little success. Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Woodland Hills, authored a bill that would levy an 11% excise tax on firearm dealers, manufacturers and ammunition vendors for receipts on guns, gun parts and ammunition. The measure would create the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Fund at the state Treasurers Office, which would distribute the money to various violence prevention initiatives. It would take effect in January 2024. Gun owners already pay a federal tax of 10 to 11% on firearms and ammunition, with the proceeds going to wildlife conservation efforts. Gun rights advocates call the state proposal punitive. The Assembly Public Safety Committee approved Gabriels bill, with members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America showing their support in the audience. We are talking about a very modest tax here that would simply ... put human life on the same equal playing field that we now have for funding there for wildlife, Gabriel said during the committee hearing. Which to me, seems absolutely common sense. Gabriel has taken up the gun tax mantle from former Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, who tried multiple times to pass a similar bill. Levines most recent attempt failed on the Senate floor in August 2022. Mike McLively, director of the Giffords Center for Violence Intervention, said the tax is appropriate, given increasing amounts of gun violence and significant firearm industry profits. The firearm industry sells products that are regularly stolen and diverted to illegal markets and otherwise used to kill and injure tens of thousands of Californians every single year, McLively said. Its more than reasonable to ask the industry to pay a modest amount of its record profits to help mitigate the extreme harm that is done by its products. Representatives from the National Rifle Association and the California Waterfowl Association told committee members the tax unfairly punishes law-abiding firearm owners and hunters. Story continues NRA Western Regional director Dan Reid said, if passed, the tax would be met with a legal challenge it wouldnt survive. This tax is punitive in nature, Reid said. Its separating out gun owners because theyre exercising their constitutional right. And this is a matter of public safety. And matters of public safety should be borne by the public as a whole. Committee members were supportive of Gabriels bill. Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, pointed out Gabriels gun excise tax would be lower than the states current 15% cannabis excise tax. Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, commended lawmakers for their willingness to consider gun legislation, saying it makes (him) proud to be in California. If we were in Tennessee, I would be kicked out of the state Legislature right now, Jones-Sawyer said, referring to two lawmakers who were expelled from the states House of Representatives for participating in gun control protests. In Tennessee, you cant even get this far with legislation. So we should be really proud about what were doing here in California. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore face the roaring delegates at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in 1996. (Jose More/Chicago Tribune) Chicago was selected Tuesday to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison will join local Democratic leaders - including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson - for a press conference Wednesday to discuss the selection. The press conference will be held at the Shedd Aquarium and is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Watch the livestream below: Chicago, which last hosted the convention in 1996, was selected over Atlanta and New York to host the anticipated renomination of President Joe Biden. Though the choice was announced by the Democratic National Committee, the selection rested with Biden. The president, in a statement, called Chicago a great choice for the convention as the DNC cited a Midwestern blue wall of states Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota as crucial to Bidens 2020 victory and to Democratic midterm victories last year. [ [Dont miss] Chicagos history with hosting Democratic and Republican conventions dates back to 1860 ] A photo appears to show Yue Yu, a dermatologist and wife of Jack Chen, pouring out Drano. Chen alleged that Yu was trying to poison him. Jack Chen A husband accused his wife of poisoning his tea with Drano a few times, leading to stomach ulcers. A grand jury indicted the wife, Yue "Emily" Yu, on charges of poisoning and domestic battery. Yu's lawyers claimed the Drano was for an ant infestation. A Southern California doctor accused of spiking her husband's tea with Drano was not trying to poison her spouse but, instead, attempting to address an ant infestation, her lawyers claimed. Yue "Emily" Yu, an Orange County-based dermatologist, was arrested last year after her husband, Jack Chen, accused her of poisoning his hot tea with Drano on three separate occasions. Chen's suspicions of poisoning around March and April of last year led him to set up cameras in the kitchen to attempt to catch Yu in the act, according to the restraining order documents. Photo of Drano Jack Chen alleged was used by his wife Yue Yu to poison him. Jack Chen But Yu's lawyers, Scott Simmons and David Dworakowski, are claiming that Yu was trying to address an ant infestation and that accusations of poisoning her husband, along with video footage that claims to show Yu pouring liquid cleaner into a cup, are false and misrepresented. "She does pour the Drano in the cup three times to kill the ants. That's not disputed," Simmons told ABC 7. "She absolutely poured the Drano in the cup." Simmons and Dworakowski did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chen's attorney, Steve Hittelman, told Insider on behalf of his client that the household "did not have an ant problem." "This is the first time he's even heard of using Drano in a cup that somebody was drinking from to somehow keep ants away from someone," Hittelman said. Dworakowski told The New York Post that Yu was relying on "unconventional methods" to get rid of the ants. Chen filed for divorce and requested a restraining order last year against Yu after he became suspicious of a "chemical taste" in his hot tea around March and April of last year, court documents stated. Story continues According to the documents, Chen, who is a radiologist, visited a doctor to examine symptoms he began to develop and learned he had two stomach ulcers, gastritis, and esophagitis. Photo appears to show Yue Yu pouring contents out of a bright orange jug by the dining table. Jack Chen "Based upon the diagnosis and my suspicions about the chemical taste, I put cameras in our kitchen," Chen said in his restraining order request. "I obtained footage of Emily poisoning me on three occasions." The Orange County District Attorney's Office is also using the footage in its case against Yu. An Orange County grand jury indicted Yu on April 5 on three felony counts of poisoning and one felony count of domestic battery. "On July 11, July 18, and July 25, 2022, video captured Yue Yu pouring a substance out of a bottle of liquid drain cleaner into her husband's tea that was left on the counter," the DA's office said in a news release of the indictment. Simmons told ABC7 that Yu was set up by her husband by putting "spy cameras or hidden cameras in the kitchen to catch her" pouring liquid drainer. "Then he claimed he was poisoned," he said. According to the district attorney, Chen also submitted samples of the tea to the Irvine Police Department. Testing by the FBI found liquid drain cleaner in the substance. Yu's arraignment is scheduled for April 18. Read the original article on Insider On Thursday, April 13, the California Highway Patrol announced that 5-year-old Faith Leigh Harris was safely located. They did not reveal the location of her grandmother's ex-husband, 84-year-old Orion Douglas Memmott, who authorities said took Harris from her home in North Carolina. Update: On Thursday, April 13, the California Highway Patrol announced that 5-year-old Faith Leigh Harris was safely found. They did not reveal the location of her grandmother's ex-husband, 84-year-old Orion Douglas Memmott, who authorities said took Harris from her home in North Carolina. California Highway Patrol officials are seeking the publics help to find a 5-year-old girl taken from North Carolina by a former family member and likely taken to California. Authorities said on April 3, her grandmother's ex-husband took Faith Leigh Harris, 84-year-old Orion Douglas Memmott. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina contacted CHP after learning that Memmott and the child likely flew to California. An "Endangered Missing Advisory" issued by the CHP focused on San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Butte counties. Harris weighs about 40 pounds and is 3 feet tall. Memmott weighs roughly 185 pounds and is 6 feet tall. Memmott may be driving a 1990 Chevrolet truck with California license plate 2SIZ734. The color of the truck was not released. Memmotts troubled past A former tax attorney, Memmott, was charged in 2014 with tax fraud. He was sentenced that year to 18 months in federal prison for attempted tax evasion and subscribing to a false tax document, according to KHSL TV. Memmott, a Stanford Law School graduate and tax attorney, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors and law firm clients to spend on his expenses, including failed day trading, travel, and personal trainers, according to trial testimony. Some of this money was removed from a clients medical trust, leaving her destitute and homeless. Memmott concealed the embezzled money through nominee accounts and false statements to investors, clients, and the IRS, the Department of Justice reported. Memmott also concealed his real estate holdings and rental income from IRS collection agents seeking to collect more than $650,000 in unpaid taxes for 1993-1999. Story continues For years, Mr. Memmott acted as if his law license placed him beyond the reach of the law, said U.S. Attorney Wagner in 2014. Today, in sentencing Mr. Memmott to prison, the Court made clear that attorneys who commit crimes should not expect special treatment. Mr. Memmott misused his position and defrauded friends, clients, and the government out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, said IRS-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon. Attorneys are trusted with the confidence of others and are expected to uphold the law and pursue justice with integrity. Those who intentionally cheat by not paying their taxes should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable. Anyone who sees Memmott or Harris is asked to call 911. This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Missing North Carolina girl safely located, CHP reports A California woman is urging the public to avoid standing water after, she says, her son was infected with a flesh-eating bacterium and died. Jeff Bova, 41, died Friday after he waded into standing water with a small cut on his right arm last month as he chased his dog into a pond. Stay away from standing water, especially after it rains, because there is just a ton of bacteria in it, Susan Mc Intyre, Bova's mother, said Tuesday. If you get any kind of cut and it starts getting red, go to the doctor immediately dont wait." Bova was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, his mother said. The often-deadly infection spreads quickly, killing the bodys soft tissue. Symptoms include warm skin with red or purplish areas of painful swelling, including beyond the affected area, followed by fever, fatigue and vomiting. Even with treatment, up to 1 in 3 people with necrotizing fasciitis die from the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 700 to 1,100 cases are recorded in the U.S. every year. Accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment, and prompt surgery are important to stopping this infection, the CDC says. Mc Intyre, 67 of El Cajon, California, said her son was not one who frequented doctors. Bova, of San Diego, tried to out-tough the infection he contracted in the mountains of Julian in San Diego County. He developed these really nasty blisters, and he said that it felt when his arm was oozing that it was acid coming down his arm, she said. Bova, who was treating the infection with antibiotic cream and moisture, eventually succumbed to the pain and went to a hospital and died two days later, Mc Intyre said. NBC News has not confirmed the flesh-eating bacteria as the official cause of death. Dr. Shweta Warner, who specializes in infectious diseases, told NBC San Diego that necrotizing fasciitis isnt contagious but that its rare and serious. It enters your body through your broken skin barrier, and it quickly reproduces in your tissue, moving through the tissues very rapidly and giving off toxins, Warner said. Story continues Streptococcus A, a bacterium that causes necrotizing fasciitis, is often found in warm, brackish water, Warner said. Its especially dangerous for people with weaker immune systems. In a 2019 report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers concluded climate change may have brought flesh-eating bacteria to previously unaffected waters. In June 2019, Carolyn Fleming, of Ellenton, Florida, died of necrotizing fasciitis after she cut her leg in the waters off Anna Maria Island in Florida, her family said. Mc Intyre said the rare condition needs to be publicized to save lives. She described her son as compassionate and selfless and a dog lover. He was also engaged to be married, Mc Intyre said. Mc Intyre said that she and her son spoke every day and that he was a handyman who was building her a wooden stove for her patio. He was just within a couple of days of finishing it, she said. Right before he passed, he told me he still had a job to finish for me. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Environmental campaigners have been blocked from bringing a legal challenge to a UK government approval for a new coal mine in northwest England, they said on Wednesday. Friends of the Earth and a local pressure group, who brought the action after permission was granted to open the pit in Cumbria last year, said they will contest the ruling. The groups accuse the government of failing to account for the climate impacts of the coking coal mine, set to open in the town of Whitehaven, on the edge of the Lake District national park. A ruling by the High Court in London stated that the "application for permission to apply for planning statutory review is refused". "We still believe that giving the go ahead to the Whitehaven coalmine was unlawful and we will be asking the court to reconsider its decision", said Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth. Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove gave the green light to open the country's first new mine in decades last December, which is meant to be a supposedly "greener" source of coking coal, as it would substitute emissions arising from imports. The court decision accepted Gove's position based on expert evidence that the plan would have a "broadly neutral effect" with regards to its carbon emissions. The South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) argued that the mine would result in a net increase in emissions "at a time when emission reductions are paramount". It contended that the mine would also undermine the UK's claim to be a global leader on climate change. The UK has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but the Cumbria mine -- and other plans to allow new North Sea oil and gas exploration -- have angered environmental groups. "We and our legal team are firmly of the view that there are legal errors in the government's decision to permit the mine," said SLACC chair Carole Wood. "The government sought to turn a blind eye to the climate impacts from burning the coal that will be produced by the mine, and we look forward to a hearing to consider whether this approach can be lawful." The government said it would be inappropriate to comment on the case "given ongoing legal proceedings". str/phz/jm Justin Trudeau announced new sanctions during a press conference with Denys Shmyhal To maintain the pressure on the Russian regime, were announcing new sanctions on 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities, including security targets linked to the Wagner Group, Trudeau said during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. In addition, to further pressure Putins enablers in Belarus, were announcing additional sanctions on nine entities related to the Belarusian financial sector, Trudeau added. Earlier, Trudeau announced that Canada would extend another security assistance package to Ukraine, focusing largely on small arms and ammunition. Read also: Ukraine, Canada agree to expand bilateral free trade deal Today we announce more weapons (for Ukraine), said Trudeau. Were sending 21,000 automatic rifles, 38 machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition. This will help the Armed Forces of Ukraine to continue defending their freedom and fight for Ukraines territorial integrity. 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 Consequences of shelling in the Kharkiv Oblast In particular, the invaders carried out 35 strikes on the territory of Kherson Oblast over the past day, firing 170 projectiles from heavy artillery and aircraft. The Russians also shelled the city of Kherson five times, hitting residential quarters, a church, a power line, the territory of the local seaport, as well as facilities in the villages of Dniprovske and Beryslav. One person was killed as a result of enemy shelling. Read also: Russia strikes hospital and art museum in Kherson, cemetery in Kramatorsk In addition, 109 people were evacuated from the liberated territory of the region, Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram. The enemy also struck the town of Ochakiv in Mykolayiv Oblast on April 11. As a result, residential buildings were destroyed and damaged, the regions governor, Vitaliy Kim, reported on Telegram. Cars, Internet, gas and electricity networks were also damaged. There were no casualties. At the same time, according to Kim, the situation was calm in Mykolayiv, Pervomaisk, Voznesensk, and Bashtanka districts. Read also: Russian invaders shell five oblasts of Ukraine authorities report on aftermath Meanwhile, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported on Telegram that the Russian invaders killed a local resident in the town of Vuhledar on April 11. In addition, eight people were injured in the region. Read also: Russian forces shell five communities in Sumy Oblast Kharkiv Oblast also suffered from enemy shelling in the past day. At least four residential buildings and a road were damaged in the town of Vovchansk of the Chuhuiv district. Also, a fire broke out on an area of 10 hectares in an open area in a field in the Izyum district due to the fall of a Russian drone. A 62-year-old woman was injured after the enemy shelled the village of Kindrashivka in the Kupyansk district with multiple launch rocket systems, Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synegubov reported on Telegram. 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 Republican Congressional representatives from across California and the U.S. made their way to Fresno and Tulare counties Tuesday for a hearing on a pair of water bills, including one introduced earlier this year by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford. Valadaos bill, H.R. 215, is dubbed the Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act and has the backing of all of Californias Republican congressmen. The legislation is aimed at providing increased water storage in California reservoirs as well as order large-scale federal and state river and canal systems to operate under relaxed environmental rules established under the Trump administration. Representatives in the Valley on Tuesday include Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; Water, Wildlife & Fisheries subcommittee chairman Cliff Bentz of Oregon; Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, and California GOP representatives John Duarte of Modesto, Doug LaMalfa of Oroville and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove. The group started their day with a morning tour at Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River northeast of Fresno; the gathering continued with a tour of a dairy in Tulare County, followed by a field hearing at the International Agri-Center in Tulare to hear from an invitation-only list of witnesses from an assortment of water and irrigation districts, agricultural interests, and the state Department of Fish & Wildlife. Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno was the lone Democratic congressman at the hearing. While we cannot control the weather, we can control the laws and regulations that govern our water and ensure we are using the most common sense possible, Valadao said at the subcommittee hearing in Tulare. If we dont take steps to address some of the misguided policies that prioritize fish over people here in California, the entire country will be impacted. The tour of Friant Dam and the hearing in Tulare come as California confronts the ongoing potential for flooding from a series of winter atmospheric river storms that have drenched the state and piled up a record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. That snow is expected to create additional flood problems as it melts, conceivably overwhelming the ability of dams in the central and southern Sierra Nevada to contain it. Story continues Congressman David Valadao, left, is joined by fellow Republicans Tom McClintock, second from left, and John Duarte, second from right, as well as Bruce Westerman, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Cliff Bentz, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, and Jason Phillips, center, CEO of the Friant Water Authority, as they discuss water storage concerns while taking a tour on top of Friant Dam in Friant on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Westerman described the hearing as an opportunity to explore the need to finish proposed water storage projects and contemplate new surface and groundwater storage opportunities in California and elsewhere in the West to help drought-proof and flood-proof the region. Valadaos bill, he added, will not only focus on the need for more storage but also help bring about water supply certainty by codifying federal operations plans that were built on sound science. What the Valadao bill would do H.R. 215, if it were to pass, would restore controversial biological opinions issued by federal agencies under the Trump administration relaxing protections for endangered species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It would apply those rules to both the federal Central Valley Project as well as the state Water Project, operated not by the federal government but by the state of California. The bill also calls upon state and federal water agencies to operate in a manner that improves water supply reliability and provide the maximum quantity of water supplies practicable to an array of water contractors for agricultural, urban and industrial uses relative to the Trump-era environmental rules rules which were challenged by the state and by the Natural Resources Defense Council in separate lawsuits over allegations that they violated state and federal Endangered Species Act laws. The Biden administration is in the process of developing new biological opinions to govern Central Valley Project under a court-approved interim operating plan that has drawn criticism from farm groups and from many of Californias House Republicans. A proposed enlargement of Lake Shasta by raising Shasta Dam in Northern California to provide about 634,000 acre-feet of water storage would become eligible for federal funds through 2028, as would the proposed 1.5 million acre-foot Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley and other smaller projects in the western U.S. The Shasta Dam raise has been effectively halted due to Democratic opposition, a House Natural Resources Committee memo stated. Water is released from the base of Friant Dam at a rate of more than 8,000 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 to make room in Millerton Lake for the expected spring and summer melt of the record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. Officials are expecting the lake will fill to the top causing water to pour over the spillway causing more issues downstream. Not much more than a dog and pony show Friends of the River, a Sacramento-based environmental advocacy group, expressed skepticism in advance of Tuesdays hearing, describing it as basically a staged dog and pony show to a friendly audience, so dont expect to hear an objective evaluation of Valadaos bill, board member Doug Maner wrote in an email Monday. We think this is a horrible piece of legislation that seeks to take more water than what falls from the sky, Maner added, which means it will be taken from other water users. Ron Stork, a senior policy adviser with Friends of the River, said some of the provisions of the bill are inconsistent with the reality of Californias climate by attempting to fulfill water obligations for contractors, and thats not even possible with the exception of years like 1983 or 2023, when providence really shows up and gives you more water than you can possibly use. Its an attempt to say these supplies, which almost always have shortages, wont have shortages, he added. Westerman, the committee chairman, and testifying witnesses said Tuesday afternoon that the states water shortages in normal years are not a result of a lack of water, but of policy. This could be solved. The state of California, God and nature produce enough water to meet all your needs, Westerman said. Its just a matter of managing that water and building the proper infrastructure to use it. Were seeing all that water thats going into the ocean today because of the lack of infrastructure, he added, water that could be saved for those tough times. Others testifying in favor of Valadaos bill, as well as a second bill, included Hanford dairy farmer Tony DeGroot; Friant Water Authority CEO Jason Phillips; Chris White, executive director of the Los Banos-based San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority; Tulare Irrigation District general manager Aaron Fukuda; Jeff Sutton, general manager of the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority; and William Bordeaux, a director of the Westlands Water District. All testified in favor of Valadaos bill as well as H.R. 872, dubbed the FISH Act introduced by Rep. Ken Calvert of Corona. Officials from the federal Interior and Commerce departments, as well as from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, did not attend the hearing but submitted written testimony opposing the Valadao and Calvert bills. Duarte, the congressman from Modesto, noted the absence of the state and federal water agencies from the hearing, denouncing them as lords of scarcity pushing working families to the edge of privation through their environmental and water policies. Costa, the lone Democratic representative at the hearing, was more measured in his remarks. Water in California has always been complicated and controversial, and some people want to reverse the order to controversial and complicated. Its both, he said. The fact of the matter is, its hard. All of this is hard, he added. I think we have a consensus that we need to fix our broken water system. We need to create sustainability that we dont have today. Water is released from the base of Friant Dam in excess of 8,000 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 to make room in Millerton Lake for the massive snow pack in the Sierra Nevada that will continue to melt in the coming weeks and months. The San Joaquin River meanders past Friant as water is released from Friant Dam in excess of 8,000 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Officials are expecting the massive Sierra Nevada snowpack will soon melt causing flooding issues downstream. A rainbow forms in the mist at the base of Friant Dam where releases are in excess of 8,000 cubic feet per second on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 to make way in Millerton Lake for the massive snow pack in the Sierra Nevada that will continue to melt in the coming weeks and months. Snow covers the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background as water runoff begins to fill Millerton Lake on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Officials are expecting the massive snowpack will soon melt causing flooding issues downstream. mobile device with Chat GPT platform on the main screen - What Chat GPT means for travel Artificial intelligence has entered the building and taken over the conversation. In the quest to accomplish more in less time, tech companies are racing to develop AI technology for the masses. One company, OpenAI, launched its AI chatbot last fall, ChatGPT. The travel industry has been buzzing ever since, wondering how these platforms may impact the future of travel planning. Though some in the travel industry are expressing concern that the rise of AI technology could replace travel advisors, others are embracing the tool to enhance the travel planning process. Can AI help you tackle vacation planning, in record time, all on your own? Will ChatGPT get the job done? Or would working with a travel agent fare better? Lets look at the pros and cons of using ChatGPT for travel planning. What Is ChatGPT? Although the talk of AI software has been trending heavily lately with ChatGPT leading the pack its possible some are still not familiar with the platform. ChatGPT is a chatbot and natural language processing tool driven by AI technology. In simpler form, the powerful tool engages in a human-like dialogue based on user-submitted prompts. For instance, say you want to visit Accra, Ghana but since this is your first time, youre unsure where to start. With the right prompt, ChatGPT can instantly advise you on the best places to stay, eat, party, and explore. It will also give you helpful insights and tips to help you save money, miss the crowds, and make the most of your trip. Its worth mentioning that while the chatbot can assist with your travels, the platform is also a resource for nearly any occasion. Specifically, professionals are using ChatGPT to create content, write essays, and draft cover letters for jobs. RELATED: These Are The Best Apps For Planning Your Travel Bucket List The Upside of ChatGPT for Travel Loads Of Information At Your Fingertips What makes Chat GPT so powerful is the technologys ability to process massive amounts of information and provide a clear, detailed response. Story continues With the stroke of a few keys, you can create a list of things to do or places to stay fairly quickly. Instead of scrolling endless pages on a booking site, you can now simply tell ChatGPT the details of what youre looking for and it will comply, most of the time anyway. Insanely Fast Responses The speed at which ChatGPT works is impressive and slightly fun to watch in real-time. Simple queries can take as little as 10-20 seconds. More specific requests may take a bit longer. Travel Noire tested how the chatbot would respond when asked to create a four-day itinerary that includes Black-owned businesses. Within 60 seconds, ChatGPT replied with Black-owned restaurants, bookstores, and neighborhoods to visit. Thus, ChatGPT can eliminate hours of scouring the internet to compile a list of things to do. Granted, while some people enjoy the planning process, reclaiming your time in this way can make space for other tasks. Detailed Responses Simplify Itinerary Planning During TNs experiment with the platform, ChatGPT provided a very detailed schedule for a four-day visit to Los Angeles. With the caveat that we wanted to have a Black-owned experience, the recommended itinerary has everything from soul food restaurants to cultural arts centers. The itinerary even goes as far as to break down each day by morning, afternoon, and evening. Not only is the schedule an exciting list of top Black-owned businesses in LA, but it also provides short explanations for each business. Photo Credit: Travel Noire Where AI Falls Short AI tools like ChatGPT can certainly assist with sorting through the internets endless travel recommendations, however, there are a few glaring ways the technology cant replace humans at least not yet. Great for Planning, Not So Much For Booking As it stands, the current version of the application is limited in its booking capability. Chat GPT is expanding the platform to empower users to secure travel arrangements via third-party booking websites but, for now, options remain limited. Expedia, for example, now also has a plugin that integrates with ChatGPT so users can transform their chat responses into actual travel bookings. Compared to working with a travel agent, securing travel arrangements is more do-it-yourself than done-for-you. Travel agents still currently have a leg up because theres no substitute for customer service from a human. Working with a travel professional can help create a trip made just for you, travel preferences included. In the event of an emergency or change of plans, a travel agent can also guide you through your cancellation or rescheduling. While the platform is great for planning, the road to a start-to-finish AI travel experience will be a long one. Limited Planning Capabilities For now, Chat GPT can only support travel planning through its detailed recommendations and third-party booking integrations. Unlike talking to a human, personalization based on your unique interests may be limited. The nuances of how you and your crew prefer to travel can get lost in the tech matrix. You could tell the chatbot that Uncle Charlie cant walk long distances so you need somewhere centrally located. And while you may receive a response with adequate suggestions, working with industry professionals is still favorable for a truly custom itinerary. Additionally, when it comes to booking, as previously mentioned, youre pretty much on your own. Platform Overload Issues Because the platform is so popular these days, the occasional traffic overload can prevent access to the chatbot. Overwhelming interest and demand intermittently cause the site to produce a network error. This can be a nightmare for someone who wants to get insights for a trip itinerary during a time when the site is at capacity. Needless to say, the possibilities for how ChatGPT can improve your travel planning are endless. Consider giving it a try the next time youre in charge of your groups travel plans. RELATED: New Travel App Elude Matches Travelers With Trips That Fit Their Budget Chef Austin Benz removed himself from the restaurant industry for five years, fixing hospital beds for a living instead of being creative in the kitchen. But even though he chose to quit his role as head chef of a restaurant to take a higher-paying, more predictable position, he never stopped working towards his dream of saving up to open a food truck. That dream has been a reality for more than a year now in the form of the Cheese and Thank You grilled cheese food truck. Just when people started to forget about me, I came back with a food truck, Benz said. Cheese and Thank You is a gourmet grilled cheese truck that travels to biergartens and breweries across the Midlands. Benzs dream of owning a food truck stemmed from a desire to get back to the basics cooking. He didnt want to manage a large team of people, but rather wanted the ability to come up with creative new dishes for his specialty menu. Food trucks specialize in a niche food group, and when trying to think of a fun, approachable concept for the food truck, grilled cheese was the winner. Something as basic as a grilled cheese that everyone has had, we turn into something that might be familiar but not what youve always had, co-chef Adam Whitehead said. Cheese and Thank You owner and chef Austin Benz (right) stands beside his friend and co-chef, Adam Whitehead (left). The two make specialty grilled cheeses out of the Cheese and Thank You food truck. Benz spent at least three years conceptualizing Cheese and Thank You and another year searching for the best food truck to buy while he was still working his job fixing hospital beds. Shortly after opening, Benz was able to bring Whitehead, his good friend, on as a full-time employee. Together, the two run the food truck and serve up the classic sandwiches with fun flavor twists. But while they carry the majority of the work, theyre not alone Benzs wife, Callie Benz, supports them and jumps in sometimes, and his son, Cordell Benz, is now old enough to work with his father in the truck. Cooking with his 15-year-old son was always Benzs goal. The days that weve been able to do that make everything worth it, Benz said. There have probably been 10 or 15 times in this past year when I just look at my wife and Im so happy I could cry. To see it all come to fruition. Story continues Each Cheese and Thank You sandwich starts with the House Grilly as a base. Its a four-cheese mixture grilled on sourdough and seasoned with mayonnaise. We wanted to start out with an amazing grilled cheese sandwich one that was worth the money, would fill you up, and could maybe save your butt after a couple pretty thick beers, Benz said. Cheese and Thank You regularly partners with the family-owned Hazelwood Brewing Company in Lexington. The schedule of where Cheese and Thank You will be selling its specialty grilled cheeses this April. Guests absolutely love them, Hazelwood tap room manager Eric Wolfe said. They are incredibly creative with their grilled cheese creations, and their side item, the pickle salad, is absolutely out of this world. Wolfes favorite sandwich was the March specialty item, Hawaiian pizza grilled cheese. Their flavor creativity is what sets their grilled cheese apart from other options, Benz said. There are six signature menu items, as well as monthly specials. Aprils special is a crab Rangoon grilled cheese that 100% captures a crab rangoon in a grilled cheese, according to Benz. Other menu staples include a Korean bulgogi melt ribeye grilled cheese and a king veggie grilled cheese with a South African Chakalaka relish. Each of the options are meticulously crafted to check different boxes on customers palettes, Benz said. But customers are sometimes weary of Cheese and Thank Yous unusual combinations before they try them. Some people get a little apprehensive about our sandwich (flavors) that are a little more out there, but after you talk them into trying something thats out of their wheelhouse, they usually enjoy it, Whitehead said. Grilled cheese enthusiasts can find Cheese and Thank You at a variety of breweries and biergartens across the Midlands such as WECO, Hazelwood, Vino Garage, Lazy Creek, and events at the Icehouse Amphitheater and Saluda Shoals. The food truck posts its lineup monthly on its Instagram @cheesethankyou. Working with breweries is a beautiful partnership, according to Benz. Its a great fit because theyre able to (focus on) serving beers, Benz said. And (the partners) have the best rotating menu in town. One day they have Mexican food, then grilled cheese, paella I think it really offers them a lot more opportunity to feed different crowds. The Cheese and Thank You food truck will be in the shop and out of commission on National Grilled Cheese Day on April 12, but Benz expects it to be up and running again in time to serve up cheesy goodness over the weekend. (Reuters) - China is planning to close the airspace north of Taiwan from April 16 to 18, four sources with knowledge of the matter said, a move that could disrupt flights around the region. China and Taiwan's foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Four officials outside China, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the ban would disrupt Taiwan's northern flight information region (FIR) and that they were not aware of the reason for the restrictions. It comes as China rounds off several days of military training around self-ruled Taiwan, a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's recent meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California which infuriated Beijing. One senior official with direct knowledge of the matter said the flight ban would affect 60%-70% of flights going between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as flights between Taiwan and South Korea, Japan and North America. According to OPSGROUP, an aviation industry cooperative which advises on flight risks, previous restrictions imposed during Chinese military drills last August resulted in significant disruptions to flights in the region, with some pilots forced to carry extra fuel. (Reporting by Yimou Lee in Taipei and Sakura Murakami and Tim Kelly in Tokyo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Christian Schmollinger) Jewish visitors walk protected by Israeli security forces at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, also known as the Temple Mount complex to Jews, in Jerusalem on April 9, 2023, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, also coinciding with the Jewish Passover holiday. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP) Holy days in the Holy Land should be sacred refuges from escalating tensions and violence, but ironically, they are often just the opposite, producing some of the brutal hell that especially torments Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. The rare, peaceful confluence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter this past week was shattered by clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian Muslim worshippers inside Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque, the killing of Jews in the West Bank and the firing of rockets at Israel from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria as well as retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. Advertisement Muslims, Jews and Christians share similar principles of faith a belief in one God, respect for life, peace and good works but as they flocked to pray in Jerusalems walled Old City in recent days, their holidays were overshadowed by new conflict and age-old disputes over claims to lands drenched in strife, blood and sorrow. No one knows if this is the beginning of a third intifada or even a regional war, but all the ingredients for explosive conflict have been brewing in recent years, and as long as there is no permanent peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, violence inevitably fills the vacuum. Advertisement The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, widely seen as the most far-right in Israels history, must do more to defuse the situation. Thus far, some of Netanyahus most extreme anti-Arab ministers seem to be lighting the match. Scenes of Israeli police this past week using stun grenades and rubber bullets, beating Palestinians, arresting hundreds and wounding at least 40 inside Al-Aqsa, the third holiest shrine in Islam, brought condemnations from Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and across the Arab world. Israel claims its forces were trying to keep the peace and that militants in the mosque had brought stones and fireworks, preparing to riot, and had to be quelled. But some observers saw that as a pretext to exert control over the site. The compound where the mosque sits is sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount, the place where the First and Second Jewish temples once stood, but status quo agreements with the Muslim Wakf, a religious trust that oversees the esplanade, have forbidden Jews to pray on the site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, where they believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. Some members of Netanyahus government, like far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have called for changing the status quo to allow Jews to pray there. Arabs see that prospect as a provocation that threatens the peace. Its hard to argue theyre wrong. Al-Aqsa is a tinderbox, and the Arab League warned that the extremist approaches that control the policy of the Israeli government will lead to widespread confrontation with the Palestinians if they are not put to an end. The Biden administration has been encouraging Israel and the Palestinians toward peacemaking, but it should work harder. Netanyahu is running out of time to bring his ministers into line. Ben-Gvir touched off widespread Arab outrage earlier this year when he visited the Temple Mount, and Palestinians fear he will upend the status quo. He and his far-right ally, Bezalel Smotrich, now finance minister, and other extremists in the government, are viewed as political pyromaniacs, not peacemakers. Critics see them as violent anti-Arab racists. Israel advocates in America worry their conduct undermines continued unified U.S. support for Israel. Their followers are determined to support expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, still considered obstacles to peace by the U.S. They want to cement Israels control more firmly in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, long claimed by Palestinians as the sites of a future capital and independent state. Advertisement Thirty years after the Oslo Accords were signed, neither Israelis nor Palestinians harbor much hope for peace, but some members of the government seem determined to kill it. It is clear the process is at a stalemate, and neither side believes the other is serious about negotiations, or even interested in them. But playing with the Temple Mount during Ramadan is playing with holy fire. Palestinians have seen this movie before. When Israeli leader Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount on Sept. 28, 2000, it was widely viewed as the spark that launched a bloody second intifada that lasted five years and cost thousands of lives. Theres talk now of a third intifada. To be sure, Netanyahu has his hands full with domestic troubles of his own: Pro-democracy demonstrations have rocked the Jewish state this year as hundreds of thousands of Israelis protest attempts by his government to overhaul the powers of the Israel Supreme Court, potentially weakening Israels democracy. So, as Muslims go to pray at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan, Jews worship during Passover week at the Western Wall and Christians walk the Stations of the Cross and pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Jesus resurrection, the worlds believers should pray, too, for peace. The uptick in violence for Israel this past week serves as a stark warning of what could be to come if careless leaders disrupt the status quo that has held for decades. Peace may be elusive, but war could come much more easily and quickly. The presence of the holy sites in Jerusalem draws pilgrims from around the world, especially on the holidays, but that presence ratchets up the stakes as well for those who would weaponize religion for political ends. Netanyahu must take a hard, thoughtful look at his own government, keep an eye on his legacy and shut down any more provocative acts on his watch if peace is to prevail this holiday season. Advertisement The alternative is unthinkable. Storer H. Rowley, a former foreign correspondent and national editor for the Tribune, is an adjunct lecturer in journalism and communication at Northwestern University. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. Fighter jet takes off during military drill around Taiwan - Wang Zixiao/Xinhua China appeared to make a rare U-turn on Wednesday over the implementation of an aggressive no-fly zone north of Taiwan, after Taipei complained about the unheard of original three-day restrictions. Beijing had initially proposed to restrict all civilian flights in an area within the islands air-defence identification zone from April 16 to 18, owing to aerospace activities, according to Taiwans defence ministry. But it revised this down to just 27 minutes, from 9:30 am to 9:57 am, on Sunday after Taipei lodged a protest. The airspace in question sits at a crucial location in East Asian air routes and is a main transport artery in the western Pacific, Taiwans defence ministry said in a statement. Chinas attempt to restrict flights for as long as three days under the pretext of aerospace activities is not only almost unheard of internationally, but also has a severe impact on managing civil aviation, and deals a blow to aviation rights and safety, it added. The area is crossed by hundreds of flights daily. A senior Taiwan official familiar with Chinas no-fly move told Reuters that given the potential disruption, Taipei had used multiple channels - including diplomacy, intelligence and aviation authorities - to persuade Beijing to rein in its original plan. The official said Taiwan had informed all parties that would be affected by the Chinese request, including some Group of Seven (G7) countries whose foreign ministers are set to travel to Japan for a meeting from April 16 to 18. Taiwan said Beijing amended the proposal following objections from Taipei, which said it would struggle to implement such a no-fly zone. The Chinese government has not said how it plans to enforce the flight ban, and a foreign ministry spokesperson denied any knowledge of the matter. The no-fly zone was confirmed by Japan and South Korea. Retaliatory measures The restrictions follow more than a week of retaliatory measures from China after Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese president, met Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, in California. Story continues China views such meetings as a direct challenge to its claims over Taiwan as its territory, which the latters democratically-elected government rejects. Taiwan also has its own military, foreign policy and currency. The Chinese military conducted three days of live-fire drills around Taiwan, practising a sealing off of the island nation. At least 71 Chinese aircraft crossed the median line in the strait between China and Taiwan. Chinese J-15 fighter jets also approached Taiwan from the east in what appeared to be the first simulation of airstrikes from the side furthest from the Chinese coast. China also conducted what the government called patrol operations, inspecting ships sailing in the Taiwan Strait. A naval and air blockade of Taiwan essentially cutting it off from the rest of the world is one potential attack scenario by Beijing. The recent measures add weight to the repeated threats by Xi Jinping, leader of Chinas ruling Communist Party, to annex Taiwan. Last summer, China staged its biggest-ever war drills in August when Nancy Pelosi, Mr McCarthys predecessor, touched down in Taiwan and met Ms Tsai. She was the highest-ranking American politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years, infuriating Beijing. Chinese authorities also imposed controls over six areas of airspace what it called danger zones around Taiwan for three days after Ms Pelosis trip, which led to numerous flight cancellations. Taiwan is a key supplier of the worlds semiconductors and represents a major flashpoint that could potentially escalate into a military conflict between the US and China as bilateral tensions worsen. China on Tuesday revealed its proposed assessment measures for prospective generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, telling companies they must submit their products before launching to the public. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) proposed the measures in order to prevent discriminatory content, false information and content with the potential to harm personal privacy or intellectual property, the South China Morning Press reported. Such measures would ensure that the products do not end up suggesting regime subversion or disrupting economic or social order, according to the CAC. A number of Chinese companies, including Baidu, SenseTime and Alibaba, have recently shown of new AI models to power a number of applications from chatbots to image generators, prompting concern from officials over the impending boom in use. AI: NEWS OUTLET ADDS COMPUTER-GENERATED BROADCASTER FEDHA TO ITS TEAM People visit Alibaba booth during the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Shanghai World Expo Center on September 3, 2022 in Shanghai, China. The CAC also stressed that the products must align with the countrys core socialist values, Reuters reported. Providers will be fined, required to suspend services or even face criminal investigations if they fail to comply with the rules. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP If their platforms generate inappropriate content, the companies must update the technology within three months to prevent similar content from being generated again, the CAC said. The public can comment on the proposals until May 10, and the measures are expected to come into effect sometime this year, according to the draft rules. Concerns over AIs capabilities have increasingly gripped public discourse following a letter from industry experts and leaders urging a pause in AI development for six months while officials and tech companies grappled with the wider implications of programs such as ChatGPT. AI BOT CHAOSGPT TWEETS ITS PLANS TO DESTROY HUMANITY: WE MUST ELIMINATE THEM Cao Shumin, vice Minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China, attends a State Council Information Office (SCIO) press conference of the 6th Digital China Summit on April 3, 2023 in Beijing, China. ChatGPT remains unavailable in China, which has caused a land-grab on AI in the country, with several companies trying to launch similar products. Story continues Baidu struck first with its Ernie Bot last month, followed soon after by Alibabas Tongyi Qianwen and SenseTimes SenseNova. Beijing remains wary of the risks that generative AI can introduce, with state-run media warning of a "market bubble" and "excessive hype" about the technology and concerns that it could corrupt users "moral judgment," according to the Post. RESEARCHERS PREDICT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD LEAD TO A NUCLEAR-LEVEL CATASTROPHE Wang Haifeng, chief technology officer of Baidu Inc., speaks during a launch event for the company's Ernie Bot in Beijing, China, on Thursday, March 16, 2023. ChatGPT has already caused a stir with a number of actions that have raised concerns over the potential of the technology, such as allegedly gathering private information of Canadian citizens without consent and fabricating false sexual harassment allegations against law professor Jonathan Turley. A study from Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt in Germany found that ChatGPT could, in fact, have some influence on a persons moral judgments: The researchers provided participants with statements arguing for or against sacrificing one persons life to save five others known as the Trolley Problem and mixed in arguments from ChatGPT. The study found that participants were more likely to find sacrificing one life to save five acceptable or unacceptable, depending on whether the statement they read argued for or against the sacrifice even when the statement was attributed to ChatGPT. "These findings suggest that participants may have been influenced by the statements they read, even when they were attributed to a chatbot," a release said. "This indicates that participants may have underestimated the influence of ChatGPTs statements on their own moral judgments." The study noted that ChatGPT sometimes provides information that is false, makes up answers and offers questionable advice. Fox News Digitals Julia Musto and Reuters contributed to this report. BEIJING (AP) Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, China said Wednesday, as signs emerged that Beijing will take further action. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the U.S. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. Although China said the exercises are over, it has kept up military pressure against Taiwan in the past few days and signaled it will do more. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation said Wednesday it had received a notice from China's Civil Aviation Administration that it would set up a control zone to restrict flights in parts of northern Taiwan from April 16-18, in effect setting up an area where flights would not be allowed to go. On their own, they set up a warning area to control flights within our country's jurisdiction's Taipei Aviation Information Region, using the excuse of aerospace activities, the Taiwan statement said. Taiwan said it strongly protested the notice and was able to get China to reduce the flight ban time from three days to 27 minutes on the morning of April 16. It is unclear what China plans to do at that time. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it was looking into the matter but could not provide further details. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. It defended its recent military actions Wednesday. The Peoples Liberation Army recently organized and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces," Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. Story continues It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the U.S., Taiwan's closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. On Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it tracked 35 flights by People's Liberation Army warplanes within the last 24 hours, and eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. There are still some navy ships and airplanes carrying out harassment in the area. We strongly condemn these deliberately threatening and provocative actions that destroy the regional peace and stability, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Defense Ministry, said at a press briefing Wednesday. The vast majority of Taiwanese favor maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognize Taiwan's government institutions and has cut off contact with Tsai's administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing External forces are intensifying their endeavor of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Zhu said. Zhu also repeated China's assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwans independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms isn't clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. Taiwanese compatriots should clearly recognize the serious harm that the provocation of Taiwan independence forces poses to cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognize the interests, distinguish right from wrong, and stand on the correct side of history, Zhu said. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island that landed in Japans exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. The most recent exercises focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwans Defense Ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. They also featured the use of China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which launched dozens of J-15 Flying Shark fighter missions during the exercises, according to Japanese officials. Taiwanese military officials said they noted the Shandong's appearance in the Pacific Ocean, to Taiwan's east, and that it was the focus of their discussions and preparedness plans. Everyone can see clearly Chinas ability to cross the first island chain is gradually improving. The so-called anti-access/area denial ability is gradually improving, said Lt. Gen. Li Tian-long at a press briefing Wednesday, referring to a military concept where forces prevent an adversary from entering a specific area. Defense experts said China would likely use the Shandong to try to prevent foreign militaries from accessing that area based on its exercise movements. Taiwan will launch an annual large-scale drill on Thursday jointly with its disaster services and Defense Ministry, as well as local governments. Last year, the government revamped the disaster-preparedness drills to include more wartime scenarios. This year, they said, that trend would continue with war-preparedness to comprise 70% of the drills' contents. The developments come as the USS Nimitz Carrier group is operating in the South China Sea south of Taiwan and as American and Filipino forces hold their largest combat exercises in decades in Philippine waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. - AP reporter Huizhong Wu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan. (Bloomberg) -- China indicated it will maintain pressure on Taiwan following its large-scale military drills, a sign that tensions over the democracys status will linger. Most Read from Bloomberg We will not leave any room for any form of Taiwan separatist activities, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said Wednesday at the first regular press briefing since the Peoples Liberation Army held three days of military exercises around Taiwan. Zhu reiterated the drills were a stern warning to both people in Taiwan advocating independence and foreign interference. We will take resolute measures to foil any external intervention and separatist behavior, and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Read: Taiwan Sees Chinas Drills as Similar to Pelosi Visit Reaction The PLA exercises that wrapped up Monday with a record 54 warplane flights into sensitive areas around Taiwan were the biggest since August last year, when China fired missiles overhead because President Tsai Ing-wen met then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The military activity has eased some, with Taiwan reporting just 15 such warplane incursions as of early Wednesday. China was upset this time around because Tsai met the current speaker, Kevin McCarthy, last week. McCarthy said after the meeting at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley that our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime. Former US President Ronald Reagans museum was among the entities and individuals that China hit with largely symbolic sanctions just before kicking off the PLA exercises on Saturday. Zhu accused Taiwans independence-leaning, ruling Democratic Progressive Party of cooperating with the USs attempts to decouple from the worlds second-largest economy, and of stepping up efforts to woo and infiltrate Congress. Story continues Zhu said those activities would only bring disaster to the people of Taiwan, which China has pledged to bring under its control and the government in Taipei says deserves more recognition internationally. The motherlands complete reunification will and must be realized, she said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Taiwanese military personnel during a military exercise in July 2022 that simulated a Chinese invasion of the island. (Annabelle Chih/Getty Images) Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that he wants to strengthen his countrys army for actual combat following three days of military drills that surrounded Taiwan. Chinas military, also known as the Peoples Liberation Army, simulated a blockade of the island, demonstrating its dominance over the small self-governing island, which it claims sovereignty over. On Tuesday, nine warships were still spotted in the Taiwan Strait. Though Beijing called off the war games on Monday, Taiwans Defense Ministry stated that Chinese warships and aircraft were still operating on Tuesday. The theaters troops are ready to fight at all times and can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts, Chinas military said in a statement on Monday. The military drills were conducted as a stern warning to Taiwans leadership after President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California in early April. The drills began just hours after Tsai arrived back in Taipei. During the visit, McCarthy said there was no intention to escalate tensions between the two countries. Theres no need for retaliation, he said. 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. Why are relations so frayed between China and Taiwan? Yahoo News spoke with several experts who broke down the complex relationship between the two countries. Where is Taiwan? Taiwan is an island located in the Pacific Ocean between the East China Sea and the South China Sea. It lies just 100 miles from mainland China and has a population of around 23 million. What is Taiwans history with China? Fort Zeelandia, which was built between 1624 and 1634 by the Dutch East India Company on the island of Formosa (present-day Taiwan). (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Before the Dutch colonized Taiwan in the 17th century, it had been a small insular nation ruled by a small group of tribal leaders. Over the course of 200 years, Taiwan would become occupied by three nations before it was conceded as a colony to Japan in 1895, after China lost the first Sino-Japanese War. However, Chinas history with Taiwan predates the Age of Exploration. Migrants from China had been settling there for hundreds of years, and by the Japanese occupation in 1895, the Chinese population had grown to 3 million. Story continues Taiwan, as well as an archipelago of 90 islands located in the Taiwan Strait, would remain occupied by Japan until the end of World War II. From 1945, the Allied powers had control over the island after Japan lost the war. Taiwan was once again put under Chinese control until 1949, when the two split following a civil war. Soldiers from the Nationalist Party of China, known as the Kuomintang, completely withdrew from China, which was under the control of Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Close to 1.5 million people from mainland China fled to Taiwan. The Kuomintang and its leader, Chiang Kai-shek, would go on to rule the island for several decades. In the post-Mao era of the 1980s, Chinas leader Deng Xiaoping wanted to build up a maritime defense policy and created the concept of the First Island Chain. Steve Tsang, the director of the SOAS China Institute in London, told Yahoo News last August that Taiwan was in the middle of this defense chain. They intended to secure that defensive line, but they couldn't actually do anything until the last few years. How does China view Taiwan? Warplanes of China's Peoples Liberation Army during military exercises around Taiwan on April 9. (Mei Shaoquan/Xinhua via Getty Images) Taiwan and mainland China, which is formally known as the Peoples Republic of China, have long had separate governments. China views Taiwan as a renegade province and has repeatedly threatened to invade it since Chiang and his forces fled there in 1949. However, the situation in the Taiwan Strait has become especially fraught over the last decade as Chinas position in the world has become more powerful under Xis aggressive leadership. In 2017, Xi announced that the reunification of Taiwan and China would be an inevitable requirement for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Two years later, he reiterated that Taiwans unification with the mainland was inevitable. In 2021, Chinas vice foreign minister said the so-called national reunification would not be stopped by anyone or any force a statement that appeared to be a warning to the U.S., which has a good relationship with Taiwan, despite not having diplomatic relations. Last August, China launched ballistic missiles into waters northeast and southwest of Taiwans coasts after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Chinas foreign minister called the trip an infringement on Chinas sovereignty. Pelosi was the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years. What relationship does China have with Taiwan now? Monitors showing market movements at the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2015. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) China has a very strong economic relationship with Taiwan, Tsang told Yahoo News in August. China is probably Taiwans biggest economic trading partner. Taiwan is a major investor in China, particularly in terms of a lot of consumer manual productions, consumer goods, manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing in China. How does Taiwan view itself? Tanks used by the Taiwan military are displayed for tourists at a beach in Kinmen, Taiwan. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Taiwan is effectively a sovereign state. It has its own currency as well as its own political and judicial systems. A central divide between its two main political parties involves whether Taiwan should declare independence or seek closer ties with mainland China. Since 2016, Tsai has repeatedly said the island is self-governing and should not submit to Chinese demands. Her reelection in 2020 alarmed Beijing, which had hoped the Taiwanese would choose a government more malleable to reunification. Why did China conduct the war games? Chinese President Xi Jinping visits a marine aquaculture project in Zhanjiang City on Monday. (Yan Yan/Xinhua via Getty Images) I think what Xi is doing is testing the U.S. politically, Matthew Schmidt, the director of international affairs and an associate professor of national security at the University of New Haven, in Connecticut, told Yahoo News on Wednesday. Not so much that he is testing the administrations resolve but that he is doing things and probing and seeing what political pressures would emerge were he to move closer and closer to invading Taiwan. He added: Xi is playing a war game, and war games are about political conditions created by kinetic forces. What has Biden said about China-Taiwan relations? President Biden at the White House on April 4. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) President Biden has stated many times that the U.S. would militarily intervene if China invaded Taiwan. During a visit to Japan last May, he accused China of flirting with danger after military drills conducted last year. More recently, Biden reiterated that the U.S. would intervene if there was an unprecedented attack, although official U.S. policy says there would be no military intervention if such an event occurred. The White House later clarified that the official policy had not changed. What countries recognize Taiwan? The Taipei skyline. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Only 12 United Nations member states recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. However, dozens of other countries have unofficial diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Since 2016, Taiwan has lost nine allies the most recent being last month, when Honduras cut diplomatic relations in order to develop ties with China. In doing so, Honduras has embraced the "One China policy," which recognizes Taiwan as a province of the Peoples Republic of China. "We ask Honduras to carefully consider and do not fall into China's trap and make the wrong decision to damage the long-term friendship between Taiwan and Honduras," Taiwans Foreign Ministry said in a statement. China has been slowly eroding Taiwans diplomatic recognition, Tsang told Yahoo News, and with the substantial increase in China's economic and military and other power in the last 40 years, it has now become completely overwhelming. He added, China can dictate terms to most countries in terms of their relationship with Taiwan and will not allow any government to have a formal relationship with Taiwan with exceptions of major Western industrialized countries. Both large companies and celebrities have come under fire from Beijing for stating that Taiwan is a country. Actor John Cena, for example, became embroiled in controversy with Beijing during a press tour in 2021 when he said Taiwan would be the first country to watch Fast and Furious 9. Later, Cena filmed an apology in Chinese. I am very sorry for my mistake. I am so sorry. I apologize, he said. BEIJING (Reuters) - China wants to start building a lunar base using soil from the moon in five years, Chinese media reported, with the ambitious plan kicking off as soon as this decade. More than 100 Chinese scientists, researchers and space contractors recently met at a conference in the central Chinese city of Wuhan to discuss ways to build infrastructure on the moon, local media reported. Ding Lieyun, an expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said a team is designing a robot named "Chinese Super Masons" to make bricks out of lunar soil, according to Changjiang Daily. "Building a habitat on the moon is needed for long-term lunar explorations, and will certainly be realised in the future," Ding said, while acknowledging the difficulty of achieving it in the short term, according to the report. The robot tasked with making the "lunar soil brick" will be launched during China's Chang'e-8 mission around 2028, Ding said, adding that the country is aiming to retrieve the world's first soil sample from the far side of the moon in a mission around 2025. China previously retrieved soil samples from the near side of the moon with its Chang'e-5 mission in 2020, state media reported. The country has stated that it wants its astronauts to stay on the moon for long periods once it establishes a lunar research station. Ding and dozens of experts were attending the Extraterrestrial Construction Conference held at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan this past weekend. (Reporting by Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr and Ryan Woo; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) (Bloomberg) -- A veteran Chinese diplomat warned that unless the US fundamentally changes its attitude toward the nation, theres no point in talks on ways to safeguard the relationship. Most Read from Bloomberg China-US relations are very much strained, said Xu Bu, head of the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank affiliated with the countrys foreign ministry. One of the most important causes is that the United States is worried that China may surpass it. Xu, a former envoy to Chile and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said the USs failure to understand Chinas rise was the main obstacle to improving bilateral ties. If the overall misperceptions cannot be properly addressed, if the view that China needs to be contained is not going to be readjusted, any crisis communication or crisis management wont help, Xu said at a press briefing Wednesday in Beijing. Read: Biden Aide Speaks With China Counterpart as Tension Spikes Xus comments are the latest sign that it may be a while before China-US ties improve. Late last month, the Biden administrations top Asia adviser, Kurt Campbell, said efforts to build guardrails to keep relations between the two countries from drastically worsening had so far been unsuccessful. The Chinese have been reluctant to engage in discussions around confidence-building or crisis communications hot lines, Campbell added. US-China tensions spiked once again after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the US this month. Chinas military held three days of drills around the self-governing island, and on Wednesday Beijing indicated it would maintain pressure on Taipei to prevent any separatist activities. Story continues More: China Signals It Will Keep Up Pressure on Taiwan After Drills Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, also said that China would take resolute measures to foil any external intervention, a reference to the military backing that the US gives Taiwan. The latest drills have added to strains caused by an alleged spy balloon that transited US territory in February, and clashes over everything from human rights to technology and the South China Sea. US officials had said last month that a phone call between President Joe Biden and Chinas President Xi Jinping could take place after Tsais travel through the US. Now its not clear when that will occur. --With assistance from Jing Li. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. [Source] Chinese scientists have genetically engineered a probiotic that speeds up the breakdown of alcohol and protects the liver from booze-related damages. The findings, which were observed in mice, could translate into a reduction of hangover symptoms in humans, according to the researchers. The science comes down to alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B), an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde. East Asian and Polynesian populations commonly possess the enzyme. Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Zoology engineered a bacterium called Lactococcus lactis to express ADH1B. More from NextShark: Pregnant Woman Arrested For Allegedly Defending Herself From Racist Nurse Who Assaulted Her They then encapsulated the probiotic and tested it in three groups of mice that had been exposed to various alcohol levels. Just 20 minutes after alcohol exposure, the group of untreated mice displayed signs of drunkenness, such as failing to get back on their feet after being placed on their backs. On the other hand, half of the mice that received the probiotic managed to turn themselves over after an hour. Meanwhile, a quarter of those that were treated did not have a problem getting back on their feet at all. More from NextShark: Priyanka Chopra to Rosie O'Donnell after being called 'the Chopra wife': 'Google my name' Additional tests showed that blood alcohol levels in the untreated group continued to rise, while those in the treated group began to fall. The mice that received the probiotic also displayed lower levels of lipids and triglycerides in their liver, suggesting that the probiotic may prevent alcohol-related damages to the organ. Meng Dong, one of the studys authors, said the next step is to investigate whether the probiotics effects apply to humans. Her team believes genetically engineered probiotics will also provide new ideas for the treatment of liver diseases. Story continues More from NextShark: Pastor Suggests Genital Mutilation on Asian Women Who Are Bitter Towards White Men We are excited about the improvement of recombinant probiotics in acute alcohol-induced liver and intestinal damage, Dong said. The study, titled Oral Probiotic Expressing Human Ethanol Dehydrogenase Attenuates Damage Caused by Acute Alcohol Consumption in Mice, was published this week in the journal Microbiology Spectrum. More from NextShark: Calling all allies: Here's what happened on Bidens mission-driven tour of Asia By Sarah Wu TAIPEI (Reuters) - Formally named on Wednesday by Taiwan's ruling party as its candidate in a presidential poll due in January, Vice President William Lai urged people to "choose democracy" just a day after China ended military drills around the self-ruled island. Infuriated by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles last week, Beijing conducted three days of drills, followed by combat training exercises on Tuesday to show it could forcefully take control of the island, which China claims as its own. Making his first speech after receiving the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) nomination, Lai contrasted Tsai's defence of democracy with the stance taken by her predecessor, former president Ma Ying-jeou from the main opposition party, the Kuomintang or KMT, who visited China around the same time that Tsai was in the United States. "Former President Ma walked back into the framework of the 'One China' principle, whereas President Tsai is on the democratic path," Lai said. "These will be the two completely different choices the country will face after 2024, so the 2024 election will decide Taiwan's direction - on the continuation of a democratic system, the next generation's happiness, as well as peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific." Ma, who held office from 2008 to 2016, is the first former Taiwanese president to ever visit China. Since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists, no serving island leader has visited China. At the end of his trip, Ma said Tsai's administration has led Taiwan into danger, forcing the island to choose "between peace and war." The DPP criticised Ma for failing to defend Taiwan's sovereignty, but Ma said his trip proved that Taiwan and China could engage under the principle that both are part of a single China though each can have its own interpretation of the term. Story continues Tsai and her government reject China's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. She has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed, with Beijing viewing her as a separatist. As in the last election in 2020, which the DPP won handily by promising to stand up to China, relations with Beijing are likely to top the agenda in the coming election campaign. Tsai cannot run again as president due to constitutional term limits, and Lai was the DPP's only nominee, making the announcement a formality. He had assumed the party's chairmanship in January after Tsai resigned as chairwoman in November following the DPP's trouncing at local elections. The KMT, which traditionally favours close ties with Beijing, has not decided on its presidential candidate yet. Hou Yu-ih, the KMT mayor of New Taipei city, is considered to be a frontrunner. (Reporting by Sarah Wu; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Chris Evans has explained why he has avoided hosting Saturday Night Live. Filmed live, the long-running NBC variety show is known for featuring a weekly guest host, who opens the show with a monologue and appears in many of the episodes sketches. Evans has never hosted the show, despite being one of Hollywoods most visible actors through his role in the Marvel film franchise. Speaking to ET Canada, the actor said he would be up for appearing on the series in a short cameo capacity, but was reluctant to ever accept a hosting stint. Well, now a cameo I can handle, Evans said. Ive avoided hosting SNL like the plague for years now just because Im so scared. Its terrifying to me. Evans was being interviewed alongside Ana de Armas, with whom he stars in the new action comedy Ghosted. De Armas is set to host SNL for the first time this Saturday (15 April). Hosting, I tip my hat to her, Evans remarked. Shes going to be amazing. But it would provide a lot of sleepless nights for me. Elsewhere in the interview, Evans suggested his reluctance to appear on the show was rooted in a fear that he was not a funny person. Chris Evans pictured in July 2022 (Getty Images) Maybe I only feel that because I have very, very funny friends who once told me Im not a funny person, he said. It would just be an everyday anxiety, constant regret: Why did I do this? I could have been comfortable at my house, in my bed, not worrying about this. Earlier this year, it was reported that Prince Harry was in serious talks to host an episode of SNL, ahead of the release of his memoir. Ultimately, however, the royal did not appear. Ghosted is released on Apple TV+ on 21 April. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot raises her hands in celebration in front of Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison following a news conference to celebrate Chicago's selection as the host for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) On the heels of a divisive mayoral election, news that Chicago has been chosen to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention reawakens something that feels like hope. Thats partly because of the welcome emergence in this drama of something that has been all too rare even among Illinoisans in the same political party. Cooperation. Advertisement Chicago edged out New York and Atlanta for the Democratic National Committees approval after a highly motivated joint effort by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has made his own national ambitions well known; Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a DNC co-chair who enlisted Sen. Dick Durbins help; and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Her successor, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, joined her in celebrating the announcement. With the city coping with surging violent crime and the economic aftereffects of the pandemic, the convention decision puts the spotlight on why the city has such strong appeal for the nations Democrats. Advertisement Experience No other city comes close to pulling off the number of national political conventions that Chicago has hosted for both parties 25, from the 1860 Republican convention that nominated Illinois favorite son Abraham Lincoln to 1996, when Democrats renominated Bill Clinton in the United Center, where next years convention is to be held. Unions The main decision-maker in choosing the convention city was President Joe Biden, which, much to the dismay of Georgians, gave a big advantage to Chicago. The Windy City is still a big union town, and that gave Chicago a decisive edge over Atlanta. Georgia is a right-to-work state where workers are not required to join a union as a condition of employment. Chicago, meanwhile, has a mayor-elect who is a former teacher and paid organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union. That likely helped Chicagos chances with Americas pro-union president. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore face the roaring delegates at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in 1996. (Jose More/Chicago Tribune) Location, location, location Also important is Chicagos location amid the Midwests blue wall states Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Each of those states had Democrats reelected as governors in last years midterms. The United Center offers one of the largest arenas in North America. The convention, scheduled for Aug. 19-22 next year, is expected to draw 5,000 to 7,000 delegates and alternates to the arena, and up to 50,000 visitors to the city. Daytime business will be held at McCormick Place convention center, which was the main site of the 2012 NATO summit, and delegates will be staying at more than 30 hotels in the Chicago area. Costs vs. benefits Conventions cost money lots of it and the price tag can turn out to be wildly underestimated when it comes due. At the end of the 2012 Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Democrats still owed money on everything from operational expenses to construction work and modifications made to the Time Warner Cable Arena, according to Politico. To pay the $8 million bill, Charlotte secured a $10 million line of credit from Duke Energy, an electric utility in the region. But Democrats didnt repay Duke, which claimed the money as a business expense, drawing criticism for leaving shareholders to foot the bill. Advertisement The cost of Chicago hosting the convention would be somewhere between $80 million and $100 million, according to various reports. Pritzkers team has expressed hopes of a financially risk-free 2024 convention, hinting that a billionaire governor could be an attractive stopgap. The governor has spoken directly to Joe Biden and committed that Chicago has the ability to fund the convention, Natalie Edelstein, a spokesperson for the Chicago bid, told Politico in March. Hopes are high for a strong economic benefit to the convention. By promising that the cost will be entirely covered, Pritzker is signaling to Democratic leaders that they wont see a repeat of the borrowing controversy that embroiled 2012 host city Charlotte. Redemption Anyone who remembers the Democrats disastrous 1968 convention at Chicagos International Amphitheatre knows why, as the Tribunes Ron Grossman wrote, The phrase 68 Convention was about to join Al Capone as mnemonic shorthand for the more notorious chapters of Chicagos history. That was the summer when protests and bitter feelings against the war in Vietnam, the draft, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. in April and Robert F. Kennedy in June boiled over into the convention hall and the streets. Images of Chicago police beating protesters in Grant Park as they chanted The whole world is watching were broadcast around the world. A commission appointed by President Lyndon Johnson and headed by businessman and future Illinois governor Dan Walker characterized the disaster as a police riot. None of that did anything to hurt Richard M. Nixons presidential bid, which the Republican easily won the following November by campaigning on such themes as law and order and peace with honor. Advertisement But 28 years would pass before Democrats would return to Chicago, partly through diligent efforts by Mayor Richard M. Daley to redeem the reputation of the city and his father, Mayor Richard J. Daley, who had been mayor in 1968. As image redemption, the 1996 convention worked like a charm. The younger Mayor Daley spruced up boulevards with flowers, brightened transit tunnels with new paint and controlled protests, which were much smaller than in 1968, with comparative restraint. There were controversies then about cost, and whether the financial return would be worth it for the city. But more people probably remember the event as the Macarena convention after then-first lady Hillary Clinton was shown performing the popular dance during a music break in the conventions business. The cavernous United Center turned momentarily into a giant disco party. Morale is a difficult entity to value in dollars, but in terms of how people feel about their city and the future of the country, convention moments like that can be priceless. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. What some are calling a schism in the United Methodist Church over the issue of homosexuality is also affecting churches in the Pacific Northwest, although to a lesser degree. As many as 30 churches out of 400 churches in whats known as the Greater Northwest Area that includes Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Alaska have considered or are considering leaving the United Methodist Church. Its heartbreaking when churches leave, the Rev. Karen Hernandez, district superintendent of the United Methodist Church in Southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, said in a phone interview. We can still be in relationship, but were not officially connected. Weve said that we cant agree on enough to stay together as one church. Thats still a loss, I think, on both sides. I certainly feel it as a loss. Conservative churches are leaving the United Methodist Church over the widely accepted practice of many churches in the United States of ordaining and marrying LGBTQ people. The issue of homosexuality has been simmering in the United Methodist Church for decades but came to a head in 2019, when the churchs governing body voted to allow churches to leave the denomination if theyre seeking to leave because of differences in theology related to sexuality. Our doctrine actually kind of speaks out of both sides of our mouths, you might say, the Rev. Duane Anders said, explaining the splintering within the United Methodist Church. More conservative congregations disagree with the All Means All interpretation that is embraced at the Cathedral of the Rockies, Boise First United Methodist Church. So whats the problem? The United Methodist Churchs doctrine has an apparent conflict when it comes to homosexuality. One part of the churchs doctrine states that all human life is of sacred worth. That suggests that everyone gay or straight deserve the same rights, including being clergy members and getting married. However, another part of doctrine states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Our doctrine actually kind of speaks out of both sides of our mouths, you might say, the Rev. Duane Anders, pastor at Boises Cathedral of the Rockies, said in a phone interview. In one part of our Book of Discipline, youll find the language that every person is created of sacred worth. And then another part youll find the prohibitive language where it says we find homosexuality incompatible with the teachings of Jesus. Which is it? Everybodys made of sacred worth or some group isnt. So weve been kind of living in this tension. Story continues Related story lead image The Idaho Way Newsletter While official church doctrine prohibits gay clergy and gay marriage, many members in the United Methodist Church, particularly in the United States and particularly in the Western United States, have embraced the all human life is of sacred worth portion of doctrine over the homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching part of doctrine. So you can see that the differences of opinion in the United Methodist Church show up in our book, Hernandez said. But there are many United Methodists, especially in the Western U.S., where saying that we refuse to ordain or appoint self-proclaimed practicing homosexuals doesnt fit with their theology. And the same with the prohibition against marriage. Essentially, these churches are flouting the official rules of the United Methodist Church. So folks that have those strong beliefs are seeking to live with integrity, and for them, following their beliefs, doing what they believe to be just and in keeping with their faith, theyve prioritized that over the rules, Hernandez said. Anders sees the doctrine on homosexuality similar to an unjust law, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr. When theres an unjust law, you dont necessarily follow the unjust law, Anders said. And so, probably 12 or 14 years ago, one of our bishops said, were inviting you to be ecclesiastically disobedient. So that was kind of the door opening. Parishioners gather for an Easter worship service Sunday at the Cathedral of the Rockies. Splinter Some have called it a schism, but given the relatively few numbers of churches breaking off, splinter seems more accurate. Splinter is the way Ive often been referring to it, Hernandez said. That feels most accurate to me. As of March, about 7% of United Methodist churches in the United States had been granted permission to disaffiliate since 2019, according to a United Methodist News review. But as the deadline to disaffiliate nears, those numbers are certain to increase. Some regions of the country have relatively low disaffiliation numbers: 1% in the West Region, 3.1% in the North Central Region, and 0.6% in the Northeast, according to a review of church data analyzed by Religion News Service in an article that appeared in Christianity Today. But some regions are seeing much larger numbers of disaffiliations, such as the Southeast (8.1%) and South Central (14.1%), particularly Texas, where 525 churches have disaffiliated, according to the analysis. The five conferences with the greatest number of exiting churches are in Texas, North Carolina, Alabama and Indiana, according to the article in Christianity Today. These five conferences, with two in Texas, account for 57% of all departures. Individual churches can leave the denomination through the end of 2023 and, depending on the rules of their specific conference, they can leave with their land and buildings. Churches can become an independent church or join another denomination. Some churches are choosing to join the newly formed Global Methodist Church, a breakaway conservative denomination formed in response to whats happening within the United Methodist Church. Individual churches have been having those discussions and taking votes among their own church clergy and lay members, Hernandez said. She couldnt disclose details of which churches locally are considering disaffiliation. The next step in the Oregon-Idaho annual conference is a vote of the annual conferences governing body to approve individual churches requests for disaffiliation at the next session scheduled for May 6. Hernandez said she expects more votes on disaffiliation in another meeting in the fall to meet the deadline for disaffiliation by the end of the year. Hernandez said some churches are ready for consideration and others are still in the process. Out of the 30 churches in the Greater Northwest Area that have considered disaffiliation, some started the process but chose not to continue and decided to stay in the United Methodist Church, she said. Hernandez added that some of the churches among the roughly 30 that have seriously considered disaffiliation are progressive and have considered disaffiliation because they believe that the United Methodist Church is not going far enough in its inclusion efforts. Boise First United Methodist Church held three Easter worship services Sunday at the Cathedral of the Rockies. World church Part of the difficulty comes in the way the United Methodist Church approves changes or additions to its official doctrine, known as the Book of Discipline, which gets updated every four years at whats called the General Conference. Changes are voted on by a group of 800-1,000 clergy and lay people. Along the way, both statements all human life is of sacred worth and homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching received enough votes to be included in doctrine. While the United Methodist Church is the countrys second-largest Protestant denomination, with 6.4 million members, its also a worldwide church, with 13 million members worldwide. Because were a world church, its been a struggle to remove the (homosexuality) language, Anders said. If it was just an American church, I think the language would have been removed 10 or 15 years ago. Because the church is growing in other parts of the world while its shrinking in the United States, the group of people whose influence is growing in church doctrine is increasingly people outside the United States, namely Africa, Hernandez said. So what about biblical teachings, though, that homosexuality is wrong? Hernandez concedes there are six so-called clobber passages in the Bible that specifically address homosexuality. But Im much more worried about the scores of verses that tell us to love one another, to remind us that its not the place of any human to judge, she said. Who am I to say this whole category of people, based on my judgment, they have no right to be pastors? A banner reading All Means All: YOU are welcome here! hangs above the entrance to Cathedral of the Rockies on March 31. All Means All Many Methodist churches have gay clergy, even gay bishops, and perform gay marriages. The Greater Northwest Areas new bishop, Cedrick Bridgeforth, elected in November, is the first openly gay man to be elected as a United Methodist bishop. Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly gay United Methodist Church bishop, was elected in 2016. Oliveto serves the Mountain Sky Area, which covers all of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah and a small portion of Idaho. Boises Cathedral of the Rockies, also known as Boise First United Methodist Church, has 2,800 members. All Means All is the churchs slogan, and a banner stating as much adorns the entrance, while a Progress Pride flag flies out front. Anders said discussions about church doctrine came to a head in 2016 when Anders was part of a delegation that elected Oliveto. Some members questioned the decision to go against church doctrine, and about 50 members ended up leaving the church, he said. Anders said the decision to elect the bishop had nothing to do with her sexual orientation. She was our best candidate, Anders said. Of course, we would elect her. It doesnt matter that shes LGBTQ. Anders noted that the Methodist Church has split once before during the Civil War. And it took us 100 years, almost, to come back together after the Civil War, Anders said. He said he sees the current situation similarly and envisions a day when the Methodist Church is reunited once again. I think the next generation looks at the church fighting this issue and says, I cant believe youre all talking about this, Anders said. Itd be like me saying to my parents, Why are we talking about whether Black and white people can worship together? Of course we can. Background The Methodist Church is divided into geographic regions called annual conferences. Three conferences comprise the Greater Northwest Area: The Oregon-Idaho conference includes all of Oregon and Southern Idaho The Alaska conference includes all of Alaska The Pacific Northwest conference includes all of Washington state and North Idaho. The Oregon-Idaho conference includes 168 churches. The Treasure Valley is in the Sage District, which includes 41 churches in Southern Idaho, from Ashton to Fruitland, and eastern Oregon, including Baker City, Vale, Joseph, Haines, LaGrande and more. Boise is home to four Methodist churches. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters More than two years into his role at the CIA, Director Bill Burns has warned that the United States is seeing a time of change and transformation that come along a couple of times a century. Speaking at the Baker Institute on Tuesday, Burns said that while America still has a better hand to play than any of our rivals, it is no longer the only big kid on the geo-political block and our position at the head of the table isnt guaranteed. He warned that China was clawing to run the table while Vladimir Putins Russia, full of twisted ambition of a fading power, wants to smash the table completely. Burns, who served twice in Russia as a diplomat, including U.S. Ambassador from 2005 to 2008, described Putins invasion of Ukraine as brutish aggression. He said he has watched and interacted with Putin for a long time, adding they had contributed to his grey hairs. He said he had spoken with Putin personally before the Ukraine invasion at the request of President Biden, describing Putin as profoundly mistaken in his assumptions over his belief that Ukraine was weak and divided and not a real country. Putin, according to Burns, conveyed that message clearly. Putin, he said, is now in an uncomfortable and unaccustomed position of being on his back foot, though the Russian president still believes he can wear down Ukraine and the West. He remains convinced that Ukraine matters more for him than it does for us, I think Putin is as wrong in that bet as he was in his assumptions before his invasion, Burns said. He said the CIA assessment is that Putin is not serious about negotiations for a peace deal and a great deal is at stake over the coming months. Burns noted the prospects of diplomacy will most likely be fought on the battlefield and will come with inevitable escalatory risks. Putin thinks and wants us to think that he can make time work for him, Burns said. But the Russian president faces his own fair share of dilemmas, Burns claimed, adding that heavy losses in military and manpower and dissatisfaction with the war at home are continuing to grow. Story continues Despite the problems with Putin and Russia, however, Burns named China as the CIAs biggest longterm priority. Managing a crucial and increasingly adversarial relationship with China will be the most significant test for American policymakers for decades to come, he warned, adding that Russia has become more and more dependent on China and runs the risk of becoming an economic colony of China over time. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Chris Lakeberg, of the Cheviot Fire Department, brings a patient into the emergency room at The Christ Hospital, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. Christ and other hospitals in the Cincinnati region have recently removed the requirement for guests to wear masks. For the first time in three years, guests at hospitals in the Cincinnati region are no longer required to wear masks while visiting loved ones. The policy changes recently went into effect on different days at all six major health systems in the region but have come in response to declining COVID-19 rates, increased immunity, and drops in other respiratory illnesses, hospital representatives confirmed. The health systems all changed policies requiring guests to wear masks prior to legislation from President Joe Biden on Monday that ended the national emergency for COVID-19. A separate public health emergency is also scheduled to end May 11. Colleges throughout the US, have also ended vaccine requirements for students at various times beginning last year, with some coming as recent as last month. COVID-19: 'I feel mostly invisible': High-risk Ohioans left behind as society moves on from COVID-19 Miami University: Students, employees no longer required to receive COVID-19 vaccine The mandates were removed at the hospitals following consistent drops in infections, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit patients. According to the latest update from the Health Collaborative's Situational Dashboard, which is updated weekly, the Cincinnati region currently has 54 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. In early 2022, just over one year ago, there were over 1,000. The region currently has 11 COVID-positive patients in the ICU and five on ventilators. "The data overall is looking very stable, continuing a slow, steady decrease, which is fantastic," said Tiffany Mattingly, vice president of clinical strategies for the Health Collaborative, the coordinating group for the region's 40 hospitals. "Our hospitals are not overwhelmed from a standpoint of COVID or influenza right now, so we're in really good shape there." Cincinnati hospitals pivot to 'optional' mask wearing Bon Secours Mercy Health was the first system to pull a requirement last September when it changed its policy from a mandate to guidance that "strongly recommended" masks in facilities including "patient-facing areas." Story continues TriHealth followed by removing its mandate for masks in late January and removed visitor restrictions with the exception of "COVID patient visitors and maternity/neonatal intensive care unit visitors)." In March, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center took the step to make masking optional for "most staff and visitors in public areas" but kept requirements in some areas of the medical center and for people with certain medical conditions. The health system also announced it would "likely" return to a temporary mask mandate during the flu season. "Because of everything weve learned about how masks help limit the spread of certain illnesses, Cincinnati Childrens will likely return to a required masking practice during flu/respiratory illness season using data about disease prevalence and spread to inform that decision," the organization said in a statement. St. Elizabeth Healthcare and UC Health changed policies to make masks for visitors and patients optional on April 3. Masks are still required at UC Health's Drake Center, in its neonatal intensive care unit, and in bone marrow transplant units and clinics. St. Elizabeth will also allow an unlimited number of visitors for inpatients during established visiting hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week), while COVID-19 positive patients may receive two visitors per day. The Christ Hospital Health Network updated its policy to make masks optional April 5. The change is "due to significant declines in COVID-19 transmission and overall positivity rates," according to Christ's website. "Patients and families who feel more comfortable wearing a mask are welcomed to do so," the website reads. "We will continue to evaluate any new information presented by the CDC and other scientific sources and will make changes to the policy when appropriate." Data shows declining infections, hospitalizations Cincinnati isn't alone in removing mask mandates over the last few weeks. Hospitals all across the United States began walking back the unprecedented policy after Biden announced a planned date to end the national emergency. The emergency order allowed government to take sweeping action to combat the virus. Hospitals began requiring visitors to wear masks after the COVID-19 began to take shape in early 2020. While visitor restrictions gradually waned, mask mandates have remained as a number of different strains of the virus have caused waves of infections. The COVID infections, coupled with other respiratory illnesses, have at times throughout the pandemic, placed major strain on the system, causing hospitals to become overwhelmed with patients. But hospital levels have bounced back following high flu and RSV spread a few months ago, Mattingly said. The outlook for hospitals looking ahead, remains stable even with remaining workforce shortages as the pandemic transitions to more of an endemic, she said. "Everything I've been hearing at this point, is those days of significant surges are hopefully behind us," Mattingly said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati region's health systems remove mask mandates for guests Maplewood police in Missouri issued 84,906 tickets between 2011 and 2021, and its municipal court generated $6.4 million in revenue. Their operation resulted in poor people, and mostly Black people, being jailed for days at a time, an attorney claimed. A Missouri city has agreed to pay $3.25 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging the town operated an illegal debtors prison. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the city of Maplewood unconstitutionally jailed at least 7,000 people. I mean we got treated bad, recalled Frank Williams, one of the lawsuits primary plaintiffs. According to ArchCity Defenders, the nonprofit law firm and advocacy group that filed the suit in late 2016, Williams received a ticket from Maplewood police for failing to provide an insurance identification card. He spent two weeks in jail not because of the citation, but because he could not pay. The city of Maplewood, Missouri, will pay $3.25 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that for a decade, the town operated an illegal debtors prison and unconstitutionally jailed thousands of people. (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) ArchCity Defenders works to abolish the criminalization of poverty and state violence, particularly in communities of color. They claimed Maplewoods police department issued 84,906 tickets over a decade, and the municipal court generated revenue of $6.4 million. According to court filings, in addition to the roughly 27,000 payouts to those imprisoned or punished between Nov. 1, 2011, and Nov. 8, 2021, the settlement includes more than $1.2 million in attorney fees and litigation expenses. Since filing the class action lawsuit in November 2016, ArchCity says, court revenue in Maplewood and the number of tickets issued by authorities have dropped significantly by 64 percent and 70 percent, respectively. For years, the Maplewood police wrote thousands of tickets to raise millions of dollars in revenue, ArchCitys senior staff lawyer Nathanial Carroll said, the Post-Dispatch reported. This resulted in poor people, and mostly Black people, being jailed for days at a time until Maplewood had extorted as much money as possible from them. Were pleased that weve reached a settlement, said ArchCitys lead attorney, Maureen Hanlon, who assured the resolution will allow for some compensation and justice for those who were affected by the citys actions. Story continues In a statement, Maplewood City Manager Michael Reese said the city is happy to have resolved the issue to benefit the town and its residents. Settlement checks are set to be mailed in June. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post City to pay $3.25M in debtors prison lawsuit appeared first on TheGrio. Editor's note: The Kyiv Independent is exclusively re-publishing reports prepared by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) of the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). CIUS launched its Media Monitoring Service (MMS) in the spring of 2022 to identify and critically assess dominant narratives, with a special focus on disinformation, in selected key Canadian and U.S. publications regarding contemporary Ukraine. The purpose of MMS is to inform experts and the general public how Ukraine and Ukraine-related events are reported on and bring attention to contentious ideas and claims that may be perpetuated in the media to Ukraines detriment. Find the latest report on the U.S. media coverage below: Three publications (The Conversation, The New Yorker, and National Review) were selected to prepare this report on how the situation in Ukraine has been portrayed in the North American press during the past week (17 April 2023). The sample was compiled based on their impact on public opinion as well as on their professional reputation, popularity among the readership, and topical relevance. These three publications represent centrist and conservative viewpoints on the political spectrum. This report covers only the most-read and relevant articles about Ukraine, as ranked by the respective North American publications themselves in the past week. Its scope covers promoted articles on home pages and articles from special sections on Ukraine, with the hashtag #Ukraine, from the paper editions of the publications, and about Ukraine from opinion columns and editorials. Russias forceful displacement of Ukrainians is a centuries-tested practice of conquest. Darius von Guttner Sporzynski (The Conversation) writes about the ruling of the International Criminal Court that Russias abduction of Ukrainian children is a war crime for which President Vladimir Putin should be held accountable. According to official UN data, more than 6000 children have been forcefully relocated to Russia since 24 February 2022. Von Guttner Sporzynski highlights that the tradition of abduction and forced displacement of the non-conformist population is deeply rooted in Russias history. He starts from the 16th century, when the first deportations of citizens of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania started, then follows to 19th -century Poland, where around 60,000 people were deported following two anti-Russian rebellions, and ends with the 20th century: It is estimated that between 1936 and 1952 at least three million people were deported across the western territories of Soviet Russia and transported thousands of kilometres away to Siberia and Central Asia. Von Guttner Sporzynski concludes that the children who get abducted today from Ukraine may not find their way back home after the war ends. Continue to the full report here. CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) A convict serving a life sentence for murder and rape who escaped from a top-security prison in South Africa by faking his own burning death likely got warders to help smuggle a corpse into his cell, a parliamentary hearing was told Wednesday. Thabo Bester's elaborate escape happened nearly a year ago when he was formally declared dead by suicide but has only been made public and pieced together in the past three weeks. Critics allege that officials intentionally covered up the story. New details emerged in Wednesday's hours-long parliamentary hearing into security failures in the breakout, as lawmakers questioned senior officials from the prison and British private security company G4S, which has a long-term contract to run it. Bester, who was convicted on one count of murder and two counts of rape and sentenced in 2012, was finally re-arrested in Tanzania last weekend along with his girlfriend, a celebrity doctor and socialite, police said. Police are in the process of bringing the two back to South Africa. Three prison employees, the prison's night supervisor and two warders in the security camera control room, have been fired on suspicion of helping Bester escape amid the confusion of the pre-dawn blaze in his cell on May 3, 2022. One of them faces a murder charge over the body of the unidentified man that was left burned beyond recognition in Bester's cell. The father of Bester's girlfriend also was charged with murder. Police said the unidentified man died of a blunt force trauma to the head before being burned. But lawmaker Glynnis Breytenbach said Wednesday she suspected more warders and officials were bribed to get the body into the cell and help Bester escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in the central Free State province. How many palms were greased?" Breytenbach asked the prison and G4S officials. Are you honestly telling us this escape of Hollywood proportion was done with the assistance of only three people? Story continues The prison and G4S officials conceded under questioning that a TV cabinet big enough to possibly hide a dead body in was brought into the prison in an unauthorized vehicle on May 2 last year, hours before Bester broke out around 4 a.m. the following morning. Neither the cabinet nor the vehicle was searched. They also said top prison officials had given Bester permission to be transferred to a single-occupant cell three days before his escape for his own safety, because he claimed he was being threatened by prison gangs. His new cell was situated next to a fire escape through which hes believed to have fled, in a part of the prison where security cameras had a blind spot, according to lawmakers. Lawmaker Xola Nqola said it was "not a coincidence that Bester was moved to that cell at that time. An internal investigation by G4S found the prison's security camera recording system had a power interruption around the time of the escape, according to documents the company submitted to the hearing. For months after Bester's escape, he and girlfriend Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, whom police identified as his accomplice," lived in a mansion in a wealthy suburb of Johannesburg, driving luxury cars while running a company that defrauded businesses out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to media reports. Authorities only announced publicly last month that Bester hadn't died in his cell and had escaped, and that only after South African news organization GroundUp broke the story that the charred body found in the cell wasn't Bester, according to findings from the autopsy. GroundUp also reported there had been recent public sightings of Bester shopping at an upmarket mall with Magudumana. Those reports and heightened public interest in the story appeared to have spurred Bester and Magudumana to flee the country. After a two-week hunt, police announced the couple had been arrested Saturday near the border between Tanzania and Kenya, more than 2,000 miles away. The sensational story unleashed heavy criticism against authorities for failing to warn the public that a dangerous criminal was on the loose. While Wednesday's hearing focused on the initial prison failures, more hearings are scheduled on what police, the Department of Corrections and South Africa's Ministry of Justice knew about Bester's escape and when they found out, amid allegations of a cover-up. Bester was already a renowned criminal known as the Facebook rapist for using the social media site to lure his victims to meetings, claiming he could get them modeling contracts. He was found guilty of murder for stabbing his girlfriend, a model, to death in 2011 and raping two other female models. ___ Magome reported from Johannesburg. ___ More AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa Misleading studies sowing doubt about the threat of climate change are sneaking into peer-reviewed journals, scientists warn, citing the example of recent papers linked to a climate lawsuit in Germany whose authors have denied a conflict of interest . Observers have long questioned the business model of journals taking fees from academics desperate to publish -- and now say biased authors are taking advantage of the system in a bid to undermine climate action. Peruvian glacier study In one case investigated by AFP, glacier specialists pointed to a peer-reviewed study that appeared in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences, published by the major academic publishing group Elsevier, in November 2022. The study attacked a separate paper by Oxford University scientists published in Nature Geoscience, rejecting its findings that human-driven warming caused a Peruvian glacier to melt, threatening to flood a nearby city. The Nature study has been cited as evidence in a lawsuit: a local farmer, backed by an NGO, is suing German energy company RWE for the part he says its carbon emissions played in the warming. Two of the authors of the counter-study, geologist Sebastian Luening and chemist-turned politician Fritz Vahrenholt, are ex-RWE executives. Prominent climate contrarians, they jointly authored a 2014 book titled "The Cold Sun: Why the Climate Catastrophe is not Happening". They did not respond to requests to comment. Farmer and tourist guide Saul Luciano Lliuya poses by Lake Palcacocha, 4,650 meters above sea level in Huaraz, northeastern Peru, on May 23, 2022. Lliuya is suing German energy giant RWE over the melting of Peruvian glaciers Luka GONZALES AFP One of the scientists whose separate work was cited in their paper, palaeoclimatologist Nathan Stansell of Northern Illinois University, told AFP their study was "fraught with misinformation, mischaracterizations and bias". "They present the same debunked argument that since it was warm in Medieval times then there is nothing alarming about recent warming. The bulk of the paleoclimate community recognizes that the groups trying to spread this fallacy cannot compete with sound scientific data," he said. In other cases, he said, "the climate deniers are getting very sneaky. They sneak in some unrelated story with their study so they can reference it later. As an editor for a couple of journals, I've seen it several times," he said. "It's very aggravating." Story continues Distorted graph The main graphic in lead author Luening's study lists among its sources a 2008 paper by glacial geologist Jorge Strelin of Cordoba University in Argentina. Strelin told AFP that it misrepresented data cited in his work, notably by omitting elements showing the sharp retreat of the glacier over the past century. A third scientist cited in the Luening study, Ben Marzeion, a professor of climate geography at the University of Bremen, found it "misguided" for making "meaningless" comparisons between changes over separate time periods with different climate variables and scales of glacier. "If I had been a reviewer, I would have strongly recommended against publication," Marzeion told AFP. The journal's editors had previously received concerns about the study and "were satisfied with the author's response", Andrew Davis, Elsevier's vice-president for corporate communications, Europe, told AFP in an email. "The editors did not detect unethical behaviours and it is their belief that the two research groups simply did not agree with each other," he said. But the publisher also apologised for the removal of a disclosure in the original manuscript. Peruvian farmer and mountain guide Saul Luciano Lliuya (left) arrives for a hearing in Novermber 2016 during an early stage of his climate battle against energy company RWE PATRIK STOLLARZ AFP "Note that SL (Luening) and FV (Vahrenholt) are former employees of the company RWE; the study has not been influenced by this," the disclosure read. It appeared in a preliminary "pre-proof" version of the study but disappeared from the published version. Elsevier said the disclosure would be added to the study after approval from the authors. "The publisher would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused," it told AFP in an email. The author of the Oxford study, Rupert Stuart-Smith, submitted to the journal a rebuttal of Luening's paper in April 2023. A pre-print version of this seen by AFP contested the use of data in the counter-study and detailed what it called its "inaccurate or misleading assertions". "It's far easier to put it down as a simple disagreement and allow us to go through the regular process of public comment and response than it is to take formal action against a published article," he told AFP. Davis said the Journal of South American Earth Sciences allows authors to "pay an article processing charge and pay to publish in the journal. This is a very normal arrangement amongst all academic publishers." The articles are peer-reviewed as part of this process. Firm denies funding study Another paper about the Peru glacier appeared in the journal Remote Sensing, from publisher MDPI, in 2021. The study, reportedly cited as evidence by RWE in its defence in the lawsuit, reviewed data on ice-flow velocity and assessed the risk of avalanches and consequent floods. Stansell said the section on flood risk should have been dealt with in a separate paper as it "seems out of place and doesn't relate directly with their principal findings". A 2022 article by investigative media group SourceMaterial (archived here) said the study was produced thanks in part to funding from RWE. The article cited the study's two lead authors as saying they produced it for free, without prompting from the company. The two did not respond to requests for comment to AFP. RWE spokesman Guido Steffen told AFP in an email that the study "was made independently from RWE and the court case and it was not funded or paid for by RWE. The scientists made it at their own will to pursue their scientific goals". Campaigners say melting glaciers such as Mount Palcajaru pose a threat to the city of Huaraz Luka GONZALES AFP Regarding the Luening study, he said: "We did neither commission that study nor play any role in producing it." MDPI publishes articles in open-access journals for a fee: 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,760) in the case of Remote Sensing, the title that published the glacier study. Its website says all articles it publishes are refereed by at least two senior experts in the relevant field and the final decision to publish a paper is taken by an external editor. The publisher may retract work in cases of "scientific misconduct", the site says. "Scientists contesting an article in one of MDPI's journals are asked to prepare a scientifically rigorous Comment and submit it to the Editors of the journal for editorial review." Peer-review problems Research indicates that climate misinformation has been flourishing online as governments push reforms to curb use of the fossil fuels that cause planet-warming carbon emissions. The move towards electric cars and renewable energy has prompted scorn among sceptics who see it as a threat to their lifestyle and values. Some analysts see climate scepticism as a badge of political and ideological allegiance for free-market conservatives. Observers say academic publishing represents an extra front in the struggle. "The recent explosion of so-called 'predatory journals' is creating problems that are pro-actively explored by climate sceptics," said Carl Schleussner, a scientist at research group Climate Analytics. "It opens the door to those who want to willingly get dubious research out there." MDPI, publisher of the Andes ice-flow study, has been criticised for the quick turnaround of its peer-review process. In general, "the quality of peer review is highly variable. Editors often have a hard time finding reviewers, and because reviewing is volunteer work, some reviewers are more diligent than others," said Brian Nosek, a psychologist and co-founder of the Center for Open Science, a US body that promotes transparency in scholarship. "Also, science is complex. So, any given reviewer may only be qualified to critique a portion of the substance of a paper, and therefore miss critical details." Stansell, who himself edits a title for MDPI, defended the system. "Just because someone sat on a paper for months doesn't mean that the peer-review process was any better," he said. German energy giant RWE denies funding two scientific studies that downplayed the role of human-caused carbon emissions in the melting of glaciers Ina FASSBENDER AFP 'Conflicts of interest' Thousands of scientific papers get withdrawn from publication -- an occurrence that was noted during the Covid pandemic, which spurred a rush to publish studies on the virus and vaccines. Retraction Watch, a blog that tracks cases of academic papers being withdrawn, counted 5,000 such cases in 2022 -- only about a tenth of a percent of the total number of studies published, its co-founder Ivan Oransky told AFP in an interview. "That number should be higher. There are a lot of problematic papers that don't get retracted for various reasons," he said. With authors in search of promotions and tenure paying to get in print, "this is a publish-or-perish incentive problem, combined with a business model for journals that publishing more is better for them," Oransky said. A 2012 survey (archived here) published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that two-thirds of retractions were due to misconduct such as fraud, rather than errors. "There are lots of cases where people fail to disclose conflicts of interest," Oransky said. "Most of the time, journals don't retract for that reason" but issue a correction instead. Unscrupulous authors seek to get unsound work published in journals with a lax peer-review system that often calls on unqualified reviewers, he added. "A lot of junk gets through peer review," he said. "It is really time that everybody admitted that so that we can try and do better." (Schleussner, Nosek and Oransky did not comment on the particular studies mentioned in this article nor on the individual publishers.) Extreme weather study slammed In September 2022, top climate scientists called for the withdrawal of a study that claimed scientific evidence of a climate crisis is lacking, citing data on extreme weather events such as rainfall, cyclones, tornadoes and droughts. Two of the authors were signatories of the World Climate Declaration, a text that repeated various debunked claims about climate change -- fact-checked by AFP here. Other signatories included Varenholt, co-author of the glacier paper, and several people with links to the fossil fuel industry. Four prominent climate scientists said the study manipulated data, cherry-picking facts and ignoring material that would contradict their assertions. Floodwater following heavy rains in Chaclacayo, east of Lima, Peru on March 15, 2023 Cris BOURONCLE AFP The peer-reviewed paper by four Italian scientists -- three physicists and a meteorologist -- appeared in January 2022 in the European Physical Journal Plus, a general physics title published by Springer Nature, one of the most prestigious science publishers in the world. It was cited by mainstream media and online posts fact-checked by AFP. The paper was "published by people not working in climatology and obviously unfamiliar with the topic and relevant data," Stefan Rahmstorf, Head of Earth System Analysis at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told AFP. "It is not published in a climate journal -- this is a common avenue taken by 'climate sceptics' in order to avoid peer review by real experts in the field." In September 2022 Springer Nature put a notice on the article warning readers "that the conclusions reported in this manuscript are currently under dispute" and said it was investigating. In March 2023 Christian Caron, executive publisher of Springer Nature, told AFP that the investigation was "progressing but still ongoing. Additional material received as part of the investigation is currently following the usual procedures of an extensive peer-reviewing process, which may take more time than anticipated." Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., April 10, 2023. (Heather Ainsworth/The New York Times) Last month, a Cornell University sophomore, Claire Ting, was studying with friends when one of them became visibly upset and was unable to continue her work. For a Korean American literature class, the woman was reading The Surrendered, a novel by Chang-rae Lee about a Korean girl orphaned by the Korean War that includes a graphic rape scene. Tings friend had recently testified at a campus hearing against a student who she said sexually assaulted her, the woman said in an interview. Reading the passage so soon afterward left her feeling unmoored. Ting, a member of Cornells undergraduate student assembly, believed her friend deserved a heads-up about the upsetting material. That day, she drafted a resolution urging instructors to provide warnings on the syllabus about traumatic content that might be discussed in class, including sexual assault, self-harm and transphobic violence. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times The resolution was unanimously approved by the assembly late last month. Less than a week after it was submitted to the administration for approval, Martha E. Pollack, the university president, vetoed it. We cannot accept this resolution as the actions it recommends would infringe on our core commitment to academic freedom and freedom of inquiry, and are at odds with the goals of a Cornell education, Pollack wrote in a letter with the university provost, Michael I. Kotlikoff. To some, the conflict illustrates a stark divide in how different generations define free speech and how much value they place on its absolute protection, especially at a time of increased sensitivity toward mental health concerns. After decades of university battles over tinderbox issues of students rights, speech codes and how best to grapple with unpopular speakers and ideas, proponents of free speech are lauding Pollacks quick and unequivocal action. They characterize it as part of a larger national shift, marked by university leadership more forcefully pushing back against efforts to shut down speakers and topics that might offend. Story continues What was unique about the Cornell situation is they rapidly turned in a response that was a hard no, said Alex Morey, the director of campus rights advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonpartisan organization focused on issues of free speech. There was no level of kowtowing. It was a very firm defense of what it means to get an education. Morey called it the Stanford Effect, referring to a 10-page open letter written in March by Jenny Martinez, dean of Stanford University Law School, in which she affirmed her decision to apologize to Stuart Kyle Duncan, a Donald Trump-appointed federal appeals judge, after hecklers interrupted his speech. Earlier this month, Neeli Bendapudi, the president of Pennsylvania State University, released a four-minute video explaining why she believed a public university like Penn State had a legal and moral obligation to host speakers who espouse views that many may find abhorrent. For centuries, higher education has fought against censorship and for the principle that the best way to combat speech is with more speech, she said. The current free speech issue at Cornell is one that has been debated on campuses across the country. Content warnings or trigger warnings refer to verbal or written alerts that assigned material, including academic writing or artistic expression, may involve sensitive or upsetting themes or details that may cause a student to have an emotional response tied to a personal experience. Professors on some campuses use such warnings, though mandates are rare. At Cornell, the students proposal suggested that the warnings be issued when course readings and discussions involved topics including but not limited to: sexual assault, domestic violence, self-harm, suicide, child abuse, racial hate crimes, transphobic violence, homophobic harassment, xenophobia. It stipulated that students who choose to opt out of exposure to triggering content will not be penalized, contingent on their responsibility to make up any missed content. To Ting and other proponents of the measure, including the woman in the Korean American literature class, the administrations swift rebuke was frustrating. We have been characterized as triggered snowflakes, said Shelby L. Williams, a sophomore who co-sponsored the resolution. What we are asking for is greater context. The concept of trigger warnings first entered the cultural dialogue in the post-Vietnam War era, after post-traumatic stress distress disorder became a recognized health condition. PTSD episodes, which include rage and anxiety, are generally triggered by places, people, sounds or smells reminiscent of a traumatic experience, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Integrating trigger warnings into academia first took root in the 1990s but gained urgency after the #MeToo movement opened a dialogue about trauma. A study published in 2019 in the Journal of American College Health said 70% of college students report that they have been exposed to at least one traumatic event. Students with diagnosed PTSD are entitled to care from universities and should be treated by trained professionals, said Amna Khalid, a professor of history at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, who has been writing and speaking about campus culture since 2016. But, Khalid said, addressing students mental health issues through trigger warnings is ineffective. It disempowers people by reducing their identities to traumatic events and infantilizes students whom professors should be preparing for adult life, she said. Life happens to you while you are driving, while you are walking, while you are in the supermarket, she said. The most challenging moments in life rarely come with warning. Khalid called trigger-warning mandates an infringement on the academic freedom of professors whose role is to help students develop critical thinking skills. Sometimes that requires surprising them and challenging them in ways that are uncomfortable, she said. It diminishes the learning experience for students if professors hedge themselves. Some professors support the use of trigger warnings. When used correctly, said Connor Strobel, a professor of social sciences at the University of Chicago, trigger warnings can open up a conversation with students, enabling professors to alert them to available resources. Strobel recently asked students to read The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir, and alerted them that the book included themes of menstruation and menopause, and things that women are shamed for, he said. One student approached him and said that because of a family issue, she was concerned about reading it. He was willing to create an alternate assignment for her but first encouraged her to start the book and see if she found it more compelling than upsetting. She found it very salient, he said, and completed the assignment. At a university, there is no topic that should be off the table, but trigger warnings are a preview of coming attractions that treat students with humanity, he added. When Strobel was a graduate student at University of California Irvine in 2016, he wrote a proposal asking a faculty government association to endorse the use of trigger warnings on campus. That document became an inspiration for Tings Cornell resolution. The Cornell measure was publicized by The Cornell Daily Sun, the student newspaper, and kicked up a conversation on Twitter. Normally, Pollack, the university president, takes about a month to weigh in on student assembly proposals. But in this case, she responded in just a few days. The resolution concerned her, she said in an interview, because it could impinge upon the freedom of faculty to select material and present it as they think is most beneficial. She also believes a rule that codifies the avoidance of upsetting topics runs contrary to the role of a university. Our students are coming at this with good intentions, Pollack said, but I think its a critical part of higher education to learn how to engage with challenging and difficult ideas. It teaches you to listen, compromise and advocate. It was the first assembly measure of more than 30 this academic year that the president has rejected. Lee Humphreys, chair of the communication department at Cornell, was pleased by Pollacks response. In the past, she has presented her classes with violent, sexual and distasteful content to push students to consider who might be drawn to the programming and who might financially benefit from it. If I was really concerned about making sure I was covering all of my bases in terms of trigger warnings, it would make my life easier to not show the kind of content in the class that I would otherwise show, just in case there was something that I was overlooking, Humphreys said. I think thats doing a disservice to the class and the students, to avoid things that are difficult. Humphreys often previews for students what is to come in a lesson, as a part of reinforcing pedagogical goals, she said, and aims to be sensitive to students. Just because you dont support a mandate doesnt mean that you dont support an inclusive learning environment, she said. Students had a mixed reaction to the resolution, with the conservative student newspaper, The Cornell Review, calling it an embarrassment in an editorial published last week. Hiding from ideas is no less than intellectual cowardice. Its exactly the opposite of what this country needs, the paper said. Cullen OHara, co-editor-in-chief of The Review, said that the editorial board did not believe the student assembly represented a majority of students and saw the resolution as endemic of broader free speech issues. We are very opposed to trigger warnings which we think would chill the discussion in classrooms, which we already believe are one-sided, said OHara, a senior. The student assembly will discuss the trigger-warning resolution with the administration on Thursday, at a previously scheduled meeting between Pollack and the assembly. I think the response is purposeful in focusing on the wrong part of the resolution, said Valeria Valencia, a senior and the Cornell University Student Assembly president, turning it into an issue of academic freedom and not one of protecting students, when both things can coexist. Ting, the writer of the resolution, said she is considering amending the proposal. But first I want to do more due diligence and reach out to faculty and administration to see how we can find the right balance, she said. c.2023 The New York Times Company High up in a dazzlingly white, tree-lined valley of the Rocky Mountains, two scientists armed with skis and clipboards peer at the long hollow tube they have just thrust vertically into a pristine snow drift. "Twenty-four inches, that's not so bad," says Brian Domonkos, before grabbing the metal cylinder -- now stuffed with snow -- and hitching it to a portable scale dangling from his colleague's ski pole. Originally carried out using an improvised set of milk scales, this same measuring technique has been performed on this exact spot every winter since 1966, to assess the amount of water held in Colorado's crucial snowpack. And while the remote, stunningly picturesque Mosquito Creek area feels like a different planet from Los Angeles, the data it yields remains vital for calculating how much water will reach the parched, sprawling cities of the American West each summer. "We're all one water system," explains Domonkos. "Fifty to 80 percent of all the water we use in the West comes from mountain snow melt." In this particular year, the stakes are unusually high. After more than two decades of drought, exacerbated by human-caused global warming, the region's giant reservoirs have dwindled to record lows. While winter has finally brought biblical rains to coastal cities, much of that has already flowed into the Pacific Ocean. So it is this powder, piled between pine trees atop the 10,000 foot- (3,000 meter-) high Colorado plateau, that will determine how much water is available to faraway urbanites in the coming dry months. "The April snow survey measurement is really the pinnacle, the peak of the snowpack for most of Colorado," says Domonkos. "That peak snowpack is the amount of water that's actually going to run off." - Grizzly bears - As well as taking manual measurements at dozens of similar sites, Colorado Snow Survey employees like Domonkos check and repair hi-tech, automated snow monitoring stations scattered across the Rockies. Story continues The combined data they yield allows scientists to predict the year's snowpack, and the job is a huge responsibility, says his colleague Nagam Gill. Their output is eagerly awaited by everyone from local ski and snowmobile resorts to the state's snowplow operators, foresters and hydroelectric power generators. But perhaps more crucially, Colorado is obliged to share a set percentage of the water it receives each year with downstream states. Calculate the year's snowfall wrong and send too much water down the river, and "you're never going to get that water back," said Domonkos. Still, both scientists agree, the job has its advantages. It frequently takes the pair -- via ski, snowshoe or snowmobile -- to beautiful unspoiled peaks and valleys of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming. Dozens of other scientists perform the same duties as far away as Alaska, travelling to the most remote spots on horseback or by helicopter. "It's pretty much a dream job," said Domonkos, who occasionally paused the interview to quench his thirst with a scooped handful of pure white snow. He said he frequently encounters moose and elk, and used to run into grizzly bears -- "a respectable amount" -- when he worked in Montana. - 'Very wet year' - During AFP's visit to Mosquito Creek, just east of the Continental Divide and 100 miles (160 kilometers) upstream from Denver, the snowpack is roughly similar to recent years. But that is not the story for most of the region. In the Colorado River Basin itself, which starts on the other side of this mountain and runs all the way to California, the snow is "a good bit better," says Domonkos. Indeed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is "seeing some really huge numbers" for snowmelt "forecasted to flow into reservoirs throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin" this summer, according to the organization's Paul Miller. The federal science group's complex computer models now include data from satellite imagery and aircraft, but still rely really heavily on the long-running snow surveys, he told AFP. Their conclusion? "It's going to be a very wet year," said Miller. Indeed, 11 million acre-feet of water is expected to reach Lake Powell, the basin's first major reservoir -- almost double the annual average of 6.3 million. An acre-foot refers to an acre covered in water a foot deep, which equals about half an Olympic-size swimming pool. Lake Powell and Lake Mead -- another giant reservoir, near Las Vegas -- currently sit around a quarter-full, but "these numbers will probably get us up into the 30, 35 percent range," said Miller. On current forecasts, this year will be the basin's ninth-wettest ever. If low temperatures and snowfall persist, it could break the top five. But up on the mountain Domonkos, wrapped up warm in a blue ski jacket, sunglasses and a beanie hat, is remaining cautious. "Even though we have a largely above-normal snowpack in the Colorado (basin), it doesn't mean we're going to have great runoff at this point," Domonkos says. The drought has stretched on for so long, he warns, "it's going to take a number of years to overcome." amz/hg/bfm/dw Columbia University will move forward with a "Global Center" in Tel Aviv in the face of vocal opposition from a group of faculty members. The university announced its plan last week, calling the Global Centers "foundational to Columbias mission to engage with the world." Columbia already has centers in 10 other cities, including Athens, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. In a press release, the university said the center will "leverage Columbias expertise and experience and link faculty and students to experts and resources in Israel and the wider region." Not all the universitys faculty supports the move: Law professor Katherine Franke in February circulated an open letter opposing the center over concerns of Israels human rights and the coalition government, which includes far-right parties. YALE STUDENTS SLAM UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT FOR ATTENDING NYC EVENT WITH CCP OFFICIAL WHO DEFENDED GENOCIDE The letter received 95 faculty signatures, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator. The letter also highlights concerns that "substantial concern about the power of donor money to direct major decisions, such as the establishment of this Global Center in Tel Aviv, in lieu of consultation with the faculty," but does not provide any examples. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "We are particularly concerned that Columbia University would take the bold step of opening a Global Center in Tel Aviv at this particular moment, with the newly seated government that is widely, if not almost universally, regarded as the most conservative, reactionary, right-wing government in Israels history," the letter reads. IVY LEAGUE PROFS TURN ON EACH OTHER AFTER COLUMBIA ECONOMIST CLAIMS UKRAINE WAR COULD BE NEXT AFGHANISTAN An election campaign poster for far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), with images of party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud Party leader, on Feb. 25, 2020, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) "For Columbia to preemptively invest in a new Global Center in Israel at the very moment when the domestic and international community is pulling away as part of a concerted and vehement objection to the new governments policies would render Columbia not only an outlier, but a collaborator in those very policies." Story continues The Israel-Palestine conflict has remained one of chief concern on the campus: The letter was a follow-up to a 2021 letter that received 98 faculty signatures. PROGRESSIVE CHICAGO ACTIVISTS PUSH FOR $1 BILLION IN REPARATIONS People attend a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 25, 2023. A counter-letter in support of the center circulated around the same time and received almost double the number of signatures with 171. The counter-letter rejected the idea that global centers have any political nature. "If we resolved to study only phenomena and ideas that attract our unmitigated approval, we would fail to live up to the obligations of a great global university," the counter-letter stated. The letter also cited China, Jordan and Turkey as countries that have "not free" labels from the most recent Freedom House Democracy Index, while India, Kenya and Tunisia have "partly free" labels. Meanwhile, Israel is listed as a "free" state. "To apply a separate standard to Israel and Israel alone would understandably be perceived by many as a form of discrimination," the counter-letter argued. Columbia University did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment by time of publication. Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson announced his transition leadership team on Wednesday, providing a glimpse into the way his future administration will run the city as he continues to assemble senior staff. Johnsons transition director will be Jessica Angus, vice president and chief of staff since 2008 at SEIU Healthcare Illinois, one of the key unions to support his run early on. His senior advisers will be campaign manager Jason Lee, a former investment banker who has worked with progressive unions, and Amisha Patel, former executive director of Grassroots Collaborative and Grassroots Illinois Action. Advertisement Johnson will rely on Erica Bland-Durosinmi and DJavan Conway as intergovernmental advisers. Bland-Durosinmi is executive vice president at SEIU Healthcare, while Conway leads Conway Consulting Group, a business advisory firm, and is also a former staffer for indicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Johnsons legal adviser is Maria Virginia Martinez, who works at law firm Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres and previously served under Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Johnson announced the moves as he continues his selection process for top city officials, including a chief of staff. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP On 18 May 2019, a 37-year-old man died of a heroin overdose in Colorado. Many of the overdose deaths that year nearly 200 each day did not receive much attention, but his was marked by a few news stories. Related: Five killed, including gunman, and nine injured in Louisville bank shooting Austin Eubanks had struggled with addiction since 1999, when he was shot and witnessed his best friend killed in the Columbine high school library. A doctor prescribed the 17-year-old opioids to help deal with the pain from the bullet wounds in his hand and his knee, but the teenager found the drugs more helpful for his emotional wounds, the ones he did not know how to talk about. Within months, he was manipulating doctors for more prescription medication, then moving on to other drugs. It took Eubanks 10 years, and multiple fights, arrests and damaged relationships, before he finally moved through the stages of grief for his murdered friend and got sober. In his 30s, he began to speak out nationally about the connection between violence, trauma and the opioid epidemic, demanding a deeper reckoning about the connections between addiction and Americans inability to grieve. By many counts, Eubanks death would not be included as one of the casualties of the American gun violence epidemic. But he had argued that the toll of mass shootings in America was much larger than a simple count of the injured or the dead. There have now been 377 school shootings since Columbine, according to the Washington Post, with nearly 350,000 US students exposed to violence at their schools since 1999. Eubanks knew the full weight of what each newly bereaved student would have to work through. The 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 people dead, seemed eerily familiar to him: the images of students running out with their hands above them, the armored vehicles and the police cars and ambulances on the grass all hit really close to home. Story continues People visit a memorial on the 5th anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting in February 2023. Photograph: Saul Martinez/Getty Images How many students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school would deal with their trauma, as he did, through negative coping methods like addiction, he wondered. How many first responders, traumatized by their encounters with the carnage inside the school, might do the same? The primary emotion for me these days is anger, Eubanks told me the evening of the Parkland shooting. Thats because I see the aftermath of what happens. The damage might not stop with the people who witnessed the shooting and its aftermath, he noted, but could spread to their family members and friends, even be passed along to their children, as an inheritance of generational trauma. Hurt people often hurt other people: Eubanks saw this clearly in his own life. I adversely affected hundreds of people through the course of my 20s by way of my addiction and the turmoil of my life, he said. Obviously, that ripple effect goes on and on and on. A single mass shooting sends shockwaves through an entire community, he argued, and waves of trauma keep moving outwards long after an attack is over. What would initially start as a few hundred directly affected will become thousands, and, in 10 years, tens of thousands just from this one shooting, he said in 2018. These are massive, massive traumas, he said. Its like an earthquake. It ripples. *** I have been thinking of Eubanks, and about those ripples of trauma, often in the past few months, as we marked the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in December; and then the fifth anniversary of the Parkland shooting in February; as we covered three mass shootings in three days in California; and now as we are watching protests sparked by a new school shooting at the Covenant school in Nashville, Tennessee, and a new mass shooting at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, that claimed the life of a close friend of Kentuckys governor. Eubanks himself died about a month after the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, in what the local coroner said was an accidental overdose. He lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face, his family told media outlets. Its a horrible, horrible situation and were not going to fix it, Tim Burchett, a Republican congressman from Tennessee, said the day after the Covenant school attack. Criminals are gonna be criminals. People gather to hold a vigil for the victims of Columbine high school shooting. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images The same day, Joe Biden told reporters he had exhausted the executive actions that he could take to prevent gun violence. I cant do anything except plead with the Congress to act reasonably, the president said, reiterating his support for a federal ban on assault weapons that will not become a reality as long as congressional Republicans block the legislation. These kinds of responses from a countrys elected leaders are an invitation to numbness. And numbness can feel like an acceptable way of dealing with the world we are being asked to live in. There is always another mass shooting coming after this one, and another after that. Eubanks talked a lot about the dangers of numbness, about the impossibility of healing if we do not move through our grief. He saw a direct correlation between the rise in mass violence and the rise in addiction in the United States, where drug overdose deaths have jumped from about 20,000 a year in 1999 to more than 100,000 a year today, about five times as many deaths annually as the number of gun homicides. During the upheavals of 2020, the number of gun homicides across the United States increased, with an additional 5,000 people killed. The number of overdose deaths increased even more: an additional 20,000 people lost. We have this society that is filled with emotional pain and trauma, and we have people prescribing narcotics that are very effective with treating emotional pain and trauma, Eubanks had told me. He also saw a very close connection between trauma, depression, addiction and suicide. Suicides in the US, which outnumber homicides, rose about 35% between 1999 and 2018, and most suicides are committed with guns. A cluster of suicides in March 2019, which included two student survivors of the Parkland shooting, and a parent of a child murdered in Newtown, briefly focused attention on the need to support survivors of school shootings, along with the fear that media attention to the suicides might put more people at risk. Our bodies and our minds are not meant to go through these kinds of tragedies, a visibly shaken Andy Beshear, Kentuckys governor, said after Mondays shooting at a bank in Louisville. Thats my bank, the governor added. He urged the police who responded to the scene and the banks employees to all reach out and get the help that they need. *** When I think of Eubanks, I also think of Darren Seals, a young activist from Ferguson who was deeply involved in the protests after the police killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown. A memorial for Michael Brown, who was shot dead by a white policeman, in Ferguson in November 2014. Photograph: Reuters/Alamy Seals had grown up with gun violence as a constant reality: St Louis has had one of the countrys highest homicide rates, and Seals himself had been shot two separate times. The second shooting, which left him seriously injured, inspired him to become an anti-violence activist. As a day one protester in Ferguson, Seals became close with Michael Browns family, and was an influential and controversial presence on the ground. When some local gang members were teargassed for the first time and wanted to retaliate against law enforcement, it was Seals who had the credibility to teach them how to fight back another way, by wearing protective gear as they continued to demonstrate, activist Tory Russell recalled. Years later, when national attention had shifted elsewhere, Seals had continued working on community violence prevention efforts in the St Louis area, focused on ways to intervene in the lives of young people at risk of gun violence, as well as continuing to speak out about police brutality and police surveillance. On 6 September 2016, Seals was found dead, shot multiple times and left in a burning car. He was 29. His murder remains unsolved and St Louis county police said they had no updates on his case. Two years later, in 2018, one of the grieving friends I had interviewed about Seals death, Bassem Masri, also died, in what was ruled an overdose. Masri was just 31, one of several Ferguson protesters lost too young. Trauma, as Eubanks said, keeps rippling outwards, one kind of damage turning into another. But trauma and violence do not only lead to harm. Both Eubanks and Seals were gun violence survivors whose shootings had turned them into activists. Their experiences were, in some ways, very different. Eubanks was white, and as a student at a relatively wealthy, suburban high school, he had an expectation of safety. Gun violence in a place like that was treated as an aberration. Seals, who was Black, had grown up in an area where violence was endemic and gunshots were common and young men like him had no expectation of being safe. Daren Seals, top center, awaits the decision by a grand jury on whether to indict Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown in 2016. Photograph: Robert Cohen/AP But Seals and Eubanks, coming from very different contexts, responded to the trauma they experienced in similar ways. Both of them developed a broad analysis of the violence and harm they experienced. Neither one chose to focus, as many American activists do, on gun access and gun control laws. Seals talked about violence through the lens of racism, systemic deprivation, poverty, incarceration and police brutality. Eubanks focused on the connections between trauma, addiction and the choices and profits of the American medical and pharmaceutical industries. Both of them spoke out in defense of people who had been hurt in the way they had been and who were often dismissed and demeaned, even in death. *** I think of Eubanks and Seals together in part because both of them focused on helping other people at a local level, even as their activism gained national attention. After his death, friends told the Washington Post about Seals efforts to throw a Thanksgiving dinner for low-income families and give out Christmas presents to children who might not get many, all while working 12-hour shifts at a local factory. In his 30s, Eubanks served as the chief operating officer for a long-term residential treatment program in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and said that about 80% of the clients in recovery he had worked with could identify the traumatic event at the root of their addiction. After every high-profile shooting, theres no shortage of commenters willing to embrace cynicism or despair, to re-share a British journalists tweet from 2015 that argued: Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate.Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over. It often seems to be the safest people, the ones who have not yet been touched by gun violence, who are the most willing to declare that nothing can be done, that the debate is already over. People who have lost their children or parents, who are still dealing with gunshot injuries and have bullet fragments in their body, are more likely to ignore the odds, and keep working. Over the last few months, Ive been opening up the old files of my interviews with Eubanks, and reading them again. Every time I do this, I feel so sad for his family, his children, not getting to be with him in his 40s and 60s and 70s. He had just been getting started. He had so much more work he wanted to do. But, reading his words, I also know that the work Eubanks did is not over. In his few short years as an activist, he deeply influenced many people, providing a perspective on the national gun violence debate that no one else was offering. His talk on trauma and addiction is still being viewed. To honor his memory, his family created a retreat program where mass shooting survivors can help each other heal. A visitor walks around the pool at the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial. Photograph: Boston Globe/Getty Images Trauma is not the only force that ripples outwards, affecting first hundreds, then thousands, then millions of people, that keeps moving years after the initial event has ended. I would like my body to stop reacting the way it does now after each new mass shooting. Maybe you would, too. But I try to remind myself that these feelings the grief, the anger, the panic, the nausea are a refusal to accept this kind of mass death as normal. I read Eubanks quotes again, and I tell myself that feeling this pain is better than not feeling it. Pain is how our bodies tell us to stop doing what we are doing. Our bodies, so much less clever than our minds, just saying, move, move. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine reported that its commission started the inspection of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves). Source: press service of the Ministry of Culture and Informational Policy of Ukraine Quote: "The commission of the Ministry of Culture and Informational Policy of Ukraine has started working in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra at last, though not without obstacles." Details: The commission has compiled a report about the crime of damage or destruction of the cultural heritage objects. Previously: The UOC-MP has blocked the work of the commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy commission for accepting and transferring state property of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Background: On 29 March, the UOC-MP held its last service in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the lower grounds of the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves. The UOC-MP clergy were to have left the monastery on 30 March, but they did not wish to do so, and therefore filed a lawsuit against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. According to Abbot Pavlo (Lebid), he and the UOC-MP clergy have the right to stay and do not plan to leave the monastery until the court case against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve is over. Meanwhile, Avraamii (Lotysh), Archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC-MP, joined the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and asked its head, Metropolitan Epiphanius, to approve him as acting abbot of the monastery. Epiphanius agreed, and UOC-MP Metropolitan Onufriy banned Archimandrite Avraamii from serving for going over to the OCU. In March 2023, the National Reserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra terminated the agreement with the UOC-MP on the free use of the monastery. The monks were supposed to leave the monastery and all its buildings on 29 March. The caves of the monastery have been closed for the duration of the inspection to preserve cultural property. Metropolitan Epiphanius of the OCU said that the monastery on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra would not be closed, and that the language of worship would be Old Church Slavonic along with modern Ukrainian. Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, stated that UOC-MP clergy would not be evicted from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra by force. The Kyiv Commercial Court has dismissed the lawsuit brought by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. Pavlo, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Metropolitan of the UOC-MP, had declared that UOC-MP clergy would not leave the territory of the Lavra until the court handed down a judgement. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A troubled DeKalb County condominium complex is back in the spotlight this week after two people were found dead inside a burned-out unit of the home. Firefighters found the remains of two people after reports of a fire at the Brannon Hill apartments Wednesday morning. Police said they are investigating the victims deaths as a possible homicide. The victims have yet to be identified. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Channel 2s Richard Elliot was at the complex Wednesday, where Channel 2 Action News has covered numerous murders and county-sponsored demolitions. In February, someone shot a pregnant woman to death. On Mothers Day in 2022, someone shot six people at the complex, killing three. Dekalb County has been able to come in and demolish a lot of the vacant and decrepit buildings at the complex, but it is still private property. Brannon Hill was built in the 1980s and used as a home for Somali refugees, but it has since fallen into disrepair due to reported mismanagement. Elliot obtained a document from DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terrys office, as he appropriated $100,000 to support a Brannon Hill public health and safety fund. TRENDING STORIES: The document reveals that the complex has been dubbed the worst neighborhood in America. Squalor and uninhabitable units fester violence and crime, the documents read. The county demolished four abandoned buildings and removed 1,700 tons of trash. But issues remain, and the county appears hampered because Brannon Hill remains on private property with numerous landlords. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] In a statement, Terry said: The underlying issue here is that the CEO has refused to address the issues at Brannon in a holistic manner. The blight task force is only concerned with tearing down derelict buildings. Story continues Elliot talked to one resident, Bella, who did not want to show her face, about the ongoing problems at the complex. We see these things every day, Bell said. We know things every day. We hear things every day. And you know, no one really tries to help this community as much. IN OTHER NEWS: A crowd prays before the Church of Potential Life altar, created by Jackie DesForges Matt Ellis Jackie DesForges began imagining her Church of Potential Life after the Dobbs decision was leaked. As she watched reproductive rights roll back across the nation, she created an altar and new church. In March, the Church of Potential Life held its first mass, worshipping abortion and female autonomy. At a renegade art and literary festival in Bombay Beach, California, Jackie DesForges knelt and prayed with passersby at the inaugural mass of her new church. Reading aloud from a sermon re-written using Supreme Court language, the group didn't merely celebrate they worshipped abortion. The idea to create a performance art church came to DesForges last year after a draft opinion of the Supreme Court decision that would ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked. "I was very mad, like a lot of people were," DesForges, a Los Angeles-based writer and artist, told Insider. The anger and sense of grief over the loss of abortion rights, she said, inspired her to create the provocative symbol of hope, which took shape over the next year. She had recently started creating erasure poems, painting over or whiting-out passages in books and other writings to create new poetry from the words left behind, and was inspired to do so with the language from the legal document that rolled back reproductive rights for women across the country. "So I decided I wanted to do something with this draft, and kind of write women back into it," DesForges told Insider. "And I decided I wanted it to take the form of a manifesto for kind of this new, imaginary religion that sort of worships abortion and female autonomy." Jackie DesForges performs the first mass of the Church of Potential Life to an audience at the Bombay Beach Biennale. Matt Ellis DesForges combed through the nearly hundred-page draft of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization opinion, erasing and re-structuring the language of Justice Alito to create an altar-sized poem, which she displayed at the Bombay Beach Biennale art and literary festival in March. Before a small crowd, DesForges read aloud from the church's manifesto, completed a Gospel reading, and then, with a basket passed around to participants like a reverse donation plate, she encouraged Church of Potential Life congregants to take with them phrases from the manifesto, offering single lines of prose to think on. Story continues DesForges said she drew power for the project by "taking the Supreme Court's words and kind of using them against them" reclaiming the words and the reasoning used to strip women of access to abortion. "They had all the sources that they cited in this document, and I could use the same sources to prove a different point," DesForges said. "There also was a huge power is that for me, I think, where I was like, 'Okay, you can write this resounding opinion about what you think the situation is' and so can I, using your exact same words, basically." Jackie DesForges, creator behind the Church of Potential Life, stands in front of her altar during the project's inaugural mass. Matt Ellis Raised Catholic, DesForges said the project was also an act of reclaiming a sacred space after she left the church and recognized different religious perspectives on abortion. She noted that in certain Jewish faiths, abortion is not only allowed but required to protect the health of a mother, making an abortion ban a potential violation of their freedom of religion and for those who follow her church. "I think I used to be so anti-everything Catholic and everything church, I had a lot of complicated feelings for a while without it, and now I'm very much in the place where I can kind of take what I need from it and leave the rest behind," DesForges said. That mentality appeared to resonate with those who saw her performance, she said, adding that audience members shared their own experiences and thoughts on abortion and religion with her following the mass, praising her project and its aim to open a dialogue. "It was truly like, the perfect location, at the perfect time," she said, noting the fear regarding abortion access is still palpable as nationwide access to abortion-inducing drugs mifepristone and misoprostol has been called into question. "It just felt meant to be." Read the original article on Insider U.S. Rep. Jeff Jacksons 1.6 million TikTok followers arent all there to be his friends, he learned this week as he and another North Carolina congressman, Rep. Wiley Nickel, found themselves at the center of two ethics complaints. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed two back-to-back complaints with the Office of Congressional Ethics accusing the two Democrats of using their TikTok accounts to both campaign and conduct official congressional business. FACTS is a conservative nonprofit based in Washington, a dark-money group once run by former Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. Recently, members of both political parties have worked together in a push to potentially ban TikTok from devices throughout the country, though Republicans have taken a stronger stance in recent weeks. And Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, called on his colleagues in Congress to stop using the platform. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat from New York, stood out as one of the few voices in Congress defending TikTok. FACTS also filed, this week, a complaint against him for his use of the app. Federal law and House ethics rules require strict separation between campaign and official acts, the complaints against both Nickel and Jackson state. A member is prohibited from using official resources for campaign purposes and a member is prohibited from using campaign funds for official purposes. The complaints allege that not only did the men use their accounts to campaign for office, they went on to use content taken inside the U.S. Capitol to then publish on the same accounts once elected. The laws and ethics rules prohibiting Members from using official resources for political purposes are clear and longstanding, said Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACTS. Not only do these ethics rules protect taxpayer funds, but they also protect the integrity of the government and maintain citizens trust. Anytime a member does not comply with these laws it is troubling and should concern citizens. The OCE should act to enforce these fundamental ethics rules. Story continues Complaint against Rep. Jeff Jackson Jackson became more well known following the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank last month when he recorded a video at 2 a.m. for his social media platforms explaining in basic terms what happened and how Congress was responding. The freshman congressman from Charlotte posted his video to multiple accounts, and his TikTok amassed 29.1 million views, as of Tuesday. He is now followed by 1.6 million people. News articles followed Jacksons social media success asking the congressman why he chose to use a platform currently scrutinized by his colleagues as a potential international security risk and how he grew so popular. Jackson told other media outlets that he uses a burner phone that is connected to TikTok and nothing else. The ethics complaint alleges that Jackson describes himself as a member of Congress on his TikTok account while including a link to his campaign website. His TikToks also include campaign interviews and events. Later posts includes photographs of members on the House floor. Members are not allowed to use photos or videos taken from the House floor or in committee meetings for political purposes, even when first published by a third party. Jacksons TikTok account began in April 2021, with a video of his young daughter trying to jump over a line of balls and face-planting instead. It went on to show official business on the Senate floor in the state legislature before moving onto campaign videos and finally, videos from him as a member of Congress. The complaint is wrong, Jackson said Tuesday. We looked at the rules closely to make sure we followed them, and we did. Jackson posted a video Tuesday morning about a judge banning the use of mifepristone, a pill that blocks a hormone that allows pregnancy to occur and is one of the drugs used in medication abortions. Jeff Jackson continues to put TikTok fame before national security and it has come back to bite him, said Delanie Bomar, spokeswoman for National Republican Congressional Committee, in a statement sent out about the ethics complaint against Jackson. Jacksons priority is going viral, not the people of NC-14. NRCC, a group that works to get Republicans elected to the U.S. House, has listed North Carolina Reps. Don Davis, Nickel and Jackson as targets for their 2024 campaigns. Bomar did not comment on the complaint against Nickel. Theyre throwing anything to see what sticks, Jackson said. This wont. Rep. Wiley Nickel Nickel has far less of a reach on the social media platform. Hes amassed 4,872 followers and while views for the majority of his videos stay in the triple digits, he once garnered 32,000 views on a post about his campaign opponent, Bo Hines, talking about needing money while living off a trust fund. Like Jackson, Nickels use of TikTok began while he campaigned for Congress and continued after he was sworn into office. Nickel, a Cary Democrat, represents North Carolinas 13th Congressional District. While his account biography lists that he is a member of Congress, it also links to his campaign website, one of the many complaints FACTS had with his account. Nickel also posted videos from campaign events, interviews and advertisements, before switching gears and posting videos created at the Capitol and of a C-SPAN interview he filmed in the building while wearing a pin given to members of Congress, the complaint alleges. These violations reveal a complete disregard for the clear and longstanding prohibition of using official resources for political purposes, Arnold said. Complying with the law and House Ethics rules are a fundamental obligation for elected officials. The OCE must move swiftly to investigate and enforce these bright-line standards and apply the requisite penalty. Nickel, however, sees the complaint as a partisan attack by a right-wing group, he said. Im focused on working hard to deliver for the people of North Carolina, and thats what Im going to keep doing, Nickel said. Nickel hasnt posted on TikTok since Feb. 25. An elementary school in Alabama has installed bulletproof safe rooms in two classrooms to protect students in the event of an active shooter. The rooms were installed at West Elementary School in Cullman, Alabama, in late February as part of a pilot program. Since then, another school shooter killed three children and three adults at a private school in Nashville. "I want it in every classroom in the United States," Kevin Thomas told Fox News. "It's needed more and more every day." The shelters are 8-by-8 foot rooms built with ballistic material that can stop any bullet that's been used in a school shooting to date. Dry erase material is on the outside so the rooms blend in with the classroom. WHO ARE THE NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS? The bulletproof shelter stands in the corner of a teacher's classroom. From the outside, it looks like a dry-erase board. Thomas says he started working on the idea after a conversation with his wife after 21 people, including 19 children were killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, last May. Thomas works in construction and his wife asked him to build something that could save lives. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "Seeing people in Texas and the parents going don't let this be for nothing, remember us, with that I can say we heard them loud and clear," Thomas said. "After 25 years of standing by hoping somebody else would do something, we decided it's time for us to do something." The shelter can hold up to 60 elementary school aged children, 45 middle schoolers, or 30 high school students. The shelter is collapsible and can lie against the wall, or it can be set up in a corner as a reading or free time room. When it's collapsed, it can be pulled out in less than 10 seconds during an emergency. LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCES SCHOOL SECURITY, TRAININGS AFTER WAVE OF COPYCAT SHOOTING THREATS "Maybe we don't stop them, but we can minimize the effectiveness," Thomas said. "We're not hiding under desks anymore, turning out the lights, closing the door or hiding in a corner." "Research tells us buying time saves lives during the unimaginable event of a school shooting," Cullman City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff told FOX in a statement. "These safe rooms would provide time for our School Resource Officers and other trained first responders to react in a worse case scenario." Story continues Kallhoff said he hopes the pilot program in his school district will lead to federal and state funding for every school in America to have these safe rooms. Each shelter costs about $60,000 to install. In this classroom, the teacher has the safe room set up as a reading or free time room. "We need to make sure that all schools have the equal opportunity to get these in their schools, not just the ones that can fund it themselves," Thomas said. GOP SENATOR SAYS BIDEN'S DEPT. OF EDUCATION IMPOSING DANGEROUS DELAYS ON SCHOOL SECURITY FUNDS Thomas also emphasizes that he doesn't want the money to come out of state or federal education budgets, but believes federal funding can be reallocated. He's going to Capitol Hill later this month to work with legislators on lobbying for the funding. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP "We want to install a million in a year," Thomas said. "That's our goal." Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty With a burst of concentration, University of Alabama computer science major Jacob Boykin sent his small quadcopter drone speeding ahead of an identical drone operated by UA computer-science PhD student Roya Salehzadeh. It was a drone race along a 16-foot track, and after weeks of heats initially involving 20 competitors, Boykin was crowned the Brain-Drone Race 2023 champion. Drone racing has existed for years and can trace its beginnings back to 2011 when a group of amateur drone hobbyists in Germany held the first official race. Today, there are leagues all over the world organizing competitions with prizes of $50,000 or more. Russian and Ukrainian troops have even turned speedy racing drones into crude cruise missiles by strapping explosives to them and sending them flying towards each other. What was special about the April 1 race in Alabama, though, was that the contestants werent steering their drones the usual way with handheld controllers. Instead, they operated the drones with their thoughts. They werent racing for a cash prize or even bragging rights either. Well, not completely. The April race, organized by UA computer scientist Chris Crawford, was an experiment to help advance an important new technologybrain-computer interfaces (BCIs)while also introducing a new generation of budding scientists to the bleeding edges of computer science and neuroscience. University of Alabama The key is what the eight racers were wearing: electroencephalography (EEG) headsets, which detect electrical activity in the brain. Doctors typically use them to diagnose epilepsy and sleep disorders. However, if you connect it to a radio transmitter and add the right software, an EEG headset can also double as a BCIor a brain modem. These signals have the potential to revolutionize everyday life by enhancing our ability to interact with technology in a more natural and intuitive way, Salehzadeh told The Daily Beast. Brain modems arent exactly new. Scientists have been tinkering with them since the 1970s. Among other niche uses, they can connect amputees to their smart prostheses and give mute people computerized speech. Story continues But despite a lot of hype from the tech sector (Elon Musk launched BCI startup Neuralink in 2016, and Facebook funded some BCI development between 2017 and 2021) brain modems still havent gone mainstreamand for good reason. The best brain modems have to be surgically implanted inside the users skull. The holy grail of the BCI field is a modem you can wear like a hat and still get a good read of your own thoughts. Thats the kind of tech the racers were testing at UA last week. The brain-drone race event is our way of taking BCI research outside of a controlled lab environment, Crawford told The Daily Beast. It provides a way for us to learn which components are robust. The race highlighted some big recent advancements in brain modems, but also underscored the huge obstacles the tech still faces on its way to everyday use as a way of interfacing with your car, smart home, computer or smartphoneor even silently communicating with another user, mind to mind. The April race wasnt actually Crawfords first brain-drone contest. In 2019, he teamed up with University of Florida computer scientist Marvin Andujar for a joint Florida-Alabama race. Before that, Andujar had been running his own local races for three years. For four years, COVID interrupted what could have been an annual brain-drone race. But the long break also gave Crawford an opportunity to upgrade the tech. This year the team investigated the use of new hardware and software, Crawford said. Brain-Drone racers wear electroencephalography (EEG) headsets, which detect electrical activity in the brain and sends it to the drone. University of Alabama All the brain-drone races have involved wearable EEGs rather than the more-sensitive implanted modems. After all, what college kid wants to have a hole drilled in their head? But the races before this years involved a less sophisticated wearable system: A passive interface thats just sensitive enough to gauge the overall level of neural activity under the skull. In other words, it cant tell what youre thinking. It can only tell how hard youre thinking. That intensity-only, passive EEG afforded racers just one degree of freedom, or type of command. This means that, a user can relay just a single general direction to a drone or other device. You can think of a degree of freedom as a dimension of independent control, like moving a joystick in one axis, Graeme Moffat, a scientist in the neurotechnology industry, told The Daily Beast. Forward/backward is one degree of freedom. Left/right is one degree of freedom. In the case of the pre-2023 brain-drone competitors, the command was go faster or go slower. Think hard and generate lots of brain waves, and the drone takes that to mean speed up. Think less hard, generate fewer brain waves, and the drone slows down. All that is to say, in the previous brain-drone races, the drones could only travel forward at varying speeds. Besides being a fun competition, the Brain-Drone Race are helping develop new approaches to BCI technology like new signal-processing and better machine-learning algorithms. University of Alabama For the 2023 race, Crawford fitted his racers with active interfaces that are sensitive enough to translate specific neural impulses into more degrees of freedom. The contestants could control their drones speed and direction. That made the contest a lot more interestingand transformed the race into a combination of art and science. I found that the key to success was to remain relaxed and consistent in my imagination of hand movements, Salehzadeh told The Daily Beast. Once I learned to control my thoughts and visualize the movements clearly, I was able to use the EEG signals to control the drone with greater accuracy. However, it's still not perfect. More degrees of freedom are needed to "reliably control a robot in a useful way, Moffat explained. Moreover, for brain modems to become true consumer tech, theyll need potentially hundreds of them. Luckily, every experiment or trialor yes, drone racethat helps add degrees of freedom gets us slightly closer to an everyday brain modem. The data that investigators can obtain are brain data and qualitative feedback from the competitors, Anjudar told The Daily Beast. But Crawfords race has a parallel objective. The contestants experiences could inform effort to improve the control links between EEG headsets and drones, or write new algorithms for translating neural impulses into commands "But it's by and large a learning environment for students just starting out in BCI, Moffat said. After some recent setbacks, including Facebook cutting off BCI funding and regulators rejecting Neuralinks request to start human trials, its becoming clear just how much work Crawford and Andujar and their fellow scientists still have to do to make the tech work for more people, and for different purposes. It might take years, or Decades even. So its possible one of the students commanding a drone with their mind at one of Crawford or Andujars races will be the one to finally make brain modems work for everyone. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A California bill that would ban additives found in foods like Skittles and fruit cups took a step forward this week, toward banning certain processed snacks or at least changing their recipes. Assembly Bill 418, introduced in February by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Woodland Hills, and Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, passed the health committee with bipartisan support Tuesday. It would ban the sale of processed foods containing certain dangerous and toxic chemicals. Heres what to know about which additives the bill targets, including red dye No. 3, whats next for the bill and what happens if it becomes law: What happens if the bill becomes law? The bill isnt intended to ban any products, according to a March Statement from Gabriels office, but thats what could happen if it is signed into law and companies dont make the switch. Whats next for the bill? The health committee passed the bill with bipartisan support (12 to 1) and it is now re-referred to the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. If it makes it out of committees, it will head to the assembly floor where it will need a majority vote to move forward. A bill does not become law until it is passed by both the Assembly and Senate as long as the governor doesnt veto it. What substances would the bill ban? AB 418 would ban the following ingredients: Brominated vegetable oil - Keeps citrus flavors from rising to the top of beverages Potassium bromate - Strengthens the flour of packaged baked goods Propylparaben - Preservative that kills mold and other microorganisms Red dye No. 3 - Gives food a bright-red cherry color Titanium dioxide - Prevents food from breaking down Each of these chemicals is banned in the European Union, according to a news release from Gabriels office. If passed, when would it take effect? The bill states the additives would be illegal by 2025. What is red dye No. 3? The long-time controversial chemical red dye No. 3 is a synthetic dye derived from petroleum, according to the nonprofit consumer organization Consumer Reports. Story continues Theres evidence that the dye as well as the other ingredients is detrimental to the health of animals, but not humans. High doses of red dye no. 3 have been found to cause cancer in animals. What foods could be banned? The ingredients center stage of AB 418 are commonly found in processed foods including cereals, candy, soda, packaged baked goods and frozen dinners. Meaning, odds are youve consumed the additives before. Here are some examples: Skittles contain titanium dioxide Ring Pops and Hot Tamales have red dye No. 3 The ingredients are present in thousands of other food products, from fruit cups to baked goods, according to an Environmental Working Group database. The Bees Lindsey Holden contributed to this story 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. Editors note: Hundreds of readers continue to weigh in on the expulsion hearings of the Tennessee Three the state House lawmakers who were accused of disorderly behavior for encouraging gun law reform protesters from the chambers floor. The vast majority of letter writers have condemned the Tennessee General Assemblys action, including readers from throughout the world. The actions last week resulted in the ousting of Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and the near removal of Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, and there were also some readers who supported this outcome. In this collection of letters, we present representative points of view from those outside of Tennessee. Tennessee expulsion recalls Chicago Eight trial of 1969 When the Tennessee Legislature expelled state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two of the Tennessee Three, it revived memories of Judge Julius Hoffman ordering Black Panther leader Bobby Seale bound and gagged at his Chicago Eight trial in 1969. Back then, powerful forces moved to silence protesters trying to save Americas sons and daughters from the killing fields in Vietnam. Today, powerful forces are trying to silence protesters fighting to save Americas sons and daughters from the killing fields of the USA. Its disturbing, but not surprising, that those who would allow our children to be sacrificed on the altar of gun-industry profits would attack those fighting to keep our kids from falling victim to gun violence. The lawmakers' patently undemocratic action is another frightening sign of the countrys descent toward authoritarianism, where the rich and powerful choke off the voices of the common people. Sadly, but perhaps fittingly, the state leading the way is where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., that noble champion for peace and goodwill, was assassinated nearly 55 years to the day. Brad Brown, Vallejo, CA Native Southerner astounded by Tennessee today Born in Savannah, Georgia in 1949, I am appalled that Tennessee legislators are apparently flagrantly practicing racism, bigotry and suppression. That they apparently have rules to suppress the First Amendment astounds me. Let's go forward, not backwards. Story continues Chris Roesel, Roeland Park, KS Bigotry explains comparing peaceful protest to Jan. 6 Bigotry is still alive and thriving in Tennessee, as evident in comparing a basically peaceful protest in the legislative meeting to the insurrection on Jan. 6, where people were killed and injured. No more visits to Nashville, a lively/lovely city with great music and food. Margaret Munson, Penn Valley, CA Check the polls: Americans seek a path forward Justin Jones and Justin Pearson outshone many of their peers this week. They are bright, articulate and heads above some of their Republican opponents. The long, poorly delivered diatribe by the Speaker of the House was shameful. The Speaker, full of vitriol, and his equally weak cohorts should be voted out and the young potential voters will be the ones to do it. It is a sad commentary that there is so much cowardice among Republicans on the subject of guns. National polls consistently show that Americans nationwide want background checks and a ban on automatic assault weapons designed for the military. The Republican Party just doesn't get it. When I travel internationally, I am always queried about guns and asked: what is wrong with your government? Good question. Rose Cycler, Bowling Green, OH I vow not to support Tennessee I love to see the state showing who they really are. None of my money will ever go to your state. Joseph Maciorowski, Sebastopol, CA My home state is a national embarrassment I am a native Tennessean who moved from the state in the 90s. I have some family who still live there. Tennessee has become a national embarrassment, more so in recent years, and the actions by the Tennessee GOP reinforce that sentiment. Furthermore, the optics are horrible. Race is not a factor? Please, that bust of the KKK Wizard was just removed. Welcome to Tennessee 1960. Tim Will, Baltimore MD The past lives on in Tennessee It looks like Jim Crow is alive and well in Tennessee. Vaughn Rees, San Ysidro, CA Worried more about drag queens than childrens lives I am writing to express my disdain for your political stance in Tennessee. To see democracy stomped on like your Republicans did is a very sad day for America. Soon we will be a banana republic and will lose our standing in the world. The only thing an out-of-state person can do is never come to Tennessee and never spend one penny in your state. You are sick to not want to care for your children's lives but scared s------- over a drag queen. You people really are just rednecks! Paul Moultroup, Davisburg MI My new heroes live in Tennessee I gained three new heroes last week. And 72 new villains. Janet R Goff, Cardiff By The Sea, CA Sadly, youll never see me at Graceland All my life I have had a goal to visit Graceland, but with the resent disgraceful behavior of your state legislators you would never see me step one foot into your bigoted, ignorant and pathetic state. Shameful. Jerry Bunn, Beaverton, OR Tyranny of leadership causes TN to lose sight of whats important I live in Connecticut where 10 years ago, 26 people, including 20 6- and 7-year-olds, were gunned down at the Sandy Hook School. It remains an incomprehensible tragedy. As I watched the Tennessee legislature disgrace itself before an international audience, I could only think what a shame it is that three representatives who tried to focus on a similar tragedy would be so punished for seeking to speak their views. Apparently, there is a tyranny of leadership that prevents political discourse and, in the process, lost sight of the fact that six beautiful people will never see the sun on Easter morning. Surely, something is very wrong in Nashville. Claudia Weicker, Old Lyme, CT Give legislators credit: They did remove KKK bust I just returned from Athens, Greece, the birthplace of democracy, where upon arriving home I learned of the expulsion of two young Black lawmakers who had been ousted from the Tennessee legislature for what the late Civil Rights Icon John Lewis would have described as good trouble. The Republicans in the Tennessee State House need a review of what democracy is all about, if they ever learned it to begin with. One does have to wonder about those in the Tennessee legislature. After all, one actually suggested that hanging from a tree should be a form of capital punishment in the great state of Tennessee. One can't make this stuff up. The vote to expel the Tennessee Three took place in a building built by enslaved people, and where in 1866 it expelled members who tried to block citizenship of former slaves. However, lets give credit where credit is due. After all, they did remove from the State House a bust of an early Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard: in 2021. Tom Scorby, St. Charles, Illinois Why I canceled my vacation to Tennessee To Governor Lee and Speaker Sexton,I am traveling solo around the southeast region of the USA and was planning to visit Tennessee on my return trip to Massachusetts. I canceled this part of my trip. Why? The appalling anti-democratic expulsion of duly-elected representatives, for acts that could have been resolved by censure. Its absolutely mortifying and a fascist abuse of power. To add insult to injury, TN House members expelled two young black men and failed to expel the white woman, who rightly stated its probably about the color of their skin. Your mostly white Republican legislators are essentially telling black people in your state, Sit down and shut up or well find a way to shut you up. The problem was never about misbehaving Democrats flouting rules at the State House. At issue was the repeated bloody murders of children and educators, and you just turned it into the more obvious reason for abusing your power that you care more about power and demographic change than children and families in Tennessee. The top priority on Governor Lees website is School Safety and that appears to be a lie. Laryssa W Rod, Somerville, MA We can see the truth We're embarrassed for you, Tennessee. The optics of these expulsions speak much louder than the lies of denial of these redneck Republicans. They never expelled David Byrd and others accused of much more serious crimes. The transparent racism is disgusting and contemptible. Rest assured the world is watching your bumbling power grab. Linda Albers, R.N., Kailua-Kona, HI Gun lobby is todays 30 pieces of silver It's a mockery that the Tennessee Legislature is more offended by Constitutionally protected lawful protest than it is the spilled blood of children. For a party intent on ramming abortion restrictions down the throats of every citizen of this nation, the Republicans frankly do not care that children are dying elsewhere on their classroom floors. They do not care that every teacher and student fears the day that the active shooter alert is no longer a practice drill. That gun lobbyist money in their pockets is their 30 pieces of silver. This should've been an opportunity for both parties to come together to protect our children. People of one party did try and ended up ousted for their efforts. Sickening. Randy Dale, Marianna, Florida Youre afraid of the wrong thing The bullies seem to be unhappy, putting the Tennessee Three in a corner didn't have the desired effect. The world watched as your inner Bull Connor was on full display, live and in color. What a despicable herd mentality. Listen to all people, hear and understand. Having your head blown off is not polite nor pretty. Fear the gun, not the three messengers. Anne Needles, Bethlehem, PA Could there have been a worse response? Feel sad for the children and young adults watching all the Tennessee lawmakers. It seems like a chapter from some future High School history book titled: The worst possible way to react after a mass shooting. John Webster, Tempe, AZ I work for a Speaker and this would not stand Yesterday was an embarrassment for our country and for your state in particular. I worked for the Speaker of the House in our state and I would have walked out if this were to happen. It also reeks of racial injustice and I happen to be white even though I shouldnt have to declare my color to make a point. I am enraged that your state wasted precious time on this travesty rather than focusing on ideas to keep our kids safe. We will make sure I never visit. Joseph & Carol Atkinson, Gig Harbor, WA Punished for expressing outrage about childrens deaths When two young, minority, Democratic, elected leaders are expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives for expressing outrage for the continued deaths of our young children, it confirms to the world why the aging, white, Republican party will soon only exist in our history books. It's sad that in Tennessee, Republican leaders continue to support sacrificing our young children so they can keep AR-15s. How many more kids have to die? John O'Brien, Buena Vista, CO I wont be visiting Pigeon Forge this year I am appalled about the expulsion of the lawmakers who protested in favor of gun control. I have often vacationed in Pigeon Forge, but I will not this year. Jake Williams, Birmingham, AL Calling for a boycott of Tennessee from Idaho I am a 70-year old woman living in rural Idaho. The Tennessee vote to expel two young representatives for voicing their outrage at the murders of children by assault weapons will go down in history as yet another desperate power grab by the GOP. Throw them out and, in the meantime, boycott everything that they hold dear. Laurie Morehead, Hammett, ID I discovered there are legislators worse than Utahs Through personal experience, I think of Utahs legislators as the most uncompassionate in the nation, challenged perhaps only by those in Idaho. Now I have to add some of Tennessees legislators to the list. Its so easy to believe we have a fundamental right to something based on a vaguely-worded sentence written by men who couldnt envision a flush toilet let alone a gun that could shoot more than two bullets per minute. But its not about guns. Its about the people who are killed by guns. Martin Neunzert, Ogden, UT Weve canceled our trip to Nashville, will vacation in another state Dear residents of Tennessee,Im writing to let you know that due to the recent activity of your states legislature, my husband and I have decided to cancel our long-awaited trip to Nashville and spend our tourist dollars elsewhere. We will choose a city and state where duly elected representatives are allowed to stand with their constituents and exercise their First Amendment right to free speech. I am saddened and disgusted by the behavior of the officials who voted to oust two elected representatives, therefore disenfranchising thousands of citizens. The blatant racism goes beyond anything that a civilized, democratic society would practice. I stand with the Tennessee Three. Leslie Roussan, Haines, AK This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'Tennessee three' expulsion prompts call for boycott from U.S. readers Vann Newkirk will serve as Wilberforce Universitys 23rd president. Wilberforce University has named Vann Newkirk the new president of the countrys oldest private historically Black college, The Columbus Dispatch reports. Beginning in July, Newkirk will serve as the universitys 23rd president succeeding retiring president Elfred Anthony Pinkard. Currently, Newkirk is Alabama A&M Universitys interim associate vice president. (Left to right) Dr. Vann Newkirk and Paul T. Kwami at the Fisk Jubilee Singers Unveil Heritage & Honor: 150-Year Story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers at Fisk University on June 29, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for Marushka Media ) I am honored and excited to be joining the Wilberforce University community, Newkirk said in a statement, as the Dayton Daily News reported. As an HBCU graduate, I also understand the transformative power of these institutions, and I look forward to working with the talented faculty, staff and students at Wilberforce to continue the universitys legacy of excellence, he continued. Newkirk said his priority as president is to raise funds for Wilberforce by engaging community members. Dr. Newkirk brings a wealth of experience and has a sterling reputation in higher education, having served in various leadership roles at several institutions, said Board of Trustees Chair Mark Wilson in a statement to the Dispatch. The North Carolina native previously served as vice president of academic affairs, provost, and president at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to being a noted historian, Newkirk has written extensively on crime and punishment in North Carolina. With this Wilberforce appointment, Newkirk hopes to strengthen the universitys reputation as a nationally ranked liberal arts institution. Newkirk attended North Carolina A&T University and Barber-Scotia College for his undergraduate studies in sociology, according to The Columbus Dispatch. His academic credentials include a masters degree in history from Winthrop University and a master of science degree from North Carolina Central University. He also has a Ph.D. in history from Howard University. His experience, vision, and commitment to educating our students make him the ideal choice to lead our university into the future, Wilson said. Story continues Newkirk is currently completing a book on the history of African Americans in Alabama. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Countrys oldest, private HBCU names new president appeared first on TheGrio. Former Dwight D. Eisenhower High School Principal Donatta Yates, the first woman to become a principal in High School District 218, died April 1. She was 97. Yates became principal in 1979 and retired in 1990, according to the schools yearbook. Yates started her career as a social studies teacher at Fenger High in Chicago, where she taught for 18 years. In 1970, she became the District 218 activities and attendance director, according to the yearbook. Advertisement Donatta Yates (Donnellan Funeral Home) She eventually became an assistant principal at Old Main and then principal in 1979, according to the yearbook. The year of her retirement, she told the yearbook she was most proud of her ability to match programs to students. Kids dont learn in a vacuum. They have to have the appropriate setting to excel, Yates was quoted. Advertisement Donatta Yates became an educator of historical significance for us, said District 218 spokesman Bob McParland. As the leader of Eisenhower High School, she served our community with great energy and passion and an unwavering commitment to the well being of our students and staff. Tammy Aggen, who graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1986, said as a student she did not realize how significant it was that Yates was the first woman principal, because she went to Catholic elementary schools where nuns were principals. Aggen described Yates as tough and tender with a conviction for teaching and compassion for students. Her senior year, Aggen said some classmates went up onto the roof of the school and hung sheets as a senior prank. At an assembly, she remembered Yates being stern about the seriousness of going up on the roof while also giving the students who pulled the prank kudos for figuring out how to get up there. She had that sense of humor, even wen she disciplined us, Aggen said. She would reprimand what you did not the person you were. Memorial visitation will be from 9:30 until Mass at 11 a.m. Thursday, at St. Barnabas Church, 10134 S. Longwood Drive, Chicago. A private interment will be held at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. A Gwinnett County husband and wife say theyre out $50,000 after a police chase led to a car crashing into their business and damaging more than a dozen trailers. Joanna and Craig Minix own Trailers & Hitches, Inc. in Loganville off Highway 78. On Jan. 14, they came to their business to discover fences destroyed and 14 trailers with twisted and bent metal thats difficult to repair and expensive to replace. (Trailers) were scattered all over and nothing but a business card on the door, Craig Minix told Channel 2s Matt Johnson. The business card belonged to a Snellville Police officer. The couple later learned that the damage was from the aftermath of a Snellville Police chase that happened Jan. 13. When the couple filed a claim for reimbursement of damages, they say the request was denied. You try and make a living and its hard to do when youve been dinged for $50,000 and no one wants to step up, Craig Minix said. TRENDING STORIES: Snellville police reports reveal the chase began in Snellville and ended in Loganville at around 4 a.m. when officers chased a 16-year-old in a stolen car at 112 mph. Norcross police initially started a chase with the same vehicle the same day but called off the chase due to dangerous conditions. In an incident report, one Snellville officer wrote, The vehicle was stolen during a burglary with approximately 20 firearms as well. A Snellville officer did a PIT maneuver to stop the suspect he believed was armed, sending the car into the Minixs trailers off Highway 78. It doesnt make sense to me that theyre chasing a $10,000 stolen vehicle and incur $50,000 worth of damage, Craig Minix said. The couple told Johnson that they called the city of Snellville only to find out the city wouldnt pay for the damages. Story continues Lawyers told them it can be difficult to file a claim when operable vehicles havent been damaged and when officers are in pursuit of someone connected to a felony. Its just frustrating because it seems like theyre operating without impunity, Craig Minix said. A city spokesperson told Channel 2 Action News that there is no comment at this time regarding what the insurance provider is working out with this business. The owners say theyve already received an answer and now theyre hoping the city reconsiders. I dont want anything thats not mine, Craig Minix said. I just want whats damaged to be replaced. IN OTHER NEWS: A woman who works at a courthouse full of accused criminals is now accused of being one herself. Channel 9s Hunter Saenz has learned Mecklenburg County deputy clerk Almeter Bailey is behind bars for allegedly trying to rob a business at gunpoint. ALSO READ: Shoppers on edge after man stabbed in robbery at Northlake Mall Police said earlier this month, she walked into a PLS Check Cashing store on Albemarle Road, pulled out a pistol, and tried robbing the place. On Wednesday, court officials told Saenz she works for the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Courts office. They said her employment was immediately suspended following the arrest. Bailey is being held on a $50,000 bond. (WATCH BELOW: Rideshare driver carjacked at gunpoint; suspects arrested after chase, CMPD says) Even as schools wield billions of dollars in federal COVID relief, only a small fraction of students have received school tutoring, says coverage of tutoring access and availability published by Chalkbeat and The Associated Press. In a sampling of 12 districts, fewer than 10% of students had received tutoring services during the fall semester of 2023. School officials in Indianapolis, for example, say a focus on quality made immediate scaling difficult and that they plan to enroll a higher number of students in tutoring programs moving forward. According to the Council of Chief State School Officers, at least sixteen states have established their own tutoring programs using a collective $470 million in federal COVID aid. Despite the challenge of reaching students, states like Connecticut, Illinois, and Oregon continue to announce new tutoring initiatives and investments. DC and a handful of states applied for and received approval for an extension to spend ESSER I (CARES Act) dollars beyond the original deadline https://t.co/Bl7RnPQhbC via @K12DiveNews Qubilah Huddleston (@QubilahHudd) March 27, 2023 In other funding news, the Education Department granted extensions to the amount of time that at least seven states and D.C. have to spend down the first tranche of COVID-19 school relief funds received during the height of the pandemic. Originally required to be spent by the end of January 2023, the states will now have until March 30, 2024 to finish drawing down a combined $6.6 million. The states include, in addition to D.C., Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. A smaller handful of states additionally received extensions to spend down Governors Emergency Education Relief dollars. Looking beyond issues of COVID relief funding, below are updates from nine other states about how school systems are confronting the challenges posed by COVID-19 and its variants and working to preserve student progress amid the pandemic: New Testing Data Show K-12 Student Performance Dropped Dramatically in Missouri https://t.co/hkg0YCBFzp The Grade (@thegrade_) March 13, 2023 MISSOURI New Testing Data Show K-12 Student Performance Dropped Dramatically Missouri is reporting that a veritable wave of schools in the state have seen student assessment scores plummet to levels that would typically, had a pandemic not taken place, see school systems lose accreditation. State education leaders say they will not downgrade any school districts based on the data, but are focused on driving resources and improvements to help schools and students recover academically. MARYLAND Schools to Receive Added $600 Million as Blueprint Funds Flow to Districts School districts across Maryland are preparing for double-digit increases in K-12 education spending as a historic statewide investment called the Blueprint for Marylands Future drives over $600 million in additional funding to budgets next school year alone. The Blueprint, a statewide law heralded as one of the most transformative education plans ever approved, aims to infuse nearly $4 billion in added school funding over its ten years of implementation, increase teachers salaries to a base of $60,000, and prop up universal preschool programs. OREGON Lawmakers Weigh Kotek Plan for More State Authority Over School Districts Gov. Tina Kotek has proposed a bill that would create a sizable shift in oversight for public schools. Citing limited action the Oregon Department of Education is allowed to take when schools are out of compliance, SB 1045 would create a monitoring process that state education officials could use to ensure compliance from districts. Gov. Koteks education advisor, Melissa Goff, portrayed the bill as a balance between providing support and tightening accountability, with an emphasis on the latter, writes Rob Manning in coverage for OPB. The proposal has been met with criticism among some Oregon education leaders, organizations and other stakeholders, who claim the bill is solely focused on compliance without sufficient emphasis on support. At KIPP Indy Public Schools, using bus drivers as tutors was an unusual idea spurred by the pandemic. In October 2022, when struggles with reading among K-3 students prompted the school to find solutions, KIPP started the program, @ChalkbeatIN reports. https://t.co/D1lUHbUpa1 WISH-TV (@WISH_TV) March 28, 2023 INDIANA How Literacy and the Science of Reading Get a Big Lift from Bus Drivers at One School One Indianapolis schools leveraging of school bus drivers to double as reading tutors is drawing attention to both the need for schools to be flexible and innovative amidst sharp staffing challenges, as well as the growing pressure educators at all levels feel to zero in on the science of reading to address long standing concerns in literacy achievement. Statewide, Indiana lawmakers are now considering stronger action to ensure early educators are teaching reading in an evidence-based way via Senate Bill 402, which, if passed, would ban the use of the critiqued instructional method called three-cueing and would require schools to adopt reading curriculum aligned to the science of reading. ALABAMA Teachers Could Get $1,000 for Classroom Supplies Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is proposing to boost funding for classroom supplies to $1,000 per teacher this year, delivering on a promise made by state superintendent Eric Mackey in 2018, when the average supplies stipend was just $422. State officials have raised the amount dedicated to teachers for supplies every year since then. COLORADO Denvers Reforms Led to Huge Academic Growth, Study Finds. But Will They Last? A new study is raising up over a decade of education reform and innovation in Denver Public Schools that, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Denver, has led to some of the most significant learning gains ever measured. Between 2008 and 2019, the district went from one of the ten lowest performing systems in Colorado to between the 60-65th percentile in math and ELA. Officials say the substantial gains in academic achievement were a testament of a suite of reforms from flexible governing models and growth of charter schools to the closure of the lowest-performing schools and an innovative school ratings system. The evidence we have is that students benefited from these reforms, says Parker Baxter, the studys lead author. Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday doubled down on the importance of bolstering Pennsylvania's teaching profession, which for years has seen a drastically declining number of new educators. #PABudget #PASchoolsWork #WeWorkForFundinghttps://t.co/rusnKgamSS PA Schools Work (@PASchoolsWork) March 24, 2023 PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Shapiro Touts Tax Incentive for New Teachers as a Way to Ease Shortage To bolster Pennsylvanias teacher recruitment and retention efforts amid a slowdown in the issuance of teacher certifications, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a three-year tax incentive of up to $2,500 per year for newly certified teachers. The financial incentive is one of three solutions to remedy issues like teacher retention and recruitment, infrastructure, and student mental health brought on by the pandemic. In addition to the tax incentive, Gov. Shapiro has proposed an increased 2023-2024 education budget. I believe in Pennsylvania every person, especially our children, should have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed, Gov. Shapiro said. It starts in our public schools. NORTH DAKOTA Burgum Signs Bill Requiring K-12 Computer Science and Cybersecurity Instruction Eight years after North Dakotas Department of Public Instruction tasked a group with creating a vision for K-12 computer science and cybersecurity education, Gov. Doug Burgum has signed HB1398. The bill requires all K-12 schools in the state to teach computer science and cybersecurity courses. EduTech, a division of North Dakota Information Technology, will provide examples of cybersecurity and computer science lessons that will support schools in developing their own plans to integrate the subjects. Our students have more access than ever to computers and technology devices in our schools. Its crucial that our students also learn cyber safety skills, Burgum said. The ability to manage technology is also important in helping our North Dakota students to get good jobs. NEW MEXICO In Rare Move, State Adds Weeks Worth of Extra K-12 Class Time New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham signed into law last month a bill that would increase the number of required instructional days by 27 for elementary students and 10 for middle and high school students. The law will increase instructional time in roughly 75% of school districts, with the remaining having already met the new threshold. The move is being praised by educators and advocates focused on addressing learning loss stemming from the pandemic. We needed time for small-group tutoring and targeted instruction, time for enrichment, time to plan, time for addressing social-emotional needs, time for our students to catch up after the pandemic, said Mandi Torrez, a former New Mexico Teacher of the Year. Time was where we needed to start. This update on pandemic recovery in education collects and shares news updates from the district, state, and national levels as all stakeholders continue to work on developing safe, innovative plans to resume schooling and address learning loss. Its an offshoot of the Collaborative for Student Success QuickSheet newsletter, which you can sign up for here. GENEVA (AP) Switzerland's lower house of parliament issued a searing though symbolic rebuke Wednesday of an emergency plan spearheaded by the executive branch to prop up embattled Credit Suisse and shepherd it into a takeover by Swiss banking rival UBS. The National Council, through an unusual left-right alliance, voted 102 to 71 to reject government guarantees authorized last month of 100 billion Swiss francs (about $110 billion) to help keep Credit Suisse afloat and 9 billion francs to help UBS mop up any losses it may incur in the takeover. The vote took place as part of a three-day special parliamentary session that opened Tuesday to scrutinize long-running troubles at Credit Suisse, a 167-year-old bank that was a pillar of Swiss finance, and the plan to save it from a collapse that could have had major implications for the global financial system. The vote, above all, amounted to a rebuke of the executive branch at a time when Switzerland is gearing up for crucial legislative elections this fall. The decision, which came after midnight, was largely symbolic because a parliamentary commission has already signed on to the rescue plan, which mostly involved guarantees through the Swiss central bank not parliament. Swiss authorities stepped in to orchestrate the 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.25 billion) fusion of Switzerlands top two banks as shares of Credit Suisse sank last month and customers pulled their money out after the failure of two U.S. banks sparked concerns about the stability of the Swiss lender and the global financial system. Earlier, Switzerland's upper house of parliament voted to accept the takeover plan announced March 19 by Switzerlands seven-member executive branch known as the Federal Council, which is headed by the Swiss president as well as the Swiss National Bank and the Swiss financial markets regulator, FINMA. Further debate Wednesday was expected to center on ironing out differences between the two chambers of parliament. Crooked Media co-founder Jon Lovett said Tuesday that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) should resign, noting that her current absence from the upper chamber is preventing the Senate from confirming justices. Theres been a lot of reporting about Dianne Feinstein no longer being fit to serve in the Senate representing the biggest state in this country. She is currently out for shingles. That is sad. That is obviously not her fault, he said on his Pod Save America podcast. Lovett, a former speechwriter for former President Obama, noted that Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has referenced the challenge her absence poses. But because she is not in the Judiciary Committee, Durbin has said that it has made it basically impossible to move a lot of these lower court nominees to the Senate for a vote, which means that Dianne Feinstein, who should not be in the Senate, is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges, Lovett said. I think what the people around Dianne Feinstein are doing, allowing, being part of this farce of having a lack of a senator in such an important job is really wrong, Lovett continued. And Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She has to resign and more people should be calling on her to resign. Feinstein, 89, was hospitalized with shingles early last month, saying that she hopes to return to Washington as soon as possible. Feinstein, who is the oldest U.S. senator, announced in February that she will not be seeking a sixth term for office. Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have both announced their campaigns to fill her seat in 2024. Feinsteins absence, coupled with Sen. John Fettermans (D-Pa.) absence, created problems for Democrats who needed to operate with a 49-49 split in the Senate. Fetterman, who was being treated for clinical depression, will return to the Senate floor after the April recess, opening the door for Democrats to work with a slim majority. We hope to be back to full strength right after Easter and to get back down to business, Durbin told The Hill earlier this month. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An 87-year-old tourist was crushed to death by a reversing truck after disembarking from a cruise ship in Barbados, an inquest has heard. Janet Purkess, from Lyndhurst, Hampshire, had just got off the Saga Sapphire in Bridgetown in January 2020 when she was run over on the quayside. The unlicensed driver is awaiting trial in Barbados, the inquest heard. Mrs Purkess' son Chris told the hearing the quayside was not safe and had not been properly inspected by Saga's crew. He questioned the actions of the ship's captain, who left on an excursion shortly before the accident. Mr Purkess said: "He would have seen there was no security. He would have seen a 10-wheel crane truck refuelling and yet he continues to carry on regardless." He said his mother should not have been allowed to disembark before the quayside had been made safe. In a written statement, truck driver Anthony Omar Walcott recalled feeling two "bumps" as he reversed beside the ship on 25 January. His heavy duty driver's licence expired in 2019, the inquest heard. Investigators appointed by the port found the lorry had a restricted rear view and no beacons or alarms, the hearing was told. They said the absence of port security staff on the quayside was "inexcusable". James Langley, Saga's operations director, said it was uncommon for security to be provided on the quayside. "The criminal investigation is probably the most pertinent key issue - the unlicensed driver," he told the coroner. A ship's officer did perform a safety check of the quayside but this was not logged, the inquest heard. Hampshire coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said she was forced to adjourn the hearing until after Mr Walcott's trial, which is due in June. Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. A robotic dog is being added to the NYPD The New York Police Department introduced a four-legged robotic canine to its force this week and the New York Fire Department has reportedly also put in orders for two of the robotic dogs at a mere $75,000 each, Fox5 reported. The remote-controlled dog was created by the Hyundai-owned company, Boston Dynamics, and will be deployed in dangerous areas that could pose a threat to police officers, fire department employees, and civilians alike. New York City Mayor Eric Adams introduced the newest addition on Tuesday, alongside NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and other police leaders with the stated goal being that the robotic dog will be deployed to increase safety and security in the city. Sewell said at a Times Square press conference the robot, nicknamed Digidog, will be rolled out in a way that is transparent, consistent and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve, AP News reported. Read more Digidog was first introduced in 2020 by former-Mayor Bill DeBlasio but the contract was rescinded early because of avid opposition from critics. A few loud people were opposed to it and we took a step back, Adams said at the press conference. That is not how I operate. I operate on looking at whats best for the city, adding Digidog is now part of the toolkit that we are using. The robotic dog will be added to the K-9 unit and will be deployed in situations deemed too dangerous to send human officers who could be harmed in the line of duty. The NYPD said Digidog will undoubtedly save lives, both of the police and the public and will be used to combat counterterrorism, hostage negotiations, and other hazardous situations. If you have a barricaded suspect, if you have someone thats inside a building that is armed, instead of sending police in there, you send Digidog in there, Adams said. So these are smart ways of using good technologies. Story continues Adams rollout of the robotic dog was met with pushback and criticism from privacy advocates who argued they were concerned the addition would increase the surveillance and weaponization of police. The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) is an outspoken advocate against local and state-level surveillance, and the nonprofits executive director, Albert Fox Cahn, said in a statement, The NYPD is turning bad science fiction into terrible policing. He continued, New York deserves real safety, not a knockoff robocop. Wasting public dollars to invade New Yorkers privacy is a dangerous police stunt. Fox Cahn argued that Adams is not focusing on evidence-based ways to protect community safety, but is instead investing in high-tech schemes. He added, We should be investing in actual human beings, not robots. Despite the criticism, NYPD Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said at the press conference that Digidogs situational awareness and actionable intelligence will benefit responders and deter physical crime in the city. The NYPDs robotic K-9 will be rolled out this summer to patrol Times Square and the Times Square subway station. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A sheriffs deputy was trapped in his flipped patrol car after it was rammed from behind on Interstate 75 in Florida, according to the Alachua County Sheriffs Office. Good Samaritans rushed to help the deputy, who was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The other driver died in the crash, which remains under investigation. It happened late Monday, April 10, near Gainesville, as multiple deputies were trying to intercept a reckless driver creating havoc on the interstate, the sheriffs office said. Gainesville is about 70 miles southwest of Jacksonville. Callers reported that a gray SUV was swerving between all 3 lanes, driving at high speeds and had already struck a semi. ... The vehicle did not stop, the sheriffs office reported. Deputy (Thomas) Sapundjieff was parked on the shoulder of I-75, just south of NW 39th Avenue, when he notified (a dispatcher) he could see the vehicle traveling up behind him. Within seconds of that transmission, the violator vehicle struck Deputy Sapundjieffs vehicle. Dash cam video shows the patrol car was sent spinning off the interstate, flipped onto its side and began smoking. Help arrived about a minute later, as passersby began knocking on the windshield and climbing on the car to try to reach the 24-year-old deputy, the video shows. Deputy Sapundjieff was able to break out a window and successfully extricate himself, the sheriffs office said. Sapundjieff then began assisting citizens, as well as additional deputies, with rendering aid to the elderly female motorist. The driver, a 66-year-old Mississippi woman, died after being taken to a hospital, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Her identity has not been released as of April 12. Investigators say her vehicle swerved to the right and collided with the left rear passenger door of the patrol car. Video shows woman stomping windshield in road rage incident at Florida traffic light Fatal motorcycle crash sends debris flying, triggers 5-vehicle wreck, Florida cops say Driver dies in predawn crash that left 5 dead cows strewn across Florida road, cops say The chair of Davidson Colleges Theatre Department competed on Jeopardy! Tuesday, April 11, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Mark Sutch came in third, winning only $1,000. The loss came despite his strong Double Jeopardy round, WCNC reports. I made a few silly mistakes, but to be fair, its a truly surreal environment and you cant really control what your brain spits out, Sutch said in a news release. The Final Jeopardy question was not easy: At times they each lived on Vilakazi Street in Soweto, so it claims to be the worlds only street home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners. The answer is Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Nobody got both names correct, but artist Kat Jepson lost less money than her competitors and ended up winning with $20,399. Sutch lost nearly $14,000 in the round. The episode was filmed three months ago in Los Angeles and Sutch admits being nervous. The invitation to compete came two and a half years after he submitted an online audition, the college said. Sutch said he prepared by playing online trivia games and reviewing some commonly referenced lists, like the periodic table. Mostly, I just watched the show and played along, Sutch said in the release. Once the invitation came through, I set up a mock podium in my living room and used a spring-loaded toilet paper holder as a buzzer. I also kept track of my performance statistics across multiple games, so I knew how frequently on average I was ringing in (and) how many questions per game I was answering correctly. Davidson College, just north of Charlotte, reports Sutch is the second of its professors to compete on the show. Hansford Epes, a professor of German and the humanities, was a contestant in 1992 and won three games, the college says. Creator of Netflixs Outer Banks whos from NC explains shows geography snafu Hurricane Dorian beach debris in Georgia includes bottle of human ashes with odd note After a successful decade in Orting and a handful of years in Puyallup, the family behind Tims Kitchen will open a third restaurant, this time in a historic building in downtown Tacoma. In February, Tim and Kassandre Speakman with their son Alex Handy purchased Harmon Brewing, which had operated at 1938 Pacific Ave. since 1997. The pioneering brewpub closed the same month, incidentally two days following the death of founder Pat Nagle (who was no longer involved with the company). Banners now hang above the entrance announcing the pending arrival of a new tenant, though its former brewery days remain in the form of that iconic grain silo. Tims Kitchen, which operates restaurants in Orting and Puyallup, has taken over the 8,000-square-foot Harmon Brewing at 1938 Pacific Ave. It can handle the volume that we anticipate doing, said co-owner Alex Handy. The incoming proprietors were searching around for an additional location when the pandemic hit. Scanning commercial real estate listings in late 2022, Handy said this place was impossible to pass up. Candidly, its a once-in-a-million opportunity, he told The News Tribune in April, noting the perks of being downtown and next to the University of Washington Tacoma. At some 8,000 square feet, its also a behemoth of a restaurant, and at least since 2020 it often felt empty. Tims Kitchen, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week in South Hill and downtown Orting, will occupy the entire space and Handy is confident in their ability to fill it. It can handle the volume that we anticipate doing, he said, and it has the rustic feel that we have at the other stores. Known for house-breaded chicken fried steak (and chicken fried chicken!), burgers and an increasingly rare salad bar, the menu will read similarly to the other locations, according to Handy. Most breakfast dishes egg-and-meat combos, benedicts, sandwiches, burritos and even breakfast pizza range from about $11.99-$15.99. For lunch and dinner, the list continues into fried pickle spears, Buffalo wings, Reubens and French dips, a dozen chicken sandwiches, specialty sausages and, naturally, chicken fried pork chops. Story continues Perhaps the biggest difference for fans of the first two will be the full bar, which will remain intact, said Handy. You can order beer and wine at the others, but in Tacoma cocktails and liquor will join the list. Remodeling, already underway, will be light, said Handy, who is spearheading the Tacoma project. He and his parents opened the original Tims Kitchen in Orting in 2013 and the Puyallup restaurant in 2019. TIMS KITCHEN - TACOMA 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, tims-kitchen.com Details: American-style comfort food with full bar, target opening Summer 2023 TIMS KITCHEN - ORTING & PUYALLUP 114 Washington Ave. S, Orting, 360-893-8003 12615 Meridian E, Puyallup, 253-446-6750 Daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. The following items were taken from police and court reports and news releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Country Club Hills ILLEGAL GUN: Donte Allen, 24, 18500 block of River Road, Hazel Crest, was arrested and accused of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated fleeing March 14 after an incident at a gas station in the 18200 block of Pulaski Avenue, police said. Advertisement Evergreen Park HABITUAL CRIMINAL: Jermaine C. Hearan, 37, first block of 21st Avenue, Maywood, was arrested and accused of being an armed habitual criminal during a March 30 retail theft investigation at the Evergreen Plaza shopping center, police said. Police said they recovered a 9 mm handgun from Hearan, who had hidden in a large metal trash bin. ILLEGAL GUN: Demetrius Lane, 23, of the 9400 block of Sacramento Avenue, Evergreen Park, was arrested and accused of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after officers recovered a 9 mm handgun from Lane, who was a passenger in a vehicle during an April 1 traffic stop in the 2600 block of 95th Street, police said. Advertisement ILLEGAL GUN: Anthony C. Miller, 71, Chicago, was arrested and accused of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon during a March 27 medical call at a department store in the 2500 block of 95th Street after officers discovered he had a .40 caliber handgun, police said. Homewood IDENTITY THEFT: Yavetta Jenkins, 33, 15200 block of 5th Avenue, Phoenix, was arrested and accused of identity theft March 30 at Best Buy, 17800 Halsted St., after attempting to use fraudulent identification to purchase cellphones with a collective value of $2,199, police said. Lansing ILLEGAL GUN: Darius Cortez Sims, 31, undisclosed address, was arrested March 26 and accused of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/felon, illegally possessing a controlled substance and being wanted on an outstanding Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant during a disturbance investigation at an undisclosed location, police said. He was being held in lieu of $20,000 bond Wednesday in Cook County Jail and is scheduled to appear in Cook County Court/Markham branch on April 18, according to sheriffs records online. Lynwood ABANDONED CAR: It took less than an hour for first responders to determine there were no drowning victims after a car was driven into a detention pond near the 2000 block of Joe Orr Road Saturday morning, police said. Officers and firefighters responded to the 6:10 a.m. calls, also sending divers into the Sonstead Farms residential subdivision pond where no person was found, police said. Callers to the 911 dispatch center said a male was seen running from the vehicle after it went into the water, police said. Orland Park FRAUD CHARGED: A 34-year-old Arlington Heights man who allegedly used a Michigan mans stolen identity to con an Orland Park dealership out of an $80,000 car is scheduled to appear in Will County circuit court April 19 on charges of possessing a stolen motor vehicle and identity theft, according to police and court records online. Patrick J. Petrillo, 35, was taken into custody March 28 in Mokena, police said. The two felony charges are for allegedly using a fake drivers license March 22 at Infiniti of Orland Park. The arresting officers subsequently recovered checks from Petrillo that originally belonged to Illinois victims in Bourbonnais, Chicago, Hawthorn Woods, Joliet, Palos Heights, Park Ridge and Woodstock, as well as New York, Pennsylvania and Texas, police said. Petrillo was arrested in January on an eight-count charge stemming from alleged identity thefts and fraud in August 2022 in Joliet, according to court records online. He is free on $200,000 bond, according to sheriffs records online. Palos Hills SHOOTING: An argument between two men April 8 inside a cellphone repair store in the 7200 block of 103rd Street turned violent when one of the men exited and met with acquaintances in the store parking lot who shot at the first man inside the store, police said. No one was injured, police said. The group then drove south on Harlem Avenue, police said. The day after his trial began in the 2021 shooting death of a 16-year-old, an East St. Louis man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. Barneshio A. White II, 29, formerly of the 800 block of 84th Street in East St. Louis, initially was charged with first-degree murder. On Tuesday, before he faced a St. Clair County jury for a second day, he accepted a second-degree murder charge and a negotiated sentence of 10 years in a state prison, said Chris Allen, director of communications for the St. Clair County States Attorneys office. Additional charges of Illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and intimidation were dismissed as part of the deal, Allen said. The intimidation charge stemmed from Whites alleged attempt to prevent a witness from calling the police to tell them he had shot Williams, according to the criminal complaint. Whites attorney, Kristi Flint, said she could not discuss the details of the plea negotiation other than to say her client is very happy with the outcome as is his family. According to the criminal complaint, East St. Louis police were dispatched at 3:49 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2021, to North 84th Street at Washington Street to investigate a call that someone had been shot and was not breathing. Troy Williams, 16, subsequently was pronounced dead at the scene. White was convicted in 2019 on a felony charge of aggravated unlawful restraint. He was found not guilty on a related charge of aggravated kidnapping with a firearm. The case was jointly investigated by the East St. Louis Police Department, Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group, the St. Clair County Coroner and St. Clair County States Attorneys office. Dayton Fire crews were called to a business on fire in Dayton late Tuesday night. Firefighters were called to a structure fire at the 1900 block of East Third Street just before 10:30 p.m., according to a post on the Dayton Police and Fires social media account. >>It wasnt if, its when; Owner of Richmond plastics facility cited multiple times prior to fire The post explains crews are battling a heavy fire in a two-story commercial building. Further information has not been made available at this time. We will update this story once we learn more. The US Defense Intelligence Agency considered scenarios for the development of the war in Ukraine in the event of so-called "wild card", i.e. unlikely, events. Source: The New York Times Details: The development of the scenarios became known from secret intelligence documents dated 24 February 2023, obtained by The New York Times. The analysis, conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency a year after the start of the full-scale war, outlines four "wild card" scenarios and how they could affect the course of the conflict in Ukraine. The newspaper emphasises that such a scenario document is a fairly typical product for intelligence services. It is designed to help military officers, politicians or legislators think through the possible consequences of major events while assessing their options. Hypothetical scenarios include the deaths of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a change of leadership in the Russian Armed Forces, and a Ukrainian strike against the Kremlin. The document describes how each of these situations could potentially lead to an escalation in Ukraine, a negotiated end to the conflict, or no significant impact on the course of the war. At the same time, the descriptions of possible events do not include an assessment of what may be most likely. Quote: "One of the four hypothetical scenarios games out what might happen if Ukraine strikes the Kremlin. A wide range of potential implications is identified. The event could lead to an escalation, with Mr. Putin responding to public outcry by launching a full-scale military mobilization and considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Or, public fears could cause him to negotiate a settlement to the war. The Biden administration has been particularly worried about a possible strike on Moscow by Ukraine because one might prompt a dramatic escalation by Russia. The dangers of such an attack by Ukraine are one reason the United States has been reluctant to provide longer-range missiles to Kyiv." Story continues Background: On 11 April, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the United States would investigate the recent leak of classified documents until its source is found. Earlier, the US Department of Justice launched an investigation into the leak of a huge number of US intelligence documents that have been posted on social media in recent weeks. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! activists call for the impeachment of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas outside of the U.S. Capitol Building Paul Morigi/Getty Images for MoveOn Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has recently come under heavy scrutiny after a ProPublica report revealed he had taken several luxury vacations over the past two decades financed by billionaire Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow, which he never disclosed on financial disclosure forms. The lavish trips included flights on Crow's private jets and cruises on his "superyacht," one of which would have cost Thomas and his wife, Ginni Thomas, over $500,000, ProPublica estimated. The extent of gifts Thomas received from Crow has "no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court," ProPublica said. Thomas stopped reporting his received gifts in 2004 after the Los Angeles Times reported on the tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts he had accepted over the previous six years, much of which came from Crow. A group of Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, imploring him to launch an investigation into the reports about Thomas's luxury vacations on a donor's dime without disclosing them. "If the Court does not resolve this issue on its own, the Committee will consider legislation to resolve it," the Democrats wrote. Should Thomas be held accountable for hiding his gifted vacations? 'The Supreme Court is not going to police itself' The Supreme Court needs to reform how it polices itself, and should consider instituting a mandatory ethics code, says Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, in the Los Angeles Times. "In the meantime," Waldman opines, "Congress or the Justice Department should investigate Thomas' conduct to let the public know the facts and whether the gifts and trips he received violated the law." There is "ample precedent" for these types of investigations, Waldman explains, noting that Congress investigated Justice Abe Fortas in 1968 after he took "undisclosed support from a wealthy friend." Fortas resigned before he could be impeached. Story continues "The Supreme Court is not going to police itself," Jamelle Bouie surmises in The New York Times. The only remedy to the court's corruption, Bouie adds, "is to subject it to the same checks and limits we associate with the other branches." The Democratic Party "will have to abandon its squeamishness about challenging and shaping the Supreme Court." In the end, "it is up to elected officials to remind the court that it serves the republic and not the other way around," Bouie concludes. Democrats are just trying to 'smear' conservative justices The news about Thomas's luxury excursions is a "non-bombshell" that the left is using to smear the Supreme Court, The Wall Street Journal said in an editorial. The demands that Thomas resign or be investigated or impeached "give away the real political game here." Thomas's critics intend to "smear the conservative Justices and tarnish the Court to tee up case recusals, impeachment or a Court-packing scheme if Democrats get enough Senate votes to break the filibuster," the Journal added. The only scandal Bret Stephens of The New York Times sees is that the luxury trips don't match Thomas's "self-portrait as a guy who likes to drive his R.V. around the country, spending nights in Walmart parking lots." No rules required justices to disclose information about vacations taken with wealthy friends until last month. That makes the idea of "the idea of trying to toss him off the court a nonstarter," Stephens mused, "not to mention a bad precedent lest some liberal justices turn out to have rich and generous friends, too." You may also like Millie Bobby Brown appears to announce engagement to Jon Bon Jovi's son Leaker of damaging U.S. intelligence files was reportedly administrator of a Discord chat room NASA unveils 3D-printed Mars habitat where 4 people will live for a year Every year, the military services and combatant commands send unfunded priority lists otherwise known as wish lists to Congress, laying out items they want but did not get into the budget. This year, the process has taken on some drama. Progressives hate the lists because they can act as mechanisms to increase the defense budget. Thus, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has made elimination of the wish lists a major theme. Pentagon political leadership hates the lists because what is requested may not align with the departments strategic vision. The Defense Department comptroller just sent a letter agreeing with Sen. Warren. Deficit hawks have recently signed on as part of their effort to reduce government spending. On the other hand, congressional defense hawks and the military services love them as a way to provide unfiltered advice to Congress and guide any additional funds that might become available. Given that political drama, it is worth investigating whats on these lists for fiscal 2024. Pushback Such lists have been around since the 1990s. Then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried but failed to abolish them in 2009, though he was able to review and shape them before transmission to Congress. He also changed the name from unfunded requirements list to unfunded priorities list in order to remove the sense of urgency. Congress responded by making the lists a statutory requirement. The current DoD leadership has complied, but like Secretary Gates they have reviewed the lists before transmission to Congress. A striking feature of the lists is the lack of a standard format. Although the congressional language specifies the required information, the DoD has apparently refrained from issuing formatting guidance, perhaps as a reflection of the political leaderships opposition. Thus, some submissions, like those of the Army and Space Force, are just spreadsheets with items, appropriations and dollars. Others, like Southern Command and Central Command, have elaborate justifications in text. Story continues The big picture The DoD leaderships review may be having an effect, beginning with a reduction in the total amount. This years submissions total just $16.4 billion (excluding Cyber Command, the National Guard Bureau, Strategic Command and the Missile Defense Agency, which have not made their lists public), down from $21.5 billion for FY23 and $23.8 billion for FY22. Another effect is whats not on the list: people. In the past, the military services have asked for more people to fill out existing units or build new units. Such requests have future funding requirements that the DoD likely does not want to commit to, thus none of the services asked for more people this year. In the past, the military services have asked for more people to fill out existing units or build new units. (Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV/U.S. Army) Also missing are major weapons. One might expect long lists of airplanes, ships and fighting vehicles, but those are mostly absent. Their presence would imply a warfighting gap that the DoD leadership does not recognize. So what is on the lists? First, there is lots of military construction and facilities maintenance. For example, facilities comprise half of the Navy and Air Force lists and a third of the Army list. There is a general recognition that the DoD underinvests in its facilities, so seeing many such items on the lists is consistent with expectations. Further, such items do not undermine the departments strategic direction and so are acceptable when reviewed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. There are also many readiness items like spare parts and enhancements to weapon systems. What do the services want? Although there are common themes, each service request has items that deserve discussion. Army ($1.93 billion): Beyond facilities, the Armys top priority is air defense, followed by helicopter enhancements. However, the largest item ($533 million) is for M1 Abrams tanks. Every year, the Army cuts its request for this program, and every year Congress adds money. Thus, this constitutes a brazen plea for Congress to provide money that the Army did not. U.S. Army Sgt. Ryan Duginski performs a tank remote-fire procedure to ensure firing capabilities function at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland. (1st Lt. Christina Shoptaw/U.S. Army) Navy ($2.533 billion): On the half of the list that is unrelated to facilities, there is money for spare parts and electronic warfare upgrades to ships. However, there are no ships and only one aircraft a KC-130J for the reserves. Marine Corps ($3.672 billion): Ironically, there is a ship on the Marine Corps list an LPD Flight II. The reason this is on the Marine Corps list and not the Navy list arises from a feud between the two services about the nature of the amphibious fleet. Although the Office of the Secretary of Defense reportedly does not support the ship, it is a congressional interest item, so the DoD decided to let it go. Besides the ship, there are many prosaic items like trucks, trailers and spare parts for Force Design 2030. There is also the usual large request for military construction ($758 million). Air Force ($2.453 billion): As with the Navy, half of the list is military construction. The major item on the other half is an acceleration of the E-7 airborne early warning aircraft program ($596 million), but no other aircraft, even though the Air Force is not buying enough aircraft to support its force structure. Space Force ($477 million): The Space Forces list might be characterized as details available at a higher level of classification. Only $43 million of the $477 million (9%) has an unclassified description. The other items are listed as classified programs A, B, C, D, E and F. What do the combatant commands want? The statutory language requires the combatant commands to submit lists. These lists include specialized procurement relevant to their region as well as additional exercises and allied engagement. The lists also reflect the needs of a global superpower, with items for enhancing capabilities in regions as diverse as the Arctic, the Middle East, Africa and South America. European Command ($160 million): The request is split between air base defense a reaction to the war in Ukraine and upgrades to communications infrastructure. The request notes that European Command has received a lot of money through the European Deterrence Initiative and Ukraine supplementals, so the list is not as long as it might have been. Fragments of a Russian rocket that was shot down by a Ukrainian air defense system burn in the village of Kipti in Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Oct. 19, 2022. (Ukrainian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP) Indo-Pacific Command ($3.481 billion): Perhaps sensing that its strategic moment has arrived, and reflecting the departments focus on the Pacific, INDOPACOMs list is by far the largest from a combatant command. The administration is sending a message about China being the pacing challenge. The list covers a wide variety of capabilities from space to cyber to command and control. There is nearly $1 billion in munitions. The largest item ($511 million) is to increase campaigning, which means more exercises and activities. Africa Command ($397 million): The largest amount is for persistent presence in Somalia ($152 million). Recognizing that it is a posture limited theater, AFRICOM also has a large request for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ($224 million) as a substitute for boots on the ground. Special Operations Command ($847 million): The list has 23 items covering various weapons and command-and-control systems. There are several large items of interest: acceleration of counter-drone systems ($91 million), likely driven by experience in Ukraine; development of an improved MQ-9 Reaper drone ($93 million), which is interesting since the Air Force is moving away from non-stealthy drones; military construction ($149 million); and cost overruns on the MH-47G block II helicopter production ($108 million). Central Command ($291 million): The top priority is countering unmanned aerial systems, which is not surprising since Iran routinely conducts attacks using these systems. The most expensive item is pre-positioned war reserves ($125 million) to compensate for the lack of forces and footprint in theater. Such enhancements speed future deployments. In addition, there are a variety of theater-specific intelligence requirements. Northern Command ($366 million): The enhancement of Arctic capabilities is at the top of the list. The most expensive item ($212 million) is nine long-range radars to fill surveillance gaps caused by existing radar failures. No doubt this arises from the embarrassing Chinese balloon intrusion. A U.S. Air Force U-2 pilot looks down at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on Feb. 3, 2023, as it hovers over the continental United States. (U.S. Defense Department via Getty Images) Southern Command ($272 million): Because the theater lacks an immediate military threat or permanently stationed U.S. forces, the request has a different flavor: Half is for sensors to detect illegal mining, fishing and drug movements, and half is for enhancing engagement with allies and partners, mostly on nonlethal activities like disaster assistance and countering disinformation. Transportation Command ($0): Alone among all the organizations, Transportation Command has no items on its list. The FY 24 budget request supports the USTRANSCOM mission. This lack of a Transportation Command priority list has been the case for several years, so it reflects an organizational policy decision, not the vagaries of the FY24 budget. Looking ahead The combination of progressive opposition to defense budgets, deficit hawks trying to squeeze the federal budget and opposition by DoD leadership may eliminate these lists in the future. However, defense hawks, particularly those on the authorization committees, find such lists useful. So even if the statutory language goes away, some sort of list will likely be required in the future. For the administration, it may be enough to review and shape the requests rather than suppress them entirely. The current lists might be a minor annoyance by implying inadequate resources, but they do not pose a political or strategic challenge to the administrations chosen path. Mark Cancian is a senior adviser for the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. Joe Biden stands at a lectern as he gives a speech at Ulster University in Belfast while dozens of people watch This was a presidential visit which required delicate diplomacy. US President Joe Biden's task was to sum up the achievements of the 25 years since the Good Friday peace deal against a backdrop of all-too-frequent political instability in Belfast. He said the return of the power-sharing devolved government at Stormont was "critical" for Northern Ireland. But he followed that up by adding: "That's a decision for you to make, not for me to make." The remark was simultaneously challenging and sensitive. The White House will have been aware that a tone which could have been interpreted as overbearing would have fuelled unionist hostility towards a president who they have often criticised in the past. But Mr Biden's visit seems to have gone down reasonably well with the leader of unionism. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the president made it clear that he had no come to Belfast to interfere Sir Jeffrey Donaldson of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said the president had made clear he hadn't come to "interfere" and that Mr Biden had "recognised the need to bring balance to what he had to say". The DUP is vetoing the formation of a governing coalition at Stormont - the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly - in protest against Brexit trade barriers with the rest of the UK. Mr Biden speaks often of his Irish roots but in Belfast he talked about his English ancestry. He also mentioned the contribution made to the founding of the US by immigrants from an Ulster Scots background - the community which is associated with modern-day unionism. That was surely an attempt to appeal to those in Northern Ireland who have been suspicious that US involvement in the peace process has been tinged with an Irish nationalist agenda. Actor James Martin got the biggest round of applause during Biden's speech The president's overriding message was that the US remained committed to Northern Ireland and was ready to invest. Mr Biden even suggested Northern Ireland's economic output could triple "if things continue to move in the right direction". The incentive was obvious - more stability would bring in more dollars. Story continues The industries he mentioned are already bright spots in the Northern Ireland economy - cybersecurity, life sciences, green energy. And the biggest round of applause during the speech came when the president pointed out Northern Ireland actor James Martin, who was recently on stage at the Academy Awards when the short film he starred in won an Oscar. 'Churn of creativity' It was a way of highlighting Northern Ireland's global reputation as a hub for TV and film production. The projects which have been based here have included Game of Thrones - one of the biggest TV series of recent years. Mr Biden seemed to suggest that the creative industries could be substantially expanded - he described Northern Ireland as a "churn of creativity". While the president has now moved across the Irish border, his economic envoy Joe Kennedy is staying on in Northern Ireland for a few days. Read more about Biden's visit He will lead a trade delegation from the US later this year. No-one can be sure if the devolved government will be in place when the corporate executives make their transatlantic journey. The DUP has said it won't be swayed by any particular US input in deciding whether and when to allow power-sharing at Stormont to return. The party is continuing to examine the new deal between the EU and the UK - the Windsor Framework - to assess whether it removes unionist concerns about Brexit trade barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. There was no expectation that President Biden's arrival would herald a sudden breakthrough. Michelle O'Neill says Joe Biden's message was one of "hope and opportunity" The most fulsome praise for him came from non-unionist parties. The Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill, who is in line to be first minister if the devolved government is restored, said Mr Biden's visit was a "special moment". It is likely that the president's schedule in Northern Ireland would have been more extensive if the political circumstances had been more favourable. For example he did not accept an invitation to address the Stormont assembly, which was established by the Good Friday Agreement. However the prevailing view among those who witnessed his speech is that Mr Biden handled the sensitivities with skill and gave Northern Ireland a worthwhile moment in the worldwide spotlight. The N.C. Department of Transportation spends about $5 billion a year building and maintaining a transportation system based primarily on cars and trucks. Some lawmakers want to change the states priorities, giving more say to local communities that want to shift transportation dollars toward transit and projects that would benefit pedestrians and cyclists. Theyve introduced bills in the House and Senate that they call the Transportation for the Future Act. Among other things, the bills would alter the formula NCDOT uses to allocate money, requiring that at least 20% go to non-highway projects. We would stop prioritizing endless expansion of highways at the expense of all other modes of transportation, Sen. Graig Meyer of Orange County said at a press conference Wednesday. North Carolina currently dedicates 94% of our transportation funding to highways. And this act lifts the current artificial limitations that we have in place on rail, transit, bike and pedestrian facilities. The states current system of highways and roads works best for rural and suburban areas but isnt a good fit for urban areas that want alternatives, said Leonardo Williams, a Durham City Council member who joined Meyer and others. Williams called the bills a paradigm shift. We can no longer take a one-size-fits-all approach to transit and getting people around, he said in an interview. Urban areas are evolving, so our needs are evolving. Most of the primary sponsors of the bills, including Meyer, Sen. Natalie Murdock, Rep. Vernetta Alston and Rep. Allen Buansi, are from the Triangle. They say the proposed changes in state law reflect what transportation planners in Durham and Orange counties are trying to do locally. Last year, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO approved a 30-year plan that eliminated some long-anticipated highway projects in favor of spending more on transit as well as bike lanes, crosswalks and sidewalks used by cyclists and pedestrians. The MPO board said the change in emphasis better supported its goals of eliminating fatal crashes, reducing carbon emissions to zero and ensuring that everyone has access to affordable transportation. Story continues But the Transportation for the Future Act is not likely to win favor with a majority of state lawmakers. Twenty-two House members and five senators have signed on as sponsors, but all of them are Democrats in a General Assembly dominated by Republicans. Republican House Speaker Tim Moore made it clear he favors increasing road capacity when he criticized a transportation plan drafted by Charlotte. The city proposed spending too much on light rail, buses and bike lanes and not enough on building more lanes for cars, Moore said after an appearance before a Charlotte business group in January. If you put more bike lanes in, that doesnt mean more people are going to ride their bikes to work thats not going to happen, Moore said, according to Charlotte NPR station WFAE. You need to build and expand roads because we are driving cars. Neither Moore nor Senate Leader Phil Berger responded to a request for comment about the Transportation for the Future Act. Sponsors will look for Republican support Other provisions in the bills include: Changing the criteria that NCDOT uses to prioritize transportation projects. The bill would add environmental quality to the list and eliminate congestion and the width of lanes and shoulders on existing roadways. Allowing county governments to seek permission from voters to enact a sales tax of up to 1% for public transportation projects. The law currently limits the size of the local option tax for transportation to 0.25%, except in six urban counties where its 0.5%. Eliminate a provision that bars NCDOT from spending non-federal money on pedestrian and bicycle projects that arent tied to road improvements for cars. While no Republicans have signed on to the bills, Meyer said the sponsors would meet with them behind closed doors to see if there are parts they could support in some form. He noted in particular growing support for lifting the decade-old restriction on spending for pedestrian and bicycle projects. But Meyer acknowledged that changing how the state allocates money for transportation will take time. We have to provide visionary options for future consideration and start conversations, he said. We need to start this conversation with other planning organizations and communities all over the state and have them think about how this can benefit them. And they can talk to their local legislators and, over the course of a few years, we can get this done. Itll just take a little while. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Chris duMond /Getty Images Ron DeSantis' hand-picked board is trying to claw back power over Disney World. A previous Disney-backed board had stripped DeSantis' appointees of power. DeSantis' board which oversees the area around Disney World now wants to give itself "superior authority." Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' hand-picked board overseeing Walt Disney World is trying to claw back "superior authority" after the previous board hamstrung its power, according to a new proposal. The action from the board is the latest move in the closely watched power struggle over who controls Disney's land. The DeSantis-Disney feud began last year, after Disney executives publicly opposed the Parental Rights in Education Act, the legislation LGBTQ rights groups and Democrats have derided as "Don't Say Gay," because it limits classroom instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation. DeSantis responded by signing a new law that allowed him to appoint board members to oversee Disney's land. But days before that happened, Disney invoked an obscure property law under the former board that essentially rendered the DeSantis-appointed board toothless. DeSantis pledged during a stop in Michigan last week that he would void Disney's actions to maintain its power, and that he would also consider taxes on hotels, new tolls, and developing properties. And now, in his latest move, DeSantis' board has proposed naming itself the "superior authority" over the entire Disney World district, according to a resolution. If enacted, the resolution would give DeSantis' board complete control "over comprehensive planning, zoning, land development regulations, environmental protection regulations, and platting and subdivision regulations," the resolution states. "It may have been the case that Disney ran the state of Florida in the 60 years prior to me being governor," DeSantis said in Michigan last week, "but they do not run it as long as this sheriff is in town." Story continues The proposal will be reviewed at the next board meeting on April 19. This isn't DeSantis' first attempt to retaliate against Disney, though the various moves have targeted a provision long on the books that gives the resort and theme park special self-governing privileges in Florida privileges that many other businesses, including rival theme parks such as Sea World and Universal Studios, don't have. DeSantis first signed a bill into law in April 2022 to dissolve the Reedy Creek district that oversees Disney. But when it was revealed the measure could have resulted in residents taking on a sizeable amount of debt through higher taxes, the legislature sent DeSantis a new bill in February 2023, during a special session, creating the governor-appointed board. Disney, however, had written the loophole to keep majority of its power, virtually in perpetuity. The board's latest attempt to wrestle back power isn't the only move from the DeSantis administration targeting Disney. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody requested texts, emails, and other public records from the former board members of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. DeSantis also asked the state inspector general to look into Disney's power play, including probing if the mega-corporation's executives, staff, or agents were involved. The governor's appointees to the board are consulting with four different law firms over the matter, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Disney has said its move was "discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums." Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- Ron DeSantis is venturing outside of Florida with stops in Ohio and New Hampshire after recent fumbles in the national glare left the Florida governor and 2024 presidential hopeful further behind Donald Trump in polls. Most Read from Bloomberg DeSantis, widely expected to enter the Republican nomination contest sometime after the Florida legislative session ends in May, is the featured speaker at county GOP events in Akron and suburban Cincinnati on Thursday and at a New Hampshire Republican Party dinner on Friday in Manchester. New Hampshire is an early Republican primary voting state. Considered to be the most formidable potential primary challenger to Trump, he faltered while trying to articulate his stance on US aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia and to effectively respond to Trumps incessant attacks. DeSantis, a Yale University and Harvard Law graduate, has sought to carve out a lane as someone who has policies similar to Trumps, sans the drama and political baggage. But last month he angered both the populist and moderate wings of the party by characterizing Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine as a territorial dispute. He subsequently backtracked, earning a rebuke from Fox Newss Tucker Carlson, an influential figure among Republican voters. He also infuriated Trump and his supporters when he seized the moment of the former presidents impending indictment in New York to finally strike back after months of attacks, chiding Trump for paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. Yet once the indictment came out he wound up calling it politically motivated, along with all other GOP presidential hopefuls. Story continues The former president, for months, had been berating DeSantis with derisive nicknames, questioning his loyalty and political talent. But DeSantis retaliated just as the party was rallying behind Trump because of the criminal charges. Trumps lead over DeSantis in the RealClearPolitics average of polls has widened to more than 26 points from as close as 13 points in January. DeSantis has been making just strategic mistake after strategic mistake, said Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, publisher of an anti-Trump conservative website The Bulwark. DeSantis has basically had to make moves before he was really ready to make them. Ken Griffin, Citadels billionaire founder, and other GOP mega donors have said theyre supporting DeSantis over Trump, but with fresh momentum from the Manhattan indictment, the Trump campaign is trying to enlist donors who have supported the former governor by presenting Trumps rising poll numbers as an unstoppable force in the race. DeSantis raised a record $183 million for his reelection campaign last year, but his fundraising for his statewide political committee has slowed. He collected $3.7 million in March, less than the $10 million he raised in February, according to the Florida Department of State. Trumps Make America Great Again super political action committee has initiated an ad campaign against DeSantis, so far spending $3 million to criticize votes he took while in Congress on Social Security and Medicare. Erin Perrine, a spokeswoman for Never Back Down, DeSantiss Super PAC, said Trump regularly praised the Florida governor for his leadership in the past including his response to the coronavirus pandemic as one of the first governors to re-open a state and now wants to pretend it didnt happen. The Trump team is throwing everything they can to try and take down Governor DeSantis, and it wont work, Perrine said. Leadership doesnt lie. DeSantis has made moves intended to appeal to the GOP base, including signing a law that allows residents to carry a gun without first obtaining a permit. He has also attacked the US Federal Reserve over its consideration of a central bank digital currency. Hes called on Florida lawmakers to ban it and tweeted Monday about a Fed statement that it had made no decision and wouldnt act without support from Congress and the executive branch. They will tell us that CBDC wont be abused but we are wise enough to know better, DeSantis said. He is not known for his mastery of retail politics, and the trips to Ohio and New Hampshire give him an opportunity to connect with the Republican primary voters. DeSantis has also recently appeared at GOP events in Michigan and Pennsylvania touting his record in Florida and promoting his memoir, The Courage to Be Free. Last month, he criss-crossed Iowa, another early voting state. Other candidates, including former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, have entered the Republican race. And Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina plans to establish an exploratory committee on Wednesday that will allow him to begin raising money toward a presidential campaign, according to a person familiar with his plans. Some GOP pollsters and strategists said theres a risk that Trumps attacks on DeSantis this early could backfire by turning off primary voters who dont like Republicans attacking each other. Republican Trump voters dont want Trump to go nuclear on his competitors, said veteran pollster Frank Luntz, whos hosted more than two dozen focus groups with Trump voters across the US. Every time he delivers an attack on DeSantis, hes hurting his own candidacy and his own credibility. --With assistance from Bill Allison. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. A security officer leans in as Supervisor Tiffany Henyard fields a question from Fox 32 Chicago investigative reporter Dane Placko Tuesday, after a town hall meeting at Thornton Township Hall in South Holland. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown) Tiffany Henyard supporters who packed Thornton Township Hall in South Holland Tuesday evening were treated to a master class in how a powerful authoritarian can bully critics to stifle dissent and snuff out democracy. People munched on fried chicken and french fries and listened to financial reports and comments from township officials and the public. Most who spoke publicly heaped praise upon Henyard, who was elected Dolton mayor in 2021 and appointed to the $277,000 per year township supervisor post in early 2022. Advertisement Its a shame you people are always here for the mess but not the greatness that comes with the title, Henyard told reporters before a nearly three-hour annual town hall public meeting. Henyard has smashed norms and blatantly flaunted questionable spending of public funds in full view of an adoring public. She appears to have used her political power to clear payrolls of career civil servants and rewarded loyal supporters with taxpayer funded jobs. Advertisement Many township employees fawned over Henyard during public comments. A woman said she started working for the township several years ago earning $5 per house mowing lawns through the Zuccarelli Assistance Program, or ZAP. The jobs program named after late Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli has been re-christened as the Henyard Assistance Program, or HAP, and is headed by Stanley Brown. I worked my way to where Im at, the woman said. I cut grass for a whole year, no complaints. Then I got pulled up by Mr. Stanley Brown, thank God for him. In addition to having a township job, Brown is on the Thornton Township High School District 205 Board and was recently elected to the Dolton Village Board. He earned $300 for serving as moderator of Tuesdays town hall. Henyard supporters vastly outnumbered critics at the town hall. Ive observed Henyard at numerous Dolton and Thornton Township public meetings over the past 18 months. Ive witnessed alarming conduct that indicates Henyard shares many traits displayed by tyrants and despots. Electors hold up cards to vote on a motion Tuesday during a town hall meeting at Thornton Township Hall. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown) She travels as part of a convoy of taxpayer funded SUVs with dark tinted windows and emergency lights. Such an entourage is typically reserved for governors, American presidents or foreign dignitaries, not mayors or township supervisors. She surrounds herself with armed security agents who often intimidate citizens with menacing stares. She defensively bristles at the first hint of criticism. She launches counterattacks apparently designed to discredit her critics. She plays the victim while attacking the press and others who seek to hold her accountable. Henyard is a masterful orator who spins yarns that often seem to have little basis in reality. She can rattle off a list of supposed accomplishments at the drop of a hat because she insists on telling everyone at every opportunity about what a great leader she is. She plays race and gender cards with ease, even though three Black women on the Dolton Village Board are among her most formidable political foes. Advertisement Im a strong, Black, African American woman, Henyard told Tuesdays audience. I think Im doing a damn good job. Henyard endears herself to an adoring public through a relentless onslaught of public relations, promotions, events and freebies that have prompted numerous questions about potential waste, fraud and abuse. She exhibited her ruthless tactics Tuesday when she characterized the handful of critics who questioned spending as disgruntled former employees. She depicted herself as a savior and the only person capable of cleaning up a mess left by her predecessor, Zuccarelli. A lot of people like to lie and tell you things about the township, Henyard said. Frank Zuccarelli, one of my mentors, showed me the ropes. When he passed it was like everybody was in chaos. The whole township was basically up for grabs. Zuccarelli was an ineffective leader who presided over a corrupt army of freeloading employees, according to Henyard. People were working here, they were doing everything under the sun, from shredding papers to all the things you dont even know about, ghost payrolling, Henyard told her audience. People barely came to work but made $90,000, $100,000. Advertisement Gov. J.B. Pritzker honors Frank Zuccarelli during Zuccarellis memorial at South Suburban College Jan 14, 2022. (Andrew Burke-Stevenson / Chicago Tribune) By most other accounts, Zuccarelli was a revered public servant. Gov. J.B. Pritzker spoke at his memorial service and called him a champion. But according to Henyard, Zuccarelli was an inept leader who plunged the township into a $5 million hole by spearheading a township hall renovation project without first securing financing for the work. Henyard also blamed the deficit on state Sen. Napoleon Harris, D-Harvey. Voters last summer elected Harris Democratic committeeperson for Thornton Township, a position Zuccarelli previously held. Napoleon, your senator, was supposed to sign off on a $5 million amount to give to the township Henyard said. He did not give the township the $5 million, so that put the township in a deficit of $5 million, because they did a build out here at the township without even having the money in the bank. Ive previously criticized Henyard for mischaracterizing grant funds as free money. Her remarks about Harris seemed to indicate the senator might have unsuccessfully lobbied for a state grant that might have funded the Township Hall renovation. I can assure everyone that Sen. Harris has never discussed funding or any grants with Supervisor Henyard and any claims suggesting otherwise are baseless, Nakita McGraw, a representative for Harris, told me Wednesday. Thornton Township Trustees Darlene Gray Everett, from left, Jerry Jones, Joyce Washington and Chris Gonzalez listen during a town hall Tuesday at Thornton Township Hall in South Holland. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown) Henyard assured town hall attendees that the township was now on firm financial ground and that last years $5 million deficit was now a $3 million surplus. Advertisement That is something that has never been done before in the history of the township, Henyard said of her amazing fiscal skills. Trustee Christopher Gonzalez asked finance director Robert Hunt whether the surplus accounted for $5 million the township had borrowed. Were saying theres a surplus but we still owe $5 million, Gonzalez said. Future budgets would account for loan repayments, Hunt replied. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > People in the audience wiped their fingers of grease from fried chicken and french fries as former township employee Stephanie Wiedeman questioned why the township repeatedly spent $7,000 on catered food for public meetings. Henyard mocked and ridiculed her critics. Advertisement Look how small the crowd of them is, and look how massive we are, she raved as the audience cheered. Henyard will continue gaining political power so long as she continues abusing taxpayer resources for personal gain. She seems to claim personal credit for gas giveaways, food pantries and other services funded by taxpayers. Im your mom, Im your sister, Im all your loved ones, Henyard said. The same respect you give your mom, your sister, your auntie, give me that same respect. Protect me, my brothers. Ted Slowik is a columnist for the Daily Southtown. tslowik@tribpub.com Four years after the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play was recalled, and despite links to about 100 infant deaths, hundreds of the sleepers are offered for sale each month on Facebook Marketplace. Today, the chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission demanded Facebook do more to keep the deadly product off its site. In a letter sent to Facebook parent company Meta, CPSC Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric said he was troubled by the persistent illegal sales of the Rock n Play. He said the agency found nearly 4,000 of the inclined sleepers on resale sites, mainly Facebook Marketplace, over 13 months starting in February 2022. Hoehn-Saric said that even though Facebook quickly removes listings flagged by the CPSC, there is no way to know how many were missed or sold before the ads were taken down. If CPSC staff can identify these illegal listings using your site, Meta indisputably can prevent them from appearing in the first place, Hoehn-Saric wrote to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. I urge you to do more to stop the illegal sale of recalled consumer products on your Marketplace to prevent additional infant deaths and injuries. In a similar letter sent to the CEO of Mattel, which owns Fisher-Price, Hoehn-Saric wrote that the company clearly has not done enough to incentivize consumers to act upon the recall and asked it to consider new approaches, including refunding the full purchase price of all Rock n Plays. Fisher-Price spokeswoman Catherine Frymark said in a statement that the company has recently told the CPSC it is willing to increase the cash refund available to consumers. She said the company immediately stopped selling the Rock 'n Play when it was recalled and has "worked diligently to remove all recalled product from the market." Meta spokeswoman Ashley Settle, in a statement, acknowledged that, as with other resale sites, there are instances of people knowingly or unknowingly selling recalled goods on Marketplace. Story continues We take this issue seriously, she said, and when we find listings that violate our rules, we remove them. The CPSC recalled 4.7 million Rock n Plays in 2019. At the time the agency was aware of 30 deaths, but about 70 more have since been reported to the agency. Despite recall and repeated warnings, deaths continue The CPSC and Fisher-Price first recalled 4.7 million Rock n Plays in April 2019, saying about 30 deaths had been linked to the product. About 70 deaths have been reported to the agency since then, including eight since the recall, according to the CPSC. In January, the agency issued a new warning about the product, again encouraging consumers to immediately stop using it. Consumer Product Recalls:USA TODAY's convenient database of recall data. In his letters, Hoehn-Saric said the pace of listings for the Rock n Play on resale sites does not appear to have slowed. The persistent secondary marketplace for Rock n Play sleepers indicates that consumers either remain unaware that the Fisher Price Rock n Play has been recalled or believe selling the recalled product on the secondary market is a better choice than acting on the recall remedy Fisher Price currently provides, Hoehn-Saric wrote. He noted that Rock 'n Plays are listed online for about $25 on average, and consumers can sometimes make more by selling the product than they would by taking part in the recall. The recall provides a refund only for those who purchased the product on or after Oct. 12, 2018. Those who purchased the item before that date receive a voucher for another Fisher-Price product. I urge you to announce the recall once again, but this time with a more robust remedy that creates a strong incentive for consumers to destroy the products and a marketing budget to ensure that consumers are aware of the recall incentive, he wrote. Facebook long urged to stop resale of recalled products Facebook has for years faced criticism that it hasnt done enough to hinder the sale of dangerous products. Members of Congress have repeatedly written the company demanding it to do more, and safety advocates have made similar pleas. CPSC spokeswoman Pamela Springs told USA TODAY that the agency sent nearly 60,000 requests to online marketplaces to take down recalled products over roughly 13 months. More than three quarters of those requests went to Facebook, Springs said an average of about 120 requests a day. Of the 3,981 Rock 'n Plays agency staff found over that period, she said, 93% were listed on Facebook. A 2021 USA TODAY investigation found deadly recalled childrens products regularly changed hands through Facebook Marketplace even though technology such as photo or text recognition makes them easy to find and remove. USA TODAY found listings for 14 recalled products that had contributed to the deaths of at least 121 children and hundreds more reports of incidents or serious injuries. Many were listed by their brand names. Dozens were later marked as sold. Reporters also were able to purchase recalled goods on Facebook Marketplace and create posts for recalled items as if they were for sale. These products have killed kids: Yet they're still for sale on Facebook Marketplace. We found recalled products on Facebook: Here are 10 to watch out for. Given new life on Facebook Marketplace, recalled products have gone on to harm people, USA TODAY found. In July 2021, a 5-month-old girl smashed her head on a laminate floor after falling out of a recalled Bumbo baby seat purchased on Facebook Marketplace, according to a report to federal safety regulators. At least 112 children have been reportedly injured using those seats, including two dozen who suffered fractured skulls. Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats were recalled due the potential of causing head injuries. What has Facebook done to stop the sale of recalled items? The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 makes it illegal to sell a recalled product. But Justin Gus Hurwitz, a professor of law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who focuses on regulation in the tech world, said that because Facebook is merely facilitating the sale, there is no legal framework that would require Facebook to do anything about recalled products." The issue here is that Facebook isn't doing the sale, Hurwitz said. Facebook is only mediating the sales between buyer and seller. Facebook's commerce policy states that it restricts the sale of recalled goods. A company spokeswoman told USA TODAY in 2021 that the company enforces the policy primarily through automated reviews, and occasionally manual checks, before a listing goes live. Yet recalled items are still regularly listed for sale on the site. Experts say Facebook could do much more, using a range of technologies similar to those it deploys to restrict the sale of firearms or drugs. In his letter to Meta, Hoehn-Saric asked the company to take immediate, meaningful steps to prevent the sale of any recalled item, not just the Rock 'n Play, on its site and suggested several steps the company could take, including providing users with a way to flag listings for recalled and hazardous products. Users can currently flag listings for numerous reasons, including if the item is counterfeit, but there is no option to say that it has been recalled. Why are Rock n Plays and similar products so dangerous? Hoehn-Saric said the CPSC found an average of 10 Rock n Plays a day for sale on secondhand sites between Feb. 7, 2022, and March 7 this year. The product is dangerous for multiple reasons, including: Infants can roll from their backs to their stomachs while unrestrained in the Rock n Play, leaving them at risk of suffocation. The product places infants at a reclined 30-degree angle. A CPSC-commissioned study found an incline of greater than 10 degrees is unsafe for sleep because it increases the risk of suffocation. The CPSC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies sleep on flat surfaces. The CPSC has recalled a number of similar products and in 2021 approved a new federal safety standard for inclined sleepers. Last year, President Joe Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, which outlaws the sale of crib bumpers and inclined sleepers. What should I do if I have a Rock n Play? Rock n Plays were sold by major retailers including Walmart, Target and Amazon from September 2009 through April 2019 for prices ranging from $40 to $149, according to the CPSC. If you have one, stop using it immediately. You can receive either a refund or voucher for a different Fisher-Price item, depending on when you purchased it, by visiting service.mattel.com and clicking on Recall and Safety Alerts. Tricia L. Nadolny is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. She can be reached at tnadolny@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @TriciaNadolny. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facebook is flooded with recalled items. One is tied to 100 deaths. Detectives from Florida have traveled to Lenoir as they continue investigating the death of a man back in 1988. Investigators said on Nov. 27, 1988, Robert Hecht, a 58-year-old man who lived in Charlotte County, Florida failed to respond to his weekly phone call from his sister, who lived out of state. Authorities eventually found Hechts body inside his Punta Gorda home. It was obvious he had been beaten to death, they said. Hecht is also a retired U.S. Army officer and is originally from New York. ALSO READ: DNA match leads to Hickory mans arrest in 1994 Kentucky cold case Investigators said Hecht was seen the day before at a bar in the same city with a man who identified himself as Ray. Ray told anyone he encountered that he was from Tennessee and Kentucky, and spoke with a southern accent, investigators said. Then, on the morning of Nov. 28, detectives learned Hechts car, a 1989 Lincoln Town Car, was found parked in Lenoir near Lowells Food Market on East Harper Avenue. Witnesses told detectives that a man matching Rays description was seen getting out of the car and going inside the store. A woman with long blonde hair was also seen in the passenger seat of the car. On the morning of Nov. 28, detectives learned Hechts car, a 1989 Lincoln Town Car, was found parked in Lenoir near Lowells Food Market on East Harper Avenue. On Dec. 1, Lenoir police found the car parked on Main Street in Lenoir, where it appeared to have been parked for several days. Channel 9 cameras captured video that year of Hechts car being processed at police headquarters in Lenoir. At the time, investigators only had a sketch of the person of interest named Ray. Channel 9s Dave Faherty spoke with the officer who found the car. He said they ran the tag for two nights and didnt get any hits. On Dec. 1, 1988, Lenoir police found the car parked on Main Street in Lenoir, where it appeared to have been parked for several days. Investigators worked extensively on the case through the years, and it was eventually assigned to the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office Cold Case Unit in 2009. Were trying to figure out how our victims brand new 1989 Lincoln Town Car ended up on Main Street in Lenoir, North Carolina shortly after his murder, and thats an answer we dont have yet, said Det. Kurt Mehl with the Charlotte County Cold Case Unit. Story continues Thirteen years later, in 2022, detectives from that cold case unit were able to determine Rays identity: Kenneth Ray Miller, who died at age 55 in 2007. Detectives were able to determine Rays identity: Kenneth Ray Miller, who died at age 55 in 2007. Deputies said they were able to find a connection between Miller, Hechts home, and his stolen car. They also said Miller is believed to have been born in Kentucky and lived in Kingsport, Tennessee, with his mother and other family members. ALSO READ: Sister of Kannapolis teen killed in 1993: He deserves some type of justice Now, detectives are trying to figure out why Hechts car was driven to Lenoir and left on Main Street. Authorities said they are trying to find the woman who was with Miller in the stolen car. She may also have ties to the Kingsport area. Potentially, we want to talk with the witness who saw the individual getting out of the Lincoln Town Car and saw the blond female remaining in the car, said Det. Mike Vogel with the Charlotte County Cold Case Unit. Investigators believe she can help with the investigation, but they have no reason to believe she is involved in Hechts killing. Detectives are also looking for any information about Miller and what connection he may have to Lenoir and Kingsport. Residents in the area hope the family can finally have answers to what happened to their loved one. I think its a good thing, James Propst said. Help bring closure to the family and bring justice. Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call Det. Mehl with the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office at 941-763-0582. You can also call Det. Mike Vogel at 941-763-9394, or the Lenoir Police Department. (WATCH BELOW: Atlanta police are hoping a new image will help them solve a cold case) The Detroit Free Press won the 49th annual Wade H. McCree Advancement of Justice Award for 2023, which is sponsored by the Michigan Press Association Foundation. According to the Michigan Press Association, the Wade H. McCree Advancement of Justice Awards looks for outstanding entries that explain problems and issues in the legal system and law enforcement. Winners from the Free Press include reporters Christine MacDonald, Gina Kaufman, Elisha Anderson, Jennifer Dixon and Tresa Baldas for four different entries. More: Officials: Numbers down at overcrowded Wayne County juvenile jail According to a news release from MPA, MacDonald and Kaufman were awarded for their investigation "Conditions at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility." The series of articles exposed issues at the facility such as understaffing and overcrowding by highlighting the voices of parents, employees, youths, etc. After the publications of these articles, officials moved the youths to a new facility and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launched a Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee to address concerns such as denial of basic care, lack of education, etc. Anderson was awarded for her columns "Incentivized witnesses, wrongful conviction and Anthony Kyle Case" portraying the common patterns of wrongful conviction through incentivized witnesses and jailhouse informants. More: Elisha Anderson wins national award for Free Press coverage of men wrongly imprisoned Anderson's first article in the series on Kyle's case shared information that an independent fire expert reevaluated the case, determining the original investigators made a mistake in their conclusion on arson. Six months after Anderson's investigation, Oakland County's Conviction Integrity Unit determined Kyle was wrongfully convicted. Prosecutors are now saying faulty wiring in a space heater most likely started the fire. Next, Dixon's columns "Rights & Wrongs" discusses the impact of Michigan Recipient Rights, laws in place intending to protect those with mental illness, substance abuse, etc. from unequal opportunity and discrimination. Story continues Dixon's articles pointed out a significant problem of recipient rights, as mental health providers and psychiatric hospitals are responsible for investigating themselves internally when a complaint is filed. This causes issues as solutions aren't implemented and quality of investigation differs from place to place. Tresa Baldas and her column "Investigation contradicts damning narrative about the Crumbleys the embattled parents of the Oxford school shooter," are the last of the winners for the 2023 McCree Award. James, Jennifer Crumbley ask appeals court to toss case: Our son did this, not us The two-part investigation conducted by Baldas included context that hadn't been previously published such as text messages between teachers and school officials in regards to the shooter, red flags about the shooter that were missed, and an account from the social worker tasked with finding the active shooter on surveillance cameras. Winners of the 2022 48th annual McCree Award from the Free Press include reporters Elisha Anderson and John Wisely, and podcast co-producers Cary Junior II, Darcie Moran, and Tad Davis for their columns Jailhouse informants and a 15-year fight for freedom. More: Michigan jailhouse informant testimony has led to wrongful convictions. New bill may help. The column highlights the story of Juwan Deering, who claimed his innocence from behind bars for 15 years. Deering was convicted in 2006 and given a life sentence after being wrongfully accused of killing five children. Oakland County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Matis vacated Deerings conviction in 2021 on grounds that Deering did not receive a fair trial and crucial evidence was withheld from his defense attorney. More: Listen to 'On The Line': Jailhouse informants and a 15-year fight for freedom The 2023 winners were selected by a panel of four judges who independently reviewed 13 entries across Michigan. The winners will receive their awards and be recognized at the 2023 Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame dinner on April 23 at the Kellogg Center. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Free Press wins annual McCree award 4195_D018_00176_RC3 (l-r) Mary Steenburgen stars as Carol, Candice Bergen as Sharon, Diane Keaton as Diane and Jane Fonda as Vivian in BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER, a Focus Features release. Credit: Riccardo Ghilardi / A 2023 FIFTH SEASON, LLC The older the vines, the sweeter the fruit, so says a young Italian gentleman in the first trailer for the Book Club sequel. Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen reprise their roles as four besties ready to embark on the next chapter of their lives. In Book Club: The Next Chapter, Vivian (Fonda) is getting married, so friends Diane (Keaton), Sharon (Bergen), and Carol (Steenburgen) propose a trip to Italy for a bachelorette party that soon goes off the rails. "How does a woman in her 70s end up getting married?" the trailer poses. "She takes control of her own destiny," that's how! Book Club: The Next Chapter arrives in theaters May 12 and also stars Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, Hugh Quarshie, and Craig T. Nelson. Bill Holderman once again returns as director. The first film, released in 2018, followed the foursome as they decided to revitalize their lives after reading the 50 Shades of Grey book series. "I'd love [audiences] to take their entire book club and go together and have fun and laugh. I'd love for men not to be afraid of it because it's fun and funny and there's some great male performances," Steenburgen previously told EW of the first film. Bergen added, "It gives them a way to get out of their lives and just have a very pleasant, fun, and touching two hours." Watch the trailer for the Book Club sequel above. 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: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, after enduring a day of intensifying pressure to step down, said Wednesday she intends to return to the Senate as soon as possible once my medical team advises me that its safe to travel. The Senate returns to work Monday after a two week spring recess, but Feinstein did not specify when she would return. The veteran California Democrat issued a three paragraph statement after a day of increasing pressure to resign, including a plea from Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont and Dean Phillips, D-Minn. Feinstein, 89, who has not cast a Senate vote since Feb. 16, has missed 57 votes, many of them involving judges. Though most have been confirmed, Senate colleagues are concerned that her absence in a Senate where Democrats control 51 of the 100 seats could jeopardize future nominees. The senator was diagnosed with shingles in February and had anticipated returning at the end of March. Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis, Feinstein said. In the meantime, she plans to continue working from her home in San Francisco. I understand that my absence could delay the important work of the Judiciary Committee, so Ive asked (Majority Leader Chuck) Leader Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until Im able to resume my committee work, she said. The committee considers judicial nominees and legislation affecting crime and courts. Earlier Wednesday, Khanna had tweeted that While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Feinstein was first elected to the Senate in 1992. He said that not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people, said Khanna, a prominent progressive voice who had considered seeking the seat next year. Phillips quickly tweeted he agreed with Khanna. If the California Democrat were to step down, Gov. Gavin Newsom is prepared to name a Black woman to the seat. Story continues Newsom said in 2021 that if Feinstein resigns before her term ends in January 2025, he would appoint a Black woman to fill the seat. The instant frontrunner is likely to be Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland. The question about a midterm Feinstein successor was raised on MSNBCs Reid-Out program. When Newsom was asked if he would appoint a Black woman to the seat, he said We have multiple names in mind and the answer is yes. Wednesday, asked if he still has that view, his office signaled that he remains steadfast in his plan to appoint a Black woman. In response, it sent The Bee a 2021 story that reported on Newsoms initial statement to MSNBC host Joy Reid. It also sent his statement praising Feinsteins career, a statement issued when she announced her retirement The 100-member Senate currently has no Black women and three Black men. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is Black, represented California in the Senate for four years before being elected to her current office in 2020. Newsom named Sen. Alex Padilla to fill her seat, and last year he became the first Latino elected as a U.S. senator from California. Feinstein has said she will not seek re-election next year. But her health, frail appearance and occasional mental lapses have fueled speculation that she may not finish the term. Feinstein successors Other than Lee, Newsoms choices could include Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Holly Mitchell and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, said Steven Maviglio, a California Democratic consultant. Lee would become the favorite for several reasons. First elected to the House in 1998, she has already launched a 2024 campaign for Senate. Lee would have strong support from the states influential progressives as well as Black communities. She has chaired both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Shes running for the Senate in 2024, and an appointment this year would really propel her. It would help her fundraising immediately, said Maviglio. But her appointment is no sure thing. Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Los Angeles, and Katie Porter, D-Orange County, are also seeking the Feinstein seat in 2024. In a Berkeley-Institute of Governmental Studies Poll in February, Lee ran a distant third with 8%. Schiff had 23% and Porter had 20%. The institutes co-director Eric Schickler noted that the race was wide open and It will likely be several months before most voters tune into the race. Christian Groce, academic director of the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California., said his guess is that Newsom would appoint either one of the three leading candidates or a caretaker, someone without obvious political ambitions whod be unlikely to seek a full term next year.. A caretaker would be able to avoid getting into the three-way Democratic battle among already declared candidates, Grose said. He listed several potential caretakers: Former Sen. Barbara Boxer; former Gov. Gray Davis; House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco; Katherine Feinstein, a former San Francisco County Superior Court judge and the senators daughter. The Justice Department announced that it will not pursue federal prosecution of anyone in connection with the death of Shanquella Robinson in Mexico last fall. The DOJ officials said on Wednesday, April 12, that after investigating the young womans death, the evidence does not support prosecution by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Shanquella Robinson died while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in October 2022. (Photo: itsquella/Instagram) As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed, a statement from DOJ states. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. The family and their legal team reject the DOJs decision, saying the U.S. authorities never treated the case with urgency and needed to be pushed before making it a priority. Were witnessing the result of a delay, which is why there was always a concern, which is why I always say this is the peoples case, attorney Sue-Ann Robinson said. This is the peoples movement that said hey, theres no reason why a Black woman should go on vacation with her friends, be returned to her family in a box. Robinson traveled with a group of six friends to Cabo, Mexico, in October 2022. While vacationing, the 25-year-old mysteriously died. Originally, her travel companions alleged the woman died as a result of alcohol poisoning. However, various stories surrounding what happened to Robinson were not consistent with the findings of the Mexican medical examiner. According to an autopsy performed in Cabo after her demise, she did not die from an excess of alcohol but from severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation. This, coupled with a video leaked on social media of Robinson being savagely beaten by one of the travelers, prompted the family to pursue murder charges. Story continues Despite the evidence provided by the Mexican authorities, U.S. officials state the evidence theyve collected, including an autopsy conducted in Mecklenburg County, does not support pressing criminal charges being brought in an American court. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI, the DOJs announcement read. The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. In search of the truth for her family, the lawyers traveled to Mexico on a fact-finding mission, and they suggested the information provided by the Mexican government is enough for the DOJ to act. The attorneys, Robinson and Benjamin Crump, laid out legal options the federal government could pursue in the case in a recent letter to President Joe Biden. The legal team said if a U.S. citizen commits homicide in Mexico and returns home, they can face criminal charges in the states under federal law or state law, depending on the circumstances of the crime. Federal charges are brought in cases where the crime involves interstate commerce or federal law enforcement agencies. We know in a transnational case where evidence was possibly transported and persons of interest communicated with each other via cellphone federal charges could be brought against those responsible for Shanquellas death, the letter says. Sue-Ann Robinson believes that a delay in transporting the body led to discrepancies in the case. However, she questioned federal authorities disregard of the video showing a vicious and brutal attack, adding that the Department of State officials put out a statement in response to the case before an investigation was launched. Before any evidence was even entered, there was a statement made [that] theres no foul play, the lawyer said at the news conference. That statement was never retracted. But because the case was never taken seriously from the beginning, that caused the delay . The attorney believes that if the social media movement did not follow the familys outcry, then the case wouldve never gotten as far as it did. It wasnt taken seriously from the beginning. The people had to move the case. We had to demand that the case be taken seriously, she added. In the March 13 letter to the White House, Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson allege one of the six individuals present with Robinson in Cabo, Daejhanae Jackson, has been identified as a key suspect listed on the femicide arrest warrant. The Department of Justice or Department of State did not communicate the federal governments position on the womans extradition and if she might stand trial in Mexico. The FBI, according to Sue-Ann Robinson, told the family There is nothing that can be done in terms of charges being filed by the FBI and that [the family will] have to seek redress and justice somewhere else. This is not the end of Robinsons pursuit of justice. The legal team is organizing a rally and march to the State Department on May 19 to demand justice. The date is symbolic. It marks the 200th day since Robinsons death. Two Wichitans are out $175,000 after two separate online scams in the past couple of days, according to a news release from the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office. The first scam involved a man in his 70s who noticed a pop-up warning on his computer that his bank account had been hacked. A scammer told the man to send $35,000 to another bank account. The scammer told the man it was to keep his money from being stolen and to catch the hacker, the DAs news release said. The money was sent and the scammer asked the man to send $20,000, but the mans bank blocked the wire transfer. The man realized at this point that he had been scammed, the release added. In the second scam, a woman in her 70s saw a pop-up warning on her computer that it had been hacked. She called the number on the screen and a woman who said she was with Microsoft answered, the release said. The scammer asked the woman for authorization to log into her computer, the release said. The woman was told someone had withdrawn $20,000 to purchase pornography. She was then told that she could be charged with possessing child pornography and money laundering, according to the release. The scammer convinced the victim to make several withdrawals from her bank account resulting in just under $140,000, the release read. In both these cases, the money is gone, the DAs office said. The DAs office reminds residents to never call or text a number from a computer pop-up screen. If someone you have never met asks for cash, gift cards or cryptocurrency, it is a scam, the release said. Waynesboro High School WAYNESBORO During most of the budget season, Waynesboro Public Schools' Superintendent Jeffrey Cassell has tried to remain positive. As Virginia's General Assembly dragged its feet on approving revisions to the biennial budget, school divisions were left with few answers to their many questions as they tried to pass their own budgets. Cassell felt like everything would eventually work itself out, though. His attitude could be changing. A report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch this past Sunday said some lawmakers are skeptical a budget will be passed before late June. Some in the General Assembly are facing primary battles ahead of November's elections and are reluctant to give any ammunition to their opponents. The Richmond newspaper used as one example Democratic incumbents who are facing challenges from the left wing of the party. Any sign that they compromised with the Governor or Republicans, who want tax cuts, could hurt them in winning their party's nomination. The solution to that would be to wait until at least after the primaries to pass revisions to the biennial budget. So, at least for now, lawmakers will stick with what is called a "skinny" budget, stop-gap measures passed in February. That would meet the state's requirements of passing a budget by July 1, so there's no pressure to change that budget before July, if it changes at all. That is a major problem for agencies waiting on a state budget, including public schools. For instance, Waynesboro passed a budget in March using the projected Governor's numbers. Waynesboro had to cut $1 million from expenditures for personnel to approve a balanced budget with the hope that once the Senate and House compromised the approved state budget would add that $1 million back into education funds from the state. With the "skinny" budget, however, Waynesboro would receive even less. Numbers provided at Tuesday night's school board meeting showed a drop of another $590,996. Story continues "That's going to be painful to deal with if it doesn't change," Cassell said at the school board meeting. He called the news "pretty disturbing and discouraging." Cassell said additional cuts, if any are needed, will have to come out of personnel. Buildings need to have electricity and buses need fuel, so cutting in those areas aren't options. Central office staff will begin meeting Wednesday morning to expand its list of potential cuts if the worse-case scenario occurs. "I wish I had favorable news for you," Cassell said. "There is speculation that there's going to be a budget, but it's going to be late." With new teacher orientation set for the end of July and all teachers returning to the classroom Aug. 1, a budget passed in late June or early July is not ideal. The plan in Waynesboro is to issue teacher contracts hopefully by the end of May, Cassell said, based on the budget that was approved last month. Cassell told The News Leader following the meeting that if cuts are needed to personnel he hopes those can still be done through attrition, not filling open positions that they really hoped to fill. The budget that was passed in March included a 5% raise for staff. Cassell said he's hoping to retain that raise, but even that's on the table as of now and a lower raise could impact who stays and leaves. In March the school division had already identified 14 positions that could be eliminated through attrition. School officials are now faced with the possibility of finding even more of those positions. "That is going to be painful," Cassell said. "We may not even yet know what those are. There's just a lot of consideration that goes into that. What positions do you have open to do it by attrition, who's retiring, who's resigning?" More: Dawbarn Awards: Retired? No way for veteran Waynesboro teacher Diane Lundstrom More: Augusta County man sentenced to decades in prison for sexually abusing two young girls Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com. This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Waynesboro schools could be looking at less money from the state Poseidon (Model Ignacio Perez) Salem Beiruti has had a Marvel-ous year. The artist helped Ruth E. Carter, the Oscar-winning costume designer of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in crafting the concept art for Namor, the superhuman leader of the underwater city of Talocan, which was inspired by Indigenous cultures. Beiruti also has a fantastic origin story. Born in Lebanon, he traveled to Spain to pursue his art, which reflects his love of mythology and the male form. As Beiruti tells it, while the other boys were dreaming of a little mermaid, I was the only kid sitting by the seashore dreaming of that merman! That little kid grew up and became an artist. Faun and the Flute of Secrets (Model Sebastien Selles) What first inspired you to become an artist? I had this dream since I was a school kid: I wanted to be an illustrator. My sister used to buy me illustrated books and read them for me. I carried this fantasy to become an artist since then. Soulmates - Essence of Love Youre from Lebanon. How did growing up there inform your art? I grew up in a humble family; my parents raised me well and took care of my talent the way they understood it. I learned a lot from Middle Eastern culture and traditions. I studied graphic design and publicity, and my talent opened many doors for me to discover more about my origins. With time, I built a strong base for my personal work and kept my work somehow disciplined, following traditions and respecting the type of jobs I was offered and the people around me. Then I moved to Spain, where I was exposed to a completely different culture. And thats what made me choose to change my style combining it with what I learned from my origins yet focusing on what I admire the most and expressing it the best way I can. The Enchanter (Model Jose Palacios) What was your coming-out experience like? It took me long time. I didnt do it officially until my late 30s, but I was sure my close friends and some of my closest family members knew about it. They kept respecting my privacy and personal life. Some disagreed with me, of course, and others were simply happy for me making my own choices. Some got curious, but no one has negatively interfered with any part of my journey. The important part is that I didnt change my behavior at any phase. I didnt feel stressed to express myself. I can say that my experience was simple and peaceful. Story continues Urban Legend How was art a part of that journey? My artworks were a big part of that journey indeed; thats what made me be visible. My friends and some of my teachers and people I worked with, they understood me through my artworks. Cernunnos (Model Francesc Gasco) You worked with Ruth E. Carter, the Oscar-winning costume designer of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, on designing concepts for Namor, the films underwater-living antagonist who is inspired by Mesoamerican cultures. Tell us about that collaboration and what it means to you. A wonderful experience, unforgettable indeed. Im so proud and always grateful I had the chance to take part and design concepts for Namors looks. My work for Ruth Carter was used in her mood boards during her presentations with Marvel. I was first contacted by her assistant, Stacy Caballero, a costume designer and fashion historian. Stacy saw my work online and she arranged my first online meeting with Ruth Carter. I remember I was breathless at first. I didnt believe that Ruth was in front of me speaking on camera. It was my first time working with her on a big project like that, and I was very happy knowing that she liked my work. Stacy was always following up with the design process, providing me with references and arranging all the meetings with Ruth. Workflow was very professional and so smooth. The time difference between Spain and the United States wasnt an issue in terms of finishing designs and meeting deadlines. In fact, it was rewarding and satisfying to stay overnight sometimes to finish the artworks especially after seeing the results and knowing that Ruth was happy! Ruth is an amazing person to work with humble, very creative. She opened my eyes and mind to learn about cultures and use history and resources from the characters environment. That helped me a lot to create my concepts. Seraph How does Black Panther inspire you? As a concept artist and Marvel fan, I find Black Panther films to be rich in art, mythology, culture, tribal history, and of course, breathtaking costume designs. I was mesmerized by the characters and the way they appeared. I loved every scene in both films. After watching the second movie, I felt the strength to carry on and to believe more in myself as an artist and what I am capable of doing. I started to read more stories about ancient civilizations, cultures, and tribes. This took my imagination and creativity to another level. Namor (Inspired by Tenoch Huerta) Namor has found a fan base among queer folks. What do you believe is the appeal of his character? I loved working on Namors designs. First of all, I have to mention that [the designs of] all characters, and not only Namor, have been upgraded and evolved 10 years from the first Black Panther to create a world based on ancient Indigenous culture. Think about all the materials in the ocean that we could use for the costumes of the [mythical underwater city of] Talocan! Namor is a sexy, charismatic superhero played by Tenoch Huerta. Hes quick-witted with a hint of a badass leader. He can swim and also, he can fly. Sometimes, he wears the leader cape, sometimes, a massive headpiece and big, beautiful, detailed accessories. Namor has a strong personality in addition to his character and looks. I believe thats what made him have this big fan base. Awaken Like Black Panther, your art is influenced by mythology. What about myths inspire you creatively? Myths make me dream and imagine the characters, according to each story. Its like living a fantasy and finding myself in the middle of the scene, watching every character play his role. I love myths. Is there a particular myth that resonates with you? The mermen and Triton myths. Everyone around me was looking for the little mermaid or waving to the boats and jumping inside the water. I was the only kid sitting by the seashore dreaming of that merman! That little kid grew up and became an artist. He created an artwork telling a story about a merman who fell in love with an angel. They can only meet once a month, when the moon is full. What do you hope is the message and impact of your art, particularly for your LGBTQ+ fans? I see beauty and art in almost everything around me. I have a deep admiration for male forms, and I try to reflect this in the stories I tell along with my illustrations. I like people to find my art seductive, elegant, mysterious, intriguing. I want them to find my work encouraging, to follow their dreams and passion, to be creative, to do what they love to do the most and never feel afraid or hesitate to change. Whats next for you? Im currently preparing for two exhibitions in Spain for two different dates and cities. Also, Im working on more artworks for my Slick collection, [which includes] latex and fetish concepts. I hope I can have enough time to create my first tarot deck this year! Salem Beiruti is a concept artist whose work has been exhibited at the Museo ABC and La Torcida in Madrid. Find his book Morphosis on Amazon. Learn more at TheArtOfSalem.com and on Instagram, @artistsalem. Getting divorced? Why these states require couple who have kids to take a parenting class first. (Image: Illustrated by Victoria Ellis for Yahoo) When Neile got divorced two years ago, she had no idea that she would have to take a parenting class, a requirement for all divorcing parents including Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth in her home state of Tennessee. The judge assigned to her case provided a list of approved classes from which to pick. During that time, Neile worried about the effect the divorce would have on her daughter, and so the class seemed like a step in the right direction. Kids must be protected as much as possible during the conflict, and I think parenting class, therapy and any measure that advocates for and protects the kids in the divorce is probably a good thing," the mom, who asked to not share her last name, tells Yahoo Life. Two years on, she says she's grateful for the 12-hour online class that she took with Children in Between the Center for Divorce Education's co-parenting programs because it covered conflict resolution and other skills to help her co-parent with her ex. Currently, 46 states mandate some form of parent education, and 16 states require all divorcing parents to participate in a court-approved class. However, despite the widespread adoption of these classes, there is great variety among the different options, and everything from the topics covered to the length of time to the effectiveness of the classes themselves is largely understudied and unknown. Parent education classes have become widespread over the last 40 years, with mandated classes originating in neighboring counties in Kansas during the mid-1980s. During the late 1980s and 1990s, these courses spread across the country and private providers began developing programs to fulfill the need. However, despite almost four decades of implementation and parents being required to pay anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars to attend them, there is still little to no evidence proving that these classes work. There are a lot of programs out there, but they differ markedly in quality and whether or not they make a difference for parents and their children, Sharlene Wolchik, a professor in the psychology department and director of the REACH Institute at Arizona State University, tells Yahoo Life. Her research partner, research professor Irwin Sandler, adds that the proliferation of these classes has occurred in family courts without evidence that they actually reduce interparental conflict or improve outcomes for children. In 2021, this led the state of Massachusetts to suspend parent education classes completely until evidence-based programs could be identified and implemented. Story continues Wolchik founded the New Beginnings Program for divorcing parents and, along with Sandler, created its online counterpart, the eNew Beginnings Program (eNBP). Unlike many other programs, theirs is research-based, and it was found to be effective in a randomized, controlled trial. The entirely online program involves 10- to 30-minute classes once a week for six or 10 weeks, and parents who completed it reported less interparental conflict, increased quality of parenting and reduced behavior problems in children. Despite its proven results, the eNBP has not been widely adopted. It is mostly used in Arizona's Pima County, and Wolchik and Sandler are currently trying to collaborate with court systems nationwide to change this. Between states, counties and even individual courtrooms, there is great variability in which programs fulfill the local requirements. For example, while Neile completed a 12-hour online course, Gina, another mom who got divorced in the same county, took a single four-hour class to meet the requirement. While Neile picked her class from a list of courses her judge approved, Gina, who also preferred to not share her last name, received a list from her lawyer. Neither Neile nor Gina attended classes from the same providers as their exes. Neile wishes that both she and her ex had been required to attend the same type of class, so they had the same foundation for co-parenting. All programs are not created equal, and my exs was a lot less intensive and only four hours. It didnt seem as beneficial, Neile tells Yahoo Life. Joshua E. Stern is the managing partner of the Illinois-based law firm Stern Perkoski Mendez, and he practices family law and regularly contributes to divorce discourse for a number of publications. He finds the courses to be well-meaning, but doesnt believe they are regulated or overseen. His clients have also witnessed great variety at the county level. I cant tell you why were doing it. Every now and then I have a client who says it is helpful, but the majority dont say anything, Stern tells Yahoo Life. For many parents, it becomes a box to check, but Denise Baier, a licensed mental health counselor who writes content and teaches online parenting courses for Certevia, believes it can really benefit kids. Specifically, parental conflict becomes traumatic for kids, so the class offers parents not only information about the impact of conflict on children but also how they can learn to parent together, Baier tells Yahoo Life. After more than 20 years of teaching classes like these, she believes courts should encourage parents to take the classes earlier in the process to offer the greatest benefit to kids. Both Gina and Neile agree. Neile found her class to be helpful, but she thinks parents should be aware that programs are subjective and each one covers different topics, especially because they cost parents money and time. To get the best results, she believes its worth parents researching the programs that meet their county or judges requirements and putting forth effort during the class. Gina, meanwhile, went into the process to get the certificate, but she also feels the class was useful and encourages other parents to go in with an open mind. Divorce is such a traumatic time that oftentimes were super-stressed and having someone remind us of even the little things we can do to put our kids first is really helpful, she says. Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. More litigants choose to resolve IP disputes in China 08:45, April 12, 2023 By CAO YIN ( Chinadaily.com.cn More overseas litigants are choosing to resolve international intellectual property disputes in China, according to a recent report. This shows that foreign innovators are increasingly recognizing the legal protection for IP rights in China and are confident in its market, experts said. According to the annual report issued by the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People's Court, the country's top court, at the end of last month, 457 new cases involving overseas entities were received, an increase of 4.6 percent year-on-year. The English version of the report was made available online on Tuesday. The number of cases in which all parties are foreign entities has also been on the rise, indicating that China has progressively become one of the preferred venues for international IP litigation, the report stated. While strictly abiding by international rules, the IP Court protects all litigants, regardless of their origin, in an effort to foster a market-oriented and law-based international business environment, it added. "IP disputes between foreign entities heard in China are usually administrative litigation, meaning the cases where Chinese authorities in charge of IP affairs are involved," said Kang Lixia, an IP lawyer at Beijing's Hanray Law Firm. In general, a foreign party turns to a Chinese court if it believes its patents or trademarks are damaged by another foreign party in the country, and it dis-agrees with IP decisions made by Chinese authorities, she explained. "The rise in cases reflects the increasing trust foreign rights holders place in China's judicial IP protection. It might also mean that they feel China's IP protection is good, so they prefer to settle disputes here," she added. Liu Bin, an IP lawyer from Beijing's Zhongwen Law Firm, said the increase in IP lawsuits involving overseas entities, especially those between foreign parties, demonstrates that China remains an attractive market for foreigners, and that they are optimistic about the country's economic potential and are willing to expand businesses here. In one of the cases, Apple Computer Trading (Shanghai) Co applied to the China National Intellectual Property Administration to invalidate an invention patent granted to Qualcomm, but the administration decided it should be maintained. The Shanghai-based company, which is a subsidiary of US tech giant Apple Inc, then sued the administration and Qualcomm at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. After the trial, the intermediate-level court rejected the company's claims, prompting it to appeal to the top IP Court. The latter upheld the original verdict and identified the patent as valid, noting that in addition to considering a technology's creativity, the synergy between technologies should also be considered a form of creativity. Liu said the case involving two international tech giants demonstrates the stronger determination and greater efforts of Chinese courts in protecting IP rights and creating a world-class business environment. To serve opening-up and help China participate in the reform of global governance, the IP Court also increased international exchanges last year, including compiling a guideline on patent case management with the World Intellectual Property Organization and encouraging judges to attend international IP-related forums and seminars. The report underscores that the measures contributed to implementing the central leadership's requirement to take a coordinated approach toward promoting the rule of law at home and in matters involving external affairs. Furthermore, the IP Court accepted 1,338 disputes related to strategic emerging industries last year, including those involved in information technology, biomedicine, high-end equipment manufacturing and new plant varieties. These accounted for 30.4 percent of all cases received last year, 3.5 percentage points higher than that in 2021. Liu said the rising number of cases "is an indication of rapid growth in these areas", as problems and IP disputes usually follow technological advancement. Kang said that more companies and innovators are willing to invest and develop in China because of the efficiency of Chinese courts. The national-level IP Court was set up in Beijing in January 2019 to deal with civil and administrative appeal cases over patent issues and difficult technologies, and it helped streamline the appeal process by allowing litigants to bypass provincial courts and appeal directly, she said. In other words, litigants unhappy with rulings made by intermediate courts at the city or prefecture level, or by other specialized IP courts at provincial high courts, can go directly to the top IP Court. Kang said this streamlined process of hearing IP cases "helps prevent inconsistencies, improves the quality of trials and optimizes the law-based environment for science and technology innovators". She added that she believes improved judicial efficiency is a boon for new businesses. "The quick resolution of disputes allows market entities to invest in a fresh round of research and development as soon as possible, thus facilitating the creation of more new technologies." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Afghans wave their documents at U.S. Marines who were standing guard atop the blast walls surrounding the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2021. President Joe Bidens decision to end a 20-year war in August 2021 led to the swift collapse of the Afghan government and military. (Jim Huylebroek/The New York Times/Jim Huylebroek/The New York Times) Whats Speak Out? Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 100 words and give your first name and your hometown. All of a sudden President Biden and these Democrats are trying to blame Donald Trump for when Biden withdrew all the troops out of Afghanistan. Why are they blaming Trump? Guess what, Biden also stopped the Trump wall by Mexico to stop the illegal immigrants. They flooded the United States and all of a sudden Biden decides maybe Trump was right. This is ridiculous. Cant you just leave that man alone? Why does he get blamed for everything. Im 75 years old. I was going to be a Democrat all my life, but I cant do it no more. Advertisement Ken, Burbank To Tom in Burbank who claims the media is the enemy of the people in this country. I find it ironic that you either call or email the Daily Southtown 24 hours a day, seven days a week with baseless conspiracy theories, right-wing propaganda and off-the-wall opinions and yet the Daily Southtown routinely posts them for you in the Speak Out column. If they are the enemy then you must be in league with them. Advertisement Greg, Lockport I read the article concerning banning assault weapons with sorrow in my heart, tears in my eyes and anger in my mind! Except in times and places of active war against the United States, no decent, sane human being should ever want to allow the use of horrible assault weapons in our cities! Why are we warring against our each other, our own people? Assault weapons were made to be used against known enemies in other countries, not to take the lives of our innocent loved ones who have a right to live the life that God has given them. Joanne, Crete I agree with Bill from Plainfield about flourishing marijuana retailers The government banned secondhand tobacco smoke for public health reasons. However, the geniuses in Springfield including Pritzker are silent on the deadly poisonous toxic effects of secondhand marijuana smoke on humans and animals. When are people going to stand up and say enough is enough? What about the right to breathe clear air? Nobody has the right to take that away from us. Tony, Alsip A urologist sexually assaulted and abused patients, including at least two underage victims, for years while working at medical facilities in New York, federal officials said. Dr. Darius Paduch, 55, of North Bergen, New Jersey made victims believe the abuse was medically necessary and appropriate and regularly instructed them to return for follow-up visits where further assaults would occur, according to prosecutors. He was arrested on April 11 on charges including inducement of a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and inducement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity in connection with two of the underage victims, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York announced in a news release. Paduch, who specializes in male fertility and reproductive health, conducted his minor patients physical exams when their parents and nursing staff were absent from the room, according to an indictment. During these exams, he directed victims to masturbate, would often play pornography, groped the patients and used a vibrating sex toy on them, the indictment says. Darius Paduch abused the trust of patients, including minors, who saw him for sensitive medical problems, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. (He) took advantage of his victims for his own deviant satisfaction. Information regarding Paduchs legal representation wasnt immediately available. No legitimate medical purpose Paduch worked at one New York City medical institution from 2003 until 2019 and a second institution in Long Island from 2019 until 2023, according to prosecutors. One of Paduchs patients was 18 when the doctor convinced him to masturbate, groped him and pressed himself against him during appointments in 2016, according to CBS New York. Ive spent a long time questioning my body, whether there was something wrong with me or if I did something to produce that reaction from my doctor. I couldnt trust my own judgment, Tucker Coburn told the outlet in an interview. Story continues The two underage patients described in the indictment both traveled from out of state to see Paduch beginning in 2015. During appointments with one minor patient, Paduch routinely recommended his parent to leave the room before the assaults and abuse ensued, according to the indictment. When seeing the second minor victim described in the indictment, Paduch would regularly direct him to strip naked before abusing and assaulting him while alone in the exam room, the indictment says. He also repeatedly conducted unnecessary rectal exams on this patient, according to the indictment. Paduch claimed that he needed to touch victims in certain ways to provide medical treatment, when in fact, (he) sexually abused and assaulted those victims for no legitimate medical purpose and for his own sexual gratification, the indictment says. Following appointments, prosecutors said he would often text victims, including those underage, while making inappropriate sexual comments and jokes from his personal cell phone. He also instructed some victims to see him outside his typical business hours, according to prosecutors. Paduch pleaded not guilty to the charges against him at his first court appearance and was detained on April 11, according to the New York Times. The criminal case against Paduch comes after lawsuits were filed against him by his victims, including those mentioned in the indictment, according to the Times. In the lawsuits, some of the abuse is said to have taken place at Northwell Health on Long Island, the outlet reported. Barbara Osborn, the vice president of public relations for Northwell Health, confirmed in a statement to McClatchy News on April 12 that Paduch formerly worked there and no longer does. Osborn said the allegations made against him are being taken very seriously and Northwell will cooperate with the appropriate authorities as they conduct their investigation. School nurse took 700 secret photos of Tennessee students using the bathroom, feds say Nurse practitioner prescribed pills to have sex with women, promote TV show, feds say Doctor found with child porn wore hidden camera bracelet that recorded patients, feds say A dog escaped a crash that killed his doting owner then came a bittersweet reunion. Brandon Nesmith a 31-year-old from Fayetteville, Georgia loved spending time with his dogs Ranger and Dozer. From what we understand, he took his dogs everywhere with him, Tiffany Hoffman, shelter manager at the Berkeley Animal Center in South Carolina, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. So, its no surprise that Nesmiths two pups were in tow as he drove March 31 on Interstate 26. He was behind the wheel when his pickup truck hit a car and veered off the road, according to South Carolina troopers and the Berkeley County Coroners Office. Nesmith was taken to a Charleston-area hospital, where he died from crash-related injuries. But at the scene, officials discovered that his beloved dog Ranger survived the crash and spotted him fleeing, Hoffman said. The sighting sparked a dayslong search for Ranger before he eventually was reunited with Nesmiths loved ones. The fact that we could reunite them with this dog and give them a piece of their family back was just amazing for us, Hoffman said. The reunion was made more emotional with the knowledge that the shelter tried to save Nesmiths other pet, Dozer. That dog was found with several injuries at the crash site and had to be euthanized, officials said. Berkeley Animal Center was concerned Ranger might also have been hurt in the wreck and spread the word about him. Hoffman said the shelter contacted a local volunteer, and it shared a photo of the black and white dog online. Ranger ran away from the scene after the accident and now the deceaseds family is desperate to get their sweet pup back, the center wrote April 3 on Facebook. Among the community members rallying to help look for Ranger was Kerri Lyons, who told WXIA she put up flyers near the crash site. In a Facebook post, she wrote that a team also set up a camera and a trap before the missing dog was captured. I think I can speak for everyone involved to say that we were beyond relieved to see him walk in, Lyons told WXIA. Story continues The shelter said Ranger was found tired and dirty in a patch of woods but wasnt injured. Then it was time for Nesmiths family friend to pick up the dog, possibly to return him to relatives. It was bittersweet to see them come in and be reunited with their son, their friends dog that he just absolutely adored, Hoffman said. After the reunion, dozens of people flocked to Facebook to express their relief that Ranger was found safe. So glad hes been found, one person commented on the shelters page. Prayers for the family as they grieve the loss of a loved one! Berkeley County is roughly 25 miles northwest of Charleston. A Facebook user believed to be Lyons didnt immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment April 11. Dog missing for 7 years had touching SC reunion with owner weeks before his death 18-year-old cat reunited with owner 4 years later and just miles from her SC home Kevin Hagen/Getty Fox News suffered a harsh blow in the run-up to next weeks blockbuster trial as a Delaware judge overseeing Dominion Voting Systems defamation case against the right-wing network said he plans to appoint a special master to probe whether Fox lied about withholding evidence. Besides being on the verge of naming an outside attorney to look into this matter, the judge also sanctioned Fox News for not disclosing evidence, allowing Dominion to conduct more depositions at the networks expense. The explosive news comes a day after a former Fox News producer alleged that the conservative cable giant had access to several audio recordings of Trump allies admitting they had no proof of their 2020 election fraud lies but failed to provide the audio to Dominions lawyers during discovery. I am very concerned that there have been misrepresentations to the court, Superior Judge Eric Davis said at a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday. This is very serious. Chastising the networks lawyers, Davis added that he was very uncomfortable right now about the appearance that Fox didnt fulfill all of its discovery obligations as it approached trial. He went on to say he would appoint an outside attorney to investigate whether Fox made untrue or negligent assertions about both its obligatory duties on evidence and its descriptions of Rupert Murdochs role at the network. Lawyers for Fox initially insisted Murdoch didnt have a formal role at Fox News, which could restrict how much discovery Dominion could seek into Murdochs role in the false election claims. But at a hearing this week, a Fox lawyer conceded that Murdoch is the executive chairman of Fox News. The special master will also look into possible sanctions against the network, including informing jurors in the case Dominion was improperly blocked from obtaining pertinent evidence. Abby Grossberg, a former Tucker Carlson producer who was fired by Fox News last month after accusing the network of coercing her to give false testimony in the Dominion case, filed an amended legal complaint on Tuesday claiming that the network failed to disclose evidence she made available. Story continues In her complaint, Grossberg alleged that Fox failed to disclose several potentially explosive audio recordings to Dominion during the discovery process. The recordings, which Grossberg said she captured on her phone with the transcription app Otter, allegedly include a Trump official saying the campaign had found no problems with voting machines in Georgia. Ex-Fox Producer: There Are Secret Rudy Giuliani Recordings About Dominion Other recordings, according to Grossberg, included Trump lawyers Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani saying they couldnt find evidence to prove some of their claims about voting machine fraudallegations that later aired on Fox and helped prompt Dominions lawsuit. Lawyers for Dominion also played these recordings in the courtroom on Wednesday, prompting Davis to admonish the networks attorneys for failing to hand them over to the voting software firm during discovery. The judge then said that Dominion would be afforded a chance to conduct additional depositions, all at the expense of Fox News. Fox will do everything they can to make the person available, and it will be at a cost to Fox, Davis said. We are pleased that the Court recognized the very serious apparent discovery-related and other gross misconduct perpetrated by Fox News and its team of high-powered attorneys in relation to the Dominion v. Fox lawsuit that our client, Abby Grossberg, has courageously and repeatedly revealed in her lawsuits against the Network, Grossbergs attorneys Parisis Filippatos and Tanvir Rahman told The Daily Beast after the pre-trial hearing. It is important to remember that Fox News attempted numerous times to gag Ms. Grossberg from revealing the very information that the Court found deeply troubling and worthy of sanctions today, before viciously trying to destroy her career, they continued. Ms. Grossberg remains committed to speaking the truth in all appropriate forums, including before a Special Master appointed by the Court, while our firm will continue to ensure that she obtains the justice she deserves. Fox News had previously sought a court order to silence Grossberg prior to her filing her lawsuits against the network, claiming the producer was threatening to divulge privileged conversations she had with Fox lawyers. The network would then fire Grossberg after her legal claims were filed, stating she violated our instructions by revealing the confidential discussions. Jury selection is still scheduled for Thursday, and it is not clear yet if Dominions lawyers will take advantage of the judge allowing them to conduct more depositions. In its $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, Dominion accuses Fox News of knowingly airing election fraud lies about the company in order to boost its sagging ratings after MAGA viewers bolted following the networks early Arizona call for President Joe Biden. Fox News has vehemently denied these allegations. Fox News didnt respond to an immediate request for comment. A spokesman for Dominion declined to comment. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Marco Bello/Reuters Donald Trump has asked a United States District Court judge to delay his upcoming rape trial in New York by a month, with lawyers asking for a cooling off period after the negative mass media coverage surrounding his indictment and arrest in the Stormy Daniels hush money case. The civil trial, currently scheduled for April 25, comes after former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll accused the former president of raping her in the mid-1990s and sued him for defamation after he denied the allegation. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan released Tuesday night, Trump attorneys Joseph Tacopina and Alina Habba request a four-week adjournment in the trial, saying Trumps right to a fair trial hinges on the cooling off period after the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage concerning his unprecedented criminal indictment and arraignment in Manhattan. Without the pause, many, if not most, prospective jurors will have the criminal allegations top of mind when judging President Trumps defense against Ms. Carrolls allegations, the letter reads, adding that a break would help contain any potential contamination of prospective jurors. Those jurors, it continues, will have the breathless coverage of President Trumps alleged extra-marital affair with Stormy Daniels still ringing in their ears if [the] trial goes forward as scheduled. Trump Lawyers in E. Jean Carroll Case Argue Grab em by the Pussy Isnt a Pattern Trumps recent arrest, the lawyers claim, saw a four-fold rise in Google searches for Jean Carroll Donald Trump. Team Trump is now hoping for a late May trialno earlier than May 23when a jury is far more likely to be impartial than one recently inundated with prejudicial media coverage. According to Reuters, Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer who represents Carroll, said she will respond to Trumps request in a letter to the judge. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images Donald Trump gushed about Chinese leader Xi Jinping's looks and brains in an interview on Fox News. He said Xi is "top of the line" and that there is no one in Hollywood who could play him in a movie. Trump also called Xi's translator a "beautiful female interpreter." Former President Donald Trump gushed about Chinese leader Xi Jinping in an interview on Fox News, calling him a "brilliant man" and praising his good looks. During a sit-down interview on Tuesday night, Fox News host Tucker Carlson asked Trump how smart he thinks Xi is. Trump replied: "Top of the line." "President Xi is a brilliant man. If you went all over Hollywood to look for somebody to play the role of President Xi, you couldn't find it. There's nobody like that. The look, the brain, the whole thing," said Trump. During the interview on Tuesday, the recently indicted ex-president also complimented one of Xi's interpreters on her appearance. Trump told Carlson that he knew what he was about to say was "very impolite and very politically incorrect," but said it anyway. "A beautiful female interpreter, she was very beautiful," Trump said. "She was very professional. She spoke every word for him." Trump did not specify which interpreter of Xi's he found attractive. Xi has been seen with both male and female interpreters over the years. The Tuesday interview is one of the many times Trump has lauded Xi, who was handed an unprecedented third term as China's president in March. In a rally in Pennsylvania in September, he called both Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin "fierce" and added that Xi was "smart" to rule China with an "iron fist." And during a speech at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020, Trump said that he and Xi "love each other," per Politico. Story continues Before Trump left office, he was also known to tweet praise about Xi on occasion. In a February 2020 Twitter post in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic Trump praised Xi for being "strong, sharp and powerfully focused" on controlling the virus. Trump also boasted about his "very strong and personal relationship" with Xi in a December 2018 tweet. Xi, in return, called Trump his "friend" at an economic forum in Russia in 2019, per Reuters. Trump's interview on Tuesday aired a week after he was arrested and charged in New York. On April 4, in a Manhattan courtroom, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 low-level felony charges of falsifying business records. The charges were filed against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office in connection with a lengthy investigation into an election-eve hush money payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels. Representatives of Trump and the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider A source close to Donald Trump has revealed that the former president filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against his ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, demanding more than $500 million in damages. This is an action arising from [Cohens] multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion and breaches of contract by virtue of [Cohens] past service as [Trumps] employee and attorney, the lawsuit first obtained by Fox News reads. The 30-page legal filing submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida accuses Cohen of breaching attorney-client privilege and unjustly enriching himself at Trumps expense. The lawsuit points to Cohens public statements, including the publication of two books, a podcast series, and innumerable mainstream media appearances, which demonstrated malicious intent for entirely self-serving ends. Such continuous and escalating improper conduct by [Cohen] has reached a proverbial crescendo and has left [Trump] with no alternative but to seek legal redress through this action, the lawsuit states, adding that Trump has suffered vast reputational harm as a direct result of [Cohens] breaches. The news comes barely a week after the former president appeared in court in New York City last Tuesday to be arraigned on fraudulent business charges brought by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. The 34 felony counts stem from hush-money payments Trump made to Stormy Daniels, an adult entertainment actress, in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election to conceal an alleged affair. The indictment, released after Trumps court appearance, alleges that Trump hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election, and that he orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication. Cohen, then Trumps personal attorney, made the controversial payment to Daniels and was later reimbursed by the former president. Cohen testified in early March before a Manhattan grand jury investigating the hush-money payment. Story continues Consequently, the former presidents attorney has turned into a key state witness in Braggs case against Trump. In early 2023, Cohen and the Manhattan district attorneys office reached a detente which saw him visit their office at least seven times to collaborate with state attorneys, the New York Times reported. However, the source told Fox News Digital that the lawsuit has nothing to do with the Manhattan DAs lawless and fact-less case and is a totally separate matter. In August 2018, while Trump was in the White House, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts of violating campaign-finance laws before the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. Three months later, Cohen pled guilty to lying before Congress against the backdrop of Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Cohen later explained that his blind loyalty to Trump led [him] to take a path of darkness instead of light. Trump, who initially denied any knowledge of the payments to Daniels, later defended it as a simple private transaction and accused Cohen of lying to secure a lighter sentence. Michael Cohen is lying and hes trying to get a reduced sentence for things that have nothing to do with me, the president told reporters outside the White House at the time. More from National Review Michael Cohen (left) and Donald Trump. Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against his former attorney, Michael Cohen. The lawsuit alleges Cohen breached his attorney-client relationship and profited off trashing Trump. The suit comes just weeks after a grand jury voted to indict Trump. Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday filed a more than $500 million lawsuit in federal court against Michael Cohen, accusing his ex-lawyer-turned-nemesis of ruining his reputation by repeatedly "spreading falsehoods." In the suit, Trump, through his lawyers, alleges that his former fixer Cohen breached his attorney-client relationship and profited off trashing the ex-president. Cohen "breached his fiduciary duties owed to [Trump] by virtue of their attorney-client relationship by both revealing [Trump's] confidences, and spreading falsehoods about [Trump], likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct," says the suit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit alleges that Cohen "committed these breaches through myriad public statements, including the publication of two books, a podcast series, and innumerable mainstream media appearances" despite cease and desist letters. Cohen, who has become one of Trump's harshest critics, "appears to have become emboldened and repeatedly continues to make wrongful and false statements about" Trump, the suit alleges. It adds, "Plaintiff has suffered vast reputational harm as a direct result of Defendant's breaches." Trump is demanding damages in the suit, and, according to the lawsuit, believes they should "substantially exceed" $500 million. Lanny Davis, an attorney for Cohen, said in a statement to Insider that Trump is "once again using an abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen." "It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him," Davis said. "Mr. Cohen will not be deterred and is confident that the suit will fail based on the facts and the law." Story continues "Is there anyone in America, aside from a shrinking minority base of believers, who takes Mr. Trump seriously when he files these frivolous lawsuits?" Davis added. The lawsuit comes on the heels of Trump's historic indictment by a Manhattan grand jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records that Cohen was personally entangled with Trump pleaded "not guilty" to the 34 counts filed against him. Cohen previously said that while acting as Trump's personal attorney, he wired $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election to ensure she stayed quiet about a relationship she said she had with Trump. Trump has repeatedly and vehemently denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels and denied that he has committed any crimes in connection to the payment. Read the original article on Business Insider Earlier this year, Clubhound owner Jake Whitlock found himself in a ruff spot. Wanting to stir up attention, his planned dog park bar began barking a little on social media. Next thing you know? It kind of started to blow up, Whitlock says. Within a month, there were 135 business inquiries about partnerships, he says. Clubhound also presold a couple hundred memberships. We only did Instagram and Facebook ads for, like, a month and a half. Then we turned them off. It was like: OK, that worked. Lets hold off until were further along. It got to be a little overwhelming, he says. Dogs, coffee, beer, food Slated to debut this summer, Clubhound will take over a former industrial building and property at 411 Remington St. in Garden City. The dog-lovers destination will sit on 2.4 acres with ample room for canines to frolic while their owners sip a cold beverage, eat food-truck grub and socialize. Serving rotating draft beers and wine, the bar will be in a renovated 4,000-square-foot warehouse. It will be on-leash. Another 100,000 square feet outside will be supervised off-leash play space. Were your new neighborhood coffee shop, Clubhound explains on its website, your after-hours drinking hole, your spot for work and play. Everything you want in a happy place plus your dog. The idea has been years in the making, Whitlock says back to when he was a college student taking his golden retriever to a Meridian dog park. For an hour each day, he would study, bake in the sun and think there has to be a better way. A way with shade, beer and food, perhaps? I started looking around the rest of the country, he says. Has anyone done this before? Turns out they have been, and increasing very, very rapidly. Clubhound owner Jake Whitlock and his golden retriever, Ash, are looking forward to the new dog park bar. Established brands range from Bar K which has locations in Kansas City, St. Louis and Oklahoma City to Texas-based franchise chain Mutts Canine Cantina. With plans to expand west into Arizona and Colorado, Mutts is growing faster than an Irish wolfhound puppy. Story continues Theyre crushing it, Whitlock says. I started putting two and two together: Wait, theres a lot of dogs in Idaho. Clubhound will be free for humans with and without dogs. But canines will have to be members. The cost will be $12 for a daily pass. Memberships are being sold for $35 (monthly) and $305 (yearly). They come with people perks such as 10% off beverages and unlimited self-serve dog washing. Clubhound also plans to host a monthly event thats like a farmers market, except with dog-related booths, Whitlock says. Summer goal Theres still plenty of work to do. Whitlock hopes that Clubhound can open in June or July, but thats not a firm timeline. The plan is to operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, but that may change down the line, he adds. Although Clubhound has settled down a bit on social media, early bird-priced memberships are being sold through the dog park bars website to kind of reserve your spot, he explains. We may have to cap our membership in the future. Some parks, Ive noticed throughout the country, have had to do that. But we are one of the largest parks based on square footage. A lot of it will be a learning experience as we get into it, he admits. Bottom line? We know the markets there, he says. The hype level on social media already proved that. It kind of gave us a lot of confidence in the project, Whitlock says. (Reuters) - Dozens of dead stingrays appeared on a beach in Rio de Janeiro this week, sparking confusion and concern in the local community. Local fishermen reported the first sightings early on Tuesday. A woman who lives in the fishing village said she noticed the incident shortly after dawn, prompting the arrival of vultures. "This made us all sad. We've never seen the death of stingrays like this here," said fisherman Renato dos Reis Oliveira. Biologist Ricardo Gomes, from the Mar Urbano Institute, argued the absence of other dead species on the beach indicates the incident was likely not caused by pollutants or a lack of oxygen in the water. "This makes the hypothesis of trawling more evident in the cases of these stingrays," he said. Trawling is a fishing technique that involves pulling a net through the water behind one or more boats. "This is not (the stingray's natural) place, so this is strange even for the people who are here and who live off fishing," said environmentalist Isabeli Delois. "Something very bad happened," she added. (Reporting by Sergio Queiroz; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Chris Reese) FILE - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., right, and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen deliver statements to the press after a Bipartisan Leadership Meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Chinas military sent several dozen warplanes and 11 warships toward Taiwan in a display of force directed at the self-ruled island, Taiwans Defense Ministry said Monday, April 10, after China launched large-scale military drills in retaliation for a meeting between the U.S. House of Representatives speaker and Taiwan's President. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File) (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP) President Tsai Ing-wen has just made an important visit to the United States. In reaction, the communist government of China has broadcast predictable belligerency, threatened retaliation and sanctioned selected organizations. This is nothing new. She met at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library near Los Angeles with Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the House of Representatives, who represents Californias 20th Congressional District. The district is in the rich agricultural Central Valley, including part of Sequoia National Park and the Sequoia National Monument. Advertisement Meeting with Speaker McCarthy on the West Coast was a shrewd move. President Tsai was greeted by a senior official of the United States government, but one separate from the White House and the executive branch, where any implication of formal recognition of Taiwan would spark truly serious confrontation with China. She also made a brief stop in New York. Agriculture represents positive trade for both nations. China is a major customer for U.S. farm products, including a range of feedstuffs. This dimension is well removed from high tech sectors, where competition and conflict are intense. Advertisement An important aspect of this particular overseas trip is that President Tsai is not the only leader from Taiwan to undertake significant travel. While she has been in the United States, Ma Ying-jeou, her predecessor as Taiwans chief executive, has visited mainland China, with less international publicity. Former President Ma, with a group of 30 Taiwan students, toured the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China, which successfully replaced the imperial kingdom, and the final emperor of China, in 1911. The 12-day trip in total included visits to the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha and Chongqing. A particularly important meeting was with Song Tao, the head of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Council. Song Tao accompanied the Taiwan group from Changsha to Wuhan and hosted a farewell banquet for the delegation in Shanghai, a principal commercial and trade hub in China. This is important. Informal reciprocal representative offices of both Beijing and Taipei have survived the deterioration of relations of recent years. Pragmatism characterizes Taiwans approach to mainland China. Following formal U.S. diplomatic recognition of Beijing in 1978, a consequence of President Richard Nixons historic 1972 visit, Taipei launched a comprehensive, essentially nonconfrontational response. In November 2008, agreement was achieved on direct shipping, expansion of weekly passenger flights from 36 to 108, and adding up to 60 cargo flights per month. In 2010, the bilateral Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) was concluded. This central accord remains a major triumph of then-President Ma. His election in 2008 and 2012 greatly furthered cooperation with Beijing. Lake County News-Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Beijing-Taipei relations reflect the party in power. The center-left Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of President Tsai is formally committed to independence for Taiwan. Her election as chief executive in 2016 marks deterioration of relations with the mainland. Advertisement Beijing has been consistent and unequivocal that any public formal declaration of independence by Taiwan will mean war. The DPP government so far has finessed that matter. The conservative Kuomintang Party (KMT) of former President Ma (and President Sun Yat-sen) has always declared there is only one China, facilitating relations with Beijing. The KMT government of Nationalist China retreated to Taiwan when communist forces conquered the mainland in 1949. President Tsai has strongly criticized her predecessors China visit. However, collaboration between their parties may ultimately be the key to coexistence with Beijing. Above all, astute diplomacy by Taipei is essential. Arthur I. Cyr is author of After the Cold War American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia. Contact acyr@carthage.edu Soldiers battle during the Crimean War. Russia, ca. 1855. Photo by Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis Alcohol could have influenced the defeat of Russia during the 1853 Crimean War. As Russia fights in Ukraine, alcohol abuse is again becoming a concern. A political scientist told Insider that drinking and the Russian military have a long history. Almost exactly 170 years ago, in a battle against the Ottoman Empire, Russia suffered a catastrophic defeat in the Crimean War in part due to the drinking habits taken up by the military during the fighting. Mark Lawrence Schrad, director of Russian Area Studies at Villanova University and author of Vodka Politics: Alcohol, Autocracy, and the Secret History of the Russian State, wrote in 2014 that drunkenness plagued the Russian army under Tsar Nicholas I, from the lowly rank and file soldiers to the high command military leaders, as they stumbled their way through battles, only to lose 100,000 soldiers and the war itself. Schrad, in the book, details instances of befuddled Russian armies left to fight without commanders, hospitals drenched in the scent of vodka, and soldiers complaining after being deprived of their vodka rations. The Crimean War would become another example of the county's war drinking problem cataloged in the annals of Russian history. Another example Schrad writes about includes the Russo-Japanese War, which Japan won despite being heavily outnumbered. Schrad cites a St. Petersburg newspaper writing, "the Japanese found several thousand Russian soldiers so dead drunk that they were able to bayonet them like so many pigs." Although not the sole reason that these wars were lost, Schrad argues that vodka played a significant part in Russia's failures. During World War I, the Tsar instituted Prohibition that lasted until Joseph Stalin took power, but Schrad writes of riots over conscription and looting of liquor stores, warehouses, and distilleries. Drinking and military history have always been entwined the practice fueled by myths that drinking would grant soldiers courage but Schrad argues that Russia has a particularly unique history with drinking that follows many through lines, particularly the country's history dominating the vodka trade, and the Russian conscription system, a relic of the 17th-century ruler Peter the Great. Story continues Why does it matter now? A recent UK defense ministry intelligence update reported that many Russian troops are dying in Ukraine due to non-combat issues such as alcohol consumption, among other things. The death toll among Russian troops is now two times that of their opponents, estimates from leaked US intelligence documents reveal. Schrad told Insider that he doesn't want to make "direct analogies with stuff that happened 150 years ago," but the parallels are there. "The alcohol angles are interesting. I don't think it's nearly as important nowadays, as it was during the Russo-Japanese War or World War One, but it's significant, right?" Schrad told Insider. "It's not something that you can just kind of brush aside either, right? You've got a demoralized Russian army and they're going up against a very enthusiastic Ukrainian fighting force that's there to defend their homeland defend their turf." In an interview with Insider, Schrad expanded on the history of Russian drinking during wartime. This interview was edited for length and clarity. I read one of your articles from last year and you had basically I don't know if I want to say called it but you used historical precedent to predict that alcohol would play a role in the war. I want to hear from you why you felt that this was going to be an issue coming into the Ukrainian war. A lot of it is the consequence of my research topic, which has been alcohol and Russian history. It's been my bread and butter for ages. And a lot of it kind of revolved around my book "Vodka Politics." The thesis of the book was "Why do Russians drink so much?" Yes, there are cultural stereotypes. But the explanation I came up with was that it wasn't so much some sort of cultural or genetic trait, as much as it was the consequence of generations of autocratic decision-making that put the interest of the Russian state ahead of the health and well-being of the Russian people. Historically, the thing that was most profitable to the Russian state was vodka. The monopolization of alcohol and tavern trade in Russia, going back to the czars, constituted 1/3 of all the income of the Russian state under the czars, and then even into the Soviet era, one-quarter of all revenue came from selling vodka to their own people. I think a lot of where it comes from. The book traced this thread of alcohol through all sorts of different things, including war-fighting, and you find that every time that Russia goes to war, there is this alcohol calamity. The Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, World War I, in particular, were all drunken fiascos. And so as that gets into sort of the current scenario with Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainians inherited a lot of that legacy as well I suppose, a kind of societal alcoholism but has also moved in a lot of ways towards more European systems, not only when it comes to alcohol use, but also regulation. When the war started, on the Ukrainian side, they instituted kind of a blanket prohibition during the first months of the war. The idea was that alcohol wasn't necessary to maintain discipline and morale in a time of crisis. Obviously, on the Russian side, you had just the opposite. You had people stumbling into the war, completely drunk. You have a lot of these reports coming out of Ukraine from survivors of Russians committing mass atrocities, oftentimes while drunk, which is another consistent theme of history. When Russia started later on in 2022, with mass conscription, it was the same thing as what we saw in 1904-1905 or 1914 with World War I that people would show up half drunk and get into fights with the draft officers and continued the drinking straight through till they get on the battlefield. One thing that in history we've seen is there have been a lot of cultures that drink during wartime. What circumstances make Russia's current drinking problem unique? What's fascinating is that Russia becomes the first Prohibition country after World War I because it learned its lesson after the Russo-Japanese war, and that kind of became the cult of military sobriety. All countries that got involved in World War I were restricting availability to alcohol because all these militaries around the world learned their lesson, like Russia did, that whether you have a good fighting force or a drunken fighting force can really make the difference between victory and defeat. So I would say since World War I there has been more of an international consensus towards limiting alcohol in the ranks, especially when it comes to warfighting. I think when it comes to especially more modern forces, Russia is still very much stuck in the past of having that pervasiveness of alcohol whereas a more modern army might not have that. Russia's armies in a lot of ways are kind of a relic of the past. It's still pretty much a conscript army. It's not a modern volunteer army. And so you've got a lot of those holdovers from the past, and I think that that might be part of it as well. But the fact is that you're getting people in wartime positions, who really didn't sign up for this, as opposed to American soldiers or British soldiers who choose this lifestyle right for one reason or another. You know, the last time that we had a draft in the United States, during Vietnam, there was a lot of drug abuse and alcoholism that came with that as well. That could be part of the dynamic, too. It seems like Russia is aware of this. Why does Russia continue to hold on to this conscription system despite evidence that it could lead to drinking issues among servicemen? I think it's been hard to reform for one. But then, more importantly, Russia has also, in more recent years, been undergoing something of a demographic crisis. When the Soviet Union falls apart in the early 1990s, there was just, economic decay, disorder, and depression. In Russia, they had sort of a baby bust from the '90s through the mid-2000s. That's the generation now that would be coming up for military service, and there are just not enough people there. When it comes to this demographic crisis that's plagued Russia for a long time the military has been sort of the most astute at this. They've been sort of raising alarm bells for the last 20 years, in terms of wanting to reform and make a more modern army, but also recognizing that they needed to sort of maintain conscription just because if they were to give it up, they wouldn't have enough warm bodies to man all the turrets and field all the positions that they need. Correction: April 12, 2023 This story has been corrected to show the correct number of years since the Crimean War. It has been 17o years, not 150 years. Read the original article on Business Insider Wildlife officials have an important message entering spring: Dont drink and fly. Experts warned that some birds may be a little tipsy this season, according to a post from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division on April 12. Some bird species, notably cedar waxwings and American robins often eat fruit that has started to rot and ferment, officials said. When fruits ferment, they produce alcohol, the post said. Waxwings and robins have ranges that extend across the United States, and as they start to increase their fruit consumption this spring, they may get a buzz. The consumption of these fermented fruits can cause the birds to lose much of their coordination and capacity to fly, officials said. Wildlife officials warned that this may cause birds to crash into windows or other objects more frequently. The birds can even die from alcohol poisoning if they eat too much of the fermented fruit, officials said. Most birds likely just get a bit tipsy, and very few people would be able to pick them out as intoxicated, Meghan Larivee, laboratory coordinator for Environment Yukon, told National Geographic. However, every now and then, some birds just overdo it. Other than fermented fruit, officials said birds can also be found flying under the influence when they eat Nandina berries, or sacred bamboo. The plant, often used in landscaping, pulls cyanide out of the soil and harbors it in its berries, according to wildlife officials. There can be lethal doses of cyanide in the red fruit. To help prevent birds from drunken crashes, make windows more visible by adding a net, tape, shutters, paint or decals to windows, the Humane Society of the United States said. Learn from our feathered friends and consume fruits responsibly, officials said. Rare, sacred creature stuns man on his way home from work in Canada. See the photos This creatures a master of disguise and hiding in this photo. Can you find it? Mother dog nurses abandoned kitten with her 10 puppies. She just loves this kitten Family fights for paralyzed pup and shes never left out of the fun, TikTok shows Jackie Uselton shows how students have to move around one health manikin at Westlake High School to work with it. Uselton, health science and clinical instructor, says the Eanes district's $131 million bond proposal would update its facilities for health science classes, among other projects. Jackie Uselton rifled through the mock pill bottles and test first aid kits in a mock pharmacy cabinet that doubles as storage in Westlake High School on a recent Monday morning. The vision would be to have a mock hospital room, hospital bay, beds, said Uselton, health science and clinical instructor. We do have some stuff. Were just kind of crowded. Right now, the health sciences programs are stuffed into three small classrooms, she said. The roughly 200 health science students have to share one mock hospital bed. That, however, could change if Eanes school district voters approve a proposed $131.4 million bond, which would fund facility upgrades, including some that would allow programs like health sciences to expand. More: Hutto ISD voters to decide $522 million bond package. Here are the propositions. Aging facilities, safety upgrades and technology needs have driven the Eanes school board to call for a bond election. The vision would be to have a mock hospital room, hospital bay, beds, Jackie Uselton says of Westlake High's health science programs. The bond would pay for upgrades on all Eanes campuses, Superintendent Jeff Arnett said. Weve reached the point where, once again, we need to update systems such as heating and air, Arnett said. There are some safety and security upgrades that we need to be cognizant of. The bond is the largest ever proposed in the Eanes district, but unlike other districts in the area, the Eanes bond isnt intended to address growth. More: Texas Senate OKs school choice bill, but it faces tough fight in House. Here's why. The areas served by the Eanes district are largely developed, so the district is one of the only regional ones, along with the Austin district, that hasnt been pained with exponential growth. Since 2017, the student population in Eanes has shrunk from 8,061 students to 7,850 students, according to district data. The bulk of the $131.4 million package will address maintenance. The bond is aimed at updating facilities, a practice that needs to happen about every four or five years, Arnett said. In addition to upgrades to health science and to take care of maintenance issues, the Eanes district wants to build out a building it has purchased as the new alternative learning center, Proposition A proposes $117.8 million for security upgrades, repairs and refurbishments at each campus and modernizing libraries. Story continues Proposition B would invest $2.4 million for upgrades at Chaparral Stadium such as replacing lights, bleachers and the track surface. In Proposition C, the district calls for $11.2 million to replace electronic devices for students and for some labs, classrooms and offices. Officials say the bond proposal wont raise the tax rate. Although Texas law requires all school bond ballots to say the proposal would raise local tax rates, that's not the case in Eanes. The language is required, but officials don't expect they'll raise the district tax rate, Arnett said. More: Austin-area school districts lean on job fairs to ease staffing shortages Voters will see language on the ballot stating the proposed bond would cause a tax rate increase, but thats not true, Arnett said. Texas law requires that language, regardless of the packages impact on the tax rate. We want to do this out of bonds because that preserves the money we use to pay for staff salaries, Arnett said. The bond would also allow the district to expand Westlake High Schools Learning Center, which serves students who are at risk of dropping out, Arnett said. If the bond passes, the district would renovate an office building it has already purchased to accommodate administrative staff. The Learning Center could then move into the space staff works from now, which will expand capacity. The space vacated by the Learning Center will provide more room for the growing health sciences program. That would be great news for Uselton, who has had to get creative with space to accommodate all her students. Jackie Uselton For example, one room that was meant to be a lab houses classroom space. "We really need a designated lab," Uselton said. "We're supposed to have two full beds and full manikins. We don't have space for the equipment we want anyway." That hands-on experience is especially critical because if students pass the certification tests, like Community Emergency Response Team or phlebotomy, they can come out of high school with a health science certificate. Election day is May 6. Early voting begins April 24. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas election: Eanes school district calls $131 million school bond Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert! CA AG ALSO-RAN ANNOUNCES REPUBLICAN BID FOR U.S. SENATE SEAT Via Jenavieve Hatch... Eric Early, a Los Angeles litigator and conservative talk radio host, announced his bid for Senate Tuesday afternoon on KABC Radio. Hes the first Republican to enter the race for Sen. Dianne Feinsteins seat, with a field already crowded with Democratic candidates, including Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee and Katie Porter. The three people Im running against are doing nothing but making matters worse, said Early, who ran for Attorney General in 2022 and finished third in the June primary. He challenged Schiff for his House seat in 2020. Early called himself a common sense conservative as he discussed crime, immigration, fentanyl, trans athletes, and conflict in Eastern Europe. I am the only Republican in this race, and I believe firmly that we can be successful in this race, he said. People are living in fear all around the state, and Im fighting for all Americans. THOUSANDS MARCH ON THE CAPITOL TO PROTEST NEWSOMS EQUITY MULTIPLIER More than 2,000 Black students, parents, teachers and civil rights leaders rallied at the California Capitol Tuesday against Gov. Gavin Newsoms Equity Multiplier budget proposal. They argued that it falls short of the goal of closing the academic gap between Black students and other demographic groups on state achievement tests. The events sponsor, the Black in School Coalition, called out Newsoms funding proposal for targeting just 5% of students in the state, mostly Latino, including about 6% of Black students statewide. California should be setting an example throughout the nation by opening doors of opportunity for all students and eliminating the barriers that too often keep students of color, particularly Black students, from pursuing their dreams for a better life, said Brian Rivas of the group Education Trust-West in a statement. The coalition noted that Californias Black students trail every other racial and ethnic group in classroom performance. In 2021-22, less than a third (30.3%) met English language arts standards and just 15.9% the math standard. Story continues The Governors current proposal targets low-income schools, not the lowest-performing students. There is a difference. Low-income students already receive supplemental and concentration grants under the Local Control Funding Formula. There are 81,000 Black students, the lowest-performing subgroup, who will still go unfunded because they are not low-income, said Christina Laster of the National Action Network Western Region in a statement. CANCER ADVOCATES RALLY AT THE CAPITOL Members of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network came to the Capitol on Tuesday to advocate on behalf of legislation they believe would benefit cancer patients across the state, SB 496 by Sen. Monique Limon, D-Santa Barbara. That bill would make certain that comprehensive biomarker testing is covered by more insurance plans, including Medi-Cal. Biomarker testing looks at genes, proteins and other substances in the body for information that allows doctors to select the most effective cancer treatment. Who wouldnt want to avoid chemotherapy and its side effects if it wouldnt provide any benefit? I was able to bypass chemotherapy thanks to my biomarker testing results indicating that the probability of cancer recurrence in my case was low, said ACS CAN volunteer and breast cancer survivor Punita Khanna in a statement. This is Limons second attempt to get this legislation passed; a version of this bill, SB 912, passed the Legislature last session but was vetoed by Newsom, who wrote that While I appreciate the authors efforts to provide biomarker testing coverage, these services are already covered by Medi-Cal. Furthermore, biomarker testing is valuable when it can inform a conditions diagnosis and treatment, but this bill would require Medi-Cal to cover unnecessary testing that may not inform the best treatment to care for the beneficiary. SB 496 is set to be heard by the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday. QUOTE OF THE DAY If I dont eat right at noon I get hangry. - Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, during a committee hearing Tuesday. Hat tip to the Twitter account GIF Caucus! Best of The Bee: Being nominated as a UNESCO world heritage site was tremendous news, a nature reserve spokesman said. The East Atlantic Flyway, an area covering some 800 miles, is one of seven sites to be put forward by the UK government to get the status. The site is visited by millions of birds annually. "It's recognising its importance for the birds and for us as people," said Adam Rowlands, manager of RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk. The Flyway also incorporates the National Trust's Blakeney National Nature reserve in Norfolk which, together with Minsmere, featured in the BBC Wild Isles series. The area brings together a coastal network of wetlands covering the same size as two New York cities (170,000 hectares) from Blacktoft Sands reserve on the Humber estuary to RSPB Wallasea Island, Essex and also reserves along the River Thames. "These wetlands, like on the open coast at Minsmere, and our estuaries, are a fantastic place of global significance for migratory bird populations," Mr Rowlands said. Species like the dark-bellied brent geese, familiar on the Essex estuaries, and black-tailed godwits, pass through Minsmere on their way to Iceland, as well as bar-tailed godwits, which "make a massive journey from South Africa to Greenland and Siberia where they nest". "We have birds that come here for the winter, they migrate back to their breeding grounds," said Mr Rowland. "Birds that stop off to feed as part of their migratory journey, from South Africa through to the Arctic, and birds that come here to nest." Brent geese are also a familiar sight at RSPB Frampton Marsh on the Lincolnshire coast. Staff there are also thrilled by the nomination. Spelling out the importance of the site to world conservation, manager John Badley said: "If you see 3,000 brent geese out there, like you can today, that's 1% of the whole world's population of just that one species." The Wadden Sea, which spans the Dutch and German coasts, and the Banc d'Arguin National Park in Mauritania, west Africa, are two examples of bird reserves which have received world heritage status. Story continues Mr Rowland said getting the status would help "raise awareness of the landscape scale. "This isn't about affording them (the sites) additional protection, it's about recognising their importance and how they all work together." "All of these sites make one unique, global site," he said. The east coast of England is one of the most vulnerable coastlines in the UK, the RSPB said. Sea levels are expected to rise due to climate change, threatening many habitats and communities. Along this coast, projects are delivering flood defence adaptations and conservation side-by-side. A UNESCO site is a globally-recognised designation given to places of cultural, historical or scientific significance. There are just two Natural World Heritage sites in the UK; Dorset and East Devon Coast and the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk Soldiers and police have been deployed to the port to search for the gunmen Police in Ecuador are searching for a group of around 30 gunmen who killed nine men working at the fishing port of Esmeraldas on Tuesday. The heavily armed gunmen arrived both by sea and by land and appeared to fire on the workers indiscriminately. Ecuador's Interior Minister Juan Zapata said they may have been targeted because they had paid "protection money" to a rival gang. Gang-related violence has been on the increase in Ecuador. Many gangs engage in extortion, threatening local businesses and forcing them to pay them regular fees for their "protections". If they refuse, their businesses or the owners themselves are attacked. Police said some of the victims were boatmen, some hauled cargo and others worked in the warehouses on the water's edge, where shrimp and fish are stored. The youngest was 28 and the oldest 79 years old. Video shared on social media shows a boat full of men arriving at the port. Dozens of shots can be heard ringing out as people on the dockside flee in panic. Police said that at least 180 rounds had been fired during the attack. While the victims worked in small-scale fishing businesses in Esmeraldas, the port is also of strategic importance for drug traffickers, who use it to launch speed boats laden with cocaine. Esmeraldas is located on Ecuador's northern border with Colombia and many of the gangs slip back and forth across the border to escape the security forces. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A wealthy former Maine gubernatorial candidate charged with possession of images depicting child sexual abuse reached an agreement with prosecutors in which hell spend some time incarcerated, a prosecutor said Tuesday. The hearing for Eliot Cutler, who previously pleaded not guilty, is scheduled for May 4 in Superior Court, a court clerk said. Hancock County District Attorney Robert Granger declined to get into specifics but said there will be some level of incarceration along with probation for Cutler. Cutlers attorney, Walter McKee, declined to comment on the agreement. Eliot Cutler, the wealthy former gubernatorial candidate, charged with possession of child pornography plans to change his plea next month in Hancock County. The hearing for Cutler, who previously pleaded not guilty, is scheduled for Thursday, May 4, 2023, in Superior Court, a court clerk said Tuesday, April 11. The 76-year-old Cutler, who remains free on bail, was arrested last year at his waterfront home in Brooklin, a coastal community 130 miles (210 kilometers) from Portland. Under the agreement, Cutler is expected to waive indictment and plead guilty or no contest to each of four counts of possession of sexually explicit material of a child under 12, Granger said. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Cutler, a lawyer, ran for governor twice as an independent and used his personal wealth to bankroll both campaigns. He lost by less than 2 percentage points to Republican Paul LePage in a multi-candidate race in 2010. He lost again in 2014. Years earlier, Cutler served as an aide to the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie, of Maine, and later as former Democratic President Jimmy Carters top adviser for environmental and energy issues. Cutler went on to serve as an environmental attorney and helped found a law firm in Washington. After a career in Washington, the Bangor native later returned to Maine and resided in Cape Elizabeth, where he owned a mansion that he later sold for $7.55 million to a nephew of former President George H.W. Bush. His fall from grace began with a two-month investigation that started with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That led to search warrants for his homes in Brooklin and at another home in Portland that he later sold. Story continues A law enforcement affidavit indicated that Cutler explained to his wife in the presence of investigators that the search warrant was for images depicting child sexual abuse and that investigators would probably find some on one of his computers. While on bail, Cutler convinced a judge to let him back online, with restrictions, even though the affidavit indicated he possessed thousands of videos of children being sexually abused. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Eliot Cutler to face jail in child sex abuse images case in Maine Elon Musk has conducted one of the most surprising interviews of a very surprising life, which included statements about his dogs role as Twitters chief executive and a series of bawdy jokes. Mr Musk gave the interview to the BBCs James Clayton, who had asked whether he would talk about his first six months at the company. The Twitter boss talked about all that and more, addressing a range of topics in the hours long interview. Here are some of the most shocking moments from the interview. Dog CEO Mr Musk had asked his followers whether he should step down as Twitter chief executive late last year, and promised to comply with the result of the poll. It said that he should, and he committed to resign eventually. He was asked about that promise, and whether he had made any progress on finding a replacement. He said that he had his dog. I keep telling you Im not the CEO of Twitter, my dog is the CEO of Twitter, he said. I said I would appoint a new CEO and I did and its my dog. It appeared to be a callback to a tweet, posted in February, in which Mr Musk shared an image of the dog wearing a CEO shirt and said that he was amazing. Mr Musk appeared to be joking. But he also has a habit of making statements that appear to be jokes which then become true including, arguably, his first commitment to buy Twitter in the first place. Musk wants others to sleep in the office, too Elon Musk has been fairly transparent about his intense working conditions at Twitter, which he has expected other members of staff to commit to as well. That has included sleeping in the office and he told the BBC that he does so in a secret spot in the office library where nobody else goes. There appears to be plenty of unused space, since Mr Musk has sacked many of the staff that previously worked for the company and in its offices. Mr Musk told the BBC that he had suggested he could use the space as a homeless shelter, but that his landlord had objected. Story continues Dirty jokes Mr Musk seemed to take particular pleasure in the fact that BBC is a lewd term from pornography, as well as the name of the British Broadcasting Corporation. He giggled at length as he asked the journalist whether he like[s] BBC, and retweeted a clip of himself doing so after the interview was aired. Twitter is mostly working properly In the months since Mr Musk took over Twitter, it has been hit by a range of technical problems, some of which have left it entirely offline for significant amounts of time. But some had speculated that the site could stop working entirely, especially given so many staff were no longer working on it. Mr Musk acknowledged those problems, as he has done in the past. But he said that it has mostly been working. He said much the same about the prevalence of hate speech on the platform, when questioned by Mr Clayton. When asked about whether the dismissal of staff who had been employed for content moderation had harmed the sites functioning, he hit back in what made for an awkward couple of minutes of the interview. Company had months to live Twitters chief problems have not been technical, but rather financial. And Mr Musk suggested the situation had been dire: he had to take the drastic action of firing staff to avoid financial difficulties that left the company with four months left to live, he said. Musk would sell again Having paid $44 billion for a company that is worth much less than that, and which he admitted had caused him pain, Mr Clayton asked whether he would be happy to sell the company on for the price he paid. He rejected the idea. But he suggested that he might sell Twitter on if he were to receive an offer from somebody with a similar commitment to the truth. Elon Musk Twitter account private page seen on Mobile with Elon Musk in the background on screen. Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images Elon Musk said laying off nearly 6,500 people at Twitter was "painful" and difficult for him. He told the BBC's James Clayton on Tuesday that it was "one of the hardest things" he's had to do. Musk said Twitter now employs 1,500 people, down from around 7,800 when he took over in November. Elon Musk said laying off the bulk of Twitter's staff in the last six months was "one of the hardest things" he's had to do since taking ownership of the company. The billionaire spoke to the BBC's James Clayton on Tuesday evening in a wide-ranging live interview on Twitter Spaces, during which Musk talked about his management of Twitter and beliefs on free speech. Musk said the company had around 7,800 staff when he took over the platform in November. Twitter now employs 1,500 people, Musk told the BBC. "Has it been hard letting that many people go?" Clayton asked. "Yeah," Musk answered immediately. "Not fun at all. Painful," Musk continued after a brief pause. Clayton asked Musk if he felt he or a manager needed to speak personally to laid-off employees. Many former Twitter employees caught in Musk's mass layoffs at the end of 2022 said they only discovered they lost their jobs when Twitter abruptly locked them out of their laptops. "It's not physically possible to speak to that many people," Musk told Clayton. Clayton asked if the mass layoffs were "one of the hardest things emotionally" for Musk. "It's one of the hardest things, certainly," Musk responded. The billionaire said Twitter had "four months to live" when he took the company's helm and that the mass layoffs were a "drastic," necessary measure to stem a "$3 billion negative cash flow situation." The Twitter CEO spent the rest of the interview talking about his Shiba Inu, Floki, his desire to turn the Twitter office into a homeless shelter, and his thoughts on political discourse. He also challenged Clayton and the BBC on their definitions of misinformation and observations of hate speech on Twitter. Musk did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Twitter's press department responded to Insider's request for comment with an automated response. Read the original article on Insider Twitter boss Elon Musk said running the social media network has been "quite a rollercoaster" and acknowledged "many mistakes" along the way, six months after he bought the company for $44 billion. In a live interview with the BBC after agreeing to a last-minute invitation for the "spontaneity" of it, Musk appeared to tacitly acknowledge that one of those errors was the decision to label the broadcaster's account "government-funded media". He said he would change the designation on the BBC's Twitter handle after the broadcaster objected. "We want it as truthful and accurate as possible - we're adjusting the label to 'publicly funded'," Musk said. Britain's national broadcaster is predominantly funded by an annual license fee set by the government but paid by individual households. The labeling spat follows an earlier controversy over a similar move involving US radio network NPR, which Twitter briefly branded "state-affiliated", the same way it styles government-run Chinese and Russian platforms. NPR stopped tweeting in protest. Twitter now tags NPR, which has nearly 9 million followers, "government-funded media", and applied the same label to the BBC's account. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emails sent to the site's main media address. Speaking with the BBC late on Tuesday, he also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were verified as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. "I'm hopeful that this can be more a case of the public choosing the narrative, as opposed to the media choosing the narrative," he said. Story continues Twitter, he said, would "treat everyone equally". Musk, in assessing his time in charge of the social media network since he took over in October, said it had been "a stressful situation over the last several months". "Were there many mistakes made along the way? Of course," he said. "But all's well that ends well. I feel like we're headed to a good place." He said the company was now "roughly breaking even" with the return of advertisers. When pushed on who was Twitter's new CEO after he stepped down in response to a poll on the site, he named his dog, Floki. bur-lb/pbt A stop sign with some extra emphasis at the intersection of Washington and Summit Avenues in Park Ridge. (Jennifer Johnson / Pioneer Press) Park Ridge has seen as many stolen traffic signs in the last few weeks as it ordinarily sees in a year. Its not clear who is taking the signs, which cost about $70 each to replace, or why, city officials said. Advertisement The most recent police department report states that signs were removed from the intersection of Fairview and Crescent Avenues, the intersection of Vine and Lake Avenues, the intersection of Washington and Lake Avenues and the intersection of Belle Plaine and Crescent Avenues. A total of 32 signs have been taken since March 31, according to Park Ridge Police Department Community Strategies Coordinator Stephanie Conboy. Advertisement Sixteen were stop signs, Conboy said, spurring some concerns about pedestrian and driver safety. Were very concerned about missing stop signs, she said. You dont want to have anyone get hurt. Police have contacted the citys Public Works department to get the signs replaced and are investigating the thefts. Newly-appointed Public Works Director Sarah Mitchell said it takes about half an hour to replace signs on posts. If the posts are also missing, then it takes longer. It isnt a major operation to replace a traffic sign, she said. We order retroreflective signs like stop signs and warning signs, which take less than a week to receive, Mitchell wrote in an email to Pioneer Press. We stock sign blanks for our parking and streets signs and screen them in-house. Screening refers to the process in which the city applies text to a blank aluminum sign, Mitchell said. Police have not recovered any of the signs after they were removed, Conboy said in an email to Pioneer Press. Advertisement Law enforcement is not sure why people are taking signs and it is unclear how the signs are being removed from their posts, Conboy said. But the sheer volume of stolen signs is noteworthy, Mitchell said. The number of signs that have been stolen recently is very unusual; we generally have 20-30 signs stolen per year; we had that amount stolen in the last several weeks, she said. SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images Elon Musk says he has a sleeping spot in Twitter's San Francisco offices. "There's a couch there and I sleep there sometimes," Musk told the BBC. Musk has been known to sleep in his workplaces, from the Tesla factory floor to under his desk. Elon Musk has found a place to sleep at Twitter's San Francisco office. "There's a library that nobody goes to, up on the seventh floor. And, uh, there's a couch there, and I sleep there sometimes," Musk told the BBC during a live-streamed interview on Tuesday night. In November, Musk gave Twitter's workers an ultimatum: Go into "extreme hardcore mode" or lose their jobs. And in December, he turned some office space at the San Francisco headquarters into bedrooms. He also had one made for himself. Musk has, famously, slept in his workplaces before. He said in November 2022 that he wanted to inspire Tesla workers to give "their all" at work by demonstrating that their leader is not "drinking Mai Tais on a tropical island." "I was living in the factory in Fremont and the one in Nevada for three years straight," Musk said in November. "Those were my primary residences." He added that sleeping on the floor was uncomfortable and made him "smell like dust." In 2018, the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk was sleeping under his desk and camping at Tesla's factory in Fremont while the company was rushing to meet its target of producing 5,000 Model 3 sedans a week. Musk told Bloomberg in 2018 that he slept on the floor because he wanted to, not because a hotel was unavailable. "It was because I wanted my circumstances to be worse than anyone else at the company. Whenever they felt pain, I wanted mine to be worse," Musk told Bloomberg. Musk talked about a wide range of topics during the interview on Tuesday. The topics covered included Twitter's content moderation, the company's mass layoffs, Musk's intention to turn Twitter's San Francisco office into a homeless shelter, and his dog Floki, who he jokingly calls Twitter's CEO. Musk and representatives for Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Elon Musk gave a wide-ranging interview to BBC News. Getty Elon Musk says he wouldn't sell Twitter unless a buyer was committed to pursuing the truth. In an interview with BBC News, Musk originally said he wouldn't sell the company for $44 billion. He later clarified, saying he would sell to someone who would "rigorously pursue the truth." Elon Musk says he wouldn't be willing to sell Twitter for $44 billion the price he paid for it unless he found someone committed to pursuing the truth. In an interview with the BBC on Tuesday, the billionaire was asked if he would sell the company for $44 billion, to which the billionaire answered no. He later clarified the comment, saying, "If I was confident that they would rigorously pursue the truth, then I guess I would be glad to hand it over to someone else." He said: "I don't care about the money really, but I do want to have some source of truth that I can count on, and I hope that's our aspiration with Twitter, is to have a source of truth that you can count on." Musk is a self-proclaimed "free-speech absolutist" and has repeatedly criticized Twitter's previous content moderation decisions. Since acquiring the company in October, several banned accounts have been allowed back onto the platform, including former US president Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West, who is known as Ye. Although Musk said he had no part in bringing back Ye's account, the Twitter boss later removed him from the platform after Ye posted a series of antisemitic comments. Even if Musk was willing to sell the platform, Twitter may not still be worth the billions he paid for it. The company's value has reportedly tanked, with Musk putting a $20 billion valuation on the company, per The Information, which cited people familiar with an email he sent to staff. The amount was less than half of what he paid for the company. Representatives for Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Running Twitter has been "quite painful" and "a rollercoaster", Elon Musk has said, in a hastily arranged live interview with the BBC. The multi-billionaire entrepreneur also said he would sell the company if the right person came along. Mr Musk, who also runs car maker Tesla and rocket firm SpaceX, bought Twitter for $44bn (35.4bn) in October. The interview from the firm's HQ in San Francisco covered the mass lay-offs, misinformation and his work habits. But he admitted he only went through with the takeover because a judge was about to force him to make the purchase. And he confirmed Twitter will change its newly added label for the BBC's account from "government funded media" to say it is "publicly funded" instead. During the conversation - in which Mr Musk tried to do the interviewing as much as the other way around - he defended his running of the company. Asked whether he had any regrets about buying Twitter, the world's second richest man said the "pain level has been extremely high, this hasn't been some kind of party". Talking about his time at the helm so far, Mr Musk said: "It's not been boring. It's been quite a rollercoaster." It has been "really quite a stressful situation over the last several months", he added, but said he still felt that buying the company was the right thing to do. After building a stake in Twitter at the start of 2022, Mr Musk made a takeover offer. But Twitter later sued him after he tried to back out of the deal. Things are going "reasonably well", Mr Musk told the BBC, stating that usage of the site is up and "the site works". Story continues The workload means that "I sometimes sleep in the office", he said, adding that he has a spot on a couch in a library "that nobody goes to". And he also addressed his sometimes controversial tweets saying: "Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes." "I think I should not tweet after 3am," he added. Asked about the decision to add a label to the BBC's main Twitter account describing it as "government funded media", Mr Musk said: "I know the BBC is generally not thrilled about being labelled state media." Earlier this week, the corporation contacted the social media giant over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the issue "as soon as possible". "The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee," it said. Mr Musk said Twitter was adjusting the label for the BBC to "publicly-funded". The change was made several hours later, but the new label was still linking through to a page with information about government and state-affiliated media. "We're trying to be accurate," he said. "I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC," he added, stating that the interview was "a good opportunity to ask some questions" and "to get some feedback on what we should be doing different". The BBC is the UK's national broadcaster and operates through a Royal Charter agreed with the government. It is funded by a licence fee paid by UK households - accounting for 3.8bn ($4.7bn) in 2022, about 71% of the BBC's total income of 5.3bn. The rest of the funding comes from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties and rental income. The BBC also receives more than 90m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences. Discussing Twitter's finances, Mr Musk said the company is now "roughly breaking even", as most of its advertisers have returned. He also said that cutting the workforce from just under 8,000 at the time he bought the firm to about 1,500 had not been easy. He admitted he did not fire everybody in person, saying: "It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face." The exit of many of Twitter's engineers since Mr Musk bought the company has raised concerns about the stability of the platform. He acknowledged some glitches, including outages on the site but he said the outages have not been for very long and the site was currently working fine. Five key quotes On buying Twitter: "It's not been boring. It has been quite a rollercoaster... It's been really quite a stressful situation." On laying off staff: "I wouldn't say it was uncaring... If the whole ship sinks, then nobody's got a job." On profits: "We could be profitable, or to be more precise, cash flow positive this quarter if things keep going well. I think almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back." On his controversial tweets: "Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes." On labelling the BBC as "Government-funded media": "We're adjusting the label to... publicly funded... If we use the same words that the BBC uses to describes itself, then presumably that would be OK." In the interview - which was broadcast live via the Twitter Spaces service - Mr Musk was also challenged over misinformation and hate speech on the platform. He claimed that there was less misinformation on Twitter since the takeover, and that his efforts to delete bots - automated accounts - will decrease fake news. But many outside experts disagree. One study - and there are quite a few others along the same lines - found engagement with popular misinformation-spreading accounts spiked after Mr Musk's takeover. He repeatedly questioned whether journalists were fair arbiters of truth and said he had more trust in "ordinary people". On the issue of legacy-verified blue ticks on the platform, Mr Musk said they would be removed from accounts by the end of next week. Former Twitter executive Bruce Daisley - who ran the business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for eight years - said the interview "gave us some insight into the strange life of this billionaire". "He confessed today that the only reason he went through with buying Twitter was because he believed a judge would force him to go through with the transaction. He's never admitted that till now, so it was a very whimsical interview." Mr Daisley also suggested the interview showed Mr Musk was not always consistent in what he says. Elon Musk has an estimated personal fortune of almost $190bn, making him the world's second richest person, according to the Forbes billionaires list. BTS EXHIBITION: Proof is headed to the U.S.! On Tuesday (April 11), HYBE, BigHit Music and Live Nation shared the news that the traveling exhibit will be opening in Los Angeles this spring to commemorate the K-pop groups 10th anniversary. Related BTS A Complete List of BTS Solo Projects (So Far) 04/11/2023 04/11/2023 Proof will take over the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica in May, following its successful, sold-out stops in both Seoul and Busan, South Korea last fall. A release teases that the exhibition will offer ARMY an immersive visual journey that explores the members past, present, and future through photographs, videos, and experiential installations in a multi-room walkthrough experience. Attendees will also have access to exclusive, limited-edition BTS merch. More from Billboard The most beautiful moments in everyday life/ The faint sound of music reaching around the door/ A familiar face in a crowd of strangers/ A flash of memory in the quiet moments of the day/ Some moments in life are made more special for being unremarkable/ A reminder of all the times that will remain in the past, everlasting and unchanged, reads the teaser on the exhibits official website. ARMY can register now through next Monday (April 17) for a chance to purchase tickets, but only those who receive a unique access code will be able to get access before any remaining tickets go on sale to the general public. When it comes to the members recent solo activities, Jimin released his debut solo album FACE last month, making history as a the first South Korean solo act to score a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with his single Like Crazy. Next, Suga will step back into his Agust D moniker to drop his own solo album D-DAY on April 21. Check out the official announcement of BTS EXHIBITION: Proof heading to L.A. below. Story continues Best of Billboard Click here to read the full article. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) A hippopotamus descended from animals illegally brought to Colombia by the late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar has died in a collision with an SUV on a highway near Escobars hacienda, environmental authorities said Wednesday. The hippos, which spread from the estate into nearby rivers and now number more than 100, have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species that could upset the ecosystem. The crash late Tuesday reflected the additional danger that hippos, which weigh as much as 2 tons, can pose to motorists. The vehicle occupants were unharmed in the accident in the northwest on a highway from Bogota to Medellin, police said. The hippopotamus died immediately afterward and was removed to be analyzed, environmental authorities said. This is one of the dangers that the presence of this species represents. Many of them cross the highway where many vehicles pass, it is also a danger to people, said David Echeverri Lopez, a biologist at Cornare, the local environmental authority. Hippos are unpredictable, at any moment they can attack a person, he added. A group of them was brought in the 1980s to Hacienda Napoles, Escobars private zoo that became a tourist attraction after his death in 1993. Residents of nearby Puerto Triunfo have become used to hippos sometimes roaming freely about the town. Native to Africa, hippos were declared invasive in Colombia last year, and environmental officials say their population of about 130 could rise to 400 in eight years. Most of the hippos live freely in rivers and reproduce without control. Colombia has proposed transferring at least 70 of the animals to India and Mexico to control their population. Scientists warn that the hippos' feces change the composition of rivers and could impact the habitat of manatees and capybaras. The upcoming Shanghai upgrade will mark Ethereum's complete transition to a proof of stake network. Photo: Getty The Ethereum blockchain's Shanghai upgrade is about to be launched, unlocking more than 18 million ether, worth around $34bn (27.3bn). Yahoo Finance UK spoke to industry experts about the effect that the increase could have on the crypto market. The value of ether (ETH-USD) has been rising since November 2022, after the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. On Tuesday, ether rose 6.1% to $1,920. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) breached the $30,000 mark, rising to $30,129. Ethereum's Shanghai upgrade Ethereum's Shanghai upgrade is set to launch on 12 April, and will conclude Ethereum's transition to a 'proof of stake' blockchain, making it over 99% less energy intensive than the 'proof of work' blockchain which powers the Bitcoin network. The new upgrade will make over 18 million ether, worth about $34bn, available for withdrawal. This has led to fears of a sudden dump of supply on the market, causing a short term haemorrhaging in price. Jim McDonald, CTO of London staking firm Attestant, told Fortune: "The price of Ethereum is expected to dip sharply right after Shanghai as about 50% to 70% of early withdrawers cash out as the price of ETH has more than quadrupled since December, and there are profits to be had," However, some analysts forecast that the short-term price impact may be more muted as withdrawal queue restrictions and 'stakers' holding their ether could prevent a sharp price dip. Ethereum 'stakers', those who currently have their ether locked in the blockchain's validation process, will need to wait for a period ranging from days to months to access their ether. This depends on whether they staked individually or through pools and service providers. Read more: Crypto live prices CEO of P2P.org Alex Esin told Yahoo Finance UK: "We dont think its likely many ether 'stakers' will rush and are not expecting to see a massive withdrawal spike. "This is because many who have already staked on the Beacon Chain have a high-risk tolerance and are not holding out for the withdrawal date, those who may need to withdraw for other reasons will need to weigh this up against the growth expected from the Ethereum ecosystem and ETH strength expected over the next year. Story continues "From a price perspective, we expect to see upward pressure as more people who previously were not comfortable locking away their ETH begin to participate in staking. As the ETH staking ratio increases, more ETH will be removed from the market pushing the price higher. Other analysts say that Shanghai could make Ethereum more attractive for long-term investors and increase competition in crypto custody, as major banks show growing interest in the sector. Read more: Ethereum soars 8% closes in on $2k ahead of Shanghai upgrade Guilhem Chaumont, co-founder of Flowdesk, said that the Ethereum Shanghai upgrade is a key de-risking event that may attract more institutional players to participate in staking or offer related services to clients. He said: Given the recent turmoil in the banking sector, there may be demand from institutional and retail investors looking for alternative assets to invest in and we may see a greater volume and engagement with the ecosystem post-Shanghai upgrade. "For institutions in particular, Shanghai presents a key de-risking event. Prior to the upgrade, financial institutions looking to offer staking services may have been hindered due to the fact that they were locking up funds for a potentially indefinite period of time. Now that withdrawals are being enabled we may see more of these institutional players participating in staking or offering services to their clients." Potential risks of the Shanghai upgrade Valerie Tetu, head of go-to-market strategy at Lido Finance, emphasised the need for strict security due diligence and testing to mitigate potential smart contract risks during and after the Shanghai upgrade. She said: "Staking withdrawals enabled by the Shanghai upgrade represent a significant milestone in the development of the Ethereum blockchain. Withdrawals will allow stakers to participate in securing the network with more confidence while increasing the capital efficiency of the tokens they decide to allocate. "While the upgrade is well-positioned to drive more staking activity and participation, potential smart contract risks need to be considered and mitigated. All ecosystem stakeholders have the responsibility to commit to strict security due diligence standards and testing." What is Ethereum's Shanghai Upgrade? The upcoming Shanghai upgrade follows Ethereum's previous 'merge' upgrade in September and will mark its complete transition to a proof of stake network. Read more: Germany considers following Italy in banning ChatGPT The upgrade will reduce Ethereum's energy consumption by 99.9%. The Shanghai upgrade will allow ether 'stakers' to withdraw their staked ETH for the first time. Staking involves earning financial rewards for contributing to the blockchain's network and supporting its functionality. Watch: Philip Hammond on CBDCs, stablecoins and crypto's place in global finance | The Crypto Mile Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Ukraine, EU to hold joint parliamentary committee meeting For the first time ever, EMPs and Ukrainian MPs will hold a joint inter-committee meeting between the European Parliament and Ukraines Verkhovna Rada, the EU body announced in a message on its website on April 11. Ukrainian counteroffensive could begin in summer, PM says The much-anticipated major Ukrainian counteroffensive may begin as late as summer, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal said in an interview with U.S. newspaper The Hill on April 11. Russia now effectively countering commercial drones used for reconnaissance The Mavic line of commercial drones produced by Chinese company DJI, used extensively by Ukrainian troops for reconnaissance and artillery fire control, will become obsolete in a matter of months due to Russias growing electronic warfare capabilities, The Guardian reported on April 10, quoting Ukrainian drone operators. 195 bodies of murdered civilians still not identified, up to 300 still missing in Kyiv Oblast The bodies of 195 civilians murdered by Russian soldiers during the occupation of parts of Kyiv Oblast have yet to be identified, Andriy Nebytov, the head of Kyiv's regional police force, said during a briefing on April 11. West may by summer decide to send fighter jets to Ukraine, says acting Danish defense minister Ukraines allies in the West may decide whether to send modern fighter jets to Ukraine by the summer, the Danish newspaper Berlingske quoted Denmarks Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen as saying during his visit to Ukraine on April 10. World Bank, IMF assess Ukraines critical expenditures at $11 billion Ukraine has immense recovery and reconstruction needs, and the World Bank estimates that there is an additional $11 billion funding gap in 2023 for critical expenditures, World Bank Group President David Malpass said on April 10. Story continues Closure of Ukraines airspace will last until 2029, Eurocontrol forecasts Ukrainian airspace, which was closed on Feb. 24, 2022, will not return to "normal" routing until at least 2029, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, or Eurocontrol, said in its forecast update for 2023-2029 as of March 31. Antonov's leadership sabotaged defense of Hostomel airport, report says In the run-up to the Russian invasion, the management of state-owned aerospace enterprise Antonov didnt allow the National Guard to enter and fortify Hostomel airport, where Antonovs An-225 aircraft was stationed, Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on April 10. Russias airborne troops being sent to Bakhmut to reinforce regular army, not Wagner Russian airborne forces have likely been sent to Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast to reinforce the regular army, rather than Wagner mercenary force, U.S. think tank the Institute for the Study of War or ISW said in its Ukraine report for April 10. I Believe this Year is a Year of Victory OPINION Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov explains why he believes that Ukraine will be successful in its defense against the full-scale Russian invasion. 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 King Charles IIIs coronation, which takes place on Saturday 6 May, is set to be attended by 2,000 guests, including foreign monarchs throughout Europe. The coronation will be held in London at Westminster Abbey, which can seat up to 2,200 people. The limited guest list marks a departure from the late Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation, which was attended by 8,000 guests with 129 nations and territories officially represented at the ceremony. Last week, Buckingham Palace unveiled the official invites for King Charles and Queen Camillas coronation. The elaborate invitation, which was reportedly sent to 2,000 people, invited guests to attend The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III & Queen Camilla By Command of the King the Earl Marshall is directed to inviteto be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on 6th day of May 2023. As the Kings coronation fast approaches, theres been much speculation over who will be attending the slimmed-down service. While members of the British royal family are likely to attend, many royal families across Europe are also expected to attend the coronation. The move marks a break from royal tradition. According to The Telegraph, the coronation was considered a sacred ceremony between a monarch and their people in the presence of God, but Charles is set to do away with the tradition and invite his counterparts from around the world. Heres a list of all the European royals who have confirmed their attendance so far. On 11 April, Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko of Japan confirmed they will be attending the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, according to local media. The Imperial Household Agency announced they received an invitation from the British royal family in March requesting that the head of state or proxy attend the ceremony. The crown prince will represent his brother, Emperor Naruhito, at the coronation, seeing as the emperor doesnt attend foreign royal coronations per protocol. However, Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, attended the Queens funeral last September. Story continues Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko confirm attendance at Kings coronation (Getty Images) The Danish royal family also confirmed their attendance at the coronation on Tuesday. In an announcement shared to the Danish Royal Houses website, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark said they will participate in the coronation of HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Great Britain at Westminster Abbey in London. Frederik attended Queen Elizabeths funeral in September with his mother, Queen Margrethe II. In addition to Denmarks royal family, the Swedish Royal Court has also confirmed the coronation attendance of King Carl XVI Gustaf, along with his daughter and heir, Crown Princess Victoria. The Swedish monarch is one of the few foreign rulers to attend the British kings coronation, rather than sending a consort to represent him. Prince Albert II of Monaco was the first foreign head of state to confirm he would be attending the Kings coronation. In January, Monacos reigning sovereign told People that he and his wife, Princess Charlene, will be among the guests at Westminster Abbey. Im certain that its going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one, the 64-year-old royal said. Weve maintained contact since His Majesty became King, but I havent talked to him personally since the Queens funeral. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 (Getty Images) The prince shared that hes certain the King will add his own personal touches to the coronation. However, he was unsure whether their eight-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, will be invited. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have yet to announce whether they will attend the Kings coronation. A source previously told The Mail on Sunday: At the Queens Coronation there were no crowned monarchs, only the protectorate rulers like the Queen of Tonga. Its been a tradition for centuries. Inviting the King of Jordan, the Sultan of Brunei, the Sultan of Oman and the Scandinavian royals who are all friends of Charles will be a good bit of soft power and diplomacy. Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III has invited more than 850 community and charity representatives to his and Queen Camillas coronation. More than 450 British Empire Medal (BEM) recipients were invited to see the service from inside Westminster Abbey, while some 400 young people representing charities will be able to watch the coronation and procession from a special private viewing at the nearby St Margarets Church. Although not a foreign monarch, President Joe Biden has confirmed that he will not be attending King Charles IIIs coronation. Instead, his wife First Lady Jill Biden will be going on behalf of the United States. Ukraine's Independence Monument in Kyiv will feature in the postcard clips Ukrainian landmarks will feature in the digital postcards used to introduce Eurovision acts. Liverpool is hosting the competition after the UK's Sam Ryder came second to Ukraine, which cannot host the competition because of the ongoing war. It will still feature prominently through short filmed clips, which will feature an equivalent UK landmark and one from participating countries. Stonehenge and the Angel of the North will represent British heritage. The footage in Ukraine was captured using drone technology and 360-degree cameras. Ukraine won last year's contest, but was unable to host the event as it continues to defend itself against Russia's invasion. Across the 37 digital postcards, 111 locations will be featured and the clips will be set to music by Dmytro Shurov, a Ukrainian musician and composer based in Kyiv. In each postcard, the three locations will be connected by the same theme, such as castles, street art, ports, beaches, rivers and lakes. Stonehenge will appear alongside a Ukrainian landmark TV production company Windfall Films worked in collaboration with Ukrainian film company 23/32 Films to organise shoots and secure aerial filming permits for the war-torn country. Sarah Cherniavskyi, executive producer for 23/32 Films, says: "We are pleased to participate in this project and to show that shooting of every difficulty level is still possible in Ukraine. "This year's Eurovision, despite not happening in Ukraine due to Russian aggression, will have our country in its heart." Ukrainian landscapes were filmed using drone technology Rachel Ashdown, BBC lead commissioner for Eurovision, said: "The creative concept for the postcards is much anticipated by fans every year. "They are the perfect way to introduce each act to the combined 160 million people watching across the globe." She added: "As well as the UK, Ukraine and participating countries being 'united by music', viewers will be surprised to see what else unites us too." The Angel of the North is one of the UK landmarks which will be seen in the digital postcards Ukraine will be represented by electronic music duo Tvorchi with their song Heart of Steel, while Londoner Mae Muller will fly the flag for the UK with I Wrote A Song. Eurovision will hold semi-finals on 9 and 11 May with the grand final to be held on 13 May. Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk A fast-moving wildfire broke out Tuesday evening in southern New Jersey, forcing the evacuation of more than 170 buildings as the blaze continued to grow into early Wednesday. AccuWeather forecasters warn the summerlike warmth this week will make conditions more favorable for wildfires throughout the rest of the week. Just before 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service alerted residents of an active wildfire in Manchester Township, New Jersey, which is located 30 miles east of Trenton. Within four hours, the blaze, which was dubbed Jimmy's Waterhole Fire, grew five times its size. As of 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday morning, the wildfire had already burned 3,859 acres. The fire threatened 75 structures and closed off a portion of Route 539. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service stated that the fire was 75% contained Wednesday evening, which is a large improvement since the blaze was only 10% contained on Tuesday evening. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local fire departments are working "in unified command" battling the blaze. No injuries have been reported as of early Wednesday. The cause of the fire is under investigation, New Jersey Forest Fire Service Warden Trevor Raynor told CNN. "Residents evacuated have been relocated to the Manchester Township High School and are being supported by the American Red Cross, Manchester Township EMS, Manchester Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department," the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. According to CNN, the fire was primarily burning on federal, state and private property in Manchester Township, but it has since jumped to the nearby borough of Lakehurst. Lakehurst resident Anna Batiato told AccuWeather's Jillian Angeline that many of her neighbors kept phone lines open to keep each other informed when the blaze hit. "I grabbed ... our medicines, I grabbed dog eardrops, I made sure to grab our toothbrushes, [a] safe box where we keep our birth certificates ... we knew to grab that," Batiato told Angeline about the moment her and her husband had to evacuate. Story continues As of Wednesday morning, all evacuations have been lifted and Route 539 and Route 70 have both been reopened. "While Route 539 and Route 70 have reopened, Forest Fire Service personnel will continue working to improve containment lines along these roads," New Jersey Forecast Fire Services wrote in an update on Wednesday, urging people to stay vigilant when driving through smoky conditions. AccuWeather forecasters warn the weather Wednesday won't be providing much relief for the blaze. Warm, dry and breezy conditions are expected in New Jersey for the rest of the week. The next chance for rain doesn't come until the weekend. Radar loop of smoke from the New Jersey fire on April 11, 2023. Red flag watches and warnings were in effect throughout the Northeast Wednesday due to the risk of critical fire weather, and will remain in effect throughout Thursday. On Wednesday, another wildfire began in northern New Jersey's West Milford Township, reaching 140 acres in size with 0% containment as of 7 p.m. The fire threatened 10 structures and caused several closures on Route 23. The state's fire service said Sunday that April marks peak wildfire season in New Jersey, something AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert says applies to the entire eastern United States. "Wildfire threat in the East typically rises in April as sunshine increases and we start to see warmer days," Reppert said. "This week is a particularly high threat due to the winds we are seeing through the middle of the week, the abnormal warmth and the dry weather we have around now." At McGuire Air Force Base, 20 miles west of Manchester Township, the Tuesday afternoon high was 74 degrees Fahrenheit with winds gusting up to 24 mph. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Earlier in the day on Tuesday, a 7-alarm brush fire occurred in Jersey City, just outside of New York City, forcing responders to divert traffic in the New Jersey Turnpike area of Caven Point. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, and air quality tests in the area were deemed negative for toxins. The New York City metro area was also warm and gusty Tuesday, with a high temperature of 75 degrees at Central Park and a peak wind gust of 23 mph. Dangerous fires appeared farther west as well. In western Pennsylvania, a brush fire reportedly affected four structures in Connoquenessing Township, slightly north of Pittsburgh. In Richmond, Indiana, an industrial fire was contained at the site of the blaze, with one firefighter suffering an ankle injury in the process. Wayne County Emergency Management said that the fire will continue to burn for several days, and that an evacuation order is in place for a half-mile radius around the initial fire site. "Our efforts [Tuesday] were to contain the fire to the complex the fire started on," Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown said Wednesday. "We combated the winds and the intensity of the flames. Our efforts were successful." The Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management were on site Wednesday to evaluate any potential hazards stemming from the fire. Fire threats also expanded to Wisconsin Wednesday, where a wildfire burned around 100 acres in Juneau County before containment. On Wednesday morning, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in response to elevated wildfire conditions throughout the state. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. A broadband project to be completed in 2026 will bring high-speed internet to Gary, addressing a longstanding disparity between the city and its neighbors. The vast majority of the broadband infrastructure in Gary currently consists of copper wire, which does not allow for the higher speeds that fiber optic cables can provide. Data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration compiled by the city shows that across the citys 12 census tracts, between a quarter and half of residents are not subscribed to broadband service, with sees lower rates of access in the citys most disadvantaged areas. Advertisement The COVID-19 pandemic, which required students to attend classes via video conferencing, threw the citys frail digital infrastructure into stark relief as Gary students struggled to stay connected during classes. You couldnt hear, you couldnt see, Gary Chief Innovation Officer Lloyd Keith told the Post-Tribune. You got to have the bandwidth. Advertisement The pandemic prompted Gary Mayor Jerome Prince to make bringing broadband to the city a priority. The American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March of 2021, provided the opportunity to pursue a solution. Gary received just over $80 million in ARPA funds, $5 million of which will be going towards the broadband project, Keith said. This is a once in a lifetime thing, he added. In April of 2022, the City of Gary began a search for company capable of meeting its broadband needs. From a list of eight proposals, the city eventually selected the Kansas-based WANRack to undertake the project. A slideshow that Keith presented to the Gary Common Council on April 4 noted that WANRack is a well-established company in the broadband space backed by strong references. Being in a strong financial position also minimizes supply chain risk for this project. The first phase of the project will be the construction of a fiber ring looping around the city Keith likened it to a major highway system like Germanys Autobahn. You need that first. You cant get nothing done without it, he said. And were looking for that to happen by the end of 2024. After the fiber ring will come the construction of last mile infrastructure by the Vermont-based Lit Communities, which has partnered with WANRack. It will link all of Garys residences and businesses to the fiber optic network, like on-ramps linking communities to a highway, with Lit Communities footing the more than $50 million bill. Lit Communities service will include a low-income package; the company will provide Gary residents with upload and download speeds of 100 megabits per second for $30 per month, allowing enrollees in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides eligible households with $30 towards their monthly internet costs, to have their service completely covered. Advertisement The company has pledged to take a digital equity & inclusion approach to its business in Gary, hiring locally and providing philanthropic support to local organizations. Other perks of Garys WANRack deal include five years of managed internet service for the city at no additional cost and free Wi-Fi service in six of the citys parks, one per city council district. US President Joe Biden leaves RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, for his visit to the island of Ireland (Charles McQuillan/PA) (PA Wire) Joe Biden has kicked of his four-day visit to the island of Ireland, landing in Belfast. Air Force One arrived at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The US president is meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday before heading to Co Louth, Dublin and Co Mayo. The Beast presidential car has made an appearance too with Biden stepping off the plane and into the famous car. Heres what you need to know about it When was The Beast name introduced? The Beast name first appeared back in 2001 with the arrival of President George W. Bush. That car was an entirely ground-up built model, incorporating many of the functions that are fitted to the modern version. Its a name that would stick, too, and has continued through to the present-day vehicle. What is the current model based on? The current model is made by General Motors (GM) in the United States and debuted in 2018. Though many of the details about The Beasts underpinnings are scarce, its believed to be based on one of GMs larger trucks, albeit equipped with more car-like features similar to those found on the Cadillac Escalade. Its thought that The Beast could weigh up to nine tonnes and can seat up to seven people. Does it have any cool features? The Beast is jam-packed with features. It has been designed to deliver the best possible protection for the President. As a result, it has 13cm-thick laminated glass for the windows, run-flat tyres with a solid core to ensure that they can still roll when punctured and 20cm thick military-grade armour for the panels. Plus, the fuel tank is bullet and blastproof, while emergency equipment includes firefighting gear, oxygen tanks and containers of the Presidents blood type. Where has it appeared recently? The Beast is often used for some of the Presidents key visits and was used back in September 2022, by Biden for the state funeral of the Queen. Story continues The Beast was also used during Bidens first visit to the UK in June 2022 after being named as president. Have previous presidents been driven in The Beast? Yes. Over time, The Beast has evolved and changed to include more high-tech features, but all presidents since George W. Bush have used a version of it. President Obama was driven in The Beast on numerous occasions, while President Trump was also a frequent passenger in it. In fact, Trump made a notable appearance in The Beast when it was used for a spin around the famous Daytona 500 racing circuit. Has The Beast been to Ireland before? Yes, Barack Obama did a 24-hour tour of the island of Ireland in 2011, including a stop in Moneygall, Co Offaly, where his Irish ancesters hail. The Beast hit headlines because it appeared to get stuck for some time on a ramp leaving the Dublin embassey. A bang was heard as the car rolled over the ramp and crowds cheered. US officals later denied that it was The Beast, saying the car in question had been a spare limo carrying staff and support personnel. Tony Danker The sacked boss of the CBI was not shown a copy of the report that led to his immediate dismissal from the business lobby group. Tony Danker was fired following allegations of workplace misconduct at the lobby group. The BBC understands Mr Danker was interviewed and submitted written evidence as part of an independent investigation but was not given a chance to respond to the final report. The CBI declined to comment. Meanwhile, the BBC has learned that a major FTSE 100 company has suspended all engagement with the CBI following separate allegations of serious sexual misconduct at the group. Mr Danker is not the subject of these allegations. Another large blue chip UK company - which wished to remain anonymous - said it was "deeply concerned" about the claims facing the lobby group. Law firm Fox Williams conducted an investigation which found that Mr Danker's conduct had fallen short of that expected of the director general. This included a complaint from a female employee in January and complaints from other members of staff which surfaced last month. Mr Danker wrote on social media: "Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that". Mr Danker was appointed as director general of the CBI in 2020, replacing Dame Carolyn Fairbairn who had held the job for five years. He is being replaced by Rain Newton-Smith who is returning to the CBI. She was chief economist at the lobby group between 2014 and March this year and was also a member of its executive committee. She left to join Barclays. Fox Williams is also investigating sexual misconduct claims against CBI employees, including an allegation of rape at a summer boat party in 2019. Three CBI employees have been suspended and the City of London police are investigating the claims. Many companies contacted by the BBC who are members of the CBI have expressed deep concerns over the allegations and are reviewing their membership of the business lobby group, pending the outcome of the investigations. Story continues The government has said it will extend the pause it has placed on engagement with the CBI until Fox Williams' investigation has concluded. It is not clear whether the involvement of the police will alter the timetable of the report and the CBI could not estimate when it might be published. It leaves the CBI in limbo for the time being, unable to effectively engage with either government or its own members. A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce, the aerospace giant, said the allegations were "deeply concerning". "We note the actions that the CBI has announced and that investigations are continuing. We will await the completion of these investigations before considering our membership," they spokesperson added. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Screenshot via Fox News Former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg is claiming her ex-employer withheld evidence from Dominion. Grossberg claims Fox failed to turn over audio recordings featuring Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. Grossberg, who is suing Fox for discrimination, was fired last month. A former Fox News producer who last month sued the company for discrimination is now accusing her ex-employer of failing to turn over audio recordings of conversations with leading 2020 election deniers that could hurt its defense in the Dominion defamation case. In an amended complaint filed Tuesday in Delaware, attorneys for Abby Grossberg, who worked as a producer for Fox News' Tucker Carlson and Maria Bartiromo, say that their client has recordings and transcripts of conversations with Trump campaign attorneys Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and others that were conducted in the wake of the 2020 election and which, in some cases, show that they knew the claims they were making about a rigged vote were not supported by evidence. A spokesperson for Fox News, Irena Briganti, rejected Grossberg's allegations. "Fox has complied with its discovery obligations in the Dominion case," she told Insider. On Wednesday, however, the judge overseeing the case said Fox had indeed withheld information, announcing that he was launching an investigation into whether the company's lawyers had done so deliberately. In one recording, said to have taken place on or about November 15, 2020, Giuliani was asked by Bartiromo, ahead of their on-air segment, what evidence he had implicating Dominion Voting Systems in widespread election fraud, as alleged by the Trump campaign. "[T]hat's a little harder," Giuliani responded. Asked about a particular claim concerning the maker of voting machines and election software that Democratic lawmaker Nancy Pelosi had a stake in the company Giuliani was even more forthcoming, according to Grossberg's filing: "I've read that. I can't prove that." Story continues Bartiromo would go on to tell her viewers, regardless (and falsely): "Nancy Pelosi has an interest in this company." That line is cited in the lawsuit filed by Dominion, which is seeking $1.6 in damages for what it says was defamation. A judge recently ruled that the Dominion case should go to trial, saying Fox had unquestionably spread false claims about the company and failed to conduct "good-faith, disinterested reporting." Grossberg says the conversation with Giuliani and another with Sidney Powell had been uploaded to Otter, a transcription service used by Fox News employees, and that many of the transcriptions were shared and discussed over email. Fox News attorneys also had access to Grossberg's phones and email, providing them "access to the audio recordings and transcripts" of such interviews that showed claims about Dominion "were woefully unsupported." Despite having this access to the recordings, however, Grossberg alleges that Fox News failed to share the conversations during the discovery process, omitting evidence that speaks directly "to the issue of whether Fox News acted with malice in publishing defamatory statements about Dominion." Grossberg, who was fired by Fox News in March after filing her lawsuit which alleges her career was stymied by rampant misogyny within the company says she also spoke, along with Bartiromo, to a "high-ranking advisor to and spokesperson for President Trump" who admitted that contra public claims, the Trump campaign had no evidence that voting machines enabled fraud in Georgia. "The Trump advisor tellingly responded that there were in fact no issues with those machines," according to Grossberg's legal filing. The same advisor, according to the filing, also lamented that the media was not paying more attention to the upcoming certification of electors, saying there had been "virtually no pick up of the January 6th date" by the press. Powell, likewise, was unable to back up some of her wilder claims, according to the filing. Asked for her most "compelling evidence" of fraud in an off-air conversation with Bartiromo, for example, Powell responded by saying there was a "witness who's given a foreign declaration about how [the voting software] was created, why it was created, and watched it work." A Dominion spokesperson declined to comment. April 13, 2023: This story was updated to include the court's response to Fox allegedly withholding discovery. Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com Read the original article on Business Insider By Suleiman Al-Khalidi, James Mackenzie and Parisa Hafezi AMMAN (Reuters) - Iran has used earthquake relief flights to bring weapons and military equipment into its strategic ally Syria, nine Syrian, Iranian, Israeli and Western sources said. The sources told Reuters that the goal was to buttress Iran's defences against Israel in Syria and to strengthen Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters is the first to report this development. After the Feb. 6 earthquake in northern Syria and Turkey, hundreds of flights from Iran began landing in Syria's Aleppo, Damascus and Latakia airports bringing supplies, and this went on for seven weeks, the sources said. More than 6,000 people died in all of Syria, according to the United Nations. The supplies included advanced communications equipment and radar batteries and spare parts required for a planned upgrade of Syria's Iran-provided air defence system in its civil war, said the sources, two regional sources and a Western intelligence source said. Reuters spoke to Western intelligence officials, sources close to the Iranian and Israeli leadership as well as a Syrian military defector and a serving Syrian officer about the flights for this article. When asked if Iran had used humanitarian relief planes after the earthquakes to move military equipment to Syria to enhance its network there and help Assad, Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said: "That's not true." Syria's government did not respond to a request for comment. Regional sources told Reuters that Israel quickly became aware of the flow of weapons into Syria and mounted an aggressive campaign to counter it. Brigadier General Yossi Kuperwasser, an insider and former head of research in the Israel army as well as ex-general director of the Ministry of Strategic Affair said Israeli air strikes against the shipments relied on intelligence so specific that Israel's military knew which truck in a long convoy to target. Story continues 'SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS' An Israeli defence official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters: "Under the guise of shipments of earthquake aid to Syria, Israel has seen significant movements of military equipment from Iran, mainly transported in parts." He said the aid was mainly delivered to Syrias northern Aleppo airport. Shipments were organised, he said, by the Unit 18000 Syrian division of the Quds Force, the foreign espionage and paramilitary arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, led by Hassan Mehdoui. Ground transportation was handled by the Quds Force's Transport Unit 190 led by Bahanem Shahariri, he said. Reuters was unable to reach Mehdoui and Shahariri for comment. The Revolutionary Guards declined comment. "Israel's strikes also targeted a meeting of commanders of Iranian militias and shipments of electronic chips to upgrade weapons systems," said Syrian military defector Colonel Abduljabbar Akaidi, who retains army contacts. Akaidi did not say where the meeting was held. Aleppo's runway was hit by Israel just hours after two Iranian cargo planes had landed with arms shipments under the pretext of aid relief, said a regional source, information that was confirmed by two other Western intelligence sources. Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, was the first foreign official to set foot in Syria's quake zone, a few days before Assad himself arrived. Reuters could not reach Qaani for comment. The Revolutionary Guards declined comment. In the event of a humanitarian catastrophe, U.N. relief planes are allowed to seek landing rights from local authorities and humanitarian goods are exempt from sanctions. In this case Syrian authorities have granted landing rights to direct flights coming from Russia and Iran. "The quake was a sad disaster but at the same time it was God's help to us to help our brothers in Syria in their fight against their enemies. Loads of weapons were sent to Syria immediately," said a regional source close to Iran's clerical leadership. PINPOINT ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE Israel has for years carried out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting Assad in the civil war that began in 2011. A Syrian army officer who asked not to be named said the Israelis were stepping up efforts to defeat Iran in Syria. "Why now? Simply because they have information that something is being developed quickly. They must stop it and hit it to slow it. The quake created the right conditions. The chaos that ensued allowed Iranian jets to land with ease," he said. In the aftermath of further earthquakes on April 3, Israeli targets have included weapons warehouses in the Jabal Manea Kiswa mountain range south of Damascus where Iranian troops and Lebanon's Hezbollah have built what is probably their most fortified military site in Syria, a regional security source and two Western intelligence sources said. A radar station used for drones was also hit on April 3, the regional source added, corroborating what two Western intelligence sources had told Reuters. "We believe that Iranian militias have transferred huge quantities of ammunition they have restocked quantities lost in previous Israeli drone strikes," a Western intelligence source said, referring to Iranian flights since the Feb. 6 earthquake. (Additional reporting by Maya Gebeily in Beirut and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Heinrich) A second Tennessee House Democrat has been reinstated after Republicans expelled him for protesting with gun control advocates. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 Wednesdayto reinstate state Rep. Justin Pearson, who days before was expelled by the GOP supermajority for joining protesters many of them children who chanted in the House chamber in support of gun control following a school shooting that left three kids and three adults dead last month. Following his reinstatement, a packed crowd inside the County Administration Building erupted in cheers and applause. In a speech following his reinstatement, Pearson said it was time to get back to work. You cant expel our voice, and you sure cant expel our fight, he told the crowd. Lets get back to work! he shouted, to loud cheers. We are marching to the Shelby County Comission with the people. People Power is greater than any power that attempts to suppress it! pic.twitter.com/YxLAo6a0y0 Justin J. Pearson (@Justinjpearson) April 12, 2023 Pearson and fellow Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones were expelled for protesting on March 30 in the House chamber, which Republican lawmakers called disorderly behavior that brought dishonor to the House of Representatives. A third lawmaker who joined in protesting for gun control, Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson, was spared expulsion by a single vote. Pearson and Jones are Black; Johnson is white. Both Jones and Johnson joined Pearson in his march Wednesday to the County Administration Building. Im so glad Memphis did what was right, Johnson told local station WREG after the vote. Im just absolutely thrilled. Justice was done today, she added. Democrats Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee state House for protesting in support of gun restrictions. Democrats Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee state House for protesting in support of gun restrictions. Story continues Pearson represents part of Memphis, which is in Shelby County. Mickell Lowery, chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement Sunday that the expulsion of Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner. The protests at the State Capitol by citizens recently impacted by the senseless deaths of three 9-year-old children and three adults entrusted with their care at their school was understandable given the fact that the gun laws in the State of Tennessee are becoming nearly non-existent, Lowery said. It is equally understandable that the leadership of the State House of Representatives felt a strong message had to be sent to those who transgressed the rules, Lowery continued. However, I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods. I also believe that the ramifications for our great State are still yet to be seen. Jones, who represents part of Nashville, was voted back into office on Monday by the Nashville Metropolitan Council in a vote of 36-0. Nashville Mayor John Cooper (D) said it was about giving voters their voice back. Voters in District 52 elected Justin Jones to be their voice at the statehouse, and that voice was taken away this past week, Cooper said during the meeting to reinstate Jones. So lets give them their voice back. I call on this body to vote unanimously, right now, to do just that. Along with the two lawmakers being reinstated this week, another surprising victory emerged: On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order to tighten background checks and called on the state legislature to pass a red flag law that would make it easier to remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others. During his expulsion hearing, Pearson reminded lawmakers that the U.S. was founded on protest. You who celebrate July 4, 1776, pop fireworks and eat hot dogs you say to protest is wrong because you spoke out of turn, because you spoke up for people who are marginalized, because you spoke up for kids who wont ever speak again ... in a country built on people who speak out of turn, he said. The first time my father, Tony, visited Paris, he fell in love. Not (as far as I know) with a girl, but with the city. Then a 16-year-old immigrant from Jamaica who arrived in the U.K. only two years prior, he spent a week there with his high school French class in 1960. And hes talked about it ever since. He was astonished how different the Black men in Paris appeared to be. They seemed so sophisticated and stylish, hes told me many times, wearing their coats open over their shoulders and smoking through elongated cigarette holders. They had a confidence, an ease that Daddy had never seen before, and opened his eyes to a reality of which, back then, he could only dream. So, when the opportunity arose to bring a guest on Vikings new Fjorgyn as it cruised roundtrip from Paris, I knew Id take my father. I wanted to walk with him down Rue Lamartine, and (hopefully) to find Cafe Charbon, where he practiced French conversation (wink, wink!) with Emilienne Ruc, the owners teenage daughter. It would also be a role reversal. My parents have towed me around the world since I was three. Now, as a professional traveler, Id be in charge. I used my membership to get us into the airport lounge; fetched us celebratory flutes of bubbly at the bar; and leveraged my frequent flyer status for priority boarding, while Daddy gamely followed along for what would be his first river cruise. Viking Cruises Seine - Fjordyen_Viking-Longship-in-Paris.jpg Viking Cruises Arriving in Paris that crisp November morning, we were well placed for our trip down memory lane. *Fjorgyn*which debuted last Marchdocks on the Seine, in the 15th-arrondissement neighborhood of Grenelle. From our stateroom balcony we could see the Eiffel Tower, only a 20-minute stroll down the tow path; the nearest Metro station just a 10-minute walk in the opposite direction. So, the next day, as passengers set off on excursions to Montmartre and the Louvre, we went rogue. Again, I took the lead andusing French skills decades fresher than my fatherspurchased a carnet of Metro tickets so we could go in search of his past. Reaching Rue Lamartine, I watched my fathers brow furrow as he searched for a familiar landmark on the now unfamiliar street. His face lit up when, at the end of it, we reached the park where hed seen those smoking sophisticates. But there was no sign of Cafe Charbon. Characteristically, my father was more sanguine than disappointed. Also characteristically, I was the opposite. So, with nothing to lose, I asked at a bistro if anyone knew what had happened to Cafe Charbon. An older gentleman directed us to AJ Musique, the musical instrument repair shop that now stood in its place. With my father standing stoically in front of it, I snapped a photo. It was intended as a fresh image for his memory bank but instantly also became a precious one for my own. Story continues On board Fjorgyn for our departure toward Normandy that evening, we dined on parmesan-crusted veal scallopini. To commemorate our French adventure, I suggested a Boom toast: clinking his wine and my cocktail together as I recorded the event on my iPhone using the Boomerang app. It captures one second of video, then replays it forward and in reverse to make a fun video loop. It took my father several unsuccessful tries to sync his clink with mine that night. But the next seven days lunches and dinners presented several opportunities to perfect his technique. A veteran of more than 20 ocean cruises, my father took to river cruising like a swan to the Seine. And with just 84 staterooms spread over four decks, and a single restaurant and lounge, Fjorgyn was easy for him to navigate. Built to fit the Seines smaller locks, the longship offered a slower, more relaxed and less obtrusive way to see the regions small towns and villages, which, when we docked, were mere steps away. Viking Cruises Eric Laignel/Viking Cruises In Rouen, we walked to Notre Dame cathedral (famously immortalized by Monet) and the centuries-old, half-timbered buildings of Old Town, which made us both feel as if wed regressed to Medieval times. The following morning, since neither of us had a connection to D Day, we seized the opportunity to revisit Rouen (where wed overnighted) after most passengers left for the U.S. and Commonwealth beaches. I presumed my father would want to do his own thing, returning to Notre Dame while I browsed the boutiques. But shortly after we separated, he texted a request to reunite because my latent French skills made navigating the city so much easier for him. In Les Andelys we braved rain to visit the 12th-century Chateau Gaillard, me bounding ahead, my father sheltered under an umbrella, slowly and carefully placing his feet on the mud-slicked path. At the hilltop ramparts, I snapped a succession of photos (Cant you put that phone down, Sarah?!), most of the view across the undulating landscape, cloaked in a fine mist. Little did Tony know that my favorite was the candid I took of him, standing on the brow of the hill, looking down at the countryside. The low angle made him look larger-than-life, exactly as hed appeared to me as a child. Returning to Paris, we toured Versailles. For Tony, I imagine that those gilded palace gates were a portal to the time when he first saw them, more than 60 years ago. For me, seeing Versailles for the first time was special too, its size and opulence staggering. Still, decades from now, I probably wont remember the history I learned on our tour. But Ill never forget how happy I was to share it with him. Two days after our return from France, my father fell ill. As paramedics loaded him into the ambulance, I feared I might never see him again. Our week together flashed through my head like a time-lapsed ticker-tape: our days in Paris; our adventures in port; his perfect Boomerang (at last!) at dinner on our final night. Thankfully, hes completely recovered now, and our trip is but another happy memory in a lifetime of many. But the lesson has been learned: Travel with your parents now, while youre able to offer them the opportunity and theyre well enough to enjoy it. Timeand the rivers tideswait for no one. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler Apple Selling hope is something that the oil companies want us to do, Scott Z. Burns tells me. They want us to be really hopeful, because hope is inaction. Hope is passivity. Hope is surrendering your questioning ability to someone else. Its not being hopeful hes critical of so much as the focus on hopeand on those same old questions that always seem to dominate discussions of climate change. Are you hopeful? Should we be hopeful? Is it all too big? Is there anything we can really do? Burns, who wrote Contagion and The Informant! among a host of other screenplays, doesnt think any of that matters when we have the tools to do something about this. His new series on Apple TV+, Extrapolations, forecasts our world in 2037, 2059, 2070, and the years in between should we choose not to use them. A galaxy of stars including Meryl Streep, Kit Harrington, Edward Norton, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys, Daveed Diggs, Marion Cotillard, Keri Russell, and Forest Whitaker help tell the tales, a collection of vignettes from the messy middle of our lives if we continue on our current trajectory. It's a future where we may find ourselves tearing each other apart long before the sea levels rise to swallow up all weve built on this planet. Extrapolations is sprawlingBurns believes it's the largest commitment any of the platforms have ever made to climate storytelling. Particularly in the first couple of episodes, the dialogue can get a bit stilted as characters are tasked with providing exposition for this ominous new world. But by Episode Three (2047), the show hit its stride, exploring how some of us will exploit every bit of climate chaos as an opportunity, others may save whats left with their own hands, and more will seek refuge in false worlds constructed through our escalating technological capabilities. The climate crisis does not necessarily lend itself to on-screen portrayals. The less said about The Day After Tomorrow the better, while Dont Look Up grasped for an allegorical way into the issue. Extrapolations is different in kind, and Burns says he was guided far more by a bookThe Great Derangementand a renowned Polish TV series exploring the Ten Commandments called The Dekalog. In the interview below, which has been edited for length and clarity, Burns explains how he went about using storytelling as a solution in this era of climate crisis. Story continues ESQUIRE: In the fourth episode, 2059, theres a rogue geoengineering attempt. Edward Nortons character tells the perpetrator that she can do what shes doing, but it wont change uswe will still be the same primates looking to immediately fulfill our desires after. Its a human thing that goes well beyond climate change. Solves that come from technology rather than behavioral changea solve that allows you to do everything you're doing and will just make it easier. I talked to this guy at Harvard, David Keith, who Bill McKibben was like, He's not really a professor. That chair that he has at the Kennedy School was funded by the oil companies to legitimize his work. Oil companies love geoengineering, because it means they can keep drilling and burning. I said to Keith, How does this come into play? He said, Well, I think as we have more COPs and people gin up outrage about fossil fuels, I think a rogue billionaire is probably the most likely person. Maybe we havent thought enough about what's going to happen when people start taking things into their own hands. I had episodes that got more into that, even ones that were fairly diabolical, with kids killing adults. A few years ago, when the Earth Liberation Front was a bigger thing, they were burning car dealerships in San Diego and blowing up an expansion of the Vale ski resort. We know that it's easy to get people who feel like they can't change anything unless they go there. I do worry where that climate frustration is going to start coming out. I do worry about ecoterrorism for sure, but I don't even know that it's ecoterrorism at that point. I think it's eco-opportunism. If were here in 10 years, I wouldnt put it past Elon Musk to go to the Philippines and say, You have an air force. I'm going to supply you with everything you need, and you should go up in the atmosphere and do this. And secretly the U.S. kind of wants you to do it, so they're going to publicly condemn you. Don't worry about it. You're not going to lose financing. So I do worry that we're going to see rogue actors try and do things that have global consequences. How much did previous attempts to portray the consequences of the climate crisis factor into your planning here? It's really influenced by The Great Derangement by an Indian author named Amitav Ghosh. What is the power of a story? When you put a story at the end of a problem like The Day After Tomorrow, it's so hard to relate to. And I think there's a confluence of factors for that. One, we have a kind of prognostic myopia. We're really good at getting food for tonight, not so good about thinking about the consequences of our actions over a longer period of time. The other thing is that not everybody has the same event horizon for climate change. You and I have access to air conditioning and water and live in big cities. We may be able to continue the way we're living more or less for 15 years. But to someone who lives in Miami or the Marshall Islands and is not affluent and is not white, or whatever the ruling group is, I don't think that they have the same event horizon as you and I. And it spreads. When the farms failed in Syria because of drought and people moved into the cities, we saw what happened. And then you look to Germany, where all of a sudden there's a huge ballooning migration issue of displaced people. So the knock-on effects became what was most attractive to me. I wanted to work on the messy middle, not the, we're all going to die, or we're all going to live. Because no one had really done just day-to-day storytelling about what its going to be like to raise a kid in 15 years. Variety - Getty Images How did you balance which stories to tell? As you say, the poorest people will probably bear the brunt of this the earliest. On the flip side, the wealthy people in rich countries like ours, they will feel it later, but also have more power to change what's going to happen. I wish we'd had more episodes, because we did think about Global North versus Global South. If you really watch the show closely, there are a lot of Easter eggs about that. In Episode Seven, on the radio broadcast you hear that someone's decided to award reparations to the Global South. And the conclusion of this [series], the notion of ecocidegetting the ICC [International Criminal Court] to take that on would be very meaningful. There needs to be accountability for people who look like me and you who are not suffering. Episode Five takes place entirely in India. Episode Two takes place entirely in Cali, Colombia. We had a really great pollinator story that we didn't get to make that was set in Africa. So if I got another season, I would spend more time looking at exactly that. But even some of this is an artifact of the system. We're still in a place where most of our movie stars are white people, and Apple, if they were going to spend this much money on a show, wanted a lot of famous people in it. In the Mumbai 2059 episode, people essentially live their lives at night because theres a daytime curfew due to the heat, and people are breathing through oxygen masks half the time. Are you concerned that our adaptability as a species could encourage us not to address the actual conditions were living in? I think it already is. When I was a producer on An Inconvenient Truth, we talked a lot about deniers, right? Well, I think the deniers are pretty much gone now, but there are climate opportunists. When you hear Mike Pompeo making a land grab for an Arctic without ice on it, and the Russians are doing that, and the Canadiansits the next gold rush. We've gone from having climate deniers to, What about adaptation? Maybe that's the right strategy, because we're not stopping it. The Republicans kind of picked that up, and then from there, we've moved into opportunism. How can this new planet create new opportunities? Whether it's in clothing, in real estate development, in what a LEED home is, in extractive mining in places where it wasn't available before. I'm just waiting for someone to come up with the tornado ride. I can imagine terrifying weather tourism being a thing. Apple By Episode Six, things get a bit Black Mirror-ish, including with the concept of nostalgia therapy. Are you worried about a future where people spend all their time trying to escape to the past? Thats kind of what I was going for. But what I'm really concerned about is when the windows of my house can be turned into a beautiful snowfall outside on a day when I'm not allowed out. And there are other environmental controls that make it feel like nature. And I can see a bear or deer running across. As we are able to give people synthetic nature, we make real nature much more vulnerable. And that does scare me. As we see tech companies working into that space, is that one of the unintended consequences, that the world becomes less sui generis and less critical to preserve? All those things are part of the same, [including] whether its more comfortable to be in some sort of nostalgia therapy. 106 is in a lot of ways my favorite episode, and I didnt pull it out of my ass. I went to doctors and they said, Well, heat stress on pregnant women is a problem. And it may be that women stop carrying for so long and so we see more and more preemie babies. It tends to increase cardiovascular issues, which is where summer heart [a congenital condition in children] came from. But the knock on effect of that is it also affects cognition. Because if your cardiovascular system isn't pumping enough blood to your brain, development doesn't go as well. And I worked with a neuroscientist at Columbia on that episode, and she was very comfortable with the possibility of what sort of cognitive damage all this was going to cause. Do you think people are aware of what it being so hot is really going to mean? No. People do die on the streets. Heat waves do kill a lot of people, more so in Europe. But I had a storyline about a couple that is in New York. Suddenly theres a heat warning, and the man has been accused of domestic violence related to heat. And there is a correlation. So again, I'm interested in the knock-on effect. It's not just how bad extreme heat is, it's what does it do in terms of domestic violence and law enforcement? What does it do in terms of agriculture and growing seasons? What does it do across the second- and third-order effects that people do not do a very good job of connecting the dots on? In the Miami episode, its mentioned almost in passing that someone was bitten by a mosquito and now they're severely ill. Do we think enough about mosquitoes when we talk about climate? More people on Earth die from mosquitoes every year than any other animal. And when you look at these disease bands around the globe, they're obviously tied to climate. Famously, Nairobi doesn't have a lot of malaria because its high enough up [elevation]. That's changed now. Disease vectors are changing. Youre seeing dengue [fever] in Florida, youre seeing it in Chicago. A virus is very opportunistic. The more it's out there, it's basically just a bad copying machine, and all it needs to do is make a bad copy of itself that's more dangerous, and then we have to deal with it. And mosquitoes live longer when its warmer. The part where they're particularly nasty, I think, extends by two days. That's a real problem, especially at the same time that we're destroying the bird population. The show has a pessimistic view on how long it will take for the real decision-makers to face consequences, including ecocide tribunals. But can we truly charge one robber baron capitalist for this? Im consuming all kinds of stuff every day. That is Kit [Harrington]'s speech in that episode: If I'm guilty, why isn't everybody else? All I did was supply products to appetites all around me. And I find that legally compelling. I find it morally questionable, but legally very compelling. Its not what you didn't do, it's what you did do when you knew better. And that is culpability. When oil companies say their stock is worth X or Y based on assets that are still in the ground, well, they theoretically shouldn't be allowed to drill and burn what's in the ground. So how can they claim that's part of their worth? I don't think you can hold people culpable for what they didn't know was damaging. I do think you can hold them culpable for profiteering off of human appetites. And we know that's true because that's what happened with the cigarette companies. Kit and I had a great time with his last speech because I find it compelling. He's not guilty of doing anything other than being last in a line of people who are making money off the bounty of the earth. That's why in that episode he is not found guilty. Zach Dilgard - Apple ExxonMobil knew back in 1980 what the consequences would be, though we didn't have another energy system we could move to back then. That's why I say this problem is human. When people ask me if I'm pessimistic, I'm like, no. Flying into L.A., theres rooftops for miles with nothing on them. If PG&E and the building owners could come to an agreement, there could be solar on every one of those rooftops. The problem isn't that solar doesn't work. The problem is PG&E and the rooftop owners are in some weird, complicated legal battle that goes on and on for years. The problem isn't that we don't know how to do it. The problem is the people who are making money off of it being just this way aren't giving up and going away without a fight. None of this islike, it is rocket science. I cant say its not rocket science, but its really doable. Its not an issue of whether its technologically available, its whether its scalable. My faith is in human ingenuity and the almighty dollar. I'm kind of with you. A lot of people took me to task, and I was like, I can't have a conversation anymore about capitalism and not capitalism. Because I know we're not winning that war anytime soon. So if we can use capitalism, that's our best bet, and I think we can. Its searching for an inflection point. How much bad shit are we going to allow before we really stop bad shit from happening? And then the right question is, bad shit to whom? We'll probably let the Marshall Islands go away, and we'll probably let a lot of the tribal peoples on the coast of Alaska lose their communities. I don't feel great about that. Will we save Manhattan? Probably. Will it require a lot of civil engineering? Yeah. What do you hope a 15-year-old watching takes away from this? How about a 65-year-old? For the 15-year-olds, I hope theyre not buying into these narratives that tell them this is so big and that there is no personal responsibility, that there's nothing they can do, that this is out of their hands. Because I'd like them to use the show as some sort of inoculation against cynicism on this issue. For 65-year-olds, there is something important about acknowledging all that from the end of life as well. We didn't always know what we were doing was bad, and for that, there is forgiveness. We didn't always have a solve, and if you don't have an alternative, it's hard for me to really feel that it's right to punish those people. But now we do have solves, and we do have awareness, and I think for older people to connect those dotsthat's what's beautiful about what Bill McKibben is doing now with Third Act. It's allowing older people to go, Wait a minute. Not in my name. I did not co-sign that. That was the only [option], but it isn't anymore, so don't use me as proof of your permission to despoil the planet. You Might Also Like Falcon parents protected eggs through California storms until all four babies hatched, park officials said. The peregrine falcon eggs were incubated for about a month on Alcatraz Island near San Francisco, the National Park Service said in an April 12 news release. The parents tended to the four eggs through unusually stormy weather until the chicks hatched in early April, park officials said. These eggs were first laid in early March in an area that is not accessible to the public, park officials said. Park biologists have been monitoring the birds. Peregrine falcons are one of the worlds fastest birds and can reach speeds as fast as 200 mph, according to Audubon. They can be found living in the open country or on coastal cliffs like the ones found on Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz is a small island that was once used as a military prison and maximum security federal penitentiary from 1934 until 1963, officials said. Now its part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and home to nesting seabirds and now peregrine falcons, which were first spotted breeding on the island in 2019. A ferry is the only way to visit Alcatraz Island, which is north of San Francisco. Watch bald eagle parents tend to fuzzy babies after 2 eggs hatch in Ohio. So sweet Miracle baby born at Kenyan elephant unit. See photos, video as newborn joins herd 2-day-old baby eagle has heartbreaking death when nest plunges from Colorado tree Family members of two of the victims of the Poppy Park shooting in Orlando on Easter Sunday said the women were caught in the crossfire of a shootout while enjoying the holiday on their front porch. The family said Patriza Deterville, 33, and one of the injured women were across the street from the park when 16-year-old Tristan Morgan drove up, got out of his car and opened fire on the family hunting for eggs in the park. They said one of the family members shot back, hitting Morgan, Deterville and the injured woman. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< In all, three people died in the shooting and two were injured. Police have said everyone involved in the shooting was accounted for, but have declined to name any suspects. The familys account could explain why. If the familys version of events is true, holding anyone accountable for Detervilles death could be difficult. According to attorneys specializing in gun laws, Florida places the responsibility for all deaths in a shootout on the instigator, regardless of where the bullet came from. Read: Florida government spent $30K on TikTok ads while calling app security risk The only exception to that would be in cases of extreme negligence where stand your ground couldnt apply, they explained. Im not angry, Im just real sad and upset because those are my kids, Cynthia Blair, mother-in-law to Deterville, said. Theyre gone, one of them, and cant take care of their kids, and gone for no reason whatsoever. Read: Boys mother says naked walk down hallway put principal on administrative leave Following a vigil for Deterville Tuesday night, Blair said Deterville had just given birth to a baby who would grow up without a mother. She, as many others did, called for an end to senseless violence. Read: Orange County elementary school employee arrested on child pornography charges 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. Police officers advance upon the suspect of a mass shooting lying on the ground at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville - Louisville Metro Police Department Parents of the Kentucky bank gunman have expressed sorrow for the "horror" their son inflicted on their community as they praised police who risked their lives to stop the shooter killing more of his colleagues. Dramatic videos, released by Louisville Metro Police Department, offer a rare perspective of the efforts of emergency services who were called to the bank where Connor Sturgeon was livestreaming the massacre. Four people were killed in the Old National Bank when Sturgeon stormed the branch and opened fire with an AR-15-style assault rifle. The gunman himself died, taking the toll to five. Connor Sturgeon - LinkedIn Sturgeon, a 25-year-old finance graduate, had been working at the bank for more than a year but had recently found out he may lose his job. He had no prior contact with Louisville police before Monday when he embarked on a targeted killing spree after first leaving a note in the house he shared with a friend he had met at university. Sturgeon also sent a text message which read "I love you" to family members before opening fire, a lawyer for his parents told US media. 'Anguish and horror' His parents said in a statement on Wednesday morning that their son had been receiving support for mental health issues. "No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community," read a statement sent to local news outlet WDRB. "We mourn their loss and that of our son, Connor. We pray for everyone traumatised by his senseless acts of violence and are deeply grateful for the bravery and heroism of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department." Connor Sturgeon - Louisville Metro Police Department They family said it had been "actively addressing" Sturgeon's "mental health challenges" but "there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act". "While we have many unanswered questions, we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do all we can to aid everyone in understanding why and how this happened," they said. Story continues Footage filmed by a bystander and by cameras attached to the lapels of officers details the chaotic scenes which confronted police when they were called to the bank around 8.30am Monday. Officer shot in the head One of the officers in the video, a rookie policeman, was shot in the head within minutes of arriving at the scene. His partner was grazed by a bullet and sought cover while still trying to take down the shooter. Sturgeon had already shot people inside and, according to police, he had set up an ambush position to attack officers. The front doors were glass, elevated from the sidewalk, and because of the reflection, the officers could not see the shooter inside, police said. But Sturgeon could see them. The video shows Officer Cory Galloway retrieving a rifle from the boot of the patrol car. Cover for me, he says. Galloway was training rookie Officer Nickolas Wilt, who had graduated from the police academy just 10 days earlier. The pair walked up the stairs to the entrance of the bank at which point Wilt was shot in the head. Galloway was grazed in the shoulder, police said. His body camera showed that he fell and then took cover behind a concrete planter box at the bottom of the staircase leading to the building. 'I think hes down!' The shooter has an angle on that officer," he says in the video recording. "We need to get up there. I dont know where hes at, the glass is blocking him. A video taken by a bystander across the street, which police also released Tuesday, showed him darting back and forth from one side of the planter to another, trying to get a shot at the gunman. I think I got him down! I think hes down! he shouts after shooting the gunman. Suspect down! Get the officer! The video then shows Galloway approaching the suspect, who lay on the ground inside the lobby next to a long rifle. Officer Wilt was still in critical but stable condition on Tuesday, according to University of Louisville Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Jason Smith. Two of the four wounded still in the hospital had injuries that were not life-threatening, Dr Smith said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said it was crucial to release the footage because transparency is important even more so in a time of crisis". 'Were all feeling shaken' The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the US this year, came just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. In Louisville, five Old National Bank employees were killed: Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Jim Tutt Jr, 64, a commercial real estate market executive; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer. Were all feeling shaken by this, and scared and angry and a lot of other things too," Mr Greenberg said. "Its important that we come together as a community to process this tragedy in particular but not just this tragedy because the reality is that we have already lost 40 people to gun violence in Louisville this year." Parents fed up with being cooped up have driven a pandemic surge in family trips, and properties from Mexico to the Poconos are getting makeovers to meet the demand. (Christoph Hitz/The New York Times) For six years, the Grand Fiesta Americana in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, catered to guests looking for relaxation and romance as long as they left the kids at home. But in 2021, when the property, the sole adults-only all-inclusive resort in town, was acquired by Hilton, its new owners made a hard pivot. What was once a child-free retreat is now the family-friendly Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort, with a kids club, a teen zone with pool tables and video games, and activities like face-painting and cooking classes. Advertisement The resort is among dozens of properties worldwide that have reinvented themselves since the beginning of the pandemic to appeal to one of the fastest-growing sectors of travelers: families. A July survey by the Family Travel Association found that 85% of parents in the United States planned to travel with their children in the next 12 months, and many dont want to squeeze into a standard double room. Hotels.com reports that searches for properties with cribs are up 65% on its site since the beginning of the pandemic; for connecting rooms, theyve jumped 20%. In the face of this demand, many hotels are opting for makeovers, hauling in sleeper sofas, building bunk beds or eliminating no-child policies. We knew we needed to make some adjustments, and not just include a kids club, said Monica Gonzalez, director of sales and marketing for the resort. So what we did was create a program for the entire family. Advertisement The resort has split up its two towers: One is now for adults only and the other for families. One pool is still reserved for adults, while the other is often packed with preschoolers wearing floats and tweens doing cannonballs. In the family tower, all accommodations can be booked as connecting rooms, and the racy former artwork like paintings of topless women has been swapped for G-rated beach scenes. Since the resort opened to children in November 2021, Gonzalez said, bookings are 60% families. Going full family A kid-friendly space at the Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, once an adults-only destination. Parents fed up with being cooped up have driven a pandemic surge in family trips, and properties from Mexico to the Poconos are getting makeovers to meet the demand. (Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort via The New York Times) At Winvian Farm, a luxury resort on 113 acres in Connecticut, children were traditionally allowed on the property only during a handful of designated periods like Labor Day weekend and Christmas Day. That policy went out the window during the pandemic, said the managing director, Heather Smith Winkelmann, when parents, burned out from virtual work and school, began calling and begging for a space for everyone to get away. Once the pandemic hit, everybodys travel philosophy did a complete 180, Smith Winkelmann said. So we went full family. All restriction dates for children have been lifted, and sleeper sofas with plush mattresses have been added to every room. Today, 35% of the resorts bookings come from families, and Smith Winkelmann said there were no plans to go back. A mother of a 9-year-old and a 12-year-old, she said that her own feelings about traveling with children have shifted. Even for me, if Im going to go somewhere now, Im like, Lets take the kids, she said. Weve all had our own epiphanies over the last three years. Real estate developers say the long months of lockdown changed parents views on traveling with their children. Everyone kind of reevaluated what was important to them, said Spencer Levine, president of RAL Companies and Affiliates, a New York City developer. He is finishing up design plans on a new Mandarin Oriental property on Grand Cayman, which plans to break ground this year. The design, he said, has shifted as family travel has become more popular. Advertisement All accommodations will now be built as two connecting rooms with a single-entry foyer, allowing parents and children to have some privacy. I know from traveling with my own family, its really great to have the privacy of being there with your spouse, and the kids also having their own space, he said. People are actually less price-conscious now, and much more about their life experiences with their families. Bigger rooms and bunk beds A bunk-bed room that can sleep six comfortably at Red Jacket Resorts on Cape Cod. Parents fed up with being cooped up have driven a pandemic surge in family trips, and properties from Mexico to the Poconos are getting makeovers to meet the demand. (Red Jacket Resorts via The New York Times) Grandparents are being included more often, too: Data from Zicasso, a luxury travel planner, reveals group bookings of six or more have grown by more than 50% since before the pandemic; vacasa.com, which rents vacation homes, said search volume for four- and five-bedroom properties was up 40% at the end of 2022. So now even traditionally family-friendly properties are offering larger, better-decorated spaces. For example, the Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, a water park resort, is building 30 new three-bedroom villas for larger families, and has tapped celebrity designer Nate Berkus for its private outdoor patios. And it isnt just hotels. Destinations that traditionally attracted a grown-up crowd are shifting, too. The new generation of high-end travelers are all traveling with their kids. They even take them to party destinations, said Theodore Daktylidis, managing director of the Mykonos Riviera Hotel and Spa, which opened in July and is made up entirely of small apartments, each with its own kitchen and plunge pool. Daktylidis family has owned hotels in Mykonos, famous for its nightlife, for decades, hosting countless weddings, honeymoons and raucous bachelorette parties. But while overseeing construction on his newest project, it was the growing number of visitors with young children he was thinking about. Advertisement Weve seen so many families travel here over the past few years. Currently 15 to 20% of our guests are parents with kids, he said. At Red Jacket Resorts on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the property, which was recently sold, is testing out pilot rooms with lofted bunks built above a standard king bed, creating rooms that comfortably sleep six. The new owner said market research shows that the conversion of these rooms could generate an extra $80 to $100 per room per night for the hotel, while offering families a less expensive option than booking two separate rooms to accommodate their whole party. The owners of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Italys Lake Como region are so convinced that parents will spend more that theyre reducing the number of rooms to make more space to cater to families. The hotel closes each year for winter, and when it reopens this month, it will have reduced its rooms to 84 from 90, converting the added space into two new penthouses and several larger suites with sofa beds and outdoor terraces. This year our property was busier than ever with multigenerational groups of families, said Valentina De Santis, Grand Hotel Tremezzos owner and CEO. The decision to decrease our room count follows a strategic plan. And Troutbeck, an estate hotel in the Hudson Valley of New York, reports that family travel is up 40% since the beginning of the pandemic, so one of its three historic buildings underwent a renovation last summer and is now made up entirely of suites with private entrances and either a balcony or a screened-in porch. DJs and strollers The Mykonos Riviera Hotel and Spa in Greece, where about 1 in 5 visitors now bring their children. Parents fed up with being cooped up have driven a pandemic surge in family trips, and properties from Mexico to the Poconos are getting makeovers to meet the demand. (Mykonos Riviera Hotel and Spa via The New York Times) At some hotels, as loyal guests grow up and expand their families, rooms are being expanded to keep up. Advertisement When the Hoxton opened its first property in London in the mid-2000s, the lobby was full of 20-something travelers who gravitated toward the brand for amenities like bars and DJs. The trend continued as the brand spread across Europe and into North America. Not so anymore. Hoxton doesnt track the number of families checking into its rooms, but Olivia Tucker Amato, Hoxtons brand director for North America, said that in places like London, Amsterdam and Williamsburg in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, parents with young children now make up a major chunk of Hoxton guests. And as guests families have grown, so have the spaces theyre looking to book. In Barcelona, Spain, Hoxton has introduced one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes, a property opening in Amsterdam this fall will have rooms with either a second king-size bed or bunk beds, and one debuting in Edinburgh, Scotland, this fall will have three-bedroom apartments. The expanded spaces are being rolled out alongside a new program, Tiny Hox, that offers amenities like cribs, kid-friendly menus in restaurants, flexible booking times, diapers and bath toys. The guests who stayed with us in their 20s are now in their 30s and 40s and have matured into the family stage of life, Amato said. If you go to the Hoxton Williamsburg on the weekend, its packed with strollers, and we welcome that. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Sophia Mason who went missing at the age of 8 and whose body was found in Merced, Calif.. (Courtesy of the family) Just over a year after 8-year-old Sophia Masons body was found decomposing in a bathtub in central California where her mother and mothers boyfriend had lived, her grandmother filed a lawsuit against Alameda County, alleging that social workers refused to investigate numerous child abuse claims made in the 14 months leading up to her death. Sophias aunt, Emerald Johnson, reported Sophia missing on March 8, 2022, after telling Hayward, Calif., police that she had not seen the girl since December 2021. On March 11, 2022, Merced police discovered Sophias body in the bathtub of a locked bathroom in a home where Sophia had been staying in Merced with her mother, Samantha Johnson, 31, and her mothers boyfriend, Dhante Jackson, 34. Officials said that by the time police found her, she had already been dead for about a month. Johnson and Jackson have been charged with murder and felony child abuse, and remain in custody at the Merced County jail while they wait for an evidentiary hearing set for early June. Johnson has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her mother had a difficult life and perhaps some mental or intellectual disabilities, but she did not display a great amount of interest in Sophia for most of her life, Carly Sanchez, an attorney for the grandmother, Silvia Johnson, told Yahoo News. So grandma stepped in to take care of her and raise her. Last month, Silvia Johnson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The agency had failed to respond within 45 days to the family's claims that the agency had not followed up on numerous referrals. California law requires them to investigate all referrals they receive if there is a report that a child may have been abused or neglected. The family and the grandmother are horrified to be in this position, Sanchez said. No amount of money could ever bring Sophia back or make what happened worth it to them. But their goal and their focus throughout this entire process has been to make sure that this does not happen to other children in Alameda County and to make Alameda County a safe place for children. Story continues The reports of abuse to Alameda County began in January 2021, after her mother, Samantha, came back and took Sophia from her grandmother to live with her, Sanchez said. Silvia Johnson had had custody of the girl from the ages of 1 to 7. The lawsuit states that within a few weeks of being in her mothers care, DCFS began receiving child abuse hotline referrals, advising them that Sophia was being abused and neglected while in her mothers care in Alameda County. Very early on, the county received a referral indicating that Sophia's mother had choked her, Sanchez said. When they went out to investigate, Sophia confirmed that those things were happening. They spoke to a school teacher around that same time, and the teacher indicated that she was not certain that Sophia had the communication skills to be able to communicate whether she was in danger or not, or whether she felt safe at home. Suspects Samantha Johnson, and her boyfriend Dhante Jackson. (Hayward Police Department via AP, File) According to the Bay Area News Group, a thorough report by Hayward investigators disclosed that Sophia suffered sexual and physical abuse and was malnourished while in the care of her mother and her mothers boyfriend. Merced police also said that the mother had told them that Sophia was forced to live in a shed in the backyard of Jackson's home after the girl urinated on the floor, and was sexually and physically abused by Jackson. Hayward police also reported several instances in which the agency may have mishandled Sophias case. For instance, DCFS did not order a forensic interview for Sophia, in which a specifically trained expert interviews children suspected of being abused. Hayward police declined to comment on the case, due to the pending litigation. Despite knowing that Sophia for various reasons may not be able to communicate the fact that she was in danger, the county went on to rely almost exclusively on what Sophia was telling them to determine whether or not this child needed help, Sanchez said, adding that Sophia did go on to disclose that mom was hitting her, and mom's friend, who we now know is Dhante Jackson, was hitting her as well. Despite the fact that Sophia was disclosing abuse, the county did nothing to help her, Sanchez alleged. She added that law enforcement has refused to release the coroners report or autopsy to the family, citing the pending criminal case. Yahoo News reached out to Alameda County DCFS for comment. Sanchez said that Sophia confided in her grandmother and other family members that she was being abused in the months leading up to her death. Mandatory reporters, such as teachers at her school, where she was frequently absent, and doctors, also called the agency with concerns about her. Sophias grandmother considered her the light of her life, and said that her playful and precocious behavior took a turn after she was taken back into her mothers care, according to Sanchez. The family has indicated that Sophia appeared to be a different child, withdrawn, quiet, shy, not wanting to talk, Sanchez said. So aside from the things that Sophia told them was going on with her mother and things that they saw in terms of bruising on her body, they could tell just from the change in personality that things were not going well with her mother. Perhaps one of the most egregious incidents of the alleged mishandling of Sophias case by DCFS, according to Sanchez, happened after her mother took her to a Kaiser Permanente hospital in San Leandro, Calif., in September 2021, after what her mother said was a minor car crash. Medical professionals noted that Sophia had sustained extensive bruising and scarring across her back, hip, thigh and buttocks, as well as what appeared to be old cigarette burns on her arms. The hospital social worker and the medical professionals who were evaluating Sophia found extensive bruising on her inner thigh, which of course is indicative of child sexual abuse, Sanchez told Yahoo News. But if you look at the county records, the county only says that she has bruises that are suspicious in nature. So they didn't document the location of the bruises, which they're required to do. Then the county told the hospital, It's fine for you to let Sophia leave with her mother, Sanchez continued. The Kaiser medical team reported the suspected abuse to DCFS after documenting that her pattern of injuries was not consistent with injuries sustained from a car crash, according to the grandmothers lawyer. They asked a pediatrician to conduct a more thorough exam. Samantha Johnson left with Sophia before she could be examined. Allegedly, a social worker went out to see Sophia just two days later and said that she had no bruising or marks or bruising indicative of abuse on her body at all, Sanchez said. The fact that the hospital is saying that she has scarring that's suspicious in nature, and having seen photographs of the bruises, those would still have been there two days later. Hayward police records say that after the mothers arrest, a day before Sophias body was found in 2022, she admitted that she had lied to Kaiser clinicians and said that the girls injuries were the result of Jackson's beating her with a belt. After the incident, San Leandro police were not notified of the alleged abuse until six days later. The agency has said that it has no record of any reports in Sophias case. California law requires county child protective services to report abuse claims to police within 36 hours. Yahoo News has reached out to San Leandro police for further comment. After Sophia's body was discovered, the Hayward Police Department, who I think did an excellent investigation when they were looking for her, when she was still considered missing, called Alameda County [Child Protective Services], and they were told at that time that nobody from CPS had seen Sophia in connection with the referral from Kaiser, Sanchez continued. Samantha Johnson also alleged that Jackson sometimes punched Sophia in the face and that she could not stop him from hitting Sophia when he was in rage mode. I believe personally that there were two victims of Mr. Jackson: One survived and one didnt, said Beth Lee, Samantha Johnson's public defender, in March 2022. [Samantha Johnson] is a woman, a human being, that has a whole story to tell about her life and she deserves to have the dignity that all of us have. Sanchez added that the mishandling of the case is part of a bigger problem in Alameda County. According to the Bay Area News Group, the county ranked second-to-last in California in its ability to conduct in-person investigations within 10 days of reports of abuse or neglect, a violation of state law. The fact that the county is not investigating child abuse hotline referrals on a regular basis is extremely disturbing, Sanchez stated. I think that it certainly means that other children are being unnecessarily exposed to extreme risk and abuse. The family is aware of that, and they're aware that, unfortunately, when Sophia was alive and they were pleading with the county for help, nobody wanted to listen. And so the goal with this lawsuit is to get their attention. Justin Pearson, one of two Black Democratic state legislators whose expulsion earlier this month by Tennessees Republican-led House provoked a national backlash, was reappointed Wednesday to his seat in the states House of Representatives. Seven of Shelby County's attending commissioners unanimously voted for Pearson, D-Memphis, to fill the interim seat in Tennessee's District 86. With the vote, Pearson will join Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, who returned to the House Monday backed by Nashvilles Metro Council. Both had been removed for leading gun-reform protests on the chamber floor following last months mass shooting at a Nashville elementary school. Commissioner Erika Sugarmon praised Pearson after the vote. "My heart is singing," the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Sugarmon as saying. "You belong on the national level. We need you here right now in this moment to continue the fight in Nashville. Its not going to end today or tomorrow. Its a journey. Pearson told those assembled after the vote that "we do not speak alone." "We speak together," he said. "We fight together. So, a message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope. You cant expel our voice. You sure cant expel our fight." Posts on social media showed hundreds of marchers accompanying Pearson, his fist pumping in the air, as he headed from Memphis' National Civil Rights Museum through downtown toward Wednesday's special session at the county administration building. Why were the lawmakers expelled? Hundreds had assembled in the House galleries on March 30 to demand gun reform after six people, including three students, were fatally shot at The Covenant School in Nashville, the Volunteer States deadliest school shooting. Story continues Both Pearson and Jones, who are Black, had employed bullhorns during the protest and were expelled for violating House decorum. Along with Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, the so-called Tennessee Three had come under fire for approaching the podium in session without being recognized. State Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, center, marches with supporters to the state Capitol on Monday in Nashville, Tenn. On April 6, the House Republican supermajority removed Jones by a 72-25 vote and Pearson by a 69-26 vote after hours of rancorous debate. Johnson, who is white, avoided expulsion by one vote. Monday, Nashvilles progressive-leaning council, responsible for filling Jones vacancy, voted to reappoint him to his seat on an interim basis pending a special election. Hundreds of cheering supporters likewise flanked Jones as he returned to the Capitol shortly afterward to be sworn in. Senators call for DOJ investigation The expulsions had sparked broad national fallout, prompting a reaction from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the NAACP, which framed the incident as horrific (but) not surprising. Especially, in the South. In his defense prior to his expulsion, Jones called the process a farce of democracy. Wednesday, Sen. Raphael Warnock and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the Department of Justice to investigate the expulsion of two Black lawmakers from the Tennessee General Assembly. Memorial to the shooting victims at the entrance of The Covenant School on March 29 in Nashville, Tenn. The letter, also signed by Sens. Chris Murphy, Alex Padilla, and Brian Schatz, asked Garland to use all available legal authorities to determine whether the expulsion of state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones violated federal civil rights law or the Constitutional rights of the lawmakers or their constituents. The letter notes that the state legislature has reportedly never expelled a member for procedural violation before and that Pearson and Jones, who are Black, were expelled while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white and also part of the protest, was not. We cannot allow states to cite minor procedural violations as pretextual excuses to remove democratically-elected representatives, especially when these expulsions may have been at least partially on the basis of race, the letter said. Allowing such behavior sets a dangerous and undemocratic precedent. Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton on social media had called the legislators part in the protests unacceptable and described it as an effort, unfortunately, to make themselves the victims. According to the Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, Sexton called on Jones to speak within minutes of his reclaiming his seat and was ultimately pushed to gavel supporters into order twice during Jones remarks. Today, 78,000 people have a voice in this chamber once again, Jones said. "No expulsion, no attempt to silence us, will stop us. Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY; Katherine Burgess, Memphis Commercial Appeal Dig deeper: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Tennessee Three': Second expelled lawmaker unanimously reinstated An FBI-ordered autopsy of Shanquella Robinsons body came back inconclusive, and is part of why federal officials wont press charges, according to an attorney for her family. Attorney Sue-Ann Robinson said Wednesday the family is disappointed but not deterred by the FBIs decision to end its investigation into the 25-year-old Charlotte womans death. The Department of Justice said Wednesday it will not seek criminal charges in the case. Robinson blamed this decision on an investigative delay. Previously, Mexican authorities performed an autopsy and determined Robinsons cause of death to be severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation a broken neck. Robinson, 25, died under suspicious circumstances a day after she arrived in Cabo, Mexico. She was on a vacation with six people in October. A viral video circulating after her death sparked international outrage. The video shows a naked, barely verbal Robinson being hit repeatedly over the head. On the day she died, her traveling companions called for medical help and an ambulance to treat her, according to previous reporting by The Charlotte Observer. During this treatment Robinson became unresponsive and had seizures. The FBI opened an investigation into her death a month later. Theres no reason why a Black woman should go on vacation with her friends, be returned to her family in a box, and nothing will be done for five months, attorney Robinson said on Wednesday. Because justice delayed can be justice denied. Robinson who is not related to Shanquella Robinson said the FBIs autopsy listed her manner of death undetermined. She said the autopsy found Robinson did not have a spinal cord injury but that she did have swelling on her brain. She said the FBI waited until after the body was embalmed and that this discrepancy from the Mexican autopsy and death certificate is a direct result of that delay. As part of the investigation, according to attorney Robinson, the FBI reviewed video footage of Robinson being beaten, interviewed her six traveling companions, and conducted the autopsy. Story continues The FBI would not comment on why the video of Robinson being beaten before her death was not considered enough evidence of a crime being committed but said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer: All available evidence was reviewed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, said U.S. Attorneys Sandra J. Hairston and Dena J. King in a joint statement Wednesday. Robinson said theres two different justice systems in America. Black and Brown people always have to carve their own path to justice, Robinson said. Shanquella Robinson lawyers Robinsons story has gone viral and Mexican authorities have issued an arrest warrant for femicide (similar to homicide) for Daejhanae Jackson, one of the six travelers, according to Sue-Ann Robinson who said she has reviewed Mexicos investigative documents. To date, no U.S. law enforcement or government official has acknowledged by name a suspect. It is unclear what impact the Department of Justices announcement could have on extradition matters. When asked about extradition, the FBI would not comment. Previously, attorneys for the family, Robinson and Benjamin Crump, called on the White House and senior diplomatic officials to act on an extradition request from Mexico. But on Wednesday, Sue-Ann Robinson would not say whether a formal extradition request is pending. We hope that there is still a chance at justice in Mexico, Crump and Robinson said in a joint statement. Mexican prosecutors have issued arrest warrants in this case and are willing to pursue charges. We strongly encourage The United States to move forward with the extradition of those responsible for her death to Mexico to face accountability there. The outcome of the FBIs investigation was not unexpected, Robinson said. She said the family and their legal team will continue to seek justice and call for diplomatic intervention. On behalf of the family, again, (we are) very deeply disappointed but were not deterred because its something that weve seen before, Robinson said. We know that we have to carve our own path to justice. If no extradition or diplomatic intervention takes place, activists have planned a May 19 march to the U.S. Department of State in Washington. Robinson and Crump previously sent a letter to the White House in March calling for intervention in the case and naming Jackson as a suspect. At a press event in March they said they planned to meet with political leaders after April 1. This meeting has not yet happened and they are being shuffled around to other offices, Robinson said Wednesday. The FBI announced this week that it has investigated the death of Shanquella Robinson and concluded it will not file federal charges related to the case. "Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution," the FBI said Wednesday in a statement. "The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued." Robinson, a 26-year-old hairdresser from Charlotte, North Carolina, was found dead Oct. 29, 2022, at the Fundadores Beach Club in San Jose del Cabo after flying to the resort with six travel companions the day before. Robinsons group of friends initially told her family that she had been sick from alcohol poisoning before dying. SHANQUELLA ROBINSON CASE NEEDS 'HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION' AFTER MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN MEXICO: ATTORNEY Shanquella Robinson and an image from video of Robinson being attacked in a hotel room in Mexico. Later, a video surfaced on social media of Robinson being beaten by another woman as onlookers watched. That led Mexican authorities to issue an arrest warrant for an American woman named Daejhanae Jackson, file an extradition request and declare Robinson's death a homicide. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Mexican authorities determined that Robinson's death was the result of "severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation," along with instability of the first two neck vertebrae. RALLY HELD FOR SHANQUELLA ROBINSON; FATHER DESCRIBES MOMENT HE SAW HER BODY: 'ALL I WANT IS JUSTICE' Story continues Robinson's death was initially believed to be due to alcohol poisoning. The FBI directed extradition questions to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on whether the U.S. government is cooperating with Mexico on the extradition process. Robinson's family has repeatedly pleaded with the Biden administration to take action and help with the extradition process. "We dont want to leave room for the administration to say they didnt know how to help," attorney Sue-Ann Robinson, who is not related to Shanquella Robinson, said last month. The death of Robinson is being investigated as a homicide. "The president or the secretary of state must step in and ask for the extradition of the suspect or suspects or concurrent jurisdiction and file charges in the United States," the attorney added. "Were disappointed, but were not deterred," attorney Robinson said Wednesday in a press conference, adding that she believes the situation is a reminder that "Black and Brown victims" of crime have to work harder to have their voices heard in the United States. "Black and Brown people have to carve our own path to justice," attorney Robinson said. "Her attack was captured on video and now we are being told there wont be an arrest. It reminded me of George Floyd when we were told we werent seeing what we were seeing." Attorney Robinson also said the FBI declared the cause of death to be undetermined and also did not agree with the Mexican autopsy conclusion that Shanquella Robinson died from a spinal injury. The attorney suggested that a "delay" in the autopsy could have caused that discrepancy and that the autopsy in the U.S. took place after Shanquella Robinson was embalmed. "If this had been taken seriously from the beginning, there would not have been a delay of justice," attorney Robinson said. The attorney accused the FBI of "ping ponging" responsibility with the Mexican government and said it is "absolutely absurd" that the agency is telling the family there is nothing more it can do. "Its going to take more than the FBI field office in Charlotte," Robinson said while reiterating her call for a "high-level" diplomatic intervention. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. If youre running out of battery on your phone, it might be tempting to use one of the free charging stations you find in airports and shopping centers. But think twice, the FBI warns. The federal agency is advising people to avoid using these public charge stations because criminals can import malware and monitoring software onto devices via USB ports. Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead. pic.twitter.com/9T62SYen9T FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) April 6, 2023 This is known as juice jacking, which is a cyber-theft tactic, according to a release by the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday. Malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator, the commission stated. Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors. It added that criminals may also leave cables plugged in at charging stations or give the tampered cables away as gifts. California airports These stations are often seen at airports, providing travelers a chance to charge while theyre on the go. Northern California airports are aware of the issue, but there havent been reports of juice-jacking. Scott Johnston, spokesman for the Sacramento International Airport, said that the airport has not had issues with malware. We are aware of the issue and we have not received any reports of this type of activity, he said in a statement to The Bee. We are confident our infrastructure deters this type of activity. Johnston added that travelers should still be vigilant and look twice before plugging in their phones to make sure there are no signs of tampering at the stations. Story continues Oakland International Airport spokeswoman Kaley Skantz said there have been no reports of juice-jacking, as well, and that the Aviation Security and Information Technology teams are closely monitoring the situation. Generally speaking, the majority of publicly available power stations at our airport are AC power outlets which do not carry the malware risks described in the recent warning about USB charging stations, Skantz said. As for the San Francisco International Airport, Doug Yakel with SFO said they meet regularly with security and law enforcement partners, which includes the FBI, to assess security concerns. Also important to note that our public-facing USB ports are charge-only and not part of a network, Yakel said. How to avoid juice-jacking According to the Federal Communications Commission, you can prevent juice-jacking by: Avoid using a public USB charging station. Use an AC power outlet instead. Bring AC or car chargers, and your own USB cables with you when traveling. Carry a portable charger or external battery. Consider carrying a charging-only cable, which prevents data from sending or receiving while charging, from a trusted supplier. If you plug your device into a USB port and a prompt appears asking you to select share data or charge only, always select charge only. 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. Traffic along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington streaks past the Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters building on Nov. 1, 2017. The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed the bureau Monday for more information about its monitoring tactics. | J. David Ake, Associated Press Republican House Judiciary Committee leaders say they have information suggesting the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized an undercover agent in a Catholic parish to inform on the clergy and congregants. In a letter sent to FBI Director Christopher Wray subpoenaing the bureau for information on their agents activities, Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said he wants to look into the FBIs plan to expand its clandestine network into churches to reportedly combat domestic violent extremism and what effects the FBIs program might have on protected First Amendment activity. In a tweet, Jordan called the FBIs actions chilling. Based on the limited information produced by the FBI to the Committee, we now know that the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce its analysis, and that the FBI proposed that its agents engage in outreach to Catholic parishes to develop sources among the clergy and church leadership to inform on Americans practicing their faith, Jordan said. We now know the FBI, relying on information derived from at least one undercover employee, sought to use local religious organizations as new avenues for tripwire and source development. Chilling. pic.twitter.com/X6Ksb9ryoM Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 10, 2023 A press release from the committee says the FBI has not responded to multiple requests for information starting in February. Jordan said he views the information as vital for Congress to conduct proper oversight, as it is its responsibility under the Constitution. In his letter, Jordan said the FBI program is related to a document from the Richmond Field Office titled, Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities. Story continues Jordan said the FBI document suggested designating some Catholic Americans based on their differing theological beliefs as domestic terrorists. It then urged agents to recruit sources within mainline Catholic parishes to inform on these other groups. Jordan said the documents the committee has seen from the FBI reveal the purpose of the program is to familiarize congregations to warning signs of radicalization and enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires. Related The House GOP letter warned that this could be a violation of Americans First Amendment rights. (Americans) must be free to exercise their fundamental First Amendment rights without worrying that the FBI may have planted so-called tripwire sources or other informants in their houses of worship, Jordan said. Jordan said after the requests to the FBI to voluntarily hand over information were disregarded, he found it necessary to use congressional subpoena power to compel the release of the information. The FBI is warning people to not use public phone charging stations because hackers have found a way to introduce malware through the stations. In a tweet on Thursday, the FBIs Denver branch urged Americans to avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels, or shopping centers. Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead. pic.twitter.com/9T62SYen9T FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) April 6, 2023 Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead. The most common charging stations are seen in places like airports and shopping centers. The FBI is not the only agency that has issued a warning about juice jacking, which is where a hacker uses public charging ports to steal things such as credit card numbers or install malware on a users device. So what the cyber criminals are doing is when you take your USB and you charge it in one of those community charging stations, theyre able to put malware, which is a way for them to steal your data, so they basically put a little program in there, they collect as much data as they can in that period of time that youre plugged in, said Brian Hale, managing director at FTI Cybersecurity. Hale spent years in the FBI and says criminals are now using these charging stations to steal personal information like your credit card off your phone. It would really be terrible to get a call from my bank or some other organization saying they have my information and I really dont have an alternative because I have to charge my phone, I have all my stuff on there, so Id say its pretty scary, said Rodney Lafuenta, a traveler at Logan Airport. Story continues Experts say there are ways to avoid getting hacked. Make sure you have your phone charged up before you take a trip or before you go to the ball game at Fenway, make sure you have your regular old wall charger that you can use, have an extra battery with you even if youre traveling, remember your laptop can also be a way to charge your phone, said Hale. 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 Shanquella Robinson via her Instagram Federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they wont bring charges in the murder case of Shanquella Robinson, who was killed while on vacation in Cabo in October. Robinson, a 25-year-old Black woman from Charlotte, North Carolina, was found dead shortly after video footage surfaced of her being violently beaten. The woman who attacked Robinson in the video was later identified as Daejhanae Jackson, one of the six travelers who accompanied Robinson on the trip. In a statement released on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Dena King and the FBI said they werent able to bring charges in Robinsons case as they werent able to collect enough evidence. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, the statement reads. Read more #Breaking U.S. Officials announce that they will not pursue criminal charges in the #ShanquellaRobinson case. Last year, 25-year-old Shanquella was found dead a day after flying out on vacation to Cabo with her friends. We demand justice for this beautiful soul. pic.twitter.com/d1SuMSbn8v MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) April 12, 2023 Yet, shortly after Robinsons death last year, Mexican officials ruled that she died of a cracked spine and brought femicide charges against Jackson. In the last six months, the U.S. has yet to extradite Jackson, and U.S. officials stated on Wednesday that Jackson is not a criminal suspect after the FBI completed its investigation into Robinsons case. Story continues Federal prosecutors announcement has already been met with outrage and accusations of misogynoir. The announcement comes after Robinsons family wrote a letter to the Biden White House calling for action around their daughters death. Some have taken issue with prosecutors claim that they dont have enough evidence when quality video footage shows Robinson being attacked close to her time of death, and Mexican authorities charged someone with her murder. Were disappointed but were not deterred, the Robinson family attorney Sue-Ann Robinson (no relation to the family) said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. Its not something thats unexpected. Black and Brown people have always had to carve their own path to justice and weve been doing that since the beginning. Since Robinsons death last fall, the Charlotte Observer notes that her case has been followed by a trail of conflicting explanations. Friends of Robinson who accompanied her on the trip told her mother shed died of alcohol poisoning. But Robinsons death certificate states that she died of severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxationin other words, a broken neck. When I saw in that casket, and I saw the knot, the cut on her lip, I know for a fact that they did some bodily harm to her, Robinsons father, Bernard Robinson, said at a recent rally for her. The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation, King wrote in her Wednesday statement. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Shanquella Robinson was a beloved daughter and sister who ran a hair braiding and beauty business in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina (Facebook / Shanquella Robinson ) US prosecutors will not pursue charges in the death of a North Carolina woman while she was on vacation in Mexico. Shanquella Robinson, 25, died under mysterious circumstances in a hotel room in San Jose del Cabo, Baja California, in late October. Her travel companions initially told her mother she had died of alcohol poisoning before a disturbing video emerged of a naked Robinson being hit and kicked by another woman. Mexican prosecutors previously issued an arrest warrant for an unnamed American citizen who they described as the direct aggressor seen in the footage. They said at the time that Robinson had died as a result of homicide after sustaining a spinal cord injury. But US federal prosecutors met with Robinsons family on Wednesday to inform them that no one will be charged in the case because there is no proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both US Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms Robinsons family that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, the North Carolina Western District Attorneys Office said in a statement. Sue-Ann Robinson, an attorney for Robinsons family, decried the decision not to pursue the investigation during a press conference on Wednesday. Ms Robinson pinned US prosecutors refusal to bring charges on Robinsons race. Black and brown people always have to carve their own path to justice, she said, per news station WSOCTV. Theres no reason why a Black woman should go on vacation with her friends, be returned to her family in a box, and nothing be done for five months. Shanquella Robinsons family say authorities initially refused to take their concerns seriously (Facebook / Shanquella Robinson) The Mexican autopsy says theres a spinal cord injury, but according to them, there is no spinal cord injury, she added. How are you closing an investigation on a case where the cause of death is undetermined? Last month, Robinsons family called on President Joe Biden and the US Department of State to prioritize bringing those accountable for Robinsons death to justice. Story continues In the letter, shared with WCNC Charlotte, the attorneys representing Robinsons family named a 26-year-old woman who was a friend of Robinsons as the suspect currently being sought by Mexican authorities in connection to her death. A copy of Shanquella Robinsons autopsy report, which has since been contradicted by Mexican authorities (Courtesy of Geraldo Zuniga) The 18-page letter also included findings from a recent fact-finding trip to Mexico, autopsy findings and other unreleased documents from authorities. Back in October, Mexican authorities said in a statement that they investigated her death as a feminicide, a term used by local police to describe the homicide of a woman on account of her gender. Robinson was an entrepreneur and had two businesses Exquisite Babies and Exquisite Boutique where she braided childrens hair and sold clothes. She was a student at Winston-Salem State University. Federal prosecutors wont pursue charges against anyone over the death of American tourist Shanquella Robinson in Mexico last year, US officials announced Wednesday. Robinson, a 25-year-old hair braider from North Carolina, was found dead in her hotel room while on vacation with friends in San Jose del Cabo on Oct. 29. Robinsons family was initially told by friends that she died from alcohol poisoning, according to attorneys, but her death certificate later listed the causes as severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation, a form of severe neck injury. After a video emerged on the internet in November showing Robinson being beaten while in a hotel room, Mexican authorities had said they were investigating her death as an act of direct aggression from one of her traveling companions. Last month, the Robinson familys attorneys sent a letter to US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding that either federal prosecutors pursue charges in her death or that her alleged killer, or killers, be extradited to Mexico. The family named one of Robinsons companions as the suspected perpetrator and said Mexican authorities had issued a warrant for that womans arrest. FBI agents and Department of Justice prosecutors investigated Robinsons death, but the US Attorneys Office for the Western District of North Carolina said Wednesday that they could not prove that any federal crime had been committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, prosecutors said in a statement . Noting the public concern around the case, officials said they reached their determination after experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence. The prosecutors met with Robinsons family on Wednesday morning to inform them of their decision. Story continues As in any case, the government is prepared to review and examine new information related to the investigation should it become available, officials said. It was not immediately clear whether the prosecutors decision would affect any extradition efforts. Were disappointed, but were not deterred, Robinson family attorney Sue-Ann Robinson told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. According to the lawyer, the autopsy conducted in the US did not discover any spinal cord injuries, in contrast to the results of the Mexican autopsy. She criticized what she described as a delay in the US investigation, which she suggested could have impacted the findings. She said that the Robinson family would continue to demand a high level of diplomatic intervention in the case. United States citizens cannot go to Mexico, commit a crime that we all saw on a video, and then come back to America and say, Were on base. Were safe. Were not going to be charged with a crime, the attorney said. That cannot be the message that the US authorities want to send. Theres no reason why a Black woman should go on vacation with her friends, be returned to her family in a box, and nothing be done for five months, she said. In a statement, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that while the DOJ decision is "discouraging," they believe "justice is still possible for her death" via prosecutors in Mexico. More on this National Weather Service officials issued a red-flag warning in effect Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for portions of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. Officials said southwest winds at 15 to 20 mph combined with low relative humidity and warm temperatures favor rapid spread of wildfires. Advertisement Rev. Jeremy Freehill releases a kite into the wind at Henry C. Palmisano Nature Park in Chicago as the warm temperatures and sunny days continue on April 12, 2023. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The warning is for portions of these Illinois counties: Ogle, Lake, Lee, Newton, DeKalb, Jasper, Kane, Cook, LaSalle, Benton, Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee, Livingston, Iroquois and Ford. In Indiana: Lake, Porter, Winnebago, Boone and McHenry counties. Officials said a red-flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Temperatures were expected to reach 80 degrees with gusts up to 35 mph. Advertisement Midmorning conditions at Midway Airport were partly cloudy at 68 degrees, and at OHare International Airport it was the same at 67 degrees. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) speaks to reporters before entering the Senate Chamber on Feb. 14. Since being hospitalized with shingles in February, Feinstein has missed 58 floor votes. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Weeks after announcing she had been diagnosed with shingles, Sen. Dianne Feinstein's extended absence from the Senate has left Democrats in a tight spot given the party's slim majority in the chamber, spurring some high-profile calls for her resignation. Without Feinstein, who at 89 is the oldest sitting senator, the confirmation of President Biden's judicial and administrative nominees has been complicated. Late Wednesday, Feinstein's office released a statement acknowledging the delays at the Judiciary Committee and announcing that she has asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer "to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until Im able to resume my committee work. Feinstein, the statement said, intended to return to Washington in March after being diagnosed with shingles. But she has been delayed "due to continued complications related to my diagnosis." She did not offer more specifics about her health. I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that its safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco," the statement read. As the calls for her to step aside mounted from some corners of the Democratic Party, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) joined the fray Wednesday. "Its time for @SenFeinstein to resign," Khanna tweeted. "We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people." Khanna is co-chair of the Senate campaign of Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), who is running to succeed Feinstein at the end of her term and is a possible pick of Gov. Gavin Newsom if he keeps his promise to appoint a Black woman to the seat if Feinstein retires early. But he could face criticism because such an appointment could be viewed as giving Lee an edge in the Senate race. Story continues After being briefly hospitalized in San Francisco in February, Feinstein had said she hoped to be back in Washington by late March, but she remains at home in recovery. Feinstein is working while she recuperates, her spokesperson Adam Russell told the San Francisco Chronicle, but she cannot vote without being on the Senate floor or in committee. In an email to The Times, Russell said there is no "update yet on her return" to the Capitol. Her absence has disrupted the work of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, which holds confirmation hearings for federal judges and advances its recommendations to the full Senate. Without Feinstein, the committee is split evenly with 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard J. Durbin told CNN that Feinsteins absence has stalled the panel's push to confirm Biden's nominees. I cant consider nominees in these circumstances because a tie vote is a losing vote in committee, Durbin said. The committee's last vote on a nominee was Feb. 16. In the full Senate, Feinstein has been one of two Democrats out because of an illness, wiping out the party's 51-49 majority on the floor. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February to receive treatment for clinical depression, which his chief of staff said had grown more severe as he faced challenges recovering from a life-threatening stroke in 2022. Fetterman was discharged after six weeks of inpatient treatment and is expected to return to the Capitol next week. The absence of both has forced Vice President Kamala Harris to cast three tie-breaking votes in her role as president of the Senate so far this year. The full Senate last confirmed a judicial nominee March 22, though no tiebreaker was needed on the 53-43 vote. Feinstein has not participated in 58 Senate votes since Feb. 27, according to the Senates roll call votes. Concerns over the missed votes and Feinstein's health have led to renewed calls for her resignation, which have dogged the aging senator especially from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party in recent years. Jon Lovett, former speechwriter for President Obama, said on his podcast, Pod Save America, that Feinstein should resign, pointing in part to Durbins comments on the difficulties the party faces with confirming judicial nominees. It is sad that Feinstein has shingles and "obviously not her fault," Lovett said, but because she is not in the Judiciary Committee, Durbin has said that it has made it basically impossible to move a lot of these lower court nominees to the Senate for a vote, which means that Dianne Feinstein, who should not be in the Senate, is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges. .@jonlovett on Dianne Feinstein: She is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges... As sad as it is to see someone who has had an incredibly storied and important career... Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign. pic.twitter.com/aPPMVUJuq2 Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) April 11, 2023 He criticized Feinstein's circle, saying that what her people "are doing, allowing, being part of this farce of having a lack of a senator in such an important job, is really wrong." And Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate," he said. "She has to resign, and more people should be calling on her to resign. Russell, Feinstein's spokesperson, declined to comment on Durbin's and Lovett's remarks. Feinstein has faced growing health challenges in recent years, including questions about whether she was up for the mental rigor of high-profile positions. Feinstein said she plans to fulfill her term, which ends in early 2025. She will retire at the end of the term, she said. The Senate has been on a recess since March 31 and will return on April 17. Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Blogger Ariel Fernandez won against lawyer Alex Bucelo on Tuesday in the race for one of two open seats on the Coral Gables City Commission in an election that centered on concerns about over-development. In the four-way race for City Commission Group IV, candidates Ivette Arango ODoski and Melissa Castro are headed to a runoff later this month after neither candidate managed to secure over 50% of the vote. Fernandez won the Commission Group V seat with approximately 58% of the vote in the race against Bucelo, preliminary election night results show. Bucelo, an attorney, was endorsed by Mayor Vince Lago, the current city commissioners and several former mayors. He has experience on the citys Planning and Zoning Board, the Mayors Advisory Council and the Code Enforcement Board. Fernandez, the publisher of the Gables Insider blog which chronicles City Hall, was endorsed by the Gables Neighbors United PAC, which is affiliated with the Coral Gables Neighbors Association. I am humbled by the responsibility placed upon me by our residents, Fernandez said in a statement Tuesday night. I look forward to making residents the priority once again. Residents sent a historic message, they want a Commissioner who is unbought and unbossed and beholden only to them. Viewed by some residents as an inside candidate due to his establishment support, Bucelo had insisted that he would remain independent on the commission. Bucelo had criticized over-development in Coral Gables, but said the current City Commission was not at fault. Fernandez had said campaign contributions from developers to city commissioners are the reason that developers have become the priority over residents. READ MORE: Gables Insider blogger faces inside candidate in Coral Gables Commission election Bucelo raised more than five times his opponent, with over $170,000 in campaign contributions. Fernandez, who pledged that he would not accept money from developers, raised more than $31,700, according to campaign finance records. Story continues Fernandez will replace Vice Mayor Mike Mena, who has served on the commission since 2017. READ MORE: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago re-elected to second term without opposition Commission Group IV ODoski and Castro are headed for a runoff, with neither candidate managing to secure more than 50% of the vote Tuesday night, according to preliminary election results. ODoski led with about 47%, followed by Castro with approximately 39%. ODoski, who had Mayor Lagos endorsement, is a lawyer and interior designer. She runs an independent government relations firm and is also a registered lobbyist for the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association and the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. Castro owns a company called M.E.D Expeditors, Inc., which offers permitting services to contractors. She graduated from Florida International University with a bachelors degree in psychology. A runoff election is slated for Tuesday, April 25. The winner will replace former Mayor Jim Cason. The commission appointed him to fill the vacancy in December after Commissioner Jorge Fors resigned to run for the County Commission. Two Group IV candidates did not qualify for the runoff: mortgage broker Sean McGrover and Jackson Rip Holmes, who is self-employed. ODoski outraised her opponents significantly, with $166,500 in campaign contributions, followed by Castro with $13,425, McGrover with $5,500 and Holmes with about $2,370, according to campaign finance records. So far, election officials have tallied over 6,900 ballots. Of the 33,002 registered voters in Coral Gables, 7,222 requested mail ballots for this election, according to the Miami-Dade County Elections Department, and over 1,100 participated in early voting, unofficial results show. EXETER A local Pilates instructor recently embarked on a journey to Kenya, Africa, with a suitcase filled with more than 1,500 pairs of girls underwear. Lindsey Burns, of Club Pilates in Portsmouth, said the underwear was included in kits to combat period poverty in rural communities of Kenya. Period poverty refers to a lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education. Exeter resident and Club Pilates instructor, Lindsey Burns, collected 3,110 panties for the nonprofit Kenya Connect's Reusable Sanitary Pad Kits to help reduce period poverty. In addition to conducting core-burning, intense workouts, Burns is a board member at Kenya Connect, a nonprofit that seeks to engage and empower students and teachers in rural Kenya to succeed in the 21st century. The Exeter resident, along with other Kenya Connect members, made the trip to Wamunyu, Kenya, to distribute the kits to the Wakela Secondary School to help educate young girls about menstrual health and hygiene. Hampton Beach plunge: Heres why WHS and UNH grad is swimming every day for a year Period poverty is real in Kenya The initiative started in 2017, when Kenya Connect leaders surveyed two of their partner schools and found 85% of the Kenyan girls were missing three to five days of school per month due to a lack of sanitary products for their periods, according to Sharon Runge, executive director of Kenya Connect. About 35% of the population of Kenya lives under the international poverty line of $1.90 a day, according to World Bank data from 2019, and sanitary products are hard to come by. We knew we needed to develop a solution, Runge said. Runge said in response they developed Wings Poa Reusable Sanitary Pad Kits, otherwise referred to as cool wings, as poa means cool in Swahili. Each kit is made by local women in Kenya and comes in a drawstring pouch and includes 10 liners, two shields that hold the liners and Velcro onto the underwear as a winged pad normally would, and a pair of underwear, many of which were donated through Burns. When distributing the kits, Kenya Connects staff provides menstrual health and hygiene information and answers questions from the girls. Story continues Its like a win-win program all the way around, Runge said. It gets girls the product, its income generation for women and its keeping pads out of the landfill or just scattered around the landscape. After using the kits for three months, Runge said, only 5% of the girls were missing school when they had their periods. New business: Flamingos Coffee Bar, home of the Taylor Swift Latte flight, coming to Exeter Club Pilates panty drive nets 3,000 pairs This was Burns second volunteer trip with Kenya Connect. She said her first trip, in October 2019, was a remarkable experience that led her to join the Kenya Connect board. I just felt so connected to the experience, Burns said. I felt the work that Kenya Connect is doing is life-changing for students, their families and the community. At Club Pilates in Portsmouth, Burns set up a panty drive with donation bins for members to bring in girls' underwear. Burns had an initial goal to collect 200 to 300 pairs of underwear before their February visit. Initially I was hoping to gather 1,000 pairs, but we quickly surpassed that goal and we wound up collecting over 3,000, said Burns. Throughout the drive, Burns said, she made announcements after all of her classes and shared with members how girls in Kenya were missing school because of a lack of sanitary products. Exeter resident and Club Pilates instructor Lindsey Burns recently traveled to Kenya. Here she is teaching yoga to students at the Wakela Secondary School. The majority of those who attend classes are women, and the discomfort of getting a period without a sanitary product available resonated with them, Burns said. The barriers to education are very difficult in these rural communities, she said. And to think that not having sanitary kits is a real barrier for girls just really struck a chord with so many of these women. While a decent amount of the donated underwear came from Club Pilates members, Burns also received many donations from family and friends to help her get to 3,110. The number was so large Burns and Kenya Connect members only brought half of them for the February volunteer trip. More: Exeter moving forward with Swasey Parkway road closure after vote to keep it open Another trip to Kenya planned in June Burns said her most recent volunteer trip was an experience shell never forget. It was this amazing connection, she said. I mean, there were some language barriers, there were generations, we're from different continents. And yet, for those few moments, we were all women, older and younger, who have a shared experience of sanitary products. Exeter resident and Club Pilates instructor, Lindsey Burns, collected 3,110 panties for the nonprofit Kenya Connect's Reusable Sanitary Pad Kits to help reduce period poverty. Burns said another trip to deliver the other half of the panties collected will take place in June. Students and faculty from the University of New Hampshires nursing and social work programs will be making the trip to Kenya. Kenya Connect is a nonprofit to strengthen education in rural Machakos county by breaking down barriers to education and providing innovative teacher professional development and empowerment and enrichment programs for students, teachers, and parents at 63 partner public primary and secondary schools. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter woman fights 'period poverty' with nonprofit Kenya Connect Medics treat a Ukrainian soldier who arrived from the front lines with minor wounds in his hand at a medical evacuation compound on the outskirts of Chasiv Yar, in eastern Ukraine, April 19, 2023. (Mauricio Lima/The New York Times) BAKHMUT, Ukraine After 10 months of one of the longest and bloodiest battles in Russias war in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers are now defending a shrinking half-circle of ruins in a western neighborhood of Bakhmut, only about 20 blocks wide and continually pounded with artillery. Pushed into this ever-smaller corner of the 16-square-mile city, the Ukrainian army is determined to hunker down and hold out, even as allies have quietly questioned the rationale for fighting block by block, sustaining significant casualties, in a city that is a devastating panorama of damaged buildings and rubble. Even six weeks ago, Ukraines toehold in Bakhmut, site of some of the fiercest urban combat in Europe since World War II, had seemed tenuous and the city close to being encircled, according to recently leaked U.S. intelligence documents. A visit this week to the remaining, battered zone of control, along with interviews with soldiers and commanders, showed that Ukraine had lost ground inside the city, although an access road remained passable, allowing resupply and evacuation of wounded. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times In Ukraines assessment, holding out in these grim conditions is a strategic imperative, to bog down the Russian army while Ukraine rearms and retrains its own military for a coming counteroffensive. Its a really tough battle, said Lt. Col. Pavlo Palisa, commander of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, the Ukrainian unit that holds most of the urban front line in the fighting inside Bakhmut. He spoke to The New York Times during an interview in a bunker this week, as grime-covered soldiers fresh from the front, carrying rifles and grenade launchers, walked in and out. We are helping our other units win time, to get ammunition and weapons and prepare for the counteroffensive, he said. But he said that troops in and around the city had also at times run low on ammunition. The problem, he said, was not bottlenecks along the perilous access road into the city, but general shortages in Ukraines military warehouses. His units were short on various ammo, including artillery shells, tank rounds and rocket-propelled grenades. Story continues For me, as a commander, its painful to see how we pay with our lives for the lack of ammunition, he said. Allies have been slow with deliveries, he said, although the United States and other countries have been scrambling to cut deals with suppliers and militaries the world over. Im sorry, but we need our partners to be more rapid, Palisa said. Bakhmut is all but destroyed now, with a deputy defense minister comparing it this week to the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo. To reach the small pocket that Ukraine still controls, soldiers in armored vehicles hurtled along a single, narrow access road, passing hulks of blown-up and burned trucks that didnt make it. Inside the city, an armored car coasted to a stop and soldiers jumped out and ran into a basement, spending as little time as possible in the eerie, dangerous post-apocalyptic cityscape above ground. Scattered on the streets and courtyards were torn-off branches of trees, chunks of concrete and glass shards from explosions. All of the windows in an apartment block were broken in one, lime-green curtains fluttered in a gentle breeze on the crystalline, sunny spring day. The sheer silence of the city was broken every few seconds by a boom or a rattle of small arms, coming from three directions, the north, east and south, just hundreds of yards away. Ukraine is pursuing a costly strategy to hold out. The military continually deploys small units of soldiers into dire conditions in close-range urban combat, while thousands of others defend the access route from fields and villages to the citys west. Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to The Times described fighting in abandoned buildings, basements and trenches cut through parks, under round-the-clock bombardment. They are often close enough to hear Russians talking in nearby buildings. In a recent episode recounted by Palisa, the Russians used a tank to shoot a hole in a wall of one apartment block held by the Ukrainians. Russian soldiers then climbed through the hole to fight room by room. One part was held by the enemy, one part by our troops, the colonel said of the apartment block. The Ukrainians decided to rig the building with explosives, dash out and detonate their trap with the Russians still inside, Palisa said. Soldiers with the 93rd brigade engage in about 15 firefights at close range every day, he said. Each side claims that the battle for Bakhmut, which has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties over 10 months, has been vital for weakening the other. Russia has poured waves of prison inmates into near-suicidal assaults in and around Bakhmut, backed up by paratroopers and special forces known as Spetsnaz. On the Ukrainian side, the 93rd has defended most of the urban front since January, along with national guard and border guard troops. Such street fighting has advantages for Ukraine. As in any urban warfare, the maze of ruins and hiding places forces the more powerful military, in this case Russias, to fight on an equal footing, unable to leverage its superiority in heavy weaponry or artillery. You can take away the range advantage the attacker wants to have, said John Spencer, the chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point. In this sense, urban warfare, he said, has been called the great equalizer. In urban combat, it is common to deploy an encirclement strategy to starve defending forces of ammunition, as for example the Soviet Union did at Stalingrad, in the largest urban battle in history. But Ukraine has reinforced its supply lines by defending the access route. The route passes the destroyed village of Ivanivske, where the cherry trees were blooming amid the ruins this week. From there on, every few hundred yards, a burned or blown-up vehicle had been shoved onto the shoulder. Its going to get bumpy, the driver of a mud-splattered Canadian-supplied armored car warned, before accelerating past a stretch exposed to Russian fire. Soldiers in the car lurched and bounced like shaken dolls. The passable road means that Russias effort to encircle the Ukrainian troops has failed, for now at least, forcing the Russian military to press ahead in the bloody, street-by-street assaults. Losses pile up daily. The basement bunker, with a wood fire for warmth and a table laid with pickled tomatoes and plastic cups of tea for soldiers, is command central. From a screen, Palisa watched a drone video showing Russians running into a building, apparently planning an assault from there. He radioed his artillery unit, which fires from the hills to the west of Bakhmut, using the call sign Houston, as if supporting an expedition in space. Houston, we have a target, he said. A few moments later, smoke billowed from the building, the drone video showed. Palisa, 38, cut short graduate studies at the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, when Russia invaded Ukraine last year. He returned to fight. One of the courses he missed, he said, focused on urban combat. It is a shame, he said, given his command now. Im doing the best I can, he said. We are still here in Bakhmut. c.2023 The New York Times Company Hornet fighter Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen has said that the fighters will be used by the Finnish defense forces over the next few years, after which their working life of about three decades will be over. Read also: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway pool their air forces together He said this was not the right time for a discussion about the possible transfer of the aircraft to Ukraine. Kaikkonen added that Finlands response had been conveyed to Kyiv last week. In March, Ukraine approached the Finnish Ministry of Defense and proposed to discuss the possible transfer of F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine. Read also: Finnish Prime Minister attends memorial service for volunteer fighter "Da Vinci" The request came after it was reported that former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin discussed the possibility of transferring the fighters with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On March 10, Marin said that her country might consider transferring its old F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine. She stressed that discussions on this issue were still at a very early stage and that broad international cooperation was needed. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, in turn, noted that the issue of transferring fighter jets to Ukraine, which Prime Minister Marin had said was possible, "has not been discussed with anyone." Read also: Ukraine officially asks Finland for Hornet fighter jets After that, Marin issued a statement saying that no one had promised Ukraine the Finnish F/A-18s. However, she said that Ukraine needs heavier weapons to fight Russia, and that is why this issue should be discussed at this stage. 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 Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on Wednesday said she wants to temporarily give up her seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she recovers from continued complications related to her shingles diagnosis earlier this year. Her announcement came just hours after her fellow California Democrat, Rep. Ro Khanna, called for her resignation. Its time for @SenFeinstein to resign, Khanna tweeted. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties, Khanna continued. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people. Half an hour later, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota publicly concurred on Twitter, calling it a dereliction of duty both for Feinstein to remain seated in the Senate, and for other lawmakers who agreed with him to stay silent. Its time for @SenFeinstein to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people. Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 12, 2023 Feinstein, 89, has been absent from the Senate for nearly two months since announcing her hospitalization for shingles, and missed 58 votes in that time. A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is currently made up of 11 Democrats and 10 Republicans, Feinstein has missed so many votes that it has become increasingly difficult for Democrats to confirm President Joe Bidens judicial nominees. The California senator said on March 7 that she hoped to be back in the Senate as soon as possible, but did not immediately set a timeline for her return. On Wednesday night, her office issued a statement explaining that her return to Washington had been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis. Story continues Regarding the impact of her absence on the Judiciary Committee, Feinstein said shed asked Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve in her stead. INBOX: Feinstein Statement on Returning to Washington pic.twitter.com/2TTT14DOd2 Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) April 13, 2023 A spokesperson for Schumers office told The Washington Post that he would ask the Senate for a member to temporarily replace Feinstein next week. I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that its safe for me to travel, she continued, saying that she will continue to work from home in San Francisco. Just weeks before her hospitalization, Feinstein announced that she would not run for re-election in 2024. A number of candidates have already announced their intention to try and fill her seat, including Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), for whom Khanna serves as campaign co-chair, according to The Hill. At 89, Feinstein is the oldest member of the Senate, and has displayed cognitive and memory issues that have provoked increasing concern among her colleagues in recent months. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A fireball that caused loud sonic booms and even lit up the daytime sky on Saturday was the first radar-observed meteorite fall seen in Maine, NASA confirmed. Booming noises were heard near Calais, Maine, shortly after the fireball was seen moving through the sky. This apparent meteorite fall occurred at 11:56 a.m. local time, NASA said. NASAs radar was able to observe the event for nearly five minutes and calculated fallen meteorite masses from 1.59-322 grams, or less than a pound, although larger masses may have fallen. Because of this, the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in Bethel is offering a $25,000 reward for the first meteorite they get weighing one kilogram or more, the Bangor Daily News reported. A map of the "strewn field" shows where the meteorites may have landed based on radar signatures after the first radar-observed meteor fall occurred in Maine on April 8, 2023. NASA's ARES lab confirmed radar signatures that support the meteor sightings across Washington County in Maine and New Brunswick, Canada. So far, no meteors or pieces have been reported found. With winds of up to 100 mph at the time of the event, smaller meteorites may have been carried into Canada, NASA said. The outlet said the most likely area for recovering any meteorites is a mile-wide field extending from just north of Waite, Maine, to the border town of Canoose in New Brunswick, Canada. Shawn Laatsch, the director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center at the University of Maine in Orono, told the Machias Valley News Observer that he speculates the fireball was maybe a larger kind of meteor called a bolide because those are often visible during the daytime. If its visible in the daytime, its usually a large meteor that hits that atmosphere and lights up," Laatsch told the Observer. "The different colors you see depend on what it was made up of." Some described the meteorites fall as a red flare or like a firework, according to the Machias paper. This meteorite fall is recorded in American Meteor Society eyewitness reports as number 2002 for the year 2023, according to NASA. Camille Fine is a trending visual producer on USA TODAY's NOW team. More coverage from USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meteorite falls in Maine, NASA says; reward offered for large piece A woman is pulled safely out of the water after being discovered in a submerged Jeep in a Texas lake on Friday April 7, 2023. | Marion County Sheriff Office A fisherman was out on Lake O the Pines in Marion County, Texas, when he saw what looked to be a black jeep almost fully submerged. About 18 minutes later, police arrived on the scene and realized they would have to wait for the tow service to come. It wasnt until the tow truck arrived minutes later that they learned what they were dealing with. The car was about 40 feet out from the nearest boat ramp. The fisherman who called authorities offered to use his boat to help police get a closer view of the wreckage. It was at that time they saw the woman, Capt. Chuck Rogers, an investigator at the Marion County Sheriffs Office, told NPR. Rogers added that they did not have details on how long the Jeep was actually in the water, but that the woman said it had been a few hours. The wreckage job had now turned into a rescue job. Related According to Fox News, The wrecker service, fisherman and deputies worked together to free the woman from the Jeep, and EMS treated her while they rushed her to a hospital. After the rescue, police soon realized that the unidentified woman had been reported missing 30 miles south of the lake by the Longview Police Department. There was nothing uncovered during the investigation to suggest this case was anything more than an accident, Rogers said. Cat Bigney, a survival expert who teaches at Boulder Outdoor Survival School, told Insider that a person in this situation rarely survives. She said, A vehicle submerged in water is an urgent survival situation because brain death typically begins within four minutes of oxygen deprivation. She added, This is a physiological uncommon situation that is still being studied, and that the best thing one can do is remain calm. A woman was pulled from a submerged Jeep at Lake O' the Pines in Texas. Marion County Sheriffs Office A Texas woman was found alive inside a submerged Jeep after a local fisherman reported the vehicle. She told police she was in the Jeep for hours before being rescued and treated for hypothermia. A survival expert said it's rare to survive for an extended period of time in a submerged car. A fisherman in Texas called the police after discovering what appeared to be a Jeep almost completely submerged in a lake. When authorities arrived they found a woman inside who was still alive. The call to the Marion County Sheriff's Office came in on Friday morning, according to a press release. A fisherman at Lake O' the Pines said he saw a black Jeep underwater about 40 feet from a boat ramp. Deputies arrived on the scene about 18 minutes later and determined it was too dangerous to wade out into the water, Capt. Chuck Rogers told Insider. They waited for the wrecker service that had already been requested to arrive. The fisherman then took the wrecker employee out in his boat to the Jeep, which was affixed with a hook and cable to pull it out of the water. "It was at that time they saw the woman," Rogers said. "The fisherman and wrecker employee were able to help the woman from the jeep. They placed her into the boat and she was brought to shore." The woman was placed in a vehicle to help her warm up, Rogers said, adding it was colder than normal that morning and had been raining. He said it was unclear exactly how long the Jeep was in the water, but that the woman said it was at least a few hours. Emergency services arrived and treated the woman for hypothermia. She was then transferred to a local hospital. In the course of their investigation, the Marion County Sheriff's Office discovered the woman had been listed as a missing person by the Longview Police Department in Texas, located about 25 miles south of where the Jeep was found. Longview Police told Insider they were unable to release any information about the case, the identity of the woman, or when she had been reported missing. Story continues The specifics of the woman's survival how much water had flooded into the vehicle or how much air was still available are unclear. Cat Bigney, a survival expert who has taught at the Boulder Outdoor Survival School for decades, told Insider it's not unheard of for a person in a submerged vehicle to survive hours underwater, though it is rare. She said a vehicle submerged in water is "an urgent survival situation" because brain death typically begins within four minutes of oxygen deprivation. A black Jeep spotted from the shore of Lake O' the Pines in Texas. Marion County Sheriffs Office However, she said there have been cases where people have survived for hours or been revived, particularly when the water is cold. "This is a physiological uncommon situation that is still being studied," Bigney said, citing potential explanations like metabolic shutdown. In 2013, a man survived three days underwater in a submerged tug boat off of Nigeria. The man had located an air pocket and was able to survive until divers recovering bodies found him. In 2015, an 18-month-old girl spent 14 hours in a submerged car and survived after an accident sent her mother's vehicle into a river. Bigney said if you find yourself in a situation like this, the most important thing is to stay calm. "Act quickly but don't panic. You may only have a minute to get out, but you must stay focused," she said. If you are able to, open the door. Often that is not an option due to the pressure of the water, in which case you should open the window. If you are struggling to roll the window down, you may need to be creative to find something in the car that you can use to break it. "Worst case, the car door can often be opened when the car is fully submerged and pressure equilibrium is reached after the car fills with water," she said. Be careful of broken glass when exiting the vehicle, and do not worry about grabbing any belongings. In the event you can't get out of the car, Bigney said you can use a bag of some sort, like a trash bag, to capture remaining air before the vehicle fills. "This will only help for a while," she said, "but could make a difference." Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com. Read the original article on Insider A flight attendant has shared some of her go-to travelling tips, which includes leaving a shoe in a hotel room safe when she arrives. Esther Sturrus, who works for Dutch airline KLM, frequently posts videos on TikTok about her life as a flight attendant, along with advice for fellow travellers. In a video posted to her account in December, Sturrus offered some travel hacks when staying at a hotel. In her video montage, she specified one tip for people who like to make sure they have everything when checking out of their hotel rooms Worried about forgetting something in your locker? she wrote in the text over the clip. Put your heel/ shoe in it and you wont forget it! Sturrus continued to show herself placing a blue heel in the hotels safe, before closing the locked box. In the comments of the video, which has more than 1.2m views, many TikTok uses praised Sturrus shoe idea. Hotel shoe hack, great idea, one wrote, while another added: The shoe reminder is perfect. Other viewers poked fun at what could happen if travellers forgot their shoes in the safe, one of which wrote: If I get single shoes from safes in 3000 rooms in the lost and found, Im gonna be upset because of this lol. Along with the shoe hack, some of the other tips Sturrus shared were: Using the clips on the bottom of the hotel hangers to fully close the curtains and plugging a USB cable into a TV to charge a phone. She also pointed out two ways for travellers to use the shower caps in the hotel room. One way is to cover shoes when putting them in a suitcase and another was to cover remote controls that are dirty. Story continues Sturrus went on to note that while many people use their key to power the electricity in their room, they dont always have to. You can use all other cards for this, she wrote. Viewers praised some of these tips, one of which commented: The hanger! thank you, I hate the light in the room at 6am and as a man I dont have the girls accessories. Wow! These are really cool ideas. Thanks for sharing! another added. The Independent has contacted Struss for comment. Sturrus isnt the first flight attendant to share her tips when travelling. During an interview with Express in March 2022, flight attendant Miguel Munoz shared some of his life-changing packing tips. Its always better to have less than more in any kind of trip, he said. For example, if you realise you will be needing one extra T-shirt on the last day of the trip, you can always wash one in the hotel. He also detailed how travellers can make more room in their suitcases, explaining: I think clothes pouches are definitely the best way to pack your clothes. It may seem silly but you can fit more clothes in your suitcase than without these. Its better than vacuum packing. This year's Beijing Book Fair will kick off on Friday with more than 200 bookstores and publishing houses hosting events at Chaoyang Park and 67 other venues throughout 16 districts of the capital and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. Apart from themed works on the achievements of the Communist Party of China in the new era and cultural legacies of the capital, as well as award-winning literature works, ancient texts and secondhand books will also be featured, and there'll be favorable discounts and promotional offers, according to Guo Xiaoming, chairman of Beijing Publications Distribution Group, co-organizer of the book fair. The fair will also be holding book launches and signing events and host lectures given by veteran authors, and it will award widely recognized bookstores and industry insiders in the capital. Book events will also be held through online platforms like JD, Dangdang.com and Migu. The number of this year's exhibitors has increased by 50 percent compared to that of last year, with the number of brick-and-mortar bookstores having doubled. More than 400,000 publications and cultural products will be introduced to the main exhibition area in Chaoyang Park, according to Zhai Degang, deputy head of the publicity department of the municipal's Party committee. According to Zhai, each district of Beijing will be highlighting their own cultural characteristics. For example, Yanqing will be centering on cultural legacies of the Great Wall and the Winter Olympic spirit, while Tongzhou will be inviting experts to interpret the culture and history of the Grand Canal. Founded in 1980, the book fair has become one of the most influential and accessible cultural events in the capital and is expected to boost the cultural consumption of Beijing, Zhai says. The book fair will run through April 24. A day after the Florida Senate passed its version of the bill, a House panel Wednesday approved a measure aimed at preventing children from seeing drag shows. The measure (HB 1423) would prevent children from being admitted to an adult live performance and could lead to venues facing penalties for violations. While the proposal doesnt specifically single out drag shows, it comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis administration took steps such as filing a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a Drag Queen Christmas event in December, alleging minors were allowed to see the show. The complaint seeks to have the hotels liquor license revoked. Also, other Republican-led states have targeted children going to drag shows. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] I find the debate on this bill to be stunning, House sponsor Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, said before the House State Administration & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee voted 10-5 to approve the bill Wednesday. This bill is about children. But opponents have argued that parents should be able to make decisions about whether children attend events and say the proposal is part of a broader conservative attempt to take aim at LGBTQ people. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Rep. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee, described the bill Wednesday as red meat to the right base. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 28-12 along party lines Tuesday to pass its bill. 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. A Florida middle school teacher was arrested for allegedly allowing her students to fight in her classroom, authorities said. Angel Footman, a 23-year-old 6th-grade teacher at Tallahassee's Griffin Middle School, is facing charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. On March 23, a Leon County Sheriff's deputy received a report that Footman was allowing children to fight during school hours, the Leon County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. School administrators were made aware of multiple incidents after parents found and reported videos of the fights, the release said. According to a probable cause affidavit, the videos showed three different fights that took place while Footman was present. A detective that reviewed videos taken of the fights said Footman is seen sitting on her desk during the fights making no effort to intervene and could be heard telling students: "no screaming, no nothing" and to "stop pulling hair" as they fought one another, only breaking up the fight after it went on for a "brief period," the affidavit said. Several female students who were identified by detectives as partaking in the fights told investigators that the fights were not random, but rather pre-planned, the affidavit said. The students said that Footman asked them if they wanted to have "friendly fades" before their fights and gave the students instructions, including: "30 seconds, no screaming, no yelling, no phones." Footman even asked the students if they wanted to come back during her 6th period to "run it back" for a second round of fighting, the affidavit said. Investigators determined that the students were actually called out of their classes to participate in the fights since they were not supposed to be in Footman's classroom, according to the affidavit. Detectives said there is no record of Footman reporting the fights in her classroom to school administrators and when questioned she said "fights happened too fast for her to do anything," the affidavit said. Story continues Footman turned herself in on April 7 and was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to the sheriff's office. She was released from jail and ordered to abstain from alcohol and avoid contact with any of the alleged victims, according to court documents. She is scheduled to appear in court on May 4. Inflation eases in March, with Consumer Price Index rising 0.1% Amanda Kloots from "The Talk" on her new children's book "Ghosts" stars Rebecca Wisocky and Brandon Scott Jones on self-discovery and friendship Angel Footman, 23, would lay ground rules before the fights, telling female students not to pull each others' hair or scream. John Coletti/Getty Images A teacher in Florida was arrested after hosting at least three fights for sixth graders in her class. Angel Footman, 23, faces charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, police said. She would lay ground rules for the fights before the students clashed, according to an affidavit. Police arrested a middle school teacher in Florida after she let sixth graders carry out pre-planned fights in her classroom during school hours, according to the local sheriff's office. Angel Footman, 23, failed to intervene in any of the brawls and even laid out fighting ground rules for the students ahead of their clashes, according to a probable cause affidavit filed with the Leon County Sheriff's Office. At one point before a fight, Footman told the students: "30 seconds, no screaming, no yelling, no phones," per the affidavit, seen by Insider. The document cites the statements of four female sixth-graders from the Griffin Middle School, who took part in the fights and later spoke with a detective. The sixth-graders had their names redacted in the document. Videos of at least three fights filmed in late March by students in the classroom were also reviewed, per the affidavit. In the videos, Footman watched the students fight and would make comments like "no screaming, no nothing" and "stop pulling hair," the affidavit said. She only told the kids to "break it up" after they fought for a short while, the document added. Footman also asked two of the girls if they wanted to "run it back" and fight for one more round during one of her planning periods, according to the affidavit. Two of the girls weren't on Footman's class roster and were pulled out of other classes to participate in the fights, the affidavit read. When speaking to the detective, the girls said the fights were pre-planned and did not occur randomly, the document added. Footman confirmed with investigators on March 28 that the fights happened in her classroom but denied organizing them or calling girls out of their classrooms to join the brawl. Story continues She said that the fights happened too quickly for her to intervene and admitted that she had poor classroom management skills, per the affidavit. When asked why she didn't phone for help, Footman said her desk phone wasn't working, but later corrected herself and said it was, according to the affidavit. Footman surrendered to the Leon County Sheriff's Office on Friday. She now faces multiple charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to a press release from the Leon County Sheriff's Office. A representative for the Leon County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Insider 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. Shipwreck Cafe 244 Madrona Beach Road NW, Olympia April 4: 5 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: A menu item lacked the proper consumer advisory for under-cooked eggs. Buzzs Bar & Grill 5018 Mud Bay Road NW, Olympia April 4: 30 red points; 10 blue points. Comments: Raw meats were stored above ready-to-eat foods in a reach-in refrigerator. Cooked baked potatoes were cooled while wrapped in tin foil. Foods must be cooled uncovered in less than 2-inch depths until they reach a 41 degrees or below. Cardboard was used to line the floor of the walk-in cold hold unit. Multiple food items were stored in non-food grade containers. Non-food grade hoses were attached to the incorrect sinks. Story continues Blue Heron Bakery 4419 Harrison Ave. NW, Suite 108, Olympia April 4: 45 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: Pizza was observed at 109-115 degrees in a hot hold cabinet. One soup pot hot hold was observed at 120-135 degrees. Hot hold foods must be maintained above 135 degrees. Nonfat dairy milk was observed at 50 degrees in cold hold under the espresso bar. Sliced cheese was observed at 43-44 degrees in a prep unit. Shredded cheese was observed at 44-45 degrees in the reach-in refrigerator. Cold hold foods must be at or below 41 degrees. An in-use sanitizer solution was too strong and need to be diluted. Characters Corner 6620 Sexton Drive NW, Olympia April 5: 30 red points, 5 blue points. Comments: Cooked beef was observed at 109-115 degrees while held in a container at room temperature. Shredded cheese was observed at 43-44 degrees rather than at or below 41 degrees. Walk-in cold hold walls were unsealed. Wood and wooden shelving were used for food storage. Uracco Coffee Shop 6541 Sexton Drive NW, Olympia April 5: 10 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: An in-use chlorine bleach sanitizer solution was too strong and needed to be diluted. Steamboat Coffee Shop 3403 Steamboat Island Road NW, Olympia April 5: 15 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: One employee was unable to present their food worker card during inspection. An in-use chlorine bleach sanitizer solution was too strong and needed to be diluted. Wendys 2427 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia April 6: 15 red points; 5 blue points. Comments: They were cited for a violation having to do with keeping current food worker cards. No notes on this deficiency were provided. Cheese placed in prep unit were put in an insert inside of another insert. The inspector noted this should be avoided because plastic is insulating. An in-use sanitizer solution was too weak. Brewery City Pizza 2705 Limited Lane NW, Olympia April 6: 20 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: Canadian bacon and pepperoni on the right side of a prep unit were observed at 48 degrees rather than at or below 41 degrees. An in-use chlorine bleach sanitizer solution was too strong and needed to be diluted. Emperors Palace 400 Cooper Point Road SW, Olympia April 6: 35 red points; 5 blue points. Comments: Various food items were covered while cooling. Some items were found already cooled at depths greater than 2-inches. Cooling should occur in uncovered pans less than 2-inches deep. Cheese and sour cream were at 46 and 48 degrees at the refrigerator in the bar. Such foods in cold hold should be at or below 41 degrees. Merchandiser refrigerators in the bar area and kitchen were being used to hold open food containers. Haggen 1313 Cooper Point Road SW, Olympia Deli April 10: 25 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: One piece of fried chicken was heated to a center temperature of 158-165 degrees rather than at or above 165 degrees. Cheese Cutting Kiosk April 10: 5 red points; 0 blue points. Comments: Soft cheese in a cold hold unit was at 45 degrees rather than at or below 41 degrees. Hissho Sushi at Haggen 1313 Cooper Point Road SW, Olympia April 10: 25 red points; 3 blue points. Comments: Nigiri sushi was at 55-58 degrees in a display cold hold. A food worker did not verify the sushi temperature before moving it to the display cold hold. In-use utensils were stored in room-temperature water at 56-60 degrees. Such items must be stored at or below 41 degrees, at or above 135 degrees or dry for four hours. No violations: Oil and gas companies drilling in New Mexico have been using toxic forever chemicals in their extraction processes for the past decade, a new report has found. Between 2013 and 2022, drilling operations have injected at least 261 New Mexico wells with 9,000 pounds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for use in fracking, according to the report, released on Wednesday by Physicians for Social Responsibility. During the same period, oil and gas companies injected more than 8,200 wells with a total of 243 million pounds of fracking chemicals likely including PFAS kept undisclosed due to trade secret shields, per the report. These forever chemicals are far too dangerous to be set loose in the environment like this, report coauthor Barbara Gottlieb said in a statement. Once this toxic genie is out of the bottle, there is no putting it back. Known for their propensity to linger in both the body and in the environment, forever chemicals are a group of thousands of compounds many of which have been linked to cancer and other illnesses. While known for their presence in jet fuel firefighting foam, nonstick pans, waterproof apparel and cosmetics, PFAS are also common components in oil and drilling operations. Key to the fracking process is the injection of a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into wells at high pressure to unlock trapped oil and gas, according to a 2021 report from the same group, which unearthed the link between PFAS and fracking in the U.S. Just two months ago, Physicians for Social Responsibility took a similar look at fracking operations in Texas, where they identified the use of more than 43,000 pounds of PFAS over the past decade. Fracking chemicals which sometimes include PFAS, due to their grease-repellant properties serve to kill bacteria, reduce friction and thicken the fluid so that it can travel farther underground, the 2021 report stated. Although the use of PFAS in fracking is still widespread, Colorado became the first state to ban the use of these compounds in oil and gas extraction last year. Story continues In New Mexico, however, the authors of Wednesdays report identified a variety of local barriers that prevent such a step from occurring there. State law, they explained, allows oil and gas companies to use trade secret designations to withhold the names of certain fracking chemicals from both regulators and the public. These firms are also not required to disclose any chemicals they inject into wells in the drilling that precedes fracking or during other downhole operations, according to the report. Over the past decade, the report determined that about 9,000 pounds of PFAS were injected into at least 261 oil and gas wells in New Mexico. Among these sites are 227 wells that contained a total of 2,605 pounds of PTFE, the nonstick compound known as Teflon, the authors found. Another 34 wells had 6,400 pounds of a type of PFAS called fluoroalkyl alcohol substituted polyethylene glycol. At the same time, a total of 243 million pounds of undisclosed fracking chemicals went into 8,293 wells across the state, according to the report. Of these wells, 3,681 took in a total of 19.3 million pounds of trade secret surfactants 24 of which imbibed 966 pounds of fluorosurfactants, a group of chemicals that includes PFAS. Advocates from Physicians for Social Responsibility said they delivered the report to New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) on Wednesday, asking that the state revoke the industrys exemption from hazardous waste laws. They also demanded an update to chemical disclosure rules. The staggering number of chemical trade secret claims raises the potential that PFAS use is even more widespread than reported, lead author Dusty Horwitt said in a statement. The report recommends not only following in the footsteps of Colorado and banning the use of PFAS in oil and gas wells, but also expanding public disclosure requirements. The authors also called for increased testing and tracking of locations where PFAS has been used in oil and gas operations and where related waste has been deposited. New Mexico officials should act immediately to protect the public by prohibiting the use of PFAS in oil and gas extraction and requiring full disclosure of all chemicals used in oil and gas wells, Horwitt added. The Hill has reached out both to Grishams office and to the New Mexico Environment Department for comments on the report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The former president of the Alton chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees labor union admitted involvement in the transportation of stolen money after he was caught embezzling more than $200,000 from the organization. Byron Clemons, Sr., 35, of Alton, pleaded guilty to one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Money in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois on Tuesday. Labor unions exist to promote the interests of the working men and women who make up their ranks. But instead of promoting the interests of his members, Clemons used his position to enrich himself and get cash to gamble at casinos, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Cutchin. I commend the efforts of our partners at the U.S. Department of Labor for their diligent work in investigating this case and ensuring that Clemons is brought to justice. Clemons, who was employed by the Illinois Department of Human Services, served as president of AFSCMEs Local 124 in Alton from June 2017 through January 2022. Between February 2021 and January 2022, he withdrew a total of $202,100 from the unions U.S. Bank account, according to court documents. He used the funds to gamble at casinos and pay personal expenses, the records say. On one occasion, he took $2,029.28 in stolen cash to prevent his vehicle from being repossessed. On another, he withdrew $10,000 from the union account and used it in an attempt to win back $15,000 in stolen funds he lost gambling. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2023, at the U.S. District Courthouse in Benton. Agents with the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General and the Office of Labor-Management Standards contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case. The Sunset Drive-In big screen was dropped Tuesday to make way for a new barn for Buckeye Barn Salvage at Ohio 309 and 314. SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP The landmark former Sunset Drive-In Theatre, just outside Ontario, marked its final chapter Tuesday morning. The big steel screen was dropped to make way for a retention pond and new barn for the Shelby-area barn salvage business that opened in the location in 2019. "When we build the retention pond, we'll take the clay out of the ground and use it for our building pad. So this has to go," said Joe Lykins, the owner of Buckeye Barn Salvage, who bought the 13-acre property at 4018 Ohio 309 in 2019. He has been in the barn business for over 12 years. A Shelby native, he said his business buys old barns, disassembles them and sets them back up as new homes or venues. If the frame isn't good enough to reset, he said the company reclaims and recycles as much as possible. "People are going to hate me," he said after the screen was dropped. A worker cuts a support bean before the big screen at the former Sunset Drive-In was dropped Tuesday to make way for a new barn at Buckeye Barn Salvage at Ohio 309 and 314. History of Sunset Drive-In The drive-in has been closed for several years. Opened as the Mansfield-Galion Drive-In on June 19, 1947, the drive-in had a parking capacity for 500 cars featuring beside-the-car speakers. The theater was renamed Sunset Drive-In on April 17, 1953. But operating a drive-in movie theatre isn't financially possible for most people anymore, Lykins said. "There's just no money in it." Lykins said Mansfield Structural built the big screen. This was the site's third big screen, he said, noting he tried to give the big screen away for free, but got no takers except for one person who said he'd take it if Lykins would take it apart and deliver it. That's not happening. A Dumpster is coming Wednesday. Lykins said he used to come to the Sunset Drive-In when he was in high school. The projection room/concession stand building still stands. The big screen at the former Sunset Drive-In is no more. Buckeye Barn Salvage dropped the screen Tuesday at the business outside Ontario. Barn business booming Lytkins said his company has taken down hundreds of barns, the majority in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. "The nicest barns are in Ohio because of the white oak used to build them," he said. Story continues Lykins came to work in the barn salvage business by chance when building a house in Hilton Head, South Carolina. A general contractor he worked for had a factory where they made flooring out of reclaimed barn wood. A self-described "barn geek," he said he especially likes taking down cantilevered bank barns. He already has started dismantling a timber-framed barn and is going to have to wait for codes and permits to approve his plans for the addition to his home in rural Richland County. "I'm bringing an old 1820s timber-frame from Overton Valley, just west of Wooster," he said. Lykins said he loves all the history involved with the barns. "It's all the history involved in it. I try to preserve as much as I can," he said. That's what this whole yard is about. Some of these timbers were grown in the 13 and 1400s." lwhitmir@gannett.com 419-521-7223 Twitter: @LWhitmir This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ontario drive-in big screen falls to make way for pond and barn Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon announced assault charges Wednesday against two former Whittier police officers who are accused of shooting a fleeing unarmed suspect in 2020 and severing his spine. (Associated Press) Two former Whittier detectives were charged with assault Wednesday on allegations that they shot a fleeing unarmed suspect in the back, severing his spine following a brief pursuit in 2020. Cynthia Lopez, 34, and Salvador Murillo, 41, each face multiple assault charges for the incident that left Nicholas Carrillo paralyzed from the waist down, according to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon. Lopez and Murillo were driving in an unmarked vehicle when they spotted a Mitsubishi sedan that was allegedly linked to a robbery at a Whittier Walmart, Gascon said. The detectives followed the vehicle into an alley, left their car and drew their weapons. Then the driver of the sedan allegedly backed up and collided with the unmarked police car, according to Gascon, who described the collision as a "tap of bumpers." Carrillo, who was driving the vehicle, jumped out and started running away from Lopez and Murillo. The detectives opened fire, striking Carrillo twice in the back, Gascon said. "One shot completely severed his spinal cord, immediately paralyzing him from the waist down," Gascon said. "Although he was lucky to survive, his life was forever changed." Carrillo was unarmed when the detectives fired, and no weapons were found in the vehicle, according to Gascon, who said parts of the shooting were captured on surveillance video. The detectives were not using body-worn cameras because they were in plainclothes and their unmarked vehicle did not have a dashboard camera, said Diana Teran, director of the bureau of prosecution support operations who also oversees prosecutions of police misconduct. Carrillo was not suspected in the robbery the detectives were investigating, according to Gascon, but police were looking for a female passenger in the sedan. The initial robbery did not involve a weapon and no one was injured, according to Teran. The woman eventually pleaded guilty to a crime, Teran said, but did not offer specifics. Story continues Teran said the woman took a television from a Walmart in Whittier and briefly tussled with someone in the parking lot while fleeing with the stolen merchandise. The robbery and shooting happened several weeks apart, Teran said. Calls to attorneys representing Lopez and Murillo were not immediately returned. Gascon said they could be arraigned early next week. Lopez was charged with two counts of assault under the color of authority, one count of assault with a firearm and one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle. Murillo was charged with two counts of assault with a firearm and two counts of assault under color of authority. If convicted, Lopez faces six years in state prison. Murillo would face nine years. The officers are no longer employed by the Whittier Police Department, though Police Chief Aviv Bar would not say whether they resigned or were fired. "The Whittier Police Department also conducted a separate administrative investigation of the shooting to determine if the involved officers, who were placed on leave following the incident and neither of whom currently works for the Department, complied with Department policies," the chief said in a statement. "The Whittier Police Department, which is committed to responsible and accountable policing, will provide assistance to the District Attorneys Office as needed." The charges are a part of a recent surge in attempts to prosecute police officers in shootings and in-custody deaths under Gascon. Late last month, Gascon charged seven California Highway Patrol officers with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Edward Bronstein following a 2020 traffic stop. Lawrence Middleton, a special prosecutor hired by Gascon to review police shooting cases that prior administrations declined to prosecute, has also begun presenting evidence to a grand jury in an attempt to indict two Torrance police officers in the 2018 killing of Christopher DeAndre Mitchell. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Update: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will be closed through Thursday and reopen at 5 a.m. Friday, the airport announced. This will allow airport staff to work to restore partial operations on one runway, providing current conditions do not worsen, according to a statement. Travelers are encouraged to check with the airlines before arriving at the airport. Original report: Hundreds of flights have been canceled at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after torrential rain and street flooding brought parts of South Florida to a halt Wednesday afternoon. The relentless rain and windy conditions prompted the airport, second largest in the region, to suspend arriving and departing flights, the airport alerted via Twitter around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. At night, the main roadways entering and exiting the airport were still flooded and congested with traffic while flights remained on pause. Bumper-to-bumper traffic remained at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport during the evening of April 12, 2023, after heavy rains caused the airport to close and surrounding streets to flood. On Thursday morning, the upper-level Departures roadway reopened to allow airport travelers waiting for family/friends to pick them up to do so, the airport announced. The entrance to the lower-level Arrivals area remained closed, along with the rest of the airport. READ MORE: Broward schools closed Thursday after downpour causes severe flooding in South Florida A flash flood warning is in effect for the Fort Lauderdale area until 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Miami. And a site just east of the airport received more than 20 inches of rain in six hours Wednesday evening. A truck drives through flooding caused by heavy rains at West Perimeter Road in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Please do not attempt to enter or leave the airport at this time, the airport warned. Story continues This is a rain trace from an @WeatherSTEM site just east of the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Over the last 6 hours they have received more than 20" of rain. It's currently still raining as hard if not harder than earlier today... pic.twitter.com/g7ZDds1aSU NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) April 13, 2023 Vanessa Grissinger, 40, who lives in Key West, told the Miami Herald she was dropping off her parents at the airport around 5:15 p.m. when they received a text message saying their flight had been postponed until Thursday. It wasnt until around 9 p.m. that they were able to leave the airport after being stuck in traffic for four hours. Her parents are staying with a family member near the airport until tomorrow. A truck drives on the flooded tarmac around Terminal 3 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday, April 13, 2023. It is just a sea of red lights, she said. Flash Flood Emergency continues for Fort Lauderdale FL, Sunrise FL and Lauderhill FL until 2:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/2ibEo2PHO4 NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) April 13, 2023 Joshua Smith, 51, of California, told the Miami Herald he arrived with his wife at the airport around 1 p.m. after visiting family in Miami. Nine hours later, at 10 p.m., they were waiting for the flooding to subside so a family member could pick them up after their flight was canceled. Everything is flooded out there, he said. Travelers wait in Terminal 2 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for flights to be resumed on Thursday, April 13, 2023, after relentless rain and windy conditions prompted the airport to suspend arriving and departing flights on Wednesday. Airport operations will restart once the weather improves in the Fort Lauderdale area. READ MORE: South Florida has seen three days of intense rain and flooding. When will it finally end? Once the weather conditions improve our airport operations staff will conduct a safety assessment of all impacted areas to determine when its safe to resume normal operations, Arlene Satchell, a spokeswoman for the Broward County Aviation Department, told the Herald. READ MORE: Live weather updates: Airport halts flights; flood warnings for Miami-Dade and Broward At around 4:15 p.m., the airport announced it was suspending all flights due to extreme weather. Minutes later, it said that ground transportation shuttle service was shut down in response to recurring tornado warnings and ongoing heavy rainfall. Shortly after, it noted that the roads leading to and from the airport were swamped and impassable. This is from my friend @boograyson. Has been stuck in her car for an hour at Fort Lauderdale airport due to intense flooding. pic.twitter.com/bCOOGqzfLP Thomas Kennedy (@tomaskenn) April 12, 2023 Miami International Airport hadnt announced mass flight suspensions as of Wednesday night. READ MORE: Weather alert: Flash flood warnings issued for parts of Miami-Dade and Broward By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday that France and Europe want to pursue an independent policy path from the United States and China, but intend to be "strong and reliable allies of the United States of America." Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings that there was strong coordination between Paris and Washington on their positions on China ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's recent visit to the country. Le Maire's comments come amid backlash in the United States and Europe over Macron's Politico interview published on Sunday, in which he called on the European Union to reduce dependence on the United States and cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." Asked about Macron's comments, Le Maire said the controversy was "much ado about nothing" because the French president has been advocating such an approach for years. "We want Europe to be sovereign. I mean that on the geopolitical issues, on the industrial issues, on the technological issues, we want Europe to be more independent," Le Maire said. "This has been at the core of the French policy for more than six years." He said Macron spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden before visiting China and said the U.S., France and Europe have a "coordinated approach" to relations with China. "We want to engage China because we strongly believe that the best way of getting some concrete results from the relationship of China is to engage China," Le Maire said, adding that this was needed on ending Russia's war in Ukraine, reducing carbon emissions, and providing debt relief to poor countries. Le Maire said Macron had asked China to hold more dialogue on Taiwan-related issues. "We demand China to de-escalate" its military actions around Taiwan, he said. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Bill Berkrot) A multi-sensory traveling exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the internationally renowned Dutch artist Van Gogh called Van Gogh Alive is coming to East China's Shanghai. Organizers say it will present visitors with a digital art experience that combines immersive graphics and music, in an extravaganza running from April 29 to Sept 10, local media reported. The exhibition, known as the most visited immersive experience in the world, has enchanted over 10 million people from 89 cities in 30 countries including New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Tokyo and Beijing. Shanghai is the 90th city to host an exhibition that has achieved a global influence and it will be shown in the World Expo Museum. Vincent Van Gogh lived from 1853 to 1890. The audio-visual show will feature projections of nearly 3,000 of Van Gogh's works, manuscripts and letters. It explores the work and life experiences of this prolific artist and interprets his thoughts, feelings and state of mind during his time in Paris and in the earlier years in Arles and Saint Remy, where he created many of his timeless masterpieces. Early-bird tickets to the Shanghai event, totaling 20,000, are currently on sale. Frank Lampard has rubbished claims Chelsea owner Todd Boehly appointed him as interim manager after a recommendation from James Corden. Lampard was reappointed Blues boss to the surprise of many last week and reports suggested Corden, who is friendly with Boehly, persuaded the American billionaire owner to bring back the clubs record goalscorer to the dugout. Corden, a West Ham fan, has hosted American talk show The Late Late Show since 2015 and was seen at Stamford Bridge with Boehly last October. Frank Lampard has rubbished claims Chelsea owner Todd Boehly appointed him as interim manager after a recommendation from James Corden (Getty) Lampard took charge of his first match in his second stint in charge on Saturday, a 1-0 defeat to Wolves, and now turns his attention to tonights Champions League quarter-final first leg at holders Real Madrid. Lampard, who also knows Corden well as a result of appearing on Skys A League of Their Own which also features his cousin Jamie Redknapp as a captain, hit back at the rumours in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. They [Chelsea owners] probably make decisions based on more than a conversation with one person, Lampard stated. So thats as much as Ill give that question. Chelsea sacked Graham Potter after the Blues dropped into the bottom half of the Premier League table following a 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa. Boehly is friends with TV talk show host Corden (Getty Images) Lampard, who was previously in charge at Chelsea for 18 months from July 2019-January 2021, won the Champions League with the club as a player in 2012 and insists it is a huge honour to lead the Blues at the Bernabeu this evening. "As a player, it was always the special competition, Lampard said. So to be here as a manager - particularly when a week ago today I didnt know Id be here - is a huge honour, and a big part of my thought process of taking on the challenge here. "Its an amazing challenge for me personally as well as obviously for us as a team and a club. Im really looking forward to the occasion myself." He added that NGolo Kante, Mason Mount and Thiago Silva were all available for tonights game against the 14-time European champions. By Viktoriia Lakezina and Vitalii Hnidyi KOBZARTSI, Ukraine (Reuters) - Hundreds of cemeteries near front lines will be closed to Ukrainians wanting to pay their respects at graves of their relatives for Orthodox Easter this weekend, as officials fear the danger of land mines and unexploded ordnance. But in the formerly Russian-occupied village of Kobzartsi in the southwest Mykolaiv region, residents say they are hugely grateful that demining officers have been able to clear one of the two local cemeteries of hazards to allow them to visit. "Thank God that (deminers) came through here. We will visit (the cemetery) as usual, and we will celebrate Easter. Thank God we are alive, this is most important," said Olena Yarova, a 46-year-old villager. Many Ukrainians visit the graves of their loved ones around Easter to pay their respects and tidy up the graves. Only 42 people remain in Kobzartsi out of 1,200 who lived there before Russia invaded in February 2022. Fighting has littered Ukraine with an appalling amount of dangerous war detritus. The head of the demining unit in Kobzartsi said they had found munitions and debris on the ground. "If it goes off nearby, there is a 100% possibility of shrapnel wounds. In 90% of such cases a person dies after being hit with such munitions," said Vladyslav Hrytsai, the officer. The second cemetery was not demined and 74-year-old Lidiia Osypenko said: "We will go only after the deminers. We will not go without them. It is dangerous to go just like this." The village was liberated after months of occupation in November when Ukrainian forces recaptured a swathe of the Kherson region, which was taken shortly after the start of Russia's invasion. The governor of Kherson region, tracts of which remain occupied, has declared a ban on cemetery visits for Easter this year. In the northeastern Kharkiv region, back in Ukrainian hands after a partial Russian occupation, 753 cemeteries have been closed. (Reporting by Viktoriia Lakezina in Kobzartsi and Vitalii Hnidyi in Kharkiv; Writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Mark Heinrich) Shanquella Robinson, 25, died in October under suspicious circumstances a day after she arrived in Cabo, Mexico for vacation with six others. The FBI opened an investigation into her death in November. The following public statement was released around noon on April 12, 2023, titled FEDERAL OFFICIALS MEET WITH THE FAMILY OF SHANQUELLA ROBINSON. It was sent by United States Attorneys Sandra J. Hairston and Dena J. King for the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina, respectively. Federal officials with the U.S. Attorneys Offices in the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and the FBI met with the family of Ms. Shanquella Robinson and family representatives today to offer their condolences and present the findings of the federal investigation into the death of Ms. Robinson. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI. The FBI has worked diligently to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of the evidence available in this case. In coordination with Ms. Robinsons family, an autopsy was conducted in the United States by the Medical Examiners Office in Mecklenburg County. As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. As in any case, the government is prepared to review and examine new information related to the investigation should it become available. Funeral arrangements have been set for the two northwestern Wisconsin police officers who were shot and killed Saturday afternoon just northwest of the village of Cameron. The service for Emily Breidenbach, of the Chetek Police Department, and Hunter Scheel, of the Cameron Police Department, will take place Saturday at Cameron High School, 750 S. First St. Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with service beginning at 1 p.m. "Police honors will be conducted following the service outside of the high school," both police departments said in matching Facebook posts. Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel Breidenbach, 32, and Scheel, 23, died after exchanging gunfire with 50-year-old Glenn Douglas Perry, who was pulled over on a warrant and welfare check after he had been reported for "concerning behavior," the state Department of Justice said. Perry also died. On Monday, a funeral procession was held, officers from both police departments lined the streets as the bodies of the officers were transported from Barron County to Minnesota, where autopsies were conducted. The officers were the second and third officers to die in the line of duty this year in Wisconsin. Milwaukee Police Officer Peter Jerving was shot and killed in February while seeking to arrest a suspect. Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Funeral arrangements set for police officers shot, killed in Wisconsin BELFAST, Northern Ireland President Joe Biden celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on Wednesday, emphasizing the significance of the peace deal and reaffirming the United States commitment to Northern Ireland's growth. Biden was still a senator in Congress when he helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement, which mostly ended decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, in 1998. The deal shifted the political gravity in our world, he said in Belfast on Wednesday, day two of a trip that will take him to both Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Preserving peace in Northern Ireland is also one of the few topics that Democrats and Republicans can agree on nowadays, he said, underscoring the importance of showing continued support to the region. His remarks came at the tail end of a brief visit to Northern Ireland, during which he hailed the agreement but sought to avoid entangling himself in the regions current messy politics. Where barbed wire one sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass that lets the [light shine] in and out, Biden said. The agreement "just has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. It's an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. Northern Ireland has been unable to form a government for nearly a year under rules that require its main pro-British party the Democratic Unionist Party to share power with Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein. The DUP is also holding out against a proposal aimed at settling post-Brexit trade concerns between Northern Ireland and Ireland. But Biden made only glancing mention of the standoff, emphasizing the importance of democratic institutions and urging all parties in Northern Ireland to work together. "For politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there's always areas that's going to bring us together," Biden said. Story continues Northern Ireland has prospered overall since the agreement, Biden noted, even as critics say that it's failing. Its gross domestic product has doubled, an initial number Biden said he expects to triple if growth stays on track as American businesses continue investing in the region. The president also nodded, as he often does, to Irish arts and culture, which has produced world-renowned poetry, movies and television shows in recent years. Much of that growth has been driven by young people, Biden added, who will push Northern Ireland forward in widening fields like cyber and clean energy. The president also announced that later this year, Joe Kennedy III, the U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, will lead a trade delegation of American companies to Northern Ireland. It's up to us to keep this going, he said, pledging to sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning Your history is our history. But even more important, your future is America's future. Biden has studiously avoided any thorny political territory during his stint in Northern Ireland, saying only that he was going to listen to party leaders during a private meeting ahead of his speech. The president earlier on Wednesday also ignored questions about the potential for a trade deal sought by the U.K., and officials said they did not expect him to address the issue during a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Still, those political tensions have trailed Biden throughout what has largely been billed as a personal trip to reconnect with his ancestral roots. Amanda Sloat, the National Security Councils senior director for Europe, faced several questions on Wednesday about whether Bidens pride in his Irish background signaled a dislike for the U.K. Its simply untrue, she said. President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral relationship with the U.K. Sloat added that the Biden administration was working in lockstep with the U.K. on a variety of global challenges. Perhaps aware of the scrutiny of his allegiances, Biden during his speech at Ulster University made uncharacteristically little mention of his Irish heritage. Instead, he kicked off the speech with a different anecdote about his family history, reminding the crowd that Biden is English too. Following the speech, the president traveled to the Irish Republic for the first time since he traced his lineage through the countryside as vice president in 2016. Myah Ward contributed to this report. Gerard Depardieu is facing fresh allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour by 13 women. The accusations have emerged after a months-long investigation into the French film star, known for his appearances in Paris, je taime and Jean de Florette. The French investigative news website Mediapart has reported numerous cases of groping, obscene comments and inappropriate acts by Depardieu on film and TV sets between 2004 and 2022, including on the French comedy Big House, the period biopic Dumas and Netflix crime show Marseille. The Independent has contacted representatives of Depardieu for comment, though they have declined to comment on the Mediapart story. Depardieu has denied any criminal behaviour through his Paris-based law firm Cabinet Temime. The company said some of the allegations in the report seem to be based on very subjective assessments and/or moral judgments. Mediapart reported that the accusations against Depardieu involve unwanted touching and groping of young female stars, make-up artists and technical staff, as well as obscene sexual remarks and persistent groaning noises. It was reported that some other colleagues would turn a blind eye to Depardieus alleged behaviour, or laugh it off, saying: Oh, its OK, its [just] Gerard! Depardieu (AFP) Mediapart stated that, out of the 20 producers and directors they contacted, just 11 responded and only one Disco and Turf director Fabien Onteniente said they had heard about inappropriate behaviour. Onteniente said he had been warned that the actor was getting heavy with the girls. He told Mediapart that he had instructed Depardieu to behave himself. In 2018 French film star Charlotte Arnould brought official rape charges against Depardieu, accusing the actor of raping and sexually assaulting her in his Paris mansion in 2018. Depardieu, a friend of Arnoulds fathers, has protested his innocence and attempted to get the charges overturned, but was overruled. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here. Friends and family mourn a mother shot and killed outside Truetts Chick-fil-A in Rome. The funeral for Cassie Lashae Davis was scheduled for Wednesday, according to her obituary. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Rome police say the 39-year-old was shot and killed outside the Shorter Ave restaurant on April 5. Investigators believe it was a murder-suicide. Police say it appears Anthony Green shot Davis and then killed himself. The general manager of the restaurant called the incident horrific. The Chick-fil-a shut down on the day of the shooting to repair and care for team members, according to a statement from General Manager Greg Major. TRENDING STORIES: Davis was a mother of four and grandmother of three who owned and operated I Shine cleaning services and worked for Neatons of Rome, according to her obituary. Funeral services were scheduled for Wednesday, April 12, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at Henderson & Sons Funeral Home, South Chapel. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: A woman reads a local newspaper 'L'Union' announcing the death of Gabon's President Omar Bongo Ondimba in a shop in Libreville on June 9, 2009. The tradition of a free and independent press has yet to take hold, including online, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Press freedom is guaranteed by law but is restricted in practice, and reporters self-censor to avoid legal repercussions and journalists commonly self-censor, says Freedom House. Many media outlets were created when a multiparty system was restored in 1990. The online press is growing, while state TV channels such as Gabon Premiere and Gabon 24 are still very influential despite private competition. Radio France Internationale broadcasts locally on FM. There were 1.3 million internet users by December 2021, comprising 60% of the population (Internetworldstats.com). Press/Online Television Radiodiffusion-Television Gabonaise (RTG) - state-run Radio Radiodiffusion-Television Gabonaise (RTG) - state-run Africa Radio - France-based, broadcast across French-speaking Africa on FM relays, also carries major editions of BBC Afrique from Dakar. News agency Supporters of President of Gambia Adama Barrow listen to results in Banjul on November 5, 2021 Gambia's media scene has seen considerable progress in terms of press freedom since the end of Yahya Jammeh's authoritarian rule. The crime of defamation was declared unconstitutional in 2018, attacks on reporters have dropped and new media outlets have been launched, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The state-owned broadcaster has lost its monopoly and many radio and television networks have been set up. Radio France Internationale broadcasts on FM in Banjul. There were 442,000 internet users by December 2021, comprising 19% of the population (Worldinternetstats.com). Press Television Radio Online Gardner-Webb University and Cleveland Community College presidents William Downs and Jason Hurst sign agreements for a joint admissions program for nursing students in this Star file photo. Gardner-Webb University is home to one of North Carolinas most comprehensive nursing programs that includes associate, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Students who desire to enter the field of nursing or those who want to further their careers are choosing the GWU Hunt School of Nursing. Enrollment in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) has grown from 14 to 73 in recent years, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) has increased from 47 in 2019 to 96 in 2023. The Hunt School of Nursing is no hidden gem or best kept secret, stated GWU President Dr. William Downs. To the contrary, our nursing programs have firmly established and sustained broad reputations for excellence. Students, practitioners, and patients across the state and around the region are well aware of how GWU combines faculty expertise with the passion and care that can come only from an institution with our values and history. Its exciting to see the growth in popularity of our ABSN and DNP degree programs, and we look forward to their continued upward trajectories. While direct marketing campaigns have led to the increase, some students, like Scott Pokorney, enrolled in the Hunt School of Nursing after talking to alumni. While working as an EMT in Mecklenburg County, Pokorney asked the nurses he met to recommend the best nursing program in the region. Gardner-Webbs alumni were unanimous in their praise. They had nothing but great things to say about the program, and highly recommended pursuing my nursing degree at GWU, Pokorney said. They specifically mentioned how incredible the professors are. Hunt School of Nursing Director Dr. Tracy Arnold said that Gardner-Webbs ABSN program plays a critical role in addressing the current nationwide, nursing shortage because it allows the nursing faculty to prepare entry-level practitioners to enter the workforce in 15 months. Our Accelerated BSN students are highly qualified individuals, with bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in other fields, Arnold said. Our program attracts students from all over the east coast, with some students commuting up to two hours, one way, which speaks to the reputation of our faculty, staff and curriculum. Story continues Pokorney entered the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program at Gardner-Webb and now spoke of the admiration alumni have for the faculty. They are truly invested in preparing you to become the best new RN possible, he said. They genuinely want you to succeed and nurture you to your full potential. The ABSN is one of several degree options at Gardner-Webb. To find out more or to register, go to gardner-webb.edu/nursing. This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Gardner-Webb sees increased enrollment in nursing program An exhibitor shows a bionic hand at the booth of east China's Zhejiang Province during the third China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] China's consumer market has seen notable progress in scale and quality over the past decade, a Ministry of Commerce official said on Tuesday. The country has become the world's second-largest consumer market. Retail sales of consumer goods in China exceeded 40 trillion yuan (about 5.81 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2019 and hit 44 trillion yuan in 2022, more than double the 2012 figure, said Xu Xingfeng, director of the Ministry of Commerce's consumption promotion department, at a global consumption innovation, duty free and travel retail conference being held as part of the ongoing third China International Consumer Products Expo. The structure of the market has also been upgraded over the period, with residents more focused on the quality of their consumption. In 2022, the country's per capita expenditure on services accounted for 43.2 percent of the people's total consumption, Xu said. Highlighting continuous innovations in consumption patterns, Xu said that new business forms, such as livestreaming, mobile payments and instant retail, have emerged in the market over the past decade. In 2022, China's online retail sales totaled 13.8 trillion yuan, ranking first globally. The figure soared 9.5 times from 2012, Xu said. Xu also stressed the importance of consumption in promoting economic development, noting that the annual contribution of final consumption expenditure to China's economic growth was 50.4 percent, 7.5 percentage points higher than that of investment. Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday bemoaned the rights regression, perpetrated by Republicans, facing drag shows and people who identify as LGBT. I dont think people fully understand the rights regressionon just the assault on the African American community, the assault on the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Trans community, Newsom said in an interview with independent journalist Ed Krassenstein. The number one issue of the day seems to be getting rid of the word Latinx in Arkansas and number two getting rid of drag shows. Its a serious moment. Newsom failed to specify whether the drag shows he seeks to protect from restrictions would be exclusive to adults or also open to children. There have been many documented cases in which drag performers dressed in lewd clothing have engaged in inappropriate sexual dancing around kids, sparking backlash in GOP-controlled states. Everything I have taken for granted in my life, in the last half century, in terms of rights expansion- and I didnt even bring up abortion and contraception- all of that is in peril at this moment, Newsom added. And if I care about my kids, I sure as hell better care about whats going on in Alabama. Newsom has taken radical steps to transform California into a so-called safe haven for abortion and youth gender transition tourism. In March, the governor cryptically declared that California would boycott Walgreens after the company decided not to distribute abortion pills in 20 GOP-dominated states, many of which have limited the procedure. Last week, a federal judge in Texas suspended the FDAs approval of one of the drugs involved in a chemical abortion regimen on the grounds that the agency failed to conduct a thorough assessment of its safety. In response, Newsom announced Tuesday that California will keep an emergency supply of 2 million misoprostol abortion pills. We will not cave to extremists who are trying to outlaw these critical abortion services, Newsoms office told MSNBC. Story continues On Monday, the Department of Justice challenged the courts ruling on both standing and its merits, asking a federal appeals court to order mifepristone to remain on the market pending further litigation. More from National Review Gerard Depardieu has been nominated for one Oscar and two Bafta Awards Actor Gerard Depardieu has been accused of sexual assault or harassment by 13 women, according to an investigation by French news website Mediapart. The women claim the star groped them, put his hands in their underwear and made obscene remarks, the site said. The incidents are alleged to have happened over the past two decades on film and TV sets or in public places. A lawyer for Mr Depardieu, 74, said he "formally denies all the charges which may fall under criminal law". The Oscar- and Bafta-nominated actor is known for films including Jean de Florette, Green Card and Cyrano de Bergerac. The allegations come two years after he was placed under criminal investigation for rape, which he has denied. In the Mediapart investigation, one extra on a film set said he put his hand under her dress before trying to "slip in to get to my knickers". When she pushed his hand away, he became aggressive and tried again, the woman claimed. Another described how the actor "grabbed [me] by the waist" between takes, had a "wandering hand" and "ended up putting his hand on my bum in an insistent way". One woman said he tried to "put his hand on my genitals" during a crowd scene. On another occasion, accompanied by a man he introduced as the producer, the actor allegedly grabbed her from behind and "rubbed my hips, stomach and breasts". Many of the women told Mediapart they were shocked that no action was taken on the film sets, with his alleged behaviour being tolerated or even met with laughter. "Adults let an actor fondle my breasts in front of everyone," said one actress, who was 17 at the time. The Paris prosecutor's office told the AFP news agency on Wednesday it had "not received any new complaint to date". Mr Depardieu remains under investigation for allegedly raping an actress in 2018. By Riham Alkousaa, Andreas Rinke and Andrew Gray BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister begins a visit to China on Thursday aiming to reassert a common European Union policy toward Beijing days after remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron suggested disarray in the continent's approach to the rising superpower. Macron provoked a backlash in the United States and Europe when he called on the European Union to reduce dependence on the U.S. and cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." Many European politicians, diplomats and analysts saw Macron's comments in an interview with Politico and French daily Les Echos as a gift to what they called Beijing's goal of dismantling transatlantic unity. As a result, the stakes of the inaugural trip by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have risen, with many EU members hoping Berlin will use this opportunity to set out a clear and united EU line on China, analysts said. Macron was widely seen as taking a weak line on Taiwan by warning Europe should not get "caught up in crises that are not ours" although his office insisted this was not his intended meaning and his position on Taiwan and China had not changed. "Now it is about damage control to a large degree ... But the cloud of Macron's visit is very big and still it's very unclear how this balance will play out in the end," Alicja Bachulska, a China-EU relations researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Warsaw, told Reuters. Even without Macron's remarks the trip would have been delicate for Baerbock, who has been more hawkish on China than Chancellor Olaf Scholz and is drafting a China policy aimed at reducing Germany's economic dependence on Beijing. "She was sort of perceived as being a troublemaker. I'd be surprised if this does not play a role at all in her visit," Tim Ruehlig, China expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, told Reuters. Story continues Baerbock must now make Germany's position on Taiwan clear during her visit, German foreign policy parliamentarian Nils Schmid told Reuters, adding Macron's remarks had destroyed a hoped-for impetus for a common European China policy. The foreign minister is due to meet her counterpart Qin Gang and China's top diplomat Wang Yi on the two-day trip. Speaking ahead of her visit, Baerbock said the top of her agenda would be reminding China of its responsibility to influence Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine and underlining a common European conviction that a unilateral change in the status quo in the Taiwan Strait would be unacceptable. Europe's view of China as partner, competitor and systemic rival is the compass of its policy, she added. "It is clear to me that we have no interest in economic decoupling ... but we must take a more systematic look at the risks of one-sided dependencies and reduce them," Baerbock said. Some EU capitals - particularly those in Central and Eastern Europe, which cherish their ties with the U.S. - will be hoping Baerbock's stance is closer to the one expressed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who visited Beijing at the same time as Macron. Many analysts drew a contrast between Macron's remarks and those from von der Leyen that were widely seen as more critical of Beijing. Just days before the visit she said Europe must "de-risk" diplomatically and economically with a hardening China. "More von der Leyen than Macron should be her guideline," conservative foreign policy lawmaker Johann Wadephul, who will join Baerbock on her trip, told Reuters. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, Andreas Rinke in Berlin, Andrew Gray in Brussels, Editing by William Maclean) BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany on Wednesday watered down plans to legalise cannabis, presenting legislation that would allow private cultivation and distribution through non-profit groups but not widespread sales of the drug in shops. Under the new law, individuals would be allowed to acquire up to 25 grams of recreational cannabis per day and a maximum of 50 grams per month. For young people under the age of 21, the monthly allowance will be capped at 30 grams. "The previous cannabis policy has failed - now we have to go new ways," Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. Wednesday's announcement by the health, justice and agriculture ministries came after Berlin held talks with the European Commission on a cornerstone paper the German government issued in October. The paper outlining the plans mentioned a provision to regulate cannabis sales in licensed shops in the most populous European Union country, but this appears to have been dropped following the talks with the EU executive. The bill does however foresee a pilot project for a small number of licensed shops in some regions to test the effects of a commercial supply chain of recreational cannabis on public health, the protection of minors and the black market. Many European countries, including Germany, have already legalised cannabis for limited medicinal purposes. Others have decriminalised its general use, such as the Netherlands, while stopping short of making it outright legal. Germany's police union (GdP) called the plan a political manoeuvre in the face of impatient pressure from cannabis users. "Regarding the illegal cannabis trade on the black market, the Lauterbach draft will have no significant impact. This also applies to risky cannabis use by minors," Alexander Poitz, head of the GdP, told the RND news outlet. Speaking during a press conference alongside Lauterbach, Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir said recreational use of cannabis would be legal in Germany by the end of the year. Story continues "The cannabis project is taking the next step today so that cannabis use will become legal this year," Ozdemir said. The ministers said the legislation foresees amnesties for people who have fallen foul of laws criminalising cannabis use in the past, but declined to specify who would be eligible. They said they would work with other EU countries seeking to legalise cannabis to craft a common policy across the 27-member bloc. (Reporting by Friederike Heine, editing by Rachel More and Mark Heinrich) By Natalie Grover and Jennifer Rigby LONDON/ACCRA (Reuters) -Ghana has become the first country in the world to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University, a potential step forward in fighting a disease that kills hundreds of thousands of children each year. The approval is unusual as it comes before the publication of final-stage trial data. It is unclear when the vaccine may be rolled out in Ghana as other regulatory bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), are still assessing its safety and effectiveness. "The WHO can provide support, but it is not an approving institution. The FDA has the mandate as a regulator, and that is what we have done," Delese Darko, CEO of Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) told Reuters. Darko did not comment on the timeline for the vaccine rollout as that will be organized by the Ghana health service, the Ghana Malaria Programme and the countrys immunization body, the EPI. Those organisations did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The mosquito-borne disease kills more than 600,000 people each year, most of them children in Africa. Oxford scientist Adrian Hill said Ghana's drug regulator has approved the vaccine domestically for the age group at highest risk of death from malaria - children aged 5 months to 36 months. Oxford has a deal with Serum Institute of India to produce up to 200 million doses of the vaccine - known as R21 - annually. This is the first time a major vaccine has been approved in an African country ahead of rich nations, Hill said. Approving a vaccine before the publication of data from final-stage trials is also rare, experts told Reuters. "Particularly since COVID, African regulators have been taking a much more proactive stance, they've been saying ... we don't want to be last in the queue," Hill said. Vaccines have taken decades to develop given the complicated structure and lifecycle of the malaria parasite. The Oxford shot is the second in recent years to be approved for use. Story continues Childhood vaccines in the poorest parts of Africa are typically co-funded by international organisations such as Gavi, the vaccine alliance, only after getting WHO approval. Ghana uses Gavi funding for its vaccine campaigns, although it is moving towards buying its own shots after economic growth in recent years. Dr Derrick Sim, Gavi's managing director of vaccine markets, said the organization was ready to provide funding for R21 if WHO backs it. He said it was crucial that the cost was kept below $3, as Serum has indicated. "This shows how close the world is to having a second approved vaccine to fight malaria," he said. MEETING THE NEED The first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix from British drugmaker GSK, was endorsed by the WHO last year after decades of work. But a lack of funding and commercial potential is thwarting GSK's capacity to produce as many doses as needed, demonstrating the need for another candidate. GSK has committed to produce up to 15 million doses of Mosquirix every year through 2028, well under the roughly 100 million doses a year of the four-dose vaccine the WHO says is needed long-term to cover around 25 million children. Ghana, Kenya and Malawi were all involved in the pilot programme for the roll-out of Mosquirix, and have begun introducing it more widely in recent months. Since it began in 2019, 1.2 million children across the three countries have received at least one dose of the Mosquirix vaccine. The WHO said last month that in the areas where the vaccine has been given, all-cause child mortality has dropped by 10%, a sign of its impact. Mid-stage data from the Oxford vaccine trial involving more than 400 young children was published in September, showing vaccine efficacy of between 70-80% at 12 months following the fourth dose. Data from an ongoing phase III clinical trial with 4,800 children in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania is due to be published in the coming months. Hill said the data suggested a similar performance as in the phase II trial, and has been shared with regulatory authorities over the last six months. (Reporting by Natalie Grover and Jennifer Rigby in London and Christian Akorlie in AccraEditing by Angus MacSwan and Mark Potter) Woman preparing malaria vaccine Ghana is the first country to approve a new malaria vaccine that has been described as a "world-changer" by the scientists who developed it. The vaccine - called R21 - appears to be hugely effective, in stark contrast to previous ventures in the same field. Ghana's drug regulators have assessed the final trial data on the vaccine's safety and effectiveness, which is not yet public, and have decided to use it. The World Health Organization is also considering approving the vaccine. Malaria kills about 620,000 people each year, most of them young children. It has been a massive, century-long, scientific undertaking to develop a vaccine that protects the body from the malaria parasite. Trial data from preliminary studies in Burkina Faso showed the R21 vaccine was up to 80% effective when given as three initial doses, and a booster a year later. But widespread use of the vaccine hinges on the results of a larger trial involving nearly 5,000 children. These had been expected to take place at the end of last year, but have still not been formally published. However, they have been shared with some government bodies in Africa, and scientists. I have not seen the final data, but have been told it shows a similar picture to the earlier studies. Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority, which has seen the data, has approved the vaccine's use in children aged between five months to three years old. Other African countries are also studying the data, as is the World Health Organization. Prof Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, where the vaccine was invented, says African countries are declaring: "we'll decide", after being left behind in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic. He told me: "We expect R21 to make a major impact on malaria mortality in children in the coming years, and in the longer term [it] will contribute to overall final goal of malaria eradication and elimination." Story continues The Serum Institute of India is preparing to produce between 100-200 million doses per year, with a vaccine factory being constructed in Accra, Ghana. Each dose of R21 is expected to cost a couple of dollars. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute, said: "Developing a vaccine to greatly impact this huge disease burden has been extraordinarily difficult." He added that Ghana, as the first country to approve the vaccine, represents a "significant milestone in our efforts to combat malaria around the world". Follow James on Twitter. A water tank floats at the bottom of a sinkhole as it continues to grow Wednesday, May 7, 2008, in Daisetta, Texas. The massive sinkhole that was dormant for over 15 years has started expanding again. | Pat Sullivan, Associated Press A massive sinkhole in Daisetta, Texas, that was dormant for over 15 years has started expanding again, threatening nearby homes and structures. History of the Daisetta, Texas, sinkhole The sinkhole in Daisetta first appeared on May 8, 2008, measuring around 20 feet across. In two days, the crater grew to about 900 feet across and 260 feet deep, The Dallas Morning News reported. The sinkhole was stable until April 2, when it suddenly began collapsing again, swallowing a building and storage tanks. My neighbor came over and said he kept hearing popping sounds like a gunshot. We went to the backyard, and there were buildings falling in. It was like a movie. You can see cracks forming in the ground, resident Tim Priessler told ABC 13. Assistant Fire Marshal Erskin Holcomb estimated that the sinkhole has grown 150 feet in length and depth, making the sinkhole approximately 1,050 feet long. Drone footage from Bluebonnet News shows the damage created by the sinkhole. What caused the Daisetta, Texas, sinkhole? Randall Orndorff, a research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, told NPR that the town of Daisetta is built on a salt dome. The salt dome was used as a storage facility by oil and gas companies that would pump wastewater underground, dissolving the salt and making the ground unstable. Orndoff also suggested that hurricanes over the years also contributed to creating the sinkhole. When you get a lot of precipitation, everythings dissolving in the bedrock, he stated. Republicans took control of the House vowing fiscal discipline and touting ambitious spending goals, but achieving those goals has emerged as their greatest challenge after 100 days in power. The conference is faced with crafting a budget blueprint that can win the support of its slim majority. But its path is all but clear. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told reporters ahead of the current two-week congressional recess that Republicans were still working toward a long-term budget plan but signaled more work needs to be done in order to garner the conferences full support. We have a goal to balance in 10 years, but whatever the path to balance, gotta get to 218, he said. He also brushed off questions about timing around when the party is expected to release its budget plan, instead saying Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is entrusting [him] to work that process. Passing a budget was always going to be tough for a party with a five-seat majority, a fractious conference, a lowered threshold for a motion to vacate and an opposition with no interest in helping it across the finish line. The struggle to agree on what spending cuts to demand as a condition of raising the debt ceiling and a looming crisis if the debt limit isnt raised has also hung over the GOP. But even while Republicans tout their legislative successes this year, revelations as the party approaches the 100-day mark in the majority have shown just how tough the road ahead seems to be. Arringtons comments came days before a bombshell report from The New York Times about private jabs by the Speaker toward the budget chair and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) as pressure rises on the party to make good on promises of fiscal responsibility and reforms. Sources familiar with the private criticism said McCarthy had little confidence in Arrington and criticized Scalise as ineffective and unreliable. Arringtons office declined to provide comment on the report. Story continues Lauren Fine, communications director for Scalises office, defended the leaders track record in a statement without directly addressing the Speakers reported criticisms, instead crediting him with guiding the most productive floor schedule Congress has seen in years. With a Democrat Senate and a Democrat President, five bills he put on the floor have been sent to the Presidents desk three of which have already been signed into law, Fine also said in the statement, without directly addressing the Speakers alleged comments. McCarthys office didnt return a request for comment, but he told The Times that he rejects the notion of division between him and the other leaders, while offering some praise to his colleagues efforts. The report adds to hurdles McCarthy faces in trying to unify his conference as spending talks intensify. Some GOP members have aired frustrations toward McCarthy in wake of the Times report, dialing up the heat on the leader, who, just months ago, endured a historic 15 rounds of ballots to secure the Speakership. In a statement to Axios, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), one of a group of GOP detractors to whom McCarthy made multiple concessions in exchange for their support, called on McCarthy to deliver on those promises. The agreements made by Speaker McCarthy, among other things, is to begin the ten year balanced budget NOW and with his initiatives & directives, its HIS responsibility to get the 218 votes to ensure our nations financial security JUST AS HE DID IN SECURING THE 218 votes for speaker, Norman said. The conflict comes at a critical time for the party as Congress stares down a likely chaotic next few months until it must act on the debt limit, which caps how much money the Treasury can owe to cover the nations bills, or risk a national default. Republicans had previously set sights on offering a budget plan in mid-April, but that timeline has shifted in recent months as leaders try to get members on the same page going into debt limit negotiations. In a statement on Tuesday, Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said this year marks two decades that lawmakers have been unable to meet its basic duty of passing a budget by the April 15 deadline. Even more alarming, we are nearly three months into the use of so-called extraordinary measures after hitting the debt ceiling in January, MacGuineas added. We need a plan to prevent default and put our nations finances on more sound footing. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated in a report this week that total federal spending in March alone reached about $690 billion, leading the government to run a $376 billion deficit last month. The figure is 36 percent higher than the spending recorded during the same period last year, according to the offices estimates. The largest increases in spending last month were expenses attributed to policies that Republicans are unified in opposing, such as an estimated $34 billion plus-up to the Department of Education that the CBO said reflects the costs of the ongoing student loan payment pause. The report also outlined significant increases in other areas where the party has struggled to agree on how to trim costs, like entitlement reforms or defense. According to the report, outlays for entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare were also estimated to have seen double-digit increases, as well spending by the Department of Defense, which rose about 18 percent last month compared to March 2022. Each of those areas emerged as points of conflict for the conference toward the start of the congressional session, ending with House GOP leaders vowing to take entitlement reforms off the table in debt ceiling negotiations, while tiptoeing around cuts to defense. At the same time, other Republicans have continued to try to lessen the importance of a budget in the partys strategy around the debt limit. While estimates vary, Congress is expected to have until sometime in the summer to raise the debt limit. But Democrats are insistent on passing a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling a call that has been met with fierce pushback from Republicans who say any action upping the roughly $31.4 trillion threshold must be paired with spending cuts or some kind of fiscal reform. With negotiations stalled between the White House and House Republicans, McCarthy has signaled the conference will move on its own with a debt ceiling bill if Democrats dont come to the bargaining table. The Republican majority will pass at the appropriate time, a debt ceiling bill that includes us spending reforms, debt reforms, to guarantee prosperity for generations to come in this country, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said on Monday. On the matter of a budget resolution, however, Emmer said he didnt see any issue with that. But he also didnt commit to the House Republicans passing a budget plan anytime soon. I think Jodey Arrington has received a very strong response from our membership, he added. Check back to TheHill.com tomorrow for more coverage of the House GOPs first 100 days in power. Emily Brooks and Mike Lillis contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hasnt touched it. Neither has Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.). Its been four days since a federal judge in Texas invalidated the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) approval of mifepristone, and top Republicans have largely been silent on the issue. Even former President Trump, who appointed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, hasnt weighed in on what was potentially the most significant victory for the anti-abortion movement since the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to an abortion last year. The Texas decision, which the Justice Department has appealed, could have far-reaching implications for access to abortion nationwide, as well as the authority of the entire FDA. It could restrict access to one of the two FDA-approved abortion drugs in every state, even ones where abortion is legal. But you wouldnt know that from the muted GOP responses. It highlights a political bind facing Republicans, who are reaping legal wins after years of pushing to restrict abortions, but paying the price among a general electorate that largely favors legal abortion access. The Republican party is playing with fire. They have put their right-wing politics ahead of the health and well-being of American women, said former Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards, who now co-chairs a Democratic super PAC. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted just before the ruling in Texas, 53 percent of respondents said medication abortion should be legal in their state. Mini Timmaraju, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, pointed to last weeks Wisconsin Supreme Court race, where liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz ran on protecting abortion rights and defeated staunch conservative and abortion opponent Dan Kelly. They cant be eager to repeat last weeks double double digit walloping of Kelly, she said. Story continues Former Vice President Pence has been the only likely 2024 presidential candidate to praise the ruling. Pence issued a statement saying life won and that the ruling fixed a 20 year wrong. In Congress, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has been the lone GOP senator to respond, calling the ruling a victory for pregnant mothers [and] their unborn children. Democrats and the Biden administration, meanwhile, were quick to condemn the ruling and offer legislation to protect access to abortion pills. Reps. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas) reintroduced the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act on Monday, which would reaffirm the FDAs approval authority for abortion medication over state laws. It would also protect doctors ability to provide abortion medication through telehealth. The Supreme Courts decision overturning Roe v. Wade was a major victory for Republicans and the anti-abortion movement. But it also galvanized the opposition and ever since, Republicans have struggled with how to message abortion. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) told CNN that abortion is an issue that Republicans have been largely on the wrong side of and joined some Democrats calling for the FDA to ignore the ruling. In Florida, state Republicans are on the verge of passing a six-week abortion ban, and DeSantis will likely sign it. The state currently bans abortion after 15 weeks, but DeSantis has faced criticism from anti-abortion conservatives for not going far enough. Signing a six week ban would give him a boost among the GOP base, but could hurt him if he becomes the Republican presidential candidate and faces moderate voters in a general election. Leading anti-abortion groups are pressing Republicans to be more forceful and want any potential GOP presidential candidate to commit to backing nationwide abortion restrictions. Marilyn Musgrave, vice president of government affairs at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and a former House lawmaker, said she was encouraged to see Pences statement praising the ruling in Texas and hopes others will join him. Many Republicans handled this issue very badly in the last election. They got beat up and they didnt fight back, Musgrave said. She added that Democrats and the abortion rights movement always do really well in the language war when they talk about pro choice because theres not enough pushback. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said she doesnt see the Texas ruling as a specific litmus test, but her group is looking for a bold defender of life candidates who will stand up and champion this ruling. We continue to say, you know, Republican candidates who refuse to speak about abortion to do so at their own peril, Hawkins said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON New legislation from House Republicans aims to prevent local district attorneys from pursuing charges against former presidents. The symbolic bill is yet another show of support for Donald Trump, who faces the possibility of criminal charges in Georgia and was arraigned in Manhattan last week for allegedly violating state law with false business records. Republicans have subpoenaed a former prosecutor from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office, denounced the charges as entirely motivated by politics, and scheduled a Monday hearing to accuse Bragg of failing to prosecute real crimes. Now comes a proposal that Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) said would prevent political prosecutions by moving cases against former presidents from state jurisdiction to federal court, where judges are confirmed by the Senate, an institution reliably influenced by elected Republicans. Politically motivated prosecutors should not be able to wield unwarranted power and target our nations top leaders for their own personal gain, Fry said in a statement on his website. Normally, state prosecutors and local district attorneys are responsible for prosecuting state crimes in state courts, while federal prosecutors, known as U.S. attorneys, pursue federal charges in federal courts. Fry said his bill, which he has not actually drafted, would allow presidents and vice presidents to move state cases into federal courts. The proposal would seem to take all power away from state courts in cases of criminal behavior by former presidents, David Rapallo, an associate professor at Georgetown University Law School and former Democratic staff director for the House Oversight Committee, said in an interview. And federal judges who wind up with the cases would have to familiarize themselves with state laws and legal precedents. It does seem a little ironic coming from people who tout states rights and how state courts and state legislatures should be making even more decisions than they currently do, Rapallo said. Story continues Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday evening that his committee would mark up the bill in a hurry. One of the pieces of legislation we expect to bring forward real quickly from our committee is legislation [that says] if you are going to do something like this, you at least have to remove that case to federal court, Jordan said on Fox News. You dont try it in some local court. The bill stands little chance of clearing the Democratic-controlled Senate, but it represents an escalation of pro-Trump messaging from House Republicans, who created an entirely new committee to trash the weaponization of government against the former president and his supporters, especially by the U.S. Justice Department, which is probing Trumps efforts to overthrow the 2020 election and his refusal to turn over official records after the end of his term. The district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, also is nearing the completion of an investigation related to Trumps efforts to convince state officials to find enough votes to undo his loss there in the presidential election. A grand jury in New York indicted Trump last month for falsifying business records related to hush money paid in 2016 to a former adult film star who threatened shortly before the election to publicize an alleged tryst with Trump. Trump funneled the money through his lawyer, Michael Cohen, whom he repaid with a series of checks that Bragg said were falsely labeled as legal rather than campaign expenses. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign violations in 2018. The indictment is the first for a former president, though Trump is an unusual case. Before winning the Republican nomination in 2016, Trump made his name as a real estate mogul in New York, leveraging his reputation into an array of other ventures sometimes with questionable business practices. The Trump Organization was convicted of tax crimes earlier this year, the now-defunct Trump University reached a $25 million settlement with its defrauded former students in 2016, and Trumps casino business was fined $10 million in 2015 for various financial misdeeds, such as failing to report suspicious transactions. Republicans have claimed Bragg went out of his way to charge Trump to make a name for himself, but felony charges for false business records arent unusual in New York, according to an analysis of recent cases by the online publication Just Security. Jordan said on Twitter this week that Trump had been indicted for no crime and complained about Braggs lawsuit seeking to block Jordans subpoena to answer questions from House Republicans. Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. "We're projecting (for China) 5.2 percent growth in 2023. That's up from 3 percent last year," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, director of the Research Department of the IMF, told a press briefing Tuesday on the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. "As COVID-19 waves subsided (in China) in January of this year, mobility normalized, and high-frequency economic indicators, such as retail sales and travel bookings, started picking up," said the IMF in the WEO report. "The reopening and growth of its economy will likely generate positive spillovers, with even greater spillovers for countries with stronger trade links and reliance on Chinese tourism," it added. According to the IMF forecast, the world economy will grow 2.8 percent in 2023, 0.1 percentage point lower than its January forecast. "A return of the world economy to the pace of economic growth that prevailed before the bevy of shocks in 2022 and the recent financial sector turmoil is increasingly elusive," said the IMF. Global growth is estimated at 3.4 percent in 2022, to fall to 2.8 percent in 2023, before rising to 3 percent in 2024, it added. The growth of advanced economies will decline by half in 2023 to 1.3 percent, before rising to 1.4 percent in 2024, said the IMF. "About 90 percent of advanced economies are projected to see a decline in growth in 2023," it said. "With the sharp slowdown, advanced economies are expected to see higher unemployment, a rise of 0.5 percentage point on average from 2022 to 2024," said the IMF. China and India are "two exceptions to the slowdown" that the global economy is expected to experience this year, said World Bank Group President David Malpass in a media call ahead of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings week. "India and China are expected to account for half of global growth in 2023. But others face a steeper climb," said Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva at a recent event in Washington D.C. Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina on Wednesday launched his 2024 presidential exploratory committee. "I bear witness to what America can do for anyone, what she's done for me. But we must rise up to the challenges of our time. This is a fight we must win. And that will take faith, faith in God," Scott said in a new video. "I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional. And thats why Im announcing my exploratory committee for president of the United States," he went on. The Republican would face former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and three others for the 2024 GOP nomination. PHOTO: Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) speaks at the an event, March 18, 2023, in Charleston, S.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Scott has been exploring his bid for months, with frequent trips to Iowa on a listening tour called "Faith in America." The launch of this committee comes the same week he had stops scheduled in Iowa, New Hampshire and his home state of South Carolina. An exploratory committee will allow the senator to raise money for a presidential campaign while he tests the waters in early-voting states. "I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few months," he wrote an email to supporters. "I've been thinking about my faith. I've been thinking about the future of our country. And I've been thinking about the Left's plan to ruin America." MORE: Who is running for president in 2024 and who may run Scott said the date of his exploratory committee rollout April 12 was significant in that it was the day which marked the beginning of the Civil War. The launch video was filmed near Fort Sumter in South Carolina, he said, which was the place of the first clash between the North and South in the winter of 1860. As the only Black Republican in the Senate, Scott said Democrats "weaponize race to divide us to hold on to their power." "Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness. They're promoting victimhood instead of personal responsibility, and they're indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country. And all too often when they get called out for their failures," he said, adding, "And when I fought back against their liberal agenda, they called me a prop, a token, because I disrupt their narrative." Story continues MORE: Nikki Haley officially launches her presidential bid: 'We're ready' During an interview with "Fox & Friends," Scott side-stepped questions on how he plans on besting Trump in a hypothetical primary. If we focus on our uniqueness, we focus on our path to where we are, I believe we give the voters a choice so they can decide on how we move forward. As opposed to having a conversation on how to beat a Republican, I think we are better off having a conversation about beating Joe Biden," he said. GOP Sen. Tim Scott launches 2024 presidential exploratory committee originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Former US President Donald Trump smiles while attending the Ultimate Fighting Championship 287 mixed martial arts event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on April 8, 2023. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images Republican Sen. Tim Scott has inched closer to challenging Donald Trump in 2024. Scott joins two other minority candidates seeking to expand the GOP's flagging brand. Current polling casts Trump, who is battling multiple investigations, as the odds-on favorite. Republicans eyeballing the 2024 presidential field right now are facing a black-and-white decision: give a person of color a shot at the White House or stand behind a defiant white man committed to running even if he's convicted of a felony. While GOP supporters still have 18 months to fully decide who their standard-bearer should be, the growing roster of hopefuls vying to wrest control of the party from embattled former president and current frontrunner Donald Trump includes a trio of minority candidates who've made their marks elsewhere. With the Wednesday launch of his exploratory committee, Tim Scott, the only Black Republican currently serving in the US Senate, joins former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy both of whose parents immigrated to the US from India as alternatives to the aggrieved former president. Current polling suggests that all three remain significant longshots. Market research firm Morning Consult shows both Scott and Ramaswamy polling at only 1%, and Haley polling at 4%. Their combined share of likely GOP primary voters is statistically tied with likely entrant but still undeclared candidate Mike Pence, who sits at 7%. More than half of the Morning Consult respondents say they are still in Trump's corner. And that's after he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records, charges Trump and his House GOP defenders assert are politically motivated. Even if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg secures a conviction, Trump told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday that he'd stay in the race. "I'd never drop out," Trump said. "It's not my thing." Story continues Stark choices How Republican voters wary of giving President Joe Biden another term next fall handle this potential inflection point remains to be seen. But whoever wins the GOP nomination will face a steep climb. Just within the last week, Republicans have been hammered with scandals, including Tennessee's GOP-led House of Representatives expelling two Black lawmakers for protesting gun laws while sparing a white counterpart from being ousted, and the general public learning about a prominent GOP megadonor's unsettling collection of Nazi memorabilia. And the Trump campaign only added fuel to the fire by letting slip that xenophobic bomb-thrower Laura Loomer was being considered for a job (which blew up after the news broke). The barrage of bad news, which will most likely get worse as the other investigations into Trump play out in the coming months, seems to have invigorated Trump so far. Trump's lead over anticipated 2024 contender Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis keeps widening as the hits keep coming a circling of the wagons effect that Trump's been milking for all its worth. But his fortunes could change if charges are brought in Georgia for alleged election tampering or special counsel Jack Smith finds that Trump mishandled classified documents. Then-US President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina shake hands following a working session regarding opportunity zones following the recently signed tax bill in the Oval Office of the White House on February 14, 2018 in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Breaking with the past At this point in the 2016 presidential cycle, the menu of options was also pretty thin. The only Republicans who had officially declared for the presidency through the first half of April 2015 were Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Marco Rubio of Florida. It would be another month before a woman, Carly Fiorina, and a Black man, Dr. Ben Carson, jumped into the contest. And then everything changed two months later as Trump's fateful trip down a golden escalator sent the whole country on a rollercoaster ride. Trump ally turned critic Chris Christie said last fall that the upcoming election will define whether Republicans are the "party of me or the party of us." Scott, who is well-respected on Capitol Hill, is working to carve out a lane for himself as an opponent of those who pursue "grievance over greatness." "Our divisions run deep, and the threat to our future is real," Scott said of the existential crisis at hand. As she made the rounds in Iowa, Haley made her case for trying something different at the ballot box. "We have to elect someone that can win a general election," Haley told attendees at a town hall meeting in Des Moines. "That requires a new generational leader." Read the original article on Business Insider Kay Woodcock, the biological grandmother of slain 7-year-old Joshua "J.J." Vallow, detailed Lori Vallow's shift in priorities from her children to her "Doomsday cult" on Monday, testifying that the accused murderer put her new husband ahead of caring for the autistic child. Woodcock, the sister of Vallows fourth husband Charles Vallow, and her husband Larry, were the ones who first contacted police in November of 2019 after their once-regular phone calls with their grandson came to an abrupt halt, according to the New York Post. Charles and Lori Vallow were the adoptive parents of J.J. RELATED: Money, Power, Sex: Attorney Says Slain Kids Mom Lori Vallow Daybell Used All 3 At the time, 49-year-old Vallow told police the child was staying with her friend Melanie Gibb in Arizona. However, the Nov. 26 welfare check sparked the months-long search that ultimately led police to the remains of JJ and his 16-year-old sister Tylee Ryan in June of 2020 on the Idaho property of Chad Daybell, Vallow's Doomsday prepper fifth husband. Lori Vallow Daybell sits in a police car. Lori Vallow Daybell Photo: Tony Blakeslee/East Idaho News via AP, Pool, File Vallow and Daybell, 54 who both believe that the world is ending and the second coming of Christ is impending now face multiple counts of conspiracy, murder and grand theft in connection with the children's deaths. They are being tried separately, Jurors in Vallow's current trial will decide whether she killed the children. Prosecutors also say that Vallow conspired with Daybell to kill his ex-wife Tammy Daybell, who died of asphyxiation in October of 2019. Vallow is also charged in Arizona with one felony count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder for the death of Charles Vallow, who was shot dead by Vallow's brother in July of 2019. Woodcock, whose full testimony on Monday was published by East Idaho News, told the Ada County Court that her late brother sought to name her as a beneficiary and take Vallow off his insurance policy in February 2019, while his divorce was underway. Charles Vallow also entrusted her with ensuring that his two adult sons would take the other $500,000 of the life insurance payout. Story continues 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 Woodcock said she vowed to take on raising the 7-year-old because "Lori didn't want him anymore," claiming that Vallow "left her husband and her child for 58 days." Woodcock, who still had access to Charles Vallow's email accounts after he was fatally shot, testified that she was alarmed after she was woken by "divine intervention" around 4:30 a.m. one November morning and discovered activity on his Amazon account. I got into the browsing history of the Amazon account and I saw that there was browsing for a beach wedding dress, a bathing suit ... and malachite wedding rings, Woodcock said. Vallow and Daybell were married on a Hawaii beach on Nov. 5, 2019. Seventeen days after the purchase was made, allegedly on deceased Charles Vallow's account, Tammy Daybell died in her home. Lori Vallow Daybell sits in a police car. Woodcock said she last heard from her grandson J.J. via Facetime before the wedding, on Aug. 10. That was a 35-second FaceTime He said, Hi Mama, hi Papa,' Woodcock said, growing emotional. Then, she said, the boy looked up at the person holding the camera and quickly said he had to go. She said that J.J. who was removed from the custody of Woodcock's daughter in 2012 when drugs were found in his system at birth and cared for by Kay and Larry Woodcock before he was adopted by Lori and Charles Vallow in 2014, according to The Daily Mail was not allowed to attend his father's funeral. The grandmother recalled hiring a private investigator to find her grandson in October of 2019, before she reported the boy missing and launched the nationwide, headline-grabbing search that led to the children's burial sites on Daybell's property. Woodcock and her husband would later post a $20,000 reward for their grandson, according to the Idaho Statesman. Before splitting with her brother, Woodcock recalled, Vallow was "just a doll" who was "very engaged" and "seemed to be the kind of mom that every mom wants to be," and that she and her husband eagerly let the Vallows adopt the boy because they had a "busy lifestyle" and were "family oriented." "They had a much different lifestyle than Larry and I," she recalled. "All we did was work and go home." Oxy App Prosecutors also called on Brandon Bordeaux, previously married to Vallow's niece Melani Pawlowski, for testimony on Monday, according to The Independent. Pawlowski, Daybell and Vallow were all members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, he said, then gradually became more embroiled in Daybell's cult, called "Preparing a People" according to reporting by Insider. Things got worse when Pawlowski and Vallow began joining Daybell for "fireside chats" informal religious meetings in which the group discussed the impending end of days. Before his death, Bordeaux said, Charles Vallow detailed Daybell's bizarre beliefs to family members and forwarded correspondences from Daybell via email to document his ex-wife's strange behavior. The relative tearfully recounted identifying J.J.'s body for police after it was recovered. Bordeaux claims he was victim to a failed shooting on Oct. 2, 2019 during divorce proceedings with Vallow's niece and days after J.J. and Tylee vanished, according to Arizona Central. He attributes the divorce and the attempt on his life to his ex-wife's involvement in the doomsday cult. Police released a nine-minute compilation of body camera footage and bystander video from the Monday Louisville bank shooting. Louisville Metropolitan Police Department Newly released body cam footage shows Louisville police responding to the Monday bank mass shooting. The footage shows the 25-year-old suspect shooting at responding officers, hitting one in the head. The video also captures the moment an officer shot and killed the suspect from several feet away. Editor's note: This story contains graphic imagery that some readers may find upsetting. The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday released body camera footage from the Monday mass shooting at Old National Bank that left five people dead and eight injured, showing how responding officers were able to shoot and kill the gunman from outside the building. The graphic, nine-minute footage includes video from the two initial responding officers, as well as a bystander video taken from across the street. The footage begins with body camera video from Officer Nickolas Wilt, the rookie who remains in critical condition after the gunman shot him in the head. Wilt and his training officer, identified as Cory "CJ" Galloway, arrived on the scene approximately three minutes after officers were first dispatched, authorities said during a Tuesday press conference. As soon as the officers pulled up to the bank, the gunman began firing at them still inside their police car, the video shows. After exiting the vehicle, Wilt and Galloway walked up a set of outdoor stairs, preparing to try and confront the shooter, police said. But because of the gunman's vantage point from inside the bank, the interior of which was shielded by non-reflective glass doors, the shooter could see the officers approaching, even though they were unable to see inside him the building, police said. As a result, the gunman fired at the two approaching officers, and shot Wilt in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. During the encounter, Galloway also sustained a small gunfire injury, police said, and video shows him falling down a set of stairs, where he took shelter behind a tall planter for approximately three minutes, attempting to spot the shooter inside the building while he waited for backup. Story continues When other officers did arrive on the scene, they attempted to find Wilt and give medical care to the fallen officer, the video shows. All the while, the gunman was still firing at police. During the encounter, however, the shooter shot out some of the bank doors' glass, giving Galloway a vantage point to fire the death shot from several feet away, authorities said while showing the body camera footage on Tuesday. "The response wasn't perfect, but it was the exact response we need," Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said during the press conference. No other people inside the bank were injured after police arrived on the scene, Humphrey added. The body camera footage blurs out both Wilt's body and the gunman's dead body, but police did release two security footage images of the gunman holding his AR-15-style weapon inside the building prior to the shootout. Police on Tuesday also confirmed that the 25-year-old gunman was a current employee at the bank. Authorities have not yet released a motive. Authorities identified the victims as Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; James Tutt, 64; and Deana Eckert, 57. Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel told WDRB-TV on Tuesday that the department is feeling "hopeful" about Wilt's condition. The young officer, who was only 10 days out of training remained in critical but stable condition on Tuesday morning, the police chief said. Read the original article on Insider Jessica Gadirova led Great Britain to gold at the European Gymnastics Championships (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire) Great Britains five-strong womens gymnastics team held their nerve to win the European title for the first time in Antalya on Wednesday. Led by reigning world champion Jessica Gadirova, the British team edged home after the final rotation with a total score of 164.428 to pip Italy to gold, with the Netherlands taking bronze. Gadirova, who was joined by team-mates Georgia-Mae Fenton, Alice Kinsella, Ondine Achampong and Becky Downie, said: We put in some massive performances today and it feels so special to have won as a team. Personally Im so happy to have been able to deliver my routines for the team, it feels incredible to stand on the top of the podium with them. Victory earned a third career European gold medal for 31-year-old Downie, who had previously won titles on the uneven bars in 2014 and 2016. Downie was up last on her favourite piece of apparatus and her routine scored 14.366 to secure the gold medal for the British team. Downie said: Its been a long wait for me to get back into a position like this and I couldnt be more proud of the whole team. Going up last I knew I had to keep my focus and concentrate on what I can do and Im so happy to have produced that routine. All five gymnasts also qualified for this weeks individual finals, with Gadirova and Fenton targeting the podium in Fridays all-around event. One of the first detectives investigating the disappearance of cult mom Lori Vallows son and daughter has revealed the alarming items discovered in her home months before the children were found murdered. The trial of Ms Vallow, 49, is finally underway in at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, almost three years after she was charged with the murders of her son Joshua JJ Vallow and daughter Tylee Ryan and conspiracy to murder her doomsday preachers husband Chad Daybells first wife Tammy Daybell. Detective Ray Hermosillo with the Rexburg Police Department was called to the stand by the prosecution on the second day of testimony on Tuesday. His department joined the investigation into JJ and Tylees disappearance after police in Gilbert, Arizona, raised alarm regarding the minors whereabouts. Ms Vallow and her children moved from Arizona to Rexburg, where her future husband and alleged co-conspirator Chad Daybell lived, in early September 2019. Mr Hermosillo told jurors that officers found knives, several guns and empty magazines while searching Ms Vallows apartment two months later when JJ and Tylee had allegedly already been killed. Mr Hermosillo said he helped conduct a welfare check on Ms Vallows Rexburg apartment on 26 November after increasingly worried relatives in Arizona told law enforcement that they had not seen or heard from JJ, seven, or Tylee, 16, in months. He said Ms Vallow and the children were nowhere to be found, but Mr Daybell and Ms Vallows brother Alex Cox told him the children were staying with JJs grandmother Kay Woodcock in Arizona which the detective already knew to be false. When asked to contact Ms Vallow, Mr Daybell said that he did not have her number. We knew Chad and Lori had married two weeks prior to my contact with him, Mr Hermosillo told jurors in reference to the couples Hawaii wedding on 5 November 2019. I assumed he was lying because I knew they were close. Mr Hermosillo testified that after knocking on Ms Vallows door without obtaining a response, he filed a request for a search warrant. Later that day, Ms Vallow opened her door and agreed to speak with detectives, telling them this time that JJ was with one of her friends in Arizona. Story continues Joshua Mr Hermosillo returned the next day to serve the search warrant, only to find that Ms Vallow was gone. Inside the apartment, investigators retrieved guns in the garage of the apartment, as well as several Army-grade knives, and empty magazines for various weapons. Police also found Hazmat-style suits and preparedness bags with emergency kits, a camouflage suit, ammunition, guns, silencers, and black trash bags full of clothes and papers. Toys and items belonging to JJ, including prescription medication, were also found in the search. There were things of that nature in the garage that caught our eye, Mr Hermosillo said. Recounting the scene at the apartment, Mr Hermosillo said someone appeared to have fled in a hurry, taking all of their clothes but leaving everything else behind. Mr Hermosillo said that after the alarming discovery inside Ms Vallows apartment, he contacted the FBI to try to locate her, Mr Daybell and the kids. Rexburg PD also contacted Colby Ryan, Ms Vallows oldest son, who told officers he had not spoken to his sister Tylee in a while. Mr Hermosillo told the court that the last date he is aware of proof of life of Tylee was on 8 September 2019, based on a photo of her taken at Yellowstone. The last documentation that JJ was alive is 22 September 2019, based on a photo of him sitting on a couch in Ms Vallows front room. The last photo and known sighting of Tylee Ryan (pictured with JJ and Alex Cox at Yellowstone National Park) (FBI) On 11 December, the police officially reported the children as missing. Ms Vallow was ordered to produce the kids to Rexburg PD, and was ultimately arrested in Hawaii on 21 February 2020 when she failed to do so. Prosecutors believe JJ and Tylee were killed by the couple in September - more than two months before Ms Vallows home was raided in November 2019. Mr Daybell and Ms Vallow then got married in Hawaii and refused to cooperate in a desperate cross-state search for Tylee and JJ. Tylee and JJs bodies were found buried in a pet cemetery on Mr Daybells property seven months later on 9 June 2020. Some details about their deaths had not been released to the public before Mr Hermosillos testimony on Tuesday. Describing the search for the remains in graphic detail, Mr Hermosillo said that a crime scene team uncovered a black object protruding through the earth. It appeared to be the crown of a head and more excavation revealed JJs body wrapped in plastic and duct tape. Digging into another area, burnt flesh and charred bones were found. The smell was so bad the team had to take turns, Mr Hermosillo said. JJ and Tylees remains were found buried on Mr Daybells property (AP) Eventually we uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee, whom we assumed was Tylee, that had been burned. There were pieces of bone, charred flesh, just globs of flesh that were falling apart. Hermosillo says more burnt flesh and bone were found in a green bucket that had melted. Eventually, they located a partial human skull. It was kind of deformed and the flesh and bone was all kind of stuffed in that melted bucket, he added. Once the plastic was slit open there appeared to be human hair. At that moment the bodies were discovered, Mr Hermosillo was informed that Mr Daybell attempted to flee but was taken into custody by officers near the scene. FILE - Lori Vallow is facing trial in Idaho for the murder of two of ther children Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell are also facing conspiracy to murder charges in Arizona for Ms Vallows previous husband Charles Vallows fatal shooting by her brother Alex Cox during a supposed domestic argument. Cox claimed he acted in self-defence before his death in December 2019. Prosecutors alleged during opening arguments on Monday that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with Cox to murder Tammy Daybell, JJ and Tylee as part of their doomsday cult beliefs and for their financial purposes. Ms Daybell is scheduled to face trial later this year, after requesting to be tried separately from his wife. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Handout A young Buddhism student was raped and impregnated by her spiritual leader, who told her she should keep the baby because she would be giving birth to an enlightened guru like him, according to a lawsuit filed in Oregon. Rachel Montgomery was a teenager when she began attending a Buddhist center in Eugene, Oregon. After a traumatic childhood, she initially found comfort and guidance at the Dzogchen Retreat Center led by a Tibetan Buddhist guru known as Choga, she told The Daily Beast in an interview. A lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon in December accuses Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche, a Tibetan who has also gone by the name Choying Rabjam, of sexual battery and sex trafficking. It alleges that he struck up an especially close relationship with Montgomery before twisting the Buddhist traditions of karma and tantra to abuse a student 27 years his junior. The lawsuit claims that Choga, now 58, who traces his Buddhist heritage back through 33 generations, abused the teacher-student relationship through a series of uninvited sexual interactionsapproaches that culminated in Montgomery being raped inside a Buddhist temple. It is alleged that Choga pressured Montgomery to get drunk before raping her in the same temple where he had previously made sexual contact with the 21-year-old student. The lawsuit said he had also told her to suck his tongue before groping and penetrating her, claiming that it was all part of tantric empowerment and his Buddhist teachings. Choga and lawyers representing the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication. Emails sent to the Buddhist center also went unanswered. I feel like Buddhism was weaponized to take advantage of me, Montgomery told The Daily Beast. I dont want to say that it gets weaponized for everyone. But for me, it was weaponized. Inside Tibetan Buddhisms Rape and Abuse Scandal The lawsuit says Montgomery was barely conscious at the time of the rape but has recollections of the heavy weight of her teachers body on top of her and his long hair sweeping across her face. Story continues It is alleged that Montgomery tried to put the incident out of her mind until she discovered that she was pregnant the following month. Troubled, she reached out to Choga, who confirmed that he had penetrated her in the temple that night. Once again, Choga convinced [Montgomery] that though the interaction was similar to what the Western world perceived as sex, it was actually a blessed act intended for her spiritual benefit, the lawsuit alleges. Montgomery said Choga told her that the child would be an enlightened being, which she understood to mean that the baby would be declared a tulku. That designation means the child would be considered the reincarnation of a Buddha, a powerful figure within the Buddhist community and an heir to Chogas lineage, which can be traced back to 626 BC. The lawsuit alleges that Choga eventually agreed to pay for an abortion. Montgomery, now 30, lives with her husband and her cat, Mr. Hitchens, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State where she works with a community-based program to prevent young people using drugs and alcohol. She told The Daily Beast that she has chosen to come forward publicly because she wants to warn others about how she was treated. I became pretty distressed that if someone was in the same position as I was in; they were looking for experiences, and they were young, curious, semi-naive people. That if they tried to Google the community that I was abused in, they wouldnt find anything. So, it would be really hard for them to discern what potential harms could happen to them. My experience should be accessible to people that it would protect. Rachel Montgomery said she decided to come forward to raise awareness of her experience. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Handout The Crazy Wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism Montgomery was 19 when she first saw the beautiful, peaceful campus of the Dzogchen Retreat Center in Oregon in the summer of 2011. It was home to a welcoming, vibrant international community that appeared to offer salvation for a young woman who had a difficult start in life. The lawsuit says Montgomery fell into substance misuse from the age of 13 after her father died and her mother struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. She had stopped using drugs after rehab, but was still searching for a sense of purpose by the time she found Buddhism. I had pigtails, no sense of fashion. I mean, I look back and Im like, Wow. I was a baby. I hadnt even had a smartphone yet. I was just fresh in the world. I had very little knowledge and know-how in general, she told The Daily Beast. Immediately, the lawsuit says, Choga singled Montgomery out for special attention. At the end of the summer, he allegedly offered her a role as a nanny for one of the families who lived at the retreat. Montgomery said Choga was a super mystical presence on the campus, treated with reverence by everyone else there. He asked me to go on a walk to talk about my opportunity to contribute to their community. And that was unique for someone to have that one-on-one time, Montgomery said. She told The Daily Beast that Choga would tell her that he had known her in a previous life. Tibetan Buddhism encourages a unique and powerful system of loyalty to the spiritual leader, who is integral to the teaching. Complete obedience to your master is believed to be an essential prerequisite to deepening your understanding of the practice and avoiding bad karma. Tibetan Buddhism even suggests there is a special hell for people who think ill of their teachers. The lawsuit says Choga would be extremely demanding of his students, complaining if he didnt like their hair, their clothes or even their weightand demanding they change them. Rachel Montgomery first came to the Dzogchen Retreat Center in Oregon when she was 19 years old. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Handout At its most extreme, the theory of crazy wisdom posits that a Buddhist leaders actions are a special form of teachingeven if they seem outrageous or scandalous. By the Fall of 2013, Montgomery said she was deeply entwined in her Buddhist learning. The lawsuit says she had been given a permanentthough unpaidrole at the center, which meant she was living there full time as the property manager. That, in practice, allegedly made her a personal assistant to Choga. The lawsuit alleges that Chogas behavior towards Montgomery began to change once she had committed herself emotionally and financially to the center full-time, rather than pursuing other career opportunities. Choga monitored [Montgomerys] day-to-day activities and controlled her lifestyle, making remarks that vacillated dizzyingly between kindness and cruelty, the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit says he clamped down on a romance between Montgomery and another Dzogchen devotee named only as John Doe. Choga took an obvious dislike to Doe since Plaintiff began her relationship with him, and often acted in a harsh and abusive manner towards him. At one point, Choga commanded Doe to sign an agreement to leave the United States in Does own blood, the lawsuit says. The Shadow of Tantra At the end of 2013, the lawsuit alleges that Choga set up a series of private one-to-one tutoring sessions with Montgomery that would take her learning to a new level. These deep, guided meditations allegedly that took place inside the centers temple would include tantric empowerments to help her climb the spiritual ladder. In practice, it is alleged, these empowerments included increasingly outrageous sexual activities. First, the lawsuit says she was told to sit in Chogas lap, straddling him face-to-face, and then instructed to suck his tongue like a lollipop,much like the Dalai Lama asked a schoolboy to do in a video that emerged this week. Dalai Lama Apologizes for Asking Young Boy to Suck My Tongue The lawsuit says that subsequent practices included Montgomery being penetrated, first by Chogas fingers. The lawsuit claims he told her it was the art of priming her lotus. On another occasion, it is alleged, he penetrated her with his erect penis during a meditation while telling her to remain still and keep her eyes closed while he channeled his spiritual energy into her. Montgomery told The Daily Beast she believed this was all a normal part of her learning at the time, even if there were signs that, subconsciously, she knew something was wrong. In Tibetan Buddhismanyway Dzogchen Buddhismsex is a part of the practice. Its talked about as a common part of the practice. So that wasnt so out of the norm. I didnt mentally think anything negative per se. At the time, I started getting some really painful rashes all over my body. I started not being able to eat. I started compulsively running. I injured myself running. I was really anxious and jumpy. And I was feeling depressive thoughts, she said. The lawsuit says she was experiencing extreme anxiety, nightmares, panic attacks, stress, claustrophobia, and painful rashes. On Dec. 12, 2013, there was a party at the Dzogchen Retreat Center. The lawsuit claims Choga pressured Montgomery to give up non-alcoholic cider for the night and drink wine from a glass that he repeatedly filled until she had drunk the whole bottle. She was severely incapacitated at this point as she rarely drank, the lawsuit says. He told her that drinking alcohol would help her achieve spiritual connectedness, the lawsuit alleges, despite Chogas history of supporting Montgomery through her past substance abuse issues. It is alleged that Choga took a barely-conscious Montgomery into the temple where their previous tantric practices had been held, and raped her. Three weeks later, after she had taken a break from the center, the lawsuit says Montgomery discovered she was pregnant. She decided she had no choice but to terminate the pregnancy. I never could have seen myself having an abortion, she told The Daily Beast. But the panic I felt was so uncontrollable. And so, in my body, it was inescapable. It was either hurt myself, or end the pregnancy. I didn't see a way I was going to be able to mentally survive the pregnancy. She said she got in the car and returned to Eugene, Oregon to speak to Choga. My whole body was shaking. I just couldn't stop shaking the whole drive from Washington down to Oregon, she said. I would say it was confrontation-lite. I had never confronted him before. It was more like an urgent pleading. The lawsuit alleges Choga responded by telling her that she should have been delighted by the pregnancy, and told Montgomery that the child could be an enlightened being. If the baby was given tulku statuswhich suggests it is a Buddha reincarnatedthat would set it up within the Buddhist tradition as a future leader, who could inherit Chogas global empire. The Dzogchen foundation he leads has other retreats in Europe and Asia, and is currently fundraising $1.6 million for a new center in the U.S. Choga thereby elevated his rape of [Montgomery] into a blessing for the entire lineage, a matter of fate, the lawsuit claims. Spiritual leader Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche is accused of sexually assaulting Rachel Montgomery. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Handout It is alleged that Choga reluctantly agreed to pay for an abortion on the condition that Montgomery didnt tell anyone about it, and that she consented to having a child with him in the future. The prospect of giving birth to an enlightened guru had a profound effect on Montgomery, who still had total faith in Buddhism. Enlightened children at the time were described to me as children that are like born under auspicious circumstanceslike magical, mystical circumstances, she told The Daily Beast. After the abortion, I was Googling, what happens if you abort an enlightened child? He made it clear, I would have this negative karma as a result of what I was doing. It was a very strong concern. It was an anxiety I had at the time. Is This a Cover Up? At the time, Montgomery continued to trust in her Buddhist community despite her experience, but she was very confused. In September 2014, the lawsuit says she sought reassurance from other senior figures at the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation that her sexual experience with Choga was a legitimate element of tantric empowerment. According to the lawsuit, the board wrote to her to explain that so much time had passed since the incident that there was nothing they could do, adding that in any case they did not have any official powers of oversight in regard to Chogas personal life. Carol Merchasin, an experienced lawyer and investigator acting for Montgomery, said the board should have taken immediate action once this kind of allegation came to their attention. Under the laws of the United States and most countries, boards of these kinds of organizations have a fiduciary duty and they have a legal duty that they did not follow, she said. The Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation and six individuals are accused of negligence and vicarious liability for sexual battery and sex trafficking in the lawsuit. The author of Sex and Violence in Tibetan Buddhism, Mary Finnigan, previously told The Daily Beast that the community often brushed these kinds of allegations under the carpet. They still have their red-robe mafia code of omerta, she said. The lawsuit contends that the birth of another child had sparked rumors at the retreat center in Oregon which were quickly hushed up. Despite being born to a white, blond haired, and blue-eyed couple, [one baby girl] had distinctly East Asian features, the lawsuit claims. Montgomery said she felt ostracized from the community after writing to the board, and decided to join the Peace Corps in Ethiopia. Years later, when she returned to the U.S., she allegedly heard stories from old friends of other former Buddhism students who had suffered similar alleged experiences in other communities. She said it was the thought that her experience was not a one-off that made her act. She realized not only that what had happened to her was in fact rape, but also that Defendants had sufficient knowledge to warn her about the risks of guru sexual abuse, educate her about the risks of guru sexual abuse, and even, potentially, to have prevented her sexual assault, the lawsuit alleges. Merchasin, who specializes in cases with allegations of sexual misconduct in religious and spiritual communities, said Montgomerys experience is far from unique within Buddhism. It took Rachel years to actually understand what had happened, because it had been this indoctrination that this was a spiritual experience. In our experience in the law firm and working with clients and survivors, its unbelievably common, she told The Daily Beast. If what had happened to Rachel had happened in a dark alley, with a stranger, you would have known what it was. But because of the belief system, and because it was the teacher, and because of the reverence, and because of the negative karma, and all of this weaponization its hard to see it at first. An insider who has lived in the Tibetan communities for decadeswho asked to remain anonymous in order to speak freelysaid this weeks video of the Dalai Lama instructing a young boy to suck his tongue was a good example of the power imbalances and structures within Buddhism that can lead to abuse. To me that video was an exact display of how victims end up doing a lot of bizarre things because they are being told with a lot of authority, Here, you do this. Theres no questions being asked, they said. The conditions for abuse are created by the sort of relations that people are encouraged to have with their spiritual teacher. If youre practicing Tibetan Buddhism you are supposed to see your teacher as the Buddha, as perfect. If your teacher does something that looks wrong you scramble to re-interpret it. There is also an issue of accountability within the Buddhist community, which has no clear single power structure. The tulkus are told since they are children that they are buddhas; that they know more than anyone else; they can't do anything wrong, the insider added. There is a fundamental lack of understanding of human rights and what is appropriate, what is harmful. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Orlando police provided an update Wednesday morning after six people were killed in Easter weekend shootings, including two children. Police Chief Eric Smith shared new details on the two deadly shootings, one in Parramore and one in Carver Shores, at 10 a.m. The first Easter Sunday shooting happened shortly after 2 a.m. when Orlando police found a young child, a teenager, and an adult dead in a home on Grand Avenue in Parramore. Read: 6 people, including 2 children, killed in Easter weekend shootings in Orlando Police said they shot and killed the gunman, Lacorvis Daley, 28, who they said shot at them as he walked out of the home. And then shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, police said five people were shot in Poppy Park in Carver Shores. Read: 3rd person dies in Easter shooting at Orlando park; 2 others remain injured Three of them died and two others were injured. 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. Boxes of mifepristone, the first pill given in a medical abortion, are prepared for patients at Women's Reproductive Clinic of New Mexico in Santa Teresa, U.S., January 13, 2023 Credit - Evelyn HocksteinReuters Now that a Texas judge has ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)s approval of the abortion pill, mifepristone, is suspended, what happens to the supply of the drug? The judge gave the Department of Justice (DOJ), which represents the FDA, until Apr. 14 to file an appeal before the suspension of the drug takes place. Both the DOJ and the drugs maker, Danco, have filed appeals asking the Fifth Circuit Court to issue a stay on removing the drugs approval. Making things more complicated, soon after the Texas judges ruling, a district court judge in Washington issued an opposing decision: that the FDA should keep mifepristone on the market and was prohibited from blocking access to the drug. That decision was in response to a lawsuit filed by attorneys general in 17 states and the District of Columbia who questioned the FDAs requirement that doctors who prescribe mifepristone and pharmacies who dispense it be certified. If the appeals court does not grant a stay on the Texas judges decision in time, the drug would technically no longer be approved. But because no judge has called for the suspension of the FDAs approval before, experts are divided over what that means for mifepristone. The FDAs options Some think the FDA might have whats called enforcement discretion, which legal experts are interpreting in different ways. Some believe this discretion allows the agency to decide not to enforce the judges order to suspend approval of the drug. In that case, the FDA would notify the manufacturer that it was providing safe harbor for the company to continue making and distributing the drug, says Sonia Suter, professor of law and director of the health law initiative at George Washington University. A 1985 Supreme Court decision supports such an action, stating that the FDA has broad enforcement discretion. Others arent confident that the agencys enforcement discretion applies in this situation, noting that its meant more for the FDA to modify its own rules and regulations when circumstances warrant. A recent example of such a situation occurred in 2021, when the FDA removed the restriction on mifepristone that required patients to get the medication in person from a certified health care provider. Story continues What happens to mifepristone thats already in clinics and doctors offices? Doctors and clinics that currently have supplies of the drug will be looking to the FDA to determine what they do with their doses. But there is no precedent for what happens to drugs when its not the FDAbut a judgethat decides they are no longer approved. If the agency does follow the judges ruling and declares mifepristone no longer an approved drug, then it is technically unlawful to prescribe or dispense a drug that isnt authorized or approved by the FDA, says Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Public Health Law & Human Rights at Georgetown Law. Read More: Why Republicans Are Overreaching So Hard in So Many States But Kirsten Moore, director of the EMAA Project, an organization that helps expand access to medication abortion, believes doses already in the hands of health care providers could still be prescribed and dispensed. Because the Texas judge did not specify any action that the FDA had to take, such as removing the drug from the market, she says, those doses could be used. She points to a precedent from a recent FDA decision to withdraw approval of Makena, a drug that prevents premature birth, based on additional evidence that the medication wasnt effective. In revoking its approval, the agency said some health care providers might continue to prescribe or administer that limited remaining supply to their patients, although the FDA urged doctors to consider the agencys decision that the risks outweighed the benefits of doing so. The Makena example gives us some information that once a drug is in interstate commerce, its considered still there, says Moore. Removing a drug from the market is a highly regulated process that is laid out in the FDAs statute. It requires the FDA commissioner and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue withdrawal notices, provide the reasons for the withdrawal, and give the manufacturer time to respond to those reasons. Having a judge suspend approval of a drug is not what the statue requires for withdrawal of a drug, says Suter. Its not the right process. Access to mifepristone may depend on what state you live in Some states are not taking any chances on what might happen to the availability of mifepristone, which is used not just for abortions but also to manage miscarriages. Massachusetts has already ordered 15,000 doses of mifepristone, enough to treat a typical number of patients in the state for a year. California has purchased 2 million pills of misoprostol, an FDA-approved drug for treating ulcers that is used off-label to induce abortions early in pregnancy in combination with mifepristone. Used alone, it can also induce an abortion, although it causes more side effects and the two medications together are more effective. Misoprostol is poised to become the backup plan for medication abortions as the courts continue to debate the status of mifepristone. In the 18 jurisdictions affected by the Washington ruling, says Suter, doctors may have more confidence in continuing to prescribe mifepristone even if the appeals court does not issue a stay on the Texas judges decision. Doctors could be bold and think, I have one authority supporting me to continue prescribing the drug, so I will risk it, says Suter. Or they could be conservative and decide its too confusing and switch to the alternative of misoprostol. Given the uncertainty, many providers may err on the side of caution and be more reluctant to prescribe mifepristone for fear of being sued or losing their license if their state licensing boards view the abortion pills as an unapproved drug. Can you order mifepristone online? Online access to abortion pills may also be narrowing. In his ruling, the Texas judge invoked the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that prohibits sending any instrument, substance, drug, medicine or thing that could be used for abortion. In a 2022 opinion, however, the DOJ clarified that it was not illegal to send abortion medications by mail as long as the sender lacks the intent that the recipient of the drugs will use them unlawfully. Still, in his ruling, the Texas judge cited Comstock with a strict reading of intent, opening up the possibility that sending mifepristone by mail to any state, regardless of whether the state bans or allows abortion, would be illegal. Read More: What Nine Months Means to a Pregnant Person That could make medication abortion less convenient for everyone, even for those in states where abortion is legal. People in those states can currently have a telehealth visit and get a prescription sent to a mail-order pharmacy and then delivered to their home, but soon they may now have to go in person to obtain the pills, since mailing them could be illegal. U.S. residents could still order mifepristone from overseas, since the Comstock Act does not apply to non-U.S. providers. Aid Access, a Europe-based provider of abortion pills, ships medications from abroad for those who live in states where abortion is banned, and from U.S. sites for those who live in states where abortion is allowed. While current abortion laws in states only criminalize providers of abortion in the U.S., if current anti-abortion political and judicial pressures continue, Suter says the next move would be to criminalize the behavior of the patient. Already, she says, prosecutors in some states have gotten creative with their tactics, including by using child abuse and neglect laws, to hold women who use self-induced abortions accountable. For now, health providers and legal scholars are waiting for the decision of the appeals court to determine how the right to medication abortions will change. Many states and health providers were turning to abortion pills as a solution to the narrowing availability of abortion procedures in U.S. states; for women who dont have easy access to surgical abortions, the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol provided a safe and reliable alternative. Mifepristone was something that was going to help relieve some pressure on clinics in states where abortion is still legal, because those clinics were seeing a big influx of patients from states where abortion is banned, says Liz Borkowski, managing director of the Jacobs Institute of Womens Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health of George Washington University. We were hoping access was about to improve in states where abortion is legal. But this could actually reverse that. Harry and Meghan were last seen with the rest of the Royal Family at Queen Elizabeth's funeral. (Getty Images) What's happening? The news Harry will attend King Charles's coronation, while Meghan stays in the US, has prompted mixed reaction in the international press. On Wednesday it was announced that the Duke of Sussex would attend the coronation on 6 May, while the duchess would stay in California with their two children, Prince Archie, three, and Princess Lilibet, one. "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," a palace statement read. The coronation falls on Archie's fourth birthday, and Yahoo UK understands that this played a part in the couple's decision-making. Harry's desire to support his father, on what will be one of the biggest days of Charles's life, is also understood to have been a factor in his decision to attend, according to a source. He will only attend the coronation ceremony rather than the rest of the celebrations planned over the weekend, which include a concert at Windsor Castle and street parties across the UK. There has already been a flurry of speculation since it was announced that Harry would be attending without Meghan about the potential motivations of the duchess for staying away. Equally, her decision has been critiqued and supported in equal measure, once again highlighting how polarising a figure she has become. Despite stepping back from life as a working royal, Meghan has yet to shed the symbolic weight that comes with that role. Yahoo UK breaks down some of the reaction and speculation that has surrounded Meghan's decision not to attend at the coronation so far. During the hearing on 18 March, the court heard that a visit in 2021 to unveil a statue to his mother Diana, saw Harry go without adequate protection. (Getty Images) 'It's a wise decision': Who is supporting Meghan? Lots of people have come out in support of the duchess's decision to give the coronation ceremony a miss although their reasons for doing so differ. Speaking on GB News, former The Sun editor Kelvin Mackenzie said that he thought it was "a wise decision". Story continues "There's a real sense of angst against both of them and they've solved it. [Harry] has to turn up, he has to turn up to his dad's coronation". Mackenzie added that many families experience similar issues with their in-laws and that Meghan staying away while Harry attends is "the perfect solution". Dickie Arbiter, formerly a press secretary for the Queen, said on Good Morning Britain (GMB) that it was the "right decision" for the Duchess not to attend because the "optics would not be good". Lawyer and women's rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu said on GMB that Meghan's decision "admirable and inspiring". "I think Meghan's decision to say no to the most powerful family in Britain, and say no to the most talked about party in town is both admirable and inspiring. What Meghan's basically doing is she's exercised the power of no which comes from a place of self-worth". Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said to the Mail Online that the couple's decision was "probably an ideal compromise". Last year those appearing on the balcony for the Platinum Jubilee were limited to those higher up in the line of succession: only Charles and Camilla and William, Kate and their children appeared with the late Queen (Getty Images) Who has criticised Meghan? The duchess has been criticised by some for declining her invitation to Charles's coronation. Royal biographer Angela Levin said to Talk TV that "Meghan doesn't believe in supporting anybody in her family, it's all about herself". Writing in the Daily Mail, journalist and broadcaster Dan Wootton said that he believed there is "no doubt that Meghan's non-attendance comes down, as always, to her massive ego and obsession with being idolised" and further that "without any doubt, Meghan would have tried to upstage King Charles III during his own coronation". Camilla Tominey criticised the couple in The Telegraph for seeming to "relish engaging in games of cat and mouse with the palace" by withholding their RSVP status for "months". "Control is key and in withholding their confirmation for months, Harry and Meghan ensured that the ball remained in their court." Meghan has left Harry to suck up the shame of playing Coronation second fiddle (The Telegraph, 3 mins) An image of the official invite to King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation. (Buckingham Palace) Why is Meghan not attending the coronation? Ever since the decision was announced on 12 April, speculation about why Harry would be making the trip alone has been rife. Despite a source close to Harry saying it was due to Archie's birthday and the duke's willingness to support his father on such a big day, not everyone has bought that this is the real motivation behind the decision. Wootton called the excuse of Archie's fourth birthday "poppycock" in the Daily Mail. Other speculation has included that the Mirror quoting Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, who claimed that Meghan's exclusion from the planned balcony appearance was "more than she could bear" which was why she refused the invitation. Royal biographer, Tom Bower, has alleged to GB News that it was the Princess of Wales who made the decision, not Meghan. "I think it's an ugly compromise. We must all be grateful that Kate in the end prevented Meghan from coming, saying she 'wouldn't have her there in any circumstances'." Sean O'Grady, writing for The Independent said it was a "great, great shame" the duchess isn't going to attend, and "a very sad state of affairs" and noted that there would be a lot of rumours about her motivations. "No doubt therell be rumours about demands for tiaras and appearances and status and the like. That stuff is hard to take. "Rightly or wrongly she might well have been concerned about her childrens safety as well as her own. The hatred towards her is difficult to comprehend, and often entirely irrational, if not barmy. She might have been booed. She will have had to take that into account." Watch: The one event 'The Crown' season 5 got completely wrong US probes leak of documents 08:47, April 12, 2023 By AI HEPING in New York ( Chinadaily.com.cn Photo taken on Feb 19, 2020 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington DC, the United States. [Photo/Xinhua] US officials are trying to identify who leaked dozens of classified Pentagon documents that appeared online with details that include secret assessments of Ukraine's combat power and intelligence gathering on America's allies, including South Korea, Canada and Israel. Security analysts who have reviewed the documents on social media sites told various US media that the documents also include sensitive briefing material on China, the Indo-Pacific military theater and the Middle East. Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said Monday at a briefing that the Pentagon first became aware of the document leak last week, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin first briefed on the matter on April 6. At a separate briefing, national security spokesman John Kirby said that President Joe Biden was first briefed about the leak last week. Meagher said that the document leak has prompted US officials to reassure its allies "of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and fidelity to our security partnerships". NBC News reported Saturday that a senior US official said that the government's "working theory" is that the documents are real, although some of them could have been altered. It remains unclear whether the leak is the result of a hack by a foreign adversary or whether the disclosures came from within the US government or through a US ally with access to American intelligence reporting. The evidence that this is a leak, and not a hack, appears strong, said The New York Times. The leak is expected to raise questions among US allies about whether Washington can be trusted with secret information, said security experts. A South Korean senior government official on Monday in a briefing cast doubt on the legitimacy of the documents, saying there are suggestions that some of the information might be fabricated. He said that his country will demand that the US take "appropriate measures" once the investigation has concluded. The documents first appeared last month on social media websites, beginning with the Discord server for the video game Minecraft and 4Chan. Their existence was first reported on Friday by the Times. A Pentagon official said that the Defense Department is assessing the "validity" of the documents, and an interagency effort is assessing how the leak could affect national security and relationships with allies. "Over the weekend, US officials have engaged with Allies and partners and have informed relevant congressional committees of jurisdiction about the disclosure," said Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh in a statement. Two US officials told Reuters on Sunday that they haven't ruled out that the documents may have been doctored to mislead investigators as to their origin or to disseminate false information that may harm US security interests. Some experts say it could be an American who leaked the documents. Michael Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official, told Reuters in an interview that the focus now is on this being a US leak, as many of the documents "were only in US hands". But those running the investigation said they haven't ruled out the possibility that pro-Russian elements were behind the leak. CNN said it has reviewed 53 leaked documents, all of which appear to have been produced between mid-February and early March. They provide a rare window into how the US spies on allies and adversaries alike, CNN said. While US allies are aware that the US intelligence community collects information on friendly nations, diplomats from some of the countries mentioned told CNN it was frustrating and harmful to the US reputation to see that information exposed publicly. One of the documents, dated Feb 23 and marked "Secret", outlines in detail how Ukraine's S-300 air defense systems would be depleted by May 2 at the current usage rate, according to NBC News. In a statement to the Times, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said the documents were filled with "fictional information". "There is not the smallest doubt that this is yet another element of hybrid warfare," he said. "Russia is trying to influence Ukrainian society, sow fear, panic, mistrust and doubt. It's typical behavior." But Ukraine has already altered some of its military plans because of the leak, a source close to Zelensky told CNN. Agencies contributed to this story. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, registered robust year-on-year growth in its import and export cargo volume in the first quarter of 2023, according to the local frontier inspection department. In the first quarter, the port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region handled an import and export cargo throughput of 4.58 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 72.3 percent. Among them, the railway import and export cargo throughput neared 4.22 million tonnes, up 64.9 percent year on year, and the highway throughput totaled 369,000 tonnes, a surge of 250.1 percent. During the same period, the port handled 156,000 exits and entries. "The average daily number of inbound and outbound visits totaled over 3,600, an increase from 800 in January, when China optimized its immigration administration policies and measures," said Liao Changhao, an official of the local frontier inspection department. Liao noted that the figure has returned to its pre-COVID level. Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP Harvard University will rename its graduate school of arts and sciences after the billionaire hedge fund executive and Republican mega-donor Kenneth Griffin, the institution announced on Tuesday, after a new $300m contribution brought Griffins total support of his alma mater to more than half a billion dollars. Griffin, 54, is the founder and chief executive of Citadel, a $59bn hedge fund, and Citadel Securities, which trades securities. He is the 35th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $34.9bn, according to the Bloomberg billionaires index. Griffin will be just the fourth individual to have a school at Harvard named after him in exchange for a donation, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper. His name will carry controversy thanks to Griffins stature as a major political donor to rightwing politicians and his companys investments in firearm and ammunition manufacturers. Related: Harvard professor lobbied SEC on behalf of oil firm that pays her lavishly, emails show Griffins companies held investments in gun and ammunition manufacturers worth more than $139m as of March 2022, according to Chicago NPR affiliate WBEZ. These included shares in US gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger, as well as US ammunition makers Olin Corp, Vista Outdoor and Ammo Inc. As of 31 December 2022, the value of Citadels holdings in those five companies had increased to more than $200m, according to a Guardian review of SEC filings. The investments became a matter of public debate in 2022 when Griffin poured millions into a Republican candidate for the governorship of Illinois. Griffin accused the sitting Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, of failing to combat crime in Chicago, where Griffins companies were based. He subsequently moved his companies headquarters to Miami. A WBEZ analysis of firearms recovered by Chicago police from violent crime incidents over five years found that nearly one in four were produced by companies in which Citadel invests. Story continues At the time, Citadel disputed the importance of the investments, telling WBEZ that they made up less than .01% of our portfolio and arguing that a connection to gun violence was quite a stretch. Griffin rejected a call by the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper for his companies to divest from gun and ammunition makers, writing in a letter to the editor that 40% of American households own a gun and that the violence destroying our city is not the result of legal gun purchases, but rather a failure to prosecute criminals, a lack of support for police, and progressive left legislation that prioritizes criminals ahead of law-abiding citizens. Ken Griffin. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters He added: I will not embrace todays cancel culture nor engage in amateurish virtue-signaling based on blind ideology. Griffin is also a major political donor and one of the most prominent backers of the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, whom he has urged to run for president in 2024. A one-time fundraiser for Barack Obama, Griffin gave nearly $60m to Republican candidates for federal positions in 2022, according to Politico. Griffins close association with DeSantis is another potential reputational issue for Harvard. The Florida governor has staked out extreme positions on education and LGBTQ+ rights, including by signing the so-called dont say gay bill that restricts Florida teachers from discussing topics related to sexuality and gender identity and banning the states public high schools from teaching a new advanced placement course in African American studies. This year, DeSantis unveiled a legislative proposal to remake Floridas public colleges and universities that included banning critical race theory an academic theory developed by Black scholars at Harvard Law School and diversity and inclusion programs and drastically reducing the protections afforded by academic tenure. Asked to comment about Griffins association with DeSantis and his policies, a spokesperson for Citadel said: Ken respects and employs people of all backgrounds. Griffins gift to Harvard was unrestricted, the school said, and will go to the faculty of arts and sciences, which includes the undergraduate college and PhD programs. In 2014, Griffin made a $150m donation to the elite private university, primarily to fund financial aid. At the time, it was the largest single donation in the institutions history. Kens exceptional generosity and steadfast devotion enable excellence and opportunity at Harvard, said Harvards president, Larry Bacow, in a statement. I am deeply and personally appreciative of the confidence he has placed in us and in our mission to do good in the world. Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Got a tip on this story? Email Stephanie.Kirchgaessner@theguardian.com A 58-year-old surfer has recounted how his faith helped him survive when an 8-foot tiger shark latched onto his leg while he was surfing in Hawaii Sunday. Mike Morita, a veteran surfer, lost his right foot when the shark attacked him shortly before 7 a.m. near Kewalo Basin, Moritas family said. Morita spoke with NBCs "Today" from his hospital bed Wednesday, telling the outlet he initially thought the shark was a seal. But once he felt the pressure of the jaws on his leg, he realized it was a tiger shark. A tiger shark, also known as Queen Nikki, came out of the water at Ramsey. "I started to pray to God, and I said, 'God, let this shark let go of my leg,'" he told the outlet. "I was going back and forth, back and forth with it, and it didnt let go. So, I guess God wanted me to fight." COLORADO BOY ATTACKED BY SHARK ON CANCUN SPRING BREAK VACATION Morita recalled how he fought the shark with his fists, but his punches were ineffective. He explained how he then wrapped his other leg around the sharks body and stuck his hand into the gills of the creature, which promptly released him. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Paramedics responded and administered life-saving treatment, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said in a statement. It is believed a tiger shark, like the one pictured above, measuring about 8 feet attacked Morita as he surfed near Kewalo Basin in Hawaii Sunday. Friends surfing with Morita used their surfboard leashes to make a tourniquet on the injured surfers leg, KHON2 reported, an act that first responders said likely saved Moritas life. FLORIDA MAN, 67, BITTEN BY SHARK WHILE KITESURFING, WIFE HEARD HIS SCREAMS, OFFICIALS SAY Moritas family thanked the other surfers who rushed to their fathers aid and the first responders and staff at Queens Hospital for helping save their fathers life. "His spirits are high, and he has accepted his injury," Moritas daughter and son wrote of their father on a GoFundMe page. "He is embracing the challenges that he will face ahead and with God, his family, and his friends by his side he will remain positive and get through this." Morita credited his faith for helping him stay cool under pressure and find a way to survive the attack. Story continues "I have God in my life, and I have a lot of faith and trust and at no point was I scared," Morita told the outlet. "At no point was I thinking that I was going to die." CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Morita is expected to undergo a second surgery this week, according to his children. Russian occupiers have brutally murdered a captured Ukrainian serviceman and recorded it on video, and the President's Office has reacted to the shocking footage posted on the Internet. Source: Russian pro-war channels on social media Details: A video of the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war was shared on social media on the evening of 11 April. The footage shows a Russian soldier cutting off the head of a Ukrainian defender, who was still alive at the time, with a knife. The prisoner was in shock and shouted that he was in pain. The occupiers comment on the execution with the words "Get working, brothers", "Break his spine, f**k, have you never cut off a head?" The Russians show the severed head to the camera and say that it should be sent to the tortured soldiers commander. The face of the occupier who conducted the execution is covered by a mask in the video. The recording shows a Russian soldier showing off the body armour of the executed Ukrainian prisoner to the camera at the scene of the shocking murder. Green leaves can also be seen in the video, which could probably indicate that the recording was made last year. Screenshot from video Andrii Yermak, Head of the President's Office, reacted to the posting of the shocking footage. "There will be a response to and accountability for everything," Yermak said on Telegram. Background: Russian invaders shot an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war after he said "Glory to Ukraine". Last July, a video showing a Russian soldier torturing a Ukrainian prisoner of war by castrating him with a clerical knife appeared online. Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament ed.] Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was preparing a report to the UN, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the International Red Cross regarding the released video of torture by Russians of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Police departments across Central Indiana are encrypting their scanner feeds, or considering doing so, making it harder for residents to monitor crime and police actions in real time. Wen Gutreuter considers herself a safety-conscious resident who likes to stay abreast of news in her community. The 50-year-old mother of three said the fastest and most useful information she gets comes from police and fire scanners. Not directly, but Gutreuter, like thousands of other residents in Central Indiana, receives social media alerts from a website that monitors emergency calls about not just crime, but weather-related incidents like downed power lines and flooded roads. "It is incredibly useful in getting me notifications about traffic accidents and other information important to me so I can make a decision where to go, what to avoid," said Gutreuter, of Noblesville. Others are reading: Family, clergy want DOJ to investigate Herman Whitfield III's death in police custody For her, the scanner updates are an essential public amenity in a fast-information age. But beginning in July, Hamilton County will block the public and media from tuning into the police radio traffic, citing officer safety and privacy of victims as primary concerns. Hendricks County has put publicly released police and fire calls on a 15-minute delay. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is considering encrypting the communications, as well, though no details have been provided for how and when that might happen. The blackouts follow a national trend. Louisville, Denver and Chicago are among cities that have or are planning to encrypt police communications. Officials said the prevalence of scanner apps makes it easy for criminals to monitor police movements or protestors to gauge police strategy in volatile situations. They also said public reporting immediately on often unconfirmed police communications can spread dangerous speculation and inaccurate information. People who run those sites and their users argue the claims of nefarious use are exaggerated and that the benefits to the public far outweigh the harm. And the move has some residents and neighborhood crime watch groups concerned that an essential alert system is being taken away. Others are worried the move gives police license to operate in secrecy. Story continues Indianapolis' mayoral candidates are weighing in the possible move, as well. One Democrat has made opposition to it part of her crime platform and five others from both parties say they are against a full-scale encryption policy. Impacts on crime watch, prevention efforts Rev. Charles Harrison, whose Ten Point Coalition in Indianapolis has been responding to shooting scenes for 15 years to help keep peace in their immediate aftermath, said encryption would make it impossible for us to do our job. I am very suspicious, he said. How are we supposed to know what they are doing? During a time of great mistrust and tension between law enforcement and communities of color restricting access to police scanners will make it seem like the police are hiding their activities from the public. The public has a right to know what's happening in the city in real-time. I am against restricting access to police scanners that keep both the public & the media informed about criminal activity & acts of violence in the city. Police scanners also create transparency regarding police activities & potential threats to the public. Rev Dr Charles Harrison (@charlesharriso5) March 9, 2023 The change comes as technology has conditioned the public to expect real-time information at its fingertips through a plethora of social media platforms. Several crime watch groups use the Citizens app, which transmits scanner communications and issues alerts. Some crime watches post the alerts on their Facebook pages or Nextdoor app to inform members. They say it puts residents on the lookout when a crime has just been committed. We are not getting in the way of police, said Tabitha Barnett, who heads the Twin Aire crime watch on the southeast side. This helps them when they ask us if we see something to say something. Rev. Ernest Turner with the Ten Point Coalition arrives on the scene of a double homicide at 4100 Windhill Dr. in the Postbrook East appartments on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2019. The apartments are within the Ten Point Coalitions patrol area. Residents assert the scanners prevent speculation rather than spread it and note that police routinely encrypt sensitive information for example, during a SWAT operation and don't need to shut down the whole system. With the prevalence of mass shootings in public places or catastrophic natural disasters, the scanners are more useful than ever as a tool that can save lives, they say. "Technology is evolving everywhere and this is going backward, said Ang Malone, who has headed the Decatur Township Neighborhood Crime Watch for seven years. We use whatever tools are available and scanner apps have been all positive for us in getting real-time information. (Police) are public servants who are supposed to look out for all of us and shouldnt take this away. Indianapolis crime: Tracking every homicide in 2023 The law and privacy concerns Mike Hubbs, 911 director for Hamilton County, said security and privacy are more important than providing openness to the public or media. We dont want to tie the hands of law enforcement when officers are getting assaulted and attacked across the country, said Hubbs, who headed Marion Countys 911 system for eight years. "There are certain things we dont want you to know, certain things have to be covert. Hubbs said a law passed by the Indiana legislature in 2022 gave his agency no choice. Senate Enrolled Act 117 prohibits police from transmitting personal information about juvenile crime victims or social security numbers over the emergency radio unless it is encrypted. "I can't violate the code unless it gets amended," Hubbs said. But Sen. Kyle Walker, who co-authored the bill, said shutting down public monitoring was never the point of the law. "There was no anticipation that this would be used to go to full encryption. Most police have the ability for non-encryption and encryption for certain information, and they can use cellphones," Walker said. Unreliable information, or early warning tool? Depends. Police say scanner information is preliminary and inherently unreliable, which can lead to wild speculation or panic during emergencies, a view shared by some outside experts. When it comes to operational security and privacy there are good reasons why citizens who listen do not need to, said Adam Scott Wandt, an assistant professor of public policy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City who specializes in technology. It doesnt provide transparency or work as a neighborhood watchdog. It increases paranoia about crime." Instead, Wandt said with police departments increasingly using social media to keep the public informed, it's better to await official confirmation of incidences. He does favor the media retaining access to scanner information so they can get to news stories fast and report them. "The media provides a very legitimate service," he said. Indianapolis police monitor social justice protest on May 7, 2020 Lindsay Blanton, chief executive officer at Broadcastify, one of the major scanner apps, said claims of widespread criminal monitoring of scanners are overblown. Im sure its happened before but in every case that law enforcement cites officer safety, theyve never told us or the community specific instances where listening to online scanner feeds has constituted an officer safety issue, he told IndyStar in an email. He said apps like his are delayed as much as two minutes, anyway, so they wouldnt be of much use to criminals. Conversely, he asserted, the public need and benefit has been proven. Ive, in the past, seen tons of specific instances, especially with wildfires and active shooter situations, where the feeds provided timely real-time information to the communities, Blanton wrote, citing the recent shooting on the campus of Michigan State University. Debunking shots fired at Wiz Khalifa concert An Aug. 26, 2022 post by Noblesville Scanner on Facebook debunks reports that shots were fired during a Wiz Khalifa concert at Ruoff. The Noblesville Scanner Facebook page has been posting live police and fire communications updates since 2020 and now has 22,000 subscribers, including police officers and city council members. The site's moderators says they are able to quickly correct faulty speculation about local police activity that spreads rapidly on social media sites. Last summer, spectators fled a Wiz Khalifa concert at Ruoff Music Center when they thought they heard gunshots. Noblesville Scanner within minutes clarified that no shots were fired. Related: Fans flee Wiz Khalifa show at Ruoff mid-concert; no weapon found Gutreuter has followed the Noblesville Scanner since its inception. To take it away would be a travesty and would stir up more fear and misinformation, she said. We cant always turn on the news to find out what is going on. Especially if it isnt big enough to make the news but is important to us in Hamilton County. That local monitoring is why Steve Terry who has been involved in crime watches for 40 years, carries a police scanner with him when he makes neighborhood patrols in Christian Park on the east side of Indianapolis. It's even helped him lead police to the capture of three fleeing suspects right after they committed crimes, he said. Dave Varie, who heads the Binford Redevelopment & Growth crime watch, said he doesn't rely on a scanner and instead will confirm with an Indianapolis North District community liaison officer information passed to him by residents about crimes or suspicious activity before sending out information at large. The group's website has links to the department's crime incident map, and portals to report crimes and crime data. I really depend on neighbors and dont like putting out anything until it is confirmed, Varie said. Where candidates for Indianapolis mayor stand on the issue The encryption trend has received scant attention outside of people who monitor police for crime reporting, but it could become a talking point in the Indianapolis mayoral race. Democratic candidate Robin Shackelford has included her opposition to the encryption plan in her public safety platform, calling it "a direct violation of the publics right to know what is going on in the community" that "decreases transparency about what police are doing." Shackleford, a state representative, voted for the bill in the legislature to encrypt personal information because she said the law's focus was narrow and wasn't intended to give silence all radio traffic. "This is a completely separate issue because that law is meant to guard against identity theft and to protect minors," she said in an email to IndyStar. "The fact that some police departments are using that law as the reason they must encrypt everything is a miscarriage of justice." Most of the other candidates also said they didn't favor blanket encryption. Democrats Bob Kern and Clifford Marsiglio and Republican John Couch said they are against any restrictions, citing transparency. Republican Abdul-Hakeem Shabazz said he might favor a compromise, such as a 15-minute delay. Democrat James Jackson said he'd be against a media black-out but supported a 15-minute delay for the public. Democrat Larry Vaughn said he supported encryption. Republican Jefferson Shreve could not be reached for comment. Hogsett's office declined to give the mayor's position on encrypting radios, as did his campaign office. Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-6418. Follow on Twitter and Facebook. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis considers encrypting police feeds. Others already have Pumped to head out to Miami Beach for the Longines Global Champions Tour? Hold your horses. Our relentlessly soggy weather has caused organizers of the hoity-toity event sponsored by the Swiss watchmaker to make some changes. Known as the worlds premier show jumping series, Longines will indeed return here this week for its seventh year, bringing the Olympic-level equestrian sport to the sands in front of Collins Park, but for an abbreviated period. Thanks, Mother Nature! Originally set to start Wednesday and run through Saturday, Longines will now be only a three-day long affair, commencing on Friday and wrapping up on Sunday. Filmmaker/local observer Billy Corben posted a video of the site Tuesday on his Instagram, showing parts of tents blown off, saying the venue was damaged by rising seas and beach erosion. The show will proceed as usual, said a LGCT statement emailed to the Miami Herald, which did not mention any issues caused by the inclement weather. Nothing has changed beside the dates. Sounds like a prudent move. A flood watch remains in effect through Wednesday evening for coastal Miami-Dade, according to the National Weather Service. Friday is looking like clear skies and lots of sunshine. Phew. Wannabe attendees can gather more information about the updated schedule on LGCTs website. We understand the anticipation and excitement that comes with the event and would like to assure you that the team is working tirelessly with local experts to ensure that everything runs smoothly and is still an unforgettable experience for everyone involved, says a statement. The safety and well-being of our riders, their horses, and our guests are our top priority and as such, we have made some necessary adjustments. Story continues We appreciate your understanding in this matter. Longines Global Champions Tour When: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Where: In front of Collins Park, from 21st to 22nd Streets. Cost: Free Information and schedules: www.gcglobalchampions.com A Home Depot customer in Colorado was bitten in the face of a dog whose owner's say was being trained, authorities said. The incident happened March 31 at a Home Depot location in Evergreen, less than 15 miles west of Denver, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. Inside the store, authorities said a customer with a dog asked another customer to give the dog a treat, telling them "they were training the dog." The customer agreed and gave the dog a treat, but afterwards the pet "bit the customer in the face." When Home Depot employees tended to the bitten customer, a woman and the dog were seen leaving the store. The victim sustained "serious injuries" from the dog bite that required facial surgery, authorities said. Mexico: Police find bodies of 118 dead dogs in truck in Juarez, Mexico Texas: Couple trained their dogs to be aggressive, then the pets killed an 81-year-old man, police say Dog owner identified, charged The exterior of a Home Depot store After the attack, authorities asked for the public to help identify the woman seen with the dog. A few hours later, authorities said they were able to identify the dog owner. "The owner would be held accountable for restitution or in the event of any enforcement action. For dog bites, the dog is quarantined at their home for 10 days, to ensure the dog is not exhibiting any behaviors associated with rabies," the sheriff's office said. Jefferson County officials told USA TODAY the owner was holding the leash of the dog when the bite happened. Authorities issued a misdemeanor charge for dog biting off premises under owner's control. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Home Depot customer bitten in the face by dog, owner identified Editor's Note: On Friday, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead had arrived at the county correctional facility. She was scheduled to be arraigned Friday evening on charges of first and third degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime. No bail is available for first-degree murder charges. A Horsham mother is charged with killing her 11-year-old son because she did not want him to grow up with the struggle of the family's financial difficulties, according to authorities. Montgomery County Detectives allege Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 50, strangled the boy and then fled to Cape May, New Jersey, where her SUV was found submerged in the ocean. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_H8y1PdOU/ What did police say Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead did to her son? DiRienzo-Whitehead was arrested in Wildwood Crest not long after her 2019 Toyota Highlander was found submerged in the ocean in Cape May. Her husband, Daniel Whitehead, found their son, Matthew Whitehead, dead in the master bedroom of their home off Privet Road about 7 a.m. Tuesday. Matthew Whitehead had slept in the master bedroom the night before while his father slept in another room, which was not unusual, according to court documents. When speaking to detectives, DiRienzo-Whitehead told them Matthew was upset and crying about their financial difficulties Monday night, police said. She did not want her son to grow up with these struggles, so she strangled him with her husband's belt while he slept, court documents allege. She then drove the family's SUV to Cove Beach and into the ocean, police said. When the vehicle was not operable, she got out and walked to Wildwood Crest, where she was later found by police. A men's dress belt was found on the floor of the SUV, court documents state. When Daniel Whitehead woke up in the morning, the master bedroom door was locked, and he had to force his way into the room, where he found his son dead, police said. Story continues Before Tuesday, police had not been called to DiRienzo-Whitehead's home for any incidents, according to authorities. Who is Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead? Boy Mom is the tagline on DiRienzo-Whitehead's Instagram social media profile. Her smiling child, Matthew, with tussled, sandy blonde hair appears among the many posts promoting her career in real estate. She identified her son as a student at Germantown Academy and posted a photo of him in June celebrating his 11th birthday with tacos in Cape May. A licensed real estate professional, DiRienzo-Whitehead helped dozens of young families find a home, and she appears in testimonials of homebuyers brimming with both promise and hope. DiRienzo-Whitehead identified herself as a Realtor, however the National Association of Realtors on Wednesday said her membership is not active. She worked in staging homes for potential buyers before her work as a licensed real estate professional at Keller-Williams, according to her online profiles. The Texas-based firm is among the largest real estate agencies in the U.S. with a large presence in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Only three weeks ago, DiRienzo-Whitehead posted on Instagram an image of her jubilant boy holding the family dog Bailey. On Facebook, she said she was a graduate of Hatboro-Horsham Senior High School and studied at Drexel University. Other posts capture only the waves at the Jersey Shore, where her car would be discovered this week. Property records show the family owned property in Wildwood Crest. The DiRienzo family has deep roots in the Philadelphia area. DiRienzo-Whiteheads father worked at the Cardone Industries autoparts plant in North Philadelphia, raising Ruth and three siblings. Who was Matthew Whitehead? 'An unfathomable loss' Matthew was a sixth grade student at Germantown Academy in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County. In a statement Wednesday, the school said Matthew, who had attended the school since kindergarten, was an "extraordinary child" with a smile "as bright as the sun." "We loved him, and we will forever mourn his loss, a devastating tragedy for our community, his family, his friends, and our world. We will do everything in our power to carry his memory forward, to honor him as he so truly deserves, and to live our lives well as a tribute to him," the statement reads in part. "Matthew is the embodiment of love, promise, and goodness, and we will never, ever forget him." "In addition to this unfathomable loss, the circumstances are complicating our communitys grief. We are all struggling, and we ask you to respect our children and families privacy as we help them navigate through this tragedy." Boy found dead in Horsham: Car found in water off Cape May beach tied to death of boy in his Horsham Township home Shooting deemed justified: A shooting at a Horsham cemetery was deemed justified. Here's what the DA said happened Man charged in Falls homicide: How a Falls woman went from a missing person to a murder victim; inside the Carol Clark case What's next in the case of Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead? DiRienzo-Whitehead is currently in custody in New Jersey and is awaiting extradition back to Montgomery County. Once in Montgomery County, she will be arraigned on her charges. Homicide is a non-bailable offense in Pennsylvania so she will remain in custody. After her arraignment, a preliminary hearing in the case will be scheduled. It has not been scheduled as of Wednesday morning. She did not have an attorney listed for her. Staff writer James McGinnis contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead charged with murder in son's death in Horsham Two House Democrats called on Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to resign on Wednesday, a stunning move underscoring the rising concern over her prolonged absence from the Senate. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) was the first Democrat to publicly call for the 89-year-old Senate stalwart to step down, despite her plans to retire at the end of her term in 2024. Its time for @SenFeinstein to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people, Khanna wrote on Twitter. Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Evening Report newsletter Shortly after Khanna said Feinstein should step aside, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) followed suit. I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe its now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet, he wrote on Twitter in response to Khannas tweet. Feinstein remains out of Washington while recovering from shingles, and her absence has stalled the confirmation of President Bidens judicial appointments due to her seat on the Judiciary Committee. In a statement released shortly after Khanna and Phillips made their comments, Feinstein said she asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve on the Judiciary panel until Im able to resume my committee work. She did not provide a timeline for her return to the Capitol, only saying that she will go back to Washington when her medical team says it is safe for her to travel. She noted that her return has been delayed because of continued complications related to her diagnosis. Story continues When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period. Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis, Feinstein said. I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that its safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco. Feinstein announced in early March that she had been hospitalized after being diagnosed with shingles in February. The California Democrat said she was released from the hospital days later, but she has not returned to the Senate since. A competitive race is already underway to succeed Feinstein, who has represented California in the Senate since 1992, with Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) among those vying for the seat. California Gov. Gavin Newson (D) pledged in March 2021 that he would appoint a Black woman if Feinstein were to retire before the end of her term. The calls for resignation from Khanna and Phillips come one day after Jon Lovett the co-founder of Crooked Media and a former speechwriter for former President Obama said Feinstein should step aside. He also said more people should be calling on her to resign. The Senate reconvenes on Monday after a two-week recess. While Feinsteins timeline for returning to the Senate remains unknown, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) who had been absent for more than two months after being hospitalized for clinical depression is expected to be back in Washington on Monday. Fettermans office announced on Feb. 15 that the freshman senator had checked into Walter Reed Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression. He was discharged on March 31. Feinsteins absence, however, has posed specific challenges for the Democratic caucus since the Californian sits on the Judiciary Committee. Without her vote, the panel is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans and nominees have remained in limbo. The panel has been forced to postpone a number of markups. On the GOP side of the chamber, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has remained out of the Capitol after suffering a concussion following a fall. He was hospitalized the night of March 8 and was discharged days later. On March 25, he announced that he finished inpatient therapy and would work from home for a few days. When he will return to the Capitol, however, remains unknown. Updated at 8:26 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, on a reintroduction of a resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Andrew Harnik/AP Two Democratic members of Congress just called on Sen. Dianne Feinstein to retire. Feinstein has been away from the Senate dealing with health issues after contracting shingles. Democrats have been unable to confirm several federal judges in her absence. Two Democratic members of Congress just called on longtime Sen. Dianne Feinstein to resign. "It's time for @SenFeinstein to resign," Rep. Ro Khanna tweeted on Wednesday. "We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people." Shortly after Khanna's tweet, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota tweeted in support. "I agree with @RoKhanna," Phillips wrote, "Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it's now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet." Feinstein, who's 89 years old, hasn't cast a vote since mid-February, around the time of her shingles diagnosis. After contracting the infection, she said in early March that she spent time in the hospital before being released. Hours after her colleagues' tweets calling for her resignation, Feinstein issued a statement asking Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democrat to step into her committee positions until she is able to resume her work. Schumer's office responded that "per Sen. Feinstein's wishes, Majority Leader Schumer will ask the Senate next week to allow another Democratic Senator to temporarily serve on the Judiciary Committee." Feinstein currently sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats hold 11 votes to the Republican Party's 10. In order to send judicial nominees to the Senate floor, the 21-person panel needs a majority of its members to be present to vote for the nominee. A tie vote for the nominee means they won't see the floor. Story continues Without Feinstein present, committee chair Sen. Dick Durbin had asked to delay committee meetings on multiple occasions when Feinstein would be the pivotal 11th vote, according to NBC News. "When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period," Feinstein wrote in the Wednesday email update. "Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis." According to a Politico piece published Wednesday, two people in touch with Feinstein said they thought she could serve out the rest of her term but didn't think she'd be able to return to Washington, DC. The Senate is currently on a two-week recess and is set to return on Monday. When asked about Feinstein's timetable for return to office, her spokesperson told NBC News they "don't have an update at this time." "I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it's safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco," the lawmaker wrote. On February 14, 2023, Feinstein announced in a release that she was not running for another term in the Senate and that she'd work until her term ends. Prominent California Democrats Reps. Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, and Adam Schiff have each thrown their hats into the ring to replace Feinstein in 2024. Khanna was expected to run for Feinstein's seat but has since endorsed Lee and is co-chairing her campaign. If Feinstein steps down from her position before her term ends, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has the authority to appoint her successor to hold the position until the end of the term. Read the original article on Business Insider The Washington state House passed a bill late Tuesday to address the Washington state Supreme Courts Blake ruling that the states felony drug possession law was unconstitutional. The amended bill passed the House with a bipartisan 54-41 vote. In State v. Blake, Supreme Court Justices removed any criminal penalties for drug possession. Under that decision, convictions were vacated and dismissed by an order from the court. Lawmakers voted that same year to penalize drug possession charges with a misdemeanor, and mandated two pre-arrest referrals for substance abuse by law enforcement officials before an arrest, but that law will expire July 1. Under the version of Senate Bill 5536 passed by the House, drug possession would still be a misdemeanor but it would not mandate pre-arrest referrals. Instead, those charged with possession can have access to a pretrial diversion program if they are arrested only for possession. An assessment would be provided and if an individual is found to have a substance abuse disorder, they would be referred to treatment. Community service would instead be required if an individual is found to not need substance abuse treatment services. Possession convictions can be automatically vacated under SB 5536 if an individual is able to make it two years without any other charges, convictions or arrests. The legislation also takes steps to ensure that service providers and facilities are fully funded and available. Because the bill was amended by House members, the bill will have to be sent back to the Senate to concur on the amendments before the bill can be signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, spoke to the bill Tuesday night with great ambivalence. On the one hand, Im encouraged to see the investments and the building out of the structures and systems for evidence-based interventions to help people suffering from substance abuse disorder, Goodman said. On the other hand Im quite apprehensive at the prospect of criminalizing those very same people the most marginalized people in our society traumatizing them and driving them further into social dislocation and dysfunction. Story continues He said that he would vote for the policy in hopes that lawmakers could continue to work on a better solution in the future. Others were not so sure. Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, voted against the measure. We can do better, Mosbrucker said in a statement released after the floor vote. We had an agreement between three of the four caucuses that would have provided better legislation to address our states drug possession issue. Now we have legislation passing from House Democrats that doesnt truly address the heart of the issue and help those fighting addiction. She said that the legislation approved in the House leaves more questions than answers. People will continue dying in the streets of fentanyl, heroin, LSD and other dangerous drugs because there is not enough accountability for their actions, Mosbrucker said. And sadly, we will be back next year talking about what we should have done to prevent more lives from being destroyed. Senate Bill 5536 passed the Senate on March 3 with a 28-21 vote. Republicans and Democrats were split in their votes, with both parties voting for and against the measure. If passed and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee, the legislation would have multiple effective dates starting in July 2023. The full implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership pact will help expand trade and investment between China and other RCEP signatory countries, said China's Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. The ministry's comments came as the Philippines deposited its instrument of ratification of the RCEP agreement to the secretary-general of ASEAN on April 3, marking the final step towards the agreement's full implementation. Under the RCEP rules, the mega trade deal will come into effect 60 days after the deposit of the ratification and therefore will enter into force for the Philippines on June 2. This move indicates that the world's largest free trade agreement will come into full effect for all 15 signatory countries, the commerce ministry said in an online statement. China is the Philippines' largest trading partner, the top import source and the third-largest export market. Under the RCEP rules, the Philippines will enjoy favorable tariff treatment for goods trade with China, including automobiles and parts, certain types of plastic products, textile and clothing products, air conditioning and washing machines. After a transitional period, tariffs on these products will gradually reduce to zero from their current range of 3 percent to 30 percent of the tariff rate, said the commerce ministry. In the service and investment sectors, the Philippines has committed to opening up over 100 service sectors and significantly opening up ocean shipping and air transport services. The full implementation of the RCEP pact will meet the demand for China's consumption expansion and upgrading, consolidate regional industrial and supply chains, and promote long-term prosperity and development of the global economy, said the Ministry of Commerce. A local veterans organization says its mailbox was broken into and items were stolen, including a donation check from a healthcare company. HOWELL A local veterans organization says its mailbox was broken into and items were stolen, including a donation check from a healthcare company. According to a Facebook post on Tuesday, the American Legion Post 141 in Howell said someone had broken into its mailbox and opened all of the mail. We know they stole a $2,500 check from Humana, still trying to figure out what other items are missing, the post read. This act of thievery and vandalism has caused direct harm to the American Legion Family, Marine Corps League, and possibly other groups that are part of the Howell Veterans Organization. Officials say the stolen mail was left at a business three doors down from the Legion. An employee of that business reportedly said their workplace had also been ransacked. Legion officials say they have no idea which membership renewals or donations were delivered and are now missing. Donations are critical for our Legion so we can assist our local veterans in need, they said. Were working on getting the word out about any Legion applications that could have been stolen, but it is difficult to determine since we are not aware of who was applying. Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage They're certain the Humana donation check was stolen because the cover sheet was dropped off alongside other opened mail. The organization plans to report the theft to the Livingston County Sheriffs Office. Mike Marino and Jon King from Got It Going On News are longtime local journalists and, now, podcasters. See more of their stories at mikeandjonpodcast.com. This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell American Legion mail tampered with, check stolen Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called the U.S. a main adversary of his right-wing political party during a meeting with associates, a move that could lead to more friction between Washington and Budapest, according to a CIA assessment in a U.S. document that was among those recently leaked and posted online. Orban allegedly made the comment during a Feb. 22 political strategy session, the leaked document said, citing the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. The CIA said the inclusion of the U.S. in Orbans list of top three adversaries constitutes an escalation of the level of anti-American rhetoric in his discourse, according to the document. Relations between the U.S. and Hungary, a NATO member, are already tense because of Orbans strengthening ties with Russia and China. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Budapest did not respond to requests for comment. The CIA, the National Security Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have declined to comment on any of the intelligence reporting described in the leaked documents. The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the leaked document that revealed Orbans alleged move to characterize the U.S. as an adversary. The item is among dozens of documents NBC News obtained after an apparent Pentagon leak that is currently under investigation by the Defense and Justice departments. The dozens of pages that were posted online seem to contain sensitive and highly classified material, though some may have been altered, Pentagon spokesperson Chris Meagher said Monday. The U.S. and Hungary have enjoyed close ties since the end of the Cold War. But under Orban, Hungary slowed Finlands admission to NATO and continues to hold up Swedens entry. Hungary is also a member of the European Union, but as the rest of Europe has cut its consumption of Russian oil, Hungary has lobbied the E.U. to abstain from this effort. The E.U. declared in a parliamentary resolution last year that Hungary had become a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy under Orban and criticized him for promoting anti-democratic values. Story continues President Joe Biden appointed David Pressman, a human rights lawyer who is gay, to serve as U.S. ambassador to Hungary, despite the strong anti-LGBTQ+ stance of Orbans nationalist party. Pressman, who has become a target of the Hungarian media and Orbans government, has not shrunk from criticizing growing anti-American sentiment in Hungary. The embassy posted a video quiz to Twitter that asked people to guess whether quotes came from Orban and his supporters or from Putin. (Putin was never a correct answer.) A central issue between the U.S. and Hungary is the war in Ukraine, where Hungary has struck an ambivalent stance. While condemning the invasion, Orban and his government have refused to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin. They have also called for an immediate ceasefire. Orbans chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, accused the U.S. embassy on Wednesday of whipping up public support to change the governments position on Ukraine and Russia, according to a series of posts tweeted by Hungary spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs. Gulyas said that the U.S. "has not given up trying to squeeze HU [Hungary] into the pro-war position shared by many of our allies, but HU remains convinced that peace is the only common interest, according to the string of tweets. There is no alliance, diplomatic or even friendly pressure that Hungary will not resist, he added. Orban considers himself to be more aligned with former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, which Hungarian officials have openly discussed in interviews. Orban even recently tweeted his support for Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Hungarys ties with China and Russia have continued to grow. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto traveled to Moscow this week to hammer out a new deal with the Russian-controlled oil company Gazprom, announcing an agreement on Tuesday. Szijjarto has also shared that China was Hungarys largest investor in 2022, though he did not provide specific data about financial dealings. The U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Wednesday that could affect Hungary. The agency said it had targeted International Investment Bank, a Russia-controlled financial institution in Budapest. The banks presence in Budapest enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlins malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations, the Treasury Department said in a statement that also noted it would be sanctioning Hungarian national Imre Laszlocki, a deputy chairman on the bank's board. Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic all ended their ties to the International Investment Bank after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Treasury statement said. Pressman discussed the sanctions at a news conference Wednesday at the embassy in Budapest, according to Reuters. The ambassador emphasized that Hungary was a close ally but said the U.S. is "concerned about Hungarian leaders seeking ever closer ties with Russia." With this announcement," he said, "the United States is demonstrating that we will take action in response to Hungarys choices and to curb the access of Russia and sanctioned Russian persons to the international financial system. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has launched a pre-trial investigation into the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (PoW). Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the SSU, stressed that the security forces would find the monsters who did it. Source: SSU Quote from Maliuk: "We will find these monsters. We will hunt them down wherever they are, whether they are underground or in the afterlife. But they will definitely be punished for what they did." Details: The Ukrainian agency believes that the Russian occupiers "are displaying their animal nature, as they brutally torture a Ukrainian PoW and cut off his head" in the video, which emerged online on 11 April. The Security Service has launched a pre-trial investigation into this war crime under Art. 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Previously: On the evening of 11 April, a video of the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war emerged on social media. The footage shows a Russian soldier cutting off the head of a Ukrainian defender, who was still alive at the time, using a knife. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters Russian forces are trying to sow panic ahead of a planned Ukrainian counteroffensive by circulating brutal footage of a Ukrainian prisoner of war having his head cut off, Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday. Pro-Russian Telegram channels began circulating two separate videos this week that appear to document war crimes, one of which purportedly shows Russian troops chopping a prisoners head off and relishing in the aftermath. The victim is clearly still alive as the gruesome execution begins. It hurts, stop, he appears to say before falling silent. Off-camera, men purported to be Russian troops can be heard cheering on the executioner, yelling, Were working, brothers, were fucking working! Fucking cut it, break the spine! What, have you never cut off heads before? Another man then suggests putting the decapitated head in a sack and sending it to the commander. The video, thought to have been filmed over the summer, was spread by the Telegram channel of Vladislav Pozdyankov, the founder of a Russian misogynistic hate group called the Male State. But Pozdyankov, who directed the footage at Russian figures who oppose using more brutal methods on the battlefield, said hed pulled the video from another social media channel and that it was not his. The chilling video followed similar footage shared by pro-Russian channels over the weekend that showed the beheaded bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers. In that video, purportedly filmed by members of Russias notorious Wagner group near Bakhmut, a man disguising his voice can be heard laughing about how someone had cut their heads off along with their hands. In a statement to The Daily Beast, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, said he had watched the video. Its bad when people get their heads cut off, but I didnt find anywhere that this is happening near Bakhmut or that Wagner fighters are taking part in the execution, he said. Soldiers Make Secret Pact to Destroy Putins Empire From Within Story continues Separately, Russian social media channels shared a picture of a skull stuck on a spike that was said to be the remains of a Ukrainian soldier in Bakhmut. While Russias pro-war military bloggers celebrated the gruesome videos and cheered on the executioners, the Kremlin, predictably, suggested they might be fake. Did this really happen, and if so, where and by which side? spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday, adding that in a world of fakes in which we live, it is necessary to check the authenticity of this footage. Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, have vowed to track down the executioners and said the videos were an attempt to demoralize Ukraines troops. The purpose of such a policy, in particular, is an attempt to demoralize and sow panic in the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which will not succeed, Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the main intelligence directorate of Ukraines Defense Ministry, said in televised comments Wednesday. He went on to say the videos were also intended to intimidate Russias own soldiers. As in, dont you even think about surrendering, because in Ukrainian captivity, they will do to you what we do to Ukrainian prisoners. The volunteer research group InformNapalm said the beheadings may have another purpose entirely: as kompromat to be used against any would-be defectors. Russian commanders give orders to their subordinates to cut off heads or torture, while they themselves film everything on a phone as evidence so that their subordinates understand that there is no turning back for them, the group said in a statement. That is, this content is not for us and not for the West, but for an internal audience, the group said, to be leaked on the internet as revenge when a soldier flees the war or betrays the Russian side. And yes, there are many more such videos. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Behind the nostalgia, and FOMO, of BET's Spring Bling and MTV Spring Break (which drew Sisqo, Pink and Tyrese in 2000). (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) Searching "BET's Spring Bling" or "MTV Spring Break" on TikTok will turn up some old footage from the now-defunct televised Spring Break staples and a lot of FOMO from Gen Zers who missed out on the mayhem. "BET took away Spring Bling before I could partake of the debauchery," one bemoans. "I just wanted to experience this one time," complains another young woman who grew up watching MTV's annual beach bonanza on TV. "I'm like, 'Oh my God, they're reminiscing and wishing they went to something that we actually went to,'" says Greg Sherman, who attended MTV Spring Break in 2008 after driving with his friends from Georgia to Panama City, Fla. "It does make me feel old at the same time," the now-35-year-old adds. Both MTV Spring Break and Spring Bling were mainstays of American college culture, with students from all across the country making their way to warm destination cities like West Palm Beach, Acapulco and Cancun to party on the beach and enjoy live performances from the latest chart-topping acts. Kids who were too young or forbidden to attend could soak up the televised action from home, dreaming of the day they too might gyrate on the sand with cameras rolling. But many never got the chance. MTV's week-long springtime spectacle moved to the network's spin-off channel targeted at college students, MTVU, in 2005 before calling it quits in 2014. BET's final Spring Bling, meanwhile, took place in 2014. Why would they cancel Spring Bling before I got grown thats hella weird (@moniib0) February 28, 2023 Like a lot of trends and cultural moments that peaked in Y2K an era for which Gen Z has a particular affinity these former Spring Break staples have been swept up in nostalgia. For those who actually got to experience them in person, they also mark carefree living without the watchful gaze of social media. What were BET's Spring Bling and MTV Spring Break? MTV Spring Break first premiered live from Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1986. The coastal resort town was an ideal destination for the inaugural spring break event, which drew likes of the Beastie Boys, Starship and Mr. Mister. The festivities, which typically featured celebrity hosts, musical acts ranging from Crowded House to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Destiny's Child to Eminem, competitions and beachside versions of the network's most popular shows, aired on MTV from 1986 to 2005, and on MTVU from 2005 to 2014. Sad I never got to experience MTV spring break COZY (@gretchxnwieners) April 3, 2023 BET followed MTV's lead by launching its own televised Spring Break event, Spring Bling, in 1997. The two-day event saw performances from some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B in addition to various competitions and dance battles. BET also utilized the massive gathering to promote sexual health education, partnering with the Palm Beach Department of Health and the Comprehensive Aids Program of Palm Beach County for the "Rap it Up" campaign to offer onsite HIV testing and related information. By 2010, however, the party was over. Keyshia Cole and Busta Rhymes at Spring Bling in 2006. (Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage) Who showed up to Spring Break in style? Both events were targeted at college students, and many Spring Breakers traveled across state, and sometimes country, lines to party. "I have a picture of the driving directions that we wrote out on a sheet of notebook paper, line by line, because GPS wasn't really a thing at the time," says Sherman, the 2008 MTV Spring Break attendee who drove from Georgia to Florida with his buddies. That year saw performances from artists like Pitbull, DJ Khaled and, most notably, for Sherman, Rick Ross. "We had just bought the Rick Ross album and so we were riding down to that the whole time. And it was perfect," he tells Yahoo Life. And while seeing the biggest boss in person after copping his album might sound strategic, Sherman says it was entirely serendipitous. "We didn't even know that MTV Spring Break was going to be there until we had already made plans to go to Panama [City]. Then my friends started going, 'Hey, you know, MTV, they're saying they're gonna be there.' And so sure enough, we got there, and everything was going on," says Sherman. BET's Spring Bling also brought out the college kids, and was particularly popular among Black students and HBCU [historically Black colleges and universities] attendees. In 2006, the crowd included a then-20-year-old Jeevan Brown, who drove from Charlotte, N.C. to Atlanta to attend Spring Bling with his cousin and friend. Now an author based in Maryland, Brown was at the time a student at the HBCU Johnson C. Smith University, and met up with friends from local HBCUs like Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta University. Others hopped on flights to get in on the springtime shenanigans and ditch their cold college campuses. "We flew from Chicago to Miami, and it was so funny because I remember when we left, it was snowing," Brittany Rodgers, a publicity and communications director who went to Spring Bling with her friends in 2009, tells Yahoo Life. While the partying was unparalleled, the accommodations often left something to be desired. Rodgers still winces at the memory of the first "nasty" hotel she and her friends booked before moving to nicer digs. "Of course we're 19, [so] we were just picking the cheapest hotel," she says. She wasn't the only one who was "balling on a budget", a common theme among cash-strapped college students. And many admit that not all decisions made were financially sound. "I used my refund check to go down there. Now that I'm older, I would never do that again," says Brown. "That's probably the only thing I regret, but not even, really, because I was fresh. I had the time of my life." Destiny's Child hit up MTV Spring Break in Cancun in 2000. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) A time before Instagram While throwback clips of these Spring Break shows are popping up on TikTok and Instagram timelines, social media was still largely in its infancy during their heyday. When he attended in 2008, Sherman remembers Facebook being a relatively new offering that had to be accessed on a laptop. "I didn't even post the pictures from Spring Break until I got back home to my laptop and internet," he says. It can be hard to imagine attending a once-in-a-lifetime event and not documenting every millisecond online, but for Rodgers, this made the moment all the more special. "You really just took in the moment. You would [still] take photos but you didn't have anywhere to upload them right away because you were mostly taking them on your digital camera," she says. "I think people were more relaxed and they would do things more wild," adds Brown, who remembers posting some footage from the show where the TV cameras cut away from dancers "basically on the stage stripping" during Uncle Luke's performance to his Facebook. At the time, the concept of a digital footprint hadn't really taken hold; he's since deleted the clips. Wyclef Jean performed at Spring Bling in 2008. (Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage) With constant social surveillance, it may be harder for attendees to fake the funk if the event isn't as fun as they hoped, says Thomas Moore, who attended Spring Bling in 2007. "Back then all we had was Facebook and I remember uploading my pics making it seem like we lived it up at Spring Bling, but the real party was in South Beach," says Moore, who considered the BET event so lackluster he felt compelled to lie about where he was. "There was no DJ when we went; it was not a good look at all. All the action was in South Beach, which was like an hour away," says Moore. "We came all the way down from Bowie State and we had a blast in Florida, but Spring Bling was not what we expected. They kept doing takes over and over to make it seem like it was live but it was not." Still, most attendees are happy to have been a part of such an iconic moment in pop culture history. "I hate that some people couldn't experience it. Back then, that was the thing to do. You would look forward to Spring Bling and watching it live on BET. And now I don't think we have that relationship with BET anymore," says Rodgers. Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Sign up here. Idaho consistently finds itself among the top states for population growth, from more people driving U-Haul trucks into the Gem State than out of it, to a University of Idaho study finding one in four people are new to the state. But Idahos population isnt just getting bigger. Its getting younger, too. A new study by Todays Homeowner, a home improvement television show thats run since 1988, broke down how many people from each generation are moving to different cities and states. The study used data from the United States Census Bureaus 2021 American Community Survey and characterized each generation as the following: Generation Z: Ages 18 to 24 Millennials: Ages 25 to 44 Generation X: Ages 45 to 54 Baby Boomers: Ages 55 to 74 Silent Generation: Ages 75+ Idaho had a total net migration of 31,572 newcomers into the state in 2021, with the largest group being millennials. Here are how many people from each generation moved into the state: Generation Z: 3,068 Millennials: 11,247 Gen X: 5,996 Baby Boomers: 9,093 Silent Generation: 2,168 Idaho is also a great place to live because the standard of living is high, the cost of living is relatively low, and there is still reasonable housing, Doug McIntier, a U-Haul area district vice president who oversees five states, including Idaho, previously stated in a news release. I see people from California and Texas relocating to Idaho for affordability. He attributed the continued growth to the new Micron Technology Inc. plant planned for Boise and the Idaho National Laboratory, which employs over 5,700 researchers and support staff. But the influx of new residents has also made Boise one of the least affordable housing markets in the United States. The median price of an Ada County home in the first half of 2022 was $579,900, according to previous Statesman reporting. But its not all young people moving to Idaho. Baby Boomers were the second-largest group relocating to the state, and Boise was a hot spot. The City of Trees welcomed 1,117 Baby Boomers in 2021, which was the 8th-largest of any city in the nation. Story continues Who is moving nationwide? Beyond the Gem State, the study found that warmer climates are the current main attraction for all generations. In order, the top five states that saw a net-positive migration were Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona and South Carolina. Meanwhile, the northeast has seen the most significant exodus, and major metropolitan areas suffered population losses for each generation aside from Gen Z. The study found that Gen Z was the only generation to buck the trend of people moving to warmer climates and cheaper markets. For example, the top five largest cities in the U.S. New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia all had net migration increases for Gen Z while every other generation flocked away. The younger generations appear to be more interested in an areas opportunities and dynamism rather than its value, the study details. However, millennials also appear to value lower home costs more than their younger sibling generation. These trends among younger Americans make sense when considering where they are in life, it continued, likely looking to build career momentum or settle down into a family home. Jules Adamska is studying abroad in California. Klaudia Galja I'm a college student at a university in Scotland who's studying abroad in California right now. I was surprised to learn that in the US, there's a lot more homework but it's easier to pass. In the UK, textbooks are free, and we're allowed to use laptops in the classroom. Because I've lived in three countries throughout my life, I have a unique educational background. I grew up in Poland, which is where I went to school for most of my life. When it came time for college, I moved to the UK to attend the University of Stirling in Scotland. When I found out it offered study-abroad programs in the US, I immediately wanted to go. Since January, I have been studying at San Diego State University in California, and I'll remain here until June. After taking college courses in the US and the UK, I've found five main differences between their college-education systems. There is so much more homework in the US and it all counts toward your final grade I was slightly taken aback by the difference in the weekly workload. In the UK, I had only three classes a semester, and homework for each of them took no more than a couple of hours to complete each week. Usually, I had to watch video lectures, do the readings, and post something on a discussion board. While most of that was technically mandatory, it never counted toward my grade. It's very different in the US. Firstly, I have to take at least four classes each semester. Secondly, the professors give us much more homework than I ever got back in the UK. There's about three times as much reading to do on a weekly basis as in Scotland. Additionally, there are quizzes for all lecture videos, more discussion-board posts to write, and exams almost every week. While in the UK, I spent about two hours weekly doing homework. In the US, it takes me two hours for each class. And the worst part is the homework counts toward my final grade. Failing a class because I didn't do the reading is something I never had to worry about at my home university. Story continues Writing an essay in the US is much easier In the UK, my grade for each class was solely based on two essays each counting for 50% of my final grade. The 2,000-word essays required at least six academic sources and a bibliography. It took many hours to do research for these essays not counting the hours it took to actually write them. In the US, I have more papers to write 10 in one semester but the requirements are less strict. For instance, only one of them required a bibliography, and the sources could've been news articles, which are much easier to find and read than academic sources. This greatly shortened the number of hours it took me to write a paper. In the states, I finish all my papers in half the time, as I don't need to read hundreds of pages I barely understand. While British professors require you to apply academic sources to prove your arguments, American professors encourage more creative thinking and allow analysis not supported by references. As for grading, it's much more difficult to get a high score in the UK When I was a student in the UK, my grades hovered in the 60% to 70% range and that's considered very good. For instance, I once wrote an essay that the professor described as "excellent," and they couldn't point out a single flaw; the professor gave me an 80%, and I was ecstatic. You can imagine my horror when I got to the US and learned 60% was considered failing. When I first learned about the difference in grading, I was quite worried my entire exchange would be spent in the library studying and trying not to fail. Fortunately, it turns out my professors in the US aren't half as harsh while grading papers as mine were back home. Resources like textbooks in the UK are all available online and for free In the UK, almost all my required readings were free to read online in the library. The university took care to make sure students had all the resources they might need. I'd had to buy only one textbook since my first year, and I spent $31 on it. But in the US, I have spent almost $300 on textbooks just for this one semester. I access most of them online, so it feels strange to pay for something I usually get for free back home. Some professors in the US ban laptops in the classroom At my Scottish university, almost all the resources I needed were available online, so we accessed them on our laptops in class. I was surprised to learn that some professors in the US ban laptops in class. My textbooks are still online, so I've struggled to access the reading several times. Read the original article on Insider Being an exotic dancer or a dad to a toddler are two extremely demanding tasks, but Heng manages both. Leonard Heng Leonard Heng, 28, is a full-time exotic dancer in Singapore with a three-year-old daughter. Heng is also a creative director at his young exotic dance company Queen of Hearts. He shares how he juggles his two huge life commitments with three main principles. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leonard Heng, a 28-year-old father and exotic dancer in Singapore. It's been edited for length and clarity. Growing up, my life was never without dance. Contemporary, street style, jazz you name it, I've tried it. My love story with dance began with Latin dance sport at seven years old. While my sister was taking classes, I would learn the steps from outside the studio looking in. Eventually, I was living and breathing dance. Leonard Heng has been dancing for 21 years and counting. Leonard Heng For 10 years, I studied dance in art schools. I did the International Baccalaureate program at School of the Arts Singapore, then went on to pursue a diploma in dance at LASALLE College of the Arts, where I focused on ballet and contemporary dance. But after having a "falling out" with dancing where I felt a huge sense of frustration and wasn't where I wanted to be I dropped out of LASALLE to pursue personal training instead. Of all the genres I've tried, nothing moves me quite like exotic dancing. I was first introduced to the genre at 18, when an acquaintance of mine offered me a gig opportunity and asked if I wanted to try. I agreed. And just like that, I took my first step into the world of exotic dancing. Albeit heavily misunderstood, it's an art form that's not only extremely technical but also incredibly challenging. I've pursued many hobbies in my life, but the sense of fulfillment that exotic dance has given me as well as the way it's pushed me to be better and more disciplined in everything I do led me to choose it as my full-time job. Most would think it's just stripping and moving your hips sensually, but there's the mastery of intimacy and respecting boundaries, all while perfecting the physically demanding task of dancing. Story continues Keeping his fitness and nutrition in check is all part of Heng's duty as a full-time exotic dancer. Leonard Heng As a dancer, I have to constantly keep my nutrition, fitness, and techniques in check. And as the creative director of a Singapore-based exotic dance company, Queen of Hearts, which I founded last year, I also have to be adept at communicating and having business sense. Diving into the world of exotic dance challenges me like no other, and the challenges I constantly face have been making me an even better version of myself every day. It's a lot to handle. But as a parent of a soon-to-be three-year-old daughter, I'm no stranger to juggling multiple tasks at a time, while making sure nobody gets upset. To top it all off, everything is incredibly new to me. There was no rehearsal before I dived into the arduous but rewarding duty of raising my daughter. And as the founder of one of Singapore's first male exotic dance troupes, there was no blueprint for that either. With no former success stories of exotic dancing locally, I had to convince the business partners and dance troupe members with my faith and vision alone. A few of my dancers are my students, while others were recommended to me by friends. Thankfully, they all believed in me, and my dream of Queen of Hearts was able to become reality. Queen of Hearts is currently a dance troupe of eight, and debuted last year on New Year's Eve. Leonard Heng We currently find gigs through word of mouth, and for our productions, we generally only go shirtless depending on the venue's license. I live with my parents, who fortunately have helped me take care of my young daughter while I'm away at work. I'm also co-parenting her with her mother. It definitely took me time to devise my own formula for managing these huge commitments in my life, but there were a few principles that helped me get to where I am today. Here are my top three hacks for juggling life's greatest challenges. 1. Have a list of non-negotiables, and stick to it. I used to dabble in a lot of side hustles, from working as a yoga instructor, personal trainer, acrobatics instructor, to even modeling. But then my daughter came along in July 2020, and she became the greatest non-negotiable in my life. Now, my list of non-negotiables is guided by three main rules: make me a better person, a better parent, and help change people's lives. So I dropped all my various hobbies, and prioritized being a good father, a skilled physical therapist, as well as a reliable creative director to my dance troupe of eight. With both my kid and company both so young, I always have to be on top of things and be ready to deflect any curveballs thrown my way. With a strict list of non-negotiables, my goals are clear and I know what I have to stay focused on at all times. 2. Show up for yourself. A parent's life often revolves around the kid as parenting is extremely demanding both physically and mentally. This is why most people inevitably end up giving up their passion and hobbies for fear of being inadequate parents. But for me, showing up for myself is one of the life lessons I really wanted to impart to my daughter. I hope she sees how pursuing my passion for exotic dancing has made me a better person, and that it may inspire her to lead a life full of dreams and passion too. The desire to be the best version of myself for me and my family is what helps me power through many ordeals. 3. Trust your gut. Oftentimes, particularly when you're managing more than one important thing at once, you won't have much energy or time to go over every motivation or decision you make. And it may be best to trust your gut at times like these. With my daughter, trusting my gut is second nature. When she cries, I know I'm doing a bad job. With my company though, it may have seemed reckless to follow my intuition about things. Yet it was trusting my gut that helped me realize my vision of a Magic Mike Live-inspired dance production crew. Before Queen of Hearts, there were no success stories of male exotic dance troupes in Singapore, where the nightlife industry definitely isn't as vibrant as that in the US. But I really wanted to introduce a new perspective on exotic dance that didn't quite exist in Singapore's nightlife industry, and at the same time reduce the stigma surrounding the genre. Exotic dancing and stripping are close in nature and the two are often seen as synonymous, but our dance troupe identifies itself with the former. The reality of things may have been discouraging, but in my heart of hearts, I knew that this was something that could work, and a dream I wanted to achieve. Thankfully, our crew's debut on December 31 last year was met with overwhelming success, and more opportunities for growth started coming up. For now, we are preparing for a big production end of May, though the date hasn't been set. I still have a long way to go with raising both my child and my dance company, but with my family's support and these principles close at hand, I'm ready for anything. Read the original article on Insider Jacob Hill (center) stands with his family members who all survived a tornado last month by sheltering in a bathroom (right). Courtesy of Jacob Hill An Indiana family piled into a small bathroom last month to weather an incoming storm. After the tornado tore through, the hallway bathroom was the only room left standing. Jake Hill spoke to Insider about his family's harrowing ordeal. Jake Hill was at work on the evening of March 31, ignoring his mother's panicked calls as a 138 mph tornado rapidly rushed toward his hometown of Spencer, Indiana. Hill and his family were well acquainted with tornado warnings as longtime residents of the midwest, where twister storms frequently appear with minimal warning, wrecking major damage. "You always hear about tornado warnings here, but you never think it's going to actually happen to you," Hill, 20, told Insider. But late last month, the unthinkable struck Hill and his family when a series of 10 tornadoes whipped across Indiana on the night of March 31, part of a larger collection of storms that slammed the midwest and the south leaving at least 32 people dead and several more injured. Hill had just finished a serving shift that night and began his drive home, still brushing off his mother's anxious calls around 10:30 p.m. He didn't know it then, but he would beat the tornado to his front door by only moments. As he reached his property and got out of his car, Hill said he saw nearby power lines spark, sending the street into darkness. A transformer exploded nearby as the ongoing winds picked up dangerous speed, he told Insider, prompting him to rush inside. "I was just working off of adrenaline," Hill said. The next few minutes are still a blur. Hill said he remembers the winds getting louder and louder. He heard someone in his family shout, telling everyone in the house to get into the bathroom. Hill, along with his mom, brother, grandma, grandpa, godmother, and dog, Rigsby, piled into the tiny bathroom. Story continues "That's always been the place we talked about going because we don't have a basement," Hill said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no "completely safe" place to shelter during a tornado, due to flying debris. But some places are more optimal than others, the agency has said, including basements, hallways, closets, and other rooms without windows on low floors. Hill's family had sheltered in their bathroom during previous tornado warnings that ultimately amounted to nothing. This time, the carnage began just moments after everyone reached the relative safety of the restroom. "We had the drywall ceiling start falling on us," Hill said. "I could hear windows shattering. I felt the drywall fall and I started breathing in insulation and dust." When all was said and done, Hill was lying on the ground, unsure if he had been knocked unconscious in the chaos. He said he wasn't entirely sure how long the ordeal had lasted, but members of his family later said the storm passed through in about 45 seconds. Hill immediately checked to see if his grandmother, who was in the bathtub, was okay. Miraculously, he said, none of the six were injured. The family had to push their way out of the bathroom due to a wall that had fallen against the entrance during the tornado. Hill's grandpa and brother pushed the wall over, trying to find a way out for the frightened family. The only four complete walls left standing in the entire home belonged to the bathroom where the family had sought refuge, Hill said. The storm had decimated the house, leaving little left salvageable. "We didn't have a roof after the fact," Hill said. "Emerging, it was heartbreaking. It was emotional. It was really scary." Since the storm was still going on, there was also "nowhere to go, no one to call," he added. The family's few nearby neighbors suffered similar fates, including Hill's grandparents' mobile home down the road, which wound up acres away, blown off by the storm, he said. Despite the devastation, Hill said he and his family have been overwhelmed with the community support they've received in the weeks since the storm. This past weekend, more than 100 volunteers came to help the family clean up their property, he said. "In the end, we're all very grateful to have each other," Hill told Insider. "It's just material things. They can be replaced." The family is staying with friends for now, hoping to eventually rebuild on their property, which has been in the family for nearly 100 years, Hill said. As he reflected on the emotional experience, Hill said he was beyond grateful for his family's health and the community support, but most of all, for the bathroom that saved them. "Whoever said to get in the bathroom, if we didn't listen to that, probably a few of us wouldn't have made it," he added. Read the original article on Insider By YP Rajesh and Sunil Kataria NEW DELHI/MORADABAD, India (Reuters) - Syed Mohammed Talha says he is proud that his seven-year-old daughter attends a prestigious Montessori school in Indias national capital region. The school is expensive, with annual fees at 255,000 rupees ($3,113), but the Muslim businessman says he is happy he can afford it. "If I had a second child I couldnt have afforded to send them both to this school," said Talha, 42, who lives in Noida, a satellite city adjoining New Delhi. "Having just one child allows us to be focused on her, give her a good education, lots of facilities, there are many benefits." Talha's pleasure in having a small family underlines a growing trend among India's minority Muslims, long known for large families with the highest population growth rate across India's religious communities. With India set to overtake China and become the worlds most populous nation this month, the shrinking of its Muslim families underlines the success of its decades-old population control programmes and signals demographic stability, experts said. Reuters spoke to six Muslim men and women as well as seven community leaders, population experts and Islamic scholars. All agreed there was a marked increase in awareness among Indian Muslims about birth control and family planning. Muslims are India's second largest religious community and accounted for 14.2% of the 1.2 billion population, according to the once in 10 years census in 2011. The majority Hindus accounted for 79.8%. The 2021 census has been delayed but the United Nations has projected India's population will touch 1.42 billion this month. The country's Muslim population is the world's third-largest after Indonesia and Pakistan The trend of smaller Muslim families has become visible in the last 15 years, with the National Family Health Survey showing a fall in the Muslim fertility rate the average number of children a woman has to 2.4 in 2019-21 from 2.6 in 2015-16 and 3.4 in 2005-06. Story continues Although at 2.4 it is still higher than all other communities, the decline is also the fastest, almost halving from 4.4 in 1992-93. GRAPHIC: India's decadal population growth rate by religious groups - https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ASIA-POPULATION/INDIA-MUSLIMS/dwvkdjgqmpm/chart.png ISLAM AND BIRTH CONTROL In a community that is mostly conservative, some Muslim priests, or imams, have played a large role in bringing about the change. "There is a misconception among Muslims that Islam doesnt allow the use of birth control measures," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed, the imam of the Lucknow Eidgah in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. "But the shariat talks of family planning," he said referring to Islam's sacred laws. "It is our responsibility to clear these misconceptions. We have conducted awareness programmes, made appeals, speeches about what shariat has said about such issues." Experts said more needs to be done to target less educated, poorer Muslims living outside the cities. Government health workers in parts of the eastern state of Bihar said they regularly meet leaders of local mosques and request them to suggest birth control to men after Friday prayers but the results have not been encouraging. "Islam advocates wholesome families and it is for people to decide how many children they want to have," said Ahmed Daikundh, the custodian of the Al Azar mosque in Kishanganj, an impoverished rural district in Bihar. Although birth rates were high in the area, Daikundh said his generation was having fewer children compared to the previous. "We are seven brothers and four sisters and each of us has four or five children," he said. Shahid Parvez, a handicrafts exporter in Moradabad city in Uttar Pradesh and a relatively wealthy Muslim, said he was one of six siblings. The 65-year-old said he made sure he had a small family - he has two sons and one daughter - and that his children went to university. His daughter Muneeza Shahid, who is a teacher in Delhi and got married recently, is not planning to have children immediately but finances are not the reason for that, she said. We want to live life for ourselves also, she said. UNMET NEED Still, attitudes were changing among poorer Muslims too, especially the younger generation, said Poonam Muttreja, executive director of voluntary organization Population Foundation of India. "Young people are exposed to digital media and they know how the other half lives, not the Hindus, but the better off," she said. Experts say the public health system is now unable to keep up with the demand for birth control services from people who are aware about their usefulness, also called an unmet need. Government data from 2019-21 indicates 11.8% of the Muslim population had an unmet need to help space out or limit children. The data also shows that the Muslim fertility rate of 2.4 is fast dropping toward the Hindu rate of 1.94. GRAPHIC: Share in India's total population by religious groups - https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ASIA-POPULATION/INDIA-MUSLIMS/znvnbjdmdvl/chart.png S.Y. Quraishi, the author of a book titled "The Population Myth Islam, Family Planning and Politics in India", said the fall in fertility among Muslims counters frequent criticism from Hindu nationalist politicians and their claims about a soaring Muslim population. "The propaganda that Muslims are overtaking the Hindus is absurd," the former top bureaucrat said. "Muslims are adopting family planning much faster than Hindus and if you meet their unmet need, they will do better." ($1 = 81.9100 Indian rupees) (Reporting by YP Rajesh in NEW DELHI, Additional reporting by Joseph Campbell and Sunil Kataria in MORADABAD and Rupam Jain in KISHANGANJ; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) The 2023 Wuzhen Health Conference and the Second China Over The Counter (OTC) Conference kicked off in Wuzhen town of Jiaxing city, eastern China's Zhejiang province, on Monday. The 2023 Wuzhen Health Conference and the Second China Over The Counter Conference kicks off in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] The event gathered over 8,000 guests including representatives of academia and entrepreneurs, aiming to build a platform for exchange and cooperation in the health industry. Shao Mingli, former vice minister of health and former director general of the State Food and Drug Administration (now the National Medical Products Administration), speaks at a health conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] During the opening ceremony, Shao Mingli, former vice minister of health and former director general of the State Food and Drug Administration (now the National Medical Products Administration), delivered a speech. The formulation and implementation of the drug administration law has deepened the institutional reform of drug evaluation, optimized policy environment, and enabled the public to have access to new and good medicines in a timely manner, Shao said. Ni Huping, vice mayor of Jiaxing Municipal People's Government, speaks at a health conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] As the host city of this conference, Jiaxing has introduced a batch of 10-billion-yuan projects, cultivated a number of leading enterprises in the medical industry, and built a set of high-end innovation platforms for biomedicine, generating sound momentum for the industrial growth, said Ni Huping, vice mayor of Jiaxing. Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a speech via video link. Zhang called for efforts to pull wisdom for the high-quality development of OTC and the massive health industry in China. Wu Yifang, chairman of Fosun Pharma, speaks at a health conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] Wu Yifang, chairman of Fosun Pharma, called for more attention from the government and society to the role of OTC in the healthcare system. He also encouraged the domestic OTC industry to enhance competitiveness and help more local brands to go global. Ruan Hongxian, president of Wuzhen Health Conference and chairman of YXT Health, speaks at a health conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] As the development of the Healthy China initiative has entered a new phase, pharmaceutical enterprises should center on the cause of health, accelerate the establishment of a modern health industry system, and deliver more high-quality medical products and services to the public, said Ruan Hongxian, president of Wuzhen Health Conference and chairman of YXT Health. Gao Yi, chairman of Yifeng Pharmacy, speaks at a health conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on April 10, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn] Gao Yi, chairman of drugstore chain Yifeng Pharmacy, delivered a speech at the event. Gao said chain drugstores work as an important pillar to provide all-round and full-cycle health services to the public and need the attention and support from all walks of life. During Monday's opening ceremony, five representatives talked about the new trends in medical industry. Activities focusing on chronic diseases, traditional Chinese medicine, and charity, as well as an award ceremony were also held. A still image from "Return to Seoul" Who are we really? Are our personalities defined by our surroundings? Or by the experiences that happen to us at a young age? Is our outward existence something we can will? These are the questions found in Davy Chous Return to Seoul, a 2022 Cannes Film Festival standout premiering at Ragtag Cinema this Friday. It is a gorgeously-shot journey of self-discovery. Or self-invention, depending on where you land on the films story. Either way, "Return to Seoul" is a fascinating character study with universal themes any audience member can appreciate. Freddie (Ji-Min Park) was born in South Korea, but adopted at a young age by a French couple. Her name is short for Frederique. She was raised in the European countryside but finds herself in Seoul when a trip to Japan is diverted. Although I later found myself doubting that story, even if it was a subconscious act on the characters part. More: Regal moviehouses, including Columbia's Stadium 14, deserve investment and TLC Anyway, she ends up bonding with a hotel clerk and they hit the town where Freddie immediately commandeers an entire bar to makes it a personal party. These opening moments have a quirkiness that reminded me of a Jim Jarmusch film. But this light mood belies critical observations. Freddie asks her new friends if they know what sight reading is. They dont. You have to able to analyze the music in one glance, evaluate the danger by reading the red flags, and jump in. Yes, this line of dialogue is a key to understanding the movie and critical to appreciating the final scenes. Because after the impromptu party, where she maintains she has no interest in learning about her biological family, Freddie searches out the adoption agency and inquires about her parents. Correspondence is sent out. Telegram, no less! Dad (Oh Kwang-rok) responds and the reunification is awkward and extended. Hes the type of guy who lets his emotions get the best of him when he drinks. Which, seemingly, is all the time. Freddie could be accused of the same thing now that I think about it. Story continues Mom doesn't respond to repeated attempts. While this isnt outwardly addressed by Parks performance, it does influence the characters actions in more surprising ways. Then Return to Seoul moves ahead a few years. Freddie has not returned to France but chosen to stay in South Korea. Her look is different. The attitude has adjusted. She meets a man who says he is an arms dealer. At first, I thought this was role playing. Slowly, we realize it is not. Now, all of a sudden, Freddie is thrust into a new orbit. Which corresponds with Freddie seemingly adopting a whole new persona. Dad still shows up from time to time. Mom still fails to respond to those written requests. The film follows Freddie forward in time another few years. Every time Return to Seoul leaps ahead, other things about Freddie change. It is interesting to ponder how much of these shifts deal with the psychological and emotional complexities of being adopted versus the general uneasiness of someone young dealing with their origins and what they mean as they get older. A scene from "Return to Seoul" I cannot speak to the experience of being adopted, but Return to Seoul made me think about the subject in ways I had not quite grasped before. That it isnt much different than trying to figure out your place in your family or how your environment growing up turned you into the adult you are. This is certainly something I think about all the time. Return to Seoul isnt necessarily about adoption at all, but rather about the search for ones self. People in their twenties think of relocation as a way of redefining themselves. Or of being in a relationship or rejecting relationships as a personality trait. Even the act of changing ones style of clothes or hair is a way of informing others that, yes, I am not so easily pigeonholed. The fact that Freddie never quite figures herself out even in the films final moments might frustrate some but seems perfectly natural from a character perspective. Do any of us really figure out anything about ourselves in life? More: April brings the funny with string of comedy dates at The Blue Note From my research, I learned Chou is French-born but of Cambodian descent. His family fled the country before the crush of the Khmer Rouge regime. In fact, his film-producing grandfather disappeared during this brutal period. The director returned to the country in his mid-twenties and made two films there. While the stories are not the same, the directors real journey and Freddies experience in Return to Seoul have similar resonance and thats felt by the audience in a powerful way. James Owen is the Tribunes film columnist. In real life, he is a lawyer and executive director of energy policy group Renew Missouri. A graduate of Drury University and the University of Kansas, he created Filmsnobs.com, where he co-hosts a podcast. He enjoyed an extended stint as an on-air film critic for KY3, the NBC affiliate in Springfield, and now regularly guests on Columbia radio station KFRU. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Cannes standout 'Return to Seoul' asks what we really know about ourselves RICHMOND, Ind. That large cloud of black, dark gray smoke seen over Richmond Tuesday was coming from a "serious, large-scale" industrial fire at 358 NW F St. Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, at 358 NW F St. in Richmond. Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, at 358 NW F St. in Richmond. The Wayne County Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation/shelter-in-place order for anyone within a half mile of the fire. Anyone east/northeast of the fire (downwind of the smoke) is encouraged to stay inside. That order is still in place, as RFD continues to work through the situation on scene, and has no timetable for being lifted at this time. A bus and shelters are in place to assist any citizens in need. If you need a ride, call 983-7580. If you need shelter, call 973-9399. Late Tuesday night, Richmond Community Schools announced via Twitter that schools would be closed Wednesday and e-learning would not be offered. "Under the guidance of our Emergency Management Agency (EMA)," read the tweet, "the decision has been made to close all Richmond Community Schools for Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Richmond, Indiana is just outside of our forecast area but this is great satellite imagery showing the smoke dispersal into Ohio. With these dry, warm conditions we've been experiencing lately, any fire that develops will be able to grow quickly! https://t.co/wB70zptGmy NWS Northern Indiana (@NWSIWX) April 12, 2023 "There will be NO e-learning, and everyone is encouraged to follow the shelter-in-place order instituted by our EMA. Faculty and staff are not required to work from home and are not permitted to be in their school buildings." The Richmond Police Department (RPD) is working a supporting role to the Richmond Fire Department (RFD). RPD is assisting with evacuations and keeping people outside the half-mile limits. RPD Chief Mike Britt said it's "impossible to tell" if the evacuations were completely effective, but he still has numerous officers on the ground working on that. Story continues According to Richmond Mayor Dave Snow's Twitter updates, RFD Chief Tim Brown said his team quickly contained three sides of the fire and focused much of its time working to contain the east side to prevent any spreading. The Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management are still on site and evaluating any potential hazards resulting from the fire. Drove to just a couple blocks over from the fire. This smoke isn't going away any time soon. I'll get more info to y'all when I have it. pic.twitter.com/AmlwXerIV3 Zach Piatt (@zachpiatt13) April 11, 2023 What started the fire is unknown at this point, but you could see from a block west of the fire RFD hosing down a large propane tank on the side of the building. Britt called the situation "a huge public hazard." Weve had quite the problem with bystanders moving in close to the fire," Britt said. "This has been an explosion hazard since the first flames. Weve had numerous explosions. Some people took to social media to show their viewpoints. According to multiple Twitter posts, you can see the smoke from Connersville, Indiana, and just southeast of Oxford, Ohio. That smoke is expected to continue for the next several days. Can see it all the way from Connersville Indiana pic.twitter.com/lc6JzC66IW Jane (@mxnsoonn27) April 11, 2023 From 30 miles south, SE of Oxford pic.twitter.com/p3BalxNAFp Jim Vajda (@JimVajda) April 11, 2023 Please try to restrain yourself," Britt said. "You shouldnt have to get up close to this fire to see it. You can see it from several miles away. Bear in mind and have the common courtesy that, if youre inside the hot zone and one of my people has to go in and get you out, thats two people at risk. Thats how I view it, so please do us the courtesy of keeping a safe distance. Also assisting RFD Tuesday were the Wayne County Sherriff's Department, Indiana State Police, Cambridge City Fire Department, Boston (Indiana) Fire Department, Webster Township Fire Department and others. While the circumstances certainly aren't positive, Britt said it's good to know outside support is willing to help. This is one of those times when a lot of different agencies get together and team up to take care of the problem," Britt said. "Its good to know that, in the time of need, emergency services in the community come together. It really works. We have good communications in place, and I think its been effective. Various businesses and restaurants in Richmond closed soon after the fire started Tuesday afternoon. Richmond Community Schools canceled all after-school activities in the area. According to Snow's updates, RFD is "very appreciative" of all the food, water and other supplies donated by community members. Assistant Chief Joe Buckler said they have enough to get through this event. Note: All information is as of 9 a.m. April 12. This story will be updated. Zach Piatt is a reporter for The Palladium-Item. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Indiana industrial fire: Evacuation/shelter in place order in Richmond St Catherine's Place in Bedminster is now a shell of its former self. (Reach) Eerie photographs show a shopping centre in Bristol with just one store left following a slow decline over 20 years. St Catherine's Place in Bedminster is now a shell of its former self, with only a Farm Foods shop remaining following the closure of an Iceland supermarket earlier this year. Images show empty corridors surrounded by boarded-up shop windows and old posters, while street art and graffiti can also be seen on the centre's roof, surrounded by worn paint and dirty walls. Read more: Spot on womans finger turned out to be false widow spider bite Only Farm Foods remains in St Catherine's Place. (Reach) Graffiti has cropped up on the centre's roof. (Reach) The shopping centre has experienced a steady downfall over the last two decades. Only half a dozen stores were left in 2018, and in 2020 three stores remained. But there are still plans to refurbish the centre, build a large block of flats next door, and turn it into a thoroughfare from the new Bedminster Green regeneration area to East Street. Read more: Police advise on how to stop your phone being swiped by moped thieves But while planning permission was granted, it appears nothing has happened for two years, BristolLive reported. The main entrance to St Catherine's Place is on East Street, Bristol's largest retail area outside the city centre. While it too has seen years of decline, with some big names moving out including Argos and Bonmarche there are signs that things are on the up in East Street. The shopping centre has experienced a steady downfall. (Reach) There were just six stores left in 2018. (Reach) An Iceland store closed earlier this year. (Reach) An increasing number of independent stores and businesses are opening up there, lured by the empty units, cheaper rent, council incentives and the longer-term promise of the regeneration of the area. There remain plans to refurbish, regenerate or even rebuild St Catherine's Place and work is already under way on huge student accommodation blocks and a 17-storey block of flats next door. It comes after shopping centre footfall increased by 11.7% in February year-on-year, 0.7 percentage points worse than January's rate but slightly better than the three-month average rise of 11.3%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). But compared to pre-pandemic levels, total footfall was 8.8% lower high streets by 7.7%, while retail parks decreased by 2.7% and shopping centres by 23.3%. AI-generated images of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former vice president Mike Pence and Senator Lindsey Graham dressed in drag. AI-generated images of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former vice president Mike Pence and Senator Lindsey Graham dressed in drag. Credit - @RuPublicans / MidJourney (3) A new Instagram page is using AI to make parodies of Republicans attempting to push anti-LGBTQ+ bills. The account, called @RuPublicansa spin on name of the political party with a nod to the famed RuPaulhas gained nearly 100,000 followers in less than two weeks since its launch, going viral for its creative AI portraits of different Republicans in full drag. Created by partners and digital nomads Craig and Stephen (who asked to be identified by their first names only to maintain their privacy), the project sees the couple using art and technology for political activism. We were bearing witness to the rhetoric and actions against the drag community, Craig tells TIME, and it made us want to do something, so we had this idea of putting the GOP in drag. The pair were traveling in an Airstream through the American West when they came up with the idea for the Instagram account, which comes at a particularly vulnerable time for LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S. State lawmakers are introducing more anti-LGBTQ+ this year than in the past collective five years, according to Bloomberg and data from the American Civil Liberties Union. Anti-drag bills have been introduced in at least 14 states. What were creating is pure fantasy, but the fear that theyre spreading and the legislation that theyre trying to pass is reality for so many people, Stephen says. The first RuPublicans post came on March 30, featuring Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell in a posh Regency-era garment. The following post was former Vice President Mike Pence dressed in a satin neon blazer with a matching fur cape. An AI-generated image of former vice president Mike Pence dressed in drag. @RuPublicans / MidJourney Other images range from Steve Bannon, who has shown support for Russias anti LGBTQ+ government, sporting a voluminous blowout to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is now looking to expand his Dont Say Gay Florida law in more schools, donning a bejeweled ball gown. And beyond the images, each person gets a drag name in the cheeky captions accompanying the posts. Rep. Kevin McCarthy is Speaker Sparklebottom; Sen. Lindsey Graham is Lady Graham Cracker; and Sen. Josh Hawley is Miss Hawl-About-Me. Fans are now eagerly sending in requests in the comments for the page to post similar images of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Fox News Tucker Carlson next. Story continues The high quality images and brazen titles come with the help of AI tools MidJourney and Chat GPT-4. MidJourney is a text-to-image application that generates the portraits from detailed and thought-out prompts entered to specify the theme and direction of the photos. For example, in a post parodying Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, or Claretta Corrupta, on their page, the creators inserted a prompt related to Thomas having a lavish lifestyle on the beach and on a yacht to portray him as this billionaires friend in reference to recent reporting on Thomas friendship with billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow. MidJourney then generates hundreds of images, and Craig and Stephen sort through them to pick the ones that eventually make it to Instagram. One of the portraits of Thomas they selected features him in a pink dress and matching sunglasses under a flashy yellow umbrella. An AI-generated image of Justice Clarence Thomas dressed in drag. @RuPublicans / MidJourney [MidJourney and Chat GPT-4] are productivity and creativity booster tools, but were ultimately the creative decision makers in this and craft the work to make it what it is, says Craig. So far, they say, theyve used politicians with more of a national spotlight because there are more images out there that AI can pull from. RuPublicans is quickly gaining traction. Between March 30, when it launched, and April 11, the page grew to 2,000 followers; as of April 12, it has nearly 100,000 Instagram followers, after users began sharing its images to other platforms like TikTok and Twitter. The pages creators had a gut instinct that people would connect to the project. Its pulling together things that are really top of mind for everyone right now. Artificial intelligence is in every conversation these days and the issues around drag and trans rights are front and center, Craig says. Read More: Tennessee Passed the Nations First Law Limiting Drag Shows. Heres the Status of Anti-Drag Bills Across the U.S. The page may be prompting its followers to get just as creative in their activism. On the post of McConnell one user commented, I will contribute to creating billboards with these in Tennessee, Florida and Texas. Under the one on Pences another user wrote, Imagine these all over DC and Indiana on Billboards. We can make this happen. Craig and Stephen suspect that some Republicans have come across the viral posts and hope that they can find the humor in them, too. This isnt something thats just for the left or right, says Craig. I want to go on Tucker [Carlson] on Fox News and spread the message because theyre just funny, Stephen adds. I dont care what side of the political realm you fall on, theyre just hilarious photos that hopefully can appeal to everybody. Craig notes the impact drag has had on his life. In an Instagram story, the couple said, Drag artists have brought me joy, laughter, helped heal old wounds, and given me permission to love myself and Im not the only one. The page goes on to address lawmakers directly on their Instagram story, saying, To those in power serving up false narratives like an overcooked wig at a drag brunch, listen up: Were here, were queer and were not going anywhere. Scouted/The Daily Beast/Jones Road Beauty. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. About four years after exiting her eponymous beauty brand, Bobbi Brown launched Jones Road Beauty in 2020. Since the brands launch, its deservedly amassed quite the cult followingnot that were surprised. The long-time makeup artist, entrepreneur, and bona fide beauty icon is known for her shade-inclusive, high-performance, foolproof formulas that appeal to makeup connoisseurs of all levels, from new-t0-makeup tweens to professional makeup artists. It comes as no surprise that Jones Road Beautys curated lineup of clean, skincare-infused products has become a rising star in the space, and the Miracle Balm is arguably its most popular formula. After reading a couple of Scouted contributor's reviews of Jones Road Beautys bronzer and WTF foundation, I decided I had to give Bobbi Browns new brand a try myself, and I opted for the Miracle Balm, which had been popping up on my Instagram and TikTok feeds for months. The Miracle Balm is a skincare-makeup hybrid that contains a slew of hydrating ingredients, including argan oils, jojoba seed, and vitamin E, and excluding an expansive list of nasty, impossible-to-pronounce chemicals like EDTA and PEGs. Its available in nine clear-ish and tinted hues that work on a variety of skin tones, from fair to extra deep. The Miracle Balm feels very thick and emollient, not like petroleum jelly... more like coconut oil. It definitely requires some warming up (or, as Bobbi Brown puts it, breaking the seal) before applying, but once the seal is broken, its easy to blend and build. You can apply the balm all over the face, neck, and decolletage for a no-makeup makeup look with a subtle sheen or use it as blush, highlighter, eyeshadow, and even lip balm. So many beauty products on the market today claim to be multifunctional, but the Miracle Balm is genuinely as versatile and customizable as it promises to be. Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm I tried Au Naturel, a clear balm with a pearlescent sheen; Miami Beach, a peach-coral shade; and Bronze, a warm, goldish terracotta. Buy Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm at Jones Road Beauty, $38 Miami Beach and Bronze looked fairly pigmented in the pot, but once applied to my skin, they bestowed a buildable wash of color with a dewy finishnot greasy finish. The Miracle Balm does feel heavyalmost tackyafter its applied, but I found that within an hour, it meshed with the skin and felt more weightless. The effect is a filter-like sheen on the skin with a flushed, post-run glow that looks less like makeup and more like youve just been taking great care of yourself and sleeping a full eight hours a night. I consider myself a veritable dupe Ph.D., and I can honestly say I have never tried a product like this beforeand I dont think theres anything else just like it in existence. If youre loyal to a matte finish, the Miracle Balm is not for you, but if youre on board with a second-skin look and hydrated, glowy finish, you will not be disappointed by investing in this truly unique balm. MORE FROM SCOUTED: : Dont forget to check out our coupon site to find more beauty deals, including Sephora coupons, Ulta coupons, Nordstrom coupons, and Macys coupons. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. After a tense hearing, Iowa House lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would require Iowans to be physically present to participate in the state's caucuses, and to register more than two months ahead of time to do so. The Republican proposal comes after national Democrats voted to remove Iowa from its first-in-the-nation spot in their party's presidential nominating process after 50 years. Iowa will hold the first nominating contest for Republicans in the 2024 presidential race, and candidates are already competing here. But Republicans say Democrats' proposed changes to allow mail-in participation in the Iowa caucuses could jeopardize the GOP's future status. "We are in the process of potentially losing both parties status as first in the nation," said Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, the bill's author. More: Iowa House GOP bill to require in-person caucusing, endangering Democrats' mail-in plans Democrats say they're trying to expand access to their caucuses with a mail-in participation system, and Republicans are overreaching with the legislation. "The Legislature needs to mind their own business on this one," said Rep. Amy Nielsen, D-North Liberty. "This is a party event." On a party-line vote, a five-member subcommittee of three Republicans and two Democrats advanced House Study Bill 245 to the Ways and Means Committee, where it will receive a hearing Thursday. The bill states that anyone participating in a party's caucus must be present in person and must have registered as a member of the political party at least 70 days before the caucus. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, speaks about a bill that would require Iowans to be physically present in order to participate in the caucuses, and to register for a political party 70 days in advance. Threat of New Hampshire has Republicans concerned New Hampshire state law requires it to hold the first presidential primary in the nation. Republicans, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, say if Iowa Democrats' caucus process too closely resembles a primary, New Hampshire will move up the date of its election. Iowa Democrats have already been stripped from their place at the beginning of the nominating calendar. Story continues The Democratic National Committee voted in February to make South Carolina the first state in the party's 2024 presidential nominating process, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, Georgia and Michigan, removing Iowa from the leadoff spot it has long occupied. As part of Iowa's bid to remain first, the Iowa Democratic Party put forward a plan last June to remake the party's caucus process by having participants cast written "presidential preference cards" in the mail in the weeks leading to caucus night, when the results would be announced. Iowa Democrats have said they will stick to that plan. In a statement, Reynolds called the first-in-the-nation caucuses a historic tradition and said she would do everything she could to protect them. Iowa is not the first in the nation primary that privilege belongs to New Hampshire," Reynolds said. "Iowas role in the presidential primary process is to be a caucus a gathering of neighbors, in person to debate and conduct party business. The Iowa Democrat Party is unwilling to accept that their changes, an all-mail-in system of ballots, are by definition a primary and not a caucus. Because of this, our coveted status as first in the nation is in jeopardy. Barack and Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha wave to supporters at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines on Jan. 3, 2008. Barack Obama won the 2008 Iowa Democratic caucuses. (Andrea Melendez/The Register) If New Hampshire tries to hold a contest earlier than Iowa's, Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, said it will put Iowa in a position where the state's Republican Party has to respond. "We will start this back-and-forth game of moving up our caucuses and primaries up to, you know, October or November of this year," he said. "Which I dont think we want to do." In a statement Tuesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart suggested Republicans' actions are contrary to the two parties' history of working together to preserve Iowa's leadoff spot. "This legislation proposed by Republicans is a surprise move," Hart said Tuesday. "Its disappointing that Republicans proposed this bill with no input from Democrats, and it is potentially damaging to the history of how Iowas parties have always worked together regarding the Iowa caucuses. Iowa Democrats will do whats best for Iowa and that means moving forward with an inclusive caucus process." Protecting the caucuses' integrity, or an overreach? Democrats have focused in recent years on expanding access to the caucuses, which can be difficult to participate in for Iowans with disabilities, shift workers and those with young children who can't find child care. The party's mail-in proposal is an attempt to address those concerns. Nielsen said that since the caucuses are run by political parties, not the state, the parties have the right to decide how they are run. "I dont think that allowing some remote access to our caucuses is creating a primary," she said. "What its doing is opening up access." Republicans said Iowa needs to preserve the state's tradition of in-person caucuses, where Iowans have face-to-face conversations with their neighbors and seek to persuade their community that their candidate is worth supporting. "A caucus is a place for a robust conversation, a place where you can get together with your party and discuss the best candidates," said Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola. "And I dont think a mail-in ballot affords that type of conversation to happen in the first place." Nielsen called the GOP bill "an overreach." "You should let the parties continue to do the great work that both of our parties do already and stay out of it," she said. "I will mind my own business when the Iowa caucuses are not in jeopardy," Kaufmann said. "When the Iowa caucuses are in jeopardy which they absolutely are then it is my business." Who can participate in the caucuses? 70-day registration requirement could cause hurdles Groups representing Iowa voters and Iowans with disabilities said the requirement that Iowans register 70 days ahead of time would make it harder for Iowans to participate in the caucus process. "We think this bill is taking an already pretty exclusive process in the caucuses and making it even more exclusive," said Amy Campbell, a lobbyist for the League of Women Voters of Iowa. "A third of Iowa voters are independents and they should be allowed to decide which party they would like to choose a candidate for." Kaufmann said caucuses are not elections, and political parties have the right to choose who can participate. "An independent can still very easily choose to participate in the caucuses," Kaufmann said. "They just have to choose to register with the party they want to caucus with 70 days out. Its not some significant burden for anyone to overcome." Kaufmann, who is a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump's 2024 caucus campaign, denied that the bill's requirements are intended to help any candidate gain an advantage over any other. "This is making sure that everybodys playing by the same rules," he told reporters Wednesday. "I realize youre all trying to tie this to Donald Trump. This has nothing to do with a specific candidate." Iowa has same-day voter registration, and the bill's requirement to register ahead of time would apply only to caucuses. Iowans could still register to vote at the polls when participating in federal, state and local elections. Republicans said the early registration requirement is intended as a guard against parties meddling in each other's caucuses, since the Democratic and Republican caucuses are not likely to be held on the same day. Nielsen and other Democrats said Iowans have had same-day voter registration for years without issues. "I think that its important that when we are talking about people exercising their right to vote that were always making it more accessible safely, obviously instead of trying to shrink the pool down to who actually gets to participate," she said. 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: GOP lawmakers advance bill changing Iowa caucuses as Democrats object Saudi Arabia hosted landmark delegations from Iran and Syria on Wednesday as Gulf countries prepare for re-establishing diplomatic ties after years of bitter divisions. Only hours after Iranian state media said a delegation had touched down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia announced the arrival of Syria's foreign minister in Jeddah -- the first such trip since the country's civil war broke out in 2011. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad met with his Saudi counterpart and discussed "the necessary steps to achieve a complete political settlement to the Syrian crisis", the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement. The aim is to achieve "a national reconciliation and... bring back Syria to its Arab fold and resume its natural role in the Arab world", the statement said. The two diplomats also confirmed that steps would be take to resume consular services, and also announced plans to resume flights between their countries. With Iran's president also expected in Saudi soon, and the Saudis negotiating with Yemen's Huthi rebels this week in an attempt to end fighting there, optimism has blossomed for the turbulent Gulf region during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "Iranians and Syrians are in Saudi Arabia on the same day. That's totally crazy and was inconceivable a few months ago," a Riyadh-based Arab diplomat told AFP. On Friday, representatives of nine Arab countries will meet in Jeddah to discuss letting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's long-isolated country attend an Arab League summit next month. Before then, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad will meet his Saudi counterpart to discuss "efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security and stability of Syria", the Saudi foreign ministry said. - Diplomatic flurry - Earlier, Tehran announced the arrival of the Iranian delegation in Riyadh to pave the way for reopening diplomatic missions, seven years after an acrimonious break in ties. Story continues The visit comes after a Saudi delegation made a similar trip to Iran's capital, and follows a historic meeting in China between the two governments' foreign ministers who vowed to bring stability to the troubled region. "The Iranian delegation will take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah as well as the activities of Iran's permanent representative in the (Jeddah-based) Organisation of Islamic Cooperation," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been invited to Saudi Arabia, according to Tehran. It would be the first trip by an Iranian president to Saudi Arabia since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended a regional meeting in Mecca in 2012. The flurry of diplomatic activity follows last month's landmark, Chinese-brokered announcement that Iran and Saudi Arabia, who have backed opposing sides in conflicts around the Middle East, would work towards resuming ties. Riyadh broke off relations in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr -- one in a series of flashpoints between the long-time foes. Since the March 10 announcement, the two countries' foreign ministers have met in China and a Saudi technical delegation met Iran's chief of protocol in Tehran last week, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Tehran on Saturday, is due to fly on to Iran's second city Mashhad on Thursday, Kanani said. - Yemen truce talks - As the contacts grow, Saudi Arabia is also negotiating with Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, eight years after launching a military intervention aimed at dislodging them from power in its impoverished neighbour. Saudi ambassador Mohammed Al-Jaber travelled to Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, this week hoping to "stabilise" a lapsed truce and work towards a "comprehensive political solution" between the Huthis and the ousted government. Saudi Arabia gathered a multinational coalition to fight the Huthis in 2015, after the rebels took control of Sanaa and large swathes of the country, forcing the government to flee. Yemen has become a major battleground and the two countries also vie for influence in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Analysts say Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, now wants to exit the eight-year war to focus on domestic projects aimed at diversifying its energy-dependent economy. Washington has cautiously welcomed the rapprochement between the Saudis and US adversary Iran despite the role of China, which it sees as its biggest global challenger. ap-th/kir/th/js Destruction in Syria following the Turkey-Syria earthquake on Feb 7 - AFP via Getty Images Iran exploited relief flights to covertly supply its ally Syria with weapons and military equipment following a devastating earthquake in February, according to intelligence sources. After a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck neighbouring Turkey on Feb 7, causing widespread destruction including 6,000 deaths in Syria, Iran dispatched hundreds of aid flights to Syrias Aleppo, Damascus and Latakia airports. Now, for the first time, intelligence sources have revealed to Reuters that among the relief supplies, Iran also sent advanced communications equipment and radar batteries, as well as spare parts required for a planned upgrade of Syria's air defence system. The aim was to strengthen Irans defences against Israel in Syria and to strengthen Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president. But Israel quickly became aware of the fresh influx of weapons into Syria and mounted an aggressive campaign to stop the shipments. Syrian state media previously reported that Israel launched air strikes against Aleppo airport twice in March, including one attack on March 7 that damaged its runway and temporarily closed the facility, diverting flights to Damascus and Latakia. Workers unload aid sent by Iran in Syria. Weapons were said to be among supplies - AFP Israels intelligence on the arriving hardware was so detailed that Israeli strikes were able to target specific trucks within long convoys, Brigadier General Yossi Kuperwasser, an Israeli military insider with knowledge of the operation, told Reuters. When asked if Iran had used humanitarian relief planes after the earthquakes to move military equipment to Syria to enhance its network there and help Mr Assad, Irans mission to the United Nations in New York said: Thats not true. Syrias government did not respond to a request for comment. An Israeli defence official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters: Under the guise of shipments of earthquake aid to Syria, Israel has seen significant movements of military equipment from Iran, mainly transported in parts. Israel is increasing its efforts to counter Irans influence in Syria, one unnamed Syrian officer told Reuters. Story continues Why now? Simply because they have information that something is being developed quickly. They must stop it and hit it to slow it. The quake created the right conditions. The chaos that ensued allowed Iranian jets to land with ease, he said. 'Iranian militias have restocked ammunition' Tehrans military support to Damascus has been vital to the Assad regime surviving an ongoing 12-year civil war. Alarmed at the prospect of its arch foe gaining a toehold on Israels northern border, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria. Recent Israeli strikes have targeted weapons depots in the Jabal Manea Kiswa mountain range south of Damascus where Iranian troops and Lebanons Iran-backed Hizbollah have built what is probably their most fortified military site in Syria, a regional security source and two Western intelligence sources told Reuters. A radar station used for drones was also hit on April 3, the regional source added, corroborating what two Western intelligence sources had told Reuters. We believe that Iranian militias have transferred huge quantities of ammunition they have restocked quantities lost in previous Israeli drone strikes, a Western intelligence source told Reuters, referring to Iranian flights since the Feb 6 earthquake. Cultivated Meat Sausages from Ivy Farm Technologies, Oxford Are these cultivated meat sausages from the UK's Ivy Farm Technologies really a threat to Italian Farmers? Credit - Getty Images/iStockphoto The new Italian government, under far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, has raised the specter of a threat to traditional food values by proposing the worlds first ever national ban on the production and marketing of cultivated meatmeat grown from stem cells in a bioreactorand is considering another on insect-based protein. The draft law, which aims to prevent non-conventional food from appearing on Italian tables, suggests a fine of up to $65,000 for violations by retailers or producers. Never mind the fact that cultivated meat is a nascent technology, years, if not decades, away from mass-market availability. Melonis gastro-nationalist sop may appeal to the agricultural vote in this food-obsessed country, but if passed into law, it could end up exacerbating the bigger threat to Italys food system: climate change. Europe is warming more than twice the global average, and two-thirds of the continent, including Italy, has been hit by the worst drought in at least 500 yearsone made three to four times more likely by global warming, according to climate scientists. Having just come through a second warm, dry winter, northern Italy is already suffering parched soils that threaten this years rice and wheat crops. Rental villas in Tuscany have already been told to keep their swimming pools empty this summer in anticipation of even greater drought conditions. Animal agriculture is one of the worst climate offenders, responsible for 14% of global carbon emissions. In its most recent report, the United Nations climate agency states that slashing emissions from meat production is critical for climate action and has long urged wealthy nations to cut down on meat consumption; another recent study notes that the food sector alone could add nearly 1C to global warming by 2100. But asking citizens to stop eating meat is a political dead end, no matter the country. Meat alternatives could offer a more palatable solution. Peer-reviewed research shows that cultivated meat emits up to 92% less carbon gas equivalents than conventional beef production while using up to 90% less landfreeing up space for the more sustainable farming practices beloved by traditional agriculture enthusiasts. It also requires less water, leaving more for cropsand swimming pools. Story continues Read More: The Cow That Could Feed the Planet Banning cultivated meat and other protein alternatives before the industry even gets going risks curtailing vital research into sustainable food sources when it is most vital, says Alice Ravenscroft, the European policy head for the Good Food Institute, an alternative protein advocacy group. The passing of such a law would shut down the economic potential of this nascent field in Italy, holding back scientific progress and climate mitigation efforts, and limiting consumer choice. Upon introducing the bill to the Senate on March 27, Francesco Lollobrigida, the countrys Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Minister, suggested that so-called synthetic foods were a threat to small food producers, the environment, Italian food culture, and even human health. Yet cultivated chicken produced by California startup Good Meat has been available in Singapore since 2020, and both Good Meat and California rival Upside Foods successfully passed the United States Food and Drug Administrations rigorous pre-market safety review. A new report from the U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization also says theres no evidence that cell-cultured food poses greater dangers than conventional meats. And the European Unions Food Safety Authority says that cultivated meat and seafood could be considered a promising and innovative solution for fair, safe, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems. Even if Lollobrigidas bill is passed by the Italian parliament, it wouldnt be able to protect Italian dining tables from future imports of cultivated meat produced elsewhere in Europe once they pass E.U. regulatory approval, due to EU trade laws. But it would damage Italian innovation, says Stefano Lattanzi, CEO of Italian cultivated-meat consortium Bruno Cell. Italian companies and research institutions have made substantial gains in the development of alternative meat and dairy products. The proposed law has sent a chill through the industry, he says, putting investors on hold and slowing the return of Italian entrepreneurs who went abroad in search of better opportunities. I expected some resistance from consumers, but this frontal attack from the government makes no sense, he says. We are working on solutions for a climate-changed future. Read More: Cultivated Meat Passes the Taste Test The proposed law is less about food sovereignty and more a particularly Italian version of a political dog whistle, designed to win support by inflating Frankensteinian food fears with spurious health claims and false threats to tradition. Here in Italy we are fanatics with our food. So when politicians use the word syntheticwhich is incorrect because cultivated meat is real meatit is something like blasphemy for us, says Lattanzi. For that reason, he hopes, the proposed bill may have already served its purposerallying the baseand will not be successful in parliament, where the opposition is already gearing up to block its passage. But the proposal has strong support from Coldiretti, Italys 1.7 million-strong farmers association, despite the fact that drought is far more a threat than the distant proposition of cultivated meats challenge to conventional production. What would help the Italian agriculture industry, as well as the climate, is a shift to more sustainable farming practices and diets. But asking for radical change is less politically palatable than, say, vilifying a potential solution. That approach is short-sighted. Cultivated meat is only one of several answers to the question of how we feed the world on a warming planet. Innovators will have to work hand in hand with traditionalists to solve for sustainability. This is not the time to favor one over the other in pursuit of political gain. JD-vance-RS-1800 - Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images J.D. Vance, the hillbilly venture capitalist and now Republican Senator from Ohio, frequently rails against the menace of Big Tech and its alleged bias against conservatives. Less frequent are his discussions about his investments in smaller tech firms and how his calls to hobble giants such as YouTube could boost companies like Rumble, in which Vance has boasted he was the first outside investor. A new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), previewed by Rolling Stone, takes aim at this disconnect, highlighting Vances self-serving advocacy for legal reforms that could enhance his personal finances as well as those of a top political benefactor, Peter Thiel. More from Rolling Stone Campaigning last year, Vance demanded a partial repeal of a bedrock Internet provision known as Section 230. Part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, Section 230 shields tech platforms from liability for content posted by users. If a defamatory video gets uploaded to Facebook, for example, the poster and not the platform is liable for any damages. Claiming during a GOP primary debate that its nearly impossible to sue these companies, Vance called to end Section 230 but only for Big Tech. He said this was important, so as not to not punish new entrants in the market, name-checking Truth Social and Gettr as examples of such startups. We need to reform it in a way that protects them, Vance insisted, while destroying the stranglehold and the power of Big Tech. The TTP report highlights that YouTube competitor Rumble could be another obvious winner under Vances proposal in part because Rumble has evolved into a repository of the kind of conspiratorial, extremist, and inflammatory content that might become legally actionable if the legal shield of Section 230 were revoked. Story continues Vance has been a significant investor in the video platform, as has Thiel. The self-serving element is that Vances venture capital firm, and his mentor Peter Thiel, are investors in Rumble, says Katie Paul, director of TTP, a Washington-based public-interest watchdog. Vances proposal is essentially gaming the system, Paul argues. It seeks to push out those companies that we see as the headline harmers right now Meta and YouTube to create a position for Rumble to take that same seat, and enjoy the 230 protections. A spokesperson for Sen. Vance responded to questions with the following statement: Its pathetic that Rolling Stone would regurgitate this nonsense and do the bidding of the Big Tech monopolies. Any reforms to Section 230 that fail to protect smaller companies will simply lead to bigger monopolies for the likes of Google, Facebook, and others. Senator Vance will continue to be a champion for restoring basic fairness and freedom to our technology industry, which has been overtaken by a bunch of corrupt, leftwing billionaires. Messages to Thiels financial firm were not returned. Rumble did not respond on the record. Rumble was founded in 2013 in Toronto, pitching itself as a neutral platform dedicated to free speech. As described in the report, Vance, his financial firm Narya, and Thiel invested in the company in May 2021, when the platform was reportedly worth $500 million. Rumble went public in 2022 and is now worth close to $2.5 billion. Examining Vances public financial disclosures as a candidate, TTP estimates the senators personal Rumble holdings would now be worth between $577,300 and $1.5 million. The TTP report claims that Vances involvement mirrored an ideological lurch at the video site. Rumbles editorial slant began to change around the time of the investment, as the platform sought to exploit its increased popularity with right-wing users. It underscores that the sites Editors Picks, which used to recommend heartwarming puppy videos, soon began promoting content with titles like: Fauci & the COVID Narrative are Imploding in Front of Our Eyes. In recent months, Rumble has attracted a number of high-profile right-wing figures, including those migrating from rival platforms that practice more robust moderation. Its creators include big-audience outcasts, notably former president Donald Trump, as well as the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and the misogynist influencer Andrew Tate. But as Rolling Stone has reported Rumbles biggest traffic draws are often comedians like Russell Brand and content creators like Glenn Greenwald, who dont fit neatly into ideological categories but tend to portray themselves as adversaries of Big Tech and its allies in media and government. Paul describes Rumble as one of the most successful of these new-wave, right-wing social media platforms, noting that, because its gone public, it has a lot more cash on hand than Gab or Parler. The TTP director argues that Rumble would stand to really benefit from what Vance is proposing in a way that the other platforms wouldnt be able to. The TTP report highlights Rumbles own investor filings that indicate the company could be impacted by an across-the-board Section 230 rollback. Rumble has hosted videos that have spawned litigation, the TTP report states, including the election-conspiracy film 2000 Mules as well as videos involved in defamation suits by the voting-machine company Dominion. Americans are familiar with politicians using their legislative clout to favor financial backers. But the fact that Ohios new senator has part of his personal fortune mixed up in Rumble makes this case different, Paul says. There are a lot of questions that need to be asked about how this is benefiting Vance. While Vance has yet to match his rhetoric with a specific legislative initiative, Paul says, the senator continues to gin up frustration and anger against Big Tech, while keeping Rumble and the smaller platforms out of the limelight. This is not the first time Vances financial investments have become controversial politically. Last October, Rolling Stone reported on the then-candidates backing of a biotech firm that tested on live animals, and had mistakenly scalded the genitals of a pair of test monkeys. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers a speech at the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on April 11, 2023. Xi on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the PLA. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed strengthening training and combat readiness and accelerating transformation to boost the armed forces' modernization levels on all fronts. He called on the armed forces to resolutely fulfill the duties entrusted by the Party and the people. At the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command, Xi met representatives of officers and soldiers and posed for group photos with them. He acknowledged the achievements the command's navy has made in improving itself and exercising its duties since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Xi said the armed forces should analyze and address military issues from a political perspective, carry out military struggles in a resolute and flexible manner, and enhance the ability to ensure timely and proper responses to complex situations. He told the military to resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and strive to maintain the overall stability of the country's neighboring regions. Xi ordered the armed forces to strengthen training under combat conditions, innovate the concepts of combat and the methods of combat and training, and intensify force-on-force training based on operational plans. They should develop new types of combat forces and means and accelerate the efforts to incorporate new equipment and new forces into actual combat capacity, he said. Xi stressed the importance of strengthening the Party's leadership over the armed forces and urged relentless efforts to exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance in the military and govern the military with strict discipline in every aspect. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets representatives of officers and soldiers at the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on April 11, 2023. Xi on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the PLA. [Photo/Xinhua] Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right conspiracy theorist, will be a keynote speaker at the Jackson County Republican Partys Lincoln/Reagan Dinner in Blue Springs on Saturday. The Georgia Republican, elected in 2020 and again in 2022, has promoted racist, antisemitic and right-wing conspiracy theories, including QAnon, the theory that claims that a cabal of child abusers conspired against former President Donald Trump. Greene this week railed against a House bill that would strengthen protections for the transgender community amid an onslaught of Republican-led legislation that targets the community. Greene on Twitter called the bill a weapon to destroy all of our rights. Last week, Greene joined conservatives in rallying against Bud Light for working with trans TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney. She posted a picture on social media that indicated she was switching to Coors Light, whose parent company has publicly supported the LGBTQ community. Earlier this year, Greene called for a national divorce that would split up the U.S. by red and blue states. She has also claimed that several school shootings were false flag events perpetrated by government officials. Under Democratic leadership, Greene was stripped of her House committee assignments in 2021 due to her past comments but was elevated to new roles in the House Oversight and Accountability and Homeland Security committees once Republicans took control of the House this year. Jackson County Republican Party Chair Mark Anthony Jones did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. But the county partys website touts Greene as always putting PEOPLE over politicians. She is known to always speak the truth and for her refusal to back down from radical Democrats who are set on destroying America, the website said. The paid VIP event, which ranges from $60 to $5,000, is scheduled at the Blue Springs Elk Lodge on Saturday. Rep. Mark Alford, a freshman Missouri Republican who represents an area stretching from the Kansas City suburbs to the northern half of Columbia, is the other guest of honor. State Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat, in a text to The Star criticized the county party for hosting Greene. Embracing Marjorie Taylor Greene is further proof the Missouri Republican Party has been taken over by bigots, conspiracy theorists, and insurrectionists, he said. If there are any moderates left in that party, they should escape while theres still time. [Source] Japans population has fallen under 125 million during its 12th straight year of decline. The Japanese population reportedly decreased by 556,000 to 124.9 million in 2022 compared to a year earlier, according to government data released on Wednesday. The data found that the number of Japanese nationals shrank by 750,000 to 122,031,000, which is the largest margin of decline since 1950. As for the foreign population, it increased by 194,000 to 2,916,000 in 2022 following the relaxation of COVID-19 border restrictions. Japans number of working people between 15 and 64, which accounts for 59.4% of the overall population, has dropped by 296,000 to 74,208,000. As for those 14 and under, they accounted for an all-time low of 11.6% of the total population, while those 65 and over made up a record-high of 29%. More from NextShark: Korean Student Harassed by Racist Man on Train in Southern France According to the report, the growing number of foreign residents in Japan has helped the country's overall population in recent years. Tokyos population increased by 0.20%, rebounding from the first drop in 26 years last year caused by the pandemic. However, the number of residents in Japans 46 other prefectures have fallen, with deaths outnumbering births in all prefectures for the first time. More from NextShark: Thai man sacrifices own life to save mother from pet pit bull attack Japans health ministry reported last year that the total number of births declined to 799,728 in 2022 the lowest since the ministry began keeping record in 1899. As for the number of deaths, it rose by 8.9% to 1.58 million for the same time period. The record lows undermine the countrys initiatives to remedy its aging population. At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno reportedly said that the government will address its falling birthrate with the highest priority. More from NextShark: Tom Hsieh, former SF supervisor and developer hero, dies at 91 Japan the worlds third-largest economy has been working to increase the labor force and to support children and their families in efforts to boost the population and economy. The government has allocated 4.8 trillion yen (approximately $36 billion) from the fiscal 2023 budget to a new agency dedicated to children and their families. The low fertility rates, which are also present in other Asian countries including South Korea and China, are due to demanding work cultures, rising costs of living and changing attitudes toward marriage and gender equality, according to experts. More from NextShark: Japan's World Cup victory brings 'Blue Lock' aspirations to life During his time in the office, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has been willing to acknowledge and elevate those that have promoted conspiracy theories and false claims about elections. Following former President Donald Trumps debunked theories after the 2020 presidential election, Ashcroft said he was confident that Missouris elections were secure. But, at the same time, the Republican has taken an approach that critics say supports unproven claims about the elections in which he runs. Just after the start of this years legislative session, The Star revealed in January that Ashcroft met with right-wing conspiracy theorist and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell in Jefferson City. Lindell played a major role in promoting baseless lies about the 2020 election and has continued to elevate claims in the years that have followed. And, last week, The Guardian reported that Ashcroft was among 10 state election officials who attended a secret February conference held by three groups that spread election denial lies and advocate for stricter voting laws. Now, the 49-year-old secretary of state is running for governor in what will likely be a hotly contested Republican primary. Ashcroft is poised to run his 2024 campaign appealing to the right-wing of the Republican Party through hot-button national topics such as election integrity and social issues. Critics of Ashcroft who spoke with The Star say he has largely used his position as secretary of state to elevate himself in front of conservative voters. They argue that, while serving as Missouris top election official, he made frequent gestures to fringe groups promoting false claims about the security of elections. Those actions, critics say, illustrate a candidate willing to entertain conspiracies to get elected. And voting rights advocates say his actions have made it harder for Missourians to vote. I have not yet seen evidence that there are lines that Jay Ashcroft is not willing to cross, said Jason Kander, Ashcrofts immediate predecessor as secretary of state who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in 2016. Im worried that he is somebody who views whatever office he holds as merely a vehicle to elevate him to the next office and not as a very important responsibility that goes beyond his ideological agenda. Story continues Ashcroft, in a statement provided by his campaign, said hes willing to work with anyone who wants to ensure Missouri has the most free, fair, and secure elections in the country. The statement cited a report from the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative thinktank, that said Missouri was ranked third nationally in election integrity. As Secretary of State, Ive made voter ID the law, ended private funding of election operations, and eliminated drop boxes. I am committed to listening to people across the spectrum to protect our democracy, the statement said. Defenders of Ashcroft in interviews with The Star painted him as an outspoken conservative who believes what he says and defends what he thinks is important. Jay Ashcroft will come out and he will take very public stances on the issues that the Republican Partys base feels are really important issues, said John Lamping, a former Republican state senator who said his comments were not an endorsement of Ashcroft. Ashcroft is looking at a Republican primary still more than a year away in which he will likely face Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and state Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican. The race between three Republican office holders is certain to hone in on their past political histories. Missouri elections Ashcroft was elected secretary of state in 2016 and reelected in 2020. Jay Ashcroft has repeatedly touted Missouris elections are safe and secure, said Denise Lieberman, the Missouri Voter Protection Coalitions director and general counsel. And yet continues to uplift, validate unfounded narratives about voter fraud in order to stoke fears, to propel a radical anti-voter agenda. Last year, Ashcroft supported a new GOP-led state law that enacted sweeping changes to how elections are conducted in Missouri. The law, which requires voters to show a government issued ID at the ballot box and bans touchscreen voting machines after 2024, was decried by voting rights advocates as an attempt to stifle voting rights. And the Republican secretary of state earlier this year pulled Missouri out of a nonprofit organization formed in 2012 that analyzes voter registration, motor vehicle department and other data to help maintain accurate data rolls and eliminate duplicate registrations. Ashcrofts decision came after some Republicans grew suspicious of the organization, commonly referred to as ERIC, amid the conspiracies promoted by Trump and his supporters. Kander, the former secretary of state, told The Star that there were two types of election officials in the country: those who view voters as customers of the process and those who view them as criminals. He said Ashcroft views his job as the latter. Ashcrofts conflicting statements that Missouris elections are secure while also meeting with conspiracy theorists is not nuanced, Kander said. Its just dishonest and its cowardly. Ashcroft as potential governor While Ashcroft has been criticized for his decisions related to elections, others have lauded his hands-on approach to statewide issues. Hes traveled the state and has worked with every county clerk and every election authority throughout his tenure as secretary of state, said state Rep. Peggy McGaugh, a Carrollton Republican and former county clerk. I worked with numerous (secretaries of state) in my 30 year career as county clerk, but I dont remember any of them traveling the state like he has. McGaugh, who said her comments were not an endorsement of Ashcroft, has sponsored legislation that would make sweeping changes to Missouris elections. In an interview with The Star, she pushed back on criticism of her and Ashcrofts support of Missouris new election law saying last years election was a resounding success. If he runs the governors office like he has the secretary of states office, hell surround himself with good people, hell be hands on, and itll be something that we can rely on him being fair and honest. Lamping, the former Republican state senator, said Ashcroft would take a much different approach to the governorship than Gov. Mike Parson, whose term ends in 2025. Ashcroft, he said, would be much more outspoken about conservative ideological issues. What are things dominating Republican Party primary voters in the last six months? It was (COVID-19) mandates, maybe its CRT, certainly transgenderism, he said. Kander said he would expect Ashcroft to use the position of governor to eye higher office. He has clearly approached the job of secretary of state as its main function is to elevate Jay Ashcroft to whatever the next level is, he said. And I think if hes the governor, that will be that much more damaging. Chuck Hatfield, a Jefferson City-based attorney who has worked for prominent Missouri Democrats, including former Gov. Jay Nixon and former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, said Ashcroft has been one of the most politically aggressive secretaries of state he has seen. The position, he said, has not been historically controversial or political, but rather an office that ensures elections are run on time and business filings get done. Particularly lately, hes using his office to sort of establish his conservative street cred, which has become a common thing, I think, among Republican candidates, Hatfield said. Hatfield said he hopes that Ashcrofts movement further to the right doesnt help him in the race. But it has helped in the past, he said, pointing to U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who previously served as state attorney general. I think at some point, I assume the electorate will hold people accountable for extreme positions. But we havent seen it, Hatfield said. Star reporters Maia Bond and Jonathan Shorman contributed to this story. Jennifer Garner has revealed that her children arent on social media and that her eldest daughter is grateful for it. The 50-year-old actor opened up about her children with ex Ben Affleck -- Violet, 17, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 11 -- during a recent appearance on Today to discuss her new Apple TV+ Show, The Last Thing He Told Me. Speaking to hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, Garner explained how shes kept her three teenagers off social media. I just said to my kids, Show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then well have the conversation, she said. Find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that its not good for teenagers, then well chat. When asked how her children feel about not being on social media, Garner responded: My eldest is grateful. She noted that since Seraphina and Samuel are also still in their teens, their perspectives on the topic could change over time. Its a long haul, the 13 Going on 30 star added. I have a couple more to go, so just knock on wood. Well see if I really hang in there. Over the years, many studies have examined how social media can impact children. Earlier this year, JAMA Pediatrics found that adolescents brains may become more sensitive when anticipating social rewards and punishments over time with frequent and increased social media usage. The findings suggest that children who grow up checking social media more often are becoming hypersensitive to feedback from their peers, study co-author Eva Telzer from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill said in a statement. Last month, Utah also became the first state in the country to ban children from social media unless they have parental consent. The bills that Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed into law prohibits children under 18 from using social media between the hours of 10.30pm and 6.30am. The law also requires age verification for anyone who wants to use social media in the state. Story continues Garner previously shared her thoughts about her children being on the internet during an interview with Fox News in 2018. My kids dont have any social media yet, and I am terrified, she said at the time. I think it puts so, so much pressure on kids at an age when theyre really vulnerable anyway. You know, if anyone has any clues, let me know. I am probably overprotective. Earlier this week, Garner confessed that she tries to avoid the online press herself, specifically when she sees articles that are about her ex-husband. I really work hard not to see either of us in the press, the Alias star told Stellar Magazine about Affleck. It doesnt make me feel good, even if its something nice about one of us. She added: I just try to forget that Im out there in any way, and the same with anyone I love. I dont need to see anyone in my family made into a meme. Jeremy Renner made his first red carpet appearance on April 11 after a catastrophic snowplow accident on New Years Day left him in the hospital. Using a cane, Renner appeared at the premiere for his upcoming Disney+ docuseries Rennervations at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. In the show, Renner teams up with expert builders to reimagine decommissioned government vehicles as unique purpose-built vehicles to serve communities around the world, according to Disneys website. The actor and his daughter, Ava Berlin Renner, at the premiere of The actor was accompanied by his family to the premiere, including his 10-year-old daughter Ava. The father-daughter duo arrived hand-in-hand to the event and They both matched in color-coordinated navy outfits. While on the blue carpet, Renner also posed with other family members and friends. Jeremy Renner and his family at the premiere in Los Angeles. (Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images) Once inside the event, Renner who used a knee scooter received a standing ovation from the audience and participated in a Q&A led by Jimmy Kimmel. The actor touched on his accident when Kimmel asked about the snowplow that caused him his injuries. He said that the machine is a necessity on his property because there is so much snow up there. However, he shared that his mom is not a fan of the snowplow. My mom wants to light it on fire and have a big ol party, Renner said. Light it on fire. No, but the things amazing. I love this thing and its a necessity. Its how you get to the house when we have these giant snowstorms. I just gotta learn to drive better, he quipped. He also shared the inspiration behind Rennervations, telling Kimmel he started collecting large-scale vehicles years ago, with a purpose for every single one of them. I do like the idea of repurposing things, and especially really wonderful things that our taxpayer dollars go towards, especially emergency vehicles and all these state-fund vehicles, he said. Theyre great machines, theyre perfectly good machines and they shouldnt go to waste. So Ive started different ways to repurpose them. And then when it became about kids directly, I just got really, really excited about it and started building, he added. Story continues A Jan. 1 incident report from Washoe County Sheriffs Office shows Renner was towing his nephews truck out of the snow at his Reno, Nevada, property on a private road at the time of the crash. The PistenBully plow started sliding down a hill and Renner got out but didn't put the emergency brake on, the report says. He tried to stop it from hitting his nephew in his truck by stepping up on the plow's track to divert or stop it but was "pulled under the PistenBully." The machine rolled over him, injuring his torso, extremities, face and head, the report details. The 52-year-old actor had to be hospitalized for his injuries and shared a photo from his hospital bed following the incident. "Thank you all for your kind words," he captioned the initial post. "Im too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all." In a follow-up post on Jan. 21, he thanked fans again for their support. "Morning workouts, resolutions all changed this particular new years . Spawned from tragedy for my entire family, and quickly focused into uniting actionable love," he wrote. "I want to thank EVERYONE for their messages and thoughtfulness for my family and I . Much love and appreciation to you all. These 30 plus broken bones will mend, grow stronger, just like the love and bond with family and friends deepens." The snowplow that ran over Renner weighs at least 7 tons, according to Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam at the time of the accident. He added that neighbors helped Renner as he waited 40 minutes for first responders to get to the scene because of inclement weather. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Jeremy Renner attended the premiere for his new series, Rennervations, on Tuesday (11 April), capping a remarkable recovery roughly four months after the Avengers star was nearly killed in a snowplough accident. Renner was surrounded by family and supporters at the premiere in Los Angeles, where he posed for photos and did interviews, at times making use of a cane and a knee scooter. Renner broke more than 30 bones after he was crushed by his seven-tonne snowplough on New Year's Day while trying to help free a relative's car at his Nevada home. The actor has said he also suffered a pierced lung in the accident. Rennervations, which premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday (12 April), follows Renner as he transforms large vehicles into community spaces for young people in India, Mexico, Chicago and Nevada. The purposes range from serving as a mobile music venue to a water filtration truck for a community in India. Renner said his aim was to give young people access to things they might not already have and present opportunities they might not know existed. After the premiere, ABCs Jimmy Kimmel hosted a panel with Renner and members of the cast. Jeremy Renner says it means the world to him to help kids dream big | #Rennervations pic.twitter.com/EXWB1sfXMI Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) April 12, 2023 After Renner received a standing ovation, Kimmel asked: Did something happen? He later asked Renner if he had any plans to repurpose the machine that ran him over in January. Its a necessity on the property, Renner responded. Mom wants to light it on fire and have a big ol party. The thing is amazing. I love this thing. I just have to learn how to drive it better. Earlier this week, Renner explained that hed been kicked out of the first ICU he was treated in, which was under construction. He also opened up about being visited by fellow Marvel star Paul Rudd at the hospital. Additional reporting by Associated Press Getty Images "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Jermey Renner attended the premiere of his new Disney+ reality series Rennervations in Los Angeles yesterdayhand in hand with his ten-year-old daughter Ava Berlin Renner. Rodin Eckenroth This was The Avengers actor's first red carpet appearance since a near-fatal snow plow accident in Reno, Nevada this January left him in critical condition, with 30 broken bones and injuries necessitating multiple surgeries. Matt Winkelmeyer/GA An investigation conducted by the Washoe County Sheriffs Office revealed that Renner was run over by his own PistenBully snow plow. The large vehicle is typically used to remove mass amounts of snow and weighs around 14,330 pounds. After a massive snowstorm, Renners car was stuck in a vat of snow near his home. The actor used the snow plow to remove his car, then exited to speak with a family member. At that point, the plow began rolling backwards. According to the Washoe County Sheriff, Darin Balaam, Renner was injured while trying to corral the machine. picture alliance "In an effort to stop the rolling PistenBully, Mr.Rennner attempts to get back in the driver's seat of the PistenBully," Balaam said during a press conference. "Based on our investigation, it is at this point that Mr.Renner is run over by the PistenBully. An eyewitness detailed seeing Mr. Renner getting into the PistenBully and not seeing him again until the PistenBully came to a rest in a pile of snow in the front of his driveway." According to Vulture, Renner's neighbor, who is a doctor, rushed to the scene to help. The neighbor applied a tourniquet to Renners leg in order to stop the bleeding while they waited for medical assistance. Renner was eventually airlifted to the hospital, where he made a full recovery. "Thank you all for your kind words," the actor wrote to his Instagram following in January, alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed. "Im too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all." Story continues Kayla Oaddams Joined by his family this week in Los Angeles, Renner was was reportedly in good spirits and walking with a cane. In a recent interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer, Renner stated that he hopes to "shift the narrative of being victimized or making a mistake or anything else." He said, "I refuse to be f---ing haunted by that memory that way." You Might Also Like Jeremy Renner arrives for the red carpet premiere of Disney+ original series Rennervations at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif., on April 11, 2023. (Photo: VALERIE MACON / AFP) Jeremy Renner is back. The 52-year-old made a big return to the red carpet on Tuesday his first since his near-fatal snowplow accident on New Year's Day. He attended the premiere of his four-part Disney+ reality docuseries Rennervations, walking hand-in-hand with his 10-year-old daughter Ava Berlin Renner. He was surrounded by his larger family whom he's credited in helping him recover after being run over by his 14,330-pound PistenBully on his Reno, Nev., property. Jeremy held hands with daughter Ava as they posed with family. (Photo: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage) Jeremy used a cane to keep stabilized having broken "35 or so" bones in the accident, he said on Monday's Jimmy Kimmel Live and then switched to a scooter as he worked his way down the press line at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Father and daughter matched in dark blue. It marked Ava's first red carpet, as he's been notoriously protective of putting her in the spotlight. (Her mom is his ex-wife, model Sonni Pacheco.) Jeremy Renner arrives at the premiere of #Rennervations with his family pic.twitter.com/VuF96rBLwj The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 12, 2023 "I look a little beat up right now, but I promise you this show is what's propelling me to get better and makes me want to get better every day," he told Variety of the series, which is now streaming, that sees The Avengers star traveling the globe to help reimagine unique purpose-built vehicles that work in service of local communities."I set out a goal to be walking this carpet. And here I am enjoying it. Otherwise it would have gone to an abyss with no date and lost traction and excitement and I would have been very, very, very frustrated. I'm very excited right now because we're here." Story continues Jeremy told People that the event marked his "first time to kind of get out of my bed and out of rehab and to be on my feet and be out in the world. It's intense for me, it's a lot, but it's a step in the direction I want to be going, right? And this is exactly what I want to be doing and exactly where I want my life to be right now." Jeremy, the host and executive producer of Rennervations, gives a thumbs-up to photographers as he moves down the carpet on his scooter. (Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) As for having his family there, "It's everything," he told People. "They're the fuel behind a lot of things that I do, and it's nice to be able to share this with them and be a part of it." That held true especially for Ava. He also shared that his daughter was "a big part of the design on some of ... these buses and these ideas [around the repurposed vehicles]. She's been a big part of that narrative on the show, but also in the behind the scenes of it all. It's great to be doing something you love to do with people you love. That, to me, is like what heaven is. That's the greatest dessert." Jermey poses with a photo on an oversize tire on the red carpet. The four-part docuseries sees the Avengers star traveling the globe to reimagine unique purpose-built vehicles that work in service of local communities. He said the project was has been in the works for five years. (Photo: VALERIE MACON / AFP) The event drew a big crowd, including Disney CEO Bob Iger. Jeremy signed autographs for fans waiting to see him. Jeremy signs autographs at the premiere of Disney+'s Rennervations. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for Disney Television Studios) Following the screening of the premiere, Jimmy Kimmel hosted a Q&A and Jeremy was on the panel. He receiving a standing ovation when he arrived on his scooter. Talking about the accident near his Lake Tahoe home when he was run over by the snowplow after trying to jump back into the vehicle to prevent it from hitting his nephew he said, "My mom wants to light it on fire and have a big old party," according to Variety. Jeremy speaks onstage during the world premiere event for the Disney+ original series "Rennervations" at Westwood Regency Village Theater on April 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Anna Webber/Getty Images for Disney+) But he doesn't want to part with it. "The thing's amazing, I love the thing," he said of the vehicle, which was recently returned to him. "I just have to learn to drive it better," as he hadn't set the emergency brake. Speaking of his recovery, he told the crowd, "It takes a lot of people. It starts with my family and my daughter. Then a big part of my recovery was this show. It set a big milestone for me to get better, to make sure all of this hard work was not all for nothing. I mean, running my damn self over, right? I had a lot of love, man." Jeremy's energy was remarkable. After the screening and Q&A, he joined the reception outside, where he walked around with his cane and hugged his loved ones. The actor, who documented his recovery on social media, gave his first interview to Diane Sawyer last week. He said metal plates were put in his face to support his eye socket, revealing, "I could see my eye with the other eye." He has titanium rods in one of his legs. He said he was "awake through every moment" of the ordeal. Jeremy also recalled to Sawyer how Ava told him after the accident that she "was scared" and told him "she loved me." On Monday's Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Mayor of Kingstown star danced on the set. He also recapped being kicked out of the first ICU he was in. Kimmel introduced him as "indestructible Jeremy Renner" and declared him the "toughest Avenger." Jeremy's family was with him for his Kimmel appearance and they were together the whole weekend before. The group made a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif. Jeremy kept up with help from his scooter. An American flag outside the Wild West City front gates in Stanhope, New Jersey. An American flag outside the Wild West City front gates in Stanhope, New Jersey. Little Miss America meant business. She may have been only 4 or 5 years old, but that girl wanted me (pretend) dead and I have the pictures to prove it. Last year, I visited Wild West City, a small, family-owned theme park in the hills of North Jersey, about an hour outside New York City. Every 15 minutes, the park stages short skits in which a succession of mostly white actors playing Frontier heroes like Wyatt Earp guns down the bad guys. It taps directly into the myth of the good guy with a gun protecting America from the nefarious, often non-white, others. Kevin Holdorff and two other actors during a skit on Main Street at Wild West City. Kevin Holdorff and two other actors during a skit on Main Street at Wild West City. The audience awaits as the jury is convened during an audience participation skit. The audience awaits as the jury is convened during an audience participation skit. The good guys kill Mexican banditos at Wild West City, though I observed no Latinx actors during my visit. Kenn Hill, the long-time Black marshal, was the only actor of color I met. On my second day at Wild West City, I stumbled into an audience-participation skit. Lawmen led children to apprehend a gang of thieves theyd seen commit robbery earlier that day. Chris Dimitriou, who played one of the good guys, sent the kids ahead to the Sheriffs office to discover the punishment for the outlaws: hanging. But before they could string them, the posse needed volunteer jurors for a quick trial. They selected three, and Dimitriou started up a call-back chant. What are we gonna do? he yelled. Were gonna hang em, he replied to himself. Then, he screamed again, What are we gonna do? This time, the children, holding toy guns, shouted in unison: Hang em! Then they did it again. I checked to see if anyone seemed troubled, but the crowd was rapt. No one paid any mind as I snapped my pictures, though I noticed one juror giving me the stink-eye: Little Miss America. A young girl pretends to shoot me with her toy gun during an audience participation skit at Wild West City. A young girl pretends to shoot me with her toy gun during an audience participation skit at Wild West City. Story continues Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, secured by an American flag bow. The shirt was red-white-and-blue, and she wore a blue, beaded necklace with sparkly stars over it. Little Miss Americas jean shorts were fringed and painted with stars and stripes. Pink cowgirl boots covered feet planted firmly on the ground as she raised her cap gun and pointed it at me. With a Clint Eastwood stare, she pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! The young girl, whom I've nicknamed The young girl, whom I've nicknamed "Little Miss America," continued to pull the trigger, and furrowed her brow. In the second photo, her brows furrow. But when I didnt die in the skit, her luck turned, as Dimitriou yelled that one of the robber actors from the earlier heist was still at large. (The robbery happened before I arrived at Wild West City for the day.) Maybe the last bad guy was in the gift shop? Did anyone see him? Could they bring him back for the hanging? In a flash, cortisol flooded my bloodstream because I had a premonition of what came next. Who should we hang, Chris asked. Little Miss America dropped her gun hand, raised the other... and pointed directly at me. Chris Dimitriou asks the children to find an extra bank robber from among the actors, so he can also be hung. Chris Dimitriou asks the children to find an extra bank robber from among the actors, so he can also be hung. "Little Miss America" seems to have misunderstood the question, and pointed me out instead. I knew they werent going to hang me for real, obviously, but getting singled out for the gallows like that was pretty stressful. I looked around, and the immediate crowd saw her finger me. Then, to ease the tension, someone shouted, Its the beard. The bad guys always have a beard. Looking for confirmation, I turned and discovered Deanna Greenridge, a Black woman, and her son JJ, standing behind me. We chatted for a few minutes and took portraits. Deanna had just arrived from Upstate New York with an open mind and hadnt gotten the vibe of the park yet, so she was loath to criticize the skit too much, calling it tricky. Later, though, we bumped into each other, and Deanna asked to speak on the record again because she said an employee treated her and JJ in a disrespectful manner. She felt it was because of the color of their skin. Deanna Greenridge and her son JJ were visiting from New York state. Later in the day, when we spoke again, Deanna said she felt she and JJ had been mistreated based on the color of their skin. But she was still glad shed come to Wild West City. I am always grateful for the experience, and I know how to navigate through situations, even when its not as favorable, she told me. Deanna Greenridge and her son JJ were visiting from New York state. Later in the day, when we spoke again, Deanna said she felt she and JJ had been mistreated based on the color of their skin. But she was still glad shed come to Wild West City. I am always grateful for the experience, and I know how to navigate through situations, even when its not as favorable, she told me. Deanna was more forthcoming about the hanging scene too. It was inappropriate, she said. And the violence. Dont get me wrong. I understand the concept of what this place is supposed to be. But you also have to make it kid-friendly because a child sees things one way. They dont fully understand this is just make-believe. Theyre imitating a culture from however many years ago, but this is 2022. Katie Benson, 26, along with her brother Frank, has been charged with leading Wild West City into the future. She is more comfortable in the reformer role than Frank and inaugurated the first Cowgirl Day at Wild West City in June of last year. It makes it extra special to put females in that leading role so that little girls can look up to us, she said. Katie Benson, 26, along with her brother Frank, has been charged with leading Wild West City into the future. She is more comfortable in the reformer role than Frank and inaugurated the first Cowgirl Day at Wild West City in June of last year. It makes it extra special to put females in that leading role so that little girls can look up to us, she said. Frank Benson, during an on-the-record interview at Wild West City. He was about to leave the next day for a road trip across the American West, beginning in Dodge City, Kansas. Frank Benson, during an on-the-record interview at Wild West City. He was about to leave the next day for a road trip across the American West, beginning in Dodge City, Kansas. "In Dodge City, you step out on the outskirts of town, and you can see the horizon. You see past it. And out here you just see trees and foliage," Frank told me in a follow-up interview after hed returned to New Jersey. The parks third-generation, twenty-something owners, Katie and Frank Benson, both defended the lynching scene, though Katie did ask for re-write suggestions. I am curious, she said. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you still portray that theyre being hung, but not get them {the children} hyped up? Frank was adamant he had every right to tell the stories he wanted, just as his grandfather had. Yeah, the kids are screaming Hang em, he said. But theyre put on trial, and theyre found guilty. The law is the law, and these are the stories he was raised on. See more photos from Wild West City below. One of the Wild West City actors, lying pretend-dead on the Main Street dirt. This was the very first thing I saw once I went through the turnstiles. One of the Wild West City actors, lying pretend-dead on the Main Street dirt. This was the very first thing I saw once I went through the turnstiles. Jason Jay Musto, an American of Italian descent, portraying a Native American at Wild West City. He found the skull for his amulet in a piece of owl excrement. Jason Jay Musto, an American of Italian descent, portraying a Native American at Wild West City. He found the skull for his amulet in a piece of owl excrement. Larry Storch's Silver Dollar Saloon in the late afternoon light. The late comedic actor, who died last summer, was best known for the 1960s sitcom F Troop. He was also a local celebrity at Wild West City. Larry Storch's Silver Dollar Saloon in the late afternoon light. The late comedic actor, who died last summer, was best known for the 1960s sitcom F Troop. He was also a local celebrity at Wild West City. Sarah Hale, a self-described Jersey Girl, whos been working at Wild West City for three years. She started out in the General Store before being promoted to Cowgirl. Sarah just finished a scene in which she got shot up. It's fake blood, she said. It tastes like cherry cough syrup, almost. Sarah Hale, a self-described Jersey Girl, whos been working at Wild West City for three years. She started out in the General Store before being promoted to Cowgirl. Sarah just finished a scene in which she got shot up. It's fake blood, she said. It tastes like cherry cough syrup, almost." Kenn Hill, the long-time Marshall, has been at Wild West City for 27 years. Kenn was a law enforcement officer for many years in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, and also worked as a stunt man on film productions. He agreed he would have likely fared well in the actual Wild West, as hes quite capable of handling himself when the going gets tough. Kenn Hill, the long-time Marshall, has been at Wild West City for 27 years. Kenn was a law enforcement officer for many years in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, and also worked as a stunt man on film productions. He agreed he would have likely fared well in the actual Wild West, as hes quite capable of handling himself when the going gets tough. Wild West City owner Katherine Katie Benson, performing the Can Can dance alongside Juliet DiBonaventura and Samantha Schuman. Each actor plays multiple roles throughout the day. Wild West City owner Katherine Katie Benson, performing the Can Can dance alongside Juliet DiBonaventura and Samantha Schuman. Each actor plays multiple roles throughout the day. Two Wild West City actors, preparing to jump out from behind the rocks, during an audience participation skit. The men are playing bank robbers, wholl soon be rounded by children to face the gallows. Two Wild West City actors, preparing to jump out from behind the rocks, during an audience participation skit. The men are playing bank robbers, wholl soon be rounded by children to face the gallows. Toy guns for sale in the Wild West City gift shop. Toy guns for sale in the Wild West City gift shop. Actors pretending to be dead, during a skit at Wild West City. Actors pretending to be dead, during a skit at Wild West City. Claudia Butz Fiscina, at the Wild West City pony rides. Her entire family works at the park and lives on a farm nearby Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. Claudia Butz Fiscina, at the Wild West City pony rides. Her entire family works at the park and lives on a farm nearby Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. Kristina Klinger, 19, a barrel racer and Wild West City actor, who was born and raised in New Jersey. She was dressed as a Bandido for a skit but would soon change outfits and become a Cowgirl. Kristina hopes to live out West someday and would prefer Texas, Idaho or Montana. Kristina Klinger, 19, a barrel racer and Wild West City actor, who was born and raised in New Jersey. She was dressed as a Bandido for a skit but would soon change outfits and become a Cowgirl. Kristina hopes to live out West someday and would prefer Texas, Idaho or Montana. Wild West City's theme park set was based in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1800s. By the end of the day, right before Wild West City closed for the day, Main Street was totally quiet. Wild West City's theme park set was based in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1800s. By the end of the day, right before Wild West City closed for the day, Main Street was totally quiet. Related... The Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday slammed Israel's "heavy-handed restrictions" on its upcoming Easter celebrations in Jerusalem, urging Christians to attend in spite of police curbs. In an escalating row over attendance numbers at the Holy Fire ceremony on Saturday in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre -- where Christians believe Jesus's tomb lies -- the church said negotiations with police had failed. "After many attempts made in goodwill, we are not able to coordinate with the Israeli authorities as they are enforcing unreasonable restrictions," said Father Mattheos Siopis from the Greek Orthodox Church. "These heavy-handed restrictions will limit access to... the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and to the Holy Light ceremony," he told journalists. The annual Holy Fire ceremony, during which priests bring a flame from the tomb which they believe sparks miraculously each year, marks the most important event in the Orthodox calendar. In the past some 10,000 worshippers clutching candles would fill the church, with many more crowding into the surrounding alleys of the Old City, before the flame was flown to Orthodox communities internationally. "The ceremony has been faithfully taking place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for nearly 2,000 years," said Siopis. The sacred site lies in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and the country's police force has for the second consecutive year told church leaders that access must be considerably restricted. - 'Churches will freely worship' - Limiting church attendance to 1,800 people including clergy from the various Orthodox denominations is a necessary safety precaution, police said Wednesday. "I want to emphasise that our main concern is the safety of the pilgrimage that are coming to the Old City. The numbers were provided by the safety engineer," who assessed the church, said Yoram Segal from the Jerusalem district police. "We understand the feeling, the religious feelings of people that want to participate in this Holy Light ceremony. But unfortunately not everyone can enter the church because of the safety regulation," he added. Story continues Segal said the ceremony will be broadcast on screens in the Old City and that the force is "doing our best" to ensure the flame can travel onwards to Christian communities beyond Jerusalem. Last year there were scuffles between worshippers and police officers who imposed barriers throughout the city's Christian quarter. Siopis said these measures "made impossible" the access of Christians to the church. With the breakdown of talks between Christian leaders and Israeli security forces, the priest urged "all who wish to worship with us to attend". "With that made clear, we leave the authorities to act as they will. The churches will freely worship and do so in peace," he said. cgo-rsc/rox/hkb (Bloomberg) -- A Harlem bodega clerk who fatally stabbed an attacker and was initially charged with murder by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will be a star witness at a US House hearing in New York highlighting violent crime in the city where Donald Trump is facing charges. Most Read from Bloomberg The Monday hearing at the Javits Federal Building roughly a block away from the DAs office in lower Manhattan is the latest salvo in a battle between Trumps political allies between Bragg, whose indictment against the former president was unsealed last week. Trump pleaded not guilty. In releasing his initial witness list Wednesday, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan didnt mention the legal back and forth between his committee and Bragg. Also not mentioned is whether Bragg who on Tuesday sued Jordan and the committee to stop its outside scrutiny of his Trump probe will be called as a witness. Others, such as Mayor Eric Adams, were also not named. A Jordan spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about whether Bragg or other witnesses might be called for the hearing, which Jordan said would focus on how Braggs policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents. The panels top Democrat, Jerrold Nadler of Manhattan, and other Democrats will also attend the hearing and challenge GOP questioning, a Nadler spokesman said Wednesday. The witnesses include Jose Alba, the former bodega clerk, as well as Madeline Brame, the mother of Army veteran Hason Correa, who was murdered in Manhattan in 2018, before Bragg became DA. Brame has criticized Bragg for dismissing indictments against two people who she said were involved in her sons murder. Story continues Braggs charging of Alba, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, triggered an outcry last summer and demonstrations at City Hall. Alba was charged with second-degree murder for the killing of Austin Simon, 35, in the July 1 altercation. A video recorded inside the bodega showed Simons girlfriend stabbing Alba in the arm with her knife. Alba then grabbed a knife and stabbed Simon when Simon hoisted him up by the collar. Bragg later dropped the charges after concluding Simon had gone behind the counter and shoved Alba after an argument erupted. In dismissing the charges, Braggs office said it would be unable to prove Alba was not justified in his use of deadly physical force. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Jerelle Jules dropped out of the recruitment process for The Ritz London over its policy on Afro-style hair. (ITV) A Black man has hit out at the discriminatory policy of banning Afro-style hair for workers at The Ritz London hotel. Jerelle Jules, 30, said he pulled out of the application process for the dining reservations supervisor position after he found about the hotels rule on unusual hairstyles, that included Afro and spiky, in the policy document he was sent ahead of his final interview. The Ritz said it does not condone discrimination of any form but Jules, from Hammersmith, west London, said the policy was discriminating against him and he felt he would not be able to take a job at the establishment. He told ITVs Good Morning Britain: When I saw the language I felt like it was discriminating against me and I couldnt move forward with the job application The Ritz London said it does not condone discrimination of any form. (Getty) My issue is the language that was used. The language could have been non-discriminatory they could have said the length of hair and Id have been quite OK with that. Jules said that the language used in The Ritzs policy, which was dated to 2021, was out of the 1970s, and that seeing it was quite surprising and quite disconcerting. He also revealed that he was told a Black hair stylist from the Ritz had approved the phrasing in the policy. Jules added: My biggest worry is this is a place where I wouldnt feel welcome. Jerelle Jules said the language in the policy was out of the 1970s. (ITV) A spokesman for the five-star Ritz Hotel apologised to Jules, saying that the policy was out of date and sent to him in error. He added: We are genuinely committed to fostering an inclusive and non-discriminatory environment for all of our colleagues and guests." But Jules has invited said The Ritz should be open to all candidates. He said that The Ritz needs to make steps to become inclusive and to reach out to the community and to make it accessible. Labour MP Andy Slaughter said the policy from The Ritz was racist. (PA) Labour MP Andy Slaughter, who Jules contacted about the policy, described it as blatant discrimination and racist. Story continues He added to the BBC: "The response by The Ritz on being challenged is wholly inadequate. "They have not explained how this racist and demeaning policy came about or what they now intend to do to address its legacy. Yahoo News UK has contacted the Race Equality Foundation for a comment. What's happening? The White House has defended US president Joe Biden against allegations he is anti-British, after rumours of his dislike of the nation spread like wildfire ahead of his visit to the UK and Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement this week. The Irish-American president, whose family originally hails from Co Mayo and Co Louth in the Republic of Ireland, has long touted his Celtic roots and has previously referenced his family's dislike of the British monarchy. But the White House insisted this did not mean the president was anti-British, while the senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, Amanda Sloat, also dismissed the idea. "It's simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the prime minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK," she said. She added: "President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing." Speaking at Ulster University during a one-day visit to Belfast on Wednesday, Biden surprised listeners by revealing his family connections to the English city of Nottingham in what was deemed by many to be an attempt to show he had not written out his ties to the UK. After making a few jokes about his heritage, he then mentioned potential relatives from the East Midlands, adding: "So I dont know what the hells going on here. Can you come back? Its confusing. Anyway." However, later in the day when in the Republic, Biden made a gaffe confusing the notorious British Black and Tans military force with the All Blacks rugby team. Story continues Speaking in Dundalk, Co Louth where his family originates from Biden said he had been given a shamrock tie by a rugby player who "beat the hell out of the Black and Tans". The president's team later published his remarks making it clear that he had intended to say "the All Blacks" rugby team, but his error did not go unnoticed. The Black and Tans were a British military force that brutally suppressed Irish republicans during the War of Independence, and the remark may be taken by some as a slight. Yahoo News UK explains why Biden's feelings on Britain have been called into question. What Biden has said Biden has long paid homage to his Irish family, and has made several comments suggesting they were not keen on the English, as well as reportedly making a series of English jokes throughout the years. The president famously once said his mother, Catherine Finnegan, hated the English so much that she would rather sleep on the floor than sleep in a bed where the monarch had slept. Ahead of a visit to England following his inauguration, he revealed that his mother had advised him not to bow to the Queen. "When I told my mother I was going to have an audience with the Queen of England, the first thing she said was, 'Don't you bow down to her,'" he wrote in his autobiography Promises to Keep. Joe Biden delivers a speech at Ulster University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 12 April. His visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. (Getty Images) What the politicians say Among those questioning Biden's views were unionists including DUP politicians, who described the US president as "anti-British". DUP MP Sammy Wilson told The Telegraph that Biden was pro-republican", adding: "He has made his antipathy towards protestants in particular very well-known. He has fully backed the EU in this whole protocol process; he's refusing to come to the coronation. I don't think any of us are rushing through the door to greet him." Meanwhile, the former DUP first minister of Northern Ireland, Dame Arlene Foster, told GB News: "Joe Biden hates the UK I don't think there's any doubt about that." However, Rishi Sunak appeared to brush off any concerns over Biden's views on Britain, and the fact that the leaders spent a short amount of time together during Biden's visit stressing there are two meetings between the pair coming up in May and June. "[Biden] and I had a very good discussion today about a range of issues, economic investment in Northern Ireland, but also a range of foreign policy issues, the importance of economic security, and that comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US," Sunak said. "We are very close partners and allies, we cooperate and talk on a range of things whether that is supporting Ukraine or as I said economic security. I think, actually, the relationship is in great shape and the president and I have lots we are working on together." Biden met Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday. (AP Photo) Why does it matter? Biden's visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland marked 25 years since the signing of the landmark Good Friday Agreement, which was a huge development in the peace process. The suggestion that Biden is anti-British has angered unionists, and comes at a time of instability. The DUP is currently boycotting Stormont over the Brexit trade agreement that it previously claimed created a sea border between Northern Ireland and the UK mainland. There were suggestions from Biden allies that he would attempt to persuade the DUP to return to Stormont, a move that UK former prime minister Tony Blair warned against. There is a difference between influencing and pressurising... the one tends to be positive, the other can be negative," sad Blair, who was one of the signatories of the Good Friday Agreement. The sentiment landed polled poorly with DUP politicians. Nigel Dodds, DUP peer, told The Independent: "Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all." All aboard, baby. Groove Cruise announced the lineup for its January 2024 voyage from Miami to The Bahamas on Wednesday (April 12). Billboard can exclusively announce that Diplo, Tiesto and John Summit captain the lineup, with a strong crew of artists including Disco Lines, Gabriel & Dresden, Joel Corry, LP Giobbi, So Tuff So Cute, VNSSA rounding out the bill. More from Billboard Additionally, the party will feature hosted stages by brands including LP Giobbis Femme House, Diplos Higher Ground and Summits Off The Grid. The boat will also host artist hosted games and activities like blackjack, bingo, volunteer opportunities, mentorship sessions and mental health workshops. The festival is largely sold out, although a few premium packages remain. The event will take place on the Norwegian Encore. Able to host 4,000 guests, this is the biggest ship Groove Cruise has employed to date. The festival at sea departs from Miami on January 24, sailing to The Bahamas for a beach part on Great Stirrup Cay and returning to U.S shores on January 28. The event, produced by Whet Travel, marks the Groove Cruises 20th anniversary. I cant believe its been 20 years, Groove Cruise founder Jason Beukema tells Billboard. When I first had the idea of Groove Cruise as a 25-year-old kid from Michigan with no money, not a single DJ contact, and not knowing anyone in the cruise industry, I never thought that two decades later I would be booking international superstars like Tiesto on a near billion dollar cruise ship. Our first sailing, he continues, was a 125 person cruise in 2004, and its been incredible to witness lifelong friendships flourish out of that initial cruise and to hear how it changed peoples lives. Its been humbling to watch the community and experience it evolve into the world class event it is today. Story continues While Groove Cruise helped innovate the festival cruise model two decades ago, theyve since become a hugely popular format for live music consumption. In the dance world, HARD has hosted Holy Ship since 2021, while earlier this year Insomniac Events announced the maiden voyage of their EDSea cruise happening in November. See the full lineup below Groove Cruise Miami Best of Billboard Click here to read the full article. Jordan Fisher reveals he was diagnosed with an eating disorder. (Photo: Getty Images) Jordan Fisher revealed he was diagnosed with an eating disorder. The To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You star, who is currently appearing in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd, shared the personal news during The Drew Barrymore Show Tuesday. He said that he was faced with the unexpected prognosis while his wife Ellie Woods was pregnant with the couple's first child. "We were four months pregnant, five months pregnant. [I] always wanted to be a dad, knew that I was about to achieve that goal and take on the biggest and best project of my life with my partner and my best friend. And, um, I was diagnosed with an eating disorder that I did not know that I had," Fisher said. "I just knew that I had reflux and all of these things that were making it difficult for me to eat and didnt realize that there were all of these traumas from my childhood that I needed to work through in therapy." The actor went on to explain that he was in his "last couple months" of a work contract during "very, very difficult physical times for me," noting "I lost 30 pounds" as he embarked on recovery. Elizabet Altunkara, Director of Education for National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) tells Yahoo Life that Fisher's inability to identify the disordered eating habits himself doesn't come as a surprise. In fact, the lack of awareness of eating disorders among males likely contributed to his unknowing. "Due to the stereotype that eating disorders only affect women, men are less likely to recognize the signs, seek and receive help for their eating disorder," Altunkara explains. "We know that eating disorders don't discriminate and affect people of all genders, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body size and shapes. About one in three people struggling with an eating disorder is male and subclinical disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating, purging, and restricting, are nearly as common among men as they are among women." Story continues Men speaking out about their personal experiences with eating disorders, like Fisher, can contribute to better awareness for others struggling. Fortunately for the actor, he is able to share his story from a more healed place. "Im so glad that I made it through that desert because here we are now," he said. "Im so much stronger." If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorders Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237. Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Sign up here. A Delaware Superior Court judge sanctioned Fox News days before the trial for the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit and will likely authorize an investigation into whether the corporation's lawyers withheld evidence. During a pretrial hearing, Dominion lawyers accused Fox of slow-walking documents as part of discovery, with Dominion still receiving documents days before trial. This includes recordings of a former Fox producer involving Trump associates. Judge Eric Davis said that if a deposition needs to be done again, then "it will be done." Fox will make the person available and cover the costs, he said. Fox News chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch on Nov. 1, 2017, in New York City. Davis will also consider additional sanctions against Fox News lawyers after it was revealed that Rupert Murdoch is a corporate officer for the cable news network. He indicated he will appoint a special master to investigate some of the issues that have been brought up during the pretrial hearing. The judge also ordered Fox to collect all internal communication among Fox lawyers relating to Murdoch being considered a corporate officer. At one point, Davis asked: What do I do with attorneys that arent straightforward with me?" I need people to tell me the truth, Davis said moments before. By the way, an omission is a lie. FROM TUESDAY'S HEARING: Jan. 6 insurrection not relevant in Fox defamation trial, Delaware judge rules Accusations of slowing discovery documents Dominion lawyer Davida Brook cited a recent Daily Beast article, in which a former Fox producer Abby Grossberg claimed there are secret Fox audio recordings of Rudy Giuliani and other Trump associates. We keep on learning about more relevant information from individuals other than Fox, Brook said. And to be honest, we dont really know what to do about that. Fox lawyers said they were not aware of the recordings until recently, which is why these recordings were produced last week. "Abby Grossberg is not Dominions problem," Davis said. "Its not my problem. Abby Grossberg is a Fox problem." Story continues Dominion lawyers reveal Murdoch as corporate officer for Fox News In one of the more dramatic moments during pretrial hearings, Dominion counsel revealed Tuesday that Fox News now considered media mogul Rupert Murdoch to be a corporate officer for the cable news network. Fox, Dominion said, has maintained during the course of litigation that its Fox News corporate officers were CEO Suzanne Scott, COO and CFO Joe Dorrego and President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace. On Sunday, Fox sent a list that added Murdoch to this group. When first learning about this on Tuesday, Davis admonished Fox lawyers telling them they have a credibility problem. Davis said that this information could have changed aspects of his summary judgment ruling, which narrowed the case. Fox lawyers said they did not withhold information and that this information was made available in Murdochs deposition. Will judge sanction Fox over this information? Davis, on Wednesday, said he plans to take time on how he would sanction Fox for not providing information to the court, noting he will likely consult with others. He wanted to refrain from making a spur of the moment decision on the eve of the high-profile trial. Dominion lawyers on Wednesday asked the judge to de-consolidate the case, which Davis declined to do. Lawyers also asked for a jury instruction that would tell jurors Dominion was unable to obtain all of the documents that it was entitled to in relation to Murdoch. WHAT TO KNOW: Delaware judge rules $1.6 billion Fox News defamation case to head to trial in April Fox attorney Dan Webb said neither he nor Murdoch knew that the media mogul was considered to be an executive chair of Fox News. He added that he did not think there were any other relevant documents that have been both withheld and are related to Murdoch. Webb and Judge Davis then had a tense back-and-forth exchange, in which the judge expressed that he was upset that information was not sent to him, despite Fox lawyers previously saying they would do so. What do I do with situations where I ask a question and its not answered straightforward, Davis said. The judge then clarified that he was not mad. Dominion lawyers, later in the hearing Wednesday morning, also accused Fox of slow-walking documents part of discovery, with Dominion still receiving documents days before trial. Dominion lawyer Davida Brook cited a recent Daily Beast article, in which a former Fox producer claimed there are secret Fox audio recordings of Rudy Guiliani and other Trump associates. We keep on learning about more relevant information from individuals other than Fox, Brook said. And to be honest, we dont really know what to do about that. Fox lawyers said they were not aware of the recordings until recently, which is why these recordings were produced last week. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge in Dominion lawsuit sanctions Fox News for withholding evidence UPDATE, Wednesday: A Delaware judge again scolded Fox attorneys over the disclosure that Rupert Murdoch is an officer of both Fox News and Fox Corp. and indicated that he is considering whether to issue some kind of a sanction in the case. Dominions attorney Justin Nelson asked Judge Eric M. Davis to issue instructions to the jury that Fox had not been fully forthcoming because of the disclosure. He also said that he would like Fox News and Fox Corp. to be de-consolidated from the cases. More from Deadline We have been litigating on this false premise that Rupert Murdoch is not an officer of Fox News, Nelson said. Davis said that he would not separate the cases, but left it open as to what other actions he would take. The judge again expressed his view that Fox attorneys were not being forthcoming with the information on who the officers of Fox News were. He cited a hearing last week in which network attorneys said that they would get back to him on the matter, but did not. Instead, Davis noted, they gave the answer to Dominions legal team. Davis said that there were representations made the court that could have been cured and werent done do. And when they were cured they were not sent to the court. Fox said that the information of Murdochs role as an officer of Fox News was publicly available and even cited by Dominions attorney in his deposition of Murdoch earlier this year. In his deposition, Murdoch initially said he was not an officer of Fox News, but then corrected himself and said, I dont know. It is a separate company. The news network is a subsidiary. I may have had that title in the past. I may have it now, I dont know. But the Fox Corp., which holds everything, my son is the chief executive. Story continues PREVIOUSLY, Tuesday: A Delaware judge on Tuesday expressed anger over recent disclosure made by Fox that Rupert Murdoch is listed as an officer of Fox News, not just Fox Corporation. This is a problem, Judge Eric M. Davis told Fox attorneys, saying that it could have impacted his previous rulings in the case. A Dominion attorney argued that the last-minute disclosure, made by Fox to Dominion on Sunday, has had an impact on the way that the case has been litigated. He said that it means that they would be entitled to a wider set of documents from Fox, including from Murdoch, during the discovery phase of the case. Fox has previously argued that Fox Corporation and its officers, including Murdoch and his son, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, did not have daily operational roles at the network. It is very troubling that this is where we are, said Justin Nelson, attorney for Dominion, adding that it is something that has very much affected how we have litigated this case. Nelson showed court filings from two years ago in which Fox listed Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, COO and CFO Joe Dorrego and Fox News President Jay Wallace as officers. In a pre-trial conference last week, Davis asked about who the Fox News officers were, but the companys attorneys did not provide a definitive answer. To say we dont know who our officers are seems extremely bizarre, and now we find out, Davis said. A Fox attorney said that while Murdoch is listed as a Fox News officer, as executive chairman, it is an honorific position. The attorney also said that Murdoch acknowledged in a deposition that he was an officer. But Davis said you dont escape responsibility as an officer by saying he doesnt do anything. He also said that it was represented to him that Murdoch was not an officer of Fox News, telling the company attorneys that there was a credibility problem. Dominions attorneys have not yet said whether they will ask the court to make some sort of ruling based on the new information, and the judge has not said what he would do. Well deal with it, Davis said at one point. Later in Tuesdays hearing, Davis brought up the matter again to Foxs attorneys, telling them, Im not mad at you. I am mad at the situation I am in based on the representations that have been made to me. The judge said that Murdochs role at Fox News could have been a fact that he included in his summary judgment decision, in which he ruled that that the jury should decide whether Fox Corporation was liable for defamation, not just the news network. Davis said that, had he known that Murdoch was an officer of Fox News, it still would not be enough for him to have decided summary judgment in favor of Dominion, but it could have gone the other way, and that would have been a problem. Davis already ruled that the Murdochs could be subpoenaed to testify live in the trial. Fox attorney Katharine Mowery had previously written in a letter to the judge that Murdoch should not be compelled to testify because he was far-removed from the events in dispute. He sat for a deposition earlier this year and repeatedly stated he had little knowledge of Dominion, no opinion on Dominion, and no understanding of Dominions possible role in the 2020 election. There is no reason to subject Mr. Murdoch to the burdens of testifying live at trial, Mowery wrote. In a statement issued after the hearing, a Fox spokesperson said, Rupert Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman of Fox News in our SEC filings since 2019 and this filing was referenced by Dominions own attorney during his deposition. PREVIOUSLY: As Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News heads to a trial next week, the judge in the case placed limits on what attorneys can and cannot bring up before the jury. Judge Eric M. Davis said that he would restrict references to the January 6th attack on the Capitol, saying that they would be prejudicial and were not relevant to the case. Stay far away from it, he told attorneys at a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday. Dominions attorneys argued that the references were important because of messages showing that, after the attack on the Capitol, Fox executives wanted to pivot away from Donald Trumps stolen election claims. But Davis said that attorneys could still question a figure like Rupert Murdoch more generally on why the network wanted to veer away from Donald Trump and his vote rigging allegations. In messages previously disclosed in the case, Murdoch wrote on January 8 to former executive Preston Padden that Fox News is very busy pivoting. We want to make Trump a non person. Several days later, Murdoch told son Lachlan to tell a Fox Corp. board member that Fox News, which called the election correctly, is pivoting as fast as possible. We have to lead our viewers which is not as easy as it might seem. The judge also limited what Dominion could say to the jury about threats that the company received as Trump and his allies made numerous false allegations that it was involved in vote rigging. Dominion attorneys have argued that, amid the allegations made against the company and amplified on Fox News, it was forced to increase security and harmed its ability to recruit employees. Davis said that he was not downplaying the threats, but I dont want the jury to be completely swayed by a person who is not in control of Fox. He said that he would allow references to the threats generally, but cautioned Dominion attorneys not to go into specifics unless Fox made an issue of them. The judge indicated that he, too, has received threats and sent them to the attorneys in the case. As he went through a series of motion, Davis also ruled in favor of Dominion on a number of points. He said that Fox could not argue that a defense in the case was over the newsworthy value of the election rigging claims. The judge noted that he already rejected that defense in a summary judgment ruling last month. That said, Davis indicated that Fox News personalities who appear as witnesses could not be stopped from saying that they invited certain guests on their shows because they thought they were of newsworthy value. Dominion, Davis argued, could then easily counter the witness in cross examination. I love that cross, the judge said, noting that the election companys lawyers could merely ask the witness why they invited Sidney Powell or Rudy Giuliani, two Trump allies who guested multiple times on the network in the immediate aftermath of the 2020 election, but not others, like experts in election security. Davis also said that Fox could not defend itself by introducing evidence that it presented segments elsewhere on the network that pushed back against the claims made by Trump allies. You cant absolve yourself of defamation by merely putting someone on at a different time to say a different statement, Davis said. Dominion sued Fox News and later Fox Corp. over unfounded claims amplified by personalities and guests that the company was involved in rigging the 2020 presidential election. The jury will have to decide whether Fox News engaged in actual malice, or that it knew the claims about Dominion were false or showed reckless disregard as to whether it was. The jury also will have to decide whether parent Fox Corp. is liable, as well as what level of damages the company must pay if it rules in Dominions favor. Fox News has said that it was covering the undoubtedly newsworthy allegations being made by Trump and his allies. Jury selection in the case is scheduled to start on Thursday. 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. Mifepristone and misoprostol, two medications that are used in a common drug regimen to terminate pregnancies, at a clinic in Fort Myers, Fla., May 9, 2022. (Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times) A federal judge in Texas last week invalidated the Food and Drug Administrations approval of an abortion pill, mifepristone. The decision, should it withstand court challenges, could make it more difficult for patients to obtain abortions even in states where abortion is legal. The preliminary ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, an appointee of President Donald Trump who is known for his conservative views and openly opposes abortion access, could be the most consequential abortion decision since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June. Heres a look at the ruling. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times PAGE 2 ultimately starves the unborn human until death. Because mifepristone alone will not always complete the abortion, FDA mandates a two-step drug regimen: mifepristone to kill the unborn human, followed by misoprostol to induce cramping and contractions to expel the unborn human from the mothers womb. Throughout the opinion, Kacsmaryk uses the language of the anti-abortion movement instead of conventional medical terms. The ruling calls medication abortion chemical abortion, refers to abortion providers as abortionists and describes a fetus or embryo as an unborn human or unborn child. By contrast, a conflicting ruling by a judge in Washington state that barred the FDA from limiting the availability of mifepristone used terminology like the termination of an early pregnancy, fetal loss and patients and providers. Before Trump gave Kacsmaryk a lifetime appointment to the bench in 2019, the jurist had written critically about Roe v. Wade and worked for the First Liberty Institute, a conservative Christian legal activist group. PAGE 7 Here, the associations members have standing because they allege adverse events from chemical abortion drugs can overwhelm the medical system and place enormous pressure and stress on doctors during emergencies and complications. Story continues By law, only people who can show they have suffered an actual or imminent injury from something not one that is merely speculative have standing to sue. In this case, the plaintiffs challenging the FDAs approval of mifepristone more than two decades ago are doctors who oppose abortion and do not prescribe the drug. They contended that they have standing because other doctors might prescribe the drug to patients who might then experience complications and seek out the plaintiffs for care, rather than their own doctors. The plaintiff-doctors claimed that they have suffered harm because treating such patients diverts their time and resources from treating other patients and because in some cases, they said, they have had to contradict their anti-abortion values by assisting in completing a patients abortion process. Kacsmaryk found that this rationale was sufficient; the legitimacy of that conclusion is one reason the Justice Department asked an appeals court to block Kacsmaryks order. PAGE 11 Women who have aborted a child especially through chemical abortion drugs that necessitate the woman seeing her aborted child once it passes often experience shame, regret, anxiety, depression, drug abuse and suicidal thoughts because of the abortion. Medication abortion is used in early pregnancies, typically before gestation at 12 weeks, and the tissue that passes out of a patients body is often in the form of blood clots. Patients cite varying reasons for having abortions, but several studies and surveys have suggested that patients often feel relief and experience fewer mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts after terminating pregnancies they felt unprepared or unable to handle. PAGE 13 Defendants contend that plaintiffs theories of standing depend upon layer after layer of speculation. But plaintiffs allege FDAs chemical abortion regimen caused intense side effects and significant complications for their patients requiring medical intervention and attention. Kacsmaryks opinion cites a handful of studies, several conducted by anti-abortion organizations, that the plaintiffs in the case submitted as evidence. The judge devotes little attention to the scores of studies that have shown medication abortion is very safe and that complications are rare, with patients needing hospitalization in fewer than 1% of cases. PAGE 15 Considering FDAs 2021 decision to permit mail-in chemical abortion, many women and girls will consume mifepristone without physician supervision. And in maternity-care deserts, women may not have ready access to emergency care. In sum, there are fewer safety restrictions for women and girls today than ever before. Plaintiffs have good reasons to believe their alleged injuries will continue in the future, and possibly with greater frequency than in the past. In 2021, the FDA permanently lifted a requirement that patients obtain mifepristone in person from a provider, citing years of studies indicating this change would be safe. The drug still needs to be prescribed by a certified health provider, but not necessarily by a physician. For years before the rule was lifted, mifepristone was the only drug that the FDA required to be obtained in person from a medical provider but that did not need to be taken in the presence of a provider it could be taken at home or anywhere the patient chose. As a result, the FDA and medical experts would dispute the judges contention that the 2021 rule change would create greater safety risks, especially since serious complications with mifepristone are rare. PAGE 22 FDAs 2016 and 2021 changes thus significantly departed from the agencys original approval of the abortion regimen. FDA repeatedly altered its original decision by removing safeguards and changing the regulatory scheme for chemical abortion drugs. Another point of contention in Kacsmaryks order centers on the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit challenging the FDAs approval of a drug, which is six years. The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 and eased certain restrictions on the pill in 2016 before lifting the in-person requirement in 2021. The Justice Department argued that it is too late to file a lawsuit challenging the 2000 and 2016 decisions, and that only the most recent measure falls within the six-year limit. Kacsmaryk interpreted each change as restarting the clock to challenge approval for the drug. PAGE 34-35 The Comstock Act declares nonmailable every article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing which is advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use it or apply it for producing abortion. 18 U.S.C. 1461 (emphasis added). It is indisputable that chemical abortion drugs are both drug[s] and are for producing abortion. Therefore, federal criminal law declares they are nonmailable. Kacsmaryk relies in part upon the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-vice law that barred the mailing of contraceptives and lewd materials, along with drugs that could be used in an abortion. His strict interpretation of that statute conflicts with a December 2022 opinion by the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, which concluded that abortion-causing drugs could be sent by mail if the sender does not intend for the recipient to use them unlawfully. PAGE 40 to satisfy Subpart H, FDA deemed pregnancy a serious or life-threatening illness[ ] and concluded that mifepristone provide[d] [a] meaningful therapeutic benefit to patients over existing treatments. See 21 C.F.R. 314.500; 314.560. FDA was wrong on both counts. One of the plaintiffs claims is that the FDA improperly approved mifepristone because it did so using a regulation called Subpart H that was intended for drugs to treat serious illnesses. Pregnancy is not an illness, the plaintiffs claim, and the judge agreed, saying, Pregnancy is a normal physiological state most women experience one or more times during their childbearing years a natural process essential to perpetuating human life. The FDA argues that the word illness included conditions like pregnancy, which can in some cases be life-threatening. The agency also says that any semantic ambiguity was clarified in 2007, when Congress passed a law that essentially moved drugs that had been approved under Subpart H into a new regulatory framework, which explicitly used the term disease or condition. PAGE 46 Other studies show 83 percent of women report that chemical abortion changed them and 77 percent of those women reported a negative change. In requesting that an appeals court block Kacsmaryks ruling, the Justice Department noted that the courts role is supposed to be limited to ensuring that an agency has acted within a zone of reasonableness. But the judge had overridden FDAs eminently reasonable scientific judgments based on the courts own interpretation of articles and studies. It referred to his reliance on this 2020 article as particularly egregious. The study was based on 98 comments anonymously submitted to a website called Abortion Changes You, and its authors acknowledged that the population of women who write an anonymous post about their abortion experience may be different from those who do not. PAGE 61-62 Plaintiffs are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the motion is not granted. At least two women died from chemical abortion drugs just last year. See ECF No. 120 at 30 n.5;65 Deerfield Med. Ctr. v. City of Deerfield Beach, 661 F.2d 328, 338 (5th Cir. 1981) (finding irreparable harm to third-party pregnant women). The physical and emotional trauma that chemical abortion inflicts on women and girls cannot be reversed or erased. ECF No. 7 at 28; see also E.E.O.C. v. Chrysler Corp., 733 F.2d 1183, 1186 (6th Cir. 1984) (affirming irreparable harm for plaintiffs emotional distress). The crucial time that doctors need to treat these injured women and girls cannot be replaced. Id. Generally, at the preliminary stage of litigation, judges are supposed to preserve the status quo unless the plaintiffs can show they would suffer irreparable harm. Kacsmaryk ruled that the plaintiffs claims that women who suffer complications from mifepristone might seek their care meet that standard and issued a sweeping order that would block access to a drug that has been available nationwide for more than two decades. In requesting a stay, the Justice Department said that the plaintiffs had not met that standard and contended that it was the judges order that would cause irreparable harm citing, among other things, the drugs use in managing miscarriages. c.2023 The New York Times Company Members of Rise and Resist participate in their weekly "Truth Tuesday" protest at News Corp headquarters on February 21, 2023 in New York City. Text messages and emails between various Fox News hosts and network executives obtained during a defamation lawsuit brought by voting machine company Dominion against Fox News were released last week. They show that company employees had a much different view of election fraud than what was being broadcast on air in order not to lose viewers who supported then-President Donald Trump. Frequent protesters from Rise and Resist stood in front of the Fox News building in New York City last month with signs citing court documents stemming from the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit. Fox News is going to need to rethink its strategy and excuses for why it promoted the lies of the 2020 election deniers. On Tuesday, a Delaware judge said during a pre-trial hearing that Fox News wont be allowed to try and convince jurors its promotion of the big lie conspiracy was all just regular journalistic practice covering a sitting president. Just because someone is newsworthy doesnt mean you can defame someone, Davis told Dominion and Foxs lawyers, according to The New York Times. Read more As the start of Dominions $1.6 billion defamation trial against Fox News next week looms ever closer, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis set several restrictions surrounding what arguments both sides could bring up. For the voting machine companys part, its not allowed to bring up the Jan. 6 insurrection, as reported by the Times. Davis reportedly told both sides that the central question for the trial was whether Fox knew the election denial claims were lies, but aired them anyway. Its a blow to both sides as they used those arguments in pre-trial work running up to the April 17 court date, though its a specific kick in the pants for the right-wing news network. Up until now, Fox News had relied heavily on the newsworthiness argument in its ongoing defamation lawsuit against Dominion Voting Systems. The right-wing news network has also argued that its coverage was protected under the 1st Amendment and was a necessary part of covering former President Donald Trump and his cronies. The judge reportedly allowed Fox to call on these free speech protections. In March, Fox lost its bid to quash the lawsuit, though Dominion now has to prove to jurors the network knowingly promoted false information, a notoriously difficult threshold called actual malice. Story continues Davis issued rulings on several motions during this last pre-trial hearing. According to CNN, Davis said Fox cant use the few times its reporters actually fact checked Trumps lies, as Davis said that you cant absolve yourself of defamation by putting someone else on at a different time. Emails and texts from Fox News hosts and execs shown off during discovery showed how Tucker Carlson actively wanted Fox to fire reporter Jacqui Heinrich after she fact checked a Trump tweet. Fox is also barred from bringing up Dominions internal emails about staff complaints about how their voting machines suck, as since those internal messages werent public in 2020 and couldnt have influenced Foxs reporting. On the other hand, Dominion is cleared for bringing up Fox execs and hosts salaries. The voting machine company has argued those internal messages prove Fox and its chairman Rupert Murdoch was more concerned about network ratings than the truth. Murdoch is the CEO of News Corp, Fox News parent company, and the chairman of Fox Corporation. During the pre-trial hearing, Dominion lawyers claimed Fox had concealed that Murdoch had a more official role as an officer at Fox News. Davis reportedly admonished Fox News for concealing that fact, as Dominion argued it would have taken a different tact during the pre-trial discovery step. For its part, a Fox spokesperson told CNN that Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman on Fox News SEC filings for years. Judge Davis also told the court that he had received death threats for his role in the ongoing trial. Dominions lawyers also discussed how the voting machine companys employees have also faced threats and harassment. Davis told the company it could mention the threats but not get into what those threats contained. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. An Ariane 5 rocket originally expected to launch Thursday is now set to take off Friday, boosting a $1.7 billion European Space Agency probe on a roundabout 8-year voyage to Jupiter where it will study the giant planet in exhaustive detail while focusing on three of its ice-covered moons where sub-surface, possibly habitable oceans are hidden from view. "We'll explore Jupiter and its icy moons, which are Europa, Ganymede and Callisto with a particular focus on Ganymede, which is a unique object, the only moon with magnetic field and the biggest moon of the solar system," said European Space Agency project scientist Olivier Witasse. "The main goal is to understand whether there are habitable environments among those icy moons around a giant planet like like Jupiter." An artist's impression of ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer -- JUICE - in orbit around giant planet, flying past its largest moons (left to right): Ganymede, volcanic Io, Jupiter (with auroral display), Europa and Callisto. / Credit: ESA The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer "JUICE" for short will use ground-penetrating radar and other instruments to remotely probe the tidally-heated oceans thought to exist under the ice-locked crusts of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. The spacecraft also will provide a fresh look at Io, the fourth moon discovered by Galileo in the early 1600s and the most volcanically active world in the solar system. "We will characterize in particular the liquid water oceans which are inside the icy moons," Witasse said. "So the question is, where are those oceans located? At what distance underneath the surface of the moons? What is the depth of this ocean? How much water do we have? What is the composition of this water? "And to understand this question of habitability, we need to explore the Jupiter system globally. So (JUICE will) study Jupiter, its atmosphere, its weather, its strong, rotating magnetic field, the volcanic moon Io, the other moons in the system and how all these bodies are connected to each other." Delayed by stormy weather, JUICE's journey begins Friday at 8:14 a.m. EDT when the Ariane 5, the same rocket used to launch the James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Day 2021, blasts off from the European Space Agency's launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, weather permitting. Story continues The Ariane 5 does not have enough power to propel the 6.5-ton JUICE directly to its target. Instead, it will send the spacecraft on a 3.1-billion-mile interplanetary bank shot carrying it once past the Earth and moon in August 2024, once past Venus in August 2025 and then twice more by Earth in 2026 and 2029. The slingshot-like gravity-assist flybys will pump up the velocity enough to finally head for Jupiter. An Ariane 5 rocket carrying the European Space Agency's $1.7 billion Jupiter probe was hauled to its launch stand in French Guiana Wednesday, setting the stage for launch Thursday on an eight-year voyage to the solar system's largest planet. / Credit: Stephane Corvaja "The gravity assists have to be precise, but we have very capable people in mission control and they're accustomed to these maneuvers," said payload system engineer Alessandro Atzei. "The first one will be very challenging because ... we have to pass by Earth and the moon at the same time. So this will be the most accurate gravity assist maneuver ever done." Even with all that, it will still take eight years before JUICE reaches Jupiter in July 2031. NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, launching in October 2024, will beat JUICE to Jupiter by about a year, arriving in orbit in April 2030, thanks to the power of its SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. But the two missions are not in competition. As its name suggests, NASA's probe will focus on Europa, flying past that icy moon nearly 50 times at altitudes as low as 16 miles. JUICE will focus primarily on Callisto and Ganymede, making 21 flybys of the former and 12 of the latter. JUICE will spend the last nine months of its four-year exploration of Jupiter in orbit around Ganymede, the first spacecraft to orbit a moon of another planet. Once out of fuel, it will be directed to crash into the surface. As for Clipper, "we are very happy that there will be two spacecraft at the same time in the Jupiter system," Witasse said. "So for the science outcome, it will be just fantastic and very exciting. We are working very closely with the Clipper teams. ... The great thing is that the two missions are very complementary." Jupiter is second only to Mars as the most visited planet in the solar system. NASA's Pioneers 10 and 11, Voyagers 1 and 2, the NASA-ESA Ulysses sun-study probe, the Cassini Saturn orbiter and the New Horizons mission to Pluto all flew past Jupiter for quick-look observations. NASA's Galileo probe orbited the giant planet from 1995 to 2003 and the agency's Juno probe is currently in orbit carrying out extensive studies of Jupiter's atmosphere, its interior and its powerful magnetic fields, with occasional flybys of major moons. Several of those missions were able to detect hints of sub-surface seas on Europa, Callisto and Ganymede using a variety of subtle techniques. The heat needed to sustain liquid water on such otherwise frozen worlds is thought to come from tidal stresses induced by Jupiter's titanic gravity as the moons wheel about in slightly elliptical orbits. The JUICE spacecraft, its solar arrays folded up at top and bottom, is readied for launch to Jupiter. / Credit: ESA JUICE and Clipper will open new windows on those icy worlds, possibly confirming the habitability of the hidden seas. Whether life could exist in such extreme environments is an open question. "We will (initially) focus on Europa, then we will go to a high latitude phase, which is basically focusing more of the polar areas of Jupiter itself," said Atzei. "And then we will transfer to Ganymede, where the mission will end in about four years, depending on how much propellant we have left, in a circular orbit. When the propellant is finished, or nearly finished, we will have a controlled crash on Ganymede." JUICE is carrying 10 sophisticated instruments, including a laser altimeter and radar capable of peering nearly six miles below the surface of the targeted moons. Other instruments will study the charged particle environment in the Jupiter system while high-resolution cameras will image the moons across multiple wavelengths to determine the chemical composition of the surfaces below and to search for possible water plumes spewing into space. The spacecraft's radio signals will be precisely monitored on Earth to determine how the gravity of Jupiter and the moons affect the probe's trajectory, providing additional clues about the density and structure of the moons. ESA says the 10 instruments, radio experiment and radiation sensors represent "the most powerful remote sensing, geophysical and in situ payloads ever flown to the outer solar system." But, Witasse cautions, "we are not going to detect life with JUICE. Nevertheless, we are going to study interesting aspects related to life and habitability." An ion mass spectrometer will be able to detect "many, many molecules, not only water vapor, but also other kinds of molecules" in the very tenuous atmospheres around the moons and other instruments will measure the vertical profile of the atmospheric constituents, densities and temperatures, along with visible and infrared mass spectrometer readings of their composition. A montage showing the four Galilean moons of Jupiter as imaged by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on its way to Pluto. The moons, captured in separate shots, are scaled to show their relative sizes (left to right): Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Analysis based on earlier missions indicates oceans of liquid, possibly habitable water may exist below the icy crusts of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. / Credit: NASA "If I want an objective to highlight," Witasse said, "it's quite fascinating to think that underneath the surface, this icy surface that we can see in images, there is a lot of liquid water. And that will be really the most interesting aspect of of the mission, to know where is this water? What is the composition in terms of salt? How does that relate to the habitability of those moons?" To power its instruments, propulsion systems, heaters, navigation and computer equipment, JUICE is equipped with two huge solar panels covering 915 square feet. The large arrays are required because of Jupiter's distance from the sun, which averages 484 million miles. Even so, by the end of JUICE's primary mission, degradation in the harsh radiation environment around Jupiter is expected to reduce the output of the arrays to just 800 watts, roughly equivalent to the power needed by a hair dryer. ESA and spacecraft-builder Airbus went to great lengths to ensure JUICE's flight computer, equipped with 1 terabyte of memory, is protected from that radiation, sealing it inside a lead-lined vault. "The radiation is is a killer for the electronics and unless you protect it," said Justin Byrne, head of science programs at Airbus. "Basically, the electronics will start failing, we would have memory corruptions and then catastrophic failure of the computers eventually." As for the rest of the probe's systems, "the spacecraft is fully redundant, so there are two computers, there's two of everything," he said. "A lot of the work on the JUICE mission was to prove that in any scenario, any failure, the spacecraft could autonomously reconfigure itself and not put itself into any jeopardy." Woman makes ash angel after Russia's Shiveluch volcano erupts Life-threatening flooding in south Florida Suspect identified in classified Pentagon documents case After three weeks, the defense and Commonwealth presented their closing arguments in the case of Christian Bey Wednesday morning, turning the case over to the jury. But after about an hour of deliberations, they came back with questions and wanted to look at some video again. RELATED >>> New jury being selected for trial of man accused of killing off-duty Pittsburgh police officer PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Who is Calvin Hall, the off-duty officer shot in Homewood? The first video jurors asked to rewatch was surveillance from a city camera on Hermitage Street. In the video, a man wearing all black comes from the direction of the crime scene on Monticello Street just minutes after off-duty officer Calvin Hall was gunned down during a block party. Jurors also asked to rewatch key video of Bey in the back of a police car during his initial interview. In the video, Bey said he wasnt sure what time he left the party. RELATED >>> He was a model officer: Off-duty officer shot while visiting friends has died How did you get to the party? Were you in this car, the car you are driving today? Detective Edward Fallert asked. Yes, I was dropped off, I mean I drove my car. Parked at my moms and left with a friend. We went to go have drinks, Bey said. Bey later denied knowing anyone with a 45-caliber pistol or having one himself. I probably know I dont own guns, but I dont know what type of guns anyone else has. Im not allowed to be around their guns, Bey said during the interview. Jurors also watched two other brief clips of the first responding officer, along with a clip from the nightclub where Bey said he was when the shooting happened. Bey is facing several charges the most serious is murder in the first degree. The jurors will continue their deliberation Thursday morning. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Walmart closing four more stores; says they lost tens of millions each year Construction worker injured in fall from downtown office building, officials say Teen, family friend die saving 4 children from rip currents VIDEO: Beaver County coroner called to state police investigation at Aliquippa high rise DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts MUNCIE, Ind. A Delaware Circuit Court 1 jury deliberated for about two hours on Wednesday before finding a Muncie man guilty of sex crimes that could send him to prison for decades. The jury found Kevin M. Schoeff, 39, guilty of five counts of child molesting, three Class A felonies carrying up to 50 years in prison, and two Class C felonies with maximum eight-year sentences. Judge Judi Calhoun set sentencing for May 10. According to an affidavit filed after Schoeff was arrested in January 2021, a child told authorities the Muncie man had repeatedly sexual abused them over a period of approximately eight years, beginning when the victim was about 4 years old. Another child had earlier made similar allegations. More: Muncie molester draws 20-year sentence Deputy Prosecutor Steve Sneed presented the state's case against Schoeff in this week's trial. The Muncie man was defended by attorneys Roland Wilson and Christopher Dolinski. In a release issued after the guilty verdicts were returned, Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said, "It is fitting that today, this defendant was held accountable for his appalling crimes on the eve of National Victim's Rights Awareness Week, which this year falls on April 23-29." 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: Jury finds Muncie man guilty of five counts of child molesting Expelled Rep. Justin Pearson on April 7, the day after Pearson and another member of the Tennessee State Legislature were expelled. (George Walker IV/AP) The second Tennessee Democrat to be expelled from the state legislature last week after joining protesters in support of new gun safety laws was reinstated to his seat Wednesday. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Justin Pearson to fill the seat he lost last Thursday after a supermajority of Republicans voted to boot him from office. The Memphis legislator, who was elected earlier this year, had joined with two colleagues and hundreds of students and parents calling for government action in the wake of the March 27 shooting at a Nashville elementary school that resulted in six deaths. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope, Pearson said following the vote. You cant expel justice. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. Prior to the brief special meeting, Pearson marched with demonstrators who were supporting his reinstatement. Speaking in front of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis before the march, Pearson said, This is the democracy that theyre scared of. This is the democracy that theyre worried about because this is the democracy that changes the status quo. Two Democrats missed the meeting, with local reports saying they were out of the country, and all four of the boards Republican members skipped it. Addressing a crowd of Pearson supporters in the chamber, Chairman Mick Lowery suspended public comment until after the voting, saying, What happens after this is a lot of paperwork that needs to be done, and we need to get that to Nashville as soon as possible, which elicited cheers. Commissioner Erika Sugarmon told FOX13 last week that the states Republican leaders had threatened to pull funding for projects in the city if they reappointed Pearson but added, We've got to stand for something or fall for everything. And we've been bullied by the state for too long now." Expelled Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, and expelled Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville at the Fisk University campus on April 7, after a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris, who came to support the lawmakers who were expelled from the Tennessee State Legislature. (George Walker IV/AP) In a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday morning, Pearson wrote that, in the wake of the shooting, Republican legislators averted their eyes and hurried into the chamber, walking through hundreds of mourning protesters to discuss a bill to further expand gun rights by allowing teachers to carry weapons on campus. Story continues I wasnt elected to be pushed to the back of the room and silenced, Pearson continued. We who were elected to represent all Tennesseans Black, white, brown, immigrant, female, male, poor, young, transgender and queer are routinely silenced when we try to speak on their behalf. Last week, the world was allowed to see it in broad daylight. Justin Jones, the other expelled legislator, was reinstated by the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County on Monday via unanimous vote. Both Jones and Pearson will also have to win special elections to retain their seats. Jones was escorted back into the chamber on Monday by state Rep. Gloria Johnson. Johnson was considered for expulsion along with Jones and Pearson but fell one vote shy of being stripped of her office. Johnson, 60, is white, while both Pearson and Jones are Black men in their 20s with backgrounds in community organizing and the social justice movement. When asked about the reason behind her seat retention, Johnson told reporters it might have to do with the color of our skin. Democratic Rep. Justin Jones after being expelled from the Tennessee Legislature on April 6. (Seth Herald/Getty Images) To the people of Tennessee, I stand with you, Jones said upon returning to the House floor on Monday. We will continue to be your voice here. And no expulsion, no attempt to silence us will stop us, but it will only galvanize and strengthen our movement. And we will continue to show up in the peoples house. The three legislators said they understood it was a breach of decorum to approach the podium with a bullhorn chanting, No action, no peace! but said they were echoing the sentiments of their constituents. There were thousands outside wanting us to stand up, Johnson told Yahoo News last week. I come from a community that [deals with gun violence regularly]. We want action so we dont have this issue. This is indicative of the silencing. House Speaker Cameron Sexton initially likened the trios actions to an insurrection. Asked last week about the possibility of Jones and Pearson returning, Sexton told Yahoo News, We all understand we wont agree on every issue or every vote, but we will continue to work together on issues where we have common ground. A majority of our legislation has always been bipartisan, and I do not expect that to change. Upon returning to his seat, Jones called for Sexton to resign, calling him an enemy to democracy. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, speaks with Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, in the House chamber on April 10. (George Walker IV/AP) In a letter Monday, attorneys for Jones and Pearson warned Sexton about attempts at retribution against the two lawmakers. The world is watching Tennessee," the letter read. "Any partisan retributive action, such as the discriminatory treatment of elected officials, or threats or actions to withhold funding for government programs, would constitute further unconstitutional action that would require redress. The protests appear to have inspired some action on the gun issue by a GOP-controlled state government that was recently focused on passing restrictions on drag performances and gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who has previously downplayed the need for new gun safety legislation while making it legal for adults in Tennessee to carry a handgun without a permit, signed an executive order Tuesday in an attempt to strengthen background checks. He also called on the legislature to pass legislation that would help keep guns away from people who are a threat to themselves or others. "Im asking the general assembly to bring forward an order of protection law," Lee said. "A new, strong order of protection law will provide the broader population cover safety from those who are a danger to themselves or the population." Protesters rally outside of the Tennessee State Capital building in support of Jones. (Seth Herald/Getty Images) The national focus on the Tennessee Three included a phone call from President Biden, a quickly arranged visit from Vice President Kamala Harris and a flood of donations, with the Congressional Black Caucus saying the move was not only racist and anti-democratic, it is morally bankrupt and out of step with the overwhelming majority of Americans who believe that we need common sense gun control reforms to save lives. The extreme reaction to a violation of parliamentary rules amid a series of mass shootings highlighted the Republican partys struggles with young voters in a week when they also lost a high-profile race in Wisconsin. To anyone who has doubted the South, anyone whos doubted the power of Tennesseans to advocate for an end to gun violence, anybody whos doubted the movement to end assault weapons anybody whos doubted the movement, heres your answer: The movement still lives, Pearson said Monday on the steps of the Capitol, standing next to Jones. Justin Pearson The second of two Tennessee lawmakers expelled from the state legislature after leading a gun control protest on the chamber floor has been reinstated. Justin Pearson, 29, got his seat back after a unanimous vote from seven members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. His colleague Justin Jones, 27, was similarly voted back to the Tennessee House of Representatives on Monday. The two Democrats were expelled last week by the Republican-run statehouse. They were removed days after a school shooting in Nashville that left six people dead, including three children. After Wednesday's vote, Mr Pearson addressed the crowd, saying: "You can't expel hope. You can't expel justice. You can't expel our voice. And you sure can't expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight." The Shelby County Board of Commissioners, mostly made up of Democrats, sent the young legislator back to the statehouse to represent House District 86, which includes Memphis. Both Mr Pearson and Mr Jones will serve as interim representatives. Special elections will occur in the coming months - and both lawmakers said they plan to run. "I think that it's important that the people of District 86 are represented by the person that they voted overwhelming to have in the office," said Shelby County Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery in an interview. Before Wednesday's vote, Mr Pearson led a march starting at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. "This is the democracy that is going to lift up the victims of gun violence instead of supporting the NRA and the gun lobbyists," he told supporters. Republican members had accused three Democrats, Mr Pearson, Mr Jones and Gloria Johnson, of bringing "disorder and dishonour" to the chamber when they led protesters at the statehouse on 30 March. Ms Johnson narrowly survived an expulsion vote. Republicans said she played a smaller role in the protest and did not use a megaphone. Ms Johnson, who is white, gave another explanation. "It might have to do with the colour of our skin," she said. Story continues Mr Pearson and Mr Jones are black. A group of Senate Democrats called on the Department of Justice to investigate the expulsion of Mr Pearson and Mr Jones to "determine whether any violations of the United States Constitution or federal civil rights laws have occurred". The letter was signed by majority leader Chuck Schumer and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, among others. Nashville Mayor John Cooper appeared at the council meeting on Monday for Mr Jones, where he told the chamber their expulsion vote was "unprecedented". "Let's give the district their voice back. I call this body to give them their voice back now," he said. Mr Jones and Mr Pearson between them represent about 140,000 constituents in the state. Some constituents told BBC News they felt disenfranchised by the vote to oust the pair, known as the Justins. President Joe Biden also criticised the move as "undemocratic". The use of expulsion in the Tennessee statehouse had only previously been used twice since the Civil War. Justin Pearson. AP Photo/Adrian Sainz Justin Pearson, one of the Democratic lawmakers expelled from the Tennessee House last week for leading a gun-control protest, was reappointed to his seat on Wednesday. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously for him to return to the office on an interim basis. Board officials said they received thousands of phone calls and emails about Pearson, encouraging them to reappoint him to his seat, and during Wednesday's meeting, Commissioner Shante Avant commended Pearson, saying he stood up "for the things that matter to the people of Shelby County and the state of Tennessee. You have done well by us in making sure that our voices can be heard." On March 30, Pearson and two Democratic colleagues, state Reps. Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson, participated in a protest on the House floor, calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting at Nashville's Covenant School. Three Republican lawmakers filed resolutions to expel Pearson, Jones, and Johnson, saying they engaged in "disorderly behavior" that brought "disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions." On April 6, the GOP-controlled House expelled Pearson and Jones, while the vote to expel Johnson failed. Pearson and Jones are Black, and Johnson, who is white, told reporters she thinks the different outcomes "might have to do with the color of our skin." Pearson's reappointment to the House comes two days after the Nashville Metropolitan Council voted to reinstate Jones on an interim basis. Special elections will be held later this year to fill the seats, and both Jones and Pearson have said they will run. Speaking to supporters on Wednesday, Pearson declared, "You cannot expel hope. You can't expel our voice and you sure can't expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight, continuing to advocate." You may also like Federal appellate panel blocks part of expansive abortion pill ban, allows some restrictions to take effect Ariana Grande addresses concerns about her weight: 'You never know what someone is going through' Trump's tale about Manhattan court workers crying and apologizing at his arraignment isn't true, source says Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) has been reinstated to the state House after the GOP-controlled legislature banned the freshman lawmaker for joining a protest against gun violence on the House floor. In a special meeting of the Shelby County Commission on Wednesday, the commission voted to send Pearson back to his House seat as supporters cheered from the galley. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope, he said after the vote. You cant expel justice. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight, continuing to advocate until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream! Pearson was expelled along with fellow state Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) for joining a protest for gun control on the House floor after a school shooting in Nashville left six dead, including three children. Pearson and Joness colleague, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), who also participated in the demonstration, managed to maintain her seat. Johnson is white. The expulsion of the two young Black lawmakers incited outrage from Democrats around the nation, and Black leaders around the country said racism played a role in their expulsions. You cannot ignore the racial dynamic of what happened today, Pearson said after the vote to expel him. Two young Black lawmakers getting expelled and the one white woman did not? Thats a statement in and of itself. Earlier this week, Jones received unanimous support from the Nashville Metropolitan Council to serve as the interim representative for the 52nd District. He was sworn back into office on Monday surrounded by supporters. Ahead of the commissions vote on Wednesday, Pearson joined hundreds of supporters in a march to the National Civil Rights Museum and to the meeting. This is the democracy thats going to lift up the victims of gun violence, instead of supporting the NRA and gun lobbyists, Pearson said to demonstrators at the museum as Johnson and Jones stood by his side. Story continues This is the democracy that theyre scared of the democracy that changes the status quo. Commissioners voiced their pride and joy in Pearson after the vote, with many applauding him for standing his ground and representing his district. Representative Pearson, I am so glad, Im so happy. Im glad that you took up the fight and you stood your ground, said Commissioner Henri E. Brooks. I know what youve experienced, Ive been there and Im happier than all of you, she added. Jones and Pearson will now serve on an interim basis until a special election can be held in the coming months. Both have indicated they plan to run. Updated at 3:07 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (REUTERS) Electronic cigarette company Juul must pay $462m to six states and Washington DC, marking the largest multi-state settlement with the company following claims that Juul unlawfully targeted an addictive vaping product to minors. The settlement with states including California and New York, in which the company does not admit wrongdoing, means Juul has settled in suits with nearly every state for more than $1bn. Juul targeted youth by glamourizing vaping with colourful ads with young models, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a virtual press conference with other attorneys general on 12 April. All while downplaying the harmful effects of vaping, she added. The company contributed to a youth vaping epidemic, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwama Raoul. In addition to settled claims with 45 states, Juul also is at the centre of litigation and investigations in Alaska, Florida, Michigan and Maine, and a trial is underway in Minnesota following the states 2019 lawsuit against the company. The settlement announced on 12 April also includes stringent restrictions on Juuls sales and marking abilities. More than one in seven students reported using e-cigarettes as of 2022, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a developing story Juul agreed to pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia to settle charges that it violated numerous laws in marketing tobacco products to youth, prosecutors said Wednesday. The agreement, announced by prosecutors from New York, California and four other states, follows an earlier $438.5 million Juul settlement with 34 different US states and marks the latest black mark on the e-cigarette company. "Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it's harmless -- today they are paying the price for the harm they caused," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. James sued Juul in November 2019, alleging the company glamorized smoking, devised "fruity, sweet and minty" flavors meant to appeal to youth and misled consumers about the safety of its products. The settlement will fund underage vaping abatement programs, while also adding restrictions on products sold at stores and imposing age verification requirements online, according to a press release from James' office. Juul also is barred from marketing to young people; cannot provide free samples to consumers; and must undertake regular retail compliance checks at some stores. The other states joining the settlement are Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico. On its website Juul described the agreement as "another critical part in our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the company's past." "With this settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the company's historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future." jmb/dw E-cigarette maker Juul will pay nearly half a billion dollars as part of a settlement with six states, including California, and the District of Columbia. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his counterparts in Colorado, D.C., Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York announced the $462 million settlement Wednesday morning. Californias share comes to $175.8 million, which the state will use to fund research, education and enforcement related to e-cigarettes. California last year voted to ban the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including vaping supplies. By using advertising and marketing strategies to lure young people to its products, Juul put the health and safety of its vulnerable targets and the California public at risk. Todays settlement holds Juul accountable for its actions and puts a stop to its harmful business practices, Bonta said in a statement. Juul did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement. Ina statement, a Juul spokesman said that the company has now spent more than $1 billion in settlements with 47 states and territories. The spokesman said that since a company-wide reset in 2019, underage use of Juul products has dropped by 95%, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. Now we are positioned to dedicate even greater focus on our path forward to maximize the value and impact of our product technology and scientific foundation, the spokesman said. The settlement is the result of a multitude of lawsuits against the e-cigarette company, including from the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. LA DA George Gascon said in a statement that Juul is going to pay a steep price for its mistakes. Juul was valued at $1 billion last October, according to a January report from the Wall Street Journal. According to a 2021 survey by the California Department of Public Health, Juul was the most popular brand among teenage e-cigarette users. The Kansas Senate at about 3 a.m. Friday failed to pass a sweeping program to funnel public money to private schools. Yet exhausted supporters appeared frustrated but not defeated. After we get some sleep and re-evaluate options nothings ever dead here, state Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican who helped negotiate the bill, said as she exited the statehouse in the predawn hours. Top Republicans have signaled they plan to take a fresh vote on the proposal when the Legislature returns in late April. The bill would use federal dollars to provide additional funding for special education, a priority of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. But it would also meet a goal Republicans have pushed for years: an expansive voucher-like program steering thousands of dollars to students not enrolled in public schools. The voucher-like proposal, dubbed school choice by supporters, faces opposition not only from Democrats but also many Republicans representing rural districts. It stands virtually no chance of becoming law in its current form, based on interviews with lawmakers, Kellys stances and simple legislative math. While special education funding is tied to the proposal, lawmakers have not ruled out passing that in another form if the broader measure fails. At stake is the level of public support Kansas children will receive to help pay for private schooling, as well as what level of services public schools can provide to students with special needs. The bill would provide roughly $5,000 to any Kansas student below 250% of the federal poverty line who is not in public schools a program lawmakers called the Kansas Educational Enrichment Program (KEEP) that many liken to vouchers. It also includes a $72 million increase in special education funding using federal COVID-19 relief dollars and $1,000 grants for each public school student under 250% of the federal poverty line. Kelly originally established KEEP using federal dollars to provide $1,000 grants to make up for learning loss during the pandemic. The funds could be used on educational expenses but not private school tuition. The proposed bill would dramatically expand the program. Story continues At the core of the likely failure of the proposal is a decision by Republican leaders to pursue an aggressive conservative education agenda while using special education funding as leverage over Kelly and Democrats. The governor, reelected in November, has made fully funding special education a key priority; Kansas hasnt provided full funding since 2011. Were having a head to head battle over choices for parents and students, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said at a town hall over the weekend. Republicans would like to see a lot more opportunity for the kids and for parents to have choice in that. Very little ability to do that with Laura, Masterson said, referring to the governor. Although we have a working relationship, shes very much anti-choice in school. By advancing new programs that could funnel millions of public dollars toward private schools, Republicans have effectively put Kelly, who ran as the education governor, in a position to veto such a plan if the Legislature passes it. My first priority is protecting our public schools and making sure theyre strong and fully funded, which weve done every year Ive been in office. Thats why I am firmly opposed to any effort to take money from our public schools, Kelly said in a statement. Weve been down that road before and were not going back, because its bad for all of our students including our special education students. Much of the public education community, including associations representing school boards, administrators and teachers, are arrayed against the bill. Leah Fliter, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, said the bill could cost Kansas millions while siphoning support from public schools. Theres no guarantee, they say, that students will do better at the private schools given that there are very few guidelines for them. Lauren Tice Miller, a lobbyist for the teachers union KNEA, said the impact of the bill was nearly impossible to calculate. Thats one of the biggest problems, she said. Democrats have warned that the school choice bill would result in unforeseen costs to Kansas public school system without ensuring an improved education. Just remember how it will impact your school, your district, your communities, state Rep. Valdenia Winn, a Kansas City Democrat, said during floor debate on the bill Thursday night. At the same time, top Republicans failed to win over a number of rural GOP legislators. These lawmakers in many instances are loath to support legislation that would take any funding out of public schools, which are often a pillar of rural communities. I can appreciate the discussion where we talk about the student rather than the building in the sense of the institution. But in my communities, the institution and the students go hand in hand, said state Rep. Ken Rahjes, an Agra Republican whose district spans a large chunk of northwest Kansas. The education bill passed the Kansas House 65-58, just two votes more than the bare minimum needed to pass legislation, but well short of the 84 votes necessary to override a veto by Kelly. The measure failed in the Kansas Senate, 17-20. Even if supporters can eventually get the 21 votes needed to pass the Senate, its a far cry from the 27 needed for a veto override. Already, some key Republican lawmakers are signaling that aid for students to attend private schools may be dramatically reduced to have any hope of reaching a compromise with Kelly. State Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said GOP leadership and the governors office will need to discuss scaling back the size of the program. She floated the possibility of limiting the size of the KEEP grants for private school tuition to $1,000, rather than $5,000. I think that thats perhaps a starting point, Baumgardner said. State Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican who chairs the House K-12 Education Budget Committee, said she is open to whatever changes are necessary to win the Senate. She voiced hope that Kelly might still come on board. I see theres a way we can work together to provide the KEEP grants and awards and I think that kids in Kansas need an opportunity to try something different and to have the best possible education that they can, Williams said early Friday. Democrats say that regardless of whether the Legislature passes the bill, they expect Republican leadership to continue pushing voucher-like legislation, with little accountability for private schools receiving state dollars. Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said the push could come back to haunt Republicans in competitive Johnson County districts. Theres some Republicans who regret taking that vote and they had their arm twisted, she said. Lawmakers may still try again to pass the current bill. Masterson and others have noted that three Republican senators Sens. Chase Blasi, Carolyn McGinn and Tim Shallenberger missed the pre-dawn vote last week In 2021 McGinn, from Wichita, voted against a bill that would have created a similar school choice program called educational savings accounts. That bill failed on a 20-20 vote. Blasi and Shallenberger were not yet in the Senate. After the Friday vote, Masterson acknowledged that the sweeping school choice policy he supports. The Republican caucus wants school choice and the Democrats and a segment of ours dont, Masterson said. And under a Democratic governor its pretty hard to get a super majority. Flash Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will kick off his four-day state visit to China on Wednesday, a trip that is expected to bring bilateral relations, both politically and economically, to a new level and contribute positive energy to the complex international situation. Accompanied by hundreds of businesspeople, state governors, congress members and ministers, Lula will be making his third official visit to China as Brazilian president. The visit was originally set for March but was postponed due to Lula's health at the time. It will also be Lula's first trip outside the Western Hemisphere since taking office for a third term on Jan 1. His visit will take him to Shanghai and Beijing. In Shanghai, he will participate in former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as head of BRICS' New Development Bank. In Beijing, Lula will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The two sides have maintained close communication about the visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. "The fact that Lula will lead a large delegation to China on his state visit so soon after his recovery speaks to the high importance both sides have attached to this visit and to our bilateral relations." China stands ready to work with Brazil and take this visit as an opportunity to upgrade mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various sectors and bring more energy for developing countries to coordinate in unity and jointly deal with global challenges, Wang said. According to a statement from Lula's press office, around 20 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. An article published by Valor Economico, a Brazilian financial newspaper, described Lula's visit as "a trip full of expectations". The speed in rescheduling a high-level visit, something unusual given the complexity of the agendas, reflects the political will of both countries to make the meeting happen, it said. The China-Brazil relationship has been closer and trade has increased in a continuous and sustained way since 2004, when Lula first visited Beijing. In 2009, he visited China for the second time. China has been the South American country's largest trade partner since 2009. According to the General Administration of Customs, two-way trade reached $171.49 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. "During the visit, the two countries are expected to consolidate the foundation of existing cooperation in traditional sectors such as infrastructure construction, agriculture and mining, and also expand cooperation in new areas including the green economy, digital economy and high technology," said Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies. Bilateral cooperation has already yielded fruit prior to Lula's arrival. On Feb 7, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Brazil, a move that will bolster bilateral trade and investment facilitation. Since diplomatic relations were established nearly half a century ago, China-Brazil ties have maintained steady growth amid changes in the international landscape and achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation across the board, setting a good example for major developing countries pursuing joint development through solidarity and collaboration. According to Wang of the CIIS, the development of China-Brazil relations will help to push forward China's cooperation with Latin America and deepen China's relations with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. "At a time when the international landscape is suffering systematic volatility and the global governance system is fragmented, the two countries' coordination and interactions on global hot-spot issues will also reveal the independent views of developing countries and important emerging market economies on global security and the international order," he added. Katie Holmes has revealed that before she started filming First Daughter, she called Jenna Bush Hager up for advice. During a recent interview on Today, with Hager and Hoda Kotb, Holmes reflected on the making of her film. In the 2004 film, she played the daughter of the president of the United States and fell in love with a secret agent, who was pretending to be a college student. Speaking to the actor, Kotb recalled the research that Holmes did, while First Daughter was still being made. Jenna so happened to be a first daughter during this time, she said, noting that Hager is the child of former President George W. Bush. And Katie, in your research, did you ever reach out to a young lady named Jenna Bush, and try to get a little intel info? In response, Holmes said: I believe I did. Hager explained why she missed the call and pointed out a weird coincidence that occured when the actor had contacted her. I was with my college roommates, we were watching Dawsons Creek, she said, referring to the hit show that Holmes starred in. Im not joking, we turned it off and Im like, Who called me from LA? Listened to the message and it was Katie and I was too embarrassed. Hager was a college student herself, at the time, just like Holmes character in First Daughter. In 2004, the now-TV host was studying at University of Texas at Austin, while her father was still based in the White House, until Presidential term ended in 2009. During the conversation with Holmes, Hager claimed that if she had talked to her about her college life, it wouldnt have been super interesting. I mean, also, had you come and done research, you would have been like, Wow. This is quite boring, Hager said. She also poked fun at the movies plot, as she added: And I never fell in love with a secret service man. However, she claimed that she had a friend who made out with someone in the secret service, to which Holmes replied: Im sure you did. That seems like the job of a friend. Story continues Hager then apologised for not calling Holmes back, before the actor said that it was okay. Kotb asked her co-host why she didnt return the phone call, to which Hager responded: Cause my real life didnt really match the movie. But the research you would have learned would have been kind of gross. Holmes explained how much fun she had when filming First Daughter, before detailing why she had turned to Hager for advice in the first place. I just felt like, What is that like, to carry that? and youve carried it so beautifully, the Batman Begins star said. Hager thanked the actor for her kind words, before Kotb chimed in and said that they were all having a moment. Holmes agreed with the sentiment and added: Its a girl party. As her newest movie, Rare Objects, will be released this week, Holmes has continued to open up about her film career. During her interview with Glamour, published on Wednesday, she described what it was like to direct herself in her new movie. Its difficult in the sense that youre wearing two hats, but your most important one on set is the director because youre leading the ship, she said. When I stepped into being an actor, in my head, I was [more] aware of time. I was like, I actually have to get this in very few takes because I know what we have left to get tonight. I dont want to hold people up. Katie Holmes tried to get some intel from a certain daughter of a president before she embarked on her role as one in the 2004 film "First Daughter." That presidential child was none other than TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager, which the actor revealed during a visit to TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on April 12. Nathan Congleton "Jenna so happened to be a first daughter during this time," Hoda Kotb said of when "First Daughter" was in the works. "And Katie, in your research, did you ever reach out to a young lady named Jenna Bush, and try to get a little intel info?" "I believe I did," Holmes said with a huge grin. Jenna, the daughter of former President George W. Bush, said she remembered exactly where she was and what she was doing when she heard Holmes' message. "I was with my college roommates, we were watching 'Dawson's Creek' I'm not joking we turned it off and I'm like, 'Who called me from LA?' Listened to the message and it was Katie and I was too embarrassed," Jenna recalled, adding she lived in Texas at the time. "I mean, also, had you come and done research, you would have been like, 'Wow. This is quite boring,'" Jenna continued. First Daughter follows the daughter of the president as she moves away for college, flanked with a group of Secret Service agents. She resents that she cant act like a normal student with their presence, and asks her father to recall the agents. But what she doesnt know is that her father secretly assigned an undercover agent to pose as a student, who she falls in love with. At the time, Jenna attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a bachelors degree in English in 2004, but her home base was the White House where she lived for several years while her father served as president from 2001 to 2009. Jenna clarified she never fell in love with a Secret Service agent like Holmes' character in the film did. Story continues "But I did have a friend make out with one," she added, sending jaws dropping across the studio. "I'm sure you did," Holmes replied while the whole room giggled. "That seems like the job of a friend," to which Jenna agreed that it would have been inappropriate for her and said "a friend could." Jenna then apologized to Holmes for never calling her back, reiterating she was embarrassed and that her "real life didn't really match the movie." "The research you would have learned would have been kind of gross," she added. Holmes went on to say the 2004 film was so fun to shoot and that she was looking to Jenna for inspiration. "I just felt like, 'What is that like, to carry that?' and you've carried it so beautifully," Holmes said. "I'm going to cry," Jenna squeaked out. "We're having a moment," Hoda noted. "It's a girl party," Holmes agreed. This article was originally published on TODAY.com California Representative Katie Porter, who is running for Senate and has already faced accusations that she runs a toxic workplace, had previously been accused of being abusive toward her ex-husband and her kids, according to divorce records obtained by the Daily Mail. Porters ex, Matthew Hoffman, said in court filings about a decade ago that the enraged congresswoman once smashed a glass coffee pot on the counter because she didnt believe their house was clean enough. He accused her of dumping a bowl of steaming mashed potatoes on his head, burning his scalp. And he said she frequently accused him of being a f***ing idiot and f***ing incompetent, according to the paper. She would not let me have a cell phone because she said, youre too f***ing dumb to operate it, Hoffman said in court documents. He also accused Porter of throwing toys, books, and other objects when she gets angry. When she gets angry, she will claw and scratch her arms and then say to me Look what you made me do! Hoffman wrote. She regularly says that I am a bad parent in front of the kids. Porter, who was elected to Congress representing Orange County in an upset victory in 2018, announced her Senate candidacy in January. Porter is expected to face off against Democratic representatives Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee to replace the retiring Dianne Feinstein. Porter, a bankruptcy lawyer and former student of Senator Elizabeth Warren, has become something of a Democratic darling in recent years. She is known for her sharp exchanges with congressional witnesses, using a white board as a political prop, dressing as Batgirl on the day of a vote on then-president Donald Trumps impeachment, and for reading the self-help book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck while Republicans struggled to elect a House speaker. A glowing portrait of Porter published in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2020 identified her as a Democratic rising star, and a straight shooter who possesses a finely tuned hypocrisy detector. Story continues But questions about her temperament could be a liability during the Senate race. In the weeks before she announced her candidacy, some former Porter staffers took to Twitter to accuse her of screaming and belittling employees, and running a toxic office. Sasha Georgiades, a Navy veteran who worked for Porter for two years as a Wounded Warrior fellow, told National Review in January that the congresswoman seemed to be driven by a desire for fame and power. She accused Porter of dismissing a sexual-harassment allegation by one of her staffers, telling off-color and offensive jokes about race and sexuality, and lashing out at staffers if they didnt complete tasks to her liking. Nobody should be getting yelled at like that, anywhere, Georgiades said, adding that other than a small number of Porters favorite staffers, everybody was fair game. Porter previously addressed the accusations of domestic violence in her former marriage during her 2018 congressional run, painting herself as a victim to the Huffington Post. Hoffman, she said, had once ripped dental floss from her hands because she was brushing her teeth too slowly, punched a wall, pushed her into a wall, and called her a dumb bitch in front of her three kids, according to the report. She said that Hoffman once shoved their then-one-year-old daughter across the kitchen in her highchair, and threatened to kill himself. I dont have a shady background, Porter told the outlet. Im the most boring person in America. Im a mom of three kids, I protected my family, I ended a marriage that was troubled. The Daily Mail report highlights both sides of the dispute between Porter and Hoffman. The couple filed for divorce in 2013, but decided to continue living together for the sake of their three kids. Porter was the sole breadwinner, according to the report. In one filing, Porter said she and Hoffman had attended anger-management classes together in 2009. In filings, Hoffman said that Porter came home from work one day in 2012 and was angry that the house wasnt clean. This house is a mess! You f***ing slob! Youre incompetent! What the f*** do you do all day! she said, according to the report. Hoffmann said that Porter slammed a glass coffee pot on the counter, breaking it to shards, which cut him. He described an occasion in 2006, when he said Porter accused of him failing to read the instructions while making mashed potatoes for dinner. She then took the ceramic bowl of steaming hot potatoes and dumped it on my head, burning my scalp, Hoffman said, according to the Daily Mail. He said Porter once stood over their son, just 2 years old at the time, and screamed at him to Get out of my face and leave me alone! Porter was pregnant at the time, and the boy had been talking to Porter about his excitement of having a baby sister, according to Hoffman. In a filing, Porter called the allegation absolutely false, according to the Daily Mail. In her own filing, Porter accused Hoffman of being physically abusive, of telling her that she was ruining our children, and that she was a dumb bitch, a despicable person, and f***ing evil, and that she should rot in hell. She also accused him of yelling at their children. At one point, Porter received a temporary emergency protective order against Hoffman. He filed for his own domestic violence restraining order against her. Porters campaign told the Daily Mail that his allegations against Porter were false. In 2014, the couple reached an agreement that Porter would pay Hoffman spousal and child support, and that they would share custody of their children. More from National Review President Joe Biden Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland was supposed to coincide with the restoration of the power-sharing executive, suspended since the DUP walkout last year in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. Had Stormont been revived, the President would have addressed the assembly but the DUP is unwilling to end their boycott and has rejected the new deal that Rishi Sunak negotiated with Brussels. In his speech in Belfast, Mr Biden urged the parties to come back together, though he was careful not to be prescriptive given the suspicions he provokes among Unionists. It is a judgment for you to make, not me, he said. Nonetheless, the Americans have invested a great deal in bringing about the peace that has held, by and large, for the past 25 years. Mr Biden said that commitment remained and the US was prepared to continue helping the provinces economy. American companies have invested $2 billion since 1998. Mr Biden said peace and economic opportunity go together and was right to observe that stable political institutions are also an important condition for creating confidence and attracting investment. He cited as an example the state of Delaware, which has more corporations registered than the rest of the US combined. He did not mention, however, the low taxes and flexible laws that have made this possible. We do not even need to look that far: Irelands corporation tax rate is half what it is in the North. The Prime Minister should take note. In the event, President Bidens Northern Irish sojourn was brief. He headed for the Irish republic to tour areas from which his family hailed before leaving for the New World in the mid-19th century to escape famine. The claim of 45 million Americans to an Irish heritage largely explains why the worlds superpower has gone to such lengths to influence the politics of Northern Ireland, a province of fewer than two million people. Their antecedents were not even all Catholics. Ulster-Scots such as George Taylor and James Smith were prominent among the founding fathers of the American republic. Almost two dozen presidents have claimed some connection with the Emerald Isle. As a result, its geopolitical pull has always been far more powerful than its size would suggest and, 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, it can still find itself the centre of international attention, albeit often for the wrong reasons. The Kettering Police Department and the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center will be partnering together to host a dog microchipping event next month. >>Miami County Animal Shelter overwhelmed after rescuing 32 dogs; How you can help Dog owners in the Miami Valley are welcome to bring their pups to the Kettering Police Departments parking lot on Saturday, May 13. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will end at noon, according to the Kettering Police Departments Facebook. >>Dog rescued, house damaged by dryer fire in Dayton The post says owners will have to register their dogs and have them licensed in the appropriate county. It will then cost $10 to chip your dog. To register for the event, call KPDs Animal Resource Officer, Shelly Davis, at 937-371-3652. Kevin Strickland, who spent four decades in prison for a 1978 triple murder he did not commit, filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that serious misconduct by Kansas City police led to his wrongful conviction. During the departments reckless investigation, officers fabricated statements they attributed to Strickland, then 18, and pressured the lone eyewitness to falsely implicate him, according to the lawsuit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court. No reasonable officer in 1978 or 1979 would have believed this conduct was lawful, Stricklands attorneys wrote, later calling the officers behavior utterly intolerable in a civilized community. As it does in response to most lawsuits, the Kansas City Police Department said it does not comment on pending litigation to ensure fairness to all parties involved. Now 63, Strickland was freed from the Western Missouri Correctional Center in late 2021 after enduring what is considered the eighth longest known wrongful conviction in U.S. history. He spent more than 43 years or 15,917 days behind bars. One of Stricklands attorneys, Amelia Green, said no amount of money would make Strickland whole, but that the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, which oversees the department, should compensate him for the misconduct that sent him to prison. Green works at the New York-based law firm Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, which specializes in wrongful conviction lawsuits and has won multi-million dollar settlements for exonerees across the country. The astonishing harm that Strickland suffered, she said, amounts to the largest damages that we have ever seen. In 2020, Jackson County prosecutors began reviewing Stricklands convictions following a Star investigation into the case. With the support of federal prosecutors and other officials, they determined he was innocent and secured his exoneration, garnering national attention, after a months-long legal fight with the Missouri Attorney Generals Office. Story continues Jimmy Carter was president when Strickland was sent to prison for the April 25, 1978, execution-style killings at 6934 S. Benton Ave. Four assailants who Stricklands lawyers say were Vincent Bell, Kilm Adkins, Terry Abbott and Paul Holiway went to the home to get back money they believed they were conned out of the night before. Four people in the home were shot and three of them died. The only survivor, 20-year-old Cynthia Douglas, was wounded and pretended she was dead. As detectives and police officials, including the citys top cop, arrived at the scene, Douglas said she could only identify two of the attackers: Bell and Adkins. The next day, Douglas described one of the other attackers, who wielded a shotgun, to her sisters boyfriend. He suggested the gunman might have been Strickland, who lived two doors down from Bell. But from the start, detectives knew or should have known that Strickland was innocent, according to his lawsuit, which was filed against the police board and five cops who have since retired. Kevin Strickland poses for a portrait June 9, 2022, after being recognized by Mayor Quinton Lucas at City Hall as June 7th was named Kevin Strickland Day in Kansas City. Douglas had known Strickland for years, so she would have been able to identify Strickland that night if he had been one of the gunmen, his attorneys wrote. Nevertheless, they argued, detectives unreasonably honed in on Strickland, who maintained he was at home at the time, talking on the phone with his girlfriend and watching television with his older brother. The afternoon after the murders, Douglas was picked up by two detectives, including one described as a cowboy who, months later, fatally shot his former wife before taking his own life. Once at the station, Douglas again told officers and a police board member that she could not identify the teenager with the shotgun. But they pressed on, according to the suit, and told her to identify Strickland. Still traumatized from watching her friends die, Douglas gave in. She picked Strickland out in a lineup. In an effort to cover up their misconduct, officers falsified a report that stated Douglas identified Strickland without their influence, according to the lawsuit. Douglas identification of Strickland was paramount in the case against him. Decades later, Jackson County prosecutors said they would not have been able to charge, much less convict Strickland without Douglas. At the time, two detectives aggressively interrogated Strickland. They threatened to mop the floor with him, he recalled. But he was unwavering in his assertion that he was not there. Unable to get Strickland to confess, the detectives concocted inflammatory statements they attributed to him about loving to kill people, according to his lawsuit. Strickland refused several plea deals. His first trial ended in a hung jury, when the only Black juror declined to convict. Strickland, who is Black, was then found guilty of capital murder by an all-white jury almost entirely on Douglas word. After prosecutors waived the death penalty, a 19-year-old Strickland was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years. In the years that followed, Bell and Adkins pleaded guilty and admitted their involvement. They also swore for decades, including in interviews with The Star in recent years, that Strickland had nothing to do with the crime. Im telling the state and the society out there right now that Kevin Strickland wasnt there at that house, Bell told a judge in open court as far back as 1979. Bell testified that Abbott and Holiway were involved; they were never charged. While doing time for a robbery in Colorado, Abbott told an investigator in 2019 that there couldnt be a more innocent person than Strickland. Douglas repeatedly tried to recant her identification of Strickland and told relatives she was coerced by police. She once approached a prosecutor about it, but was told she could be charged with perjury, her relatives have said. She also consulted with legal experts and emailed the Midwest Innocence Project in 2009 in an extraordinary effort to try to free Strickland, according to his lawsuit. But Douglas never saw Strickland walk free. She died at age 57 in 2015. I didnt never choose that boy, Douglas sister, Cecile Cookie Simmons, recalled Douglas saying when she took the stand at Stricklands evidentiary hearing in 2021. Cecile Cookie Simmons, sister of Cynthia Douglas, answers questions from Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker during an evidentiary hearing for Kevin Strickland on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City. Simmons described the night her sister was shot. Many people, including Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, believe Strickland was wrongly convicted of a triple murder in 1978. Douglas was a survivor and the lone eyewitness to the shooting. Strickland suffered grievous injuries because of his wrongful conviction, including abuse in prison, his lawyers said. He was deprived of career opportunities. He was sent to a prison known for its violence when his daughter was an infant, missing decades of her life. In addition to the New York law firm, Strickland is being represented by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner which includes some of the Kansas City-based attorneys who helped exonerate him. Similar allegations of misconduct have been raised in other cases, including that of Ricky Kidd, who spent 23 years in prison for a 1996 double murder he did not commit. His lawsuit against KCPD is pending. This isnt just about the 1970s; this isnt just about an isolated incident, Green said. This is about a serious problem that has existed in the Kansas City Police Department for many years, and its time for the police board to start taking this seriously. After Stricklands release from prison, tens of thousands of strangers donated $1.7 million to him through GoFundMe when they learned the State of Missouri would not compensate him. Last year, Strickland filed a separate lawsuit against Corizon Health, Missouris former prison medical provider, alleging it neglected his severe back pain and medical needs. Like claims brought by other former prisoners, though, Stricklands lawsuit was halted after the company, now called Tehum Care Services, filed for bankruptcy in February. Strickland is bringing his new lawsuit, his attorneys wrote, to hold the individuals who caused his wrongful conviction accountable. An initial hearing in the case has been set for August before Jackson County Circuit Judge J. Dale Youngs, who, as prosecutors sought to free Strickland, agreed that the evidence showed he was innocent. When it comes to your health, knowledge is truly power. Too often we hear stories from family members, friends, or colleagues who wish they had been more active about their health screenings before receiving a life-changing cancer diagnosis. But now is the time to get ahead of your wellness and achieve the peace of mind that preventative cancer screening may bring. If youre wondering where to start, dont worry. In collaboration with Novartis, weve reached out to the American Cancer Society to provide you with information and suggestions for screening. In addition to being one of the financial supporters of the American Cancer Societys Get Screened campaign, Novartis is taking an active role in raising awareness about the importance of regular cancer screening in the Black community. Black people have some of the highest rates of death for most cancers, and in 2022 alone, there were an estimated 224,000 new cancer cases and 73,000 cancer deaths. It is especially important to make sure we have the resources and knowledge to know when to start getting screened for certain cancers. Here are 7 things you should know about cancer screening and prevention, complete with some suggestions from Dr. Arif Kamal, MD, MBA, MHS, Chief Patient Officer for the American Cancer Society. Advocate for Yourself Walk into your appointment as a partner in your health. Dr. Kamal suggests bringing any questions, listening actively (and asking for clarification), as well as asking for additional resources. Actively advocating for yourself in your care will not only make you feel empowered, but also invite your doctor to understand your perspective. Understand Your Family Health History Bring your family health history to help your doctor understand your experience with cancer. Dr. Kamal suggests that if you cant get information about your family health history, let your doctor know and share as much information as you can. Details are key. For example, if theres a strong history of cancer in the family, share the type of cancer your family member was diagnosed with and at what age they were diagnosed. Story continues Dont Wait for SymptomsScreening Is Part of Self-Care Cancer can develop without any signs or symptoms. Be sure to include regular screening as a routine part of self-care. There are some screening tests you can do at home, and some that you need a doctor to do. These tests can detect cancer before a person has any symptoms when it could be easier to treat. Screening tests are recommended for the early detection of breast, colon, cervical, lung, and prostate cancers. But, decisions about what screening tests and schedule are right for you should happen after talking to your health care team about the benefits and any possible risks. Listen to your body: if you notice any major changes in the way your body works or the way you feel but youre in between screeningsespecially if it lasts for a long time or gets worselet a health care provider know. Learn About Screening Its normal to be concerned about medical procedures, possible results, affording tests, or even seeing a doctor. Start with a conversation with your doctor to determine the type of test needed. Once your doctor provides a recommendation, ask how to schedule the test, what you need to do to prepare for test day, and how and when you will be notified of test results. Knowing what to expect may help you worry less about your screening. Ultimately, knowing the state of your health can make it easier to take care of yourself, and can potentially lengthenor even saveyour life. Know That You Can Seek a Second Opinion Weve all heard the stories from friends and familyor been there ourselveswhere we meet with a doctor and dont feel comfortable with their approach or attitude. If this happens, Dr. Kamal suggests either directing the conversation with follow-up questions or seeking out a second opinion. Trust is an important element of the doctor/patient relationship, so give yourself the time to make sure you feel comfortable with your doctor. Ask Questions To make sure you get the most out of your appointment, offer feedback and make sure your concerns are addressed. Though doctors can seem rushed, you are entitled to high-quality care as a patient. Your questions and concerns are valid. Feel free to ask for more time and clear information with questions like, Im hearing you say thisis that correct? or Can you explain what I should expect between now and my next visit? Create Your Planand Share it With Loved Ones Create a plan for staying on top of your health with daily habits and regular screening. Even if you do not have a doctor or health insurance, the American Cancer Society can help you learn more about potential costs and find affordable options for cancer screening. Share your experience with family and friends in your community to encourage them to get screened for cancer tooACS even has ideas on how to start this important conversation. For help with finding a local health center to schedule your cancer screening, visit the Get Screened page on the American Cancer Societys website. This article is brought to you by Blavity in collaboration with Novartis. About Novartis Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend peoples lives. We deliver high-value medicines that alleviate societys greatest disease burdens, including many types of cancer, through research, development, and novel access approaches. In 2021, the company established the Beacon of Hope initiative, a 10-year collaboration with 26 Historically Black Colleges, Universities and Medical Schools, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Coursera, and the National Medical Association, to co-create programs that address the root causes of disparities in health and education, and create greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and trust across the research and development ecosystem. Find out more at https://www.novartis.com/us-en/esg/beacon-hope. By Guy Faulconbridge and Michelle Nichols MOSCOW/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The Kremlin warned on Wednesday that the outlook for extending a deal beyond May 18 that allows the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizer from several Ukrainian Black Sea ports was not great as Russia's own such exports still faced obstacles. The Ukraine grain Black Sea export deal was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis that U.N. officials said had been worsened by the most deadly war in Europe since World War Two. "No deal can stand on one leg: It must stand on two legs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "In this regard, of course, judging by the state of play today, the outlook (for its extension) is not so great." To help persuade Russia to allow Ukraine to resume its Black Sea grain exports last year, a separate three-year agreement was also struck in July in which the United Nations agreed to help Russia with its food and fertilizer exports. Peskov said this deal "has not worked and is not working so far." Western powers have imposed tough sanctions on Russia over its Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Its food and fertilizer exports are not sanctioned, but Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance are a barrier to shipments. Last month, Russia only agreed to renew the Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal for at least 60 days, half the intended period. Moscow said it would only consider a further extension if several demands in relation to its own exports were met. Those include allowing the Russian Agricultural Bank to return to the SWIFT payment system, allowing Russia to import agricultural machinery, the removal of insurance restrictions, port access for Russian ships and cargo, and an unblocking of the financial activities of Russian fertilizer companies. Moscow also wants a pipeline that delivers Russian ammonia to a Ukrainian Black Sea port to be restarted. Story continues HERDING PEOPLE When asked on Wednesday if any progress had been made on Russia's demands, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said U.N. officials were "trying to doggedly move the process forward," noting that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had little power. "The secretary-general has no authority over SWIFT. He has no authority over member states that impose unilateral sanctions. He has no authority over insurance companies, shipping companies, he can't tell them what to do," he said. "We're trying to herd a whole group of people," added Dujarric. The United States has pushed back on Moscow's demands, saying "the only prohibitions on food and fertilizer exports from Russia are those imposed by the government" of Russia. Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's key agricultural producers, and major players in the wheat, barley, maize, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed and sunflower oil markets. Russia is also dominant in the fertiliser market. The Ukraine Black Sea export agreement has allowed more then 27.5 million tonnes of food to be exported by Ukraine, and the United Nations says this has contributed to the lowering of food prices around the world. But the U.N. World Food Programme warned earlier this month that food insecurity remains at unprecedented levels in 2023 as conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes and rising fertilizer prices continue to disrupt food production globally. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Michelle Nichols; Additional reporting by Nigel Hunt and Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Andrew Osborn, Tomasz Janowski and Jonathan Oatis) An 80-year-old man filed a lawsuit this week against an eastern Kansas sheriffs office for allegedly tasing him without warning after officers pursued him for driving 3 mph over the speed limit. In his federal lawsuit, John Sigg said a lieutenant with the Iola Police Department in Allen County on April 16, 2021, clocked him driving 38 mph in an area where the speed limit was 35 and decided to give chase. Multiple police vehicles followed Sigg for a few minutes as he drove to his familys car lot, although he did not realize he was the subject of the pursuit, his attorney wrote. He parked, got out and was surrounded by officers from several agencies. Two Chanute police officers pulled their guns on Sigg, according to the lawsuit. Looking quizzically at them, he raised his hands, which can be seen in a screenshot of body-camera footage of the incident. Get on the fing ground, a now-former deputy with the Allen County Sheriffs Office yelled, according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District of Kansas. Without warning, the deputy used a Taser on Sigg even though the manufacturer of the TASER X2 warns about using it on the elderly, his lawyer wrote. Sigg dropped like a rock, his attorney said, and cut his head. Sigg mumbled and was hard to understand, his Wichita attorney, Randall Rathbun, wrote in the lawsuit. As officers talked with him on the scene he indicated that he did not know what was going on and did not feel right. Rathbun, who served as the U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas from 1993 to 1996, told The Star that Sigg required a trip to the emergency room to have the taser probes removed from his body. To this day, he cant believe they did it, he said. Other cops at the scene knew the deputy used excessive force and were concerned by his conduct, the lawsuit alleges. The petition seeks a judgment of $250,000 in actual damages and $250,000 in punitive damages. The sheriffs office did not return a message seeking comment Tuesday afternoon. Court records show Sigg pleaded guilty to failing to yield to an emergency vehicle after the incident. KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine compared Russia on Wednesday to Islamic State and called on the International Criminal Court to investigate after a video emerged online showing apparent Russian soldiers filming themselves beheading a Ukrainian captive with a knife. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity or provenance of the video on social media, which showed a man in uniform beheading a man who wears the yellow arm band used by Ukrainian soldiers. The Kremlin described the video as "awful" but said its authenticity needed to be checked. Moscow has denied in the past that its troops carry out atrocities during the conflict. "There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video message. "There will be legal responsibility for everything. The defeat of terror is necessary." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said on Twitter: "A horrific video of Russian troops decapitating a Ukrainian prisoner of war is circulating online. "It's absurd that Russia, which is worse than ISIS, is presiding over the UNSC," he said, referring to the U.N. Security Council, where Russia took up the rotating presidency this month. "Russian terrorists must be kicked out of Ukraine and the UN and be held accountable for their crimes." Militants from Islamic State in Iraq and Syria were notorious for releasing videos of beheadings of captives when they controlled swathes of those countries from 2014-2017. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a briefing: "First of all, in the world of fakes that we live in, we need to check the veracity of this footage." "Then it could be a pretext to check whether or not this is true, whether it happened, and if it did, where and by whom," Peskov said. Ukraine's foreign ministry called on the International Criminal Court to "immediately investigate yet another atrocity of the Russian military". Story continues Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar told people online not to name the soldier publicly until his identity has been officially established by law enforcement. She urged people to stop sharing the video online. "Remember, the enemy wants to frighten us. Wants to make us weaker," he said. Ukraine's domestic security agency said it had started an investigation into a suspected war crime over the video. "Yesterday, a video appeared on the Internet showing how the Russian occupiers are showing their beastly nature - cruelly torturing a Ukrainian prisoner and cutting off his head," the SBU agency wrote on Telegram. In Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it was appalled by what it called "particularly gruesome" videos posted on social media. As well as the purported execution, another video shows mutilated bodies of apparent Ukrainian prisoners of war, it said. "Regrettably, this is not an isolated incident," it said in a statement. "The latest incidents must also be properly investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable." (Reporting by Max Hunder and Dan Peleschuk, Editing by Tom Balmforth, Peter Graff and Angus MacSwan) Paintings said to be by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat on display at the Orlando Museum of Art on June 1 in Orlando, Fla. On June 24, the FBI raided the museum and seized more than two dozen paintings attributed to Basquiat following questions about their authenticity. (John Raoux / Associated Press) On the heels of a new Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition opening in Los Angeles one that purports to get to the truth of who the late artist really was news regarding Basquiat forgeries, shown in a different exhibition in 2022 and unrelated to the Basquiat estate, has come to light. Los Angeles auctioneer Michael Barzman on Tuesday admitted to lying to the FBI last year about Basquiat forgeries exhibited in 2022 at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida and to helping create the fake artworks. Barzman, 45, of North Hollywood, agreed to plead guilty to the felony on Tuesday. In court documents filed by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California, Barzman admitted to creating 20 to 30 fake Basquiat artworks together with a man identified in the documents only as J.F. and said that the two agreed to sell the forgeries and split the profits. According to the filings, J.F. spent between five and 30 minutes knocking out each work, and Barzman sold them on eBay. J.F. has not been charged yet, according to a representative for the U.S. Attorneys Office, Central District of California. The fake artworks ended up on view in the Orlando exhibition, Heroes & Monsters: Jean-Michel Basquiat, which opened in February 2022. The FBI raided the museum in June and seized all 25 works. The exhibition was to set to close on June 30, and the works were slated to next show in Italy. Regarding the provenance of the works, the museum said the owners of the art had stated that theyd been found in an L.A. storage unit in 2012 that had belonged to the late Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Thaddeus Mumford. As the false story went: The works had been created in 1982, when Basquiat was living at art dealer Larry Gagosians Venice Beach home and preparing for a new exhibition, but the artist instead sold the works to Mumford. The OMA board fired the museums director and chief executive, Aaron De Groft, on June 28. Regarding Tuesdays news, OMA Board Chairman Mark Elliott said in a statement that the Orlando Museum of Art awaits the investigation's conclusion and hopes it brings justice to all victims. Story continues In the wake of this ongoing investigation, Elliott added, the Orlando Museum of Art has recommitted itself to its mission to provide excellence in the visual arts with its exhibitions, collections, and educational programming. "Basquiat lived with me for over a year and painted a lot of wonderful paintings then, but that has nothing to do with these paintings that were obviously false," Gagosian told The Times. "It sounds as if they were just trying to fabricate this ridiculous story. The [forged] paintings [at OMA] spoke for themselves they were just not right. Meanwhile, the Basquiat exhibition that recently opened downtown at the Grand LA provides more information about the artists time spent living in L.A. between 1982 and 1984, both in Gagosian's home and in a Venice Beach studio the artist rented. The show, Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure," is curated and executive produced by the artists sisters, Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux. When contacted by The Times, Basquiat and Heriveaux declined to comment on the Barzman news. The investigation is still open, and a court date for Barzman is forthcoming. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Apple TV+ While working my way through the tepid twists and turns of The Last Thing He Told MeApple TV+s latest mystery-thriller limited series, which airs its first two episodes FridayI couldnt help but think of a memorable plea from Roger Ebert. In a 1997 interview, the renowned critic spoke about how to cut through the noise when flooded with a sea of sameness. You cant see them all, so wait for a really good one, he said. Ebert was talking, then, about disaster movies, which had a hold over audiences in the late 90s. If were looking for a modern counterpart with the same ubiquity today, no doubt that its the streaming thriller limited series. The Gillian Flynn-ification of television has been present since shortly after the authors twisty, ferocious Gone Girl shocked theatrical audiences. When the thematically similar first season of Big Little Lies became a roaring success three years later, it brought a new wave of one-season, women-led thrillers to a crest. In the years since, its become easy to identify which shows are mere imitations of prior television triumphs, and which ones boldly forge new ground, propelling the genre forward instead of being content with treading water. The Last Thing He Told Me falls frustratingly in the middle. The series was adapted from Laura Daves 2021 bestselling novel by Reese Witherspoons production company, Hello Sunshine, which also produced Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, From Scratch, and Gone Girl (under its previous name, Pacific Standard). By Witherspoon and companys design, The Last Thing He Told Me seems like its meant to be the latest thriller series of the quarter. Although the genre is growing rote by saturation, its latest entry has one glowing curiosity. The Last Thing He Told Me marks Jennifer Garners grand return as the star of a live-action television show, following Alias ending in 2006. (No, I do not count 2018s Camping, nor should anyone else). Story continues Apple TV+ Garner is just as game for action and mystery-solving as she was nearly two decades ago, but its only thanks to her well-honed expertise that the series remains steady throughout its seven-episode run. Though it spends moments teetering on the highs of our most consistent streaming mysteries, The Last Thing He Told Mes irritatingly inconsistent pacing and thin, archetypal characters weigh down Garners refreshing refinement at almost every turn. Garner stars as Hannah, a self-sufficient woman only 14 months into her marriage with a widowed surveillance tech guru named Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Owen leads the development team at a high-profile securities company, developing a new encryption technology to protect users private data. When hes not toiling over his job, Owen tends to his family, bringing home orange chicken to try to smooth the stringent, rough edges that remain between Hannah and Owens persnickety teenage daughter, Bailey (Angourie Rice). Despite her best efforts, Hannah cant seem to break through Baileys robust emotional walls. The Final Season of Barry Is a Bleak and Brilliant Marvel On a normal afternoon, Hannah receives a paper note left by Owen that reads two simple words: Protect her. But its not until Hannah sees the news that Owens company has been raided by the FBI for investment fraud that she realizes something is deeply wrong. Owen is absent from FBI custody, and Hannahs desperate attempts to contact him have gone unanswered. She soon finds out that Baileys school locker came stuffed with a couple of surprises, too. In only a few hours, Hannah and Bailey have their lives upended by two cryptic notes, one missing man, and a duffel bag full of cash. The Last Thing He Told Me does a knockout job of setting up its mystery in its first two episodes. There are plenty of familiar genre tropes: gloomy figures watching from the shadows; the ardently hopeful best friend telling everyone to stay calm; flashbacks to serve as exposition. The stakes remain urgent and pleasantly invigorating. As its puzzle expands, however, the cracks begin to show. The writers stretch Rices defiant teenager to her limit by Episode 3. One wonders why a teenager whose dad has gone missing without a trace would approach her kind, helpful stepmother with so much willful defiance. The show tries to make a case for Baileys fear and grief manifesting in her adolescent harshness, but her constant repudiation of Hannahs affection feels forced and nonsensical. Hulus Am I Being Unreasonable? Finds Laughs in Total Darkness This is especially the case when Hannahs best friend, Jules (Aisha Tyler), lends her investigative journalism expertise to the case and is met with amiable vulnerability from Bailey. Why Hannahwho is trying to follow Owens request to protect Baileywould receive such viciousness from her stepdaughter, but Jules wouldnt, is perhaps this series bigger mystery. Bailey spends far too much of the series length being a complete and total grouch, hindering the time that should be spent developing her and Hannahs emotional arc. To her credit, Rice is committed to her own characters insolence, much in the way she was while playing the exact same person in Mare of Easttown. Though Bailey is nothing more than a cliche plucked from the outlines of another series, Hannah is a bracingly human mixture of real emotion and flaws. Garner taps into Hannahs aching maternal instinct, jumping between soft and spiky in the blink of an eye when her family is concerned. Shes so skilled at holding the cameras gaze, and so effortlessly naturalistic in her demeanor, that I spent so much time wondering why, after Alias, she isnt revered as one of televisions great players. Garnerand her buoyant, buyable chemistry with Aisha Tyler in every scene they shareis The Last Thing He Told Mes selling point. This is firmly and unapologetically a mystery for moms who like to relax with a glass or two of cabernet at the end of the day. Garner is fantastic, and the mystery is twisty enough to come back week after week, but theres a noticeable lack of creative oomph to elevate the material beyond its anchor actors. The show leans heavily on its gorgeous seaside Sausalito setting instead of bothering to craft a distinct style. Filming on-location leaves something to be desired in this case, and its hard to get much sense of any characters interior life through the conventional direction and slapdash set design. Apple TV+ Of course, there is a lot to be said for competence in this arena. The Last Thing He Told Me might not always understand how to keep its own momentum goingin fact, it often has long stretches of extremely middling excursions. But a decent mystery that continues to unfold through the final episode seems to be a tall order these days. The Last Thing He Told Me doesnt overstay its welcome like similar offerings, boasting only seven episodes, most of which are under 40 minutes. It gets the job done, and it does it effectively. But is good enough actually good enough anymore? Were getting at least two Big Little Lies-adjacent thriller series a year, and the hours will eventually add up. Like Ebert said, you cant see them all. Wait for a really good one to come around. Liked this review? Sign up to get our weekly See Skip newsletter every Tuesday and find out what new shows and movies are worth watching, and which arent. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Francesco Mangano grew up in Bologna, Italy, spending summers with family in Tuscany. He studied food and tourism there, and at one time thought he might be a journalist. His path took a different turn when he found himself moving to Wisconsin after meeting an exchange student. His quickest path to a career was cooking, and a culinary degree from Madison College plus a stint at Harvest helped him find his way. Over the past two decades the father of three put down roots in Madison, and in 2006 he opened his own small restaurant, Osteria Papavero, 128 E. Wilson St., Madison. Now, the James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef Midwest is sharing the recipes, stories and inspiration behind the restaurant in his new cookbook, Osteria Papavero: Recipes from the Italian Shack and Beyond ($26.95, Little Creek Press). Journalist Lindsay Christians co-authored the book with Mangano, who was also featured in her first cookbook, Madison Chefs (UW Press). Francesco Mangano grew up in Bologna, Italy. He's now a finalist for best chef-Midwest in the James Beard Awards. More: 'Madison Chefs' author looks at the people behind the city's thriving restaurant scene Embracing rustic and everyday cooking with Manganos many influences, the books featured recipes include restaurant staples, starting with the bechamel and ragout alla Bolognese. Other recipes are a nod to family feasts of his childhood (see Aunt Carlas Zucchini Pasta and Uncle Enzos Boar Ragout). The beauty of these recipes is most dont require fancy tools, expensive ingredients or days of planning. Hes even included the restaurants beloved butterscotch pudding and salame di cioccolato, the rich dessert chocolate salami he recommends serving with ice cream. These are recipes meant to be shared, creating a new chapter in Manganos story. Mangano and Christians will host a book launch party at noon April 30 at Osteria Papavero. James Beard Foundation award winners will be announced in Chicago on June 5 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mangano will miss the award ceremony, as he will be in Italy visiting his father. Story continues Francesco Mangano opened Osteria Papavero in Madison in 2006. The restaurant draws on his Italian heritage. More: Wisconsin semifinalists named in 6 categories for James Beard Awards Finding his passion for food I grew up in a family immersed in food. I was more of a voracious eater than a cook. I was constantly curious about food. My first job in Madison was doing catering for a year and a half. I got a taste for professional cooking and volumes. I didnt love that I found my passion in this restaurant. Osteria Papavero is modern, cozy and not too big. We can take care of people. It is not a destination restaurant where you go there once a year. It is not that kind of restaurant. That wasn't my idea. Travel and tradition influence him I was in Madison, then I had to finish my degree in Italy and went back. This was an intensive year of studies in food and wine tourism and products. It was basically a year of travel, still working in restaurants in Italy for that year. It was Monday through Friday in a restaurant, then Saturday and Sunday in Tuscany. They would invite some of the best butchers in Italy and food journalists, the chefs every weekend it would be a person famous in their own business somehow related to food. It wasnt necessarily learning about cooking, but about food in a very intensive ways. After that it was clear I needed to open something on my own, with a look to preserving tradition. I wanted a restaurant with simple food and original cooking from Italy. I worked with my mentor at Harvest in Madison. He was opening a second restaurant a block from the (Capitol) square and had an extra space in the same building. He proposed I open a tiny restaurant. This year will be 17 years. The restaurant is 48 capacity (indoors). We expanded and you can move your party into the areas outside the restaurant this summer, but still that is only around 60. Classic lasagna Bolognese is among the recipes Francesco Mangano shares in the new book "The Osteria Papavero Cookbook: Recipes from the Italian Shack and Beyond," co-written with Lindsay Christians. He wants to preserve and pass along traditions When I was (studying) in Italy my thesis was about butchers in Italy still making things the same way. Most of these people were making salami. They told me the same thing. "Im old, the people after me, they dont want to continue this. This way of doing salami will die with me, because no one wants to take it over." Thats why we do certain recipes at the restaurant and have not changed. I believe in making the capicola, the salami. The butterscotch pudding is not even my recipe originally! There is a lot of budino in my region of Italy. We actually took the recipe from the New York Times. I believe in preserving some ideas and traditions, some recipes, so we pass them on to the next generations. Putting his traditions on paper One of the reasons I wrote my cookbook, besides people asking about it, is that I was thinking about my kids and all the time I took away from them. I have three teenagers. This is something 50 years from now they can have. It is for my family, and my customers. I am still having a passion today, but I am getting older. Gnocci is shown at Osteria Papavero in Madison. Chef Francesco Mangano aims to present simple, traditional Italian recipes. He has no plans to open another restaurant I remember the first review we got. We got completely trashed. I was worried. I sincerely thought they didn't like us. Why? We were just opened and not a great review, a kind of sarcastic review about the "rustic" food we were making. But we went on, and I dont have the delusion that we are for everybody. Some people still ask for spaghetti and meatballs or certain things. They walk in, I say sorry I don't have that on the menu. We have core customers who appreciate what we do. Were a small neighborhood restaurant. I have no plans to open another restaurant. Ever. I micromanage. I cant imagine not being able to check on things! What you wont find in this book It was hard to shrink the volume of recipes. Besides the regular menu that changes seasonally, we also have specials that change daily based on the products we get. Somebody sent me a message asking about the salumi. That is something I couldnt include. A recipe on cured meats requires an entire book. I did a recipe for cured fish, which is something my uncle does back in Italy, but not the prosciutto, mortadella. That is such a specific thing, another book. Maybe in the future Ill have a chance to do that. A taste of time and place I think there is a story for every recipe. The idea of doing seasonal food here fit perfectly because you have this amazing farmers market. You could adapt those Italian recipes and techniques. It is not the same recipe I grew up eating, but it is an adaptation to Wisconsin and Madison. About that James Beard Award nomination It was a surprise to be nominated in February, and then again to be a finalist. It was such a surprise Id already booked a trip to Italy in June to see my dad. So I wont even be at the gala. I hope no one is offended. I only see my family once a year in Italy. One thing I appreciate more about the James Beard process in the past years is they are open to more casual restaurants, and more to restaurants that are not just "fine dining" If they appreciated me, then maybe they can appreciate and recognize other restaurants that are smaller than mine, more humble. I appreciate the recognition. Barese Focaccia is shown at Osteria Popavero. Specials at the restaurant change daily with emphasis on seasonal foods. What does he want to be known for? Im a dad, Im a cook and Im a traveler. If I retire tomorrow Id spend all my years traveling around. If I can get on a plane and go, Im happy. Taking a no-waste approach In the sense of what we do where, we dont throw away anything. For example, the fennel bulb, we use the top part roast, steam, whatever. Then the fronds we process and boil, then puree and strain overnight so we are able to break the fiber down. We separate the solids from the liquid, for a soup, or a pasta filling. We do the same with cauliflower stems, and that applies to most vegetables. Think of the broccoli and the artichokes with the leaves nobody uses. The financial part is important, but it is important to respect the vegetable or piece of meat that a farmer spent a lot of time raising or growing. It is disrespectful to take half of it and throw it in the garbage. Official book launch party set for April 30 Well have finger food, a spread of all Italian food, and fun. Im not a huge fan anymore of big seated formal dinners. We still do them, of course. We always do the New Years Eve dinner, but I kind of prefer events where people can come and go, be social, see someone they havent seen in a while, chat with me and my staff. It is less formal, more fun. Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email psullivan@gannett.com. More: Author is based in Brooklyn, but her heart is with Wisconsin cheese Sign up for our Dish newsletter to get food and dining news delivered to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Osteria Papavero, Madison: James Beard Award finalist has Italian food Boxes of the drug mifepristone sit on a shelf at the West Alabama Womens Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala., March 16, 2022. | Allen G. Breed, Associated Press Republican and Democratic lawmakers said the Biden administration should ignore one of the two opposing federal court rulings that are at odds over what access the Food and Drug Administration should provide to a widely used abortion pill. A ruling by a federal judge in Texas seeks to halt the legal use of mifepristone, a drug that has been used to terminate pregnancies for more than 20 years. In the U.S., mifepristone is approved to terminate pregnancies through 10 weeks, according to the FDA. The FDA also said 28 deaths related to mifepristone have been reported since the drug was approved in 2000, and it has been used by more than 5 million women during that time. The lawsuit alleged that the FDA did not follow protocol while approving the drug and ignored the safety risks associated with mifepristone, according to The New York Times. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, a Republican, urged the FDA to ignore the ruling. This is an FDA-approved drug. I support the usage of FDA-approved drugs, even if we might disagree, Mace said on CNNs This Morning. Its not up to us to decide as legislators or even, you know, as the court system that whether or not this is the right drug to use or not. Mace said that even those who are pro-life dont want the government to intervene in this radical of a manner, and the FDA has a rigorous process. The South Carolina representative, who says she is pro-life, voiced the same concerns as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who is on the opposite side of the abortion debate. I believe that the Biden administration should ignore this ruling, Ocasio-Cortez said in an appearance on CNN. I think one of the things that we need to examine is the grounds of that ruling. But I do not believe that the courts have the authority to, have the authority over the FDA that they just asserted, and I do believe that it creates a crisis, she added. What are the two abortion pill rulings? In Texas, Trump-appointed federal Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk wrote a 67-page decision where he questioned the FDAs approval process. Story continues There is also evidence indicating FDA faced significant political pressure to forgo its proposed safety precautions to better advance the political objective of increased access to chemical abortion, he wrote. The lawsuit was filed by pro-life doctors and advocacy groups. Senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, Erik Baptist, who represents the plaintiffs, called the ruling a significant victory, according to the National Catholic Register. The FDA put women and girls in harms way and its high time the agency is held accountable for its reckless actions, he said. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Washington released a separate decision. On behalf of 17 Democratic-leaning states, Obama-appointed Judge Thomas O. Rice argued that the FDA has already posed a set of restrictions on mifepristone, even though the drug has exceedingly rare side effects, according to the lawsuit. The Associated Press reported that this ruling will restrict the FDA from changing access to the abortion pill. Will the Texas abortion pill ruling be repealed? The U.S. Justice Department has filed a formal appeal against the Texas ruling. Meanwhile, the Biden administration also opposed Kacsmaryks decision. If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks, a White House statement said. This does not just affect women in Texas if it stands, it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication, regardless of whether abortion is legal in a state. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, suggested the FDA should be defunded if the Texas ruling is not adhered to. Its very dangerous when you have the administration, the Biden administration, coming out and saying they may not uphold a ruling, Gonzales said on Sunday, per The Hill. The House Republicans have the power of the purse. And if the administration wants to not live up to this ruling, then were going to have a problem it may come to a point where House Republicans on the appropriation side have to defund FDA programs that dont make sense, he said. Republican lawmakers want to know why a group of Catholic priests was barred from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just before Easter week services, leaving troops there with limited options for their religious celebrations. Clergy from Holy Name College, a community of Franciscan Catholic priests and brothers who have worked on the military campus for nearly two decades were told earlier this month that they would no longer be permitted access for religious services. It is incomprehensible that essential pastoral care is taken away from the sick and the aged, Catholic Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services said in a statement. This is a classic case where the adage if it is not broken, do not fix it applies. Medical center officials told Military Times the contract between the college and campus expired after military officials opted to partner with a different firm. However, officials with the Franciscan college said in a statement that the new group Mack Global LLC does not have Catholic clergy under contract to provide services and sacraments, leaving Catholic troops without reasonable access for their religious needs. Mack Global did not respond to emailed requests for comment. How harshly should DoD punish political, religious proselytizing? In a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, a group of 11 Republican members of Congress called the situation utterly unconscionable for troops at the medical campus. The Defense Departments actions to deny Catholic Pastoral Care from service members and veterans at Walter Reed goes against the morals, way of life, and rights that make up the fabric of our great nation, they wrote. Walter Reed officials said in a statement provided to the Military Times that the Mack Global contract is under review to ensure it adequately supports the religious needs of our patients and beneficiaries. Campus officials declined to provide specifics on how many troops at Walter Reed are practicing Catholics. The center does have one active-duty Army Catholic Priest assigned to the campus, providing pastoral counseling and sacramental rites, the statement said, but the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services said he is in the process of separating from service. Story continues The medical center also said three additional Catholic priests in the Washington, D.C. region are available for assistance, and they are confident that the center has sufficient resources to provide for the religious needs of our Catholic beneficiaries at the current time. But lawmakers in their letter challenged that assertion. Theyre asking for an official department response on what services were provided to Catholic troops over Easter week, what pastoral counseling help is currently available to troops and whether a for-profit secular firm was the best choice for the new contract. They also voiced glaring concerns about the DoDs lack of consideration for the needs of Catholic service members and veterans receiving care at Walter Reed. Walter Reed officials did not say when their contract review may be completed. In January, Gov. Ron DeSantis called on Florida lawmakers to overhaul the states higher education system with a clear target in mind: diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Shortly after, Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced bills that would have barred state universities and colleges from spending any money on programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory. But on Wednesday, a key Senate panel approved a complete rewrite of one of those bills Senate Bill 266, the companion to House Bill 999 and scrubbed any references to diversity, equity and inclusion. One of the concerns was that the restrictions on those initiatives could potentially endanger accreditation of certain higher-education courses and programs. Now, the Senate bill limits spending on a broader set of themes, and universities would be required to ensure programs do not delve into theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities. While DeSantis and his Republican allies have placed much of the focus on diversity and equity programs, the proposed legislation is sweeping and also makes changes to state universities hiring practices and accreditation protocols, and could make it harder for faculty members to maintain tenure or reverse a termination. The proposed changes were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education on a party-line vote during a two-hour hearing that included dozens of students, faculty and union representatives speaking in opposition to the bill. A key provision in the proposal, for example, would give university presidents the authority to fire and hire faculty. While they would be allowed to delegate those decisions to deans, the bill specifies that they would not be required to take into account others opinions. Currently, deans, department chairs and faculty committee make most of those hiring decisions. Story continues Initially, the proposal sought to largely leave all hiring decisions to each universitys politically appointed board of trustees. But lawmakers voted to shift that authority. The measure, however, adds more hurdles for faculty members. If they are stripped of tenure or fired, they would not be allowed to appeal the decision beyond the level of the university president, and there would be no arbitration option. Theres going to be some question of whether thats legal and how well that would hold up in court, said Andrew Gothard, president of the statewide union, United Faculty of Florida. But even beyond the sort of technicalities of that, what were seeing is the continued efforts of the Legislature to enforce Governor DeSantis big government version of how Florida should operate. DEI is no longer included DeSantis and Republican allies earlier this year sought to eliminate DEI in higher education because they say those programs force exclusion and division. But the reference to that terminology was removed because there were concerns that restricting diversity, equity and inclusion measures at universities could potentially endanger the accreditation of some courses and programs, explained the bill sponsor, Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach. Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, raised concerns about education accreditation courses for mental health professions that require curriculum on diversity, equity and inclusion. We cant make any more hurdles for them, Book said. I have a lot of emails and a lot of letters from people that think that it does [impact their courses], and we have a responsibility to listen to that. Grall maintained that the bill would not impact their accreditation, in part, because the bill does not specifically address DEI. She added that accreditation concerns were part of the reasons why the specific terminology was no longer used in the bill and why she instead opted to talk about theories that undermine institutions in the United States. It is encouraging to see the Legislature taking up this important topic and joining the conversation that the governor began with his legislative proposals for higher education reform in Florida. The governor is committed to ensuring that the DEI and CRT bureaucracies are cut off and wither on the vine, said Jeremy Redfern, a spokesman for the governor. This legislation is still part of the legislative process, but we look forward to it reaching the governors desk in final form. Under the proposed legislation, universities would be required to review curriculum and ensure their programs align with the states mission of not teaching about theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities. While the term DEI is not mentioned in the bill anymore, some worried the proposal is now even broader and in practice, could have a greater impact. Thats because the new phrasing leaves room for interpretation. Worries about consequences Martha Schoolman, an associate professor of English at Florida International University, worries the goal of the proposal aims to turn all of the states public universities into New College of Florida, where DeSantis and his allies are spearheading a conservative takeover. As a professor, I find it upsetting that the state Legislature is using the state university system as a political plaything with so little regard to its long-term consequences, Schoolman said. Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, worried the state is moving backwards. She reminded the committee of George Starke, the University of Floridas first Black student, who was accompanied to classes by police and had to sit rows away from other students. He stayed for two years but left. In 2009, UF honored him with a distinguished alumni award. And in 2021, Thompson successfully passed a resolution in the Legislature to honor Starke as a trailblazer in bringing diversity, equity and inclusion in the state of Florida. Were going backwards here, Thompson said. This would ignore 100 years of history. It would ignore what George Starke experienced at the University of Florida. We are confusing theory and fact. More than a dozen speakers argued against the bill. Many of them were young students who said they worried about the direction of the state, from book bans to name calling of transgender individuals. They worried about what they would be able to study. Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, however, argued that the word inclusion by default means theres an exclusion. Others questioned what an evidence-based approach to history was. Grall said one that had documentation, evidence of the historical event and a reliable methodology for putting it as part of the conversation. Majors no longer targeted In March, the House bill was amended to say universities should remove any major or minor that is based on or otherwise utilizes pedagogical methodology associated with Critical Theory, including, but not limited to, Critical Race Theory, Critical Race Studies, Critical Ethnic Studies, Radical Feminist Theory, Radical Gender Theory, Queer Theory, Critical Social Justice, or Intersectionality. While none of the listed topics are offered as majors or minors at Floridas public universities, Gothard said the new wording made it much worse. Gothard said by including methodology associated with, the wording could get rid of majors including English, criminal justice, education and pre-law. Its so much farther reaching, he said. This is bad policy. This is trying to address something they dont understand. This is the kid throwing rocks from across the railroad tracks because they know they want to hurt people. The proposed legislation has been criticized by several national academic groups from the American Historical Association to the American Association of University Professors. But that bills sponsor Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, said the intent was simply to improve rigor by removing concepts that have not undergone the same amount of peer review, debate and scrutiny. The bill is far simpler than opponents want to give it credit for, Andrade said in an interview. The same folks saying Stop Woke banned teaching of black history are the same folks lying about this bill. Joseph Cohn, the legislative and policy director for the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), said he opposed the measure not for ideological reasons but because it will chill and censor pedagogically relevant speech. Theres over 60 years of Supreme Court precedent saying that laws to cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom are unconstitutional, Cohn said. That case law does not differentiate between whether or not its in majors or minors or whether its in required classes or general ed classes. You cannot as the government decide that a particular idea is not welcome in the classroom, period, end of analysis. Miami Herald reporter Sarah Blaskey contributed to this report. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in the District of Columbia alleges that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security did not properly consider renewable energy in rebuilding Puerto Ricos power grid, making the island further susceptible to future climate disasters. The complaint, filed by a coalition of 10 community and conservation groups, accuses the federal agencies of misappropriating billions in federal recovery funds by conducting an incomplete environmental analysis. The Center for Biological Diversity joined nine Puerto Rican organizations including Alianza Comunitaria Ambiental del Sureste, Campamento Contra las Cenizas en Penuelas, Casa Tallaboena de Formacion Comunitaria y Resiliencia, Comite Caborrojeno Pro Salud y Ambiente, Comite Dialogo Ambiental, Comite Yabucoeno Pro-Calidad de Vida, El Puente de Williamsburg and Frente Unido Pro-Defensa del Valle de Lajas as plaintiffs. FEMA, the lawsuit alleges, has not properly considered sources such as rooftop solar and storage in rebuilding the grid, which was knocked out last September by Hurricane Fiona. The storm was the latest of several that have battered the island in recent years, most notably 2017s Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico passed a law in 2019 targeting 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. However, in January, Genera PR a division of an American liquefied natural gas firm received a contract to handle power generation on the island. In the meantime, fossil fuel infrastructure is particularly hazardous to low-income parts of the island, where residents are at high risk of health issues relating to coal ash and carcinogens like benzene, the plaintiffs noted. The direction promoted by FEMA and the state government to restore the outdated and polluting electrical infrastructure in Puerto Rico is contrary to the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change, Federico Cintron Moscoso, program director of El Puente de Williamsburgs Latino Climate Action Network in Puerto Rico, said in a statement. Story continues It extends the life of fossil fuels and halts any progress toward renewable energy. It perpetuates inequality against environmental justice communities disproportionately impacted by climate change, he continued. There are other alternatives, and we demand a change of direction that promotes real solutions and climate justice. A FEMA spokesperson told The Hill the agency does not comment on active litigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A new lawsuit aims to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant from remaining open past its originally scheduled closure dates in 2024 and 2025. The lawsuit, filed filed Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court by Friends of the Earth, alleges that PG&E, which operates the 2,200-megawatt power plant in coastal San Luis Obispo County, will violate a contract it made with environmental and labor groups in 2016 if the plant stays open. The 2016 contract outlined a new future for the power plant, which at the time was undergoing a license renewal process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the twin nuclear reactors operations 20 years past 2024 and 2025. Through the contract, PG&E agreed to close the two reactors in 2024 and 2025 and work with the California Public Utilities Commission to replace the plants electricity generation with sources of clean and renewable energy. Friends of the Earth, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environment California, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, the Coalition of California Utility Employees and the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility all signed onto the 2016 contract with PG&E. Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. After the state failed to procure enough clean energy to replace the power plant, however, PG&E is now pursuing a license renewal so it can operate the plant for at least another five years past 2024 and 2025. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March told PG&E that it can run the power plant past the closure dates without a current license as long as the utility company files a license renewal application for the two reactors by the end of 2023. Tuesdays lawsuit from Friends of the Earth claims that PG&E is ignoring the 2016 contract between itself and the other environmental groups. Contracts simply dont vanish into thin air, said Hallie Templeton, legal director for Friends of the Earth, in a prepared statement. Yet ever since California passed legislation supporting Diablo Canyons extension, PG&E has been acting as if our contract has disappeared. Story continues Templeton was referring to Senate Bill 846, the legislation California Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed for and signed in September of last year. That bill allocated up to $1.4 billion in a forgivable loan to PG&E to help finance the process to keep the nuclear power plant operating past its scheduled closure date. California Gov. Gavin Newsom tours the control room at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in Avila Beach during a quick visit to San Luis Obispo County on March 1, 2023. The bill invalidated the state Public Utilities Commissions approval of PG&Es proposal to close the power plant by 2024 and 2025. That proposal was born out of the contract signed by the utility company and environmental and labor groups. Senate Bill 846 does not mention the 2016 contract. PG&E is required to follow the policies of the state, wrote PG&E spokesperson Suzanne Hosn in an email to The Tribune on Wednesday. PG&Es actions toward relicensing Diablo Canyon Power Plant are consistent with direction of the State of California in Senate Bill 846. Friends of the Earths lawsuit claims otherwise and aims to hold PG&E accountable to the 2016 contract by prohibiting it from continuing to operate Diablo Canyon past 2024 and 2025. The group wants PG&E to stop pursuing continued operations at Diablo Canyon largely due to concerns that the aging power plant is unsafe. At the time the 2016 contract was signed, Friends of the Earth and other environmental groups were suing PG&E over its license renewal application because of safety and environmental concerns. But the groups agreed, with the 2016 contract, to drop the lawsuits. In light of Diablo Canyons planned retirement, in the years since the contract was entered into, PG&E did not undertake the maintenance and safety upgrades it otherwise would have, the lawsuit says. However, PG&E has long refuted concerns about the safety of the power plants continued operations. We have performed and continue to do all maintenance and make all necessary investments to ensure the continued safe and reliable operations of the plant as required by regulations and consistent with our operating licenses, Hosn wrote in a statement to The Tribune. Should the plant be relicensed, we will continue to maintain the plant to the very highest standards, and will ensure we meet all additional regulations and requirements to support extended operations. Regardless, Friends of the Earth asserts that the 2016 contract should not be ignored. We hope our litigation can push PG&E to re-consider its potential breach and uphold its obligations, including preparing for the agreed-upon retirement, Templeton said in the prepared statement. Joshua McLemore was arrested in Jackson County on July 20, 2021. He was dead three weeks later. A new federal lawsuit alleges that officials at the Southern Indiana jail failed, over and over, to provide adequate treatment for McLemore, who showed obvious signs of mental illness in the 20 days he was locked naked in a small, windowless isolation cell. The 29-year-old, who had a history of schizophrenia and substance abuse, deteriorated in plain view of jail officials and security cameras. Yet, according to the complaint filed Wednesday, jailers showed neglect and "deliberate indifference" to McLemore's wellbeing, keeping him in solitary confinement 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "Nobody deserves to be treated like that," said Seattle attorney Hank Balson, who represents McLemore's estate. "Nobody deserves to be ignored when they're suffering in that kind of condition." Joshua McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. In a constant state of psychosis, McLemore barely slept and, instead, spent hours staring into space, screaming, laughing, talking, gesticulating, sitting up and lying down, often covered in his own waste, the complaint says. He ate and drank very little of whatever the jail staff slipped through a slot in his cell door. Instead, he threw his meals on the floor and sometimes nibbled on the Styrofoam boxes his food came in. By Aug. 8, 2021 his 20th day in the isolation cell McLemore had lost almost 45 pounds and was severely emaciated. That day, according to the complaint, jail staff finally called an ambulance. McLemore died of multiple organ failure two days later. Death Sentence: Indiana's county jails are home to a hidden epidemic The lawsuit names as defendants Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer, other jail supervisors and medical staff, and Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc., a Tennessee-based private contractor that provides healthcare services to Jackson County Jail and about 370 other correctional facilities in 21 states. The sheriff's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Story continues Jessica Young, president and chief executive of Advanced Correctional Healthcare, said: "We take criticisms of the care provided by our team seriously. We are prohibited from disclosing patient information due to federal HIPAA privacy and confidentiality laws." The jail officials' actions, the lawsuit alleges, are also reflective of systemic failures to provide adequate mental health services to inmates. Left to die: Indianas county jails are home to a hidden epidemic thats growing worse Across Indiana's jails, a crisis fueled by overcrowding, widespread staffing shortages and an influx of people with mental health and substance abuse problems has led to hundreds of deaths. More than 300 inmates died from 2010 to 2021, an IndyStar investigation found. Many, like McLemore, were held on low-level charges and had not yet had their day in court. "Josh had not been convicted of any crime. He was a pretrial detainee," Balson said. "Everybody in jail is somebody's son, somebody's father, somebody's brother, somebody's daughter." Joshua McLemore is pictured with his mother, Rhonda McLemore. Joshua McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. 'Where am I?' McLemore was raised in Long Beach, Mississippi. He loved to read, play chess and video games, and watch sports. At some point, he and his girlfriend, Abigail Smith, moved to Texas. Smith died in a car crash in 2019. Smith's father, Slim Smith, said "that seemed to be the beginning of a real bad decline" for McLemore. McLemore moved to Indiana in late 2020 and settled in Seymour, about halfway between Indianapolis and Louisville. Joshua McLemore is pictured with his girlfriend, Abigail Smith, sometime in 2019. McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. On July 20, 2021, he was taken to the hospital after a maintenance employee at his apartment found him lying on the floor, naked and confused. About an hour after arriving at the hospital, police arrested him for pulling a nurse's hair while in a state of psychosis, according to court records. McLemore was immediately taken to the isolation cell at Jackson County Jail, where four guards pinned him against the wall and forced him to his knees, his face wedged into the corner of a concrete wall, video surveillance shows. After they stripped McLemore and left, he began licking the walls as he moved around on his knees. He spoke gibberish. At times, he stared at the camera jail staff used to monitor his movements. "Where am I?" he asked. Death sentence: Indiana jailers knew she might hurt herself, but she died hours later. She's not alone. A jail supervisor later placed McLemore on "medical observation," which required staff to monitor him via the surveillance camera every 15 minutes and log those observations. But the logs were maintained for only 7 1/2 of the 20 days that McLemore was in custody, according to the complaint. No mental health professional or physician checked on McLemore, even as jail officials witnessed clear signs of mental illness, according to the complaint. Joshua McLemore is pictured with his aunt, Lita Ladner, and his grandmother, Ruby McLemore. Joshua McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. The only medical personnel at the jail was a licensed practical nurse or LPN, whose first interaction with McLemore lasted less than two minutes, according to the complaint. That interaction ended with the nurse tossing a Gatorade bottle through the food slot, the complaint says, "the way one would toss a piece of meat to a wild animal in a cage." "The LPN's job is a gatekeeper. He doesn't have the authority to diagnose or order treatment, but his job is to make sure that somebody who needs care gets the level of care that he needs," Balson said. "He should've immediately recognized that Josh's needs were more than what the jail can handle." 'Force and restraint' instead of adequate care Jail guards took McLemore out of isolation only four times, either to clean the cell or give him a bath, using unreasonable force against an inmate who showed no signs of resisting, according to the complaint. Joshua McLemore was bound with a restraint device for 4 1/2 hours on July 25, 2021, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, the lawsuit alleges. On July 25, 2021, guards pinned McLemore to the floor and placed him in a restraint device. They bound his legs and ankles together and placed a harness over his head, strapping it to the bottom of the restraint device, according to the complaint. He was bound for 4 1/2 hours. On July 27, 2021, a week after he was arrested, McLemore was taken out of his cell for a brief shower. Guards strapped him to a chair and placed him under running water, video surveillance showed. "Custody staff resorted to the only tools they had been trained to use: force and restraint," the complaint says. By Aug. 6, 2021, video surveillance showed a weakened McLemore lying on a thin, blue mattress surrounded by food scraps and pieces of Styrofoam. He was barely able to lift his head as a staffer helped him drink Gatorade from a straw two days later. Video surveillance from Aug. 6, 2021, showed an emaciated Joshua McLemore lying on a thin blue mattress, covered in a thin blanket and surrounded by pieces of Styrofoam and food scraps. "Honest to god, this josh mcelmore (sic). Has the court said anything about getting him out of here ... he can't hold his hands, legs anything. He's dead weight," another jail staff said in a text message to the jail commander on Aug. 8, 2021. McLemore was taken by ambulance at about 6 p.m. that day. His mother decided to withdraw life support on Aug. 10, 2021. Rhonda McLemore died unexpectedly in December, almost a year and a half after losing her son. Joshua McLemore is pictured with his mother, Rhonda McLemore, during his 1st birthday. Joshua McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. "Josh was my sister's only child. His loss devastated her," Lita Ladner, Joshua McLemore's aunt, said in a statement. "He was also my only nephew, and a devoted friend to many. Even though he struggled with mental health issues we loved him with all our hearts." The Sarah Pender case: 'I deserve to be let home,' Sarah Jo Pender said. The man who prosecuted her agrees. A broader problem McLemore died less than a month after the death of another inmate at the jail. Ta'Neasha Chappell was found unresponsive by Jackson County jail staff and died at a hospital in Seymour on July 16, 2021. The 23-year-old Louisville woman began to get sick the day before, when she vomited and spiked a fever. But jail staff did not call an ambulance until nearly a day later when Chappell was found unconscious. Joshua McLemore is pictured shortly before he died on Aug. 10, 2021 at Mercy West Hospital in Cincinnati. McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. Last summer, almost a year after McLemore died, Jackson County Prosecutor Jeff Chalfant found that actions by jail officials did not rise to the level of a crime. But the prosecutor also found that McLemore "most likely died due to a prolonged lack of attention" by the jail staff. Balson acknowledged that jails across the country have been forced to house mentally ill inmates they're not equipped to keep. "There's a lack of will and a lack of commitment to make changes to the system so that people with mental illness aren't treated like criminals," he said. Joshua McLemore is pictured with his girlfriend, Abigail Smith. McLemore, 29, died of multiple organ failure after he was kept in an isolation cell at Jackson County Jail in Brownstown, Indiana for 20 days, according to a federal lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights. But he said this does not excuse the constitutional violations that happened in McLemore's case and the failure by supervisors to make sure staffers are trained. "This wasn't just one individual guard making a mistake or acting cruelly," he said. "This was a jail that did not have sufficient medical and mental health staff in place to treat people in their care." Contact IndyStar reporter Kristine Phillips at (317) 444-3026. Follow her on Twitter: @bykristinep. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Death of Joshua McLemore, a mentally ill jail inmate, prompts lawsuit The lawyer for an 11-year-old Moroccan girl, whose rapists received light sentences that outraged the country, on Wednesday urged authorities to review laws protecting minors. Mohamed Sebbar made the appeal at a news conference on the eve of an appeal hearing by the victim after a court sentenced one of the girl's three attackers to two years in prison, and the others to 18 months each. "We hope that justice will be rendered but also that the debate on reforming legislation concerning the protection of minors will be stepped up," Sebbar said in Casablanca. The now 12-year-old girl from a village near Rabat was raped repeatedly over a period of months, the Jossour Forum of Moroccan Women said in a statement last month. She was impregnated by one of her attackers, news website Medias24 has reported. The case has caused an uproar in the North African country, and a petition condemning the sentences, which were announced on March 20, has amassed tens of thousands of signatures. Last week dozens of demonstrators rallied in the Moroccan capital Rabat to denounce what rights groups have criticised as lenient punishment for the attackers, aged 25, 32 and 37. Morocco's penal code allows for prison terms of up to 30 years for the charges brought against the three accused, who were also ordered to pay a combined 50,000 dirhams ($4,900) in compensation. NGOs and the media in Morocco often sound the alarm in cases involving sexual violence against minors, calling for tougher penalities. The defence lawyer Sebbar on Wednesday said the appeal hearing is due to continue on Thursday, and that a minor witness was expected to testify probably behind closed doors. Amina Bouayach, who heads the state-run National Council of Human Rights (CNDH), on Wednesday also urged the government to make "urgent amendments to legislation in order to guarantee the rights of children and their protection against all forms of violence, and namely sexual violence". kao/isb/fka/hkb/it A leaked classified document alleges that Serbia, the only country in Europe that has refused to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, has agreed to supply arms to Kyiv or has sent them already. Source: European Pravda with reference to Reuters Details: The document, a summary of European governments' responses to Ukraine's requests for military training and "lethal aid" or weapons, was among dozens of classified documents posted online in recent weeks in what could be the most serious leak of US secrets in years. Entitled "Europe|Response to Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict", the document in chart form lists the "assessed positions" of 38 European governments in response to Ukraine's requests for military assistance. The chart showed that Serbia declined to provide training to Ukrainian forces, but had committed to sending lethal aid or had supplied it already. It also said Serbia had the political will and military ability to provide weapons to Ukraine in the future. The document is marked Secret and NOFORN, prohibiting its distribution to foreign intelligence services and militaries. It is dated 2 March, and embossed with the seal of the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's office and the Ukrainian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vucic's government has professed neutrality in the Ukraine war, despite the country's deep historic, economic and cultural ties with Russia. "If this document is accurate, it either shows Vucics duplicity vis a vis Russia or he's under enormous pressure from Washington to deliver weapons to Ukraine," said Janusz Bugajski, Eastern European expert with the Jamestown Foundation, a foreign policy institute. The Pentagon chart divided the responses to Ukraine's requests for aid into four categories: countries that had committed to provide training and lethal aid, countries that had already provided training, lethal aid or both, and countries with the military ability and the political will "to provide future lethal aid". Story continues Austria and Malta were the only two countries marked "No" in all four categories. The disclosure of the chart comes just over a month after documents posted in a pro-Russian Telegram channel purportedly showed the shipment by a Serbian arms maker of 122mm Grad ground-to-ground rockets to Kyiv in November 2023. The documents included a shipment manifest and a Ukrainian government end-user certificate. Background: In March, Moscow said it had asked Belgrade to provide an official explanation for alleged deliveries of military aid. Arms manufacturer Krusik Corp. from Valevo denied providing rockets or other weapons to Ukraine. Vucic called these accusations "blatant lies". "We have not sent any weapons or ammunition to Russia or Ukraine," Vucic said during a visit to Qatar on 5 March. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Leaked US intelligence appeared on several Discord servers before being discovered by officials, Bellingcat reported. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Leaked Pentagon documents appeared on Discord servers weeks before the received official attention. At least 10 documents appeared on the server "Minecraft Earth Map" on March 4, Bellingcat reported. Officials are racing to determine the origins of the leak and the security risks it poses. Update: Jack Teixeira, 21, was arrested Thursday in connection with the leaked Pentagon documents, attorney general Merrick Garland said. A "Minecraft" Discord server could be a critical link in the mystery of how a large cache of US intelligence documents was leaked online in recent weeks. At least 10 such documents were posted in March on a Discord server dedicated to the "Minecraft " video game, Bellingcat investigator Aric Toler reported. Discord, a gaming messaging platform, allows users to send text, audio, video, and photos to chatrooms. The documents on Discord were sent on March 4, more than a month before the leaked data appeared on 4Chan and Telegram, where media outlets and officials caught wind of the sensitive information. Since Thursday, Justice Department and Pentagon officials have been scrambling to determine the origin of the major leak, which they learned about when The New York Times published a story about the documents. Around 100 leaked files have been discovered so far. Exactly how many documents were leaked and how many are genuine or fabricated is still unclear. The documents include US intelligence on the war in Ukraine and surveillance on allies such as South Korea and Israel. Some files also suggest that the UK may have deployed as many as 50 special forces personnel in Ukraine, per The Guardian. Some of the 10 documents on Discord were marked "Top Secret" and appeared to contain maps and casualty figures for Ukraine, Bellingcat reported. They were posted on the "Minecraft Earth Map" server by a user trying to win an argument, per the outlet. "Here, have some leaked documents," the user wrote. Story continues "Nice," replied another. On the "Minecraft Earth Map" server, the documents gained wider attention and eventually made their way to 4Chan and Telegram, but the leak likely originated elsewhere, Bellingcat reported. The user who posted the documents claimed they obtained them from another Discord server created by a YouTuber called Wow_Mao, per Bellingcat. Wow_Mao told The New York Times he does not spend much time managing his Discord server but admits he could have moderated it better. He told The Times that he found it "hilarious" that the compromised information appeared on his server. But it's also possible that the leak could have originated in another Discord server, which has now been deleted, Bellingcat reported. In January, a document of a similar style was posted on a server called "Thug Shaker Central," though its name often changed, Toler reported. The analyst cited conversations with several members of the Discord server, who sent him images of the documents. "Yet given the images shared were screengrabs and not a link to the original server post, which has been taken down, it is not possible to independently verify their authenticity," Toler wrote. This isn't the first time sensitive documents have leaked in gaming communities. Players of "War Thunder," a video game that involves piloting combat vehicles, in 2021 shared classified information about British, French, and Chinese tanks on an online forum. Meanwhile, some US allies say many of the leaked documents may be fake. South Korea's presidential office said on Monday that both Washington and Seoul believe a "considerable amount of the documents were fabricated." Ukraine officials also cast doubt on the veracity of the leaked information. "The aim of secret data 'leaks' is obvious: divert attention, cast doubts & mutual suspicions, sow discord," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted on Sunday. A spokesperson for Discord told Insider in a statement that the platform is "cooperating with law enforcement" but could not comment on an active investigation. When reached by Insider, a representative for the Pentagon pointed to the Defense Department's Monday press conference. April 13, 2023: This story was updated to reflect responses from the Pentagon and Discord. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian agents have engaged in drone attacks in Belarus and Russia, with Kyivs officials considering other targets outside of the countrys territory, leaked U.S. documents reveal. Out of at least 100 intelligence documents that came to light on social media platforms last week, two papers obtained by NBC News appear to show Ukraine launching or considering operations inside the two countries. The finding is significant as Western nations including the United States have warned that such actions from Ukraine might cause partner nations to reconsider or limit military assistance for Kyiv. Asked about the report on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken would not comment on purported documents or specific actions that Ukraine takes when it comes to defending its sovereignty, but said Ukraine makes its own decisions. Ukraine has to make decisions about how it can most effectively defend itself against Russian aggression and take back the territory thats been seized from it, Blinken said at a State Department news conference. We give our advice as appropriate. We provide the support, that is well known, but Ukraine makes the decisions about how it actually prosecutes the effort to regain its territory, he added. One document marked Top Secret, details two separate attacks supposedly planned by Kyiv that minimally damaged a military airfield outside Minsk, Belarus, and a gas compressor station outside Moscow, according to the outlet. A second document claims that on Feb. 28 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested striking Russian deployment locations in Russias Rostov Oblast, near southeastern Ukraine, with drones, according to NBC. In the first attack in Belarus, Ukraines Security Service officials found that their agents had disobeyed orders and used a quadcopter drone to attack a Russian surveillance aircraft at a Belarusian airfield on Feb. 26, the document notes. The Russian surveillance aircraft was in the former Soviet state as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Moscow to station forces and military equipment in his country. Story continues Two days later on Feb. 28, Russian officials reported that Ukrainian forces used a drone to try to strike a gas compression station in Moscows suburbs, according to the document. In the paper on Zelenskys conversation, meanwhile, the Ukrainian leader suggested to Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny and a second unidentified Ukrainian official that Ukraine attack Russian forces across the border with drones in lieu of long-range missiles, according to NBC. The Biden administration has held off on supplying Ukraine with long-range missile systems as well as more advanced fighter jets over concerns Ukraine may use such weapons to strike targets within Russia, causing the conflict to spill into the West. NBC News and other outlets have not been able to independently confirm much of the information found in the leaked documents. Both the United States and Ukraine have declined to comment on the material. The U.S. government has hastily stood up an interagency effort to investigate the leak, with both the Pentagon and Justice Department looking into the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Within the space of two weeks, the Attorney General Raul Labrador has flip-flopped on the legality of referring patients seeking abortions to out-of-state clinics. Its the clearest demonstration yet that it does not pay to have the state represented by a career politician, instead of a career lawyer. Late last month, House State Affairs Committee Chairman Brent Crane, R-Nampa, asked Labrador whether referring a patient outside Idaho, or prescribing abortion medications that could be picked up outside Idaho, would violate Idahos abortion laws. Labrador, with his personal signature on the March 27 letter, told Crane: Idaho law prohibits an Idaho medical provider from either referring a woman across state lines to access abortion services or prescribing abortion pills for the woman to pick up across state lines. Idaho law requires the suspension of a health care professionals license when he or she assists in performing or attempting to perform an abortion. But just a few days later, facing a federal lawsuit, Labradors lawyers told federal Judge B. Lynn Winmill that he had rescinded it, according to CNN, so the issue was moot. So, according to Labrador, a few weeks ago the law required license suspension for any doctor who referred a patient out of state for an abortion. But as of last week, its just fine. Which version was right? Im not a lawyer, so its hard for me to say. But there is one thing I can say for certainty: The legal advice given out by the Office of the Attorney General is at this point unreliable. This is exactly what many including former Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, Labradors primary opponent, and Tom Arkoosh, Labradors general election opponent warned about during campaign season. Labrador is a political animal with a lot more experience in legislative bodies than courtrooms, so the task now before him is fundamentally unfamiliar to him. When you fire off a shocking press release in Congress, you insert yourself into the cable news cycle. Its a thoroughly unserious place, and thats politics. Story continues Things are different when you are the states chief law enforcement officer. When a person like that issues an opinion about what the law says, someone might get arrested. Or the state might get sued and lose. On the campaign trail, Labrador promised to be a partner with conservatives in the Legislature, to help them defend their positions in court. But hearing words you like doesnt get you any closer to enacting the policies you want. It just lets you feel justified for a little while before the courts slap you down. In this case, for less than two weeks. Labrador is likely to justify this reversal by emphasizing that his original opinion was meant as a private opinion for lawmakers, not as guidance to law enforcement. But if an interpretation of the law is good, it doesnt change based on the audience. Wasden habitually likened himself to an umpire, calling balls and strikes. And the office he built was pretty good at it. When they told the Legislature it would get sued and lose, they were usually right. This often drove some lawmakers crazy, since the most common scenario was an opinion stating that their latest preferred policy was unconstitutional. So they often ignored him. The Idaho Constitutional Defense Fund has paid out some $3.2 million in taxpayer dollars for unconstitutional things the state did, largely bills passed by the Legislature. If lawmakers had heeded Wasdens advice, that figure would be much lower. Just as advertised, Labrador is different. Theres no one telling conservative lawmakers, youll lose in court, anymore. Theres no strike zone. Wherever the pitch is thrown, if a conservative is at bat, itll be called a ball. Which is great for their egos and all. But its far from clear that the right has gained anything real in this trade. Labrador doesnt have the final say on anything, as his sheepish reversal in front of Judge Winmill demonstrates. Bryan Clark is an opinion writer for the Idaho Statesman based in eastern Idaho. We cant afford RFA proposal The proposed Regional Fire Authority property tax will swap in for property taxes the city now collecting, at an amount no greater than $1 per $1,000. What are the current $ per $1,000? The city will be divorced from the fire department and former city funds will be diverted to other programs. Meaning no tax savings and could open us up for even more city taxes. The article said an average-sized single-family home would pay anywhere from $380 to $450 a year. Former Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet said most apartments would hover around $60 a year, or $5 a month. I live in a single-family condo, and according to the Tumwater website, I would pay $1,310.13 a huge tax increase! This Regional Fire Authority (RFA) is a NEW taxing district, and to add new employees and stations (to get that 1-2 minute extra response time!), they will need to ask for more money and soon. Steven Busz said if the RFA doesnt pass, services the two departments currently provide will start to dwindle. Using this theory, do the same with Police, Public Works and Parks departments. The cities would still collect the same taxes they do now and we would have to vote to pay more taxes for each spin-off department. Mr. Kmet said raising property taxes could be harmful to low-income residents. He is right about that, I am one, and do not want to be homeless! Without more information than I got from this article, I will be voting no! Ken Estes, Olympia Timberland Regional Library dysfunction Regarding The Olympians April 2 article on the Timberland Regional Library accountability audit. As a former TRL board member, I resigned in November 2020 because of the dysfunction of the board and management. I didnt believe the board of trustees was acting as a governing board responsible for the financial stewardship of millions of taxpayer dollars. Too often what I saw were the trustees acting as cheerleaders for management. A little-known fact is that Thurston County taxes subsidize three counties: Lewis, Grays Harbor and Pacific. With only three libraries compared to other counties with many more libraries, Mason County is more than self-sustaining. The three counties needing tax subsidies control decisions of the TRL board. Story continues Frequently, I took issue with the contracting policy and questioned the legality of decisions. Neither the director nor the board chose to revise the policy. My resignation letter went to all five county commissions, spelling out the dysfunction of this organization generously funded by taxpayers in 2023 at $35 million. Perhaps it is time for county commissioners to get involved, as they appoint the board of trustee members. Brenda Hirschi, Shelton Want to save the ocean? Think twice before you flush Chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and even caffeine are being detected in Puget Sound waters at increasing rates. Why? Some pass unmetabolized through our bodies and are flushed down the pipes; some are thrown in the toilet by hand. Thats right, lots of people flush their unwanted prescriptions. Certainly, we want to keep those pills from being accidentally ingested, and flushing seems easy, right? Dont do it. Unfortunately, current wastewater treatment plants are not designed to clear these types of contaminants. This means a cocktail of things not naturally occurring in nature are being deposited into the ecosystem including the tissues of aquatic wildlife. Nature doesnt need a cup of coffee, let alone pharmaceuticals. The human-induced presence of caffeine in our waters can be used as a marker of human impact. If it is present, scientists find other human-leaked chemicals as well. The Washington state Department of Ecology recently tested waters in our region and found many contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), some at a high level. Pharmaceuticals used to treat diabetes, seizures, depression, and inflammation were highest. While we may not be able to control what passes through our bodies, we can choose to dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals properly. There are free drop boxes at pharmacies throughout the Olympia area. Save the whales one flush at a time. Cynthe Slaybaugh, Olympia State Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) has proposed a bill that would make it easier to detain people in extreme psychological distress. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) To the editor: In your article on a state bill to make it easier to detain seriously mentally ill people in California, Dr. Margot Kushel's quote about the bigger problem being the lack of mental health resources is spot on. SB 43 author Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman's (D-Stockton) energy would be better spent on increasing state funding for mental health care. The for-profit system we have encourages hospitals to release patients from holds early and fails to give mental health professionals the time to treat people. We need more robust funding for treatment and services to address this. Eggman's suggestion that redefining "grave disability" would not affect the procedural rights of Californians in conservatorship hearings is nonsensical. The definition is the main element in jury instructions for conservatorships. Dr. Kushel and those on the ground fighting for more resources are understandably skeptical of this approach. Making it easier to detain people doesn't improve patient care or outcomes, which should be the focus. We don't need more judges and attorneys being paid to process these cases. We need full funding for mental health care with early screening and support for patients and families. Karl Fenske, Los Angeles .. To the editor: SB 43 might actually help. Making it easier to detain mentally ill people is a difficult issue, but I support this effort. Back in the 1970s, I taught adult education in Pomona. I led exercise classes for mentally ill adults at two facilities, one locked and the other unlocked, meaning the residents were able to come and go with restrictions. I was impressed with the amount of services provided. I moved away in 1979. Now back in California, I have seen that these facilities are closed. Today the homeless population has exploded. As a cyclist, I ride the San Gabriel River path and see the effects of mental illness. It was refreshing to read of Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan for a "$3-billion bond measure for the construction of mental health campuses, residences and permanent supportive housing." I hope this comes to fruition. Story continues Mary Nowak, Long Beach .. To the editor: Take if from me, whose severely mentally ill sister lived and died on the streets. As a society, we take better care of dogs than we do people with mental illness. There are leash laws, rules for rabies vaccinations and thousands of shelters and rescue groups trying to find them safe, loving homes. Shame on us. Laura Morgan, South Pasadena This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. (Alamy/PA) Being LGBTQ+ worsens the salary gap among young adults, new research from Just Like Us, a charity supporting LGBTQ+ young people, has found. According to the report, 24% of LGBTQ+ young adults make less than 19,999 per year, compared to 16% of non-LGBTQ+ young adults. Both LGBT+ identity and gender made a big difference to young adults salaries. Straight women were almost twice as likely to have a salary of less than 19,999 (20%), compared to 12% of straight men. Being LGBT+ worsens the salary gap further. (2/7) https://t.co/uoxJ5NObuY Just Like Us (@JustLikeUsUK) April 12, 2023 When gender is considered the stats become starker. A third of LGBTQ+ women earned less than 19,999, compared to 25% of non-binary people and 17% of LGBTQ+ men, said Just Like Us. Of all members of the LGBTQ+ community, asexual people and lesbians were the most likely to earn 19,999 or less, in data gathered from a survey of 3,695 young people aged 18 to 25. According to 2022 ONS data, the median annual pay for full time employees was 33,000 in the UK. Salaries varied greatly among LGBTQ+ identities, but overall LGBT+ young adults made consistently less than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. Workplace disparities extended beyond pay in this study. A quarter of LGBTQ+ young adults said they went back into the closet when they started work and of those surveyed, 14% said they rarely or never felt able to be themselves at work, and 19% said they had experienced workplace bullying. Amy Ashenden, interim CEO of Just Like Us, told PA Media: The research suggests not only a potential salary gap for gender, but also for sexual orientation as young as the 18-25 age bracket, meaning many LGBTQ+ young adults are hit extra hard. Huge differences like this so early on in their careers will no doubt have a long-lasting impact on their future abilities to thrive at work. Lesbians, for example, face both homophobia and sexism and are among the worst hit by lower salaries, in our research. There are serious, disproportionate challenges faced by LGBTQ+ young adults in the workplace. A work environment where LGBTQ+ employees know they are welcomed and valued is vital to their wellbeing and to making sure they have equal access to career success. US Senator Lindsey Graham met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on April 11, 2023. Saudi Press Agency South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham was pictured meeting Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman. The US senator had pledged to isolate the Saudi leader over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. But he appears to have had a change of heart. Sen. Lindsey Graham held a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince this week, a leader he had previously described as an "unhinged" murderer following the assassination of dissident Jamal Khashoggi. In a tweet Tuesday, Graham said he had just had a "very productive, candid meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and his senior leadership team. "The opportunity to enhance the U.S.-Saudi relationship is real and the reforms going on in Saudi Arabia are equally real," he added. The government-linked Saudi Press Agency (SPA) released pictures of the meeting, in which the South Carolina senator and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are pictured laughing, flanked by top US and Saudi officials. In his tweets, Graham said he thanked the crown prince for a recent multi-billion dollar Saudi deal for Boeing jets, which are manufactured in South Carolina. "Investments like this are game changers," said Graham. Neither Graham nor the SPA mentioned that the 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi royal family, had been among the issues discussed. The murder of Khashoggi, who was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, prompted an international outcry. Graham was among the most prominent figures in the US calling for the crown prince to be punished over the killing, which the CIA believes he personally ordered. Saudi Arabia denies he had any involvement. "This guy has got to go," Graham said in a 2018 Fox News interview, and said the crown prince had Khashoggi "murdered." Story continues "Saudi Arabia, if you're listening, there are a lot of good people you can choose," Graham said. "But MBS [Mohammed bin Salman] has tainted your country and tainted yourself." Graham, who had previously supported closer US-Saudi ties, in the same interview said he would not be "going back to Saudi Arabia as long as this guy is in charge." "If he is going to be the face of Saudi Arabia going forward, I think the kingdom will have a hard time on the world stage," Graham told NBC in a separate interview. "They are an important ally, but when it comes to the crown prince, he is irrational, he is unhinged, and I think he has done a lot of damage to the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and I have no intention of working with him ever again." Graham is not the first US politician to make a dramatic u-turn in his attitude towards the Saudi leader. President Joe Biden had pledged to make the crown prince a "pariah" while seeking election in 2020, but as president has instead chosen to maintain an alliance. Read the original article on Business Insider The search for the next Manatee County School Superintendent is nearing its conclusion. The district announced a list of semifinalists on Wednesday. Finalists are expected to be announced April 28, with the next superintendent chosen in May with a tentative July 1 start date. Cynthia Saunders is retiring from the superintendent position at the end of the June. School board members and Florida School Boards Association representatives determined the following candidates as semifinalists for the superintendent role: Scott Schneider, current chief of schools for Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville Michael Scott Flowers, current chief of staff for the Osceola County School District in Kissimmee Dr. Ann Hembrook, current area superintendent for Marion County Schools in Ocala Dr. Kim D. Moore, current assistant superintendent for Pasco County Schools in Land OLakes Dr. Benjamin Henry, current regional superintendent for the Polk County School District in Bartow Ernie Lozano, current executive director of behavioral threat assessments for Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale Dr. Jason C. Wysong, current deputy superintendent for Seminole County Public Schools in Sanford Dr. Richard J. OMalley, current superintendent for Florence One Schools in Florence, South Carolina Dr. Scott A. Davidheiser, current superintendent for Lower Moreland Township School District in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania Doug Wagner, current deputy superintendent of operations for the Manatee County School District Charlie Van Zant, former superintendent for the Clay County School District in Green Cove Springs Tim Bargeron, current chief finance officer for the Seminole County School District in Sanford The FSBA is collecting additional information about the semifinalists to distribute to school board members on April 21, a news release said. A school board workshop is slated for April 28 at the Miller School Support Center in Bradenton, where finalists will get chosen. From there, out of the area finalists are scheduled to arrive in Manatee County on May 9, with interviews to follow May 10 and 11. A special board meeting is scheduled for May 16 to choose the next Manatee County school superintendent. The May 23 school board meeting is set to approve the contract for the superintendent and a transition period between the outgoing Saunders and the new superintendent is slated for May 24. Editors note: This story is no longer being updated. For the latest information on this story, please visit bnd.com. Authorities have determined that the reported threat that led to a lock down at Granite City High School on Wednesday was not credible, according to Chris Mitchell, a district spokesman. Mitchell also said only the high school has an early dismissal Wednesday. No other schools have early dismissal, he said. Illinois school districts get false threats School districts in other parts of Illinois were facing a similar situation as Granite City High School on Wednesday morning, according to news reports. In Rockford, for example, police were responding to what they said appears to be a ``false report of a possible shooting at Rockford East High School. At this time, we are working on confirming details, but it looks to be a false report, the department tweeted according to a report from TV station 5Chicago. We are clearing the building as we speak and further updates will be posted. According to WSIL TV , there were false reports in southern Illinois school districts, including in Marion, Mount Vernon and Carbondale. It was a false alarm Kantrell Stevenson, 15, said no one in his classroom was scared and they continued doing their work until they were dismissed. We just stayed in our classroom and did our tests, he said. We locked the door and we stayed there until they unlocked the doors. He also said the students all believe the threat was a hoax. It was a false alarm, Kantrell told his uncle, Richard Womack, outside the building. They were fibbing. It was a lie. Thats what I heard. Parents said the way they heard about the threat was through Facebook and word of mouth. They are only letting students out one or two at a time only if they have slip saying their parents are waiting outside for them. Some parents said they have been told students are waiting in the schools cafeteria. A long half an hour Parents waited in the nearby Schnucks parking lots at Madison and Nameoki. Story continues Paul Brandt was relieved to get a text from his son saying he was OK, but did not know why the police were called. Brandt had to drive 30 minutes from his workplace in St. Louis to get to the high school before he received his sons text. It was a long half an hour Brandt said. It was very scary Joe Clark, who has a 10th-grade son and 11th-grade daughter at Granite City High School, said both his children were taking the SAT college entrance exam and were not permitted to have their phones. That made information hard to come by. I know that mine (children) are OK. They texted me, Clark said. They dont have a clue whats going on. At least they didnt the last time I heard from them. Theyre SAT testing today. They didnt have their phones so it took me quite a while to get a hold of them. It was very scary; I didnt take a breath for about 30 minutes it felt like, until that response text message. Early dismissal procedure The Granite City High School administration asks that parents not come to the high school until they are notified to do so following the report of the possible threat. At 11 a.m., the administration announced a noon release of students with specific instruction for parents to enter of State Street only and exit on Fehling Road. They were asked not to leave their vehicles. A member of the school staff is tracking the names of students as they depart. Students were not in their regular classrooms due to standardized testing that was taking place Wednesday. Granite City Police alerted to possible threat Police vehicles were circling Granite City High School for blocks and a SWAT Team truck was on the scene at the Community Unit District 9 Madison Avenue campus on Wednesday morning. Granite City Police were alerted to a possible threat, according to a statement from the school district. Multiple police agencies and the FBI were at the school. It has been determined that all students and staff at Granite City High School and Coolidge Junior High are safe and the GCPD will be handing reunification with the district, says the statement, which was signed by Superintendent Stephanie Cann. Parents of Granite City High School students wait anxiously outside the exit, some waving and shouting for their children. Police would not allow them to get any closer to the building after a threat of violence forced a lockdown, then early dismissal as agents from multiple police units and FBI investigated. Anxious parents wait outside school At 10:30 a.m., the school was surrounded by police cars and ambulances with flashing lights and individual officers were outside entrances. Many anxious parents were parked outside the school. A neighbor watching from the edge of the schoolyard said two helicopters landed in a park next to the school. A threat against Granite City High School was posted on social media March 2, a day after a pair of fights between students in a hallway at the school. A similar rash of threats at multiple metro-east high schools was made in September. Granite City School District 9 staff in florescent vests meet with parents during early dismissal Wednesday to track the departure of students. Teri Maddox/tmaddox@bnd.com Denise Bennett was outside the school talking on the telephone with her daughter, a special education teacher who was inside. She said that all her kids were safe and accounted for. The principal told them to stay in place, to stay locked down until further notification. I said, Are you scared? And she said, `Of course Im scared, mom, but I have to hold it together for the kids. Police were going from room to room inside the school, checking each one to make sure the students and staff were safe. They checked Bennetts daughters room, locked the door and left. Text of the school districts statement Dear GCSD9 Families, The Granite City Police Department was alerted to a possible threat at Granite City High School. GCPD took quick action and were on site almost immediately after the threat was made. It has been determined that all students and staff at Granite City High School and Coolidge Junior High are safe and the GCPD will be handing reunification with the district. Parents should not come to Granite City High School until notified. Reunification will take place at Granite City High School. All pertinent information will be shared as soon as its available. Please know that the safety of our students and staff is the priority at this time. This is a breaking news story. More information will be reported as it becomes available. Find live updates on Day 9 of the trial here. Rexburg Police Det. Ray Hermosillo testified for roughly six hours Tuesday outlining the police departments months-long role in the investigation of Lori Vallow Daybells two missing children. Authorities, including Hermosillo, located the remains of 7-year-old Joshua Jaxon JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan on her husband Chad Daybells property on June 9, 2020. Hermosillo was the sole witness called by the prosecution Tuesday, and around 3 p.m., the defense began its cross-examination of Hermosillo. Vallow Daybells defense attorney John Thomas questioned Hermosillo for roughly 30 minutes before the jury was sent home for the day. It has been a tough day, Hermosillo responded. Hermosillos testimony wrapped up Wednesday morning after Vallow Daybells defense attorney John Thomas finished his cross-examination. An 18-person jury 12 jurors and six alternates will decide whether Vallow Daybell is guilty of the first-degree murders of her two children. Vallow Daybell is also charged with three counts of conspiring to commit murder in her childrens deaths and the death of Tammy Daybell. Vallow Daybell later married Tammy Daybells husband, Chad Daybell. Chad Daybell whose trial date has not been set is charged with the first-degree murder of Tammy Daybell, JJ and Tylee. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the childrens deaths. The Daybells have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Vallow Daybell also faces a charge of conspiring to commit first-degree murder in the death of her former husband, Charles Vallow, in Arizona. Check this story for live updates on Vallow Daybells trial. Fremont County Lt. Joseph Powell testified Wednesday in the Lori Vallow Daybell trial. 10 a.m. Court adjourns early for unforeseen circumstance Fremont County Lt. Joseph Powell told the courtroom Wednesday that local authorities opened an investigation into Tammy Daybells death because of all of the suspicious circumstances. Powell said that Tammy Daybell appeared to be in pretty good health and was only 49 years old. He added that the investigation into the attempted shootings of Tammy Daybell and Brandon Boudreaux, Tylee and JJs uncle, along with her husband being with another lady so soon after, prompted the death investigation. Story continues Boudreaux was shot in October 2019, about a month after Tylee and JJ went missing. Boudreaux in his testimony Monday said he was driving back from the gym when a gunman shot him through the back window of a grayish-green Jeep Wrangler. East Idaho News reported that an unknown masked man also shot at Tammy Daybell several times with a paintball gun, and the gun may have been unloaded. The incident occurred 10 days before she was killed. Powell also surveilled the Daybells in early November and said he saw them walking into a Hobby Lobby holding hands. This was after the Gilbert Police Department reached out to Powell about the possibility of Tammys death being connected to Boudreauxs shooting. After authorities exhumed Tammy Daybells body and performed an autopsy, it was ruled that her death was a homicide and she died by asphyxiation, Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake told the court Monday during opening statements. The court was adjourned by 10:45 a.m. Wednesday due to what 7th District Judge Steven Boyce called an unforeseen circumstance. The trial was also canceled on Monday, April 17. East Idaho News reported that Blake who was not in court Wednesday had a death in the family, which may be why the court schedule was changed. The trial is expected to pick up again at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. 9:30 a.m. Jail call between Daybells played in court The jury listened Wednesday as a short phone call between Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell played. The recorded jail call was on June 9, 2020 the day authorities discovered the remains of JJ and Tylee on Chad Daybells Salem, Idaho, property. Are they in the house? Vallow Daybell asked Chad from the Madison County Jail. He told her that law enforcement is out on the property. Are they seizing stuff again? Vallow Daybell asked. Theyre searching, he responded slowly. Shortly afterward, authorities found the childrens remains and Chad Daybell attempted to leave the area in his vehicle at a high rate of speed, Hermosillo told the court Tuesday. Chad Daybell was arrested and booked into the neighboring Fremont County Jail that evening. Three jail recordings, including the one that played for the jury, were admitted into evidence Wednesday. Madison County Lt. Jared Wilmore, who oversees communication between people incarcerated at the Madison County Jail, confirmed the credibility of the jail calls and said he monitored a number of phone calls between the Daybells. The other recordings were conversations between Vallow Daybell and her sister, Summer Shiflet, on June 24, 2020, and Vallow Daybell and her eldest son, Colby Ryan on Aug. 3, 2020. What do you want me to do? Vallow Daybell asked Chad Daybell toward the end of their phone call. Pray, he responded. But then Chad Daybell, who said on the phone that hes feeling pretty calm, also suggested calling their attorney. 8:30 a.m. We followed up on every tip Hermosillo said during Wednesdays testimony that none of the hundreds of tips they received from the public helped authorities locate Tylee or JJ. This was in response to questions about whether police were really able to follow up on every tip they received about the children. We followed up on every tip, Hermosillo said. In response to a question from Thomas, he said that certain people didnt respond when they called them back, so he wasnt able to talk to every tipster. Hermosillo on Wednesday added that some of the tips were from psychics. He also said police didnt find any evidence to show that JJ or Tylee were alive past September. Hermosillo also clarified details regarding the guns located in the Rexburg apartment. He said that while authorities now dont believe any of the weapons they found were Vallow Daybells, he still thought they were extremely suspicious. He added that authorities seized the guns because the scene wasnt secure, and the door to the apartment didnt lock. Police broke the apartment door when they searched the home. Thomas asked Hermosillo if police ever found any bullets or bullet holes at Tammy Dayballs residence when they investigated what police called attempted homicide. Hermosillo said he couldnt comment because it was the Fremont County Sheriffs Office investigation. Amid the high energy of lively songs and imaginative dance routines, the musical Mean Girls has a message to convey about the importance of being kind, or at least kinder, to one another. In our highly divided society where we tend to look for ways to cut people down rather than build them up, its a message worth adopting. And it comes through by the end of a spirited touring production of Tina Feys musical version of her hit 2004 movie, which is playing through Sunday at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Like the movie (though updated to include references to social media posts), the musical is about the rules of social status and cliques among students, and the high-powered trio known as the Plastics who rule life at North Shore High in the Chicago suburbs. 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 Fetch Happens: Actress learns to be the Queen Bee in Mean Girls musical tour From left, English Bernhardt as Cady, Jasmine Rogers as Gretchen, Nadina Hassan as Regina and Morgan Ashley Bryant as Karen in the national tour of the musical Mean Girls. Thats where a new student, 16-year-old Cady Heron, has arrived after being home-schooled by her parents in Kenya. Cady trades one jungle for another, using her understanding of power structures in the animal kingdom to navigate the treacherous school hallways. One of the early songs, Where Do You Belong? is a bouncy number that explains all the different groups, which ones to avoid and which to envy. It is performed by two outcasts, the openly gay Damian (played by Eric Huffman with a smile that masks pain) and the defiant, angry and overlooked Janis (played with fierce detachment by Lindsay Heather Pearce). They adopt and guide Cady until she can figure out her place and, seeing an opening, encourage Cady to infiltrate the Plastics to hopefully knock them down a bit. But no one counts on how easily Cady adapts to her new power status and becomes one of them, which she thinks might help her win over Aaron, the cute boy she likes from her math class. Story continues Not surprisingly, just about every character is filled with some kind of angst, and it could be sad to witness the social pressures if Fey didnt keep the tone light with humorous banter. Nadina Hassan as the Plastics leader Regina George presents a stern demeanor and a look of disdain for just about everything. Still, you can tell shes afraid of losing her power. And her two supposed besties who should be sitting pretty, are both walking that same fine line between happiness and despair. Jasmine Rogers is earnest as the eager-to-please Gretchen, and Morgan Ashley Bryant makes the dim-witted Karen more than just an air-head. English Bernhardt is delightful as Cady, particularly in her sweeter moments. Shes an open, smart and curious young woman, but it becomes difficult to watch her become someone she actually abhors. Adante Carter has charm as Aaron, who likes the Cady he first meets in class, not the one who is emulating Regina, who turns out to be his ex. Hamilton, Hadestown and more: Broadway hits headline new Van Wezel season in Sarasota Review: Small town tries to raise its profile in FST world premiere Meet Joe Whitefeather Will the music continue?: Future of Punta Gorda Symphony in question after canceled concert, concerned musicians A scene from the touring production of Mean Girls, a musical version of Tina Feys hit 2004 movie, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Huffman and Pearce make Damian and Janis seem like the best-adjusted students, even though they also have their issues. They are compelling because of how the actors give them their own kind of power. Damien uses snarky comments and fun tap routines and Pearce gets some powerhouse rock ballads to express Janiss feelings. Heather Ayers also is fun in multiple roles as a teacher accused of criminal activity and Reginas mother who still wants to be one of the girls. Feys book is set to a rock-infused score by her husband, Jeff Richmond, with lyrics by Nell Benjamin that suit the characters each has their own musical voice, though theyre not instantly memorable. The story moves along with a smooth fluidity in the staging and inventive choreography by Casey Nicholaw, who uses cafeteria trays and tables and classroom desks to bring added life to the wide-open stage that becomes different locations through the smart video designs of Finn Ross and Adam Young. The national tour is nearing the end of its run with four Florida stops in Sarasota, Naples, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale. At Tuesdays Sarasota opening, members of Actors Equity Association passed out leaflets encouraging patrons to sign an online petition supporting the union in contract negotiations with the Broadway League for a new contract covering national tours. The union, which represents more than 51,000 stage managers and actors, has authorized a strike on all Broadway tours if necessary to help press a new agreement. Mean Girls Book by Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Reviewed April 11, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Through April 16. 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: Tina Feys stage musical of lively Mean Girls pushes hopeful message Former Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) launched his own lobbying firm, Moran Global Strategies. Moran, who served 24 years in Congress before retiring in 2015, co-founded the moderate New Democrat Coalition and was a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. Moran is leaving Nelson Mullins, where he was a registered lobbyist. His newly launched firm swiftly signed the government of Qatar as a client. The CGCN Group hired Katie Boyd as managing director and David Weinman as senior vice president. Boyd previously served as communications director to former Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who called her an incredibly valuable member of his senior staff in a press release. Weinman was executive director of former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogans (R) political operation. Nasim Fussell joined Lot Sixteen as a senior vice president and head of the firms trade practice. Fussell previously served as Republican chief international trade counsel on the Senate Finance Committee and trade counsel on the House Ways and Means Committee. Aaron Trujillo joined Strategies 360 as vice president of federal relations. Trujillo most recently served as deputy chief of staff to Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and previously was chief of staff at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Qnovia, a company developing an inhaled smoking cessation product, appointed Mitch Zeller to its advisory board. Zeller served as director of the Food and Drug Administrations Center for Tobacco Products for nine years. Hell advise Qnovia on regulatory strategy as it pushes his former colleagues to approve new smoking cessation therapies. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation hired Jennica Sims as director of federal affairs. Sims most recently was associate director for federal and regional affairs for Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser. The National Association of Manufacturers hired Brandon Farris as vice president of energy and resources policy. Farris comes from chemical company Chemours, where he was head of federal government relations and helped secure passage of a bill to phase out the use of refrigerants that are extremely harmful to the environment. 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. A Cushing lobsterman caught quite the surprise Tuesday morning after noticing an interesting metal object in his lobster pot. Maine State Police say that around 9 a.m., the man was fishing about 20 miles offshore when he pulled a 5 ft. long military rocket out of the water. The lobsterman brought the rocket to shore and contact authorities on Wednesday, according to authorities. Commander Pescitelli and Bomb Technician Keith Barton were called in to analyze the rocket, which they identified as a MK29 Mod-0. Despite x-ray imaging, the technicians could not confirm whether or not the rocket still had explosive material inside of it. Because of that, the decision was made to countercharge the rocket. State Police say the weapon has been rendered safe and properly disposed of. Talk about your catch of the day. 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 Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted on Wednesday to send Democrat Justin Pearson back to the Tennessee House of Representatives as an interim representative, less than one week after he was ousted from the legislative body for his role in disrupting proceedings on the House floor. The vote comes after the other Democrat who was expelled last week, Justin Jones, was also unanimously appointed as an interim representative by Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County on Monday. Both lawmakers will serve in an interim capacity and will need to win their respective special elections in order to formally win back their seats. Nashville thought they could silence democracy, but they didnt know that the Shelby County Commission was filled with some courageous leaders, Pearson said after the vote on Wednesday. You cant expel hope, he added. You cant expel justice. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight. Continuing to advocate. Until justice rolls down like water. And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Lets get back to work. House Speaker Cameron Sexton held a vote to expel Jones, Pearson and state Representative Gloria Johnson last week after the trio encouraged raucous protesters in the House chambers. Protesters stood on a balcony within the chambers chanting, Fascists! Fascists! Demonstrators also blocked several entryways and exits, forcing state troopers to step in to assist members in moving throughout the building. The demonstration was held in response to a shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that killed six people, including three children. Jones was expelled by a vote of 72-to-25, while the House voted 69-to-26 to expel Pearson. A vote to expel Johnson failed by one vote. What they did is they hijacked the House floor which has never been done in our history, Sexton told National Review of the three lawmakers. They pulled out a bullhorn. They werent recognized. They were ruled out of order and they led a protest from the House floor with a bullhorn to those in the balcony. They shut down the proceedings of the House. We had to go into recess due to their actions. Story continues They disregarded the Sergeant at Arms asking them to leave the well at multiple occasions and they really didnt stop yelling in their bullhorn until I had to clear out the balcony because of behavior that was caused blatantly by those three members, continued Sexton. Those actions that they did on the House floor deserve expulsion. More from National Review The surprising offer from the Kremlin first appeared in a March 2021 tweet. Haiti, the Russian Federations foreign ministrys account said, was entering a new period of political instability and the largest ever social and economic crisis. Russia is ready to help Haitians restore political stability, maintain internal security and train personnel, the tweet emphasized. Three months later, Haitian President Jovenel Moise welcomed the Russian Federations newest and third ambassador accredited to Haiti, Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov. In a June 2 announcement on Twitter, Moise said the two discussed the prospects for strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. A month later, Moise was dead, shot 12 times in his private bedroom in the hills above Port-au-Prince after a group of Haitian Americans, Haitian nationals and former Colombian soldiers failed to kidnap him two weeks earlier when he returned from an overseas trip to Turkey, a visit whose purpose remains shrouded in secrecy. While Moises brutal assassination exacerbated Haitis many problems, it has also plunged the country into even deeper despair with growing lawlessness. The unchecked actions of kidnapping gangs seeking greater control of the Haitian territory not only have the country reeling under unprecedented levels of violence and kidnappings, they have an increasing number of Haitians now desperately looking for help and allies beyond their borders. Russia was already trying to use its influence even before Moises July 7, 2021, death. But with the United States distracted by the war in Ukraine and floundering in its attempts to stem the Haitian crisis, Moscow now appears poised to step up its efforts. A trove of recently released secret U.S. intelligence documents revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putins private mercenaries, the Wagner Group, has set its sights on expanding its footprint into Haiti, right under the United States nose. While U.S. officials are privately questioning whether Wagner has the bandwidth to deploy any manpower in Haiti, given its losses in Ukraine and commitments abroad, Haiti watchers say they should nevertheless be concerned. Story continues A member of the United Nations Security Council, Russia, which took over the presidency this month, has already demonstrated that it doesnt miss an opportunity to use the deteriorating security and humanitarian crisis in Haiti to criticize the United States or the international community over their failed policies. The Russians, wherever they are, are going to take advantage of whatever perceived weaknesses they see and Haiti is a perceived weakness, said Luis Moreno, a former acting U.S. ambassador in Haiti. Putin is growing increasingly desperate and Im sure he sees an opportunity here to give us a hard time. Im sure he will. Last fall, Russia joined other U.N. members in unanimously agreeing to impose targeted arms embargoes, travel bans and asset freezes on individuals in Haiti found to be threatening the countrys security and stability. But two months after the approval of the first U.N. sanctions regime for Haiti, Russia requested a meeting on Haiti where its U.N. ambassador went after the U.S. and Canada. Vassily Nebenzia accused Canada and the United States of utilizing unilateral sanctions against unwanted political figures in Haiti to clear the field by targeting certain political and business figures. Both Canada and the U.S. have been imposing financial sanctions against Haitians, whom they alleged are supporting gangs or involved in corruption. Blaming protracted external political engineering largely for Haitis chronic crisis of statehood, socioeconomic collapse and decomposition of legal institutions, he hinted at the upcoming uphill battle the U.S. and its supporters may face in trying to get support for a peacekeeping force to Haiti. After failing to get Canada to agree to lead a non-U.N. multilateral rapid force to Haiti, Biden administration officials last month told the Miami Herald/McClatchy newspapers that the U.S.s focus had shifted toward getting a U.N. peacekeeping mission. We do have doubts that the option with deployment of an international force may change the situation, Nebenzia said. According to the leaked documents, Wagner, which is accused of meddling and destabilizing countries in Africa by the U.S. Treasury Department, was planning on discreetly sending emissaries to Haiti to meet with the government about a private contract to help fight gangs. The time frame of the intelligence report was February, the same month that, according to another document, Wagner personnel traveled to Turkey to purchase weapons and equipment for their forces in Mali and Ukraine. No discussions with Wagner and Haitian government A top Haitian government official told the Herald that there has been no discussion between any representative of Wagner and Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has been seeking the assistance of the international community for the deployment of a specialized armed force. But the source, noting that Henry has no interest in using mercenaries, acknowledged that it doesnt mean that Russian emissaries may not have been in touch with others in Haiti. Some Haiti observers are increasingly asking whether using private contractors an idea Moise was exploring before his death as a solution to the gang crisis could be an answer, while others are looking to new allies like Russia Moreno said he doesnt see Haitis embattled government working with Wagner, which has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department and is led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is accused of stacking his company with convicted criminals and whom U.S. officials have characterized as a Putin crony. Any slim lifeline they have to the Americans and the Canadians and the whole NATO would completely go up in smoke, Moreno said of Henrys government. It would be a disaster for Wagner in many respects and it would be even worse for the Haitian people because these guys are brutal terrorists, internationally recognized criminals. It would be ridiculous. Nevertheless, Russia is finding support in Haiti despite its ongoing unprovoked war against Ukraine, which has been condemned by the international community as an illegal invasion. In February, Haitian opposition leader Sen. Moise Jean-Charles, known for leading protests with waving Russian flags, announced that he was on his way to Russia in hopes of forging stronger ties. Days later, the former senator announced that he had landed in St. Petersburg, the visit coinciding with the commemoration of the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by the Kremlin on Feb. 24, 2022. According to surveys conducted by Premise Data, Inc., Haitians are losing patience with the traditional international community over intervening in Haiti and many are expressing a preference that any such intervention be led by Russia. The findings are the results of six surveys conducted between February and March, in which 2,610 responses were gathered, some of which included video, the company said. A comparison of the data collected in February compared to March, where the U.N. reported that 208 people had been killed in gang-related violence during the first two weeks, showed that while there was still strong support for a Canada-led military intervention in Haiti, 41% of respondents did not believe its deployment of Royal Canadian Naval ships off the coast of Haiti was effective compared to 26% who felt the same about its deployment of long-range military flights over Port-au-Prince. With Haitians saying they had more trust in international action than domestic efforts, Russia was preferred by 44% of those surveyed, compared to the United States, which was at 19%. Canada had dropped from 23% to 12%. With their politicians discredited and security deteriorating, Haitians are looking to the international community for solutions, the report said. While they wait for the gradualist programmes offered by Ottawa and Washington to bear fruit, frustration is building, creating a potential for an alternative ally to fill the vacuum. Contacted by the Herald, Melik-Bagdasarov, who is based in Venezuela, directed inquiries to the embassys page. While his meeting with Moise before the presidents death raised eyebrows, relations between Haiti and Russia were formalized back in the mid 1990s, when the outgoing government of the late President Rene Preval decided to establish diplomatic ties. The first interactions between the two nations date back to 1821, less than two decades after Haiti declared its independence from France. In a bid to thwart any attack by France, Haiti President Jean Pierre Boyer, according to the historian Louis E. Elie, employed a French general, Jacques Boye, as an intermediary to present a trade treaty to the Russian government on behalf of Haiti. Those relations lay dormant for decades, but through the years there were Russians and Ukrainians involved in Haiti, investing in casinos and other industries while a small community of Haitians, consisting mostly of students, sprouted up in Moscow. It wasnt until the Moise administration that the relations between the two countries came to the forefront, with Haiti announcing plans for visa-free travel between the two countries and foes of Moise flying Russian flags at anti-government demonstrations. Similar flags were seen flying last fall when Haitians rallied on the streets against Henry after he announced the end of fuel subsidies and fuel prices rose. Evan Ellis, a Russian expert and research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, said while he doesnt believe that Russia has the resources at the moment to expand its footprint beyond the war in Ukraine, it does have the ability to issue symbolic threats against the United States. I see Russia is looking for opportunities to stir up trouble, he said. I would presume that whatever is going on with Russia is opportunistic. Moreno, who has worked as a U.S. diplomat in Colombia and elsewhere in the region, said during the era of the Soviet Union the country carried out destabilization efforts in parts of Latin America. He would not be surprised about a return to its old playbook when it comes to Haiti, a real Achilles heel of Washington that is less than two hours from Miami, and where the population is understandably frustrated with Washingtons reluctance to do more to help. To sow this kind of unrest and dissatisfaction and animosity toward Washington, of course theyre going to take advantage of it. So of course we should be paying attention to it, Moreno said. Then, echoing what even the most strident of U.S. supporters in Haiti also noted about the Russian and Wagner Group interest, he added: Maybe this will be the wake-up call that Washington needs. Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald Reporter Nora Gamez Torres and McClatchys Senior National Security and White House Correspondent Michael Wilner contributed to this report. Lexington city officials will host an expungement and job fair later this month to help more people find jobs and housing, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton announced Tuesday. The second annual expungement clinic and job fair, called Clean Slate, will allow those with misdemeanors and non-violent felony convictions access to free legal help through Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and private lawyers who are donating their time. Criminal records are often a key barrier to getting a job or finding housing, Gorton said at a press conference Tuesday at city hall. This allows second chance opportunities to vote, gain employment, improve education and attain housing. The expungement clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Bank Center, 425 West High Street, on April 28. More than 35 employers will also be at a job fair in the same location. The job fair will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. People do not have to attend the expungement clinic to attend the job fair, said Tiffany Brown, the citys equity and implementation officer. Clean Slate Lexington can open new doors to many in our community, Brown said. The city held its first expungement and job clinic in April 2022. More than 400 attended last years event, she said. Approximately 200 people were able to get their records expunged, city officials said. Brown said the goal is to hopefully get people started on expungement and connect them directly with a job on April 28. The job fair comes as Fayette County is experiencing one of its tightest job markets. Unemployment has hovered around, and sometimes below, 3.2%, one of the lowest in the state, for more than a year. Brown said major employers scheduled to attend the event include Toyota and the University of Kentucky. The number of employers who will attend the event is expected to grow, she said. Having this increase in our job pool will have a huge impact on our community and the lives of individuals, Brown said. Goodwill Industries, the Lexington Public Library, Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and others are key sponsors of the event. To find out more about the event go to www.lexingtonky.gov/expungement-clinic-job-fair. Story continues Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilwoman Tayna Fogle praised the citys efforts to help with expungement but said more needs to be done to address barriers to employment, particularly in minority communities, she said. Fogle has been a long-time advocate for expungement, re-entry and recovery programs. Fogle was convicted of a felony drug charges years ago. She has not yet been able to expunge that felony charge. There are still so many barriers, Fogle said of people wishing to expunge their criminal records. One key barrier is identification. If you dont have an I.D. its hard to get your record expunged, she said. The state legislature passed a law this legislative session that would make it easier for people, particularly unhoused individuals, to get state identification for $5. However, that law does not take effect until 2025. As an emotional day drew to a close on Tuesday, after graphic autopsy photos were shown to the court of the two children she is accused of murdering as part of a doomsday cult plot, Lori Vallow appeared to fall asleep. Reporters present in the courtroom noted that Ms Vallow appeared to be leaning forward and looking down for much of the afternoon. It appeared she was trying to avoid seeing the gruesome pictures of the excavation of the shallow graves of her daughter Tylee, 16, and adopted son JJ, 7, and his subsequent autopsy. The pictures were shown during the testimony of Detective Ray Hermosillo of the Rexburg Police Department, who was heavily involved in the local search and discovery of the bodies after the children were reported missing. After he had answered questions and provided detailed descriptions of the photos, Judge Steven Boyce called for a break to allow the tearful jury time to compose themselves. When a brief cross-examination of Det Hermosillo began after the break, Ms Vallow appeared to fall asleep. Gigi McKelvey of Law & Crime told Chris Cuomo on NewsNation that the defendant appeared to be asleep for a solid 30 minutes at the end of the day and speculated that she might have been medicated after her apparent distress following the lunch break. After the mornings already harrowing testimony, but ahead of the display of the photos and descriptions of what was found at the burial site in a pet cemetery at her husband Chad Daybells property, Ms Vallow had asked to waive her right to be present in the courtroom. She had appeared back in the courtroom after lunch with teary eyes and a red face as if she had been crying. Reporter: Lori Vallow fell asleep during trial | CUOMO https://t.co/zrtwv8OfnW via @YouTube Pretty Lies & Alibis (@PrettyLiesAlibi) April 12, 2023 Her defence team told the judge that the morning had been very hard on her and reminded Judge Boyce of her fragile mental state, but ultimately he denied the request. Story continues As discussions were held between the two legal teams ahead of the on-the-record request to the judge, Ms Vallow was out of the court for an additional hour following the lunch break and was observed by reporters to have been crying. McKelvey noted that she had previously not been seen to be tired at all during the trial but her subdued presence, head down, and eventual apparent sleep, indicated that she may have been medicated. During previous breaks, Lori has smiled and laughed with her attorneys. This break she is quiet, stoic, scowling, saying nothing. Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 11, 2023 Ms Vallows changed demeanour after lunch was noted by other reporters in the room. Nate Eaton of East Idaho News tweeted: During previous breaks, Lori has smiled and laughed with her attorneys. This break she is quiet, stoic, scowling, saying nothing. In additional to the charges of murdering the two children, Ms Vallow and her husband Mr Daybell are also facing conspiracy to murder charges in Arizona for Ms Vallows previous husband Charles Vallows fatal shooting by her brother Alex Cox during a supposed domestic argument. Cox claimed he acted in self-defence before his death in December 2019. Prosecutors alleged during opening arguments on Monday that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with Cox to murder Tammy Daybell, JJ and Tylee as part of their doomsday cult beliefs and for their financial purposes. Ms Daybell is scheduled to face trial later this year, after requesting to be tried separately from his wife. Mr Cox died of a blood clot in December 2019. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two former Los Angeles-area police detectives have been charged in the 2020 shooting of an unarmed man that left him paralyzed from the waist down, the district attorney said Wednesday. Former Whittier detectives Cynthia Lopez and Salvador Murillo opened fire on April 30, 2020, as Nicholas Carrillo ran from them. Two bullets struck him in the back one severing his spinal cord as he climbed a fence to escape. Although he was lucky to survive, his life was forever changed and he must now begin using a wheelchair, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday during a news conference. Murillo is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and two counts of assault under color of authority. Lopez faces two counts of assault under color of authority, one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday. The detectives were in plainclothes and in an unmarked car when they spotted a sedan that had been supposedly used during an unarmed robbery the month before, Gascon said. A woman was the suspect in that robbery at a Walmart, where a television was stolen. Carrillo was alone in the car on the day he was shot. The detectives followed the sedan into an alley, and emerged from their vehicle with their guns drawn. The sedan reversed and collided with the detectives car, Gascon said. Lopez fired into the sedans rear windshield, prosecutors said. Carrillo then ran from the car and Lopez and Murillo opened fire as they chased him. He was not armed. They are expected to be arraigned Monday. Attempts to reach their attorneys were not immediately successful Tuesday. The detectives are no longer employed by the Whittier Police Department, which directed media inquiries to prosecutors. The Whittier Police Department, which is committed to responsible and accountable policing, will provide assistance to the District Attorneys Office as needed, Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said in a statement after the charges were announced. Story continues The Whittier Police Officers Association, the union that represents the departments rank-and-file officers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Whittier is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Whittier case comes two weeks after Gascon's office charged seven California Highway Patrol officers and a nurse with involuntary manslaughter in the 2020 death of a man who screamed I cant breathe while multiple officers restrained him as they tried to take a blood sample. A Louisiana legislative committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would let the state attorney general pursue civil penalties against companies that do not comply with a law that requires pornography websites to verify the age of its users. The House Committee on Commerce voted 15-1 to advance House Bill 77, sponsored by Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie. Rep. Candance Newell, D-New Orleans, was the sole vote in opposition. Schlegel, a sex addiction therapist, said she filed the bill to ensure enforcement of the existing law to better protect minors, who she views as susceptible to harm from pornography. Newell said the bills language is overly broad and might give the attorney general room for personal interpretation. A new Louisiana law prevents residents from accessing pornographic websites such as PornHub or YouPorn without verifying their age with their LA Wallet. I just want to make sure that this can be used with any attorney general because, as we know, were getting a new one next year, and we want to make sure that you have the proper guidelines in place, so that what is deemed as inappropriate doesnt change from administration to administration, Newell said. Schlegel pushed back on the idea that the language is overly broad, pointing to portions of her bill that incorporate the Miller Test, the primary tool used to gauge what is obscenity. The Miller Test has three parts: Would the average person applying contemporary community standards find the work, taken as a whole, is excessively sexual in nature?, Does the work depict or describe, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law? Does the work, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value? Nearly identical language appears in Schlegels proposal. Despite Schlegels steps to incorporate these standards, free speech advocates are concerned the bill would chill constitutionally protected speech. Chris Kaiser, advocacy director of the Louisiana ACLU, said his primary worry is that the bill builds on a law that went into effect earlier this year that requires pornography websites to verify the ages of its users. The law, which Schlegel also authored by, requires websites with at least one-third material harmful to minors use certain age verification measures. Story continues Want to access online porn in Louisiana? Be ready to hand over your LA Wallet Several major pornography websites have opted to require Louisiana users to log in to their websites with LA Wallet, a cell phone application that can carry a state-issued identification card. Lobbyists representing LA Wallet, a private company contracted by the state, filled out cards in support of the bill. The First Amendment protects adults right to access protected speech, including pornography, in the privacy of their own homes, Kaiser said. By requiring adults to provide age verification to that, its burdening their fundamental rights to free speech. Kaiser also said the penalties laid out in Schlegels new proposal, which allow for an up to $5,000 per day fine for companies that violate the law, further stifle protected speech. Several progressive organizations oppose the bill, including 10,000 Women Louisiana. Digital porn and privacy at center of debate over new Louisiana Law Melissa Flournoy, founder of 10,000 Women Louisiana, questioned the need for Schlegels proposal. What purpose will this accomplish other than generating a reason for the attorney generals office to pursue efforts of additional fines and fees? Flournoy asked the committee. Is this bill part of a larger strategy to promote censorship and limit access to publicly available information, including R-rated movies shown on cable TV and streaming services? Flournoy asked legislators to amend the bill to include language that makes it clear sex education or other health-related information would not be targeted. Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, pushed back on the amendment, pointing to provisions in the Miller Test that exempt material with scientific value from the definition of obscenity. Jordan did mention language in the bill that defines material harmful to minors differs from Schlegels 2022 proposal, which he said could lead to inconsistencies in the statute. Schlegel said she was open to amending her bill on the House floor to address this. The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana House advances bill to punish sites that violate state's porn law More than half U.S. adults experience gun-related incident: survey Xinhua) 08:50, April 12, 2023 People gather during a rally decrying rising gun violence while urging politicians to take action in Washington, D.C., the United States, June 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The survey found that gun-related injuries and deaths, as well as worries about gun violence, disproportionately affect people of color in the United States. LOS ANGELES, April 11 (Xinhua) -- More than half of U.S. adults have experienced a gun-related incident, according to a new survey published on Tuesday. The latest survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a California-based non-profit organization, showed that 54 percent of U.S. adults have either personally or had a family member who has been impacted by a gun-related incident, such as witnessing a shooting, being threatened by gun, or being injured or killed by a gun. When asked about their own personal experience, one in five (21 percent) report that they have been threatened with a gun, while nearly as many (17 percent) say they have witnessed someone being shot. When asked about their family members, about three in ten adults (31 percent) say they have a family member who has been threatened with a gun, while a similar share (28 percent) say a family member has witnessed someone being shot. One in five (20 percent) adults say a family member has been injured by a gun, and 19 percent say a family member has been killed by a gun, including death by suicide, according to the survey. The survey revealed that three in four adults in households with guns say at least one gun in their home is either unlocked, loaded, or kept with ammunition. The survey found that gun-related injuries and deaths, as well as worries about gun violence, disproportionately affect people of color in the United States. Three in ten Black adults (31 percent) have personally witnessed someone being shot, as have one-fifth of Hispanic adults (22 percent). One-third of Black adults (34 percent) have a family member who was killed by a gun, twice the share of white adults who say the same (17 percent). In addition, one-third of Black adults (32 percent) and Hispanic adults (33 percent) say they worry either "every day" or "almost every day" about themselves or someone they love being a victim of gun violence. Meanwhile, only one in ten white adults say the same. People gather during a rally decrying rising gun violence while urging politicians to take action in Washington, D.C., the United States, June 11, 2022. (Photo by Xiao Xiao/Xinhua) The survey also found that one in five Black adults (20 percent) and Hispanic adults (18 percent) feel like gun-related crimes, deaths, and injuries are a "constant threat" to their local community, more than double the share among white adults (8 percent). The survey was conducted from March 14 to 23 online and by telephone among a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,300 U.S. adults in English and in Spanish. The survey was published one day after the bank shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, which left six people dead, including the shooter. Gun violence is rampant across the United States, with shootings occurring frequently. More than 11,600 people have lost their lives to gun-related incidents so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings in the country. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Police in Kentucky have released audio of panicked emergency calls during a mass shooting that left five people dead at a bank, including from the gunman's own mother. She is heard telling a 911 dispatcher her son "currently has a gun" and is heading for the bank in Louisville, but "he's a really good kid". The callers included a woman who hid in a closet during the attack. Eight people, including two policemen, were also wounded in Monday's shooting. The 25-year-old attacker, who worked at the Old National Bank, was fatally shot by police in the building's lobby. In about 30 minutes of 911 calls released by Louisville police on Wednesday, the woman identifying herself as the suspect's mother says her son is "non-violent" and "doesn't own any guns". "He's never hurt anyone," she says, adding: "Please don't punish him." She adds that she received a tip-off from his roommate, who was "very concerned". "We don't even own guns," she says. "I don't know where he would have gotten a gun." The gunman's mother asks if she can go to the bank, but the dispatcher advises her to stay away because police are already responding to a "dangerous" situation there. In a separate 911 call, another woman is heard quietly telling the dispatcher that she is "in a closet hiding". "He works with us," she whispers about the gunman. Gunshots can be heard in the background. Asked by the dispatcher about injuries, she says: "I just saw a lot of blood." The fatalities were Thomas Elliott, 63, James Tutt, 64, Joshua Barrick, 40, Julianna Farmer, 45, and Deana Eckert, 57. On Tuesday, authorities released bodycam footage showing police officers arriving at the scene within three minutes and engaging in a shoot-out with the gunman. The gunman, Connor Sturgeon, used a legally purchased AR-15 semi-automatic rifle to kill five colleagues, while live-streaming the attack on Instagram. His family released a statement late on Tuesday saying they had been addressing his mental health challenges, but there were no warning signs he could commit such an act. "No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community," they said. Louisville authorities have released 911 calls and radio traffic that reveal the panic Monday as police raced to stop an active shooter at an Old National Bank location downtown in the Kentucky city. The gunman, 25-year-old bank employee Connor Sturgeon, killed four and wounded nine before police shot him dead. One of the wounded victims succumbed to her injuries later. One of the calls came from the gunman's mother, Lisa Sturgeon. "He has a gun, and he's heading toward the Old National on Main Street here in Louisville," she told police in frantic words. "This is his mother. I'm so sorry, I'm getting details secondhand." DEADLY LOUISVILLE BANK SHOOTING BODYCAM RELEASED; OFFICERS' ACTIONS DESCRIBED AS HEROIC Sturgeon's mother told the dispatcher that her son's roommate had called her to raise concerns. She said she did not know her son owned a gun. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "He's not violent," she says. "He's never done anything." However, she concedes that his girlfriend may own guns. KENTUCKY POLICE END BANK SHOOTING WITHIN MINUTES, ABSOLUTELY SAVED LIVES: TIMELINE The operator also discouraged Sturgeon's mother from going to the scene herself. In a statement, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said authorities chose to release the audio because "Transparency is important even more so in times of crisis." Another caller told police she had been attending a meeting remotely when she saw the chaos unfold on her screen. She broke down in tears during the call. "How do you know the person," the dispatcher asks another caller, who dialed in while hiding in a closet. "He works with us," she replies. She lowers her voice to a whisper as the dispatcher attempts to reassure her. Then the sound of gunfire rings out repeatedly. "Stay quiet," the dispatcher advises. "We've got everybody coming, OK?" WHO ARE THE LOUISVILLE BANK SHOOTING VICTIMS? Story continues Another caller said she was calling from down the street after a survivor came into her building and reported that someone had been shot at the bank. In yet another call, a man tells police that someone fired at least 15 shots into a room with more than a dozen people inside. Law enforcement officers respond to an active shooter at the Old National Bank building on April 10, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. The sixth and final call came from a driver outside. "I saw a man with some type of assault rifle walking around in a bulletproof vest," she said. Slain victims included a personal friend of Gov. Andy Beshear, Tommy Elliott, 63, as well as Joshua Barrick, 40, Deana Eckert, 57, Jim Tutt, 64, and Juliana Farmer, 45. After shooting his co-workers, Sturgeon set up in the lobby to ambush responding officers. He shot the first two on scene, Nickolas Wilt and Cory "CJ" Galloway. Galloway suffered a minor injury and subsequently killed Sturgeon minutes into the standoff. Wilt, who graduated from the police academy on March 31, remains in the hospital. Surveillance video shows 25-year-old shooter Connor Sturgeon. Police are asking anyone with information on the attack to call their tip line at 502-574-LMPD. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Fox News' Garrett Tenney contributed to this report. This screen grab taken from the body cam video of Louisville Metro Police Department Officer Cory Galloway shows Galloway falling to the ground, with legs in the air, as he and partner Nickolas Wilt come under fire by an active shooter at Old National Bank, in Louisville, Ky., Monday, April 10, 2023. | Louisville Metro Police Department via Associated Press On Tuesday, the Louisville Metro Police Department released the body camera footage of two officers who arrived at the scene of the mass shooting that took place at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said it was important to release the footage to the public because transparency is important even more so in time of crisis, per The Associated Press. Galloway and Wilt are being called heroes by many, with many replies posted on a tweet the police department shared, which says, Here are our HERO officers. Here are our HERO Officers. Ofc. Nickolas Wilt (L) and Ofc. Cory "CJ" Galloway (R). Both are assigned to LMPD's First Division. Officer Wilt graduated on 3-31-23. Officer Galloway is a Training Officer and has been an Officer since 2018. #LMPD #Heroes pic.twitter.com/Ai8lvJQBTh LMPD (@LMPD) April 11, 2023 In the footage, the perspectives of officers Nickolas Wilt and Cory CJ Galloway are shown as they drive up to the scene and are immediately showered with gunfire from the glass front of Old National Bank. Galloway can be heard shouting, Back up, back up! from the passenger seat. Both Wilt and Galloway stepped out of the car, taking a gun from the trunk of the car, before running up the steps. In just minutes of arriving, Wilt was shot and Galloway took cover after being grazed with a bullet himself. It looked like the scope fell off the gun as Galloway tumbled. He can be seen in bystander footage included by the police department, going from side to side of a planter he used as cover to get a clear shot of the shooter. There his breathing can be heard becoming ragged. The shooter has an angle on that officer, we need to get up there, Galloway said in the video. I dont know where hes at, the glass is blocking him. I dont have an angle. Story continues Other officers arrived on the scene in the next minute or so, and Galloway took down the gunman, telling other officers, I think hes down, get the officer. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked through the footage on Tuesday, per AP. I think you can see the tension in that video, Humphrey said, reported AP. You can understand the stress that those officers are going through. ... They did absolutely exactly what they needed to do to save lives. Once officers arrived on the scene, not another person was shot. During the Monday morning attack, four people were killed onsite and another later died due to her injuries. Several more were injured. Were all feeling shaken by this, and scared and angry and a lot of other things too, Greenberg said Tuesday, per AP. Its important that we come together as a community to process this tragedy in particular but not just this tragedy because the reality is that we have already lost 40 people to gun violence in Louisville this year. Related The assault rifle used to kill five people at a Kentucky bank on Monday will likely be sold at public auction and put back on the streets in accordance with state law, Louisvilles mayor said while calling for the law to be abolished and more power given to cities to respond to rising gun violence. Let us destroy illegal guns and destroy the guns that have been used to kill our friends and kill our neighbors, Democratic Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a news conference Tuesday while highlighting the law that would make it a crime to destroy the murder weapon. We have to do more than weve already done, he said. Lets change the state laws that would make me a criminal for trying too hard to stop the real evil criminals who are taking other peoples lives. Under current Kentucky law, the assault rifle that was used to murder five of our neighbors and shoot at our police officers will one day be auctioned off. Enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/hRZM3YO5jS Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) April 12, 2023 Firearms confiscated by state police must either be retained for official police use or be sold at auction, with the proceeds benefiting state police and the states Office of Homeland Security, according to the law. Think about that. That murder weapon will be back on the streets one day under Kentuckys current law, Greenberg said. The AR-15 rifle used in the shooting at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville was legally purchased by the gunman at a local dealership just six days earlier, police said. The family of the gunman, Connor Sturgeon, released a statement late Tuesday saying that the 25-year-old had been struggling with depression but that they otherwise saw no signs that he was capable of such violence. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg on Tuesday urged his state's Republican-majority lawmakers to provide Kentucky's cities with local autonomy in how they can reduce violent crime. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg on Tuesday urged his state's Republican-majority lawmakers to provide Kentucky's cities with local autonomy in how they can reduce violent crime. Story continues While Connor, like many of his contemporaries, had mental health challenges which we, as a family, were actively addressing, there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act, the family said in a statement obtained by local station WDRB. A woman identifying herself as Sturgeons mother called 911 around the start of the violence warning that her son had left a note indicating he was heading to the bank with a gun, according to a copy of the 911 recording released by police Wednesday. Hes never hurt anyone; hes a really good kid, she said. He doesnt even own guns. I dont know where he would have gotten a gun. Let us, the people of Louisville, make our own choices about how we reduce gun violence in our own city.Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), who said two of his close friends were among the shooting victims, has not publicly mentioned gun law reforms in the wake of the tragedy. At a news conference Monday, he said we will talk about issues at a later time, though he did not specify which ones. Beshears power is largely limited, however, with Republican supermajorities controlling both the state House and Senate. The state legislature last month passed a bill that would make it a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary, prohibiting local law enforcement from enforcing federal firearm bans. Greenberg on Tuesday implored state legislatures to give cities local autonomy in how they can reduce violent crime. Let us, the people of Louisville, make our own choices about how we reduce gun violence in our own city, Greenberg said at the news conference. Change state law to allow Louisville to make the decisions to reduce the amount of guns on its streets. Greenbergs call was endorsed by the National League of Cities, an organization that represents 19,000 cities, towns and villages in the U.S. and advocates for their interests in federal policy. We are deeply saddened by yet another tragic mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky. We stand with @LouisvilleMayor's pledge to make reducing gun violence a top priority. The plague of gun violence is a national health emergency impacting everyone. National League of Cities (@leagueofcities) April 11, 2023 We stand with [the mayors] pledge to make reducing gun violence a top priority, the organization tweeted. The plague of gun violence is a national health emergency impacting everyone. Related... Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Yes, its worth the hype. Travel + Leisure / Reese Herrington True story: I havent checked a bag in four years. As a travel editor and frequent flier, Ive had a lot of practice packing lightly and efficiently into carry-ons no waiting around baggage claim if I can help it! and Ive finally got my trips down to a science. My secret is, well, not really a big secret: the Away Bigger Carry-on. Youve probably seen this suitcase that Travel + Leisure editors named the Best Hardside Carry-on Luggage of 2023 all over the Internet (and rolling smoothly around airports all over the world), but Im here to tell you that its 100 percent worth the hype. For trips less than two weeks, I wont travel with anything else. Away To buy: away.com, $295 What makes this bag so special? Well, for starters its just about the biggest possible dimension most airlines allow in the overhead bin on airplanes, at 22.7 inches by 14.7 inches by 9.6 inches. Ive found it to be a perfect fit on a majority of planes (and if not, once I get it on, the flight attendant checks it for free), which means I know Im getting the most packing space possible, 47.9 liters to be exact. (Thats 20 percent more capacity than the brands smaller version, the Carry-on.) Paired with the Longitude Tote, Ive wheeled the green Bigger Carry-on all over the world: to Greece for two weeks, to Scandinavia for a two-country luxury trip, to Florida for beach trips, to Egypt for a week when I covered myself head-to-toe in linen heck, its even taken me across Switzerland in the winter. On a multi-city itinerary. Think of the bulky sweaters and fancy apres-ski looks! Kayla Becker The true secret of this bag is its interior compression system. On one side, there are two adjustable buckle straps you can tighten to flatten your packed clothes in a bit, and on the other a zippered mesh enclosure that compacts your clothes down. The divider compresses even more, and theres also a convenient zipper pocket for storing smaller items like a travel jewelry case, belts, toiletries, etc. Story continues Away claims it can hold six to nine outfits, and in my experience thats accurate. Full disclosure: I almost never pack more than two pairs of shoes in a suitcase, and I prefer to stick mostly to basics that can be matched with other items of clothing and dressed up or down with accessories like a belt or jewelry. Even so, on a recent trip to Charleston, I fit eight outfits, including two dresses, two pairs of shoes, a jumpsuit, jeans, a rain jacket, Patagonia puffer jacket, work out clothes, plus a bathing suit I never travel without in addition to my Lululemon belt bag. So, confirmed that its pretty much a magical bottomless carry-on. Travel + Leisure / Reese Herrington Somehow, though, the Bigger Carry-on still has a little give. Ive stuffed this bag to the brim, and the zipper has never once broken (even in Montreal when Ive had to sit on it to get it closed yes, editors do that sometimes too, okay?) But roominess is not the only thing I love about this carry-on. I also appreciate that its outer polycarbonate shell is durable enough to withstand any adventure. Ive seen a scratch and smudge or two on mine in the past four years Ive had it, but Im convinced its indestructible. Away To buy: away.com, $295 Why else do I love this bag? Let me count the ways. First, it glides easily in any direction with its 360-degree spinner wheels. Second, it has a TSA-approved combination lock to keep all my belongings safe and secure. Third, it comes with a water-resistant laundry bag. Fourth, it is undeniably sleek in design and colors (there are seven available). By the way, the pink Petal color is even on rare sale right now. Away To buy: away.com, $267 (originally $295) Its no wonder this bag has a nearly perfect five-star rating at Away out of 3,300 reviews. One reviewer said the Bigger Carry-on is worth the investment, saying the bag does everything you would expect at this price point (and I can attest that with this longevity, it deserves to pass the cost-effectiveness battle youre having in your head). Another traveler who brought it on a 10-day trip to Europe called the Bigger Carry-on perfect and said it held five dresses, [a] ball skirt, six pairs of shoes, spare jeans, multiple tees, pool and loungewear, plus all the foundational garments I needed. Even better? Away has improved upon the Bigger Carry-on over the years since I got mine back in 2019. Theres now a Bigger Carry-on Flex, which allows for even more space if you can believe it, expanding an extra 2.25 inches. And my personal favorite, which I would buy if I had to choose a new one today, is the Bigger Carry-on with Pocket, which has a genius front pocket for storing away your laptop with easy access at TSA. Away To buy: away.com, $345 A two-week trip in one suitcase isnt for everyone or every trip, but it can be done. And Away is so confident in this carry-on that they give buyers a 100-day trial period on top of free shipping, which is pretty great if youre on the fence. So go ahead, pick up your own Away Bigger Carry-on to see what all the fuss is about this travel editor is confident youll be glad you did. At the time of publishing, the price started at $267. 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. TAIPEI (Reuters) - Comments by French President Emmanuel Macron on Taiwan are puzzling, a senior Taiwanese politician said, wondering whether France's founding ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity are now out of fashion. Macron, in comments in an interview on a trip to China that was meant to showcase European unity on China policy, cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction". He also called for the European Union to reduce its dependence on the United States and to become a "third pole" in world affairs alongside Washington and Beijing. Taiwan parliament speaker You Si-kun, writing on Facebook late Tuesday above a screengrab of a report about Macron's comments on Taiwan, questioned the French commitment to freedom. "Are 'liberte, egalite, fraternite' out of fashion?," he wrote, referring to the official French motto of "liberty, equality, fraternity". "Is it OK just to ignore this once it's part of the constitution? Or can advanced democratic countries ignore the lives and deaths of people in other countries?" added You, one of the founders of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party. "The actions of President Macron, a leading international democracy, leave me puzzled." China has been staging military exercises around Taiwan since Saturday after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States, where she met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. France, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei and has joined other U.S. allies in underscoring the need for peace in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's foreign ministry on Tuesday sought to downplay Macron's remarks, though said they had "noted" what he said. "The Foreign Ministry expresses its thanks to France for expressing concern about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait many times and in many different international venues," including, for example at the recent French-British leaders summit, spokesperson Jeff Liu told reporters. "This is a continuation of France's consistent stance and position." (Reporting by Ben Blanchard. Editing by Gerry Doyle) By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said France's position on Taiwan had not changed and that he favoured the current "status quo" in respect of the island, after he was asked to clarify comments that prompted a backlash in the United States and Europe. In an interview with news outlet Politico and daily Les Echos, Macron had cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." That brought criticism from some politicians and commentators in Europe and the United States, with former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of "kissing ass" to Beijing. "The French and European position on Taiwan is the same one. We're in favour of the status quo. This policy is constant and hasn't changed," Macron told a news conference during a state visit in the Netherlands. "It's the One-China policy and a Pacific resolution of the situation. That's what I said in my one-to-one meeting with Xi Jinping, that's what was said everywhere, we haven't changed," he said. Macron did not mention Taiwan in his public statement to the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last week, an omission that commentators criticised. The French leader also said he shared a vision of an "open Indo-Pacific region" with U.S. President Joe Biden, even if they each had their own approach on China. "I can tell you he wants to avoid any escalation in spite of the current tension," Macron said. Macron added that a French military ship had gone through the Taiwan Strait in recent days despite Chinese military exercises around the island and demonstrated France's robust engagement in the region. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control. "So no, France does not support provocations, does not engage in fantasy politics and considers the status quo, respect and clarity are the best allies of European strategic autonomy," Macron said. Story continues He said Trump's comments were an example of the escalation sought by some. A French diplomat told reporters earlier that Macron did not want to get drawn into the "tension" strategy of the Republican leadership of the U.S. Congress on Taiwan. The meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week - prior to China's drills - was a "provocation", the diplomat said. The Dutch Prime Minister, who was hosting Macron for a two-day state visit, said he had a very successful meeting with Macron and did not distance himself from his guest's comments, but reaffirmed his belief in the Western alliance. "Our strong transatlantic relation is there for very good reasons, the U.S. is an essential partner for our freedom and safety," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. "But at the same time, we agree that an open and strategically autonomous Europe should be capable to develop those relations also with other parts of the world. To be a player, and not the playing field," he added. (Reporting by GV De Clercq, Tassilo Hummel, Michel Rose in Paris and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; editing by John Stonestreet and Bill Berkrot) PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron is not backtracking on comments in China urging the European Union to reduce dependency on the United States, a senior diplomat said on Wednesday. In an interview with news outlet Politico and daily Les Echos, Macron also cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." That brought criticism from some politicians and commentators in Europe and the United States, with former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of "kissing ass" to Beijing. The French diplomat, who requested anonymity, told reporters that the substance of what Macron said, which focused on his pet project of European strategic autonomy, was clear, and his position on Taiwan and China has not changed. "This is something the president stands by entirely," he said of the interview. However, the Politico headline "Europe must resist pressure to become 'America's followers'" was "sensationalist" and did not reflect nuances of Macron's views, the diplomat added. Evidencing that France stuck to a robust defence of international law, the diplomat said, a French military ship recently sailed through the Taiwan Strait despite Chinese military exercises around the island. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control. "France respects the One China principle and the president told (Chinese President Xi Jinping) that the Taiwan question should only be resolved pacifically," the French diplomat added. Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden agree on Taiwan but the French leader thought the meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week - prior to China's drills - was a "provocation", the diplomat said. The Republican leadership of the U.S. Congress "uses Taiwan to pressure China," he added. "No, Europe will not get dragged into that, but that doesn't mean Europe will disengage (from the Taiwan issue)." (Reporting by Michel Rose;Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments on Taiwan , saying that being a US ally did not mean being a "vassal". Macron -- wrapping up a state visit to the Netherlands during which he has also faced protests over pension reforms -- said France still backed the "status quo" on Taiwan. But the French president appeared to stick by remarks in an interview at the weekend, in which he said Europe should not be a "follower" of either Washington or Beijing or get caught up in any escalation. "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves," Macron told a press conference in Amsterdam with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macron, who visited China last week, said that French and European policy on Taiwan "has not changed" despite the furore over his remarks in an interview with Politico and Les Echos in which he backed Europe's strategic autonomy. "France is for the status quo in Taiwan," he said, adding that Paris "supports the One China policy and the search for a peaceful resolution to the situation." - 'Honour of the workers' - Macron's weekend interview drew praise as "brilliant" in China -- which rejects US support of what it sees as a breakaway province -- but raised eyebrows among Western allies. Former US president Donald Trump said meanwhile that "Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass". Macron however refused to rise to the bait, saying that he had "nothing to say about the comments by former president Trump because he is taking part in this escalation". The pomp of the first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president in 23 years has not stopped Macron from facing pressure on a series of both domestic and foreign issues. Dutch police detained two demonstrators who ran towards him outside Amsterdam university in an apparent protest against France increasing the pension age from 62 to 64. Story continues "For the honour of the workers and a better world -- even if Macron doesn't like it, we are here," one protester chanted, using the words of a French protest song, as he was pinned down by several security officials in Amsterdam. Police arrested one male and one female protester "for running towards the president, for disturbing public order and threatening," Amsterdam police spokesperson Lex van Liebergen told AFP. Around 40 people protested when Macron left the university's science faculty, in an event to promote the signing of a "pact for innovation" between France and the Netherlands. - 'Accept controversy' - Macron later said reforms inevitably caused protests, citing recent rallies by Dutch farmers against environmental plans. "We must sometimes accept controversy, and we must try to build a path for the future," he told an audience of French people living in the Netherlands. The arrests came a day after protesters heckled Macron during a speech on European sovereignty in The Hague on Tuesday. The demonstrators had shouted "Where is French democracy?" and unfurled a banner saying "President of Violence and Hypocrisy". Macron's state visit was meant to promote the renewed closeness of the two countries since Brexit, when the Netherlands lost a key EU ally with Britain's departure. It also featured a trip to an exhibition of works by painter Johannes Vermeer at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum and talks with Rutte on a canal boat. Earlier, Macron's wife Brigitte and Dutch Queen Maxima toured the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, where the tragic teenage Jewish diarist hid from the Nazis during World War II. vl-dk/pvh French President Emmanuel Macron has been criticised for his recent comments concerning Taiwan French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his recent comments about Taiwan, in which he said France should not get caught up in an escalation between the US and China. He made the comments in an interview over the weekend following his three-day state visit to China. He also said that being a US ally did not mean being a "vassal". His remarks have drawn criticism from politicians and other public figures on both sides of the Atlantic. But on Wednesday during a visit to the Netherlands he said he stood by the comments. "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves," Mr Macron said at a press conference in the Netherlands during his two-day visit. The French president also said that nothing had changed in France's support for the "status quo" in Taiwan and that Paris "supports the One China policy and the search for a peaceful resolution to the situation". Former US president Donald Trump has accused Mr Macron of cosying up to China - but the French leader said he would not respond to those comments. Meanwhile the White House has played down the remarks, saying that the Biden administration remains "comfortable and confident in the terrific bilateral relationship we have with France". Taiwan's foreign ministry has taken a similar stance, but has said it "noted" Mr Macron's comments. A senior Taiwanese official, however, said the remarks left him "puzzled". "Are 'liberte, egalite, fraternite' out of fashion?" wrote parliament speaker You Si-kun on social media, referring to France's motto of "liberty, equality, fraternity". "Is it OK just to ignore this once it's part of the constitution? Or can advanced democratic countries ignore the lives and deaths of people in other countries?" Some analysts say that Mr Macron's comments suggest that the US is to blame as much as China for the rising tensions over Taiwan, and make it harder for the EU to take a harder line with Beijing. Story continues China meanwhile has praised Mr Macron's remarks and said it wasn't surprised at the criticism. "Some countries do not want to see other nations become independent and self-reliant, and instead always want to coerce other countries into obeying their will," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. Self-ruled Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. But Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under its control and has never renounced the use of force as a means to do this. While the US diplomatically acknowledges China's position that there is only one Chinese government, President Joe Biden has vowed to intervene militarily to protect Taiwan if it is attacked. Earlier this week, Beijing began rehearsing the encirclement of Taiwan during days of military drills that were seen as a response to the recent meeting between Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. President Tsai said on Saturday that her government would continue working with the US and other democracies as the island faced "continued authoritarian expansionism" from China. The father of Madeline Kingsburys children has spoken out almost two weeks after she went missing to say he did not have anything to do with her disappearance. In a statement through his lawyer, Adam Fravel said he wants her home to be able to be with our two children and clarified that his non-attendance and silence since Ms Kingsbury was first reported missing was not a sign of apathy. Ms Kingsbury was last seen on the morning of 31 March after dropping her two children off at daycare around 8 am with Mr Fravel. Ms Kingsbury returned to her home around 8.15 am that day and sent a final, lighthearted text message to her sister. Mr Fravel told Winona Police that he borrowed Ms Kingsburys van around 10 am and returned hours later to find her gone. Law enforcement said Ms Kingsburys cellphone, wallet, and ID were left inside the home indicating her disappearance was suspicious. Ms Kingsbury, 26, has not been seen or heard from since. Key points Madeline Kingsbury vanished on 31 March after daycare dropoff Father of children says he borrowed her blue van Mom-of-twos final text revealed Search scaled back after over 2,000 join hunt for missing mom Sister of missing mother-of-two speaks out Father of Madeline Kingsburys children releases statement 19:51 , Ariana Baio Adam Fravel, the father of Madeline Maddi Kingsburys children, has released a statement via his lawyer about Ms Kingsburys disappearance. Over the course of the last 12 days my family and I have been subject to a myriad of accusations regarding the disappearance of the mother of my children, Maddi Kingsbury, the statement from Mr Fravel says according to KTTC. During these last 12 days I have cooperated with law enforcement at every turn, including sitting down for multiple interviews with Winona County law enforcement. I did not have anything to do with Maddis disappearance. I want the mother of my 5-year-old and 2-year-old to be found and brought home safely. I want that more than anything. Law enforcement advised me on April 2nd that they would not recommend that I attend the press conferences or that I assist in the searches due to safety concerns. However, my non-attendance and silence has been inferred by many as a sign of apathy, or worse. That could not be further from the truth. Story continues Mr Fravel told law enforcement he was with Ms Kingsbury on the morning of 31 March when the two dropped their children off at daycare. After dropping the children off, he told law enforcement he borrowed her dark blue minivan but when he returned to Ms Kingsburys home later that day, she was not there. Mr Fravel has been at the center of online speculation about Ms Kingsburys disappearance. I want Maddi home and for her to be able to be with our two children. God Bless the Kingsbury family and please bring her home safely, Mr Fravels statement says. Madeline Jane Kingsburys sister speaks out 19:39 , Ariana Baio Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsburys sister, Megan Kingsbury has spoken her missing sister with Good Morning America on Tuesday Megan said she last spoke to Ms Kingsbury, 26, on the morning of 31 March, just hours before her disapperance. Megan said she was expecting Ms Kingsbury and her daughter, to visit her the following day. But after she tried to call Ms Kingsbury with no answer, she knew something was wrong. I tried to call and nobody picked up, Megan told the show. And thats kind of when alarm bells were going off. Andrea Blanco reports. Madeline Kingsburys sister speaks out as search for missing mother continues Madeline Jane Kingsburys family describes her 18:52 , Ariana Baio When 26-year-old Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury suddenly stopped communicating with her family on 31 April, they immediately knew something was wrong. Ms Kingburys sister, Megan Kingsbury told Fox News that their family is close and Ms Kingsbury speaks with them on a regular basis. Megan called Ms Kingsbury, a hardworking and dedicated mother. Shes my best friend. She was really funny as a little kid. She liked to pick out her own clothes and they never matched. And she loved wearing dark red lipstick that was always on her teeth, Megan described Ms Kingsbury to ABC6 News. On Good Morning America, Megan pleaded, Please help us find Madeline. Her children need their mother. We need our daughter, our sister, our aunt, and our best friend back. Ms Kingsburys mother, Krista Naber, told News Nation, Madeline was just a hard-at-work mom, she took care of her two babies, she had started graduate school in January. Things were finally looking up for her. It was her goal to just continue to improve her life and the life for her kiddos, Ms Naber added. #MadelineKingsbury disappeared on March 31, after dropping off her two kids at day care in Winona, Minnesota. @TVAshleigh talks to Kingsburys mom, Krista Naber, in her first primetime interview about the search for her 26-year-old daughter. pic.twitter.com/gfzOe7uQVV NewsNation (@NewsNation) April 11, 2023 ICYMI: Who is missing 26-year-old Madeline Kingsbury? 17:30 , Ariana Baio Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury went missing on the morning of 31 March. For nearly two weeks, law enforcement in Winona County and Fillmore County, members of the community, and Ms Kingsburys family have been tirelessly searching for the missing 26-year-old. Heres everything to know about the case: Rachel Sharp reports. What we know about missing mother Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Megan Kingsbury says police are working around the clock" 16:11 , Ariana Baio In a video posted to her TikTok, Madeline Kingsburys sister, Megan Kingsbury, said police are tirelessly working around the clock to find her sister. In previous videos, Megan described feeling frustrated that there are no updates about her missing 26-year-old sister. But in her latest video, she clarified that the frustration was not with police, just with the lack of leads. We as a family are not frustrated with police at all, they are tirelessly working around the clock, Megan said. She added, We just want to find out where my sister is and the police do too. Ms Kingsbury has been missing for 12 days. She was last seen the morning of 31 March. Community searches still underway for Madeline Kingsbury 14:35 , Ariana Baio Despite mass searches organised by law enforcement coming to an end, admins on the Finding Madeline Kingsbury Facebook page said community ones are still underway. As a group of admins, weve been coordinating with community members of Mabel and the Mabel Legion for Fillmore County searches since Maddis disappearance. In response to speculation and inaccurate information from adjacent pages: CIVILIAN SEARCHES ARE CONTINUING, a post on the page read. Admins clarified that community members may still search for Ms Kingsbury, however, they cannot interfere with law enforcement searches. This does not mean searched conducted by the public are ending, the post said. If you are out searching and see [law enforcement] (they are hard to miss), STAY FAR AWAY AND CLEAR FROM THEIR WORK AREAS. Community members who would like to volunteer to help search for Ms Kingsbury can do so by signing up on SignUpGenius. $15k raised for family of Madeline Jane Kingsbury 14:00 , Ariana Baio A GoFundMe that was started to raise money for Madeline Maddi Kingsburys family to stay in hotels while they search for the missing 26-year-old mother-of-two has raised over $15,000. Over 300 people have donated money to the cause. The GoFundMe is asking for $20,000 to help support Ms Kingsburys family who has been tirelessly looking for her for 12 days. Ms Kingsbury went missing on 31 March after dropping her children off at daycare. Madeline Kingsbury (Winona Police) Missing mother-of-twos sister speaks about moment she knew something was wrong 13:00 , Rachel Sharp Madeline Kingsburys sister has spoken out about the moment she knew something was wrong. Megan Kingsbury told GMA that she had plans with her sister on 1 April and had contacted her to discuss the plans on 31 March. When she couldnt get in touch, she grew increasingly concerned. I tried to call, nobody picked up, and thats kind of when alarm bells were going off, she said, Its swirling around in your head, like, why havent I heard anything from her? Winona Police press conference fails to materialise 12:00 , Rachel Sharp Winona Police had been expected to hold a press conference on Tuesday but later confirmed that information was incorrect. We are aware it is being reported that we are having a press conference today in regards to the missing persons case of Madeline Kingsbury. That information is not correct, there will NOT be a press conference today. Thank you, the department posted on Facebook. No update has been given in several days now. Madeline Kinsgburys sister speaks out 11:08 , Rachel Sharp The sister of Madeline Kingsbury has spoken out as the search for the missing mother-of-two nears the end of its second week with no clues as to her whereabouts. Megan Kingsbury told ABCs Good Morning America on Tuesday that she is not giving up hope that her sibling will return home safe. We love her and Maddi, were going to find you, she said. Shes my best friend. She was really funny as a little kid. She liked to pick out her own clothes and they never matched. And she loved wearing dark red lipstick that was always on her teeth. We love to bake, we love Harry Potter, and she loves Lord of the Rings. And we try to take trips together, just the two of us for quality time. The timeline we know so far of Madeline Kingsburys disappearance 11:00 , Ariana Baio On 31, March, Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury suddenly disappeared after dropping her two young children off at daycare. Since then, several large, and small, scale searches have gone underway in the hopes of finding the missing 26-year-old. Her disappearance has been described as involuntary and suspicious by law enforcement officials and Ms Kingsburys family is pleading with the public for help finding their missing daughter, mother, sister, and niece. Heres what we know about the timeline of her disappearance. 8 am, 31 March- Ms Kingsbury and the father of her children dropped off their two children at daycare. 8.15 am, 31 March- Ms Kingsbury returned home in her dark blue Chrysler Town & Country van. 10 am, 31 March-The father of Ms Kingsburys children told police officers he left her residence in the dark blue van. The father of the children returned to Ms Kingsburys residence and told authorities she was no longer home. Ms Kingsburys cellphone, ID, wallet, and jacket she was wearing earlier that day were left inside. 1.30 pm, 31 March- The dark blue Chrysler Town & Country van was spotted traveling southbound on County Road 12 and Highway 43 in Winona County. Police did not say who was driving. 1 April- Winona Police Department released Ms Kingsburys photo saying they are seeking information in her disappearance. 7 April- The Winona County Sheriffs Office and Fillmore County Sheriffs Office conducted a mass search. 8 April- Law enforcement announced they will be ending the planned second mass search because there were enough volunteers to cover more ground. Recap: Who is Madeline Jane Kingsbury? 09:00 , Ariana Baio The search for 26-year-old Madeline Jane Kingsbury is underway after the mother-of-two mysteriously disappeared on 31 March. Ms Kingsbury was last seen dropping her two young children off at daycare with the father of her children. After returning home around 8.15 am on 31 March her whereabouts became unknown. Here is everything we know about Ms Kingsbury as Winona Police continue their search and investigation into her disappearance. Rachel Sharp reports. What we know about missing mother Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Madeline Kingsburys sister says she is frustrated with lack of updates 07:00 , Ariana Baio On TikTok, Megan Kingsbury, the sister of 26-year-old missing woman Madeline Kingsbury, said she is frustrated there is no update on the whereabouts of her sister. Madeline Kingsburys sister reveals their final text exchange 04:00 , Ariana Baio Madeline Maddi Kingsburys sister, Meghan Kingsbury revealed the final text messages between her and her sister before she went missing on 31 March. Megan said the last text message she received from Ms Kingsbury was at 8.15 am, the day she went missing. We were chuckling about a funny photo exchange between us, and that was the last communication with me, or with any of my family or her other friends, Megan told Fox News. Megan said she and her family became worried about Ms Kingsbury after she stopped answering her phone. This is very unlike her, Megan said. Shes not the type of person who would want to take a break and not tell anybody. If she had a problem and wanted to get away, she would come to my house. Law enforcement ask residents to check their cameras 02:00 , Ariana Baio Law enforcement officials are asking residents of Fillmore, Houston, and Winona counties to check their cameras, save videos, and walk their properties in the hunt for missing woman Madeliene Maddi Jane Kingsbury. Walk your property if you havent done so already, Tom Williams, the Winona Police Chief said in a press conference on Friday, 7 April. Look for signs of anything suspicious, a disturbance, or anything out of place, Mr Williams added. Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge echoed Mr Williams plea asking people to check their cars, their properties, the trails, and more for any suspicious signs. Ms Kingsbury went missing on 31 March. Over 1,000 joined the search for Madeline Jane Kingsbury Wednesday 12 April 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio In the 11 days since Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury went missing, thousands of people signed up to search for the 26-year-old mother-of-two. On Friday, 7 April, over 1,000 people signed up on SignUpGenius for four different time and location slots to look for Ms Kingsbury. Searches took place on Friday with another mass search slated for Saturday, 8 April, but law enforcement called off the mass search believing there were enough volunteers the day before to canvas the area. Ariana Baio reports. Over 1,000 people sign up to join search for missing mother Madeline Kingsbury Megan Kingsbury gives an update on the search for her sister Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio Megan Kingsbury, Madeline Jane Kingsburys sister, gave an update about her 26-year-old sisters disappearance via TikTok on Tuesday. We dont really have a lot of updates, which is frustrating, Ms Kingsbury said in her video. I know it is for everyone trying to help, its frustrating for us too. The police are frustrated. It just- it sucks, Ms Kingsbury added saying searches are still underway for her sister. Ms Kingsbury said police are still looking for her sister who was last seen on the morning of 31 March. People in the community are also looking for Madeline too. Police called off a mass search on Saturday saying they had enough volunteers to canvas the area on Friday. But smaller searches are still happening. Ms Kingsbury said she had spent the day doing media interviews to help spread the word about her sister. Ms Kingsbury ended her TikTok by thanking people for boosting her TikTok videos and spreading the word about Madeline. Police confirm no press conference for Tuesday Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:03 , Ariana Baio Misinformation online led some to believe the Winona Police Department would be hosting a press conference on Tuesday to update the public about Madeline Jane Kingsburys disappearance. On Facebook, the Winona Police confirmed there would be no press conference. We are aware it is being reported that we are having a press conference today in regards to the missing persons case of Madeline Kingsbury. That information is not correct, there will NOT be a press conference today. Thank you, they wrote. Timeline in Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Tuesday 11 April 2023 18:57 , ariana.baio On 31, March, Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury suddenly disappeared after dropping her two young children off at daycare. Since then, several large, and small, scale searches have gone underway in the hopes of finding the missing 26-year-old. Her disappearance has been described as involuntary and suspicious by law enforcement officials and Ms Kingsburys family is pleading with the public for help finding their missing daughter, mother, sister, and niece. Heres what we know about the timeline of her disappearnce. 8 am, 31 March- Ms Kingsbury and the father of her children dropped off their two children at daycare. 8.15 am, 31 March- Ms Kingsbury returned home in her dark blue Chrysler Town & Country van. 10 am, 31 March-The father of Ms Kingsburys children told police officers he left her residence in the dark blue van. The father of the children returned to Ms Kingsburys residence and told authorities she was no longer home. Ms Kingsburys cellphone, ID, wallet, and jacket she was wearing earlier that day were left inside. 1.30 pm, 31 March- The dark blue Chrysler Town & Country van was spotted traveling southbound on County Road 12 and Highway 43 in Winona County. Police did not say who was driving. 1 April- Winona Police Department released Ms Kingsburys photo saying they are seeking information in her disappearance. 7 April- The Winona County Sheriffs Office and Fillmore County Sheriffs Office conducted a mass search. 8 April- Law enforcement announced they will be ending the planned second mass search because there were enough volunteers to cover more ground. What Madeline Kingsbury told her family minutes before she vanished Tuesday 11 April 2023 17:32 , Ariana Baio Just moments before Madeline Maddi Kingsburys suspicious disappearance, she was texting with her sister, Megan Kingsbury. The two had a close relationship and Ms Kingsbury was often in communication with her family. Ms Kingsburys family knew something was wrong when she stopped answering their messages as it was out of character for her. Police in Winona and neighbouring Filmore County described Ms Kingsburys disappearance as involuntary and suspicious. Megan revealed what she and her now-missing sister were speaking about. Andrea Blanco reports. Sister of missing Winona mother Madeline Kingsbury reveals final text Madeline Kingsburys mother speaks about missing daughter Tuesday 11 April 2023 15:41 , Ariana Baio Krista Naber, Madeline Maddi Kingsburys mother spoke with News Nation about her missing 26-year-old daughter. Madeline was just a hard-at-work mom, Ms Naber said. She took care of her two babies, she had started graduate school in January. Things were really, finally, looking up for her #MadelineKingsbury disappeared on March 31, after dropping off her two kids at day care in Winona, Minnesota. @TVAshleigh talks to Kingsburys mom, Krista Naber, in her first primetime interview about the search for her 26-year-old daughter. pic.twitter.com/gfzOe7uQVV NewsNation (@NewsNation) April 11, 2023 Ms Kingsbury was last seen on 31 March after dropping her two young children off at daycare with the father of her children. Online, internet sleuths have speculated about the childrens fathers involvement or other people Ms Kingsbury may have been dating. Ms Naber addressed the speculation saying, Were hopeful that the evidence and things that theyre collecting are going to lead us in the right direction. As to whose responsible, the investigation is ongoing so I really cant speak to anything in that nature. What Madeline Jane Kingsburys family has said about her disappearance Tuesday 11 April 2023 14:08 , ariana.baio When 26-year-old Madeline Maddi Jane Kingsbury suddenly stopped communicating with her family on 31 April, they immediately knew something was wrong. Ms Kingburys sister, Megan Kingsbury told Fox News that their family is close and Ms Kingsbury speaks with them on a regular basis. Megan called Ms Kingsbury, a hardworking and dedicated mother. Shes my best friend. She was really funny as a little kid. She liked to pick out her own clothes and they never matched. And she loved wearing dark red lipstick that was always on her teeth, Megan described Ms Kingsbury to ABC6 News. On Good Morning America, Megan pleaded, Please help us find Madeline. Her children need their mother. We need our daughter, our sister, our aunt, and our best friend back. Ms Kingsburys mother, Krista Naber, told News Nation, Madeline was just a hard-at-work mom, she took care of her two babies, she had started graduate school in January. Things were finally looking up for her. It was her goal to just continue to improve her life and the life for her kiddos, Ms Naber added. Ms Naber acknowledged the Winona Police Department and the local communitys hard work in the search for her missing daughter. Family slams gossip about search discovery Tuesday 11 April 2023 13:00 , Graeme Massie Madeline Kingsburys family has begged the public not to gossip about anything found during the search for the missing mother-of-two. Around 2,000 people joined in the search for the 26-year-old this weekend following her sudden disappearance on 31 March. Its unclear if anything has been found but Ms Kingsburys family urged the public not to gossip about any discoveries. It has come to our attention there has been some gossip about what has or has not been found by search parties. If you are participating in a search party PLEASE keep any and all findings within your group and Law Enforcement. We are all hoping and praying for answers/clues/signs/etc., but we need to let the officials do their job, the family said in a Facebook group focused on the search for the missing mother. Also, please keep in the front of your mind that we are looking for a Daughter, Sister, Friend and Mother. Make sure you are displaying appropriate and empathetic behavior both on and offline. Thank you for your continued love and support. I think I speak for all of Maddis family and friends when I say that seeing all of the donations made and people out willing to search today was a humbling experience. We appreciate you. Madeline Kingsbury had plans to see sister day after she vanished Tuesday 11 April 2023 10:04 , Graeme Massie Madeline Kingsbury had made plans to see her sister the day after she vanished without a trace, it has been revealed. Megan Kingsbury said that she and her 26-year-old sibling had arranged to meet on Saturday 1 April but were yet to flesh out the details of the plans. They were messaging on the morning of Friday 31 March, with Megan revealing she received the last text from her sister at around 8.15am. Neither she nor anyone else has seen or heard from Ms Kingsbury since then. Madeline Kingsburys family continues to lead search parties after police scale back search Tuesday 11 April 2023 07:54 , Graeme Massie Madeline Kingsburys family is continuing to lead search parties to find the missing mother-of-two after Winona Police announced that law enforcement is scaling back searches. In a post on the Finding Madeline Kingsbury Facebook page, the family announced search parties planned for Monday 10 April to Friday 14 April. THIS IS NOT AT ALL A LARGE-SCALE, POLICE LEAD SEARCH EFFORT, the post read. Were continuing to search as we did prior to the large-scale searches. Volunteers can sign up to join searches on the page. This comes after police led almost 2,000 volunteers in a search to find the missing 26-year-old on Friday. Winona Police said that because of the huge turnout of volunteers, more ground was covered more quickly than anticipated. Now, law enforcement will focus on targeted searches as the investigation continues, police said. What we know about Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Tuesday 11 April 2023 06:12 , Graeme Massie Last Friday morning, Madeline Kingsbury dropped her two young children off at their daycare in Minnesota. She was never seen or heard from again. Now, one week on, a desperate search is underway to find the missing 26-year-old Maddi whose disappearance has been described as involuntary and suspicious. Rachel Sharp reports. What we know about missing mother Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Family release photos of Madeline Kingsburys tattoos Tuesday 11 April 2023 04:03 , Graeme Massie Madeline Kingsburys family have released several photos of her distinct tattoos in hopes that they could help locate the mother who has now been missing for a week. The photos were included in a post on the Find Madeline Kingsbury Facebook page which sought to debunk false speculation on the case. Madeline Kingsburys sister speaks out a week after disappearance Tuesday 11 April 2023 02:07 , Graeme Massie The sister of Madeline Kingsbury has said that her family became worried when the missing mother-of-two stopped answering her phone. This is very unlike her, Megan told Fox News. Shes not the type of person who would want to take a break and not tell anybody. If she had a problem and wanted to get away, she would come to my house. Megan said that the last text she received from Madeline was at 8.15am on the day that she went missing. We were chuckling about a funny photo exchange between us, and that was the last communication with me, or with any of my family or her other friends, Megan said. Madeline was last seen in Winona on 31 March shortly after she dropped her children off at daycare with their father. The father, who has not been described specifically by police as her husband, said they returned home and he departed for work in her van at around 10am. Megan refused to answer questions about Madelines husband, asking instead that the focus remained on finding Madeline. Theres a lot of speculation, of course, with people coming up with theories and asking us a lot of questions that we cant answer, she told Fox. We just want to keep the focus on finding her. Were asking people keep their eyes and ears open. Recap: What happened to Madeline Kingsbury? Tuesday 11 April 2023 00:05 , Graeme Massie Madeline Kingsbury, a 26-year-old mother of two children, was last seen on 31 March. According to the police, Ms Kingsbury and her husband returned to their home in Winona after dropping off their kids at daycare on Friday. The husband said he left for work in Ms Kingsburys van, around 10am local time, and returned later in the day only to find his wife gone. Ms Kingsbury did not show up for work that day or respond to numerous calls and messages from friends and family. She also failed to pick up her children from daycare that afternoon, which the police said was extremely out of character for her. Police focus on specific road in search for Madeline Monday 10 April 2023 22:05 , Graeme Massie Investigators have asked residents of Fillmore County to report any signs of suspicious activity that they may have witnessed between 8am on 31 March and 4pm on 1 April, along Highway 43 in both Winona and Fillmore counties. (Winona Police) What we know about Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Monday 10 April 2023 18:01 , Graeme Massie Last Friday morning, Madeline Kingsbury dropped her two young children off at their daycare in Minnesota. She was never seen or heard from again. Now, one week on, a desperate search is underway to find the missing 26-year-old Maddi whose disappearance has been described as involuntary and suspicious. Rachel Sharp reports. What we know about missing mother Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Madeline Kingsburys sister speaks out a week after disappearance Monday 10 April 2023 15:30 , Andrea Blanco The sister of Madeline Kingsbury has said that her family became worried when the missing mother-of-two stopped answering her phone. This is very unlike her, Megan told Fox News. Shes not the type of person who would want to take a break and not tell anybody. If she had a problem and wanted to get away, she would come to my house. Megan said that the last text she received from Madeline was at 8.15am on the day that she went missing. We were chuckling about a funny photo exchange between us, and that was the last communication with me, or with any of my family or her other friends, Megan said. The Independent has more: Sister of missing Winona mother Madeline Kingsbury reveals final text Winona Police announce end of large-scale search Monday 10 April 2023 14:30 , Rachel Sharp Winona Police have announced the end of its large-scale search to find the missing mother-of-two. Almost 2,000 volunteers joined in the search for Madeline Kingsbury on Friday, trawling through rural areas for any signs as to the whereabouts of the 26-year-old. This is tough terrain, and we are grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who are taking their personal time to assist with the search, Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said during a press conference. Police said that because of the huge turnout of volunteers, more ground was able to be covered more quickly. Now, law enforcement will focus on targeted searches as the investigation continues. Final text messages revealed Monday 10 April 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp The last known communication from Madeline Kingsbury has been revealed as the search to find the missing Minnesota mother-of-two rumbles on into its second week. Megan Kingsbury said that she received a final, lighthearted text message from her sister at around 8.15am on Friday 31 March. We were chuckling about a funny photo exchange between us, and that was the last communication with me, or with any of my family or her other friends, she told Fox News. Read more here: Police say search efforts will continue in target areas Monday 10 April 2023 11:30 The Filmore County Sheriffs Office and the Winona County Police Department announced on Saturday that more than 2,600 volunteers helped comb through vast areas during massive searches over the weekend. As we develop new leads and new search areas, teams of law enforcement will do targeted searches, a statement by the departments read. We are not giving up and we want to thank everyone for their continued support for Maddi and her family. Authorities have asked residents in the City of Winona, Wilson Township, and Hillsdale Township to search their acreage, wooded property, outbuildings, vehicles and trails for anything suspicious. Dive teams and police ATVs have also been used in the search. The Winona Police Department said on Saturday that search efforts will be scaled back but the investigation remains ongoing. Recap: What happened to Madeline Kingsbury? Monday 10 April 2023 09:30 , Oliver O'Connell Madeline Kingsbury, a 26-year-old mother of two children, was last seen on 31 March. According to the police, Ms Kingsbury and her husband returned to their home in Winona after dropping off their kids at daycare on Friday. The husband said he left for work in Ms Kingsburys van, around 10am local time, and returned later in the day only to find his wife gone. Ms Kingsbury did not show up for work that day or respond to numerous calls and messages from friends and family. She also failed to pick up her children from daycare that afternoon, which the police said was extremely out of character for her. No persons of interest in Madeline Kingsburys disappearance Monday 10 April 2023 01:30 , Oliver O'Connell Winona police have said that there are currently no suspects and no persons of interest in the case. However, they appear to be focusing on the movements of Ms Kingsburys minivan and are asking for the publics help in tracing its journeys on the day of her disappearance. Chief Tom Williams confirmed that the vehicle is not missing and that both the van and Ms Kingsburys home have been searched. Surveillance footage has captured a vehicle matching the description of the van was captured driving from the home along highways and through Winona County and Fillmore County before heading back to the house. After the vehicle returned home, it is not believed to have gone anywhere else. During Thursdays press release, police refused to say who was driving the van. That is not information we can share at this time, they said. The police chief said that there is nothing to indicate that she left the residence on foot or in another vehicle. The two children are safe and there does not appear to be any threat to the public, police said. Authorities say they will continue search efforts in target areas Sunday 9 April 2023 21:59 , Andrea Blanco The Filmore County Sheriffs Office and the Winona County Police Department announced on Saturday that more than 2,600 volunteers helped comb through vast areas during massive searches over the weekend. As we develop new leads and new search areas, teams of law enforcement will do targeted searches, a statement by the departments read. We are not giving up and we want to thank everyone for their continued support for Maddi and her family. Authorities have asked residents in the City of Winona, Wilson Township, and Hillsdale Township to search their acreage, wooded property, outbuildings, vehicles and trails for anything suspicious. Dive teams and police ATVs have also been used in the search. The Winona Police Department said on Saturday that search efforts will be scaled back but the investigation remains ongoing. What do we know about Madelines last movements? Sunday 9 April 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell Winona police have offered scant details about the day of Madeline Kingsburys disappearance. What we do know is that Ms Kingsbury and the father of her children dropped their two children aged two and five off at daycare at around 8am on 31 March. At around 8.15am, the mother-of-two returned to her home. Her whereabouts after this time remain a mystery. She failed to show up for work something that police said was very unlike her and her cellphone, wallet, ID and the jacket she was wearing that morning were all found inside the home. The father of her children told investigators that he left Ms Kingsburys home at around 10am that morning, driving off in her 2014 dark blue Chrysler Town and Country minivan. He said that he returned later that day and found Ms Kingsbury wasnt home. Friends and family members tried to contact the 26-year-old that day but couldnt get hold of her. Again, police said this was unusual behaviour for her. Based on all this we believe Madelines disappearance is involuntary, suspicious and were all concerned for her safety, said Winona Police Chief Tom Williams. Megan Kingsbury asks public to spread the word about missing sister Sunday 9 April 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell Megan Kingsbury posted a TikTok on Wednesday with updates about the search for her missing sister Madeline. Megan said she, relatives and family friends have been driving through Winona County, where Madeline lived, and Fillmore County. The Fillmore County Sheriffs Office previously requested assistance from residents in Winona and nearby townships to search their property. Huge turnout for mass search on Friday Sunday 9 April 2023 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell Tremendous turnout this morning for the mass search of missing Madeline Kingsbury in Rushford. Info on signing up for the search: https://t.co/6zdtMCH7wh pic.twitter.com/eZe0kEM8fX R-P TROJANS Activities (@RPTrojansJLoney) April 7, 2023 Volunteer search leaders warn against family harassment Sunday 9 April 2023 01:30 , Oliver O'Connell The official Facebook page for Madeline Kingsburys disappearance has put out a stern statement indicating that members of the missing mothers family have been targets of harassment over the course of the search. A post on the Finding Madeline Kingsbury page late Thursday night states: We want to address something that has been brought to our attention. We will not condone the harassing of Maddis family or friends for information. When there is an active investigation, they do not need to disclose every detail for any number of reason. More often than not though, its to protect the victim or to not jeopardize their chances at catching the perpetrator and pressing charges. If there is information we can share, it will be shared via the page. We post this information so that people can be aware but we will not post info like that anymore if people are going to harass family, friends and businesses that may be involved. And that would be a huge disservice to Maddi. It is completely inappropriate and we will not tolerate it. Most Americans in a new poll support gift disclosure requirements and a code of ethics for Supreme Court Justices amid controversy over a report that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips without disclosing them. A YouGov/The Economist poll found that 73 percent of U.S. adults support the Ethics and Government Act of 1978 requirement that justices report most gifts on their annual financial disclosure reports. Just 13 percent disapprove, and another 15 percent arent sure. Sixty-nine percent of respondents also said theyd support instituting a formal ethics code that would allow for justices to be investigated if they are accused of an ethical violation. Just 14 percent oppose, and another 17 percent arent sure. Democrats voiced upset after a ProPublica report that said a Republican mega-donor paid for Thomas to take part in various luxury vacations over two decades. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has even called for Thomas to be impeached over the discovery. Thomas said after the report that he was advised that he did not need to disclose the trips. Just 24 percent of Americans in the poll said they approve of Thomas accepting the luxury trips without disclosure, while 58 percent said they disapprove. Forty-three percent said they think Thomas broke the law by not disclosing the trips, 28 percent think he didnt and 29 percent arent sure. Conducted April 8-11, the poll surveyed 1500 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A male was shot overnight at an apartment complex, according to the Columbia Police Department. It was after 9 p.m. when police reported the shooting happened at the Reserve at Riverwalk apartments at 4501 Bentley Drive. Thats near the Broad River, about a mile from Broad River Road. The victim was shot in the lower body and taken to an area hospital, according to police. Further information on his condition was not available. Columbia police investigate a shooting. No other injuries were reported. There was no word on a shooter, or shooters, or any motive for the gunfire. No arrests have been reported by police, who are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip. The department stores. The familiar aroma of soft pretzels. Santas and decorations hung way too early! at Christmastime. The enclosed shopping mall was once a pillar of the suburban experience; now, they almost feel like remnants of a bygone era. As years have gone by, malls have slowly become languishing public spaces. According to the most recent Mecklenburg County revaluation, Charlottes malls arent worth as much as they once were. Per Axios Charlotte, SouthPark Mall is worth 15% less than in 2019, while the value of Northlake Malls property is down nearly 11%. Mecklenburg County Assessor Ken Joyner told county commissioners earlier this month that malls are seen as a dated retail concept. In fact, in North Carolina, popular malls have closed, gone up for sale or faced financial struggle in recent years. Charlottes Northlake Mall in particular is struggling, in part due to mounting safety concerns that have recently prompted more security measures. Apple, a major retailer, permanently closed its store there in March after three shootings occurred in less than three months. Once key drivers of foot traffic, some retailers Macys, Foot Locker, Gap, just to name a few have begun to close some locations at malls across the country. The world is changing, and online shopping increasingly sidelines the brick-and-mortar experience. Its just an evolution, Steven Cox, professor of marketing at McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte, told me. You go from country general stores to a Sears-type store, to department stores in a mall, from malls to online. Ten years from now, there may only be 150 malls remaining nationwide, one expert told The Wall Street Journal last year. We overbuilt the malls because they were so successful in the 50s, 60s and 70s, Cox said. We just overbuilt them. And now weve got them, and nobody wants to use them anymore. But when malls close or their success begins to dwindle, what do we do with the space thats left behind? Between retail space and parking lots, its a whole lot of land. The main parcel that Northlake Mall sits on in Charlotte is nearly 2.5 million square feet about 57 acres. These sites offer something you cant often find in cities anymore: ample space, proximity and, yes, parking. Story continues For now, the best way to salvage malls may be to turn them into something different if thats possible. After all, theres only so much you can do with a space like that. How can we make sure it isnt wasted? The Triangles surviving malls are increasingly being reimagined and redeveloped, perhaps in hopes that a little change will lengthen their lifespan. University Place Chapel Hills first enclosed mall is being transformed into a mixed-use development, complete with restaurant and retail space, office space, apartments and even a public park. Developers hope to revamp Southpoint Mall in Durham with housing and office space. Similar things are happening across the country. Former malls in cities like Nashville and Alexandria now house health care facilities. One New York mall was recently retrofitted into an affordable housing complex for seniors. During the pandemic, abandoned malls served as COVID-19 vaccination sites. In fact, the most successful brick-and-mortar shopping centers these days tend to be mixed-use developments that more closely resemble strip malls. Park Road Shopping Center, for example, has managed to hang on by reinventing the wheel as a high-end retail and dining destination. But its certainly no easy feat. Charlottes old Eastland Mall has been closed for nearly 13 years and the city is still debating just how, exactly, to redevelop it. After years of decline, Cary Towne Center is finally being redeveloped into the headquarters for Epic Games, the video game and software company. Unless youve got a real destination mall, were not going to be able to do anything with these behemoths, Cox said. The first step to making any kind of change is realizing its inevitable. And with malls, that inevitability is becoming very clear. A man accused of being the gunman in an April 2020 shooting that injured a woman out jogging near her Pigeon Point neighborhood was found not guilty by reason of insanity and will not go to trial, a judge ruled Wednesday. Isaiah Clayton Perdue, 27, of North Charleston, South Carolina, was charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon in the commission of a violent crime, court records show. On April 22, 2020, Perdue was driving in Beaufort shortly after having purchased a gun from an online ad placed by an off-duty Dorchester County Sheriffs Office deputy. While driving, Perdue saw a woman, identified as Anne Dickerson, jogging down Lafayette Street near Pigeon Point, and got out of the car to fire three shots, one of which hit Dickerson, police said. On April 15, just days before the shooting, the Beaufort Police Department said Perdue allegedly ran from a motel in North Charleston after they say he attacked and seriously injured another woman with a machete. He was charged in that incident on April 23, 2020, with attempted murder and possession of a weapon in the commission of a violent crime. Perdues charges in that incident are still pending, court records show. Perdue was due back in court Wednesday morning in the Beaufort shooting for a competency hearing that would determine whether he could stand trial. Before the hearing, Perdue had been evaluated by at least two psychiatrists, who determined he had mental health issues and a substance abuse disorder. Both Perdues attorney, Grant Smaldone, and prosecutors from the 14th Circuit Solicitors Office, agreed with the psychiatrists conclusion, and Judge Brooks Goldsmith found him not guilty by reason of insanity, meaning he will not go to trial. The whole process surrounding this situation has been tragic, said Smaldone. Dickerson told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette that she is anxious about the courts decision. Its upsetting to me in terms of I dont know what will happen, she said. Its the uncertainty of the lack of a sentence that bothers me. Story continues Perdue will remain in custody either in the Beaufort County Detention Center or the Charleston County Detention Center before being taken to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health for evaluation. Another hearing will be scheduled to determine a treatment plan. More resilient than most people Three years later and the details about what happened on April 22, 2020, are still a bit unclear for Dickerson. She remembers being out on a run in Pigeon Point, something she did about three to four times a week before the shooting, and a car pulling up to the curb next to her. A man got out, took two steps toward her, and shots were fired, one of which hit her in the left shoulder. I hit the ground and he drove off, she told the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. Dickerson, who had never met Perdue, was airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. There, she underwent surgery, had a tracheotomy and was put on a feeding tube for weeks. The bullet had damaged nerves in her shoulder and three years later she still cannot lift the arm above her waist to eat or blow dry her hair, she said. Once she was home from the hospital, Dickerson said she couldnt drive down the road where she was shot without having panic attacks for at least a year. Ten months after the shooting, she went on her first run but admits she now goes a different route. I was determined not to let it stop me, she said. Im probably a lot more resilient than most people. Despite her attempts to return to a normal life, Dickerson, who was previously involved with gun safety groups, said she wishes something would change. Im so full of anger about the gun situation in this country, and in South Carolina in particular, Dickerson said. Anyone with a gun can sell to anyone else with no background check, no responsibility. Gun Violence in South Carolina S.C. Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel released a statement on gun violence in the state Tuesday: I am extremely concerned by the increasing number of murders and young people with guns in our state, Keel said in the wake of a shooting in the town of Isle of Palms, South Carolina, that injured six people. Gangs, drugs, and criminals easy access to guns continue to play a significant role in the violence we have seen in South Carolina. In the past decade, the murder rate increased 52.2% in South Carolina, Keel said in his statement. Tuesday, The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette reported two separate shooting deaths in Beaufort County in as many days. The two who died were 32-year-old Shanelle Nimmons of Bluffton and 21-year-old Daveion Reed of Beaufort. 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. A traveller claimed that Frontier Airlines lost his luggage on his flight before an airline employees grandfather brought it to him. In a recent video posted to TikTok, Cole, @madeleineandcole, recounted the craziest experience he had with Frontier Airlines during a trip from Denver, Colorado, to Hartford, Connecticut. He explained that when got to the airport, he had a personal bag for the flight and paid to check a bag. He said that when he checked his bag and went through security at the airport, everything was fine. However, once he got to the gate, the airline workers started looking at passengers personal bags. They line us all up and theyre like, We are checking everyones bag size, he explained. And it wasnt just like a little normal checkSomeone tried to take a phone out of a bag and theyre like, Nothing in your pockets. What? Cole claimed that when someone tried to put on a jacket, the airline worker said no and claimed that each person could only have one jacket. He explained that people continued to put bags into the baggage sizer, which is used to determine if personal items can fit on the plane or not. When people had bags with straps hanging out, he alleged that workers told them that the items couldnt fit on the plane. According to Frontiers official site, each traveller is allowed one personal item on the plane, which has to be 14H X 18W X 8D including handles, wheels and straps. If the items are not this size, they will be charged an additional cost during boarding. Passengers can also check bags or have a carry-on bag when they board for an additional cost. In his video, Cole claimed that workers proceeded examined passengers luggage before sending them to the counter to check their items. They sent everyone to the counter, he claimed. People were, like, filming. Some people were crying because they were being so sticklers, and peoples bags were, like, actually fitting. The TikTok user said that when he saw this, he put on his jacket and threw away some stuff before putting his bag in the bag sizer. He claimed that when an airline worker told him that his bag still didnt fit, he asked to put in the bag sizer again. In response, she allegedly she said no. Story continues From there, he claimed he snuck out of the line to empty more stuff out of his bag. When he got back on the line, he said that he got the bag to fit in the sizer because the airline worker was dealing with someone else. So, he was able to grab the bag and take it on the plane with him. He continued on to say he asked an attendant for a bandage for a cut when he got on the plane, but claimed that the attendant told him no. He later got a bandage from a different attendant. Once he landed, Cole claimed that he waited 20 or 30 minutes at a baggage carousel to get the luggage he checked. After noticing that the information desk was closed, he said that he finally got to talk to a TSA person, who told him: Oh yeah, Frontier doesnt have a carousel right now. Cole said that the TSA worker told him that normally an attendant would come down and show passengers where their bags are. Instead of waiting, Cole decided to go home and return to the airport the next morning for his bag. Upon returning the next day, Cole said his luggage was not in the airports baggage room so he had to file a claim about the missing bag. An airline worker also apparently told him that they couldnt track his bag. Cole said that he filed another claim with a Frontier bot before he was then transferred to a human. So I was like, Hey, Im sorry Im being short with you. Im not mad at you. I just cant believe how helpless I feel right now. Because theres literally not one outlet that has offered me any substance of information about where my bag is, he explained of the ordeal. In a follow up video, Cole shared an update on the situation and revealed that he did get his bag back moer than 48 hours after he landed. He said that after the employees called him to say that his bag would be delivered, he got another call from Frontier about the person dropping it off. Hes like: Hey, so just wanted to give you an update on your bag. One of our Frontier drivers is in the hospital, so I got it so far, but my grandfather is actually going to drive it down to you, Cole recalled. And I was like, Okay thats fine...but it seems weird that his grandfather would give it to me, but at this point I didnt think I was going to get my bag. Cole then recalled that the grandfather had driven to the wrong town in Connecticut, which was three hours north from where the traveller lived. Still, the workers grandfather drove to his house and dropped the luggage off. He drove a bunch of extra time, this guys grandfather apparently, which is like so crazy, he added. I cannot believe that this Frontier employee was in a position where he was going to have his grandfather drive it. As of 7 April, Coles two videos have more than 539,200 views. Many TikTok users in the comments have been criticising Frontier. Honestly I feel like budget airlines in the end just cost more money and hassle, one wrote. Frontier: you cant have your bag on board with you, but also you cant have it after you land. Good luck, another added. A third wrote: These airlines act like passengers are inconveniencing them. Other people shared their reactions to the airline employees grandfather dropping off the luggage and asked more questions about the experience. The grandfather delivery, one wrote, along with three laughing face emojis. I have sooo many questions but like what about everyone elses bags?? another added. Did grandpa drive and drop those off too?? The Independent has contacted Cole and Frontier Airlines for comment. This isnt the first time that travellers have shared their difficult experiences with Frontier. Last month, the budget airline came under fire after a passenger claimed to have been charged $100 to check a bag which appeared to fit the size requirements. Dyana Villa shared a video of her experience travelling with Frontier on TikTok, in which she and her friends can be seen fitting their bag into the baggage sizer. She later shared an update and claimed she was contacted by a Frontier Airlines attendant, who said staff are eligible for a $10 bonus for every passenger bag they check and collect a fee for. A Frontier spokesperson told The Independent that the fee is simply an incentive for our airport customer service agents to help ensure compliance with our policies and that all customers are treated equally. The spokesperson rejected Villas baggage complaint claiming that the traveller had brought a second carry-on bag. Each customer is allowed one free personal item that must fit within the smaller sizer box, they said. This customer had more than one bag and they were not able to combine them into a single bag that fit in the personal item box. A man who pleaded guilty to killing and dismembering his wife of 30 years will spend decades in prison, a Pennsylvania court ruled. The daughter of Stephen Capaldi, 57, said in a victim impact statement she believes her father should spend the rest of his life in jail. Instead, Capaldi will spend 22 to 44 years in prison after pleading guilty to numerous charges, including third-degree murder, according to the Bucks County District Attorneys Office. Stephen Capaldi had been involved in an emotional and sexual affair for six months with another woman when he strangled and smothered Elizabeth Beth Capaldi with a pillow as she was sleeping on Oct. 10, McClatchy News reported. He then moved his wifes body from the master bedroom to a back bedroom and then the basement, where he dismembered her and disposed of her remains, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said in a news release. After later admitting to killing his 55-year-old wife, he led detectives to where he disposed of her body, the district attorney said. My mother is dead, and my father killed her, their daughter said in a victim impact statement, according to the district attorney. I have the love of friends, family, even strangers, but my own father took the person who loved me most. Elizabeth Capaldi was reported missing Oct. 12 by her daughter, who described her mothers disappearance as uncharacteristic, McClatchy reported. Stephen Capaldi had dismembered his wife the same day, according to the district attorney. Stephen Capaldi told authorities he believed his wife left on her own accord, but detectives said they learned he was not being truthful. He surrendered his phone to police, and detectives reported finding he had searched the following phrases on the internet: how to get away with murder how to delete Facebook messages can you avoid police detection by turning off your phone can a polygraph be skewed how to control your dark impulses Story continues how to disappear and never be found He is accused of eventually showing detectives where he tossed Elizabeth Capaldis remains in a dumpster and along the shoreline of the Delaware River, McClatchy reported. Remains along the shore were uncovered Dec. 9, according to the district attorney. The plea agreement, Deputy District Attorney Mary Kate Kohler said, allowed for swift closure for the victims family. The daughter said she has struggled with her mothers death since she was her best friend. He should never be free from prison to finally leave my mothers memory in peace, she told the court. Bucks County is a part of the Philadelphia metro area. Husband said he shot wife because she would not shut up, cops say. Hes prison bound Man uses shotgun to kill girlfriend, Oklahoma cops say. Her body was found days later Husband stabs wife to death during Bible study at his sisters house, Minnesota cops say Streptococcus bacteria are a common cause of necrotizing fasciitis. TUMEGGY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images A man died from a bacterial infection he got after chasing his dog into a pond. One in five people who develop necrotizing fasciitis, or 'flesh-eating' disease, die. Necrotizing fasciitis can cause swollen red skin at first, and later sepsis and death in some cases. A man died from a "flesh-eating" disease that he caught while chasing his dog into a pond. Jeff Bova followed his dog into the pond in San Diego three weeks ago, his mom Susan McIntyre told NBC 7 San Diego. Bacteria entered a small cut on the 41-year-old's right arm, and caused a necrotizing fasciitis infection, according the NBC News. The infection started as a small red spot on his arm which then swelled up, his mom said. Bova didn't like visiting the doctor and put off going until he was in too much pain to manage it by himself. Eventually, he went to the hospital but it was too late and he died two days later. Necrotizing fasciitis can cause sepsis, shock, and organ failure The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that different types of bacteria can cause a necrotizing fasciitis infection, but experts think it is most commonly caused by strep A, a group of bacteria that can cause several different infections. Bacteria most commonly enters the skin from cuts, burns, insect bites, puncture wounds, and surgical wounds, but can also enter the body through blunt trauma an injury where the skin is not broken, the CDC said. According to the CDC, early symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis include a red, warm, or swollen area of skin that spreads quickly, severe pain beyond the red or swollen skin, and a fever. Later symptoms can include ulcers, blisters, or black spots on the skin, changes in skin color, pus from the infection, dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea. NBC 7 reported that Bova had a weakened immune system, but did not say why. According to the CDC, most people who get this disease have a weakened immune system, for example through cancer or diabetes, and therefore find it harder to fight the infection. Story continues Bova tried to heal himself but was unable to, NBC 7 reported. The CDC said it is important to start treatment as early as possible to stop the spread of infection. Treatment includes antibiotics, with some patients needing multiple surgeries. Serious complications of the disease are common, according to the CDC, and can lead to sepsis, shock, and organ failure. "Everything just happened so fast," McIntyre told NBC 7. Dr. Shweta Warner, an infectious diseases doctor, told NBC 7 that necrotizing fasciitis is rare but serious and kills 20% of the people it infects. "It enters your body through your broken skin barrier, and it quickly reproduces in your tissue, moving through the tissues very rapidly and giving off toxins," she said. Read the original article on Insider Remains found in Gilmer County have been identified as a 50-year-old Georgia man who was reported missing in June 2021. The Gilmer County Sheriffs Office identified the remains as 50-year-old Terry Cantrell. Cantrell was initially listed as a missing person back in June 2021 after he was last seen walking from Clay Top Drive near Hudson Martin Road and Highway 52 East in Gilmer County. Deputies said that the circumstances around Cantrells death will begin to be determined following an autopsy. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Cantrells friends told deputies that Cantrell was known to visit campsites and fishing holes in the Rackley Road area. Following Cantrells disappearance, Gilmer County Search and Rescue teams and Gilmer deputies searched wooded areas around Postell Lake. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: A man is facing up to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to exploiting children on Snapchat, according to federal prosecutors in Connecticut. Justin McKenney, 29, pleaded guilty April 11 to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of receipt of child pornography, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office District of Connecticut. Detectives with the Glastonbury Police Department began looking into the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in October 2021, according to the release. The girl had met her assailant on Snapchat, the release says. Investigators found McKenney was posing as a high school student on Snapchat and using the username keepingupg, the release says. He started talking to the 13-year-old through the app in September 2021 and subsequently enticed her to engage in sexual activity, the release says. He also received child pornography from three other girls between the ages of 13 and 17, according to the release. McKenneys attorney did not respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News. A spokesperson for Snap, Inc., said in an email that sexual exploitation of minors is illegal and violates the companys community guidelines. Sending nude or explicit material is a violation of the platforms policies, according to the email. The company uses technologies, including Googles CSAI Match technology, which is used to detect illegal videos, including videos of child sexual abuse, on the app and report them to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In-app reporting tools are also available so users can confidentially report harmful content, the spokesperson said. The charge of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity carries a potential minimum prison sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of life, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum term of 20 years, according to the release. Story continues McKenney is scheduled to be sentenced July 11. He has been in police custody since he was arrested March 17, 2022, according to the release. Glastonbury is about 10 miles southeast of Hartford. Coachs 5-year sexual encounters with student began when boy was 16, OK cops say Man licks, tickles 7-year-olds feet at trampoline park, Georgia cops say. Hes charged 12-year-old met accused kidnapper online using school laptop, mother says in lawsuit Disclosing your status before any sexual activity is essential when starting a relationship. One man has been sentenced to three years in prison after he recklessly gave HIV to a British woman more than 14 years ago. Jermaine Scott, 39, of Jamaica, appeared in a Chester Crown Court in the U.K. Tuesday and pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, Cheshire police said in a news release obtained by The Independent. According to Cheshire police, Scott was diagnosed with HIV in 2005. As a result, he was prescribed medication to reduce the risk of transmission to others. Scott was in a previous relationship with the unidentified victim, and the couple decided to rekindle their romance in the summer of 2009. When the relationship became official, Scott was not taking his medication regularly, increasing the chances of transmission. He also failed to inform the victim about his diagnosis and proceeded to have unprotected sex with her. The woman knew something was off with Scott and decided they should go to a sexual health clinic for a checkup in October 2009. At the time, Scott knowingly provided a fake name and medical details to a health worker at the facility. When the victim found out she was HIV positive, the couple ended their relationship. Following their split, Scott left the Cheshire area, the newspaper stated. The Cheshire Constabulary was notified of the incident in October 2009, and an investigation was launched to locate Scott, leading to his arrest in February 2011. When Cheshire police interviewed Scott, he refused to answer any questions, and officers closed the case after they could not gather sufficient evidence to charge him in the incident. The 39-year-old was deported from the United Kingdom in November 2011 after living in the U.K. illegally. After Scotts deportation, the victim called for the case to be reopened. Detectives sought help from several medical experts and determined the woman had HIV three months before her diagnosis while in a relationship with Scott. Story continues The medical experts identified the number of genetic links in the HIV strain the two were diagnosed with. Additionally, the new evidence was presented to the CPS in 2019, charging Scott with grievous bodily harm in February 2020, resulting in his extradition back to the U.K. in 2020. Detective Sergeant Emma Myers, who led the investigation, said she supported the victim when the case initially reopened. 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, she said. She will now live the rest of her life forever marred by the actions of Scott. There is no cure, and she will now have to take medication for the rest of her life. Scotts 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, Myers concluded. A man accused of shooting and killing his husband was arrested trying to board a flight out of Atlanta, Georgia, authorities said. Richard Lee, 40, was arrested April 11 at the Atlanta airport and charged with murder in the death of Michael Roshell, according to the Clayton County Police Department. A week earlier, officers responded to a report of an attempted break-in at a home in Riverdale, police wrote in a news release. Investigators said Lee showed up to the house on April 4 and shot Roshell, killing him. Further investigation revealed that Lee and Roshell were married. On April 10, authorities obtained warrants to arrest Lee on a charge of malice murder, police said. He was captured at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport the following day. Additional information wasnt immediately available, including where Lee was headed. Riverdale is about 15 miles south of downtown Atlanta. Mom and three kids ages 9 to 14 found shot dead at North Carolina home, cops say Mother found dead in desert after she left Baskin Robbins in mans car, Texas cops say Husband said he shot wife because she would not shut up, cops say. Hes prison bound A New Mexico man pleaded guilty in the 2019 fatal beating of his 5-year-old stepdaughter, prosecutors said. Malcom Torres, 29, of Espanola, was at his home on Sept. 7, 2019, watching his 5-year-old stepdaughter and 18-month-old son, according to an April 10 news release by the New Mexico U.S. District Attorneys Office. Officials said Torres was drunk and not fit to supervise the children. During this time, Torres stepdaughter suffered blunt-force trauma to her head, torso and extremities, officials said. Torres was aware of his stepdaughters injuries while she was still alive but didnt seek medical care, according to prosecutors. The following morning, the childs grandparents came to the home and Torres told them his stepdaughter had been missing since that morning, officials said. The girls grandma called police, and about four days later her body was found in the Rio Grande River on the Santa Clara Pueblo, according to the release. After investigating, detectives were able to gather information to confirm that Torres had driven about 5 miles from his home and left her body there on Sept. 8, officials said. He told investigators he was too drunk to remember hurting the 5-year-old. The little girl loved Frozen, unicorns, roses and her favorite color was pink, according to a GoFundMe page. The senseless murder of a 5-year-old child is a tragic occurrence, and Im glad the collaborative effort put forth by all involved agencies has resulted in this conviction, said Raul Bujanada, FBI Special Agent in Charge, according to the release. The murder allegation in this complaint reveal an indifference to human life that will not be tolerated. Torres pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on April 10 and will remain in custody until sentencing, where he faces a minimum of 30 years in prison, officials said. Espanola is about 90 miles northeast of Albuquerque. If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Story continues Man convicted of dismembering wife should never be free from prison, daughter says Newborn left to die before grandpa helps daughter dispose of body, Iowa cops say Teen stabs father 45 times at familys store, then goes to school, Indiana cops say 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. | John Minchillo, Associated Press The political back-and-forth between Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Republican House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan ramped up Tuesday as Bragg announced he was suing Jordan over his congressional investigation into Braggs indictment of former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in the Southern District of New York seeks to block Congress from compelling Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor in Braggs office, to testify at a congressional hearing on April 20. Bragg accused Jordan of waging a campaign to intimidate and attack him and his employees over their indictment of Trump for 34 felonies of falsification of business records over Trumps alleged attempt to hide hush payments to an adult film actress before the 2016 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty in an arraignment hearing in Manhattan last week. Related Jordan tweeted Tuesday that his subpoena was merely over the federal funds allegedly used by the district attorneys office to investigate Trump. He responded incredulously to Braggs lawsuit. First they indict a president for no crime, he said in a tweet. Then they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it. First, they indict a president for no crime. Then, they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it. Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 11, 2023 Jordan and several of his GOP House colleagues have insinuated that Braggs indictment was politically motivated and a potential abuse of power. Last week, Jordan subpoenaed Pomerantz who had worked with Bragg on investigating Trump. Jordan claimed a congressional investigation was necessary to inform future legislation. Story continues The New York County District Attorneys unprecedented prosecutorial conduct requires oversight to inform the consideration of potential legislative reforms that would, if enacted, insulate current and former presidents from such politically motivated state and local prosecutions, Jordan said. Bragg, a Democrat, denied that politics had a part to play in his decision to press charges against Trump. In his lawsuit, he said Jordans congressional investigation is a brazen and unconstitutional attack. In sum, Congress lacks any valid legislative purpose to engage in a free-ranging campaign of harassment in retaliation for the district attorneys investigation and prosecution of Mr. Trump under the laws of New York, the court documents say. (Jordans investigation) is a direct threat to federalism and the sovereign interests of the state of New York. This court should enjoin the subpoena and put an end to this constitutionally destructive fishing expedition. Pomerantz is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, which is a formality by and large but would bar him from testifying if a judge acts on the case. Related Field hearing in New York City Jordans House Judiciary Committee also announced Monday that it would hold a field hearing in New York City later this month to examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime. Dont be fooled, a spokesperson for Bragg said in response. The House GOP is coming to the safest big city in America for a political stunt. The House Judiciary Committee plans to hold the New York City hearing next Monday. Other Democrats, including Rep. Dan Goldman, in whose district the hearing is scheduled, said Jordan is not welcome in the city. Instead of focusing on improving the lives of the American people, Jim Jordan has decided to come to my district at the behest of Donald Trump to continue to weaponize Congress to obstruct an ongoing, non-federal criminal prosecution, Goldman said in a statement. The body of a man suspected of killing his wife in Manteca before taking his own life was found by deputies in a Merced County orchard on Monday, according to authorities. Merced County Sheriffs detectives located the 44-year-old Manteca man dead of the apparent suicide Monday afternoon in the 11500 block of Whitworth Road near Interstate 5 and Santa Nella, according to deputy Alexandra Britton. Britton said the sheriffs office was alerted by a citizens call; only after the body was located did detectives learn he had been identified earlier that day as a suspect in the homicide of his wife in Manteca some 55 miles north of the Merced County orchard. At about 12:24 p.m., Manteca police responded to the 900 block of Davis Street for a report of woman who was unresponsive, according to a Manteca Police Department news release. Police said detectives took over the investigation after medics and officers found the woman deceased. According to authorities, detectives determined the woman was a victim of homicide based on evidence found at the scene. Manteca police said the womans husband was identified as a suspect in the homicide. According to Manteca Police Capt. Gregg Beall, the womans two small children were located nearby at a residence and turned over to child protective services. According to Beall, the deaths appear to be linked. Authorities have not released the identities of the deceased. According to Beall, the investigation remains active and anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Detective Garret Morrison at 209-456-8212 or by email at gmorrison@manteca.gov. Mary J. Bliges Strength Of A Woman Festival has added additional talent to its star-studded lineup. Variety exclusively reported Marsai Martin will serve as the host for the summit portion of events. In addition to the young actress, the summit will feature commentary from Ciara, Jayda Cheaves, Brandee Evans, Egypt Sherrod, Gail Bean, Mara Brock Akil, Milan Harris, Toya Johnson-Rushing, Yandy Smith-Harris, and Iyanla Vanzant, who will deliver a keynote address. More from VIBE.com Mary J. Blige wearing a pink top. Related Story According to the outlet, the Strength of a Woman Summit is free for attendees with sponsors including CVS Health, Amazon Music, Monique Rodriguez and Mielle Organics, and Gilead Sciences, Inc. Mary J. Blige speaks at the Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit on May 07, 2022 at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, Georgia. Set for May 11-14 in Atlanta, the annual event promises a weekend of music, comedy, and empowering conversations, with Pepsi as the returning partner. Musical performances for the festival portion include Miss Lauryn Hill, Summer Walker, Robert Glasper, Mike Epps, Jodeci, Busta Rhymes, Jeezy, Method Man, Jadakiss, Lucky Daye, Coco Jones, Saucy Santana, Sunday Service Collective and Muni Long. Im so excited to bring our Strength of a Woman Festival & Summit back to Atlanta for its second year, expressed the My Life performer in a press statement. Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build amongst a community of women is the reason why we created this festival. Im so grateful for all of the support from our performers and participants and of course Live Nation Urban, Pepsi, and our additional partners who are committed to celebrating and creating a community for Black women. View the summit schedule as reported by Variety below. Story continues Morning Welcome Featuring KJ Rose HYPE Moment 11:05-11:20 a.m. Baller Alert Presents: Getting to the Bag Investing in Multiple Streams of Income 11:25-11:50 a.m. Program Description: Financial freedom, investing, and multiple streams of income Moderator: Baller Alert Talent Talent: Mia Ray, The Spice Suite, Milan Harris, and Jayda Cheaves Fashion Conversation With Misa Hylton 11:55-12:20 p.m. Program Description: Fashion as radical beauty Moderator: Misa Hylton Talent: Khalilah Wright (mess in a bottle), MsBling, and Jamilah Davis Lip Service 12:25-1:10 p.m. Program Description: Breaking barriers/women in male-dominated spaces Moderator: Angela Yee Talent: Ingrid Best, Pretty Vee, Megan Holston Alexander (A16Z), Natina Nimene, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Mielle Organics Presents: Inside the Journey How Beauty Moguls Are Made 1:15-1:45 p.m. Program Description: Beauty industry journey Moderator: Blake Newby Talent: Monique Rodriguez, Ciara, Olamide Olowe (Topicals), and Yandy Smith-Harris Creators Roundtable: Telling Black Stories 1:50-2:35 p.m. Talent: A fireside chat/roundtable with Gail Bean, Marsai Martin, Raven Goodwin, and Mara Brock Akil Dont Call Me White Girl Podcast 3:30-4 p.m. Program Description: City Girl Life/ Hot Girl Era Moderator: DontCallMeWhiteGirl (Damona) Gilead: Seeking Solace A Conversation on Faith and Healing 4:05-4:25 p.m. Moderator: Gilead Executive Talent: Pastor Shanua Jones and Brandee Evans 50 & Forever by Rotation: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop 4:30-5 p.m. Talent: Lady London Earn Your Leisure 5:05-6:05 p.m. Program Description: A two-part conversation about getting to the bag! Moderator: Rashad Bilal and Troy Milling Talent: Segment One: Egypt Sherrod, Modern Black Girl (Tiffany James), and Ayesha Seldon / Segment Two: Mary J Blige Gilead: Ladies First Sexual Pleasure and Womens Health 6:10-6:40 p.m. Talent: Nina Giddens, Shan Boodram, and Angelica Ross Keynote Speaker: Iyanla Vanzant 6:45-7:10 p.m. Click here to read the full article. A man rides a bike near the beach on September 30, 2020 in Southampton, New York. KENA BETANCUR/Getty Images Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to address New York's severe housing shortage by building more housing. Affluent suburban communities around New York City are denouncing the proposal. The mayor of Bronxville, NY told Bloomberg some wealthy communities "are losing their minds." New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to address her state's severe housing shortage by building more housing. But many of the wealthiest suburban communities around New York City aren't having it. Leaders and activists in towns and villages from Westchester to the Hamptons are denouncing Hochul's plan to boost the housing supply in New York City and its suburbs by 3% over the next decade. Hochul's New York Housing Compact would start to address the state's skyrocketing home prices and rents, aiming to build 800,000 new units and creating density, particularly near train stations, over the next 10 years. The mayor of Bronxville Village, an affluent town just north of New York City in Westchester County, recently told Bloomberg News that she's been communicating with 30 mayors of other small suburban communities in the state who oppose Hochul's plan. She said communities on the Gold Coast of Long Island and in the ritzy Hamptons are freaking out about the potential for more housing. "People in Nassau and Suffolk are losing their minds," Mayor Mary Marvin told Bloomberg. "They call me up all the time, and by comparison I seem calm." Critics say it's a top-down approach that doesn't give local communities enough control. Some argue increasing density would overcrowd schools, burden infrastructure, and reduce tree canopy. Proponents say it's the only way to begin to meet demand and create more affordable housing options. In Bronxville, Hochul has proposed allowing up to 7,000 new units three times the village's current housing stock of 2,500 homes around its commuter rail station. The governor's office noted that while the rezoning would allow more housing capacity, it would only require about 75 new units. Story continues Marvin told Bloomberg that Hochul wouldn't have been elected last fall if she'd campaigned on her housing plan. About 43% of Bronxville residents voted for Hochul's Republican opponent, Lee Zeldin, slightly below the 47% of New Yorkers who supported Zeldin statewide. Both Suffolk and Nassau counties went for Zeldin by wide margins. Lawmakers in Albany are currently negotiating the state's budget and Democrats are fighting each other over the housing proposal, with some advocating for providing incentives rather than mandates to communities. The housing crisis isn't limited to New York cities and states across the country are grappling with an increasingly dire shortage of homes and sharply rising rent and mortgage costs. Wealthier, lower density suburbs even those with left-leaning politics are often opposed to increasing housing in their communities. This fight is playing out on a smaller scale just outside Washington, DC, in the affluent suburb of Arlington, Virginia, where county officials just voted to upzone its single-family neighborhoods, following a deeply contentious years-long debate. The so-called "missing middle" policy will allow developers to build multi-family homes up to six units on lots that previously only allowed single-family homes. April 14, 2023: This story was updated with comment from the governor's office. Read the original article on Business Insider ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports The sports books either know more than the rest of us. Or they dont know jack squat. While quarterback Bryce Young remains the clear favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, the odds are moving toward quarterback Will Levis. Already the favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick of the [more] Toby Melville/Reuters Just four weeks out from King Charles coronation, and after weeks of indecision that reportedly left organizers pulling their hair out, Prince Harry has confirmed he will attend his fathers big daybut not with his wife, Meghan Markle. In a statement released Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said it was pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harrys confirmation came nine days after the cutoff for RSVPs, and after palace observers and unnamed sources had huffed to news outlets that the couples indecision was rude and causing massive headaches. As The Daily Beast reported, insiders at the palace strongly suspected that both Harry and Meghan would show up on the day, even as sources in their camp kept telling outlets like the Daily Mirror that no decision had been made. Last week, as the April 3 RSVP date came and went, the couple was still reportedly trying to make up their minds. A source told the Mirror: They [Harry and Meghan] still havent confirmed either way. Of course they will be afforded extra time but in all honesty, everyone is exasperated with them. Palace sources told the Mirror at the time that they would continue to make plans on the assumption the Sussexes would attend unless advised otherwise. One source told the Mirror: Its all very frantic, complete chaos to be frank. There is a plan, which is supposed to be the blueprint of how the day should operate, but things are changing daily which is causing massive headaches. Meanwhile Robert Jobson, author of a new book on Charles, Our King, told TalkTV shortly before Buckingham Palaces Wednesday announcement: They have been given an RSVP, they have missed that deadline. Its getting a little rude now to say the least. You are either going to support your dad on his moment of destiny or you are not. But dont just keep everyone guessing because that then creates the whole tabloid speculation, which is basically saying its all about them, and frankly it is not all about them, it really isnt. Story continues There is increasing evidence that enthusiasm for the coronation is failing to ignite the British populace, amid suspicion that the palace has compressed the coronation procession route to avoid a thin crowd. The route will be 1.3 miles, a quarter of the distance covered by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. One sign of trouble ahead could be a column by the writer Allison Pearson, who wrote in the usually fiercely loyal Daily Telegraph: As a monarchist, I really want to be excited about the coronation, but its proving a struggleyou do wonder whether the Palace is concerned about a low turn-out. Certainly, a number of devout Elizabethans I know, who always stood along the Mall waving Union flags for the big occasions, are experiencing the first stirrings of anti-Royalist sentiment as our new king diverges from his mother who, with unimpeachable discretion, managed to be a symbol of unity and stability for 70 years. A recent YouGov poll for anti-monarchy pressure group Republic found that as the date of King Charles coronation is inching closer, only 15 percent of participants said they were very interested in the coronation. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters John Wick 4 was an absolute blast. Great! Fans of the franchise loved it so much, they are clamoring for more from the John Wick universe. Great!! A new series billed as from the world of John Wick is coming to Peacock in September. Great!!! Mel Gibson is going to star. Grewaitwhat now? The Continental is a three-part limited series, which takes place 40 years before the John Wick films and centers around the hotel for assassins owned by Ian McShanes Winston Scott. (Colin Woodell will play a younger version of the character in the series.) The long-gestating project has been in development since 2018, with Gibsons involvement first announced in 2021. Mel Gibson Is Living Proof That Cancel Culture Is Mostly Bullshit Due to the actors history of domestic violence and making anti-Semitic comments, his casting sparked backlash. Its not that Mel Gibson proves cancel culture isnt a thing, one Twitter user posted, after the initial announcement. Its that hiring Mel Gibson shows society actively doesnt care about [domestic violence], racism, or antisemitism. More than a year later, The Continentals first teaser trailerproof that this project is actually happening, after so many yearsarrived Wednesday. Still riding on the high from John Wick 4s awesomeness, fans were eager to celebrate the arrival of more content in the assassins universe. But the reminder that Gibson would be in it, for many of them, spoiled the joy. Of course, they had to remember that Gibson has been attached to the show for nearly two years now. But the trailer shrewdlyif cowardlyhides him completely; theres no footage of him at all. If I was too embarrassed to show a single shot of Mel Gibson in my trailer, perhaps I would simply not hire Mel Gibson in the first place, Backstages Vinnie Mancuso tweeted. In 2006, Gibson was arrested for a DUI and recorded making anti-Semitic remarks, including, The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world! (In an interview with Variety 10 years later, he called it an unfortunate incident, adding, Ive never discriminated against anyone.) In 2011, he pleaded no contest to battery for an incident involving his former partner, Oksana Grigorieva. Story continues While there was an intense outcry in the industry following these incidents, Gibsons continued to book major projectsa fact that is rightly used to dismiss Hollywood players, when they decry the unfairness of cancel culture. He was nominated for a Best Director Oscar in 2017 for Hacksaw Ridge, and even starred in the family film Daddys Home 2 that same year. Will some John Wick fans choose not to watch The Continental because of Gibsons involvement? That remains to be seen. But on social media, at least, theyre not happy. I was so excited about The Continental until I found out that Mel Gibson is in it? The lead too? You've got to be kidding me. Amanda (@itsmomochitters) April 12, 2023 Oh, the trailer for The Continental is out? And it barely shows the fact Mel Gibson is in it? Wow, I wonder why that might be! Seriously, need to stress again, this was my most anticipated show when it was first announced and I just do not care now in one swoop. Total bummer. Above Average Eoin Mason (@EoinMason) April 12, 2023 "Cancel culture" should be renamed, "Go sit in the corner and think about what you did" culture... Because this doesn't look like Mel was cancelled at all. #NotWatching The Continental Teaser Trailer: Mel Gibson Stars in John Wick TV Series https://t.co/gadLEGVM17 via @thr Tammi (@TLaTela) April 12, 2023 At least Daddys Home 2 owned up to the fact Mel Gibson was in it. The Continental show hiding him is so funny because he was hired when the world knew he was an awful person Mikel (@LetThereBeMikel) April 12, 2023 I might have to skip the continental because of Mel Gibson. Ill just stick with Keanu thanks. Khadijah of House Tyrell (@khadijasummers) April 12, 2023 How to ruin a franchise @peacock , he's an anti semite, a racist, literally on tape (google mel gibson racist rant and listen to his own words). https://t.co/x5vNQIhpVR Mia Macy (she/her) (@MiaMarieMacy) April 12, 2023 Gibson will play a character named Cormac in the series. Like any footage of him at all in the trailer, details of the role are being kept under wraps. Keep obsessing! Sign up for the Daily Beasts Obsessed newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. John Wick fans might have already checked out on the storys next chapter. The first trailer for The Continental came out on Tuesday, teasing the origin story of the Keanu Reeves characters favorite New York haunt 40 years before the assassin hits the scene. In the clip, a cast of killers takes care of business at the hotel while Donna Summer disco thumps in the background. While the teaser has plenty of 70s panache, one thing was conspicuously missing from the preview: star Mel Gibson. 1970s New York - where it all began. The Continental: From the World of #JohnWick. A Three-Part Event. Check-in begins September 2023, only on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/cj5UPU24WZ Peacock (@peacock) April 12, 2023 If Peacock was trying to distract from its casting choice, it played the wrong hand. The internet picked up on the omission almost instantly, wondering why the streamer would be shy about its leading man. If I was too embarrassed to show a single shot of Mel Gibson in my trailer, perhaps I would simply not hire Mel Gibson in the first place, Colliders Vinnie Mancuso tweeted. If I was too embarrassed to show a single shot of Mel Gibson in my trailer, perhaps I would simply not hire Mel Gibson in the first place https://t.co/UUejifkoNW Vinnie Mancuso (@VinnieMancuso1) April 12, 2023 Others online pointed out Gibsons history of domestic abuse and antisemitic outbursts and wondered if Peacock was co-signing on his behavior by hiring him. Its not that Mel Gibson proves cancel culture isnt a thing. Its that hiring Mel Gibson shows society actively doesnt care about DV, racism, or antisemitism Dr. Mia Brett (@QueenMab87) October 18, 2021 The Continental has been in development since 2018. The Oscar winner came on board in 2021. Story continues Though Gibsons profile has waned in recent years, it hasnt kept him from working. In 2022, he appeared in six films, including Sonys Father Stu and Lionsgates Hot Seat. Coming in close pursuit of John Wick 4s March release, The Continental premieres in September 2023. Related... County officials in Memphis voted unanimously on Wednesday to reappoint Justin Pearson to the Tennessee House of Representatives, less than a week after the legislature voted to expel him and another Black Democratic lawmaker for participating in a protest against gun violence. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners, which was tasked with appointing someone to fill the seat, convened to discuss reappointing Pearson and voted to send him back to Nashville. Pearson addressed the commissioners and dozens of supporters who assembled at the meeting. "Nashville thought that they could silence democracy, but they didn't know the Shelby County Commission," Pearson said to cheers following the vote. "So the message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can't expel hope. You can't expel love. You can't expel our voice. And you sure can't expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight, continuing to advocate, until justice rolls down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Let's get back to work." Justin Pearson gestures as he marches with supporters from the National Civil Rights Museum to the Shelby County Commission on April 12, 2023. / Credit: KAREN PULFER FOCHT / REUTERS Before the vote, Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery told CBS Memphis affiliate WREG that many commissioners wanted Pearson to be reappointed. All seven of the assembled members voted to reinstate him. "My goal was to make sure that we had a quorum. I feel pretty confident about it. I wouldn't call the meeting if I didn't think we'd be confident in being able to appoint Justin Pearson," Lowery told WREG. Justin Jones, who represents Nashville and was expelled along with Pearson, was reappointed Monday by that city's Metro Council. Pearson, Jones and a third lawmaker, Gloria Johnson, participated in a protest against gun violence at the Tennessee statehouse on March 30, just days after three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at a Nashville school. Republicans in the legislature have a supermajority, and moved to expel all three lawmakers on April 6. Johnson survived by one vote, and the other two were expelled. Story continues Asked why she survived as opposed to Jones and Pearson, Johnson, who is White, told MSNBC that she is a "60-year-old White woman and they are two young Black men." But following the rules of the expulsion, Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, still has to sign what's called a writ of election to set the dates for a future special election. Expulsions by the House are very rare just two people have been expelled by the chamber since 1866, when six lawmakers were removed after they tried to prevent Tennessee from ratifying the 14th Amendment which gave citizenship to former slaves, according to CBS affiliate WTVF in Nashville. The battle at the Tennessee statehouse has received national attention. U.S. Senate Democrats on Wednesday sent a letter to the Justice Department requesting an investigation into the expulsions and whether they violated federal civil rights law. Vice President Kamala Harris made a last-minute trip to Nashville last Friday to meet with Jones, Pearson and Johnson, who are being referred to by some as the "Tennessee Three." Harris received wild applause and several standing ovations as she told a crowd at Nashville's historically Black Fisk University that Jones, Pearson and Johnson were being silenced and stifled as they fought "for the safety of our children." Second lawmaker reinstated to Tennessee state house after expulsion Ireland residents react to visit from President Biden Residents evacuate after fire at Indiana recycling plant filled with plastics By Omar Younis and Jonathan Allen MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Reuters) - Local government officials in Memphis, Tennessee, voted on Wednesday to return the second of two Democratic state lawmakers who were expelled last week for protesting gun violence on the chamber floor. In a rare rebuke last week, Republicans who control the state House of Representatives voted to kick out Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black men in their late 20s who had recently joined the legislature, over their rule-breaking peaceful protest on the floor on March 30. Jones has already been sworn back in after councilors in Nashville, where his district is located, voted unanimously on Monday to restore him on an interim basis until a special election can be held for the remainder of the two-year term. On Wednesday afternoon, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, where Democrats hold a supermajority, voted in favor of doing the same for Pearson at a special meeting in Memphis, where Pearson's district is located. Seven of the board's 13 councilors were present for the meeting, and all seven voted in favor of Pearson's return. "You can't expel hope," Pearson said at the meeting after the vote. "You can't expel justice. You can't expel our voice." He is expected to return to the State Capitol in Nashville on Thursday to be sworn back in. 'UNFORTUNATE' In announcing the meeting, Mickell Lowery, the board's chairman and a Democrat, had called the expulsions "unfortunate." "I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods," Lowery said in a statement. Jones and Pearson helped lead the demonstration on March 30 in the well of the House floor, disrupting a legislative session, along with Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, a fellow Democrat. They were supported by angry Nashville residents outraged by a mass shooting at a school in the city earlier in the week in which a former student killed three 9-year-olds and three staff members. Story continues Johnson narrowly escaped also being expelled for breaching House decorum rules. She told reporters after the votes that she believed she survived because she is white, and all three have called the expulsions anti-democratic. The expulsions drew national attention to Jones and Pearson, including a visit last week by Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, to show support, and animated many voters in the Democrat-leaning cities they represent in a largely Republican-favoring state. Democrats in the U.S. Senate have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether the expelled lawmakers' constitutional rights were violated. The Tennessee Democratic Party has already taken in more than $400,000 in political contributions since last week, more than the party received during the previous three months combined, according to the state chairman, Hendrell Remus. Before marching with supporters to the commissioners' meeting, Pearson, joined by Jones and Johnson, addressed a crowd of about 500 outside the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. "This is a democracy that they're scared of," Pearson said of the cheering crowd before him, "because this is a democracy that changes the status quo." Jones said he and Pearson would head to the House in Nashville on Thursday and call on House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, to resign, calling him an "enemy to multiracial democracy. "Rather than pass commonsense gun laws, they passed a resolution to expel the two youngest Black members in the General Assembly," Jones said. Sexton did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, the House Republicans, who have a supermajority, issued a statement saying they will "welcome" back any expelled state lawmakers returned by county-level governments, so long as those members follow the legislature's rules. (Reporting by Omar Younis in Memphis and Jonathan Allen in New York; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Mark Heinrich and Aurora Ellis) Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas, sponsor of the Achieving Driving Equality ordinance, said the goal is to limit encounters between law enforcement and the general population of Memphis. Memphis, Tennessee, is the sixth city in the nation to adopt Achieving Driving Equality legislation, which comes 90 days after Tyre Nichols death at the hands of several Memphis police officers. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, while authorities can pull over vehicles for primary violations and specific situations involving secondary offenses, they cannot stop a driver for a minor infraction, such as misaligned license plates or a broken brake light. Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas, the ordinances sponsor, said the goal is to limit encounters between law enforcement and the general population so police may instead concentrate on major crimes rather than poverty crimes. Memphis Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas speaks during the April 11 Memphis City Council meeting. The Achieving Driving Equality ordinance that she sponsored passed. (Photo: Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal/USA TODAY NETWORK) What this ordinance is, is surrounding the idea of pretextual stops, how they arent helpful and how they divert resources away from our clearly intentioned needs in our community, said Easter-Thomas, according to the Commercial Appeal, such as dealing with crime and aiding our citizens. Still, state legislation supersedes local ordinances. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis informed council members that under state law, police may pull over vehicles for secondary infractions if there is a situation thats an outlier. Secondary violations include driving a vehicle with an expired registration within 60 days of its expiration date or driving one with a temporary registration permit that is incorrectly located but visibly displayed. They also include driving a car with a visible registration plate not securely fastened, a car with a single out-of-service light such as a brake, head or running light or a car with loosely attached bumpers. Tuesdays vote was a victory for advocacy groups pushing for the ordinances adoption since Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, died on Jan. 10, three days after Memphis police officers forced him from his vehicle and proceeded to tase, chase and beat him, after an alleged traffic stop. Story continues During the city council meeting, Rosalyn Nichols of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association requested that the ordinance be renamed the Tyre Nichols Driving Equality Ordinance, a proposal that Nichols family backed. She contended the ordinance would reduce the danger to the public and the number of people killed by police, whose duty is to uphold the law. This will be the first step for healing, said Roslyn Nichols, a MIFA interfaith officer, The Commercial Appeal reported, that starts as we begin to move as a community beyond the darkness of January 7th as a model for our nation with Memphis leading. While Tyre Nichols family reportedly backed the recommendation, Easter-Thomas said she wanted to speak with them before adding his name. Council Chairman Martavius Jones interrupted those still wanting to speak on the measure and ordered a vote, with 11 council members voting in favor of the ordinance. The other two members were absent. The vote came a day after about 40 community people gathered outside City Hall to honor Tyre Nichols life and demand the adoption of the driving equality act, a request that the Rev. Andre E. Johnson, Gifts of Life Ministries senior pastor, declared wasnt radical and shouldnt have been so difficult to achieve. The justice for Tyre [Nichols] campaign has done wonderful work in bringing facts and figures and research about the atrocities of pretextual stops, said Johnson, the Commercial Appeal reported. It should not be this hard to get people to understand how Black folks are treated in this city, he said or to do the right thing. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Memphis passes driving equality act in wake of Tyre Nichols death appeared first on TheGrio. Three men destroyed an ATM using a chain and a stolen truck to steal thousands of dollars from Chase Bank in Florida, federal prosecutors said. Then, the trio led deputies from the Orange County Sheriffs Office on a police chase after stealing $116,650 inside cash boxes on May 26, 2022, in Orlando, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida. Nearly a year later, Wendell Harp, 24, of Orlando, was sentenced to two years and five months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank theft and burglary charges, the attorneys office announced in an April 12 news release. Hes the second person to be sentenced in the case after Carlos Tawan Reed Jr., 23, of Orlando, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, prosecutors said. McClatchy News contacted attorneys representing Harp and Reed on April 12 and didnt immediately receive a response. The bank burglary and police chase Harp, Reed and Deontrae Walden, 23, of Orlando, were caught after wrapping a chain around the Chase Bank ATM and using the stolen truck to break into it in May 2022, prosecutors said. The burglary was caught on camera, according to the Orange County Sheriffs Office, which shared footage on May 27, 2022. The video shows a white truck driving away from the ATM with a chain hooked to the back of the vehicle causing the machines casing to rip away. ARRESTED: Deontrae Walden, 23, Carlos Reed, Jr., 22, & Wendell Harp, Jr., 23, after they brazenly stole from a Chase Bank ATM on E. Colonial Dr. Their charges: Burglary of Structure, Grand Theft & Criminal Mischief. The 3 are suspected of similar crimes in other areas of Florida. pic.twitter.com/bxXe1Gnroy Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) May 27, 2022 After stealing the cash boxes inside, the trio escaped the scene in a rental car with Reed serving as the getaway driver, prosecutors said. Story continues Reed kept evading deputies who pursued them on the ground and in the air, according to officials. Deputies successfully stopped the car, which contained the stolen money, by using spike strips, prosecutors said. Harp, Reed and Walden tried running before authorities caught them, according to the release. Walden awaits a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to bank burglary and theft charges, prosecutors said. Hes facing additional charges in connection with earlier robberies involving Chase Bank between October 2021 and December 2021, according to an indictment. Walden has admitted to taking part in five burglaries in the area, prosecutors said in a March 6 news release announcing Reeds sentencing. The FBI investigated the case along with the Orange County Sheriffs Office. Dentist hid money in moms accounts to avoid paying $900,000 in taxes in Florida, feds say Home Depot worker had $80K worth of stolen merchandise at their home, CA officials say Thief steals box full of letters to lost loved ones then returns it, funeral home says Mark Zuckerberg has cut Meta's headcount in recent months, including reported cuts to contractors working at the company's cafeteria. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Some Meta staff said office food options are on a downward spiral, The New York Times reported. Over the past year, the company has cut back on several perks, including its laundry service. Meta laid off 126 cafeteria workers at its HQ in January, per the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Meta staff have "complained in internal chat rooms" that the tech company is cutting back on office perks even as Mark Zuckerberg seeks to bring more workers back into the office, according to a recent report from The New York Times. The publication reported that "many" Meta employees lamented what they said was a decline in cafeteria options, and one worker commented on a lack of snacks and cereals at the offices. In January, The Silicon Valley Business Journal reported that Meta planned to lay off over 120 contracted cafeteria workers at its headquarters in San Francisco. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the employees' reported complaints when contacted by Insider. The news comes as Meta continues to cut costs amid Zuckerberg's "year of efficiency." Last year, the company announced layoffs impacting over 11,000 workers and it said in March that it plans to cut another 10,000 in the coming months. Nine current and former employees told the Times that the pending layoffs and concerns about the future of Meta had negatively impacted employee sentiment at the company. The publication said staffers had taken to making memes about the looming cuts. "So many of the employees feel like they're in limbo right now," Erin Sumner, an employee who was laid off in November, told the Times. "They're saying it's 'Hunger Games' meets 'Lord of the Flies,' where everyone is trying to prove their worth to management." Insider previously reported that the company was trimming its free-food budget. In 2022, the Times reported that the company was moving its free dinner service half an hour later to 6:30 p.m. and eliminating to-go containers in an effort to cut back on employees that would take the meal home. Story continues The company also eliminated its free laundry and dry-cleaning service last year, per the Times. Insider previously reported that the company cut $1,000 off its health and wellness benefits and ended a $200-a-month Lyft subsidy program. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg has been encouraging workers to come back to the office. Last month, the Meta CEO said in an all-hands meeting that while the company plans to "continue to support remote work," it will analyze performance data and potentially "update" the policy over the summer. During the company's earnings call earlier in the year, he pointed to an internal analysis that suggested early-career engineers who joined in person performed better than those working remotely. Meta is far from the only company to cut back on office perks. Other tech companies including Google and Salesforce have also begun to trim amenities. In the past, amenities helped companies stay competitive and encouraged employees to spend more time in the office, but remote work and an uncertain economic environment have put a damper on office perks. 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 MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexicos immigration head will face criminal charges in a fire that killed 40 migrants in a detention center last month, but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday that he will not dismiss the official known for his hard line on northbound migration. Obradors decision to keep Francisco Garduno as head of the Mexican Immigration Institute appeared to conflict with the federal Attorney Generals Office announcement late Tuesday to charge Garduno in connection with the blaze. That shows both some separation of powers in Mexico and the conundrum faced by the Mexican government. Lopez Obrador and his administration are struggling with U.S. pressure to slow the flow of migrants while the international community calls on them to treat migrants humanely and safely. Lopez Obrador's comments came on the same day that relatives gathered in rural Guatemala to hold funerals for some of the victims of the deadly fire. Thousands of people gathered in the Guatemalan village of Chicacao for the funeral of Francisco Gaspar Rojche Chiquival and his uncle Miguel Rojche Zapalu, two of the 19 Guatemalans who died of smoke inhalation or burns in the March 27 fire. I am destroyed, I am wounded, said the younger man's father, Manuel Rojche. This is a very hard blow. The family had handed over title to their land to raise the $15,000 tha smugglers demanded to get Rojche Chiquival to the United States. They stand to lose the land. The only possession the 21-year-old left behind his beloved motorcycle traveled with his coffin in the procession to the local cemetery. The men died after a migrant set fire to foam mattresses in protest, and guards fled without opening the cell doors. That president is a coward, Manuel Rojche said of Lopez Obrador. How can you treat people like that, not even an animal ... much less a human being. Garduno, a lawyer and criminologist, was called to take over the immigration job in June 2019 as Mexico was under pressure from the Trump administration to decrease the flow of migrants. Story continues The Mexican immigration institute has been hit for years with repeated complaints of human-rights violations and unhealthy conditions in center for migrants, conditions including inadequate ventilation, clean water and food. There also have been numerous corruption complaints. Under Garduno, the institute took a harder line. Calls have come from within Mexico, and from some Central American nations, not to stop the case of last months fire at the five low-level officials, guards and a Venezuelan migrant already facing homicide charges. Federal prosecutors said late Tuesday that Garduno was remiss in not preventing the disaster in Ciudad Juarez despite earlier indications of problems at his agency's detention centers. Prosecutors said that government audits had found a pattern of irresponsibility and repeated omissions in the immigation institute. However, charges being brought in Mexico, especially against public officials, do not always result in prison time. On Wednesday, Lopez Obrador said that even though the Attorney Generals Office was investigating Garduno, prosecutors had revealed few details and it was not exactly clear how they would charge him. "We are going to wait and we are going to make decisions in the (right) moment, Lopez Obrador said. The president defended Garduno, saying his work is good in general; he has always had good performance, despite the misfortune that happened in Juarez. Garduno has been close to Lopez Obrador since the latter was Mexico City mayor, and Garduno has overseen a strategy to contain migrants in southern Mexico with the help of the National Guard, which has been criticized as the start of a militarization of Mexico's immigration policy. It included placing retired or active military officers in leadership positions inside the immigration agency. Garduno's predecessor at the immigration institute, sociologist Tonatiuh Guillen, said the prosecutor's decision is a good signal, given that the expectation at first was just an investigation of those who were directly responsible. Guillen said, however, that keeping Garduno in his position generated an unnecessary tension because he should have been dismissed in order to make the case against him more straightforward. Guillen resigned in 2019 because of his disagreement with hardening migration policy, as Washington was demanding. Anger in Mexico initially focused on two guards who were seen fleeing the March 27 fire, without unlocking the cell door to allow the migrants to escape. But Lopez Obrador had said earlier Tuesday that they didnt have the keys. A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the fire started in late March inside the cell holding migrants without making an effort to release them. The Attorney Generals Office said several other officers will also face charges for failing to carry out their duties, the statement said, but prosecutors did not explain what specific charges or identify the officials. An immigration official said on Wednesday morning that Garduno had not yet been called to testify. The official asked for anonymity because was hot authorized to speak on the record. One migrant allegedly set fire to foam mattresses at the detention center to protest detention conditions and what he apparently thought were plans to move or deport the migrants. Mexico has returned the bodies of 31 migrants to their home countries. Dozens of mourners turned out on the dusty streets of the village of Proteccion, in Honduras, where the coffins of three local men arrived from Mexico. Cindy Umana recieved the coffin of her brother, Edin Umana, in her house. The only thing she could ask was that those responsible be prosecuted. I know that locking them up will not give us our relatives' lives back, Umana said. But at least we will know that justice has been done. Complaints about corruption and bad conditions at Mexicos migrant detention facilities have never been seriously addressed: Prosecutors said that after a fire at another detention center in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration agency knew there were problems that needed to be corrected, but alleged they failed to act. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States has said it will return money and assets confiscated from a convicted former senior Mexican state official that were worth over $246 million, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday. Hector Villarreal, a former finance minister for the northern border state of Coahuila, in 2014 pleaded guilty in Texas to money laundering after being charged with using his position to take out nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in fraudulent loans and laundering the funds in Texas and Bermuda. The U.S. Justice Department this week notified Mexico's attorney general's office that it had accepted a request from the Mexican government to recover the assets, which Lopez Obrador said were worth more than $246 million. "They sent a formal document to the attorney general that they'll return the money," the president said, before noting it was not yet clear whether Mexico would get all or some of the total sum. Lopez Obrador told a news conference he wanted some of the money to go to programs focused on preventing drug consumption. Villarreal, who served under the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was ultimately convicted in Texas of money laundering. He was an ally of Jorge Torres, who in 2011 was PRI interim governor of Coahuila and later admitted to money laundering. Coahuila, which borders Texas, is scheduled to elect a new governor in June. It is still governed by the PRI. Despite scandals, the PRI has never lost an election in the state. Lopez Obrador is hoping his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) can change that, but opinion polls suggest the party is facing an uphill struggle due to internal splits. (Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; editing by Jonathan Oatis) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican prosecutors have launched criminal proceedings against top immigration officials as they investigate a fire that killed 40 migrants in a detention center last month, the Attorney General's office said on Tuesday. The people include the head of Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM), Francisco Garduno, and the agency's top representative in the northern state of Chihuahua where the fire occurred, Salvador Gonzalez, said two sources familiar with the matter. INM did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Garduno could not be reached directly. Gonzalez said he would cooperate with the investigation and support the victims. The Attorney General's office said in a statement it had launched criminal proceedings against six public officials in connection with the fire, identifying them only by first name, as is customary in Mexico. It did not specify whether the people had been charged or would face charges, and neither the office nor INM provided additional details. The statement said Garduno and another high-ranking official, identified by the two sources as Antonio Molina, allegedly failed to "watch over, protect and ensure safety for the people and facilities in their charge," and allegedly facilitated "crimes against migrants." Molina could also not be reached directly for comment. The fire came after warnings from the federal auditor over problems inside INM, and concerns from the National Human Rights Commission over a migrant's death at a different detention center in 2020. "They indicate a pattern of irresponsibility," the Attorney General's office said. The statement also alleged that Gonzalez and three other officials were linked to conduct that led to the deaths of the migrants. Earlier Tuesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the migrants had been unable to escape the fire because the person with the key to their locked cell was absent. Five people were arrested in the case last month, including INM agents and a private security guard. Neither INM nor the security company commented on the arrests. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon) A Miami County man was sentenced to three years in prison Monday for more than a dozen charges involving corruption, grand theft, and fraud over six years. >> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Miami County man pleads no contest to securities, fraud, theft charges News Center 7 followed the story and previously reported that a Piqua man pleaded no contest to 16 total felony charges that involved fraudulent behaviors towards investors and their money. Scott Fries, 56, entered his no contest plea at the Miami County Common Pleas Court for the following charges: One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity Three counts of misrepresentation in the sale of securities Four counts of securities fraud Two counts of fraudulent, deceptive conduct as an investment advisor representative Two counts of grand theft One count of false reports Two counts of theft from a protected class One count of aggravated theft The defendant was originally indicted on 44 felony counts in November 2021. He was accused of telling nine Ohio investors that he would place their funds in an investment account, a spokesperson with the Ohio Department of Commerce said. He allegedly put those funds into his own personal accounts and used the money to pay for personal expenses and a prior investor. Fries faced up to 83 years in prison for the charges. Now, with his plea, he was sentenced to only three for the alleged crimes between March 2016 to June 2020. He agreed to pay $418,000 in restitution and forfeit his home in the 3300 block of Sioux Drive in Piqua. The prison he will be incarcerated in and the date he has to report there was not released during the time of reporting. Miami Shores voters on Tuesday elected three new council members who may impact decisions about the citys comprehensive plan on development, which has been a point of contention among residents for the past year. George Burch, a retired veterinarian and Jesse Valinsky, a pizzeria owner, came in first and second with 23% (1,741 votes) and 22% (1,636 votes) respectively, according to unofficial results on the Miami-Dade County supervisor of elections website. Jerome Charles came in third with 21% (1,569). Burch and Valinsky will serve a four-year term because they received the two highest votes, per the village charter. Charles will serve a two-year term. Jesse Valinsky was elected to the Miami Shores Village Council. READ MORE: Miami Shores residents divided over new housing plan in single-family home community The winners will replace outgoing Councilwoman Alice Burch, who is also the wife of George Burch, and fill the seats vacated by former council members Katia Saint Fleur and Crystal Wagar, who resigned last year. The council had voted to replace them with Tim Crutchfield and Wesley Castellanos until this election, in which Castellanos was a candidate. The candidates elected Tuesday have fervently opposed the comprehensive plan, which would allow for more development in the village of 11,000 residents. The three men were also endorsed by Miami Shores United Political Action Committee, which has also staunchly opposed the plan. Jerome Charles was elected to the Miami Shores Village Council. Mayor Sandra Harris will become a council member after serving two years in that position and a new mayor will be appointed at the villages first full meeting with the new council, according to the village charter. The winners in the election edged out four other candidates: Castellanos, attorney Andrew Bellinson, small business owner Deepak Ganju, and former Florida prosecutor Peter Walsh. READ MORE: Miami Shores council member resigns ahead of new Florida lobbying law taking effect Residents also voted on 10 charter amendments, including four which were election-related. The four amendments passed specify how the village would hold future runoff elections; require candidates to run independent from any other village candidate; require that municipal elections be nonpartisan; and specify that a person must reside in the village continuously for one year before they can qualify to run for office. Story continues READ MORE: Miami Shores appoints former zoning and planning member to council Other amendments passed include: requiring a referendum for the sale of municipal property; the approval of creating a charter review committee; how to resolve conflicting amendments on a ballot; and prohibiting the council from dictating the appointment, removal or activities of employees appointed by the village manager. Residents also voted to amend the village charter to create a citizens Bill of Rights that encourages citizen participation in village government. HOLLAND, Mich. The last time a girl was born into the Clark family of Western Michigan was in 1885. Audrey Marie Clark has made headlines in publications worldwide since her birth on St. Patricks Day. Why? Because Audrey is the first girl born to the Clark family in more than 130 years, breaking a streak which appears to be a statistical anomaly according to her family, which apparently has been keeping track. Carolyn and Andrew Clark with their son, Cameron, and daughter, Audrey Marie. Audrey is the first girl born into Clark's family in roughly 100 years. "We had no idea the news was going to blow up the way it has," Carolyn Clark, Audrey's 36-year-old mom, told the Detroit Free Press, part of USA TODAY Network. "This past week has been a whirlwind with all the press and people contacting us for interviews." Clark of Caledonia, a small village near Grand Rapids, said the media blitz started out as a "feel-good story" with the local TV station, but it snowballed into a segment on ABC, "Good Morning America" and then into reports on radio shows, websites, and newspapers worldwide. Clark said she met her husband, Andrew, at a family resort in Muskegon years ago. Of course, their first child was a boy, Cameron, who is now 4. So when Audrey was born, weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces, it was an especially happy surprise. What are the odds? Statistically, according to the World Health Organization, in most countries, the gender birth ratio tends to slightly favor boys: about 105 males per 100 female births, although in theory the sex ratio at conception is equal. It turns out female mortality is slightly higher. But the odds are slim that there would be no female births over several generations. "When we decided to start growing our family, I just was like, 'I'm going to try for it,' " Carolyn Clark told Grand Rapids station WZZM-TV, noting that the male-only streak went all the way back to her husband's great, great grandfather. But, she said: "I want the girl." And now, Clark said, she has one along with a closet full of pink baby clothes. More coverage by USA TODAY Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: After 130-plus years, West Michigan family tree finally has a daughter A vote Tuesday added $9 per acre to the cost of water in the Modesto Irrigation District. Its board decided 4-0, with Director Janice Keating absent, to adopt the increase for the irrigation season that just began. The extra money will go to maintaining canals that deliver Tuolumne River water to about 3,100 farmers. Under state law, the proposal would have died if a majority of them filed protests at or before Tuesdays hearing. Only 11 did so. The new rate reflects the cost of service as detailed in a study adopted in November, said Gordon Enas, assistant general manager for water operations. That study came amid long-running debate over whether MID electricity customers have been subsidizing the irrigation system. Power rates will rise nearly 10% over two years following a separate board vote in November. The water rate structure has two parts: a flat fee per acre to cover general maintenance, and prices based on actual water used. The increase involves only the former, raising it from $44 to $53. These volume charges are unchanged: $2 per acre-foot for the first two, $5 for the third acre-foot, $11.25 for the next half an acre-foot, and $40 per acre-foot beyond that. An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre a foot deep. The wet winter has allowed MID to ease way back on the drought cutbacks of the past two years. A farmer will pay $87.63 for four acre-feet in 2023, a typical volume. The increase also applies to the river water feeding the treatment plant for the city of Modesto. This is only part of the bills for city residents, which also include maintenance of pipelines and other expenses. MIDs farm rate remains in the middle compared with other irrigation districts in the San Joaquin Valley. A rundown of charges this year for four acre-feet: This photo provided by the Kyunhla Activists Group shows aftermath of an airstrike in Pazigyi village in Sagaing Regions Kanbalu Township, Myanmar, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Witnesses and independent media reports said dozens of villagers in central Myanmar have been killed in an air attack carried out Tuesday by the Southeast Asian countrys military government. | Kyunhla Activists Group via Associated Press Airstrikes in Myanmar on Tuesday have killed at least 100 people The New York Times reported at least 30 of those killed were children. According to The Associated Press, The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule. Tensions escalated in February 2021, when the military took over the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, more than 3,000 civilians have likely been killed by military forces. Why did Myanmars military fire airstrikes on Pazigyi village? One witness told AP that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto a crowd of people who were gathering at 8 a.m. for the opening of a local office of the countrys opposition movement. The attack was on the Pazigyi village in the southern Sagaing region. Around 300 people were gathered there to celebrate the opening of a local administration office, according to CNN. This is a war crime, Byar Kyi, a soldier with a local resistance unit who was helping to recover bodies at the site, told the Times. The place they attacked was not a military target. Pro-democracy forces have allied with armed ethnic groups in an effort to expel the military from power, but as the rebel forces have become increasingly better armed, the military has doubled down on its strategy of carrying out deadly air raids and attacking civilians, the Times reported. What does Myanmars military say about Pazigyi village attacks? The military took responsibility for the attack. We had launched the attack on them. We were informed that PDF (Peoples Defense Force) were killed at that event under the attack. They are opposing our government, Major General Zaw Min Tun said on the militarys TV channel, per CNN. The United Nations condemned the attack. Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, per BBC. A Millcreek man accused of lying to police about what he knew about a 2021 murder investigation has been arrested and accused of obstructing justice. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Police on Monday arrested an associate of a former Public Enemy No. 1 who is charged with murdering his girlfriend. Royce Bernard Davis, 36, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday for investigation of obstructing justice. On May 1, 2021, Terence Trent Vos, 33, of Salt Lake City, shot his girlfriend, 32-year-old Shandon Nicole Scott, 12 times before crashing his car on I-80 and leaving Scott's body in the vehicle as he ran, according to charging documents. He was arrested a short time later. Vos was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon by a restricted person, and three counts of discharge of a firearm, all first-degree felonies. He is also a former Public Enemy No. 1 of the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit. He has been arrested in the past in connection with several shootings in Salt Lake City, and was twice convicted of discharging a gun from the freeway in 2006. He was on parole at the time of Scott's death. When he was arrested, police say Vos claimed Scott had been shot by other gang members near 700 E. Nibley View Court (2820 South). Officers reported locating shell casings and blood in the area. Terence Vos, 25, a documented gang member, is charged with aggravated murder in a 2021 shooting death. | Salt Lake police Davis, who lives at th address where the killing occurred, told police he "never saw Terence at the house the whole day before. Royce stated he wasn't involved in anything to do with Terence and Shandon and didn't know anything about Shandon being killed. Royce denied ever walking out to the car or speaking to Terence the night Shandon was killed," a police booking affidavit states. "Royce was told numerous times that if he lied to detectives that he was potentially looking at charges for obstruction." On March 15, after serving a search warrant on Vos' phone and extracting information from it, police say they found a recording that shows Davis did talk to Vos that night and knew that Scott had been shot, according to the affidavit. On Monday, police questioned Davis again. This time, he admitted he heard gunshots. "Royce said he went to the car and saw Shandon in the driver's seat struggling to breathe and Terence had told Royce to drive her to the hospital, but Royce stated he was scared and went back into the apartment and locked the door. Royce said he saw Terence moving Shandon to the passenger side of the car and assumed he was taking her to the hospital. Royce said he did not see anything else. Royce admitted that after the homicide occurred he was scared and felt like he was being followed and went into hiding," according to the affidavit. When police were finished questioning Davis, he was placed under arrest. A social media post circulating in Nigeria claims that Nobel Prize-winning author Wole Soyinka asked Nigerian president-elect Bola Tinubu to step down within two days and return the certificate issued by the electoral commission declaring him as the winning candidate. Some posts also claimed that Soyinka told Tinubu to hand over the presidential certificate to Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate who came in third place during the February election. But these posts are misleading: During an April interview with a local TV station, Soyinka said he had spoken with Tinubu before the election, and at that time had asked him to step down and allow for the infusion of fresh blood into the system. At no point during the interview did he ask Tinubu to return his presidential certificate nor to give it to Obi. Soyinka Gives Tinubu 48 Hours To Step Down And Return Certificate... (sic)", reads a Facebook post published on April 5, 2023, and which has since been shared more than 6,000 times. The clip was published by an account named mamasojvlog that regularly shares content related to political events in Nigeria. A screenshot showing the misleading post, taken on April 11, 2023 The first part of the eleven-minute-long video shows a woman narrating the video alongside pictures of Tinubu, Obi, Mahmood Yakubu, the head of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Soyinka. After a brief introduction by the narrator, the video switches to a clip of Soyinka speaking during an interview. Born in western Nigeria, Soyinka is well-known in his home country as an author and political activist. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 the first African writer to win the award. In the clip, Soyinka said he sought audiences with both Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging them to shelve their presidential ambitions for a more youthful candidate. The clip was also shared elsewhere on Facebook with claims that Soyinka gave Tinubu 48 hours to hand over his presidential certificate to Obi. Story continues But the claim that Soyinka told Tinubu to step down and give his presidential certificate to Obi is misleading. Soyinkas interview By searching on YouTube for keywords like "Soyinka"and Tinubu, AFP Fact Check found the original version of the television interview (archived here). It was uploaded on the YouTube channel of Nigerian broadcaster Arise News on April 5, 2023 -- the same day the misleading claim was made. In the 29-minute-long interview, Soyinka spoke extensively about his role in trying to convince Tinubu and Abubakar to step down prior to the February elections. I told former vice-president Atiku when he was contesting, and he came to see me in my office in Ikeja some years ago, I said to him, listen, it's about time you people left the stage, why dont you just go away, we need an infusion of fresh blood into the system, Soyinka said. Soyinka said he also discussed the same issues with Tinubu. I sought out the current president-elect Ahmed Bola Tinubu and gave him the same message that whatever you people are planning, I am convinced that we need a young generation, new thinking, new sensibilities, new energies, Soyinka said during the interview. Soyinka said he suggested Tinubu use his influence to catapult a brilliant young candidate to power. We spoke for about an hour and half; in the end Bola Tinubu said no and that there were some things he felt he could contribute, Soyinka added. At no point in the interview did Soyinka order Tinubu to step down within 48 hours and give his certificate of return to Obi, as claimed by the post. A federal grand jury has indicted a missing financial adviser for his alleged role in an alleged scheme to defraud customers out of millions of dollars. Christopher Burns is said to have used investors money to repay prior investors and to fund his business and his lavish lifestyle. Burns is alleged to have defrauded dozens of victims of at least $10 million. According to a lawsuit filed against Burns Securities and Exchange Commission, he sold fraudulent promissory notes for years to more than 90 investors in Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Burns disappeared in September 2020, just one day before an SEC deadline to hand over paperwork in an undisclosed investigation. He hasnt been seen since. The vehicle he was driving was found abandoned in Dunwoody, Georgia. Inside the vehicle were copies of three cashiers checks totaling more than $78,000, said U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan in a news release. He betrayed investors and stole their savings with promises of safe investments that would yield high rates of return. Individuals who brazenly cheat their clients should expect to be held accountable, Buchanan said. RELATED NEWS: A federal grand jury indicted Burns on Tuesday, charging him with 10 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and four counts of money laundering. He had been already charged with one count of mail fraud in a previous federal complaint. Burns ex-wife, Meredith Burns, told Channel 2 Action News in a 2021 interview that she was as confused and hurt as anyone about what her ex-husband allegedly did. I have no idea who I was living with, Meredith Burns said. On the day before he left, Meredith says Chris did a lot of paperwork. He transferred assets to her and had her sign some things. Story continues Later on, I would find out that was divorce paperwork. But I didnt know it that day, she said. Then, her husband stopped by their kids school and supposedly took off for North Carolina. His family received routine texts from him that night. Meredith realized the Carolina story was a lie the next morning. And so at that point, I just, I remember just kind of like just crumbling in the driveway. Because I just knew something was really, really, really off. And so I called the police, she said. But Meredith says no one would take her seriously in those first couple of days. At one point, Burns had a show on WSB Radio. He was not an employee of the radio station but bought the airtime himself. Burns has a tattoo on his left forearm of three black, interlaced triangles. He is 6 feet, 2 inches tall, and weighed about 240 pounds when he was last seen. RELATED NEWS: Republican state lawmakers in Missouri have threatened to defund all of the states public libraries in a drastic budget proposal that has magnified the accelerating state-level campaigns against libraries over books and materials with LGBT+ people and themes. The states Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted on a state budget proposal last week that sets the librarys budget at zero, eliminating millions of dollars for the states libraries. Lawmakers in Missouris state Senate, however, plan to put $4.5m back into the budget proposal that was stripped out of the House version of the spending plan. Missouris legislative debate over library funding follows a recently enacted state law that broadly bans educators from providing sexually explicit material to students, punishable by up to a $2,000 fine or a year in jail. That language has had a chilling effect in schools and libraries across the state, where officials preemptively removed titles over fears that right-wing activists would mount money-draining legal challenges against them, according to civil rights advocacy group PEN America. Between August and November, state authorities banned more than 300 books in at least 11 school districts, the group found. In February, the ACLU of Missouri, the Missouri Association of School Librarians and the Missouri Library Association filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that the ban violated the First Amendment. In apparent retaliation, Republican lawmakers proposed stripping $4.5m allocated to the states public libraries each year, arguing that the state should not be subsidizing the libraries lawsuit. The ACLU of Missouri is representing the libraries for free, at no cost to taxpayers. A statement from the ACLU of Missouri called the budget threats abhorrent. As with every case when the ACLU represents someone, we are not charging our clients to challenge the unconstitutional book ban the legislature passed last year, according to the organisation, which called on lawmakers to stop enacting laws they know do not meet constitutional muster and burden local governments in a misguided effort to silence organizations who object to the legislatures overreach. Story continues The threats to Missouris libraries are echoed in state legislatures and local governments across the US, with right-wing activist campaigns against titles by and about LGBT+ people or materials that discuss sexuality and honest depictions of racism and discrimination. More than 100 bills in state legislatures in at least 31 states this year threaten to cut library budgets, implement book rating systems, regulate the kinds of books and materials in their collections, and amend obscenity definitions that preempt First Amendment protections, according to a database from EveryLibrary. Last year, voters in Michigans Jamestown Township population 10,000 rejected renewals for two tax proposals that have funded the communitys Patmos Library for decades. Without that funding, the library is expected to close in 2024. In Texas, officials in Llano County are considering plans to cease operations entirely at the countys library system, after a judge ordered the library to return books that were targeted for removal. According to a complaint, books removed from library shelves by Llano County officials include They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti; three books from Dawn McMillans I Need a New Butt! series; titles from Maurice Sendak; a book titled Its Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health; and childrens picture books with silly themes and rhymes including Larry the Farting Leprechaun and Gary the Goose and His Gas on the Loose. In a statement defending librarians and libraries from a wave of legislative threats last month, the president of the American Library Association condemned the vocal minority stoking the flames of controversy around books. Every day professional librarians sit down with parents to thoughtfully determine what reading material is best suited for their childrens needs, ALA president Lessa Kananiopua Pelayo-Lozada said. Now, many library workers face threats to their employment, their personal safety, and in some cases, threats of prosecution for providing books to youth that they and their parents want to read. Our nation cannot afford to lose the library workers who lift up their communities and safeguard our First Amendment freedom to read. More than a year after prosecutors in two Missouri counties charged David Smock with child sex crimes, several counts against the former Agape Boarding School doctor have been dismissed. Dan Patterson, Greene County prosecuting attorney, said his office dismissed its three charges against Smock last week. The Stockton doctor then was transferred from the county jail in Springfield to the Cedar County Jail on April 5. Smock, 59, still faces 12 counts of child sex crimes including multiple counts of statutory sodomy, sexual misconduct, child molestation and enticement of a child. Prosecutors with the Missouri Attorney Generals Office are leading that case, which originated in Cedar County but is now in Dade County on a change of venue. In consultation with the Attorney Generals Office, we dismissed our case without prejudice, subject to refiling, to allow that case to take the lead, Patterson told The Star. Part of our consideration was in the best interest of the victim, and having the more serious case with the greater number of charges go forward first. The dismissed charges in Greene County were: one count of second-degree statutory sodomy regarding a child; third-degree molestation of a child younger than 14 years of age; and enticement or attempted enticement of a child younger than 15. Those cases were related to one alleged victim, identified in court as C.M., who is also named in the majority of the AG charges. The boy moved into the doctors home when he was 13 and left at some point when he was 14, court records and testimony have shown. Smock has pleaded not guilty to all counts against him. The investigation of Smock began in October 2020. The Missouri Department of Social Services Childrens Division was notified about a child molestation allegation reported to the Cedar County Sheriff. The case was then investigated by the State Technical Assistance Team, which is under DSS. Smock, who was arrested in Arkansas on Dec. 28, 2021, had been held in the Greene County Jail since Jan. 5, 2022, and was on a hold without bond for Cedar County. A hearing is scheduled for next week in Dade County, where his attorney will ask the judge to set bond. Story continues Officials with Agape, which is now closed, have previously said Smock was never an employee of the school. Scott Dumar, a key Agape staff member, however, described the doctors close relationship to the school in a March/April 2020 newsletter. That staffer, Agapes medical coordinator at the time, said the school is medically overseen by Dr. David Smock, M.D. Smock came to Missouri from Arizona and in 2006 built an 11-bedroom mansion with an indoor pool and gymnasium in rural Cedar County between Stockton and Jerico Springs. A former student at Agape Boarding School says he was sexually abused at this southwest Missouri home owned by David Smock. The property includes this home, which has 11 bedrooms, an indoor pool and a gymnasium. He operated the Stockton Lake Walk-in Clinic, which temporarily closed on Jan. 6, 2022, due to unforeseen circumstances, according to its Facebook page. The last post, on July 19, 2022, said the clinic was permanently closing. Patterson said his Greene County office will assess the case after the AGs is completed. It is a matter of protecting the victim from having to repeatedly testify in more than one place, he said. Former employees of Agape an unlicensed Christian boarding school which opened near Stockton in 1996 also have faced criminal charges related to physical abuse of students. In 2021, five staffers were charged with low-level felonies of assaulting boys. At a Dec. 8 preliminary hearing for three of those staff members, Dumar and Everett Graves pleaded guilty to lesser misdemeanors and received two years probation. The case against Christopher McElroy was dismissed when his alleged victim did not show up to testify. Seth Duncan pleaded guilty on Dec. 14 to one misdemeanor and also received two years probation. Ty Gaither, the Cedar County prosecuting attorney, told The Star this week that he recently dismissed charges against the fifth former Agape employee, Trent Hartman. Gaither did not immediately respond to questions on why he dropped those counts. A Missouri Republican state senator this week suggested that children as young as 12 should be able to get married as he pushes legislation that would ban gender-affirming care for minors. Do you know any kids who have been married at age 12? I do. And guess what? Theyre still married, state Sen. Mike Moon, an Ash Grove Republican, said Tuesday evening in response to questioning by state Rep. Peter Merideth, a St. Louis Democrat. Moon made the comment during testimony in the House General Laws Committee over his bill that would ban all gender transition procedures for people under 18, which passed the Missouri Senate last month. Moon has attempted to frame his legislation as a way to protect kids as LGBTQ rights advocates call the bill an attack on the transgender community. The Republican state senator has been lambasted on social media for his comment, with many pointing out the inconsistencies between his views on child marriage and his legislation targeting transgender kids. The fact that Missouri Senator Mike Moon said that 12 year olds can be married off to adults just sickens me, Jess Piper, executive director of Blue Missouri, a group that fundraises for Democrats, wrote on Twitter. My daughter is nearly 11 and still plays with Barbies and her baby dolls. We are living in a hellscape in Missouri under a GOP supermajority. Missouri in 2018 passed a law setting the states minimum marriage age at 16, with the approval of one parent or guardian. The laws passage came after The Star revealed that Missouri had the nations most lenient marriage law for 15-year-olds. It previously allowed children even younger to marry with a judges approval. Activists have argued that the Missouri law still doesnt go far enough, leaving thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds open to the kind of abuse, poverty, helplessness, lack of education and exploitation that often accompany child marriage. Moon, a hard-right member of the state Senate known for his extreme views and comments, voted against the marriage bill when he was a member of the House. Story continues Merideth on Tuesday had pointed out Moons vote against the marriage bill, saying it was inconsistent with his claim of protecting kids through legislation that would ban gender-affirming care. You voted no on making it illegal for kids to be married to adults at the age of 12 if their parents consented to it. You said, actually, that should be the law because its the parents right and the kids right to decide whats best for them to be raped by an adult, Merideth told Moon. This story has been updated to correct the spelling of state Rep. Peter Merideths last name. BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) The driver who had screamed at Meghan Bigelow on a busy suburban street and followed her and her three sons into the parking lot of a dental office to argue finally began to drive away. But then, Bigelow recalled Wednesday, Jeremy Webster stopped after she pulled out her phone to take a video of his car and got out with a gun. Bigelow, testifying at the start of Websters murder trial, said she told her boys to run and began to walk away from them to try to keep Webster from hurting her children. She was shot in the back, and, after falling to the ground, shot in the head. She said she heard her middle son, 12-year-old Cooper, call out for her and ask if she was OK. Not wanting to lie, she said, I can hear you, so he would at least know she was still alive. Prosecutors said Webster, now 27, shot Bigelows two other sons, killing the oldest, 13-year-old Vaughn Bigelow Jr., and wounding the youngest, 8-year-old Asa, on June 18, 2018, in the Denver suburb of Westminster. Another man who witnessed the shooting during the road rage incident was also shot. Webster had locked eyes with the witness, John Gale, as he sat in his pickup truck waiting for an appointment with his 9-year-old daughter, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Prince told jurors during opening statements. Webster has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the shootings, which requires prosecutors to prove that he was sane at the time and knew the difference between right and wrong. Prince said that Webster, located and arrested with the help of the video Meghan Bigelow took, told detectives he had been losing his mind for years and it seemed like he had observed the shooting rather than being involved in it. A psychiatrist told police Webster, then 23, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was prescribed antipsychotics and antidepressant medication, police have said. According to court documents, Webster said he had recently started taking a new medication that day. Story continues However, Prince said Webster acted purposefully on the day of the shooting, hiding his handgun, which had been in the passenger seat, in a backpack in his trunk after the shooting and trying to kill Gale to cover up his actions as proof that he knew what he was doing. The evidence will show the conscious decision-making before, during and after his crime, said Prince, who adds that Webster completed an errand at Home Depot after the shooting and returned to a worksite to finish a construction job. As Prince talked about the shooting, Meghans husband, Vaughn Bigelow Sr., bowed his head at times or rested his head in his hands. Webster, wearing dress clothes, sat next to his lawyers, often writing on a yellow legal pad during testimony. The defense did not provide an opening statement, which they are not required to do, and has not had the opportunity to present any witnesses yet. Pennsylvania authorities are searching for the suspect who gunned down a mom in her car in an apparent targeted attack while her 11-year-old son sat in the backseat. Rachel King, 35, was in a Dunkin' drive-thru line in Cheltenham Township, outside of Philadelphia, when she was shot around 7:39 a.m. Tuesday, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said. MORE: Louisville shooting updates: Dramatic 911 calls released The gunman walked up to the driver's side of King's car and fired multiple shots through her window, prosecutors said. King's son, who was in the backseat at the time, wasn't hurt, prosecutors said. "This appears to be a targeted murder," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. The gunman "did not attempt to open the victim's vehicle door, nor did he appear to communicate with her prior to shooting her numerous times through her driver's side window." PHOTO: An undated photo of Rachel King, a Philadelphia teacher who was shot and killed April 11,2023. (Courtesy King family) King was a seventh and eighth grade English teacher at Grover Cleveland Elementary in Philadelphia. "She'd light up the room," King's brother, Allen King, told ABC News. "She was bright in every way possible, whether it was her shoes, her hair, her nails, her voice. And she was just a good person." Mastery Charter Schools said in a statement, "We are devastated by the loss of an extraordinary teacher, who spent the last 10 years working with our students and their families." PHOTO: Law enforcement has released this photo of the suspected vehicle involved in the shooting death of Rachel King, April 11, 2023, in Cheltenham Township, Pa. (Montgomery County District Attorney's Office) PHOTO: Law enforcement has released this photo of the suspected vehicle involved in the shooting death of Rachel King, April 11, 2023, in Cheltenham Township, Pa. (Montgomery County District Attorney's Office) The suspected gunman is described as a Black man with a thin build, and he was driving a light-colored sedan, possibly a Ford or Mercury, according to prosecutors. Anyone with information is urged to call the Cheltenham Township police at 215-885-1600 (extension 400) or Montgomery County detectives at 610-226-5553. Information can also be called into the tip line at 610-278-3648. Mom shot dead in targeted attack in drive-thru line while son was in backseat originally appeared on abcnews.go.com UPDATE: The Winston-Salem Police Department shared a corrected spelling of the mothers name in a news release to McClatchy News. The original story continues below. A mother and her three children were found dead at a North Carolina home, officials said. Winston-Salem police were called to a cul-de-sac on April 11 and forced their way into a home. Inside, they discovered the bodies of three kids who had been shot and killed, according to officers and news outlets. The deceased children were identified in a news release as sisters 9-year-old Sakendra Steele and 12-year-old Sakenya Steele, as well as their brother, 14-year-old Sakenlo Steele Jr. Also found dead at the home was the childrens 40-year-old mother, Ethel Steele. Officers believe she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The police department responded around noon to the home located about 5 miles southwest of downtown Winston-Salem. The deaths rattled neighbors, WXII and other news outlets reported. Its a sad situation, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough told the Winston-Salem Journal. Thats all I can tell you. An investigation continues, and police dont believe theres an ongoing community threat. Anyone with tips about the shooting is asked to call officers at 336-773-7700, Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800, or a Spanish-language line at 336-728-3904. People also can share information online or text 336-276-1717. 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. Arrest made after two found shot to death in car with children in back seat, NC cops say Four kids orphaned after one overheard dad threaten to shoot mom, Georgia cops say Cash-strapped Sri Lanka is considering exporting up to 100,000 endangered monkeys to China, the agriculture minister said Wednesday, raising concerns among conservationists. The toque macaque is endemic to Sri Lanka and common on the island but is classed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list. Sri Lanka bans almost all live animal exports and the proposed sale comes as it faces its worst-ever economic crisis. No financial details were made available. "They want the monkeys for over 1,000 zoos they have across China," Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told AFP. "I have appointed a committee to study the request and see how we can do this." Monkeys are considered pests in Sri Lanka because they destroy crops and raid villages in search of food, and sometimes attack people. Sri Lanka removed several species from a protected list this year, including all three of its monkey species as well as peacocks and wild boars, allowing farmers to kill them. The Environmental Foundation, a Sri Lankan animal rights group, criticised the proposed sale, saying there had been no nationwide survey of the macaques for more than 40 years and a proper population study should be carried out first. "We want to know why they want so many monkeys -- whether it is for meat, medical research or some other purpose," the foundation's Jagath Gunawardana told reporters in Colombo. "Monkeys are not a protected species in Sri Lanka, but they are in the international red list of endangered animals," Gunawardana said. There was no immediate comment from the IUCN. Toque macaques are officially estimated to number between two million and three million in Sri Lanka. Gunawardana said one reason for increased human-animal conflict, including with monkeys and elephants, was agricultural expansion shrinking wild animal habitats. aj/slb/pbt It's hump day. I'm Emilia David, and welcome back, readers. I scored some sweet Maggie Rogers tickets on Tuesday, so music is on my mind. If you've noticed older songs start to chart again, you have TikTok to thank. Insider's Callie Ahlgrim and Taylor Tyson analyzed Tiktok trending sound data to see how 20-year-old songs become viral sensations. Before we find out if love grows where Rosemary goes, let's get started. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here. job layoffs recession AndreyPopov/Getty Images 1. More tech workers could lose their jobs. The tech sector has shed an estimated 330,000 jobs since last year, but my colleague Hasan Chowdhury writes that more cuts will likely come. Companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon have cut several roles in the past year, but analysts believe years of overhiring and a renewed focus on profitability means more layoffs ahead. Analysts said there's more room in these organizations to focus on core businesses, so cuts in non-core departments should be expected. Even companies that haven't done layoffs yet will feel the pinch. It's going to be a rough time for startups, especially as they weather a tough funding environment and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Here's why tech workers have to brace for more layoffs. In other news: Twitter logo with Musk's Twitter profile on iPhone. Elon Musk is reportedly planning to slash roughly half of Twitter's 7,500 employees this week. But the conflict between Twitter's old guard and the new owner's loyalists is just getting started.Getty Images 2. Twitter, X, and the Everything app. A one-letter tweet from Twitter CEO Elon Musk suggests that Twitter is taking the first step to becoming a one-stop shop for all your internet needs. Learn more here. 3. Companies are raiding universities for the top AI talent. The AI arms race has pushed tech organizations to recruit AI talent from university programs aggressively. More on this story here. Story continues 4. Google employees reportedly tried to stop Bard. Two Google employees, concerned over inaccuracies and "dangerous" results, are said to have (unsuccessfully) urged the company to hold back its AI chatbot, Bard. Read more here. 5. More layoffs at advertising technology company Permutive. UK-based Permutive will cut 80 employees, about 40% of its workforce, in its second round of layoffs. Read Insider's exclusive on the cuts. 6. Elizabeth Holmes is going to jail. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, who tried to book a one-way ticket to Mexico after her conviction, must report to prison after a judge denied her bail request. Here's more on Holmes. 7. Youtube TV contractors facing union fight. Employees of Cognizant, a contractor for Youtube TV, told Insider that they are forced to go to captive meetings to discourage unionizing. Read more here. 8. Mark Zuckerberg's former security guard speaks. Brooks E. Scott used to protect tech executives like Mark Zuckerberg from crowds. Read what led him to leave Meta and start a new business. Odds and ends: The Yangwang U9 supercar from BYD is shown jumping off the ground. The Yangwang U9 supercar from BYD is shown jumping off the ground.BYD 9. Tesla rival makes a car that can jump. Chinese car maker BYD released a video of its Yangwang U9 car model with advanced control over the car body, allowing it to jump, bounce, and for some reason, dance. Learn more here. 10. You might not want Sony's wireless headset for the PlayStation 5. Thinking of getting a new headset for better immersion while playing "God of War: Ragnarok?" Our reviewers say that Sony's official Pulse 3D wireless headset falls flat. What we're watching today: NFT.nyc, a Web3 conference in New York City, is starting today with speakers from Salesforce, OpenSea, and Coinbase. On this day in 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man to go to space. It's International Day of Human Space Flight, so reach for the stars. Curated by Emilia David in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email edavid@insider.com or tweet @miyadavid.) Edited by Matt Weinberger (tweet @gamoid) in San Francisco and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. Read the original article on Business Insider After giving birth to 10 babies while at a Michigan animal shelter, Kela insisted she needed one more. Kela, a Great Dane mix, was with her puppies when she heard the cries of an abandoned kitten who arrived at the Jackson County Animal Shelter on April 3, according to a Facebook post. She wouldnt leave the door leading to the kitten, staff with the Jackson County Animal Shelter said. We knew she just ate, has water, already went out to potty minutes earlier... but kept scratching at the door. We opened it up to ask what she wanted and she RAN straight to the kitten in the box, the staff continued. Animal services director Lydia Sattler said she picked up the kitten, but Kela wanted a closer look, according to People. She also would not leave the kitten to go back to her puppies, Sattler told the news outlet. Sattler told MichiganLive she put Kela on a leash, then placed the kitten alongside the 10 puppies. We put the kitten in her pool and ONLY THEN did she lay back down in her pool with all the babies, the shelter said on Facebook. She instantly started cleaning him. It was 100% her idea and she wasnt taking no for an answer. Since then, Kela has taken in the kitten as though he were her own. She cleans him, keeps him warm and even nurses him, according to WILX And Kela is protective of the kitten, perhaps even more than she is of her biological babies, according to MichiganLive. She just loves this kitten, Sattler told the outlet. And the feeling appears to be mutual. (The kitten) is so content to be cleaned, warm, and snuggled, Sattler told People. We havent heard him cry since! Many people offered to foster Kela, but the mother was quite selective on who she was willing to go home with. On April 5, just two days after taking in the kitten, the shelter said Kela FINALLY chose her foster home! After turning down several great offers, she, along with her puppies AND kitten are settling into their own little paradise! staff shared on Facebook. We are so grateful for our amazing community that opens their hearts and homes to our pets. Story continues Overlooked dog was at shelter 364 days. Emotional video cut her stay short of a year Breastfeeding zookeeper teaches orangutan mom to nurse, video shows. Really special Ralphie the fire-breathing demon dog meets his perfect match with fourth adoption A woman was found dead in a desert two weeks after she was last seen at a Baskin Robbins in El Paso, Texas police say. Michelle Morales-Nakaza, 32, had last been seen the evening of March 27. The El Paso Police Department said she was possibly picked up from the ice cream shop by a man driving a white Toyota Camry. A missing person alert was sent Sunday, April 9. The following day, according to the El Paso Times, authorities located her body. Officers said Morales-Nakaza was found dead in the Red Sands area of El Paso County. Her death is being considered a homicide, but police did not release a cause of death. Red Sands encompasses 21 square miles and features sand dunes and small hills, according to Visit El Paso. Morales-Nakaza was a mother of three children, her mom said in a Facebook post. Im having a real difficult time dealing with these circumstances. Its any parents worst nightmare, Roni Espino said in a post before her daughters body was found. Anyone with information about Morales-Nakazas death is asked to contact police at 915-832-4400. Mom missing for days after not picking up her kids from day care, Minnesota cops say Wrestler known as She-Hulk a mom of 3 found safe after vanishing in Texas Mom and 7-year-old daughter vanished, Washington cops say. Bodies found 10 days later Rupert Murdoch told his wife their marriage was over in an email, according to reports. The 92-year-old media tycoon reached a divorce settlement with Jerry Hall, his fourth wife, last August after six years together. Ms Hall, a 66-year-old model and mother to four children with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, reportedly told friends she was heartbroken and devastated by the split. Murdoch and Hall at their wedding in March 2016 (PA) The pairs divorce settlement simply cited irreconcilable differences and a joint statement said they remained good friends. In a new report on relationships and power struggles in the Murdoch family, Vanity Fair revealed details of the couples final days, including Ms Halls bafflement at the abrupt end to her marriage to the head of the clan. Sometime in June last year, Ms Hall was waiting for Mr Murdoch to arrive at their Oxfordshire estate when she checked her phone, the report read. An email from Mr Murdoch, seen in screenshot by the magazine, said: Jerry, sadly Ive decided to call an end to our marriage. We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to do My New York lawyer will be contacting yours immediately. Ms Hall reportedly told people: Rupert and I never fought, outside of small disagreements over political matters. She was also cited as telling friends that she was required to move out of the couples Bel Air estate within 30 days and show receipts to prove that what she was taking belonged to her. The Texan was part of Mr Murdochs shortest marriage to date after Patricia Booker (1956-1967), Wendi Murdoch (1999-2013) and Anna Murdoch Mann (1967-1999), and was his first wife with whom he did not have a child. Murdoch in 2018 and bride-to-be Smith in 2020 (Getty/Ann Lesley Live/Facebook) Months after the divorce with Ms Hall was settled, Mr Murdoch was seen on holiday in Barbados with Ann Lesley Smith, who he proposed to on 17 March in New York City. The couple reportedly met late last year before making their relationship official last Christmas, when Ms Smith attended a dinner at Mr Murdochs home in Mayfair. Story continues Ms Smith, a former radio host who is 25 years Mr Murdochs junior, was previously married to country-western musician Chester Smith, who died in 2008 at the age of 78. The pair recorded an album together in 2005, titled Captured by Love. Mr Murdoch said he and Ms Smith were looking forward to spending the second half of our lives together. The wedding is reportedly set to take place in late summer. News of their engagement came as one of the groom-to-bes major news outlets, Fox News, faces a $1.6bn (1.3bn) lawsuit in the US on defamation claims. A man arrested at Atlantas airport for the murder of his husband claimed self-defense in court on Wednesday. Channel 2s Tom Jones was in Clayton County, where Richard Lee was charged with malice murder. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Lee was captured while trying to board a flight to Philadelphia at Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Tuesday. Lee seemed surprised when a judge told him he faces murder charges Wednesday. TRENDING STORIES: I dont understand the charges, cause I was being attacked, Lee told Judge Tameka West Bernard. Lee claims that he shot his estranged husband, 32-year-old Michael Roshell, in the chest in self-defense. But Judge Bernard read a different account from the warrant. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Said accused did knowingly and intentionally shoot Michael Rochell in his chest with a 9mm Taurus 21 when he entered the residence, she read. Police said Lee and Rochell were married. The couple broke up and Rochell returned to the home they shared on Adrian Drive on April 4 to get his belongings. According to warrants, Lee didnt want Rochell at the home and his 14-year-old son handed him a gun. Thats when police said Lee shot Rochell in front of his two young children. Jones talked to Rochells sister, Stacy McIntosh, who said she couldnt believe that Lee killed her brother. He always seemed so loving, McIntosh said. His background was nursing. McIntosh said the fact that Lee tried to flee after the murder is a sign of guilt. She said her brother was fun-loving and loved life. Like, you know what you did, McIntosh said. You know this wasnt any type of you defending yourself. Or defending your home. This was you wanting to murder my brother. Lee has been charged with malice murder, felony cruelty to children and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Hes currently being held without bond. LONDON (AP) Billionaire Elon Musk has told the BBC that running Twitter has been quite painful but that the social media company is now roughly breaking even after he acquired it late last year. In an interview also streamed live late Tuesday on Twitter Spaces, Musk discussed his ownership of the online platform, including layoffs, misinformation and his work style. Its not been boring. Its quite a rollercoaster, he told the U.K. broadcaster at Twitter's San Francisco headquarters. It was a rare chance for a mainstream news outlet to interview Musk, who also owns Tesla and SpaceX. After buying Twitter for $44 billion last year, Musk's changes included eliminating the company's communiciations department. Reporters who email the company to seek comment now receive an auto-reply with a poop emoji. The interview was sometimes tense, with Musk challenging the reporter to back up assertions about rising levels of hate speech on the platform. At other times, Musk laughed at his own jokes, mentioning more than once that he wasn't the CEO but his dog Floki was. He also revealed that he sometimes sleeps on a couch at Twitter's San Francisco office. Advertisers who had shunned the platform in the wake of Musk's tumultuous acquisition have mostly returned, the billionaire said, without providing details. Musk predicted that Twitter could become cash flow positive in the current quarter if current trends continue. Because Twitter is a private company, information about its finances can't be verified. After acquiring the platform, Musk carried out mass layoffs as part of cost-cutting efforts. He said Twitter's workforce has been slashed to about 1,500 employees from about 8,000 previously, describing it as something that had to be done. It's not fun at all," Musk said. The company's going to go bankrupt if we don't cut costs immediately. This is not a caring-uncaring situation. Its like if the whole ship sinks, then nobodys got a job. Asked if he regretted buying the company, he said it was something that needed to be done. The pain level of Twitter has been extremely high. This hasn't been some sort of party," Musk said. Twitter CEO Elon Musk said the platform is roughly breaking even in a wide-ranging interview with the BBC about the status of the social media company since his October takeover. The financial woes for Twitter, which Musk purchased for $44 billion, escalated after an exodus of advertisers when his purchase was finalized. Since then, most of the advertisers have returned, BBC reported in the Wednesday story with Musks interview. The early issue with advertisers is only part of the ups and downs Musk has faced since the acquisition. Twitters changes under Musk from peeling back content moderation measures to changing the platforms blue check mark process have been met with a chorus of criticism from civil society groups, regulators, academics, Democratic lawmakers and, most recently, news outlets angered by Musks new labels. Its not been boring. Its been quite a roller coaster, Musk told BBC, about taking control of the company. Asked if he had any regrets about buying the platform, Musk said the pain level has been extremely high, this hasnt been some kind of party. Musks brewing fight with NPR NPRs headquarters in Washington, D.C. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Image Musks latest battle is a fight with several news outlets over labels Twitter attached to their accounts calling them government funded media. National Public Radio (NPR) was labeled as state-affiliated media last week. The label is typically applied to outlets like RT and Chinas Xinhua, which are directly controlled by government officials and lack the same editorial independence as U.S. public broadcasters. The majority of NPRs funding comes from private sponsorships and user contributions. NPR receives a smaller portion of financing from the federal government and member stations. Twitter reversed course over the weekend and instead labeled NPR, along with PBS and Voice of America, as government funded media. NPR said Wednesday it would quit using the platform over the change. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, the outlet said in a statement to The Hill. We are turning away from Twitter but not from our audiences and communities. Story continues The BBC has also pushed back on the label it was given. In a statement, BBC said we are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is, and always has been, independent, it added. Asked about the label, Musk told BBC in the interview, Were trying to be accurate. I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC, he added. Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, said in a statement NPRs departure from Twitter leaves the platform with less reliable news and could foreshadow similar moves by other serious news sources. Overall, this sad development signals the continued deterioration of Twitter as a venue for meaningful conversation a pity for all concerned, Barrett added. A tumultuous Twitter takeover A sign at Twitter headquarters is shown in San Francisco, Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) In one of his earliest moves as Twitter CEO, Musk slashed the workforce at the company. The workforce went from just under 8,000 to the time he bought it to about 1,500, Musk said in the BBC interview. The mass layoffs have even led to legal trouble for the company, with former employees suing over allegations Twitter violated federal and state rules about layoff notice. Musk told BBC the workload at Twitter means that I sometimes sleep in the office. Musks other controversial changes were made seemingly as part of his vision to create a free speech platform, which largely meant lifting content moderation measures in place under Twitters previous leadership. For example, in November Musk lifted the COVID-19 misinformation policy on the platform. Another controversial change under Musk was reversing bans on users previously booted from the platform for violating policies. Most notably, Musk reversed the ban on former President Trump in November, as well, but the 2024 presidential candidate has yet to post on the platform since his account regained access. In recent weeks, Musk has angered critics over his plans to change Twitters blue check mark policy. The symbol once meant a public figures account was authentic, but under Musk users were able to purchase the symbol through a subscription to Twitter Blue. The change is leading to concerns about the spread of misinformation and users paying to pose as public figures. Updated at 3:18 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Myanmar's ruling junta confirmed on Wednesday that it carried out an air strike on a village in which dozens of people were reported killed, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and Western powers. The official death toll from the Tuesday morning strike on the remote Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region remains unclear, with at least 100 fatalities reported by the BBC, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia. A villager involved in rescue and recovery efforts at Pazi Gyi village -- who asked not to be named to protect his safety -- said body parts had been strewn across the site of the attack, and estimated the death toll to be higher than 120. Following a coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government in 2021, the military's crackdown on dissent and armed groups opposed to their rule has left more than 3,200 people dead, according to a local monitoring group. UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the deadly air strike, whose victims he said included schoolchildren performing dances, with the global body calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. On Wednesday, the villager told AFP it was difficult to identify the dead. "We can not identify anymore who is who among the dead because they all became pieces," he said. The man estimated about 80 bodies had been cremated on Wednesday, with rescuers halting efforts to recover roughly 40 more bodies "because we were afraid of more air strikes". - Village strafed - Tuesday's strike saw military aircraft strafe Pazi Gyi, where scores of locals had gathered to mark the opening of a local defence force office connected to junta opponents, a witness told AFP. One fighter jet and a helicopter were involved in the attack, a security source told AFP. The junta confirmed Wednesday it had "launched limited air strikes" after receiving a tip-off from locals about the event. It did not say how many were killed but insisted the military had tried to minimise harm to civilians. Story continues "We heard that more people were killed because of big explosions from weapons and ammunitions... displayed at the opening event," a junta statement said. Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun late on Tuesday said some of the dead were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though "there could be some people with civilian clothes". The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the People's Defence Force -- coup opponents -- for some of the deaths. Sagaing region -- near the country's second-largest city of Mandalay -- has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the military's rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. The attack came as Myanmar was preparing to mark the Buddhist new year -- Thingyan -- which begins Thursday and traditionally involves public water fights, but celebrations are expected to be muted. - International condemnation - "As the people of Myanmar celebrate their New Year, the EU is deeply shocked by reports of the latest atrocity committed by the military regime in Sagaing, taking the lives of dozens of innocent civilians," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali said. France's foreign ministry said in a statement that the "abominable" strike demonstrated "the strategy of indiscriminate violence the Myanmar junta has inflicted on Myanmar's people for more than two years". UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and reiterated his call "for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", according to a statement from his spokesperson. Washington also denounced the "reprehensible" attack. "We strongly condemn the regime's air strikes and urge the regime to cease the violence," US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet tweeted. Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson said the strike was likely to have a chilling effect across Myanmar society. "I think this will cause greater fear amongst the people," he told AFP. "I think in the future, communities will be reluctant to hold a... mass gathering of any sort, recognising that they could be bombed". According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Myanmar conflict tracker, the military has carried out 689 air and drone strike attacks since the coup. Rights groups have called for the international community to further restrict Myanmar's access to aviation fuel in the wake of the attack. But Bangkok-based security analyst Anthony Davis told AFP that demand was "divorced from reality". "Russia is a firm ally of the junta and one of the world's largest oil exporters. Do we seriously believe Moscow will sit and watch the Myanmar Air Force being slowly grounded for a lack of aviation fuel?" he said. bur-lpm/aha A woman with long, blonde hair sat shotgun in a brand new Lincoln Town Car, waiting for its driver to come out of a Lenoir supermarket. It was 1988. Now, Florida police are looking for the woman once seen in the small North Carolina town with a suspected killer. Authorities think she has information that could help solve a cold case murder. Witnesses say they saw the woman with Kenneth Ray Miller at Lowells Food Market on East Harper Avenue, according to a news release from police in Lenoir and Charlotte County, Florida. Three days later, North Carolina police found the car parked along Leniors Main Street. It looked like it had been there for days, police say. But the car wasnt Millers, police say. Its owner had been murdered in southwest Florida 700 miles away days before. Three days later, North Carolina police found the car parked along Leniors Main Street. It looked like it had been there for days, police say. Detectives say Miller stole the car from Robert Hetch, a 58-year-old retired US Army officer originally from New York. The two men were seen at a Punta Gorda, Fla., bar Saturday, Nov. 26, 1988. That Sunday, Hetch missed his weekly call with his out-of-state sister. Police later found Hetch dead in his Florida home, the obvious victim of murder, the news statement on Wednesday said. Last year, police in Florida working the cold case named Miller as the murder suspect but learned hed died in 2007. Miller was 36 at the time Hetch was killed. Detectives dont believe the woman was involved in the murder, but they do think she has information that could help with the cold case investigation, according to the news release. Police are also looking for information on Miller and the womans connection to Lenoir and Kingsport, Tenn. Police ask anyone with information on the woman to call Charlottes Cold Case Homicide Unit Detective Kurt Mehl at (941) 763-0582 or Detective Mike Vogel at (941) 763-9394. The public can also call the Lenoir, NC Police Department at (828) 757-2100. A North Carolina man said in a lawsuit that officers with the Horry County Police Department wrongfully arrested him after a traffic stop in 2019. Antonio Johnson-Fulwood, of Brunswick County, claims he was pulled over and searched for no reason as he was following the rules of the road prior to the traffic stop November 2019. A message to a Horry County Police spokesperson seeking comment Tuesday afternoon was not immediately returned. It is not clear what Johnson-Fulwood was charged with. He was detained and his car was searched during the stop on Nov. 1. His legs were in double-locked leg irons and arrested, according to the suit, which was filed March 6. Johnson-Fulwood was improperly profiled and targeted with malicious intent, the suit alleges. The criminal proceedings were dismissed, but the accusation made against Johnson-Fulwood damaged his reputation, the suit said. He was subjected to torment, intimidation, harassment, and unlawful detainment that caused him to suffer mental anguish, physical and mental abuse and fear, the suit said. Johnson-Fulwood had filed another wrongful arrest suit against the department in September 2019, but it was dismissed. Joshua McLemore died after 20 days in solitary confinement in the Jackson County jail, during which time he barely ate or drank. Joshua McLemore died after 20 days in solitary confinement in the Jackson County jail, during which time he barely ate or drank. When 29-year-old Joshua McLemore stopped answering his mothers calls and texts, she started to worry. McLemore had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult, and he had struggled with psychosis and drug use for years. When neither his mother, Rhonda McLemore, nor a family friend had heard from him for a few days, the apartment manager in McLemores building agreed to stop by. He found McLemore naked on the floor, confused and incoherent. McLemore was taken to the hospital in an ambulance around 1 a.m. on July 20, 2021. But instead of receiving medical treatment, he was soon arrested and moved to Indianas Jackson County Jail. There, he was left in a padded isolation cell with no bed, sink or toilet. He spent nearly every hour of the next 20 days in solitary confinement, naked, alone and suffering from active psychosis. At times, his cell was covered with urine, feces, food and trash. By the time jail officials sought medical help for McLemore on Aug. 8, it was too late.He died two days later of multiple organ failure due to refusal to eat or drink, according to an autopsy report. On Wednesday, McLemores estate filed a civil lawsuit against Jackson County, jail officials and the private corporation contracted by the jail to provide health care services, accusing the plaintiffs of violating McLemores 14th Amendment rights, causing him unnecessary pain and suffering and, ultimately, an avoidable death. McLemores condition was treatable, and his death was preventable, his estate said in a complaint. Josh suffered and died because of multiple failures by county staff and supervisors as well as systemic deficiencies and unconstitutional customs, practices, and conditions at the Jackson County Jail. McLemores deterioration over the course of his time in jail is apparent in hundreds of hours of disturbing surveillance footage obtained by his lawyers, partsofwhichwere filed as exhibits to the lawsuit. Story continues The Jackson County Sheriffs Department did not respond to a request for comment. Advanced Correctional Healthcare, the private corporation contracted by the jail, said in an email it could not disclose information about McLemore because of patient confidentiality laws. Please note ACH does not have specific policies and procedures, ACH President and CEO Jessica Young wrote in an email. As a general rule, treatment decisions are made by the medical professionals on a patient-specific basis. McLemore was held in pretrial detention and was not convicted of the crime he was accused of committing. Although tragic, McLemores death in the care of people responsible for protecting him is not uncommon. The federal government does a poor job tracking jail deaths, but a HuffPost investigation identified 811 people who died in a one-year period between 2015 and 2016. Days before McLemore got to the Jackson County Jail, 23-year-old TaNeasha Chappell died after staffers at the same jail ignored her pleas for medical care. On any given day, county jails across the United States are holding several hundred thousand men and women behind bars. Many of these people havent been convicted of any crime, said Ed Budge, the lead attorney in McLemores case and co-founder of Budge & Heipt, a law firm that specializes in wrongful death cases resulting from police, prison and jail misconduct. Once theyre locked up, they cant go to a medical or mental health professional on their own. They cant rely on friends, family or neighbors to help them get the care they need, Budge said. Instead, they become completely 100% dependent on the people working at the jail to ensure access to the medical or mental health care they require. If that care is denied or unreasonably delayed, the results can be fatal. Susan Wildin, a family friend, remembered Joshua McLemore as Susan Wildin, a family friend, remembered Joshua McLemore as "very sweet, very kind, and just a good person. From A Hospital Bed To A Jail Cell When emergency medical responders arrived at McLemores apartment, he appeared disoriented and was unable to answer simple questions, including a request for his name. While in the ambulance, he chewed on the seatbelt of the stretcher. He was somewhat cooperative as long as he was not touched, EMTs noted in a report. McLemore arrived at the hospital around 1:20 a.m. on July 20, 2021. Patient appears to be having delusions and is sporatic [sic] in his behavior, a nurse wrote in a separate report. The nurse described his mood as hostile, suspicious, anxious and apprehensive. About a half hour after McLemore got to the emergency room, he got out of his bed and lay down on the floor. When the nurse tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to get up, he pulled on her hair, she wrote in the report. A hospital security guard who was also a Jackson County Sheriffs detective told McLemore not to touch the nurse, according to the complaint. Although McLemore complied, the security guard contacted the Seymour Police Department, which sent four officers to the hospital. Footage from one of the officers body cameras shows him asking the nurse how much pain she felt, on a 1-10 scale, when McLemore pulled her hair. Six, the nurse said. Thats good enough for me, the officer responded. Thats a sign of pain. Asked if she wanted to press charges, the nurse appeared unsure but eventually agreed. The officers cuffed McLemores hands behind his back while he lay in the hospital bed. Although McLemore did not resist arrest, the officers shackled his legs together before leading him to the police car, while he was wearing only underwear. He bit a chunk of paint from the door of the police car and, while seated in the front passenger seat, put his feet on the windshield with enough pressure to crack the glass, according to the incident report documenting the arrest. Rather than noting McLemores behavior as a sign of untreated mental illness, the officers charged him with criminal mischief for damaging the car and battery for pulling the nurses hair. Like A Wild Animal In A Cage McLemore got to the jail around 2:30 a.m. Jail staff did not take his photograph or fingerprints or conduct a medical or mental health screening, according to the complaint. Instead, McLemore was taken to an empty, padded isolation cell with no bed, sink, toilet or window, lit by fluorescent lights 24 hours a day. He was placed on medical observation, which required staff to document their observations of him at least every 15 minutes. But Josh was not medically observed, according to the complaint, which notes that the logs were incomplete and not kept at all after about a week. In fact, he received virtually no medical monitoring or care of any kind throughout his confinement, even as his psychosis persisted and his physical condition worsened. Surveillance footage shows three officers carrying McLemore into the cell, pinning him against the wall, removing his handcuffs and ankle shackles and stripping him of his underwear, leaving him completely naked. They left a green smock and a thin blanket on the floor. After they left, McLemore began crawling around the cell on his knees, licking the walls and the floor and speaking incoherently. Although there was a bathroom attached to the cell, the door was locked nearly the entire time McLemore was there. There is nothing in the records to indicate that jail staff told Josh there was a bathroom on the other side of that second door until August 314 days after he entered the jail when a staff member opened the bathroom door and left it open for approximately four hours, the complaint read. During that time, Josh wandered into the bathroom and rolled around on the floor but did not use the toilet or sink. Having no access to a bathroom while in a psychotic state, Josh would urinate and defecate on his cell floor, according to the complaint. He walked barefoot in his own human waste, rolled around in it, and ate food from it. He lay on a urine-covered mat and wrapped himself in a urine-soaked blanket. He did all of this in plain view of the guards who were supposed to be monitoring him every 15 minutes. McLemore would spend nearly every hour of his 20 days in the Jackson County Jail alone in that cell. The few times he was removed involved extreme force and restraint, even when he put up no resistance and did not pose a visible threat. Milton Edward Rutan, a licensed practical nurse at the jail and one of the defendants in the lawsuit, first interacted with McLemore around 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 22, according to the complaint. By then, McLemore had been in isolation for more than 63 hours. Rutan tried to speak with McLemore through the food slot in the cell door but McLemore responded nonsensically. Rutan tossed a bottle of Gatorade through the slot before leaving the way one would toss a piece of meat to a wild animal in a cage, according to the complaint. The first time McLemore was removed from his cell was on July 25, 2021, after five days in jail. Guards grabbed him, put him in a chokehold, pinned him to the floor facedown and tied his hands behind his back, according to the complaint. As Josh lay on the floor, not resisting, the guards put him in a restraint device called the WRAP, the complaint read. They bound his legs and ankles together tightly, placed a harness over his head, and strapped the harness to the bottom of the WRAP, forcing him into a sitting position. They then placed a helmet on his head. Jail staff returned McLemore to his cell and left him in the WRAP for more than four and a half hours, according to the complaint. The purported reason for this prolonged restraint was that one guard claimed to have seen Josh on the monitor, punching himself in the head and slapping his stomach, the complaint read. However, video from the relevant timeframe does not show Josh doing anything that would cause a reasonable officer to believe he was trying to hurt himself. The next time McLemore left the cell was on July 27, when staff decided to shower him and have his cell cleaned. Having no mental professional at the jail, no treatment plan for Josh, no strategy for his care, and no idea how to safely and humanely engage with a person suffering from psychosis, custody staff resorted to the only tools they had been trained to use: force and restraint, the complaint read. Guards entered the cell, pinned McLemore to the floor, tied his hands behind his back and strapped him into a restraint chair, according to the surveillance footage. McLemore does not appear to put up a fight. Rutan, as well as Sheriff Rick Meyer and Jail Commander Chris Everhart all named defendants stood by and watched without intervening, according to the complaint. Then, guards wheeled McLemore into a bathroom and left him under a showerhead, strapped to the chair. At one point, a guard poured paper cups of liquid soap over his body. Around this time, Rutan appeared to try to take McLemores vital signs but did not document them, the complaint noted. McLemore was forcibly removed from the cell again on July 31 for another shower and cell cleaning. This would be his last time leaving the cell for more than a week. By Aug. 8, 2021, McLemore appeared to be decompensating. He spent most of that day laying down with feces and debris stuck to his body, which now appeared bony and emaciated compared to his appearance when he arrived at the jail, according to the complaint. That day, McLemore left both his breakfast and lunch untouched. Nobody bothered to check on Josh, or even open the window cover to look inside his cell, the complaint read. This was not atypical; it reflected the jail staffs lack of attention to Joshs well-being over the entire course of his confinement. Around 4 p.m., Rutan called McLemores name through the food slot. A guard entered the cell and placed a bottle of Gatorade on the floor. McLemore struggled to reach for it, so Rutan uncapped the bottle and handed it to him. Still, McLemore was too weak to drink. Rutan got a straw and held the bottle to McLemores mouth. He drank most of the bottle while lying down, occasionally letting out a cough or cry between sips, the complaint read. Despite McLemores visible decline, Rutan did not call an ambulance or even his physician supervisor. As Josh lay on his mat, listless and near death, four officers were hanging out at the officer station just a few feet away, according to the complaint. One of the officers appeared to be scrolling through his social media on his iPhone. About 35 minutes later, a guard entered McLemores cell and asked if he could stand. When he couldnt, two guards dragged his naked body out the door, hoisted him into the restraint chair, and cuffed his wrists to the chair. Still, they didnt call an ambulance. Instead, they wheeled McLemore back into the shower while other prisoners cleaned his cell. Staff wheeled McLemore back to the cell, placed him on a mat and covered him with a blanket. You gonna wake up a little bit? Rutan asked McLemore, who lay motionless. Moments later, Rutan checked McLemores blood sugar level and told the officers it was 232 well above normal. He also took McLemores blood pressure but did not record the results, according to the complaint. Finally, an officer called an ambulance and EMTs took McLemore back to the hospital. His cell smelled like old urine and the blanket he was covered up with was covered in urine. There was urine all over the floor, the EMTs noted in their report. McLemore weighed 153 pounds, down nearly 45 pounds from when hed arrived less than three weeks prior. McLemore was diagnosed with hypoxia (low oxygen in body tissues), encephalopathy (brain disease), acute renal failure (kidney damage), hypernatremia (high sodium), and rhabdomyolysis (muscle tissue breakdown). Because of the severity of his illness, he was airlifted to another hospital in Cincinnati, where he was intubated and sedated. By then, it was too late. By Tuesday, Aug. 10, McLemore was comatose. Rhonda McLemore flew in from Mississippi and made the decision to withdraw her only child from life support. Just A Good Person Susan Wildin met McLemore at a Mardi Gras parade in Long Beach, Mississippi, after he started dating her daughter, Abigail Smith. He was just very sweet, very kind, she said. Just a good person. McLemore and Smith moved in together in 2019. They were clean, they werent drinking. They were working out and eating well, Wildin said. She just felt so good for the first time in a long time. They were making a new start. An undated photo of Joshua McLemore (right) with Abigail Smith, his girlfriend at the time. An undated photo of Joshua McLemore (right) with Abigail Smith, his girlfriend at the time. Later that year, Smith died in a car accident on the way home from work. Wildin and McLemore grew closer after Smiths sudden death, sharing in their grief. Wildin also became friends with McLemores mother, who lived nearby. The two mothers looked out for McLemore, who struggled with his mental health after his girlfriends death. In July 2021, Wildin got a call from Rhonda McLemore. Have you heard from Josh? I havent heard from him in a couple weeks and Im getting worried, his mother said. Wildin contacted McLemores apartment complex, and the person who checked on him put her on the phone with McLemore. I said, Josh, do you want us to call somebody to help you? Wildin said. And he goes, Yes please, call somebody to help me. Thats when he went to the emergency room that turned into the jail, Wildin continued. He didnt belong in a jail. Had I not have gotten involved, he wouldnt have gone to the emergency room that night and gotten into trouble. After McLemore died, his mother asked Wildin how to cope with losing a child. I said, Its just one day at a time. Im not an expert at it and I dont want to be. We were both members of the same club that we didnt choose to be in. After McLemores death, the Indiana State Police conducted an investigation into the case and sent its findings to the office of Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Chalfant, who ultimately declined to press criminal charges. McLemore most likely died due to a prolonged lack of attention by Jackson County Jail staff as a group, Chalfant wrote last June, but no single person committed an act or omission that constituted a crime. McLemores mother died unexpectedly later that year. It was horrible, Wildin said. She truly died from a broken heart. Read the complaint here: Journalism is under attack. In Russia. In Mexico. And, most notably, in the United States of America. This impending threat inspired the documentary Endangered, which follows four journalists across three countries Mexico, Brazil and the USA as they seek to achieve their mission: hold powerful people accountable. Among the four journalists, the Miami Heralds own photographer Carl Juste was selected to participate. As present-day journalists, we can never be complacent, Juste told the Miami Herald. Especially now, journalism is under attack. The attack is coming from multiple sides. Its coming from fiscal instability, political oppression, the digital space via AI but also the community, because if the communities are not valuing our work, well be extinct. Endangered really foreshadows what can happen if were not vigilant. The documentary, which premiered in April of 2022 on HBO Max, will be screened at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Florida International Universitys Biscayne Bay campus as part of an event funded in part by Florida Humanities. A conversation with Juste and the films co-director Rachel Grady will follow. IF YOU GO WHAT: Endangered film screening and conversation WHEN: Saturday, April 15, 2023 WHERE: Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator (FIU Biscayne Bay Campus Academic II Suite 150, 3000 NE 151st St, Miami, FL 33181) TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/endangered-film-screening-tickets-610715154467 This is an excerpt from Incoming, BuzzFeed News morning newsletter dedicated to making sense of this chaotic world we live in. Join the club. The Louisville shooter purchased his gun legally at a local dealership, police said Members of the Louisville Metro Police and federal agents gather outside of the Old National Bank building in Louisville, Kentucky. Timothy D. Easley / AP The suspect in the attack at Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky, legally purchased his gun a week before the shooting, police said. Kentucky has some of the loosest gun laws in the country , according to the gun safety advocacy group Giffords Law Center. The state does not require universal background checks for gun sales, has no minimum age to purchase a rifle or shotgun, and allows anyone over age 21 with a legal firearm to carry it concealed without a permit. The suspect, who worked at the bank, used a rifle and livestreamed the shooting on Instagram. Four people plus the shooter were killed and nine were injured in the Monday attack . A fifth person died of their injuries later that day. One officer suffered minor injuries, while another was shot in the head and critically injured . "For 15 years, I've cared for victims of violence and gunshot wounds, said Jason Smith , the chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health. "I'm weary." Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg urged state and federal legislators to take action against gun violence. "You may think this will never happen to you, never happen to any of your friends or loved ones. I used to think that, he said. The sad truth is that now no one in our city, no one in our state, no one in our country has that luxury anymore." What we know about the Louisville bank shooting victims so far Authorities have identified the five victims as Joshua Barrick, 40, Thomas Elliott, 63, Juliana Farmer, 45, James Tutt, 64, and Deana Eckert, 57. All five worked at the bank. At a press conference on Tuesday, Rep. Morgan McGarvey described the impact of the shooting on the community and how the violence reverberated throughout the city. Despite the size of its population, in Louisville or "Louisvillage," as he called it "everybody knows everybody." More details about the lives of those killed in the shooting can be found here . Story continues SNAPSHOTS Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order to strengthen background checks for gun purchases. Lee's order comes after six people, including three children, were killed in a mass shooting at Nashville's Covenant School, according to HuffPost. How cadaver dogs are trained to find dead bodies. "We look for drive that dog's motivation to engage with prey items, toys, etc., and their ability to hunt for it for extended periods of time," said Jason Purgason , who's been training search dogs for over 25 years. Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi (yes, Bon Jovi's son) seem to be engaged . I've loved you three summers now, honey, I want 'em all Elizabeth Holmes lost her bid to stay out of prison while she appeals her conviction Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes must report to prison later this month to begin her sentence even while she appeals her conviction, a federal judge has ruled. Holmes, 39, was convicted in January 2022 for engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors by making misleading and false statements about the technological capabilities of her blood-testing company, Theranos. She was then sentenced in November to over 11 years in prison . Holmes, who recently gave birth to her second child , argued that she should remain free in part to care for the newborn. After losing her bid, she was ordered to report to prison on April 27. Her coconspirator and former lover Ramesh Sunny Balwani is also slated to begin his almost 13-year sentence on April 20, despite also appealing his conviction. IMAGE OF THE DAY An aerial view of tourists playing at a flower maze on April 11 in Anlong County, Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou province, China Liu Chaofu / VCG via Getty Images What we saw at Eric Andre's wild 40th birthday party BuzzFeed News Eric Andre, a comedian known for his sensational, chaotic antics, had a 40th birthday party that was as weird and epic as you'd expect and then some. With 3,250 tickets sold and lasting a whopping 12 hours, the event at the Knockdown Center in Queens could be described as The Eric Andre Show come to life. If you went to one area, you might find people getting spanked in the BDSM dungeon, while a small dance party with a DJ went on next door. You may get your portrait done by a live caricature artist or chill out at the petting zoo, which featured some very chilled-out goats and sheep. Throughout the night, various stage performers did everything from playing with fire to swallowing super-long party balloons. While Andre himself walked around the premises greeting excited fans, a group of Andre lookalikes was spotted throughout the night. BuzzFeed News photo editor Kenneth Bachor outlined the 11 best things he encountered at Eric Andres 40th. You can read all about it here . BuzzFeed News BuzzFeed News BuzzFeed News Still reading, eh? Seems like you might want to get this in your inbox. No pressure though. Just some food for thought. A Sig Sauer P320 handgun. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Milwaukee police were worried about their SIG Sauer P320 handguns randomly firing. "They don't want it around their family," a police union head told The Washington Post. A Washington Post/The Trace investigation found dozens of reports of the handguns firing without a trigger pull. Officers with Wisconsin's Milwaukee Police Department were reportedly so worried about their SIG Sauer P320 handguns randomly firing that they wouldn't bring the weapon home. "Our officers are fearful of the gun," Milwaukee Police Association officers union head Andrew Wagner told The Washington Post as part of an investigation published on Tuesday. "They're not taking it home. They don't want it around their family," Wagner said of the department-issued semi-automatic pistol. An eight-month investigation by The Washington Post and The Trace found that more than 100 people claim that their P320 pistols fired when they did not pull the trigger in incidents dating back to 2016, according to the report. The investigation also found that at least 80 people were wounded in those shootings. A representative for New Hampshire-based gun manufacturer SIG Sauer did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Insider on Tuesday. In a statement to The Washington Post, the gunmaker denied that the P320 was able to fire without someone pulling the trigger. In December, Milwaukee police began replacing the SIG Sauer pistols with Glock firearms, local outlet Fox6 reported. "They're really happy that they are not going to have to worry about endangering the community or themselves when they are carrying these firearms they currently have," Wagner said at the time. Read the original article on Insider TALLAHASSEE Florida taxpayers paying costs for a host of legal fights during Gov. Ron DeSantis tenure look certain to face more with a Senate panel defying a U.S. Supreme Court ruling by approving a measure making child rape subject to the death penalty. The Republican governor, poised soon to announce his candidacy for his partys presidential nomination, has called for the tougher standard. The Senate Rules Committee endorsed the move Tuesday, despite a warning that it will be found unconstitutional. Courtrooms must be a place for justice, and not vengeance, said Aaron Wayt, who spoke against the bill (SB 1342) representing the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. But Sen. Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat, a victim of child sexual abuse who founded the advocacy organization, Laurens Kids, said allowing capital punishment to be applied to sex crimes against children could be warranted. Theres no statute of limitations that a victim suffers. This is a life sentence that is handed down to young children, Book said. I still deal with the very real lasting effects of this crime. It never goes away, she said, adding, I dont get a chance to make it stop. DeSantis no stranger to lawsuits: Gov. Ron DeSantis dealt 'Stop Woke' setback, after promoting policy on Election Night Governor itching for a fight: Gov. DeSantis takes on how racial history is taught in Florida schools Legislature a stage for DeSantis: Before presidential bid, DeSantis has policies to push. Florida lawmakers are set to comply SCOTUS turned back Louisiana law In a 5-4 decision involving a Louisiana law in 2008, justices barred states from imposing the death penalty for the rape of a child, when the crime did not involve a childs death. The court rules that applying the death penalty in such cases would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. DeSantis, though, has said he thinks the current, conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court may be willing to revisit the earlier ruling and allow death penalty in child rape cases. DeSantis said he saw the death penalty as the only appropriate punishment for such crimes. Story continues The bill allows a jury by a vote of at least 8-4 to recommend a death sentence for sexual battery on a child under age 12. The jury must find at least two aggravating factors present from a list included in the bill to reach that conclusion, but Wayt described what he saw as an inherent flaw in the proposal Among the factors, one would require the assault to be heinous, atrocious or cruel. Another factor states that the victim must be especially vulnerable. Wayt pointed out that the bill, itself, declares the crime of child sexual assault as heinous and inflicted on someone vulnerable. As a result, he added, Every person convicted of this crime is eligible for the death penalty. Longer, costlier process for victim This bill invites a longer, costlier process that the victim and their family will endure, said Wayt, who told the committee that he, too, had been a victim of child sexual battery. Similar legislation is moving forward in the House. And the Senate has already approved another DeSantis-sought measure that would reduce the state requirement that a death penalty be recommended unanimously by a jury. In 2020, the state Supreme Court reversed course and said unanimous jury recommendations were not needed, although the law remains on the books. Under this years legislation, at least 8 members of a 12-person jury would have to recommend a death sentence. The bill was proposed after a divided, 9-3 jury spared Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Crus from capital punishment in November. The Parkland school shooter instead received a life sentence. The House also is expected soon to approve legislation setting the 8-4 jury standard. Florida among a few As he positions himself for a presidential run, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also is poised for more court fights over the death penalty. Florida would join only three other states out of the 27 that impose the death penalty but do not require jury unanimity. DeSantis has already been moving forward with executions, with Louis Gaskin scheduled to die Wednesday for a 1989 double murder in Flagler County. He was recommended 8-4 for execution by a jury. Similarly, Donald Dilbeck, ordered executed in February by DeSantis for a 1990 Tallahassee murder, had received an 8-4 jury recommendation for death. Dilbeck was Floridas first execution in almost four years and the third set by DeSantis. For the politically combative DeSantis, any legal challenge over his push to accelerate and expand the death penalty seems welcome as he is poised to launch his presidential run. Florida taxpayers already have spent tens of millions of dollars on lawsuits during his time in office over lawsuits stemming from policies enacted ranging from abortion access, redistricting, elections measures, the states controversial anti-riot act, and a host of culture war clashes and fights over COVID-19 policies. While expanding the death penalty to child rapists could bring the state attention before the U.S. Supreme Court, another measure this spring advancing and promoted by the governor would expand defamation law intended to help prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit the famed New York Times v. Sullivan case from 1964. DeSantis frequently targets what he derides as the corporate media, and eliminating protections contained in Sullivan could inspire more lawsuits against news organizations. House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, acknowledged last month that the defamation bill is designed to challenge current constitutional law, which we may do in other aspects, too. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @JKennedyReport This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Legislature follows DeSantis in expanding death penalty Singer Melissa Schuman, who for years has alleged the Backstreet Boys Nick Carter raped her in 2003, has filed a lawsuit reviving the claim that Carter attacked her when she was 18. Schuman, a former member of the 2000s girl group Dream, accused Carter of forcing her into oral sex, and of using his role, status, and power as a well-known singer to gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit and rape her, according to the suit, obtained by multiple outlets. Schuman, now 38, first accused Carter in late 2017. She said the assault occurred at Carters apartment in Santa Monica, California, where he refused to take my nos for an answer. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office years ago declined to prosecute Carter, citing the 2013 statute of limitations expiration. Schuman, speaking to the New York Post, cited a new California law temporarily lifting limitations on filing civil lawsuits making sexual assault claims. Its time that powerful figures in the music industry get the message that they can no longer afford to enable and protect sexual predators, Schuman told the outlet. Im fighting to make the music industry a safer place to work and perform. Carter has vehemently denied assaulting Schuman. His lawyer called the lawsuit a PR stunt. Melissa Schuman has been peddling this tale for many years, but her allegation was false when she first made it back in 2017 and it still is, Liane K. Wakayama, Carters attorney, told Rolling Stone. This PR stunt wont shake Nick. Schuman's case was initially thrown out, but a new law has now lifted the statute of limitations. Schuman's case was initially thrown out, but a new law has now lifted the statute of limitations. Schuman has said in the past that she and Carter were introduced by their teams, who suggested they date each other for publicity. After the assault, she said her manager urged her to stay silent and said she would be buried in humiliation if she didnt. Schuman, who then was co-starring with Carter in a movie and was signed to Sean P. Diddy Combs record label, wrote in her 2017 blog post that her career began to worsen, even though she didnt speak out at the time. Story continues The filing claimed Carter continued to manipulate and torment Schuman with text messages and calls, and that a well-known and powerful manager in the music industry got her to record a duet with Carter to create the false impression they were friendly. The song, produced for a movie soundtrack, was never sold. Carter denied Schumans allegations in 2017 and told multiple outlets she never expressed to me while we were together that anything we did was not consensual. She filed a report with the Santa Monica Police Department in 2018. Carter appeared in court in Las Vegas last month in regards to another sexual assault suit. Carter appeared in court in Las Vegas last month in regards to another sexual assault suit. Carter is also facing a lawsuit filed in Nevada by Shannon Ruth, who claimed he forced her into oral sex and raped her. Ruth, who was 17 at the time and says she is autistic, alleged Carter called her a retarded bitch. Carter has vigorously denied the allegations. Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website. Related... One woman has done the Lords work claiming to have visited some of the most elite, coveted restrooms. Luckily, she has an entire TikTok series dedicated to her findings. Content creator Abbey (@abbeywwwww) began her TikTok series entitled, Come take a s*** with me @ insert fancy establishment here. Since early March, the Los Angeles-based TikToker claims to have visited several luxurious locations, including The French Laundry, Gucci and The Beverly Hills Hotel. Early into her series, Abbey allegedly visited Nobu. Of course, she made her way to the restroom where the real research occurred. Tough start for Nobu. I literally had to go up steps in heels to get to the bathroom, she says, in addition to criticizing their sexist lack of hooks for her purse, their choice of paper towel and barely one-ply toilet paper. Nobu did, however, have a heated toilet seat and built-in bidet. This is the content the worlds needs right now A public bidet sounds illegal, one user wrote. the cheap toilet paper is a major fail, another replied. cmon NOBU step it up. This is the content the worlds needs right now, someone said. Abbey also claims to have paid a visit to Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills. This vanity area is private, so no need for a hook, she explains. This bathroom has the same marble as the vanity area, and the mirrors allow me to watch myself while I take a s***. Soap was to die for, water got hot quick, and pressure was great, she adds. Mirrors are key. Love being able to see myself while sitting on the throne Your research is crucial. Thank you for your service, someone replied. What about the toilet water height, flush velocity, and seat-feel, another joked. I dont want to go to another toilet reviewer but I will if I need to. Mirrors are key. Love being able to see myself while sitting on the throne, one user wrote. More recently, Abbey appears to have visited the Hermes store in San Francisco. Story continues Theres nothing like a store made for billionaires to make you feel out of place, Abbey says. So I went straight to my safe place. Jump scare coming up: Mrs. Meyers soap straight from Target. Hermes literally makes handsoap what a let down Hermes wouldnt let me use their bathroom when I bought a bracelet. Youre winning, one TikToker revealed. Hermes literally makes handsoap what a let down, someone wrote. Im shocked you felt comfortable taking a dump in a store with no ambient music, another said. Just straight silence. Despite being one of the more unconventional series on TikTok, Abbey gives audiences, some of whom may never get the chance to see them in real life, the opportunity to peek into some of the most gatekept locations in the world. As she demonstrates, sometimes even the most luxurious stores fall short in execution. In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News follow us here! The post From Nobu to Hermes, this TikToker takes users inside the most luxurious, gatekept restrooms with her Come take a s*** with me series appeared first on In The Know. More from In The Know: In the wake of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyns breakup, some Swifties are paying their respects in absurd ways: im a swiftie but this is a lot TikToker who grew up privileged shares 'weird status symbols' only 'rich white people' care about Our Place just released an oven-safe version of the internet-famous Always Pan, and it's on sale for a limited time only Grab this gorgeous purse that shoppers say is the 'perfect everyday bag' A non-verbal Kansas City man with cerebral palsey died of a lung infection shortly after being transferred to a medical facility where he did not have access to the treatment frequently used to clear his airways, according to a Jackson County Circuit Court lawsuit. Now his family is suing for negligence. Thomas Wilson of Kansas City suffered from cerebral palsey and required treatment to prevent against infection. But while being transferred into long-term care, he was not given access to his regular treatment and died shortly after, said a lawsuit filed by family of Wilson on April 7. The family is requesting the case be heard by a jury. A spokesperson for Saint Lukes Hospital of Kansas City said they are unable to comment on the case because their legal team has not received all the court documents as of Wednesday afternoon. The Life Care Center of Grandview was not able to immediately respond to requests for comment. Necessary care Starting in 2019, Wilsons doctor placed him on a plan to prevent him from breathing food or liquid into his lungs. For 20 minutes everyday, his aunt and a nurse strapped a compression vest to his chest and cleared his airways. But about two years later Wilsons caregivers grew ill. No longer able to receive regular treatment, he was admitted to Saint Lukes Hospital of Kansas City. At the time, on April 8, 2021, Wilsons lungs were clear. He had no issues breathing and was in good health, according to the lawsuit. Two to three times each day Wilson was treated with the compression vest. He remained in the hospital for 11 days. Wilson was discharged from the hospital on April 18, 2021, and transported to the Life Care Center of Grandview to receive long-term care. Wilsons family allege the nursing facility did not receive instructions for Wilsons treatment, leaving him without a compression vest to clear his airways. They contend that Saint Lukes did not provide Wilsons new caregivers with a discharge packet outlining his required care. Hospital staff were also aware that Wilson was incapable of communicating his care needs due to his illness, according to the lawsuit. Story continues Saint Lukes did not call, communicate, or otherwise ensure in any way that Life Care Center for Grandview was providing the necessary care, the lawsuit said. Five days after he was admitted, Wilson started to suffer from aspiration pneumonia, an infection of the airways caused by either food or liquid being breathed into the lungs. He died on April 24, 2021. Both Saint Lukes Hospital and the Life Care Center of Grandview are being sued for negligence. Wilsons family are seeking relief for medical and funeral expenses as well as their anxieties and emotional suffering resulting from the death. The next hearing in the wrongful death case is scheduled for July 31 in Jackson County Circuit Court. A federal North Dakota court on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction against the Biden administrations proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in 24 states whose Republican attorneys general sued over it. In the order, Judge Daniel L. Hovland of the District of North Dakota, a former President George W. Bush appointee, ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has arguably acted beyond [its] statutory authority under the Clean Water Act with the rule. Hovland wrote that there are serious questions regarding the 2023 rules interpretation of interstate waters to include those not connected to navigable waterways. Hovland also took issue with the 2023 rules treatment of tributaries, writing that under the latest rule, a watercourse can qualify as a tributary so long as it makes its way, directly or indirectly, to a traditional navigable water, territorial sea, or interstate water by any wet or dry waterway, such as wetlands or ditches. In addition to the lawsuit, the WOTUS rule was the subject of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturning it. Under the CRA, a simple congressional majority can vote to overturn a rule imposed by the executive branch. Congress passed the CRA resolution, which Biden vetoed last week. Separately, last October the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, which seeks to establish whether wetlands are under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. The courts ruling is still pending. You cannot regulate a puddle as you do a river and doing so will never give us cleaner water, which is what we all want, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R), who led the lawsuit, said in a statement. This rule would harm jobs and economic growth by taking jurisdiction from states and asserting federal authority over nearly any body of water, including roadside ditches, short-lived streams and many other areas where water may flow only once every 100 years. The Hill has reached out to the EPA for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) -North Korea fired a new model of long-range ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea said, triggering a scare in northern Japan where residents were told to take cover, though there turned out to be no danger. A South Korean military official said the missile appeared to have been a new weapon displayed at recent North Korean military parades, and possibly used solid fuel. North Korea has criticised recent U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises as escalating tensions and has stepped weapons tests in recent months. It has been working to build more solid-fuel missiles which can be launched with almost no warning or preparation time. The missile flew about 1,000 km (620 miles), South Korea's military said, calling it a "grave provocation". The official said the missile's maximum altitude was lower than 6,000 km, the apogee of some of last year's record-breaking tests. "So far we assess that they fired a new type of ballistic missile with an intermediate or intercontinental range," the official said. "We're still analysing details like the trajectory, altitude and range, with the possibility that it carried a solid-fuel propellant." The South Korean military said it was on high alert and coordinating closely with its main ally, the United States, which "strongly condemned" what the White House said was a long-range ballistic missile test. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also strongly condemned the test and called on North Korea to return to denuclearisation talks, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. While condemning the latest in a string of North Korean missile tests, Washington renewed its offer to resume talks. "The door has not closed on diplomacy, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilising actions and instead choose diplomatic engagement," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for strengthening war deterrence in a "more practical and offensive" manner to counter what North Korea called moves of aggression by the United States. Story continues Following the launch, the Japanese and U.S. air forces conducted drills over the Sea of Japan "as the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming more and more severe," Japan's defence ministry said. While North Korea has tested short-range solid-fuel missiles, it has not tested a long-range missile of that type, said Bruce Bennett, a senior defence analyst at the U.S.-based RAND Corporation. Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korean navy officer now at Kyungnam University, said the new system might have been an intercontinental ballistic missile that was unveiled at a February military parade, and powered by a solid-fuel engine tested in December. James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at Washington's Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said he believed the United States would be able to determine between a solid- or liquid-fueled launch via early warning satellites capable of detecting differences in the infrared spectrums produced by different missile types. "North Korea's ongoing development of long-range solid-fueled missiles, which can be launched quicker, is significant by further complicating the challenges facing the U.S. in attacking North Korea's nuclear forces preemptively," he said. The missile was fired at 7:23 a.m. (2223 GMT on Wednesday) from near Pyongyang, the South's military said. Japan's coast guard said it had landed by 8:19 a.m. BRIEF PANIC The nuclear envoys of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan condemned the launch, saying Pyongyang had constantly threatened regional peace with "unprecedented levels of provocations and menacing words", South Korea's foreign ministry said. Japan's defence minister, Yasukazu Hamada, said the missile appeared to have been fired eastward at a high angle and did not fall in Japanese territory, but he could not confirm whether it had flown over Japan's exclusive economic zone. Japan's coast guard said it had fallen in the sea east of North Korea. Japanese authorities canceled an alert for the northern island of Hokkaido when they determined the missile would not fall nearby. Schools in Hokkaido delayed opening and some train services were suspended. A Hokkaido student told Japanese broadcaster NHK the alert caused momentary alarm at a train station. "For a second in the train there was panic, but a station worker said to calm down, and people did," the student said. (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim, Ju-min Park, Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Gerry Doyle; Editing by Neil Fullick, William Mallard, Mark Potter and Sandra Maler) Orthodox Christian rituals in certain parts of Eastern Europe call for the consumption of koliva a mix of seeds and grains shaped like a cake and sweetened with honey or sugar after a blessing by a priest. Orthodox Christian rituals in certain parts of Eastern Europe call for the consumption of koliva a mix of seeds and grains shaped like a cake and sweetened with honey or sugar after a blessing by a priest. Mourning someones death is a deeply personal experience dependent on a variety of factors, including ones own temperament, life experiences, cultural background, family traditions, mental health tendencies, religious beliefs and more. There is, however, one aspect to grieving that seems to be a constant across regions and peoples: the role of food throughout the entire process. As a general rule, comfort food plays a pivotal point during the days, months and even years following the death of a loved one. But the definition of comfort and, therefore, the type of fare that is being consumed throughout the mourning period, varies across traditions. When my mother-in-law died, for example, my husbands family subscribed to both Jewish and Mashadi customs during the mourning period, referencing both our religious ties and cultural ones to the city of Mashhad in Iran, where both of our ancestors are from. As is customary in the Mashadi community, the children and siblings of the deceased were served a seudat havraa as their first meal after the burial, one consisting of hard-boiled eggs that the mourners cannot peel or pay for themselves, but should be provided by friends or family and handed to them directly. Rabbi Mosheh Aziz, co-author with Rabbi Avraham Ben-Haim of the book Shenot Haim: Laws and Customs of Jewish Mourning, explained, It is customary for this meal to be simple and not a lavish [one]. The importance of simplicity carries through specifically Mashadi traditions as well, which call for memorial services on the eve of the seventh day, 30th day and 11th month since the burial. Aziz explained that during each get-together, its customary to serve a modest meal in a non-extravagant fashion. Traditional foods that come from trees and the earth are usually preferable, including cucumbers, potatoes, grapes, eggs, raisins, roasted chickpeas, tea and Turkish coffee. Story continues A seudat havraa is the first meal after the burial in the Mashadi community, consisting of hard-boiled eggs that the mourners cannot peel or pay for themselves. A seudat havraa is the first meal after the burial in the Mashadi community, consisting of hard-boiled eggs that the mourners cannot peel or pay for themselves. Some suggest that round foods like eggs represent the cycle of life. Overall, though, the culinary modesty that has come to define the mourning period within my personal traditions seems to have one prevailing meaning: A griever should focus on his grieving throughout the year after a close persons death, without even using food as a distraction. Interestingly enough, though, in Hong Kong, the customs call for what may seem to be the exact opposite of simplicity. As explained by Canadian blogger La Carmina, who was born in Vancouver but whose family is from Hong Kong and considers itself Chinese, more lavish meals are de rigueur while mourning on that side of the world. When my grandfather passed, my grandma set up an altar in her house that consisted of incense and his favorite foods, she explained. Some of the most common foods are the most expensive ones like pork and barbecue duck because they are known as fancy foods that are peoples favorites. Post-funeral, its tradition to invite all family members over to the deceaseds home to have dinner together as a way to let everyone have some closure, she said. During the evening, sweets like candies are served to take away the bitterness that obviously comes with mourning. In Chinese circles, there are also foods to stay away from right after the funeral, Carmina explained. Specifically, ones that sound like negative words, she revealed. The word for melon, for example, is gua, which sounds like the word for death, which is siwang. We try to avoid that when mourning because we dont want negative energy or associations. But not all Asian traditions are the same, as chef Tojo Hidekazu, who was born in Japan and now lives in Canada, told me. He noted that it is customary for the close family of the deceased to not eat any sort of animal protein for 49 days after the passing, and his family follows suit even though theyre not necessarily religious. Were basically vegetarian for 49 days, he explained. Not even caviar or uni. Similar to Jewish tradition in terms of simplicity, many Japanese people will also stay away from garlic or any other strong spice because we must be very sad, he said. That gastronomic blandness is particularly visible during a small ceremony that usually takes place a week after burial, during which we serve food that doesnt look fancy, its very sad and plain because were sad. Its not colorful: its mostly green, brown and white, the chef said. Perhaps unsurprisingly given some similarities between it and Buddhism, many branches of Hinduism also call for the avoidance of meat for a set period of time after a death, a guideline that results in mourning menus filled with fruit and veggie dishes, especially within gift baskets that family and friends traditionally offer those in mourning. Across other groups and denominations, gastronomic suggestions specifically relate to foods eaten during actual wakes and funerals. Orthodox Christian rituals in certain parts of Eastern Europe, for example, call for the consumption of koliva a mix of seeds and grains shaped like a cake and sweetened with honey or sugar after a blessing by a priest. Mormons, on the other hand, traditionally eat a dish of funeral potatoes, a casserole made with potatoes, onions, cheese, cream sauce, butter and topped with either corn flakes or potato chips, while Irish wakes are usually replete with traditional cakes made with cream cheese and dried fruits. A homemade funeral potatoes casserole with cheese and chives. A homemade funeral potatoes casserole with cheese and chives. Clearly, although the types of foods consumed and avoided throughout a mourning period change within cultures, families and traditions, the role of fare in general remains the same throughout: Our palates are to guide us through the proper way of mourning, whatever that may look like. Some believe that, the less appetizing the food, the easier it will be to fully experience the sadness associated with death and avoid distractions eventually allowing us to live through all stages of grief. Others find it more proper to celebrate a life that ended by consuming extravagant meals as a way to honor the deceased. Whatever ritual you subscribe to whether part of a larger religion or one originating within your own family one thing is for sure: As humans, we rely on food for much more than mere sustenance. Related... Former president Trump on Tuesday claimed that President Biden does not appear to be steering the ship of his own administration, which he said has been hijacked by vicious, smart progressives. In an interview with Tucker Carlson for Fox News, Trump projected that Biden will not be capable of running for president a second time, alluding to his observable deteriorating mental and physical condition. I dont think he can, Trump told the host. Theres something wrong. Noting Bidens absence from press events and general checked-out attitude, Trump said its not him driving much of the agenda being imposed at the federal level. Hes surrounded by vicious smart people, radical left people, he added. Biden visited Northern Ireland Tuesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a peace agreement that ended the 30-year conflict there. When the world is exploding, Im not going to Ireland. You could end up in a third world war, and hes going to be in Ireland, Trump said. Other contenders that Democrats have contemplated, Trump guessed, may include vice president Kamala Harris although, he noted, I dont think shes performed well on the big stage. California governor Gavin Newsom, who he recalled was very nice to him during his presidential tenure, has also been pegged for his potential 2024 star power, Trump said. I dont see Biden doing it from a physical or mental standpoint, Trump repeated. Its not an age thing. In the last few months, Biden has taken some actions that have disappointed Democrats, coinciding with the recent arrival of more moderate liberal White House chief of staff Jeff Zients. For instance, Biden stood with Republicans in opposing a District of Columbia criminal code overhaul that would have reduced sentences for carjackers, our Jim Geraghty noted. He also gave formal approval to proceed with a large oil-drilling project in Alaska. Bidens policy pivot suggests he might have been pressured to lean further left on policy than he otherwise would have been inclined to by Zientss more progressive predecessor, Ron Klain, who was sometimes referred to as prime minister for his aggressive management style. More from National Review Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, has called to wait before drawing any hasty conclusions about the leak of secret Pentagon documents, in particular those related to Ukraine. Source: Danilov on the air during the national joint 24/7 newscast Quote from the NSDC Secretary: "As for influencing our partners, you know that there are certain countries that helped us and there are other countries with which we have different, complex relations. So let's wait... There is no need for everyone to pounce on this hot issue right now; we need to wait a little while and let it cool down a little. It will take a very short period of time it will be clear who, how and for what (it was done ed.) and how much everything corresponds to reality." Details: Danilov is convinced that soon the US secret services will do "a lot of work to put an end to why this happened and who took part in it". He also does not rule out that in the framework of conversations about this leak, documents that "have nothing to do with the truth" may continue to appear in the future. Background: On 7 April, the NYT reported that classified military documents detailing US and NATO plans to build up the Ukrainian army ahead of a planned counteroffensive had been leaked on Twitter and Telegram. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, called the leaked materials "photoshopped" and joked about the degradation of Russian intelligence. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Russia or pro-Russian elements were behind the leak of several classified US military documents posted on social media that allegedly showed preparations for a spring counteroffensive against Ukraine. A new batch of classified documents has appeared on social media, allegedly detailing American national security secrets regarding Ukraine, the Middle East, and China. On 9 April, it was reported that the US Department of Justice had launched an investigation into the leak of a huge number of US intelligence documents. CNN also reported that Ukraine had already changed some of its military plans due to the leak of classified US documents. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! National Public Radio (NPR) has decided to quit Twitter amid an ongoing spat between the news outlet and the social-media platform over its designation as government-funded media. NPR will no longer post fresh content to its 52 official Twitter feeds, becoming the first major news organization to go silent on the social media platform, David Folkenflik, a media correspondent for the news site wrote on Wednesday morning. The announcement coincided with a flurry of final tweets on NPRs official Twitter account directing users to download their app, sign up for their newsletter, and follow their Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn accounts. Last Tuesday, Twitter affixed the label state-affiliated media on NPRs profile page, a designation which placed the outlet in league with Russian state-run news outlet, RT, and Chinas Xinhua News Agency. Twitter CEO Elon Musk initially tweeted approvingly of the tag. Seems accurate, the billionaire wrote, above an image of the social-media companys announcement defining state-affiliated media as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources. The news triggered pushback from NPR executives and prompted the outlet to clarify that it operates independently of the U.S. government. [W]hile federal money is important to the overall public media system, NPR gets less than 1% of its annual budget, on average, from federal sources, Bill Chappell, an NPR reporter wrote following the announcement. Story continues Twitter added a state-affiliated media tag to NPRs main account on Tuesday, applying the same label to the nonprofit media company that Twitter uses to designate official state mouthpieces and propaganda outlets in countries such as Russia and China, Chappell continued. John Lansing, the president of NPR, condemned the decision in an official statement shared on Twitter. We are 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. 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 However, when NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn reached out to Musk to inform him that the website receives a small percentage of its overall funding from the federal government, Musk responded we should fix it. On Monday, Twitter revised NPRs label to Government-funded Media placing the latter institution alongside the likes of the BBC, PBS, and Voice of America Still, NPR executives were unhappy. At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter, Lansing said amid the growing standoff. I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again. NPR is now instituting a two-week grace period to contemplate its future media strategy, deferring to individual employees whether or not to continue personally using the platform. Although NPR was founded to represent all of America, the news outlet consistently displays a strong left-leaning political bias. A 2014 Pew Research Center survey found that the average ideological placement of a typical NPR consumer was more liberal than HuffPost or Buzzfeed and in line with Al Jazeera America, The Colbert Report, and New York Times. Notably, the same survey also found the average NPR reader to have a stronger liberal bias than Fox News viewers have a conservative bias. These findings were echoed in a 2021 study conducted by the Knight Foundation which concluded that although neither NPR nor PBS another publicly-funded American media program broadcast government propaganda, they represented the views of a particular group those of the politically correct elite left whose assumptions frame public affairs programming on public broadcasting. PBS stated Wednesday that it will also halt its use of Twitter following the new label, according to the Associated Press. More from National Review NPR will no longer update its 52 Twitter accounts, including the primary @NPR handle, which has nearly 9 million followers. These accounts include NPR's topic-specific feeds like NPR Politics, as well as individual radio shows like Weekend Edition. Last week, Twitter placed a "state-affiliated media" label on NPR's account, representing the American news nonprofit in the same way that it denotes RT, Russia's state-backed mouthpiece that pushes the Kremlins talking points to the broader world. But the U.S. government does not have any sort of editorial control over NPR, and the news organization only received about 1% of its budget from federal funding in 2020. The label on NPR's account was amended to "government-funded media," yet NPR representatives have stated that this description is still misleading. "At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter," NPR CEO John Lansing told an NPR reporter. "I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again." According to Twitter, the "government-funded" label applies to any news outlet receiving "some or all" funding from the government, which "may have varying degrees of government involvement over editorial content." Twitter also assigned this label to the BBC. Twitter owner Elon Musk has targeted mainstream media outlets like The New York Times, stripping the account -- followed by 55 million people -- of its verified checkmark. All verified accounts that do not subscribe to Twitter Blue are expected to lose their checkmark by April 20 (delayed from April1), but the social platform took extra care to remove The New York Times' badge as soon as possible. This makes it very easy for users to impersonate the major news source, and can also spark confusion around whether this account is real. (Reuters) -National Public Radio (NPR) will no longer post content to its 52 official Twitter feeds in protest against a label by the social media platform that implies government involvement in the U.S. organization's editorial content. NPR said on Wednesday Twitter refused its repeated requests to remove the inaccurate label of "state-affiliated media", now changed to "government-funded media," which did not accurately capture its public media governance structure. British broadcaster BBC has also objected to the latest label, saying it's misleading. "If we continued tweeting, every post would carry that misleading label," NPR said. In an interview with BBC, Twitter's billionaire owner Elon Musk said earlier on Wednesday the company was trying to be "accurate" and looking into amending the label. "Our goal is simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible.. We're adjusting the label to be 'publicly funded' which I think is perhaps not too objectionable," Musk said. NPR said it would remain on other social media platforms, and was reviewing whether it should expand to include emerging third-party platforms. Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Musk also said in the interview that Twitter was "roughly breaking even" as many advertisers, who had paused spending on the micro blogging platform since its takeover last year, had returned. (Reporting by Akanksha Khushi and Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Shinjini Ganguli) The 52 accounts belonging to National Public Radio will no longer use Twitter after the Elon Musk-owned company falsely designated the outlet as state-affiliated media on a social platform that has faced increased scrutiny from press freedom advocates and news organisations. NPRs organizational accounts will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent, according to a statement from Isabel Lara, NPRs chief communications officer. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, she added. 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. The platform later changed the description to government-funded media. 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. On 12 April, NPRs main account posted a thread sharing other ways to find subscribe to its content. NPRs president and CEO John Lansing said in a statement last week that the company was disturbed to see the state-affiliated label, a description that, per Twitters own guidelines, does not apply to NPR. 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, 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 also 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. 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. 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. This is a developing story National Public Radio is quitting Twitter after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped NPR's account with labels the news organization says are intended to undermine its credibility. Twitter labeled NPR's main account last week as state-affiliated media, " a term also used to identify media outlets controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments, such as Russia and China. Twitter later changed the label to government-funded media, but to NPR which relies on the government for a tiny fraction of its funding its still misleading. NPR said in a statement Wednesday that it will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent. Defund @NPR, was Musk's tweeted response. His latest tiff with a news organization reflects a gamble for the social media platform he bought last year. Twitter, more than any of its rivals, has said its users come to it to keep track of current events. That made it an attractive place for news outlets to share their stories and reinforced Twitters moves to combat the spread of misinformation. But Musk has long expressed disdain for professional journalists and said he wants to elevate the views and expertise of the average citizen." The Public Broadcasting Service said Wednesday it has also stopped tweeting from its main account and that the public TV organization has no plans to resume because Twitters simplistic label leaves the inaccurate impression that PBS is wholly funded by the federal government." Media analysts say growing friction between Twitter and news organizations since Musk bought the platform is bad for Twitter, and bad for the public. "Its a shame to have proceeded in a direction where, intentionally or otherwise, Twitter is categorizing Russian propaganda outlets in a similar way to very legitimate news sources that get a very modest amount of funding from the U.S. government, said Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. Story continues This is just the latest example of Musk tangling with mainstream news organizations. He abruptly suspended the accounts of individual journalists who wrote about Twitter late last year, claiming some were trying to reveal his location. Twitter earlier in April removed the verification check mark on the main account of The New York Times, singling out the newspaper and disparaging its reporting after it said it would not pay Twitter for verification of its institutional accounts. Twitter used to tag journalists and other high-profile accounts with blue check marks to verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors. But Musk has derided the marks as an undeserved status symbol and plans to take them away from anyone not buying a premium subscription. Those cost as little as $8 a month for individuals and a minimum of $1,000 a month for organizations. Barrett said Musk appears to be intent on insulting and antagonizing individuals and organizations that he considers to be too liberal for his taste. But by driving away legitimate news outlets, Twitter is only harming itself, he said. The drift is in an unfortunate direction," Barrett said. You want to encourage sources of reliable, well-reported news to be present and prolific on your platform. NPRs main account, which joined Twitter in 2007, had not tweeted since April 4. On Wednesday, it sent a series of tweets listing other places to find its journalism. NPR spokesperson Isabel Lara said its journalists, employees and member stations can decide on their own if they want to keep using the platform. NPR journalists have not been given the government-funded label, at least not yet. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company has said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. Much of its funding comes from sponsorships and dues from its member stations around the U.S., which in turn get revenue from a range of funders including public institutions, corporate donors and listeners. Twitters new labels have often appeared arbitrarily assigned. For example, Twitter hasn't added the government-funded label for many other public broadcasting organizations, such as those in Canada and Australia. It also has changed some labels without explanation, such as when it removed a United Arab Emirates state-affiliated media tag from the profile of Abu Dhabis The National newspaper earlier this year. In an interview Tuesday with a BBC technology reporter at Twitters San Francisco headquarters, Musk acknowledged that the British organization is not thrilled about the label it received and asked the reporter for feedback. Our goal was simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible, Musk said. So I think were adjusting the label to be publicly funded,' which I think is perhaps not too objectionable. Were trying to be accurate. The BBC said Wednesday it would welcome being described as publicly funded instead of government-funded. Hours later, BBC got its publicly funded media label, but not NPR or PBS. The literary organization PEN America said news organizations are making understandable responses to Twitters unpredictable and capricious policy decisions but the loss to consumers will be significant. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Musks approach to managing Twitter has come at the expense of information integrity and user trust, and it has only made it harder for users to sift through the maelstrom of online content to find what is credible. ___ AP Writers David Bauder and Kelvin Chan contributed to this report. National Public Radio (NPR) is quitting Twitter. The outlet announced on Wednesday morning it would let its accounts go dormant and no longer publish its work on the social media platform, citing a recent decision by CEO Elon Musk to label it as state-affiliated media. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, the outlet said in a statement to The Hill. We are turning away from Twitter but not from our audiences and communities. There are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPRs news, music, and cultural content, the statement continued. Last week, Twitter under Musk had labeled a number of media outlets that receive some public funding with a state-affiliated media label a descriptor typically reserved for propaganda outlets like RT and Chinas Xinhua. NPR responded by ceasing tweets from its primary account, which carries more than 8 million followers. Twitter over the weekend dropped the state-affiliated label and changed it to say government funded, after widespread pushback, including from the White House, which vouched for NPRs editorial independence from government. The outlet also updated its bio on the platform to read NPR is an independent news organization committed to informing the public about the world around us. You can find us every other place you read the news. The majority of NPRs funding comes from private sponsorships and user contributions while receiving a smaller portion of their financing from the federal government and member stations. The outlet has long been a target of the political right, with critics panning what they say is a left-leaning bias and penchant for catering to affluent, usually highly educated and liberal audience. The spat with NPR is just the latest controversy Musk has stirred since acquiring the social media company last year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The number of names atop a lawsuit accusing police of violently ambushing hundreds of Charlotte protesters in 2020 has grown tenfold since the cases filing, with more additions possible. Where there were originally seven plaintiffs in the 2021 complaint against the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, there are now 68. Their ranks include a corrections officer, military veterans, ministers, an alternative newspaper publisher, and residents of at least six states. All say they were among an estimated 400 peaceful marchers demonstrating on the night of June 2, 2020, who were herded into a police trap on Fourth Street, then pummeled from three sides by tear gas, smoke grenades, pepper balls and other chemical munitions. The 2021 lawsuit filed under their names in the Mecklenburg County courts accuses CMPD of planning and executing an illegal show of force built around the controversial crowd-control tactic known as kettling to put an end to what had been almost a week of daily uptown protests over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. The complaint also holds the City of Charlotte accountable for the actions of its police. Police initially defended their tactics, describing the Fourth Street marchers as rioters who had left a trail of violence throughout uptown and had ignored earlier orders to disperse. Then-Police Chief Kerr Putney claimed that there was nothing to indicate whatsoever that there was intentional abuse on the part of our officers. However, the subsequent release of CMPDs own videos revealed a plan by police to trap the marchers on Fourth Street. Captured on the audio from his own body-worn camera, CMPD Sgt. Scott Sherwood offered a chillingly detailed description over what police had in store. (Lt. Christopher) Rories got a platoon on Tryon out of sight, (Maj. Robert) Dances platoon is staged now on College out of sight, Sherwood told the officers under his command. Story continues Were gonna push their ass straight up Fourth. As soon as we get up on Fourth, we got em bottlenecked now. Rories squad is gonna step out and hammer their ass. Dances squad is gonna step out and hammer their ass with gas ... Were gonna f----n pop it up. Sherwood had one last command as the marchers walked by. Wave goodbye, he said, theyre all about to get gassed. The subsequent violence was captured on multiple videos, with the marchers trapped in a police crossfire of chemical munitions as other officers stationed on the second floor of a parking deck fired down from above. Plaintiff Melody Rogers told The Charlotte Observer in 2020 that she and dozens of other protesters sat in the middle of Fourth Street and huddled against the police barrage. We thought that it would make them stop, Rogers says. But they were shooting pepper balls at us, and they continued to throw tear gas. Edwin Walker, a Charlotte chef who has not joined the lawsuit, told the Observer in 2020 that he was among dozens of panicked marchers who tried to escape by shimmying under a locked security gate leading into the parking deck. That was the worst part, he said. You could hear the pop, pop, pop of the pepper balls, and youre stuck under the gate. Nobody can move, and it was just horrific. The complaint accuses Sherwood, Dance, Rorie and Putney along with police Chief Johnny Jennings and more than 50 other CMPD commanders and officers of multiple civil violations, including negligence, assault and battery, false imprisonment and reckless infliction of severe emotional distress. The significance of this lawsuit is that it sends a message that its not OK to tear gas citizens who are exercising their rights under the Constitution, said attorney Lauren Newton, one of at least 10 Charlotte lawyers representing the plaintiffs. Lets be honest here. If this had been a womens march about abortion and not police violence, the same result would not have happened. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages. How much money, if any, they receive would be determined by a jury if the case reaches a courtroom. Or the parties could reach a settlement, as two cities recently did in similar lawsuits filed by Floyd protesters alleging police violence. Last month, the city of Philadelphia agreed to pay $9.25 million to some 350 protesters who police assaulted with chemical munitions during a Floyd rally on June 1, 2020. Also in March, the city of New York agreed to pay up to $6.5 million to 300 Floyd protesters who were kettled and beaten in the Bronx on June 4, 2020. The city of Charlotte and the police departments legal position may have been complicated by an unlikely source: the mayor. Last night was one of those times that none of us can be proud of that none of us would want to see happen in our city. But it did, Mayor Vi Lyles said on June 3, 2020. And I hope everyone is aware that thats not the kind of department we want to have for policing. Its not the kind of reputation that we want to have nationally or locally. The city of Charlotte did not immediately respond to an Observer email Wednesday seeking comment. A test case The attorneys for the Charlotte marchers have until the first of June to add more names to the complaint. Should the lawsuit go to trial, most of the accusers initially would not be involved. Under an order by Superior Court Judge Robert Ervin of Morganton, who is handling the case, any trial would be conducted as a so-called test case involving only a few of the plaintiffs. Any legal rulings or verdict there could be applicable to the other cases but would not determine their outcomes. Ervin said that given the dozens of plaintiffs, holding one or more test cases would be a more efficient use of court time and resources, and would move the lawsuit along more quickly than designating the case as a class-action complaint, which is what the plaintiffs attorneys sought. The expanded list of plaintiffs in the CMPD lawsuit shows the variety of Americans who were outraged over the May 25, 2020, murder of Floyd, an N.C. native who pleaded for his life while a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. The June 2, 2020 march in Charlotte the sixth straight day of uptown protests drew thousands to the center city. The smaller group of marchers who wound up on Fourth Street later that night included dozens of Charlotte-area residents but also demonstrators from across the Carolinas and as far away as Texas, Wisconsin and New Jersey, according to the lawsuit. Newton said the Fourth Street walkers were not your typical activists. You had moms and babies ... people from all walks of life who wanted their voices heard, she said. Again, these actions were taken against people who were peaceful ministers wearing their collars, ministers pulling off their collars because they couldnt breathe. This stuff is a different level. This is like something from a Third World country. Not Charlotte, North Carolina. Models holding hands, Lagos, Nigeria, 2019 - African Fashion Exhibit at Brooklyn Museum In June, the Brooklyn Museum will host Africa Fashion, the largest exhibition of its kind in North America. The exhibition will celebrate the creativity of African fashion from the beginning of the independence era to the present day. With over 180 works, Africa Fashion will also show how prominent mid-20th-century designers and artists laid the foundation for todays fashion revolution. Exhibition categories include fashion, music, film, visual art, photography, textiles, and jewelry. The exhibition will run from June 23 to October 22. Works from the Museums Arts of Africa, Photography, Arts of the Islamic World, Contemporary Art, and Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Near Eastern Art collections will also be on display in the museum. This exhibition is an important presentation of African creativity that highlights not only fashion but also the dynamic diversity of talent coming from the continent, says Ernestine White-Mifetu, Sills Foundation Curator of African Art at Brooklyn Museum in a press release. White-Mifetu is also the organizer of the event. Design by Chris Seydou. | Photo Credit: Nabil Zorkot RELATED: Brooklyn Travel Guide: Explore This New York Borough Designers and Artists from 20 African Nations I am excited that the Brooklyn Museum will be able to host Africa Fashion, and I am elated that our New York visitors will have the opportunity to engage with the creative production of Africa in new ways. Fashion is both multidimensional and a fabulous creative statement, Africa Fashion encapsulates this with beautifully vivid and interlocking perspectives. Music, art, cultural identity, and material culture are emphasized to create a rich sensorial experience, Annissa Malvoisin, Bard Graduate Center and Brooklyn Museum Postdoctoral Fellow in the Arts of Africa said in a press release. Themed exhibits include garments, textiles, photographs, literature, sketches, music, film, and catwalk footage. Many of the 40 designers and artists from 20 African nations are exhibiting for the first time in the U.S. Story continues The exhibition will also feature mid-twentieth-century and contemporary African designers, collectives, and fashion photographers. The Museums Arts of Africa collections textiles complement wax prints and commemorative cloth. Timed tickets for Africa Fashion go on sale on April 18, 2023. For more information, visit the Brooklyn Museum website. Spotlighting Groundbreaking African Designers The Vanguard section highlights the first generation of African designers to gain global attention. Mid-20th-century works by Kofi Ansah (Ghana), Naima Bennis (Morocco), Shade Thomas-Fahm (Nigeria), Chris Seydou (Mali), and Alphadi (Niger) will debut in the U.S. for the first time. A dynamic fashion photography installation will accompany them. Capturing Change The collection Capturing Change presents portraits that chronicle the independence years and document the growing sense of agency and pride in being both Black and African. As photography became more affordable, pictures taken in studios and domestic spaces proliferated. Studio portraits by artists such as Seydou Keita (Mali) and Malick Sidibe (Mali), drawn from the Museums collection. The collection also exhibits fashion photography by James Barnor (Ghana). Visitors will be able to engage with the material by sharing their own individual and family portraits that showcase styles from Africas independence years. Through these contributions of self-fashioning, the diasporic community will become an integral part of the presentation. Cutting Edge The section Cutting Edge showcases a new generation of fashion designers and creatives. Cutting Edge will show examples of couture and ready-to-wear garments, and adornment. This section fosters ideas like Afrotopia, Artisanal, Co-creation, Provocation, Minimalist, and Mixologist. Cutting Edge highlights designs by dozens of contemporary artists and collectives whose groundbreaking collections call back to their rich and specific cultural backgrounds. Through The Photographers Lens The section Through the Photographers Lens shows how modern photography and film can build creative communities. By promoting underappreciated artists, a new African identity can be explored. The collection includes contemporary photography by Stephen Tayo (Nigeria), Sarah Waiswa (Uganda), and Victoire Douniama (Republic of the Congo). Additional works from Zanele Muholi (South Africa) and Omar Victor Diop (Senegal) are featured in the collection. Closing the show is Global Africa, a section to highlight the global impact of African creativity by examining how the digital world boosted Africas fashion industry. RELATED: 7 Fashion Designers From Africa To Support For Your Travel Outfits A Long Island woman has been convicted to 25 years in prison for the murder of her eight-year-old stepson. The sentence comes a month after a grand jury found Angela Pollina, 45, guilty of of second-degree murder and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Pollina and her ex-fiance former NYPD officer Michael Valva forced his son Thomas to sleep naked in the freezing garage of his Long Island home, where temperatures dropped under 20 degrees. The little boy died as a result of hypothermia on 17 January 2020. In December, Valva was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 25 years served. At the time of Thomas death, his father had partial custody of him and his older brother Anthony despite several attempts by their mother and teachers to report the rampant abuse the children were subjected to by Pollina and Valva. My only regret, Miss Polina, is they dont have a garage with no heat and no mattress and no blankets and no pillows, Suffolk County Court Judge Timothy P Mazzei told Pollina during sentencing on Tuesday, per ABC News. During Valva and Pollinas trials, prosecutors described in horrible detail how Valva subjected his three sons to neglect and cruelty amid a bitter divorce and custody battle with their mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva. Pollina took the stand during her trial and argued that although her punishments had been evil, Valva was ultimately responsible for his sons death, Fox reported. (Justice for Thomas Valva) Authorities said that the couple would often force the brothers to sleep in the garage while naked and without blankets as part of cruel punishments. Text messages around the time of Thomas death show that Pollina asked whether she should send him to school the next morning. Valva answered: F*** that piece of s*** Thomas. Hes not going anywhere. On the eve of Thomas death, Pollina sent videos of Thomas lying in the cold and freezing to Valva, local journalist Lisa Finn reported on Patch after the couple was indicted in 2020. Two hours before the 911 call was made, surveillance footage captured Pollina hosing Thomas down with water, according to Fox. Story continues When paramedics arrived the next morning, it was 19 degrees outside and they found Thomas naked, with no blankets and his sweatpants pulled down to his knees. His organs shut down hours later at the hospital. Former NYPD officer Thomas Valva and Angela Pollina have been sentenced for the death of his eight-year-old son Thomas in 2020 (CBS New York) School officials also testified that the Valva children often attended class soaked in urine and faeces and that they appeared to have scratches and bruises across their faces and arms. A teacher told the court that Thomas was so emaciated, he would eat crumbs off the school floor. Teachers reportedly flooded CPS lines and the childrens mother said she sent the department a flash drive with 320 files of evidence of abuse, but an investigation into the abuse Valva took part in was closed just ten days before Thomass death. Following Thomas death, his mother filed a $200m wrongful death suit against CPS caseworkers and investigators, school officials at East Moriches Union Free School District, her childrens attorneys in the custody battle and Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Hope Schwartz Zimmerman. Pollina and Valva are also named in the suit. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) The Inter American Commission on Human Rights has called on El Salvador to restore all the rights suspended under an emergency anti-gang decree, which the government said Wednesday it wants to extend for yet another month. The commission, an arm of the Organization of American States, expressed concern about special powers to tap phones and detain people for extended periods. It also expressed concern about thousands of reported rights abuses, many related to arbitrary arrest. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele asked the countrys congress Wednesday to again extend the emergency decree to continue the crackdown on gangs, which is widely popular among Salvadorans. Congress has voted to renew the emergency powers a dozen times, bringing the crackdown into its second year. It was originally imposed on March 27, 2022, and more than 67,000 people have been imprisoned under the crackdown on street gangs. This security measure has helped transform the country, Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said in a request for the extension. Homicides have dropped significantly ... Without doubt, we are on the right track. For decades, street gangs like Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 essentially ruled poor neighborhoods in El Salvador, killing and extorting money from people of all walks of life. Villatoro said the measures would remain in place until the last gang member is arrested. The anti-gang emergency measures were originally supposed to last only a month, following a surge in gang violence in which 62 people were killed in a single day. In the year since, a total of about 67,000 people have been arrested, and 4,304 have been released. Rights groups say there have been 111 deaths in custody and 5,802 suspected cases of rights violations. Polls suggest over eight of every 10 Salvadorans support the measures. Under the special powers, police dont have to tell someone being arrested the reason or inform them of their rights. Someone arrested does not have a right to a lawyer and can be held for 15 days without seeing a judge rather than the previous 72 hours. Telephone lines can be tapped more easily. The government has used controversial tactics like locking up thousands of gang suspects in a huge new prison built especially for gang members. At other prisons, inmates were crowded together and have seen their food rations reduced. A recent government video posted on social media showed prisoners forced to run barefoot and handcuffed down stairways and over bare ground, clad only in regulation white shorts. They were then forced to sit with their legs locked in closely clumped groups in cells. (Patrick Hruby / Los Angeles Times) Octavia E. Butler published Parable of the Sower in 1993, when she was 46 and I was 12. I came to the book later than you might expect for an L.A. writer with a postapocalyptic novel of my own, but when I finally did, I was stunned. Here was a tale set in the world I knew in my darkest hours: the ravaged, water-starved, earthquake-ridden, fire-eaten Southern California that plays in my dreams, a vision of my dear, troubled homeland that will keep me up at night if I let it. This book it was already in my bloodstream. The story, which takes place in the now-uncomfortably-close 2024, is a string of diary entries written by a Black teenager named Lauren Olamina. She resides with her family in the fictional city of Robledo, 20 miles from the center of Los Angeles. Beyond the walls of her gated neighborhood roam violent thieves, feral dogs, illiterate water peddlers and addicts whose drug of choice makes them hungry for arson. When those walls are breached, most of the inhabitants killed for their property and possessions, Lauren flees. She disguises herself as a boy and, armed with the gun her preacher father taught her to shoot, joins the hordes of other migrants heading north on the 101 on foot. This is a future at once vivid and brutal, and itll scare you down to your scalp. How did Butler do it? Perhaps its that the author noted genius and inspiration for a thousand internet memes, with a middle school named after her and a new bookstore too began as a daughter of Pasadena. She grew up in Southern California, as did I, and this place of sunshine and danger, with its attendant anxieties, must have imprinted on her, as it did on me. But theres more to it. A writer like Butler becomes iconic not only by reflecting our world and interrogating it but also by articulating our most profound truths. As I see it, Butlers gift is naming vulnerability, exploring its burden and value. In Parable of the Sower, Lauren is a sharer, meaning she suffers from a condition called hyperempathy syndrome. She can feel the pain and pleasure of others, and in this future there isnt much pleasure to be had. For most of her life, Lauren kept her sharer status a secret because, as she tells it, Being the most vulnerable person I know is damned sure not something I want to boast about. As the story progresses, however, and she encounters the wider world, including her first sight of the Pacific Ocean, Lauren divulges her syndrome, her gift, to others. Story continues She also tentatively shares the religion she is beginning to shape. For Lauren is also a prophet. She names her religion Earthseed, and in her journal entries we witness Lauren trying to make sense of it, to comprehend a system of meaning that she believes is already fully formed and simply waiting for her to bring it forth. Lauren isnt the sloganeering prophet Im used to; she is fumbling toward truth. Her vulnerability, no matter how burdensome, signifies hope. It is exhilarating and profound, and its what animates this dystopian novel. For me, Parable of the Sower is a call to be daring in my fiction and to reside in feeling, to show characters revealing their most fragile selves and at a high cost. What could be more dramatic? The question resonated as I wrote my forthcoming novel, Times Mouth. The book, like Butlers, also takes place in California, and its also about a young woman with an exceptional way of experiencing the world in this case, an ability to time travel to ones own past. Butler's novel led the way with its own wild premise, and it also taught me that a sensitive heroine must put herself at risk, must grapple to comprehend her gift, if her story is to feel consequential. This is only one way my work is indebted to Butler, a writer who offered a terrifying vision of my hometown and showed a way forward in fiction (and in the craft of fiction) if not in fact. Those who conjure frightening futures arent in the business of fortune-telling, only in the sharing of cautionary tales. I dont want to find myself in the California of Butlers imagination, as much as it might thrill, as easy as it is to picture. Thank goodness I can read it. Lepucki is the author of the novels "California" and the forthcoming "Time's Mouth." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer holds a Burmese python that was euthanized April 6, 2023 according to United States Association of Reptile Keepers, Florida Florida wildlife officers killed dozens of caged pythons, and one pet boa constrictor by mistake, in what some reptile enthusiasts say was an overreach of authority last week. Bill McAdam, whose Broward County warehouse is where the snakes lived, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers killed 34 Burmese and reticulated pythons on Thursday with a bolt gun that is supposed to deliver immediate and lethal blows to the snakes' heads. Pythons are a damaging invasive species that eat almost anything and have overrun the Everglades. After the reptile was added to a list of prohibited species by FWC commissioners in February 2021, commercial breeders were given about five months to get rid of their animals. Boa constrictors are not on the list of prohibited species. McAdam owned his pet boa constrictor, named Big Shirl, for more than a decade. FWC issued a statement on Tuesday about the hours-long euthanasia incident, but didn't go into detail about what happened and didn't mention the boa constrictor that was mistakenly killed. However, Chris Coffee, who owned the pythons that were euthanized, told a tangled version of events late Tuesday afternoon that began with FWC officers issuing him citations in February 2022 and ended Thursday with snake blood and feces on the warehouse floor. "I don't like that they shot them in the head," said Coffee, who witnessed the first death before leaving the room. Watch: This is one way to stop traffic! Massive 15-foot-long python blocks entire Florida road. Snake hunters swarm 'Florida Python Challenge': Top photos of annual 'removal competition' Video captures apparent wrongful death of a boa What seems clear is the death of the boa, not among the species in dispute, was a tragic error. In a video posted to YouTube by the Florida division of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, an officer puts his hands to his head in apparent disbelief and another officer's jaw drops open when they realize they had just killed the boa, which was pregnant. Story continues Oh my God! Why? Coffee can be heard yelling in the background of the video when officers say the boa is dead. It was a mistake, someone says. How? I reminded you 10 times! Coffee exclaims. An autopsy on Big Shirl found she was pregnant with 32 babies, according to a spokesman for the reptile keepers group. McAdam estimates the babies were worth about $3,500 each. I raised that boa since it was a baby, McAdam said. I went ballistic when I found out. I told them, 'You guys are going to pay for this.' More: X-ray image shows python, and its tracking transmitter, eaten by another snake in Florida The boa constrictor Big Shirl with a smaller snake. Big Shirl was killed by mistake while Burmese and reticulated pythons were euthanized in the Broward County warehouse of Bill McAdam in April 2023. Response to reticulated python report FWC said in a statement that it went to the warehouse because there had been a report of a reticulated python in the area. Reticulated pythons are also invasive species prohibited in Florida because of the damage they do to native wildlife. The statement said the FWC did not have any intention of killing the snakes in the warehouse, which is rented by Coffee and McAdam. FWC also said that the snakes were relinquished to them on Thursday and officers were asked to euthanize the snakes by the owner at that time and at the warehouse. "The FWC Division of Law Enforcement is determining the full details of this incident and more information will be released when it is verified and appropriate to do so," the statement said. But Coffee, a commercial breeder, said that although he has been caring for the pythons, FWC technically confiscated them in February 2022 when he was charged with having a prohibited species without a permit. The 34 pythons in his warehouse were ones that remained after he had found homes for about 120 other pythons following the 2021 rule change. Coffee said he "begged" FWC for a deadline extension to find homes for the remaining 34, but that he was told the deadline to get rid of them was passed. Broward County court records show the case was dismissed Feb. 6 after Coffee was accepted into a misdemeanor diversion program and paid $250 to buy out community service hours. On Thursday, Coffee said he was called by FWC officers about the reticulated python sighting. He said he was wary of letting the officers into the warehouse because he thought he may get charged again for having the pythons. In a phone call asking to go into the warehouse, the FWC officers "said we can euthanize the snakes for you and it will all be over today and we'll never harass you again," Coffee said. "I didn't know it meant brutally shooting them in the head. Once I saw them kill the first snake, I told them to stop, that I couldn't do this." Pythons can be captured and humanely killed by members of the public, so Coffee said he realizes the officers were within their right to kill the pythons, but not the boa constrictor. "I reiterated 10 times, please don't touch the boa constrictor," he said. Curt Harbsmeier, an attorney and legal advisor to the reptile group, said he wants to know about the timing why the state agency moved to euthanize the snakes last week after the snakes had been in the warehouse for more than a year with the FWC's knowledge. Why euthanize the pythons now? Why did they have to go in there now?" said Harbsmeier. "They call it euthanize, I call it a slaughter. There was blood all over. Under the 2021 rule change, invasive tegus and green iguanas were grandfathered in as pets and could be kept for their lifetime by owners who had to follow upgraded requirements for enclosures. But its not clear in FWC rules online if the newly-prohibited snakes could also be kept as pets by their current owners. For reptile keepers, these animals are just like dogs or cats to many people, said Daniel Parker, director of media for the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, Florida. "We love them and cherish them. They are not just disposable. What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day. Several animal rights groups supported the 2021 rule change, which also prohibited green anacondas and Nile monitors, because of the damage these reptiles do to native wildlife in Florida. Elise Bennett, Florida director of the Center for Biological Diversity said her group supported the rule change to control the invasive species spread and keep them from inhumane conditions. Most of these exotic, invasive species are here by no fault of their own, Bennett said. Its heartbreaking and unfortunate when they have to pay the price for humans thoughtless actions. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pet boa constrictor killed as Florida officials kill pythons in cages Since appearing in Nampa in late 2020, La Garnacha Que Apapacha food truck hasnt just fried tortillas. Its fried minds. Parked at 215 1st Ave. S., the yellow trailer specializes in birria, a traditional Mexican meat stew thats skyrocketed in popularity nationwide. Earning a cult following, La Garnacha Que Apapacha became the most talked-about taco truck in Canyon County if not the most hyped food truck in the Treasure Valley. It was the main feature in the Idaho Statesmans Ultimate Boise taco guide in 2021. Customers are chattering even more now. On Tuesday, La Garnacha Que Apapacha revealed that it will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant soon in Boise. Aiming for a summer launch, it will take over the former Mad Mac space at 7709 W. Overland Road, suite 120, at the Boise Spectrum. The beloved food truck will stay open until then. After that? Adios, Nampa. The plan is to close the truck and focus on the Boise brick-and-mortar. Gabriela Talavera packages an order of birria tacos and consome while her husband, Fabrizio Sanchez, works at the grill in their La Garnacha de Apapacha food truck. Noooo! came the understandable response online from Canyon County customers, accompanied by forlorn emojis. BOISE get ready for THE BEST! one wrote on Facebook, signing it sad 2Cer. Many commenters were happy for the success and the move east. Oh hell yes! is all one said. Others were pragmatic. Well, we traveled 30 minutes from Meridian to see you in Nampa, another replied, and well happily do the same at your new location. Very exciting news for you guys! To comprehend the buzz created by California transplants Fabrizio Sanchez and his wife, Gabriela Talavera, check out Yelp. Their food truck rates 5 out of 5 stars with reviews such as, Wow. Thats all I can say. Or study Google reviews, where its 4.7 out of 5.0 with fawning praise such as, This place is unfathomably delicious. The menu doesnt just offer beef quesabirria tacos begging to be dipped in rich, steaming consome. La Garnacha Que Apapacha sells birria versions of pizza and ramen, too. La Garnacha de Apapacha opened in Nampa after owners Fabrizio Sanchez and Gabriela Talavera moved to Idaho from the Bay Area. The truck also serves tacos de canasta, which are popular in Sanchezs hometown of Mexico City, the Idaho Statesmans taco guide explained, and originated in Tlaxcala. If youve ever watched Netflixs The Taco Chronicles, youve probably salivated over the tacos de canasta episode, and immediately wondered why youve never heard of these before. La Garnachas tacos de canasta are filled with chicharron prensado, potatoes and chorizo. Story continues In a video posted this week, Sanchez said that the Boise restaurant will offer delivery great news for housebound taco addicts. Speaking in both Spanish and English, he thanked customers. This is such big news for us, Sanchez said. We are so excited. So happy. The oil pipeline that ruptured in 2021, sending thousands of gallons of crude onto Huntington Beach, will be restarted, its operator said. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) An underwater oil pipeline that ruptured off the coast of Huntington Beach in 2021 and sent thousands of gallons of crude gushing into the waters of Orange County is being put back into service, its operator said. Houston-based Amplify Energy Co. said Monday that federal regulators have approved restarting the 17.3-mile pipeline, which runs from an oil platform in federal waters off Huntington Beach to a processing plant in Long Beach. Amplify said it began refilling the pipeline last weekend, a process that will take about two weeks. The firm said the pipeline will operate under procedures approved by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which regulates the nation's 2.6-million-mile pipeline network. The oil pipeline's return to operations marks the end to a "very challenging last 18 months," Chief Executive Martyn Willsher said in a statement. The San Pedro Bay pipeline sent at least 25,000 gallons of crude gushing the waters off Huntington Beach in October 2021, oiling birds and other wildlife and forcing a weeklong closure of beaches along the Orange County coast. The cleanup from the spill was relatively quick. But the legal wrangling that followed was protracted, punctuated by a series of multimillion-dollar settlements over who was at fault: the company that owned and operated the pipeline, or the container ships accused of damaging the pipeline with their anchors during a bad winter storm nine months before the spill. U.S. Coast Guard investigators said the pipeline showed evidence of being dragged across the seafloor, with one portion bent like a bow. They said massive anchors striking or dragging the pipeline could have weakened the conduit by stripping away its concrete casing and making it more vulnerable to future damage. Attorneys for Amplify argued that movement data transmitted by the vessels showed them crossing over the pipeline repeatedly during a storm in January 2021. The shipping companies denied wrongdoing. Story continues Amplify last month said the shipping companies had agreed to pay it a $96.5-million settlement and said Monday it had received $85 million in net proceeds. The shipping firms, which owned and operated the MSC Danit and Cosco Beijing container ships, also agreed to pay $45 million to settle lawsuits brought by Orange County residents and business owners, including operators of fisheries that were closed for more than a month. Amplify agreed to pay $50 million last fall to residents and business owners affected by the spill, including a Huntington Beach surf school, coastal property owners, a Seal Beach bait and tackle store, and several groups of fishing and seafood sales companies. The Houston energy firm pleaded guilty last fall to federal environmental charges and agreed to pay nearly $13 million in fines and reimbursements connected to the spill. The firm also pleaded no contest to state charges and agreed to pay $4.9 million in fines and penalties. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An illustration - the words church and state intertwined on a chalkboard The question of whether Oklahoma will approve the nations first explicitly religious charter school remains open for now, though advocates on both sides are promising lawsuits no matter which way the contentious issue is resolved. It will go to [the] courts to ultimately decide, Robert Franklin, chairman of the five-member Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, said during a two-hour meeting Tuesday. The board unanimously turned down the application from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to open the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, giving them 30 days to revise their plan. Its remaining questions largely sidestep the church-state issues that have galvanized the nations attention. Instead, they deal primarily with more basic K-12 issues, like special education services, internet for students in rural areas and academics. Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, a policy organization, said most of those areas have already been addressed and wont take 30 days to resolve. He has avoided giving a firm answer on whether the school would allow LGBTQ students and staff. If the board ultimately rejects the application, the archdiocese can then appeal to the state board of education. This is far from over, he said, adding that the request for revisions is typical. Related New Oklahoma Legal Opinion Leaves Vote on Catholic Charter School in Limbo The attention to the vote comes not just from those who argue the proposal would violate the First Amendment, but also from the broader charter community. Opponents say that as public schools, charters cant teach religion. A charter, they say, is not the same as a private, religious school that students attend with a voucher because, in the latter case, the parent, not the government, makes that choice. Supporters of the concept contend that states shouldnt discriminate against religious organizations and that granting the charter would lead to greater accountability for religious schools accepting public funds. Story continues Related Attorneys Consider Asking SCOTUS to Weigh in on Public Status of Charter Schools A snowball The vote followed public comments from six opponents of the application, including religious leaders. They argued that approval would compromise religious liberty and eventually lead to brick-and-mortar religious charters. Were going to watch this decision roll down a hill, and itll turn into a snowball thats so big it cant be controlled anymore, said Rev. Shannon Fleck, executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches. Gov. Kevin Stitt supports the application. But in February, newly elected Attorney General Gentner Drummond withdrew an opinion from his predecessor indicating the board would be on solid legal ground if they approved it. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (Getty Images) During the meeting, no member of the public backed the proposal. State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a non-voting member of the board, branded opponents radical leftists whose hatred for the Catholic Church blinds them from doing whats best for kids. Franklin rejected that view. No disrespect to you, he said, but I didnt hear a radical position, nor did I hear an attack to the Catholic Church. Deputy Attorney General Niki Batt, counsel to the board, spelled out that current law states charter schools are nonsectarian and that public schools must be free from religious control. She said she understood how the members could be confused by the conflicting opinions. Board Member Scott Strawn suggested theres more gray on this issue than Batt advised and wondered if he could be personally sued even if theres a good faith disagreement about unsettled law. Franklin noted that members are free to seek individual legal representation. Each of us [has] to make our own decisions, he said. Related Religious Public Schools? A Looming Legal Showdown Over Faith-Based Charters Phil Bacharach, spokesman for Drummonds office, said the attorney general naturally would defend the state and the constitution. Drummond hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will agree to hear a North Carolina case, Charter Day School v. Peltier, which addresses whether charter schools are public or private, and could fundamentally alter the choice landscape in the U.S. The court is currently waiting on the Justice Department to weigh in on the case, which is expected this spring. In a statement, Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State one of the organizations that has threatened to sue if the board grants the charter said officials made the right call for now. But the organization remains concerned the board will ultimately approve it. Its hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nations first religious public charter school, she said. This would be a sea change for American democracy. Oklahoma authorities punted on a Catholic-led bid to open the countrys first publicly funded religious charter school on Tuesday, delaying a landmark decision that is eventually expected to spur a court fight over constitutional limits between church and state. A state charter school board voted against approving an application to open a public campus that teaches students religious tenets just like a private institution. But the decision gives church leaders time to address board members concerns, then refile their request before a new and final vote in several weeks. A string of faith leaders, elected officials and public school advocates urged board members to reject the proposal on Tuesday, drawing a rebuke from recently elected state Superintendent Ryan Walters. Funding Catholic charter schools would be unfair to taxpayers who do not share these Catholic religious beliefs, said Clark Frailey, a co-founder of the Pastors for Oklahoma Kids public education advocacy organization, to board members as they met in Oklahoma City. Taxpayers will be subsidizing the indoctrination of students to a belief system that condemns their own religious faith, or lack thereof," he said. Walters, a nonvoting member of the charter board, pushed board members to approve the application. You all have heard from a lot of different folks, and you've heard from some radical leftists that their hatred for the Catholic Church aligns them [against] doing what's best for kids, Walters said. We should distance ourselves from allowing radicals to inject their way into this and overly politicize this decision. Catholic Church officials formally asked Oklahomas virtual charter school board early this year to open the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, accelerating months of debate overgovernment support for sectarian education that has divided educators and Republicans. Two Oklahoma attorneys general have issued divided, but nonbinding, opinions on the issue. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt and Walters have supported the churchs application. Story continues Stitt in February declared his strong disagreement with Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummonds decision to scrap a landmark legal opinion that opened the door to publicly funded religious charter schools and also staked a claim in a legal fight over charters that could be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But a last-minute memorandum from the charter boards attorney delivered just before Tuesday's scheduled vote warned that Oklahomas Constitution prohibits the use of public funds for religious or sectarian purposes, and said church officials could resubmit their application for reconsideration within 30 days of receiving formal word of its denial. With their initial denial on Tuesday, charter board members asked the church to resolve questions about its special education programs, pedagogical approach, funding and governance structure plus the legal arguments it believes supports its case to open. Yet as the Supreme Court weighs taking up a separate court case with significant ramifications for the countrys charter school system, an eventual final vote is expected to prompt a fresh lawsuit from the projects supporters or opponents. If we ultimately prevail, it changes education entirely across the country, Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma told POLITICO last month. For some reason, because of this specious separation of church and state idea that's not in the Constitution, we think somehow that we've got to have some sort of quasi-monopolistic setup in the educational market. And we do that to the detriment of our kids. A flashy Asian restaurant and sushi bar is coming to downtown Fort Worth, and with an all-day menu. The new Musume restaurant in the elegant Sandman Signature hotel, 810 Houston St., will open this summer featuring a contemporary setting, dozens of sakes and a local first breakfast. Well have classic breakfast but with Asian-Japanese flavors, and sneak in some breakfast sushi at weekend brunch, said culinary director Chris Conlon of Musume, a Dallas Arts District restaurant expanding to downtown Fort Worth. The chef is a familiar face in Fort Worth: Yuzo Toyama, a long-ago chef at the former Piranha. He left to open a popular Oklahoma City Asian-Latin restaurant before returning to Texas. Bigeye tuna with garlic and truffle soy at Musume. Every city has a different flavor, Toyama said. We want to bring some unique sushi to Fort Worth. The restaurant is in the lobby bar and lower-level vault of the 103-year-old W.T. Waggoner Building, a 20-story skyscraper that was home to the old Continental National Bank until 1957. Its really exciting to be in a building like this, Conlon said. Veteran sushi chef Yuzo Toyama will lead Musume in the Sandman hotel. The old bank vault doors are now the doors to the kitchen and sushi bar, he said. Musume muh-suh-may, Japanese for daughter is known in Dallas for grilled lamb lollipops with Thai basil, roasted sea bass with mushroom risotto, yellowtail serrano sashimi and a Morgan California roll with serrano, Sriracha sauce and Thai basil vinaigrette. The Fort Worth restaurant will add tableside ramen and other new items along with the breakfast menu, a must for a hotel restaurant. A Superfly vegan roll, black cod misozuke and steamed buns at Musume. Itll offer dishes along the lines of a marinated steak-and-eggs, a breakfast fried rice and a Japanese omelet, Conlon said. (Coincidentally, the hotel is a block from the little Js Burgers n More downtown cafe, which serves simple American breakfasts but also a spicy Thai omelet.) Toyama grew up in Shizuoka, Japan, between Tokyo and Nagoya. Market vegetable tofu, Forbidden halibut and Ishayaki stone cooking at Musume. After leaving Piranha, he made his name in Oklahoma City for his Yuzo Sushi Tapas restaurant, serving fusion dishes such as a Latino roll with avocado, pico de gallo and aurora peppers. Story continues The hotel is open. Musume is projected to open in late June or July; 682-842-9350, musumefortworth.com. The ninth brigade called Khartiia will be added to the Offensive Guard of Ukraine [Hvardiia Nastupu, a project of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine that aims to form new assault brigades to support the Armed Forces ed.]. Source: Kateryna Pavlichenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, in the national 24/7 newscast, cited by Uriadovyi Portal website; Ruslan Muzychuk, spokesperson of the National Guard of Ukraine, in a commentary for Ukrainska Pravda Details: Pavlichenko states that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has received tens of thousands of requests from volunteers who are ready to join the Offensive Guard. This is why the decision to continue the staffing and create the new brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine was made. Pavlichenko specified that this brigade will become the ninth brigade of the Offensive Guard of Ukraine and the seventh one in the National Guard of Ukraine. The formation of Khartiia has already started, and it is possible to apply online on the official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine where there is also information about the stages of selection, and the training. In addition to this, there is also a list of Citizen Service Centers where it is currently possible to apply offline. Ruslan Muzychuk explained that the new brigade will be formed on the basis of the Khartiia volunteer unit that was formed at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. He added that the volunteers from the Khartiia unit defended Kharkiv Oblast and were one of the first soldiers to reach the border with Russia during the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These soldiers have combat experience, they destroyed military equipment of the Russians and killed their infantry. They were holding the lines in their area of responsibility on the frontline (the villages of Ruska Lozova and Stelmakhivka) for a long time. They were conducting aerial reconnaissance and adjusted fire of the artillery systems, and then went on to complete combat missions in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Story continues Quote: "It must be said that volunteer units and the formation of combat ready military units on their basis is not new for the National Guard of Ukraine. It started back in 2014, and such units were quite effective later on. At the moment, the training of the soldiers selected for the Offensive Guard is being conducted in accordance with the NATO standards; modern methodology of training light infantry is being used." Background: On 2 February, Ihor Klymenko, Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, said that the Interior Ministry has begun forming 8 assault brigades known as Offensive Guard to strengthen the Defence Forces and liberate the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. On 3 February the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, reported that large numbers of Ukrainians were sending in applications to join assault brigades in the Offensive Guard. All the soldiers who join the assault brigades of the Offensive Guard are promised social guarantees, including the opportunity to get accommodation and medical treatment, as well as enrol in a university. Spokesman of the National Guard, Colonel Ruslan Muzychuk reported that planned mobilisation and creation of voluntary assault brigades known as the Offensive Guard are aimed at, first and foremost, creating reserves and assault units, and ensuring the possibility of military rotation for those currently carrying out combat missions. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) A hippopotamus descended from animals illegally brought to Colombia by the late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar has died in a collision with an SUV on a highway near Escobars hacienda, environmental authorities said Wednesday. The hippos, which spread from the estate into nearby rivers and now number more than 100, have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species that could upset the ecosystem. The crash late Tuesday reflected the additional danger that hippos, which weigh as much as 2 tons, can pose to motorists. A hippo swims in the Magdalena river in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia, Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File) A hippo swims in the Magdalena river in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia, Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File) The vehicle occupants were unharmed in the accident in the northwest on a highway from Bogota to Medellin, police said. The hippopotamus died immediately afterward and was removed to be analyzed, environmental authorities said. This is one of the dangers that the presence of this species represents. Many of them cross the highway where many vehicles pass, it is also a danger to people, said David Echeverri Lopez, a biologist at Cornare, the local environmental authority. Hippos are unpredictable, at any moment they can attack a person, he added. A group of them was brought in the 1980s to Hacienda Napoles, Escobars private zoo that became a tourist attraction after his death in 1993. Residents of nearby Puerto Triunfo have become used to hippos sometimes roaming freely about the town. Native to Africa, hippos were declared invasive in Colombia last year, and environmental officials say their population of about 130 could rise to 400 in eight years. Most of the hippos live freely in rivers and reproduce without control. Colombia has proposed transferring at least 70 of the animals to India and Mexico to control their population. Scientists warn that the hippos feces change the composition of rivers and could impact the habitat of manatees and capybaras. Related... The education culture wars on issues like critical race theory and how to teach history create a false narrative and collective illusion on K-12 issues among Americans. The stubborn fact is that voters opinions and governors statements show broad agreement on a collection of practical education issues that offers a common-sense K-12 governing agenda, according to three recent analyses. The two most prominent issues where there is agreement are expanding career and technical education (CTE) and increasing school funding. Others include boosting child care and early learning, raising teacher pay and providing families and students with more education options. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The first analysis is from a 2022 bipartisan poll of 1,200 midterm voters, plus another 600 from the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It identifies four issues on which voters agree. Voters overall want more parental control and endorse specific changes. Over 2 in 3 (64%) believe parents should have more control right now over what public schools teach. Republicans (93%), Independents (70%) and parents (70%) agree, though more than 2 in 3 (64%) Democrats disagree. More than 3 in 4 voters overall, across parties including in battleground states say four issues from a list of 12 are very important: ensuring every child is on track (86%); hiring and retaining high-quality teachers (81%); offering more career education and real-world learning (75%); and improving school security and safety (74%). A slim majority (53%) supports increasing existing school budgets if funds follow students to where they receive their education, though nearly 7 in 10 (68%) Democrats oppose this approach. Almost 7 in 10 (69%) voters overall, including a majority (51%) of Democrats, support creating more education options, including charter schools, private schools and homeschooling. Story continues A second analysis, by the Manhattan Institutes Andy Smarick, examines the K-12 agendas of 2022 gubernatorial candidates. At least 25% of the candidates agreed on 6 out of 27 issues, with two tied for first place: expanding CTE programs and increasing school funding, both endorsed by 30 of the 72 candidates, or 42%. The other four top issues were school choice (24 candidates; 33%); expanded pre-K (22 candidates; 31%); teacher pay raises (19 candidates; 26%); and curricular reforms (19 candidates; 26%). Finally, an issue analysis by the Education Commission of the States of 2023 State of the State addresses found that CTE, teaching quality and school finance ranked among the most popular K-12 issues the governors mentioned. A majority also voiced support for early learning and child care. Other hot topics this year included student health, school choice and safety. An analysis by the National Governors Association reached similar conclusions. Related Teacher Pay, School Choice, Literacy: Top Priorities for 44 Governors in 2023 This agreement creates an ideological heartland, a term coined by the American Enterprise Institutes Ryan Streeter to describe not a physical location, but a state of mind where domestic realists live. Domestic realists are not given to ideological political extremes. They lean left or right or are part of that group called moderates. Roughly two-thirds of Americans live in this ideological heartland, compared with less than a quarter of staunch progressives or conservatives who live at the edges of the political spectrum, immersed in the culture wars. With Republicans in 22 states and Democrats in 17 states controlling the governorship and both houses of the state legislature the trifecta of single-party government legislative specifics will vary based on party affiliation and voter preferences. This gives policy and civic entrepreneurs the freedom to meet state needs and local circumstances. For example, more school funding in one state may mean increasing pay for teachers. In another state, it may mean starting new or expanding current child care and early learning programs. A third state may create education savings accounts that parents can use for private school tuition or to purchase tutoring for a child in traditional district public schools. Or, a state may use more funding for several purposes, as is being suggested in Oklahoma. There, a new legislative proposal would give private-school parents up to $5,000 in annual credits and homeschool parents up to $2,500 for tuition, tutoring and curriculum, while also providing $500 million in additional grants, salary increases and other funding for traditional public schools. This implementation pluralism follows the American federalist tradition. It allows states and local communities to be laboratories of democracy that test and refine laws and policies over time. In the words of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory, and try novel societal and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country. Its time to forge a new K-12 political coalition of domestic realists from the ideological heartland who have a practical set of governing ideas based on everyday concerns shared by most Americans. Disclosure: Walton Family provides financial support to The 74. Photo portrait of Mabel Walker Willebrandt from Sept. 27, 1949. (Associated Press) Warren G. Harding was a terrible president, but he did get two things right. He freed an ailing Eugene Debs from federal prison, where Debs had been locked up for criticizing World War I, and he appointed Mabel Walker Willebrandt, Los Angeles first female public defender, as assistant attorney general of the United States. Harding gave Willebrandt the thankless task of enforcing Prohibition. She served for eight energetic years, pioneering the no-holds-barred Willebrandt doctrine that sent Al Capone to Alcatraz and has been used today to turn Donald Trump into our first indicted ex-president. Briefly put, the Willebrandt doctrine encourages prosecutors to use any available crime, even if relatively trivial, to assert the rule of law over a dangerous crook. During the roaring 1920s, Capone ran the rackets in Chicago gambling, booze, prostitution each on a massive scale. Capone wasnt just a successful entrepreneur of human frailty. He was widely believed to have ordered the murder of seven rivals in the St. Valentines Day Massacre and was implicated in numerous other violent crimes. Although Capone was convicted of a couple of relatively minor offenses, he was protected from effective prosecution in Chicago for his more serious crimes by a wall of corruption and intimidation. Enter Willebrandt. Frustrated at her inability to convict gangsters like Capone, Willebrandt argued that big-time crooks who were avoiding local prosecution should be prosecuted in federal court for failing to file income tax returns revealing their ill-gotten gains. In 1927, the Supreme Court removed the final obstacle, ruling unanimously that requiring the filing of a tax return revealing income from unlawful activity did not violate the 5th Amendment ban on self-incrimination. In 1948, the court expanded its reasoning to keeping required business records. Unable to prosecute him for anything else, the Feds unleashed the Willebrandt doctrine on Capone, charging him with failing to file income tax returns from 1924 to 1929. In those days, failing to file was only a misdemeanor. But failing to file to conceal illegal activity was a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. In 1931, a federal jury convicted Capone of failing to file income tax returns in 1925, 1926 and 1927 to cover up his life of crime. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Story continues There is, of course, a strong family resemblance between Willebrandts prosecutorial zeal in transforming Capones misdemeanor failures to file federal income tax returns into three serious felonies potentially punishable by 15 years in jail, and Manhattan Dist. Atty. Alvin Braggs effort to parlay Trumps misdemeanor failure to keep accurate business records into 34 felony counts each potentially punishable by up to four years in jail. But is Bragg justified in unleashing the Willebrandt doctrine on Trump? For that matter, was Willebrandt herself justified in prosecuting Public Enemy No. 1 for failing to file an income tax return? If a contrived tax fraud conviction was the only way to bring a murderous psychopath like Al Capone to justice, I tip my hat to Willebrandt better a tax fraud conviction than nothing. But what about Trump? Hes charged, not with covering up a life of violent crime, but with trying to keep voters from learning about an alleged one-night stand with a porn star. Comparing the relative seriousness of the cover-ups misses the point. Capone was a candidate for the Willebrandt doctrine because his life of violence and lawlessness threatened to make a mockery of the rule of law. Trump joins the Willebrandt club because his life of sustained attacks on electoral integrity threatens irreparable injury to the fabric of democracy. Trump has turned himself into democracys Public Enemy No. 1. That makes him fair game whenever he breaks the law to manipulate the voters. Burt Neuborne is a professor emeritus of law at NYU Law School and a visiting professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law. He served as national legal director of the ACLU from 1981-86 and was the founding legal director of the Brennan Center for Justice. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. With less access to resources, Black women often suffer in silence during menopause. Menopause, once considered a dreaded and isolating experience that women had to endure on their own, has now transformed into an empowering milestone and a thriving wellness industry seemingly overnight. Whether one dreads or cherishes passing this landmark, its essential to talk about it, especially for Black women. Recently, Oprah Winfrey opened up about her personal experiences with the Big M. Oprah discusses menopause in her new The Life You Want class. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) You cannot outfox the Big M, said Winfrey. The menopause train is coming no matter what. Inspired by the book The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup, Winfrey became one of the first media personalities to discuss the topic candidly. In her latest The Life You Want class, she became a menopause advocate developing a comprehensive curriculum to provide individuals with the necessary tools to take charge and navigate through perimenopause and menopause confidently. To kick off Oprah Dailys menopause guide, she invited Drew Barrymore, Gayle King, Maria Shriver, and menopause experts Sharon Malone, MD, Heather Hirsch, MD, and Judith Joseph, MD, for an open, thought-provoking discussion. Over the years, the media mogul experienced some distressing symptoms. She shares in an op-ed how at 48, she experienced restlessness and extreme heart palpitations that led to multiple doctor visits, a heart monitor, and medication. Although 40% of women share Winfreys experience, not one medical professional explained that her heart palpitations and sleeplessness were consequences of menopause. Until that point in my adult life, I dont recall one serious conversation with another woman about what to expect. Sure, Id heard about hot flashes. But I wasnt prepared for palpitations, Winfrey wrote. And, after my menstrual cycle stopped for good, at 53, I wasnt prepared to have such difficulty concentrating. Reading, my favorite pastime, became a chore. Suddenly my attitude toward most things was whatever. I wasnt vibrant. My whole world dulled down a couple of notches. Story continues Menopause is marked by a woman not having her period for an entire year. Leading up to menopause, perimenopause kicks in as a natural part of aging. Unfortunately, this phase becomes a real challenge due to the hormonal shifts in estrogen and progesterone production. These changes can cause a slew of pesky symptoms like hot flashes, interrupted sleep, dryness below the belt, and even weight gain. However, Winfrey describes it can feel like more than just the aforementioned symptoms. Its not just hot flashes! Dr. Kathleen Jordan, who specializes in helping women through their hormonal transition, told People magazine. Its not just your uterus losing estrogen and your periods stopping. The rest of your body feels the crashing hormone levels, too. Hot flashes and night sweats to lesser-known symptoms like mental health issues, loss of concentration, heavy bleeding, weight gain, and joint pain are some of the perimenopausal and menopausal traits identified. Ultimately, these indicators can significantly impact a womans quality of life. In Winfreys experience, estrogen hormone replacement therapy saved her from falling into depression. But, the reality is most Black women suffer in silence. Research indicates that Black women experience menopause about 8.5 months earlier than white women and also suffer from more severe symptoms, including hot flashes, depression, and sleep disturbances. However, Black women are less likely to receive hormone therapy and have limited access to medical and mental health services, exacerbating their struggles during this transition. To tackle these issues, Omisade Burney-Scott created The Black Girls Guide to Surviving Menopause, a multimedia initiative shedding light on the unique challenges and triumphs of Black women and femmes during the menopausal transition. The experience of menopause is unique for everyone, and it can have both physical and psychological effects. Thats all the more reason why we need to talk about it, Burney-Scotts website reads. To learn more about menopausal resources catered to Black women, visit blackgirlsguidetosurvivingmenopause.com. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrios Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to Writing Black with Maiysha Kai. The post Oprah sheds light on the shocking reality of menopause and premenopause appeared first on TheGrio. An Orange County Public Schools employee was arrested Tuesday, accused of possessing and sharing child pornography. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< According to the Orlando Police Department, officers with their SWAT, Special Victims and Violent Crimes Units served a search warrant Tuesday morning at the home of 27-year-old Christopher Lazaro Ruiz in reference to a child pornography investigation. READ: Florida government spent $30K on TikTok ads while calling app security risk During an interview, police say Ruiz admitted to sending and possessing multiple images and videos depicting children performing sexual acts. Ruiz was booked into the Orange County jail on 10 counts of possession of material depicting a sexual performance by a child, three counts of transmission of child pornography and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, all third-degree felonies. READ: Louisville shooting: Police release body cam footage Police identified Ruiz as an employee of the Orange County Public Schools system. He was employed as an Extended day worker at Baldwin Park Elementary School since the end of last year, according to the police department. According to an Orange County Public Schools spokesperson, Ruiz was immediately fired after the arrest. Because of his employment history, police say they plan to conduct follow-up interviews with the children at the school who were in his care. READ: Florida lawmakers propose bill to allow death penalty in child rape cases Theyre asking anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of Ruiz to contact the Orlando Police Departments Special Victims Unit. 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. Macron calls for "European sovereignty" during Netherlands visit Xinhua) 08:53, April 12, 2023 THE HAGUE, April 11 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of "European sovereignty" on Tuesday during a state visit to the Netherlands. Delivering a speech at the Amare Theater in The Hague, Macron stressed that the concept of European sovereignty is "extremely important." "Identity and sovereignty are intertwined," he said. "If you accept to lose your sovereignty, if you accept to depend on other powers, you put yourself in a situation not to decide for yourself, and not to be in charge of precisely continuing preserving and developing your own identity." It means that "we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world," he said. "Pandemic and war have just pushed us to discover that we have to reduce our dependency if you want to preserve your European identity," he added. Macron started a two-day state visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday at the invitation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander. Macron's visit will "reaffirm the excellent ties between the two countries," the Dutch Royalty said in a press release. The two countries are "working together towards European strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy, which will enhance the European Union's security and make it less dependent," the release said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Orange County has launched a 19-question online survey that asks residents to provide their zip code and answer a number of questions. Those questions include rating the level of gun violence in their community, sharing how safe they feel, and offering up opinions on how to prevent and reduce violence. The county asked residents to complete a similar crime prevention survey in 2021. At the time 1,044 participants indicated they wanted to increase prevention and 1,203 wanted to expand mentoring to prevent crime and reduce gun violence in the community. County leaders say those responses fueled nearly $14.3 million in investments in local nonprofit organizations over a three-year period. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< Mayor Jerry Demings says the results of the new community crime survey will help the county set policy and make funding decisions moving forward. This isnt free money that were just giving out. We want results to be produced, said Demings. The mayor says the survey will also help guide the recently reconvened citizen safety task force. Its charged with re-examining its 2021 recommendations. That task force will next meet at Barnett Park on April 18th at 10 am. Mayor Demings says filling out the survey is a way to make your voice heard if you cant make task force meetings. Read: Florida government spent $30K on TikTok ads while calling app security risk The task force recommendations are going to only be as good as the input that they received from the citizens, said Demings. Pastor Rollie Murray is the Senior Pastor at the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Parramore. For him and some others who worship at the church, gun violence has hit close to home. Very personally it has touched me through the loss of our oldest son, said Murray. Murrays son Richard Lee Bailey the 2nd was shot and killed on his 49th birthday back in January of 2020. Read: Man arrested after fatal shooting at Orlando hotel, police say Story continues Murray says county efforts to invest in youth and violence prevention are worthwhile. But as the county works to address gun violence, Murray says more action needs to come on the federal and state level. He also feels its important for those directly impacted by gun violence to have a seat at the decision-making table. When people are more involved, then they are more willing to work toward the solutions to the problems, said Murray. Murray says he plans on completing the survey and will ask his congregation to do the same. It has to be a unified effort between the home, the county, and the church, the school system. We all have to work together as a unit, said Murray. Read: Study: Warming may push more hurricanes toward US coasts, especially Florida Results from the 2021 Community Crime Survey are available HERE. You can find the link to the 2023 crime prevention survey HERE. 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. An Oskaloosa man who admitted to "bouncing" his girlfriend's baby on an air mattress before the child's death has been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Johnny Dale Jr., then 21, was originally charged in 2019 with first-degree murder in the 4-month-old child's death. In January he entered an Alford plea to reduced charges of child endangerment resulting in serious injury, willful injury causing serious injury and neglect of a child. A defendant making an Alford plea maintains his innocence but concedes the state had enough evidence for a conviction. Previously: Iowa man pleads not guilty to killing girlfriend's baby boy What was Dale accused of? According to court filings, Dale was left to care for his girlfriend's son for about 5 hours on June 15, 2019. When she left, she told officers, the baby was "his normal, happy-go-lucky self," but when she returned the infant had a bruise on his head and wouldn't wake up. Although she wanted to take the baby to get checked out, "the defendant refused and told her to wait until the following morning," the filings say. In an interview, Dale told police he'd been frustrated with the baby and that he was "bouncing" the baby on an air mattress in an attempt to get the baby to sleep. He acknowledged this probably caused the baby's injuries. How bad were the child's injuries? Doctors determined the baby had "severe injuries" to his brain and spinal cord, consistent with child abuse. Doctors reported the child suffered bleeding on his brain when he was brought to the Mahaska Health Partnership emergency room. The baby died five days later, on June 21, due to his injuries. What sentence did Dale receive? At Dale's sentencing Friday, Judge Shawn Showers imposed the term recommended by the plea agreement: 10 years on each charge, to run consecutively. There is no mandatory minimum term he must serve to be eligible for parole. Story continues Had Dale been convicted of first-degree murder, the mandatory sentence would have been life without parole. He also must pay more than $6,600 in restitution to the state's Crime Victims Assistance Program. Because none of the charges to which he pled guilty involved causing the death of another, he will not be required to pay the $150,000 restitution Iowa law imposes for such offenses. What did his attorney say? In court filings before the sentencing, defense attorney Alfredo Parrish argued Dale was "an incredibly hard worker" with strong community support, and that "Mr. Dales offense was in part the result of his young age and immaturity." "Mr. Dale recognizes the harm that has resulted from his decisions and actions," Parrish wrote. "Due to his conduct, a child he loved as his own was lost forever. This is something he must live with for the rest of his life." In a statement, Parrish said his client "will get through this difficult time" with the support of his family. "Johnny, in his wildest dreams, never meant to harm the baby and loved him with all his heart," Parrish said. William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at @DMRMorris. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa man who "bounced" baby sentenced to 30 years in infant's death GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 400 migrants and refugees drowned in early 2023 while attempting to cross the central Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe, the most fatalities in the past six years over a three-month period, a United Nations agency said on Wednesday. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) documented 441 migrant deaths between January and March on the world's deadliest migration route, in what it said was likely an undercount. Around half of those deaths were linked to delays in state-led rescue efforts and, in one case, the absence of any rescue mission, it said. "The persisting humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean is intolerable," said IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino. "With more than 20,000 deaths recorded on this route since 2014, I fear that these deaths have been normalized. States must respond." Thousands of mostly African migrants embark on the dangerous journey from the shores of Libya and Egypt, often in small, inflatable boats, in search of a better life in Europe. This "central" route is distinct from the Western crossing from Morocco to Spain. Frequently, the ships sink, as in the case of a deadly shipwreck off the southern Italian region of Calabria in late February that killed at least 72 migrants. Italy's cabinet on Tuesday announced a state of emergency on immigration following a "sharp rise" in flows across the Mediterranean, in a move aimed at better management of migrant arrivals and repatriation facilities. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Bernadette Baum) This story is published as part of Teen Vogues Economic Security Project fellowship. Faith Winslow Canada says her infant son has the same wide, infectious smile as her father. He is so goofy, just like him, she tells Teen Vogue. From the security of his infant walker, her son often waddles over to a photo of his grandfather perched within his reach. Every day, says Winslow Canada, he just smiles and touches the picture. It makes me feel like, yeah, you know who your grandfather was. My favorite thing about my dad is his smile, she continues. You can see him smiling from a mile away. He always smiled, even around sad times. He would be the one to cheer up everybody else. During our interview, Winslow Canada, 24, switches between referring to her father, Fate Winslow, in the past and present tense. He was killed in May 2021, a few weeks before his 54th birthday, and just five months after his release from prison. He had been incarcerated and originally given a life sentence for delivering $20 worth of marijuana. Winslows case began in 2008 when, as reported in Rolling Stone, someone who turned out to be an undercover cop asked Winslow to get him two $10 bags of weed. Winslow didnt have any marijuana on him to sell, but the cop offered to pay him $5 to find a dealer. Winslow was homeless at the time and wouldve been able to pocket that $5 to spend on food. But that $5 cost Winslow more than a decade in prison, and the amount, of course, pales in comparison to the multibillion dollar size of todays marijuana industry. According to Forbes, legal marijuana sales are estimated to make over $31.8 billion by the end of 2023, and possibly reach $50.7 billion in yearly sales by 2028. The rapid growth of the industry has translated into hundreds of thousands of new jobs. A job, says Winslow Canada, is exactly what her father and countless other people in similar situations really needed. Some of those men did that to put food on the table, she says. My dad was homeless at the time. He did it so he can eat, and didn't even know what he was getting himself into." Story continues Winslow Canada continues, "[The cannabis industry] should be the ones working to get them out and giving them a job. They should be the ones having rallies and actually doing something about it. Help the people who are selling what you are selling, but instead of selling it at a big company, they're doing it to feed their families or put a little money in their pocket or get a hotel room so they won't be sleeping on the street. Because Winslow had prior convictions, Louisiana state law considered him a habitual offender and sentenced him to life in prison. (The dealer who supplied the marijuana, who was white, was not arrested, even though officers found their marked dollar bills on him, according to Rolling Stones report.) Winslow's case later gained media attention and support from the Last Prisoner Project and Innocence Project New Orleans for being representative of racist over-policing and over-incarceration with minor marijuana-possession offenses. It's just crazy because still in Louisiana people are getting put in prison because they have a certain amount of marijuana on them, says Winslow Canada. It doesn't make any sense to me. Winslow Canada says she didnt get to spend much time with her father as a child. Hed been in and out of prison since she was about four years old. Prior to his release in 2020, the last time shed seen him was in the courtroom where he received his life sentence. She was nine at the time. We went to the courthouse and we sat there. When they started bringing the men in, I saw my dad and he was smiling, she says, recalling how they were seated close enough to mouth words to each other. I remember my hair was pretty, and he was asking me how I was doing and how was school. Then the judge saw us talking and he told us to be quiet. Winslow Canada wrote her father letters with life updates and birthday wishes but, she says, the messages never made it to her father. When she was around 18 years old and living on her own, she tried mailing a letter from her new address. Sure enough, her father wrote back. He apologized for not being around, Winslow Canada remembers. He didn't really understand why his sentence was that long. He talked about how much he missed me and how he wished he was out to enjoy life. Thanks to the Last Prisoner Project and Innocence Project's advocacy, as well as a 2020 change in Louisiana state law, Winslow was ultimately released in December 2020 after serving 12 years. For 20-year-old Jennifer Ruinz, however, even significant and relevant changes to Michigan law havent brought her father, Rudi Gammo, back home to the family. Gammo operated a medical-marijuana business called Green Cross for years in Detroit. Marijuana regulation across the state had proven murky and uneven, but enforcement was often aggressive if officials believed a law had been broken. Gammo was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2018, the same year Detroit voters approved the legalization of adult-use recreational marijuana for people 21 and older. It's absurd that hes in there, says Ruinz, especially because the current county prosecutor, Karen McDonald, agrees Gammo should be released (the case had been handled by her predecessor). It makes me so upset because it's, like, now that [adult-use marijuana is] legal, why does he still have to be in there? She adds, It doesn't matter if he did it when it was illegal. That was the past, this is the present. He shouldn't be in there now that it is legal. It doesn't make sense to me. In recent years, marijuana legalization has made steady but uneven progress in the US. Voters in the 2022 midterm elections passed bills that progressed adult-use marijuana in Missouri and Maryland, while voters in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arkansas voted against progressive marijuana legislation. With those midterm results, marijuana has now been legalized or decriminalized to some degree in 31 states and DC, with medical-marijuana use legalized in 37 states and DC. Still, hundreds of thousands of people continue to be arrested for marijuana-related offenses nationwide. In fact, more people were arrested for cannabis-related crimes than for violent crimes in 2019, and more than 90% of those cannabis-related arrests were for possession, according to FBI data released in 2020. We all agree that it's unfair for him to be in there, says Ruinz, who says her father calls home from prison a few times a day. It's not like he did something so serious, you know? In my eyes, it's not something that he should be in there for. He shouldn't be taken away from his family for this long. If anything, I don't think he should have gotten five years of being in there for his punishment. That's why we're so devastated about this." In October, President Biden made an announcement that, on its face, seemed to push forward the justice-focused approach to marijuana legalization. The president tweeted that hed be pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana. The official pardons will make it much easier for the formerly incarcerated to navigate public life, as theyll no longer be subject to some of the employment, housing, and voting restrictions that exclude people with criminal records. Bidens move has the potential to impact about 6,500 people, but no one is currently in federal prison on simple possession charges alone which means no one will be released from prison as a result of Bidens announcement. Those who are impacted by the law will still have visible charges on their record, as the president does not have the authority to grant full record expungement. For those convicted at the state level, where the vast majority of simple marijuana possession convictions happen, a White House statement urged governors to issue similar pardons. Most recently, the governor of Oregon pardoned past state-level convictions for simple marijuana possession of one ounce or less, which impacted an estimated 45,000 people. The pardon is limited to individuals who were at least 21 years old at the time of the charge, with no other charges; also, the case must not involve any victims. Our family just wants him home, says Ruinz, who describes her father as the glue of their five-person family. It makes us so stressed out. All he's thinking about is, I just wanna go home to my kids. I just wanna go home to my family. Winslow Canadas dream of having her father in her life was tragically cut short by his death, but she remembers him as a very loving, genuine, trustworthy person and sees his unforgettable smile spread across her own sons face. When asked what advice she might offer other families with a loved one behind bars facing a long sentence, she pauses for a beat before answering: My advice to them would be to just continue telling their family member they love them. Because the world doesn't and the system doesn't. Continue to show that family member you love them and continue to write letters, send pictures, and force the issue. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more criminal justice coverage? Pasco will welcome yet another new face to the school board. On Tuesday night, the four remaining Pasco School Board members voted to appoint Vincent Guerrero to the open District No. 1 seat. Board President Amy Phillips said the recent turnover was unprecedented. Four of the boards five seats have seen changes in the last four months, either by way of election or resignations. Guerrero is a recreation specialist with the city of Pasco. Hes lived in Pasco for more than a decade, has two children who attend Ruth Livingston Elementary School, and is involved in Pasco Kiwanis and the Meals on Wheels Pasco program. He holds a masters degree in public administration. Guerrero said he will consider running for the office in November, when the seat would be up for election. Im interested in supporting the school district in moving forward with its goals and its ambitions in educating every child. Guerrero told the board during his 30-minute interview Tuesday night. Like I said, I have two young kids and I want to directly affect not only them, but all kids throughout the district. That seat represents large portions of Southwest Pasco. The board interviewed Guerrero and four other candidates before going into a 45-minute, closed-door executive session to discuss their qualifications. They then voted in open session, unanimously choosing Guerrero. Among the other candidates who interviewed were former school board member Scott Lehrman, who vacated and reapplied for the seat to avoid a conflict of interest, along with Michelle Clark, vice president of TitleOne Washington and sister of former U.S. Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley. The board also interviewed part-time university lecturer Payden McRoberts and retiree Charles Pratt. Phillips who is serving in her fourth term said they chose Guerrero for his relatability to the demographics of our school district and his empathetic responses. Pasco School District with a student population thats 74% Hispanic now has two Latino board members. Story continues Phillips said there were some concerns about the legality and optics of reappointing Lehrman, who had served on the board since 2013. They were concerned that the board would create the appearance of evading their own rules on ethics. Every person on the board has great respect for Scott and he was an excellent board member and we feel that strongly, she said. She emphasized in a statement released after the Tri-City Heralds print deadline: Scott can run for election again for the position if he chooses in November, but we did not want to take any action that would jeopardize his spouses contract or lead to a legal challenge to the appointment process. Lehrman and another school board member, Steve Simmons, both resigned in recent months to avoid a conflict of interest so that their spouses could take up jobs in the district. Simmons had voted in favor of passing a consent agenda at a Nov. 8 meeting that included his wifes contract as a food service worker, causing the vote to be null and void. He resigned shortly after taking the oath of office at the Dec. 13 meeting. He had just been elected by the voters to another term. Instead of reappointing Simmons to the seat, they chose to appoint Rosa Torres at the Feb. 14 meeting. After the appointment, Lehrman announced at the meeting that he was planning to step down at the end of the month so that his wife could take a permanent teaching position with the school district. He said he planned to reapply. School board members are not paid for their work. Sarah Thornton, Pasco School Districts assistant superintendent of legal services, said past legal precedent may open the school district up to a legal challenge if the board were to reappoint a fellow board member. Such legal challenges can be disruptive, expensive and undermine the communitys confidence in the foundational ethics of the governing body, she said in a provided statement. Law enforcement agencies in south King County are conducting enforcement patrols to make it safer for walkers and bicyclists. The patrols along the south State Route 99 corridor through Federal Way, Kent, Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila are happening now through Apr. 29. During the increased patrols, police will monitor driver behavior toward the vulnerable road users. The King County Target Zero Traffic Safety Task Force said that recently, crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists have been increasing. These incidents are completely preventable, and we are asking everyone to watch out for one another and help us reach our vision of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030, said Des Moines Police Department Sgt. Scott Oak. In the coming months, educational information in multiple languages will be provided through community outreach. The task force is also working with local engineers and cities on possible road safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. Our roads are safer when drivers remain aware of pedestrians and bicycles/rollers, and we look out for one another, said Sara Wood with the King County Target Zero Traffic Safety Task Force. Watching out for pedestrians and bicycles/rollers in crosswalks, along the road, and near transit centers/stops is important to keep us all safe. This is the second year patrols have been increased along this route to monitor driver behavior toward bicyclists and walkers. The first teaser for Colin Farrells The Penguin spin-off was released during Warner Bros Discoverys Max presentation on Wednesday (12 April). The media giant announced a slew of new content as it revealed that its streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+ are officially being combined into one platform dubbed simply, Max. Farrell first starred as the mob boss (AKA Oswald Cobblepot) in Matt Reevess 2022 movie The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader. The trailer shows Farrell waddling up stars with a typical penguin sway and delivering lines like: Ill cut you like a goddamn fish. Yet more rain pours down on Gotham City after it was reported that The Batman featured over an hour of rainy sequences. It also shows Oswald clinking glasses with Sofia Falcone (played by Cristin Milioti), the daughter of John Turturros Carmine Falcone. The series also stars Theo Rossi, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre OConnell, Carmen Ejogo, Francois Chau, and David H Holmes. Colin Farrell in The Penguin (Courtesy of Max) Reeves will serve as executive producer on the series, while Craig Zobel (Mare of Easttown) is named as director for the first three episodes. As well as The Penguin, Warner Bros announced Wednesday that a new Harry Potter TV series is officially moving forward after The Independent confirmed that the company was in talks with author JK Rowling last week. Other announcements included a new How I Met Your Mother spin-off and another Game of Thrones prequel following the success of House of the Dragon last summer. Last year, Danny DeVito insisted that his version of The Penguin was superior to Farrells. The American actor played the villain in the 1992 Tim Burton release Batman Returns. I love Colin. Hes a terrific guy. My Penguin was better, DeVito told Vanity Fairs lie detector test. The Penguin is slated for a 2024 release. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that the Pentagon will turn over every rock to find the source of the leaks that emerged last week that appeared to have classified information about the Ukraine-Russia war. Now, I cant say much more while the Justice Departments investigation is ongoing. But we take this very seriously, Austin said at a press conference Tuesday. And we will continue to work closely with our outstanding allies and partners. And nothing will ever stop us from keeping America secure. Austin added that we will turn over every rock until we find the source of this, and the extent of it. He said that the classified documents were somewhere in the web and they do not know where or who had access to the documents, but that they are taking the incident very seriously. Several leaked documents that appeared to have classified information about the war in Ukraine and other national security topics were posted on social media websites last week, sparking concerns among lawmakers and other government agencies about the source of the leaks. The Defense Department and the Justice Department have each opened an investigation in the leak. Lawmakers pressed the Pentagon for answers about the leaked classified documents that appeared to include warnings of weaknesses in Ukraines capabilities as well as other intelligence information on U.S. allies and adversaries. Austin said in the press conference that the Defense Department is aware of the documents dated Feb. 28 and March 1, but does not know if other documents had been online before then. Austin also addressed concerns over the classified documents including information about Ukraines military capabilities, including potential shortfalls in the countrys air defense and ammunition stockpiles. He said that the country has much of the capability that it needs to be successful in its effort against the Russia invasion. Story continues Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement Sunday that the Defense Department continues to review and assess the validity of the photographed documents that appeared on social media sites. An interagency effort has been stood up, focused on assessing the impact these photographed documents could have on U.S. national security and on our Allies and partners, Singh said in the statement. Over the weekend, U.S. officials have engaged with Allies and partners and have informed relevant congressional committees of jurisdiction about the disclosure. The Department of Defenses highest priority is the defense of our nation and our national security. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON Fallout from leaked Pentagon documents revealing intelligence secrets continues to reverberate around the world as officials scrambled Tuesday to assess the damage and identify the culprit. Since Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was briefed on April 6 on the disclosure on social media of what appear to be highly sensitive documents related to the war in Ukraine, the web of U.S. allies and adversaries implicated in the leaks continues to grow. One recent revelation, for example, involved an analysis in February of how Israel might begin providing lethal aid to Ukraine. Some experts view the leaks as less a game changer on the battlefields of Ukraine and more an intelligence and diplomatic crisis for U.S. officials. "The leaks are definitely embarrassing and have a political cost," said Seth Jones, senior vice president and director of the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Based on past wars, however, they are unlikely to have a meaningful impact on the outcome of the war in Ukraine." Previous coverage: Leak of secret Pentagon documents on Ukraine sparks probe, raises fears of more to come Leaked documents: Printouts of DOD briefing slides, papers folded into quarters The documents appear to be printouts of slides used to brief the Pentagon's most senior officials on the war in Ukraine, the strengths and weaknesses of Ukrainian and Russian forces, and how allies have responded to the conflict. The papers seem to have been folded in quarters and then photographed. Most have dates of late February and early March. Many of the leaked documents bear markings that show the information is so sensitive that it cannot be shared with any foreign governments. Some appear to have been drawn up to brief senior officials such as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Mark Milley. At least one has been altered to downplay Russian losses and exaggerate those on the Ukrainian slide. Story continues More: Pentagon warns that leak of secret documents on Ukraine war could lead to loss of lives A threat to national security, hiding in plain sight on social media But Pentagon officials, while saying they are seeking to determine the veracity of the documents, have told reporters they consider much of the information authentic and a threat to national security. It's unclear if more documents could be divulged in the coming days, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly. Pentagon and State Department officials have been in contact with allies about the breach, but it is too soon to tell what might have to change, if anything, as a result of the disclosures, the official said Tuesday. Determining who was responsible for the release will be challenging, according to a second administration official who also was not authorized to speak publicly. It's likely that hundreds of people on the Joint Staff, various intelligence agencies, political appointees and civil servants would have had access to the documents. It took more than a month for the Pentagon to realize the documents had been leaked des/pite spending billions on military intelligence. They had been hiding in plain sight on social media sites, some of them obscure, for weeks. At the same time the documents were being released, the Pentagon announced that it was seeking $29.3 billion for its military intelligence programs in 2024. The briefing slide on Israel and its potential to be a weapons supplier for Ukraine offer a glimpse of how officials seek to navigate tricky alliances and partnerships around the world. It also shows how U.S. officials are scouring the globe to arm Ukraine against the far larger army of Russia. The document, titled Pathways to Providing Lethal Aid to Ukraine, describes Israel's balancing act. It provides defensive aid to Ukraine, including counter-drone technology, but does not provide the air defense weaponry that Ukraine desperately needs to knock down Russian cruise missile attacks and keep its warplanes at bay. Israel does not want to antagonize Russia, an ally of Israel's adversary in neighboring Syria, the document states. Maintaining its relationship with Russia allows Israel to conduct military operations against militants in Syria. The document offers speculation on what could change Israel's calculation and prompt it to provide lethal aid. One scenario envisions Russia supplying Iran Israel's enemy with sophisticated weapons, such as advanced fighter jets. Jones, the military analyst, said intelligence leaks rarely turn the tide of wars. "The outcome of wars is largely a function of strategy, the military balance, and a range of other factors," Jones said. "Intelligence can, of course, be helpful especially major intelligence breakthroughs like the allies cracking Enigma during World War II. But this is nothing like the Enigma code-breaking, which gave the Allies regular insight into German war plans, as well as operational and tactical level decisions and troop movements." Recap: Ukraine challenges, shrugs off leaked Pentagon documents from the war effort This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How damaging are leaked Pentagon documents on Ukraine, US and world? Two miniature pet pigs were shot at their South Carolina home earlier this month, and now a reward is being offered to bring the gunman to justice. The shooting happened April 3 on Wadmalaw Island, where the pigs regularly spent time cuddling with their owner on her couch, the Charleston Animal Society said Wednesday in a news release. Indoor-outdoor pet Petunia is recovering from wounds to her leg, while fellow pig Alfie died after being shot in the head, according to the release. Information about where the shooting happened was not available. This violence against innocent animals is likely an indicator of ongoing violence against humans, Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore said in the release. It must be stopped as our community continues to suffer an escalation in violent crimes. No other injuries were reported. There was no word on a shooter, or shooters, or any motive for the attack. No arrests have been reported by the Charleston County Sheriffs Office, which is investigating the shooting. Charleston Animal Society is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and felony conviction of those involved in the shooting. Anyone with information on the shootings of Alfie and Petunia is asked to call the sheriffs office at 843-554-2440. For nearly 150 years, the Animal Society has been dedicated to preventing cruelty to both humans and animals, Elmore said. We will continue to offer rewards for these heinous acts of cruelty perpetrated by the most despicable of humans hiding among us. 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 Met Police issue advice to phone users on staying safe amid rising mobile thefts. London's Metropolitan Police had advised mobile phone users to stand close to buildings to make calls, go hands-free where possible and not to walk and text, as mobile phone thefts in the capital hit 91,000 last year. New figures from the Met Police show a phone is stolen every six minutes in London for a total of 248 mobiles snatched per day. "Thousands of mobile phones are stolen in London every year, most commonly through pickpocketing, table surfing, and more recently an increase in snatches by criminals riding on mopeds," a Met Police spokesperson said. "Mobile phones are commonly the most stolen items because they are easy to snatch from victims hands as they look at their phones as they travel around London for varied reasons for example to look at directions, texting etc and they are unaware of their surroundings. They are a valuable commodity and easily disposable to handlers for sale out of the UK." The Met Police warned that a phone is stolen every six minutes in London. (PA) Police have faced criticism over their handling of mobile phone thefts, as figures show fewer than 2,000 of the devices were returned to their owner, prompting questions over how the crime is policed. A Met Police spokesperson explained: "The recovery of phones is difficult as those stealing them pass them on to be sold very quickly." Chief Inspector Andy Cooke told BBC's Today Programme: "On a recent inspection that we did in relation to volume crime burglary, robbery and theft it was quite apparent that policing didn't always make the most of the opportunities it had to catch those responsible for it. Read more: Mobile phone reported stolen in London every six minutes "What we found on our most recent inspection was that from the first point of contact, when the first time the call was coming in, opportunities weren't being taken firstly to secure forensic evidence and, secondly, to give good crime prevention advice. "Moving on from there, the investigations themselves were not always timely, so that golden hour of opportunity to preserve the forensic evidence was missed." Story continues Watch: London moped thieves steal phones from hands of lone unsuspecting commuters While police urged victims of mobile phone theft to call 999 to report the crime, they also issued advice to phone users to "look up, look out to make yourself less vulnerable to personal robbery". "If you need to call or use your phone on the street, look out for anyone on a bike or a moped near you. Look up, look out," the advice said. "Make it quick so you don't become distracted, don't text while you're walking you won't notice what's going on around you. "If that's not possible, stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you," it added, also suggesting going hands-free to prevent phones being snatched from users' hands. The car was parked in front of a fire hydrant. New Bedford Fire Department A photo shows firefighters had to break through a parked car's windows to reach a fire hydrant. A Massachusetts fire department said it broke the windows while putting out an apartment fire. In a Facebook post, the department said the crew "overcame an 'obstruction'" to get to the hydrant. A new photo shows the consequences of illegally parking in front of a fire hydrant. The New Bedford Fire Department in Massachusetts shared the photo on Facebook after putting out an apartment fire last weekend, showing that the truck crew had to break through a parked car's windows to reach the hydrant. "The crew of Engine 9 overcame an 'obstruction' in front of the closest hydrant and were able to secure a water supply," the department wrote on Facebook. The department said its Fire Investigation Unit believes the fire was accidental and started by a "cooking incident." The New Bedford Police Department arrested a tenant of the apartment, the fire department said. No firefighters or people living in the apartment building were injured, the department said. "Seven tenants including three children who reside in the apartment were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross," the department added. The New Bedford Fire Department didn't immediately respond to Insider's questions about the incident or standard practice when crews run into an obstacle in front of hydrants. Fire departments have broken through car windows before in 2019, the Anaheim Fire Department shared a similar photo, showing one of its hoses pushed through a car's broken windows. Read the original article on Insider Edgar Pickett, a retired detective with the Lakeland Police Department, poses at his home in Lakeland in 2015. Pickett was the first Black detective and first forensic specialist at LPD. Nearly 70 years ago, Edgar T. Pickett Jr. achieved history when he and three other men became the first Black officers in the Lakeland Police Department. Pickett rose to become a detective and distinguished himself for his prowess in analyzing fingerprints and other forensic evidence. He died Thursday at age 95, the Lakeland Police Department announced. Retired Sergeant Edgar Pickett is an icon in our community, a giant among men throughout his life, LPD Chief Sam Taylor said in a statement. Our agency is better today because of the foundation laid by his work in law enforcement and the mentoring he provided to so many others. Even working in adverse times, he not only dedicated himself to serving as an officer in his community but became a leader in forensics and fingerprinting. Related: Despite Discrimination, Edgar Pickett Co-Founded Lakeland's Crime Lab. More: Law enforcement icon helped forge path in Lakeland Taylor said that he thinks of Pickett each time he passes the departments forensics lab, which is named for the late officer. He will definitely be missed, but he will never be forgotten, Taylor said. Pickett grew up in a racially segregated Lakeland, graduating in 1946 from Washington Park School, the citys designated school for Black children. Pickett soon found work as a display manager for Montgomery Ward & Co. in downtown Lakeland, near Munn Park. He later told a Ledger reporter that he felt anxious riding his bicycle to and from work and passing Pine Street, a rough area filled with saloons. Edgar T. Pickett Jr., second from left, was among the first four Black officers to join the Lakeland Police Department in 1954. One day he noticed a police officer standing on the corner and felt safer. But the officer greeted him with belligerence and racial slurs, Pickett said, an incident that inspired him to join the force, though the Lakeland Police Department at the time did not admit Black officers. I wanted to be a police officer to prove you didnt have to be that kind of individual, Pickett later said. Picketts mother worked in the Lakeland mayors office, and his father was president of a local business group, the Negro Chamber of Commerce. The group lobbied LPD to change its hiring policies, and in 1954 the same year as the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling the department hired Pickett and three other Black officers: Samuel King, Thomas Hodge and Samuel Williams. Story continues Pickett was the last surviving member of the foursome. Despite the milestone in hiring, the four Black officers soon learned they were not considered equal to their peers. Pickett was relegated to a space away from the main locker room and not allowed to change clothes in the same room as white officers. The Black officers had to use separate bathrooms and water fountains. Supervisors also assigned Pickett to unappealing shifts, he later told a Ledger reporter. The Black officers were denied training opportunities and were instructed not to arrest any white people. Edgar T. Pickett, a retired Lakeland Police Department detective, sits during a news conference in 2019 to announce the arrest of Joseph Clinton Mills for the 1981 murder of Linda Slaten. Pickett, a forensic specialist, worked on the original investigation. We were more or less figureheads and couldnt do anything, Pickett said. Supervisors never assigned the four to check incidents in predominantly white neighborhoods, only allowing them to patrol and respond to calls in the north side of Lakeland, which had mostly Black and minority residents. Pickett and the other three faced harassment from some fellow officers, he later said. He had to work alongside the same officer who had insulted him on Pine Street before he joined the force. Supervisors removed Pickett from street patrols in the 1960s and sent him for training on youth offenders at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, and he soon led the agencys juvenile department. Picketts career trajectory changed in 1964, when he was shot in the shoulder while responding to a service call. At that point, he decided he no longer wanted to be a police officer, Pickett later said. Pickett saw a newspaper ad for the American Institute of Applied Sciences in Chicago, which offered a correspondence course in forensic investigation. He enrolled and began learning about fingerprinting, photographic evidence and ballistics. Edgar Pickett, a retired Lakeland Police Department detective, displays his badge at his home in 2015. Pickett died last week at age 95. The officer began carrying a camera to crime scenes and converted his kitchen into a makeshift darkroom. He also spent time at Duane Perkins' photography shop in Lakeland, as the owner taught him how to develop film. Pickett earned a certification in forensic science and became a fingerprint technician in 1973. A supervisor doubted Picketts work and required him to send prints to the FBI office in Washington, D.C., for further analysis. "It would take them two to three weeks to confirm that I have the correct prints I never made a mistake, Pickett later told a Ledger reporter. More: Four Alumni Inducted Into Schools Hall of Fame Today Even so, Picketts supervisor blocked him from testifying in court cases. Pickett sought permission from the State Attorneys Office and eventually had his first opportunity to take the stand in a courtroom, where he was qualified as an expert. Pickett, who attained the rank of sergeant, began attending seminars across the country and was invited to the FBI Academy by a local agent who had taken an interest in his work, The Ledger reported. In a further validation, the Lakeland Police Department named Pickett its officer of the year in 1975. Five years later, Pickett collaborated with the FBI on fingerprint analysis and helped to confirm the identity of serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin after he was arrested in Tampa. Pickett also worked with the federal agency to identify a local suspect who had threatened to assassinate President Jimmy Carter during a visit to Lakeland in 1980s. Even as he gained professional acceptance, Pickett still endured racial hostility. In the mid-1970s, he awoke one night to find a white cross planted near his front door, not yet ignited. Burning crosses, signifying white supremacy, were symbols of intimidation used by the Ku Klux Klan. Edgar Pickett, a retired Lakeland Police Department detective, shows the fingerprint kit he used in 1964, an item on display in his Lakeland home. Pickett was the department's first Black detective and first forensic specialist. The community never did know it, Pickett said of the incident. I didnt want to let them know it scared me. He added: I have had shotguns in my face, knives in my back. It was that cross that really upset me. In 1981, Pickett was called to an apartment complex on Brunnell Parkway, where LPD was investigating the murder of Linda Patterson Slaten. The 31-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted and strangled with a wire hanger, her nude body left in the apartment. Someone told me no Black officers had any right to look at a white lady naked, Pickett later recalled. Slatens murder remained unsolved until 2019, when DNA evidence led to the arrest of Joseph Mills, who later pled guilty to the killing. Pickett attended the news conference at which Mills arrest was announced. Pickett retired from LPD in 1983 but continued to work as a consultant for law enforcement agencies and taught at community colleges. He also rediscovered his youthful enthusiasm for carpentry, helping to rebuild his boyhood church, Harmony Baptist, after the destruction of the original building. Pickett was one of the founders of Word Alive Ministries, which his son, Telefair Pickett, led for years. LPD welcomed Pickett back to retiree luncheons, including one held last year, agency spokesperson Robin Tillett said. Department members visited Pickett regularly after he entered hospice care, she said. An interview with Pickett archived in the Lakeland Public Librarys Special Collections can be found at https://vimeo.com/255029318. A wake for Pickett will be held Friday at 5 p.m. at New Bethel AME Church at 2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., with the funeral scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Pickett, one of Lakeland's first Black police officers, dies at 95 Joe Biden gives a speech at Ulster University Large crowds gathered in Belfast to try and catch a glimpse of US President Joe Biden as he made a landmark visit to Northern Ireland. Mr Biden is on a four-day visit to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The president arrived in Belfast city centre late on Tuesday night after making the journey from the airport in his presidential motorcade. On Wednesday he made a speech at the new Ulster University campus in Belfast before meeting people in the audience, shaking their hands and taking selfies. Some, like Tiernan Lynch and his dad Michael, had planned to join the crowd Others, like Nora and Chase from Boston, USA, made it to Belfast at the same time as the president purely by chance It was an opportunity for some groups to protest Political messages for Joe Biden were left on Black Mountain, which overlooks Belfast Other messages were somewhat esoteric... Several major roads were closed as a result of it Anne Marshall (left) and Alison Savage were on a city break to Belfast and described the president's visit as "an historic day" Gabrielle Feenan, who introduced President Biden on stage at Ulster University, had to keep her starring role secret from family and friends People filled the balconies of the university to hear the president speak Joe Biden took to the stage early in the afternoon The president was only the second biggest celebrity in the room - Oscar winner James Martin nearly stole the show There were opportunities for a once-in-a-lifetime selfie Everyone associates school with homework and class grades. But how often do we think about handing schools a report card? Niche, a ranking and review site focused on education, gives public elementary schools grades based on their data analysis and user review of factors like academics, diversity, sports, teachers and resources. There are more than 290 school districts in the Evergreen State, according to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. By its measure, Niche finds that there are more than 230 schools with an overall A grade in Washington, many of which are in Pierce County. Niche collected data from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics, and individual schools to evaluate Washington states public education offerings. The review website based a schools overall score on factors like academic proficiency, teacher quality and diversity. High schools are also graded on additional metrics such as sports, clubs and activities, college prep and administration. Additionally, Niche analyzed each schools average teacher-to-student ratio. The ideal classroom size for elementary schools is 18 students to one teacher, according to Public School Review. This size is large enough to cultivate an engaging and focused academic environment while also being small enough for educators to provide individualized tutoring. Best schools in Pierce County Niche ranks the following schools as the five best in Pierce County for elementary, middle and high schools. Each is ranked with at least an A rating. U.S. News and World Report ranks Washington as the fourth-best state for education and 11th specifically for K-12 education. Among the 15 best schools in Pierce County, six are in University Place. Tacomas elementary schools dont crack the top five elementary and middle schools. Top 5 elementary schools in Pierce County University Place Primary School University Place Carbonado Historical School (K-8) Carbonado Story continues Chambers Elementary School University Place Tehaleh Heights Elementary School Bonney Lake Mountain Meadow Elementary School Buckley Top 5 middle schools in Pierce County Narrows View Intermediate School University Place Drum Intermediate School University Place Carbonado Historical School (K-8) Carbonado Curtis Junior High School University Place North Tapps Middle School Lake Tapps Top 5 high schools in Pierce County Curtis Senior High School University Place Science & Math Institute Tacoma Steilacoom High School Steilacoom Summit Public School: Olympus Tacoma Stadium High School Tacoma On average, elementary and middle schools in Pierce County have proficiency scores for math and reading above 70% or 80%. However, high schools in the area are a different story. Although teens proved to be competent readers, ranging from 74-84%, math scores ranged from as high as 65% and dipped as far down as 45% at Stadium High School and Summit Public School. The only exception was Steilacoom High School, which has scores above 80% for both math and reading. Teacher salaries in WA Educators and faculty at Pierce Countys top-ranking schools are well-compensated for their work, especially when compared to national averages. Washington state pays teachers higher salaries comparable to the rest of the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. During the 2020-21 school year, the average teacher salary for K-12 schools in the Evergreen State was just under $80,000, according to NCES metrics. The median national salary was around $65,000. Before the 2009-10 school year, data from NCES shows that Washington teachers salaries were typically below or on par with the national average. Many educators in Pierce County earn above the states median salary. For example, full-time homeroom teachers in University Place and Tacoma school districts earn base salaries that range from $60,000 to over $100,000, according to Washington state public records. The principals in Pierce Countys top 15 schools earn anywhere from $140,000, to as high as $190,000. More than 30 Pierce County residents said they collectively contributed over $1.2 million to a California-based business that invests in personal-injury lawyers, enticed by the pitch that theyd stand to make a lot of money with virtually no risk. The business, Creative Legal Fundings in CA, allegedly reneged on an agreement to return the residents money, reportedly because the funds were under investigation for money laundering, according to a recently filed lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court. Now, 32 plaintiffs most residing in Pierce County are suing Creative Legal Fundings in CA, accusing the Sacramento-based business of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract and other claims. In a civil lawsuit filed April 5, the plaintiffs seek to recoup their money and be awarded damages and legal fees in an amount to be determined. In total, 33 Pierce County residents make up 29 plaintiffs in the case. Three other plaintiffs reside in Skagit, Snohomish or Thurston counties, court records show. The suit names Maria Dickerson, a.k.a. Dulce Pino, as a defendant. Pino, whos listed in a California business incorporation document as CEO and board chairperson of Creative Legal Funds in CA, did not respond to a message seeking comment through Josiah Young, her California-based lawyer, who was named as her counsel in the suit but said by phone that he was not representing her in this case. Three other business executives are named as defendants. Its unclear whether any of the defendants have hired legal representation in Washington. The complaint alleges that since 2021 Creative Legal Fundings in CA not to be confused with the similarly named but unrelated Creative Legal Funding LLC sold itself as financially sound and promised high returns for those who contributed money to the business, which invests in accident attorneys. The business, which reportedly has partners/investors in different states and countries, took proactive steps to market to the Filipino community, including through seminars, social gatherings and social media posts, the suit stated. The News Tribune could not find a website for Creative Legal Fundings in CA; the complaint noted that the business does not have one. Story continues Plaintiffs contributed as little as $5,000 and as much as $200,000, expecting to be able to make monthly draws, examine business records upon request and receive their money in full within 30 days of a written request, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges that plaintiffs have been denied their moneys return and from examining such records. In September, plaintiffs were allegedly told by Creative Legal Fundings in CA that the funds were being investigated for money laundering and the businesss bank accounts were frozen, yet the business purportedly assured that the FBI and other investigating agencies had found no wrongdoing, according to the suit. Plaintiffs started to ask questions and were kept apprised of the status of their funds through monthly virtual meetings and group emails and text messages. In some instances, Pino allegedly provided limited money from her personal accounts. In others, plaintiffs received bank receipts and wire-transfer confirmations as proof of transactions, but they were never fulfilled, the complaint stated. Pino has made social media posts of expensive purchases and lavish trips she takes internationally and abroad, including to Las Vegas, promoting herself as a successful business person, according to the lawsuit. Kyle Berti, an attorney based in Olalla, just northwest of Tacoma, is representing the plaintiffs. I think the complaint really speaks to my clients story, the challenges that theyve faced trying to get back what was promised and owed to them, he said. Everyone complains about their job at some point. But it's good to know when it's no longer serving you. Everyone complains about their job at some point. But it's good to know when it's no longer serving you. We all have complained about our jobs to vent through frustration and fears. But if whats keeping us unhappy is not changing, the complaints can start to feel repetitive. There comes a question we all must ask ourselves before we get asked by our exhausted listeners: How beneficial to our well-being and our career is complaining, really? To answer, HuffPost asked experts to weigh in on when complaining can be helpful and the tipping point on when it becomes more harmful: When Complaining Can Actually Be Productive Complaining can hold a bad reputation for being too negative, but its good, to be honest with your friends and loved ones about what is getting you down. Sometimes we need support and not solutions. Venting about work or your frustrating boss can be helpful to a certain extent if we are able to find support in someone whos a good listener, said Chicago-based psychotherapist Cathy Ranieri. When we really feel heard, and therefore understood, it can be grounding, reassuring and settle our nerves. Toxic positivity pretending to be OK when you are really not is not helpful either, said Tanisha Ranger, a Nevada-based clinical psychologist. This is why she thinks some complaining can be helpful. I am a proponent of time-limited pity parties, she said. I do think that taking some time to just get into your woe-is-me place and think about all the ways that the world has wronged you helps. I do. It has helped me certainly. Limited is the operative term here. Because you cant just always be complaining. One, youll feel terrible, and two, youll be miserable to be around. Ranger said at best, complaining can help you get necessary affirmation and validation from others that your complaints are reasonable because taking some time to be upset about your circumstance can be a good motivator for change. Story continues Complaining about your job with your co-workers can also be helpful when it can change your teams working conditions and hopefully stop the cause of your complaints. In fact, good faith complaints of unlawful activities are protected in all 50 states, said California-based employment attorney Ryan Stygar. You have a federally-protected right to engage in concerted activities with co-workers for mutual welfare and protection. In my opinion, any complaint which advances that goal is productive. A complaint about unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, union-busting, harassment, or similar issues are legally protected against retaliation, he said. However, you need to be smart. Employers will fire malcontents and claim its for performance. You must make complaints of these protected issues in writing so you can prove your complaint was legally protected. Make sure you're venting to a safe person when talking about job issue. Make sure you're venting to a safe person when talking about job issue. When Complaining Does More Harm Than Good At the same time, there comes the point when the constant need to vent about your company or co-workers is holding you back. For one, complaining to the wrong person or about the wrong complaint at work can backfire and ruin your career. Stygar said personal grievances and gossip like John is an idiot. How did he get promoted? are neither productive nor legally protected. A complaint about another co-workers habits or work ethic will fall into the gossip category, he said. Its not legally protected, and you will generally be at the mercy of HR once you lodge the complaint. Interpersonal issues are a danger zone. Stygar also cautioned that you must be careful about who you complain to at work because not everyone you complain to is going to be on your side. Thats why he recommends simply asking questions at first, like Do you feel fairly compensated here? and Do you feel comfortable going to management with problems? instead of outright complaining with statements like Im not happy with our pay. Asking questions will reveal whether someone is a safe space to discuss work issues with, Stygar said. Their answers will generally be more helpful to you than simply stating a grievance. One tipping point for your mental health can also be when you have processed your emotions but are still stuck in a pattern of complaining without taking any action that could move you forward. I believe the tipping point is when you have sought the guidance and compassion from others that you need, and you continue to still complain about the job or your boss, said Jordan White, a licensed clinical social worker in Florida and Illinois. He said it isnt always easy to hear the tipping point either because we are so engrossed in complaining. Sometimes, its best for us to take a step back and evaluate where we are. If we are still complaining but about different topics related to our jobs or bosses, then its time to look for something new. Some self-exploration questions Ranieri said she often asks her clients who complain about their work include: Is there a pattern here? What is my part, if any, here? Can I take ownership for this and take steps small steps toward meaningful change? What is keeping me at this job if I am so unhappy? Ranieri recommended looking for a new job before you feel a sense of despair but acknowledged that this is, unfortunately, unrealistic for many of us. I also like to ask clients, If you find yourself complaining a lot, what is the specific content of those complaints? It allows us to get curious about what level of control the client has and where to identify solutions or creative strategies to problem solve that may not just be getting a new job, she added. If quitting is not an option, focus on protecting your energy so that your frustrations and anxieties do not consume you. Psychologists recommend taking breaks away from work to give your nervous system time to reset and recharge, And at work, try connecting what your manager cares about to what you need to change about your job. For example, some complaints like being overworked and feeling disengaged can be fixable if you have a receptive boss open to you doing a new project or delegating responsibilities. But if youve tried those solutions and youre still struggling, it might be time to look for something else. For Ranger, the tipping point is when you realize the things you are complaining about are systemic to the organization and not likely to change. At some level, its like, Well, I gotta put me first, and this is how yall like to work, and that doesnt work for me, so Im going to head out, she said. Ultimately, only you know yourself best. When complaining helps you let off steam and feel heard, it can be beneficial, but if its keeping you stuck and feeling helpless, its time to start looking at other options beyond venting. Related... Mariusz Blaszczak The minister said that the Vice President of General Dynamics the manufacturer of Abrams tanks visited Warsaw several weeks ago. Read also: Ukrainian troops to begin M1 Abrams training soon We talked about establishing a service center for Abrams tanks, said Blaszczak. Read also: US plans to deliver Abrams tanks to Ukraine by end of 2023 He noted it would first involve servicing Polish Abrams tanks, but could then be expanded to maintain vehicles that belong to other European countries. Poland is becoming a natural service center, and probably also a production center, when it come to Abrams tanks, in the future, the minister concluded. Read also: US planning more deliveries of Abrams and Bradley to Ukraine, Polish PM says In January, the United States pledged to provide Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks, expected to be delivered around fall 2023. Like with most Western military equipment flowing into Ukraine, these vehicles will likely go by way of Poland. 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 man suspected to be behind a recent string of downtown Raleigh bank robberies has been arrested, Raleigh police said Wednesday. Police identified Anthony Tony Thomas, 41, as a suspect and arrested him Tuesday, according to a news release. Thomas, of Creedmoor, was charged with three counts of common law robbery. Hes accused of three robberies in a span of five days. M&F Bank on 13 E. Hargett St. was robbed twice first on March 30 and again on April 3, police said. Police were told a man came into the bank and demanded money through a note, then fled after receiving money from a teller. First Citizens Bank was allegedly robbed by Thomas in the same manner on April 3, police said. No weapons were displayed or used in any of the robberies, police said. Police say anyone have information that might assist their investigation to visit CrimeStoppers at www.p3tips.com/89 to report anonymously or to call 919-996-1193. Rockford police and other area law enforcement agencies respond to a false report of an active shooter at East High School on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Rockford. Police descended on Rockford and Freeport schools Wednesday morning in response to what was reportedly a nationwide school shooting prank. According to the Freeport School District, schools received calls regarding a real emergency when there was no emergency. In Rockford, police responded to East High School for reports of a shooting. In a tweet Wednesday morning, police said they believed those reports to be false and later confirmed no shooting happened. More: Rockford Police: Shooting at high school 'looks to be false report' Students at East High School were dismissed early following a large police presence where officers cleared the building and investigated. "Were working with Rockford Police as they continue to investigate. We are grateful for the quick response from Rockford Police and the cooperation from our students and staff," East High School Principal Jim Parker said in a statement following the hoax. "Students and staff are safe and accounted for. This is the best-case scenario during what could be the worst day of our lives." Counselors, social workers and psychologists were available at East, as needed, to provide students and staff with additional support. The Freeport School District said officers walked the building and had multiple officers on scene as a precaution. "We were also notified by police that other area districts have received the same prank phone call this morning. While we are relieved that there was no real incident, we are not taking this lightly," the Freeport School District said in a statement on Facebook. Freeport police said the call came in at 8:24 a.m. The caller told Freeport dispatch officers that there was an active shooter on the second floor of Freeport High School. The call came from an out-of-state area code. A Rockford police officer was hurt in a traffic crash while responding to East High School, according to Police Chief Carla Redd. No other injuries were reported. Redd said the bogus 911 call came into the 911 center at 8:17 AM. Police were dispatched at 8:18 AM and arrived on scene at 8:20 AM. The school was immediately placed on lockdown. Story continues "We went on lockdown, and we did not release the building until we had an opportunity to search every inch of the building," Redd said. "We have no shooting victims whatsoever." Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara praised the school and police department for their response. "It is a waste of resources that we are going to waste every time for our students," McNamara said. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Police: Gun threats at Rockford, Freeport schools part of prank Phoenix police Authorities have identified the woman taken into custody on suspicion of stealing an ambulance and crashing it on Tuesday afternoon in north Phoenix. Police said around 3:52 p.m., officers responded to the area of Seventh Street and Dunlap Avenue about an ambulance being stolen from HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center. Then a call came in about a crash at the intersection of Cave Creek and Cactus roads, police said. Officers found the stolen ambulance and the suspected vehicle thief, identified as Valerie Campbell, 55, according to police. Police said they believe Campbell drove the stolen ambulance north on Cave Creek Road before somehow causing an accident with four other vehicles. Campbell was later booked into jail, police said. Campbell is facing multiple felony charges, including include theft of means of transportation and aggravated assault on a police officer, according to Phoenix Police spokesperson Sgt. Phil Krynsky. Jail records on Wednesday morning did not show her in custody. A person from the crash was taken to a hospital for precaution, police said. No other injuries were reported, police added. Police previously said the crash led to traffic near the area being shut down. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police ID woman they say stole ambulance, caused crash in north Phoenix Seattle police detectives say their investigation into Leticia Martinez-Cosman the missing King County woman who was last seen at a Mariners game has resulted in the recovery of a body. Detectives said the body was recovered Tuesday afternoon in the Renton area. Two big vans, a coroner, and about eight police cars, said Steve, who lives in the neighborhood. Residents who live off Southeast 192nd Street say police blocked off the street and crowded the dead end for hours. Big trucks came down with the guys in the white suits to investigate. One of the police said, yeah, they found a body, said Steve. The person whose body was found has not been identified. Police said the King County Medical Examiners Office will confirm their identity, cause of death and how the person died. Never expected anything like that would happen here. Yeah, just kind of shocked, said Tyler Sorensen. Martinez-Cosman, 58, was last seen leaving a Mariners game with Brett Gitchel on Mar. 31. Leticia Martinez-Cosman was last seen at a Mariners game while on a date on Friday, Mar. 31, 2023. Gitchel is charged with arson, theft, possession of a firearm, kidnapping and attempted murder for allegedly trying to kill Martinez-Cosmans disabled adult son. According to charging documents, Gitchel picked up Martinez-Cosmans son on April 2, claiming she had been in an accident. The son told investigators that after hours of driving around, they ended up in Renton, where Gitchel tried to strangle him. He escaped, called his father who lives in Texas, who in turn called 911. About two hours later, Seattle firefighters were called to a car that was engulfed in flames. That vehicle was traced back to Martinez-Cosman. Investigators say they found surveillance video showing Gitchel buying the tools needed to set the vehicle on fire. Gitchell has not been charged with the disappearance of Martinez-Cosman. Just keep holding on hope, were all hoping and praying for them, said Sorensen. Detectives said cell tower data shows that Gitchel had been in the places where the crimes happened. Story continues (Scroll past picture to continue reading) Brett Michael Gitchel Investigators took photographs of Gitchels hands that showed cuts, scrapes and bruises that could indicate a struggle of some kind. They also found blood on the inside of his right shoe. Martinez-Cosman has not been found and Gitchel has not been charged in her disappearance. Gitchel initially told detectives he didnt know Martinez-Cosman, but prosecutors said there is video of the two of them leaving T-Mobile Park. Lexington police said they were able to arrest a murder suspect Monday with the help of a Flock license plate reader. The Flock camera helped police locate and arrest Nicholas Trujillo-Ruiz, 71, who was wanted on a murder warrant in Texas, police said. Just after 9 p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the 3700 block of Camelot Drive for a report of shots fired, according to police. Officers found shell casings on scene and a witness gave police a description of the suspect vehicle. The suspects vehicle was tracked down to a nearby residence using a Flock camera, police said, which scans license plates and alerts police if the vehicle has been involved in a crime. One of the residents at the home, Trujillo-Ruiz, had an outstanding warrant out of Texas for murder and was arrested. Trujillo-Ruiz is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center without a bond, according to court records. Online court documents indicate the outstanding charge had originated from Harris County in 1980. Officials didnt immediately have more information to provide because the case was from so long ago. What Ive got is nothing, right now, because this is back before we were computerized, said John Donnelly, a spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Police said the investigation into the shots fired call is still ongoing. Anyone with information about this case was asked to call Lexington police at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020, online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com, or through the P3 Tips app available at www.p3tips.com. Flock camera program was recently expanded In December the Lexington council voted 10-4 to expand the Flock camera program that was launched in March 2022. Under the pilot program, the city was given 25 Flock cameras, which read license plate numbers and compare them against various databases, including stolen vehicles and missing persons. The pilot program was originally slated to last a year. Story continues However, just shy of six months into that pilot, Mayor Linda Gorton asked the council to spend more $230,000 to purchase 75 additional cameras, saying the program has been an overwhelming success. As of March 24, the license plate readers had helped police recover 145 stolen vehicles valued at over $2.1 million, according to police. The cameras have also helped police serve nearly 200 warrants/subpoenas, charge 235 individuals and locate 17 missing persons. Lexington Herald-Leader reporter Beth Musgrave contributed to this report. Authorities searched a shallow body of water for a suspect accused of attacking a passenger in his car and fleeing from officers Wednesday afternoon. Sherborn Police say they responded to the area of Washington Street and Woodland Street to search for a male suspect. The suspect, who had an active warrant for his arrest, assaulted a passenger in his car while he was driving, according to officials. The victim attempted to leave the car while the assailant was driving past a Sherborn officer who was working a private traffic detail, police say. The suspect fled from the scene and was found a short time later stuck in a shallow body of water near the roadway. Two Sherborn Firefighters put on cold-water rescue suits and retrieved the suspect without incident. He was able to walk out of the water under his own power but was transported to an area hospital as a precaution. His name has not been released at this time. 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 France is allegedly blocking an EU decision to finance the supply of ammunition to Ukraine, which requires unanimity among member states. Source: Polish news agency PAP citing a senior EU official The decision to finance the supply of ammunition to Ukraine by the European Union was made at the EU summit in March. The 2 billion needed for this purpose are to be provided from the European Peace Facility. The political agreement reached at the summit, however, has yet to be turned into a legally binding document. Discussions regarding this case are still ongoing. Of the 2 billion, half is to be used to reimburse supplies of ammunition from member states warehouses. Currently, however, there are not enough missiles in these warehouses, which is why the idea of purchasing them from outside the EU has emerged. "However, this was opposed by France. In this situation, the solution would be to procure ammunition from a third country on a donated basis, and then recover it from the warehouses of a member state by transferring other weapons to the third country. Talks are underway on this matter," an EU source told PAP. A bigger problem is with the second billion euros, which is to be allocated for joint orders from European industry, i.e. de facto in Poland, France and Germany. "The French blocked the EU decision on the second billion euros before Christmas. The draft contained a provision that the ammunition was to be reimbursed only on the basis of requests submitted by Ukraine. Paris, however, wants, without explaining why, this provision to be deleted. This would also mean the possibility of refunding ammunition which the Ukrainian side has not asked for. In addition to the decision on ammunition, France wants to add the possibility of compensating for missile deliveries," a senior EU source told PAP. In the opinion of some diplomats, lobbying by defence companies may be behind Frances decision. Story continues Most EU countries protested against such changes, including Poland. Polands Permanent Representative to the EU, Andrzej Sados, pointed out at the ambassadors meeting in Brussels that the EU must not waste time and must provide Ukraine with ammunition supplies as soon as possible. Poland also expressed disappointment that the EU could not reach an agreement and indicated that it would be difficult to explain this to Ukrainian partners. Talks on the matter are expected to resume on Wednesday. Background: On 20 March, the Council of the European Union approved a plan to supply Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells within 12 months. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Political activist Angela Davis to speak at California State University, San Bernardino. Political activist, philosopher, academic, and author Angela Davis will speak Monday at California State University, San Bernardino. The 79-year-old woman is best known for her activism and scholarship that has spanned many decades. She has also been involved in movements for social justice around the world. Davis will speak at noon in the Santos Manuel Student Union North Conference Center, 5500 University Parkway in San Bernardino. The moderators for the session will include Angie Otiniano Verissimo, CSUSB associate professor of health science and human ecology, and Alexandra Thambi, a biology major and chair of the SMSU Board of Directors. A virtual option is also available. A book signing with Davis will follow from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the SMSU South Fourplex. To attend the event and for a chance to receive a book, register at the A Conversation with Dr. Angela Davis registration webpage. This will be Davis second visit to CSUSB. She last spoke on campus in February 2010 at an event hosted by the Womens Resource Center. More than 700 students and guests attended that 2010 event. A 1965 photo of political activist Angela Davis, She will speak at California State University, San Bernardino on Mondya, April 17, 2003. Educating the future Davis work as an educator both at the university level and in the larger public sphere has focused on building communities of struggle for economic, racial, and gender justice. Her teaching career has taken her to San Francisco State University, Mills College, and UC Berkeley. Davis also has taught at UCLA, Vassar, Syracuse University, Claremont Colleges, and Stanford University. Most recently, she spent 15 years at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she is now Distinguished Professor Emerita of History of Consciousness an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program and of Feminist Studies. Davis is the author of 10 books and has lectured throughout the U.S. and Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. In recent years, she's focused on social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of communities most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. Story continues Most Wanted List Davis draws upon her experiences in the early 1970s as a person who spent 18 months in jail after being sought by the FBI. In January 1970, George Jackson, an inmate at Soledad Prison in California, and two other prisoners were charged with killing a prison guard. During the trial, Jacksons 17-year-old brother Jonathan Jackson took over a Marin County courtroom where he armed the black defendants and took the judge, prosecutor, and three female jurors hostage, according to the National Archives. By the end of the ordeal, the judge, Jonathan Jackson, and the armed defendants were killed, while the prosecutor and one of the jurors were injured. Davis was later accused of purchasing the guns used in the commission of the crimes and charged with aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder. Davis fled prosecution. Four days after the initial warrant was issued, J. Edgar Hoover placed Davis on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List. She was on the run for two months before being arrested in New York. Thousands of international activists organized in her defense and demanded her release. Davis was eventually found not guilty by an all-white jury. Having helped to popularize the notion of a prison industrial complex, she now urges her audiences to think seriously about the future possibility of a world without prisons and to help forge a 21st-century abolitionist movement. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz. This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Political activist Angela Davis to speak at Cal State San Bernardino Fresno County wont participate in efforts to rename a Fresno thoroughfare to Avenida Cesar E. Chavez. The Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to oppose renaming portions of a street that fall under county jurisdiction in honor of the civil rights leader. The resolution, which was proposed by Supervisors Steve Brandau and Brian Pacheco, says the city of Fresno didnt do enough to engage the county and its county island residents and businesses on renaming efforts. On March 9, city of Fresno leaders voted to change the name of a 10.25-mile Fresno thoroughfare which includes Kings Canyon Road, Ventura Avenue/Ventura Street, and California Avenue in southeast and southwest Fresno after civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. City leaders say the decision, which comes 30 years after an initial name change attempt, is meant to honor the citys farmworker population, many of whom reside in south Fresno. The city set aside $1 million to support businesses impacted by the name change in addition to other business incentives along the corridor. But the city would need the countys cooperation to change the entirety of the street. In southeast Fresno, a few stretches of Kings Canyon Road are under county jurisdiction where the county island community of Sunnyside is located, including about a half-mile from west of Minnewawa Avenue to Clovis Avenues, 0.6 mile Argyle Avenue to Fowler Avenue, and a 0.3-mile stretch from Burgan Avenue to Armstrong Avenue. Kings Canyon Road from Temperance Avenue to the end of the cul-de-sac near Locan Avenue and Highway 180 is also under county jurisdiction. In southwest Fresno, California Avenue is a country road on a half-mile stretch from Hughes Avenue to West Avenue. Fresno County Board of Supervisors said theyd deny the citys request to rename the streets under county jurisdiction and criticized the citys engagement process on the name change. This is a multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency issue, Pacheco said. As a representative of southwest Fresno, I couldnt idly sit by as the people of southwest Fresno felt their voices were not being heard. Story continues Criticism of Fresnos renaming process Multiple commenters at Tuesdays board meeting criticized the citys approach to the renaming process and said there was insufficient community outreach on the name change. We did not receive, nor have I ever seen, any notification from the city...about this change, said Sarah Pilibos on behalf of the company, Stephens Investments, which owns a 17-acre property with about 30 businesses along Kings Canyon Road. B.T. Lewis of southwest Fresno, a pastor and an appointed liaison between the city and southwest Fresno community, told the board of supervisors on Tuesday that the name California Avenue is significant to west Fresno and is the only area of the city that carries the history and heritage of Black Fresnans. He and some other southwest Fresno residents have been vocal in opposing the name change. Other opponents to the name change include Fresno Unifieds Sunnyside Trustee Valerie Davis, who told the board she hopes they continue opposing the renaming of the streets and suggested renaming 2500 E. Stanislaus St. outside of the Cesar E. Chavez Adult Education Center after Chavez. She also added that her grandchildren live in the Sunnyside community. Board Chair Sal Quintero, whose district includes large portions of the street in question, spoke about his personal ties to the United Farm Workers union and Cesar Chavez but decided to oppose the name change. He said Chavez would have declined the name change and would allocate the $1 million to organizations like the Poverello House to fight homelessness. Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias addressed the board of supervisors during Tuesdays meeting, saying the city doesnt need nor seek the countys permission to proceed and defended the citys public engagement on the process. He also pointed out that the county is suing the state of California to protect local control and that he would hope that you would be consistent in your position and honor the fact that the local residents have elected a city council that has policies to change the name of city streets in honor of a Latino hero who fought for farmworkers. La Abeja, a newsletter written for and by California Latinos Sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter centered around Latino issues in California. County cites potential confusion with renaming According to a Fresno County analysis of the name changes impact, the County of Fresno Emergency Services Division is concerned the name changes could affect the timely response of emergency calls for service. Both residents and visitors to the area may not know of the street name change and could give incorrect information as to the location of an emergency. The result could be a delay in the arrival of first responder personnel, Salvador Espino, a county administrative analyst, said in a staff report. One public commenter named Martha, who said she was a former mail carrier, said the current street and its multiple names is confusing. Fresno civil rights activist Gloria Hernandez likened the complaints about the name change to NIMBYs (Not In My Backyard). Were asking our city to recall that vote, Lewis said. He also wants the city to establish a diverse committee that receives recommendations on the name change. A community meeting was planned on Tuesday evening at the Armenian Community Center to work on the next steps to preserve the Kings Canyon, Ventura, and California Avenues. Liz Truss - AP Photo Liz Truss has urged a trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom after it emerged negotiations are unlikely to restart until 2025. Ms Truss insisted the Government must make more of its Brexit freedoms after The Telegraph revealed talks would only resume at least nine years after the vote to leave the EU. "We need to reduce the size of our economies and make them match fit," the former prime minister said. "We need a US-UK trade deal, not a US-UK tax deal. And we need a race to the top. We shouldn't be putting regulations on each other." Delivering the annual Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C, Ms Truss added: "We're in a situation where people in our societies appear to be questioning the very value of what we are while others are desperate to get in the country, and it's an extraordinary contradiction. "We need to get real about the threat from authoritarian regimes and their unwitting allies in the anti-growth movement in the West." It came as Rishi Sunak held bilateral talks with Joe Biden in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. 05:21 PM That's all for today Thanks for joining us on another eventful day in Westminster and beyond as Rishi Sunak held bilateral talks with Joe Biden to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak - Paul Faith/WPA Pool/Getty Images Across the Atlantic, meanwhile, Mr Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss repeated her criticisms of the "corporatist" establishment as she urged lower taxes, a tougher stance on China and a trade deal between the UK and the US. My colleague Jack Maidment will be back early tomorrow bringing you all the latest. 04:47 PM We can't treat China like other trade partners, says Truss Asked about Emmanuel Macron's visit to China, Liz Truss replied: "China is a totalitarian regime run by someone whose way of thinking is to impose their ideology on the world. The idea that we can treat China as just another global trade partner is wrong. Story continues "I don't agree at all with the visit by Ursula von der Leyen and Macron... I think it showed a divide in the West that doesn't exist. And I believe we should be much, much tougher [in] supporting Taiwan at this juncture." 04:37 PM Liz Truss urges a US-UK trade deal Liz Truss told the Heritage Foundation: "Maybe we should start talking about tax poverty, or a tax emergency. Maybe rather than a cost-of-living crisis, what we've actually got is a cost-of-Government cirsis. "We need to reduce the size of our economies and make them match fit. We need a US-UK trade deal, not a US-UK tax deal. And we need a race to the top. We shouldn't be putting regulations on each other. "I want the UK to adopt the technology restrictions on China the US and the Netherlands have as a starting point." However, Ms Truss insisted "hope is not lost" and hails the example of Margaret Thatcher as part of an "intellectual revival" in the 1980s. "I care too much to give up on this agenda. I think it's too important. And I know there are others who care too. I know there are people who care in the UK, I know there are people who care in the US and beyond. And over the coming months I'll be setting out ideas about how we together can take this battle forward... We need to get real about the threat from authoritarian regimes and their unwitting allies in the anti-growth movement in the West." 04:36 PM Truss hits out at identity politics Liz Truss attacked "identity politics... critical race theory, which says it's more important how you appear on the surface than what your talent and attributes are. Or the whole debate about 'what is a woman?', that completely subverts basic principles of science and biology". "These are all core beliefs that we have seen being undermined, and I'm afraid there hasn't been a sufficient fightback. What we don't see is we don't see enough people prepared to take the orthodoxy on. "We're in a situation where people in our societies appear to be questioning the very value of what we are while others are desperate to get in the country, and it's an extraordinary contradiction. So what can we do about all this? Because this isn't just a problem about our own society or our own countries. This is a problem for the future of the world that we need to deal with. "We need to be as organised and we need to be as fearless as our opponents, and first of all we need to be proud of our core values and we need to tell the story of freedom again. We need to challenge those who seek to cancel people, and we need to challenge those who subvert the law of biology, and there's only one thing we can do, which is speak out every time this happens. We need to be intolerant of intolerance." 04:30 PM Liz Truss: I 'tried to change low growth-world' Liz Truss said she "tried to change" the "low-growth world we're living in" while in No 10. "I'd spent many years in Government, I knew it'd be difficult, but I still didn't understand quite how hard. In my 10 years as a minister I've seen all kind of producer interest - whether it was the legal establishment, the education establishment, the environmental establishment, the agricultural establishment. All of these groups often don't want to see the status quo change." Ms Truss added she "simply underestimated the scale and depth" of resistance to growth, going on to argue this had reached into the media and "the wider establishment". "We need to be able to take on those who resist change and those who don't want change." 04:24 PM Liz Truss warns against 'vicious circle' of state spending Liz Truss continued: "I fear that our countries are becoming social democracies by the back door. And we've ended up in a culture where too many people and too many businesses expect a bailout. Now one of the core beliefs of Margaret Thatcher was the belief in responsibility. "It's the idea that it's down to you how you get on in life through your own ideas, through your own hard work, through your family, that's how you get on in life. But I think that notion has been eroded." Many people "didn't feel the full responsibility" for what they had done in the financial crisis, Ms Truss added, which she claimed had led to a culture of entitlement and led to further bailouts in Covid. "I've got a problem, I'll call the Government! My business is failing, I'll get on the phone and sort it out! My investment isn't doing very well, it's the Government's problem! I need to buy a house, I'll get help from the Government! But I can tell you as someone who's worked in government for many years, it's not sustainable, and it's not the way forward. "I don't think people quite understand how big the Government's got... Virtually half of every pound in Britain is now being spent by the state. It all makes the eras of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair look like some libertarian paradise and I really worry if we don't change course now that those figures are just going to get even worse... It becomes a vicious circle. And this has been aided and abetted by the central banks, pumping more money in and keeping that system going." 04:20 PM Truss: West has made it easier for Putin Liz Truss blamed the West for "making it easier" for Vladimir Putin by showing "weakness". "At the heart of that, our economies simply haven't been growing fast enough. We've seen low growth now for several decades and this is particularly acute in the United Kingdom. The symptoms that we're seeing are low growth, we're seeing high cost of living, and we're seeing real wages having declining value. "The disease is ever-marching government and we've got to ask ourselves, with our economies in the state they're in now, are we ready to take on China in the decades to come? The sad truth is what I think we've seen over the last few years is a new kind of economic model taking hold in our countries, one that's focused on redistributionism, on stagnation, and on the imbuing of woke culture into our businesses. "I call these people the anti-growth movement and they come in many shapes and sizes." Ms Truss attacked "socialists in environmental clothing" and an "ESG"culture, perpetrated by many in big corporations, where the focus is on hitting a diversity target or a social target, rather than actually generating money for the country". "And of course this model results in more taxes, it results in more subsidies and it results in more stagnation. I think we can see that in Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. "Another good example is the UK ban on fracking. That is despite the fact What we are now doing is we are buying gas from America, fracked gas, we are freezing it to minus 260 degrees farenheit, we're transporting it across the Atlantic Ocean, and then we're regassifying it in Britain. Now why on earth does that make economic or environmental sense? It simply doesn't." 04:16 PM Join Indo-Pacific trade pact, Truss urges US It is time to "put economic pressure on China before it is too late", Liz Truss has argued. Speaking at the Heritage Foundation, she described the CPTPP as a "bulwark against China" and urged the US to "reconsider" pulling out of the Indo-Pacific pact. "I urge our British Government and any future British Government never to allow China to join the CPTPP... [for the US] it'll be a fast route to a UK-US trade deal. What's not to like?" 04:13 PM Liz Truss: I don't agree with Macron at all Liz Truss asked: "Can you imagine what would happen if Vladimir Putin was successful in Ukraine? If he was successful at extinguishing a free democracy? What lesson would President Xi take from that? "He would take the lesson that he could act with impunity with respect to Taiwan. It would embolden him and it would embolden Russia to do more in Europe. It would be a direct economic threat to us in Europe and you on the other side of the Atlantic, whether it's the semiconductors that power so much of our hi-tech industry, whether it's the shipping routes that we need to keep global trade going. "What we can divide the world into is free democracies and autocracy, and that is the battle we're all fighting. And we can't just ignore the battle, the battle isn't going to go away. The battle is here and it is the battle of our generation. Our adversaries are very clear that they're working together and we're working together." Ms Truss added she was proud of the UK's response to Ukraine and warned against allowing a "domino effect", reiterating her call for Rishi Sunak's Government to supply Ukraine with fighter jets, and adding: "I believe we should fast-track Ukraine's membership of Nato. We should have done it years ago, but the best time to do it is now." She said it was "a mistake for western leaders to visit President Xi, and ask for him to intervene in seeking a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine... I believe that was a sign of weakness. It's also why it's wrong for President Macron to suggest that Taiwan is simply something not of direct interest to Europe. I don't agree with that at all. It is of direct interest to Europe, and I think we should be doing all we can to make sure Taiwan has the support it needs to defend itself." 04:08 PM 'Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction' Liz Truss quoted Ronald Reagan's famous line: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction." She added: "I'm afraid we are dangerously close to that point now. The fact is that people who hate freedom have been gaining ground. "We know that there are proportionally fewer people living in democracies now than there were when Mrs Thatcher left office. And we can see across the world our opponents and our adversaries acting with impunity, whether it's Vladimir Putin... or whether it's President Xi, and the buildup of armaments in China, and the menacing of the free and democratic Taiwan. "And all this time what we've seen is accommodation and appeasement by the West of these authoritarian regimes. We allowed China to join the World Trade Organisation on very favourable terms and they are still designated a developing country. "We saw Europe become dependent on Russian gas at the same time we were talking about climate change. And what I think those regimes saw is they saw our weakness. They saw our lack of belief in ourselves, and they weaponised that weakness, they weaponised that lack of belief and they stirred it up in those countries. That is despite the fact it is those core tenets, those core beliefs, that made the world prosperous in the first place. "Low taxes, limited government and private enterprise were what won the Cold War. I worry that we are now seeing this model strangled into stagnation." 04:04 PM Liz Truss: Why do we find ourselves on the defensive? Liz Truss is addressing an audience in Washington D.C. at the Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Heritage Foundation think-tank. Ms Truss said she was "hugely honoured" to be giving this year's Thatcher lecture 10 years after her death - "a very sad moment, but we know that her ideas live on". "It's almost a few years, well it's over 30 years, since the end of the Cold War. And I think we all remember how it felt at the time. The excitement we felt, the hope that we felt, that freedom and democracy had won... But we have to ask ourselves now, how do we feel now? "Do we feel freer? Do we feel that free enterprise has triumphed? Do we feel that we are able to say what we think in an open society? And I'm afraid the answer to all three of those questions is no. It was Anglo-American individualism that made the world prosperous... How is it after the triumph of those ideas that we now find ourselves on the defensive?" 03:58 PM Good afternoon Dominic Penna here, The Telegraph's Political Reporter, guiding you through the rest of today. In a few minutes Liz Truss, the former prime minister, will give a keynote speech as she delivers the Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Heritage Foundation think-tank in Washington D.C. I will be bringing you all the key updates from Ms Truss's address. 03:47 PM Hancock under investigation by Parliament's standards watchdog Former cabinet minister Matt Hancock is being investigated by Parliaments standards watchdog. The ex-health secretary is under investigation for allegedly putting pressure on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg as he considered a possible breach of the MPs code of conduct. Allies said he was shocked at the launch of the investigation by the Commons standards tsar, claiming it was a "misunderstanding". 03:19 PM Joe Biden arrives in Dublin Air Force One has just landed at Dublin Airport as Joe Biden continues his whistlestop tour of the island of Ireland. Mr Biden disembarked the famous aircraft and descended the stairs to the tarmac as the rain fell around him. Many waiting officials and politicians were holding black umbrellas aloft and Mr Biden was immediately greeted by Leo Varadkar, the Irish Taoiseach. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar greets US President Joe Biden after his arrival in Dublin this afternoon - Patrick Semansky/AP 03:14 PM Biden doesn't hate Britain, White House insists Joe Biden does not hate Britain, the White House has insisted after the DUP accused the US President of being anti-British. You can read the full story here. 03:01 PM Joe Biden 'told DUP leader he had not come to Northern Ireland to "interfere"' Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Joe Biden made clear during the conversation they had earlier today that he had not come to Northern Ireland to "interfere" in domestic politics. Speaking to Sky News, the leader of the DUP said: "Fundamentally he, in the conversation we had, recognised that it is for the leaders in Northern Ireland to make the decisions about our future, he is not here to interfere, he made that clear and to be honest he didn't seek to apply any pressure. "He recognises that it is the political leadership here that needs to take the decisions to move things forward." 02:44 PM 'I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running' Rishi Sunak said Joe Biden shares his desire for the DUP to accept his Brexit deal and return to powersharing arrangements at Stormont. The Prime Minister echoed the Presidents offer of huge US investment if there was stable devolved government in the region, which has unique dual access to the EU and UK markets though the Windsor Framework. Mr Sunak told broadcasters: "I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running. Thats what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. "We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland. We talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland." 02:42 PM Joe Biden boards Air Force One for trip to Dublin Joe Biden has now boarded Air Force One in Belfast, which will soon take off for Dublin. His motorcade passed onlookers gathered on the side of the motorway and the few neighbourhoods the President travelled through on his way to the airport. His son Hunter and sister Valerie Biden Owen boarded the plane before him. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also on the trip to the Republic, which will see Mr Biden address the Irish Parliament tomorrow and visit his ancestral hometowns. 02:39 PM Rishi Sunak did not attend Joe Biden speech Rishi Sunak was not in the audience at Ulster University to listen to Joe Biden's speech. Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, represented the Government and he insisted the Prime Minister's absence was not a "snub". He told reporters: "No, they had their bilateral this morning. The Prime Minister has got other private engagements that he has gone to." Joe Biden, the US President, is pictured delivering a speech at Ulster University in Belfast this afternoon - Kevin Lamarque /Reuters Told that it was a major address by a US president in a city where the Prime Minister was, Mr Heaton-Harris insisted Mr Sunaks private visits were a "perfectly legitimate thing to do". He added: "Actually the two of them get on really well, they meet each other all the time the relationship is great." 02:24 PM Biden visit 'doesn't change the political dynamic', says DUP leader DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland "doesn't change the political dynamic" around restoring powersharing at Stormont. Sir Jeffrey said Mr Biden "made clear" during their "brief" conversation that it is "not his job" to take decisions for political leaders in Northern Ireland, but the US stands ready to support the province in whatever way it can. Asked if the visit made any difference, he said: "It doesn't change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, we know what needs to happen. "We believe the Government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade within the UK internal market. Thats what needs to happen now to enable us to move towards the restoration of the political institution." Pressed on whether he interpreted Mr Biden's remarks as putting pressure on the DUP to return to powersharing, he said: "I didn't hear any of that from the President, in fairness. We are clear what needs to happen and that is Northern Irelands place within the UK needs to be respected." 02:21 PM Biden's words on powersharing 'will have made a difference', says Northern Ireland Secretary Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he believed Joe Biden's words "will have made a difference" to the political dynamic in Northern Ireland after the US President called for a return to powersharing at Stormont. Asked if the speech had "moved the needle", Mr Heaton-Harris said: "That is a difficult question. But I think his words were profound and will have made a difference, yeah. "Those words spoke to both communities across Northern Ireland in such a positive way, it proved through those words he knows what this place was like. "He knows what the benefits of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement over the last 25 years have brought, and he knows what the potential future could be like and he wants to help that shape in a really positive way. There is nothing not to like there." 02:07 PM SNP will challenge No10's ban on Sturgeon's gender reforms Humza Yousaf has decided to press ahead with court action to try and overturn the UK Government's veto of Nicola Sturgeon's self-ID gender reforms. Shirley-Anne Somerville, the SNP government's Social Justice Secretary, said a petition for judicial review would be lodged in the Scottish courts. You can read the full story here. 01:49 PM Pictured: Joe Biden poses for a photo with the actor James Martin Joe Biden poses for a photo with the actor James Martin, one of the stars of the Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye - Kelvin Boyes/PressEye 01:45 PM Analysis: Joe Biden was careful not to warn or threaten DUP over powersharing Joe Biden was careful not to warn or threaten the DUP as he called for a return to powersharing at Stormont, writes James Crisp, The Telegraph's Europe editor. He also joked about his English roots in what may have been an effort to reassure unionists who accuse him of wanting a united Ireland. But he also made clear there were huge economic benefits on offer, if Stormont was restored and the DUP accepts the new Brexit deal. The President also spoke passionately about the benefits of peace and the Good Friday Agreement, which created devolved government in Northern Ireland. 01:42 PM US President posed for selfies after concluding speech in Belfast President Joe Biden walked into the audience after concluding his speech at Ulster University, welcoming guests with handshakes and a warm smile. He could be seen chatting to attendees as he passed slowly through the crowd lingering in front of the stage. The US President also took selfies. Joe Biden poses with students for selfies following his speech at Ulster University - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters 01:21 PM Joe Biden speech snap analysis Joe Biden dangled the prospect of massive US investment into Northern Ireland in his speech, as he said the next 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement should be marked by economic growth and prosperity, writes James Crisp, the Telegraph's Europe editor. But he suggested that investment would only come if the DUP drops its year-long boycott of Stormont and returns to power-sharing in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The unionists have refused to do that, despite Rishi Sunak negotiating a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland with the EU. Joe Biden, the US President, delivers a speech at Ulster University in Belfast this afternoon - Chris J. Ratcliffe /Bloomberg Foreign investment in the UKs poorest region is far less likely without a stable devolved government in place. The US is the largest foreign investor in Northern Ireland, which has unique dual access to both the UK and EU market thanks to the Windsor Framework agreement. Mr Biden offered the prospect of a brighter and richer future for Northern Ireland as a reward if the DUP backs down, accepts the Brexit deal and returns to Stormont. 01:19 PM 'It matters to us, to Americans, and to me personally' Joe Biden concluded his speech by saying: "Today I come to Belfast to pledge to all the people of Northern Ireland, the United States of America will continue to be your partner in building the future the young people of our world deserve. "It matters to us, to Americans, and to me personally." 01:14 PM Joe Biden: Return of powersharing would 'draw even greater opportunity' to Northern Ireland Joe Biden said that Brexit had resulted in "complex challenges" in Northern Ireland but he believed the Windsor Framework was an "essential step" forward which will help to "preserve and strengthen" the Good Friday Agreement. The US President said the "stability and predictability" provided by Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal will pave the way for "significant investment" in Northern Ireland. Turning to powersharing at Stormont, Mr Biden said he believed "democratic institutions... remain criticial for the future of Northern Ireland". The US President said that "effective devolved government... is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region". He added: "I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. That is a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens." 01:07 PM 'Scores' of US companies want to invest in Northern Ireland, says Biden Joe Biden said that since the Good Friday Agreement was signed 25 years ago the size of the Northern Ireland economy had doubled. He predicted that if things continue to head in the right direction then he believes the size of the economy could "more than triple" in the years ahead. The US President said there are literally "scores" of American companies which want to invest in Northern Ireland. 01:05 PM Joe Biden: Preserving peace in Northern Ireland a 'priority' for US Joe Biden told the audience at Ulster University that "there is a large population [in the US] that is invested in what happens here, that cares about what happens here". The US President said preserving peace and protecting the Good Friday Agreement is a "priority for Democrats and Republicans alike and that is unusual today because we have been very divided". He added: "Your history is our history. Your future is America's future." 01:02 PM 'At least that part is consistent' Joe Biden said the UK ambassador to the US used to kid him that he was English, despite his regular references to his Irish ancestors. He said Captain George Biden wrote the rules of mutiny for the British Navy. "At least that part is consistent," he joked. 01:00 PM US President: There were 'no guarantees' Good Friday Agreement 'would hold' Joe Biden said that it was "good to see Belfast, a city that is alive with commerce, with art and I would argue, inspiration". He said that where there used to be barbed wire in the city centre there is now a "cathedral of learning", referring to the new Ulster University building. The US President said that when the Good Friday Agreement was agreed 25 years ago there were "no guarantees that the deal on paper would hold". 12:56 PM Joe Biden begins speech at Ulster University Joe Biden is now on his feet at Ulster University. The US President said that he believed that the glass building he is speaking in would not have been able to exist the last time he was in Northern Ireland. "I don't think it would have stood up very well," Mr Biden told the audience. The US President received a standing ovation from the crowd when he arrived on stage. 12:55 PM US-UK relationship in 'great shape', says Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak has described the UKs relationship with the US as being "in great shape", describing them as "very close partners and allies", following his meeting with Joe Biden in Belfast. Mr Sunak said they discussed economic investment in Northern Ireland as well as foreign policy issues. "That comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US, Im seeing him again next month at the G7 and then Im going to Washington in June; were very close partners and allies, we co-operate on a range of things, whether thats supporting Ukraine or economic security," he said. "I think actually the relationship is in great shape, and the President and I have lots that were working on together." 12:53 PM Rishi Sunak: 'Pleasure' to welcome Joe Biden to Belfast A pleasure to welcome @POTUS to Belfast, 25 years on from the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. The Agreement has transformed Northern Ireland into the thriving place we see today. My focus is on building a better future for people here and right across the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/4YySQg0m9V Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 12, 2023 12:41 PM Belfast audience waits patiently for arrival of Joe Biden Onlookers are lining the balconies overlooking the modest stage where the US President is due to deliver a keynote speech at Ulster University this afternoon, writes Amy Gibbons. The floor is also full of guests including Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris. The audience has just heard from the university's vice-chancellor Paul Bartholomew. Those eagerly watching from the balconies above returned a whoop when they received a shout out from Joe Kennedy, the US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Cameras and journalists are crowded at the back of the room as they await the arrival of Joe Biden. 12:37 PM US President has now met with Northern Ireland political leaders US President Joe Biden has now met with the leaders of the five largest political parties in Northern Ireland after arriving at the Ulster University campus in Belfast. Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle ONeill, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance leader Naomi Long, UUP leader Doug Beattie and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood each met with the President briefly. Mr Biden is due to deliver an address at the universitys new 350 million campus at about 1pm. 12:31 PM Joe Biden's great-grandfather was from West Sussex Joe Biden makes much of his Irish roots, which has fuelled DUP accusations that he hates Britain, writes James Crisp, The Telegraph's Europe editor. Ten of Mr Bidens 16 great great grandparents came from Ireland, where he is guaranteed a rapturous homecoming welcome after he leaves Northern Ireland later today. But the US President is far less talkative about his English ancestry. William Biden, the Presidents third great-grandfather, came from Westbourne, a small village in West Sussex, according to records from 1820. 12:17 PM Biden meets with Northern Ireland political leaders The leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties have now gone to their meeting with Joe Biden before the US President gives his speech at Ulster University at 1pm. 12:08 PM Liz Truss to warn Margaret Thatchers economic legacy is being strangled into stagnation Liz Truss is due to deliver a big speech in Washington DC this afternoon, getting underway at about 4pm UK time. The former prime minister will use the address to warn that Margaret Thatchers economic legacy is being "strangled into stagnation". Ms Truss will criticise high taxes, big government and authoritarian regimes in a speech hosted by a US think tank. She will also launch an attack on "woke culture" taking over institutions and question whether Western nations are still "match-fit to take on China". You can read the full story on what Ms Truss is expected to say here. 11:42 AM 'We are aware of a security breach' Northern Ireland police are investigating a suspected security breach in the operation around Joe Bidens visit, the BBC reports. A member of the public said he discovered what police think is a copy of an "operational order", which includes information on officer deployment around Belfast for the visit. The police said: "We are aware of a security breach. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer. "We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place." 11:38 AM Joe Biden tells reporters he is 'here to listen' at start of meeting with Rishi Sunak The US President told reporters he was "here to listen" as he met Rishi Sunak at a hotel in central Belfast this morning. Joe Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters at the start of the meeting, including whether he had a message for Northern Irish political parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. Mr Biden, meeting the Prime Minister on the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel, said: "Heck of a view out there." Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak hold talks in Belfast this morning - Patrick Semansky /AP 11:26 AM Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden hold talks in Belfast Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak are now holding talks in Belfast. The US President and the Prime Minister were all smiles as they started their meeting, with each having a cup of tea on the table in front of them. Broadcast cameras were present for the initial interaction between the pair before being escorted away. 11:13 AM Crowds gather in Belfast ahead of Biden speech Crowds have begun to gather in Belfast city centre before Joe Bidens speech at Ulster University, writes James Crisp, The Telegraph's Europe Editor. Mr Biden is holding talks with Rishi Sunak before the historic address. He will also meet leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties. Guests arriving at Ulster University are undergoing tight airport-style security. IDs are being checked and all bags going through scanners as people enter the campus before the 1pm speech. Firearms officers with sniper rifles have taken up positions on the rooftops of the university. Mr Biden arrived on a rainy Tuesday night but the weather today is bright and sunny. 11:10 AM Joe Biden: 'Great to be back' in Northern Ireland Hello, Northern Ireland! It's so great to be back. pic.twitter.com/A4PjLONoic President Biden (@POTUS) April 12, 2023 10:42 AM US President to say next 25 years in Northern Ireland 'should be marked by economic growth and prosperity' Joe Biden will say the next 25 years in Northern Ireland should be marked by "economic growth and prosperity" when he delivers a speech in Belfast at lunchtime, the White House has suggested. The US President will address a mixture of young entrepreneurs, business leaders, and representatives of the UK Government at Ulster University. Amanda Sloat, the National Security Council senior director for Europe, told reporters ahead of the speech: "I expect the President will talk about how the last 25 years were focused on peace, but the next 25 years should be marked by economic growth and prosperity." 10:38 AM Biden to tell Northern Ireland political leaders that voters 'deserve' powersharing government Joe Biden will today reaffirm his belief that the people of Northern Ireland "deserve to have a democratically elected powersharing" government at Stormont, the White House has said. The US President is set to meet with the five largest political parties in Northern Ireland later during his visit to the Ulster University campus in Belfast. He will meet with the party leaders, but it is not expected to be a formal sit-down group meeting. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, was asked what the Presidents strategy will be to encourage the DUP to end its boycott of powersharing arrangements. She said: "The main message of the President to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, and obviously pillar one and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the President's message as he said on St Patricks Day and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically elected powersharing representative governance." 10:29 AM Biden and Sunak not expected to discuss trade deal during Belfast talks Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak are not expected to discuss a free trade agreement between the US and the UK during their meeting in Northern Ireland this morning, the White House has indicated. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, said the focus of the meeting will be Northern Ireland, as well as touching on the war in Ukraine. She said: "I dont anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that thats where theyre meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues." 10:06 AM White House rejects DUP's claim that Joe Biden is 'anti-British' The White House has insisted it is "simply untrue" that Joe Biden is anti-British and hates the UK, writes Amy Gibbons, The Telegraph's political correspondent. Amanda Sloat, the National Security Council senior director for Europe, stressed the UK is one of the US's strongest and closest allies. She also said the people of Northern Ireland can decide for themselves whether to back Irish reunification when asked if the President was in favour of a united Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement allows reunification referendums to be held on both sides of the border if it seems likely a majority of Northern Irish people back the move. Asked during a briefing with reporters if Mr Biden was in favour of Irish reunification, as unionists believe he is, Ms Sloat said: "The president is a strong supporter of the Good Friday Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement includes mechanisms by which the people of Northern Ireland can make that decision for themselves." Responding to DUP accusations (see the post below at 08.10), she later stressed Mr Biden's track record showed he was not "anti-British". 10:00 AM Rishi Sunak presents Points of Light award during visit to Belfast Rishi Sunak has personally presented a six-year-old boy who is awaiting a heart transplant with an award recognising his "outstanding" contribution to his community. The presentation to Daithi Mac Gabhann is one of the Prime Ministers engagements coinciding with US President Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland. Rishi Sunak presents six-year-old Daithi Mac Gabhann, who is awaiting a heart transplant, with an award recognising "outstanding volunteers" for his contribution to his community - Niall Carson/PA A new organ donation law for Northern Ireland is named in honour of the Belfast boy in recognition of his and his familys campaign for law changes. Mr Sunak met Daithi and his family as part of the Prime Ministers daily Points of Light award. 09:55 AM 'Keir Starmer is not a nasty man by any measure' Jonathan Reynolds defended the Labour Party's controversial new attack adverts which take aim at Rishi Sunak (you can read the original story on the adverts here) as he said Sir Keir Starmer is "not a nasty man by any measure". The shadow business secretary told Sky News this morning: "Keir Starmer is not a nasty man by any measure but he is someone who believes it is fair to hold the Government to account. "I think after 13 years of Conservative government, they have been in power now the same length as the last Labour government, it is reasonable to do so." Mr Reynolds said that Labour is "not going to shy away from holding the Government to account because we think it is fair and reasonable to do that as well, at the same time as putting forward out more positive offer". 09:39 AM Labour: US has 'role to play' in restoring powersharing at Stormont Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, said Joe Biden and the United States of America have a "role to play" in the efforts to restore powersharing arrangements at Stormont. Mr Reynolds said today's intervention by the US President as he visits Belfast is "not something anybody should feel uncomfortable with". He told Sky News: "All of us, I think, would want a situation where that [Stormont] ran smoothly. That is not what the history of Northern Ireland has been and it is not the contemporary political situation and the United States has been a part of this process, it has as a nation invested time, political time, and effort in the process. "It has a role to play and if any of our friends and allies can assist in getting Northern Ireland back into that powersharing position, I think we should welcome that so I think the intention, the focus, from President Biden today is not something anybody should feel uncomfortable with or not want to see happen. "We need to use everything we can to make sure we can continue the tremendous progress Northern Ireland has made." 09:16 AM Watch: Joe Biden is greeted by Rishi Sunak after arriving in Belfast last night 08:45 AM US-UK trade deal talks won't start until 2025 at the earliest Negotiations for a US-UK free trade deal are unlikely to restart until 2025 at the earliest, nine years after the Brexit vote at the EU referendum. Joe Biden, the US President, called off talks that had been taking place under Donald Trump when he took office, putting the prospect of any agreement on ice. Rishi Sunak is now targeting smaller deals, such as on specific sectors or with individual US states, instead of an overarching agreement with America. A White House spokesman confirmed on the eve of Mr Bidens trip to Northern Ireland this week that there were no "active" negotiations happening about a trade deal. A UK government insider close to trade policy told The Telegraph that talks are unlikely to start again until at least early 2025, when a new US president could be in place. You can read the full story here. 08:31 AM Joe Biden's itinerary for today This is what Joe Biden's day is scheduled to look like: Mid-morning: The US President will meet with Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, for formal bilateral talks in Belfast. Lunchtime: Mr Biden will deliver a speech at Ulster University as he marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He is due to speak with the leaders of the main political parties in Northern Ireland before the address. Early-afternoon: The US President will leave Belfast to travel to Dublin. He will then travel on to County Louth - an area to which he has traced his ancestral roots - for a tour of Carlingford Castle. Later he will spend the night in Dublin. Joe Biden, the US President, disembarks Air Force One after his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, last night - Kevin Lamarque /Reuters 08:19 AM DUP MP: Rishi Sunak 'bowed to US pressure' when agreeing Windsor Framework Rishi Sunak "bowed to pressure" from the US when he agreed his Windsor Framework Brexit deal with the EU, a DUP MP has claimed. Sammy Wilson, the party's chief whip at Westminster, said the UK Government had been "spineless" in its approach to resolving issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol. Referring to problems with the Windsor Framework, Mr Wilson said: "This is of course the result of a Prime Minister who claimed to be a Conservative and Unionist Prime Minister, bowing to pressure from, partly at least anyhow, bowing to pressure from the Americans. "And Joe Biden has played his part in that and he has to accept the responsibility which he has in the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement not working today and also in the political stability in Northern Ireland being impacted by foreign interference from the EU, backed by foreign interference by the American government and unfortunately responded to by a spineless government at Westminster." 08:10 AM 'He has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British' Sammy Wilson questioned whether Joe Biden could have a positive impact on resolving the impasse on restarting powersharing at Stormont. The DUP MP claimed the US President "has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British" and that Mr Biden will be viewed by many in Northern Ireland as "extremely partisan". He told TalkTV: "He has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British as well of course as we saw the sides he took during the debates on Brexit and on the Northern Ireland Protocol and trying to force the UK to fit into the EU mould. "So I am not too sure what influence he is going to have on unionists in Northern Ireland. Certainly Republicans will love the fact that he has visited here but I suppose this is more about Joe Biden, his re-election attempts and appealing to the Irish vote in America." 08:06 AM DUP tells Joe Biden not to 'lecture us about democracy' during visit to Belfast Sammy Wilson, a DUP MP and the party's chief whip at Westminster, has told Joe Biden not to "lecture us about democracy" as the US President visits Belfast today and attempts to boost efforts to restore powersharing at Stormont. The leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties are expected to have the chance to speak to Mr Biden before he delivers a speech at Ulster University at lunchtime. Asked if there was any chance of Stormont being back up and running before the local elections next month, Mr Wilson told TalkTV: "First of all I hope that he doesnt come here and lecture us about democracy and getting the Stormont assembly going. "He wouldnt accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments and I dont think he should expect us to respond to that either. "I dont see any prospect if the Government is not prepared to undo the damage which the framework has done." The DUP has said it will not return to powersharing arrangements until its concerns about post-Brexit border rules in Northern Ireland have been addressed. Former President Donald Trump has gained more support for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination from South Carolina Republican voters than former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott in their home state, a Winthrop University poll released Wednesday shows. Trump was the top pick among 41 percent of respondents. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has yet to declare his candidacy, though he is widely expected to came in second with 20 percent and Haley came in third with 18 percent. Seven percent of respondents support a presidential nomination for Scott. The South Carolina senator has not announced that hes running for the GOP ticket in 2024, but he officially launched his presidential exploratory committee Wednesday. The poll comes as Trump is the first former president to ever be criminally charged for his alleged role in a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Still, Republicans overall believe Trump is being unfairly targeted, according to pre-indictment poll numbers. Five percent of respondents support former Vice President Mike Pence, 2 percent support former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and 1 percent support New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Winthrop University polled 1,657 adults in South Carolina, which included 485 Republicans who are registered to vote. The margin of error of the poll was plus or minus 2.41 percentage points and plus or minus 4.45 percentage points among Republican voters. The artful bowls of porridge topped with savory jams, pickled goods and vinegars at Porridge + Puffs are back this month with a new chef and new focus on market and pantry goods. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) Porridge + Puffs With brimming bowls of porridge, colorful jams, jammy eggs, fresh herbs and dazzling garnishes, Porridge + Puffs helped to invigorate the way L.A. eats and after a few years of pandemic-spurred closure, Minh Phans Historic Filipinotown restaurant is back. Phans restaurant reimagined the culturally ubiquitous and beloved rice porridge, topping her bowls of long-simmered Koda Farms grains with vibrant pickles, jams, microgreens and flower petals to delight diners. In 2014, while the concept ran as a pop-up, Jonathan Gold called Phans cooking as dazzling in its complexity as anything coming out of the most famous kitchens in town. In 2018 she launched Porridge + Puffs as a restaurant in Historic Filipinotown, but in 2021, after more than a year of weathering the pandemic, it closed. The highly driven chef, self-described as a perfectionist, pivoted to open Phenakite, the intricate, fine-dining, outdoor-only restaurant that went on to be named the 2021 L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year . Phan always planned to reopen her cozy porridge-based restaurant, but it wasnt until she found a new chef and a renewed calling to provide a more accessible option that she realized it was time. That's where my heart was, so I did it. I continue to love Phenakite, but it also feels really shameful to not have a community space where you can eat affordably, Phan said. There was always a pain in me at Phenakite that people can't get in all the time because there's always a wait. It feels weird for me to have a huge reservation list. Cost, she said, is also a concern. At Porridge + Puffs, everything costs less than $20. Chef Minh Phan took time away from Porridge + Puffs to open her fine-dining, outdoor concept Phenakite during the pandemic. This month, she reopened her genre-bending neighborhood restaurant. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) At Phenakite, Phan can be controlling and expressive in her execution to her hearts content. At Porridge + Puffs, she said she's been learning to find tranquility in relinquishing some of that control and allowing her staff to take the reins. She found the ability to trust her concept in the hands of another chef with Eleanor Hurtt, former sous chef of Cassia turned Porridge's chef. Story continues The recipes remain Phans, though Hurtts interpretations are different: a bit more European, in Phans words, and fewer pickles, in Hurtts. Phan found that her team was right in playing with the founders highly specific recipes and the ones fans might recall: Though similar, theyre slightly different and, Phan said, in some ways better. Its helped her to see the restaurant and her role in a new light. This food should hit your soul and your comfort, she said. It shouldnt just be my personal expression, and that was like a big, big wake-up call for me. Hurtt hopes to add a few new items and flesh out the pastry offerings beyond the restaurants now-iconic brown-butter mochi cakes, while adding drinks for the warm months ahead. The reopening also marks a larger focus on prepared foods such as refrigerated quarts of porridge and bottles of seasonal shrubs. Hurtt says that as the to-go pantry and market expands, they can begin marketing to those especially in need of high-quality, comforting meals, such as hospitals and new mothers. It's just still wanting to care for the community, Hurtt said, and lovingly you can do that through food. Porridge + Puffs is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 2801 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, porridgeandpuffs.com Bombo A new Mexican restaurant has opened in one of West Hollywoods most recognizable nightlife spaces: With a focus on upscale, modern Mexican cuisine inspired by a number of regions, Bombo replaced long-running E.P. this month. E.P. & L.P., from Botanical Hospitality Group, opened in 2015 as a split concept: The main dining room, E.P., offered dinner and brunch on the middle floor, while L.P., on the roof, focused on cocktails and, later, sprouted a cinema pop-up called Melrose Rooftop Theatre. The building will maintain its E.P. & L.P. name with rooftop bar L.P. and the theater still in operation but gone are E.P.s offerings, which throughout the years included Southeast Asian curries, five-spice ribs, pastas and fried crab buns. At Bombo, new executive chef Samantha Quintero (a Chopped winner and a Night + Market Sahm vet) is focusing on Latin flavors such as chile poblano croquettes, agave-glazed octopus skewers, lamb al pastor with herbed creme fraiche, and fish tacos featuring a coconut batter. There are aguachiles, tacos, tostadas and larger-format plates, as well as frozen margaritas and a cocktail list from the restaurant groups lead mixologist, Milosz Cieslak, that spotlights agave spirits. Bombo is open 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, with daily operations to follow. 603 N. Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 855-9955, bombolosangeles.com La Morra Valley Glen Some of L.A.s best pizza has a new home in the Valley. La Morra, the Neapolitan-leaning operation from Zach Swemle and Marlee Blodgett, is headed to North Hollywood with a to-go-only location that opens April 14. Characterized by a bubbly, just-blistered crust and toppings such as raclette, burrata, fennel sausage, kale and house-made hot honey, La Morras pizzas are spectacular and some of the finest in L.A., according to L.A. Times Food critic Bill Addison. The new location is set to offer La Morras signature pies, along with a new build-your-own option, plus salads, wings and other sides; an expanded menu with more vegan options, desserts and collaborations will launch after the opening. The couples former mobile pizza oven grew to a walk-up window on West Third Street in late 2020 but closed the following year, with the business focusing instead on events and a burgeoning frozen pizza line. This week Blodgett and Swemle return with their operation run out of a commercial kitchen offering takeout and delivery to Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood, Studio City, Encino, Toluca Lake, Bel-Air, Laurel Canyon, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Burbank, Beachwood Canyon and Tarzana, with more neighborhoods to follow. La Morras new outpost in Valley Glen will be open 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. 7333 Fulton Ave., North Hollywood, lamorrapizzeria.com The classic margherita pizza will appear on the menu of La Morra's new to-go location, along with a new build-your-own format. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Dear Johns Dear Johns Culver Citys steakhouse and red-sauce joint, reborn could close next month. The lauded project from Hans and Patti Rockenwagner and Josiah Citrin reprised the 1960s restaurant and former Sinatra hangout with hallmarks of throwback dining such as tuxedoed servers, heavy martini pours and tableside preparations, but it was always planned as a temporary concept. The restaurateurs initially planned to close Dear Johns in spring of 2021, its expiration date timed to the buildings demolition, but renegotiated extensions on their lease into 2023 . They have been unable to pen a deal that would allow the restaurant to operate beyond May 31. We wish we had better news, but we have not yet come to terms for an extension of our lease at Dear Johns, according to the restaurant's newsletter and social media. We will keep you posted and hope to see you before its over. Due to the ongoing negotiations, co-owner Patti Rockenwagner declined to comment beyond the fact that they hope the restaurant can continue to operate in the storied space. 11208 Culver Blvd., Culver City, (310) 881-9288, dearjohnsbar.com Tacos 1986 Santa Monica Now with seven bricks-and-mortar locations across the L.A. region, Tacos 1986 is open in the former Taco Libre space in Santa Monica. The popular Tijuana-style taco operation from founders Jorge Joy Alvarez-Tostado and Victor Delgado began in 2018 as a street cart, then a stall at Smorgasburg L.A. (where it can still be found on Sundays). It will continue to serve its signature adobada, carne asada, pollo asada and mushroom tacos, vampiros, quesadillas and mulitas at the newest outpost in addition to a new item, a burrito. Tacos 1986 is open in Santa Monica from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 135 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, tacos1986.com Tacos 1986 now serves its carne asada quesadillas along with adobada, chicken and mushroom tacos, mulitas and vampiros in Santa Monica. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) Raw Wine One of the worlds largest events dedicated to natural wine returns to Los Angeles this month, bringing two days of tastings and talks to City Market Social House. Roughly 80 vintners from Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Lebanon, Georgia, Germany, the U.S. and beyond will be pouring their wares, all made using little to no chemical intervention. Discussion panels led by industry vets include the natural wines of Mexico; Oaxacas single-batch agave spirits; and Californias wine history and beyond seen through the lens of Rancho Cucamongas wine revolution. Raw Wine runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 23 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 24. Tickets cost $70 per day or $110 for both days. 1145 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, rawwine.com This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. After months of debate and revisions, the Town of Port Royal is on the verge of voting on tree ordinance that would impose the highest financial penalties in South Carolina for taking down specimen and landmark trees. The proposed mitigation cost for removing a specimen tree would increase from $50 to $500 per inch and $100 to $750 per inch for a landmark tree. That translates to an $8,000 mitigation fee to remove a single 16-inch specimen live oak (16 inches x $500.00/inch), and $22,500 to cut down a 30-inch landmark live oak (30 inches x $750.00/inch). Im not aware of any municipality that will have mitigation costs remotely close to what we have, Town Manager Van Willis said. South Carolina has firm private property rights, and no municipality would attempt to ban the removal of trees, Willis said. Instead, communities use design parameters, waivers, and mitigation and tree replacement costs that discourage tree removal. The new Port Royal ordinance is a recognition of the high value residents place on the towns iconic trees, Willis said. It encourages builders to accommodate trees, making them front and center when projects are designed, versus paying significant mitigation fees, Willis said. The Town Council was expected to take a final vote Wednesday night on an ordinance to repeal and replace the tree chapter in its ordinance code with the new requirements. The cost of the proposed mitigation fees that will be charged if developers receive a waiver to cut them down has been a big discussion point, with some arguing the fees are too high and others not high enough. We have an obligation to protect our culture and what we envision for Port Royal and not allow someone else to come in and dictate it and build a metropolis that they envision Port Royal to be, Councilman Darryl Owens said. The fines go too far in the view of Whit Suber, a Port Royal real estate developer. Its just such a punitive measure, said Suber, who paid $450,000 for a property he is planning to develop, which would be subject to the new rules. Its easy to come up with fines that are $20,000 and $30,000 per tree. Thats the kind of fines that are not even leveled against criminals. Story continues Suber also takes issue with certain species that fall within the protected class of trees including water oaks and sweet gums, which he notes are not treasured trees in the Lowcountry. The ordinance, he says, will affect not only developers but anybody who owns a residential lot and wants to remove trees to build a garage or a house. Talk of toughening up the ordinance first started in July when a property owner sparked an uproar among residents by preparing to remove two large live oak trees as part of a small infill development on 12th Street. The Town Council has been tweaking specifics of the ordinance since December. As the ordinance is written now, commercial developers would be excluded from the higher mitigation fees. That exclusion arose out of concern about how the fees would impact commercial development thats expect to follow improvements to Ribaut Road. Commercial projects still would be subject to tree small mitigation fees as well protection rules in the overall ordinance, Willis said. Another change from the original proposal is that Town Council would not hear requests from property owners to remove trees. That would fall to the Design Review Board. I really think its going to be worth it, said Kevin Phillips, a member of the council, of the tree ordinance changes. Mayor Joe DeVito agreed with a previous proposal to increase the fees to $250 per inch for the specimen trees and $500 per inch for landmark trees. Specimen trees are valuable due to their age and potential to reach landmark size. Landmark trees are the most mature and valuable in the urban canopy. For a live oak tree, a specimen is a tree with a width or diameter of 12 inches. A live oak landmark is at least 24 inches in diameter. But DeVito acknowledged that he is struggling with the proposed fees of $500 per inch and $750 per inch. I feel like government is doing what government normally does and swung the pendulum way too far, DeVito said. The town, he says, wants tract builders to save every tree but hes also worried that the higher mitigation fees will scare away investment, including potential buyers looking to build a single family home on a nice lot. But when they read this, Im concerned they are going to immediately going to walk away and say, Im not going to spend $100,000, $200,000 investing in the property because theres no way I can pay these fees, DeVito said. If one developer walks away, Owens said, somebody else will get in line. And good builders, Councilwoman Mary Beth Heyward predicted, will abide by the ordinance. I truly believe we need to start on the high end, Heyward said of the proposed mitigation fees. Were not going to know until we do it. Other municipalities are closely watching what Port Royal does regarding its tree ordinance, Heyward said. The town has made a good compromise with the proposed fees of $500 per inch and $750 per inch, Councilman Jerry Ashmore said. Some residents called for higher fees. Ashmore said he recently spoke with a home building association that supports the town strengthening its tree ordinance. And every resident he has spoken to about it supports the ordinance change, Ashmore said. Outside consultants have weighed in on the issue, he said, but we have to live here. The ordinance places a priority on the retention of existing specimen and landmark trees, and no landmark tree may be removed except if the developer has no design options and receives a waiver from the town. The ordinance also includes canopy requirements and specifies what trees can be used as replacements if trees need to be removed. Trees that are removed have to be replaced at the rate of one tree for every five tree inches removed. Protected trees that are removed without a waiver will result in a two-year deferral of the development and a five-year deferral if work is done without an approved forestry management plan. Whats next The Port Royal Town Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at 700 Paris Ave. The Investigative arm of the U.S. Postal Service is offering a $50,000 reward for help that would lead to the arrest of a robbery suspect in North Highlands. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said a man robbed a mail carrier of his keys and cellphone around 1:10 p.m. March 27 on Oberon Avenue in North Highlands. Matt Norfleet, a spokesperson for the postal inspectors, said that the keys belonged to the U.S. Postal Service and were stolen for no other reason than for the suspect to return with the intent to steal peoples mail. He said the suspect brandished a gun to coerce the carrier to hand over the belongings. It is outrageous and unacceptable, he said. A mail carriers job is hard enough as it is. The suspect fled east on foot, according to Sacramento Valley CrimeStoppers. A CrimeStoppers post said witnesses saw the suspect enter the passenger side of a white, four-door Toyota Corolla to escape. U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents are searching for a man wanted in connection with the March 27, 2023, robbery of a postal carrier. The robber took the carriers cellphone and keys along Oberon Avenue in North Highlands. Sacramento Valley CrimeStoppers CrimeStoppers said the carrier described the suspect as a 5-foot-6 male adult wearing a black hoodie, black pants and black-and-white Air Jordan shoes and noticed them roughly 15 to 30 minutes prior to the robbery walking on nearby Harrison Street. A witness said the car was seen in the area prior to the robbery, according to CrimeStoppers. Norfleet said similar crimes have occurred where the suspects follow carriers prior to robbing them. Often, the crimes will have two suspects involved. Anyone with information is asked to contact postal inspectors at uspis.gov/report or 877-876-2455 using the case No. 4003172. "You'd know there's Irish roots in him because he's good craic like." That's one Irishman's take on US President Joe Biden, and he would know, being related to him. Back in 2016, the White House called the Irish Family History Centre, asking it to trace Mr Biden's ancestry ahead of an upcoming visit. After weeks of searching parish records and land registers it compiled a list of his closest living relatives - many of who knew nothing of the connection. Enter the Blewitts of Ballina, County Mayo, and the Finnegans of Carlingford, County Louth. And both visits to both counties feature on the US presidents whistle-stop itinerary of Ireland and his cousins cannot wait to see him back to cement the connections made during his visit in 2016. Proud of his Irish heritage, President Biden said he was brought up on stories of the "faith and fortitude" of his relatives that left Ireland. "I grew up in a household where my grandfather and grandmother Finnegan, all my mother's brothers and my father told us about the courage and commitment it took for our relatives to emigrate from Ireland - in the midst of tragedy - to distant shores where they didn't know what awaited them," he told RTE in 2016. The Blewitt family are linked to president Biden through his great-great-grandfather Patrick. Biden's Irish family tree The family were aware of their connection to the US politician for decades, and met Mr Biden in 2016 and he made a second visit to Mayo at their invitation in 2017. According to Joe Blewitt, it was during this trip that he told his Irish cousins he would one day return to Ballina "as president". "Of course I knew it was true. "He's been in politics all his life - that man was bound to be president so I'm absolutely delighted," Mr Blewitt told BBC News NI. The Blewitts have visited the White House several times, most recently last month for St Patrick's Day. "It was a surreal, very special day for us... It's just one of those days when [it] goes too fast," Mr Blewitt said. Story continues He speaks fondly of the president, describing his distant cousin as a down-to-earth, genuine character with a quick wit. "He loves jokes... You'd know there's Irish roots in him because he's good craic like." True to his word, Mr Biden is set deliver a speech to the people of Ballina this Friday. "We're all happy to see him... It's great for the country, it really just tightens the close bond between America and Ireland," Mr Blewitt added. Mr Biden's public address will take place outside St Muredach's Cathedral which was constructed using bricks sold by Edward Blewitt in 1828 - 27,000 of them earned him 21 and 12 shillings. It was this money that afforded the family of 10 to eventually set sail to New York on the SS Excelsior in 1851. Mr Biden's great-great-great grandfather sold bricks used to build St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina Electric atmosphere About 250km (155 miles) to the east of Ballina in County Louth, the president will link up with Finnegan side of the family tree. Owen Finnegan emigrated to the US in 1849. His family followed a year later and settled in Seneca, New York, with their namesake eventually being passed on to the president's own descendants - one of his grand-daughters is named Finnegan Biden. Fianna Fail councillor for the area Andrea McKevitt told BBC News NI that "the atmosphere is electric" across the Cooley peninsula as residents prepare to welcome Mr Biden with a sea of stars and stripes. Ms McKevitt is a distant cousin, related through the president's great-great-grandfather Owen. Andrea McKevitt's family were oblivious to the connection until 2016 when White House officials contacted her uncle to break the news. "I think at the beginning he thought somebody was joking but then when we had paperwork and started looking into it, it proved to be true indeed," she said. Ms McKevitt was also in attendance at this year's St Patrick's Day celebration at the White House, something she described as a "pinch-me moment". "It was a family event," she joked. "It wasn't until it was over I thought: 'Oh my God, I can't believe that's just happened.' "You're living in a dream nearly for the whole day waiting to go in and when you finally got there it was just amazing." And through the Finnegans there's a Kearney connection with President Biden's fifth cousin once removed getting an invitation to the White House last month. Former Ireland international rugby player Rob Kearney was singled out of the crowd, just a day before Ireland best England to with the Six Nation's Grand Slam, with the president nailing his colours to the mast. Thank you @potus Big day ahead and great to have your support. #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/R4PKoAUxcW Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 17, 2023 It's expected Mr Biden's engagements in Louth will be on a smaller scale than those on the opposite side of the country in Mayo, but Ms McKevitt insists there is no rivalry between the two counties. "We're happy to let Mayo run with the big public address. Here in Dundalk we had President Clinton address us in 1998, so we can't get all the limelight," she said. With the president's visit timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Ms McKevitt said it sends a "really strong, important message" to the people of Ireland. "There was a deal made 25 years ago. It's time for us to keep moving and getting on to the next stage of the peace process," she said. "Hopefully his hand of wisdom and hand of friendship can ensure that more work continues to be done so peace remains on this island." Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father King Charles III without Meghan Markle. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duke of Sussex will be at the ceremony being held at Londons Westminster Abbey on May 6. "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th," the palace shared. "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didnt immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry will be attending King Charles' coronation solo. While there are three days of events surrounding the coronation, the 38-year-old is not expected to attend any other outings aside from the crowning ceremony. A friend of the prince told People magazine that Harry wanted to be at the service to support his father during an important moment in his life. Charles, 74, will be crowned alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The Duchess of Sussex will be staying behind in California with the couples two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Archie's fourth birthday falls on the same day as the coronation and sources told Page Six there was no way the 41-year-old was going to miss her sons birthday. The couple were most recently with the rest of the British royal family in the U.K. for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Britains longest-reigning monarch passed away in September of last year at age 96. KING CHARLES' CORONATION DETAILS REVEALED King Charles, the eldest son of the late queen, will be crowned on May 6. Harry made a surprise visit to his home country last month to attend Londons High Court for a legal case. He, along with other prominent figures like Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Jude Laws ex-wife Sadie Frost, are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd., publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, for illegal information gathering. 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. Story continues "I can confirm the Duke has recently received email correspondence from his majestys office regarding the coronation," said the spokesperson. "An immediate decision on whether the duke and duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time." A source close to the royal household told People that Charles was eager to have his son present for the event. Meghan Markle will stay behind in California with her two children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. "It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it," said the palace insider. "He would like to have Harry back in the family. If they dont sort it out, it will always be part of the kings reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue." 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. Harrys attendance comes despite the rift within the House of Windsor prompted by Harrys decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book, "Spare." The revelations, including details of private conversations with his father and his brother, Prince William fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. The book also included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves. The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view in March when the Sussexes acknowledged they were asked to vacate their home in Britain. In March, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that they were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage, their home in the U.K. 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. The Sun newspaper reported that Charles asked them to relinquish the dwelling on Jan. 11, the day after Harrys memoir was published. But issues other than the book may have sparked the request. Charles has said he plans to cut the number of working royals and reduce the cost of the monarchy as he seeks to modernize the 1,000-year-old institution in hopes of ensuring its survival. SARAH FERGUSON'S HARSH MESSAGE TO ROYALS AFTER PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE'S EXIT: 'CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS' Prince Harry's explosive memoir "Spare" officially went on sale on Jan. 10. Archie and Lilibet were last in the U.K. during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. The trip was significant for the little princess, who was born in California in June 2021. She was named after the queen, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet. Archie was born in the U.K. At the time, a royal source told People magazine it was a "fantastic visit," especially for Charles and the queen, who met Lilibet for the first time during the Platinum Jubilee. "The prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time," the source said, adding that it was "very emotional" and a "wonderful thing" for Charles to meet Lilibet. Commonwealth Day Service 2020 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 9, 2020 in London, England. Credit - Phil HarrisWPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry will attend King Charless coronation next month without Meghan, Buckingham Palace has announced. Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May, the Palace said in a statement. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The coronation will take place on the same day as Prince Archies birthday. Archewell, Harry and Meghans charitable foundation, issued a near identical statement to Buckingham Palace confirming the duke will attend the coronation. Read More: Heres Everyone Who Willand WontGo to King Charles IIIs Coronation More from TIME For months there has been speculation of whether the pair would attend the May 6 coronation in Westminster Abbey. Prince Harry and Meghan have long had a contentious relationship with the Royal Family, and stepped back from their roles as senior members in early 2020, when they became financially independent from the family and relocated to California. Prince Harry has recently been outspoken about his relationship with his family, releasing a Netflix documentary on the subject in December, and a memoir, Spare earlier this year. The prince was last seen in the U.K. last month, for a lawsuit against the publisher Associated Newspapers. It is unknown whether he met with his family during that time. In an interview with Good Morning America earlier this year, Harry raised hopes of one day reconnecting with his family. If we can get to the point of reconciliation, that will have a ripple effect across the world, Harry said in the interview. I genuinely believe that, and thats kind of what is pushing me. And if that doesnt happen, then thats very sad. Britains Prince Harry arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, Thursday, March 30, 2023. | Kirsty Wigglesworth, Associated Press Prince Harry will attend the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla alone. His wife, Meghan Markle, will stay at home in California with their two children. Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, Buckingham Palace shared in a statement, per The Guardian. Harry wanted to attend the ceremony to support his father during this important event in his life, a source told People magazine. The announcement ends months of speculation over whether the couple would be in attendance at the ceremony. Harrys involvement in the ceremony such as if he will appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony has not been revealed. Only working royals are given the privilege of appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Last year, at Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee celebration, Harry and Meghan were not invited to join the working royals on the balcony. After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this years traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance ... will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen, a spokesperson for the queen said at the time, per Harpers Bazaar. Related Harry and Meghans coronation demands Harry and Meghan who voluntarily left their royal duties behind in 2020 and moved to California to pursue lives as non-royals previously made personal demands for the coronation ceremony. The couple allegedly made demands that their children be part of the ceremony, and that their whole family appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony, according to Cosmopolitan. In addition, the couple requested a nod to Archies fourth birthday, which lands on the same day as the coronation. Meghan will celebrate Archies fourth birthday from home, a source told People. Story continues It is clear the couples conditions will not be met as Harry attends the ceremony without his wife and children. A lose-lose situation According to royal experts, the couple were in a lose-lose situation no matter what they chose regarding the coronation ceremony. 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. Related Harry has not been with his family publicly since Spare Harry has not publicly appeared with his family since the release of his controversial memoir, Spare in January. The memoir exposed personal family details such as a physical altercation between Harry and William as well as a fair share of embarrassing stories from his own past, like the time he peed his pants before his first date with Meghan. Theres a great sense of mistrust, its why William wont speak to Harry, because he is nervous that anything he says might end up in a book or a TV series. It makes it incredibly difficult for any kind of rapprochement. There has to be give on both sides and I dont see that happening any time soon, a source told Vanity Fair. Related Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry will attend King Charles' coronation, but Meghan Markle will not. Max Mumby/Indigo / Contributor / Getty Images Prince Harry will attend King Charles' coronation without Meghan Markle or their children. Buckingham Palace announced the news on Wednesday. Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, will remain in California, the palace said. After months of speculation, it's official: Prince Harry will attend King Charles' coronation without Meghan Markle or their children. In a statement sent to Insider on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said it was "pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May." "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," it added. King Charles' coronation falls on the same day as Archie's 4th birthday. According to royal author Omid Scobie, that "played a factor in the couple's decision" for Meghan to stay behind with him and 1-year-old Lilibet. The announcement by Buckingham Palace ends months of speculation over whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend following the controversy that surrounded their Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," and Harry's memoir "Spare," which was released in January. Prince Harry and Meghan were officially invited to King Charles' coronation in March, a representative for the couple confirmed to the BBC at the time. Royal and PR experts told Insider's Samantha Grindell that it was a smart move by Charles to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex despite all the drama. King Charles and Prince Harry during Queen Elizabeth's funeral procession in London on September 14, 2022. Getty Images "The coronation highlights someone who has worked to try, despite 'Spare' and other background noise, to bring the family together in a careful way," celebrity brand management expert Eric Schiffer told Insider. "This shows a lot of maturity by the king. And it's consistent with what a good father would do." When asked during an ITV interview in January if he would attend the coronation, Prince Harry said "the ball is in their court," seemingly referencing the royal family. Story continues Royal expert Kristen Meinzer told Insider it was in Harry and Meghan's best interest to attend the coronation. "If they choose not to go, I think they know the world will be watching and there'll be a lot of questions about why they're not there," Meinzer said. "The main benefit for them is just the optics of looking like they will be continuing to do their best on their end, even if the royal family is not always doing the best on their end for them." Schiffer said the coronation also presents Harry and Meghan with a chance to remind people they are still part of the royal family even though they are no longer working royals, "and that the pain that Harry has shared from his past didn't preclude him from participation." Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince Harry has not seen his father or older brother Prince William since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September. The brothers walked side by side during the funeral procession, and surprised many when they did an impromptu walkabout at Windsor Castle with their wives to speak with mourners after news of the Queen's death broke. Many saw it as a reunion of the "Fab Four," but royal expert Marlene Koenig told Insider at the time that she didn't believe anything had changed between the two couples. "I don't think there's been a reconciliation," Koenig said. "I'm sure it was insanely uncomfortable for all of them." In both his Netflix docuseries and memoir, Prince Harry spoke at length about his relationship with William and Kate Middleton, as well as his father Charles and stepmother Camilla, who will be referred to as Queen Camilla following the coronation. Roya Nikkhah, a royal editor for The Sunday Times, reported in December that William had cut off all contact with Harry following the Netflix docuseries and had no plans to speak to him again. It remains to be seen how the royal family will act together on May 6. But there's one thing we know for sure Meghan will be watching at home. Read the original article on Insider When William Quarterman signed in to his student web portal to check the results of his history exam, he was shocked to see a cheating accusation from his professor attached to it. His professor had used artificial intelligence detection software, including one called GPTZero, after noticing his exam answers "(bore) little resemblance to the questions" to detect whether the college senior had tapped artificial intelligence to give his take-home midterm exam a boost, according to school records provided to USA TODAY by Quarterman. The professor was right, according to the software. She gave him a failing grade and a referral to the University of California, Davis' Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs for academic dishonesty. Quarterman denied he had any help from AI but was asked to speak with the university's honor court in an experience he said caused him to have "full-blown panic attacks." He eventually was cleared of the accusation. A student on the Indiana University campus in October 2021 in Bloomington. Higher education officials across the nation are struggling to address how to uncover cheating and avoid making false accusations of cheating as students more frequently use AI for their assignments and AI-driven detection software proliferates. Many companies developing plagiarism detection software claim they can detect when students use AI to complete coursework while conceding that they are sometimes incorrect. Education technology experts said educators should be cautious of the quickly evolving nature of cheating detection software. Universities should steer clear of elevating these cases to disciplinary action right now, said Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education. Instead, educators can ask a student to show their work before accusing someone of using AI for an assignment. Story continues "If universities think theyre going to try to catch it in the act, they're going to be overwhelmed with mediation," he said. "But we should implement guidelines: How are we citing information that comes from AI?" Duke student fans cheer before an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina on Feb. 4. In another publicized case, a Washington Post technology columnist found that Turnitin's new AI detection tool falsely found several papers written by California high schoolers to be fabricated. Melissa Lutz Blouin, a UC Davis spokeswoman, said school officials are helping professors "understand how AI tools can support student learning, as well as their potential misuse." Stacy Fahrenthold, the professor who questioned Quarterman, declined to comment on the case, claiming student privacy laws. ChatGPT in the classroom: Here's what teachers and students are saying A student accused of cheating, then found innocent To appeal his professor's accusations to university officials, Quarterman shared a Google document history of his exam writing that showed proof he didn't use AI and a slew of research on the fallibility of GPTZero and other AI detection tools, according to school records. In a letter March 16 to the university appealing the professor's accusation provided to USA TODAY by Quarterman's father the student said that in his professor's feedback on his exam, Fahrenthold wrote in late February: "William, unfortunately it appears as though this exam is plagiarized. The answer to Q3, in particular, is drawn from ChatGPT or similar AI software, and consequently, drawn from a variety of internet sources without attribution or citation. The consequences for submitting plagiarized work in this course is a grade of 0/20, and a citation to OSSJA for the issue of academic integrity." About a month after the accusation, on March 24, the university dropped its case against Quarterman. In a separate letter provided to USA TODAY by Quarterman's father, Marilyn Derby, an associate director with the University's Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs, wrote to Quarterman: "After talking with you, talking with your instructor, and doing my own research into indicators of AI-generated text, I believe you most likely wrote the text you submitted for your midterm. In fact, we have no reliable evidence to the contrary." Derby said the university is reviewing several reports of a similar kind. "At the time your instructor submitted the report, we were just beginning our learning process of how to differentiate AI-generated text from human-generated text. We had a number of professors who submitted reports based on the output of GPTZero. As we learned of the fallibility of these tools, we shared information with instructors," she wrote. "It's clear that it will be an ongoing challenge to stay current with the implications of this technology." The university is advising professors to use "a variety of tools, along with our own analysis of the students work, to reach a preponderance of evidence rather than relying on a single tool," and the school will be evaluating Turnitin AI detection's reliability, said Lutz Blouin, the UC Davis spokeswoman. How reliable is AI detection? Quarterman and his family have become activists against schools using AI detection to find cheaters. Quarterman's sister has compiled a hefty database of written works passed through several AI detection platforms, many of which show false positives. "Obviously, theres a broader issue here," said his father, John Quarterman. The creators behind AI detection tools developed by companies including OpenAI, Turnitin and GPTZero have warned educators about possible inaccuracies of the software. "We really don't want anyone making definitive academic decisions out of our detector," said Edward Tian, creator of AI detection tool GPTZero. "The nature of AI-generated content is changing constantly." Tian said GPTZero is pivoting from its former artificial intelligence detection model, and its next version will not be detecting AI "but highlighting what's most human." The logo for OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT OpenAI also warned users its AI detection tool isn't fully reliable when the company first released it in late January. Turnitin Chief Product Officer Annie Chechitelli also advised the 10,700 colleges and universities and 2.1 million educators who have access to the company's AI writing detection capability through existing licenses to be aware of its drawbacks. Because the rate of false positives is not zero, educators should use "their professional judgment, knowledge of your students, and the specific context surrounding the assignment" before outright accusing a student of cheating, Chechitelli wrote in a blog post in March. OpenAI launched a second tool: To complement ChatGPT and help teachers detect cheating Should professors and students be worried? Education technology experts are adamant that schools need to embrace AI. And educators should learn to work with it rather than banning or fearing it, especially as it quickly evolves, they told USA TODAY. Not your parents' Google: Why universities should embrace, not fear, ChatGPT and AI Many schools already have codes of conduct that prohibit cheating and plagiarism. Another way schools can create further boundaries around the use of AI is by creating digital contracts for students to sign so they are aware of proper use, Culatta said. And, Culatta said, chools and educators could develop policies around citing AI when appropriate, make assessments more rigorous to avoid possibilities of plagiarism, and determine the right questions to ask when a student is suspected of cheating. 'This shouldnt be a surprise': The education community shares mixed reactions to ChatGPT Looking back, Quarterman said, students should use Google documents to write their assignments like he did, or another word processor that tracks written work for evidence in case they end up in the same situation. "Be ready to be accused of and being fingered as using AI." Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kaylajjimenez. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How AI detection tool spawned a false cheating case at UC Davis WASHINGTON Prominent progressives are calling for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to resign or step down from her post on the Senate Judiciary Committee out of concern that her absence will stall the confirmation of President Joe Bidens judicial nominees. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) tweeted on Wednesday, calling on Feinstein to resign. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) later tweeted his support of Khannas concerns, calling Feinsteins continued tenure a dereliction of duty: I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe its now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet. https://t.co/lvaHhLJYsi Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) April 12, 2023 Feinstein, 89, was hospitalized in early March after a bout of shingles. The longest-serving California senator, who announced her retirement at the end of 2024, was released from the hospital a week later and is recovering in San Francisco. She said at the time she expected to make a full recovery and hoped to return to the Senate as soon as possible. However, Democrats close to Feinstein and some Democratic congressional aides are concerned she may never come back to Washington, according to Politico. Feinsteins absence her last vote in the Senate was Feb. 16 has already stalled the committee vote on one of Biden nominees to a federal appeals court. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN recently that a prolonged absence from one of his members could have bigger ramifications on the Democrats ability to confirm judges. Story continues Feinsteins office told HuffPost on Wednesday that they dont yet have an update on when the senator will return to the Senate. The chamber has been on a two-week recess and is scheduled to gavel back into session on Monday. Indivisible, a progressive advocacy group, called on Feinstein to step down from the Judiciary Committee so that Democrats are able to confirm more judges and fight back against GOP efforts to restrict abortion, such as the ruling from a Texas district court suspending abortion pill mifepristone nationwide. If Sen. Feinstein isnt able to be present for critical votes on these issues, then she should step down from the committee so that business can continue without any further delay, Ezra Levin, co-executive director for Indivisible, said in a statement to HuffPost. As we saw in the mifepristone case out of Texas, the types of judges who make up our federal judiciary is existential to our fundamental rights. Jon Lovett, Pod Save America host and former Obama speechwriter, also argued that Feinstein should step down before her planned 2024 retirement. Because she is not in the Judiciary Committee ... it has made it basically impossible to move a lot of these lower court nominees to the Senate for a vote, Lovett said on a podcast episode this week. Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign, and more people should be calling on her to resign, he added. Prominent legal scholars similarly weighed in on the matter this week. Schumer needs to remove Feinstein from the Judiciary Committee and replace her ASAP, tweeted Norm Ornstein, a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. Feinstein announced her retirement in February after growing questions about her mental acuity, including among her fellow Senate Democrats. Three California Democrats in the House have already said they plan to run for her seat: Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter. If Feinstein resigns, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has vowed to appoint a Black woman to replace her in the Senate. That could be Lee, who is the highest-ranking Black woman appointed to Democratic House leadership. Senate Democrats arent pushing Feinstein out the door quite yet, at least not publicly. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), asked about calls for Feinstein to step aside by WPRIs Ted Nesi on Tuesday, said she was entitled to making a decision about her future on her own. I asked @SenWhitehouse today about whether Feinstein's absence and long-term decline is hurting Senate Dems "She's entitled to enormous respect ... Given what she's accomplished in her life and her stature, I think she's entitled to make those decisions without me poking at her" https://t.co/r9Tpk4TUef Ted Nesi (@TedNesi) April 11, 2023 CORRECTION: A prior version of this story referred to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse with the wrong first name. Related... Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are methodically working to prove the guilt of Russian war criminals, even if there is information about their deaths at war. Particular attention is paid to crimes against civilians. Source: Andrii Andrieiev, Deputy Chief of the Department of the Prosecutor Generals Office, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Details: The Prosecutor Generals Office has explained that in any case, the court must put an end to the history of Russia's war crimes. Andrieiev has pointed out that to close the proceedings in connection with the death of a man, the relevant official documents confirming this fact are required, but it is not possible to obtain these documents legally due to the termination of any international relations with Russia. In addition, the closure of the proceedings due to the death of suspects is not a rehabilitating ground, it is actual proof of guilt, Andrieiev said. Quote: "The court must carefully examine the evidence provided by both the prosecution and the defence. The court will only decide to close the criminal proceedings if there is sufficient evidence of the person's guilt. It is worth noting that the defence or close relatives of the deceased may file a motion for a full hearing of the case in order to rehabilitate the deceased. And most importantly, there must be a legitimate court decision in every case, even if the accused is a Russian soldier." Background: Under procedural guidance of the prosecutors from the Prosecutor Generals Office, an indictment against the commander of the company of the 173rd Reconnaissance Battalion of the 106th Division of the Armed Forces of Russia was sent to court. He is being accused of mistreatment of civilians, combined with premeditated murder and other violations of laws and customs of war (Art. 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). According to the investigation, he was involved in the shooting of an evacuation convoy in the town of Irpin (Kyiv Oblast). According to Russian media outlets, this soldier was killed in April 2022 in the war with Ukraine. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The head of Mexico's immigration agency, Francisco Garduno, is under investigation over a deadly fire last month at a migrant detention center in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday. The Mexican attorney general's office said on Tuesday it had launched a probe against the heads of the National Migration Institute (INM), without giving their full names. "There's an investigation which includes (Garduno) in the unfortunate case regarding the migrant lives lost in Ciudad Juarez, we still don't know how far-reaching it is, or what he is accused of," Lopez Obrador said in a regular news conference. The fire, which authorities say began after one or more of the migrants set alight mattresses as a protest, claimed the lives of 40 male migrants, most of them from Central America. "Today we discussed the possibility of some being accused of negligence, others of homicide," Lopez Obrador said, noting prosecutors have yet to give more details of the probe. Lopez Obrador said Tuesday the migrants were unable to escape from the facility located near the U.S. border because the person holding the key to their cell was absent. A number of arrests, including INM agents and a private security guard, have already been made over the blaze. The prosecutors' statement Tuesday accused top immigration officials of failing to "watch over, protect and ensure the safety of the people and facilities in their charge." One high-ranking INM official, Antonio Molina, as well as the agency's representative in the state of Chihuahua, where Ciudad Juarez lies, are also under investigation, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. INM did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Chihuahua official, Salvador Gonzalez, said he would cooperate with the investigation. (Reporting by Kylie MadryEditing by Dave Graham, William Maclean) AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A protester running towards French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the Netherlands on Wednesday had to be bundled to the ground by security officers. The incident as Macron arrived at an event at the University of Amsterdam science campus, was the second day in a row his state visit had been disrupted by protests, after weeks of demonstrations at home against an unpopular pension law. The man chanted as he was on the ground outside - in French but with an accent - a song popular in protests against the pension reform, that says: "We are here, we are here, even if Macron doesn't want it we are here." Anger against the pension bill, which will delay retirement by two years to 64 and was pushed through parliament by the government without a vote, already disrupted the first day of his visit. Macron had to fight to make himself heard above a man who shouted about French democracy having been lost during an event on Tuesday, before proceeding to give his speech about European sovereignty. While anger against his domestic policy has followed Macron to the Netherlands, the French president is also facing criticism from European and U.S. allies over his foreign policy. French officials are in damage control mode as they try to contain anger, division and confusion sparked by Macron's comments last week on reducing Europe's dependence on the United States and its relations with China and Taiwan. In a tweet on Wednesday, Macron reiterated that Europe must stand up for itself - without referring to his China comments. "A Europe which defends its interests and values, and is master of its destiny, creates jobs and manages climate transition, this is what we are building," he wrote. The latest criticism came from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused Macron, who he said was a friend, of pandering to China's leader Xi Jinping. Back at home, French unions plan another nationwide day of protests on Thursday against the pension law. Opinion polls show a majority of voters oppose the reform and back the protests. Story continues The Constitutional Council is due to say on Friday if the law, and how it was adopted, respect the constitution or whether the opposition can start to try to collect enough signatures to organise a referendum against it. If the council gives its green light, the new policy can be officially published and become law. Macron has said he wants it to enter into force by the end of the year. (Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Alison Williams) (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the arrest of a US reporter on espionage charges for the first time since the Cold War, according to people familiar with the situation. Most Read from Bloomberg The Russian presidents endorsement of the move reflects the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that arent public. The detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on March 29 triggered angry denunciations from the US and its allies, marking yet another low in US-Russian ties, which have spiraled since Putins invasion of Ukraine last year. This should be a real wake-up call, not just to the US, but the broader West, said Alina Polyakova, president of the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington. Its signaling that in Putins mindset that theres no going back to a stable and reliable relationship. Existential Struggle As the war drags into its second year, the Kremlin has increasingly sought to portray it as an existential struggle against a NATO bent on destroying Russia. Moves like the war-crimes warrant against Putin issued by the International Criminal Court last month have only deepened the leaderships sense that theres no room to back down in a conflict that it expects to last for years. Parliament this week rushed through a sharp toughening of penalties for those who seek to avoid military service. The changes create a new online system to deliver call-up notices and ban those who ignore them from leaving the country, closing loopholes many had used to avoid the draft. The measure, expected to be signed into law soon by Putin, has fueled fears a new mobilization may come later this year. The Kremlin says there are currently no such plans. Last years call-up of 300,000 reservists triggered the exodus of as many as a million Russians. Story continues The initiative to arrest a US reporter on spying charges for the first time in nearly 40 years came from hawks among top officials of Russias security services, the people with knowledge of the issue said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it wasnt Putins decision but was the total prerogative of the special services. They were doing their job. Those agencies report directly to the president. Gershkovich, 31, was detained in Yekaterinburg, about 1400 kilometers (870 miles) east of Moscow, by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents. Charged with spying, which carries a 20-year penalty, hes now being held in Moscows Lefortovo prison and so far Russia hasnt granted US consular access. The Kremlin says he was caught red handed, but has provided no evidence. The Wall Street Journal denies the allegations. Wrongfully Detained The State Department has formally determined Gershkovich has been wrongfully detained by Russia, which opens the way to the US to negotiate on his behalf. Russia has pushed to include in previous prisoner swaps Kremlin insider Vladislav Klyushin, who was found guilty in February of insider trading and hacking, according to people familiar with the matter. He has information relating to the hacking of Democratic Party servers during the 2016 presidential election, they said. Last year Russia and the US conducted two prisoner exchanges, including in December when they swapped WNBA star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. President Joe Biden spoke with Gershkovichs family on April 11, assuring them that the government is doing everything in its power to bring him home as quickly as possible, the family said in a statement. With the public focus on the case, the US now may have no choice but to negotiate, encouraging more such hostage-taking, said Polyakova. The Russians are getting far more aggressive and theyve seen that when you take high-profile US citizens hostage, you get what you want, she said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. South Africa said on Wednesday an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war was a "spanner in the works" ahead of a BRICS summit in the country in August. Pretoria, which has close ties with Moscow, has been faced with a diplomatic dilemma since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March. The Russian president is due to attend a summit of the BRICS - a bloc which groups together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- in South Africa in August. But the host nation is a member of the ICC and would be expected to make the arrest if Putin steps foot in the country. "All heads of state would be expected to attend the summit. But now we have a spanner in the works in the form of this ICC warrant," Vincent Magwenya, President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesman, told a press briefing on Wednesday. "What that dictates is that there be further engagements, in terms of how that is going to be managed and those engagements are underway. Once they've been concluded, the necessary announcements will be made." The ICC warrant against Putin stems from accusations that Russia unlawfully deported Ukrainian children. A continental powerhouse, South Africa has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine which has largely isolated Moscow on the international stage, saying it wants to stay neutral and prefers dialogue to end the war. Earlier this year, it held a controversial joint military exercise with Russia and China, which critics cite as evidence of a tilt towards the Kremlin. South Africa's ties with Russia date back decades when the Kremlin backed the ruling African National Congress in its fight against apartheid. The ICC warrant has been the cause of political tumult in the country. The leading opposition party, the Democratic Alliance has called for Putin to be arrested and for the ICC to force the government's hand. But leftist parties, including the South African Communist Party -- a close ally of the ruling African National Congress -- have urged the government to welcome the Russian leader and pull out of the ICC instead. ub/gw Evan Gershkovich Read also: Biden extends sanctions against Russia for one year Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg on March 29, accused of spying on behalf of the United States. This is the first time Moscow charged a foreign journalist with spying in 37 years. The sources told Bloomberg that the suggestion to arrest Gershkovich came from senior Russian security officials. Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov previously said the Russian president had nothing to with the decision, despite the FSB security service being under his direct control. The Russian presidents endorsement of the move reflects the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible, the article says. Yekaterinburg-based PR expert Yaroslav Shyrshykov, who accompanied Gershkovich at the time, said the journalist was working on an article about Russias Wagner Group private military company and its involvement in the war in Ukraine. Read also: Russias FSB charges WSJ journalist Gershkovich with espionage The Wall Street Journal has subsequently denied the accusations and demanded Gershkovich be immediately released. Washington has designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, meaning that the State Department can now negotiate to have the journalist released. Read also: Russias FSB charges WSJ journalist Gershkovich with espionage U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the family of the WSJ journalist, assuring them that Washington is doing everything possible to return him home as soon as possible. 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 Sevastopol No one should look for any betrayal in the interview with the deputy head of the office ofthe President of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, where he talked about Crimea. The methods of liberating Crimea have been discussed since Russias full-scale invasion last year. Ukraines leadership has been discussing the methods of returning Crimea and has landed on the idea that military and political methods can be combined. And the experts (I am one of those experts) also tried to calm down many in the West, saying that to liberate territory, its not necessary to use military tactics reminiscent of the First World War, when one army goes into a frontal attack on another army. Step one is to reach the administrative border with Crime, it is necessary first to liberate the part of southern Ukraine that borders it. Suppose we manage to achieve this goal this year. In that case, it is quite a severe defeat for the Russian Federation and can trigger several other diplomatic and political mechanisms. Therefore, there is no betrayal in this Sybihas statement. Talks about combining diplomacy and military methods at a certain point have been held earlier and are being held now. The most important thing here is that there is no question, either for Kyiv or for most of our partners (as it was before), that we will liberate Crimea, just like the rest of the territory of Ukraine. In 2014-2015, when the events on the battlefield in Donbas were turbulent, Russia managed to convince the world that Crimea is a separate case, it differs from the Donbas, and now it differs even more from the territory occupied in 2022. This is the result of rather serious miscalculations of Ukraine in the information field in 2014-2015, when we separated Crimea from Donbas, did not activate the discussion about the return of Crimea in any way, and focused then on the Normandy process, on the Minsk tripartite contact group. In fact, before the creation of the Crimean Platform in 2021, there were no tools even to discuss the return of Crimea. Story continues On the other hand, Russia worked very seriously on this topic and convinced not only the countries of the nominal Global South, but also many in the West, that Crimea is a special case. But there is also good news. This information campaign is nothing but an information construct. All of the propagandists hollow scaremongering shows that even when the war moves to the phase of liberating Crimea, and they threaten to escalate to higher threat levels, even nuclear, their rhetoric will prove to be just as hollow. And we are making very serious progress with our public messaging in the West. In 2022, Western leaders were very cautious about returning to the 1991 borders and preferred to talk more about compromise. Gradually, Crimea, as well as the occupied part of Donbas, became an integral official public demand of the countries that always supported us in this case, for example, the eastern flank of NATO, Germany, and France. The Americans are still maneuvering around this topic, but officially they also support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, which is indisputable. But there is another side to this coin, and this is precisely where Russia is trying to beat us. When it comes to the real prospects of de-occupation of the entire territory of Ukraine, we can still hear cautious proposals to consider behind closed doors from politicians and experts in the West. Now it sounds like that: think about how feasible it is, how many resources you have, whether it's worth it now, taking into account the losses, the resources needed to counterattack, and the potential losses we'll incur. Russia is trying to use nuclear blackmail to stop us from using long-range missiles, for example, to destroy the Kerch bridge, the military infrastructure in Crimea, and the remnants of the Black Sea Fleet. The fact that Russia is bringing up this topic again now means that Kremlin expects to have to prevent the option of its military defeat on the battlefield in this way. This ultimatum is intended to stop the complete de-occupation of Ukrainian territories. It is not just idle talk. It must be responded to with appropriate steps. My colleagues in Democratic Initiatives and I believe that there is a high probability of the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Crimea, and we believe that the fact that attention is now focused on the Belarusians should be perceived as only the first, but far from the main, step in this process. Putin's goal is to place a nuclear weapon on the territory of Crimea, to issue an ultimatum to the West that there can be no attempt at de-occupation. Russia has prepared its domestic legislation for this. In 2020, Putin signed the Russian state policy on nuclear deterrence. It says it recognizes the right to use nuclear weapons in accordance with its domestic legislation if there is a threat to the Russian state by an attack on Russian territories with conventional offensive weapons. Their narrative is that Crimea is Russia from the Russian point of view. In his latest address to the federal assembly, Putin stated that Russia is involved in an existential war where the country will no longer exist if it loses. It is not difficult to add one plus one to understand what Russia is trying to achieve. It expects that the West will not dare to arm Ukraine for a counteroffensive on Crimea if there is the threat of tactical nuclear weapons in Crimea. In this way, at least, Crimea will stay with Russia. These realities have to consider. The bet is on the maximum armament of Ukraine for a counteroffensive. There will be no negotiations until it is clear what the results of this counteroffensive are. How far will the Ukrainian armed forces be able to advance, and what positions can it take? The best scenario for a Crimean operation is if the Russians are forced to abandon the position without a direct fight. This is also a de-occupation. Another point that the West prefers to forget is that the defeat of the Russian army on the mainland of Ukraine can trigger certain (not necessarily, but maybe) processes within Russia itself, especially in the Kremlin. There could be conditions where defeat will be evident to everyone except Putin. As international armed conflicts usually show, history sometimes changes dramatically due to these conflicts. In 2023, we still have the factor of China, which also does not want a Russian collapse. China and India are the primary political and economic beneficiaries of Russia's failure, which is obvious to Beijing. China does not want to allow Russia to lose in such a way that could lead to the collapse of the Russian Federation, at least in 2023-2024. China is a country that develops its strategies for a decade ahead, and the state integrity of the Russian Federation is optional for China, if we talk about 10-20 years on. China will need new lands, resources, and so on. They have been mastering Russian territory for a long time. China will actively use its place in the UN and its economic ties with France and Germany (and this is what Europe is interested in - not to lose trade and ties with China). They will offer to be a potential, if not broker, of this agreement, but at least a participant, to take into account the interests of China during the development of the post-war security architecture. From China's point of view, this security architecture should consider the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, for now. 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 Many people in Bucharest still have terrible memories of the earthquake that shook Romania on March 4, 1977, killing 1,500 and injuring 11,000 others. Images of the devastation in Turkey and Syria have revived old fears in the EU's most earthquake-prone capital, which experts say remains completely unprepared for big tremors. "We are very vulnerable," said Matei Sumbasacu, founder of the Re:Rise group that is pushing to make the city more earthquake safe. "We didn't solve this problem, we didn't treat it seriously for decades and we're not ready for it, it's as simple as that," said the 34-year-old engineer. Bucharest is close to the Vrancea earthquake zone, which experts say is capable of producing shocks as high as 8.1 on the Richter scale, worse even than the Turkey quake. Five earthquakes since 1802 have been worse than magnitude 7.5. Yet many buildings damaged by the 1977 quake, which was registered at 7.2, are still being used, with other rickety blocks covered in protective nets or draped with tarpaulins. - 2,500 dangerous blocks - The city has deemed some 2,500 buildings dangerous, according to Bucharest town hall official Razvan Munteanu. These include 368 at very high risk, which have a red plaque fixed to the outside walls. But because of the colossal costs, only 32 have been consolidated to date from public funds, Munteanu told AFP. While the pace of reinforcement work has picked up a little in recent years under Mayor Nicusor Dan, it remains very slow -- with only two projects underway in the city. Work to consolidate 100 more buildings should soon start after a long and bureaucratic process. "You have to consult the inhabitants, do the feasibility studies, identify the solutions, and find the companies that will carry out the work," Munteanu said. Next to a large Bucharest park, work on a 100-apartment block from the late 1930s, which bears the red warning plaque, is scheduled to begin next year. Building administrator Ioan Boinegri, 76, said some residents, especially older ones, are reluctant to move. Story continues "They don't know (yet) where they are going to be relocated... The inhabitants' greatest fear is that they won't be able to come back," Boinegri told AFP. - Cosmetic repairs - After the 1977 disaster, the then communist regime just carried out cosmetic repairs to facades to save money, according to Sumbasacu. He recently accessed transcripts which showed dictator Nicolae Ceausescu ordering a halt to reinforcement works a few months after the earthquake. To reassure the population, Ceausescu put out lots of false information, leaving an "inheritance of seismic mythology, stories to help us sleep at night in our unsafe houses," Sumbasacu said. The 7.8-magnitude quake and aftershocks that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria in February killing more than 50,000 people, reawakened dormant fears. Major tremors in south-west Romania, shortly afterwards caused panic in the region, which usually doesn't suffer from earthquakes. "There's a growing realisation that something needs to be done," Sumbasacu said, warning a new big earthquake in Bucharest could be more deadly than the 1977 one. While it is impossible to predict earthquakes, cities can protect themselves from their worst effects, experts say. "If we respect the current rules, we could withstand an earthquake of 8," said Mihai Diaconescu, a researcher at Romania's National Institute for Earth Physics. "It's debatable what will still stand after an earthquake stronger than 8." ii-hbo/anb/jza/fg Queen Elizabeth II was surprised when Meghan Markle dismissed her advice for adjusting to royal life, according to the author of a new royal book. Royal commentator Robert Jobson made the claim in his new book titled: Our King Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed, set to be published on 13 April. Jobso alleges that the late Queen suggested the Duchess of Sussex seek advice from Sophie, now-Duchess of Edinburgh, after she joined the royal family because the monarch felt that her daughter-in-law could act as an advisor to Meghan. However, Jobson said the duchess made it clear that she would make her own decisions and allegedly turned down the suggestion on the basis that she had Prince Harry. When the Queen, who had asked her then assistant private secretary Samantha Cohen to work alongside Meghan for a bedding-in period, warmly suggested that she should turn to Sophie, Countess of Wessex for support and advice, Meghan dismissed the idea, saying: Ive got Harry, Jobson wrote. Her response surprised the Queen. Notably, Jobson is not the first to make this claim. Royal broadcaster Gyles Brandreth previously told ITVs Lorraine that the Duchess of Sussex preferred to seek her husbands help when she joined the royal family. The Queen said to Meghan: Youre new to this. Coming into the royal family, its not easy for everybody. Sophie Wessex, the last one to come in, maybe she can be a kind of mentor. She could advise you, help you. But Meghan said: No, I dont think I need that, Ive got Harry, Brandreth claimed to host Lorraine Kelly in December 2022, shortly after the release of Harry and Meghans Netflix docuseries. Brandreth also said the Queen offered the advice to Meghan because of her love for her grandson Harry and was very keen for the couples relationship to work. She loved Harry, Brandreth said of the late monarch. She loved all her grandchildren, but she loved him especially because she loved his sense of humour and I know, for a fact, that she welcomed Meghan warmly and was very keen for it to work. Story continues Sophie later reflected on the Sussexes exit from the royal family during an interview with The Sunday Times and said royal family members do all that they can to help new additions adjust. We all try to help any new members of the family, she said at the time, adding: I just hope they will be happy. During the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tell-all Netflix docuseries, Meghan recalled thinking it was a joke when Harry asked her if she knew how to curtsy shortly before her first meeting with the Queen. A 10-year-old Banks County boy was recently the victim of an aggressive attack by a rabid bobcat, an extremely rare occurrence in Georgia. Fourth-grader Easton Burchett and his father, Wes Burchett, are both undergoing rabies shots after state health officials confirmed Tuesday that the bobcat was rabid. Easton Burchett is recovering at his Banks County home following an attack by a rabid bobcat last weekend. Rabies is an incurable disease that attacks the brain and most often occurs in wild animals, although unvaccinated domesticated dogs and cats often acquire the disease, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The last time a rabid bobcat attacked someone in northeast Georgia was in 2018, when a Hart County woman was attacked less than a month after a Lavonia man was also attacked. The woman actually strangled the bobcat to death when it attacked her. Burglar shot: Police: Athens man shoots, injures intruder in attempted burglary Park fixes: Next step in Memorial Park improvement project given go-ahead by Commission The Burchetts drama began on the evening of April 8, when the family drove their pickup across the street to check on their neighbors dog as they were away on vacation. Easton volunteered to put the dog in the house, but Wes Burchett said he heard the dog raising Cain and he decided to get out with his son. Easton was unlocking the house door and this bobcat shoots out from under a Jeep in the carport and did a full-on attack, the father recalled Wednesday. He started screaming and then I kicked it trying to get it off him and they both fell to the ground, Burchett said, as he saw his son punching the animal in the head. I reached down and grabbed the cat behind its head and pulled it over my head and threw it into the front bumper of the Jeep, Burchett said. The rabid bobcat bit down on Easton's leg and foot during the attack. Burchetts wife, Amy, exited and took Easton inside the truck. I didnt know where the bobcat went. I walked to the back of the Jeep and looked down and there it was showing me its teeth, Burchett said. He had lunged at me when I shot and hit him, said Burchett, who always carries a firearm. The bobcat, shot once through the head with a 9mm bullet, lay dead about a foot from its next intended victim. Story continues Burchett, who is a hunter, said he recognized the animal was a bobcat when it attacked his son. The bobcat, a native wildlife known for its bobbed tail, weighed 31.4 pounds, Burchett said. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources reports the average weight of a bobcat is from 18 to 25 pounds. An ambulance arrived and Burchett said he heard the medic comment, "I was wrong. The medic explained that they've "had people call about bobcat attacks, but it was just a domestic cat. This is a true bobcat attack. Bobcats are a native wildlife and feed on many creatures from insects to birds and even deer. At the hospital, physicians stitched Eastons wounds on his leg and foot, but also gave rabies shots. Easton began screaming as the shot were administered to the wound sites. It was so bad my wife passed out in the hospital, Burchett said. I go today and start mine because I handled the cat. It didnt bite or scratch me, but I did pick the cat up." The Burchett did not get home until shortly before 6 a.m. Easter Sunday. Even though they had called 911 and alerted county officials to the attack, no one responded to the scene to collect the bobcat, which was needed for the rabies test. Burchett said he placed the body in garbage bags, then placed it in a freezer. The Georgia DNR was not notified of the attack until Tuesday. Georgia DNR wildlife biologist Emily Rushton said rabid bobcats are rare while the most common wild animal with a variant of rabies in Georgia is the racoon. Bobcats are also elusive and rarely seen by people, according to Rushton. "Most calls we get are people who see them on their ring doorbells or security cameras. They are shocked they are in the area. They are so secretive that people don't know they are around," she said. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Health officials report bobcat that attacked Banks boy was rabid David Frizzell was driving home from work when something caught his eye off the side of the road. Spotting an extra dash of white walking along the snowy landscape, Frizzell stopped to take a closer look. There, on the side of the Canadian highway, was a white moose. Frizzell, a field operations manager for a construction company in central Alberta, took photos of the rare creature, which Scott Builders Inc. shared on its Facebook page on March 29. The post said Frizzell was about 80 yards away from the animal. Frizzell was taking a different route home than normal when he spotted the moose. What a gorgeous creature! the caption read. Very lucky sighting! Frizzell told KABC that he took a different route home than he normally would when he saw the moose grazing near the highway. Frizzell said he watched the animal for 20 minutes after turning around to get a better look. He continued to take the new route a few times after spotting the moose but hasnt seen it again, he told the outlet. White animals are considered lucky and sacred by some indigenous Canadian peoples. White moose are extremely rare, according to The Washington Post. White moose are also sacred and considered lucky to the indigenous Mikmaq people, Insider reported. When one of the elusive creatures was killed by trophy hunters in 2013, there was public outrage, and the Mikmaq people said they had known of the animal for years but avoided hunting it due to its cultural significance. We know the significance and weve been teaching that to the non-native population for almost 500 years about the importance that this and other white animals played in our lives, Mikmaq hunter Danny Paul told CBC. We are not to harm them in any way, shape, or form because they could be one of our ancestors coming to remind us of something significant thats going to happen within our communities. 7-foot alligator ends up in California river and no one knows how it got there Frantic squirrel misjudged manhole covers small opening and took it out on rescuers See stunning moment between predator and prey that left Yellowstone guide speechless Strange-looking bird didnt move for three days. Then PA rescuers got a surprise Photo taken on April 6, 2023 shows members of Youth Changing The Mindset Organization visiting a program beneficiary (2nd R) in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia. (Photo by Lillian Banda/Xinhua) NDOLA, Zambia, April 11 (Xinhua) -- There are several youth-led organizations in Zambia working to address various challenges facing young people in the country. However, it is not every day that one comes across a youth-led organization that runs a program offering direct support to senior citizens in need alongside youth-centered interventions. It is for this reason that Youth Changing The Mindsets Organization (YCMO), a non-profit entity that operates in Ndola, the capital of Zambia's Copperbelt Province, has been winning accolades. This organization provides food and clothing and in some instances shelter to poor and vulnerable senior citizens in Chipulukusu, a sprawling low-income residential area located in the eastern part of Ndola. Youths from YCMO have also been undertaking repair works on the homes of senior citizens to make them more habitable. Since its establishment in June 2022, YCMO has reached out to over 50 vulnerable elderly persons in the aforementioned area and offered both material and psychosocial support. "Many of the items given out to senior citizens come from well-wishers who include youths from Chipulukusu, local business entities, and private individuals," said Comfort Mwansa, YCMO executive director. Mwansa, 22, said YCMO youths felt compelled to start a food distribution program targeting vulnerable senior citizens in Chipulukusu because no one came through to address the situation. "Our goal is to provide monthly food packs for at least 50 elderly persons. These are senior citizens that are not in any gainful employment and have no capacity to fend for themselves." "Reaching out to the poor does not require you to have a lot of money; you can help those in need using the little you have. We can not help everyone, but everyone can help someone," Mwansa asserted. Theresa Kunda, one of the beneficiaries of the food distribution program, lauded the youths from YCMO for not only providing her with meals but also supporting her emotionally during difficult times. Kunda, 82, whose husband recently passed away, was particularly grateful to the youths for being kind to the elderly and offering unwavering support to her and her family. "The support has often been timely and on point," she said after receiving a food pack consisting of bread and a bottle of fruit juice from the YCMO team that went to console her. Luckson Chisenga, Ndola deputy mayor, observed that YCMO's work has helped to alleviate suffering among the aged in Chipulukusu and surrounding areas. Chisenga called on youths in Zambia to emulate their counterparts in Chipulukusu and ensure that they take care of senior citizens in their communities. "The older generation took care of us and sacrificed a lot to make our lives better. It is our turn to ensure that they have a dignified life." Chisenga further implored the business community and private individuals in Ndola and beyond to partner with YCMO so that more vulnerable senior citizens can be reached. Aside from providing support to the elderly, YCMO helps to secure wheelchairs for persons with disabilities in need of such support. The organization also facilitates skills training for younger women from low-income households to be financially independent. Photo taken on April 6, 2023 shows members of Youth Changing The Mindset Organization visiting senior citizen Theresa Kunda (C) in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia. (Photo by Lillian Banda/Xinhua) The Florida law that led to the arrest of a Navarre teen who deputies say threatened to shoot up a school on social media doesnt consider whether the threat was actually carried out. Putting threats in writing where people can see them is enough to warrant arrest. The 13-year-old son of former congressional candidate and state data scientist Rebekah Jones was arrested by the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office last week and charged with making written, electronic threat of a mass shooting/terrorism act. Deputies say the boy made multiple threats about shooting and killing people at Holley Navarre Middle School on different social media sites and that a number of other teens saw and received the messages from his account. According to deputies, the teen had been a student at the school, but had recently left and was homeschooled at the time of the alleged threats. Assistant State Attorney Mark Alderman discusses an arrest as Sheriff Bob Johnson looks on Feb. 5, 2021. The arrest: Rebekah Jones' son arrested in Florida after allegedly threatening to shoot up school, stab students Related: Rebekah Jones blasted state for 'kidnapping' son, but reports paint different picture. What you need to know: An incident report alleges that the 13-year-old made repeated threats to shoot up Holley Navarre Middle School and to stab students who angered him. In the messages to his friends, according to the report, the teenager made the following statements, among others: I want to shoot up the school. "If I get a gun Im gonna shoot up hnms lol. Im getting a wrath and natural selection shirt so maybe but I dont think many ppl know what the columbine shooters look like. Okay so its been like 3-4 weeks since I got on my new antidepressants and they arent working but theyre suppose to by now so I have no hope in getting better so why not kill the losers at school. The teenager told one of his friends that he planned to shoot up the school the Thursday before Spring Break but there were too many things going on so he postponed it until March 31. Story continues The students reported the claims to the school prior to that date and the investigation was launched. Investigators also found several memes depicting violence. I spoke to students from HNMS and was able to obtain screenshots of (the teen's) Snapchat post containing threats, an investigator wrote in the boys warrant report. "... The screen shots were a meme that shows a brain, with the brain saying, reach for the officers gun, and underneath was a caption which said, me every time I see school security. The second one shows an individual with a shaved head holding a HI-C drink, the message on this meme was, Im feeling so silly I might shoot up a building full of people, next to the message was several emojis, with several of them being smiling emojis, the report continued. In the report, deputies say they also asked the boy if he intended to carry out these threats and he said, No. Under Florida statute 836.10, simply writing threats online where others can see them is enough to make an arrest. Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney in Santa Rosa County, Mark Alderman, has prosecuted several cases under the statute. He said it doesnt matter if the person making the threat intends to carry it out or not. You dont have to wait until the person is on campus with a gun, said Alderman. If somebody is writing about it on Facebook, Im going to shoot up the school or making comments like that, at that point we can do a warrant under that statute. Alderman said crimes involving written, electronic threats are becoming more common. In September of 2020, a then 23-year-old Pace man was arrested under the same statute for making numerous school shooting threats to the University of West Florida via an online game chat. Former Florida data scientist Rebekah Jones arrives at the Santa Rosa Courthouse to show support for her son following his arrest for making digital threats of terrorism. His statements included that he would be the best school shooter, and would just have to get 34 kills to be a legend, based his research of the most people killed during a shooting. The suspect, Shane Davis, pleaded no contest to the charges and last May agreed to probation and a pre-trial release agreement with a long list of conditions he needed to meet for a year to avoid incarceration including, staying away from UWF, wearing a GPS monitor, and completing a mental health evaluation and any recommended treatment. Alderman said when deciding sentencing, courts can take into account the individuals intent and prior record, and in the cases of juvenile suspects, their age. However, it doesnt matter if the threat was a prank or meant to be menacing. Alderman says its similar to making a bomb threat, which falls under a different statute, but is considered a crime. In February, Santa Rosa Sheriffs investigators charged a New Jersey teen as an adult for making multiple local swatting calls, an all-too-common practice of making prank calls to emergency services so theyll dispatch armed police officers to a particular address. Brad Parga, 17, faces one felony count of making a false report of using firearms in a violent manner and one misdemeanor count of interfering with school administration functions. Another case: Swatting calls to Milton High School net New Jersey teen a felony charge Deputies say he made multiple, fake active shooter calls to Milton High School between February and April 2022. Parga has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in Santa Rosa County Court on May 9. There was no intent to carry it out, said Alderman, its just to create panic and fear in the school and some people they think thats funny I guess. With so many real mass shootings and acts of violence happening across the country, Alderman said they dont wait to see if someone making threats is serious. They encourage children and adults who see or hear threats or acts of violence to report it. Crime Stoppers takes tips anonymously, and in the case of Rebekah Jones son, one of the deputies encouraged a student who was interviewed for the investigation to download the P3 Tips app, which allows people to submit secure and anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers programs and law enforcement agencies. Rebekah Jones said her son is being targeted because she blew the whistle on state government corruption and that someone claiming to be a cousin of one of her sons classmates joined their private Snapchat group. She says the person recorded the conversations and reported them to the police after her son shared a popular internet meme criticizing police. Alderman said the boy has not yet been charged by the State Attorneys Office, but he expects the teen will be soon. The crime is the written threat, said Alderman. People can say, I was joking, I didnt mean it, but the crime is the written threat, which to me, if you keep repeating it then at what point does it become more than a joke versus something youre probably thinking about. My position is Im not going to wait until something happens. If somebody is making these comments and writing these comments, then were probably going to have to step in. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Rebekah Jones' son charged in Florida under law making threats a crime Rep. Jamaal Bowman is calling on the Biden administration to pass an executive order on gun reform, after three 9-year-old children and three adults were killed in a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., last month. I wish the president would sign an executive order to ban assault rifles, and if it goes to the courts for a fight, so be it, Bowman, D-N.Y., told Yahoo News on Wednesday. The American people need to see that we give a crap. And that we're fighting. And that we're doing everything we can. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., speaks at a rally outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on W March 22. (Nathan Posner/Shutterstock) Last month, Bowman confronted Republicans just outside the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., for not taking action on gun violence, after the slew of school shootings in the United States. Theyre all cowards! They wont do anything to save the lives of our children at all, he said on March 30. Bowman says that viral moment, which included a heated exchange with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was unplanned. The feeling was rage, frustration, confusion, just [a] lack of understanding. Why my colleagues on the other side of the aisle arent gonna take this issue more seriously, and don't respond with a sense of urgency, Bowman said. In a statement to Yahoo News, Massie said Bowman had wanted to discuss solutions to school shootings, but when I offered a solution he began shouting. When he asked for data, I gave him data, but then he just shouted more. Bring facts. Massie also said that shootings have never happened at "the hundreds of schools that allow staff to carry." He cited a 2019 study from researcher John Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center that examined school shootings from 2000 to 2018. Lotts work is often cited by gun control opponents to argue that restrictions arent a solution to curbing gun violence. For Bowman, senseless gun violence has been a part of his life since he was a kid, he told Yahoo News. When I was in college, a good friend of mine, her and her 8-month-old baby [were] shot and killed in Connecticut. My other best friend's mother was killed, (the friends) brother was killed, and cousin was killed. Story continues Additionally, the congressional leader was an educator, a profession that is grappling with the scourge of gun violence in schools nationwide. The year before Bowman started his teaching career in New York, 12 students and one teacher were killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. A couple of years later, Virginia Tech happened. A couple years later, the 6-year-olds in Connecticut were killed, Bowman said. And we had no national day of mourning, no national response, no ban on assault rifles, nothing. After the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., attempted to pass a law to expand background checks on the purchase of firearms, but the bipartisan bill failed in the Senate. Two women hug at a memorial at the entrance to the Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn, on March 29. (Wade Payne/AP) But last year, following the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and 2 teachers were killed, Congress passed a bipartisan bill that requires tougher background checks for those under the age of 21. "After 28 years of inaction, bipartisan members of Congress came together to heed the call of families across the country and passed legislation to address the scourge of gun violence in our communities, Biden said in a statement after Congress passed the legislation. During Bowmans intense exchange at the Capitol, Massie, R-Ky, who in 2021 posted a holiday photo of him and his family members holding guns along with a note to Santa requesting more ammo, days after a school shooting in Michigan, suggested that the solution is arming teachers with firearms. More guns leads to more death, Bowman responded. Bowman says teachers shouldnt have to carry a firearm in schools, because gun-control policy is more effective. So a national ban on assault rifles, a national Red Flag Law, a national law that makes sure guns are safe and secure, national background checks, national waiting periods. There are policies that can be implemented that will be stronger than arming teachers, Bowman said. In Tennessee, three Democratic leaders participated in a gun violence protest in the wake of the Covenant School shooting, calling for stricter gun laws. Two of the representatives, who were Black, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, were expelled. Both have since been reinstated. Bowman says the actions of the so-called Tennessee Three were necessary because the United States only reacts when it's forced to take action. Abolition, suffrage, civil rights, gay rights, those were all movements that led to policy changes. And we need that now more than ever, especially as we push back against the rise in the far-right MAGA Republicans, Bowman said, referring to the slogan for Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign that has come to define Trumps supporters. Some leaders say there isnt much that can be done to decrease gun violence in the U.S. Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., stood on the steps of the Capitol after the Covenant School shooting and said, Were not going to fix it. Criminals are going to be criminals. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 146 mass shootings this year, which is, to date, more than the number of days in 2023. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it's shameful and unacceptable for Republicans to say there is nothing to be done. Our schools, our churches, our places of worship have now become deadly places for many Americans who have lost their lives just this past year, Jean-Pierre said at a White House press briefing on March 29. Bowman says Americans will remain frustrated until action is taken. That's the sort of apathy and complacency that is common in the Republican Party and common for many career politicians, he said. We're sacrificing the lives of our kids and innocent people for the Second Amendment. Rep. Justin Jones The political drama in Tennessee continues. Only days after two Black lawmakers were expelled from the state legislature by their Republican colleagues, one of those representatives has already been reappointed to his seat. Rep. Justin Jones is now calling for the Tennessee House Speaker who led the efforts against him to resign. On Monday, the Nashville Metropolitan Council voted unanimously to appoint Justin Jones as interim representative for the district, returning Jones to the seat from which legislators voted to expel him on Thursday. Blavity reported that Jones was expelled alongside another young Black representative, Justin Pearson, while their white colleague was not for participating in the same March protest for gun control. Even as this unprecedented move was happening, expectations were high that the Nashville Metropolitan Council, which has the constitutional power to fill the vacant seat, would reappoint him. They did so on Monday by a 36-0 vote. Even Councilor Delishia Porterfield, who ran against Jones for the seat in the last Democratic primary, supported his quick reappointment. The people made a choice in electing Jones, and it was the right choice, Porterfield said Monday, according to Axios. Any thoughts this ordeal would silence Jones were put to rest on Monday. Soon after being reappointed, Jones returned to the Tennessee House floor that afternoon, where his Democratic colleagues joyously welcomed him back. Later, he led protestors on a march to the Capitol. Today we are sending a resounding message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence, Jones said, while calling out Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton by name, as he did during the session held to expel him. The people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge, Jones said of Sexton. Jones called for Sexton to resign, a call that is growing as reports emerge the Speaker may be living outside of his district in violation of the states constitution. Story continues After a short speech on the house floor, Justin Jones joined the massive crowd that had gathered outside and called for the speaker Cameron Sexton to resign calling him an enemy of democracy. pic.twitter.com/IgN48qTbde _Imposter (@Imposter_Edits) April 11, 2023 NEW: Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton who led the effort to expel Justin Pearson and Justin Jones does NOT actually live in his district, as required by the state constitution. He keeps a fake residence in his rural district but actually lives in liberal Nashville. Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) April 10, 2023 The Shelby County Board of Commissioners has announced it will hold a special session on Wednesday to decide if it will reappoint Rep. Pearson to his seat. Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery described the meeting as intended to consider whether or not to reappoint Mr. Justin Pearson to his duly elected position to represent the citizens in District 86 for the State of Tennessee House of Representatives, noting that the decision to expel Pearson deprived the voters of the county of their elected representative. The outcome of this meeting is uncertain, in part because commissioners have stated Republican legislators have threatened to cut state funding to the county if it reappoints Pearson. Even if Pearson is reappointed on an interim basis as Jones was, both will still face a special election later this year to determine who will permanently hold the seat. Overall, the effort to punish and silence Jones and Pearson appears to have backfired spectacularly. The two ousted lawmakers have gained national fame and support, while Tennessee Republicans remain under scrutiny. While the political battles in Tennessee are far from over, they are not going as local Republicans intended. Riverside County law-enforcement leaders railed against California's decade-old sentencing law Wednesday, saying the recent case of a serial burglar shows how people who should be in state prison are instead handed off to local jails too crowded to hold them. It's the latest such criticism from Sheriff Chad Bianco and District Attorney Mike Hestrin, who have frequently denounced state criminal-justice laws as too lenient. During a press conference at the district attorney's office in Riverside, Hestrin and Bianco were joined by Riverside City Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and the district attorney from Tulare County, Tim Ward, to discuss the case of Timothy Bethell, who has committed crimes in both counties. "This case is sadly indicative of life in California in 2023, Ward said. It epitomizes the dysfunction caused by the passage of soft-on-crime policies coming out of Sacramento." Bethell, 31, was sentenced to more than five years in state prison late last month after pleading guilty to 17 felony counts, including theft, burglary and vandalism, for a series of crimes against nine businesses in Visalia, a town in Ward's Central Valley county. The crimes spanned the months of December 2022 and January, during which he stole cash and electronics and damaged properties. The Riverside County officials called the press conference to connect Bethell's crimes in Tulare with a pattern of similar misconduct in Fresno and Riverside counties. Bethell, of Winchester, was first convicted of a felony drug offense in Fresno County in 2014, according to a press release from the Tulare DA's office. He then pleaded guilty to 14 felonies after vandalizing and stealing from seven Visalia businesses in 2021. He was released to a recovery program, but failed to report. Soon after, he was charged with another burglary and resentenced to a year in jail and a year in mandatory supervision in his home county of Riverside. Story continues Bethell then pleaded guilty to six more felonies after vandalizing and stealing from five businesses in Riverside County. He was sentenced to three years, but instead of going to prison was sent to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, which released him to prevent jail overcrowding. That's often referred to as a "fed kick" because of a federal court order requiring jails to avoid overcrowding that can lead to unsafe and even deadly conditions. After being released, Bethell returned to Tulare and committed the crimes he pleaded guilty to last month. "The two counties are not experiencing a two-county issue, it's a statewide issue," Bianco said, later putting the blame squarely on "the complete failure of your governor and the vast majority of your legislators." Bianco has had a troubled history with the state's sentence reform laws, including AB 109, which was enacted a decade ago to help alleviate prison overcrowding by having some people serve shorter sentences in county jails instead of the state's facilities. Riverside County's fed kick numbers have surged in recent years, even as the county opened its newly built John Benoit Detention Center in Indio. An investigation by The Desert Sun in 2020 found that Bianco's department had released several people who were charged with crimes that had potential life sentences under California's third strike rules. Bianco appeared in court after a judge questioned why one third strike defendant was selected for release over others that may have had lesser charges and why electronic monitoring wasn't utilized when he was freed. Bianco said his department's jails were overcrowded and that he did not have the ability to ensure all those he was releasing would not reoffend. Bianco made similar comments during Wednesday's press conference: "I have to release somebody," and adding Bethell was "the lowest-level offender on this particular day." The department had not released detailed information about how it manages its fed kick program to The Desert Sun during previous reporting, and did not respond to the newspaper's request after Wednesday's press conference. Gonzalez, the Riverside police chief, added that crimes targeting businesses in the city have surged, saying people accused of stealing or other crimes face little to no consequences for their actions. "I'm not here to advocate for turning back the clock completely," Gonzalez said. "... We dont want more punishment; we want more safety." Ward, the Tulare district attorney, said the state's reform laws amount to a "social experiment" that has failed. "When repeat criminals come through the justice system, its naive and foolish to continue to put the public at risk hoping somehow that this is going work," Ward said. "We are living in a world where consequences for bad, evil and dangerous behavior keeps getting reduced." Hestrin went as far as to invite Gov. Gavin Newsom to Riverside County to discuss local problems with crime and to "how to fix this problem." "We need the legislature to pass laws so we can hold individual offenders accountable," Hestrin said. "At some point there has to be consequences." Christopher Damien covers public safety and the criminal justice system. He can be reached at christopher.damien@desertsun.com or follow him at @chris_a_damien. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California criminal justice reform has failed, Hestrin and Bianco say Colorado state Rep. Richard Holtorf (R) recently criticized a bill providing protections for people with disabilities in his state. Colorado state Rep. Richard Holtorf (R) recently criticized a bill providing protections for people with disabilities in his state. A Colorado state representative apparently decided the best way to protest a bill designed to help disabled people is to attack their intelligence. State Rep. Richard Holtorf (R) spoke out Tuesday against HB23-1032, a bill that clarifies the remedies a person with a disability is entitled to under current Colorado law regarding discrimination in public spaces. Holtorf felt so strongly that the bill was a bad idea for Colorado residents that he protested it by ... using Spanish law? As RawStory put it, Holtorf said Colorado doesnt need additional protections for people with disabilities against discrimination because Spain wont let participants at the famous running of the bulls in Pamplona sue if they get injured. If youre dumb enough to get on this road and run the eight blocks, 10 blocks and run in the ring and you get hurt, you own it, he said. And thats Spanish law. Theres no liability, theres no lawsuits, you dont get to do any of that, he added, because youre responsible for the risks that you take in this running of the bulls. As you can see in the clip below, Holtorf was quite enamored of his hot take. NEW: State Rep. Richard Holtorf (R-Akron) argued against civil liability for disability discrimination by likening people with disabilities to those hurt during Pamplona's running of the bulls. "If you're dumb enough to get on this road and run... you own it" Holtorf said. #colegpic.twitter.com/pvlMciguDe Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) April 11, 2023 HuffPost contacted Holtorf for comment, but he did not immediately respond. However, state Rep. David Ortiz (D), author of the bill that Holtorf was criticizing, ripped into his Republican colleagues response on Twitter. Story continues Ortiz, who became paralyzed while serving as a helicopter pilot in the Army, said, The absolute#ableism and ignorance on display here against community living with a disability AND ANY MOVEMENT we try and make toward securing our basic human rights and#basicaccess is astounding. The absolute #ableism and ignorance on display here against community living with a disability AND ANY MOVEMENT we try and make toward securing our basic human rights and #basicaccess is astounding. #COLeg#COPoliticshttps://t.co/ihUZ1fpVCi David Ortiz (@DavidDOrtizCO) April 11, 2023 Other state lawmakers also condemned Holtorfs comments. Indeed. Holtorf's comparing the struggles of Coloradans with disabilities to a deliberate choice of risking your life by running with the bulls in Pamplona was among the most insulting things I've heard in all my time in the State House. #copolitics#coleghttps://t.co/I3cu0LXqUl Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy (@Kennedy4CO) April 11, 2023 The Republicans have chosen to delay the clock by filibustering HB23-1032 - remedies for people with disabilities. Rep. Holtorf even went so far as to blame ppl with disabilities for their disabilities. What a disgrace. Lorena Garcia (@RepLorenaGarcia) April 11, 2023 Non-politicians chimed in as well. So this is what right wingers think of disabled folks? They're like people who run with the bulls in Pamplona and get injured, and thus don't deserve anti-discrimination protections? What risk did disabled folks take, exactly? And why are these people all so vile? https://t.co/tP99kjfUFP Tim Wise (@timjacobwise) April 11, 2023 Apparently, I took the audacious risk of being born. My bad. #coleghttps://t.co/xUm1v0QXPg Hillary Jorgensen (@hillary5280) April 11, 2023 Holtorf is a terrible human being. He has previously told Rep. Tom Sullivan to just get over his son's murder in the Aurora theater mass shooting and called a Black colleague "Buckwheat" He is a disgusting prick https://t.co/8o2AoQ1dFa TheNoirPoetographer (@NoirPoetograpy) April 11, 2023 In what might be the least shocking political news ever, this isnt the first time Holtorf has said or done something offensive or dangerous. Last May, he was reprimanded after calling a colleague Buckwheat during a legislative stimulus measure debate. In March 2022, he tripped while hurrying to the House chambers for a vote, causing his gun to fall to the ground. Luckily, the gun did not discharge, and no one was hurt. In February 2021, he was heavily criticized after he told another lawmaker, whose son was murdered in the 2012 Aurora movie theater massacre, You have to let go. Related... US Senator Tim Scott, who has openly voiced his ambition to be the country's first Black Republican president, on Wednesday took a step towards a White House run in 2024. Scott has launched a so-called "exploratory committee" -- which doesn't necessarily mean he will end up running. But such committees allow potential candidates to raise funds and better assess their chances. "I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional," the South Carolina senator -- the only African American Republican in the upper chamber of Congress -- said in a video announcement. If he does eventually throw his hat in the ring, the 57-year-old Scott will join the so-far small group of Republicans trying to best former president Donald Trump, the current front-runner, for the party's nomination. Scott accused President Joe Biden and "radical" Democrats of seeking to "weaponize race," adding: "I disrupt their narrative." He is one of only three Black US senators, along with Democrats Cory Booker and Raphael Warnock. In a speech following his November reelection -- for what he has said would be his final term in the Senate -- Scott talked about his grandfather, who voted for Barack Obama for president. "I wish he had lived long enough to see perhaps another man of color elected president... But this time let it be a Republican!" cjc/nr/sst WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican Party plans to hold its first 2024 U.S. presidential primary debate in August in Milwaukee, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Wednesday. The debate will be broadcast on Fox News, she said in an interview with the cable television channel. The RNC will also "get away from Big Tech" by arranging to livestream the debate on Rumble, an online video platform, McDaniel said. They will also partner with the Young America's Foundation, led by former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, to help spread their message to younger voters, she said. "We do want to get our message on these social media platforms and bringing in a group like Young America's Foundation is going to help get those younger voters who get news differently, right? They use TikTok, Instagram, and we need to get our message to them," McDaniel said. Former President Donald Trump has announced his 2024 candidacy, as has his one-time U.N. ambassador, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley; former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson; and investor Vivek Ramaswamy. Other potential Republican candidates include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who launched a presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday; and former Vice President Mike Pence. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has said he plans to run but has not made a formal announcement. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Mark Porter) Democrats are all but banging pots and pans in the streets in protest of a federal judges decision on Friday to block the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations approval of mifepristone, one of two abortion pills that has been used commonly, safely and legally for decades. President Joe Biden warned that the ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Texas-based judge nominated by former President Donald Trump, represents the GOPs next big step toward banning abortion outright. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Kacsmaryk just completely eviscerated the FDA as we know it. The Justice Department, which represents the FDA, has already appealed the decision. Amid all this, Senate Republicans have gone virtually silent. Why? Because this is precisely the ruling they wanted or at least the one they should have foreseen when they voted to confirm an anti-abortion activist to the federal bench. Theyre not about to say this out loud. They know how unpopular and out of step it is to celebrate more rollbacks of reproductive rights. They know that access to medication abortion has broadsupport. They know their party is getting clobberedin electionsall over the country because of their attacks on abortion rights, particularly after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year. So with Congress in recess for two weeks, Republican senators are hoping to get away with saying nothing at all. But if you doubt theyre happy with the judges decision, look no further than their 2019 vote to confirm Kacsmaryk to his lifetime federal court seat. They knew he had a record of strongly opposing abortion rights. And every GOP senator but one, Susan Collins of Maine, voted for him. In 2019, I voted against Judge Kacsmaryks confirmation, and I disagree strongly with his decision in this case, Collins said in a Monday statement. Mifepristone is an FDA-approved drug that has been on the market for more than two decades and extensively studied. Story continues Collins is one of two self-described pro-choice Republican senators. The other one, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted for Kacsmaryk. She did not respond to a request for comment about his ruling targetingmedication abortion. Of the 49 Republicans in the Senate, Collins is also one of just two who have said anything about Kacsmaryks ruling. The other one, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), celebrated the decision on Twitter as a victory for pregnant mothers & their unborn children. Todays ruling on abortion drugs is a victory for pregnant mothers & their unborn children. Im grateful the Court reined in the @US_FDA for recklessly violating the law & jeopardizing patient safety. https://t.co/DTZCBpoyFK U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) April 8, 2023 That leaves 47 other Senate Republicans trying to avoid publicly saying what they think about a federal court order aimed at banning the abortion pill nationwide, and arguably laying the groundwork for a total abortion ban through the courts. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) sort of talked about Kacsmaryks ruling on Twitter, but only to criticize Democrats for suggesting the Biden administration ignore it. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) talked generally on Fox News Sunday about how he thinks being pro-life is a winning message, but said nothing about the court ruling. HuffPost followed up with both offices to see if those senators are happy with the court ruling. Lankford spokesperson Aly Beley said: Yes, he is happy with the ruling. A Graham spokesperson did not respond. None of the senators can claim to be surprised by Kacsmaryks ruling. They knew that Kacsmaryk the former deputy general counsel for First Liberty Institute, a right-wing Christian advocacy group was rabidly anti-abortion when Trump tapped him for a judgeship in 2017. They watched reproductive rights groups protest his nomination for more than a year. For all of Trumps unqualified and ideological court picks, Kacsmaryk stood out as one of his most extreme nominees in part because of his record on abortion rights. He opposed the employer contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act, representing First Liberty Institute in a lawsuit when it tried to avoid providing the health care required by the Department of Health and Human Services to female employees. His organization took a hard-line stance against the contraception provision. Kacsmaryk played a lead role in opposing a Washington state law that required pharmacists to provide birth control to women. Before becoming a judge, he hadcriticized Roe v. Wade, describing the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision as one in which seven justices of the Supreme Court found an unwritten fundamental right to abortion hiding in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the shadowy penumbras of the Bill of Rights, a celestial phenomenon invisible to the non-lawyer eye. (What?) Kacsmaryk, an active member of the conservative Federalist Society, was also known for his record of attacking LGBTQ+ rights. He fought against protections for LGBTQ+ people in employment, housing and health care. He said that including protections for LGBTQ+ people in the Violence Against Women Act would be a grave mistake. In 2015, when Utah passed nondiscrimination protections, Kacsmaryk called the law a bad idea because of the suggestion that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be taken as seriously as other forms of discrimination. He signed a 2016 letter that described being transgender as a delusion. Carl Tobias, the Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond and a judicial nominations expert, said the fact that the right-wing Christian legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom intentionally sought out Kacsmaryk to try its medication abortion case in his court should come as no surprise to any GOP senators. The group is focused on outlawing abortion and scaling back rights for LGBTQ+ people. In Kacsmaryks Judiciary Committee hearing and throughout his confirmation process, Senate Democrats and interest groups clearly demonstrated that he had spent much of his legal career as an anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ rights crusader by litigating cases in opposition to reproductive freedom and rights for LGBTQ individuals, Tobias said. Matthew Kacsmaryk is seen in his Senate confirmation hearing in December 2017. Virtually every GOP senator voted to confirm him knowing he was an ardent opponent of abortion rights. Matthew Kacsmaryk is seen in his Senate confirmation hearing in December 2017. Virtually every GOP senator voted to confirm him knowing he was an ardent opponent of abortion rights. Of the 49 Republicans in todays Senate, 38 were there for Kacsmaryks confirmation vote. On Tuesday, HuffPost reached out to all 38 of them for comment on whether they are pleased with his ruling on medication abortion. None gave an answer. Only Collins and Hyde-Smith had previously weighed in. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, both Texas Republicans, were the ones who recommended Kacsmaryk to Trump for a judgeship. Kacsmaryk had previously volunteered on both of their Senate campaigns, and both senators raved about him when he got confirmed in 2019. Cruz even called him his good friend. I am glad to see the Senate vote today to confirm my good friend, Matt Kacsmaryk, to fill this crucial judicial vacancy for the Northern District of Texas, Cruz said at the time. As a passionate constitutionalist, Matt has served Texas well in his various professional and public service roles and proven himself to be a remarkably experienced and deserving candidate for this vacancy. Matthews experience as a federal prosecutor and advocate for the First Amendment will serve him well in this role, Cornyn said at the time. Im grateful for my colleagues support for his confirmation and thankful to President Trump for his nomination. Neither Cruz nor Cornyn provided comment Tuesday about whether they are happy about Kacsmaryks abortion pill ruling. Ill be in touch if we have anything for you on this, said a spokesperson for Cornyn. A spokesperson for Cruz didnt reply at all. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) possibly knows more about Kacsmaryks court case than anyone. His wife, Erin Morrow Hawley, is an attorney at the center of the lawsuit in Kacsmaryks courtroom, focused on trying to cancel the FDAs approval of medication abortion. Like virtually everyone else in his caucus, Hawley did not respond for a request for comment about Kacsmaryks ruling. Igor Bobic contributed reporting. Related... Hollister, California residents are urging San Benito County officials to remove this rock sculpture that they say looks like a "phallic symbol. KSBW Residents of a California town are pushing officials to remove a "phallic" rock sculpture, per KSBW. The sculpture's artist said he was inspired by California's Pinnacles National Monument. The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted to create a committee to explore removing the sculpture. Some residents in a California town are calling for county officials to remove a longtime sculpture they believe oddly resembles a "phallic symbol." Richard Deutsch, the artist who created the sculpture that has stood in front of the San Benito County administrative building for 30 years, said that he was inspired by the Pinnacles National Monument, which is in the Salinas Valley region of California, according to KSBW. "What I did was I chose some of the formations as being the center point for the project in front of your county building," Deutsch said according to the outlet. Pinnacles National Park. Photo by George Rose/Getty Images Elia Salinas, one of the residents calling for the sculpture's removal, said that some women who work in the county building are offended by the imagery of the sculpture, KSBW reported. "The women in this building feel uncomfortable," Salinas told the outlet. "Not all, apparently, but there are some women who feel uncomfortable to walk into thie building and having this phallic symbol." San Benito County supervisors clashed at a board of supervisors meeting on Tuesday over the issue, with most women on the panel in favor of looking into whether the sculpture should have a place in front of the building. "I just don't know that, in front of our county building, this statue makes much sense," Mindy Sotelo, a member of the county's board of supervisors said at a board meeting on Wednesday. "I think, some ways, it's a bit tasteless." Another county supervisor, Dom Zanger, argued that "not every piece is going to be universally understood the same way and liked by everyone, and that's ok." The board of supervisors voted 3-2 to create a committee to look further into whether or not the sculpture should be removed from the front of the building. Read the original article on Insider The U.S. Coast Guard says 19,000 pounds of freon is no longer in tanks aboard the Kodiak Enterprise in Tacoma. The massive fire on the 276-foot fishing vessel started at around 3:30 a.m. Saturday while the boat was moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard. Freon is a trademarked, brand name used to refer to several different refrigerants. The chemicals eventually reach the stratosphere where they deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, according to the E.P.A. Responders believe the freon was slowly released during the fire, the U.S. Coast Guard stated on Tuesday night. The U.S. Coast Guard added, Responders have verified that there is no longer freon in the tanks aboard the vessel. The tanks are designed to release pressure in an emergency. Responders believe the freon was slowly released during the fire. The release of freon into the atmosphere is not expected to pose any health and safety risks to the public. On Wednesday morning, crews continued applying cooling spray to the exterior of the vessel. Its the fifth day for first responders, whove been at the scene since the fire broke early Saturday. A shelter-in-place order, which has now been lifted, was initiated in northeast Tacoma over the weekend. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with a cadre delegation led by Peter Lam Both, secretary general of Sudan People's Liberation Movement of South Sudan, in Beijing on Wednesday. The two sides exchanged views on implementing the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges and cooperation, and promoting the development of bilateral relations. At first, when suburban mom Kristin gets the mysterious call to head to Italy to settle the affairs of a dead relative, she protests shes too busy. Then she realizes theres not much keeping her: Her son is off to college, her job is dead-end, and her husband? He's cheating with the school guidance counselor. So why not treat herself to a me-focused trip, a la Julia Roberts? Maybe an Eat, Pray, Love trip, muses Kristin (Toni Collette), to which her friend (Sophie Nomvete) replies that what she really needs, bluntly, is to Eat, Pray, $%&$. Soon thats the slogan for her trip. It also would a great alternative title for Mafia Mamma, if they could get away with it. And really, they try to get away with most everything else. That includes some cringe-worthy slapstick, some Tarantino-level violence, and also every Italian stereotype you can imagine (Grape-stomping? Check. Gelato, gnocchi and cannoli? Check. Speaking of cannoli: The Godfather? Check. Stanley Tuccis food show? Check!) Some of this is to be expected, but Mafia Mamma, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is over-saturated with shtick. And in a script which seeks to empower its protagonist by having her don a tight dress and commit murder with a stiletto heel to the groin (and eyeball), the goriest death is by cliche. Nobody escapes it. Not even the wonderfully versatile Collette, who does yeomans work selling the increasingly repetitive plot developments, especially in the latter half, and maintaining sympathy for her character, who's such a wide-eyed fish out of water, shes never even seen The Godfather (a running joke, which like many jokes here is funny the first time). The opening scenes are promising. We begin with always-welcome Monica Bellucci, as hardened consiglieri Bianca, surveying a crime scene full of dead bodies, including her boss Giuseppe Balbano, and declaring: This is war. Soon, Kristin gets Bianca's call about grandad, whom she never knew. Kristin grew up in America and always assumed grandad was a vintner (and Tony Soprano was in waste management...). Story continues Soon Kristin arrives in Rome, ready to eat, pray and you-know-what. (After all, her husbands you-know-whatting with the guidance counselor, who has one of the films funnier lines when she says, caught in the act: I want you to know Im a feminist!) It seems like the you-know-what is about to happen quickly for Kristin too, because an impossibly handsome guy just happens to show up at the airport and take her number. At the funeral, Kristin narrowly escapes death when the procession itself is attacked by the rival family (a cascade of oranges running down the cobblestoned street is a clever Godfather reference, until the joke gets tired). At the family home, shes shown a video message designating her as the successor. She tries to flee, but Bianca tells her she cant run from her destiny. And so the film chronicles her making peace with that destiny, even if peace means severing a few eyeballs from their sockets along the way. Not that Kristin becomes evil or anything. Most of her bad deeds are done by accident or in self-defense. But the worst deed of all is that the movie cant decide what it wants her, or itself, to be. Its not fully slapstick comedy wine-stomping scenes aside and hardly a serious crime saga. Most of all, it seems to want to tell a story of female empowerment; at one point Kristin is reminded to never let a man dictate who she can be or what she can do. Nice message, but its muddled. Who exactly is dictating? Surely not her husband, a caricature of a doofus. And so, despite some satisfying moments, by the increasingly cringe-worthy last third of the movie youre just annoyed that it seems to want to cover all bases to have its, er, cannoli and eat it, too. Maybe Kristin should just eat, pray, you-know-what, and head on home. Mafia Mamma, a Bleecker Street release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for bloody violence, sexual content and language. Running time: 101 minutes. Two stars out of four. ___ MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Gov. Dan McKee will unveil a plan on Wednesday to push Rhode Island's struggling education system forward by adopting a 365-day learning strategy. The shift, dubbed Learn 365 RI, seeks cooperation from municipal leaders in moving the state from the current 180 days of learning to a year-round program that would offer students educational opportunities outside of their traditional schooling. The idea is not to expand the school year to 365 days, but to add enough optional out-of-school programming that kids could add many more hours to their educational year. Programs would be free or made affordable to families based on how much they can pay. McKee will make a trip to Newport, which will become his first partner as Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong signs the governor's Learn 365 Municipal Compact, which is the agreement committing leaders to the state's plan. The governor's goal is to catch up with Rhode Island's neighbors. But he will still need buy-in, ideally from all of the state's 39 cities and towns. In an interview with The Providence Journal on Tuesday, which Khamsyvoravong joined, McKee did not provide the number of municipalities that have agreed to partner with the state, but said he expects most to participate. "To date, I think that I've talked to enough mayors and municipal leaders to know that we've got strong interest, if not buy-in, from municipal leaders that represent 70% of the state's population," the governor said. More: Report: Poor English skills a hallmark of RI school districts. Who scored highest, lowest? Gov. Dan McKee on Tuesday said his plan for community programs to boost Rhode Island students' performance on standardized English and math tests has generated "strong interest, if not buy-in, from municipal leaders that represent 70% of the state's population." How would the program work? Interested municipal leaders would sign the same compact as Khamsyvoravong. That agreement would commit their city or town to working on a variety of objectives. In Newport's case, that means a math booster camp hosted by the Boys & Girls Club, a literacy initiative at the Potter League for Animals, where kids would read to shelter pets, and a Sail Newport program that would utilize science, technology, engineering and math skills. Story continues "Our public schools are facing a steep learning deficit in both reading and math," said Khamsyvoravong. "Over 80% of our elementary middle school students are lagging behind where they should be in terms of proficiency in these areas. So we look at the programming we have in the community in what we can do to help strengthen that." McKee said Providence Mayor Brett Smiley also supports his plan. It's not yet clear how much money participating communities will have to spend on the programs, with the help of state contributions. Khamsyvoravong said his city's program doesn't have a price tag yet. "We are waiting to see what the ultimate allocation is and the parameters around the use of of existing funding that the state might be allocating towards this," Khamsyvoravong said. "The most important thing for us, though, is as we look at that, making sure there's a way to track and benchmark investments that are being made." More: RI Department of Education releases RICAS scores. Here's the summary What does the compact include? A copy of the one-page Newport compact shared with The Journal requires the city to complete a range of tasks. Among them: Conduct a needs assessment for out-of-school programming, host a community education forum, review data on educational outcomes and form a Municipal Youth Commission to connect students with leadership opportunities in their city. The agreement also asks Newport to "invest in existing or new community learning programs, centers and/or libraries that will help advance the goal of improving educational outcomes." State will provide guidance with help of new nonprofit The state will offer guidance to participating municipalities with the help of a newly created nonprofit called Always Learning. McKee was tight-lipped on what exactly the organization will do. However, he said "my interpretation is that they're going to be able to access philanthropy and other dollars and then they become a facilitator and can provide guidance through staff to help municipalities maximize the learning opportunity." McKee said he has been working on Learn 365 RI for the past eight months, and has consulted with Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green, Commissioner on Postsecondary Education Shannon Gilkey, teacher unions and others. In a statement, General Treasurer James Diossa, who has also been looped in, said the program could help the state to boost financial literacy, too. How will the state track success? Three measurements will be used to determine success: The Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System, also known as RICAS, the number of students using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA, and student attendance rates. McKee said Rhode Island lags Massachusetts by roughly 10 points in each of those areas. Success would mean Rhode Island catching up by 2030. Learn 365 RI will be available to students regardless of what type of school they attend, whether it's public, private or a charter school. The goal? In McKee's words: "making education important as a priority in every household in the state of Rhode Island." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 365-day learning strategy for RI - What does McKee's plan mean? California lawmaker Ro Khanna has called on fellow Democrat, US Senator Dianne Feinstein to resign from office saying it was obvious she can no longer fulfil her duties. Representative Khanna became the first elected member of Congress to ask for the 89-year-old senator for California to stand down as she has not cast a vote since being diagnosed with shingles in February. Its time for (Feinstein) to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfil her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people, he tweeted on Wednesday. Ms Feinstein, who is the oldest member of the US Senate, has said she will not stand again in 2024 but insisted she planned on seeing out her term. Because of her illness, she has been unable to take part in 58 out of 82 Senate votes so far in 2023, according to The San Francisco Chronicle Ms Feinstein is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats hold a slender majority of 11 votes to 10 for Republicans. For judicial nominees to be sent to the Senate floor a majority of the committees members need to be present to vote, with a tie meaning that it does not proceed. the situation has left Democrats concerned about their ability to push through Joe Bidens nominations of judges, according to NBC News. Jon Lovett, a former speechwriter for Barack Obama who hosts Pod Save America, called for Ms Feinstein to resign on his podcast on Tuesday. Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign. And more people should be calling on her to resign, he said. (Bloomberg) -- Ricardo Roa was selected to lead state-run oil company Ecopetrol SA as Colombias first leftist government seeks to push through ambitious plans to transition the country away from fossil fuels. Most Read from Bloomberg Roa will take over from interim Chief Executive Officer Alberto Consuegra after Felipe Bayon, who had held the role since 2017, left at the end of last month. Roa, who will assume the role by April 30, is a mechanical engineer who was previously head of power company Grupo Energia Bogota, or GEB, at the time when President Gustavo Petro was the capitals mayor. More recently, Roa headed Petros successful campaign last year. Petro has pledged to phase out the economys dependence on oil and coal even though they account for about half of Colombias exports. Energy and Mines Minister Irene Velez has stuck with those campaign pledges and so far has halted any new oil and gas exploration licenses in the country, and is only allowing existing deals to continue. While few question the need for a long-term transition, many investors are concerned Ecopetrol is missing out on a lucrative opportunity to produce as much oil as it can before global demand goes into decline and leaves oil-rich nations with stranded assets. The Ukraine war caused supply disruptions last year and exposed how the global economy remains dependent on fossil fuels. Read : As the World Backpedals on Ditching Oil, One Major Plows Ahead In a letter posted on Twitter, Roa said that he will take over as soon as possible and will ensure that Ecopetrol guarantees energy security and equity. For almost three years until the start of 2022, he headed Hondurass power utility Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica. Story continues Roas appointment is market neutral because it was was widely expected, Daniel Guardiola, an analyst at Banco BTG Pactual, wrote in a report. His over 28-year experience in the energy sector comes at a time when the government is pushing Ecopetrol to further accelerate its investments in the so-called low-emission businesses, Guardiola wrote. But he lacks knowledge and experience in the upstream sector, which is Ecopetrols core business, he added. With oil accounting for about 15% of Colombias fiscal revenue and 30% of foreign direct investment, Petros plans have weighed on Colombian assets. Ecopetrol shares declined sharply ahead of his election and have since leveled out. Meanwhile, the nations local currency bonds have lost 5.5% since Petro won, which compares to a 3.7% gain for emerging market peers over the same period, according to a Bloomberg index. Soon after the Petro administration took office in August and signaled it wanted to implement a ban on fracking, Ecopetrol scrapped two such pilot projects in the country. The previous administration hoped that the controversial method of oil extraction would unleash new investments and lift production. --With assistance from Danielle Chaves. (Adds Roa comment in fifth paragraph, analyst comment starting in sixth.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Theres one thing weve already learned from this Northern California playoff series between the Kings and Golden State Warriors. NBA players would rather ride a bus than get on an airplane. Warriors star Draymond Green has been saying he wanted to play the Kings for weeks, citing travel considerations. The Kings echoed that sentiment Sunday after learning they would face the Warriors in the first round. Were not going to have to travel very far theyre not going to have to travel very far so were looking forward to it, Kings guard Kevin Huerter said. Game 1 will be played Saturday when the Kings, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, face the sixth-seeded Warriors at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Gentlemen, start your buses. The Warriors will make the 86-mile drive along Interstate-80 from San Francisco to Sacramento on Friday. They might even drive back to the Bay Area before returning to Sacramento for Game 2, which will be played Monday or Tuesday. Raymond Ridder, the teams senior vice president of communications, told The Sacramento Bee the Warriors expect to make that decision Wednesday. The Kings did not respond Tuesday when asked about their travel plans, but they will likely take a bus to San Francisco when the series shifts to Chase Center for Games 3 and 4. Huerter suggested as much following Sundays regular-season finale against the Denver Nuggets, saying he would rather drive. You dont have to fly, Huerter said. Well get on a bus and go to an away game. More nights sleeping in your own bed. Im sure the fans will like it. Itll be probably mean more fans in each others buildings than a normal playoff series, but anytime you dont have to fly, its better on your body. Any time you dont have to fly is great. Kings center Domantas Sabonis agreed. Yeah, for sure, anytime you dont have to get on a plane all the information, all that scientific stuff so itll be easier, Sabonis said. The same thing applies to them. Story continues Green made the same point two weeks ago on his podcast, long before playoff matchups were finalized. Im not upset if the standings shook out how they did today and we met Sacramento in the first round, Green said. Not because I think Sacramento is a weak team. Because the travel is so much easier. Green went on to explain: The reason why I said Sac is simply just because of the travel. Thats a lot on your body. If we can bus ride an hour and 10 minutes up the way, I just think thats much better for us. 'Emotionally intelligent' robots could improve their interactions with people. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images Robots are machines that can sense the environment and use that information to perform an action. You can find them nearly everywhere in industrialized societies today. There are household robots that vacuum floors and warehouse robots that pack and ship goods. Lab robots test hundreds of clinical samples a day. Education robots support teachers by acting as one-on-one tutors, assistants and discussion facilitators. And medical robotics composed of prosthetic limbs can enable someone to grasp and pick up objects with their thoughts. Figuring out how humans and robots can collaborate to effectively carry out tasks together is a rapidly growing area of interest to the scientists and engineers that design robots as well as the people who will use them. For successful collaboration between humans and robots, communication is key. Robotics can help patients recover physical function in rehabilitation. BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images How people communicate with robots Robots were originally designed to undertake repetitive and mundane tasks and operate exclusively in robot-only zones like factories. Robots have since advanced to work collaboratively with people with new ways to communicate with each other. Cooperative control is one way to transmit information and messages between a robot and a person. It involves combining human abilities and decision making with robot speed, accuracy and strength to accomplish a task. For example, robots in the agriculture industry can help farmers monitor and harvest crops. A human can control a semi-autonomous vineyard sprayer through a user interface, as opposed to manually spraying their crops or broadly spraying the entire field and risking pesticide overuse. Robots can also support patients in physical therapy. Patients who had a stroke or spinal cord injury can use robots to practice hand grasping and assisted walking during rehabilitation. Another form of communication, emotional intelligence perception, involves developing robots that adapt their behaviors based on social interactions with humans. In this approach, the robot detects a persons emotions when collaborating on a task, assesses their satisfaction, then modifies and improves its execution based on this feedback. Story continues For example, if the robot detects that a physical therapy patient is dissatisfied with a specific rehabilitation activity, it could direct the patient to an alternate activity. Facial expression and body gesture recognition ability are important design considerations for this approach. Recent advances in machine learning can help robots decipher emotional body language and better interact with and perceive humans. Robots in rehab Questions like how to make robotic limbs feel more natural and capable of more complex functions like typing and playing musical instruments have yet to be answered. I am an electrical engineer who studies how the brain controls and communicates with other parts of the body, and my lab investigates in particular how the brain and hand coordinate signals between each other. Our goal is to design technologies like prosthetic and wearable robotic exoskeleton devices that could help improve function for individuals with stroke, spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. One approach is through brain-computer interfaces, which use brain signals to communicate between robots and humans. By accessing an individuals brain signals and providing targeted feedback, this technology can potentially improve recovery time in stroke rehabilitation. Brain-computer interfaces may also help restore some communication abilities and physical manipulation of the environment for patients with motor neuron disorders. Brain-computer interfaces could allow people to control robotic arms by thought alone. Ramana Kumar Vinjamuri, CC BY-ND The future of human-robot interaction Effective integration of robots into human life requires balancing responsibility between people and robots, and designating clear roles for both in different environments. As robots are increasingly working hand in hand with people, the ethical questions and challenges they pose cannot be ignored. Concerns surrounding privacy, bias and discrimination, security risks and robot morality need to be seriously investigated in order to create a more comfortable, safer and trustworthy world with robots for everyone. Scientists and engineers studying the dark side of human-robot interaction are developing guidelines to identify and prevent negative outcomes. Human-robot interaction has the potential to affect every aspect of daily life. It is the collective responsibility of both the designers and the users to create a human-robot ecosystem that is safe and satisfactory for all. A photo was replaced to more accurately reflect the work of the author. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. It was written by: Ramana Vinjamuri, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Read more: Ramana Vinjamuri receives funding from National Science Foundation. Business deals can focus on much more than profits. Hinterhaus Productions via Getty Images Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: Negotiation Strategy: Fostering Collaborative Dynamics in Competitive Environments What prompted the idea for the course? I designed this class to help undergraduate business students find the skills and confidence they need to develop solutions to better the world around them through business. Students arrive on campus with energy, ambition and an instinct that business can somehow be a force for good. So I developed a course to help students learn how to be true to themselves when they negotiate business deals. This course teaches them that financial gains are not the only way to measure success in business. Successful negotiators seek to maximize profits and at the same time embrace an inclusive and collaborative approach. What does the course explore? Everything about the course is designed to teach students how to negotiate both rationally and genuinely. Students learn strategies to increase monetary gains. At the same time, they learn how their identity and emotions can be aligned with business strategy to fuel ambition and explore creative solutions to challenging environmental and social problems. Students explore new ways of thinking and feeling when they negotiate. In one of the negotiation reflections, for example, I invite students to describe how feeling angry can help define ethical problems. Another scenario highlights to students how expressions of sadness potentially build empathy and trust needed to resolve conflict. Class discussions motivate learning diverse paths for exceptional success. It is a highly interactive educational experience capped at 36 students. The course design invites students to role-play negotiations in teams of anywhere from two to six students. Class experiences open a window to observe personal patterns of competitive and cooperative behaviors. Role-play exercises and negotiation simulations demonstrate how not to get stuck in win-lose propositions. For example, imagine two manufacturing companies fighting to secure supply of a metallic compound only to discover they have complementary technology that could create a better product. Both companies would make more money and customers would benefit from this new product. Its a win-win. Now imagine their innovative technology could reduce pollution and create jobs in a region with high unemployment. Students learn they dont need to choose between profits and positive impact. They can achieve both. Story continues Why is this course relevant now? When faced with challenges such as the recent collapse of banks and massive layoffs, students will broadly consider: What can a person like me do in a situation like this to make things better? Good negotiators understand how to approach business decisions by asking what is appropriate based on their personal values. Students learn that the way societal problems are framed limits how they imagine solutions. If people think only about profits, they miss opportunities to do good. The course introduces decision frameworks that transform the competitive nature of business into collaborative opportunities. Whats a critical lesson from the course? Being yourself in business means approaching work with the same logic that applies to community, locally and globally. Every solution starts with oneself, with who you are in relationship to people. Success in business isnt confined to winning competitive games studied by economists. The course highlights the interpersonal character of human understanding, communication and coordination. Students learn to build their personal way forward. What materials does the course feature? A Primer on Decision Making, by James March Getting to Yes, by Roger Fisher, William Ury and Bruce Patton Negotiating Genuinely, by Shirli Kopelman The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator, by Leigh Thompson What will the course prepare students to do? Students will learn to see themselves as resources. They will see who they are as an essential part of understanding what is on the negotiation table and how to navigate a discovery process. They will be prepared to perform with dynamic flexibility, dignity and integrity. The experience in class offers a blueprint for engaging collaboratively in diverse professional endeavors. It paves the path for negotiating from the inside out to pursue profits and make the world better. 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: Shirli Kopelman, University of Michigan. Read more: Shirli Kopelman 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. [Source] Roman Zaragoza knows a thing or two about embodying different cultures and identities. Born in New York City to a Native American Mexican father and Japanese Taiwanese mother, Zaragoza has been closely involved in theater, television and film ever since he watched his father, Gregory Zaragoza, star in the 1999 Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun. Roman Zaragoza is best known for appearing in the CBS sitcom Ghosts as Sasappis, a Lenape Native American ghost whose sarcastic humor has helped make him a fan favorite. An adaptation of the hit BBC One series of the same name, Ghosts first premiered in the U.S. in 2021 and follows a married couple in New York who inherit a house along with its various phantom inhabitants. More from NextShark: 'Raya and the Last Dragon' director takes over live-action Your Name adaptation Zaragoza chatted with NextShark via Zoom to discuss his work on Ghosts, the struggles of juggling career setbacks and aspirations, memorable encounters with fans over the years and what it means to be part of Native American representation on screen. For Zaragoza, portraying Sasappis has given him the chance to meet other Native people who enjoy the show. Its so much about representation. I didnt see the representation that I needed when I was a kid, Zaragoza says. Seeing how Native people are so proud of the show and proud of Sasappis and proud of this representation: thats why I do what I do. More from NextShark: Thats ba-na-nas: Chinas censoring of Minions: The Rise of Gru gets ridiculed online Although his character is known for his bluntness and honesty, Zaragoza says that in real life, he is a people pleaser: Im working on it right now. One aspect of himself that he brought to his character, however, was Sasappis hopeless romanticism. Reflecting on Sasappiss romantic storyline with fellow Ghosts actor Nichole Sakura, Zaragoza said: I got to play a young, hopeless romantic character that Ive always dreamed of playing because its who I am. That was so exciting, and I got to really bring myself. I didnt feel like acting when I was on set for those days because I was like, its just me: Im just falling in love. More from NextShark: BTSs J-Hope makes viral appearance at airport on his way to NYC for New Year's Eve solo performance Story continues Although Zaragoza has taken on characters from various racial backgrounds, he looks forward to taking on more projects with three-dimensional characters that are not race-specific. In his first professional gig where race was not specified, he played Orlando in the Shakespeare play As You Like It. More from NextShark: Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel responds to accusations she won because of favoritism' I found myself so excited to play a character where race wasnt the first thing you see about this character, said Zaragoza. Who is Orlando? He is a lover, a fighter, someone who has been dealt some difficult cards, and hes trying to figure out who he is, hes young. Zaragoza credits his time in college as pivotal for the development of his career not just in acting, but also in directing, writing and producing. After being rejected from the musical theater program at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he pivoted into film production at California State University Northridge (CSUN). During his time at CSUN, Zaragoza worked at Native Voices at the Autry and started a three-year journey with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. My freshman year I was already working at a theater company, and I was auditioning and working on other projects, Zaragoza said of his experience at CSUN. It really showed that if one door closes or if something ruins your life plan, maybe its for a reason. Im so grateful for UCLA not taking me. Besides working on Ghosts, Zaragoza served as one of the producers for a 2022 short film called This is Their Land, starring himself and his father. In addition to this most recent project, Zaragoza is looking forward to telling his own stories and utilizing representation to inspire real change. One of the stories on the horizon is the love story between his own parents. This Native American Mexican man met a Japanese Taiwanese woman in NYC in the '80s, he shares. Theres so many aspects of their life where Im like this is so bizarre, and funny, and tragic, and beautiful. I would love to put this into a film. And again, the representation of seeing an Asian woman and an Indigenous man in a city, falling in love never seen that! For now, though, Zaragoza is enjoying his time on set with the cast of Ghosts, who he describes as a family of 10: We love each other so much, we get along really well and were always surprised. We spend so much time together yet we still like each other, that is pretty cool. Ghosts was renewed for a third season in January, but Zaragoza says he has zero insider scoop. I wish I could tell you everything about Season 3. Just know we have a very exciting season finale for Season 2, and expect more laughs and more heart in Season 3! The Season 2 finale of Ghosts airs on CBS this Thursday, April 13. WARSAW, Poland The Romanian authorities have approved a plan to acquire F-35 Lightning II fighter jets for the countrys air force. The latest move indicates Romania could become the third Eastern European ally, after Poland and the Czech Republic, to operate the fifth-generation aircraft. The decision was taken by the Romanian Supreme Council on National Defense (CSAT), a state body chaired by President Klaus Iohannis, at its April 11 meeting. The process of the modernization of the Air Force will continue with the purchase of the latest-generation F-35 aircraft, the Romanian presidents office said in a statement. These aircraft allow to achieve and maintain air superiority, a mandatory condition for ensuring sovereignty in the national airspace and, if necessary, its defense. The number of the fighter jets to be purchased and the planned acquisitions value were not disclosed. The F-35s are designed to strengthen Romanias modern fighter jet fleet. The countrys air service currently operates 17 used F-16s acquired from Portugal. Last year, the Romanian government signed a contract to buy 32 second-hand F-16s from Norway. Romania is joining a growing group of Eastern European allies who have set their sights on Lockheed Martins fifth-generation jet. In July 2022, the Czech government decided to launch negotiations with the United States to buy 24 F-35 aircraft. In January 2020, Polands Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak signed a deal worth about $4.6 billion to acquire 32 F-35 fighters along with a training and logistics package for the Polish Air Force. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2024. In this Oct. 15, 2020 file photo, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks during a news conference near Neffs Canyon, in Salt Lake City. Romney and the rest of Utah's Congressional delegation is calling for the U.S. State Department to consider opening a passport office in Salt Lake City. Saying their offices have been flooded by emergency requests from constituents, Utah's six members of Congress, including U.S. Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, are calling for the opening of a new passport office in Salt Lake City. The backlogs have reached emergency levels, with all six of the state's congressional offices reporting complaints from residents, the members said in a letter sent this week to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Signed by Romney, Lee, and Reps. Chris Stewart, John Curtis, Burgess Owens and Black Moore, all Republicans, the letter calls for "every step possible to address it, including by opening a passport agency in Salt Lake City." "Over the past several weeks, residents of Utah have seen passport processing grind to a near halt, greatly disrupting travel plans and other aspects of daily life in our state," the letter states. Utah residents must typically travel out of state for passport services, with the nearest offices in Los Angeles and Aurora, Colorado. The letter suggests points to passage of this year's National Defense Authorization Act as requiring the State Department to review the geographic diversity of passport agencies and identify areas with high demand but no in-person access to services. "Salt Lake County meets the criteria in the legislation, and we implore you to prioritize resources and investment to meet the consular needs of citizens within and near this region," the letter states. This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Utah delegation calls for passport office in Salt Lake City MOGADISHU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrapped up his two-day visit to Somalia by calling on donors to ramp up humanitarian support to prevent the crisis in Somalia where the risk of famine is still looming. Guterres, who arrived in Somalia Tuesday in a surprise visit, spoke of the urgent need to "act now to prevent catastrophe" due to the ongoing drought in the country. "Between now and June, 6.5 million Somalis are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity. So the risk of famine is still looming," he told journalists in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, at the end of his visit. He said the current situation is once again alarming, adding that climate change is causing chaos in Somalia which has experienced five consecutive poor rainy seasons. "This is unprecedented. A devastating drought has already resulted in the tragic loss of 43,000 lives - in 2022 alone. It has led to the displacement of 1.4 million Somalis - with women and children making up 80 percent," Guterres said. He said the rising food prices are aggravating hunger and malnutrition with drought pushing the poor and vulnerable communities to the brink of starvation. "Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed for some 8.3 million Somalis. And we must act now to prevent a catastrophe," said Guterres, who visited Baidoa, southwest of Somalia, and spoke to families who have lost their livelihoods to drought and insecurity. He appealed to donors to stand with Somalis in their time of need as 8.25 million people need lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance due to climate shocks, which include five consecutive years of poor rainy seasons, and protracted conflict. The international community has the responsibility and the interest to support Somalia with the resources needed to defeat al-Shabab, build resilience and stabilize the areas liberated and provide much-needed humanitarian assistance, Guterres said. The UN's 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, which seeks 2.6 billion U.S. dollars, is just 15 percent funded. Guterres said that it's unacceptable that Somalis, who have done almost nothing to create the climate crisis, are suffering its terrible impact -- just as they are beginning to emerge from years of conflict and insecurity. The UN chief lauded Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's efforts to advance peace and security, and highlighted the importance of strong collaboration with federal states to address the threats posed by al-Shabab. Despite several challenges, Guterres said, the people of Somalia continue to demonstrate enormous strength and resilience. "The UN is committed to supporting national and regional efforts to protect human rights and combat terrorism and violent extremism - including through the African Union's Transition Mission," he said. Guterres, who last visited Somalia in 2017, also called for the full participation of Somalia's women and young people in political life including the constitutional review. Sen. Mitt Romney speaks to reporters following an event with the Utah Aerospace and Defense Association at the Larry H. Miller Company in Sandy on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News One of the hottest political questions in Utah is whether or not U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney will run for reelection in 2024. He may have offered a clue Tuesday when he filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission that will allow him to begin raising and spending money on a reelection campaign. The statement of candidacy names Romneys chief fundraising committee as Romney for Utah. But Romneys chief of staff, Liz Johnson, said he still hasnt reached a final decision. No new decision or announcement to share, and as the senator has said, he will make a final decision in the coming months, she said. In the meantime, were ensuring hes well prepared to run if he chooses. A spokesperson for the senator also pointed out Romney has said he is focused on his work in the Senate, rather than questions about reelection. At the state Capitol in February, Romney told reporters, The question for me is, what can I get done? I have a list of things Im working on. Ill make that assessment over the coming months, and sometime in the spring or summer, Ill make that decision. Im confident that I would win if I decide to run. Ill have the resources, and I believe the people of Utah would be with me. Joe Biden meeting Rishi Sunak in Belfast (AFP via Getty Images) Joe Biden sought to reach out as a friend to Unionists in Northern Ireland on Wednesday amid warnings against America intervening in the power sharing row. The US president was on a brief visit to Belfast with the main focus on marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). He was also due to hold talks with the five main political parties, as well as what was billed as a bi-latte coffee meeting with Rishi Sunak. Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe on the US National Security Council, said: The presidents message, I expect he will reaffirm today... is the United States strong support for that (the GFA) and belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have democratically-elected, power-sharing representative governance. The president comes here very much as a friend, as a supporter of Northern Ireland, and supporter of peace in Northern Ireland, to convey a message of support from the United States for those institutions and for the process here. However, Ms Sloat stopped short of denying that Mr Biden backed Irish reunification, as suspected by some Unionists. Asked about this, she responded: The president is a strong supporter of the Good Friday Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement includes mechanisms by which the people of Northern Ireland can make that decision for themselves. As he had a cup of tea with Mr Sunak, Mr Biden said he was in Northern Ireland to listen. At the meeting in a Belfast hotel, the US president faced a volley of questions from reporters - including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the "heck of a view" from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Later in a speech at Ulster Universitys 350 million Belfast campus, Mr Biden was expected to float the prospect of more US investment in Northern Ireland with no conditions, such as power sharing being restored. Story continues But in a sign of tensions over his visit, hardline Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson warned the president, who is proud of his Irish heritage, against coming to the province to lecture political leaders about democracy. Accusing Mr Biden of being extremely partisan, he told Talk TV: He would not accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments. The Stormont power-sharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not operating due to a DUP protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements. But Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald stressed that Mr Biden could bring energy, purpose and urgency to getting Stormont working again, where her party would hold the top post. She added: I hope that we see the DUP rise to the occasion, respond to the moment and above all else respond to the democratic wishes of the people. Things cannot drag on without government for much longer. Mr Biden was set to spend only around 17 hours in Belfast, with his meeting with Mr Sunak expected to last around 30 minutes and to cover Ukraine, Brexit, Northern Ireland trade but not a US-UK free trade deal, before heading south. Ms Sloat said the two leaders had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met recently in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be furthered and deepened when they meet in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she added. In Dublin, Mr Biden was already being hailed as the most Irish president since JFK (John F Kennedy). Irish government minister Neale Richmond told Times Radio: Its a big deal for us... an important opportunity to showcase Ireland to the US but also to undermine a really important alliance. We hope that President Biden leaves Ireland later in the week knowing that this is a country that is continuing to be a strong ally of the US, a strong economic partner. Hes effectively the most Irish president since JFK. He explained the lack of a government in Northern Ireland as being the reason for Mr Bidens brief stay there. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove last night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Mr Sunak was not due to attend Mr Bidens keynote university speech, with Downing Street denying that the engagement between the pair would be low key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. The presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip, as is US special envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. A massive security operation was in place for Mr Bidens stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on sealed off streets around the presidents hotel and the Ulster campus. The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden was due to travel this afternoon to the Republic of Ireland, where he was carrying out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. First, he will cross the border to attend engagements in County Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish president Michael D Higgins tomorrow. The White House said Mr Biden would take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow night. The presidents trip will conclude with a visit to County Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. A new report has brought to light new alleged details of the divorce between Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall. The 92-year-old media tycoon reached a settlement with Jerry Hall, his fourth wife, last August after six years together. Hall, a 66-year-old model and mother to four children with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, reportedly told friends she was heartbroken and devastated by the split. In a new report on power struggles and family relationships in the Murdoch family, Vanity Fair revealed that after the pairs divorce, Hall reportedly told friends that security guards watched as her children helped her pack when moving everything out of their Bel Air estate. The report claimed that Hall had to show receipts to prove that items belonged to her. The Independent has contacted representatives of Murdoch and Hall for comment. Elsewhere in the report, it was alleged that Murdoch told Hall via email that he wanted a divorce. In June last year, Hall was waiting Mr Murdoch to arrive at their Oxfordshire estate when she checked her phone, the report stated. Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall at St Brides Church in London after their wedding ceremony in 2016 (PA) An email from Mr Murdoch, seen in the screenshot by the magazine, said: Jerry, sadly Ive decided to call an end to our marriage. We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to do My New York lawyer will be contacting yours immediately. Murdochs marriage to Hall was his shortest to date after Patricia Booker (1956-1967), Wendi Murdoch (1999-2013) and Anna Murdoch Mann (1967-1999), and was the first wife with whom he did not have a child. Hall reportedly told people that Rupert and I never fought, outside of small disagreements over political matters. Months after the divorce with Hall was settled, Murdoch was seen on holiday in Barbados with Ann Lesley Smith, to whom he proposed on 17 March in New York City. It has since been reported that the engagement was called off. Smith, a former radio host who is 25 years Mr Murdochs junior, was previously married to country and western musician Chester Smith, who died in 2008 at the age of 78. The pair recorded an album together in 2005, titled Captured by Love. Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall were married for six years before they divorced. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Rupert Murdoch broke off his marriage with Jerry Hall in an email, Vanity Fair reported. "We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to do," the billionaire reportedly wrote. Last year, news broke that Hall was "heartbroken" after Murdoch severed ties over email. Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old media mogul whose sprawling portfolio includes Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, ended his marriage with Jerry Hall last year over email, according to a recent report from Vanity Fair. The email break up was first reported last year, but Vanity Fair is the first to reveal some of the contents of the exchange. "Jerry, sadly I've decided to call an end to our marriage," the email said, according to Vanity Fair, which cited a screenshot of the exchange. "We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to doMy New York lawyer will be contacting yours immediately." Spokespeople for Murdoch and Hall did not respond to a request for comment to Insider ahead of publication. The supermodel was Murdoch's fourth wife, and the couple was married for about six years before the media mogul cut ties with Hall. The Mail+ reported in last July that Hall was "heartbroken" after Murdoch informed her their marriage was over. Hall was waiting for Murdoch to join her in the UK for the summer when she received the email from Murdoch, per Vanity Fair. The note told her that they could only communicate via attorneys from then on, The Mail+ reported. "I still love him. I am devastated," Hall reportedly told a friend, per The Mail+. Both publications said that Hall told friends at the time that she was surprised by the news. Vanity Fair reported that Hall told people that the two "never fought," even though they didn't always see eye-to-eye on political issues, including abortion, Donald Trump, and the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vanity Fair said, citing sources close to the couple. Unnamed sources told The Mail+ last year that the couple had experienced marital difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Hall assuming a "gatekeeping" role to protect her husband. The media outlet said that Hall believed his family perceived this as her trying to isolate her husband from them, adding that she blamed his children for "souring" the marriage. Story continues The two were legally divorced about two months after Murdoch sent the email, Vanity Fair said. And a few months after that there were reports of Murdoch spending time with Ann Lesley Smith, a former conservative radio host. Smith and Murdoch announced they were engaged earlier this year, but called the wedding off two weeks later. Read Vanity Fair's full story on Rupert Murdoch on the publication's website. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw, Poland, on April 5, 2023. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images One video circulating online appears to show Russians beheading a Ukrainian serviceman with a knife. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was "the execution of a Ukrainian captive." Ukraine's foreign minister accused Russia of being "worse than ISIS." Ukraine accused Russia of executing its servicemen after videos purporting to show the beheading of Ukrainian soldiers began circulating online. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday responded to one of the videos, saying that it showed "the execution of a Ukrainian captive." "There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill," Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia is trying to make "destroying life" into the "new norm." The video, which has not been verified, shows what appears to be a Russian soldier using a knife to behead a man wearing Ukrainian military clothing. Given the amount of foliage on the ground, it was likely filmed during the summer, CNN reported. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, described it as a "horrific video of Russian troops decapitating a Ukrainian prisoner of war." Kuleba accused Russia of being "worse than ISIS" and said that "Russian terrorists must be kicked out of Ukraine and the UN and be held accountable for their crimes." The Islamic State previously released videos of it beheading captives. Another video shared by a pro-Russia Telegram channel last week also appeared to show Ukrainian soldiers lying dead with their heads cut off, CNN reported. While the video was purportedly filmed by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group, according to CNN, Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin denied the claim on his company's Telegram account. "I watched this video. It's bad when people's heads are cut off, but I haven't found anywhere that this is happening near Bakhmut and that Wagner PMC fighters are participating in the execution," he said. Russia has not commented on the videos, but has previously denied that any of its servicemen have committed atrocities or war crimes in Ukraine. Story continues Seemingly responding to the first video, Zelenskyy said the apparent killing was "not an accident" but instead part of a pattern by Russia, pointing to alleged war crimes in the town of Bucha. When Russia pulled back from the Kyiv suburb last year, investigators found bodies with their hands tied behind backs and gunshot wounds to their heads. Investigators said that there was evidence to show that Russian forces "carried out targeted, organized killings of civilians in Bucha." Dariia Zarivna, an adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said on Telegram on Wednesday that the videos were "aimed at intimidation" and showed "the essence of a terrorist country," according to CNN's translation. "The target audience is not only Ukraine, but also Western societies," she added. "It doesn't work on us, though. The Russians are afraid of this, but not us." Ukraine's Security Service announced on Wednesday that it was opening a pre-trial war crimes investigation. "We will find these non-humans. We will get them wherever they are: from underground or from the other world if necessary. But they will be punished for what they have done," Security Service chief Vasyl Maliuk said, according to a translation by Ukrainian media outlet Rubryka. Read the original article on Business Insider Russians are installing defense structures, including in occupied Crimea According to UK intelligence, the area is highly likely the responsibility of Russias Southern Grouping of Forces. Russia has now completed three layers of defensive zones across approximately 120 kilometers of this sector. These consist of a front line of forward combat positions, and then two zones of nearly continuous, more elaborate defenses, the ministry said in its daily summary. Each zone is approximately 10-20 kilometers behind the one in front. Russia has probably put significant effort into these defensive works because it is convinced Ukraine is considering an assault towards the city of Melitopol. The agency added that the defenses have the potential to be formidable obstacles, but their utility almost entirely depends on them being supported by sufficient artillery and personnel. Read also: Occupiers building defensive structures en masse in Crimea satellite imagery However, it remains unclear if Russias Southern Grouping of Forces can currently muster these resources, the intelligence said. 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. On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address that Ukraine was preparing new active actions of the Defense Forces. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin previously said that Ukrainian forces have a good chance of conducting a successful counter-offensive this spring. Later, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated that the counter-offensive should begin in April-May of this year on several fronts. On March 26, Ukrainian Presidents Representative in Crimea, Tamila Tasheva, said in an interview with NV Radio that Russian invaders are panicking and digging trenches along the entire coastline of the peninsula. These fortifications are visible on numerous satellite images published in recent weeks. Story continues U.S. newspaper the New York Times reported on April 3 that Ukrainian officers will have to carefully choreograph artillery, infantry and the armored vehicle assaults that will crash through Russian trenches, tank traps and minefields. Sophisticated Western tanks, with better survivability and firepower, will be critical in breaking through the Russian defensive positions, the newspaper wrote. 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 officers and soldiers take part in the general rehearsals of the Victory Day Parade in front of the Kremlin at Red Square, on May 7, 2021 in Moscow, Russia. Russian officers and soldiers take part in Victory Day Parade rehearsals in front of the Kremlin at Red Square in Moscow, May 7, 2021. Credit - Sefa KaracanAnadolu Agency/Getty Images Fourteen months into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has made few gains while experiencing stratospheric losses: in February, a Center for Strategic and International Studies report estimated the Russian combat personnel death toll to be somewhere between 60,000 to 70,000. Ukrainian defense casualties are less clear, although reports suggest they are lower. Moscow is clearly desperate to turn its floundering bodycount around. In September, President Vladimir Putin called up more than 300,000 reservists to support the invasionthe countrys first call-up since World War II. The Kremlin also revealed plans to increase its armed forces by changing its mandatory conscription program, which requires men to serve in the military for a year, to cover those aged 21 to 30, raising the upper limit from 27 this year but waiting for an indefinite period of time to raise the lower limit from 18. Russia calls up draftees twice a year, during autumn and spring, but one-time mobilizations may also be announced. Judging by the exodus of close to 400,000 Russians shortly after the September mobilization, not many are keen on joining the Ukraine battlefield. The State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, hastily approved a law on Monday making it more difficult to avoid the biannual draft, with the upper house poised to rubber-stamp the proposal and Putin expected to sign off on it. The law would allow electronic draft summons to be issued to draftees and would consider such summons formally received once it ends up in a persons digital mailbox. Those who are called up are immediately barred from leaving the country, and draft dodgers face penalties ranging from suspension of their drivers licenses to bans on taking out bank loans and mortgages. The new law plugs a long-standing gap in how Russia bolsters its forces, says Matthew Sussex, a fellow at the Strategic and Defense Studies Center at the Australian National University. Itll certainly boost [Russias] numbers considerably, he tells TIME. Story continues More from TIME Previously, conscripts had to be servedand signtheir draft papers in person or through their employers, which allowed dodgers to ignore or hide from the military. Russia has had a problem with drafting for years even dating back to Chechnya, says Sussex, and at times, only 10 to 15% would actually show up. The Kremlin insists that the timing of the new law has nothing to do with another potential mobilization in the current war but is rather part of Russias ongoing modernization of its call-up program. Sussex, however, says the move likely confirms that Moscow is facing a manpower shortage as it seeks to rejuvenate its flagging offensive in Ukraine. When Moscow rounded up potential combatants in September, it ultimately had to send thousands home because they were deemed unfit for duty and still reportedly ended up sending some barely trained conscripts as well as physically unfit elderly to the frontlines. Sussex says Russia is pursuing a meat grinder approach: mobilizing as many men as possible to wear down Ukraine, even though it results in more casualties on their own side. Using them on a battlefield the way that the Russians have done is to basically use mobilized troops in human waves, get the Ukrainians to shoot them and that reveals their positions, so they then use better forces to attack the Ukrainians, he says. With the Ukraine conflict turning into a war of attrition, Sussex says Moscow hopes that if its forces can persist, it may cause Kyiv supporters to grow weary. Much of the assistance for Ukraine currently comes from NATO countries, with the U.S. being the largest contributor of military aid, followed by the U.K. and the E.U. If it gets bogged down, he says, then a lot of countries will say, seek an exit. The FSB began systematically interviewing people who regularly visit Russia for work "The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation systematically tries to recruit war refugees arriving from Russia to Estonia," the message reads. Read also: Russia uses job search websites to recruit soldiers for war in Ukraine Estonian law enforcement officials say 45,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to Estonia from late February to the end of 2022. "Interviews with war refugees clearly show the FSB's (widespread) activities against Ukrainians in Russia and the occupied territories," the law enforcement agency said in a statement. From filtration camps to interrogations at border checkpoints, Ukrainians are under increased scrutiny, and (persons) hostile and dangerous to Russia are identified among them. Read also: Russia attempting to recruit homeless people in St. Petersburg to serve in army The Estonian Security Police noted that the Russians interrogate Ukrainians, search their property, look through their communications, and sometimes use threats and violence. The FSB has also begun to systematically question people who regularly visit Russia for work. "When crossing the border, they are asked about their attitude towards Russia and the 'special military operation' (the Kremlins propaganda term for its war on Ukraine) as well as about the alleged persecution of Russians in Estonia," the report says. Read also: Traitor at Ukrzaliznytsia exposed after collaborating with FSB and adjusting strikes on Kyiv FSB agents film these conversations, either openly or secretly, or on the border guards' bodycams. The Estonian police believe that such activities are likely to intensify in the future, as in wartime the Russian political and military leadership's need for information is higher than usual, and there are higher expectations for intelligence. 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) -Russia on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 333 Canadian officials and public figures, including prominent Olympians, in what it said was a tit-for-tat response to Canadian restrictions on Moscow and support for Ukraine. Russia has routinely placed sanctions on Western officials and high-profile individuals - effectively a permanent ban on them entering Russia - since the West targeted hundreds of Russian individuals and companies over the invasion of Ukraine. The list, published by Russia's foreign ministry on Wednesday, includes Canada's Governor General Mary Simon, more than 250 members of regional legislative assemblies, and scores of Canadian athletes who have publicly supported a ban on Russian athletes competing at the 2024 Olympics. "This measure is designed to encourage those on the black list to change their behaviour," the ministry said in a statement. The Canadian Olympians targeted by Russia include ice dancer Tessa Virtue, a five-time Olympic medallist, and hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser, a six-time Olympian. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Barbara Lewis) ZNPP The center said that collaborators and Rosatom employees have been warned about the upcoming evacuation. Therefore, they should provide a list of relatives and be ready to leave at the first alarm, reads the report. The largest nuclear power plant in Europe the Zaporizhzhya NPP was captured by Russian invasion forces after fighting in the town of Enerhodar on March 4, 2022. The buildings of the ZNPP were damaged by Russian shelling in several places, and the plants employees were taken captive. Firing positions have been set up by Russian invasion forces at the ZNPP, and they are using it to launch artillery attacks on Ukrainian cities across the Dnipro River, in particular on the city of Nikopol and the nearby town of Marhanets in the government-controlled part of Zaporizhzhya Oblast. Ukrainian forces are unable to return fire due to the possibility that it might damage the plants six nuclear reactors. Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that international organizations have not yet been able to resolve the situation with the ZNPP, so it is necessary to look for other mechanisms. 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 BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's SF Airlines on Wednesday launched a new air cargo route linking Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province, with Tel Aviv in Israel, according to the cargo airline. Two round-trip cargo flights every week are scheduled to serve the Changsha-Tel Aviv route, SF Airlines said. The new route will provide an air cargo capacity of approximately 200 tonnes per week, playing a role in facilitating air logistics and trade exchanges. Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines was founded in 2009 as China's first private express air carrier. It currently operates a fleet of 80 freighters. The carrier said it will continuously expand its fleet size, and improve its global network to sustain production and consumption with highly efficient and stable air logistics services both at home and globally. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. Sputnik/Pavel Byrkin/Kremlin via REUTERS CIA director William Burns said Russia is becoming "more and more dependent on China." And it "runs the risk of becoming an economic colony of China over time." Putin recently dismissed "jealous people" who say Russia is becoming too dependent on China. The director of the CIA said that Russia risks "becoming an economic colony of China" as it is increasingly isolated from the rest of the world after its invasion of Ukraine. William Burns was speaking at Rice University in Houston on Tuesday, where he said that "Russia is becoming more and more dependent on China and, in some respects, runs the risk of becoming an economic colony of China over time, dependent for export of energy resources and raw materials," CNBC reported. He said that the country's actions had been a "huge own goal for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's Russia." Russia has become increasingly sealed off from much of the world since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Many nations, particularly in the West, have placed sanctions on Russian businesses and the country's elite. The sanctions have also targeted Russia's banking system, with the EU saying these are aimed at "weakening Russia's ability to finance the war and specifically target the political, military and economic elite responsible for the invasion." As a result, Russia has increasingly looked to China since the war began. China initially appeared unhappy with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Putin saying in September that China had "questions and concerns" about it. China's President Xi Jinping also criticized Russia's nuclear rhetoric in November. But the war appears to have strengthened economic ties, which includes China buying more Russian oil now than it did before the invasion began. US officials have warned that China may be preparing to give Russia weapons, though it has not yet done so. Russia also retains political and economic relations with other countries, but many of them are small nations that were once part of the Soviet Union, and still rely on their economic ties with their larger neighbor. Story continues Other large nations have continued to work with Russia economically. Like China, India also now buys more Russian oil than it did before the conflict began. In March, Putin rejected suggestions that Moscow was becoming too dependent on China. He said that those who were claiming this were just "jealous people." Read the original article on Business Insider Russian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to enforce an electronic draft system that would make it nearly impossible for men to avoid conscription, the latest sign that Moscow is preparing to boost a military struggling under Kyivs fierce counterattack. The new system comes ahead of Ukraine's widely anticipated spring offensive. Currently, Russian men have to be served with paper conscription notices, delivered in-person at a registered address or place of work. Some 300,000 men were recruited to fight in Ukraine last year. Russia has not said how many more men it might be seeking to mobilize. According to the law, men would be barred from leaving the country from the day they receive the summons and until they appear at a military recruitment office. Those who fail to show up within 20 days will face a number of restrictions, including a ban on driving vehicles, selling and buying real estate and obtaining bank loans. The new rules, which could be enforced as early as this week and apply to both draftees and reservists, mean that a conscription notice will be considered delivered and legally valid as soon as it lands in ones account on Russias state portal for electronic services. The Gosuslugi portal is widely used by Russians for online public services, such as registering births, paying fines and booking doctor appointments, so avoiding it to dodge the draft would be very difficult. The changes appear to give the Kremlin a much more streamlined system that would enable a more thorough conscription effort, closing loopholes that have helped thousands dodge the draft. In an unpopular move, President Vladimir Putin first announced partial mobilization as his forces struggled in Ukraine last September, resulting in a mass exodus of Russian men and a wave of protests across the country. There were no official estimates of how many men may have fled, but many among those who did not leave the country and were unwilling to fight hid from authorities. Story continues Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu vowed on Oct. 28 that no more would be mobilized in the near future. Russian mobilization of soldiers for Ukraine. (AP file) The Kremlin has tried to downplay any fears of a new wave of conscriptions. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that the legislation changes are part of a wider effort to modernize an outdated call-up system, and do not mean a new mobilization effort is on the horizon. The swiftly-introduced draft changes show that regular Russians are being sucked into the conflict, said Michael Horowitz, an Israel-based analyst and the head of intelligence at Le Beck risk management consultancy. The Russian population has been looking for a space to ignore the war, and these measures mean that this space is shrinking fast," Horowitz said. Russian social media, meanwhile, has been abuzz with discussions of the draft system changes. A number of lawyers started sharing legal advice on what rights men still have under the new legislation, with some suggesting leaving the country before the new rules are enacted may be the only real way not to get drafted. The new legislation was given the green light by Russias upper house of parliament Wednesday, Russian state news agency Tass reported, and now only needs Putins signature to take effect. The Russian war stalled after the invasion in February last year. For months, Russians have been battling Ukrainian forces in the eastern city of Bakhmut, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance and has resulted in huge estimated losses on both sides. Russian defense officials has been keeping quiet about the countrys war death toll, but Western officials have suggested it could be in tens of thousands. Although the head of Russias mercenary group Wagner had claimed on several occasions that Russia controls much of the city, Ukrainians continue to fight, leaving Moscow struggling to claim its first military victory in many months. The reality on the front lines is that Russia needs more manpower, given recent losses and an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive, said Christopher Tuck, an expert in conflict and security at Kings College London. Moscow's key objective is to prepare defensive positions and staff them properly, Tuck said, to face off with Ukraine's modernized and Western-trained army. If they can contain, wear down, and defeat those forces, the Kremlin will hope that they are in a better position to win a longer-term war of attrition, wearing down Ukraines capability and willingness to continue the struggle, he added. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A session of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in Moscow, Russia, on April 7, 2022. Sputnik/Alexander Astafyev/Pool via Reuters Russia's parliament is nearing the passage of a new measure ahead of a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The measure would ban people who have been drafted from leaving the country, and track summons. Ukraine is also seeking to recruit new fighters as the battle for Bakhmut has intensified. Russia's parliament is close to passing a series of measures aimed at making it harder for citizens to dodge future drafts as Putin seeks battlefield reinforcements. According to The New York Times, Russia's state Duma has passed a measure which bans those who have been drafted to the military from leaving the country, imposing electronic draft summons and other measures. The measures are currently before Russia's upper parliament. They will likely be sent to President Vladimir Putin's desk for a signature ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive. Russia announced a "partial mobilization" of troops in September, and the new measures expected to be passed in Russia would open the way for a spring draft. According to the Times, the draft law means that as soon as a draft summons arrives in a recipient's inbox on a widely-used government services website, it would count as officially received even if the recipient has not independently registered for the site, or the summons is not opened. Previously, a paper system meant that defense officials had to track down draftees, and punishments for avoiding a summons included a suspended driver's license, or bans on real estate or loans, per the report. The September mobilization proved to be a chaotic venture for the Kremlin, as Putin promised that 300,000 reservists with combat experience would join the war, but reports emerged that many untrained fighters were sent to battle instead. In Ukraine, the army is also trying to recruit more manpower amid heavy casualties sustained in the ongoing battle with Russia in eastern Bakhmut. In March, US Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called the battle in Bakhmut a "slaughter-fest" for Russian forces, claiming that tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have died there so far. Story continues Leaked US intelligence documents last week helped paint a more vivid picture of the catastrophic death toll for both parties in the war. One document suggested that Russia has suffered up to 223,000 casualties and another suggested that Ukraine has lost up to 131,000 casualties. Experts have cautioned amid the leak that some of the genuine documents may have been altered to either lower the Russian death toll or overstate Ukraine's death toll for propaganda reasons. So far, Ukraine's recruitment in the war has largely relied on volunteers, but as a new counteroffensive nears, draft rules could also tighten there. At the outset of the war, Ukrainian imposed martial law, banning men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country in case they're needed for a draft. The country also instituted mobilization rules which make that same pool of men eligible to be drafted on a whim. Read the original article on Business Insider Residential buildings in Nikopol destroyed after the attack of the Russian Federation The artillery attack destroyed 13 private houses, two outbuildings and a car. Rescuers pulled a 72-year-old man and woman from the rubble of their home, and they were hospitalized. Two other injured civilians, an 87-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman, will be treated at home. /Telegram Lysak also posted a photo of the aftermath of the Russian strike. /Telegram /Telegram In late March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Nikopol. The city is regularly shelled by Russian forces. Russian invasion troops regularly shell civilian residential areas in Sumy and other Ukrainian oblasts close to Russian territory or Russian-occupied territory, including Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Mykolaiv. The attacks appear to have no military goal, but to have the aim of terrorizing civilians in Ukraine. Read also: Nikopol in southern Ukraine shelled again, power lines and water supply damaged 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. 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. Read also: Occupiers building defensive structures en masse in Crimea satellite imagery 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. 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 An indictment based on the information of the special investigation has been sent to the court within the case of Andrei Mordvichev, Lieutenant General of the Russian army, who gave the order to storm the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. Source: Press service of the Prosecutor's Office of Donetsk Oblast Details: As a commander of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces from 24 February to May 2022, Mordvichev led subordinate units during the invasion of Donetsk Oblast. The officer is accused of committing deliberate actions by prior conspiracy of a group of persons to change the borders of the territory or state border of Ukraine in violation of the order established by the Constitution of Ukraine, which led to the death of people or other grave consequences, as well as of the conduct of an aggressive war. The pre-trial investigation established that while inspecting command posts of the army of occupiers in Mariupol, Mangush, Nikolske, Staryi Krym, the villages of Kalchik, Shevchenko, Zhovtneve and Priazovske of the Mariupol district, the Lieutenant General was in charge of military planning, coordination and management of Russian military formations. Mordvichev also ordered shelling of civilians in Donetsk Oblast and occupation of the region. The accused participated in a meeting with the heads of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic and the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation and developed a plan for the complete capture of besieged Mariupol and the storming of the Azovstal metallurgical plant, where Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen and civilians were blocked in partially destroyed bomb shelters. In addition, he coordinated the actions of subordinate formations to intensify the assault on the enterprise and the murder of Ukrainian military commanders. Currently, the Russian is hiding from the investigation; therefore, he is wanted, according to the Prosecutor's Office in Donetsk Oblast. Story continues Background: In March 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Mordvichev was killed in Ukraine, but Russia said that this was not the case. According to the Russian service of the BBC, Mordvichev became known to the general public thanks to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader. When Kadyrov's troops were ridiculed, called "TikTok troops", the head of Chechnya arrived near Mariupol and hugged General Mordvichev on camera. At the end of September 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it had identified the Russian general who ordered the capture of Mariupol and the storming of Azovstal. It turned out to be Mordvichev. He was informed that he was under suspicion under theee articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In February 2023, Russian media reported that Mordvichev was appointed the new commander of the troops of Russia's Central Military District. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Kremlin-appointed "head of Crimea", Sergey Aksenov, has said that a demonstration and parade would not be held on the occupied peninsula this year on 1 May and Victory Day [a Russian holiday that commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May ed.]. Source: Aksenov on Telegram; Mikhail Razvozzhayev, so-called "governor" of Sevastopol, on Telegram Quote from Aksenov: "The authorities of the Republic of Crimea and the Hero City of Sevastopol have made a joint decision not to hold festive demonstrations on 1 May, marches of the Immortal Regiment or a military parade on Victory Day." Details: According to the so-called "head of Crimea", this decision was made for security reasons. In the meantime, Aksenov recently said that Russians on the peninsula are not afraid of a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and do not see it as a "catastrophe" for them. Background: Before that, the governors of the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts of the Russian Federation decided to cancel military parades on 9 May so as not to "provoke the enemy" with an accumulation of military personnel and equipment. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Soldiers of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) on the background of a building in Russia Thats how it is, he said. The fact is that its about 450 kilometers from the northeastern point of Ukraine to Moscow, while the width of our frontline is more than 1,200 kilometers. The distance from Kherson to Kupyansk is approximately the same as driving to Moscow and back from Ukraine. So, the Russians understand quite well that with a real task and the allocation of forces and resources, this march-throw can be performed by the Russian citizens who are fighting against Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine thats who the RVC is. Read also: NV examines Russian Volunteer Corps group that entered Russias Bryansk Oblast Svitan said that there is not a single defensive structure on the way from Ukraine to Moscow. At the same time, Svitan said that the Russians for some reason firmly believe that our troops will not be able to cover these 450 kilometers, but it takes seven or eight hours by car, or half a day to get to Moscow in an armored vehicle. Therefore, theyre trying to somehow destroy the infrastructure that leads to Moscow, he said. But from a military point of view, this is just childrens babbling. RVC fighters infiltrated Russias Bryansk Oblast for a second time on April 6, 2023. They released a video showing the fighters talking to a man. They asked a local resident what village they are in, and he answered that it is Sluchovsk. Sluchovsk is a small Russian village in Bryansk Oblast, about a kilometer north of Russias border with Ukraines Chernihiv Oblast. Read also: Incident in Bryansk Oblast part of transformative processes in Russia, Ukrainian intel says However, the local Russian governor, Alexander Bogomaz, claimed that Russias FSB security service had prevented a Ukrainian sabotage group from entering Russia. On March 2, 2023, Russian propaganda media reported that a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group had allegedly infiltrated the region. Ukrainian militarys General Staff called this statement a brazen provocation. Story continues The various reports coming from Russian sources contradicted each other, with conflicting information about the taking of local hostages, the presence of wounded and dead, and an explosion at a power substation. Later, the RVC confirmed that they had entered Bryansk oblast, but denied Russian claims about killing children and taking hostages. Formed in August 2022, the Russian Volunteer Corps is a unit of volunteers formed from ethnic Russian immigrants who live in Ukraine and other European countries. 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 After 30 years in a place of honor at Arlington National Cemetery, the remains of a former Navy lieutenant who kidnapped and murdered a sailor who rebuffed his attentions will be disinterred. Former Lt. Andrew Chabrol secured above-ground burial for himself in the nations most revered veterans cemetery while awaiting his execution by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1993 for the murder of Petty Officer 2nd Class Melissa Harrington. At the time, the Navy simply did not have legal grounds for excluding him, since hed completed his service honorably. But in early 2019, a small group of veterans, including her husband, spoke out, telling this reporter in a story for the Washington Post about the lasting trauma of Chabrols crimes and how disturbed they were by his repose in Arlington. Now, they say, Harrington is getting a measure of justice long denied to her. Passed in December 2022 in the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act was a provision introduced by outgoing Rep. Jackie Speier, R-California, that requires the secretary of the Army to remove Chabrol from Arlington by Sept. 30 and transfer his remains to next-of-kin. Or, if no one responds to the Armys request, to dispose of the remains as deemed appropriate. County seeks cash for land to expand Arlington National Cemetery An earlier version of the provision would have given the Army and Department of Veterans Affairs, who administer Arlington and U.S. veterans cemetery issues, authority to review other cases in which veterans had committed capital crimes. Ultimately, though, Congress opted to keep the change specific to Chabrols case. It was appalling to me to think that an officer in the Navy could sexually harass, then kidnap, then rape, and then murder a sailor and get buried at a national cemetery, which is supposed to honor our war heroes and our dead, Speier told the Post in a June 2022 interview. So he has no place in that cemetery. Judi Farmer, a retired Navy senior chief petty officer who began agitating for Chabrols removal from Arlington after learning about the case in 2018, told Navy Times that the disinterment would bring solace and relief, not just for those who knew and loved Harrington, but also for sailors whove sustained sexual assaults or trauma while serving. Story continues I think that, especially for those of us who are [military sexual trauma] survivors, it provides a little bit of comfort that justice is served; that she wasnt forgotten, Farmer said. And that in the end, the military and our representatives do the right thing. Farmer said she was interested to learn about the timing and circumstances of Chabrols pending removal in hopes of marking the occasion, respectfully and with a few of Harringtons loved ones, at her graveside in Norfolk, Virginia. The exact date of the disinterment, however, is likely to be kept private. John Harlow, Arlington National Cemeterys media relations officer, told Navy Times via email that the cemetery would schedule the disinterment after coordinating with Chabrols family members. When the removal took place, he said, it would not be open to the public. The disinterment of human remains is a private family matter and is handled in a dignified manner without ceremonial elements, he said. Beyond redemption The circumstances of Chabrols crimes are chilling. Harrington, just 27 at the time of her death, had complained to Navy superiors about Chabrols intimidating behavior when the two served together in a Virginia Beach unit. The 34-year-old officer was allowed to complete his term of service and leave the Navy. But in 1991, he kidnapped her from her home, bringing her to his own house, where he and an accomplice raped and tortured her. When she managed to free one of her bound hands and hit Chabrol, he went berserk, according to his own testimony, and strangled her to death. Chabrol was quickly arrested after Harringtons disappearance, and her body was discovered rolled into a rug inside his home. Court testimony would reveal that he had been plotting revenge against Harrington for months in a journal, calling his sick plan Operation Nemesis. When death-row chaplain Russ Ford encountered Chabrol in prison, he described him as fundamentally evil and beyond redemption, according to a memoir out in March. Ford also describes the foul satisfaction Chabrol got from securing a burial spot in Arlington. The national honor elated the demoniac, Ford wrote. This monster would rest among heroes. Joe Harrington, Melissa Harringtons widowed husband and a Navy veteran himself, said telling her story publicly had been difficult Its amazing, he said. I really did not think that this was something that would go to that level, that people would take task on it and make it happen. Joe Harrington said he felt especially thankful to Farmer, who acted to right what she saw as an injustice even though shed never known Melissa Harrington. Im looking forward to going to Arlington later this year to visit my friends after I know that [Chabrol is] gone, Joe Harrington said. Just to have that feeling of, hey, this is the place to honor the folks that are here. So thats good. For her part, Farmer said advocating for victims and seeking justice will continue to be a motivating cause for her. Andrew [Chabrol] felt that it was his last act of thumbing his nose at [Melissa Harrington] to be buried in Arlington, she said. So its nice for her to get the last word. Sarah Paulson has recalled the time when she financially helped out Pedro Pascal while he was struggling to land acting work. In a new profile of The Last of Us Star published on Tuesday (11 April), the 48-year-old Bird Box actor reminisced about her and Pascals longtime friendship. Hes talked about this publicly, she told Esquire. But there were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself. Paulson said there was something about Pascal that makes you want him to succeed. And that, to me, is the sign of a major movie star, she continued. Im ready for him to take the reins from the guys from romantic comedies [of the] past, like Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson and all these guys. He can be all that. Lets remake Die Hard with Pedro. Remake all the Lethal Weapon movies with Pedro. Speaking of their times together, Paulson revealed that she and Pascal would go to see movies together. And we would get so lost in them, she said. You can fill in the blanks about the why of that however you like, but I think there were things we wanted to escape mentally, emotionally, spiritually. (Getty Images) In recent years, Pascal has received wider recognition for acclaimed performances in Game of Thrones and The Last of Us. In a four-star review of The Last of Us finale, Indys Nick Hilton wrote: This is a vision of the future where life is both very cheap and very dear, where scores of nameless henchmen might meet their maker to save the life of one girl. It is symptomatic of a show that has been morally capricious, and leaves the inevitable second series finely poised. Images from March 21 show fortifications near the village of Sovkhozne, Krasnoperekopsk district, Crimea Brady Africk, responsible for media relations at the Foreign and Defense Policy Studies department of American Enterprise Institute (AEI), posted the images on Twitter, along with a detailed description of the fortifications. Read also: UK intel explains why Russia digging trenches and strengthening fortifications near Belgorod The satellite photos, dated March 21, show defensive structures built in Crimeas Krasnoperekop District. Russia's new defenses in Crimea contain rows of dragons teeth and freshly dug trenches, said Africk. Earlier reports have shown that Mosco ordered trenches dug along Crimeas south-western coastline, near Yevpatoria. Its unclear what they are meant to accomplish, given that the Ukrainian military has little to no amphibious landing capability. Read also: How Putin is Trying to Outplay Us in Liberating Crimea opinion 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. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently said Ukraine has good chances to succeed in its planned major counteroffensive this year. Read also: Chubarov says Russia placing nuclear weapons in Crimea would be step to nuclear war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said that Russia's war against Ukraine should end with the liberation of Crimea just as it began with its occupation. 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 Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism held a ceremony in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday to welcome Chinese tourists visiting the country. The ceremony, held at the Saadabad Cultural and Historical Complex, was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Tehran Chang Hua and Ali Asghar Shalbafian, deputy Iranian minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts and tourism for tourism affairs. In an address to the ceremony, Chang said China and Iran enjoy traditional friendship and their comprehensive strategic partnership has been developing steadily in recent years. Noting that Iran is an ancient civilization with abundant tourism resources, Chang said he hopes that the two countries will further enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. For his part, Shalbafian welcomed the Chinese tourists and assured them of being able to experience unique historical tourist attractions, rich museums, and exciting natural scenery during their stay in Iran. In addition, the tourists would also have the opportunity to experience Iran's most important feature, which is its people's hospitality, he said. Shalbafian also encouraged Chinese tourists to talk with Iranian people and share with their friends, relatives, and acquaintances whatever they find attractive and distinctive about Iran. Produced by Xinhua Global Service , The Russian military tortured the Ukrainian prisoner before killing him, the SBU said in a message posted on Telegram on April 12. "Yesterday, a video was posted online demonstrating the Russian occupiers showing their bestiality by brutally torturing a Ukrainian prisoner and cutting off his head," the SBU said in the statement. The service said it had launched a pre-trial investigation into this war crime under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. "We will find these inhuman people," said SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk. If necessary, we will get them wherever they are: from underground or from the other world. But they will definitely be punished for their actions. The shocking video of the brutal murder appeared in Russian pro-war Telegram channels on the evening of April 11. It was also posted on Twitter by Ukrainian blogger and volunteer Igor Lachenkov. After the video began to spread on social media, the head of the Presidents Office, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram that "there will be an answer and responsibility for what is happening." Read also: Russia released footage of Ukrainian POW execution for intimidation, Kyiv says This is not the first such case. On March 6, a video was posted online showing the Russian military shooting an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner. The Russians pointed the camera at the prisoner, he said "Glory to Ukraine," after which one of the Russian soldiers immediately shot him in the head and then several times in the body. Soon it was revealed that the executed Ukrainian defender was a sniper of the 163rd battalion of the 119th Separate Brigade of Chernihiv Oblast, Oleksandr Ihorovych Matsiyevskyi. On March 12, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Matsiyevskyi the title of Hero of Ukraine. The video of Matsievskyi's execution was preceded by other war crimes committed by Russians against Ukrainian prisoners of war that were captured on camera. Read also: Former Russian soldier exposes torture of Ukrainian POWs Story continues In July 2022, a video of brutal torture of a Ukrainian prisoner was posted online. In it, Russian soldiers press a Ukrainian soldier to the ground and use something that looks like a clerical knife to cut off his genitals, and then hold them up to the camera. The largest such crime committed by the aggressor state was the deliberate murder of Ukrainian prisoners, including Azovstal defenders, on the premises of the colony in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, in July 2022. At the time, under the pretext of "shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the Russians set off an explosion in the room where the prisoners were held. About 50 Ukrainians were killed. Russia never provided a complete list of the dead and did not allow either the international Red Cross mission or the Ukrainian ombudsperson to visit the site of the tragedy. In addition, there are many cases of torture by starvation, abuse and psychological pressure against Ukrainian soldiers in Russian captivity. 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 Ash and charred debris are what remain of the two-story, century-old house at the corner of Pine and Pendleton streets. Once, Duke Ellington stayed here, maybe Dizzy Gillespie, too, along with dozens of other Black musicians, students and travelers passing through segregated Columbia in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. More recently, the home had fallen into disrepair, with plywood boards where windows should be. Code violations stacked up in recent years, and at least twice, city officials warned property owners that the house could be at risk of demolition. On Easter Sunday, a fire tore through the home, destroying most of the structure and ending any dreams of rehabilitation. A vacant Five Points home caught fire Easter Sunday, which the fire chief called suspicious because the home was not connected to any power source. The home used to be a tourist house for Black travelers passing through segregated Columbia in the 40s 50s and 60s. Dubbed the Mrs. S.H. Smith Tourist Home in the Negro Travelers Green Book which let Black travelers know it was a safe place to stay in the segregated South the house was host and home to famous musicians and titans of Columbias Black community. Sisters Simmie Hiller Smith and Bernice Hiller Fambro built the house between 1913 and 1918, on property bought for them by their Black mother, Mary Alice Leaphart Kessler, and their white father, John Henry Hiller. Simmie Hiller Smith, a dressmaker, turned the home into a tourist house for Black musicians and Allen University students, a service the home offered for nearly 30 years between 1938 and 1967. A photograph of the Smith family taken by Richard Samuel Roberts, 1920s. Standing left to right: Simmie Hiller Smith, John Henry Hiller, Bernice Hiller Frambro. Seated: Samuel Hiller, Alice Kessler Hiller, Benjamin Hiller. Smiths niece and nephew-in-law, Delores and Benjamin Frazier, lived in the home next. The pair was vital in helping desegregate Columbia. Benjamin was among the first Black men to integrate Columbias Harden Street Fire Station. Their children, Cheryl and Jablanski, were in the first integrated class at Hand Middle School. It was one of the places on that side of Columbia as a tourist home that was not only a haven within an African American community, but the people who lived there were also active in the African American community, said Rebekah Turnmire, a graduate assistant with the University of South Carolinas Center for Civil Rights History and Research. (The house) is part of the fabric there. Story continues Turnmire has worked to compile a history on the house. In 2019, she tried to get it added to the National Register of Historic Places. The attempt was unsuccessful. During the process one of the homes then-owners began tearing the siding off the home, making it no longer historically intact. Turnmire wishes the home could have been listed and protected. While the fire destroyed the house, it was already in disrepair. Many of the homes surrounding the property are occupied by renters, not longtime residents of the Lower Waverly neighborhood. Its not just one house in Lower Waverly, its the slow chipping away at a historic Black neighborhood, she said. Its the continuation of forces that have been around for a long time but that have taken on new names, she said. Our city is driven by a real estate market that does not necessarily care about the fabric of neighborhoods as much as it cares about having (rental) housing. Today, the home is owned by the LLC Abraham Investments II. The State has not been able to reach the property owner. David Hatcher, Columbias housing official, said permits had recently been issued for work to be done on the home, but prior to that the city was eyeing it for possible demolition. In 2021, the building was labeled by code enforcement as a suspected vacant building and cited for being unregistered with the city. The next year, code enforcement warned owners the building could be slated for demolition if not improved. Hatcher said because of the homes history, he doubts the demolition would have gone forward. Still, the home has been vacant for years. Columbia fire officials called the fire that destroyed the home suspicious, because the building was not connected to any power source. The fire is still under investigation. South Carolina U.S. Sen Tim Scott has launched an exploratory committee for a 2024 presidential run. Scott made the news official Wednesday. The Charleston Post and Courier was first to report the news Tuesday. Scott, who will visit early voting states Iowa and New Hampshire this week, has been seen as a potential presidential candidate for months. He is the U.S. Senates only Black Republican. Exploratory committees can raise money and conduct polls to see if a potential candidate has support for a potential run. And its official: @SenatorTimScott of South Carolina is launching an exploratory committee for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. https://t.co/CBy8VRTsGk Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) April 12, 2023 Launching an exploratory committee is the latest in signs he plans to run. For months, Scotts allies have been preparing for him to jump into the 2024 race. The Opportunity Matters Fund Action political action committee, a super PAC which backs Scott, recently hired two S.C. political operatives, Mark Knoop and Matt Moore, to help with its operations in South Carolina, which holds the first-in-the-South presidential primary. In 2021, Scott said he would not run for president if former President Donald Trump ran for reelection. The race for the 2024 includes Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy on the GOP side. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is reportedly considering a run himself and is planning to visit South Carolina next week. This story will be updated. A Massachusetts school committee voted this week to offer the superintendent job to a different candidate after a man first proposed the position apparently caused offense by addressing the chairperson and her assistant, both females, as "ladies" in an email negotiating salary. In a 5-2 vote behind closed doors Monday, the Easthampton School Committee elected not to re-enter negotiations with Dr. Vito Perrone, the current West Springfield interim superintendent of schools, the Boston Herald and Boston.com both reported. The committee instead offered the superintendent job to Erica Faginski-Stark, a current director of curriculum and instruction in Ludlow, and the woman accepted the new gig pending negotiations. The vote came after a public portion of the meeting Monday during which some residents reportedly said they were "disgusted" by the committee and defended first-pick Perrone. Perrone previously told the Daily Hampshire Gazette that he was offered the position as the head of Easthampton Schools on March 23 but later notified that the job offer had been withdrawn over his choice of salutation in an email to negotiate his salary with School Committee Chair Cynthia Kwiecinski and executive assistant Suzanne Colby, both female. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT CANDIDATE SAYS JOB OFFER WAS RESCINDED AFTER CALLING TWO FEMALES LADIES IN EMAIL Massachusetts school superintendent candidate Vito Perrone Kwiecinski reportedly interpreted his "ladies" greeting as a "microaggression," according to the newspaper. Kwiecinski later told the Gazette that most of her fellow committee members believed it was "extremely unprofessional" and "inappropriate" of Perrone to address the chairperson "with a familiarity that he had not earned." Kwiecinski said the committee had "too many concerns before we had even begun negotiating the rest of the contract and alarm bells were going off" regarding Perrone, who had an "unreasonable" salary and paid time off requests. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "The teachers, students, and parents who have experienced working with him [Perrone] were ringing bells of glee; I didnt hear any alarms," committee member Laurie Garcia said Monday, rejecting Kwiecinskis description of events. Boston.com reported that Garcia also decried how Perrone was "immediately canceled" and described the incident as a "horrific ordeal." Story continues "I in no way thought it was a microaggression," Garcia added of the "ladies" remark. MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AFTER STUDENT PLAY LIMITS AUDITIONS TO PERSONS OF COLOR The Easthampton School Committee rescinded an offer to Dr. Vito Perrone to become superintendent after he used the email salutation "ladies." "Easthampton has a chance to show how we do not jeopardize the name and career of a person for simply uttering a word that some may deem offensive," math teacher Sofia Checa said Monday, according to the Herald. "It is not so black and white whether its inappropriate," resident Andrew Connelly reportedly added. "While I recognize the partys reason for taking offense, I wish there would have been a chance for Dr. Perrone to make amends." A Massachusetts school committee voted not to continue negotiations with superintendent candidate Dr. Vito Perrone. Marissa Carrere, an educator and former Easthampton School Committee member, argued that the committee acted against procedure in taking the vote behind closed doors Monday. "The vacuum of information that has been created by the committees actions has been the biggest driver of this controversy, and thats precisely why elected representatives are required to take major votes in public, with a posted agenda," said Carrere, according to Boston.com. Some speakers debated that snubbing Perrone meant settling for the "second-best candidate." Other residents criticized Perrone as "self-serving" for speaking to the media and threatening to sue the district after his job offer was rescinded. The director of the Scientology documentary Going Clear has said he is surprised there hasnt been a reckoning for Tom Cruise. The Top Gun: Maverick star is one of the highest profile members of the Church of Scientology, having joined the controversial religion in the 1980s. Alex Gibney is a filmmaker known for directing the 2015 film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. The film, which was vehemently denounced by the Church of Scientology upon its release, made a number of shocking allegations about the organisation, involving claims of abuse inflicted upon members and misconduct among its leadership. Representatives of the church denied the allegations. Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine in a new interview, Gibney was asked what it was like to see Cruise endure as the King of Hollywood. The interviewer begins by suggesting that Cruise hasnt had to answer a single question about [his involvement in Scientology] in the eight years since Going Clear. I agree, replied Gibney. And Im kind of surprised. I think he took a step away, so hes not the kind of ambassador for Scientology that he used to be not like he was back in the day when he was making [2005 blockbuster]War of the Worlds and had a Scientology tent on the set. Being a star is super important to him, he continued. I agree, there hasnt been any reckoning for him. Its surprised me. The Independent has contacted a representative of Cruise for comment. Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures) Earlier this year, Judd Apatow took aim at Cruises links to Scientology in a series of jokes while hosting the the Directors Guild of America Awards. Every time he does one of these new stunts, it does feel like an ad for Scientology, joked the comedy mogul. I mean, is that in Dianetics? Because theres nothing about jumping off a cliff in the Torah. At the Golden Globes in January, Cruise was also roasted for his association with the Church, as host Jerrod Carmichael made reference to Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige who has not been seen in public since 2007. Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned, joked the comedian. I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige. Gibneys latest project, Boom! Boom! The World vs Boris Becker, is out now on Apple TV+. LONDON (Reuters) - The Scottish Government on Wednesday said it would seek a judicial review of the British government's decision to block a proposed Scottish law that makes it easier for people to change their legal gender. In January, the British government said it would block the Gender Recognition Reform Bill passed by the Scotland's devolved parliament, the first time it has invoked the power to veto a Scottish bill. The bill, passed in December, would make Scotland the first nation of the United Kingdom to back a self-identification process for changing gender, including removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and lowering the minimum age to 16 from 18. Humza Yousaf, who became first minister in Scotland's semi-autonomous government two weeks ago, had said that he would challenge the veto, which is known as 'Section 35'. "The use of Section 35 is an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliaments ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters and it risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent," Scotland's Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. "In seeking to uphold the democratic will of the parliament and defend devolution, Scottish Ministers will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotlands decision." The petition will be made to a judge in the Outer House of the Court of Session, Scotland's top civil court. The British government, in blocking the bill, argued that the passage of the bill into law would have a "significant impact" on equalities matters across Britain. "The UK government will robustly defend the decision to prevent the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform Bill from becoming law," Alister Jack, Scotland minister for the British government, said in a statement. "The use of the power is entirely within the devolution settlement as set out from its inception." Story continues Yousaf's Scottish National Party (SNP) is split on the reforms and both of his rivals in the leadership race criticised the bill during the campaign. "I cannot understand why the Scottish government is taking legal action it's unlikely to win rather than sorting out the problems with the GRR bill at home," Joanna Cherry, an SNP lawmaker, said on Twitter. (Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Michael Holden and Angus MacSwan) Could vast, long-hidden oceans be teeming with alien life in our very own Solar System? A new chapter in humanity's search for extraterrestrial life opens on Thursday as Europe's JUICE spacecraft blasts off on a mission to investigate the icy moons of Jupiter. First discovered by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei more than 400 years ago, these ice-covered moons are so far from the Sun that they were long dismissed as possible candidates to host life in our backyard. Until recently, the Solar System's habitable zone was thought to "end at Mars", French astrophysicist Athena Coustenis, one of the scientific leads of the European Space Agency (ESA)'s JUICE mission, told AFP. But NASA's Galileo probe to Jupiter in 1995 and the more recent Cassini spacecraft's trip to Saturn caused scientists to broaden their horizons. The gas giant planets themselves were correctly ruled out, but their icy moons -- particularly Jupiter's Europa and Ganymede, and Saturn's Enceladus and Titan -- offered fresh hope of nearby life. Under their icy surfaces are thought to be huge oceans of liquid water -- a crucial ingredient for life as we know it. Nicolas Altobelli, a JUICE project scientist at ESA, said it would be "the first time that we explore habitats beyond the frost line" between Mars and Jupiter. Beyond that line, temperatures plummet and "liquid water can no longer exist on the surface", Altobelli told AFP earlier this year. - 'Gigantic' ocean - The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission launches from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Thursday on an eight-year odyssey through space. By July 2031 it will have entered Jupiter's orbit, from which it will probe Ganymede, Europa and fellow icy moon Callisto. Then, in 2034, JUICE will enter the orbit of Ganymede, the first time a spacecraft has done so around a moon other than our own. As well as being the largest moon in the Solar System, Ganymede is also the only one that has its own magnetic field, which protects it from dangerous radiation. Story continues This is just one of several signs that Ganymede's hidden ocean could provide a stable environment for life. Unlike similar missions to Mars, which focus on finding signs of ancient life long since extinguished, scientists hope Jupiter's icy moons will still be home to living organisms, even if only tiny or single-celled. Such habitability requires a power source. Lacking energy from the Sun, the moons could instead take advantage of the gravity that Jupiter exerts on its satellites. The force creates a process called tidal heating, which warms the interior of the moons and keeps their water liquid. Ganymede's "gigantic" liquid ocean is trapped between two thick layers of ice dozens of kilometres beneath the surface, said Carole Larigauderie, JUICE project head at French space agency CNES. "On Earth, we still find life forms at the bottom of the abyss," she added. Tiny microbes such as bacteria and archaea have been found to be able to survive on Earth without sunlight, raising hopes that life elsewhere will be able to do the same. As well as water and energy, life needs nutrients. "The big question is therefore whether Ganymede's ocean contains" the necessary chemical elements, Coustenis said. The ocean would need to be able to absorb the nutrients from anything that fell on the moon's surface, for example, which would eventually dissolve into the water, she added. - Not alone - JUICE's array of instruments will probe Ganymede's ocean to determine its depth, distance from the surface and -- hopefully -- its composition. The ESA's 1.6 billion euro ($1.7 billion) probe will spend eight months orbiting Ganymede, getting as close as 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the moon, all while sheltered from radiation. It will not be the only spacecraft lurking around Jupiter. NASA's Europa Clipper mission is scheduled to launch in October next year. It will take a quicker path to Jupiter, arriving at Europa in 2030. If one -- or more -- of Jupiter's moons ticks all the boxes to host life, the "logical next step" would be to send a mission to land on the surface, said Cyril Cavel, JUICE project manager at manufacturer Airbus. Although there are no plans for such a mission, which could definitively prove the existence of life outside of Earth, "that's part of the dream," he said. juc/dl/giv/smw Madalina Cojocari has been missing for 141 days, but on her 12th birthday, the Cornelius community wasnt going to let the day go by without celebrating her. At a vigil Tuesday, a somber crowd of about 50 people gathered outside of the Cornelius Police Station to honor Madalinas birthday and pray for her safe return. A birthday balloon floated in the air near a banner with Madalinas face on it. Madalina is an energetic, vibrant, 12-year-old girl who loves animals, and specifically loves horses, Cornelius Police Chief David Baucom said at the vigil. A child in our community is missing and we need your help to find her. Just half a mile away, there are reminders of Madalina in the Victoria Bay neighborhood where she lived. Missing persons signs and yellow ribbons lead the way to Madalinas home. A stuffed sloth, more yellow ribbons, and a yellow Easter wreath mark her front porch. Madalina was last seen on Nov. 21 when surveillance footage recorded her getting off the school bus at a stop near her home. Her mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, waited to report her missing until Dec. 15 after her school became concerned Madalina was absent for several days. Her parents were arrested two days later and charged with failure to report the disappearance of a child to law enforcement. Recently released court documents show Diana Cojocari was attempting to smuggle both her daughter and herself away from their home in Cornelius because of her bad relationship with her husband. Today is Madalina's 12th birthday. We want to find her and celebrate her special day together. If you have first-hand information to help #FindMadalina, call the #FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI or the @CorneliusPD at 704-892-7773.https://t.co/p297RKksBE pic.twitter.com/JdHCPqtdoT FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) April 11, 2023 Where does the investigation stand? Baucom spoke to the public for less than two minutes, summarizing the circumstances of the girls disappearance and urging the public to continue to share photos of her. Story continues During the investigation police have followed hundreds of leads both inside and out of the state, Baucom said. Those tips are still coming in, he said. Weve spent thousands of hours investigating this case and continue to follow it daily as we search for Madalina, Baucom said. Before Tuesdays vigil, Baucom spoke at a news conference to answer pre-written questions. To most questions, the chief said he could not comment at the risk of jeopardizing the investigation, but said finding the girl is a top priority. Baucom confirmed that police responded to a call for service before Madalinas disappearance. It concerned Cojocari burning items in their backyard, according to video of the press conference from WBTV. He would not say whether or not he believes Madalina is alive, but said in response to the question: Our goal is to find Madalina. Jennifer Hernandez, 12, attended the vigil with her mother and 13-year-old sister. She knew Madalina, and for a brief time the two were in math class together. Jennifer remembers that Madalina loved to draw in class. Jennifer said Madalinas disappearance makes her sad and shocked her family. Thats why Jennifer, her classmates and her family members came to the vigil to show their support. She was really nice, Jennifer said. #FindMadalina The Cornelius Police Department is continuing to investigate Madalinas disappearance alongside the FBI and State Bureau of Investigation. Investigators have followed more than 250 leads from around the world to find her and scoured Lake Cornelius. In Cornelius, missing posters dot the windows of local businesses, and the community has gathered at least twice at vigils to call for Madalinas safe return. Madalina was last seen wearing jeans, pink, purple and white Adidas shoes, and a white T-shirt and jacket. She is 4 feet, 10 inches, has dark brown hair and weighs about 90 pounds. Anyone with information on Madalinas whereabouts is asked to call the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773 or 1-800-Call FBI.. Karen Pulfer Focht/Reuters Tennessee Rep. Justin Pearson will return to his seat in the states House of Representatives after a majority of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted to reappoint him Wednesday. The final vote was a unanimous 7-0. He was joined by a crowd of over 500 supporters, who marched from the Memphis Civil Rights Museum to the Shelby County meeting alongside Pearson. The 29-year-old gave an impassioned speech following the vote, celebrating his reappointment in front of droves of supporters. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us, Pearson said. You cant expel hope. You cant expel justice. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. How the Tennessee Three Backlash Fits Into Dems 2024 Plan Pearson was expelled alongside Democrat Rep. Justin Jones for their participation in a March 30 protest for gun reform on the House floor. Pearson and Jones, who are both Black, were voted out of their elected positions by the Republican-led House while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, retained her seat despite protesting alongside them. Their allegiance is to the way that things are. Their allegiance is to business as usual, Pearson said, in reference to his Republican peers who voted to remove him. What we did was say we have an allegiance to the people, people who are tired of business as usual. According to the Tennessee State Constitution, the legislative body of an expelled lawmakers county can appoint an interim representative until a special election can be held. Pearson will be allowed to run for re-election following his interim appointment. Lawmakers cant be expelled twice for the same offense. In order to appoint Pearson back to his seat as quickly as possible, the Shelby County commissioners voted without objection to suspend the rules requiring a four-week wait before appointing an interim representative. Pearson and Jones expulsions last week garnered national headlines and attention from Democratic leaders around the country. In a press release issued shortly after his reappointment, Pearson thanked those who advocated on his behalf. Story continues Im so humbled and grateful to once again represent District 86. Thank you to those who rallied, marched, wrote letters, posted on social media and prayed for this moment. I thank the members of the Shelby County Commission for their courage to do what is right, he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and other Democrats called for the Department of Justice to investigate Tennessee Republicans. We are deeply concerned that without immediate action by the U.S. Department of Justice, antidemocratic actors will only be emboldened, and we will see more troubling and more frequent incidents meant to unravel our democratic fabric, the senators wrote in their letter to the DOJ. Now, both expelled lawmakers are back in Tennessees House. The Nashville Metropolitan Council unanimously voted to reappoint Jones on Monday. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Justin Pearson celebrates after being reinstated to the the Tennessee House of Representatives by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis. Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal via AP Justin Pearson, a Tennessee Democrat who was ousted from elected office by his Republican House colleagues for protesting gun violence in the state Capitol, was reinstated to his seat in the Tennessee House on Wednesday. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to send Pearson back to the House in a decisive rebuke of the Tennessee GOP's extraordinary move to expel him, along with another Democratic colleague, last week. Pearson delivered a powerful speech right after the reinstatement vote, rallying his supporters and sending a message to the lawmakers who voted to expel him. "What we have shown here in Shelby County, what we have shown here in Memphis, Tennessee, with my fiance, my brothers, my family, my parents, my family here, is that we do not speak alone," Pearson said. "We speak together. We fight together. "And so the message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can't expel hope. You can't expel justice. You can't expel our voice. And you sure can't expel our fight," he said to cheers. "We look forward to continuing to fight, continuing to advocate, until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream," Pearson continued. "Let's get back to work." The 28-year-old lawmaker was sworn in on Thursday morning outside the state Capitol. Pearson, who represents the Memphis area, and another Democrat, Justin Jones, who represents Nashville, were expelled from the House on Thursday for protesting gun violence after three 9-year-olds and three adults were killed in yet another mass shooting in Tennessee. Rep. Gloria Johnson, a Democrat who also participated in the protest, survived expulsion by a single vote. Pearson and Jones are young Black men serving their first term in the House; Johnson is a white woman in her fourth term. Republicans had accused them of a grave breach of decorum in the House by protesting peacefully, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton went so far as to liken their actions to the violent Jan. 6 insurrection, even though there was no violence, no property damage, and no arrests. Story continues Jones was reinstated to his seat by the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County on Monday. Surrounded by a swarm of supporters, Jones then marched back to the Statehouse and was sworn into office on the steps of the Capitol. State Rep. Justin Jones (center), with his fist in the air, marches with supporters to the state Capitol on April 10, 2023, in Nashville after being appointed back to his seat in the state House by the Metro Nashville City Council. George Walker Iv / AP Pearson's and Jones's appointments this week are on an interim basis, and they will have to run for their seats again in a special election to carry out the term. Both men have said they will do so. Their expulsions which effectively disenfranchised approximately 140,000 constituents, mostly Black and brown, in the two districts that elected them were widely criticized by Tennesseans and lawmakers. On Wednesday, five Demoratic US senators urged the Department of Justice to investigate whether the Tennessee state legislature violated any constitutional or civil rights laws when it expelled Jones and Pearson. Sens. Raphael Warnock, Chuck Schumer, Chris Murphy, Alex Padilla, and Brian Schatz wrote their expulsions "overturn and subvert the will" of voters in Nashville and Memphis. "People of all goodwill in Tennessee and across America and are deeply disturbed by these counter-democratic expulsions because they overturn and subvert the will of Tennessee voters in Nashville and Memphis," they wrote. "Many in the Tennessee legislature appear to have convinced themselves that The Peoples House is their house, and they have effectively evicted the districts voters out of their own house. This is un-democratic, un-American, and unacceptable, and the US Department of Justice should investigate whether it was also unlawful or unconstitutional." More on this Senior CPC official meets British diplomat Xinhua) 09:05, April 12, 2023 BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met in Beijing on Tuesday with Philip Barton, permanent under-secretary of Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. They exchanged views on strengthening party-to-party exchanges, promoting the sound and steady development of bilateral relations, and international and regional issues of common concern. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) ADDIS ABABA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Job-seeking and ill-informed Ethiopian youth remain vulnerable to human trafficking amid government efforts to repatriate victims of the scourge from the Middle East, experts have warned. Young Ethiopians continue to be trafficked by smugglers from different towns of the East African nation to Europe, the Middle East and South Africa, said experts whom Xinhua spoke to recently at a workshop on a draft strategy to prevent human trafficking in Ethiopia. "It is very difficult to come by accurate figures about the number of irregular Ethiopian migrants who fall victims of human trafficking but there are estimates that hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants cross the Ethiopian border annually," Dereje Tegyebelu, chief executive for Prevention of Trafficking in Person within the Ethiopian Ministry of Women, Children and Youth, told Xinhua. Tegyebelu attributed the increase in the magnitude of human trafficking in the country to false promises of smugglers given to victims and low awareness of the youth in rural areas. He cited poverty, unemployment, and depletion of resources as the core reasons for Ethiopian irregular migrants to fall into the hands of human traffickers. The reputation that the rural community offers to returnees who managed to change their lives for the better is another contributing factor for migrants to take risks via illegal routes of migration, said Tegyebelu, citing instances that elders give blessings for the young people, wishing them going abroad. Accordingly, parents in rural areas consider sending as many children as possible to Arab countries or Europe as a success no matter the fate of their children remains unknown, he said. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) early last week said close to 131,000 Ethiopian nationals have been repatriated from Saudi Arabia in a one-year period. According to the executive officer, out of 7,099 female returnees from Saudi Arabia, 6,717 of them have come back with their newborn babies. The safety and lives of smuggled migrants are often put at risk, said the chief executive, highlighting that the majority of the irregular migrants from Ethiopia end up with all sorts of abuses, exploitation, detention and body injuries and often cases of death. Tegyebelu further noted that mass graves of irregular migrants from Ethiopia are common along the "dangerous" route to South Africa. He reiterated that the majority of the returnees do not want to go back to their localities and families because they feel failed lives and their dreams and their families' expectations are completely shattered. According to the official, the MoFA estimates that there are 300,000 irregular Ethiopian migrants in South Africa and more than 500,000 others in the Middle East. Genene Asefa, the national project coordinator of the International Labor Organization (ILO), told Xinhua that drought and conflict remain the major contributing factors for irregular migrants from Ethiopia falling victim to human trafficking. "The fact that there are a huge number of internally displaced people in Ethiopia and the country hosts large numbers of refugees and the Horn of Africa region being affected by drought, war and conflict... all these contribute to large numbers of people becoming vulnerable to human trafficking," Asefa said. Asefa said the ILO supports governments to put in place an effective and functional overseas employment structure in a bid to help them promote decent work and avoid people from falling victim to human trafficking. Abrham Ayalew, head of the National Partnership Coalition for Migration Secretariat, which is engaged in combating human trafficking in Ethiopia, said that the government needs to properly manage regular migration to prevent, reduce and combat irregular migration in Ethiopia. "Human trafficking by its nature is a transboundary crime and it is not only affecting those victims of irregular migration but also has a spillover effect on their families, national economy and image of a country," Ayalew told Xinhua. Ayalew also said the irregular migrants from Ethiopia are subjected to all sorts of human violations and very few of them arrive at target destinations where they could be jailed indefinitely. According to Ayalew, the draft strategy aims at effectively countering the crimes of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants across and beyond Ethiopia, a country of origin, transit and destination for illicit cross-border migration. NASHVILLE, Tenn. A second Tennessee state representative was reinstated Wednesday after the Memphis City Council voted to return the Democrat to his former seat. The Shelby County Commission overwhelmingly voted to send Rep. Justin Pearson back to the state Legislature after being ousted by Republicans last week for participating in a protest calling for gun reform on the state House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. He was removed along with Rep. Justin Jones, who was also renamed to his seat earlier this week. Brother Justin, again thank you man for continuing to be the voice that you are, Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. said after voting to return Pearson to the Capitol. Continue to fight the good fight, Caswell said. Pearson responded with a warning message to the Republican supermajority in the state House and a rally cry to his supporters. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope, you cant expel justice, you cant expel our voice and you sure cant expel our fight, Pearson said. We look forward to continuing to fight, he said. Lets get back to work. Pearson is expected to return to work Thursday when the full state House will convene. Ahead of the vote, supporters gathered at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, located where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, and marched toward the council meeting. GOP leadership was angered by the Democrats protest and swiftly removed them from the chamber in an unusually partisan process. A third targeted member, Rep. Gloria Johnson, escaped expulsion by a single vote. Johnson suggested the vote went in her favor because she is white and Pearson and Jones are Black. Republicans actions have propelled Nashville onto the national stage and drawn criticism from Democratic leaders including President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. Their ouster has also handed Tennessee Democrats a major organizing opportunity and the party is now attempting a political comeback in the deep red state. Army officials have suspended the commander of the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Col. Jonathan Chung, who took command in June 2021, has been assigned to U.S. Army Pacific pending the outcome of an administrative investigation, said Forces Command spokesperson Paul Boyce in a statement to Army Times on Wednesday. Asked to clarify whether the colonels reassignment was permanent or temporary, Boyce said Chung has been suspended as the commander until the investigation is complete. Its not clear why Chung came under investigation or why he was suspended from command. He did not immediately respond to a comment request sent via social media. The brigades were established to assist U.S. allies and partners with conventional military training. Officials formed six geographically-oriented brigades between 2017 and 2020. The brigades draw on experienced enlisted NCO volunteers and operate in small teams, often of a dozen or fewer soldiers for months at a time in disparate locations through an assigned combatant command region. In recent years the Army has relied on these brigades to bolster support and provide a U.S. military presence in regions both in peer-competitor environments, such as Europe and Asia, and non-peer adversary environments such as Africa and Latin America. Should he be permanently relieved, Chung would be at least the fifth brigade commander removed since October. In October, two 1st Cavalry Division brigade commanders at Fort Hood, Texas Col. Jon Meredith of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team and Col. Anthony Wilson of the divisions 1st Sustainment Brigade were fired. Meredith was under criminal investigation, though officials have not specified whether he will face any charges. Then in November, the Louisiana National Guard removed Col. Scott Desormeaux from his dual role commanding the states 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and historic Jackson Barracks post after an investigation found he sent inappropriate text messages to other service members. Col. Ann Meredith was fired as the 89th Military Police Brigade commander at Fort Hood in March amid a criminal investigation distinct from the previous investigation of her husband Col. Jon Meredith, according to Stars and Stripes. Its not clear whether she will face court-martial. Col. Tony Braxton will temporarily take command of Chungs brigade, said Forces Command spokesperson Boyce. NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. A Florida professor says the discovery of fossilized lightning led to the formation of a new material that's never before discovered until now. In the University of South Florida's news release by Cassidy Delamarter, Delamarter explains that after lightning struck a tree in a New Port Richey, Florida, neighborhood, geoscientist Matthew Pasek found the strike led to the formation of a new phosphorus material in a rock that could represent a member of a new mineral group. "We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and space, but we've never seen this exact material anywhere," Pasek said. The University of South Florida professor recently published his study in Communications Earth & Environment. Delamarter explains that the study examines how high-energy events, such as lightning, can cause unique chemical reactions and result in a new material one that is transitional between space minerals and minerals found on Earth. DEBUNKING 7 MYTHS ABOUT LIGHTNING "When lightning strikes a tree, the ground typically explodes out, and the surrounding grass dies, forming a scar and sending electric discharge through nearby rock, soil and sand, forming fulgurites, also known as fossilized lightning," Pasek said. According to Pasek, when the homeowners discovered the lightning scar,' they found a fulgurite. Assuming it had some value, they decided to sell it to Pasek. After a collaboration with a professor of mineralogy and crystallography at the University of Florence in Italy, the team set out to investigate the unusual mineral. "Its important to understand how much energy lightning has because then we know how much damage a lightning strike can cause on average and how dangerous it is," Pasek said. "Florida is the lightning capital of the world, and lightning safety is important if lightning is strong enough to melt rock, it can certainly melt people too." Story continues WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING Pasek said the lightning struck the iron accumulation that encrusted the tree roots and combusted the naturally occurring carbon in the tree. The two elements led to a chemical reaction, creating a fulgurite that looked like a metal glob. Inside the glob was a colorful and crystal-like matter. It was a material that had never before discovered, Pasek said. Geologists attempted to remake the material in a lab but were unsuccessful. Experts believe the material likely forms quickly under precise conditions and will turn into the mineral found in meteorites if heated too long. Per Delamarter, according to Pasek, its unlikely this material could be mined for uses similar to other phosphates, such as fertilizer, given the rarity of it occurring naturally. However, it could soon be officially declared a mineral and bring additional awareness to the scientific community. You can read the full University of South Florida release here as well as Pasek's full study available here. As the country moves closer to the 2024 election, candidates seeking the White House are beginning to formally throw their hats into the ring. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is the latest Republican to consider a 2024 presidential run, launching a new exploratory committee Wednesday and joining a growing GOP primary field. If Scott officially announces, he will join former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson in their challenge to win the Republican 2024 nomination over front-runner Donald Trump. While President Joe Biden is expected to run for reelection despite not yet formally announcing his campaign, self-help author Marianne Williamson looks to challenge Biden for the Democratic 2024 presidential nomination. Williamson officially launched her presidential campaign in March. Smart analysis delivered to your inbox: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Countdown to 2024: These candidates have already announced Senate plans for next election As the 2024 presidential field takes shape, here are the candidates who have launched their presidential campaigns and those considering a bid: Who is running for president? Donald Trump: Former President Donald Trump officially launched his third bid for the White House Nov. 15, days after the 2022 midterm election. While Trump has remained the front runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, its uncertain how his historic criminal indictment will affect his candidacy. Nikki Haley: Haley announced her presidential campaign in February, making her the first prominent Republican to enter the 2024 race and challenge Trump for the GOP nomination. Former President Trump leaves Trump Tower for Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Trump will be booked and arraigned on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. Asa Hutchinson: Hutchinson announced his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination earlier this month, labeling himself as a non-Trump candidate. Hutchinson is set to formally launch his presidential campaign on April 26. Vivek Ramaswamy: Biotech entrepreneur and investor Vivek Ramaswamy is also among the growing list of candidates seeking to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. Ramaswamy, the author of Woke, Inc., formally launched his bid for the White House in a February video. Story continues GOP 2024: Which Republicans are running for president? Who has yet to announce? Who's considering? Perry Johnson: Republican businessman Perry Johnson launched a long-shot presidential bid in March. Johnson previously tried to run for Michigan governor last year but was found by the states election bureau to have filed fraudulent nominating signatures. Marianne Williamson: Williamson launched her second bid for the White House early last month, making her the first to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for 2024. Who is expected to run? Joe Biden: While he has not yet launched his reelection campaign, Biden is expected to announce his bid for a second term in the coming weeks as he looks to tout his presidential record. Tim Scott: Scott has long teased his potential challenge for the GOP 2024 nomination, signaling a step closer to formally launching a presidential bid as he announced a new exploratory committee Wednesday. If elected, the South Carolina lawmaker would make history as the countrys first Black Republican president. President Joe Biden takes a selfie with guests after speaking at Ulster University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Ron DeSantis: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is another favorite for the GOP 2024 nomination but second to Trump despite having not yet launched a campaign for president. However, DeSantis is expected to announce his bid, especially as hes been making rounds across the country, including stops in key early voting states. More: Tim Scott moves closer to challenging Trump, other GOP rivals in 2024, forms exploratory committee Mike Pence: Former Vice President Mike Pence is also among the group of Republicans considering a bid for the White House. While Pence has said he will decide over the summer, he has seemingly begun to set up a potential bid. Pence visited Iowa, a key early voting state, in February along with other current and potential candidates. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tim Scott eyes White House bid: Who is running for president in 2024? As residents of condominiums across Florida struggle to adapt to a sweeping new law that increases building inspections and maintenance costs, Florida legislators have agreed to a series of changes aimed at ending confusion but not the financial pain. This bill is an effort to provide more clarity, flexibility and transparency, said Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, the sponsor of Senate Bill 154, which passed unanimously on Wednesday. The measure is a response to last years law that created the first statewide inspection program for aging condos in response to the partial collapse that killed 98 people at Champlain Towers South in Surfside in June 2021. Last years legislation went on in a rather blunt fashion, Bradley said Wednesday, leaving many issues unresolved. She and others spent the summer conducting town-hall meetings around the state to hear concerns from condo residents. We had people that were confused. They were angry, and they wanted answers, she told the Senate. We now have a bill that we can be proud of with a lot of input from a lot of people. Last year, legislators passed SB 4-D requiring condos that are three stories or higher to conduct structural integrity reserve studies, which call for an architect or engineer to analyze a building and take into account the need for repairs to structural features, such as roofs, load-bearing walls and fire-protection systems. The reserve study must determine how much money must be set aside to complete the repairs. READ MORE: Condo owners can get relief for repairs with Miami-Dade Countys loan program Because so many Florida condominium associations have routinely deferred maintenance to keep the cost of living in them down, the price of making needed repairs has many advocates warning that many condo residents could be priced out of their homes. The impact, Bradley told the Senate, will depend on how much money each condominium association has already set aside. Story continues If they had been waiting every year, and there are insufficient reserves for the structural components of the building to ensure life safety, there may be a period of catch-up, she said. The city of North Miami Beach has ordered that Crestview Towers Condominium be immediately closed and evacuated Friday, July 2, 2021, in the evening after a building inspection report found it to have unsafe structural and electrical conditions, city officials announced. Wait until next year for a financial solution Finding a fix to assist with the financing of the repairs is something for legislators to tackle next year, said Rep. Vicki Lopez, a Coral Gables Republican who negotiated the condo bill with Bradley for the House. Today, we are trying to clarify a lot of those provisions, so that people have a better understanding of what it was that we meant, she said Tuesday as she was filing amendments to match the Senate bill. I do think next year we have to address the financial implications of this, she said. Under the current law, any building with a certificate of occupancy issued before July 1, 1992, is subject to a phase one inspection. If any substantial structural deterioration is discovered, another inspection is required and if repairs are needed, they must be paid for by condominium homeowners associations. The proposals attempt to streamline last years law, allowing buildings within three miles of the coastline to be inspected after they have been occupied for 30 years, instead of 25 years. After the initial milestone inspections, buildings would have to go through inspections every 10 years. Not enough qualified inspectors Since the law was passed last year, condo associations have complained of a shortage of people available to conduct the milestone inspections. The new bill allows the inspection to be done by a team of design professionals with an engineer or architect acting as a registered design professional in charge. The new bill extends the deadline for the completion of the structural integrity reserve study to Jan. 1, 2025, and requires that money set aside for the repairs may not be used for another purpose. This years proposals also give local officials more oversight authority and more flexibility. For example, they allow local officials to require a building to be inspected after 25 years because of environmental conditions such as proximity to salt water. The new bills also would allow local officials to extend inspection deadlines if building owners have entered into contracts with architects or engineers but the inspections cannot be finished in time. The bill removes the requirement that condo owners covered by Citizens Property Insurance obtain flood insurance. And this years bill includes several clarifications, such as stating that the milestone-inspection program applies only to residential condominiums and mixed-use buildings, and that all unit owners are responsible for financing any needed repairs. Lopez acknowledged that many condo owners were not aware that their boards were waiving the option of assessing fees to pay for structural improvements. They are facing costs that they cannot afford, and so many of them, in order to keep their homes, will have to go into debt, will have to borrow it, she said. Im worried about that. Lopez said that she and Bradley hope to work on financing options for legislators to consider next year to help people afford the increased costs. One option is to create a glide path to pay assessments. Lopezs bill, HB 1395, is expected to be heard in the House Commerce Committee on Monday, and both will be amended to be virtually the same. Lopez described last years legislation, which was wedged into a special session after efforts to reach agreement in the regular session fell apart, as throw something together to make sure that something is done, and then come back and really study it. Because it has such sweeping implications and costs, Lopez predicted, there will be more. For example, she said she would like to see a requirement that condo association board members take a course so that they understand how to address issues before them. Mary Ellen Klas can be reached at meklas@miamiherald.com and @MaryEllenKlas South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott appears to be poised to enter the 2024 presidential race Republican Senator Tim Scott has launched a presidential exploratory committee, a strong indicator of a likely White House bid in 2024. Should he choose to run, he will enter the Primary race against a number of high-profile Republicans including former president Donald Trump. The launch allows him to raise money that could be later used in a formal presidential campaign. Mr Scott is currently the only black Republican serving in the US senate. "I will never back down in defence of the conservative values that make America exceptional," the South Carolina senator said in a video announcing the launch. Mr Scott will use the committee to gauge his chances of success. Former President Donald Trump, former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have already launched their bid. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence are among other potential candidates yet to announce a run. In the video, released on Wednesday, Mr Scott echoed familiar right-wing sentiments, accusing Democrats of "indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country", and accusing the left of "weaponising race to divide us". "I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression. I know it, because I've lived it," he said. At a time when Donald Trump, the nomination front-runner, is issuing dark warnings about an American nation on the brink of ruin, Mr Scott offers a much brighter, more optimistic picture. This could also provide a sharp contrast on the campaign trail and on the debate stage. But the challenge for the senator will be finding enough of an audience who will rally around a positive message. That's not the only obstacle facing Mr Scott as he makes his play for the White House. Although he hails from South Carolina, a key early voting primary state, he will be competing for financial and political support there with another local favourite, former governor Nikki Haley. And while being a sitting senator allows him to bring a $21.7m (17.5m) campaign war chest into the race, senators - with long voting records for opponents to pick apart - often struggle in presidential races. Even if he ultimately fails in his White House bid, Mr Scott's compelling life story, his uniqueness as the first black modern senator from the US south and his public-speaking skills should put him on the short-list for the Republican vice-presidential nomination or a high-profile administration position of the eventual nominee were to win in 2024. Milos Vucevic stated that Serbia does not sell weapons to Ukraine or the Russian Federation He was commenting on a report by the Reuters news agency, which published information from a classified Pentagon document stating that Serbia, the only country in Europe that has refused to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, had agreed to supply arms to Kyiv or has sent them already. We have denied those lies more than a dozen times and here we are, we will do it again, Vucevic said. Serbia has not, nor will it, sell weapons to the Ukrainian or the Russian side, nor to the countries in the surroundings of that conflict. Someone obviously has the goal of dragging Serbia into that conflict, but we consistently stick to our established policy. Vucevic added that Serbia sells weapons to third parties, which are far from the conflict and have nothing to do with it. There is always the possibility that some weapon will somehow end up in the territory of a conflict, but that has absolutely nothing to do with Serbia, the minister said. It is a question for those countries that do not respect international norms, contractual clauses and business practices. I repeat, Serbia did not send arms to Ukraine and everything published on that topic represents untrue speculation. Read also: US believes Russia is behind classified military documents leak U.S. newspaper the New York Times, citing sources in the White House, reported on April 6 that the Pentagon was investigating a leak of classified documents relating to U.S. and NATO efforts to prepare the Armed Forces of Ukraine for an expected counter-offensive. Ukrainian Defense Intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov said that the documents were forged by Russian special services. He pointed out that the documents contain false data on combat losses for both sides, with some other information gathered from open sources. However, U.S. officials have said the documents are genuine, although they noted that some of the information in them had been altered. Another batch of secret documents that appear to detail U.S. national security secrets on Ukraine, the Middle East and China surfaced online on April 7. 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 Serbia, which has ostensibly remained neutral over Russias war in Ukraine, agreed to supply Kyiv with weapons, according to a Reuters review of one of the recently leaked Pentagon documents. The document, dated March 2, included a chart of European support for Ukraine indicating that Serbia refused to provide training to Ukrainian troops but agreed to help arm the country, or has already done so. Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic told Reuters the claims were not true. Serbia did not, nor will it be selling weapons to the Ukrainian nor the Russian side, nor to countries surrounding that conflict, Vucevic said in a statement to the news outlet. He added, however, that some Serbian-made weapons could magically appear in Ukraine, though he dismissed that as having nothing to do with his country. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has kept his nation neutral during the war, refusing to sanction Russia, and has in the past boasted about his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last month, he criticized the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant against Putin over the Russian leaders abduction of Ukrainian children. I think issuing an arrest warrant for Putin, not to go into legal matters, will have bad political consequences and it says that there is a great reluctance to talk about peace, about truce, Vucic said in remarks to the press, according to The Associated Press. The leaked Pentagon documents are part of a trove of records that have surfaced online since at least March, offering startling news about U.S. allies and insights into the war in Ukraine. The Defense Department is conducting a review of the leaked documents, while the Justice Department is investigating a formal, criminal investigation of the leak. Its unclear how many of the documents have been manipulated, but at least one estimating casualty rates in the war was altered. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Serbian Ministry of Defence has denied information that appeared in the media about the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Source: Euronews.rs citing Milos Vucevic, Serbian Minister of Defence Vucevic noted that Serbia has not sold and will not sell weapons to either the Ukrainian or the Russian side. Quote: "Someone's goal is obviously to destabilise our country and drag it into a conflict," the Serbian minister said. "There is always a possibility that some weapon will magically end up on the territory of the conflict, but this has absolutely nothing to do with Serbia. This is a matter for those countries that do not respect international norms, treaty provisions and business practices," he added. Earlier, the media reported that one of the allegedly leaked secret documents claimed that Serbia had agreed to supply weapons to Ukraine or had already sent them. It also states that Serbia has the political will and military capability to provide weapons to Ukraine in the future. The government of Serbian President Vucic professes neutrality in the war in Ukraine, despite the country's deep historical, economic and cultural ties to Russia. In March, Moscow said it had asked Belgrade to provide an official explanation for alleged deliveries of military aid. Arms manufacturer Krusik Corp. from Valevo denied providing rockets or other weapons to Ukraine. Vucic called these accusations "blatant lies". "We have not sent any weapons or ammunition to Russia or Ukraine," Vucic said during a visit to Qatar on 5 March. On 10 March, Vucic stated that Serbian-made weapons may have somehow ended up in Ukraine through intermediaries and that Belgrade has no influence on this. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran has sparked a debate after her resurfaced comments about firing employees on Fridays went viral. The 73-year-old entrepreneur, who stars on the ABC business reality TV series, has amassed a $100 million fortune after founding her own real estate firm, The Corcoran Group. Since joining Shark Tank in 2009, Corcoran has become known for her cutthroat business advice which she often shares on TikTok to her one million followers. Earlier this month, a TikTok video went viral of Corcoran on The Diary of a CEO podcast, where she shared that she prefers to fire her employees on Fridays. I love firing people on Fridays, the businesswoman said. Corcoran explained that, before she fired an employee, she would ask to set up a meeting with them a few days prior. I would stop by someones desk on a Wednesday and say, Hey, would you have some time on Friday? she continued. They shouldve heard about the rumors. I couldnt wait until I came in to fire them, she added. The Shark Tank investor went on to explain that shes fired workers in the past whove exhibited a negative approach to their job. I picked out individuals who were negative, she said. My attitude toward the negative person is that they were ruining my good kids. People who are negative have to have somebody else negative to be with them. Theyve got to talk to somebody, complain. Im not talking about people who tell you what youre doing wrong, theyre invaluable. Im talking about chronic complainers and negative people. You gotta get rid of them. When it came time for her fateful meeting with an employee, Corcoran revealed that her go-to phrase when terminating someone was to simply tell them that they werent a good fit for the company. I learned very early, after firing one negative person, never tell them why youre firing them or youre getting a rats nest, she explained. You just dont fit the company. Story continues Corcorans business advice appeared helpful to some in the comments of the viral TikTok, which has since been viewed 800,000 times. One user wrote: So true, I work with chronically negative people and they drain the life out of me! Ive never agreed with anyone more, another person said, while someone else commented: She is so right though a negative person ruins a team. However, others felt Corcoran appeared too giddy when talking about firing employees on Fridays. One should NEVER be giddy about firing people, commented one TikToker. Ive been a business leader for 15+ years. This is the one thing I hate. I agree with the idea of getting rid of negativity but not enjoying firing people lol, another said. Corcoran recently went viral on TikTok once again when she revealed that she first mistook her Shark Tank co-star, billionaire Mark Cuban, for a bellboy. The entrepreneur described the meeting as the most embarrassing moment she had while filming the ABC show. After asking Cuban to help her with her bags, she soon realised that the so-called bellboy was actually her new co-star once she arrived on set. I look at the guy next to me, and its the luggage guy sitting in the seat next to me, she recalled. So I said to him, What are you doing here? He said, Im Mark Cuban. Nice to meet you. KAMPALA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Ugandan military court has sent to prison 32 Kenyans after they were found in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition in the northeastern sub-region of Karamoja. According to a statement issued Wednesday by the military, the Kenyan Turkana pastoralists were arrested in an operation on April 8, whereby 31 guns and 751 rounds of ammunition were recovered. "They are subject to the ongoing disarmament operations in the Karamoja sub-region and national laws of the Republic of Uganda," said the statement. The group was arraigned in the 3rd Division Military Court Martial based in Moroto District in the Northern region. "They were convicted on two counts, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition, each carrying a sentence of 10 years. The convicts will serve their sentences consecutively," the army said. According to Ugandan military law, any person found in possession of military weapons, equipment on ammunition is subjected to and tried by the court martial. Northeastern Uganda is facing armed cattle rustling. The Ugandan military has currently been carrying out a disarmament operation to stem the practice. Memphis-area officials voted Wednesday to reinstate Justin J. Pearson to the Tennessee Legislature after Republicans expelled him last week for protesting gun violence on the chamber floor. The seven members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners present for the vote unanimously approved reinstating Pearson at a special meeting in Memphis. Board members suspended the rules to allow for an immediate vote. After the vote, Pearson addressed the commission with an enthusiastic speech. "Nashville thought they could silence democracy," he said to cheers from supporters who had filled the chamber. "But they didn't know the Shelby County Commission ... and its fearless leaders." He added that he had a "message for all those people in Nashville who voted to expel us": "You can't expel hope. You can't expel justice." The event began with a prayer recited by Pearsons father, a preacher, before commissioners quickly voted. Democrats hold a 9-4 majority on the 13-seat board, although only seven members attended Wednesdays special meeting. Justin Pearson (Adrian Sainz / AP) Ahead of the vote, hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Memphis on their way to the building that houses the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. Pearson and fellow Democrat Justin Jones, who are Black, were expelled Thursday in unprecedented state House votes that drew national attention to racial and political dynamics in the states legislative body. Pearson, in a New York Times essay published moments before the boards meeting was scheduled to kick off, expressed a desire to return to the Legislature. I will continue to fight with and for our people, whether in or out of office, he wrote. Mr. Jones has since returned to the House after a vote by the Nashville Metropolitan Council. Im hoping the Shelby County Board of Commissioners similarly puts me back in the House on Wednesday, Pearson wrote. Jones, Pearson and state Rep. Gloria Johnson had led supporters in chants calling for restrictions on guns after a shooting at a Nashville school killed six people, including three 9-year-old children. The three technically broke House rules by speaking when they were not recognized to. Jones and Pearson addressed protesters with a bullhorn. Story continues Johnson, who is white, narrowly survived her vote a result she has suggested was related to her race while Pearson and Jones did not. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted two days after the Nashville Metropolitan Council voted unanimously to reinstate Jones to his seat in the Legislature. The council suspended its rules to allow an immediate vote instead of holding an extended nomination period. Cameron Sexton, the Republican House speaker, seated Jones to his old position and has committed to seat whomever Shelby County officials appoint to fill Pearsons vacancy, including Pearson. Under state rules, elections for both seats must still be held. The rules dictate that Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, must schedule a primary for Jones and Pearsons seats within 60 days and a general election within 107 days. Jones and Pearson have said they will seek re-election. The expulsions were a historic event in the Legislature. Since the Civil War, Tennessee House members have voted to expel a member only twice one after an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations and another after a bribery conviction. Similarly, the Tennessee Senate voted last year to expel a sitting member for the first time Katrina Robinson after she was convicted of federal wire fraud charges. Unlike in those instances, Jones and Pearson were expelled for violating House rules. Democrats across the U.S. including the White House have signaled broad support for Jones and Pearson. President Joe Biden has called the Tennessee Three a moniker that includes Johnson and has invited them to visit the White House while slamming the expulsions of Jones and Pearson as shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Nashville on Friday to meet with the three legislators. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on April 12, the U.S. Defense Ministry reported. Shmyhal said on Telegram that it was an "important meeting" which focused on liberating Ukrainian territory and ways to strengthen Ukraine's "capacity for the future." "For a faster victory, Ukraine also needs more weapons: air defense, heavy artillery and equipment, mortars, and ammunition for them. I called on the U.S. to support the provision of longer-range missiles," Shmyhal said. He also thanked the American people for their continued support of Ukraine since the start of Russia's all-out war. Many believe that Ukraine's planned counteroffensive has the potential to be a pivotal turning point in the war. On March 16, Austin said that "Ukraine doesn't have time to waste" ahead of the counteroffensive when it came to getting the weapons and training it needs for soldiers. Austin is set to lead the 11th Ramstein summit, formally known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, on April 21. Ramstein summits are held to coordinate Kyiv's allies' efforts to provide military aid to Ukraine. In Kristoffer Borgli's In Kristoffer Borgli's "Sick of Myself," Kristine Kujath Thorp plays a young woman who goes to dangerous lengths to seem interesting. This article discusses plot details from Sick of Myself. If youre reading this, it means youve probably already consumed your daily dose of unreality and self-important posts on social media that scream: Look at ME! Look at what Im doing! Arent I great? Isnt this cool? Its enough to make you I dont know maybe want to create an alternate script about the world around you, where you are the one getting all the attention. And, when the situation calls for it, all the sympathy. Thats the cynical space in which the pitch-dark new comedy Sick of Myself sits. Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli bends the rules of satire, body horror and realism to present a rewardingly textured story steeped in our modern malaise. It centers on Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp), a young barista in Oslo, Norway, who spends a lot of her day blankly perusing her friends online accounts and staring at the faces of coffee shop customers. Afterward, she comes home to the apartment she shares with her boyfriend Thomas (Eirik Sther), an artist who steals furniture to use both in their hollow residence and in his art shows (often presented in ways that look just pretentious enough to appeal to pompous aesthetes). Signes thinly veiled exasperation makes for acerbically hilarious scenes like when the couple meet up with Thomas friends at a bougie cafe where they gush over his next showing at a prestigious gallery. Or rather, as Signe reminds the table, its not exactly at that gallery, but outside in a space down the street from it not to be confused with a premier event. Whats so cunning about Sick of Myself is that it reflects how naturally jealousy can manifest, even among those were closest with, in a world where peoples self-worth is dangerously tethered to external validation. Borgli himself is no stranger to this state of mind. Story continues Even I can have this feeling, the filmmaker admitted to HuffPost. A friend of mine who I love and actually support if that person suddenly gets really successful, its like a little piece of me dies. These kinds of uncomfortable, socially forbidden truths are what Borgli was wrestling with when he came up with the idea for Sick of Myself. I have this feeling that just is triggered that I dont want to listen to and I dont want to act on it, he said. But it does feel painful for whatever reason, and I think that pain is what I wanted to make into a cinematic experience. Right away, this concept brings to mind last years ill-conceived Hulu movie Not Okay, which failed to grapple with any of the complexities of narcissism and social endorsement in our contemporary landscape. But Sick of Myself, which grows more and more bizarre as it goes on, is more like the Black Mirror episode Nosedive, in that the audience is immersed in an intensely layered, reality-adjacent world, one where some of our most objectionable norms are mirrored on screen. And more than that, theyre presented in a way that is uneasy to watch even though the film is, refreshingly, not beholden to an obvious moral standpoint. Thorp and Eirik Sther are the perfect narcissistic pair in Thorp and Eirik Sther are the perfect narcissistic pair in "Sick of Myself." For Borgli, to judge the events in Sick of Myself especially Signes inner thoughts, which get more grotesque as the film progresses would be to chide the world around him, including some of his own behavior, without attempting to understand any of it. Instead, he wanted to examine it on screen. Most people have a filter and stop themselves on acting upon such negative emotions, Borgli said. Signe completely detaches herself from that responsibility. I wanted this cathartic experience of seeing someone who just goes all the way there and doesnt have a single brake or a single filter to stop them, Borgli said, and feel this pressure valve opened by just vetting it or letting it live in fiction, so that it doesnt have to exist in my life. Borgli explored media manipulation with his first feature, Drib, in 2017. But since our codependent relationship with media is such a deep-seated reality, he continues to return to it. I think its just become what water is to a fish, almost, he said. You cant escape it. It would be weird to talk about modern life without having that be an element in it. The idea for Sick of Myself came to Borgli when he moved to Los Angeles from his native Norway, and started encountering people like Signe, who were desperate to do anything just to seem interesting. The character goes so far as to disfigure herself, risking her health. There was this idea brewing in the back of my head, and I had this image in my head of a blonde girl in Oslo with a horrific skin disease, Borgli explained. But she was smiling, he went on. I didnt know, really, what the story was going to be. But I wrote it in L.A. and I was living here, bumping up against people here and the culture here, and I think that actually influenced how this character became. And part of that, as Borgli concluded, is more of an L.A. person, almost. With Sick of Myself, he wanted to examine the various elements that play a role in that mindset. Im looking at the personal psychology of competitiveness and narcissism and career ambitions and identity, he said, and wanting to have a story to tell, and how that pressure, of course, can be amplified when everyone has a platform. A film like this, though, immediately brings up questions of privilege and its up to the storyteller to be able to address them. Borgli came up with the idea for Borgli came up with the idea for "Sick of Myself" when he moved to Los Angeles at the height of wellness culture. Norway is far more culturally homogenous than Los Angeles, and Borgli calls it less career- and identity-focused as well. Signe is a young, able-bodied white woman who doesnt really have a story. So she tries to benefit from the type of mass acknowledgment that marginalized people sometimes gain which says a lot about who she is. She seems to be aware that she has a bad personality, as revealed in one of the films dark fantasy sequences where she receives the rattling diagnosis after a CT scan. I think for Signe in Sick of Myself, being a blonde, privileged, upper-middle-class girl in Oslo who works at a coffee shop its like shes not really part of any conversation, Borgli said. She doesnt have a voice in anything, and I think she really wants validation and attention, and I think she just subconsciously gets drawn to the kind of attention that victims get. Signe renders herself unrecognizable on her way to gaining a fleeting amount of social and professional acclaim. Through an internet search, she is able to find a pill that causes an aggressive skin disease as a side effect. She gets her hands on a batch, and her face and the rest of her body effectively disfigure, until she is nearly covered in rashes and blisters. The prosthetics in Sick of Myself are, unsurprisingly, inspired by a master of body horror whose work Borgli became fond of when he was a teenager working in a video store. One of the elements that I really liked was David Cronenberg and body horror visually, Borgli recalled, referring to the director of such similarly unnerving films as The Brood and Scanners. With Sick of Myself, Borgli takes those influences and turns them into something uniquely his own. I dont think I could articulate it then, but it has dawned on me that I really like the visual landscape of prosthetics and dysmorphia and all of those elements that exist in body horror, he said. But not necessarily loving the tone of those movies. With those sorts of movies, Borgli explained, you go into them expecting the horror to happen. So its not really surprising, he said. I have had this really long dream of making a movie where the body horror element started showing up in a normal setting in a movie where you werent expecting. Enter Sick of Myself, a film you might go into with few expectations, only to get a whole variety of elements including humor, romantic dysfunction, horror and social commentary. For a moment, Signe acquires the attention shes long craved, both from Thomas and from people in general. But that also has side effects that include loss of hair, an addiction and a prison of her own making. That said, the bad personality in Sick of Myself does come with a consequence. Borgli, for his part, doesnt agree that Signe becomes addicted to the drug, even though she ingests perilous amounts of it. Rather, he feels like shes addicted to what it gives her. Thats another real-life cue from which he took elements for the film. Theres a long history of fictional drugs in films The Matrix, A Clockwork Orange and Scanners all come to mind as Borgli himself acknowledges. But the drug in Sick of Myself is reminiscent of the more accepted pharmaceutical approaches rampant in millennial wellness culture. I thought the scarier thing to me now is that theres so many drugs marketed in the same kind of language that you trust, the director explained. In California, theres a lot of ketamine therapy and extreme drugs sold as wellness, mindfulness, as though it was just organic tea or something. Its the type of packaging that someone like Signe would be most attracted to, one that could serve her purpose to boost her social platform. Whos to say whats a side effect and whats an effect in a drug? Borgli asks. A lot of drugs are misused for their side effects. [Signe] does get addicted to her own story and identity posts, having these crazy side effects from a drug, and she cant stop living that life or that lie. Its a devastating realization in a film that concludes on a haunting note of self-awareness mixed with heartbreak and bitter sarcasm. It seems like Borgli imagined Sick of Myself as nothing less. My idea was like, Lets start this movie in what feels like a Woody Allen relationship drama-comedy, and then suddenly, halfway through, it starts turning into body horror and no one will expect it, he said. The end result is, indeed, something unexpected. That was a desire on my end, to mush two genres together that I havent seen combined before to carve out a new tone, Borgli said. Well done. Sick of Myself is in theaters Wednesday. Related... Post Malone designed a bright pink Raising Cane's restaurant in Utah. (Pavel Golovkin / Associated Press) One box combo the Posty Way, please. Rapper Post Malone has entered his restaurateur era, partnering with Raising Cane's to open a location in Utah, the chicken finger joint announced Tuesday. The Grammy-nominated "Circles" rapper personally designed the new restaurant, located in Midvale, which will open its doors Thursday. "Every element of the restaurant was custom designed by Post himself," the release said. According to the announcement, Post Malone (real name Austin Richard Post) "made the personal request" to Raising Cane's CEO and founder Todd Graves to open a restaurant near his Utah home. Since then, the Midvale restaurant "has been renovated from the inside out to reflect Post's bold style and enthusiastic personality," the statement said. The rapper's location boasts a solid pink interior and exterior, unlike the other shops that tout a more neutral look. The restaurant's outer walls even feature prints inspired by the rapper's signature tattoos. As if the paint job wasn't "Posty" enough, several of the rapper's outfits including two from the 2019 Grammy Awards are displayed inside the restaurant. His personal guitars also will be framed. "This collaboration goes above and beyond to combine Posts legendary vision with our award-winning Chicken Fingers," Graves said in a statement. "Its over the top something the restaurant industry has never seen to this level." Would it really be a restaurant collaboration without a special meal? Midvale patrons will get to order Post's go-to meal: four chicken tenders with fries, sauce, two slices of Texas toast and unsweetened tea mixed with lemonade. The restaurant also will serve orders in packaging inspired by the rapper. Additionally, restaurant crew and managers will look the "Posty Way" with themed uniforms and hats. Medieval-themed restrooms (taken from the rapper's love of medieval armor) and a pink vending machine with Post Malone Raising Cane's merchandise also are featured. Story continues Malone, who was born in New York, has referenced the Beehive state in several of his songs. In 2019, he told Variety that he thought of Utah as an "oasis" away from Hollywood. "Being in Utah and being away from the grind and from everybody else and its just me with my video games and cold one, that feels good to me," he said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Siera Bearchell is getting ready for summer weather. (Photo via Instagram/@sierabearchell) Siera Bearchell is sharing her secrets to getting "bikini-body" ready. On Tuesday, the 30-year-old former Miss Universe Canada took to Instagram with a video of herself modelling five swimsuits from the Canadian swimwear brand, Bikini Village, and advising her followers on ways they can exude more confidence in a bathing suit just in time for summer. "Five tips for looking more bikini-body ready," she began, wearing a pastel blue bikini and a white bathrobe. "Step one, put a bikini on your body." "Next, as you're getting dressed, tell yourself in your head or even whisper under your breath, 'I look and feel amazing,'" the mom-of-two continued. The Saskatchewan-born influencer urged fans not to worry about the "little things that make you feel insecure, like maybe the bumps on the back of your legs, the hairs here or there, the stretch marks on your boobs." "I can pretty much guarantee that no one is noticing those things," she added. "No one's looking at those things." For an "instant glow" and "boost of confidence," the beauty pageant titleholder recommended adding "glow drops" to body oil or lotion. "Slather it on because nothing is hotter than someone that is walking around confident in a bathing suit," she added before concluding: "Lastly, keep your shoulders back and chin up, because you look amazing." In the comments, fans met Bearchell's video with praise for being "an inspiration." "You are real and you always encourage everyone to be comfortable in their skin! Thank you," an Instagram user wrote. Another penned: "Thanks @sierabearchell for reminding us to be beautiful for who we are! You look fab!" "Amazing post!" someone else chimed in. "You're such an inspiration for women! Thank you for sharing. I needed this," another commented. Story continues "Yes! Let's remember this more often," a fan added. Last week, Bearchell shared a video featuring footage of herself posing in swimsuits while she was in the third trimester of her pregnancy. She paired the post with a caption praising Bikini Village for working with her during her pregnancy and helping represent different "shapes and stages of life." "Eight months ago," she penned. "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!" Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Even as a California budget battle brews over funding for affordable student housing, Sierra College broke ground at its Rocklin campus Tuesday on a $98.3 million dormitory that will house about 350 students at rents that are half the market rate. Using current rental rates, that would mean most students would pay $450 a month to live in the dorm, said Sierra College President Willy Duncan, but several students wont pay anything because of some generous donors. This is just a huge opportunity for Sierra College to really step up the way we serve our students and to ensure that any student ... in need of a place to live is going to be able to find it at Sierra College, Duncan said, and its going to be hugely affordable for them and really be a big part of that students success. Duncan said his team had looked at adding a dorm to the campus some time ago but gave up because it was cost-prohibitive. Now, he said, Sierra College will be able to build this new residence hall with a contribution of roughly $16 million. The state of California will pay $82 million as part of an initiative to expand the amount of affordable housing available to students throughout the state. That initiative, however, is facing some headwinds as Gov. Gavin Newsom looks for places to make cutbacks in the face of a projected $22.5 billion budget shortfall. Sierra College already has begun receiving funding to build its dormitory as part of this years budget, Duncan said, and Los Rios Community Colleges spokesman Gabe Ross said its colleges also have received funding they were promised for both an apartment complex near Cosumnes River College and grants to study future dorm construction at CRC and American River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City colleges. Duncan said he feels for other college leaders who face potential deferral of their dreams of adding dorm rooms or perhaps building one for the first time. Research has shown that hundreds of thousands of California college students are housing insecure: about 5% of undergraduates at the University of California, 10% at California State University and 20% at California Community Colleges. Story continues In 2021-22, state leaders earmarked $2 billion in grants to build affordable student housing over three years. While Sierra College and other institutions have received funding this year, Newsom proposed delaying grants by one year the grants scheduled to be paid in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years. Instead, the state would make a $650 million payment in 2024-25 and a $1.15 billion payment in 2025-26. The Legislative Analysts Office has recommended that the Legislature fund only dorm projects for four-year universities, saying that universities have more experience with constructing campus housing and have met deadlines with project proposals. Duncan said this recommendation unfairly penalizes community colleges for not having major donors or charging student fees to construct student housing in the past, and it ignores that community colleges serve the largest population of historically underserved students. About 10 of 116 California community colleges have student dorms now, Duncan said, so in a very short time, leaders of California Community Colleges had to create a process to review potential projects and prioritize them. While its true that community colleges havent built a lot of dorms, Duncan said, community college leaders have plenty of experience with major construction projects. Sierra College built its one and only dorm on the Rocklin campus back in the 1960s. Duncan didnt know why the school had built campus housing. Typically, he said, colleges wanted to house athletes who moved long distances to play for a team or to accommodate students who hailed from far-flung regions of rural districts. There just wasnt always enough housing for those students in the surrounding community, he said. The new dorm at Sierra College is planned at the heart of the Rocklin campus to ensure that students can bike or walk to food services, classrooms and other campus destinations, Duncan said, minimizing transportation expenses. As he and other staff and faculty were brainstorming what else was needed to make housing affordable, he said, they began to realize that they had students for whom even affordable was out of reach. The Sierra College Foundation spearheads such fundraising campaigns on behalf of the college, Duncan said, but it also committed to start by committing to endow a bed. So far, both Sutter Health and the Mikuni Charitable Organizations also have committed to the project. We know that housing and transportation are significant insecurities for many people, including college students, and with this endowment to Sierra College, one student for a year will not have to have worry about where theyre going to be able to sleep and the food they eat, said Dr. Peter Hull, interim chief executive officer and chief medical executive of Sutter Roseville Medical Center. When my father and I decided to open a restaurant together, I went to Sierra College and took an English as a second language class, and the teacher there told me its never too late to learn, said chef Taro Arai, the chief dreaming officer at Mikuni Charitable Organization. That teacher at Sierra College was right, and since then weve been growing and remembering to give back to our community. In a news release issued about the groundbreaking, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis said: Californias Community Colleges pave the pathway for millions of Californians to achieve the California dream, but a lack of access to affordable student housing leaves too many students behind. Thanks to projects like this one at Sierra College, more California students will be able to focus on their education and not worry about where they are going to sleep at night. Im deeply proud of our states historic commitment to supporting the total cost of college attendance for students and ensuring every Californian has a shot at achieving the California dream. The Sierra Joint Community College District draws students from a geographic region that covers 3,200 square miles, Duncan said, in Placer County, Nevada County and the wider Sacramento area. In the new dorm, three students will live in a suite with three bedrooms and a common living room, kitchen area and two bathrooms, Duncan said. The dorm will also have a tutoring center, an office offering student support services, studying spaces, gaming rooms, and other gathering places. Its scheduled for completion in summer 2025. A Silver Alert issued Tuesday for a missing 82-year-old Wylie woman was canceled shortly after midnight Wednesday. The Wylie Police Department was searching for Cecilia Garcia. Authorities said she was diagnosed with a cognitive impairment, and they believed her disappearance posed a credible threat to her health and safety. Ms. Garcia has been located and reunited with her family, the Wylie Police Department posted on social media. Wylie is about an hour away from Fort Worth. Anyone with information regarding Garcia and her whereabouts was asked to contact the Wylie Police Department at 972-442-8171. Laura Coates is getting a chance to live her best morning person life, and Julie Mason can finally hit the snooze button as the pair swap time slots on their respective SiriusXM shows. Starting this week, Coatess eponymous show will make the move from afternoons to the 7 to 9 a.m. spot on SiriusXMs POTUS, channel 124. Instead of hosting Julie Mason Mornings, the former Houston Chronicle White House correspondent will take over the 3 to 6 p.m. gig with The Julie Mason Show. Its a schedule switcheroo that both agree is mutually beneficial. Its so funny because when I would go on [Masons] show in the morning as a guest, we would have this joke because I would say, I hit the ground running. Im wide awake. And shes always like, For the love of God, what is in your coffee? Coates told ITK with a laugh. Im like, I dont drink coffee. And shed say, For the love of God, get off my show! Coates said. Mason said she originally was thrilled to launch a morning show in 2021, considering it a huge promotion. But in the end, I felt like what I gave up in terms of having a life, it was just too hard. And Im not even talking about work/life balance. Its like getting up at 4 a.m. to work, youre tired all day, Mason said. I was exhausted all the time. And then Id go to bed at 8 oclock at night. So I didnt see anyone and I wasnt doing anything except just being in my house. I felt like a plant that got no sunshine. So Mason, who used to host The Press Pool on POTUS in the afternoons, asked the powers that be at SiriusXM to consider moving her back to a later timeslot. It worked out great because Laura wanted to go to mornings, so it was brilliant. And Ive never seen it happen like that before. It was just perfect serendipity, Mason exclaimed. Coates, who also hosts an 11 p.m. show on CNN and serves as its senior legal analyst, said shut-eye isnt really part of her current personal life equation. Story continues Im one of those people who thinks Ill sleep when Im dead, and I just I try to suck as much as I can out of the day. Ever since Ive had my children, Ive been operating on far less sleep, and I consider it my version of intermittent fasting, Coates, the mom of an 8- and 10-year-old, quipped. While she tries to clock in six hours of sleep, she said, Im not averse to a power nap during the day, but really I operate at a very high energy level. Coates, whos been with SiriusXM since 2017, said hitting the air at the crack of dawn will enable her show to book more lawmakers as guests. My show before was oftentimes during the voting time of Congress, and so wed still be able to have them on, but this is an opportunity: No ones escaping the questions. Mason said in addition to helping her avoid setting a 4 a.m. alarm, a later show offers other benefits. One of the things we can do and are going to do is have a little bit longer segments, Mason said. With afternoons, we can go a little longer. We can marinate in it a little more, get a little more in depth. Being able to hit the town without a before-dark bedtime, Mason said, also has its advantages. Now I can do stuff again, which I think informs my work and informs journalism to be out, and hearing things, and talking to people. You have to do that. If you just sort of live in a cloister, the work suffers. But the new schedule is still going to take some getting used to. Earlier this week, Mason said she woke up in a panic at 3:55 a.m. I was like crazy, bolting out of bed, Mason said. And then I remembered. And I slept in until 8 a.m. and it felt like a holiday. It felt like an indulgence. It was like a spa weekend on a Monday. It was glorious. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Elon Musk has defended how he runs Twitter in a rare and wide-ranging interview with the BBC. The world's second richest man was questioned for nearly an hour by the BBC's technology correspondent James Clayton at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco. Here are six things we learned. 1. He denies hate speech on Twitter has spiked Mr Musk refused to accept there was more hateful content on the platform since he took over. Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, some Twitter insiders have argued that the company is no longer able to protect users from trolling, state-coordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation, following lay-offs and changes under owner Mr Musk. In March, Twitter said it removed 400,000 accounts in one month alone to help "make Twitter safer". In order to assess Mr Musk's claims fully you'd need two things which we don't have at present - access to Twitter's data before and after his takeover and, crucially, a clear understanding of how he defines misinformation and hate speech. There is no blanket definition of hate speech under American law, which is generally much more permissive than other countries because of the first amendment to the US Constitution. 2. He voted for Joe Biden Close to half the country voted for Mr Trump in the last US election, Mr Musk said, but he added: "I wasn't one of them. I voted for Biden." In another part of the interview, he defended ending a Twitter ban on Mr Trump who had been removed in 2021 when the platform accused him of inciting violence. 3. He says Twitter is beating the bots in war on disinfo Mr Musk claimed his efforts to delete bots - automated accounts - had decreased misinformation on Twitter after his takeover. "My experience is there is less misinformation rather than more," he told our reporter. Some outside experts disagree. A study from Newsguard which tracks online misinformation - and there are quite a few other studies along the same lines - found that engagement with popular, misinformation-spreading accounts spiked after Mr Musk's takeover. Story continues In the week following his acquisition of Twitter, the most popular, untrustworthy accounts enjoyed an almost 60% increase in engagement in the form of likes and retweets, according to the survey. The BBC has also independently analysed more than 1,000 previously-banned accounts that had been let back on Twitter after Mr Musk's takeover, and found that since being reinstated, over a third of them had spread abuse or misinformation. This included false anti-vax claims, misogyny and anti-LGBT rhetoric, and the denial of the 2020 US election result. 4. He's against banning TikTok Mr Musk says he doesn't use the most downloaded app in the US but he is against any moves to close it down. The US is considering a ban due to security concerns over TikTok's Chinese ownership. Some other countries have banned it from the phones of government employees. "I'm generally against banning things," said Mr Musk, although he says a ban would benefit Twitter because it may mean more people spending time on his platform. 5. He would turn down $44bn for Twitter Mr Musk initially claimed in the interview that if someone offered to buy Twitter right now for what he paid for it, he'd refuse. If he did sell, he said it would be more important to find a buyer who cherishes the "truth" rather than how much they'd pay because, as he says: "I don't care about the money." But is that true? Remember, he desperately tried to back out of the deal. Mr Musk said Twitter had just months left to live when he took over and was being run like a non-profit. Twitter's costs were outstripping the amount of revenue it was generating. In its last full-year results published before Mr Musk took over, total sales hit $5bn in 2021 but costs and expenses reached $5.5bn. In fact, it has only had two profitable years since 2012. He reckons Twitter is now close to breaking even. No wonder - sacking 6,500 workers does tend to lighten one's costs. But he has also been proactive in finding ways to boost sales through things such as charging Twitter users for "blue tick" verification. So yes, Twitter might be nearing breaking even now because of drastic cost-cutting. But the question is whether it can sustain that path to profitability and make the company worth that $44bn price tag. 6. He will back down on how BBC is labelled Mr Musk confirmed he would change the BBC Twitter label from "government funded" to "publicly funded" after last week's row, and several hours after the interview this change was made. The BBC had objected to the original description, stressing the corporation's independence. It is mainly funded by the British public through a TV licence fee. In Wednesday's interview, Mr Musk said: "If we use the same words as the BBC uses to describe itself, that presumably would be OK." The licence fee made up about 71% of the BBC's total income of 5.3bn in 2022 - with the rest coming from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties and rental income. The BBC also receives more than 90m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences. Reporting by Reality Check team, BBC Monitoring and Dearbail Jordan, business reporter If this winters rainstorms felt epic, thats because they were. In fact, San Luis Obispo County just experienced the wettest winter in its recorded history, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency calculated that an average of 28.9 inches of rain fell over the county from December through March. That bests the previous record of 28.5 inches set in 1941, according to NOAAs climate data, which goes back to 1896. Thats more than double what the county typically sees, NOAAs data show. The inundation from the winter storms caused devastation across the county, including flooded homes and businesses and damaged roads and other infrastructure. The storms also caused reservoirs to overflow for the first time in decades, brought long-dry streams and rivers back to life and helped ease groundwater supply concerns. Lopez Lake spills over the chute in the early morning, Thursday, March 23, 2023, for the first time in more than two decades. Its certainly a cause of relief after years of extreme and persistent drought, officials at the county told The Tribune. But it isnt the time for residents to let their guard down, they noted. This years rain has taken some of the pressure off, but were going to continue on the same track were on in terms of implementing our resiliency programs, optimizing the use of our existing resources and looking at new sources, said San Luis Obispo County Water Resources Division Manager Courtney Howard. We dont really know for sure how long or intense the next drought will be we do know that one will come. Howard and Blaine Reely, the countys groundwater sustainability director, said they are working with local water purveyors to not only conserve the water the county has now, but also to devise new ways to boost supply in the future. And right now, San Luis Obispo County has a lot of water on its surface. Jay Short sets up his fishing boat after launching at the White Oak boat launch ramp. Santa Margarita Lake was standing at 101% capacity on Feb. 15, 2023, with docks at maximum lake level. Rain gauges across SLO County measured new record amounts The winter atmospheric river storms dumped so much rain that some gauges measured more rain in four months than they typically see in two years. Story continues One example is Rocky Butte, the 3,245-foot-tall coastal mountain northeast of Cambria. There, 88.88 inches of rain have fallen since Dec. 1, according to data from the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department. Thats the most the site has recorded since records began in 2000, and far more than the nearly 35 inches of rain the site typically sees in an entire year. At a rain gauge off Highway 101 and Miossi Road at the base of Cuesta Ridge, 49.66 inches of rain were recorded from Dec. 1 through March, the countys data show again, another record rainfall measurement, and far above the sites annual average of 19 inches of rain. The North County wasnt left out, either. A Templeton rain gauge measured 32.29 inches of rain over the four months besting the previous record of 27.15 inches, according to the county. The area normally sees about 13 inches of rain. Take a look at the South County, and, again, its a similar story. With 23.77 inches measured from Dec. 1 through March, an Oceano rain gauge beat its previous record of 20.33 inches recorded over the same period in 2016-17, the countys data show. The usually sandy San Juan Creek is flowing with water west of California Valley. Wildflower fans turned out along Highway 58 on April 7, 2023. A series of drenching atmospheric river storms filled creeks and made for a solid wildflower season. Figuring out how to best use SLO Countys now-abundant reservoir water All of the water that fell had a few places to go: into the rivers and streams, reservoirs and groundwater aquifers. Santa Margarita Lake was the first reservoir in San Luis Obispo County to spill after the winter storms. The lake reached 100% capacity on Jan. 9 and hasnt stopped overflowing since. The county has been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to see if ownership of the Salinas Dam at the lake could be transferred to a local entity. The dam was built in 1941 to supply water to Camp San Luis Obispo to support training needs for the Army during World War II. Although the city of San Luis Obispo has rights to 45,000 acre-feet of water from Santa Margarita Lake, the reservoir only has 23,843 acre-feet of capacity. Thats because when it was built, an extra gate in the spillway wasnt constructed due to structural concerns, according to county Public Works. Transferring ownership from the federal government to a local one would allow for further consideration on perhaps building the gate to increase the capacity of the reservoir, Howard said. Another overflowing reservoir in the county, Lopez Lake, began spilling for the first time in more than two decades in late March. In 2022, the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District worked with the cities that use Lopez Lakes water Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Oceano and Avila Beach to allow them to abandon the previous use it or lose it policy for the resource. Now, the purveyors can save up the water they are allocated from Lopez Lake and use it when needed in future years. This gives the purveyors an incentive to conserve the water for use during drought years. This is helping to optimize the use of that water, Howard said. If we dont see rain next year like we did this winter, then we want to make sure the Lopez water can be stretched out as long as possible. Groundwater basins see some recovery but still have a long way to go Below the grounds surface, the water supply picture gets a little murkier, however. County groundwater storage such as the Paso Robles, Los Osos and San Luis Obispo Valley basins have long been imperiled due to severe overpumping, as well as threats such as seawater intrusion and pollution. Recently, plans have begun to be implemented as required under the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, enacted in 2014, to figure out how to bring the important underground resources into balance by 2040. We need to be thankful that we had such a wonderful, wet season and we have a lot of water on the ground, Reely, the countys groundwater sustainability director, said. And thankfully, weve got a lot of water now in reservoirs stored. But our groundwater basins, theyre just a different animal. Water can take a long time to trickle down from the surface into aquifers deep underground, Reely said. In some areas, such as the sandier regions over the Los Osos and Atascadero groundwater basins, the water can reach the aquifer more quickly than in regions with clay-like soils such as over the Paso Robles basin, he added. The Salinas River was wide and muddy as it flowed just south of the Niblick Road Bridge on Jan. 9, 2023 as another atmospheric river storm hit the coast. Paso Robles ordered evacuations on multiple streets along the east side of the river as water levels rose. In the future, Reely said he hopes to begin implementing new stormwater capture projects, particularly over the Paso Robles groundwater basin. This would include identifying parcels of land next to creeks and rivers that flood during storms and figuring out how to slow that water down so it has more time to percolate down into the groundwater basin before it flows off to the ocean, Reely said. Its a long process; these basins do not recover quickly, Reely said. Thats why SGMA has given us 20 years to reach a sustainable condition, because its just not practical to expect it to be done in a short amount of time. The county is currently conducting measurements of the groundwater basins in San Luis Obispo County to determine how much water may have been added after the winter storms, Reely said. That data will be available by early May, he added. From his early looks at some of the data available to him, Reely said hes seeing a little bit of recovery; a little bit of improved conditions. Hes seeing that recovery particularly in the San Luis Obispo Valley and Los Osos groundwater basins, he said, and its a bit too early to tell for the Paso Robles basin. One wet season is not enough to get the basins healthy again, Reely said. You cant let your guard down. You have to continue to conserve, continue to use water efficiently. by Nurul Fitri Ramadhani JAKARTA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- As the Eid al-Fitr celebration in Indonesia draws closer, Arini Khazanatus Zahra, a 24-year-old private employee, is busy looking for some new outfits for herself and her family for the religious holiday. "The outfits I am looking for are ones that are comfortable to wear. The material should be soft, and most importantly all of us, including my parents, brother and sisters, must wear the same colors. The designs of the outfits could be different, but at least the colors must be similar," Zahra told Xinhua at a shopping mall in Jakarta. Wearing new outfits on Eid has become a tradition for Zahra and her family since she was a kid. The celebration of Eid in Indonesia, locally known as Lebaran, is not only about preparing special dishes, such as ketupat (a special rice cake) and opor ayam (chicken in coconut broth), but also linked to a deep-rooted tradition of buying new clothes. Many say this habit has become a cultural norm in the archipelagic country. Zahra said celebrating Lebaran would not be complete without buying new clothes. Zahra, a Muslim fashionista, said she did not choose the colors randomly, because she always wanted to follow the color trend. "This year, many fashion industries have offered bold and bright color trends, including lilac, mustard and electric blue. I am the most fashionable in the family, so the others just follow my picks," said the East Jakarta resident. Similar to Zahra, Adisti Syafitri, 26, has also been following Muslim fashion trends for years, particularly when it comes to Lebaran day. Her favorite will always be warm earth tones. "This year, I plan to wear a long, lilac grey blouse with some metallic brocade and a maroon hijab. And now I am still looking for the perfect shoes to fit them," she told Xinhua. Indonesian Muslim fashion designer Khanaan Shamlan said this year's Eid clothing trend tended to be simple and not excessive. "Because more and more people prefer to buy new outfits that they can also wear for other occasions, not only for Eid," said Shamlan. She said that years ago, Lebaran outfits were known for their heavy materials with lots of lace decorations. But as time passed, people have become more conscious of choosing clothes of lighter materials so that they can feel comfortable wearing them the whole day. "Lebaran day is actually tiring. People travel a lot in just one day, or more, to visit their families. And it is very hot here in Indonesia. Thus, people need to choose ones that are comfortable to wear, including choosing simple ways of wearing the hijabs," Shamlan said. For many, wearing new outfits is part of worship. In choosing Lebaran outfits, Syafitri said she was not really into the colors, but one thing for sure, her head-to-toe outfits must be brand new. "My father always says that we must wear the best of our outfits during Lebaran. Actually, 'best' does not have to mean 'new', but usually we consider our best outfits are the new ones. As long as we can afford the new clothes, why not?" said Syafitri, a graduate student at a private university in Jakarta. Sociologist from the University of Indonesia (UI), Imam Prasodjo, said that the phenomenon of buying new clothes for Lebaran day in Indonesia carries religious and cultural meanings. Muslims who celebrated Eid were considered to have successfully "cleansed" themselves during the Ramadan fasting month, he said, and as their rewards, they received forgiveness from the god and were reborn with a cleaner inner spirit. "Eid festival, involves asking and giving forgiveness to each other, and is symbolized by wearing new clothes as a form of rebirth into the world in a cleaner self," Prasodjo said. Therefore, it is understandable to see people, especially those of the middle-upper class, rushing to buy many new clothes for the day, he said. The Indonesian government has also encouraged people to buy new things to celebrate Lebaran day. Last month, President Joko Widodo ordered all regional heads across the Southeast Asian country to encourage people to go shopping, spend as much money as they can afford and increase household consumption, particularly ahead of Lebaran, to help drive the national economy. While food pantries saw an increase in need due to the pandemic putting people out of work, the need is increasing again due to the end of something meant to help those same people. In March, the United States Department of Agriculture ended the emergency allotments for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients, reverting the benefits to pre-pandemic levels. This means people are receiving less money in benefits, but food is more expensive due to inflation. Some of the St. Vincent de Paul Places clients have seen SNAP reductions from $480 to $88 a month, or from $280 to $45 a month, Pantry Manager Brian Burke said. Its quite the reduction. Sprinkle in the price increase of gas, and you can see its difficult right now for even the middle class to make ends meet, he said. What that means at the food pantries At the St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich, there was a 51% increase in need this March compared to March 2022. So far this month, 20,000 meals have been provided, compared to 15,000 this time last April, Burke said. As for The Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson, theyve seen an increase in the number of clients, from 15-20 a day, to 35 a day last week, more than they expected. It has also seen other ways the SNAP reduction impacts quality of life. Some clients are now living in their cars, and one returning client lost so much weight from not eating, the staff didnt recognize him at first, Director Jean Cyr said. We feel grateful (to give food to our clients), but were also worried for our clients, because theyre a family to us, she said. Annie Stockton, vice president of the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center in Groton, sorts goods in the warehouse. The food center has seen a 25% increase in need with the reduction of SNAP benefits to pre-pandemic levels in March. For the Gemma E Moran United Way/Labor Food Center in New London, which operates mobile pantries and helps supply many of the food pantries in eastern Connecticut, theres been a 25% increase in attendance, especially with people who dont typically access food, said United Way of Southeastern Connecticut President and CEO Dina Sears-Graves. The number is back to normal in terms of what they used to get, the price of food isnt what it used to be, she said. Its putting so much strain on households. Story continues The USDA is expecting overall food prices to increase 7.5% by the end of the year. The increasing costs also makes it harder for food banks and pantries to receive donations. Even buying an extra can of food to give away can impact someones budget. At Gemma Moran, the food bank still has generous supporters, and is trying to meet the demand the best it can, Sears-Graves said. The St. Vincent de Paul Place is still receiving food from Gemma Moran, along with Connecticut Foodshare, Midwest Foodbank, local churches and local grocers, Burke said. Theyve stepped up their game and we are getting more fruits and veggies and bakery, he said about the grocery stores. The local food pantries also are good about sharing excess food with each other, Cyr said. A minor emergency can be all it takes With the rush of new households, a lot of the guests may be just barely making it, but become needy when a financial hardship happens, Sears-Graves said. People dont have savings accounts and the assets, so if one thing happens to (them), it sets this snowball effect into play, she said. Sears-Graves is hoping there isnt more demand in coming months, but the food bank is preparing for it anyway. If someone wants to donate, its always looking for proteins, pasta ingredients, cereals, and pancake mix. Even if people can only give a little, its still a tremendous help, Cyr said. We have to take care of each other, because we cant rely on the government to do it, she said. As for what can be done federally, there needs to be more funding put into The Emergency Food Assistance Program from the USDA, Burke said. The program buys foods and then distributes them to food banks and other entities across the country, who then distribute them further to get them into the hands of the people who need it, according to the benefits.gov website. Some ways it can be further funded include doubling the programs funding to $500 million for mandatory purchases, and supply funding for food banks for improving storage infrastructure and distribution costs, Burke said This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Food Pantries see more need after SNAP benefit reduction Former Saturday Night Live cast member Victoria Jackson quoted Bible verses to support her condemnation of her citys local Gay Pride Parade. Footage of the 63-year-old comedian speaking at Franklin City Hall in Tennessee was streamed on the citys YouTube channel during Tuesdays (11 April) meeting. In the video, Jackson who featured on the longrunning US sketch show from 1986 to 1992 introduces herself by name at the podium, before announcing that God hates sodomy. He hates homosexuality he said its an abomination. And God hates sexual immorality, all kinds, she says. And God hates pride. Like, one of the most things he hates is pride, she adds, before reading Proverbs 11:12. When pride comes, then comes disgrace but with humility comes wisdom. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Jackson continues to cite the story of the legendary biblical cities Sodom and Gomorrah, arguing their downfall proves that God hates sodomy and sexual immorality and pride. I just want to encourage this generation not to be brainwashed, she concludes. Following the meeting, Jackson posted a clip of her remarks on Instagram, writing: My minute of free speech. Under her account bio, she labels herself conservative. Several of her posts include criticism of LGBT+ library books, which she branded graphic porn. During her time as an SNL regular, she often appeared on the shows recurring Weekend Update segment as a news correspondent who would stray off-topic, recite poetry, and do handstands or backbends on the desk. Jackson also became known for her impersonations of Roseanne Barr, Sally Struthers and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Sony's semiconductor division has announced that it's making a "strategic investment" in Raspberry Pi as a way to bring its AI tech to a wider market. The idea is to give Raspberry Pi users around the world a development platform for its Aitrios edge computing (on-chip) AI platform used for image sensing functions like facial recognition. "We are very pleased to be partnering with Raspberry Pi Ltd. to bring our Aitrios platform which supports the development of unique and diverse solutions utilizing our edge AI devices to the Raspberry Pi user and developer community, and provide a unique development experience," said Sony Semiconductor Solutions president and CEO Terushi Shimizu. The Raspberry Pi 4 and other devices from the company give users PC-like power in a small form factor. Originally designed as an educational platform to teach robotics, coding and more, it has become popular as a way for coders to prototype IoT (Internet of Things) and other devices. The addition of Sony's Aitrios could make it even more useful. Unlike cloud AI, it runs directly on chips (edge computing) to reduce latency, and Sony has pitched the system for uses like surveillance, security and more. Examples cited on a dedicated website include inventory monitoring and retention, customer counting, license plate recognition and "detailed employee analysis." Sony says it preserves privacy by analyzing data strictly on-chip and only sending metadata to the cloud. Sony is already involved with Raspberry Pi as a "longstanding and valued strategic partner," the company said. It recently provided imaging chips with autofocus capability and helped Raspberry Pi get its UK manufacturing plant up to speed in the early days of the company. South Korea's opposition urged the government on Wednesday to investigate alleged espionage by the United States after leaked documents appeared to show Washington spying on its key Asian ally. A trove of highly sensitive US intelligence that has emerged online included revelations that Washington had been spying on President Yoon Suk Yeols national security advisors as part of an effort to secure arms supplies for Ukraine. Seoul sought to downplay the importance of the leaked documents on Tuesday, with Yoon's office claiming "a significant number" of the documents were fake and his national security advisor saying there were no "malicious intentions" in the incident. But the revelation has sparked criticism in South Korea about the vulnerability of sensitive sites including the presidential office. "The government must get to the bottom of eavesdropping allegations and if they are found to be true, it must get an official apology and guarantee that it won't do it again from the US," Lee Jae-myung, head of the opposition Democratic party, said on Wednesday. Opposition lawmakers have accused the government of trying to move past the incident and smooth relations ahead of Yoon's state visit to Washington due later this month. Dozens of photographs of the documents have been circulating on social media platforms and messaging services including Twitter, Telegram and Discord for at least weeks. The Pentagon has said it is working to determine if the documents are genuine, and that at least one appeared to have been manipulated. However, US officials reportedly believe many of the documents are real. A copy of one of the leaked documents obtained by AFP shows discussions among Seoul's top national security officials about whether providing arms and ammunition to Ukraine would violate the country's long-standing policy against providing weapons to countries in active conflict. One official suggested exporting ammunition to Poland to get around the policy, the document showed. Story continues The leak has prompted US officials to reassure allies such as South Korea, which has provided non-lethal and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded last year. Seoul's response to the incident has been critised with former security official Choi Gi-il saying the government is "seemingly defending the US over the suspected surveillance". "It is very ironic." kjk/mca KFAR ETZION, West Bank The crowd spilled out of the funeral home, encircling the modest light-caramel, Jerusalem-stone building nestled in the hills near Bethlehem. The wailing was almost constant, the sound swelling with every mention of Maia and Rina Dee, whose deaths last week sparked nationwide outrage. The mourners were there to remember the British Israeli sisters, who were shot and killed in their car in the West Bank while driving to a family holiday. Their mother, Leah Dee, was wounded in the attack and died of her injuries on Monday. The sisters, aged 15 and 20, and mother, 48, are among the latest victims of the spiraling tensions and violence in the region. The girls funeral was held on Sunday in Kfar Etzion, a Jewish settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. How will I explain to Lucy whats happened to our two precious gifts, Maia and Rina, when she wakes up from her coma? Rabbi Leo Dee, the father of the young women, said of his wife the day before she died. As he wept, the sound of sobs surged up from the crowd. Nearby, two Dee sisters and one brother held on to one another tightly. One sobbed uncontrollably, her legs shaking. Leo Dee described his distress at trading missed calls with his daughters and wife on Friday during, he assumed, the attack that killed them. I called Lucy, no answer. I called Maia, no answer. I called Rina, no answer, he told reporters. Relatives react during the funeral of two sisters killed in a shooting attack at the Kfar Etzion settlement in the occupied West Bank on April 9, 2023. (Menahem Kahana / AFP - Getty Images) Then I saw a missed call from Maia at 10:52. I hadnt noticed it ring, I had not picked up the phone. The feeling that she called me during the attack, and I wasnt able to speak to her, will come back and haunt me for a while, he said. As with so much else in the region, the Dees deaths quickly became a political rallying cry. Far-right Israeli politicians, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister of national security who has been convicted of incitement to racism and support for a terrorist organization, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has advocated segregating Jews and Arabs in maternity wards, attended Maia and Rinas memorial with their wives. Story continues Visiting the scene of the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the shooters as vile and heartless terrorists and promised to hold them accountable. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas praised the attack, but stopped short of claiming responsibility. The cycle of pain and death persisted into the weekend, when an Italian tourist was killed in a car-ramming attack. On Monday, at Aqabat Jaber, a refugee camp some 30 miles northeast of Kfar Etzion, near Jericho in the West Bank, a 17-year-old boy, Mohammad Balhan, was killed by Israeli army gunfire during a raid, according to Palestinian officials. "I had just left my house when I saw military forces and people throwing stones," said the boy's father, Fayez Balhan. "I stopped the car and got out. I saw one person get shot." We walked further ahead and saw a boy lying on the ground. I approached him ... and realized that its my son, Balhan added. In a statement, the Israeli military said its soldiers were trying to apprehend a terror suspect when Mohammad Balhan was killed. They fired at the suspects with bullets, explosive devices and Molotov cocktails, they said. One person was arrested. Palestinian teen killed during an Israeli raid.. (Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty Images) Israel says military raids are meant to dismantle militant networks and thwart future attacks; the Palestinians view them as further entrenchment of Israels open-ended, 55-year occupation. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories inhabited by Palestinians, in the 1967 Mideast war. Gaza is now under control of Hamas and is blockaded by Egypt and Israel. The killings came ahead of an Israeli march to the abandoned settlement of Eviatar in the northern West Bank. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir who live in Jewish settlements in the West Bank were among several Israeli Cabinet ministers at the march Monday. Already, 2023 has been one of the deadliest years on record for Palestinians; 96 people most of them militants but some of them civilians, including 18 children have been killed by Israeli fire so far. At least 19 Israelis and foreigners have died, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, mourning and fury are growing. May God avenge their names, cried a woman during the Dee sisters funeral as emotions spiraled like the rising number of deaths. Shira Pinson reported from Kfar Etzion and Aina J. Khan from London. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com ChatGPT creator OpenAI has announced that users of the artificial intelligence chatbot who flag bugs in the system will be rewarded up to $20,000. The company said on Tuesday that its new programme will reward users between $200 and $20,000 for finding software bugs within ChatGPT, OpenAIs plugins, the OpenAI API and other related services. We are inviting the global community of security researchers, ethical hackers, and technology enthusiasts to help us identify and address vulnerabilities in our systems, OpenAI said, adding that it will be offering cash rewards based on the severity and impact of the reported issues. Our rewards range from $200 for low-severity findings to up to $20,000 for exceptional discoveries, it said. Acknowledging that vulnerabilities and flaws can emerge in the complex technology, the American company said it has partnered with the bug bounty platform Bugcrowd to streamline the submission and reward process. We invite you to report vulnerabilities, bugs, or security flaws you discover in our systems. By sharing your findings, you will play a crucial role in making our technology safer for everyone, OpenAI said. We're launching the OpenAI Bug Bounty Program earn cash awards for finding & responsibly reporting security vulnerabilities. https://t.co/p1I3ONzFJK OpenAI (@OpenAI) April 11, 2023 There are also guidelines and rules of engagement released by the company for what wont be rewarded. These include getting the AI model to say bad things to you and write malicious code. OpenAI urged users who find bugs to promptly and unconditionally report the discovered vulnerabilities. Do not engage in extortion, threats, or other tactics to elicit a response under duress, it said in its rules of engagement. The companys latest move comes following reports of potential risks of data breach and privacy concerns with the use of the AI chatbot. Story continues ChatGPT was banned in Italy last month, with authorities saying the AI service would be investigated for how the platform protects user data, especially those of minors. Data regulators in Germany as well as watchdogs in France and Ireland have said they are also looking into the rationale of ChatGPTs ban in Italy. Several universities in Japan also warned its faculty that when using generation AI tools like ChatGPT for assessing and translating unpublished research results, the data can be unintentionally leaked to the service provider, partially or completely. There is a risk that information that should not be leaked to the outside, such as information about the entrance examination and personal information of students and faculty members, will be transmitted to service providers through generation AI, etc, and there is a risk that it will be presented as an answer to other users, Tohoku University said. Restrictions preventing people who arent white from purchasing specific St. Paul properties have contributed significantly to the continued segregation in Minnesotas capital city. Minnesotas capital city is trying to rid property deeds of the racist clauses that have long affected homebuying. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, real estate agents, city officials and housing experts agree that restrictions preventing people who arent white from purchasing specific properties have contributed significantly to St. Pauls continued segregation and have hampered the quest for home ownership and the creation of generational wealth for residents of color. On Monday, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, St. Paul City Attorney Lyndsey Olson, Golden Valley City Attorney Maria Cisneros and other area representatives were on hand as St. Paul joined Just Deeds, a growing coalition of cities committed to highlighting racial covenants in property deeds. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (above) is among those who were on hand Monday as the Minnesota capital joined a growing coalition of cities committed to highlighting racial covenants in property deeds. (Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) St. Paul is collaborating with the Center for the Study of Black Life and the Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law to enlist volunteers, including law students and legal experts, to assist homeowners in adding affidavits to their deeds formally denouncing the racist language. Anthony Niedwiecki, Mitchell Hamlines president and dean, told reporters the law school is proud to be part of this important effort that will also give our students real-world experience in working to correct historic injustices. The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and a Minnesota statute from the 1950s nullified racial covenants. Before that, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in 1948 that discriminatory covenants were unconstitutional under the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. However, evidence suggests that the practice persisted even after the nations top court took a position. As a homebuyer in 2015, Cisneros was surprised to see language on her housing deed that previously would have prohibited her husband, a Venezuelan immigrant, from buying their new home or residing in it other than as a servant. Story continues She questioned how many other houses in the metro area had the same racial restrictions on their deeds, eventually learning of thousands in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. The Just Deeds alliance, which Cisneros assists with running on her own time, has collaborated closely with an initiative called Mapping Prejudice, which originated from the University of Minnesotas library system. It mapped the locations of deeds containing racial covenants. Volunteer researchers and historians have helped uncover about 30,000 racial covenants on property records in just Ramsey and Hennepin Counties. Jackie Berry is the chair of the Minneapolis-area Association of Realtors diversity committee and teaches a course titled Racism in Real Estate. She believes real estate agents must help repair some of the historical harm done by segregation. The difference is that defensiveness That wasnt me!' said Berry, the Pioneer Press reported. Our own national association wouldnt allow us to integrate neighborhoods. There could be repercussions for that. According to Cisneros, the effects of segregated housing remain today. The Mapping Prejudice data provides an insightful look at where many communities invested the most in law enforcement, education and other services. Black families make up only 25 percent of the Twin Cities homeownership, compared to 78 percent of white families. Carter underlined that contrary to some widespread misconceptions about the causes of segregation, redlining or the restriction of Blacks and other people of color from purchasing homes was a product of business and government, not of divine intervention. Nonetheless, Olson said Monday she wants people to be aware of their efforts. We want landowners to go to the internet, she said, according to the Pioneer Press, to see your article, to say do I have a covenant on my property? What can I do? TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post St. Paul wants to rid property deeds of racist clauses appeared first on TheGrio. SpaceXs first orbital Starship stacked atop its massive Super Heavy Booster at the companys Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas (SpaceX) SpaceXs Starship is finally launching the Mars-bound craft into orbit. The company and its boss Elon Musk are targeting a launch at 9am eastern time, or 2pm in the UK. It has some time either side to launch and if it misses that will be forced to wait until later in the week. Eventually, SpaceX hopes to use the spacecraft to explore the Moon and Mars. But for now it will complete a short orbital flight, lifting up into space and then falling back down. The test launch had been held up waiting for approvals from the US Federal Aviation Administration, which requires that it meets all necessary safety and regulatory requirements. That appears to have come more quickly than expected, with Mr Musk previously suggesting on Twitter that the launch could be delayed until later in the month. You can follow all the latest news and updates right here as SpaceX attempts to launch the largest rocket the world has ever seen. Key points How big is Starship? What will Starship do? Starship gets launch time 08:23 , Andrew Griffin The time is set: SpaceX says it is targeting a launch around 8am central time, 9am eastern time, or 1pm in the UK. It has some time either side to use, if anything goes wrong. Starship launch: How previous tests have gone Thursday 13 April 2023 17:36 , Anthony Cuthbertson This may be the first ever orbital flight test of Starship, but SpaceX has already performed numerous high-altitude flights with previous prototypes of the rocket. All but one of them ended in a fiery explosion, just like this one: The one that made it was Starship SN15, which managed to land back on its pad at SpaceXs Starbase facility in southern Texas in May 2021. Fast forward nearly two years and SpaceX boss Elon Musk says theres no guarantee that the latest Starship wont end in failure. I am not saying it will get to orbit but I am guaranteeing excitement, he said last month. It wont be boring. Starship launch: SpaceXs timeline for the flight test Thursday 13 April 2023 10:25 , Anthony Cuthbertson Story continues The first ever orbital flight test of a Starship rocket will take just an hour and a half, according to SpaceXs launch timeline. It will see Starship and its booster rocket lift off from the Starbase facility in Texas, before the two separate over the Gulf of Mexico. As the booster comes down to land on a drone ship, the main Starship rocket will continue around the planet to splash down just off the coast of Hawaii. (SpaceX) If all goes to plan, this is what should happen after lift-off: 55 seconds - Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) 2 minutes 49 seconds - Booster main engine cutoff 2 minutes 52 seconds - Stage separation 2 minutes 57 seconds - Starship ignition 3 minutes 11 seconds - Booster boostback burn startup 4 minutes 6 seconds - Booster boostback burn shutdown 7 minutes 32 seconds - Booster is transonic 7 minutes 40 seconds - Booster landing burn startup 8 minutes 3 seconds - Booster landing burn shutdown 9 minutes 20 seconds - Starship engine cutoff 77 minutes and 21 seconds - Starship entry 88 minutes 43 seconds - Starship is transonic 90 minutes - Starship splashdown Starship launch: What will SpaceXs next-gen rocket actually be used for? Thursday 13 April 2023 09:53 , Anthony Cuthbertson Elon Musk has big plans for Starship, having pinned his hopes for colonising Mars on the next-generation rocket. The ultimate goal is to establish a permanent human presence on the red planet by 2050, but before that a base on the Moon will neet to be set up in order to serve as a launch pad for missions deeper into the solar system. SpaceX has already secured a multi-billion dollar deal with Nasa to develop a Starship moon lander as part of the US space agencys Artemis mission. An illustration of a SpaceX Starship human lander design that will carry the first Nasa astronauts to the Moon (SpaceX) A crewed flight of Starship HLS (Human Landing System) will not take place earlier than December 2025, according to Nasa, but should occur before 2030. If successful, it will be a modified version of this rocket that will then take humans to Mars. A SpaceX mockup of Elon Musks plan to use Starship rockets set up a colony on Mars in order to ensure humanitys long-term survival (SpaceX) First though, SpaceX needs to complete the orbital flight test. Starship launch: Latest SpaceX photos show true scale of rocket Wednesday 12 April 2023 18:26 , Anthony Cuthbertson SpaceX has shared new images of its fully stacked Starship sitting on its launchpad at the Starbase facility in southern Texas. In one image, you can see workers in a crane at the base of the booster, showing off the true scale of the Mars-bound rocket. Weather looks good, once regulatory approval is granted that will be the final hurdle before an orbital launch attempt can be made. Starship launch: SpaceX working on Elon time? Wednesday 12 April 2023 15:01 , Anthony Cuthbertson The current status of Starship is ready for launch; awaiting regulatory approval, according to SpaceX boss Elon Musk. Starship is ready for launch Awaiting regulatory approval Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2023 The only problem is, pending only regulatory approval is what he said nearly two years ago. When one of his followers asked if this was Elon Time, or real time, he replied, real time. (Twitter/ screenshot) Things at SpaceXs Starbase facility seem far more progressed this time, so his conviction carries far more weight. The FAA also appears close to approving, with only one stumbling block potentially standing in the way of a Starship launch next week. Starship launch: Watch SpaceXs latest mission to Mars demo Wednesday 12 April 2023 11:33 , Anthony Cuthbertson SpaceX has updated its Starship Mission to Mars demo, showing a computer generated vision of what it will look like for the rocket to launch into space. It features an animation of the Starship stage separation, as well as the booster landing back at the launch site for refuelling. The Starship rocket meanwhile continues its journey to Mars, landing alongside other Starship rockets at an already inhabited colony. An early version of the video was originally used at a SpaceX event in 2016. You can watch the latest version here: Starship launch: SpaceX says no rehearsal this week Wednesday 12 April 2023 08:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson SpaceX says it will not do a launch rehearsal this week, but is still aiming for the orbital flight test as early as next week. Its not clear if a rehearsal will take place at all, having already completed a static fire test of both the Starship rocket and the Super Heavy booster. The only thing currently standing in Starships way is regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, who will hopefully have a decision on the environmental compliance review soon. There has never been a launch like this, which could account for the approval delays. Teams are focused on launch readiness ahead of Starships first integrated flight test as soon as next week, pending regulatory approval no launch rehearsal this week https://t.co/SpsRVRsvz1 pic.twitter.com/ovYUQgAjAc SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 11, 2023 Starship launch: What date will the SpaceX rocket lift off? Tuesday 11 April 2023 19:13 , Anthony Cuthbertson Starship is ready for launch, Elon Musk has said, only regulatory approval is standing in the way. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given a number of updates in recent days, with the latest report suggesting the date will be on or soon after 17 April. This is the latest statement we have from the FAA: The FAA has not made a license 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 FAA Starship launch: How big is the SpaceX rocket? Tuesday 11 April 2023 17:55 , Anthony Cuthbertson Starship and its Super Heavy Booster will produce nearly twice the thrust of Nasas Space Launch System (SLS), which is currently the most powerful rocket ever made. SpaceX is building such a massive rocket in order to meet Musks goal of transporting people and cargo across the Solar System. In order to reach the Moon and Mars with significant payloads, Starship has been equipped with six engines, while the Super Heavy has a further 33 producing a projected 7.25 million kg of thrust. Heres how its actual size compares to other huge rockets throughout history: Hello and welcome... Tuesday 11 April 2023 17:12 , Anthony Cuthbertson to The Independents live coverage of SpaceXs preparations to launch its Starship rocket into orbit. The biggest spacecraft ever built is ready for lift-off, according to chief exec Elon Musk, though regulators are still performing the final approval checks. A report from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has marked 17 April as a primary launch date, with 18-22 April listed as backup dates. Well be bringing you all the latest news and updates of the next-generation rocket, which Musk hopes to one day use to colonise Mars. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is suing a puppy retailer in South Hill for allegedly deceiving buyers. Ferguson announced Tuesday, April 11, he filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Puppyland, 13103 Meridian Ave. E., Ste. 104. Puppyland allegedly misrepresents its breeding standards and health guarantees and uses deceptive advertising and sales practices, according to the complaint. The company could face thousands of dollars in penalties for violating the Consumer Protection Act. Businesses that sell puppies and other pets have an obligation to consumers not to deceive them or take advantage of them, Ferguson said in a news release. Puppyland did not immediately respond for comment. Of the 7,000-plus people who bought puppies from the company since its inception in 2018, some reported their pets died shortly after they were brought home, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges the company has paperwork with an illegal non-disclosure provision that halts buyers from sharing truthful reviews. Buyers who sign agree not to defame the company or theyll face the threat of legal action, according to the lawsuit. The companys purchase agreement allegedly states Puppyland would void health warranties if a buyer left a negative review online. Buyers also need to meet burdensome preconditions before the company covers any veterinary bills, according to the lawsuit. The company offered health guarantees such as a two-year guarantee for costs if a puppy had a life-altering condition. When consumers alerted the company about ill puppies, the company allegedly would not respond. One woman complained to the Better Business Bureau about a French bulldog puppy she purchased. The puppy defecated blood on the second day and developed other illnesses soon after. The company allegedly gave her only $36, according to the lawsuit. The Attorney Generals Office conducted an investigation, during which it heard from a woman who bought a Shiba Inu puppy for her son. The puppy became an emotional support animal and was named Luna. Story continues The mom told investigators the company set up a $6,500 loan to cover the price. Two weeks later, Luna started having seizures. The company allegedly didnt pay for any of Lunas medical costs. The seizures continued and Luna died in the sons arms. The company allegedly manipulates buyers into signing predatory loans without giving them time to review the terms and conditions. The loans would charge annual percentage rates as high as 198 percent, according to the lawsuit. The owners of Puppyland are Kayla and Justin Kerr. They used to have stores in Renton and Olympia, according to the news release. Know whats happening in Puyallup, South Hill, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Orting, Buckley and beyond. Get the latest news from the cities, towns and rural communities of East Pierce County. Click here to subscribe. In your inbox every Tuesday. The Michigan State Capitol, like statehouses around the country, has been the site of numerous abortion policy battles. Brandon Bartoszek The battles over abortion who can get one, when they can get one largely shifted from a focus on the U.S. Supreme Court back to state lawmakers and judges in June 2022. Thats when the Supreme Court ruled that there was no federal constitutional guarantee of the right to get an abortion. States, they said, should be making the rules. That decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, has meant a lot of activity in the past year in both state legislatures and courts. Two contradictory rulings early in April 2023 about whether women should have access to mifepristone, one of the two kinds of prescription abortion pills typically taken together for abortion, make it clear that federal courts still play a role in abortion policymaking. But states remain an important battleground. Many people following the abortion battle focus on the part that state courts and state supreme court elections play. The intense focus on the outcome of the April 4, 2023, Wisconsin Supreme Court election, which shifted ideological control of that court, is an example. I am a political scientist whose research focuses on state constitutions. I follow state constitutional amendments, which are adopted on a regular basis and revise the language of state constitutions. Sometimes they add new provisions. At other times they modify existing provisions. These amendments shape abortion policy as much as state court rulings and stand to play a big role in abortion rights in the future. Signs supporting and opposing a Kansas constitutional amendment on abortion are displayed on Kansas 10 Highway. Kyle Rivas/Getty Images News via Getty Images North America Using amendments to gain or deny rights My research shows that in recent decades state constitutions have been amended to shift the level of protection for voting rights, crime victims rights and electronic data and communication privacy rights, among others . Meanwhile, constitutional amendments have also protected and in some cases, denied abortion rights. Before the Dobbs ruling, abortion-related amendments invariably sought to limit protection for abortion rights by clarifying that there is no state constitutional right to abortion. In fact, between 2014 and 2020, voters in Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia approved amendments stating there is no state constitutional right to abortion. Story continues These amendments were designed in some cases to overturn state supreme court rulings that previously recognized abortion rights. In other cases, they were adopted to prevent state supreme courts from ruling in the future in favor of abortion rights. But voters dont always approve these amendments. In August 2022, voters in Kansas rejected a proposed state constitutional amendment to deny a right to abortion. And in November 2022, voters in Kentucky did the same. Drafting amendments to protect abortion rights After the Dobbs decision, most proposed abortion-related amendments have aimed to expand protection of abortion rights. In November 2022, voters in Vermont, California and Michigan approved amendments that explicitly protect reproductive rights. For instance, the California amendment declares, The state shall not deny or interfere with an individuals reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion. Eleven state constitutions already include protection for a right to privacy. Many others guarantee liberty, due process or equality. State courts occasionally rely on these provisions to issue decisions safeguarding abortion access. But the amendments adopted in Vermont, California and Michigan marked the first time language was used in state constitutions to provide explicit protection for reproductive freedom. Similar abortion-rights amendments are set to appear on the ballot in other states. In early April 2023, legislators in Maryland voted to place an abortion-rights amendment on the November 2024 ballot. Meanwhile, in some states that allow citizens to put amendments directly on the ballot, bypassing the need for legislative approval, abortion-rights groups are organizing in support of putting abortion-rights amendments on the ballot. These groups in Ohio, for example, are collecting signatures to place an abortion-rights amendment before voters in 2023. And groups in Missouri are trying to put an abortion-rights amendment on the 2024 ballot. A woman places a door tag in support of Proposal 3, a 2022 citizen-initiated proposal for a state constitutional amendment. Nic Antaya/The Washington Post via Getty Images Bypassing the state legislature In all 50 states, legislators have the authority to draft constitutional amendments. In some states, amendments need the support of only a majority of legislators to be placed on the ballot for voter approval. Other states set a higher bar and require amendments to earn the support of a legislative supermajority or get legislative approval in two separate sessions. But what many people dont know is that 18 states allow for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. This includes Mississippi, where the process was recently suspended but is expected to be revived. These are particularly powerful tools voters can use to get the outcomes they want, especially if measures to accomplish those goals have been defeated in state legislatures or rejected by courts. In most of these states, when groups collect enough signatures in support of a proposed amendment, that amendment automatically qualifies for the ballot. Last year in Michigan, for instance, legislators showed no signs of advancing a reproductive-rights amendment. But abortion-rights groups collected more than 500,000 signatures, much more than necessary, and were able to put a reproductive-rights amendment on the November 2022 ballot. Once on the ballot, citizen-led amendments generally need approval from a simple majority of voters before they can be approved, similar to what is needed to approve legislature-drafted amendments. But Florida, Colorado and Illinois set a higher threshold, and Nevada requires voters to approve citizen-led amendments in two consecutive elections. Citizens can take the lead In states that allow citizen-initiated amendments, citizens and groups can bypass legislators who might not support their issues. Whats more, these amendments take precedence over previous state supreme court rulings to the contrary. So, even when state supreme court justices wont recognize a right, voters can use the amendment process to get it. Citizen-led amendments dont begin and end with reproductive rights. In recent years, citizens have initiated and approved amendments to establish redistricting commissions, boost the minimum wage, expand Medicaid and legalize marijuana. And abortion-rights groups that had success with the citizen-initiated amendment process in Michigan in November 2022 are eyeing additional opportunities in Ohio, Missouri and other states. At the same time, opponents of abortion rights are considering making changes to amendment rules to make it more difficult for amendments to get approved. Both developments are proof that supporters as well as opponents of abortion rights see citizen-drafted amendments as an increasingly important abortion battleground of the future. 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: John Dinan, Wake Forest University. Read more: John Dinan 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. VIENTIANE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of Laos and Vietnam agreed to work together to further enhance friendly relations, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries. President of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong, accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, was in Laos from Monday to Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith. A bilateral meeting between the two top leaders was held on Monday to deepen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, Lao News Agency reported on Wednesday. During their talks, both sides briefed each other about the socio-economic development in their respective countries and shared a common point of view that the political relations between the two countries have continued to be stable and increasingly closely knit, bringing about high mutual trust between the two neighbors. Both sides highly valued the time-honored friendly relations, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties, states, and peoples. This has been reflected in strengthened and expanding cooperation in areas such as politics, trade and economics. Laos and Vietnam have made joint efforts to facilitate investment, trade and transport between the two countries and recorded greater-than-expected achievements, with bilateral trade reaching 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, a rise of 10 percent year-on-year. Both sides also discussed cooperation directions for years to come and agreed to continue implementing the agreements reached by senior leaders of the two countries. The two sides pledged to continue to extend mutual support to one another through bilateral and multilateral frameworks in the regional and international arenas. Both sides expressed their commitment to nurturing, protecting and deepening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam, which is blossoming at the top level. A controversial bill is one step closer to becoming law. Early Tuesday morning, House members passed Senate Bill 5352, which would ease restrictions on police pursuits. Members of law enforcement are already praising the effort, including those in Snohomish County. We could talk all day as police officers, and people would say, Its just the police. But when you have mayors, councils, and communities coming together to say, We need to make a change, thats empowering, said Lake Stevens Police Chief Jeffery Beazizo. In a 57-39 vote, the House voted to pass SB 5352. The bill proposes rolling back some of the limitations on law enforcement pursuits. Currently, officers can only pursue suspects for violent or sexual crimes or suspected DUI. The new legislation would broaden that list. The bill also comes with a new amendment from the House changing the police burden from probable cause to reasonable suspicion. Probable cause, which is enough to charge somebody in court. I mean, its an incredibly high level of evidence, says Steve Strachan with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Reasonable suspicion simply means a reasonable person would suspect that a crime is likely being committed or is about to be committed. The Senate still needs to vote on that amendment before it heads to the governors desk. Its likely Gov. Jay Inslee would sign. I think that some changes on adjusting that needle on where we set it with police pursuits, realizing theres always some danger of pursuits, but theres also a danger of further criminal conduct as well, Inslee said last month. Beazizo is calling the bill a small step forward. Ive been in law enforcement for over 32 years, and I have never seen it like this. Just in the last two years, how legislation has changed and made it harder to do our job, Beazizo said. But there are others who believe the bill is a misstep. The Washington Coalition for Police Accountability posted to social media, The law on vehicular pursuits has saved lives fewer bystanders, officers, passengers, and drivers are losing their lives as a result of hot pursuits. We hope the legislature is very careful in their consideration of whether it should be changed. Because lives are at stake. The Washington State House passed a bill to protect the Salish Sea endangered orcas on Tuesday. Senate Bill 5371 protects southern resident orcas by establishing a 1,000-yard setback for recreational vessels, said Washington State House Democrats in a news release. This will bring recreational boats under the same law as commercial whale-watching boats. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Liz Lovelett and Rep. Debra Lekanoff, passed with 96 saying yes, one no, and one absent. It will now go to the Senate for concurrence and then Gov. Inslee for final approval. The bill will take effect in January 2025. The passage of this bill will position Washington State as a national leader in the protection of endangered species and the promotion of sustainable tourism, said the news release. Lekanoff is a member of the Tlingit and Aleut Tribes. She has been a long-time advocate for protecting orcas, or qalqalxic in the Coast Salish Lushootseed language, and sees the passage of the bill as a triumph for the Salish Sea ecosystem and Native American Tribes, according to the news release. This is a momentous occasion for our state and the protection of our marine life, Lekanoff said. By creating a setback distance from southern resident orcas, we are sending a powerful message that we are committed to protecting our marine ecosystems and respecting the cultural heritage of Native American tribes. According to Oceana, there are only 73 southern resident orcas left. Oceana said vessels threaten the whales and their prey. Southern Resident killer whales are threatened by vessel noise and interactions, contaminants, and lack of available prey, said Oceana. Of these threats, a lack of their favorite prey Chinook salmon is the number one threat to the recovery of the Southern Residents. Over two-thirds of the orcas pregnancies failed between 2008 and 2014 because moms were not getting enough salmon to eat. In November 2022 the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife reported how vessel noise affects the orcas. The WDFW recommended a 1,000-yard buffer and to distinguish between motorized commercial whale watching and non-motorized, guided paddle tours. Story continues SB 5371 will also modify the commercial whale watching business license fees, eliminate certain fees, and create paddle tour business and paddle guide licenses with associated fees in place of kayak guide licenses, which will be distinct from commercial whale watching business licenses. It will also modify enforcement provisions regarding unlawful commercial whale watching in the first degree and create enforcement provisions regarding conducting paddle tours, said the news release. Lovelett explained that the bill is not just about protecting the orcas, but also the ecosystem. This bill is not just about protecting orcas, its about safeguarding our entire marine ecosystem and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the beauty and bounty of the Salish Sea, said Lovelett. We are also creating new opportunities for sustainable tourism that respects the natural environment and supports local businesses. State police served a search warrant on Adams County Tuesday morning, solicitor Molly R. Mudd said. The search warrant was served on the county at 10:45 a.m., Mudd said. It sought documents in the possession of the Children and Youth Services, including digital data files. The county is fully cooperating, she said. All of the data was released to Pennsylvania State Police before the close of business Tuesday, Mudd said in a statement. More: Closed since 2020, Heritage Rail Trail protection canopy is completed Several Children and Youth staff members received subpoenas to appear and give testimoney to a grand jury conducting an investigation into possible violations of Pennsylvania criminal laws, according to the statement. No county staff members have been named as criminal defendants in the investigation, the statement says. "The Affidavits of Probable Cause underlying the investigation have been sealed pending further Court Order, so we do not have access to, or knowledge of, the underlying allegations prompting this investigation," the statement says. "The (Pennsylvania State Police) and the District Attorney are in possession of those facts, we are not." Primary 2023: Who is running for office in York County? State police spokeswoman Megan Frazer said its active investigation. No information is being released. Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett could not be reached for comment. "The County supports its CYS staff and administration, and will continue to support this group of experienced professionals as they continue to focus on, and carry out, their mission to serve the families in Adams County in need of support services," the statement from the solicitor says. Check back later as this is a developing story. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: State police serve search warrant on Adams County: solicitor Rivers are unpredictable, making them far more exciting and 10 times as dangerous as a lake. For a canoe or kayak paddler, one crucial fact is essential to remember: The river you saw last time will be different this time. Banks erode. Trees fall down and block the way. Beavers build dams. Docks get carried off by floods. Waters rise and create new rapids. Waters fall and expose new rocks. By my count, Ive wrecked my canoe twice and my kayak three times. Once on the Eno, the boat overturned in fast water and I floated a half-mile downstream on my back. Another time, on the Yadkin, I got dragged underwater and came up sputtering without my glasses. So if you follow me into this paddling hobby, here are a few rules to follow, no matter what: Before You Go 1. Always check the water level. Rivers in central North Carolina rise and fall dramatically, getting both too high and too low. The bible for small boats is Paddling Eastern North Carolina by Paul Ferguson, now in its third edition. Ferguson tells you, among other crucial details, the minimum amount of water each river section needs, along with the USGS gauge you can search online for real-time information. 2. Dont paddle alone. For one thing, most rivers in North Carolina move too fast to paddle upstream, so youll need a second car at the end for a shuttle. But more importantly, too much can go wrong to go it alone. Two heads and two cell phones beat one of each. 3. Leave a detailed float plan. Tell your important non-paddling person where you put in and where you took out. This includes the county, nearest city and if possible a map. See Ferguson for all these things. On the water 1. Always wear a life jacket. No exceptions. The Neuse River can be ankle deep in places, then you paddle around a corner into a deep hole. Fish live here. Youre a guest. 2. Scout your take-out spot. When you paddle with two people, youll drive first to the spot where you get out of the water. Be sure to check it out. Make sure theres a safe place to exit. Make sure the water isnt running too high or too fast. Make sure youll recognize the spot from your boat three hours from now. Story continues 3. Heaviest person rides in the back. If youre in a two-person canoe, the biggest takes the rear seat and steers. 4. Wind is bad. Ive paddled through whitecaps when the wind was only blowing 15 mph. Consider it beforehand. 5. Lightning is worse. Watch for thunderstorms in the forecast. Ive felt the jolt when lightning hits the water even seemingly far away, and its like getting punched hard in the face. 6. Obstacles are everywhere. Rocks, concrete and rebar from old dams, branches known as strainers. Watch for them. Avoid them. 7. Feet up. If you accidentally become a swimmer, dont put your foot down and risk it getting caught. Float on your back with your legs to the sky. Get to land and collect the debris later. 8. Do not grab stationary objects while moving. If you attempt to stop a fast-moving boat by grabbing onto a nearby rock, you will tip the boat. Have done this twice. 9. Do not litter. You will see the truth behind all those warnings on storm drains. Everyones carelessly discarded Styrofoam cup will go bobbing past you in the water. My paddle mate Mark and I try to collect one piece of floating trash each trip. We call it webelo-ing after the mid-level scouts. An armed robbery at a smoke shop in Tacoma led to gunfire Wednesday morning, according to police. An employee was reportedly shot and taken to a hospital. Few details were immediately available about the shooting. Tacoma Police Department said dispatchers received reports at about 10:40 a.m. of someone shot at a South End business in the 9300 block of Steele Street South. Police said multiple suspects tried to rob the store, and a clerk was shot. The employee, a 26-year-old man, was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. Police said he is in stable condition. No customers were inside the store during the robbery, police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said. Its unclear what, if anything, was taken. She said police believe the suspects drove away before officers arrived. Junior doctors are continuing their strike action today. (Getty) Around 47,000 junior doctors are staging a fourth day of strike action in England as Environment Agency workers also prepare to launch a weekend of strikes starting on Friday evening. Junior doctors began their strikes on Tuesday, with it set to run until Saturday, with estimates that the action will have affected 250,000 to 300,000 patients. The action has seen emergency and urgent care prioritised over some routine appointments and procedures, meaning hundreds of thousands of appointments and operations have been rescheduled. UK strikes in April & May. See story INDUSTRY Strikes. Infographic PA Graphics. An editable version of this graphic is available if required. Please contact graphics@pamediagroup.com. RMT train cleaners across the country are also striking on Friday, as well as Saturday. Cleaners for companies including Churchill, Bidvest Noonan, and Atalian Servest are demanding 15 an hour, company sick pay, decent holidays and good pensions, the RMT said. The two-day action will affect Avanti West Coast, GWR, Northern, GTR and South East Trains, as well as cleaners working on Network Rail High Speed contract, the union said. In addition, Environment Agency workers were due to launch a weekend of strikes at 7pm on Friday evening until 7am on Monday in a long-running dispute over pay. Unison said staff have had a "terrible deal" which amounts to one of the worst wage rises paid to public sector workers. Amid the ongoing action, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unison, which represents nurses and other health workers, was set to announce the result of a ballot over a Government pay offer on Friday. Members have been voting on a proposed deal which includes a 5% pay rise this year and a cash payment for last year. Here is a look at the latest strikes taking place over the next few days. Who else is striking today? RMT train cleaners across the country are also striking on Friday, as well as Saturday. The action involves cleaners for companies including Churchill, Bidvest Noonan, and Atalian Servest and will affect Avanti West Coast, GWR, Northern, GTR and South East Trains, as well as cleaners working on Network Rail High Speed contract, the RMT said. Story continues RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Contracting out on the railways is one of the most perverse and exploitative practices in the industry. "It is leading to our members in the cleaning grades barely scraping by on poverty wages and appalling terms and conditions. "RMT is calling time on these multimillion-pound contractors. They now need to pay up and use their generous dividends and profits and invest in their workforce." Environment Agency workers are set to strike from 7pm on Friday (14 April). Unison said the walkout, which will last across the weekend until 7am on Monday, marks a "significant escalation" of industrial action that began last year. Watch: UK industrial action what strikes are coming up? Who is striking tomorrow? RMT train cleaners will continue their action on Saturday. As well as this, thousands of Environment Agency workers in England will continue their four-day strike action across the weekend. Unison said its latest action will involve staff working on coastal sea defences, protecting communities from floods, tackling water pollution, waste fires and fly-tipping. Who is striking this weekend? Environment Agency workers will also strike this weekend. Teachers in England are also set to walk out on 27 April and 2 May. Read more Fresh teachers strikes announced as union reject pay offer (Evening Standard, 2 min read) Civil servants to strike throughout April in build-up to huge walkout (PA Media, 1 min read) Mass walkouts on Budget Day as teachers, junior doctors and Tube drivers strike (PA Media, 7 min read) The abrupt closure of Cardinal Stritch University at the end of this semester has left hundreds of students and employees with questions about what their futures may hold. "I want to reassure you that we are doing our best to have answers for you," Cardinal Stritch President Dan Scholz said in a video announcing the Fox Point school's closure. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interviewed Scholz on Wednesday, two days after the announcement. Here's what we know: Why is the school closing? Cardinal Stritch has lost a massive number of students over the past 15 years. Federal education data show the school enrolled more than 6,000 students in the year before the Great Recession. That dropped to about 1,250 this year. Fewer seats filled means fewer tuition dollars flowing into college coffers. That exacerbates the school's budget, which publicly available tax documents show has been running at a financial deficit for seven of the last eight years. Scholz didn't provide the size of the school's deficit at the time of the announcement. At the request of the Journal Sentinel, a school spokesperson is working to obtain that number from the chief financial officer. Did Cardinal Stritch consider merging with another school? Yes, Scholz said. But the time it takes to merge and receive the proper accreditation is between 18 and 24 months, time he said Cardinal Stritch didn't have. "We literally explored every option, and we worked with our Board of Trustees, obviously, very closely on this," he said. "We worked with my senior leadership team. We explored everything and way beyond what, probably, what most people think about, but in the end, this was the only pathway forward. If we could have done anything differently, we surely would've." What was the timeline like for school leaders arriving at this decision to close? Why weren't students and staff notified sooner? Technically, the Board of Trustees voted on the matter last week and then sent it to the Sisters of St. Francis for approval, Scholz said. Story continues Given the state of the school's finances and enrollment, was this decision really made so quickly? Scholz said he didn't know the exact timeline, but school leaders were probably debating all options as of a month ago. "It had only been in the last few weeks that, you know, it's not like, it's not like we were trying to deceive anyone," he said. "It was the timeline that we were working with. We, we were constantly reviewing our financials, our enrollment data, trying to determine, you know, having all of these other options in front of us. It, it didn't become clear until really late." Only a very tight circle of people knew about the discussion, Scholz said. "The timing was really sensitive and, in the end, it happened fast," he said. "And that's what obviously made it so painful. But it took long because we tried every single option that we could think of. And once it was finally exhausted, we felt like we had, we had no other choice." What's next for students? Students close to completing graduation requirements may receive services this summer "to the extent financially possible," Scholz said. For others, Cardinal Stritch is finalizing partnerships with local colleges and universities to relocate existing students. The school's academic advising staff and student counseling service center will be available during the transition to answer questions. Which schools have transfer agreements with Cardinal Stritch? About 30 schools have reached out, Scholz said April 12. The school is hoping to offer a complete list with details on the agreements next week. Some will be teach-out programs, which is when schools honor and accept students' existing credits. Others will be transfer programs, meaning not all credits may be accepted. Some schools have confirmed they are offering transfer opportunities to Stritch students: Mount Mary University has a plan for Stritch students to transfer without losing any credits or class standing. An informational webinar will be held 7 p.m. April 27. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will offer Stritch students a free and streamlined admissions process. Those who enroll for the summer or fall terms will receive a $1,000 transition grant if they apply by June 1. Concordia University Wisconsin is offering direct admission and competitive financial aid packages for undergraduates. At the graduate level, Stritch students can expect tuition prices that are equal to or lower than their current programs, and all transfer credits will be accepted. Carroll University is developing teach out agreements for Stritch students with the goal that students graduate based on their current academic schedule. There will be a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. April 18 and an on-campus open house from 9-11:30 a.m. April 22. Marquette University will host a student transfer fair at Cardinal Stritch in the coming weeks. Alverno College is signing transfer agreements to accept Cardinal Stritch students at all degree levels. Financial aid directors at both schools are discussing how Alverno can match the educational costs for Cardinal Stritch students. UW-Whitewater will participate in Cardinal Stritchs general transfer fair on April 21, at the Kliebhan Conference Center. The university is also holding virtual open house sessions on April 19 and April 21. Will students receive the same financial aid award at the school where they transfer? It depends, Scholz said. Cardinal Stritch is trying to establish agreements with other schools that would match their out-of-pocket costs. But the costs of schools vary. For example, a student transferring to a school with a higher tuition rate may receive a larger financial award. But the goal is to keep the net cost to students similar to what they were at Cardinal Stritch. What can students expect during the transfer process? A college closure isn't without precedent in Wisconsin. Just a few years ago, another small, religious school Holy Family College in Manitowoc closed and nearby schools opened their doors. In the days after Holy Family's announcement, the school signed transfer agreements with Alverno College, Mount Mary, Carroll University, Cardinal Stritch, Bellin College, Lakeland University, Marian University and the UW-Green Bay. The agreements guaranteed admission to students in good academic standing, with a promise to accept all transfer credits and waive application fees. They also provided expedited academic and financial aid counseling. What about Cardinal Stritch employees? The roughly 200 employees who work for the school will need to to find jobs elsewhere. How much support they may receive from the school is unclear. Scholz vaguely said Cardinal Stritch will "work closely with (employees) on employment matters," and staff will continue to have access to the employee assistance program. Mount Mary encouraged Cardinal Stritch faculty and staff to apply for vacant positions at their school. Marquette is hosting a job fair at the Cardinal Stritch Conference Center 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 19 for employees to meet with Marquette hiring managers and human resources representatives. What will happen to Cardinal Stritch's 40-acre campus? The school owns the land and will likely eventually sell it to a commercial Realtor or perhaps another institution, Scholz said. What about outside groups scheduled to host events on campus later this year? Cardinal Stritch will try to honor all booked events but it will be handled on a case-by-case basis, Scholz said. The school's event coordinator is working with groups. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Have a question about Cardinal Stritch's closure? Email Milwaukee Journal Sentinel higher education reporter Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or call 414-223-5168. 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 happens after Cardinal Stritch University closes in Milwaukee "Few people are interested in taking away all guns from all citizens, just ones that are literally designed for mass killing," the author writes. Heres how tragically absurd mass shootings have gotten in our country: This piece was written and ready to be published on Monday when we got news that a man entered a Louisville, Kentucky, bank from which he had reportedly been recently terminated and opened fire, killing five people and injuring others. The shooter livestreamed the attack; he apparently died while exchanging gunfire with police. As of press time, injuries and other details are still being sorted out, but we know the gunmans weapon of choice: an AR-15 assault rifle that he legally purchased only a week earlier. Its the same type of gun another shooter used to kill six people, including three 9-year-olds, on March 27 at The Covenant School, a private Christian grade school in Nashville. It was yet another day we had to endure news stories featuring the faces of innocent children who were cut down. The Nashville shooter who was also killed by police reportedly took the rifle to the school in a bag along with two other guns and ammunition. Nashville police say that the shooter legally purchased several guns from five different stores despite being under care for an emotional disorder. An AR-15 was reportedly used in 10 of the last 17 deadly mass shootings in the country, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012 that claimed the lives of 20 children, all under eight years old. And it isnt just school shootings the AR-15 or some variant of it has been used in more mass shootings than anyone not paid to keep track of it can reasonably be expected to. President Bill Clinton signed into law a Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 1994; the ban expired 10 years later. Despite research concluding that mass-shooting-related homicides were reducedduring that decade, attempts to renew the ban have not been successful. Story continues Even President Donald Trump questioned the necessity of private AR-15 ownership albeit not publicly enough. Yet, in many red states, its still easier to buy an assault rifle than a bottle of high-proof liquor. In the wake of the Nashville shooting, President Joe Bidenrenewed calls for an assault weapons ban. Anyone whos been conscious and living in America knows his pleas will go nowhere, especially with a divided Congress. Sure, youll get thoughts and prayers up the wazoo, but well quietly move on and wait until the next tragedy to resume the fatuous cycle. Its the movie Groundhog Day manifest in political agendas. Demonstrators call for a ban on assault rifles in August 2019 during President Donald Trump's visit to El Paso, Texas, following back-to-back mass shootings there and in Dayton, Ohio. Demonstrators call for a ban on assault rifles in August 2019 during President Donald Trump's visit to El Paso, Texas, following back-to-back mass shootings there and in Dayton, Ohio. In a country where I cant purchase Sudafed without identification, banning a weapon for citizen use that can fire dozens of rounds per minute is an issue that somehow still divides the masses. Hunting with an AR-15 is impractical, and there are many other legal weapons suited for home defense. People bark about protections granted by the Second Amendment written during a time when weapons were muskets but seemingly refuse to acknowledge that few people are interested in taking away all guns from all citizens, just ones that are literally designed for mass killing. Some politicians, voted into office for the purpose of protecting their electorate, seem more interested in challenging the government to take away their assault rifles with juvenile bluster (see: Colorado Rep. and resident asshole Ken Buck). From anti-climate legislationto banning dildos, politicians across the country have a dubious record of focusing on things that dont actually improve our safety. Heres a (very non-exhaustive) list of recent state and federal legislation and other priorities that lawmakers are more focused on than protecting pre-pubescent humans from getting torn through with metal: Anti-LGBTQ legislation: As soon as it was reported that the Nashville shooter was transgender, I knew itd be the worst thing for a community perpetually working hard for normalization because amoebic Republicans would leverage the shooting to attack the trans community. And they were right on time. Politicians with a hard-on (literally and figuratively) for LGBTQ issues is nothing new, but it feels like theyve been going a bit harder lately because we know the one thing that freaks politicians out more than gun violence is (gasp!) consenting adults just living their lives. There has been a maelstrom of anti-LGBTQ bills throughout the country, including a bill passed in Kentucky in March that bans gender-affirming care for trans people and prohibits conversations on sexual orientation in schools, among other foolishness. An anti-drag law passed in Tennessee the same month. The irony of our public outrage over Ugandas new draconian law essentially criminalizing homosexualityis that the United States isnt so far behind in 2023. Anti-abortion legislation: For my dollars, the most egregious legal decision Ive witnessed as an adult is the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, which granted Americans abortion rights for nearly 50 years before the U.S. Supreme Court extended a strong middle finger to the people. While many governors are admirably standing in defiance of that decision, several Republican-led states leaned into it with trigger laws that immediately criminalized the practice of abortion. In Florida, lawmakers proposed a heartbeat bill that would ban abortions as soon as a heartbeat is detected, which is about six weeks after conception. The message here? Protect the fetus by encroaching on the rights of the mother, perhaps to her detriment, so its born into a world where we wont give a damn about the childs well-being and that child can easily be cut down by gunfire at school. Laws making it easier to obtain guns: Common sense and a basic understanding of human nature dictates that getting ones hands on tools specifically designed to kill should be no mean feat in any state. Lawmakers in the state where the Covenant School shooting took place have pushed to ease up on gun laws via two bills one that would drop the handgun carry age from 21 to 18 and another that would allow staff members in schools to carry concealed guns on school grounds with a permit. As a former teacher, I cant stress how bad an idea that is for so many reasons. The Tennessee House voted on April 6 to expel two of three Democrats who led protests for stricter gun laws in the wake of the Covenant School shooting. Two of the representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson are Black men; Rep. Gloria Johnson is a white woman. Its Tennessee, so Ill give you one guess as to who wasnt expelled. The push for more restrictive gun laws in Texas, home of Uvalde and seven other mass shootings in 13 years, buckled under the weight of the gun lobby, which owns more politicians than Questlove owns vinyl records. Republicans in North Carolina proposed bills just a few hours after the Michigan State University shooting in February that would repeal a permit requirement for purchasing a pistol and allow people with a concealed carry licenses to bring their weapons into churches, even when they have a school on the property. Florida (again) passed a law allowing legal gun owners to carry concealed weapons without a state-issued permit or the training required to get it. Of course, defenders of the law suggested it would make the Nashville incident less likely to happen. See again what I said about human nature Considering banning TikTok: Yes, this one is comparatively silly: The U.S. Government had a serious squabble with the Chinese-owned-and-operated social media behemoth, concerned that the countrys Communist government is using it to spy on all the 45-year-old moms shimmying in front of their phone camera to Taylor Swift. The conversation started with the Trump administration and was recently renewed by Joe Biden. Im no expert in social media security, but I think the jig was up on our general privacy the first time we decided to sign up for BlackPlanet, and its only gone south from there. Thing is, theres no real, tangible evidence that TikTok is siphoning data for nefarious means, and theres a little thing called free speechthatll make it difficult to nuke the app on our shores. But if TikTok somehow manages to get banned before AR-15s, maybe Ill just move to China so I can freely do the Fancy Like dance on the app. And not fall victim to a mass shooting. CORRECTION: A prior version of this article misstated the number of rounds an AR-15 can fire in a minute. When JamieLynn and AmieLynn entered the world on Oct. 3, the twin sisters were joined at the chest and shared a liver. Now, after an 11-hour surgery to successfully separate the twins and months of additional hospital care, both girls have returned to their Fort Worth home for the first time. The twins were the first pair to be successfully separated at Cook Childrens Medical Center in surgery in January. One daughter, JamieLynn, was released from the hospital March 21. Now, her sister AmieLynn can join her. Cook Childrens physicians and the girls parents, Amanda Arciniega and James Finley, announced the latest step in their journey at a press conference Wednesday. When they were born, the girls were joined from the lower part of their breast bone to their belly button, said their doctor Dr. Jose Iglesias, the lead surgeon in their separation operation, in January. For the first 16 weeks of their lives, the twins were face-to-face. They shared a liver that was effectively a double liver, Iglesias said, but had separate hearts and lungs. Their diaphragms also had to be divided. At least 25 health care workers participated in the surgery. After the surgery, the girls doctors said they would need to focus on letting their lungs heal. Conjoined twins include any infants who are born with their bodies connected. At least three out of every four conjoined twins are joined partially in the chest, and share one or more organs, according to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Exact numbers of how many conjoined twins are born each year, and how many survive, are not known. Estimates vary widely, from 1 in every 30,000 live births to 1 in every 200,000 live births. Although the exact frequency is unknown, physicians do know that conjoined twins have small chances of survival. The Finley family has created a fund at the EECU Community Foundation, to help cover the cost of the girls future health needs. The family also has a baby registry at Walmart. Included on the wish list is a stroller big enough for two. HBO If Rupert Murdoch and his family really did inspire Succession, then a new report from Vanity Fair confirms that the HBO series really nailed the tone. After interviewing dozens of people for this story, I was struck by how sad all the Murdochs seem, reporter Gabriel Sherman writes for VF. Some [Rupert] Murdoch profiles liken his late career arc to Shakespeares King Lear. Beyond that, however, the VF report also seems to indicate that Jesse Armstrong and his series have gotten under Murdochs skin. It apparently even factored into his divorce from Jerry Hall last year. A source told Sherman that Ruperts eldest son, Lachlan, once told his father that his younger son, James, had begun leaking stories to Succession writers. Meanwhile, a person close to Lachlan denied that hed said such a thing. 92-Year-Old Rupert Murdoch Will No Longer Spend Second Half of Life With New Fiancee The second mention of Succession in Vanity Fairs report feels even more personal. Sherman writes that Murdochs divorce settlement with Jerry Hall also included the stipulation that bars the model and actress from giving story ideas to Succession. Armstrong, meanwhile, has tamped down the notion that his story is based solely on one family. This is a fictional family, he told Variety in 2018. He added: Theres loads of succession stories to draw on. We wanted to draw on all the good, rich stories there are about succession and about media and high politics. A year later, when the New York Times cheekily asked if Armstrong was basing his series on the Murdochs and had a mole in their household, Armstrong once again rebuffed the idea. The amazing thing about this stuff is that its everywhere, he replied. Sumner Redstones family. The Mercers. The Murdochs. Conrad Black. Sometimes people have said, its really about these people, isnt it? Its based on them. And: No. We read widely and we do take elements of stuff. Hopefully, if youre writing in the right area, you end up hitting reality, Armstrong added at the time. But there are no moles. Story continues Murdoch claims to have never watched Succession, as does James, but various members of the family supposedly do. If so, were guessing Sundays episode was a doozy. Succession Asks an Impossible Question: How Do You Grieve an Abuser? Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. TOKYO, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The population in Japan declined to 124.95 million in 2022, marking the 12th consecutive year of decline, government data showed Wednesday. As of Oct. 1 last year, the total population including foreigners saw a decrease of 556,000, or 0.44 percent from the previous year, according to the latest population estimates released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The number of Japanese nationals, which came in at 12.2 million, plunged by 750,000, the decline of which has been expanding since 2011, the ministry said in an online report. The figure represented the largest comparable decline since comparable data became available in 1950, Kyodo News reported. In the latest count, the number of people under the age of 15 came to 14.5 million, making up for the lowest-ever 11.6 percent of the population, while those aged 65 or over totaled about 36.23 million, slightly up from a year earlier to account for 29 percent of the total. Of the total population, males accounted for 48.6 percent with a fall for the 15th consecutive year, while the female population saw the 12th consecutive year of decline to account for 51.4 percent. The population sex ratio, or the ratio of males to females in a population, was 94.7, with females outnumbering males by 3,431,000, the data showed. Japan's total population fell below the previous year's level for the first time in 2005, then peaked in 2008, and has declined for 12 consecutive years since 2011, the ministry's report said. With a declining birthrate and an aging population, a shrinking workforce and a greater financial burden on the medical and social security systems are posing challenges to the country. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has on multiple occasions promised to focus on policies related to children this year, vowing to tackle the low birthrate through "unprecedented" steps. In the latest move to tackle the falling birthrate, the Japanese government put into operation a new administrative body Children and Families Agency to better serve the country's child-related policies. A still of Logan Roy from Succession Facebook.com/SuccessionHBO The latest episode of critically lauded HBO drama Succession featured a shocking twist: Media tycoon and Worst Dad of the Century Logan Roy dies unexpectedly on a plane. Critical reactions were virtually unanimous: The grueling episode was lavishly praised for its emotional wallop, and particularly for the unusual way Logan's death was depicted. De-centering Logan Brian Cox's scene-chewing performance in episode two, where Logan promised a leaner, meaner news operation at ATN, made his sudden demise particularly shocking. "This is not the end," he had said to his media troops while standing on top of some wobbly boxes hastily assembled by his son-in-law Tom Wambsgans (Michael Macfadyen). It turns out that it was, indeed, the end. Early in the third episode, as his children are mingling at his son Connor's (Alan Ruck) wedding to the hilariously unexcited Willa (Justinen Lupe), Roman (Kieran Culkin) receives a call from the private jet carrying Logan to Sweden for negotiations with a buyer. Logan has collapsed, chest compressions are being performed and, as Tom admits, he "might be gone." Logan's final moments were, surprisingly, rendered almost entirely off-screen. "No one not even the camera could watch the old bear as he finally abandoned us all for good," wrote the AV Club's William Hughes. There was no drawn-out final monologue, no scenes of the frenzied attempts to revive him. "How could the show say goodbye to Logan with so little fanfare?" asked Vox's Whizy Kim. There is a brief shot of Logan on the ground, the phone carrying his children's anguished goodbyes perched on a pillow. The Ringer's Adam Nayman lauded the "eerily still postmortem view" that "eschews shock tactics while retaining the clammy finality necessary to assuage any fears of a narrative bait and switch." Humanizing the monsters What we did see was the Roy children who were in the middle of an on-again, off-again power play against their father's empire struggling to find a way to say goodbye to their unconscious father in a 30-minute sequence that felt like a stage play. Kendall (Jeremy Strong) tells him, "I love you, but I can't forgive you." Only Connor appeared largely unfazed. "He never even liked me," he says, before deciding to go ahead with the wedding. For The Independent's Philippa Snow, the "inarticulacy" of their efforts to process their father's sudden death "reduced me to entirely unexpected tears." Next Bext Picture culture critic Brendan Hodges called it "among the emotionally realistic depictions of a family in duress I've ever seen." Story continues The scene worked as a metaphor for the Roy children's estrangement from their father, Mashable's Belen Edwards wrote. After all, Logan had chosen to board the plane to Sweden rather than attend his eldest son's wedding. "Emotionally, these characters are far apart even when they're in the same room," she said. The staging of his demise "reflects that in its location choices. The kids are at sea, on a boat to Connor's wedding, while a dying Logan is thousands of feet in the air." The chaotic aftermath is "one of the finest-acted sequences you'll ever see on television," said The Ringer's Justin Sayle. "Every reaction feels authentic and understandable," an exceptional feat, in the end, for a show whose main characters are frequently unlikeable and morally bankrupt. You may also like Millie Bobby Brown appears to announce engagement to Jon Bon Jovi's son Leaker of damaging U.S. intelligence files was reportedly administrator of a Discord chat room NASA unveils 3D-printed Mars habitat where 4 people will live for a year (Getty Images) Ananya Birla and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khans daughter Suhana Khan have been announced as Maybellines new brand ambassadors from India. The news was announced during Maybellines grand event in Mumbai on Tuesday (11 April) night. Along with Birla and Khan, badminton champion PV Sindhu and model Eksha Kerung have also been declared the American cosmetic brands new ambassadors. Hi everyone. I am so excited to be here and see you guys again, Khan, who is set to star in Netflixs The Archies, said during the event. We had such a good time filming. So Im just really excited to be here and I cant wait for you guys to see everything we have filmed. Its an honour to be a brand ambassador for Maybelline after hoarding so many of their iconic products, especially their mascaras, [which] are amazing. But I am just super excited and happy to be a part of this brand and I cant wait to make it shine with all of you. The newly appointed brand ambassadors will be featured in upcoming campaigns of Maybelline New York and will also participate in brand events and initiatives. The first campaign featuring the brand ambassadors is set to roll out later this month. We are thrilled to welcome Suhana Khan, Ananya Birla, and Eksha Kerung in addition to PV Sindhu, to Maybelline New York! Maybellines general manager of India, Zeenia Bastani, said. Our mission is to give everyone the self-confidence to express themselves and their beauty their way, and these four talented young women embody the spirit of our brand and what we stand for. They perfectly represent Maybelline New York women who are ambitious, confident in their self-expression, diverse, and ready to make change. Mike Morita was surfing in the same spot off the island of Oahu he's caught waves for more than 20 years when he was attacked by an 8-foot tiger shark. Morita, 58, told TODAY from his hospital bed he initially thought a seal had latched onto his leg when he was surfing near Kewalo Basin on Sunday, April 9. "I just felt the pressure and the strength of it," he said, before he realized a tiger shark had latched onto his leg. TODAY "I started to pray to God and I said, 'God let this shark let go of my leg,'" Morita said. "I was going back and forth, back and forth with it, and it didnt let go. So I guess God wanted me to fight." The longtime surfer said he started punching the shark as hard as he could, but he felt his punches were "weak and slow." He said he decided to wrap his other leg around the shark and squeeze. "My hand went right to the gills and as soon as I got to the gills, they released me," he said. Morita said his deep faith is what kept him calm during the attack. "I have God in my life and I have a lot of faith and trust and at no point was I scared," he said. "At no point was I thinking that I was going to die." As other surfers rushed to help Morita, he realized how bad his leg had been injured. "I looked back and I saw how bad my leg was," he said. "From my ankle to like halfway to my knee, there was no meat, it was only the bone." Morita lost his right foot in the attack, and will need to have another surgery this week to try to save as much of his leg as possible. Despite the attack, Morita said he is not in much pain. "So with the pain medication, and this nice, soft hospital bed, Im at about a two or three as far as pain," he said. Morita commended his "brave" friends for their quick first aid. "They saved my life because they got the tourniquets on," he said. "I cannot believe the courage my friends had because Im getting attacked and they paddled towards me," he continued. "They're my heroes."Following the incident, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement that lifeguards posted signs in the area warning swimmers and surfers of the shark and cautioned for them to stay out of the water until noon on April 10. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Father Yod just gave me a thought for you. He wants me to tell you, Camelot. On a Zoom call in March from her home in Oahu, Hawaii, Isis Aquarian recounted her time in the Los Angeles spiritual commune the Source Family, which she through telepathic messages from the groups leader likened to the romantic symbol of the Arthurian world. In the 1970s, dressed in stylish, flowing gowns, caftans, robes and headscarves, she all but resembled Guinevere. It was pure Camelot for all of us. For those who experienced it, it was something else, she added. For Isis, the Family was tantamount to utopia. Known for its pioneering in California lifestyle staples like health food, yoga, psychedelic rock and hippie fashion, the groups leader, Father Yod, ne Jim Baker, left the body in 1975, after a hang gliding accident in Hawaii, where the Family relocated in 1974. But Isis, now 80, said their union she was one of Yods 14 spiritual wives never ended. Hes still the big guy to me, still my man, she said. When you live in both dimensions, the veil is very thin. To an outsider, Isis casual references to telepathy and interdimensional existence may sound delusional. But for members of the Source Family, a group that some call a cult, its a way of life honed over decades of study and ritualism based in Western esotericism. Their beliefs amalgamated principles developed by Kundalini yoga progenitor Yogi Bhajan; the astrological concept of the Age of Aquarius; the teachings of Manly P. Hall, founder of the Philosophical Research Society in Los Feliz; the freemasons and others. Father Yod bestowed each member with a first name; they changed their middle and last names to the Aquarian. Like many religious and spiritual groups, the Source Family placed their faith in things invisible to nonbelievers. Father Yod, however, was hard to miss. Their gurus virile presence and checkered past preceded him in his days as a figure on the Sunset Strip. As the story goes, Midwest native Baker was a successful restaurateur and Hollywood socialite, and also a convicted killer and suspected bank robber. At one point, his hands were registered as lethal weapons. He moved to L.A. after World War II to audition for a role as Tarzan. Story continues Inspired by the proto-hippie lifestyle led by Nature Boys Gypsy Boots and eden ahbez, he opened early health food eateries the Old World and Aware Inn. In the late 60s, he studied with Yogi Bhajan, and began creating his own philosophy that blended various spiritual rituals, au naturel living and far-out ideas like "sex magick." He then transformed into Father Yod (which he described as the principle and origin of all things, the I, the active principle, the image of masculinity) and, later, YaHoWah (drawn from the Hebrew name for God). He developed a daily routine for the Family consisting of 40 instructions that included chanting YaHoWah throughout the day, breathing techniques, meditation, visualization, kindness to strangers and a six-count inhalation of the Sacred Herb (cannabis). Father Yod opened the Source restaurant at 8301 Sunset Blvd. in 1969 to support his growing family of followers, and it became one of the first hotspots in L.A. for organic vegetarian food. Stars such as Steve McQueen, Goldie Hawn, Marlon Brando, Joni Mitchell and John Lennon dined on its famous patio. It became so synonymous with the only-in-L.A. narrative that it was satirized by Woody Allen in Annie Hall and by Saturday Night Live. The Family moved into a Georgian-style mansion in Los Feliz, former home of L.A. Times owners the Chandlers, which they dubbed the Mother House, in 1972. While there, they spent $30,000 on instruments and recording equipment and began tracking and pressing psychedelic rock and singer-songwriter music. After they lost their lease, they relocated to a much smaller, three-bedroom home in Nichols Canyon. At its peak, the Source Family counted around 140 members, including Lovely Previn, daughter of pianist and composer Andre Previn, Sky Saxon of garage-rock band the Seeds and the niece of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Though the Source Family disbanded in 1978, fascination with the group and its practices has surged in the new millennium. Since the mid-aughts, there have been documentary films, books and multiple CD and vinyl record reissues of the groups music. Bootleg T-shirts, hoodies, mugs and stickers appear in Google search results. All of these may be traced to a vast collection of images, video and audio recordings, recipes and manifestos that has survived the march of time. After joining the Family in 1972, Isis Aquarian, who was born Charlene Peters, the daughter of an archivist for the Air Force and NASA, served as the groups documentarian, creating the artful material that has been drawn from for various archival projects over the last 15 or so years. After the group fell apart, she made it her mission to preserve the Familys legacy. Most recently, in November, Isis, curator Charlie Kitchings and filmmaker and publisher Jodi Wille, who has previously worked with Isis on a book and a feature documentary, released Family: The Source Family Scrapbook in conjunction with the independent record label Sacred Bones. The book includes previously unpublished photographs and ephemera from Isis archive and detailed captions that contextualize the images. Isis also moved her archive, around 50 boxes of materials, to the American Religions Collection at the UC Santa Barbara library. In conjunction with the books release, a series of Source Family events took place in Santa Barbara, Los Feliz, Malibu and Culver City in late March. And now, Hollywood is getting involved. At a private dinner in Malibu on March 25 sponsored by the media company Atlas Obscura, guests including actors Patricia Arquette and Mark Ruffalo, music producer Rick Rubin, actor and producer Ben Sinclair, original Source Family members and other curious parties were invited on a journey into the cult roots of health food. The menu, inspired by dishes at the original Source restaurant, featured seven courses including psychedelic toast, multidimensional soup and a re-creation of the restaurants aware salad, served by staff engaged in Source Family cosplay, dressed in flowing white frocks and wigs. Isis and fellow Source Family members Venus, Zarathustra and Galaxy Aquarian blessed the meal with a ritual they performed in the Family. As above, so below, and around, we go, YaHoWah, they chanted with corresponding hand gestures, as if guiding energy around the 40-person table decorated with poppies, dill flowers, wheat and cut papaya, a flower childs rendering of a medieval banquet. Arquette, who spent her childhood in a Subud commune in Virginia, said shes always been fascinated by various religious philosophies and spiritual seekers. Its been nice to talk to these elders who are here, about their radical experiences as young people, she said. Especially when they talked about how Father Yod went down his own ego path. That they acknowledged it made me feel like theres not an absolute revisionist history. The Malibu event doubled as a hub of in-progress Hollywood spiritual ventures. According to Wille, Ruffalo, his manager Margaret Riley and the producer Stacey Sher are working on a Source Family limited series in which Ruffalo will play Father Yod. Sinclair is developing a series about the spiritual leader Ram Dass while Rubin is producing a docuseries about Yogi Bhajan. Two days after the event in Malibu, Rubin sent a limo for Isis and interviewed her for three hours with a full camera crew because, he said by email, that hes excited by Isis Aquarian's bird's-eye view of Jim Baker's evolution from successful man of the world to spiritual leader, whose ever-curious hunger for deeper spiritual connection was shared by 150 like-minded souls." Rubin said he learned about the Family after he moved to California in the late 80s and began dining at the Source Restaurant. Something about the space held an energy even though the Source Family had already moved on." During Father Yod's lifetime, wrote Rubin, "The Source story was a local story. Now its global. This renewed interest in the Source Family comes in addition to a rising interest in cults more broadly in popular consciousness, evident in the flood of streaming series such as Netflix's hit show Wild Wild Country, about the Rajneeshees; HBO's "The Vow" and Starz's "Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult," competing programs about the high-profile NXIVM cult; Hulu's "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult of Sarah Lawrence"; Showtime's new "Waco: The Aftermath"; and a myriad of documentaries, limited series and podcasts on Scientology, Branch Davidians, Jonestown, polygamist sects and the Manson "family." The Source Family's Isis Aquarian, one of Father Yod's 14 "spiritual wives." (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) So what keeps people coming back to the Source Family? The rise of wellness trends like sound baths and microdosing suggests a growing open-mindedness among Americas upper middle class of mystics. But close examination of the Source Family, beyond its organic produce and hippie bon vivants, reveals an offbeat world that is perhaps too freaky for Goop Nation writ large. Southern California, however, is a different scene. In L.A., people like weirdos, Wille said. Los Angeles is also a hub for reinvention, a storied destination for seekers. Its true now, and it was true then. I was living in New York and was totally drawn to L.A., Isis added. Everybody just started filtering into the Hollywood area. When the Source Family formed, the social and political climate in the United States was volatile, with an unpopular war in Vietnam, the womens liberation movement, violence against Black citizens and assassinations of progressive leaders. A growing number of Americans desired a different way of life, to drop out of all the social and political heaviness and create a better world. Its estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 communes existed in the United States in the 1960s and 70s . Fast-forward 50 years, and it seems that little has changed. What was happening back in the early 70s was, in some ways, really similar to whats happening right now, Wille said ahead of a private dinner and public Q&A at a ranch in Malibu. Theres political polarization and a lot of things that people are unhappy about. J. Gordon Melton, retired distinguished professor of American religious history at Baylor University, whos studied new religious movements since the early 70s, said that the Source Family managed to evade the burgeoning scholarship movement in its day, which became overshadowed by groups like the Unification Church, the Hare Krishna movement and the Church of Scientology. If this group had hung around for a couple of more years on the Sunset Strip, they would have been at the forefront of our consciousness, he said. As for any dangers related to the Source Family, Melton said that such groups either have an inherently violent streak or react violently when they perceive an attack. And this group was never really attacked, he said. Unlike groups like the Manson Family and the Peoples Temple, the Source Family didnt engage in mass suicide or murder, though their staunch refusal of Western medicines resulted in at least one very sick child being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital. Zarathustra Aquarian; his wife, Amy; and their daughter, Alyah whos also a psychedelic clown who leads interdimensional travel demonstration and practicum applauded the discipline and openness that Father Yods teachings introduced. Zarathustra and Amy applied many of the Familys principles in their marriage, including natural childbirth and the belief that sex is sacred, even though they didnt get together until years after the Source Family fell apart. It was the greatest utopian community to ever occur around spiritual work, he said. Galaxy Aquarian, born Dawn Hurwitz, joined the Family in 1972 when she was 16 years old, and eventually became one of Father Yods spiritual wives and the clothier for the Family, making fantastical dresses and robes. She described her younger self as a firebrand who was getting into a lot of trouble, and said she appreciates the groups emphasis on consistency, kindness and honesty. I took a lot of that with me, but Ive adapted to life," she said. "I married another man. Ive worn several hats. Shes working on a memoir about her time in the Family, which she was asked not to promote during the events. Hurwitz spoke during a Q&A in Los Feliz, but not at the roundtable in Malibu two days later. Though interest in the Source Family seems to be reaching an apex, its been a long time coming. Record collectors knew about them before anybody else, said John Wyatt, founder of Cinespia, which screens classic films in locations across the city. Since the 1990s, hes been a collector of rare, obscure and private press records sourced from area thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets. Wyatt recalled a time when vendors were moving records by Ya Ho Wah 13, Father Yod and the Spirit of 76 and other Family-related recordings for $20 or less because the Source had fallen out of fashion and the sellers didnt know what they had. The first Source-related album he bought was Penetration, An Aquarian Symphony, a four-song heavy-psych improvisation with fateful guitars, whistling and off-kilter percussion. It blew my mind, he exclaimed while studying his copy. The cover image with the gong, the label design, that they had their own Higher Key Records. As is the case with a lot of niche music, word eventually spread. Some Source-related recordings were included in author Patrick Lundborgs 2006 book The Acid Archives, a North Star for certain music lovers. Today, original pressings of records featuring Father Yod there were about 20 LPs and 45s released in the 1970s sell for hundreds of dollars. A Q&A at the Philosophical Research Society on March 23, which followed a screening of Willes 2013 documentary The Source Family, made with Maria Demopoulos, turned into one of the more heated discussions that Wille and the Family have participated in since they began working together. Some audience members implied that the films narrative arc, and the family members answers that night, were selective, omitting Father Yods use of alcohol and cocaine. One questioner politely asked if the three female Family members on stage Isis, Galaxy and Venus if they were aware, at the time, of the negative perspectives presented in the film, or if they feel negatively about the Family today. Another asked about patriarchy and power structures. At one point, a former Source Family member, Hail Aquarian, stood up in the audience and approached the stage with a small dog and some tea to spill. In a lengthy anecdote, he implied that Father Yod expressed his intent to leave the body to a few Family members a month before the actual hang gliding accident, undermining the narrative that Yod never traveled alone or without all of his wives. I never heard anything about that, Isis responded before debating the claim. That got a little spicy, Wille reflected, two days later in Malibu. Its really interesting to think about wild social experiments that were happening in the 70s when no one was monitoring things or canceling things, she added. What I like most is that the Source Family members each have their own ideas. As long as shes visible to others in this Earthly dimension, Isis Aquarian will keep promoting the Family and sharing her experience. In her estimation, all of the stories behind stories behind stories of everything are still unfolding. And Southern California will always be home, the place where she felt most understood. We were the darlings of L.A., she said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Eric Williams and Latavia McGee, both of South Carolina, were among four people who traveled to Mexico in March for a cosmetic medical procedure. RELATED: Americans kidnapped in Mexico identified; one had gone there for cosmetic surgery They told CNNs Anderson Cooper Tuesday night that soon after they crossed the border, they drove down the wrong street. That was when members of the cartel showed up with guns and Williams said that Shaheed Woodard and Zindell Brown got out and ran. Williams also got out and was shot in the leg before the cartel loaded all of them in a truck. We rode 10, maybe 15 minutes to the spot where they were taking us to interrogate us and thats when Shaheed said I love yall. Im gone. And he died right there, Williams said. Brown also later died from his injuries. Williams and McGee survived the ordeal and said they were eventually taken to a shack where a kidnapper spoke to them. That cartel member snuck them out, hid them under the bodies of their friends, and drove around for several hours until their escape. McGee and Williams said they knew they had to escape so they could give their friends a proper burial and see their families. READ MORE: VIDEO: Traveling safely in Mexico In March, Louisiana officials announced a deal to free an unlikely folk hero and fugitive: Neuty the swamp rat. His fellow species members may not be so lucky. In 2020, New Orleans couple Myra and Denny Lacoste found the pint-sized specimen on the side of the road, after his mother and siblings had been killed by a vehicle, so the family decided to take in the cuddly nutria, a species of semiaquatic mammal native to South America known for its bright-orange teeth. Neuty swam in the Lacoste family pool, rode around town in their truck, even greeted customers at the Lacostes seafood store, until the mammal, which grew to be 22 pounds, attracted the attention of the media, then local officials. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initially planned to confiscate the critter and relocate Neuty to the Baton Rouge Zoo, though the DWF eventually settled last month for a deal where the Lacoste family would give the nutria regular veterinary checkups and keep him caged while at the seafood shop. Were beyond ecstatic, Myra Lacoste told The New Orleans Advocate. Were anxious to hold him and smooch on him. Neuty may have come out unscathed, but things look a little different for his swampy brethren: nutria, which can consume up to a quarter of their body weight in plant material a day, are the subject of a sweeping nationwide culling effort to stop the swamp rats from eroding wetlands and damaging farm crops. The state of Maryland spent more than two decades and $30m to eliminate the nutria, using a technique dubbed rolling thunder to systematically move across half a million acres of marsh land and kill roughly 14,000 of the mammals, sometimes using radio-tagged nutria to lead game officials to burrows. The invasive species was declared gone from Maryland in 2022. Story continues Nutria are native to South America (AP) We went a year or two before any of us really thought that those were the last ones, Trevor Michaels, a supervisory wildlife biologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told The Wall Street Journal. We really didnt believe it. Other states have launched similar efforts with Illinois working with the US Department of Agriculture to eliminate nutria in the state, while Louisiana offers a $6-per-tail bounty on the nutria, a programme thats paid out more than $30m for over 6 million kills. In California, wildlife officials are using scent dogs to track nutria through state wetlands. Nutria have been confirmed across Merced, Stanislaus, Fresno, San Joaquin, Fresno, Mariposa, Sacramento, Madera, and Tuolumne Counties, according to state officials. Due to their feeding habits, up to 10 times the amount of plant material consumed is destroyed, causing extensive damage to the native plant community, soil structure, and nearby agricultural crop, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The loss of plant cover and soil organic matter results in severe erosion of soils, in some cases converting marsh to open water. The animals also burrow deeply into wetlands themselves to make homes, further eroding soils. Neuty may go free, but the days of his far-flung cousins may be numbered. Helicopters, a SWAT truck and other police vehicles swarmed Granite City High School Wednesday morning after the school received a threat of violence that was later determined to be not credible. The practice of swatting, or making a hoax call to prompt a law enforcement response, was been committed at least a dozen times in Illinois Wednesday alone, and schools all across the U.S. have faced the same issue. Individuals calling in fake threats often spoof their phone numbers and pretend to be someone else. Whether the call is a joke or an attempt to harass, it is still illegal. People who call in these swatting attempts usually tell the police that the victim is a violent criminal or is holding hostages, Business Insider noted in an August 2022 article. These sorts of reports cause police to act quickly, usually without verifying the report, to stop the supposed criminal as fast as possible. High schools in Mount Vernon, Chicago, Rockford, Dixon, Freeport and Carbondale were among the Illinois communities to be targeted with false threats of violence Wednesday. Heres what to know about swatting in Illinois, including penalties. Is swatting illegal in Illinois? Yes. Knowingly calling 911 with a false report can result in a felony in Illinois under a 2019 law amending the Criminal Code of 2012. Making hoax threats through email, text or social media is a federal crime, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Residents of Illinois and Missouri have previously been charged with making false reports to draw a law enforcement response. How can swatting be prevented? Cybersecurity company Fortinet says one of the best ways to protect your identity from being used in a swatting event is to regularly review your privacy settings and update your passwords. Two-factor authentication can also be helpful to secure your accounts. Avoid sharing information about your home address or workplace online, Fortinet advises, as this could be used for identity theft. If you receive a swatting threat or have knowledge of a plan to engage in swatting, you can report to the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or use the FBIs online tip form. Hannah Bourne-Taylor protested against the decline of the bird population A campaign to force developers to incorporate special bricks for nesting birds will be discussed in Parliament. A petition to make so-called swift bricks compulsory in new buildings has gained more than the 100,000 signatures needed for a debate by MPs. Oxfordshire campaigner Hannah Bourne-Taylor previously marched through London painted as a bird to protest against the decline of swifts. She said the petition proved people cared about their "wild neighbours". "We are connected and we will unite for the nature on our doorsteps," she said. Ms Bourne-Taylor wants all new buildings to incorporate bricks with holes that can become nesting environments for four declining UK species: swifts, house sparrows, house martins and starlings. In December, the government responded to the campaign, saying: "We welcome actions by developers to provide swift bricks, however government considers this a matter for local authorities, depending upon the specific circumstances of each site." It added that swift bricks were already mentioned in government planning guidance but would not be appropriate in every development, such as some high-density schemes or places where there was insufficient connectivity to wildlife. More than half of many bird species in the UK have disappeared from the skies in just 20 years, partly because of a lack of suitable nesting sites, according to Emma Marsh, executive director for RSPB. Hannah Bourne-Taylor marched through London painted as a bird Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. Anti-vaccine advocates are claiming Switzerland banned Covid-19 shots, suggesting they do not work. This is false; the Swiss government is not recommending vaccination for spring and summer 2023 because the coronavirus has been circulating at low levels and its population already has widespread immunity -- in part due to the jabs, which authorities say are safe and effective and remain available on a case-by-case basis. "Switzerland bans the COVID vaccines," said Robert Malone, who leveraged his credentials as a scientist to become a star in anti-vaccine circles during the pandemic, in an April 8, 2023 tweet. Screenshot from Twitter taken April 11, 2023 Similar posts spread across Twitter and platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, amplified by right-wing figures and other anti-vaccine activists and groups. Many attributed the rumor to an April 7 article from Report 24, a German website that has previously promoted misinformation about vaccination. The story claims the Swiss government has withdrawn all its recommendations for Covid-19 shots. But the posts omit context from guidelines that Switzerland's Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) released days earlier. "The conclusions drawn by some voices online following the updated vaccination recommendation are incorrect," said Simon Ming, a spokesman for the FOPH, in an April 12 email. What the guidance says Switzerland's decision to not recommend Covid-19 vaccines for spring and summer 2023 is based on the virus's low prevalence and the population's high level of immunity, achieved through vaccination and prior infection. "This is not a ban but is rather an approach to setting vaccine recommendations that is tailored to their own country's need," said Cindy Prins, clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, in an April 11 email. More than 98 percent of the country has antibodies against Covid-19, according to the recommendations, which the agency published in English, German, Italian and French. Story continues "Nearly everyone in Switzerland has been vaccinated and/or contracted and recovered from Covid-19. Their immune system has therefore been exposed to the coronavirus," Ming said. He added that Switzerland has not changed its assessment of the safety of authorized Covid-19 shots. High-risk individuals can still access the vaccines after consulting a doctor, the FOPH's website says. That includes people who are older than 65, have chronic health conditions or are pregnant. "Vaccination may be wise in individual cases, as it improves protection against developing severe Covid-19 for several months," the agency's recommendations say. The FOPH plans to update its guidelines ahead of the fall and winter seasons, but Ming told AFP they could change earlier if Switzerland's epidemiological situation and immunity levels shift. Shots still available Novavax, an American biotechnology company, told AFP its Covid-19 vaccine had "not been banned from Switzerland" as of April 11. Pfizer also confirmed its vaccine is still available in Switzerland. Swissmedic, the agency that authorizes drugs and medical products, on April 11 approved Pfizer's bivalent booster shot for people aged 12 and older. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the vaccine will still be administered on a case-by-case basis. "The Swiss government's guidance is for now -- it's not retroactive -- and can only be interpreted in the context of the widespread population immunity that exists in Switzerland today in which continued vaccination of low-risk persons may be of marginal value," he said in an April 11 email. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends Americans stay up to date on their vaccinations. The agency says millions of people have received the Covid-19 shots, which are subjected to rigorous safety monitoring and testing. AFP has debunked other misinformation about Covid-19 here. BAMYAN, Afghanistan, April 12 (Xinhua) -- At least three commuters were killed and six others were injured as a vehicle turned turtle in Afghanistan's central Bamyan province on Tuesday, provincial police spokesperson Muhammad Khawani Rasa said on Wednesday. Without providing more details, the official said all the injured had been taken to hospital for medical treatment. In the meantime, provincial director for information and culture Mawlawi Saifurahman Mohammadi has identified all the victims as police personnel, adding that it was a police vehicle that faced an accident on Tuesday. This is the fifth road accident in Afghanistan since last Wednesday. Six more people had been killed and 15 others injured in separate road accidents. Dilapidated roads, lack of security measures during travel, using old vehicles and reckless driving are often blamed for road accidents in Afghanistan. (Bloomberg) -- Swiss parliaments lower house voted against approving 109 billion francs ($120 billion) in government guarantees for UBS Group AGs takeover of Credit Suisse Group AG a symbolic show of popular and political discontent with the deal. Most Read from Bloomberg In total, 102 lawmakers in the lower house cast their ballot against the motion, 71 were in favor and two abstained in the vote, held just before midnight in the Swiss capital Bern. If climate was a bank, the government would already have saved it, said Balthasar Glaettli, president of the Greens, who rejected the bill. Parliament doesnt have the power to stop the takeover negotiated last month, as the government already got approval from a small group of senior lawmakers the so-called financial delegation on the weekend the deal was hashed out. That six-member body has the right to sign off on urgent fiscal matters on behalf of parliament. Still, the rejection stands in contrast to the upper house which had given its green light earlier on Tuesday. It highlights the anger among lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum ahead of national elections later this year. The bill will now be sent back to the upper house for further debate. Those deliberations will resume at 8:30 a.m. local time in Bern, with the lower house meeting again at 11:45 a.m. Heres how the situation might be resolved: Before rejecting the guarantees, the lower house had added provisions that seek to adjust the banking law to limit the risks to the state from systemically relevant banks. The lower house wants the upper to support this stipulation. Once that happens, the lower house could sign off on the deal. Story continues Still, the standoff is largely symbolic. The government had said that if parliament refuses subsequent approval, it will be tantamount to a political reprimand for the financial delegation, with no legal effect. The lower houses rebuff of the government-brokered deal came despite repeated speeches by senior government ministers that the UBS takeover was the best of a limited number of options. Swiss President Alain Berset said earlier on Tuesday that Credit Suisses negative spiral spurred his government into action and that together with the Swiss National Bank and the countrys banking regulator had in a decisive manner to restore confidence. The politicians disagreed. (Updates with lawmaker in third paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. By Noele Illien BERN (Reuters) -Switzerland's parliament rejected on Wednesday the government's 109 billion Swiss francs ($120.82 billion) aid for Credit Suisse's merger with UBS, leaving the fallen bank's hastily arranged rescue without a largely symbolic parliamentary blessing. While the upper house had approved the government's contribution to the rescue package, parliament's lower, and larger chamber, pushed back again on Wednesday. It had already rejected the proposals in a late night session on Tuesday, forcing the upper house to find a solution when it met again on Wednesday. Seeking a compromise, the upper house passed changes to the measure on Wednesday morning, but it was not enough to sway the lower house lawmakers. They turned it down by 103 votes to 71 in favour, a similar level of opposition to the night before. Speaking just before the lower house vote, Cedric Wermuth, the co-president of the Social Democrats said the party just could not support the funding. While the government's commitment, made using emergency law, cannot be overturned, the vote marks a symbolic rebuke for the authorities, whose decision to largely bypass the nation's legislative has angered many politicians. "This decision has no impact on the takeover of Credit Suisse decided on March 19," the Swiss Finance Ministry said after the vote. The support package had already been given binding approval by the parliament's finance delegation, due to the urgency of the matter, it said. "The funds have already been fully committed," it added. Lawmakers who backed an approval of the deal, voiced concern about Switzerland's image. "It doesn't really matter what we decide in detail, but it would really send a bad signal if these loans were rejected," said Eva Herzog, who is a member of the Council of States, the upper house, before the vote. Following a day of heated debates held in the country's four national languages, that continued into early morning hours, the upper house passed changes aimed at winning over the sceptics. Story continues They included a proposal for Switzerland's federal government to draft an amendment to the country's Banking Act. Its aim would be to reduce the risks posed by systemically relevant banks, such as Credit Suisse and UBS for Switzerland, by, for example, raising capital requirements and restricting bonuses. Addressing parliament before the vote on Wednesday, finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter told lawmakers to consider what message their rejection of the rescue would send to the world. "What signal do you want to give internationally, are the institutions reliable, do you value financial market stability in a place where you already have a financial centre with a certain importance?" Lawmakers were recalled to the country's capital, Bern, for the rare extraordinary session to discuss the Swiss government's open chequebook response to a collapse that many in the country have blamed on Credit Suisse's top management. Last month's shotgun marriage which saw the bank taken over by rival UBS for 3 billion Swiss francs and propped up with more than 250 billion Swiss francs in guarantees and support has drawn widespread criticism. The government invoked Swiss emergency law to sign it off to the ire of the almost 250 lawmakers left without a say. "The use of emergency law has reached a level in the last three years that is beginning to annoy me," Hansjoerg Knecht, a member of Parliament's upper house, said on Tuesday. ($1 = 0.9022 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Noele Illien, additional reporting by John RevillEditing by Tomasz Janowski) BEIRUT (AP) Syria will reopen its embassy in Tunisia, state media reported Wednesday, as Syrias top diplomat visited Saudi Arabia seeking to restore ties that have been severed for more than a decade. Tunisia has become the latest Arab state to reestablish diplomatic ties with Syria, after cutting off relations in 2012. Tunisian President Kais Saied announced earlier this month that he had directed the country's foreign ministry to appoint a new ambassador to Syria. His move to appoint a new ambassador to Syria was reciprocated by the Syrian government, a joint statement from the two countries foreign ministries said Wednesday, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The announcement was the latest in a regional trend of rapprochement with the war-torn country, which has picked up pace since the massive Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the Chinese-brokered reestablishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Syria was widely shunned by Arab governments over Syrian President Bashar Assad's brutal crackdown on protesters and later civilians in an uprising turned civil war that began in 2011. The breakdown in relations culminated with Syria being ousted from the Arab League. Tunis shut down its embassy in Damascus in 2012. Earlier this year, Assad visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates, two nations that had backed fighters trying to topple his government. The Syrian government is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia to reopen their embassies in Damascus and Riyadh. A delegation headed by Syria's foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks about bilateral relations between the two countries, Syrian state media reported, the first such visit since 2012. Saudi state media reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad was received by the kingdom's Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji. The meeting focused on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves Syrias unity, security and stability, facilitates the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and secures the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected areas in Syria. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, where most states hope to restore Syrias membership, the leagues secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said. Taiwanese citizens are rushing to buy a patch worn by members of its air force that mocks Chinese President Xi Jinping amid escalating tensions between the island and mainland China. The patch shows a Formosan black bear, which is native to Taiwan, holding Taiwan's flag while punching Winnie the Pooh, which Chinese dissidents have increasingly used to mock Xi due to his supposed resemblance to the fictional teddy bear. The patch has the word, "SCRAMBLE!," at the bottom, which appears to be a nod to the Taiwanese Air Force's efforts to combat near-daily incursions by China's military in recent months. An image of a Taiwanese Air Force pilot wearing the patch was posted to social media last week. "Where can we get a patch like that! Guaranteed to be best sellers!" Taiwan's de facto embassy in the United States responded on Twitter. TOP GOP CONGRESSMAN ISSUES STARK WARNING OVER US 'VULNERABILITY' TO CHINA AFTER MEETING WITH TAIWAN PRESIDENT READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Chinese censors have increasingly cracked down on images that compare Xi to Winnie the Pooh in recent years. Last month, a horror film that features Winnie the Pooh was scrapped in Hong Kong and Macao. China's President Xi Jinping looks on as he attends a session during the G-20 Summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Nov. 16, 2022. In 2018, Disney's animated film "Christopher Robin," which includes Winnie the Pooh as a prominent character, was denied release in Chinese theaters. That same year, China cut off access to HBO after host John Oliver criticized Xi for being sensitive to the comparisons. PELOSI PRAISES MCCARTHY'S LEADERSHIP AFTER TAIWAN MEETING Alec Hsu, the designer of the patch that is now going viral in Taiwan, told Reuters that he started selling it in his shop last year and has seen a recent spike in orders. "I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch," Hsu told the news outlet. Several dozen Chinese aircraft and naval ships staged military drills around Taiwan over the weekend, prompting the Taiwanese military to put their air force and navy on alert. It comes after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen traveled to the U.S. last week to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other lawmakers. (Bloomberg) -- Lai Ching-tes mother was bitterly disappointed when the Harvard-educated doctor told her in the 1990s that he was giving up his medical career to enter politics. Most Read from Bloomberg She might forgive him now: As Taiwans vice president, Lai was confirmed Wednesday as the ruling Democratic Progressive Partys candidate in next years presidential election, a vote being watched more closely than ever from Washington to Beijing. With US-China tensions increasingly centered around Taiwan, the self-governing island Beijing claims as its own, the winner of the January 2024 election will immediately step into a role that could determine the trajectory of geopolitics and the global economy for years to come. Lai addressed the threat posed by China in a speech in Taipei following his nomination Wednesday. China needs to know that if it launches a war against Taiwan, Taiwan will suffer the most direct damage, but China would not be able to bear the global disaster it would cause, so Beijing has to be cautious, he said. To avoid war, we must prepare for war, he added. Stronger Bonds Since taking office in 2016, President Tsai Ing-wens rejection of the idea that Taiwan is just a part of China often drew criticism from an increasingly aggressive Beijing while earning the praise of policymakers from both parties in Washington. Tsais recent stops in the US, where she met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and was feted at an awards ceremony in New York, underscore the growing strength of US-Taiwan relations. I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime, McCarthy told reporters after the meeting, held at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Story continues But the US also has uneasy memories of a previous Taiwanese president, Chen Shui-bian, who frayed nerves in Washington with his unpredictable rhetoric and more robust push to cement Taiwans de facto independence. Lai, 63, reiterated in Wednesdays speech that he shares the same stance on Taiwans political status as Tsai, arguing that the island is already an independent although largely unrecognized country and that there is no need to declare independence, he has generated concern with some of his past comments. During his time as premier in 2017, he described himself as a worker for Taiwans independence. It appears to be a long-held view. During a visit to Shanghais Fudan University in 2014, when he was the mayor of Tainan city, he said independence was a consensus view in Taiwanese society. Not surprisingly, China has been critical of Lais views. In 2019, Beijings Taiwan Affairs Office described his pro-independence comments as arrogant, saying they aim to fire-up cross-strait confrontation and endanger the peaceful status on the Taiwan Straits. The offices then-spokesperson, Ma Xiaoguang, said Lais actions had completely torn the fake mask off the DPP. Accidental Politician Lai and his supporters say his previous, more-outspoken rhetoric is a thing of the past and that he has grown as a political leader. This is not just an election tactic, said Kuo Kuo-wen, a DPP lawmaker known for his close ties with Lai, in an interview. It reflects that Lai has learned the reality of Taiwans international position and the stakes of geopolitical tensions. Its still unclear who Lai could face in Januarys vote. The opposition Kuomintang, which favors closer ties with China, has yet to decide on their candidate but says it will do so by the end of June. Currently, Foxconn Technology Group founder Terry Gou and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih are the main hopefuls, according to opinion polls. KMT Chairman Eric Chu has indicated he doesnt intend to run in the election but he remains a possible outside contender. Jump Into Politics Lais politics and views on Taiwan were shaped by his upbringing. He was born in 1959 into a mining family on the coast of northern Taiwan just outside Taipei. His mother raised him and his five siblings alone after his father died when he was just two years old. His mother played a key role in his life and career choices, according to an authorized biography. He studied hard to become a doctor, getting a masters degree in public health from Harvard University, in line with his mothers aspirations for him. He then defied his mothers wishes when deciding to ditch his medical career in favor of politics in the mid-1990s. In his official biography, he describes how he was motivated to stand up for Taiwan during the Third Cross-Strait Crisis, when China fired missiles into the sea around the island in 1995 and 1996. His dissatisfaction with the KMT, which had ruled Taiwan since the 1940s, was another motivating factor, he said. Lai decided to run to be Tainans representative in the now-abolished National Assembly in 1996. His mother vigorously opposed his decision to enter politics, only relenting when she determined he had little chance of winning and would be forced to return to medicine. She was wrong: Lai won, launching what would become a successful political career that he describes as an accidental journey. He later won a seat in Taiwans legislature and then became mayor of the southern city of Tainan in 2010. As mayor, he earned a reputation for integrity. On official trips to Taipei, he would stay at his familys older, modest home rather than seek out fancier lodging. He doesnt smoke or drink alcohol and is seen as less social than many grassroots politicians. Hes also renowned for his memory giving speeches without notes and for spending time studying US, Japanese and Chinese politics. 2020 Challenge On the basis of his favorable poll ratings and reputation as a competent administrator in Tainan, Lai was tapped to serve as premier under Tsai between 2017 and 2019. That relationship fractured in 2019 when Lai quit his post to challenge Tsai for the DPPs nomination in the 2020 presidential election. Tsai ended up easily beating Lai in the party primary before extending an olive branch by making him vice president for her second term. People familiar with the situation say there is no lingering animosity between the two now and described them as having a professional and respectful relationship. As for how government policy would change under a possible President Lai, people close to him insist he will not deviate from Tsais current course of strengthening ties with Taiwans major democratic partners, such as the US, Japan and Europe. His recent speeches as vice president also reveal a concern about sustainability and Taiwans goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But China looms over it all. Taiwan is at a critical moment of survival and development, Lai wrote in a Facebook post in March, when he registered to be a presidential candidate. We must continue to strengthen Taiwan, uphold democratic values, and ensure Taiwans security. --With assistance from Cindy Wang and Debby Wu. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwans pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party nominated Vice President Lai Ching-te as its candidate in the 2024 presidential election, two days after China concluded large-scale wargames around the self-governed island. At a nominating event Wednesday, Lai said he would continue to assert Taiwans right to international recognition while boosting its high-tech economy and promoting an efficient government. We must definitely continue to improve Taiwan's investment environment, Lai, also known as William Lai, told reporters. His most challenging task, however, will be dealing with threats from China, which considers Taiwan its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. A war over Taiwan would be a global disaster, Lai said. As long as China maintains its military threats against Taiwan, we must continue to strengthen our national defense. Originally trained as a physician with a masters in public health from Harvard, Lai, 63, was a legislator, mayor of the southern city of Tainan and Taiwans premier before challenging President Tsai Ing-wen for the partys presidential nomination in 2019. After Tsai won the primary, Lai accepted her offer to be her running mate and the pair easily defeated the main opposition Nationalist Party in 2020. Tsai is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. It remains unclear who Lai will face in January's election, with the Nationalists, also known as the KMT, yet to name a candidate. Among those most favored are businessperson Terry Gou who founded electronics manufacturer Foxconn, and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih who was formerly a top police official. The Nationalists ruled Taiwan under martial law for decades after Chiang Kai-shek moved his government to the island as Mao Zedong's Communist Party seized power in mainland China in 1949 amid a bloody civil war. Democratic reforms were introduced gradually after Chiang's 1975 death and direct presidential elections were held for the first time in 1996. The DPP and Nationalists have alternated in power, although Tsai's initial 2016 election also marked the first time the DPP assumed a legislative majority. Story continues Under nationalist leader Xi Jinping, China has vastly strengthened its armed forces and routinely sends warships and planes into the air and waters near Taiwan. That threat was on display most recently as China's People's Liberation Army staged large-scale wargames over three days from Saturday, simulating an encirclement of the island in a response to a meeting April 5 in California between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. ___ Find more of APs Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific By Mohammad Yunus Yawar KABUL (Reuters) - Defence has received the largest share of funds in Afghanistan's budget as the Taliban government aims to boost forces by a third and build anti-aircraft missile capacity, the army chief told Reuters in a rare interview to foreign media. The defence ambitions of the Taliban, which took over in 2021, come in the face of strong international criticism of its policies, such as restrictions on work and education for women, that have hampered steps towards diplomatic recognition. In his remarks on Tuesday, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, a Taliban commander from the northern region of Badakhshan and the chief of army staff, condemned incursions by foreign drones into Afghan airspace. Defence forces now numbering 150,000 are targeted to be increased by 50,000, he said, speaking in his office in the highly fortified defence ministry in Kabul, the capital, although he did not reveal the precise figure of the funds. "The ministry of defence is the top-ranked in the budget," he said, adding that it received a significantly higher sum than other ministries, as it was a priority in the budget, which is largely funded by boosted tax and customs revenue. Since their takeover, the Taliban have spent 1-1/2 years building a civilian administration and a national military out of an insurgent force that fought a 20-year war against foreign forces and the previous U.S.-backed Afghan government. No foreign nation has formally recognised the government, which is battling economic headwinds following sanctions on the banking sector and the cutoff of all development aid. Fitrat said a major defence focus was securing Afghan airspace against drones and other incursions. "Anti-aircraft missiles are the need of countries," he said, adding that all nations sought developed weapons to ensure the integrity of their territory and airspace, a problem Afghanistan also faced. "There is no doubt that Afghanistan is trying, and doing its best, to have it." Story continues But Fitrat declined to elaborate on where authorities were looking to procure anti-aircraft missiles from. He also stopped short of naming Pakistan, against which the Taliban administration has regularly protested, accusing its neighbour of allowing drones to enter Afghanistan. "We are doing our best to find a solution for protection of our airspace. We will work on it by using all our capability," Fitrat added. "From where we will obtain it is confidential, but we should have it." Pakistan's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pakistan officials have not confirmed whether its airspace is used for drone access to Afghanistan. "We have always tried, and will try, to solve the issue using diplomatic ways, and we have done our best to be patient regarding these cases," Fitrat said, but sounded a note of caution. "Neighbouring countries should not let our patience be exhausted." Ties between the neighbours have occasionally been tense as as Pakistan has accused the Taliban administration of allowing Afghan territory to be used as a haven for militant groups. Among these is the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which has stepped up attacks in Pakistan in recent months. The Taliban administration denies allowing its territory to be used for attacks on others, however. There have been border clashes between the forces of both, and analysts say that in the event of conflict escalating, Pakistan's airforce would give it a strong edge. Fitrat said former security personnel, who form a significant share of Afghanistan's forces, were being paid and treated in the same way as Taliban fighters. The comments follow concern voiced by international rights groups and the United Nations that some former members of Afghan security forces members were targeted or killed. While the Taliban have declared a general amnesty for former combatants, saying they would investigate cases of wrongdoing, they have not detailed legal action regarding alleged extrajudicial targeting. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban administration has said forbidding Afghan women from working for the United Nations was an "internal issue," after the global organisation expressed alarm at the decision and said it would review its operations there. In the Taliban administration's first statement on the decision since the U.N. acknowledged hearing of the new restrictions last week, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday the policy "should be respected by all sides". The United Nations has said it cannot accept the decision as it would breach its charter. It has asked all its staff not to go into its offices while it holds consultations and reviews its operations until May 5. On Tuesday, the U.N. Mission to Afghanistan said the Taliban administration would be responsible for any negative humanitarian impacts stemming from the ban. Mujahid, in a statement, blamed foreign governments for the humanitarian crisis spurred by sanctions on its banking sector and the freezing of Afghan central bank assets held overseas, some of which have been placed in a Swiss trust fund. Some diplomats and aid officials in Afghanistan and around the world have expressed concerns donors may withdraw support to Afghanistan's humanitarian aid programme, the largest in the world, and that implementing programmes and reaching women in the conservative country would not be possible without female workers. Taliban authorities in December said most Afghan female NGO workers would not be allowed to work. The U.N. humanitarian agency has said a huge funding plan for Afghanistan for 2023 is less than 5% funded. "If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease and death," it said on Wednesday. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona. John Shearer/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Taylor Swift has perfected the art of the breakup anthem. Her lyrics explore a range of post-heartbreak feelings, from regret and anger to despair and yearning. "All Too Well" is her best breakup song of all time. "Dear John" and "The 1" round out the top three. 13. "The Story of Us" "The Story of Us" was released as a single in 2011. Taylor Swift/YouTube While promoting "Speak Now," her entirely self-written third album, Swift told New York Magazine, "It's not like I am bulletproof in any sense of the word." Luckily, Swift's thin skin and tender heart are her most valuable weapons as a songwriter. In the album's fourth single, "The Story of Us," we see how brief interruptions in her life are turned into massive ruptures, commensurate to the pain they cause. A run-in with an ex at an awards show is spun into a tragic epic of Odyssean proportions. A "simple complication" ends in agony. A moment of silence becomes screaming. Highlight verse: I'm scared to see the ending Why are we pretending this is nothing? I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how I've never heard silence quite this loud 12. "Forever & Always" "Forever & Always" is the 11th track on "Fearless (Taylor's Version)." Theo Wargo/WireImage "Forever & Always" walks a delicate line between fretting and sneering. After Swift opens the song with an image of budding romance and reassurance, she immediately quips, "Were you just kidding?" Later, she accuses her ex of running away from earnest affection "like a scared little boy." But for all her projected strength, Swift is still tortured by these questions. You can practically hear her pacing around her bedroom, still caught in the fever of first love, trying to pinpoint the moment when it all went wrong. Highlight verse: Was I out of line? Did I say something way too honest, made you run and hide Like a scared little boy? I looked into your eyes Thought I knew you for a minute Now I'm not so sure 11. "Last Kiss" "Last Kiss" is the 13th track on "Speak Now." Larry Busacca/Getty Images The release of "Speak Now" marked a distinct period of growth in Swift's life. As Jon Caramanica noted for the New York Times, her first two albums were partially shrouded by daydreams and high-school dalliances. Story continues After "Fearless," Swift was forced to live in the open air and in the spotlight. "In these new songs relationships are no longer fantasies, or neutered; they're lived-in places, where bodies share space," Caramanica wrote. The gut-wrenching, six-minute ballad "Last Kiss" bears the unmistakable bruises of lived-in places and warm bodies. The title itself evokes an intimate touch, a lingering tingle. The sudden absense of those sensations make them feel even more tactile and real: "The beat of your heart / It jumps through your shirt," "But now I'll go / Sit on the floor wearing your clothes." Highlight verse: So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe And I'll keep up with our old friends Just to ask them how you are Hope it's nice where you are 10. "Holy Ground" "Holy Ground" is the 11th track on "Red." John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images Swift's fourth album is packed with tear-jerkers and post-breakup bangers ("Red," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "The Moment I Knew") and "Red (Taylor's Version)" even more so ("Better Man," "I Bet You Think About Me," "The Very First Night"). But the high-octane "Holy Ground" stands out like an explosive. The song is a reminiscence; an anecdotal detour from the album's larger arc of love and loss. The heartbreak at its center is a few years removed, which allows Swift to play around with pace and perspective. "Holy Ground" also brings a rare glimmer of humor to this ruinous list. The final couplet in the first verse, "I left a note on the door with a joke we'd made / And that was the first day," is the kind of self-aware punch line that 22-year-old Swift was destined to write. If you're itching to criticize her for falling too fast and too hard, she's already beaten you to it. Highlight verse: Took off faster than a green light, go Hey, you skip the conversation when you already know I left a note on the door with a joke we'd made And that was the first day 9. "Picture to Burn" "Picture to Burn" was released as a single in 2008. Taylor Swift/YouTube It's well documented that Swift raised a new generation of songwriters, but "Picture to Burn" should have its own monument in her new republic. Grammy nominees like Olivia Rodrigo and GAYLE have both cited the song as a childhood seed of inspiration and rebellion. The fourth single from Swift's debut album is a thrilling, raucous ode to getting pissed off and lobbing threats at your shitty ex, even if they're really just delusions of grandeur. "Picture to Burn" isn't really a song about revenge, after all. It's about catharsis. It's also hands-down one of Swift's best songs to sing in the car (preferrably a pickup truck) with all the windows rolled down. Highlight verse: I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive You're a redneck heartbreak who's really bad at lying So, watch me strike a match on all my wasted time As far as I'm concerned, you're just another picture to burn 8. "Hits Different" "Hits Different" is the 14th track on "Midnights (Target Exclusive)." Ethan Miller/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management At the time of writing, "Hits Different" is only available on Target's exclusive lavender edition of the "Midnights" CD. Some fans have theorized that Swift is saving the song for something special perhaps a partnership with Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie, due to Swift's pointed Ken reference in the second verse and the song's general beachfront vibe, befitting a '90s chick flick. These fans may be on to something, purely because "Hits Different" is worthy of all the attention it can get. The song is so good that it manages to transcend a title that's a little too on the nose. In fact, being a little too on the nose is the whole point of the song: "I pictured you with other girls, in love / Then threw up on the street," Swift sings in the first verse. She's pulling out all the stops and she's not embarrassed one bit. The bridge in particular is brilliantly manic, one of Swift's best yet. "You were the one that I loved / Don't need another metaphor, it's simple enough," she declares and then, in the very next breath, uses a simile and a film metaphor: "A wrinkle in time like the crease by your eyes / This is why they shouldn't kill off the main guy." Highlight verse: Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief In the good in the world, you once believed in me And I felt you and I held you for a while Bet I could still melt your world Argumentative, antithetical dream girl 7. "Champagne Problems" "Champagne Problems" is the second track on "Evermore." Omar Vega/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management "Champagne Problems" is perhaps the least autobiographical song on this list, but it will resonate with any woman who fears this whisper behind closed doors: "What a shame she's fucked in the head." Swift's narrator is headstrong yet remorseful, independent yet nostalgic. She didn't want to get married, but that doesn't mean she won't miss that familiar Chevy door swinging open, or a borrowed flannel draped around her shoulders in the crisp November air. Highlight verse: One for the money, two for the show I never was ready so I watch you go Sometimes you just don't know the answer 'Til someone's on their knees and asks you "She would've made such a lovely bride What a shame she's fucked in the head," they said But you'll find the real thing instead She'll patch up your tapestry that I shred 6. "Death by a Thousand Cuts" "Death by a Thousand Cuts" is the 10th track on "Lover." Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Swift said she was inspired to write "Death by a Thousand Cuts" after watching Netflix's "Someone Great." (Fittingly, the film's writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson was actually inspired by Swift's album "1989," especially its closing track "Clean," which will appear farther down this list.) The film's protagonist Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) is forced to reckon with the demise of her 9-year-relationship after landing her dream job, which will take her thousands of miles away. "It's a movie about how she has to end this relationship that she didn't want to end because she's still in love with the person but they just grew apart and he's not a jerk," Swift said on Elvis Duran's morning radio show. "It's just sad because it's just realistic, time passed and now we're different people and that is the most devastating thing." In "Death by a Thousand Cuts," Swift imagines a bygone relationship as a house she can't get into anymore. Now she can only peer through the windows, catch glimpses of the flickering chandeliers. She goes through life begging for a clear sign green means go, red means stop only to be met with yellow lights. And as if those verses aren't harrowing enough, just wait for the bridge a breathless inventory of moments, feelings, and body parts. They should belong to her now, but instead, they're constant reminders of the life she once shared. Highlight verse: My heart, my hips, my body, my love Trying to find a part of me that you didn't touch Gave up on me like I was a bad drug Now I'm searching for signs in a haunted club Our songs, our films, united we stand Our country, guess it was a lawless land Quiet my fears with the touch of your hand Paper cut stings from our paper-thin plans My time, my wine, my spirit, my trust Trying to find a part of me you didn't take up Gave you too much, but it wasn't enough But I'll be alright, it's just a thousand cuts 5. "Right Where You Left Me" "Right Where You Left Me" is the 16th track on "Evermore (Deluxe Version)." Omar Vega/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management "Right Where You Left Me" is something like a spiritual sister of "All Too Well." Swift doesn't forget stuff. It's her whole thing. In her own words, "I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put 'em." But sometimes that superpower is her own worst enemy. When you remember everything that's ever happened to you every touch, every kiss, every candlelit conversation moments of solitude feel extra lonely. When you remember the contours of a lover's face like you're looking in a mirror, simply "moving on" just isn't an option. "Right Where You Left Me" is the most acute illustration of yearning in Swift's catalog. She allows the dust to settle over her body, welcomes the muscle cramps from sitting eternally cross-legged. Once the outro hits and she's openly beseeching her ex to return, it doesn't feel pathetic because she's brought you into the restaurant with her. Sitting in that seat, it feels like the only reasonable request. Highlight verse: Dust collected on my pinned-up hair I'm sure that you got a wife out there Kids and Christmas, but I'm unaware 'Cause I'm right where I cause no harm Mind my business If our love died young I can't bear witness And it's been so long But if you ever think you got it wrong I'm right where You left me 4. "Clean" "Clean" is the 13th track on "1989." Liu Xingzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images As I previously wrote, "Clean" is the perfect closing track for "1989," an album that follows Swift as she struggles to recover from an on-and-off romance. Swift and her cowriter Imogen Heap employ a swirl of twinkling synths, soothing melodies, and a cascade of metaphors to capture the suffocation of heartbreak and the relief of taking your first deep breath on the other side, knowing what you went through to get yourself there. The title is a particularly brilliant double entendre, with Swift comparing her healing process to both rain and sobriety. Highlight verse: Ten months sober, I must admit Just because you're clean don't mean you don't miss it Ten months older, I won't give in Now that I'm clean, I'm never gonna risk it 3. "The 1" "The 1" is the opening track on "Folklore." Ethan Miller/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management "The 1" sets the scene for Swift's best and most haunting album. Although several songs from "Folklore" could be on this list, "The 1" is a unique and precious gem in Swift's heartbreak arsenal. It's a song that's less about breaking up with a person and more about breaking up as a concept. It's about missing a feeling of security and certainty that you never actually had the greatest film of all time that was never made. It's about writing letters you'll never send, digging up graves, waiting at the bus stop, and waking up alone. It's wistful, melancholic, and cautiously hopeful all at once. Highlight verse: I persist and resist the temptation to ask you If one thing had been different Would everything be different today? 2. "Dear John" "Dear John" is the fifth track on "Speak Now." Larry Busacca/Getty Images When "Speak Now" was released, Swift wasn't shy about framing the album as a diary set to music. As she told Chris Willman for Yahoo! Music, she was confident that every muse would recognize themselves in her lyrics. "They're all made very clear," Swift said. "Every single song is like a roadmap to what that relationship stood for, with little markers that maybe everyone won't know, but there are things that were little nuances of the relationship, little hints. And every single song is like that." "Dear John" is the most obvious example, most likely owing its title to Swift's ex John Mayer (while doubling as a nod to the wartime idiom for a breakup letter, historically sent from a woman to a soldier). Indeed, the tabloid fodder attached to "Dear John" may have threatened to eclipse the song's power had 20-year-old Swift been a less capable songwriter. "It might seem sensationalistic to focus on 'Dear John' at the expense of the rest of the album if it didn't feel like it might be her masterpiece to date, or at least the most bracingly, joltingly honest song you've heard any major performer have the nerve to put on record in years," Willman wrote in his review of "Speak Now," comparing the rock-infused takedown to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep." "But while Lennon's song came off as mean-spirited," Willman continued, "Swift was motivated by vulnerability and woundedness, which makes her song far braver... and more cutting." Highlight verse: You are an expert at sorry and keeping lines blurry Never impressed by me acing your tests All the girls that you've run dry have tired lifeless eyes 'Cause you burned them out But I took your matches before fire could catch me So don't look now I'm shining like fireworks over your sad empty town 1. "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" is the 30th track on "Red (Taylor's Version)." John Shearer/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management "All Too Well" remained a pet favorite among Swifties for nearly a decade. When I ranked it as the fifth-best song of the 2010s, I distinctly remember friends (who were unfamililar with Swift's deep cuts) reaching out to ask me, "Really? This one?" "Red (Taylor's Version)" offered long-awaited vindication. Thanks to a brilliantly targeted promotional campaign, complete with a Grammy-nominated short film and norm-breaking performance on "Saturday Night Live," Swift's 10-minute power ballad is finally known far and wide as her greatest work to date. Few artists could admit to being maimed in the name of love and emerge stronger than ever elegantly, triumphantly intact. Highlight verse: And I was never good at telling jokes, but the punch line goes "I'll get older, but your lovers stay my age" From when your Brooklyn broke my skin and bones I'm a soldier who's returning half her weight And did the twin flame bruise paint you blue? Just between us, did the love affair maim you too? 'Cause in this city's barren cold I still remember the first fall of snow And how it glistened as it fell I remember it all too well Read the original article on Insider Thomas Valva murio congelado en el garaje de su casa en enero de 2020 (Handout) Thomas Valva died of hypothermia on 17 January 2020, after spending the night on the frigid floor of his NYPD officer fathers garage. He was only eight years old. Thomas and his brothers Anthony and Andrew spent half of their time with their father, former NYPD officer Michael Valva, and his then-fiancee Angela Pollina after Valva divorced the boys mother Justyna Zubko-Valva in 2017. Ms Zubko-Valva fought hard against the decision. She documented the bruises on her childrens bodies and send the Department of Child Protectives Services a flash drive with 320 files of evidence of abuse. But the gruesome extent of the abuse that Thomas and his brothers endured only came on full display after Valva and Pollina were charged with his murder after locking Thomas in their Long Island homes unheated garage and letting him freeze to death. Pollina sent videos of Thomas lying in the cold and freezing to Valva, who was on a shift that night, local journalist Lisa Finn reported on Patch. When paramedics arrived the next morning, it was 19 degrees outside and they found Thomas naked, with no blankets and his sweatpants pulled down to his knees. He died at the hospital from organ failure caused by hypothermia. Valva and Pollina have since been found guilty of murder and child endangerment. Pollinas sentence to 25 years in prison this week comes nearly four months after Valva was handed down a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years served. Pollina was sentenced to 25 years behind bars on 11 April, nearly four months after Valva was handed down a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years served. During Pollinas sentencing, Suffolk County Court Judge Timothy P Mazzei had harsh words. My only regret, Miss Polina, is they dont have a garage with no heat and no mattress and no blankets and no pillows, he said. Heres everything we know about the egregious case: The Valva house of horrors According to a 2020 indictment, Patch reported that Thomas and his brothers slept in a room that had no access to a bathroom. The garage was often referred to as the childrens room. Story continues Any time they soiled themselves, they were punished by being forced to sleep on the floor without blankets or pillows, prosecutors said. (ABC/Screengrab) (Michael Valva/ Suffolk County) A Suffolk County assistant district attorney at the time also said that a video of Thomas was recorded as he was shaking on the cold floor with pleading eyes for someone to help him. Text messages around the time of Thomas death also show that Pollina allegedly sent a video of the boy to his father before going to bed, and asking whether she should send him to school the next morning. Valva allegedly answered: F*** that piece of s*** Thomas. Hes not going anywhere. Two hours before the 911 call was made, surveillance footage captured Pollina hosing Thomas down with water, according to Fox. Thomas body was 76.1 degrees when he was found When paramedics arrived at the home, they found Thomas lifeless body. He only had sweatpants on, which were pulled down below his knees. As EMTs tried to bring his pulse back, Valva reportedly showed no emotion, according to Patch. His body temperature was 76.1 degrees and he died that same day at the hospital of organ failure. Angela Pollina is seen in court (NY Post screenshot) According to the 2020 indictment, Pollina had been doing her hair when paramedics arrived at the home and only arrived at the hospital 45 minutes later. When Valva was pressed on how he felt about the situation, he allegedly said he had been through more stressful circumstances, Patch reported. After Thomas died, Valva reportedly tried to delete the damning videos of the abuse on his phone, but authorities were able to retrieve the evidence. Mothers fight to stop abuse Ms Zubko-Valva has been outspoken about her fight with the court system to gain full custody of her children. In a video posted by Ms Zubko-Valva in 2018, one of the children tells their mother that daddy is going to put me outside and in the backyard if they say that they love their mother. Following Thomas death, Ms Zubko-Valva filed a $200m wrongful death lawsuit against several CPS caseworkers and investigators, school officials at East Moriches Union Free School District, her childrens attorneys in the custody battle and Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Hope Schwartz Zimmerman. Valva and Pollina are also named in the lawsuit. The Suffolk County Department of Social Services filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, but a judge ruled in June that some parts of the suit could proceed. According to Ms Zubko-Valvas lawsuit, Tommys death was not only foreseeable but completely preventable. For over three years, Plaintiff Justyna Zubko Valva begged, implored and pleaded with Defendants to remove Tommy, as well as his two brothers, Anthony and Andrew, the filing, reviewed by The Independent reads, from the custody of [Valva and Pollina] who had abused, starved and tortured the children for years. The Defendants did nothing. Thomas was emaciated before he died Testifying in Suffolk County Court, Thomas teachers recalled giving snacks to the boy, who was so emaciated that he would eat crumbs off the school floor, and hoping that Pollina wouldnt find out and retaliate against the children. The schools principal also testified during the trial that the children often arrived at school with scratches on their faces, their cheeks red and cold to the touch, and covered in faeces and urine. Michelle Cagliano, who taught Thomass second-grade class at East Moriches Elementary School, testified in Valvas trial last year. She said that Thomas was hungry so often that she decided to keep journal entries every time that he asked for food, according to the New York Post. She often gave him snacks and sent him to the cafeteria, but would later face disapproval from Pollina, who allegedly said Thomas was manipulative and a liar. He was so skinny, Ms Cagliano as she held back tears. I could feel the bones in his body. In one instance, Ms Cagliano recalled before the court, she gave Thomas a pear and cracker after he soiled his pants in 2018, which unleashed Ms Pollinas rage. She was not happy with me, Ms Cagliano said. CPS lines were flooded with complaints of abuse School principal Edward Schneyer also took the stand in the trial against Valva. Mr Schneyer said that Thomas was extremely emaciated and that he and his older brother Anthony, then 10, would attend school soiled in urine and feces. We felt as a team we were not getting the results we wanted to see, Mr Schneyer said. We decided as a team we were going to just flood the CPS hotline with calls. The principal said that the reports led to accusations from Valva that school officials were harassing his family. School officials said they flooded the CPS lines with reports of abuse. It is unclear why the children were not removed from Valvas care after the many alleged reports but Ms Zubko-Valva filed a wrongful death lawsuit against school and CPS workers claiming that her desperate calls for help and their childrens suffering were blatantly ignored. NEW YORK (AP) Every New York City mayor has waged war and mostly lost against one of humanitys most cunning and enduring foe: rattus norvegicus. But has the citys vilest enemy, better known as the common brown rat, finally met its match? Mayor Eric Adams introduced a former elementary school teacher and anti-rat activist as his new rat czar on Wednesday. Officially, Kathleen Corradi, the mayor's new hire, will be known as the director of rodent mitigation. Corradi is tasked with battling the potentially millions of rats lurking in myriad urban nooks and crannies, subway tunnels and empty lots. Hers is a new job, which the city advertised with a help-wanted ad seeking applicants who are bloodthirsty, possess killer instincts" and could commit to the wholesale slaughter" of rats. "When I first saw this job posting, I wasnt sure if it was real. Blood thirsty is not a word you usually see in a job description and its certainly not a word I usually (use to) describe myself," Corradi said in a news conference at a Harlem park. Youll be seeing a lot of me and a lot less rats, she vowed. Rats have long bedeviled the city, a top public concern along with crime, homelessness and exorbitant rents. No traps nor poisonous bait have fully succeeded in reducing their numbers. Rats have thrived in subway tunnels and burrows within empty lots and city parks. Rats are smart, they are resilient, said Adams, a Democrat. Many of us live in communities where rats think they run the city." Over the past year, residents have called in almost 3.2 million rat sightings to the city's 311 service request line, just shy of the record number of complaints in 2021. Rats have proven to be one of the most formidable opponents that humans have faced. Here in New York City, were locked in a constant battle, said Councilmember Erik Bottcher, whose district includes Times Square. New York City's approach is in contrast to some efforts by animal-rights advocates in Paris, where there could be more rats than its 2.2 million people, perhaps twice as many, according to some estimates. A strike by garbage workers left some streets teeming with rats. Story continues The animal rights group Paris Animaux Zoopolis has been trying to convince Parisians that rats are not our enemies! Adams thinks otherwise. As Brooklyn borough president, he once showed reporters a bucket filled with a toxic soup meant to drown rats. There were people that were yelling, you know, Oh you murderer. You murderer!' the mayor said. You know, we cant be philosophical about things that impact the quality of life of New Yorkers. And hes had trouble controlling them even outside the Brooklyn townhouse he owns something he mentioned in jest Wednesday. In February, the mayor challenged a pair of citations issued to him by his own health department for not doing enough to control rodents outside the townhouse. The administrative judge sided with the mayor on one citation but ordered him to pay $300 for the other. In November, the mayor signed legislation intended to reduce the citys rat problems, including new rules limiting how long garbage can sit out on curbs. The fewer rats the better, said Nina Daugherty, a Harlem resident who came upon the news conference while jogging through a local park. Corradi's first task will be to launch a rat mitigation zone in Harlem, where the city will invest $3.5 million to roll out an accelerated rat reduction plan deploying 19 full-time and 14 seasonal employees to combat rats. Strategies that work in Harlem will be extended elsewhere. Besides the ick, factor, rats can spread disease like leptospirosis. On rare occasions, the ailment can lead to meningitis and cause the kidneys and liver to fail. Corradi said her job will be to combat rats by taking away their food sources often garbage and food scraps. I have a long history with rats, she said. As a 10-year-old, she gathered signatures for an anti-rat petition in her neighborhood. She also led efforts by New York City schools to control the vermin in school buildings. Its not the first time a New York mayor has appointed a rat czar. Rudy Giuliani anointed one of his deputy mayors to handle the job although Corradi will be the city's first director of rodent mitigation. During his time in office, Giuliani established a task force, which spawned a boot camp called the rodent academy that still produces cadres of foot soldiers hoping to vanquish the city's army of rats. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio budgeted more than $30 million in his own failed bid to conquer rats. One plan relied on dry ice to suffocate rats in their burrows. It proved comedic at one demonstration for journalists when workers chased but never caught one of the fleeing vermin. Everyone tried, Adams said, acknowledging the city's noble efforts and ultimate failures. ""We needed someone that was going to put all the pieces together and all the players together to coordinate this entire symphony of fighters. We needed a maestro. Ted Cruz. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Ted Cruz said stationing armed police in schools, as banks do, would help stop school shootings. On March 30, Cruz suggested that children should be protected with guns, like bank deposits are. On April 10, a shooter in Kentucky opened fire at a bank, killing at least five people. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas recently proposed a solution to school shootings: stationing as many armed police officers in schools as there are in banks. Less than two weeks later, a shooter in Kentucky opened fire at a bank, killing at least five people and injuring eight others. "You know, when you go to the bank, and you deposit money in the bank, there are armed police officers at the bank. Why? Because we want to protect the money we save. Why on earth do we protect a stupid deposit more than our children?" Cruz said on March 30. "We have an opportunity right now to double the police officers on campus and keep kids safe," Cruz added. He reiterated the sentiment in a tweet on March 31. Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 31, 2023 Cruz's proposed bill on school safety, which he has been pushing for months, was blocked in the Senate on March 30. The senator's insistence that banks are a paragon of safety and security came days before a 25-year-old bank employee opened fire on his colleagues. Cruz has made widely panned suggestions on how to stop gun violence in the past. After the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, where a shooter killed 21 people, Cruz floated a bizarre idea for preventing school shootings: having a "single point of entry" in schools. "Fire exits should only open out. At that single point of entry, we should have multiple armed police officers or, if need be, military veterans trained to provide security and keep our children safe," Cruz said in an interview with Fox News on May 27. Story continues Cruz was booed at a September festival in Austin after his comments on gun legislation. At the festival, Cruz suggested that violence "is actually the only thing" that helps stop violence a common right-wing talking point often trotted out by the National Rifle Association. Days after the Uvalde shooting, Cruz refused to cancel his appearance at the NRA's leadership conference in Houston. Justifying his decision, he told CBS News that the NRA "stands up for your rights, stands up for my rights, and stands up for the rights of every American." Texas has the highest firearm mortality rate of any state, with 4,164 firearm-related deaths in 2020, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Representatives for Cruz did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Marco Asensio celebrates scoring Madrids second goal as Kai Havertz looks on (AP) A scoreline that could have been much worse, but from a match that fully showed how emphatically superior Real Madrid were. Chelsea may well have seen a 2-0 deficit as some way respectable before this game, given everything that has happened for both of these clubs in the last year, but the reality is they are going to have to overcome a lot more than that. Frank Lampard will no doubt point to how they were two goals down to Napoli in that season-turning tie back in 2011-12 but this isnt 2012 and Real Madrid very much are not that Napoli. Carlo Ancelottis side looked very much the champions of Europe here. That might make the scale of the defeat feel respectable for Chelsea, and the sort of performance where they will talk of pride in the effort, but they were chasing a far better team all night. It was a lesson in so many senses. Madrid looked like they treated it as if they were on the schoolyard. The main threat seems like it might be complacency, but even that feels far-fetched given Chelsea went yet another game without scoring. There was an unmistakable arrogance to how Madrid played, which itself was a vintage illustration of how winning the Champions League actually elevated this young team to another level. It was very different to how Carlo Ancelottis side approached this fixture last season. Then again, it is a very different Chelsea, who have gone through so much since then. So has Lampard. Some of Madrids arrogance might admittedly have been down to how naive Chelseas starting tactics seemed. Lampard put out what seemed a protective formation, only for his team to be strikingly open. There was so much space for Madrid to go at. Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema were shredding their backline, interlinking for some wonderfully intricate moves that would inevitably see the Brazilian tearing away at speed. It was just as inevitable that these two would combine for the opening goal. With Vinicius opening Chelsea further through his movement alone, Dani Carvajal clipped a ball over the top and the Brazilian looked to guide a shot towards goal. Kepa Arrizabalaga couldnt hold it and there, of course, was Benzema. That made it his 11th goal in eight matches against English sides in the last year. Story continues Karim Benzema taps home from close range (Reuters) There was the constant threat of more. The only danger on the other side was that Madrids arrogance left them more open than usual. Ancelotti also has them playing 15 yards further up the pitch without Casemiro there. While he would usually have Eduardo Camavinga there, the Madrid manager instead opted to put the midfielder to left-back. Reece James did look like he had the beating of Camavinga. The offset was that any time James even moved five yards forward, Vinicius was ready to launch. He definitely had the beating of the right-back in this match. It made Chelseas willingness to step up all the more risky. Madrid were always on the brink of breaking. A Chelsea defender always looked on the brink of breaking point. So it was when Federico Valverde played a ball over the top for Rodrygo and Ben Chilwell evidently felt he had no choice but to pull him down. Ben Chilwell hauls down Rodrygo and concedes a penalty (Reuters) There were again questions to be asked about Chelseas defensive shape, and now Lampard had to find a solution to being a man down. It really just meant it wasnt long until he had to find a solution to being 2-0 down. The manner of it might irritate Lampard, though. Marco Asensio had so much space at the edge of the box and just fired it through Chelseas backline and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Many of Lampards players might have done better for that goal, but the real issue was that it could have already been so much worse. Madrid had so much control. It was the natural difference between one team who have been intelligently constructed to an idea over three years and one who have almost thrown a second squad on top of their long-standing squad and brought back a caretaker manager who wasnt good enough in the first place. This was why, despite relative similarities in terms of overall quality, this tie was being talked about as if Chelsea needed to completely rely on the intangible and unexplainable sensations that the Champions League often produces. It was just that, here, they were up against a club who monopolise that. They almost had a monopoly of the ball in this game. It is going to take more than a sensation for Chelsea to turn this around. NASHVILLE, Tenn. Standing in the sun outside Tennessees Capitol Monday afternoon, and hoisting a sign that had the words thoughts and prayers crossed out in red, Karen Carter explained why she drove nearly two hours from her hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., to confront most anybody who looked like they could be a lawmaker. We look like tin-pot dictators in this state and it pisses me off as a citizen of this state, Carter said, alluding to the Republican expulsion of a pair of Democratic state representatives last week. Im angry and Im embarrassed, and Im humiliated. She was something else, too, though: nostalgic. The state would swing left-right, left-right, Republican-Democrat, Republican-Democrat, Carter recalled about Tennessees political tradition, before turning away from me and raising her voice toward a group of official-looking people in suits headed into the Capitol who perhaps could address gun violence: Guys, think about the children! The day after Easter was gorgeous here, a city that knows from both Christianity and renewal. Every trip I make seems to bring more cranes, more scooters, just a few food trucks shy of being indistinguishable from Austin. The weather and Bird-riding tourists, however, masked what has been a searing spring in Tennessee, a horrific school shooting in Nashville that begot days of protest and the stunning defrocking of a pair of young, Black lawmakers who carried those demonstrations, bullhorn in hand, onto the floor of the House chamber. This turn of events has yanked this future-focused city back to the present and the past and, for the state and the country, spotlighted what Tennessee was and what it has become. To some, the echoes are evocative of Jim Crow, as white leaders suppress Black agency and a multiracial group of next-generation activists respond with hymns, marches and Black Power salutes that would recall Diane Nash and Stokely Carmichael were it not for all the iPhones. Story continues However, for people like Carter, and some in Tennessees leadership ranks, these new days of political rage only remind them of what the state had been more recently: a model of competition and competence. Today, Tennessee represents the grim culmination of the forces corroding state politics: the nationalization of elections and governance, the tribalism between the two parties, the collapse of local media and internet-accelerated siloing of news and the incentive structure wrought by extreme gerrymandering. Also, if were being honest, the transition from pragmatists anchored in their communities to partisans more fixated on whats said online than at their local Rotary Club. That this convergence is taking place here for all the world to see is sadly ironic. From 1970 to 2018, Tennessee traded the governorship between the two parties. In fact, Gov. Bill Lee is the first GOP governor in the states history to succeed another GOP governor. In those same years, Tennessee sent a succession of lawmakers to Washington who emerged as national leaders, effective local politicians or both, a bipartisan litany that includes Howard Baker, Al Gore, Lamar Alexander, Jim Sasser and Bill Frist. The states tripartite nature what they call the three Grand Divisions between East, Middle and West Tennessee demanded coalition-building. The sheer width of the state, stretching from Appalachia to the Cotton South, meant the presence of a robust Republican Party descending from Unionists, long preexisting 20th century realignment, alongside an equally strong Democratic Party that absorbed rural white voters and big-city Black voters alike. There were moderates and conservatives within both parties. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), today the longest-serving House member in the delegation, helped father Tennessees lottery as a state senator in the early 2000s, no easy task in the Bible Belt. I sat on the Republican side of the aisle, nurtured them, worked with them and eventually got six or seven of them to vote for the lottery, Cohen recalled. They were my friends. The coalition that backed the lottery, which has poured over $8 billion into education funding, reflected the states political makeup: There were Black lawmakers, a few moderate Republicans, an exurban conservative who knew her Nashville area constituents wanted more money for schools and a rural conservative Democrat who was nudged along with the promise of some road projects by the states Republican governor, Don Sundquist, who signed the bill. That exurban conservative was Marsha Blackburn and the rural Democrat was Lincoln Davis, both of whom would join Cohen in Congress. Through this period, Tennessee was drawing international attention for its success luring auto companies to the state, a bipartisan effort that transformed the states agriculture-heavy economy and is well told in Keel Hunts Crossing the Aisle. The success and the leadership became self-reinforcing. Alexander, now retired in Tennessee and writing his memoir of service from Presidents Richard Nixon to Donald Trump, reminded me of how it was that a heart surgeon and Nashville scion named Frist gave up medicine for politics. I asked him why hed give that up, Alexander remembered. He said, I can fly to Chattanooga, cut a heart out and maybe save one person, but if Im senator I might be able to help a million people. And thanks to what he did with George W. Bush on PEPFAR he did just that. So we had a competitive system that attracted really talented people with purpose. Which isnt to say the Tennessee volunteers of yesteryear were all statespeople whose like we wont see again. This being politics and humans being all too fallible, there were ample sins of the bottle, flesh and purse. If the Sheraton still towering over the state Capitol could talk, well, it wouldnt be telling stories of public-spirited, bipartisan bonhomie. Take, for example, how Alexander became governor in the first place: by being sworn in early after the outgoing Democrat, Ray Blanton, was found to be selling pardons. Then, more recently, there was the FBI sting Operation Tennessee Waltz (hows that for a mission name?) that netted seven lawmakers for accepting bribes. The old boys were also, well, old boys. Theres yet to be a female governor here, and racial minorities have been all too scarce outside the states large cities. What there was, though, was competition and accountability. Statewide races were hotly contested, as were many legislative and congressional campaigns and, with the right conditions, moderate Southern Democrats could carry the state in presidential races (or fall achingly short). And accountability came from middle-of-the-road voters, business leaders invested in Tennessees success and a robust press corps, led by the two-newspaper towns across the state. That was then. Now, the voters are confined to safely red or blue districts and are animated by the same partisan impulses down the ballot that have made Tennessee a deep-red state in federal races. Candidate quality, cyclical changes in the economy and local issues are moot, at least when compared to party label. We dont have elections anymore, we have censuses, Jeff Yarbro lamented. A state senator from Nashville, Yarbro, 46, grew up a farmers son in rural West Tennessee before picking up degrees at Harvard and the University of Virginia. Hes precisely the sort of Southern Democrat who in earlier generations would have run for governor by now. Thats no longer an option given Tennessees tilt, so, disheartened by what the Legislature has become, hes leaving to run for mayor this year. That may be the only other office left given that through redistricting Tennessee Republicans cracked the Democratic-heavy congressional seat anchored in Nashville, splitting the state capital into three, GOP-heavy seats. This has been well-documented. Whats been less covered is how the Republican majority did much the same in state legislative seats across smaller cities. Yarbro is now the farthest-east Democratic senator in the state. In fact, theres six Senate Democrats left in the 33-member chamber: three from Nashville and three from Memphis. One of them is the Senate Democratic leader, Raumesh Akbari, whos not yet 40 and has great promise but is setting her sights on succeeding Cohen in the lone remaining U.S. House seat held by a Democrat. Id prefer my district be more competitive, Akbari told me, noting that its 89 percent African American. It would be hard enough for a Black woman to win statewide, but its made even more difficult when she hails from a nearly all-Black seat and is therefore easy to portray as a representative for only her community. (This is why, in hindsight, Bobby Rush may have done Barack Obama a favor by thrashing him in the 2000 primary for Rushs heavily Black Chicago House seat.) Race is an inescapable factor in the current contretemps here, but it wasnt until after Obamas presidential election in 2008 that it became as defining to Tennessee politics as it is now. There were rural white Democrats in the Legislature, and the congressional delegation included Davis, Bart Gordon and John Tanner. None of the three lawmakers returned after 2010, and gerrymandering and realignment eventually killed off nearly all their contemporaries in the state Capitol. In a lot of folks minds here, it made the Democratic Party Black, Akbari said of Obamas victory and the image of a Black family in the White House. Memphis had long been to Tennessee what Chicago is to Illinois and New Orleans is to Louisiana: the heavily Black, ethically flexible big city that conservative candidates ran against but had to be watched on election nights because the size of their vote could determine elections. Cohen told me he used to host legislative visits in Memphis, replete with a night at the famed Peabody Hotel and plenty of ribs, to show lawmakers the city had assets worthy of state dollars and wasnt the crime-ridden den of iniquity they may have imagined. Whats striking today is that Nashville has become as much of a pariah as Memphis. Tennessee Republicans have for years been watching the city become Austin-ized, and the fuse was finally lit when city leaders spurned the states hope (and the RNCs preference) to hold the 2024 Republican Convention in Nashville. In addition to erasing the citys congressional seat, legislative Republicans have also sought to halve the size of the metro governments council (Nashville and Davidson County have a merged government) and shift control of the citys convention authority and airport from the city to the state. Theyre the kind of power plays the states Republicans used to, understandably, rage about when they were done by the state Legislatures old Democratic leaders. And that was before thousands of Nashville area residents and their children descended on the Capitol demanding new gun control laws in the wake of last months mass shooting, which prompted the floor protests and expulsion of state Reps. Justin Jones from Nashville and Justin Pearson from Memphis. Nearly overlooked in the hurly-burly was, fittingly, a Twitter exchange between the GOP House speaker, Cameron Sexton, and a Democratic rival. Sexton posted video of the protesting lawmakers on the House floor, putting John Lewis catch phrase good trouble in quotation marks, and adding the accounts of local talk radio stations, the conservative Daily Wire and Fox News. When a Democrat replied by adding the Twitter accounts of CNN, a handful of local, Democratic-leaning websites and Resistance hero Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Sexton replied to her, this time with more conservative accounts ccd. It was a revealing look at what passes for online discourse, the role of dueling (local and national) partisan media outlets and the fixation with Twitter on the part of lawmakers. Theres still a handful of excellent local reporters whom Ive read and followed for years, but those two-newspaper towns have long died and Gannett has done grave damage to nearly every major daily in Tennessee. Information is gleaned from social media or national cable networks. Everywhere you go, all you see is Fox News, said Tanner, the old West Tennessee Democrat. Republicans also lament how social media has warped the political culture. When youre in Nashville, its all you hear, said Johnny Garrett, a GOP state representative, of the faculty club-style chatter on Twitter. But Garrett noted how his colleagues often tell him that when theyre back in their districts they dont hear a lot that stuff, the social media. This tunnel vision is part of what convinced the Republicans they had to take such an extreme step last week. Bill Haslam, a former GOP governor, told me he was struck by how even some pragmatic Republican lawmakers were scared for their lives because of the protests and convinced they had to show strength. They told me You dont understand, Haslam said. In fact, it was the GOP legislators who didnt understand how badly their retribution looked outside their cloakrooms, which is all the more apparent now that the two Justins are being hailed as martyrs and reinstated this week by their local governing bodies. Whats more depressing to leaders like Haslam, a pragmatic governor in the East Tennessee Republican tradition, is the response he and his predecessor as governor, Democrat Phil Bredesen, received when they wrote a joint op-ed in The Tennessean advocating for some incremental gun safety measures. Garrett told me hadnt even read it (though he did see the headline), and once one aspiring Republican candidate for governor Knox County mayor and pro wrestler turned Ron Paul acolyte Glenn Jacobs rejected the proposal, other ambitious Republicans followed suit, surely mindful of their viability in future primaries. Haslam, Im told by Republicans and Democrats alike, has been calling state lawmakers, urging them to work together on the gun issue and counseling restraint in the partisan wars. Which until Tuesday was more than the current governor had done. Lee has been stunningly quiet as his state suffers tragedy and a self-inflicted black eye. A first-time elected official when he became governor in 2019, Lee has made a constitutionally weak governorship that much more limited by keeping an arms length from the press and largely deferring to a Legislature ever more animated by culture wars. Haslam was careful to show respect to his successor, one governor at a time, and said Lee was eager to act. The governor didnt say a word about the expulsions, but he finally addressed the gun issue Tuesday in Nashville, vowing to sign an executive order tightening background checks and urging lawmakers to pass the sort of red flag law proposed by Haslam and Bredesen that would make it harder for dangerous people to access guns. Remarkably, none of the states major corporate actors have publicly pushed Lee to try to calm the states political waters. Not that doing so may matter, given what drives todays legislators talk radio and the internet said Cohen. Some of them wouldnt even know who Fred Smith is, he quipped, referring to the CEO of FedEx, one of Tennessees leading employers. To Alexander, a protege of Baker and mentor to so many Republicans in the state, its difficult to watch. Thats in part because hes been alarmed about his state partys drift since well before last week. In farewell remarks he was to give to the state Legislature in 2020 before Covid-19 interrupted his plans, he planned to tell the lawmakers that competition produces results and a lack of it can be corrosive. One-party rule runs the risk of encouraging self-serving, narrow interests, he was to tell the legislators according to a speech draft he shared with me. Do not, he was to warn, adopt Washington, D.C.s bad manners. NASHVILLE, Tenn. Tennessee Democrats cant believe the moment theyre in. An emotional, weeks-long confrontation in the state Legislature has thrust Nashville onto the national political scene and put the southern city at the center of a debate about race, activism and gun violence. While Republicans intended their ouster of two progressive lawmakers last week to be a punishment, the move has turned into one of the Democratic Partys best chances in years to boost their organization in the South. Democrats are dreaming up ways to claw back some power from the GOP, fueled by an influx of out-of-state dollars and new commitments from Tennesseans to get involved with politics. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we have to take advantage of, state Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat who represents parts of Memphis, said in an interview. A blue turnaround in Tennessee seemed like a pipe dream just a few weeks ago and maybe still does. Democrats are outnumbered, out-resourced and hamstrung by a legislative map drawn to favor Republicans. It's also a state that suffers from one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country. Party insiders and organizers are the first to concede just how bad they have it. Nothing changes the fact that these districts are highly gerrymandered, said Lisa Quigley, a former chief of staff to Rep. Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat who didnt seek reelection after his district was effectively eliminated in redistricting last year. Its going to take some really smart organizing all over the state, because none of us vote very well. But if there was ever a moment when the party stood a chance, its now. The state Democratic Party has been flooded with donations and interest since the GOP started moving against three Democrats for participating in a gun safety protest on the state House floor, and ultimately expelling two of them last week for violating decorum rules. Their stunt angered Republicans who wanted to see them promptly punished, invoking a rare removal process marked by its partisanship and accusations of racism. Story continues Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Tennessee, called the GOP vote a great overreaction. I always thought one of the principles of leadership is to be careful. You can have fights, but dont make martyrs, Bredesen, who served until 2011, said in an interview. Apparently Republicans missed that concept. Most Republicans have avoided commenting on the spectacle outside of last weeks removal proceedings, where they admonished the Democrats for disrupting the process. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, during a radio interview, called the floor protest to an insurrection akin to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Their actions are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor, Sexton said on Twitter early last week. Their actions and beliefs that they could be arrested on the House floor were an effort, unfortunately, to make themselves the victims. Sexton, a longtime lawmaker believed to have aspirations for governor, has not tweeted since. On the day that state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black millennial freshmen, were kicked out of the Legislature, 33,000 people called into the state party office looking to get involved, Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus said. So far, nearly 10,000 have signed up to volunteer, he said in an interview, and hundreds of people have expressed interest in running for office many in districts where Republican lawmakers ran unopposed in the midterms. More than half of Republican lawmakers serving in the statehouse today were uncontested in November. Democrats are targeting a handful of competitive districts where they believe strong candidates can pick off Republican incumbents. Those include the newly drawn 5th Congressional District encompassing parts of Nashville, which Rep. Andy Ogles won last year. They have their eye on state legislative districts outside Memphis, Knoxville and Clarksville. Long term, the party sees opportunities around the southern suburbs of Nashville in Rutherford County. Democrats are also placing their hopes on winning a lawsuit challenging the new redistricting maps, where they say a victory would create much-needed political openings. Had we not been gerrymandered to shreds, then this supermajority couldnt have existed to be able to expel our members, Remus said. Jones triumphantly returned to the Legislature on Tuesday, leading a march of more than 1,000 people to the Capitol steps after being reinstated by the Nashville city council. Pearson was reinstated to his seat on Wednesday and expected to return to work the following day. Jones, Pearson and Rep. Gloria Johnson, the third Democratic lawmaker who participated in the same floor protest but escaped expulsion by a single vote, together represent a new class of elected officials in Tennessee. Theyve come from activist circles and push progressive causes like criminal justice reform, gun safety and climate change. Organizers are aiming to recruit more candidates in that model. They are the least favorable Democrats in the House and they have created the most change and impact for being themselves, said Tequila Johnson, executive director for the Equity Alliance, a grassroots group focused on increasing civic engagement in Black communities. After his return to the Legislature on Tuesday, Jones thanked Republicans for awakening the people of this state, particularly young people. No expulsion, no attempt to silence us will stop us but only galvanize and strengthen our movement, Jones said to loud cheers from his supporters packing the galleries. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed an executive order Tuesday to strengthen background checks and called on the General Assembly to pass the equivalent of a red flag law. Lee said at a news conference that the order would ensure that information-sharing more closely guarantees the safe, lawful purchase of firearms in Tennessee. He also said legislation was needed to address shortcomings in existing gun laws. Our current law is proven and effective in many circumstances, especially with regards to domestic violence, but this new stronger order of protection law will provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are in danger to themselves or to the population, Lee said. Red flag laws, which are similar in scope to order of protection laws, allow authorities to temporarily seize firearms from people who are found to be dangers to themselves or others. President Joe Biden last year signed landmark bipartisan gun legislation that included grants to states for red flag laws. Police said the Nashville school shooter was under care for an emotional disorder and hid weapons at their parents home. It was not clear whether the legislature, where Republicans hold a majority, would take up such a bill during this legislative session. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, who is also the speaker of the Senate, was supportive of Lee's efforts. I support the Second Amendment unequivocally and believe that a law-abiding, armed citizenry is the greatest defense against criminality and tyranny. But I also believe we must take steps to ensure those experiencing mental health crises do not have access to weapons that can be used in mass casualty events, McNally said in a statement. Any such order process must be tightly constructed with sufficient due process and protection against false or fraudulent reporting. I believe it is possible to protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners while keeping guns out of the hands of people experiencing severe mental health crises. Story continues Gov. Bill Lee responds to questions during a news conference Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Lee held the news conference to talk about gun control legislation and an executive order to require information for background checks on gun purchases to be updated more rapidly. (George Walker IV / AP) In a statement, House Speaker Cameron Sexton's office said any proposal dealing with mental health orders of protection "must have a level of due process, protections from fraudulent claims, and a quick judicial hearing for individuals who pose imminent threats." "The House is willing to work toward bipartisan solutions to protect all children at their schools, in their communities, and inside their homes, his office added. Tensions have been heightened in Tennessee after Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, both Black Democrats, were expelled from the General Assembly last week over their involvement in a protest on the chamber floor against gun violence. A third Democrat, Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, survived her expulsion vote. The floor protest was in response to a mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville in which six people were killed, including three children. Jones was reinstated Monday after a Nashville city council vote. The Shelby County Commission is expected to hold a similar vote for Pearson on Wednesday. Asked at the news conference about the expulsions of Jones and Pearson, which thrust the state into the national spotlight, Lee declined to comment directly and instead said legislators were operating in an emotionally charged environment after last months mass shooting. We should be very serious about real solutions and about getting real solutions across the finish line, and I look forward to working with the General Assembly to do just that, Lee said. We should work to set aside our differences and accomplish something that Tennesseans want us to get accomplished, he added. Asked whether Lee's actions Tuesday were influenced by Jones' and Pearson's expulsion, Jade Byers, a spokesperson for the governor, told NBC News: "To be very clear, the Governors action to protect Tennesseans is a response to the tragic shooting at the Covenant School that took six precious lives, including three children who were just nine years old. Lee has been encouraging bipartisan solutions for "nearly two weeks," Byers said in a statement, noting that Lee had previously asked the General Assembly to propose legislation to ensure that people who are threats to themselves or the public do not have access to weapons. A week after the mass shooting, Lee and legislative leaders proposed measures and funding to place armed school resource officers at the state's public schools. The executive order Lee signed Tuesday requires entering criminal history information and court mental health information within 72 hours to the Tennessee Instant Check System or supplying that information to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Courts will be required to submit similar information to the background check system. The order also calls on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to examine the current process to buy firearms and issue a report within 60 days. "If there are changes needed, we can make those changes," Lee said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The order comes two weeks after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville Tennessee's Republican governor has signed an executive order to strengthen background checks for purchase of guns and has urged lawmakers to pass legislation tightening gun laws. Governor Bill Lee's order comes in the wake of the Nashville school shooting that left six people, including three children, dead last month. "This is our moment to lead," he said. The state has some of the most lax gun laws in the US. The shooting at a private Christian school reignited nationwide protests for gun control, including from two Democratic black state lawmakers who were expelled last week for joining the protests at Tennessee's House of Representatives. Nashville officials voted to reinstate one of the lawmakers, Justin Jones, as a temporary representative earlier this week. Officials are set to vote on Wednesday on whether the second lawmaker, Justin Pearson, can also reclaim his seat temporarily. The executive order signed by Mr Lee on Tuesday attempts to strengthen background checks by mandating that new criminal activity be reported to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation within 72 hours. It also requires the bureau to examine the current process for purchasing guns in the state. Mr Lee also urged Tennessee lawmakers to pass legislation known as red flag laws, which allow authorities to temporarily seize firearms from people who are found to be a threat to themselves or others. The Republican governor said more action was needed to protect the people of Tennessee. "It's going to require coming together and laying down our previously held positions," he said. "We should set aside our differences and accomplish something Tennesseans want us to accomplish." Tennessee's Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton told local media outlets the House was "willing to work toward bipartisan solutions", but health protection orders "must have a level of due process" and "protections from fraudulent claims". Story continues Some Republican-led states, including Florida and Indiana, have adopted red flag laws, but it may be a challenge to pass such a measure in Tennessee, where several Republican lawmakers have expressed opposition to any type of gun control legislation Tennessee has some of the most lax gun laws in the US, allowing residents 21 and older to carry handguns, concealed and unconcealed, without a permit. Police have said the 28-year-old accused of killing six people at the Covenant School purchased seven guns legally and hid them at home. The shooter was armed with three firearms during the school attack, including a semi-automatic assault rifle. Rep. Justin Jones Photo by Seth Herald/Getty Images When Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives voted last week to expel two of the three Democratic lawmakers who had participated in a gun control protest following the mass shooting at the Covenant School outside Nashville, they cited the "disorder and dishonor" the trio had brought "through their individual and collective actions" as justification for the move. The expulsion, described by the local press as "unprecedented" and "unusual" for its blatant partisanship, was the "swift political action ... that the 71 percent of Americans who want stricter gun laws can only dream of happening," noted UNC-Chapel Hill professor Tressie McMillan Cottom. But in that swiftness, the same GOP house supermajority that succeeded in ousting its minority colleagues may have overplayed its political hand, and created a new and potent focal point around which Democrats both in-state and nationally have rallied. Reinstatement and recriminations Less than a week after his expulsion from the state House, Nashville area Rep. Justin Jones returned to his same seat in that same chamber, having been unanimously approved by the Nashville Metropolitan Council to serve in an interim capacity until a special election is held to formally fill the position he formerly and now currently occupies. Shortly thereafter, Rep. Justin Pearson was returned to his seat under similar conditions by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. With this, the practical outcome of the GOP's expulsion votes has essentially been nullified. While Republican lawmakers maintain a House supermajority, the Democratic minority has not only not lost any seats (a third lawmaker set for expulsion, Rep. Gloria Johnson, survived her attempted ouster, and argued the fact that she is white while Jones and Pearson are Black is a possible explanation) but have not even shuffled their personnel as a result of the Republican effort. That Tennessee House Republicans expended all that effort only to maintain the status quo is, according to Politico's Natalie Allison, an indictment of the condition the state GOP finds itself in more broadly. "For those who have closely watched the chamber in recent years, the events were of little surprise," Allison, a former reporter for the Tennessean, opined, later noting that "the current era of the Tennessee legislature has been defined by a non-stop stream of befuddling scandals and unforced errors by a Republican supermajority that is seemingly insulated from being punished for them." The decision to oust Pearson and Jones has ultimately only refocused national attention on a state party now facing additional uncomfortable scrutiny as a result. As Vanity Fair's Molly Jong-Fast pointed out, the timing and optics thereof couldn't be worse for local conservatives, either. "This coming weekend GOP donors will be in Tennessee for a donor retreat," she noted. "Rich Republicans descending on a city in the aftermath of two young politicians of color getting removed from office paints a pretty stark contrast between two parties." 'Political megastars' Jones and Pearson, meanwhile, have been the apparent beneficiaries of the intensified focus on local Republicans. After his reinstatement vote by the Nashville Metropolitan Council, Jones was reportedly mobbed by more than a thousand supporters chanting "This is what democracy looks like" as he walked from the council chambers to the capital building. Speaking with The Washington Post, former Democratic state Rep. and current state Sen. London Lamar pointed out that "in an attempt to be malicious, [Republicans] have now created two political megastars who have now made history." To that point, Jones and Pearson have become national figures, fielding interviews from Sunday morning talk shows like ABC's This Week and NBC's Meet the Press, where Jones vowed to "continue to fight for our constituents." The pair, along with Johnson, has been dubbed the "Tennessee Three" and have also met with Vice President Kamala Harris, spoken over video with President Biden, and reportedly been invited to the White House in the future. Various other national Democratic figures, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) have also lauded the three as symbols of the ongoing fight for gun control legislation, and victims of an ascendant far-right wing of American politics. "It's put into perspective what we've been saying to people for so long. Tennessee has gone unnoticed and under the radar," state Democratic party chairman Hendrell Remus told The Daily Beast. "I'm glad the nation is watching this moment. Hopefully it helps to pump the brakes on this being a reckless road map for Republicans to use in other states." For now, however, Jones and Pearson both appear focused on their districts and their jobs, promising to not only serve in an interim position but run for a full term when their seats are officially opened in a special election in the future. And regardless of his electoral future, "I will continue to fight with and for our people, whether in or out of office," Pearson promised in a New York Times essay published the day of his council vote. "We and the young protesters are the future of a new Tennessee. Those who seek to silence us will not have the final say." You may also like Ariana Grande addresses concerns about her weight: 'You never know what someone is going through' Federal appellate panel blocks part of expansive abortion pill ban, allows some restrictions to take effect Trump's tale about Manhattan court workers crying and apologizing at his arraignment isn't true, source says Ella Livingston is the owner of Cocoa Asante, a chocolate business based in Tennessee. Ella Livingston and Keith Lee via TikTok Ella Livingston had been running a chocolate business while working as an online math teacher. In March, TikTok star Keith Lee gave Livingston's business a glowing review on his account. Livingston said the viral video gave her the opportunity she needed to quit her second job for good. Ella Livingston started her chocolate business, Cocoa Asante, in 2018, with the aim of honoring her family's decades-long legacy in cocoa farming. The business is primarily family-run, utilizing cocoa farms owned by her relatives in Ghana to produce chocolates that are made and packaged by Livingston, 30, and her team in the US. It had been selling relatively well among members of Livingston's small community in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she told Insider. However, she said that she still had to work two jobs in order to make ends meet, relying on her second job, teaching math online to middle and high school students part-time. But on March 18, everything changed. Keith Lee, a hugely popular food reviewer on TikTok with 11.5 million followers, posted a glowing review of Livingston's business, saying the chocolates he bought from her were "one of the most satisfying purchases I've made in a long time." "We knew that our lives were about to change," Livingston said of discovering the video. "We just didn't know how and to what capacity, but we knew that nothing would be the same after that." Thanks to the huge increase in sales, Livingston was able to quit her second job Lee's food-review TikTok videos have led him to skyrocket to fame, and since the beginning of the year he has gained more than 5 million followers on the platform, according to analytics tracker SocialBlade. One of his most viral moments was in February, when he filmed a video collaboration with the world's biggest YouTuber, MrBeast. The pair reviewed a struggling family business together, and MrBeast gave the staff a briefcase that he said contained $10,000 in cash during the shoot. Story continues Livingston told Insider she had been trying to get Lee's attention on TikTok for weeks prior to his post, hoping he could help her business go viral, as he has done with other businesses in the past, by exposing them to a whole new market on social media and giving them a new lease of life. She had emailed him and posted a TikTok video encouraging him to review her products, which she said led a bunch of her existing followers on TikTok to tag Lee in her comments section to get his attention. She told Insider she doesn't know what finally caught Lee's eye, but when she was shaken awake by her elated husband at 2 a.m., just after he saw the video go live, she was ecstatic. "It felt surreal. Honestly, I felt like I was in a daze for the whole weekend after that," said Livingston. "I just remember screaming and jumping up and down with excitement." According to Livingston, who posted her own TikTok about the impact of the video, the business's website completely sold out of all products within 45 minutes of Lee's post, and her sales revenue skyrocketed from just under $1,000 to $24,719 in a single day. After a few days, Livingston sent the school where she was working her resignation via Slack, and has found that she now has more time to manage orders throughout the day. At the same time, the real-life consequences of selling out in under an hour were overwhelming, Livingston said, adding that she and her team had to work overtime to catch up with demand. "I think sometimes when you look at things like this from the outside in, it's 100% unicorns and candy canes and it's perfect, but from the inside out, growing too fast can sometimes be just as detrimental as not growing fast enough, and I don't think enough people recognize that. Even with all the years that we've been in existence as a business, we weren't prepared for it to hit us like that," she said. Livingston told Insider she had to make accommodations for the sudden spike in online orders by paying extra for faster shipping arrangements and accepting help from members of the local community, hosting "packaging parties" where people helped to prepare the orders under supervision. "It isn't easy managing fast growth, but I'm very grateful that we are managing it and that our customers are patient," she said. The impact of the review produced more than just a viral moment for Livingston's business According to Livingston, the impact of going viral didn't just last for a day or a weekend, but it has brought in a steady stream of new customers over the subsequent weeks. She thinks this is due to the way Lee has built up a strong community of followers who support every business he recommends. Cocoa Asante's chocolate products. Cocoa Asante. "For me personally, what I appreciate about Keith Lee, which I think reflects what others like too, is how genuine he is. I've never met a more humble person who has this massive platform that has the power to do all this good," she told Insider. Livingston said she thinks that Lee's particular style of content spotlights "those who need it the most," as he often focuses his attention on businesses in underserved areas or those struggling to make ends meet. She also mentioned that the way Lee tags creators directly in his posts about them allows audiences to get to know the business owners more directly and follow them, which helps to add longevity to viral success. She told Insider that when she was approached by CNN for an interview, the outlet wanted to speak to both her and Lee, but the TikTok star told her in a message, which was seen by Insider, that he wanted her to have the spotlight and capitalize on the opportunity by herself. "I was like, 'Who does that?' That's like the kindest, most genuine person ever, And I think that's why the Keith Lee effect is so powerful, because of who he is," she said. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider This has awakened the eyes of people to see how pervasive and steeped white supremacy is in the very fabric of this country, said the Rev. Stephen A. Green, and how its reflected in every aspect of our government. All eyes are on Tennessee after two Black lawmakers were expelled from its state House of Representatives, igniting a movement at the intersection of gun violence, racial justice and democracy. Days after being expelled by the supermajority Republican legislators, state Rep. Justin Jones was unanimously reinstated by the Nashville Metro Council on Monday. On Wednesday, Rep. Justin J. Pearson was also reinstated by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. Tennessee state Reps. Justin Pearson (left), Justin Jones (center) and Gloria Johnson (right) hold their hands up as they exit the Capitol building in Nashville on April 3. The three Democrats faced expulsion the two Black legislators were expelled for using a bullhorn in the House in support of gun control demonstrators. Jones got his seat back this week and a vote on Pearsons reinstatement is scheduled. (Photo: Nicole Hester/The Tennessean via AP, File) Both Jones and Pearson were ousted by Republicans on April 6 after they, alongside state Rep. Gloria Johnson who avoided being expelled with her colleagues by just one vote joined thousands of demonstrators inside the well of the House chamber on March 30 to protest gun violence following the recent deadly mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. Jones, Pearson and Johnson now known as the Tennessee Three were brought up for expulsion on charges of breaking House rules and bringing disorder and dishonor to the legislative body. What started as a state-level battle about Tennessees gun laws quickly morphed into a national outcry for justice against what many saw as a display of white supremacy and undemocratic posturing by state Republicans. Some also saw Tennessee as a microcosm of an antiquated and broken U.S. political system historically led and abused by white men. This has awakened the eyes of people to see how pervasive and steeped white supremacy is in the very fabric of this country and how its reflected in every aspect of our government, said the Rev. Stephen A. Green, an activist who joined the Tennessee Three during a days-long protest of the expulsions. Green, a friend of Jones, sees what transpired in Tennessee as a watershed moment. Story continues I think [Republicans] thought that they were going to get away with this, he continued, because they get away with these things so often white supremacy and male chauvinism and them controlling the systems of power [and] the infrastructure of this country. State Rep. Justin Jones (left) enters municipal court in Nashville, Tennessee, with the Rev. Stephen A. Green (right). The Democratic legislator was reinstated days after being expelled for leading a protest on the House floor for gun reform in the wake of the March 27 shooting at a Christian school in which three 9-year-olds and three adults were killed by a former student. (Photo: Seth Herald/Getty Images) The white third of the Tennessee Three told theGrio that the role race played in the expulsions of Jones and Pearson is hard to ignore. If you listened during our expulsion hearings, if you listened to the questions that were asked of the two young men, it was a different tone entirely than what was used with me, recalled Johnson, who represents a majority-Black district in Knoxville. The tone to me was demeaning. There was definitely a difference in the questions, like, How dare you speak up or stand up without our permission? You need to act like us and dress like us and speak like us. Johnson said that systemic racism is undoubtedly present throughout Tennessee, where teaching about race and racism has been banned in K-12 public schools. She said it also exists in this legislature. The lawmaker recalled a white Republican colleague suggesting a few weeks ago that lynching be brought back as a legal method for implementing the death penalty in the Southern state. State Rep. Gloria Johnson (center), one-third of the Tennessee Three, speaks in Nashville on April 6 after a vote to expel a fellow Democrat, Rep. Justin Jones, from the governing body. Johnson said Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, who also was expelled, are critically important in the legislature. (Photo: Seth Herald/Getty Images) The folks that actually end up receiving the death penalty are very often Black and brown people, and certainly poor people if you live anywhere, you know what that means, said Johnson. Though the initial cause of the Tennessee Threes protest had nothing to do with race and everything to do with Americas gun violence epidemic, the targeting of the state Houses youngest Black members brought the attention of millions from the streets of Tennessee all the way to the White House. Johnson, 60, said Jones and Pearson both in their 20s are critically important in the state legislature, particularly as Tennessee, like dozens of states across the country, grapples with the issue of gun violence. Younger voices arent necessarily being heard and lifted up and voices that are in opposition to the MAGA Republican supermajority that we have, she said. We need a multiracial, multigenerational representation in this body. The thousands of protesters who took to the streets on behalf of Jones and Pearson after their expulsion notably were multiracial throngs, the majority of them young, something Green says is rare in the South. This is a form of resistance that is emerging throughout this state, he said. People are sort of coming together because of their angst and [the] inaction. I think that this is going to force there to be a pivot and change. Tennessee state Rep. Yusuf Hakeem told theGrio that what happened to his Democratic colleagues Jones and Pearson was clearly indicative of the environment we have to deal with up here on a daily or weekly basis. Hakeem echoed Johnsons contention that young voices are needed in the state legislature. Theyre helping us refocus on those things necessary, he said, when it comes to civil rights, peaceful protest, and not just accepting what is being told to us our guidelines or rules that keep you in your place when the needs of the people are not being addressed. Svante Myrick, president of People For the American Way, praised the two Black activists-turned-lawmakers now referred to by some as The Justins for handling their expulsions with righteousness that would impress even the greatest civil rights leaders in American history. Democratic state Reps. Justin Pearson (left) of Memphis and Justin Jones (right) of Nashville now referred to by some as The Justins attend the April 6 vote in which they were expelled from the state legislature. (Photo: Seth Herald/Getty Images) Myrick, the former mayor of Ithaca, New York, said he sees the Tennessee Three and the aftermath of the experience as an inflection point. This is a turning point in history because of the youthful, righteous indignation that these young men represent, he said. Theyre not alone, but they actually are the voice of a generation thats fighting against a status quo. The Justins kicked off this revolution, and the question is, will we see it through? Generations from now, schoolchildren could read about the Tennessee Three and how their protest against gun violence shined a light on intersectional issues related to race and American democracy. According to Myrick, if we think well read about this in future history books, we have to ask ourselves what we would want history to say about us at this moment. Were we active or passive in the face of this injustice? TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Tennessee Three seen as a watershed moment for racial justice and democracy appeared first on TheGrio. Christopher W. Martin, 32, demonstrates with his arms while testifying Friday in his defense during his trial on murder charges in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. He was charged with fatally stabbing his girlfriend, 30-year-old Erika D. Daniels, more than two dozen times. Christopher W. Martin testified last week in his own defense at his trial on murder charges that he stabbed his girlfriend, 30-year-old Erika D. Daniels, after she came at him with a knife in 2018 at his apartment in Columbus' South Side. Daniels had 26 stab wounds all over her body, including to the neck and heart, according to the autopsy report. Martin called 911 after the stabbing and was recorded saying, I just made a big mistake. After a trial last week in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, a jury deliberated for a couple hours on Friday, all of Monday and Tuesday morning. On Tuesday afternoon, the jury said they had reached an impasse, but the judge told them to keep trying. They did, and they continued for several hours on Wednesday before reaching unusual verdicts. The jury found Martin, 32, guilty of aggravated murder during a kidnapping, and of one count each of murder and kidnapping. The jury found Martin not guilty of a second count of aggravated murder, but did find him guilty of the lesser-included offense of voluntary manslaughter. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Kimberly Cocroft will sentence Martin on May 9. He faces a mandatory sentence for aggravated murder of life in prison. Cocroft could sentence Martin to life without the opportunity for parole or give him the opportunity for parole some time after at least 20 years. Jury's verdicts conflicting, inconsistent, defense attorney says Martins defense attorney, Robert Krapenc, said during the trial last week that the jury should find Martin guilty of the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter instead of aggravated murder or murder charges. Krapenc said the stabbing incident was not planned and Martin was provoked. Martin, who took the stand in his own defense, testified Daniels came at him with a knife first. Krapenc told The Dispatch Wednesday that the jury's verdicts contradict each other since a finding for voluntary manslaughter requires evidence that the defendant was provoked, while a finding for aggravated murder does not require provocation. He declined to comment further until doing more research on how to handle this inconsistency. Story continues Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Lenert said during the trial that even if you were to believe that Daniels started the fight, "it takes a long time to stab somebody 26 times." Past reporting: South Side man charged in fatal stabbing called 911 More court news: Drive-by shooter killed 15-year-old's unborn baby. In trial, defense doubts identification The death of Erika Daniels Just after 6 p.m. on May 9, 2018, a 911 caller said a man was beating a woman who was screaming for help from a second-floor window. Minutes later, Martin called 911. He said he made a "big mistake" and repeatedly said, oh my God without answering the dispatchers questions before hanging up. Martin lived above a storefront in the 1000 block of Parsons Avenue. Franklin County prosecutors said Daniels was trying to escape out the apartment window and walk onto the roof, but Martin would not let her and dragged her back inside by the neck. Two different witnesses testified during Martins trial this week that they saw Daniels through the window screaming for help, an said they saw Martin grab Daniels by the neck to pull her back inside. One said that Daniels screamed, Hes trying to kill me. Christopher W. Martin, 32, testified in his own defense Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in his trial on charges accusing him of killing his girlfriend, 30-year-old Erika D. Daniels, by stabbing her more than two dozen times on May 9, 2018. Martin testified on his own behalf Friday that the couple had been drinking that day. Daniels refused to leave his apartment when he asked her to, he said, and she began banging on the walls. He said Daniels initiated a confrontation, grabbing multiple kitchen knives which he kept taking from her. Martin said they tussled and he believed at the time Daniels had stabbed him in the neck though there was no stab wound to his neck. Martin had cuts to his arm and hands. Martin said he then had an out-of-body experience and began stabbing Daniels. Assistant Prosecutor Alexis Dorsey told the jury during closing arguments that Martin wants to claim he stabbed willy-nilly, but he didnt stop after a few stabs. ... Being stabbed in the heart is personal, Dorsey said. This was a planned attack to make sure Erika died that day The defendants actions were deliberate and violent. Getting to trial five years later Cocroft found Martin incompetent to stand trial on Oct. 31, 2018 and he was committed to Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare, a state psychiatric hospital in Columbus, to be restored to competency. Martin was found competent to stand trial in July 2019. Krapenc is Martins third court-appointed defense attorney. Martin complained about his previous attorneys and Cocroft appointed him new counsel. On Monday, April 3, before the trial began, Martin raised concerns about going to trial, including concerns about Krapenc. Cocroft said last Monday in court that she had appointed Martin highly professional and capable attorneys and would not delay the trial again. I find this to be another attempt to delay these proceedings, Cocroft said to Martin in court. Before the trial began, Cocroft also made sure Martin understood that if he proceeded to trial, prosecutors would withdraw their plea offer. Franklin County prosecutors had given Martin the chance to plead guilty to murder, and in exchange they would have recommended Cocroft sentence Martin to life in prison with the opportunity for parole after 20 years. More court news: Was shooting murder or justified? Trial of former Columbus officer Andrew Mitchell underway Court news for subscribers: Who is the lawyer for Columbus-area cops in trouble? Collins has been go-to for decades jlaird@dispatch.com @LairdWrites This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus man convicted of aggravated murder, voluntary manslaughter By Blake Brittain (Reuters) -Belgian biopharmaceutical company UCB on Wednesday lost its U.S. court appeal seeking to revive a patent covering its Parkinson's disease drug Neupro, clearing an obstacle for Teva's Actavis Laboratories UT Inc and Viatris' Mylan Technologies Inc to sell generic versions of the drug. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit agreed with a Delaware federal court that UCB's patent on Neupro patches was invalid. A ruling for UCB could have delayed U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a Neupro generic until it expired in December 2030, the court said. An earlier court order based on a separate patent had blocked Actavis' proposed generic until 2021. A Teva spokesperson said the company was pleased with the decision. A UCB spokesperson declined to comment. Representatives for Viatris did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The FDA first approved Neupro in 2007 to treat Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder. It was removed from the market in 2008 over dosing concerns and reapproved with a different formula in 2012. UCB sold over 300 million Euros worth of the drug worldwide last year, according to a company report. UCB and LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG sued Actavis and Mylan for patent infringement in 2019 over their planned Neupro generics. A Delaware court invalidated UCB and LTS' patent in 2021 based on their earlier patents for the original version of Neupro that the court said covered the same invention. The Federal Circuit affirmed Wednesday that the patent UCB accused Actavis and Mylan of infringing was obvious and unpatentable. The case is UCB Inc v. Actavis Laboratories UT Inc, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, No. 21-1924. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington) A small Texas county is weighing whether to shut down its public library system after a federal judge ruled the commissioners violated the constitution by banning a dozen mostly children's books and ordered that they be put back in circulation. The Llano County commissioners have scheduled for Thursday a special meeting in which the first item on the agenda is whether to "continue or cease operations" at the library. Leila Green Little, one of the seven local residents who successfully sued the county for banning the books, fired off an email Monday urging county residents to attend the special meeting and give the commissioners an earful. Lano County, Texas, library. (Google Maps) We may not get another opportunity to save our library system and, more importantly, the public servants who work there, Little wrote. In the message, Little also included a screenshot of a text message that Bonnie Wallace, who is vice chairman of the Llano County Library Advisory Board, sent to one of her supporters. It was obtained by the seven residents as part of the discovery for the civil suit they filed against the county on April 25, 2022. It read, in part, "the judge has said, if we lose the injunction, he will CLOSE the library because he WILL NOT put the porn back in the kid's section!" Wallace, who did not return a call for comment from NBC News, was referring to Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham, according to Little. The judge also did not return a call from NBC News. It was not immediately clear what books Wallace was describing as "porn." The books that Llano County officials removed from the library shelves include Isabel Wilkersons Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents; "They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti; the graphic novel "Spinning" by Tillie Walden; and three books from Dawn McMillans I Need a New Butt! series. Last year, an assistant principal at a Mississippi elementary school was fired after he read I Need a New Butt! to a second-grade class. The reason? Because the book used words like butt and fart and included cartoon images of a childs butt. Story continues Also removed from the library were Maurice Sendaks "In the Night Kitchen"; Robie H. Harris "Its Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health"; and four other children's picture books with "silly themes and rhymes," like "Larry the Farting Leprechaun," "Gary the Goose and His Gas on the Loose"; "Freddie the Farting Snowman" and "Harvey the Heart Has Too Many Farts," according to the complaint. The Llano County emergency meeting was called after U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman ruled last week in favor of the seven local residents who sued Cunningham, Wallace, the Llano County commissioners, and the other library board members for removing the books. "Defendants claim to be on a hunt to eradicate 'pornographic' materials," the residents said in their complaint. "This is a pretext; none of the books Defendants have targeted is pornographic." The residents contended their First Amendment rights to free speech were violated and their 14th Amendment right to due process was violated because the books were removed without notice or ability to appeal. The judge agreed. The plaintiffs clearly met their burden to show that these are content-based restrictions that are unlikely to pass constitutional muster, Pitman wrote in an opinion filed Thursday. The evidence demonstrates that, without an injunction, defendants will continue to make access to the subject books difficult or impossible, Pitman wrote, referring to the Llano county officials. But it was not a complete victory for the seven residents. Pitman dismissed a part of the suit that asked that county officials reinstate the librarys previous system for e-book access, which gave them access to 17,000 books online. Conservative parents across the country have been pushing schools and public libraries to shut down digital programs that allow students to download and read books on their smartphones, tablets and laptops, NBC News reported last year. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com This ban, like all abortion bans, will fall hardest on people of color and those working to make ends meet, said Morgan Hopkins, president of All* Above All, told theGrio. A widely used abortion pill could soon be unavailable to the public following a recent ruling by a conservative Texas judge. Morgan Hopkins, president of All* Above All, an abortion advocacy group, told theGrio women will now have decimating access to medication abortion based on nothing but politics and baseless claims. TALLAHASSEE, FL FEBRUARY 16: Advocates for bodily autonomy march to the Florida Capitol to protest a bill before the Florida legislature to limit abortions on February 16, 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) She warned the abortion medication ban, like all abortion bans, will fall hardest on people of color and those working to make ends meet. On Friday, Texas U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, banned the use of mifepristone. The ruling comes after the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, filed a motion requesting that the court either remove the abortion pill or limit its availability to the public as part of an anti-abortion campaign in November 2022, as theGrio previously reported. In 2000, the FDA approved the use of mifepristone with another drug called misoprostol. Together, the drugs terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks. If Judge Kacsmaryks ruling is enforced, doctors will only be allowed to prescribe misoprostol which has been proven to be less effective when terminating pregnancies. As a result, women and pregnant people who seek abortions particularly those who are Black and brown may face challenges finding alternative routes. Oriaku Njoku, executive director of the National Network of Abortion Funds, told theGrio, The fact that this lawsuit even exists proves just how far people who do not stand for the fundamental freedom of their family, friends, and loved ones to make the right decisions about their lives will go. Njoku said the harm will fall hardest on those who face economic injustices and barriers to healthcare especially Black people, indigenous people, people of color, and people with intersectional identities. Story continues In an effort to stop the abortion pill ban, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal to overturn the Texas court ruling on Monday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Attorney General Merrick Garland issued made clear in a statement that the DOJ strongly disagrees with the lower courts decision which he said overturns the FDAs expert judgment, rendered over two decades ago, that mifepristone is safe and effective. The attorney general said the DOJ will continue to defend the FDAs decision, adding, The Department is committed to protecting Americans access to legal reproductive care. Hopkins told theGrio, there is not a scientific reason for these bans and called it purely political. These restrictions and bans especially harm people of color who are working to make ends meet, those who live in rural areas, and those without a nearby health care provider, she explained. Barriers to abortion care are rooted in systemic racism and reflect ongoing inequities in our healthcare system. Last week after the Texas decision, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., weighed in on the legal matter and called on President Joe Biden to ignore the ruling. The progressive Democrat told CNN the ruling was an egregious overreach. I believe the Biden administration should ignore this ruling, said the lawmaker. Ocasio-Cortez told CNNs Anderson Cooper that although Texas ruled to stop the use of mifepristone, it is up to the Biden administration on whether to enforce the ruling. The courts, she argued, are engaging in an unprecedented and dramatic erosion of the legitimacy of the courts. She added, It is the justices themselves, through the deeply partisan and unfounded nature of these rulings, that are undermining their own enforcement. Last week, the Biden administration said it would fight the ruling. In a statement, Biden called the lawsuit and subsequent decision another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk. An abortion rights activist holds a sign as Indiana House of Representatives votes to ban abortion, before passing the bill to the Senate, inside the Indiana State house during a special session in Indianapolis. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) If the ruling were to stand, he warned it would prevent women in every state from accessing the medication and said it was the next big step toward the national ban on abortion that Republican elected officials have vowed to make law in America. The president also cautioned that if the Texas ruling is upheld, it will put other prescription drugs in danger of political and ideological attacks. Biden said the only way to overcome the attack on womens right to an abortion is by electing pro-choice congressional members who can restore Roe v. Wade, which was overruled by the conservative majority of the Supreme Court last summer. Hopkins told theGrio, The Biden administration and the FDA can and must act immediately to ensure medication abortion care remains available, without interference from politicians or judges. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has issued a stay to prevent the Texas judges ruling from going into effect later this week. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Texas court ruling to ban abortion drug could harm Black women appeared first on TheGrio. A former high school teacher in Texas is behind bars after authorities say he had an inappropriate relationship with a student and also possessed child porn. Grant Tozer, 26, was arrested Tuesday by the Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constable's Office after an investigation found that he was allegedly involved in an improper relationship while he was a teacher at Magnolia High School, Fox 26 Houston reported . Tozer resigned from the district after the complaint was made and was said to have been taken into custody "without incident" on Tuesday. In addition to a charge related to his improper relationship with the student, Tozer was also charged with two counts of possessing child porn, Click 2 Houston reported . OKLAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STALKING, GROOMING, SENDING SEXUAL IMAGES TO STUDENTS Grant Tozer, 26, was arrested on charges of an improper relationship with a student and possessing child porn. "The Precinct 5 Constables Department will continue to work closely with the Magnolia Independent School District and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to protect our children and keep MISD schools safe," Constable Chris Jones said in a press statement. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "If you have information regarding these types of crimes please call our office." FLORIDA TEACHER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENT HAD RECEIVED MULTIPLE WARNINGS BEFORE "On March 31, Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constables Office notified Magnolia ISD of a report of unprofessional conduct between an employee and a student. Law enforcement and our SRO immediately began investigating, and MISD promptly placed the employee on administrative leave," a spokesperson for the Magnolia Independent School District told Fox News Digital in a statement. "On April 10, the teacher resigned from employment at Magnolia ISD, pending the outcome of the investigation. On April 11, an arrest was made by Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constables. MISD works with law enforcement for the safety and well-being of all students. MISD remains committed to providing all students with a safe and positive learning environment." Anyone with information on this case, which police say is still being investigated, is being asked to call the precinct at (281) 259-6493 or provide an anonymous tip at Constable5.org. Almost 350 K-12 educators were arrested on child sex crime charges in 2022, Fox News Digital reported, 75% of those arrests involved crimes against students. One of Thailand's oldest railway stations is facing demolition as the kingdom presses ahead with a long-delayed Chinese-backed high-speed line that has caused unease about lost heritage and closer ties to Beijing. Concrete piers supporting the new elevated track tower over bright green rice paddies, cutting a strip through a quiet corner of Thailand's poor, rural northeast. The $5.4-billion line aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 -- another piece in Beijing's vast "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative that sprawls across Asia. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, facing a tough battle in next month's general election, has championed the 600-kilometre (373-mile) railway as a way to boost the economy through trade with China. Thailand already has nearly 5,000 km of railway but the run-down network has long driven people to favour travel by road -- despite the extremely high accident rate. When the line is complete, Chinese-made trains will run from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the Mekong River border with Laos, at up to 250 km/h. - Heritage battle - One of the old stations lined up for the wrecking ball is in Nakhon Ratchasima, the main city in the northeast, three and a half hours by road from Bangkok -- or nearly five by regular train. Inaugurated by King Rama V in 1900, the old station is fraying at the edges, with stray dogs snoozing under tatty wooden benches -- but from the walls, colourful posters trumpet the bright future of high-speed travel. The State Railway of Thailand -- which did not respond to AFP's requests for comment -- plans to replace it with a new station 16 times bigger, built in glass and steel. But there is resistance from local campaigners who do not want to see a piece of Thai history -- and one with royal connections -- fall to the bulldozers. "We are not against the high-speed train project, but we want to show that the old and the new can co-exist," Werapol Chongjareonjai, the chair of an association of Siamese architects in the northeast told AFP. Story continues Werapol wants to turn the site into a tourist spot by shifting some pillars by a few metres so the new station can be built alongside the old one. Demolition work was due to begin at the start of the year but Werapol and his fellow activists have managed to delay it. With the general election looming on May 14, they hope to string the process out further as officials are reluctant to take decisions until the poll is settled. "We will try to take advantage of the elections to talk to the candidates," he added. - 'David and Goliath' - It is the latest in a series of delays to the project, first proposed to the Thai government back in 2010. The junta led by Prayut pushed closer ties with China, leading some to fear that Thailand was abandoning its policy of trying to balance relations with Washington and Beijing. Eventually, Prayut signed a deal for Thailand to cover all project expenditures, while using China-advised technology. Benjamin Zawacki, author of "Thailand: Shifting Ground between the US and a Rising China", says the long delays show that Bangkok is less keen on the project than Beijing, wary of getting drawn too deep into the Belt and Road web. "The fact that it is taking this long is some evidence that Thais are not overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it," he said. High debts to China have been a constant worry for countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative, and the fact that Thailand is paying for the railway marks it out from neighbouring Laos, where the Vientiane-Boten line opened in 2021. There, Beijing paid 70 percent of costs and much of the Laos government's contribution came from loans from Chinese banks. Suthiphand Chirathivat, professor of economics at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said the delays had helped Thailand take ownership of the rail project. "This is now a Thai project working with China. We put our money, it is our own soil," he told AFP. "China is a Goliath, and Thailand a David. David has to take a stand." ah-tak/pdw/lb/mca Fallen US biotech star Elizabeth Holmes is to begin serving prison time this month after a judge denied her request to remain free while appealing her fraud conviction. In a ruling Monday night denying a motion by Holmes, US District Court Judge Edward Davila wrote that it is unlikely her appeal will succeed. "The court does not find that she has raised a substantial question of law or fact that is likely to result in reversal or an order for a new trial of all counts," wrote Davila, who presided over Holmes's trial. Holmes was sentenced to just over 11 years in prison for defrauding investors with her Silicon Valley start-up Theranos. She is scheduled to begin serving her time in prison on April 27. She was convicted of four felony fraud counts in January of 2022 for persuading investors that she had developed a revolutionary medical device, until the company flamed out after an investigation by The Wall Street Journal. The closely watched case became an indictment of Silicon Valley. The 39-year-old became a star of Silicon Valley when she said her start-up was perfecting an easy-to-use test kit that could carry out a wide range of medical diagnostics with just a few drops of blood. Holmes had a child shortly before her trial and has had a second since her conviction. A top aide and ex-boyfriend to the Theranos chief was convicted at a separate trial and is also slated to serve time in prison. Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for his role in what prosecutors argued was a massive fraud perpetuated on Theranos investors and patients. gc/dw US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. MANDEL NGAN / Getty Images The Education Department pushed back on a lawsuit to halt student-debt relief for borrowers who said they were defrauded. A federal judge signed off on a settlement that would give those borrowers $6 billion in debt relief. The schools who filed the lawsuit said they were not given "due process" to respond to the claims. President Joe Biden's Education Department has now responded to the latest student-debt relief challengers. At the end of March, three schools asked the Supreme Court to halt the disbursement of student-debt relief in a years-long settlement known as Sweet vs. Cardona. The lawsuit, first filed in 2019 under former President Donald Trump, was filed on behalf of borrowers who had stalled borrower defense claims, or claims a borrower can file if they believe they were defrauded by the school they attended. If approved, their debt from the school would be wiped out. The Education Department agreed to the settlement last summer, and in November, a federal judge signed off on $6 billion in debt relief for 200,000 borrowers. But three schools named in the settlement Lincoln Educational Services Corp, American National University, and Everglades College appealed the decision, most recently taking it to the Supreme Court. They argued they were not given "due process" to respond to the claims made against them and said they would suffer reputational harm, asking for the nation's highest court to stay the relief as the appeals process plays out. On Wednesday, the Education Department responded to the schools' appeal, and as expected, it told the Supreme Court that staying the relief will cause "obvious harm" for impacted borrowers and the department itself. "Applicants' cavalier suggestion that any further delay could not matter to them ignores the weight of financial uncertainty those borrowers will continue to experience until the settlement's discharges are effectuated," the department wrote in its legal filing. Story continues "Given the strong interest in moving forward, and consistent with the agreement's binding terms (including deadlines), the Department has already begun implementing the settlement by notifying class members that they will receive discharges, directing loan servicers to start processing those discharges, updating its own internal systems to reflect the rescission of previous denials, and beginning the adjudication process for those reopened cases through the settlement's streamlined procedures," the department wrote. "The whipsawing that would occur if the settlement were stayed would cause confusion among the affected borrowers, loan servicers, and the public and would undermine the Department's ability to effectively implement the borrower-defense program," it added. As the department noted, it has deadlines within the settlement to get each class of borrowers the relief they won. If a borrower attended a school included on this list, their relief will be automatic, and all other borrowers will receive relief adherent to this timeline. Still, the schools want that process to be halted, and they argued that the Education Department is overstepping its authority by implementing this relief, comparing it to Biden's broad plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case aiming to block that broader relief in February. Twenty GOP-led states also backed the schools' request, saying in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that the "settlement showers class members and other borrowers with concessions and handouts beyond what the class members could have dreamt of winning after a trial." The case sits with Justice Elena Kagan, who can choose to dismiss it or take it on for consideration. Read the original article on Business Insider Police vehicles including a SWAT team truck and helicopters encircled Granite City High School for blocks in response to a threat of violence Wednesday morning. Authorities later determined that the reported threat was not credible, according to Chris Mitchell, a district spokesman. Mitchell also said only the high school has an early dismissal Wednesday. No other schools have early dismissal. But in the wake of Mondays shooting at a Louisville, Kentucky bank, and the March killing of six people at a Nashville, Tennessee, school, the slow trickle of information and inability to contact their children left parents in Granite City with some anxious moments outside their local high school. I know that mine are OK. They texted me, Joe Clark, who has a 10th-grade son and 11th-grade daughter at GCHS, said from the parking lot Wednesday morning. They dont have a clue whats going on. At least they didnt the last time I heard from them. Theyre SAT testing today. They didnt have their phones so it took me quite a while to get a hold of them. It was very scary. I didnt take a breath for about 30 minutes, it felt like, until that response text message. Fast police response Granite City District 9 Superintendent Stephanie Cann said in an interview Wednesday afternoon that district officials became aware of the threat when police contacted them. Officers were at the school within minutes, she said. Cann said six outside fire departments and other agencies offered to provide ambulances and other support before it was determined the threat was not real. She called the swift response comforting. The superintendent deferred comment to police on the nature of the threat. Major Nick Novacich, the spokesman for the police department, could not immediately be reached for comment. About 10:30 a.m., Community Unit District 9 issued its release stating that Granite City Police acted quickly to the threat and that students were safe. It also asked that parents not come to the school until being instructed to do so. Story continues The release did not say that the threat was a hoax or whether anybody had been injured. By that time, multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI, SWAT, helicopters and ambulances had surrounded the school for blocks. Granite City School District 9 staff in florescent vests meet with parents during early dismissal Wednesday to track the departure of students. Students inside the building said they saw officers in the hallways and outside the building with their guns drawn. They had people standing guard around classrooms. I was looking out the window and there was an FBI agent who searched one guy, said Hayden Slay, 16. He had a pistol on him, but they let him put it back in his bag. Shyann Dickson, 16, said an officer entered her classroom and told students what was happening. It was an interesting experience, I will admit, she said. Parents of Granite City High School students wait anxiously outside the exit, some waving and shouting for their children. Police would not allow them to get any closer to the building after a threat of violence forced a lockdown, then early dismissal as agents from multiple police units and FBI investigated. Anxious moments At 11 a.m. another statement from Cann spelled out early dismissal procedures. Parents were to enter campus off State Street only and exit on Fehling Road. They were asked to stay in single file and not to leave their vehicles. District staff in fluorescent vests handed parents a pink form so that they could track which students had departed and which remained on campus. Parents said they were told students were held in the schools cafeteria until a guardian had filled out their dismissal form. Students were released slowly, about one or two at a time. Parents waited outside, some shouting for their children or waving to capture their attention. Police kept them distant from the school building. Some parents waited in the nearby Schnucks parking lots at Madison and Nameoki. Paul Brandt was relieved to get a text from his son saying he was OK, but did not know why the police were called. Brandt had to drive 30 minutes from his workplace in St. Louis to get to the high school before he received his sons text. It wasnt just parents of students who were concerned. Denise Bennett was outside the school talking on the telephone with her daughter, a special education teacher who was inside. The principal told them to stay in place, to stay locked down until further notification, Bennett said. I said, Are you scared? And she said, Of course Im scared, mom, but I have to hold it together for the kids. Police officers speak to parents of Granite City students from their vehicle Wednesday. It was a lie Kantrell Stevenson, 15, gave some parents outside their first assurance that there hadnt been an actual shooting. He exited the school and was greeted by his uncle, Richard Womack. It was a false alarm. They were fibbing. It was a lie, he said. Thats what I heard. He said no one in his classroom was scared and they continued doing their work until they were dismissed. We just stayed in our classroom and did our tests, he said. We locked the door and we stayed there until they unlocked the doors. Slay credited the schools administration, namely Principal Daren DePew, for heading off a panic. I only worry when the principal worries and he was not worried, the student said. He came over the intercom and was just telling people to lock the doors. He was speaking slowly. He was calm. Threats across the state School districts in other parts of Illinois were facing a similar situation as Granite City High School on Wednesday morning, according to news reports. In Rockford, for example, police were responding to what they said appears to be a false report of a possible shooting at Rockford East High School. At this time, we are working on confirming details, but it looks to be a false report, the department tweeted according to a report from TV station 5Chicago. We are clearing the building as we speak and further updates will be posted. According to WSIL TV, there were false reports in southern Illinois school districts, including in Marion, Mount Vernon and Carbondale. A threat against Granite City High School was posted on social media March 2, a day after a pair of fights between students in a hallway at the school. A similar rash of threats at multiple metro-east high schools was made in September. Andrew Tate is being pursued for damages for offences claimed to have taken place in 2013 and 2016 - Lucian Alecu/Alamy Live News Three British women are determined to get justice by suing toxic masculinity influencer Andrew Tate over allegations of violent sexual and physical assault. The claimants, who are now in their late twenties and early thirties, are pursuing the former world champion kickboxer for damages for offences they claim took place between 2013 and 2016. They accuse the alpha male, 36, of causing personal injury and psychiatric harm through a number of assaults, and coercive and controlling behaviour. Tate is understood to have denied any wrongdoing. It is hoped the legal action will lead to further victims coming forward and result in a UK criminal investigation into Tate, with charges brought by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). One claimant said they will fight for justice, adding: To have seen Andrew Tates rise in popularity and influence, while knowing who he is and what he has done, has been extremely difficult for those of us who were sexually and physically abused by him. We intend to prove in court that Andrew is abusive, coercive and controlling, and that his public statements about women are nothing more than fantasy. We are determined to get justice and are ready to fight for it. We hope that in taking a stand now, others will feel empowered to do so themselves. Victims ignored or forgotten The case is being brought by McCue Jury & Partners, who hope reports of the claim could embolden other victims to come forward. Matthew Jury, managing partner at the legal firm, accused the authorities of failing the influencers British victims who have been largely ignored or forgotten. Writing for the Telegraph, he said: For years, Tate abused and manipulated women across the UK, committing numerous violent sexual and physical assaults, for which he has never been brought to justice. The extent of his crimes in England may be vast and largely unreported, and many of his victims have yet to come forward. This is an unacceptable failing on the part of the UK authorities. As a consequence, the survivors of Tates abuse have decided to pursue a case against him in the civil courts. Story continues Seeking compensation for the harm they have suffered is just one aspect of their legal action. The broader goal is to empower other victims to come forward and join them in telling their stories and, in doing so, reveal Tate for who he truly is. Mr Jury said young men must be protected from Mr Tates weaponised misogyny, and promotion of aggressive and violent behaviour towards women. The proceedings will initially be crowdfunded, with the victims seeking donations from the public. Dangerous ideology Jayne Butler, the chief executive of Rape Crisis, said: We are deeply concerned by the dangerous ideology of misogynistic rape culture that Mr Tate spreads and the serious allegations against him. We fully support the rights of women and girls to seek recourse through the civil courts, and we commend these survivors for speaking out. Anyone impacted by this case can contact our 27/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, so they can access free and confidential emotional support. Romanian prosecutors have reportedly carried out forensic searches of Mr Tates mobile phones and laptops as they continue to gather evidence. The dual British-US citizen is under house arrest in Bucharest with his brother, Tristan. They were arrested on suspicion of organised crime and human trafficking in December. The CPS previously came under scrutiny for its inexplicable decision not to prosecute Mr Tate for rape in 2019, despite being handed a damning dossier of evidence. Womens charities said Mr Tate should have been stopped in his tracks when the CPS was given voice recordings sent to an alleged victim in which he boasted about raping her. Disturbing messages The victim, who claimed Tate raped her in his Bedfordshire home in 2013, gave the police a litany of disturbing messages, including one that reads: I love raping you. Hertfordshire Police arrested Tate twice in 2015, while it investigated the victims claims, alongside complaints from two other women, one of whom claimed Tate raped her, while the other said she was repeatedly strangled. It took four years for the case to be handed over to the CPS, which decided not to bring charges in 2019, telling the complainants there was no realistic prospect of a conviction. It is not known whether this is the same victim who is suing Mr Tate. The CPS said it had carefully reviewed all the evidence provided by the police regarding each complainant, and concluded it did not meet our legal test and there was no realistic prospect of a conviction. A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesperson said: The case was only closed in late 2019, after a case file had been sent to the CPS and they took the decision not to prosecute. The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is a free phone and online chat service, run by Rape Crisis England & Wales, for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didnt want, didnt consent to, or are feeling confused about no matter when or where it happened. 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk 0808 500 2222 UK authorities failing to hold Tate accountable allows his toxic message to spread Toxic influencer Andrew Tates heinous actions of broadcasting misogyny and violence against women across the internet are well-documented, writes Matthew Jury. However, the stories of his victims are too often overlooked. As Tate takes the spotlight yet again, his victims are left waiting in the shadows. It is disturbing to note that while Tate has been arrested, jailed, but now released under house arrest in Romania with all the press attention it has garnered the women he has abused in Britain have been largely ignored or forgotten. For years, Tate abused and manipulated women across Britain, committing numerous violent sexual and physical assaults, for which he has never been brought to justice. The extent of his crimes in England may be vast and largely unreported, and many of his victims have yet to come forward. This is an unacceptable failing on the part of the British authorities. As a consequence, the survivors of Tates abuse have decided to pursue a case against him in the civil courts. Empowering other victims Seeking compensation for the harm they have suffered is just one aspect of their legal action. The broader goal is to empower other victims to come forward and join them in telling their stories and, in doing so, reveal Tate for who he truly is. The survivors have every right to be heard, to have their stories told, and their trauma acknowledged. They are taking a stand against their abuser, challenging his harmful message, and calling for justice. Their courage and resilience should be commended. For years, Andrew Tate abused and manipulated women across Britain - AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda But this is not just a matter of justice for his individual victims. It is a matter of significant public interest. Tates harmful ideology, which promotes disrespect, inequality and violence towards women, has been allowed to spread too widely and influence too many young men. By failing to hold Tate accountable, we have allowed his toxic message to continue to spread and harm more women. Broader societal issue The survivors action against Tate is a broader societal issue. The harm that Tate has caused extends beyond his individual victims. Young men who have been deceived into believing that Tate is the epitome of manhood must hear first-hand from his victims about the pain and misery he has inflicted on countless women. They must see that the illusory wealth and counterfeit fame he has amassed, which they have been brainwashed to covet, will be taken away from him because of his crimes. They must come to understand that they have been lied to. Tate is not the epitome of manhood, as he would have them believe, but just an exploitative coward who preys on the vulnerable for profit and likes to hurt women. By allowing Tates weaponised misogyny, and promotion of aggressive and violent behaviour towards women to run unchecked, we have unwittingly fostered a culture where young men believe that such behaviour is acceptable or even desirable. As a society, we have a duty to our sons and daughters to correct this grave failing, and end this toxic mindset. The survivors of Tates abuse have taken the first step towards this by standing up to their abuser, but it is up to us to support them in their pursuit of justice to ensure their voices are heard. [Source] Tibetans are speaking out following the Dalai Lamas apology after a video of him kissing a young boy went viral, claiming that the act is being intentionally misinterpreted and misused by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propagandists to discredit the spiritual leader. In the viral video, the Dalai Lama can be seen kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to suck my tongue during a public event in late February at the Dalai Lamas temple in Dharamshala, India. Tenzin Gyatso, the 87-year-old spiritual leader who was exiled from China, was condemned by many social media users who described his behavior as inappropriate and disgusting. The backlash then prompted the office of the Dalai Lama to apologize for the act, which they categorized as innocent and playful, on Monday. More from NextShark: Elderly Malaysian man who orders dinner for 8 but dines alone has netizens offering to eat with him Since then, many Tibetans have also spoken up, arguing that the Dalai Lamas act was intentionally misinterpreted as a way to legitimize the Chinese occupation of Tibet. More from NextShark: 'Drivers took white people and animals over us': Indian student recounts racism while fleeing Ukraine Tsering Kyi, a U.S.-based Tibetan journalist, said that the video's emergence as a point of controversy is the result of an attempt to discredit the Dalai Lama, a target of the CCP for decades. In an interview with Vice World News published on Tuesday, Kyi said: Story continues I still remember when the great Christian spiritual leader, Desmond Tutu, visited the Dalai Lama in India, and they hugged and kissed like two pure kids. It was a beautiful display of love, but some people with dirty minds interpreted it as something else back then too. English is his second language, so sometimes His Holiness uses words that make some people uncomfortable. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that he intends to be negative. On the same day, Australian anti-CCP activist Drew Pavlou tweeted a photo of the meeting between the two leaders. "Sadly everything in the modern Western world is too hyper sexualised. The Dalai Lama jokingly made a kissing face to greet his friend Desmond Tutu, only those with a severe case of porn brain could see this as sexual," he said in his tweet. More from NextShark: Studio Ghibli offers new look into highly anticipated theme park ahead of November opening Sadly everything in the modern Western world is too hyper sexualised. The Dalai Lama jokingly made a kissing face to greet his friend Desmond Tutu, only those with a severe case of porn brain could see this as sexual pic.twitter.com/qkNfDOUhzv Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) April 11, 2023 According to the Institute of East Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, to stick ones tongue out is a sign of respect, agreement or greeting in traditional Tibetan culture. It's been our traditional way of greeting, an anonymous Tibetan in India also told Vice. I have also seen him being playful with Tibetans. For us, it is sad that it has been misinterpreted by the international community. The event was held more than a month ago, why are we seeing this just now? While it is unclear what caused the video to resurface and go viral, the individual noted that they saw many pro-Chinese social media accounts tweeting the video last Friday. Expression of emotions and manners today has been melted together and become vividly westernized, Namdol Lhagyari, a Tibetan activist in exile, wrote on Twitter. Bringing in narrative of other cultures, customs and social influence on gender and sexuality to interpret Tibetan way of expression is heinous. It is intriguing and heavily disturbing for me individually on how this issue has been used as a political weapon and scandalized to suit various sections of the world. With due respect, I dont see the need of apology for the playful and tongue-in-cheek demeanor His Holiness the 14th is applauded worldwide for. It is intriguing and heavily disturbing for me individually on how this issue has been used as a political weapon and scandalised to suit various sections of the world. 2/3 Namdol.Lhagyari (@namdol_lhagyari) April 10, 2023 Timothy Grose, an associate professor of China studies at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana, also told Vice that the clip is being weaponized by supporters of the CCP who believe the Dalai Lama to be a separatist and a CIA puppet. The Chinese seizure of this part of Tibetan history is meant to fit [its] claim of liberating Tibet, Grose said. Tibetan human rights groups have reportedly documented online campaigns in the past that sought to discredit the Dalai Lama, with some viral posts accusing him of owning slaves a claim that has been dismissed as inaccurate by Tibetan historians. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 when Tibet was annexed by China, has worked to draw global support for linguistic and cultural autonomy in his remote homeland. He currently lives in a compound next to a temple in Dharamshala. Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina took a major step toward a 2024 presidential bid on Wednesday by announcing a new exploratory committee. In a 3-minute video filmed by Fort Sumter National Monument the South Carolina, Scott highlighted his upbringing and beliefs. He pledged to "never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional." If elected, the 57-year-old Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, would make history as the country's first Black GOP president. "I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression," he said in the announcement video. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Scott has been tinkering with the needed campaign infrastructure for months as the Republican primary field takes shape. Politics: Who is Tim Scott? South Carolina senator weighing 2024 bid for president More: Will he or won't he? Republican Sen. Tim Scott weighs a historic White House bid This week, he is making stops in Iowa and New Hampshire to huddle with voters, before heading back to his home state of South Carolina, another critical primary battle for a "political update with donors. If Scott officially enters the fray, he will join another South Carolinian, former Gov. Nikki Haley, who appointed him to the Senate in 2013, as well as former President Donald Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Scott invokes Civil War, race Scott making the announcement on April 12 wasn't by accident either, as he emphasized that the day marked anniversary of the first shots that ignited the Civil War. "America's soul was put to the test and we prevailed," he said. "Today, our country is once again being tested once again. Our divisions run deep and the threat to our future is real. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. speaks during the Republican Party of Polk County Lincoln Dinner, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in West Des Moines, Iowa. The video spotlights Scotts biography, being raised as the son of a single mother and plays up his evangelical upbringing. Story continues The spoons in our apartment were plastic, not silver, Scott said. But we had faith. We put in the work and we had an unwavering belief that we too could live the American dream. Elections: Who is Nikki Haley? Former S.C. GOP governor announces run for president in 2024 More: GOP ex-Gov. Asa Hutchinson jumps into 2024 presidential race, brands himself 'non-Trump' candidate Scott also talked about race, saying the country is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression. He adds how that personal story will challenge Democrats and disrupts what he casts as their culture of grievance and victimhood narrative about the country. They know the truth of my life disproves their lies, he said. What is an exploratory committee? Scott's move acts a soft launch that will allow his team to increase their fundraising and spending money towards travel and other needs head of officially declaring. In the months leading up to Wednesday's decision Scott has proven to be a GOP juggernaut in terms of raking in campaign cash and attracting mega-donors. Poll: Voters have mixed feelings about Trump as 2024 presidential race comes into focus During the 2022 campaign, for instance, Scott hauled in $43.1 million for his reelection, according to Federal Election Commission records. He still has more than $20 million in his Senate campaign account and another $13 million in a super PAC, according to OpenSecrets, which can deploy resources on his behalf. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. Tim Scott starts exploratory committee for 2024 presidential run Sen. Tim Scott Delivers Remarks Commemorating Black History Month To The Charleston County Republican Party Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) delivers remarks at the Charleston County Republican Partys Black History Month Banquet February 16, 2023 in Charleston, South Carolina. Credit - Win McNameeGetty Images When South Carolina Senator Tim Scott launched a presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday, it seemed like he had a lot going for him. His Senate colleagues speak glowingly about him. He recently brought on former Colorado Senator Cory Gardner, who previously chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to co-chair the super PAC supporting his political goals. GOP mega-donors love Scott, too: tech billionaire Larry Ellison, who has given more than $20 million to the Scott-aligned super PAC, is just one of the Republican power players who have backed him. There may be some people who dont like him, but Ive never met one, says longtime Republican consultant Whit Ayres. Yet in the Republican 2024 primary, that may not be enough: Scott is currently polling around 1%. As the presidential field begins to take shape, Scott faces the daunting task of carving out space at the helm of a party still in the grip of former President Donald Trump. The most recent polls of the Republican primary field have found Trump with a commanding lead among the possible 2024 contenders, sometimes earning the support of more than half of GOP voters. Trumps closest competition numbers-wise is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has yet to launch a bid. Both men have built reputations as pugnacious culture warriors. It remains to be seen whether Scotts alternativea positive message focused on unity, faith in America, and his own biographycan move voters into his column. I wish that there was a lane for a sunny optimist telling an optimistic story about America, says anti-Trump Republican strategist Sarah Longwell. But in the last eight years, Donald Trump has made a Republican Party that craves catastrophe. Longwell continues: There needs to be really only one other lane, and that is an alternative to Donald Trump. Story continues Its not clear that anti-Trump voters will see Scott as their best bet. The Trump lane, the anti-Trump lane, the more-than MAGA, I dont think [Scott] fits in those things, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, told Politico earlier this month. There are a number of voters who are tired of all the sturm und drang and the anger and the vituperative comments. On the other hand, the base is still with folks who are adept at those things. In a launch video posted Wednesday, Scott espoused an optimistic vision of the country based on his experience growing up in poverty. We had faith, he says in the video. We put in the work. And we had an unwavering belief that we, too, could live the American Dream. I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression. I know it because Ive lived it. He aimed his criticisms at President Joe Biden and Democrats, rather than at other Republicans. Asked on Fox and Friends how he planned to beat Trump, he did not directly answer the question. In order to carve out his own lane in the race, hell have to emphasize his unique strengths, strategists say. In addition to his good reputation among donors, he could capitalize on the fact that hes from South Carolina, an early primary state where a strong showing might improve his political standing. But he faces competition even for that niche with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, another non-white South Carolinian touting a unique personal story and optimistic vision for America, who has already been running for two months. But arguably more than Haley, Scott has emphasized his race throughout his political career. A source familiar with his organization tells TIME that his story of achieving the American dream and his firsthand experience with the vitriol Democrats have sometimes demonstrated toward Black Republicans are likely to be key differentiators for his campaign. Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness, Scott says in his launch video. All too often, when they get called out for their failures, they weaponize race to divide us, to hold onto their power. When I fought back against their liberal agenda, they called me a prop, a token, because I disrupt their narrative. I threaten their control. They know the truth of my life disproves their lies. Of all the things that set him apart, strategists inside and outside Scotts orbit say his identity may give him the most unique opportunity to appeal to Republicans. Theyll say they dont care a lot about that, because we dont believe in identity politics as Republicans, Ayres says. But they know that the countrys changing, and they know that a different kind of candidate would be very attractive. As the Senates only Black Republican, Scott has championed issues popular among conservatives, like anti-abortion legislation and tax cuts. But he has also distinguished himself by leaning into his personal story. Scott has often talked about his experiences being racially profiled by police, including on his way into the Capitol years after joining Congress. Working with Democratic Senator Cory Booker, Scott helped institute Opportunity Zones, which created tax advantages for investments in economically-distressed communities, in the tax plan Trump signed in 2017. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd, Scott and Booker became their partys lead negotiators on police reform, but failed to reach a compromise. Prior to that, Scott sunk more than one of Trumps judicial nominees who faced race-related controversies. But in a party thats overwhelmingly white, and which has at times stoked racial grievance, identity may not be the easiest selling point. Asked by TIME in a February interview about whether Republican presidential candidates of color might benefit from their identities, Michael Steele, the first Black chair of the Republican National Committee, wasnt convinced. Youll get the folks who say, Oh, its really cool to have a Black person, Steele said. I went through that crap when I got elected national chairman. The Republican primary is going to require them to say, and do, and act a certain way, Steele said. Thats not necessarily going to be consistent or appreciated by communities of color. Because my bet is theyre going to pivot to trying to appease the Trump wing of the base. They dont want to lose that. They dont want to offend them. Republican Sen. Tim Scott took a major step toward bringing his sunrise conservatism to the 2024 presidential campaign trail Wednesday with the launch of an exploratory committee. The decision comes ahead of what will be busy week for the South Carolina lawmaker, who is making pit stops in Iowa and New Hampshire before returning home to huddle with faith voters on Friday. Scott, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, has carved out a space in the GOP field as the cheerier candidate, looking to turn the page away from former President Donald Trump with an optimistic vision for America. An exploratory committee gives Scott the ability to raise money directly for a possible bid, cash that can fund polling and travel. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Here's what to know about Scott. 10 Commandments at City Hall The 57-year-old South Carolina lawmaker first entered politics in 1995 during a special election for the Charleston County Council. Scott made national news two years later when he advocated for posting the Ten Commandments outside the council's building, saying it was needed to remind residents of moral absolutes. The council abandoned the idea after a yearlong legal battle, which was prompted by a lawsuit by the ACLU. Beating Strom Thurmond's son Scott's ascendency continued in 2010 when, after serving in the state legislature, he pulled off a political upset by defeating a son of former Sen. Strom Thurmond a notorious segregationist to be elected to the House of Representatives during the early days of the Tea Party movement. Two years later, Scott was appointed to the Senate by then-Gov. Nikki Haley who is now also running for president becoming the first Black U.S. senator in South Carolina history, where he has coasted through multiple reelection campaigns. Rising GOP star One of the first signs that Scott was moving into the national spotlight was in 2021, when he was chosen to given the Republican rebuttal to President Joe Biden's first joint address to Congress. Story continues GOP leaders praised Scott as a new face of the party, whose biography was inspiring and unifying. "Hear me clearly," Scott said during his speech. "America is not a racist country." George Floyd and lynching legislation During the height of national protests in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020, Scott was a lead sponsor of a measure meant to curtail police violence. The bill included multiple provisions aimed at increasing transparency, reducing use-of-force incidents, such as banning chokeholds, and incentivizing departments to use body cameras. But the bipartisan effort stalled in Congress after negotiations between Scott and Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, failed to materialize a bill that could survive either chamber's razor-thin margins. Democrats claimed GOP lawmakers moved the goalposts on several issues, while Scott insisted liberal advocates wanted to inject "defunding the police" policies into the measure. But Scott did score a legislative victory in 2022, when he joined with Democrats to pass a landmark civil rights bill that made lynching a federal hate crime. What does Tim Scott stand for? Scott is strongly anti-abortion and has repeatedly said the country must stand up for the unborn. He is a supporter of school choice, arguing a childs zip code shouldnt determine their access to quality schools. Early on in office Scott supported the removal of the Confederate flag from South Carolina Statehouse grounds. In terms of foreign affairs, Scott wanted a continued U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and has said in the past that Iran presents a major global threat. During the lead up to Russias war against Ukraine, he slammed the Biden administration, arguing it has led from behind and waited too long to provide critical support. Contributing: Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Tim Scott? SC senator could enter 2024 presidential race CEDAR RAPIDS U.S. Sen. Tim Scott met with Iowa homeschool families Wednesday, just hours after announcing he has formed a presidential exploratory committee a major step toward a formal presidential campaign. In an interview, Scott said he created the committee after finding that his message was resonating with Iowans and voters across the country on his Faith in America tour. The committee will allow Scott to begin raising and spending money on some limited campaign activities while he continues assessing the field. I've been (in Iowa) a lot, he said. But the truth is that when you're thinking about the next step, you want to make sure that you're listening to the American people. And certainly here, the first caucus in the country, it's really important to not just hop in very quickly but to actually listen, assess and make sure that the message that I have which is an optimistic, positive message anchored in conservatism actually resonates. So far so good." More: Tim Scott moves closer to challenging Trump, other GOP rivals in 2024, forms exploratory committee A Real Clear Politics rolling average of polling shows Scott, of South Carolina, is the preferred candidate of less than 1% of poll respondents nationally. A new poll of South Carolina voters from Winthrop University shows the senator is more popular in his home state, which also holds an early nominating contest after Iowa and New Hampshire. There, 7% of voters say he is their preferred choice for president. Former President Donald Trump leads with 41%. He is followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 20% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 18%. The polls margin of error is plus or minus 4.45 percentage points. Scott said he isnt worried about the polls at this early stage of the race. After the private event with homeschool families Wednesday morning, Scott met privately with a group of area pastors before speaking at the Cedar Rapids Country Club in the evening. Story continues In front of a crowd of about 100 people, Scott touted himself as an optimist who is focused on building a brighter future. "I believe that next American century starts with us," he said. "I'm looking forward to American stories and American dreams that make my American Dream pale in comparison to the next story of what's possible." He pushed back on what he called a "narcotic of despair" on the left that casts Americans as victims. "I grew up understanding the power of individual responsibility and the importance of taking responsibility for how your life turns out," he said. Kelly Hitchman, a 58-year-old Cedar Rapids resident who attended the evening event, said she plans to support Scott after hearing him speak Wednesday. "Just like the rest of us, he came from the bottom and he worked his way up," she said. "He's a strong man with good faith, and I think he'll be good for the country." More: Tim Scott inches toward 2024 run, calling for 'creating converts to conservatism' in Iowa speech In the interview, Scott said his faith would be an important part of any future campaign. Television journalists record as U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during the Five Seasons Republican Women's Group Dinner, Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Cedar Rapids Country Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My foundation as an individual is one that's formed by my grandmother, my mother's faith, he said. And it certainly resonated with me when I was growing up that when things are scarce, the one thing that was in abundance was faith and love. So far, the presidential field has been defined by Trump, who continues to command the support of his base, despite legal troubles on multiple fronts. More: Why Donald Trump's arrest may help his presidential campaign in the 2024 Iowa caucuses Scott suggested the issue is a distraction, saying politicians should spend more time focusing on the voters they serve. But he also suggested the indictment against Trump was politically motivated. The weaponizing of the law against political enemies only weakens the fabric of our country, he said. It brings into question whether or not the laws of this country are going to be used as a weapon against those folks that we don't like. I will say that as a guy that understands that experience too much, too familiar that's a bad direction for this country. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Tim Scott travels to Iowa after forming 2024 exploratory committee MARION, Iowa (AP) Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said Wednesday that conservatives are starved for hope, as he tried to present a more positive vision for the future than many of his potential rivals for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Scott, who announced plans earlier in the day to form an exploratory committee for president, told The Associated Press that voters he has spoken with respond favorably to his optimistic outlook for the country and his conservative ideals. I think my candidacy is really designed around what the American people want to talk about, what their priorities are and what their issues are, Scott said in the interview in Marion, a suburb of Cedar Rapids. Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, was in Iowa for a day of political meetings with evangelical pastors and Christian home-school parents, both subsets of the influential Christian conservative base of Republicans' leadoff caucus state. He declined to say whether former President Donald Trump, who remains the most popular Republican nationally, is offering a less-than-unifying message in his own 2024 bid for a White House comeback. But even without mentioning Trump, Scott's comments stand in sharp contrast to the former president's typical political speech, which usually includes broadsides at people he considers his enemies. Bemoaning Democratic leaders as needlessly dividing the country by fostering a culture of grievance, Scott positioned himself as the antidote to the the radical left, a self-made success story as the son of a single mother who overcame poverty. When I fought back against their liberal agenda, they called me a prop. A token. Because I disrupt their narrative," he said in the video, which was shot on the site of Fort Sumter in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, where the Civil War's first shots were fired. "I threaten their control." Despite the drama of the Trump years, early-state voters including onetime critics say he delivered on promises such as making conservative judicial appointments that helped lead to the overturning of Roe. vs. Wade last year, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that had established a federal right to abortion. Story continues Scott argued that he offers a record of delivering on conservative priorities, pointing to his leading role on the 2017 Republican tax overhaul, which cut taxes for some but also benefited businesses and the wealthy. Being a part of that process, having my hands in there, I think is a critical part of the success that we had, Scott said. Although Trump signed the bill and counts it among his administration's top achievements, Scott said, It's good to have partners that believe that the legislation that I'm writing is worth signing. If he formally enters the field, Scott would join another South Carolinian, former Gov. Nikki Haley, as well as former President Donald Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and anti-woke biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Others, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, are considering launching campaigns in the coming months. Scott said he had not communicated with Haley before announcing his plans and dismissed suggestions of any awkwardness in running against the former governor who appointed him to his Senate seat. We were friends before. We will be friends after, he said. Asked what would keep him from running, Scott indicated he was likely to move ahead with his bid. So far, so good. I hope that we continue to have the same kind of success weve had so far," he told the AP. "And as long as we do, well continue to move in the same direction. For months, Scott has been developing the infrastructure to accompany a bid for the White House, building out his political action committee and visiting early voting states. In addition to his trip to Iowa, Scott will swing through the early voting state of New Hampshire this week before heading back to South Carolina for breakfast, policy discussions, and political update with donors. Those donors could become key to an exploratory committee, which gives Scott the ability to raise money directly for a possible bid, cash that can fund polling and travel. Scott has already shown the ability to attract significant money. Opportunity Matters Fund, a pro-Scott super political action committee, spent more than $20 million to help Republicans in 2022, reporting $13 million-plus on hand to start 2023. Tech billionaire Larry Ellison has donated at least $30 million to the organization since 2021, according to federal filings. He has signaled how he might distinguish himself from the others in the race by leaning into a more hopeful message than the grievance-based politics advocated by others. During a February visit to Iowa, which holds the first GOP presidential caucuses, Scott spoke of a new American sunrise rooted in collaboration. I see a future where common sense has rebuilt common ground, where weve created real unity, not by compromising away our conservatism, but by winning converts to our conservatism, he said. ___ Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP More than 2,000 students marched, danced and sang near the Capitol as part of an ongoing effort to increase funding for Black students in public schools. The rally and its organizers continue to push back against a plan by Gov. Gavin Newsom to provide additional money to the states lowest-income schools. Known as the Equity Multiplier, the proposal infuriated some education and civil rights organizations that argue more funding is needed for Black student success. Some advocates say Newsoms plan would only help 6% of Black students statewide, despite the population ranking below every other racial and ethnic group in classroom performance. Black students make up roughly 5% of Californias students. In California, equity means everyone but Black students Its time for our students to be seen, heard and funded, said Margaret Fortune, president and CEO of Fortune School of Education. While Fortune and other advocates believe Newsoms proposal is not doing enough, the governors administration highlights the accountability portion of the plan. It would require all school districts to identify where Black student performance is low on a California School Dashboard indicator. Then, through annual community engagement, the plan would implement strategies to improve academic performance. Newsoms proposal has received support from the California Legislative Black Caucus and the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators. Theres a reason why the Governors proposal has broad support from Black leaders, educators, and civil rights organizations across the state: this plan is an unmatched game-changer for advancing equity and student achievement using both carrots and sticks funding and accountability, said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor. On Tuesday, students held up signs citing the achievement gap statistics including 70% of Black kids are below grade level in reading and 84% of Black kids are below grade level in math. They also danced to Teach Me How to Dougie, sang Lift Every Voice and Sing (also known as the Black National Anthem) and marched around the Capitol while chanting. Story continues Hannan Canada, a senior at Cosumnes Oaks High School, publicly shared her frustration about being a Black student in the public school system. She recalled instances of feeling alone in the classroom, and not receiving the appropriate support or counseling because her schools lacked Black faculty. She expressed hope that many of the younger students in attendance would see an increase in resources before graduating high school. We have been demanding change for too long without seeing change, said Canada, who is also president of Black Students of California United. If we want equity, we need to start seeing direct solutions instead of trying to slap a Band-Aid. Bill was pulled last year Tuesdays event was sponsored by the Black in School Coalition, a group of scholars, educators and community leaders. Prior to Tuesdays rally, members of the coalition and students spoke at an Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing to propose their alternative budget plan. Their funding proposal is estimated to be around $300 million and would benefit 81,000 Black students. Though Newsoms proposal would generate similar money, Fortune said only $16 million would go to Black students. Under Newsoms plan, funding would be based on the percentage of students qualifying for free lunches. Some advocates say that misses the mark for the Black students as they are often not in low-income schools and, if so, they are funded through programs and grants. The governors current proposal targets low-income schools, not the lowest-performing students. There is a difference, said Christina Laster, the education director of the National Action Network. Oftentimes, legislators think income is a proxy for race because they assume all Black people are poor, added Fortune. The discussion on school funding follows last years AB 2774, which could have generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Black students. The legislation, authored by Assemblywoman Akilah Weber, D-San Diego, received overwhelming bipartisan support but was eventually pulled. At the time, Weber cited potential constitutional issues, that were learned through conversations with Newsom and members of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She also said Newsom had committed ongoing funding to improve the lowest-performing groups and addressing the needs of Black students. That funding was announced in Newsoms January budget, and has earned the support of Weber and other Black legislators. But advocates, like Fortune, now scoff at it. You want to know how he took care of Black students, Fortune yelled to the crowd. He gave you 5%. Newsoms next proposed budget is expected to be released in May. Students hold signs on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at a Black in School Coalition rally and march at Capitol Park in Sacramento in opposition to Gov. Gavin Newsoms education budget proposal, which they said doesnt provide enough funding to narrow the academic achievement gap for Black students. Ramona Bishop, president of Elite Public Schools, holds a microphone for Raine Oler, 4, as she recites a poem Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at a Black in School Coalition rally and march at Capitol Park in Sacramento in opposition to Gov. Gavin Newsoms education budget proposal, which they said doesnt provide enough funding to narrow the academic achievement gap for Black students. Bleecker Street On the sheer strength of its delightfully dopey poster alone, Mafia Mamma (in theaters Friday), was one of my most anticipated movies of the year. Really, whats not to appreciate? Toni Collettethe titular Mafia Mamma in questionsits with an impish smirk on her face, sprawled out before a bottle of wine and a smoking gun. She is flanked by two tall, similarly gun-toting men, whose faces are cut off from the artwork. Who cares about them? This is about her: the suburban mom turned mafia don, who seemingly just shot someone dead and is so pleased that shes celebrating with a glass of vino. If you, like me, thought that this combination of things would surely result in brilliant cinemaand definitely not an unredeemable disaster that isnt worth watchingit brings me no pleasure to tell you that youre wrong. And thats what makes it so puzzling. Mafia Mamma has all of the right ingredients, but director Catherine Hardwicke treats the complicated science of movie-making like an improvisational linguine dish rather than a delicate tiramisu. If you over-whip one ingredient, or mix two things together at the incorrect time, the sugary sweetness might still pack a small punch, but the consistency will be all wrong. (Or something. Im not a baker.) Collettewho is also a producer on the filmstars as Kristin Balbano, a beleaguered working mom who has just shipped her son off to college (homemade trail mix in hand), and found her marriage falling apart as a result. Kristin isnt taken seriously at her high-level advertising agency or by her philandering husband, and is in desperate need for a change. As if a sign from the cherubic Italian angels, she receives a call from Bianca (Monica Bellucci), a close friend of her grandfathers, to alert Kristin to his passing. Bianca would love for Kristin to come to Italy for the funeral, and Kristin would love an all-expense-paid vacation. Kristin expects her grandfathers procession to be the first, most morbid stop on her Eat, Pray, Love journey. That is, until gunfire pings off the chapels stone walls, and a shootout between everyone present bumps pray up to the top of her to-do list. Bianca tells Kristin that their family vineyard is just a frontthats why the wine is so shit. The Balbanos are really the head of an organized crime family, and are engaged in a war with the Romanos, who run the neighboring territories. Kristins grandfather wanted her to take over the family business in the event of his death, and Kristin is already in too deep to get out. Story continues Bleecker Street On paper, all of that sounds like a surefire hit. And for a brief momentin the chic opening sequence that finds Monica Bellucci clomping her heels around a sea of dead bodies and professing, This means warit seems that Mafia Mamma would live up to all of that potential. But once the fabulous title card fades, the film plummets in a state of total, tragic freefall. Its descent may be occasionally suspended in air by the luminosity of Collette and Bellucci, but even their committed performances arent enough to hold up the weight of the cinder blocks strapped to Mafia Mammas proverbial feet. Blessedly, it doesnt take too long for Kristin to arrive in Italy. Mafia Mamma breezes past its exposition to get to the real reason ticket holders paid the cost of admission: to see Collette in over her head, when all her character wants is some tasty gelato. From the moment her plane touches down, Kristin is on the hunt for a man. The films screenwriters dont make any effort to concoct a nuanced, realistic version of Italy. Theyre happy to portray a total stereotype every chance they get, starting as soon as the airport. Of course, Kristin meets a guy while trying to find her ride; Italy is a country filled with horny playboys, after all! Beau Is Afraid Is a Mind-Bending Acid Trip of Epic Proportions Cue the first of many erroneous editing mishaps that somehow made it into the final cut. After exchanging numbers with her suitor, Lorenzo (Giulio Corso), in the airport taxi line, Kristin says goodbye, and suddenly, Lorenzos cab is completely gone. The viewer never sees Lorenzo enter it, nor do they see it speeding away. All were given is a baffling smash-cut to Kristin celebrating her win, while the rest of us are left scratching our heads. This is not the last time a bewildering editing mistake happens, either. Random establishing shots will bulldoze their way into the middle of a walk-and-talk dolly sequence, after the same establishing shot had already been seen, minutes before. It would be one thing if everything else happening around these aberrations was firing on all cylinders. But on almost every front, Mafia Mamma is amateurishly cobbled together and spit out onto the silver screen. Collette is a highly skilled comedic actress, but the dated script fails her. Mafia Mamma is filled to the brim with antiquated humor that needed at least three separate rounds of script punch-ups before cameras ever started rolling. Collette is saddled with an unforgiving, one-note character. Kristins dopey persona works in her favor way too often. She frequently saves her own life by accident, in scenes that lose their microscopic shreds of humorous luster the more theyre repeated. When she does get some agency, its forced by a dreadful and mind-boggling attempt-rape gag, where Kristin takes out the perverted member of the opposing crime family with a high heel thats just as effective in the testicles as it is the eye sockets. The fight sequence has none of the style or actual real-life emotional gravity that it would need to make it a convincing addition to the film. But if you like Halloween-store-level, slapstick gore, youll jump out of your seat. None of the other efforts at humor are any more effective. The Italian characters function like trite cliches, who are always shouting Super Mario-level Italian phrases, gobbling up pasta, and getting mad that Kristin hasnt watched The Godfathera joke thats well-run into the ground by the fifth time it falls clumsily out of an actors mouth. Bellucci is, thankfully, a godsend of brief relief whenever she trounces into a scene and says some gonzo line. But even her level of dedication, and undeniable chemistry with Collette, cant buoy this sinking ship for long. At least the film adaptation of Eat, Pray, Lovementioned incessantly, as if the audience needs multiple references to remember most popular autobiographies of all timehad the good sense to fill the screen with gorgeous scenery. Mafia Mamma is bizarrely bland, relying on the local sights for all of its visual style. The country of Italy (and all of its film grants and tax breaks) can only do so much heavy lifting. The Last Thing He Told Me: Jennifer Garner Almost Saves Latest Big Little Lies Copycat With a deficiency of aesthetic flair and a total misunderstanding of what tracks for a joke, let alone comedic timing, past 2010, Hardwickes direction further quashes all of the films promise before it even reaches its halfway point. Throughout Mafia Mammas 101-minute runtime, I found myself searching for a kernel of camp, an ion of irony, or even a morsel of monkey business. I was desperate to wring anything out of the movie could be added to the cult-favorite canon, but the whole endeavor suffered from a dismal lack of self-awareness. Though Collette and Bellucci give it their eccentric best, everything else about Mafia Mamma kneecaps its star players, taking what the stars give and grape-stomping it into incoherent mush. A little mobster drug-running and gun-smuggling are nothing compared to the unforgivable crime of doing so little with endless possibilities. Liked this review? Sign up to get our weekly See Skip newsletter every Tuesday and find out what new shows and movies are worth watching, and which arent. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Lee Davis was standing naked at the edge of Lake Merritt in Downtown Oakland, enacting the strange steps of a ceremony only she knew. It was 1999 and she was 25 years old. As she performed the sacred dance that would heal the world, she called on higher gods by first sacrificing beads, and then her body, into the murky urban waters of Merritts lagoon. Time was both meaningless and moving backward. The ritual was an otherworldly plea and a cleansing that would make everything better if only she did it right. Opinion But this wasnt reality. Davis swan dive into the freezing water that afternoon wasnt witnessed by the gods, only by a scared young boy and his father in a nearby rowboat. She was fully in psychosis, brought on by her then-undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Davis was fished out of Lake Merritt by the Oakland Police and forced to take a drug test, which she vehemently protested. She wasnt on drugs, she was saving the world. Why couldnt they understand? After a stint at John George Psychiatric Hospital in San Leandro, she was released. That happened three times, Davis remembers. Shed get sent to the psychiatric hospital after an episode, and then let go. Hospitalized, then released. Left alone, again and again, to her own delusions, she slipped away from sanity. It was a torment to be in my own brain and have these different things happening. There were so, so many distressing thoughts, Davis said. Time became meaningless. At some point, Davis took out the fuses in her apartment building because they couldnt be a part of the new world order. She smashed her windows, convinced that the inside and outside words needed to merge. She placed all of her belongings into the hallway of her apartment building to help redistribute wealth. She became obsessed with a woman shed met at a party and believed they would marry. She slept in short fits. Eventually, Davis quit her electrical apprenticeship to stay at home and make artful constellations objects that held deep, cosmic meaning for her, but were frightening to family and friends. Story continues Eventually, she believed she could fly. Why not? Its so much easier than walking. She went to the roof of her apartment to test the theory. She remembers her father coaxing her back inside. If left unmedicated, I would have ended up probably being homeless, and I did lose my housing, Davis said. I would be dead now. Thats what the trajectory would have looked like, (probably) with some pretty brutal things in between. Ultimately, it was a friend who forced Davis to get help. She realized that things were really off the rails and so she (called my parents) and said, Theres something wrong. Theres something wrong and we need to help her, Davis said. Being forced into mental health care was the best possible thing that could have happened, Davis said, even though she spit on the first medical professional who diagnosed her bipolar disorder. Davis is managing her bipolar disorder, but it takes vigilance every single day, she said. Since her diagnosis, Davis graduated from Sacramento State in 2016 with a degree in civil engineering. She also earned a degree in anthropology from UC Santa Barbara and now works as an artist. She has also since finished her electrical apprenticeship; and from 2017 through 2022 she served as chair of the Alameda County Mental Health Advisory Board, where she helped make recommendations to reduce the countys number of mentally ill prisoners and advised the board of supervisors on behavioral health-related state legislation. Davis said she never would have sought care if left to her own choices, because her delusions were an absolute, unassailable reality in her mind. Thats a common symptom of anosognosia, often seen in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, defined by a patients inability to understand and perceive their illness, much less seek help for it. This is why Davis supports the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Act that California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law. Under CARE Court, a family member, first responder or anyone else will be able to petition a new kind of civil court to temporarily mandate and provide housing and care for a person with severe mental illness. (The current state plan is for all 58 California counties to have their CARE Courts running by December of 2024.) But critics of the law, including Disability Rights California, say it strips individuals with mental health disabilities of their right to make their own decisions. Davis, however, doesnt see cruelty in helping people unable to help themselves. The real cruelty is leaving mentally ill patients to fend for themselves on city streets. It was not freedom to be tethered to a brain that was impaired in a real way it was torture, and it was chaotic, she said. I was so in the grip (of my psychosis), I was so vulnerable to people on the street. To me, thats not freedom. The reality is that CARE Court is for people who cannot take care of themselves, the kind of people who cannot make logical decisions about their care because their reasoning is lost in a haze of psychosis. Im tired of having private conversations with people who have anti-acute care sentiments, but in private say Maybe there are some exceptions, Davis said, exasperated. Thats not to say she doesnt see problems looming ahead for Newsom and the CARE Courts, an opinion bolstered by her background in mental health care advocacy. Unless there are concurrent and immediate investments made to the state mental health system, including involuntary treatment, acute care through temporary supportive housing and maybe even permanent supportive housing, Davis said, then it will be another failed attempt. I appreciate their momentum on certain legislation around this issue, she said. It just has to be in tandem with these investments in mental health infrastructure to support it. Psychosis is like living in a dream, and never questioning the decisions you make within that dream, she said. The treatment for mental illnesses are well known and easily administered, but help must be sought first; people living with severe mental illness and anosognosia arent capable of that. If you see a child with a broken leg its a very clear picture of what recovery would look like, Davis said. I think people dont necessarily see (mental illness as) temporary and treatable, and people can live full and meaningful lives. Fresno County once again wants to find a buyer for the abandoned University Medical Center hospital in southeast Fresno. The old UMC campus located on East Kings Canyon Road and South Cedar Avenue is again for sale for an asking price of $6 million. The sale of the property comes nearly five years after a deal to sell the property resulted in criminal charges for a former county staffer. In 2019, the county approved an agreement to sell the building for $4 million to the Fresno-based CMG Construction Management Group, Inc., which planned to turn the site into a mixed-use development with affordable housing, a pharmacy, a grocery store, and retail. But the deal fell through when Steve Rapada, former chief of staff for Supervisor Sal Quintero, was arrested and alleged to have financial stakes in the county-negotiated contract. Rapada was sentenced to one year of probation and 60 hours of community service for a misdemeanor conflict of interest violation. City officials revoked their end of the deal, calling it tainted. CMG Construction Management Group, Inc. then sued both the city and the county over the collapsed deal in 2022. A case management conference is scheduled for next month. In 2021, the city of Fresno also entertained the idea of buying the old hospital to eventually use for affordable housing. But according to county records, the negotiations with the city lasted through June 2022 but were ultimately unsuccessful. City officials cited staff time and resources as some of the reasons they didnt complete the purchase of the building. In an email statement to The Bee/Fresnoland, City Manager Georgeanne White said that while the purchase of the UMC property would be a unique opportunity for southeast Fresno, it would require a substantial commitment of money and staff time to arrive at a successful conclusion. With the receipt of over $170 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act federal stimulus) funding with looming deadlines, she said, it became evident that we could not commit the resources to accomplish such a complicated project. Story continues According to county officials, the sale also fell through because of required environmental reviews. Quintero said there had been some concerns about Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) during the last negotiation process. Robert Bash, head of internal services for Fresno County, said that during the last negotiation process with another governmental entity, EIRs were triggered as a requirement because they had had already expressed their intentions ... with the property. I guess it was a learning process the last time around, Quintero said Tuesday. Southeast Fresno residents want housing, investment Homeless advocates and southeast Fresno residents want to see the former space turned into affordable housing. Its a resource that we need, of course, when we have a shortage of 35,000 housing units in the county, Bob McCloskey said, addressing the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. City planners agree. According to the citys draft Central Southeast Specific Plan, a guiding document for the citys growth in large chunks of southeast Fresno for the next 30 years, a key priority is redeveloping the old UMC site into affordable housing. City officials are advocating for the former hospital to be converted into senior housing with medical, behavioral, and social services. The city also envisions turning the parking lot into a public space that could accommodate events such as farmers markets and food truck festivals, according to the draft planning document. The site, however, would require renovations and demolition before using for housing. As of 2021, the estimated cost for site demolition, asbestos abatement, and clearing was $14.6 million. But for now, the city has no plans to take on the project. We remain hopeful that the site will be redeveloped by the private sector into a project that we all can be proud of, White said. County officials, meanwhile, have long stated theyll leave it up to the property owner. Supervisor Steve Brandau has said the county would not get involved in dictating the terms of what happens there. The building has been vacant since the hospital closed in 2007. Currently, the county operates several behavioral health facilities in existing buildings on the property, which it anticipates occupying until the end of 2025. The Board will conduct public bidding for the sale of the Property at a meeting held in the Board of Supervisors Chambers on or before Aug. 8. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) The countrys major telco players are urging the government to extend the SIM registration deadline as less than half of users have registered with only two weeks left before the target cutoff. The telcos made the call in separate statements, citing low registration turnout. Smart, PLDTs wireless arm, said Wednesday it would file a request with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission to extend the April 26 deadline. We are filing this request to help give ample time to all mobile users, particularly the marginalized sectors and those located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas of the country, to register their SIMs, said Cathy Yang, first vice president and head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart. Yang said granting their plea would also allow Filipinos to secure their government IDs required to register their SIMs. The official said the Pangilinan-led firm is ready to assist the government in ramping up the SIM registration process. With 46% of its subscribers now registered, Smarts daily registration numbers have ballooned as the deadline nears, Yang said. Meanwhile, Globe also aired on Tuesday its hope for an extension. It added that while it boosted efforts to encourage users to register through awareness and educational campaigns, it still recorded a low registration count. Globe attributed this slow uptick to the lack of valid government IDs, and challenged digital literacy. Given these issues, we appeal to the government to extend the SIM registration process to give our customers more time to get their required government IDs and input the required information on our site, Globe said. On Thursday, new entrant DITO Telecommunity said in a statement that it already submitted a position paper to DICT chief Ivan John Uy, urging the latter to extend the SIM registration process for 120 more days from the original deadline. It said that while a part of those unregistered subscribers are inactive or previously involved in fraudulent activities, there are active subscribers who face difficulty in registering. Regulators failure to heed industry players call may result in disenfranchisement of subscribers that may prove detrimental to the current government initiative, DITO Telecommunity warned. Data from the DICT showed Monday that more than 64 million users were already registered out of 168,977,773 SIMs. A truck carrying around 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the site of a train derailment in Ohio, where officials released toxic chemicals into the area to prevent an explosion, overturned on a highway this week, officials said. The commercial vehicle was headed north on State Route 165 when it careened off the roadway and overturned onto its right side, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency said in a statement, citing the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The incident happened Monday in Unity Township, NBC affiliate WFMJ of Youngstown, Ohio, reported. The driver sustained minor injuries, and around 20,000 pounds of the contaminated soil spilled onto the roadway and berm, the emergency management agency said. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency determined that the spill had been contained, and was not considered a threat to nearby waterways, the emergency management agency said. A local fire rescue team and the state EPA responded to the crash, it said. The driver was cited for operating a vehicle without reasonable control, WFMJ reported. Earlier Monday, the emergency management agency had said around 17,300 tons of excavated soil was ready for removal from East Palestine. It said 19,900 tons of soil had already been removed. The Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine sparked major backlash in the community, including a number of lawsuits alleging that the controlled release of toxic chemicals put the health and safety of residents at risk, with some reporting lingering coughs, chest pain and other symptoms. The federal government sued Norfolk Southern, the rail company involved in the incident, last month, blaming it for the derailment and the subsequent release of toxic chemicals. The Justice Department, acting on behalf of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, filed the civil complaint around two weeks after the state of Ohio took similar action against the rail company. Since the derailment, a number of trains have derailed across the country, deepening concerns about rail safety in the U.S. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Grab your warmest parka because True Detective is heading to Alaska for its chilliest mystery yet. Warner Bros. Discovery released the first trailer for True Detective: Night Country at the grand unveiling event for Max, the new streaming service that joins together HBO Max and Discovery+, on Wednesday. More from Variety Jodie Foster and Kali Reis take over lead investigative duties on the newest installment of creator Nic Pizzolattos anthology series. Heres the official logline: When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice. The trailer mostly takes place in a sunless, frigid Alaska that looks cold enough to chill your bonesor a body. The detectives lock down the crime scene, where it appears that the eight missing men removed their shoes before going off into the snow. The cold temperatures dont do much to cool the hotheaded detectives as tensions start to boil between Foster and Reis characters. Theres also plenty of frozen bodies, cracking ice and mysterious, painted symbols as the detectives work to solve the disappearances. The cast includes Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Isabella Star Lablanc, Aka Niviana, Anna Lambe, Joel D. Montgrand, Christopher Eccleston and John Hawkes. Issa Lopez serves as showrunner, writer, executive producer and directs all episodes. The first True Detective season starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in 2014, followed by Season 2 with Taylor Kitsch, Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn the following year. Season 3 released in 2019 and starred Mahershala Ali. Story continues Foster executive produces Night Country, in addition to Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak for Pastel, Mari Jo Winkler, Chris Mundy, Alan Page Arriaga, Steve Golin, Richard Brown, Harrelson, McConaughey, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Pizzolatto. Princess Daazhraii Johnson, Cathy Tagnak Rexford and Sam Breckman are producers. Watch the trailer below: 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. Former President Trump will join a slew of potential 2024 presidential candidates in addressing the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition later this month. The organization will hold its spring kick-off event on April 22, marking one of the first major cattle calls for would-be GOP presidential candidates in the state, which hosts the first caucus on the primary calendar. Trump will deliver remarks, his campaign confirmed Wednesday. Other invited guests include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), though not all are confirmed speakers. Trump and Haley are already declared candidates for 2024, while Scott on Wednesday formed an exploratory committee around a potential bid. Pence, DeSantis and some of the other speakers are expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to run for the GOP nomination in 2024. It will be one of Trumps first political events since he was charged last week in Manhattan criminal court with 34 felony counts over his involvement in a hush money payment to keep an alleged affair quiet during the 2016 campaign. The former president pleaded not guilty. A late March poll conducted by a GOP firm found DeSantis leading Trump by 8 percentage points in Iowa in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up, though when the field was expanded to include other candidates, the two men were tied. Updated at 2:33 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump accused Emmanuel Macron of pandering to China leader Xi Jinping during the French president's recent closely watched visit to Beijing. Trump, who seeks to regain the White House in 2024, forged an adversarial relationship with China during his presidency even as he called Xi his "very good friend." Trump in a television interview derided Democratic President Joe Biden's foreign policy as having emboldened Russia, North Korea and China and sidelined the United States as a world leader - criticism that was often leveled at his own administration. "You got this crazy world is blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say. And Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China kissing his ass," Trump said in an interview with Fox News late on Tuesday. A senior French diplomat on Wednesday responded to Trump's comments, telling reporters, "They are vile." The diplomat pointed to Trump's own comments during a November 2017 visit to Beijing, when he said "I don't blame China" for the trade deficit. At the end of his visit last week, Macron called on the European Union to reduce on dependence on the United States and cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." As president, Trump upended some tenets of Americas post-World War Two foreign policy by questioning the NATO alliance, alienating European partners and indulging autocrats. Trump himself was accused of pandering to world leaders, autocrats in particular, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong-Un. He praised Putin and was famously accused by his 2016 Democratic presidential opponent Hillary Clinton of being "Putin's puppet." He held a summit with Kim in 2018 and declared at a rally with supporters that "we fell in love" after exchanging letters. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting Michel Rose in Paris; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Mark Porter) Former President Trumps attorneys have asked for a four-week delay in a defamation and sexual battery lawsuit brought by author E. Jean Carroll, citing the media coverage surrounding Trumps indictment. The trial is currently slated to begin on April 25, but Trumps lawyers said prospective jurors would have the recent indictment top of mind when judging the former presidents defense. President Trumps right to a fair trial depends upon a brief cooling off period between the trial of this matter and the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage concerning his unprecedented criminal indictment and arraignment in Manhattan, wrote Trumps attorneys Alina Habba and Joe Tacopina. Carroll has accused Trump during his presidency of raping her in the mid-1990s at a New York department store. Trump has repeatedly denied Carrolls claims. She first filed a defamation lawsuit against the then-president in 2020 for statements he made about casting doubt on her claims and credibility. That case will likely turn on whether Trumps statements were made within the scope of his employment as president, which would effectively protect him from the lawsuit. In a second lawsuit, which is the one currently scheduled for trial this month, Carroll included an allegation of defamation made after Trumps presidency. The case also sues Trump over the alleged assault itself by leveraging a New York law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations. The threat to President Trumps rights is particularly dire because the coverage of the indictment has repeated a salacious and false allegationsexactly what Ms. Carroll alleges in this case, Trumps attorneys wrote. Jurors selected to hear Ms. Carrolls allegations against President Trump will have the breathless coverage of President Trumps alleged extra-marital affair with Stormy Daniels still ringing in their ears if trial goes forward as scheduled, their letter continued. To avoid this egregious violation of President Trumps constitutional rights, the trial should be adjourned for a brief period to allow the media frenzy to recede. Story continues Tacopina and Habba said a trial beginning in late May would take place during a two-month window in which there is not expected to be significant developments or new headlines in Trumps criminal case, since Trumps legal team is not required to file their motions until Aug. 8. Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, becoming the first former U.S. president to be indicted. Carrolls trial is set to take place down the street from where Trump was arraigned in Lower Manhattan. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON Republican presidential hopefuls not named Donald Trump are confronting a question that was unimaginable just a few years back: How many criminal accusations must their partys leader face before using them against him is politically acceptable? Less than 10 months away from when the first primary votes are cast, the coup-attempting former president has so far boxed in his rivals from employing what not that long ago would have been their most potent argument to disqualify him. No one yet has given any indication they plan to condemn Trump in any way, said Sarah Longwell, a Republican consultant who has long criticized Trump. So I can only assume they will support him through additional indictments when of course they shouldnt and are simply repeating the same dynamics of 2016. After the Manhattan district attorney unsealed 34 felony counts against Trump last week, only one of the dozen or so candidates and potential candidates suggested that they were a significant problem for him: former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. And even he downplayed the seriousness of the state court indictment although it was based on the same set of facts that led to a felony guilty plea and time in a federal prison for Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen. Kevin Madden, a Republican consultant who worked on the 2012 presidential campaign of now-Sen. Mitt Romney, said he cannot understand how any of Trumps rivals expect to beat him if they are unwilling to even engage with him. You need to distinguish yourself from the field, based on your credentials, vision, competency and electability, he said. Its near impossible to do that when your opponent gets indicted and then you defend them. Trump supporters almost uniformly claim that Alvin Braggs charges are unfair and politically motivated, with the DA pushing an agenda supported by billionaire philanthropist George Soros. Even some Trump critics in the Republican Party said the charges will not only allow him to rally support from a voting base that may have been open to an alternative candidate, but help him to fend off criticism should indictments for his 2021 coup attempt and his hoarding of top-secret documents come to pass. Story continues I do worry that the sequencing of these cases will make it even harder for Republicans to speak up against Trump when future charges arise, said Lucy Caldwell, who ran former Illinois Rep. Joe Walshs quixotic primary challenge against Trump in 2020. Other Republicans, though, said that voters are smart enough to distinguish between weaker, years-old cases and potentially far more serious charges, and that other candidates are likely to adjust their messages accordingly. When youve got everyone from Mitt Romney to Marjorie Taylor Greene on the same page, there isnt much to do but join in, said GOP consultant Scott Jennings, contrasting the anti-Trump Utahan with the Trump-boosting Georgia congresswoman, both Republicans. Future cases could be more serious and warrant different strategies. Marc Short, an adviser to likely 2024 candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence, said Trumps problems with criminal investigations are likely only getting started, and he expects other candidates to make them an issue as the race progresses, particularly when televised debates begin in the summer. Therere going to be plenty of those opportunities, he said. I dont see how this conversation doesnt make it onto the debate stage. But Trumps strongest GOP critics fear that he has already accomplished what he wanted by forcing his rivals to cast him as a victim of prosecutors who are unfairly out to get him. One cant be half-pregnant. Going all the way back to Access Hollywood, there is no safe political middle ground, said Fergus Cullen, a former chair of the New Hampshire GOP, referring to the 2016 scandal around a leaked recording of Trump boasting that celebrity allowed him to grab women by the genitals. No room to say, We should overlook a little tax fraud resulting from covering up an affair, but Georgia, now thats serious! he continued. Youre either with him and willing to excuse everything big or small, or youre against him. So Many Criminal Probes, So Little Time The New York charges against Trump are based on his scheme with Cohen and David Pecker, former publisher of the supermarket tabloid National Enquirer, to shield Trump from negative stories as he ran for president in 2016 by purchasing them with the intention of never publishing them a practice known as catch and kill. The 34 counts of falsifying business records in the indictment all relate to $130,000 in hush money that Trump paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels through Cohen in the closing days of that campaign. Trump wound up winning that election by just 77,744 votes across three key states meaning that the suppression of the Daniels story could well have been determinative. A criminal investigation by federal prosecutors ended with Cohen pleading guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution, with court papers referring to Trump as Individual-1, who had directed Cohen to make the payment. But the Department of Justice has a policy not to prosecute a sitting president a policy that U.S. Supreme Court justices during oral arguments in 2020 appeared to acknowledge would apply to local prosecutors, as well and Trump was not charged at the time. Bragg, who was elected in 2020, inherited a comprehensive investigation into Trumps business practices, of which the payment to Daniels was a small piece that he chose to pursue on its own. While some legal experts predict it is doomed, others say that the falsified invoices and ledger entries will make proving elements of the crime relatively straightforward. Regardless, the maximum four-year sentence that Trump could face if convicted pales in comparison to the prison time he could receive if convicted on charges that may be under consideration in Georgia and by the DOJ. In Atlanta, the Fulton County district attorneys office is getting close to deciding whether to charge Trump and his top aides for their attempt to coerce state officials to find Trump an additional 11,780 votes to reverse his election loss there to Democrat Joe Biden. Charges could include election fraud, conspiracy and racketeering, some versions of which carry prison sentences as long as 20 years. DOJ special counsel Jack Smith, meanwhile, is also investigating Trumps actions leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2021 when Trumps repeated lies that the election had been stolen led his incensed followers to storm the U.S. Capitol, aiming to pressure the vice president to use fraudulent slates of electors to award Trump a second term. Possible charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States and incitement of an insurrection. Smith is also investigating Trumps refusal to turn over top-secret documents he had taken with him to his country club in Florida upon leaving the White House, even after a subpoena had been issued demanding he do so. Possible charges include violation of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. The federal charges carry potential prison terms of up to 10 years if convicted. Rushing To Trumps Defense No modern presidential candidate has gone forward facing a criminal charge let alone multiple investigations, each potentially bringing its own set of charges. Yet Trump is not only continuing his campaign but giving the appearance of reveling in the indictment, and he has managed to cow his rivals into spreading his claim that it is pure politics. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said in a statement: This pro-criminal New York DA has failed to uphold the law for violent criminals, yet weaponized the law against political enemies. This is a travesty and it should not be happening in the greatest country on Earth. Its more about revenge than it is about justice, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said on Fox News before the charges were even revealed. (Haley, who has formally announced her bid for the White House, later included one line criticizing Trump Donald Trump had a pretty good Q1, if you count being indicted as good in a memo to supporters boasting about her own first-quarter accomplishments.) Arresting a presidential candidate on a manufactured basis should not happen in America, wrote Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, also before the indictment was made public. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom many anti-Trump Republicans are counting on to win the nomination, issued the most forceful defense of all stating that he, if it came to it, would violate the U.S. Constitution by refusing to process an extradition. Having all rushed to Trumps defense at his first, and likely least consequential, indictment, will they similarly protect him if more serious charges come to pass for his coup attempt or his hoarding of secret documents? Its going to be tricky, acknowledged a Republican consultant working with one of the non-Trump hopefuls, on condition of anonymity. A possible argument they might make is that the sheer number of criminal cases renders Trump a sure loser in a general election and therefore a bad choice in the primary, the consultant added. All of this stuff, whether legitimate or not, is going to make it harder for him to beat Biden in 2024, the consultant said. Mike Murphy, a Republican veteran of multiple presidential races, said the other 2024 candidates wont have to attack Trump directly if there are additional indictments. The bigger stuff with far more compelling evidence, even to Republican voters, will give them a more workable way to distance themselves from Trump, he said. It will not be direct criticism, but a call to move on beyond Trump. Thats enough. Inside primary politics, it is the best way. Democratic consultant David Axelrod, who helped Barack Obama win the White House in 2008, said he is skeptical that Republican hopefuls even have a path past Trump, given his continued hold on the primary voting base. This is a situation of the tail wagging the dog, he said, citing a recent CNN poll showing Trump with a 72% approval rating among Republicans, but only 26% among independents. Their dilemma is they cant survive with him and they fear they cant survive with their own base without him. Former President Donald Trump and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Allison Joyce and Win McNamee/Getty Images Former President Trump said anything "wrong" with President Joe Biden has nothing to do with age. Trump is four years younger than Biden. However, he complimented progressive Senator Bernie Sanders and the founder of Home Depot. Former President Donald Trump downplayed concerns about age during an interview the first since his historic arraignment last week that aired Tuesday saying President Joe Biden, who's less than four years older than him, has other problems. Trump, who is 76, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson plenty of people in their 80s and 90s are sharp, noting Sen. Bernie Sanders, the 81-year-old progressive from Vermont. "Bernie's older than Biden. Whether you like him or not, he's 100% sharp," Trump said of his fellow 2016 presidential candidate, adding "so it's not an age thing." The former president also complimented Bernie Marcus the conservative co-founder of Home Depot who claimed "nobody works" anymore because of socialism by saying "he was 100%" while pointing his own head. Trump also levied criticisms at President Joe Biden, saying he could not see Biden running for president in 2024 but made clear that he did not think what was "wrong" with Biden had anything to do with him being 80 years old. "I think they do the age thing because I'm 4-5 years behind. They say 'this is a way of getting Trump,'" he said. As voters look to see if Biden the oldest sitting president will run for a second presidential term, his age has been brought up as a way to question whether he is fit to serve in public office. Past polls have found that a majority of Americans think both Biden and Trump are too old to seek reelection although Trump is doing just that with his 2024 presidential bid. In October, Biden addressed the concerns, saying they were "legitimate" but said that voters should judge him not by his age, but by his health. Story continues "I think the best way to make the judgment is to watch me. Am I slowing up? Am I going at the same pace?" Biden told MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart. Representatives for Sanders and the White House did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider South Carolina support for Donald Trump is still strong, according to a new Winthrop University Poll that shows the former president with a 21-point lead over his Republican challengers for president. The poll, released Wednesday, found 41% South Carolina Republicans are backing Trump, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley nearly tied for second at 20% and 18%, respectively. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who announced his exploratory committee for president also Wednesday, has 7% of the GOP support in the first-in-the-South early voting state. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who along with DeSantis, hasnt formally announced a run, had 5% of the support. Trump is riding high and doubling support over the next candidate in the field, said Scott Huffmon, director of the Winthrop University Poll, said in a news release. Haley shows more than quadruple her support compared to national polls, but that should be expected on her home turf. While DeSantis is viewed as the singular alternative to Trump in national polls, the real story here is that Haley and DeSantis are in a statistical dead heat in what could be a firewall for Haley when voting rolls around. Although national polls show Haley and Scott each in single digits, the nomination is determined state-by-state. Haley, who has made numerous trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, launched her 2024 campaign in mid-February. Scott also has made visits to early voting states and will do so again this week in Iowa and New Hampshire. Trump launched his campaign a week after the midterm elections. If (Haley) comes through and gets trounced in her own state, that would be OK, Im running for vice president. Huffmon told The State March 31. Were still so far away from that. Lots of things could happen in the caucus (and) primaries. The Winthrop Poll, conducted March 25 through April 1, surveyed 485 S.C. Republicans by phone. The poll had a 4.45% margin of error. About 80% of the poll was completed by March 30, when Trumps indictment was announced. MARION, Iowa (AP) When South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott returns to Iowa on Wednesday, he will meet privately with a group of pastors at a Cedar Rapids church. For someone considering a Republican presidential campaign, the visit is part of a decades-old courtship ritual in the state that kicks off the nomination process. Born-again Christians are the most influential group in Iowa's GOP caucuses, giving faith leaders particular sway in helping organize voters and shape the results. But in the early phase of the next presidential campaign, Scott's joyful proclamations of his Christian faith face an unlikely obstacle. Like other Republicans eyeing the White House, he is navigating an evangelical community that is faithful to former President Donald Trump, the thrice-married former reality television star who once supported abortion rights and spent decades boasting of his sexual prowess. That history repelled many Iowa evangelical leaders during the last competitive Republican caucuses in 2016, when they helped push Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to victory in the opening contest. As the 2024 campaign begins, however, many of those same leaders are open to Trump, grateful for his judicial appointments that resulted in the dismantling of a constitutional right to abortion. They are unswayed by the controversy swirling around Trump, including the 34-count New York felony indictment handed down against him last week stemming from a hush money payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who alleged having an extramarital affair with him. I believe, and I think many evangelical Christians understand, politics at that level is a blood sport. Donald Trump is fighting. Thats why he got things done, said the Rev. Terry Amann of suburban Des Moines. So, our role isnt to judge him. Trump has denied having an affair with the actress, Stormy Daniels, and has characterized the charges along with ongoing investigations related to other matters in Georgia and Washington as politically motivated. But the evangelical support reflects a broader dynamic taking hold with the GOP base rallying around Trump in the aftermath of his indictment even amid signals that he could be vulnerable with the broader public in a general election. Story continues An ABC News/Ipsos poll released last weekend found 50% of Americans thought Trump should have been charged with a crime and about as many 48% said he should suspend his campaign. But just 14% of Republicans said he should be charged. That GOP loyalty to Trump was evident in interviews with more than a dozen Iowa pastors in the wake of Trump's indictment. Each cited Trump's role in helping overturn Roe vs. Wade as central to the long-term rethinking about him since his first campaign. Several also pointed to Trump's recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. I appreciate the fact that, for what seems like the first time in my lifetime, someone did what they said they were going to do, said the Rev. Kerry Jech of Marshalltown. With Donald Trump, what he promised us, he delivered on. Thats one thing I cant get away from." In a new display of pragmatism, Jech and others like him who didn't support Trump in 2016 say the former president is no less imperfect a man now, but that his action on policy they hold dear may erase questions about his moral character. During the 2016 campaign, the Rev. Mike Demastus of Des Moines supported Cruz and called Trump morally loathsome, wicked and a reprehensible man." Today, Demastus calls him the most pro-life president we have ever had, and would consider supporting him in the caucuses, along with others. Even Demastus' qualified support still puts Trump in better position now than his first bid. In a March Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, Trump was viewed favorably by 58% of evangelicals, unfavorably by 39% and 3% were unsure. On the eve of the 2016 caucuses, Iowa evangelicals seemed to have a dimmer view of Trump. The Des Moines Registers Iowa Poll taken on the eve of the caucuses showed Trump with support from only 19% of evangelicals, with Cruz supported by 33%. The awkward position is new for Iowa social conservatives, who have for three consecutive Republican presidential campaigns decidedly backed the more vocally evangelical candidate, though none would go on to win the nomination. Beyond Cruz, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum won the 2012 caucuses as a crusading abortion opponent. In 2008, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, posted a surprise victory by cobbling together a Christian coalition of pastors and religious home-school advocates. Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence hope to replicate their success in 2024, should they continue taking steps toward running. Scott began his day in Iowa Wednesday meeting with a few dozen Christian home-school parents, a vital subset of Iowa's evangelical bloc. It's a strategy pioneered by former Christian broadcasting personality Pat Robertson, whose focus on Iowa's network of evangelical Christian churches helped him finish a surprise second place in Iowa's 1988 caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush. Scott, who is launching an exploratory committee for president, has already met several times with Iowa clergy, as has Pence. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run, squeezed in a backstage meeting and prayer with a handful of pastors after a public event in Des Moines last month. The first multi-candidate gathering of the 2024 Iowa caucus campaign is scheduled for later this month and is expected to feature presidential prospects Pence, Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and others speaking to hundreds of Iowa social conservatives. Trump plans to address the group by video. The more traditional approach set against Trump's atypical combination of accomplishment and high-drama personal life creates a new dynamic for Iowa social conservatives to weigh. President Trump has stood up for the values that we hold dear, said Brad Sherman, a pastor and Republican state representative from Williamsburg who plans to support Trump in the caucuses. Then we need to pray for him that his personal life comes in line with that. Others say everyone is offered forgiveness. He is no perfect person. No one would say that. He is no King David, said the Rev. Bill Tvedt of Oskaloosa. But even David was tempted. Tvedt also likened Trump to the biblical figure Cyrus, who was not a Christian but is lauded as an Old Testament hero for liberating the Jews from captivity in Egypt. He is more of a Cyrus, a protector, Tvedt said. The Rev. Dave Martin, a Marshalltown pastor, was an outlier in the interviews, suggesting Trump's judicial strategy was aimed at reinforcing support within a group that had doubts in 2016. Let's not forget that not that many years ago he was for legal abortion, said Martin, who says he would likely not support Trump in the caucuses. Martin also blasted Trump's statement from the 2016 campaign when he rejected the need to repent. Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness if I am not making mistakes? Trump asked CNN's Anderson Cooper during a 2015 interview. I work hard. Im an honorable person. Amann, the suburban Des Moines pastor who rejected judging Trump, said the former president need only worry about evangelical support if his resolve for their priorities weakens. "If he backs off of pro-life, that would be a bigger issue, Amann said. The once anti-Trump DeMastus was quick to remind that Trump blamed devout abortion opponents for Republicans' weaker-than-expected showing in last year's congressional elections. Notably, Trump said candidates who opposed legal abortion in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman lost a large numbers of votes." That ticked me off so bad, DeMastus said. Thats the part of him I'm talking about where he just needs to keep his mouth shut. On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: 'Strange Sisterhood' accusers say Trump indictment feels like white noise USA TODAY Politics Reporter Ella Lee explains how 'Strange Sisterhood' accusers are reacting in the wake of former President Donald Trump's hush money indictment. Plus, Manhattan District Attorney Alan Bragg sues Rep. Jim Jordan, the Gang of Eight now has access to classified documents found in the possession of Biden, Trump and Pence, USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Kevin Johnson talks about changes at the Secret Service, and the Biden administration considers water solutions in the West. 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 12th of April 2023. Today, how the "strange sisterhood" of #MeToo accusers is reacting in the wake of former President Donald Trump's hush money indictment. Plus Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sues a Republican lawmaker, and the Secret Service tries to shed politics from its image. Nearly a dozen of former President Donald Trump's alleged sexual misconduct victims have come together to call themselves the "Strange Sisterhood." USA TODAY Politics Reporter Ella Lee spoke with some of them in the wake of Trump's hush money indictment. Ella, thanks for hopping on 5 Things. Ella Lee: Thanks for having me, Taylor. Taylor Wilson: So tell me a little about how the Strange Sisterhood began. Ella Lee: So three of Trump's #MeToo accusers - Samantha Holvey, Rachel Crooks, and Jessica Leeds - essentially gave a press conference back in December 2017. At that press conference, they demanded a congressional investigation into the harassment allegations that they and other women had come forward with against former President Donald Trump. Story continues Holvey, who was the 2006 Miss North Carolina USA, accused Trump of inspecting each of the pageant contestants individually. And she told us that, during that press conference is when some of those women joined an email chain where they have essentially shared their thoughts over the years. So Holvey told us that as time goes by, more women have been added to that email thread. And she ascribed that as sort of a double-edged sword. On one hand, she said she's grateful to have that bond with other women so that they don't feel alone. But on the other hand, she was just glad so many other women had not been hurt. Taylor Wilson: And Ella, across speaking with these women, what else stood out in their stories? Ella Lee: The women who we spoke with essentially all had somewhat of the same thing to say, which is that while this indictment is a step closer to Trump being held accountable to the law, it doesn't really address his character or the treatment of women, at least to the extent that they say that they wish it did. So they also fear a repeat of 2016 where his alleged misconduct, then sexual misconduct and now legal, fuels his base and shields him from consequences as we head into 2024. The women at the center of Trump's indictment now, who are adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, have both said that their encounters with Trump were consensual. However, Trump's Me Too accusers say that they see a common thread between the former president and his supporters' behavior towards women then and now, whether that's through legal threats or mean nicknames. Taylor Wilson: So Ella, the former president has this huge base that often emboldens this kind of behavior, you mentioned it. Why is this such a big issue and what did the Strange Sisterhood women say about Trump's base on this? Ella Lee: Holvey, the former Miss North Carolina USA, she told us that she thinks the indictment will strengthen Trump's base, essentially making him out to be a martyr and not really leaving any lasting impact on the race or on Trump himself. She also told us that she sort of doubts that his base will believe that he did anything wrong, no matter the accusations that come forward. My co-writer, Rachel Looker and I drew parallels to 2016 Trump supporters who sort of excused his offensive language against women then as locker room talk, or even after the January 6th Capitol attack, when some of those same supporters claimed that the rioters were on a normal tourist visit. Taylor Wilson: So there's a battery trial surrounding Trump coming up. What will this focus on and how do the women feel about it? Ella Lee: The women we spoke with have turned their attention away from the indictment that Trump currently faces and toward a case involving writer E. Jean Carroll. Carroll has claimed that around 30 years ago in a department store, Trump raped her. And so the #MeToo accusers that we spoke with, told us that they intend to watch that case much more closely because they think it's an opportunity for women to be heard and believed more so than the current indictment. Taylor Wilson: Ella Lee, thanks so much. Ella Lee: Thank you. Taylor Wilson: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has sued Republican congressman Jim Jordan. He called the Ohio lawmaker's inquiry into the prosecution of former President Donald Trump, "an unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack," on a local criminal case. Bragg indicted Trump on 34 felony counts of filing false business records in his alleged $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump pleaded not guilty a week ago. For his part, Jim Jordan has demanded answers from Bragg about the case, and three House Republican chairmen have called it politically motivated. The so-called Gang of Eight now has access to the classified documents found in possession of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence. The development, first reported by Punchbowl News, comes after lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have repeatedly demanded congressional oversight of the documents from the Biden administration. The Gang of Eight is made up of the four party leaders in the House and Senate, along with ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees. They have access to the most sensitive information. They've repeatedly said they're entitled to the classified documents, citing national security concerns and future efforts from Congress to protect classified information. The Secret Service is trying to shed politics from its image, but that task might be easier said than done. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Kevin Johnson, recently sat down with the service's director, Kimberly Cheatle. I spoke with him to learn more. Kevin, thanks for hopping on the podcast. Kevin Johnson: Sure. Thanks for having me. Taylor Wilson: So why has the Secret Service been painted with this political brush in recent years? Kevin Johnson: Well, it's several reasons. Many of them came to the fore during the January 6th House Committee investigation, where people will recall how the Secret Service's provisions for protecting Vice President Pence drew a lot of scrutiny, as well as the assignment of a Secret Service official to a temporary assignment as a deputy chief of staff in the White House. That assignment, especially, was closely questioned by lawmakers and was considered by a number of Secret Service officials, former and current, as a contravention of their apolitical mission. Taylor Wilson: And Kevin, what does the current Secret Service administration say about its response on January 6th? Kevin Johnson: The new director, Kimberly Cheatle, who was installed in September by President Biden, interesting to note she was a part of then Vice President Joe Biden's protective detail back during the Obama administration. There's no ignoring the political questions that have arisen under the previous administrations of the Secret Service. And in our conversation with Director Cheatle, she seemed intent on turning the page, so to speak, on that era. Folks may remember, perhaps not, of a number of security breaches, misconduct issues that have plagued the service for years in the past. And any time the service draws new scrutiny, those past troubles always seem to loom in the background and I think she is determined to try to turn that page. Taylor Wilson: And what specific changes does she have for the service's training programs? Kevin Johnson: One of the things that she seemed very intent on, was finally winning approval for the construction, actually, of a mock White House, which has been long in discussion, more than perhaps a decade or so, to assist in the training of agents and uniformed officers in forming strategies for protection of the mansion and the surrounding grounds. It's a $10 million project, at least that was the last estimate. It would be built on the Secret Service's training grounds out in suburban Maryland. And it's something that this director seems intent on starting and completing. Taylor Wilson: Kevin, in this piece, you talk about chronic staffing shortages that the Secret Service faces. Is this a post-pandemic trend like many places of work have seen or does something else account for this? Kevin Johnson: It's been a problem for years. It came to a head during the Trump administration when we reported that a thousand agents had hit their annual salary and overtime allowances mostly for the protective mission. And that was due to the large number of people who were under protection in the Trump administration, accounting for Trump's large family. I believe that there were 42 or so individuals who required protection during the Trump administration. So that drained the agency and left a number of agents to work without pay for many months. Taylor Wilson: And speaking of Trump, did Director Cheatle address at all the current situation surrounding him with the legal issues and all of the complex issues that the Secret Service has to figure out on that? Kevin Johnson: She treaded very carefully. Acknowledged that the service has an obligation to protect former presidents for their lifetime. But she would not elaborate on what provisions have been made if this president were to be convicted of the crimes that he's accused of now, and whether the service would be required or obligated to follow a protectee into prison if that was the end result of the case against Donald Trump. So lots of questions still remain in terms of the bounds of the agency's obligation. Taylor Wilson: Kevin Johnson, thanks so much. Kevin Johnson: Thank you. Taylor Wilson: The Biden administration yesterday floated two ways that seven western states and tribes, reliant on the Colorado River, could cut their use. One option would be more beneficial for California and some tribes along the river that have high priority rights to its water. The other would probably be better for Nevada and Arizona, who share the river's lower basin with California, and say there needs to be a strategy that more fairly spreads the pain of water cuts. A generational drought in the west, along with rising demand and overuse, has dropped water levels at key reservoirs along the river to unprecedented lows. That's forced the federal government to cut some water allocations and to offer up billions of dollars to pay farmers and cities to cut back. It's also set up a fight over water in the years to come, with states, tribes and federal officials at the center. Thanks for listening to 5 Things. You can find us every day of the week right here, wherever you're listening right now. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alvin Bragg sues Rep. Jordan, changes at Secret Service: 5 Things podcast Pentagon file leak exacerbates lack of mutual trust between US and allies, a heavy blow to US hegemony 09:09, April 12, 2023 By Fan Anqi ( Global Times Calling the leak of highly classified Pentagon documents "another PRISM incident," Chinese experts on Tuesday said it gives a rare chance to glimpse into how the US spies on its allies, which will exacerbate the lack of strategic mutual trust between them and deal a heavy blow to Washington's strategy of maintaining global hegemony. A top Pentagon spokesperson said Monday that the leak of the files presents a "very serious" risk to US national security, which has deeply rattled US officials, who fear the revelations could "jeopardize sensitive sources and compromise important foreign relationships," CNN reported. The classified files first began to appear on Discord in late February, and later spread to other social media sites, including Telegram and Twitter. It was not until The New York Times reported about the material on April 6 that Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin was briefed on the issue. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh noted on Sunday that the documents circulating on social media sites "appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material." In addition to highly detailed information that divulge key weaknesses of Ukraine at a critical point on the battlefield - Kiev's much-anticipated "spring counteroffensive," some of the leaked documents are said to have exposed the extent of US eavesdropping on key allies, including South Korea, Israel and Ukraine. Ukraine has already altered some of its military plans because of the leak, a source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. A senior intelligence official called the leak "a nightmare for the Five Eyes," in a reference to the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the so-called Five Eyes nations that broadly share intelligence, The New York Times reported. In an attempt to sooth anxious nerves, US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel on Monday told reporters they are engaging with allies and partners at high levels over the matter, and are working on reassuring them of US' commitment to safeguarding intelligence and "the fidelity" of the partnerships. Experts said the leak could pose a profound and complicated impact on ties between US and its allies, especially on intelligence and security cooperation. Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the incident will further add to dissatisfaction with the US among its allies, and most importantly, exacerbate the lack of strategic mutual trust between them. "While knowing that their security interests are highly tied to that of the US, allies are coming to realize that the relationship with Washington is more of a domination and subordination. To satisfy its own selfish needs, the US is threatening the security of its allies through spying on their intelligence by any means necessary," Yang noted. Calling the leak "another PRISM incident," Chinese military expert Song Zhongping noted that for one thing, it exposes a huge loophole in America's national security, and for another, it deals a significant blow to US intelligence authorities, which would become a major shortcoming that affects the cooperation with its allies. "The distrust and disunity spurred by the incident is a heavy blow to the US' strategy of maintaining global hegemony. US hegemony will only decline day by day without the strategic support of its allies," Song told the Global Times. As the incident sends shockwaves across the White House, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there are concerns there could be additional leaks. "We don't know who is behind this. We don't know the motive. And we don't know what else is out there," he said, reported VOA. The leak of classified documents reveals the tearing of different voices and values within the US. Many are dissatisfied with Washington's policy that both harms the interests of its own and the common welfare of countries around the world, and such outrage over the government's abuse of power in overseas and domestic operations has accumulated to a point that eventually led to the leak, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) Authorities are eyeing the expansion of the coverage of Balikatan exercises to include the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), an official said on Wednesday. In the future iterations of this exercise, we intend to make this a multi-agency exercise so that we could fully involve the Coast Guard, Balikatan 2023 spokesperson Col. Mike Logico told CNN Philippines The Source. The Philippines and the United States on Tuesday kicked off the largest joint military drills this year. It involves over 17,500 troops from the two countries. Logico said the PCGs involvement will be in terms of securing an area for the conduct of the live fire drills in Zambales. Balikatan 2023 will run for 18 days. It aims to sharpen the skills and combat readiness of Filipino and American troops, with more focus on naval drills, Logico earlier said. However, groups have expressed concern on the possible impact of the live fire drills on the livelihood of farmers and fisherfolk. Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvares said the inconvenience is temporary. Department of National Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez Jr., meanwhile, said the government is not expecting negative reactions from China amid the Balikatan drills. Former US President Donald Trump has said court officials "were crying" as he was indicted last week on business fraud charges, in his first interview since the historic arraignment. Speaking to Fox News, Mr Trump said many of the staff at the Manhattan court "were in tears or close to it". The 2024 White House contender vowed that even if convicted, "I'd never drop out, it's not my thing". Last week he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. A law enforcement source familiar with the arraignment has described Mr Trump's claim as "absolute BS". "There were zero people crying. There were zero people saying 'I'm sorry,'" the source told Yahoo News. In the interview aired on Tuesday on the Tucker Carlson Tonight show, Mr Trump described how he was processed at the criminal court by officials, including police. He said "tears were pouring down their eyes". "They were incredible," he said of the staff. "When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and I'll tell you people were crying. "People that work there. Professionally work there that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody. "It's a tough, tough place and they were crying. They were actually crying. They said, 'I'm sorry.'" In the interview, Mr Trump maintained he is innocent and argued there is no case against him. He touted the assessment of a critic of his, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who told CNN last week that the first-ever indictment against a former US president had "landed like a dud". The Fox interview comes after a recent filing from a defamation lawsuit embroiling the conservative cable channel revealed that Tucker Carlson had said of Mr Trump in a text message: "I hate him passionately." Story continues But there were no signs of any ill will between the two in the exclusive sit-down at Mr Trump's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. Much of the interview focused on foreign policy. Mr Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "very smart", described the leaders of Saudi Arabia as "great people", and praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "brilliant man". The ex-president also said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "get along great to this day". Donald Trump speaks to Tucker Carlson in an interview for Fox News (Screengrab) Former president Donald Trump vowed to stay in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and the 2024 general election despite his mounting legal troubles, even if it means hell be locked up in a jail cell by the time his name appears on a ballot. Mr Trump made the defiant pronouncement during a Tuesday evening interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the twice-impeached ex-presidents first sit-down with a media outlet since he was arraigned on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in his former home state of New York. The former president, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, also faces the possibility of felony indictments in three other matters. Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is reportedly considering asking a grand jury to indict Mr Trump and a number of his associates over the ex-presidents attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss in the Peach State. Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith is supervising two grand jury probes into the ex-presidents conduct. One of the federal probes is examining Mr Trumps alleged unlawful retention of national defence information after the end of his presidency, as well as his alleged obstruction of that investigation. The other grand jury is looking into Mr Trumps efforts to overturn the election and his alleged role in fomenting the January 6 attack on the Capitol. When Mr Carlson asked the indicted former president if there is anything they [prosecutors] could throw at you legally that would convince you to drop out of the race, Mr Trump replied: No, Id never drop out. Its not my thing. I wouldnt do it, he said. At his arraignment last week, the judge overseeing the criminal case against him warned the ex-president not to make statements that could incite violence, but declined to impose any sort of order as a condition of Mr Trumps release. If Mr Trump is subject to a future gag order and violates it, he could be jailed for contempt. But that couldnt keep him off a ballot, and a conviction wouldnt disqualify him, either. Previous presidential candidates have appeared on a ballot while imprisoned, including the late right-wing conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche, who served five years in federal prison for fraud, and Eugene Debs, the Socialist Party leader who appeared on a general election ballot in 1920 while imprisoned following a conviction for sedition. Former President Trump said in a new interview that police officers and employees at the Manhattan court house were in tears at the sight of the former president appearing for his arraignment. And Ill tell you, people were crying, people that worked there professionally work there that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody, he told Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that aired Tuesday night. Its a tough, tough place, Trump continued. And, they were crying, they were actually crying. They said Im sorry, theyd say, 2024 sir, and tears were pouring down. Ive never seen anything like that. Trump was arraigned last Tuesday and charged with 34 felony charges in connection to hush money payments during the 2016 election made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair between the two. Trump has maintained that there is no crime and that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) was launching a politically motivated investigation against him. A day after Trump was arraigned, he had thanked the court employees and police officers working at the Manhattan courthouse in a Truth Social post. The great patriots inside and outside of the Courthouse on Tuesday were unbelievably nice, in fact, they couldnt have been nicer, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform last week. Court attendants, Police Officers, and others were all very professional, and represented New York City sooo well. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -Donald Trump asked a U.S. judge to delay the scheduled April 25 trial over whether he defamed former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll by denying he raped her, citing the recent "deluge of prejudicial media coverage" of criminal charges against him. In a Tuesday night letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan, Trump's lawyers said a four-week "cooling off" period to at least May 23 was necessary to guarantee the former U.S. president's right to a fair trial in Carroll's case. Absent a delay, "many, if not most, prospective jurors will have the criminal allegations top of mind when judging President Trump's defense against Ms. Carroll's allegations," Trump's lawyers Joe Tacopina and Alina Habba said in the letter. Prospective jurors, they added, "will have the breathless coverage of President Trump's alleged extra-marital affair with Stormy Daniels still ringing in their ears if [the] trial goes forward as scheduled." Trump pleaded not guilty on April 4 to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, in a case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Those charges concerned Trump's alleged concealment of a $130,000 hush money payment to buy Daniels' silence before the 2016 election about the porn star's alleged affair with him, which he denies. Trump is seeking another White House term, and leading the Republican field. 'EXCEPTIONALLY ILL-SUITED' In a letter to the judge on Wednesday, Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan opposed Trump's request. She called it "just another delay tactic" to keep jurors from hearing her client's case, and said the Constitution does not excuse Trump from a sexual assault claim because national media are revisiting his alleged extra-marital affairs. Citing several pending criminal and civil inquiries and lawsuits, Kaplan also said there was "substantial reason" to believe any adverse publicity would not abate, and blamed Trump's "incendiary statements" for fueling it. Story continues "Trump is exceptionally ill-suited to complain about fairness when he has instigated (and sought to benefit from) so much of the very coverage about which he now complains," Kaplan wrote. Kaplan and the judge are not related. BATTERY CLAIM Carroll, 79, is seeking damages over Trump's denial in an Oct. 2022 post on his Truth Social media platform that he raped her in late 1995 or early 1996 in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan. She is also suing Trump for battery over the alleged encounter, which Trump has also said never happened. In his post, Trump said he did not know Carroll, that she made up the rape claim to promote her memoir, and that the claim was a "hoax," "lie," "con job" and "complete scam." Carroll also sued Trump for defamation in November 2019 over his similar denial of her rape claim five months earlier. That case is still pending. Trump's lawyers said holding a trial, expected to last several days, between May 23 and an Aug. 8 deadline to file all motions in the criminal case would result in a jury "far more likely to be impartial." The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 22-10016. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Kenneth Maxwell and Deepa Babington) Donald Trump is suing his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen just over a week after the former president was arraigned on 34 felony charges related to payments Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is suing Cohen for more than $500 million in damages, alleging that he violated his attorney-client relationship with Trump by spreading falsehoods and revealing confidential information, according to the court filing . The filing attacks Cohens credibility as he is expected to be a key witness in Trumps impending criminal trial in New York. Going after political or legal adversaries through lawsuits is not a new move for Trump and his legal team, though it is one that has had negative consequences in the past. In January, a Florida-based federal judge ordered nearly $1 million in sanctions against Trump and his attorney Alina Habba for a lawsuit against Hillary Clinton that the judge described as completely frivolous. In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, Trumps lawyers claim Cohen breached the terms of a confidentiality agreement he agreed to while working for Trump, saying he did so with malicious intent and to wholly self-serving ends. The filing references statements Cohen made in his book, Disloyal: A Memoir, as well as on his podcast and through media appearances, calling these the most egregious breaches of his contract with Trump. By Luc Cohen (Reuters) -Donald Trump sued his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen on Wednesday seeking at least $500 million in damages, as the former U.S. president steps up attacks on his onetime loyal "fixer" after Cohen testified before the Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump. In a complaint filed in federal court in Miami, Trump accused Cohen of failing to keep confidential attorney-client communications private and profiting by "spreading falsehoods" about him in books and podcasts. Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, called Trump's lawsuit "frivolous." Trump often over the years has filed suits against various adversaries. "Mr. Trump is once again using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen," Davis said. The lawsuit comes as Cohen, who once said he would "do anything" to protect Trump, appears poised to become a star witness against him at a possible criminal trial in New York on the charges unsealed last week. Trump, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. It marked the first time a former U.S. president was charged with a crime. Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, have said Trump covered up his reimbursement of Cohen for $130,000 in hush money paid before the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels, who has said she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump denies that any such relationship occurred. Trump's lawsuit said Cohen wrongfully called Trump "racist" in the disbarred lawyer's 2020 book, entitled "Disloyal," and fabricated conversations with Trump from when he served as his attorney. "The timing of Disloyal's release, just prior to the November 3, 2020 Presidential Election, suggests that (Cohen) intended to improperly disclose (Trump's) confidences when it would be most lucrative to do so - and while Disloyal would be sure to have the most damaging reputational effect," the lawsuit said. Story continues Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden. 'I AM ASHAMED' Cohen was a top executive at Trump's real estate company and then worked as his personal lawyer when Trump became president in 2017. Once known for intense loyalty to Trump, Cohen has become a harsh critic and has assisted law enforcement agencies and lawmakers investigating his former boss. "I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is," Cohen told a U.S. congressional committee in 2019. "He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat." Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating federal election law through the $130,000 payment to Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison for that and other crimes, including cheating on his personal taxes and lying under oath to Congress about when the Trump Organization stopped working on a proposed building project in Russia. Referring to Daniels by her real name Stephanie Clifford, Trump's lawyers said Trump intended the payment to her "to protect his family from the malicious and false claims made by Clifford." The criminal case is one of several legal woes Trump faces including investigations into attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss and into his removal of government documents from the White House after leaving office. New York State Attorney General Letitia James last year filed a civil lawsuit against Trump and his three adult children for fraud, accusing them of misstating the values of real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax benefits. Trump also sued James after she filed that case. Trump last week said Cohen had failed to appear for a deposition by Trump's legal team as part of that lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 2. Justice Arthur Engoron set a hearing for April 21 to consider whether to order Cohen to testify. Trump filed a suit against James seeking to halt her civil case, but a judge dismissed it, writing that there was "no evidence" that the investigation was undertaken in bad faith. In another case, a judge in January ordered Trump and his lawyers to pay nearly $1 million for filing a "completely frivolous" suit accusing Hillary Clinton and other Democrats of trying to rig the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington and Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Will Dunham, Katharine Jackson, Jonathan Oatis and Noeleen Walder) Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against his former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, a likely star witness in the criminal case facing the former US president in New York. The suit, filed in a US District Court in Florida, seeks $500 million from Cohen over his alleged breach of attorney-client privileges and a confidentiality agreement. Cohen was among the witnesses who testified before the grand jury that ultimately indicted Trump, making him the first former or sitting US president to face criminal charges. He has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Cohen says he arranged the $130,000 payment in exchange for her silence about a tryst Daniels says she had with Trump in 2006. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges in a Manhattan court on April 4. In his lawsuit, Trump accuses Cohen of "spreading falsehoods" about him and claimed to have suffered "vast reputational harm." "Such continuous and escalating improper conduct by (Cohen) has reached a proverbial crescendo and has left (Trump) with no alternative but to seek legal redress," the suit said. Trump is seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages of more than $500 million. The 76-year-old former real estate tycoon has been embroiled in scores of lawsuits over the past decades and has a long history of attacking his opponents in court. Cohen, 56, is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution if the criminal case against Trump in Manhattan ever comes to trial. He has acknowledged paying Daniels on Trump's behalf and was sentenced to three years in prison for various crimes, including the hush-money case and tax evasion. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and claims he is the victim of a political "witch hunt" by the Manhattan district attorney, a Democrat, intended to derail his 2024 White House campaign. cl/des Michael Cohen stands behind Donald Trump, September 2016 Ex-US President Donald Trump is suing his former lawyer for $500m (400m), alleging breach of contract. He says Michael Cohen breached his duty as attorney to act in his client's best interests. The lawsuit comes amid escalating attacks from Trump allies on Mr Cohen, who is a key witness in a New York investigation into the ex-president. A Manhattan prosecutor last week charged Mr Trump with fraud in relation to hush-money payments to a porn star. Mr Cohen's spokesman and lawyer, Lanny Davis, told the BBC he was confident the lawsuit against his client would fail. The legal action, filed in a Florida federal court, also accuses Mr Cohen of making "improper, self-serving, and malicious statements about his former client, his family members, and his business". Mr Cohen worked as Mr Trump's attorney for more than a decade. He was also a vice-president at the Trump Organization and was often described as Mr Trump's fixer. But the two had a significant falling out after the 2016 election, as investigators began looking into several of Mr Trump's aides. In 2018, Mr Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine, after pleading guilty to charges of fraud and campaign finance violations. Now out of prison, Mr Cohen has become a high-profile critic of Mr Trump and a frequent guest on news programmes. He has written a book and hosts a podcast, both of which Mr Trump cites in the lawsuit, which claims Mr Cohen fabricated conversations and wrongfully called Mr Trump a "racist" in his 2020 book Disloyal. In a statement to the BBC, Mr Davis said: "Mr Trump appears once again to be using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen. "It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are co-operating with prosecutors against him." New York prosecutors have charged Mr Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in what they say was an effort to cover up payments intended to keep former porn star Stormy Daniels, quiet about her alleged affair with the ex-president. Story continues On 4 April, Mr Trump appeared in Manhattan criminal court - the first former US president ever indicted on criminal charges. He pleaded not guilty. Mr Cohen has admitted, while acting as Trump's fixer, he facilitated a $130,000 (104,000) pay-out to Ms Daniels. As Mr Trump's court date approached, Mr Cohen made numerous appearances on major network news programmes and criticised his former boss. "He's not thick-skinned," Cohen told CNN, speaking after Mr Trump's indictment. "He's actually very thin-skinned, and he has a very fragile ego." In 2019, then-President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AP Photo/Evan Vucci Trump made repeated false and misleading claims about the Ukraine war during a Fox News interview. Trump praised Putin as "very smart" amid the stalemated and brutal fight the Russian leader ordered. Trump's grasp of the war's appeared spotty and an echo of Russia's propaganda. Former President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, used a Fox News interview on Tuesday to repeatedly make false and misleading claims about the war in Ukraine while offering high praise for the Russian leader and accused war criminal who launched it. Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin "loved" Ukraine, while acknowledging that the unprovoked war Putin ordered has devastated the former Soviet republic. "He considers it to be a part of Russia," Trump said of Putin's view on Ukraine, which was among the few accurate remarks the former president made on the subject during the interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson who also has routinely echoed the Kremlin's propaganda on the war. "Ukraine is being obliterated," Trump said at another point in the interview, while falsely suggesting that Ukrainian forces are not performing "better than anticipated." Russia has seized large swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine since launching their invasion in February 2022, and the areas that have seen the heaviest fighting are devastated in large part because of Russia's scorched earth tactics. But Russia's forces have been embarrassed before the world by the war, and top military experts have said that Moscow has already suffered what amounts to a strategic defeat underscoring that it will take years for the Russian military to be rebuilt. Indeed, Ukraine's stiff resistance has shocked Putin's advisors and Western intelligence services, who had projected that Kyiv would fall in a matter of days. The brutal fight in Ukraine has morphed into a grinding war of attrition, but Russia refuses to give up on its major goals even as it finds itself with a shrinking economy and fewer trading partners. Story continues Trump's high praise for an American adversary and parroting of the Kremlin's talking points appears to be part of his America First pitch to voters worried about the costs and risks of extensive US support, an effort his potential rival for the GOP presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has also questioned. It also may be an effort to undermine President Joe Biden's successful backing of underdog Ukraine, an achievement strongly supported by many Republican lawmakers. Trump has been calling US aid to other countries into question for years. His first impeachment was also linked, in part, to his decision to freeze security assistance to Kyiv as he simultaneously pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch an investigation into then-Democratic presidential candidate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, over bogus allegations of corruption. Trump, whose amicable stance toward Russia and its authoritarian leader has long been criticized, may see a political upside to continuing to question assistance to Ukraine as he vies for the presidency once again despite his two impeachments and a recent criminal indictment in New York. Polling has shown that Republican voters are less likely than Democratic voters to support continued assistance to Ukraine. At one point in the interview, Trump also appeared to suggest without evidence that the US was responsible for explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines, the kind of attack line often heard in Russian state-run media. "I don't want to get our country in trouble," Trump said when asked about the Nord Stream sabotage. To be sure, investigations into the pipeline explosions are ongoing and inconclusive. The former president also falsely said that the Biden administration has "taken the military that I've rebuilt, and they've given it all to Ukraine." The extent to which the US military was "rebuilt" under Trump, who continued the war in Afghanistan throughout his presidency, is open to debate. Regardless, Trump's statement is misleading on a few levels: US spending on the military has increased under the Biden administration, which has simultaneously refused to fulfill many of Ukraine's requests for advanced weapons. The US has provided Ukraine with billions in security assistance, including vital lethal aid, since Russia invaded. But the Biden administration has pushed against calls for it to provide Kyiv with long-range weapons and has so far ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets. Under Biden, the US has given over $35 billion in security aid to Ukraine. For perspective, the US defense budget for this fiscal year is $858 billion. At times, Trump was unintelligible during the interview with Carlson as he jumped from one topic to another. But the former president was quite clear when it came to praising of US adversaries, as he lauded Putin as "very smart," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as "smart," and Chinese leader Xi Jinping as "brilliant." It was not the first time Trump has expressed admiration for some of the most repressive leaders in the world. Trump, for example, previously described Putin's justification for invading Ukraine as "genius." Meanwhile, Carlson, who's privately said he hates Trump "passionately," described the former president as "moderate, sensible, and wise" in comments to his audience. Read the original article on Business Insider Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll Getty/Getty E. Jean Carroll's defamation and battery lawsuit against Donald Trump is set for trial on April 25. On Tuesday, Trump's lawyer asked the judge to delay the start date for one month. He said the delay will allow the "media frenzy" over Trump's criminal indictment to die down. Former President Donald Trump is asking to delay his rape trial so that the "media frenzy" surrounding his recent criminal indictment can die down. Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, filed a request with US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan late Tuesday, asking to delay the E. Jean Carroll trial a month so there's a "brief 'cooling off' period between the trial of this matter and the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage concerning his unprecedented criminal indictment and arraignment in Manhattan." The rape trial is currently scheduled to begin in Manhattan on April 25. Longtime "Elle" advice columnist E. Jean Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman changing room in the mid-1990s and has sued for defamation and battery. Last week, less than a month before the Carroll trial was scheduled to begin, Trump traveled to New York City, where he was arraigned on a 34-count indictment related to alleged hush money payments paid to women while he was running for office. Tacopina wrote in his request that "holding the trial of this case a mere three weeks" after the arraignment," will lead to concerns about "potential contamination of prospective jurors" and reduce Trump's chances of receiving a fair trial. The "wall-to-wall media coverage" of the arraignment was "remarkable for its volume and incitement of animus towards President Trump," he wrote. He added that the coverage is especially detrimental to the Carroll case because both the criminal and civil cases deal with Trump's treatment of women. "Jurors selected to hear Ms. Carroll's allegations against President Trump will have the breathless coverage of President Trump's alleged extra-marital affair with Stormy Daniels still ringing in their ears if trial goes forward as scheduled," Tacopina wrote. Story continues "President Trump can only receive a fair trial in a calmer media environment that the one created by the New York County District Attorney. A short postponement of the trial will allow the recent surge in media coverage to subside and increase the likelihood that President Trump receives a fair trial," he added. Tacopina and an attorney for Carroll declined Insider's request for comment on Wednesday. In a letter to Kaplan on Wednesday, lawyers for Carroll called the request "meritless" and argued that any issues related to pretrial publicity can be addressed during the jury selection process. "Waiting an additional four weeks will do nothing to 'cool' the unavoidable press and security concerns that will attend this trialconcerns that Your Honor has taken substantial measures to address," Carroll's lawyer, Roberta A. Kaplan, wrote. "Trump is exceptionally ill-suited to complain about fairness when he has instigated (and sought to benefit from) so much of the very coverage about which he now complains." Judge Kaplan has yet to weigh in on the request, but he has repeatedly complained about Trump's team trying to delay the Carroll litigation. Carroll has two active lawsuits against Trump. One was originally filed in 2019 for defamation, and another defamation and battery suit was filed last year after a new New York law allowed Carroll to sue Trump for the alleged rape itself, even though the statute of limitations had expired. The first case was originally scheduled to begin April 10 but was put on hold while another court decides whether Trump can be sued since he was a sitting president when the alleged defamation took place. Trump's lawyers and the Department of Justice argue he's protected in that case by a law that shields federal employees from being sued for actions taken in the course of their jobs. Read the original article on Business Insider Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) The United States must declare all assets it will bring inside the sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday. During a public briefing, Armed Forces Spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said that the Philippine government would still be the owner of EDCA sites as well as all related properties and facilities. And therefore everything that will be brought inside those facilities will have to be coordinated and cleared with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he said. Aguilar also noted that the facilities would be completely turned over to the AFP. However, Article 4 of EDCA stipulates that United States forces and United States contractors shall have unimpeded access to Agreed Locations for all matters relating to the prepositioning and storage of defense equipment, supplies and materiel, including delivery, management, inspection, use, maintenance, and removal of such equipment, supplies and materiel. Critics of the current administrations decision to expand the American military presence have raised concerns about that provision. The Philippine government earlier this month identified the additional four EDCA sites located in Cagayan, Isabela, and Palawan. Marcos either misinformed or misleading Filipinos on use of EDCA sites Rep. Castro House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may either not have accurately known the countrys EDCA with the United States or was not telling the truth when he assured Filipinos that sites under the deal would not be used to launch attacks. "It seems that Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was misinformed on the true text of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) or he is misleading the Filipino people," the lawmaker said in a statement on Tuesday. Echoing arguments by Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares, Castro said the 2014 deal provides that the US will have full control over the kind of military supplies it will place in the EDCA sites and over how these will be deployed. READ: US dictates the terms of EDCA Bayan Muna She also noted that the EDCA does not prohibit the use of these prepositioned armaments in covert or overt military operations in the Philippines or abroad. The critics of the military deal pointed to a line in the agreement which states, United States forces shall have control over the access to and disposition of such prepositioned materiel and shall have the unencumbered right to remove such prepositioned materiel at any time from the territory of the Philippines. Colmenares earlier said the Philippines would not even be able to monitor if the US is storing chemical or nuclear weapons in the facilities. Ang papel lang ng mga sundalong Filipino doon ay tagapagbantay sa labas, in short mga security guards na bawal ding pumasok o silipin man lang ang nangyayari sa loob," Castro said. [Translation: The only role of Filipino soldiers there is to act as guards who cannot even enter or check what is happening inside.] The lawmaker maintained her view that the EDCA is being used to make the Philippines a military base of the US. "Di man ito diretsong sinabi sa teksto ng kasunduan ay ito ang esensya at aktwal na nangyayari sa ngayon," she said. "Marapat na ibasura na ang tagibang na kasunduang ito na kasama ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) ay halos ibalik tayo sa pagiging kolonya ng US." [Translation: While this was not expressly stated in the text of the agreement, this is what is essentially happening now. The government should scrap this deal which, along with the VFA, is almost making us a colony again of the US again.] In a media briefing on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo reiterated that the two countries will still have to discuss the extent of American troops use of the EDCA sites. He first made the statement when earlier asked if the Philippines will allow the US to store its military assets in the EDCA sites for the defense of Taiwan. We have to identify the terms and references, how these activities will be undertaken," Manalo said during the briefing. "So I dont think were really at any stage yet to answer how they might be used. Theyre still open to discussion." He also maintained that the basic purposes of the sites would be to strengthen interoperability between Philippine and US forces, better address security challenges, and improve relief operations and disaster response. CNN Philippines Correspondent Rex Remitio contributed to this report. Fox News host Tucker Carlson was ridiculed on social media for his hour-long interview with Donald Trump just months after his leaked text messages revealed he passionately hated him. Carlson spoke to Mr Trump in an interview billed as historic by Fox News as it was the first time the twice-impeached former president gave an interview since becoming the first-ever US president to be charged with a crime. Mr Trump spoke almost uninterrupted for long periods of time during the interview as Carlson listened to him and nodded his head or gave amused reactions, apart from occasionally repeating his words. The right-wing host, known for his long rants and blunt rhetoric, got called out on Twitter by users who said the interview was humiliation and torment for him and was meant to redeem himself after the emergence of his critical Trump text messages. This interview is just an hour-long exercise in complete humiliation for Tucker, tweeted Kat Abu. Tuckers only been able to say four words in the first five minutes of this interview lmfao, she said. Ms Abu also shared another video of the interview and said Trump has got him whipped. Trump has got him WHIPPED: pic.twitter.com/djnAzDnbSx Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) April 12, 2023 She also said the interview was penance for the Dominion texts. Fox is forcing Tucker to do this as penance for the Dominion texts and you could see the pain in his eyes during the live intro: pic.twitter.com/Gchl7s6qIZ Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) April 12, 2023 Man, Carlson must have been summoned by Murdoch personally to make him sit through this interview, wrote Tom Nichols of The Atlantic. Story continues Man, Carlson must have been summoned by Murdoch personally to make him sit through this interview. Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 12, 2023 Now, aside from the usual Trump nuttery, tonight's interview was a reminder that Tucker Carlson is a clumsy and awkward propagandist. But he knows his audience, and he knows what sort of dreck to shovel at them so that he can stay on television. Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 12, 2023 This interview is the torment that Tucker Carlson totally deserves. Why is this appalling orange man-child creature still on television? Even Tucker Carlson cant believe his ears. Trump lies like an angry baby. Surely everyone can see this?! pic.twitter.com/oC4iqsWunt Anthony Davis (@theanthonydavis) April 12, 2023 Jordon Chariton of Status Coup news called Carlson a phoney populist who is crawling back to the Donald and competing with Hannity for who can do a bigger softball interview after his real feelings about hating Trump got leaked. Each segment of the programme was preceded by an introduction by Carlson, who complimented Mr Trump at length. Over his comments on foreign policy, Carlson called Mr Trump a moderate, sensible and wise man and said his understanding of world affairs is so much more nuanced and sophisticated and pro-American than the moronic neocons currently in charge. Carlson spoke to Mr Trump at his Mar-a- Lago residence in Florida just two months after Dominion lawsuit documents revealed text messages to his co-workers saying he hated Trump passionately. The texts also revealed he had called the one-time president a demonic force, a destroyer. We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights, Carlson told an unknown Fox News employee just two days before the Jan 6 Capitol riot, according to the court documents. I truly cant wait. I hate him passionately, he said. The messages were a bombshell revelation in the $1.6bn (1.35bn) defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against the conservative news network owned by Rupert Murdoch. California law-enforcement leaders railed against the state's decade-old sentencing law Wednesday, saying the recent case of a multi-county serial burglar shows how people who should be in state prison are instead handed off to local jails too crowded to hold them. It's the latest criticism from Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, who has frequently denounced state criminal-justice laws as "soft on crime." During a press conference in Southern California, Ward was joined by Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin to discuss the case of Timothy Bethell, who has committed crimes in both counties. "This case is sadly indicative of life in California in 2023, Ward said. It epitomizes the dysfunction caused by the passage of soft-on-crime policies coming out of Sacramento." Bethell, 31, was sentenced to more than five years in state prison late last month after pleading guilty to 17 felony counts, including theft, burglary, and vandalism, for a series of crimes against nine businesses in Visalia. The crimes spanned the months of December 2022 and January, during which he stole cash and electronics and damaged properties. The Riverside County officials called the press conference to connect Bethell's crimes in Visalia with a pattern of similar misconduct in Fresno and Riverside counties. Bethell, of Winchester, was first convicted of a felony drug offense in Fresno County in 2014, according to a press release from the Tulare County DA's office. He then pleaded guilty to 14 felonies after vandalizing and stealing from seven Visalia businesses in 2021. He was released to a recovery program but failed to report. Soon after, he was charged with another burglary and resentenced to a year in jail and mandatory supervision in his home county of Riverside. Bethell then pleaded guilty to six more felonies after vandalizing and stealing from five businesses in Riverside County. He was sentenced to three years, but instead of going to prison was sent to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, which released him to prevent jail overcrowding. That's often referred to as a "fed kick" because of a federal court order requiring jails to avoid overcrowding that can lead to unsafe and even deadly conditions. Story continues After being released, Bethell returned to Tulare County and committed the crimes he pleaded guilty to last month. Ward said the state's reform laws amount to a "social experiment" that has failed. "When repeat criminals come through the justice system, its naive and foolish to continue to put the public at risk hoping somehow that this is going work," Ward said. "We are living in a world where consequences for bad, evil, and dangerous behavior keeps getting reduced." Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said the two counties are not experiencing a two-county issue but rather a statewide issue. He placed the blame squarely on "the complete failure of your governor and the vast majority of your legislators." Hestrin went as far as to invite Gov. Gavin Newsom to Riverside County to discuss local problems with crime and "how to fix this problem." "We need the legislature to pass laws so we can hold individual offenders accountable," Hestrin said. "At some point, there has to be consequences." Visalia Times-Delta reporter Sheyanne Romero contributed to this report. Christopher Damien covers public safety and the criminal justice system. He can be reached at christopher.damien@desertsun.com or follow him at @chris_a_damien. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Tulare County DA Tim Ward again criticizes California prison reform MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Joey Gallo was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday after his sore right side didn't show enough improvement in pregame workouts. The slugging first baseman is dealing with a right intercostal strain that had already sidelined him for three games. The move to the IL is retroactive to April 8. The team announced a corresponding roster move will be made before Wednesday's series finale against the Chicago White Sox. Gallo, who signed a one-year, $11 million contract with Minnesota in the offseason, is batting .278 with three home runs and seven RBIs in seven games. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Twitter no longer exists as a company after Elon Musk merged it with another entity called X Corp. The move means the app now forms part of Mr Musks X Holdings Corp., which has been touted as the future parent company for all of his companies, which include Neuralink, SpaceX, Tesla and The Boring Company. It also potentially signals the next phase of Mr Musks plan to turn Twitter into an everything app. The merger only became public after lawyers for the social media firm were forced to disclose it in an ongoing lawsuit involving failed congressional candidate Laura Loomer. Twitter, Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists, the court filing stated. X Corp. is a privately held corporation. Its parent corporation is X Holdings Corp. No publicly traded corporation owns 10 per cent or more of the stock of X Corp. or X Holdings Corp. Twitter could not be reached for comment, with the companys press email set to auto respond to requests with the poo emoji. Mr Musk appeared to confirm the change in a tweet on Tuesday, which stated simply: X. The billionaire already owns the X.com domain, having founded a company of the same name in 1999, which went on to become PayPal. In October 2022, when his Twitter takeover deal was still being finalised, Mr Musk tweeted: Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app. Twitter probably accelerates X by three to five years, but I could be wrong. Industry experts have questioned whether Mr Musk can succeed in transforming Twitter into a platform where users can access all basic online services, from making a payment to ordering a taxi. Chinas WeChat offers similar functionality, though attempts to do the same in the West have so far failed. Super apps, as they are known in the industry, are not a new thing. Theyve been hugely successful in Asia, but have not really caught on elsewhere, social media expert and industry commentator Matt Navarra said at the time. Could Twitter form part of a super app that lets you buy goods, chat to friends, get news updates, book a taxi etc? Sure. Can Elon Musk make it work? Possibly. Will Elon actually do it? Who knows. Two Americans have been killed while fighting in Ukraine, the US State Department has confirmed. The department didnt reveal the identities of the US citizens fighting Russian forces but told The Daily Beast that they are in contact with their families. No additional details on the deceased Americans were available as of Wednesday afternoon. Military bloggers supporting Russia claimed on Wednesday in mocking tones that a US mercenary had recently been killed in the battle for the city of Bakhmut. We can confirm the death of a US citizen in Ukraine. We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance, a spokesperson for the State Department told The Daily Beast when asked about the individual mentioned by the bloggers. Out of respect for the familys privacy during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add, the spokesperson added. The Ukrainian military offers contracts to foreigners and they are seen as the same as Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield. The state department confirmed the death of a second American in a statement to The Daily Beast but didnt identify the individual. When a US citizen dies overseas, including in Ukraine, the Department of State supports the legal representative and family of the deceased in numerous ways, including by providing information on the disposition of remains and estates and issuing a consular report of death, a spokesperson told the outlet. The US government takes its role in such a situation very seriously, providing all appropriate assistance through the legal representative, next of kin, or their designee, the spokesperson added. In January, the Associated Press reported that a former Navy SEAL who went AWOL in 2019 had been killed in Ukraine, according to US officials. A 1st class petty officer, identified by the AP as Daniel Swift, was injured in Dnipro and later died, an official said. The Navy said he left his post in San Diego in March 2019 and that we cannot speculate as to why the former Sailor was in Ukraine. Story continues The AP reported at the time that Mr Swift was the sixth American to die while fighting in Ukraine, according to statements from the State Department and family reports. The US government has urged Americans not to travel to Ukraine to fight because of worries that they may be taken hostage by Russian forces. During the first few weeks of the war, at least 6,000 people reached out to the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, DC to ask about how to volunteer for the war effort. Last year, the Ukrainian military attache said that half of the possible volunteers were declined because they didnt have enough military experience, they had a criminal record, or they were not fit to serve in other ways. Two boys have been charged with felony counts of cruelty to animals Tuesday after video circulated in the Deer Creek area of them allegedly abusing two dogs. Two students at Deer Creek Middle School were charged Tuesday with two cruelty to animal felony charges each after being accused of abusing dogs in early April. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office filed the charges Tuesday afternoon against the two boys, who had been booked into the Oklahoma County Juvenile Detention Center. Because of the juvenile status of both teens, the boys' ages and names would not be released, officials said. Last 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 puppies, 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 on April 3. "We immediately reported this information to law enforcement for further investigation and will continue to assist them in this matter." Law enforcement initially attempted to find the juveniles at several addresses that Sunday but were unsuccessful. The following day, another video was posted online containing school threats. Police then located one of the juveniles at a house and seized guns. Others gathered additional information about the second juvenile and took him into custody the next day. More: OKC animal rescuers, welfare officers find 6 dead dogs underneath I-40 overpass The two puppies in the video, along with an additional puppy and two adult dogs, were seized after Oklahoma City Animal Welfare officers executed a search warrant on the residence where the dogs were being kept last Tuesday. Officials said all of the dogs were expected to be OK. "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," OKC Animal Welfare Superintendent Jon Gary told The Oklahoman last Wednesday. "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 The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office assisted Oklahoma City police and the city's animal welfare department with the investigation. Representatives of local and nationwide animal welfare organizations, including the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have also called for Deer Creek Public School officials to take serious action after the video of the animal abuse circulated. "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." "Considering that schools across the country continue to experience violence with staggering frequency, its imperative that you and your staff be familiar with this critical warning sign and take it seriouslymany lives could depend on it," wrote Julie Everett, correspondence coordinator for TeachKind, PETA's humane education division, in a letter Monday to Deer Creek Schools officials. "Research indicates that its also common for young people to have witnessed the abuse of animals, which can be a form of trauma, and children who have observed acts of cruelty to animals are more likely to abuse animals themselves." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Teens charged with animal cruelty felonies after viral OKC abuse case Singapore Police with two found hikers (left) and boat on MacRitchie Reservoir (Photos: Singapore Police Force/Facebook) SINGAPORE - Two hikers, aged 67 and 51, were found unhurt after getting lost in the lush forested area within the MacRitchie Nature Trail & Reservoir Park in Singapore on Monday (10 April). The Singapore Police Force (SPF) was alerted on Monday afternoon at 4.56pm about a man who had gone astray. Police officers from Tanglin Division, Gurkha Contingent and the Aerial Response Team were swiftly deployed to locate the missing man. Officers from the National Parks Board (NParks) and Singapore's National Water Agency, PUB, also assisted in the search. Less than three hours later, at 7.02pm, the missing man was located, accompanied by another male hiker. Both men were found to be in good health and unharmed. NParks, in its advisory to the public, stresses the importance of staying on designated trails while trekking, and adhering to the designated opening hours of nature reserves and nature parks, which are from 7am to 7pm. For urgent matters, members of the public can contact the NParks helpline at 1800-471 7300. 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. Brian Burr, 23, and Rachel Burr, 21, of Texas, were recently identified as the victims in a 1995 McAlester homicide. Officials with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation released photos of the couple Wednesday in hopes that members of the public might provide tips that could lead them to whoever killed the Burrs 28 years ago. McALESTER State investigators are seeking the public's help for leads in a cold case after finally identifying a Texas couple found shot to death 28 years ago in rural southeastern Oklahoma. On April 9, 1995, the badly decomposed bodies of a man and a woman were discovered by a guardrail under a tree near Crowder Point in Pittsburg County. The man had been shot once in the chest and the woman twice, and investigators believed the two were killed and dumped by travelers who were on nearby U.S. 69. A nationwide bulletin was issued after the bodies were found, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation released forensic facial reconstructions of the two using clay faces. But despite numerous tips from Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas, no conclusive identifications were made, the McAlester News-Capital reported. In November 1995, the bodies were buried in Dorsey Cemetery on the north side of Lake McAlester. They remained unidentified for decades until a cold case unit formed by Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris had the pair exhumed in 2019. More: The stabbing victim's headless body was found 27 years ago. Now the OSBI has a name Morris requested OSBI assistance with the case, and in 2021 forensic scientists with OSBI sent a specimen from one of the bodies to Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company, for DNA testing. By September 2022, investigators believed they likely had identified the pair. OSBI agents also traveled to Ohio and Texas to interview and collect DNA samples from people believed to be related to the victims. After extensive interviews and additional DNA testing from multiple agencies, authorities now believe the two victims were Brian Burr, 23, and his wife, Rachel Burr, 21, both of Texas. A Pittsburg County Sheriff deputy's vehicle parked along the side of a roadway in McAlester on August 18, 2017. Photo Provided. The investigation encompassed several states and agencies. OSBI and Pittsburg County law enforcement were also assisted by the Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Parabon NanoLabs, Texas Rangers and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. Story continues Investigators in 1995 believed the man later identified as Brian Burr to be 5-foot-7 inches tall, of medium build, with short blond or light brown hair and tattoos on both arms. The woman later identified as Rachel Burr was described as being 5-foot-6, of slender build, with long light brown or blond hair. More: Questions surrounding sisters' deaths 35 years ago continue to haunt family, friends Investigators are asking anyone with information regarding the case to contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Texas couple identified as victims of 1995 McAlester cold case killing This story originally appeared in the Texas Tribune. The Texas House has taken sides in one of Americas most polarizing debates whether to continue changing clocks twice a year, ditch daylight saving time altogether or stick with later daylight permanently. The representatives overwhelming verdict: Stay on daylight saving time moving forward. The chamber voted 138-5 on Wednesday to approve House Bill 1422, from Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe. The antiquated practice of springing forward and falling back changing our clocks twice a year is frustrating to many Texans, Metcalf said ahead of a vote that gave the bill initial approval on Tuesday. I believe we should stick to a time without switching twice a year. Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, asked if the House could vote on who likes which variation of time before voting on the bill, which drew a couple of chuckles. That vote did not occur. The idea is far from becoming reality. Once the bill gets a final House vote, it still has to clear the Senate. And even if signed to law by Gov. Greg Abbott who said in a social media post, I STRONGLY support this the measure would still require an OK from Congress. Federal law lets states exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time meaning they remain on standard time year-round if they pass state laws doing so. But states do not have the power to permanently observe daylight saving time, like the Texas House wants, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Thats the federal agency that oversees the countrys time zones and uniform observance of daylight saving time. Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, according to the transportation department. If HB 1422 were to become law, Texas would join 19 states that have enacted or passed measures for year-round observation of daylight saving time, according to a tally from research group National Conference of State Legislatures. Story continues Still, the laws cannot go into effect as HB 1422 notes unless Congress enacts a law granting states the authority to observe daylight saving time all the time. Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida introduced a federal bill last month that seeks to do just that. This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid, Rubio said in a statement last month. Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. HB 1422 is among at least 18 bills that have been filed this session concerning Texas time and daylight saving. Some of the proposals are similar to HB 1422; others would let voters decide the time of day through a referendum. While many researchers and sleep experts approve of no longer switching clocks twice a year, there appears to be less consensus about whether to follow daylight saving time or standard time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, for instance, supports eliminating seasonal time changes and has found that permanently switching to daylight saving time could increase mood disorders and motor vehicle crashes. The group wrote in a 2020 statement current evidence best supports the adoption of year-round standard time, which aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety. The National Sleep Foundation also endorses sticking with standard time, writing in its own opinion about the matter that the human circadian system does not adjust to annual clock changes. Sleep becomes disrupted, less efficient, and shortened. [Daylight saving time] forces our biological clocks out of sync with the rising and setting of the sun (the sun clock). The link between our biological clock and the sun clock has been crucial to human health and well-being for millennia. Polls have shown Americans also want to stop changing their clocks twice a year but are not on the same page about which time to follow. Disclosure: National Conference of State Legislatures 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. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. An amateur mixed martial arts fighter is accused in the death of a U.S. airman who was fatally struck outside a Florida bar. Ross Johnson, 23, of Carterville, Illinois, has been charged with manslaughter in the death of Air Force Airman 1st Class Dayvon Larry, 31, of Malone, Florida, authorities said Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether Johnson had legal representation, and the area public defender did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Coyote Ugly Saloon in Panama City Beach, Fla. (Google Maps) Fights broke out Sunday both outside and inside the Coyote Ugly Saloon. Larry did not participate but may have known someone involved in an argument that preceded the fights, according to an incident report from the Panama City Beach Police Department. Larry was punched once in a parking lot near the bar, police said. Security personnel broke up the fight outside, found Larry and called first responders, who administered CPR before they took him to a hospital, where he died, police said. Johnson was identified as a suspect based on security video, police said. Investigators said he gave conflicting narratives about what led up to his altercation with Larry but ultimately confessed, police said in a statement. Coyote Ugly did not respond to a request for comment. Larry was from Malone, a small town 70 miles north of Panama City Beach, police said. A spokesperson for Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, confirmed an airman died Monday but did not identify the person. Police identified Johnson as an MMA fighter. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft and corruption charges against former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista over projects worth more than 57 million. The Office of the Ombudsman also accused Bautistas city administrator, Aldrin Cuna, of violating Section (3) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act involving two anomalous government projects in 2019. According to the criminal information signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, Bautista and Cuna allegedly released public funds amounting to 25.3 million to Cygnet Energy and Power Asia for solar power system and waterproofing works for the Quezon City Civic Center, despite the firm's failure to secure a Net Metering System from Meralco. The second case alleged both former officials of facilitating and approving the release of 32.1 million to Geodata Solutions Inc. for procurement of a permitting and tracking system. Bautista and Cuna purportedly entered into the contract with the IT firm despite lacking a specific appropriation ordinance enacted by the Sangguniang Panlunsod. The Ombudsman further stated that Cuna signed the purchase request certifying that the charge to the appropriation was lawful and under his direct supervision. A bail bond of 90,000 each was recommended. CNN Philippines has reached out to Bautista for comment. John Heubusch, left, former executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, greets Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and David Trulio, president of the Reagan foundation and institute, watch as Tsai arrives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on April 5. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) As a Taiwanese American, I'm filled with anxiety and dread every time I see Taiwan in the headlines. It's not just that the news is never good for the small island nation that China claims as its own territory, where most of my family still lives. It's also because the issue is so politically tortuous that even smart, well-intentioned people have trouble following the conflict's twists and turns, ongoing for more than half a century. Most recently, when Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met in Simi Valley last week, China responded with three days of large-scale military exercises that simulated a naval blockade of Taiwan, dubbed operation "Joint Sword" by Chinese officials. Last year, after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan and met with Tsai, China launched missiles over Taiwan and into the surrounding seas. They deployed warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. These increasingly militaristic responses have had a chilling effect on discourse about Taiwan. Taiwanese Americans, and anyone who hopes to do business with companies affiliated with the Chinese government, are rarely willing to discuss it publicly. Even I struggle to form a coherent opinion on the issue, not least because all my relatives always seem to be fighting about it. In our family, the divide is generational my older relatives favor closer ties with China, and the younger ones voted for Tsai. But I'm wading in now because Taiwan won't be leaving the headlines for the foreseeable future. California often becomes the venue for these political dramas, with nearly half of all Taiwanese Americans in the U.S. residing in the state. And a military conflict between the U.S. and China will affect all of us. For decades, a Chinese military invasion of Taiwan seemed an increasingly remote possibility given the importance of the growing economic ties between the U.S., China and Taiwan. But now it is peaceful resolution that seems more unlikely, said Raymond Kuo, an Asia researcher for the Rand Institute. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is more determined than ever to add reunification with Taiwan to his political legacy, hoping to unseat Mao Zedong as China's greatest leader. Chinese officials are pressuring nations and international bodies to cut ties with Taiwan. Story continues "They've built it up into this political issue that they simply cannot let go," Kuo said. One political party in Taiwan, the Kuomintang, or KMT, supports closer ties and eventual reunification for Taiwan. But popular sentiment in Taiwan rejects reunification with China, and the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party is gaining strength. As the KMT's political futures decline, so do Chinese hopes for a peaceful reunification. This creates a counterintuitive political situation in which loud, visible support for Taiwanese independence, and thus the DPP, might actually place Taiwan at greater risk for military invasion, given China's increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan. But ignoring Taiwan might mean abandoning the island to the same fate as Hong Kong, where hopes for peaceful reunification and sovereignty were shattered by violent police crackdowns against protesters and free speech. Countries rarely go to war if they have strong and growing economic ties. But trade between the U.S. and China is declining, Kuo said. In Los Angeles, that means less investment in local development projects and a gutted tourism industry. It's important to understand that Taiwan (along with the rest of the South China Sea) has become a proxy battleground for competing national ambitions in the U.S. and China, a kind of release valve for growing tensions. Chinese and U.S. political leaders face pressure at home to present strong stances on Taiwan. But when leaders pay too much attention to public opinion, they rarely create good policy. "Taiwanese people are thinking, 'Yeah, it's nice to get support. But do they view us as a pawn against China, or do they care about Taiwan?'" Kuo said. There's a difference between policies that actually help Taiwan and policies intended to make the United States or China look strong, Kuo said. Congress debated a bill last year called the Taiwan Policy Act, which laid out U.S. military and economic commitments to Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. The bill, Kuo said, didn't provide direct military aid to Taiwan, as the U.S. has done for Ukraine, but instead offered loans to purchase military equipment. And Taiwan is still waiting on weapons deliveries from the United States from orders placed in 2017. The bill included a proposal that would rename the Taiwanese offices handling diplomatic relations in the U.S. currently called Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office to something that would give Taiwan diplomatic treatment more similar to a foreign nation, such as Taiwan Representative Office. The change has not only a lot of symbolic value but also the potential to spark Chinese aggression and condemnation, which could put Taiwan at risk, Kuo said. Our representatives in Congress should know that the safety of the Taiwanese people is far more important than looking tough on China. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. American and Cuban officials met Wednesday in Washington to discuss migration for the first time this year following significant changes in how Cuban immigrants are allowed to come to the United States as part of an effort by the Biden administration to curtail a massive exodus from the island. The U.S. State Department said the meeting focused on the implementation of migration accords in place between the two countries. The U.S. delegation highlighted areas of successful cooperation on migration, while also identifying issues that have been obstacles to fulfilling the goals of the Accords, the State Department statement said. Engaging in these talks underscores our commitment to pursuing constructive discussions with Cuba where appropriate to advance U.S. interests. A State Department spokesperson said the discussions were limited to the topic of migration. Ensuring safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration between Cuba and the United States remains a primary interest of the United States, consistent with our interest in fostering family reunification, and promoting greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, the spokesperson said. David Cloe, the Department of Homeland Securitys deputy assistant secretary for the western hemisphere, led the U.S. interagency delegation. The Cuban delegation was headed by Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio. More than 300,000 Cubans arrived in the United States last year, mainly at the Mexico border, the biggest number since the early days of the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro. In January, the Biden administration expanded a program already in place for Venezuelans to allow Cubans and migrants from Haiti and Nicaragua to apply for special parole to enter and live in the United States for at least two years. More than 15,000 Cubans have already arrived lawfully through this parole process through March 31, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said. In total, over 55,000 Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians and more than 40,000 Venezuelans have received travel authorization through the program, the spokesperson added. Story continues Since the start of the parole program for Cubans, official statistics recording U.S. border officers encounters with Cuban migrants nationwide show a significant decrease in the number reaching the U.S.-Mexico border. Before President Biden announced the program in early January, officials recorded more than 44,000 encounters at the border involving Cuban migrants. In February, that number was 6,548. Numbers for March have not been released yet. Cubans can now get parole to enter the United States. Here is how it will work Since the Presidents January announcement, encounters between ports of entry at the southwest border have declined drastically, a DHS spokesperson said. The successful use of these parole processes and the significant decrease in illegal crossing attempts demonstrate clearly that noncitizens prefer to utilize a safe, lawful, and orderly pathway to the United States if one is available, rather than putting their lives and livelihoods in the hands of ruthless smugglers. The effects of the program, which requires access to a phone, internet and a financial sponsor in the United States, are less clear in reducing dangerous sea trips from the island. Just this month, the U.S. Coast Guard said it had repatriated 197 Cubans who were interdicted at sea trying to reach Florida shores. The number of Cubans stopped at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard this fiscal year, which started last October, has already surpassed last years figures: by April 4, 6,250 Cubans had been repatriated to the island, compared to the 6,182 that were sent back in all of the fiscal 2022. On Tuesday, a Cuban official previewed the islands government agenda for the meeting. Johana Tablada, the deputy director of the Cuban Foreign Ministrys North America Division, said the delegation would again ask its American counterparts to resume issuing visas at the U.S. Embassy in Havana to Cubans who want to visit their families in the United States. The embassy suspended issuing non-immigrant visas for family visits and business and professional exchanges in late September 2017. At the time, the Trump administration decided to evacuate non-essential embassy staff and family members due to unexplained health incidents related to the so-called Havana Syndrome that are still under investigation. Cubans who want to visit the United States must apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate in a third country. After six years, the obligation to travel to a third country to obtain a visa is inexplicable for Cuban citizens, when there is an Embassy and a Consulate in Cuba, the Cuban delegation argued during the meeting, according to a statement by the countrys Foreign Ministry. The delegation added that the reasons that were alleged to close such services in Cuba have been demonstrated as false, in reference to the U.S. intelligence community assessment published in March about Havana Syndrome concluding that there is no evidence of a global campaign by a foreign adversary targeting U.S. officials overseas. Readily available energy technology could be behind Havana Syndrome, declassified report says The Biden administration slowly began to beef up personnel at the embassy in 2021. It resumed granting immigration visas in Havana early this year but has not announced plans regarding the visitor visas. The State Department said the embassy is already issuing official, diplomatic and emergency non-immigrant visas. The successful resumption of immigrant visa processing fulfills an important part of our commitments under the Migration Accords, the State Department spokesperson said. We look forward to resuming all consular services when we have the capacity. The Cuban delegation also complained that the economic impact of the U.S. embargo and the Cuban Adjustment Act, a law that provides a quick path for permanent residency to Cuban migrants, are both factors encouraging migration from the island. The Center for a Free Cuba, a human-rights advocacy organization, said the Cuban government uses migration as leverage in talks with the United States. No immigration talks with the Cuban dictatorship, manipulated by Havana weaponizing migration as leverage, can succeed for the Cuban people or the interests of the United States, while an internal blockade is imposed on Cubans by the Castro regime and over a thousand Cubans imprisoned for exercising their right to express their desire for a free Cuba, said John Suarez, the centers director. The United States doesn't "have a sense" of how Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is being treated in Russia, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said on "CBS Mornings" Wednesday. Carstens said officials have not been able to meet with Gershkovich or gain consular access to him. However, the decision this week to label Gershkovich a "wrongfully detained" American citizen "brings to bear more tools" that the government can use to effect his release, Carstens said. "Now that he is wrongfully detained, we start to work on negotiating strategies and working with the Russians to find Evan's release and not only Evan, but Paul Whelan as well," Carstens said. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly five years. Gershkovich, 31, was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, on March 29. He has been charged with espionage on the behalf of the United States, and the Russian Federal Security Service accused him of trying to obtain classified information about a Russian arms factory, which the Wall Street Journal denies. Evan Gershkovich. / Credit: Wall Street Journal Gershkovich is the first U.S. correspondent to be detained for alleged spying since the Cold War. Gershkovich is being held in Lefortovo, a notorious prison in Moscow. Carstens said Wednesday that Americans including Paul Whelan, Britney Griner and Trevor Reed have been imprisoned there in the past. Griner and Reed have returned home, while Whelan remains imprisoned in Russia. On Wednesday, Carstens described the facility as a "tough prison." "If there's one thing that I can say that prison is famous for, it's isolation and keeping prisoners in a state of isolation, and that can have a psychological effect," Carstens said. In a statement released on April 2, Griner said she felt "great concern" for Gershkovich. The WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist was imprisoned in Russia for nearly 10 months, from February to December 2022. Story continues Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said on April 4 that Gershkovich had been able to meet with lawyers. Tucker also said his "health is good" and that the newspaper is working with the White House, the State Department and other "relevant U.S. government officials" to secure the reporter's release. Carstens said he could not speak publicly about the measures being taken to secure Gershkovich's release, but said the administration has a "good track record" with similar situations. "Under the Biden administration we've brought back 26 Americans in 26 months," Carstens said. "So we're going to find a way to bring Evan and Paul Whelan home." Tips to remember ahead of next week's tax deadline President Biden delivers keynote speech in Belfast Rare otter triplets born at U.K. wildlife park LONDON (Reuters) - The United States has been engaging with its allies over the recent purported leak of classified documents which supposedly reveal military capabilities of some U.S. partners, a White House official said on Wednesday. "I think we've been having engagements across the administration with a broad number of allies and partners but can't speak specifically with (what) the president intends to raise for the prime minister this morning," National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat told reporters. She was responding to a question on whether Biden would raise the issue in a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his visit to Northern Ireland on Wednesday. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Kate Holton; editing by Alistair Smout) By Daphne Psaledakis and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on over 120 targets to squeeze Russia for its war in Ukraine, pursuing entities linked to state-held energy company Rosatom and firms based in partner nations like Turkey in a sign of stepped-up enforcement. The sanctions, imposed by the Treasury and State departments in concert with Britain, hit entities and individuals in over 20 nations and jurisdictions, including a Russian private military company, a China-based firm and a Russian-owned bank in Hungary. The Treasury said it imposed sanctions on Russian financial facilitators and sanctions evaders around the world, including in the United Arab Emirates and China-based people and firms. The actions reflect an effort by the U.S. government both to broaden the web of U.S. sanctions placed on Moscow since Russian President Vladimir Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and to squelch efforts to circumvent them. One of the main targets was Russian billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov, whom the Treasury described as having "at his disposal a wide network of businesses in financial safe havens and family members through which to conduct financial transactions, enabling him to potentially circumvent sanctions." The State Department said it targeted the businessman's company, USM Holdings, and multiple firms under it. The company said it regarded the actions as "unjust and unfounded," saying Usmanov, who has previously been subject to U.S. sanctions, had stepped down from business activity long ago and did not take part in management. "The United States will continue to take action against Russia and those supporting its war in Ukraine," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, saying it was in keeping with the Group of 7s "commitment to impose severe consequences on third country actors who support Russia's war in Ukraine." Story continues In addition to trying to choke the Russian economy, the United States and its allies have provided extensive weaponry to Ukraine in its 13-month effort to fend off the Russian invasion. PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY Among Wednesday's targets was the Patriot private military company, which the State Department said was associated with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and competed with the Wagner mercenary group. Also targeted was China HEAD Aerospace Technology Co, a China-based satellite image reseller that the State Department said supplied satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to entities affiliated with Wagner and its head, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Treasury also targeted King-Pai Technology HK Co, Ltd, which it said is a China-based supplier for multiple entities in Russia's military-industrial complex. Five entities and an individual that are part of Russian state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom were also targeted in an effort to constrain the company, the State Department said, accusing Rosatom of using energy exports to exert political and economic pressure on its customers. Washington has not imposed sanctions on Rosatom itself. The United States also imposed sanctions on at least four Turkey-based entities it said violated American export controls and helped Russia's war effort, in the biggest U.S. enforcement action in Turkey since the invasion. Eurasia Group analyst Clayton Allen said sanctioning Turkish firms signaled U.S. partner nations were not immune from U.S. action. "Crossing this threshold is an important development," he said, saying the commitment to enforcement even if it causes friction with partners signals a U.S. "expectation that the current sanctions structure will endure for the long term." Among the companies organized under Usmanov's USM Holdings that Washington targeted were Russian mobile operator Megafon; Russia's biggest iron ore producer, Metalloinvest, including Metalloinvest's Swiss-based and UAE-based subsidiaries; the operator of the Russia-based Udokan copper project; and Usmanov's Uzbekistan-based cement producer Akhangarancement. The inclusion of Megafon, one of Russia's big four telecoms operators, marks a shift as Western sanctions have so far stopped short of targeting Russia's telecoms infrastructure. Megafon's press office said it viewed the sanctions as "an unfair and illegal step that has no basis," adding it intended to challenge them. The U.S. Treasury also said it imposed sanctions on Budapest-based International Investment Bank (IIB), a bank with majority-Russian ownership that some European countries have already cut ties with, and three current or former executives. "IIB's presence in Budapest enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlins malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations," it said. The Treasury also targeted Sequoia Treuhand Trust Reg, a Liechtenstein-based trust services company, saying its clients include Russian elites such as Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Additional reporting by Jonathan Spicer in Istanbul; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler) By Steve Holland BELFAST (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden is not anti-British and his pride in his Irish roots does not preclude him from playing a supportive role in Northern Ireland's peace process, a White House official said on Wednesday. Biden, who is fiercely proud of his Irish heritage, arrived in Belfast late on Tuesday and will spend just over half a day in the province of the United Kingdom before he travels south to the Irish Republic for two-and-a-half days of meetings with officials and distant relatives. His first trip to Northern Ireland as president comes at a delicate time, as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of its peace deal but with the devolved powersharing government - a key part of that agreement - in a state of collapse. "The track record of the president shows that he's not anti- British," Amanda Sloat, U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Europe, told reporters in Belfast. "President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish American. He is proud of those Irish roots. But he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK." Sloat was responding to comments from Sammy Wilson, a lawmaker from the Northern Ireland's largest pro-British party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who told a newspaper on Wednesday that Biden was "anti-British". Former DUP leader and ex-Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster also told the GB News channel on Tuesday that there was no doubt that Biden "hates the United Kingdom". BREXIT IMPASSE The DUP have become one of the main focuses of the trip due to its more than year-long boycott of the devolved government due to post-Brexit trade rules that treat the province differently to the rest of the UK. Its leaders, along with leaders of the other four main political parties in the province, were due to meet Biden on Wednesday morning, with the DUP saying they will not be pressured into changing their stance by the visit of a U.S. president. Story continues Biden said on Tuesday that his priority was to help "keep the peace" as Northern Ireland marks the anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that largely ended 30 years of bloodshed between mainly Catholic opponents and mainly Protestant supporters of British rule. Ties between the two communities - and between London and Washington - have since been strained by Britain's departure from the European Union and its need to secure a divorce deal that did not damage the fundamentals of the peace deal. Britain's relationship with the United States - built on close defence, intelligence, economic and cultural ties - has long been known as the "special relationship" but a failure to agree a free trade deal after Brexit has disappointed some British politicians. (Additional reporting by Sachin Ravikumar in London; writing by Kate Holton; editing by Alex Richardson) By Jonathan Spicer ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on at least four Turkey-based entities it said violated U.S. export controls and helped Russia's war effort, in the biggest U.S. enforcement action in Turkey since the invasion of Ukraine last year. The designations - which included an electronics company and a technology trader alleged to have helped transfer "dual-use" goods - were part of a global sanctions package on more than 120 entities announced by the U.S. Treasury. Washington and its allies imposed extensive sanctions on Russia after its invasion, but supply channels from Black Sea neighbour Turkey and other trading hubs, including Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, have remained open. A U.S. administration official told Reuters the sanctions targeted entities and people in Turkey's maritime and trade sectors that were "primarily" Russia-owned or Russia-linked. "It's meant as a warning shot in the evolving phase of enforcing export controls," the official said, requesting anonymity. Turkey's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a query about the U.S. sanctions, which came a month before landmark Turkish elections. NATO member Turkey has sought to maintain good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv during the Ukraine war. It opposes the Western sanctions on principle but has said they will not be circumvented in Turkey and that no shipped products can be used by Russia's military. Last month Turkey acted to halt the transit of Western-sanctioned goods to Russia. The U.S. Treasury said it had designated electronics firm Azu International, which it said shipped foreign-origin computer chips to Russia. Azu's owner could not be immediately contacted for comment. In December, Reuters reported that Azu had exported at least $20 million worth of components to Russia, including chips made by U.S. manufacturers, according to Russian customs records. The Treasury also designated Dexias, an industrial products and trading company that it said acted as intermediary for a sanctioned Russian entity. It further sanctioned a unit of Dexias and a general director. (Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; editing by Daren Butler and Mark Heinrich) UK police have launched an investigation into the nation's CBI business lobby group over allegations of sexual misconduct. City of London Police, which cover the capital's finance district, confirmed its probe late Tuesday. It came hours after the Confederation of British Industry fired Director General Tony Danker and suspended three employees following claims that have rocked the organisation. The police force "takes all acts of sexual misconduct and violence against women and girls extremely seriously", Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight said in a statement. "We approached the CBI following media reports and our investigations are at a very early stage." The CBI dismissed Danker following an independent investigation into workplace misconduct against him. The organisation's probe, handled by a law firm, has been expanded after The Guardian newspaper reported that "more than a dozen" women claim to be victims of sexual misconduct by "senior figures", including one who alleged she was raped at a staff party. The CBI said Danker was not the subject of those allegations, but its probe had "determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected" of its boss. The organisation apologised to victims, expressed "revulsion" about the allegations and admitted to "serious failings" in its handling of the matter. The CBI appointed Rain Newton-Smith, former chief economist at the group, to rejoin as its new director general just one month after she began a strategist role at Barclays bank. rfj/bcp/lth By Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) - Britain targeted individuals and companies who it accused of acting as "financial fixers" for Russian businessmen Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov in its latest round of sanctions against Moscow for the war in Ukraine. Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement on Wednesday the new measures were aimed at those helping the two prominent businessmen to avoid the full cost of financial sanctions. "We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war," foreign minister James Cleverly said in the statement. "We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden." The government said sanctions were imposed on Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades, two Cypriots it described as "professional enablers" who had helped to create offshore structures and trusts. Britain has frozen billions of pounds in assets and sanctioned over 1,550 Russian individuals and 180 entities over the past year to punish Moscow for the conflict in Europe and to stymie its ability to carry on. The latest sanctions were also targeted at Usmanov's financial network, including holding company USM, Curzon Square Ltd, which Britain said acted as his London office, and Hanley Ltd, according to the statement. "We consider the UK sanctions adopted against USM Holdings and its shareholders to be unjust and unfounded," USM said in a statement, adding that it intended to challenge the restrictions as "unlawful". "Alisher Usmanov has not been engaged in business activity for a long period of time," the statement added. Britain, which froze the assets of Abramovich and Usmanov last year, said the measures ensure that assets linked to Usmanov including the 90-million-pound Beechwood House mansion in London - remain sanctioned. (Reporting by Muvija M and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Kate Holton and Raissa Kasolowsky) Oksana Marchenko In addition to Marchenko, relatives of Russian oligarchs Suleiman Kerimov, Andrei Skoch and Vladimir Evtushenkov have also been sanctioned. Sanctions were additionally imposed on four companies associated with Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov. As a result, their property and funds in the United Kingdom have been frozen. In Ukraine, Marchenko has been added to the wanted list. The website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs states that Marchenko "disappeared" on March 24, 2023. She is accused of financing actions committed with the aim of forcible seizure or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power (Part 3 of Article 110-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). 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 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan rejected the arguments raised by the Philippine government in its appeal against the tribunals drug war investigation and pushed for the resumption of the inquiry. In a 59-page response dated April 4, Khan urged the ICC appeals chamber to reject the Philippines petition, saying the country failed to show any error in the decision of the court to roll out the probe into the anti-drug campaign first launched by the Duterte administration in 2016. The Philippines has failed to show any error in the decision, let alone identified any error which materially affects the decision, Khan said in his filing. Instead, the chamber reasonably and correctly considered the materials submitted by the Philippines and correctly applied the law, he added. For one, Khan agreed that the ICC retains jurisdiction in this particular case since the Philippines was still a member of the Rome Statute the treaty that governs the court when the alleged crimes and killings were committed. The countrys withdrawal from the Rome Statute only took effect in March 2019. That the Philippines was not a State Party when the investigation was opened (on 15 September 2021) is immaterial and does not deprive the court of jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed during the temporal scope of the investigation, Khan argued. Khan also stressed that the ICCs pre-trial chamber concluded on the basis of multiple factors that the local probe into the killings failed to mirror the courts planned investigation. The ICC prosecutor likewise agreed it was unnecessary to ask the ability or willingness of the Philippines to conduct probes since there was not sufficient activity on the matter. Last month, the country formally appealed the ICC chambers decision to reopen the drug war investigation, saying that the move would violate the countrys sovereignty. It said the tribunal erred in some of its findings. READ: PH hires foreign lawyer to assist in ICC appeal vs. drug war probe Dutertes successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said the Philippines will disengage from any contact with the ICC after it rejected the government's deferral request. The tank fires The expected spring offensive has been framed as Ukraines make-or-break opportunity this year to recapture territory held by Russian forces, which totals about one-fifth of the country, the report says. Read also: Ukraine to make its own decisions on counter-offensive, Blinken says But the operation has been delayed by weather, slow equipment deliveries and ammunition scarcities, fueling fears of a stalemate. According to the newspaper, a 24-year-old captain with the call sign Metis who oversees the planning of operations and reconnaissance for his unit said that weve seen newly mobilized (Russian) troops brought in just for digging, and they are reinforcing their positions very well. He admitted that despite the success of some testing operations, his unit is not ready for the full offensive. The Washington Post added that further complicating the planned counterattack is the leak of dozens of U.S. military and intelligence documents, including many details about the condition of Ukraines military and its capabilities, including weaknesses in air defenses, that could force commanders to alter plans. Read also: Leaked Pentagon documents significantly inaccurate, UK warns Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 11 that the much-anticipated major Ukrainian counteroffensive may begin as late as summer. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar earlier said that any official communications about the planned counteroffensive must come from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi, or Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. Ukraines National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) secretary Oleksiy Danilov previously said that the elevated media attention paid to the planned operation was detrimental to Ukraines Armed Forces, urging the public to not expect any magical dates that would suddenly turn the tide of the conflict. According to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, the counter-offensive is expected to begin in April-May, along several axes simultaneously. Story continues Read also: Former Aidar commander gives four requirements for successful Ukrainian counter-offensive 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 would determine the course of events in the war. 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 Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine and Russia traded barbs on Wednesday over how much Kremlin's forces control the city of Bakhmut, for months the focal point of Moscow's bid to advance through eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's military said it controlled "considerably" more than 20% of the city. The claim by Russian entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin that his Wagner mercenary group had seized more than 80% of Bakhmut was untrue, it said. Russia's Defence Ministry retorted that Wagner forces had captured three city blocks. And Russian forces, it said, had struck Ukrainian army reserves trying to break through. After pulling back from an attempted advance on Kyiv last year in what Moscow calls a "special military operation", Russia's military has focused mainly on capturing Bakhmut as a stepping stone to advancing on cities further west in Donetsk region. But its gains have been largely incremental over many months. Prigozhin has made a number of premature announcements in connection with Wagner's position in Bakhmut. Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's eastern military command, dismissed Prigozhin's latest 80% claim in a comment to Reuters. "I was just in touch with the commander of one of the brigades holding the defence of the city. And I can confidently say that Ukrainian defensive forces control a considerably larger percent of Bakhmut's territory," he said. Analyst Konrad Muzyka, director of the Rochan military consultancy in Poland, said his calculations bore out the Russian claim of 80%. "The big question is whether the current Russian tempo can be maintained," he said on Twitter. Ukrainian forces have hung on for months in Bakhmut, where the fiercest fighting of Moscow's full-scale February 2022 invasion has killed thousands of soldiers and been dubbed the "meat-grinder". Prigozhin said on Tuesday his forces controlled most of Bakhmut, including the administrative centre, factories, warehouses and municipal buildings. Story continues "Prigozhin needs to show at least some kind of victory in the city, which they have been trying to capture for nine months in a row and that's why he's making such statements," said Cherevatyi. REPELLING RUSSIAN ATTACKS The general staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said there was no letup in Russian attempts to seize the city, with Ukrainian troops repelling nearly 18 attacks. Russian forces, it said, had tried unsuccessfully to move on two villages to the northwest. The general staff report said Ukrainian forces also beat back 14 attacks on the hotly contested town of Maryinka further south, near the major coke-producing city of Avdiivka. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised the efforts of forces defending Bakhmut and other areas in the east, but made no specific reference to the situation in the town. Addressing a meeting of international financial institutions pledged to maintain Ukraine's financial stability, Zelenskiy called for faster assistance with a view to rebuilding the country and restoring normal life after the Russian invasion. "There will be no ruins in Ukraine," he said in his nightly video address after the meeting. "That is our aim. It will be concrete proof of the complete defeat of the terrorist state." In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said approval of a law introducing electronic draft papers for the first time would help resolve a "mess" that ensued after a call-up of 300,000 conscripts last year to bolster its forces. "That is exactly the purpose of this legislative initiative: to clear up this mess and to make it (the system) modern, effective and convenient for citizens." (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Tom Balmforth and Ron Popeski; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Richard Chang) By Pavel Polityuk KYIV (Reuters) - Protests by European farmers are political and shipments of Ukrainian grain are not reducing the profitability of their business, Ukrainian food producers' union UAC said on Wednesday. Logistical bottlenecks have kept large quantities of Ukrainian grains, which are cheaper than those produced in the European Union, in Central European states, reducing prices and sales for farmers there who have staged protests. Poland last week said it would temporarily halt Ukrainian grain imports after farmers' protests led Poland's agriculture minister to resign, but transit would still be allowed. "The political nature of the European farmers' strikes is obvious. Ukraine sells some grain to Poland, and this is not a massive amount," Denys Marchuk, deputy chair of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council (UAC), said in a statement. "However, certain forces need to demonstrate that this is due to an oversupply of Ukrainian grain," he said, noting that the country faced elections later this year. He said that the decline in global grain and oilseed prices was a trend and that Ukraine was using Poland and Romania as transit routes rather than directly exporting to them. Marchuk said Poland's import ban could affect Ukrainian farmers in western regions as they traditionally sold to consumers in Poland and farms still have up to 40% of last year's harvest, which they planned to sell and use for the sowing season. A major grain grower and exporter, Ukraine's grain output is likely to have dropped to about 53 million tonnes in the 2022 calendar year from a record 86 million tonnes in 2021, with officials blaming hostilities in the country's eastern, northern and southern regions. Ukrainian officials this month said, however, the country may export a further 15.6 million tonnes of grain in the April-to-June quarter, which would lift this season's exports to nearly 53 million tonnes. Story continues Millions of tonnes of grain from the 2021 harvest remained in Ukraine's silos after its Black Sea ports were closed in the second half of the 2021/22 season. The ports were unblocked the end of July after the United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal between Moscow and Kyiv. Efforts to extend the deal beyond next month are ongoing, with Russia demanding the removal of obstacles to the export of its agricultural products. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Barbara Lewis) (Bloomberg) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told a gathering of global finance leaders in Washington that his country needed $14.1 billion immediately for critical reconstruction projects, pleading with officials to use frozen Russian assets to help pay the cost. Most Read from Bloomberg The leaked trove of classified US documents on Ukraine is a mixture of true, false and outdated information, the countrys Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. The leak would clearly appear to benefit Russia and its supporters, he said. The UK and US imposed sanctions on key advisers to Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, accusing them of having helped the oligarchs hide their assets to avoid financial penalties linked to Russias invasion of Ukraine. The US also imposed sanctions on the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank in Budapest. Key Developments Russian Windfall Plunges by $51 Billion as Energy Cash Dries Up Xi Hosts Brazils Lula in Diplomatic Push for Ukraine Cease-Fire Ukraines Zelenskiy Asks Global Leaders to Seize Russian Assets Hungary Envoy Seals Energy Deals in Moscow Despite EU Stance (All times CET) Senators to Get Briefing on Leak (12:50 a.m.) The Biden administration will give a closed-door briefing next week to US senators on the unauthorized disclosure of highly classified documents regarding the war in Ukraine, a Democratic Senate aide said Wednesday evening. The briefing will be held on April 19, according to the aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss a confidential proceeding. The leak of Pentagon documents, perhaps the most serious the US has faced in a decade, exposed details of American spying operations as well as assessments of the war. The US Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation into the disclosure. Story continues Zelenskiy Tells World Bankers His Country Needs Funds Now (9:12 p.m.) Saying his country has $14.1 billion in immediate reconstruction needs, the Ukrainian president urged a gathering of global finance leaders in Washington to use frozen Russian assets to help pay the cost. For people to return and the aggressor to lose not only on the battlefield but truly in everything, we need approval for this support program, Zelenskiy, speaking via videoconference, told a gathering that included US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and chiefs of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The IMF board signed off on a $15.6 billion, four-year aid package for Kyiv last month, changing the funds rules for the first time to allow lending to a country at war. It disbursed $2.7 billion immediately. Zelenskiy Meets Contingent of US Senators, Plus Brad Paisley (8:46 p.m.) Ukrainian President Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in Kyiv with three visiting US senators. He told Democrats Joe Manchin and Mark Kelly and Republican Lisa Murkowski about the situation on the wars front line and discussed Congresss role in providing further US aid. They were accompanied by American country music star Brad Paisley, in his customary cowboy hat. After the meeting, Manchin told reporters, The purpose of America is to defend freedom and basically fight for the democracies. He said, Well give Ukrainians all the support they need. Ukrainian Premier Asks Austin, Again, for Fighter Jets (7:18 p.m.) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met at the Pentagon with Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, as the Biden administration attempts to repair damage from the major leak of documents, including classified appraisals of US allies and adversaries. A Pentagon readout of the meeting didnt mention the leak, which is said to include pessimistic assessments about Ukrainian weapon supplies and air defenses. But in brief remarks to reporters Shmyhal did pointedly mention Ukraines unfulfilled request for fighter jets that the US has repeatedly declined to provide. America can, once again, demonstrate its leadership by providing Ukraine with F-15 or F-16 aircrafts, he said. World Bank Providing $200 Million to Fix Energy Infrastructure (6:34 p.m.) The World Bank announced $200 million in grant financing to help repair Ukraines war-damaged energy infrastructure, saying that an additional $300 million is expected in grants and other contributions for the project. US Sanctions Russian-Controlled IIB Bank in Hungary (6:18 p.m.) The US imposed sanctions on the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank, saying its presence in Budapest allowed Moscow to expand its ability to spy, conduct malign influence activities and engage in corruption from within the European Union and NATO. The US Treasury Department also designated for sanctions three current or former executives of the bank. The bank, which relocated from Moscow to Budapest in 2018, describes itself as a multilateral lender seeking to boost economic ties between its members, mostly former communist states such as those in eastern Europe. But critics said the move to Hungary the EU member with the closest ties to Moscow was dangerous to the US and its allies. US and UK Impose Sanctions on Enablers of Abramovich, Usmanov (5:10 p.m.) In one of the first big moves against so-called enablers, the UK said a pair of Cypriots helped to shield the billionaires wealth from asset freezes by moving their funds to family members and offshore trusts. An overlapping but not identical list of sanctions by the US targeted other members of a Cypriot network, including a trust created by Usmanov and his sister. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the US was imposing sanctions on more than 120 individuals and entities in 20 countries linked to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Spanish Leopard Tanks Heading for Ukraine, Robles Says (3:45 p.m.) Six Spanish Leopard 2 A-4 tanks are on the way to Ukraine and another four will also be there soon after being repaired, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said in a news conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Reznikov. Also on the way are 20 TOA armored personnel carriers. Reznikov said the countrys main priorities were to bolster its air defense systems, including combat aircraft, and also supplies of artillery and ammunition. Spains experience in amphibious operations could also be helpful to Ukraine, he said. Leaked Documents Appear to Benefit Russia, Reznikov Says (3:30 p.m.) The content of a leaked trove of classified documents on Ukraine is a mixture of true, false and outdated information, the countrys Defense Minister Reznikov said in a news conference in Madrid. The leak would clearly appear to benefit Russia and its supporters and is aimed at undermining the trust between allies including the US, he said. Reznikov said he was sure the US would do all it could to limit the impact of the leak and ensure nothing similar happens in the future. Asked whether NATO military personnel were in Ukraine, he said that wasnt true. He also noted the confidence expressed by US officials on prospects for a counter-offensive against Russian forces. The US has started a criminal investigation over the leak of the intelligence secrets, which contain information about Ukraines armed capabilities as well as on other confidential matters. Most Urban Belarusians Are Against Russian Nuclear Weapons, Poll Says (3:10 p.m.) Only a quarter of Belarusian city residents would support placing Russian nuclear weapons in their country while the rest are against it, according to a poll by Chatham House. There is only marginal support for Belarus potentially taking part in Russias war against Ukraine, according to the poll. About half of the countrys urbanites are explicitly against Russias actions in Ukraine while a quarter refused to provide a direct answer. The survey showed 56% would support an immediate end to the fighting. Chatham House polled 804 residents of Belarusian cities March 15-27 through the internet. Belarusian authorities effectively ban any non-government polls in the country. Crimea, Border Regions Cancel May 9 Parade Over Security Fears (2:15 p.m.) The occupied Crimea Peninsula on Wednesday canceled the annual May 9 World War II victory parade, citing security considerations ahead of an expected Ukrainian counter-offensive. The decision followed moves by two regions bordering Ukraine, Kursk and Belgorod, whose localities have often come under shelling, to scrap the event this year. The May 9 parades, which include a display of military might on Moscows Red Square and commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany, have huge symbolic significance inside Russia. The Kremlin has used comparisons to World War II to justify its more than year-old invasion of Ukraine. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Denys Shmyhal visits Canada and the USA Read also: Bucha may serve as venue for international tribunal on Russian crimes, PM Shmyhal says Shmyhal began by asserting that Ukraine will win the war unleashed by Moscow, but increased military assistance will bring the victory closer and save the lives of Ukrainian troops. Without commenting on specific items of military gear the United States may or may not supply Ukraine with, Austin promised to expand the production of weapons for Ukraine. The secretary also noted Kyivs efforts to make sure U.S. aid is tightly controlled and is used exclusively by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Let me commend you for the unprecedented level of transparency that Ukraine has provided to ensure our security assistance remains in the hands of Ukraines defenders, said Austin. In a subsequent Telegram post, Shmyhal added he and Austin discussed Ukraines urgent needs for the planned counteroffensive and joint work towards future capabilities. He thanked Secretary Austin for establishing the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (also known as Ramstein format). Read also: Ukraine needs air defense, armored vehicles and missiles, not planes Austin According to the minister, Ukraine now needs more anti-air systems, heavy artillery and equipment, mortars, and ammunition on top of much-sought long-range missiles. The Pentagons press release said Austin briefed Shmyhal on key aims of the upcoming Ramstein-11 meeting on April 21, and reiterated Washingtons commitment to continue aiding Ukraine for as long as it takes. Read also: Trudeau announces more military aid to Ukraine On April 11, Shmyhal met with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, securing an expansion of the existing CanadaUkraine Free Trade Agreement and additional security assistance from Ottawa. 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 Anthony Blinken Ukraine has to make decisions about how it can most effectively defend itself against Russian aggression and take back the territory thats been seized from it," Blinken said. He said the United States provides support and advice, but Ukraine will make the decision on its own. Blinken also refused to comment on the allegedly leaked U.S. "classified documents". The secret documents detailing the situation in Ukraine, said by U.S. officials to be genuine, began to circulate on social media in early March, Aric Toler of the open-source investigative organization Bellingcat reported on Twitter. The documents appear to have been altered (in particular, altering reported numbers of casualties, exaggerating Ukrainian ones and lowering Russian ones) shortly after they were initially posted. Read also: Other leaked U.S. documents apparently indicate that the United States has doubts that Ukraine will be able to liberate much of its territory in the widely anticipated counter-offensive this spring. Other details in the documents reveal the extent of U.S. spying on its allies, notably South Korea, and evidence that Egypt, which has received billions of dollars in U.S. aid, was considering selling rockets to Russia. There is no evidence the sale went ahead, however. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin previously said that Ukrainian forces have a good chance of a successful counter-offensive this spring. Later, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated that the counter-offensive should begin in April-May of this year on several fronts. 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 It is noted that depositors will not experience any effects from the banks nationalization The bill concerns the procedure for the withdrawal of banks owned by sanctioned individuals from the market. The document authorizes the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), under certain circumstances related to the application of sanctions to the bank or the owners of a significant stake in the bank, to make a decision on the following: banning a sanctioned person from acquiring or increasing a significant share in the bank; introducing the possibility of withdrawing a systemically important bank from the market (nationalization) in the absence of signs of insolvency (sanctions are blocked if applied to the bank or the owner of a significant share in it). The process of a banks nationalization actually begins if, after the NBUs decision to withdraw such a bank from the market, the state agrees to participate in the conclusion. Read also: The Ukrainian business holdings of Russias oligarchs The explanatory note to the bill states that depositors will not experience any effects from the banks nationalization. In December 2022, Alfa-Bank Ukraine rebranded to Sense Bank to avoid association with Russias Alfa-Bank. Earlier, NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy said that the issue of recapitalization of Sense Bank had been discussed, but the submission of documents had not taken place. On Oct. 26, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a bill on the special procedure for withdrawing a systemic bank from the market under martial law. At that time, there were 14 systemically important banks in Ukraine, but experts assume that this mainly concerned Alfa-Bank (the future Sense Bank). NBU First Deputy Governor Kateryna Rozhkova earlier said that she saw no reason to nationalize Sense Bank. In March, there were reports that Russian oligarchs Mykhailo Friedman and Perto Aven could sell their shares in Sense Bank to a Polish investor. In late March 2022, the NBU declared that the business reputations of Sense Bank shareholders were not impeccable and banned them from using their voting rights to 100% of the banks shares. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine NEW DELHI (AP) Ukraine has asked India to supply medicines and medical equipment and help it rebuild war-damaged infrastructure, Indias External Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday. The request was conveyed by Emine Dzhaparova, the deputy minister of foreign affairs and Ukraines most senior official to visit India since Russia's invasion began a year ago. During her visit this week, she highlighted Ukraines desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India, the ministry said in a statement. She also handed a letter by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Details of the letter were not immediately known. Modi and Zelenskyy have spoken over the phone in the past year, but India has refrained from condemning Russias invasion and has abstained several times from voting on U.N. resolutions against Moscow. India has maintained high-level contacts with Russia and is one of Moscow's key trade partners in the defense and oil industries. New Delhi has stressed the need for diplomacy and dialogue on ending the war and has expressed its willingness to contribute to peace efforts. Apart from providing medicines and medical equipment, India would also supply school buses to Ukraine, the Indian statement said. Dzhaparova proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, the statement said. India can play a bigger and greater role and Ukraine would welcome any effort that is directed at resolving the war, she said in a speech Tuesday at the Indian Council of World Affairs, a think tank in New Delhi. The sides agreed to hold the next round of foreign ministry consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date, the Indian foreign ministry said. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) Huddled in the back of a cafe near the train station where a missile killed dozens of people a year ago, Nastya took slow, deliberate breaths to calm herself. Overnight, her neighborhood had been bombed again, and she just couldnt take any more. Heeding her parents advice, the 20-year-old woman had visited the nearby psychiatric hospital that morning a place that also bore the scars of war after being repeatedly bombed, including by a missile that destroyed part of the building last September. But the staff swept up the shattered glass, shoveled away the debris and carried on working, determined to stay in Kramatorsk, in Ukraines eastern Donbas region, to help those in need. For Nastya, it was a lifeline. "After todays shelling, I could no longer cope with anxiety, the feeling of constant danger, the speech therapy student said, giving only her first name to talk last month about the difficult decision to seek mental health care. The stigma of Soviet-era psychiatry, when dissidents were incarcerated in psychiatric institutions as a form of punishment, still lingers. I just realized that my psychological health is much more important, she said. There are hundreds of thousands like Nastya in Ukraine, experts say, and the number of people needing psychological help is only expected to rise as the war continues. In December, the World Health Organization said one in five people in countries that have experienced conflict in the past decade will suffer from a mental health condition, and estimated that about 9.6 million people in Ukraine could be affected. Russias invasion in February 2022 resulted in millions of people being displaced, bereaved, forced into basements for months due to incessant shelling or enduring harrowing journeys from Russian-occupied regions. For Nastya, as for so many, the war changed everything overnight. There is a before a life of simple pleasures, of going for coffee and laughing with friends. And an after. Story continues You wake up with the feeling that you are just surrounded by horrors, anxieties, surrounded by constant air raid sirens, flying planes, helicopters, she said. Youre simply in a closed circle which is not filled with the happy times of before, but with great fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of dying here and now. Hundreds of kilometers (miles) to the west, 38-year-old Tatyana, a worker at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant who spent four months living under Russian occupation in the town of Enerhodar, trembled as she recounted seeing bombs explode near the plant, and how her family endured a 24-hour ordeal to escape to Ukrainian-held territory. When she visited a support center in Boyarka, south of Kyiv, several months ago to register for aid, she collapsed into uncontrollable tears. The staff called a psychologist. Therapy has helped, said Tatyana, who also asked that her surname not be used to talk openly about seeking out mental health care. Her gaze was blank and unfocused during pauses as she spoke following a group therapy session last week. Shes trying to cope with the feelings of living in a war. This fear that comes when you realize that you may lose everything in a moment, she said. Life is "like a light switch. It can be turned off and never turn on again. The need for mental health treatment has shot up across Ukraine, professionals say, even as they deal with the effects of war in their own lives. The demand is huge, and unfortunately it will only grow, said psychotherapist Pavlo Horbenko, who has worked at a center in Kyiv treating people affected by war since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and set up two proxy breakaway states in Ukraines east. He noted a significant increase in patients seeking treatment for sexual violence, bereavement and suicidal thoughts. Previously, it was one or two requests a week, and now there can be 10 a day. Judging by other countries that have suffered conflict, psychological treatment needs increase rapidly after the fighting ends, Horbenko said. For now, people are focused on surviving. But when the war is over, .... then we can afford to relax. And when we can relax, the symptoms that have been accumulating for all this time will appear, he said. Like a soldier wounded in battle who doesnt feel pain until he is out of immediate danger, thats when the wounds start to hurt. This is how it is with psychological traumas. Horbenko said there has been an increase in the number of mental health specialists in Ukraine since 2014, but far more are needed. The demand still far exceeds the capacity, he said. Authorities have been seeking to increase mental health services across Ukraine. Lebanese psychiatrist Dr. Maya Bizri recently visited Ukraine as part of a program run by the medical aid organization MedGlobal, at the request of the Ministry of Health, to assess needs and train doctors and nurses in recognizing mental health issues in both colleagues and patients. What is really being affected ... are the health care workers, Bizri said. There are a lot of trainings about how to deal with traumatized patients or with physical injuries, but no one addresses the health care of the health care professionals. Under the MedGlobal program, doctors and nurses are trained to help themselves and colleagues cope with psychological pressures, so they can in turn train others. There is an acute distress and an acute unmet need that is not being addressed, and if you want a health care system that is resilient, you have to take care of your own people, Bizri said. And I think the Ministry of Health is very aware of that because they are very engaged in doing this. Kramatorsk psychiatric hospital director Dr. Ludmyla Sevastianova said it was the need for mental health professionals that was helping them cope. The war affects us just as much as it affects patients, she said. We are also worried about our families, our relatives and friends. But we are doing our medical duty, we are helping. Sevastianova, a psychiatrist, has made it her mission to save the hospital in order to keep people working, to save the hospital so it can provide care to patients. This is the goal and it helps. But she is under no illusions about the potential for long-term consequences. Things do not pass without a trace. I cut my hand, a scar remains. So it is with our psyche, Sevastianova said. Now we need to adapt, we need to survive, we need to provide assistance, we need to work. ... What effects this will have, we will understand in the future. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Key developments on April 12: Ukraines counteroffensive delayed, Washington Post reports Zelensky meets with bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation European officials react to decapitation video of a presumed Ukrainian POW Russian forces complete 120-km defense line in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast Ukraine repels 34 Russian attacks over April 12 Long-awaited Ukraine's counteroffensive has been delayed due to weather conditions, slow military hardware deliveries, and a low stock of ammunition, the Washington Post reported on April 12. The recent U.S. intelligence document leaks are also complicating matters, according to the report. They delve into details about the capabilities of Ukraines Armed Forces and alleged weaknesses of air defense, which could make Ukrainians alter counteroffensive strategies. A Ukrainian corporal told the newspaper that the Ukrainian military is conducting reconnaissance missions in eastern Donetsk Oblast to test Russian defenses. But for a full offensive to go forward, Ukraine needs more heavy equipment, armored vehicles, and training. Freshly-mobilized Russian troops were being deployed into the Bakhmut sector in Donetsk Oblast to dig reinforcements and had done so with any material possible, even trash, a Ukrainian captain stationed outside of Bakhmut told the Post. Speculation about the authenticity of the leaked intelligence documents is ongoing. (Editors Note: The next episode of our video podcast, This Week in Ukraine, will focus on the intelligence leak. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to not miss it.) Ukraines military intelligence said on April 7 that the supposed classified war files leaked online were forged by Russia and dismissed it as fake. The reports suggest, however, that the U.S. is taking the leak seriously and investigating its source. The five-week-old documents havent revealed details of when, how, or where Ukraine plans to launch its counterattack. Oleksii Danilov, National Security and Defense Council Secretary, said on April 6 that no more than five people are filled in on Ukrainian plans for the upcoming counteroffensive. Story continues Zelensky welcomes U.S. Senate delegation President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the U.S. Senate bipartisan delegation, including Joseph Manchin (D-W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in Kyiv on April 12. The support of both houses of the U.S. Congress, President Joe Bidens, and all Americans helped us to withstand the war unleashed by Russia, Zelensky told the senators. They discussed further directions of U.S. assistance and the Congressional role in this process, according to Zelenskys presidential office. Continuation of such comprehensive support defense and financial is the guarantee of our victory over the aggressor, Zelensky told the senators, adding that their visit is an important signal of support for our state and the entire Ukrainian people. Zelensky has informed the Senate delegation of the situation at the front line. Ukrainian authorities continue to call on allies to provide modern fighter jets to defend Ukraines airspace and more effectively counterattack the Russian troops on the battlefield. So far, no country has pledged to send Western-built fighter jets, though several partners of Ukraine, including the U.K., have not ruled out such a move. The U.S. has consistently ruled out the jets. However, Ukraine has received Soviet-made MiG-29 jets from Slovakia and Poland. They crawl forward 24/7: On the zero line with Ukrainian infantry north of Bakhmut Climbing to a firing position through trenches dug into black Ukrainian soil, the relative quiet in the air is only reassuring to an extent. At the most forward point, a Soviet-era recoilless rifle stands watch, dug into a shallow depression in the ground. Bohdan, a company comman Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell Reactions to decapitation video A video, posted online late on April 11, appears to show a Russian fighter cutting off the head of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) with a knife, while the man is screaming from pain. Its not yet known when and where the video was filmed. The victim hasnt been identified. The green foliage in the video suggests that it was filmed last year. President Zelensky blasted Russian beasts and called on international leaders to react to the alleged execution of a Ukrainian POW. Ukraine's Security Service launched an investigation into it. Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said he was mortified by the atrocious video. Accountability and justice must prevail over terror and impunity. The EU will do all possible to ensure that. The EU will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, Michel tweeted on April 12. The European Union's spokesperson Nabila Massrali said that the video, if its authenticity is confirmed, serves as yet another brutal reminder about the inhumane nature of the Russian aggression. Executions of POWs is a breach of the Geneva Conventions and demonstrates once more Russia's complete disregard of international law, in particular, international humanitarian law, Massrali told reporters, as quoted by CNN. The EU reiterates its firm commitment to holding to account all perpetrators and accomplices of war crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, added the EU spokesperson. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it was appalled by the particularly gruesome videos. Urmas Reinsalu, Estonias Foreign Minister, also commented on the footage. Video is circulating on Twitter showing Russians beheading a Ukrainian soldier And yet we are literally talking about the need for dialogue and competing against each other in the Olympics? What are we doing here? Reinsalu tweeted. The British Ambassador to Kyiv Melinda Simmons said the video adds to the rap sheet that Russia needs to face for its crimes against Ukraine. If it (the video) was designed to intimidate, its done the opposite, Simmons tweeted. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that the video was horrible, but added that its authenticity needed to be verified, as we live in a world of fakes. Ukraines Foreign Ministry called on the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Courts Office to immediately pay attention to another atrocity committed by the Russian military in the investigation of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russian citizens in Ukraine. Civilian forced to dig trenches for Russians: I wanted to jump on a mine and end it Editors Note: People interviewed for this story are not identified by their full names to protect their identities since they or their relatives still remain in Russian-occupied towns in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The native city of released prisoner Bohdan, which is still under Russian occupation, is al Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko On the battlefield The General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces reported in its 6 p.m. update on April 12 that Russian troops had continued to focus their efforts on offensives in Donetsk Oblast. Despite the numerous losses in equipment and manpower, the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka sectors remain Russia's top assault priorities, according to the report. Ukraine's military repelled over 34 Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast on April 12 and hit the Russian troops 10 times with artillery , destroying one ammunition depot, and one radar station. Additionally, one Russian Orlan-10 aerial drone was downed. Apart from Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces shelled settlements in Sumy, Chernihiv, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts on April 12, according to the report. The most severe fighting is ongoing for the town of Marinka, where Ukraines military repelled 14 Russian attacks. Russian troops continue their attempts to seize Bakhmut and Avdiivka, an industrial town some 5 kilometers north of Donetsk. Ukraine repelled 18 Russian attacks in the Bakhmut sector alone, the military said. The military also said Russia is keeping its units close to the border in Russias Kursk and Belgorod regions. Russian troops have built three lines of defensive zones across nearly 120 kilometers in the occupied parts of southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast in preparation for Ukraine's expected counteroffensive towards the key city of Melitopol, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on April 12 in its daily intelligence update. However, it is unclear whether Russia can accumulate enough forces and artillery fire to support the defenses, the ministry said. The Russian defensive zone consists of a front line with advanced combat positions and two more zones with almost continuous, more complex barricades, according to the report. Russian forces occupied large territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the first stage of the full-scale invasion. Since then, the front line in the area has been the most static due to the vast, flat, open fields that complicate the large-scale offensives. Nevertheless, Zaporizhzhia Oblast is exactly the direction that many expect Ukraine to launch its counteroffensive in the late spring or early summer. The breakthrough in the region would have the greatest strategic importance, potentially cutting off Russia's land corridor to Crimea and isolating its presence on the occupied peninsula. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) The Philippines and the United States are discussing the possibility of conducting joint patrols and maritime exercises in the South China Sea later this year. In a joint statement on Wednesday after the 2+2 ministerial meeting in Washington, D.C., both sides said like-minded countries may also take part in the maritime exercises. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Defense chief Carlito Galvez Jr., US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III also committed to finalize plans for the resumption of combined maritime activities, including the conduct of joint sails by the U.S. and Philippine navies, in the South China Sea. Both sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year, they added. Manalo also said in a forum on Tuesday that they are exploring the possibility of maritime cooperation with Australia and Japan. We are also exploring concrete steps to expand, where appropriate, operational coordination with like-minded partners, such as Japan and Australia, Manalo said. Last month, the Philippine government announced that it was crafting guidelines for combined maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea including joint patrols with regional partners. The DFA added that talks are underway on the operational details of these upcoming activities. However, it remains unclear which countries have expressed interest in the joint patrol talks. RELATED: Japan says no joint patrol talks yet between PH, US, Australia in South China Sea In a statement sent to CNN Philippines, the embassy of Japan said that both leaders of Tokyo and Manila agreed in improving defense engagements. Both leaders welcomed deepening defense engagements through the participation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Philippines-US joint exercises and committed to further enhancement of defense exchanges through JP-PH-US trilateral dialogues, it said in a statement. Japan added that so far, there are no talks yet on the possibility of joint patrols with their allies but that they are ready to cooperate with partners to promote maritime law enforcement in the Indo-Pacific region. Civilian deaths in Ukraine have mounted, according to figures released by the United Nations on Tuesday, reaching nearly 8,500 confirmed deaths since the war began, with the top agency warning that actual figures are likely "considerably higher." The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported the 8,490 civilians had been killed and another 14,244 injured had been injured as of April 9, 2023, following Russias invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. A reported 501 children have been killed and another 994 injured in the war. UKRAINE READIES SPRING OFFENSIVE EXPECTED TO BE LARGEST MOBILIZATION SINCE WAR WITH RUSSIA BEGAN "OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration," the agency said in a statement released Tuesday. Investigations remain ongoing in areas like Mariupol in the Donetsk region and Lysychansk, Popasna and Sievierodonetsk in the Luhansk region where fighting persists and "where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Of the more than 22,700 casualties reported in total, the majority have been confirmed from areas controlled by the Ukrainian government with 18,280 casualties reported, including 6,596 deaths and 11,684 injuries. Destroyed Russian armored vehicles line the street in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022. UKRAINE RESCUE TEAM BRINGS BACK 31 CHILDREN FROM RUSSIA AMID WAR Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian infrastructure like hospitals, residential buildings and schools, though it made targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure a key strategy in its war aim by the late fall in 2022. Another 4,454 casualties, including 1,894 killed and 2,560 injured, have occurred in territories occupied by Russia at the time of incident further suggesting that casualties in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has occupied for nearly a year, are underreported. Story continues The U.N. has repeatedly condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and called on Moscow to abandon its war. Officials look over the scene after a Russian missile struck a train station in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes committed in Ukraine and the illegal deportation of children to the Russian Federation. Russia has rejected the arrest warrant as invalid as Moscow does not recognize the international court. The Ministry of Defence calls on fellow citizens to stop spreading the video of the execution of a Ukrainian defender by Russian invaders. The Ministry also asks Ukrainians to refrain from making assumptions about the identity of the deceased. Source: Hanna Maliar, Deputy Minister of Defence, on Telegram Quote: "We are doing everything to identify the deceased. It is important for all of us to understand that identifying a person from a video, and even more so a person in such circumstances, is an extremely difficult task. Therefore, we ask you to refrain from publicly voicing any versions until official conclusions are reached. Please be respectful of the loved ones of the deceased; do not make any public assumptions about the identity of the deceased, even if you are absolutely sure that you have identified him. We urge you to stop the distribution of this video, as well as any similar footage. Now that everyone has seen it, prosecutors and the International Court of Justice should look at it." Details: According to Maliar, from the first minutes of the appearance of the video of the execution of a Ukrainian soldier, all competent Ukrainian services carefully study it frame by frame in order to identify the war criminals. The Deputy Minister added that it was exactly what the Ministry of Defense, together with other law enforcement agencies and special services, were busy with last night. According to Maliar, the Russians want to intimidate Ukrainians: "They want to make us weaker. But all they will get in return is our rage and the total defeat of the occupiers, sentences for murderers and a tribunal for the aggressor state." Background: The Security Service of Ukraine has started a pre-trial investigation into the brutal execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. The head of the Security Service assured that the security forces will find the monsters who did this, even from under the ground. In the evening of 11 April, a video of the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner was shared on social networks. In the footage, a Russian soldier cuts off the head of a Ukrainian defender, who was still alive at the time. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has called on world leaders to react to the video in which Russian occupiers cut off the head of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his visit to the United States of America. Source: CNN Details: Shmyhal asked the Pentagon chief to supply F-15 and F-16 fighter jets and longer-range missiles to Ukraine in remarks at the top of their meeting at the Pentagon. "We will win this war, but to achieve it faster and with fewer casualties, Ukraine still needs intensive military support," Shmyhal said. Austin did not comment on the specific requests but did commit to expanding the production of military assets in the US for Ukraine. "We will keep investing in our own defence industrial base to further ramp up production," he said. Previously: Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal arrived in the US on an official visit on 12 April, hoping to discuss a number of new agreements with its key strategic partner. Shmyhal visited Canada on Tuesday, 11 April. Following his visit, Canada announced additional military aid to Ukraine. Ukraine and Canada also announced the completion of negotiations on an updated Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Security Service of Ukraine has detained a pro-Russian propagandist in Khmelnytskyi, who worked as a PR manager for Viktor Medvedchuk, the pro-Russian politician whose daughters godfather is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Source: Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) Details: According to the UP sources in the law enforcement agencies, it was Oleksii Kurakin. The SSU claims that he was part of the pool of the PR staff who worked for Medvedchuk before the start of the full-scale invasion. Quote: "It was established that the person involved was engaged in 'promoting' the media image of a Kremlin henchman as a 'peacemaker' who is 'reckoned with' in Moscow. To achieve this, he regularly published his posts on propaganda Internet platforms. Apart from that, he voluntarily started working for the Russian information agency News-Front, registered in the temporarily occupied Crimea in early 2020." Details: After the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the man was in the city of Khmelnytskyi; from there, he distributed publications, in which he questioned the existence of Ukraine within internationally recognised borders. The SSU conducted linguistic examinations and confirmed the facts of subversive activities. The man was informed of suspicion under Art. 111.1 of the Criminal Code (state treason)!and arrested without the right for a bail. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukrainian border guards defending the city of Bakhmut repelled a Wagner Group assault on Tuesday, 11 April, killing or injuring 19 Wagner fighters (the Wagner Group is an infamous Russian private military company ed.). Source: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Details: The State Border Guard Service reported that around two dozen Wagner Group fighters attempted to covertly approach the border guards positions in Bakhmut and attack them. The border guards spotted the Wagner fighters from an observation point and fired at them. Retreating, the Wagner fighters hid in a semi-destroyed neighbourhood. The border guards manoeuvre allowed them to strike the Wagner Group cluster in one of the buildings. During the firefight, some of the Wagner Group fighters were killed, and the rest fled. The State Border Guard Service said that seven Wagner Group fighters were killed and 12 injured. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Semiconductor Precursors from JI Tech (Republic of Korea) Cryoin Engineering, based out of Odesa, has become one of the founders of the Cryoin Korea company, which will produce inert and rare gases, according to Korean news portal SE Daily and other Korean media outlets, with reference to the company JI Tech the second partner in this joint venture. JI Tech owns 51% of the venture. "The establishment of this joint venture will JI Tech with the opportunity to localize the production of special gases that are necessary for semiconductor processing, and to expand new business," said Ham Seokheon, CEO of JI Tech. Ultra-pure neon is mainly used in the lasers used by lithographic equipment, an important part of microchip manufacturing processes. The new company was created the day after Ukraines SBU security service accused Cryoin Engineering of cooperation with the Russian military industry namely, in the supply of neon for tank laser sights and high-precision weapons. NV Business explains who is behind the venture, and why South Koreans need their own neon production. Read also: French prosecutors decline to investigate TotalEnergies over Russia ties JI Tech is a Korean manufacturer of raw materials for the semiconductor industry. Last November, the company's shares were listed on the KOSDAQ index of the Korea Stock Exchange. In March, the price of the JI Tech shares increased from KRW 12,000 ($9.05) to KRW 20,000 ($15,08). There was also a significant increase in the trade volume of JI Tech bonds, which could be related to the new joint venture. Construction of the new facility, planned out by Cryoin Engineering and JI Tech, is expected to start this year and will last until mid-2024. Cryoin Korea will have a single production site in Korea capable of producing all types of rare gases used in semiconductor processes: xenon, neon and krypton. JI Tech plans to provide a special gas production technology by "making a deal on technology transfer in a contract between the two companies. Story continues According to Korean media, the Russian-Ukrainian war served as the impetus for the creation of this joint venture, which reduced the supply of ultra-pure gases to semiconductor manufacturers from Korea, mainly Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Notably, at the start of 2023, Korean media outlets reported that another Korean firm Daeheung CCU will join this joint venture. This company is a subsidiary of petrochemical company Daeheung Industrial Co. In February 2022, Daeheung CCU announced the creation of a carbon dioxide production plant in the Saemangeum industrial zone. Carbon dioxide is an important component in the technology for the ultra-pure inert gases production. Last November, JI Tech became an investor in Daeheung CCU. Read also: The Ukrainian business holdings of Russias oligarchs If JI Techs plans succeed, then the Korean company may become a comprehensive supplier of raw materials for semiconductor manufacturing. This is all buttressed by the fact that until February 2022, Ukraine served as one of the world's largest suppliers of ultra-pure inert gases, with three main manufacturers dominating the market: UMG Investments, Ingaz, and Cryoin Engineering. UMG is a part of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov's SCM group, mainly engaged in the production of gas mixtures based on the capacities of metallurgical enterprises of the Metinvest Group. Purification of these gases was handled by UMG partners. Ingaz, meanwhile, is located in occupied territory, and the condition of its equipment is unknown. The owners of the Mariupol plant were able to partially resume production partially in another region of Ukraine. According to the results of an investigation by NV Business in 2022, Cryoin Engineerings founder is Russian scientist Vitaly Bondarenko. He had personal ownership over the Odesa plant for years, until ownership was transferred to his daughter, Larisa. Following Larisas tenure, the company was acquired by Cypriot firm SG Special Gases Trading, ltd. Cryoin Engineering ceased operations at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, but later resumed its work. On March 23, the SBU reported that it was searching the premises of Cryoins Odesa plant. Its actual owners, according to the SBU, were Russian citizens, who "formally resold [the firms] assets to a Cypriot company and hired a Ukrainian management for oversight." Only one Ukrainian manufacturer in this field fits this description - Cryoin Engineering. NV Business sent a request about the Korean joint venture to Cryoin Engineering and to Larisa Bondarenko, a top manager at the firm. However, NV Business did not receive a response prior to publication. NV Business discovered that in 2022, Turkey became a major player in the trade of gas mixtures and pure rare gases. From Turkish import and export statistics data, NV Business was able to piece together that Russian gas mixtures were being supplied to Ukraine through transit from Turkey. At that time, LarisaBondarenko refused to comment on the activities of the Odesa-based enter-prise, though Ingaz owner Serhii Vaksman denied that Russian raw materials were being used in gas production. Meanwhile, Russia has created a program to develop production and export of ultra-pure rare gases a program directly controlled by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. 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 Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has reported that he arrived with an official visit in the United States, during which he plans to discuss a number of issues important to Ukraine. Source: Shmyhal on Telegram Quote from Shmyhal: "We are starting our work in the United States. [We need to discuss] military, financial and sanctions support, investment attraction and assistance in recovery. We will discuss all these issues with the US Secretaries of Defence, Treasury, Commerce, and Transportation, as well as the leadership of the World Bank, IMF, USAID, EIB [European Investment Bank], and others." Details: Shmyhal has stated that Ukraine is counting on new agreements with the US. Background: It was reported on 11 April 2023 that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was on a working visit to Canada this week and would also visit the United States. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday directly appealed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for U.S. fighter jets and longer-range missiles in its fight against Russia, echoing the countrys repeated calls for modern weaponry. We will win this war, Shmyhal said at the top of a meeting between the two at the Pentagon. But to achieve it faster and with fewer casualties, Ukraine still needs intensive military support more air defense systems that minimize the impact of Russian airstrikes, more heavy artillery, mortars and ammunition for them. We also ask you for reconsider the possibility of providing Ukraine with longer range missiles. Austin, while not commenting on the request, committed to investing in the U.S. defense industrial base to further ramp up production for weapons sent to Ukraine. Ukraine since the start of Russias invasion a little more than a year ago has pressed the United States and NATO for advanced fighter jets to protect the countrys skies. While some NATO states including Slovakia and Poland have agreed to send Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Western countries have so far held off on sending the more advanced F-15 and F-16 fighters Kyiv is asking for. The Biden administration has not been swayed by Slovakia and Polands pledges to send its own jets, saying that the choice is a sovereign decision. Kyiv has also asked for longer-range missile systems in the fight, though the U.S. government has held off on supplying such weapons over concerns Ukraine may use them to strike targets within Russia, which is against U.S. policy. At Wednesdays gathering, which marked the second Pentagon meeting between Austin and Shmyhal, the Ukrainian official thanked Washington for its significant military support, including sending Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker infantry fighting vehicles, according to a readout of the meet up. But he also asked Austin for more heavy equipment and aircraft. Story continues In modern warfare, air superiority is crucial, Shmyhal said. That is why Ukraine is initiating the building of a new, so-called fighter jet coalition. And we are inviting the United States to become its most important participant. America can once again demonstrate its leadership by providing Ukraine with F-15 or F-16 aircraft. Austin, in turn, thanked Ukraine for making sure U.S. lethal aid already provided is accounted for. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukraines prosecutor general called on international leaders to obey an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as South Africa expressed frustration ahead of a summer summit in which Putin is set to attend. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued the warrant for Putins arrest last month, along with Russias Presidential Commissioner for Childrens Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, for the allegedly unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. The arrest warrant to Putin shows that no one could be above the law, Andriy Kostin said Wednesday in a conversation with the Washington Posts Live series, calling on all state members of the ICCs Rome Statute to execute the warrant. If they intentionally dont want to do it, it shows that they are not fair and they are not honest. And that for them, probably, justice is just a word. The comments come as South African leaders expressed concern Wednesday over how to handle an upcoming BRICs summit set for August, in which leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are on the guest list. All heads of state would be expected to attend the summit. But now we have a spanner in the works in the form of this ICC warrant, Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa, said in a Wednesday press briefing, AFP reported. What that dictates is that there be further engagements, in terms of how that is going to be managed and those engagements are underway. Once theyve been concluded, the necessary announcements will be made, he added. South Africa has refused to condemn Russia;s invasion of Ukraine, remaining neutral on the conflict while calling for dialogue to end the war. Kostin argued criminal proceedings are the best tool to hold Russian authorities accountable for the deportation and abduction of over 16,000 Ukrainian children. From my point of view, the main goal is to return Ukrainian children to their families and to their country, the Ukrainian prosecutor said. And we also need to do it as soon as possible because for many of them, who are very small and young, in some years it will be very difficult to change their national identification. Story continues In response to leaked documents from the Pentagon that discussed weaknesses in Ukraines defenses, Kostin emphasized the importance of unity between Ukraine and its allies going forward and said the leak means nothing regarding criminal investigations. We will go ahead with our joint efforts to make Russia accountable, Kostin said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A shovel and a blue bucket in hand, a Ukrainian soldier climbs out of the trench he was digging, which would be part of the new defence line if Bakhmut fell to Russian forces. After around nine months of fierce combat, Russian troops including Wagner paramilitary fighters hold about two-thirds of the eastern city. Kyiv is preparing for an eventual loss of Bakhmut, which it fears could put other cities in the Donbas region -- including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk -- closer to Moscow's reach. "We are on the second line of defence. That's where our guys would take position if the enemy launched a massive assault," explains 23-year-old sergeant Andriy. Deep trenches have replaced agricultural furrows in the farmlands stretching around his men, around one kilometre away from the front. "Each trench is made for eight soldiers," Andriy says. These small sections of about a hundred metres (330 feet) interconnect to form longer defence lines. Poplar trunks held together by wire and coated with mud and tires reinforce the roofs of the trenches' shelters. "There's a whole technique to it, because shells can go 1.6 metres deep into the ground," Andriy says. Below that, soldiers should be relatively protected. - Come rain, snow or shells - In this war of attrition, the plan is to wait for Russians to exhaust their resources. On the other side of the front, Russia is doing just the same. The Kremlin expects Ukraine, which has resisted its assault all winter long, to launch a new offensive. So Russian troops have dug miles and miles of trenches behind the frontline in the south and in the east. And they are putting non-stop pressure on Andriy's men. "These orcs constantly shell us," says Andriy, using a Ukrainian term for Russians. His unit is too close to the front to be allowed to use mechanical digging equipment, so the men can only rely on their own strength. Ideally, it takes them two weeks to finish a shelter. "But if it rains, if it snows or if we're being shelled at, it can take much longer. In winter, the ground was frozen... it was like a rock." Story continues - 'We'll resist' - With spring, the frost has given way to pervasive mud. "It's hard... but we don't have the choice, we need to keep the defence," Andriy says. Yevgen, with a childlike face and light blond hair, comes out of a trench. The youngest member of the unit, he explains that he was trained to build the defence lines at the beginning of the war. "People mean it when they say we're fighting a war of artillery," he says, "the deeper we dig, the better we'll resist." A blast resonates nearby, signalling an upcoming barrage of GRAD rockets. Andriy and his men go inside the shelter. "We're safe here," the sergeant tells AFP from inside the refuge lit by flashlights and candles. A bouquet of flowers decorates the stuffy, small space, and coffee is boiling on a stove. As the noise of the explosions fades away, Andriy needs to get out to get back to work. "I wish the war would end soon," he says. bur/giv/smw Metro Manila (CNN Philippines April 12) Vice President Sara Duterte is the government official most trusted by Filipinos, according to a poll released Wednesday by Pulse Asia Research. Duterte logged an 85% trust rating, followed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (80%). Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri was a far third (48%), then House Speaker Martin Romualdez (44%). Meanwhile, people were undecided on whether they could trust Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo (45%) only 39% of those polled said they trusted him. The officials occupied similar positions when it came to approval rating. Respondents ranked Duterte as the government official they most approved of (83%) followed by Marcos (78%). Zubiri and Romualdez both had a 51% rating, and Gesmundo got 43%. "Public opinion regarding the performance of the president and the vice-president remains essentially constant between November 2022 and March 2023," noted Pulse Asia. In November, Duterte was also rated higher than Marcos 84% and 82%, respectively. The survey also asked people how they perceived the government's handling of national issues. Majority said they approved of how the administration responded to the needs of those in areas affected by calamities (76%) and protected the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (75%). Filipinos also gave the administration high approval rating for enforcing the rule of law (54%), protecting the environment (60%), defending national territorial integrity (61%), promoting peace (64%), and fighting criminality (68%). "Approval is the plurality sentiment as regards the administration's work in the areas of reducing poverty (39%), increasing workers' pay (44%), creating more jobs (45%), and fighting corruption in government (47%)," said the poll. The nationwide survey was conducted from March 15 to 19 via face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 and above. It has a 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Ukrainian service members near Bakhmut on March 24, 2023. Aris Messinis/Getty Images Russian forces used a tank to blast their way into a building in the war-torn city of Bakhmut. Ukrainian troops in the building left and blew it up to trap them, The New York Times reported. This urban combat scene echoes the devastating World War II battle of Stalingrad. A Ukrainian commander said that his troops blew up their own building in Bakhmut to trap Russian soldiers who had forced their way inside, fighting with them room to room. The incident highlights the brutal nature of the grinding house-to-house fight for the war-torn city. Col. Pavlo Palisa, the commander of the front-line 93rd Mechanized Brigade, described situations of intense urban combat during a recent interview with The New York Times. He said in one instance, Russian troops used a tank to blast through the walls of an apartment building held by Kyiv's forces. The Russians then made their way into the building, and the fight went from room to room, Palisa said, adding that the apartment block was held by soldiers on both sides. He told the Times the Ukrainians placed explosives around the building, quickly left, and the blew up the apartment while the Russians were still inside. Intense, close-range firefights are a regular occurrence happening multiple times a day, Palisa said. Other Ukrainian troops told the Times that they sometimes find themselves so close to Russian soldiers that they can hear them talking in buildings close by and that fighting has taken place across abandoned buildings and basements. Drone footage shows destruction of Bakhmut, Ukraine. ADAM TACTIC GROUP The battle for Bakhmut, a city with a pre-war population of over 73,000 people in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, is a horrific affair that has lasted for months and cost thousands of lives. It is the longest and bloodiest contest of Russia's war and it regularly draws comparisons to World War II's Battle of Stalingrad. A case study by the Modern War Institute details the costly block-by-block fighting waged by the Soviet Union and the German army during the five-month-long battle over Stalingrad. John Spencer, the chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, and Maj. Jayson Geroux, an infantry officer in the Canadian Army, described the fight as featuring "some of the most high-intensity urban combat in history." Story continues "Buildings and floors within Stalingrad changed hands dozens of times, and sometimes platoons and companies took several days and up to 90 and even 100 percent casualties just to win a building or a floor within it," the duo wrote in their 2021 study. "Entire battles were fought over single buildings or complexes with names like the Martenovskii Shop, Pavlov's House, the grain elevator, and the Commissar's House." Captured German soldiers, make their way in the bitter cold through the ruins of Stalingrad, Russia, in 1943. AP Photo/hpr, File Both Ukraine and Russia have suffered heavy losses while fighting for Bakhmut, which holds limited strategic value. For this reason, Ukrainian partners, including some in Washington, have suggested that Kyiv divert its attention and firepower elsewhere. "They've taken a lot of casualties. They've expended a lot of ammunition," Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at the Rand Corporation think tank, said of both militaries' fight for Bakhmut during a recent symposium. "It's like becoming like a Stalingrad except for without the importance of Stalingrad." Leaked Pentagon documents have revealed that Ukraine's defense of Bakhmut was in a fragile and perilous position during the final days of February, with its forces nearly encircled. To try and get the situation under control, Kyiv's military intelligence chief ordered the short deployment of an elite unit, making a rather bold gamble at a dangerous time. Ukraine continues to resist, and Russia has so far been unable to fully capture the city. But as of this week, Moscow's troops occupied over 76 percent of the battered town, according to a terrain assessment from the Institute for the Study of War. Read the original article on Business Insider By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Three times as many people sought to reach the European Union across the Mediterranean in the first three months of 2023 compared to a year before, the bloc's border agency said, as the U.N. migration arm decried the deadliest first quarter since 2017. Overall, the EU agency Frontex reported 54,000 irregular crossings into the bloc via all routes in the first quarter of the year, up a fifth from 2022. "The Central Mediterranean route accounts for more than half of all irregular border crossings into the EU," Frontex said in a statement, adding nearly 28,000 people had arrived that way n from the start of the year until the end of March, three times as many as in the same period in 2022. "Organised crime groups took advantage of better weather and political volatility in some countries of departure to try to smuggle as many migrants as possible across the Central Mediterranean from Tunisia and Libya." On Tuesday, Italy's right-wing government announced a state of emergency on immigration following a "sharp rise" in arrivals across the Mediterranean, a move that will allow it to send back unwanted migrants more quickly. Rome has asked the EU to do more to stop sea arrivals, the latest example of how migration has returned to the top of the bloc's political agenda as global mobility picked up last year from COVID pandemic lows. Frontex reported earlier some 330,000 unauthorised arrivals via all routes last year, the highest since 2016, with the increased numbers provoking harsher anti-immigration rhetoric in EU states including Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria. The EU increased efforts this year to send more unwanted migrants away and tighten its external borders, with top politicians calling for the completion of a long-stuck reform of the bloc's broken asylum rules ahead of 2024 European elections. Against governments pushing to bring down arrivals, campaigners stress the need to honour the rights of refugees and migrants. Story continues The United Nations' migration agency IOM said it had documented 411 migrant deaths on the central Mediterranean route in January-March, making it the deadliest first quarter on record in six years. "The persisting humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean is intolerable," said IOM head Antonio Vitorino, calling for more search-and-rescue operations by state authorities. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by William Maclean) Four years ago, an unusual building began going up off Interstate 40 near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It looked like a three-story office building but with a row of gas pumps out front under a long, curved canopy. Now, after delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, the RDU Galleria will soon open to the public. It is, indeed, a big gas station, with 16 pumps that will dispense Shell gasoline, and the upper two floors are being leased for offices. But the ground floor is a large convenience store and food court, with coffee from Gloria Jeans and food from Pizza Hut, Which Wich and Wayback Burgers. Theres seating for about 90 people inside and 60 outside, as well as a separate wine and beer bar with 24 taps. Kishor Kanaria, whose family is creating RDU Galleria, says he knows of no other place that combines a gas station, food court and office building in one package. This is the first in the United States, Kanaria says. Kanaria said he expects to open in stages, beginning with the gas station, coffee bar and convenience store the second week of May. The RDU Galleria will open just as the Sheetz convenience store nearby prepares to close. The company plans to demolish the existing 16-year-old building and build a reconfigured one thats a third larger. In an email, Sheetz spokesman Nick Ruffner said the new store will include a restaurant-style experience with self-service kiosks, additional seating both inside and outside the store, a drive-thru, a new Tesla charging station and more. The company hopes to reopen by the end of the year. The closing of Sheetz will help the RDU Galleria during the early months, but Kanaria says he isnt worried about what will happen when it reopens. Competition is good, he says, but he also thinks the bar, brand-name gas and restaurants and extensive seating will set his place apart from Sheetz. What we are offering is totally different than what they are offering, he said. Kanaria says he comes from a family of construction contractors and property developers in India that has built high-rise apartments, highways and other projects. The RDU Galleria is their first in the Triangle, but they own two other sites near the airport where they hope to build hotels in coming years. Story continues The family bought the galleria site in 2017, and after designing the project and getting permits from the Town of Cary, broke ground in March 2019. Construction was slowed, Kanaria said, when COVID-19 prompted contractors to keep their workers at home. The sharp drop in air travel in 2020 also made finishing the project less urgent. The RDU Galleria is designed to serve people going to and from the airport, whether to top the tanks in their rental cars or get a meal before a flight or while waiting to pick someone up. Kanaria says screens near the coffee bar will show the status of arriving and departing flights. Meanwhile, Kanaria said brokers are negotiating with businesses to lease the office space upstairs. He said two companies were close to signing deals for most of the 17,000 square feet available. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday designated William ONeill as an expert on human rights in Haiti. ONeill is a U.S. citizen who previously headed the legal department of the United Nations/Organization of American States Mission in Haiti and helped establish the Haiti National Police in 1995. In his role, he advised on recruitment, testing and training the new police force, participated in creating the School for Judges, and worked closely with Haitian human rights organizations to help train their human rights monitors. By profession, he is a lawyer specializing in humanitarian, human-rights and refugee law. He has a special focus on the establishment and maintenance of the rule of law in post-conflict situations. The appointment of ONeill came at the request of the U.N. Human Rights Council, which called for the appointment of an independent rights expert on Haiti given the escalating deadly gang violence that is engulfing the country, threatening livelihoods, and pushing half of Haitis estimated 12 million residents into hunger. The appointment is for a renewable period of one year. It has been six years since Haiti last had an independent U.N. human rights monitor. The last one was Gustavo Gallon, who ended his mandate in 2017 after the government of Jovenel Moise opted not to renew monitoring. Prior to Gallon, the position was held by Michel Forst, who on his way out in 2013 issued an open letter criticizing the Haitian government for its continuing arbitrary and illegal arrests, threats to journalists and interference in the justice system. An outspoken critic of human rights abuses in Haiti, ONeill is familiar with the country and his resume extends to other regions with conflict. This includes serving as a senior adviser on human rights to the U.N. Mission in Kosovo and chief of the U.N. Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda. He has also worked on judicial, police, and prison reform in Burundi, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, East Timor, Nepal and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Story continues In its latest human rights report, the U.S. State Department said that while gang violence continues in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, there are other significant human rights issues in Haiti. They include credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary and corruption, as well as serious abuses, including widespread civilian deaths or harm, enforced disappearances or abductions, torture, and physical abuse. The State Department also pointed out the inability of Haitians to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections; serious government corruption; a lack of investigation and accountability for gender-based violence; and substantial barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services, among other issues. The government rarely took steps to identify, prosecute, and punish government and law enforcement officials who committed abuses or engaged in corruption, and civil society groups alleged widespread impunity regarding these acts, the report said. The report also notes several instances of police committing arbitrary and unlawful killings. The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti reported that from June to September of 2022 51 persons were killed during police operations. The Inspector General of the Haiti National Police received 429 complaints from January to August of last year, including four cases of alleged summary executions. Follow-up for these cases included both administrative and judicial responses, including suspensions, weapon seizures and training. As part of his dutie, ONeill will be tasked with monitoring the human-rights situation in Haiti. He is being asked to pay special attention to the situation of children and of human trafficking, which are also highlighted in the State Department report. He will also provide advice and technical assistance to the Haitian government, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, and assist in their efforts to ensure respect for human rights, the Council said. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has also been tasked with providing the Haitian government technical assistance and support for the promotion and protection of human rights, specifically for the Haitian judiciary, security forces and prison administration. WASHINGTON The U.S. Army has approved the Integrated Battle Command System for full-rate production following years of delays as the service struggled with technical issues partly due to the expansion of the systems mission well beyond simply serving as the brain for air and missile defense. The Army is proving it can and will succeed with its modernization plans as we continue to build momentum for the future, Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, program executive officer for missiles and space, said in an April 11 statement. The sensor and effector integration this program brings to air and missile defense will ensure that our warfighters are best equipped to provide air defense against enemy threats. The Northrop Grumman-developed IBCS was originally created to serve as the command-and-control center for the Armys future air and missile defense system. It was to tie together with a new 360-degree radar and potentially new launchers, replacing the aging Patriot weapon. But the Army expanded the IBCS, deciding the system would also connect other sensors and shooters on the battlefield like the still-in-development Indirect Fire Protection Capability. The IFPC is designed to defend against rockets, artillery, mortars, cruise missiles and drones. It is also often described by service officials as the Armys answer to Joint All-Domain Command-and-Control, an Pentagon-led effort to connect sensors and shooters across the entire U.S. military as one fighting force. Northrop received a $1.4 billion contract for low-rate initial production of its future battle command system in December 2021. The Army has spent over $2.7 billion in development funding. Software deficiencies prevented the Army from beginning its critical initial operational test of IBCS, but the system finally entered into the important evaluation in February 2022. The delay in testing was a minor blip compared to the programs previous struggles. IBCS experienced an almost four-year delay and struggled in a 2016 limited-user test. But following several soldier checkouts and other test events over the past few years as well as a successful limited-user test in the summer of 2020, the system made progress. Story continues IBCS also demonstrated expanded capabilities at events like Project Convergence in fall 2021 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The full-rate production decision comes as the U.S. ships the first two batteries worth of IBCS to Poland for the countrys Patriot systems it bought in 2018. Poland is set to become the first operational user of IBCS this summer. Other European-based NATO allies are watching Poland and the evolution of the American program of record. And for its part, Northrop submitted IBCS in an Australian competition for a joint battle management system, while Japan and the U.K. are each seeking international options for an air defense battle command capability. Poland may also buy additional systems for its Narew short-range air defense program and is working on a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government before the end of the year. The United States chose IBCS as the command-and-control capability for a new air and missile defense architecture in Guam, where it will connect to a variety of sensors and shooters. Northrop is working with the Missile Defense Agency to tie IBCS into other homeland defense capabilities. The U.S. Attorneys Office in North Carolina announced Wednesday authorities will not pursue criminal charges in the United States in the death of Shanquella Robinson, and the FBI and federal prosecutors have completed their investigation into her death. It is unclear how or if this will impact the requested extradition of the traveling companion Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant for last year. Robinson, 25, died in October under suspicious circumstances a day after she arrived in Cabo, Mexico. She was on a vacation with six people. The FBI opened an investigation into her death in November. Robinsons story has gone viral and Mexican authorities have issued an arrest warrant for femicide (similar to homicide) for Daejhanae Jackson, one of the six travelers, according to lawyers for her family Benjamin Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson. The lawyers wrote a letter to the White House in March, citing information from Mexican prosecutors. U.S. officials on Wednesday made clear theres no criminal suspect stemming from the FBI investigation but did not specify the Department of Justice or Department of States position on extradition. The Department of Justice met with Robinsons family and attorneys Wednesday morning and told them it has completed its investigation and will not prosecute any of the six suspects. Sue-Ann Robinson (not related to Shanquella Robinson) has planned a meeting with supporters and media in Charlotte for Wednesday afternoon. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, said U.S. Attorneys Sandra J. Hairston and Dena J. King in a joint statement. Full text of letter stating U.S. will not arrest suspect in Shanquella Robinson case The Department of Justice said it would be open to reviewing new information should any come to light. Story continues The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued, Hairston and King wrote. What happened to Shanquella Robinson? The six travelers who were with Robinson gave conflicting explanations as to how she died. They reportedly told her mother she died of alcohol poisoning, while her death certificate shows she died of severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation a broken neck. Her family members have said Robinsons body showed bruises consistent with being beaten. When I saw in that casket, and I saw the knot, (...) the cut on her lip, I know for a fact that they did some bodily harm to her, her father, Bernard Robinson said at a recent rally calling for justice. Video footage that surfaced soon after Robinson died shows a woman attacking her at the villa the group stayed at in Cabo. The woman who attacked Robinson was later identified as Jackson, according to Crump and Sue-Ann Robinsons letter to the White House, citing information from Mexican prosecutors. The State Department previously told The Charlotte Observer it supports a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident and is closely monitoring local authorities investigation. Robinsons family and lawyers recently held a press conference in Washington D.C. to call on President Biden to intervene in Shanquella Robinsons case. This is a developing story. Check back for more details. GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States has become the first major fishing nation to ratify a deal to cut subsidies contributing to overfishing, the World Trade Organization chief said on Wednesday. The trade watchdog's 164 members reached the deal, which aims to cut billions of dollars in harmful subsidies that are emptying the ocean of marine life, last year. But it needs two-thirds of the members to sign on to take effect and only a handful of smaller countries have accepted it so far. The United States ratified it on Tuesday, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wrote on Twitter. "Hope others will follow suit. Let's get it done by MC13!," Okonjo-Iweala said, referring to the next major conference of the trade watchdog in 2024, where outstanding parts of the deal will be discussed. "We are proud to be among the first WTO members to accept this agreement, which is the first ever multilateral trade agreement with environmental sustainability at its core," U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in an emailed statement. Global subsidies are estimated at $35.4 billion, according to a 2019 study published in Marine Policy. The top five subsidisers are China, the EU, the United States, South Korea and Japan, it said, although not all of them are considered "harmful" and within the scope of the WTO deal. (Reporting by Emma Farge. Editing by Gerry Doyle) US radio broadcaster NPR on Wednesday said it would "no longer remain active" on Twitter, accusing the platform owned by Elon Musk of undermining its credibility and sowing doubt over its editorial independence. National Public Radio's clean break from Twitter comes after the highly respected news broadcaster had already suspended tweets from its main account when it received a label on the platform that said it was "state-affiliated media." That designation is the same as given to state media in authoritarian countries such as Russia and China, and after some pushback Twitter modified its label for NPR to "government-funded media," which it applied to Britain's BBC as well. In a short statement, NPR said all its organizational accounts "will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent." It added that "there are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPR's news, music, and cultural content," urging users to other platforms. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emailed inquiries from journalists. The tycoon indicated in a BBC interview on Tuesday that the label decision was a mistake and that he would consider changing it to "publicly-funded." He also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were verified as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. arp/st (Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for Northern Irelands political leaders to end a standoff that has brought the regions devolved government to a halt. Most Read from Bloomberg I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, Biden said on Wednesday during a speech in Belfast. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens. Sunaks office said the pair both expressed hope that the assembly will be restored as soon as possible in their meeting on Wednesday. Theres been no functioning government at Stormont since February 2022, when the Democratic Unionist Party boycotted the administration in protest of post-Brexit trading arrangements for the region. That means that key decisions on matters such as budgets are on hold, frustrating those who want to see measures to deal with issues like health care and the cost-of-living crisis. Biden met privately with the leaders of Northern Irelands five main political parties ahead of his speech at Ulster University on Wednesday. The five leaders then attended his speech, sitting side-by-side as Biden called for a breakthrough. The leaders of the two parties whod ultimately participate in a power-sharing agreement, the DUP and Sinn Fein, sat next to one another. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland, Biden said. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said he welcomed Bidens visit, describing his remarks as measured in an interview with reporters following the speech. He said Bidens mention of his British ancestry indicates, hopefully, that we have a President that recognises the UK as a close ally and friend of the US. Story continues Still, Donaldson said Bidens call to end the political standoff doesnt change the political dynamics in Northern Ireland and said Sunaks government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the UK and our ability to trade within the UK internal market. Read more: After 25 Years, Northern Ireland Youth Want More Than Just Peace Jane Hartley, the US ambassador to the UK, spoke before Biden and praised the history of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought about an end to decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. The task now is for all parties to walk a few more brave steps and, here in Northern Ireland, for all parties to participate in government once again, Hartley said. We all want the next 25 years to be about prosperity, just as the last 25 were about peace. US Punts UK Trade Calls to June as Biden, Sunak to Talk Ukraine Devolved power-sharing institutions for Northern Ireland were a key part of the Good Friday Agreement, which established them to prevent either unionists or nationalists from holding absolute power. Under the terms, the two largest parties effectively one from each community nominate candidates for First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The positions are equal and one cannot be in place without the other. Amanda Sloat, the White House National Security Councils Senior Director for Europe, told reporters earlier in the day that Biden wants to see the impasse end but that the focus of the trip was on celebrating the Good Friday Agreement. Obviously, the president like I think everybody in Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister, the Taoiseach and the rest would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, Sloat said. After topping the polls in May 2022, nationalist party Sinn Fein nominated Michelle ONeill as First Minister, but the second-placed Democratic Unionist Party have refused to follow suit until their concerns about the Northern Irish Protocol the part of the Brexit treaty that deals with the region are resolved. The DUP still refuses to participate in the power-sharing assembly and voted against the recently passed Windsor Framework, which sought to ease tensions over trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Whats the Windsor Framework for Northern Ireland?: QuickTake Biden also used his speech to hail Northern Irelands economic opportunity, saying there are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest. Joe Kennedy, US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, will lead a US trade delegation to the region later this year, Biden said. After his Belfast speech, Biden departed for the Republic of Ireland, where hell stay through Friday for a series of events with Irish political leaders, and personal ones tracing his family history across Ireland. --With assistance from Jordan Fabian and Jennifer Jacobs. (Updates with DUP leaders comments from seventh paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) -America's cybersecurity watchdog has no confidence that the cellular network used by first responders and the military is secure against digital intrusions, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said in a letter released on Wednesday. The letter from the Oregon Democrat, a member of the intelligence committee, raised concerns about the FirstNet mobile network to the National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). FirstNet, set up in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, is used by public safety officials such as emergency workers, firefighters and law enforcement. Wyden's staff was told by an unidentified CISA expert last year that "they had no confidence in the security of FirstNet, in large part because they have not seen the results of any cybersecurity audits conducted against this government-only network," the letter said. It argued that it was time for the authority to share its internal audits with CISA, NSA and Congress. The FirstNet Authority responded in a statement that it "prioritized cybersecurity in the planning for the public safety broadband network, and it continues to be a top priority for us today." The organization, whose network was built by AT&T Inc, added that its defense strategy "goes well beyond standard commercial network security measures." CISA declined to comment. NSA did not return messages seeking comment. The Federal Communications Commission, White House, and Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wyden's letter invoked longstanding concerns about the vulnerabilities in Signaling System No. 7 (SS7), a decades-old protocol that allows global cellular networks to exchange information, for example when phone users are roaming. The protocol can easily be abused, security experts say, allowing spies or hackers to intercept text messages or pinpoint users' real-time locations. Story continues Gary Miller, a mobile security researcher at the University of Toronto-based Citizen Lab, said he too was worried by the "very troubling" opacity around audits. Patrick Flynn, an executive with cybersecurity company Trellix who has written about FirstNet, said it made sense for FirstNet to share security information with the government. "The senator is not making an unreasonable request," he said. (Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Jamie Freed, Alexander Smith and Richard Chang) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) Senators have expressed alarm over a study conducted by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), which states that fresh graduates "tend to lack soft skills" and "lack job readiness." Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Wednesday called on the government to "invest in human capacity," especially on the youth, as life becomes more difficult. "I am alarmed with a lot of things happening in our country," Pimentel said. "We have to invest in human capacity especially while our people are still young and equip them with skills which will be useful and practical in life." Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe called on the government to review the K-to-12 curriculum "to determine the enhancements needed to make it more responsive and relevant to the needs of our students." "We hope concerned government agencies in charge of the review will make this a priority, which can also be useful to the joint congressional oversight committee on the K-to-12 program in its own assessment," Poe said According to the CHR study, some schools offer limited Senior High School academic tracks, which force some students to take whatever track is available to them, and not their preferred choice. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier gave the Department of Education (DepEd) one year to review the K-to-12 program, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told CNN Philippines The Source "We are trying to decongest our curriculum," Poa said. "We want to really look at literacy in a way that well be able to inculcate not just foundational literacy and also functional literacy." READ: DepEd given one year to complete K-to-12 review Senator Sonny Angara stressed that the students lack of soft skills was already a concern of the educational system even before the COVID-19 pandemic. "Its one of the concerns our educational system needs to address going forward, alongside poor reading comprehension, among others," Angara said. However, Senator Francis Tolentino contested the results of the study, saying students are competitive as they have acquired other soft skills as well as hard skills even with the online class setup. These skills include time management, perceptiveness, listening and self-discipline, Tolentino said. "Perhaps some interpersonal skills were not nurtured, but just the same, coupled with the hard skills they learned, our graduates are competitive," Tolentino said. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, schools switched to remote and hybrid learning setup in order to continue the education of students. The non-commissioned study was conducted through a series of virtual consultations in Zoom. It was published in "Human Rights Situation Report: School-To-Work Transition 2022." The participants were from national organizations and local government units; civil society organizations and advocacy groups; employers, teachers, school administrators, and principals; and youth. The topic has taken many titles. From banned divisive concepts in former President Donald Trumps executive order to notions that "the United States is fundamentally racist, many opponents ultimately landed on critical race theory. Its a name belonging to an area of study meant to explain how race and law have been used to produce systemic racism in the U.S. It quickly made its way to discussions of K-12 education. President Joe Biden has since revoked that 2020 executive order but one institution was quite confident these efforts werent going anywhere. Researchers at UCLA School of Law Critical Race Studies Program launched a database to track it. And just one year after the order, federal, state and local governmental agencies had introduced some 250 measures to outlaw teaching the theory. This month, CRT Forward database announced that total has reached 619. Subscribers go deeper: Are Delaware schools meeting new Black history requirements? Not yet. Here's why Each measure targets a certain institution, according to project director Taifha Natalee Alexander, so far including K-12 schools, higher education and governmental agencies. The massive team effort gathered everything from a policy, regulation, law, resolution or just a formal statement. When you take local efforts into account, the database shows that anti-CRT measures have been introduced in every state except Delaware, Alexander said. That means in 49 states, even if efforts to outlaw critical race theory were not introduced at the state level, they were introduced in at least one municipality or by a local school board. Highlights from a national CRT database (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto) 40% of anti-CRT measures mimic language in Trumps executive order. 94% of all enacted measures and 90% of all measures targeted K-12 education . Of the measures targeting K-12 education, 73% regulate classroom teaching and 75% regulate curricular materials. Of the measures introduced by state legislatures, 1 out of 3 include enforcement provisions that would withhold funding from school districts as a consequence for violations. Anti-CRT measures have been introduced in 49 states. Story continues Bans could target CRT by name or come after similar content, from New York Times Magazine's 1619 Project to other common taglines like divisive, controversial, fundamentally racist, responsibility, guilt and more. And it hasn't been happening in red states alone. "For a long time the narrative in the media had been that this is something that you only have to be concerned about if you live in Texas or Georgia or Florida," Alexander said. "And what we found through this more intentional search in analyzing local policies, in addition to state and federal, was that there were anti-CRT measures that were taking place in blue states at the local level." California is just one example of a state that saw no proposed bans at the state level, according to the database, but 11 came from the local level across the state. Seven passed. Maryland had just one school district adopt such a policy. New Jersey had seven instances of proposed legislation in the database, though all were since withdrawn or expired. Pennsylvania had one school district attempt a policy and three instances of proposed legislation, all withdrawn or expired in the data collection. Delaware was nowhere to be seen. So what is happening in Delaware? A student at Mt. Pleasant High School highlights points in a reading assignment in an African American studies course. A very different law is settling in for the First State. The historic legislation dubbed House Bill 198, passed in 2021, requires all Delaware public schools both district and charter to infuse instruction of Black history and experience into K-12 curricula. In striking contrast to news from some conservative states, the law gave 19 school districts and 23 charter schools about a year to update all curricula with contributions of Black people to American history, life, literature, economy, politics and much more. The implementation deadline, by law, has passed. The first full report from the Delaware Department of Education was published in January. This school year was supposed to mark full implementation, but its clear in the reports language and conversations with Delaware educators that isnt the case. Each system has begun spelling out where they are now, with over 900 pages of report online. There would be no single content package to purchase. Schools were encouraged to lean on primary, firsthand sources and seek out local history. But from community meetings to family inquiries, it seems Delawareans want to better understand where schools are now and what measures are in place to track their systems depth. Subscribe to go deeper: Are Delaware schools meeting new Black history requirements? Not yet. Here's why New requirements for curricula across K-12: The history and culture of Black people before the African and Black Diaspora, including contributions to science, art and literature. The significance of enslavement in the development of the American economy. The relationship between white supremacy, racism and American slavery. The central role racism played in the Civil War. How the tragedy of enslavement was perpetuated through segregation and federal, state and local laws. The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics and culture. The socioeconomic struggle Black people endured and continue to endure in working to achieve fair treatment in the United States; as well as the agency they employ in this work for equal treatment. Black figures in national history and in Delaware history. It looks a little bit like throwing darts, said Michael Feldman, social studies education associate with the Delaware Department of Education, of the first statewide report. Because it is. During this first year of implementation, districts are making sure they attended to each one of these things. The Education Department stressed its role in the legislation is supportive, not evaluative, and while efforts are being seen, Delaware systems have a long way to go. School Board Election: Politics, contention and your kids: Delaware's school board races start taking shape for May 9 This spring, districts are also preparing for school board races. ACLU-DE released a comprehensive school board voter guide ahead of the May 9 election on Tuesday, outlining how people can participate. Advocates like Delaware PTA know many of these subjects will be on candidates' radars. Have a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Delaware only state to not see attempts to ban CRT: database Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and General Dynamics, three of the five largest U.S. defense contractors, supported war crimes by selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE-led coalition forces during the civil war in Yemen, seven Yemeni civilians alleged in a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington on March 2, also names Saudi Arabian and UAE officials for their alleged direct involvement, while including Pentagon officials, U.S. agency heads and industry CEOs for indirect participation. The companies and their chief executives are named because they are aiding and abetting the war crimes committed by the Saudi and UAE officials, Terry Collingsworth, the lead lawyer for the seven plaintiffs and executive director of the International Rights Advocates policy group, told Military Times. We just have to really show that they knew or should have known or recklessly disregarded that the weapons that they were providing were causing civilian deaths, he said. Officials with Raytheon and the Defense Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The State Department press office and spokespersons for General Dynamics and Lockheed said they do not comment on ongoing legal cases. The Yemeni civil war has served as a proxy war for competing interests in the Middle East since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels took control of the government. Then, in March 2015, a coalition of Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia began a military campaign of airstrikes against the rebels with U.S. logistical and weapons support. Nearly 15,000 civilians have been killed in direct military actions since the conflict began, according to the Campaign Against Arms Trade. Sixty percent of the deaths, the group said, have been the result of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition. The Government Accountability Office published a report in June 2022 that found the Pentagon administered at least $54.6 billion in military support to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi from 2015 to 2021. The State Department approved foreign military sales of equipment, including F-35 joint strike fighters, Patriot missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems to Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the course of the same period, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Story continues Defense Department officials told the GAO investigators that they lacked guidance for reporting any alleged incidents in which U.S. defense articles were used on civilian populations, the report said. [D]espite several reports that airstrikes and other attacks by Saudi Arabia and UAE have caused extensive civilian harm in Yemen, [DoD] has not reported and [the] State [Department] could not provide evidence that it investigated any incidents of potential unauthorized use of equipment transferred to Saudi Arabia or UAE, the report stated. A wedding and a funeral The plaintiffs case revolve around two specific incidents in the Yemeni civil war. On Oct. 7, 2015, a wedding was taking place in the village of Sanaban, a little more than 85 miles south of the capital city of Sanaa. At around 10 p.m., coalition aircraft reportedly launched two missiles toward the party, hitting a house and the tent where guests were gathered. The strike killed 49 people, including 13 women and 22 children, according to a report from the Legal Center for Right and Development. The other attack in question occurred one year later on Oct. 8, 2016 in Yemens capital. Hundreds were gathered at the Great Hall of Sanaa City for the funeral of a tribal leader, when a Raytheon and Lockheed-made GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bomb leveled the area, killing 140, according to a Human Rights Watch report. Munition photo from lawsuit via Human Rights Watch Subsequent weapon identification was based on a review of photos and footage of an intact guidance fin assembly with legible manufacturers markings, the report stated. Theres no bringing back my family or the thousands of other lives lost to these horrors, Ayman Mhamad Saleh Al-Sanabani, a plaintiff in the case who witnessed the wedding bombing, said in a statement. But ensuring there are consequences for those committing and abetting war crimes is a necessary precedent. What we seek from this case is not just the necessary relief we need as a result of this devastating war, but also a line in the sand for international warmongers going forward that there is a price to pay if you kill innocent people. The incidents outlined in the complaint offer examples of the human cost of years of conflict that culminated in what the UN World Food Program called one of the worst humanitarian crises on the globe. Torture Victim Protection Act The Yemeni civilians lawsuit is being filed under the parameters of two U.S. laws, the Alien Tort Statute and Torture Victim Protection Act. The former allows plaintiffs to sue foreign individuals in U.S. courts who are directly responsible for war crimes and extrajudicial killings. The only issue, when using this framework, is convincing the courts that the case carries enough weight to be tried stateside. The Torture Victim Protection Act allows anyone to be sued for extrajudicial killings or torture. However, the Supreme Court has stipulated that only individual persons can be sued under this framework, not companies. To work within those boundaries, the Yemeni lawsuit specifically named Riyadh and Abu Dhabi officials as well as the heads of the defense companies. Collingsworth said the litigation is seeking to make a distinction in the goals of suing under each of the three statutes. Under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Yemeni civilians are seeking to obtain an order requiring the Pentagon and State Department to prevent the future use of U.S. weapons in the commission of war crimes. Through the Alien Tort Statute and Torture Victim Protection Act, the civilians are seeking monetary damages to be paid by Saudi and Emirati officials, as well as the U.S. defense contractors. This is a challenging case, mainly because we are directly confronting, for lack of a better term, the military industrial complex, Collingsworth said. I think most judges are going to be very afraid of issuing decisions that would somehow step into the dynamics of the ... weapons supply relationships between the U.S., Saudi Arabia and UAE. But ... we have to at least try. U.S. forces last week captured an Islamic State operative in a late-night raid in eastern Syria, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. The April 8 raid led to the capture of ISIS attack facilitator Hudayfah al Yemeni and two of his associates, a seizure that will disrupt the organizations ability to plot and carry out operations, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. No civilians were assessed as killed or injured in the operation, according to CENTCOM. Operations against ISIS are important for the security and stability of the region, command spokesperson Col. Joe Buccino said in the statement. ISIS remains a threat to the region and beyond the group retains the capability to conduct operations in Iraq and Syria with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East, and its vile ideology remains a threat. American troops last apprehended an ISIS official in a helicopter raid in eastern Syria in February. That capture was of Batar, an ISIS Syria Province official. That came days after four U.S. troops and a combat dog were injured in a separate helicopter raid that killed senior ISIS leader Hamza al-Homsi. U.S. forces are in Syria to train and support the Syrian Democratic Forces as well as conduct counterterrorism operations against ISIS and its affiliates. While ISIS has lost a large swath of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, it is still present in the two countries, using them as a base for working with related groups around the world. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. U.S.-made smart bombs provided to Ukraine are being jammed by Russia and are missing their targets, according to a Politico review of a leaked Pentagon document. Russia is electronically jamming the precision-guided munitions, a Defense Department official confirmed to Politico, rendering them useless upon impact. Some of the smart bombs were also failing to detonate because of a technical issue, but that has since been addressed by Ukraine. The latest revelations from a trove of leaked Pentagon documents underscores yet another hurdle for Ukraine ahead of an expected spring offensive. The documents also highlighted vulnerabilities in Kyivs air defenses and cast doubt on Ukrainian troops retaking significant territory this spring. The Defense Department is still conducting an investigation of the documents, and its unclear how many of the records may have been manipulated or altered. Often referred to as smart bombs, precision-guided munitions track targets with a high degree of accuracy using GPS satellite technology. The air-to-surface rockets are fired from bomber planes and fighter jets to strike targets on the ground. Last year, the U.S. began providing equipment to Ukraine to convert dumb bombs into precision guided rockets, referred to as the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). The JDAMs are failing to detonate at a higher than usual rate, according to the leaked Pentagon documents reviewed by Politico, suggesting Russian GPS jamming is effective. Ukraine has already addressed an issue in which the bombs were failing to arm when released. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Leaked U.S. intelligence documents suggesting Washington spied on South Korea have put the country's president in a delicate situation ahead of a state visit to the U.S., the first such trip by a South Korean leader in 12 years. The documents contain purportedly private conversations between senior South Korean officials about Ukraine, indicating that Washington may have conducted surveillance on a key Asian ally even as the two nations publicly vowed to reinforce their alliance. Since taking office last year, conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol has put a bolstered military partnership with the United States at the heart of his foreign policy to address intensifying North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. The April 26 summit with President Joe Biden is seen as crucial to winning a stronger U.S. security commitment and resolving grievances over the Biden administrations economic and technology policies. The leaked documents were posted online as part of a major U.S. intelligence breach. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Koreas National Security Council grappled with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine. The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States' ultimate goal. South Korea, a growing arms exporter, has a policy of not supplying weapons to countries at war. It has not provided arms directly to Ukraine, although it has shipped humanitarian aid and joined U.S.-led economic sanctions against Russia. Yoons government said it discussed the leaked papers with the United States, and they agreed that a considerable number of the documents were fabricated. The South Korean government avoided any public complaints about the U.S. and did not specify which documents were faked. Story continues Theres no indication that the U.S., which is our ally, conducted (eavesdropping) on us with malicious intent, Kim Tae-hyo, Seouls deputy national security director, told reporters Tuesday at Dulles Airport near Washington at the start of a trip aimed at preparing for the summit. Senior Biden administration have discussed the leaks with allies at high levels and sought to reassure them of the U.S. governments commitment to safe-guarding intelligence. The administration also sought to downplay the impact the leak would have on Yoons upcoming visit. Our commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad, and President Biden looks forward to welcoming President Yoon to the White House for the upcoming state visit to discuss their shared commitment for a strong and deeply integrated U.S.-ROK Alliance that maintains peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the White House National Security Council said in a statement, using South Korea's official name. The Yoon government's stance invited criticism from liberal rivals, who called on the government to lodge strong protests with the U.S. They also suspected what they call Yoons hasty relocation of his presidential office to a Defense Ministry compound in central Seoul may have left the office vulnerable to wiretapping. As a sovereign nation, we must sternly respond to the spying of state secrets, even if it was committed by an ally with whom (South Korea) has bonded over blood, said Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party. In an official statement, Yoons office said it maintains tight security, including anti-eavesdropping systems. It called the opposition partys attempts to link the office relocation to the spying allegation diplomatic suicidal acts that shake South Koreas national interests and its alliance with the U.S. The situation is unlikely to threaten the country's alliance with the U.S. that was forged during the 1950-53 Korean War, many experts say. No big damage is expected on the Korea-U.S. alliance as it seems both governments share the view that they would focus on the alliance, more concretely on a successful state visit by Yoon, said Bong Young-shik, an expert at Seouls Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies. If Yoon returns with some achievements, Koreans will conclude that he put up with the spying allegations because bigger matters were at stake, Bong said. But if the visit amounts to a pomp-only trip," people could question whether South Korea "made lots of concessions. One possible achievement for Yoon would be if South Korea takes on a role in the management of U.S. nuclear weapons in the face of North Koreas advancing nuclear arsenal. Other wins would be securing U.S. benefits for major South Korean businesses involved in the making of electric vehicles and easing U.S. restrictions on technology exports to China, which has been a major manufacturing base for South Korean chipmakers. If the U.S. intends to help Yoon, "the latest incident on the documents could end up strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance and helping South Korea win something from the U.S, said Kim Yeol Soo, an expert at South Koreas Korea Institute for Military Affairs. Kim Tae-hyung, a professor at Seouls Soongsil University, said the exposure of possible U.S. spying could help Seoul maintain its existing policy of not supplying weapons to Ukraine. But its also possible that the Yoon government reconsiders that policy now that the U.S. demands are public, Kim said. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, South Korea has agreed to provide billions of dollars' worth of tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and other weapons to Poland, a NATO member. An American official said in November that the United States had agreed to buy 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, although South Korean officials have maintained that the munitions were meant to refill depleted U.S. stocks. Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership, said its also no secret that allies spy on each other, as well as their adversaries. The U.S. wiretapping activities are something that everyone already knows, although it becomes a more sensitive matter when the practice is made public, Choi said. "I think South Koreans also try to wiretap (U.S. officials) as well, Choi said. People feel animosity toward the word wiretapping. But in other words, its called intelligence gathering. ___ Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. (Bloomberg) -- The US imposed sanctions on the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank, saying its presence in Budapest allowed Moscow to expand its ability to spy, conduct malign influence activities, and engage in corruption from within the European Union and NATO. Most Read from Bloomberg The US Treasury Department also designated for sanctions three current or former executives of the bank: Russian nationals Nikolay Kosov, Georgy Potapov and Hungarian Imre Laszloczki for coordinating with Russian officials on IIB business following the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine. The bank, which relocated from Moscow to Budapest in 2018, describes itself as a multilateral lender seeking to boost economic ties between its members, mostly former communist states such as those in eastern Europe. But critics said the move to Hungary the EU member with the closest ties to Moscow was dangerous to the US and its allies, with a group of US senators saying its widely seen as an arm of Russias secret services. The bank has rejected the allegation. Hungarys choice to continue to host the IIB, the Russia-controlled entity, within EU and NATO, is a cause for enormous concern, US Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman said at a briefing on Wednesday. Looming Default Most of IIBs EU backers the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania left or are in the process of withdrawing from the lender after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his forces into Ukraine a year ago. With assets frozen, the bank is facing a looming default, the Treasury said in a statement. Hungary is the sole remaining EU member. The US has sanctioned individuals in EU countries before, including in Hungary. The US last put pressure on Budapest in 2014, when the Obama administration barred several Hungarian officials from entering the US, including the head of the national tax office, on suspicion of corruption. Story continues Under Biden, the US didnt invite Hungary to a recent summit of democracies, and Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government has often been at odds with Washington and other NATO allies over Russias war in Ukraine. Budapest has refused calls to supply Ukraine with weapons to defend itself and has lobbied against sanctions imposed on Russia. Hungary, along with Turkey, has also refused to ratify Swedens bid to join NATO over that countrys criticism of Orban in a dispute with the EU over the rule of law. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited sanctioned officials in Moscow this week to secure energy deals, even as much the countrys EU allies work to cut their dependency on Russian oil and gas. Hungarys government denounced the Treasurys move. The Americans have not given up on forcing Hungary into the pro-war stance shared by many of our allies, but Hungary remains convinced that peace is the only common interest, Gergely Gulyas, the minister leading the prime ministers office, said at a news conference earlier Wednesday. There is no allied, diplomatic or even friendly pressure that Hungary will not resist. --With assistance from Marton Kasnyik. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. The U.S. Navy plans to operate a fleet of crewed and unmanned platforms within the next 10 years an ambitious timeline that will require the service to quickly develop and mature autonomous systems, while ensuring confidence in the technology. In the air, for example, the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems set to replace the Super Hornet fighter fleet will include a combination of the piloted F/A-XX fighter with drones dubbed loyal wingmen. This is something the Navy already budgeted for, even as its only barely scratched the surface of testing how a large UAV can interact with the air wing. Still, the Navy is confident unmanned technology will be central to nearly everything it does in the future, according to Vice Adm. Scott Conn, the deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities. Indeed, the chief of naval operations has called for six Ds more distance, deception, defense, distribution, delivery and decision advantage and unmanned can play a role in most or all of those. Conn told Defense News in an April 4 interview that early operations of large unmanned aircraft, surface systems and underwater vessels will likely be tethered to a manned platform as the Navy learns to trust the technology. A fighter pilot by trade, Conn likened unmanned systems to the smart weapons affixed to fighter jets. Ive carried a lot of them, and Ive employed a few of them. Not one of them was very smart; they were obedient. They did what they were told, Conn said at the Navy Leagues annual Sea-Air-Space conference. Similarly with unmanned systems, he added, how do we assure that those whether its in the air, on the surface or in the subsurface are going to be obedient in terms of what theyre programmed to do in a complex environment? And until we have a full understanding of that level of obedience, then theyre probably going to be tethered to a ship [or] another aircraft. Story continues Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday made similar remarks to reporters later that day, discussing the potential use of unmanned vessels for resupplying Marines in the Pacific. We do see great potential in leveraging unmanned in a lead/follow-like manner to sustain a force forward. If you think about what were doing in the air with Next Generation [Air Dominance], where you would have a quarterback that would be a manned [tactical aircraft] with unmanned as his or her wingmen, same kind of approach, Gilday said. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday speaks at the Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Md., on April 3, 2023. (Colin Demarest/Staff) Conn said the Navy views its modernization efforts as a three-FYDP process, referring to the Future Years Defense Program that lays out budget plans five years in advance. In this first FYDP, from fiscal 2024 through fiscal 2028, the Navy is investing in buying and testing unmanned prototypes. In the second FYDP, from FY29 through FY33, the manned-unmanned fleet will become reality. That means the service needs to modify aircraft carriers now so they can accommodate the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial tanker, which Conn called this decades pathfinder for the Next Generation Air Dominance drones that will join the air wing. On the ocean surface, that schedule means the Navy must stress the hull, mechanical and electrical systems on unmanned surface vessel prototypes to ensure they can operate for weeks and months without human intervention. The service must also gain confidence in the sensing and autonomy technology of the USVs through operations in complex environments. And the Navy needs to develop networks, combat systems and payloads to make these USVs operationally effective. Several leaders at Sea-Air-Space presented updates on key unmanned programs. Here are a few: Large USV Gilday outlined a path to award a construction contract on the first Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles in FY25. The [capability development document] is being developed right now. It will deliver in 23, and it actually lays out the specific requirement for LUSV, he said during a lunchtime speech April 4. Meanwhile, the Navy is turning to industry to begin tests on engineering plant designs that are reliable enough to operate for a month or more at sea without human intervention. He told reporters after his speech that within two months, well be doing land-based engineering testing at commercial test locations. Rather than wait until the Navy finalizes requirements and selects a vendor to put its design through round-the-clock operations ashore, the service plans to start testing multiple industry offerings now. Defense News previously reported the Navy would begin industry-led testing even as the service builds a test site at Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division in Pennsylvania. The medium-displacement unmanned surface vessel Sea Hunter sits pierside at Naval Base San Diego in California during a ceremony. (MC2 Kevin C. Leitner/U.S. Navy) Following a year of testing at these industry sites, the Navy will decide how were going to put that engineering plant together and then make the investment in a land-based test site up in Philly, where well run that engineering plant just like weve done with [destroyers], just like we intend to do with frigate[s], Gilday said. Gilday noted the service will complete the requirements document by the end of FY23; the land-based testing at commercial sites will begin in the next two months and wrap up in FY24; and the Navy will select an LUSV builder by the end of FY25. The Medium USV program for which there are seven prototypes in the water or on contract to be built will follow behind the LUSV program. As Gilday explained, LUSV is paving the way in maturing the hardware for unmanned vessels and the software for autonomous behavior. LUSV is to serve as an adjunct magazine, hauling around missiles that a crewed ship could remotely launch. MUSV will carry sensing and non-kinetic weapons payloads. Even as this programmatic work on LUSV continues, Gilday said, the Navy must also invest in making the Large and Medium vessels operationally useful. He noted the service will experiment with underway refueling, remote firing, and new payloads for surveillance, electronic warfare, anti-submarine warfare and more. Were going to improve our ability to command and control this ocean of things that a manned and unmanned navy brings to the fore, he added. Orca XLUUV The Navys first Extra Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle hit the water in March for testing, after years of delays to the program. The Government Accountability Office wrote in a November 2022 report that the XLUUV effort is at least $242 million or 64 percent over its original cost estimate and at least 3 years late. The contractor originally planned to deliver the first vehicle by December 2020 and all five vehicles by the end of calendar year 2022. The Navy and the contractor are in the process of revising the delivery dates. But both expect the contractor to complete and deliver all five vehicles between February and June 2024. Capt. Scot Searles, the unmanned maritime systems program manager at the Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants, acknowledged it took a while to work through technological and production challenges on what he called a first-of-kind, 85-ton, diesel-electric submarine. Searles said the tech challenges are solved, though some industrial base and supply chain issues remain. The first delivered XLUUV, called XLE-0, will serve as a test asset. After hitting the water last month, the initial results are good, Searles explained, though he warned testing is still in its nascent stage. The purpose of this test vehicle is to rapidly test, fix, test and allow builder Boeing to insert changes into the five Orcas in production. An artist's rendering shows Ocra, a large autonomous submarine. The aerospace giant Boeing has enlisted the help of HII to build it. (Boeing via AP) Instead of building it very quickly fives times wrong, lets go build it once, figure out is it right or is it wrong, figure out how to make it better, and then implement all those changes before you start final assembly on the five vehicles, he said during an April 4 program update at Sea-Air-Space. Boeing has about 90% of the material on hand for the five vehicles. The remaining 10% is caught up in supply chain backlogs. Resulting delays are in the order of about 12 weeks, Searles said. Despite delays and ongoing supply chain concerns, Searles said the Navy plans to push an XLUUV forward for operations by FY26. Snakehead LDUUV The Navys Snakehead Large Displacement Unmanned Undersea Vehicle was all but canceled in FY23, given the service didnt ask for funding, and Congress didnt provide it. Searles said this was due to a decision that made Snakehead less useful in the short term: The LDUUV was supposed to be compatible with the Virginia Payload Module inserted into the Block V Virginia-class submarines, allowing the subs to launch and recover these drones underwater. But that submarine-UUV interface was dropped from the Virginia Payload Module design, Searles added, meaning the Navys next chance to pursue it wouldnt come until the Navy designs and builds its next-generation attack submarine, SSN(X), in the 2030s. So the Navy nixed Snakehead. But members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees agreed there was a place for a large UUV in the fleet, and they told the Navy to keep the program hanging by the barest of threads. We understand significant advances in commercial technology have occurred since the start of the Snakehead LDUUV program and believe commercially available LDUUVs operated independently from submarines could be rapidly fielded to address current Department of Navy mission needs and capability gaps, according to a statement accompanying the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act. The law directed the Navy secretary to conduct analysis and experimentation with the objective of identifying commercially available LDUUVs that could be fielded as rapidly as possible and deployed at scale as early as fiscal year 2024. A Snakehead LDUUV is loaded in Narragansett Bay in Newport, R.I., ahead of a christening held at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport on Feb. 2, 2022. (Richard Allen/U.S. Navy) Searles said Snakehead was revived sort of. The Navy is now using the last of its FY22 funds to wrap up some experimentation. There was no funding in FY23, but the service did ask for about $7 million in FY24 to continue Snakehead experimentation. If Congress grants that money, the Navy wants to begin testing Snakehead in deeper waters, having only operated it in shallow waters to date, Searles said. The captain added that the congressionally mandated market research is underway. As the Navy understands what large UUVs are on the market, it will determine a formal path forward. PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The United States, Panama and Colombia will launch a two-month campaign to tackle undocumented immigration through the jungle region separating Colombia and Panama known as the Darien Gap, their governments said on Tuesday following high-level talks. The campaign aims to end the illicit movement of people and goods through the region and open other pathways for people to migrate, the three governments said in a joint statement. Panamanian Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney and her Colombian counterpart Alvaro Leyva Duran met with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Panama City to discuss the challenge posed by increased illegal crossings through the Darien. There were almost 88,000 illegal crossings through the Darien Gap in the first three months of 2023, more than six times the number logged in the same period last year, according to official Panama migration data. Officials from the three countries also pledged to roll out a plan to reduce poverty and promote economic and sustainable opportunities in border communities. (Reporting by Elida Moreno; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Sarah Morland) PANAMA CITY (AP) The United States, Panama and Colombia announced Tuesday that they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year. Details on how the governments will try to curb the flow of migrants that reached nearly 90,000 in just the first three months of this year through the dense, lawless jungle were not provided in the joint statement. The ambitious announcement came as the Biden administration nervously awaits the expected end of a pandemic-related rule May 11 that has suspended rights to seek asylum for many. Without that instrument of dissuasion at the U.S. border, there is concern migrant arrivals could again become unmanageable. The joint statement said the countries will also use new lawful and flexible pathways for tens of thousands of migrants and refugees as an alternative to irregular migration, but again gave no details. The plans third element is investment to reduce poverty and create jobs in the Colombian and Panamanian border communities, presumably so fewer people work at smuggling migrants. Recognizing our shared interest and responsibility to prevent the risk to human life, disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and preserve the vital rainforest, the governments of Panama, Colombia, and the United States intend to carry out a two-month coordinated campaign to address the serious humanitarian situation in the Darien, the statement said. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with the foreign ministers of Panama and Colombia in Panama on Tuesday. According to Panamas government, more than 87,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap in the first three months of the year, mostly from Venezuela, Haiti and Ecuador. That was up from nearly 14,000 migrants during the same period a year earlier. Last year, set a record for migrants using the Darien route, with nearly 250,000. That increase was driven largely by Venezuelans, who accounted for some 60% of the migrants crossing there last year. Story continues The Biden administration responded in October by using the pandemic-related rule known as Title 42 to deny Venezuelans the chance to request asylum at the border. Instead, the U.S. government said it would accept as many as 24,000 Venezuelans at U.S. airports who had already applied and been pre-approved through a government online application. That program was expanded to Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba earlier this year. Now with Title 42 set to expire next month, the U.S. is looking at the Darien Gap as the natural choke point to stop extracontinental migration. Michael Lee Weintraub, a profesor at the University of the Andes School of Government in Colombia, said that with Biden under pressure from conservatives to address immigration ahead of next year's presidential election, his administration is looking for ways to diiscourage irregular migration and make legal migration easier. But he expressed doubt that Colombia's security forces have the capacity to dramatically affect migrant smuggling because the country's armed groups profit from it and are "very sophisticated." The Darien Gap is among the most dangerous portions of the long route to the U.S. borders. Migrants and international human rights groups have denounced sexual assaults, robberies and killings in the remote jungle. That's in addition to the natural dangers posed by venomous snakes and rushing rivers. For the migrants who survive the crossing, the Panamanian government and nongovernmental groups bus migrants across Panama to near its border with Costa Rica to continue their journey. ___ Associated Press writer Astrid Suarez in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report. (Bloomberg) -- US and Philippine officials have expressed their strong objections to what they say were Chinas unlawful maritime claims and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea as they committed to finalize plans for their joint patrols of the disputed waters. Most Read from Bloomberg The two allies also expressed concern on reports of China conducting further land reclamation on unoccupied areas in the Spratly Islands and called on Beijing to fully comply with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling in The Hague, according to a joint statement issued during the 2+2 dialogue between top US and Philippine diplomats and defense officials. The ruling, which Beijing has refused to recognize, invalidated Chinas claim over nearly all of South China Sea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met their Philippine counterparts - Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. - in Washington on Tuesday to strengthen collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region. The meeting coincided with the start of the largest military drills between the US and the Philippines involving more than 17,600 troops. The officials reaffirmed their support for unimpeded lawful commerce and full respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea, according to the statement dated April 11 and released on Wednesday by the foreign affairs office in Manila. Apart from committing to joint sails by the US and Philippine navies in the South China Sea, both sides also discussed plans to hold multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the contested waters later this year, the statement said. Story continues Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said while Beijing is willing to manage maritime disputes through consultation, we will firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We once again remind some countries concerned that pandering to external forces will not bring about their own security, but will only aggravate tensions and harm regional peace and stability, and bring disaster to themselves, Wang said during a regular press briefing on Wednesday. The 2+2 meeting comes about a week after the Philippines identified four new sites that the US will have access to under an expanded defense agreement, with three of them near Taiwan and a fourth facing the South China Sea. Manila has vowed to pursue collective defense efforts with Washington around the South China Sea in a bid to counter a record number of Chinese incursions there. The new locations bring the number of military sites the US can access in the Philippines to nine, including five existing ones, under their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, 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 two nations have committed to accelerate the implementation of EDCA and increase investments in the agreed locations, with the US expecting to have allocated over $100 million by the end of the fiscal year toward infrastructure investments in the existing five sites and to support the four new areas, according to the statement. Both countries also agreed to fast-track talks on an acquisition plan for a fleet of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Philippine Air Force, and to utilize the $100 million in US foreign military financing to buy medium-lift helicopters. --With assistance from Lucille Liu. (Adds comments from Chinese foreign ministry in sixth and seventh paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) The United States will allocate more than $100 million in infrastructure investments at new and existing Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites by the end of fiscal year 2023. In a joint media briefing with US and Philippine officials on Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III said plans to operationalize the four new EDCA sites in Palawan and Northern Luzon will ensure that the two countries are even better prepared for future crises." "We're proud of the investments we are making. By the end of FY (fiscal year) 2023, we expect to have allocated more than $100 million in infrastructure investments at the new and existing EDCA sites," the US official said. Austin added that the investments will "spur job creations and economic growth in local Philippine communities." He also said the US has committed to "swiftly finalizing" Philippines-US Bilateral Defense Guidelines which chart the "vision for alliance cooperation across all operational domains, space and cyberspace." Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez Jr., who were also present in the media briefing, welcomed the US move to support the country through EDCA. Meanwhile, Austin said he and Galvez agreed to redouble efforts to modernize both countries armed forces and strengthen their combined ability to resist armed attack. As part of this, the US defense chief announced that they aim to complete a security sector assistance roadmap that will support the delivery of priority defense platforms over the next five to ten years. Austin said these include the delivery of radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft, and coastal and air defense systems. In a joint press release, Manila and Washington also stressed the importance of fast-tracking discussions on an acquisition plan for a fleet of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Philippine Air Force, as well as of leveraging the additional $100 million funding that the US previously announced to acquire medium-lift helicopters for the Philippines. Mateusz Morawiecki "The Americans will provide additional arms supplies to Ukraine, in particular, we talked about Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Abrams tanks," Morawiecki said, answering a question about further U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.This is already a question for the Americans. The Polish prime minister believes that Poland has done what it could in terms of military assistance to Ukraine. Morawiecki emphasized that Ukraine is now buying weapons from Poland, in particular, with funds from international institutions such as the European Union. "These funds go to Kyiv, and Kyiv orders Rosomak (armored personnel carriers), Rak (self-propelled mortars), Krab (self-propelled artillery systems), Piorun (man-portable air defense systems) and many other types of weapons from Poland," he said. He said this was good news for the Polish manufacturers. "Of course, we persuaded the Americans to help (Kyiv ed.) as much as possible, as it influences how quickly the war can be ended, with Ukraine'svictory," the Polish prime minister 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 Joe Biden spoke about his Irish roots in a speech at a pub in Dundalk US President Joe Biden has paid homage to his Irish heritage as thousands of people gathered to greet him on a tour of the home county of his ancestors. In a speech in a pub in County Louth, he said visiting the area his great-great-grandfather had left for America "feels like coming home". He is on a three-day visit to the Republic of Ireland, having spent a short time in Northern Ireland to mark 25 years since the Good Friday peace agreement. After stepping off Air Force One on to the rain-soaked runway at Dublin Airport he was met by Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar. He then travelled to meet distant relatives in the Cooley Peninsula and the village of Carlingford in County Louth. President Biden took selfies with well-wishers who turned out in their thousands In Carlingford crowds lined the quayside as the presidential motorcade arrived. Mr Biden later addressed an audience, including some of his relatives, at the Windsor Bar in Dundalk. He said Irish people were the only people in the world in my view who are actually nostalgic about the future. It is because, more than anything in my experience, hope is what beats in the heart of all people and in particular in the hearts of the Irish, he added. Every action is about hope we can make things better. Earlier Mr Biden completed a brief-but-landmark visit to Belfast, where he called for politicians to restore the power-sharing government at Stormont, which collapsed over a year ago. He used a speech at Ulster University to praise the "tremendous progress" since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998. The peace deal largely brought to an end more than 30 years of violent conflict known as the Troubles. "This place is transformed by peace; made technicolour by peace; made whole by peace," he said. Many people braved the wind and rain for hours to get a good position to see the president in Dundalk President Biden regularly speaks of his Irish heritage and had promised to visit the country during his term in office. A US genealogist who researched Mr Biden's lineage has estimated he is "roughly five-eighths" Irish. Story continues His maternal great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan departed Carlingford in County Louth in the late 1840s to travel to America. Among his great-grandparents was Edward Blewitt, who left the west coast town of Ballina in County Mayo in 1850 to emigrate to the US. He settled in Scranton in Pennsylvania as the devastating Irish potato famine was causing widespread starvation. Joe Biden was well prepared for the weather when he arrived at Dublin Airport Mr Biden was given a tour of Carlingford Castle alongside the Tanaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Micheal Martin. Asked about his feelings on the visit, the president replied: "It's wonderful. It feels like I'm coming home." Commenting on the wet weather, he added: "It's fine - it's Ireland." The US president greeted a crowd of about 5,000 people as he visited Dundalk, a town a few miles from the Irish border. Mr Biden also made a visit to a cafe where he met staff before addressing an audience at the pub. When youre here you wonder why anybody would want to leave," he told them. In the coming days, President Biden is expected to speak to politicians at the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) and meet more relatives in Ballina. Nikki Haley, former US Ambassador to the UN, says she will challenge Donald Trump to be the Republican 2024 presidential nominee The path to the 2024 US presidential election began almost as soon as last November's midterm elections ended - and several candidates are waiting in the wings. Former President Donald Trump has announced he will run for the party's nominating contest, vowing to "make America great and glorious again". Mr Trump remains the favourite choice of Republican voters, but his legal troubles and his role in an underwhelming midterm election performance for the party have left him vulnerable. The ex-president, who will be 78 when the general election begins, could face a stiff challenge from a coterie of Republican hopefuls, including some who once backed him. Nikki Haley Nikki Haley announced her bid for the presidency in mid-February, becoming the first major Republican candidate to commit to taking on Mr Trump. Once considered one of the Republican Party's brightest young prospects, Nikki Haley has kept a lower profile in recent years. Born in South Carolina to Punjabi Sikh immigrants, Ms Haley became the youngest governor in the country in 2009. She earned national attention in 2015 after calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Capitol. Despite saying she was "not a fan" of Mr Trump in 2016, she later accepted his nomination to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, a tenure marked by her dramatic exit from a UN Security Council meeting as a Palestinian envoy was speaking. Her campaign, which includes a call for mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old, stresses the need for "a new generation" of US leaders. Ron DeSantis Ron DeSantis Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has worked hard to emulate Mr Trump, and is viewed as the candidate most likely to face him in a head-to-head race. Boosted to the governorship by Mr Trump's endorsement, he romped to re-election in the midterms by more than 1.5 million votes, the largest margin in the state in more than four decades. Story continues At 44 years old, the Harvard and Yale-educated lawyer is still a relative newcomer in US politics. He once served in the US Navy, including a tour in Iraq. He was also a little-known member of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018. But Mr DeSantis has seen his star rise considerably since he became governor in 2019, a role in which he positions himself as an enthusiastic champion of conservativism. He eschewed mask and vaccine mandates during the Covid pandemic, signed anti-riot laws in the wake of racial justice protests, and has backed legislation to limit LGBT education, restrict abortions and loosen gun laws. Under his tenure, Republican voters outnumber Democrats in the state for the first time. Mr Trump appears to be paying very close attention, recently nicknaming his rival "Ron DeSanctimonious" and even implying on social media that he may be a paedophile. Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks at a campaign event for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Mike Pence For four years, Mike Pence was a loyal deputy to Mr Trump as his vice-president - until 2021's Capitol riot splintered their relationship. The son of a Korean War veteran, Mr Pence began his career in conservative politics as a talk radio host. He was elected to the House in 2000 and served until 2013, describing himself as a "principled conservative" and aligning with the Tea Party movement. He also served as governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017. In that role, he passed the largest tax cut in state history, and signed bills to restrict abortion and protect religious freedom. Mr Pence, 63, is a born-again evangelical Christian and his addition to the 2016 presidential ticket is credited with helping turn out evangelicals, a crucial voting bloc, for Mr Trump. Calm and soft-spoken, he was seen as an effective surrogate to the bomb-throwing Donald. But Mr Trump turned on him for lacking "courage" after he refused to help overturn the 2020 election results. Pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol in January 2021 and were heard chanting "Hang Mike Pence!". At one point, they were reportedly within 40ft (12m) of the vice-president. The two have largely kept their distance since then, but Mr Pence has been in a delicate dance to avoid alienating Trump-friendly voters. Vivek Ramaswamy speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on March 03, 2023 Vivek Ramaswamy Vivek Ramaswamy, 37, launched his long-shot White House bid during a late February appearance on the Fox News channel. An Indian-American biotech entrepreneur with no previous political experience, he is a regular fixture on Fox host Tucker Carlson's daily programme, the most-watched cable news show in the US. The Harvard and Yale graduate argues the country is in the midst of a national identity crisis driven by a decline in faith, patriotism and meritocracy. He ran a pharmaceutical company from 2014 to 2021, then co-founded Strive Asset Management, which shirks the "divisive" environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) framework and offers itself as an alternative to large firms like Blackrock. Mr Ramaswamy is also the author of Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam. Asa Hutchinson speaks at a New York City event on May 17, 2022 Asa Hutchinson Former two-term Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced his run for president during an April interview with ABC News days after Mr Trump was indicted on criminal charges in New York. Mr Hutchinson, 72, expressed concern over how the case has played out but called it "a sideshow and distraction" that should prompt Mr Trump to withdraw from the race. The former attorney and businessman was the youngest federal prosecutor in the nation under the Ronald Reagan administration. He also served two terms in the US House of Representatives, including as a prosecutor in Bill Clinton's impeachment trial, and was George W Bush's Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief. Referring to himself as a "non-Trump" candidate, he has vowed to lean into "common sense, consistent conservatism". Tim Scott The 57-year-old from South Carolina is the only black Republican serving in the US Senate. He's formed an exploratory committee - the first step to establishing a formal campaign. Mr Scott has a decades-long career in South Carolina politics and a $21.7m (17.5m) campaign war chest which he brings into the race. He's a popular senator who won re-election in 2022 and consistently emphasises his conservative values, but has also been outspoken on issues such as police reform. Perry Johnson Long-shot contender Perry Johnson joined the race in March. Mr Johnson, a 75-year-old businessman, spent millions of his own money to run for Michigan governor last year, but was disqualified by the state's election bureau, which said he forged thousands of nominating signatures. He is touting a plan to reignite the economy by shaving 2% in federal spending every year. Liz Cheney campaigns with Democratic Representative Elissa Slotkin at an Evening for Patriotism and Bipartisanship event Liz Cheney The daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney was once a rising star in the Republican Party, serving as its third-highest ranking member in the House from 2019 to 2021. A fiscal and social conservative with interventionist foreign policy views, she won her father's old seat in 2017, going on to represent Wyoming in Congress, and voted in lockstep with the Trump administration. But she fell out of favour with Republicans after repeatedly criticising Mr Trump and then voting to impeach him for his role in the 6 January Capitol riots. She was dumped from her leadership post, formally reprimanded and is no longer recognised by the Wyoming Republican Party. Ms Cheney, 56, went on to become one of only two Republicans on the congressional committee investigating the Capitol riots. As vice-chair, she has led the charge to hold Mr Trump and others accountable. The role cost her her job this August, with the former president endorsing an opponent who thrashed her by a near-40% margin in the Wyoming primary race. But Ms Cheney still considers herself a Republican, vowing to do whatever she must "to help restore our party". Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin gives the inaugural address on the steps of the State Capitol on January 15, 2022 Glenn Youngkin Glenn Youngkin thrilled the Republican Party when he won the governor's race in Virginia in 2021. A political novice who spent 25 years at the Carlyle Group private equity firm, he beat a man who had been in Democratic politics since the 1980s. In a state that has trended toward Democrats in recent years, Mr Youngkin criticised partisan politics as "too toxic" and campaigned on a tone of bipartisanship. But the 55-year-old has waded into hot-button topics since his first day in charge, from revoking the state's Covid-19 restrictions to banning the teaching of critical race theory in schools. He supported Republicans around the country in the midterm elections. At one campaign stop, he drew criticism for making light of the violent assault of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband and later apologised. Larry Elder The conservative talk radio host launched an unsuccessful campaign for California governor in 2021, pledging to repeal mask and vaccine mandates. A black lawyer who grew up in Los Angeles' South Central neighbourhood, Mr Elder has slammed Democrats' "woke" agenda and the idea of systemic racism. He announced his long-shot bid by tweeting: "America is in decline, but this decline is not inevitable." Others who could run Greg Abbott: The first Texas governor to use a wheelchair, Mr Abbott, 65, has championed conservative policies since his election in 2014. Kristi Noem: South Dakota's first female governor, 51, garnered national attention with her opposition to Covid restrictions and has been eager to wade into national conversations. Who is not running? Larry Hogan: A moderate who ran Maryland - a Democrat-friendly state - from 2015 to 2023, Mr Hogan, 66, seriously considered running but said he did not want to be part of a crowded field that helps elect Mr Trump again. Ted Cruz: The senator from Texas, 52, placed second in the Republican primary for the 2016 presidential election behind Mr Trump but has said he will run for re-election to the Senate in 2024. Rick Scott: The Florida senator, 70, has frequently exchanged vitriol with President Biden but says he too will run for re-election to the Senate. Mr Biden met Rishi Sunak in Belfast, but the pair did not discuss a free trade agreement. (REUTERS) Joe Biden has dodged talks about a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK during his visit to Northern Ireland. The US President met Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday, but the pair did not discuss a free trade agreement, a White House official said. Ahead of the meeting, National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat said: "I dont anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip. But Ms Sloat added: "Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a range of economic issues." And she confirmed Mr Biden has invited Mr Sunak to Washington in June, where they will discuss economic topics. Despite failing to secure talks on a free trade pact, the PM insisted the UKs relationship with the US is in great shape and described the country as very close partners and allies. He added that he had a very good discussion with Mr Biden around economic investment in Northern Ireland and foreign policy issues. That comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US, Im seeing him again next month at the G7 and then Im going to Washington in June; were very close partners and allies, we co-operate on a range of things, whether thats supporting Ukraine or economic security, he said. I think actually the relationship is in great shape, and the President and I have lots that were working on together. Ms Sloat also rejected a claim by the DUP that Mr Biden is anti-British and hates the UK as simply untrue. She added: The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months and then again next month and then again in June with the prime minister of the UK shows how close our cooperation is with the UK." She said the "track record of the President shows that he's not anti-British". Britain is looking to strike trade agreements following its departure from the European Union and Brexiteeers have previously claimed a deal with the US would be easy to secure and suggested that it was a major benefit of leaving the EUs customs union. Story continues But successive prime ministers including Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss all failed to pin down a deal with the US. Mr Sunaks new Windsor Framework pact with the EU raised hopes that tensions with the Democrats in the US could ease, paving the way for talks. But last month Mr Sunak downplayed the prospect of talks on such a deal being struck, insisting that trans-Atlantic trade was growing massively anyway. He told GB News: Its just people should actually know that our relationship with America economically is very strong, our exports are growing massively anyway and were concluding agreements with states. Mr Biden arrived in Belfast on Air Force One on Tuesday evening to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The White House last week said the visit to Belfast would mark the tremendous progress since the agreement was signed. It added that the visit would underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities". Mr Biden is expected to make several stops north and south of the Irish border, including a visit to Dublin where he will address Irish parliamentarians and meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Both the U.S. and China have plans to establish bases on the Moon in the near future. Caspar Benson/fStop via Getty Images Headlines proclaiming the rise of a new space race between the U.S. and China have become common in news coverage following many of the exciting launches in recent years. Experts have pointed to Chinas rapid advancements in space as evidence of an emerging landscape where China is directly competing with the U.S. for supremacy. This idea of a space race between China and the U.S. sounds convincing given the broader narrative of Chinas rise, but how accurate is it? As a professor who studies space and international relations, my research aims to quantify the power and capabilities of different nations in space. When I look at various capacities, the data paints a much more complex picture than a tight space race between the U.S. and China. At least for now, the reality looks more like what I call a complex hegemony one state, the U.S., is still dominating in key space capabilities, and this lead is further amplified by a strong network of partners. SpaceX rockets carry hundreds of private satellites into orbit each year from the seven active U.S. spaceports. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images A clear leader makes for a boring race Calling the current situation a race implies that the U.S. and China have roughly equal capabilities in space. But in several key areas, the U.S. is far ahead not only of China, but of all other spacefaring nations combined. Starting with spending: In 2021, the U.S. space budget was roughly US$59.8 billion. China has been investing heavily in space and rocket technology over the last decade and has doubled its spending in the last five years. But with an estimated budget of $16.18 billion in 2021, it is still spending less than a third of the U.S. budget. The U.S. also leads significantly in the number of active satellites. Currently, there are 5,465 total operational satellites in orbit around Earth. The U.S. operates 3,433, or 63% of those. In contrast, China has 541. Similarly, the U.S. has more active spaceports than China. With seven operational launch sites at home and abroad and at least 13 additional spaceports in development, the U.S. has more options to launch payloads into various orbits. In contrast, China has only four operational spaceports with two more planned, all located within its own territory. Story continues Parity with nuance While the U.S. may have a clear advantage over China in many areas of space, in some measures, the differences between the two countries are more nuanced. In 2021, for instance, China attempted 55 orbital launches, four more than the U.S.s 51. The total numbers may be similar, but the rockets carried very different payloads to orbit. The vast majority 84% of Chinese launches had government or military payloads intended mostly for electronic intelligence and optical imaging. Meanwhile, in the U.S., 61% of launches were for nonmilitary, academic or commercial use, predominantly for Earth observation or telecommunications. Space stations are another area where there are important differences hiding beneath the surface. Since the 1990s, the U.S. has worked with 14 other nations, including Russia, to operate the International Space Station. The ISS is quite large, with 16 modules, and has driven technological and scientific breakthroughs. But the ISS is now 24 years old, and participating nations are planning to retire it in 2030. Construction of Chinas Tiangong space station began in 2021, and the small, three-module station opened for research in December 2022. Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA The Chinese Tiangong space station is the new kid on the block. Construction was only completed in late 2022, and it is much smaller with only three modules. China has built and launched all of the different parts and remains the sole operator of the station, despite having invited others to join. China is undoubtedly expanding its space capabilities, and in a report published in August 2022, the Pentagon predicted that China would surpass U.S. capabilities in space as early as 2045. However, it is unlikely that the U.S. will remain stagnant, as it continues to increase funding for space. Allies as force multipliers A major point of difference between the U.S. and China is the nature and number of international collaborations. For decades, NASA has been fruitfully cultivating international and commercial partnerships in everything from developing specific space technologies to flying humans into space. The U.S. government has also signed 169 space data sharing agreements with 33 states and intergovernmental organizations, 129 with commercial partners and seven with academic institutions. China also has allies that help with space most notably Russia and members of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, including Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey. Chinas collaborators are, however, fewer in number and have far less developed space capabilities. In just two years, 24 nations, including Brazil, have joined the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. This international agreement outlines the goals of space exploration in the near future. Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovacoes/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Efforts to return to the surface of the Moon excellently highlight this difference in ally support and synergy. Both the U.S. and China have plans to send people to the surface of the Moon and to establish lunar bases in the near future. These competing lunar aims are often cited as evidence of the space race, but they are very different in terms of partnerships and scope. In 2019, Russia and China agreed to jointly go to the Moon by 2028. Russia is contributing its Luna landers and Oryol crewed orbiters, while China is improving its Change robotic spacecraft. Their future International Lunar Research Station is open to all interested parties and international partners, but, to date, no additional countries have committed to the Chinese and Russian effort. In contrast, since 2020, 24 nations have joined the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. This international agreement outlines shared principles of cooperation for future space activity and, through the Artemis Program, specifically aims to return people to the Moon by 2025 and establish a Moon base and lunar space station soon after. In addition to the broad international participation, the Artemis Program has contracted with a staggering number of private companies to develop a range of technologies, from lunar landers to lunar construction methods and more. China is not the only game in town While China may seem like the main competitor of the U.S. in space, other countries have space capabilities and aspirations that rival those of China. India spends billions on space and plans to return to the Moon, possibly with Japan, in the near future. South Korea, Israel, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Germany and the European Union are also planning independent lunar missions. Japan has developed impressive technological space capabilities, including rendezvous proximity technology to send a spacecraft to an asteroid and bring samples back to Earth, that rival and even surpass those of China. In the past, the space race was about who could reach the stars first and return home. Today, the goal has shifted to surviving and even thriving in the harsh environment of space. I believe it is not surprising that, despite its decisive lead, the U.S. has partnered with others to go to the Moon and beyond. China is doing the same, but on a smaller scale. The picture that emerges is not of a race but of complex system with the U.S. as a leader working closely with extensive networks of partners. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation is trustworthy news from experts, from an independent nonprofit. Try our free newsletters. It was written by: Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Air University. Read more: The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Defense, or of any organization the author is affiliated with, including the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday urged migrants heading to the United States to use legal routes, during a visit to Panama. Mayorkas's comments come as a record number of migrants have passed through the dangerous Darien Gap jungle between Colombia and Panama since the start of the year. Some 100,000 people have taken the perilous route since January 1, six times the number from the same period last year, according to figures given to AFP by Panamanian migration services. At least 52 migrants died in the Darien Gap in 2022, according to official figures, but authorities fear the true number is far higher. "The United States continues to enforce our immigration laws and individuals coming to the United States unlawfully will continue to face consequences, including removal," Mayorkas said following his meeting with the foreign affairs ministers of Panama, Janaina Tewanay, and Colombia, Alvaro Leyva. "Instead, those seeking to come to the United States should take advantage of safe, orderly and lawful pathways that we are presenting to them." Close to 250,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap illegally in 2022. The jungle measures 266 kilometers in length and covers 575,000 hectares. It is infested with mosquitoes and snakes, but also criminal groups. Migrants crossing the jungle have been subjected to thefts, rape and even murder. Mayorkas said the US has significantly increased legal migration pathways "and we seek to continue to expand them as an alternative to the dangerous journey that too many take." In February, around 40 migrants died in a bus crash in Panama while as many were killed in a fire at a detention center in Mexico at the end of March. Most migrants crossing the Darien Gap are Venezuelans, Haitians and Ecuadorans but there are also significant numbers of Indians, Chinese and Africans. jjr/fj/bc/dw Lala Kent, Ariana Madix, and Tom Sandoval in 2017. Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Gersh Tom Sandoval gave his first interview since "Scandoval" broke to Howie Mandel. Lala Kent said Sadoval was "lying" during the interview and that it was "odd." Andy Cohen said he was "annoyed" by the interview and that it didn't do anyone "any favors." "Vanderpump Rules" star Lala Kent spoke out in her Instagram Stories on Tuesday night about Tom Sandoval's first interview since it was revealed that he cheated on his partner Ariana Madix with their costar Raquel Leviss. In the videos, viewed by Insider and captured by Page Six, Kent said that Sandoval's choice to give his first interview since the scandal broke to Howie Mandel was "strange." She also said he was "lying" during the conversation. Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss posing for a selfie. Raquel Leviss/Instagram News that Sandoval allegedly cheated on Madix after nine years together broke in March 2023. The former couple met while working for the reality star and restauranteur Lisa Vanderpump. Sandoval was an original cast member of "Vanderpump Rules," the hit Bravo reality show that follows Vanderpump's employees at SUR Restaurant & Lounge. Madix joined the cast in season two and began working as a bartender alongside Sandoval. As reported by People, they made their relationship Instagram official in February 2014 and have been chronicling it on the show ever since. They never married, but in 2019 they purchased a home together in Los Angeles for $2 million. The two also published a cocktail book, "Fancy Af Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers," that same year. On Tuesday's episode of the "Howie Mandel Does Stuff" podcast with Mandel and his daughter Jackelyn Shultz, Sandoval spoke at length about Madix and his relationship with Leviss for the first time since making headlines for "Scandoval." During the hour-long conversation, Sandoval said that he and Madix have been living "our own lives" for "a while" before news of the affair broke. He said they were keeping their life "private" because as reality stars, details of their personal lives were never safe around their co-stars. He said he began to feel "trapped" in the relationship as he approached 40. Story continues Sandoval said that he broke up with Madix weeks before the news broke that he was seeing Leviss, but she was "in denial" about it. He said that she told him that if he broke up with her, "you will effectively be ending my life." "I saw the smallest clip...of Sandoval lying some more and I want to go off," Kent said in a video she was recording while on a plane to New York. In later clips, she called it "strange" that Sandoval chose to talk to Mandel because "he hasn't even seen our show." Similarly, Bravo executive and host Andy Cohen said on his show "Watch What Happens Live" that Mandel "didn't do his homework" on the situation before the interview. On his radio show on Wednesday, Cohen said he was "annoyed" Sandoval did the interview and that Mandel and Sandoval didn't do themselves "any favors" in the conversation. "Vanderpump Rules" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo. Read the original article on Insider Officials in Kyiv are pounding their fists over leaked U.S. intelligence that downplays Ukraines ability to recapture seized territory from Russia this spring. Senior Ukrainian officials are particularly incensed by a top secret assessment from February suggesting Ukraine would make only modest territorial gains from its planned operation. The Washington Post, which reported the document on Monday, said it was part of the growing leak of classified U.S. intelligence on the war in Ukraine, China, Israel and other global hotspots. Kyiv says the document shows the U.S. is once again underestimating its militarys capabilities. The same people who said Kyiv would fall in three days are now leaking harmful and equally ridiculous information ahead of an offensive critically important for the entire free world, said a person in regular contact with senior officials in Kyiv. There are some people who continue to be hesitant about Ukraines military chances in the counteroffensive, a Ukrainian defense official said, but weve proved everybody wrong. The projections of Ukraines chances are not the truth, this official continued. It gives us grounds for suspicion of just how seriously the U.S. backs Ukraines objectives of fully pushing Russia out of the country. That sentiment is widespread within the Ukrainian government, per another person with similar high-level contacts in Kyiv. All three people were granted anonymity to detail sensitive internal deliberations in Ukraine. The comments make clear that the United States and Ukraine arent as in sync as both countries claim 14 months into the war. It could also portend less trust between Washington and Kyiv ahead of a crucial few months of fighting that could dictate the course of the war with Russia. With Russia in control of 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, the hope is that the counteroffensive, even with dwindling supplies, will force Moscows troops and mercenaries out of the country they invaded. Story continues The U.S. efforts at damage control do appear to be getting some traction. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken called him Tuesday to affirm Americas ironclad U.S. support and vehemently rejected any attempts to cast doubt on Ukraines capacity to win on the battlefield. And Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke to his counterpart, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, on Tuesday to convey Ukraine will fight the enemy and not be driven by a specific plan. The coordination continued on Wednesday when Austin met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. The Ukrainian defense official also asserted that Kyiv has received assurances of Americas continued commitment from Austin and other top Biden administration figures. You can be forgiven for having doubts, the official said about the Americans. We understand it. The National Security Council didnt respond to requests for comment. The intelligence provides a disheartening evaluation of Ukraines anticipated spring counteroffensive, and it isnt the first such indication of the Biden administrations lack of confidence in Ukraines military chances this year. Ukraines counteroffensive, per the intelligence, will target eastern and southern Ukraine, with an ultimate goal of cutting off Russias land access to Crimea, the peninsula Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Few in the administration, though, believe Kyiv can recapture much of the territory Russia took since its invasion last year, citing manpower, resupply and logistics concerns. Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chair, has repeatedly questioned Ukraines ability to win the war militarily in the near term. The probability of a Ukrainian military victory, defined as kicking the Russians out of all of Ukraine, to include what they define or what the claim is Crimea, the probability of that happening anytime soon is not high, he told reporters last November. Milleys assessment hasnt changed: he told Defense One last month that Ukraine couldnt expel Russians in the near term for this year. Ukrainian officials are also increasingly angry at continued leaks about their operations. Reports on sensitive intelligence connecting Ukraine to the assassination of a prominent Russian nationalists daughter and a pro-Kyiv group to the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines frustrated Ukraine. More cracks in the U.S.-Ukraine relationship have emerged in recent months. For example, Kyiv has poured troops and resources into holding Bakhmut, a city in the east of the country. But officials in the White House and Pentagon, among others, dont see Bakhmut as strategically important. Theyve recommended that Ukraine focus its attention elsewhere. U.S. officials are particularly concerned about Ukraine using up critical supplies of ammunition in the fight for Bakhmut, as the West races to prepare Kyiv for whats expected to be brutal fighting this spring. There are also disagreements about whether its worth it for Ukraine to recapture Crimea from Russia. The Biden administration fears Ukraine doesnt have all it needs to take and hold the peninsula that Moscow has controlled for nearly a decade. Zelenskyy doesnt agree: Respect and order will only return to international relations when the Ukrainian flag returns to Crimea when there is freedom there," he said in a video message this week. Pentagon officials are also alarmed by Ukraines dwindling supply of medium-range air defense missiles, according to a U.S. official and the leaked documents. Based on current consumption rates of these missiles, Kyivs ability to provide air defense to protect the front lines will be completely reduced by May 23, according to one slide produced by the Joint Staff, a deadline the U.S. official said is driving the timing of the counteroffensive. The concern is that once Ukraine is out of medium-range air defense missiles, Russian fighter and bomber aircraft will be free to attack Ukrainian troop and artillery positions from the skies. Until now, neither side has been able to fly combat aircraft freely in the conflict. The West has sent short-range air defense missiles, such as Stingers, but these weapons have limited impact against aircraft, according to the leaked documents. The U.S. and European countries are sending two Patriot missile defense systems, but a group of Ukrainian air defenders is still wrapping up the final stage of training to operate the equipment in Europe before they head to the battlefield. Ukraines air force is also depleted, and Western countries have declined to send modern fighter aircraft such as F-16s, which could also intercept incoming missiles. Lara Seligman contributed to this report. Kimberley Nixon runs a venture capital firm dedicated to startups disrupting the wellness, sport, fitness, and consumer technology industries. Open Venture Capital As an industry veteran with decades of experience, including working various roles for companies like Deloitte Consulting, Under Armour, Manduka Yoga, and more, Nixon had a desire to be part of the changing health ecosystem and knew she could be a positive influence. Thats when she decided to launch Open Venture Capital. It felt like the ecosystem was shifting to more preventative care, to people taking more control over their overall health and wellness through preventative actions, Nixon explained in an interview with AfroTech. As weve moved to more preventative care so that were not spending large amounts of money on acute care and recovery, and as weve spent more time and more focus on preventative care, the doors have kind of flung open in terms of what those preventative options can be. So, the opportunity was large. I was well poised to be a part of what the future of health looks like given my background in the space and the types of products and areas that I was already focused on. I knew I wanted to do something that took advantage of where growth was. Another motive was to create more opportunities for Black investors to have a seat at the table. I didnt know that it would be a fund, Nixon said. I thought I would be a passive investor in a fund. Then I found myself kind of being too small to be a passive investor in a fund. And frankly, that upset me. There arent really a lot of Black investors or LPs in funds. There certainly arent a lot of Black female investors, and I wanted to make more space. Sometimes that means creating your own table. So, thats what I did. Equity Investment From Bank Of America To support Nixons efforts, Bank of America made an equity investment in Open Venture Capital as part of its commitment to racial equality and economic opportunity. Story continues According to a news release provided to AfroTech, Bank of America has distributed over $400 million to more than 100 minority-focused investment funds across the country. Access to capital is key to driving economic growth, James Reid, Managing Director, Global Strategic & Sustainable Investments at Bank of America, said in a press release. With its focus on health and wellness, Open Venture Capital is well positioned to provide capital and guidance to diverse entrepreneurs seeking to broaden access to underserved communities. Impact As a result of Bank of Americas commitment, Nixon has been affirmed as one of the major participants in the investment space, and she is ready to assist other minority investors in taking part. The timing of the investment is really important because its a vote of confidence in a time when there arent as many from a large institution, and also that vote of confidence extends beyond just me but to the ecosystem, Nixon explained. Also, as Im looking at smaller investors, Im trying to bring on more first time investors and LPs into the fund. It helps them to make a decision about investing with me if they know a large institution has done so as well. She continued: That to me is the most important part. As I look at what I want my cap table to look like and the investors I want on my cap table, I want it to be diverse. I want it to include more women. I want it to include more Black women. I know that I have to do my part to make sure that I educate, that I make space for smaller checks, that I address any concerns around risk. And having a partner like Bank of America really helps me to do that solidly with smaller investors as well. (Reuters) -Veritas Capital ended talks with Carlyle Group Inc to buy a 50% stake in private healthcare technology firm Cotiviti Inc on valuation grounds, a source familiar with the matter said. Carlyle wasn't ready to stick to the valuation that had previously been discussed in the current market conditions and submitted a revised bid in recent days, which Veritas rejected, the source said. In February, Reuters reported that Carlyle was in talks to buy a portion of Cotiviti from Veritas Capital at a valuation of around $15 billion. Cotiviti, which went public in 2016, was acquired by Veritas in 2018 in a take-private deal valued at $4.9 billion, as the private equity firm looked to expand its Verscend healthcare IT business. Carlyle and Veritas declined to comment, while Cotiviti did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. (Reporting by David Carnevali in New York and Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Uttaresh Venkateshwaran) (CNN) One day after China simulated "joint precision strikes" on Taiwan during military exercises around the island, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu condemned Beijing's actions in an exclusive interview with CNN and warned that "they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan." "Look at the military exercises, and also their rhetoric, they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan," Wu said. "The Taiwanese government looks at the Chinese military threat as something that cannot be accepted and we condemn it." Asked if Taiwan has any sense of the timing of potential Chinese military action, given US intelligence assessments that Xi has instructed his military to be prepared by 2027, Wu expressed confidence in Taiwanese preparations. "Chinese leaders will think twice before they decide to use force against Taiwan. And no matter whether it is 2025 or 2027 or even beyond, Taiwan simply needs to get ready," he said. The exercises appeared to mark the first time the Chinese navy has simulated strikes by aircraft carrier-based warplanes on Taiwan. Beijing launched the drills on Saturday, a day after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a 10-day visit to Central America and the United States where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other US lawmakers. Beijing described them as "a serious warning against the Taiwan separatist forces' collusion with external forces, and a necessary move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity." Asked if the costs of such a visit were too high, Wu told CNN, "China cannot dictate how Taiwan makes friends. And China cannot dictate how our friends want to show support to Taiwan." Beijing conducted similar large-scale military exercises around Taiwan last August, after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island. Those exercises included Chinese missile launches over the island, something that has not been seen so far in the current drills. Taiwan and China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war more than seven decades ago, in which the defeated Nationalists fled to Taipei. Taiwan transitioned from authoritarian rule to a democracy in the 1990s and is now ranked one of the freest jurisdictions in Asia by Freedom House, a US-based non-profit organization. However, China's ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing island as its territory, and in recent years, as his power has grown, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made clear his ambitions to "reunify" with the island -- by force if necessary. China's exercises also coincided with a state visit by French president, Emmanuel Macron, who was welcomed in Beijing by Xi. Following his meeting, Macron appeared to question whether France should get involved in the Taiwan crisis, telling reporters that the "worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and adapt to the American rhythm or a Chinese overreaction." French officials later said his comments were misinterpreted. Wu told CNN that Taipei has asked France for clarification. "We are still trying to figure out what he says and what that means through the French government," Wu said, though he noted the "French government has been showing support to Taiwan." As tensions between the US and China have worsened over Taiwan, President Joe Biden has said that the US would defend the island militarily if China were to attack, though administration officials have insisted the US remains committed to its "one China" policy. The US, through the Taiwan Relations Act, is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with defensive weaponry, but officials typically remain deliberately vague on whether the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an attempted Chinese attack. While Wu repeatedly emphasized "defending Taiwan is our own responsibility," he noted that with its relationship with its allies in the region, "the United States seem to be more determined than ever in creating a situation (so) that China would know that its military attack against Taiwan is going to be associated with a heavy cost. And we appreciate the United States for having this posture." Veteran-owned Patriot Sandwich Company in Denton may have to close its doors for the second time in two years. Owner David Jordan made the announcement on the restaurants social media pages Tuesday and cited low traffic as the reason for the potential closure. I know this location has everything to do with our struggles. Im still fighting as long as I can, but I know before long the property management company is going to lock us out, Jordan said in the post shared to Facebook and Instagram. Patriot Sandwich Company, located at 1507 S Loop 288 in Denton, closed its doors in November 2021 when it ran out of money. The Dallas Morning News previously reported Jordan had counted on approved $86,000 in Restaurant Revitalization Fund money that was approved but not paid. The shop reopened in 2022 after a North Texas woman donated $45,000 to Jordan. Since then, Jordan said he has added dinner sandwiches to the menu, got the business back on DoorDash and encouraged online ordering in an effort to help with slow foot traffic. The restaurant is located on a corner near a gas station and tucked in between a strip of shops and a Canes, with minimal parking dedicated for the business. Commenters responded to Jordans Facebook post, agreeing that the location is hard to access. In his post, Jordan said investors have expressed interest in the business but are hesitant because they see it struggling. If we can find some way to come together and save this shop, it gives me a chance to show other investors that people actually believe in this shop and what it stands for, Jordan said in the post. Victims from clockwise top left: Deana Eckert, 57, Tommy Elliott, 63, Juliana Farmer, 57, Josh Barrick, 40, and Jim Tutt, 64 (AP/Supplied) A 25-year-old employee opened fire at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday morning, killing five people and injuring eight others while live streaming the attack. The shooter, identified as bank employee Connor Sturgeon, entered the Old National Bank in the downtown area of the city at around 8.30am armed with an AR-15-style rifle. He shot and killed four bank executives inside the first-floor conference room before exchanging gunfire with responding police officers. Louisville deputy police chief Paul Humphrey said that he was shot dead by officer fire. A fifth victim later succumbed to her injuries in hospital. All five were executives at the bank. The victims have now been identified as Joshua Barrick, Thomas Elliott, Juliana Farmer, James Tutt, and Deana Eckert. Eight others, including two police officers, were hospitalised with their injuries. One of the officers, 26-year-old Nickolas Wilt, who only graduated from the police academy in March, remains in critical condition after being shot in the head. Mr Wilt ran towards the gunfire today to save lives", the police department said on Twitter. Here is what we know so far about the victims: Tommy Elliott Thomas "Tommy" Elliott, 63, was a senior vice president of commercial real estate at Old National Bank. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Elliott was one of his closest friends. "Tommy Elliot helped me to become governor," Mr Beshear said at Mondays news conference. "He gave me advice on being a good dad he was an incredible friend," the governor said, his voice shaking with emotion. "The soul is eternal. I know that I will see Tommy again". Tommy Elliott was a close friend of the governor (Provided) Elliott, the former chair of the Kentucky Retirement Systems board, was reportedly threatened with arrest in 2016 when he refused to resign at the direction of then-Governor Matt Bevin. Elliott was appointed to the board by former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. Former Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said he had also known Elliott for 40 years. They became close friends, and when Mr Fischer launched his first bid to be mayor, Elliott signed on to be his campaign finance manager and remained with him for the rest of his political career. Story continues Mr Fischer said Elliott was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and two stepdaughters. Joshua Barrick Joshua Barrick, 40, was a senior vice president of commercial real estate banking at Old National. Barrick had worked for about two decades in banking and previously worked at WesBanco, according to The Courier-Journal. Louisville Business First named him one of its 20 People to Know in Banking in 2020. He is survived by his wife and two children. A memorial for Joshua Barrick is on display at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville (AP) The Holy Trinity Parish Louisville held a vigil on Monday evening to honour Barrick's life. Theyre in shock, pastor Shayne Duval said of Barrick's family. "Ive been with his wife. Ive been with his children. Ive been with his brother and members of this community, he was quoted by Fox19 as saying. Everyone is just kind of walking around in a fog like, Did this just really happen? Josh made himself known in our community in all the good ways. He was a very charismatic and charming man," the pastor added. Juliana Farmer Juliana Farmer, 45, was a loan analyst with the Old National Bank, according to her LinkedIn page. In her last post on Facebook on Sunday one day before she was killed she celebrated the fact she was expecting another grandchild. "My (heart) is so happy!!!" she wrote. "Grand #5 on the way." Juliana Farmer, 45, was a loan analyst with the bank (Facebook) Farmers family revealed that she had only recently moved to Louisville. Michael Williams, who said he was Farmers uncle, wrote on Facebook: She told me she was moving to Louisville, she had a great job opportunity. Now were mourning you losing your life at the job. Im just hurt. Deana Eckert Deana Eckert was rushed to hospital after Mondays shooting and underwent multiple surgeries. She succumbed to her injuries later that night, Louisville Metro Police said. The 57-year-old was an executive administrative officer at the Old National Bank, where she worked for almost seven years. Deana Eckert died from her injuries in hospital (LinkedIn) Eckert graduated from the Western Kentucky University. James Tutt James Tutt, 64, was a real estate market executive at the Old National Bank, where he spent almost a decade. Oldham County judge executive David Voegele knew Tutt for 11 years from his time on the board of the Oldham-La Grange Development Authority. Jim Tutt leaves behind his wife, children, and grandchildren (LinkedIn) He added a tremendous amount of insights as we went about developing our office park in LaGrange, Mr Voegele told The Courier-Journal. Hes a very high quality, well-thought-of individual Its just sickening to hear whats happened. Tutt was a Frankfort native who graduated from the University of Kentucky and worked in banking for over 38 years. He leaves behind his wife, children, and grandchildren. Person wearing a rainbow face mask In our series of letters from African journalists, Tanzanian writer Sammy Awami considers what is behind recent moves against homosexuality in East Africa. Short presentational grey line From banning schoolbooks in Tanzania to passing the harshest of laws in Uganda, to disputing a Supreme Court decision in Kenya, there seems to be a wave of anti-homosexuality sentiments sweeping through the region. While there is nothing unusual about the homophobic and apocalyptic tone that always accompanies the subject, it appears there is also a rise of genuine belief, especially among those who would generally pass as liberals or open minded, that the West is on a systematic mission to shove this "homosexuality agenda" down the throats of Africans. Most of those holding this belief can hardly substantiate it with any facts or concrete examples. Khalifa Said, a Dar es Salaam based journalist and editor for an online outlet The Chanzo, believes that "Tanzanians' perception towards members of the LGBTQ+ community is very negative and it's getting worse every day". There are many on social media who looked at the recent visit by US Vice-President Kamala Harris with particular suspicion. There was even an unofficial survey on Twitter asking users to suggest how President Samia Suluhu Hassan should respond were she to be asked about her stance on homosexuality. When journalists were not able to ask questions at the leaders' joint press briefing, many suspected it was a trick to save President Samia from the infamous question: "What is your stance on homosexuality?" Said says this rising homophobic sentiment is not random. He believes it is sponsored by politicians and political parties who have not delivered on their promises to their voters. "The biggest winners of all this hatred will be the politicians who have failed to improve the living standards of their people despite being in power for decades," he says. Ugandan MP John Musira wore a gown with anti-homosexual slogans for the debate in parliament on a new anti-gay law The hypocrisy and predictability of politicians, clergy and the rest of the self-appointed defenders of African traditions and culture is never short of amusement. Story continues Politicians would swiftly name and shame individuals and NGOs they accuse of supporting and spreading homosexuality in the country but would never dare to expose their peers who embezzle millions of dollars of public funds. Last week, Tanzania's Controller Auditor General released a damning report detailing the sickening loss of millions of dollars in public entities. We are yet to hear from the top anti-homosexual crusaders on how they plan to rescue the nation from this scourge of embezzlement. On Zanzibar, there is an on-going court case against a gentleman who is accused of being involved in homosexuality. A medical doctor is one of the witnesses after conducting a forced anal examination on the suspect, which rights groups have repeatedly called cruel, inhumane and without scientific basis. This case comes only a few weeks after a humiliating private video featuring the gentleman was widely shared on social media. 'Sign of African surrender' The speed and enthusiasm with which law enforcers have handled this case is baffling, considering how many real public interest cases have been ignored in the past - like the forced disappearances of journalists and other government critics Ugandan journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo shares Said's belief that the ongoing battle against homosexuals is not about defending African traditions and culture. "There is currently no anti-gay hysteria in African countries with high economic growth rates or which are able to manage their debt," he tweeted. "Anti-gay crusades are a sign of African surrender. It's the waving of white flags. Those that have given up on solving their problems are scapegoating global gay forces for their failures." Many politicians have often used homosexuality narratives to deflect the public from real issues, launch their political comeback or cement their relevance. This is because an attack on homosexuality exploits cultural or religious beliefs and appeals to voters' emotions. Kenyan President William Ruto's comments on homosexuality made frontpage news Following the decision by the Kenyan Supreme Court that the government could not lawfully refuse to register a rights organisation, President William Ruto said in a speech that he can be trusted to protect the nation's culture and traditions. "You know me very well, I am a God-fearing man," he said. "Whatever happened at the court, even if we respect the court, our culture, values, Christianity and Islam cannot allow women to marry each other, or men to marry fellow men That will not be possible in the nation of Kenya. Therefore, don't worry." In a motherly appeal, a fortnight ago, President Samia told university students to be careful with foreign traditions. She argued that human rights are not universal. "These human rights have their limits. Everywhere, there are customs and traditions. We should not be forced into things that are not our customs and traditions," said the president, who is also fondly referred to as Mama Samia. It is interesting that these politicians ignore the fact that it is actually the harsh anti-homosexuality laws - not homosexuality - that were imposed on us by the colonial government. Indeed, the original anti-homosexuality law was first introduced across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda by the British colonialists, after successfully using it in India about 150 years ago. The provision punishes homosexuality, stipulated as "carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal" with imprisonment up to life. One would have expected politicians to abhor this colonial legacy and seek to defend their constitution. This constitution is not only above the oppressive colonial law but also guarantees their people's equal rights and treatment. It is this document that they have sworn to defend, not some elusive cultural, traditional, or religious beliefs. More Letters from Africa: Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica A would-be bank robber in Virginia held five people, including a child, hostage for over an hour on Tuesday, before police were able to apprehend the man and release the hostages to safety without injury, according to the Arlington County Police. POLICE ACTIVITY: ACPD is investigating the report of an armed robbery in the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard. Expect continued police activity in the area. pic.twitter.com/HjPMLnyUrB ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) April 11, 2023 Officers were called around 3pm to reports that a man claiming to have a gun was inside a Wells Fargo bank in Arlington, demanding money. Police have not named the alleged robber or located any guns so far, NBC Washington reports . Videos from a bystander across the street from the hostage scene first show large teams of police officers with body armour and riot gear. guy being taken away in handcuffs @alanhenney pic.twitter.com/TtjLqpZhCo Eric Sutton (@EricMSutton) April 11, 2023 Another bystander captured officers escorting a handcuffed individual away from the scene. Video of the suspect getting arrested at the @WellsFargo robbery in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. Fortunately, it appears to be under control. Thank you Arlington County first responders. pic.twitter.com/EhI0xA058e Spreadsheet Ninja (@SpredsheetNinja) April 11, 2023 One individual told The Washington Post he was in class when his wife, who was with the couples young daughter, called from the bank and urged that he call the police. Story continues Its very scary, he told the paper. Im happy to see my family. The hostage comes just a day after a gunman killed five people and injured eight others in a shooting at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky. The alleged gunman, Connor Sturgeon, 25, legally purchased the assault rifle used in the shooting six days before the attack, according to officials. One of the officers who responded to the shooting, new police academy graduate Nickolas Wilt, was shot in the head and underwent brain surgery in its aftermath. He remains in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, with the fire chief in nearby LaGrange telling CNN that Mr Wilt is currently sedated. Gun violence has surged to national attention following the shootings in Louisville and another in Nashville, Tennessee. Last month, a gunman killed three students and three staff members at a private Christian elementary school.Thus far, the shootings have not inspired any new permanent restrictions on gun access. The Evergreen State has an abundance of national parks, historic sites and outdoor recreation areas for all to enjoy. While most of these types of places saw a decrease in visitors during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent National Park Service analysis (NPS) records show that this trend is now trending upwards. In Washington state, NPS lists visitation records for: National Historic Sites National Historical Parks National Recreation Areas Chelan Roosevelt National Parks Five Washington park favorites Of the numerous options in Washington, those with the most visitors in 2022 were Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Lake Roosevelt and Fort Vancouver, respectively. Olympic National Park Olympic National Park In the years before the pandemic, Olympic National Park averaged over 3 million annual visitors. This fell to about 2.5 million during the pandemic, close to the number of visitors in 2022 at 2.4 million. Its record was set in 1997 with 3.8 million visitors. Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park. Peter Haley / Staff photographer Attendance of visitors at Mount Rainier National Park only decreased during one year of the pandemic, with over 300,000 fewer visitors than were recorded in 2020 the year before. This number shot back up in 2021 and 2022, with both years seeing 1.6 million visitors. The parks best year was 1970, when nearly 2 million people visited. Lake Roosevelt Lake Roosevelt Another popular recreation site in Washington state is Lake Roosevelt, which generally brings in over a million visitors each year. Its numbers have fluctuated between 1.1 and 1.5 million visitors since its record attendance year in 2012 at 1,781,972. The fluctuating visitation rate was a pattern that continued throughout the pandemic. Fort Vancouver Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Fort Vancouvers best year was 2018, when nearly 1.1 million visitors attended the National Historic Site. By 2020, the number dropped to 670,000. National Park Service records show this trend was short-lived, with 2022 visitors listed at 964,000. Story continues Post-pandemic park visitation switch The rest of Washingtons NPS sites saw similar turnarounds in smaller numbers. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park The Lewis and Clark National Historical Parks best year was in 2017 with 293,00 visitors. Attendance dropped dramatically in 2020 with 161,000 visitors. In 2022, NPS recorded nearly 280,000 visitors. Whitman Mission National Historic Site The Whitman Mission had its best year since 2014 in 2022 with 52,000 visitors. Lake Chelan Attendance at Lake Chelan in 2022 would have been almost identical to attendance in 2019 (nearly 39,000) if 600 more people visited. The site saw a mild decrease in 2020 before going back up in 2021. Lake Chelan North Cascades National Park Visitation to the North Cascades National Park is returning to pre-pandemic numbers at around 30,000. It tracked the lowest number of visitors since 2004 in 2021 at under 18,000. Its best year was in the late 70s, when over 900,000 people attended. Multi-state border areas Not all of NPS sites reside within one state, as historical boundaries often do not reflect current boundaries. Part of Nez Perce National Historical Park is in Washington state, but the majority is in Idaho. It had its best year on record in 2022 at 344,500 visitors. National trends Nationwide, the park service says visitation has essentially recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The NPS reports holdings contributed $42.5 billion in economic output in 2021, with $20.5 billion spent in gateway communities. Visits were up by about 15 million in 2022 and only 6% lower than (the) all-time record year 2016, which was the NPS centennial year, the federal agency notes. People continue to seek a variety of national park travel experiences to learn about American history and culture, get active, and enjoy breathtaking scenic views, National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said, in part, in a Feb. 27 news release. Were excited to see our efforts to increase visitation to parks in the off-season and in parks that are less well-known paying off. Visitation data from 2022 indicate the most popular was recreation parks, accounting for 38% of visits, followed by historical and cultural parks and then nature parks. The NPS logged nearly 1.36 billion recreation hours at parks last year. Across the parks system, the Blue Ridge Parkway remains the most popular site at 15.7 million recreation visits. Its followed by Golden Gate National Recreation Area (15.6 million), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (12.9 million) and Gateway National Recreation Area (8.7 million) in New York and New Jersey. Abortion Backup Plans (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The backlash against a conservative judge in Texass ruling that suspending the Food and Drug Administrations two-decade approval of the abortion drug mifepristone shows no signs of stopping. On Tuesday evening, 50 members of the Senate Democratic and 190 Democratic members of the House Democratic caucus filed an amicus brief in support of the Biden administrations appealing US District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryks ruling. Unsurprisingly, Senator Joe Manchin, who has long been ambivalent about abortion and opposed the Womens Health Protection Act last year did not join, though Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona did, as did Representative Ruben Gallego, who is running as a Democrat in next years Senate race in the state. In a sign of how much the politics of abortion have changed, Senator Bob Casey Jr of Pennsylvania, whose father was the namesake anti-abortion governor in Planned Parenthood v Casey, signed onto the amicus brief, the same week he announced his re-election. In addition, Senators Jon Tester of Montana, whose state beat back an anti-abortion referendum last year, and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a state that voted for Donald Trump twice and has a Republican governor, also signed on, as did Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who announced her re-election campaign on Wednesday. Democrats know that essentially nullifying the approval of a commonly-used abortion drug is largely a political loser. Republicans lost scores of winnable races last election cycle. And just last week, liberals gained control of Wisconsins Supreme Court largely because Janet Protasiewicz campaigned on defending abortion rights. And public opinion is firmly on the side of Democrats on this one. A new Pew Research Center survey found that 53 per cent of Americans say that medication abortion should be available in their state and only 22 per cent say it should be illegal, while 24 per cent say they are not sure. Story continues Those numbers are staggering and spell nothing but trouble for Republicans. If they thought that the problems they faced when the Supreme Courts ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization which overturned Roe v Wade would end in 2022, these numbers show plenty of voters might actively oppose them. That same evening a number of pharmaceutical companies and executives also filed an amicus brief denouncing the decision could seriously damage the industry. In the past, Republicans likely would not dare cross a major industry like the drug lobby, but as Republicans move more to the right on social issues, they have found themselves opposing big business that it once clung to regularly for campaign contributions and policy proposals. But Republicans want to avoid the issue as much as possible. On Tuesday evening, 69 Republican members of Congress, including 11 Republican Senators, filed a brief asking an appeals court to uphold the decision, The Hill reported. While the number may seem staggering, that is less than half of the House Republican conference and a little more than a fifth of the Senate Republican conference. Conversely, as Jennifer Bendery at HuffPost reported, of the 38 Republican Senators who voted for Judge Kacsmaryks confirmation, almost all of them have been silent. By contrast, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who opposed him, denounced the decision. But this was always going to be the next frontier for social conservatives. When I covered the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, one anti-abortion activist told me the next step is chemical abortion, in reference to medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of all abortions in the US. This pits the Republican political establishment that has a vested interest in flipping Senate seats, holding the House of Representatives and winning back the White House, against a more strident activist class of social conservatives, whom they cannot afford to alienate. I have been an educator in a rural central Washington community for more than 20 years. I have taught many students who dont see themselves as belonging in college. I also have witnessed the absolute transformation in confidence, identity, and sense of possibility that happens when those students earn their first college credits while in high school. It opens their worlds. It tells them that they belong, they can handle the work, and the future is there for the taking. At Zillah High School, where I currently serve as the principal and previously taught at for 17 years, students can access more than 100 college credits through our College in the High School program. Students earn both high school and college credit at the same time. We offer courses ranging from English 101 to Agriculture Mechanics. Zillahs selection of College in the High School courses is specifically designed to help students meet general education requirements at the college level and provide specialized opportunities for students with a declared career path. Instructors and curriculum in these courses are reviewed and approved by the partnering universities and colleges to ensure that they meet the same accreditation standards as the equivalent courses on their campuses. In short, the courses are rigorous, relevant, and the credits students earn are transferable. But there is a catch. Students in Zillah and across the state must pay to receive college credit for most of the College in the High School courses they take. Students who can afford to pay receive credit. Students who cant afford it, dont. A large number of students enrolled in our College in the High School courses do all the work necessary but do not receive college credit only because they cant pay. This is a stark inequity in our public education system. Fortunately, there is a solution before the state legislature that would change the future trajectory of so many of my students and those around the state. Senate Bill 5048 eliminates the fees required to earn college credit through the College in the High School programs statewide. When a student completes the work, they automatically earn college credit to apply to the certificate, two- or four-year program they choose. The state then reimburses the college or university for the credit costs. High school students wont have to pay if this important bill passes. Story continues Job opportunities increasingly demand skills and training beyond high school. In fact, an estimated 70% of the jobs in Washington are filled by workers with post-secondary credentials. But post-secondary enrollment declined markedly through the pandemic. Between Fall 2019 and Fall 2022, enrollment at Washingtons public colleges and universities fell by 70,000 students. Thats equivalent to an entire Washington state high school graduating class not pursuing education or training after high school. This is a paradigm we must turn around if our students are going to be prepared for the future that awaits. As a state, and in our own communities, we must do everything we can to give our students the best shot at achieving their dreams and succeeding in the jobs being created. Dual-credit and dual- enrollment programs like College in the High School have a proven record of getting more students particularly those least well-served by the education system on track to completing the post-high school certificates, apprenticeships, and degrees they need. I have worked at the intersection between K-12 and higher education my entire career. Removing College in the High School fees would create generational change and is one of the most transformative policy changes I can think of for Washington students. Jeff Charbonneau is the principal at Zillah High School. He also serves as a trustee for Central Washington University and a council member for the Washington Student Achievement Council. He was the 2013 U.S. National Teacher of the Year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov still has not received the visa he needs to enter the U.S. for a United Nations Security Council meeting later this month, despite Russias seat as president of the top international body. "Not a single visa has been issued yet," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news outlet TASS Wednesday, noting that Moscows delegation to the U.N. has also not yet received travel visas. Russia's envoy to the U.N. told the Russian news outlet that Lavrov would travel to U.N. headquarters in New York for the meeting slated to begin April 24, though Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the State Department to confirm whether it would actually issue Moscow the necessary visas. US, UK WALK OUT OF RUSSIA-LED UN MEETING AS OFFICIAL WANTED ON WAR CRIMES CHARGES SPEAKS The U.S. previously granted Lavrov and his team access to the U.N. headquarters last September for the annual gathering of world leaders which would make this the first time Lavrov has been barred from entering the U.S. since Russia invaded Ukraine if the department does not issue Moscow the necessary travel documents. Geopolitical tensions have continued to mount. Earlier this month, the U.S. and its top ally, the U.K., walked out of a meeting as Moscows envoy for children's rights, Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, began speaking to the Security Council by webcast. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin had warrants for their arrest issued by the ICC last month after they were accused of illegally deporting children from Ukraine to Russia, though Lavrov has not had such a warrant issued against him. RUSSIA TAKES OVER PRESIDENCY OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL; BAD OPTICS FOR WEST, PROPAGANDA WIN FOR PUTIN: EXPERTS The Russian foreign minister has nonetheless faced deep condemnation within the world body for Russias war in Ukraine even as Russia leads the rotational Security Council role as president for the month of April. Story continues Last week, Russia lost election to three U.N. bodies under the 54-member Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in a sign that opposition within the international body has not waned with regard to its illegal invasion. Russia was defeated by Estonia for membership on the executive board of U.N. childrens agency UNICEF. It also lost to Romania for a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women before being defeated by Armenia and the Czech Republic for membership on the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting at U.N. Headquarters in New York on March 7, 2023. "This is a clear signal from ECOSOC members that no country should hold positions on critical U.N. bodies when they are in flagrant violation of the U.N. Charter," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after last weeks votes. Russia was elected by acclamation to the Commission for Social Development, from which the U.S. and the U.K. dissociated their countries and said that Russias invasion violates international law and Ukraines territorial integrity, which in turn weakens the credibility of the body. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In the wake of the brutal beating and death of Tyre Nichols earlier this year, police in Memphis will be directed to cease traffic stops for low-level offenses like improperly placed license plates or a single broken brake light. City council members passed the "Achieving Driving Equality" ordinance on Tuesday, making the city the sixth in the country to pass a similar ordinance, according to Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas, its sponsor. The ordinance was a win for advocacy groups who have pushed for its passage since the death of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died three days after being beaten by Memphis police officers. Nichols was pulled over in a Jan. 7 traffic stop before officers forced him from his vehicle, tased, chased and beat him. The ordinance still allows police officers to stop drivers for primary violations and when there are both a primary and secondary violation. However, they may not stop a driver for only a secondary violation. Yolanda Cooper-Sutton leads a chant during a rally outside of Memphis City Hall in support of police reform and to call for the ordinance drafted by Allan Wade, the attorney who represents Memphis City Council, to not be passed in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, April 10, 2023. Well continue to fight for the people and for the community until justice has been served, she said on why she wanted to come to the rally. What we do not want is another barbaric tragedy by people who were put in place to serve and protect. The goal is to reduce interactions between police and the public and to allow police to focus on serious crimes, not poverty crimes, Easter-Thomas said. Secondary violations are defined as: Vehicles with expired registration within 60 days of expiration When a temporary registration permit is improperly located but still clearly displayed When the registration plate is not securely fastened but is clearly displayed When a single light (including brake, head or running light) is out Loosely secured bumpers What this ordinance is, is surrounding the idea of pretextual stops, how they arent helpful and how they divert resources away from our clearly intentioned needs in our community such as dealing with crime and aiding our citizens," Easter-Thomas said. State law still takes precedence over a local ordinance. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis told council members that state laws will allow officers to stop cars for secondary violations if there is a situation thats an outlier. Story continues Audience members celebrate after an ordinance, which would have consolidated the previously passed ordinances on data transparency, traffic stops and more, was tabled indefinitely by Councilman JB Smiley during the Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. It was the final ordinance supported by advocacy groups like Decarcerate Memphis and Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope to be passed by the Memphis City Council. During a council meeting, Rosalyn Nichols, an Interfaith Officer at the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), asked the council to rename the ordinance the "Tyre Nichols Driving Equality Ordinance," which was supported by Nichols' family. As you well know, this ordinance will reduce the threat against citizens and the loss of life at the hands of police in the name of law enforcement," Rosalyn Nichols said. "This will be the first step for healing that starts as we begin to move as a community beyond the darkness of Jan. 7 as a model for our nation with Memphis leading. Easter-Thomas said she wanted to talk with Tyre Nichols' family before adding his name to the ordinance. Another ordinance, which would have consolidated the previously passed ordinances on data transparency, traffic stops and more, was tabled indefinitely by Councilman JB Smiley after opposition from advocates and questions from council members as to whether it was redundant. That ordinance also included language from local police policy and the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Smiley said Tuesday that the council's actions in passing multiple reforms set a standard for creating change. This council heard you all," Smiley said. "We implemented what we believed, what you all believed to be serious changes as it relates to criminal justice reform. Yolanda Cooper-Sutton places a photo by Tyre Nichols on an easel during a rally outside of Memphis City Hall in support of police reform and to call for the ordinance drafted by Allan Wade, the attorney who represents Memphis City Council, to not be passed in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, April 10, 2023. Advocates call for change that honors Tyre Nichols A day before City Council met, a group of about 40 community members gathered outside City Hall to remember Nichols life, 90 days after he died, and call for the passage of the driving equality ordinance. It shouldnt be this hard, said the Rev. Andre E. Johnson, senior pastor at Gifts of Life Ministries. The justice for Tyre campaign has done wonderful work in bringing facts and figures and research about the atrocities of pretextual stops. It should not be this hard to get people to understand how Black folks are treated in this city. It should not be this hard to do what is right. A group of speakers stood in front of Nichols photography that had been printed onto canvasses. The pictures mainly consisted of sunsets over Memphis, a sight his parents said he would regularly set aside time to watch. Yall see these beautiful works of art? asked Trinity Williams, an activist and student at Rhodes College. Every aspect of color, every aspect of creativity, every aspect of individuality is represented in his artwork. In the wake of his death, do you know what the officers did? They stepped on his artwork... They told him that his God-given talent was not worthy of being seen. Richard Massey, a student activist at the University of Memphis, said the ordinance should not be seen as a radical ask, and that minor stops can be predatory and lead to negative interactions with police. Weve already seen this legislation in Los Angeles and Philadelphiaand now its being debated in Memphis, Massey said. Its up in the air in Memphis as if its some kind of radical concept. Weve demanded an end to pretextual traffic stops in order to ensure that people arent pulled over on the basis of their income because they cant afford to fix their broken taillight at the moment. Were demanding that dangling an air freshener, or graduation tassels, doesnt serve as the precursor to the death of Black and brown people. Katherine Burgess covers government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Tyre Nichols: Memphis passes ordinance to end minor traffic stops Ukrainian defenders at the front near Bakhmut Read also: EUs top diplomat slams Chinas position paper One of the papers, dated Feb. 23 and titled Battle for the Donbas Region Likely Heading for a Stalemate Throughout 2023, suggests Russia wont be able to seize Donbas by the end of the year. Russia's grinding campaign of attrition in the Donbas region is likely heading toward a stalemate, thwarting Moscow's goal to capture the entire region in 2023, the report quotes the document. These tactics have diminished Russian forces and munition stockpiles to a level that, barring an unforeseen recovery, can exhaust Russian units and frustrate Moscow's war aims, resulting in a protracted war beyond 2023. Read also: Russia likely to actively use its airborne forces in offensive operations in Ukraine, says UK intelligence Another assessment says that both Ukrainian and Russian forces have moderate combat sustainability, meaning then neither side is likely to suffer a collapse of its ability to fight. On April 6, The New York Times, citing sources in the White House, reported that the Pentagon was investigating a leak of classified documents relating to U.S. and NATO efforts to prepare the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the coming counteroffensive. Recently, classified materials, dated March 1, appeared on Twitter, Telegram, and across other social media and messenger apps. Read also: Anti-graft court greenlights investigation of prominent bankers bribery case in absentia The following day, more papers were made public, revealing alleged U.S. efforts to spy on its allies in Asia and Middle East. On April 11, UK Defense Ministry urged caution when examining the documents, saying they contain a serious level of inaccuracy. Read also: Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft system set-up to protect Putins Sochi residence Navalnys investigative team Ukrainian officials suggested that Russian intelligence community is behind the leak, pointing towards several obvious alterations of the source material which paint a more favorable picture of Moscows standing in the war. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said the documents contain a mix of truth and lies. 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 Warren County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help finding a man wanted for multiple criminal charges Tyler James Hagens is wanted for charges of rape and pandering obscenities involving a minor when a person creates, reproduces, buys, sells, advertises for sale, publicly distributes, or displays any obscene material of a juvenile. Hagens is described as a black male, 57, 190 lbs with black and brown hair. He is said to have a tattoo on his right forearm with the name Ty on it. >> Vandalia woman accused of making threats toward local churches facing charges He could be driving a 2011 black Chevrolet Impala, according to the sheriffs office, and has family and friends in Forest Park, Ohio. Hagens is also known to be armed with a handgun. Anyone with information about Hagens whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Brandi Carter with the Warren County Sheriffs Office at 513-695-2338, or e-mail crimetips@wcsooh.org. The Washington Post has reported that the Ukrainian counteroffensive, expected to launch this spring, has been delayed by poor weather conditions, slow supplies of weapons, equipment and ammunition from the West, and the Pentagon documents leak, which revealed the weak spots in Ukraines air defence. Source: The Washington Post Quote: "The expected spring offensive has been framed as Ukraines make-or-break opportunity this year to recapture territory held by Russian forces, which totals about one-fifth of the country. But the operation has been delayed by weather, slow equipment deliveries and ammunition scarcities, fueling fears of a stalemate. Further complicating the planned counterattack is the leak of dozens of U.S. military and intelligence documents, including many details about the condition of Ukraines military and its capabilities, including weaknesses in air defences that could force commanders to alter their plans." Details: Many Ukrainians fear that if Ukraine fails to recapture "significant territory" that has been taken by Russia, they will be forced to negotiate with Russia from an unfavourable position. At the same time, Ukrainian forces are carrying out operations to test Russian defences, despite the lack of ammunition and the reliance on the slow deliveries of Western military aid. A Ukrainian corporal in Donetsk Oblast, just over a kilometre away from Russian positions, told the WP journalists that he has been using commercial drones to identify and spy on the Russian forces, detect weaknesses in their defences and plan attacks to destroy Russian defence fortifications. He said that small-scale operations are helping his unit prepare for the full-scale offensive while they await the arrival of ammunition and heavy equipment. Another commander deployed just outside the eastern city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk Oblast, recounted similar operations to test Russian defence. The 24-year-old captain with the call sign Metis who oversees the planning of operations and reconnaissance for his unit said: "They are reinforcing [their positions] with whatever they can find: wood, even trash." Story continues Metis told the WP that the success of the testing operations does not mean his unit is ready for the full offensive, as it continues to wait for more heavy equipment, armoured vehicles to move large numbers of troops forward and more training. He said that when his unit first received an advanced anti-tank weapon system, troops trained themselves with the system manual and YouTube tutorials. With regard to the future counteroffensive, Ukrainian defenders are most concerned about anti-personnel mines. A lieutenant colonel commanding a tank battalion in the Zaporizhzhia region, who goes by the call sign Hrim (Thunder) said that there are mines on both sides of the front: "We planted a lot of mines, and so did the Russian side." The WP reported that the fight for Bakhmut "has stretched into the longest and deadliest battle of the war, with steep casualties on each side." Background: The US military intelligence believes that Ukraine's problems with the accumulation of troops, ammunition and equipment may lead to the fact that its military will "significantly lag behind" the original goals of Kyiv regarding the expected counteroffensive. Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, said late in March 2023 that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was planning to conduct a counter-offensive on several fronts, but it all depended on the weather conditions. The Ukrainian troops are also waiting for the "right moment", and Reznikov believes it will happen in April or May. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the narrative of the counter-offensive as a decisive battle is dangerous for Ukraine, as in case of failure, those in the West who pushed Ukraine to compromise with Russia will strengthen their positions. According to him, if the spring counteroffensive is perceived as decisive but does not lead to "100-percent liberation of Ukrainian territory," "some may say that it was the last decisive battle, and now we need to think about an alternative scenario." Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Egyptologists, fact-checkers and ordinary internet users have taken aim at Congolese rapper Maitre Gims this week over a video in which he claimed the pharaohs' pyramids were wired for electricity. The francophone megastar claimed that "the science the Egyptians had is beyond understanding and historians know it" in an interview with YouTube channel Oui Hustle -- published in March but seized on in recent days online. "In the age of the Empire of Kush (from the 8th century BC) there was electricity, the pyramids you see there had gold on their peaks, gold is the best conductor of electricity," he said. "They were effing antennas... people don't understand that," the 36-year-old added. "The only power in Ancient Egypt was human power," Egyptologist Guillemette Andreu-Lanoe told the Huffington Post's French edition in response. "There was no gold on the summits of the pyramids, neither inside nor outside of the structures." In fact, the massive mausoleums were built entirely from rocks like limestone, granite and quartzite. "We've discovered that Gims isn't just a huge rapper but also a dependable historian," radio journalist Matthieu Noel joked on broadcaster France Inter Wednesday. "Gims' new album will be called 'Crazier Than Ever'," he added. Some social media users responded to Gims by posting images from the 1994 film Stargate, in which the pyramids serve as landing pads for alien spacecraft. Taking a more serious tone, disinformation specialist Tristan Mendes France recalled on Twitter that Gims has "three million Twitter followers, 11 million on Facebook, 11 million on YouTube." "Most of them young people who see him as a role model. And who will hear this," he added. "Good luck to history teachers in middle schools and high schools." Born in Congo in 1986 into a family of musicians, Gims has lived most of his life in France after his parents fled the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko when he was just two years old. Initially a member of Parisian rap group Sexion d'Assaut, his solo career took off in the 2010s, making him one of the best-known rappers in the French-speaking world with particularly fervent fans in central and western Africa. tgb/adp/gw Cathy O'Brien was found in her Oakdale Drive home in Webster. UPDATE (April. 12, 2023): A Monroe County Court jury on Tuesday convicted a Webster man for the 2019 stabbing death of a Webster woman inside her Oakdale Drive home. Piero Scala, now 42, was found guilty of second-degree murder, a felony, and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor, for the stabbing death of Cathy O'Brien in October 2019, according to the Monroe County District Attorney's Office. O'Brien, 56, was found dead inside her home on Oct. 9, 2019 after a friend called police to check on her. Police said that the two knew one another for more than a year before she was killed. Cathy OBrien loved life, loved her siblings, and her nieces and nephews, District Attorney Sandra Doorley said in a news release. Piero Scala was supposed to be her friend, but brutally killed her, taking her away from her loved ones." Assistant District Attorney Michael Robertson, who leads special victims unit for the DA's Office, described O'Brien's killing as "violent, senseless, and completely unnecessary. He prosecuted the case with ADA Kristina Hinkley of domestic violence bureau. Scala is scheduled to be sentenced by Monroe County Court Judge Stephen Miller on June 26. --- ORIGINAL STORY (Nov. 13, 2019): A Webster man accused of stabbing a woman to death inside her home last month has been indicted on new charges. Piero Scala, 39, of Avis Blossom Trail, is now charged with second-degree murder, a felony, and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor, in the slaying of Cathy O'Brien on Oct. 7. Scala was indicted by a Monroe County grand jury and the indictment became public Wednesday, according to the Monroe County District Attorney's Office. Scala is accused of stabbing O'Brien to death inside her home at 270 Oakdale Drive in Webster. Her body was found Oct. 9 after a friend called police and asked for officers to check on her. Story continues Piero Scala Court documents allege that Scala entered the one-story home and stabbed O'Brien multiple times sometime between 12:49 and 2:50 a.m. Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley said at a press conference announcing the arrest that tips offered by community members helped authorities. She said Scala was a person of interest since early in the investigation. Rieger declined to say how O'Brien and Scala knew one another, just that they were acquaintances who knew one another for more than a year. Scala was apprehended at his home without incident and was originally arraigned in Webster Town Court. He is being held in the Monroe County Jail without bail. Webster Police Chief Joseph Rieger announces the arrest of Piero Scala, of Webster, who was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly killing Cathy O'Brien at her Oakdale Drive home in Webster. O'Brien's death came less than three months after another slaying in a nearby neighborhood within Webster. On July 17, Timothy B. Manley Jr., 29, was fatally shot on Hollywood Boulevard. No charges have been filed in connection with his death. Rieger has said the two homicides are not related. Both homicides occurred in separate neighborhoods off of Bay Road in Webster. WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com VFREILE@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Piero Scala convicted in death of Cathy O'Brien Volodymyr Zelenskyy Read also: Mariupol City Council publishes photos of ruined seaport Ukraine wont become a ruin; our goal is to prevent that, said Zelenskyy. That will become the definitive proof of the defeat of the terrorist state (Russia). Especially since the world has the solution regarding the assets belonging to Russia, Russian officials, oligarchs who enriched themselves as their state slid towards terrorism All these assets must be used to compensate those Russia inflicted pain and suffering upon. According to the president, Ukrainian recovery was discussed at a special meeting dedicated to international financial assistance to Kyiv earlier on April 12. Read also: World Bank estimates Ukraines recovery needs at $411 billion media reports I just participated in a meeting (focused on) financial support for Ukraine, he added. The event is taking place in Washington and brings together finance minister of resilient global democracies our partners, the European Commission, heads of international financial institutions: the IMF, World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Read also: Bucha may serve as venue for international tribunal on Russian crimes, PM Shmyhal says In late March, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal said it would take $411 billion to finance Ukraines comprehensive post-war recovery. 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 new COVID variant Arcturus has caused a huge uptick in infections in India. (Reuters) Five people in England have died from the new COVID variant dubbed Arcturus, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed. The latest technical briefing on COVID variants in England states that 105 sequenced cases of XBB.1.16 have been identified - 54 were men, 50 women, and one person whose gender was not recorded. The average age was 74. London recorded the most cases with 30, while the north west region recorded 22. Five cases have been identified in Scotland, eight in Wales, and two in Northern Ireland. No cases have been recorded in the North-east. The new variant has been linked to a surge in cases of coronavirus in India, with the World Health Organization (WHO) recently classifying it as a variant of interest. Arcturus Covid variant kills 5 in UK as strain spreads globally (Independent, 3 min) What is the COVID variant Arcturus? The XBB.1.16 strain of coronavirus is a sub-variant of Omicron, but health chiefs have said that there is no evidence to suggest the strain is more severe than past subvariants. Data from the UKHSA shows Arcturus makes up roughly 2.3 per cent of all new cases. In India, where it was first detected and is most prolific, the spread has led the government to take measures to stop its spread, including reintroducing the use of face masks in public spaces. ` The country has asked states to identify emergency hotspots and ramp up-testing for COVID-19 in reaction to the surge. India's federal government asked states to identify emergency hotspots and ramp up-testing for COVID-19. (Reuters) What are the most common symptoms? According to the ZOE Covid study the three most common symptoms are now a sore throat, a runny or blocked nose, and sneezing, while fever and loss of sense of taste or smell previously among the most common signs of the virus are no longer in the top 10. According to the GAVI global health partnership, anecdotal reports in India suggest Arcturus may be associated with "itchy" or "sticky" eyes, as well as a high fever and cough. Paediatrician Dr Rahul Nagpal told India Today: "Usually, these children come with simple respiratory infections of cough, cold and fever, and when tested they turn out to be positive." Story continues Dr Nagpal added the main symptoms of XBB.1.16 in adults resembled the flu, including a nasal discharge, sore throat and cough. Does the COVID vaccine protect against Arcturus? The UKHSA has said there is insufficient data to calculate the severity or vaccine effectiveness of Arcturus compared to other variants that are circulating. The agency said that based on the epidemiological and laboratory data, it was unclear whether the growth seen in India will be replicated in the UK. XBB.1.16 is currently at a low prevalence in the UK, showing some early evidence of growth advantage (low confidence due to low sample numbers), and will be monitored, they said in a report published on Friday. Why the world is unprepared if new Covid variant Arcturus proves deadly (Independent, 4 min) There is no evidence 'Arcturus' has caused an increase in hospitalisations or deaths. (Getty) Which countries have the highest COVID rates right now? Daily new COVID cases in India have more than tripled from around 2,000 at the end of March. The country has recorded more than 44.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic three years ago, the third-highest tally after the United States and China, and has a death toll from the virus of more than 530,000. Read more: Nearly 60,000 people have died of Covid in China in past five weeks (Guardian, 3 min) Meanwhile, COVID-19 has dropped out of the top five leading causes of death in England and Wales for the first time since the start of the pandemic, figures from Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. Coronavirus was recorded as the main cause of death for 22,454 people in 2022, or 3.9% of all deaths registered, making it the sixth leading cause overall. By contrast, dementia and Alzheimers disease was the leading cause in England and Wales in 2022, with 65,967 deaths registered (11.4% of the total), up from 61,250 (10.4%) in 2021. Read more: COVID-19 no longer a leading cause of death in England and Wales (Yahoo, 4 min) The White House on Tuesday issued new proposals to dramatically cut how much water states can draw from the Colorado River, a last-ditch effort to protect the drought-stricken resource used by 40 million Americans. The Interior Department released an environmental review on Tuesday that homes in on three options for the Colorado River after the seven states and tribes that depend on its waters failed to reach an agreement to determine how cuts would fall. One option would split cuts based on seniority of water rights, meaning California the oldest user of the river would see minimal changes while Arizona and Nevada would face sharp limitations. A second plan would evenly distribute cuts across Arizona, Nevada and California, ignoring legal seniority at the expense of the latters agriculture that supplies produce to the entire country. A third option, to do nothing, would ultimately lead to catastrophe for all. Water is life. As someone who was raised in the desert, I know how water scarcity can put stress on communities. @Interior and @usbr are working diligently to address unprecedented drought in the Colorado River Basin. https://t.co/jfL0DhzymR Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) April 11, 2023 The federal government is only able to impose water limits on states that draw reserves released from Lake Mead and Lake Powell, so the draft analysis focuses on downstream states Arizona, California and Nevada. Four other states and other tribal governments also rely on the Colorado River basin. The Biden administration did not issue a public stance on any of the options. Its expected to make a decision about potential cuts by August, although Tommy Beaudreau, the deputy secretary of the Interior Department, told The New York Times the government would prefer states to work out a plan among themselves. Story continues A bathtub ring of light minerals shows the high water line of Lake Mead near water intakes on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Sunday, June 26, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev. A bathtub ring of light minerals shows the high water line of Lake Mead near water intakes on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Sunday, June 26, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev. The plan reflects a serious and urgent threat to the western United States. Water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell have plummeted over the past 23 years of drought, leading to dramatic declines in the Colorado Rivers flow. Officials worry the water may one day be too low to turn the turbines in the lakes that generate electricity, or drop so far that it wont be able to reach the intake valves that flow out into the river. If that happens, an event known as dead pool, water wouldnt flow downstream to southern states at all and the river would effectively stop. The federal government has urged states to cut their water use and offered billions of dollars in incentives to farmers and cities to do so, but states missed a deadline last year to come up with a proposal. Six of the states that rely on the Colorado River reached an agreement to major cuts in January, but California rejected the plan, prompting the latest intervention. A wet winter full of rain and snow that drew parts of California out of drought will help water levels in the short term and may limit the amount of cuts required, but experts warn the weather is merely a balm for a deeper wound that would take much more to heal. The stakes for the region are high. Some 40 million Americans depend on the Colorado River basin for drinking water and its supply irrigates about 5.5 million acres of agriculture, mostly in California. The dams on Lake Mead and Lake Powell create electricity that powers millions of homes. In our mind, the appropriate presentation is grounded in the secretarys authorities to provide for human health and safety, manage the system under emergency conditions, and provide for beneficial use, Beaudreau told The Washington Post. It is the secretarys responsibility, and she has the authority, to protect the system. Related... The Biden administration is declaring xylazine-laced fentanyl an official emerging drug threat to the nation, the first time any drug has been given that label. Xylazine, also known as tranq, is an easily accessible veterinary drug approved for use in animals as a sedative and pain reliever. But it is also being used by drug dealers as a low-cost cutting agent in drugs like fentanyl as a way to extend a users high. Im troubled about what Ive learned about the devastating impact of the fentanyl xylazine combination, which is growing in youth across the nation, said Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The agency is going to prioritize specific action areas, including increasing testing capacity. Testing for xylazine is uneven across the United States, which makes it hard to get the national picture. Many communities are not even aware of this threat in their backyard, Gupta said during a call with reporters. The administration will also work to disrupt the supply chains of the drug, as well as how best to regulate it. Bipartisan members of Congress in both chambers introduced legislation that would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance. Gupta said the administration was still considering whether to schedule xylazine itself or the broader class of similar substances that could be used as a way to adulterate fentanyl. Veterinarians legitimately use drug products containing xylazine to sedate large animals such as horses and deer, but it is not safe for use in people and may cause serious and life-threatening side effects. Among the side effects of tranq are ulcers that crop up on various parts of the body, which sometimes lead to the loss of fingers or limbs. Xylazine is not an opioid, so the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone does not work on it. A 2018 law gives the administration the authority to make the threat declaration, which is meant to help increase awareness and spur treatments. Story continues The declaration by itself doesnt come with an increase in funding, but in a call with reporters, Gupta called on Congress to pass the White Houses budget request, which includes money appropriated for combating emerging drug threats. We need support from Congress for this, Gupta said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Corrects to restore dropped word 'after' in paragraph 3) By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday and discussed Iran and steps aimed at ending the war in Yemen, the White House said. The call comes after Beijing recently brokered a deal to restore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the top regional powers in the Middle East, a process the United States was largely left out of. The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing last week after agreeing to end their diplomatic rift following years of hostility that fuelled conflicts across the Middle East. "Mr. Sullivan and Crown Prince Salman also discussed broader trends toward de-escalation in the region, while underscoring the need to maintain deterrence against threats from Iran and elsewhere. Mr. Sullivan reaffirmed President (Joe) Bidens unwavering commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon," the White House said in a statement late on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Gulfs dominant Sunni Muslim and Shiite Muslim powers respectively, have said they would launch arrangements to reopen embassies and consulates within the two-month period stipulated in their deal brokered by China. Beijing's role was seen by some experts as signalling a loss of influence by the United States with Saudi Arabia, amid tensions between the long-time allies over a range of issues, including human rights and Saudi oil production cuts. Saudi and Omani delegations held talks with Houthi officials in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Sunday, as Riyadh seeks a permanent ceasefire to end its military involvement in the country's long-running war. Yemen's war is seen as one of several proxy battles between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, ousted a Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in late 2014, and have de facto control of north Yemen. (This story has been refiled to restore the dropped word 'after' in paragraph 3) (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Edwina Gibbs) The mine will be constructed on the site of the former Marchon chemical works on the outskirts of Whitehaven A legal challenge opposing the UK's first major coal mine in more than 40 years has been rejected. South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) and Friends of the Earth had called for the High Court to quash government approval for the mine at Whitehaven in Cumbria. They argued Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove's backing was based on "errors in law". The government said it acted on advice of the independent planning inspector. Approved in December, the Woodhouse Colliery scheme will see millions of tonnes of coking coal extracted for steel production. Operator West Cumbria Mining says it will create 500 highly-skilled jobs with up to 1,500 more in the supply chain. 'Not the end of the line' However, environmental campaigners argue Mr Gove "failed to account for the significant climate impacts of the mine". Carole Wood, chairwoman of SLACC, said the two groups would use their right to contest the High Court's ruling at a specially convened hearing. "We and our legal team are firmly of the view that there are legal errors in the government's decision to permit the mine. "The government sought to turn a blind eye to the climate impacts from burning the coal that will be produced by the mine, and we look forward to a hearing to consider whether this approach can be lawful." Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth added: "This isn't the decision we had hoped for, but it isn't the end of the line. "Opponents of the mine raised critically important, climate-related questions in the planning inquiry, but these were either fudged or avoided. With the world in an accelerating climate crisis, these issues cannot be ignored." Campaigners fear the mine will undermine the UK's climate targets In response to the court's ruling, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "The Secretary of State has agreed to grant planning permission for a new metallurgical coal mine in Cumbria as recommended by the independent planning inspector. "The reasons for the Secretary of State's decision are set out in full in his published letter, alongside the report of the independent planning inspector who oversaw the inquiry. Story continues "It would be inappropriate to comment further given ongoing legal proceedings." It argues the site will be used for producing steel which would otherwise need to be imported and that the development will have "an overall neutral effect on climate change". The mine was initially approved by Cumbria County Council in 2020 but was then made the subject of a public inquiry. A ruling was delayed several times before the government gave the scheme its backing in December. Supporters believe it will give west Cumbria a much-needed economic boost. Copeland's Conservative elected mayor, Mike Starkie, has described it as "a huge economic investment" and fellow Conservative Trudy Harrison, the MP for Copeland, has also given her approval. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Hong Kong: $3k voucher available Apr 16 The Government today announced that the first voucher under the 2023 Consumption Voucher Scheme (CVS) will be disbursed to about 6.4 million eligible people on April 16. Those who successfully registered under the scheme last year will receive the voucher on that day, it added. Hong Kong permanent residents and new arrivals will receive a $3,000 voucher, while eligible people who have come to live in Hong Kong through different admission schemes for talent, professionals and entrepreneurs and to study in the city will receive a $1,500 voucher. People using AlipayHK, BoC Pay, Octopus, PayMe from HSBC, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK will receive SMS notifications or mobile app push notifications on that day. Those using Octopus cards to receive the vouchers should collect the voucher with the same card used for collecting vouchers last year. If that Octopus card has been returned or lost, they should use the card that has been registered through an application for amendment of registration record. In view of the stored value limit of Octopus cards, for people who cannot collect the full value of the voucher disbursed when tapping the card on the disbursement date, the remaining value can be collected by tapping the card again after the cards stored value has been lowered through spending with it. For enquiries on the value of the vouchers disbursed, the unspent/uncollected voucher balance and deadlines, browse the apps and websites or call the hotlines of the relevant stored value facility operators. There are about 7,000 people whose stored value facility account has become invalid and have yet to update their registration record. They may submit their application for updating their registration record via the designated address in the CVS website. Alternatively, they may download from the CVS website or call hotline 18 5000 to obtain the Application Form for Amendment of Registration Information by post, email or fax, and post the completed form to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat, GPO P.O. Box 185000, Hong Kong. No postage stamp is required if posted in Hong Kong. Eligible people who have obtained the JoyYou card and returned their Octopus card used for receiving vouchers last year may call the Octopus hotline 2969 5588 to make the amendment. These applicants will have their voucher disbursed to them on a date later than April 16. The Government will arrange with the stored value facility operators to disburse the voucher to them as soon as possible and they will be informed of the specific date separately. This story has been published on: 2023-04-12. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. U.S. Louisville bank shooter buys AR-15 rifle legally Xinhua) 10:25, April 12, 2023 CHICAGO, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The bank shooter, 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon, bought an AR-15 rifle legally a week ago and used it to "target" his victims at the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville in the U.S. state of Kentucky, leaving five people dead and eight others injured Monday morning. At a press conference on Tuesday, Louisville Police Interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel confirmed the shooter was a bank employee, and bought on April 4 at a local gun dealer the weapon used in Monday's attack. The victims were all bank employees, aged between 40 and 64. Two police officers were injured, with one taking a bullet to the head and still in critical condition. Louisville Police on Tuesday released three pieces of videos from the bank shooting. One video shows the suspect walking in the bank holding a rifle. Bodycam video from an officer shows the suspect shot from inside at officers approaching outside. The officers could not see inside the building on their approach. A third video from a bystander shows the officer was forced down the steps leading to front door of the bank and took shelter. No official motive for the killing has been determined. Local police made to the scene in three minutes. Police said Monday that the suspect was killed in exchange of fires with police. The incident started around 8:30 a.m. Monday (1230 GMT) at the bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. There was a heavy police presence at the scene, with damaged glass and discarded medical equipment at one location, local media reported Monday after the shooting happened. Gunshots could be heard on video clips posted on social media Monday. Gwinn-Villaroel said Monday the shooter had broadcast live the attack on Instagram. In the latest gun violence, one man died and three other people were hurt in a shooting at a funeral home in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. There have been 147 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter. Meanwhile, more than 11,650 people have lost their lives to gun violence in the past few months, the website's data showed. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) You can blame a bar in Milwaukee. Dotdash Meredith / Sabrina Tan Order The Bloody Beast at Sobelmans Pub & Grill in Milwaukee and youll get a classic Bloody Mary cocktail, garnished with an array of pickled itemsasparagus, mushroom, a Brussels sprout, and a piece of Polish sausageplus a celery stalk and skewers of cheese, tomato, shrimp, and lemon. Oh, and a cheeseburger slider, some bacon-wrapped jalapeno cheese balls, and bacon-wrapped chicken with bourbon sauce. Also, an entire fried chicken. The cocktail/hefty brunch meal costs $60, and owner Dave Sobelman says the bar sells 5 to 10 of them a week, and more at Sunday brunch in the summertime. The Bloody Mary didnt start this way, according to Jeffrey Pogash, who literally wrote the book on the drink and runs a drinks consultancy and catering company The Cocktail Guru with his son Jonathan. The first published recipe for the classic combo of vodka, tomato juice, and spices comes from 1941, when Crosby Gaiges Cocktail Guide and Ladies Companion credited the drink to the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Gaiges recipe doesnt specify a garnish, but photos from the time reveal that it was just a simple lemon wedge. (The King Cole Bar actually called the drink a Red Snapperand still does todayperhaps, Pogash says, to differentiate its version from other early Bloody Marys, or perhaps because St. Regis owner John Jacob Astor thought the name was vulgar.) After that, the original unusual garnish was the now-familiar celery stalk. That originated at Chicagos Ambassador Hotel in the late 40s or early 50s. Thats about it as far as tracing the history of Bloody Mary garnish, Pogash saysuntil the 2010s. About seven years ago, I was asked to judge a cocktail contest at the first Bloody Mary Festival in Brooklyn, he says. Thats when I first noticed the explosion of strange garnishesa cheeseburger on a stick, a whole bunch of other things, to the point where you couldnt even get your mouth on the glass to taste it. Story continues And for that, we have Sobelmans Pub & Grill to thank. Opened in 1999, the Milwaukee establishment started off as a little corner bar that catered to the locals, according to Dave Sobelman, who owns the bar with his wife, Melanie. I didnt want a run-down dive bar and wanted something better. We started making better burgers and better Bloody Marys. At first, the Bloodys were only sold for Sunday brunch, with a celery stick and a shrimp as garnish, but that wasnt enough for Dave. I thought, Why should I wait until Sunday? I should do this every day, he says. That led to adding more and more. I was like a guy working on a motorcycle or car, just looking for more stuff to add. Dotdash Meredith / Sabrina Tan The original Sobelmans happened to be next to pickle-maker Bay View Packing, which carries a wide variety of pickled vegetables, eggs, meat, and more. That led to Bloody Marys topped with arrays of pickles, which started to get attention in Milwaukee. Other local bars began adding their own wild garnishesAJ Bombers, for example, serves its Bloody with a burger, bacon, cheese, pickles, and a beerand something of a garnish arms race began. Soblemans now offers six different Bloody Mary options, each with its own assortment of toppings; and the Bloody Beast has been on the menu since 2014. From there, the trend spread nationwide. Buffalo & Bergen, a Washington, D.C. restaurant specializing in knishes and New York-style bagels was an early adopter, creating the Loxd and Loaded in 2012. Thats a Bloody Mary garnished withyou guessed itan entire lox and bagel sandwich, complete with cream cheese, red onion, and capers. As a destination where day-drinking is commonplace, Las Vegas is another center for wild Bloodys. The house special at Favorite Bistro includes two sliders, two chicken wings, two slices of bacon, a fried pickle, and onion rings, while the Big Bloody Bull Rider at Virgils Real Barbecue comes with a skewer stacked high with house-smoked meats. The trend has even come to Canada, where the Bloody Caesarmade with Clamato (yep, thats tomato and clam broth) instead of plain tomato juiceis something of a national obsession. Score on Davie, which has locations in Vancouver and Toronto, offers nine different Caesars, including ones topped with an egg sandwich, corn dogs, or fried mac and cheese balls. Its $60 Big Boys even include dessert with their multicourse meals: The Checkmate has a pulled pork cheese dog, slider, full-sized burger, wings, onion rings, a fried Cornish hen, and a brownie, while the Grande includes a fried chicken sandwich, fried-tortilla-shell nacho bowl, a burger, corn dogs, mac and cheese balls, and a slice of Nutella pie. (A complex architecture of wooden skewers keeps everything separate, and ensures that none of the garnishes get wet.) Dotdash Meredith / Sabrina Tan So why is the Bloody Mary the drink that gets topped with an entire meal rather than, say, the martini? Part of it must be the drinks reputation as a hangover cure. Both greasy food and the tomato-based drink are said to relieve the effects of overdoing it, and both are popular for brunch. For Pogash, it also has to do with the drinks adaptability. I believe that the Bloody Mary itself is like a tabula rasa. Its a blank slate, left open to interpretation. There was never an official recipe, so many different ingredients are used, he says. Restaurants started competing with each other to bring people in, and then things just started to go overboard. Pogash himself isnt a fan of the pile of garnishes, preferring something very simple: a lime wedge or wheel. Despite being an expert on the cocktail, he describes it as such a plain, simple, and in many ways lackluster drink and prefers to spice his up at home with V8 Vegetable Juice and tequila or even Scotch as the base spirit (making it technically a Bloody Maria or Bloody Scot). And definitely no burgers, corn dogs, or fried chicken. Read Next:When You Think Brunch in Texas, You Need to Think About Brunch Shaped Like Texas The moment Davuluri was crowned Miss America in 2014, Twitter and various headlines began fixating on her skin tone. The moment Davuluri was crowned Miss America in 2014, Twitter and various headlines began fixating on her skin tone. In2023,theres finally a little more dark-skin representation in what were seeing, streaming, and in the advertising were consuming. Beauty influencers are out here nurturing their melanin-rich complexions and not every single role in Hollywood is going to a light-skinned person of color. If you emotionally squint, it almost appears as if the beauty and richness of darker skin tones have been acknowledged across the board. Alas, weve just begun to scratch the surface especially when it comes to colorism in South Asian communities. In the opening scene of the new documentary COMPLEXion, former Miss America winner, activist and producer Nina Davuluri stands in a local shop in India observing a shelf stocked with Fair and Lovely skin-lightening creams. Shes immediately drawn back in time to a vivid memory, when she witnessed a mother buying her teenage daughter a tube of the cream. The mothers painful words to her daughter in Telugu echo in Davuluris mind, uninvited: So you dont have the life that I have. The moment Davuluri was crowned Miss America in 2014, Twitter and various headlines began fixating on her skin tone. So many of us were incredulous that a woman of Indian descent with actual brown skin had been deemed a beauty queen not because Davuluri wasnt stunning, but because the only South Asian women the world celebrates in this way are remarkably pasty. Im not mincing words when I say that Indian movie starsdo not reflect the vast and sumptuous spectrum of brown skin tones found in India. And so, to examine why it feels painfully impossible to shake light-skin worship, Davuluri set on a three-year journey to capture the real stories of those directly impacted by colorism, and to advocate, on a larger scale, what it means to break away from these stigmas. Despite her iconic pageant win, Davuluri, like many women across the world, have been belittled due to archaic beauty standards that subconsciously and consciously prioritize lighter skin. Colorism is still an insidious and persisting form of discrimination in communities of color from China to Jamaica, and all over the U.S. Story continues As a result, skin lightening by various means is still a peculiarly popular option for many people all over the world. Globally, the beauty industry monetizes on these beauty standards, and the current $8.8 billion skin lightening industry is projected to reach $11.8 dollars by 2026. Though many products have been banned for their harmful ingredients, and several governments such as Sri Lanka, Gabon and Jamaica launched a joint $14 million initiative in February 2023 to fight against the skin-lightening industry, these products are still widely used worldwide. In India, where Davuluri focuses her attention in her documentary, a large part of the female population is earnestly trying to get lighter by any means necessary. Even as we in the diaspora gain insight on the potent and poignant effects of colonialism, white supremacist systems, and racism its a curse that wont seem to lift. What is beauty really costing us, and more importantly, why do so many South Asians continue to worship lighter skin? Despite her iconic pageant win, Davuluri, like many women across the world, have been belittled due to archaic beauty standards. Despite her iconic pageant win, Davuluri, like many women across the world, have been belittled due to archaic beauty standards. Weve been talking about the bias toward Eurocentric beauty standards in our communities for decades, and honestly, it is beginning to feel exhausting. Still, in this weird purgatory where brown skin elicits a variety of reactions, COMPLEXion is very much needed. It examines the current need to dismantle the social hierarchy linked to fairer skin. The documentary includes insightful interviews that unpack the complex ways in which colorism affects us today, from employment opportunities to marriage prospects. This is very much related to Shandilyas analysis of a womans worth through her skin tone. The connection between colorism and dowry a monetary expectation that a woman needs to pay to her grooms family prior to marriage is a fraught one, says Lina Fruzzetti, author and professor at Brown University. Fruzzetti has penned four books about the marriage system during her tenure, with a focus on women. What I found is that during a marriage negotiation, the question of color comes up from time to time, she said. Essentially, your dowry will be higher if your skin is on the darker end of the spectrum. This, not so subtly implies that were worth less, as humans, if our skin is darker. This is an uncomfortable reality to continue to accept. And so, despite the emotional labor of explaining colorism and bringing up the conversation again and again we need to do it. Many of us were incredulous that a woman of Indian descent with actual brown skin had been deemed a beauty queen not because Davuluri wasnt stunning, but because the only South Asian women the world celebrates in this way are remarkably pasty. Thankfully, theres a revolution happening on social media. Alongside the rise of content creators promoting body positivity and self-love, is a growing movement towards embracing darker skin tones. The use of hashtags such as #UnfairAndLovely and #SeemyComplexion has gained traction on social media, with many South Asians sharing their own stories and experiences of colorism. This online movement has been a huge motivator for Davuluri, who didnt grow up with the communication tools to openly discuss how colorism was playing out for her. Ive been really open about my struggles with mental health, especially as it relates to how I was viewed because of my darker skin, she said. The ultimate power we have is to share our truth and that starts with having this conversation with our families to change decades worth of stigma. The discussion of colorism today, according to Shandilya, is intertwined with anti-racist movements like Black Lives Matter. With a greater political consciousness of racial equality, we hope there will be less pressure to be white and more of an embracement of people with darker skin tones, she said. Though these conversions on and off social media promote awareness, education and advocacy are essential to breaking down deeply ingrained biases, Fruzzetti said this starts at home and in academic institutions: The topics of dowry, caste and colorism need to be taught in schools from an early age. As frustrating as it is that our communities cannot seem to completely shake colorism, the reality is that white-worship has been drilled into our psyches for centuries. Change will happen slowly, but theres power in the collective. According to Davuluri, the goal is not to demonize the beauty industry or any other organization theyre operating under a much larger oppressive societal system, of course but to champion change and welcome representation on mainstream media that shows a range of skin tones. Thats the only way we can all finally move forward. Related... (Patrick Hruby / Los Angeles Times) I came late, let me admit it, to the novels of Joan Didion. For too long, I considered them if not an afterthought then an ancillary line of work. Such a perception is hardly uncommon; the essays are what we think about when we think about Didion, and in more recent years, the triad of memoirs (Where I Was From, The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights) with which she effectively concluded her career. And yet, the novels. There is something about them, as well. Play It as It Lays was one of the most popular works of fiction selected by our "Ultimate Bookshelf" survey respondents. What this suggests is a certain kind of resonance, a recognition of who and where we are. This was the second of Didions five novels, which for more than 30 years she published pretty much in tandem with her nonfiction, alternating nearly book to book. Her first, Run River, came out in 1963, when Didion was 28; its an unsentimental paean to the Sacramento of her childhood and adolescence, a river city defined by sprawling ranches soon to be subdivided, and a pioneers sense of something that might once have felt like manifest destiny. You come from people whove wanted things and got them. Dont forget it, the protagonist, Lily Knight McClellan, hears more than once from her father. The statement marks the authors heritage as well. Didion, after all, was a fifth generation Californian; her great-great-great grandmother Nancy Hardin Cornwall left Arkansas in 1846. That history appears in Where I Was From, which four decades after Run River sought to rewrite the mythologies on which shed been raised. All that is constant about the California of my childhood, she observes there, is the rate at which it disappears. Its a theme that infuses not only the memoir but also the novel it means, in places, to deconstruct. Ive come to think that if Where I Was From had been Didions final book, it would have bestowed upon her career a marked circularity. Careers, though, dont work that way. So it becomes the place where I begin to see the links between her fiction and nonfiction in terms of theme, yes (that sense of living in a world thats somehow fallen is a central motif throughout her oeuvre), but also in terms of execution. Story continues Play It as It Lays appeared in 1970; the story of an actor, Maria Wyeth, who is in the process of decompensating, it is regarded as Didions Hollywood book. Certainly, it catalyzes key associations for her: the dislocation embodied not only by the character but also by the place. In the first hot month of the fall, Didion writes, Maria drove the freeway. She drove it as a riverman runs a river, every day more attuned to its currents, its deceptions, and just as a riverman feels the pull of the rapids in the lull between sleeping and waking, so Maria lay at night in the still of Beverly Hills and saw the great signs soar overhead at seventy miles an hour, Normandie 1/4 Vermont 3/4 Harbor Fwy 1. This quality of drift has less to do with Hollywood than it does with Didions inner climate, the centrality in her work of atomization and narrative breakdown. The novel runs barely 200 pages but features almost 100 chapters. The fragmentation is a signature, a strategy Didion developed first in essays such as Los Angeles Notebook and Slouching Towards Bethlehem, which aspired not to closure but its opposite, a kind of jittery recognition that all stories collapse eventually that we are always, in some essential fashion, working in the dark. To an extent this has to do with Southern California, itself a fragmented landscape, in which, as she writes in her essay Pacific Distances, a good part of any day is spent driving, alone, through streets devoid of meaning to the driver, which is one reason the place exhilarates some people, and floods others with an amorphous unease. At the same time, it was in her fiction that Didion first began to widen her perspective, to explore imperialism and the excesses of American power. Her third novel, A Book of Common Prayer, published in 1977, takes place in the fictional Central American nation of Boca Grande; it presages the book-length nonfiction studies Salvador and Miami. Her fourth, Democracy (1984), comes framed as an early piece of autofiction; it is narrated by a character named Joan Didion. This is my favorite of her novels, a genre-blurring work about imperialism and politics, explored through the filter of a powerful Hawaiian family. It is also, like Play It as It Lays and A Book of Common Prayer, a book with a lost or troubled daughter at its heart. Theres a confluence here with Didions own history, particularly her daughters life and death. I dont want to read too much into these books, which were composed over a number of years and are not (even Democracy) autobiographical, except to suggest that we are always writing from out of our experience, which means that the line between our fiction and nonfiction cannot help but bend. Still, after the 1996 novel The Last Thing He Wanted, she seemed to disconnect from fiction. I lost patience somewhat later with the conventions of the craft, with exposition, with transitions, with the development and revelation of 'character,' the narrator of that book insists. Eighteen years later, Didion would tell me she wasnt sure if she had the physical strength to undertake a novel. She would say: Nonfiction is more personal for me. Its more personal in that its more direct. Even now, I cant say I disagree with that assessment when it comes to Didion, at any rate. But the fiction is more than an anomaly. In these five books, we see her working out the themes and structures that also animate her essays, the necessities and limitations of narrative, the utility of fragmentation, the complicated legacies of place. Call me the author, she writes in Democracy. And: This is a hard story to tell. Something similar might be said of all her writing, with its vision of a world where everything is conditional and we are always on our own. Ulin, a former book critic and book editor of The Times, is the editor of the Library of America editions "Didion: The 1960 & 70s" and "Didion: The 1980s & 90s. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Maddie Abuyuan / BuzzFeed News Asking for a Friend is BuzzFeed News health advice column. Ask us anything about your body! If you're too afraid to google or too embarrassed to ask a friend or family member, let alone a doctor, submit your questions here . Dear Asking for a Friend, I cant breathe through my nose very well when Im sleeping. I have to prop up my head to get better airflow. Is this normal or a sign of something more serious? (nasal polyps maybe?) Congested Sleeper Dear Congested Sleeper, Stuffy noses are the worst, especially when they prevent you from getting a good nights sleep . The result: a crappy morning that fails to set you up for a pleasant and productive day. In fact, nighttime congestion has been linked to daytime fatigue, shortness of breath, headache , bad mood, drowsiness, andyou guessed it: sleep problems. Poor sleep has been further associated with a variety of health issues, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, a compromised immune system, and low sex drive. Not to mention, a stuffy nose at night forces you to breathe through your mouth, which may lead to dryness and bad breath, as well as brain fog and irritability when you wake up. The most natural way to breathe during sleep is through your nose, according to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a pulmonary and sleep medicine doctor and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Inhaling through your nose helps humidify and warm the air, prevents debris and toxins from entering your lungs, and can lower blood pressure. Its a well-established yet frustratingly confusing cycle: Why, if you can breathe through your nose perfectly fine during the day, does your nose clog up and betray you at night? Before we get into the specifics, Congested Sleeper, know that nighttime congestion is common and not usually a cause for concern as long as its not accompanied with other symptoms, particularly ones that also affect you during the day, Dasgupta said. This can include green or yellow mucus with a bad smell, bloody mucus, fever, headache, pain in the face, and sleep disruptions that last for more than a week. Story continues Try propping your head up while sleeping The simplest reason for unexplained nighttime congestion is that when you lie in bed, blood flow increases to your head. More blood in your head also means more blood in the vessels that line your nasal passages, Dasgupta said, similar to what happens when you hang upside down. When blood vessels become engorged, they push fluid into surrounding tissues, causing swelling and congestion, despite the absence of excess mucus. This inflammation of the nose is called rhinitis. Lying horizontally also makes it hard for your sinuses, which will always have small amounts of mucus in them, to drain naturally because youre fighting gravity, Dasgupta explained, so you can imagine that might make your stuffy nose even worse. So, by propping your head up in bed, youre already one step ahead of the problem. Manipulating your sleep positions with pillows, for example, is one of the best ways to avoid a stuffy nose at night, experts say. If possible, youll want to avoid sleeping on your back as well because that could block and narrow your airways, making it harder to breathe, especially if you have obstructive sleep apnea. (Sleep apnea is a disorder where the upper airway collapses and blocks breathing sometimes hundreds of times a night and is linked to snoring, hypertension, and other health problems.) Eliminate irritants and allergens in your home, especially your bedroom Your home is filled with tiny and mostly invisible irritants and allergens that can aggravate your nose and make you congested at night. Theres pet dander (microscopic flakes of skin from your dog or cat), dust, mold, pollen, chemicals, and more that could be lurking on your mattress, pillows, bedside tables, window curtains just about everywhere. Researchers found that more than 99% of the nearly 7,000 homes they collected dust samples from had at least one of the eight common allergens they looked for: dog and cat dander; proteins shed by cockroaches, mice, or rats; mold; and two types of dust mites, according to a 2017 study. Overall, 74% of the homes had three to six allergens. Homes with animals and pests were most likely to have multiple allergens, as well as rental, mobile, and older homes, and those in rural areas. Even if youre not specifically allergic to any of these particles, your nose can still recognize them as foreign and ramp up mucus production to kick them out. This is called nonallergic rhinitis. The tissue lining inside your nose will become inflamed in the process, blocking mucus from draining and leading to even more congestion, as well as pain, pressure, and, in some cases, infection. Allergic rhinitis triggers similar symptoms, but in this case your body has a specific type of inflammatory reaction to an allergen. Your immune system detects the invaders and pumps inflammation-causing chemicals such as histamine into your bloodstream that cause the blood vessels in your nose to widen and feel clogged. Your first step to eliminate irritants and allergens from your home and specifically your bedroom: Dont let pets sleep on your bed or in your bedroom. Run an air purifier throughout the night to improve air quality. Remove carpets or rugs in your bedroom because they tend to trap allergens more than bare wood or tile. Close windows and run an air conditioner during pollen season or when air quality is poor outside. Vacuum your mattress weekly. Wash bedsheets and pillowcases once a week , or every three to four days if you have allergies or asthma. Vacuum and dust your bedroom frequently. Run a dehumidifier in your bedroom. Dust mites thrive in high-humidity environments and survive by drinking moisture from the air , so aim to keep your house at less than 50% humidity. (Cockroaches love damp indoor environments too, so low humidity will help there as well.) During colder months, you can run a humidifier to help moisten your nasal tissues and ease the irritation that can happen when the air is too dry. Take an antihistamine before you go to sleep if you need to, but follow the manufacturers suggestions as to when and how long you should take it. Ask your doctor about medication side effects Certain drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin, beta blockers used to treat conditions like high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias, birth control, and antidepressants have been found to cause nasal congestion . If your nighttime congestion is seriously affecting the quality of your sleep, Dasgupta recommends speaking with your doctor about dosage adjustments or alternative medicines, as well as remedies to reduce stuffiness. Pregnancy could also cause nasal congestion that can worsen at night for reasons already listed, Dasgupta said; its called pregnancy rhinitis, and its not caused by an infection or allergies, although those conditions can make it worse. Its thought that an increase in sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone play a role by triggering inflammatory processes in the body. Birth control, menopause, and hypothyroidism could influence hormone levels enough to affect your nasal passages too. You can have structural issues in your nose Structural abnormalities in the nose, including nasal polyps, a deviated septum, or swollen turbinates (small structures that hang from the inside of your nose), could certainly make you congested at night. However, Dasgupta said that if this was your problem, youll likely notice at least some congestion during the day as well. These abnormalities are prone to increased swelling at night, which is why people who have them experience worse congestion when trying to go to sleep. Reduce stress Once youve tried to eliminate allergens and irritants and addressed other conditions or medications you may be taking, it can make sense to address other issues like your stress levels. You may feel relaxed when slipping into bed at night, but the stress youve accumulated throughout the day can still be silently wreaking havoc yes, even on your sinuses, Dasgupta said. There isnt a clear causeeffect relationship between stress and nighttime congestion, but experts speculate that stress weakens the immune system , making you more vulnerable to allergens, bacteria, and viruses. Practicing calming techniques like meditation or even playing a relaxing music playlist before bed may help prime your brain for sleep. Other tips to prevent or alleviate a stuffy nose at night Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated throughout the day will help thin your mucus and boost your sinuses mucus-clearing abilities. You can also try drinking warm teas before bed for similar effects. Take a warm or hot shower right before bed. The steam can open your nasal passages and make it easier to breathe. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. Use an over-the-counter nasal spray, but pay close attention to usage instructions. Some nasal sprays are meant to be used for no more than three days due to a rebound effect that causes more inflammation and congestion. Irrigate your nose with a neti pot , but only with distilled bottled water or cooled boiled water. Rinsing your nose with tap water could expose you to rare but deadly organisms. (Its not enough to filter water, you need to sterilize it.) Put a warm, wet towel over your face to help loosen mucus and relieve pressure. Apply a nasal strip to the outside of your nose, which can make it easier to breathe and reduce snoring. Avoid acidic foods and beverages like carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, chocolate, fried food, and fatty meats like bacon or sausage. Acid reflux has been linked to rhinitis. If you cant seem to remedy your stuffy nose, its probably a good idea to get it checked by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor). If you do plan on seeing a doctor to address your stuffy nose concerns, Dasgupta said it can be helpful to document the nights you feel congested alongside information like the foods you ate that day, whether youre menstruating, if you had a stressful day at work, etc. It never hurts to be a Sherlock Holmes, Dasgupta said. More on this An abortion protester outside the Supreme Court JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz last week defeated former Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly to win a spot on Wisconsin's Supreme Court, giving the state's highest court its first liberal majority in 15 years. Seats on the court are officially nonpartisan, but Protasiewicz touted her support for abortion rights during the campaign, and received the endorsement of Democrats. Kelly, a conservative, was backed by Republicans and anti-abortion groups. The race broke spending records and became a referendum on last year's Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, the ruling that established and protected a constitutional right to abortion for half a century. Wisconsin's new liberal majority could overturn laws championed by the right, including the state's 19th-century-era abortion ban. "Today I'm proud to stand by the promise I've made to every Wisconsinite that I will always deliver justice and bring common sense to our Supreme Court," Protasiewicz told supporters. "Our state is taking a step forward to a better and brighter future where our rights will be protected." Kelly said he respected the result but refused to call Protasiewicz to concede, saying her partisan appeals on issues like abortion and redistricting "demeaned the judiciary." "I wish, in a circumstance like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent. But I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede," Kelly said. "I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think it's going to need it." A wake-up call for the GOP? "Republicans should be on the march," said Kimberley Strassel in The Wall Street Journal, given that the economy is on the brink of recession, the border's a mess, and crime is rising. Instead, "an out-and-out progressive judge" trounced her conservative opponent by 10 points in a state Donald Trump carried in 2016, and "where Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature." And Protasiewicz "easily seized the swing seat" on the high court by running "unapologetically on abortion at a time when a pending lawsuit challenges an 1849 law banning the procedure." In election after election, swing voters are showing they "want a middle position" on abortion, but the right refuses to "unwax" its ears and keeps pushing for more and more restrictions. Story continues There's a good reason Republicans are starting to freak out about voters' demand to restore abortion rights, said Michelle Goldberg in The New York Times. "Having made the criminalization of abortion a central axis of their political project for decades, Republicans have no obvious way" to change their message now. "A decisive majority of Americans 64 percent, according to a recent Public Religion Research Institute survey believe that abortion should be legal in most cases," but "a decisive majority of Republicans" want the procedure banned. The "end of Roe has awakened a previously complacent pro-choice majority" that is winning elections, and the Republican Party can't "jettison" its old anti-abortion passion, which is suddenly a liability, "without tearing itself apart." Republicans need new leadership "If Republicans were serious about winning Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin in 2024 and thus the White House," they would get serious about winning over suburban voters, said Matthew Continetti in The Washington Free Beacon. That means adding "white voters with college degrees and suburban America atop their noncollege rural base." But the GOP has lost its advantage in the suburbs in the Trump era. Turning that around will require replacing "Donald Trump as party leader," and finding "a nominee who is pro-life and who can speak about abortion restrictions with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother in a nonthreatening way." That's the lesson of the Wisconsin vote, and "of every election cycle since 2016." Not quite, said the Los Angeles Times in an editorial. The lesson is that voters want to "protect the rights the Supreme Court wouldn't." When the Supreme Court overturned Roe and "took away the constitutional right to abortion, it left it up to the states and the voters of those states to protect reproductive rights." And that's precisely what voters in states across the nation intend to do. It was unusual to see a judicial race turn so partisan, but Protasiewicz's honesty in talking about her pro-choice views was refreshing after listening to Brett Kavanaugh insist in his confirmation hearing that Roe was settled law, only to vote to "take away a constitutional right" once he was on the Supreme Court. "This is the post-Roe world in which we live." You may also like Millie Bobby Brown appears to announce engagement to Jon Bon Jovi's son Leaker of damaging U.S. intelligence files was reportedly administrator of a Discord chat room NASA unveils 3D-printed Mars habitat where 4 people will live for a year A trove of leaked Pentagon documents were circulating online for months without being discovered by the U.S. government raising questions about how the administration missed them. Images of the classified documents that circulated on social media in recent days were posted to a popular messaging website as far back as January. But they appear to have only caught the governments attention around the time they were first reported in the media in early April. No one in the U.S. government knew they were out there, one U.S. official said. As to why they didnt: We cannot answer that just yet, a senior administration official said. We would all like to understand how that happened. Both individuals, along with others in this story, were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence matter. Senior officials inside the national security apparatus were briefed on the documents on April 6, the same day the leak was first reported by The New York Times, according to two other senior U.S. officials. And the Biden administration began looking into the leak only last week. The delay has current and former officials asking why the breach went unnoticed for so long. And it suggests that there may be a large online blind spot in the U.S. intelligence gathering process. Federal government agencies do not proactively monitor online forums looking for threat-related activity, said John Cohen, the former acting undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. If a person or entity were to post classified information on one of those forums, theres a high likelihood that government officials would not detect it. Officials at the top ranks of the Pentagon, the intelligence community and at the Department of Justice are still scrambling to understand who first leaked the documents, how many classified U.S. documents may still be circulating and why they went unnoticed. Current and former officials said while each agency is responsible for investigating breaches of intelligence within their own departments, there is no one office that is responsible for monitoring, for example, social media sites for classified leaks. Story continues The Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Pentagon declined to comment. The U.S. government including the Pentagon and agencies in the intelligence community maintains that it does not spy on Americans, and theres an argument that monitoring these online forums even for illegally leaked materials could be considered just that. Do we really want the government monitoring everything said on social media sites? The answer to that is no. If you do that, you automatically get into civil liberties issues, said a former U.S. intelligence official familiar with the document probe. We haven't yet figured out a way to square that circle between on the one hand protecting people's rights to speak and on the other hand finding out what's going on. Cohen argued this leak is a potential crime and threat to national security that means the First Amendment may not apply. Depending on the circumstances, it is possibly illegal and likely not considered protected speech, he said. Its still unclear exactly when the original leak took place and who is responsible for disseminating the classified material. But the story of how the documents ended up online in recent days, including on Twitter and Telegram, can be traced back to a small group of users on the messaging app known as Discord, a platform popular with gamers. Members of a now-defunct server on Discord first began seeing sensitive government information about global topics, including about the war in Ukraine, this winter, according to two people who viewed content from that group. One of the users of the group who has since deleted his profile first started posting the information in written, summary form sometime in the winter. Weeks later, beginning in January, the user began to post images of what appeared to be internal U.S. classified documents that had been printed and folded in half. Some of them were labeled Secret and Top Secret. Weeks later, in March, one of the users from the Discord server reposted the images on a second group on the platform known as WowMao. He posted 30 plus documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, said the person who started that group, a well-known Filipino YouTuber named Mao. Mao described his server as edgy and said the person who posted the documents might have been trying to be cool or funny. He must have been around circles where there were hackers, Mao said. There are Discord servers where people post hacks they found and stuff they found off the dark web and they are only shared within those circles. And sometimes stuff gets leaked out from there. After being posted on WaoMao, the documents appeared on other social media sites including Twitter, Telegram and 4Chan. At least one of the images that appeared on those sites was altered to show higher Ukrainian and lower Russian death totals. Over the past several years, multiple government agencies have become aware of the potential upside of monitoring specific online forums, Cohen said. The problem, however, is that there are certain legal limitations on what government officials can do to track Americans social media activity. The FBI is allowed to go onto social media sites and other online forums to monitor activity when it has opened a specific case, Cohen said. The Department of Homeland Security can also monitor certain online activity but only on forums that are open to the public. The intelligence community can also monitor social media messages, as well as other communications, of foreigners. But in this case, the individual was not threatening acts of violence and there arent signs that the person was known to law enforcement for any other reason. Various agencies throughout the U.S. government often communicate with social media platforms about content that deals with everything from misinformation and disinformation to election security, hate speech and posts that threaten violence. But it is unclear the extent to which the government asks companies to remove specific content from their sites, and whether companies comply. Discord said in an emailed statement that in regard to the breach of classified material, the company is cooperating with law enforcement. When we are made aware of content that violates our policies, our safety team investigates and takes the appropriate action, including banning users, shutting down servers and engaging with law enforcement, the company's statement said. Discord said it uses a mix of proactive and reactive tools to keep content that violates its policy off the platform. Officials in Washington are wary of developing methods that would allow them to detect and analyze threats online a stance that has sometimes disturbed lawmakers. In a House congressional hearing in December with Ken Wainstein, the head of DHSs office of intelligence and analysis, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said she was frustrated that she and other people in her state had to learn about threats posed by right-wing extremists from outside the government. My district is where the raids happened for the plot to kidnap and kill my governor. But the government agencies I understand it is a sensitive issue but I couldnt feel more strongly about the importance of you all getting left and right limits, getting really clear about it and then coming up to proactively talk to us about this issue, Slotkin said. No one wants to go after someone for free speech, but when you have double the incidents of antisemitism in my state, the question remains what is my government doing to help? Cohen argued that the government needs to find a way to more closely monitor activity online that does not threaten acts of violence or relate to terrorism but may still be illegal, such as the leaking of classified information. But he said that leaning on research or academic institutions that track illicit activity on the internet may be an easier path than asking law enforcement or intelligence agencies to do the monitoring. In recent days, officials inside the Biden administration have also faced tough questions from allies about how the leak occurred and why the U.S. is just now racing to investigate. U.S. officials have also discussed with allies in Europe and Kyiv whether it plans to restrict the dissemination of classified intelligence about the war in Ukraine. Top officials at the Pentagon and National Security Council have not answered detailed questions from the podium since the leaked documents appeared, but have said they take the leak seriously and are still investigating. NBC News reported Wednesday the administration is considering changing the way it tracks social media content. Its unclear exactly how many documents have circulated online since the original posting on Discord. Many of the users and servers where they first appeared have since vanished. But one person who viewed the documents on the original Discord server said they believe there are perhaps dozens of additional classified documents that have not been made public. The winding trajectory of how the classified documents spread through social media is likely muddying the investigation into the leak. This is not your typical leak where it goes to the media or to a foreign power, the former U.S. intelligence official said. It's going to make it a bit of a challenge for the FBI to try to figure out what's going on here. Alexander Ward and Mohar Chatterjee contributed to this report. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) announced on Wednesday that she is running for reelection to her seat in what will be a key battleground state for control of the Senate in 2024. Baldwin highlighted in a release that she has worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation promoting Made in America manufacturing, lowering the cost of prescription drugs like insulin and expanding health care for veterans. Im committed to making sure that working people, not just the big corporations and ultra-wealthy, have a fighter on their side, she said in a statement. With so much at stake, from families struggling with rising costs to a ban on reproductive freedom, Wisconsinites need someone who can fight and win. Baldwin became the first openly LGBTQ member of the Senate when she was first elected to her seat in 2012. She is also the first woman elected to Congress representing Wisconsin. The race for Baldwins seat will likely be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested races during the next election cycle. Republicans will likely target the seat in one of the closest swing states in the country. Baldwin won her reelection fight for a second term in 2018 comfortably, by more than 10 points. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which works to elect Republicans to the Senate, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the seat is one of our top targets this cycle. Tammy Baldwin has joined her Democrat colleagues in the Senate to rubber-stamp [President] Joe Biden and [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumers [(D-N.Y.)] reckless spending and radical agenda, NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell said. Shes a reliable vote for the far left, not a senator Wisconsin can count on. Democrats also received what is likely good news on Monday when Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), another incumbent representing a key swing state, announced that he would run for another term in the Senate. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Donald Trump speaks to supporters at Mar-a-Lago, his residence and private club, in Palm Beach, Fla., hours after his arraignment in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times) Federal investigators are asking witnesses whether former President Donald Trump showed off to aides and visitors a map he took with him when he left office that contains sensitive intelligence information, four people with knowledge of the matter said. The map has been just one focus of the broad Justice Department investigation into Trumps handling of classified documents after he departed the White House. The nature of the map and the information it contained is not clear. But investigators have questioned a number of witnesses about it, according to the people with knowledge of the matter, as the special counsel overseeing the Justice Departments Trump-focused inquiries, Jack Smith, examines the former presidents handling of classified material after leaving office and weighs charges that could include obstruction of justice. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times One person briefed on the matter said investigators have asked about Trump showing the map while aboard a plane. Another said that, based on the questions they were asking, investigators appeared to believe that Trump showed the map to at least one adviser after leaving office. A third person with knowledge of the investigation said the map might also have been shown to a journalist writing a book. The Washington Post has previously reported that investigators have asked about Trump showing classified material, including maps, to political donors. The question of whether Trump was displaying sensitive material in his possession after he lost the presidency and left office is crucial as investigators try to reconstruct what Trump was doing with boxes of documents that went with him to his Florida residence and private club, Mar-a-Lago. Among the topics investigators have been focused on is precisely when Trump was at the club last year. In particular, they were interested in whether he remained at Mar-a-Lago to look at boxes of material that were still stored there before Justice Department counterintelligence officials seeking their return came to visit in early June, according to two people familiar with the questions. Story continues Trump typically leaves Florida for his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, earlier than he did last year, when he was still at Mar-a-Lago for the visit from the Justice Department officials, on June 3. Investigators have been gathering evidence about whether Trump had aides bring him boxes to sift through after a grand jury subpoena was issued in May for any government documents Trump still had in his possession, the people said. After the June 3 visit, when Justice Department officials were handed a batch of documents with classified markings that had been found at Mar-a-Lago, a lawyer for Trump signed a certification saying a diligent search had been conducted and all government material had been returned. That statement proved untrue two months later when the FBI found hundreds of pages of additional classified documents during a court-authorized search. Investigators have also asked questions about whether Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was ever mentioned in discussions related to the boxes of material, as well as whether donors to Trump were ever part of discussions about the material, according to people familiar with the questions. Christopher M. Kise, a lawyer working with Trump on some of his cases, faulted the Justice Department for its focus on the former presidents handling of classified material, like documents related to his dealings with the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kise suggested that the department should be focused on the recent leaks of intelligence under the Biden administration about the war in Ukraine. Seems the priorities are misplaced here, he said. Americas national security apparatus is spending much time and taxpayer money alleging President Trump had old photos of KJU and some outdated map while real wartime intelligence data is flying out the door. Might be time to focus on what matters. The documents investigation being overseen by Smith, the special counsel, is running in parallel with another he is managing that is focused on Trumps efforts to remain in power after his election loss in 2020 and how those efforts led to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. As part of the documents investigation, federal prosecutors have been building a potential case that Trump obstructed justice by seeking to avoid returning all the classified material in his possession after leaving office. Investigators have compiled extensive witness testimony, texts and emails from a number of key witnesses. They have constructed a timeline of Trumps actions and movements and interviewed dozens of people, including close advisers to Trump as well as staff members at Mar-a-Lago and former administration officials who had knowledge of how he handled documents in different settings. They have heard from witnesses who described Trump being urged repeatedly in 2021 by aides and advisers to return material to the National Archives, and then how he handled the grand jury investigation by the Justice Department that began early last year and resulted in a subpoena for any remaining classified material in Trumps possession. Among the witnesses interviewed was a Mar-a-Lago employee who moved boxes with a close aide to Trump, Walt Nauta, according to people familiar with the events. It remains less clear whether prosecutors are building a case for other potential charges beyond obstruction. In seeking the search warrant used last summer at Mar-a-Lago, prosecutors cited potential violations of the Espionage Act, which relates to mishandling of national defense information, and the removal or destruction of records, in addition to obstruction. Prosecutors have now interviewed nearly everyone who could offer insight in connection with the documents, according to one person briefed on the range of witnesses. Among those interviewed recently is one of the lawyers involved in Trumps response to the grand jury subpoena for remaining documents. Prosecutors successfully asked the chief judge who had been presiding over the grand jury until recently, Judge Beryl Howell, to allow them to question the lawyer, M. Evan Corcoran. Howell ruled that Corcoran had to testify to the grand jury in the case and could not invoke attorney-client privilege on certain topics. Howell cited what is known as a crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege. Her order ruling that Corcoran must testify was said to be accompanied by an 86-page memorandum of law. She found that the Justice Department had met the threshold for having a credible case that Trump had obstructed justice, justifying its request to override attorney-client privilege and require Corcorans testimony about his role, according to people familiar with the memorandums contents. Howell wrote not only about Trumps actions in relation to the subpoena last year, but also wrote that what she called misdirection with the National Archives in 2021 and early last year was apparently a dress rehearsal for how he handled the subpoena in May, according to a person briefed on its contents. The court certainly appears to have allowed the government to invade the attorney-client privilege based on minimal proof, Kise said. If they testify truthfully, theyll see I did nothing wrong, Trump said. This week, top congressional leaders and the senior Democrats and Republicans on the intelligence committees in both chambers of Congress gained access to classified documents recovered from Trump, as well as a smaller number discovered in recent months to be in the possession of President Joe Biden from years earlier, and some recovered from former Vice President Mike Pence. c.2023 The New York Times Company Former Vice President Mike Pence will speak on UNC-Chapel Hills campus this month, one of various events the potential Republican presidential candidate has taken part in over recent months. His discussion entitled Saving America from the Woke Left will be hosted by the UNC College Republicans and conservative group Young Americas Foundation. It will take place on April 26 at the Carolina Union Great Hall. Pence has hosted a series of discussion events through the Young Americas Foundation, the most recent at the University of Alabama this week. Hes also led discussions at Stanford University and the University of Virginia over the last year. He is expected to deliver a speech and lead a Q&A session afterward, according to the events information page. At his most recent appearance in Alabama, Pence criticized President Joe Bidens administration and Bidens support for the U.S. Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade. He also voiced his opposition to critical race theory the cross-disciplinary examination of how race and ethnicity factor into U.S. current events and history of racism being taught in schools. It should be banned from every school at every level in every state in America, Pence said during his Alabama speech. Pences former running mate, former President Donald Trump, is once again campaigning for president. Pences UNC-Chapel Hill event will take place weeks after Trump was indicted in New York. He faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree for his alleged role in a scandal involving hush money payments to an adult film star that prosecutors say he was having a sexual relationship with. He is the first former president to receive a criminal charge and indictment. Pence commented on the indictment during his Alabama event. The very idea that you would indict a former president of the United States of America on a 7-year-old campaign finance issue is an outrage, he said during the Q&A session. Story continues Pence has previously said he is considering running a 2024 presidential campaign, and said in an interview last month with NBC News he will make a decision by the spring. That decision could be complicated by a court order that Pence received to testify before a federal grand jury regarding alleged efforts by Trump to undermine the 2020 election. Trump has since appealed that order. Tickets for the April 26 event at UNC are available at yaf.org/events. It is free and open to the public. Phoenix Police Department. Phoenix police arrested a woman on Tuesday on suspicion of stealing an ambulance before crashing it into five vehicles. Sgt. Brian Bower, a Phoenix Police Department spokesperson, said officers responded to the area of Cave Creek and Cactus roads after calls about a collision. The officers found the woman had stolen the ambulance before crashing it, Bower said. One person was taken to the hospital as a precaution, Bower said. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was in the ambulance with the woman. Bower said officers arrested the woman, but he did not identify her nor what charges she faced. Bower noted that traffic near the area was shut down as of Tuesday evening. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police arrest woman suspected of stealing, crashing ambulance A woman has sparked a debate after sharing a message she got from a Hinge match who asked her to get drinks at a bar by his house. Clarke, @claaaarke_, shared a post on Twitter over the weekend of the message where her Hinge match responded to one of her dating prompts that said: The best way to asked me out is by opening with a time and place lets save the small talk for dinner! In his reply, the unnamed man gave her a time and day to meet for drinks at a bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When she messaged him back, she said shed bet $100 that the bar [was] down the street from his apartment in Brooklyn and accused him or not giving any consideration to the fact that she lived so far away, as her home is on the westside of Manhattan. The Hinge match then confirmed that the bar was near his apartment, before claiming that he took her location into consideration. He said that he figured that she doesnt go to East Williamsburg too often and that it was going to be gorgeous weather on the day he wanted to meet. He also pointed out that the bar had a nice outdoor section. He concluded his message by encouraging her to reach out to him if she changed [her] mind on [him] being inconsiderate. In the caption of her tweet, Clarke criticised her Hinge match for why he chose this date spot. F for effort in asking me to travel an hour to have a drink with you at a place two blocks from your home, one wrote. Drinks is so he can spend less money but its nighttime so he can ask me back to his place after. & as if Manhattan doesnt have patios?! As of 10 April, the tweet has more than 12.5m views. Many Twitter users in the comments agreed with Clarke and slammed the Hinge match. As a gay man who also lives on the west side of Manhattan, I completely understand your pain here, lol, one wrote. At minimum he could have suggested a bar off the Bedford stop or in the [East Village]! Bars with outdoor sections are super common, too, so the excuse of his choice being cool or unique or different is trash, another wrote. Story continues Im with you on this one @claaaarke_ . He should have *at least* offered to meet you halfway. Only explanation is hes just trying to hook up, not wanting anything serious, for minimal effort. Low-risk high-reward (for him). But he cant expect a high hit rate with that strategy, a third claimed. he really thought he ate that F for effort in asking me to travel an hour to have a drink with you at a place 2 blocks from your home. drinks is so he can spend less money but its nighttime so he can ask me back to his place after. & as if Manhattan doesnt have patios?! pic.twitter.com/LEwA1XKS2t clarke (@claaaarke_) April 8, 2023 Other people criticised Clarke for not wanting to go on the date because of the location and defended her Hinge match. Does your bio also say you refuse to leave your neighbourhood lol? Why live in New York if the biggest problem here is not wanting to take a train or Uber to a different neighbourhood? one claimed. Sounds really close-minded and like a red flag! He.. didnt do anything wrong lmfao, another added. Shouldnt have matched with him unless you were interested enough to provide an alternative. A third wrote: Im sure he was going to pay for your food and drinks (since he asked you out) paying for your own travel isnt unreasonable at all. In a video posted to TikTok Sunday, Clarke addressed the viral debate about her Twitter post. After criticising the patio of the bar that her Hinge match allegedly recommended, she further explained why he wasnt considerate. @claaaarke and dont even get me started on all of the people saying he simply did what i asked one, simple reading shows he didnt. but two, mcdonalds at 11 am is a time and placewe can all agree that any response is not an appropriate one! 98% of the guys who have responded to that prompt have acknowledged my neighrbohood to pick a convenient spot for both of us. meeting halfway is not asking for too muchits common courtesy and says a lot about your intentions. life lesson! original sound - clarke Even if it was the most beautiful bar in the world, how inconsiderate is it for you to ask a woman to travel so far out of her way to meet you at a place that you can literally see, you can literally spit on from the window in your bedroom?she asked. That is insane. She then claimed that the unnamed man might have thought his date idea was smart so they could walk back to his place after and he could get some. She said this apparent strategy didnt mean that the man was a bad person, just an interesting one Clarke also addressed the criticism she got for not asking the Hinge match to meet somewhere else. Am I the only one who saw that message that he knew I lived really far away and just did not care? she said. This may seem like a super small thing, but not even offering to meet me halfway for a first date is super indicative. One of his intentions with me, and two just the fact that hes not considerate of me and my time. She concluded her video by sharing her stance on being single and noting that it is not an illness. You never have to lower whatever standards you have or take less than what you feel like you deserve to meet a man where he is. Because youll be fine, she said. The Independent has contacted Clarke for comment. PHOENIX (AP) A woman believed to be one of the 20 wives of a polygamous sect leader jailed in Arizona faces federal charges for allegedly sending threatening emails to child welfare workers in a bid to get her two daughters released from state foster care. The indictment of Josephine Barlow Bistline marks the fourth woman associated with self-declared prophet Samuel Bateman to face federal charges. Three of Batemans wives were previously charged with kidnapping and impeding a foreseeable prosecution after eight girls associated with the sect fled from foster care. Authorities say Bistline told a case manager with the Arizona Department of Child Safety in a March 24 email that she would be sent to prison, where she would live on a ventilator and people would have to help her breathe and clean up after her. According to a criminal complaint filed against her, Bistline told the case manager: And, you know, I wouldnt mind helping with that too. Because I love you. But you have gone too far. Bistline has pleaded not guilty to charges of cyberstalking and interstate communications involving a threat. A judge ordered that she be jailed until trial. She was charged in late March. Mark Paige, an attorney representing Bistline, did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. Bateman and his followers practice polygamy, a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mainstream faith, known widely as the Mormon church, abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it. Bateman, 46, lived in Colorado City, Arizona, an isolated community along the Utah border where polygamy was long practiced openly. He was first arrested in August when someone spotted small fingers in the gap of a trailer he was hauling through Flagstaff, Arizona. Police found three girls, between 11 and 14, in a makeshift room in the unventilated trailer. Bateman posted bond but was arrested again in September and charged with obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activity. Story continues He is alleged to have taken more than 20 wives, including underage girls, though he does not face any charges directly related to that accusation. Bateman has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges including child abuse, obstructing a federal investigation and aiding in kidnapping. Authorities removed nine children from Batemans home and placed them in foster care. But eight of the children later escaped, and the FBI alleged that the three wives played a part in getting them out of Arizona. The women have pleaded not guilty. The girls two of whom are Bistline's daughters were found hundreds of miles away in Spokane, Washington. They remain in foster care. In another email, Bistline declared that Bateman was innocent and said a case worker was siding with Judas Iscariot, the biblical figure known for betraying Jesus Christ and later killing himself. According to the criminal complaint, Bistline wrote, You will be among them, unless you repent, and confess you have done the wrong dam (sic) thing, and fix it. Bistline's trial is scheduled for May 23, 2024. Bateman and his three wives are scheduled for trial on March 5, 2024. The farm, which is 600 acres, said it was looking for other ways to make money because of the current constraints on agriculture Plans have been submitted to expand farmland for use by dog walkers as a way to remain "financially viable". Church Farm in Worcester has earmarked land off School Bank in the village of Claines. Currently, dog walkers can pay to use three acres of space in one-hour slots. The farm, which is 600-acres, said it was looking for other ways to make money because of the current constraints on agriculture. Rural planning consultant Ian Pick, who submitted the application on behalf of Church Farm, said "the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit" had left farmers with an "essential and relatively urgent need to diversify in order to remain sustainable and financially viable". Last year, the National Farmers Union (NFU) said fuel, fertiliser and feed costs were putting farmers under severe pressure. The public can have their say on the plans by 21 April. , the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk China's President Xi Jinping called on the country's armed forces to "strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat", state media reported Wednesday, after Beijing conducted military drills intended to intimidate Taiwan. Xi's comments, made on a naval inspection trip on Tuesday, come amid heightened tension in the region after the show of force by Beijing, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as its territory. China on Monday concluded three days of military drills launched in response to a visit last week by Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States, where she met a bipartisan group of lawmakers and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Xi on Tuesday told the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command Navy that the military must "resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability", state broadcaster CCTV reported. Beijing has also criticised a plan for US forces to use a growing number of bases in the Philippines, including one near Taiwan. The United States and the Philippines are holding their largest-ever joint military drills this week, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken committing to "standing with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea". Xi added Tuesday that China must be "innovative in its concepts and methods of combat". - Disputed waters - China and Taiwan split following a civil war in 1949. Beijing views the democratic island as part of its territory and has vowed to take it one day, stepping up its rhetoric and military activity around the island in recent years. The PLA simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of Taiwan during its recent three-day "Joint Sword" exercise. Taiwan's defence ministry said it continued to detect Chinese warships and aircraft around the island even after drills officially concluded. Beijing warned this week that Taiwanese independence and cross-strait peace were "mutually exclusive", blaming Taipei and unnamed "foreign forces" supporting it for the tensions. Story continues Washington has been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would defend Taiwan militarily. It has, however, sold weapons to Taipei for decades to help ensure its self-defence, and offered political support. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea -- a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually -- despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims in the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation rights in international waters. bur-tjx-je/aha (photo: Canva) Next semester, Yale University will, for the first time, offer a Cherokee language class that will count toward the schools language requirement. Cherokee language instructor Patrick DelPercio, who currently teaches at the University of Oklahoma, will join Yale faculty in September 2023 to teach the course. Although the university has offered informal Indigenous language courses in the past, this is the first time those classes will satisfy core requirements. Other home speakers can take heritage language classes at Yale, but not Indigenous students, Claire Bowern, the Director of Undergraduate Studies of Linguistics, told Yale Daily News. Particularly for Indigenous students, it seemed very out of place that one can do ones language requirement by studying languages from all around the world except the Indigenous languages of the Americas. Indigenous students at Yale have been asking for their Native languages to count toward credits for years. In Fall 2015, Indigenous students and faculty at Yale founded the Native American Language Program to bring more expansive Native American language training and programming to campus. They offered community classes in: Cherokee, Choctaw, Native Hawaiian, Lakhota, Mohawk, Navajo, and Ojibwe. In 2018, they began petitioning the Center for Language Study for formal language courses in Native languages. About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday called for continued significant aid to Ukraine as it battles against Russia's invasion, and lauded Ukrainian authorities for their focus on good governance and anti-corruption. Yellen, who paid a surprise visit to Kyiv in February, spoke at the start of a ministerial meeting on Ukraine during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also spoke. "Supporting Ukraine is a collective effort. We welcome the efforts by our allies and partners to provide significant, predictable, and timely assistance, and urge all of us to continue doing so," Yellen said. A senior Treasury official on Monday said the United States has provided close to $50 billion in assistance to Ukraine over the past year, including over $23 billion in budget support to keep government services running. Yellen said Zelenskiy's government had "provided a steady hand for Ukraine amid Russias horrific war," with economic activity recovering and critical services being provided. "Your commitment to making sure that international assistance is being used responsibly is essential," she said. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who also visited Ukraine, said Ukraine had done a remarkable job in restoring energy facilities destroyed by Russia, while keeping the country running and helping businesses keep operating. "The country is performing remarkably well under the most devastating of circumstances," she said. "And that is why it has the confidence of its people and it has the confidence of the international community." Shmyhal and Zelenskiy thanked donor countries for their support and initial investments in reconstruction projects. "This assistance is unprecedented and we greatly appreciate it. But Ukraine's losses and expenses are unprecedented too," Shmyhal told the meeting, citing a recent report estimating it would cost $411 billion to rebuild Ukraine's economy, or 2.6 times its expected 2022 gross domestic product. Story continues The number, calculated by the World Bank, United Nations, European Commission and Ukraine, was up sharply from an estimate of $349 billion released last September. Shmyhal said Ukraine needed to attract $14 billion in donor aid by the end of 2023. Yellen said the United States had plans to provide additional aid through September all as grants and to support Ukraine's energy security and early recovery efforts, but gave no details. World Bank President David Malpass, who chaired the meeting, on Tuesday underscored the need for Western European countries to join global institutions in rebuilding Ukraine given the "daunting" size of the needs involved. Yellen said a recent $15.6 billion lending program agreed by the IMF would anchor international support "in a sound macroeconomic framework and catalyze further reforms essential to Ukraines recovery." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci) An exchange of nearly 900 prisoners from Yemen's civil war will start on Friday, one day later than previously announced, a government official said on Wednesday. No reason was given for the delay to the three-day exchange, in which prisoners will be flown between cities in Yemen and its oil-rich neighbour, Saudi Arabia. The biggest prisoner swap since 2020 is taking place after a delegation from Saudi Arabia, which launched a military intervention in 2015, held talks with Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels this week in an attempt to end hostilities. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed by direct and indirect causes in a war that left many on the brink of famine in a country which was already the Arabian Peninsula's poorest. A six-month United Nations-brokered truce that officially lapsed in October is still largely holding. "It has been confirmed that the exchange process will start on Friday morning," tweeted Majid Fadael, spokesman for the government delegation negotiating the exchange. The prisoner transfers "will last for three days, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday", said Fadael, revising the timetable he announced on Tuesday. - 'Opportunity for peace' - The Huthis are releasing 181 prisoners, including Saudis and Sudanese, in exchange for 706 detainees held by government forces, according to an agreement reached last month in Switzerland. Yemen has been at war since a Huthi advance in 2014 saw them seize the capital Sanaa, leading the Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 to support the ousted, internationally recognised government. The Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, flew to Sanaa for talks with the Huthis this week, saying he wanted to work towards a "political solution" to the conflict. But Huthi government sources, speaking anonymously as they are not authorised to brief media, downplayed hopes of reaching agreement by next week, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "The talks between the Saudi delegation and the Huthis did not reach a final result yet to complete an agreement that was expected to be signed at the end of Ramadan," a source told AFP, information that was confirmed by another official. Story continues "The Saudis presented their vision of a solution and wanted to be mediators in resolving the crisis alongside the Omanis, but the Huthi political and religious leaders insisted that Riyadh be a party to the agreement and not an intermediary," the source added. The uptick in diplomacy and optimism follows last month's landmark announcement that heavyweight rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran will resume ties, seven years after an acrimonious split. The US special envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, left for the Gulf region on Tuesday, his spokesperson announced in a statement, saying "Yemen is witnessing an unprecedented opportunity for peace." Lenderking "will meet with Yemeni, Saudi, and international partners to discuss the necessary steps to secure a durable ceasefire and inclusive, UN-mediated political process", the statement said. str/faw/th/it Kennywood and Primanti Bros. used 412 Day as the perfect opportunity to announce their new partnership! In celebration of Kennywoods 125th and Primanti Bros. 90th birthdays, the two iconic Pittsburgh brands are coming together. Primanti Bros. first-ever theme-park-based location will open later this spring in Lost Kennywood. Ive been going to Kennywood and Primanti Bros. for more than 40 years just like many Pittsburghers, said Adam Golomb, CEO of Primanti Bros. So, finalizing this partnership to open Primanti Bros. inside Kennywood has us very excited. And to be able to announce on 412 Day its about as big a yinzsplosion as we can handle. Well see you this spring inside the park. As a staple in the Pittsburgh community, we are thrilled to bring another beloved Pittsburgh brand to Kennywood this season as we both celebrate milestone years, said Mark Pauls, Kennywood General Manager. Theres no better present for our guests on this 412 day than to announce this iconic partnership. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Walmart closing four more stores; says they lost tens of millions each year Construction worker injured in fall from downtown office building, officials say Teen, family friend die saving 4 children from rip currents VIDEO: Beaver County coroner called to state police investigation at Aliquippa high rise DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts The New York Police Department (NYPD) is bringing back its controversial robot dog nearly two years after it stopped its use following backlash from residents. In April 2021, the citys law enforcement officials had sent Digidog back to Boston Dynamics, the company that produces the machines after New York residents complained its use was an unsettling and unnecessary expansion of aggressive policing. The Digidog was first revealed by the police department in December 2020. It had caused a stir due to its uncanny resemblance to a fictional dystopian killer robot dog featured in an episode of popular science fiction series Black Mirror. NYC mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday at a press event that the Digidog would be brought back to use for assessing hazardous situations in the city, adding that it can save lives. The New York City Police Department has always been on the cutting edge of public safety. They upgrade, evaluate and innovate new ways to protect our city, Mr Adams tweeted on Wednesday. The NYPD had said the robot would be used to enter places that were too dangerous for officers. The Future of Public Safety is NOW: Digidog is a RC K-9 robot for use in assessing hazardous situations StarChase pilot will test a projectile that attaches a GPS-enabled device to stolen or ghost vehicles K5 ASR pilot will help conduct automated patrol in confined areas pic.twitter.com/4Qp05ph81o NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) April 11, 2023 Critics compared Digidog to a surveillance drone, following its use by law enforcement officials in a home invasion in the Bronx in 2021 and sparking fears it could be used as a dystopian overseer by the police. A few loud people were opposed to it, and we took a step back that is not how I operate. I operate on looking at whats best for the city. Mr Adams said in an announcement on Wednesday, adding that the technology is here. Story continues .@NYPDnews has always been on the cutting edge of public safety. They upgrade, evaluate and innovate new ways to protect our city. Today we saw that in action in @TimesSquareNYC. https://t.co/T9JhptafL1 Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 11, 2023 We cannot be afraid of it, he said. New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had in a sarcastic 2021 tweet called out the use of the robot dog for testing on low-income communities of colour with under-resourced schools. Shout out to everyone who fought against community advocates who demanded these resources go to investments like school counseling instead, she had tweeted. Shout out to everyone who fought against community advocates who demanded these resources go to investments like school counseling instead. Now robotic surveillance ground drones are being deployed for testing on low-income communities of color with under-resourced schools https://t.co/ZqKtnexctb Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 25, 2021 The NYPD had then swiftly canceled its $94,000 lease contract with Boston Dynamics. The police force, however, will now reportedly acquire two robot dogs for a total of $750,000. The Digidogs are expected to only be used during life-threatening situations like bomb threats, the police force said according to the NYT. The NYPD is also piloting two other technologies, including a handheld or car-mounted launcher which shoots GPS tags onto vehicles to help track them during chases and a machine described as a fully autonomous outdoor security robot. This is the beginning of a series of rollouts we are going to do to show how public safety has transformed itself, Mr Adams said. Boston Dynamics did not immediately respond to The Independents request for comment. Kenneth Mejia during a campaign event in downtown Los Angeles prior to being elected city controller. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) While he was a Pikachu-costume-wearing, corgi-toting leftist candidate, Kenneth Mejias unorthodox style helped fuel his insurgent campaign for Los Angeles city controller. But less than six months after Mejia, 32, trounced a career politician to win the job, two former employees allege that he created an uncomfortable work environment where personal boundaries were often blurred both in the controllers office and on the campaign. They say Mejia frequently made comments about the sex lives of two young campaign workers before his election and pressured employees and former campaign staffers to move into his apartment building after the election. Mejia's office denied the accusations and said the alleged issues were never brought up with Mejia or other senior team members before being shared on social media this week. Whats with politicians whose names start with K that are progressive but terrible and toxic bosses? Shekinah Deocares, a former campaign staffer who spent several months as the director of community engagement for the controllers office, tweeted Monday morning. She paired the question with two pairs of oversize eyeballs and a thinking-face emoji and followed it up with a series of accusations in subsequent tweets. To be clear Im talking about @kennethmejiaLA @lacontroller who just pushed out @kyler_chin who made ALL of the resources for his campaign and office a couple months after pushing me out because he didnt value community work and thought it was a nuisance, Deocares declared in a Twitter thread that quickly began ricocheting around Los Angeles City Hall. Mejias social media savvy played a key role in his rise from a little-known certified public accountant to a nationally watched progressive darling, especially when paired with other unconventional tactics, such as billboards showing how much of the city budget went toward police spending. Gen Z climate activists were also a highly visible part of his grassroots campaign, with the group even profiled in Teen Vogue . Story continues Now, the outsider candidate is a citywide elected official, managing more than 160 employees and acting as fiscal watchdog for the nation's second-largest city. And some of those same young supporters are attacking Mejia on the very platforms where they once helped boost his campaign. It's a decision they describe as difficult but necessary for the sake of accountability. Speaking to volunteers at his election night victory party, Mejia's campaign manager, Jane Nguyen, recalled that she had been asked "over and over again" whether she would condemn the off-hours actions of the campaign's young volunteers, which included divisive tactics such as disrupting mayoral forums with shouted profanities. " 'Do you condemn them for protesting? For disrupting a meeting?' " Nguyen recalled being asked. "Here's what I have to say about that: I mean, f that," Nguyen continued as Mejia grinned and the crowd cheered and chanted, "F that." Internecine conflict in a local politician's office is hardly unusual, but it's atypical to see former staffers air complaints so publicly particularly just months after an official has taken office. Deocares, a 26-year-old community organizer, and Kyler Chin, a 19-year-old computer science whiz who built Mejias campaign data resources, were among his first hires as controller-elect, taking senior jobs on his executive team. Deocares left the office in February, and Chin, the innovation and technology director, was fired on Monday, he said. Both were also paid to work on the campaign, as was Deocares' boyfriend, 22-year-old climate activist Sim Bilal. The trio is part of a tightknit group of young activists who have been playing an increasingly visible role in local politics. "We understand that theyre feeling angry, hurt and disappointed and lashing out after a friend is terminated. But the accusations made simply arent true or [are] so absurdly distorted as to render them false as well," Nguyen, who now serves as Mejia's chief of staff, said in an emailed statement Tuesday evening. "None of these accusations or issues with Kenneth were ever brought up to him or other executive team members before. At the end of the day, Shekinahs departure and Kylers termination were strictly the product of work-related issues." Nguyen said the "departures were preceded by collaborative, positive, and respectful efforts to address an inability to satisfy the demands of public service." She alluded to performance issues that played a role in Chin's termination, as well as the fact that Chin, a full-time city employee, had decided to return to full-time, in-person college classes without discussing it with his supervisor. She also described Bilal, Deocares and Chin as friends who "will always be a part of our teams legacy," which "makes this situation even harder for everyone involved." Youth climate activist Sim Bilal photographed in the Japanese Garden at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Los Angeles in June 2022. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Deocares and Bilal say Mejia frequently made comments about their sex life during the campaign, sometimes in front of other staffers in his campaign office. Mejia would also make sex noises and sometimes moan her partners name in an apparent imitation of intercourse, Deocares told The Times. "People definitely felt uncomfortable and told him to stop, but then, like, you know, he just kept going," Bilal said. Mejia's office denied those accounts. "Sim and Shekinah are likely mischaracterizing attempts by Kenneth to ask them to tone down their public displays of affection in the campaign office," Nguyen said by email, describing the campaign as a "collegial environment" with many young volunteers. "There were no other comments about Sim and Shekinahs sex life." The alleged behavior stopped after Mejias election, but Mejia's boundaries with his young employees remained blurry, Deocares and Chin said. It was extremely uncomfortable, Deocares said. I think he crossed the line between personal and professional a lot. Mejia encouraged city employees and former campaign staffers to rent apartments in the same building near downtown where he and his wife lived, Deocares, Chin and Bilal said. Chin, the 19-year-old former innovation and technology director, ultimately moved into the building, sharing an apartment with Vincent de Vera, 36, the director of special projects at the controller's office. De Vera told The Times that he did not feel pressured to move in. Nguyen also moved into the building, Deocares, Bilal and Chin said. A property manager at the building said the company offers residents a $500 referral fee for each unit someone moves into. Nguyen confirmed that Mejia received $1,000 in referral fees. Nguyen said via email that Mejia knew that Deocares, Bilal and Chin were looking to live near downtown and "provided the type of advice that any close friend provides in situations like this always at their invitation, and without any coercion." Bilal said Mejia kept asking about an open apartment in the building, which Bilal and his girlfriend did not want to move into. He just, like, kept pushing it, Bilal said. Mejia sent multiple text messages to the couple in late November and early December about the apartment, according to screenshots reviewed by The Times, and brought the topic up verbally, Bilal said. We wanna live by ourselves Kenneth, Deocares finally wrote in the group chat with her boss and her boyfriend. We really need our own space. Shekinah Deocares, second from left, and Sim Bilal, far right, participate in a moment of silence in memory of the shooting victims of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay in front of City Hall in downtown Los Angeles in January. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Chin ultimately moved into the unit. He was really, really pressuring me to take it, Chin said of the apartment he said he moved into in January. The situation was OK at first, Chin said, citing the workouts that Mejia, a former personal trainer, would assist him with in the buildings gym several evenings a week. He described Mejia as like a big brother who would share his protein powder and let him hang out if he got locked out of his own unit. But the young employee ultimately found it extremely stressful to have him be at the same place where I was living. Chin was also bothered that his roommate and Mejia hosted a party for fellow members of the controller's executive team in his shared apartment one Saturday afternoon while Chin was out, he said. He learned of the party when a photo of colleagues playing beer pong in his living room was uploaded to the controllers office Discord server, Chin said. "This is incorrect," Nguyen said, explaining that Chin and his roommate were both allowed to invite people over to the common areas of their shared apartment. "No photographs from the event were uploaded to the controllers office Discord server." The photograph was actually posted to someone's Instagram, De Vera said Tuesday. He also clarified that members of the controller's executive team had been playing "water pong," not beer pong. Other issues raised by the former employees echo the broader fissures increasingly common in American workplaces since the COVID-19 pandemic. Chin and Deocares said they had thought their jobs would be remote with flexible hours and chafed at the ultimate 9-to-5 workplace expectations. It was more casual, but then, like, he would get mad at us for standards or rules that were never communicated to us, Deocares recalled. Mejia installed a pingpong table in a City Hall East break room, favors tracksuits and frequently brings his corgis Killa and Kirby to a partitioned area in his executive suite, former employees said. But ultimately, the onetime activist still runs a government office. Deocares also bristled at the idea that her employer should have rules governing her personal social media accounts, or what kind of political events she could attend in her off hours, saying Mejia had asked her to seek approval to go to events ahead of time. Chin a college sophomore who said he had never had a paid full-time job before held a senior position on Mejias team. He said that as a programmer he preferred to work when the creative juices are flowing rather than during a continuous eight-hour period, which he said was not feasible for him. Chin said that when he was confronted about the need to work a traditional 40-hour week he said he should be granted accommodations for his depression. You're basically forced to work, like, every single day. If you don't, they kind of scold you for that, Chin said, later clarifying that he meant every day during the workweek, not weekends. The fact that he was also attending classes at UC Irvine sparked further contention. Chin said he took a part-time course load during the winter quarter but returned to full-time in-person classes in April. His return to full-time college coursework played a role in his firing, he said. "Kyler enrolled in coursework without discussing this decision with his supervisor. This decision came as a surprise to everyone on the team. His enrollment in full-time in-person classes at a university 45 miles away is fundamentally incompatible with the expectations of his demanding, full-time job," Nguyen said via email. Deocares quit in February, but said she initially stayed quiet about her issues because of her hope for the progressive movement in Los Angeles. She believes that a City Hall that puts people and community first is possible, she said, and doesnt want Mejia to be canceled. "But at the same time, I think he needs to do a better job as a boss," she said. Times staff writers David Zahniser and Dakota Smith contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation on April 12, 2023, in Kyiv. (Photo: President's Office) President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation in Kyiv and stressed the need for continued U.S. support, the President's Office reported on April 12. According to the President's Office, Zelensky informed the U.S. officials about developments on the front line, as well as the importance of continued financial and defense aid packages in achieving Ukraine's victory. "We are fighting for common values: freedom and democracy. The outcome of our victory will have a decisive impact on the development of the situation not only in Europe but also across the globe," Zelensky said. Zelensky also emphasized the need for "no restrictions" on Ukraine continuing to receive the military equipment and weapons it needs, the President's Office wrote. Additionally, Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine exercises the necessary oversight over the utilization of American taxpayers' funds and weaponry provided to them, and is eager to collaborate fully on this issue. According to the U.S. State Department, Ukraine has received $35.1 billion in just security assistance since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden's 2024 budget proposal includes $6 billion allocated to assist Ukraine, NATO, and European allies "by prioritizing funding to enhance the capabilities and readiness of the United States, allies, and partner forces in the face of continued Russian aggression." Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has called on world leaders to react to the video in which Russian occupiers cut off the head of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. Source: Zelenskyy's address Quote: "There is something that no one in the world can ignore. How easily these beasts kill. The world must see this video of the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner. This is a video of Russia as it is. What kind of creatures are these? They dont count other people as being human. Son, brother, husband, someone's child. This is a video of Russia, which is trying to make this the new norm a habit of destroying life. This is not an accident, this is not a [one off ed.] episode. It was like that before, it happened like that in Bucha. Thousands of times. Everyone must react, every [countrys ed.] leader. And do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass No one will understand if leaders do not react. Now we in Ukraine need to act and focus on the front. To help drive the occupiers from our land as much as possible. The main goal is to win." Background: The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has launched a pre-trial investigation into the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (PoW). Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the SSU, stressed that the security forces would find the monsters who did it. A video of the brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war was shared on social media on the evening of 11 April. The footage shows a Russian soldier cutting off the head of a Ukrainian defender, who was still alive at the time, with a knife. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is planning to bring its community fishing events back to Sarpy County this spring and summer. The events provide opportunities for people of all ages who have never fished or have not fished in years to learn and enjoy the activity, according to a news release. Rods and reels, as well as bait and fishing instruction, will be available for free. Come join us at one or several of our events to learn how to fish or to bring a friend and spend time fishing, said Larry Pape, fisheries education specialist. Fishing is a fun, convenient activity that can provide quality time for everyone, and we are here to help you have great outdoor experiences. The schedule includes: June 7 Papillion, Lake Halleck June 21 Bellevue, Kramer Park Lake July 11 Papillion, Lake Halleck July 19 Papillion, Prairie Queen Lake July 25 Bellevue, Kramer Park Lake Aug. 1 Papillion, Lake Halleck Each event will run 6 to 8 p.m. Two of those nights, both held at Bellevues Kramer Park Lake in American Heroes Park, feature opportunities to learn about different kinds of fishing. A discover fly-Fishing event will be June 21, and discover bow fishing will be held July 25. Learn about the equipment and how to use it, then watch a demonstration. Loaner equipment will be available. At each event, look for the Community Fishing Events Trailer at each site. Appropriate fishing and park permits are required. All fishing regulations apply. Visit outdoornebraska.gov for more information, including the schedule of additional events across the state, or to purchase fishing or park permits. 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. Chairperson of UK-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship Group Heather Wheeler has commended King Mohammed VIs vision for strengthening stability, democracy and building a strong inclusive economy. This Royal vision will make Morocco UKs strategic partner in Africa, said on Tuesday in Rabat the Conservative MP following her meeting with Moroccan Foreign minister Nasser Bourita. She also praised the strength of Moroccan banking system and the future opportunities created in the Kingdom under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. Mrs. Heather Wheeler (South Derbyshire) is one the advocates of the Xlinks renewable energy interlink project with Morocco. This $ 22 bln project is expected to generate 10.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power in Morocco exclusively for the UK market. It aims to deliver 26 terawatt hours per year enough for more than seven million homes by 2030. The UK Government is interested in the Xlinks project which will enhance the UKs energy security as this ambitious project will enable the country meet up to 8% of its electricity demand with renewable energy, reducing consumer bills and adding to security of supply in the process. Following its exit from the European Union, UK signed with Morocco trade agreement to ensure continuity of trade exchanges, services, and economic cooperation ties. To promote UK and Moroccan trade, UK export finance agency (UKEF) had announced in 2022 a 4 billion funding for overseas buyers of UK goods and services to strengthen the trade relationship between the UK and Morocco. The North African Kingdom offers a range of opportunities for UK businesses, such as potential projects in energy transition, water desalination, and infrastructure, including rail, roads, ports and airports to boost the domestic economy through new transport links. In 2021, UK exports to Morocco were up +62.9% to reach a value of 1.2bn , while UK imports from the North African Kingdom rose +50.5% to 1.5bn. The Royal Armed Forces will receive the U.S. rocket launchers (HIMARS) and guided bombs (JSOW) that will enhance further Moroccos military capabilities to encounter threats to its stability and regional peace. On Tuesday, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department has approved the sale to Morocco of 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment and 40 JSOW guided air-to-surface missiles, in deals estimated at $542.2 million and $250 million respectively. The proposed sale will improve Moroccos capability to meet current and future threats and will contribute to Moroccos ability to detect threats and control its borders, contributing to the maintenance of regional stability and security. It will also enhance the interoperability of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), which routinely exercises with U.S. forces, focusing on countering terrorism and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs) in the Maghreb and Sahel region. Morocco will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. The acquisition would make Morocco the only North African country to possess such a potent satellite guided rocket launcher with a range of 300 kilometers that proved efficient in the Ukraine-Russia war. HIMARS is one of the worlds most advanced rocket artillery systems; its range is farther than anything the Ukrainians had, so when that was transferred, they did get the ability to strike targets deeper behind the front-lines and much more accurately, according to Ian Williams, deputy director of CSISs Missile Defense Project. Morocco wants to arm the HIMARS launchers with 40 M57 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) rounds; 36 M31A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Unitary rounds; and 36 M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead rounds. The HIMARS will add to the WS-2D multiple rocket launchers acquired from China five years ago. The WS-2D has a range of 400 km and can carry a 200 kg warhead. Up to six rockets can be launched from a single launcher. Morocco also acquired a dozen PHL-03 (AR-2) 300 mm multiple rocket launchers from China over a decade ago. Morocco was cited as a good example in the Global Electricity Review 2022, thanks to its investments in wind power which now accounts for 17% of the countrys energy mix. The report, published by energy think tank Ember, highlights Moroccos continental leadership in clean energy which outperformed the global average of 12%. The share of global electricity from wind stood at 10% while all clean electricity sources generated 38% of the worlds electricity in 2021, more than coal (36%). However, the report notes a global rise in coal power by 9.0% in 2021 to 10,042 TWh, a new all-time high and 2% above the previous record set in 2018. Most demand for coal came from China whose share of global coal power rose from 50% in 2019 to 54% in 2021. German authorities have expelled Chads ambassador to the European country Mariam Ali Moussa, less than a week after the African country also flashed out Germanys envoy Christian Gordon Kricke. The foreign ministry in a statement Tuesday indicated Ali Moussa was requested to leave the German territory within 48 hours. The ministry said the move was in reaction to Ndjamenas baseless April 07 decision asking Kricke to leave the African country. Chadian authorities blamed the German diplomat for ill-mannered attitude and disrespect for diplomatic protocols according to Vienna Convention. The German ministry however apologized for expelling Ali Moussa. The Angolan President, Joao Lourenco, defended on Tuesday the urgency of restructuring the United Nations Security Council to ensure the presence of currently excluded regions as permanent members. Speaking in Luanda, at the opening of the expanded consultative council of the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joao Lourenco referred to regions such as Africa and South America, whose voice cannot be neglected, because it can be determinant in the decision making on key issues such as peace and security, food security, environmental defense, public health and others that have to do with survival at a global level. No safe and lasting solutions have yet been found for the situations of dangerous and protracted conflicts such as the Korean peninsula and Israeli-Palestinian, whose Security Council resolutions have been disrespected and ignored, he said. The Angolan Head of State recalled that there was never an effective peace in the world after the second world war, despite the creation of the United Nations Organization, whose role is to ensure world peace and security. According to Joao Lourenco, the lack of balance of interests is at the origin of many of the current problems. Hence the need for world leaders to assume the responsibility of making a deep reflection on the central and unavoidable role that the United Nations must have, so that the destiny of humanity is built on the basis of scrupulous respect and observance of the norms of international law and the United Nations charter, he stressed. The Angolan President recalled that Africa faces numerous armed conflicts, some internal and others between neighboring countries, situations for which Angola has sought with its experience to help overcome the problems affecting its neighbors. All so that they may dialogue, negotiate peace and, thus, dedicate all their energies and available resources to the exclusive service and economic and social development of their countries, he said. Joao Lourenco stressed that the Angolan diplomacy defends the negotiated and peaceful resolution of conflicts of any size and magnitude and on any continent. The UN chief has called on Malis ruling junta to expedite the process of returning power to elected civilians by early 2024 as earlier promised, according to a quarterly Security Council report. In this report, on the eve of a Council meeting this Wednesday April 12, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his concern about the persistent violence against civilians and its impact on the population at large, and the impasse concerning the important peace agreement between the Malian state and armed groups in the north. The West African country has been plagued by the spread of jihadism and violence of all kinds since the outbreak of insurgencies in the north in 2012. The violence has spread to the center of the country and into neighboring Niger, Burkina Faso and further south. A UN stabilization mission, MINUSMA, has been deployed in Mali since 2013, with about 13,800 troops and police so far. Guterres, however, noted some progress that has been made on the democratic transition, citing a draft for a new constitution and a new electoral management authority, though he added that critical activities identified in the electoral timetable have faced delays. With less than a year left before the planned end of the transition, it behooves the Malian authorities to do all that is in their power to expedite the process, with a view to meeting the agreed deadline for the return to constitutional order, he said. A referendum on the draft constitution was due to be held on 19 March but has been postponed until further notice. The UN chief expressed concern at the ongoing impasse and continued paralysis in the application of a peace deal, signed in 2015, with armed groups, some of whom, in particular Tuareg groups, are at loggerheads with the junta. The UN Refugee Agency has called on Tunisia to respect the rights of sub-Saharan migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who are suffering ill-treatment, harassment, and oppression from the security forces of Kais Saieds regime. In a press release issued Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees voiced deep concern over the latest violent incidents that took place in Tunis, when some African migrants entered its premises and clashed with local police forces, leading to the violent arrest of some of the African protestors. While UNHCR understands the fears and frustrations of those protesting and respects their right to peacefully protest in line with national laws, we denounce the recent incidents at our premises by a small group of protestors and urge all to engage with us in the search for meaningful and peaceful solutions, said Monica Noro, UNHCR representative in Tunis. Some 200 refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants in Tunisia started a sit-in outside UNHCR offices three weeks ago, requesting a way out of the country, humanitarian evacuation, and resettlement. Since the start of the protest, members of the UN refugee agency have been holding regular discussions with protestors to listen to their concerns and identify appropriate solutions. UNHCR is working with the Tunisian government and various partners, including IOM, other UN agencies and NGOs to address the ongoing challenges and grievances faced by the protestors, with a particular focus on women and children. UNHCR called for an immediate end to all forms of violence and a de-escalation of tensions so the situation for all including refugees and asylum seekers is not aggravated further. We ask for the humanitarian nature of our work to be respected. It is critical that the entrances to our premises in Tunis remain accessible and safe to ensure the continuation of our operations and to preserve our ability to assist those in need. UNHCR reaffirms its commitment to continue providing protection and life-saving assistance to displaced people in Tunisia, and we call on all parties to engage in constructive dialogue and work towards addressing the acute needs and find a peaceful resolution of the situation as soon as possible. The first ever Summer Fun for Kids sign-up event took place at the North Platte Recreation Center Tuesday. Child-centered organizations arrived to share with the North Platte community what they had to offer. The event, sponsored by Mid-Plains Community College, the North Platte Public Schools Foundation, The North Platte Telegraph and the Rec Center, was aimed at finding summer activities for children. Activities offered ranged from physical fitness to education. There were even vacation Bible schools offered through various religious programs. Listed are a few organizations that had something to share at the sign-up event: Caitlyn Jacobson of the 4-H said its not just livestock anymore. Summer programs offered range from horticulture to baking, cake decorating, entomology, robotics and rocketry. There really is a place for everybody in 4H, she said. Community Connections Mentoring and Hope Esperanza are partnering to bring Cinco de Mayo to downtown North Platte. Hope Esperanza recently merged with Community Connections Mentoring. The Community Action Partnership Head Start of Nebraska are looking for kids to enroll in their head-start preschool program. Federally funded, the head start program offers preschool education to kids of all walks of life. They prioritize children from low-income backgrounds, so proof of income is required for sign up. They also accept children with disabilities. Educational Services Unit 13 Title 1C Migrant Education Program offers supplemental education to families who work in agriculture. Its a federally funded Title 1 program that provides support and supplemental educational programs for migrant children to help reduce educational disruptions and other obstacles. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images Fox News just took another hit as the network heads to trial against Dominion Voting Systems in one of the most consequential defamation suits in recent years. In Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday, Judge Eric Davis imposed a sanction on Fox News after he found that the network withheld evidence after the deadline for discovery from Dominion. Days earlier, Dominions lawyers informed Judge Davis that Foxs attorneys had not handed over some key evidence until just last week, even though the discovery process has been going on for months now. The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday with jury selection beginning tomorrow. Dominion claims Fox damaged its reputation and business by repeatedly airing bogus election-fraud allegations about its voting machines and software used in the 2020 election. Evidence produced last week included emails between Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, a frequent on-air election-denier, and Donald Trumps former lawyer Sidney Powell sent days after the 2020 election. The emails included information from a source Powell relied on who believed she found evidence of voter fraud thanks to her ability to time-travel. Fox News claims it didnt learn about the conversations until very recently and handed them over to Dominion as soon as possible. The sanction will give Dominion the opportunity to conduct new depositions or speak again with witnesses it has already interviewed. Fox will do everything they can to make the person available, and it will be at a cost to Fox, Judge Davis said in his ruling. He was clearly upset with the Fox legal team, saying that it hadnt been straightforward with him and that he was concerned about misrepresentations to the court. Davis added that he was considering appointing a special master to investigate if Fox News lawyers had delayed producing documents or had withheld information about Rupert Murdochs actual involvement at Fox News. On Tuesday, a lawyer for Dominion informed Davis that Fox informed Dominion only within the past two days that Murdoch had a more significant role than previously understood. In a statement, a Fox News spokesperson told the New York Times that Murdoch has been listed as executive chairman of Fox News in our S.E.C. filings since 2019 and this filing was referenced by Dominions own attorney during his deposition. I need people to tell me the truth, Davis said on Wednesday. And by the way, omission is a lie. Fox News hasnt caught many breaks in the pretrial stage of the defamation suit. Earlier this week, Judge Davis ruled that Fox News couldnt argue that it aired false election allegations because the claims were newsworthy. Just because someone is newsworthy doesnt mean you can defame someone, Davis said on Tuesday. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. A Phenix City man was arrested on Monday after allegedly killing one of his dogs for urinating on the carpet, according to the Lee County Sherriffs Office. Eric Zeth Wheeless, 27, faces one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of possession of a controlled substance. He is being held in the Lee County Jail on a $6,500.00 bond. Someone called police on Saturday to report animal abuse at the 1100 block of Lee County Rd. 240 in Salem. Wheeless admitted that he killed one of his dogs, because the dog urinated on the carpet, officials stated in a news release. Deputies were able to confirm that the dog had been brutally killed and buried in a shallow grave in the wooded area behind the residence. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriffs Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867). Understandable given the coronation is on Archies 4th birthday Reply Thread Link wouldn't the logical move then to be fly the entire family so they can all be together in england for archie's birthday weekend? Reply Parent Thread Link Thats only the excuse given. Archie has no damn idea when his birthday is. Meghan is just not wanted so shes not going. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah but tbf the press would tear Meghan apart so I dont blame her for staying in California. Reply Parent Thread Link I assume his friends are in California. Reply Parent Thread Link Since the children are too young to attend any of the coronation stuff, nah that doesnt make sense. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm sure they'll celebrate it early or later together. For Meghan's sake, I would want to focus on my kid on their birthday instead of be around family that doesn't like me or become a national headline just for living. Reply Parent Thread Link ok man Reply Thread Link Oh my God, who the hell cares, jfc Reply Thread Link You very clearly do. Reply Parent Thread Link harry is so interesting to me because like--if i had publicly called my family out on harmful behaviors dating back to my childhood, i wouldn't want to continue attending events involving those family members. like sir, go home and be with your son on his birthday. Reply Thread Link I kind of get it because I have a very adversarial relationship with some members of my family, but there is a lot of nice history there so when I am invited to things I do go. Granted this is a lot more public, but I kind of get not entirely wanting to be the only one left out of family things even if your family have been shit to you. You are the one who ends up isolated when you turn them down. Reply Parent Thread Link A lot of people don't have fortitude to truly cut ties with their family because it's been ingrained that "They're the only family you have" instead of, you know, building relationships, as much as I hate that phrase, with people not blood related who respect you. Man, feels like a lot of issues hearken back to the lack of community. If people had stronger community ties, they wouldn't be worried so much about if their shit family likes them. I'm sure it's a lot harder for him than most people. Edited at 2023-04-12 03:02 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, this exactly. Ive been no contact with my mom for like 6 years now but before that there was a lot of not being able to stick to it or even really wanting toyou just keep thinking things really might get better. I dont think a lot of peoples ideas of how theyd handle this sort of situation would actually deal with it in that way at all lol Reply Parent Thread Link In spite of everything Harry has said about his family, I think that he still values the monarchy because of what has been drilled into him his entire life. So I get why he'd want to be at the coronation. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, this is the sort of situation that manipulative parents create when they want to control their children. It's very hard to break the ingrained habits of a lifetime. Reply Parent Thread Link I get what you mean. On one hand thats his family and it is a sad situation especially it playing so publicly. On the handhes always gonna want a way back in any event (good or bad). He doesnt like the 2nd fiddle and tabloid business but he probably does miss the other benefits and importance. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He needs stories for his next books. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think I kind of get it. It took me years to finally stop wishing things would be better with my family and decide, like, you know what? You openly dont like me and I dont like you either. We dont like each other so why are we doing this. They still complain and make me the villain of the story for not wanting to be involved, too! But fr Harry no contact can be really freeing. Edited at 2023-04-12 06:22 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link he's such a man child attention whore lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link He's still fifth in line to the throne and Charles is still his father. He has to be there, Meghan doesn't. He's not going to party. Just watch, he'll arrive in time to attend the actual Coronation event, then leave immediately. Then the British media will have hysterics because he didn't attend any of the celebration concerts, receptions, etc. It will be much like the Queen's funeral, minus the brief walkabout. He won't even do that much this time. Reply Parent Thread Link girl I unfriended my aunt and cousin on facebook recently on account of them being total bitches and I snapped and was like "why are you both always such total drags" and now I feel like I have to hold to hating them forever lol, I can't imagine having publicly dragged them and sold a book and a documentary on dragging them and THEN having to see them??? like it's mortifying enough that I snapped at them on Messenger honestly Reply Parent Thread Link How will he milk this for the rest of his miserable life is he cuts ties with them? He has to get paid by publication X 6 months from now and say he was forced to do this and leave his working wife and starving children at home, to make peace with his demon family but they were so demon-y and they called him a ginger to his face and no one hugged him and we all must pay him to hear more! Reply Parent Thread Link End the monarchy now so I never have to hear about these people ever again. Reply Thread Link All these months of will they/wont they lol. Figured this was gonna be the outcome. Breaking News is cracking me up Edited at 2023-04-12 02:55 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link It was a push notification on The Guardian app, I was like ????? OKAY Reply Parent Thread Link Makes sense for the Guardian I guess since theyre a British site but lol for real. Makes sense for the Guardian I guess since theyre a British site but lol for real. Reply Parent Thread Link Washington Post sent me a World Alert. Like, please save that for aliens. Reply Parent Thread Link I got a similar breaking news alert from the BBC app and I was like, lol, thanks BBC. Harry was always going to end up attending this. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I was like "know your audience" lol. Reply Parent Thread Link "Breaking News: Man visits family." Reply Parent Thread Link So many of their issues are just petty drama that every family experiences but it's displayed for the whole world. Like the flower girl stuff from Harry's wedding. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't think my republican arse (UK sense not US political party LOL) is going to be able to handle the coverage of this shit. That said this seems a sensible option, he doesn't get lambasted for missing it and Meghan doesn't have to deal with these terrible people (or the UK gutter press). Reply Thread Link I imagine the UK press will still bring her up every 6 minutes. They can't help themselves. Then they'll talk about how she's overexposed while she's literally at home doing nothing and ONTD will be like 'I'm SO sick of them being everywhere!' Reply Parent Thread Link for sure, they'll look at outfits worn by other women and then speculate what meghain 'might have' worn Reply Parent Thread Link literally when the coloniser in chief kicked it i fucked off to france for her funeral but i cant afford to leave theh country this time. now im not going to be able to escape the new colonniser in chiefs bullshit Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Theres so much real stuff happening in the world but yeah, sure this garbage is breaking news (Not an ounce of shade to OP! All the shade to BBC!) Edited at 2023-04-12 02:59 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link tbh I half assumed mods would reject it, mods don't seem to like my posts and I have literally had a pop up from Google News on my phone about this. the UK consider this huge apparently. Reply Parent Thread Link Not a mod but I like your posts Reply Parent Thread Link lemme just skip my son's bday to be there for my abusive father Reply Thread Link Good for her. Reply Thread Link But honestly this isn't really that shocking lol Breaking News!But honestly this isn't really that shocking lol Reply Thread Link I bet you Charles begged because no celebrities are interested. A family rift and no celebs is one too many embarrassments. Reply Thread Link BREAKING is taking me OUT! LMFAO Reply Thread Link The BREAKING NEWS of it all is killing meeeeeeeee Reply Thread Link After the book and the ensuing drama, I imagine the relations between him and his family will be tense and ice cold Reply Thread Link Absolutely imagine Harry just sitting in the crowd with the other people and Will standing on the dais looking for him. Reply Parent Thread Link I imagine all of them in a room throwing shit at each other. Reply Parent Thread Link What a random angle to tuck a birth announcement into a story Reply Thread Link A lot of ED programs ignore trauma and simply focus on "re-feeding". Like... "Hey sob for an hour in your process group, and if you don't immediately eat dinner, we will punish you for that" despite lack of hunger being a PRETTY NORMAL FUCKING PART of being in a heightened emotional state. I would not trust any program that is a part of the Eating Recovery Center (ERC) system in the US. Reply Thread Link 10000% you cant re-feed people if they arent emotionally ready to start that process. You end up with people that yell at meal time and have melt downs because 20 minutes ago they were talking about trauma, cut off and told to go lunch. The only place by me is an ERC and it was horrible. The dietician would force me to eat salad dressing because thats what normal people do completely ignoring that my mother punished me with vinegar my whole life so no matter how hard I try my brain still says BAD when tasting it. Then because Im allergic to shellfish and fish they would make me eat in a room by myself if they were serving it so dinner was extra fun! The only good that ever came out of that place for me was the psychiatrist that was dumbfounded that I never was diagnosed with ADHD. Life made so much sense after that. Reply Parent Thread Link that sounds horrific. i'm glad you're in a better place now. Reply Parent Thread Link That's so terrible, I'm sorry you had to experience it. Reply Parent Thread Link Having been at ERC, I'm not surprised, but I'm so sorry you experienced that. I also loved how they were totally fine with everyone chainsmoking, ugh. But yeah, PTSD is my number 1 diagnosis and they just refused to acknowledge it. Ironically, one of the markers of my EMDR work is if I feel hunger at the end of a session, as it signals to my therapist and I that my mind and body are both online and communicating! Reply Parent Thread Link what is the benefit of forcing salad dressing anyway?? Thats so bizarre and disturbing Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Outpatient clinic graduate here, with a complete lack of respect for their methodology. Primary focus = targeting behaviors, so focus on 'mechnical eating' at pre-defined timings, elimination of food rituals and establishing a pattern. Cognitive restructuring to an almost non-existant degree, which means that it took me around 1 year to go back to the way things had been before I started the treatment. Suffice to say, I recommend a regular therapy :D Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Agreed. I have terrible anxiety and when it flares up, all I feel is nausea and fear. Even sobbing for an hour in therapy doesn't help, and if I force myself to eat, I will projectile vomit. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link There was such a focus on food in mine, which I understand is unavoidable, but I felt that they went about it all wrong. I'm in Canada, so I don't know how our system compares to yours. I tried to keep an open mind about it, and I'm mostly glad that I attended, but I hope that they've changed their methodology because it was, IMO, outdated and set people up for relapse. I would love to know how the people in my group are doing today, but I don't have contact info for any of them :( Just one, actually, who was my former TA, lmfao. Imagine our mutual surprise when we saw each other. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yesssss I particularly hate the absolutely GHOULISH practice of forcing people to eat cupcakes on their birthday which I have witnessed - with no mind to WHERE they are in their process. "HERE'S A DESSERT, AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO WATCH YOU EAT IT". Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm not in any official treatment, but as someone who has developed ARFID as a result of going through gastrointestinal hell over the past 3 years... it's really hard to maintain an appetite when eating is an uneasy prospect (because eating something that disagrees with my system is like a weekly occurrence). It's like I've developed a small appetite as a defence mechanism, and subsequently I become "full" very easily, or hunger doesn't entirely register with me after I've eaten a decent amount of food earlier (and there's the anxiety of not wanting to jinx a decent day of digestion by eating something that might throw it off balance). Eating is honestly one of the most stressful aspects of my daily life, and it's aggravating. I never really lived to eat, but at least I used to derive some enjoyment -- now it's like I eat to live, if I can. Sometimes I wish I could get all my nutrition intravenously because I'm obviously incapable of doing so on my own. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I remember my childhood best friend telling me how, when she was in an ED facility, being made to sit at the dinner table in front of a glass of milk for two hours while she cried because she couldn't force herself to drink it. And they just stood over her and told her she couldn't go to bed until she'd finished it. Grim. Reply Parent Thread Link As a formerly pregnant woman all I have to say is wow, the fucking audacity (KIDDING. In all seriousness I'm so glad he's being open about this and is OK. Love him, can't wait to see him in Sweeney next month) Reply Thread Link Ngl, I thought of this too lol. Reply Parent Thread Link His wife was prob like how do I support him but also not kill him Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Same lol Reply Parent Thread Link I had a soft spot for him until he posted that weird fawning 'oh captain, my captain' (those may not have been the exact words lol, but something about calling him his captain with a Jack Sparrow image) post for Johnny Depp Reply Thread Link I remember being GUTTED when he died unexpectedly and brutally in my Until Dawn playthrough Reply Parent Thread Link omg yeah I accidentally had him fall off a cliff I was SO pissed. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link imo he's the hardest to keep alive!!! Reply Parent Thread Link He's such a disappointment. I was rooting for him for years and then he goes and does that. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Glad he's able to discuss it. Disordered eating isn't only an issue for women and being able to adress it and acknowledge it is a good thing. Reply Thread Link Glad he is open about it. I always really felt for the guys in treatment with me because being a guy with an ED is not spoken about enough. Reply Thread Link at least he's open about something ! Reply Parent Thread Link What else Reply Parent Thread Link but yes I work with DV/SA survivors and it's like 20:1 women to men but the stats for DV/SA for men are not that low so it's like... they're just walking around with trauma and I wish more men would seek help. so I'm glad anytime any man is emotionally vulnerable tbh Reply Parent Thread Link good that's he raising awareness, but he's a debt supporter and a friend of kephrii, one of the worst overwatch streamers and homophobes. Edited at 2023-04-12 08:20 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link oh jesus gross Reply Parent Thread Link yeah, he's streamed with kephrii who cheated on his ex-wife with one of his mods, got exposed for using homophobic slurs, and was also a debt supporter himself. he's also done unsportsmanlike things like cheating in gaming tournaments. Reply Parent Thread Link More men need to talk about this. ED are often presented as a "female" issue but guys have pressure to look a certain way as well. There's a lot of guys with disordered eating habits and EDs that feel like they have to keep quiet about it. Reply Thread Link oh wow :( Reply Thread Link Sorry to him but he is outspoken Depp supporter Reply Thread Link oh i love him and im happy for him and his family that he was able to start his recovery process. i totally understand how his wife's pregnancy might force him to look further into his own relationship with food when she's sustaining life for their baby. i don't know if that sounds like a high sentence, im just a woman in her early 30s with an eating disorder ha ha. i never thought i would be recovered enough to allow myself to consider wanting to be pregnant in the future and trusting myself that i can handle it Reply Thread Link I didn't dislike Jordan (but hearing he's a stan of Depp makes me question my stance), but every time he's Bart on the Flash I just cringe because I can't stand Bart. Reply Thread Link I read that as Jordan Peterson and thought, "Of course." Reply Thread Link The only thing Ive seen him in is the flash as Wally. Good for him though. Reply Thread Link He stole the show in Grease Live, he was phenomenal as Mark in Rent Live, and he was leagues above everyone else on his season of Dancing With the Stars Reply Parent Thread Link If I liked musicals I would invest. I bet hes really good. He looks like he would be a great dancer. And seeing as how the CW picks really talented people for their shows I am not surprised hes so talented Edited at 2023-04-13 01:21 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link After a successful 2022, Iraqs oil and gas industry has faced challenges this year following the closure of an export pipeline in the north of the country. Conflict over the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has made it complicated to export the crude that provides most of the countrys income. An overreliance on oil revenues has led to economic instability and the dire need for economic diversification to bring about greater stability. However, with new energy projects in the works, with international partners, Iraqs oil industry is expected to remain strong for years to come. In 2022, Iraqs oil revenues exceeded $115 billion, reflecting strong oil prices and the high global demand. This marks a four-year high after the low demand of the Covid pandemic when Iraqs oil revenues fell to $42 billion. Iraq is the second biggest oil producer in OPEC, and crude production provides around 90 percent of the countrys income. The oil-rich nation exported over 1.2 billion barrels in 2022, averaging around 3.3 million bpd. Iraq relies heavily on oil exports for its income due to ongoing economic challenges and conflict, which have led to the need for significant investment in the countrys infrastructure. Although Iraq has substantial oil resources, with over 143 billion barrels of proven reserves in 2016, it is currently experiencing an energy crisis. Its 42 million inhabitants face regular blackouts and damaging electrical surges. At present, around one-third of Iraqs gas and electricity comes from Iran. However, these deliveries are often disrupted, resulting in power cuts. Iraq is now facing increasing pressure from international organisations to diversify its economy away from oil and natural gas in preparation for the global green transition. Related: Oil Prices Return To Recent Highs In late March, producers were forced to shut in and reduce output from multiple northern Kirkuk oilfields in the Kurdistan region (KRI) in the north of Iraq due to the closure of the countrys northern export pipeline. The 450,000-bpd pipeline was closed after Iraq won an arbitration case in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) stating that Turkey had violated a joint agreement by letting the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) export oil to the Turkish port of Ceyhan without Baghdad's permission. The halt to Iraqs oil trade meant a slump in oil exports of 200,000 bpd in March and a rise in oil prices to $80 a barrel. Those that did not stop production altogether were forced to put their crude into storage while waiting for the pipeline to open again. However, limited storage capacity means oil production has fallen significantly. Several international oil firms stopped production, including Norwegian oil firm DNO and Canadas Forza Petroleum. In early April, the KRG reached an initial agreement with the Iraqi government to resume oil exports from the KRI. Officials from the federal government, the KRG, and the Turkish government held several discussions to come to an agreement over the oil exports. The agreement is expected to remain in place until the Iraqi parliament approved the oil and gas law bill. The deal is said to agree for oil to be jointly exported by KRG's natural resources ministry and Iraq's federal oil marketing firm Somo. While the KRG can set up an account for Kurdish revenues, the federal government will be able to monitor it. Turkey is currently still waiting for an official announcement to resume the flow of Iraqi crude. In addition to a reduction in oil exports due to the pipeline closure, Iraq was forced to reduce crude output at its southern oilfields in response to the announcement of OPEC+ quota production cuts last month. OPEC stated it would be reducing output across its member states by 2 million bpd until the end of 2023. Iraqs oil minister, Hayan Abdel-Ghani, said We forced some companies (with technical service agreements) in the south to lower production in order to adhere to the OPEC+ decisions. Despite recent challenges, there is some optimism in the oil industry. Iraq is currently in talks with Frances TotalEnergies about the finalisation of a long-delayed $27-billion energy deal. Abdel-Ghani stated that the deal has reached an advanced stage, and he believes the actors "will activate the deal very soon. The deal, which is expected to see TotalEnergies building four oil, gas, and renewables projects in southern Iraq for $10 billion, was initially signed in 2021. The project is expected to span 25 years. Politicians are still debating the terms of the deal, with the federal government demanding a 40 percent share of the project. TotalEnergies wants to maintain a majority share, which has made the government demand a point of contention and has resulted in delays. However, Abdel-Ghani is hopeful that the deal will be finalised soon so the project can go ahead. After a successful 2022, Iraqs oil and gas industry has faced multiple challenges in 2023, leading to production and export cuts. The countrys reliance on its oil revenues means that disruptions in its oil output and export can often lead to economic instability. But there is hope around an agreement between the federal government and Kurdistan Regional Government over crude exports to Turkey, as well the finalisation of a deal for new projects in the south of Iraq with partner TotalEnergies. ADVERTISEMENT By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Western embargoes on seaborne imports of Russian crude and refined products have upended traditional oil shipping routes and resulted in inefficient trade patterns that make shipping fuels more expensive and boost demand for tankers carrying petroleum products. The EU bannedeffective February 5seaborne imports of Russian refined oil products and around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian diesel, naphtha, and other fuels had to find a home elsewhere if Moscow wanted to continue getting money for those products. The flow of Russian fuels to third countries is also regulated by price caps, similar to the cap on Russian crude if the trade is carried out through Western insurers. The cap on Russian diesel is $100 per barrel, while the cap on lower-cost petroleum products is set at $45 a barrel. Since February 5, the average rates for tankers shipping fuels have more than doubled, according to the Clean Tanker Index published by the Baltic Exchange and cited by Reuters. Trade Routes Shift Ahead of the EU ban on Russian petroleum products, Russia began to divert its oil product cargoes to North Africa and Asia. At the same time, Europe has started to buy more diesel and other fuels from the Middle East, Asia, and North America to replace the lost Russian barrels. North Africa is becoming a key export outlet of Russias diesel and other petroleum products. According to analysts, countries in North Africa will not be consuming all the Russian oil products they are importing. North Africa isnt boosting its refining processing, either. This leaves one plausible explanation for the jump in imports of Russian fuelsre-export to other countries, including Europe, after blending with products of non-Russian origin. Related: Oil Prices Return To Recent Highs Between October 2021 and September 2022, before the EUs sanctions on Russian fuel imports, diesel imports from Russia accounted for 53% of Northwest Europes seaborne imports, per data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In February 2023, when the sanctions took effect, those diesel imports fell to 2%. Although petroleum product imports from Russia have declined, imports from other areas, notably the Middle East and Asia, have increased. Northwest Europe has significantly boosted diesel imports from Saudi Arabia, India, China, and South Korea, according to the EIA. Tanker Markets Tighten Due to the new trade routes, the so-called clean tankers carrying gasoline and diesel now have to travel three times longer from a Russian port to a destination in Latin America, for example, compared to just four or five days trips from Russias Baltic Sea ports to Belgiums Antwerp hub before the embargo. This dislocation of global trade in fuels, with the longer distances tankers are now having to travel to deliver Russian oil products outside Europe, is boosting demand for tankers hauling petroleum products. So far into 2023, a total of 38 mid-range fuel tankers have been ordered, the highest number since 2013, per data from shipbroker Braemar cited by Bloomberg. Orders for fuel tankers have soared so far this year to the highest in a decade, with global trade being upended by sanctions on Russia while Asia and the Middle East add refining capacity at the expense of the U.S. and Europe. Utilization of medium-range (MR) fuel tankers carrying Russian products has increased steadily since the last quarter of 2022 and over 80% this year alone, Vortexa said at the end of March. Tankers loaded with Russian fuels are mostly diesel headed to destinations much further than Europe, such as South America, West Africa, or Southeast Asia, Vortexa freight analyst Dylan Simpson noted. Not only are voyages much longer, but vessel behaviour has also changed, keeping vessels from operating in other CPP [clean petroleum product] markets, Simpson wrote. With fleet growth in the tanker market staying limited for at least the next two years on the back of a low orderbook, Russian CPP trade has increased vessel requirements in the MR segment and hence exacerbated tightness in the global MR market. The changes in CPP trade flows out of Russia are stark, Gibson Shipbrokers said in a market report one month after the EU embargo on Russian fuels came into effect. Until February, Europe had remained Russias primary market for refined product exports; however, in the space of a month, a major pivot has been observed, Gibson said. ADVERTISEMENT So far, tanker tracking suggests that Russia has been relatively successful in placing most of its fuels in markets other than Europe, despite the fact that Moscow has been forced to divert cargoes to distant markets in order to maintain export volumes, according to the shipbroker. However, much depends on Russias export strategy and ability to maintain refining runs and Western Governments' willingness to allow Russian products to be rebranded and re-exported overseas, Gibson noted. In any case, the refined products price cap has created additional inefficiencies in refined products trade, which are unlikely to be reversed anytime soon, if ever. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The current optimism in Europe about future energy security is once again based on the wrong assessments. An increasing amount of reports published during the last couple of weeks are warning that if Europe is not getting its act together, it could be facing a possible new energy crisis or at the very least a repeat of very high prices during the winter of 2023-2024. The exceptionally warm winter of 2022-2023 has been a blessing for EU governments and consumers alike, but it should not be considered a reliable indicator for the future. Despite significant investments in rapid LNG regasification and landing projects, little attention has been paid to global developments which suggest that demand for natural gas will continue to rise, but also that countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea are increasingly seeking long-term LNG supply contracts. The combination of increased Chinese demand and strong Indian economic growth will further tighten global markets and cause LNG prices to rise. Meanwhile, Russias remaining LNG supply to Europe and gas flows through Ukraine could face significant challenges, including potential blockades if Ukraine launches an offensive or attacks Crimea. As a result, existing Russian LNG deliveries to Europe, including Rotterdam and other ports, are also likely to end soon. Going forward, securing sufficient LNG supplies through purchases on the global market will be a high priority for Europe if it wants to counter curtailed Russian flows. Maintaining 2022 levels of imports wont be easy. Last year, Europe imported 121 million tons of LNG, which was a 60% increase compared to 2021. The cost of this sudden change in energy import strategy has been extremely high, as Europe has been scouring international spot markets for cargoes, paying top dollar for cargoes. Non-European entities, such as China, have been opting for an alternate approach, prioritizing long-term agreements. Although such agreements have grown more expensive, they have helped curb price surges. And high prices remain a concern for Europe. In 2022, European buyers represented approximately 33% of total LNG spot market purchases, a significant increase from 13% in 2021. Unless long-term contracts are inked, it is anticipated that Europe's LNG spot-market volumes will surge to around 50% in 2023-2024. Related: Russia's Current Account Surplus Dwindles As Sanctions Hit The main cause of the current fledgling LNG and natural gas import strategies is linked to existing and proposed EU policies. Brussels climate goals are seen as the main culprit constraining long-term contract discussions at present. The plan to cut 55% of emissions by 2030, while reaching net-zero by 2050, negates the options available to market parties to sign long-term contracts. While long-term contracts could be mitigating price hikes and ultimately lead to lower natural gas prices for consumers, policymakers are prioritizing climate change and emission strategies, leaving affordability for final consumers at the bottom of the agenda. As Morten Frisch, a senior partner at Morten Frisch Consulting states that Europe will need to put 70-75% of its LNG supply under long-term sale and purchase agreements (SPAs). Frisch reiterates that current EU politicians are misinterpreting the real facts on the ground as they all claim that green hydrogen could be replacing LNG volumes by 2030, which looks like a long shot at present. Due to the green lobby and green hydrogen market pushers, the EU becomes extremely dependent on spot-market LNG supplies, and vulnerable to price shocks. The real underlying issue is that European policymakers are underestimating the importance of natural gas as a bridge fuel. While the debate in Brussels about demand reduction and the effective horizon for phasing out natural gas continues, policymakers dont seem to be aware that affordability and security of supply are of crucial importance. An increase in Asian LNG demand could leave global LNG markets increasingly tight and could lead to new price shocks during the winter of 2023/2024. LNG spot prices have come down 80% from their peak levels in 2022, but many analysts now expect prices to increase again, not only because of Asia, but also due to summer demand, as hydropower levels are set to drop. In order to avoid the negative consequences of another price shock, EU planners must start to hedge risk through long-term contracts. During the last couple of weeks, European energy giants such as Shell and RWE have been reaching a stalemate in long-term contract negotiations with LNG supplier QatarEnergy. RWE, for example, is said to be at odds with QatarEnergy, based on the length of the proposed deal. Doha is looking to close a 25-year supply deal, while German parties only want to commit to 10-15 years, in line with the German goal to phase out natural gas completely by 2043. Doha could be willing to sign short-term contracts but at a hefty premium. The German example doesnt stand on its own, as other major gas importers, such as the Netherlands, arent willing to commit to longer contract periods either. The short-term contracts may lead to the accomplishment of certain climate goals, but the consumer is bound to foot the bill for these policies. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Italian government has given conditional approval for the sale of a refinery owned by Russias Lukoil to a Cyprus-based private equity firm, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources in the know. The conditions set by the Italian government for buyer G.O.I. Energy include guarantees that no jobs will be cut and a commitment to secure crude oil for the refinery from producers other than Russia. To greenlight the deal, the government used its golden power prerogative that allows it to review and approve deals that are considered to be of strategic importance in industries including energy, banking, and healthcare. The ISAB refinery, located in southern Italy, has a capacity of 320,000 bpd, accounting for as much as 20 percent of Italys total refining capacity. Its continued operation came under threat last year, however, when the European Union imposed an embargo on Russian crude oil imports. In response, as a temporary measure, the Italian government put the refinery under trusteeship, with a sale seen as the best course of action going forward. In case the refinery could not be sold, the government considered nationalizing it. At the time, there were reports that Crossbridge Energy Partners, a U.S.-based private equity group, was in talks to buy the refinery from Lukoil, and that a deal could see the refinery valued at over $1 billion. In January, however, it emerged that Lukoil is considering a sale to the Cypriot private equity company, which is financially backed by commodity major Trafigura. Cyprus-based G.O.I Energy is run by Israeli Green Oil CEO Michael Bobrov, according to Reuters, while Green Oil holds a major stake in Bazan Group, Israels largest refiner. ADVERTISEMENT The deal will allow Western-based Trafigura to handle oil supplies for the Italian refinery, should the Italian government agree to the sale. At the time, Lukoil expected the sale to close by the end of March. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: On March 20th, Tarek Al Aissami, Venezuela's former Oil Minister, announced his resignation amidst a large corruption scandal at the state oil company PDVSA. The scandal involved the disappearance of 3 billion dollars, which was connected to the sale of oil cargoes and connected with the crypto system. This led to the detention of Joselit Ramirez, the top official of the official cryptocurrency mechanism called SUNACRIP, who was known to be close to Tarek Al Aissami. In a rare move, Al Aissami resigned to President Maduro, which gave way for an extensive investigation, resulting in the arrest of other PDVSA authorities associated with the trading department. The investigation came at a time when 21 billion dollars in unpaid bills to PDVSA from sales via intermediaries were reported in 2020 due to sanctions against PDVSA. This new chapter is significant given the political and macroeconomic context of Venezuela, which is preparing for presidential elections in 2024, considering also the key importance of Tarek Al Aissami in the upper political and economic circle of the government. Closely watched by the U.S., Al Aissami was known to be the key connection with Iran and the all too powerful Arab economic lobby in the country which got access to lucrative multi-million dollar deals in the last couple of years. Meanwhile, this move could highlight political clashes between different factions within the Maduro government and is a possible signal to Washington by the moderate faction in the Venezuelan government, which has been looking to get sanctions lifted. Recently, the U.S. extended a sanctions waiver for Chevron, which currently is the only Western oil major operating in Venezuela. Following the resignation of Al Aissami, President Maduro has appointed Pedro Telechea, the recently installed President of PDVSA, as the new Oil Minister. The new Minister has to deal with a corruption case within the oil company that will further harm its reputation. It remains to be seen what strategic direction Venezuela will take regarding its alliances with Moscow, Iran, and Beijing, or whether it will return to its traditional alliance with the US. Given the current circumstances of global oil markets, with Russia's oil exports under sanctions and Venezuela's proximity to the U.S., it would be wise for Venezuela to consider re-establishing its former relationship with Washington, which has been its natural crude export market for decades. Additionally, strained relations between Washington and traditional Gulf allies such as Saudi Arabia could increase the value of Venezuelan oil to U.S. refiners. The investigation into the corruption case has only just started, and with speculation rife about the real motivation behind the resignation of former Minister Tarek Al Aissami, there are clear signals that Washington may have been behind this action in order to consider expanding its oil presence in Venezuela. After all, a change of winds in Venezuelas oil patch could benefit the U.S. at a time when OPEC+ is further tightening the market through supply cuts. By Jose Chalhoub for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Compared to most developed countries, Australia is lagging far behind in the race for decarbonization. Per capita, Australians are the worlds worst coal power polluters. By this metric, they are the top polluters in both the G20 and OECD. According to analysis from energy think Ember, the average Australian emits four times more carbon dioxide than the average person around the world. Coal is a pillar of the Australian economy, and the government there has been reluctant to move away from it. But the science is increasingly indicating that Australias economy (and environment) would ultimately benefit from a transition away from the worlds dirtiest fossil fuel. Australia has resisted the global push toward decarbonation for years, with a track record of widespread climate denial at the highest ranks of government. And as coal prices have shot through the roof thanks to the global energy crisis brought upon by Covid-19 and kicked into overdrive by the Russian war in Ukraine walking away from coal has become even harder with revenues soaring to new heights. But despite these major hurdles, private interests have banded together to help bolster the nations clean energy infrastructure in a bid to help diversify the countrys energy mix and kickstart Australias latent green energy transition. Multi-billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, currently the 6th richest person in Australia, has been attempting to kill the nations coal industry for years now by buying out domestic energy companies for conversion to renewable energy. And hes just getting started he and his wife Annie have pledged to donate $1.5 billion of their wealth to climate efforts by 2030. Elon Musk, too, has entered the fray starting with a fortuitous tweet, of course (and a reply from Cannon-Brookes). In fact, Tesla has been integral to the growth of the Australian renewables industry by providing massive batteries for energy storage. As a result, the nations decarbonization has sped up at a pace that no one paying attention to Australian politics could have hoped for. Related: Chinas Sinopec To Take 5% Stake In Qatars Giant LNG Project The energy storage batteries provided by Tesla, and others like them, are lithium-ion batteries. As Australia and the rest of the world increasingly depends on renewable energy, the spread of such batteries will be key to avoid blackouts and other energy supply hiccups. Since solar and wind energy are variable, meaning that their output waxes and wanes according to the weather, time of day, and time of year, its essential that we are able to store excess energy at peak production to feed back into the grid later to ensure that supply can meet demand. This means that global demand for lithium is about to go through the roof. For countries with large lithium deposits, there is a whole lot of money to be made. And Australia just so happens to be one of them. In fact, according to reporting from The Guardian, exports of Australian lithium are on track to be as lucrative as coal exports within just five years as the world increasingly embraces clean energy and the market value of fossil fuels falls. The report is based on new data released by the Australian government, which shows projections that domestic lithium production is set to double in the next few years, and the industrys revenue will triple over the same time period. In contrast, coal revenue is expected to fall by more than 70% over the next few years as coal prices normalize and return to pre-Covid levels. Lithium prices have also skyrocketed in recent years, but unlike coal, they are not expected to slump. In fact, the trajectory for lithium demand shows nothing but growth. This is in part due to energy storage, as described above, but it is mostly thanks to the increased adoption of electric vehicles. Australia, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been as slow to embrace EVs as they have been to embrace clean energy, but global trends show a rapid increase in EV sales, especially in Chinese markets. Even for the staunchest climate deniers and coal supporters, the message is clear: the money is in lithium. Standing by coal could soon become a liability for Australian leaders. Whether they care about climate or not, it looks like Australia is finally joining the decarbonization movement in earnest. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Multiple area fire departments battled a fire at a Bellevue apartment complex Wednesday afternoon that displaced several residents. The Bellevue Fire Department was first dispatched to the Country Estates Apartments near Ginny Avenue and Jewell Road at approximately 12:35 p.m., battalion chief Kirk Schuster said. Crews from the Omaha, Papillion and Offutt fire departments were called in to help fight the blaze. No injuries were reported, but residents of the building's units have been displaced. The Red Cross was called in to assist apartment management in helping residents relocate, Schuster said. By 5 p.m. Wednesday, crews were monitoring hot spots in the fire and beginning the investigation process. Photos: Wildfire burns near Lake Waconda in Nebraska A 19-year-old Omaha man was sentenced Tuesday to three years in federal prison for the theft of guns from a licensed firearms dealer. Terry A. Barfield was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for Nebraska for stealing guns from Frontier Justice near 82nd and Center Streets on Aug. 8, 2022. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release. Prosecutors said 44 firearms were stolen during the break-in. Investigators determined that three people broke exterior windows of the store and entered wearing face coverings and gloves before leaving in a white sedan. On Aug. 19, Omaha police detectives stopped a car at 35th and Jaynes Streets that matched the description of the vehicle used in the burglary. The four occupants fled on foot. A detective observed Barfield placing a black handgun in his waistband while running. Three suspects were arrested, including Barfield. His cellphone was also seized. Detectives searched the area and recovered a Glock 34 9mm handgun later confirmed to have been stolen from Frontier Justice during the burglary. Another firearm was found near the car. Officers later obtained a warrant to search Barfields cellphone, which yielded additional evidence of his involvement in the break-in. A search warrant at Barfields residence recovered another firearm, a CZ P-10c 9mm handgun, which was confirmed to have been stolen from Frontier Justice. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assisted Omaha police during the investigation. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of April 2023 Omaha police arrested three people after a chase through the eastern part of the city Wednesday afternoon. At 1:43 p.m., police responded to a large disturbance call on South 13th Street, between Pierce and William Streets. That incident eventually elevated to shots reportedly being fired, said Officer Michael Pecha, a police spokesman. Police observed a brown Kia vehicle leaving the area and tried to stop it. Pecha said the driver refused to stop and led officers on a pursuit that eventually ended near 33rd Street and Myrtle Avenue, about three miles from the original incident. From there, Pecha said, at least three people fled from the vehicle but were quickly taken into custody. Police set up a perimeter and searched the area. Pecha said police were trying to determine if a fourth person was involved, and the investigation remains ongoing. No information on the suspects was immediately available. Pecha said police did recover a gun. At around 2 p.m. Wednesday, a person went to the Nebraska Medical Center with a gunshot injury. At 2:47 p.m., there was a help an officer call at the medical center for an incident in which a person had reportedly barricaded themselves inside a vehicle and was allegedly armed with a knife. Pecha said police are investigating the medical center incidents to see whether or not they were connected to the incident on 13th Street. LINCOLN Nebraska lawmakers gave a green light Tuesday to a big-budget effort to revitalize underserved parts of North and South Omaha. The Nebraska Legislature advanced Legislative Bill 531 through its first round of debate in a 30-0 vote. The bill is a follow-up to a 2022 bill, LB 1024, which allocated $335 million to underserved areas of Nebraska. LB 531 would boost the total above $400 million, specifically focused on low-income Omaha neighborhoods. The bill still needs to make it through two more rounds of debate before it reaches Gov. Jim Pillens desk. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, the bills introducer, grew up in North Omaha and said his main focus while in office is economic recovery for that area. He said the projects funded through LB 531 will aim to reduce poverty and crime rates and improve educational and health outcomes. North Omaha is not a charity case for wealthy individuals to act as our saviors, McKinney said. It is a community that deserves a fair chance at the good life. Most of the money $365 million would be distributed through the Department of Economic Development to some of the 367 proposals submitted during an earlier phase of the project last year. LB 531 identifies a handful of those proposals to receive guaranteed money, including $20 million for a Malcolm X museum and another $20 million for local health centers. A few projects were already identified and received funding through LB 1024 last year, including about $26 million to be spread across projects elsewhere in Nebraska. Additionally, $20 million was allocated for affordable housing projects in Omaha, $30 million was dedicated to innovation hubs, and $60 million was allocated for a business park near the Omaha airport. LB 531 would increase the total amount going to the business park from $60 million to $100 million. Folded into the bill is separate legislation from Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, which would allocate $15 million to improve sewer systems, McKinney said. It also would give $180 million to support a new water treatment plant in Lincoln. BERLIN (AP) Firefighters say they have freed an uncooperative squirrel that was stuck in a manhole cover in western Germany echoing a similar incident that happened in the same city four years ago. The Dortmund fire department said it was alerted to a distressed red squirrel by a pedestrian Monday afternoon, after she spotted its head peering out of a hole in the road. The woman covered it with a scarf to calm it down before calling for help. A crew of firefighters who arrived at the scene carefully removed the manhole cover and tried to free the rodent. This turned out to be quite complicated as the squirrel was uncooperative, the fire department said. After further attempts the crew was able to extract the animal unharmed and it vanished up a nearby tree. Dortmund firefighters have some experience of saving stuck squirrels. In 2019, a similar squirrel rescue drew international attention. It could not be determined if it was the same squirrel that had to be rescued from the same situation four years ago," the fire department said in a statement. ___ Ijiomah Marksman Chinedu, a businessman and the CEO of the Chinmark Group, has been proclaimed wanted by the Nigeria Police Force in connection with an alleged N480 million investment fraud. The troubled businessman is scheduled to show up in front of Interpols Assistant Inspector General of Police at Force Headquarters in Abuja. The Magistrate Court of Lagos had issued an arrest warrant/bench warrant, according to a special police gazette bulletin. Ijiomah Marksman is sought for for committing N480,013 million in money laundering, computer fraud, and collecting money under false pretenses. The statement also followed a petition filed on behalf of a client who transferred N480,013,000 into numerous bank accounts managed by a marksman by Chive GPS, a dispute resolution business in Nigeria that offers debt collection options and other strategic services. Some part of the petition reads: We are retained by and others Our Clients and on whose express instruction we write to lay a criminal complaint of a well-orchestrated theft, fraud, and obtaining money by false pretences against the trio of Ijiomah Marksman, Marksman Uhunoma Trinity, and Chinmark Group herein referred to as MARKSMAN. Sometime in 2020 and 2021, MARKSMAN invaded the social media space and other mediums advertising for investment and posed as investment moguls that can manage the publics funds for investments in real estate, hospitality, trading, and financial loans, in exchange for fixed return at a predetermined rate and duration. The police statement further disclosed that at different points, Chinmarks clients transferred over N400 million to different bank accounts owned by Marksman with the expectation of fixed interest. Oblivious of the large-scale fraud ahead, our clients transferred, at various times the sum of Four Hundred and Eighty Million Thirteen Thousand Naira (N480,013,000) into the following multiple bank accounts controlled by Marksman. The proposed transaction was packaged and designed to yield fixed interests. However, upon expiration of the investment, the chief masterminds, Ijiomah Marksman and Purity Marksman, are rumoured to have fled the country to the UAE or the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu and severed stopped any form of communications with our clients. Marksman may have coordinated this fraud alongside a well-financed cyber-actor namely; Amanda Chisom, Peter Awuzie, Happiness Awuzie, Linda Chinemelum Paul, Ada Ujaligwa, Timothy Benedict, and Harrison Gwamnishu who promoted the following as CHINMARK GROUPs assets all over the country, the statement explained. To prevent Markman from fleeing the country to South Africa, the petition sought to have him placed on a global red notice. It was not the first time residents of Onitsha were witnessing building collapse. In 2016, a two-storey building also under construction at Ndiagu in Idemili North local government area near Onitsha, also collapsed, killing three artisans working at the site. Sometime in 2013, a two-storey building under construction at Omaba area of Onitsha collapsed, although no life was lost in that incident. There was also the case of a collapsed uncompleted threestorey students hostel in Oko, Orumba North LGA The frequent rate of building collapse in the state necessitated the decision of the state government to set up materials testing laboratories in Onitsha and Nnewi and the laboratories are functioning. The idea was that materials used in the building industry, including cement, rods and soil, must be tested before moving to construction site to ensure that only standard materials are used. The latest incident in Onitsha has made it necessary for the laboratories to be up and doing to forestall future occurrence. Red Cross refutes allegation of materials diversion(Opens in a new browser tab) When the four-storey building under construction at Ezenwa Street by Ogalonye junction collapsed on Wednesday, the victims were workers at the site. It took various agencies several hours to rescue the victims from the rubble and at the last count five persons were dead, while three sustained various degrees of injuries. The building collapse took place at about 1.30 pm when workers were busy carrying out construction work. It was wailing and sobbing as the victims were brought out. It was such a pitiable sight when rescue workers first brought out a dismembered leg of one of the victims before the full body was brought out thirty minutes later and taken to the Onitsha General Hospital mortuary by officials of the Nigerian Red Cross Society. The mood of sympathizers, who were jubilating when the first, second and third victims were rescued alive, changed when part of the dismembered body of the fourth victim, hip joint area, was brought out by the excavator operator. The excavator operator was asked to halt operation immediately the victims dismembered body was found, and manual rescue method used until his whole body was located and brought out and taken to the mortuary. Nigerian Red Cross distribute relief materials to flood victims in Delta(Opens in a new browser tab) The owner of the collapsed building, who was said to be a legal practitioner, did not show up at the scene of the incident while rescue operation was on as he was said to be devastated by the incident. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the landlord has several landed property in many parts of Onitsha before he started the construction of the collapsed building. The rescue team was made up of members of the Onitsha branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, led by its Chairman, Engineer Victor Aniekwena, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRS, led by its Chairman, Professor Peter Kachi, the staff of Onitsha North local government area and volunteers. After several hours of painstaking efforts, three people were rescued alive in the evening of Wednesday, while one person with dismembered body was not lucky enough to survive, as he was brought out dead. Later at night on Wednesday, three other people were brought out from the rubble dead. Later on Thursday, two more bodies were brought out. The scene attracted a large number of Onitsha residents and others whose relations reside in the town to identify the victims. At about 12 noon on Thursday, two corpses, one identified as that of Julius from Aguleri in Anambra East local government area, and that of James, said to be from Enugu State, were still lying beside the rubble as there was no vehicle to convey them to the mortuary. Some sympathizers almost created a scene following the delay in taking the deceased to the mortuary. However, the situation was calmed when around 1.27pm, a blue Volvo saloon car was brought and the corpses were taken to the mortuary, after their relations had identified them. Narrating how his men handled the situation, Aniakwena said: When we got the distress call that there was a collapsed building, we contacted some of our colleagues who are residing around Onitsha and we rushed down to the scene and found that some people were trapped. We gathered some of our colleagues who have equipment and started the rescue operation and did it till 1am on Thursday before we rested and continued. One of the survivors informed us that they were only seven in the building at the time it collapsed and we ensured that all of them were brought out, with five dead and two alive. At the time we were carrying out the rescue operation, one of the victims was even making telephone calls from inside the rubble to tell us where he was trapped until we rescued him. He was even the one that pointed the positions they were before the incident and that helped in finding others easily, and the survivors have been taken to hospital. Speaking professionally, Aniekwena added: The developer may not have followed the rules and regulations. There were a lot of errors and since the Anambra State Testing Lab on Structures, the Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON, and all the people in charge of material testing have come and picked samples from the rubble, the real cause of the collapse will soon be known. They picked samples from the slabs, the reinforcements, the cements and the blocks and it is only when they have done the analysis and come up with the result that we can say authoritatively the cause of the collapse. You know that in any test there are certain things that will draw ones mind before speaking authoritatively. The building fell horizontally and so definitely one will be able to know that it was foundation fault. Maybe the developer did not do the needful, by doing soil text analysis, for instance, to know the soil bearing capacity of the area, and to know the kind of foundation to put up. We will ask the developer if a qualified engineer was in charge of the construction and who that engineer is. If he gives us the name, we will be able to know if the person is an engineer or not because we are seeing cases where people who are not engineers claiming that they are. If we find out that the person is our member, his certificate will be in question, and we will investigate him and if we find out that it is engineering fault, the person is going down as the building he supervised went down. He will also face the law. These days every quack can come up to claim that he is an engineer. Once one can mix cement and put blocks together, he begins to answer an engineer. So we will find out if the person we brought out who people said is the engineer is truly an engineer. We are therefore waiting for the developer to come out to provide who the engineer for this project is. *** The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, has hit back at the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for dismissing his bid to succeed Governor Yahaya Bello. Wike had in a press briefing in Port Harcourt, dismissed the former Kogi West senators chances in the PDP governorship primary in the North-Central state. He said: When you give Dino that ticket, you know he wont win in Kogi State. Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking? However, in a message posted to his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Melaye reminded the governor that Kogi is not Rivers State, where he has the authority to choose his successor. He insisted that such an authority instead belongs to God. READ ALSO: Melaye slams Wike for mocking PDPs loss at elections The former federal lawmaker expressed surprise that Wike has suddenly become the self-appointed public office regulator who could determine what would happen in states. He wrote: On recovering from his inebriation, Wike should be reminded that Kogi is not Rivers, and the people of Kogi State would not worship any foreign god. Above all, Wike should also understand that power belongs to God, and he gives it to whoever he wants, even the basest of men. Today, Wike can take a swipe at me, and mark me down as unqualified to govern my state, but has he forgotten that he believed my gubernatorial aspiration in 2019? Can he be reminded that I have served as a member of the Federal House of Representatives and have also been elected twice into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Join the conversation Opinions Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate Now A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant in the coming governorship primary in Kogi State, Senator Dino Melaye, has fired back at Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for discrediting his governorship ambition. According to Melaye, going by his pedigree in politics, he is more qualified to be governor than Wike. The PDP chieftain also played down the support of Wike, stating how he failed to support PDPs Ademola Adeleke in Osun, only for Adeleke to emerge governor of the state among other candidates he supported but lost in the last general elections. I will want Nigerians to know that Wike was my biggest supporter when I ran for governorship in 2019, financially, and even otherwise. Apart from funding me to the tune of hundred of dollars in the last governorship election in 2019, he provided his private jet to drop me in Kogi on the day of the primary, that is to show you the level, magnitude and intensity of his support and belief in me. So the man who saw competence and capacity in me, and invested in that project, today in 2023, is saying that I am not qualified; the only explanation to that is psychotic disorderliness. The only explanation to that is mental fatigue. Because I am not a bootlicker, because I refused to walk in alliance with your myopic agenda, because I have refused to corroborate your intellectual stagnancy. I am more qualified to be governor. To the glory of God, I have nine university degrees, I have been a member of the House of Reps, I have been elected twice to the Senate, I have been aide to the president of federal republic of Nigeria, so I dont know who is more qualified to be governor between me and Wike. Wike should be reminded that Kogi is not Rivers, and the people of Kogi State would not worship any foreign God. Above all, Wike should also understand that power belongs to God, and He gives it to whoever he wants, even the basest of men. And but for this absolute and indiscriminate dispensation by God, how did a person like Nyesom Wike become a governor? Is it his oratory, diligence, finesse, wealth or intellectual endowment?, Melaye said. It would be recalled that Wike had earlier on Tuesday rubbished Melayes governorship ambition, saying the PDP chieftain does not have what it takes to contest for the Kogi states governorship. Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking? When you give Dino that ticket, you know he wont win in Kogi State, Wike had stated. Advertisement From Mba Nnenna Abakaliki. Against the rising anxieties in some quarters over the fate of Nigerias President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has reassured Nigerians that no power can deprive Tinubu of his mandate. Governor Umahi gave the assurance Tuesday while receiving the Ebonyi Governor-elect, Right Hon. Francis Nwifuru, in his office in Abakaliki. Nwifuru was in the Governors office to present to the Governor his INEC Certificate of Return and appreciate the Governor for his support which gave him and the All Progressives Congress victory at the recently concluded governorship polls. Addressing journalists at the event, Governor Umahi dedicated the victory of the All Progressives Congress in the State and across the country to God. He maintained that those seeking to upturn the victories at the tribunal were simply wasting their time and resources, adding that the Party merited all it got at the polls. He advised those thinking they would rob Tinubu of his mandate to have a re-think, insisting that Tinubu cant be stopped. There is no power or force that will remove Tinubu from being the President, because the time God would have stopped him, God allowed him. Because God allowed him, no man can stop him. And this extreme politics should be deemphasized in Nigeria so we can move forward, in a better Nigeria. Turning to the Governor-Elect, Governor Umahi praised the qualities and character of Nwifuru, stressing that his election was built upon the platform of equity, peace and love in Ebonyi State and nurtured by all men of good will. He maintained that should the election be held again, the APC will still carry the day. When people say they are going to Court or going to tribunal, I will just laugh. The PDP got the little number they got in our State because the election became local in the sense that they had House of Assembly members from the various localities that were making efforts to also win. Thats why they got eighty thousand, against our One hundred and ninety-nine thousand votes; a clear difference of almost One hundred and twenty thousand. Governor Umahi further urged the Ebonyi Governor-elect to consider for appointment into his team, younger generations, adding that the youths should be given more opportunities to contribute their knowledge to governance. He also made a case for increased number of women appointees in the coming administration, up to 50 percent. Presenting the Certificate of Return to the Governor, Nwifuru described the Governor as the man that made all that happened to happen, He appreciated the Governor for standing strong for equity and justice in the State. Nwifuru added: Your Excellency, I am here this afternoon to present to you the Certificate of Return issued to me by the Independent National Electioral Commission on that fateful day made by the Lord, the 29th day of March, 2023, while you were away. Related Advertisement An internet fraudster, better known as Yahoo Boy, Victor Timothy has been slammed 12 months jail term after he pleaded guilty to committing N9 million internet fraud. The sentence was handed down to the convict by Justice Dairus Khobo of the Kaduna High Court on Wednesday. The Yahoo Boy was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended count of fraud. During court sitting, the prosecution counsel for EFCC, P.C Onyeneho, told the court that the convict was arrested on February 28, in the Trikania Area of the state based on credible intelligence that he was into internet fraud. According to Onyeneho, Timothy fraudulently obtained money in the sum of N9,700,000, an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017. The prosecution urged the court to allow the convict to take his plea again on the amended charge. Khobo granted the application and Timothy pleaded guilty to the offence after the charge was read against him. Following his plea, the court convicted the convict as charged. In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu on Wednesday, held an open casket viewing for his late first wife, Ifeoma Kalu at McEwen Funeral Service-Pinaville Chapel, North Carolina, in the United States. BLOOMINGTON Fusion Crunch, 616 N. Main St. in downtown Bloomington, is this week's pick for Eats of the Week. The restaurant opened on June 10, 2022, and is owned by Amit and Neetu Arora. The couple is originally from India, but they have lived in Bloomington for nine years. Fusion Crunch operated as an online-only business for its first couple of months. Indoor dining was later added, as well as curbside pickup and delivery through DoorDash, GrubHub and UberEats. "First thing, I love food. I wanted to do something new," Amit Arora said, noting the prevalence of processed, frozen food items. "We wanted to come up with the idea of converting the fast food of fresh food into a basket. We deliver the tickets in 12 minutes, and it's fresh. Nobody does that." The downtown location used to be home to Hobbyland, which was known as the "fun store with the red door." The hobby store was in business for 57 years. The location was also a restaurant in the 1940s. Amit Arora said when they remodeled the location they found pictures of an old bakery on the walls. Part of the remodel included adding a prep kitchen in the basement as well. "We do everything in house. Even all the sauces we make in house. All the items we prepare in house," Neetu Arora said. "Every day you will find something different in the flavors. You can see there's a little fusion in every dish." Popular menu items include the ramen, tacos, Malaysian quesadillas and jumbo, locally-sourced wings. The restaurant also offers burgers and sandwiches, pastas and rice bowls. Amit Arora said they plan to introduce a couple of chicken items that will soon be available on the weekends, which was suggested by community members. He said they plan on introducing food specials in the future. He added that the food is healthy and fresh, and has good flavor. "We have a pretty diverse menu. There's a little bit of everything for everyone. It's good to have different choices or like if someone doesn't like something," chef Anthony Barrientos said. "The quality of freshness and the atmosphere is really good. People like our service and the food comes out pretty quickly as well." Amit Arora said what he enjoys the most is making the customers happy and seeing them enjoy the food. The biggest reason Fusion Crunch has become so popular is purely from word of mouth, Amit Arora said, noting they have not done any kind of marketing for the restaurant. "We get comments on a daily basis. Take any item on our menu, whether it's cheese curds, empanadas or tacos, it's the best in town," Amit Arora said. "We want to deliver the same quality of food at one location and get a good team over here and then move to the next location, so that is the plan and it's coming." He added that he wants to say thank you the Bloomington-Normal community for spreading the word about Fusion Crunch to all of their friends and family. FICTION: Three generations of women span Russian history from the revolution through glasnost. "The Last Russian Doll" by Kristen Loesch; Berkley (416 pages, $27) As a child, Kristen Loesch fantasized that Grand Duchess Anastasia survived the 1918 massacre of the Romanovs and then met and fell in love with Loesch's great-grandfather. Loesch's keen imagination carries over into "The Last Russian Doll," a richly detailed first novel that blends passion and romance with the history of Russia from the time of the Russian Revolution, through the Soviet era and into the turbulent early days of perestroika and glasnost. All this Russian history is woven through the lives of three entrancing female characters who embody the spirit and courageous determination of Russia's women. History may be the novel's scaffolding, but Russian folk and fairy tales are its bedrock. Rather than rely on the centuries-old tales that have been passed down for generations, Loesch, for the purposes of this novel, creates her own. In them she hides clues to the family mysteries consuming Oxford student Rosie White, who in 1991 returns to Russia to investigate the life of her recently deceased mother, the enigmatic Katya. Rosie and her mother fled to the United Kingdom after Rosie's father and sister were murdered 10 years before. She wants to learn the motive for the killings, something her mother refused to share. As she investigates, she also unearths the story of her grandparents, Valentin, a firebrand Bolshevik, and Antonina, a noblewoman and writer, who struggled through and survived the dark days of the early 20th century's Russian revolution. Digging up the past isn't easy and Rosie soon realizes that people who knew her family are not who they say they are. Loesch, who has a master's degree in Slavonic studies from the University of Cambridge, writes in an author's note that her novel was inspired by epic Russian novels such as Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina." And though she doesn't mention it, I couldn't help but be reminded of the powerful love story that is at the center of Boris Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago" as Tonya and Valentin fight to sustain their love in the shadow of a totalitarian regime. Their story shines, more than Rosie's and Katya's, as it takes readers deep into the siege of Leningrad, the rise of Stalin and the deplorable Soviet labor camps. Like the iconic Matryoshka dolls that are an intrinsic part of Russian culture, the stories of Antonina, Katya and Rosie grandmothers, mothers and daughters fit one inside the other. Together, in this provocative tale, they give us a better understanding of Russian culture, politics, and most of all, its people. Carol Memmott is a writer in Austin, Texas. BLOOMINGTON Bloomington police were justified in the shooting of a 28-year-old Bloomington man struck by gunfire near an apartment building on Turnberry Drive, along Cottage Avenue, the McLean County States Attorneys Office said Wednesday. It is the unequivocal opinion of the McLean County States Attorney that the Bloomington Police Department officers were legally justified in their use of force against this subject on March 30, 2023, according to a report from States Attorney Erika Reynolds. Officers were initially called to respond to a report of an armed subject and while en route, they learned shots had been fired outside the apartment building at the complex. An officer or officers shot a man about 9:29 p.m. in the entryway of one of the buildings, police told The Pantagraph after the shooting. Upon their arrival, the armed subject pointed his firearm directly at the officers and the officers discharged their firearms at the armed subject, Reynolds wrote in the prepared statement. The armed subject was struck by one bullet which rendered him incapacitated. The officers then immediately rendered aid to the armed subject by removing him from the hallway to a location where paramedics could render medical treatment and providing first aid, thereby helping to ensure the survival of the armed subject. Those efforts by the officers certainly helped save the life of the armed subject, Reynolds wrote. Reynolds and First Assistant States Attorney Brad Rigdon of the criminal division comprised the analysis team that reviewed written reports from responding officers, body-worn camera footage and reports from Illinois State Police, which leads the investigations of officer-involved shootings as a matter of policy. The body-worn camera footage was not released with Reynolds' report. No officers were injured in the incident. Reynolds said they engaged in a heroic course of conduct that prevented this highly dangerous situation from resulting in any civilian casualties. The analysis team found the officers conduct was justified, reasonable, and necessary to protect the public and themselves from great bodily harm and loss of life. Further information about the mans condition after the shooting was not available. Reynolds said her office has not determined whether charges will be brought against him. "The officers responsibly carried out their duty to resolve the issue with bravery and concern for the lives of others," BPD Chief Jamal Simington stated in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon. "It is fortunate all involved, the complainants, the armed individual and the officers, survived this very dangerous incident. Our mission is public safety, and gun crimes such as these are a high priority, which our officers are highly committed to appropriately address." Simington added that the officers involved in the incident are on administrative leave. Police declined to comment further, citing an ongoing investigation. The Pantagraph has filed a request for the body camera footage under the Freedom of Information Act. This was BPD's first officer-involved shooting since 2013. In that incident, police fatally shot a 53-year-old man who had ignored commands to drop a weapon and instead pointed it toward officers, according to Pantagraph archives. The McLean County State's Attorney's Office ruled the use of force was justified after a state police investigation. READ THE FULL STATEMENT: BLOOMINGTON Youth Engaged in Philanthropy, or YEP, is looking for high school students from McLean, DeWitt, Livingston and Logan counties to participate in next school year. YEP is an initiative by the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation that provides opportunities for high school students to build leadership and teamwork skills while engaging in a unique, philanthropic experience. YEP funds local youth-run or youth-oriented programs, and members will be responsible for developing grant guidelines and awarding a total of $10,000 to selected programs. The 2023-24 school year will be the 11th year for the YEP program. The group will be limited between 20 to 25 students who will be required to commit to at least three hours of regular monthly meetings and committee meetings. Additional time commitments may vary depending on committee work, review of grant applications, service opportunities and other factors. Applications are due May and can be completed online at bit.ly/3KRB0bZ. The students who are selected will be notified in late May. For more information, call 309-662-4477. Photos from the Women to Women Giving Circle Summer Lunch Retired Judge Beth Robb introducing Judge Amy McFarland Barb Hummel, Pat Grogg, Sharon Tarvin Charlotte Talkington, Margaret Ann Hayden Karen Bersche, Barb Meek Kara Alt, Vera Traver, Amy Coon Joan Vanden Eynden, Jan Wohlwend Lynda Lane, Fran Brandau Sandra Harmon, Laura Kowalczyk Kyleigh Airo, Amy Roser Great conversation Diana Hauman, Sonja Reece, Karen Hanson More than 40 women attended Karen Major, Laura Beavers Donna Nickels, Mary Anne Schierman, Sally Pyne Judge Amy McFarland Retired Judge Beth Robb 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 12, 1923: Three hundred of the leading business and professional men of the city were guests at a luncheon yesterday of Meadows Manufacturing Co. The occasion was to announce the addition of Henry L. Barker, noted washing machine expert, to the Meadows staff and to tell of plans to enlarge the business to encompass a million-dollar total in the coming year. The Bloomington plant makes washing machines, grain elevators and other products, and employs roughly 125 people. 75 years ago April 12, 1948: The longhand original draft of Harold Sinclair's novel, "American Years," last week joined the Milner library collection as a gift of the author. He also gave the typewritten manuscript copy and the corrected galley proofs. The library already has an autographed copy of his book. 50 years ago April 12, 1973: Three Front Street businesses were raided simultaneously by 30 police officers seeking to crack down on illegal gambling. The businesses were Frank E. "Hank" Harris' Barbershop, 101 W. Front St.; The Empire billiards parlor, 107 W. Front; and the Silver Dollar Billiards Parlor, 210 E. Front. The raids culminated months of undercover work by city and state police, who reportedly placed bets on horse racing in January and February. 25 years ago April 12, 1998: Patience is wearing thin among some commuters who travel Towanda Avenue, where the intersection with Emerson Street is now the busiest in Bloomington without a stoplight. Budget challenges mean it is likely to remain that way for several more years. The intersection has been on the city's "to do" list for more than a decade, but opposition from neighboring property owners in 1986 led the council to scuttle planned improvements. 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' NORMAL An $800,000 Illinois Board of Higher Education grant was awarded to Illinois State University to support the continued education of early childhood teachers. The funds are part of $3.37 million in IBHE Early Childhood Faculty Preparation Grants, which were awarded to four Illinois universities. The goal is to support talented early education teachers, so they can become higher education faculty, Miranda Lin, who was the principal investigator on the ISU portion of the grant, said in a news release. In February, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Smart Start Illinois, a multi-year plan to provide every Illinois child with access to preschool, increase funding to childcare providers and invest in newly expanded early childhood facilities. This includes a $250 million investment in programs for the 2024 fiscal year. "But adding preschool seats only works if you have the staff to support them," Pritzker said in a news release. "These Early Childhood Faculty Preparation Grants will help expand our pool of providers all while providing new opportunities for a diverse set of prospective early childhood educators." ISU's grant will allow early childhood teachers and professionals to obtain a master's degree in teaching and learning with a focus on early childhood teacher preparation. The degree will be achievable through a streamlined, 15-month online program offered by the College of Education. Tuition, fees and additional expenses such as laptops and childcare costs would be covered by the grant funding for selected applicants. Rachel Hatch, assistant director of media relations for ISU, said 20 spots are available for the first cohort of the program. However, the university already has received 70 applications. "(ISU) knows this is a program that's in demand for people," Hatch said. The program will begin in May and end in August 2024. The other three grant recipients are Lewis University, which received $358,390; National Louis University, which received about $1.2 million; and the University of Illinois at Chicago, which received about $1 million. Altogether, the grants aim to support scholarships and other academic support for 78 students to earn master's degrees related to early childhood education. How the US compares to the rest of the world in access to early education How the US compares to the rest of the world in access to early education Early education spending per child Total education spending as a percentage of GDP Early education enrollment rates Mandatory schooling age Average child-to-staff ratios CHARLESTON Eastern Illinois University administrators say they have made a "last, best and final" offer in hopes of ending a strike by faculty and academic support staff. In a statement released shortly after midnight Wednesday, the university accused members of the University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100 of abruptly walking out of negotiations Tuesday night. "EIU cannot express enough how disappointed it is in the conduct of UPI and its refusal to stay at the table to end this strike," the statement said. The union had not released a statement in Wednesday's early hours, but UPI President Jennifer Stringfellow said earlier Tuesday that union members had made the university's economic recovery possible by taking on extra work. "Balancing the operations of this university on the backs of overworked faculty and staff is not a sustainable approach to running an institution of higher education," she said. The union and university have been in talks for over a year, and faculty and staff have worked without a contract since September. Union members went on strike April 6. Both sides have indicated that wages remain the most significant sticking point. Before the most recent meeting, EIU President David Glassman detailed the points of disagreement in a statement released Monday evening. He said the union was asking for across-the-board salary increases of 7%, 5%, 5% and 4% over the next four years, a schedule that would cost more than $9.3 million over the life of the contract. University administrators offered 3.75%, 3%, 3% and 2.25% over the contracts four years, exceeding $5.8 million in total, Glassman said. Stringfellow said earlier Tuesday that union members have saved the university hundreds of thousands of dollars by taking on more work for less pay in recent years. "Everyone who works at EIU knows that the raises have been low across all work sectors, except for President Glassmans most recent 10% raise," she said, "and positions have been left vacant so that work is distributed to those who stay." University administrators gave more ground on the issue Tuesday, agreeing to add an additional 3% over the life of the contract, according to the statement. However, union members provided an economic proposal at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and then left negotiations without waiting for a reply, the university said. This left the university with "no choice but to deliver its last, best and final offer" electronically to the union, according to the statement. The agreement would provide 5%, 4%, 3%, and 3% in across-the-board salary increases along with increases in merit and other types of payment; the financial package exceeds $6.6 million over four years, the university said. Read the university's full statement below: Demonstrating its commitment to bargaining in good faith to reach agreement with UPI, EIU was prepared to meet with UPI on Monday and Tuesday. UPI would commit only to begin bargaining at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, in part because members of the bargaining committee traveled to Governors State University to attend a rally. Despite UPI prioritizing a rally at another university over resolving its own contract, EIU came to the table Tuesday evening with every intention to stay as long as it took to reach an agreement that enabled our students and faculty to return to the classroom. To that end, EIU reached agreement with UPI on all outstanding issues except economics. On economics, EIU committed an additional 3% over the proposed four-year term of the agreement, while UPI moved little on the economic proposal it has had on the table for several sessions. UPI gave an economic proposal at 10:30 p.m. and abruptly walked out of negotiations without giving EIU the opportunity to respond across the table. In doing so, UPI demonstrated that it was not interested in reaching agreement and it abandoned its commitment to EIUs students. UPIs premature cessation of bargaining left EIU with no choice but to deliver its last, best, and final offer electronically to UPI. The main terms of EIUs proposal would result in all UPI-represented employees receiving a 15% increase over the term of the agreement: 5%, 4%, 3%, and 3% in across-the-board adjustments with substantial increases in merit, ACA, PBI, and overload. EIUs financial package exceeds $6.6M over four years and is significantly higher than those agreed to by the parties in the last several collective bargaining agreements. EIU cannot express enough how disappointed it is in the conduct of UPI and its refusal to stay at the table to end this strike. Photos: Eastern Illinois University faculty strike In less than two years, the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 450,000 nurses. The health care system wont be able to fill this gap with half the potential workforce on the sidelines: More must be done to recruit men into nursing. Men comprise about 12% of nurses, up from less than 3% in 1970. Boosting their number would not only ease shortages, but offer a path to good jobs for a demographic that has been exiting the workforce in alarming numbers in recent years. Employment growth in some traditionally male sectors, such as manufacturing, has all but vanished. Yet men traditionally havent entered nursing because, much like teaching, its stigmatized as a female profession the term male nurse is a case in point. Men in nursing tend to be career-switchers, and often include former members of the military, police officers and firefighters. In short: Civic-minded workers drawn to the six-figure salaries, career progression and flexible schedules, with the added bonus of not having to sit behind a desk. Recruiting more of them could have pronounced benefits. Ample research suggests diversity in the health care workforce improves care. Studies have shown visits are longer and patients are more satisfied when they share the same race or ethnicity as their provider, which can have a cascade of positive effects including improved communication, deeper trust and stricter adherence to medical advice. Evidence that patients prefer same-gender providers is also starting to emerge. The needs among the patient population cant be overstated. Native American, Black and Hispanic men experienced the biggest declines in life expectancy during the pandemic and remain among the least represented demographics in the nursing workforce. Male school nurses (and teachers) are also at the frontlines of a burgeoning teen mental-health crisis: Adolescent boys are both less likely to seek treatment and more likely to die by suicide. The American Psychological Association has long identified the need for gender-specific care for teen boys, who might have a harder time confiding in women. Though addressing the nursing shortage has strong bipartisan support, increasing male representation has been largely absent from discussions. Thats a mistake. To start, lawmakers should follow the tested model of encouraging women in STEM. Recent legislation, for example, directed the National Science Foundation to channel more of its K-12 funding to elementary and pre-K-age students to encourage STEM careers earlier in the pipeline. Similar efforts should be made for nursing. Some nursing schools engage middle- and high-schoolers in their communities to reduce stigma and highlight nursing as a viable career path. Though it might prove politically unpalatable, targeting scholarship funding and loan-forgiveness programs to male nursing students would also make sense. Nursing schools are so resource-strapped that they turn thousands of qualified applicants away each year. State and federal efforts to boost the number of nursing instructors, increase stipends (and forgive loans) for doctoral students, and broaden access to training facilities (in person or online) need to be accelerated. Yet a renewed focus on recruiting men can only help. Bringing men to parity in the field would add some 3.5 million nurses today. Hitting even a fraction of that figure would be a significant milestone and improve the lives of millions of Americans. Its a long-term investment the industry can justify. Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has attributed the shortage of fuel at some GOIL fuel stations to the implementation of governments flagship policy, Gold-for-Oil. GOIL fuel stations at Tudu, 37 area, Tantra hill in Accra and some other pumps across the country show the oil marketing company has been lacking fuel, most specifically Petrol. Reacting to the development in an interview with Accra-based Citi News, Duncan Amoah, the Executive Secretary of COPEC indicated that the Gold-for-Oil policy has disrupted the market and may have significantly caused the fuel shortage. If you are asking cash for Gold-for-Oil products when the other traders could simply bring them products on credit, you will simply lead to market disruptions, Duncan Amoah said. He added, I will not be surprised to see that at some point we will abandon the programme altogether because it probably might not be bad if you look at the premise of it trying to save the forex situation but as to whether the module where you bring in so much documentation before you are able to buy the products before that you need to make available ready cash, the market does not operate like that. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in November 2022 first announced the governments plan to undertake the Gold-for-Oil initiative. The deal hinged on buying oil products with Ghanas gold instead of the US dollar. Dr Bawumia explained on Facebook that using gold to buy oil would help Ghana's dwindling foreign reserves while also reducing demand for US dollars from oil importers. It will fundamentally change our balance of payments and significantly reduce the persistent depreciation of our currency, the vice president wrote. Under the policy, the government believes that using gold to purchase oil products would also bring stability to the exchange rate market and ensure domestic oil operators do not solely depend on foreign exchange to import products. Source: Ghanab.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 Hon Kennedy Agyapong, a presidential candidate hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has challenged the party faithful and delegates to keep faith in him to deliver victory in the 2024 elections. He made this statement during a visit to the Ajumako Enyan Essiam constituency as part of his Central Region tour. According to him, he is similar to David in the Bible, who was greatly underappreciated but was able to defeat a behemoth like Goliath. Unemployment, according to the lawmaker, is a big threat to Ghanas democracy. He promised to create more jobs so that the youth would have more opportunities. He claimed that due to unemployment, many of the kids are unable to locate girls with whom to form a relationship. Unemployment is a major problem for Ghanas youth; many of them have completed school but have no jobs to do. Because you have no jobs, you have no girlfriends, which is unfortunate. As someone young and had your parents spend money on your education, you should get a job to do, save money, marry, and build your family. However, this is not the case. University graduates continue to live with their patents. When you vote for me, the youths future is bright. I will shape the youths future. We need jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Meanwhile, he has stated that he will defeat former President John Dramani Mahama in the presidential election in 2024. To that purpose, he has asked delegates to vote for him in the primary. He also attacked people who claimed he was not a presidential candidate, saying he was still the NPPs best shot against the NDC. 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 Macron's visit to China seen to boost ties 14:10, April 12, 2023 By CHEN WEIHUA in Brussels ( China Daily Experts voice optimism in improving relations, countering decoupling ideas French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China last week has been applauded as a great success in promoting peace and cooperation. Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said that the relationship between Europe and China is critical for peace, environment and economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. "President Macron's visit to Beijing provides a lot of optimism for improving relations and a strong counternarrative to all negative decoupling ideas. Trade and cooperation will increase," he said, referring to Macron's words last week that he opposes moves to decouple from the world's second-largest economy. Solheim, a Norwegian politician, said that Europe, led by France, and China, can be partners in peace. He added that the huge Chinese diplomatic success in bringing Iran and Saudi Arabia together and moving toward a settlement of the Yemen crisis was a brilliant backdrop for a most successful visit. During Macron's three-day visit to China, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian agreed in Beijing on Thursday to resume their diplomatic relations and reopen embassies in each other's country within 60 days. The thaw in relations between the two former archrivals in the Middle East has raised hopes of putting an end to the yearslong Yemen conflict, a de facto proxy war between the two countries. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who served as French prime minister from 2002 to 2005 under then-president Jacques Chirac, accompanied Macron during the visit. "I participated in more than 20 Sino-French state visits. The one just made by the French President (Macron) seems to be one of the most important," he said in a tweet on Sunday. Former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr also weighed in on Monday, relating Macron's message to Australia's situation. "Europe will avoid involvement in Taiwan says Macron. Not Europe's fight. A message to Canberra to ignore ridiculous talk about NATO in Asia," he said in a tweet on Monday. In an interview on his flight from Beijing to Guangzhou, Macron told the media that Europe should not get caught in a crisis between China and the United States over the Taiwan question. Tomasz Michalski, associate professor of the Economics and Decision Science Department at HEC Paris, said that the European Union nations' recent growth model is based on the peace dividend after the Cold War and worldwide trade. Mutual cooperation "France sees the solution to many important world problems, such as energy transition and limiting climate change and lowering Earth's pollution, as only possible through mutual cooperation," Michalski said. A 51-point joint declaration between China and France issued on Friday covers a wide range of areas for cooperation, from strengthening political dialogue, promoting political mutual trust, global security and stability to economic exchanges to relaunching human and cultural exchanges and jointly responding to global challenges. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined Macron on the China visit, her first visit to China since assuming the post. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will on 24th April 2023 perform the grand opening of the Accra World Book Capital, 2023 at the Accra Conference Centre. In attendance at the event would be will be a wide array of important international personalities including Members of the Diplomatic Community in Ghana, UNESCO Representatives in the Africa Region and its Paris headquarters, and Directors as well as Representatives of the United Nations Agencies home and abroad. The others include Development Partners, City Mayors from the World Book Capital Network, and personalities from the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), as well as the International Authors Forum (IAF). Briefing the Press on Tuesday in Accra, the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum mentioned the rationale of Accra World Book Capital and stated that in September 2021, the City of Accra was selected by UNESCO as the 2023 World Book Capital, following evaluation by the World Book Capital Advisory Committee. He explained that Accra was selected ahead of other cities because the Education Ministrys programmatic focus was on young people and their ability to contribute to the culture and wealth of Ghana through the power of reading. Dr Adutwum stated that Accra, thus, became the fourth city in Africa to receive this title, making Accra part of the prestigious World Book Capital Cities Network and it is no doubt it is an acknowledgement of the giant strides Ghana and Africa are making to develop its books and creative arts industries. The Education Minister used the occasion to congratulate the Inter-Ministerial Agency Committee led by the Ghana Book Development Council who put together the convincing dossier that won the nation the enviable title of hosting the World Book Capital 2023. He appealed to the media to take a keen interest in the event with the necessary information about the year-long program of activities for sustainable communication, inform and educate the Ghanaian citizenry about the goals and aspirations of Accra World Book Capital, 2023. The UNESCO country representative, Mr Diallo Abdourahamane, enumerated the various benefits the nations stand to derive from hosting the event. He urged the teams to continue working hard towards the success of the event for the country and the rest of the world. The Mayor of Accra, Madam Elizabeth Naa Sackey, praised the committee for its role and pledged to support the successful hosting of the event. Background The concept of World Book Capital by UNESCO acknowledges the power of books and reading as cornerstones to a more inclusive, equitable, peaceful, and sustainable society. The Government of Ghana believing in this vision also recognizes the need to address barriers to equity and inclusivity in all aspects of societal life. In education for example, several actions, including, making secondary education free, provision of more schools and STEM Centers across the country, developing adapted curricula at all levels, and improving the quality of teachers and the teaching profession are all efforts by the Government to guarantee a just and sustainable society. 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 Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has met with the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Africa at the United Nations Secretariat in New York, H.E Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee. Sharing his delight at this encounter, the MP said that he was particularly glad because Martha Pobee is hails from his constituency. He also added, in a Facebook post, that the diplomat had visited him while she was on holidays in the country. "I had the pleasure of receiving in my office, H.E Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, a distinguished Ghanaian diplomat who is currently the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Africa at the United Nations Secretariat in New York. "Prior to this appointment, Mrs Pobee served as the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations in New York and Chief Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. "A native of Bantama constituency, Ambassador Pobee is home on holidays and was gracious to call on me at my constituency office," he said. Francis Asenso-Boakye also said that during his meet with her, they discussed issues pertaining to the development of the area. "We discussed various issues regarding the development of the Bantama constituency. I wish her continued success in her current role," he added. 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 Former Presidential staffer and political commentator Mr. P.V Jantuah Dadson is calling for the resignation of the Inspector General of the Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare for failing in the fight against illegal mining otherwise known as galamsey. According to him, the Ghana Police Service is part of the governments organization in the fight against galamsey after its officers were sent to various parts of the country to end the menace. On the issue of the galamsey fight, dont you think it would be good for the IGP if he resigns from office? Mr. PV Jantuah asked on Kumasi-based Angel FM monitored by MyNewsGH.com. Mr. PV Jantuahs calls were in reaction to a viral video that saw an officer begging a civilian for his life in a galamsey community. The Ghana Police Service in a statement revealed they arrested four members of the gang they accused of attacking the police but the suspects also claimed the uniformed officers were extorting money from galamsey sites in Axim, a community in the Western Region. The police also claimed the men seen in the video were robbers. However, the leader of the gang, Kwame Asare Ato who escaped the police arrest has denied the allegation saying they are not robbers as claimed by the state security. He also revealed that his gang worked in the area with the District Police Command in extorting money from miners and went further to reveal that, the gun he used in his operation was given to him by the police CID in the district. Meanwhile, Mr PV Jatuah Dadson insisted that the District Police Commander of Axim should be sanctioned. Where did the incident happen, Axim; the IGP together with the District Police Commander should have gone home by now. The two police officers sighted in the video should have also appeared in court by now, he said. Mr PV Jantuah also wondered how Kwame Asare Ato the gang leader was able to seize guns and other items from the police. He noted that the police could not do anything to save themselves from being humiliated because of the intentions they had and the fact that they have already been compromised. 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 The National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yammin, has stated that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare, will be remembered as the worst IGP ever due to his reluctance to arrest government officials who flout the law. Joseph Yammin asserted that the IGP has failed to live up to expectations in that regard. He added that Dampare started well, but he is currently hesitant to act where needed. "Whoever makes such a statement should be arrested, so if the IGP won't arrest him (Bryan Acheampong). "Then he doesn't have balls; the IGP is having a social media account that is only linked to NDC stories, so whatever about NDC, he will see it, but for NPP, no. "A statement like this from the NPP and IGP has not seen it? But if it was Yammin, it would have popped up on his social media handles to issue a statement to go and arrest Yammin. "I feel this IGP is not helping Ghanaians; he may go down as the worst IGP even though he started as the best ever to happen to this country because of his steps as IGP." Yammin's comment follows a statement made by the Member of Parliament for Abetifi Constituency in the Eastern region that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is not prepared to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Speaking in an interview with Neat FM on April 11, 2023, he argued that such a statement has a strong propensity to incite violence in the nation; he also demanded for the member of parliament's arrest, in line with a request by the party. Bryan Acheampong is on record as saying the governing New Patriotic Party will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections. According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC); therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared. He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls. Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that "We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections...It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We'll use any means for NPP to stay in power." 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 The Head of the Ghana School Feeding Programme Public Relations, Mr. Siiba Alfa has assured that the government will soon implement its decision to increase the feeding grant for school feeding caterers. He said that, though the final determination on the exact amount to give to the Caterers had delayed a bit since the announcement for increment was made, the government was working in consultation with the relevant decision making bodies and partners to arrive at a mutually acceptable figure that would meet the current standards of living. Some angry school feeding caterers staged a serious protest against the Government in Kumasi last Monday and stormed the office of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah in all-red attires to demand for increment and payment of their "three terms' arrears". They had threatened to stop cooking for the beneficiary children until the government heeds to their demand for payment of their three terms' arrears and increment in the feeding grant per child from the current 97pesewas Approval of Grant Increment Mr Siiba stated emphatically that the government had already approved a proposal submitted to Cabinet through the Gender Ministry for an increase in the school feeding grant. The increment, he said, was captured in the 2023 budget statement and was announced by the Finance Minister." Appeal to caterers The Public Relations Manager, in an interview with the media, appealed passionately to the caterers in the Ashanti and other regions threatening to embark on a sit-down strike to rescind their decision. "We want to appeal to our dear caterers who are threatening to go on nationwide strike to exercise restraint, and cooperate with the processes leading to the payment of their 3rd term of 2022 arrears," Mr. Siiba said. Alleged three terms' arrears Conversely, Mr Siiba refuted the claims by a section of the aggrieved caterers that the government is presently owing them for three continuous terms. He revealed that, the government/School Feeding Management just in this April, 2023 finished paying the caterers for the 2nd term of 2022 with an amount of 200 million Ghana cedis, even before they staged the protest in Kumasi. As it stands now, the government owes the caterers only 3rd term of 2022 and 1st term of 2023 which just ended. "We are in the second week of the 2nd term of 2023 and per our policy, caterers are supposed to pre-finance the cooking until the end of the term before they can be paid what is due them for the 2nd term of 2023. So, the caterers are owed only 2 terms." he insisted. 3rd term of 2022 payment Mr. Siiba reiterated that the GSFP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is working on the necessary documentations to ensure that payment for the 3rd term of 2022 is effected as soon as possible. Frequent Delays in Payment The Head, Public Relations of the programme admitted that the frequent delays in the payment of arrears were seriously affecting the caterers and keeping majority of them in debt for a long time. He also admitted that most of the caterers are unable to sleep in their homes or go to certain markets because they are always being hunted by their suppliers and creditors due to the delay in the payment. He, however, attributed the phenomenon to the current economic challenges. He also commended the government for its demonstrable commitment to salvaging the situation despite the inherent economic difficulties the country is facing. Deduction of non-cooking days On the other hand, Siiba Alfa reacted to the complaints of deductions in the payments of some Caterers. According to him, the deduction is called non-cooking days, and that, "it affects only those who were unable to cook for a number of days for whatever reasons in an academic term." He said that the non-cooking days are deducted by the government to ensure value for money and to also serve as checks and balances in the School Feeding Programme. Meanwhile, Mr. Siiba urged any caterer who feels that she or he has been wrongfully deducted to contact their School Feeding Zonal and Regional Coordinators with copies of their daily record forms for immediate rectification or correction. 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 One of the six suspects standing trial in connection with the murder of Trooper Sherrif Imoro at Taifa, a suburb of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region has been released on health grounds. He has been granted GHC150,000 bail with three sureties, two to be justified with landed properties by the court presided over by Simon J. Gaga. However, another suspect is crying for more food claiming that he is being underfed. This comes after two lawyers battled with prosecution for over 30 minutes for bail to be granted to the accused persons against the wish of prosecution who want them remanded. Counsel who only represented the accused persons who were arrested and charged for dishonestly receiving stolen items prayed the court to grant them bail. Counsel for three of the four accused persons told the court that the third accused, Ibrahim Abdul Rakib has been battling with ulcer in custody. He therefore asked the court to admit him to bail so that he can seek proper medical attention since keeping him in custody could aggravate his health condition. But prosecution led by Superintendent Sylvester Asare opposed to the bail and told the court to adjourn the case. According to him, the investigations into the case are in advanced stage as prosecution needs ample time to complete. He pointed out to keeping accused persons in custody is in the interest of the accused persons and that of the public. According to the prosecutor, granting them bail will impede and interfere with investigations. Prosecutor rubbished the claim of suspect demanding for bail on health grounds, saying that the accused never complained of any sickness when he was in custody. He said prosecution is ready to offer medical treatment to the accused person at the Police Hospital. Interestingly, before the presiding judge could complete drafting his ruling, one of the prime suspects, Samuel Tetteh raised his hand. When asked by the court his reason, to the dismay of the gallery, he told the court that the food being offered him in the custody was not enough. He further told the court to direct prosecution to give him enough food. But the court, after having carefully listened to the applications for bail from counsel and objection by the prosecution, admitted the third accused person to bail on health ground. The court however, remanded the remaining five accused into police custody for investigations to continue. The court further directed the police to take good care of the accused persons in custody to be healthy to stand trial to avoid unwanted eventualities. The main two accused persons arrested for the murder of the military are on trial for conspiracy to commit crime to wit attempted robbery and robbery whereas the four are defending themselves on the charge of dishonestly receiving stolen items. Murder Trial Earlier today April 11, 2023, the Tema District Court also denied bail to the two main accused persons, Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper and Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman when they appeared on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder and murder. The Tema District Magistrate Court Presided over by Benedicta Antwi remanded the accused persons after Superintendent Sylvester Asare told the court that duplicate docket which has been forwarded to the office of Attorney General for study and advice is yet to return. He prayed the court to remand the accused persons in police custody. The Magistrate, Benedicta Antwi had granted the prayer of the prosecution at the last sitting and remanded the accused persons to reappear on April 11, 2023 It would be recalled that the Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operations, arrested six persons at different dates and locations within Ashiaman and its environs for their suspected involvement in the murder of Private Imoro Sherrif, a soldier. On March 4, Police received information that a male adult had been found lying dead at Ashiaman Taifa in the Greater Accra Region. A team of Police officers proceeded to the said location and confirmed the incident. Police immediately commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the victim. The Crime Scene Team retrieved a number of items, including a knife with blood stains on it and a backpack. In the backpack, Police found a Samsung tablet, an Apple laptop, a military uniform with the name tag Imoro, eight other items of clothing, as well as a Ghana card and a Health Insurance card bearing the name Imoro Sherrif. Judging from the contents of the backpack, the police suspected the victim could be a soldier, and in line with Police standard operating procedure for handling institution-based victims, the Military was accordingly notified of the incident and some military personnel came to identify the deceased to Police as Imoro Sheriff, a soldier. The body of the deceased was thereafter conveyed to a hospital for preservation and autopsy. As part of the investigation, an intelligence-led operation was immediately launched within Ashiaman and other strategic locations of interest to follow up on all relevant leads on the case. The deceased was stationed at Sunyani but had come to Accra on a course. Investigations further revealed that on March 3, the deceased had visited a female friend at Ashaiman Newtown at about 10:30pm and left the place in the middle of the night at about 01:30am, on March 4. After almost a week of intelligence-led operations, on March 9, the police arrested suspects Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu and Ibrahim Abdul Rakib at their hideouts in Ashaiman. Two other suspects, Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper and Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman were also arrested at their hideouts on March 10. Two additional suspects, Yussif Mohammed and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim were arrested on 11th and March 12, respectively. Further investigation established that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick at about 1:45 am on 4th March 2023 attacked the deceased at Taifa Ashiaman in an attempt to rob him of his phone and a backpack leading to his death. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Peace Council has expressed concern over the increase in incendiary comments made by politicians and has announced plans to engage with political parties and security agencies to address the issue. The Council issued a statement following comments made by Abetifi Member of Parliament, Bryan Acheampong, suggesting that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would not relinquish power to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and would do everything possible to remain in power. Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the Peace Council, has thus called on politicians to exercise restraint in their comments ahead of the 2024 general elections. In an interview with Citi News, he said, "We've received some footage by several political actors from both the NDC and the NPP that we think need to be addressed, and we want to appeal to the political actors to be careful and guard what they say and how they say it. "Our intention is to invite the parties to the table to review the things we discussed and see the challenges that we have now and see what we can do going forward." Dr. Adu-Gyamfi also revealed that the Council has scheduled a meeting with security agencies next month to address potential conflict issues. He emphasized that these meetings would be continuous, adding, "We've also scheduled a meeting with the security agencies which will be coming on next month to look at the things that we need to address between now and the next elections." Regarding the Abetifi lawmaker's comments, Dr. Adu-Gyamfi stated that if someone makes a criminal statement, the responsibility falls on the security agencies to take appropriate action. The Council's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the potential for violence in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections. 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 The Chief Executive Officer of the InterCity State Transport Corporation, Nana Akomea says the Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong meant no harm with his words while addressing some party supporters at Mpraeso. The Minister stated that the New Patriotic Party will use any means to remain in power and also cautioned that they will show the largest opposition party, National Democratic Congress, that they have the men to face them in 2024 elections. NDC party will collapse. If the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have the men. We have the men! It will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC. It will never happen! We will make sure NPP remains in government at all cost, Bryan Acheampong blurted out. He has since come under severe censure with the NDC calling on the Police to arrest him for what they describe as "reckless and treasonable" comments. But to Nana Akomea, Bryan Acheampong's statements have been misconstrued. "I don't think Bryan was saying if the Electoral Commission declares NDC as winner in the 2024 elections, we, the NPP, can say we won't leave government. Is that possible? It's not possible!, he replied on Peace FM's morning programme "Kokrokoo". He added that "Bryan Acheampong cannot say we stay in power whatever happens but the way he said it, that is how somebody will think". He, however, cautioned politicians to be mindful of their utterances stressing "we talk always and some of the speeches are subject to interpretation. So, we should make sure our utterances don't cause someone to make wrong conclusions. That is a challenge for politicians". 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 Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has reacted to Bryan Acheampong's statements to supporters of the New Patriotic Party at Mpraeso last weekend. The Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, addressing the party supporters, stated that "it will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC". He stressed that "if the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have the men". He further said; "NDC party will collapse . . . we will show them that we have the men. We have the men!...We will make sure NPP remains in government at all cost, Hon. Bryan Acheampong blurted out." Mr. Pratt has warned politicians not to attempt to erode the confidence of Ghanaians in the country's electoral system. He noted that Ghana is experiencing peace because of the power of the citizens to elect a new government if they are not pleased with the sitting government. He, therefore, condemned any speech that has the potency to cause chaos in the nation. "Political parties and leaders should watch their utterances. If we lose confidence in this system which allows us to change government we don't like, the other option is scary. It's total chaos; Armageddon! Let's be very careful. That confidence in the electoral system, let us not destroy it," Kwesi Pratt cautioned while reacting to Mr. Bryan Acheampong's comments. Listen to Kwesi Pratt Jnr. in 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 James Kwabena Bomfeh has jumped to the defence of the Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong over some statements the latter made while addressing supporters of the New Patriotic Party at Mpraeso. Hon. Bryan Acheampong has come under political siege for making comments thought to be seditious with his critics, mainly the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), calling on the Inspector General of Police to arrest him. Speaking to a mammoth NPP faithfuls, the Minister stated that, "it will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC". He further said; "NDC party will collapse...we will show them that we have the men. We have the men!...We will make sure NPP remains in government at all cost, Hon. Bryan Acheampong blurted out. He stressed that, "if the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have the men". The NDC have described these statements by the Minister as "reckless and treasonable". But James Kwabena Bomfeh, alias Kabila, wonders which part of Bryan Acheampong's remarks merits an arrest. "Did he say if Ghanaians vote for an NDC candidate to win the elections, they won't hand over power to the person? So, what really is the point?", he queried. To him, Mr. Acheampong's statements were mere political rhetoric to ginger up his party supporters. "Politics is an art of war...Every person who knows political rhetoric knows how to charge the atmosphere," he asserted . Kabila also expressed disappointment in the Minority in Parliament over their call for arrest of Bryan Acheampong, saying if the Minority thinks he has breached their standing orders, they should take him to the Privileges Committee. "If Bryan Acheampong is in breach of this constitution or the standing orders of Parliament, the Privileges Committee is there. The courts are there," he stated while responding to the issue during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show. Also reacting to the civil societies condemning Bryan Acheampong, Kabilla asked "what is their case? What did Bryan Acheampong say that they claim has brought chaos?" 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 Dr. Senanu Djokoto, a parliamentary aspirant in the upcoming Keta NDC primary, has petitioned the appeals committee concerning the clearance of Dr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah, another aspirant, to contest. Dr. Djokoto said he considered it an error by the vetting committee that Dr. Jones Mensah had met the mandatory requirements of Regulation 2.1(III) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Guidelines for clearing parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general election. The guidelines provide that a person desirous of contesting the position of parliamentary candidate shall be an active member of the party in the constituency for not less than four years pending the date of filing their nominations. Dr. Djokoto, in his petition sighted by the Ghana News Agency, said he found the committees decision to accept a letter from Dr. Mensah distancing himself from fraudulent registration conduct at Ashiaman untenable. I also find the vetting committees investigation into the alleged Ashaiman membership of the aspirant inconclusive, as no effort was made by the committee to authenticate the said alleged membership, he said. Dr. Djokoto said he had dutifully served the NDC in the Keta Constituency and was aware that most members and executives valued truth, honesty, and integrity, hence the need for a fair and just resolution of the matter. Any decision on Dr. Jones Mensahs legibility or otherwise may adversely affect me as a candidate in the election, he said. Under the circumstances, I believe that it will be prudent for the appeals committee to lay this matter to rest to forestall any legal tussle that can arise from same. 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 Former President John Dramani Mahama, a presidential aspirant for the NDC, has called on Ghanaians to give him and the party a second chance to turn the country's economic fortunes around. Mr. Mahama said Ghanaians had endured enough hardships under the NPP government. He made the appeal at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region on a three-day campaign to the region to interact with branch and constituency executives. Addressing delegates at Somanya, Mr. Mahama called on the people to work hard to support his vision of building a better Ghana when he wins the 2024 presidential election. Mr. Mahama said, "the party has instituted a reward scheme to recognize and empower grassroots party executives". 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 The courts and Congress, have ways of enforcing subpoenas. They're not always effective. They often take time. But they have their ways. If you ignore or defy a subpoena, the court that demanded your presence can find you in contempt. A fine or jail time is possible. In the case of defying a Congressional subpoena, the committee that issued to subpoena votes to issue a contempt citation, and then the full chamber votes on it. If it passes, Congress has three ways to prosecute contempt charges, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS): Advertisement "[A] single house of Congress [may] certify a contempt citation to the executive branch for the criminal prosecution of an individual who has willfully refused to comply with a committee subpoena. Once the contempt citation is received, any prosecution lies within the control of the executive branch." That means that the Justice Department (a part of the executive branch) can decide whether to bring a criminal prosecution. Often, citing executive privilege or other protections, Justice simply declines to prosecute. "Congress may try to enforce a subpoena by seeking a civil judgment declaring that the recipient is legally obligated to comply. This process of civil enforcement relies on the help of the courts to enforce congressional demands." Congress, in this case, would file a civil suit against the subpoena-stiffer. "The civil lawsuit route has its own problems. It moves really slowly," Madonna said. "The civil lawsuit is used sort of as a leverage. They're negotiating with the executive branch and usually get whatever it is they're looking for through that." The third type of enforcement is "inherent contempt power," a rarely used and mostly outdated method. A chamber of Congress can actually have the subpoenaed would-be witness jailed for refusing to cooperate. "The inherent contempt power is a constitutionally based authority given to each house to unilaterally arrest and detain an individual found to be 'obstruct the performance of the duties of the legislature.'" It was last used in 1935 If Trump defies Congress' subpoena, the committee likely wouldn't have time to pursue a civil judgment. "We well recognize the fact that because of the Committee only being able to exist to the end of this congressional year, because that was the mandate, we're at a bit of a time limit here," Rep. Adam Kinzinger told George Stephanopoulos on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos Oct. 16, 2022. The more likely option would be to refer the case to the Department of Justice for criminal contempt of Congress charges as it did with Bannon, Meadows, Navarro and Dan Scavino. But even then, Trump likely won't face tough consequences. If you defy a Congressional subpoena and are found guilty of contempt, it's a misdemeanor, "punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 nor less than $100 and imprisonment in a common jail for not less than one month nor more than twelve months." The penalties for ignoring non-Congressional subpoenas vary with jurisdiction, and are at the discretion of the presiding judge. Whether it's bucking Congress or your local magistrate, ignoring a subpoena clearly is a gamble. If the paperwork and hours in court don't get you, the fine and/or jail time might. And in the end, it's hard to predict what will happen. If there is an end. "One of the lines I always like to tell my students is, 'Rules matter until they don't,'" Madonna said. "At the end of the day, rules matter until somebody decides we're going to stop enforcing them or we're going to enforce them a different way. That's scarily or sadly always the case." Now That's Interesting While attorney general under President Barack Obama, Eric Holder defied a subpoena from a Republican-led House committee ordering him to turn over documents relating to a federal gun-running operation dubbed Fast and Furious. Thousands of documents eventually were released, but a settlement in the showdown between the executive and legislative branches over contempt of Congress charges (the first brought against an AG, who is head of the Department of Justice) wasn't reached until April 2019 seven years after the House began legal proceedings. Advertisement Originally Published: May 30, 2019 " " A mural showing (from left) Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Vladimir Lenin commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, 1979. Francois LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images In a perfect world, everyone would have food and shelter, and a true utopian society would be devoid of sexism, racism and other forms of oppression. But for most of the world's population, this perfect society isn't possible. Communism is one proposed solution to these problems. Most people know what communism is at its most basic level. Simply put, communism is the idea that everyone in a given society receives equal shares of the benefits derived from labor. Communism is designed to allow the poor to rise up and attain financial and social status equal to that of the middle-class landowners. In order for everyone to achieve this equality, all means of production must be controlled by the state. In other words, no one can own his or her own business or produce his or her own goods because the state owns everything. Wealth is redistributed so that the members of the upper class are brought down to the same financial and social level as the middle class. Advertisement According to the philosopher Frederich Engels' "Principles of Communism," the plan for ultimate financial and social equality is built on the principle that the system should spread around the world until all countries are on board [source: Engels]. This central goal has caused capitalist nations to keep their guards up, fearing that communist economic practices might spread to their countries. The political theory of socialism, which gave rise to communism, had been around for hundreds of years by the time a German philosopher named Karl Marx put pen to paper. Marx, also known as the father of communism, spent most of his life in exile in Great Britain and France. He and Engels wrote "The Communist Manifesto" in 1848, which later served as the inspiration for the formation of the Communist Party. Communism is sometimes known as Marxism, though there are differences. You might say that Marxism is the theory and communism is the implementation of Marxism. " " Composer Leonard Bernstein used a performance the night before Richard Nixon's inauguration as an "anti-inaugural." Corbis/Horowitz/Ullstein Bild/Getty Images "Stop the bombing NOW." "End the war NOW." On Jan. 20, 1973, the second presidential inauguration of Richard Nixon elected in a landslide victory took place amidst shaking signs and shouting protesters. Trouble seemed to be brewing for Nixon, who was well into the fourth year of the controversial Vietnam War, and weeks away from the Watergate scandal that would essentially end his political career. The night before Nixon was sworn in to the United States' highest office, a pair of historical musical performances one Nixon's camp officially planned, and one it didn't would foreshadow the differing moods about his presidency. Advertisement " " Richard Nixon's swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20, 1973. Corbis/Getty Images Nixon's Inaugural Committee asked the Philadelphia Orchestra to perform at his inaugural concert on the eve of his swearing in. Orchestral members obliged, playing Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and other classics at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., during a formal, $250-per-person event. There wasn't anything unusual about the event, as inaugural concerts go, except that the orchestral selection from Philly seemed like a presidential snub to D.C.'s National Symphony, which director Antal Dorati had been systematically improving since 1970. But at the exact same time a free and unofficial inauguration concert at the National Cathedral took place thanks to legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein. He led "A Concert for Peace," which became widely known as the "Anti-inaugural Concert." Bernstein's free "counter-concert" drew thousands of people to a venue that would only hold 3,000. Undeterred, an additional 12,000 to 15,000 people stood in the dark outside the National Cathedral as a soft rain fell. At the identical hour in which Nixon's official inaugural concert was being performed at the Kennedy Center, Bernstein closed the concert with Joseph Haydn's "Mass in Time of War," which was written in 1796, the same year Napoleon's armies overtook Austrian troops in Italy. "Nixon snubbed the National Symphony Orchestra in the 1973 Inauguration Concert by asking the Philadelphia Orchestra to perform instead," says Adam Gingery, co-founder of Backstage Podcast, a program dedicated to classical music history and its sociological impact on society. "I can't help but wonder if Bernstein's decision to lead a 'counter-concert' had something to do with competition against a rival conductor and orchestra." Whatever the impetus, Bernstein clearly aimed to butt up against the Kennedy Center inauguration performance. Bernstein enlisted an orchestra comprising local musicians, many of whom were members in the National Symphony Orchestra, as well a chorus of 125 volunteers led by local director Norman Scribner. Bernstein and the performers dressed not in formal attire, but in street clothes a choice that drew applause from the audience. It may be difficult these days to envision a classical concert swaying popular opinion, but "great American classical musicians had more clout in the '60s and '70s than they do now," Gingery says. "Figures like Bernstein and Eugene Ormondy, who directed the Philadelphia Orchestra, were the national artistic heroes of the same stature as somebody like Lin-Manuel Miranda [of Broadway hit "Hamilton"] would have today. Bernstein was a champion of American music, after all." According to an article in The Washington Post following Bernstein's performance, "While Cathedral officials were busy pointing out last week that the Mass conducted by Leonard Bernstein was not 'counter' to anything, its function as a rallying point of anti-Nixon dissent was not lost on anybody. In case any didn't get the message... it was introduced by former Senator Eugene McCarthy, poet and early leader of the peace movement." A recording of the performance received a 1973 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Choral Recording, with Schribner and Bernstein as co-nominees. For even more on the animosity between Leonard Bernstein and Richard Nixon, we'd recommend a deep dive into "The Bernstein Files," a three-part multimedia series in The New Yorker from classical music expert Alex Ross. (Nixon chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, in particular, has a lot to say about Bernstein in the Nixon tapes that emerged during the Watergate investigation.) Now That's Interesting When the Philadelphia Orchestra was asked to perform President Richard Nixon's 1973 inauguration concert, 16 members requested the night off. 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: Functional group tolerance:Terminal alkyne, alkyl bromide, pyridine, thiophene substituents were not tolerated in this reaction, resulting in low yield and electrode passivation. Secondary and tertiary acid: The decarboxylation of secondary and tertiary acids is more sluggish than primary carboxylic acids and tends to generate the corresponding olefin as a major product, except for the sugar derivative which afforded the alkane in 58% yield. Credit: Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adf4762 A team of chemists from Scripps Research and Abbvie Process Research and Development has found that making a couple of minor changes to Kolbe coupling allows for easily making high-cost materials out of low-cost materials or even waste products. Their study is reported in the journal Science. Peng Guo and Ke-Yin Ye, both with Fuzhou University, in China, have published a Perspective piece in the same journal issue outlining the work by the team on this this effort. Kolbe coupling was first described by Michael Faraday back in 1834, but it was not well known until Hermann Kolbe used it in 1849 to couple pairs of molecules in a substance containing a carboxylic acid. Thus, it bears his name. It is currently considered to be one of the oldest known reactions in organic chemistry. The reaction occurs when a platinum electrode is inserted into the mix and electricity applied. Thus, the reaction is sometimes referred to as Kolbe electrolysis. It also results in the release of carbon dioxide. But the reaction usually has other unfortunate outcomes, as well, such as oxidizing other materials in the mix, which is why it is rarely used. In this new effort, the research team was studying decarboxylation for another project when they found they had made adjustments to Kolbe coupling, and found that doing so provided unexpected benefits. In their work, the researchers had been using rapid alternating polarity (rAP) in their work, which they applied to the new effort. Also, instead of using platinum electrodes, they were using electrodes that were carbon-based. They noted that because they were using rAP, oxidizing of functional groups was avoided. Intrigued by their finding, the team conduced Kolbe coupling experiments with the two adjustments. They bought a bottle of castor oil and used it to make 10-undecenoic acid. They then inserted an electrode and conducted rAP. The ensuing reaction produced 1,19-eicosadiene, a material that typically costs approximately $10,000 per gram. Next, the group produced diol, which they mixed with a diketone to create a degradable ketal-polymer. They suggest that it could also be used to convert side-chain carboxylic acids to other products or perhaps to convert succinic acid esters into adipic acid esters. More information: Yuta Hioki et al, Overcoming the limitations of Kolbe coupling with waveform-controlled electrosynthesis, Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adf4762 Peng Guo et al, Alternating the current direction, Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adh1837 Journal information: Science 2023 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Whether it occurs through the discharge of nutrients from agricultural operations into local streams or the discardment of plastic into the ocean, water pollution can negatively impact both human and environmental health. In fact, diseases caused by water pollution kill more people every year than all forms of violenceincluding war. Scientists can use a variety of tools and methods to protect aquatic environments from pollution. That includes monitoring animals that belong to an "indicator species." The presence or absence of these animals can tell scientists a lot about changes to the environmental conditions in which they live. Amphibians, for example, can help scientists determine the impact of pollution on waterways. Many of these cold-blooded vertebratesfrogs, toads, salamanders and newtsbegin their life in the water as larvae and eventually move onto land, though some species spend their entire lives in the water. Most amphibians also breathe through their skin to a certain degree, making them especially vulnerable to water pollution. "Most of the problems we see in amphibians are due to their skin being more permeable than other vertebrates. Some amphibians lack lungs all together and fully depend on cutaneous respiration. So water pollution can be directly toxic to amphibians," said Ivana Mali, The Ecology Wildlife Foundation Distinguished Scholar for Conservation Biology at NC State. "This is one of the reasons we monitor them as environmental health indicators." Mali, whose research examines how reptiles and amphibians respond to anthropogenic stressors such as climate change and habitat degradation, added that exposure to water pollution, particularly chemical contamination, can cause amphibians to experience a wide range of health problems, ranging from a shift in their skin microbiome which increases their vulnerability to disease to morphological deformities which decreases their chances of survival. In severe cases of water pollution, mass mortality events can occur. In 2016, Peru's wildlife and forestry service Serfor reported the death of 10,000 critically endangered frogs along a 30-mile stretch of the Coata River, a tributary belonging to the Lake Titicaca basin. Previous studies found large concentrations of heavy metals such as lead and mercury throughout the basin, with researchers linking the pollution to regional mining operations. Amphibians evolved from lobe-finned fish about 365 million years ago and have since played an integral role in ecosystem health, according to Mali. Because most amphibians spend a portion of their lives in water and on land, they represent an important connection in energy and nutrient circulation between aquatic and terrestrial environments. They also serve as important components in many food webs, acting as both predators and prey. Unfortunately, amphibians are one of the world's most threatened vertebrate groups. A 2004 assessment found that nearly one-third of the more than 8,000 amphibian species are at risk of extinction, representing 1,856 species. Nearly 168 species are believed to have already gone extinct, while at least 2,469 species are actively declining. In the United States, amphibian populations are declining at an average rate of 3.79% per year. Mali said these declines are occurring due to a combination of stressors, including habitat loss and conversion, environmental contamination, emerging infectious diseases, climate change and more. In the Triangle region of North Carolina, for example, urban development and agricultural operations have contributed to water pollution in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico river basinsthe home of the Neuse river waterdog. The giant salamander is now on the path to extinction, with populations decreasing by up to 50%. "A lot of times it is multiple stressors acting synergistically," Mali said. "Understanding how these stressors interact with one another and affect populations will be crucial in developing sound management strategies." When it comes to protecting amphibians, it's crucial that local governments protect existing habitats and conduct better clean-up operations to preserve water quality, according to Mali. The public can also help by maintaining recreational waters, picking up trash, properly disposing of pharmaceuticals and avoiding the use of fertilizers and pesticides on lawns. 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 this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP The 200-foot wall of flames, the burning embers landing miles away and the carloads of evacuees fleeing to shelter at a high schoolit all took place in New Jersey but could happen in almost every part of the country this week due to dry conditions and strong winds that have raised the danger of forest fires. As firefighters worked Wednesday to contain a fire that tore through 6 square miles (15 square kilometers) of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the National Weather Service issued so-called "red flag warnings" on Wednesday for 20 states spanning the nation. The agency cautioned that dry, windy conditions similar to those in New Jersey were increasing the danger of forest fires elsewhere, too. The blaze in Manchester, near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, forced the evacuation of around 170 homes late Tuesday, with police and fire officials going door-to-door to ask people to take temporary shelter at a nearby high school. Helicopters were filling large containers with water from a nearby lake Wednesday and dropping it on the flames. No one was injured and no homes were damaged, although firefighters said 20 structures were still considered threatened Wednesday afternoon, by which time the fire had been 60% contained. "We saw the red glow in the sky, and every time the wind would shift, it got worse," said Jason Cylenica, who lives in the neighborhood closest to the fire. His wife, Cynthia Tiemper, said burning embers were landing in their back yard Tuesday night, making them decide to evacuate even before the fire department knocked on their door at 10:45 p.m. In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP "We left so fast I didn't even bring socks," she said. "It was like, 'You grab the dog, I'll grab this and let's go.' When we got back here this morning and saw that everything was still here, it was like prayers had been answered." Although the state is not in a drought, there's no chance of rain until the weekend in the part of New Jersey where the fire is burning. The state on Wednesday banned campfires and imposed restrictions on charcoal or gas fires. April is the peak month for forest fires in New Jersey, officials said. And despite its status as the nation's most densely populated state, 40% of it is forest. There are about 1,500 wildfires a year in New Jersey, according to the state Forest Fire Service. Forest fires are a common occurrence in the Pine Barrens, a 1.1 million-acre state and federally protected reserve about halfway between Philadelphia to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east. On Wednesday afternoon, the Forest Fire Service was responding to another blaze in West Milford in the northwest potion of the state near Route 23, but estimates of the size of that fire were not immediately available. In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP "This fire exhibited extreme fire behavior," John Cecil, an assistant commissioner in the state's Department of Environmental Protection, said of the Pine Barrens blaze. "I don't mean to be dramatic, but this was a severe situation that these guys and gals managed to keep in a place and protect lives and property from that." About 75 firefighters, two helicopters, bulldozers and 15 fire engines were being used to battle the flames. Greg McLaughlin, the Forest Fire Service chief, said the blaze began on the grounds of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a military facility spanning several municipalities at about 4 p.m. Tuesday. Military personnel tried to extinguish it, but winds soon spread the fire beyond the base's perimeter and across a busy highway, Route 539, necessitating a large response from numerous municipalities in the region. In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP In this photo provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a massive 2,500-acre forest fire burns in Ocean County, N.J., early Wednesday, April 12, 2023, as firefighters battle the blaze. The fire started late Tuesday, April 11, and is burning across some 2,500 acres. (about 1,000 hectares). Credit: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP A cause of the fire wasn't given, but authorities said they're investigating. In the parking lot of a firehouse miles away from the fire scene, McLaughlin held up a plastic bag filled with small pieces of charred wooddead embers that had flown through the air over two miles away and threatened to start new fires. Last month, a wildfire in the Pine Barrens threatened over a dozen homes in Little Egg Harbor, not far from the site of a massive forest fire in 2007 at an Air National Guard target range. That fire burned nearly 27 square miles (70 square kilometers). Fire is an essential element of the Pine Barrens ecosystem; many of the pine trees there rely on heat from fires to release seeds from their cones, providing for the growth of new trees. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Black and Asian people with darker skin shades can be the subject of prejudice and insults from lighter skin members of their families, new research shows. The first substantive research into this issue in the U.K. found that family members with darker skin were sometimes stigmatized by their parents, siblings and other relatives. Dr. Aisha Phoenix, of King's College London, and Dr. Nadia Craddock, of the University of the West of England, interviewed people aged 1960, including doctors, social workers, students, civil servants, an accountant and a train driver. They had aimed to study the way that people of color face more discrimination if they have darker skin and features that are further from those associated with white people. But the unexpected finding of their work was the extent of skin shade prejudice from family members, with almost half of the 33 people interviewed saying they had witnessed it or been the target. Dr. Phoenix told the British Sociological Association's annual conference in Manchester today (Wednesday, April 12) that, "Families play a central role in shaping ideas about skin shade. "Within families children with light skin were often favored, while those with dark skin were stigmatized and subjected to insults and bullying." A 51-year-old Black woman told Dr. Phoenix, "Even my father, I remember saying to me once when I was about 13, that I was black and ugly like my grandmother." A 31-year-old woman of Pakistani ethnicity said, "Sometimes extended family would compare and ask questions like, 'How come your sister is so much lighter than you?' And I remember somebody asked me, 'How come you're darker than your sister? Do you not scrub your skin properly in the shower?'" A 22-year-old Black man said, "My oldest brother is lighter, and he always used to make jokes about my other brother's skin tone. It would never be directed at me, but I knew that I was darker than him." A 31-year-old South Asian woman said, "I have a few friends who are dark-skinned and Asian and they attribute as one of the reasons they're not married to their skin color, because the traditional way of arranged marriages is your mum would get a call from the groom's mum and one of the first questions they ask is 'What is your daughter's skin color?'" Dr. Phoenix told the conference that some families reproduced prejudices common in wider society, so that "darker skin was imbued with negativity." "People of Color with dark skin can be subjected to prejudice and discrimination from both members of their own families and society at large. The internalized colorism within some families contributes to the prejudice. However, some families resist colorism and work to instill positive ideas about dark skin or all skin shades." People of Color with light skin spoke about being favored within their families. One 33-year-old Black woman said, "I can see that a lot of privilege was given to me having lighter skin, both within my family and within the groups I was. I am the lightest in my family. I always thought it was positive to be lighter, because that was what was said to me." A 43-year-old South Asian woman said, "Being younger, one of the biggest issues I had was with my mum always going on about how it's better to be fairer, 'you'll only find a boy if you're fairer and you're only beautiful if you're fair.' And I think that really got to me. How do you interpret that when you're a young child?" A 45-year-old Black man said, "We grew up in an environment where even we ourselves felt that it was nicer to be lighter. I can remember my grandmother making references to lighter people being more beautiful. It's what we are taught from when you're younger. You learn these things." But one 32-year-old Black woman said she had been told from childhood by her family "about being proud and understanding why colorism and racism exists and being proud of the amazing things that our culture has done." The interviewees' ethnicities were: 11 Black Caribbean, 11 Mixed Race, six Black African, four South Asian and one Chinese. The research was conducted from January to June 2019 and is part of the U.K. Skin Shade study. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Graphical Abstract. Credit: Nature Chemistry (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01174-5 They flash as a warning, glow red on standby mode, and light up your dinner table; light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become indispensable in our daily lives. Somewhat less well-known, but just as ubiquitous, are organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs for short. This technology is used in the screens of smartphones, tablets and monitors. It is cheaper to produce in the form of a thin-film component, but cannot yet compete with conventional LEDs in some ways, such as in light output and lifespan. In the search for new molecules that possess the characteristics needed for OLEDs, compounds known as helicenes are playing a central role. Helicenes are a group of substances in which rings made up of six carbon atoms (benzene rings) are joined together in a helical structure. When synthesizing these compounds, it was previously difficult to control the direction in which the molecules twisttheir "chirality." It was only possible with certain types of helicenes and to a very limited extent. A new concept in synthesis Professor Olivier Baudoin, Dr. Shu-Min Guo and Soohee Huh from the University of Basel's Department of Chemistry have just made an important step forward. In the latest issue of Nature Chemistry, they describe a new concept in the synthesis of these important chiral molecules. In their synthesis route, the Basel researchers make use of a reaction that can split a carbon-hydrogen and carbon-bromine bond and create a carbon-carbon bond. This is called C-H activation, and over the past few years it has developed into a valuable tool in synthesis. This method allows chemists to create helicenes with the desired chirality, and could also be suitable for longer chains of benzene rings. Researchers at Universite Paris-Saclay in France have been able to demonstrate that the products synthesized by the team from Basel strongly absorb and emit circularly polarized lightan important characteristic for the development of new materials that rely on twisted molecules, as OLEDs do. "Our results show the great potential of this strategy for the synthesis of such complex functional molecules," says Olivier Baudoin. In their next step, he and his team intend to synthesize more complex helicenes with improved characteristics. More information: Shu-Min Guo et al, A CH activation-based enantioselective synthesis of lower carbo[n]helicenes, Nature Chemistry (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01174-5 Journal information: Nature Chemistry 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: Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: Allison Astorg/Unsplash Humans, like all mammals, expend energy to keep their internal temperatures within a healthy range. Modern human citiesbecause we built them that waydo the same thing. A study published in the journal PLOS Climate takes a new look at how household energy use changes with rising temperatures, applying a model traditionally used for studying animals. For urban planners, energy companies and emergency managers, the work has implications for energy grid security, cost predictions and saving lives from heat waves. And for the University of Arizona senior who is the study's lead author, the project is the culmination of an undergraduate career and a steppingstone on her path to helping communities become more resilient to environmental change. An 'itch to do research' Halley Hughes is a research assistant in the Bridging Biodiversity and Conservation Science program at the university's Arizona Institute for Resilience. She began the work that led to the journal article at the height of pandemic lockdowns. She was bored and said she had "that itch to do research." Hughes applied an approach that treats buildingsand on a larger scale, citiesas if they are living things. In a way, she said, it makes sense. "Humans made buildings, and we use buildings to maintain a normal temperature for us. To do that, the buildings use external energy in the form of fossil fuels or, if you're lucky, alternative energy sources," she said. The approach was pioneered by Richard Hill, a now retired biologist at Michigan State University who applied a mathematical model developed for studying how mammals regulate their body temperatures to an entirely new area: investigating how humanmade infrastructure uses energy in the same way to regulate internal spaces in cold climates. Hughes' study extends Hill's work and applies the model to look at effects of hot weather on energy use in buildings. "Dr. Hill looked at cold places," she said. "We looked at all of Arizona, which includes cities that can get as hot as 120 degrees Fahrenheit." Hughes used publicly accessible data from 10 large energy companies in Arizona to look at energy usage in relation to outside temperature for a large majority of the state's population. Her results show that buildings require more energy to regulate internal temperatures when it's hotter. Hughes has demonstrated that merging science disciplines to study urban energy consumption can give city planners effective tools to prepare for high temperatures. The 'benefit of our differences' A key benefit of this work is that it can be used to predict future energy needs, Hughes said. For energy companies, she explained, knowing the energy needs of a service area in advance could help prevent events such as rolling blackouts. "The general pattern documented here and its match to the more general theory is really exciting and powerful to see," added her mentor, Dave Breshears, a Regents Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Hughes also found indications of energy insecurity in lower income neighborhoods by comparing per capita income from census data to her map of energy use. "In these places, people likely are delaying turning on their energy to save money," she said, "which could be increasingly dangerous if energy costs and temperatures continue to rise." Study co-author Ladd Keith, a UArizona assistant professor of planning and sustainable built environments in the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and a faculty research associate at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, agreed. "This study provides important context for heat planning and governance as heat risk in our communities continues to increase due to climate change," he said. Because Hughes used open-access data from national and university datasets, anyone can repeat or replicate the study, meaning that the research could be applied to any region nationwide. In addition to Hughes, Breshears and Keith, Kimberly Cook, a library and information scientist and doctoral candidate in the University of Kentucky Department of Biology, contributed to the paper. And Joseph Robert "Robbie" Burger, a former postdoctoral fellow with the Bridging Biodiversity and Conservation Science program, contributed the idea to apply Hill's approach to study cities stressed by heat. "Interdisciplinary work in research is so critical to providing really insightful and useful results," Hughes said, noting that she appreciated how the authors brought diverse areas of expertise to her study. "All these different interpretations helped us understand more about the data. It was a huge benefit of our differences." Hughes, an honors student, will graduate this year with a double major in global change ecology and urban and regional development from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her honors thesis investigates impacts of heat on energy use in manufactured homes in Tucson. She hopes her experience in research and early publication can help inspire other undergraduate students to get involved in science as well. "Undergraduates should not be intimidated by research," she said. "It's an empowering process, and there are so many opportunities at the University of Arizona to be involved in science." To her fellow undergraduates, she suggests: "Don't hesitate starting research just because you're an undergrad. You can author a paper, too." The UArizona Undergraduate Research Task Force aims to connect all university students with diverse research opportunities. In addition to her love of science, Hughes also is passionate about science communication, an interest she furthers as a Liverman Scholar with Arizona Institute for Resilience's Education Initiatives and as an award-winning correspondent for Planet Forward, a project of George Washington University that teaches, celebrates and rewards effective environmental and science storytelling through a variety of media. She is co-director of UArizona Students for Sustainability and an advisory team member for the university's new Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. "Halley's work is a perfect example of how our resilience initiatives in AIR (the Arizona Institute for Resilience) aim to combine education, research and impact," said Kevin Bonine, director of AIR's Education Initiatives program. "The internships and scholarships provided by our program empower students with real-world experiences, teaching them the ways in which they can make meaningful change in their communities and across the globe through science and environmental communication." More information: Halley B. Hughes et al, Household energy use response to extreme heat with a biophysical model of temperature regulation: An Arizona case study, PLOS Climate (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000110 Journal information: PLOS Climate 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: At Mosquito Creek in Colorado, just east of the Continental Divide, the snowpack is roughly similar to recent years. High up in a dazzlingly white, tree-lined valley of the Rocky Mountains, two scientists armed with skis and clipboards peer at the long hollow tube they have just thrust vertically into a pristine snow drift. "Twenty-four inches, that's not so bad," says Brian Domonkos, before grabbing the metal cylindernow stuffed with snowand hitching it to a portable scale dangling from his colleague's ski pole. Originally carried out using an improvised set of milk scales, this same measuring technique has been performed on this exact spot every winter since 1966, to assess the amount of water held in Colorado's crucial snowpack. And while the remote, stunningly picturesque Mosquito Creek area feels like a different planet from Los Angeles, the data it yields remains vital for calculating how much water will reach the parched, sprawling cities of the American West each summer. "We're all one water system," explains Domonkos. "Fifty to 80 percent of all the water we use in the West comes from mountain snow melt." In this particular year, the stakes are unusually high. After more than two decades of drought, exacerbated by human-caused global warming, the region's giant reservoirs have dwindled to record lows. While winter has finally brought biblical rains to coastal cities, much of that has already flowed into the Pacific Ocean. So it is this powder, piled between pine trees atop the 10,000 foot- (3,000 meter-) high Colorado plateau, that will determine how much water is available to faraway urbanites in the coming dry months. "The April snow survey measurement is really the pinnacle, the peak of the snowpack for most of Colorado," says Domonkos. "That peak snowpack is the amount of water that's actually going to run off." A tube used to take a core sample of the Colorado snowpack is hitched it to a portable scale dangling from a ski pole. Grizzly bears As well as taking manual measurements at dozens of similar sites, Colorado Snow Survey employees like Domonkos check and repair hi-tech, automated snow monitoring stations scattered across the Rockies. The combined data they yield allows scientists to predict the year's snowpack, and the job is a huge responsibility, says his colleague Nagam Gill. Their output is eagerly awaited by everyone from local ski and snowmobile resorts to the state's snowplow operators, foresters and hydroelectric power generators. But perhaps more crucially, Colorado is obliged to share a set percentage of the water it receives each year with downstream states. Calculate the year's snowfall wrong and send too much water down the river, and "you're never going to get that water back," said Domonkos. Still, both scientists agree, the job has its advantages. It frequently takes the pairvia ski, snowshoe or snowmobileto beautiful unspoiled peaks and valleys of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming. Dozens of other scientists perform the same duties as far away as Alaska, traveling to the most remote spots on horseback or by helicopter. Snow survery supervisor Brian Domonkos occasionally pauses to quench his thirst with a scooped handful of pure-white snow. "It's pretty much a dream job," said Domonkos, who occasionally paused the interview to quench his thirst with a scooped handful of pure white snow. He said he frequently encounters moose and elk, and used to run into grizzly bears"a respectable amount"when he worked in Montana. 'Very wet year' During AFP's visit to Mosquito Creek, just east of the Continental Divide and 100 miles (160 kilometers) upstream from Denver, the snowpack is roughly similar to recent years. But that is not the story for most of the region. In the Colorado River Basin itself, which starts on the other side of this mountain and runs all the way to California, the snow is "a good bit better," says Domonkos. Indeed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is "seeing some really huge numbers" for snowmelt "forecasted to flow into reservoirs throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin" this summer, according to the organization's Paul Miller. The federal science group's complex computer models now include data from satellite imagery and aircraft, but still rely really heavily on the long-running snow surveys, he told AFP. Their conclusion? "It's going to be a very wet year," said Miller. Snow measurements have been taken at sites such as Mosquito Creek in Colorado every winter for decades. Indeed, 11 million acre-feet of water is expected to reach Lake Powell, the basin's first major reservoiralmost double the annual average of 6.3 million. An acre-foot refers to an acre covered in water a foot deep, which equals about half an Olympic-size swimming pool. Lake Powell and Lake Meadanother giant reservoir, near Las Vegascurrently sit around a quarter-full, but "these numbers will probably get us up into the 30, 35 percent range," said Miller. On current forecasts, this year will be the basin's ninth-wettest ever. If low temperatures and snowfall persist, it could break the top five. But up on the mountain Domonkos, wrapped up warm in a blue ski jacket, sunglasses and a beanie hat, is remaining cautious. "Even though we have a largely above-normal snowpack in the Colorado (basin), it doesn't mean we're going to have great runoff at this point," Domonkos says. The drought has stretched on for so long, he warns, "it's going to take a number of years to overcome." 2023 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Conceptual relationship between ecological restoration and sustainable development. Credit: Science China Press The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, from 2021 through 2030, delivers a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems for the benefit of people and nature, and accordingly, it promotes the timely achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). China is addressing the issue of ecological restoration nationally, as it regards this as an important element of so-called ecological civilization. However, there are few reviews of China's ecological restoration for sustainable development actions at the national scale to date. Researchers led by Prof. Bojie Fu from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences summarized China's progress in ecological restoration for sustainable development in a review published in National Science Review. They proposed a "landscape patternecosystem servicesustainable development" co-evolutionary framework to describe landscape-scale ecological restoration and its impact on landscape patterns and ecological processes, ecosystem services for human well-being, sustainable livelihoods and socioeconomic development. The pattern of China's ecological restoration is becoming more geographically integrated from the strategic pattern of national ecological security to the pattern of major projects to protect and restore major national ecosystems. By 2022, more than 25% of China's territory was covered by areas of ecological red lines, which are believed to powerfully relieve or reverse the ecosystem degradation on ecologically important and sensitive landscapes. From major function oriented zoning to systematic ecological protection and restoration to towards achievement of the Beautiful China Initiative, The researchers classified three stages of ecosystem services management in China: classification, synergy and integration. The researchers also held the opinion that the previous programs began as early as in 1978 cannot be regarded as the final word on China's contribution to ecological restoration, which remains work in progress to employ the social-ecological systems approach in the recent and future programs. Research needs for ecological restoration in a geographic context. Credit: Science China Press Based on quantitative evidence, the researchers found that the past ecological restoration programs in China have greatly influenced ecosystem services, especially carbon sequestration, soil retention and water yield, and their interactions, while some spatiotemporal tradeoff relationships need to be considered. In addition, the researchers found that there existed local winwin synergies between ecosystem health and sustainable livelihoods and/or socioeconomic development, while the identification of such winwin solutions for regional policymaking is still in progress, as benefits and incentives change across scales. As a geographer, Prof. Fu highlighted the importance of geographical research for integrative ecological protection and restoration. Four important research directions were proposed in a social-ecological system perspective, including: establishing the nature of coupling processes among key components, identifying ecosystem service flows, evaluating social-ecological benefits, and supporting adaptive management for regional sustainable development. More information: Bojie Fu et al, Ecological restoration for sustainable development in China, National Science Review (2023). DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad033 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: Image of the HD 169142 system showing the signal of the forming planet HD 169142 b (around 11 o'clock), as well as a bright spiral arm resulting from the dynamic interaction between the planet and the disk in which it is located. The signal from the star, 100,000 times brighter than the planet, was subtracted by a combination of optical components and image processing (mask in the center of the image). Observations at different times show the planet advancing in its orbit over time. Image obtained with ESO's VLT/SPHERE instrument. Credit: V.Chrisitaens / ULiege An international team of researchers from the University of Liege (Belgium) and Monash University (Australia) has just published the results of the analysis of data from the SPHERE instrument of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which confirms a new protoplanet. This result was made possible by advanced image processing tools developed by the PSILab of the University of Liege. The study is published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. Planets form from clumps of material in disks surrounding newborn stars. When the planet is still forming, i.e., when it is still gathering material, it is called a protoplanet. To date, only two protoplanets had been unambiguously identified as such, PDS 70 b and c, both orbiting the star PDS 70. This number has now been increased to three, with the discovery and confirmation of a protoplanet in the disk of gas and dust surrounding HD 169142, a star 374 light years from our solar system. "We used observations from the SPHERE instrument of the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) obtained on the star HD 169142, which was observed several times between 2015 and 2019," explains Iain Hammond, a researcher at Monash University (Australia) who studied at ULiege as part of his doctoral thesis. A series of images of the HD 169142 system showing the planet in formation HD 169142 b moving in its orbit over time. A bright spiral arm is visible in the wake of the planet, resulting from the dynamic interaction between the planet and the disk in which it lies. The signal from the star, which is 100,000 times brighter than the planet, was subtracted by a combination of optical components and image processing (mask in the center of the image). Images obtained with ESO's VLT/SPHERE instrument. Credit: ESO/VLT "As we expect planets to be hot when they form, the telescope took infrared images of HD 169142 to look for the thermal signature of their formation. With these data, we were able to confirm the presence of a planet, HD 169142 b, about 37 AU (37 astronomical units, or 37 times the distance from the Earth to the Sun) from its starslightly further than the orbit of Neptune." Back in 2019, a team of researchers led by R. Gratton had previously hypothesized that a compact source seen in their images could trace a protoplanet. The new study confirms this hypothesis through both a re-analysis of the data used in their study as well as the inclusion of new observations of better quality. The different images, obtained with VLT's SPHERE instrument between 2015 and 2019, reveal a compact source that is moving over time as expected for a planet orbiting at 37 astronomical units from its star. All data sets obtained with the SPHERE instrument were analyzed with state-of-the-art image processing tools developed by the PSILab team at the University of Liege. "The last data set considered in our study, obtained in 2019, is crucial for the confirmation of the planet's motion," explains Valentin Christiaens, researcher at the PSILab of the University of Liege. "This data set had not been published until now." The new images also confirm that the planet must have carved an annular gap in the diskas predicted by the models. This gap is clearly visible in polarized light observations of the disk. "In the infrared, we can also see a spiral arm in the disk, caused by the planet and visible in its wake, suggesting that other protoplanetary disks containing spirals may also harbor yet undiscovered planets," says Hammond. The polarized light images, as well as the infrared spectrum measured by the research team, further indicate that the planet is buried in a significant amount of dust that it has accreted from the protoplanetary disk. This dust could be in the form of a circumplanetary disk, a small disk that forms around the planet itself, which in turn could form moons. This important discovery demonstrates that the detection of planets by direct imaging is possible even at a very early stage of their formation. "There have been many false positives among the detections of planets in formation over the last ten years," says Valentin Christiaens. "Apart from the protoplanets of the PDS 70 system, the status of the other candidates is still hotly debated in the scientific community. The protoplanet HD 169142 b seems to have different properties to the protoplanets of the PDS 70 system, which is very interesting. It seems that we have captured it at a younger stage of its formation and evolution, as it is still completely buried in or surrounded by a lot of dust." Given the very small number of confirmed forming planets to date, the discovery of this source and its follow-up should give us a better understanding of how planets, and in particular giant planets such as Jupiter, are formed. Further characterization of the protoplanet and independent confirmation could be obtained through future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The high sensitivity of JWST to infrared light should indeed allow researchers to detect thermal emission from the hot dust around the planet. More information: Iain Hammond et al, Confirmation and Keplerian motion of the gap-carving protoplanet HD 169142 b, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters (2023). DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slad027 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters 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: Tim Grabowski. Credit: University of Hawaii at Manoa While many changes happened during the pandemic, one instance of change involving fishing around Hawai'i Island showed the importance of the activity for residents to researchers at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, thanks to photos on social media. The researchers were part of a team examining pandemic-driven changes in nearshore, non-commercial use of fisheries on Hawai'i Island. The study, "Pandemic-driven changes in the nearshore non-commercial fishery in Hawai'i: catch photos posted to social media capture changes in fisher behavior," was published on March 28 in the journal PeerJ. While studying new fishing habits that arose during the pandemic and how those changes were impacting local fisheries, the researchers also confirmed something interesting about data collection in the age of social media. Catch photos posted to Instagram told a story about changes in fishing behavior much more quickly than conventional approaches to data collection. The images showed that people were fishing more during the COVID-19 lockdown, and they started targeting different species than their normal catch. The study's lead author is adjunct associate professor of marine science Tim Grabowski, who is also unit leader at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawai'i Cooperative Fishery Research Unit in Hilo. "This project illustrates the importance of nearshore fisheries to the people of Hawai'i Island as a source of both sustenance and recreation during a time of hardship, uncertainty and stress," said Grabowski. "Not only were people fishing more during the COVID-19 lockdown, but they started targeting different species. From a management perspective, understanding how fishers change their behavior during hard times will allow better planning to ensure these resources are available to people when they are needed most." The study's co-authors are Michelle Shuey, an instructor of geography and environmental science; Andrew Curley, an anthropology alumnus; Michelle Benedum, a political scientist and doctoral candidate from University of Colorado at Boulder; and Cole Dill-De Sa, an undergraduate student at Stanford University's earth systems program. Curley and Dill-De Sa were able to participate in the study through UH Hilo's Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science program. Study highlights The study produced three main takeaways. First, resource users (people fishing) posted to social media nearly three times as often during the pandemic with nearly double the number of fish pictured per post. Second, individuals who fished for subsistence were more likely to increase the amount of time spent fishing and relied more on their catch for food security. Last, individuals fishing exclusively for subsistence were more likely to fish for different species. In addition to examining catch photos on social media, researchers also collected oral histories directly from fishers. Information gleaned from those interviews validated the social media findings, suggesting that social media can be used to rapidly collect data and predict changes in nearshore fisheries due to large-scale disturbances. "Our analysis of photos posted to social media allowed us to quickly and efficiently detect many of the changes that occurred in the fishery that were only apparent after spending much more time and effort talking story with local fishers around Hilo Bay," said Grabowski. The researchers emphasize the importance of this quick data collectingas climate change threatens additional disturbances, it will be necessary for resource managers to collect reliable data quickly to prevent unsustainable fishing pressures and to better target management plans. "Climate change is only likely to increase the frequency and severity of acute social disruptions, like the COVID-19 pandemic," said Grabowski. "Therefore, understanding how fishers respond to these disruptions is critical to ensuring that resource management can be responsive and adaptive to changing use patterns." More information: Timothy Grabowski et al, Pandemic-driven changes in the nearshore non-commercial fishery in Hawai'i: catch photos posted to social media capture changes in fisher behavior, PeerJ (2023). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14994 Journal information: PeerJ 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 photo of one of the two newly described bat skeletons representing Icaronycteris gunnelli. This specimen, the holotype, is now in the American Museum of Natural History's research collections. Credit: Mick Ellison/AMNH Scientists have described a new species of bat based on the oldest bat skeletons ever recovered. The study on the extinct bat, which lived in Wyoming about 52 million years ago, supports the idea that bats diversified rapidly on multiple continents during this time. Led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History and Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands, the study is published today in the journal PLOS ONE. There are more than 1,460 living species of bats found in nearly every part of the world, with the exception of the polar regions and a few remote islands. In the Green River Formation of Wyominga remarkable fossil deposit from the early Eocenescientists have uncovered over 30 bat fossils in the last 60 years, but until now they were all thought represent the same two species. "Eocene bats have been known from the Green River Formation since the 1960s. But interestingly, most specimens that have come out of that formation were identified as representing a single species, Icaronycteris index, up until about 20 years ago, when a second bat species belonging to another genus was discovered," said study co-author Nancy Simmons, curator-in-charge of the Museum's Department of Mammalogy, who helped describe that second species in 2008. "I always suspected that there must be even more species there." In recent years, scientists from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center started looking closely at Icaronycteris index by collecting measurements and other data from museum specimens. "Paleontologists have collected so many bats that have been identified as Icaronycteris index, and we wondered if there were actually multiple species among these specimens," said Tim Rietbergen, an evolutionary biologist at Naturalis. "Then we learned about a new skeleton that diverted our attention." The exceptionally well-preserved skeleton was collected by a private collector in 2017 and purchased by the Museum. When researchers compared the fossil to Rietbergen's expansive dataset, it clearly stood out as a new species. A second fossil skeleton discovered in the same quarry in 1994 and in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum was also identified as this new species. The researchers gave these fossils the species name Icaronycteris gunnelli in honor of Gregg Gunnell, a Duke University paleontologist who died in 2017 and made extensive contributions to the understanding of fossil bats and evolution. Although there are fossil bat teeth from Asia that are slightly older, the two I. gunnelli fossils represent the oldest bat skeletons ever found. "The Fossil Lake deposits of the Green River Formation are simply amazing because the conditions that created the paper-thin limestone layers also preserved nearly everything that settled to the lake's bottom," said Arvid Aase, park manager and curator at the Fossil Butte National Monument, in Wyoming. "One of these bat specimens was found lower in the section than all other bats, making this species older than any of the other bat species recovered from this deposit." While the I. gunnelli skeletons are the oldest bat fossils from this site, they are not the most primitive, supporting the idea that Green River bats evolved separately from other Eocene bats around the world. "This is a step forward in understanding what happened in terms of evolution and diversity back in the early days of bats," Simmons said. More information: Tim B. Rietbergen et al, The oldest known bat skeletons and their implications for Eocene chiropteran diversification, PLOS ONE (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283505 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: Brian Summers A new co-authored book by University of Toronto Mississauga professor Akwasi Owusu-Bempah examines how harsh cannabis laws have contributed to racial injusticeand how to repair the communities most affected. "Waiting to Inhale" illuminates how the War on Drugs has disproportionally impacted Black and Indigenous communities in the United States through the stories of people who are on the front lines of advocacy. Written alongside entrepreneur and cannabis industry leader Tahira Rehmatullah, the book is set to launch this month with MIT Press. "The book really provides an overview of how drug law enforcement and the policing of drugs, especially cannabis, has been used to target Black, Indigenous and other racialized populations," says Owusu-Bempah, an associate professor in the department of sociology at UTM. "We talk about the huge impact that this has had not only on these individuals but their families and their communities." In the 1970s, the U.S. government-led campaign, referred to as the War on Drugs, was established to stop illegal drug distribution and use. In Canada, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney initiated a national drug strategy in July 1982. But the criminalization of drug use and its history of systemically targeting racialized communities runs deeper. In the U.S., The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 made the possession or transfer of cannabis illegal. According to the University of Pennsylvania, a trillion dollars have been spent enforcing drug policy since 1971. By contrast, about a billion dollars have been spent in Canada. Meanwhile, cannabis legalization in Canada and globally is a multibillion-dollar industry. While discussions and political campaigns about cannabis legalization have largely focused on the positive societal and economic factors, it has in most cases failed to acknowledge the injustices of the War on Drugs. "Waiting to Inhale" personalizes the need for criminal justice reform in the United States through interviews with people who have served unjust cannabis convictions. Some are now dedicated to advancing cannabis amnesty. This includes Evelyn LeChapelle. The young mother in Oakland, Calif., spent 87 months in prison after a 2013 arrest for a small role in a cannabis distribution operation, despite having no previous criminal record. LaChapelle was released in 2018 and is now a social justice advocate and entrepreneur who offers employment to those with a similar story. In 1994, Michael Thompson received a prison sentence of 42 to 60 years for selling three pounds of cannabis to a friend (and police informant) in Michigan. Thompson was incarcerated for 25 years until the recreational use of cannabis became legal in the state in 2018. He is the longest-serving, non-violent offender in Michigan's history. "When we look at the harsh penalties associated with the simple possession of cannabis in many U.S. states, they are much more consequential than other more serious crimes like financial fraud or even violent offenses," Owusu-Bempah says. Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga Canada & cannabis While "Waiting to Inhale" focuses on the decriminalization of cannabis in the United States, many parallels can be drawn to the Canadian contextand it's a conversation Owusu-Bempah is leading. Owusu-Bempah is a member of Canada's Black Justice Strategy's steering committee, which groups recommendations to the federal government. Established to help reform Canada's criminal justice system, the committee stems from a 2019 commitment from the federal government to address anti-Black racism and the overrepresentation of Black Canadians in federal prisons. The criminalization of cannabis in Canada traces back to the 1920s when a moral panic was cultivated around its use, targeting Black and Indigenous populations. After a change in drug law during the Mulroney administration, Black Ontarians experienced increased placement in the province's correctional facilities. According to a 2021 report, one in 15 young Black men in Ontario has experienced jail time, compared to nearly one in 70 young white men. Before legalization, Canadian youth had among the highest rates of cannabis use globally, yet marginalized people are still most likely to be arrested for cannabis possession and use, Owusu-Bempah says. Moving forward Owusu-Bempah and Rehmatullah identify key action items to overturn racist policies and rebuild affected communities of cannabis criminalization. While pardons have taken place at a slow pace in both the U.S. and Canada, clearing the records of those convicted remains vital in reconciliation, as it opens avenues for employment. Other key factors include redistributing tax revenue generated from legal cannabis sales to reinvest in and revitalize neighborhoods. Owusu-Bempah would also like to see the legal industry create employment opportunities for people with cannabis or other drug convictions. "What we want to see is space within this legal industry for those people who've been targeted by the War on Drugs," Owusu-Bempah says. "The billions of dollars spent on police, courts and corrections were not spent on schools, hospitals, community centers, and community health care centers within those neighborhoods. "We highlight these possibilities [in the book] and think that at the most basic level, the criminal records of people who've been convicted of activities that are now no longer illegal should be cleared." 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 this aerial photo, a mass grave is re-filled with dirt after a small ceremony at Oaklawn Cemetery, July 30, 2021, in Tulsa, Okla. The mass grave was discovered while searching for victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre. A forensic anthropologist believes investigators are a step closer to identifying victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre with the discovery of 19 surnames possibly connected to remains excavated from the Tulsa cemetery. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP, File)/Tulsa World via AP) A forensic anthropologist believes investigators are a step closer to identifying victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre with the discovery of 19 surnames possibly connected to remains excavated from a Tulsa cemetery. Although the six bodies associated with the names are not confirmed massacre victims, nor do they show signs of trauma such as gunshot wounds, identifying them would provide a possible roadmap to the most likely areas of the cemetery to search for victims, according to Phoebe Stubblefield. Identifying the remains would help lead to death certificates that contain the date of death, indicating when the person was buried, said Stubblefield, a member of the team that conducted excavations in the cemetery the past three years. "We get closer to figuring out who was buried in that cemetery and when," Stubblefield said. Investigators could "maybe get the pattern of how people were buried in that cemetery. By that I mean burials for January, burials for February, burials for March, and we're moving toward June" when massacre victims were buried, said Stubblefield. "We can find a greater concentration of probable victims." The massacre occurred May 31 and June 1, 1921, when a white mob descended on Greenwoodthe Black section of Tulsa. More than 1,000 homes were burned, hundreds more were looted and destroyed and a thriving business district known as Black Wall Street was decimated. Most historians who have studied the event estimate the death toll to be between 75 and 300. Historians say many of the victims were buried in unmarked graves, their locations never recorded and rumors have persisted for decades of mass graves in the area. Two of the 66 sets of remains found thus far have gunshot wounds, officials have said, and those remains are among 10 sets still being analyzed. Those with gunshot wounds or trauma would indicate the remains were more likely to have been victims of the violence, according to Stubblefield. City officials and Intermountain Forensics have sought DNA from people who believe they may be a relative or descendant of a massacre victim and others with a historical connection to Tulsa. That DNA was being compared to samples from the excavated bodies in the effort to identify the remains. None of the remains have yet been confirmed as massacre victims. Identifying the surnames helps "move the needle on a more than century-old event," Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said in a statement. "We are still in the beginning stages of this process. There is a lot more investigative work that is happening." Investigators have tracked the surnames associated with the six bodies, four male and two female, to at least seven states: North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Alabama. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Human skin is home to millions of microbes. One of these microbes, Staphylococcus aureus, is an opportunistic pathogen that can invade patches of skin affected by eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. In a new study, researchers at MIT and other institutions have discovered that this microbe can rapidly evolve within a single person's microbiome. They found that in people with eczema, S. aureus tends to evolve to a variant with a mutation in a specific gene that helps it grow faster on the skin. This study marks the first time that scientists have directly observed this kind of rapid evolution in a microbe associated with a complex skin disorder. The findings could also help researchers develop potential treatments that would soothe the symptoms of eczema by targeting variants of S. aureus that have this type of mutation and that tend to make eczema symptoms worse. "This is the first study to show that Staph aureus genotypes are changing on people with atopic dermatitis," says Tami Lieberman, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and a member of MIT's Institute for Medical Engineering and Science. "To my knowledge, this is the most direct evidence of adaptive evolution in the skin microbiome." Lieberman and Maria Teresa Garcia-Romero, a dermatologist and assistant professor at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico, are the senior authors of the study, which appears today in Cell Host & Microbe. Felix Key, a former MIT postdoc who is now a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, is the lead author of the paper. Bacterial adaptation It is estimated that between 30% and 60% of people carry S. aureus in their nostrils, where it is usually harmless. In people with eczema, which affects about 10 million children and 16 million adults in the United States, S. aureus often spreads to eczema patches and infects the skin. "When there's a break in the skin, Staph aureus can find a niche where it can grow and replicate," Lieberman says. "It's thought that the bacteria contribute to the pathology because they secrete toxins and recruit immune cells, and this immune reaction further damages the skin barrier." In this study, the researchers wanted to explore how S. aureus is able to adapt to living on the skin of eczema patients. "These microbes normally live in the nose, and we wanted to know whether when it finds itself on atopic dermatitis skin, does it need to change to live there? And can we learn something about how these bacteria are interacting with atopic dermatitis skin from watching its evolution?" Lieberman says. To answer those questions, the researchers recruited patients aged 5 to 15 who were being treated for moderate to severe eczema. They took samples of the microbes on their skin once a month for three months, and then again at nine months. Samples were taken from the backs of the knees and inside of the elbows (the most common sites affected by eczema), the forearms, which are usually not affected, and the nostrils. S. aureus cells from each sample site were cultured separately to create up to 10 colonies from each sample, and once large colonies formed, the researchers sequenced the cells' genomes. This yielded nearly 1,500 unique colonies, which enabled the researchers to observe the bacterial cells' evolution in much greater detail than has previously been possible. Using this technique, the researchers found that most patients maintained a single lineage of S. aureusthat is, it was very uncommon for a new strain to come in from the environment or another person and replace the existing S. aureus strain. However, within each lineage, a great deal of mutation and evolution occurred during the nine months of the study. "Despite the stability at the lineage level, we see a lot of dynamics at the whole genome level, where new mutations are constantly arising in these bacteria and then spreading throughout the entire body," Lieberman says. Many of these mutations arose in a gene called capD, which encodes an enzyme necessary for synthesizing the capsular polysaccharidea coating that protects S. aureus from recognition by immune cells. In two out of six deeply sampled patients, cells with capD mutations took over the entire S. aureus skin microbiome population, the researchers found. Other patients were colonized with strains initially lacking a functional copy of the capD, for a total of 22% of patients lacking capD at the end of the study. In one patient, four different mutations of capD arose independently in different S. aureus samples, before one of those variants became dominant and spread over the entire microbiome. Targeted treatment In tests of bacterial cells growing in a lab dish, the researchers showed that mutations to capD allowed S. aureus to grow faster than S. aureus strains with a normal capD gene. Synthesizing the capsular polysaccharide requires a lot of energy, so when cells don't have to make it, they have more fuel to power their own growth. The researchers also hypothesize that loss of the capsule may allow the microbes to stick to the skin better because proteins that allow them to adhere to the skin are more exposed. The researchers also analyzed nearly 300 publicly available genomes of bacteria isolated from people with and without eczema, and found that people with eczema were much more likely to have S. aureus variants that could not produce the capsular polysaccharide than people without eczema. Eczema is usually treated with moisturizers or topical steroids, and doctors may prescribe antibiotics if it appears that the skin is infected. The researchers hope that their findings could lead to the development of treatments that lessen eczema symptoms by targeting S. aureus variants with mutations in the capsular polysaccharide. "Our findings in this study provide clues as to how Staph aureus is evolving inside hosts and reveal some of the features that might help the bacteria to stay on the skin and generate disease versus being able to be swiped off," Garcia-Romero says. "In the future, S. aureus variants with mutations in the capsular polysaccharide could be a relevant target for potential treatments." Lieberman's lab is now working on developing probiotics that could be used to target the capsule-negative S. aureus strains. Her lab is also studying whether S. aureus strains with capD mutations are more likely to spread to other members of an eczema patient's household. More information: Yingfei Lieberman, On-person adaptive evolution of Staphylococcus aureus during treatment for atopic dermatitis, Cell Host & Microbe (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.03.009. www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe 1931-3128(23)00113-0 This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. 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: Construction of Chinas Tiangong space station began in 2021, and the small, three-module station opened for research in December 2022. Credit: Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Headlines proclaiming the rise of a new "space race" between the U.S. and China have become common in news coverage following many of the exciting launches in recent years. Experts have pointed to China's rapid advancements in space as evidence of an emerging landscape where China is directly competing with the U.S. for supremacy. This idea of a space race between China and the U.S. sounds convincing given the broader narrative of China's rise, but how accurate is it? As a professor who studies space and international relations, my research aims to quantify the power and capabilities of different nations in space. When I look at various capacities, the data paints a much more complex picture than a tight space race between the U.S. and China. At least for now, the reality looks more like what I call a complex hegemonyone state, the U.S., is still dominating in key space capabilities, and this lead is further amplified by a strong network of partners. A clear leader makes for a boring race Calling the current situation a race implies that the U.S. and China have roughly equal capabilities in space. But in several key areas, the U.S. is far ahead not only of China, but of all other spacefaring nations combined. Starting with spending: In 2021, the U.S. space budget was roughly US$59.8 billion. China has been investing heavily in space and rocket technology over the last decade and has doubled its spending in the last five years. But with an estimated budget of $16.18 billion in 2021, it is still spending less than a third of the U.S. budget. The U.S. also leads significantly in the number of active satellites. Currently, there are 5,465 total operational satellites in orbit around Earth. The U.S. operates 3,433, or 63% of those. In contrast, China has 541. Similarly, the U.S. has more active spaceports than China. With seven operational launch sites at home and abroad and at least 13 additional spaceports in development, the U.S. has more options to launch payloads into various orbits. In contrast, China has only four operational spaceports with two more planned, all located within its own territory. Parity with nuance While the U.S. may have a clear advantage over China in many areas of space, in some measures, the differences between the two countries are more nuanced. In 2021, for instance, China attempted 55 orbital launches, four more than the U.S.'s 51. The total numbers may be similar, but the rockets carried very different payloads to orbit. The vast majority84%of Chinese launches had government or military payloads intended mostly for electronic intelligence and optical imaging. Meanwhile, in the U.S., 61% of launches were for nonmilitary, academic or commercial use, predominantly for Earth observation or telecommunications. Space stations are another area where there are important differences hiding beneath the surface. Since the 1990s, the U.S. has worked with 14 other nations, including Russia, to operate the International Space Station. The ISS is quite large, with 16 modules, and has driven technological and scientific breakthroughs. But the ISS is now 24 years old, and participating nations are planning to retire it in 2030. The Chinese Tiangong space station is the new kid on the block. Construction was only completed in late 2022, and it is much smallerwith only three modules. China has built and launched all of the different parts and remains the sole operator of the station, despite having invited others to join. China is undoubtedly expanding its space capabilities, and in a report published in August 2022, the Pentagon predicted that China would surpass U.S. capabilities in space as early as 2045. However, it is unlikely that the U.S. will remain stagnant, as it continues to increase funding for space. Allies as force multipliers A major point of difference between the U.S. and China is the nature and number of international collaborations. For decades, NASA has been fruitfully cultivating international and commercial partnerships in everything from developing specific space technologies to flying humans into space. The U.S. government has also signed 169 space data sharing agreements with 33 states and intergovernmental organizations, 129 with commercial partners and seven with academic institutions. China also has allies that help with spacemost notably Russia and members of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, including Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey. China's collaborators are, however, fewer in number and have far less developed space capabilities. Efforts to return to the surface of the Moon excellently highlight this difference in ally support and synergy. Both the U.S. and China have plans to send people to the surface of the Moon and to establish lunar bases in the near future. These competing lunar aims are often cited as evidence of the space race, but they are very different in terms of partnerships and scope. In 2019, Russia and China agreed to jointly go to the Moon by 2028. Russia is contributing its Luna landers and Oryol crewed orbiters, while China is improving its Chang'e robotic spacecraft. Their future International Lunar Research Station is "open to all interested parties and international partners," but, to date, no additional countries have committed to the Chinese and Russian effort. In contrast, since 2020, 24 nations have joined the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. This international agreement outlines shared principles of cooperation for future space activity and, through the Artemis Program, specifically aims to return people to the Moon by 2025 and establish a Moon base and lunar space station soon after. In addition to the broad international participation, the Artemis Program has contracted with a staggering number of private companies to develop a range of technologies, from lunar landers to lunar construction methods and more. China is not the only game in town While China may seem like the main competitor of the U.S. in space, other countries have space capabilities and aspirations that rival those of China. India spends billions on space and plans to return to the Moon, possibly with Japan, in the near future. South Korea, Israel, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Germany and the European Union are also planning independent lunar missions. Japan has developed impressive technological space capabilities, including rendezvous proximity technology to send a spacecraft to an asteroid and bring samples back to Earth, that rival and even surpass those of China. In the past, the space race was about who could reach the stars first and return home. Today, the goal has shifted to surviving and even thriving in the harsh environment of space. I believe it is not surprising that, despite its decisive lead, the U.S. has partnered with others to go to the Moon and beyond. China is doing the same, but on a smaller scale. The picture that emerges is not of a "race" but of complex system with the U.S. as a leader working closely with extensive networks of partners. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The university group HyEnD of the University of Stuttgart with the self-built rocket N2ORTH. Credit: HyEnD / University of Stuttgart The Hybrid Engine Development (HyEnD) student team at the University of Stuttgart has spent around three years developing, manufacturing, and testing its hybrid rocket. In mid-April, the rocket will be launched into space from the Esrange rocket launch site near Kiruna in Sweden. If all goes well, the students will set a new world altitude record for student-built rockets. The hybrid rocket is 7.80 meters long and weighs around 70 kg. It was built by approximately 60 students from the University Group HyEnD of the University of Stuttgart. "It's one of the most powerful and advanced student-built hybrid rockets in the world," says Max Ochsle, HyEnD project manager. With this, the students have big plans: They want to beat their own altitude record of 32 km for student-built hybrid rockets, which they set in 2016. The students also hope to cross the boundary into space at an altitude of 100 km. In addition to the world record for hybrid rockets, this also makes the world record for student-built rockets in general possible. The previous record is 103.6 km and was set by the University of Southern California (USCRPL) team in 2019. "The world record is within our reach. We could indeed beat it," says Ochsle. Ochsle is well aware that the record depends on other factors such as the weather. It is still unclear exactly when the record attempt will take place. The window is scheduled between April 14 and 25. Because the schedule could be changed at short notice, HyEnD provides regular updates on its website. In addition, a livestream of the launch is planned on the Youtube channel of the Swedish Space Agency SSC. On site in Sweden are 16 members of the student group, including Ochsle, the 25-year-old project leader. The first test of the assembly of the rocket components. Credit: HyEnD / University of Stuttgart "The launch of the rocket will be a special moment for me. Over the past three years, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this project. The countdown to the launch will certainly be exciting. But we are confident that everything will go according to plan. Of course, I'm most looking forward to the moment when the rocket takes off," says Ochsle. In order to be on the safe side, the students have two identical rockets on site. On one hand so they have a back-up in case something breaks during launch preparations. On the other hand, because the rocket project is quite ambitious for a group of students. For the first flight of an untested rocket, there are restrictions on the launch angle and thus on the flight altitude. If the first flight goes well, students hope to fly higher on the second launch. Credit: University of Stuttgart Hybrid engine delivers 1.5 t of thrust The N 2 ORTH rocket has a hybrid engine that uses solid fuel and liquid nitrous oxide. The name N 2 ORTH alludes to both nitrous oxide (N 2 O), which is used as an oxidizer, and the launch site in the North. In order to make it as light as possible, it was built almost entirely of composite materials. "We are particularly proud of the engine, which we developed ourselves. With its thrust of up to 1.5 t, it is one of the most powerful and efficient student made engines in the world. Another special feature is the parachute, which must be able to withstand supersonic speeds. Because there are no commercial parachutes available for these requirements, we made it ourselves," says Ochsle. Because of the high flight speeds, the rocket shell is exposed to enormous temperatures. The structural parts were therefore laminated with a high-temperature epoxy system developed in-house. The rocket also has a thermal protection layer made of cork. The students manufactured most of the components themselves in the workshops of the University of Stuttgart. 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: Springer Social service systems struggle to successfully engage with men as parents. A new book co-authored and co-edited by Georgia State University scholar Qiana Cryer-Coupet addresses the biases and assumptions about men and fathers that cause this struggle and seeks to help social workers better serve men as parents. "Social Work Practice With Fathers: Engagement, Assessment, and Intervention" explores topics including father engagement, organizational father-friendly assessments, interventions with fathers and setting the course for future theory, research and practice with fathers. Springer Publishing Company approached Cryer-Coupet and co-editors Jennifer L. Bellamy of the University of Denver, Jennifer A. Shadik of Ohio University and Brianna P. Lemmons of Baylor University, asking them to write the book after hearing their panel discussion on how fathers are discussed in social work education at the 2019 Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Below, Cryer-Coupet, an associate professor in the School of Social Work in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, offers more details on their research and findings. Who is your audience for this book? This text could be essential for advanced undergraduate or graduate students in social work. The main impetus behind developing a textbook is that there needs to be more father-inclusive social work literature. We've seen more articles about fathers and how to engage fathers over the last 15 years. However, no textbooks were geared toward teaching social work students about father-inclusive practice. This text would also be perfect for practicing social workers who want to improve their practice skills. Additionally, the text complements training pieces for social workers who need continuing education to maintain their licenses. Will you use this book in your curriculum at Georgia State? I will use the chapters I led in the book to teach a course in the Honors College called "The Black Fatherhood Mixtape" in the coming fall semester. The class will help students understand how to interpret father-focused research and factors that need to be considered when working with or advocating on behalf of fathers. Can you describe the chapters you led in the writing process? The first chapter I led was Chapter 5: Engaging Fathers in Research and Evaluation. My co-author and former graduate student, Stephen M. Gibson, and I provide an overview of factors that have impacted fathers' engagement in social work research and evaluation using a historical and social-justice lens. Next, we use the "Just Practice Framework" to explore strategies for enhancing the inclusion of diverse perspectives from various fathers in research and evaluation. Finally, we highlight resources for learning more about engaging in every aspect of the research process. The second chapter I led was Chapter 8: Framing Interventions with Fathers. My co-author, McKenzie N. Green, and I provide intervention strategies for engaging fathers across various social service settings and engagement strategies that may improve social work practice with fathers. We highlight the difference between father-focused, father-inclusive and father-friendly interventions. In addition, this chapter highlights how to frame the interventions, how to implement the interventions effectively and how to evaluate the impact of the interventions. Were any fathers included in the creation of the textbook? One thing you'll notice about the editors is that we are all women. We wanted to make sure we had a variety of voices. We wanted to ensure that we had men who identified as fathers contribute their perspectives. There are several chapters that are authored or co-authored by fathers. Most of the practitioners who responded to the research study that framed Chapter 8 were male practitioners, many of whom were also fathers. Can you describe some best practices for working with fathers to ensure successful engagements with men as parents? In my experience with the book, as well as my experience doing research and working as a social worker with fathers, one of the most important things is to approach every father as an individual, considering their humanity. Often as social workers, we are introduced to or involved with dads because of a problem within the family system. However, it is essential to recognize that every individual has strengths that we can build upon to help them think about the best path forward for them, their family, or the community, whatever the setting may be. Respect is paramount. Also, be open to listening to that person's story so that when you come together to develop a treatment plan, fathers feel their voice is heard and valued. Also, I tell my students in my Human Behavior Theory courses to interrogate their biases before coming to work. As a professor, I want to ensure they are doing that work before entering the field. Finally, it's imperative to have a strong relationship with a supervisor, mentor or peer to process the social work experience, because you don't want personal values to negatively impact engagement with clients, particularly with historically marginalized clients such as fathers. 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 Recent organizing victories at high-profile, private-sector employers such as Amazon, Starbucks and Trader Joe's suggest that U.S. workers can form unions in industries previously considered unorganizable. Despite the wins, unions often don't reach legally binding collective bargaining agreements with employers that give workers more say about pay, benefits and protections. In fact, new ILR research finds that the odds of winning a first contract within 18 months of employees voting to form a union decrease by about 71% when an employer impedes contract negotiations by committing unfair labor practices. Published February 25 in the Industrial Relations Journal, "Breaking the deadlock: How union and employer tactics affect first contract achievement," was co-authored by ILR Ph.D. students Johnnie Kallas and Dongwoo Park, and University of Windsor Assistant Professor Rachel Aleks. "A lot of people assume, and rightfully so, that if you win a union election, you should be able to negotiate a contract. But the reality is that less than half have a contract one year after an election," Kallas said. "We have nothing in U.S. labor law to compel an employer to reach agreement on a first contract, which is really the problem that a lot of current organizing campaigns are coming up against. "So, just because you win an election doesn't mean you're able to make tangible gains at your workplace. You need to then, after winning a grueling election, be able to negotiate a first contract. It's a distinct process that comes with its own challenges, which we try to demonstrate in our paper." Employer opposition has a negative effect on unions achieving a first contract, researchers said. Many engage in illegal tactics, called unfair labor practices, such as spreading rumors about job loss and plant closings. They also use legal means, such as captive audience meetings, to delay the process. In 39% of cases, employers retained the use of an antiunion consultant and engaged in tactics to minimize support for the union even after union certification. These tactics, including making promises, unilaterally changing terms and conditions of work, and threatening closure, were used in 38%, 32% and 25% of cases, respectively. On the other hand, researchers found that engaging with the public, similar to the effort needed for winning worker approval for forming a union, improves the chances of establishing an agreement. The researchers argue that for unions to achieve a first contract, workers should build external leverage by mobilizing community leaders and workers at other unionized sites. Examples of this strategy yielding positive results include the Maine State Nurses Association, which ratified its first contract in September 2022 after holding a series of public rallies, and a first contract achieved by graduate students at Clark University in October 2022. Park said, "Unions need to get a first contract, so they may want to call a strike or just talk to the employers privately. But what we found is that what is more important than those kinds of internal tactics is the need to involve community groups, or other groups outside the union, to build solidarity, make their case more visible and to bring shame to the employers." More information: John Kallas et al, Breaking the deadlock: How union and employer tactics affect first contract achievement, Industrial Relations Journal (2023). DOI: 10.1111/irj.12399 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 Painstaking new analysis of activity linked to the terrorist organization ETA, responsible for waging a campaign for independence in northern Spain and south-west France, suggests the total number of victims could have been underestimated by more than 100. Researchers at Northumbria University have established a new and detailed account of attacks over a 50-year period linked to ETA, or Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, meaning Basque Homeland and Freedom. Their findings, which are published in the peer-reviewed international journal Critical Studies on Terrorism, suggest the number of attacks carried out and the lives lost could have been significantly undercounted. Formed by dissidents from the Basque Nationalist Party in 1959, with the goal of liberating the Basque Country from Spain, ETA's campaign led to the deaths of members of the Guardia Civil, Spain's national police force, local and national politicians, and civilians. Attacks made by the group ranged from targeting individuals to bombings that killed or injured hundreds of people. ETA announced in Basque newspapers it was ceasing its activities in 2011, and the group disarmed, disbanded, dissolved its structures and ended its political campaign in May 2018. "ETA's impact both within and beyond the Basque Country is simultaneously well documented and fiercely contested," explained Kathryn Loosemore, a Ph.D. student at Northumbria who first began researching the separatist group as part of a Master's in International Relations. When completing her dissertation on the activities of ETA, Kathryn realized she couldn't find a definitive record which showed how many people had been killed, injured or impacted, and decided to investigate further at Ph.D. level. "The difficulty arises in defining a 'victim'", said Kathryn. "There are a range of factors, political and otherwise, which determine how a victim is categorized, but it is clear that terrorism's impact is broader than just loss of life." Kathryn, who studies part-time and has spent much of her accomplished career analyzingdata and cataloging trends for the international news and information specialists, Thomson Reuters, spent months collecting data and verifying evidence to create a comprehensive database of ETA's activities. The data uncovered suggests that ETA's impact is significantly greater than previously acknowledged, with a total of 1,047 attacks between 1959 and 2010, comprising 503 bombings, 456 shootings and 66 kidnappings. The remaining 22 attacks used other forms of violence. The data collected suggests that 957 people were killeda figure which is 10 percent higher than previous accounts recognize. There were also 1,949 injuries and three post-incident deaths via suicide and cancer that were attributed to trauma. Matthew Johnson, Professor of Politics at Northumbria and Kathryn's Ph.D. supervisor, said, "The consequence of not producing apolitical accounts of the conflict is that the full scale of ETA's activities is subject to ongoing debate, with real consequences for those who require recognition as victims in order to secure official compensation or support. So, this really is quite an astonishing and meaningful piece of work." "Establishing the scale and scope of a terrorist organization's activities is essential to understanding the social, economic and humanitarian impact on the organization's target, and more broadly, on society. This new database will ensure that the impact can continue to be tracked and enable scholars of terrorism to track the impact of organizations more broadly." Kathryn balances her Ph.D. studies with managing an operations team working across 38 different countries as part of her current role as Chief Operations Officer for Kantar Worldpanel, the global market research company which specializes in consumer trends and insights. "I lived in Spain for some of the time that ETA was active and remember clearly the bomb that was defused at Bilbao stock exchange," Kathryn said. "So the subject has always been in my mind as something I'd like to understand more about." The in-depth process of compiling the database by interrogating and synthesizing multiple existing datasets on ETA's activity, has been outlined in a new academic paper, published in Critical Studies on Terrorism. More information: Kathryn Loosemore et al, The challenge of establishing the impact of terrorist organisations: development of a database on ETA's activities, Critical Studies on Terrorism (2023). DOI: 10.1080/17539153.2023.2170514 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: Smoke from forest fires and farmers burning crop stubble has suffocated Thailand's historic city of Chiang Mai. Hazardous pollution levels in northern Thailand have left the historic city of Chiang Mai choking under thick smog, with locals worried about the impact on tourismand their health. Smoke from forest fires and farmers burning crop stubble has suffocated the tourist city, with global air monitoring platform IQAir ranking it among the most polluted places in the worldabove regular hotspots such as Lahore and Delhi. Residents have petitioned the government to act, with images and videos of the dense haze capturing public attention in the run-up to May's much-anticipated national election. On Tuesday, daily life in Chiang Mai continued, even as records showed the level of the most dangerous PM2.5 particlesso tiny they can enter the bloodstreamwasa more than 30 times the World Health Organization's annual guideline, according to IQAir. "It made me want to cry," said Kanchaya Boontan, 40, who runs CM Siam Travel, a tourism firm. "This year is bad, normally pollution is not too long but the foreigners have seen the news," she added, adjusting her N95 mask. Forced to close all four of her shops during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kanchaya was just starting to get back on her feet by working 12-hour shifts. But last week, the Thai Hotel Association Northern Chapter warned that domestic tourists were canceling their Songkran New Year holiday reservations due to pollution levels. "Last week I got one customer only. This week, no one," Boontan said. An Air Asia plane descends towards Chiang Mai International Airport amid high levels of air pollution. A few streets away by the ancient Tha Phae gate, 45-year-old orange juice vendor Aun tried to drum up business. "It's affecting my life more and more every day, whether it be my health or the decline in the number of tourists," he said. "Some days you can barely see the roads ahead, and it's not fog but it's smog." 'Everyone breathes' The pollution is mainly caused by farmers burning their fields, said Siwatt Pongpiachan, an atmospheric consultant with the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand. A shifting global weather pattern and Chiang Mai's topography trapping pollution conspired to "drive PM 2.5 into the perfect storm this year", he said. This year alone, nearly two million people in Thailand have needed hospital treatment for respiratory conditions caused by air pollution, according to the public health ministry. Chiang Mai cardiologist Rungsrit Kanjanavanit told AFP that officials are not doing enough to tackle the pollution, worried about its impact on the country's vital tourist economy. "We should care about our guests' health morethat should be a priority." Northern Thailand has been choking on heavy air pollution since the start of the year. The pollution impacts children and the elderly the most, Rungsrit added. "For every 10 micrograms per mil increase in PM2.5, there is one year less of lifespan. You have to multiply it by the exposure range," he said. "Everyone breathes, so the effect on the population is very high." 'Bright red sun' "The sun was really bright red because of the smoke in the sky, was quite, quite strange and very hazy," said British tourist Lucy Cooper. "You couldn't see much further than a few fields away," she said. The 34-year-old, traveling with her partner and two children, said she was advised not to come. "It's not ideal. And we can't see a mountain, which is sad." Chokchai Mongkolcho, visiting from northeastern Roi Et province, said the smog "hides the city's beauty". "It makes me wonder if I'll ever come back here again if there's still pollution like this." 2023 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Women are more stressed than men when their employment hours are split into different sections during the day, such as with flextime and working from home, new research shows. Zhuofei Lu, of the University of Manchester, analyzed survey data recorded during the pandemic in 20202021 on 620 British men and women, 40% of whom had children. Participants were asked to record what they were doing their activities in 10-minute episodes across one, two or three days, and how time-pressured they felt, on a scale of 1 to 7. From this, it was possible to correlate how stressed interruptions to work-timeeither because of flextime or interruptions to working from homemade people feel. Mr. Lu told the British Sociological Association's annual conference in Manchester today (Wednesday April 12) that if men had to break off from work during the day, they showed little signs of increased stress. Their stress rating rose from 3.5, if there was one interruption, to 3.7, if there were four. Women, on the other hand, recorded a rise from 3.2 if there was one interruption, to 4.1 if there were four, an increase of 28%, he said. Further analysis showed that the stress level of men without children actually fell from 3.4 to 3.1 (a drop of 9%) if the number of interruptions to work-time rose from 1 to 4. If they had children living with them, the level rose from 3.7 to 4.2 (14%). This could be explained by childless men taking a break from work to do something pleasurable, whereas fathers needed to stop to attend to their children. Women's stress levels rose in a similar amount as the number of worktime breaks increased whether they had children or not. This can be explained by women having to do domestic tasks whether they were mothers or childless. Mr. Lu adjusted the raw data to compare people with similar age, income, class, education and other factors so that the effects of interruptions to work could be studied in isolation. "As for women, the influence of work time fragmentation on subjective time pressure was less pronounced among mothers than among women without children," Mr. Lu told the conference. "Mothers are more mentally adaptable to the increased domestic work after giving birth due to the changes in their gender role attitudes. "This study also finds that work time fragmentation led to more subjective time pressure among fathers than among men without children. "By contrast, men without children reported less subjective time pressure when their work time became more fragmented." The research used data from UK Time Use Survey. Respondents were asked to rate their subjective time pressure on a 7-point Likert Scale in answer to the question "How are your feelings of time pressure on [this] diary day?" which ranged from 1 (not time pressured) to 7 (very time pressured). WILTON A Queens man was arrested in Wilton on Tuesday on charges that he allegedly forcible touched another person. On April 6, at 10:45 p.m., New York State Police said they received a complaint of unwanted sexual contact. According to police, they determined while on a mass transit bus in Wilton earlier that day, Rajesh Kumar, 33, of Queens, reportedly had forcible unwanted sexual contact with the victim. Kumar was charged with felony first-degree sexual abuse. He was arraigned at the Wilton Town Court and taken to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or a $20,000 bond. LAKE LUZERNE The Rockwell Falls Public Library recently announced that it will host its first ever Drag Queen Story Hour on Saturday, but the event has received a mixture of community support and opposition that spilled into a special board meeting Tuesday night. Rockwell Falls Public Library is proud to present our first Drag Queen Story Hour with the Capital Regions own Scarlet Sagamore! This gives us the opportunity in sticking with our Vision Statement to be at the programming forefront within SALS (Southern Adirondack Library System), providing opportunities for our patrons to participate in cultural growth, the library posted on its Facebook page April 8. As of Tuesday afternoon, the post had garnered 270 comments from people expressing a range of views. The library board held a public meeting Tuesday to accept the resignation Stephanie Lansburg, board president, and appointed Janet Silburn as interim until a new permanent president could be elected in May. Once the meetings official business had concluded, the board opened the floor to a public forum for the town residents who had packed the meeting room to speak about the drag event. One of the speakers said she actually reached out to the drag performer and was impressed with their background He is a graduate student and he is very, very educated and has a lot of accomplishments under his belt and he grew up with a mother who was a preschool teacher and he has been reading to children since he was a child himself. That is why he wants to do this. He does it in drag because its now just fun for the kids, she said. She also added that the books selected for the reading would be about creativity and expression, and as a hand-on element to the event, the children would be making their own crowns Theyre not real kings, theyre not real queens, but theyre going to be dressing up as such because its play, she said. Its just imaginary fun. One speaker who referred to himself as a much-recycled Presbyterian minister, said that he doesnt expect society as a whole to follow his rather traditional moral Christian beliefs, but found it inappropriate for a publicly funded facility to hold a drag story hour. I do try to love, because Jesus loves, the people who are different from me who are on the other side of this issue, he said. If somebody wants to take it off site, a private building, a private place, somebody willing to sponsor this, Im not even going to necessarily hold it against that business, but it should not be, in a divided community on public, taxpayer dime. In a phone interview earlier Tuesday, Lake Luzerne Town Supervisor Eugene Merlino chose not to comment on the event, instead explaining that the library functions as a separate entity from the municipality and therefore is not under any authority from the board. We dont fund the library, its funded through the school system, Merlino said. They think because Im supervisor I can go over there and slap their hand, or shake their hand, or something. It has nothing to do with us. Merlino explained that the library receives funding through the taxes collected by the Hadley-Luzerne Central School District. However, according to the district tax collection office, the library fund is only collected by the school tax collection process. It is not at the districts discretion whether to fund the libraries or what programs the funding is used for. The $190,000 collected comes from an additional tax, which was voted on by residents through a referendum. When the town was funding the library, they didnt think they were getting enough money so they had enough signatures to put it on the ballot to have the people vote to be taxed through the school system, Merlino explained. In the back-and-forth at Tuesdays meeting, some in the crowd expressed concern that the event would groom the children in attendance into unnecessarily questioning their sexuality and gender identity. Its just a whole thing to get them thinking like that and thinking about stuff, and not letting them, like someone said before, their true selves, one speaker said. Its like grooming them for it. Another speaker responded by saying the idea of having a story read to a child by a drag performer was no more grooming than having someone from the military read to them. Liberty and justice for all, guys. How is this liberty and justice for all, she said. I am totally behind a military person coming to speak; you wanna say thats not grooming, Hey lets go be in the military, like, thats still trying to get people on your side. Although there was a clear difference of opinion throughout the room, all agreed that it is important for the library to be a place for children to be exposed to and surrounded by a joy for reading and learning. Several members of the public, on both sides of the issue, thanked the library board and the staff for their hard work and dedication to that goal. The board thanked all in attendance for expressing their concerns. A formal request to cancel the event was filed at the end of the forum. Library director Courtney Keir said she would review the request with the board and staff, and would come to a decision on whether the event would still take place before Saturday. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey authorities on Wednesday arrested a small-town police chief, charging him with sexually assaulting subordinates over more than a decade, while also announcing misconduct charges against another police chief who recently retired. Attorney General Matthew Platkin said that Manville police Chief Thomas Herbst, 55, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, was arrested earlier Wednesday and faces multiple counts of sexual assault, official misconduct and other similar charges. Herbst's lawyer, Jim Wronko, said in a phone interview that his client categorically denies engaging in nonconsensual sex with any woman. He said Herbst was released from jail after an initial court appearance. Platkin also said official misconduct, tampering with records and witnesses and other charges were filed in state court against former Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, 49, of Farmingdale. Robert Honecker Jr., Kudricks attorney, said in a phone call that his client denies the allegations and that Kudrick had fallen into political disfavor. He intends to vigorously defend against these charges, he said. The charges were announced together, though the cases are unrelated, to show police couldn't get away with abusing the power their positions give them, the attorney general said. I have a clear message: The badge doesn't make you untouchable and your office does not give you a right to act with impunity because at the end of the day we all stand equal before the law, Platkin said. The case against Herbst made headlines last year when one of the women who said he sexually assaulted her filed a lawsuit against him. He's been on paid leave since then. Wronko, his attorney, said he expects the leave to become unpaid as of Wednesday. According to Platkin's office, Herbst was sexually inappropriate toward at least three women. And from 2008 to 2021, he regularly groped, exposed himself to and sexually harassed and assaulted a department employee who reported directly to him, according to the attorney general. The attacks happened while on duty and around police headquarters, Platkin said. The case against Kudrick stemmed from a special labor counsel investigation in Howell Township that was launched because news about a suspected romantic relationship between Kudrick and a subordinate had come into the open, according to the attorney general. Shortly before a police captain who knew about the relationship was set to speak to the special labor counsel, Kudrick threatened to launch an illegitimate internal affairs investigation into the officer, Platkin said. It was an effort to intimidate the captain from being truthful with the labor counsel, he added. Kudrick also falsely denied having an intimate relationship with the subordinate in violation of the township's policy against engaging in romantic relationships with subordinates, Platkin said.. Manville is a borough of nearly 11,000 people in Somerset County. Howell Township, Monmouth County, has a population of more than 53,000. UPPER TOWNSHIP A two-alarm fire at a Cape May County campground was sparked by a propane explosion Tuesday, camp officials said. That burst lead to a fire that took out 10 campsites, damaged at least 10 others and burned through wooded areas nearby due to windy conditions, said Lisa Ryan, a spokesperson for the state Department of Community Affairs, which oversees the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety. The Division was called to the campground on Corsons Tavern Road because the Upper Township Division of Fire Safety is the local agency responsible for enforcing state fire codes, Ryan said. No injuries were reported, the camping resort said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, adding that the fire was deemed under control by Tuesday evening. Please keep us in your prayers, the campground staff wrote on its Facebook page on Tuesday. The fire originated from a trailer at 10 Elm, Ryan said. The blazes cause is listed as undetermined because of damage severity, Ryan said, adding that fire officials dont believe its cause is suspicious. Ryan directed further questions to the Cape May County Fire Marshals Office, which did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday. The campground management posted that its phone lines were shut down, but that a temporary number was available. Tenants were asked, however, to avoid calling with questions about their campsite, as an email would have been sent to anyone affected by the blaze. The campground lost power from the fire. Electric workers were on site throughout the night to restore power, the campground said. We are absolutely devastated, yet so grateful no one was hurt, the campground said. We are here for everyone during this difficult time. Fire companies from throughout Cape May and Atlantic counties responded to the Tuesday afternoon blaze, along with police and other emergency responders. A column of thick, black smoke, visible for miles, could be seen rising from the area, blowing toward the back bays. The campground urged tenants to avoid the burned areas, adding that the New Jersey Fire Marshals Office was investigating. Seaville Shores, a seasonal resort, opened on April 1, Ryan said. Most sites at the campground are a either RV camper trailers or small cabins, she said. Close Seaville Shores Fire Firefighters from dozens of South Jersey companies operate at Seaville Shores Campground in Upper Township, Cape May County, after a fire broke out damaging several trailers. WASHINGTON A federal grand jury last week indicted an Ocean County man and Princeton University student who breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, according to a court filing on April 5. FBI agents say Larry Fife Giberson, 21, of Manahawkin, Stafford Township, was among the supporters of former President Donald Trump who fought police to enter the building in an attempt to halt President Joe Bidens victory certification. Giberson is represented by Washington, D.C., attorney Charles Burnham. When reached for comment on Wednesday, Burnham directed questions to a statement previously issued by Gibersons legal team. We cannot comment on the truth or falsity of the specific allegations in the complaint while the case remains pending other than to note that even the government agrees Mr. Giberson has been cooperative throughout the investigation, the statement said. We ask all interested parties to respect the presumption of innocence and withhold judgment until the Court process is complete. Both Stephen James Rancourt and Ashley Akers represent the U.S. Department of Justice, according to court filings. A status hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 18 before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols, court records say. Since the riot, nearly 1,000 people from roughly every state have been arrested for allegedly participating in the insurrection, the U.S. District Attorneys Office said in announcing the South Jersey mans charges, Giberson was wearing a Make America Great Again hat and had a Trump flag around his neck when he joined the mobs assault on police officers in a tunnel on the Capitols Lower West Terrance, the affidavit says. Princeton University officials previously said Giberson is an undergraduate student there. Giberson waved other rioters into the tunnel before joining a second round of pushing against police, an FBI agent said. Photos of Giberson were shared online by FBI officials, asking for the publics help in identifying him to press charges. Investigators tied Giberson to the Capitol riot through multiple photos found on Instagram and Princeton Universitys website, the FBI agent said. The FBI interviewed Giberson at the Princeton Police Department in the presence of an attorney before his arrest. NORRISTOWN, Pa. A Pennsylvania woman who was found by police in New Jersey after abandoning her car on a Cape May beach has been charged with murdering her 11-year-old son, authorities said Wednesday. Montgomery County District Attorneys Office announced the charges against Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, of Horsham Township, Pennsylvania. DiRienzo-Whitehead, who is being held in the Cape May County jail, according to inmate records, will be extradited to Pennsylvania for her arraignment, the District Attorneys Office said in a news release. DiRienzo-Whitehead was found Tuesday in Wildwood Crest by police who had been searching for the driver whod abandoned their car after partially submerging it in the ocean after driving onto a Cape May City beach. Investigators believe DiRienzo-Whitehead killed her son, Matthew, around 9:30 p.m. Monday before leaving for Cape May. Pennsylvania police found the boy dead in the bedroom, where detectives say he went to sleep with DiRienzo-Whitehead. He was found with ligature marks on his neck, and his face was swollen, both of which are signs of being strangled, the District Attorneys Office said. The boys father, Daniel Whitehead, whod gone to the home on Privet Road in Horsham, called 911 after finding his son dead inside a master bedroom. The familys Toyota Highlander was missing, the District Attorneys Office said. Neighbor Ed Smith told WFMZ-TV that the boys death was very tragic and the case was surprising. Very nice people. Good neighbors, he told the station. Smith and his wife, Diane, said they have known the boys mother for more than four decades. Around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Cape May police located the Highlander partially submerged in the waters off the Cove beach, towing the vehicle off the sand around sunrise. DiRienzo-Whitehead was later found by Wildwood Crest police. Investigators say she walked to the borough after the SUV became inoperable. DiRienzo-Whithead and her husband own a second home there on Seaview Avenue, according to property tax records on NJ Parcels. No charges were filed Tuesday as authorities investigated. On Wednesday, an autopsy by Dr. Valerie Sorokin, a forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County Coroners Office, determined Matthew Whitehead, 11, died by strangulation, the press release stated. Matthew Whitehead was a sixth-grader at Germantown Academy, a school in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb. He attended the institution since kindergarten, school officials said in a statement, which described him as an extraordinary child with a smile as bright as the sun. We loved him, and we will forever mourn his loss, a devastating tragedy for our community, his family, his friends, and our world, the statement from Germantown Academy officials read. We will do everything in our power to carry his memory forward, to honor him as he so truly deserves, and to live our lives well as a tribute to him. Matthew is the embodiment of love, promise, and goodness, and we will never, ever forget him. School officials asked the public for privacy as it navigates the boys death. DiRienzo-Whitehead told Horsham Township police detectives, who interviewed her at the Wildwood Crest police station, that she decided to strangle the boy so he wouldnt face financial hardships like those of his family, according to a court record. In an affidavit of probable cause, the mother told investigators the boy was aware and upset over his familys financial problems. DiRienzo-Whitehead said she strangled Matthew with her husbands dress belt, which was inside the vehicle on the drivers side floor, the District Attorneys Office said. DiRienzo-Whitehead has also been charged with possession of an instrument of crime, according to the district attorneys press release. I want to thank Cape May Police, Wildwood Crest Police and Cape May Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherlands Office for their assistance with apprehending this mother who killed her son and with other aspects of this investigation, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in a statement on Wednesday. Their quick action and help in this investigation will play an integral part of holding the defendant accountable for the terrible killing of this boy. The Associated Press contributed to this report. UPPER TOWNSHIP A large fire damaged several trailer units at Seaville Shores Campground on Corson Tavern Road on Tuesday afternoon, sending up a towering plume of smoke visible from miles away. No injuries had been reported as of 5 p.m., and no information was available about the possible cause of the fire. Curtis Corson, a member of Township Committee, said five of the camper units were a total loss and more had been damaged. Details of the fire were few Tuesday as firefighters were still occupied fighting it as of 6 p.m. Bill Greenling and his grandson, Tommy Meister, were nearby on Lexington Court when they heard a loud bang, similar to a car crash but deeper. They took off down the street to investigate and walked up to a scene of smoke rising above the street. They went into an opening for a better look and walked onto a scene where flames were jumping campers. Im just in shock, said Meister, 14. Meister said he and Greenling were about 50 feet away, watching the flames jump roofs. It was right after the holiday, so hopefully people were out of the campground, said Greenling, 70. Neighbors said there had been a large-scale response from area fire companies, as well as police and rescue crews. A column of thick, black smoke could be seen rising from the area, blowing toward the back bays, from miles away. A number of firetrucks could be seen lining up along Corson Tavern Road at the entrance of the park. The trucks eventually began moving into the campground. Firetrucks from Atlantic and Cape May counties responded to the fire. The phone number for the campground was not functioning. Opening day for the camping resort was March 31, according to a post to the business social media. As with other campgrounds in Upper Township, the resort is open seasonally. While tents and possibly RVs are typically expected at campgrounds, at Seaville Shores Campground and other township sites, trailers can be kept in place year-round. Staff Writer Bill Barlow contributed to this report. ATLANTIC CITY Police will have a new, more visible substation on the Atlantic City Boardwalk under a recent agreement, and appear set to have it for a long time to come. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority recently approved an agreement for a lease for a portion of Jim Whalen Boardwalk Hall to run through 2032, with the option to renew twice more, for five years each time. Police have been using a portion of the Casino Control Commission building at Tennessee Avenue as a Boardwalk location, but this site would offer greater visibility, CRDA staff members said. As approved, the CRDA would offer police 987 square feet, to include an area for a conference room for the officers use, as well as a bathroom with a shower. There also will be room for lockers and a storage area for firearms. I think its a great use of underutilized space. And I think its critically important for police presence to be visible on the Boardwalk, CRDA board President Modia Butler said at the meeting. The unanimous vote allows CRDA director Sean Pattwell to negotiate an agreement with the city on a lease. The board approved additional action related to iconic Boardwalk Hall, which long hosted the Miss America pageant, not to mention President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 as well as sporting events and musicians as diverse as the Rolling Stones, Rascal Flatts and Madonna. Wu Tang Clan and Nas are set to perform there on Sept. 29. The board also approved work to the Mississippi Avenue facade of the hall, which was damaged in the Trump Tower implosion in February of 2021. The final cost to the authority will depend on ongoing negotiations with an insurance company, CRDA staff told the board. At the same meeting , the board approved $50,000 to design and estimate the cost of a project replacing store fronts at the hall. The current stores are in poor condition, and there are leaks allowing water to enter the building. Preparing the plans is part of the application for a grant from the New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund. The same unanimous vote set aside $750,000 from the Convention Center Facilities capital budget to match a potential grant. Built in the 1920s, the hall is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. What's Happening in the Region The Poisonous Air of Atyrau, Kazakhstan Air pollution has become a serious problem in many cities and towns in Central Asia, but Kazakhstans western city of Atyrau has been experiencing an alarming concentration of toxic chemicals in the air recently. On April 8, officials in the Caspian port city of Atyrau, population approximately 370,000, announced excessive amounts of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur in the air. In the residential neighborhood of Shagala, the level of hydrogen sulfide in the air was 20 times more than normal. Hydrogen sulfide has a foul smell, is highly toxic, and can damage the respiratory system and skin. Residents have been reporting thick smog covering Atyrau since late March. Officials initially blamed a fire that broke out in a large field of reeds outside the city as the cause of the smog. But many residents of Atyrau suspect the nearby oil refinery is the source of the air pollution. Some 500 Atyrau residents gathered outside a city stadium on April 9. They demanded the government and large enterprises operating in the area carry out an investigation on the effects of the oil and natural gas sector on the health of the people living in Atyrau. There was no word on whether the government or any of the oil and gas companies in the Atyrau area responded to the demands of the Atyrau residents. Why Its Important: Air pollution has become one of Central Asias biggest problems as the countries expand their industries, many of which are based on extraction and processing of raw materials. The governments desire for more revenue has often made environmental concerns secondary considerations at best. The Atyrau refinery was fined in 2022 for ecological damages. The fine was equivalent to $11,000 -- hardly enough to force management to invest millions of dollars in more efficient technologies that create less pollution. Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement and is receiving financial assistance to fulfill commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A Call for Targeted Sanctions on Tajik Officials The Norwegian Helsinki Committees (NHC) representative is calling for international sanctions targeting Tajik officials who are making a mockery of justice and rule of law. NHCs regional representative in Central Asia, Marius Fossum, was responding in a tweet to news about independent Tajik journalist Khurshed Fozilov facing charges of cooperation with a banned organization. Fozilov was detained on March 6 in Tajikistans western city of Penjikent. Shortly after that he was charged, originally, with making public calls for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order in Tajikistan. NHC released a statement in late March noting Tajik authorities have not provided any further public information about [Fozilovs] alleged wrongdoing. The NHC statement said Fozilov mostly wrote on the issues faced by the people in the Zarafshan Valley, frequently criticizing local government. The organization also brought attention to five other Tajik journalists who have been arrested and imprisoned since September 2022, four of them convicted on the same charge Fozilov now faces. Fossum suggested the Tajik government officials responsible for the crackdown on journalists should be subjected to Magnitsky sanctions. Such sanctions would allow individual governments to freeze assets of Tajik officials and ban them from entering the territories of countries supporting the sanctions. Since May 2022, when Tajik security forces carried out a brutal operation in eastern Tajikistans Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, dozens of journalists, bloggers, rights activists, and others have been detained. In closed trials, most were convicted of extremism, or ties to extremist groups, or of making public calls for the overthrow of the government. Why Its Important: For many months, Tajik authorities have been shrugging off calls and appeals from governments and international organizations to stop the ongoing and widespread campaign of repression in Tajikistan. The Tajik government has paid no attention to these calls and appeals. Clearly, new tactics are needed to convince Tajik authorities to rein in their abuses. Singling out those responsible by going after their money and limiting their ability to travel might prove more effective in persuading them to correct their policies. The Latest Majlis Podcast This weeks Majlis podcast looks at the Uzbek Senates approval of a landmark law criminalizing domestic violence and strengthening legal protections for women and children. It was a long process to get the bill this far, and the Uzbek president signed it into law on April 11. This weeks guests are Nozima Davletova, chairperson of Uzbekistans Mass Media Foundation; Dilfuza Kurolova, a human rights lawyer and activist for gender equality; and Irina Matvienko, feminist activist and founder of NeMolchi.uz, an organization dedicated to ending gender violence and promoting equality. They are three people whose work was key to guiding the bill through parliament, all the way to the presidents desk. What I'm Following UN to Assess Freedom of Religion in Tajikistan UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Nazila Ghanea is making an official visit to Tajikistan from April 11-21. Ghanea will meet with government officials, representatives of religious communities in Tajikistan, and civil society organizations. Ghanea has requested visits to Khujand and Khorugh during her stay in Tajikistan. At a press conference scheduled on the last day of the visit, Ghanea will share preliminary observations from her trip. Kazakh Oil Workers Bring Protest to Capital At least 82 unemployed oil workers from the western Kazakh city of Zhanaozen traveled to the capital Astana and protested outside the Energy Ministry on April 10. The group was demanding that authorities find them work. Such demands have been made by other oil workers in Kazakhstan recently (see last weeks newsletter). Police clashed with the oil workers on April 11 and detained them. There were demonstrations of support for the oil workers in Zhanaozen and in the Caspian coastal city of Aqtau on April 11. Five of the demonstrators in Astana remain in detention. The others were put on a train back to Zhanaozen. Tensions are rising and Kazakh authorities should expect more protests from oil workers in western Kazakhstan in the coming weeks. Fact of the Week The 0.75-mile bridge across the Amu-Darya (river) connecting what is today Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was completed in 1901 by Tsarist occupying forces in Central Asia. Turkmen authorities recently announced the bridge will be demolished since another bridge to replace it was finished in 2017. Thanks for Reading Thanks for reading our Central Asia in Focus newsletter! I appreciate you sharing it with other readers who you think may be interested. Feel free to contact me on Twitter or by responding to this email, especially if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or just want to connect with me about topics concerning Central Asia. Please consider filling out this brief survey so that I can better understand how this newsletter can be useful for you. See you next week for more on whats happening in Central Asia. Until next time, Bruce Bombay HC directs PMC, PCMC to reconstitute special committees to look into water issues after hearing PIL; earlier panel was dissolved stating there was no water scarcity; PMRDA also told to address the problem in its areas The Bombay High Court recently directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to reconstitute separate special committees to attend to complaints of the residents regarding water scarcity. The special committee, which was formed in 2016-17, was dissolved stating that there was no water scarcity. The high court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding water problems faced by the residents of urban areas in the Pune district. The order was passed after the division bench headed by acting chief justice SV Gangapurwala and justice Sandeep Marne went into the details and took note of the grave situation of water scarcity in Pune. The bench also directed Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) to address the water problem faced by residents living within their jurisdiction. The petition mentioned that many areas in Pune, including 11 villages that were included in the municipal limits earlier and the recently merged 23 villages, are facing scarcity due to the lack of an equitable water supply scheme. Even highly developed areas like Baner, Balewadi, Wagholi and Bavdhan have been reeling under water scarcity after their merger with the PMC. The money that is involved in water supply through private tankers is humongous. Activists allege a nexus between unscrupulous officials and the tanker lobby With their grievances falling on deaf ears, residents forums and activists filed the petition in the high court in October 2022. Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Satya Muley pointed out to the division bench that the same subject was dealt with in 2016 by the honorable high court when the suburban areas like Baner and Balewadi faced severe water crisis, after which a stay was imposed on granting permission to new constructions in the PMC area. It was pointed out to the honorable bench that the scenario of several housing societies across the Pune district is the same regarding facing severe water shortage. They are spending huge amounts of money to purchase water from tanker operators. The action of allowing water through tankers in the PMC and PCMC areas is akin to legitimising the water tanker business, he said. Mulay added that the special committee, formed in 2016-17, met only four times during 2017-2018. Surprisingly, the committee was dissolved stating that there was no water scarcity. Had the committee been functional today, there would have been no water scarcity in urban areas of Pune district. It is noteworthy that such a committee should consist of municipal commissioners of PMC and PCMC, the divisional commissioner, chief city engineers and member secretary of the district legal services authority. One of the petitioners, Suhas Padwardhan, said that the condition of the city is such that it is under perpetual development and redevelopment process. So, the need for water will go up in the years to come. Patwardhan said, Water scarcity is going to increase, and with no elected representatives coming to their aid, the citizens are dependent on the civic administrator and the state government to solve all their grievances. An equitable water supply project which will put an end to the water woes needs to be implemented across the city. Leakages need to be checked since the tankers which are providing water are getting enough water to supply to us but the residents are going dry. Water is a basic necessity and every citizen is entitled to get a regular supply of it. Forming a special committee will help us raise our concerns and the hope is that if it comes up, the grievances will be heard and resolved. The water tanker lobby, it is alleged, is hand in glove with certain officials, and therefore, not bothered about getting pulled into any legal hassle. The money that is involved in the business of private water supply through tankers is humongous. Nitin Kumar Jain, director of the Wagholi Housing Societies Association, said that their locality comprises around 300 societies and all of them are dependent on tankers for their water needs. On average, at least Rs 50 crore is spent by these societies in total in a year to get their water needs met. We, the residents of Wagholi, have suffered enough in the past years under Gram Panchayat and hoped things would improve once merged with PMC. But that was not to be. Now, with the directives of the honourable high court, we are hopeful that the situation would improve after the social committee is formed, Jain said. The departments concerned of PMC and PCMC have not yet received the court order. Tampering takes place in the gap between the lock (inset). A rod is inserted in the space and the valve opened to pilfer the fuel Police to add section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC in the case; crime branch sends 11 more tankers to the legal metrology department The probe into the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) pilferage racket has revealed that the oil companies have allegedly failed to monitor the vehicle tracking system and safety measures to prevent pilferage and adulteration en route. The initial probe into the ring has revealed that the gang had prepared a duplicate key of the lock. When the police reached the spot, one of the accused threw away the key. Therefore, the crime branch has now sent 11 more tankers to the legal metrology department to check any modification done to the tankers design for any wrongdoing. The social security cell on Tuesday produced the four accused in the court after their police custody expired. The court extended their police custody till Thursday. The syndicate was committing thefts of ATF. They would pilfer the fuel from a tanker and then mix it with diesel. They would then sell the stolen ATF and adulterated diesel in the black market. DCP Amol Zende said, We are planning to add section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the case to investigate the criminal conspiracy. We suspect the involvement of more people in the matter. We have sent 11 more tankers to the legal metrology department as we came to know that there is an extra compartment in the tankers to steal fuel. If we find such arrangements in the tankers, we will be seizing them. We will also be probing if there is any involvement of officers of the oil companies, DCP Zende added. In July 2022, a similar racket was busted and around 19 tankers were seized. During the investigation, it was found that the officers of the oil companies failed to monitor the geofenced locking system (GLS) installed in the fuel tankers. This system is meant to curb pilferage and adulteration en route. However, the investigation revealed that it leads to pilferage, adulteration due to the gross negligence. The gangs were found running the racket openly and under the nose of local police stations and other government agencies. The Pune police, on July 4, 2022, raided and caught a tanker of BPCL depot situated at Tarade, taluka Haveli. It was found that the fuel was being pilfered from the loaded tanker with the help of imported equipment due to the ignorance of safety protocols to be followed by BPCL terminal officials. The crime branch had summoned the BPCL officers; however, according to the police, no one had turned up. It was also revealed that the vehicle tracking system (VTS) was not live and working and not being tracked by a deputed officer after loading till delivery location once the tanker left the Tarade depot premises. The VTS device was removed after exit from. Checking of safety fittings and security features in the tanker were not being done before loading for any faults or tampering and are only checked during safety audits. Lapses were observed inside the terminal itself during loading with respect to erratic delivery through flow meters and the topping-up methodology was done ignoring safety protocols and measuring methods. Interestingly, the transporter, who was caught in theft, was the lowest bidder for the transport rate. In spite of a criminal record, he was preferred by BPCL as a successful bidder. Interestingly, the investigation brought into light the connection of prime accused Sunil Tambe in both cases. Last year, it was found that most of the tankers belonged to Tambe. But before the police reached him, he took anticipatory bail from the court. On Saturday, his involvement in the racket was found and he was booked by the Hadapsar police, along with Sachin Tambe (40), driver Sunilkumar Yadav (24), Dajiram Kalel (37), and Shastri Saroj (48). The FIR has been lodged under section 379, 285 and 34 of the IPC and relevant sections of the Essential Commodities Act. Shrikant Rao, GM, operation and distribution), HPCL, was not available for comment. The modus operandi Mirror has received several videos showing the modus operandi used by the gangs involved in fuel thefts. They are as follows: The tanker is secured and locked with the OTP based geofenced locking system (GLS). The location of the petrol pump and destination is mapped by the GLS but the tampering takes place in the gap between the lock. They insert a rod in the space and open the valve to pilfer the fuel. Drivers carry two deep rods with them. They show duplicate deep rods at the petrol pumps. Duplicate deep rods show an accurate quantity of fuel which was the same at the time when the tanker left from the depot. A man tried to harm himself by stabbing self in the stomach after a woman he was purusing rejected his proposal on Saturday in Karvenagar. According to the police the 34-year man a resident of Wadgaon Budruk near Sinhagad Road is hospitalised at a private hospital and his reported to be out of danger. The women is an employee of an IT company in Aundh while the man is a divorcee and was trying to convince the women for marriage for the past three weeks and would stalk her back to her home in Karvenagar from Aundh. He proposed the lady for marriage on Saturday and when she refused the man allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed himself. He was then rushed to a hospital in Warje. The knife has been recovered by the police. The Police have registered a case of stalking, causing intentional insult, criminal intimidation, and attempt to commit suicide against the man and further probe is underway. Two days of sunshine faded the bloodstains near garage No. 61 in the Jersey Meadows apartment complex. It was the spot where 18-year-old Faith Zulu died in the darkness on Easter Sunday. She was shot just before midnight. It was a brutal end to a young life that already endured the death of her mother to cancer and the recent loss of a baby to miscarriage. Davenport Police say Zion E. Harrison, also 18, fired the bullet that killed Zulu. He is charged with second-degree murder and going armed with intent. Jaylynn Weistart knew Zulu for almost five years and wanted to tell something more about the "beautiful person" Zulu was before a bullet found her in the darkness. The two met, she said, on an after-school bus in Rock Island. "My mother had just died, and I know Faith had heard about it on social media," Weistart said. "I was sitting all alone on that bus, and Faith was one who walked up to me and asked to sit with me. "We just started talking, and that's how we became friends." After Zulu lost her own mother, the two friends made sure to make time for each other. "We always used to go on these walks to Longview Park (in Rock Island)," Weistart said. "After her mom died, we went and we grilled out, and she talked about her mom, and I talked about my mom. "We cried together, and we hugged each other for a long time. That was my favorite day with Faith. She had this amazing energy. She faced all these hard things and still she had a smile and still she wanted to be a friend." Weistart said Zulu's life was made hard again just three days before her death. She lost a child. "Zion (Harrison) was the father of the baby," she said. "I'm not sure if they were still in a relationship, but she told me Zion was the father." Weistart did not know Harrison very well. "I just met Zion on April 1. That was the day we celebrated Faith's birthday," she said. "Faith's birthday is on April 2, but we celebrated it a day early. Zion was there, and I met him. "He was a quiet guy. There didn't seem to be any issues between him and Faith. I just don't know what happened." Nine people who live in the Jersey Meadows complex said they heard the shouting of a loud argument before hearing at least four shots ring out in the night. "I thought the shots were fireworks until I heard the screaming," Jersey Meadows resident Lori Nance said. "Then I ran outside and I saw her (Zulu) on the ground. I saw her there gasping for breath and her friends were just losing it. It was terrible. I was just hoping that somehow she would be OK." Weistart couldn't believe the news of her friend's death. "I don't want her to be just another victim," she said. "Faith was kind and a good person. I'll never forget how she was there for me and then all she went through. "I just wanted people to know what a beautiful person she was. I will never forget that, no matter how she died." Weistart started a GoFungMe page to help raise money for Zulu's funeral. You can find that page here: https://gofund.me/7fd68b38 Moline is extending free citywide debris pickup from last week's storm. Free yard waste pickup originally was planned through this Friday, but the City Council unanimously voted to extend it through Wednesday, April 26. The Public Works Department will pick up tree limbs and branches from residential areas at no charge. Debris does not need to be stacked or bundled, but it should be organized as best as possible. The city is asking residents to have debris placed next to the curb of streets or avenues, but it will not be picked up from alleys. Limbs and other debris should not obstruct the sidewalk or street. Residents do not need to call for pickup. Seventh Ward Alderman Mike Waldron, former public works director, said sanitation crews would help the debris crews locate homes where the service is needed. Uprooted tree roots and construction debris are not part of the free pickup. Regular yard waste pickup, such as grass clippings and bagged leaves still will require stickers after Friday, April 14. On Tuesday, April 4, straight-line winds swept through the region, leaving large swaths of the Illinois Quad-Cities with fallen branches and trees. Rock Island also was hard hit and is offering free debris pickup through Friday, April 21. Residents in Rock Island also are asked to have debris placed next to the curb where they live and that alley pickups will not be conducted. Sidewalks and streets should not be obstructed. Commercial beekeeper Phil Raines says you have to be crazy to want to take care of bees for a living. Were part of the farming community, but were farmers ugly duckling, he said. When farmers with pest issues turn to pesticides and insecticides, it poses devastating consequences to both commercial and wild pollinators, Raines said. Last month, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and attorneys general from 12 other states called for nationwide restrictions by the Environmental Protection Agency on the use of sulfoxaflor, a chemical insecticide they say has toxic effects on bees and other pollinators. EPAs own research has shown that sulfoxaflor is harmful to bees, Raoul press secretary Jamey Dunn-Thomason said in a written statement to the Tribune. Sulfoxaflor is part of a family of insecticides called neonicotinoids, which affect the nicotine receptors in the body, according to Sonya Lunder, senior toxics policy expert for the Sierra Clubs Clean Water, Toxic Chemicals, and Climate Resilience Program. Sulfoxaflor is useful for killing pests because it specifically targets a specific receptor in insects that mammals dont have, before attacking their nervous systems, Lunder said. These (neonicotinoids) were replacements to insecticides that were highly toxic to people, Lunder explained. So theyve been heavily marketed as a way to have industrial agriculture production that is healthier, less toxic to humans. But Lunder said more subtle and equally concerning impacts to the environment have come into focus over the last decade. The EPA released a biological evaluation last month that reported sulfoxaflor poses the risk of extinction to 63 species, and it is likely to harm another 462 endangered species, 314 of them plants. This isnt the first time the insecticide has attracted attention on the national stage. In 2015, an appeals court overturned federal approval of the insecticide, ruling that it could hasten an already concerning decline in bee populations. A year later, the EPA allowed sulfoxaflor for certain uses on crops that are not bee-attractive or harvested before bloom, and with limited spraying distances 12 feet from blooming vegetation. Then in 2019, the EPA registered several new uses for sulfoxaflor. The attorneys general released their letter two weeks ago, following a December 2022 federal appeals court ruling that the EPA broke the law by allowing new uses of sulfoxaflor. The court ordered the EPA to seek public comment. In their letter, the attorneys general asked for new guidelines on when sulfoxaflor is applied no spraying while crops are in bloom, and the creation of buffer zones between areas that are sprayed and their surroundings. In our comment, we urged EPA to require that labels for sulfoxaflor discuss the importance of limiting pollinators exposure to this pesticide. Furthermore, we asked EPA to make mitigation measures listed on labels enforceable. Lastly, we encouraged EPA to conduct more research into the environmental impacts of sulfoxaflor for other potential harms to pollinators or other species entirely, Dunn-Thomason said. With high land prices, unpredictable weather patterns, pests, blight and rising fertilizer costs, small family farmers often struggle in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of farms in the United States has decreased by nearly 5% over the past 16 years. The USDA reports the average age of all farmers is 57.5. Pesticides are important to growers, who have to deal with myriad challenges on any given day. Beekeeper Raines said its even harder to be a bee farmer. He is the head beekeeper at Raines Honey Farm, which has hundreds of hives in four counties in Illinois and three counties in Wisconsin. He reiterated the harmful effects of pesticides on bees and the necessity of these endangered pollinators for lucrative agricultural practices to function. There are anywhere from $22 (billion) to $38 billion worth of produce and seeds in the United States alone that wouldnt exist if there werent bees to pollinate those crops, he said. Bees gather pollen from a series of statically charged hairs on their back. They comb their legs through the hairs to pick up the pollen, store it in pouches on their body and then bring it back to their young, said University of Illinois professor of agricultural, consumer and environmental sciences Nicholas Seiter. In the process of feeding their young, bees carry pollen from flower to flower. Sulfoxaflor disrupts this natural pollination process, say worried beekeepers and pollinator advocacy groups. Raines said that even if the EPA regulates sulfoxaflor use switching to applying sulfoxaflor to seeds instead of spraying blossoms dust from the insecticide can still get airborne, land on plants and then return to hives with bees, causing collapse. With modern farming practices, there are alternatives to dealing with pests rather than throwing more chemicals at them, he said. Crop rotation and natural pesticides are among the alternative approaches that have been used for years. What we call farming today would be unrecognizable to a farmer 50 years ago. Ten thousand acres and a single monoculture, all managed by machines with hardly a person in sight. Occasionally drenched by airplanes full of pesticides, said Lori Ann Burd, environmental health program director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that recently challenged the EPA in court. The Center for Biological Diversity reports that sulfoxaflor can be used on some of the most widely grown crops in the country, including soybeans, corn, alfalfa and cotton. Illinois is the No. 2 corn-producing state in the country and produces 15% of all U.S. soybeans, according to the Illinois Farm Bureau. Bees are not essential to corn or soybean pollination processes, according to Seiter, the University of Illinois professor. Corn is pollinated by wind and soybeans are self-pollinated. However, research from Iowa State University on both corn and soybean production shows that pollinating insects do help increase crop yields. Illinois Farm Bureau spokesperson DeAnne Bloomberg said she was unable to recommend any farmers who could speak about this issue. This is not the first time this collection of states has come together to take climate action, said Lunder, of the Sierra Club. This is a group of attorneys general who are flexing their power and voice together to push the EPA to be more precautionary and protective, she said. Theyve done this for a lot of different environmental issues drinking water, contamination, other types of pollutants, and health protections. Raines called the impacts that bees face from insecticides dire. He said theres a ripple effect when the EPA backtracks on regulations. There will be no apples, he said. There will be no cranberries for Thanksgiving dinner. Sangeetha Rayapati knows the power of a voice. By day, she leads the voice program at Augustana College in Rock Island. Her students know her as a professor. But she has another job that requires her voice and a different title: She's the mayor of Moline. Rayapati grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. From an early age, she knew she wanted to help people. She also knew she had a passion for music. Eventually, that brought her to the Midwest. At Valparaiso University in Indiana, she double-majored, earning a Bachelor of Nursing and a Bachelor of Music. "I think I'd always been drawn to helping professions, but when I got really heavily involved in music, I just wanted to know more and do more," she said. "So I dedicated myself to that, and I was able to bring my nursing and arts interests together because of the job I have here at the school." Before her interests aligned in the Quad-Cities, they came together in Minneapolis. After graduating from Valparaiso, she began her career as a nurse, working in the Huntington's Disease Unit at University Good Samaritan nursing home. "That's where they housed the creative arts therapies, so I was constantly exposed to the fact that this particular skilled nursing home was investing in those therapies to help their patients," she said. "I would see a music therapist come and do group therapy there while I was at work." During the three years she worked as a nurse, Rayapati was earning her Master and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Minnesota. She then decided to make the transition from nurse to teacher. The move may be unorthodox, but Rayapati said she saw the classroom as another way to take care of people. "I was attracted to the freedom of creativity and the different type of work schedule," she said. "I just had a passion for wanting to bring out the best in my students and helping them reach their full potential. That became the passion. You're caring for humans, but you're doing it through teaching." In 2001, Augustana offered her a job as professor of music, and she quickly accepted. Rayapati had no doubts about where she wanted to be. Shown her studio at Augie, she recognized it. In high school, she had visited for a summer music program. "I came as a pianist, but I took voice lessons, and I now teach in the studio where I had my first lesson," she said. "I felt like I had come full circle in the place where it all started where my potential was unleashed." Turns out, that potential was just being tapped into. After a few years of teaching, Rayapati decided she needed to do more for her community, so she ran for the Moline-Coal Valley School Board. During her four-year term that began in 2017, she served as vice-president for the first two years and president for the last two. Her propensity for finding a challenge and running toward it, she said, comes naturally. "I think it comes from being raised Lutheran, where you are raised to be a community servant and be a leader. I saw a need for good leadership," she said. "When I saw an opportunity ... that was aligned with my interest in education and helping people fulfill their potential, I put all my tools to work and said I would run for school board." Her tools, she said, were learned mostly in the classroom. As a teacher, she encourages and supports students to find their passion. By taking on positions within the community, she is able to flex the same muscle in a different setting. "It's really about helping folks fulfill their full potential. I have been very pleased that I have been able to have that symmetry in the things that I do," she said. One key element is collaboration. As a nurse, she worked with other medical staff to help patients. As a teacher, she works with students to help them evolve. As a community leader, she worked with other elected officials toward a common goal. But her training for all of it has been in motion for most of her life. "As a musician, you are trained to be a collaborator," she said. "Working with others to get everything done is part of how I manage any of the times where it can get overwhelming." In late 2020, with her term on the school board coming to a close, she upped the tempo of life and found a way to use her voice in a broader way. That led her to the steps of Moline City Hall, where she announced her bid for mayor. In the April 2021 election, Rayapati defeated incumbent Stephanie Acri, earning 61% of the vote. Her motivation for running was simple: Multiple department head positions were open, and the city needed a strong person to get them filled and to lead the staff. "The staff had been decimated in many ways, and you can't provide services and move forward without the people to do the work," she said. Two years into her post, Rayapati said she's happy with the progress the city is making. "We have turned a corner. We are moving forward, and there are a lot of positive developments," she said. As a woman in leadership, Rayapati acknowledges moments of feeling overwhelmed. At Augustana, she oversees eight professors. With the city, she looks out for thousands of people. But she uses the tools she learned in her first voice lesson at Augustana: Big things happen when you make your voice heard. "Those of us in these kinds of roles understand it comes with the territory, and we end up getting a lot of good advice on how to deal with that ... because there is a solidarity in that," she said. When the glamour of fashion week meets the excitement of a music festival, the result is Rapid Citys first-ever Culture Shock. More than 70 models will catwalk down a runway showcasing the work of eight designers throughout the day. Between each designers show, there will be music and comedy by 29 bands and performers. About half of the musicians are from Rapid City and South Dakota. After the fashion show, a music festival will start at 4 p.m. and wrap up at 11:30 p.m. Culture Shock takes place Saturday at Summit Arena at The Monument. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. The fashion show begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. VIP ticket holders can attend a meet-and-greet with their favorite artists from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Dalton J. Buckman of D-Buck Productions and Madonna Rose Conca, owner of Indi.Go.Go photography studio, are coordinating Culture Shock. Buckman and Conca both live in Rapid City and want to create big opportunities here for designers and musicians. Overall its celebrating Indigenous artists and giving them a big platform and showcasing their talent, Buckman said. If people have never seen the Native culture, theyre going to get that awe effect and see all the beautiful colors, the elegantness of the stage and set up. Theyll feel like theyre in New York at a high-end fashion show. Its the same with the music festival. Were going to give them a star-caliber (experience). Its just going to be big. Buckman is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and Conca is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. Celebrating Native arts is only part of Culture Shock, which aims to bring people together from all races and walks of life, Lewis said. We are Culture Shock because we are blending these ethnicities and cultures together to create that awe experience, Conca said. This type of event Rapid City has yet to see anything like this. You see huge beautiful platforms happening, you see artists flying out to elsewhere (to get opportunities like this). Were bringing this to our community. We wanted to showcase these artists in our community. Its about community growth and empowerment for sure, Conca said. All of (the artists) are something to get excited about. All of them are incredible. One noteworthy headliner of the fashion show is Red Berry Woman, a clothing line created by Norma Baker-Flying Horse. She is a member of the Hidatsa tribe, a member of the Dakota Sioux and Assiniboine tribes and an adopted member of the Crow Nation. Red Berry Woman is fashion for men and women that incorporates Native American traditional garment styles into ready-to-wear clothing. Red Berry Woman is a co-recipient of the 2022 Cultural Recognition Visual Arts Grammy Award, the 2022 Phoenix Fashion Week Designer of the Year, and the 2020 International Designer of the Year. Stephanie Grace Gamble, whose work was recently highlighted at New York Fashion Week, and Rebekah Jarvey are other Indigenous designers of note, Conca said. Gambles company is C.Lysias Designs by Stephanie Gamble. Jarvey, a fourth-generation beader and sewer from Montana, created Indigenous Luxury Fashion and launched a collection this year called Love & Fashion 23. Collectively, Culture Shocks fashion show will incorporate pretty big designers who are breaking barriers, Conca said. The accomplishments of each designer is just incredible. The lineup of performers between each designers show, and during the music festival afterward, runs the gamut from award winners to up-and-coming musicians, Buckman said. Music festival headliner Antoine X is one of several Nammy (Native American Grammy) winners in the festival. Other Nammy winners include B. Of Dakota South Records, Terrance Jade, Spur Pourier, NightShield and Gunner Jules. Kirko Bangz is co-headlining the music festival. Culture Shock sponsors also selected some of Rapid Citys top talent to perform in the festival, Buckman said. It creates that opportunity to blend in some of the top Rapid City performers and upcoming Native performers that are making waves, Buckman said. Throughout Culture Shock, visitors can browse vendor booths, take photos at a selfie kiosk and more. The events hosts are Tonia Jo Hall and Leo Arguello (DeadEnd Records) with guest speaker Yvonne Tiny Decory from Pine Ridge. In addition to fashion and music, Culture Shock is raising awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and the importance of suicide prevention. Conca credited South Dakota Sen. Red Dawn Foster, who will be a special guest at the event, for her support in helping to bring Culture Shock to fruition. Buckman said plans are already in the works to bring an even bigger Culture Shock event to Rapid City next year. Its going to be an annual event and every year were going to go bigger and bigger. Going forward were bringing in A-listers, Buckman said. Its aiming high and shooting for the stars. Culture Shock takes place Saturday at Summit Arena at The Monument. Tickets start at $15 for general admission; VIP admission starts at $30 and includes meet-and-greets and closer seating to the runway during the fashion show. Tickets can be purchased online at themonument.live/events/detail/cultureshock23, at the Bluepeak ticket offices at The Monument, by phone at 1-800-468-6463, or at Ellsworth Air Force Bases Outdoor Rec. A Rapid City man sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday had 100 fentanyl pills at the time of his arrest in July 2022, according to the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office. Dylan Arneson, 23, pleaded guilty in February to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. "Think of all the people that can die from overdose with 100 pills," Circuit Court Judge Robert Gusinsky told Arneson. Gusinsky sentenced him to five years with credit for 283 days time served. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin, according to the CDC. Just how much fentanyl it takes to kill a person varies. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, two milligrams is a potentially lethal dose depending on a persons body size, tolerance and past usage. Arneson was arrested on July 2, 2022 and charged the following month with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and benzodiazapine, as well as one count of possessing a firearm as someone with a prior drug conviction. Arneson was previously convicted of possessing a controlled substance in 2019. He pleaded guilty to the fentanyl count and a simple assault charge from his time in the Pennington County Jail. The state agreed to drop the other intent to distribute charges, the firearm charge, two DUI cases, and three petty theft and criminal entry of a motor vehicle cases. "He wants to get whatever treatment he can while he's in custody," said Bradley Borgue, Arneson's defense attorney. Gusinsky said one of the things that stood out to him about the case is Arneson asked for a five-year sentence, when many people attempt to "minimize" their crime and ask for one year. "I hope you can beat your addiction," Gusinsky said. Both Borgue and Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Aaron Hellbusch said Arneson "graduated" from using drugs to selling them. "There's a difference between a career drug dealer and someone who escalates as a means to feed a drug problem," Borgue said. Hellbusch said fentanyl is "the cancer that is filling our streets." Gusinsky said people selling the drug are, "selling death." According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 67% of the 106,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021 involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, which is primarily fentanyl. The substance appears to be on the rise in Pennington County. In 2021, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) in Pennington County seized 960.55 grams of the drug, almost seven times the amount seized in 2020. In 2022, the number decreased slightly, by about six grams. To put that in perspective, the Rapid City Police Department said one gram of fentanyl equals 10 pills. According to Pennington County Sheriff's Office Lt. Casey Kenrick, who worked in UNET for eight years before recently moving to a patrol leadership position, said the drug is gaining in popularity over heroin in the county. It's a cheaper alternative to other opioids and methamphetamine, he said. A bill to codify some parts of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act into Montana law passed out of committee and will head to the Senate floor for a vote. But new amendments drew criticism from some supporters. Known as ICWA, the Indian Child Welfare Act determines how Native children are put in foster or adoptive homes, prioritizing family and tribal placements. The federal law was enacted in 1978 in response to decades of state child-welfare and private adoption agencies separating Native children from their families. Even with ICWA in place, Native children continue to be overrepresented in foster care. The law, which is often referred to as the gold standard of child welfare, has come under threat recently, as the Supreme Court considers a case challenging its constitutionality. The court is expected to issue a ruling in July. At least 10 other states have codified ICWA into state law, including Wyoming. Whats in the bill? House Bill 317 commits the state to preventing, when possible, out-of-home placements of Native children that are inconsistent with the rights of parents and the interest of tribes, and to finding placements when necessary that preserve and honor a childs tribal culture and connections. The bill, brought by Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, received strong support in House and Senate committee hearings. Supporters in various hearings have argued that codifying ICWA at the state level is especially important if ICWA falls at the federal level. The Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Safety on Friday passed HB 317 with an amendment brought by Sen. Dennis Lenz, R-Billings. Lenz has also introduced a separate bill that would expand certain aspects of ICWA to apply to all Montana children. That bill has also progressed through the legislature. Whats in the amendment? Lenzs amendment to Windy Boys bill largely revised redundant language and clarified certain concepts. The amendment also added two new sections at the bottom of the bill one that sets a termination date for June 30, 2025 and one that outlines "contingent voidness." Lenz said if the Supreme Court strikes ICWA down completely, then Montana ICWA will become law for two years. But if the law is not struck down completely at the federal level, he said "it's a moot point," adding, "we don't really need to have it in Montana law because we'd be left with federal ICWA." He added that the two-year sunset date allows lawmakers to reevaluate the law and decide whether they'd like to keep or change it. Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, who serves on the committee, thanked Lenz for his work on the amendment and said she agreed with much of it. But she pushed back on the new sections. I kind of had a little heartburn on that, she said referencing the new sections. Should the federal ICWA go down, I want Montana to be able to support the Indian children of this state. Webber said HB 317 is a priority for the American Indian Caucus and referenced the looming Supreme Court case, saying she hopes Montana will join the other states in codifying ICWA. Webber ultimately supported the amendment and said that because the bill would need to be reevaluated in two years, we should be able to get this through. Windy Boy said he does not have a problem with the termination date in 2025, but he does not support the contingent void section of the amendment, regarding the Supreme Court case. Regardless of what the outcome is (of the Supreme Court case), I just dont want the kids to be left out in left field, Windy Boy said. Windy Boy said theres a claim that Lenzs bill, Senate Bill 328, which expands aspects of ICWA to all children in Montana, would be a backstop to a Supreme Court decision. But he argued that the two bills do not contradict each other and can coexist. The difference is that the system is not so much in favor of those Native children who get caught up in the system that deprive them of their heritage, that deprive them of their culture and who they are, he said. Montana Legislators advanced several wildlife bills ahead of the Easter break but also killed pieces of wildlife and access legislation, some of which had drawn bipartisan support. Senate Bill 281 from Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers of Bozeman is nearing passage in the Legislature after the House voted 90-8 in favor of the measure Friday. The bill will limit the sale of nonresident deer doe tags with nonresidents drawing a big game combination license or nonresident deer combination license able to purchase two doe tags. Other nonresident hunters would be limited to one doe tag. The goal of the bill is to strategically limit nonresident hunting to reduce crowding and competition with residents and to limit harvest on does in areas where mule deer may be struggling. When a nonresident comes in and isnt successful with their A tag, we dont want them to come into the state, shoot multiple does and then leave, Rep. Jedediah Hinkle, R-Belgrade, said in support of the bill on the House floor. Another bill that continues to advance is House Bill 419, carried by Hinkle. The bill would require groups seeking a temporary court injunction that affect hunting, fishing or trapping to post a bond. Hinkle has said the bill will dissuade litigation meant to inflict financial harm as the legal process plays out. Groups or individuals are still free to bring lawsuits without posting a bond so long as they do not request a temporary injunction. Supporters of the bill point to a lawsuit filed last year over Montanas wolf season. It led to a temporary injunction where a judge limited wolf hunting, and to a lesser extent trapping, for about two weeks. The judge later lifted the injunction following a hearing. Opponents of the bill argue that it adds additional burden on people or groups attempting to access the legal system. The Senate Fish and Game Committee advanced HB 419 along party lines to the full Senate. It previously passed the House along party lines. The Senate committee also advanced a bill creating a new hunting super tag program. Under House Bill 522 from Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, all resident hunters that purchase general deer and elk licenses would be automatically entered into a free drawing for a single permit for moose, mountain goat or bighorn sheep, with the particular species selected annually by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. Ler has said the bill is a good way to give back to resident hunters, but it has been opposed by some hunting groups over concerns it could harm the existing super tag program. HB 556 passed the House on a vote of 82-17 and the Senate committee advanced it 9-1 to the full body. The Senate Fish and Game Committee killed several wildlife-related bills this week. The committee was united in tabling House Bill 600 from Rep. Marty Malone, R-Pray, a bill that would reduce the acreage required for landowner preference for cow elk licenses from 640 to 160 acres. The committee also tabled House Bill 522 from Malone, which would create a new landowner preference system for bison hunting licenses. Qualifying owners would need to have a minimum of 20 acres. The bill would provide a new opportunity for area landowners, but saw opposition over the small size of the qualifying acreage. HB 522 passed by a wide margin in the House but the Senate committee tabled the bill 11-1. The Senate committee also tabled two bills from East Helena Democrat Rep. Jill Cohenour. House Bill 547 sought to curtail the technological creep into hunting by drawing an ethical red line over the sale of images, video and data on public lands by prohibiting their sale from trail cameras on public lands. The bill saw strong support from hunting groups that cited ethical concerns. The committee grappled with technicalities of the bill, such as how to curtail all images or videos but not also capture commercial filming for hunting shows. Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, believed HB 547 would be difficult to enforce with potential conflicts in the language, and it was tabled along party lines. Republicans also tabled Cohenours House Bill 548, which sought to increase penalties for trespassing to collect elk and deer antlers. The bill saw support from hunting and agriculture groups but only passed the House on a vote of 57-41. Sen. Steve Heinbauch, R-Wibaux, said the activities are already illegal and the bill was more likely to capture the average hunter than those collecting antlers for a living. Also in the Senate, the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee tabled House Bill 486 from Rep. Paul Green, R-Hardin. The bill had sought to increase the fine for blocking a county road from $10 per day to $500 per day. The committee clashed over an amendment this week before tabling the bill largely along party lines. The South Dakota Department of Transportation will hold an informational meeting about a three-year reconstruction project planned for U.S. Highway 385. Around 15 miles of road, from Calumet Road near Sheridan Lake to the Pennington-Lawrence county line, is set to be reconstructed in sections over three years, from 2024 to 2026. The northern section from Pactola Dam to the county line is expected to be under construction in 2024, with work on the southern section from Calumet Road to Pactola Dam done in 2025 and 2026. Safety improvements will be a major focus on the project, including wider shoulders on each side of the road, improved curves, additional turning lanes and new surfacing. The informational meeting will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 27 at Rimrock Church, 12200 S.D. Highway 44. The meeting will be informal, consisting of a pre-recorded presentation and the opportunity for one-on-one discussion with the project team. More information on the project can be found at us-385.com. Hamilton School District's Keystone after-school program coordinator donated a kidney a year and a half ago, then hiked Kilimanjaro last month. Amanda MacArthur, 25, grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Montana about five years ago to work in wildland fire. Thats my summer job, she said. During the winter, I work at Keystone after-school program and wrangle the kids at Daly. Im here on a day-to-day basis to make sure everything is running smoothly. She hiked Kilimanjaro with a group of 25 others who have donated a kidney to show that organ donation doesnt stop you from leading a healthy, active lifestyle. It was to raise advocacy for the need for living donors and to show it doesnt have to be a detriment to your life, MacArthur said. A lot of people think that if you donate an organ, youll be sickly and ill and not able to do all the things you used to. While it is a big give, its not as big of a give after the recovery process as you think it is. MacArthur said she donated a kidney out of altruism. I dont have anyone in my life who had kidney disease or who was waiting for a transplant, she said. I didnt know anyone who donated until I did. It was just something in the back of my mind that was something to do. After the fire season of 2021, she investigated the process and felt the call to contribute. Basically, I could afford to both physically and timewise, she said. It was just a good thing to do, and I didnt have a good reason not to. She donated a kidney in December 2021, having surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. Montana is one of two states without a transplant center. Idaho is the other one, MacArthur said. I received a grant from a different nonprofit that funded my flight and 10-day stay. The hospital paid for all my medical bills. If I had to pay for it all, I couldnt have done it. MacArthur said the donation was altruistic, meaning the recipient could contact her but that she wouldnt reach out. I had no idea where it [her kidney] was going, she said. I just sent it out into the unknown. I recovered quickly from the surgery; my personal lifestyle had a lot to do with it. It really comes down to your personal health. Later, she received an email that a dad in southern California was the recipient. It was a very sweet story, MacArthur said. He said he has a 6-year-old and can take him to Disneyland for the first time. He couldnt before because he had to do dialysis every day or so but now could do things with his kid. That was the first time I realized what a big deal it was. I was very emotional after that. The Mount Kilimanjaro hike that began March 2 through the nonprofit Living Donor Adventures took nine days (a week up and two days down), complete with meals and all needs provided. It was very slow going as we took the longest, easiest route, MacArthur said. We had porters, it was pretty bougie, actually. Ive been a wilderness guide and am a wildland firefighter used to carrying everything. You only carry a day pack and if you dont want to carry that, theyll carry it for you. Most days the group covered around 5 miles of easy terrain and gentle slopes but summit day included a 3-mile steep climb. [On summit day] you start hiking at midnight and dont reach the summit until 8 a.m., but it is steep and youre at a really high elevation, MacArthur said. The first half was dark, cold and slow and I wanted to go faster but about halfway I realized I couldnt go any faster. We summited on March 9, which is World Kidney Day. MacArthur was one of the first four to the top. I was the youngest and the two oldest, around age 60, who had donated a kidney and some of their livers, also summited first with me, she said. Most of the donors were not hikers but lived relatively sedentary lives. The hike was more of a mental game. Like I would think I cant take one more step, but then Id analyze it and realize I could. It is about mental toughness. She said the hike down the mountain took hours. I was sore from that, MacArthur said. Most of the guides had done it 15 times already this year and over 100 times in their lives. On Thursday, MacArthur shared her journey up the mountain with the Keystone kids in kindergarten through fourth grade. The students came in, got their snacks and listened to MacArthur as she shared her journey. She showed a map of Tanzania where her hike took place and a drawing of the inside of a human body and how her kidney was added to the recipient. The inquisitive students asked great questions. We started in the rain forest and saw bats, monkeys and giraffes, MacArthur said. By day two we were above the tree line. The higher up in the mountains you go, the smaller the plants get until eventually there are no plants left. She showed photos of the journey including Mount Kilimanjaro as seen from the base, the camps along the way and the hikers. She played a video of the porters singing encouraging songs and showed interesting flowers, birds and trees with unusual branches. We saw a lot of old lava flows," she added. "The whole mountain is a volcano. It hasnt erupted in a very long time, but you could hear it whistle. She showed photos of the porters balancing large packs on their heads while hiking. On the last night we had to start hiking in the dark, MacArthur said. The guides were singing so we could find our way. They are singing in Swahili, which is the language of Tanzania." When she showed the summit above the other mountain peaks and cloud line the children got quiet and then applauded. The sunrise came, and everyone was crying and hugging each other, MacArthur told the kids. We were so high you could see the curve of the earth. Its a big world and you can do good things. Electronic design and manufacturing firm Weidmuller Group is bringing more than 100 jobs to the Richmond area with a $16.4 million expansion of its existing site in Chesterfield County. The German company has operated in Chesterfield for more than 50 years and, in similar fashion to other European businesses such as Denmark-based Lego and Netherlands-based ISO Group, is making significant investments in the county. We want Made in America to mean Made in Virginia, and Weidmuller Group has been manufacturing its products for more than five decades in Chesterfield County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. Their longevity and continued investment are a powerful testament to the advantages a Virginia location offers international companies seeking growth in North American markets, and we look forward to Weidmullers continued success. Chesterfield is now home to more than 40 companies representing 13 countries. The countys location within the Mid-Atlantic region, along the Interstate 95 corridor and near the Port of Virginia, provides added convenience for incoming and existing groups, officials said. Weidmuller, which provides industrial connectivity to customers worldwide, will expand its engineering and production operation at 821 Southlake Blvd. by 24,000 square feet, helping meet consumer needs in North America. Weidmullers expansion in the United States cements our commitment to bring engineering and manufacturing closer to North American partners and customers, Weidmuller USA president Bernd Schroder said. By deepening our partnerships with Chesterfield County and the State of Virginia, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand in a state known for a talented workforce, strong logistical benefits with access to Virginia ports, and strategically located to best service our customers, Schroder added. Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said access to a well-qualified workforce combined with Virginias pro-business climate contributes to places like Chesterfield being desirable locations for companies. The ability to provide a talented workforce is crucial to companies like Lego and Weidmuller, DuVal said. Central Virginia, along with Northern Virginia, is quickly becoming the data center capital of the country. Lego is set to construct its first U.S. manufacturing plant at the Meadowville Technology Park, and the automated horticulture company ISO Group is slated to establish its first U.S. assembly and distribution facility within the county. Chesterfield is still a manufacturing community, said Jake Elder, managing director of small business and site development for Chesterfield Economic Development. Its home to many manufacturers, whether thats in the food and beverage industry, the packaging industry, or what youre seeing here recently with groups like Lego or ISO group. Youngkin is working to further business relationships in Asian markets as well, as he is scheduled for a trade trip to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan later in April. The county, which collaborated with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, received a Youngkin-approved $488,450 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to help with the project. Weidmuller is also eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a VEDP workforce initiative, will provide support for Weidmullers job creation process. The additional 100 jobs this project brings will be yet another boost to the economic activity in the Greater Richmond area and will bolster the infrastructure available in our transition to a more environmentally sustainable future, Del. Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, said. Close 03-14-1950 (cutline): New sign for safety--J.E. Mann and E.W. LeMay, advertising officials, and State Police Captain W.L. Groth, deputy administrator of the Governor's Highway Safety Committee, watch a new safety sign go up on Petersburg Pike. 05-28-1981 (cutline): It's the billboard on the left, not the one on the right, that was paid for by Thomas Cannon, a benevolent Postal Service employee who often gives money for worthy causes. Creative Displays said yesterday that the company erred when describing the details Tuesday to the Times-Dispatch. Meanwhil, the "concerned citizen" who bought the space on the billboard on the right remains anonymous, the company said. These billboards are at Fourth and Franklin Streets. 01-11-1980 (cutline): The message sounds political, but it isn't accoring to a Creative Displays Inc., of Richmond executive. And there's no "consumer party," a display assistant, Ann Anderson said. The striking announcement, though, is getting second looks from Richmond motorists who face various versions of the "candidates' slogans" on billboards around town. It's an "advertising promotional," she said, declining to elaborate. 02-10-1991 (cutline): Drumming up business? Forty-four of these billboards appeared around Richmond this weekend, alarming the pancake house's employees and customers. It turns out the red-and-black signs are part of a reverse-psychology campaign. 10-05-1990 (cutline): Ronald Lewis (left), Harold B. and Robert El stand in front of billboard designed by El. El, 17, will have his work on 10 city billboards during Fire Prevention Week. 10-12-1946 (cutline): Billboard Appeals For Chapter Vote--This is one of the 16 bill board advertisements placed by the Richmond Citizens Association in widely scattered parts of the city to urge an affirmative vote in the November 5 referendum election a study of the city government. Hugh Thompson, executive secretary of the association, pointed out today that the voter will actually vote "For" instead of "Yes" on the question of having a commission study the city charter. Mr. Thompson said the bullboard ads were prepared before it was learned that the wording to appear on the ballot will be "For" or "Against." 03-23-1987 (cutline): "McGruff The Crime Dog," along with opponents and supporters of billboards, have their eyes on such signs in Henrico County. 06-04-1987 (cutline): A 4-month anti-drug campaign was begun this morning by Lamar Outdoor Advertising with the help of Mayor Roy A. West and City Manager Robert C. Bobb. The billboard, at 1000 Jefferson Davis Highway, is part of the company's 26-city, 11-state public service campaign directed against drug abuse. 03-1989 (cutline): Willie Vance Harris, an employee of Smith Advertising, changes a billboard at the intersection of Wythe and West Streets in Petersburg. 03-12-1992: Billboard 08-09-1991 (cutline) Disappearing Act--The complete caption doesn't appear on the billboard, but a similar print public service announcement that uses this image answers the question it poses: "A chicken. What else. A real man takes responsibility for his actions. From the Archives: Billboards A look back at Billboards in and around Richmond. 03-14-1950 (cutline): New sign for safety--J.E. Mann and E.W. LeMay, advertising officials, and State Police Captain W.L. Groth, deputy administrator of the Governor's Highway Safety Committee, watch a new safety sign go up on Petersburg Pike. 05-28-1981 (cutline): It's the billboard on the left, not the one on the right, that was paid for by Thomas Cannon, a benevolent Postal Service employee who often gives money for worthy causes. Creative Displays said yesterday that the company erred when describing the details Tuesday to the Times-Dispatch. Meanwhil, the "concerned citizen" who bought the space on the billboard on the right remains anonymous, the company said. These billboards are at Fourth and Franklin Streets. 01-11-1980 (cutline): The message sounds political, but it isn't accoring to a Creative Displays Inc., of Richmond executive. And there's no "consumer party," a display assistant, Ann Anderson said. The striking announcement, though, is getting second looks from Richmond motorists who face various versions of the "candidates' slogans" on billboards around town. It's an "advertising promotional," she said, declining to elaborate. 02-10-1991 (cutline): Drumming up business? Forty-four of these billboards appeared around Richmond this weekend, alarming the pancake house's employees and customers. It turns out the red-and-black signs are part of a reverse-psychology campaign. 10-05-1990 (cutline): Ronald Lewis (left), Harold B. and Robert El stand in front of billboard designed by El. El, 17, will have his work on 10 city billboards during Fire Prevention Week. 10-12-1946 (cutline): Billboard Appeals For Chapter Vote--This is one of the 16 bill board advertisements placed by the Richmond Citizens Association in widely scattered parts of the city to urge an affirmative vote in the November 5 referendum election a study of the city government. Hugh Thompson, executive secretary of the association, pointed out today that the voter will actually vote "For" instead of "Yes" on the question of having a commission study the city charter. Mr. Thompson said the bullboard ads were prepared before it was learned that the wording to appear on the ballot will be "For" or "Against." 03-23-1987 (cutline): "McGruff The Crime Dog," along with opponents and supporters of billboards, have their eyes on such signs in Henrico County. 06-04-1987 (cutline): A 4-month anti-drug campaign was begun this morning by Lamar Outdoor Advertising with the help of Mayor Roy A. West and City Manager Robert C. Bobb. The billboard, at 1000 Jefferson Davis Highway, is part of the company's 26-city, 11-state public service campaign directed against drug abuse. 03-1989 (cutline): Willie Vance Harris, an employee of Smith Advertising, changes a billboard at the intersection of Wythe and West Streets in Petersburg. 03-12-1992: Billboard 08-09-1991 (cutline) Disappearing Act--The complete caption doesn't appear on the billboard, but a similar print public service announcement that uses this image answers the question it poses: "A chicken. What else. A real man takes responsibility for his actions. More performers have been added to Pharrell Willimas Something in the Water music festival, headed to Virginia Beach later this month. A$AP Rocky, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, M.I.A. and more will be performing alongside Williams during his set. In addition, Arcade Fire, Jonas Brothers and Third Eye Blind have also been added to the festival lineup. Something in the Water will be returning to Virginia Beach April 2830. Previously announced performers include Lil Wayne, Machine Gun Kelly, Mumford & Sons, Wu-Tang Clan, The Kid LAROI and Skrillex. Find the full list of previously announced performers here. Three-day passes from $399 are on sale at somethinginthewater.com. VIP passes have already sold out. The inaugural Something in the Water festival was held in Virginia Beach in 2019, but it pulled out of Virginia in 2022 with Williams citing the citys toxic energy. Last years festival was held in June in Washington. In 2021, city officials said that the city experienced record-breaking economic success and the festival had a total economic impact of over $24 million on both Virginia Beach and the surrounding region. At Williams Mighty Dream Forum, a business conference held in downtown Norfolk in November, the hip-hop mogul announced that the festival would be returning to his native Virginia Beach. This is about the 757. Its always been about the 757, Williams said in November. Something in the Water is returning to Virginia Beach in 2023... [Im] grateful to be back home, very very excited to do it. It was [meant]... to bring our region together. Lets continue to do it every year. New footage released by the Richmond police Wednesday shows a South Richmond man suspected of killing his wife shooting at officers who encountered him in a Northside parking lot, just seconds before the officers returned fire. The footage includes clips from two 911 calls on March 31 in which former coworkers say that James Talbert III killed his wife, Peace Talbert. One call, placed just after 10:15 a.m., identifies Talbert as the killer by name; the second, placed approximately 20 minutes later, identifies the Talberts home at 1100 Evergreen Ave. as the crime scene and warns that Talbert is armed and driving a silver Ford F-150. The video footage shows Fourth Precinct officers shortly after 11 a.m. driving by Talberts truck in a parking lot on North Avenue, then making a quick U-turn into the lot to confront Talbert. In the video, Talbert exits the truck and fires at one of the two officers on scene, whose weapon malfunctions when he attempts to return fire. The second officer appears to fire three shots, at least one of which strikes Talbert. Officers provided help on scene, and Talbert was transported to a local hospital, where he died that night. Police say seven shots were fired in total by Talbert and the officers. Crime scene photos show the revolver-style handgun they recovered from the scene. The footage was released on RPDs Facebook page as part of a critical incident briefing, a new standard operating procedure announced Monday via press release by the department. Critical incident briefings, which will be posted to RPDs website and social media channels, will include evidence from critical incidents pertaining to officer-involved shootings resulting in the fatal use of force, public affairs director Tracy Walker said in the release. Police officials did not respond to questions from the Richmond Times-Dispatch about whether similar briefings would be assembled and released for previous officer-involved shootings. Footage will be released within two weeks of the incident in question, police said, unless the Chief determines that a delay is needed to address investigative, prosecutorial or privacy concerns. Richmond police call the new procedure part of Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards commitment to rebuilding trust and nurturing legitimacy through transparency. But critics say that the broad latitude of the policy effectively gives Edwards, the citys fifth police chief in the past three years, the ability to release only the footage that makes them look good. Andrew Bodoh, senior associate at Richmond law firm Thomas H. Roberts and Associates, says the best-case scenario for this new policy is that it signals a shift by RPD away from a posture of withholding all information about criminal investigations, even information that would be helpful to the public. However, it does not actually change much, because the police are exercising discretion already afforded to them under Virginias Freedom of Information Act. State law says (police departments) can disclose what they want to disclose and withhold what they want to withhold, Bodoh told The Times-Dispatch. If we, as a society, want broader disclosure, we can do that by going to the legislature and telling them that these things have to be disclosed without discretion. However, Bodoh worries that unfettered disclosure could make it harder to successfully try officers charged with misconduct. If we have any hope of holding officers criminally liable when they commit criminal acts, they do deserve a fair trial, and part of a fair trial is that the jury has not already made up their mind based on the information that is out there. From the Archives: The James River James River James River James River James River James River James River James River James River The North Chesterfield man who allegedly kidnapped a New York state woman and shot at law enforcement officers last week has been charged, authorities announced Wednesday. State police have served Michael C. Davis, 34, with one felony count of abduction. Davis was wounded in the gun battle along Interstate 95 and is currently in the custody of the Prince William County Adult Detention Center while still being treated at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Additional charges are pending as the investigation by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Fairfax Field Office continues. On April 5, Tatiana N. David, 34, was abducted from her home on her birthday in Ithaca, N.Y., and was forced into a white SUV allegedly driven by Davis. New York state police said David and Davis had been in a relationship and share a child. Later than night, more than 300 miles from the site of the abduction, a Virginia trooper spotted a Jeep Cherokee traveling south on I-95 in Fairfax County, authorities said. The vehicle had the wrong license plates displayed on it. After the trooper activated his emergency lights, the Jeep pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway. The trooper approached the Jeep, and spoke to both the adult male driver and adult female passenger. It was not until the trooper returned to his patrol car to verify the drivers information that he learned that the driver was wanted by New York State Police for abducting the adult female passenger. Within seconds of receiving that confirmation, the Jeep pulled away from the shoulder and fled south on I-95. A high speed chase ensued. The Jeep struck a guardrail near the 152 mile marker, but continued speeding south on I-95 until the it ran off the side of the road and crashed into the woods near Exit 148 in Prince William County. As soon as the troopers approached the SUV, Davis, who remained in the drivers seat, allegedly began shooting. State police returned fire. Davis and David sustained injuries. Once Davis stopped shooting, the troopers were able to safely approach the Jeep. Troopers and assisting agency personnel pulled both Davis and David from the Jeep, and immediately began rendering medical aid to both. David died at the scene. Her remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for examination and autopsy. No state police were injured in the shooting. In accordance with policy, the troopers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Virginia state police is working with New York authorities in regards to the kidnapping investigation. Two firearms were recovered at the scene, officials said. Meredith Hill wants to have children. In fact, she was able to give birth to one: a daughter who is now almost 3 years old. But her reproductive journey has not been without complications, stress or trauma along the way, she said. She said she has endured four miscarriages, three of them with life-threatening or psychologically harming effects. The Richmond-area resident has undergone a medical procedure called a dilation and curettage (or D&C) to remove unexpelled fetal tissue. This prevented infection or other complications and finished the miscarriages her body began against her will. Between her high risk of heavier bleeding and her desire to get it over with, she elected to have the procedure. Hill did, however, find comfort in having the option to take medication to resolve the issue if she chose. I didnt want to be in the situation I was in, but I was grateful to have choices with how to proceed with it, Hill said. The medication option was mifepristone. Conflicting court rulings last week on access to the drug are part of ongoing legal battles over abortion access across the nation. The drug remains available in Virginia. Planned Parenthood has indicated it will continue to administer mifepristone as needed unless directed otherwise by the Food and Drug Administration, while governors of three states have ordered a stockpile of the medication. First approved by the FDA in 2000, mifepristone has been the first part of medicine-induced abortions or miscarriage-related health care. Mifepristone blocks the progesterone hormone, which is needed to continue a pregnancy. Afterward, another medication, misoprostol, can be taken to end the pregnancy. The experience shined a spotlight on how nuanced pregnancy is and how decisions for whats best for people can be complicated, she said. Hill did not have abortions, but the overlap in reproductive health care has her family concerned about what family planning will look like in the future, given national debates around abortion and their intersections with miscarriage care. Given her history, she is concerned she may still be at risk for complications in pregnancies or future miscarriages. Will I be turned away from care? she asked. Its changed family planning. While some miscarriages can occur without complications (as Hills first one did), sometimes not all fetal tissue leaves the body when the body rejects a pregnancy. This can lead to infection or sepsis. That is why miscarriage patients can have the D&C outpatient procedure to remove the tissue, or take abortion-aiding medications to wait for the miscarriage to conclude at home. But now questions linger nationwide about the feasibility of accessing mifepristone following contradictory court rulings from U.S. District Court judges appointed by two different presidents. Last week, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, issued a national injunction to stop the distribution of mifepristone. The action was in response to a case the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine brought against the Food and Drug Administration. Hours later, Judge Thomas O. Rice in Washington state, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, ordered that access to the drug be preserved in 17 states. Virginia was not included in that list. President Joe Bidens administration has subsequently appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. CBS 6 reported Monday that, when asked about the Texas judges decision, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he didnt have much of an opinion given that theres some of the legal process thats still to go and that the other judges ruling differed. Abortion-rights advocates expressed concern following the rulings, while anti-abortion advocates celebrated the news. Olivia Gans Turner, president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, said in a release that her organization commends the Texas judges ruling because the drug places the mother of that child in harms way. This drug has been responsible for dreadful complications to the health and well being of women ever since it was rushed through the approval process decades ago, she said. The FDA considers the medication safe to use for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, and notes continued study of potential adverse side effects. The most commonly cited adverse reactions include nausea, weakness, fever/chills, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. The dueling orders and appeal could send the issue all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned previous federal abortion protections last summer. Though the medication at the center of the legal battles commonly has been used to terminate early-gestation pregnancies, it increasingly has been used to treat miscarriages. The use of mifepristone for miscarriage treatment became more common after a 2018 New England Journal of Medicine study indicated its use in conjunction with misoprostol was more effective in both abortions and miscarriage treatment. I would say at least once a week I treat someone for medical management of miscarriage, said Dr. Shanthi Ramesh of the roughly six years she has been practicing in Virginia. Planned Parenthood, where Ramesh works, has come to the center of abortion debates nationwide. It is one of 16 abortion providers in Virginia. In addition to providing prenatal care and various health screenings along with abortion services, Ramesh noted that she has had miscarriage patients elect to take mifepristone in conjunction with misoprostol. I often see women who may be coming in because theyre having bleeding or they want to confirm how far along they are and then they are diagnosed with a miscarriage, Ramesh said. While Hill chose to handle her miscarriage at her physicians office, Ramesh said many people experiencing a miscarriage prefer to handle it at home with medication. Miscarriage patients often prefer to do things at home. Its more private. They can have their loved ones with them, Ramesh said. Theyre often grieving and to be able to give them a really efficacious process has meant a lot. From the Archives: Richmond shops and shoppers of the past Rather than run from abortion rights the issue that could deny Republicans total control of the Virginia legislature Gov. Glenn Youngkin is breaking into a purposeful stride. On Tuesday, a seemingly irritated Youngkin surrounded by two plainclothes state troopers, his body guy and mobile phone-clutching press secretary attempted to slip out the back door of a ballroom at a downtown Richmond hotel rather than take questions about the latest twists in the volatile abortion debate and their possible impact on the fast-approaching elections for the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate. We are not going to have a conversation, Youngkin twice brusquely told me as I tried to put two questions to him: Had he having promised to seek, at minimum, a 20-week ban on most abortions given further thought to the issue as a potential obstacle for the GOP in the General Assembly contests? And what might be the political consequences of the ruling by a federal judge in Texas that would deny women nationally access to a widely used abortion drug? Because when the going gets tough, the timid talk about something else, Youngkin said he was heading to Petersburg, where he would boast the early accomplishments of a state-local partnership that he announced last August to revive the ailing, racially riven city hollowed out by violence, drugs, a sputtering economy and educational decline. You should write about it, the governor said. And The Times-Dispatch did. An on-the-scene report by David Ress included a photograph of Youngkin and mentioned him in the headline and seven times in the story. The piece focused on plans to bring a full-service grocery store to downtown Petersburg as part of a mixed-use development that will include houses, apartments, retail space and a restaurant. Ress quoted Youngkin Virginias cheerleader-in-chief despite running in 2021 on racial and cultural fears, of which Petersburg has become a symbol for Republicans: What you dont see is the momentum thats building. You could practically hear an exclamation point. But no story about Petersburg, particularly ahead of the June Democratic primary, is complete without a mention of the subject Youngkin ducked before heading down Interstate 95 from Richmond, where he attended Virginia Commonwealth Universitys excellence-in-government awards luncheon: abortion rights. Its at the center of the nasty fight for a Petersburg-anchored Senate seat between former Del. Lashrecse Aird and Sen. Joe Morrissey. An unabashed supporter of abortion rights, Aird makes much of Morrisseys friendliness to Youngkin-endorsed restrictions on the pregnancy-ending procedure. Until a special election in January padded the Democrats slender Senate majority, Morrissey whose messy private life is nearly Trumpian in scale was seen by both parties as the deciding vote on curbing abortion rights. Morrissey cloaked his position in a flourish U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine used in his 2005 victory for governor: He personally opposes abortion as a practicing Catholic but would not support a total ban. For Kaine, that was then. This is now: On Wednesday, Kaine and Virginias senior senator Mark Warner, a Democrat and Kaines predecessor as governor joined nearly 240 other members of Congress in a pleading to a federal appeals court to reverse a decision by a Trump-appointed U.S. District judge in Amarillo, Texas, that would scuttle the governments 2000 approval of mifepristone, a drug used to induce abortion and treat miscarriages. There was no immediate indication from our Republican attorney general, Jason Miyares, whether he would align Virginia with efforts to uphold the trial court decision on mifepristone. Miyares didnt hesitate to join the successful effort last year before the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the landmark 1973 ruling ensuring a womans right to an abortion. That decision led to multiple efforts by Republican legislators to again clamp down on abortion. Theyd have gotten a bill to Youngkin if not for the Senate Democratic majority. It is the remaining feature of a blue trifecta a House, Senate and governorship held for two years by Democrats that ensured the rollback of Republican-written restrictions. Access to abortion is unfettered in the first and second trimesters. A pregnancy can be ended in the third trimester if a womans health is imperiled. While Youngkin and to a lesser degree, Miyares might not be having a conversation about abortion, a lot of other Virginia politicians and voters are. Polling in late March by The Washington Post and Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University shows that Youngkin, whose expressions of opposition to abortion vary according to the audience, is out of step with most Virginians on abortion an issue that resonates powerfully in the states election-deciding suburbs. Forty-one percent say abortion laws should be less strict. And 34% including nearly four in 10 Republicans believe they should remain the same. Only 17% favor tougher laws, and 36% of such respondents are Republicans, representing the hard kernel of a Virginia party that continues to lurch right from its historic centrist roots. If youre Glenn Youngkin, you may want to change the subject, but Democrats wont let you, said Stephen Farnsworth, political analyst at the University of Mary Washington. Pro-life politics is poison in the suburbs, and thats where elections are won and lost. But Youngkin and the Republican candidates hell bankroll with millions from his PAC dont have to take an academics word for it. They should listen to a former Democratic governor, described by Youngkin at the VCU event as his mentor, who ran and won three decades ago by coupling support for abortion rights with a distinctly Virginian commitment to individual liberty. Women, particularly Republican women, will not appreciate, and are in opposition to, whats going on, said Doug Wilder, casually strolling into the same room from which Youngkin later fled. Its an advantage for the Democratic Party, if they handle it appropriately. Top five weekend events: 'Hamilton,' Butterflies Live!, Swine & Brine 'Hamilton' M&T Bank Butterflies Live! Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are In a Play!' Swine & Brine Earth Day Celebration From the Archives: Petersburg Civil War fort was sold and leveled in 1960s Fort Sedgwick or Fort Hell was one of the larger forts of the Union Army during the Civil War with a garrison of 800 men and 17 cannons. The fort occupied the most elevated natural position giving Union troops an unlimited view of their enemy and of Petersburg. The fort earned its nickname from the Confederate troops because of the constant, intense artillery fire from the cannons. The last attack launched from Fort Hell was April 2, 1865, when Union soldiers attacked Confederate lines with a blistering 30-minute bombardment. Despite the repeated bloody attacks by Union troops from Fort Hell, Confederate soldiers held their lines long enough to enable General Robert E. Lee and his men to escapeto Appomattox where Lee ended up surrendering on April 9, 1865. In the decades following the Civil War, the battleground was preserved and even housed a museum that attracted thousands of visitors. However, in 1966 it was announced that the land would be sold and the old trenches and the museum would be leveled. In 1966, David A. Lyon, a spokesperson for the Lyon family, which had owned the property for over 30 years, said the decision to sell the property was due to the fact that business had declined by about one-third. While the historic fortification withstood endless days of pounding from enemy cannons, its ultimate downfall was by the bulldozer. Fire department substations a possibility around Tulum Tulum, Q.R. The Tulum fire department is working on a project that could see the creation of small substations around the municipality. Tulum Fire Director Juan Manuel Castilla Jimenez, said they are working on a project of installing substations in the towns of Akumal, Coba and the beach area. He said the concept of substations would allow the fire department greater coverage and a reduction of response times in the event of an emergency. Castillo Jimenez commented that the interest of the current administration, in addition to strengthening the fire station with a greater number of equipment and personnel, is to create substations in the surrounding municipal areas to keep pace with municipal growth. First Cuban vessel emptied of stone while authorities continue to wait on permits for alternate road Puerto Morelos, Q.R. Cuban vessel Melody has successfully been emptied of its cargo. The remaining stone was finally unloaded over the long weekend after weeks of delays due to the strong winds which created choppy waters. Alfredo Edgardo Valdez de Leon, Secretary of Public Safety and Traffic, said that the transfer of the stone occurred without major incidents explaining that the Puerto Morelos City Council, chaired by Blanca Merari Tziu Munoz, contributed with the logistics for the transfer of the material by dump trucks to the Ruta de los Cenotes. The material was transferred in 31 dump trucks that worked around the clock during the long weekend while students were out of school. In mid-March, local authorities announced they would construct a road specifically for the stone transfer use since boats from Cuba will continue to arrive into December. However, the Secretary of Sustainable Urban Territorial Development (Sedetus) continues to wait for the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) to grant the necessary permits for the construction of the alternative road. Once approved, the alternative road will pass along the south side of the old Jose Maria Morelos highway, which goes from Puerto Morelos to the Old Town. The head of Sedetus, Armando Lara De Nigris, has indicated that this road will be built by the Ministry of National Defense and Grupo Indi. We are awaiting the permits for the construction of the access road, adding that it will be used for the unloading of the material from the Cuban ships. He ruled out the possibility that the new road would have any negative effect on the Puerto Morelos surrounding mangroves since they are working with municipal professionals. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner offered an upbeat take Wednesday on Congress current and upcoming efforts to address a couple of keystone issues access to capital, housing and broadband access. He spoke in Roanoke of ongoing federal efforts to strengthen community development financial institutions, which lend to underserved areas, detailing multibillion-dollar federal outlays. Ahead, he and others think federal legislation could possibly create a secondary market for Community Development Financial Institution debt, enabling exponential loan growth. Access to capital is something weve started to crack, the senator told a conference on rural America hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond at Hotel Roanoke. Warner briefly mentioned Christiansburg-based Virginia Community Capital, a community development financial institution created in 2006 during his term as Virginia governor, at which point somebody in the crowd exclaimed their appreciation. Asked by an audience member for three ways that local communities could access investment capital, he recommended building regional capital pools and investigating crowdfunding. In addition, where a private health care provider has purchased a community hospital, those funds could be considered, he said. Warner next said he would give Congress a failing grade for its efforts to improve housing. Housing has always been that, Yes, we got to get to that next [issue], he said. Warner has explored the possibility of federal legislation to assist first-generation, first-time homebuyers with a mortgage arrangement that would generate equity faster, he said. In addition, he mentioned the possibility that the government could create a tax credit to incentivize employers to provide their employees with down-payment assistance. Finally, Warner said tax dollars are flowing to hook up residences to affordable, high-speed internet access. Virginia is doling out $750 million, while the feds plan to spend $65 billion, he said. If the United States does not hook 97% to 98% of homes to broadband within three to four years, it will have failed to execute, he said. Warner, a Democrat, closed by saying that he knows many people object to what they see on their large and small screens and that he worries hopelessness is pervasive, especially in rural areas. I feel the same way and Im inside the TV sometimes, he said. Warner urged keeping the faith that there is a brighter day ahead, that there are rational people that actually want to help. A handgun used in a fatal shooting last year at the Melody Hookah Lounge in Blacksburg was not the only firearm found at or near the scene, attorneys said Tuesday at a pretrial hearing for a Roanoke man charged with first-degree murder. Whether jurors will hear about the additional weapons was left undecided, with Montgomery County Circuit Judge Robert Turk saying that it would depend on what other evidence is presented at an eventual jury trial for Jamel Duquon Flint, 25. Flint was to have a two-day jury trial next week but it now will be delayed until probably August or September. Besides the murder charge, which carries a potential life sentence, Flint is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, and three counts of using a gun to commit a felony. The charges stem from a Feb. 4, 2022, incident that claimed the life of Isiah Oshay Robinson, 18, of Roanoke, and left four others wounded. At Tuesdays hearing, attorneys laid the groundwork for a trial, arguing about what evidence might be presented and when the trial should be held. Turk agreed to defense attorney Cathy Reynolds request to delay the trial to give her more time to review DNA analysis that will be part of the prosecutions case. Turk asked the attorneys to return to court Monday, when the jury trial was to start, and instead formally schedule a new date for it. That will likely be in August or September, attorneys said. Turk also said that on Monday he will tell attorneys his decisions on some of their motions concerning evidence, but that other motions could only be decided after a trial is in progress. Regarding DNA, Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Patrick Jensen said that the prosecution would present results from tests done on bullet fragments, shell casings and firearms, among other objects. Reynolds, of Roanoke, said that the DNA analysis contained a great deal of vital evidence for the defense. Reynolds asked Turk to bar prosecutors from showing jurors pictures and videos that investigators took from Flints phone. They showed Flint waving handguns holding two guns in one hand in one video as he rapped. Reynolds said that the videos were unrelated to the case and would prejudice jurors against Flint. Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt disagreed, saying that the bullet fragments and shell casings showed that a 9mm weapon was used to kill Robinson and wound the others. Moreover, analysis suggested that the handgun used was made by Glock or was one of several models made by Smith & Wesson, Pettitt said. The handguns that Flint held in videos were Glocks, Pettitt said. The videos were saved to Flints phone 11 days before the shooting. We want to prove that the defendant had access to a firearm consistent with the one used in this crime, Pettitt said. Reynolds also asked that the prosecution be prevented from showing pictures of Flint wearing a shiny black puffer jacket and a black cap. She argued that the pictures from Flints phone were unnecessary because Flint had already admitted to police that he was the person wearing a puffer jacket and black hat in a security video from a 7-Eleven store in Radford where he had been on the night of the shooting before coming to Blacksburg. As for the shooting itself, Reynolds said that she thought the prosecution had so-called eyewitness testimony about who did what. Pettitt replied that the pictures showing Flints clothing were important because the shooter who was masked was identified by an outfit. At an earlier hearing in the case, a witness looked at Flint sitting at the defense table and could not identify him as the shooter. But when shown a still image from the Radford 7-Eleven store, showing a man in a shiny black puffer coat and black hat, the witness said that it was the person who opened fire on the sidewalk outside the downtown Blacksburg lounge. As for the other guns found in or near the lounge, Pettitt asked that the defense not be allowed to tell jurors about them. She said that a handgun was found in a door pocket in the car that carried Robinson and friends to what was to be a celebration of his acceptance into college. Robinsons fingerprints were on the magazine that was inserted into the gun, Pettitt said. Pettitt said that the gun was irrelevant to the shooting at the lounge. But Reynolds said that there were indications that it could have been carried by someone present at the lounge, then returned to the car after the shooting. Also, after the shooting, police found a handgun under a couch at the lounge, Pettitt said. On the firearm were the fingerprints of Khari Brice, a friend of Robinsons who was wounded in the shooting, Pettitt said. The handgun was not a 9mm and there was no sign that it had been fired or that Brice had displayed it before or during the shooting, Pettitt said. Turk said he would have to wait until the trial to decide about allowing evidence about the other firearms. It would depend on whether testimony or other evidence created an appropriate foundation for attorneys to tell jurors about the other guns, he said. Internet expansion continues to interconnect Botetourt County like never before, officials said Tuesday. A combination of $5 million and counting in state grant money, and millions more in federal coronavirus relief funds, have enabled the county, and other localities in the region, to broaden availability of broadband internet access to thousands more homes. Local, state, federal and business officials gathered at the Botetourt Center at Greenfield in Daleville on Tuesday to discuss those and future internet expansion efforts. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said broadband is essential to helping communities succeed. The history of the federal governments intervention on broadband over the past 20 years has been kind of crummy, Warner said. Too often we would give out money, often to people who were not fully competent to build out. But he said the federal government has come a long way. You could argue in certain areas that the federal government may have overshot on coronavirus funding, he said. The amount of money that has come from the federal government during COVID, it is a once in a lifetime circumstance, God willing, Warner said. Use this one-time surplus for the kind of one-time investments that are going to pay dividends. During the time of the coronavirus, Virginia received and spread $700 million from the federal government to localities for broadband expansion, officials said. Warner said there are more resources coming to localities for further broadband coverage. If we dont get 95%-plus in every jurisdiction in Virginia affordable and accessible broadband, it will be a failure on our part of execution, not a failure of resources, Warner said. State Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, said broadband internet is a necessary utility in todays world. Its been a work in progress. Its been a long path to get to where we are today, Austin said. But the coverage that weve gotten has made a significant difference. Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairwoman Amy White said she does not have broadband internet yet in her home. But future county projects in partnership with internet providers such as Lumos will soon cover her and neighbors, with a county goal of universal broadband coverage by the end of 2023. Every address counts. Ive seen so quickly how people can really get left behind without this technology, White said, adding that internet access impacts education and economic development alike. Its far reaching. Were going to look at every address. Brian Stading, CEO of Lumos, said the company is helping to build a smart county in Botetourt, not just smart cities. Weve talked about utilities of fiber, it is the best technology. Its going to last for the next 50 years, Stading said. We can change lives, we can change businesses, and we take that very personally. Tamarah Holmes is director for the Office of Broadband, in the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Governor Youngkin is committed to affordable, high-speed internet, Holmes said. Stay tuned for more information as we get ready to get some more funding from the federal government. Meanwhile, neighboring Roanoke County has teamed up with a Botetourt electrical provider to continue expanding internet access for its citizens, according to an email Tuesday from Bill Hunter, Roanoke Countys communications & information technology director. Its one example of ongoing efforts across the region to improve internet connectivity. Craig Botetourt Electric Cooperative has received over 75,000 feet of fiber optic cable, Hunter said. They are currently completing all the required pole make-ready work for this $3.2 million-dollar project that will bring service to 495 addresses. MONETA The Tri-County Lakes Administrative Commission is making a renewed push to curb bad behavior on Smith Mountain Lake with a new education effort slated for this summer. Signs, flyers and QR Codes are expected to begin popping up around the lake in the next few months urging boaters, specifically wakesurfers and those involved in other towed watersports, to watch their wakes. Maps will also be provided to let people know what areas of the lake are safe for towed watersports. Renewed education proposals were unveiled by Smith Mountain Lakes Wake Education Task Force at TLACs bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday. Chairman Josh McClure led the presentation providing several strategies to reach boaters this summer. Are you boating safely? is one of our key messages, McClure said. The effort comes as Virginias annual Recreational Boating Incident Summary found that Smith Mountain Lake once again saw the most boating incidents of any body of water in Virginia last year. The state Department of Wildlife Resources said there were 21 boating incidents on the lake in 2022, including 11 with injuries. There have been two fatalities so far this year. TLAC created the Wake Education Task Force last year following a public hearing to recommend Smith Mountain Lakes first no-wakesurfing zone near Merriman Run. Lake residents spoke up at the meeting asking TLAC to try educating the public about the problem before going down the road of banning activities, several of those speakers later joined the task force. Wakesurfing has been an ongoing topic of debate among Smith Mountain Lake residents as the sport has grown in popularity over the past decade. Boats specifically designed for wakesurfing create large wakes that riders are able to surf on. Those wakes created by boats can sometimes be several feet high and can be a danger to other boaters as well as damaging to docks. Boats in general have also gotten larger in recent years, which has also created more wake concerns on the lake. While the no-wakesurfing zone was recommended by TLAC following the public hearing last year, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources ultimately denied the request. TLAC also voted to suspend any new applications by residents for no-wakesurfing zones last year citing the need for a stronger push to educate the public. The Wake Education Task Force held its first meeting in November. Its goal was to not only create educational flyers and pamphlets for lake residents and visitors, but to also provide that information in a way that younger people would notice, such as QR Codes. The codes can be scanned by smartphones which will take users to a website with relevant information on boating and wake safety. McClure said flyers and signs on boating education will be distributed at all area marinas, boat launches and shops around the lake. The group is also working with rental groups to include the information at short-term rental vacation homes for visitors. He also proposed having boat rental locations include QR Codes on the boat that renters could scan to get info on boating safety. We are also looking at some boat key floaties, life jacket whistles and kill switch wristbands with the QR Code on them, McClure said. Anywhere we can get people on their boats to have access to the information. The educational information will ask boaters participating in wakesurfing or other towed watersports to minimize repetitive passes in a single area, stay away from docks and shorelines, avoid coves and congested areas and avoid driving unpredictably and erratically. Work is also ongoing on a map to provide to boaters on the lake indicating safe areas for wakesurfing and other towed watersports. McClure said areas less than 250 feet from the shoreline will be marked in red on the map. The greater distance will allow larger waves to dissipate before they reach the shore. Tight coves will also be marked in red on the map, he said. Areas of heavy congestion will be marked in yellow on the map. McClure said those would be areas like the lakes S-curve near Smith Mountain Lake State Park. TLAC Chairman Lorie Smith thanked the task force and praised their work over the past few months. She was joined by other board members who congratulated them for their efforts. Im very impressed with what they have done so far, said board member Bob Camicia. Lets work together to see what we can do. Can we change bad behavior? Lets hope so. The Wake Education Task Force requested $10,000 to fund the cost of creating materials for the program as well as renting a billboard in the area to show the educational information. Smith said the cost would be split between TLAC and the Smith Mountain Lake Association. The TLAC board unanimously approved the funding. TLAC board member Edgar Tuck asked that the task force continue to attend TLAC meetings to provide updates on progress. He said results are not expected right away, but he wanted to see what impact this will have in the coming months. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. Two former Los Angeles-area police detectives have been charged in the 2020 shooting of an unarmed man that left him paralyzed from the waist down " " Recruits from boot camp company Papa-200 graduate at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, June 11, 2021 Seaman Christian Lower/U.S. Coast Guard All U.S. residents between the ages of 17 and 31 with high school diplomas are eligible to enlist in the Coast Guard, providing they pass certain physical exams, as well as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) evaluation test. All recruits go through eight weeks of training at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey. While recruits will be taught how to swim, people who are afraid of being in or on the water should probably consider a different branch of service. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is located in New London, Connecticut. Anyone who wants to join the Coast Guard as a commissioned officer (and meets the eligibility requirements) can apply to attend the Coast Guard Academy. Unlike other U.S. military academies, a congressional petition is not required for entry. The academy provides a rigorous four-year academic experience that also prepares cadets for life as an officer in the Coast Guard. Graduates are commissioned as ensigns. Enlisted sailors and airmen can attend Coast Guard officer candidate school if they want to become commissioned officers. Advertisement Another option for joining the Coast Guard is the Coast Guard Reserves. The reserves train and serve two days a month and two weeks each year. The 7,000 reserves don't form separate reserve units they are integrated into full-time Coast Guard operations. Many non-law enforcement jobs are handled by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, a volunteer organization with about 26,000 members. People who join their local auxiliary are specially trained in boating safety, search and rescue, and other maritime skills. The auxiliary helps with search and rescue, teaches civilian boaters in special seminars, conducts safety inspections and provides introductory youth classes in boating and maritime safety. After basic training, graduates are promoted to seaman or fireman (E-2). The Coast Guard uses an apprentice system, where recruits work alongside a more experienced seaman and learn their job with hands-on experience. For more technical aviation specific jobs, recruits are sent to technical schools, such as the USCG Aviation Technical Training Center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which is a training program into the "A" school curriculum ("A-Schools"). Coast Guard cutters usually make lengthy patrols, during which they don't return to their home station unless they need to. These patrols typically last for four weeks but can be as short as a few days or as long as a few months. An example of a cutter patrol is the one taken by the USCGC Mohawk (WMEC-913) in May 2020. The crew, with a deployed Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron crew, apprehended more than 25 suspected drug smugglers, four suspected drug vessels and seized more than 4,500 pounds of cocaine and 1,500 gallons of liquefied cocaine before returning to their home base in Key West following a 65-day counter-drug patrol throughout the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Life on a cutter is not easy. Space is cramped and you spend a lot of time in very close proximity to your crewmates. However, crews form close bonds and learn to work together smoothly and efficiently. The person with the most responsibility onboard is the captain. Each captain has absolute authority on his or her ship. The personality and habits of a captain can have a tremendous effect on the character of the ship and the way a crew conducts itself. For most mariners, achieving a captaincy is a very high honor. Between patrols, the crew takes care of ship maintenance or may take on shore duties. Some of them will take advantage of leave time (they get 30 days of leave each year). This pattern will continue for an enlisted sailor until his term of active duty has ended. Active duty lasts two or more years, depending on the contract the sailor signed at the time of enlistment. Once active duty is over, the sailor still must provide several additional years of service, either as a reserve or a ready-reserve who can be called to active duty at any time. Recently, members who are assigned to major cutters were eligible for up to 15 days of resiliency absence. As members of a U.S. military organization, all Coast Guard sailors are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Dismissal from the Coast Guard can take a variety of forms, from an honorable discharge to a court-martial, depending on the circumstances. Coast Guard veterans and retirees are eligible for a host of benefits, including health and life insurance, low-interest loans for mortgages or small businesses and veterans' health care. The full suite of benefits available may depend on the nature of the veteran's dismissal usually an honorable discharge or retirement is necessary for access to all benefits. A comprehensive guide to Coast Guard veterans' benefits can be found at Coast Guard Insider. In the next section, we'll explore the history of the Coast Guard. " " This Dymaxion map of the world shows the 30 largest countries according to area. A Dymaxion map, or Fuller map, is a projection of a world map onto the surface of an icosahedron, a shape with 20 faces, which can be unfolded and flattened to two dimensions. Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) Countries are human-made things, with borders decided by human institutions. Sometimes the borders of a country are decided by aspects of the landscape like rivers, mountain ranges and oceans, but other times the borders are invisible to the eye. The size of countries varies widely the area of Russia is over 6.6 million square miles (17,098,242 square kilometers), while Vatican city is only 0.27 square miles (0.43 square kilometers). Also, the borders of countries change frequently over time in fact, many counties are getting smaller as nations secede from others: In 1946 there were 76 independent countries in the world, and in 2023 there are 195. Advertisement According to modern estimates, the surface area of the world is 196,900,000 square miles (510,072,000 square kilometers), and 71 percent of that is covered in ocean. This means only 29 percent of the Earth is dry. Countries measure their total size based on above-sea-level land area, but squeak in a bit of the continental shelf extending into the sea. This makes ranking the total area of these countries a little tricky, as you'll see. The following are the seven largest countries in the world: " " A close-up of astronomer James Bradley's prime meridian line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England is shown. The line has been in use as the prime meridian, denoting longitude 0, since Bradley defined it in 1750. Pam Susemiehl/Getty Images In 1960, the International Radio Consultative Committee agreed upon one universal time for pilots and others to use as a fixed "time zone," so that everyone was on the same page. Dubbed Zulu Time, this constant clock is officially the time in Greenwich, England and is also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In 1884, Greenwich was designated the point of 0 degrees longitude or the prime meridian. This is the point that divides the Eastern Hemisphere from the Western Hemisphere. Any city on Earth could have been designated the prime meridian, as it's really only an agreed-upon point for starting to measure directions both west and east. However, Greenwich, England was selected because King Charles II had built an observatory there back in 1675 to tackle the problem. Britain was still a major world power in 1884, when its delegates proposed Greenwich as the site for the prime meridian at an international conference and the other nations went along with the idea. Advertisement Zulu Time (officially called Coordinated Universal Time) was implemented in 1967. Since Greenwich is known as the "zero meridian," military and airline personnel starting using the word "Zulu" for this time, since the phonetic or NATO alphabet designates the letter "Z" as "Zulu" when people are speaking to each other and need to spell out a word and be sure it is understood. In addition to being used by airline personnel and air traffic controllers, Zulu Time is also used by meteorologists tracking the weather, and in many internet and world wide web standards. It's likely your computer was set to Zulu Time when you first bought it. You might see a weather report with a code like 072154Z. This means the report was done on the seventh day of the month at 21:54 Zulu Time. Efforts to figure out the age of Earth go back many centuries. The classical Greek philosopher Aristotle, who thought time had no beginning or end, also believed that Earth was infinitely old. Meanwhile religious scholars in ancient India, who envisioned a universe that perpetually exploded, expanded and collapsed only to begin anew, calculated that Earth had existed for 1.97 billion years. During the medieval era, various Christian theologians scrutinized the Bible for clues, and came up with estimates of between 5,471 and 7,519 years, according to G. Brent Dalrymple's book "The Age of the Earth." From the 1700s and 1800s, an assortment of scientists came up with various figures based on clues ranging from Earth's rate of cooling and the accumulation of sediment, to the chemical evolution of the oceans. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 75F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 67F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Resorts World Casino It is natural to feel excited when a stock hits a new high. There could be two reasons at play. The first is that the companys fundamentals are strong and the business is reporting better profits and/or dividends. The second reason could just be a surge in positive sentiment that sends the stock price shooting up without any underlying reason. When scouting around for potential investment ideas, you want to ensure that it is the first reason and not the second. Here are four stocks that recently hit their 52-week highs. These businesses could make good candidates for your buy watchlist if they pass muster. Sheng Siong Group Ltd (SGX: OV8) Sheng Siong is one of the largest supermarket operators in Singapore with a total of 67 outlets across the island. The group also offers more than 1,500 products across various categories such as food and essentials under its 23 house brands. The retailers share price recently hit a 52-week high of S$1.73 and is up 11.8% in the past year. Sheng Siong reported a mixed set of results for 2022 with revenue dipping by 2.2% year on year to S$1.3 billion. Net profit, however, managed to eke out a small 0.4% year on year rise to S$133.6 million. The supermarket operator also paid out a final dividend of S$0.0307, bringing 2022s dividend to S$0.0622. Sheng Siong intends to continue growing through new store openings, and with HDBs plans to release almost 10,000 flats in 10 different projects, there are ample opportunities for the group to bid for new shop spaces in the coming quarters. Genting Singapore (SGX: G13) Genting Singapore is the owner and operator of the integrated resort (IR) at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). The IR boasts six hotels with around 1,600 hotel rooms, a casino, one of the worlds largest aquariums, and a theme park Universal Studios Singapore. Gentings share price has been on a tear, shooting up 44% in a year and recently touching a 52-week high of S$1.19. The blue-chip IR operator reported a sparkling set of earnings for 2022 as travel and tourism experienced a sharp rebound. Story continues Revenue surged 62% year on year to S$1.7 billion while operating profit doubled year on year to S$456.4 million. Net profit improved by 85% year on year to S$340.1 million. The final dividend doubled year on year from S$0.01 to S$0.02. Investors can look forward to better numbers this year as Chinas reopening should allow more Chinese tourists to visit the IR. Festive Hotel will also complete its renovations in May 2023 and be re-launched as a lifestyle destination hotel. The revamped hotel will add 389 rooms to RWS inventory of hotel rooms. Sembcorp Industries Ltd (SGX: U96) Sembcorp Industries Ltd, or SCI, is an energy and urban solutions provider with a balanced energy portfolio of 16.7 GW and a project portfolio spanning 12,000 hectares of land across Asia. Shares of the utility giant have surged 51.1% in just a year, touching a 52-week high of S$4.43 before settling at S$4.29. SCI reported a strong set of earnings for 2022 and also declared a special dividend of S$0.04, bringing 2022s total dividend to S$0.12. Management has done a great job of growing the groups renewables division, with gross renewables capacity hitting 9.8 GW as of 31 December 2022, very close to its target of 10 GW at the end of 2025. SCI is going from strength to strength, with its renewables unit being awarded its first greenfield renewables project in the Middle East recently. The group, along with a joint venture company in Vietnam, also signed memoranda of understanding with leaders of nine provinces to develop smart and sustainable industrial parks. PropNex Ltd (SGX: OYY) PropNex is an integrated real estate services group with 11,902 sales professionals as of 17 February 2023. The group has a presence not only in Singapores residential market but also in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Australia. Shares of the real estate brokerage have touched a 52-week high of S$1.98 and are up 6.5% in the past year and almost 57% from its low of S$1.25 in October 2022. The group reported a steady set of earnings for 2022 with revenue rising 7.5% year on year to S$1.03 billion. Net profit edged up just 0.3% year on year to S$65.4 million. Investors may be buoyed by PropNexs announcement of a one-for-one bonus issue to increase the accessibility of its shares to investors and improve trading liquidity. Income investors should also be pleased with the S$0.135 in dividends that the group paid out for 2022, which gives its shares a trailing dividend yield of 6.9%. First-time investors: Weve finally released our beginners guide to investing. Read it in an afternoon, follow the principles, pick an investing style and buy your first SGX stocks within the next few hours! Click here to download it for free. Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses! Disclosure: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned. The post These 4 Singapore Stocks Are Touching Their 52-Week Highs: Are They a Buy? appeared first on The Smart Investor. The video, posted on YouTube on 11 April, shows an axe-wielding man crossing the road and approaching two uniformed police officers at a nearby traffic light on Stamford Road. (PHOTO: YouTube/AstarothGundam) SINGAPORE A man who allegedly wielded an axe has been charged with assault following an incident that occurred on Tuesday morning in Stamford Road. Manohar Thirunavukkarasu, 25, was charged with assault on Wednesday (12 April). He is also accused of offences including criminal trespass and harassment, according to The Straits Times. The news outlet reported that Manohar will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for medical examination, and his case has been adjourned to 26 April. The Stamford Road incident In a YouTube video posted on Tuesday (11 April), a man could be seen brandishing an axe as he crosses the road towards the Raffles City shopping mall. He then walks towards a police car parked at a nearby traffic light, prompting two uniformed officers to point their weapons at him. It is unclear what type of weapons the officers were holding. The man subsequently threw his axe, which landed on an adjacent pavement. The Straits Times reported the police as saying they were alerted to a fight in Stamford Road at 2.28am on Tuesday. The police added that the 25-year-old man was subsequently arrested for possessing an offensive weapon, using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty, and using abusive language against a public servant. They said that a 71-year-old man was taken to the hospital, conscious, while a 29-year-old man is assisting with investigations. 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. $3000 746 10% 1.5% 11 57 5 Tips to Grab the Attention of Recruiters Within 7 Seconds AI14%4 10 1.71%7% 3.46% 12%9% 52% 3276 40% 52.8 10 2%4% 115 20000 250 250 Yen 1.62%3.46% CoinbaseSEC 99 13% Kenvue 3350IPO FRC 22% 7%6.68% 2248 5 SIOUX CITY Forty business leaders from across the state of Iowa are gathering in Sioux City Thursday and Friday to talk about workforce and economic development as part of a program by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation. The "Leadership Iowa" event kicks off at 8:20 a.m., Thursday at the Warrior Hotel with a greeting from Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott, according to a schedule from Leadership Iowa. Then, at 9 a.m., there will be an "Essential Elements of Economic Development" forum hosted by Drew Conrad of the University of Northern Iowa's Institute for Decision Making. At 10:15 a.m., Leadership Iowa attendees are scheduled to tour the Orpheum Theatre. Debi Durham, the director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority, will then host a "Connecting Statewide Leaders" panel at 11 a.m. in the ballroom of the Warrior. Additional Thursday events include a networking lunch, a "Sioux City Economic Development Showcase" and "Dinner and Five Minutes of Fame" at the Stone Bru location at 101 W. Third St. Friday morning, at 8:35 a.m., Sally Hartley, with Community Action Agency of Siouxland, will conduct a poverty simulation for the Leadership Iowa group, followed by an 11 a.m. visit to the Sioux City IowaWORKS Center facilitated by Andrea Mann and Jon Murad with Iowa Workforce Development. According to a Leadership Iowa release, ceremonies will then conclude with a chat about workforce challenges with Kathy Anderson (Iowa Workforce Development), Lesley Bartholomew (Wells Enterprises), Lee Elliot (Wonderful Life Project, LLC) and Beth Trejo (Chatterkick). A number of local and state businesses and organizations are sponsoring the event including: Central Iowa Power Cooperative; EMC Insurance; Guarantee Roofing, Siding, and Installation Co.; Iowa Area Development Group, Iowa Gaming Association; ITC Midwest; Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and Terracon. If youve seen Chicago more than once, you know it features those jaw-dropping Fosse moves, a hummable Kander and Ebb score and a sly take on the culture of celebrity. But what surprises particularly during the national touring companys stop at the Orpheum Theatre Tuesday are the superb musicians, eye-popping costumes and sturdy chairs. Like the rock-solid songs, the technical elements have to be razor-sharp, too, for this to work. During the start of Tuesdays second act, that 10-person orchestra got a chance to demonstrate its worth (and give conductor Cameron Blake Kinnear a piece of the spotlight). Kinnear, in fact, was one of the shows better performers, acting as a narrator of sorts in various spots of the scaled-back production. While he didnt have to dance, he did set the stage for the actors sweating through those precise dances. Like Billy Flynn (Jeff Brooks) representing the creme de la creme of Chicago crime, he had to bring a bit of the ol razzle dazzle and, like Brooks, he did. The key clients: Roxie Hart (Katie Frieden), a newbie to the Cook County Jail, and Velma Kelly (Logan Floyd), a killer just waiting for her acquittal. When Roxie steals Velmas thunder, theres a struggle to gain attention. In the roaring 20s, headlines paid big dividends. If a killer like Velma or Roxie got out, they could make big bucks on the vaudeville circuit. Not unlike today, scandal sold. Floyd and Frieden handled the moves well but needed better sound design to help them reach the rafters of the theater. Very funny lines particularly in Cell Block Tango were muffled, undercutting the book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. By the second act, those problems were ironed out, giving the cast a clear path to a stunning finale. Repeatedly, the ensemble wowed with an ability to put their bodies into unnatural positions. Like the barely there costumes, they impressed. The songs? All That Jazz, Razzle Dazzle and Roxie had their charms, but Brian Kalinowski (as Roxies downtrodden husband Amos) made sure his Mister Cellophane left an impression. Christina Wells, as Matron Mama Morton, got several big moments as well. At one point, she even sounded like the orchestras trumpet, providing her own riffs. After 25 years of this concert version of Chicago, it might be nice to see a full-out production. With more bells and whistles, it might shift the focus to something we still havent noticed. Still, the pared-back Chicago has staying power. With different performers, it introduces something new and, with those Fosse isolations, it reminds you why musicals arent left to mere mortals. SIOUX CITY Earth, Wind & Fire will headline the 33rd annual Saturday in the Park, which is slated for July 1 at Grandview Park. Founded by the late Maurice White in Chicago more than half a century ago, Earth, Wind & Fire combines elements of jazz, soul, funk, R&B and Afro Pop. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and a recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors, the group has scored eight No. One hits, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and has won nine Grammy Awards, including a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award. While SITP organizer and cofounder Dave Bernstein said booking Earth, Wind & Fire wasn't a conscious effort to get back to the festival's bluesier roots, he is ecstatic to have landed such a legacy act. earth, wind & fire Known for such funky hits as "Let's Groove," Earth, Wind & Fire will headline the 33rd annual Saturday in the Park. Also on the bill will be the duo of Samantha Fish, a Kansas City native and a critically acclaimed blues rocker, and Jesse Dayton, a guitarist who has recorded with everyone from Johnny Cash to Waylon Jennings, and has even toured with the seminal punk band X. samantha fish & jesse dayton Critically acclaimed guitarist Samatha Fish and veteran musician Jesse Dayton want to push the limits pf blues music. The duo will be on the b SITP also will play host to The War And Treaty, a husband-and-wife-team of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter, who are known for an eclectic sound which fuses Southern soul, gospel, country and rock and roll. the war and treaty Comprised of the husband-and-wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter, The War and Treaty fuse Southern soul, gospel, country Bernstein said this year's lineup will have plenty of emerging acts, like Armani White, a 26-year-old rapper from Philadelphia who had a hit with "Billie Eilish," a free-wheeling track that landed in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2022. armani white A Philadelphia-based rapper, Armani White is best known for his 2022 hit "Billie Eilish." He'll be one of the up-and-coming acts performing at Cincinnati-based rapper Cal Scruby is also on the roster. Developing a love of hip-hop as an Ohio State University student, he is best known for sharp freestyling skills and songs that are centered around pop culture. cal scruby Cincinnati-based rapper Cal Scruby developed a love of hip-hop as an Ohio State University student. He will be one of the featured performer a Other acts for the Grandview Park Bandshell (SITP's main stage) and the Abe Stage (a second stage showcasing alternative, regional and local acts) will be announced at a later date. Started in 1991 by Bernstein and his friend Adam Feiges, SITP traditionally falls on the Saturday closest to the Fourth of July. Often attracting as many as 25,000 people, it has become one of the upper Midwest's premiere musical festivals. PHOTOS: 2022 Saturday in the Park Close The Avett Brothers perform on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. The Avett Brothers perform on the Main Stage during the 2022 Saturday in the Park concert. Joe Kwon plays the cello for the Avett Brothers on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Scott Avett performs with The Avett Brothers on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. The Avett Brothers were the closing act of Saturday in the Park. Scott Avett performs with The Avett Brothers on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. The crowd cheers for The Avett Brothers at the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap performs on the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Fetty Wap dances while a guest raps one of Waps songs on the Abe Stage. Fetty Wap wipes his face with a towel during his set on the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Elle King performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Elle King kicks a beach ball during her performance on the Main Stage at Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Seth Avett performs with The Avett Brothers on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Elle King performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Buddy Guy smiles at the crowd during his set at Saturday in the Park. Elle King performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Gabriel Moreno, 8, leaps over an obstacle on a ride during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Buddy Guy performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Buddy Guy performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Buddy Guy performs on the Main Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fans cheer as Buddy Guy performs in 2022 at Saturday in the Park. Buddy Guy plays his guitar with a drum stick on the Main Stage during during his performance at Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire surfs the crowd during Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Black Pistol Fire guitarist and singer Kevin McKeown plays his electric guitar on the Abe Stage Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fans cheer for Fetty Wap during his performance on the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. The crowd fills the hillside as Fetty Wap performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap performs on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap greets his fans after his performance on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fetty Wap takes selfies with his fans after his performance on the Abe Stage during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fireworks are shown during Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Fireworks end the night after Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in 2022. Fireworks end the night after Saturday in the Park at Grandview Park in Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday, July 2, 2022. A girl yells while on her friends shoulders during Elle King's performance at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Cassie Palmer uses spray paint to spell out SITP in front of the kids zone at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Vernon Angerman, 6, leaps to the next inflated ball during a kids zone game at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Tori Semantic, lead singer of Fall of Kings, smiles as someone writes on her arm prior to her show on the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Semantic said that through her music, she wants to absorb it and transmute all that pain that people wrote about on her body. Richard Miller, also known as MIL MUZIQ, yells in to his microphone as confetti falls at the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Ashya Mack, 11, laughs as she is covered in bubbles at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Terrance Simien of Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience holds up a fistful of beads during his set on the Main Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Elle King tips her hat as she comes on to the Main Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Elle King raises her arms while performing a song at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. Reno, a rapper from Sioux City, performs his set at the Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park on Saturday in Sioux City. +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 +49 PHOTOS: Saturday in the Park 2021 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park WATCH NOW: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park WATCH NOW: DAD performs at Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park DAD at 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park 2021 Saturday in the Park In large part, that is due to SITP's unique mix of performers, which has included everyone from Aretha Franklin to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit to Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers. The free-admission festival also features food vendors, an art alley and a kids zone. More information can be found at Saturdayinthepark.com. STORM LAKE, Iowa A former Buena Vista University student will mark the 30th anniversary of her graduation by giving the commencement speech at her alma mater next month. During the graduation ceremony, which starts at 2 p.m., May 6, in Siebens Fieldhouse on the Buena Vista campus, Amy (Waller) Friedrich, class of 1993, will speak. Friedrich currently serves as president of benefits and protection at Principal Financial Group and is a member of the BVU Board of Trustees. "We are absolutely thrilled to have Amy Friedrich back on campus to serve as our 2023 commencement speaker," BVU President Brian Lenzmeier said in a release. "Ive had the opportunity to work with Amy on the Board of Trustees and have quickly come to respect the ways in which she leads with diligence, thoughtfulness, creativity, and enthusiasm. She is such a key member of our leadership team, always seeking ways to best move BVU forward with our students and their growth at the heart of every action." Friedrich, a Van Meter, Iowa, native, studied communications and journalism while at Buena Vista. She said getting the call was a total surprise and that she was "delighted" by it. "I love this university and Im proud to be part of its history and its future," she said. The day before the commencement, Friday, May 5, the BVU Board of Trustees as well as Lenzmeier and members of the campus community are set to attend a groundbreaking for a new apartment-style residence hall, according to the release. SIOUX CITY Securing a top-tier act like Earth, Wind & Fire for the 33rd annual Saturday in the Park was important to Dave Bernstein, the event's cofounder. "Ever since seeing (Earth, Wind & Fire) at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, I have always had them on a short list for SITP," he said. "In fact, I don't think there is any place else where you can see Earth, Wind & Fire for free, other than at SITP." The legendary group, which combines elements of jazz, soul, funk, R&B and Afropop, will be the headlining act when Saturday in the Park returns to Grandview Park on July 1. Other acts slated to perform the Grandview Bandshell will be blues musician Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, country performer (and Sioux City native) Dane Louis, as well as the critically-acclaimed The War and Treaty, a husband-and-wife team made up of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter, who are known for an eclectic sound which fuses Southern soul, gospel, country and rock and roll. "The War and Treaty said being at the same festival as Earth, Wind & Fire was on their bucket list," Bernstein explained during a news conference, Wednesday, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's Anthem. "At SITP, they'll be opening for Earth, Wind & Fire." While the Grandview Bandshell will represent Saturday in the Park's Main Stage, more alternative and local acts will play the Abe Stage. Among this year's Abe Stage entertainers will be Armani White, a 26-year-old rapper from Philadelphia who had a hit with a track entitled "Billie Eilish," as well as Cincinnati rapper Cal Scruby, whom Jason Reinert said is considered to be an underground cult artist with many well-known tunes to his name. Along with his fellow committee members Brandon Stowe and Kelly Quinn, Reinert has seen the Abe Stage grow in both popularity and importance over the years. Which is a good sign since the Abe Stage was designed to attract a younger, more adventurous crowd. "We'll be able to announced seven or eight more Abe Stage acts in the next few weeks," Reinert said, adding that securing performers is getting a bit easier after COVID. "Things aren't quite back to normal," he said, "But it is getting better." Bernstein said he's been having better luck with Main Stagers. "I started negotiations with Earth, Wind & Fire about six months ago," Bernstein said, adding that he will also announce a few new acts in the coming weeks. As for the venue, Bernstein said Grandview Park will continue to be entirely fenced in during SITP, and that fireworks -- which have always served as the festival's finale -- will be blown off at a new location. "We used to do it by the water tanks that are now gone," he noted. Nevertheless, Bernstein is excited over this year's lineup. "This festival would not be possible and not be free without the help of our community and our sponsors," he said. "We sincerely thank them for supporting amazing live music, presented free in Sioux City, for all to attend that desire." SIOUX CITY -- A second woman has been arrested in connection with an explosion and shoplifting at Sioux City's Scheels store. Claudette Loera, 34, of Omaha, was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on Tuesday on charges of first-degree arson, second-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree theft. Her bond was set at $50,000. An arrest warrant issued in January was served on Loera Tuesday after she was transported from Nebraska, where was in custody and faces drug possession charges in Sarpy County. She and Jessica Katz are accused of taking shirts, shoes and a number of other items from shelves at Scheels, 4400 Sergeant Road, on Oct. 26. According to court documents, after exiting and re-entering the store, Loera removed a lighter and a small device with a fuse from the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt. She lit the fuse and tossed the device onto a shelf. A short time later, the device exploded, damaging shelving and merchandise. Both women fled the store without paying for the merchandise, which totaled $562. The explosion caused more than $3,412 in damages. Dozens of employees and customers were in the store at the time of the explosion. Katz, 41, of Omaha, was arrested in February and has pleaded not guilty of first-degree arson, second-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree theft and is scheduled to stand trial later this month in Woodbury County District Court. SIOUX CITY -- A Carroll, Iowa, man was sentenced Friday to nine years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Wyant Unruh, 37, had pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of possession of child pornography. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Unruh used an online messaging application to receive child porn from November 2019 through July 2021. He also used the app to send pornographic images to other people. Unruh was fined $500 and ordered to pay $8,500 in restitution to the victims. He must serve five years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence. SIOUX CITY The Sioux City Community School District property tax levy for the next school year will fall slightly compared to last year. The school board on Tuesday night held a public hearing and approved a budget of around $242 million. The levy for the 2023-24 school year was lowered to $12.44 per $1,000 of assessed value, compared to the current levy of $12.45. This is the 15th time in 16 years the district has lowered the levy. School Board President Dan Greenwell said the Sioux City school district is in the best financial shape in decades. The district has an estimated $208.7 million in general fund spending. Greenwell said the district is sensitive to the increase in valuations. He said the next time the district reviews the budget, the tax levy will most likely decrease in light of the recently released property assessments. On average, Sioux City property owners in town saw their assessed values increase by about 23.5% (the average for Iowa in 2023 is between 20% and 30%). He said the district does not need a 20 percent increase. He said the district collects around $39 million in taxes directly from residents and spends tax dollars judiciously. Next year, the district's budget process will include a discussion of the ending of Education and Secondary School Relief funding, the impact of the private school vouchers and higher property assessments. SIOUX CENTER, Iowa Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to appear as the featured guest at Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra's third-annual Family Picnic on May 13 at the Dean Family Classic Car Museum in Sioux Center. The trip would be DeSantis' second to Iowa since the start of 2023 and his first to Siouxland. Feenstra, a Fourth Congressional District Representative in his second term, made the event announcement on Twitter Wednesday morning. Though DeSantis, a two-term incumbent, hasn't officially declared as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election, polling averages from firms such as Morning Consult show him having the second-best support among GOP primary voters after former President Donald Trump. In recent weeks, Trump has ratcheted up attacks on the presumptive candidate and called him an "average governor" leading a state "among the worst in the country" on crime and education. DeSantis has mentioned the former president's arraignment on 34 counts related to hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels while also saying the case is political in nature and refusing to assist in Trump's "extradition" to New York to face charges. Feenstra's event announcement comes two days after he hosted former South Carolina governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at the Port Neal Welding Company in Salix, Iowa. In her appearance, the 2024 Republican presidential hopeful focused on foreign policy, the national debt and what she termed a "national self-loathing." "The idea that people are saying America is bad or that it's rotten, or that it's racist. I was elected the first female minority governor in history. America is not racist. We're blessed. Our children need to learn to love America," Haley, a daughter of Indian immigrants, said. In 2022, Haley was a speaker at the second iteration of the Feenstra Family Picnic. At the time, when asked whether or not she would run in 2024, she said "If it looks like there's a place for me...I'll put 100% in." In terms of support, Morning Consult shows Haley at 4% among GOP primary voters while Trump is at 56% and DeSantis is at 23%. Mike Pence, the former vice president under Trump and speculated 2024 candidate, is at 4%. Pence was the main guest at the first Feenstra Family Picnic in July 2021. When DeSantis visited Davenport and Des Moines in early March, he appeared alongside fellow Gov. Kim Reynolds and touted his record of banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory, prohibiting teaching of gender identity in elementary schools and bolstering "parents' rights," all of which have become flashpoints in the Iowa legislature in 2023. "I always tell my legislators, 'You watch Iowa. Do not let them get ahead of us on any of this stuff,'" DeSantis said. At another turn, DeSantis said "Our state is where 'woke' goes to die." That pair of stops came as polling from the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa showed about 42 percent of Iowa Republicans had "very favorable" views of DeSantis while 44 percent of Iowa Republicans feel that way about Trump. The data also showed Trump with a "very unfavorable" number of 8 percent. Only Pence had a higher number at 9%. The 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses are set for Tuesday, February 5, 2024. Feenstra's event with DeSantis will begin at 11 a.m. and is scheduled to run until 1 p.m. DeSantis' wife, Casey, is expected to speak as well, as are Reynolds and Sen. Joni Ernst. SIOUX CITY -- Wind turbine setback distances have come before the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors again. The board on Tuesday unanimously directed the Woodbury County Zoning Office to increase commercial wind turbine setback distances to two miles from city limits and a half mile from public conservation areas. For three years in a row, the issue of commercial wind turbines in Woodbury County has come before the board to approve setback distances and regulations. On Tuesday, Board Members Mark Nelson and Dan Bittinger asked the board to make the increase after hearing concerns from city officials, residents and planners. The current ordinance has a setback distance of 600 feet or 110 percent of turbine height from city limits and public conservation areas. Those concerned said current setback distance could hamper potential city growth and hamper wildlife and visitors who frequent county conservation areas, according to board documents. Bittinger said he visited the Moville City Council in January and it was concerned about the 600-foot setback distance hindering potential growth. He is now hearing the same sentiment from other communities. Nelson and Bittinger proceeded to check with other towns to see if they shared the same concern. Nelson said most rural community leaders requested the setback distance increase to two miles. Dan Priestley, Woodbury County zoning coordinator, told Nelson that Iowa Code grants cities the ability to review land use within two miles of city limits, so a two-mile setback from city limits for wind turbines made sense. Four Woodbury County communities city councils have passed measures of support for the two-mile wind turbine setback distance, Nelson said. He said two others were working on approving the measure of support. He also said he spoke with MidAmerican Energy representatives, who said if the communities are asking for this change, the county should pursue it. A lot of other counties in the state do this, Plymouth County, for example, their [setback distance is] two miles, Nelson said. For public conservation areas, the Woodbury County Conservation Board approves of a half-mile setback from public conservation areas, said Nelson, who serves as the county's liaison on the board. Woodbury County's ordinance on commercial wind turbines was approved by the board in July 2021 with a 1,250-foot setback from occupied residences, a 600-foot setback from city limits or public conservation, and 110 percent of total turbine height from adjacent property lines, unoccupied non-residential buildings and confinement feeding operations buildings. In August 2022, after hearing from numerous county residents, the board increased the setback distance to 2,500 feet from occupied residences but did not address other structures. This newly proposed amendment will come before the board before going through a three-public hearing process. SPENCER, Iowa -- Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff continue to monitor a state wildlife area in the wake of a Tuesday wildfire. An estimated 200 acres of public and private land were burned in the fire, which was reported shortly before noon Tuesday and began on a dead-end road on the 1,500-acre Hawk Valley Wildlife Area near Spencer. The fire burned to the northeast and forced the closure of U.S. Highway 18 for a short time because of smoke. Fire crews from the DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and fire departments from Dickens, Spencer, Ruthven and Webb battled the fire for eight hours. DNR personnel returned to the site Wednesday to prevent hot spots from reigniting. Approximately 14 acres of Hawk Valley were burned in the fire, which spread to nearby private land. "Right now, we are listing the cause of the fire as unknown," said Randy Whalen, Dickens Fire Department chief and incident commander. DNR officials said Hawk Valley is not in this year's burning plan, and DNR staff would not have been burning Tuesday because the area was in a red flag warning. Anyone with information about how the fire started should call the Clay County Sheriff's Office at (712) 262-3221. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked a federal rule in 24 states that is intended to protect thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways throughout the nation. U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland in Bismarck, North Dakota, halted the regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the 24 states, most of which are led by Republicans. The regulations were finalized in December 2022, repealing a rule implemented during President Donald Trump's administration but thrown out by federal courts. Opponents of the regulations, which define which waters of the United States are protected by the Clean Water Act, have called the rules an example of federal overreach and argued they would unfairly burden farmers and ranchers. The preliminary injunction affects Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. An injunction was previously issued that halted the rules in Texas and Idaho. In his 45-page order, Hovland wrote that the federal regulation raises a litany of ... statutory and constitutional concerns and would cause great harm to the states." "Once again, the courts have affirmed that the Biden administrations WOTUS rule is overreaching and harmful to Americas beef farmers and ranchers, said Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer and president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Cattle producers in 26 states now have some additional certainty while this rule is being litigated and we are optimistic that the Supreme Court will provide nationwide clarity on the federal governments proper jurisdiction over water. The EPA said in a statement that the agency and the Army Corps of Engineers were reviewing the decision but still believe the regulations were the best interpretation of the Clean Water Act. The agency says its rules would still stand in states not included in the injunction. The agencies remain committed to establishing and implementing a durable definition of waters of the United States informed by diverse perspectives, the EPA said in the statement. Our goal is to protect public health, the environment, and downstream communities while supporting economic opportunity, agriculture, and industries that depend on clean water. The injunction comes less than a week after President Joe Biden vetoed a congressional resolution that would have overturned the rule. The House and Senate had used the Congressional Review Act to block the regulations, with several Democrats joining Republicans in opposing the regulations. John Rumpler, clean water program director at Environment America, a national network of state environmental organizations, said the EPA rule blocked by the judge is supported by science and the law and that the judge was misreading the purpose of the Clean Water Act. From a favorite stream for fishing to the water flowing from our kitchen sinks, we all depend on clean water to survive and thrive, Rumpler said in a statement. That is why an overwhelming number of Americans support stronger protections for our waterways. However, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the key is finding the right balance between powers given to states and the federal government. This rule would harm jobs and economic growth by taking jurisdiction from states and asserting federal authority over nearly any body of water, including roadside ditches, short-lived streams and many other areas where water may flow only once every 100 years, Morrisey said. LAS VEGAS (AP) The sexual abuse trial of a Dances With Wolves actor charged in Nevada with abusing Indigenous women and girls for more than a decade is on hold indefinitely, a state judge announced Wednesday. Nathan Chasing Horse, 46, was originally set to stand trial May 1. He is charged with 18 felonies, including sexual assault of a minor, kidnapping, lewdness and child abuse. Shortly after a grand jury in Las Vegas indicted him in February, Chasing Horse invoked his right to a trial within 60 days. But on Wednesday, his public defender, Kristy Holston, asked to put a pause on proceedings while they ask the Nevada Supreme Court to toss his indictment. Clark County District Judge Carli Kierny said she would set a new trial date if the high court upholds her recent decision denying Chasing Horse's request to dismiss the case. Chasing Horse and his attorneys argued that two women identified as his victims wanted to have sex with him. Kierny, in her ruling issued Friday, said state prosecutors presented enough evidence for a reasonable grand juror to conclude that the sexual assaults occurred." While Kierny upheld the sexual abuse charges, she dismissed a drug trafficking charge, saying that there was no substantive testimony tying Chasing Horse to the psilocybin mushrooms investigators found while searching his home. Holston and lead prosecutor Stacy Kollins declined to comment further after the hearing. Kierny set a new hearing for May 10 to check on the status of Chasing Horses appeal to the high court, which had yet to be filed on Wednesday. Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costners 1990 film. But police and prosecutors have said that in the decades since appearing in the Oscar-winning movie, Chasing Horse marketed himself to tribes nationwide as a medicine man with healing powers who could communicate with higher beings. They accuse him of using his position to lead a cult, gain access to vulnerable girls and women, and take underage wives starting in the early 2000s. Chasing Horse's indictment in state court stems from allegations made by two women including one who says she was 14 when the sexual abuse began but court records show authorities have identified at least four other victims in the U.S and in Canada. The former actor's arrest on Jan. 31 in Nevada sent shockwaves throughout Indian Country and led to more criminal charges in other jurisdictions, including in Canada and the U.S. District Court in Nevada, as well as on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. Chasing Horse is being held on $300,000 bail at a county jail in Las Vegas. If he posts bail, he likely would be turned over to federal authorities in Nevada. Science tackles the Wests megadrought Posted on 12 April 2023 by Guest Author This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tanya Petach and Emilio Mateo Taps ran dry in Rio Verde on New Years Day. Water had to be trucked in for household use in the affluent suburb outside Scottsdale, Arizona. The approximately 1,000 residents of the large, suburban stucco homes of Rio Verde were forced to take shorter showers and eat from paper plates. Though the politics behind the water shut-off are complex, the crisis highlighted the impacts of climate change and the 23-year drought it has fueled in the West. Forty million people in the southwestern United States rely on the Colorado River. Elsewhere in the vast region it serves, farmers in southern California are replacing hundreds of acres of almond trees with crops that need less water. Residents in and around Las Vegas are pulling out sod under a new law that mandates removing nonfunctional lawns by 2027, such as turf strips in commercial shopping areas or highway medians. The Colorado River connects the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, carrying snowmelt from high peaks in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah some 1,400 miles across the arid deserts of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, and Mexico. But despite recent heavy snowfall, a severe drought has dogged the region since 2000, and the seven Colorado River states have spent months in heated negotiations as regional representatives and interest groups wrangle to wring every drop they can from the parched river system. Negotiators have missed two federal deadlines to reach an agreement on basin-wide cuts in water usage. Meanwhile, recent studies provide an ominous assessment of the Colorado Rivers future. But they also suggest a path through the stalemate with possible ways to improve water sustainability in the parched West. Along with studying focused aspects of the megadrought, they propose equally specific solutions grounded in the complexity of the system. From highlighting historic water storage agreements that yielded the greatest impact in buoying reservoir levels to new tools for drought monitoring on Indigenous lands, these studies do not shy away from the urgency and complexity of the Southwestern megadrought. Learning from history More than 70% of the Colorado Rivers water originates as snow, so yearly flow varies with the Rocky Mountain snowpack. Throughout its history, the Colorado River has oscillated between withering droughts and catastrophic floods. Data from paleorecord studies of the river, collected from pollen records and tree-ring widths, show extreme and persistent droughts. In 1995, a team of scientists explored the consequences of a hypothetical severe and sustained drought in the Colorado River Basin. The SSD study, as it became known, focused on social, economic, and environmental impacts that drought would have on the Southwest, as well as its effects on the Colorado Rivers water cycle. Published at a time when the two largest reservoirs on the Colorado River, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, were both filled and annual snowpack hovered comfortably around average, the study still catalyzed water managers, policymakers, and water users to implement change and consider drought contingency plans. Lake Mead, in Arizona and Nevada, began to fill in 1935 after the construction of the Hoover Dam. Lake Powell, located some 300 miles upstream of Lake Mead in Arizona near the Utah border, was formed in 1964 by the Glen Canyon Dam. Just five years after the publication of the SSD study, the Colorado River entered the millennium drought, a 23-year (and counting) period of low flows, dwindling reservoir supplies, and changing water availability across the Southwest. Though the current drought is not as severe as the one hypothesized in the SSD, flows have averaged just 60 to 75% of total allocated water rights. Lake Powell is barely above the minimum elevation for hydropower infrastructure to function properly, an elevation often referred to as power pool. Though this years large snowpack will help alleviate some of the pressure on Lake Powell, it will not be enough to pull the Southwest out of drought entirely. Many of the predictions in the SSD have come true, including mandatory water use cuts, vastly depleted reservoirs, and hard trade-offs between environmental and economic water uses. From unrealistic drought to the new norm In 2022, the Colorado River science community revisited the 1995 SSDs drought predictions, implications, and effects in a new suite of studies. The SSD only referenced climate change once, but the 2022 studies incorporate global climate models. The studies project that future streamflow will likely continue to decline in the face of climate change, with reservoir levels unlikely to recover as quickly or to the full extent projected at the end of the SSD. Though the 1995 study characterized its theoretical drought scenario as exceptionally extreme, even unrealistic, the 2022 studies incorporate a wide range of drought scenarios, anticipating that sustained extreme drought is a real possibility and unlikely to improve as climate change worsens. Science to action The 2022 studies focus on actions that could alleviate the impacts of drought, building on suggestions in the SSD for increased drought resilience, economic stability, and water monitoring in the face of climate change. For instance, one of the studies on the shaky future of recreation on Lake Mead and Lake Powell highlights the need for lakeside communities to diversify their economies beyond reservoir tourism and for basin-wide water savings to be enacted. They highlight specific management changes that have helped increase reservoir storage in past years, such as a binational agreement for water storage sharing between the U.S. and Mexico and voluntary conservation projects funded by the Bureau of Reclamation and major water groups in the Colorado River Basin. At the same time, temperature swings and the possibility of entirely dry stretches of river demonstrate the importance of significant water use reductions across the entire Colorado River Basin to increase reservoir storage. Another study looks at the economic impacts of decreased irrigation water and potential agriculture losses on reservations in the area around Arizona and Utah, including the Navajo, Tohono Oodham, and Uintah and Ouray Nations. The study warns of reductions in cattle yields and even more severe reductions in hay yields and suggests steps on tribal lands such as increased drought monitoring, enhanced reservation access to water rights, and new tools, training, and financial assistance to recognize and respond to drought. Another 2022 study investigates trans-boundary restoration efforts in the Colorado River Delta between the U.S. and Mexico. Habitat restoration has been successful and a common goal for both countries, yet restored areas are small and will continue to rely on support and water delivery. The study suggests alternative water sources to continue conservation efforts in the face of severe drought. These studies are a prime example of scientists bridging the research-practice boundary. In a changing climate, these bridges are more important than ever to identify practical solutions that can protect people and wildlife. The 2022-2023 snow year looks promising so far. But after more than 20 years of drought, one good years snowpack wont replenish the basin. Still, this year may provide a short window for the Colorado River Basin to catch its breath and for the scientific community to add its recommendations to the ongoing water negotiations in the Southwest. Given what is likely coming, we have no more time to delay. Tanya Petach and Emilio Mateo are Climate Science Fellows at the Aspen Global Change Institute, which is a Yale Climate Connections content-sharing partner. World will witness power of peace, development during Lulas China visit 14:54, April 12, 2023 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, "an old friend of the Chinese people," starts his state visit to China on Wednesday. This is Lula's fifth visit to China, his first visit to a country outside the Americas since he took office as the president in January and his fastest trip to China as the Brazilian president. The Brazilian side has high expectations for Lula's visit, saying that it would be a state visit of "economic, trade and political importance." There are also widespread expectations that China-Brazil relations will enter a new phase of "close political and economic relations." Under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, China and Brazil, side by side, will show the world a model of South-South cooperation in depth. Public opinion generally notes two outstanding features of Lula's China trip this time. The first feature is that the lineup accompanying Lula is impressive. At the official level, this visit includes senior officials from various important departments. The number of visiting members of the Brazilian Congress has increased from, initially, 27 to 39, and the President of the Brazilian Senate will also come to China. In the political ecology of Latin America, such "political unanimity" is rare. At the business level, despite a mega-delegation consisting of more than 200 entrepreneurs, more companies still hope to join the group and hundreds of business representatives have already "flocked to China" before Lula's visit. All these show that Brazil, from the political arena to the society, has a burning expectation for the development of China-Brazil relations. Second, Lula's visit to China was previously postponed due to the president's health. Right after he has recovered, Lula travels to China with a full schedule. It can be said that he comes to China with full sincerity, which also foretells that the results of cooperation between the two countries will be comprehensive in multiple areas. As the two largest developing countries in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, China and Brazil clearly share common interests beyond the high degree of complementarity in the economic and trade fields. Both countries face the heavy responsibility of economic and social development, and Brazil has, on many occasions, expressed its desire to learn from China in areas such as poverty reduction. By strengthening strategic alignment and coordination, China and Brazil will jointly promote the historical process of developing countries' pursuit of modernization on their respective paths. At the same time, both countries are important members of organizations and mechanisms such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and BRICS. Close communication and coordination between the two countries will help safeguard the overall interests of developing countries and promote the development of the international order toward greater fairness, justice and rationality. In this sense, China-Brazil relations have gone beyond the bilateral scope and have important global influence. Brazil has a population of over 200 million and is a "big player" among Latin American countries, as well as an important emerging economic power. After his third inauguration as President of Brazil, Lula vowed to "make Brazil a global player" and showed great ambition as a major power. China strongly supports this, and we sincerely hope that Brazil, as a leader among developing countries, will play a greater constructive role in the international community. Many Western media and public opinion, when discussing Brazil's grand strategy, always focus on whether it should "lean toward" the US or China. This discussion itself is extremely disrespectful to Brazil and is full of short-sighted and narrow-minded hegemonic attitudes. China is also a victim of hegemonism and never points fingers at Brazil's internal and external affairs. Moreover, we believe that Brazilians themselves are the ones who know best where their interests lie. It's worth noting that the outside world has paid much attention to whether Lula will discuss the Ukraine crisis with China during his visit. Prior to meeting with US President Joe Biden, Lula proposed a peace plan called the "Peace Club," which suggested the formation of a multilateral organization including countries such as China and India to mediate conflicts and called for respect for China's prominent role in safeguarding world peace and mediating international conflicts. Although the US reacted coldly, the international community has broad expectations for China and Brazil to work together to promote peace talks. Ahead of his visit, Lula reiterated that he would discuss the possibility of ending the Ukraine crisis through dialogue with China. In fact, neither China nor Brazil is a party to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, both countries have similar views on urging peace talks, which shows that although the West is still fanning the flames, the voice of the international community's peace forces is growing louder. The Chinese people like Brazil, a passionate and lively country, and they welcome President Lula's visit. Previously, China had expressed its expectations for Lula's visit with some "news": to open up new prospects in China-Brazil relations in the new era at the heads-of-state level, bring the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height, and make new contributions to regional and global stability and prosperity. We expect that based on traditional bilateral trade and multilateral cooperation, the friendship between China and Brazil could further flourish in a new historical stage, shining in the light of mutual learning among civilizations and bringing more new inspirations to the development of human society. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Ceremonies are being held in Northern Ireland this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Easter Agreement. Bertie Ahern. Photo: EPA Today, the 71-year-old politician led the Irish government for 11 years, between 1997 and 2008. Recently, many have mentioned him as a serious candidate for the next presidential election in Ireland, which will be held in 2025. We spoke with Berti Ahern, especially for the Globus show, about what the Easter deal brought and how the unpredictable situation in Northern Ireland was made worse by Brexit. A quarter of a century ago, you helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, you are one of the signatories of the Easter Agreement. Do you think the agreement still addresses Northern Irelands challenges today? The agreement signed 25 years ago was binding. You know, Northern Ireland was and still is a very divided society. But Tony Blair and I tried to include as many areas as possible in the agreement that should be resolved. For example, the reform of the police system, the reform of the judiciary the agreement includes the demilitarization of Northern Ireland. At that time there were tens of thousands of members of various armed forces in Northern Ireland, but today it is a zone of peace. The police reform has been completed, there are now Catholics and Protestants in the police ranks. This was not the case at the time of the agreement. What doesnt work well, however, are the politicians. The political situation has always been complicated, but politicians, more than ordinary people, are primarily looking for differences and quarrels. During these 25 years, politicians were constantly looking for what divides people. If politicians finally got back to work, everything would be easier. The peace process was not easy. How do you look at it now and what would you do differently? Its true, it wasnt always easy. But the violence in Northern Ireland was terrible. About four thousand people were killed, more than 40 thousand were wounded. Northern Ireland is small. The American president is visiting us this week and he said a while ago that if he were to compare the population of Northern Ireland with the population of the United States, the death toll would be 700,000, which is more than were killed in the Vietnam War. We had several problems in the peace process. Disarming itself was the hardest part. Northern Irish paramilitary groups were heavily armed, the IRA received weapons from Gaddafis Libya, so they had many advanced weapons. She also had a lot of plastic explosives. British paramilitary groups also had a lot of weapons. Disarmament was a long process. Within five years of the agreement, which is too long, we have removed weapons from the equation. During this time, problems arose that we did not solve, such as reconciliation and uplifting. I would approach this problem differently now. There is another question that we did not touch on at the time because it was still too hot. I wish we had touched on the legacy of the fighting back then. Thousands of people lost loved ones. Many were killed and maimed in the bombings. I recently met some amputees. Some suffered horrific injuries. No one has investigated this. Few matters are explored. These people live with severe trauma. I would have handled these two questions differently. Brexit brought additional pressures on Northern Irish politics, as republicans wanted to remain in the Union, while unionists did not. What are the consequences of Brexit? To put it bluntly, Brexit was a disaster. This is a disaster for the UK, even if they disagree with me. Certainly not Boris Johnson. This hurt us a lot, as old differences and border problems returned. There was no such rift even during the conflicts. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, although the Withdrawal Agreement allows for change. Its part of the UK for now because we accept. Issues related to the border, trade and flow of goods arose. About seven years ago, an era that could have been avoided began. Brexit brought many problems. Fortunately, your country also came to our aid in the efforts for a united Europe and in the search for solutions. Boris Johnson remained steadfast, but Rishi Sunak is much more pragmatic and open. We have made a lot of progress in the last six months. We hope that the latest agreement will help the Windsor framework to succeed. The agreement is not complete, as problems remain. We hope to reach an agreement in the coming months. Brexit has set us back quite a bit as it has divided the public, opened up old wounds and bitter debates. He was of no use to us. At the same time, I would like to point out that in 2016 I warned about this in many ways. John Major, Tony Blair and other Tories and Labor have warned that Brexit will harm Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, they didnt listen to us. Northern Irelands political establishment has been in convulsions for a year political parties have yet to form a government a year after the election. What way out of this political deadlock do you see? Unionists do not want to adapt to the rules of the European Union in the field of trade. Experts say that the Windsor frame has solved 97 percent of all problems, and a reasonable person would say that this is enough. But some politicians claim that he should solve all the problems. Opponents of the deal want the trade rules to be in line with British law. And this is the conundrum we have to solve. Mr Ahern, it is 102 years since the partition of Ireland. Is reunification possible in the near future, which is what the Republicans want? I believe in a united Ireland. Also because of my political beliefs. Ive been in Fianna Fail all my career, which is the republican party. We very much want a united Ireland. The most important thing is that this happens unanimously, peacefully and through negotiations. We will have to have stable institutions for a long time and we must thoroughly prepare everything so that it will not be like Brexit or the Scottish referendum, which gave more problems than solutions. I hope it will happen, but unfortunately there is still a long way to go. School security officers reportedly searched the childs backpack on the day of the shooting. Photo: AP At the beginning of January this year, the six-year-old is at school Richneck shot and wounded 25-year-old teacher Abigail during class in Newport News Zwerner, who received serious injuries. The child brought the gun to school in his backpack, and the weapon was legally purchased by him mother. Deja Taylor, a 25-year-old mother, has been indicted by a Virginia grand jury on felony counts of child neglect and misdemeanor counts of recklessly discharging a loaded firearm, endangering a child. According to the BBC, a lawyer for the childs family said the gun was kept on the top shelf of a cupboard and had a safety lock. Authorities said they could file other charges after reviewing security measures at the school. The teacher accuses the school of ignoring repeated warnings that the child had a gun on him on the day of the shooting, and also, according to her, that the school authorities knew about the childs history of violence. He is seeking $40 million in damages from the school authorities. Several villages on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East have been covered by a thick layer of ash from the Shiveluch volcano. This most active Russian volcano erupted again, and smoke and ash rose as high as 12 kilometers. Volcanologists issued a red alert for aircraft, and Russian aviation authorities urged crews to monitor meteorological data. The Shiveluch volcano erupted today and covered a large area of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East with ash. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) said the ash plume had moved hundreds of kilometers north and southwest of Shiveluch. They warned that ash plumes up to 15 kilometers high could occur at any time, affecting planes on international routes and low-flying aircraft. The Russian air transport agency Rosaviatsia announced that the flight crews were asked to ensure the safety of their flights. They added that regional air traffic management teams are ready to help crews choose alternative safe routes. To view content from social networks, enable social network cookies. Enable cookies Governor of Kamchatka Vladimir Solodov said that ash had covered three villages, and the residents of these remote places were urged to stay at home. He also announced that schools are closed. Siveluc is one of the largest volcanoes in Kamchatka, which is otherwise very sparsely populated. According to estimates, less than 12,000 people live within a radius of one hundred kilometers from the volcano. The Kamchatka Peninsula, which is 1,200 kilometers long and 450 kilometers wide, has about 160 volcanoes, of which about 30 are active. The eruption of the Bezimjani volcano was reported from the peninsula on Sunday, which was also spewing ash. Allowing the bank to fail when the stock markets reopen on March 20 could potentially trigger an international financial crisis with devastating consequences for businesses, individuals and even the countrys reputation, the reasons behind the controversial deal are being debated , which the government adopted on March 19, said Berset. At the same time, he revealed that the bank would have become insolvent on March 20 or 21 without intervention, reports the French news agency AFP. The collapse of Credit Suisse is not the collapse of Switzerland. It is the loss of a bank, a big bank, but only a bank. Nothing more, nothing less, he emphasized in the 46-member cantonal council. Business today Credit Suisse is said to pay bonuses to employees despite the difficulties Defended the urgency of the Credit Suisse takeover Instead of bankruptcy, nationalization or an attempt to restructure the bank, according to his explanations, a takeover was seen as the most likely option to restore market confidence. Conditions in the financial markets have calmed down, but they have not completely stabilized. And our country is shaken by this painful episode, he added. According to the Swiss president, its management is responsible for the loss of confidence in Credit Suisse. The leading managers at the bank, like Berset, learned nothing from the financial crisis 15 years ago. The convening of the session of the Federal Assembly in Bern was requested by its members after last month, as a legislative authority, they found themselves in front of the executed fact of Credit Suisses takeover of the largest bank in the country, UBS. The debate continues in the afternoon in the lower house of the parliament, the 200-member State Council. Business today UBS will buy Credit Suisse for three billion euros It wants to examine the guarantees that were granted to support the banks rescue, the possibility of legal action against Credit Suisses management and the operations of banks that were considered too big to fail until at least March. Despite the fact that the parliament can no longer change the procedure regarding the guarantees provided by the Swiss government, some parliamentary parties have announced a symbolic rejection of the agreement, according to the German news agency dpa. Meanwhile, despite criticism, the upper house of parliament has already given the green light to state guarantees that were provided as part of the deal to take over UBS. They require new rules and new banking regulations The right-wing populist party SVP demanded new rules so that companies can go bankrupt without dragging Switzerland or the whole world into the abyss. The Social Democrats are also calling for new banking regulations, saying too big to fail rules meant to prevent a state bailout have not worked. News After a series of scandals, a new collapse: Credit Suisse sank to a historic low Apparently the financial crisis of 2008 was not enough to wipe out the type of banker whose collapse we could see with Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, she expressed vividly Eva Herzog from the Socialist Party. Damien Cottier from the liberal party, meanwhile, warned that the parliament was sidelined when deciding on the takeover. Its frustrating, but when the roof catches fire, we call the fire brigade, we dont meet to agree whether we should buy a fire engine, Cottier told AFP. In the Green party, sustainability criteria were demanded for state guarantees. In their opinion, both banks were also too involved in fossil energy sources. The banks disastrous management has triggered a loss of market and public confidence. The leaders at the heart of these failures must be held accountable for their actions, she told AFP Celine Vara from the Greens. 167 years of history The decision to take over the bank, which has played an important role in financing the countrys economic growth throughout its 167-year history, sparked unease among the public and the legislative branch of government. At the same time, the merger of the two largest banks in the country significantly changes the financial landscape in this rich Alpine country, which has built a large part of its national reputation precisely on solid and reliable banking. Credit Suisse, which has been rocked by a number of scandals in recent years, including allegations of money laundering, and failed investment ventures, came under pressure in mid-March when the collapse of two regional US banks, SVB and Signature, rocked markets and the bank warned about the weakness of internal controls in the annual report. The Swiss government and the largest Swiss bank, UBS, then agreed to take over Credit Suisse. The government, the central bank and financial regulator Finma then equipped UBS with bank guarantees and liquidity of 109 billion Swiss francs ($120 billion) on March 19 to pull off the $3.25 billion takeover. Business today Financial Times: UBS is exploring the possibility of buying Credit Suisse Business today Credit Suisse shares plunge again Business today New York stock falls, Credit Suisse shares tumble video In honor of Earth Month, American Express has announced several innovative initiatives designed to support the transition to low-carbon communities and raise environmental awareness among its consumers and corporate clients. By expanding its Carbon Footprint Tool and introducing a digital pilot for U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members, the company aims to empower clients to make informed choices that promote sustainability. Additionally, American Express is reviving its popular Shop with Purpose Amex Offers and continuing to provide Green2Gether volunteer activities for its employees. As a responsible corporate citizen, American Express has submitted near-term and long-term emissions reduction targets to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for validation by year-end. This submission reflects the companys ambitious commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2035, in line with the guidelines set by the SBTi. By introducing new digital tools and resources, American Express seeks to support its U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members and select Corporate clients in better understanding their estimated carbon footprints and taking meaningful steps towards a low-carbon future. The companys Carbon Footprint Tool, which is now available to select Corporate clients, offers insights into the environmental impact of corporate spending. The tool tracks estimated carbon emissions associated with spend across various categories, including air travel, ground transportation, hotel stays, food and beverage, and retail. By applying conversion factors and standards from various governmental and private organizations, the Carbon Footprint Tool provides companies with a comprehensive understanding of their carbon output. This valuable resource can be accessed when clients log in to Commercial Insights, a suite of tools offered to American Express largest Corporate clients. To further engage its U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members in sustainability efforts, American Express has launched a pilot digital suite comprising several tools: Amex Estimated Carbon Emissions Tracker: Developed in collaboration with the CoolClimate Network at the University of California, Berkeley, this tool analyzes Card Members spending and estimates the carbon emissions associated with their purchases. Contribution Services for Carbon Removal Projects: In partnership with Cloverly, eligible U.S. Card Members can set up automatic monthly contributions ranging from $5 to $100. These contributions are used to support a portfolio of carbon removal projects that also benefit local communities, curated with assistance from Carbon Direct. Carbon Reduction Insights: To help Card Members reduce their environmental impact, American Express provides tips and advice from Carbon Direct on ways to lessen the carbon footprint of everyday activities. During Earth Month, American Express will once again offer a selection of Shop with Purpose Amex Offers to eligible U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members. These offers reward spending on eligible purchases from select Certified B Corporations and Climate Neutral Certified companies, encouraging sustainable consumer choices. As part of the Green2Gether program, American Express colleagues around the world can volunteer and participate in colleague-led sustainability initiatives throughout Earth Month. Activities include volunteering with nonprofit partners, waste and energy reduction efforts, and promoting healthy food initiatives. American Express will also offer a second series of the Climate Change Master Class, co-hosted with Earthwatch, providing colleagues with insights into the impacts of climate change and actions they can take to mitigate its effects on a personal level. To learn more about American Express approach to Corporate Sustainability and its ongoing efforts to support colleagues, customers, and communities, visit the companys Corporate Sustainability website. For the latest, follow us on Google News. If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. For any small business owner looking to separate personal liability from their companys finances, obtaining a business credit card without a personal guarantee can be valuable. In this article, well look at eight options that offer the convenience and flexibility of credit while protecting the business owners personal assets from potential financial setbacks. Lets begin! What Is a Personal Guarantee for a Business Credit Card? When business credit card issuers require a personal guarantee, it means that the business owner is personally responsible for paying back any debts incurred by the card. This guarantee is often required when a business has not yet established its own creditworthiness, and the issuer wants to ensure that it will be repaid. If youre just establishing your credit, read about what are business credit cards and how can small businesses use them here. The personal guarantee ties the business owners personal credit reports to the card, so if the business fails to make payments, it can negatively impact their personal credit scores. Best Business Credit Cards Without a Personal Guarantee Finding the right business credit card can be tough, especially when a credit card issuer requires a personal guarantee. Here are some of the best small business credit cards without a personal guarantee. 1. Sams Club Business Mastercard Businesses incorporated for at least two years and earning a minimum of $5 million in yearly revenue can apply for this card without a personal guarantee. The card comes with a $0 annual fee and rewards on gas, dining, and other Sams club purchases. New accounts can receive a $30 statement credit. The rewards are earned as Sams Cash but can only be redeemed at Sams Club. 2. Stripe Corporate Card The Stripe Corporate Card is an invite-only card for businesses in the US, requiring only a Stripe account to apply. There are no fees, and the credit limit grows with your business. The card offers no rewards but instead provides partner benefits from over three dozen partners. The Stripe Corporate Card simplifies expense management, allows custom spend controls, and integrates with finance tracking software. 3. Shell Small Business Card Shell Fleet Cards offer control, convenience, savings, and security. Users can set limits and get detailed fueling reports with ClearView, access their accounts with online and mobile tools, earn rebates and discounts, and cancel lost or stolen cards in real time. Shell Small Business Card allows carrying a balance with ongoing savings based on the number of gallons purchased, revolving credit, and no card fees. 4. Emburse Spend Card Emburse Spend is a prepaid business card that offers unlimited 1% cash back on purchases, without personal guarantees, fees, or credit checks. The card can be loaded up to $100,000 and features an expense management system and accounting integration. Emburse Spend is suitable for businesses of all sizes, with the option to issue unlimited cards, and set card limits and expense restrictions. It can be set up in minutes and offers real-time expense reporting, eliminating manual reports. 5. Office Depot OfficeMax Business Credit Card The Office Depot Business Credit Account is a closed-loop card with no rewards, a $0 annual fee, and a 23.99% variable APR. It offers a $50 welcome bonus for the first $150 spent within 60 days of account opening. To avoid a personal guarantee, organizations must meet specific criteria. Users can link their Office Depot OfficeMax Rewards account but otherwise, there are no significant benefits. 6. Brex Card Brex Card offers a generous rewards program and welcome bonus with no personal guarantee. The corporate card comes in two varieties, paid daily or paid monthly. The Brex 30 Card sets credit limits based on cash flow, with no business or personal credit check requirement. The card offer rewards and perks, with the Brex Card being preferred by 1 in 4 startups in the US. 7. Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card Charity Charge offers a no-guarantee charge card for tax-exempt nonprofits operating for at least two to five years with annual revenue of $100,000 or more. The card offers automatic rebates on various services and goods via Mastercard Easy Savings. It has no annual fee, Mastercard Zero Liability and ID Theft Protection, and dedicated customer support. Charity Charge is a social enterprise aimed at providing financial tools and fundraising resources for nonprofits to thrive. 8. Ramp The Ramp Business Card is a charge card for businesses with excellent credit and at least $75,000 in a business bank account. It offers 1.5% cashback on all purchases, spending controls, and a five-in-one platform for expense management, corporate cards, accounting integrations, bill payments, and real-time reporting. The card features Ramp savings, free employee cards, free bill pay, free accounting automation, and no annual, interest, or foreign transaction fees. Sole proprietors are not eligible, and there are no rewards, welcome bonuses, or travel perks. What Is Required to Get a Business Credit Card Without Personal Guarantees? Most business credit cards require several documents to be able to qualify, such as a business license, articles of incorporation, and two years of financial records. If a personal guarantee is not required, then most businesses should have an acceptable credit history, a current business license, and their most recent income tax returns to qualify for these business credit cards. However, its important to check with the card issuer for specifics on what documentation is needed as requirements may vary. What Are the Restrictions and Limitations of Cards Without a Personal Guarantee? Business credit cards without a personal guarantee typically require a strong business credit score and may have lower credit limits than cards that do require a personal guarantee. Rewards programs and other benefits may also not be as robust as those offered by cards with a personal guarantee. This is often considered one of the top reasons to use a business credit card. So go over the specifics offered by your card before signing up. Some issuers may also have industry-specific eligibility requirements or require a certain minimum revenue level. There are many different types of credit cards for small businesses in this category. So check the details carefully. Are You Personally Liable for a Business Credit Card? Yes, the business owner is personally liable for any debts incurred by the card. This means that if the business is unable to make payments, the card issuer can pursue the business owners personal assets to recoup the debt. See Also: How to Create a Daycare Business Plan However, business credit cards without a personal guarantee limit the business owners personal liability and protect their personal assets. What Is the Best Business Credit Card With No Personal Guarantee? The best business card with no personal guarantee is often determined by the individual business and its requirements. A great choice for many businesses is a low-interest card, such as a rewards card with no annual fee. Some business cards provide extra benefits like cashback, discounts at select merchants, or even free travel insurance. Compare offers carefully to find the best fit for your business needs. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the 2023 National Small Business Week (NSBW) co-sponsors and the schedule for the Virtual Summit, set for May 2-3, 2023. The NSBW Virtual Summit will feature educational workshops presented by co-sponsors, federal resources access, and networking opportunities to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Registration is free of charge and can be done at the NSBW Virtual Summit website. Christina Hale, Associate Administrator for the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, said, SBAs National Small Business Week highlights American success stories with a celebration made possible through SBAs partnership with SCORE and the support of all of SBAs generous co-sponsors. Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE, added, Together, American small businesses create a very large impact on our nations economy. The past few years have challenged business owners like never before. Thanks to the generous support of our National Small Business Week sponsors, we are celebrating the resilient spirit of American entrepreneurialism and providing timely education and resources to help ensure the continued vitality and success of our small businesses. This years NSBW co-sponsors include: Co-Host SCORE Platinum Level Sponsor Visa USA Inc. Gold Level Sponsor T-Mobile USA, Inc. Silver Level Sponsors Amazon.com Services, LLC Constant Contact, Inc. Google, Inc. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association Meta Platforms, Inc. Microsoft Corporation Pie Insurance Services Square TriNet Worldpay by FIS Zebra Technologies Bronze Level Sponsors ADP, Inc. Pacific Gas & Electric Company The two-day Virtual Summit will cover a wide range of topics, from writing a business plan to leveraging technology to improve performance. To learn more about the sessions, visit the Virtual Summit agenda. National Small Business Week 2023 is being celebrated both in person in the nations capital and virtually through the Summit, allowing all entrepreneurs to participate. Get the latest headlines from Small Business Trends. Follow us on Google News. WASHINGTON (April 12, 2023)A group of Maryland lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, has urged the Federal Communications Commission to improve broadband mapping data accuracy for the state."Guaranteeing all Americans access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet is a shared goal, and we appreciate the FCC's commitment to this endeavor," the lawmakers said in a letter Tuesday to the FCC. "To that end, we urge your agency to update and improve its broadband mapping data based on the feedback from our state's broadband office."Joining Cardin and Van Hollen on the letter were Maryland Democratic Reps. Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey.The FCC is developing a national broadband map, which the lawmakers called "a crucial tool for understanding the state of broadband access in the country." Broadband most commonly refers to the accessibility of high-speed internet resources.The recommendation by Maryland lawmakers to update the FCC's national broadband map data is based on comments made by the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband, which found approximately 3,800 addresses incorrectly identified as serviceable by internet service providers compared to the state's information on unserved locations, according to the letter As required by the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act , the FCC's broadband map will provide insight into which areas are better served with high-speed internet.The national map also will be used to determine how much each state needs in federal funding to increase connectivity.Funding comes from the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program , which provides $42 billion to implement high-speed internet access and is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in 2021 by President Joe Biden.Maryland will receive base funding of $100 million from BEAD, and the accuracy of FCC mapping will impact equitable broadband funding.Funding will go towards deploying high-speed internet networks, developing digital skills training programs, connecting with communities without access and improving digital inclusion, according to the lawmakers' letter "Inaccurate data will result in unfair funding allocations," the lawmakers said. "As such, we ask the FCC to consider reviewing additional data from states through the end of March."Errors observed by the OSB found that inaccurate mapping data primarily impacts households in Western Maryland and the state's Eastern Shore."For many, particularly in urban and suburban areas, the high cost of broadband has prevented them from acquiring the service," the lawmakers said. "Families in rural areas face greater distances to existing broadband infrastructure."The national broadband map lists Hughes Network, Viasat, T-Mobile, Verizon and Comcast as Maryland's top five high-speed internet providers."We look forward to working with (the FCC) to consider whether current data collection efforts are sufficient to address mapping issues and whether additional legislative action is needed to incorporate other variables into the FCC's collection efforts," the lawmakers said. COLLEGE PARK, Md. (April 12, 2023)When the Howard County Board of Education voted last month to start the school day later, it became the second Maryland jurisdiction in just two years to push its school start times back. The movement for later school start times has been gaining momentum for decades. Those efforts have come to fruition as Howard County passed a resolution to push its high school start time to 8 a.m. in the same academic year that Anne Arundel County implemented its 8:30 a.m. high school start times. Anne Arundel County Public Schools announced that it was shifting to "healthier school start and dismissal times for students." Studies show that sleep deprivation in adolescents is a known risk factor for increased drug use, depression and suicide. Academic performance as well as students' physical and mental health improve when students are able to get more sleep, according to research done by the University of Minnesota. Later school start times have also been shown to reduce student's sleepiness and school tardiness per a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. "What good are all the amazing classes offered in [Howard County Public School System] high schools if students are asleep in class? Or if the students can't retain the information they are taught because they don't get enough REM sleep?" Marriotts Ridge High School student Audrey Grutzik said at a Howard County school board meeting in January. Teenagers experience a shift in their circadian clocks, also known as a biological or internal rhythm, after puberty. They get tired later at night and wake up later in the morning, and early school start times force high school students to ignore those biological needs. "If school starts too early, adolescents are being asked to function at a time that is misaligned with their biological clock," said Dr. Amy Wolfson, who is on the board of directors of the Sleep Research Society and a professor at Loyola University in Maryland. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that high-school aged students need eight to 10 hours of sleep a day. But the most recent Maryland Department of Health youth risk survey in the 2018-19 school year found that only about 22% of Maryland high school students surveyed actually get the recommended eight hour minimum of sleep, with a majority of respondents saying they get six hours or less of nightly rest. In the 2022-23 school year, 17 of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions' average high school start times are before 8 a.m. Howard will be just the eighth jurisdiction in the state whose high schools' average start time is at 8 a.m. or later when its resolution takes effect, joining Anne Arundel, Dorchester, Garrett, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Washington and Worcester counties. With Anne Arundel and Howard counties shifting to later start times, they are still among the few Maryland school districts that fall in line with recommendations from the state health department and American Academy of Pediatrics. The Maryland General Assembly passed the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification in 2016, which was sponsored by then-delegate and now-lieutenant governor Aruna Miller. It recognizes local school systems with start times at or after 8 a.min line with the Maryland Department of Health and American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations. Howard and Anne Arundel counties both moved virtual school start times back during the COVID-19 pandemic to 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively. Lisa VanBuskirk, the leader of the Anne Arundel County and Maryland chapters of Start School Later, said that the later school start times resonated with parents and students. Start School Later is an organization that advocates for later school start times that are "compatible with health, safety, education, and equity." "I think districts realized, 'Oh, my goodness, if we can start later virtually why can't we start later in reality?' and students and families [were] saying the same things," Wolfson said. There are certain obstacles with the potential costs of updating transportation systems for different school start times should resolutions be passed. VanBuskirk said it can be harder for districts with smaller budgets to imagine footing potential costs when considering pushing school start times back. However, Wolfson said any smaller interventions or countermeasures to limit the downsides of sleep deprivation in students don't compare to the benefits of delaying school start times. "Slowly but surely there is more cross-talk between the science world and educators," Wolfson said. "There is definitely more movement and more recognition now than even five or six years ago." ANNAPOLIS (April 12, 2023)Monique Smith was sex trafficked from New York to Maryland at age 1. Because of the abuse she suffered, she decided to run away to Florida at age 18, where she experienced prostitution and trafficking again. "As a survivor and advocate, I want to see more people come to the portal of having another chance," Smith said to Capital News Service. "(Trafficked minors are) groomed, forced (and) coerced from a normal life." In Maryland, older child victims of sex trafficking can be arrested, handcuffed, detained and incarcerated for prostitutiona charge some would say is blaming them for the sexual abuse they've experienced. Shared Hope International, a non-profit Christian organization that is fighting against sex trafficking among women and children, gave Maryland an F in its 2022 annual report cards evaluating state protection laws for trafficked minors, placing it among the 14 worst states. Now Smith, other advocates and senators have joined with Maryland State's Attorneys in a news conference Tuesday designed to pry loose bills to help these young victims that they say are being held up in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. SB 292 is a "Safe Harbor" bill that recognizes sex trafficked minors as victims who have had a crime committed against them. It holds that no child willingly participates in their own victimization as there is no such thing as a child prostitute under federal law. Its chief sponsor is Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher, D-Montgomery. Another similar bill, SB 21, would strengthen the prosecution of child sex abuse by expanding the definition of "person in position of authority" to include an individual under contract with a child care facility, religious institutions and recreational programs, like camps, too. Its main sponsor is Sen. Chris West, R-Baltimore and Carroll. "We should not be seeking to prosecute children who have been abused, but rather to assist them in living whole and complete lives," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D). "We know that victims are not given a choice. They are forced and threatened to participate in unimaginable acts." At the news conference, Sen. William Folden, R-Frederick, a member of Judicial Proceedings and a sponsor of SB 21, said these bills are bipartisan and the "most important victim bills" the Senate has had this session. SB 292 is cross-filed with HB 297 and SB 21 is cross-filed with HB 226. Both passed unanimously in the House, but supporters said the bills have idled in Judicial Proceedings for a month. New York passed the first Safe Harbor bill nearly 15 years ago, and currently 38 states have Safe Harbor protections in place. "It's embarrassingMaryland is surrounded by progressive states who understand children shouldn't be criminalized for their own victimization," said Liz Kimbel, a survivor leader and program specialist for The Restoring Ivy Collective, a support group that helps sex trafficking survivors. Kimbel has been working on the Safe Harbor bills for the last five years. "A lot of children who are trafficked have some vulnerability factors, (which include) poverty, oppression, (Child Protective Services) involvement, being in foster homes (or) being LGBTQ+," Kimbel said. "Children who are traumatized, their ability to recognize red flags is really low." Without a Safe Harbor law, Maryland not only criminalizes child trafficking victims, but makes them ineligible for Maryland's Regional Navigator Program. This program provides individuals under age 24 services for youth victims of sex trafficking. According to a 2020 University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors report, around 265 people were human trafficked; 12 percent of the survivors were under 18. "We're talking about, unfortunately, children who have been forced into prostitution and also being forced to commit other crimes, so they are victimized themselves," said Del. Sandy Bartlett, D-Anne Arundel, the chief sponsor of HB 297, said to Capital News Service. "It is a very particular safe harbor for very particular individuals." If passed and approved by the governor the bills would take effect starting Oct. 1. Capital News Service reporter Michael Charles contributed to this report. ANNAPOLIS (April 5, 2023)Maryland's plan to create a legal market for cannabis is expected to create a likely billion-dollar industry. But how to bank those potential billions is still a thorny question in light of federal banking regulations that treat cannabis dollars as illegal drug money. "I believe it's going to be very difficult to legitimize an industry if it's all cash all the time," said C.T. Wilson, D-Charles, chairman of the House Economic Matters Committee and an architect of the House bill. Cannabis remains a federal Schedule 1 drugsubstances that, according to the DEA, have no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse. Yet, that status failed to deter Maryland's voters, who voted overwhelmingly for legalization, or the state's lawmakers, who have committed to having the market up and running by July 1. But it puts banksinstitutions which serve as some of the financial system's most critical infrastructurein kind of a legal limbo when deciding whether to work with cannabis businesses. Most banks rely on deposit insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, an organization created during the Great Depression to restore confidence in banks by guaranteeing deposits up to $250,000 and ensuring depositors can access their money should their bank run short on cash. Since deposit insurance is issued by the federal government, working with cannabis businesses, even those licensed at the state level, means potentially risking the insurance that protects depositors from bank runs and liquidity crunches. Though no bank has lost its FDIC insurance for working with the cannabis business to date, the risk alone is enough to scare some off. Going unbanked Maryland's cannabis operators will depend on banks to perform the function that people are most familiar withkeeping their money secure. "Businesses use bank accounts to hold their money to pay for things just like we do as individuals," said Zoe Plakias, an agricultural economist and professor at Western Washington University and Ohio State University who has done research on cannabis industry banking. "It turns out that many cannabis businesses have a very hard time just getting a bank account." The practical consequences of going unbanked, or going without a bank account, can be catastrophic. Since so many cannabis transactions, even legal ones, are conducted in cash, going unbanked can present a significant security risk. "The number of burglaries is astoundingI mean, we've had deaths in robberies in our state," said Laura Lee Stewart, president and CEO of Sound Community Bank, a Washington state bank providing deposit and loan services to cannabis businesses. The cannabis business' cash-centric nature has forced banks to get creative with solutions like armored car services and discrete cash pickups. Bankers joked that many cannabis businesses' security measures look a lot like those employed in their banks. Safety is just one of many practical concerns. Without access to a bank account, doing simple things like getting a business debit card, quickly handling expenses, making sure employees get paid on time and meeting state taxation requirements become far more difficult. Without a bank, it "makes it very difficult to meet all the various kinds of regulations" required, said Plakias, adding that she would "not at all be surprised" if revenue goes unreported, even if the businesses are trying to do things legally. Working with cannabis businesses, even in states like Washington where it is legal and regulated, can be a risky, costly proposition for banks, forcing them to weigh the potential costs of running afoul of government regulation against the potential benefits of making money in a space where so far there hasn't been a lot of competition for depositors. The cannabis reform bill making its way through the Maryland General Assembly attempts to alleviate some of the risk for banks by placing limitations on the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, which regulates banking in the state. The provision would forbid the office from taking action against a bank just for serving licensed cannabis businesses. That would mean banks would have one fewer regulator to deal with when considering whether to bank a legitimate cannabis business. Since Maryland's lawmakers cannot control federal policy, it is unclear whether these incentives will be enough to convince more banks to take the risk of serving cannabis businesses. "I think what bankers have to decide is the risk of their federal charter. It doesn't matter what the state of Maryland or the state of Washington, or Colorado, or Oregon or California do, there's still a risk that you're banking an industry that is illegal at the federal level," said Stewart. Even for the increasing number of banks relatively unconcerned about threats to their FDIC insurance and emboldened by the Justice Department's 2013 policy change narrowing the scope of cannabis enforcement, banking the cannabis industry means they must commit the necessary resources to comply with rigorous federal reporting requirements. Banks must fill out regular Suspicious Activity Reports detailing all activity that could be related to a crime or controlled substance. "I'm not exactly sure how many (SARs) are filed (per month), but a lot," said Alan Hyatt, chairman of Shore United Bank, which works with licensed medical cannabis operators in Maryland. Just keeping up with SARs for businesses that do a lot of transactions and handle a lot of cash can be labor intensive. As of late 2021, the Treasury Department reported receiving over 200,000 cannabis-related SARs from over 700 banks that work with the cannabis industry. Both Shore United and Sound Community Bank have teams devoted to filing SARs, and the cost of filing that paperwork gets passed on to businesses, and eventually, to customers. "It's very expensive because the banks that choose to bank with usthey have to do a lot of extra compliance," said Tracey Lancaster-Miller, president of the Maryland Medical Dispensary Association and executive vice president of Peake Relief in Rockville. Finding the money Cannabis businesses, particularly those just breaking into the industry, will also look to banks for loans. For banks and businesses alike, lending usually functions as a win-win. Business owners, who rarely have enough cash on hand to cover all of their expenses, especially when they're first starting out, get money to cover expenses and grow their businesses, banks get to make a profit while finding a place to put some of their deposits. While no loan is entirely risk-freethere's always a chance that a homeowner could default on their mortgage or a business could failthe risks for banks are especially acute in cannabis because of federal regulation. As a result, banks have been slow to loan to cannabis businesses, forcing them to turn to other, less ideal, funding sources. "If you cannot get financial capital through the standard channels, banks and loans, then you look for other sources, you find investors," said Plakias. "You need to have people in your networks who have a lot of money." This is a point of particular concern for "social equity applicants" or applicants for cannabis licenses that would have been most affected by the war on drugs. Private funding sources may also come with a longer-term commitment than a bank loan. Rather than merely collecting interest on their original loan, many private investors will ask for equity, or a stake in the business. "In order to get capital, at that point they probably would have to look at giving away equity in the company, which also potentially means control of certain aspects of the company," said Lancaster-Miller. Maryland's legislation tries to lessen the amount of risk a bank has to take through its Capital Access Program. The program will essentially allow the state to guarantee bank loans (up to $500,000 for dispensaries and up to $1 million for growers) to social equity applicants, freeing banks from some of the financial risk associated with lending to the cannabis industry. The bill also establishes a loan-loss prevention account. "(The Maryland legislation) allows banks to be a part of this process, give out protected loans, as well as work with these individuals so they can be banked," said Wilson. Some bankers remain concerned about lending to the industry because of the volatility of the market. The cannabis industry has been in an oversupply crisis that has forced spot-cannabis prices down, squeezed profit margins, and forced many cannabis businesses to close. Some bankers in Maryland worry the state is granting too many licenses, potentially making the industry a bad bet for banks. "I think there's too much growing capacitytoo many licenses," said Hyatt, who also worries that because the bill prohibits license transfers for an initial period it will be difficult for borrowers to offer their license, potentially their most valuable asset, as collateral on a loan. Breaking the cash cycle While Maryland's cannabis reform bill makes a comprehensive effort to reduce the risk for banks, there's little it can do to address the question that underlies many of the cannabis industry's problems: Why are so many cannabis transactions conducted in cash? Licensed medical cannabis operators in Maryland estimate that a majority of legal medical cannabis transactions take place in cash, despite the legality of their businesses and the fact that many medical cannabis businesses are banked. "We're still plagued by a retail delivery system that is cash only," said Stewart. Once again, the blame lies with federal government policy. Because of the federal prohibition on cannabis, all major credit card companies including Visa, Mastercard, Capital One, and others refuse to process cannabis transactions. The federal government has attempted to remedy this through the SAFE Banking Act, bipartisan legislation that would lessen credit card company liability in processing cannabis transactions. Getting to real credit card payments "would be huge," said Stewart. It would cut administrative costs of SARS, reduce risk and produce more competitive rates, she said. Though SAFE Banking has passed the House of Representatives six times, most recently in 2021, the bill has failed to secure a vote in the Senate. Wilton Manors is one of Americas great gay villages. Every day and night, hordes of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, trans people and allies, whether residents or visitors, can be seen walking, running, skating, riding, driving, or just standing still in the miracle mile we know as Wilton Drive. In this gayborhood, same-sex couples hold hands without fear of repercussion and people of all ages, races and genders feel free to be themselves. Though Wilton Manors is not without incidents of crime or hatred, all in all it is as close to a queer paradise as we have on this earth. Sadly, as good as the Island City is to us and to those who like us, it is but an oasis of tolerance and acceptance within a state that is rapidly becoming less tolerant and less accepting. On Wilton Drive, gay or lesbian couples can kiss and hold hands with impunity. Only a few miles north or south or west, same sex kissing or hand holding is not recommended. Wilton Manors is not unique in this reality. Cities like Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, and New Orleans face the same dilemma: being blue cities deep within red states. Even when the blue cities are state capitals, as is the case with Atlanta, Austin and Nashville, their people live with the harsh reality that most citizens of their respective states hate them and everything they stand for. The dictionary defines a bubble as a good or fortunate situation that is isolated from reality or unlikely to last. In Israeli filmmaker Eytan Foxs 2006 movie The Bubble Tel Avivs gay village is described as a bubble of religious and ethnic harmony far from the political discord, terrorism and war that is the norm in the Middle East. Of course, sooner or later reality comes by and bursts the bubble, both in this movies explosive end and in the violence that remains a way of life in the Promised Land. There is a lesson to be learned from this, even in Wilton Manors. I do not write this to be a downer, but a reminder. Like you, I enjoy my visits to Wilton Manors, my second hometown. I like to visit with my friends and spend time with them in the bars, clubs, restaurants, shops and parks of the Island City. I appreciate Wilton Manors-based groups that improve my life, like the Pride Center, Congregation Etz Chaim, and Plays Of Wilton. But while we enjoy the pleasures of Wilton Drive, Dixie Highway, and nearby neighborhoods we need to remind ourselves that what God gave us Ron DeSantis threatens to take away, if we dont watch out. It will take all our efforts in order to keep our bubble from bursting, taking away the rights we take for granted. Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer and journalist. He has been an active member of South Florida's LGBT community for more than four decades and has served in various community organizations. In a victory for the LGBTQ+ community, an attempt to ban Pride flags from flying at state and local government buildings in Florida has failed. However, as threats to the community persist, advocates remain vigilant in their fight for equality and acceptance. The failed ban comes amidst a broader national debate over the display of Pride flags and symbols. While some argue that such displays are divisive or inappropriate, many see them as a vital symbol of visibility, representation, and progress for the LGBTQ+ community. In Florida, the attempted ban sparked widespread criticism and opposition. Advocates argued that the move would send a harmful message to LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, and that it could contribute to a climate of discrimination and hostility. Fortunately, the ban was not successful, and Pride flags will continue to fly at state and local government buildings throughout Florida. However, the fight for equality and acceptance is far from over. Across the country, LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies continue to face discrimination, harassment, and violence. From discriminatory laws and policies to hate crimes and harassment, the community still has much work to do to achieve full equality and acceptance. In South Florida, the LGBTQ+ community remains vigilant and active in their efforts to promote equality and representation. Major decisions are currently being made about the redevelopment of Alibi Plaza in Wilton Manors, a heart of the local LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, celebrities like Sandra Bernhardt and Shangela are joining the community for Miami Beach Pride, which promises to be a vibrant and uplifting celebration of diversity and inclusion. Despite the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, advocates remain hopeful and determined. Through activism, advocacy, and community building, they will continue to fight for a future where everyone can live openly, freely, and with dignity and respect. Different rides and trains on offer. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The interest in taking a ride on historical trains in the Banska Bystrica Region (BBSK) is growing every year. The region comes up with attractive novelties every season. The same goes for this year. Dates for the rides on the Zbojnicky and Horehronsky Express trains have already been announced. The Zbojnicky should leave for the Rimavska Sobota Tisovec Zbojska route on June 3 and August 19. Passengers will enjoy travelling on the Horehronsky Express on July 14 and August 11, according to the website of the Zubacka civic association. "This year, our historic rackrail trains will be powered by a motor locomotive, as our steam locomotive undergoes scheduled maintenance this year," the association announced. The Banska Bystrica Tourism Region organisation offers many unique experiences under the Experience Trains (Zazitkove Vlaky) brand. "Iron" will join the fleet The organisation is planning unique rides on historical trains this year, also announcing a novelty for this year. "In the Experience Train 2023 season, another colleague will join the trains - the S548 electric car, alias Zehlicka," the organisation announced through social media. Zehlicka means iron in Slovak. The organisation adds that the oldest of the nostalgic trains is the Modry Sip (Blue Arrow) M274. It will be 89 years old this year, made in 1934. A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers for you Slovakia travel guide. "The other motor trains - Singrovka M240, Okuliarnik (Eyeglass Wearer) T478, Pomaranc (Orange) T679, Dvasestdvojka M262 and M286 have served many honest kilometres. They originate from the 1940s to the 1970s." Likewise, the Za Horami, Za Dolami Express, known to many as the Central Slovak Orient Express, will show up on the route this year. Last year's numbers also confirm the growing popularity of trips on historical trains. "They transported 2,120 passengers and together rode 3,257 kilometres," said Eva Maculova, manager of the Experience Trains brand, at the end of 2022. She added that the Horehronsky Express set out on the track three times last year. Once they dispatched the so-called Horehronsky Express special. "The Zbojnicky Express and Express 34 tunnels each had four journeys. Banicky (Mining) Express connected the towns of Kremnica and Banska Stiavnica in one trip. This season's novelty was a Sklarsky (Glass-making) Express ride, one Novohradsky (named after the Novohrad tourism region) Express ride and, at the end, a treat in the form of the Za Horami, Za Dolami Express. There was enormous interest in the three-day experience," commented Maculova. Orient Express In the case of the unusual Za Horami, Za Dolami Expresss attraction, which Slovaks in central Slovakia gave the working name of Orient Express, it was a unique project. The tickets sold out in a few days. The Central Slovakia (Stredne Slovensko) regional tourism organisation and the Banska Bystrica Tourism Region organisation participated in its creation. They would like to repeat it this season. "It was the culmination of the train season in the Banska Bystrica Region and I'm very happy that we managed to carry out this demanding project, unique in Slovak conditions. Dining, having fun and sleeping right on the train, while also enjoying a rich programme in selected cities throughout the region, was a powerful experience not only for the guests, but also for us," said Jiri Pec, executive director of the Central Slovakia tourism organisation. He recalled that the ride lasted three days, during which the train covered more than 600 kilometres. The original trip, which started on September 1 in Banska Bystrica, was enjoyed by 47 people. My Novohrad Spectacular Slovakia travel guides The EU should have acted earlier. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Although Viktor Orban and Robert Fico are on the same page, Slovakia, as a member of the Eurozone, will apply different strategies to Hungary even after the elections, says Hungarian political scientist and sociologist EDIT ZGUT-PRZYBYLSKA. In Hungary, people who benefit from being loyal to the regime support Orban even though they can see democracy in their country backsliding, says the analyst. Any new government in the future will have an extremely difficult time breaking the informal power of the Orban regime. You said that Hungary is like a laboratory of democracy backsliding and corruption. According to Transparency International ranking, Hungary is perceived as the most corrupt country in the EU. Does this ring any alarms with people in Hungary? Corruption is highly recognised among Hungarian society, but this doesn't translate into long-standing mass demonstrations on the street to overthrow the government. Hungarians like to complain about corruption, about social injustice but these protests are quickly running out of steam. There is a low level of feeling of efficacy: more than 70 percent believe that the Hungarian political system very rarely or never allows them to influence politics. Civic engagement within the electorate is low, more than half of the respondents would never sign a petition. Edit Zgut-Przybylska Hungarian political scientist and sociologist at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Visiting fellow at CEU Democracy Institute, focusing on informal power and populism in the context of the democratic backsliding in Poland and Hungary. Vice-Chair of Amnesty International Hungary. Some 3 million people voted for this government and their vote was mainly motivated by three factors. One of them is a cynical political culture. People see that the government is corrupt, but they believe that to accumulate wealth, everyone has to circumvent the rules. The well-educated people living in big cities are outraged by corruption, but you wouldn't see people in the countryside standing up against it. Another factor is the populist redistribution of benefits towards Christian, married, heterosexual couples with children the more the better. If you are in this cohort, you have the financial support of the government, because you constitute the good people in an extremely polarised society. It is discriminative toward single parents, homosexual or non-married couples, childless people, and others. One segment of Fidesz supporters might feel like the government may be corrupt, but at least they deliver. And they could deliver, for 12 years, because of the tremendous sums from the EU funds. New visualisation of highly anticipated Bratislava project, lookout tower above Levoca, and dance events for the rest of the week. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, April 12 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Development projects in Bratislava Big real estate projects will change the face of Bratislava. (Source: SME - Marko Erd) A new visualisation video has been released showing how one of the most anticipated development projects in Bratislava, the Vydrica complex, will look when finished. You can see for yourself at this link. Former Penta partner Jozef Oravkin has bought lucrative land in the centre of the capital, which his firm, Alto Real Estate, plans to use for the development of a new modern district in the city. MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE OPINION : Fico and Orban riding the same wave, says Hungarian analyst. The EU should have acted earlier. : Fico and Orban riding the same wave, says Hungarian analyst. The EU should have acted earlier. TRAVEL : Interest in riding historical trains in the Banska Bystrica Region is growing every year. The region has new attractions each year. : Interest in riding historical trains in the Banska Bystrica Region is growing every year. The region has new attractions each year. HIKE : A new lookout tower above Levoca, a town in eastern Slovakia which boasts spectacular mediaeval architecture, should open in the next few weeks. : A new lookout tower above Levoca, a town in eastern Slovakia which boasts spectacular mediaeval architecture, should open in the next few weeks. SCHOOLS: Can I go and play now?' A question that needs to be answered with a 'yes'. The most important thing to remember about play: learning can be fun. FEATURE STORY FOR WEDNESDAY Losing our religion In Slovakia, the number of church-goers has been declining in recent years. (Source: TASR) The number of people who do not subscribe to any religious belief doubled between 2011 and 2021 in Slovakia as the country succumbs to the trend of secularisation across the Western world. There are more people who do not profess any faith in Bratislava than Roman Catholics, Evangelicals and Greek Catholics combined. EVENT FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS See the modern Slovak dance scene video //www.youtube.com/embed/94oN1QcOemg The 18th NuDanceFest modern dance festival will be held in Bratislava from Wednesday to Sunday, highlighting the work of local choreographers and directors, and works created either in Slovakia or in international cooperation. Find out more about the festival, including the programme, ticket prices and more in English at this link. In other news Two tunnels in Slovakia will be closed at the end of the week for maintenance. The Sitina Tunnel in Bratislava will be closed for two consecutive nights from Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday, from 22:00 PM to 10:00 AM. The left tube of the Sibenik Tunnel will be closed from Friday 22:00 PM to Sunday 9:00 AM, while its right tube will be closed from Friday 23:00 PM to Sunday 10:00 AM. The Sitina Tunnel in Bratislava will be closed for two consecutive nights from Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday, from 22:00 PM to 10:00 AM. The left tube of the Sibenik Tunnel will be closed from Friday 22:00 PM to Sunday 9:00 AM, while its right tube will be closed from Friday 23:00 PM to Sunday 10:00 AM. From May 1, Slovakia will have three new protected areas : The Homola nature reserve in the Brezno District with an extensive cave system which is home to rare species of bats; the Tisovsky kras protected area in east Slovakia; and the Pramenna oblast Rimavy protected area in south Slovakia. : The Homola nature reserve in the Brezno District with an extensive cave system which is home to rare species of bats; the Tisovsky kras protected area in east Slovakia; and the Pramenna oblast Rimavy protected area in south Slovakia. The Slovak and Austrian governments approved a framework agreement will be able to cooperate with each other. will be able to cooperate with each other. Slovak authorities have found out that wheat imported from Ukraine contained elevated levels of pesticide residues. Analysis results determining possible impacts on human health should be announced by the end of this week. Bratislava zoo has been home to 11-year-old lion Samba for over a month now. The animal came from the zoo in the Czech town of Hodonin. (Source: TASR) WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Level 1 warning for ground frost is in place for several districts in the south and east of Slovakia during the night and early morning. Occasional fog in the morning. In general Thursday will be cloudy, in the west of Slovakia rain is expected. Daily temperatures will be around 9 C in the west, reaching up to 17C in the east. (SHMU) 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). Some people watch too many movies (those movies being Oceans 8 and 11 through 13 and maybe even Shawshank Redemption). In a move directly out of a heist movie, criminals broke into an Apple Store at the Alderwood Mall in the northern Seattle suburb of Lynnwood. Their means of entry? Digging a hole through the adjacent Seattle Coffee Gear. As reported by King 5 News, the break-in occurred the night of Sunday, April 2nd. The thieves pried open the door to the coffee gear retailer during closing hours, per KOMO News, where they made their way to the bathroom to cut a 2ft x 1.5ft hole in the wall, granting them access to the back room of the abutting Apple Store. According to the Lynnwood Police, the burglars made away with 436 iPhones, worth roughly half a million dollars. Eric Marks, Seattle Coffee Gears regional retail manager, tells King 5 that he believes the perpetrators had to be familiar with the layout of the Apple Store in order to know how to access it from SCG. I would have never suspected we were adjacent to the Apple Store, how it wraps around I mean, Marks said. So, someone really had to think it out and have access to the mall layout. The thieves were able to avoid cutting through any pipes or setting off any store alarms in the process. SCG CEO Mike Atkinson posted a photo of the damages to his Twitter account. While none of Seattle Coffee Gears inventory was stolen, they were left with $1,500 in repairs to replace locks and patch up the hole in the bathroom wall. Overall, though, Marks states he is happy that no staff for either business were present during the robbery and that no one was harmed. Per King 5, Lynnwood police do have surveillance footage from the burglary, but it has not been made public yet. As of press time, no arrests have been made. Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/biden-visits-belfast-dublin-to-commemorate-good-friday-pact--aims-to-keep-the-peace-1109369442.html Biden Visits Belfast, Dublin to Commemorate Good Friday Pact & Aims to 'Keep the Peace' Biden Visits Belfast, Dublin to Commemorate Good Friday Pact & Aims to 'Keep the Peace' US President Joe Biden will participate in high-level meetings in Northern Ireland and Ireland on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss with his counterparts regional and global security, while marking the anniversary of a historic peace agreement that comes amid a spike in violence and political tensions. 2023-04-11T22:45+0000 2023-04-11T22:45+0000 2023-04-13T12:42+0000 world joe biden northern ireland good friday agreement ireland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0b/1109369284_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_60480887169db32826af67d6d91552d1.jpg Monday marked the 25th anniversary since the Good Friday Agreement - also known as the Belfast Agreement - was signed, ending decades of violence and bringing peace and stability to Northern Ireland. Biden will praise the Good Friday Agreement during his visit, according to US officials, just as Northern Ireland is facing rising political tensions amid the absence of a functioning government and no annual budget post-Brexit. This comes despite the post-Brexit Windsor Framework the EU and UK recently finalized. Biden before he departed on Tuesday told reporters his top priorities. "Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place, to keep the peace," Biden said. "Thats the main thing. And it looks like were going to. Keep your fingers crossed." Hoping 'The Troubles' Remain PastIn late March, authorities in Northern Ireland raised the terrorism threat level to "severe" due to an increase in activity by dissident Irish republican militants. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has a seen a recent trend of glorifying "the Troubles" - the very period of instability the Good Friday deal was supposed to shut the door on - with rap groups donning rebel paraphernalia and singing of petrol bombs and burning police cars. Irish poet Rosemary Jenkinson believes the pining for "the Troubles" is not unlike the nostalgia some folks have for the Second World War. Biden will kick off his visit to Northern Ireland with a meeting with his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak on Wednesday. In light of Biden's visit and unrest in the region, Sunak has unsuccessfully been urging Stormont, Northern Ireland's parliament, to reconvene. Earlier this week, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Biden, after his bilateral with Sunak, will deliver remarks at Ulster University marking "the tremendous progress" since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Kirby during a Monday briefing declined to reveal what Biden and Sunak will discuss during their bilateral meeting but confirmed the two would not engage in talks about a bilateral free trade agreement. Kirby also declined to confirm whether Biden and Sunak will discuss the leak of US and NATO intelligence related to Ukraine. On Thursday, Biden will be in Dublin to participate in a separate meeting with Irish President Michael Higgins and Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. "In both meetings, the president will discuss our close cooperation on the full range of shared global challenges," Kirby said in Monday's press briefing. Kirby said the Irish government has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, providing vital non-lethal assistance, including medical supplies, body armor, and support for Ukraine's electric grid, as well as their agriculture. They have also supported EU sanctions on Russia, he added. Later on Thursday, Biden will address a joint session of Irish parliament touching on topics that include US-Irish cooperation to advance democracy, peace, security and prosperity, as well as the shared deep history between the United States and Ireland, according to Kirby. No news conferences are expected on this trip, Kirby said. Irish RootsBiden has long touted his Irish ancestry. Irelands Irish Family History Center told US media that Biden "is among the most Irish of all US presidents," with 10 of 16 great-great-grandparents emanating from the Emerald Isle. Biden during the trip is expected to visit County Louth in the midlands and east coast region, where his great-grandfather James Finnegan was born, US officials said, and will tour Carlingford Castle, built in 1190. On Thursday night, Biden will attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle, Kirby said. On Friday, the president will travel to County Mayo in Ireland's west, where he will tour the sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a Catholic pilgrimage site. He will also visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Center's Family History Research Unit, according to the White House. Eagerly awaiting Biden's visit are locals in a small Mayo town called Ballina, where a mural of Biden was erected in 2020. Distant cousin Joe Blewitt told US media that Biden pledged to return if he won the presidency. Many people from Ballina and other towns in Mayo moved to Pennsylvania in the 19th century, the report said. Ballina is actually a "sister city" with Bidens hometown Scranton. Biden will also deliver remarks at St. Muredach's Cathedral, where a distant relative sold bricks that were eventually used to construct the cathedral, according to the White House. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230410/police-vehicle-firebombed-as-northern-ireland-dissidents-vow-vigorous-opposition-to-bidens-visit-1109335547.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20221218/irish-but-not-stupid-yet-another-joe-biden-gaffe-blasted-as-hate-crime-1105557737.html northern ireland ireland 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 northern ireland, ireland, joe biden, good friday agreement, tour, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/manhattan-da-bragg-sues-republican-lawmaker-jordan-over-attack-on-trump-probe---filing-1109368684.html Manhattan DA Bragg Sues Republican Lawmaker Jordan Over 'Attack' on Trump Probe - Filing Manhattan DA Bragg Sues Republican Lawmaker Jordan Over 'Attack' on Trump Probe - Filing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a lawsuit against House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan for issuing a subpoena requesting information from his office related to a previous investigation into former President Donald Trump's finances. 2023-04-11T20:43+0000 2023-04-11T20:43+0000 2023-04-11T20:41+0000 world manhattan district attorney jim jordan lawsuit donald trump investigation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102268/44/1022684462_0:128:2448:1505_1920x0_80_0_0_8ec60259a2c30487ee5ed2cc7b9adc73.jpg "The subpoena seeks to compel Mr. [Mark] Pomerantz to testify in a deposition on April 20, 2023," the complaint read. "Chairman Jordans demands, including his subpoena to Mr. Pomerantz, seek highly sensitive and confidential local prosecutorial information that belongs to the Office of the District Attorney and the People of New York. Basic principles of federalism and common sense, as well as binding Supreme Court precedent, forbid Congress from demanding it." Pomerantz is a former special assistant district attorney who led the investigation into Trumps finances before resigning in protest after Braggs initial reluctance to move forward with charges against Trump, according to the House Judiciary Committee. The lawsuit further describes Jordan's subpoena as an unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York State criminal prosecution and investigation of Trump. Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up a purported affair. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies allegations of an affair with Daniels. Trump has openly criticized the case against him, as well as Bragg, who he claims is leading a politically motivated "witch hunt" against him. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/trump-indictment-to-set-precedent-for-law-manipulation-for-political-purposes-us-senator-1109158106.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 manhattan district attorney alvin bragg, lawsuit, house judiciary committee chairman jim jordan, former us president donald trump https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/russian-space-corporation-energia-says-will-finish-new-orbital-station-by-2032-1109368949.html Russian Space Corporation Energia Says Will Finish New Orbital Station by 2032 Russian Space Corporation Energia Says Will Finish New Orbital Station by 2032 Russia's RSC Energia is planning to finish the construction of a new Russian orbital station three years ahead of schedule, by 2032 instead of 2035, the station's chief structural engineer and the space corporation's deputy chief engineer, Vladimir Kozhevnikov, said on Tuesday. 2023-04-11T20:52+0000 2023-04-11T20:52+0000 2023-04-12T16:58+0000 science & tech roscosmos international space station (iss) orbital station rsc energia space /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107793/68/1077936853_1:0:1919:1079_1920x0_80_0_0_1fa057f7e650fea4d8fa55fd9ee0343b.jpg The construction of the station was previously scheduled to proceed in two phases from 2028 to 2035. "We are planning to launch the first module in 2027, and the final deployment will take place in 2032," Kozhevnikov said in an interview to Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper. RSC Energia intends to finalize the initial design of the station and present it to Roscosmos in summer 2023, he said, adding that after the execution of all necessary government contracts, the construction may begin in 2024. "Furthermore, we plan to restore the lost pieces of technologies, which were not used in the construction of the ISS [International Space Station], like control moment gyroscopes or high-capacity power supply. The ISS only has American gyrodynes, and the main power comes from the US's segment, too. But we have domestic production as well," Kozhevnikov said. It is anticipated that, during the initial deployment phase, the station will function simultaneously with the ISS, he added. The duration of one mission will be up to 240 days, and the station will accommodate a crew of up to six people. https://sputnikglobe.com/20180923/russia-space-corporation-offers-moon-flights-1068259433.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, rsc energia, russian orbital station, roscosmos, international space station https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/biden-administration-declares-fentanyl-xylazine-emerging-threat-to-us-1109398796.html Biden Administration Declares Fentanyl-Xylazine 'Emerging Threat' to US Biden Administration Declares Fentanyl-Xylazine 'Emerging Threat' to US The Biden administration has designated xylazine combined with fentanyl an "emerging threat" to the United States for their significant and worsening negative health consequences on the country's population, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Rahul Gupta said on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T16:52+0000 2023-04-12T16:52+0000 2023-04-12T16:52+0000 americas us fentanyl /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0c/13/1091636416_0:231:2730:1767_1920x0_80_0_0_51c945c70d53bdbaf069c2bfb2f7b3cb.jpg "By declaring xylazine combined with fentanyl as an emerging threat, we are being proactive in our approach to save lives and creating new tools for public health and public safety officials and communities across the Nation. To parents, loved ones, community leaders, and those affected by xylazine use: I want you to know that help is on the way," Gupta said. Gupta pointed out that as a physician he is deeply troubled about the devastating impact of the fentanyl-xylazine combination, adding that he is immensely concerned about what the threat means for the United States. President Joe Biden's drug policy adviser also noted this is the first time that federal officials have used the designation authority since Congress passed it in 2018. The Biden administration has said it will take steps to publicize a comprehensive government response that includes evidence-based prevention, treatment and supply reduction of fentanyl-xylazine in the United States. Meanwhile, ONDCP is set to convene an interagency working group to develop a national response plan to the newly declared threat, including creating protocols on testing, treatment and supportive care, among other measures. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230408/cocaine--crack-are-back-in-nyc-and-fentanyl-makes-everything-much-worse---reports-1109281968.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us, biden administration, fentanyl, emerging threat https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/biden-backs-windsor-framework-calls-for-northern-ireland-to-preserve-peace-and-democracy-1109391036.html Biden Backs Windsor Framework, Calls for Northern Ireland to Preserve Peace and Democracy Biden Backs Windsor Framework, Calls for Northern Ireland to Preserve Peace and Democracy US President Biden on Wednesday backed the Windsor Framework negotiated by the UK and the European Commission in February to amend Northern Ireland Protocol post-Brexit. 2023-04-12T13:22+0000 2023-04-12T13:22+0000 2023-04-13T12:42+0000 world us joe biden ireland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0c/1109390334_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_6dfe15554005d0fd09a7091410c2a18c.jpg "Now I know the UKs departure from the European Union created complex challenges here in Northern Ireland. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner von der Leyen to reach an agreement, Biden said during remarks in Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and its an essential step to ensuring hard-earned peace and progress to the Good Friday Agreement [are] preserved and strengthened. Biden said he believed democratic institutions established per the agreement remained critical to Northern Irelands future. Democracy, he insisted, was something that every generation needed to continue to fight for. He added that preserving peace and the Good Friday Agreement was an unusual bipartisan priority in the US. Peace and economic opportunity went hand in hand and scores of major US corporations were interested in investing in Northern Ireland.Monday marked the 25th anniversary since the Good Friday Agreement - also known as the Belfast Agreement - was signed, ending decades of violence and bringing peace and stability to Northern Ireland. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/beef-brexit-and-bombs-bidens-northern-ireland-trip-stirs-up-the-shenanigans-1109311576.html ireland 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 president biden,northern ireland protocol post-brexit, windsor framework https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/borrells-visit-to-china-to-contribute-to-global-stability-chinese-foreign-ministry-1109384029.html Borrell Postpones Visit to China After Positive COVID-19 Test Borrell Postpones Visit to China After Positive COVID-19 Test The visit of EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to China will contribute to the global stability, as well as give a new impetus to relations between China and the European Union, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry 2023-04-12T10:55+0000 2023-04-12T10:55+0000 2023-04-12T14:11+0000 world josep borrell china stability /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 On Wednesday, Josep Borrell said that he was postponing a planned trip to China after testing positive for COVID-19.Earlier in the day, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, said that the visit of EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to China will contribute to the global stability, as well as give a new impetus to relations between China and the European Union.Wang also noted that China and the EU are two major powers in the multipolar world, and Chinese-European relations have an impact around the globe. China and the EU should strengthen strategic interaction and coordination, enhance mutual trust, focus on cooperation, overcome external interference, and work together to meet global challenges, he added. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in China for an official three-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. Prior to that, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Beijing on March 31 and held talks with Xi. 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 global stability, visit of eu chief diplomat josep borrell to china https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/chadian-ambassador-expelled-by-berlin-in-retaliatory-move-1109380725.html Chadian Ambassador Expelled by Berlin in Retaliatory Move Chadian Ambassador Expelled by Berlin in Retaliatory Move Chadian ambassador to Germany has been expelled in response to a similar move of N'Djamena, the German Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday. 2023-04-12T10:31+0000 2023-04-12T10:31+0000 2023-04-12T10:31+0000 africa central africa chad germany foreign ministry ambassador expulsion diplomatic expulsions /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0c/1109380923_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_bf6616fe9c1e0e8900acdde8c0a41c3a.jpg Chad's ambassador to Germany has been expelled in response to a similar move by N'Djamena, the German Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday. In a statement, the ministry ordered that Chads Mariam Ali Moussa must leave the country within 48 hours. The ministry explained that the decision comes in response to the expulsion of the German ambassador to Chad, which it dubbed as an "unjustified" move. The Central African country expelled German Ambassador Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke on April 8. In a statement released by Chads Communication Ministry, the government ordered Kricke out of the nation due to his impolite attitude and "the non-respect of diplomatic customs," without giving further details on the precise reasons for his removal.The German Foreign Ministry commented on the expulsion, stating that Ambassador Kricke had carried out his duties in N'Djamena "in an exemplary manner and campaigned for human rights and the rapid transition to a civilian government in Chad." In April 2021, following the death of Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, the country's military established the Transitional Military Council set to rule for 18 months until new elections were held. The council was headed by his son Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. As the deadline approached, a nationwide forum set a new 24-month time frame for holding elections, and proclaimed him Chad's interim president in October last year. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230408/chad-demands-that-german-ambassador-leave-country---statement-1109262034.html africa central africa chad germany 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 central africa, germany, chad, ambassador, foreign mnistry, expulsion, diplomatic ties https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/chinese-foreign-ministry-calls-on-us-to-explain-military-biological-activities-abroad-1109398391.html Chinese Foreign Ministry Calls on US to Explain Military-Biological Activities Abroad Chinese Foreign Ministry Calls on US to Explain Military-Biological Activities Abroad China has called on the United States to explain its military-biological activities abroad and observe its international obligations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T16:41+0000 2023-04-12T16:41+0000 2023-04-12T16:41+0000 world us russia china biological warfare biological weapon biological weapons bioweapon /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/17/1107746302_0:84:2357:1410_1920x0_80_0_0_b3a2cb39cc0927e9bee0316ed9b7a22d.jpg Earlier in the day, Russia's upper house approved the final report of a parliamentary commission on the US biological program in Ukraine. The lower house approved the document on Tuesday. The paper is a result of the commission's one-year investigation. According to Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament, there are at least 30 US biological laboratories in Ukraine. The official also said that that the Pentagon was the main commissioner of studies at such laboratories, which may be used for military purposes, including against Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/us-working-on-universal-genetically-engineered-bioweapon-russian-parliamentary-investigation-1109381193.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 china, us, bioweapons, us biological program in ukraine, biowarfare https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/depleted-uranium-shells-supplies-to-ukraine-threaten-humanity-turkeys-presidential-candidate-1109373068.html Depleted Uranium Shells Supplies to Ukraine Threaten Humanity: Turkiye's Presidential Candidate Depleted Uranium Shells Supplies to Ukraine Threaten Humanity: Turkiye's Presidential Candidate Muharrem Ince, a Turkish presidential candidate from the Homeland Party (Memleket Partisi), has said in an interview with Sputnik that deliveries of munitions containing depleted uranium to Ukraine are a threat to humanity as a whole. 2023-04-12T04:48+0000 2023-04-12T04:48+0000 2023-04-12T06:49+0000 world ukraine depleted uranium /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/08/1082019306_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_e2ec6ab6e101074a2edd8497d9594d5d.jpg "Signals, which are being sent through deliveries of munitions containing depleted uranium, pose a threat not only to Russia and Turkiye but to all of humanity. The entire humanity should oppose it," Ince said. In March, UK Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie said that the country would provide Ukraine with depleted uranium tank ammunition, including armor-piercing shells for the 14 Challenger 2 battle tanks UK is planning to supply to Ukraine. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against further escalation of the situation. Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Turkiye on May 14. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, put forward by a six-party opposition alliance, is considered incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main opponent. The list of presidential candidates also includes Ince and Sinan Ogan of the ATA Alliance. 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 turkish presidential candidate, depleted uranium to ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/france-blocking-eu-plan-on-financing-munition-supplies-to-ukraine-reports-1109394378.html France Blocking EU Plan on Financing Munition Supplies to Ukraine - Reports France Blocking EU Plan on Financing Munition Supplies to Ukraine - Reports WARSAW (Sputnik) - France is blocking the unanimous decision of the European Union on financing munitions supplies to Ukraine as it opposes the idea of... 12.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-12T14:50+0000 2023-04-12T14:50+0000 2023-04-12T14:50+0000 military france european union (eu) ukraine munition /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105415/97/1054159783_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_f5addc24fce1db44881b23d085c7e3eb.jpg On March 20, the EU agreed on the 2-billion-euro ($2.2 billion) plan to supply Ukraine with ammunition rounds. One half of the sum should be spent on reimbursing munition supplies from the warehouses of EU countries but there is not enough ammunition stored there. France has spoken out against purchasing ammunition from third countries, which has been proposed by the EU, according to PAP. Another issue is refinancing of munition supplies since the EU's plan says that the reimbursement will be made based solely on Ukraine's requests, whereas France wants this provision to be dropped, the news agency reported. Paris has insisted on refinancing all supplies to Ukraine, even if some of them could be excessive and not asked for by Kiev, the report added. France's weapon industry could be behind the country's current position, with arms companies allegedly lobbying to create a mechanism ensuring constant munitions exports to Ukraine regardless of Kiev's requests, sources told the Polish news agency. Since Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries have been supplying Ukraine with various types of weapons. Russia has been warning the Western countries to cease support for Kiev. Moscow stated that any cargo shipments carrying weapons to Ukraine would become Russia's lawful targets. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230409/eu-military-circles-doubting-feasibility-of-delivering-1mln-munitions-to-ukraine-media-reports-1109301655.html france 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 france, european union (eu), ukraine, munition https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/high-levels-of-pesticides-found-in-ukrainian-grain---slovak-agriculture-minister-1109394117.html High Levels of Pesticides Found in Ukrainian Grain - Slovak Agriculture Minister High Levels of Pesticides Found in Ukrainian Grain - Slovak Agriculture Minister Laboratory tests have shown that the grain imported to Slovakia from Ukraine contains high levels of pesticide residues, Slovak Agriculture Minister Samuel Vlcan told reporters on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T14:39+0000 2023-04-12T14:39+0000 2023-04-12T14:39+0000 istanbul grain deal ukraine grain slovakia pesticides /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104383/83/1043838327_0:6:2731:1542_1920x0_80_0_0_df0b76d99aac553362939bf871782598.jpg "Even before we started sealing all transiting trucks with Ukrainian grain, a rather large sample of Ukrainian grain was collected, and three independent, accredited laboratories have confirmed increased levels of pesticide residues in it," Vlcan said. Vlcan urged Slovak grain processors to use caution when acquiring agricultural products from non-EU countries. In early April, Slovakia tightened quality and transit control of grains imported from Ukraine to protect the domestic market. The Slovak Ministry of Agriculture said that seals will be put at the Slovak border on all grain lots transiting to other countries through the territory of Slovakia, and the lots destined for the local market will be checked for pesticides and other dangerous substances. Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger discussed the grain imports with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Kiev in late March. He pointed out that steps needed to be taken so that the cheap Ukrainian grain transit through European countries and not flood local markets, damaging domestic production. In June, the European Union suspended the collection of duties on all goods coming from conflict-hit Ukraine for one year in order to help Kiev increase its exports and and reach markets outside the EU. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230402/influx-of-ukraines-cheap-grain-to-europe-fuels-anger-erodes-support-for-kiev-regime-1109048118.html ukraine slovakia 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 ukrainian grain, pesticides in ukrainian grain, pesticide residues, slovakia https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/italys-cabinet-declares-state-of-emergency-for-six-months-over-influx-of-migrants-1109371543.html Italy's Cabinet Declares State of Emergency for Six Months Over Influx of Migrants Italy's Cabinet Declares State of Emergency for Six Months Over Influx of Migrants The Italian Council of Ministers on Tuesday declared a nationwide state of emergency for six months "due to the exceptional increase in the flow of migrants arriving in the country on Mediterranean routes," the press office of the Italian government said in a statement. 2023-04-12T03:08+0000 2023-04-12T03:08+0000 2023-04-12T03:06+0000 world europe italy state of emergency migrant crisis /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107659/56/1076595613_0:0:2915:1640_1920x0_80_0_0_1299f4174e9c8cbaeeca9aaebf156431.jpg During a meeting on Tuesday, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said that, since the beginning of 2023, there has been a sharp increase in migration flows in the Apennines. This led to a critical situation in a number of temporary accommodation centers for migrants, especially on the island of Lampedusa. In this situation, it was proposed to take urgent emergency measures in order to normalize the situation in this "hot spot," in which 1,800 refugees were being accommodated while the center was designed to house only some 400 people. The council decided to declare a nationwide state of emergency at the proposal of Italian Civil Protection and Maritime Policies Minister Sebastiano Musumeci. The Italian government also decided to allocate 5 million euros ($5.46 million) from the National Emergency Fund while pending an accurate assessment of the real financial needs to solve the migration crisis, the statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, Italian media reported that some 3,000 undocumented migrants have arrived in Italy via the Mediterranean Sea over the past three days. The previous significant influx of migrants was registered at the end of March, when over 6,500 refugees from Asia and Africa reached the Italian coast within five days, which is equal to the number of migrants recorded in the Apennines in the first three months of 2022. Since the beginning of this year, the migration influx has quadrupled, with almost 30,000 migrants having already arrived in the country. Italy seeks a solidarity approach from the European Union to solve the migration crisis, offering to organize a naval mission in the Mediterranean and actively contribute to the stabilization of the situation in North Africa. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in March that "Italy was left alone" to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230328/over-6500-migrants-came-to-italy-over-last-five-days-interior-ministry-1108865755.html italy 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 italian council of ministers, nationwide state of emergency, italian government, italy, exceptional increase in the flow of migrants https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/joe-biden-claims-hes-irish-but-does-he-really-have-links-to-the-emerald-isle-1109380557.html Joe Biden Claims He's Irish. But Does He Really Have Links to the Emerald Isle? Joe Biden Claims He's Irish. But Does He Really Have Links to the Emerald Isle? Joe Biden has claimed Irish ancestry throughout his political career to attract the Irish-American vote. But is that just another of his tall tales, like being arrested in while trying to visit Nelson Mandela in jail? 2023-04-12T12:34+0000 2023-04-12T12:34+0000 2023-04-13T12:42+0000 world joe biden republic of ireland northern ireland roman catholic us ireland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0a/1109312220_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_f7a97cf76c33e8331fb2b3a7c82f0a7c.jpg US President Joe Biden is visiting Ireland this week a country he claims as his ancestral homeland.He insisted several times during the 2020 election campaign that "I'm Irish" including once as a cryptic swipe when asked about his views on the UK's looming exit from the European Union.More recently, Biden drew fire for playing up the stereotype of the Irish as "stupid" on two occasions seemingly as joke about accusations that his mental faculties are failing.The president has also repeatedly boasted of his Roman Catholic faith during election speeches, despite supporting abortion and ordering schools to allow male transgender students to compete in girls' sports.Given that Biden is a French surname and that the 80-year-old president was born in Pennsylvania, a US state settled by German colonists, how credible is his claim to origins in the Emerald Isle?Finnegan's WakeBiden traces his Irish ancestry through his mother, Catherine Finnegan. The Finnegans hailed from the the Cooley Peninsula in the eastern County Louth, while another set of ancestors, the Blewitt family, lived in County Mayo on the west coast.While he was still serving as vice president to Barack Obama in 2016, the White House asked the Irish Family History Centre to look into Biden's heritage ahead of an official visit to the Republic of Ireland.They declared that 10 of Biden's 16 great-great-grandparents came from Ireland, making him five-eighths Irish.One of them, Patrick Blewitt, emigrated from Ireland to the US in 1850 during the potato famine that greatly de-populated Ireland, then fully under British rule. Biden's great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt hailed from the town of Ballina in Mayo, where locals turned out to welcome the president this week.But Biden's family tree also contains English and Protestant French Huguenot ancestry hence his French surname. As a fourth-generation US native, he is about as Irish as apple pie on the fourth of July. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/biden-visits-belfast-dublin-to-commemorate-good-friday-pact--aims-to-keep-the-peace-1109369442.html republic of ireland northern ireland ireland 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 joe biden, ireland, ballina, republic of ireland, roman catholic, northern ireland, us https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/journalists-and-activists-gather-in-dc-call-for-assanges-release-on-4-year-anniversary-of-arrest-1109370828.html Journalists and Activists Gather in DC, Call for Assanges Release on 4-Year Anniversary of Arrest Journalists and Activists Gather in DC, Call for Assanges Release on 4-Year Anniversary of Arrest Journalists, scholars and political activists descended on the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on Tuesday to condemn the ongoing legal assault on jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. 2023-04-12T02:14+0000 2023-04-12T02:14+0000 2023-04-12T02:12+0000 americas washington dc rally us justice department julian assange wikileaks hm prison belmarsh /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 Journalists, scholars and political activists descended on the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on Tuesday to condemn the ongoing legal assault on jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.In an event marking the four-year anniversary of Assanges imprisonment in the UKs notorious Belmarsh prison following his forcible removal from the Ecuadorian embassy by British police, organizers denounced the Biden administrations continued persecution of the Australian editor.The event took a bizarre twist when a man with a newly-inked tattoo reading Free Assange stripped off his clothes and doused the ground with gasoline in an apparent attempt at self-immolation. Horrified onlookers could be heard screaming before CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou leapt into action and talked the man out of the gruesome stunt.Footage of the incident shows the man, who was later arrested, screaming, "do you know what he's doing in there?" before a visibly-angry Kirakou, who was jailed for two and half years for exposing the CIAs torture program responded: "I do I went to prison!"The strange turn of events led former Veterans for Peace President Gerry Condon, whose speech was briefly interrupted by the situation, to caution that while "desperate times inspire desperate actions, we should all think about what we can do thats not self-destructive to make a strong statement for the truth."Moments before, Kirakou warned in his speech that "although it should be withering," the "case against Julian Assange is progressing."And, crucially, efforts to imprison Assange have far-reaching consequences for not just Assange, but for everyone concerned about civil liberties."This case is about the First Amendment, freedom of speech, freedom of the press," said the CIA whistleblower, who pointed out that "if Julian Assange goes to prison, then all of us are liable to go to jail."But according to retired CIA analyst Elizabeth Murray, the potential ramifications dont end there.Citing public statements of support from international human rights organizations, major mainstream papers, the presidents of Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, and Argentina, "the US is becoming an outlier, not just because of things like de-dollarization or the way things are going" in Ukraine, "but because of its attitude toward Julian Assange. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230302/cia-secretly-hunting-assange-activists-bombshell-report-suggests-1107920475.html americas washington dc 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 julian assange, wikileaks founder, belmarsh prison, 4-year anniversary https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/kenyan-mps-urge-that-uk-troops-accused-of-murder-be-judged-locally--1109376379.html Kenyan MPs Urge That UK Troops Accused of Murder Be Judged Locally Kenyan MPs Urge That UK Troops Accused of Murder Be Judged Locally The UK troops training in Kenya who commit murder in the country might have to face Kenyan court if recommendations proposed to the parliament by a Defence and Foreign Relations Committee are adopted, local media has reported. 2023-04-12T10:09+0000 2023-04-12T10:09+0000 2023-04-12T10:09+0000 africa east africa kenya uk uk troops military military cooperation law enforcement soldiers prosecution /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0c/1109376522_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_dbea1f063fbf0aeb20f724611032b1b3.jpg Troops of the British Army training in Kenya who commit murder in the country might have to face prosecution in Kenyan courts if recommendations proposed to the parliament by a Defense and Foreign Relations Committee are adopted, local media has reported.The recommended amendments to the Defense Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and the UK debated by the National Assembly on Tuesday have yet to be ratified. The move comes amid rising public debate over the alleged murder of Agnes Wanjiru by a British soldier in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, more than a decade ago. The 21-year-old mother was allegedly killed in March 2012. Her body was found in a septic tank at Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki. British media reported that the soldier confessed to his colleague of the crime. It was also reported that the British army was accused of trying to cover up the atrocity, but the country's Ministry of Defense reiterated that it was cooperating with Kenyan authorities in the investigation of the death. However, no one has been convicted of her murder, thereby postponing the case's long-awaited closure and justice for her family. To put an end to such kinds of incidents and prevent them from happening again, the Defense Committee report to the parliament demanded that visiting forces be subject to Kenya's Constitution, laws and regulations. Commenting on the recommendations, MP Nelson Koech, chairman of the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee, underlined that they are aimed at holding responsible those who commit crimes on "Kenyan soil". It is expected that the amendments would allow Kenya to resolve all sorts of problems involving British troops that have remained in legal limbo for decades.The proposed changes provide in particular for murder to be added as one of the offences that must be prosecuted under Kenyan law. Article 6 of the cooperation agreement subjects the British forces to the laws of the host country. However, it doesn't include murder as an offence under the jurisdiction of Kenya. The amendments are set to change this shortcoming. The committee also noted that the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) failed to observe the country's laws and obligations under international law regarding environmental preservation. Apart from that, Kenyan lawmakers propose that the visiting troops should respect the customs and culture of local communities, and serve them in accordance with corporate social responsibility. BATUK is a permanent training support unit based in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, under an agreement with the Kenyan government. In its report, the Defense committee emphasized that the country is willing to benefit from this agreement, and the amendments are expected to improve the cooperation and enhance intelligence-sharing to tackle various security challenges. The unit consists of about 100 permanent personnel and reinforcing short tour contingent of another 280 staff. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230227/uganda-kenya-to-enhance-cross-border-cooperation-1107833184.html africa east africa kenya 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 kenya, east africa, uk, uk troops, military training, cooperation agreement, law, constitution, prosecution, law enforcement, murder, court, jurisdiction of kenya https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/launch-of-russian-first-space-mission-to-venus-postponed-till-2030s-1109383860.html Launch of Russian First Space Mission to Venus Postponed Till 2030s Launch of Russian First Space Mission to Venus Postponed Till 2030s The launch of Venera-D, a Russian first space mission to Venus, has been postponed and now is planned for after 2030, the Russian government said in documents presented on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T10:53+0000 2023-04-12T10:53+0000 2023-04-12T16:58+0000 science & tech venus russia space /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107687/01/1076870163_0:0:1280:720_1920x0_80_0_0_e32978927bc37ea7874195b7137a734c.png "A draft design for the Venera-D space complex is currently being developed. Launch is planned for after the year 2030," government materials prepared for the visit of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to the complexs developer, NPO Lavochkin, said. The Venera-D project is designed for a comprehensive exploration of Venus by contact and remote means, and the "D" in its name stands for "dolgozhivushaya," which means "long lasting" in Russian. The orbiter will help scientists solve the following scientific tasks: study the nature of the greenhouse effect, which heated the planets surface to 500 C (932 F); study the observed features of its atmosphere and the nature of super-rotation (the Venusian atmosphere at the upper border of the cloud layer rotates 60 times faster than at the surface). Russian scientists also want to understand how Venus interacts with the solar wind and why it has no own magnetic field and whether it had it in the past. They are also probing whether there are active volcanoes on the planet and what is the nature of volcanic activity. Scientists are also curious about issues such as habitability of the planet, where and how did the water disappear and whether there was an ocean on the surface during the first billion years of its existence and whether life was possible in that ocean. Besides, Venera-D will analyze gases in the atmosphere with its precise chemical analyzers. Additionally, the scientists plan to conduct two more missions to Venus and try to deliver soil samples from there to the earth. Preliminary dates were 2031 and 2034, however, it remains unclear whether they will remain unchanged.Earlier, it was reported that the launch of the space mission could be conducted in 2029. As of yet, the design concept has been created, and the development of the draft project will begin in late 2023 - early 2024. The space mission will become a new step in Venus exploration, which was conducted by Soviet and American stations between the 1960s to the 1990s. 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 russian first space mission to venus, launch of venera-d https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/moscow-in-contact-with-us-embassy-on-wsj-reporter-gershkovich-1109379886.html Moscow in Contact With US Embassy on WSJ Reporter Gershkovich Moscow in Contact With US Embassy on WSJ Reporter Gershkovich The Russian Foreign Ministry is in contact with the US embassy on the arrested The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, but this does not mean that Moscow's position on the issue has changed, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T08:31+0000 2023-04-12T08:31+0000 2023-04-12T08:31+0000 russia russia us arrest /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/03/1f/1082502233_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_966eb9a746d3676e4d00e9ef2d56b17b.jpg "Yes, of course," Ryabkov said, answering a question whether the ministry is in contact with the US diplomatic mission on the situation with Gershkovich. The diplomat underscored that this does not mean that Moscow's position on the matter has changed. Gershkovich was arrested in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg after allegedly collecting classified information for Washington on the activities of Russias defense industrial complex. The Wall Street Journal has denied the allegations against Gershkovich and called for his immediate release. 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 russian foreign ministry, the wall street journal journalist, evan gershkovich https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/nord-stream-cover-story-crumbles-doj-rally-for-assange-us-base-in-syria-attacked-1109370331.html Nord Stream Cover Story Crumbles; DOJ Rally for Assange; US Base in Syria Attacked Nord Stream Cover Story Crumbles; DOJ Rally for Assange; US Base in Syria Attacked The Biden team's latest cover story for the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline is crumbling as investigators acknowledge that only a state actor could have pulled off the high tech attack. 2023-04-12T04:04+0000 2023-04-12T04:04+0000 2023-04-13T12:45+0000 the critical hour radio julian assange leaks israel louisville nord stream emmanuel macron nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0b/1109370173_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_b4a39a9a503df6c7fd1c3db1f8b7dc57.png Nord Stream Cover Story Crumbles; DOJ Rally For Assange; US Base in Syria Attacked The Biden team's latest cover story for the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline is crumbling as investigators acknowledge that only a state actor could have pulled off the high tech attack. Scott Ritter, Former UN weapon inspector in Iraq joins us to discuss the US nuclear strategy and Ukraine. The fallout from the US war in Ukraine raises serious questions for the next president's position on arms control. Also, the Pentagon leaks show that the US does not expect much progress from an upcoming Ukraine offensive.Dr. Gerald Horne, Professor of History at the University of Houston, TX, author, historian, and researcher joins us to discuss US foreign policy. A number of countries are coming together to fight dollar hegemony. Also, the Pentagon leaks are causing friction with US allies and the neocon full spectrum war on China is flailing.Ray McGovern, Former CIA analyst and co-founder, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity joins us to discuss the Pentagon leaks. The Pentagon leaks reveal that the US is spying on allies and exposes US/NATO military plans.Gary Flowers, radio talk show host and public policy Analyst joins us to discuss the latest mass shooting. The US is again struck by the plague of mass shootings as a fired bank employee returned to his former employer and opened fire.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon joins us to discuss the Middle East. US bases in Syria have been attacked again. Also, the US believes that Israel can be pressured into providing weapons to Ukraine.Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report editor and sr. columnist joins us to discuss the Nord Stream attack. The Biden team's latest cover story for the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline is crumbling as investigators acknowledge that only a state actor could have pulled off the high tech attack.Kim Keenan, nationally known trial lawyer, mediator and in-house counsel joins us to discuss domestic policy. The governor of Texas plans to pardon a man who killed a protester. Also, squad members are calling to impeach Clarence Thomas.Steve Poikonen, National Organizer Action4Assange joins us to discuss Julian Assange. There is a rally for Julian Assange today at the Department of Justice in Washington DC.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik. israel louisville 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, nato intel leaks, pentagon docs leaked, war plans leak, who leaked nato war intel, who controls bakhmut, why bakhmut is important, fights for bakhmut, when the ukranian offensive starts, nuclear weapon in ukraine, israel position on ukraine, clarence thomas impeachment, where is jullian assange now, jullian assange case https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/npr-declares-its-quitting-twitter-after-being-correctly-labeled-government-funded-1109452446.html NPR Declares Its Quitting Twitter After Being Correctly Labeled Government-Funded NPR Declares Its Quitting Twitter After Being Correctly Labeled Government-Funded The US government-funded National Public Radio has officially abandoned Twitter after being labeled "government-funded media," according to a recent statement by outlet's chief executive. 2023-04-12T22:08+0000 2023-04-12T22:08+0000 2023-04-12T22:05+0000 americas npr twitter government funding social media designation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/05/1083314218_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_23fbe3a3d9d9b295735380ef49f3cfbc.jpg The US government-funded National Public Radio has officially abandoned Twitter after being labeled "government-funded media," according to a recent statement by outlet's chief executive.NPR, which receives millions in government funding every year and whose member stations tend to rely on extensive funding from taxpayers, complained bitterly this week after Twitter affixed the agitprop group with a label reading "US state-affiliated media."The social media giant subsequently replaced the label with a more benign-sounding "government-funded" tag, but apparently it wasnt enough.On Wednesday, NPR CEO John Lansing declared that his outlets accounts on the platform "will no longer be active on Twitter" because, he insisted, the platform is "falsely implying that we are not editorially independent."We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public's understanding of our editorial independence, the CEO protested.Responding to news of the propaganda outlets departure, Twitter owner Elon Musk wrote "What hypocrites!"As the incredulous billionaire investor noted in a tweet, "NPR literally said 'Federal funding is essential to public radio' on their own website," on a page which he pointed out has since been "taken down."At no point did the statement mention NPRs previous admission that federal funding is essential to its activities, nor its continuing acceptance of payment from the US government, nor the outlets.Establishment journalists have largely sided with NPR in its spat with Twitters ownership, and US publications have been fulminating for days over the label, with multiple outlets whining Wednesday that the otherwise-accurate label makes NPR seem like what they called "foreign propaganda outlets such as Russia's RT and Sputnik."But as American radio host Don Debar explained, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed npr, government funded, twitter, designation, elon musk https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/pentagon-leak-exposes-nato-spec-ops-in-ukraine-keeps-mum-on-foreign-mercenaries-dirty-job-1109447365.html 'Pentagon Leak' Exposes NATO Spec Ops in Ukraine, Keeps Mum on Foreign Mercenaries' Dirty Job 'Pentagon Leak' Exposes NATO Spec Ops in Ukraine, Keeps Mum on Foreign Mercenaries' Dirty Job The UK and other NATO member states, including Latvia, France, the US, and the Netherlands, have deployed dozens of special forces personnel to Ukraine, as per... 12.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-12T18:32+0000 2023-04-12T18:32+0000 2023-04-12T18:35+0000 analysis us pentagon russia ukraine blackwater blackwater baghdad shootings mercenaries special ops troops nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0b/0b/1104013445_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7bbb79c073d7fe725413dee56443e335.jpg "This is actually non-news," Alexey Podberezkin, military expert and director of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) Center for Military and Political Studies told Sputnik. "We have already seen this in the public domain and read about it. Such information was provided by the military too. And they talked not only about mercenaries, but also about [foreign] officers of the special services who not only carried out training, education, and preparations, but also participated in combat operations. Therefore, I was not surprised."Photos of pages of paper documents allegedly originating from the Pentagon started to surface weeks ago on the gaming platform Discord and were later shared on popular social media networks. The US Department of Defense has not verified that the files are authentic, adding that even though some of them look genuine, other ones were obviously altered.Meanwhile, a document dated March 1, 2023 suggests that, at that time, the following countries had special forces in Ukraine: the UK (50), Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14), and Netherlands (1).Following the leak, a spokesperson with the British Ministry of Defense tweeted: "The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation."The apparent leak has added nothing to the intelligence concerning Western military personnel on the ground in Ukraine already gathered by Russia, according to Podberezkin. Some of these foreign fighters surrender; their chatter is being intercepted by the Russian military, the expert noted, adding one cannot hide the presence of foreign special ops and mercenaries in Ukraine.According to the military expert, the Russian Armed Forces regularly encounter NATO specialists in the Ukraine conflict zone. In contrast to foreign mercenaries, NATO special ops are largely focused on training the Ukrainian personnel."They work as instructors," Podberezkin said. "They help Ukrainians to work with the equipment that they bring from Europe, how to repair it. That is, they are keeping a low profile, because, of course, they are cautious. Now there are about a hundred of them. And these are not ordinary soldiers. One hundred sounds like a small number, but as I mentioned they are professionals and there are many Ukrainians under their wing who adopt their experience and best practices."Foreign Mercenaries Do 'Dirty Work' in UkraineAt the same time, there are a lot of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine including those who have undergone special training in the UK, Sweden, Germany, and Poland. Obviously, neither mercenaries, nor NATO operatives are wearing their own uniform or military insignia because that would mean "direct participation and direct involvement in a military conflict," the expert remarked.Foreign military specialists and their Ukrainian allies are trying to hide NATO's involvement in the standoff. In January 2023, media reported on decapitated bodies with cut off hands found by Russian military fighters in the course of the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) offensive. Telephones and other information obtained during the search helped identify the corpses as foreign mercenaries who apparently fought on the side of the UAF. Allegedly, the Ukrainian military couldn't pull them out of the combat zone and tried to hide their identities by cutting off their heads and hands.The aforementioned episode and other incidents clearly prove that there are a lot of foreign mercenaries and specialists in Ukraine. However, the problem is to prove their presence and affiliation with foreign governments, as per Podberezkin.Even though then-Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that he would strip Blackwater of its license to operate in Iraq, it turned out that the group never had any license of that sort and was deemed exempt from Iraqi law due to its murky legal status. The episode shed light on management, oversight, and accountability of the US private military forces in Iraq, which numbers amounted to more than 160,000, as the Brookings Institution wrote at the time.Leak is of No Operational ValueThe apparent Pentagon leak about Western special forces in the combat zone is actually of no military value for Russia's intelligence services, according to Sputnik's interlocutors."It would be strange if NATO special forces did not appear there one day," said Mikulskis. "I believe in our army and in our volunteers, in those Russians who are fighting there. We did it before, we can do it now. Therefore, NATO special forces, for example, do not cause me much concern. Every force is broken by another force. We also have special forces, which in many international competitions that were still held in peacetime between special forces troops, always won. So let's see who will win now. I think it will be our [soldiers], I'm just sure."At the same time, the apparent Pentagon leak can't be used to legally prove the presence of NATO special ops in Ukraine, according to Podberezkin: "This is an organized leak; it is not proof of the direct presence," he noted. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/strange-that-pentagon-files-were-released-on-gaming-site-rather-than-to-journalists-or-wikileaks-1109396281.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230125/two-uk-mercenaries-who-fought-on-the-side-of-ukraine-reportedly-killed-near-soledar-1106672051.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/russia-knew-nato-states-engaged-in-hostilities-in-ukraine-before-pentagon-leaks-kremlin-1109381526.html russia ukraine 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 pentagon leak, pentagon leak uk special forces in ukraine, ukraine war plans leaked, pentagon leak nato special forces ukraine, western mercenaries ukraine, us special forces ukraine, nato proxy war ukraine, nato involvement in ukraine conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/pentagon-leaks-5-key-revelations-1109396000.html Pentagon Leaks: 5 Key Revelations Pentagon Leaks: 5 Key Revelations The appearance online of what look like secret documents concerning US intelligence assessments of the conflict in Ukraine and their proliferation by media have sparked widespread controversy, with observers divided into two broad camps: those who believe the docs are genuine, and those who have reservations. Heres what we know right now. 2023-04-12T16:22+0000 2023-04-12T16:22+0000 2023-04-16T19:20+0000 analysis ukraine leaks pentagon leaks leaks information leaks media leaks info leaks data leaks /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106247/87/1062478795_0:131:1920:1211_1920x0_80_0_0_b80b3ab1cf080334dccc0a9d55880d40.jpg The leak of over 100 photographed pages of documents dated between late February and early March and labeled Secret, Top Secret, and NOFORN (not for viewing by foreign nationals) related to the ongoing NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine continues to generate global headlines. It has also had a real world impact, with Washington officials scrambling to contact and reassure allies amid embarrassing revelations that the US has been spying on its own allies (although, of course, thats nothing new to anyone whos been paying attention).Key TakeawaysAs the dust settles and the potential security implications of the leaks (including, potentially, the judiciousness of further US and NATO military assistance to Kiev), several facts seem to stand out among the info gleaned.1. A page from a Top Secret assessment from February highlights apparent major force generation and sustainment shortfalls within Ukraines Armed Forces, and warns that Kiev would be able to secure only modest territorial gains if it decided to launch a spring offensive.The assessment is significant because it highlights the contrast between the glum internal appraisal by the Pentagon, and the gung ho, everything-is-awesome sentiment expressed by officials in Washington and Brussels, and by President Joe Bidens brash talk of Kievs impressive capabilities to conduct large-scale offensive operations with US support.2. Another significant document, also dating from February, highlights President Volodymyr Zelenskys recommendation that Ukrainian forces carry out massed drone strikes against Russian deployment locations in Russias Rostov Oblast, and complaints that Kiev does not have the necessary long-range missile capabilities for such strikes.3. The leaks challenge longstanding claims by the Pentagon and the Ukrainian military about casualties. A document entitled Top Secret Status of the Conflict as of March 01, 2023 estimates total Russian losses could be up to 16,000-17,500 killed in action, and 61,000-71,500 on the Ukrainian side.Thats a far cry from the assessment by Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley in November, which estimated Russian deaths at well over 100,000 troops, as well as the Ukrainian militarys pie in the sky eliminated personnel figures of 180,050 (i.e. nearly matching the 190,000 troop total that Western intelligence estimated were near Donbass in February 2022 before the escalation of the crisis). Ukrainian officials and Western media have sought to downplay these figures, accusing Russia of doctoring the stats (despite possible secondary corroboration) and assuring that Russian casualties are much higher, and Ukrainian ones much lower. Wherever the truth lies, the figures serve to undermine confidence in Ukraines NATO-supported and equipped army of super soldiers.4. Another key revelation relates to the extent of NATO involvement. While alliance officials have consistently assured that no Western forces are on the ground fighting against Russia, a Top Secret document dated March 23 indicates that nearly half-a-dozen NATO powers do in fact have boots on the ground in the form of special forces troops. These include Britain (50 troops), Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14), and the Netherlands (1).Its unclear what exactly these forces are doing there. The document doesnt say. Apparently realizing the grave implications of this information, Britains Defense Ministry offered a catch-all dismissal of the documents, assuring in a Tweet Tuesday that the widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy, and that readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation.5. One final significant piece of information that can be gleaned from the documents relates to the state of Ukraines air defenses. A Pentagon assessment dated February 28 projected that Kievs stocks of Soviet-made Buk and S-300 missile systems which make up almost 90 percent of the countrys air defenses, would be fully depleted by mid-April and May 3, respectively. A second slide from an assessment from February 23 predicts that Ukrainian forces frontline protection would be completely reduced by May 23.This information is significant because it seems to confirm that the US and its allies are running out of time to shore up their clients air defense protection before Russia gains total air superiority similar to the kind its Air Force enjoyed in the counterterrorism operation in Syria, or the kind the US and its allies typically have when they decide to bomb a third world country.The US has promised to provide Ukraine with its bulky Patriot missile system and to ramp up deliveries of other anti-air weaponry, but observers have expressed concerns about the ability of the US military-industrial complex to ramp up production quickly enough, and questioned whether Washington will be willing to send additional sophisticated air defense hardware to a conflict zone where losses would mean a significant hit to US weapons makers if the equipment is lost.Skepticism is HealthyThe leak of the documents online, and the fact that they were picked up by major legacy media resources in the West, has caused understandable consternation in some circles about whether or not they are genuine. After all, these are the same newspapers, outlets, and television networks that have pumped out story after debunked Russia-related story over the years and decades, from the claim that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban* to kill US troops in Afghanistan, to the allegation that Moscow meddled in Americas elections in 2016 and secretly installed a "Manchurian Candidate" named Donald Trump.Ryabkov explained that since Washington is a key party to the Ukraine conflict and is waging a hybrid war against Russia, the documents may be a ploy to mislead the Russian side. Im not confirming anything, but understand that various scenarios are conceivable here, he said.Publicly, at least, officials in Washington have treated the leaks as if theyre the real thing. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin vowed that his department would turn over every rock until the source of the leaks was found and their extent clarified. CIA chief William Burns echoed Austins performance, calling the leaks deeply unfortunate and saying they were something the US government takes extremely seriously.Amid reports that the Pentagon has been trying to scrub the leaked docs from the net, Twitter CEO Elon Musk sarcastically quipped that yeah, you can totally delete things from the internet it works perfectly and doesnt draw attention to whatever you were trying to hide at all.Kiev, predictably, has blamed Moscow, calling the leaks a Russian propaganda ploy. Chinese media dismissed these assertions, suggesting that if Russia had gotten its hands on the documents, it would likely hold onto them and use them to its advantage against Ukraine and NATO instead of spreading them online.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the leaks "quite interesting." As for the suggestion that Moscow might somehow be involved, he said that "the tendency to constantly blame Russia for everything is a widespread disease right now."The truth about who leaked the documents and why may never be found. However, a stream of retired US officials, Washington-based security advisors, and CIA analysts have told Sputnik that the leaks may be an attempt by dissenters and realists within the US security state establishment to provide Washington with a much-needed offramp from the ever-escalating conflict with Russia in Ukraine before it turns into a world war.*The Taliban is an organization under UN sanctions for terrorism. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/pentagon-leaks-show-washington-dissidents-want-offramp-from-ukraine-disaster-1109346941.html ukraine 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 pentagon leaks, reaction, key takeaways, reactions, response, russia, united states, ukraine, revelations, information, skepticism https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/prince-harry-to-attend-coronation-of-king-charles-iii-without-wife---buckingham-palace-1109452017.html Prince Harry to Attend Coronation of King Charles III Without Wife - Buckingham Palace Prince Harry to Attend Coronation of King Charles III Without Wife - Buckingham Palace Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father, King Charles III, without his wife and children, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T21:41+0000 2023-04-12T21:41+0000 2023-04-12T21:38+0000 viral uk prince harry meghan markle coronation king charles iii /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/0e/1108360607_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a76d5f3fe7e3ad379acf3438ca3165f5.jpg "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," the statement, distributed among UK media, reads. The statement ends months of speculation about whether Prince Harry would show up for the ceremony, taking into account his turbulent relationship with the royal family. In his memoir "Spare," published in January 2023, he revealed many intimate details, some of which painted his family in an unflattering light. In March 2021, Harry and his wife, US actress Meghan Markle, whom he married in 2018, gave a scandalous interview to Oprah Winfrey, in which they accused their royal relatives of indifference, pressure and racism. Since then, the couple's relationship with the royal family has remained strained. King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be officially crowned on May 6. His predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8 in Scotland aged 96. Her reign, lasting 70 years and 214 days, was the longest of any British monarch. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230305/scone-cold-rejection-scots-are-against-sending-stone-to-charles-iiis-coronation-1108031660.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 prince harry, coronation of king charles iii, buckingham palace, meghan markle https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/qatar-bahrain-announce-restoration-of-diplomatic-relations---state-media-1109452753.html Qatar, Bahrain Announce Restoration of Diplomatic Relations - State Media Qatar, Bahrain Announce Restoration of Diplomatic Relations - State Media Qatar and Bahrain on Wednesday agreed to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries, which were severed in 2017, the state-run Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported. 2023-04-12T22:26+0000 2023-04-12T22:26+0000 2023-04-12T22:23+0000 world qatar bahrain diplomatic relations restoration /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/1e/1083493768_94:0:1826:974_1920x0_80_0_0_8eef285199a581761cd8ad5e1fb9973b.jpg Earlier on Wednesday, the Bahraini-Qatari Follow-up Committee held the second meeting at the headquarters of the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to the report, during the meeting, the sides decided to resume diplomatic relations in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961. The sides said the decision comes from the mutual desire to develop bilateral relations and enhance integration within the Gulf Cooperation Council. In 2017, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of meddling and sponsoring terrorism. Doha has consistently denied the accusations, insisting that the neighbors' discontent with its economic successes was behind their hostile policies. https://sputnikglobe.com/20210121/bahrains-foreign-minister-accuses-qatar-of-showing-no-initiative-to-resolve-dispute-1081841801.html qatar bahrain 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 qatar, bahrain, diplomatic relations, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/russian-defense-ministry-probes-240-dangerous-diseases-pathogens-found-in-4-ukrainian-labs-1109379589.html Russian Defense Ministry Probes 240 Dangerous Diseases Pathogens Found in 4 Ukrainian Labs Russian Defense Ministry Probes 240 Dangerous Diseases Pathogens Found in 4 Ukrainian Labs The Russian Defense Ministry is investigating 240 pathogens of dangerous diseases found in four laboratories in Ukraine, including cholera and anthrax, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces, said on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T08:29+0000 2023-04-12T08:29+0000 2023-04-12T08:29+0000 world ukraine us biological biolab /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/0f/1093885395_0:50:960:590_1920x0_80_0_0_c313feb047a7aba0afa439b782099066.jpg "We actually worked in four laboratories. In those laboratories that we found, about 240 pathogenic substances of various types were found, we are studying them and continue to study them. Most of them concern anthrax, cholera," Kirillov said during his address in the upper house. Russia has vaccines and drugs against such diseases, the official said, adding that the ministry cooperates with the Health Ministry and consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor on the matter.In February 2022, the Russian Defense Ministry discovered the existence of 30 US-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine. According to Moscow, Washington has spent over $200 million on the biological laboratories in Ukraine, which were part of the US military biological program.In June 2022, the US admitted funding 46 biolabs in Ukraine. However, the US government and Ukraine deny the military purposes of these laboratories and claim it was for peaceful research.Russia accused the US and Ukraine of violating the Biological Weapons Convention, which entered into effect in 1972 and was signed by most countries. 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 russian defense ministry, ukrainian labs, dangerous diseases https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/serbian-defense-minister-denies-reports-on-countrys-arms-supply-to-ukraine-1109376226.html Serbian Defense Minister Denies Reports on Country's Arms Supply to Ukraine Serbian Defense Minister Denies Reports on Country's Arms Supply to Ukraine Media reports that Serbia is supplying weapons to Ukraine are not true, Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic told Sputnik on Wednesday. 2023-04-12T07:24+0000 2023-04-12T07:24+0000 2023-04-12T08:33+0000 world serbia ukraine weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/03/1107990261_0:0:3076:1731_1920x0_80_0_0_64dbc5f8cc09994ea9d8613369b2f695.jpg "Another lie has been published that Serbia is selling weapons to Ukraine. The goal is obvious to someone to destabilize our country and involve it in a conflict, in which we do not want to participate," Vucevic said exclusively to Sputnik Serbia.Earlier in the day, media reported, citing the leaked Pentagon documents, that the Serbian authorities had already sent weapons to Ukraine and were ready to transfer more. Media reported that the document titled "Europe|Response to Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict," has a chart divided into the following groups: countries that had promised to provide training and lethal aid; countries that had already provided training, lethal aid or both; countries with the military ability and the political will "to provide future lethal aid." According to the report, Serbia falls under the first and last categories - countries that promised to provide weapons and countries with the political will to do so in the future.More than 100 classified US government documents have been leaked on social media sites in recent weeks, apparently showing sensitive intelligence documents on US efforts linked to the conflict in Ukraine and interactions with allies and partners.Last month, some online media claimed Serbia had already supplied Kiev with weapons, including Grad missiles. Vucic denied this information following Russian Foreign Ministrys call for the clarification on the matter. Serbian defense contractor Krusik also denied that it had been selling missiles to Ukraine. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230228/western-officials-admitted-involvement-in-ukraine-conflict-says-serbian-president-1107884618.html serbia 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 arms supply to ukraine, serbian defense minister milos vucevic https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/seymour-hersh-nord-stream-sabotage-led-to-total-breakdown-between-white-house-intel-community-1109392166.html Seymour Hersh: Nord Stream Sabotage Led to Total Breakdown Between White House, Intel Community Seymour Hersh: Nord Stream Sabotage Led to Total Breakdown Between White House, Intel Community The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and lack of strategic planning with regard to Ukraine have caused a growing rift between the White House and the US intelligence community, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh said in a new article on Wednesday, citing an intelligence official. 2023-04-12T13:56+0000 2023-04-12T13:56+0000 2023-04-12T13:56+0000 americas us white house nord stream /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1d/1101346224_0:25:1146:670_1920x0_80_0_0_3a5dd1b6a86501365cb3b3e9cab2bb01.jpg "There is a total breakdown between the White House leadership and the intelligence community," the intelligence official was quoted by Hersh as saying. The alleged rift dates back to the covert operation last fall to blow up Russias Nord Stream pipelines, a move that was purportedly ordered by President Joe Biden. Another issue dividing the Biden administration and the intelligence community is the lack of planning on Ukraine. The official highlighted Bidens decision to deploy two brigades a few miles from the Ukrainian border in response to Russias special military operation. The actual manpower of the 101st and 82nd airborne divisions could total more than 20,000, but there is still "no evidence that any senior official in the White House really knows whats going on in" the brigades, the intelligence officials told Hersh. The official said that while the White House lacks clarity on its policy in Ukraine, the Pentagon is somewhat optimistically preparing for an end to the conflict. Two months ago, the US Joint Chiefs tasked members of the staff with drafting an end-of-war treaty to present to the Russians "after their defeat on the Ukraine battlefield," Hersh said, citing a source. But it remains unclear what will happen if the Pentagon's scenario goes wrong and Ukrainian forces fail on the battlefield: Will the two American brigades deployed close to the war zone "join forces with NATO troops and face off with the Russian army inside Ukraine?" Hersh asks. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230329/sy-hersh-hints-nord-stream-leak-wouldnt-have-occurred-unless-us-govt-or-cia-gave-the-ok-1108932019.html americas white house Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International nord stream sabotage, seymour hersh, white house, intel community https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/supply-of-man-portable-air-defenses-to-ukraine-endangers-global-civil-air-traffic-moscow-1109372314.html Supply of Man-Portable Air Defenses to Ukraine Endangers Global Civil Air Traffic: Moscow Supply of Man-Portable Air Defenses to Ukraine Endangers Global Civil Air Traffic: Moscow The Russian Foreign Ministry has told Sputnik that it was necessary to raise the issue of the safety of civil air traffic in the world and Europe against the background of deliveries of Western man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and anti-tank guided weapons (ATGW) to Ukraine. 2023-04-12T04:21+0000 2023-04-12T04:21+0000 2023-04-12T04:38+0000 world ukraine civil aviation air defense systems (manpads) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104805/24/1048052483_0:413:3121:2168_1920x0_80_0_0_9a4a28de45965116fbbd53c4942596ff.jpg The ministry noted that "the EU and its member-states transferred to Kiev arms and military equipment worth more than 12 billion euros [$13.1 billion], delivered heavy weapons, planes, tanks, agreed to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with 1 million artillery shells by the end of the year, and do not prevent the recruitment of mercenaries in their countries." The ministry believes that Western arms "put into the hands of the criminal Ukrainian government and mercenaries are killing the civilian population, including women and children, in the Donetsk and Lugansk republics and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions." Commenting on the statement of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban about countries of the European Union being close to discussing the previously avoided topic of sending "troops of a certain peacekeeping type" to Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that "any speculations by the European Union about its peacekeeping in the current conditions are very hypocritical since the EU is not undertaking any efforts toward a political settlement." "Moreover, the EU is already de facto participating in the Ukraine conflict. It provides political cover for any crimes, provocations, and staging carried out by the Ukrainian regime," the ministry said. 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 man-portable air defense systems, anti-tank guided weapons, civil air traffic https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/sweden-to-hold-biggest-military-drill-since-cold-war-1109374769.html Sweden to Hold Biggest Military Drill Since Cold War Sweden to Hold Biggest Military Drill Since Cold War In recent years, Sweden has enhanced its military preparedness, having increased defense spending, returned conscription and applied for membership in NATO. 2023-04-12T09:23+0000 2023-04-12T09:23+0000 2023-04-12T09:23+0000 military sweden scandinavia news military military drills drill military drill joint military exercises joint exercises /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104769/96/1047699626_0:0:4964:2793_1920x0_80_0_0_c416039bd3e12ce8d382a4acad619622.jpg Sweden is set to hold its biggest military exercise in more than three decades starting from 24 April.The three-week drill, dubbed Aurora 23, will feature some 26,000 personnel from 14 countries, including the US, the UK, Finland, Poland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Denmark, Austria, Germany and France. This is more than the active Swedish military force combined.Participating soldiers will therefore work on raising Sweden's preparedness in the face of an attack, mobilization, as well as large-scale land, air and sea maneuvers. Perfecting Armed Forces organization is yet another goal, as the Swedish military hasn't practiced leading brigades of around 5,000 soldiers and officers in years.An emphasis on logistics will also be made during the drill, with new ways to control and command the movement of troops and gear being tested. Furthermore, collaboration between civil and military agencies will also be enhanced during the drill, focused successful joint action in the event of an attack on the Nordic country.The exercise will be conducted in the air, on the ground and at sea, with the provinces of Skane, and Smaland and the Baltic island of Gotland to be particularly affected. Units all over Sweden will be involved, with battleships appearing in both Stockholm and the Gothenburg archipelagos. Although the drill will primarily use the Swedish Armed Forces own exercise areas and firing ranges, some of the activities will also be conducted on private land.In recent years, Sweden has been working to step up its military preparedness. In April 2022, the Swedish parliament agreed to boost defense spending to 2 percent of GDP (up from 1.3 percent in 2021), citing Russia's special operation in Ukraine as a pretext.In 2022, Sweden also terminated its historic policy of military non-alignment by applying to join the NATO alliance year alongside neighboring Finland. The two neighbors initially planned to enter the alliance together, but Helsinki reached that goal first, as Stockholm's bid ran into resistance from NATO members Hungary and Turkiye.Earlier, Sweden returned troops to the formerly demilitarized Baltic isle of Gotland, after politicians and pundits alike identified it as a possible entry point for foreign aggression. It also abandoned a previous decision and revived conscription. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230329/here-we-go-again-book-claims-russian-sub-violated-swedish-harbor-in-2017-1108892534.html sweden scandinavia 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 swedish military, sweden nato bid, sweden nato membership, sweden military drills, aurora military exercise https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/this-hasnt-been-some-kind-of-party-musk-dishes-on-stress--rollercoaster-of-owning-twitter-1109375370.html 'This Hasn't Been Some Kind of Party': Musk Dishes on Stress & 'Rollercoaster' of Owning Twitter 'This Hasn't Been Some Kind of Party': Musk Dishes on Stress & 'Rollercoaster' of Owning Twitter CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter, Elon Musk gave a media interview, reflecting on what it has been like owning the socila media platform. 2023-04-12T12:09+0000 2023-04-12T12:09+0000 2023-04-12T13:01+0000 americas us twitter elon musk tesla spacex /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0c/1109375196_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_af8506b3c7e71e815539013eaf0e9619.jpg Twitter Inc. CEO Elon Musk opened up on a whole bunch of issues in a lengthy interview for the media, agreeing to sit for the chat in the company's offices in San Francisco at just 20 minutes' notice. When asked why he agreed to talk, he quipped, "Spontaneity and there's a lot going on." A RollercoasterWeighing in on his time as CEO of Twitter after purchasing it on October 27, 2022 for $44 billion, Musk said: Elon Musk initiated an acquisition of the social media company on April 14, 2022, and up until October, when the purchase was finally made official, there had been a great deal of turbulence and back-and-forth linked to the deal.When asked about his decision to buy Twitter, including why he almost pulled out of the deal, but then recommitted to acquiring the microblogging site, and whether it had to do with the ruling of a court judge, Musk responded:Musk attempted to back out of the Twitter deal over the summer of 2022, claiming that the company had failed to furnish information he had demanded about bots, or automated accounts, on the site. A Delaware chancery judge gave Musk until the end of October 2022 to finalize the deal, or face a Twitter lawsuit against him for trying to back out.On his first impressions of Twitter, Musk laughs and recalls that he thought it was a "really nice office building." However, he added, the company was "spending money like it's going out of fashion."According to Elon Musk, the financial situation of the company when he bought it was such that there was a negative cash flow situation. It was being run "really like a non-profit," is how Musk described it.The billionaire businessman, who is also the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, said that it was this cash situation that prompted him to take "drastic action" and lay off staff when he took over the social media company, which, in his opinion, had "four months to live." Musk said Twitter has around 1,500 employees now, a significant drop from about 7,000 before his acquisition.The tech guru acknowledged in the interview, which was broadcast live on Twitter Spaces and drew over three million listeners, that he was forced to sell stocks and shares he owned to buy Twitter.Elon Musk made a great many divisive decisions when he took over Twitter, from the staff cull to suspending several journalists' accounts, while restoring previously banned accounts, such as those of Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene. When asked about the advertisers who left Twitter since he took over, Musk said the social media company was "roughly breaking even," as most of its advertisers have returned. There was a decline in advertising after his takeover, with giants like Volkswagen and General Motors advising their brands to pause paid advertising on Twitter.Now, the CEO of Twitter added, everything is going "reasonably well," usage is up, and "the site works." The billionaire conceded, however, that there have been occasional glitches, such as outages on the site, but which have not been protracted.'Headed to a Good Place'Looking back, Elon Musk summed up the Twitter buyout saga, saying that the "pain level has been extremely high, this hasn't been some kind of party." He added it had been "really quite a stressful situation over the last several months," but he was convinced that buying the company was the correct move.As for what the media has been writing about him, the billionaire admitted laughingly his "odd" relationship with it, describing it as "love-hate, perhaps more hate." "The media is able to trash me on a regular basis in the US and the UK," he said.At some point in the interview, Elon Musk reminded the host slyly that he was "no longer the CEO of Twitter." When asked who was, Musk said his pet dog Floki, a Shiba Inu, was the CEO. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221027/musk-says-he-bought-twitter-to-help-humanity-keep-opportunity-for-dialogue-1102771210.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230122/elon-musk-rejects-claim-80-twitter-staff-have-gone-says-nose-count-shows-2300-active-workers-1106577283.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230215/much-better-than-that-other-guy-elon-musk-touts-pet-dog-floki-as-worthy-twitter-ceo-1107445471.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20221229/twitters-2022-saga-from-bumpy-start-to-epic-free-speech-disclosure-1105891408.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 ceo, tesla, spacex, twitter, elon musk, a rollercoaster, not boring, twitter buyout, acquisition of the social media company, divisive decisions, staff laoffs, staff cuts, suspending journalists' accounts, restoring previously banned accounts, twitter roughly breaking even https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/tos-1a-russias-fearsome-thermobaric-scorching-sun-heavy-flamethrower-1109449244.html TOS-1A: Russias Fearsome Thermobaric Solntsepyok Heavy Flamethrower TOS-1A: Russias Fearsome Thermobaric Solntsepyok Heavy Flamethrower Since their appearance in the Donbass, Russias heavy flamethrower thermobaric artillery quickly gained a reputation for their ability to inflict devastating damage against enemy fortifications, vehicles and anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves in their zone of fire. Where do these weapons originate and how do they work? Sputnik explains. 2023-04-12T19:26+0000 2023-04-12T19:26+0000 2023-04-13T10:35+0000 military tos-1a tos-1 heavy flame throwing system tos-1 buratino /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107897/81/1078978103_0:9:3077:1739_1920x0_80_0_0_185b24f4dd65caa7a2a659de23dc8235.jpg Western and Ukrainian media have spent several weeks dissecting the TOS-1A Solntsepyok (lit. Scorching Sunlight, 'Scorching Sun' or 'Blazing Sun') thermobaric rocket launch system after confirmation from the Russian military that the weapons platform has been attached to Russias elite airborne formations involved in the special operation. US media claims the system has become a prime target for Ukrainian drones, with one defense observer going so far as to demand that they must be destroyed before they have a chance to reach the front lines and wreak havoc on Ukrainian lines.What is a Thermobaric Weapon?Originating in the first half of the 20th century, thermobaric weapons are a two-stage explosive consisting of a flammable liquid fuel or highly combustible jellied slurry mixture. Upon reaching its target, a blast spreads the fuel or slurry over the surrounding environment, after which a secondary explosion detonates, igniting it, consuming all oxygen in the vicinity, creating a partial vacuum and generating extreme heat up to 3,000 degrees centigrade (equivalent to the surface temperature of some dying stars).Modern thermobaric weapons trace their origins to the Second World War, when German engineers created a propane gas shell explosive system for the six-barreled towed 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 rocket launch system. During barrages, the system would launch five propane gas rounds, followed by a sixth conventional explosive round that would detonate gas vapor and cause massive, high temperature explosions.The next country to develop thermobaric weapons was the United States. During the Vietnam War, American engineers created a variety of pallet-launched, cluster, grenade and missile-delivered thermobaric bombs, dropping them over North Vietnam and rural jungle areas in South Vietnam. Together with conventional explosives and Agent Orange defoliants, US bombing decimated nearly a tenth of the Vietnams total land area, and killed hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese civilians and fighters. The US later deployed thermobaric weapons on a smaller scale in Iraq in the Mk 153 SMAW rocket launcher and AGM-114N Hellfire II missile.When Did the USSR and Russia Get Their First Thermobaric Weapons?The USSR entered the thermobaric arms race in the late 1980s, creating several light experimental thermobaric weapons including the PRO-A - a man-portable rocket-assisted flamethrower with a blast effect equivalent to 5.5 kilograms of TNT (i.e. that of a conventional 155 mm artillery shell). Engineers also created the TOS (Russian acronym for Tyazhelaya Ognemetnaya Sistema literally Heavy Flamethrower System), a thermobaric multiple rocket launch system attached to the chassis of a T-72 tank.The TOS-1 was developed in the 1970s by the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant and the Lukin Research Institute near Moscow, entering into service in 1987 several years after passing state tests.Where Has TOS Been Used?The system saw its first combat in Afghanistan during Soviet operations in Panjir Valley in 1988 and during Operation Typhoon in 1989. The campaigns were designed to improve the Soviet-allied Afghan governments capability to withstand attacks by CIA-backed Mujahedeen fighters after the USSRs withdrawal. The use of TOS-1s proved highly successful, with Operation Typhoon contributing to the stabilization of the Kabul governments positions, ultimately allowing it to survive for over three years without Soviet troops on the ground.The TOS-1 subsequently saw limited use in the Second Chechen War, while its next iteration, the TOS-1A, was deployed in Syria by Russian and Syrian forces (for more info on the differences between the two, see below). TOS was also used by Iraqi forces against Daesh (ISIS)* and by Azeri forces against Armenia-backed militias in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian army in conflicts in 2016 and 2020.What is the TOS-1A and Whats the Difference Between It, the TOS-1 and TOS-2?The TOS-1A is an upgraded modification of the TOS-1 introduced in 2003, featuring 24 rocket barrels instead of 30, and an effective maximum firing range of 6 km instead of 3.6 km. A new shell for the TOS-1A created in the late 2010s increased the systems effective firing range to 10 km. This was achieved thanks to a new fuel/explosive mixture inside the shell. There is one drawback to the 10 km rocket: its 1.6 km dead zone (i.e. the area in which the system cannot be fired). The shorter-range rockets have a dead zone of as little as 400 meters.The TOS-2 is a TOS mounted on a 3-axle Ural truck instead of a tank chassis. The system uses the same rockets as the tank-mounted variants, but is lighter, featuring 18 barrels instead of 24 or 30. The TOS-2 began to enter into service with the Russian military in 2021.What Makes the TOS-1A So Deadly?The TOS operates like a conventional multiple launch artillery system, but fires 220 mm 173-217 kg rockets containing a fuel air explosive mixture. A single TOS rocket has a reported explosive power equivalent to up to one ton of TNT.How Fast Does the TOS-1A Fire and Are Its Rockets Guided?The TOS-1A system can fire off its payload in 15 seconds or less. Its rockets are unguided.Do the Laws of Warfare Prohibit the TOS-1As Use?The escalation of the conflict in the Donbass into a full-blown NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine in 2022 led Western media to remember that thermobaric weapons exist, and to accuse Russia of using them in a criminal manner. However, the Geneva Conventions on the laws of warfare do not prohibit thermobaric weapons use except if they are used against civilians. Russias military has taken precautions to restrict these powerful weapons deployment in built up areas, instead using them in areas of fortified Ukrainian troop buildups.How Much Does a TOS-1A Cost?TOS-1 and TOS-1A manufacturer Uralvagonzavod has not made figures on the systems cost public. Figures floating around online suggest a single TOS-1A launcher costs about $6.5 million, while one of its rockets costs about $5,000, but these should be taken with a huge grain of salt, if not dismissed entirely.What is the US Equivalent to the TOS-1A?The United States and other NATO powers do not have an equivalent to the TOS. Instead, the alliance prefers to deploy its thermobaric weapons mostly in air-dropped bombs.Does the TOS-1A Have Any Vulnerabilities?Because of its design as an artillery system and need to haul large numbers of heavy thermobaric rounds around, the TOS-1A is more vulnerable to artillery, anti-tank and grenade launcher fire than say, a tank. That means the system has to be protected at all times, and that it must avoid traversing into areas where it may come under enemy attack.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230217/from-caesar-to-dana-what-artillery-does-nato-have--1107537284.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov tos1a, russian, flamethrower, system, heavy, analysis, tos-1, tos-1a, tos-1a how many, tos-1a solntsepyok, tos-1a thermobaric, tos-1a explosion, tos-1a price, tos-1a cost, tos-1a captured, tos-1a destroyed, tos-1a firing, tos-1a video, tos-1a multiple rocket launcher, tos-1a explosion video, tos-1a thermobaric rocket launcher, tos-1a rocket launcher, tos-1a flamethrower, tos-1a rocket, tos-1a thermobaric, tos-1a firing range, tos-1a in action, tos-1a used in ukraine, solntsepyok, what is the tos-1 thermobaric, what is a tos-1a, what is a tos-1a flamethrower thermobaric weapon system https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/ukraines-prime-minister-says-kiev-could-launch-counteroffensive-as-late-as-this-summer-1109370490.html Ukraine's Prime Minister Says Kiev Could Launch Counteroffensive as Late as This Summer Ukraine's Prime Minister Says Kiev Could Launch Counteroffensive as Late as This Summer MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that Kiev could launch a counteroffensive against Russian troops as late as this... 12.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-12T00:20+0000 2023-04-12T00:20+0000 2023-04-12T00:18+0000 world ukraine ukraine crisis counter-offensive us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/05/1093618111_0:0:3066:1725_1920x0_80_0_0_e2709d809791bfb306f727d6dd2342c7.jpg "We do not feel the pressure from our friends and partners vis-a-vis the start of the offensive," Shmyhal said in an interview with The Hill, adding that the counteroffensive could be launched as late as the summer. "All of our friends and partners do comprehend clearly that in order to go into counteroffensive, one must be 100 percent, and even more percent prepared to do so."The prime minister noted that the most intense pressure to start the counteroffensive comes from within Ukraine. When asked about how the leak of top secret Pentagon documents containing information on the Ukraine conflict affected counteroffensive plans, Shmyhal said that "Ukraine will liberate its lands." On Tuesday, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, told German media that Kiev will decide on the counteroffensive "at the latest possible moment." In turn, Yan Gagin, an adviser to Denis Pushilin, acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic, said that Ukraine did not have sufficient reserves on the line of contact for a successful counteroffensive. Ukraine has been reportedly preparing to launch a counteroffensive against Russia in the spring of this year, with a number of Western officials expressing their willingness to help Kiev. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against further escalation of the situation that could lead to the US and NATO's direct involvement in the conflict. In early April, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told Polish newspaper Wyborcza that the Ukrainian army was actively preparing a counteroffensive, which would be launched after the end of bad roads season. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230309/chinese-military-experts-forecast-ukraine-conflicts-end-in-summer-2023-reports-say-1108210364.html 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 ukraine, ukraine crisis, counter-offensive, us https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/us-may-step-up-pressure-on-orban-govt-resort-to-sanctions-on-hungarian-citizens---report-1109380208.html US May Step Up Pressure on Orban Gov't, Resort to Sanctions on Hungarian Citizens - Report US May Step Up Pressure on Orban Gov't, Resort to Sanctions on Hungarian Citizens - Report The United States is considering imposing restrictions against Hungary over the countrys refusal to amend its pro-Russia stance . 2023-04-12T13:02+0000 2023-04-12T13:02+0000 2023-04-12T13:02+0000 world us hungary viktor orban sanctions ukraine crisis peter szijjarto /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0c/1109379218_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0251dfa642e5af980a707ad94394415e.jpg The United States is considering imposing restrictions against Hungary over the countrys refusal to toe the general line, so to speak, and follow in the footsteps of the West in its proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, local media reported.One such possible punitive measure could be sanctions imposed on influential Hungarian individuals, similar to what occurred in 2014, Budapest online edition 444.hu wrote, citing independent diplomatic sources.In October 2014, the administration of then-US President Barack Obama banned six Hungarians from entering the US. The government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban slammed the move, denouncing it as a political attack by the US against Hungary in response to refusal to serve Western interests.US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman has convened a press conference for April 12, and may use the occasion to announce sanctions, although the embassy has not officially indicated anything to substantiate this, the report said.As it is, relations between Hungary and the US are increasingly tense. Budapest threatened to veto EU financial aid to Ukraine last year, and has refused to send weapons to the Kiev regime. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly criticized Brussels' sanctions imposed on Russia. The head of the country's Foreign Ministry, Peter Szijjarto, said that the self-harming sanctions "have failed" and underscored the vast number of economic problems plaguing Europe as fallout from them. The Hungarian government has also been reluctant to ratify the NATO accession bids of Finland and Sweden. Viktor Orban accused both Nordic countries of spreading "outright lies" about the state of democracy in Hungary. Budapest has also been under pressure to wean itself off Russian energy supplies. On Tuesday, Hungary's foreign minister said Russian energy giant Gazprom would maintain an option to supply additional gas to Hungary this year, besides the deliveries under a long-term deal agreed earlier.Thus, the report in the Hungarian media claims the White House is finding it increasingly difficult to put up with the Orban government's stance on the Ukraine conflict.As for the US ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, a gay human rights lawyer who took up the position in September 2022, he has frequently mounted open criticism of the Hungarian government. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto lashed out at him in February, saying that he had no business interfering in Hungary's domestic affairs. David Pressman reportedly met a month ago with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and senior White House officials to discuss the "anti-American rhetoric" from senior Hungarian officials, with pundits taking it as a sign of a looming step up in pressure on Budapest to change course. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230305/americans-have-final-word-in-european-war--hungarys-orban-hits-back-at-western-elites-1108028398.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230407/sweden-hungary-ties-at-a-low-amid-stockholms-nato-bid-orban-aide-warns-1109229166.html hungary 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 washington, hungary, imposing restrictions, sanctions, ukraine crisis, nato proxy war against russia in ukraine, sanctions on influential hungarian individuals, veto eu financial aid to ukraine, send weapons to kiev regime, prime minister viktor orban, foreign minister peter szijjarto, self-harming sanctions, to ratify nato accession bids, finland, sweden, russian energy supplies https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/us-philippines-agree-to-modernize-bilateral-alliance-1109396481.html US, Philippines Agree to Modernize Bilateral Alliance US, Philippines Agree to Modernize Bilateral Alliance The United States and the Philippines have agreed to modernize the alliance between the two countries by intensifying high-level joint exercises and other related activity, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo said. 2023-04-12T15:30+0000 2023-04-12T15:30+0000 2023-04-12T15:30+0000 military us philippines /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/04/1109107465_0:120:3072:1848_1920x0_80_0_0_21f3bc8f53f337ec36181a0e9497c5e3.jpg On Tuesday, Manalo and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr. met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and State Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington at the so-called 2+2 ministerial meeting. The partnership between the US and the Philippines serves as "an instrument of peace" in the Indo-Pacific region and brings about economic benefits to the two states, according to the Philippine official. Earlier in the week, the countries launched the largest-ever annual joint military drills called Balikatan, taking place in the Philippines, with around 12,200 US soldiers and 5,400 servicemen of the Philippine armed forces participating. In February, Philippines granted access to four additional military bases to the US, with which Washington reportedly plans to strengthen its line of defense around China. Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by the parties in 2014 , the US is not allowed to have permanent military bases in the Philippines, but the document provides for US troops' extended stays on the Philippine military bases. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230405/us-pulls-philippines-into-natos-geopolitical-confrontation-versus-china-1109119777.html philippines 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-philippines military cooperation, us-philippines military exercises, philippine secretary of foreign affairs enrique manalo https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/us-speed-up-of-arms-supplies-to-taiwan-prior-to-islands-2024-elections-sends-ominous-signal-1109390632.html US Speed-Up of Arms Supplies to Taiwan Prior to Island's 2024 Elections Sends Ominous Signal US Speed-Up of Arms Supplies to Taiwan Prior to Island's 2024 Elections Sends Ominous Signal The US is ramping up military aid to Taiwan, justifying the move with the "threat" of China's "invasion" amid soaring political divisions on the island ahead... 12.04.2023, Sputnik International 2023-04-12T14:57+0000 2023-04-12T14:57+0000 2023-04-12T14:57+0000 world us china southeast asia pivot to asia indo-asia-pacific region taiwan democratic progressive party (dpp) kuomintang communist party of china (cpc) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/08/0a/1083568873_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_f1ebaa6189f8a42f23c2a2d3ea7476ec.jpg US lawmakers have promised Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen to speed up weapons sales to the island while a whopping 25 US defense contractors plan to send representatives to Taiwan in early May to discuss joint production of drones and ammo, according to the Japanese press.On March 28, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the Pentagon was going to use a $1 billion authorization to quickly transfer weapons to Taiwan through the Presidential Drawdown Authority. The drawdown authority allows for the speedy delivery of defense assets and services from the Pentagon's stocks to foreign countries and international organizations "to respond to unforeseen emergencies," as per the US State Department's website. The same mechanism has been used by Washington to facilitate the rapid provision of weapons to Ukraine.Late last year, US President Joe Biden signed into law a defense bill which included $10 billion in military aid for Taiwan to bolster the island's defenses against China's potential "invasion." The legislation also authorized the US president to build a "regional contingency stockpile" for the island that includes up to $100 million worth of munitions.The People's Republic of China (PRC) has repeatedly warned Washington policymakers against militarizing Taiwan and fuelling separatist sentiment on the island, which is seen by Beijing as an inalienable part of the People's Republic.Washington's "China Invasion" YarnSo, what's behind Washington's rush to arm Taiwan? The Western mainstream press is fanning the narrative of possible China's "invasion" of the island, citing think tank observers and Taiwanese officials. Some Western analysts went even so far as to predict when exactly the alleged "invasion" could take place: according to them, it might happen no later than in 2026.Meanwhile, Beijing is promoting peaceful re-unification with Taiwan. Moreover, the PRC's new Global Security Initiative, which was released in February 2023, placed emphasis on a peaceful resolution of global conflicts. In late February, Beijing released a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine. In March, China managed to broker a historic peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia.China's calculus appears to be clear: the country is seeking to bolster Eurasia's connectivity, shattered by 30-years of US-NATO invasions and occupation of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, and the militarization of Europe and Southeast Asia.Furthermore, direct involvement in any military conflict in Southeast Asia could disrupt Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, some international observers say. Others cite Sun Tzu, a famous Chinese military strategist, who said: "To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill"; according to them, the epitome of China's strategy is gaining victory through non-military means.'One Country, Two Systems'Beijing has maintained its plan for peaceful reunification with Taiwan since the 1950s. The nation became divided following the Civil War of 1949, when Chinese nationalists led by the Kuomintang (KMT) were defeated by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and fled to Taiwan.Under Xi Jinping, who assumed the position of chairman of the Central Military Commission in 2012, the Chinese government adopted a set of measures to facilitate re-unification with the island. Under then-Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou (the KMT), who governed the island between 2008 and 2016, Taiwan signed 23 treaties on cross-strait trade with China, opened direct flights, schools, and facilitated business exchanges.Starting from 2016, Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen adopted a strategy of provoking Beijing, apparently encouraged by Washington. Even though the US recognized the PRC in 1979 and severed official diplomatic ties with Taiwan in accordance with the "One China" principle, it continued to maintain informal relations with the island.On December 2, 2016, then-US President-elect Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Tsai, causing a storm of criticism from Beijing. The Trump administration then deepened ties with Taiwan, while his successor, Joe Biden, even went so far as to repeatedly pledge to protect the island militarily against Beijing.The number of high-profile summits between US and Taiwanese officials has also increased under the Biden administration, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in August 2022 and incumbent House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's meeting with Tsai in Los Angeles in April. In both cases, China responded with large-scale naval drills, accusing Washington of fuelling Taiwan secessionism, abusing the PRC's sovereignty and integrity.January 2024 Election & KMT's RiseStill, the forthcoming January 2024 presidential elections may end badly for Tsai, given that Taiwan's economy is slowing down, and the island's nine diplomatic allies have switched sides and turned to Beijing under her watch, as Dr. Chang Ching, senior research fellow of the Taiwan-based Society for Strategic Studies, noted in an interview with Sputnik on March 30.For its part, the KMT is apparently seeking to mend fences with China in order to present itself as a force capable of ensuring stability and maintaining working relations with great power actors.Addressing his supporters in early January, former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou highlighted that the forthcoming 2024 presidential and legislative elections offer a choice between war and peace: Vote for the KMT, and there will be no battlefield across the Taiwan Strait," the former Taiwanese leader vowed.For his part, KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia Li-yan paid a series of high-profile visits to China, one of which came immediately after then-House Speaker Pelosi's scandalous visit to the island in August 2022.In February 2023, Hsia met with Wang Huning, a member of the CCP Central Committees Politburo Standing Committee, and Song Tao, head of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office. The KMT vice chairman signaled commitment to the 1992 consensus, adding that "maintaining the peace and stability of cross-strait relations () have always been the KMTs highest priority policy goal."Between March 27 and April 7, former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou paid an unprecedented visit to the mainland China, which coincided with Tsai's provocative "transit" trip to the US. Speaking in front of the Sun Yat-sen mausoleum in Nanjing, Ma stated that "people on both sides of the Taiwan strait are Chinese people."According to international observers, the KMT has a good chance of winning the 2024 election. The party did well during the November 2022 9-in-1 elections, and won 13 of the top political posts in local governments across 22 cities, counties, and municipalities, while the DPP won only five.The US and its allies appear deeply concerned by the possibility of a KMT victory. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) warned on April 9 that China could "take over" Taiwan in the next election "without a shot fired" and accused Beijing of trying to influence the Taiwanese election.The Western mainstream media has also raised the alarm over the KMT's "threat" to the island's "independence." According to the press, the KMT promises "prosperity and peace," while the DPP should sell a harder message that Taiwanese should make sacrifices and "prepare for war." The media lamented the fact that the DPP has been hesitant to promote the war message and referred to the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation January report which claimed that 72.7% of Taiwanese respondents backed extending conscription.US May Step Up Provocations Prior to 2024 ElectionsGiven that the January 2024 Taiwanese elections could tip the balance in favor of the KMT, there is no need for Beijing to aggravate tensions with the island, international observers say. In contrast, it's Washington who poised to lose the most if the "1992 Consensus" group wins: the KMT victory could bring an end to the US' Taiwan provocations and strip Washington of the leverage against Beijing.In light of this, the US appears to be interested in bolstering provocations over Taiwan to mar Beijing's international image by depicting it as an "aggressor" prior to the 2024 elections, some observers assume. Simultaneously, the US is likely to increase the funding of Taiwanese youth parties, think tanks, and NGOs advocating for the island's independence from the PRC. US-orchestrated military provocations cannot also be ruled out, Russian analysts warn, referring to Washington's Ukraine playbook.On April 8-10, the Chinese conducted large-scale military drills around the island in response to Tsai's meetings with high-profile officials in the US to send a warning signal to Taiwanese separatists and their backers. The drills simulated the encirclement of the island and blocking potential incursions by external forces, such as the US and Japan. According to the Chinese media, the People's Liberation Army continued on April 11 routine patrols and exercises around the island despite the conclusion of its combat alert patrols and Joint Sword drills.Between now and January 2024, one may expect that the US will try to raise the stakes in order to upend the established status quo, with speeded-up delivery of US weapons to Taiwan sending an ominous signal to the region. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230222/how-russo-chinese-strategic-cooperation-may-bring-us-forever-wars-to-end-1107713826.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230330/tsais-strategy-of-provoking-beijing-backfiring-on-taiwan-as-it-keeps-losing-allies--1108967041.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230406/taiwan-ex-leaders-historic-visit-to-china-ahead-of-tsais-us-trip-exposes-political-divisions-1109210204.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20220817/china-believes-biden-authorized-pelosis-visit-to-taiwan-ambassador-says-1099685150.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230411/shandong-aircraft-carrier-group-hosts-j-15-fighter-sorties-on-final-day-of-pla-drills-near-taiwan-1109344783.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230410/kremlin-on-chinas-military-drills-beijing-has-right-to-react-to-provocative-actions-1109315401.html china southeast asia indo-asia-pacific region 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 china taiwan reunification, one country two systems, one china policy, tsai ing-wen transit trip, 2024 taiwanese elections, the kuomintang, us weapons to taiwan, us speeding up weapons deliveries to taiwan, chinese military drills around taiwan, tsai's meeting with house speaker mccarthy, taiwan strait, provocations taiwan strait Kids and their families kept the Scotts Bluff National Monument buzzing with activity on Saturday, April 8, during Junior Ranger Day. Rangers and park staff greeted visitors with instructions for a scavenger hunt that would be completed by visiting a series of six booths, a fun way for kids to learn about Scotts Bluff and Agate Fossil Bed National Monument history, geology, resources and more. Upon completion of the scavenger hunt, each participant becomes a certified Scotts Bluff and Agate Fossil Bed junior ranger, is presented with a badge and certificate and learns the junior ranger oath: I promise to explore our parks in all their glory, to protect living things and share each story. I will keep our parks out of danger, because I am a junior ranger. Elicia Losoya, who works with the Black Hills Parks and Forest Association, helped greet visitors at the entrance and shared that their nonprofit helped to provide an American Sign Language interpreter for the event. She said theyd had 50 visitors check in and quite a few kids in the first half-hour of the event. Behind the visitor center, skirting the edges of the amphitheater, the scavenger hunt booths were set up to protect visitors from the breeze. It was still cold enough for a jacket for most of the little ones, but that didnt temper their enthusiasm for learning. Booths were all staffed by park rangers or volunteers, and clusters of people gathered at each booth to learn and get their scavenger hunt documentation stamped. Ranger Eric Grunwald, the lead interpreter at Scotts Bluff National Monument, was a key organizer. Beyond coordinating the event, he was also presenting at the geology station. Kids and parents alike were learning about the types of rocks found in the park through an interactive experiment to determine how soft or hard the rocks were. Nicole Green and her son Noah spent quite a bit of time at Grunwalds booth. I saw this advertised on Facebook, and Noah was excited to come, Nicole Green said. Ranger Terra Lynn Gray staffed one of the busiest booths, where she talked about some local wildlife. Kids could learn about prairie dogs and build their own beavers. The Anaya boys Hezekiah, 6; Amiaz, 5; and Ezra, 3 were interested in these animals. What do beavers eat? one of the boys asked. Gray replied, Almost anything. Even bricks? another boy asked, which prompted a laugh from Gray, who said beavers definitely dont eat bricks. The boys grandma, Maria Olivia, had her hands full as her grandsons tried to fashion their own stuffed beaver out of nylons and stuffing, but looked to be having a good time. Kids also learned about the importance of law enforcement and fire safety. Down in the parking lot, a crowd gathered around the monuments fire truck and law enforcement pickup. Raeley Ranalli and her parents, Trisha and Nick, took a tour of the fire truck, manned by firefighter AJ Legault, who also serves as chief ranger at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Raeley said she has wanted to be a firefighter for the last four years and was excited to tour the vehicle and learn more. Grunwald said he was pleased by the turnout for the event, saying he looks forward to hosting the event again next year. We had 227 people visit the park today, he said, and 47 new junior rangers got their certification. The Gering Fire Department responded to significantly more calls in 2022 compared to previous years, Fire Chief Nathan Flowers told the Gering City Council on Monday, April 10. Flowers began his annual report by sharing some statistics on the departments work in 2022. On behalf of the fire department I want to share with you how we supported the community last year, Flowers said. In 2022, we ran 963 calls for service, which was an 18% increase from the previous year. This was one of the largest jumps in calls weve seen in a 12-month period, and the most calls weve ever had at the fire department. Flowers cited drought conditions as a likely culprit for the increase in fire calls. He also said that the department averaged 13 firefighters per call, resulting in over 12,000 man hours on calls for service throughout the year; 21,330 total man hours were recorded for all fire department activities in 2022. Two large wildfires led to significant time investment by Flowers crews. Our department spent 13 days total and burned just shy of 20,000 acres, he said. One fire in particular was pretty challenging for us. We could not meet our objectives without the support from our mutual aid partners in the state of Nebraska. The Gering Fire Department also provided mutual aid throughout the year, particularly to help with large fires throughout the state, which Flowers said his department is uniquely qualified to do in Nebraska. Because of our training and our certifications, we were able to send people out on four large fires throughout the state, he said. Were kind of the leading department within the state of Nebraska that has these credentials and qualifications, so they really lean on us to be able to help where needed. The department logged 3,814 hours of training and 1,287 of public education efforts throughout 2022, in addition to continuing the development of high school students who wish to serve as firefighters or in other emergency response roles after graduation. We worked with 12 total students, and several of them we retained to be members of our fire department, he said. Its a huge benefit we see within that program, and were currently going through some other ones, and theres some really good high school kids that are working down at the fire department. Several members of the council asked Flowers to pass along their thanks to the members of his department, expressing the importance of their hard work and sacrifice for the protection of the community. I just wanted to take a moment to thank the fire department, council President Michael Gillen said. Theyre kind of the unsung heroes with all the volunteers. Please make sure to thank all of those men and women who volunteer so much time to keep our community safe. Council member Cody Bohl seconded Gillens praise, recognizing the difficulties posed by the last several years. The last couple of years have been tough in town, not to mention all of the wildfires that are happening out south. A lot of that stuff hits pretty close to home for a number of people, and I think its important to remember that your staff are volunteers. Thats exactly what they do, volunteer their time, and they put a lot on the line. The Gering City Councils next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 24 in the council chambers at Gering City Hall. College towns nationwide saw a post-pandemic rebound in populations as students returned to school, according to Census figures. "Many counties with large universities saw their populations fully rebound this year as students returned." Dr. Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections in the Census Bureaus population division, said in a news release. Nebraska was no different, with most counties containing a college or university seeing population gains, even those that had lost population the previous year. For example, Dawes County, home to Chadron State College, saw its population climb to 8,241 last year, an increase of 90 people over the previous year, when it had lost 19 people. Wayne County, home to Wayne State College, has now seen two straight years of population gains after a slight decline in 2020. The county added 38 people in 2022 year after adding 149 in 2021. York County, home to York University, added 145 people in 2021 and 106 in 2022. Seward County, home to Concordia University, saw a population gain of 108 people last year after losing 30 in 2021. Other counties with four-year colleges that saw population gains in 2022 were Saline, Sarpy, Lancaster, Douglas, Buffalo and Nemaha counties. The trend was not universal, however. Adams County, home to Hastings College, and Dodge County, home to Midland University, both lost population in 2022 and have dipped below their 2020 Census official populations. KEARNEY Its late March and a million or so gray, red-capped sandhill cranes with gotta-dance attitudes have returned to their favorite spring break destination: Nebraskas Central Platte Valley. Daylight hours are spent eating in grasslands, wetlands and harvested cornfields. Cranes roost at night on river sandbars. In recent days the area began greeting endangered whooping cranes making shorter mid-migration stops. This is the only place in the world where this happens, said Brice Krohn, president and CEO of the Crane Trust, which works to protect and maintain Platte River habitat for migrating cranes and other wildlife in central Nebraska. This is North Americas Serengeti experience. But wildlife habitat conservation is only one activity in the vast Platte River Basin, which originates with Rocky Mountain snow-fed rivers in Colorado and Wyoming that eventually meet in Nebraska to form the Platte River. The water also allows for irrigation, hydropower production, municipal water supplies, economic development and recreation. Disputes common whenever there is high demand for a limited natural resource historically were settled with lawsuits, regulations and piecemeal projects. A court-approved settlement in one such suit led to the formation of the Crane Trust in 1978. Two decades later, a unique alternative was proposed: Develop a partnership-driven, basinwide program involving the U.S. Department of Interior, the three basin states and stakeholders, with a focus on protecting the critical wildlife habitat in central Nebraska. Now 26 years later, that novel approach has, by many accounts, proven to be a success, with an additional 10,000 acres of habitat restored and shortages in target water flows on the decline. It also helped stakeholders avoid burdensome regulations. Human-driven changes to the river began when settlers built roads, towns and reservoirs. Farmers diverted river water to irrigate crops and later pumped hydrologically connected groundwater. Over time, 70% of the basins original water has been removed or retimed by storing it in reservoirs, making the river an even smaller pinch point on the already narrow section of the Central Flyway, an hourglass-shaped migratory corridor stretching from south Texas to northern Canada and Alaska Developing what would become the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program was difficult, but necessary. The Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to ensure that water projects dont harm threatened or endangered species, or adversely modify their critical habitat. By the time the idea for a basinwide recovery program gained momentum in the late 1990s, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had determined that threatened piping plovers and endangered whooping cranes, least terns (since delisted) and pallid sturgeon could be affected by water diversions and land use changes throughout the Platte Basin. Pursuing the recovery program allowed stakeholders that rely on the river to jointly address federal regulations concerning development and other activities that could negatively impact critical habitat. Brian Barels, Nebraska Public Power Districts former relicensing director and water resources manager, said federal compliance costs likely would have triggered increases to electricity rates for all NPPD customers and irrigation system fees paid by farmers. Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District faced similar steep compliance costs tied to conservation efforts. Former General Manager Don Kraus said, We were willing to do some things, but some things affecting the Central Platte habitat are in Colorado and Wyoming. Both districts offered to contribute to a basinwide plan. Central earmarked up to 100,000 acre-feet of water in Lake McConaughy as an environmental account U.S. Fish and Wildlife could tap when water was needed for Central Platte target flows. NPPD pledged its 2,650-acre Cottonwood Ranch habitat land along the river between Elm Creek and Overton. First though, federal and state officials had to agree on whether to even proceed with developing a Platte Basin plan. After months of meetings, its future remained uncertain even hours before the vote to approve at a 1997 meeting in Lincoln. There were probably several ways for this to go south and were better off that it didnt, said Mike Jess, then director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. There wasnt familiarity in the early days or an agreement on objectives. Unfamiliarity leads to distrust. Ultimately the U.S. interior secretary and governors of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming signed a cooperative agreement on July 1, 1997. Committees worked through 2006 on the programs main elements: water, land habitat, and the science needed to identify and evaluate projects. Once you got everybody there, the states, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, water users, conservation groups, there was some momentum going that this was going to work, Kraus said. The plan had two main objectives: protect and/or restore 10,000 acres of Central Platte habitat and reduce shortages to U.S. Fish and Wildlife target flows at Grand Island by 130,000 to 150,000 acre-feet annually. By 2019, the land total was 13,810 acres. Another 184 will be added during the extension through 2032. Target flow depletions have been reduced by around 110,000 acre-feet, said Platte Program Executive Director Jason Farnsworth of Kearney, and the extension calls for getting to 120,000 acre-feet as quickly as possible. Scientific studies then will determine if there is a need to meet the original 130,000 acre-feet goal. The program is vital today and to where we want to go in the future, said the Crane Trusts Krohn. So far, everybody is coming to the table. Over the years, the program has directed hundreds of millions of dollars to conservation efforts, with most of the cash contributions coming from the federal government, Colorado and Wyoming. Most of Nebraskas contributions are in-kind habitat and water. Jess described the Platte River program as an enormous undertaking that couldnt have been done piecemeal. Plus, partnership no longer is a dirty word, he said. Without the partnership, states and stakeholders with interests in agriculture, energy, conservation, recreation, and economic development spurred by growing cities along the Platte River in Nebraska and Colorados Front Range would be competing for limited land and water resources. I see the program and whats being accomplished with conservation and water use as the opposite of the descent into tribalism I see everywhere else, Farnsworth said. We are able to work collaboratively even when its difficult. Photos: Majestic sandhill cranes in Nebraska Flying in a clear blue sky Pair of sandhill cranes at sunset near Gibbon, Nebraska Sandhill cranes on and above a field near Gibbon Sandhill cranes Cranes Cranes Sandhill cranes Cranes Cranes Cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes flying high Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes The Nebraska Project cranes The Nebraska Project The Nebraska Project Sandhill Cranes Sandhill crane Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Rowe Bird Sancutary Cranes in January Cranes in January Cranes in January Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Cranes at sunset Cranes in the water Cranes fly in waves over trees at sunset Sandhill cranes begin to roost at sunset Sandhill cranes glide in for a landing to roost for the night Viewing sandhill cranes from Richard Plautz viewing site A sandhill crane flies above a field south of Gibbon Sandhill cranes silhouetted against the evening sky Sandhill cranes fly over a field Sandhill cranes flock near an irrigation pivot Sandhill cranes forage for food in a field A pair of sandhill cranes glide in a clear blue sky Sandhill cranes gather near farm machinery Sandhill cranes on the Platte River in Nebraska LINCOLN A day before debate begins on an effort to curtail abortion access in Nebraska, Planned Parenthood officials said the legislation is contributing to a "nationwide public health crisis" regarding reproductive rights. Lawmakers are preparing to debate Legislative Bill 626 on Wednesday, which would ban abortions once embryonic cardiac activity can be detected usually around six weeks of pregnancy. If it advances, it still must make it through two more rounds of debate before it goes to Gov. Jim Pillen's desk to be signed. Almost certainly facing a filibuster by opponents, LB 626 will require 33 votes to advance, and the vote is expected to come down to a "razor thin margin," according to Andi Curry Grubb, director of public affairs of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska. She was one of two Planned Parenthood officials who spoke against the bill at a press conference Tuesday. Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade last summer "opened the floodgates" to abortion-banning legislation in statehouses across the nation. Roughly a dozen states have already enacted abortion bans in that time, and Nebraska is one of several others looking to pass similar laws. McGill Johnson also noted a recent decision by a federal judge in Texas that would halt the approval of a common abortion pill. The U.S. Department of Justice has appealed that ruling. "At a time when we should be solving for inequities, we are instead seeing politically motivated lawmakers making decisions to take away our reproductive freedom," she said. Nebraska lawmakers have blocked previous attempts to restrict abortion in past sessions, notably stopping a so-called trigger bill last year that would have banned all abortions once Roe v. Wade was overturned. The sponsor of that bill, State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, introduced LB 626 this year. Although she said she preferred not to allow Nebraska women to have any legal abortions, she felt that a six-week ban is what lawmakers would pass. Opponents contend the legislation is essentially a complete ban, as most women don't realize they are pregnant until after six weeks. Curry Grubb pointed out that a LB 626 co-sponsor, Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, has indicated he has reservations with the bill and has filed an amendment that would instead ban abortions after around 12 weeks of pregnancy. Riepe's amendment has received little support from either supporters or opponents of LB 626. Opponents largely say they won't support any attempts to increase abortion restrictions, while the bill's supporters say the amendment would allow too many abortions. A statement from the Nebraska Family Alliance said that the original LB 626 would prevent roughly 2,000 abortions per year, based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, Riepe's amendment would mean roughly 300 fewer abortions per year. If Riepe pulls his support for LB 626, the bill might not advance. However, since filing his amendment, Riepe has backed away from some of his statements about the bill and said he would support it, regardless of what happens with his proposed amendment. LB 626 is one of several controversial bills at play this session, contributing to a session-long filibuster by opponents. Curry Grubb said the divisive legislation is distracting lawmakers from other issues that would have a larger impact on their constituents. "Stop focusing on these divisive, unnecessary laws, and focus on the things that Nebraskans need and want the Legislature to be working on," Curry Grubb said. 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 Kauth 1 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 First-round debate is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning at the Legislature for a bill that would prohibit doctors from performing abortions if cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. The bill (LB626) from Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston would effectively ban abortions in Nebraska around six weeks gestation before many women know they are pregnant following more than a dozen other states that have enacted similar measures. Its also the first time state lawmakers will consider legislation to further restrict abortion in Nebraska since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last June, putting the Cornhusker state in the national spotlight in the ongoing fight over abortion rights. Organizers on either side of the debate have scheduled competing news conferences, rallies and advocacy action ahead of and during the eight-hour debate, which could come to an end sometime after 6 p.m. Wednesday. When a cloture motion is filed, Albrecht signaled she likely has the 33 votes needed to end a filibuster and advance the bill to the second round of consideration on Day 60 of the 90-day legislative session. Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, a co-sponsor of the bill who voted to advance it from the Health and Human Services Committee in February, said he was likely to vote for cloture even though he believes the current bill goes too far. He pointed to similar laws passed in other states that have been subject to lawsuits, as well as a referendum last August in Kansas that rejected an effort to remove protections for abortion from the state constitution. They shoved it down their throat, in essence, and now they are back to a 22-week ban, Riepe said. The former hospital administrator in March introduced an amendment to lower Nebraskas current ban on abortion from 20 weeks down to 12 weeks, giving women twice the time to seek a legal abortion compared with the parameters now included in Albrechts LB626. The 12-week proposal would have gone before senators at a special legislative session following the Supreme Court overturning Roe last year. But only 30 senators signed onto the proposal, and then-Gov. Pete Ricketts decided not to call lawmakers back to Lincoln. Riepe said he thought the Legislature should get a chance to debate the 12-week proposal this year, which he said created a more predictable, sustainable, and thought-out ban on abortion, but said neither supporters or opponents of Albrechts bill were particularly thrilled about the idea. If neither side is perfectly happy, then you may have a sustainable bill, Riepe said. I just want to put it in front of people because I think thats what democracy is about. Still, with more than 50 amendments and procedural motions already filed ahead of debate, its not likely the 12-week option will come before lawmakers on Wednesday. In that case, Riepe said he planned to vote for cloture along with 31 other Republicans and Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell, a registered Democrat, in order to advance LB626 so his amendment has the opportunity to be discussed on the floor during the next round of debate. Albrecht said she would not support her own bill if Riepes amendment is adopted Im all in on my bill and Riepe said he still had to make up his mind about how he would vote if a majority of senators do not back his proposal. I probably wont know until a few seconds before I hit that button, he said. Albrechts bill, as passed out of committee, includes exceptions for rape, incest and life-saving procedures, and does not apply to ectopic pregnancies, in vitro fertilization or other procedures that lead to the end of a pregnancy. She said the bills goal was to end elective abortions in the state. While LB626 does not create any criminal offenses for doctors who perform an abortion after cardiac activity is detected, those physicians would be subject to a review by their peers that could result in their medical licenses being forfeited. But opponents of the bill, including Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh and Sen. Jen Day of Gretna, said the bill does not repeal existing language from state law that could be used to prosecute those same doctors. In a minority report filed alongside a majority report by the committee, Cavanaugh and Day said that by not removing existing criminal penalties, a court could conclude the Legislature intended to keep those offenses available to prosecutors to use against doctors who perform abortions. On Tuesday, Day said she believes supporters of LB626 will have the votes to advance the bill, even as several senators have wavered and later resolved their support in recent weeks. Day said she believes the ongoing filibuster of another controversial bill LB574 from Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha prohibiting minors in Nebraska from receiving gender-affirming care may have bolstered support for the abortion ban as relationships among senators have frayed in recent weeks. The minority, which would need 17 votes to block a cloture motion, plan to do whatever we need to do to get our point across, Day said, adding opponents have not taken any filibuster or procedural options off the table. We have a lot to talk about with what were seeing in other states with these types of bans, Day said. It will be another terrible, awful day. Blue Mountain School and The Floyd Country Store invites the community to celebrate National Poetry Month during the Family Poetry Palooza, featuring author and performance poet Allan Wolf. Wolf will work with Blue Mountain School students during the day on Tuesday, April 18, and kick off the Palooza at 6 p.m. that evening at The Floyd Country Store. This family friendly, interactive evening of spoken word will include special cameos by some of the Blue Mountain School students themselves. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Wolf is the author of novels, picture books and poetry collections for young people. He is a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, two-time winner of the North Carolina Young Adult Book Award, and recipient of New Yorks Bankstreet College Claudia Lewis Award for Poetry. Also a skilled and seasoned performer of 30 years, Wolfs dynamic author talks and poetry presentations for all ages are inspiring, informative and entertaining. His historical verse novel, The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic, was named, by Booklist, one of the 50 greatest YA novels of all time. Tickets for the Family Poetry Palooza at The Floyd Country Store (206 S. Locust St.) are a suggested donation of $5 for adults. Kids get in free, and no one will be turned away. The fun begins at 6 p.m. For every $5 donated, get a chance to win one of Wolfs books that will be raffled off throughout the evening. Books will also be available to purchase, with proceeds benefiting Blue Mountain School. Abdul Razzaq Habza, the Secretary of the Consumer Protection Society, stated that he does not foresee any salary increases in the near future. However, he urged the government to explore alternative funding sources, such as taxes, to improve the financial situation of state workers. He emphasized that the government has been slow in addressing this issue. Habza expressed his disappointment with the current state of affairs, saying, As citizens, we are ashamed to admit the truth to the media. We are so desperate for food that some people are dying of hunger, while others are forced to eat spoiled food. He further added that despite the governments recent tax hikes and price increases for essential commodities, citizens have yet to see any tangible benefits. Habza highlighted the scarcity of goods in the market, citing the exorbitant prices of essential items such as sugar, chicken, and meat as evidence. He emphasized that if these items were more readily available, their prices would have decreased. According to Habza, families are left with two options to cope with the situation: either purchase goods of questionable quality at a low price, risking fraud and health issues, or ration their consumption and hope that future generations will not have to face similar hardships. He clarified that the people we see in malls and restaurants are not representative of the general population. Rather, they constitute the 2% of the population who have an income, whether earned legally or illegally. Habza further commented on the current situation, stating that citizens and the country as a whole are burdened with an unjust wealth gap resulting from widespread corruption and extortion. He emphasized that his organization is actively working to combat this issue and advocating for legislation to address it. Habza stressed that its crucial to uphold the dignity of employees and prevent them from being forced to bribe auditors. Habza also expressed concerns regarding the function of the Syrian Trade Organization, questioning whether it is meant to be a service or commercial institution. He criticized the organizations performance, pointing out that their prices are almost identical to market prices despite claiming to be a service-based entity. Saudi Arabia is actively working towards reinstating Syria's position, according to al-Souria Net. According to diplomatic sources, Kuwait has expressed its support for the Syrian regimes reinstatement in the Arab League and has suggested convening an Arab meeting to discuss this matter. The sources revealed that Kuwait is in favour of the Arab Leagues decision regarding the regimes return to its position within the organization. Additionally, they mentioned that an upcoming meeting of Arab foreign ministers, to be held in Jeddah next week, will cover a range of topics, including the reactivation of Syrias membership in the Arab League. Diplomatic sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, have revealed that the reinstatement of the Syrian regimes membership in the Arab League is subject to the consensus of all Arab countries, similar to the process that took place when the regimes membership was initially suspended. Despite Kuwaits announcement in February that it had no intentions of restoring relations with the Syrian regime, sources informed Al-Jarida newspaper that Kuwait would not object to the regimes reentry into the Arab League if there was an agreement among all Arab countries. Saudi Efforts Meanwhile, there are reports that Saudi Arabia is actively working towards reinstating Syrias position in the Arab League. Reuters revealed on April 2 that Saudi Arabia is planning to invite President Assad to attend the Arab summit in Riyadh next month, effectively ending Syrias regional isolation. This move comes at a time when the US and the West are attempting to isolate Damascus and impose sanctions on it. According to Saudi Arabias Okaz newspaper, the country is aiming to take a leading role in calming regional hotspots, such as Syria, following its surprise decision to restore relations with Iran last month. The paper suggests that Riyadh is determined to ensure that nothing disrupts its ambitious plans to transform its economy. Bloomberg, the American news agency, has verified that Saudi Arabia is actively taking measures to end the suspension of Syrias membership in the Arab League, ahead of the scheduled summit in mid-May. The report suggests that while the United States is aware of these efforts, it is powerless to stop them. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to establish his country as the preeminent political and economic force in the Arab world. However, reconciling with Syria may weaken American influence in the region and exacerbate the divide between regional powers and the United States. 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. Cavusoglu announced that the meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime would take place in early May, according to Baladi News. The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, addressed the discrepancies between Turkey and the United States regarding their support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria. Cavusoglu stated that there are discrepancies between the two nations over Americas endorsement of the SDF, Fethullah Gulen, and the sanctions imposed on Ankara, according to the Anadolu Agency. Turkey regards the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish Units (YPG) and affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as a terrorist organization, citing its connections to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been engaged in a military insurgency in Turkey for several decades. In contrast, the United States has been providing support to the SDF for several years as part of the fight against ISIS. Additionally, Cavusoglu announced that the meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime regarding Syria would take place in Moscow in early May. Turkey regards the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish Units (YPG) and affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as a terrorist organization, citing its connections to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been engaged in a military insurgency in Turkey for several decades. In contrast, the United States has been providing support to the SDF for several years as part of the fight against ISIS. Additionally, Cavusoglu announced that the meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime regarding Syria would take place in Moscow in early May. Recently, a meeting regarding Syria was held in Moscow, with the participation of the deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, the Assad regime, and Iran. The Turkish delegation was led by Burak Ak Capar, as reported by the Anatolia agency. According to diplomatic sources, the attendees discussed the essential arrangements for the upcoming foreign ministers meeting of the four countries, with each representative expressing their countrys position clearly and candidly. Representatives from several countries attended the meeting, including Mikhail Bogdanov, who represented Russia as President Vladimir Putins Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, Ali Asghar Haji, who represented Iran as an Advisor for Political Affairs to the Foreign Minister, and Ayman Sousan, who represented the Assad regime as Deputy Foreign Minister. 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. Assad recently issued a decree announcing the dismissal of Amr Salem from his position as Minister of Internal Trade, according to Rozana. The Al-Modon website has released a report stating that Amr Salem, the former Minister of Internal Trade, has been arrested for questioning allegations of collusion with US intelligence agencies. The investigation pertains to his suspected involvement in corrupt activities and questionable business deals. In a statement to the Snack Syrian website, Salem denied the accusations levelled against him. According to a source cited by al-Modon on Monday, members of the Syrian National Security carried out a raid on Amr Salems farm in the Sabboura area of the Damascus countryside. During the raid, they discovered a substantial amount of money, approximately $800 million, along with 6 billion Syrian pounds and 2 kilograms of 21-carat gold. The report also alleges that the former minister smuggled $2 million to the UAE in mid-May 2022, depositing the funds in a bank account under his wife Abeer al-Bitars name. According to the same source cited by al-Modon, President Assad recently instructed Finance Minister Kenan Yaghi to establish a committee responsible for confiscating Amr Salems assets, both tangible and intangible. The website also reported that the regime facilitated Salems arrest by leaking a confidential document from 2005, signed by the head of the National Security Bureau, which accused Salem of collaborating with the Israeli Mossad and US intelligence agencies. The document warned against appointing Salem to any governmental role. Minister denies Amr Salem, in audio recordings obtained by the website Snack Syrian, refuted all allegations made against him, stating: All of the reports published about me are entirely fabricated, as is evident from their writing style. Salem went on to affirm: I am presently at my home in Damascus, and there have been no charges or accusations leveled against me. In late March, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree announcing the dismissal of Amr Salem from his position as Minister of Internal Trade, replacing him with Mohsen Abdel Karim. The decree included ministerial changes involving four other officials. Salem had been appointed to the position in August 2021, prior to his dismissal on March 29, 2023. During his tenure, Salem was a frequent presence in the media, with his statements often generating debate and discussion on social media. While some regarded him as being in touch with the people, others saw his remarks as detached from reality and a source of sarcastic humor. Donia al-Watan website reported that Amr Salem was dismissed from his position in the Ministry of Communications in 2007 following a corruption case. The General Authority for Control and Inspection launched an investigation into the matter, resulting in the government seizing Salems assets, both tangible and intangible, as well as those of the then-Director General of the Telecommunications Corporation, Haitham Chidiac. However, Salem was ultimately acquitted of the corruption charges a year after his departure from the ministry, despite the seizure of his assets at the time. 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. President Bashar al-Assad issued legislative decree no. /5/ for the year 2023, which stipulates disbursing a one-time financial grant with an amount of SYP 150,000 to all civilian and military state employees and pensioners. The grant, according to SANA, will be exempted from income tax on wages and salaries and other deductions. Assad used to order his government workers a grant on the occasion of the end of Ramadan Eid. This years grant is equal to $20.00. A Syria official told a local radio station that he does not believe there will be an immediate increase in salaries. However, he urges the government to explore alternative solutions, such as utilizing taxes, to benefit the states workers. Habza stresses that the government has been slow to address this issue. In recent times, we have witnessed an unjustifiable accumulation of wealth on the shoulders of both citizens and the country, due to rampant extortion and existing corruption. This has greatly worsened the situation, which we are striving to prevent, the official told Melody FM. Mekdad meets with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security Affairs Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Dr. Faisal al-Mekdad, has met with the Assistant Secretary-General of UN for Safety and Security Affairs, Unaisi Lutu Vuniwaqa, SANA reported. Mekdad underscored that the existing cooperation over the war years with the Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) and its representatives in Syria prevented UN crews from suffering from losses as a result of the criminal acts perpetrated by the terrorist groups. Mikdad noted the importance of this visit in terms of conveying the developments in Syria, in particular news related to restoring stability and security in most regions, conveying the magnitude of the disaster caused by the earthquake, in addition to the importance of lifting the coercive embargo imposed by the US and the West. Unaisi Vuniwaqa hailed the role played by the Syrian government in providing protection for the UN cadres operating in Syria, and to the UNDSS cadres in particular especially during the earthquake disaster which resulted in a better response, stressing their readiness to cooperate with the country in issues of mutual interest. Damascus accuses the U.S. of looting new batch of Syrian oil The U.S. forces have plundered new large quantities of Syrian oil from Syria al-Jazeera fields and transported them to their bases in Iraqi territory. A convoy belongs to U.S. occupation consisting of 77 vehicles, including 32 tanks filled with stolen oil from the Syrian fields, in addition to six military armoured vehicles headed through the illegitimate al-Walid crossing towards the US occupation bases in Iraqi territory. local sources from al-Yarubiyah countryside told SANA reporter. On March 25th, the U.S. occupation stole a convoy of 80 tanks loaded with Syrian oil from al-Jazeera fields and transported it to its bases in Iraq. Turkish border guards arrest 16 Syrians crossing border North Press reports that Turkish border guards arrested 16 Syrians, including women and children, while they were trying to cross to Turkey from Kherbet Eljoz west of Idleb, northwest Syria, as well as, two young men were wounded. Local sources from the village of Kherbet Eljoz told North Press that the Turkish border guards are still arresting the civilians amid fear for their lives since three women, one of which is an elderly woman, and six children are among the arrested. The sources added that the wounded young men were transferred to a hospital in Jisr al-Shughur. They noted that the Turkish border guards have increased their brutal practices against residents who want to cross the border following the Feb. 6 earthquake. They also targeted farmers while working on their lands near the border. Families of the arrested fear that the Turkish border guards harm them since Turkish human rights violations against Syrians have lately witnessed a surge, according to the sources. Iranian militias attack U.S.-led coalition bases in eastern Syria Two large military bases belonging to the U.S.-led global coalition in eastern Syria were targeted on Monday by Iranian militias, local sources have said. Bases at the Conoco gas field and the Haql Al-Omar oil field in the Deir az-Zour countryside were hit by a missile launched on Monday evening by Iranian militias Ahd Salibi, a member of the Naher Media news group based in Deirezzor, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. Salibi said that the Iranian militias were stationed in the desert town of Jadid Akidat but another media outlet reported that the missiles were likely launched from Hatla, a town closer to the base than Jadid Akidat. Coalition aircraft conducted military manoeuvres after the strike as well as several air raids on Iranian militia sites, Ahd Salibi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. The Haql Al-Omar field is the largest of its kind and has a significant presence of US military personnel supporting Kurdish-led forces, who previously played a key role in the battle to defeat the Islamic State (IS) group in eastern Syria. The U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the attack caused no injuries or damage to the base or coalition property. Civilians killed in Syria regimes shelling of Idleb The Syrian Civil Defence also known as White Helmets said a number of civilians, mainly children, were killed as a result of the Syrian regime and Russian shelling of residential neighbourhoods in the city of Sarmin, in Idlebs eastern countryside. The rescue group indicated a child was killed and four others, including an infant, were wounded, as a result of the regime and Russia targeting with four artillery shells, residential neighbourhoods in the city of Sarmin. One person was killed and four civilians, including two women, were wounded, on Thursday, March 23rd, the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan, as a result of artillery shelling by the regime forces and Russia, which targeted residential neighbourhoods and popular markets in the city of Atarib and the villages of Al-Abzimo and Al-Jina in Aleppo western countryside, it added. The group confirmed that, from the beginning of this year to April 8th, it had responded to about 110 attacks by the Syrian regime and Russia in northwestern Syria. The attacks killed four people, including a woman, and wounded 28 others, including ten children and six women. Arab Countries Invited To Discuss Syria As Friction Eases Nine Arab countries have been invited to discuss relations with Syria in Saudi Arabia this week, the Qatari foreign ministry said Tuesday, as efforts mount to reduce Damascuss long isolation Agence France-Presse reported. The six Gulf Cooperation Council countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and ministers from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan are due to meet in Jeddah on Friday, foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said. The main objective is to discuss the situation in Syria, he told a briefing. Syrias President Bashar al-Assad, diplomatically isolated since the start of the Syrian war in 2011, has visited the UAE and Oman over the past two months. Saudi Arabia announced last month that it has started talks with Damascus about resuming consular services. Syria was expelled from the Arab League over the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests that unleashed the war. An Arab League summit is expected to be held in Riyadh in May. Kuwaiti Al-Jarida also mentioned that Kuwait supports the return of the Syrian regime to its seat in the Arab League, indicating that an Arab meeting will be held to discuss this issue. Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that Kuwait will support the decision taken by the Arab League regarding the regimes return to its seat in the League. House panel to explore Assad regime war crimes in hearing next week A House subcommittee announced a hearing next week to explore alleged war crimes in Syria. The hearing, which will be held on April 18, is set to evaluate United States policy toward Syria and comes as Syrian President Bashar Assad has made overtures to his disgruntled neighbours in an attempt to reassert his footing on the world stage. The Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia will convene a hearing entitled, 12 Years of Terror: Assads War Crimes and U.S. Policy for Seeking Accountability in Syria,' the House Foreign Affairs Committee announced. Witnesses for the hearing include a former Syrian official known as the Grave Digger, Joel Rayburn, former special envoy to Syria, and Jonathan Lord, senior fellow and director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. Op-ed: the Syrian opposition has vanished Omar Qadour, a Syrian activist and writer, has discussed in the Lebanese newspaper al-Modon the recent normalization efforts towards Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, two countries that had previously sponsored the opposition. According to the author, these efforts could benefit Assad by devaluing the opposition and weakening their negotiating position. The article also criticizes the Syrian opposition for its lack of effectiveness and argues that the oppositions failure to engage in politics has contributed to its marginalization. Qadour suggests that the opposition needs to provide a viable alternative to Assad and engage in organized political activity to prevent him from gaining further power. Qadour concludes that Assad will gain more power sooner or later in the complete absence of the opposition and without a viable alternative. He acknowledges that the question about the alternative has often been used maliciously but asserts that it is the oppositions responsibility to provide a deeper understanding. The alternative, according to Qadour, is an organized experience of or more that first enjoys a minimum level of respect among Syrians and proves that it is not chaos or nothingness. The alternative is not meant to be a substitute for Syrians choosing their representatives in democratic conditions in the future. Instead, it is meant to support the democratic choice whenever it becomes possible and to send a message to the international community about the eligibility of Syrians, which hinders decision-making on their behalf and in their absence. Qadour acknowledges that this is a challenging task but emphasizes that doing nothing is always the easier option. The attorney representing the man accused of killing Longview restaurateur Grant W. Hadler has filed a motion for a second independent autopsy, while Hadlers widow says the defenses allegations about the night of his death are false. Ruperto Aguayo, 42, of Kelso, faces one count of first-degree manslaughter for allegedly assaulting Hadler, who owned Grants at The Monticello in Longview. A trial date has not been set yet. Police say at roughly 2:30 a.m. Feb. 19, officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of Ross Avenue in Kelso to assist Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue personnel who were responding to an injured Hadler found in the street. He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest after being placed in the ambulance and later died Feb. 26 at a Vancouver hospital. In a police report, Aguayo said he punched Hadler once when he learned Hadler inappropriately touched Aguayos girlfriend in the car after driving from Longviews Shamrock Tavern. A witness told police the same story, records show. Sherry Hadler, his widow, told The Daily News the recounting is a lie. Its a made-up story to try to validate the brain damage and the killing of Grant, she said. Grant had the utmost respect for women, as does his entire family of five brothers and one sister. I know it, and everyone who knows Grant knows its a lie. Sherry Hadler said her husband didnt know anyone in the vehicle except one acquaintance who is not the suspect. She also said Grant Hadler didnt have any underlying medical conditions. Autopsy questions Vancouver-based attorney Angus Lee, who is serving as Aguayos defense, has filed a motion in Cowlitz County Superior Court to have Grant Hadlers body reexamined. The central tenet of the motion is that there is serious reason to doubt that a single punch allegedly flung by Aguayo on the night of the incident could have caused the 54-year-old Grant Hadler to have suffered a cardiac arrest and that only through a second autopsy along with a review of hospital treatment records, will authorities be able to rule out other possibilities. According to Dr. Marta Burt, who conducted the autopsy, Grant Halders injuries were not consistent with a single punch or a single fall, but as she described the injuries as being assaulted by a blunt object. Aguayos legal team argues Grant Handlers injuries could be attributed to the multiple life-saving measures and medical care he received the following days after being found. Cowlitz 2 firefighter and EMT Andy Worth reportedly told authorities he believed Grant had been assaulted due to injuries to his face, nose and ribs. In response to the motion for a second autopsy on her husband, Sherry Hadler said, Id say Good luck with that. A potential new law that would give police officers more leeway to pursue suspects by vehicle passed the Washington House of Representatives Tuesday. Senate Bill 5352 passed the House 57-40 and heads back to the Senate for a final vote. The bill lowers the threshold for police officers to engage in vehicular pursuits, but only if the suspect poses a serious risk of harm to others, according to the bill report. A 2021 law required officers to have probable cause to pursue suspects on suspected crimes, while the bill allows reasonable suspicion in cases including violent offenses, sex offenses, vehicular assault, escape, driving while under the influence, or domestics violence assault in the first-, second- or third-degree, according to the bill report. Reasonable suspicion is the lowest level of proof that a police officer could have to stop a person they suspect of committing a crime. Probable cause means a police officer has more substantial evidence that a person has committed a crime. Cowlitz County Sheriff Brad Thurman welcomes the alterations but said he wants more expansion on the number of crimes to pursue suspects. Kalama Police Rafael Ralph Herrera told The Daily News he is pretty well in line with the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs efforts and that he is happy to see this first step, but that there is a long way to go. The Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs, who pursued the retrograde of the 2021 law, also called the change an incremental improvement. Legislators showed leadership and support for victims of crime. However, there is more work to be done on this important issue in the future, states a press release by WASPC. WASPC initially pursued more felonies to be added to the bill, including stalking, hate crimes and residential burglary. Proponents of the current law say the legislation is making streets safer. Since the 2021 law was enacted, there has been a 75% drop in the number of people killed in police pursuits, according to retired University of Washington professor Martina Morris. Morriss data states that 54% of police pursuit-related fatalities occur by local law enforcement. CENTRALIA One person was treated for smoke inhalation and one person was arrested following a fire at the Peppertree West Motor Inn in Centralia last week that displaced the motels occupants. The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Friday afternoon. First responders were dispatched to the structure fire in the 1200 block of Alder Street just before 6:25 p.m. Thursday after three people separately reported black, billowing smoke coming from the inn, according to Chehalis Fire Chief Tedd Hendershot. Riverside Fire Authority was the lead fire agency at the scene, with assistance from Chehalis Fire, Lewis County Fire District 5, Lewis County Fire District 6 and crews from Thurston County. At around 7:05 p.m. on Thursday, as crews worked to put out hot spots, Riverside Fire Authority Chief Mike Kytta said responders were presented with challenges due to the odd-shaped building. He noted firefighters had created a pretty good loop around the fire as they worked from one side of the building to the other. It was extremely active smoke that laid down low, Hendershot said Friday, adding that it was hard to find the seed of the fire because of the smoke. Crews ultimately determined the fire originated in one of the rooms, which had one male occupant who reportedly attempted to run onto Interstate 5 when fire crews arrived, according to police call logs. Officers from the Centralia Police Department responded and located the man, identified as Todd H. Bergfalk, 52, of Onalaska. When officers contacted him, Bergfalk allegedly threw a lit cigarette at the officer, according to the call logs. Bergfalk was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for assault at 8 p.m. on Thursday. His preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court for the third-degree assault charge was Friday. During the hearing, Bergfalk was also charged with arson in the first-degree. His bail was set at $100,000. Crews from various fire departments systematically worked their way through the building to clear rooms on Thursday, according to Riverside. One occupant, a 61-year-old woman, reported difficulty breathing and was treated for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported. Crews cleared the scene just before 9:10 p.m. on Thursday. The American Red Cross has been deployed to aid the inns displaced occupants, according to Chehalis Fire. 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 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 technologiesimage generators like DALL-E, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, and text generators like Bard, ChatGPT, Chinchilla and LLaMAare now available to millions of people and don't 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 challengeand why it's so important to get it right. Human foibles and a moving target S. Shyam Sundar, Professor of Media Effects & Director, Center for Socially Responsible AI, Penn State: 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 AI's 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 user's judgment and results in the user overly trusting machines. However, simply disabusing people of AI's infallibility is not sufficient, because humans are known to unconsciously assume competence even when the technology doesn't 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 don't 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 AI's outcomes and products, though I believe that these frameworks should also recognize that the systems' designers cannot always be held accountable for mishaps. Combining 'soft' and 'hard' approaches Cason Schmit, Assistant Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University: 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 I propose a third way: Copyleft AI with Trusted Enforcement (CAITE). This approach combines two very different concepts in intellectual propertycopyleft licensing and patent trolls. Copyleft licensing allows for content to be used, reused or modified easily under the terms of a licensefor 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 licensesa "troll for good." Though generative AI has been grabbing headlines of late, other types of AI have been posing challenges for regulators for years, particularly in the area of data privacy. 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. Four key questions to ask John Villasenor, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Law, Public Policy, and Management, University of California, Los Angeles: The extraordinary recent advances in large language model-based generative AI are spurring calls to create new AI-specific regulation. Here are four key questions to ask as that dialogue progresses: (1) Is new AI-specific regulation necessary? Many of the potentially problematic outcomes from AI systems are already addressed by existing frameworks. If an AI algorithm used by a bank to evaluate loan applications leads to racially discriminatory loan decisions, that would violate the Fair Housing Act. If the AI software in a driverless car causes an accident, products liability law provides a framework for pursuing remedies. (2) What are the risks of regulating a rapidly changing technology based on a snapshot of time? A classic example of this is the Stored Communications Act, which was enacted in 1986 to address then-novel digital communication technologies like email. In enacting the SCA, Congress provided substantially less privacy protection for emails more than 180 days old. The logic was that limited storage space meant that people were constantly cleaning out their inboxes by deleting older messages to make room for new ones. As a result, messages stored for more than 180 days were deemed less important from a privacy standpoint. It's not clear that this logic ever made sense, and it certainly doesn't make sense in the 2020s, when the majority of our emails and other stored digital communications are older than six months. A common rejoinder to concerns about regulating technology based on a single snapshot in time is this: If a law or regulation becomes outdated, update it. But this is easier said than done. Most people agree that the SCA became outdated decades ago. But because Congress hasn't been able to agree on specifically how to revise the 180-day provision, it's still on the books over a third of a century after its enactment. (3) What are the potential unintended consequences? The Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 was a law passed in 2018 that revised Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act with the goal of combating sex trafficking. While there's little evidence that it has reduced sex trafficking, it has had a hugely problematic impact on a different group of people: sex workers who used to rely on the websites knocked offline by FOSTA-SESTA to exchange information about dangerous clients. This example shows the importance of taking a broad look at the potential effects of proposed regulations. (4) What are the economic and geopolitical implications? If regulators in the United States act to intentionally slow the progress in AI, that will simply push investment and innovationand the resulting job creationelsewhere. While emerging AI raises many concerns, it also promises to bring enormous benefits in areas including education, medicine, manufacturing, transportation safety, agriculture, weather forecasting, access to legal services and more. I believe AI regulations drafted with the above four questions in mind will be more likely to successfully address the potential harms of AI while also ensuring access to its benefits. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, on March 21, 2023, in Boston. The Italian governments privacy watchdog said Friday March 31, 2023 that it is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach. Credit: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File ChatGPT could return to Italy soon if its maker, OpenAI, complies with measures to satisfy regulators who had imposed a temporary ban on the artificial intelligence software over privacy worries. The Italian data protection authority on Wednesday outlined a raft of requirements that OpenAI will have to satisfy by April 30 for the the ban on AI chatbot to be lifted. The watchdog known as Garante last month ordered the company to temporarily stop processing Italian users' personal information while it investigated a possible data breach. The authority said it didn't want to hamper AI's development but emphasized the importance of following the European Union's strict data privacy rules. OpenAI, which had responded by proposing remedies to ease the concerns, on Wednesday welcomed the Italian regulators' move. "We are happy that the Italian Garante is reconsidering their decision and we look forward to working with them to make ChatGPT available to our customers in Italy again soon," OpenAI said. Concerns are growing about the artificial intelligence boom, with other countries, from France to Canada, investigating or looking closer at so-called generative AI technology like ChatGPT. The chatbot is "trained" on huge pools of data, including digital books and online writings, and able to generate text that mimics human writing styles. Under Italy's measures, OpenAI must post information on its website about how and why it processes the personal information of both users and non-users, as well as provide the option to correct or delete that data. The company will have to rely on consent or "legitimate interest" to use personal data to train ChatGPT's algorithms, the watchdog said. The Italian regulators had questioned whether there's a legal basis for OpenAI to collect massive amounts of data used to teach ChatGPT's algorithms and raised concerns the system could sometimes generate false information about individuals. San Francisco-based OpenAI also will have to carry out a publicity campaign by May 15 through radio and TV, newspapers and the internet to inform people about how it uses their personal data for training algorithms, Italy's watchdog said. There's also a requirement to verify users' ages and set up a system to filter out those who are under 13 and teens between 13 and 18 who don't have parental consent. "Only in that case will the Italian SA (supervisory authority) lift its order that placed a temporary limitation on the processing of Italian users' data .... so that ChatGPT will be available once again from Italy," the watchdog said on its website. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The electronics subsidiary of German multinational health care company Merck KGaA said Wednesday it will spend $300 million to expand its specialty gas production facility in eastern Pennsylvania in a step that state officials hope will help boost the area's appeal to the fast-growing semiconductor industry. The subsidiary, EMD Electronics, said the expansion will create the world's largest integrated specialty gases facility as part of its program to invest over $3.5 billion on projects by 2025, including at sites in Arizona, Texas and California. Company officials say the site houses a research center and synthesizes materials that form core building blocks of transistors, a component of microchips. Gov. Josh Shapiro, who attended the announcement at the site in Schuylkill County, pledged more than $1 million in state grants for the expansion. "This industry is huge and its growth potential is enormous, and it is key to our economy and to our national security," Shapiro told a news conference. Chip manufacturers are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build new factories and expand production in the United States, fueled partly by federal subsidies designed to revive domestic production of computer chips. The subsidies are a key element of the Biden administration's effort to sharpen the U.S. edge in military technology and manufacturing while minimizing the kinds of supply disruptions to Asia during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a shortage of chips shut down factory assembly lines. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Experimental setup for the project Smart Window Credit: Fraunhofer ISIT The precisely transmitted image of the quay wall on the ship's window of the steering bridge, provided with some additional information, for example on current conditions and mooring possibilitieseven in fog, darkness and poor visibilitythis is what the ship navigation of tomorrow could look like. With the joint project "Smart Window," Fraunhofer ISIT has worked together with partners from industry and the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research (IGD) on an intelligent solution for implementing an augmented reality display on a ship's bridge in order to process, filter and display all relevant data for ship operation in the future. Embedding the AR display in a window of the ship's bridge offers the possibility of displaying a variety of information directly in the skipper's field of vision, thus facilitating the skipper's work. Fraunhofer ISIT has developed a scanning full-color laser projection system as the central element for the novel AR display. The core of the system is a silicon micromirror. It is suspended on two perpendicular axes. The mirror can oscillate about these axes, excited by electrostatic forces. When laser light is cast onto the mirror, such a mirror can be used to project any image onto the ship's window that is sufficiently large and well illuminated for the application. To ensure that the mirror achieves large deflection angles and does not become dirty, it is encapsulated with a glass cover at low internal pressure at the wafer level. The project as a whole is very challenging. An augmented reality view is created by the complex interaction of data preparation, sensor technology and visualization, which is usually created specifically for one viewing angle. In order to feed information into the user's field of view in such a way that it specifically enriches reality, the digital model of the world must be brought into congruence with reality. For example, global data, such as position data from the electronic nautical charting system, and local data from the ship's own sensors, such as radar, must be fused and rendered relative to the viewer. In addition to enormous computing power, this requires information about the user's field of vision in particular, so that the superimposed data can be clearly assigned to real objects from the user's point of view. If the user moves, this must be tracked in real time and the virtual image adjusted accordingly. This tracking function is performed by a 3D camera, which must function robustly and accurately even in the low light conditions on a ship's bridge at night. Another important component for AR projections on the windows of the steering bridge are suitable glass laminates for the windows. These consist of standard-compliant individual glasses bonded with films to form a laminate, which must meet the stringent requirements for suitability in maritime environments. The Smart Window project has great significance for the increasing demands on the current transport and supply infrastructure in the face of increasing globalization. Shipping plays a special role here. This is because while truck drivers and train drivers are tied to the infrastructure of the road and rail network, and pilots can rely on electronic monitoring and control worldwide, ships are often still left to their own devices in many places. This requires a high level of decision-making authority and forward-looking data-based planning on the part of ship operators. "In particular, up-to-date comprehensive information on navigation, weather and local features such as crossing ships is available in real time with Smart Window, as is information on the technical status of the ship and the functionality of many subsystems. Smart Window thus offers good approaches to further optimize safety in maritime traffic," explains the head of the project at Fraunhofer ISIT, Dr. Shanshan Gu-Stoppel. In the past few months, the scientists at Fraunhofer ISIT have once again significantly improved the projection system and the necessary control electronics with regard to image stability, contrast, stability and refresh rate. They will be demonstrating their system at the Hannover Messe from April 17 to April 21, 2023, at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's booth A12 in Hall 16. Provided by Fraunhofer-Institut fur Siliziumtechnologie 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. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes months-long battle to extend her freedom is over: A federal court judge on Tuesday denied her bid to delay imprisonment, ruling she must surrender April 27 to serve her sentence for felony fraud at a Bryan prison camp. Judge Edward Davila said he found Holmes was not a flight risk or danger to the community, but he concluded she had not raised any substantial questions of law or fact that would be likely to result in a reversal of the jurys fraud verdict or a new trial. The U.S. Marshals Service will determine whether Holmes must show up at the prisons gates or meet federal marshals elsewhere so she can be taken to prison. Davila has recommended she serve her more than 11-year sentence at a minimum-security facility in Bryan, but federal prison authorities have the final say on where she will be confined. For Holmes, whose adoption of a black turtleneck and claims of a revolutionary technology saw her compared to legendary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Davilas decision answers one of the last key questions about her fate that have arisen since the first Wall Street Journal expose shot cracks through her carefully crafted image in 2015. Would the negative press coverage harm Theranos, after Holmes relentless hyping of its blood-testing technology drove it to a $9 billion valuation? Yes, fatally. Would Securities and Exchange Commission charges lead to a criminal indictment? Yes, on multiple counts of felony fraud. Would she be found guilty? Yes, of defrauding investors, but not patients. Would she get prison time? Yes, more than 11 years. And now: When will she walk through the prison gates to begin years of incarceration, under Davilas ruling? In a little over two weeks. Three big questions remain: Will Holmes appeal Davilas surrender-date order, like former Theranos president Sunny Balwani, separately tried and convicted of felony fraud before the same judge? If she does appeal that decision, will she succeed, where Balwani on Friday failed? And finally: Will Holmes appeal of her conviction and sentence succeed? Thats a real Hail Mary the federal judiciary says the vast majority of such appeals fail. A jury convicted Holmes, 39, in U.S. District Court in January 2022 of four counts of defrauding investors in her now-defunct Palo Alto startup through false statements about her company and its purported ability to conduct a full range of tests using just a few drops of blood from a finger-stick. Her four-month trial in U.S. District Court generated world-wide media coverage, with evidence revealing Theranos technology fell far short of Holmes claims, and that she engaged in substantial deceptions about its capabilities and uses, and about her companys financial state. Davila sentenced her in November, but allowed her to stay free until April 27 in a decision legal experts believed was connected to her pregnancy. In December, Holmes appealed her conviction and sentence, noting in a court filing that she was convicted only of defrauding investors, and claiming that the court record is teeming with issues for appeal. Three days after filing her notice of appeal, Holmes asked Davila to delay her incarceration until the appeal is concluded, a process that can take a year or more after an appeal notice is filed. Prosecutors opposed her bid, contending Holmes posed a flight risk and claiming she had tried to flee the country on a one-way ticket to Mexico after her conviction. Her legal team has denied that allegation, citing her two children one born in the past few months, and a son born in July 2021 as she awaited trial as among the reasons she would not abscond. A Stanford University dropout who founded Theranos in 2003, Holmes has been free on bail since federal authorities hit her with fraud charges in 2018. She lives with hotel heir Billy Evans, who described himself in a February court filing as her fiance. According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshals Service tells convicted criminals, once their date to surrender themselves for imprisonment is determined, whether to appear at the designated prison, or surrender to U.S. Marshals. Female federal prisoners are allowed to bring into prison a plain wedding band, earrings without stones worth less than $100, medical or orthopedic devices, legal documents and ID, and warden-approved religious items that do not pose a security threat. Davila has yet to issue a decision on whether Holmes must pay restitution for losses from her crimes. Federal prosecutors in a court filing last month asked Davila to order Holmes to repay the full amount of investor losses, which the prosecution tallied at more than $878 million. Davila has pegged investor losses from Holmes criminal conduct at $381 million. A jury convicted her on counts relating to investor losses of about $144 million. Holmes in a February court filing said she continues to work on ideas for patents but has essentially no assets of meaningful value. In an earlier filing, Holmes legal team said she has incurred substantial debt from which she is unlikely to recover. The Texas House has taken sides in one of Americas most polarizing debates whether to continue changing clocks twice a year, ditch daylight saving time altogether or stick with later daylight permanently. The representatives overwhelming verdict: Stay on daylight saving time moving forward. The chamber voted 136-5 on Tuesday to give initial approval to House Bill 1422, from Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe. The antiquated practice of springing forward and falling back changing our clocks twice a year is frustrating to many Texans, Metcalf said ahead of the vote. I believe we should stick to a time without switching twice a year. Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, asked if the House could vote on who likes which variation of time before voting on the bill, which drew a couple of chuckles. That vote did not occur. The idea is far from becoming reality. Once the bill gets a final House vote, it still has to clear the Texas Senate. And even if signed to law by Gov. Greg Abbott, the measure would still require an OK from Congress. Federal law lets states exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time meaning they remain on standard time year-round if they pass state laws doing so. But states do not have the power to permanently observe daylight saving time, like the Texas House wants, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Thats the federal agency that oversees the countrys time zones and uniform observance of daylight saving time. Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, according to the transportation department. If HB 1422 were to become law, Texas would join 19 states that have enacted or passed measures for year-round observation of daylight saving time, according to a tally from research group National Conference of State Legislatures. Still, the laws cannot go into effect as HB 1422 notes unless Congress enacts a law granting states the authority to observe daylight saving time all the time. Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida introduced a federal bill last month that seeks to do just that. This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid, Rubio said in a statement last month. Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. HB 1422 is among at least 18 bills that have been filed this session concerning Texas time and daylight saving. Some of the proposals are similar to HB 1422; others would let voters decide the time of day through a referendum. While many researchers and sleep experts approve of no longer switching clocks twice a year, there appears to be less consensus about whether to follow daylight saving time or standard time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, for instance, supports eliminating seasonal time changes and has found that permanently switching to daylight saving time could increase mood disorders and motor vehicle crashes. The group wrote in a 2020 statement current evidence best supports the adoption of year-round standard time, which aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety. The National Sleep Foundation also endorses sticking with standard time, writing in its own opinion about the matter that the human circadian system does not adjust to annual clock changes. Sleep becomes disrupted, less efficient, and shortened. [Daylight saving time] forces our biological clocks out of sync with the rising and setting of the sun (the sun clock). The link between our biological clock and the sun clock has been crucial to human health and well-being for millennia. Polls have shown Americans also want to stop changing their clocks twice a year but are not on the same page about which time to follow. Autumn Glory Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) by 30.9% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 6,968 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,645 shares during the quarter. Autumn Glory Partners LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $1,859,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dubuque Bank & Trust Co. grew its position in Accenture by 10.9% during the 3rd quarter. Dubuque Bank & Trust Co. now owns 1,233 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $317,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. RFG Advisory LLC grew its position in Accenture by 15.5% during the 3rd quarter. RFG Advisory LLC now owns 2,866 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $771,000 after purchasing an additional 385 shares during the period. Lincoln National Corp grew its position in Accenture by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Lincoln National Corp now owns 4,480 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,153,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the period. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $575,000. Finally, Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $221,000. 73.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Accenture alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades ACN has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Edward Jones upgraded Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on Accenture from $310.00 to $290.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 19th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Accenture from $289.00 to $294.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Citigroup raised their target price on Accenture from $300.00 to $310.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Accenture from $310.00 to $327.00 in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $314.00. Accenture Stock Up 0.1 % ACN traded up $0.38 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $286.71. The companys stock had a trading volume of 222,405 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,376,177. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $272.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $274.58. Accenture plc has a 1 year low of $242.80 and a 1 year high of $330.32. The company has a market cap of $181.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.37, a PEG ratio of 2.56 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 the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.20. Accenture had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The firm had revenue of $15.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.54 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Accenture plc will post 11.57 EPS for the current fiscal year. Accenture Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Investors 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 yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. Accentures dividend payout ratio is presently 41.25%. Insider Activity at Accenture In related news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total value of $1,756,875.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 180,314 shares in the company, valued at $50,686,265.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total value of $1,756,875.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 180,314 shares in the company, valued at $50,686,265.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider James O. Etheredge sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $286.11, for a total value of $1,430,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 13,930 shares in the company, valued at $3,985,512.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,475 shares of company stock worth $10,225,149. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. About Accenture (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. Read More 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. Autumn Glory Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 11,760 shares of the mining companys stock, valued at approximately $837,000. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of RIO. Cowa LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Twin Lakes Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group in the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Standard Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group in the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. 10.43% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Rio Tinto Group alerts: Rio Tinto Group Stock Performance NYSE RIO traded up $0.13 on Wednesday, hitting $69.74. 473,693 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,192,243. The companys 50 day moving average price is $70.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $67.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.10. Rio Tinto Group has a twelve month low of $50.92 and a twelve month high of $83.21. Rio Tinto Group Cuts Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th will be issued a dividend of $2.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 9th. This represents a yield of 9.8%. Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. BNP Paribas cut shares of Rio Tinto Group from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 13th. UBS Group cut shares of Rio Tinto Group from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Rio Tinto Group from a buy rating to a conviction-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Rio Tinto Group from GBX 5,750 ($71.21) to GBX 5,790 ($71.70) in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Rio Tinto Group from GBX 5,800 ($71.83) to GBX 6,200 ($76.78) in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Rio Tinto Group currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $5,790.00. Rio Tinto Group Profile (Get Rating) Rio Tinto Plc engages in the exploration, mining, and processing of mineral resources. It operates through the following business segments: Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper and Diamonds, Energy and Minerals, and Other Operations. The Iron Ore segment supplies global seaborne iron ore trade. The Aluminium segment produces bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Rio Tinto Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rio Tinto Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ironwood Investment Management LLC reduced its position in Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE:B Get Rating) by 28.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 18,465 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 7,205 shares during the quarter. Ironwood Investment Management LLCs holdings in Barnes Group were worth $754,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its stake in shares of Barnes Group by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 35,203 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,438,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in shares of Barnes Group by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 79,887 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,307,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its stake in shares of Barnes Group by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 4,574 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $132,000 after acquiring an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP increased its stake in shares of Barnes Group by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP now owns 19,347 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $602,000 after acquiring an additional 427 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of Barnes Group by 15.0% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 4,191 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $168,000 after acquiring an additional 546 shares during the last quarter. 86.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Barnes Group alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades B has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Barnes Group in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Barnes Group from $37.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 21st. Barnes Group Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of NYSE:B traded up $0.23 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $40.09. 27,260 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 209,266. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $41.37 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $39.38. Barnes Group Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $27.93 and a fifty-two week high of $47.36. The stock has a market cap of $2.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 159.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.40 and a quick ratio of 1.47. Barnes Group (NYSE:B Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 17th. The industrial products company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.04. Barnes Group had a return on equity of 7.62% and a net margin of 1.07%. The company had revenue of $313.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $322.70 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.55 EPS. Barnes Groups revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Barnes Group Inc. will post 2.15 EPS for the current fiscal year. Barnes Group Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 23rd were issued a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.60%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 22nd. Barnes Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 256.00%. Barnes Group Profile (Get Rating) Barnes Group, Inc engages in the provision of engineered products, industrial technologies, and solutions. It operates through the Industrial and Aerospace segments. The Industrial segment includes molding solutions, force and motion control, and the automation and engineered components business units. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding B? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE:B Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Barnes Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Barnes Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bell Bank grew its position in Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Get Rating) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 84,161 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 651 shares during the period. Prudential Financial comprises about 1.0% of Bell Banks holdings, making the stock its 26th largest position. Bell Banks holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $8,371,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC boosted its stake in shares of Prudential Financial by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC now owns 1,481 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $127,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. boosted its stake in Prudential Financial by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. now owns 8,152 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $858,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the period. Savant Capital LLC boosted its stake in Prudential Financial by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 9,740 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $835,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the period. Perritt Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Prudential Financial by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Perritt Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,492 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $471,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. Finally, Buckingham Strategic Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Prudential Financial by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Buckingham Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 5,262 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $451,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. 56.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Prudential Financial alerts: Insider Activity at Prudential Financial In related news, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 4,126 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.20, for a total transaction of $409,299.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,241 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,214,307.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 4,126 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.20, for a total transaction of $409,299.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,241 shares in the company, valued at $1,214,307.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 11,405 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.95, for a total value of $1,151,334.75. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,300 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,241,685. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock. Prudential Financial Price Performance Shares of PRU traded down $0.34 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $85.07. The company had a trading volume of 841,749 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,310,770. The companys 50-day moving average is $91.83 and its 200-day moving average is $97.36. Prudential Financial, Inc. has a twelve month low of $75.37 and a twelve month high of $122.54. The company has a market capitalization of $31.22 billion, a P/E ratio of -21.68, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 0.07 and a quick ratio of 0.07. Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The financial services provider reported $2.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.57 by ($0.15). Prudential Financial had a negative net margin of 2.33% and a positive return on equity of 13.31%. The business had revenue of $12.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.78 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.18 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Prudential Financial, Inc. will post 12.17 EPS for the current year. Prudential Financial declared that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, February 7th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to purchase up to 2.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually an indication that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Prudential Financial Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were issued a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.88%. This is a boost from Prudential Financials previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 17th. Prudential Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -126.90%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently weighed in on PRU shares. StockNews.com started coverage on Prudential Financial in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $110.00 price objective on shares of Prudential Financial in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Prudential Financial from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $114.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 4th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Prudential Financial from $97.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 13th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded Prudential Financial from a neutral rating to a sell rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $98.00 to $96.00 in a research report on Monday, January 9th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $101.58. Prudential Financial Profile (Get Rating) Prudential Financial, Inc engages in the provision of insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both individual and institutional customers. It operates through the following segments: PGIM, U.S. Businesses, International Businesses, Closed Block, and Corporate and Others. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PRU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Prudential Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prudential Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:FNGD Get Rating) rose 4.4% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $20.69 and last traded at $20.55. Approximately 2,122,246 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 14% from the average daily volume of 2,471,540 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.69. BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN Stock Up 4.4 % The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $24.73 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.38. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. OLD Mission Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN during the third quarter valued at approximately $353,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new stake in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN during the first quarter valued at approximately $206,000. Captrust Financial Advisors bought a new stake in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN during the second quarter valued at approximately $65,000. Finally, Pinnacle Holdings LLC bought a new stake in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN during the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Read More Receive News & Ratings for BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP Get Rating) (TSE:BIP.UN) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 147,612 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 59% from the previous sessions volume of 361,120 shares.The stock last traded at $34.54 and had previously closed at $34.70. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms recently weighed in on BIP. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given 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 $44.53. Get Brookfield Infrastructure Partners alerts: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. The company has a market capitalization of $15.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 253.91 and a beta of 0.89. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $33.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $34.37. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Increases Dividend Brookfield Infrastructure Partners ( NYSE:BIP Get Rating ) (TSE:BIP.UN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The utilities provider reported ($0.03) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by ($0.74). Brookfield Infrastructure Partners had a return on equity of 1.20% and a net margin of 2.09%. The company had revenue of $3.71 billion for the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. will post 3.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 28th were issued a dividend of $0.382 per share. This is an increase from Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.53 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 27th. Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss payout ratio is currently 1,119.57%. Institutional Trading of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Power Corp of Canada bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 1st quarter worth $73,000. Clear Street Markets LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the first quarter worth $81,000. BDO Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners by 50.0% in the second quarter. BDO Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,698 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 566 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pacifica Partners Inc. lifted its stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners by 305.4% in the first quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 1,792 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 1,350 shares during the last quarter. 57.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile (Get Rating) Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP operates as an infrastructure company, which engages in the management of diversified portfolio of infrastructure assets that will generate sustainable and growing distributions over the long-term for unit holders. It operates through the following segments: Utilities, Transport, Midstream, and Data. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Equities researchers at UBS Group started coverage on shares of Buckle (NYSE:BKE Get Rating) in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm set a neutral rating and a $37.00 price target on the stock. UBS Groups target price would suggest a potential upside of 7.59% from the companys current price. Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Buckle in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Get Buckle alerts: Buckle Stock Up 1.5 % Shares of NYSE:BKE opened at $34.39 on Monday. Buckle has a twelve month low of $26.50 and a twelve month high of $50.35. The stocks 50 day moving average is $38.49 and its 200-day moving average is $40.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.70 and a beta of 1.05. Insider Transactions at Buckle Buckle ( NYSE:BKE Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 10th. The company reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.62 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $401.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $386.36 million. Buckle had a return on equity of 65.52% and a net margin of 18.93%. Buckles quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.69 EPS. In other news, SVP Michelle Hoffman sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.45, for a total transaction of $454,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 63,882 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,903,436.90. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 40.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Buckle in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Covestor Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Buckle by 2,840.6% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 941 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 909 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Buckle in the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Buckle by 58.3% in the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 1,556 shares of the companys stock valued at $51,000 after acquiring an additional 573 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Buckle in the 2nd quarter valued at about $60,000. Institutional investors own 50.99% of the companys stock. Buckle Company Profile (Get Rating) The Buckle, Inc engages in the business of retailing medium to better-priced casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for fashion-conscious young men and women. The firm is also involved in the provision of customer services such as free hemming, free gift-packaging, easy layaways, private label credit card, and guest loyalty program. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Buckle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Buckle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China's tourism to see a thriving May Day holiday 14:58, April 12, 2023 By Ma Qing ( Chinadaily.com.cn China's tourism industry will see a thriving May Day holiday (April 29 to May 3) in comparison to recent years, with hotels already sold out in advance and outbound group trips fully booked, ThePaper reported on Wednesday. Chinese travel service and social networking platform Mafengwo showed that, in the past week, the popularity of "May Day holiday travel" on its website has increased by over 150 percent compared to a week earlier, with continuous upward trending. In Mafengwo's advanced bookings for the holiday, over 70 percent are for long-distance travel. Sanya, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing and Guiyang have seen the highest increase in popularity among those destinations. Forecast data from the online travel agency Tongcheng Travel released on April 11 shows that the demand for domestic long-distance trips and outbound trips is expected to surge during this year's May Day holiday. Bookings for long-distance trips to Yunnan, Hainan, Sichuan and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region during the holiday rose by 15 times compared to the 5 days before the holiday, said the report citing data from Tongcheng Travel. Domestic bookings for the five-day May Day holiday on Meituan increased 200 percent compared to 2019 as of April 10, the highest in five years, of which accommodation bookings were at the same level as April 25, 2019, two weeks earlier than in 2019. According to data from Ctrip, the May Day holiday travel bookings to Dali in Yunnan province have exceeded 190 percent of the level in 2019, while bookings to Weihai in Shandong province have increased by 300 percent. Some sea-view hotel rooms near Erhai Lake in Dali during the holiday have already been fully booked, and a sea-view suite worth 11,450 yuan ($1,663.02) on Ctrip's platform has also been sold out. The resumption of international flights has been great news for May Day outbound travel. Ctrip data shows that, as of April 6, the overall booking for overseas travel products has increased by more than 18 times year-on-year. The search for overseas air tickets for the holiday rose by nine times year-on-year, with the average price of outbound one-way air tickets at 2,564 yuan, down 58 percent from last year. Overseas island tours have become the most popular destination for young people during the five-day holiday, with the popularity of it increasing by over 80 percent from April 3 to 9, said the report citing data from Mafengwo. The search for outbound travel products on the Tongcheng Travel website rose by 42 percent compared to the previous week, with Singapore, Maldives and Thailand seeing a seven-fold increase in bookings for the May Day holiday. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The US and Philippine forces launched their largest combat exercises in decades, highlighted by a ship-sinking rocket barrage in waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, according to AP News. (Photo: by STR/AFP via Getty Images) This photo, taken on February 6, 2023, shows an anchored Philippine fishing boat before a Chinese coast guard ship in the Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. Annual Drills The annual drills will run up to April 28 and will involve over 17,600 military personnel. This will also serve as the latest displace of American firepower in Asia as the Biden administration strengthens alliances that will better counter China. The Philippines continues to make efforts to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety, by boosting joint military exercises with the US and letting rotating batches of American forces stay in other Philippine military camps under a 2014 defense pact. The annual drills, which are called Balikatan, are the largest since they started 30 years ago. It involves 12,000 US military personnel, 5,000 Filipino forces, and 100 Australian counterparts. The drills will showcase US warships, fighter jets and Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launches, and anti-tank Javelins. In a live-fire drill that the allies will stage for the first time, the US and the Philippines will sink a target ship in the Philippine territorial waters off the western province of Zambales on April 26. In the western Palawan province, where its location faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve retaking an island captured by enemy forces. These drills will help the Philippines boost its coastal defense and disaster-response capabilities. It is also made clear that the drills are not aimed at any country. The field scenarios are meant to test the capabilities of the allies in combined arms live-fire, information, and intelligence sharing. It will also help make communications between maneuver units, logistics operations, and amphibious operations a lot better. Also read: US Assures To Help Ally Philippines Defend Itself If China Attacks in South China Sea The Increasing Pressure From China's Territorial Claims The joint military exercise is part of the long-standing defense alliance between the US and the Philippines, which has been facing increasing pressure from China's territorial claims and aggressive actions in the South China Sea. The US has been conducting similar joint exercises with other countries in the region, including Japan and Australia, to maintain its presence in the region and uphold freedom of navigation in international waters. China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea has raised concerns among its neighbors and prompted them to seek closer ties with major powers like the United States. The contested waters hold significant strategic importance due to their rich natural resources, such as oil reserves, fisheries stocks, and biodiversity hotspots; they are also crucial for global trade routes. The US-led joint military exercises serve multiple purposes ranging from deterring potential adversaries like China or North Korea to projecting power across the Asia-Pacific region by maintaining a robust presence near key shipping lanes, thus ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting global trade interests. Additionally, these exercises help build and strengthen military-to-military relationships, enhance interoperability among participating forces, and provide valuable training and operational experience for all involved. The joint exercises also send a strong signal to China, demonstrating the unity and resolve of the US and its allies in the region to counter any potential aggression or expansionist moves. They showcase the commitment of the US to its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing the rules-based international order and promoting regional stability. Furthermore, these military exercises allow participating countries to share knowledge, tactics, and best practices, enhancing their overall defense capabilities and readiness to respond to future challenges. This collaborative approach fosters trust and cooperation among regional partners, enabling them to work together more effectively in times of crisis or conflict. Related article: Davos 2023: Philippines Cites Indo-Pacific Tension Needs Diplomacy @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (TSE:CGG Get Rating)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as C$6.88 and last traded at C$6.81, with a volume of 11432 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$6.65. China Gold International Resources Trading Up 2.9 % The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.87, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market capitalization of C$2.71 billion, a PE ratio of 8.01 and a beta of 1.94. The businesss 50-day moving average price is C$4.78 and its 200-day moving average price is C$4.16. About China Gold International Resources (Get Rating) China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd., a gold and base metal mining company, acquires, explores for, develops, and mines mineral properties in the People's Republic of China. It primarily holds 96.5% interest in the Chang Shan Hao gold mine covering an area of 36 square kilometers in the western part of Inner Mongolia, northern China; and 100% interest in the Jiama copper-gold polymetallic mine that hosts copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, lead, and zinc metals located in Metrokongka County, Tibet. Read More Receive News & Ratings for China Gold International Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Gold International Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sharing Economy International (OTCMKTS:SEII Get Rating) and GoDaddy (NYSE:GDDY Get Rating) are both industrial products companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, earnings and institutional ownership. Profitability This table compares Sharing Economy International and GoDaddys net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Sharing Economy International alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Sharing Economy International -1,801.21% N/A -139.39% GoDaddy 8.61% -93.48% 5.10% Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings for Sharing Economy International and GoDaddy, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Sharing Economy International 0 0 0 0 N/A GoDaddy 0 3 6 1 2.80 Valuation & Earnings GoDaddy has a consensus price target of $93.70, indicating a potential upside of 22.13%. Given GoDaddys higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe GoDaddy is more favorable than Sharing Economy International. This table compares Sharing Economy International and GoDaddys gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Sharing Economy International $240,000.00 2.82 -$3.89 million N/A N/A GoDaddy $4.09 billion 2.88 $352.20 million $2.20 34.87 GoDaddy has higher revenue and earnings than Sharing Economy International. Volatility & Risk Sharing Economy International has a beta of -1.78, indicating that its share price is 278% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, GoDaddy has a beta of 0.98, indicating that its share price is 2% less volatile than the S&P 500. Institutional & Insider Ownership 97.3% of GoDaddy shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of Sharing Economy International shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of GoDaddy shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Summary GoDaddy beats Sharing Economy International on 11 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. 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. 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. Receive News & Ratings for Sharing Economy International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sharing Economy International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. easyJet (LON:EZJ Get Rating) had its price objective increased by research analysts at Bank of America from GBX 350 ($4.33) to GBX 400 ($4.95) in a report released on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has an underperform rating on the stock. Bank of Americas price target suggests a potential downside of 18.07% from the stocks previous close. A number of other research analysts also recently commented on EZJ. The Goldman Sachs Group set a GBX 515 ($6.38) price target on easyJet in a research note on Tuesday, February 28th. Barclays set a GBX 570 ($7.06) price target on easyJet in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Sanford C. Bernstein set a GBX 500 ($6.19) price target on easyJet in a research note on Wednesday, January 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised easyJet to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the company from GBX 410 ($5.08) to GBX 580 ($7.18) in a research note on Tuesday, February 14th. Finally, UBS Group set a GBX 600 ($7.43) price objective on easyJet in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of GBX 574.08 ($7.11). Get easyJet alerts: easyJet Stock Performance Shares of easyJet stock traded down GBX 13.20 ($0.16) during trading on Wednesday, reaching GBX 488.20 ($6.05). The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,736,362 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,866,771. The businesss 50-day moving average price is GBX 491.14 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 411.31. The firm has a market cap of 3.70 billion, a PE ratio of -2,126.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 2.51. easyJet has a 52 week low of GBX 276.87 ($3.43) and a 52 week high of GBX 604.24 ($7.48). The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 170.15. About easyJet easyJet plc operates as a low-cost airline carrier in Europe. It also engages in the sale of holiday packages; aircraft trading and leasing; development of building projects; financing and insurance business; and tour operator activities. As of September 30, 2022, it operated 320 aircrafts, 988 routes, and 153 airports. Read More Receive News & Ratings for easyJet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for easyJet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Encompass Health Co. (NYSE:EHC Get Rating) has earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twelve research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $69.40. Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $68.00 to $73.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $65.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $62.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Stephens restated an overweight rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of Encompass Health in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of Encompass Health from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 21st. Get Encompass Health alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Encompass Health news, CFO Douglas E. Coltharp sold 17,895 shares of Encompass Health stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.78, for a total value of $1,087,658.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 53,097 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,227,235.66. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 2.70% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Encompass Health Encompass Health Stock Up 0.8 % A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EHC. US Bancorp DE grew its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 66.4% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 9,336 shares of the companys stock worth $664,000 after buying an additional 3,725 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Encompass Health during the 1st quarter worth about $318,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,750 shares of the companys stock worth $622,000 after purchasing an additional 834 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 11,340 shares of the companys stock worth $806,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the period. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 36,463 shares of the companys stock worth $2,593,000 after purchasing an additional 3,477 shares during the period. 96.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. EHC opened at $62.18 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. Encompass Health has a 1-year low of $44.33 and a 1-year high of $74.61. The company has a market capitalization of $6.20 billion, a PE ratio of 23.03, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.05. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $57.40 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $56.25. Encompass Health Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Investors of record on Monday, April 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 31st. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.96%. Encompass Healths payout ratio is 22.22%. Encompass Health Company Profile (Get Rating) Encompass Health Corp. engages in the provision of post-acute healthcare services. It operates through the Inpatient Rehabilitation and Home Health and Hospice segments. The Inpatient Rehabilitation segment operates inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that provide rehabilitative treatment and care to patients who are recovering from stroke and other neurological disorders, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, brain and spinal cord injuries, complex orthopedic conditions and amputations. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Encompass Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Encompass Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Everence Capital Management Inc. reduced its position in The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO Get Rating) by 9.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 96,140 shares of the companys stock after selling 10,380 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Coca-Cola were worth $6,115,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of KO. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in Coca-Cola by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 301,952,085 shares of the companys stock worth $16,915,357,000 after acquiring an additional 4,994,047 shares during the period. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Coca-Cola by 61.4% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,764,084 shares of the companys stock valued at $667,373,000 after purchasing an additional 4,095,881 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Coca-Cola by 141.0% in the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 6,834,434 shares of the companys stock valued at $382,865,000 after purchasing an additional 3,998,128 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Coca-Cola by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 363,258,425 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,349,737,000 after purchasing an additional 3,864,004 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP acquired a new position in shares of Coca-Cola in the 3rd quarter valued at $169,838,000. 68.74% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Coca-Cola alerts: Coca-Cola Stock Performance Coca-Cola stock opened at $62.50 on Wednesday. The Coca-Cola Company has a 12-month low of $54.01 and a 12-month high of $67.20. The company has a market capitalization of $270.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.63 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The firms fifty day moving average price is $60.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $60.50. Coca-Cola Increases Dividend Coca-Cola ( NYSE:KO Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 14th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.45. The firm had revenue of $10.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.92 billion. Coca-Cola had a net margin of 22.19% and a return on equity of 42.35%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.45 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that The Coca-Cola Company will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 17th were given a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 16th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.94%. This is an increase from Coca-Colas previous quarterly dividend of $0.44. Coca-Colas payout ratio is presently 83.64%. Insider Transactions at Coca-Cola In other news, CEO James Quincey sold 46,421 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.50, for a total value of $2,808,470.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 592,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $35,849,033. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO James Quincey sold 46,421 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.50, for a total transaction of $2,808,470.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 592,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $35,849,033. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Nancy Quan sold 74,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.71, for a total transaction of $4,344,540.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 219,790 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,903,870.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 282,268 shares of company stock valued at $17,137,823. Insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth KO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Credit Suisse Group set a $70.00 price target on shares of Coca-Cola in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $67.00 price target on shares of Coca-Cola in a report on Tuesday, February 14th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Coca-Cola from $70.00 to $68.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Coca-Cola in a report on Thursday, February 16th. They set a buy rating and a $68.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Coca-Cola from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $67.60. Coca-Cola Profile (Get Rating) The Coca-Cola Co engages in the manufacturing and marketing of non-alcoholic beverages. It operates through the following segments: Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, Global Ventures, and Bottling Investments. The company was founded by Asa Griggs Candler on May 8, 1886 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Coca-Cola Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coca-Cola and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Everence Capital Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI Get Rating) by 45.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 8,542 shares of the health services providers stock after selling 6,980 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in The Cigna Group were worth $2,830,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. National Bank of Canada FI increased its stake in shares of The Cigna Group by 451.9% in the third quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 557,738 shares of the health services providers stock worth $154,940,000 after purchasing an additional 456,688 shares during the period. Putnam Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of The Cigna Group by 16.5% in the 3rd quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 1,997,800 shares of the health services providers stock valued at $554,330,000 after purchasing an additional 283,323 shares during the period. Samlyn Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of The Cigna Group by 328.5% in the 3rd quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 363,529 shares of the health services providers stock valued at $100,868,000 after purchasing an additional 278,701 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP grew its position in The Cigna Group by 20.9% during the 3rd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,558,866 shares of the health services providers stock worth $432,541,000 after acquiring an additional 269,018 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in The Cigna Group by 9.5% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,108,166 shares of the health services providers stock worth $862,423,000 after acquiring an additional 268,793 shares during the last quarter. 87.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get The Cigna Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes CI has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Mizuho restated a buy rating and set a $360.00 price target on shares of The Cigna Group in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on The Cigna Group from $378.00 to $370.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 23rd. SVB Leerink increased their price target on The Cigna Group from $309.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Loop Capital decreased their price target on The Cigna Group from $350.00 to $320.00 in a research report on Monday, February 6th. Finally, Stephens restated an overweight rating and set a $370.00 price target on shares of The Cigna Group in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $339.00. The Cigna Group Trading Down 1.6 % The Cigna Group stock traded down $4.23 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $262.25. 386,633 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,766,238. The firm has a market capitalization of $77.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.46, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.62. The Cigna Group has a fifty-two week low of $240.11 and a fifty-two week high of $340.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $280.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $301.69. The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 3rd. The health services provider reported $4.96 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.84 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $45.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.79 billion. The Cigna Group had a return on equity of 16.01% and a net margin of 3.69%. The firms revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.77 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Cigna Group will post 24.89 earnings per share for the current year. The Cigna Group Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 8th were issued a dividend of $1.23 per share. This represents a $4.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.88%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 7th. This is a boost from The Cigna Groups previous quarterly dividend of $1.12. The Cigna Groups dividend payout ratio is 23.01%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Cigna Group news, CEO David Cordani sold 20,148 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $294.06, for a total transaction of $5,924,720.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 120,496 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,433,053.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, insider Michael W. Triplett sold 1,731 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.67, for a total value of $470,260.77. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 30,235 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,213,942.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO David Cordani sold 20,148 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $294.06, for a total value of $5,924,720.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 120,496 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $35,433,053.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 27,752 shares of company stock worth $8,008,479. Corporate insiders own 0.60% of the companys stock. About The Cigna Group (Get Rating) The Cigna Group is engaged in the provision of global health services. It operates through the following segments: Evernorth, U.S. Medical, International Markets, and Group Disability and Other. The Evernorth segment includes a broad range of coordinated and point solution health services, including pharmacy solutions, benefits management solutions, care solutions and intelligence solutions. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for The Cigna Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Cigna Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Everence Capital Management Inc. decreased its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 68,516 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 739 shares during the quarter. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $4,930,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.6% in 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 in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.1% in 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 in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.5% during the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 11,442,639 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $813,457,000 after purchasing an additional 59,791 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.8% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,005,473 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $803,730,000 after buying an additional 197,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.51% of the companys stock. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently issued reports on BMY. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. They issued an overweight rating and a $95.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. StockNews.com started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Atlantic Securities lifted their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 target price 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 given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $79.69. Insider Transactions at Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance In other news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total transaction of $835,258.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,081.67. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . In other news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total transaction of $835,258.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,081.67. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Also, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 236,104 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,625,163.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders. Shares of NYSE BMY opened at $69.82 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $146.85 billion, a PE ratio of 23.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $69.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $72.79. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a fifty-two week low of $65.28 and a fifty-two week high of $81.43. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.11. The firm 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 companys quarterly revenue was down 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 6th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.27%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.29%. 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. 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. First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown increased its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Get Rating) by 76.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,140 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 2,225 shares during the quarter. First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtowns holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $486,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 67.4% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 15,171,621 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,322,814,000 after acquiring an additional 6,110,963 shares in the last quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $309,689,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 9,021.6% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,119,864 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $2,795,000 after acquiring an additional 2,096,624 shares in the last quarter. Cowa LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 5,333.8% in the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 1,283,582 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,670,000 after acquiring an additional 1,259,960 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 18.5% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 6,349,891 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $685,026,000 after acquiring an additional 990,861 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Stock Down 0.4 % IJR traded down $0.41 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $95.62. The company had a trading volume of 1,113,693 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,088,460. The company has a market capitalization of $65.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.11 and a beta of 1.13. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $99.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $97.48. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a 52 week low of $86.40 and a 52 week high of $108.72. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Company Profile iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Read More Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc. (OTC:FKKFF Get Rating) reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $17.36 and last traded at $17.36, with a volume of 60 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.36. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Daiwa Capital Markets lowered shares of Fukuoka Financial Group from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Get Fukuoka Financial Group alerts: Fukuoka Financial Group Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $14.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -32.14 and a beta of 0.03. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $17.36. Fukuoka Financial Group Company Profile Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers. The company accepts various deposits, such as current deposits, ordinary and other demand deposits, time deposits, and negotiable certificates of deposit, as well as provides loan products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Fukuoka Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fukuoka Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF (BATS:EMGF Get Rating)s share price shot up 0.4% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $41.86 and last traded at $41.68. 106,633 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, The stock had previously closed at $41.51. iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF Stock Performance The business has a fifty day moving average price of $41.31 and a 200 day moving average price of $41.21. The company has a market capitalization of $841.94 million, a PE ratio of 8.25 and a beta of 0.72. Get iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF by 85.3% during the 3rd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 1,453 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 669 shares during the period. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $95,000. US Bancorp DE purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $123,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $216,000. Finally, Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF by 21.1% during the 3rd quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,751 shares of the companys stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 1,178 shares during the period. iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF (EMGF) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI EM Diversified Multiple-Factor index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap emerging market firms, selected and weighted to increase exposure to quality, value, momentum and size. EMGF was launched on Dec 8, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Emerging Markets Equity Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Following three days of simulated military exercises, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that Chinese military aircraft and ships had remained near Taiwan. When Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei after a meeting with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, China launched the drills on Saturday. Taiwan's defense ministry said late Tuesday that it had detected nine Chinese ships and 26 aircraft, including J-16 and Su-30 fighters, conducting combat readiness patrols near the island, despite China's claims on Monday night that the exercises had concluded, Reuters reported. It said Taiwan's air force, navy, and shore-based missile teams are carefully watching. The government of Taiwan has condemned the exercises and pledged not to escalate or provoke. Just before midnight on Monday, Tsai Ing-wen wrote on her Facebook page that her trips overseas, including those in the United States, are nothing new and precisely what the people of Taiwan want from their president. Tsai Ing-Wen slammed China's military drills for exacerbating tensions in Taiwan and the surrounding area. She remarked: "This is not a responsible attitude for a major country in the region." China launched the drills on Saturday. Compared to the exercises that accompanied Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in August last year, they were relatively modest. Read Also: Macron Calls For 'Strategic Autonomy' in Europe China said Monday that the exercises had been a success. The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan said on Monday that they had seen 91 Chinese aircraft and 12 Chinese vessels in the area, per the BBC. When the Chinese military exercises concluded, Taiwan's defense ministry vowed to continue working to improve the country's readiness for military conflict. China-Taiwan Tensions Continue To Escalate; US Forces Hold Drills In Taiwan's Neighboring Country Taiwan possesses its government and constitution and operates as a self-governing nation. China considers Taiwan a separatist province that must be brought back under Beijing's control. If China imposed a blockade on Taiwan, the island would be cut off from receiving military assistance or other supplies from the United States or its allies. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States must provide Taiwan with defensive weapons but avoids answering whether it would protect Taiwan against a Chinese invasion, per CNN. Meanwhile, the United States and the Philippines have recently commenced their largest joint military exercises in decades, which included a ship-sinking rocket bombardment over the disputed Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, according to an earlier HNGN report. The annual drills, involving approximately 17,600 service members, will continue until April 28th. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Prepares for Counteroffensive @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF (NYSEARCA:EWP Get Rating) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $28.74 and last traded at $28.74, with a volume of 7978 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.24. iShares MSCI Spain ETF Stock Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $27.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $24.78. The company has a market capitalization of $599.23 million, a PE ratio of 7.77 and a beta of 0.89. Get iShares MSCI Spain ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of iShares MSCI Spain ETF Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF by 100.1% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,146 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 858,461 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF by 8,564.0% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,166 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 2,141 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF by 289.3% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 3,916 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $95,000 after acquiring an additional 2,910 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF during the 4th quarter worth about $157,000. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Spain ETF during the 4th quarter worth about $314,000. About iShares MSCI Spain ETF iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Spain 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 Spanish market, as measured by the MSCI Spain Index (the Index). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Spain ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Spain ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Islay Capital Management LLC grew its position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO Get Rating) by 15.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,219 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 439 shares during the period. Islay Capital Management LLCs holdings in Valero Energy were worth $408,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 2,470.0% in 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 in the last quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 60.6% in 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 in the last quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky boosted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 150.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 56.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 322 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.28% of the companys stock. Get Valero Energy alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $177.00 to $165.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $111.00 to $126.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Thursday, January 19th. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Valero Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $135.00 to $160.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $159.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $156.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $153.94. Valero Energy Trading Down 1.5 % Valero Energy stock traded down $2.11 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $134.60. 1,208,164 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,236,360. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.69, a PEG ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.66. The firms 50 day moving average is $133.56 and its 200-day moving average is $129.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.38. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $96.71 and a fifty-two week high of $150.39. Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The oil and gas company reported $8.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.45 by $1.00. The business had revenue of $41.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $43.31 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.54% and a return on equity of 50.15%. Valero Energys revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.47 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Valero Energy Co. will post 24.4 earnings per share for the current year. Valero Energy Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 14th were given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.03%. 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 (DPR) is currently 14.01%. Valero Energy Profile (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 Articles 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. Ithaca Energy (LON:ITH Get Rating) had its price objective lowered by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from GBX 245 ($3.03) to GBX 195 ($2.41) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, LSE.Co.UK reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Groups price objective indicates a potential upside of 27.95% from the companys current price. Separately, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Ithaca Energy from GBX 140 ($1.73) to GBX 160 ($1.98) and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Monday, March 6th. Get Ithaca Energy alerts: Ithaca Energy Stock Performance Shares of LON:ITH traded down GBX 5 ($0.06) during trading on Wednesday, hitting GBX 152.40 ($1.89). 35,843 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 343,649. Ithaca Energy has a 12-month low of GBX 141 ($1.75) and a 12-month high of GBX 254.90 ($3.16). The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 169.33. The company has a market capitalization of 1.54 billion and a P/E ratio of 185.85. About Ithaca Energy Ithaca Energy plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in the North Sea. The company own a portfolio of assets located in Northern and Central North Sea and Moray Firth areas. As of December 31, 2021, it had proved and probable reserves, and resources of 5.6 millions of barrels of oil equivalent. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ithaca Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ithaca Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC trimmed its position in Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Get Rating) by 4.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,759 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 185 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $1,829,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 1.3% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,885,865 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $8,840,580,000 after purchasing an additional 289,110 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 5.3% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,256,069 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,320,030,000 after purchasing an additional 264,665 shares during the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 2.3% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 1,148,736 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $443,745,000 after purchasing an additional 25,283 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 1.1% in the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 988,725 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $381,934,000 after purchasing an additional 10,587 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Advisers LP boosted its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 59.2% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 698,200 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $269,708,000 after purchasing an additional 259,700 shares during the last quarter. 75.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Lockheed Martin in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Vertical Research lowered shares of Lockheed Martin from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $491.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Friday, January 6th. Credit Suisse Group raised shares of Lockheed Martin from an underperform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $427.00 to $510.00 in a research note on Monday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $417.00 to $422.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 25th. Finally, DZ Bank raised shares of Lockheed Martin from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $523.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $490.43. Insider Transactions at Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin Trading Up 0.6 % In related news, Director John Donovan acquired 556 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 25th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $451.20 per share, with a total value of $250,867.20. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,324 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,048,588.80. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . In other Lockheed Martin news, EVP Timothy S. Cahill sold 2,534 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $479.44, for a total value of $1,214,900.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 10,460 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,014,942.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, Director John Donovan purchased 556 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 25th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $451.20 per share, with a total value of $250,867.20. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,324 shares in the company, valued at $1,048,588.80. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . Insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE LMT traded up $2.80 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $490.64. 535,886 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,448,210. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $476.41 and a 200 day simple moving average of $465.76. The stock has a market capitalization of $124.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.47, a PEG ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.32. Lockheed Martin Co. has a twelve month low of $373.67 and a twelve month high of $498.95. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 24th. The aerospace company reported $7.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.41 by $0.38. The business had revenue of $18.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.25 billion. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 8.69% and a return on equity of 68.01%. The businesss revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.47 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.86 earnings per share for the current year. Lockheed Martin Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were issued a dividend of $3.00 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $12.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.45%. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio is currently 55.27%. Lockheed Martin Company Profile (Get Rating) Lockheed Martin Corp. is a global security and aerospace company, which engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services. It operates through the following business segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), and Space. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Money Design Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:FXI Get Rating) by 179.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 517,408 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 332,393 shares during the quarter. Money Design Co. Ltd. owned about 0.27% of iShares China Large-Cap ETF worth $14,643,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Angeles Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in iShares China Large-Cap ETF during the third quarter worth about $46,000. Oxler Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in iShares China Large-Cap ETF during the third quarter worth about $96,000. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its stake in iShares China Large-Cap ETF by 92.5% during the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 3,225 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $109,000 after buying an additional 1,550 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in iShares China Large-Cap ETF during the third quarter worth about $114,000. Get iShares China Large-Cap ETF alerts: iShares China Large-Cap ETF Stock Down 2.3 % Shares of FXI stock traded down $0.66 on Wednesday, reaching $28.55. The company had a trading volume of 16,231,461 shares, compared to its average volume of 35,404,484. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.58 billion, a PE ratio of 9.27 and a beta of 0.46. iShares China Large-Cap ETF has a one year low of $20.87 and a one year high of $34.83. The businesss 50-day moving average is $29.20 and its 200 day moving average is $27.97. iShares China Large-Cap ETF Company Profile iShares China Large-Cap ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the FTSE China 25 Index (the Underlying Index). The Funds portfolio of sectors include Financials, Telecommunication, Oil & gas, Technology and Consumer goods. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares China Large-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares China Large-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Get Rating) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $96.72 and last traded at $96.63, with a volume of 234523 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $95.80. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms recently weighed in on NVS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Novartis from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Novartis from CHF 82 to CHF 84 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Novartis from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating in a report on Friday, January 6th. Citigroup downgraded shares of Novartis from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Novartis from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, March 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Novartis has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $82.63. Get Novartis alerts: Novartis Price Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The firm has a market cap of $214.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.22, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.54. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $86.84 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $85.99. Novartis Increases Dividend Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The company reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $12.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.85 billion. Novartis had a net margin of 13.75% and a return on equity of 21.79%. Equities research analysts forecast that Novartis AG will post 6.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced an annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $3.4694 per share. This represents a yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from Novartiss previous annual dividend of $1.18. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. Novartiss dividend payout ratio is presently 71.61%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in Novartis by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 6,503,191 shares of the companys stock worth $494,313,000 after acquiring an additional 465,677 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 6,488,196 shares of the companys stock valued at $588,609,000 after buying an additional 377,693 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,568,714 shares of the companys stock valued at $389,426,000 after buying an additional 41,253 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 102,209.0% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,522,057 shares of the companys stock valued at $410,241,000 after buying an additional 4,517,637 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,131,935 shares of the companys stock valued at $362,577,000 after buying an additional 35,483 shares in the last quarter. 8.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Novartis (Get Rating) Novartis AG is a holding company, which engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Innovative Medicines, Sandoz, and Corporate. The Innovative Medicines segment researches, develops, manufactures, distributes and sells patented pharmaceuticals, and is composed of two business units: Novartis Oncology and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pharma Mar (OTCMKTS:PHMMF Get Rating) and LAir Liquide (OTCMKTS:AIQUY Get Rating) are both medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, risk, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability and analyst recommendations. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Pharma Mar and LAir Liquide, as provided by MarketBeat. Get Pharma Mar alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Pharma Mar 0 0 1 0 3.00 LAir Liquide 1 3 2 0 2.17 LAir Liquide has a consensus target price of $147.89, suggesting a potential upside of 327.43%. Given LAir Liquides higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe LAir Liquide is more favorable than Pharma Mar. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Pharma Mar N/A N/A N/A LAir Liquide N/A N/A N/A Institutional and Insider Ownership This table compares Pharma Mar and LAir Liquides net margins, return on equity and return on assets. 0.0% of LAir Liquide shares are held by institutional investors. 1.9% of Pharma Mar shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Pharma Mar and LAir Liquides revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Pharma Mar $271.91 million 3.01 $109.86 million N/A N/A LAir Liquide $31.54 billion 2.87 $2.91 billion N/A N/A LAir Liquide has higher revenue and earnings than Pharma Mar. Risk and Volatility Pharma Mar has a beta of 0.36, suggesting that its stock price is 64% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, LAir Liquide has a beta of 0.79, suggesting that its stock price is 21% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary LAir Liquide beats Pharma Mar on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About Pharma Mar (Get Rating) Pharma Mar SA is a biopharmaceutical holding company, which engages in research, development, production, and commercialization of bio-active principles of marine origin for application in oncology. It operates through the following segments: Oncology, Diagnostics, and RNAi. The Oncology segment focuses to the group undertakings whose object is to research, develop, and market anti-tumour drugs. The Diagnostics segment focuses in the development and marketing of diagnostic kits. The RNAi segment develops drugs with therapeutic activity based on reducing or silencing gene expression. The company was founded by Jose Maria Fernandez de Sousa-Faro on April 30, 1986 and is headquartered in Colmenar Viejo, Spain. About LAir Liquide (Get Rating) Air Liquide SA engages in gas supply for large industry and health businesses. It operates through the following segments: Gas & Services, Engineering & Construction, and Global Markets & Technologies. The Gas & Services segment activities are organized by geographical areas, which determine sales policies and development projects. The Engineering & Construction segment designs, develops and builds industrial gas production plants. The Global Markets & Technologies segment focuses on new markets which require a global approach, drawing on science, technologies, development models, and usages related to digital transformation. The company was founded by Georges Claude and Paul Delorme on November 8, 1902 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Receive News & Ratings for Pharma Mar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pharma Mar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Riverstone Advisors LLC cut its position in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Get Rating) by 5.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,797 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 877 shares during the quarter. EOG Resources accounts for about 1.5% of Riverstone Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Riverstone Advisors LLCs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $2,176,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in EOG. CENTRAL TRUST Co grew its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 9,118 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $1,019,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. grew its position in EOG Resources by 6.3% in the 3rd quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 1,260 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $141,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Hallmark Capital Management Inc. grew its position in EOG Resources by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Hallmark Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,197 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $245,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC increased its stake in EOG Resources by 24.8% in the 3rd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 397 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PAX Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of EOG Resources by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. PAX Financial Group LLC now owns 2,705 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $302,000 after buying an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.40% of the companys stock. Get EOG Resources alerts: Insider Transactions at EOG Resources In related news, Director Michael T. Kerr bought 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 12th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $130.49 per share, for a total transaction of $2,609,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 170,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,183,300. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth EOG Resources Price Performance A number of analysts recently commented on EOG shares. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on EOG Resources from $167.00 to $158.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 8th. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $174.00 to $171.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 7th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of EOG Resources in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $160.00 to $122.00 in a research report on Friday, March 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $156.00 to $153.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, EOG Resources currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $150.50. Shares of EOG traded up $0.75 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $122.43. 963,752 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,833,476. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 1 year low of $92.16 and a 1 year high of $150.88. The company has a market cap of $71.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.53. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $117.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $126.31. EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 24th. The energy exploration company reported $3.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.31 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $6.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 34.95% and a net margin of 30.19%. EOG Resourcess revenue was up 11.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.09 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 12.07 earnings per share for the current year. EOG Resources Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a $0.825 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.70%. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 24.98%. EOG Resources Profile (Get Rating) EOG Resources, Inc engages in the exploration, development, production and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. It operates through the United States, Trinidad & Tobago, and Other International segments. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EOG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for EOG Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EOG Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sage Financial Group Inc. cut its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (NYSEARCA:SRLN Get Rating) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 9,790 shares of the companys stock after selling 450 shares during the period. Sage Financial Group Inc.s holdings in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF were worth $400,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated lifted its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by 2.9% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 8,980 shares of the companys stock valued at $367,000 after buying an additional 254 shares during the period. AdvisorNet Financial Inc lifted its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by 25.5% in the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 1,318 shares of the companys stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 268 shares during the period. BTS Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by 1.4% in the first quarter. BTS Asset Management Inc. now owns 19,613 shares of the companys stock valued at $882,000 after buying an additional 279 shares during the period. MML Investors Services LLC lifted its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by 0.3% in the third quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 112,480 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,597,000 after buying an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its stake in SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by 6.7% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 4,832 shares of the companys stock valued at $201,000 after buying an additional 304 shares during the period. Get SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF alerts: SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:SRLN traded up $0.04 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $41.41. 605,593 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,666,413. SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF has a 1-year low of $40.42 and a 1-year high of $44.90. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $41.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $41.37. SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF Company Profile The SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (SRLN) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund provides actively managed exposure to noninvestment-grade, floating-rate senior secured debt of US and non-US corporations that resets in 3 months or less. SRLN was launched on Apr 3, 2013 and is managed by State Street. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SRLN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (NYSEARCA:SRLN Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SES AI Co. (NYSE:SES Get Rating) shares hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $2.60 and last traded at $2.61, with a volume of 79132 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $2.67. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on shares of SES AI from $7.00 to $4.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 15th. Get SES AI alerts: SES AI Stock Down 3.4 % The companys fifty day simple moving average is $3.03 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $902.51 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -13.35 and a beta of 2.34. Insider Transactions at SES AI SES AI ( NYSE:SES Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 14th. The company reported ($0.05) EPS for the quarter. As a group, analysts anticipate that SES AI Co. will post -0.25 earnings per share for the current year. In related news, CFO Jing Nealis sold 11,495 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.68, for a total value of $30,806.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 1,434,223 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,843,717.64. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 35,165 shares of company stock worth $111,792. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SES. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of SES AI in the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of SES AI during the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of SES AI during the 3rd quarter worth $43,000. Royal Bank of Canada bought a new position in shares of SES AI in the first quarter worth $52,000. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in SES AI in the second quarter valued at about $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 27.39% of the companys stock. About SES AI (Get Rating) SES AI Corporation engages in the development and production of high-performance Lithium-metal rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and other applications. The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. See Also Receive News & Ratings for SES AI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SES AI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. An aviation alert was issued when one of Russia's most active volcanoes erupted on the remote Kamchatka peninsula on Tuesday, April 11, sending a huge cloud of ash high into the air that blanketed nearby communities in grey volcanic dust. A Blanket of Ash According to the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Geophysical Survey, the Shiveluch volcano began erupting just after midnight. It reached its peak around six hours later, blasting forth an ash cloud across an area of 108,000 square kilometers (41,699 square miles). Villages were showered in layers of grey ash as thick as 8.5 centimeters, the deepest in 60 years. Meanwhile, lava flows gushed from the volcano, melting snow and triggering a warning of mud flows along a nearby highway. As reported by Reuters, images captured the quickly moving cloud as it swept over the woods and rivers in the far east, covering the countryside in ash. Danila Chebrov, head of the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Survey, stated, "The ash reached 20 kilometers high, the ash cloud moved westwards, and there was a very strong fall of ash on nearby villages." "The volcano was preparing for this for at least a year ... and the process is continuing though it has calmed a little now," Chebrov added. One of Russia's Most Active Kamchatka is a large peninsula extending out into the Pacific Ocean northeast of Japan, and it is home to some 300,000 people. Chebrov predicted that the Shiveluch volcano, one of Kamchatka's biggest and most active, would settle down soon. Nevertheless, he added a warning that more massive ash clouds could not be ruled out. Villages should be safe from the lava flows, Chebrov stated. No injuries were reported, but geologists claimed that the volcano was still active 15 hours after the eruption began. During the previous 10,000 years, Shiveluch saw 60 significant eruptions, the most recent being in 2007. It is divided into two sections: the larger part is Old Shiveluch which rises to a height of 3,283 meters, and the smaller one is Young Shiveluch, which summit rises to an altitude of 2,800 meters. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Prepares for Counteroffensive, Orders Russian Troops to Build 45-Mile 'Mega-Trench' Behind Frontline in Ukraine 'Red Alert' KVERT, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, has issued a red aviation alert warning that ongoing activity might impact international and low-flying aircraft. Head of the Ust-Kamchatsky municipal area, Oleg Bondarenko, stated in a Telegram message that certain schools on the peninsula, located around 6,800 kilometers east of Moscow, were shuttered. Residents were urged to remain home. "Because what I have just seen here with my own eyes, it will be impossible for children to go to school, and in general, the presence of children here is questionable." He assured families that water and electricity had been restored to their homes. Read Also: Kim Jong Un Orders Advancements in North Korea's 'Practical, Offensive' War Deterrence Strategies @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bell Bank decreased its stake in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Rating) by 5.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 125,394 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 7,291 shares during the period. Southern accounts for 1.0% of Bell Banks investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Bell Banks holdings in Southern were worth $8,954,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Community Bank N.A. boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Community Bank N.A. now owns 2,957 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $211,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. Autumn Glory Partners LLC boosted its stake in Southern by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Autumn Glory Partners LLC now owns 9,470 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $676,000 after purchasing an additional 4,735 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Southern by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Everence Capital Management Inc. now owns 36,061 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,575,000 after purchasing an additional 4,380 shares during the period. Wedbush Securities Inc. boosted its stake in Southern by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 18,008 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,286,000 after purchasing an additional 406 shares during the period. Finally, Flputnam Investment Management Co. acquired a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter worth $241,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.78% of the companys stock. Get Southern alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes SO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on shares of Southern from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 18th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Southern from $61.00 to $57.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $72.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, December 16th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Southern currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $71.64. Insider Buying and Selling Southern Trading Up 0.2 % In other Southern news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 1,282 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.60, for a total value of $85,381.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 27,512 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,832,299.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . In other news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total transaction of $359,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 146,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,516,356.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 1,282 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.60, for a total transaction of $85,381.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 27,512 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,832,299.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,134 shares of company stock worth $502,179. Insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock. Shares of SO traded up $0.12 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $71.95. The company had a trading volume of 1,393,203 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,317,403. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $67.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $67.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. The Southern Company has a 1-year low of $58.85 and a 1-year high of $80.57. The stock has a market cap of $78.35 billion, a PE ratio of 21.90, a P/E/G ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.51. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.83 billion. Southern had a net margin of 12.40% and a return on equity of 11.73%. The businesss revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.36 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Southern Company will post 3.61 earnings per share for the current year. Southern Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were paid a $0.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 17th. This represents a $2.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.78%. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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. See Also 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. Infosys Limited (NYSE:INFY Get Rating) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Traders purchased 4,839 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 275% compared to the average volume of 1,290 put options. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have issued reports on INFY. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Infosys from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, January 13th. Wedbush lowered their target price on Infosys from $25.00 to $22.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Infosys in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Infosys has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $20.29. Get Infosys alerts: Infosys Stock Down 1.6 % NYSE INFY traded down $0.28 on Wednesday, reaching $17.17. The company had a trading volume of 7,186,533 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,179,722. The stock has a market capitalization of $71.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.58, a P/E/G ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.00. The companys fifty day moving average is $17.99 and its 200 day moving average is $18.31. Infosys has a 52-week low of $16.39 and a 52-week high of $21.90. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Infosys ( NYSE:INFY Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 12th. The technology company reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.19. The business had revenue of $4.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.66 billion. Infosys had a return on equity of 31.23% and a net margin of 16.66%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.18 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Infosys will post 0.72 EPS for the current year. A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Infosys by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 16,735 shares of the technology companys stock worth $417,000 after acquiring an additional 652 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its stake in shares of Infosys by 39.8% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 157,264 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,914,000 after acquiring an additional 44,768 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL bought a new position in Infosys in the 1st quarter worth about $465,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its stake in Infosys by 108.3% in the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,017,100 shares of the technology companys stock worth $25,315,000 after purchasing an additional 528,900 shares during the period. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH boosted its stake in Infosys by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 1,051,193 shares of the technology companys stock worth $26,164,000 after purchasing an additional 16,102 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 12.68% of the companys stock. About Infosys (Get Rating) Infosys Ltd. is a digital services and consulting company, which engages in the provision of end-to-end business solutions. It operates through the following segments: Financial Services, Retail, Communication, Energy, Utilities, Resources, and Services, Manufacturing, Hi-Tech, Life Sciences, and All Other. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Infosys Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Infosys and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A 6-year-old Grand Island boy was seriously injured in an April 2 accident near Shady Bend Road and Shady Bend Lane. The child, riding an electric scooter, was hit by a semi-truck that was heading north on Shady Bend Road at about 4:30 p.m. On Tuesday, police said the victim was a girl. A neighbor alerted The Independent that it was a boy who was injured. This story has been updated. According to the driver and a witness, the boy "rode out into the roadway on a scooter right in front of the truck without warning, and he was just unable to stop in time," said Grand Island Police Capt. Jim Duering. It doesn't appear that there was any wrongdoing on the part of the driver, Duering said. "That truck driver, it was not his fault in any way," said Alisha Jewell, the neighbor who helped assist the boy after the wreck before medical personnel arrived. Since the accident, the child has turned 7. The child is believed to be at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. Jewell said she's sounded the alarm about that stretch of road and the high number of children playing in the area for years. She'd like a "children at play" sign and any other signals or signs that would alert drivers. Additionally, she noted, "ultimately it's on the parents to watch their kid." She said she's been worried something would happen, "and now something has happened." Jewell said her three children saw the accident happened. She estimated 20 kids, most under 10, saw the "aftereffects" of the crash. "Something needs to be done," she said. Kathy Matzner thought she was seeing things December 23, 2021, when she arrived at McCool Junction Cemetery to visit her husband, Jim. It was dusk. She directed her headlights toward her husbands burial place, where a headstone was installed 86 days prior. Theres this gaping hole I thought I was losing it, Matzner remembered. I just flung open the gate and ran over there. I just kept saying, 'Oh my God, Oh my God, I can't believe this. I can't believe it.' And I took a picture. *** Matzner purchased the headstone from Monument Advisors of Grand Island. Other customers include Michelle Tatro of Hastings and her husband, David, who purchased a stone on Feb. 24, 2021 from the company for their two-year-old son, Ryker. Rykers parents were very intentional in selecting their stone. They told Kelli Lepler, owner of Monument Advisors, they wanted Rykers stone to match Davids 15-year-old sisters headstone. A black granite star on the marker would be a special order, the Tatros were told. It took me a while to save up, Michelle Tatro said, adding: We had never bought a headstone before. (Funeral businesses) handled us very delicately, compassionately, up until that process, Tatro said of the time following Rykers death. So we really trusted her from the beginning. After months without contact, the Tatros heard from Monument Advisors on April 7, 2022, Tatro said. She said the couple had no idea the stone hadnt been ordered until that conversation. (Lepler) kept telling us the remainder had to be paid before it could be set," Michelle Tatro said. In May 2022, the stone was paid in full, but Ryker Dean Tatro, who died Dec. 3, 2020, still rests in an unmarked grave. *** There's been plenty said lately about Monument Advisors online much of it accusing the company of lengthy delays on monument orders or monuments not arriving at all. The Independent reached out to Monument Advisors via phone and Facebook Messenger, but did not receive a response in time for publication. This story will be updated if company officials respond. The monument company is located at 2545 W. Old Potash Highway. Tatro started the Facebook group Beware Monument Advisors Has Bad Communication, 22 weeks ago, according to the pages information section. There are 232 members. To be sure, not all have done business with Monument Advisors, but those who have are vocal. Monument Advisors has resources on its website discussing supply chain issues in the monument industry. Lepler also mentioned supply chain issues to Tatro. The Independent reached out to Monument Advisorss supplier, Rock of Ages in Graniteville, Vermont, for more information. Rock of Ages representatives did not return messages left by a reporter in time for publication of this story. Tatro said Lepler was upset Tatro aired her complaints on Facebook. After she told me FB wasnt the route to go and Id have no results I promised her Id tell everyone about my experience until I myself need a headstone, Tatro said in a Saturday, April 8, post. *** The Independent published an article about Kelli Leplers purchase of Monument Advisors from her father, Alan, in November 2020. The company celebrated its 10th anniversary with an open house in the summer of 2021. Matzner asked the company to repair and put the headstone back up. She wanted their assistance in rectifying the situation. At first, Lepler seemed concerned about her customer, Matzner said, but not long. On Christmas Eve, the day after Matzner discovered her husband's headstone had fallen, Lepler arrived at the McCool cemetery. She had done a 180, overnight, Matzner said. She was saying vandalism. A winter storm raging through the area a few weeks before the monuments placement was also blamed. From there, sometimes Matzner heard long periods of nothing. She was hesitant to disclose how much she paid for the headstone for her husband a firefighter who suddenly died of a heart attack April 26, 2019 at the age of 60. According to his obituary, he was a captain on the York Fire Department and member of the International Association of Firefighters Union #1648. He was also a member of the McCool Junction Volunteer Fire Department. People are gonna say, 'Well, that's what she gets for putting something that big out there,' Matzner said of her purchase. I was trying to do a good thing. The good thing she did for her late husband cost about $20,000, Matzner said, paid up front with a check. Matzner said she filed an insurance claim after the headstone fell and the company divorced itself from the matter, The situation eventually ended up in court. The parties reached a settlement. After that was all said and done, the cash out was for less than half of what I paid, Matzner said. This whole thing has just, it has almost broken me inside, changed my personality like I'm scared of stuff. I never used to be scared of anything. *** While looking into Monument Advisors reputation and adding her own reviews Tatro learned of other Monument Advisors clients. I really wanted to connect with them, so I made the group, Tatro said. That's how all that started. Matzner said until she came across the Facebook group, she had no idea others were out there. Since last week, numerous reports of theft against a business with Monument Advisorss address have been brought to Grand Island Police Department. At this point, there should be a pile of money, Tatro said. Tatro, among others, has filed complaints with the Nebraska Attorney General's office, she said. The Tatros also filed a report with Grand Island Police Department on April 6, alleging a theft amounting to $7,840. By Tuesday, April 11, police had received nine complaints, said GIPD Captain Jim Duering. I feel really bad for all these other folks that are filing police reports, Matzner said. They've gotten nothing. They've paid thousands of dollars and have no stones. Determining whether each of the complaints are criminal or civil will take time, Duering said. Well do an investigation that will involve interviews, tracking of money and probably looking at shipping and bank records. It'll probably take us some time to determine that. Theres no real police story until we have time to do our piece of it to determine whether it's criminal, Duering added. The department has made little progress, Duering said. Between manpower and some of the bigger cases that we are dealing with right now we have to triage stuff around here. We really focus on the violent crimes first. *** Matzner struggles to go visit her husbands resting place. People have been kind, she said, making signs to mark Jims grave. But despite best efforts, the plot is unkempt. Its not anyones fault, Matzner said. The area couldnt be seeded properly, derailed by the lawsuit. I was told during this whole lawsuit process to leave (the fallen stones) there. So they laid there, Matzner said. In June 2022, a retired Lincoln firefighter and a group from the York Fire Department came to Jims resting place on a Sunday, wielding borrowed equipment from a local farmer. They picked them up and we hauled them off the grave, she said of the pieces. There was nothing wrong with the stones themselves for the most part, but the bottom was cracked and damaged, Matzner said. Everything looked nice (when it was installed). It looked kind of weird on the bottom, because it was on these two great big pieces of granite they kind of glued together. Since they fell that winter, Matzner has tried to find a way to repurpose the stones. The really sad part of this whole deal is that those stones are granite, and they're just useless. I thought that maybe they could be made into a bench or something," she said. One headstone company told Matzner they would break them into pieces and put them in the Platte River with other granite scrap. It just stabbed me in the heart, she said, her voice pained. I think the worst part of all of this is that didnt my husband deserve better than this? YORK The York community will have an opportunity to hear more information about the plans to address the emerging need for elder care in the York area during the York Chamber of Commerces VIBE @ 5 event at York General Hospital on Thursday, April 20. This expansion of services will offer options for independent living for those looking to downsize in addition to adding to the long-term and memory care units within the organization. Community members will be able to speak with care professionals and the leadership team about a better future for elder care in the York community. They will also address their fundraising campaign, A Better Future For Elder Care in Our Community. The event will be in the hospital board room from 4:30-6 p.m. As explained in an earlier story in the York News-Times, written by Naomy Snider, York General Health Care Services has completed a master plan to enhance the York area elder care, focused on Willow Brook assisted living, Hearthstone skilled nursing facility and expanding their overall continuum. The board determined there was a need for adding assisted living apartments, as well as independent living apartments to meet the needs of the growing elderly population. Jay Colburn, vice-president of Long Term Care Services, said the pandemic illustrated the importance of expanding the overall value and quality of care for their seniors. Colburn said, York General completes a facility master plan every few years after looking at what the needs are in the community and how the market has changed. The Mahoney House closed its doors during the pandemic, displacing 26 residents. We knew we wanted to expand our services for assisted living using a market-focused model, while still staying on our campus. The plan is to add a two-story building on the south side of Willow Brook. This building will include assisted living apartments and independent living apartments. Preliminary estimates place the cost of the phase one at Willow Brook at $14 million. Colburn said, This will be our first time stepping into independent living. We had a professional market study completed and it indicated there was a large need. Currently those seeking independent living arrangements must move to Lincoln, Hastings or Grand Island. We know there is a need and our elders would appreciate being able to continue to live in their community and maintain their social groups theyve had for decades. In addition to the apartments, Willow Brook Administrator Treva Hanson said they will be converting Willow Brooks gathering room into a chapel to meet the spiritual needs of residents. New common areas for both large groups and small groups are planned in the new Willow Brook addition to give residents more room for activity and gathering. Creating additional space will only enhance the residents social experience and options for different interests. Hanson said, We offer a variety of activities to our residents. We have dinner and a movie nights, baking club, arts and crafting activities. We try to offer exercise opportunities like Tai Chi and group exercises, group get togethers to play dominos and cards, we have happy hour and celebrate residents birthdays. At the Hearthstone, they are looking to add nine new private rooms and turn 27 of the semi-private rooms into private rooms to accommodate customer expectations. Colburn said, We looked at the needs of that population closely during the pandemic and having private rooms became that much more important. Twenty years ago, the board did a great job of planning and balancing how many private rooms we needed versus semi-private. Hearthstone is still a beautiful facility and weve kept up with the technology, but the customer demands have changed, so how we go about delivering care is going to have to change. Colburn explained there are less memory support services in rural Nebraska. They are looking into creating a second memory support household to provide a safe, low stress environment for their residents. Adding new square footage strategically placed at the Hearthstone will enable both the current memory support household and new memory support household to enjoy new programming space for activities and socialization. Weve seen the benefits of having our six distinct households at Hearthstone, said Colburn. Our residents with similar needs, goals and experiences can be together in smaller groups. This not only benefits the residents, but it benefits their family members and their friends. It allows us to specialize our training for our staff as well and direct our services where they are needed. Common areas will also be revamped at the Hearthstone and there will be change in design for their country kitchens. Updates will include new flooring, lights and layout changes in all areas to make it more inviting for residents and their friends and families. The preliminary cost estimate for the Hearthstone resident rooms, activity room and renovations is $5.7 million. YORK David Dowdy, 45, of Benedict, has been convicted of child abuse, tampering with a witness and strangulation. He changed his plea to several counts this past week in York County District Court. In return, several felonies were dismissed. Dowdy was charged in two separate cases. Regarding the first case, the York County Sheriffs Department was dispatched to Dowdys residence in Benedict, upon the report that he had assaulted a minor by choking her. It was noted in court documents that the minor had red marks on her neck and the minor reported he had assaulted her before as well. There were also allegations listed that indicated prior violence in the residence, prior to the strangulation situation. Deputies say in the affidavit filed with the court, the conditions in the residence were deplorable. In the kitchen, there were fly feces on the ceiling and walls and trash scattered everywhere. In the stairwell leading to (childrens) bedrooms, there was a brown substance on the wall along with pet hair and what appeared to be food debris on the stairs. In the upstairs bathroom there was trash and more animal feces on the ground. One (childs) bedroom was located in the basement of the residence. Her bedroom along with the laundry room were flooded and there were dog feces scattered across the floor. There was no place in the room where you could stand where there was not standing water. The area rug next to the bed, the items under the bed and the couch in her room were soaked in water. Based off water stains on the side of the couch, it appears the water level was as high as six inches at one time. The basement had an odor of mildew and mold. (One child) stated the water has been in the basement for a while and the dog feces have been in the basement for a while as well. The minors were removed from the home and deputies indicate in the affidavit there has been an extensive history of intakes with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services numbering 27. It was also noted that Dowdy is a convicted felon and multi-state offender. The affidavit indicates his criminal history includes entries for being a fugitive from justice, failure to appear, failure to pay, failure to appear or comply with a citation, failure to identify, burglary, obstruction and criminal mischief. In this case, he pleaded no contest to strangulation, a Class 3A felony, and two counts of negligent child abuse, Class 1 misdemeanors. In the second case, he was accused of three felony counts of tampering with a witness. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded no contest to one count and the other two were dropped. This conviction is for a Class 4 felony. Sentencing will take place June 14. Creighton health sciences students learn new ultrasound techniques in the classroom. (Courtesy of Creighton University) LINCOLN As debate begins on a Nebraska proposal to ban nearly all abortions in the state, some medical professionals are worried about how exceptions in the law would be utilized. Legislative Bill 626, proposed by State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, would outlaw abortions at around six weeks when cardiac activity can be detected. Abortions are currently allowed in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for the life of the mother. The bill is scheduled for first-round debate Wednesday for an allotted eight hours. At the bills public hearing, doctors opposing LB 626 outnumbered those in support by a margin of about four to one. Dr. Robert Bonebrake, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Omaha who testified in support of the bill, said one of LB 626s changes includes extending the exception for the life of the mother. The bill specifically protects a medical judgment that could be made by a reasonably prudent physician, knowledgeable about the case and the treatment possibilities with respect to the medical conditions involved. This bill actually is more favorable and friendly to physicians than the one thats currently on the books, Bonebrake said. The current law includes would, he said, with the change providing much more breadth and width for physicians who feel that maternal health is threatened. Dr. Emily Patel, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Omaha, disagreed. She said the introduction of LB 626 has already led to cascading fear among her patients, who are either pregnant or wish to become pregnant. In one way or another, Patel said, almost every patient she sees brings up LB 626. I think it comes from a place of fear and unknown and whats going to happen to me and my family if Im in one of these terrible scenarios where this law might prevent me from being able to access the care that I need, Patel said. Dr. Elizabeth Constance, a reproductive endocrinologist in Omaha, said that while abortions are legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, no Nebraska provider performs abortions after 18 weeks. Constance pointed to rural counties of the state that do not have an obstetrical provider, with some patients already traveling great distances for care. And thats only going to get worse as we limit access to health care and as we tell doctors that we dont trust them to make decisions to their full expertise and training, Constance said. 12-week compromise Last year, Albrecht proposed outlawing abortions entirely if the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, which it ended up doing later that year. That proposal failed to advance by one vote. Bonebrake noted that LB 626 offers multiple exclusions that the 2022 proposal did not, including rape, incest, the life of the mother, in vitro fertilization, miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies. Some of those, he noted, have been lost in some of the discussion and noise surrounding the bill. A proposed amendment by State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston would also restrict abortion but instead allow abortions up to 12 weeks, which is seen as a compromise. Riepes amendment adds an additional exception for a fetal anomaly incompatible with life, which is defined as an anomaly diagnosed before birth that will with reasonable certainty result in the death of the unborn child within three months. Conditions that could be treated after birth would not be protected. Patel said many of the high-risk patients she sees might face fetal anomalies, though most are not diagnosable until well into the second trimester, typically about 18-20 weeks. Neither Albrechts nor Riepes proposals would adequately protect these patients nor work for Nebraska, Patel said. Once we start getting into 15, 16, 17 weeks, if we have a complication in pregnancy, were going to start to doubt whether or not were within the bounds of the law in taking care of patients the best way we know how, Patel said. Constance said LB 626 attempts to pay lip service to exceptions that in reality may not be realized. For example, she said determining whether an abortion is necessary to save a mothers life isnt clear-cut and some doctors fear that one differing opinion could void the legal exception. Opinions could differ among a group of highly trained, well-qualified maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Bonebrake said those fears are covered under LB 626s wording change. The Riepe amendment does not provide exceptions for sexual assault or incest, as the original bill does. Constance said requirements for rape or incest could likely include obtaining a police report. However, a vast majority of survivors never report their assault or might not do so right away. Under LB 626, patients would be locked into a six-week period to make that decision. We can line out these exceptions on paper, but if they dont actually do what they say theyre going to do in real life, theyre not real exceptions, Constance said. The Riepe amendment also does not appear to include the wording change to provide doctors more latitude in life-threatening situations. Gut-wrenching decisions Patel said that in the course of talking about legislation such as LB 626, she often wishes senators could sit in during counseling sessions and see the gut-wrenching decisions patients must face. One example she offered is a fetus that doesnt have kidneys or that has nonfunctioning kidneys, meaning the baby cant survive once its born. Constance said patients may be forced to carry a baby to term with a condition not compatible with life. Under those circumstances, patients face a higher risk of preeclampsia, high blood pressure, cardiac issues and hemorrhage after delivery. All of that comes, Patel said, when we know what the end is going to be. I cry with patients, Patel said. I see patients having to face decisions that they would never wish on their worst enemies. Bonebrake said there may be a slightly greater risk in some maternal situations, but he emphasized lethal fetal anomalies occur in a minority of pregnancies. And if there is any risk to the life of the mother, he said, physicians will act. Any physician providing best medical practices is safe under this framework of LB 626, Bonebrake said at the bills Feb. 1 public hearing. Only those who would have reason for concern would be physicians whose conduct is so far outside the mainstream, so indifferent to human life, that a well-informed physician could never have made the same decision. Substandard care Patel warned of the possible impact of the bill on hospital care, particularly in rural Nebraska. A hospital in Idaho that served a city of more than 9,000 people announced in March it would no longer provide obstetrical services, citing staffing issues and the political climate. Idaho has one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation. Patel said that incident should be one of the biggest cautionary tales for Nebraska as similar decisions could be made here in the future. Constance added that the vast majority of doctors practice where they did their residency, and if medical students decide against accepting residencies in Nebraska or if there are fewer or lower-quality residents medicine across the board will suffer. She predicted those impacts will first be seen in fewer OB-GYN providers and cascade down through neonatologists who deal with premature babies, pediatricians, intensivists and internal medicine doctors. Its not going to stop at obstetrics and gynecology, although that in and of itself would be devastating, Constance said. Bonebrake said the reverse argument could be made, that restricting abortion could bring in more medical providers. Dr. Elena Kraus, an OB-GYN in Lincoln, said at the bills hearing that physicians want to live in a state standing for life-affirming medicine. However, Bonebrake emphasized that these predictions are based on nothing other than peoples conjecture and noise. LB 626 is another example of lawmakers attempting to legislate medical decisions and put them into a nice box and put a bow on it, Patel said. She said the bill could prevent doctors from providing a full range of medical care. By hindering my ability to do that, were providing substandard care to patients of Nebraska, and patients will suffer for that, Patel said. There will be collateral damage. There will be patients who will suffer morbidity, and there will be patients who will die because of bans like this. Chinese authorities unveiled draft regulations meant to govern the creation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT by private enterprises. These proposed regulations from the influential Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), announced on Tuesday, April 11, are the first of their sort in the nation. These are reportedly aimed at the rapidly expanding field of AI as Chinese internet titans launch ChatGPT-like products. Generative AI Generative AI describes algorithms that can produce media like photos, videos, and writings after being trained with massive quantities of data. ChatGPT, created by the US company OpenAI, is immensely popular because it can automatically respond to questions asked by users. Competing technologies from Chinese tech companies have started making their debut over the last several weeks. Tongyi Qianwen, Alibaba's generative AI product, was announced on Tuesday. The e-commerce giant has ambitions to use it across a number of its offerings. Ernie Bot, Baidu's version, was also released last month for beta testing. See Also: ChatGPT AI Becomes More Popular Among UK, US Adults, Survey Reveals Ground Rules In a report by CNBC, the proposed measures from the CAC spell out the standards that generative AI services must follow, such as the acceptable types of material that may be generated by such services. The proposed regulations specify that the material must be consistent with socialist ideas and must not challenge the authority of the state. According to the CAC, businesses should make sure that the data used to train AI models does not perpetuate bias on the basis of characteristics such as race, gender, and ethnicity. In addition, the regulator emphasized they must not provide any misleading data. As generative AI has the ability to produce politically sensitive material, analysts have already warned CNBC that Chinese officials are likely carefully monitoring its progress. That concern is highlighted in the CAC's standards, which also provide a road map for how Chinese companies should approach developing the technology. But, the rules will complement China's other data protection and algorithm development laws, which are also set to go into force later this year. Threat to Security and Privacy China is not the only nation being cautious about the effects of AI's rapid advancement. ChatGPT was prohibited in Italy in March due to security and privacy concerns. OpenAI blocked ChatGPT for Italian users at the government's request. The ban applies solely to the program's online version, which has millions of users worldwide. The Italian agency highlighted the EU's General Data Protection Regulation and ChatGPT's data breach of "users' conversations" and subscribers' sensitive payment information. ChatGPT was taken down on March 20 by OpenAI to fix a bug that allowed certain users to see the titles or subject lines of other users' chat histories, as previously reported. According to the firm, 1.2% of ChatGPT Plus customers may have disclosed private information to an unauthorized third party. The growth in AI plus this incident has prompted the Italian regulator to take action. See Also: 'ChaosGPT,' a ChatGPT AI, Shares Plans to Destroy Humanity on Twitter, YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office investigators say theyve found a photograph of the vehicle used in Sundays drive-by shooting that left one person dead and two people injured. "Weve been working this case since the initial (call) and wont stop until we have the subjects in custody, Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a release. Ravenell said the vehicle used in the fatal Easter shooting has been identified as the red 2020 Honda Accord depicted in the photo. Orangeburg County Sheriffs investigators were called to the Southern Lodge on St. Matthews Road just before noon on Sunday in reference to the shooting. Dantavious Dowling, 15, of Poplar Avenue, Denmark was killed. Two other males were injured. If anyone has any information or recognizes an acquaintance not typically known to travel in a red Honda Accord, they are asked to call the sheriffs office at 803-534-3550. An Ehrhardt fireman will be remembered today for his death in the line of duty more than 60 years ago with a ceremony at the S.C. Fire Academy. The S.C. State Association of Fire Chiefs, along with other members of the state's fire service, will honor four firefighters who died while serving their communities. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 12, at the S.C. Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the grounds of the S.C. Fire Academy at 141 Monticello Trail in Columbia. Among the fallen firefighters is Dr. James Wesley Sease of the Ehrhardt Fire Department. Sease, who was also a pharmacist and World War II veteran, died March 26, 1956 at the age of 34. He died in the line of duty shortly after driving a fire truck to the scene of a fire. Upon arrival, he collapsed to the ground and died. Bamberg County Fire Service Coordinator Paul Eubanks said he plans to attend the ceremony. From what I understand, his wife passed away some time later, and then his only child, a son, died when he was something like 35 or so and never had any children. That was kind of all the family right there. It's kind of sad, Eubanks said. He said its important for him to attend the ceremony because Seases death is worthy of remembrance and recognition. This is considered a line of duty death, and back then they didn't have a firefighter's memorial in Columbia, they didn't have a memorial wall and all that. I'm not even sure when all of that started, but none of that was in place. It's kind of sad to say that it's almost as though he was kind of forgotten because I had never heard anything about him, Eubanks said. Sease's death is the only line of duty death that Eubanks is aware of in Bamberg County. I've been with the fire service 36 years in the county, originally with Denmark, but I've been the fire coordinator about seven years now. I had never heard this story about him before. I just feel like it's something that the county needs to have, some kind of place in his recognition. I felt like hes got that due, he said. The other firemen who will be recognized at the ceremony include: Joseph Kenneth Ken Barr of the Anderson County Fire Department, Powderville Station 7; Lt. Gary Lynn Burris II of the Gaffney Fire Department and Chief John Revere Hodge of the Inman Community Fire Department. Sease, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Willie Sease of Ehrhardt, was president of the Ehrhardt Lions Club, senior warden in Union Masonic Lodge and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a graduate of Ehrhardt High School and the S.C. Medical College School of Pharmacist. He was married to the late Mildred Knight Sease, and they were the parents of one son, James. Eubanks said he appreciates the service of all firefighters, including those who have died in the line of duty. Oh my goodness, Bamberg County has got some phenomenal firefighters. Every single firefighter in this county is a volunteer. All of the fire chiefs except one are volunteers. They carry the responsibility of being a chief or a firefighter, and to do it as a volunteer and step up, too, that is pretty amazing in itself, he said. Then the dedication that goes with it. We've got firefighters that respond to dozens and some even hundreds of calls a year. It's certainly saving the taxpayers a lot of money, but it's also serving the community and the people in need. I don't know what we would do without them. For nearly eight decades, Martha Rose Carson has been a savvy businesswoman who has skillfully navigated her paths in interior design, fashion and furniture. Shes now ready for retirement with the closure of Marty Raes of Orangeburg on April 15. The owner of the longtime furniture business at 1144 Broughton St. opened her first business in 1954 at a time when aspiring female business owners and entrepreneurs were not respected. I enjoyed it. Thats the main thing. I enjoyed it. I had a good time because I loved what I was doing, the 87-year-old said. She started her first business after graduating from the University of Alabama, putting her newly acquired degree in fashion merchandising to use. She went back and got her masters in interior design, and then opened up her first interior design studio approximately five years after that, working out of the back of her car. Carson opened up her dress shop in 1958. She closed it after 51 years. Well, I had a bridal salon. I directed weddings. I was a member of the National Bridal Institute. I loved dressing windows. I soon got tired of all that. That was when wearing apparel was very important. Then I went into the furniture business, she said. The store, which is located in downtown Orangeburg, became known in the city and surrounding areas for its personalized service. There were five sales ladies and two alteration ladies who Carson has said catered to the young and eventually began catering to an older clientele. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially the people who she served. I love people, and I loved to sell. I loved to get people all dressed up and to coordinate things together, Carson said. She and her longtime dress shop manager, Lucia Dean Zimmerman, would also host fashion shows. Shes been with me 60 years. She says 59, I say 60 years, Carson said, noting that the pair held popular fashion shows for 10 to 15 years. Although she eventually closed her dress shop, Carson also had the furniture store, which is now closing, too. She said it a bittersweet time as she prepares for the stores closure. Its sad because Im going to miss all my good friends that Ive accumulated over the years. Ive had people that have shopped with me for years and years and years. Im going to miss them, and, too, Im not going to be happy staying at home. Im going to have to find something else to occupy my time even though I dont have a lot of energy now, Carson said. Carson is the mother of two children: a son, George, and a daughter, Marty. She is the grandmother of three and the great-grandmother of a 5-month-old great-granddaughter. Marty said while her mother is finally now really ready for retirement, she is sure she will find something else to do. Shell get involved in something else. She always has to have a project, she said, noting that shes proud of her mothers successful business career. Shes done really well, especially because she started at a time when women didnt do that, Marty said. Carson moved her furniture store to its current location after she made renovations to the building. The site was once the home of her dress shop, but has since solely operated as a furniture store. Carson said her successful transition from operating a dress shop to operating a furniture store was due to her business skills, her passion for fashion and interior design, and her decisiveness. I have my opinions and dont mind stating them , she said, noting that decisiveness must be coupled with not being a procrastinator. I think you cant be forever deciding on something. Youve got to decide right away, she said. Carson expanded her furniture business by opening a store in Lexington. That store has been in operation for nearly 40 years and is run by her son. She said business has been good. Oh, its excellent. He has nine salespeople. He says he takes after me, she said. Carson said the business landscape and consumers knowledge has changed, making business harder to conduct now. The shows on TV have made it hard because they give the person ideas, and that makes them grow and they think they know. ... Youve just kind of got to go by what they want, she said. It is a lot harder to make a dollar now than she first started in business. People are harder to satisfy. They expect more out of you because of TV. They expect you to do a lot more than you do, she said. Carson said she thrived, however, through her dedication to good, quality service. Good service, and I had built up a reputation. I tell people what I think, and I dont tell people that somethings good. Ill tell them my honest opinion. And if they ask me if I like something, Ill tell them no or yes. If I dont like it, I dont tell them I like it. ... Im going to give them the truth, she said. Carson, who will turn 88 in September, said the time is right for retirement. The main thing is this goes to my daughter and shes not interested in the business. So she suggested, Lets sell it. And Im tired. ... Im ready to do nothing. Its time. Im going to play cards and eat out a lot and do a lot of things with my friends, she said. Carson will miss her customers most. Im going to miss my customers. You know, the day-by-day dealing with people. I enjoy that, she said. Her customers have become like a family. I just love it. I love the people. The people are the secret to the whole thing. Ive made some wonderful friends, Carson said. She will not miss driving back and forth from her home in Lexington. Its an hour here and an hour back. I had to close the store early so it wouldnt be dark because I cant drive in the dark. Its not safe, Ill put it that way, she said. She was born in the tiny unincorporated community of Tirzah in York County. Thats outside of Rock Hill. I came to live with my aunt when I was 9 years old and never went home. I got the store (name) because my nickname was Marty, and she was Aunt Rae. I put the two together, Marty Rae, she said. As she looks back over her years in business, shes proud of many things. Im proud of my children. Im proud of everything because Im happy. I think Ive made a lot of contacts that Im very proud of. Ive made a lot of contacts that I wouldnt have made if I hadnt been in business, Carson said. Doing what you love and loving what you do has been the key to the whole secret of her success, she said. And give it everything youve got, because I gave it everything I had. I loved everything. ... Youve got to keep up with the times, too. Thats important. If you dont keep up with the times, you dont move. Fashions and designs change so quick now. It used to take 10 years, then it took seven years, now takes about every three years for (fashion trends to change). You just look at aqua. Its dead as a doornail now. Yellow is dead as a doornail. Now its red. Red is the big color, she said. Carson, who was one of the founders of the former Orangeburg National Bank, has been respected within her community. During Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butlers State of the City address, he proclaimed Feb. 28 as Martha Rose Carson Day in the City of Orangeburg. Her advice for rising female business owners and entrepreneurs is simple. Youve got to be willing to work, and youve got to be honest with your customer. Youve got to be honest. ... I tell people if they want something I dont like, Ill tell them I dont like it, she said. Many of her lasting friendships were made while she was serving as a designer. She said many people who are going into the dress and other businesses have called for advice. They want to know. Just have plenty of money. Youve now got to have plenty of money. It takes a lot more money now to operate than it did when I started out, Carson said. The longtime businesswoman thanks God for life and allowing her to have a successful career. He has blessed me. I have so much to be thankful for. I thank him every morning for me being alive, she said. (TBTCO) - Tham gia bao hiem e nhan uoc su bao ve tai chinh truoc cac rui ro trong cuoc song la nhu cau chinh ang cua nhieu nguoi, nhung do nhieu nguyen nhan, viec khong duy tri ong phi bao hiem ung han, ac biet la trong nhung nam au tien de dan en tinh trang hop ong bao hiem mat hieu luc, khach hang vi the khong nhan uoc su bao ve tai chinh nhu mong muon. Elizabeth Holmes will begin serving her over 11-year jail term on April 27 after her bid to stay free while she appeals her conviction was refused. US district court judge Edward Davila ruled that Holmes "is not likely to flee or pose a danger" to the public upon being convicted on four charges of fraud and conspiracy linked to the failing blood-testing firm in January 2022, according to The Guardian. Nevertheless, the court in San Jose concluded that Elizabeth Holmes' chances of successfully appealing her conviction and obtaining a new trial were low. Judge Davila stated that, opposite Elizabeth Holmes' proposition that "accuracy and reliability were central issues to her convictions, Ms. Holmes' misrepresentations to Theranos investors involved more than just whether Theranos technology 'work[ed] as promised," the New York Post reported. The judge's decision ended a protracted disagreement between federal prosecutors and the defense team of Elizabeth Holmes, which maintained their client should stay free pending appeal since doing so would raise critical questions about her guilt and could lead to a new trial. Read Also: 'Gang of Eight' Gains Access to Biden, Trump Classified Documents Elizabeth Holmes May Appeal Again At one time, Elizabeth Holmes was hailed as the "next Steve Jobs" and the youngest self-made millionaire in history. The technology company she founded, the medical tech startup, Theranos, failed in 2018 after its flawed technology was exposed. Its blood-testing equipment was supposed to perform a battery of tests using just a microliter of blood. According to The BBC, she expressed "deep pain" for people who fell victim to the Theranos scheme. Elizabeth Holmes has requested a court in San Francisco reverse her conviction for the Theranos scandal, and she will likely try one more time to stay free throughout the appeals process, which may take no less than a year. Related Article: Elizabeth Holmes: 5 Things to Know About Theranos Founder @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Symbios, a social house in Brno, aims to help young adults without adequate family situations adjust to everyday life. From Novinky.cz. Imagine that youve just turned 18. You dont have a caring family, work experience, or a solid education. Maybe you dont know how to shop at the supermarket, how much bread costs, or how to pay bills. Youve never seen someone bake a chicken or make potato soup; maybe you dont know how to heat up a sausage so it doesnt crack. All that was done for you until now by aunts educators from the childrens home that you now have to leave because youre of age. Its clear that starting out in life will be harder for you than for a young person who has the support of a loving family, including financial aid if need be until he can stand on his own two feet. This was the situation for former childrens home residents who now live in the Symbios social house. There, at least temporarily, theyve found a helping hand. Eight students from Brno universities aged 19 to 28, four men and four women live in the house. The young adults from childrens homes have the same gender distribution. A room in a 2+1 apartment (two bedrooms and a kitchen) costs 3,000-4,000 Czech crowns ($120-$160) a month, significantly less than the average in Brno, the Czech Republics second-largest city. Eighteen- and 19-year-olds from childrens homes find, among other things, something in Symbios they werent used to: their own room, where they can close the door behind them. There are no mixed couples in the flats; two boys or two girls always live together. It just arranged itself that way weve had no requests in this regard, says project manager Marketa Mikulicakova. Eliska Kucerova works alongside Mikulicakova, as a mentor. Residents go to her for advice or perhaps just to pour their hearts out. I think they feel a sense of calm here, says Kucerova. After all kinds of lifes ups and downs and turbulences, they can stop and take a breath, she says. They know they have a place to live, theyre safe, and in the next room theres a roommate they talk to when they feel like it, Kucerova explains. Although shes there for everyone, its mostly the young adults from childrens homes who come to her for advice. Students more often consult with their parents. A Sympathetic Ear Sometimes residents just want to chat, share what they did well at work that day, or what nice thing happened in their personal lives. The mentor also can guide them when looking for a job or applying for social benefits. Its not that easy to find good, affordable housing, says Symbios resident Lucie Pohlotkova, who recently left a childrens home. Its very nice here; the student I live with is fine, the other residents too; we all know each other. If you have a problem, you can turn to the mentors or the project manager. Pohlotkova already has a job, as an assistant in the Brno nonprofit IQ Roma Servis, which works with Roma youth. Were talking in the small kitchen, where youll find everything you need for everyday cooking: a modern stove, electric oven, refrigerator with freezer, and a microwave. Theres a room on each side; Pohlotkova lives in one, her student roommate in the other. The apartments are newly renovated; the first residents moved in last summer. Everyone outfits her own room; furnishings were not included. This helped the residents learn all kinds of things for example, how to make furniture from pallets or which Facebook group might offer an armchair for free. Until recently, I didnt know anyone from a childrens home; then I came here and I know eight such people, each from a different childrens home, which of course is a powerful experience, says resident Patrik Kubat, a doctoral student in economics. When you get to know their stories, listen to all theyve been through, it will affect and change you, he says. Psychology student Magdalena Matyskova also praises the unusual coexistence. Thanks to having a roommate from a childrens home, Ive learned to appreciate things I had taken for granted before, like a family you could go home to at Christmas. Also, Lucka is partially blind, so its a lot more difficult for her when it comes to finding a job, for example. Matyskova also was attracted by getting to live with people her age, and that everyone knows one another. Its super. Where else do you have that? I used to live in a shared, walk-through room; it was miserable. The architecture of the house suits its purpose, contributing to the atmosphere. You can socialize on the shared balcony; in the common area on the top floor you might show photos from your travels or have a birthday party. The apartments were filled within a few weeks, but there is vacant space in the basement with potential. A cafe is planned there, which could be a place for some of the residents to work. Rules Are Rules The ability to have stable housing and social support should help young adults along their road to adulthood, which includes responsibility. Everyone must follow so-called black rules that, if violated, carry the risk of eviction. Taboos include hard drugs and inconsiderate behavior toward others. Attendance at community meetings is mandatory at least once every two months as is, of course, payment of rent. This can be postponed twice if difficulties arise. If someone has a problem with following the rules no one will blame them, but they must leave the house. I like being responsible, says resident Michal Capek. When I left the childrens home, they directed me to a so-called halfway house. But there they take care of you similarly to a childrens home, and there are also stricter rules. A person doesnt gain much independence. For instance, there are rules about what time you have to be home, and when to get up in the morning. Someone always has something to say about how you should be living your life. I wanted to take care of myself more and not let myself be ordered to do so many things, which is why I like this project. Not too many opportunities exist for young people leaving childrens homes to gain a foothold somewhere and to learn independence. There are about 30 halfway houses in the Czech Republic. There tends to be a stricter regime in those, more like the regime of a childrens home, says Mikulicakova. And theyre far from being able to accommodate everyone. Within a few months of living together at Symbios, the childrens homes alumni and the students forged strong friendships. One spent Christmas with a family for the first time, when his new friend invited him home for the holidays. The lifestyles of young people in school and those in the workforce tend to be different, but this doesnt prevent them from having a beer together. Its not hard to find a topic to talk about; we both watch movies and series, says student Patrik. I often find his observations from the hairdressing field, in which he works, interesting. Ill tell him about school; we learn something from each others worlds. We already have mutual friends. And when my roommate was supposed to go on a business trip by plane for the first time, he was scared; I was able to calm him down. Although the residents accounts sound mostly idyllic, some issues can lead to disputes. For instance, the question of whether and where smoking is allowed. Non-smokers didnt like smoking on the balcony, so after a debate and a vote, it was democratically decided that smoking would be limited to a designated area. The quarantine brought about by the coronavirus epidemic has had a negative effect on community life. The students mostly went home to their parents. The foster home alumni had to stay and spend all their time at home. With one exception, they worked in services that shut down. If one of us got sick, the whole house would probably be infected soon, says Mikulicakova. We live here together, and social contact cant be completely avoided. Abiding by health recommendations goes without saying, she adds. Viennese Inspiration The inspiration for Symbios was Vinzirast house, a similar project operating in Vienna [where formerly homeless people live alongside students]. The nonprofit organization EkoInkubator is behind the financing of the Czech variant; the Brno-center district provided the building. Childrens homes directors helped find suitable candidates for renters. We asked that they not be people already well-equipped for independent living; wed have nothing to pass on to them, says Mikulicakova. On the other hand, we werent prepared to accept applicants with a problematic, criminal past, because working with them requires special expertise. Most students learned about the project at school. They sent a resume and a cover letter and clarified the rest during a roughly hour-long interview. We didnt want people for whom the main motivation was a good price for rent. Not everyone is well-prepared for living together with people from different social backgrounds. When the capacity was reached we stopped accepting applications, so we didnt have to reject many candidates. The first friendships were formed during the five-day introductory visit that followed, and those who wanted to live together paired up. The organizers accommodated them; there have been no instances of roommates not hitting it off. They are to spend at least a year together, but the program expects stays that will last multiple years. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). A man is facing federal charges for allegedly using social media to initiate sexual abuse of middle school girls on Wind River Reservation in November, court documents show. Shawn Gardner recently had a jury trial set for May 22 before U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl in Casper, a notice of hearing document states. He is facing up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine and was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday morning. Gardner, who was 23 at the time, started sending one girl sexual Snapchat messages in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the complaint states. A middle school security officer learned of this on Nov. 30. When questioned by the guard, the girl told him she was aware of another student, who had posted a video of herself in the car with Gardner on Snapchat, referencing them being in a romantic relationship, the statement said. A school resource officer then spoke with a 12-year-old girl, who disclosed that she had sex with Shawn Lee Gardner the week prior, over the Thanksgiving holiday, the complaint states. Gardner is accused of picking up the girl from her home and taking her back to his place, where he provided her with marijuana and alcohol, the complaint states. They were drinking Captain Morgan [rum] and Admiral Nelsons [rum], the complaint states. Gardner did not inquire as to ____s age and ____ did not volunteer any information about her age. He allegedly assaulted her multiple times and later told her, Dont tell anyone. A search warrant was served to Snap Inc. on Feb. 16 for content on the social media account and results are still pending. Officials conducted DNA tests and collected several bedding items. Gardner was being held at the Wind River Detention Center in Fort Washakie by Dec. 5. He declined to speak with officials while there. He pleaded not guilty last month. Federal prosecutors have filed a motion to hold Gardner until trial because the crime is violent, and there is a serious risk the defendant will flee. President Joe Biden signed a Republican-sponsored bill Monday ending the national COVID-19 emergency a month ahead of schedule. While the bill marks a key step toward the end of the federal governments response the coronavirus pandemic, it will have few impacts for Wyoming and the states health care system. The most tangible effects for vaccines, testing and treatment will come with the end of the federal governments national public health emergency declaration next month, while the Wyoming Department of Health has already restarted its annual renewal process for Medicaid enrollees. We dont see this as a milestone leading to significant changes in department operations, Kim Deti, a spokesperson for the Wyoming of Department of Health, said in an email. National COVID-19 Emergency Former President Donald Trump issued the national emergency declaration in March 2020 as COVID-19 spread rapidly across the U.S. and states began to shut down. The national emergency formed the backbone of the federal governments intense mobilization against the disease. It made the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the lead agency coordinating the federal governments response to the pandemic alongside the Department of Health and Human Services the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national emergency allowed FEMA and the federal government to shift personal protective equipment, ventilators and medical staff around the country to help state and local agencies. It freed up billions of dollars to respond to the crisis and was also central to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. But as the immediate response to the disaster has faded, so has the need for those emergency powers. In January, the Biden Administration announced that it would end the national emergency and a separate COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11. Republican lawmakers, including Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman, decided to move faster and passed a bipartisan joint resolution to immediately end the national emergency, which Biden signed into law on Monday. A separate bill sponsored by Kentucky Republican Rep. Brett Guthrie, is also working its way through Congress that would end the public health emergency ahead of the Bidens May deadline. The Biden Administration warned of repercussions from ending both designations early in a January policy statement. An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system for states, for hospitals and doctors offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans, the administration said. Wyomings congressional delegation has applauded the end to the national emergency, but neither their praise nor Bidens caution reflect the tangible impacts for the Wyoming residents, which will be relatively few. The national emergency extended deadlines for people joining employer health care plans or electing to continue their employer health insurance through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Those extensions were originally slated to end on July 10, but they will now end roughly a month earlier in June. The national emergency also allowed for the use of waivers for federal health programs like Medicaid and Medicare to ease the burden on health care providers, including waiving the requirement that hospitals screen patients on their campuses rather than at offsite locations. Some of those waivers to help health care providers during the initial emergency response will also come to an end. Public health emergency The end of the national emergency does not affect the COVID-19 public health emergency the Biden Administration is scheduled to stop next month. Then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency at the start of the pandemic in January 2020 that has since been renewed multiple times. The public health emergency is responsible for many of the most visible and impactful pandemic-related policies. The Department of Health and Human Services used its emergency powers to keep Medicaid enrollees on state rolls, expand access to telehealth and increase the Medicaid money states receive. Its also what allowed the federal government to provide free COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments. The lapse of the COVID-19 public health emergency next month and perhaps sooner will result in the most direct impacts for Wyomingites, who will likely bear some of the costs of COVID-19 health measures like testing and vaccines for the first time. Pfizer has said that it will charge between $110 and $130 for a COVID-19 vaccine, though private health insurance plans and public programs like Medicaid could still cover the cost. The conclusions of both the national and public health emergencies will not immediately impact the Casper-Natrona County Health Department, which still has funding from the state and federal government for testing and vaccines. The health department plans to continue offering free tests and COVID-19 vaccines as long as it has the funding and supplies, said Hailey Bloom, a spokesperson for the department. To date, the federal government has provided the public health department with vaccines. It currently has supplies, but it is also in the process of assessing if and how it will access vaccines after the public health emergency ends, Bloom said. The best thing that we can recommend is just getting that taken care of sooner than later, she said. Bloom said the Casper-Natrona County Health Department is also preparing for Wyomingites to lose their health insurance as the state restarts its annual Medicaid eligibility screenings. In a budget bill passed last year, Congress sunset the state Medicaid enrollment requirements that were enacted under the public health emergency. Beginning April 1, Wyoming and other states could start removing Medicaid enrollees who no longer qualify. The state Department of Health announced last month that Wyoming Medicaid, a branch of the department, had started contacting and screening clients with the public health insurance. Deti, the spokesperson for the Department of Health, told WyoFile that between 10,000 to 15,000 people in Wyoming could lose their health insurance as federal requirements relax. Though the federal pandemic response is coming to a close, Wyoming has long returned to business as usual. Gov. Mark Gordon ended Wyomings state and public health emergencies in March 2022 after two years. April 1 was a good day to know how to spell long, challenging, multi-syllable words. The winner of the 2023 Wyoming State Spelling Bee has been announced in a press release from the Western Wyoming Community College, where the bee was held at the beginning of the month. Cooper Smith, a sixth grader from Saratoga Middle/High School in Carbon County, took home the first-place prize, along with the opportunity to represent Wyoming at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the nations capital in late May and early June. In addition to serving as Wyomings representative, Smith also received a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online Certificate, as well as the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, consisting of a 2023 US Mint Proof Set, the release noted. Smith also received a $4,000 cash prize from the Sweetwater Board of Cooperative Educational Services, which also sponsored and produced the bee, to help cover the expenses of traveling to Washington for the national bee. Sixth- grader Helen Feagin, who hails from Jackson, won the second-place prize, and Tye Tanachion, an eighth grade student from Johnson County, captured third place. Feagin won a $200 prize from the Sweetwater board, and Tanachion won a $100 cash award. Jonathan Make, a journalist from Cheyenne, was head judge at the state bee, and Dave Lerner, a former journalist, was the pronouncer the person who enunciates the word for the spellers. 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. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sues Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan over alleged interference in the criminal case against Donald Trump The 50-page suit accuses the Republican of a "brazen and unconstitutional attack" The situation comes after Bragg revealed last week that they handed out 34 felony charges against the former president Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sues Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan over what the former called was interference in the investigations focusing on former President Donald Trump. The move on Tuesday is seen as an extraordinary step that aims to prevent congressional Republicans from barging into Bragg's probe of the Republican businessman. The district attorney filed the 50-page suit in federal court in the Southern District of New York. Alvin Bragg vs. Jim Jordan In the document, Bragg accuses Jordan of a "brazen and unconstitutional attack" on the prosecution of the former president. He also called it a "transparent campaign" that sought to intimidate and attack the district attorney. The charges relate to the former president's alleged attempts to keep adult film star Stormy Daniels from discussing their supposed affair. As per the New York Times, the hush money payment was said to have been made before the 2016 presidential elections. Bragg's lawyers are also looking to bar the Ohio Republican and his congressional allies from implementing a subpoena given to Mark F. Pomerantz. The latter was once a leader of the district attorney's Trump probe and was the one who later wrote a book regarding his experience in the investigation. Pomerantz's resignation came early last year after the Manhattan district attorney, who was at the time only been seated for a few weeks, chose not to seek an indictment of the former president. The Manhattan district attorney's suit noted that instead of allowing the criminal process to proceed smoothly, Jordan and the committee have chosen to participate in a "campaign of intimidation, retaliation, and obstruction." Read Also: Elizabeth Holmes to Start 11-Year Prison Sentence Donald Trump's Criminal Case Bragg argued that his office focused on the law and the evidence and was not engaged in political gamesmanship or threats. He noted that they were looking forward to presenting their case in court to enjoin enforcement of the subpoena, according to Fox News. On top of the Judiciary Committee issuing a subpoena seeking testimony from Pomerantz, they were looking to get their hands on documents and testimony regarding the hush money case from Bragg and the Manhattan district attorney's office. However, the latter has requested those requests. U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil is the one who handles the Trump hush money case and is appointed by the former president. She also served as a federal bankruptcy court judge. On Tuesday, Vyskocil declined to take immediate action regarding the lawsuit. Vyskocil instead scheduled an initial hearing on Apr. 19 in Manhattan, which comes a day before the committee seeks to question, under its subpoena, Pomerantz regarding his involvement in Bragg's investigation of the former president. In response to Bragg's actions, Jordan Tuesday posted on Twitter that the Manhattan district attorney's office indicted a former president who did not commit a crime. He also argued that the office worked to block congressional oversight when asked regarding federal funds, said Yahoo News. Related Article: DOJ Provides 'Gang of Eight' Access to Biden, Trump Classified Documents @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 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. Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez intends to ask for an investigation as to why it is with t Some 30 people spoke to the Catalina Foothills School District board Tuesday in favor of transgender students being allowed to choose bathrooms, in response to about the same number who spoke out last week against that choice. A national spotlight in conservative media has become focused recently on the Tucson-area district, as issues about student bathrooms and locker rooms, as well as the handling of the pronouns used by students, have been highlighted by Fox News and the Daily Caller website. Many who spoke Tuesday night, April 11, were district students, including students who said they are transgender, transitioning or nonbinary, along with other students who said they are cisgender, meaning their gender identities match those they were assigned at birth. To loud cheers from the audience, they said they know of no problems, safety issues or concerns among fellow students about bathroom or pronoun choices. District parent Allison Wexler said bathroom hysteria is a mythical problem manufactured by adults. "I first want to say thank you to the school board for maintaining an educational environment that supports students like me, and because of that support, allows me to focus on things that really matter like learning, making friends, getting good grades, preparing for college, and all that other stuff," said Daniel Trujillo, a 15-year-old freshman at Catalina Foothills High School and a transgender male. Community members, including district parents, filled the meeting room to capacity, many of them wearing blue shirts that read "The Real CFSD, Allies for All," and holding flags that represent the transgender community. Parents speaking during call to the public expressed gratitude to the board and district employees for creating safe spaces for students to learn and grow into adults who are inclusive and accepting of others. My kids treat other kids and everybody else the way that we would expect them to, and they learned it here. They learned it at home, but they learned it here, said Peter DeLuca. Dozens of other community members, including many opposed to the districts nondiscrimination policy, stood outside, hoping to get into the full room. Some said they live outside the district. The other side spoke last week The week before, at the board's April 4 meeting, dozens of individuals also spoke during the call to the public, criticizing the district for allowing transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms associated with the gender they identify with. Some speakers also said the district instructed female students to use a different restroom or locker room if they felt uncomfortable. They expressed concerns about the safety of young girls when transgender individuals are allowed into the same locker rooms and restrooms. "I am told all the time I should just pull my kids out of public schools," said one woman, who identified herself as a CFSD parent at last week's meeting. "Frankly, I shouldn't have to move my kids out of the district because the board is more interested in serving the needs and rights of less than 1% of students, instead of being champions for all our students." Another woman, who said she is a mother of three CFSD students, told the board, "I wanted to speak to you today to ask you to reconsider allowing male students into our daughters' locker rooms and bathrooms. Single sex spaces are vital, especially for women and girls, for safety, fairness and privacy." A Daily Caller article, dated March 10, stated that former CFSD governing board candidate Bart Pemberton spoke about an "unwritten policy" that allowed transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice, while other students uncomfortable with that practice were told to request other accommodations. Pemberton lost in the November election. For his part, 15-year-old Oliver Cole, who is transgender and a sophomore at Catalina Foothills High School, told the board at the April 11 meeting that the article made him and his transgender friends feel unsafe at school. "Me and other transgender people have been afraid to attend school because of this article and because of things that people are saying at school, which isn't something that should be happening since school is supposed to be a safe space," Cole said. No changes planned to policy District spokeswoman Julie Farbarik confirmed that Catalina Foothills School District allows students to use the restrooms and locker rooms designated for the gender they identify with. She added in an email: Any student who is uncomfortable sharing multiple-occupancy facilities (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms) with others has the ability to request an accommodation. School administrators respond to their needs and find alternatives for those students. In this way, we treat all students in the same manner. The governing board adopted the policy in 2015, which states the district is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, religion, creed, age or disability." Farbarik said the board fully supports the nondiscrimination policy and the way it is being carried out in schools, and does not plan to make any changes to exclude the language referencing gender identity or expression. The district had not received any feedback from students or parents regarding that policy in the last eight years, until this recent uproar," the spokeswoman said. She said that, in large part, the criticism has come from outside the district, and she called it part of an organized attack on public schools. Roots of the controversy District policy became a hot topic last month when Fox News reported that Principal Mark Rubin-Toles of Orange Grove Middle School sent staff a confidential list of students who used pronouns and names different than those stated in school records. In the September 2021 email, Rubin-Toles wrote that some of those students were not comfortable with the names and pronouns they use being shared with their families. He added that it was school employees responsibility to protect student privacy in these matters. Farbarik said Rubin-Toles instructions did not reflect the districts policy and that, if a parent inquires, staff do not withhold information about the pronouns and names their children use. The district stood behind Rubin-Toles, though, calling him a thoughtful and compassionate administrator, and said schools and parents need to work together constructively as partners. But some community members were unhappy with the response and have since asked the board to publicly discuss the nondiscrimination policy. This comes as the Republican-led Arizona Legislature is also focused on schools' handling of students' pronouns. GOP lawmakers have advanced a proposed law to forbid teachers at public and charter schools from honoring requests by students to be addressed by a pronoun different from their gender at birth unless they have parental consent. You know Arizona's Legislative majority is worried about an idea when they try to stamp it out before it's even fully formed. That's what's going on with the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus and ranked-choice voting. This system of voting exists in two other states and a growing number of cities. But right-wingers are worried that if Arizona adopts some version of the system, it will keep their own from being elected. Republican National Committeeman Tyler Bowyer put it this way in one of his many Twitter posts about ranked-choice voting last year. "You will never get actual conservatives in states with jungle primaries and ranked-choice voting," he wrote. "Why? In conservative areas where two Republicans make the top of ballot, Democrats will always support the RINO/Moderate." Bowyer got the RNC to pass a resolution opposing ranked-choice voting, and now legislative Republicans are trying to ban it by law and in a vote of the people. But Arizona voters may well get a chance to consider the idea anyway, as an initiative on the 2024 ballot. Tucson attorney Ted Hinderaker has been encouraging me to check it out for months. He is part of a group, called Save Democracy Arizona, that is formulating the plan to put ranked-choice voting on the state ballot in 2024. The group's supporters include many business-oriented centrists from both parties. When I spoke with Hinderaker Tuesday morning, he was about to drive up to Phoenix for a board meeting with Tucsonans Sarah Smallhouse, president of the Thomas R. Brown Foundation; Nicole Barraza of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council; and Si Schorr, the longtime Tucson attorney and local political player. Others involved include Chuck Coughlin, the Republican political consultant at Highground Inc.; Fred DuVal, the Arizona Board of Regents chair-elect and former Democratic candidate for governor; Scott Smith, the Republican former mayor of Mesa; Ron Barber, the Democratic former congressman from Tucson; Rex Scott, the Democratic Pima County Supervisor; and Edmund Marquez, the Tucson Republican and member of the Rio Nuevo board. It's a who's who of Arizona's business-oriented centrists. As a body, it's a group I view with just a little less skepticism than the Arizona Freedom Caucus. But the idea they're focusing on, to me, is intriguing. They have not yet settled on a detailed plan to start circulating on petitions, but one they are considering would look like this: All parties' candidates for state offices, including Legislature, would run together in one primary. The top five candidates in that primary would be on the ballot for the general election. Voters would rank the candidates from 1 to 5 in order of preference. If a candidate wins the majority of the first-place rankings, that candidate is elected. If not, the process is a little hard to grasp at first. If no candidate wins a majority of the first-place rankings, then the fifth-place candidate's votes would no longer be counted. People who ranked the fifth-place candidate first on their ballot would instead have their second choice counted. If that produces a majority winner, then the election is over. But if not, the same process is repeated for the fourth-place finisher. Those who ranked the fourth-place finisher first would instead have their second-ranked candidate counted. This process goes on until one candidate has a majority. It sounds complicated, but Maine and Alaska use a similar system, as do cities such as San Francisco and Oakland, California; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; New York City; and Las Cruces and Santa Fe, N.M. In Alaska in 2022, the system produced a surprise winner for its one U.S. House seat: Democrat Mary Peltola, who defeated, among others, Sarah Palin. But the system also re-elected moderate Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and conservative Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. "Were not trying to favor any political party or group," Hinderaker told me. "Were trying to free the candidates who are elected to do their job. The result will likely be there are more moderates and pragmatists." The key to this is that highly partisan primary voters would no longer have as much power to defeat incumbents who don't hew to the party line. When everybody runs in the same primary, a party can't punish somebody who, for example, goes rogue on hot-button issues like gun-law reforms. At a March 14 news conference, Sen. Justine Wadsack, of Legislative District 17 in Tucson, joined Sen. Anthony Kern (an attendee at the Jan. 6 2021 at the U.S. capitol) and Rep. Austin Smith, among others, to denounce ranked choice voting. Wadsack said, "It makes no sense that we'd be moving toward such a complicated voting system at a time when voter confidence in our system is already understandably at a low, and it's already incomprehensibly and routinely taking some states, including Arizona, weeks to count votes and determine our winners." I think this may be the best argument against ranked-choice voting: It's complicated. But one of the best arguments for it is that people like Wadsack, Kern, Smith and Bowyer desperately want to keep Arizonans from considering it. I think it's pretty clear what they're afraid of. PHOENIX The state House voted Wednesday to expel Chandler Republican Liz Harris after the Ethics Committee found she invited false testimony and lied. By a 46-13 vote, the Republican-led House accepted the committees findings that Harris knew that someone she invited to testify at a hearing on election integrity was going to present not just false but defamatory accusations against lawmakers, judges and even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, accusing them of being involved in a criminal scheme to rig elections and other crimes. The Ethics Committee members also concluded Harris was not truthful with them about what she knew ahead of time that Scottsdale insurance agent Jacqueline Breger was going to say at the hearing. It takes 40 votes to oust a sitting representative. This comes down to the integrity, in my opinion, of this institution and us as leaders, said Rep. David Livingston, R-Peoria. This is not personal. It is a sad and somber day for our institution, said House Minority Leader Andres Cano, D-Tucson. But he called it necessary. There has been real and lasting damage to the lives and the reputations of people who did not deserve it, Cano said. Most importantly, the integrity of this House has been jeopardized. This is the chambers first expulsion since 2018 when then-Rep. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, was accused of violating a House policy against sexual harassment. You need to toe the line Harris, a first-term lawmaker, said nothing in her defense during the vote. Afterwards, in the House parking lot, she said the report is a lie. Harris also said the votes from Republican colleagues to oust her were political. You need to toe the line, she said. If you dont toe the line, this is what happens. Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said the decision to oust her versus some lesser punishment like censure was unwarranted. Liz Harris made an error in judgment, he said. She did something she shouldnt have done. Kolodin said Harris played shell games, hiding from House leaders what Breger intended to say despite rules to the contrary. But expulsion sets a bad precedent. It sets a bad precedent because we dont want to expel (House) members for what members of the public say, he told colleagues. The grounds for expelling Harris were that her conduct damaged the institutional integrity of the House. But Kolodin said the people who sent Harris to the Capitol to rock the boat will not see the situation that way. They will perceive that they dont have a true voice in this body because when they elect somebody to rock the boat and she does it, albeit in a wrong way, a way that should have been better considered, that member will be expelled, Kolodin said. He argued it makes Harris a martyr. Text messages were evidence At the February joint House-Senate hearing on election issues, Breger made a rambling 40-minute presentation alleging criminal schemes within Arizona, including money laundering, drug trafficking and sales, public corruption, bribing of public officials and election fraud. She claimed lawmakers including House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, and Gov. Katie Hobbs were implicated, and she charged that these activities had been overseen by the LDS Church. Harris knew or was aware that Ms. Breger would present these criminal allegations at the joint hearing, the five-member bipartisan Ethics Committee concluded. The report, adopted by the full House, said House rules required Harris, who was the primary organizer of the joint hearing, to present what Breger intended to say to legislative leaders. She did not do so. While Harris did not comment during Wednesdays vote, Rep. Joseph Chaplik, R-Scottsdale, who chairs the Ethics Committee, said she was given due process and an opportunity to tell her side of the story to the panel. In its report, the panel rejected Harris contention during that hearing that she did not know what Breger was going to say. Committee members said there were text messages and meetings between Harris and Breger that undermined her claim of ignorance of the planned testimony. The Ethics Committee probe was triggered when Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, D-Tucson, asked the House to censure Harris following the election hearing. That proposal was voted down by the Republican majority. But Stahl Hamilton followed through with a formal request for an investigation by the Ethics Committee, which led to the panels report and to the expulsion vote. Wednesdays action sets in motion a procedure where the elected precinct committee members in Harris legislative district must meet within five days and nominate three Republicans, like Harris, to fill her seat. The final decision is up to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. PHOENIX Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation that would let parents sue schools but escape having to pay legal fees if they lose. It would only promote more litigation, no matter how frivolous, she said. The move Tuesday came with four other vetoes, bringing the new governors total so far this year to 43. That is just 10 shy of the record set in 2005 by her fellow Democratic governor, Janet Napolitano, for a legislative session. Hobbs also rejected: Increasing the penalty for the possession and manufacture of the highly addictive narcotic fentanyl. Hobbs said its provisions could undermine Arizonas Good Samaritan Law, which protects those who report overdoses by others from being arrested, charged or prosecuted. Repealing a provision of Arizona law that prohibits the use of silencers on guns. It would make Arizonans less safe, Hobbs said. But the bill and her action are largely legally meaningless as Arizonans can, in fact, purchase such devices if they get a $200 federal tax stamp and obtain the device from a dealer who has a special federal license. Expanding state laws to allow $10,000 fines against anyone who interferes with normal operations of utilities. This bill will do little to deter threats to our critical facilities, Hobbs said in her veto message, adding that the conduct already is covered by existing state and federal laws. Allowing creation of temporary non-expansion areas for groundwater use. Hobbs said these would not really address the long-term issues of rural pumping; that such a district would provide less protection for aquifers than an already available irrigation non-expansion area; that the legislation would last for only five years; and that it would provide greater protection for grandfathered water rights of those already pumping. The issue of legal fees in lawsuits against schools was brought by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills. He pointed out that, in general, when there is a lawsuit, the loser pays the costs incurred by the winner. His legislation sought to create a carve-out when the lawsuit is brought by a parent against a school district for violating any provision in the Parents Bill of Rights. Parents rights include a host of issues including directing the moral or religious training of a child, making all health-care decisions, reviewing all records, consenting to DNA testing, approving a child being videotaped or audiotaped, and knowing about any suspected criminal offenses against the child. This is actually a David and Goliath bill, Kavanagh said. The school has unlimited resources and a parent may have no resources. So, theres quite a chilling effect knowing that when you go up against a barrage of well-funded lawyers and you cant prevail, you might also take a very big monetary hit. Kavanaghs legislation was not an absolute protection for parents. It still would have allowed a court to award legal fees against a parent if the lawsuit was brought without substantial justification, if it was filed solely or primarily for delay or harassment, or if any filing unreasonably expanded or delayed the proceedings. Hobbs found the measure unacceptable. This bill does not protect parents rights but merely encourages litigation no matter how frivolous without consequences, she wrote. She saw a larger context. Across the county and here in Arizona, schools and teachers have been maligned by bad actors who spread baseless theories, seeking to create conflict with teachers, school boards, and administrators, Hobbs said. Parents, acting in good-faith concern for their children, are often caught in the middle of these conflicts. Republican Rep. Liz Harris gives a thumbs up after fellow members of the Arizona House of Representatives voted to expel her from the chamber on April 12, 2023. Photo by Caitlin Sievers | Arizona Mirror Republican Rep. Liz Harris was expelled from the Arizona House of Representatives on Wednesday for orchestrating a February meeting in which a member of the public spread wild conspiracy theories claiming that various state and local officials were in on a housing deed money laundering scheme involving a Mexican drug cartel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Following a House Ethics Committee report released Tuesday that found Harris lied about her actions and that she had engaged in disorderly conduct, violating rules of the Arizona House of Representatives and damaging the institutional integrity of the House, the House voted 46-13 on Wednesday to expel her from the chamber. A two-thirds majority is necessary to expel someone from the chamber. I stand on honesty and integrity, Harris told members of the media as she left the chamber on Wednesday. God knows the truth. If you dont toe the line, this is what happens. Although he said it wasnt personal, Republican House Speaker Ben Toma, one of the lawmakers implicated in the unproven bribery scheme, voted to expel Harris. The only thing we have down here is our word and our integrity, and when that is clearly crossed, when you can no longer count on someones word or integrity, they can no longer be an effective legislator, Toma said after the vote. They cannot represent their district well, they cannot be part of anything significant. As difficult as it was, it was just the inevitable and also the right thing to do. Toma also pointed out that Harris repeatedly lied to the House Ethics Committee. While Harris claimed during the Ethics Committee hearing that no criminal allegations were made during Jacqueline Bregers Feb. 23 presentation to the House and Senate elections committees, the panel rejected that claim, finding that the evidence contradicted Harriss testimony. Republican Rep. David Livingston, of Peoria, one of the Republicans who voted to oust Harris, urged his colleagues to consider the vote with the weight it deserved. This comes down to the integrity, in my opinion, of this institution, he said. This is not personal this is standing up for whats right, no matter how difficult it is. And it hurts. And it should hurt. And it will hurt. This institution is more important than us individually. Harris replacement will be determined by the District 13 Republican precinct committeemen and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The precinct committeemen have five days to nominate three possible replacements, to ultimately be chosen and appointed by the county board. Harris faced the House Ethics Committee on March 30, after Democrats asked for her to be formally censured for inviting real estate agent Breger to a Feb. 23 joint House and Senate elections committee meeting. Breger provided no proof of her wild and unfounded allegations, including that Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs was involved in the money laundering scheme, but that didnt stop them from spreading like wildfire, fueled by fringe conservative media. Many Republican members of the legislature soon distanced themselves from Harris and Bregers presentation. The Ethics Committee found that many of the claims that Harris made during its hearing were untrue, including that she was not aware that Breger would make criminal allegations during her presentation, and that she was surprised by the content of Bregers presentation. Scottsdale Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin, who was present for the Feb. 23 elections committee meeting, said that while he was disappointed in Harriss actions, he does not believe expelling her was the right call. This makes her a martyr for these awful allegations, Kolodin said. Its setting the precedent that, if you rock the boat too much, you will be expelled. Republican Rep. Joseph Chaplik, who heads the Ethics Committee that recommended Harris be punished, also voted against her expulsion. Minority Leader Andres Cano thanked the Ethics Committee and Toma for taking this matter seriously. This is a sad and somber day for our institution, but it is a necessary day, Cano said. This did real and lasting damage to the lives and reputations of people who did not deserve it. He voted to expel Harris, Cano said, with the hope of restoring integrity and honor to the House of Representatives. Tribal leaders joined state lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden to set aside more than 1.1 million acres around the Grand Canyon as a new national monument. Environmental groups and a dozen tribes in the region say the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument is needed to protect the areas water, wildlife, sacred spaces and ancestral homelands from uranium mining and other projects. It is our home, it is our land, and our water source, and our very being, said Havasupai Vice Chair Edmond Tilousi. Designating these areas as a national monument will protect them from contamination, destruction, or exploitation and the other harmful effects of mining. But critics say that banning mining would cripple the regions economy, and that creating another national monument in a state with large tracts already under federal control is just another example of Washington overreach. We want the ability to use the resources that we have in our county to be self-sufficient. Were not looking for handouts from the government, said Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson, who claimed uranium mining could be worth billions to the regions economy. Were saying hey, we have these minerals (that) are in the ground thats here, and wed like to mine them and become prosperous, you know, like everybody else would, said Johnson, a longtime critic of the expansion of federal lands in the region. The call for a new national monument comes just three weeks after Biden used the Antiquities Act of 1906 to set aside more than 500,000 acres in southern Nevada as the new Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. The White House said that site, also known as Spirit Mountain, is historically sacred to a number of tribes in California, southern Nevada and northern Arizona, as well as being home to important geologic features, archeological site and threatened wildlife. I think that (Avi Kwa Ame) has started the momentum for this century, so that we can start building and designating all those religious sites and parts of origins to all Native people, Colorado River Indian Tribe Chairwoman Amelia Flores said during Tuesdays press call on the Grand Canyon proposal. Its, you know, long overdue. Flores and others on the call said Biden should again invoke the Antiquities Act, which allows presidents to set aside lands to protect cultural or natural resources. Luckily for the administration, weve already done the hard work, said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., during the call. We proposed a framework that well use to work with the administration and our coalition over the coming months to create the monument under the Antiquities Act. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, said he and Sinema have had informal discussions with the Biden administration about this designation, and he expects more formal talks to follow Tuesdays announcement. Grijalva said he is optimistic, given the administrations focus on tribal sovereignty issues and the recent designation of Avi Kwa Ame. Key to the Antiquities Act, and key to a designation, is the Indigenous association and relevance and importance. The Grand Canyon obviously fits that to a T, Grijalva said. He cited the tribal interest in Avi Kwa Ame and Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah, both of which were created using the Antiquities Act. A request for comment from the Interior Department on the Grand Canyon plan was referred to the White House, which did not respond Tuesday. Its not the first time the federal government has put land around the Grand Canyon off-limits to mining or the first time Grijalva has tried to expand those protections. The footprint of the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument is a smaller version of the 1.7 million acre Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument that Grijalva first proposed in 2015. That proposal would have included the Kaibab National Forest north of the canyon. The current plan skirts that part of the forest north of the park, but still includes sections of the Kaibab National Forest south of the Grand Canyon. The current plan would take up large chunks of Mohave and Coconino counties, and border parts of the Navajo, Kaibab Paiute and Havasupai reservations. In 2012, the Interior Department imposed a 20-year moratorium on new permits for mines on more than 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon. Coconino County Supervisor Lena Fowler said the new monument designation would make that ban permanent but would not disrupt grazing, logging, hunting or other outside recreation. There are currently approximately about 6,000 active (mining) claims that need to be banned, this will permanently ban those claims, Fowler said. The monument is so important to our region, and tribes that hold this area as a sacred place, and also to residents that live in the area. Supporters point to an August poll by the Grand Canyon Trust that said two out of three Arizona voters support a permanent ban on uranium mining around the Grand Canyon. But Johnson said the moratorium has changed Mohave County mining communities for the worse. In the mining industry, they pay well. Weve had some communities that, when they put the moratorium in, the men had to leave, Johnson said. The families deteriorated because the men werent around schools closed. Jobs just arent there and communities went under. He said federal officials are not concerned about Mohave Countys priorities, only what looks good politically. It sounds good. Oh, were saving the environment,' Johnson said. No, youre not saving the environment. Youre leaving a natural resource for the security of our country, youre just taking it away from us. But for Carletta Tilousi, a Havasupai tribal leader, who said she has been fighting to protect Indigenous lands from uranium mining since she was 16 years old, its time to stop mining around the canyon. We understand and see the history of what uranium has done in the Southwest to our neighbors, the Navajos and Hopis, Tilousi said. And we dont want to see that happen to our small tribe. Nashville Legislature I am thrilled at what Ive been watching happen in Nashvilles state House. I certainly wasnt thrilled yesterday; I was totally disgusted. But now I realize the sophomoric Republican-led Tennessee Legislature has shot themselves in the foot ...in front of the entire country and world! Had they handled the three Democrats supporting the students begging for gun control differently, even just ignored them, for instance, we wouldnt know what incredibly intelligent, articulate and wonderful people these two Justins are. Today I have no doubt these two young men have brilliant futures as leaders. Sometimes the worst turns out to be the best. Ginia Desmond Downtown Undermining the family structure I was watching TV and saw a Progressive Insurance commercial and watched the commercial push the concept of undermining the parents using a TV dad. The TV dad told the kids that the mother was wrong and gave the kids a dog after the mother said No. So the question is simple, how low are companies willing to go to push their products? They are no longer selling the advantages of their offerings; they are simply telling the consumers that a fictional opinion should carry weight. Parents must bear the weight of their decisions, and they dont need to have those decisions questioned by children simply because a make-believe, ex-TV character that is recognized tells the kids that the parent is wrong. Want to ensure your kids listen? Loran Hancock Northwest side U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan Make no mistake; the Biden administration botched the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Martin Mongan West side Abortion and fathers I believe fathers of unborn children should have a voice in the choice of life or death. Once paternity has been established, a decision needs to be made: Is the mother provided money, health insurance, medical care, housing or is the baby surgically implanted in a willing woman? Fathers need to step up or both parents need to be surgically, by the courts, unable to get pregnant. The world is paying a high price for the pleasure of sex. Michelle LaLone South side Epidemic Again, after reading the Letters to the Editor in the Star, I feel that there is an epidemic of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) sweeping Tucson. These poor affected people wake up each morning, realize that Donald Trump still exists, and begin wringing their hands, pulling out their hair, and writing letters to the Star. Next day: same thing. Theres no cure for TDS, but you can treat the symptoms. Close your windows and doors, pull the shades, turn off CNN, and stop reading the editorial pages in the Star. Someday youll realize that the world hasnt come to an end and your angst was all for nothing. Russ Melin Foothills No free lunch Instead of sitting down with Mayor Romero and city council to discuss transit freebies, U of A, Pima Community College and Tucson Unified School District educators should sit down with their students and teach them that there is no such thing as a free lunch, free education or free bus ride. Someone (e.g., taxpayers) must pay. Maybe our city leaders need that education as well. Jack Calaway Northeast side Become a SIMBY Re: the April 9 article New generation struggles to emerge in Tucson elections. Tim Steller reported a new young generation leader sees herself as a MIMBY, Maybe in My Backyard. Could that signal that Tucson may be moving beyond unproductive NIMBY-YIMBY name-calling? As a long-time neighborhood advocate, I suggest we all agree on SIMBY, Sensible in My Backyard. The ADU compromise on casita size was sensible. Infill development and park projects which do not preserve all healthy mature trees are not. Expecting City officials to view land use regulations and code enforcement as necessary conditions protecting neighborhoods that do not have the luxury of homeowner association regulations is sensible. Thinking that eliminating most auto parking will result in everyone being able to walk, bike or bus to Tucson destinations is not. Tim concluded with one word, Eventually. The only eventuality is that the now young generation will get old if they are lucky. For all ages to work together as SIMBYs now could better ensure that neighborhoods will sustain their quality of life into the future. Ruth Beeker, age 86 Midtown Water for foreign investors Re: the April 9 article Hudbays plans for Santa R itas affects all backyards. Cathy McGraths guest opinion on Hudbays plans to mine copper in southern Arizona is right on point. It is another example of the Arizona State Land Departments nearsighted policy to supply precious Arizona water for the benefit of foreign investors. This is also exemplified by the leasing of land to grow alfalfa for Saudi princes. The leases allow unlimited pumping of groundwater, a procedure that is exacerbated by wasteful irrigation practices such as broadcast spraying and flooding. Hudbays water practices are, however, much worse than those of the alfalfa growers because Hudbays practices can result in the pollution of water sources that could irrevocably damage these sources. Thus, towns reliant on them may need to be abandoned if the sources become polluted. It seems unreasonable to trade southern Arizonas water future for the sake of a few jobs. Based on their recent behavior, the citizens of Arizona deserve a full accounting of Arizona State Land Departments nearsighted business practices. Gerry Maggiora Foothills A major disconnect Isnt it ironic that so many of the people who are pushing for a national ban on mifepristone to protect the rights of the unborn are also among the people who are resisting even the most common-sense limitations on the purchase of assault rifles, the sole purpose of which is to kill people? Gerard Ervin Northeast side Everything everywhere is unprecedented Indictment of a former president is unprecedented, but so is our recent national and local politics. The previous president was the most morally, financially, and politically corrupt in our history. He and his administration, two campaigns, and followers normalized hate, lies, conspiracy theories, and death threats in conservative politics. Our elections, teachers, books, and words are under assault. Forty-five embraced and continues to suck up to the worlds most murderous dictators while denigrating anyone in our military, intelligence, and legal and judicial systems who dare disagree with him or simply do their job, including prosecuting possible crime. His and his followers denials and lies about the worlds worst pandemic in a century and endless attacks on medical professionals undoubtedly made it far more deadly than it should have been. And they supported a violent assault on our capital. In current U.S. politics, everything everywhere is unprecedented. Vance Holliday According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the bird flu's N3H8 strain recorded its first-ever human death in China. The Geneva-based organization says that a Chinese woman is the first person to have died from the said strain of the avian flu that has been recorded. Although the N3H8 strain is commonly found among birds, it rarely infects humans. First H3N8 Bird Flu Human Death Recorded in China As per a report by the Straits Times, the H3N8 bird flu strain is not new at all. It has been infecting the avian population for more than two decades already. It reportedly started emerging in North American waterfowl way back in 2002. Besides wreaking havoc on birds, it has also been detected in various mammals, such as dogs, seals, and horses. However, it only made it to humans in recent times, specifically in April last year. The first-ever H3N8 strain case in humans was also from China, as well as the second recorded infection on a person, recorded in May 2022. And now, the third case ended up as a tragic incident. The avian flu strain killed a 56-year-old woman in China's Guangdong province last March 16. The WHO reports that she started experiencing symptoms of the viral infection last February 22. And after a couple of days, or on March 3, to be exact, the patient had to go to the hospital due to severe pneumonia. While the first human death was recorded on March 16, the Daily Mail reports that the authorities in China only told the WHO last March 27. So it took the health official of the Asian nation more than a month before it made the Geneva-based organization aware of the infection. The UN health agency disclosed in a statement that the bird flu patient had been exposed to live poultry before contracting the virus. On top of that, wild birds are also in the vicinity of her residence. But it is worth noting that she had "multiple underlying conditions" before her infection. Read Also: Bird Flu-Positive Dog Dies in Canada: How Did the Canine Get the Infection? Bird Flu Human Infection is Still Low Risk The WHO says, "This virus cannot spread easily from person to person." That said, the organization ensures that "the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered low." But despite that, the Geneva-based org still cautioned that influenza viruses naturally evolve. Things might change eventually. As such, the WHO adds that the "global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological, and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health" remains essential. Related Article: H5N1 Human Cases: 11-Year-Old Girl in Cambodia Dies Due to Bird Flu @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cullman Times. April 6, 2023. Editorial: Alabama bills would exempt overtime from state income tax Two bills in the Alabama Legislature could reduce the tax burden on people working more than 40 hours per week and possibly boost the states workforce participation rate. House Bill 217 and Senate Bill 137 would exempt a full-time workers earnings once they exceed 40 hours of work per week. Both bills, if they become law, would go into effect Jan. 1. According to federal law, a minimum wage worker earns $7.25 per hour in Alabama and time and a half (a wage of $10.87) for every hour worked more than 40. According to state law, this overtime is taxed at the highest bracket (5%) if the worker makes more than $3,000 per year or $5,000 per year if filing a joint return. HB217 is authored by state Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, and co-sponsored by House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, and Ways and Means Education Committee Chairman Danny Garrett, R-Trussville. SB137 is sponsored by state Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation recommends lowering rates across the board rather than targeting a specific income category. Ideally, a tax base will be as broad as possible so that rates can be as low as possible and still bring in sufficient revenue, said Janelle Fritts, a policy analyst at the Tax Foundation. Whenever a tax base is narrowed, someone is left to pick up the slack. Caring for those with low incomes is a worthy goal, but not one that can be satisfactorily accomplished through the tax code. Fritts also said that such a cut might not provide the level of relief that lawmakers want because some people with lower incomes might be either salaried or hourly with little or no opportunity for overtime. She also said that some hourly workers with higher incomes might still benefit from the exemption. If the intent is to provide general tax relief, legislators would do better to lower rates across the board, rather than targeting a very specific category of income, Fritts said. The Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, said it supports the bills. Exempting overtime pay from taxes may not provide enough motivation to cause someone to reenter the workforce, but doing so could serve as an incentive for continued and enduring workforce participation, the Alabama Policy Institute said in a release. Though there is potential revenue loss, at least a portion of the additional income that a worker took home will go back into the economy; the state should see revenue increases in areas such as general sales and use tax receipts. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Alabamas labor force participation rate in February was 56.7%, down from February 2022 when it was 57.1%. END LNP/LancasterOnline. April 9, 2023. Editorial: U.S. Sen. Fettermans transparency about his mental health issues will do a lot of good Fettermans Senate campaign staff was not very transparent about the stroke that took him off the campaign trail for much of last summer. His detailed medical records were not released. Voters didnt learn about the lingering auditory processing issues caused by the stroke until September. The former lieutenant governor has chosen a different much more candid approach regarding his mental health struggles. When he checked himself into Walter Reed, his chief of staff revealed in a statement that Fetterman had experienced depression off and on throughout his life, but it had become severe in recent weeks. And the news release about his discharge from Walter Reed noted the use of medication therapies to treat his depression. It also noted his improved mood, brighter affect and improved motivation, self-attitude, and engagement with others as those and other therapies began to have an effect. We learned that Fetterman had expressed a firm commitment to treatment over the long term. We also learned that hearing tests had identified Fettermans significant hearing loss and that he was fitted with hearing aids. This revelation was in itself a public service. Research has shown that hearing loss can increase a persons risk of developing a mental health disorder such as depression. And men, in particular, often are unwilling to wear hearing aids. In the statement, Fetterman expressed gratitude to his treatment team at Walter Reed. The care they provided changed my life. ... I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works. This isnt about politics right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help. This transparency may do more good than any legislation Fetterman ever will see passed in the Senate. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, an estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older about 1 in 4 adults suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year. More than half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, and nearly 60% of youths with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment, Mental Health America tells us. While mental health disorders are common, they are often not diagnosed; this leads to the kind of quiet despair with which Fetterman wrestled for years. As was widely reported in articles about Fetterman, depression affects about a third of stroke survivors. Now, hopefully, more family members of stroke victims will know to watch carefully for signs of depression in their loved ones. A previous history of depression which Fetterman had is a predictor of post-stroke depression, Dr. Nada El Husseini, an associate professor of neurology at Duke University, told the American Heart Association. Research has shown that men often are reluctant to seek treatment for mental health disorders, including major depression. According to Mental Health America, more than 6 million men in the United States suffer depression each year, but male depression often goes undiagnosed, and men often downplay their symptoms. Social norms including the expectation that they should just man up discourage men from seeking help. Fetterman has dispelled the notion that men should shoulder their mental health burdens silently. Hes not the first to have done so, of course. Actor Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson publicly disclosed his mental health struggles several years ago, and tweeted in April 2018 that depression never discriminates. Took me a long time to realize it but the key is to not be afraid to open up. Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. Youre not alone. But Fettermans candor, especially in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning anchor Jane Pauley last Sunday, has been impressive. He revealed that in the weeks after his election to the Senate, he had stopped leaving my bed. I had stopped eating. I was dropping weight. I had stopped engaging some of the, most things that I love in my life. Including family time. He recalled an incredibly sad moment when his 14-year-old son couldnt understand why he wouldnt get out of bed. He spoke emotionally of his sadness at checking himself into Walter Reed on that sons birthday. He wasnt harming himself, but he said he felt indifferent to living. Now, after treatment, he told Pauley, he feels hopeful for the first time. ... Its a strange feeling for me to have. We wish everyone experiencing mental health issues had access to the intensive inpatient treatment Fetterman, as a senator, received at Walter Reed. We hope Fetterman takes that on as a legislative goal. In the meantime, help is available, so please seek it if you need it. If your employer has an employee assistance program, be assured that it is against federal law for that program to disclose to your employer any information you share, unless you give your signed consent. If your employer does not have an employee assistance program, Mental Health America of Lancaster County may be able to help. Call 717-397-7461 or email mha@mhalancaster.org for information. The Steinman Foundation has worked with that nonprofit to provide mental health services to families in Lancaster County since the pandemic. (The Steinman Foundation is a local, independent family foundation that was funded by the companies that make up Steinman Communications; those companies include LNP Media Group.) Also, the Touchstone Foundation offers assistance toward copays or deductibles on mental health services for youth, children and parents of dependent children who live in Lancaster County and have financial need. The Steinman Foundation also provides funding for that program. Learn more at touchstonefound.org or by calling 717-397-8722. Resources also may be available to you through the countys mental health program; call 717-393-0421. And please know that there is absolutely no shame in seeking mental health treatment. GET HELP This editorial mentions mental health issues. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, contact the following organizations: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, suicidepreventionlifeline.org, 800-273-8255. (Also, 988 has launched nationally as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.) Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via TTY at 800-799-4889. Lancaster Crisis Intervention, 717-394-2631. If you are LGBTQ: thetrevorproject.org/get-help. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 8, 2023. Editorial: Drop death penalty: Lengthy trial, appeals of synagogue mass shooter would delay justice and traumatize survivors The U.S. Department of Justice should respect the wishes of some of the survivors of the mass shooting at a Squirrel Hill synagogue and withdraw its request for the death penalty. A death-penalty trial for the Oct. 27, 2018, massacre of 11 Jewish worshipers would delay justice and drag congregants and their community through years of anguish. In securing a death-penalty conviction and defending it on appeals, the government would, in effect, re-enact the worst case of anti-Semitic violence in U.S. history through witness testimony, media coverage and appeals that could continue for up to 20 years. Congregation Dor Hadash has urged U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to abandon the governments quest for the death penalty and accept a plea deal for a mandatory life sentence, including an agreement with defense attorneys that the accused 50-year-old killer would waive his right to appeals. For the government to disregard the yearning of congregants to heal in peace would be callous and cruel, and violate the sacred tenets of the faith that has sustained them. Justice has already been delayed for too long. The trial is scheduled to start with jury selection on April 24, four and a half years after the murders. Some delays were unavoidable, such as the retirement of U.S. Judge Donetta Ambrose in 2022. Now, however, the chief impediment to a timely salve of justice is the Justice Departments unreasonable demand for the death penalty. Death-penalty trials require more expert witnesses, investigations and evaluations. They contain automatic rights to appeal. Jury selection is more complex. These and other procedural protections apply to all defendants in capital cases. Without them, innocent people would die. Since the United States re-instated the death penalty in 1976, more than 180 death-row prisoners have been exonerated due to wrongful convictions, including 11 in Pennsylvania. Death penalty arbitrary The governments call for the death penalty in the case of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is arbitrary and immoral. During the 2020 campaign, President Joe Biden pledged to end the federal death penalty, and his Justice Department has not sought it in cases similar to the murders at Tree of Life synagogue. In January, for example, federal prosecutors did not seek the death penalty for a man accused of killing 23 people in a racist attack at a Texas Walmart in 2019. Even the most ardent supporters of a federal death penalty would agree that it needs to be applied with consistent standards. The U.S. Justice Department has none. Mr. Bidens call for ending the federal death penalty now appears to have been nothing more than a campaign tactic to shore up support among progressive Democrats. Capital punishment, a futile and medieval cry for vengeance, is on its way out. Given the practical, moral, economic and social problems with the death penalty, seven states have abolished it since 2009, bringing the total number of states without a death penalty to 23. Pennsylvania has a death-penalty statute, but the state placed a moratorium on executions in 2015. In February, newly elected Gov. Josh Shapiro, a former death penalty supporter, called on state legislators to abolish the death penalty. In doing so, he cited, among other events, his conversations with the Jewish survivors of the mass shooting in Pittsburgh who opposed the death penalty. Agonizing publicity A high-profile trial would give the accused killer a sickening notoriety that would unleash extraordinary pain. In a March 18 editorial on the 10.27 Healing Partnership at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, sources asked the newspapers editorial page editor to omit the name of the accused shooter to avoid sensationalizing, promoting or validating him. (The newspaper did not name the shooter and has not done so here.) Given that level of sensitivity to any notoriety given the shooter, the government should consider the effects on the victims from the overwhelming publicity of a sensational and lengthy death-penalty trial. For the sake of those who have suffered most, we beg the Justice Department to withdraw its call for the death penalty. Far better that it accept a plea deal for a mandatory life sentence and let the accused killer languish in an anonymous cell for the remainder of his days. If he ever grows a conscience and he might the enormity of his deeds will curse his every breath and confine him to a living hell, far worse than any death sentence. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. April 8, 2023. Editorial: Pa. Legislature should see Tennessee expulsions as cautionary tale The Pennsylvania Legislature is no stranger to dissension. The state isnt Democratic or Republican, after all. It isnt even a muddled, muted purple. It is a patchwork of red and blue by county and city. That pattern is repeated in the House and Senate chambers. And that can lead to mulish opposition. It can mean obstinate obstruction. It can even result in explosive outbursts during legislative sessions. That has happened more than once in Harrisburg. In June 2019, state Sen. Katie Muth, D-Montgomery County, continued to loudly read a constituents letter over the objections of then-Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, who shouted his protests to then-Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. That ugly and chaotic exchange made national news. On Jan. 5, 2021, another outburst came when Fetterman and Corman clashed over the seating of Jim Brewster when now-Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli was contesting the vote count in their close race for the 45th District. But in Tennessee on Thursday, three Democratic House members were put up for expulsion, charged with participating in a disorderly demonstration with throngs of young protesters in the wake of The Covenant School shooting in Nashville. Two of them the two youngest members of the House, both men of color were voted out. The third a white woman and former teacher survived by one vote. If there wasnt already dissension between left and right in Tennessee, between guns, abortion and LGBTQ issues, this has pushed the idea of not just fighting political opposition but kicking them out of the conversation. The GOP lawmakers insist the move was just about rules of decorum, not debate. Now, there are questions about whether what happened in that state House could spread to others. Pennsylvania has removed lawmakers in the past rarely. However, when it has happened, it has generally been because of criminal activity. We should all agree that is appropriate. But the Keystone State should never be ashamed of having differing opinions. It should never seek to squelch the thoughts of the other side. Our government is built on not just the representation of the people but also on the exchange, development and full-throated debate of ideas. It makes the laws better and the state better. It even makes the parties better. We dont want shouting matches and disrespect. We dont want disregard of the rules. But the rules encourage everyone having a say and everyone participating in the process. The Pennsylvania Legislature and every government body in the state should watch what happened in Tennessee and resolve to be better. Uniontown Herald-Standard. April 9, 2023. Editorial: Non-compete agreements should be eliminated A couple of years ago, state Sen. Camera Bartolotta was championing a measure that would do away with noncompete agreements for individuals who work in radio or television in Pennsylvania. The Carroll Township Republican believed that career opportunities and wage growth are stifled when on-air or production personnel are tethered to one outlet or one market for a fixed period of time after a job ends. The bill made a lot of sense. But the whole idea needs to be taken a step further workers in all industries in all states should not be locked into noncompete agreements. That could very well happen if a new rule being considered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes effect. The FTC announced the proposed change in January and public comment is being taken through April 19. The agency argues that doing away with unfair deals that prevent employees from moving on to greener pastures will jump-start wage growth, mobility and opportunity. Its a solid argument, but its also a matter of fundamental fairness: In a free-market economy, where most employees offer their skills, time and labor to an employer, they should be able to make their services available to someone else offering better compensation or conditions. After all, most employers have the right to hire and fire at will. Brendan Lynch, an employment attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, put it this way in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star: The one benefit to workers for at-will employment is the freedom to leave a job and seek work anywhere else. The huge increase in noncompetes takes away even that illusion of parity: workers can be fired at any time, without cause, but new jobs in their fields are off- limits. Proponents of noncompete agreements say they have invested time and money in training and talent, and dont want to see it poached. But rather than being confined to industries like software engineering or sales, where employers might have a legitimate desire to hold onto their trade secrets, noncompete agreements have been used for hairdressers, janitors, nurses, veterinarians, warehouse workers and fast-food workers. Of the 18% of U.S. workers who are subject to noncompete agreements, 30% work for less than $13 per hour. The FTC has estimated that noncompete clauses prevent 30 million American workers from putting $300 billion in their wallets. A better course of action for employers would be to use or strengthen nondisclosure agreements, rather than put employees in a position where they could be penalized if they seek work in the same field elsewhere. Also, according to Silas Russell, the political director of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, The best way for an employer to keep a worker is to offer wages and benefits those workers deserve, not threaten to sue them for seeking a better opportunity. Wilkes Barre Citizens' Voice. April 10, 2023. Editorial: State policy penalizes working class Pennsylvania lawmakers regularly give away the store to wealthy interests. The theory is that its necessary to compete with neighboring states for development that benefits everyone through economic activity and job creation. Perhaps the flagship example is the $6 billion Shell petrochemical refinery in Beaver County that the state government has subsidized with a record $1.7 billion in tax credits. If that model works, though, lawmakers need to explain the finding by the governments nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office that low-income Pennsylvania workers are paid less and taxed more than their counterparts in surrounding states. That flows from state policy. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Northeast that continues to cling to the $7.25 hourly minimum wage that Congress implemented in 2009. New Jerseys hourly minimum wage is $14 and New Yorks is $15. And a New York Federal Reserve study conducted several years ago demonstrated that the higher New York wage has not adversely affected businesses in New York that border Pennsylvania. Pandemic-induced labor shortages have put upward pressure on wages, but the higher minimums elsewhere mean that thousands of Pennsylvanians still work for much less than their counterparts with comparable jobs in surrounding states. And the state government, which has begun a multi-year plan to reduce the corporate net income tax by more than 50%, from 9.99% to 4.9%, continues to maintain a flat personal income tax rate that penalizes low-income workers. The flat personal income tax rate is 3.07%, which is toward the lower end of the range among the 43 states and the District of Columbia that impose such taxes. But because the Pennsylvania rate is flat, the effective tax rate for working class people in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio is lower, according to the IFO. Democratic state Sen. Art Haywood of Montgomery County asked for the study. As he put it, Pennsylvania punishes those earning under $30,000 with the highest taxes and lowest minimum wage. Lawmakers compound that injustice by failing to fairly fund public schools and badly shortchanging higher education. When pondering economic policy, legislators need to include a bottom-up perspective before relentlessly passing incentives from the top, down. END JACKSON, Miss. (AP) After the October closure of Mississippi's only accredited burn center threatened to upend access to care, the state's next designated burn center will be housed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday. State officials approved the hospital's application months after the facility rolled out its new burn unit in January. The unit was established in response to the closure of the burn center at Merit Health Central, which had Mississippi's only accredited burn center. Some burn patients were initially redirected to hospitals in other states. We are pleased that the University of Mississippi Medical Center has been deemed qualified to provide the level of multidisciplinary care required for burn treatment, Dr. Peter Arnold, chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, said in a news release. The depth of medical skills and resources of an academic medical center make UMMC uniquely qualified and an ideal location for burn treatment in the state. Merit Health Central, a South Jackson hospital, said the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing challenges made operating their burn unit too difficult. Ahead of the closure, UMMC said it would help fill the void. The UMMC news release said the hospital's care team for burn patients would include specialists in emergency medicine and trauma surgery, as well as several sub-specialties in plastic surgery, critical care, laboratory medicine, mental health, occupational therapy and physical therapy. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) A key housing bill that would legalize duplexes and fourplexes in most neighborhoods in nearly every Washington city has been approved by the state Senate. House Bill 1110 passed on a 35-14 vote on Tuesday with about a half-dozen Republicans joining Democrats to pass it, The Seattle Times reported. The bill would override local zoning rules that have long kept large areas in cities for only single-family homes. Gov. Jay Inslee and other supporters say increasing housing supply is critical to ease a statewide housing crisis thats seen home prices soar and the rise of homelessness. We simply dont have enough housing in this state, said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma. This problem affects every city in every county across the state and its a bigger problem than any city or county has been able to tackle so far. Opponents argue that planning and land use decisions should be handled locally and that the bill would be a gift to developers without doing enough to increase affordable housing. I support the local communities being able to determine what their community looks like without the state of Washington coming down with a hammer telling them they must do this, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, said. The bill will return to the House for a vote on the Senate's version, which among other changes, is more lenient in the requirements it places on smaller cities in Seattles suburbs. Hard to overstate what a sea change this is for the state of Washington taking proactive action on zoning reform to create more housing choices, wrote Dan Bertolet, director of housing and urbanism for the Sightline Institute. It would not ban the construction of single family homes, but it would stop cities from requiring neighborhoods to have only single-family homes. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, touted the bill as protecting private property rights. When the cities say you can only build one house on your half-acre lot, Braun said, that restricts your right to use your property as you would like. The state Department of Commerce estimates Washington needs to build an additional 1 million homes over the next two-plus decades to keep pace with population growth. The requirements would not apply to environmentally critical areas or threatened watersheds around drinking water reservoirs. Similar legislation has failed in recent years, as cities have lobbied to maintain their grip on zoning regulations. But supporters this year worked extensively with the Association of Washington Cities, which gave muted support last week. States have increasingly stepped in as populations grow and housing stocks fail to keep pace. Oregon eliminated single-family zoning in 2019 and California largely did the same in 2021. HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) A mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 11-year-old son in southeastern Pennsylvania and is awaiting extradition from New Jersey, where she was arrested after her SUV was found in the surf on a beach at the Jersey shore. Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 50, of Horsham, is charged in Montgomery County with first- and third-degree murder as well as possession of an instrument of crime in the death of Matthew Whitehead, prosecutors said Wednesday. Prosecutors said the boy's father found the door to the master bedroom in the couple's home locked Tuesday morning and his wife and their SUV missing. He then found their son unresponsive in the bed, where he had gone to sleep with his mother. Police were called and declared the boy dead. An autopsy Wednesday concluded the boy's death was due to strangulation and the manner of death was homicide. Prosecutors allege DiRienzo-Whitehead killed her son after he went to sleep at about 9:30 p.m. Monday and then drove the family SUV about 120 miles (193 kilometers) south to Cape May, New Jersey, where she drove the vehicle into the ocean just off Beach Avenue." After the vehicle was no longer operable, she walked to Wildwood Crest, a Cape May borough, where she was taken into custody by Wildwood Crest police and interviewed by Montgomery County detectives and Horsham police, prosecutors said. Authorities allege in a criminal complaint that DiRienzo-Whitehead told investigators her son had been upset and crying off and on all day over the family's financial difficulties and that she strangled him so he would not have to grow up with these struggles. DiRienzo-Whitehead is being held in Cape May County and will be extradited back to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania for arraignment on the charges, prosecutors said Wednesday. Court documents don't list an attorney representing her and a message could not be left at a number listed in her name. A neighbor, Ed Smith, told WFMZ-TV that the boy's death was very tragic and the case was surprising. Very nice people. Good neighbors, he told the station. Smith and his wife, Diane, said they have known the boy's mother for more than four decades. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to over two years in prison for attempting to fraudulently obtain over $6 million in federal CARES Act funds for seven businesses, including one allegedly dedicated to helping with pandemic-related aid. The man, who pleaded guilty in September to bank fraud and wire fraud, applied for 35 Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. He received nearly $874,000 of the total he applied for, the U.S. Attorney's office said Monday. The man was sentenced in federal court to 28 months in prison; a co-defendant was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Both were accused of inflating the companies' revenues and the number of employees on the applications. The man also was accused of submitting false tax filings. Gilcrease Museum will host its second annual Brewed for Gilcrease beer tasting event, celebrating the citys craft brewing industry, 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 15, in the courtyard area of the new 222 North Detroit complex, 222 N. Detroit Ave. Attendees will be able to sample products from 12 local breweries, as well as enjoy live music from the Latin-funk band Brujo Roots, and food from some of the citys most popular food trucks. Tickets for the event, which must be purchased in advance, are $60. VIP tickets, which will give one early access to the event, a commemorative pilsner glass, and the chance to sample some exclusive beers, are $80. Discounts are available for Gilcrease Museum members. Designated driver tickets are available for purchase at a discounted rate of $25. Tulsas craft beer scene has received attention around the country for its quality and creativity, said Gilcrease Museum Chief Development and Revenue Officer Frank Mulhern. Were excited to partner with Tulsas best brewers for a second year to put a spotlight on our craft beer industry, celebrating their top-notch products and enjoying some special brews while supporting Tulsas museum. Tickets are available on the Gilcrease Museum website, gilcrease.org. One must be 21 or older to attend. All tickets include unlimited tastings, a food voucher and free on-site parking. Participating breweries are: American Solera, Cabin Boys Brewery, Dead Armadillo, Eerie Abbey Ales, High Gravity Brewing Company, Heirloom Rustic Ales, Marshall Brewing Company, NEFF Brewing, Nothings Left Brewing Co., The Cape Brewing Company, The Nook Brewery and Renaissance Brewing Co. On-site food trucks will include Andolinis Pizzeria; Manila Ice, the Filipino Food Truck; and Ruths Chicken which features Korean-style fried chicken. Proceeds from the event will benefit Gilcrease Museum, which is currently undergoing construction of a new facility that is expected to be completed by late 2025. The museum is owned by the City of Tulsa, which has partnered with The University of Tulsa to steward the museum. To purchase tickets, and more information: gilcrease.org. Great Harvest Bread to close The Tulsa outlet of the national bakery chain, Great Harvest Bread Co., at 5203 S. Sheridan Road in the Farm Shopping Center, will close Saturday, April 29. Owners Lacey and Brian Loveless said in a Facebook post that they will be closing our doors permanently due to unforeseen and unexpected rent and maintenance cost increases, making it no longer financially responsible to remain open. We will continue to be making our regular breads and goodies throughout April, so stop by and see us, the post continues. Brian and I will be continuing our work in veterinary medicine, and starting the next chapter of our lives....Thank you for letting us be a part of this community and your lives for the last four years. Great Harvest Bread Co. originally opened in 2001; the franchise, which served breakfast and lunch sandwiches in addition to a variety of baked goods, has had several owners during its tenure. Basque host Rosenthal wine dinner Basque, 114 N. Boston Ave., will host a dinner pairing a quintet of Italian wines, furnished by the Rosenthal Wine Merchants, with the five-course meal created by chef Andrew Donovan, 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. The meal will begin with poached langoustine with a pea salad, clementine and spruce tip ponzu, followed by pan-roasted sea scallops topped with a buttermilk-herb emulsion, crisp prosciutto and golden osteria. A grass-fed New York strip loin steak, with European black truffle, stone-ground white grits, stone fruit and freshly shaved truffles will precede a venison osso bucco, with tagliatelle, a ramp gremolata, and bone-marrow peppercorn butter. Dessert will be a dark chocolate-chili mousse, with raspberry cremeaux, toasted almonds and a cotton candy grape. Cost is $130 per person, or $85 for the meal without wines. Reservations are required. To reserve: 918-442-2996, basquetulsa.com. Beef banquet benefits Little Light House Fassler Hall, 304 S. Elgin Ave., will host a Beer and Beefsteak Banquet, 6 p.m. Sunday, April 16, as a benefit for the Little Light House of Tulsa. Inspired by the 19th century tradition in New York City of beefsteak banquets for working-class citizens, Fassler Halls rendition will feature all-you-can-eat beef tenderloin and its signature fries cooked in duck fat, along with plenty of the many beers it serves. Cost is $90 per person, which includes food, beer and a commemorative apron. Gratuity is not included. Seating is limited. To purchase: mcnelliesgroup.com/shop. Wine & Swine 2023 The Tavern, 201 N. Main St., will host its annual Wine & Swine outdoor wine dinner and pig roast Wednesday, April 19. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa. The dinner will feature a menu that is specially crafted to honor the noble and delicious pig, with dishes paired with wines Vine Street Imports, with Aaron Meeker onsite to represent the company, and discuss the wines being served. Winemaker Franco Lourens from the South African winery Lourens Family Wines will also be in attendance. The band Nightingale will provide the evenings live music. Cost is $100 per person. To purchase: opentable.com. King Burrito closes both locations Both locations of King Burrito, at 9311 E. 71st St., and 2030 S. Sheridan Road, have closed. Efforts to reach the owners about the closings were not successful. The regional, family-run chain got its start in Rogers, Ark., and continues to operate several locations in northwest Arkansas. The 71st Street location was its first venue outside of Arkansas. King Burrito served impressively large, and generously filled burritos topped with a choice of sauces, as well as tacos, sopes and tortas. Tom Petty visited Tulsa at the start of his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career and tinkered around with band mates at Leon Russells Church Studio. Petty and his pre-Heartbreakers band, Mudcrutch, signed their first record deal with Shelter Records, a label owned by Russell and business partner Denny Cordell. It feels like a proper nod to the past that Petty songs will be part of Carney Fest, a new Church Studio-presented cultural music festival scheduled 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 15, outside the historic venue. Trenton Avenue will be blocked off from Third Street to Fourth Place. A covered stage will be on festival turf. Ann Bell, accompanied by artists carrying on the Tulsa Sound, will perform at 7:50 p.m. Reverend Horton Heat will play a headlining set beginning at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available at carneyfest.com. The music lineup also includes Brad Absher & the Superials, Jake & The Idols, Dante & The Bird Dogs, Brent Giddens, Until Now, Travis Kidd, Zac Wenzel and an Oklahoma City-based group that will reintroduce guests to the songs of Petty, who died in 2017. That group is Insider: A Tribute to Tom Petty. With Toms connection to Tulsa and the Church Studio, making his music a part of the celebration is an easy sell, lead vocalist Neil Taylor said, indicating that his band hopes to see Tulsa and Church Studio as a bigger part of the known story of Petty. We are here to help. Pettys Tulsa ties did he spend much time here? did he record here? seemed foggy before a recently published (and thorough) Russell biography by Bill Janovitz filled in some blanks. Janovitz wrote that Petty and Mudcrutch traveled by van from their home state of Florida to shop a Mudcrutch demo tape around Hollywood and perhaps land a record deal. Mudcrutch secured a handshake agreement with London Records. Petty returned to Florida with the intent of bringing the entire band back to California. Cordell sweet-talked the group into making a stop-over in Tulsa while traveling west. The book (Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Times Journey Through Rock & Roll History) said Cordell met Mudcrutch at the Ranch House Diner now a Freeway Cafe location across from Church Studio and the band was instantly charmed by the Englishman. Cordell gave the cash-strapped musicians some pocket money. He invited them to spend the night in Tulsa and do some recording at Church Studio the following day. Mudcrutch accepted the offer and signed with Shelter Records. Mudcrutch subsequently spent time in California and Tulsa. Members of the band lived briefly at Russells home in Encino and thats where Mudcrutch broke up, according to the book. Petty was retained as a songwriter (Russell summoned him for team-up sessions) and potential solo artist. Mudcrutch members Mike Campbell and Benmont Trench continued with Petty as members of the Heartbreakers. Read the book for an interesting story about Russell advising young Petty that he needed to earn the right to do something Tulsa-born drummer Jim Keltner was doing. Asked how the Petty tribute group came about, Taylor said, I had the idea that, after many years of hearing I resembled Tom in sound and performance, it would be fun to do an evening of Tom Petty. We scheduled two shows. We kept getting asked to do it. We got better each time, accumulated more instruments for the show, and here we are seven years in. Joining Taylor in the band are Lance Dierker (bass and vocals), Wayman McCallister (drums and vocals), Carl Piowaty (lead guitar and vocals), Alex Blazy (keys, guitars, ukulele, vocals), Kris Piowaty (vocals) and Sarah Piowaty (vocals). You can correctly assume everyone in the group loves Petty music. Weve become bigger fans as time goes by, Taylor said. The more we play the music and interact with Toms fans, the deeper the connection. It has been a wonderful experience for all of us. The music has universal themes that people from all walks of life and all ages connect with. I might add that this music has brought us closer as friends, as well. Its powerful stuff. The tribute band has something in common with Mudcrutch. Both have done some recording at Church Studio. We thought it would be apropos for us to record where Tom, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench kicked off their recording career, Taylor said. We started that part of the project this past winter and hope to continue that relationship with the studio. It was an incredible, intimidating and humbling experience. We have been asked to publicly debut that song (an original song) at this years Carney Fest. More songs to come... Carney Fest gets its name from the title of Russells third studio album, Carney, which was released in 1972 the same year he returned to his hometown and purchased Church Studio. With the iconic album cover and his hit song Tight Rope, it dawned on us that naming our festival Carney is a notable way to capture the essence of the special history of Leon and the Church, yet showing we have embarked on a new season of the studios legacy, Church Studio owner Teresa Knox said. All of the performing artists have recorded with us the past year. We are here to serve musicians and expand their and our fan base. If we can accomplish this while having a measurable economic impact on our community, we have done our job. The festival will have a carnival-style theme and will feature food, exhibitors, art, a childrens area and hourly tours of Church Studio, which reopened in 2022 following a major renovation. Carney Fest exists to have a live music experience that preserves traditions of Tulsas creative history, Knox said. Our goal is to delight fans, LeonLifers, locals and tourists with delicious food, varied craft offerings and excellent music in an authentic and fun way. The musicality of the neighborhood didnt come to life until 1972, so we are hoping to capture that 70s vibe at a time when analog was king, and a clown, juggler or guitar solo could command your full attention. OKLAHOMA CITY A state governing board on Tuesday unanimously denied an application for the Catholic Church in Oklahoma to create the nations first religious charter school. The decision gives Oklahoma Catholic leaders 30 days to revise and resubmit their application, which will go back before the five-member Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said the boards decision isnt a surprise. This is fairly normal for their application process, he said. It gives us more time to address their concerns. The board made eight suggestions for how the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa could improve their application. Oklahoma Catholic leaders, who are seeking to open St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, have said they view the issue of religious charter schools as a possible test case to challenge separation of church and state laws. After receiving legal guidance from Assistant Attorney General Niki Batt and a memorandum laying out those points, several board members appeared hesitant to approve the application for the taxpayer-funded religious online charter school. Batt highlighted several provisions in state law and in the Oklahoma Constitution that appear to disallow taxpayer-funded religious schools. In response to legal questions posed by the boards chairman, Batt indicated that the Attorney Generals Office might not be able to represent individual board members if they were sued for approving the Catholic charter school application. Board Chairman Robert Franklin said he expects the board will be sued regardless of its final decision on the charter school application. But he said Statewide Virtual Charter School Board members have faced personal lawsuits in the past for actions they took as part of the panel. The boards final decision on the archdioceses charter school application is expected to spur a court battle that could have national implications on whether taxpayer dollars can be used to directly fund religious charter schools. Charter schools are publicly funded but privately operated. Newly appointed board member Nellie Sanders questioned why members hadnt received legal guidance from Batt prior to the meeting. Scott Strawn, another new member of the board, questioned whether the legal memo could be a ploy to keep the panel from approving the application. Based on this memo, I dont know that Im comfortable voting one way or another on this application, he said. The legal guidance appears to suggest that the question of whether Oklahoma can allow for taxpayer-funded religious schools is a matter of settled law, he said. An ardent school choice proponent, State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a nonvoting member of the board, urged his colleagues to approve the application. He said the State Department of Education, which he leads, could help defend board members by finding them legal counsel. This is an incredibly important decision for the state of Oklahoma, Walters said. We have here an application to provide more opportunities for kids and show Oklahoma as a state that truly values religious freedom. He also accused radical leftists blinded by their hatred of the Catholic Church of trying to stop the charter school from coming to fruition. Franklin immediately pushed back on Walters comments, saying he hasnt heard anyone take a radical position on this issue. Six people spoke out against the charter school application during the public comment portion of the meeting. All of the speakers were calm, brief and polite in their remarks. Franklin pressed for a yes or no vote on the charter school application. If we delay, were just kicking the can down the road, he said. Competing legal opinions on this issue from Oklahomas current and former attorneys general set the stage for a likely court battle that could set a precedent across the country. Former Attorney General John OConnor, a Republican, opened the door for the Catholic school application last year when he issued an advisory opinion that said the states ban on publicly funded religious charter schools could be a violation of the U.S. Constitution. He advised that the state should not enforce its law that says all charter school operations should be nonsectarian. Newly elected GOP Attorney General Gentner Drummond in February withdrew his predecessors advisory opinion and cautioned the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board against sponsoring the taxpayer-funded Catholic charter school. If approved, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School is expected to enroll about 500 students at the outset and 1,500 students by its fifth year of operation. Local Catholic leaders say they see a need for the online school in rural parts of the state where communities may be too small for a brick-and-mortar Catholic school. Tulsa World Newsroom podcast: Andrea Eger on Archdioceses efforts for first religious charter school in the country OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahomas attorney general advised the head of the state Senate that Superintendent Ryan Walters could not serve simultaneously in his statewide elected position and as the governors education secretary. The March 7 letter Attorney General Gentner Drummond sent Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat likely doomed Walters chances of being confirmed by the Senate to continue serving on Gov. Kevin Stitts Cabinet. Stitt on Tuesday replaced Walters as education secretary. Katherine Curry, a college professor, will now serve as the governors education secretary. Treat, R-Oklahoma City, was supposed to shepherd Walters through the Senate confirmation process. A spokesman for Treat on Wednesday confirmed that the GOP leader of the state Senate sought legal guidance on whether Walters could serve simultaneously as state superintendent and secretary of education. I have had numerous conversations with legislators who have expressed their concern that Mr. Walters is in violation of the prohibition against dual office holding, Drummond wrote in his response letter. State law prohibits state elected officials from holding two offices simultaneously. The law includes limited exceptions. The position of state superintendent and secretary of education each constitute a state office, and as such, Mr. Walters is statutorily prohibited from serving in both capacities, Drummond added. The attorney general cited state law and detailed the duties of the education secretary to make his case that the appointed position constitutes a state office. In the letter, Drummond cites the education secretarys role as chair of the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability. The education secretary can unilaterally veto agency rulemaking and also has some authority to control the disbursement of state funds due to one of Stitts executive orders, Drummond wrote. In 1991 Sandy Garrett took office as state superintendent but also retained her position serving as education secretary to Gov. David Walters. The Cabinet position used to be more of a ceremonial role, said Drummond spokesman Phil Bacharach. But the number of duties and statutory responsibilities for the education secretary have grown over the years, he said. For his Cabinet duties, Walters was earning $40,000 a year on top of his $124,373 annual salary as state superintendent. Stitt spokeswoman Carly Atchison did not directly answer a question about whether the attorney generals letter factored into the governors decision to rescind Walters appointment. This is all a big nothing-burger, though the media wants to believe otherwise and peddle narratives to the contrary, Atchison said in an email. Appointing Dr. Curry is not a reflection on Ryan Walters or his service as Secretary of Education on the governors cabinet for the last four years. The governor was thrilled with Ryans service and as Superintendent remains a close advisor and will always have a seat at the table. Walters did not directly answer a question Wednesday about whether he had the support needed in the state Senate to get the 25 votes necessary to be confirmed as education secretary. Ive got great support in the Senate and the House and continue to work with them on moving the ball forward on school choice, Walters said. He added that hes looking forward to working with Curry. Astronomers create the most detailed dark matter map of the universe The image offers support for Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity The groundbreaking image was made using 14 billion-year-old light from the early stages of the universe Astronomers have created a new image of a dark matter map of the universe that offers increased support for Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. The groundbreaking new image was created using 14 billion-year-old light taken from the turbulent aftermath of the Big Bang, which is believed to be one of the possible origins of the universe and shows massive matter tendrils that formed in the early stages of the universe. Astronomers Create New Dark Matter Map The new image also contradicts previous dark matter maps suggesting the universe is a cosmic web, a massive network of crisscrossing celestial superhighways paved with hydrogen gas and dark matter. The astronomers who created the new image presented their findings on Apr. 11 at the Future Science with CMB x LSS conference held at Japan's Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, as per Live Science. In a statement, a cosmologist at the University of Pennsylvania, Mathew Madhavacheril, said that they made a new mess map using distortions of light that were left over from the Big Bang. He argued that the image remarkably provided measurements that highlighted both the "lumpiness" of the universe and the rate at which it grew even after billions of years. Madhavacheril said that the findings were what experts would expect from the standard cosmology model based on Einstein's theory of gravity. Current theories suggest that the universe, following its creation by the Big Bang, was teeming with matter and antimatter particles. These are identical to their matter counterparts but possess opposing electrical charges. Due to matter and antimatter causing each other's annihilation, if they collide, if there was an equal measure of both, all of the universe's matter should have been destroyed. But the rapidly expanding fabric of space-time and some other helpful quantum fluctuations have led scientists to believe that pockets of the universe's primordial plasma are intact. Read Also: Study Finds Increased Rate of Sea Level Rise in US Southeast, Gulf Coast Supporting Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity A professor of cosmology at the University of Cambridge, who leads the group responsible for the finding, said that they had mapped the invisible dark matter to the largest distances possible. He argued that they could observe hundreds of millions of light-years across space, according to Nano Werk. The researchers used the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) to create a new image of the universe's dark matter. The image shows parts with more mass and regions with less or none. The image also shows areas where contaminating light from dust in our Milky Way galaxy obscures a deeper view. The team took light from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and used it as a backlight to silhouette all the matter between us and the beginning of the universe. Scientists believe that dark matter makes up 85% of the universe and can influence how the universe evolves and grows over time. However, detecting and subsequently researching this type of matter has proven difficult because it does not interact with light or other electromagnetic radiation, said the Independent. Related Article: NASA, SpaceX Launch TEMPO Satellite To Monitor Earth's Air Pollution @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Olivia Gray was not having it. The former director of the Osage Nations Family Violence Prevention Program and a volunteer with Northeastern Oklahoma Safety and Education, a grassroots group that works with families of missing and murdered Indigenous people, Gray was one of four witnesses to testify Tuesday morning at the Osage Casino in Tulsa before a federal subcommittee on potential recommendations for addressing violence and human trafficking among Indigenous communities. That 14-person panel of the Not Invisible Act Commission has been tasked by the U.S Department of the Interior and the U.S. attorney general under the terms of the Not Invisible Act to make recommendations by October, including how to improve a problem Gray has routinely faced when working with victims families: the lack of consistent coordination and communication across law enforcement agencies. It is insulting when we hear the state say they just cant get around jurisdictional issues, Gray said. Weve had to negotiate through them since birth, as we have to know what fee land is, what trust land is and who has authority where. This is not a turf war. It just isnt. We can all work together or we can keep being jerks to each other. Enacted in 2020, the Not Invisible Act was designed to facilitate collaboration among Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in an effort to better address crime on tribal lands and against Indigenous people. The provisions of the Not Invisible Act include the creation of an advisory commission to develop recommendations on how to address specific aspects of the problem, including what resources are needed by law enforcement, victims, victims families and prosecutors. The group in Tulsa on Tuesday is a subcommittee of that commission. According to data from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than half of all American Indian and Alaska Native women nationally are subjected to physical intimate partner violence at some point in their lives, and one-fifth have been stalked. Indigenous women are also subjected to higher rates of interracial violence than other groups, with an estimated two-thirds of the sexual assaults against American Indian and Alaska Native women committed by non-Indigenous men. However, there is no definitive, accurate number of missing or murdered Indigenous people nationwide, thanks to a host of factors, including jurisdictional questions, victims not being identified as Indigenous and, as witnesses testified Tuesday, a lack of trust between law enforcement and victims families. Families are filing police reports, but theyre not being taken seriously, said Melody Ybarra with the Citizen Potawatomi Nations House of Hope domestic violence shelter, noting that some of her co-workers have been turned away by municipal law enforcement officers when attempting to file police reports. We need law enforcement officers who are properly trained, because our victims are often greeted by officers who have no compassion, no understanding or any sense of cultural sensitivity. Ybarras program serves Indigenous domestic violence victims across five counties in central Oklahoma, including part of the Oklahoma City metro area. Along with having to push for help from municipal law enforcement officers, the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache woman testified that a lack of media coverage over cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous people including one of her own relatives has also affected the chances of bringing justice for victims families due to the lack of public pressure and cooperation. Ybarras grandmother was sexually assaulted and killed in Pottawatomie County in 1978. Only two stories were published about the incident, Ybarra said: when the body was found and when the charges were dropped against her grandmothers husband, who had confessed on the record to abusing her but did not have any memory of killing her because he was blacked out the night of her death. However, if there is a missing white girl in Edmond, its on the news within 12 hours, she said. Along with better training for law enforcement officers and stronger efforts to collaborate with grassroots groups, victims and their families, all four witnesses urged the commission to find the resources for additional advocates and law enforcement agents to help deal with the backlog of cases. Along with a liaison office at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation specifically tasked with helping families of missing and murdered Indigenous people, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit has one special agent assigned to the entire state. We do this work because it needs to get done and nobodys doing it, Gray said. Im glad a few people have been assigned, but one BIA agent for the entire state is not enough. Its frankly insulting. I understand that fundings an issue, but theres an avalanche of need. I dont need a pat on the back for doing this. Im simply being a good relative by doing this. Its what Native women do. August 2022 video: With Trailing Ella Mae Prayer Walk, Seraphine Warren hopes to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous people Photos: Emergency declared over missing, murdered women along Pacific coast Officials on Wednesday announced a major scientific breakthrough in the DNA investigation related to the search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves. Of the 22 sets of remains exhumed at Oaklawn Cemetery near downtown Tulsa, six of those yielded DNA profiles that can be traced to relatives living today, Mayor G.T. Bynum announced during a news conference. We do not believe a match of this type has ever been achieved before in American history, Bynum said. Bynum said Intermountain Forensics, based in Salt Lake City, has flagged specific surnames and specific counties where relatives may be found. We do not know for certain that these relatives are direct descendants or whether they are the remains of massacre victims, Bynum said. We know these remains share DNA with people living in America today. Those who see their last name among those flagged and have a family history in Tulsa are asked to reach out to the investigative team at Tulsa1921DNA.org or email idteam@tulsa1921dna.org. You can help our community take an important step toward the truth, Bynum said. Bynum announced that the city has received a $1 million grant to continue efforts on victim advocacy, genealogical research, curriculum development and forensic genealogy training for stakeholders. He added that more geophysical work is expected at the citys Oaklawn Cemetery, as well as at some other sites, including an area referred to as the Canes east of Newblock Park near the Arkansas River. This information we have received today is absolutely historical, Tulsa Race Massacre descendant Brenda Alford said Wednesday. I know my grandparents could never have imagined this point in time when the community is not only talking about the massacre but also committing to the search for victims, she said. Danny Hellwig with Intermountain Forensics said the companys team, trained to be impartial, actually has an emotional investment in this investigation. We are putting our hearts and souls into it and will continue to work meticulously to leave no stone left unturned, Hellwig said Wednesday in Tulsa. According to Hellwig, even if the six individuals do not turn out to be victims of the 1921 Race Massacre, it will still be impactful to the investigation and help them determine their next steps. The investigation now turns to forensic genealogy, Hellwig said. Most of the names identified would have been living in the late 1800s or early 1900s in the areas identified. They dont need to be living there now, said Alison Wilde with Intermountain Forensics. Some of the relatives who have been identified through the DNA investigation are relatively young, she said, which can help the team reach out and make contact. We have people were very excited to reach out to, Wilde said of the 12 to 15 relatives identified, adding that they might never have known their families connection to Tulsa. The best way to help, for those who think theyre connected, is to participate in the teams DNA investigation. Online genealogy profiles wont help, Wilde said, so folks are asked to take an extra step so the Intermountain Forensics team can access the information. Hundreds of people have already submitted their information in advance of Wednesdays announcement, so the team will not lose sight of whats already been provided, Wilde said. Individuals who voluntarily share independent DNA tests with GEDmatch or Family Tree DNA, whether as part of this investigation or otherwise, will have the six genetic profiles (and any others produced from the investigation in the future) compared to their own, a news release states. Bynum added that those who prefer not to upload a DNA profile may still be valuable to the investigative team if they are able to share their families oral history. The team is continuing its analysis of 10 more sets of remains found in 2021 and 2022 excavations and exhumations, the release states. Surnames identified through DNA investigation Anyone whose family tree includes the surnames in the location of interest for unknown burials is asked to contact the Intermountain Forensics team. The team has stressed that those who may share one of the surnames and/or location of interest may not be directly tied to the burial itself or to the Tulsa Race Massacre. Male decedent with relatives in Coweta County area of Georgia (surnames: Scott, Huntley, Daniel, Meriwether, Sims, Bohannon) and Austin County, Texas (surnames: Benjamin, Willis) Female decedent with relatives in LeFlore County area of Mississippi (surnames: Maggett), in Union Parish area of Louisiana (surnames: Strong, McGee), and in Oklahoma during Indian Territory era (surnames: Still) Male decedent with relatives in Sabine Parish area of Louisiana (surnames: Holden, Larrimore) and Rapides Parish area of Louisiana (surnames: Luckett, Mayre) Male decedent with relatives in Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma during Indian Territory era and early 1900s (surnames: Smith, Davis, Rentie) As the genealogy team reaches out to DNA relatives, more information will help build the family trees associated with the unknown burials at Oaklawn, a news release states. November 2022 video: Forensic anthropologist discusses implications of DNA analysis connected to search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves Timeline: The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Tulsa in 1921: 'Oil Capital of the World' Tulsa's 1921 demographics Tulsa and Greenwood Modern Tulsa began in 1882 Glenn Pool oil field World War I creates petroleum demand T.D Evans elected Tulsa mayor Mary Seaman Tulsa law enforcement Race issues in Tulsa and Oklahoma Greenwood: Home to doctors, lawyers, teachers and exceptional schools Drexel Building Nab Negro for Attacking Girl in Elevator Tulsa Tribune NAACP and The Black Dispatch 'We are going to lynch that negro' Rising tension Oklahoma National Guard 'All hell broke loose' Seeking National Guard assistance Guardsmen come under fire from both sides At dawn 'And the invasion of the negro district began' Greenwood's destruction 'They joined in with the hoodlums in shooting at good citizens homes' Complaints of khaki clothes 'Even women with shopping bags would come in' Dr. A.C. Jackson Oklahoma Gov. J.B.A. Robertson declares martial law Detainees subject to harassment and humiliation Fairgrounds camp houses up to 5,000 True death toll will probably never be known 37 death certificates Unsuccessful search Conspiracy and cover-up? Ku Klux Klan rally Most insurance claims denied Few landmarks associated with massacre remain Statute of limitations runs out Original indictment of participants dismissed in 2007 'Before They Die' documentary premieres in October 2008 Documentary shows survivors' struggle for reparations from 1921 massacre October 2008: Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor apologizes 'I hope we get there very soon.' February 2017: Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Commission announced June 2018: Tulsa Public Schools teachers learn why race massacre is more accurate term May 2019: Oklahoma state budget bill includes $1.5 million for Tulsa race massacre centennial May 2019: Mayor G.T. Bynum sets 1921 Tulsa race massacre graves investigation into motion May 2019: $9 million renovation and expansion of Greenwood Cultural Center announced May 2019: Tulsa Regional Chamber to release 1921 minutes June 2019: 'Signs of gentrification': Greenwood community worries residents being pushed out, history disrespected September 2019: New book, 'Tulsa 1921,' is product of years of research into Tulsa Race Massacre October 2019: Mass graves search begins June 2021: President Joe Biden visits Tulsa on 100th anniversary Why the Tulsa World uses "race massacre" now instead of "race riot" Tulsa Race Massacre / The Tulsa World Library Race Massacre: Tulsa Regional Chamber apologizes A major overhaul of charter school oversight and several other pieces of Oklahoma state Senate Education Chairman Adam Pughs reform package survived an encounter with a House committee on Tuesday but appeared to be far from shore with about six weeks left in the 2023 session. Carried in the House by Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, Senate Bill 516 is in part a product of the Epic Virtual Charter Schools case. It seeks to bring all charter schools under a single state board, eliminate the separate board for virtual charter schools, tighten charter sponsorship, and give local school boards more power to block charter schools. One of the major differences between this (bill) and current law is that under current law, you could totally avoid the local school board and go straight to, say, a university, Echols told the House Common Education Committee. Under this bill, no one can avoid the local school board. How SB 516, if it becomes law, would affect efforts to form a state-funded Catholic virtual charter school is unclear. The application for that school was denied Tuesday during a meeting of the virtual charter school board. In any event, several points remain to be worked out, as indicated by the House committee striking the title and enacting clause. There are some changes that need to be made, Echols said. One of the issues, said Echols, is that the current language allows out-of-state board members. I think the number should be zero, he said. SB 516 passed 6-4, with two rural Republicans joining the committees two Democrats in opposition. Echols also steered two other Pugh bills, SB 519 and SB 526, through the committee. SB 519, in its current form, would give charter schools right of first refusal for leasing Commissioners of the Land Office property. This caused even more heartburn for rural Republicans, and Speaker Pro Tem Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, had to be tracked down to break a 5-5 tie and keep the bill moving. Echols said giving charter schools priority over traditional public schools gives me pause but the idea is to make CLO property available to charter schools. SB 526 repeals requirements for the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System, a statewide program intended to measure performance but the subject of considerable criticism during its brief existence. SB 526 would allow districts to continue using the system, which is marketed by a third-party vendor, or to develop their own evaluation programs. The problem we have with TLE right now is that we have kind of a single vendor system, said Echols. We need to look at more opportunities as to how we grade teachers and give them that continuing education in a way thats helpful but still maximizes what schools can do. Also advanced was SB 100, carried in the House by Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, which is a vehicle for creating a risk assessment protocol for school districts, and SB 126, by Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, which would require districts be notified if a student is arrested for a serious offense. Also Tuesday, the House Rules Committee laid over two bills related to Gov. Kevin Stitts proposed Legacy Fund. In his State of the State address, Stitt proposed putting $1 billion now held in reserves into what amounts to an endowment for state operations. With a Thursday deadline for Senate bills to be heard in House committees except Appropriations and Budget, the Legacy Fund bills future is unclear. Rules has no meetings scheduled but is prone to call them on short notice. Theoretically, bills could also be assigned directly to A&B, or be brought back after deadline by order of Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, or President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, who are also the two bills authors. March 30 video: Oklahoma Senate debates tax credit for private school, home school families The 12th conference on the cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities will kick off in Hanoi on Thursday, bringing together 50 cities and provinces in Vietnam along with 12 French localities. The four-day conference is part of a series of events to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and France. Ngo Minh Hoang, director of the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs, told a press briefing to launch the conference on Tuesday that this years edition is centered on 'Cooperation between Localities: Boosting Post-COVID-19 Recovery and Sustainable, Comprehensive Development.' More than 800 representatives from Vietnam and France will discuss sustainable urban development; water treatment and environmental protection; culture, heritage, and tourism; and smart city digitalization at four symposia. Four pairs of Vietnamese and French localities will sign memoranda of understanding at the conference, Hoang said. Many programs will be organized within the framework of the conference, including the Vietnam-France economic forum, a cuisine festival called 'Balade en France' or 'Walking around France' in English, as well as exhibitions and seminars on culture and heritage. A representative of the Hanoi Department of Public Security said that the police agency would ensure safety and security during the conference, identifying the task as one of its key duties this year. The cooperation between localities, also known as decentralized cooperation between Vietnam and France, was set up in 1989, with the establishment of the Hanoi-Ile-de-France partnership. The first conference on decentralized cooperation between Vietnam and France was hosted in Lille in 1996. The conference is held every three years. Vietnam hosted the sixth, eighth, and 10th editions in Hue, Hai Phong, and Can Tho, respectively. Over 33 cities and provinces in Vietnam and 24 French localities have been involved in 55 projects and deals. These projects focus on the culture, language, tourism, heritage preservation, urban planning, education, and sustainability fields. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The 12th conference on the cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities will kick off in Hanoi on Thursday, bringing together 50 cities and provinces in Vietnam along with 12 French localities. The four-day conference is part of a series of events to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties and 10 years of strategic partnership between Vietnam and France. Ngo Minh Hoang, director of the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs, told a press briefing to launch the conference on Tuesday that this years edition is centered on 'Cooperation between Localities: Boosting Post-COVID-19 Recovery and Sustainable, Comprehensive Development.' More than 800 representatives from Vietnam and France will discuss sustainable urban development; water treatment and environmental protection; culture, heritage, and tourism; and smart city digitalization at four symposia. Four pairs of Vietnamese and French localities will sign memoranda of understanding at the conference, Hoang said. Many programs will be organized within the framework of the conference, including the Vietnam-France economic forum, a cuisine festival called 'Balade en France' or 'Walking around France' in English, as well as exhibitions and seminars on culture and heritage. A representative of the Hanoi Department of Public Security said that the police agency would ensure safety and security during the conference, identifying the task as one of its key duties this year. The cooperation between localities, also known as decentralized cooperation between Vietnam and France, was set up in 1989, with the establishment of the Hanoi-Ile-de-France partnership. The first conference on decentralized cooperation between Vietnam and France was hosted in Lille in 1996. The conference is held every three years. Vietnam hosted the sixth, eighth, and 10th editions in Hue, Hai Phong, and Can Tho, respectively. Over 33 cities and provinces in Vietnam and 24 French localities have been involved in 55 projects and deals. These projects focus on the culture, language, tourism, heritage preservation, urban planning, education, and sustainability fields. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Tran Trung Kien, a Hanoi native, decided to open an eatery in the Vietnamese capital city to provide meals for needy people, as he experienced and understood hardships facing families of children with life-threatening diseases. The eatery, called 1K, operates twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, offering tasty and nutritious meals from different cuisines such as Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, or Europe to child patients at no charge. It prepares around 150-200 meal boxes on each operational day for children in medical treatment at Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi. Two chefs of the 1K eatery, Tran Thu Huyen and Mai Anh, prepare meal boxes for child patients in medical treatment at Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre From the fathers story A few years ago, Kiens daughter, who was nicknamed Nhim (hedgehog), was diagnosed with cancer and received medical treatment at the hospital. Given his great love for the little girl, the then-soldier sought to be discharged from the army to devote himself to taking care of his daughter. Staying by his daughters side every day at the hospital during her cancer journey, the father understood difficulties that child patients and their families were confronting. Since then, Kien came up with an idea of opening an eatery where patients only need pay 1K, which means VND1,000 (4 U.S. cents), for a delicious and healthy meal. When Nhim departed this life, the father could not stop thinking about her. This urged him to put the idea of opening the eatery into action. In late 2021, Kien launched the 1K eatery. Some parents told me that their kids kept waiting for two days [Wednesday and Saturday] to have yummy meals served by the eatery. Its heartwarming to hear that, Kien said. The 35-year-old called on his friends and generous donors via Facebook to join him in running this charitable business, as it could be impossible for him to handle the eatery alone in the long run. Knowing his story, friends and philanthropist from different regions have been willing to lend him a helping hand. Benefactors donated most equipment and cooking utensils in the eatery and offered Kien financial support to run the not-for-profit business. Many mothers and willing volunteers also joined to cook and prepare meals for the needy. The majority of these mothers have little kids and are often busy taking care of them, but they always make it to be present at the eatery very early in the morning to do the voluntary work. Tran Thu Huyen, a resident of Hanois Thanh Xuan District, who has volunteered at the eatery since the very first days of establishment, expressed her thanks to the eatery founder and child patients for helping unlock her potential in the kitchen. Huyen said she only cooked meals for three people before, but now she is able to cook and prepare meals for up to 200 people. Mai Anh, a volunteer residing in Hanoi, said she called on her husband and her two children to join her at the eatery. She wanted to teach her kids the spirit of giving to support underprivileged people, Anh said. The 1K eatery renews its menu regularly. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre to meals offered to child patients One Wednesday noon at a lake opposite the entrance of the Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi, the 1K eatery offered 170 meal boxes, each with purple rice served with aromatic sauteed shrimp and green vegetable soup, to child patients. Although the eatery was named 1K,' it offers free-of-charge meals to child patients, Kien explained. The eatery also worked with the hospital to understand the demand of child patients and their families, in order to work out the number of meal boxes it needs to prepare. Besides a fixed number of meal boxes, the eatery prepares an extra amount to give to the poor in the area and those in need. Mouth-watering dishes cooked and prepared by the 1K eatery. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Thi Thuy, 27, a native of Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam, burst into tears when receiving a meal box from the eatery. Her 12-month-old baby had to undergo heart surgery at the hospital. My family, despite being poor, has always tried to seek medical treatment for my child. Ill enjoy this meal to be able to breastfeed my baby, Thuy said. All the 170 meal boxes were delivered to child patients and their parents in just 20 minutes. Among the beneficiaries that noon, Kien recognized many familiar faces of the hospital. The 1K eatery members offer free-of-charge meals to the parents of child patients. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Tran Trung Kien, a Hanoi native, decided to open an eatery in the Vietnamese capital city to provide meals for needy people, as he experienced and understood hardships facing families of children with life-threatening diseases. The eatery, called 1K, operates twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, offering tasty and nutritious meals from different cuisines such as Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, or Europe to child patients at no charge. It prepares around 150-200 meal boxes on each operational day for children in medical treatment at Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi. Two chefs of the 1K eatery, Tran Thu Huyen and Mai Anh, prepare meal boxes for child patients in medical treatment at Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre From the fathers story A few years ago, Kiens daughter, who was nicknamed Nhim (hedgehog), was diagnosed with cancer and received medical treatment at the hospital. Given his great love for the little girl, the then-soldier sought to be discharged from the army to devote himself to taking care of his daughter. Staying by his daughters side every day at the hospital during her cancer journey, the father understood difficulties that child patients and their families were confronting. Since then, Kien came up with an idea of opening an eatery where patients only need pay 1K, which means VND1,000 (4 U.S. cents), for a delicious and healthy meal. When Nhim departed this life, the father could not stop thinking about her. This urged him to put the idea of opening the eatery into action. In late 2021, Kien launched the 1K eatery. Some parents told me that their kids kept waiting for two days [Wednesday and Saturday] to have yummy meals served by the eatery. Its heartwarming to hear that, Kien said. The 35-year-old called on his friends and generous donors via Facebook to join him in running this charitable business, as it could be impossible for him to handle the eatery alone in the long run. Knowing his story, friends and philanthropist from different regions have been willing to lend him a helping hand. Benefactors donated most equipment and cooking utensils in the eatery and offered Kien financial support to run the not-for-profit business. Many mothers and willing volunteers also joined to cook and prepare meals for the needy. The majority of these mothers have little kids and are often busy taking care of them, but they always make it to be present at the eatery very early in the morning to do the voluntary work. Tran Thu Huyen, a resident of Hanois Thanh Xuan District, who has volunteered at the eatery since the very first days of establishment, expressed her thanks to the eatery founder and child patients for helping unlock her potential in the kitchen. Huyen said she only cooked meals for three people before, but now she is able to cook and prepare meals for up to 200 people. Mai Anh, a volunteer residing in Hanoi, said she called on her husband and her two children to join her at the eatery. She wanted to teach her kids the spirit of giving to support underprivileged people, Anh said. The 1K eatery renews its menu regularly. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre to meals offered to child patients One Wednesday noon at a lake opposite the entrance of the Vietnam National Childrens Hospital in Hanoi, the 1K eatery offered 170 meal boxes, each with purple rice served with aromatic sauteed shrimp and green vegetable soup, to child patients. Although the eatery was named 1K,' it offers free-of-charge meals to child patients, Kien explained. The eatery also worked with the hospital to understand the demand of child patients and their families, in order to work out the number of meal boxes it needs to prepare. Besides a fixed number of meal boxes, the eatery prepares an extra amount to give to the poor in the area and those in need. Mouth-watering dishes cooked and prepared by the 1K eatery. Photo: Nguyen Hien / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Thi Thuy, 27, a native of Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam, burst into tears when receiving a meal box from the eatery. Her 12-month-old baby had to undergo heart surgery at the hospital. My family, despite being poor, has always tried to seek medical treatment for my child. Ill enjoy this meal to be able to breastfeed my baby, Thuy said. All the 170 meal boxes were delivered to child patients and their parents in just 20 minutes. Among the beneficiaries that noon, Kien recognized many familiar faces of the hospital. The 1K eatery members offer free-of-charge meals to the parents of child patients. Photo: Ha Thanh / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States expected Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong to pay a visit to the U.S. at the earliest possible time, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper told Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen on Tuesday. Speaking at the reception, Ho Chi Minh City Party chief Nen said that 2023 marks an important milestone for the two countries ties, with the highlights of the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership, the 30-year anniversary of the Fulbright Vietnamese Student Scholarship Program, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office in Vietnam. The bilateral ties have made many outstanding achievements, reflecting the success of the governments strategy of forgetting the past, overcoming differences, promoting common points, and moving toward the future in an equal, honest, and mutually beneficial manner, Nen said. Speaking of the cooperation between the city and the United States, he said that the city acts as Vietnams major market and economic hub, and boasts much potential for U.S. enterprises to invest in various fields, namely hi-tech, smart cities, digital economy, healthcare, and finance. The city is willing to welcome high-ranking delegations from the United States and investors who desire to sound out investment opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, the city expects to strengthen the partnership with the United States in two fields, including education and climate change response. Ho Chi Minh City will host the fourth Economic Forum, centered around 'Green Growth: Journey toward Net-Zero Carbon Emissions' in September. Through the event, the city will present its plan in detail and pool proposals and suggestions from experts to back its green growth strategy. Echoing the view of the two nations relationship, Ambassador Knapper said that numerous activities implemented by the two sides demonstrated the United States support for Vietnam. The two countries are moving toward the green growth and energy transition. The diplomat said that the United States took into account its support for Ho Chi Minh Citys hi-tech and service development. The U.S. ambassador expected both sides to quickly upgrade their ties, emphasizing that the United States hopes to greet Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong as soon as possible. On March 29, Vietnamese Party chief Trong spoke on the phone with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two reaffirmed the significance of the bilateral ties. A week before the phone talk, a delegation of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), with the participation of over 50 enterprises, visited Vietnam to seek investment opportunities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States expected Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong to pay a visit to the U.S. at the earliest possible time, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper told Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen on Tuesday. Speaking at the reception, Ho Chi Minh City Party chief Nen said that 2023 marks an important milestone for the two countries ties, with the highlights of the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership, the 30-year anniversary of the Fulbright Vietnamese Student Scholarship Program, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office in Vietnam. The bilateral ties have made many outstanding achievements, reflecting the success of the governments strategy of forgetting the past, overcoming differences, promoting common points, and moving toward the future in an equal, honest, and mutually beneficial manner, Nen said. Speaking of the cooperation between the city and the United States, he said that the city acts as Vietnams major market and economic hub, and boasts much potential for U.S. enterprises to invest in various fields, namely hi-tech, smart cities, digital economy, healthcare, and finance. The city is willing to welcome high-ranking delegations from the United States and investors who desire to sound out investment opportunities in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, the city expects to strengthen the partnership with the United States in two fields, including education and climate change response. Ho Chi Minh City will host the fourth Economic Forum, centered around 'Green Growth: Journey toward Net-Zero Carbon Emissions' in September. Through the event, the city will present its plan in detail and pool proposals and suggestions from experts to back its green growth strategy. Echoing the view of the two nations relationship, Ambassador Knapper said that numerous activities implemented by the two sides demonstrated the United States support for Vietnam. The two countries are moving toward the green growth and energy transition. The diplomat said that the United States took into account its support for Ho Chi Minh Citys hi-tech and service development. The U.S. ambassador expected both sides to quickly upgrade their ties, emphasizing that the United States hopes to greet Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong as soon as possible. On March 29, Vietnamese Party chief Trong spoke on the phone with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two reaffirmed the significance of the bilateral ties. A week before the phone talk, a delegation of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), with the participation of over 50 enterprises, visited Vietnam to seek investment opportunities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend a ceremony to turn the first sod at the site to build the new U.S. Embassy at a cost of over VND28 trillion (US$1.2 billion) in Hanoi, as part of his visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 16. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink revealed the top U.S. diplomats schedules at a press briefing by phone on Monday. Seeing Vietnam as reliable partner U.S. Secretary of State Blinken will meet high-ranking officials of Vietnam to continue discussions associated with the phone talk between U.S. President Joe Biden and Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong in late March," Kritenbrink said. He will also sit in on a ceremony to break ground for the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, which is very dear to my heart as a former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam. The former U.S. ambassador confirmed that the terms of a deal to construct the new embassy were approved by the United States and Vietnam a few hours before this press briefing. U.S. Secretary of State Blinkens visit is also aimed at marking 10 years of Hanoi and Washington's comprehensive partnership. Speaking of the importance of Vietnam, Kritenbrink said that the Southeast Asian country supports the worlds security based on international standards. Many major U.S. enterprises are expanding their reach in Vietnam. Vietnam also plays a key role in global supply chains, he added. We consider Vietnam the United States reliable partner in the Mekong region, which encompasses Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China, a leader of Southeast Asia, and a key member of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, said the Assistant Secretary of State. An artists impression of the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Photo: Supplied by the U.S. Embassy New symbol of Vietnam-U.S. relations The current U.S. Embassy is situated at 7 Lang Ha Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. During U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visit to Vietnam in August 2021, the terms on the location and land-leasing period of the new embassy were announced. According to the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, the new building, which will cost over VND28 trillion, will be one of the United States most expensive embassies in the world. The new embassy will lie near Cau Giay Park in the middle of the capital city, with the block design inspired by Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-listed natural heritage site in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. The design of the surrounding area and landscape is inspired by farming and rice growing, like the terrain of the Mekong Delta and Red River regions. Surprisingly, fewer than 30 years after the relationship normalization and the establishment of the first embassy in Hanoi in 1995, we continue to develop a new symbol representing the United States commitments to the long-lasting partnership and friendship with Vietnam, stated Kritenbrink. U.S. Secretary of State Blinkens three-day Vietnam visit U.S. Secretary of State Blinken will pay a visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The U.S. diplomat will partake in the main activities on April 15, including the meetings with the senior officials of the Vietnamese government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Blinken will leave Vietnam for Japan to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting from April 16 to 18. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend a ceremony to turn the first sod at the site to build the new U.S. Embassy at a cost of over VND28 trillion (US$1.2 billion) in Hanoi, as part of his visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 16. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink revealed the top U.S. diplomats schedules at a press briefing by phone on Monday. Seeing Vietnam as reliable partner U.S. Secretary of State Blinken will meet high-ranking officials of Vietnam to continue discussions associated with the phone talk between U.S. President Joe Biden and Vietnams Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong in late March," Kritenbrink said. He will also sit in on a ceremony to break ground for the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, which is very dear to my heart as a former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam. The former U.S. ambassador confirmed that the terms of a deal to construct the new embassy were approved by the United States and Vietnam a few hours before this press briefing. U.S. Secretary of State Blinkens visit is also aimed at marking 10 years of Hanoi and Washington's comprehensive partnership. Speaking of the importance of Vietnam, Kritenbrink said that the Southeast Asian country supports the worlds security based on international standards. Many major U.S. enterprises are expanding their reach in Vietnam. Vietnam also plays a key role in global supply chains, he added. We consider Vietnam the United States reliable partner in the Mekong region, which encompasses Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China, a leader of Southeast Asia, and a key member of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, said the Assistant Secretary of State. An artists impression of the new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Photo: Supplied by the U.S. Embassy New symbol of Vietnam-U.S. relations The current U.S. Embassy is situated at 7 Lang Ha Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. During U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visit to Vietnam in August 2021, the terms on the location and land-leasing period of the new embassy were announced. According to the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, the new building, which will cost over VND28 trillion, will be one of the United States most expensive embassies in the world. The new embassy will lie near Cau Giay Park in the middle of the capital city, with the block design inspired by Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-listed natural heritage site in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. The design of the surrounding area and landscape is inspired by farming and rice growing, like the terrain of the Mekong Delta and Red River regions. Surprisingly, fewer than 30 years after the relationship normalization and the establishment of the first embassy in Hanoi in 1995, we continue to develop a new symbol representing the United States commitments to the long-lasting partnership and friendship with Vietnam, stated Kritenbrink. U.S. Secretary of State Blinkens three-day Vietnam visit U.S. Secretary of State Blinken will pay a visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The U.S. diplomat will partake in the main activities on April 15, including the meetings with the senior officials of the Vietnamese government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Blinken will leave Vietnam for Japan to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting from April 16 to 18. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Officials in Binh Phuoc Province, southern Vietnam are set to develop a French-era airport into a special-use airport spanning some 350 hectares. The provincial Peoples Committee at a meeting on Tuesday decided to set up a steering committee in charge of the airport planning and a working team to assist the steering committee. The 350ha Hon Quan special-use airport is designed to be located in Tan Loi Commune, Hon Quan District. Tran Tue Hien, chairwoman of the Binh Phuoc Peoples Committee, underlined the importance of the airport development. She asked relevant units to closely cooperate to execute the project. She also requested that the Binh Phuoc Military Command collect and consider feedback on the project at the meeting and make sure that the planning will take place as scheduled. Previously, the Ministry of National Defense endorsed a plan converting the Technique Hon Quan military airport into a special-use one following the provincial administrations proposal. The ministry also asked the provincial government to incorporate this airport project into their master plan. The Technique Hon Quan airport, currently under the management of the Vietnamese military, was built by the French to serve its colonial exploitation. During the war in Vietnam, U.S. troops used the airport to serve military activities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Officials in Binh Phuoc Province, southern Vietnam are set to develop a French-era airport into a special-use airport spanning some 350 hectares. The provincial Peoples Committee at a meeting on Tuesday decided to set up a steering committee in charge of the airport planning and a working team to assist the steering committee. The 350ha Hon Quan special-use airport is designed to be located in Tan Loi Commune, Hon Quan District. Tran Tue Hien, chairwoman of the Binh Phuoc Peoples Committee, underlined the importance of the airport development. She asked relevant units to closely cooperate to execute the project. She also requested that the Binh Phuoc Military Command collect and consider feedback on the project at the meeting and make sure that the planning will take place as scheduled. Previously, the Ministry of National Defense endorsed a plan converting the Technique Hon Quan military airport into a special-use one following the provincial administrations proposal. The ministry also asked the provincial government to incorporate this airport project into their master plan. The Technique Hon Quan airport, currently under the management of the Vietnamese military, was built by the French to serve its colonial exploitation. During the war in Vietnam, U.S. troops used the airport to serve military activities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today in Vietnam: Society -- More than VND236 trillion (US$10 billion) had been mobilized for COVID-19 prevention and control as of the end of last year, the Vietnam News Agency quoteda report by a National Assembly supervisory delegation. -- The northern province of Quang Ninh topped Vietnams Provincial Competitiveness Index 2022 for the sixth consecutive year. Hanoi ranked 20th and Ho Chi Minh City placed 27th, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has required Greenlines DP Technology Co. Ltd. to stop exploiting the inland waterway port at the Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 after the municipal Peoples Committee rejected the departments proposal for the further exploitation of the second quay at the wharf. -- Vietnams largest private beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat Group has named David Riddle, who is from the UK, as its new CEO, following the arrest of the firms founder Tran Qui Thanh and deputy CEO Tran Uyen Phuong as well as charges against Tran Ngoc Bich, who is also a deputy CEO of Tan Hiep Phat. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed building a road leading to a waste-to-energy project in outlying Cu Chi District at a cost of over VND760 billion ($32.6 million). -- Binh Phuoc Province in southern Vietnam will develop a military airfield in Hon Quan District into a specialized airport covering some 350 hectares of land. -- The 12th Conference on Decentralized Cooperation between France and Vietnam will take place in Hanoi from Thursday to Sunday with the participation of 50 localities in Vietnam and 12 localities from France. World News -- South Korea's antitrust regulator has fined Alphabet Inc's Google 42.1 billion won ($31.88 million) for blocking the release of mobile video games on a competitor's platform, according to Reuters. -- Chile's Congress on Tuesday passed a hard-fought bill to gradually cut the work week to 40 hours from 45 hours, a legislative victory for President Gabriel Boric amid faltering popularity, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today in Vietnam: Society -- More than VND236 trillion (US$10 billion) had been mobilized for COVID-19 prevention and control as of the end of last year, the Vietnam News Agency quoteda report by a National Assembly supervisory delegation. -- The northern province of Quang Ninh topped Vietnams Provincial Competitiveness Index 2022 for the sixth consecutive year. Hanoi ranked 20th and Ho Chi Minh City placed 27th, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has required Greenlines DP Technology Co. Ltd. to stop exploiting the inland waterway port at the Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 after the municipal Peoples Committee rejected the departments proposal for the further exploitation of the second quay at the wharf. -- Vietnams largest private beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat Group has named David Riddle, who is from the UK, as its new CEO, following the arrest of the firms founder Tran Qui Thanh and deputy CEO Tran Uyen Phuong as well as charges against Tran Ngoc Bich, who is also a deputy CEO of Tan Hiep Phat. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed building a road leading to a waste-to-energy project in outlying Cu Chi District at a cost of over VND760 billion ($32.6 million). -- Binh Phuoc Province in southern Vietnam will develop a military airfield in Hon Quan District into a specialized airport covering some 350 hectares of land. -- The 12th Conference on Decentralized Cooperation between France and Vietnam will take place in Hanoi from Thursday to Sunday with the participation of 50 localities in Vietnam and 12 localities from France. World News -- South Korea's antitrust regulator has fined Alphabet Inc's Google 42.1 billion won ($31.88 million) for blocking the release of mobile video games on a competitor's platform, according to Reuters. -- Chile's Congress on Tuesday passed a hard-fought bill to gradually cut the work week to 40 hours from 45 hours, a legislative victory for President Gabriel Boric amid faltering popularity, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A militiaman drowned during his participation in a river clean-up in Dong Thap Province, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta region, on Tuesday. A local official confirmed on Wednesday that the accident occurred after a river clean-up event, which was held by local authorities at 7:00 am on Tuesday using boats supplied by residents, in the Tien (Front) River in Dong Thaps Cao Lanh City. The report on the incident showed that H.N., a 19-year-old militiaman, and D.V.T., 21, were in charge of rowing a boat back to its owner after the event finished. The boat sank during the trip and N. could not swim. T. tried to save him to no avail. Rescuers took N. ashore and rushed him to a hospital at 9:45 am, but he died on the way. Representatives of the local authorities visited and comforted the family of the victim after the drowning, according to the local official. The family also received financial support worth VND5 million (US$217) from the authorities, who will cover the expenses for N.s funeral as well. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A militiaman drowned during his participation in a river clean-up in Dong Thap Province, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta region, on Tuesday. A local official confirmed on Wednesday that the accident occurred after a river clean-up event, which was held by local authorities at 7:00 am on Tuesday using boats supplied by residents, in the Tien (Front) River in Dong Thaps Cao Lanh City. The report on the incident showed that H.N., a 19-year-old militiaman, and D.V.T., 21, were in charge of rowing a boat back to its owner after the event finished. The boat sank during the trip and N. could not swim. T. tried to save him to no avail. Rescuers took N. ashore and rushed him to a hospital at 9:45 am, but he died on the way. Representatives of the local authorities visited and comforted the family of the victim after the drowning, according to the local official. The family also received financial support worth VND5 million (US$217) from the authorities, who will cover the expenses for N.s funeral as well. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The classified materials, which have not all been independently verified by US officials, range from briefing slides outlining Ukrainian military positions to analyses of international support for Ukraine and other delicate subjects, such as the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The exact number of documents that were leaked is unknown. About 50 documents have been read, although some estimates place the amount in the hundreds. The breach might have started on a platform called Discord. Online gamers frequently use the social media platform. US Classified Documents Leak Source Per ABC News, Discord is a location "where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a global art community." It offers real-time audio, video, and text conversations for groups." Members of one of such forums, initially designed to discuss various subjects, would discuss the conflict in Ukraine. An anonymous user published documents that the poster claimed were classified, initially typing them out using the poster's own words and later, as of a few months ago, sharing photographs of folded sheets, according to one conversation participant. The Associated Press was informed by the man who claimed to be a forum member that another person, known only online as "Lucca," released the documents in a different Discord discussion. They spread from there till the media took notice of them. Many aspects of the tale must be confirmed later. Furthermore, senior US officials openly admit they are still seeking solutions. The disclosures have brought to light how meticulously the United States keeps track of how its friends and allies deal with China and Russia. Allegations from the leaked records have been refuted or disputed by officials in several nations. American intelligence had picked up on Russian operatives' statements that they were forging tighter ties with the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich Middle Eastern country home to significant American military sites. The UAE denied the accusations, describing them as "completely false." According to open-source intelligence specialists, a damning trove of Pentagon leaks initially appeared to have been released on the video game chat service Discord to win a debate about the conflict in Ukraine. The strange origin of the leak may seem uncommon. Still, it is not the first time a gaming conflict has resulted in an intelligence breach, with the overlapped communities posing issues for gaming and military systems. Documents revealing estimated casualties in the Bakhmut theatre of combat started to circulate on public social networks last week, revealing the existence of the leaked cache. Among the war observers were two copies of those documents, one of which had been hastily digitally edited to understate Russian losses and overestimate Ukrainian ones. With the accurate numbers, one came via a leak to the anarchic image board 4chan, most known for giving rise to the "alt-right" movement. A second set of documents containing the modified image was circulated in parallel on pro-Russian Telegram channels, as per The Guardian. Yet, neither was the original source. The data had been disseminated in private Discord chatrooms before they were made public on the Internet. Discord is a chat program geared toward gamers. Ten papers were released on one server called "Minecraft Earth Map" on March 4, a month before they were posted on 4chan. According to Aric Toler, an analyst at the investigative research firm Bellingcat, "After a brief argument with another person on the server about Minecraft Maps and the war in Ukraine, one of the Discord users replied: "Here, have some leaked documents" - attaching ten documents about Ukraine, some of which had the designation "top secret." Read Also: Louisville Bank Shooting: Where Did Suspect Get His Rifle? Russia-Ukraine War Intensifies Meanwhile, although US officials intensified attempts to track down the source of a leak of classified US documents, including those on Ukrainian counteroffensive plans, Russian forces bombarded frontline cities in eastern Ukraine with air strikes and artillery bombardment. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian military staff said that the Russians continued their onslaught in the eastern Donetsk region, where numerous cities and towns came under intense shelling. It claimed that the Russian troops persisted in trying to seize control of Bakhmut, but Ukrainian forces successfully resisted repeated assaults. An influential Ukrainian general accused Moscow with employing "scorched earth" methods, according to Reuters via MSN. Donetsk's battle for control of the little, now largely destroyed city on the outskirts of a section of Russian-controlled territory has been the bloodiest of the 13-month conflict as Moscow attempts to revive its campaign following recent losses. The combat in Bakhmut has resulted in significant deaths on both sides, but Syrskyi remarked that "the situation is challenging but controllable." Dmitry Pushilin, the leader of the Donetsk region under Moscow control, reported that Russian forces already possessed 75% of the city. However, he cautioned that it was still too early to discuss Bakhmut's fall. The city of Avdiivka was also a target for Moscow's troops. Related Article: Ukraine War Leaked Classified Documents: Theories and More @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Vietnams largest private beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat Group has named David Riddle, the British vice-chairman of the group, its new CEO and legal representative. Riddle was appointed one day after the firms founder and CEO Tran Qui Thanh as well as deputy CEO Tran Uyen Phuong were arrested and Tran Ngoc Bich, who is also a deputy CEO of Tan Hiep Phat, was charged but was not taken into custody. Phuong and Bich are Thanh's daughters. Riddle, born in 1950, has worked for Tan Hiep Phat, based in Binh Duong Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, for more than 13 years. He has management experience at leading global corporations and has contributed significantly to Tan Hiep Phats development, the firm said in a statement. Thanh and Phuong operated the firm for years, so their charges will definitely affect the groups operation, a representative of Tan Hiep Phat told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday. David Riddle, the new CEO of Tan Hiep Phat Group. Photo: Supplied by Tan Hiep Phat However, Tan Hiep Phat will do its utmost to minimize the negative impacts of the case on its operations and partners with its management and human resources developed for many years, according to the groups statement. The group is committed to maintaining jobs and incomes for its thousands of workers. It will also continue fulfilling its commitments to domestic and foreign customers and partners, including charity programs. Investigators of the Ministry of Public Security on Monday detained Thanh and Phuong, and filed charges against Bich. Tan Hiep Phat currently provides beverage products in Vietnam and 16 other countries. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams largest private beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat Group has named David Riddle, the British vice-chairman of the group, its new CEO and legal representative. Riddle was appointed one day after the firms founder and CEO Tran Qui Thanh as well as deputy CEO Tran Uyen Phuong were arrested and Tran Ngoc Bich, who is also a deputy CEO of Tan Hiep Phat, was charged but was not taken into custody. Phuong and Bich are Thanh's daughters. Riddle, born in 1950, has worked for Tan Hiep Phat, based in Binh Duong Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, for more than 13 years. He has management experience at leading global corporations and has contributed significantly to Tan Hiep Phats development, the firm said in a statement. Thanh and Phuong operated the firm for years, so their charges will definitely affect the groups operation, a representative of Tan Hiep Phat told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday. David Riddle, the new CEO of Tan Hiep Phat Group. Photo: Supplied by Tan Hiep Phat However, Tan Hiep Phat will do its utmost to minimize the negative impacts of the case on its operations and partners with its management and human resources developed for many years, according to the groups statement. The group is committed to maintaining jobs and incomes for its thousands of workers. It will also continue fulfilling its commitments to domestic and foreign customers and partners, including charity programs. Investigators of the Ministry of Public Security on Monday detained Thanh and Phuong, and filed charges against Bich. Tan Hiep Phat currently provides beverage products in Vietnam and 16 other countries. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Today host Karl Stefanovic has been formally cautioned by Queensland Police following an alleged assault of a man at last August. A waiter, who had been bartending for the Mr. Consistent catering company, lodged a report with Police after he was allegedly touched by Stefanovic at a charity event to raise funds for skin cancer research. Details about the nature of the touching allegations were not made public. A 48-year-old Sunshine Beach man has been issued an adult caution for common assault, a police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. An adult caution is a formal warning that may be administered by a police officer under Queenslands Adult Cautioning Scheme. Cautioning provides a means of dealing with lower-end, non-habitual offending. The matter has now been finalised from a police perspective, the spokeswoman said. New and returning titles this Thursday at SBS on Demand are French comedy thriller Good People, Canadian thriller The Wall: The Orchard, Danish documentary Copenhagen Killer, and Swedish crime The Dark Heart. Thursday, 13 April: Good People All six episodes available to stream. In French with English subtitles. Tom and Linda are thirty-somethings living in Belgium, along the French border. He is a policeman, she is a beautician, and they are on the verge of bankruptcy. Caught between a rock and a hard place, they embark on a get-rich-quick life insurance scam in an attempt to give themselves a fresh start somewhere sunny. Their plan is going pretty well until everything goes wrong, when Philippe, a French constable with whom Linda has an affair starts to investigate Stars Lucas Meister, and Berangere McNeese. The Wall: The Orchard (season three) All eight episodes available to stream. In French with English subtitles When Detective Sergeant Celine Trudeau returns to the small village of her childhood, the beauty of the Indian Summer is disrupted by an old trauma. 30 years ago, her cousin and best friend Veronique was murdered here. Now, Celine and Alex set out to track down her killer, who was never found. The suspects are old friends, neighbours, an ex-boyfriend and even members of her own family. In this small, tightly woven village, protected by the silence of the nearby abbeys monks, her quest shakes the power of those who call the shots in the region. Soon, even her own life is in danger. Stars Isabel Richer, Alexandre Landry, Jean-Phillipe Perras. Copenhagen Killer (series one) All three episodes available to stream. In Danish with English subtitles. Two homicides and six cases of sexual assault thats what Denmarks most dangerous serial offender is convicted for. But is it possible to connect Amagermanden to more crimes than hes publicly known for? The Dark Heart (series one) All five episodes available to stream. In Swedish with English subtitles. Sanna and Marcus are deeply in love and grew up on two nearby farms. While Sannas father Bengt is powerful in the small village, a millionaire and land owner, Marcus family are poor white trash. Bengt threatens that if Sanna doesnt end her relationship with Marcus she will be cut out of her family inheritance. Shortly, Bengt disappears. The organisation Missing People is contacted and Tanja Thorell, a local beauty queen becomes obsessed with the case. She suspects Sanna and Marcus, the star-crossed lovers. Stars Clara Christiansson Drake, Gustav Lindh, and Aliette Opheim. Newcastle restaurateurs the Fren family may have missed out on one Nine series, but it proved to be a godsend in the long run. The Fren family came for The Hotplate casting. They kind of werent quite right but they were always in the back of our minds, Nine programmer Hamish Turner told TV Tonight. The Hotplate, which screened in 2015 with judges Tom Parker Bowles (son of Camilla) and Scott Pickett, asked state based restaurateurs to review one another. Briefly the subject of a legal claim by MKR network Seven, it only ran for one season to average ratings. Their casting rejection turned out to be fortuitious. When Travel Guides returns next week Mark, Cathy, Victoria & Jonathan embark on their 6th season as audience favourites, known for their infectious humour and candid reactions. This season travels to Europe, the UK, South Africa, Asia and beyond. Travel Guides feels like the first post-COVID series, said Turner. We have had one, but this is actually the first one we can go where we want to go. Theyre all in cracking form. Travel Guides returns 7:30pm Wednesday on Nine. By Arbab Ali Ahmed*, an 11-year-old boy, scrambles through the rubble of his madarsa, managing to pull out the mangled blades of a ceiling fan weighing nearly 4 kilograms. He, and other students, all wearing colourful caps, some with 786 stitched into them, search for parts of their almirahs, beddings, books and whatever else they can retrieve from the pile of concrete that a large section of their madarsa has been reduced to. At around 6 a.m. on April 11, the Union Urban Development Ministrys Land and Development Office (L&DO) sent a bulldozer to an Islamic seminary, Madarsa Tehfizul Quran in Delhis Bengali Market, and partially demolished it, along with a section of the nearly 250-year-old mosque. TCN visited the demolition site the next day, April 12. Both lanes leading up to the madarsa had been barricaded by police and paramilitary personnel, with over 50 paramilitary personnel stationed around the madrasa and at its main gate. Initially denied entry into the madarsa, this TCN reporter was granted access after seeking permission from DCP New Delhi, Pranav Tayal. Mosque committee claims no prior notice Mohammad Murtaza, a Qari at the Madarsa, told TCN that officials from the L&DO and the police arrived at the madrasa and informed them that they had a court order authorizing them to demolish the madrasa. When Murtaza asked the officials for the court order, they allegedly informed him that it had already been sent to the masjid committee. We never received any demolition order, Murtaza explained to TCN. He claimed that the police pushed the madarsa staff and told them not to get involved because they have a demolition order. We tried everything we could to persuade the officials to postpone the demolition because the case is already in court, Murtaza added. Murtaza claimed that they had filed a case in court, with a hearing set for April 13. He also said that the Delhi Waqf Board owns the land on which the structure was built. The case is about the ownership of the front section of the madarsa, which was demolished on April 11. The L&DO claims it to be an encroachment on their property; the Waqf Board contests that claim. Senior advocate Mehmood Pracha and Waqf board chairman Amanatullah Khan also arrived at the site, but the demolition had already begun. TCN attempted to contact Amanatullah Khan several times via phone but received no response. This story will be updated if and when we receive a response. Several videos on social media show Mehmood Pracha demanding to see the demolition order from officials. He was later seen being driven away in a police car. He was not detained, but was removed from the spot and immediately released, Tayal told TCN. I barely managed to avoid detention, said the madarsas Imam, Mohammad Ahmad Kasim. Rooms meant for children and their belongings razed A significant portion of the madarsa was razed to the ground, including the wudu or ablution area, three water tanks, the madrasas only source of running water, a piped water line for drinking, cameras, and electricity boards and cables. Three student rooms were also demolished. The madrasa is home to 85 orphan children from Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. Before the Covid-induced lockdown, the madrasa housed 130 students. Besides the Quran and Urdu, the students are taught Math, Hindi and English at the madrasa. There are six tutors in the madarsa. Look around they did not even spare the childrens belongings. Their books, beds, cupboards, everything is in ruins, Kasim said. We dont have many rooms for the students. We are currently adjusting them in the back rooms. Its getting crowded there, he added. Some students can be seen walking to the police officials stationed at the madarsa, offering them flowers, innocently hoping for a change of heart of the uniformed men. Recently put a new lintel over rooms of children Previously, the rooms where the students lived had a tin roof that would heat up during the summer and leak during the monsoon rains. The madrasa had built a lintel roof over the rooms two to three months ago. We appealed for and received donations in the hopes of providing a roof for these students, but they demolished it, Kasim lamented. Kasim estimates that the total damage by the demolition would be Rs15 lakh. He also suspects that the demolition was deliberately timed in the early hours of the morning in order to prevent them from saving their belongings. They know that we (Muslims) stay up at night and rest during the day during Ramadan. When they came with the bulldozer, children were sleeping in the rooms, he added. TCN is awaiting a response from L&DO director Suvasish Das. The story will be updated accordingly. Not the first demolition of Muslim sites in Delhi In the last few months, Delhi has seen a number of encroachment removal drives involving religious structures. The Public Works Department (PWD) removed religious structures at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near ITO and on April 1, and an encroachment removal action was carried out at the site of an old dargah near Hazrat Nizamuddin in south Delhi, as TCN reported . The New Delhi Municipal Council conducted a encroachment removal drive on mazars opposite Sunehri Bagh mosque near Udyog Bhawan last Friday. The Delhi High Court had observed in February 2023 that places of worship cannot encroach on public land and hinder developmental activities meant for the larger segment of the public. *name changed for privacy Arbab Ali is a fellow at TCN-SEED mentorship program. The University of Dayton has named Dr. Darlene Weaver to be the next provost and executive vice president of academic affairs. Weaver will begin her work at UD July 1 after the retirement of Dr. Paul Benson. She is the first externally hired provost at UD since the position was created and will be the first woman to hold this executive-level leadership role. Weaver is the associate provost for academic affairs at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, a position she's held since 2019. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University and the University of Chicago, and brings 25 years of experience in Catholic higher education after holding faculty appointments at Georgetown University, Villanova University and Duquesne. University of Dayton President Eric F. Spina said Weaver builds deep relationships, has an innate respect and understanding of shared governance, and possesses an ability to lead successful, mission-driven institutional change. "Darlene Weaver is a superb fit for UD as our chief academic officer, and I look forward to working closely with her in the years to come," Spina said. "Darlene proved throughout the rigorous search process to be warm, highly relational, and philosophically and temperamentally well-aligned with UD and our Marianist charism. Certainly, her wide-ranging and successful experiences at Duquesne prepare her well for this senior position at UD." During her more than 10 years at Duquesne, Weaver's roles grew in breadth and complexity. She served as director of the Center for Catholic Faith and Culture from 2012 to 2019, and during that time oversaw a major overhaul of the university's core curriculum from 2016-19. Weaver, a professor of theology, is an ecumenically trained moral theologian, giving her an excellent understanding of Catholic social teaching and the Catholic intellectual tradition. She specializes in ethics and has taught courses on ethical theory and topics in applied ethics. During the nationwide search, Weaver stood out to UD's provost search advisory committee during the formal interview process and the meetings with the campus community as someone with impressive credentials and a personality that aligns with the culture and community on campus. "We feel very blessed to welcome Darlene Weaver," Michelle Mathile and Jana Bennett, co-chairs of the provost search advisory committee, said in a joint statement. "She has shown herself to be someone who cares about the University of Dayton as well as our place in the city of Dayton and the southwest Ohio region. She is a hard-working professional whose strategic, engaging, relational and inclusive demeanor will fit in well here. We believe she understands the importance of our Catholic and Marianist mission, and is dedicated to helping us foster transformative education for all our students." Weaver said she is deeply honored and excited to be part of the University of Dayton and looks forward to partnering with the talented students, faculty and staff. "UD's commitment to being the 'University for the Common Good' resonates with my own values and vision for Catholic higher education. I have long admired UD's excellence, innovation, and integrity, qualities that are evident in the University's academic programs, student experiences, research profile, community engagement, and its work on diversity, equity, and inclusion," she said. "I look forward to working to advance the University's mission, enhance its strengths, and ensure a vibrant future." Contact Cara Zinski-Neace, executive director of news and communications at czinskineace1@udayton.edu or 937-229-3257 for a picture of Weaver or to arrange a Zoom interview. ChatGPT AI helped a Cardiff University student complete his essay, the undergraduate admits. The results were remarkably in his favor. The student says that his score for his AI-written essay was the highest he earned. However, this is only one instance in which he has used the chatbot to help him with his coursework and assignments in undergraduate studies. But this time, it got pretty remarkable for him due to the first-grade mark that he received. Cardiff University reveals that it is now reviewing its existing policies to address the emergence of AI chatbots, including ChatGPT. Soon enough, it plans to release new and updated guidelines. University Student Uses ChatGPT AI to Write His Essay As per a report by USA Today, the widespread popularity of ChatGPT has reached students. Some used the AI chatbot to cheat on exams and even help them with their homework. Despite concerns, a recent national survey disclosed that students and their teachers have started adapting to the new AI technology. But this time, according to BBC, a student at Cardiff University at Whales in the United Kingdom admitted to using the viral AI chatbot. OpenAI's ChatGPT helped him complete his recent essay submission. He says that he did not ask the OpenAI chatbot to write everything simultaneously. Instead, he used various prompts to help him create a first-grade essay. The student, who goes by the alias, Tom, to hide his identity, said that it helped him complete his coursework "much quicker." He told the British news outlet that he "[did not] copy everything word for word." Instead, he claims that he "[prompted] it with questions" to help him get the information needed for the essay. Read Also: China Issues Guidelines for Generative AI Following Success of Alibaba, Baidu Launches ChatGPT Written Essay Scored Better He did a personal experiment last January, wherein he presented two essays. One of which was made possible by the AI platform while he wrote the second submission. Interesting Engineering reports, the university student wanted to find out how a ChatGPT-written essay would compare to the assignments that he made by himself. According to Tom, he averaged roughly 2.1 grades for his previous homework. On the other hand, the essay wherein the student used ChatGPT ended up getting a first-class grade. The student states that the AI-written coursework gave him his highest mark ever. Meanwhile, the essay he submitted without the help of the chatbot only scored 2.1, consistent with his average mark. Cardiff University says in its recent statement that it "actively discourages any student from academic misconduct in its many forms." Furthermore, it states that they are taking these cases, primarily plagiarism, "extremely seriously." Related Article: Elon Musk, Tech Experts Urge 'Immediate Pause' of Development of Powerful AI Systems @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Bloomberg) -- The Dutch government is working on ending all liquefied natural gas imports from Russia, according to Energy Minister Rob Jetten. Most Read from Bloomberg The Netherlands stopped signing new contracts for LNG imports from Russia this year without announcing the decision and its working on winding down pre-existing contracts, he said in an interview at his office in The Hague. We have to do what we can do to make sure there is no Russian fossil energy in our system, and we have been successful on coal, pipeline gas and oil, Jetten said. We are having a lot of conversations with the companies using the facilities to phase out pre-existing LNG deals, he added. Russias invasion of Ukraine last year triggered a historic energy crisis in Europe, with supplier Gazprom PJSC curtailing most pipeline supplies to the region amid western sanctions. To fill the gap, Europe has relied on imports of LNG, primarily from the US and Qatar, but also from Russia, its former top gas provider. Now, some countries are looking to end those ties to Moscow. The Dutch decision goes further than similar move by Spain, the biggest European buyer of LNG from Russia. LNG importers in Spain received a letter from the government in Madrid asking companies not to sign up to new purchases for Russian supplies. Transit Country The move by the Netherlands would apply to both spot and long-term contracts. The nation is a transit country for gas supplies, meaning that the decision could have a broader European impact. The Netherlands still buys Russian LNG through older agreements signed before 2023, accounting for about 15% of its total imports of the fuel. This year, its been Europes fourth-largest buyer of Russian LNG, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Story continues The country can currently import and process 24 billion cubic meters of LNG. The Eemshaven terminal, which opened last year, has a capacity of 8 billion cubic meters. The Rotterdam Gate terminal can handle 16 billion cubic meters. No Russian cargoes have arrived at Eemshaven since it opened, while one shipment a month has arrived at Gate since September, tanker-tracking data show. The government wants to expand import capacity at both facilities this year. European Efforts The European Union is targeting a way for member states to have the option to effectively ban Russian LNG shipments without implementing new energy sanctions. The blocs energy ministers have endorsed a proposal that would allow governments to temporarily prevent Russian exporters from booking the infrastructure capacity needed for the shipments. While individual nations would still need consultations to employ the mechanism including with other EU countries and the European Commission the tool could continue to reduce the flow of energy products from Russia. Even as the bloc takes steps to move away from Russian energy, one EU member is strengthening ties. Hungary this week secured deals to expand gas flows from Russia and renewed a financing agreement, underscoring Budapests rift with the bloc over the war in Ukraine. --With assistance from Anna Shiryaevskaya. (Updates with background on energy crisis in fourth paragraph, Hungarys energy deals with Russia in final paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Poland remained largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia in the first quarter, accounting for around 34% of total LPG exports from Moscow, despite political tensions between the two countries, based on Reuters' calculations and traders' data, In January - March, Poland's total imports of seaborne LPG rose by 44.3%, year on year, to 279,000 tonnes, partially replacing overland Russian-sourced fuel, based on the data. LPG is mainly used as fuel for cars, heating and to produce other petrochemicals. Traders said the growth of LPG seaborne supplies to Poland was supported by lower-cost fuel supplied by tankers from North-West Europe compared with the cost of propane-butane supplied from Russia and Kazakhstan via land border crossings. They also said that Poland's large LPG suppliers, such as PKN Orlen and Primagaz, part of the largest international LPG distributor SHV Energy, refused to purchase Russian propane-butane in spring 2022, increasing LPG imports through the ports of Szczecin and Gdansk. In addition, LPG imports via the Alpetrol terminal in the port of Gdynia increased more than sevenfold in the first quarter of 2023 from the same period in 2022, based on Refinitiv data. The main LPG supplier to Poland's ports in January-March was Sweden, based on Refinitiv Eikon ship-tracking data, which accounted for 59.7% (167,000 tonnes) of total volumes of sea imports. Other major suppliers were the UK, the Netherlands and Norway with the shares of 10.6%, 10.0% and 9.8% respectively. The share of LPG seaborne deliveries from Russia to Poland in the first quarter of 2023 rose to 6.7% from 2.9% in January-March 2022 due to an increase in shipments by Sibur from the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga to 19,000 tonnes from 6,000 tonnes. Total Russian LPG exports to Poland in the first quarter stood at 350,000 tonnes. In 2022, Poland increased LPG seaborne imports by 73% to 1.014 million tonnes, compared with 585,000 tonnes in 2021, according to Reuters calculations based on Refinitiv data. Russia also exports LPG to China, Mongolia, the Baltic countries, as well as to Turkey, Balkans and other global regions. (Reporting by Reuters. Editing by Jane Merriman) Lord Mayor James Fry, second left with a certificate for John Chipperfield, second right (Image: Photo: John Chipperfield) Oxford's Lord Mayor James Fry held a civic reception for the retiring chairman of the city's oldest twinning city link. He presented a framed long-service certificate to John Chipperfield, who had led the Oxford end of the link with Leiden in the Netherlands for 23 years. His link with the link began in 1976 while he was deputy news editor of the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times. READ AGAIN: When bun throwing will return for King's Coronation After he and his now late wife Marilyn were asked to host a Leiden journalist, both became members. She was elected membership secretary in 1981 and he took over as treasurer in 1986 and chairman in 2000. The Lord Mayor and link members paid tribute at the reception to his long service. Among those present were three former Lord Mayors, Bob Price, John Tanner and Susanna Pressel who, like Mr Fry, were presidents of the link during their year in office. Mr Chipperfield, 79, from Kidlington, will continue to support the link, sharing the role of vice-chairman with Bill Pinkerton and editing its quarterly newsletter. He worked for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times for 44 years, retiring in 2008 as the Mails assistant editor. He is still a regular contributor with his weekly Memory Lane pages. READ AGAIN: Fire engines called to coffee roastery on industrial estate The Oxford-Leiden link was formed in 1946 as Europe tried to rebuild friendships after the Second World War. Oxford Mail: Thousands of people from both cities have taken part in exchanges during its 77-year history. A party from Leiden, led in recent years by the Burgomaster, Henri Lenferink, visits Oxford in November to join in the citys Remembrance Day commemoration. A group from Oxford, often led by the Lord Mayor, visits Leiden in May to take part in Remembrance Day and Liberation Day, the latter marking the countrys freedom from the Germans at the end of the Second World War. Exchanges by sporting and cultural groups from the two cities are held at other times of the year. Story continues An Oxford delegation led by the new chairman, Malcolm Ryder, from Begbroke, will be in Leiden early next month. READ AGAIN: Botley Road closure - what we know so far The City of Oxford Choir and the Leiden English Choir are joining forces for concerts in Leiden on June 10 and at Oxford Town Hall on July 8 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Tickets Oxford. Oxford has six other twin cities Bonn in Germany, Grenoble in France, Leon in Nicaragua, Wroclaw in Poland, Ramallah in Palestine and Padua in Italy. Its link with Perm in Russia is suspended because of the countrys invasion of Ukraine. This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire. Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF Honoured - Private Jeff Doherty, known as JJ, will be honoured with a street named in his memory in his hometown (Image: The Parachute Regiment) A PARATROOPER who was killed in Afghanistan is to be honoured with a street named in his memory. Private Jeff Doherty, who was known as JJ and was from Southam, near Coventry, Warwickshire, served in Colchester's 2nd Batallion the Parachute Regiment and was deployed to the UK's combat operations in Afghanistan, known as Operation Herrick. After a long campaign, a street in Pte Dohertys hometown will be named Doherty Court in recognition of his sacrifice after losing his life aged just 20 in 2008. Many of the fallen from Operation Herrick have had streets named after them in lasting tribute. Unfortunately, the local authority was unable to grant the request initially because of policy issues, but a petition which was signed by thousands of people enabled a change in policy. JJ died when his platoon came under Taliban fire in the Upper Gereshk Valley in Helmand Province, just two days after his 20th birthday. He left behind his doting brother Fin, who was just six years old at the time, and idolised Jeff. Fin followed in his brother's footsteps and joined the Parachute Regiment a few years ago after being named best recruit at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, inheriting his brothers iconic maroon beret. For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. Speaking in a BBC documentary in 2019, Pte Doherty said: I couldnt think of a better job than doing something that I think matters, especially for something my brother laid down his life for. To wear that maroon cap, theres no greater pride. Gazette: Proud - Private Fin Doherty has followed in his brother's footsteps Proud - Private Fin Doherty has followed in his brother's footsteps (Image: The Parachute Regiment) Id rather have what happened to him happen to me at the same age than live to 100 and never do it because that pride of being a paratrooper is everything. Theres nothing more in this world that I want, and thats the mentality youve got to have. Following his sons death, JJs dad, also named Jeff, set up JJ's Memorial Fund to raise money for military charities. Story continues Speaking in the BBC documentary, Jeff said: I am proud like you wouldnt believe. [Fin] has worked so hard. But it is bittersweet for me. It does make you think - what if lightning can strike twice? That does not take away from how proud I am of Fin and delighted he is able to get his own recognition. Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl performing live (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) Foo Fighters appear to be teasing new music on social media, with a mysterious 13-second clip having surfaced. In the video, posted this afternoon (April 12), the words are you thinking what Im thinking? appear faintly against a white background, as what would appear to be fresh music plays in the background. Front and centre is a signature Foos riff, over thumping percussion. If confirmed, the new track would be the first to be released by the band since drummer Taylor Hawkins died at the age of 50 in Bogota, Colombia, as the group were on a South American tour. It is unclear whether unreleased material featuring Hawkins playing exists; the drums on the new track could be his, or possibly those of Omar Hakim, who was one of many drummers to play with Foo Fighters at the tribute shows to Hawkins last September. Since, speculation has suggested that Hakim may sit in for Hawkins full-time, although reports last month indicated that Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam, a close friend of Hawkins, and Atom Willard may be in line to drum for Foo Fighters when they return to the road in May for their first shows proper since the loss of Hawkins. Willard has drummed with Against Me! and Angels & Airwaves previously; a source told The Sun that Cameron and Willard will rotate duties when Foo Fighters he head out for a summer of shows in North America, Europe and Japan from May onwards. Primarily it will be Matt but Atom will be on rotation with him, the source said. They have both been rehearsing at Studio 606, the Foos studio. The final arrangements are being put in place but its looking very likely that Matt will be playing those gigs across the US in summer. Last September, Dave Grohl, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee played together for the first time since Hawkins death when they headlined two massive tribute gigs at Wembley Stadium in London and The Forum in Los Angeles. Guests across the two shows included Liam Gallagher, Alanis Morisette, the surviving members of Rush, Paul McCartney and Miley Cyrus. SWNS A family-run restaurant has pleaded for a group of diners to come back and settle their 60 bill after they allegedly did a runner while staff were distracted. The crafty family-of-four can be seen on CCTV footage apparently sneaking out of an Italian restaurant as staff prepared their deserts on Saturday night. The unknown man and woman were first seen by checking for filming equipment before chowing down on a 60 dinner with their two kids. But a CCTV camera caught them later making their escape from Vitos in Sheffield, South Yorks., after they ordered deserts to distract the unsuspecting staff. Chef Vito Ciaraolo, 59, who has owned the classic Italian restaurant for 32 years, said it was frustrating that theyd pulled off the nasty trick at his neighbourhood eatery. And he said the couple had set a particularly bad example to the children, who had fled with the woman moments before the man headed out the door behind them. He said: Its very frustrating. You can imagine what I would do if I would have caught them. But there was nothing I could do. The waitress made an order in the kitchen. She said they'd ordered three deserts but the kids and the woman had left, and it was just the man in the restaurant. I said to the waitress 'Go upstairs. I think they are going to do a runner.' "I realised they were up to something. But by the time she went upstairs, one minute later, they had left. The family arrived at Vitos restaurant at 6pm on Sunday (April 23) and ordered olives. They then ordered three pizzas and an aubergine dish as main courses, a fruit juice and three soft drinks, racking up a bill of 60.95. But when they finished their mains, CCTV footage shows the woman - dressed in black - standing up from her seat and leading the children from the table. The man, in a blue t shirt, then orders deserts before making a dash while the waitress is distracted. Vito said the staff didn't know the family, who had chosen to sit at a table close to the door before they began to make their orders. He said: They just walked in. They were new to us, and the staff said they had never seen them before. "They were looking around to see if there were any cameras. But they didnt see one of the cameras, which is very high up. They started with some appetizers, some olives, and then they had three pizzas and a Melanzane Parmigiana, they also had some soft drinks. Vito said he was shocked when he found out that the couple had legged it from his premises on foot without settling their bill. But he now believes from the way they acted that they may have tried the same trick at other restaurants before. He added: I think theyve gone out to have food before and have done the exact same thing which they have done to me. "Thats the impression I have got. I think they do this all the time. If someone comes to the restaurant and says they havent got any money, I can give you something to eat. Its not a problem. "Thats the kind of person I am. I try to help everybody. Vito said he's since had an outpouring of support from his regulars, adding if the family coughed up the money for their bill he would donate it to a good cause. He said: Everybody is disappointed about what happened. But they are very supportive. I have a lot of lovely customers. I have been here for 32 years and this is only the second time its happened. But If that guy gives it back, I will give that money to charity. Vito has not yet reported the matter to the police. (Bloomberg) -- Switzerlands lower house made a symbolic vote against providing state guarantees for UBS Group AGs takeover of Credit Suisse Group AG, reflecting a high degree of public discontent with the deal. Most Read from Bloomberg The lower house rejected a compromise offered by the upper house, leading to a failure of the bill and ending parliamentary proceedings. Irrespective of the vote, parliament cant stop the takeover negotiated last month as a designated committee of lawmakers had already signed off on it. The rejection nonetheless casts a shadow over the already-fraught process of integrating two global banks, particularly as significant job cuts loom in Switzerland in a year when national elections are due. In the aftermath of the historic $3.3 billion deal, lawmakers have called for various changes including greater powers for the financial regulator Finma, though little consensus has emerged. The majority in parliament wanted to make a statement, said Michael Hermann, a political scientist and head of Zurich-based research institute Sotomo. This shows that the topic politically causes high waves in Switzerland. Read More: UBS Says Credit Suisse Integration Bigger Than 2008 Deals A coalition of the populist right and the left generated enough votes to ensure the bill didnt pass. It would have given the stamp of approval for putting state funds of as much $120 billion at stake. The Swiss Peoples Party SVP, which forms the largest bloc, lobbied together with the Greens and some Social Democrats against it. The SVP has been insisting since 2008 that we have no bank that cannot go bankrupt, said Pirmin Schwander, a member of the lower house for the party. The state guarantees only fuel a narcissistic company culture among bankers, he said. Story continues UBS Effect The vote, with 103 ballots against, 71 in favor and eight abstentions, is a defeat for Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter and the delegation of senior lawmakers which agreed to the backstop on behalf of parliament before the takeover was announced in March. The debate is unlikely to have any immediate effect on UBS, but may indicate appetite for stricter rules on the horizon. UBS has already faced questions over the combined companys heft double the size of the Swiss economy and its potential local dominance. UBSs vice chairman said last week that the bank will consider all options for Credit Suisses Swiss unit. The Swiss government earlier this month said that UBS must ensure its pay structures encourage employees to avoid using the state guarantee. Politicians and business leaders had voiced worries that the combined lender will have excessive market power, leading to a loss of competition. Despite the risks involved in integrating Credit Suisse, UBS stands to become a banking powerhouse post merger, analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. wrote in a note Tuesday. The deal was also met with little public enthusiasm. During the afternoon it looked like the parliament in Bern could reach an agreement, with some Social Democrats changing their views. A stricter stance on banks a compromise had lined out higher equity requirements and restricted bonuses is a major development, Social Democrat lawmaker Roger Nordmann had said. The debate is ticked off now. There will be no further cleanup of the differences between parliament and government, Sotomos Hermann said. Now everyone can feel vindicated again that democracy has been eroded. This discontent with the system will further strengthen populists and the far right. Swiss Politics Switzerlands executive isnt made up of a coalition or an outright majority, but of seven ministers from the countrys four largest parties. They usually make decisions by consensus and try to find pragmatic compromises often outside of party lines. Ministers dont publicly oppose government decisions, irrespective of their parties stance on a matter or how they personally voted behind closed doors. This setup means that parliament offers parties the most prominent platform to sway voters, which explains aggressive comments in that forum even if they at times lack bite. (Updates throughout with vote) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Swiss parliament is approaching a deal to push through government guarantees for UBS Group AGs takeover of Credit Suisse Group AG after a upper houses compromise was met with approval in the lower chamber. Most Read from Bloomberg The majority of our party will vote for this proposal if the government will pursue higher capital ratios and restricted bonuses, Social Democrat lawmaker Roger Nordmann said in the lower house in Bern on Wednesday. The stricter stance on banks is a major development, he said. The 200-member lower house late on Tuesday voted against the 109 billion francs ($120 billion) in guarantees. While that was a symbolic vote that cant stop the deal, it clashed with the upper houses approval earlier in the day. As a stalemate would force the bill to fail, the upper house earlier today adopted amendments in line with what their lower-house colleagues had demanded. Those provisions seek to adjust the law to limit the risks systemically relevant banks pose to taxpayers. Comments by Nordmann and other lower-house lawmakers now suggest that a majority will be achieved in both chambers, allowing Switzerland to avoid an embarrassing situation. Irrespective of the vote, parliament cant stop the takeover negotiated last month as the government already got approval from a small group of senior lawmakers, which is entitled to act on behalf of parliament in case of urgency. The key demand the upper house now passed calls on the government to revise banking laws demanding higher capital requirements and restrictions on bonuses. But lawmakers agreed wording only stipulates that the executive should examine this, not that it is instructed to do so. Story continues We are agreed that after the events of March 19 we cannot just move on, said Pirmin Bischof, a Center Alliance member in the upper house, referring to the day the deal was agreed. The too-big-to-fail regulation just simply didnt have any effect. And so we need to ask the government to come up with a changed law that will solve this problem. Symbolic Vote The lower houses rejection just before midnight on Tuesday highlights the anger among lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum ahead of national elections later this year. An overall rejection would send a signal of Switzerlands legislative not backing the deal, which some MPs suggested should be done. We should only approve a deal when its good enough for the Confederation right now this deal is only good enough for UBS, said Thomas Minder, adding that a no wouldnt be the end of the world. Lawmakers also acknowledged their lack of power of actually influencing the deal. If we could really turn down the loans here, I believe nobody would hesitate, said Eva Herzog of the Social Democrats. The standoff is largely symbolic. The government had said that if parliament refuses subsequent approval, it will be tantamount to a political reprimand for the group of senior lawmakers that green-lit it, but would have no legal effect. The Credit Suisse crisis three weeks ago has shaken Switzerland, evoking memories of the Great Financial Crisis. The government argued on Tuesday that the creation of a Swiss banking juggernaut was the best solution among a limited number of options. In addition to state guarantees, the Swiss National Bank offered liquidity assistance. SNB sight deposit numbers published this week suggest that after accessing such money, Credit Suisse may have returned more than half of the funds. Switzerlands executive isnt made up of a coalition or an outright majority, but of seven ministers from the countrys four largest parties. They usually make decisions by consensus and try to find pragmatic compromises often outside of party lines. Ministers dont publicly oppose government decisions, irrespective of their parties stance on a matter or how they personally voted behind closed doors. This setup means that parliament offers parties the most prominent platform to sway voters, which explains aggressive comments in that forum even if they at times lack bite. --With assistance from Claudia Maedler. (Updates with lower house from first paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. "It's suspended disbelief. I mean, it's zero gravity," expressed the actor, while recalling the severe turbulence aboard a Lufthansa flight he took last month Tara Ziemba/WireImage Matthew McConaughey Matthew McConaughey is reflecting on his experience aboard a Lufthansa flight that endured severe turbulence last month. The Academy Award winner, 53, was traveling en route from Austin, Texas, to Frankfurt, Germany, with his wife, Camila Alves, when the flight had to make an emergency landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Related:Matthew McConaughey, Wife Camila Were on Flight That 'Dropped Almost 4,000 Feet,' Hospitalized 7: 'Chaos' "It's suspended disbelief. I mean, it's zero gravity," explained McConaughey while recalling the experience in a preview clip of his upcoming appearance on the Let's Talk Off Camera podcast shared by ET on Tuesday. Alves, 41, had previously shared her recollection of the flight on Instagram, expressing that "the plane dropped almost 4000 feet." McConaughey elaborated on when the plane dropped by saying he "immediately reached over, made sure Camila had her seatbelt on." "My tray table is what held me down," he shared with podcast host Kelly Ripa. "I did not have my seatbelt on, and there was not a seatbelt warning right before it happened," he added, calling the experience a "hell of a scare." Related:Matthew & Camila McConaughey's New Flight Brings More Bad Luck After Lufthansa Plane's 'Severe Turbulence' "Your red wine and the glass and the plates that your food was on are all suspended, floating, still just in the air. And to look at it for that long, which wasn't that long one, two, three, four [seconds] and then everything just comes crashing down," he continued. The Dallas Buyers Club actor revealed that he got comfort from his pilot friend sitting beside him during the terrifying ordeal. Rick Kern/WireImage "I happened to have a friend of mine sitting next to me who was a pilot. And he was calm as could be," said McConaughey. "I was like, 'Can the plane hold that?' And he was like, 'These things are so tested that yes, don't worry, the plane structurally can hold that.' That was a big relief." 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. The FAA shared with PEOPLE in a statement that Lufthansa Flight 469 was flying 37,000 feet above Tennessee when it experienced "severe turbulence" that hospitalized seven passengers. It was able to land at the Virginia airport "without incident" at 9:10 p.m., the agency said. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Brian Linden: "I see a growth of optimism in China" People's Daily Online) 15:31, April 12, 2023 60-year-old American Brian Linden wears many hats: traveler, entrepreneur, educator, author, and founder of the Linden Centre. Having lived among rural people in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of South China's Yunnan Province for decades, he now considers himself one of the "cool new Dali people." Born and raised in Chicago, Linden first visited China in 1984. After working in and traveling to over 100 countries, he returned to China with his wife and two sons in 2003 to "find a place, and create a new lifestyle China has always been in my heart, and it is just like my home". Linden believes that alongside 40 years of China's economic miracle, the wisdom China has accumulated over the past 5,000 years is what we need to share with the outside world. And outside of China's big cities, the wisdom also resides in vast rural areas. That's how the man with long blonde hair settled in Xizhou a short drive from Dali - where he restored a national heritage site and turned it into the Linden Center, a hotel and education hub. Linden later established several other boutique lodgings, all serving as bridges for intercultural and international exchanges. Brian Linden walks up the stairs of Linden Center in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee). "I have seen improvements every year" Over the last 18 years, Linden has witnessed unprecedented infrastructure development in Dali and throughout China, especially in the fields of transportation and medical care. Back in 1985, it took him almost 12 hours to travel from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, to Dali, but now thanks to high-speed rail, he can get to Kunming in two hours, have a dentist appointment, and come back to Xizhou the same day. The hospital in the city also has the same equipment he uses back in America. Since China's poverty alleviation, even the deepest rural areas in the mountains of Dali can be accessed by newly constructed roads. "This allows everyone to have a quality of life that is increasingly similar," he said. For him and his local villagers, "there is a belief that the excitement in Shanghai and Beijing is also happening here. Economic growth is slowly reaching us as well. We're going to be a part of that," he added. Linden paid close attention to the 20th CPC National Congress: "One aspect I felt was very relevant to what we are doing here in rural Yunnan was China's openness to foreign investment. The model I created here demonstrates that areas outside the big cities are also open to business for foreigners." The government's continued encouragement and support further bolstered his optimism: "I have gone on two important visits for new projects since the Congress. What I see is a level of support, and it doesn't matter who you are, whether a Chinese or a foreigner. The Linden Center's success is based on the government's openness and inclusiveness." Linden thinks the outside world does not fully appreciate the efforts China has made in poverty alleviation. "It makes the locals able to dream. And their dreams are becoming larger and more ambitious. It's hard not to be seduced by this optimism and hard work," he noted. Most of Linden's farmer friends now expect their children to attend universities: "Coming from a fairly modest background in America, that is not common in my country. And yet here I am in a small agricultural village in rural Yunnan. This is amazing. Locals are so confident that their children will have a better life than they will I have seen every year an improvement," he added. "Making the rural areas attractive to everyone" Tourism also binds locals tightly to their hometowns. Linden witnessed the Dali government's struggle to improve the environment of Erhai Lake, and was happy to see the achievements made. "Balancing environmental protection and economic growth is difficult in any situation in any country. I'm very proud that the government is willing to take on the pressure, and unfortunately some political backlash, for the benefit of our future generations. They are making the rural areas increasingly attractive to everyone," he said. Today, an "ecological corridor" has been built along the lake, an achievement that Linden marvels at: "I have never seen such a beautiful hiking trail along the lake. Ordinary people are now riding their bicycles and enjoying the view." He recalled that 18 years ago, many of his local friends chose to go to China's metropolises, like Guangdong, to look for work, as there were no opportunities in the village. But now, with tourism booming in Dali, there are much better prospects for work. Being able to cater to tourists for a living also instills pride in the locals. The younger generation now wants to "be a part of this future," and are no longer leaving their homes for big cities. "They are starting to look at their own lives in a different way," Linden said. The pride among the local people has always been the inspiration for his business efforts here. His sites also offer classes and seminars that teach the local architecture, customs, religion, and artisan craftsmanship, aiming to tell real stories and share China's wisdom, to "make people see what China is, where it's come from, and how proud I am." Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee walk amidst paddy fields in Xizhou, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee). "It's cool to be a Dali person" Thanks to its unique geographical location, Yunnan has always been a crossroads for trade. Influenced by South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Han culture, Dali is also home to the Bai people, which provides a diversified environment for its residents. As more talents go back to make contributions to their hometowns, they also bring in creative ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit. Everybody is put into this "pot," Linden said, akin to the melting pot that the US is often called. Linden sees Dali as a metaphor for China's role in the outside world. "It is one of the greatest examples of inclusiveness," he said. "In Dali, I became a 'Dali person,' and the Dali people have embraced me, as if I'm part of the same family," Linden said. "Everybody is almost equal here, and there are no 'foreigners.' We all go beyond our identity and certain beliefs, becoming one family, just like the idea of 'human community with a shared future'." China is already demonstrating an inclusiveness, hospitality and curiosity which Linden feels is commendable. "Its soft power is 'How happy we are to have friends from afar,' (as Confucius once said.) That seed is still in every Chinese person's heart. China has made plenty of efforts (to show itself to the world), and the rest of the world should also start to catch up with China and try to understand it better." The new lifestyle is making Dali cool again. "It's cool to stay here and be a Dali person," Linden said. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Wu Chengliang) Kellyanne Conway acknowledges that the Republican Party is struggling to get support from young voters The former Donald Trump adviser argued that the Democratic Party's success with the younger generation was due to messaging and not policy Conway cited Joe Biden's plan to enlist social media influencers to help the left get more votes Former Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway acknowledged that the GOP is struggling to shore up support from young voters, and Twitter users responded by giving out why. The political adviser had an interview on Monday night where she discussed the Republican Party's electoral chances. During the talks, she admitted hosting Laura Ingraham that the GOP still has "some work to do" to get more support from millennials and Gen Z. GOP's Struggle with Young Voters She further claimed that the Democratic Party's success in getting the younger generation to their side was more about messaging than policy. Conway referred to President Joe Biden's plan to enlist social media influencers in his re-election campaign, which has yet to be announced, calling it a "smart strategy," as per Yahoo News. Conway also told Ingraham that she was concerned that the left would become a "turnout machine" for younger voters in the United States. The political adviser's remarks were more or less accurate as a 2020 NBC exit poll showed that 65% of voters in the 18 to 24-year age range supported Biden, his strongest group by 11 points. However, the Republican did not fare too badly in getting support from younger voters herself and previously claimed that influencers had a "lemming-like effect." This is where they "want to be part of the same crowd," according to the Daily Beast. But Twitter users quickly denied that claim as 2020 Biden delegate Victor Shi posted a tweet saying that the GOP would get more young people's support if they "actually do something to address our concerns." Hey Kellyanne Conway: instead of complaining how young people are voting for Democrats, maybe you & your party should actually do something to address our concerns. Instead of taking away our rights & banning books & drag shows, listen to us & enact real policies. Just a thought. Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) April 11, 2023 Read Also: Bragg Sues Jim Jordan for Interference of Trump Investigation Addressing the Younger Generation's Concerns The University of California (UCLA) undergraduate argued that instead of taking away their rights and banning books and drag shows, Republicans should listen and enact real policies. Many people also questioned Conway's potential to win the support of younger voters when she already has a turbulent relationship with her daughter. Claudia Conway, who is 18 years old, posted several political tweets, including some that showed her support for the indictment of former President Donald Trump. She has already made a name for herself as an outspoken critic of conservatives and said that she has been waiting for Trump to face criminal charges since she was 14. Kellyanne cant even get her own teenage daughter to be on her side politically but sure, interview her for advice on how to turn out the youth vote For context, Kellyannes teenage daughter tweeted these beauties last week https://t.co/aLQVZPNpoH pic.twitter.com/6qy7RjROpg Kaylan_TX (@Kaylan_TX) April 11, 2023 Among various issues, abortion was considered the top one that younger voters prioritized during the 2022 midterm elections. Roughly 44% of younger voters cited abortion as the issue that had the biggest influence on their votes. On the other hand, Conway said that the Republican Party had to compete for ballots, claiming that the Democrats were only trying to sway younger voters. She argued that the American people would soon catch onto the strategy and instead call for a policy argument, said USA Today. Related Article: Pharmaceutical Leaders, Drugmakers Weigh in on Texas Abortion Pill Ruling @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Many women and girls today are still framed in stereotypes, standards of beauty. Unilever is aware of their role in being a part of removing negative norms, stereotypes, opening a broader and more comprehensive definition of beauty through technology and innovation, and purposeful programs from their brands to consumers. From the empathy The 10,000-person study, which was commissioned by Unilever, was conducted across nine countries. It found that 74% of people want to see the beauty and personal care industry focusing more on making people feel better, than just looking better. Besides, more than half of people say they now pay more attention to a companys stance on societal issues before buying products. The above-mentioned figures show the important role of businesses in changing social prejudices, eliminating negative norms and stereotypes about female beauty, thereby contributing to building a more diverse, equal and inclusive society. With one billion people using Unilevers beauty and personal care products every day globally, and even more seeing their advertising, Unilevers brands desire to leverage their strengths in technology and innovation, and their influence to champion a new era of beauty which is equitable and inclusive, as well as sustainable for the planet. Advertising from Unilevers brand to champion diverse and inclusive beauty to firm commitment and action To realize this, Unilever has launched the program Positive Beauty with commitment and action from their beauty and personal care brands. Firstly, using Unilevers world class innovation and technology, Positive Beauty helps to drive a transformation in how their products are designed and formulated so that they do more good for both people and the planet, deliver a superior product experience, and tap into consumer trends. Next, the program drives gender equity through stepping up brand programs, advocacy to challenge the status quo and unstereotyping advertising. In addition, Positive Beauty contributes to improving peoples health and wellbeing through existing educational initiatives in personal care and expanding focus into new areas, including physical health and mental wellbeing. Specifically, Unilever Vietnam has just collaborated with the Vietnam Womens Union, UN Women and the Management and Sustainable Development Institute (MSD) to organize the seminar Positive and Diverse Beauty with a diversity of perspectives from different panelists. The seminar Positive and Diverse Beauty Mr. Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Department of Children, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, a member of the Executive Board of Mennet, said: Many people have always believed that women need to find a mans shoulder to lean on. But in fact, women and younger girls are strong and trustworthy people that men could rely on when we are facing difficult situations. So to become a shoulder for others to lean on, we must be confident in ourselves. Regarding challenges that disabled women have to face and how to overcome, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh from the ACDC, said: In the past, like other disabled women, I always lived in anxiety due to the prejudice that our appearance does not conform to social standards. However, 21 years ago, when I was assigned to be the host for a big event, putting on the traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai for the first time and standing in front of thousands of people, I suddenly realized that I did not need to hide my defects, and just be myself instead. The work that I do, the way that I behave, think, and contribute to society is what defines my inner beauty. Hoang Anh Tu - author of the book "Living a Brilliant Life" - delivered a profound statement about the potential of women: We keep saying that women have to be more confident and empowered. All of that is the right thing to do, but will make no sense if women lack confidence in themselves, in what they are doing. I really hope women - whoever you are, whatever your age, what job you do, how you look or everything else, to know that you are beautiful. Women with positive thinking, positive lifestyle, and positive energy are the most beautiful. Ms. Bui Le Hong Ngoc, representing Unilever Vietnam, said: Confidence is not limited by age, or any stage of life. We can be confident anytime. The first barrier affecting self-confidence of women and girls usually comes from beauty concepts and stereotypes in society. The second barrier derives from the individuals who allow others to determine their own beauty. So, I hope women and young girls can define and possess our own positive beauty by doing things that make us happy, make us feel good about ourselves, and become our better versions. Unilever representative to share at the panel The panel discussion then comes to the end, but continues to open up Unilevers journey of Positive Beauty that inspires women and girls to recognize their values and strengths to be better and more confident every day. PV HA NOI - Viet Nam's agricultural exports to China are facing increasing difficulties due to tightening export requirements, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). According to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan China is no longer an easy market due to increasingly stricter regulations to protect consumers' health. The standard of living is also increasing, meaning Viet Nam's enterprises cannot maintain old production and business methods for farm produce exported to China. MARD has proposed to strengthen the update of legal provisions on food safety and propaganda on safe food production according to regulations and requirements of Viet Nam and China. Order 248, regarding "Regulations on the registration of enterprises producing imported foreign food", and Order 249, on "Measures to manage import and export food safety", of China took effect from January 1, 2022. The ministry will strictly supervise, inspect and follow up with enterprises according to the regulations on ensuring food safety in Viet Nam and China. It will also strictly handle violations of food safety. Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, head of Mong Cai International Border Gate Management Board, said to promote Viet Nam's agricultural exports to China, enterprises needed to change further thinking, management, production and business methods. The enterprises should constantly improve the quality of goods from farming, catching, processing, packaging and transport for the export products, Ngoc said. They must accelerate the change of production methods towards safety, having specific standards, farming process management, and meeting China's requirements. She said they also needed to actively strengthen linkages between manufacturers and exporters to exploit this market. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thu, chairwoman of Bagico Joint Stock Company in Bac Giang Province, said Vietnamese agricultural products must overcome fierce competition when penetrating deeply into China market. For example, Viet Nam's durian products would have to compete with those from Thailand. In addition, in the past, Viet Nam only had to compete with border traders. Now, Vietnamese agricultural products would have to compete directly with official importers and corporations with a lot of money. Despite having experience in doing business with China market for five years, Nguyen uc Hung, director of Hoan Cau Import and Export Joint Stock Company, said it was quite difficult to export goods to China because this market had constantly amended the Food Safety Law. Chinese partners often make sudden change announcements, making many businesses passive in the preparation stage, especially for the businesses newly doing business with China. A representative of Phuong Anh Seafood Joint Stock Company in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province, said that it had been importing and exporting agricultural, forestry and fishery products to China for more than 20 years. However, since the beginning of 2023, the company had not been allowed to export raw oysters to China, without a reason. It hoped that the relevant authorities of the two countries would have more specific guidance on processes, regulations and conditions for import and export enterprises. In the cassava industry, Nghiem Minh Tien, permanent vice chairman of the Viet Nam Cassava Association, said that every year, Viet Nam had exported more than 3 million tonnes of cassava starch products to China, mainly unofficial exports. To facilitate the exports, Tien said it was necessary to have stability in border trade policies. "If there is a change, it also needs a reasonable adjustment time for enterprises to avoid sudden changes, causing great losses to the production and business of enterprises." The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that Viet Nam would gradually shift from an unofficial to an official quota in border trade activities to overcome the congestion of agricultural products at the border gate. According to the draft on amending Decree 14/2018 on border trade activities, the ministry proposes to reduce exports under the unofficial category from January 1, 2025. The unofficial exports will need to meet stricter quality and traceability standards. From 2028 goods will only be exported via land borders under official quotas. VNS HA NOI Policies are needed to boost the number of domestic enterprises participating in the supply chain of multinational companies, and a boost is necessary for the localisation rates of the processing and manufacturing industry, which now remain modest, insiders said. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), local industry led in attracting foreign investment last year, with a combined registered capital exceeding US$14.96 billion and accounting for 59.5 per cent of Viet Nams total FDI. So far, 107 countries and territories have invested in the industrial sector. Deputy head of the MoITs Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency Le Hoang Tai called processing and manufacturing a magnet to foreign investors, including multinational conglomerates such as Samsung, Toyota, Honda, and LG. The sectors key units, such as telecommunications, electronics-IT, steel and cement production, and garment-textiles, were the most attractive, he noted. However, just over 300 Vietnamese enterprises had been able to participate in the supply chains of these multinational corporations. Deputy Chairwoman and Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Supporting Industries (VASI) Truong Thi Chi Binh said connecting with multinational companies was the shortest way for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the global supply chain, but not many of them succeeded. According to a VASI study, support activities have only successfully linked a few enterprises to foreign businesses on an annual basis. The reason behind the assessment is the small scale of Vietnamese firms, as well as low competitiveness, and shortage of financial resources. These shortcomings conspire to cause Vietnamese firms to be unable to meet requirements of giant partners. Viet Nam currently houses approximately 500 companies capable of supplying foreign groups. Binh said the key for Vietnamese supporting enterprises to develop and participate more deeply in the chain of super-manufacturers was to cut production costs. They needed better access to credit, land, production premises, and factory building procedures, she said, adding that it was also necessary to increase their size and form clusters of enterprises and ecosystems serving the production of complete assemblies. The official also recommended promoting localisation by preferential policies on tax, labour, and research and development (R&D). VNS HA NOI - Insurance companies must tighten the supervision and inspection of insurance agencies, quality of consultation, and sales, said the Insurance Supervisory Authority, the country's insurance industry regulator under the Ministry of Finance. The supervisory said it had received numerous negative feedback from the public over poor insurance consultation, poor transparency and presentation of insurance products. It demanded insurance agencies immediately take measures to provide clients with complete and accurate information and review the quality of their agents' consultation and sales techniques. It stressed that agents' violations would be dealt with, and their agencies would bear part of the responsibility if said agents acted on the agencies' behalf. Meanwhile, the ministry proposed agencies to review and improve customer service quality, business operations, internal regulations and risk management to ensure they are all in compliance with current regulations. In an earlier development, a Vietnamese actress live-streamed her grievances over her family's insurance policy and attracted a large amount of attention from the public. The actress said she bought the policy from Aviva JSc., which was later acquired by MVI Life, and was shocked to find out clauses that she was not aware of previously. MVI Life said they had been in contact with both the actress and her lawyer to work out the details of her policy. The insurance company said all clients' rights and benefits were guaranteed after Aviva's acquisition, and the company adjusted the actress's policy after she requested them. The Ministry of Finance later issued a demand to MVI Life, requesting the agency to review the entire contract it has provided the actress, the disclosure of information during the process and its customer service quality. MVI Life has been told to review how agents present products and consult clients and the information they provide. If its agents were found to have violated insurance sales regulations, the agency would be held responsible. The ministry said it expected a report from MVI Life shortly. VNS The New York Police Department (NYPD) reenlists its robot dog, known as Digidog or Spot, to the force, the mayor of New York City (NYC), Eric Adams, announced in an event on Tuesday, April 12. The robot dog police previously faced backlash from the public, forcing the NYPD to cancel its deal with the maker of the high-end crime-fighting machine, Boston Dynamics. In 2021, the police department removed the Digidog from its force. NYPD's Robot Dog is Back This time, The Verge reports that the NYPD's Digibog has made its comeback despite previous criticisms. Mayor Adams formally reintroduced the crime-fighting robot dog to the public as it returned to the police force in the city. The city mayor proudly touts that the remote-controlled robot could help "save lives" as it is part of the NYPD for the second time. The event, wherein NYPD announced its new member, is joined by the commissioner of the police department, Keechant Sewell, alongside its other top brass. Mayor Adam explains how the remote-controlled K-9 robot could help the police force operate in the city. The top city official says that the Digidog could be used in situations that are deemed hazardous for humans. The cyber dog can access the situation first instead of deploying police officers immediately. In other words, the NYC mayor says that the NYPD will initially use the Digidog to assess high-risk situations. The police department notes that this should not only help save the lives of the police, but it could also protect the public. To be more precise, the New York Police plans to use Digidog in counterterrorism incidents or crucial hostage negotiations. According to NPR, the robot dog of the New York police was given back to its owners, the Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics, in April 2021. The former city mayor said back then that he was "glad the Digidog was put down," adding that it was "creepy and alienating." Some critics of Digidog pointed out that the NYPD should have used the money spent for the robot, which was $94,000, on other projects, including school counseling. But the police department insisted that the robot dog was there to save lives. Read Also: Austin Majors Cause of Death: 'NYPD Blue' Child Star Actor Dead at 27 NYPD Upgrades: StarChase and K5 ASR In a Twitter post, Mayor Adams reiterates that the NYPD "has always been on the cutting edge of public safety," highlighting the recent upgrades that the police force recently introduced. Besides Digidog or the robot dog, NBC New York notes that the NYPD unveiled new technology, such as the StarChase and the K5 Autonomous Security Robot (ASR). The latter will be used for automated patrolling in confined areas like transit stations in the city. On the other hand, StarChase aims to track vehicles, including automobiles used for crimes or stolen vehicles. Related Article: Man Declared Innocent of Pregnant Girlfriend's Death in Retrial @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. HA NOI Thanh Cong Group (TC Group) on Tuesday announced sales results for March with 5,770 Hyundai automobiles sold in Viet Nam last month, up 5.5 per cent over February. Hyundai Accent continued to be the best-selling model in March with 1,355 units delivered to customers, followed by Hyundai Creta with 1,035 units - equal to the level a month earlier, and Hyundai Grand i10 with 664 units. More than 640 Hyundai Stargazer were sold last month, 2.5 times higher than that of February. The TC Group recorded sales of 514 Hyundai Santa Fe units, equivalent to the previous month Hyundai Tucson of 307, up 54.2 per cent compared to February. Hyundai commercial models achieved sales of 1,016 vehicles in March, an increase of 42.1 per cent compared to February 2023. In the first quarter of 2023, Hyundai-branded models achieved sales of 14,736 units, down 21.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. TC Group expects higher sales in the second quarter of this year, explaining that the demand will increase thanks to the peak tourism season with greater travel demand. VNS HCM CITY The HCM City Theatre Association has opened a theatre centre offering performance skills training for young artists in the city. The HCM City Theatre Training Centre offers long and short-term training courses for young graduates of art schools and those who are working for drama troupes and theatres. The courses are taught by celebrated artists, such as theatre director-actor Tran Ngoc Giau, actress My Uyen, and script writer Tran Van Hung. Cai luong (reformed opera) stars, including Peoples Artist Kim Cuong and Meritorious Artist Le Thien, are also instructors. The participants of the centres courses will study singing, music and dance before being trained at different performance levels. They will be trained in traditional art forms including cai luong (reformed opera) in the south, cheo (traditional opera) in the north, and tuong (classical drama) in the central region. They will also get opportunities to perform in dramas and theatre plays at 5B Small Theatre, a leading state-owned art troupe of the region. Our centre offers higher levels for a career not only in theatre, but in the film industry, communication and event planning, and even in advertising, said the centres director- actress Trinh Kim Chi. According to Chi, who has 25 years in the industry, studying at school is not enough for young performers to properly know their art. So our centre offers special courses to help them improve their performance skills, she said. Chi began her career in 1994. She graduated in drama and theatre directing from the HCM City University of Theatre and Cinematography in 2019. She opened the TKC Drama Club in 2015. Her club has 15 artists, not including stage workers, offering drama shows featuring both traditional and modern styles of Vietnamese drama. Her clubs actors have attended and won several top prizes for best drama play and best artist at national theatre contests and festivals. Chi has also worked with art schools and traditional theatres to train students. VNS The movie ao, Pho va Piano (Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano) by director Phi Tien Son is about a young couple during the 60-day-and-night campaign in late 1946, when the Ha Noi residents were responding to President Ho Chi Minh's appeal for a national resistance war against the French reconquest . The Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper reporter Mai An interviews director Son about the movie. The movie Ha Noi's Mua ong Nam 1946 (Ha Noi's Winter in 1946, released in 1997) is also about the popular historical event, Ha Noi's 60-day-and-night campaign. What is different between the old movie and the new one ao, Pho va Piano? The two movies are about the 60-day-and-night campaign in Ha Noi to fight against the French reconquest. The movies have the same movie setting. ao, Pho va Piano tells about a young couple who overcame difficulties and dangers to find each other again on the last day of those 60 days and nights on February 17, 1947. At that time, Vietnamese troops withdrew to the Viet Bac resistance zone, beginning the long-running war resistance. Having met in the middle of a street battle, the lovers only had a few hours left to get married, in a situation between life and death. The plot focuses on their last moments - the moments of love for life, beauty, and freedom. Could you elaborate more about the name of your movie? I was born and grew up in Ha Noi. I nurtured the desire to make a movie focusing on the good things and characteristics of Ha Noi Capital. The movie features the fiercest days of the campaign to defend the capital city in late 1946, just before Tet (Lunar New Year). In Ha Noi, when Tet comes, there must be peach blossoms. In the past, peach blossoms were rare and precious; they were not as abundant as today. Pho is favoured by Hanoians. And in the quiet atmosphere of the old Ha Noi, the piano playing in a certain house could often be heard. All these things inspire me to make ao, Pho va Piano. The movie will help the audiences learn about the lifestyle of old Hanoians. The movie setting is always the biggest challenge of making a historical movie. What difficulty did you face in creating the movie set? There has never been a Vietnamese movie to be made with a setting like this one. It takes the crew a long time to create the movie set. It is difficult for the movie makers to find the place for the setting because there are bomb blast scenes. It must keep the place safe for the nearby residents and quiet for synchronised sound. We choose ai Lai in the province of Vinh Phuc, north of Ha Noi, for the movie setting thanks to support from the Ministry of National Defence. After five months, the setting was made by a team of veterans who have taken part in historical and war movies. The system of defence works is the main setting of the movie. The setting allows the cameraman to do long shoots. How do you portray soldiers and city dwellers participating in the campaign to protect Ha Noi capital? The movie is expected to convey to viewers the Ha Noi of nearly 80 years ago, along with the whole country, bravely fighting against the French invaders in response to President Ho Chi Minhs call for a national war of resistance. The movie has nameless characters, but they are not supporting roles. Each is a small piece making a picture of Ha Noi in 1946-47. In the movie, the indomitable dignity of the Vietnamese people permeates all the inhabitants of Ha Noi. At the same time, it shows an elegant Ha Noi determined to die for the motherland with its citizens, regardless of their age, profession, social class or religion. Its a sincere militiaman who yearns for a peaceful life with his young wife yet fearlessly stands alone against a whole invading army to prove that the people of the capital are not afraid of the enemy and to avenge his murdered compatriots. A romantic and pious Old-Quarter young lady who dares to join the fight. They love each other so much that they devote themselves to each other, even though they know that death is only a few hours away. An old painter who spent his life searching for the essence of sublime beauty and found it in the very people around him. He fell while trying to protect the painting he had worked on all night. Theres also a smart, innocent, shoeshine boy and a priest who doesnt want to get involved in the war but still stands tall in front of the enemy's guns. Or a pho-vending couple who passionately spread the traditional dish and, despite the fear of death, still try to carry the last basket of pho to the battleground. And a Western-educated court judge, full of doubts about the resistance capability of the Vietnamese troops but still clearly distinguishing between good and evil. - VNS HA NOI Dozens of Indonesian and Vietnamese travel agencies met and exchanged at a meeting on Wednesday to create more tourism products for Vietnamese and Indonesian people. Titled Sales Mission Wonderful Indonesia, the event is the first activity in the framework of the Vietnam International Travel Mart 2023 (VITM). Addressing the event, Indonesian ambassador Denny Abdi said: After the pandemic, we learned of the new tourism trends, and policies and strategies were quickly applied to adjust to the changes in tourist behaviour. With the new trends, tourism development should focus more on environmental welfare, the demonstration of pride in local culture, society, and traditional knowledge, as well as the balance between mass and quality tourism, he said. Making the most use of five top priority destinations (Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, Toba Lake, and Likupang) are among Indonesias ways to promote this new trend. In 2022, Indonesia welcomed nearly 5.5 million international tourist arrivals, surging 251 per cent year on year and surpassing the target of 3.6 million. Indonesias target this year is to attract 7.6 million foreign tourists. To achieve this, improving connectivity and creating more collaboration is key. In terms of access, Indonesia offered visa exemptions to all ASEAN countries, Visa on Arrival, and Second home visa, he said. There are direct flights to Bali, and more rewards can be offered to more destinations in Indonesia, particularly Jakarta. According to the ambassador, Indonesia will also host many international events which will boost demand for trips. I Ketut Susana, Operation Director of Bali Sinar Mentari Tour & Travel, told Viet Nam News that the company has joined the VITM twice so far. Viet Nam is now a prospective market for Bali, he said. Many people in Bali have a very good connection with Viet Nam. Now there is a direct flight from Viet Nam to Bali. Susana said his company received Vietnamese guests before the pandemic and has started to receive Vietnamese tourists again. The company this time introduces many new tours to various destinations in Indonesia to Vietnamese people for individuals, and big and small groups. According to Ha Van Sieu, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Tourism Administration, in 2022, Viet Nam received 26,000 tourists from Indonesia, an increase of 5,000 people against that in 2021. Yet in 2019, the number was 106,000. In the meantime, Viet Nam is the country with the fourth-largest number of tourists to Indonesia with over 62,000 in 2022, after Malaysia (over 1 million), Singapore (over 666,000), and the Philippines (over 65,000). Summer is always an exciting period for foreign tourism, he said. We have a promising summer ahead. VNS HA NOI Secretary of Ha Noi Party Committee inh Tien Dung received Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam Xiong Bo on Tuesday, during which the host proposed multi-faceted cooperation between the capital city and Chinese localities. The Ha Noi official appreciated the active support of the Chinese Embassy in Viet Nam, as well as the ambassador in promoting friendly relations and cooperation between Ha Noi and Beijing. He said that on the basis of the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, China's re-opening policy after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the close coordination between the two nations diplomatic agencies, Ha Noi believes that this is the time to effectively roll out specific cooperation activities. Dung proposed some cooperation activities, including organising training courses for urban planning staff of Ha Noi in smart city development and cybersecurity, and continuous implementation of the Ha ong-Xuan Mai urban railway project. He hoped the diplomat would become a bridge, contributing to strengthening cooperation between Ha Noi and Chinese localities, including Beijing and Guangdong Provinces Guangzhou City. Ha Noi wished to learn from Chinese experts experience in preserving cultural and historical relics, especially restoring ancient relics, he said. For his part, the Chinese diplomat applauded the Ha Noi officials cooperation proposals, saying that these would significantly contribute to further deepening the common perceptions reached between senior leaders of the two countries. He stressed that China always attached importance to its friendship and cooperation with Viet Nam, and it was ready to share experience with Viet Nam and Ha Noi as well. Xiong Bo affirmed the Chinese Embassy in Viet Nam would submit these proposals to Beijing and relevant agencies, expressing hope in the strong relationship between the two nations. VNS HA NOI The 12th Viet Nam-France decentralised cooperation conference will take place in Ha Noi from April 13-16 to discuss ways to boost sustainability and create opportunities for business and cultural exchanges among localities of the two countries. The conference will also give government and organisation officials and business executives chances to talk about cooperation in key development issues such as environmental protection, water management, smart city and digitalisation, heritage preservation and tourism. The event is among the major activities held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-France diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership. Some 800 government officials, business executives and organisation leaders will attend the conference. The event will feature a number of activities that tell the long-history ties between Viet Nam and France. Among the main events is a trade fair that introduces the best Vietnamese products, cultural features and visiting sites. Another main event is an exhibition of French cuisine and food production technologies brought by 50 French companies that operate in the fields of hospitality, accommodation, agriculture and food production. Furthermore, business executives from both sides will partake in a Viet Nam-France Business Forum, while participants of the local-to-local conference may enjoy art performances and photo exhibitions about the Viet Nam-France relations. Ha Noi will also organise some city tours to take foreign visitors to popular places in the city, which have witnessed the long story between the two nations, including Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Temple of Literature, Old Quarter, and old French villas. The conference is held every three years, with Vietnamese and French localities taking turns hosting the event. It is the chance for both sides to discuss difficulties, evaluate the results in bilateral relations, and deliver feasible solutions to foster their partnerships, thus strengthening the diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and France. VNS HA NOI Over the past half a century, despite all the ups and downs, the friendship between Viet Nam and France has become more effective in all fields. The year 2023 marks many important events between the two countries celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic relations and 10 years of their Strategic Partnership. French Ambassador to Viet Nam Nicolas Warnery said that this special year is an opportunity to look back on the past journey and reflect on the future of cooperation between the two countries. The relationship between Viet Nam and France will continue to grow and become more substantive in the coming time, meeting the interests of the two peoples, and contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. Increasingly extensive Strategic Partnership Viet Nam and France established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on April 12, 1973. In the late 80s, France was the leading country in improving relations and removing debts, helping Viet Nam with creditor countries that were members of the Paris Club. In the context that Viet Nam's oi Moi (Renewal) gained important achievements and the country was stepping up its integration into the international community, the visit to Viet Nam by French President Francois Mitterrand in March 1993 marked an important milestone in relations, especially in strategies deployed by France in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific. On the Vietnamese side, the nation attached special importance to its cooperation with France, considering it an important partner in foreign policy, traditional friendship, mutual trust, and strategic partnership. Forty years after the establishment of their diplomatic ties, the two countries signed the Joint Statement on the Viet Nam-France Strategic Partnership on the occasion of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to France in September 2013. This milestone has created momentum to develop bilateral relations in a deeper and more substantive manner. The two countries have maintained regular exchange mechanisms on politics, economics, and defence at all levels. Currently, Viet Nam and France have many favourable conditions to strengthen their relations, as France is a core power in Europe, and is actively promoting its global role, with important interests and influence in Asia; while Viet Nam is a fast-growing, dynamic economy that plays an important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia. The two countries also share many similar views and interests in international affairs, making it easier to enhance bilateral cooperation. From a complicated past with many difficult times, even the war, the two countries have distilled, kept the best, and helped the relationship move forward, said President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher during his visit to Viet Nam in December 2022. Pivotal role of economic cooperation Economic cooperation has achieved much in the bilateral relationship between Viet Nam and France. France is Viet Nam's fifth largest European trading partner, after Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and Italy. Two-way trade tripled from about US$1.6 billion in 2009 to $5.3 billion in 2019. Last year, the turnover reached $5.33 billion. In terms of investment, as of March, France was the second largest investor in the European Union and ranked 16th out of the 143 countries and territories pouring capital into Viet Nam with 673 projects totaling $3.8 billion. Many French businesses choose to invest in Viet Nam not only because of the potential domestic market but also because it is a favourable location for business development in the ASEAN region. Meanwhile, as of March 2022, Viet Nam had invested in 18 projects totaling over $38 million in France quite modest compared with the cooperation potential between the two countries as well as the strength of French businesses and Viet Nams investment and development needs. In terms of development cooperation, France is the leading European bilateral ODA donor to Viet Nam and the latter also ranks second among the formers ODA beneficiaries in Asia, with a total committed capital of up to $18.4 billion since 1993. France provides funds of at least 200 million EUR (nearly $231 million) in ODA each year for Viet Nam, with a focus on climate change, energy transition, and green growth. Viet Nam is also one of the few countries that enjoy all three financial aid channels from France, namely ODA from the treasury, concessional loans from the French Development Agency (AFD), and from the Priority Solidarity Fund (FSP). Cooperation in education, culture, and between localities France always considers education and training a priority in its cooperation activities in Viet Nam, focusing mainly on teaching and developing the French language, and training human resources at the higher educational and post-graduate levels in many fields, such as economic management, banking, finance, law, and new technology. In particular, as both are members of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), they have had many cooperation activities within the framework of the OIF, especially in the field of French language teaching. Every year, the French Government grants about 80 scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in France, in order to help Viet Nam train high-quality human resources. France is home to the third largest number of Vietnamese students in the world with over 10,000 students, representing an increase of about 40 per cent over the past 10 years. Cultural exchanges between the two countries are increasingly developing as well. Every year, the French Government spends about 5 million EUR on cultural cooperation with Viet Nam, specifically to support the operation of French cultural centres in Ha Noi (L'Espace), and Ho Chi Minh City (Institute of Cultural Exchange with France-IDECAF). Meanwhile, health is a traditional field of cooperation with nearly 3,000 Vietnamese doctors practicing in French hospitals and reflected through collaboration between the Paris Pasteur Institute and Pasteur Institutes in Viet Nam. During the COVID-19 outbreaks, the two countries had a lot of mutual support, in which Viet Nam provided France with face masks, and France granted 5.5 million doses of vaccines and medical equipment to the Southeast Asian nation. Collaboration between localities is also a feature of Viet Nam-France relations. Currently, there are 38 French localities that have partnerships with 18 provinces and cities in Viet Nam. Since 1990, there have been 235 decentralised cooperation projects between the two countries. The focus has been on the fields of health, education, water and sanitation, heritage conservation, rural development, and sustainable development. By 2022, the two countries had successfully coordinated in organising 11 rotating sessions on decentralised cooperation. VNS HA NOI French Ambassador to Viet Nam Nicolas Warnery has granted an interview to Vietnam News Agency on the outcomes of bilateral cooperation between France and Viet Nam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam-France diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. The Ambassador said President Jacques Chirac, during his State visit to Viet Nam in 2004, stated that the France-Viet Nam relationship is a unique and strong one formed on sincerity. The visit of French President Francois Mitterrand in 1993 was the first by a western head of state to Viet Nam following the oi moi (Renewal). He came at that time with a delegation of French officials and businesses with the aim to promote bilateral cooperation. Since then, both countries have had extremely rich cooperation in economics and also in research, education, higher education, health, development. He said beyond this very rich cooperation, the relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership a decade ago. He wished the relationship will develop further to address common challenges, such as climate change and security challenges in the region. According to the French ambassador, economic cooperation is one of the important areas of bilateral relations. There are commercial exchanges in both directions, cross investments and French businesspeople who set up their own companies and develop their activities in Viet Nam in line with Vietnamese law. He voiced a belief that those relations will develop even further with the full and effective implementation of the European Union-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which came into force in 2020. These economic relations are also based on major projects, the ambassador said, citing as an example the Ha Noi Metro Line 3, an emblematic project in which the Vietnamese State and the French Development Agency (AFD) are heavily involved. Six French high-tech companies also engaged in this project. There are also others aimed at sustainable development, promoting the energy transition in Viet Nam, cooperation with the Viet Nam Electricity Group (EVN), and the modernisation of the Hoa Binh hydroelectric plant, which will provide a more abundant and less carbon-intensive source of electricity. He also underlined the development of a sustainable and enduring infrastructure, including the future Ha Noi wholesale market, the renovation of the historical Long Bien bridge (originally called Paul Doumer Bridge after the governor-general of French Indochina and then French President, built in the early 20th century) and the development of sustainable transportation means, with not only the metro but also bus lines. Asked how ties between the two countries localities and partners will thrive, especially since the 12th Viet Nam-France Decentralised Partnership Conference will soon be held in Ha Noi, Warnery said decentralised cooperation, by definition, involves municipalities, departments, regions on the French side, and provinces on the Vietnamese side. It also involves universities on both sides, hospitals, schools, and sometimes associations. It is an extraordinarily rich cooperation, a friendship that unites peoples at all levels and in all areas. This cooperation will indeed be illustrated and highlighted very soon by the 12th Decentralised Partnership Conference that the French Embassy will co-organise with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ha Noi municipal People's Committee. This conference is important because it is the first to be held after the COVID-19 period, which will allow local authorities to meet, resume direct dialogue that they have maintained online but in difficult conditions during the pandemic. This conference may also create new partnerships and, in general, discuss and address common interests together. The theme of this conference will be precisely on sustainable urban and rural development, heritage, culture, and tourism. He said the theme of the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-France diplomatic relations is "Shared Cultures," meaning that there are a lot in common between French and Vietnamese cultures. Their cultural cooperation is extraordinarily diverse and encompasses literature, debate, dance, music, cinema, photography, and many other fields. The two countries are working to demonstrate this diversity in a series of interesting events. Two wonderful exhibitions were already held, one on the history of Long Bien Bridge last December, and another on the revival and conservation of the Temple of Literature. These are two of the most remarkable sites in Ha Noi. This month, he said the embassy will hold the "Balade en France" festival, a public event that includes French gastronomy, the culture of living together and conviviality. Organised just after the 12th Decentralised Partnership Conference, the event will bring French culture, culinary and arts to the streets for the general public in Ha Noi. And then, there will also be very beautiful events, including a performance based on Antoine de Saint-Exuperys book "The Little Prince," a musical tale at the Ha Noi Opera House. There will be music, drawings from a comic book dedicated to "The Little Prince," and the text of this well-known novella. And at the end of this year, a fashion event in HCM City is planned. A sound and light show at the Imperial Citadel of Hue, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue is also expected. Education is another field that has seen strong cooperation between Viet Nam and France, which encompasses from primary and secondary education up to the baccalaureate, and then education in higher education and research, including higher studies and university exchange programmes. The embassy will try to hold a series of events in schools with French teaching or bilingual programmes. University conferences and science days are also planned in different venues. Regarding ties between France and Francophone partners in Viet Nam, the diplomat said France is very active in Francophone community such as the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), the Francophone University Agency (AUF), and other Francophone countries that are present in Viet Nam. He described Ha Noi as the capital of Francophone community in the region since the headquarters of the AUF and OIFs Asia-Pacific regional offices are located here. We actively promote the teaching of French at all levels of education," the French ambassador said. "In fact, many young students start learning French at the university level, but they have progressed rapidly and become proficient in the language, allowing them to continue their studies in post-university programmes through in-place study abroad, studying abroad in France, or other French-speaking countries. On the occasion, he also appreciated Le Courrier du Vietnam, a French-language newspaper of the Vietnam News Agency, saying that he reads it very regularly and enjoys it a lot. VNS PARIS The relationship between Viet Nam and France has been thriving, and the two countries have become reliable partners of each other, Vietnamese Ambassador to France inh Toan Thang said in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and ten years of the strategic partnership. Ambassador Thang highlighted the traditional relations between the two countries and their diverse, multi-sectoral cooperation, which have been strengthened and developed comprehensively. He said that France remains a leading partner of Viet Nam in Europe and the world at large, stressing that France highly values Viet Nams position in the region and in strategies and policies that the European country is implementing in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific. Thang noted that the two countries had maintained regular exchange mechanisms in politics, economy and national defence. A range of agreements have been signed, creating a legal foundation for bilateral collaboration in priority areas. The frequent delegation exchanges and meetings between Vietnamese and French leaders on the sidelines of international conferences over the past reflect the close bilateral political ties. The ambassador emphasised economic cooperation between the two countries as France is the leading European ODA supplier of Viet Nam, and Viet Nam ranks second among Frances ODA recipients in Asia with total commitments amounting to US$18.4 billion from 1993. Two-way trade more than tripled within ten years, reaching $5.3 billion in 2019. Over 300 French businesses operate in the Southeast Asian nation in various sectors, while several Vietnamese firms have landed their investments in France. Thang also pointed to strong bilateral cooperation in higher education, with hundreds of agreements inked by universities and research institutes of the two countries and some 7,000 Vietnamese students in France now. He said that health care also forms a key cooperation area, adding that collaboration between localities has been expanded with the participation of 24 France localities and 33 cities and provinces of Viet Nam. He described the 12th Viet Nam-France conference on decentralised cooperation, slated for April 13-14 in Ha Noi, as a vivid demonstration of the vitality of cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities. According to the diplomat, the two countries have many favourable conditions to enhance their ties. The diverse partnerships at different levels, positive cooperation outcomes, and common perceptions on visions of the strategic partnership have laid the important ground for partners of the two sides to deepen and expand their connectivity, he continued. Thang also cited common points in the foreign policies of the two countries and the reciprocity of the two economies as another advantage, saying both countries play a key role and position in their regions. Given emerging challenges in post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development, he suggested partners of the two countries make greater efforts and take measures to meet the new requirements of both nations. He said that cooperation coordination mechanisms should work more effectively to orient and help partners of the two sides expand cooperation and well implement relevant programmes and projects, proposing that relevant agencies and partners of both sides work out specific programmes and plans in key cooperation spheres. For investment, he said solutions are needed to attract more French investments in multiple fields in Viet Nam, from high-tech, economic sectors, digital transformation, health care and pharmaceuticals to traditional industries like car manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure construction, public transport, high-quality agriculture, food processing, environment-related sectors, among others. He noted that the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, which came into force on August 1, 2020, has generated great opportunities for the two countries to boost their economic and trade links. The ambassador urged Vietnamese businesses to revamp production to satisfy quality standards and catch up with the development trends of Europe and France. Meanwhile, French enterprises should put forth more methodical strategies and set aside more resources to promote their presence in Viet Nam and optimise the market to expand their regional reach. In addition, he emphasised cooperation in education and training, explaining that youngsters will help tighten the relations comprehensively and create new ideas for new cooperation projects, meeting the interests of both nations in a rapidly-evolving world. It can be said that there are substantial opportunities for Viet Nam and France to elevate their relations in the coming years, he said. The determination of leaders, the support of people from all walks of life and the active engagement of partners in all fields have raised hope for intensive, extensive and effective development of the Viet Nam-France in the future, he said. The two countries should fully promote cooperation to contribute to the relations between Asia and Europe, and between ASEAN and the EU, with untapped potential, and contribute to building a world of harmony and peace. VNS HA NOI Several students were admitted to the emergency room in cases related to e-cigarettes, raising alarms among parents and schools about the presence of the device on campus. On April 4, three students exhibited signs of fatigue and nausea after drinking tea given by one of their school friends. They were immediately taken to the emergency at Military Hospital 103. One of the students later admitted that they put a couple of drops of liquid used for e-cigarettes in the bottle as a prank. On the same day, there was another case of an 11th grader who suffered from dizziness and fatigue, then collapsed on the classroom floor after using a vape pod from another student. All the students are in a stable condition. According to a 2022 report on the use of cigarettes among students by the health ministry, e-cigarettes have an increasing presence in schools, especially with the introduction of new tobacco products. The percentage of people aged above 15 who use e-cigarettes rose from 0.2 per cent in 2015 to 3.6 per cent in 2020. This figure is 7.3 per cent for the age group of 15 to 24. In the age group of 13 to 15, 3.5 per cent of the students use e-cigarettes, of which 4.3 per cent are male and 2.8 per cent are female. According to Ha Nois health department, there is nicotine and around 15,500 types of flavourings used in e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), many of which can cause harm to users health. Dr Nguyen Tuan Lam, an expert from the World Health Organization in Viet Nam is concerned about how these products are becoming popular with young people. Using nicotine during adolescence can cause harm to the parts of the brain that control attention, learning ability and mood," said Dr Lam. It can also increase the risks of addiction to other substances in the future. The health ministry has also proposed to ban all new-generation tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and HTPs in November last year. Raise the awareness With the recent cases involving e-cigarettes among students, Nguyen Thi Thuong, a Ha Noi resident whose son is in Grade 6, realised that the risks are very present. Thuong said: I immediately warned my son about the problem. We went on the internet together to search for information, from the diversity in forms to the use and harms of this type of tobacco. Nowadays, there are many forms of e-cigarettes, so I thought that only by learning about it can help my son be more aware and identify them if he is exposed to the devices, or got carried away with his friends. Ba inh District Peoples Committee has also required schools to raise awareness among parents and students on the matter. Following this direction, Nguyen Tri Phuong Secondary School held an information session on security on campus and advised them against using or trading e-cigarettes. Meanwhile, in Thanh Tri District, the education and training department has required schools to communicate the harms of new-generation tobacco products and drugs among students. According to the head of the department Pham Van Ngat, this is a complicated matter that requires the engagement of parents and authorities, security forces and State management agencies, alongside the educational sector. VNS Trump said he would never withdraw from his presidential bid Trump suggested that Biden would withdraw from the 2024 campaign The former president asserted that "something is wrong" with Biden Former US president Donald Trump, charged with a crime in New York on Tuesday, vowed to "never drop out" of the contest for the White House in 2024 and asserted that Joe Biden is unfit to run again. The Republican real estate magnate, who faces 34 felony counts in New York for allegedly paying hush money to an adult film actress, told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson that nothing, not even a conviction, would prevent him from running for president. Donald Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign Trump and other prominent Republicans have repeatedly questioned President Joe Biden's mental capacity and evident fragility. Fox News and other right-wing media frequently emphasize his verbal gaffes and instances where he appears to have lost his train of thought. During his presidency, Fox provided an uncritical forum for Trump to express his grievances. The then-commander-in-chief occasionally dropped in on programs unannounced and spoke at length with presenters. The relationship deteriorated following Trump's electoral loss to Biden in 2020 but has progressively improved as the Republican nomination race winds up, according to SCMP. The interview, of which part two is scheduled to air on Wednesday, comes weeks after texts surfaced showing Carlson disparaging Trump after his election loss. A Tuesday Morning Consult poll revealed that 56% of Republican primary voters supported Trump while only 23% supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. According to reports, Trump will return to New York City on Thursday for a deposition related to the civil fraud litigation brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump and his three adult children. In the expansive interview, Trump devoted much time to discussing foreign policy. Trump and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, criticized the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Read Also: Louisville Bank Shooting: Where Did Suspect Get His Rifle? Joe Biden's Presidential Bid Trump asserted that "something is wrong" with Biden and doubted that the 80-year-old would survive the 2024 presidential election. On Monday, the former president referenced Biden's interview with Today's Al Roker at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Roker spoke with Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the Truman Balcony and questioned the president about his participation in Easter Egg Rolls after 2024. Trump declared his intention to retake the White House in mid-November, immediately following the midterm elections, extending an already extensive presidential campaign timeline. Biden has yet to declare a reelection campaign officially. Per Daily Mail, some Biden sources said last week that the announcement could come as late as this fall, while others believed it would be made this summer. In the meantime, Trump is attempting to make quick work of the Republican primary field, which has officially attracted Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and Vivek Ramaswamy, but also includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Related Article: What Melania Trump Says About Stormy Daniels? @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. THANH HOA Almost 400 residents of Beo Bot Village, situated on the left bank of the Ma River in a remote area of central Thanh Hoa Province, have expressed their desire for a bridge to be constructed to facilitate their daily commutes to work and school. The village, in Cam Thanh Commune, Cam Thuy District, has been secluded from other regions for centuries, with a limestone mountain range obstructing movement from the rear and the river obstructing movement from the front. Beo Bot Village, inhabited predominantly by the Thai ethnic community, consists of 87 households. The only way they can cross the Ma River is to take a boat carrying 12 people at a time. Eighty-three village students from kindergarten to high school must take the boat daily to class. Le Thi Le, a ninth grader of Cam Thanh Secondary School, said she has to take the boat four times a day to school. I wake up at 6am in the winter to wait for the boat. After taking the boat, I have to travel 8km to get to school, she told Vietnam News Agency. Bui Thi Ngoc, a fifth grader of Cam Thanh Primary School, has to take the boat four times a day to go to school although the school is only 1km from her house. It is not safe to take the boat when the water is rising in the rainy season or when the hydropower plant releases water, she said. Beo Bot boat station is always crowded in the morning with adults and children waiting for the boat to cross the river to get to work and school. Cao Ngoc Hoan, a boat rider working on the river for tens of years, said: We have a one-hour break from 12am to 1pm to have lunch. But due to high travelling demand, sometimes someone gets sick, or children have to go to class, we have a quick lunch and skip the break to continue the work. According to Ha Thi Lieu, a teacher at Cam Thanh Primary School, the school has 44 students from Beo Bot Village. In the rainy season or when the hydroelectric power discharges water, residents are anxious every time they take a boat across the river. She said that children from Beo Bot Village are often absent from class during the stormy season because no family dare to let their children cross the river in bad weather conditions. This interrupts studies, and children from the village can not participate in extra curriculum activities regularly. A bridge connecting two banks of the Ma River is the dream of villagers and teachers, Lieu said. The life of Beo Bot villagers has improved in recent years thanks to their rice and bamboo farming. But all of the daily affairs of local people still depend on one boat. Bui Tien Dung, chairman of Cam Thanh Commune Peoples Committee, said despite difficulties, all children from the village could go to school at the right ages. None of them dropped out of school. The proposal to build a bridge had been made for decades. Every year it was raised once again, but due to a shortage of funds, it was not easy to build a bridge across the river, he said. He said that local authorities had submitted the proposal to higher authorities and wished a new bridge would be built soon. VNS KIEN GIANG Khmer ethnic group people are about to celebrate their biggest holiday of the year, Chol Chnam Thmay, their traditional New Year festival, which will be held from April 14-16. The Khmer community in the southern province of Kien Giang are in festive spirits as their holiday draws near. This year, Danh Nguon and his family in inh Hoa Commune in Go Quao District will have a bigger celebration than in previous years as all his children and grandchildren will be returning home to celebrate the holiday. His family members are busy ensuring the reunion is filled with love. Making banh tet (a traditional cylindrical-shaped dish made from glutinous rice, mung bean and pork), which will be used as gifts for relatives and placed on the ancestral altar as an offering during the holiday, is an indispensable part of the preparation. Nguon said this is a time to cherish reunions after a year of hard work and an occasion to remind children and grandchildren of the fine long-standing customs and their responsibility of preserving them. With over 13 per cent of its population being Khmer people (238,000 people), Kien Giang is home to the third largest Khmer community in the Mekong Delta, after Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces. Danh Ut, a resident in Binh Loi Hamlet of Minh Hoa Commune, noted Khmer people have never celebrated the traditional New Year festival as joyfully as this year. Chol Chnam Thmay is an occasion for the younger generations to learn about filial piety, meet relatives and friends, exchange greetings, review achievements in a year, and encourage charitable work. Traditionally, people visit pagodas to offer flowers and prayers to the Buddha on the first day of the New Year and then engage in festive activities, including folk singing and dancing. Danh Phuc, head of the Kien Giang board for ethnic minority affairs, said to welcome the festival, the board has coordinated with relevant agencies and localities to organise such activities as holding gatherings with monks, retired cadres, martyrs families, war invalids, revolution contributors, and reputable persons in the community, and visiting and presenting gifts to the provincial Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Monks, Khmer pagodas, boarding schools for ethnic minority students, and disadvantaged families. He said that despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, local Khmer people have still benefited from better life quality. Phuc highlighted improvements in education and health care, stable political security and social order and safety, and enhanced solidarity among ethnic groups. He attributed those attainments partly to the timely implementation of programmes, projects, and policies on ethnic minorities, along with peoples consensus and adherence to the Partys guidelines and the States laws. As a result, many households have succeeded in developing production and business, helping to alleviate poverty in the Khmer community. Under the multidimensional approach, the household poverty rate among local ethnic minority groups has been brought down to 3.68 per cent and the rate of near-poor households is down to nearly 6 per cent, according to the official. Joyful celebration thanks to improved life Luu Minh Ly, a resident of Thuan Hoa Commune in Chau Thanh District, Soc Trang Province, will also have a bigger New Year celebration, and his family's life has gradually improved. The familys income has improved thanks to the support of the authority. As a poor family with no agricultural land, he received VN10 million from the job change support programme in 2022 and was given financial support to buy a sprayer and a lawn mower, and to build a house. He can now find more jobs and earns an average of VN200,000 a day, which helps improve his family's life. According to Ho Thi Cam ao, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the People's Council of Soc Trang, the province has always paid attention to the socio-economic development of the province in general and the ethnic minority groups in particular. It has implemented measures related to social security, healthcare, education training and human resource development, among many others. The province receives hundreds of billions of ong from the government to invest in ethnic minority areas. This helps the locality to bring positive impacts in many fields. VNS LANG SON Chi Ma border gate's border guard station and Chi Lang border guard station in Loc Binh District in Viet Nam's northern province of Lang Son and Chinas Ningming border management unit held talks and raised awareness of laws for residents in border areas on April 11. The two sides informed each other about the situation of border protection and management and discussed border control activities, including fighting illegal entry-exit and smuggling across the shared border. They instructed people on how to check border markers and directions, as well as violations of land border management and protection regulations between Viet Nam and China. The activity aimed to raise public awareness of legal enforcement in border areas, enhance bilateral cooperation in fighting violations of border sovereignty, illegal entry-exit, cross-border crimes, contributing to the building of a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development. VNS The prime ministers of both countries plan to exchange visits this year as the nations celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations and are expected to lift existing ties, with more favourable mechanisms created for trade and investment. During bilateral talks between Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and Australian Governor-General David Hurley last week in Hanoi, both leaders agreed on discussions to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership at a suitable time. Vietnam suggested that Australia import more Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products to soon balance bilateral trade. Last year, two-way trade reached $15.7 billion, up 26.7 per cent on-year. In which, Vietnamese exports hit $5.6 billion up 26.2 per cent; imports touched $10.1 billion up 27.3 per cent. Australia is now the seventh-largest trade partner of Vietnam, and the Southeast Asian nation is the 10th largest trade partner of Australia. The achievement is largely attributed to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. In Q1 this year, total trade hit $3.4 billion, with Vietnams exports of $1.3 billion down 2.4 per cent on-year, and imports of $2.1 billion equal to the same period last year. While the reduction is due to global difficulties and negative impacts of the pandemic, it is expected that two-way trade will flourish this year thanks to more favourable trade mechanisms. Vietnam welcomes enterprises and investment funds from Australia to come to Vietnam to invest in renewable energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, finance-banking, education, high-tech agriculture, aviation, and tourism, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Governor-General Hurley. It is also suggested that Australia continues to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese companies to invest in Australia in agriculture, mining, aviation, and tourism. According to the recent Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, the Vietnamese market is high on the radar of Australian companies. To supplement their domestic operations and make the most of Vietnams comparative advantage in manufacturing, a number of Australian companies have significant investments here. These companies are joined by a growing cohort of small- and medium-sized enterprises looking to expand and diversify their manufacturing capacity. Australian investment is mainly concentrated in manufacturing and processing industries, food services, and agro-forestry-fisheries. Prominent Australian investors in Vietnam include Austal, RMIT University, Blackstone Minerals, BlueScope Steel, CBH Group, and LOGOS. For example, shipbuilder Austal is capitalising on Vietnams expertise as part of a strategy to expand its manufacturing operations for commercial vessels at its production facility in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Austal Vietnam commenced operations in 2018 as part of a strategy for the group to expand its global manufacturing operations for commercial vessels. The shipyard begins its life with core design and fabrication teams ably supported by Austal Australias design and construction resources. Elsewhere, BlueScopes $105 million flat steel metallic coating and painting facility in Phu My 1 Industrial Zone in Ba Ria-Vung Tau was commissioned in 2005. Moreover, SunRices investment in a rice processing mill in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has helped secure rice supply for its established markets, particularly in the South Pacific. This offsets the variable annual rice production in Australia due to fluctuations in water availability. Vietnam is going to require continued foreign investment inflows into many sectors to sustain its current rates of growth. Australian investors are well-placed to capitalise on this demand, particularly in aviation, transport, logistics, mining, and resources, said Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Consistent with Australias foreign investment regime, Vietnamese companies are welcoming investors in Australias agricultural sector, helping to create jobs in rural and regional areas. For example, TH Group has made a large-scale agricultural investment in Australia since 2019 by acquiring and developing three beef farms in the north and west of Australia with an investment of $87.8 million. The project currently has more than 775,000 hectares of land and over 62,000 wild-grazing cattle, supplying beef to the Australian domestic market and exporting to other countries. Since the investment, TH has continuously strengthened the farms capacity, increased profits, and contributed to promoting local economic development. With this project, TH is currently the largest Vietnamese enterprise in Australia. Australias total registered investment capital in Vietnam has reached about $2 billion for almost 600 valid projects, according to Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment. vir Hanoi has called on Chinese localities to work more closely with the capital to advance the implementation of programs for planning officials in a variety of fields, such as smart city management, cybersecurity, and high-tech crime prevention. The request was made by Dinh Tien Dung, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, to the Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, Xiong Bo, on April 11. Party Secretary Dinh Tien Dung stated during the meeting that Hanoi would be interested in learning from Chinese specialists in the preservation of cultural and historical artifacts, particularly the restoration of unique national monuments that need protection. He expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam for its keen attention, active support, and crucial role in promoting the friendly relationship and cooperation between Hanoi and Chinese localities, especially with the capital city of Beijing. On the occasion of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China from October 30 to November 1 last year, the two cities signed a Memorandum of Understanding on taking bilateral cooperation to a new level. Dung also hoped that Xiong Bo would serve as a link and continue to develop cooperation between Hanoi and other Chinese cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou (Guangdong Province). For his part, Ambassador Xiong Bo assured that the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam would convey Hanoi's proposals to the leaders in Beijing and relevant Chinese agencies. Stressing that China always attaches importance to cooperation and is willing to share experiences with Vietnam and Hanoi, the Ambassador expressed his expectation that Hanoi and Beijing will always take the lead in relations and become a good model for the two countries' ties. He emphasized that the aforementioned recommendations for cooperation between the two cities of the two nations would significantly advance the effective implementation and the development of shared perceptions among the top leaders of both parties. Hanoi Times Following a general upward trend between 2017 and 2022, the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) score in 2022 was 65.67 points, 0.37 points higher than the result in 2021, indicating continued progress in Vietnam's business environment. Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), made the announcement today [April 11] at the launch of the PCI report. The PCI, the result of a long-standing collaboration between the VCCI and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is designed to assess provincial economic governance, ease of doing business, and administrative reform efforts by provincial governments in Vietnam to promote private sector development. The 2022 PCI Report is based on responses from 11,872 firms, including 10,590 domestic private firms and 1,282 foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) operating in the country. In this year's edition, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Haiphong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Dong Thap secured the top 5 positions in the PCI 2022 ranking. "The report shows the tremendous efforts made by both businesses and provincial governments to navigate through the rough waters of the Covid-19 pandemic," said Cong. Commenting on the report, Dau Anh Tuan, Director of VCCI's Legal Department, noted that both domestic and foreign enterprises reported improvements in administrative procedures, reductions in time spent on bureaucratic compliance, and relief from the burden of informal fees. However, the impact of the challenging economic environment is also evident in this year's report, as reforms in many policy areas have slowed and business optimism remains low, he said. Businesses cited numerous challenges with employing staff, getting financing, expanding their infrastructure, and bridging the gap between top-down policy and grassroots execution. "The tough economic environment in Vietnam has created a number of challenges for businesses. To offset the uncertainties of the global market for businesses, we expect that province and local governments can further strengthen business support measures that contribute to a more enabling and stable domestic business climate. The Provincial Green Index (PGI), a project developed by VCCI with assistance from USAID and commercial sector partners, was also introduced by VCCI in PCI 2022. In order to encourage better corporate behavior and practices, including the use of innovative green technologies, this index assesses and ranks provincial environmental policies from the viewpoint of businesses. In this first edition, the top three PGI performers are Tra Vinh, Lang Son, and Bac Ninh. Aler Grubbs, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director, noted that the new PGI "signals a greater recognition by the private sector that environmental considerations are equally important to business success and long-term economic growth. As the first country to adopt the PCI, Grubbs said Vietnam has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to green growth. Grubbs noted that a shift to a green economy would make it easier for businesses to access green financing and resources, ultimately motivating them to adopt a green strategy. "The PGI would support Vietnam's efforts to advance sustainable development, achieve ambitious goals of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and remain in the upper-middle income group by 2030," she said. VCCI's Director of the Legal Department Dau Anh Tuan. Businesses hold higher expectations for Hanoi One of the most significant changes in this year's PCI, according to Tuan of the VCCI, was a drop in the rankings of major cities in Vietnam, such as Hanoi (-10), Ho Chi Minh City (-13), Cantho (-7), or Danang. (-5). "We see this as a major challenge for these big cities. They are more vulnerable to outside demands than others because of their position as the country's economy expands," Tuan told The Hanoi Times. This is especially true for businesses based in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong or Dong Nai, especially those that are export-oriented and therefore dependent on the expectation for a global economic recovery. Tuan added that in such a challenging environment, businesses and people naturally rely more on local government support. "The PCI rankings also reflect businesses' expectations of the local government's efforts to reform administrative procedures," Tuan said. He explained that in this case, PCI "serves as a means to convey their wishes and expectations for the government's strong innovative measures". To overcome the current difficulties, businesses expect the authorities, and in this case Hanoi, to enforce policies more effectively, especially at the grassroots level, where the quality of implementation has been subdued in recent years. "Given the ongoing challenges, it is crucial for Hanoi's authorities at all levels to take the initiative and actively engage in the process of policy implementation, as even a small delay can pose a major problem due to the city's large economic size. Therefore, one of the top priorities for Hanoi should be to continue to remove obstacles for businesses," Tuan concluded. Hanoi Times Farmers and cooperatives in the Hanoi Farmers' Union can utilize digital technology in agricultural production and consumption since 2023 with the assistance of the Hanoi Branch of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group. An overview of the signing ceremony. Photo: Anh Ngoc/The Hanoi Times The support will be carried out following an agreement signed on April 10 between the Hanoi Farmers' Union and the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group - Hanoi Branch (VNPT Hanoi) for 20232028. Pham Hai Hoa, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Farmers' Union, said the agreement is to motivate the union members to apply science and technology in producing, processing, promoting, and consuming agricultural products. The cooperation will enable the two sides to conduct digital transformation activities by establishing links with ethical farmers, enterprises, and conventional agricultural cooperatives. Accordingly, they will jointly develop e-government and manage information security incident response. VNPT Hanoi will assist the city's cooperatives and farmers in using digital technology for agricultural production and product traceability. Hanoi supported more than 160,000 business households in selling agricultural products on e-commerce floors in 2022. Photo: Vietnam Post Hanoi set the target to train 2,000 enterprises and home business owners, public servants, and students on e-commerce skills, according to the citys e-commerce development plan, which aims to provide solutions to encourage local businesses and people to use e-commerce and to help manufacturers expand consumption markets for agricultural and consumer goods, handicrafts, as well as products certified as meeting the One Commune One Product (OCOP)s standards through cross-border e-commerce channels. Chu Phu My, Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the department also supports the testing and certification of the quality of agricultural products for sale on the e-commerce platform and carries out inspection and supervision of food safety. They will soon set parameters for the planting area, the production process, and the sake holders. In addition, they will train farmers in digital skills and help them create accounts and posts on e-commerce sites. Hanoi Times From Brexit to the CPTPP, the road has been long for the United Kingdom, but the final outcome should see the countrys trade ties with Vietnam become stronger than before. Below we discuss the evolution of two-way trade between Vietnam and the UK following Brexit and the implications of the UKs accession to the CPTPP on this bilateral trade relationship. When the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016 it sent economic shockwaves around the world. This was an unprecedented change to the global economic order. The exit of the UK, which accounted for 16 percent of the EU economy, dealt a significant blow to the EUs position as a powerful force in global trade. For Vietnam, this represented a sizable shift in how its trade program was developing the UK should have been a part of the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), but this would no longer be the case. The EVFTA was scheduled to come into force in 2020 after the UK was expected to exit the EU single-market. As a result, Vietnam-UK trade, assuming no other arrangements were made, would fall back on WTO guidelines and tariff schedules. Neither party, however, wanted to miss out on the benefits that the EVFTA had promised. For example, Vietnam was set to benefit from savings of up to US$131 million in tariffs on exports to the UK. By the same metric, the UK would have benefited to the tune of US$63 million from exports to Vietnam. The UK had, at the time, declared its intention to join the CPTPP to which Vietnam is a party, but with 10 countries in the agreement already, being confirmed as a member would take some time. Consequently, the UK and Vietnam moved ahead with a bilateral trade agreement to keep trade flowing. The UK and Vietnam negotiate a bilateral agreement The UK and Vietnam went to work forging their own FTA, using the EVFTA as its foundation. It would, however, require some changes. Tariff-rate quotas (TRQ), for example, were lowered for products entering the UK with respect to the size of the UK market compared to that of the collective EU; modifications to the rules of origin were made given that goods from the UK would no longer be considered as from the EU; and, a handful of branded goods were added to the intellectual property clauses. For the most part, however, the EVFTA agreement was left intact but for the name. As a result, negotiations for the United Kingdom-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) moved relatively quickly and were completed December 11, 2020, with the agreement signed December 29 of the same year. This was another feather in the cap of the UKs post-Brexit trade negotiations bringing to an end almost four years of relative uncertainty. Vietnam and UK enjoy strengthening ties The UKVFTA has significantly reduced tariffs and strengthened the trade relationship between Vietnam and the UK, resulting in substantial benefits for both countries. British luxury carmaker McLaren, for example, opened its first showroom in Vietnam last year. AstraZeneca is also working with the Vietnamese government on disease prevention and control and pharmaceutical research. In the other direction, Vietjet CEO, Thao Nguyen, pledged a 155-million-pound donation to Oxford College in the UK in 2021 and in return received her name on a dormitory. Although these funds have not, yet, been delivered, the desire to raise the profile of Vietnamese brands in the UK is evident. It is worth noting that the two-way trade between Vietnam and the UK experienced a decrease in 2020, which can be attributed to the lower demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the trade bounced back in the following year, reaching the highest level ever recorded between the two countries. The UKs accession to the CPTPP Earlier this year, the relationship between Vietnam and the UK took another step forward when the UKs accession to the CPTPP was confirmed. This will see a number of advantages for both parties over and above the UKVFTA. These include: Tariffs on engines and medicines exported to Vietnam will come down faster. Tariffs on chocolate and port will be eliminated sooner. Duties on beef exported to Vietnam will be eliminated at entry into force. Duties on pork and chicken will be eliminated from years 3 and 5, respectively. Vietnam will receive access to a separate duty-free TRQ on long-grain milled rice. The volume will increase incrementally over eight years, capped at a permanent quota of 17,500 tons. Vietnam along with Chile, Malaysia, Brunei, and Peru will share a single, duty-free TRQ on sugar the volume of which will increase incrementally over 10 years. This will be capped at a permanent quota of 25,000 tons. UK businesspersons travelling to Vietnam for short-term business will be allowed to stay for up to six months as opposed to the three months currently permitted. British citizens will have guaranteed access to Vietnam. These changes will liberalize trade between these two countries further and allow for better and smoother supply chain integration for the UK among the member states. Whats next for trade between Vietnam and the UK? Although the immediate impact of the UKs accession to the CPTPP is not expected to be significant due to the existing UKVFTA, there will be several long-term benefits such as tariff reductions and increased market access for both Vietnam and the UK. Vietnam is expected to benefit from increased exports of agricultural and seafood products while the UK should see a boost in its meat exports to Vietnam. The two countries have been working on trade reform for the past seven years, and this latest development is expected to further strengthen their trade relationship and lead to continued growth in two-way trade. Source: Vietnam Briefing HCMC Vietnams State President Vo Van Thuongs official visit to Laos will help bolster bilateral ties between Vietnam and Laos. President Thuong took part in 18 activities in the Lao capital of Vientiane, thus creating a new impetus for bilateral cooperation and contributing to executing the high-level agreements reached by the two Parties and countries, especially the Vietnam-Laos cooperation strategy agreement for the 2021-2030 period and the Vietnam-Laos Bilateral Cooperation Agreement for 2021-2025. In his talks with President Thuong, General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith said that President Thuongs selection of Laos as the first country to visit since his election to the post of head of state demonstrated the appreciation of the Vietnamese Party, State and the President himself for the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, reported the Vietnam News Agency. Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of two cooperation agreements a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in technology and innovation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communications, and another on cooperation in science between the MoST and the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports. The Vietnamese leader also had separate meetings with the Lao Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Lao National Assembly, the President of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Central Committee and the President of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association. President Thuong came back to Hanoi today afternoon, April 11, wrapping up his two-day visit to Laos at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President Thongloun Sisoulith. Vietnam has attracted investment from more than 30 European countries, but one of its neighboring countries has invested more money in the country than all of these European countries combined. 10 According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as of March 20, 2023, Vietnam had 36,881 valid projects with a total registered capital of nearly $444.1 billion USD, with foreign direct investment projects accounting for nearly $278.3 billion USD (or nearly 62.7% of the total valid registered investment capital). Related: How to start a company in Vietnam as foreign investors Foreign investors have invested in 19 out of 21 sectors in the national economic sub-sector system, with the processing and manufacturing industry accounting for the largest proportion at over $264.2 billion USD (or 59.5% of total investment capital). The real estate business comes in second with over $66.7 billion USD (or 15% of total investment capital), followed by electricity production and distribution with over $38.3 billion USD (or 8.6% of total investment capital). To date, 143 economies have invested in Vietnam, with Korea leading the pack with a total registered capital of over $81.5 billion USD (or 18.4% of total investment capital). Singapore comes in second with over $72.5 billion USD (or 16.3% of total investment capital), followed by Japan, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), and others. Out of the 35 European countries that have invested in Vietnam, the Netherlands is the top investor with an accumulated total investment capital of about $13.89 billion USD from 421 projects. Excluding the Netherlands, the total accumulated investment capital of the remaining 34 European countries is about $20.39 billion USD. Meanwhile, neighboring countries Cambodia, Laos, and China have been pouring money into Vietnam for many years. The cumulative total investment capital from Cambodia, Laos, and China into Vietnam has reached $69.43 million USD, $71.11 million USD, and $23.85 billion USD, respectively. Thus, China is a neighboring country with a cumulative total investment capital in Vietnam greater than that of 30 European countries combined (excluding the Netherlands). China has continuously invested in Vietnam, with $2.52 billion USD invested in 2022 through 283 new projects, ranking fourth among all countries investing in Vietnam. In the first three months of 2023, China invested $511.77 million USD in Vietnam through 77 new projects, with newly registered capital reaching about $334.61 million USD and the value of capital contribution and share purchase reaching about $89.95 million USD. Vietnams flag. Photo: Thomas Peter/Reuters As of March 20, 2023, Chinas accumulated total investment capital in Vietnam had reached $23.85 billion USD from a total of 3,651 projects. Chinese investors have invested in joint ventures, contributed capital in cash or technology and machinery in Vietnamese enterprises across all fields, including textiles, footwear, fiber, thermal power, and mining. In recent years, investment capital from China into Vietnam has changed significantly, continuously rising in the ranking position, increasing in scale, changing in form and field, and expanding in geographical area. While in the past, Chinas capital flow was mainly focused on the fields of hotels, restaurants, and small-scale consumer goods production, there has recently been a strong shift with significant changes in the investment sector. Germany unveiled revised proposals on Wednesday, April 12, to liberalize the country's cannabis legislation. The adjustment includes decriminalizing possession of small quantities and permitting recreational marijuana sales to members of nonprofit "cannabis clubs," as Reuters reported. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has said that the German government plans to implement regional test projects to sell cannabis through "commercial supply chains" in a second phase, according to ABC News. But, this plan is different from one he proposed in October 2022, which called for nationwide legalization of cannabis sales to adults. After consulting with European Union (EU) officials, the German government amended the idea. All along, Lauterbach had warned that the administration would not go through with its first proposal until it received approval from the EU. Since 2017, while a conservative administration was in power in Germany, the nation has permitted select patients to get cannabis as a prescription drug. Proposed Legislation Under the proposed law, people would be allowed to cultivate up to three cannabis plants, and possession of up to 25 grams would be legalized. Citizens of Germany over the age of 18 would be able to join nonprofit "cannabis clubs" with up to 500 members, where they may legally cultivate cannabis for their own use. Every person may purchase up to 25 grams at a time, or 50 grams per month, with a lower restriction of 30 grams for those under the age of 21. The final version of the law, according to Cem Ozdemir, Turkey's minister of agriculture, will be completed this month, and "consumption will become legal this year already." Authorities are optimistic that this first measure would aid in reducing the illegal market. Read Also: EU Alarmed of Far-Right Win Over Sanna Marin as Deadly Domino Effect, Versus Interests of Brussels What's next? The government wants to outline the next phase, which will include five-year trials of regulated commercial supply chains in certain locations, this autumn. Details, such as which areas would be selected, have not been decided, Lauterbach added. Science-based assessments of the pilot programs are a government priority. The ministers hoped that positive test results would give them leverage to lobby for a policy shift at the EU level, which would pave the way for their initial proposal to allow licensed sales. Better Opportunity Lauterbach told reporters in Berlin that the first reaction from Brussels was this could be both a disappointing situation and an opportunity for them - an opportunity to construct the framework for a European cannabis policy with well-conducted research. Lauterbach asserted, "We are not creating a problem. We are trying to solve a problem." The minister said that the current policies are ineffective. He said that the government's goal is to provide more security, safeguard customers from tainted and harmful goods, and decrease drug-related crime. As Lauterbach reaffirmed, Germany has no interest in following the neighboring Netherlands' model of decriminalization paired with minimal market control. Read Also: King Charles III Marks First Overseas State Visit as Monarch in Germany @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) Binh Dinh The south central coastal province of Binh Dinh has issued a plan to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing till 2025. By 2025, all fishing ships with a length of 15m and above must be marked and equipped with a vessel monitoring system. Before leaving the port, they must have all documents and equipment checked. These ships will be monitored via the vessel monitoring system. The province also strives to have all domestically-caught aquatic products checked and inspected when being handled at seaports in line with regulations. It also aims to prevent and put an end to the illegal exploitation of aquatic products by fishing vessels and fishermen in foreign waters, and to prevent it from recurring in the following years; minimise and eliminate IUU fishing, and have the European Commissions "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood lifted. To such end, the provincial Peoples Committee asked relevant units to raise awareness of legal regulations among all stakeholders, enhance the management and granting of fishing licences for vessels according to the quota, build a synchronous fishing infrastructure at Tam Quan and De Gi fishing ports to meet the requirements of post-fishing services and traceability of aquatic products. Inspection over fishing vessels when entering and leaving fishing ports in the province will be enhanced while violations in the fisheries sector will be seriously punished. Localities fighting IUU fishing with strong determination The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau will set up three inter-sectoral checkpoints at sea to supervise the operation of fishing vessels in an effort to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Phu Quoc ramps up efforts against IUU fishing Phu Quoc island city, along with other coastal localities in the southern province of Kien Giang, has been concertedly rolling out solutions and exerting great efforts to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Since childhood, my parents and grandparents always told me that a boy must be strong and successful so that he will grow up to be second to none and become a breadwinner for the family. I used to believe that a girl is usually more skilful and careful than a boy. Girls just grow up, get married, and then perform the role of a wife and a mother. Thats why everyone thinks that girls should choose an easy job and spend time with their families. These are just three of the very sincere thoughts shared by 40 ethnic minority youths in Van Ho district in Son La province in the northern region. Living in a family and community where people have such beliefs, these norms are deeply ingrained in the subconscious of young people. This can lead to perpetually reinforced biases around the expected abilities and roles of men and women as well as their social expectations, status, and behaviour. Despite agreeing these biases are wrong, youths today do not know how they can change these preconceptions. After finishing the ninth grade, Lo Thi Van and many other girls were advised, Its enough for girls to study, then stay home and get married. Van feels sad and resentful about this. Her dream is to continue her studies further and have the opportunity to do the work she dreams of. However, Van does not know how to persuade her family to support her plans and ambitions. Meanwhile, other students shared stories of the domestic violence they witnessed, and the uncomfortable emotions they have experienced as a result. They recognise the consequences of domestic violence on individuals, families and society, especially children. There were many times when they wanted to intervene and support victims, but did not know where to start. And most importantly, like many other young people, they lack the belief that they can meaningfully contribute to eliminating gender inequality and domestic violence in particular. Lets start today! One student said, In the past, I thought gender equality was only for the benefit of women. Now I understand that gender equality not only brings benefits and happiness to women, but also to men. The attendees discussed and selected four gender inequality issues that young people are concerned about and want to solve. These were domestic violence, child marriage, child sexual abuse, and the preference shown to boys in families. Through experiential exercises and analysing the causes and consequences of each problem, they realised that change must start today. Huong said, The training helped me realise that when facing a domestic violence case, we need to speak up and seek help from the local authority and the community, not just keep quiet. Many other solutions were also proposed by the students, and they discussed how to implement these ideas in the short and long term. For example, after participating in the training, the participants said they would share their concerns about gender bias and stereotypes, and about the consequences of child marriage, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, with their own classrooms and communities. They also realised that first the change must come from themselves, and needed to start immediately, before they went on to campaign with other young people to change. Let's start today was also the message of the seminar organised by the VSF and the Van Ho Department of Education and Training after the course. The seminar saw the participation of 40 ethnic minority youths and 21 young journalists and communication officers from VTV, VTC, VOV, Tien Phong, Dan Viet, Labour, and Family Vietnam magazine. The seminar was an opportunity to strengthen the voice and connection between youth and young journalists, thereby spreading positive stories and best practices to promote equality. At the seminar, journalists were inspired by the creativity and enthusiasm of the students through their presentation of each prominent gender issue. Tran Hong Diep, deputy director of the VSF, said, As a social, non-profit organisation with a mission to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those targeting equality, education, health and the environment, we have always believed in the ability of young people to change and pioneer solutions to social problems. "As the facilitator of both the training course and the seminar, I am delighted that these young people have developed specific and feasible solutions to eliminate gender inequality in themselves, their family and communities. The VSF will continue to accompany them so that these initiatives can be put into practice, Diep added. The training course and seminar were just two of six activities from the No voice, no equal future project, organised by the VSF with financial support of the US Embassy in Vietnam since October 2022. The projects budget has seen contributions from the sales of mooncakes, a fundraising initiative named Moon of Hope in 2021. The project has seen participation and technical advice from three alumni members of academic and professional exchange programmes funded by the US government, including Diep of the VSF; Nguyen Phuong Chi, deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation and Scientific Management under the Vietnam Womens Academy; and Hoang Thi Huong, gender activist and founder of Toha Coffee. UNESCO continues promoting education for ethnic minority girls The UNESCO Office in Vietnam on March 29 announced the second phase of the project We are ABLE Promoting Gender Equality and Girls Education for Children in Ethnic Minority areas of Vietnam with ABLE stands for the project's slogan "Achieving Better Living and Education", which emphasises confidence in the ability of ethnic minority children, especially girls, to overcome challenges. According to the 2022 results published by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hung Yen scored 67.91 per cent, a 4.15 per cent increase in terms of points and 25 positions in the overall ranking compared to 2021, resulting in its final position of 14th out of the 63 cities and provinces. Within the Red River Delta Region, Hung Yen ranked 5th out of 11. After an absence of 10 years, Hung Yen has now returned to the top 30 across the nation. Over the last three years, a great leap in terms of the quality of leadership can be observed. The province stood in 53rd place in the PCI rankings in 2020, improved to 39th position in 2021, and now reaps the rewards of its current standing. In 2022, Hung Yens biggest improvements can be seen in its real estate accessibility index (up 0.69 points and an increase of 36 ranking positions), its activeness index (up 0.23 points and 19 positions), its indirect costs index (up 1.05 points and 41 positions), and its legal compliance index (up 1.1 points and 33 positions). Notably, Hung Yens real estate index is the fifth highest in the country, only behind Dong Thap, Thai Nguyen, Lam Dong, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The provinces efforts in improving its economic leadership have yielded significant results and are recognised by corporations and investors alike. However, along with the improvements, there are slight decreases in other indices such as the market opening, time cost, and labour education indexes. These aspects require attention by the provincial authorities so the ever-increasing demands of businesses and investors can be met. The increased ranking in the PCI shows an opportunity for investors in Hung Yen. Photo: Quynh Nga Changes are neither inherent nor random It is clear that Hung Yen has put significant efforts into improving and making its mark, with a leap of 39 positions after just two years. With its goal of becoming an attractive destination for domestic and international investors, the province implemented Directive No.12/CT-CTUBND regarding the efficient execution of resolutions and improvements in the mentality and attitudes of officials with the aim of increasing the provinces PCI score. The results have proved that Hung Yens recent solutions for real estate usage planning, the refinement of official policies, and the publishing of real estate planning have had a significantly positive impact. Notably, the waiting period for real estate rental has been reduced from 15 to 7 days, the handover period has decreased from 30 to 20 days, and the assessment of real estate usage has dropped from 30 to 15 days. The increased investment in facilities have also made a positive impression on investors. In 2022, Hung Yen transferred more than 612 hectares of real estate to build industrial infrastructure projects that welcome businesses from both within Vietnam and abroad. Both the authorities and the people of Hung Yen have contributed to the general improvement in its PCI scores and made it a more attractive destination for investment. The province has always paid special attention to the improvement of its indirect cost index, which has been considered the greatest obstacle for investors for a long time. Creating a transparent and friendly investment environment has been identified as an important goal in achieving general economic development within the region. The PCI Index is a telling metric, representing the collective efforts of every contributor in the municipality. However, this trend of improvement needs to be maintained through continuous individual improvements in terms of safety, transparency, and profitability for investors. The improvements in 2022 are a representation of Hung Yens positive development, paving its way for even more success in 2023. In 2022, Hung Yens GRDP saw a 13.41 per cent on-year improvement, exceeding its target of 7 per cent and ranking fifth across the whole country. Its budget revenue was $2.2 billion, exceeding its target by 262 per cent. Hung Yen has welcomed 77 new investment ventures with a total value of $212.5 million. Traded goods and services accumulated to $2.6 billion in total value a 61.1 per cent increase. The total export value reached $6.3 billion, or 112.5 per cent of the annual target. The CPI has also increased by 3.35 per cent compared to the previous year. La Vie factory in Hung Yen granted Alliance for Water Stewardship certification The La Vie factory in Hung Yen has become the second factory in Vietnam to receive an Alliance for Water Stewardship certification for achieving international standards in the protection of common water resources. Hung Yen province to have new industrial zone The Vietnamese government on August 18 approved the investment plan of an industrial zone project in the northern province of Hung Yen to serve investors demands. Vietnam Bank for Social Policies' Hung Yen branch: A helping hand to needy people This year, the Hung Yen Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), has made great strides to boost disbursement of policy credit sources, helping local residents to lead a stable life. Support for deprived residents in Hung Yen province Policy credit sources from VBSPs Hung Yen branch are helping needy households in a northern province escape from poverty. Nestle Vietnam celebrates 5th anniversary of its $115-million factory in Hung Yen The Nestle Bong Sen factory has organised an event to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its operation in the northern province of Hung Yen. Vietlog Industrial breaks ground on flagship warehouse in Hung Yen Vietlog Industrial (VLI), an affiliate of Hong Kong-based investment management company Skymont Capital, on August 16 announced the groundbreaking of its newest project VLI Hung Yen. PCI 2022 On the morning of April 11, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) launched its 2022 PCI. The annual report is the result of a long-standing collaborative effort between the VCCI and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and is designed to assess provincial economic governance, the ease of doing business, and administrative reform efforts, all in the hope of boosting private sector development. The 2022 PCI report was developed from the responses of nearly 11,900 businesses, including 10,590 domestic private businesses and around 1,280 foreign-invested enterprises operating in Vietnam. In total, a stunning 176,496 different businesses have participated since the beginning of the PCI survey in 2005, reflecting the various facets of the Vietnamese business environment. Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Haiphong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Dong Thap secured the top 5 positions in the PCI 2022 rankings. The report reveals the tremendous efforts of both businesses and provincial governments to navigate through the recent rough waters. Both domestic and foreign firms reported improvements in administrative procedures, reductions in the time required for bureaucratic compliance, and liberation from the burden of informal charges. However, the effects of the challenging economic environment are also clear in this years report, as reforms in many policy areas slowed and business optimism remained low. Many firms report multiple hurdles with access to finance, hiring, infrastructure growth, and a gap between central policy and its implementation on the ground. Pham Tan Cong, chairman of the VCCI stated, Businesses in Vietnam are facing multiple obstacles from the current economic situation. We hope that both provincial and municipal governments will further strengthen their business support policies and contribute to a more enabling and stable domestic business environment to make up for the global instabilities. In this years report, the VCCI also launched the PGI, an initiative it developed with support from USAID and private sector partners. This index evaluates and ranks provinces environmental policies from the perspective of businesses with the goal of improving business behaviour and practices, including the application of new green technologies. Tra Vinh, Lang Son, and Bac Ninh were the top 3 PGI performers in this inaugural edition. Aler Grubbs, USAID's Vietnam mission director said, For nearly two decades, the VCCIs successful PCI has prompted stimulating discussions and effective action on critical business issues. The new PGI builds on this prior success, and it signals a greater recognition among the private sector that environmental considerations are equally important for business success and long-term economic growth. With the introduction of the PGI, it is hoped that provinces and cities in Vietnam will pay greater attention to environmentally responsive economic development, provide up-to-date information that informs investment and environmental policy, and ultimately promote an environmentally friendly business ecosystem that contributes to the countrys green growth orientation. This year's report was fortuitously released on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the VCCI (1963-2023) and the 10th Anniversary of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership (2013-2023). Provincial trio topping PCI rankings Despite the remarkable improvement of Vietnams cities and provinces to enhance competitiveness, many issues are remaining for them to lure in more investment. Leasing a plot of land in an industrial zone (IZ) is the most common method to acquire land use rights in Vietnam for manufacturing. Most local authorities now require manufacturing activities to be conducted in IZs, economic zones, or export processing zones which have been zoned for manufacturing purposes. Foreign investors should consider a couple of matters, among others, when leasing land from IZ developers. First and foremost, businesses and foreign investors should thoroughly consider taking land leases with one-off or annual rental payments. Richard Irwin - Partner, PwC Vietnam and Phan Thi Thuy Duong - Partner, PwC Legal Vietnam Under the Law on Land 2013, IZ developers can lease land from the state with either one-off or annual rental payments. In practice, most IZ developers choose to lease land in the form of annual rental payments. For land leased from the state under a one-off rental payment, IZ developers can sublease this to tenants including foreign-invested enterprises in the form of one-off or annual rental payments. However, for land leased with annual rental payment to the state, IZ developers can only sublease land under annual rental payments. Therefore, foreign investors need to consider the differences between these two forms of rental payment. For land leased with a one-off rental payment, tenants are entitled to transfer the associated land use right, mortgage the land use rights (LUR) or contribute the rights as capital to another company. However, for land leased with annual rental payments, tenants have fewer rights and, for example, cannot transfer their LUR. In practice, some IZ developers which lease land with annual rental payments typically allocate the rental fee into two parts, land rental fee and infrastructure fee. The infrastructure fee accounts for a large proportion and is usually paid once for the entire lease term. The land rental fee is determined according to the state land rental price, which is generally much lower than the infrastructure fee, and paid annually by the tenant. From a legal perspective, the tenants in this case are treated as leasing land in the form of annual rental payment. In light of the above, before deciding to lease land, investors should clarify the form of the IZ developers land lease, i.e., whether it is an annual or a one-off rental payment. Secondly, foreign investors should notify about cooperation of the IZ developer when tenants exercise rights over their leased land. By law, tenants are entitled to exercise certain rights such as transferring or subleasing the LUR and/or assets attached thereto, depending on the form of the land lease. However, land sublease agreements often provide that in order to exercise such rights, the tenants must seek advance approval and support from the IZ developer before performing such transactions. In some cases, the tenants must also pay a fee as requested by the IZ developer. Therefore, during the negotiation of land lease agreements, to avoid potential subsequent problems, investors should ensure that there are appropriate terms which require the support and cooperation of IZ developer in this regard. Overall, there are a few significant points to consider regarding MoU for land leases and deposits. To build factories in accordance with the technical requirements of the tenants, the leased land must meet certain conditions. Therefore, investors should carefully research and agree in advance with the IZ developer on such technical requirements for example, construction planning, construction density, and foundation elevation before construction so they can properly estimate the costs before signing any MoU and paying deposits. Investors should also agree and clarify with the IZ developer regarding wastewater treatment systems, allowable treatment capacities, as well as who bears which costs if in future there is a need to increase treatment capacities. This can help to avoid the case where wastewater treatment systems do not cope with the production scales or cannot be expanded. The above are just some of the issues related to land leases which investors should consider, and there are various other matters which investors should consider before deciding to sign agreements and place deposits for land. More sectors to be eligible for tax, land lease payment extension The Ministry of Finance has suggested adding four sectors into the list of industries eligible for extension of tax and land lease payment deadlines with a total sum of 180 trillion VND (7.82 billion USD). Government orders probe into HCM City waiver of fee for land lease to foreign firm Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has ordered an inspection into HCM City authorities leasing of 82.5ha of land to Malaysian property developer Gamuda Land Joint Stock Company without collecting land-use fees. Improved business environment is the key to FDI not tax and land incentives ASEAN countries need to choose between recovery based on wasteful competition for investment or coordination, cooperation, and joint hands to generate sustainable tax revenue to spend on health, education, and other public goods that are essential to fight poverty and inequality. A group of organisations, including representatives of ship agents and seaport associations, last week proposed that authorised agencies adjust the price for container handling services and the terminal handling charge (THC) to be closer to the average price in the region. Seaports missing out on fee windfalls According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA), the price of Vietnams seaport services is much lower than in the rest of the region, damaging the nations maritime economy. Vietnams seaport system needs large financial resources to reinvest and build larger and more modern seaports to improve capabilities and lure more regional transshipment goods, said a representative of the VMA. The associations suggested a minimum annual adjustment of 15-20 per cent, and a minimum three-year roadmap, starting from mid-2023, prioritising deepwater ports in Vietnam. In their estimation, with this change it would take 4-5 years for the loading price of deepwater areas in Vietnam to reach the average price of the region. At present, the loading fees are stipulated in Circular No.54/2018/TT-BGTVT on the charging for pilotage, wharf, dock, and mooring buoy utilisation, container handling, and towage services at Vietnamese ports. Pham Quoc Long, chairman of the Vietnam Ship Agents Brokers and Maritime Services Providers Association, said the proposed increase was based on specific calculations. To compensate for the five-year price slippage from 2019 to now as well as high costs in the past, the Vietnamese container handling price needs to be adjusted up by at least 15 per cent, said Long. He added that when building ports, many determined a loading price of about $75-80 per 20-foot container to break even. At the same time, Vietnams container loading price is currently only half that of the region, while the investment and development of ports is almost the same, he said However, the proposed price is only the price of loading the container between ships and ports and not an adjustment of the price of lifting and lowering containers or vehicles at the port, because this is not stipulated in Circular 54. Currently, Lach Huyen and Cai Mep area ports are applying ceiling prices, but still lower than global prices and not enough for ports to turn a profit, Long said. In May 2022, the Cai Mep port cluster was ranked 11th out of the 370 best container ports in the world by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. With the loading price only 40-50 per cent compared to the region, if the container throughput through the Vietnamese port system is about 25 million TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) per year, Vietnam loses about $1 billion per year, said Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy, head of Private Economic Development Research under the Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform. Shipping lines collect a THC surcharge at the rate of $114-140 per TEU, but only pay $33 to the port in Haiphong, $40 in Ho Chi Minh City, and $52 at Cai Mep and Lach Huyen ports, which are the cheapest fees in Southeast Asia. Currently, seaport enterprises in Cambodia charge up to $90, while Singapore charges $115 per container. Foreign shipping lines enjoy a cheap loading fee, by paying about 30 per cent of THC to Vietnam seaports. While according to international practices and conventions, 80 per cent of THC collected by foreign shipping lines from import-export owners is used to pay the port to cover the costs directly related to loading. During the pandemic, although the loading price did not change, the freight rate increased 10-fold due to the lack of empty containers, and congestion at ports. More recently, freight rates slid back to the previous level according to market supply and demand. Moreover, the cost of price components has soared sharply over five years and the prices for loading containers regulated at present are no longer relevant, Thuy added. The adjustment is considered urgent for the Cai Mep deepwater port area, where more than 90 per cent of the output is transported by barge to Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai at a very low price of loading onto barges of $6 per TEU. At a previous meeting with Vietnam Maritime Corporation on amending Circular 54, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang asked businesses to work with related authorities and organisations in order toto evaluate the impact of increasing these prices and fees on the consumer price index, and other local and foreign enterprises. Vietnam currently has a modern seaport system, meeting the import and export needs of the economy. The list includes 34 seaports, including two special-class ports, 11 seaports of first-class, seven seaports of second-class, and 14 seaports of third-class. Cargo capacity is also improving, receiving more ships with largers tonnage. Vietnamese seaports in Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau are in the top 50 ports with the largest cargo throughput in the world. Gateway ports such as Lach Huyen (Haiphong), and Cai Mep (Ba Ria-Vung Tau) can receive the largest container ships in the world, up to over 200,000 DWT. The total volume of goods transported through Vietnams seaports in 2022 was estimated at 733.18 million tonnes, up 4 per cent on-year. In which, exports reached 179.07 million tonnes, down 3 per cent; imported goods 209.26 million tonnes, down 2 per cent; and domestic cargo 342.79 million tonnes, up 12 per cent on-year. In particular, the volume of container cargo through seaports last year was estimated at 25.09 million TEU, up 5 per cent on-year. The high growth of transport routes to China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Europe along with high sea freight rates in 2022 contributed to many Vietnamese shipping enterprises high increase in revenues and profit. Seaports lag behind regional peers Despite growing demands, Vietnams seaport development masterplan has been deemed inappropriate by experts, leaving much to be desired in the race to attain capital. Seaport ventures to rake in new funds The Ministry of Transport this month submitted a report requesting approval to implement the master plan for Vietnams seaport system for the 2021-2030 period. Investors seek seaport access improvements While having interest in seaport projects, both domestic and foreign companies are seeking better infrastructure access and development of quality distribution and logistics centres before making concrete plans. Ho Tuong Vy - Lawyer, Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association The definitions of managerial-level and controlling personnel are available in Articles 80.1, 80.2 and 80.3 of the new law (LIB). In particular, managerial-level personnel at the insurance enterprises and reinsurance enterprises refer to chairperson and members of the board of directors, or chairperson and members of the board of members. It also refers to director or general director, deputy director or deputy general director, and legal representatives, as well as chief accountant, branch director, chief of representative office, heads of professional departments, and equivalent titles under the companys charter. As for foreign branches in Vietnam, managerial-level personnel consist of director, deputy director, chief accountant, heads of professional departments, and equivalent titles under the regulations on organisation and operation of foreign branches in Vietnam. Controlling personnel at the insurance/reinsurance enterprises, and foreign branches in Vietnam (collectively known as insurers) include head of the controlling committee or a controller, risk head, compliance head, internal audit head, and appointed actuary, who all have legal independence in professional expertise. Regarding one of the principles for holding position pursuant to Article 82, it requires that appointed actuary, risk head, and compliance head are not permitted to concurrently take on managerial-level positions at the same insurer, and to concurrently work for other insurers. With reference to Article 32 of the second draft detailing implementation of a number of articles of the LIB, it is understandable that if the appointed actuary has infringed the principle for holding the position under Article 82, the Ministry of Finance will consider and issue a decision on temporary suspension of performance of rights and obligations of such an actuary, and then a decision on suspension in the case of failure of compliance with the law within the time limit. Independence and information When it comes to the situation of financial constraint, budget, or headcount limit, or a shortage of qualified personnel, the insurers may have to come up with a solution of appointment of a controlling person concurrently taking on two controlling positions. If this is the case, it may be asked what the term legal independence in professional expertise means in controlling personnel under Article 80.3; and if there is no prohibition by the LIB, whether or not a controlling person is permitted to concurrently take on the controlling positions at an insurer. The two questions take into account three lines of defence model as stipulated in Circular No.70/2022/TT-BTC from November 2022 on risk management, internal control, and internal audit of the insurance/reinsurance enterprises and branches of foreign non-life insurance and reinsurance enterprises. Such questions seem to go unanswered in the applicable regulations. Therefore, it is suggested that the upcoming guidance shall provide clear answers to ensure correct understanding and full compliance of the insurers. In addition, Article 81 of the law provides the conditions applicable to managerial-level and controlling personnel. As a result, the onus is on the insurers to take timely and proper actions of reviewing the managerial-level and controlling personnels qualifications, credentials, and capacity, and also the existing concurrence agreements for the conformity with the applicable regulations. In terms of the outsourcing activities, Article 90.2 stipulates that if outsourcing for part of processes and operations directly related to insurance business activities, the insurers shall still bear the final and sole responsibility with the policyholder and also other statutory obligations. In this respect, the LIB goes silent on the definition on what processes and operations are directly related to insurance business activities. In other words, the guidance on how to distinguish the processes and operations directly or indirectly related to insurance business activities. The interpretation of process and operations directly related to insurance business activities shall therefore be incorporated into the upcoming decree and circular for clarification. Under Article 117, the insurers must make public the information required on their websites and be responsible before the law for the content of the announced information. The information for announcement shall be made periodically, regularly and irregularly. Specifically, the valid courts verdicts and decisions related to the operation of the insurers under Article 120.1.g of the LIB are information for irregular announcement. If the courts valid verdicts related to the operation of an insurer and its specific customers are in place, the insurer is imposed to carry out the irregular announcement on its website in line with the principles for announcement under Article 117, which requires an insurer make the announcement accurately, promptly, and in compliance with the law. As far as it is referred to the second draft decree on personal data protection, there are two kinds of personal data basic and sensitive ones. Basic personal data may consist of full name, date of birth, gender, phone number, nationality, ID or passport number, marital status; while sensitive personal data may include personal data on gender, health, gender, genetics, and finance, etc. In this situation, it may lead to a concern of how to comply with the obligations of irregular announcement of the courts valid verdicts and decisions which may contain both basic and sensitive personal data of the insurers customers consistent with not only the LIB but also other regulations like regulations on personal data protection which are expected to be soon issued. Consequently, more guidance for effective implementation of information announcement may be enacted with close attention paid to the consistency of different regulations with the law and vice versa. Parts of the law provide conditions regarding managerial-level personnel, photo Le Toan Internal control According to Article 12.3 of Circular 70 regarding the principle of the internal control activities, an officer of the insurers is not permitted to concurrently take on the positions and duties having conflicting or overlapping purposes and benefits. It appears unclear that the term of an officer of the insurers in question refers to all employees of the insurer at all levels and layers; or the employees of the insurer at non-managerial levels or layers and does not include managerial-level and controlling personnel of the insurer. Hence, the interpretation of an officer of the insurers shall be inserted into the guidance for clarification and avoidance of any misunderstanding. Beyond that, the review and correction of the term an officer of the insurers for not only the laws remaining articles but also its guidance are required for consistency. The LIB has been in the spotlight together with significant changes such as supplementing the regulations on establishment of branches of foreign reinsurance enterprises in Vietnam; and on foreign investors entitled to own shares or capital portions up to 100 per cent of the charter capital of insurance/reinsurance enterprises in accordance with international rules; or harmonising the LIB with other regulations such as the Civil Code for integrity and consistency, or in reducing administration formalities. We hope that the LIB and its guidance will strongly promote the healthy, rapid, and sustainable development of the insurance market in Vietnam at both national and international levels for the sake of the government, insurance enterprises, and customers. Foreign focus retained in insurance Capital advantages, brand reputation, and insurance consumption behaviour are being deemed the reasons why the majority of insurance brokerage market share in Vietnam is in the hands of foreign companies. Founded in 2015, MindX prepares Vietnamese people for tech careers through an ecosystem that encompasses education as its core business, while also providing global job matching and a startup space. The company has graduated over 35,000 students of all ages, many of whom now have successful careers in nearly 20 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. The Series B round was led by the education-focused private equity fund Kaizenvest. Other backers included Thailand's education firm Aksorn, Japan's human resources firm Mynavi, and the return of the series-A lead Wavemaker Partners. MindX also continues to receive debt financing from Beacon Fund, an impact investment firm that focuses on women-owned and women-led businesses in Southeast Asia. Sandeep Aneja, founder and managing partner of Kaizenvest said, "MindX is well-positioned to lead the coding and digital skills space in Vietnam. We are delighted to associate with the founding team as they have consistently delivered high-quality learning outcomes. We believe this investment fits within the future of learning themes and is a testament to our confidence in the growing demand for tech courses across Southeast Asia." The new investment comes a little over a year after MindX closed nearly $3 million in its series A in November 2021. Since then, the company has more than tripled its geographical coverage to more than 32 campuses across Vietnam, making it the largest coding educator in the region. MindX has also expanded its suite of course offerings beyond coding to other in-demand, tech-related skills such as blockchain, data analytics, and UI/UX design. Following the pandemic, most of its classes have adopted a hybrid learning model, allowing students the flexibility to attend classes in-person or join virtually from home. This approach has been particularly impactful for learners in remote and mountainous areas, who may otherwise not have access to a high-quality education. Co-founder and CEO of MindX Nguyen Thanh Tung said, "Our dream is to create a Little Silicon Valley in every Vietnamese neighbourhood, where everyone is empowered to create cool digital products that make the world a better place. It's not just a physical space to unleash creativity, its a state of mind. Engineering culture and entrepreneurial spirit are embedded in every aspect of our business, from course design to learning experiences." "Innovators and creators are nurtured, not born. Today, we would like to prepare young learners with the skills and mindset needed to create innovative tools, technologies, and even previously unknown jobs to address the unique challenges of their times," he added. With the proceeds from the series B round, the company plans to further develop its portfolio of products and services, hybrid learning experiences, and data-driven systems to scale up Vietnam's digital talent pool. It also aims to connect Vietnamese tech talent with employers in other parts of the world, including the US and Europe. MindX currently partners with over 200 companies in Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and others to enable global access to the digital workforce from Vietnam. Virtual Internships raised $14.3 million in Series A round Virtual Internships, an edtech company from the United Kingdom, has successfully raised $ 14.3 million in Series A led by a global coalition of investors including Hambro Perks, Sequoia India & Southeast Asias Surge, Arsenal Growth, Kaplan, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, and STIC Investment. The new era of edtech in Vietnam Founder and CEO of edvin.ai Prithvi Puttaraju a global serial tech entrepreneur explains how he and his team are building a robust online tutoring ecosystem to turn edvin into a household name in Vietnam. A massive sinkhole that has terrified some in a small Texas town and captured the attention of national media continues to swell. The sinkhole in the small southeast Texas town of Daisetta opened in 2008, swallowing oil tanks, trees, telephones poles and cars before finally stabilizing. It appeared dormant for 15 years until one week ago. The sinkhole is once again growing. Residents reported hearing popping noises like gunshots coming from the hole April 2. We went to the backyard, and there were buildings falling in, Tim Priessler told KTRK-TV. It was like a movie. A video posted by Bluebonnet News over the weekend shows buildings, tanks and other structures submerged in water. Deep fissures have formed around the edges of the hole. So far, the sinkhole has gained roughly 150 feet in width and depth, officials estimate. In 2008, it reached anywhere from 600 to 900 feet wide and 260 feet deep, according to various estimates at the time. What causes sinkholes? Daisetta, which is home to fewer than 1,000 residents, is built entirely on a salt dome some 55 miles northeast of Houston. Salt is particularly prone to dissolving, creating large, bowl-shaped sinkholes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Sinkholes occur when the ground below the surface can no longer support the land. In Daisettas case, oil well drilling dating back to the 1920s almost certainly contributed to the sinkhole, Howe said. The sinkhole sits on the former DeLoach Oil and Gas Waste Well. Old oilfield production maps show as many as 15 wells on the site, Howe said. During drilling, wastewater is pumped underground, which can cause salt to dissolve. Daisetta was originally a boomtown, Howe said. Wells were so closely spaced together then. On a map, it looks like a solid black ring. Daisetta isnt Texas only sinkhole. A pair of sinkholes in West Texas called the Wink Sinks have also expanded in recent years, troubling researchers. Lori Vallow is accused of murdering her two youngest children A detective testified regarding the discovery of the children's bodies Vallow tries to delay testimony for "mental health" break Shortly before prosecutors in the trial of Lori Vallow displayed photographs of her children's remains to the jury, she made a request. Vallow, accused of killing the children alongside her fifth spouse, Chad Daybell, requested to be excused from the court for the remainder of the day to protect her "mental health." 'Cult Mom' Lori Vallow Trial "This morning was emotional for her," Vallow's attorney, John Thomas, told Judge Steven Boyce. Boyce denied Vallow's request to recuse himself. He cited Idaho law, which gives courts the authority to confine and muzzle the defendant to ensure their presence. Boyce stated that Vallow had to remain in the courtroom "to ensure her right to due process and a fair trial by the state." Vallow and her spouse Chad Daybell have been charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, murder, and grand larceny about the deaths of Vallow's two youngest children: 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and her older sibling Tylee Ryan were both reported missing in 2019. They are also accused of killing Daybell's ex-wife, Tammy Daybell. Prosecutors then displayed gruesome images from Daybell's property, where police discovered Tylee and JJ on June 9, 2020. In one set was a green container containing Tylee's shattered bones, dismembered organs, and burned flesh. Rexburg Police Detective Ray Hermosillo testified on the stand, "Another glob of - I'm sorry, this is the best I can do - burned flesh and bone. Teeth and other body parts." Hermosillo stated that the jury was also shown JJ's remains on a medical examiner's table. His mouth, ankles, and wrists were bound with duct tape. The countenance resembled JJsufficiently in life to be recognizable. As the photographs were displayed, JJ's grandfather, Larry Woodcock, sat on a courtroom bench, face immersed in his hands, silently weeping and trembling. A member of the jury wiped her eyes. A male juror glanced aside. The audience members handed tissue cases along the wooden benches in the courtroom. Vallow, who began the day beaming, chirpy, and wearing a pink blouse, donned a black shawl and remained motionless in the afternoon. She shook her head at one point, prompting her attorney, Jim Archibald, to slap her on the back, according to Insider. Each defendant has entered a not-guilty plea but is being tried separately. The trial of Chad Daybell is still months away. If convicted, Vallow faces up to life in prison. Vallow is also awaiting prosecution in Arizona for her alleged involvement in the murder of her deceased spouse, Charles Vallow, in July 2019. Read Also: Louisville Bank Shooting: Where Did Suspect Get His Rifle? Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow Death One of the first detectives to investigate the disappearance of "cult mom" Lori Vallow's son and daughter disclosed the disturbing items found in her home months before the children were murdered. The trial of Vallow, 49, has finally begun at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, nearly three years after she was charged with the murders of her son and daughter and conspiracy to murder her doomsday preacher's first wife, Tammy Daybell. In early September 2019, Vallow and her children relocated from Arizona to Rexburg, where her prospective spouse and alleged co-conspirator Chad Daybell resided. Hermosillo informed the jury that officers discovered knives, multiple firearms, and empty magazines while searching Vallow's residence two months after JJ and Tylee had allegedly been murdered. Per The Independent, Hermosillo stated he assisted in conducting a welfare check on Vallow's apartment in Rexburg on November 26 after relatives in Arizona reported they had not seen or heard from JJ or Tylees in months. Daybell and Vallow's brother Alex Cox told him the children were residing with JJ's grandmother Kay Woodcock in Arizona, which the detective knew to be false. Daybell responded that he needed Vallow's number when asked to contact her. Hermosillo testified that he requested a search warrant after rapping on Vallow's door without a response. Vallow opened her door later that day and consented to speak with detectives, stating that JJ was in Arizona "with one of her friends." Hermosillo returned the next day to execute the search warrant, but Vallow had already left. Inside the residence, investigators recovered firearms, several army-grade swords, and empty magazines for various weapons from the garage. In addition, police discovered Hazmat suits and preparedness bags containing emergency supplies, a camouflage suit, ammunition, firearms, silencers, and black waste bags containing clothing and documents. JJ's toys and belongings, including prescription medication, were discovered during the search. The alleged perpetrator, wearing blue dress trousers and a pink blouse in court, did not appear to be paying much attention when Hermosillo spoke about the discovery of the remains. According to NY Post, her spouse will face the same charges in a trial that will commence later. Related Article: Lori Vallow Trial: Bombshell Detail on Tammy Daybell's Cause of Death, Revealed @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. WAHOO Although the Law Office of Bromm, Lindahl, Freeman-Caddy and Lausterer will hold an open house this week to introduce its newest attorney Joanna Uden the Valparaiso native/Bishop Neumann graduate doesnt need much introduction to the community of Wahoo. Uden joined the law office on Jan. 3. She is a general practice attorney focusing on estate planning, probate, municipal law, real estate and business law and guardian ad litem cases. In her first three months working in Wahoo, Uden said she has found the work very fulfilling. I have been challenged more than I had been in other career opportunities, she added. And her schedule has gotten progressively busier. I like to be busy, she said. Now Im very busy. Prior to coming to Wahoo, Uden worked in David City as an associate attorney with Egr, Birkey and Wollmer, P.C. Her work brought her in contact with the attorneys at Bromm, Lindahl, Freeman-Caddy and Lausterer. So when an opening at the law office in Wahoo presented itself, she was eager to take the opportunity. I just jumped at the opportunity to work here, she said. The attorneys and staff are great. They know what theyre doing. Having grown up and gone to school in the area, Uden was already familiar with the community, and had planned to return when she had the chance. Wahoo was the ultimate goal at that point, she said. After graduating from Bishop Neumann High School in 2018 with a Regents Scholarship, Uden attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she originally studied psychology as a pre-med major. Her father, Alan Uden, was a vice president of finance with Catholic Health Initiative (CHI) in Lincoln. She had hoped to work with him in the health care field. But changes at CHI moved their offices from Lincoln to Omaha, which led Alan Uden to retire and scuttled the plans for father and daughter to work together. During her senior year, Uden began to realize she did not want to go to med school. Instead, she enrolled in the UNL law school. I thought that law school might be a good route, she said. Still, Uden didnt really know what to expect when she changed career directions. That may have helped her to be less intimidated going into law school, she said. And the end result was greater than she expected. It isnt what I imagined Id be doing, but it was even better than what I thought Id do, she said. As an attorney, Uden is putting the things she learned as a psychology major to use as well. I think it was a great choice because it really does affect how I interact with people, she said. Uden focused on rural law as she embarked on law school, but also included health care law in her focus of study. She plans to continue to educate herself on human resources-related issues, which translate to health care and business. I still have a very big health care interest, she said. A unique opportunity to travel to China has also shaped how Uden looks at the law. While in law school, Uden spent time in Xian and Beijing with the Young Leaders Program through the Confucius Institute. The two-week summer program was led by Harvey Perlman, a professor in the Nebraska College of Law and former chancellor of UNL. The 12 students met with Chinese law students and had the opportunity to compare the legal systems in China and the United States. The No. 1 thing I brought back with me was the transparency here and the freedoms we have are much different than in other countries like China, Uden said. Uden observed that in China there is not a lot of opportunity for the public to effect change because the Communist government has put up barriers, like controlling every aspect of life. That helped Uden realize that things are much different in the U.S. I can actually make change here without barriers to overcome, she said. Udens work as a lawyer is already changing the outcome of lives in Wahoo, especially her work as a guardian ad litem, where she is an advocate for children. Uden and her young family moved to Wahoo two years ago. She met husband Brad Fien on a dating app. A native of Bakersfield, California, Fein had ties to Udens home state through his sister, Kelsey Fein, who played for the University of Nebraska volleyball team. Several members of the Fein family also live in Nebraska, Uden said. Uden and Fein have a daughter, Fallyn, who is turning 1 soon. Her parents, Alan and Lynette Uden, still live near Valparaiso. The open house for Uden will be held Thursday, April 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bromm, Lindahl, Freeman-Caddy and Lausterer law office at 551 N. Linden St. in Wahoo. In addition to her work and family life, Uden has committed her time to serving on the board of directors for Blue Valley Behavioral Health, a private, nonprofit organization that provides outpatient behavioral health services in 11 locations in southeastern Nebraska, including Wahoo. She is also on the board of The Resolution Center in Beatrice, which offers alternative dispute resolution services. She is active with the Saunders County and Nebraska bar associations as well. Edited Press Release: The Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation has just announced plans for a grand-opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, which will take place at noon CST on Friday, April 14th. This outdoor event is open to the public and will feature remarks from elected officials, museum leaders, and special guests (including members of the Earhart family); museum doors will open at the conclusion. The Museum is located at the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport (K59; 16701 286th Road) in Atchison, Kansas the proud hometown of the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Were thrilled to celebrate our grand opening and welcome visitors of all ages to journey through Amelia Earharts trailblazing life as a world-renowned aviator, innovator, educator and activist, stated Karen Seaberg, founder and president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation. It is an honor to bring Amelias courageous and persevering legacy to life in her Atchison, Kansas, hometown where the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is dedicated to inspiring all generations in the pursuit of flight and like Amelia, encouraging others to boldly pursue their dreams. Kansas Governor, Laura Kelly, added: The new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum will celebrate a woman who showed us what it means to reach for the stars. Im so glad there will be a place dedicated to showcasing how a fearless Kansan blazed her own trail to become one of the most admired women in the world inspiring all, especially young girls, for generations to come. GRAND-OPENING WEEKEND FESTIVITIES The public is also invited to enjoy grand-opening weekend festivities on the museums grounds (all times are Central Standard Time zone): FRIDAY, April 14th: Noon Grand-opening ceremony and ribbon cutting (Museum front lawn) 12:30 5 p.m. Doors open to the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum (last entry at 4 p.m.) SATURDAY, April 15: 8:30 a.m. Boy Scouts host pancake breakfast on Museum grounds (suggested $5 donation) 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Flight Team invite public to tour its new Cirrus SR20 and Cessna 172 aircraft; free family-friendly activities include face painting, balloon artists on the Museum grounds SUNDAY, April 16: Noon Museum open (last entry at 4 p.m.) Noon-5 p.m. RC Fly Jam features radio-controlled planes on the Museum grounds STATE-OF-THE-ART EXHIBITS SURROUND MURIEL Muriel the worlds last remaining Lockheed Electra Model 10-E variant is the centerpiece for this state-of-the-art museum. Named after Earharts younger sister, Grace Muriel Earhart Morrissey, Muriel is virtually identical to the Electra which Earhart flew on her final, fateful flight around the world. Surrounding Muriel are 14 interactive STEM and history storytelling exhibit areas which take visitors on an engaging, educational journey through Earharts life from her time growing up in Atchison, Kansas through to the height of her worldwide fame. Among the many interactive museum experiences, visitors will have the opportunity to: Enter a full-scale replica of Muriels cockpit to experience Amelias perspective from her cozy cubbyhole; compare Amelias instrument panel to Garmins G1000 avionic suite Hear the roar of Amelias Lockheed Electra 10-Es Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engines; see a modern Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan come to life Challenge their riveting skills to discover the precision required to forge the nearly 85,000 metal rivets which hold Muriel together Flip through Amelias digitized scrapbook to see stories of bold women who motivated her; meet uplifting influencers who helped Amelia reach for the stars Create an avatar to try on Amelias career paths as a nurse, mechanic, pilot and fashion designer Go above the clouds to explore how Amelia and her navigator, Fred Noonan, relied on radio waves, a sextant and quick calculations to guide their path through the sky Turn on Amelias guiding lights to see how constellations helped Amelia navigate the night sky Trace 3D aircraft holograms through the history of flight ranging from unmanned gliders and biplanes to jet-powered airliners and space travel Discover more feminine feats of trailblazing women in aviation past and present Pilot a virtual reality recreation of Amelias historic 1932 transatlantic flight to try navigating obstacles she overcame to make history (ticketed experience) Explore theories and cast votes on what happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan when their plane disappeared over the South Pacific in July 1937 Amelia Earhart was a true Kansas pioneer who exemplified our state motto: Ad Astra Per Aspera: To The Stars through Difficulty, noted U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.). The new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum will be a place for visitors of all ages to learn and be inspired by Amelias tenacious spirit of exploration that continues to be exemplified all across Kansas. To exemplify Earharts adventurous spirit, the Museum partnered with Dimensional Innovations (DI) an award winning, Kansas-based experiential design, build and technology firm. Each exhibit is carefully outfitted to meet National Curriculum Standards, Kansas Curriculum Content Standards, and Missouri Standards of Learning. Professionally developed Teacher Guides geared toward elementary and middle school are available for field trips. The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is pursuing the honor of becoming a Smithsonian Affiliate. MUSEUM TICKETS AND HOURS OF OPERATION Tickets are available for purchase upon arrival at the Museum: Adults $15 (plus tax) per person Seniors (60+) and Military $12 (plus tax) per person Children Ages (ages 4-12) $8 per person (plus tax) per person Children (3 and under) Free Virtual Reality Flight $5 per person (plus tax) per person The gift shop at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is open to the public (no ticket required). Following its grand-opening weekend, the museums operating hours will be: Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. CST (last Museum entry at 4 p.m.); Sunday: Noon until 5 p.m. CST (last Museum entry at 4 p.m.). Pilots flying in to visit the Museum can tie down their aircraft free of charge on the hardstand or in the grass. To coordinate arrivals, please contact the FBO at the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport (K59) at (913) 426.4545 or email k59airport@gmail.com. SPONSORS HELP BRING AMELIAS STORY TO LIFE: Support for the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum from the aviation and aerospace industry include Boeing, Bombardier, FedEx, Garmin, Lockheed Martin and NASA. The Museum is also supported by many local and national philanthropic organizations including the Donn Lux Family, the Guy Bromley Trust, the Patterson Family Foundation, the Regnier Family Foundation, the Fly With Amelia Foundation, the Stauffer Jambrosic Foundation, the Sunderland Foundation, and the William T. Kemper Foundation, among others. Support from the Atchison, Kan., community includes local employers Amberwell Health, Benedictine College, MGP Ingredients and others. ABOUT THE ATCHISON AMELIA EARHART FOUNDATION The Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation was formed in 2016 to honor the aviation legacy of Amelia Earhart whose dreams of flying began in her Atchison, Kan., hometown. The Foundation is dedicated to inspiring future aviation and aerospace leaders through the story of Amelia Earharts tenacity and determination to overcome obstacles on her journey to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to leading the $17 million capital campaign to build the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, the Foundation led the effort to bring the bronze statue of Earhart to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. in 2022 to represent the State of Kansas in National Statuary Hall; the Foundation was the sole funder. A twin bronze statue stands at the entrance of the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3). Learn more about the Museum at http://www.AmeliaEarhartHangarMuseum.org or follow @AEHangarMuseum on Facebook,Instagram and Twitter. The Kansas Aviation Museum now features two recurring, monthly events, seeking to encourage public interaction both with their significant collection and the regions aviation heritage. Senior Thursdays is the first of these offerings, starting up at 10:00 am on the second Thursday of each month, while the second series, dubbed Little Aviators, runs every Friday morning between 10:00 am and noon. Senior Thursdays, co-hosted by the Skyward Credit Union, involves a guest speaker giving a presentation about topics relating to Wichita and aviation. Prior speakers have included dedicated individuals such as Col Ed Sykes (USAF Retd) who described his work recovering lost servicemen who perished in Laos during the sprawling, South East Asian conflict half a century ago, and Col Jacob Thomburg (USAF) discussing the work of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB and their collaboration with Kansas Honor Flights to bring veterans to Washington DC to visit the memorials commemorating the wars they participated in. This Aprils event will feature Capt. Michael Townsend, a professor at Wichita State University, who will discuss his work in the Professional Pilot Program. Entry to the Senior Thursday event is free and open to all ages. The public are encouraged to stay following the presentation and explore the museum. Little Aviators is an open invitation for children and their parents to explore and enjoy the museum and its offerings. During these events, visitors are encouraged to wander through the exhibits, ask questions, and generally immerse themselves within the areas aviation heritage. Children and their families who take part in this event will have access to the museums Boeing: Science, Math, and History Center and Lattner Learning Hangar, and the aircraft on the museums ramp outside. Children aged 1 through 12, plus one parent per child, get into the museum for free each Friday during Little Aviators. The Kansas Aviation Museum lies at the heart of Wichita, Kansas, housed within the historic Wichita Airport Terminal nestled between McConnell Air Force Base and Spirit Aerosystems. Dedicated on March 31st, 1935, the museums home is the embodiment of Wichita aviation history itself. The city boasts a rich history in the field flight, and is commonly referred to as The Air Capital of the World, since fabled manufacturers such as Beechcraft, Cessna, Learjet, Mooney, and Stearman, first spread their wings over this hallowed ground. To learn more about the Kansas Aviation Museum and their upcoming events, please check out their HERE. DES MOINES Attorneys representing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and abortion rights advocates argued Tuesday in front of the Iowa Supreme Court over Reynolds request that the court lift an injunction on a 2018 state law that would ban abortions once a fetus heartbeat can be detected. Currently, abortion is legal in Iowa until 20 weeks of pregnancy. If the Iowa Supreme Court grants Reynolds request to lift the injunction and allow the law to go into effect, the vast majority of abortions in Iowa would become illegal. We are arguing that there was a substantial change in the law based on (2022 rulings by the Iowa and U.S. Supreme Courts) that justify dissolving the injunction, Chris Schandevel, an attorney for the Christian conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, argued to justices. The group is helping to represent the state in the case. Reynolds attended Tuesdays oral arguments in the Iowa Supreme Court chambers. Peter Im, a Planned Parenthood attorney who argued before the Iowa Supreme Court, told the justices that the injunction should remain. The state has attempted to reinstate the 2018 law without going through proper legal procedures, he said, and the court has not stated a new legal standard by which the 2018 law should be reviewed. The state is asking this court to find some kind of hidden, inherent authority thats found nowhere in the rules. It says that this court has been following the substantial change in law standard, but that standard also is not found anywhere in the rules, Im argued. There is no prescribed timeline for the Iowa Supreme Court to publish rulings. Most decisions are published by the end of the courts term; the current term ends June 30. Reynolds issued a statement following the oral arguments: I remain optimistic that the Iowa Supreme Court will allow the fetal heartbeat bill to take effect as the Iowa Constitution requires. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, decision-making power has been returned to the states. Our citizens and their elected officials have chosen to promote Life and end abortion at a heartbeat, with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother. Supporters of so-called fetal heartbeat laws say they ban abortions roughly around the sixth week of pregnancy, which often is before a woman is aware she is pregnant. Abortion rights advocates say such a prohibition would end 98% of legal abortions in Iowa. However, some major medical organizations, like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, note that what is detected at six weeks is not a heartbeat at all, but instead electrical impulses, and that an actual heartbeat does not occur until roughly 17 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Iowas fetal heartbeat legislation was passed into law by the Republican-majority Iowa Legislature in 2018 and signed by Reynolds but immediately was halted by the state courts. In 2019, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional, writing that the right to an abortion is guaranteed by the Iowa Constitution. Three years later and with a new makeup, however, the Iowa Supreme Court in 2022 overturned that ruling, just before the U.S. Supreme Court also overturned its ruling in the Roe v. Wade case from 1973 that for decades had created a federal right to an abortion. Shortly after those two rulings, Reynolds asked the Iowa courts to lift the injunction that had been placed in the 2018 state law. That request was dismissed by a district court judge and Reynolds appealed the decision to the state. Schandevel on Tuesday told the justices the Iowa Supreme Court should reverse its 2019 ruling and allow the fetal heartbeat law to go into effect. He argued that the courts no longer recognize a fundamental right to an abortion and there has been a substantial change in the law with those 2022 decisions by the Iowa and U.S. Supreme Courts, They made a lot of procedural arguments that we think were designed to try to prevent the court from reaching the merits, because we think the merits of this question, the law is so clearly on our side, that this law is a rationale, reasonable effort by the state to protect life based on the fetal development of the unborn child, Schandevel told reporters after oral arguments. So their procedural arguments, as we told the court today, the law is on our side on all of those arguments as well. Im argued that neither the 2018 law nor the legal standard by which it should be reviewed has changed, thus it remains unconstitutional and the courts 2019 ruling should stand and the law remain blocked. Im told reporters that their contention is that the court never changed the legal standard by which the 2018 law should be reviewed, and thus the law should remain blocked. Undue burden remains the (legal) standard in Iowa, and under the undue burden test, the ban is just unconstitutional, full stop, Im said. The seven-member Iowa Supreme Court currently is comprised of five justices appointed by Reynolds and two by previous Gov. Terry Branstad, also a Republican. Justice Dana Oxley recused herself from the case, Schandevel said. Oxley was not present for oral arguments on the case, but was for the following case on the courts schedule Tuesday. In the 2022 case where justices ruled the Iowa Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion, Oxley participated then and joined the majority. The Iowa Supreme Courts spokesman said he is not made aware of when justices recuse themselves and, thus, could not speak to why Oxley recused herself this time. DES MOINES Legislation that would require Iowa caucus participants to vote in-person which would effectively kill Iowa Democrats plan for mail-in caucusing in 2024 was introduced this week in the Iowa House by Republican state lawmaker Bobby Kaufmann, the son of Republican Party of Iowa state chairman Jeff Kaufmann. Iowa Democrats last year unveiled a plan to overhaul their partys caucus format and have participants cast their presidential preference via the mail, ahead of caucus night. The plan was developed as part of the partys effort to maintain its 40-year status as the first U.S. state to cast votes in presidential primaries every four years. The national Democratic Party still excluded Iowa from the early-voting window in its new primary calendar, but the state party said it nonetheless planned to proceed with the new mail-in process. On Monday, Rep. Kaufmann introduced the bill, which would require all Iowa caucus participants to cast their presidential preference in-person. Republicans conduct an in-person straw poll on caucus night. If thats the intent, then I disagree with trying to take away the flexibility of folks who may not be able to physically participate on-site, who may be working, who cant get child care, said Ross Wilburn, a Democratic state lawmaker from Ames and the most recent former state chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. The mail-in option for presidential preference would provide the greatest amount of flexibility and participation in the caucus process. When asked why he introduced legislation that would kill Democrats new caucus plans, Kaufmann said the goal of his legislation is to protect the Iowa caucuses first-in-the-nation status, which Iowa Republicans still hold. While national Democrats overhauled their presidential primary calendar and bumped Iowa out of its first-in-the-nation seat, Republicans maintained their same calendar, leaving Iowa as the first state, followed by New Hampshire. That order has been contingent upon Iowa Republicans holding the first caucus and then New Hampshire going second with the first presidential primary election. As far as ruining (Iowa Democrats) plans, they are ruining their plans by doing things that I would classify as turning them into a primary, which I guarantee that the New Hampshire Secretary of State would jump us, Kaufmann said. So this is me attempting to protect the integrity of the caucuses. If we do mail-in ballot voting as a caucus in Iowa, New Hampshire views that as a primary and they will jump us, which will jeopardize our first-in-the-nation status. I view this as being helpful to the Democratic caucuses. I really do, Kaufmann added. I am protecting the integrity of caucuses for both parties, and I believe that's what this bill does. The bill, House Study Bill 245, is scheduled for its first legislative hearing Wednesday in an Iowa House subcommittee. A spokesman said Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann would comment later, but he had not as of Tuesday evening. Rita Hart, the recently elected Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman and a former state legislator, in a statement described the legislation as a surprise move. Its disappointing that Republicans proposed this bill with no input from Democrats and it is potentially damaging to the history of how Iowas parties have always worked together regarding the Iowa caucuses, Hart said in her statement. Iowa Democrats will do whats best for Iowa and that means moving forward with an inclusive caucus process. The bill would make another substantive change to the Iowa caucuses: participants would be required to be registered with a state political party at least 70 days prior to the caucuses. That provision is designed to prevent Iowans from participating in both the Democrats and Republicans caucuses, now that starting in 2024 the two events will no longer be held on the same night. I wouldnt want Republicans to have 10,000 people show up and caucus for Democrats, just like I dont want 10,000 Democrats to show up and caucus for a Republican, Rep. Kaufmann said. That provision would eliminate caucus-night registration, which is currently allowed. During past caucus cycles, presidential campaigns operating in Iowa have continued to seek supporters right up through the final days before the caucuses. Rep. Kaufmann has signed on as a senior adviser to former President Donald Trumps 2024 campaign in Iowa. WATERLOO Another teen has been sentenced to prison in a 2021 robbery at a Cedar Falls mobile home park where a man was shot in the leg. Authorities allege Aubrianna Rae Leinbaugh was friends with William Clausen and used that to lure him to an ambush on Sept. 10, 2021. When Clausen arrived, three people stepped out of the bushes and demanded his wallet. He was shot once when he tried to run away and suspects took items from his mobile home on Peridot Road. On Tuesday, Leinbaugh, now 19, pleaded to one count of conspiracy and was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped more serious robbery and burglary charges. She was also ordered to pay restitution. Leinbaugh was only 17 at the time of the crime and Assistant County Attorney Michael Hudson said she was the least culpable of the group charged with the robbery. Defense attorney Cory Goldensoph said she plans to obtain her GED while in prison and attend college classes in preparation for her eventual release. Clausen didnt attend the sentencing hearing. The sentencing came one day after another person arrested in the case pleaded guilty. Megan Lee Palmer, 19, pleaded on Monday to second-degree burglary and conspiracy in a deal that dismissed the robbery charge. Sentencing will be at a later date. The agreement calls for a 20-year sentence with no mandatory minimum before parole. Palmer also entered an Alford plea not admitting guilt but acknowledging the evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict to a charges of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in an unrelated case. A five-year sentence for the drug charge will run concurrent with the burglary charge, according to the agreement. A third person charged in the robbery, 18-year-old Alberto Luis Quinto, pleaded to robbery and burglary and was sentenced to 35 years in prison suspended to two to five years of probation. Photos: Missing children in Iowa Jade Colvin Fredrick Workman Benjamin Roseland Erin Pospisil Marc Allen Eugene Martin John Gosch Kimberly Doss Colleen Simpson Fatima Conteh Daquan Nelson Diomarix Crespo WATERLOO The Waterloo Community Schools Board of Education and administration got a little heat Monday as four members of the community took to the podium during the public comment portion of the meeting. One touched on the process for the evaluation and termination of employees while the other three discussed the achievement gap between different groups of students. Later in the meeting, the board approved a settlement agreement with an unnamed Waterloo Community Schools employee and postponed a vote on the termination of an administrator. The room was filled with about 30 people. Several board members said they appreciated seeing what they described as the most well-attended meeting in a long time. At least a few of the attendees shared similar feelings to those who spoke but remained silent. It appears that we have reached a time in our society when popularity and Facebook likes hold more weight in assessing ones performance than the actual product and the output, said resident Sharina Sallis. Wed rather give a chance to individuals who lack knowledge, skills and abilities to implement task all based on the color of their skin or lack thereof. We provide no consistent practice and procedures with managing our employees, let alone an employee of color. We interview and award positions to individuals who we hold fondly in our hearts. She further accused the board of allowing district leadership to skirt the law and alleged an employee had been terminated without going through the proper process. Superintendent Jared Smith told The Courier after the meeting: I appreciate the comments that were shared tonight. I feel good that we are following all appropriate protocols and procedures for evaluation of employees. Anthony Spurgetis, chief officer of human resources and equity, deferred to the districts legal counsel on whether details of the settlement agreement could be released. He had not provided an update on counsels response by press time. The board convened in closed session to discuss the agreement prior to the vote. It did not take action on the superintendents recommendation to terminate a non-probationary administrators contract. The unnamed administrator had requested a closed session but was unable to attend the meeting, requiring a rescheduling within the next week. Amidst public concerns about the academic achievement gap, board members also praised the role the 1619 Freedom School plays in the community while discussing a memorandum of understanding with the after-school program that the board later approved. The institution helps kids who struggle with reading one example of ways the district is working to address the gap. The memorandum establishes procedures to offer homework assistance, hands-on activities, and educational programming to students and families after school. The school in its first year saw significant growth for kids who were originally non-proficient, said Sheritta Stokes, co-director. But what caused the room to break out in applause was a comment about quite a few students who actually made enough growth to hit proficiency. The achievement gap is a big issue and wed like to be a part of helping to close that, she said. Resident LaTanya Graves was among those concerned about the increasing gap and plans to meet the needs of all students, wanting to make sure specifically that those who dont have good grades arent prohibited from enrolling at the Waterloo Career Center. You cant look at that child and throw them away. You still have to have passion and empathy in your heart to teach these children no matter what they do, she said. Resident Felicia Smith-Nalls advocated for taking advantage of available resources to address equity matters. And another resident, Deb Berry, piggybacked on Graves comments about needing to be more empathetic and address any disconnect with students. I just want to ask that this school board really take a hard look at what the needs truly are in terms of the children, she said. After the meeting, Smith emphasized that the achievement gap is not new to us. Were going to continue to address the achievement gap, he said. In fact, I had a good discussion with community members last week. They brought forth some good ideas that can be implemented. Achievement can be compared between groups based on socioeconomic status, race, gender, to name a few. In other business, the board: Postponed its hearing on the proposed $208.07 million budget due to a Courier publishing error of the public notice. The hearing is now set for April 24. Approved the resignation of Sandra Schmitz, director of special education services, effective June 30. Accepted Central Middle School remodeling and Waterloo Career Center expansion change orders totaling $9,333 and $97,142, respectively. The total cost of the projects is now $28.98 million. Scenes from the 2023 White House Easter Egg Roll WATERLOO U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson was introduced Tuesday to a unicorn when it comes to an apprenticeship school for the HVAC and plumbing trades. Since 2016, the Blackhawk School of Apprenticeship has attracted future tradesmen to Bergen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc. on Fletcher Avenue off U.S. Highway 218 to give them the training they need without ever having to step foot in a college. Men and women range in age from 18 to their 30s and come from all over Northeast Iowa. A unique aspect of the in-house program is that about 75% of the students end up working at Bergen and becoming shareholders in the company. Hinson got a look at its hands-on training center as well as the classroom and sheet metal shop. She also got to see what the company is all about boilers, water heaters, furnaces and air conditioner units. What makes us unique is how we combine the private sector and the education, said Loren Gardner, head of education. You hear about Pell grants and theres a lot of money funding apprenticeships, and its a buzz word right now. But we didnt wait for that. Loren Gardner was joined by Julie Gardner, president of Bergen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc., as they also introduced Hinson to employees and two students. Nicholas Sutton of Waterloo said his father was in construction and was the reason he entered the program. And Andrew Powell of Cedar Falls noted he was told that Bergen had a really good apprenticeship program and came here to get his licenses. I like working here and I plan on staying here, said Powell. The group eventually sat down together to engage in a small roundtable discussion. Some of the program goals are to be trend-setters and always try to envision whats next in the field. Gardner pointed out that most of their jobs will never be replaced by artificial intelligence and how they are constantly working to bring people in who are good with their hands and have problem-solving skills. Before they know it, theyre working, learning and earning. Its a worker pipeline, said Hinson. Its really important that you get the training that you need and education that you need. But then you have a job. Instead of completing an apprenticeship and being saddled with debt, the students are paying an upfront price and later being reimbursed. And the skilled labor the company gets in return is worth the cost. This marriage of schooling and the work has become revolutionary, Gardner said. Another big challenge is just perception of the trades and trying to convince people they lead to respectable careers. In fact, the programs team just came from a career fair. Its really just about educating people on the opportunities that exist, said Julie Gardner. The younger you can get it in front of them, the better. Photos: UNI softball vs. Drake, April 11 SBall UNI vs. Drake 1 SBall UNI vs. Drake 2 SBall UNI vs. Drake 3 SBall UNI vs. Drake 4 SBall UNI vs. Drake 5 SBall UNI vs. Drake 6 SBall UNI vs. Drake 7 SBall UNI vs. Drake 8 SBall UNI vs. Drake 9 SBall UNI vs. Drake 10 SBall UNI vs. Drake 11 SBall UNI vs. Drake 12 WATERLOO Some people thank their lucky stars for finding a hobby that keeps them busy and engaged. Not Jeff Groff. This life-long rock hunter thanks the Ice Age glaciers that advanced into Iowa about a million years ago. Giant ice sheets carved paths across the state at a glacial pace about a half-mile each year plowing up vegetation and grinding it into fertile soil and leaving rock, mineral and fossil deposits in their wake. I was 5 when I got hooked, recalled Groff, of Cedar Rapids. While exploring a sandpit with his family, he spotted a stone with concentric rings or eyes on its surface. My dad identified it as a Lake Superior agate. I thought it was cool-looking, and thats all it took to get me started. Groff, a long-time member of the Black Hawk Gem & Mineral Society, will display his favorite and most interesting pieces during the annual Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event will take place at the Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St. Admission is free; donations will be accepted. Groffs collection is extensive and includes agates, geodes including Iowas famous Keokuk and Keswick geodes, opals, different types of quartz, obsidian, pyrite and other specimens too numerous to list. He has plenty of fossils, too, including coral and bison teeth. He hunts, digs and mines rocks and fossils throughout the U.S., particularly in the Midwest and western states. Its fun, but its not easy work, Groff said. His favorite T-shirt reads Stop the Car, I See a Rock and hes known for having a good eye, recognizing specific patterns in exposed rock, outcrops and other locales likely to yield the best minerals, rocks, fossils, and gemstones. And sometimes you just have to look down at where youre walking, he said, smiling. The work can take stamina, along with a hard hat, protective eyewear, hammers, chisels, pry bars, shovels, sieves and sledge hammers. Groff doesnt hesitate to get dirty, either, wading knee-deep through mud, shimmying into tight crevices and crawling into damp, dark caves. Theres a lot of sweat equity that goes into what you find. Jeff puts a lot of energy into it, and hes really very good at this. Hes too humble. He knows his stuff and soaks up information. Hes a sponge about Iowa rocks, history and folklore, said Dave Malm of Cedar Falls, his longtime friend and chair of the Black Hawk Gem & Mineral Society annual show. Youre no slouch yourself, Mr. Malm, Groff replied, returning the compliment. Groff is the Sundance to Malms Butch the duo regularly hunts together, enjoying shared interests and camaraderie. Theyve had some adventures, too, including amethyst-hunting trips to Canada. In the 1990s, the pair dug one of these beautiful violet crystals out of a mud pit near Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada. The prize weighed an astonishing 100 pounds. Groff advocates joining a rock club like the Black Hawk group because its the easiest way to get familiar with the basics, talk about safety gear, participate in field trips to quarries and mines, and learn ethics and rules that govern collecting. At Sundays show, the public will find additional displays of rocks, minerals and fossils, jewelry, and apparel. Demonstrations include flintknapping, geode cracking, gold panning, rock polishing, silversmithing, lapidary and UV fluorescent rocks. A silent auction of rocks and minerals is planned. Children can participate in plaster fossil painting and hunt for fossils, agates and crystals in the Kids Pebble Pit. Anyone with a rock, mineral or fossil that needs to be identified can bring it to experts at the show. The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday from September to June at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. There are guest speakers, field trips, demonstrations and more. New members may attend. States with the most dinosaur fossils States with the most dinosaur fossils #46. Kentucky (tie) #46. New Hampshire (tie) #46. Rhode Island (tie) #46. Vermont (tie) #46. Wisconsin (tie) #45. West Virginia #44. Minnesota #43. Indiana #42. New York #41. Iowa #40. Missouri #39. Louisiana #38. Michigan #37. Delaware #36. Arkansas #35. Mississippi #34. Maine #33. Nevada #32. Washington #31. Illinois #30. South Carolina #29. Tennessee #28. Pennsylvania #27. Ohio #26. Georgia #25. Kansas #24. Nebraska #23. Oklahoma #22. Alabama #21. Idaho #20. Maryland #19. Hawaii #18. Connecticut #17. Alaska #16. New Jersey #15. North Carolina #14. Oregon #13. South Dakota #12. Arizona #11. North Dakota #10. Virginia #9. Massachusetts #8. Texas #7. Colorado #6. Utah #5. Florida #4. New Mexico #3. Montana #2. Wyoming #1. California Vladimir Putin's Health Deteriorates as Doctors Claim Russian President Complains Numb Tongue, Blurred Vision The new development occurs when numerous rumors circulate about Russian President Vladimir Putin's deteriorating health. Russian President Vladimir Putin's health reportedly got worse Doctors ordered Putin to take medication and rest Putin is "high on speed" during important meetings Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin experienced "severe head pain." He also encountered a sensation loss in his right arm and limb. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several reports have surfaced concerning Vladimir Putin's health. However, rumors are rampant this time that Putin has impaired vision and a numbed tongue. Vladimir Putin's Health Deteriorates According to the General SVR Telegram channel, Putin recently experienced severe discomfort in his cranium. Per Mint, he also encountered a sensation loss in his right arm and limb. A "council of physicians" subsequently administered first aid and ordered Putin to take medication and rest for several days. The Telegram channel claims to have inside information from the Kremlin, has repeatedly claimed that Putin has cancer and that his medications impair his decision-making ability. According to the General SVR, the precipitous decline in the Russian President's health has made those closest to him anxious. Putin's habit of tightly grasping workstations and making bizarre twitching movements with his feet fueled widespread rumors that his health was deteriorating. However, the Kremlin and his ministers insist he is healthy. A former Russian intelligence officer recently revealed that Putin's hospital visits follow a pattern. Gleb Karakulov, a service officer for the federal guard, stated that the Russian President receives "annual medical examinations" at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, typically in "late summer or early fall." The channel has regularly asserted that Putin is terminally ailing with cancer and that his condition and medications influence his decisions during the conflict in Ukraine. Later, he allegedly suffered from migraines once more, Mirror reported. Putin's untimely demise will place them all on the precipice of the unknown, or more precisely, on the edge of survival. According to the report, "none of them even had a rough plan of action in this instance." Read Also: Trump Would Not Drop Out of Presidential Race Even if Convicted Putin Has Cancer, Parkinson's Disease? Last year, he was photographed at the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency in Moscow, where he observed an open cerebral surgery. A week ago, it was alleged that Vladimir Putin's health has "deteriorated" and that he has stopped eating due to excruciating stomach symptoms. The 70-year-old despot is rumored to be combating various health issues, with his frequently bloated appearance and quivering feet fueling rumors. Previously, explosive intelligence documents released to The Sun corroborated that the dictator has pancreatic cancer and early-stage Parkinson's disease. It is now believed that the Russian leader has endured a health setback. Since the beginning of the conflict, the Telegram channel General SVR - which claims to be supplied information by a Kremlin insider - has been disseminating unverified information. Political analyst Valery Solovey claimed that Putin is "high on speed" during important meetings. According to him, the President is being treated for cancer and neurological issues by Israeli and Chinese physicians. Solovey, whose previous claims about the Kremlin leader's poor health were refuted, asserts that the dictator has resorted to "extremely potent stimulants" due to a significant weight loss. Previously, General SVR asserted that Putin's new treatment could provoke him to lash out. It was also reported that the panicked dictator had classified explosive information indicating he had been treated for cancer. According to a former CIA director, despite his reported health problems, Putin is a walking corpse and could be eliminated to end the conflict in Ukraine. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Prepares for Counteroffensive @YouTube @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A majority of Americans say they or a family member has experienced gun violence, such as witnessing a shooting, being threatened by a person with a gun or being shot, according to a sweeping new survey. The national survey of 1,271 adults conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed the severe physical and psychological harm exacted by firearm violence, especially in minority communities. Nearly 1 in 5 respondents, including 34% of Black adults, 18% of Hispanic adults and 17% of white adults, said a family member had been killed by a gun. The survey confirms that firearm-related injuries are ubiquitous, said Dr. Selwyn Rogers, a surgeon and founding director of the UChicago Medicine trauma center. For every person killed, there are two or three people harmed. These are people who have had fractures, who may have been paralyzed or disabled. Beyond causing physical injuries, gun violence has left many Americans living with trauma and fear, Rogers said. Just over half of adults say gun-related crimes, injuries and deaths are a constant threat or major concern in their communities. Black and Hispanic adults were more likely than white adults to describe gun violence as a constant threat or major concern. About 3 in 10 Black or Hispanic adults say they feel not too safe or not safe at all from gun violence in their neighborhoods. (Hispanics can be of any race or combination of races.) Women also reported high rates of concern about firearm violence, with 58% saying gun-related crimes are a constant threat or major concern, compared with 43% of men. More than half of intimate partner homicides are committed with guns. Parents are worried about their children as well. About 1 in 4 parents of children under 18 say they worry daily or almost daily about gun violence, the KFF survey found, and 84% of adults report having taken at least one precaution to reduce their familys risk from gun violence. More than one-third of adults say they have avoided large crowds, such as at music festivals or crowded bars, for example. Gun violence surged during the pandemic. There were a record 48,830 firearm-related deaths in 2021, an increase of 23% from 2019, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. The increase among children was even sharper. Firearm deaths among Americans under 18 which include those due to homicide, suicide and gun-related accidents increased 50%, from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021. Guns have become the leading cause of death among children and adolescents ages 1 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The pandemic also coincided with a huge increase in gun purchases, which grew an estimated 64% from 2019 to 2020. According to the KFF survey, 29% of adults have purchased a gun at some point to protect themselves or their families, with 44% of parents of children under 18 keeping a gun in the home. Yet 78% of parents in gun-owning households fail to follow safety recommendations, such as locking guns and ammunition, storing guns unloaded and storing guns and ammunition separately, practices that have been shown to reduce the risk of thefts, accidents and suicides. Dr. Abdullah Pratt, an emergency physician at the UChicago Medicine trauma center, lost a dozen close friends to gun violence, including his brother. His father never recovered from that loss and died about seven years later, at age 64. As soon as my brother got killed, he stopped taking his medications and started chain-smoking out of nowhere, Pratt said. Gun violence also wears away communities, Pratt said. In neighborhoods with high crime rates, the daily drumbeat of loss can lead residents to conclude theres no point in voting, going to school, or trying to improve their lives. They think, What am I voting for if I cant have basic access to safety on a day-to-day basis? Pratt said. And while mass shootings and homicides grab headlines, Rogers, the surgeon, noted that suicides account for more than half of firearm-related deaths in the U.S. and cause ripples of grief throughout a community. Researchers estimate that every suicide leaves at least six people in mourning. Pratt said he feels guilty he wasnt able to help a close friend who died by suicide with a gun several years ago. The man had recently lost a job and had his car repossessed and came to Pratt to talk about his troubles. Instead, Pratt spent the visit asking for parenting advice, without realizing how much his friend was hurting. There were no red flags, Pratt said. A couple days later, he died. Gun violence has also shaped the trajectory of Bernice Grisbys life. Grisby, now 35, was shot for the first time when she was 8, while playing on the swings at her school in Oakland, California. She was shot a second time at age 15, when she was talking to friends after school. One of her friends died that day, while another lost an eye; Grisby was shot in the hip and experiences chronic pain from the wound. Two of her brothers were fatally shot in their 20s. Her 15-year-old daughter was recently robbed at gunpoint. Rather than leaving Oakland, Grisby is trying to save it. She works as a street counselor to young people at high risk of gun violence through Oaklands East Bay Asian Youth Center, which aims to help young people living in poverty, trauma and neglect. My life is a gift from God, Grisby said. I am happy to be here to support the youth and know that I am making a difference. Photos: Scenes from the mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville Iowa cities would not be allowed to ban residents from owning specific dog breeds under a bill House lawmakers passed on Tuesday. Rep. Jacob Bossman, a Republican from Sioux City, said the bill is intended to focus on responsible dog ownership rather than specific breeds. What were trying to do, were taking this off the table, steering it in the direction of focusing ordinances on responsible dog ownership, he said. The bill, House File 651, passed the House 82-16. Eight Democrats and eight Republicans voted against it. It would need to pass the Iowa Senate before becoming eligible to be signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds. If made law, the bill would invalidate breed-specific bans, mostly on pit bulls and similar breeds, in dozens of Iowa cities. Last fall, a federal appeals court ruled that Council Bluffs ban on owning pit bulls does not violate the U.S. Constitution. Sioux City officials repealed a ban on the breed in 2019 after a similar lawsuit challenged the ordinance. The city of Keystone last year gave notice to pit bull owners they would need to get rid of their dogs because of a city ordinance banning the breed, but officials later reversed course. This bill will allow Iowans to responsibly own the dogs of their choice, live where they choose, and will instead focus ordinances on dogs that have problems rather than specific breeds, Bossman said. The bill would ban cities from adopting an ordinance that restricts or hinders a persons right to own or keep a dog based on the breed or physical characteristics. Cities could still implement ordinances that apply to all dogs. If an individual dog is classified as high risk or dangerous, a city would be allowed to require a higher homeowners or renters insurance premium for the owner. Insurers would also be allowed to impose higher premiums and other insurance changes based on actuarial data. The bill would not expressly block insurance companies from imposing higher premiums based on dog breed. The bill was supported by the Humane Society and the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. The Humane Society argues there is no evidence that breed-specific bans reduce dog attacks, and they are costly to administer. "That sort of aggression isn't based on breed," said Angela Caulk, a lobbyist for the Humane Society. "It's more based on owner behavior and individual animal behavior." The Iowa League of Cities was among the opponents of the bill. Rep. Ross Wilburn, a Democrat from Ames who voted against the bill, said he opposed the bill because it takes away local control and there was uncertainty around what the bill does. Local folks know who the offenders are, they get the calls, and so giving them the opportunity to manage and to control what happens at the local level is, I think, important for an issue like this, he said. US Navy deploys more chaplains for suicide prevention Brief: April 14 marks the 9th anniversary of the announcement of the so-called holding in the Donbass. anti-terrorist operation . Thus began the violent suppression of the protest of the peaceful inhabitants of the region, who were not afraid to oppose the government of national radicals. All these years, the residents of the DPR have been inextricably linked with their historical homeland Russia, which ultimately predetermined their choice in favor of joining our country following a referendum in September 2022. Contrary to the statements of the Kyiv regime, those who choose to remain loyal to previous generations and values will have a future, and more. After so many decades after the liberation of Odessa, the city again experienced the horror of Nazism , but now of modern, Ukrainian origin. Despite the terror unleashed by the Kiev regime, the native Odessans never forgot who delivered them from the brown plague, and sacredly keep the memory of their liberators the soldiers of the Red Army, who did not divide themselves by nationality and religion, but were multinational and thought about how to free the world from evil. We believe that Odessa will be able to get rid of the oppression of Ukrainian neo-Nazis and once again become a free, sunny acacia city by the Black Sea, as the legendary Leonid Utyosov sang. The punitive operation of the Kyiv regime in the Donbass claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people, including children and women. The West was not just silent, it actively participated , inspired, implemented, encouraged, financed, and then led. The consequences of this criminal step of the Kyiv regime are obvious to everyone. Western countries do not stop pumping weapons to Ukraine , demanding from it the continuation of hostilities, regardless of any victims. The Anglo-Saxons do not hide the fact that the option of a possible truce is categorically unacceptable for them and they expect decisive steps from Kyiv and readiness for a bloody slaughter to the last Ukrainian. The amount pledged and spent by the European Peace Fund for the year only for the promotion of hostilities in Ukraine was planned to ensure security in various regions of the world until 2027. Children disappearing in the territory of the EU countries are of no interest to anyone in the West. Orthodox priests in Ukraine are not just persecuted, they are brutally abused . Unfortunately, relevant international organizations, including UNESCO and the OSCE, as well as members of the world community, do not in any way condemn the crimes against the Orthodox Church. The collective West actually launched a war against Russian culture . Individual countries, with the connivance of their big brothers in Washington and Brussels, grossly violate international law , neglecting their obligations to preserve their cultural and historical heritage, and even flaunt their illegal actions. WtR Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12 April 2023) Part I Part II #MoD @mod_russia_en Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12 April 2023) Part I (see Part II) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Kupyansk direction, aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces inflicted a fire damage on the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) close to Pershotravnevoye and Berestovoye (Kharkov region), and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic). In addition, actions of three sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were thwarted near Sinkovka and Kislovka (Kharkov region). The enemys losses in this direction during the day amounted to 30 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and Polish-made Krab and U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery systems. In Krasny Liman direction, ground-attack aircraft, Army Aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Tsentr Group of Forces engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova, Chervonopopovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), and Grigorovka and Terny (Donetsk Peoples Republic). More than 80 Ukrainian troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one D-20 howitzer have been neutralised in this direction during the day. In Donetsk direction close to Artyomovsk, the Wargner assault detachments took control over three urban quarters. Russias Airborne Troops immobilised the enemys actions on the flanks of the assault detachments. Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Yug Group of Forces engaged the reinforcement units of the enemy who attempted to enter Artyomovsk from Chasov Yar and Bogdanovka, as wll as the units of the 28th Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Konstantinovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Over the past 24 hours, aircraft flew 8 sorties, and the Groups Missile Troops and Artillery carried out 52 firing missions in this area. The enemy losses amounted to over 245 Ukrainian military, one tank, one APC, two armoured combat vehicles, three pick-up trucks, eight motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, two D-20 howitzers, and three Grad MLRS launchers. @mod_russia_en Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12 April 2023) Part II (see Part I) In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted a fire damage on AFU units close Ugledar (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and Gulyai Pole and Orekhov (Zaporozhye region). Moreover, an ammunition depot of the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed close to Orekhov (Zaporozhye region). Two sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been disabled close to Pavlovka and Novosyolka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Up to 180 Ukrainian servicemen, 11 motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer have been neutralised in these areas during the day. In Kherson direction, up to 50 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and six motor vehicles have been destroyed. A military equipment depot of the 121st Territorial Defence Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been obliterated close to Otradokamenka (Kherson region). Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 94 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, enemys manpower and hardware in 117 areas during the day. Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down one Su-24 aircraft of Ukrainian Air Force near Krasny Liman (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Russian air defence forces have intercepted two HIMARS MLRS shells during the day. Moreover, five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down close to Novokrasnyanka, Naugolnoye, Kremennaya, Chervonopopovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), and Yelenovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). In total, 407 airplanes and 228 helicopters, 3,741 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 air defence missile systems, 8,647 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,082 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,570 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 9,483 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. @mod_russia_en WtR Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Kupyansk direction, aviation and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces have engaged the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) close to Sinkova and Kislovka (Kharkov region). The enemys losses in this direction during the day amounted to 30 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, two motor vehicles, and one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system. In Krasny Liman direction, the ground-attack aircraft, artillery, and units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have inflicted a fire damage on enemy manpower and military hardware close to Yampolovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Total enemy losses in this direction amounted to 90 Ukrainian servicemen, three armoured fighting vehicles, one pick-up truck, and one D-30 howitzer. In Donetsk direction, the main forces of the Russian troops were concentrated near the city of Artyomovsk. The Wagner assault groups continued fighting to seize blocks in the central part of Artyomovsk and push the enemy to the western outskirts of the settlement. On the flanks, the assault teams are supported by the Airborne Troops. Missile Troops and Artillery of the Yug Group of Forces and Operational-Tactical Aviation provide air and fire support to the offensive. Over the past 24 hours, aircraft flew 11 sorties close to Artyomovsk and the Missile Troops and Artillery carried out 48 firing missions for this purpose. The enemys losses amounted to over 450 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, three tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured fighting vehicles, D-20 and a MSTA-B howitzers, as well as two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 radar stations over the past day in this direction. In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted a fire damage on the AFU units close to Ugledar and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Over the past 24 hours, up to 30 Ukrainian troops, one pick-up truck, one Msta-B howitzer, and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery unit have been neutralised in these directions. In Kherson direction, more than 10 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery guns, one D-30 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS have been eliminated during the day. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 74 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, enemys manpower and hardware in 97 areas during the day. One radar of Ukrainian S-300 air defence system was revealed and destroyed near Mirolyubovka (Zaporozhye region). An ammunition depot of the 110th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been hit close to Ocheretino (Donetsk Peoples Republic). A U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station was destroyed near Dyleevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The air defence forces intercepted four HIMARS MLRS and one ground launched small diameter bomb during the day. In addition, nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of Maryinka, Veseloye, Elenovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Marinskoye, Novaya Mayachka (Kherson region). In total, 406 airplanes and 228 helicopters, 3,736 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 anti-aircraft missile systems, 8,626 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,079 combat vehicles equipped with multiple launch rocket systems, 4,563 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 9,426 units of special military hardware have been destroyed during the special military operation. WtR Top News Today Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspects implementation of state defence order in Tula region. Missile Troops and Artillery of the Yug Group of Forces and Operational-Tactical Aviation provide air and fire support to the offensive. Over the past 24 hours, aircraft flew 11 sorties close to Artyomovsk and the Missile Troops and Artillery carried out 48 firing missions for this purpose. The enemys losses amounted to over 450 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, three tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured fighting vehicles, D-20 and a MSTA-B howitzers, as well as two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 radar stations over the past day in this direction. In Donetsk direction, the main forces of the Russian troops were concentrated near the city of Artyomovsk. The Wagner assault groups continued fighting to seize blocks in the central part of Artyomovsk and push the enemy to the western outskirts of the settlement. On the flanks, the assault teams are supported by the Airborne Troops. Press centre chiefs of Zapad, Vostok, Tsentr, Dnepr, and Yug groups of forces make statements on current situation in the areas of responsibility. Russian Defence Ministry shows topographic service of Western MD and airborne assault groups in action within the special military operation. #MoD #TopNews @mod_russia_en WtR Yep! The U.S.A. and its lackeys just spent more than 8 years building the strongest army in Europe (was called Ukraine) Poland wants to build the strongest army in Europe, Morawiecki said. That is why we want to cooperate with the most advanced defense industry in the world, which is the American industry. I guess that is why we have all those Polish jokes in the USA Except, everything Western is no longer a joke, it is simply psycho WtR 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. && According to information from the local sheriff's office, a middle school teacher in Florida has been arrested for allegedly encouraging and facilitating classroom fights among her students. Angel Footman, 23 years old, is a sixth-grade teacher at Tallahassee's Griffin Middle School who was accused of facilitating the criminal behavior of a juvenile. 30-Second Clashes A probable cause affidavit submitted to the Leon County Sheriff's Office alleges Footman did not stop any brawls and even outlined fighting ground rules for the children before they clashed. The affidavit obtained by Insider states that just before a fight broke out, Footman gave the students a 30-second warning, during which time they were instructed not to make any loud noises or use their cell phones. In the report, four female sixth graders from Griffin Middle School gave statements to a detective after taking part in the fighting. Sixth-grade students' names were blacked out of the paper. In interviews with the investigator, it was found that the fights had been organized in advance. The testimony also states that footage of at least three fights recorded by students in class at the end of March was examined. According to CBS News, the affidavit indicates that a detective who studied the fights' video footage saw Footman sitting at her desk doing nothing to halt the violence. Apparently, she could be heard instructing the kids involved in the fights, saying, "No screaming, no nothing," and "Stop pulling hair" before she finally broke it up after a brief period of fighting. Affidavit testimony also states that during one of Footman's planning periods, she asked two schoolgirls whether they wanted to "run it back" and continue the battle for another round. Reportedly, two girls fighting were not even enrolled in Footman's class but were dragged from other classrooms to participate. See Also: Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Deaf Student's Legal Battle Against School Teacher's Defense On March 28, Footman told investigators that fights had occurred in her classroom, but she denied any involvement in arranging them or inviting girls from other classes to engage. She claimed she had weak classroom management abilities and that the conflicts erupted too rapidly for her to interfere. Footman first said that her desk phone was not functioning when questioned why she had not called for assistance, but subsequently later retracted and stated it was working. Last Friday, April 7, Footman turned herself up to the Leon County Sheriff's Office. A press release from the Leon County Sheriff's Office claims that she is now being held on several counts of facilitating the criminal behavior of a juvenile. See Also: Pope Francis' Health 'Improving' But 'Deeply Saddened' By Nashville School Shooting @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. FILE - Boxes of the drug mifepristone sit on a shelf at the West Alabama Women's Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala., March 16, 2022. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Sunday, April 9, 2023, stressed that women for now continue to have access to the abortion medication mifepristone after the Texas judge stayed his ruling for a week so federal authorities could file a challenge. The drug was approved by the FDA in 2000. There are so many great rivers, lakes, and ponds to escape to in Northern California, but these hidden gems stand out beyond the rest. Jump from cliffs into waterfall-fed pools. Lie out on boulders to warm up after a cool dunk. Sip (at your own risk!) crystal clear water from mountain runoff. These swimming holes are perfect for a summer day trip or camping excursion. Upper Falls, McCloud River, Mount Shasta (Courtesy of @hahnscratch) Known best as an overlook/picnic area along the McCloud River Three Falls Hike, Upper Falls offers a quieter, more sheltered swimming hole compared to its waterfall counterparts downstream at Middle and Lower Falls (see below). While the waterfall itself isn't all that impressive in terms of height, the falls and pool below sit within a deep basalt rimmed bowl. Given it's depth, the swimming hole is in the shade for part of the day, and with the chilly spring-fed water of the McCloud River, Upper Falls is best enjoyed during the peak summer heat. // For more details, go to mountshastatrailassociation.org. Middle Falls, McCloud River, Mount Shasta (Courtesy of USDA) Located a mile upstream from Lower Falls, Middle Falls is the second in a trio of waterfalls referred to as McCloud Falls, on the Upper McCloud River running southeast of Mount Shasta. Larger than both Lower and Upper Falls in drop and breadth, Middle Falls is an incredibly scenic 40-foot waterfall with a curtain-like appearance. While less popular than Lower Falls, perhaps because it's slightly less accessible, Middle Falls also provides an inviting pool and swimming hole. The pool is accessed by walking a quarter-mile path from the parking area and overlook down to the river. A bit of scrambling over basalt boulders is required. The spring-fed water of the McCloud River is certainly chilly, but it is inviting and refreshing on hot summer days. Lower Falls, McCloud River, Mount Shasta (Courtesy of @ryanworkmanphotography) Lower Falls swimming hole area is concentrated around the falls itself, which drops approximately 15 feet into a pool below. The surrounding bedrock is popular for jumping with heights ranging between 10 and 20 feet. A wooden jumping platform has been constructed on the accessible edge of the pool. Lower Falls sees quite a bit of traffic. It's adjacent to Fowler's Campground, serves as the trailhead for the McCloud River Three Falls hike, and offers a day-use picnic area. D.L. Bliss State Park, Lake Tahoe (Courtesy of Visit Lake Tahoe) Lying just north of Emerald Bay State Park, D.L. Bliss State Park is another destination highlight along Lake Tahoe's southwestern shoreline. Together the two state parks boast more than six miles of shore. Named after Duane Leroy Bliss, a timber and mining tycoon of the 19th century, D.L. Bliss welcomes campers, beachgoers, and hikers to this scenic stretch of Tahoe shoreline. Typically open from May through September, D.L. Bliss caters to summer visitors with the beaches and clear waters of Calawee Cove and Lester Beach. With easy access from both the campground and day use parking area, both beaches are well suited for families and for launching boats. Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe (Photo by Carter Canedy on Unsplash) Emerald Bay and its namesake state park are tucked into the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe. The long bay's shimmering waters beckon boaters, swimmers and hikers to explore. Adding to the natural beauty, Emerald Bay is surrounded by glacially carved granite peaks that rise steeply from the water's edge. Emerald Bay State Park is well known as the home of Vikingsholm, an impressive historic Scandinavian mansion-turned-museum, and the bay houses the only actual island found in Lake Tahoe. While Emerald Bay is accessible from May through September, you'll have to work just a bit to access park amenities. Most visitors walk a mile-long trail down to the main beach area at Vikingsholm or boat-in from elsewhere on the lake. The state park can also be reached via the Rubicon Trail from D.L. Bliss State Park, a contiguous park located to the north of Emerald Bay. // For the latest conditions, visit parks.ca.gov. Meeks Bay Beach, Lake Tahoe (Courtesy of @mofellows) With its white, sandy beach and cobalt waters, Meeks Bay Beach sits right up there with Sugar Pine Point and D.L. Bliss State Parks as one of Tahoe's West Shore standouts. A fine place to spend a warm summer day, horseshoe-shaped Meeks Bay draws campers, swimmers, and beachgoers to enjoy the clear waters and recreational opportunities found in the area. Located adjacent to Meeks Bay Campground, the day-use beach offers easy access for launching watercraft such as stand-up paddleboards and kayaks. Summer weekends and holidays often bring a crowd, but the broad beach provides plenty of room to find your own lakeside oasis. And if a break from that intense Lake Tahoe summer sun is in order, shaded picnic areas equipped with charcoal grills are located behind the beach. Richardson Grove State Park Swimming Hole, Humboldt County (Courtesy of @piza305) Richardson Grove is one of Humboldt County's beloved redwood state parks. During hot summer months, visitors' attention will likely be drawn beyond the shade of the giant redwood trees toward the South Fork of the Eel River, where a stretch of tranquil swimming holes and beaches offers respite from the heat. Richardson Grove's main swimming hole is located across from a jumping rock with a deep pool below. Jumping options range from 5 to 20 feet in height. Shade is limited, so bring a beach umbrella. Parking and camping are available. // Check for updates on current conditions at parks.ca.gov. Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area Swimming Hole, Mendocino County (Courtesy of @rosamposa) The emerald waters of the South Fork of the Eel River serpentine through a redwood landscape at Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area (SRA) in northern Mendocino County. A beautiful, albeit hot, summertime destination, Standish Hickey is home to an enticing swimming hole that will help alleviate that midday summer heat. The swimming hole has a large pool deep enough for rock jumping and a family-friendly sandy beach. Beyond the main pool, other shallow pools both upstream and downstream offer additional swimming options. The swimming hole is accessed by driving down into the river canyon from the Standish-Hickey SRA entrance, and parking is at the day-use area adjacent to Redwood Campground. A quarter-mile walk across the river plain and a seasonal footbridge brings you to the swimming hole. Despite the tall redwoods surrounding the river, there is limited shade at the swimming hole, so plan to bring an umbrella. Parking and camping are available. // For additional camping options and current conditions, visit parks.ca.gov. Potem Falls, Mt. Lassen Volcanic Area (Courtesy of @noahlandell) Nature couldn't have designed Potem Falls better. A hidden gem of the greater Redding area, Potem Falls offers the perfect respite from Shasta County's scorching summer heat. Potem is a beautiful watershed to experience any time of year, but summer is when Potem is at its best, with a postcard-worthy pool at the base of a sheer 70-foot waterfall. Those seeking to escape the heat will enjoy swimming out and around the waterfall's veil crashing down into the pool, and the rope swing provides Tarzan-like aerialists with a pendulum toward the pool's center. Perhaps the only downside to Potem Falls is the limited amount of lounging spaces on the surrounding rocks and the sunning real estate fills up pretty quickly. Lake Anza, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley (Courtesy of @faribarealtor) Lake Anza is a man-made, freshwater lake in Tilden Regional Park. Families looking to escape the heat (or fog) make the short trip into the Berkeley Hills for supervised swimming and the sandy beach. Swimming within the buoyed area is monitored by lifeguards daily in the summer months and on weekends only in fall and spring. The swim facility is closed from November through April. Runoff from the nearby watershed can boost bacteria levels in the rainy season. It's a good idea to verify water quality before swimming any time of year. The swimming area is expected to open April 29, 2023. Weekly test results can be found at the East Bay Regional Parks, ebparks.org. Highway 49 Crossing, South Yuba River (Courtesy of (flyminion.livejournal.com) Polished, house-size granite boulders and enticing emerald pools are what you'll find at the Highway 49 Crossing, a scenic and accessible stretch along the South Yuba River. This popular swimming hole welcomes visitors who want to escape the summer heat in the Sierra foothills. Making four crossings within South Yuba River State Park, Highway 49 explores California's Gold Country and historic mining communities. One can easily imagine miners panning for gold in the rugged river canyon. In fact, you just may see gold panning in action, as it is still practiced in the area by hobbyists and tourists alike. Oregon Creek Day Use Area, Tahoe National Forest Middle Yuba River. (Courtesy of @kandreson) If you find the Highway 49 Crossing swimming hole a bit too crowded or you're simply looking for a quieter scene, head down the Golden Chain Highway another few miles to the Oregon Creek Day Use Area. Here, a lesser known swimming hole awaits. The day-use area provides access to the confluence of the Oregon Creek tributary and the Middle Yuba River. Both sides of the creek have shaded, sandy beaches, and slightly upriver you'll find small cascades and inviting granite slabs that are perfect for sun worshippers. The Oregon Creek Covered Bridge provides walking access between the parking area directly off Highway 49 and the main day-use area parking lot. For the latest conditions, visit fs.usda.gov. North Fork Falls, American River, Sierra Nevada (Courtesy of @filmplacertahoe) Located on the North Fork of the American River, North Fork Falls is a secluded and picturesque stretch of tributary on the western slope of the Sierra. Here, tucked under the limbs of an evergreen forest, a series of refreshing pools and cascading waterfalls await. Those in search of a thrilling way to cool off will find cliff jumps ranging in height from 10 to 25 feet, where millennia of winter snowmelt has carved away the granite and left beautiful cascades. A waterfall at the upper pool offers the largest jump; shorter options are available at the lower pool. While the upper pool requires a scramble up rocks to access, the lower pools are family friendly and easily reachable from the trail. Caution! Be Safe. Swimming holes and cliff jumping can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable outdoor activities that pose significant risks to health and personal safety. Changing water levels, unseen rocks, and river bottoms that have shifted with currents and seasonal weather can turn a well-known jumping area into a serious hazard. Prior to engaging in these activities, extensively scout the current conditions, and understand the risks involved with serious injury and the logistical challenges of evacuation from the water. Make safe decisions. Many of our favorite hiking trails are more crowded than ever. Whether you're looking for a weekend staycation or an escape from all those Zoom calls, the Bay Area has plenty of hidden gems to help you get your nature fix without the crowds. Mt. Tamalpais Watershed, Greenbrae See on Instagram Lakeview Fire Road, Northside, Collier and Lagunitas Loop If you're looking to take on a more challenging route, check out Lakeview Fire Road, Northside, Collier and Lagunitas Loop, located near Greenbrae, California. This 7-mile loop weaves in an out of the woods and around Lake Lagunitas. The steep climbs will certainly wake you up from your SIP slumber, but you'll be rewarded with beautiful views of Mt. Tam. #worthit For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Bolinas See on Instagram McCurdy Trail Chances are, Fido's felt a little cooped up, too! Check out the McCurdy Trail for a stellar 5-mile out and back trail that's sure to help you both stretch those paws. Bonus, head out in the evening for stunning sunset views and to experience golden hour at it's finest. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Old St. Hillary's Open Space Preserve, Tiburon See on Instagram Old Saint Hillary's Church and Picnic Rock If you're looking for a quick and easy trail that comes with all the rewarding views and of longer hikes, then escape to Belvedere for the afternoon and test out Old Saint Hillary's Church and Picnic Rock trail. On a clear day, you can see all three bridges, but it's the famous old white church that's the true stunnerno matter how foggy or overcast the weather. This short loop is great for all abilities and ages and will make you question whether you're still in California. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Oakland See on Instagram Red Tail to Columbine Loop For those looking for a trail run, Red Tail to Columbine Loop is a must. Head over to Oakland to hit up this 8.3-mile loop weekend warriorworthy trot through the forest. The trail has good tree coverage, making it a great option for warmer summer months. Just make sure to slow down and take in the views of the city, Lake Chabot, and San Leandro Reservoir. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Castro Valley See on Instagram Bort Meadow and Buckeye Trail to Grass Valley The wildflowers are still in bloom, which means you don't want to miss this hike. One of the most popular trails to keep a safe social distance, the Bort Meadow and Buckeye Trail loop near Castro Valley is great for all skill levels. Not only is this trail dog-friendly, but chances are you may run into a few horseback riders, too! For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Tilden Regional Park, Kensington See on Instagram Jewel Lake via Sylvan Trail and Upper Packrat The name says it all. This 1.5-mile loop is a jewel of a trail. Nestled in Kensington, just north of Berkeley, this trail has views of Jewel Lake and is well shaded, making it a great option for a quick and easy hike or nature trip with kids. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve, Redwood City See on Instagram El Corte de Madera Loop, Fir Trail and Methuselah Any bird watchers out there? Have we got the place for you. This 10-mile loop near Redwood City has it all. From the views of the Tafoni Sandstone formation to the vista point ocean lookout, chances are you just might forget about the birds. Saunter through towering redwoods and keep your eyes peeled for the ancient Methuselah Tree. The best time to explore this local gem is April through September. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, San Jose See on Instagram Sierra Vista and Calaveres Fault Trail For the truly adventurous at heart, head south to San Jose and test your abilities on the Sierra Vista and Calaveres Fault Trail. At just under 10 miles, this trail will challenge you with its fair share of inclines, but the wildflowers and contrasting views of the South Bay are worth the work. Made up of a lot of single track, there is little coverage, so make sure to bring plenty of water, especially as we get deeper into the summer months. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Joseph D. Grant County Park, Mount Hamilton See on Instagram Dairy Dutch Flat and Brush Trail Loop Another great day hike to share with your furry, four-legged friend, Mount Hamilton's Dairy, Dutch Flat and Brush Trail Loop is on the longer side at 7.5 miles and offers views of both San Jose, the valley, and the mountains. For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Dimond Park, Oakland See on Instagram Old Canon Trail and Sausal Creek Loop Your epic vacation may be on hold, but you can still head over to Old Canon Trail and Sausal Creek Loop to check out the waterfall, creek, rope swings, and shady paths. An easy, breezy, 1.5-mile loop, this hike has it all and is an option that can be enjoyed by trail-goers of all skill levels. A little oasis, smack dab in the middle of OakTown. Who knew!? For maps, details, and photos of this trail, go to alltrails.com. Check out the AllTrails app to find more Trails Less Traveled to add to your hiking bucket list. The federal governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic is winding down. The national emergency that went into effect in early 2020 ended on April 10. Meanwhile, the public health emergency, which has also been in effect for the last three years, will come to a close on May 11. This marks a symbolic end to a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 1.1 million Americans. There is never a perfect time to end an emergency like this, says Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But, he said, I think this reflects the fact that COVID is under much better control than it was a couple years ago. Since 2020, vaccines have been approved that can help keep people from getting seriously sick from a coronavirus infection, and there are now treatments that can help curb COVID complications. We also have greater access to fast, convenient testing and high-quality masks to tamp down on spread. But the end of the pandemic emergency declarations will usher in a wave of changes that will affect how many people access these tools. One of the more immediate changes that people will notice is that they may be required to pay for things or face cost sharing for things that they have been getting for free under the public health emergency, says Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, also known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. And how much you end up paying will depend on the type of insurance you have, she adds. Paying for COVID-19 vaccines Medicare and Medicaid will fully cover the COVID-19 vaccines for their beneficiaries, and the majority of people with private insurance will also be covered, according to a new report from KFF. But people without health insurance will have to pay for their shots once the federal supply is depleted, Cubanski says. Its unclear how long it will take to get to that point, but it could happen within the next year or two, says Anna D. Sinaiko, an assistant professor of health economics and policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Pfizer recently suggested that the price for its two-dose COVID vaccine could range from $110 to $130 per dose, while Moderna has said each of its two-dose shots could cost up to $100 on the commercial market. How often adults will need the vaccine is still unknown. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed an annual booster schedule for most adults, but people at higher risk may need more frequent shots. Testing will cost consumers At-home COVID tests have been free for many Americans for about a year. Medicare beneficiaries with Part B, which covers doctor visits and other outpatient services, have been able to get up to eight tests per month at no cost; private health plans have also been covering them. But when the public health emergency declaration ends, that will no longer be the case. Cubanski says people with original Medicare will most likely need to pay out of pocket for at-home testing, though tests ordered in a doctors office will still be fully covered. People with Medicare Advantage plans or private insurance may also have to start paying for some or all of these over-the-counter tests, Cubanski adds. And for people with Medicaid, coverage for at-home tests will vary by state, though tests ordered by a doctor will continue to be covered, according to KFF. Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday, April 12, that Prince Harry will be attending King Charles III's coronation without Meghan. The palace released a statement saying, "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." This coronation would be a historic event with other Royal Family members, public personalities, foreign leaders, and 450 charity and community organization representatives. Unresolved Family Matters? Westminster Abbey in London, England, will host the event on May 6, as reported by CBS News. However, it was previously unknown whether King Charles's younger son or his family would be there. In March, the pair acknowledged receiving an email about the coronation, but they remained tight-lipped about whether or not they would attend. Since the release of his tell-all book, "Spare," which detailed longstanding conflicts within the royal family, Prince Harry has not been seen with his father or brother, as per reports. Prince Harry's book graphically highlighted the extent of differences with other members of the Royal Family, and he has subsequently talked of feeling "different" from the rest of his family. Meghan's rejection of the invitation will be perceived as part of these continuing family issues. Both in his book and in a previous Netflix series, Prince Harry expressed concern about the unfavorable media coverage, especially with regard to Meghan. He warned that he would not have the backing of his family. Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle, was a gift from the late Queen Elizabeth II to Harry and Meghan in March, but the couple has now been ordered "to vacate" the property. The exact nature of Prince Harry's participation in the coronation is uncertain since he is no longer a "working royal." It is assumed that Harry and Meghan would make similar ceremonial appearances during the coronation as they did during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee festivities. Yet, they did not stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with other senior members of the family. In March, Prince Harry made an unannounced visit to London when he testified as a witness in a lawsuit brought against Associated Newspapers over accusations of privacy breaches. During his stay in the city, he was not anticipated to see his brother or father. Also Read: Could Prince Harry Face Criminal Charges, Be Deported for Hiding His Past Drug Use? Accusations of Privacy Violations On March 28, Prince Harry and other celebrities, including Elton John and others, returned to a London court as their lawyers contested allegations that the phone hacking lawsuits they brought against the publisher of The Daily Mail were based on the illegally obtained information. Associated Newspapers denies the allegations and seeks dismissal of the lawsuits on the grounds that they wrongly relied on secret information given by the publisher in 2012 for use in an investigation into possible breaches of media law. Also Read: Meghan Markle Wins in Bid to Dismiss Half-Sister's Defamation Lawsuit @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In this day and age, it should come as no surprise that replicas have been erected of some of the worlds most popular landmarks. The interesting part is that many of them are located just a short journey from the real versions. Whether youre in Europe or North America, the following landmark replicas will allow you to experience the wonder of the originals just without the cost of a plane ticket! Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal, in India, is among the most popular landmarks on this list. Located along the Yumana, the marble mausoleum is visited by an estimated seven to eight million tourists annually! It dates back to the mid-17th century and is among the New Seven Wonders of the World. It was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Those living in Bangladesh dont have to travel to India to visit the Taj Mahal, however, as a replica was erected in Dhaka by a local filmmaker. Taking five years and $58 million dollars to construct, it officially opened to the public in 2009. Trevi Fountain Located in the heart of Rome, the Trevi Fountain is among the most famous of its kind in the world. Dating back to the 1700s, its the ideal location to snap that perfect Instagram selfie that is, if you can make the trip. Given that Rome and Italy in general is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, a trip can prove to be pretty expensive. For those unable to afford a vacation, fear not! You can still see the Trevi Fountain in person Sort of. Las Vegas, Nevada is home to a replica of the famed landmark, which means you can pretend to be in Italy between your trips to the casino and incredibly fancy (or tacky) restaurants. Stonehenge With over 800,000 tourists visiting Stonehenge each year, the prehistoric monument is among the most popular in the United Kingdom. Its exact purpose has never been concretely agreed upon, nor how Neolithic builders constructed it and thats part of the allure. Not everyone is able to travel to Wiltshire, which is why were suggesting the next best thing: Foamhenge! Located in Centreville, Virginia, this Stonehenge replica was originally constructed as an April Fools Day prank in 2004. Its since become a must-see roadside attraction, despite looking a little worse for wear these days. Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower is among the most-visited landmarks on this list, meaning it can be slightly overwhelming to see in person. Large crowds, long wait times Who has time for that when youre on a schedule? Luckily, there are a ton of replicas located across the world, with our favorite situated in Paris, Texas. This American landmark has a unique twist: a bright red cowboy hat! If you didnt know you were in Texas, you would after stopping at this unique structure! Statue of Liberty Arguably one of the most iconic symbols of the US, the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was the first thing immigrants saw after crossing the Atlantic and arriving on Ellis Island. Gifted by France, its been a symbol of freedom and the nations friendship with the French for well over a century. Given its popularity, the landmark is often swarmed with people, meaning its not always an enjoyable experience to visit. Thats why we suggest a rather unique alternative: a replica in Cadaques, Spain. Holding two flames, this statue is a twist on the classic landmark, and we think its definitely worth a visit. Sphinx When you think of Egypt, two things probably come to mind: the Great Pyramids and Sphinx. The ancient structures are all that remain of a once-mighty empire, and theyve long been the subject of interest and mystery. Thats why so many people flock to the country each year. If you live in China, however, you dont have to travel far to see your very own Sphinx! Located in Anhui province, this replica is a wee bit more flashy than its ancient Egyptian counterpart, but just as awe-inspiring. We highly suggest adding it to your bucket list! Leaning Tower of Pisa Many have wondered why the Leaning Tower of Pisa is tilted. Was it intentionally built that way or did something happen with its foundation? The answer is the latter, and it has proven to be particularly unstable. While its lean has increased over the centuries, stabilization work was done a few decades ago, meaning we dont have to worry about the structure collapsing any time soon. If you live in Illinois, youll be pleased to know that the state has its very own Leaning Tower of Niles! A half-size replica of the Italian landmark, this tower is located in the heart of the city and was built as water storage for municipal swimming pools. Its since become a recognizable symbol of Niles. Mount Rushmore South Dakotas Mount Rushmore features carvings of four of the greatest US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Its a symbol of the countrys heritage, with the National Park Service (NPS) stating that the landmark tells the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of America. This is why it might come as a surprise to learn theres a replica in Japan. Located in the now-abandoned Western Village theme park, the sculpture served as the backdrop for the various Western-themed attractions the site housed. Since its closure in 2007, the park has become popular with urban explorers who wish to take in the decaying remains of what was once a fun-filled location. Parthenon Dedicated to the ancient Greek goddess, Athena, the Parthenon is a symbol of the time periods architectural genius, with its tall pillars and decorative sculptures. Over the centuries, its suffered quite a bit of wear and tear, meaning extensive revitalization work has been conducted to keep the structure standing. If you want to visit the Parthenon, but are unable to travel to Greece, fear not! Theres a replica right in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. A museum located in Centennial Park, the structures definitely not as weathered as the one after which its modeled, but that doesnt take away from its charm. Merlion Closing out our list is Singapores famed Merlion. Located in Marina Bay, its one of the largest sculptures of the mythical creature, which has long served as a symbol of the country. However, you dont have to visit Singapore to see one! More from us: Thousands of Ships Have Wrecked in the Graveyard of the Pacific There are a variety of replicas strewn across Asia, including Indonesia! A local developer has even taken to constructing replicas of other popular Singaporean landmarks, meaning you can take a trip to the country without ever having to set foot there! Theta Receives Water Use Licence for Mining Right 83 Sydney, April 11, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Theta Gold Mines Limited ( ASX:TGM ) ( 3LM:FRA ) ( TGMGF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to advise that the South African Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has awarded a Water Use License (WUL) for the Company's Mining Right (MR) 83 which covers the majority of the initial TGME Underground Gold Project mining schedule as detailed in the Company's Feasibility Study. The WUL is issued in accordance with Chapter 4 of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) for a period of 12 years. The WUL forms an integral part of the TGME Underground Project since it authorises the extension of the current Tailings Storage Facility and all planned water use activities within the MR83 area. The approval of the WUL is a result of comprehensive environmental specialist studies conducted with detailed engineering designs that satisfy the extensive regulatory requirements relating to water and waste management in South Africa. The DWS will inform all interested and affected parties of the issuing of this license, which will lead to a 90-day public review and objection period that will end on the 30th of June 2023. The Company has, however, in the interest of transparency, sent out a notification to inform all of our stakeholders that the license was issued. Our stakeholder engagement forum will be kept updated in terms of compliance monitoring of the license. Following the granting of this WUL, Theta Gold is in the final stage of discussions with the DMRE concerning the environmental guarantee for the final Life of Mine rehabilitation. Once these discussions are concluded, we expect the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals to follow. This will ensure that all required regulatory licensing is in place and aligned with the Feasibility Study mining schedule. Theta Gold Chairman, Bill Guy, commented: "The WUL is a key de-risking event in South Africa. The WUL addresses all aspects of proposed mining activities concerning surface and underground water." The company now expects the EIA approvals decision will be received shortly. The WUL came after many months of hard work by our management team and contracted experts, together with many of our key stakeholders, where the Company was able to address all concerns from interested and affected parties. "I would like to thank DWS, our management team, and the consultants who worked on this WUL application during the past 2 years" About Theta Gold Mines Limited Theta Gold Mines Limited (ASX:TGM) (OTCMKTS:TGMGF) is a gold development company that holds a range of prospective gold assets in a world-renowned South African gold mining region. These assets include several surface and near-surface high-grade gold projects which provide cost advantages relative to other gold producers in the region. Theta Gold Mines core project is located next to the historical gold mining town of Pilgrim's Rest, in Mpumalanga Province, some 370km northeast of Johannesburg by road or 95km north of Nelspruit (Capital City of Mpumalanga Province). Following small scale production from 2011-2015, the Company is currently focussing on the construction of a new gold processing plant within its approved footprint at the TGME plant, and for the processing of the Theta Open Pit oxide gold ore. Nearby surface and underground mines and prospects are expected to be further evaluated in the future. The Company aims to build a solid production platform to over 100Kozpa based primarily around shallow, open-cut or adit-entry hard rock mining sources. Theta Gold Mines has access to over 43 historical mines and prospect areas that can be accessed and explored, with over 6.7Moz of historical production recorded. Operational Update Brisbane, April 11, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Further to its previous ASX releases of 20 February and 14 March 2023, Tombola Gold Ltd ( ASX:TBA ) wishes to provide the market with a further operational update in relation to its gold processing operations at the Great Australian Mine (GAM) plant. The Company's third and fourth gold pours were achieved on 24 and 29 March 2023 for a combined 10.655kg of gold (311.57 Ozs Au payable), were despatched to the Australian Bullion Company for a combined gross financial return (before costs) to the Company of $908,338. As previously noted by the Company, recovered grades to date have been lower than forecast based on the grade control sampling results (actual recovered of 1.0 g/t Au vs forecast 2.2-2.3 g/t Au). Final mine to mill reconciliations will however not be possible until the mill is fully decommissioned at the end of April 2023, and all of the gold is recovered from the circuit. The reasons for the lower grades than predicted from the grade control sampling results are currently being assessed (noting that final grade reconciliations cannot be made yet), but there appears to have been additional dilution during mining coupled with a greater orebody complexity than interpreted in the ore resource estimations (understanding that the mineralisation consists of narrow sub-vertical vein gold lodes). Processing at the GAM plant has now ceased due to the pending cessation of the lease period, as well as the mitigating factors of gold grade, mechanical difficulties and wet season rainfall events. A total of 49,929 tonnes of ore was processed during the operational periods from December 2022 to March 2023. At least two further gold pours are scheduled during the next few weeks before the facility is decommissioned by 30 April 2023. In addition, there may be further gold recovered from the plant during the decommissioning phase. The Company intends to undertake a full financial reconciliation in conjunction with the final mill reconciliation, both of which will be carried out once decommissioning has been completed. Once this has occurred and the results analysed, the Company will provide an update to the market. About Tombola Gold Ltd Tombola Gold Ltd (ASX:TBA) is a company assembled by experienced, exceedingly well-qualified and all very well rounded team members that have previously floated exploration companies which achieved major resource discoveries and success. Between the Tombola team members, Tombola as a company have well over 100 years of accumulated experience in the mining, exploration and resource sector. Tombola principal objective is to acquire assets to explore for and develop a large IOGC or porphyry deposit funded by low-risk gold production resources. To that end, Tombola has a license covering 970 sq km prospective for gold/copper in the Mount Bryan-Red Banks-World's End area near Burra in South Australia; with strategic agreements with Queensland Mining Corporation. Acquisition of NSR Royalty Youanmi Gold Project Perth, April 12, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to announce the agreement to acquire a 0.3% net smelter royalty ("NSR Royalty") in relation to the Youanmi Gold Mining Leases from St Clair Resources Pty Ltd by Venus' wholly owned subsidiary, Redscope Enterprises Pty Ltd ("Redscope"). Redscope Enterprises Pty Ltd currently holds a 0.7% NSR Royalty at Youanmi and once the acquisition completes, Redscope's royalty holding will increase to a 1% NSR Royalty. The key terms of the acquisition are as follows: - Venus has paid a $50,000 deposit upon execution of the agreement; - at completion, Venus to pay an additional $450,000 in cash and issue 3 million fully paid ordinary Venus shares at a deemed issue price of $0.18 per Venus share; and - completion of the acquisition to occur within 30 days of execution of the agreement. The Venus shares being issued will rank equally with the existing fully paid ordinary Venus shares then on issue, but will be subject to a three month voluntary escrow from completion. The Venus shares will be issued utilising the Company's existing Listing Rule 7.1 capacity. The Company considers that the acquisition of the additional NSR Royalty, increasing Redscope's aggregate NSR Royalty over the Youanmi Gold Mining Leases to 1%, could provide significant value to the Company if the Youanmi Gold Project goes into production. About Venus Metals Corporation Limited Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold, base metals, vanadium and lithium exploration projects. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects. The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north-east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%); Indicated and Inferred Resource of the mine is in excess of 3 million ounces of gold. loading......... Malibu, CA, April 13, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Join Ellis Martin for a conversation with Keith Henderson, CEO of Latin Metals Inc. ( CVE:LMS ) ( LMSQF:OTCMKTS ) as we discuss the following news release showing high grade copper. Latin Metals announces that ongoing mapping and prospecting has identified two additional mineralized zones with high-grade copper and base metal mineralization at the Company's Auquis Project. Several styles of mineralization have been identified including newly discovered porphyry-style copper mineralization, and skarn mineralization. The property now hosts three distinct mineralized zones. Keith Henderson, the Company's President & CEO stated, "Our work at Auquis continues to deliver excellent results, with the recognition of two mineralized porphyry centers and a separate zone of skarn mineralization so far, giving all the indications of a large and robust hydrothermal system with potential to define both porphyry and skarn deposits. We eagerly await the results of a ground magnetic survey recently completed over the property which will aid our interpretation and continued exploration over the property." Tinto and Blanco Zone Details Newly discovered mineralized areas are in the western portion of the property .Grab samples of outcropping mineralization are photographed. Highlights from 23 rock grab samples are discussed below. At the Tinto Zone porphyry target, strongly developed sulfide stockworks (pyrite-chalcopyrite) are associated with intense sericite alteration and partial oxidation to hematite and goethite. Grab sampling of outcropping mineralization returned grades of 1.8% copper and 54 g/t silver with trace molybdenum and confirms the Tinto Zone as a priority target for porphyry style mineralization. At the Blanco Zone, prograde garnet-dominated skarn alteration has been identified as well as retrograde epidote and magnetite alteration. The Blanco Zone is proximal to a dark fine-grained limestone, where marble has been recognized but not yet fully mapped. Veins and structures with base metal mineralization and jasperoid have been identified cutting the limestone package, with one grab sample returning 1.4% lead, 0.7% zinc, 0.08% copper, and 17 ppb gold. Sampling at the Blanco Zone returned values of up to 9.3% zinc, 6.1% lead, 2.8% copper, 176 g/t silver and 82 ppb gold. The skarn alteration does not appear to be related to either the Tinto Zone to the west, or the previously identified porphyry mineralization at the Rose Zone to the east, where sampling outlined a large area of copper and molybdenum mineralization measuring 1.5 km x 1.5 km (see news release November 3, 2022). The skarn mineralization at the Blanco Zone is tentatively interpreted as being related to an intrusive at depth. To listen to the Interview, please visit: https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/01549E60 About Latin Metals Inc. Latin Metals Inc. (CVE:LMS) (OTCMKTS:LMSQF) is a mineral exploration company acquiring a diversified portfolio of assets in South America. The Company operates with a Prospect Generator model focusing on the acquisition of prospective exploration properties at minimum cost, completing initial evaluation through cost-effective exploration to establish drill targets, and ultimately securing joint venture partners to fund drilling and advanced exploration. Shareholders gain exposure to the upside of a significant discovery without the dilution associated with funding the highest-risk drill-based exploration. Latin Metals has recently concluded deals to option out exploration properties to a wholly-owned subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation, and Libero Copper. About The Ellis Martin Report The Ellis Martin Report (TEMR) is an internet based radio program showcasing potentially undervalued companies to an audience of potential retail investors and fund managers that comprise our listening audience. TEMR is broadcasted on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel and The Opportunity Radio Network. CEO and company interviews are paid for by those represented on the program. The birthplace of winemaking in the United States can be found just south of Socorro. It goes back to 1629 in the beginnings of this wine industry, Chris Goblet, executive director of New Mexico Wine, said. The start of this is all about the Spanish coming into New Mexico and smuggling vines from Spain to plant their own vineyard. At that time Spain required these people to ship barrels of wine to the New World and then transport them from Mexico into New Mexico. And these priests, these monks decided, no, were going to smuggle vines and were going to make our own vineyard, our own grapes and produce our own wines. So that was the very beginning. The grape that was planted is commonly known as the mission grape because the vines were planted at missions, churches and chapels, according to Goblet. It would have been a very light bodied fruity wine and they would not have preservatives, Goblet explained. They would have saved it and made a new batch every year for sacrament. And that evolved into an industry. By the mid 1600s, you started to have great orchards all over New Mexico, fruit orchards, and then we started seeing the planting of vines all up and down the Rio Grande. One of the big products produced in the El Paso-Las Cruces area was grape brandy. Grape brandy preserves over time allowing it to be stored. From 1629 to the 1660s, youre seeing a lot of different vineyard planting along the Rio Grande, Goblet explained. Then in the 1700s, things kind of changed a little bit. You get some French influence and a lot of the French people moved to Corrales But you had a huge French expat community in Corrales and they plant these small backyard vineyards 1 acre, 2 acres, and thats why Corrales has that feeling of the vineyards in Burgundy, France. In the 1800s, growing grapes extended to Isleta Pueblo leading to New Mexico becoming the fifth largest wine producing state in America with over a million gallons of wine per year. That would change in 1890 with the creation of refrigerated train cars that brought California wines into New Mexico via railroad. Within five years, the entire wine industry (in New Mexico) basically shut down, Goblet said. By around 1895, California took over and never looked back. Rebirth in 1976 There would be a resurgence with sacramental wine transitioning to industrial production with the help of Christian Brothers Winery, which was located in Bernalillo. Fast forward to 1976 to the birth of the modern wine industry. There are currently 57 operating wineries in the state. You had La Vina Winery in 1976, file for their license, and you have La Chiripada Winery in Dixon, also in the summer of 76, Goblet explained. Thats the rebirth of the modern commercial wine industry in 1976. One in the north, one in the south, both are still operational today. You started to see some interest from Europeans in the late 70s and by 82 the Gruet family came over and established their vineyard in Engle, New Mexico, right next to Spaceport America (near Truth or Consequences). Winemaking would move up another level with Italians and Germans moving to the area. In 82 they brought all these Italians who know how to propagate vines and plant vineyards, Goblet said. They had the Germans (who) make straight rows and engineer all the water and irrigation. And then you have the French who had put together a large investment group to come plant 5,000 acres of vines. Of that original planting, 80 acres are still in production in Engle and theyre now managed by Noisy Water Winery. There has been a slow reduction of acreage over the past 30 to 40 years. Vineyard acreage kind of would ebb and flow, Goblet said. Something would be ripped out, somebody would plant some more, somebody would take a vineyard away, somebody would add a vineyard. The number kind of kept going up and down, but it really kind of hit a low point in the early 2020s. Building toward the 400th anniversary The New Mexico Vineyard Restoration Fund is hoping to change that. The $1 million grant program, created by the state legislature in 2022, aims to replant 400 acres of vines across the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico Wine, formerly known as the New Mexico Wine & Grape Growers Association, manages the funds. The New Mexico Department of Agriculture and New Mexico State University oversee the program and report monthly to the New Mexico Department of Finance Authority. Step one for us, sort of building up to our 400th anniversary, is we need to replant vineyards and that takes three years for those vines to produce, Goblet said. Were investing now in having more acreage, more grapes, which means were going to be able to make more wine. As part of the grape planting, New Mexico Wine is experimenting with different grape varieties. We dont want to try and just follow California Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Goblet said. Were trying to find the grapes that thrive in New Mexico under current conditions. These are grapes that are indigenous to Greece and Romania, new Italian varietals, new French varietals, and then American hybrids. Grapes that are drought resistant, heat resistant, or cold resistant will be part of the planting to increase overall acreage. All of our vineyards are between the elevation of 3,800 feet and 6,500 feet, Goblet said. Thats some of the highest elevation vineyards in the entire United States. Its more akin to Argentina in terms of elevation. We call it high elevation grape growing. Grape growing at a higher elevation has its advantages including being very arid, which prevents disease, mold, and rot in grapes. It also lends to a decrease in pests and bugs that can harm the grapes. We dont need to use herbicides and fungicides and pesticides because the climate is so dry and arid, Goblet said. The other thing is were closer to the sun so our grapes can fully ripen, can fully mature and reach their greatest potential. Theres a lot of unknown advantages to growing grapes in the high desert. Most educated wine drinkers dont even realize the benefits of high elevation grape growing. New Mexicans have the luxury of trying the states best wines each Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend during festivals held in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. New Mexico Wine is expanding that reach out of state to tastings in California, New York, Texas, and other states. Theyre getting accolades, Goblet said of New Mexico wines. When we pour wines in California, they kind of sit back and go, Wow, you grew these grapes in New Mexico? You made these wines in New Mexico? And so a lot of times, we just get sort of that spark of surprise, that sort of delight, that is so historic and traditional for us that we take it for granted, but for the rest of the world it is this new discovery. Noah Duran was 17 when he and a second teenager engaged in a fatal gunfight at a Northeast Albuquerque park. A judge on Tuesday sentenced Duran to 29 years in prison in the 2020 shooting death of 22-year-old Elijah Mirabal during what prosecutors described as a robbery-turned-homicide. A 2nd Judicial District Court jury apparently agreed with the prosecution and found Duran, now 19, guilty in September of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and other charges. District Judge Lucy Solimon said the sentencing decision was difficult because of the murky circumstances of the case and the fact that Duran was a juvenile at the time. Its really unclear who shot who first, Solimon said. However, there was the intent to rob Elijah (Mirabal) that night. Prosecutors argued at trial that Duran and his co-defendant lured Mirabal to the park, then shot him after gunfire erupted. Family members on Tuesday packed the courtroom and spilled into a second courtroom where the day-long sentencing hearing was shown on video monitors. Dozens of speakers recalled Mirabal and described the trauma of losing him to violence. Every day I have this pain, said Mirabals father, Thetus TW Mirabal. This is slowly killing me. The senior Mirabal wept at length and was comforted by his mother, Merlinda Mirabal. Your honor, this is what we go through every day, Merlinda told the judge. This was his only son. Jurors also found Duran guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, aggravated battery and shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Before he was sentenced, Duran spoke briefly and apologized to members of Mirabals family. I just want to say I am truly sorry, Duran said, speaking to the gallery. Im not the same kid I was two years ago, he told the judge. I just want a chance to prove that. Durans attorney, Ryan Villa, emphasized that Duran was a juvenile at the time of Mirabals killing. You have to remember that he was 17 at the time, Villa told Solimon. Villa told jurors at trial that Duran fired in self-defense after Mirabal fired four gunshots, seriously injuring Duran. Police arrested Duran after he underwent surgery at University of New Mexico Hospital for multiple gunshot wounds. Villa told jurors the encounter was simply a drug deal gone bad, but not a planned robbery. Duran and his co-defendant went to the park to buy cocaine from Mirabal, he said. Albuquerque police testified that Durans co-defendant used Snapchat, a social media app, to set up a drug deal with Mirabal at North Domingo Baca Park near Wyoming and Paseo del Norte NE. The co-defendant, Jason Sandoval, 20, also faces charges including first-degree murder and armed robbery. No trial has been scheduled in Sandovals case. Duran went to the park armed with a .300 Blackout AR-15-style rifle, which he used to fire 16 rounds at Mirabals car, striking Mirabal with multiple gunshots, including one to the head. Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, gave an unexpected interview with the BBC on Tuesday evening, April 11, in which he revealed some relevant bits about his term at the helm of the tech company. These include his sleeping on a sofa at the headquarters, the time he bought the company because he believed the court would order him to, and so on. The talk covered a wide variety of issues. This week marks the year anniversary of Musk's first bid to acquire Twitter, which was made in April of last year. Despite Musk's frequent criticism and dislike for the media, this interview is one of the most in-depth assessments he has provided about the firm since he formally took control over six months ago. Musk as a 'Workaholic' Musk has a history of working excessive hours during critical moments for his companies and is known to be a "workaholic." According to Gizmodo, the CEO has been quoted as saying that he slept on the floor of one of Tesla's factories before eventually moving to a bed beneath his desk so that employees could see him during work shifts. Musk also revealed to the BBC that he often sleeps at Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco. "There's a library that nobody goes to on the seventh floor, and there's a couch there. I sleep there sometimes." Read Also: Elon Musk: Twitter "Roughly Breaking Even" After Massive Layoffs From Purchasing to Running the Firm Musk spent much of 2022 defending his attempt to back out of the $44-billion plan to acquire Twitter. While he never stated so publicly, many believe that Musk finalized the purchase of Twitter in October 2022 after concluding that a judge would eventually order him to do so. Musk confirmed this in an interview with the BBC, saying that the process of acquiring the social media site was "quite entertaining," like a "soap opera." He said the initial response was, "Hell no, you can't buy Twitter. We'd rather die." However, there seemed to be a change of heart because these people eventually asked Musk to buy the company, which he thought was odd at the time. Mass layoffs at Twitter, which affected thousands of people, including many longtime employees, have been one of the company's largest and sad stories in recent months. Musk claims there were less than 8,000 people working for Twitter when he took over as CEO in October 2022, and there are presently about 1,500, as featured on Reuters. The CEO admitted to the BBC that it was difficult to fire so many employees. "No fun at all. It's painful." Twitter vs. US Media Regarding Twitter's new labels for non-profit journalism that receives public or government financing, Musk told the BBC he would alter the labels once again. During the last week, Musk has been at odds with the BBC and US media sources over the labeling, including NPR, PBC, and Voice of America News. The fiasco started when Twitter suddenly labeled NPR's profile as "state-affiliated media," the same title given to well-known official propaganda sources like China's Xinhua News or Russia's RT. On Wednesday morning, April 12, NPR announced in a statement that it would be closing its Twitter accounts. Read Also: Elon Musk Sued By Former Twitter CEO For Over $1M Legal Fees @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ten months elapsed between the death of an Albuquerque infant and charges being filed against the mother despite drugs being found in the systems of the mother, the infant and three other children at the time. The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families agency was called in, but no charges were filed and the surviving children remained in the home. It wasnt until March when one of the children was brought to day care smelling of pot and found to have meth in her system that Victoria Romero, 39, is facing charges. This time CYFD took custody of the children for 48 hours, but then returned them to the mother before she was arrested. Here are the details: In June 2022, detectives investigated when a 7-month-old suffocated after falling between the bed and window sill at an Albuquerque home. The babys mother, Romero, two of her other children and a grandchild, all tested positive for methamphetamine at the time, according to police. The children were between the ages of 1 and 3 years old. The Albuquerque Police Department and CYFD were aware of the results, but no criminal charges were filed and the children remained in the home. Months later the babys autopsy showed meth was also in his system and significantly contributed to his death. An APD detective was made aware of those results but, again, no criminal charges were filed. But on March 15, Romeros granddaughter came to day care smelling of pot and tested positive for meth, for the second time in a year. Following that incident, Romero was charged in last years death of her son, identified in court records as Elijah, and for the drugs found in the systems of the other three children. APD did not respond to several questions on the matter. CYFD, citing a state statute, would not comment or answer questions. Romero is behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center on a charge of child abuse resulting in death and four counts of child abuse not resulting in death. It is unclear if she has an attorney. Childrens lives in danger Romeros children and grandchildren were removed from the home by CYFD last week for a 48-hour hold, but were later returned to her care, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Thats because, according to police, the death of Elijah in June could not be included in CYFDs decision as it had been closed within their system prior to Romero being charged. The final decision was CYFD did not have legal grounds to keep children in state custody, according to the April 7 complaint. It is unclear where the children are now. Meanwhile, prosecutors filed a motion Saturday to keep Romero behind bars until trial, saying she put all of her childrens lives in danger, ultimately resulting in the death of one of them. It is clear that (Romero) values her ability to abuse illegal drugs more than she does the safety of her own children, according to the motion. Meth in their systems The investigation dates back to nearly a year ago. Police responded on June 17 to an apartment complex near Wyoming and Comanche NE after Romero reported Elijah was not breathing. The younger children told police they found the 7-month-old between the window sill and bed with Romero sleeping next to him. A CYFD-ordered urine test showed Romero had used meth and ecstacy and a hair follicle test on her two remaining children and grandchild found meth in their systems, according to the complaint. An autopsy for Elijah released in November ruled the death accidental but found the meth in the babys system significantly contributed. Police records said a detective received the autopsy, and was already aware of the other childrens drug test results, but its unclear if further investigation was done at that time. On March 15, CYFD was notified when Romeros granddaughter, identified as MK, came to day care smelling of marijuana with red and droopy eyes, according to the complaint. During a welfare check, Romero told an officer skunks had been spraying around the home but she reportedly called Animal Control only after CYFD responded to the day care incident. Police said CYFD ordered a hair follicle test for MK, which once again found meth, as well as marijuana, in her system. A safety plan was initiated by CYFD officials, who placed all the children, the granddaughter and Romeros 17-year-old daughter with other relatives. By April 4 the safety plan expired and CYFD returned the children to the care of Romero, who refused to take a drug test or allow her two children to be tested, according to the complaint. It was around this time that the detective investigating the most recent case was made aware of the previous death of Romeros baby. CYFD returns children In light of MKs second failed drug test, police said Romeros refusal to take a drug test and have her children tested was extremely concerning. A detective decided to take the teen daughter and children into state custody on a 48-hour hold. When police went to gather the children on April 6, their heads were shaved, and Romero said they had cut it themselves when left alone, according to the complaint. CYFD found the hair was too short for a follicle test, which can detect drugs much longer, and a urine test came up clean for both children. Police said the children told them they have seen Romero smoking but did not elaborate. Detectives believe Romero possibly cut the childrens hair to prevent a follicle test. After the 48-hour hold and with clean urine tests, CYFD discussed the potential to petition the court to keep the children in state custody or release them back to Romero, according to the complaint. CYFD found they could not include the June death of Romeros son in their evaluation as it was closed within their system and she had completed all CYFD requirements to have her children returned to her care. Police said only the day care incident and what has happened since could be used in CYFDs evaluation and the final decision was CYFD did not have legal grounds to keep the children in state custody. Its been more than five months since Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller proposed a series of significant zoning code changes meant to address the citys housing shortage. Heres an update of where things stand: What exactly is Keller proposing? The mayor is pushing for a range of updates. The changes getting the most attention would allow for greater density in the citys prevalent single-family home zone (R-1). Kellers bill would enable duplexes or buildings with two residences throughout R-1. It would also allow casitas or accessory dwelling units on single-family lots in R-1, except in neighborhoods that already have specific rules governing such buildings. Duplexes and casitas would become an inherent, or permissive, land use in R-1, meaning property owners could add them without a public hearing. The mayor is also pursuing changes affecting multi-family housing development. The bill would make it easier to redevelop hotels and other commercial buildings into housing by loosening kitchen requirements. New apartments created by such conversions would only need a microwave or a hot plate rather than a range or oven. His proposal also seeks to dramatically reduce the amount of parking spaces developers must provide for certain multi-family buildings or in some cases completely eliminate the parking requirement and to do away with height limits for multi-family projects in certain zones. What is the status of the proposal? The proposal remains in its original condition, but elected officials now could begin making changes. The bill was formally introduced to the city council in November. The citys Environmental Planning Commission an appointed citizen body has since discussed it at two public meetings and recommended the city council approve it but make some specific tweaks first. The councils Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee (LUPZ) will hear the bill at its meeting Wednesday. The committee could adopt amendments, altering the bill on its way to the full city council. The city council could take a final vote as early as next month based on the current timeline; however, councilors could still slow down the process. How might the bill change going forward? The EPC recommended the city council make several adjustments to the legislation, some minor and some major. Notably, it urged the council to scratch provisions that wouldve reduced parking space requirements at multi-family complexes. The EPC also recommended the council deny the mayors proposal to eliminate some multi-family building height limits; however, it proposed granting measured height bonuses for projects in certain areas. Officials are taking some of the advice. Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn wants to strike the bills existing language on parking requirements. But she seeks to replace it with a related provision that would lower the citys minimum multifamily parking requirement by 30%. Kellers administration has also rethought the bills original parking provisions. It is proposing to remove them but add language granting a 20% parking exemption to apartment developers building affordable housing in certain areas. Those are among 10 amendments slated for discussion at Wednesdays meeting. Councilor Renee Grout has a few proposed amendments. She is pushing to remove the duplex allowance in R-1. She also wants to make casitas conditional rather than permissive and require casitas resemble the primary residence in color and material. Police are investigating a shooting that left one person dead Tuesday afternoon in Albuquerques International District. Albuquerque Police officers were dispatched at about 4:50 p.m. to the 400 block of Chama SE in reference to a male subject reportedly being shot, spokesman Daren DeAguero said in a release. Officers found one person dead at the scene. The person wasnt identified. No other information was released. Two men who were locked up in the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton are alleging that they were beaten up and sexually assaulted by several guards following a shake down of their unit in April 2021. The men, Carl Berry and Steve Watkins, have each filed lawsuits against a total of six correctional officers. They are being represented by attorneys with the New Mexico Prison & Jail Project, which held a news conference Tuesday to announce Berrys lawsuit was filed in federal court. Watkins lawsuit was filed in state court in September but is expected to transfer to federal court. Attorney Mallory Gagan with the New Mexico Prison & Jail Project said the officers started this fight when they went into the pod to stir up trouble and then retaliated against Berry when he protested what he saw the officers doing. During an eight minute, unrecorded encounter in his closed cell the defendants sexually abused and humiliated Carl, Gagan said. They assaulted him and they sprayed him repeatedly in the face with pepper spray while they were forcibly holding him down on the ground. The lawsuits ask for unspecified damages. They allege Berrys and Watkins right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment and right to freedom of expression were violated and that the officers battered them. Berry, a 45-year-old from Hobbs, is still serving an 11-year sentence after pleading guilty to armed robbery in 2016. He is now being held in Roswell Correctional Center. Watkins, a 47-year-old from Clovis, was serving a year sentence after violating probation in a misdemeanor domestic violence case. He is now on probation again. In response to questions about the allegations, as well as whether the six officers named between the two lawsuits still work at the New Mexico Corrections Department, a spokeswoman said she is unable to comment on pending litigation or personnel matters. She said all but one of the officers Bernardo Villegas are still with the corrections department. According to both lawsuits, on April 15, 2021, Villegas and fellow correctional officers Christian Trujillo, Emanuele Bobbio, Danny Pelayo, Joseph Vigil and Ashley Lawrence entered the pod Berry and Watkins were housed in and announced they would be doing a shake down. The officers told another inmate to step out of his cell and put his hands on the wall and then began yelling at him and calling him names. One officer pressed his body against the inmates backside, according to the lawsuit. Thats when Berry, Watkins and others began yelling at the officers to leave the inmate alone. The officers then entered Watkins cell and handcuffed him while calling him names, according to the lawsuit he filed. While he was cuffed, one of the Defendants hit Steve in the back of the head, the complaint states. Defendants then threw Steve on the floor. He landed on his shoulder. Defendants then started punching and kicking Steve. According to the lawsuit Officer Pelayo grabbed Watkins by the penis and testicles, Officer Trujillo stomped on his leg, another officer hit him twice in the right eye and then they pepper sprayed him. After the attack, Watkins was put in solitary confinement for seven days. As for Berry, his lawsuit alleges that after the officers beat up Watkins they entered his cell and told him to put his hands against the wall while Officer Pelayo pressed his crotch up against his backside. Defendant Pelayo lifted Mr. Berry off the ground and slammed him down, the complaint states. Defendants Trujillo, Bobbio, and Pelayo began kicking, punching, and beating Mr. Berry while he was on the ground. Mr. Berry heard Defendant Trujillo instruct Defendant Pelayo he tried to hit you, okay? Defendant Lawrence sprayed Mr. Berry with pepper spray. While Berry was on the ground Officer Bobbio placed his foot on his back and then taunted him, saying let me guess, you cant breathe which the lawsuit alleges was a reference to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Berry was also put in solitary confinement for seven days. Both he and Watkins filed complaints under the Prison Rape Elimination Act and the lawsuit states that Berrys claim was unsubstantiated. Its unclear what happened with Watkins claim. This incident happened at the same time that Chauvin was on trial in Minnesota, and the attorneys who filed the suit said that asking Berry if he cant breathe was a horrible, racist threat. Mr. Berry thought he was going to die and why wouldnt he? I mean the officers must have been watching Derek Chauvins trial and they knew about it, said attorney Steven Allen. He thought that in his words that he was going to be next. That kind of terrorizing of Black prisoner in a prison here in New Mexico is completely unacceptable. DUNDALK, Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden returned to his ancestral home of Ireland on Wednesday, welcomed back by thousands of cheering people who lined up four and five deep for hours in the cold rain in hopes of getting a glimpse, a photo or even the slightest touch from him. In the town of Dundalk, County Louths most famous descendant declared: I dont know why the hell my ancestors left here. Its beautiful. Bidens mothers family comes from this part of Ireland, and he appeared overjoyed by the break from Washingtons grind and the dive into his Irish heritage, which he often cites as a driving force in his public and private life. The buoyant president popped into several shops and restaurants on Dundalks town square, and stretched over barricades for hand shakes, small talk and pictures. Children were perched on the shoulders of adults and some people stretched their hands as far as they could, hoping for the slightest bit of contact with Biden. He toured a food hall and later met up with some of his cousins at a pub. A large Welcome Joe sign perched on a rooftop seemed to sum up the town sentiment. It feels like home, Biden said from behind a lectern at Windsor Bar and Restaurant, where he reminisced about the values he said he learned from his parents. His sister Valerie and son Hunter sat in the front row of the small audience. He acknowledged that his ancestors emigrated to the United States to escape famine, but added, When youre here, you wonder why anyone would ever want to leave. And he jokingly delivered bad news, saying: Well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. A similar scene played out earlier Wednesday a short drive away in Carlingford, a seaside village where the cry of bagpipes welcomed him on a cold, wet and windy afternoon. Biden gazed out at the water from the stone balcony of Carlingford Castle, which would have been the last Irish landmark that Owen Finnegan, Bidens maternal great-great-grandfather, saw before sailing for New York in 1849. A wooden sign on the road to the castle welcomed Cousin Joe. It feels like Im coming home, Biden said as he was led on a tour and looked out over Carlingford Lough, a bay that empties into the Irish Sea. As for the soggy weather, Its fine! Its Ireland! Biden said. County Louth is the home of Bidens mothers family, the Finnegans. According to a genealogy released by the White House, the presidents great-great-great-grandparents lived in Templetown and were married in 1813. Their grandson, James Finnegan, born in 1840, emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 9 years old. The Finnegans settled in Seneca County, New York. James married Catherine Roche in 1846; they were Bidens great-grandparents. Bidens mother was Catherine Eugenia Finnegan. In Dundalk, Jerome McAteer, who owns the Food House with his husband Bobby Wain, said Biden bought lemon meringue, chocolate eclairs, bread and butter pudding, pear and almond cake, as well as a mug with an image of a dog on it. Biden paid with a 50 euro note and gave a 10 euro tip to some of the workers who have special needs, McAteer said, adding that the president talked a lot about his Irish background. Asked if Biden was how he expected, McAteer said: He was taller, he was younger looking, he had amazing teeth. The atmosphere is great, said Sandra Coalme. She was outside with her friend Marguerite Howard, who added that despite the Irish rain, the sun is shining really in our hearts, before she joked that there is no show like a Joe show! People cheered as the motorcade snaked its way through narrow streets adorned with U.S. flags. Hes one of the Irish, hes one of us, said local pharmacist Sheila McQuillan. Its lovely to see him again. Its wonderful, a big turnout considering the weather. Biden arrived in the Republic of Ireland after an appearance Wednesday in Northern Ireland. He had planned to visit a cemetery in County Louth, but scrapped that because of bad weather. He spent a total of about three hours in Carlingford and Dundalk, about as much time as it took for round-trip drive from Dublin. Biden is spending three days in Ireland on his first visit back as president. He planned to meet with Irelands leaders, address parliament in Dublin and attend a gala dinner on Thursday, and visit County Mayo, another ancestral area on the west coast, on Friday before returning to Washington. He had visited in 2016, near the end of his term as U.S. vice president, with a much larger contingent of his family, including all of his grandchildren. This time he was accompanied by just his sister and son. His wife, Jill, remained in Washington. Irelands prime minister greeted Biden on Wednesday after he landed at Dublins airport. The president then went to a nearby fire station, where children of U.S. Embassy employees held American and Irish flags and signs that said welcome home. According to the Irish Family History Centre, Biden is among the most Irish of all U.S. Presidents. Ten of his 16 great-great grandparents were from the Emerald Isle. Biden is particularly fond of quoting Irish poetry, especially Seamus Heaney. Earlier Wednesday, Biden marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The U.S.-brokered deal brought peace to a member of the United Kingdom where years of sectarian violence known as the Troubles left some 3,600 people killed in bombings and other attacks. But recent political turmoil has left Northern Ireland without a functioning government, rattling the foundations of the Good Friday Agreement. In addition, a top police official was shot and injured in February, an attack that authorities have blamed on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process. The enemies of peace will not prevail, Biden said. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. ___ Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Jill Lawless in London and David Keyton in Dundalk, Ireland, contributed to this report. Instagram Celebrity 'Vanderpump Rules' star Katie is fuming at her former husband Tom and her pal Raquel for hooking up, insisting he 'crossed every f****** line' by romancing their mutual friend. Apr 12, 2023 AceShowbiz - Katie Maloney feels Tom Schwartz "crossed every f****** line" when he kissed Raquel Leviss. The 36-year-old star - who was married to Tom between 2019 and 2022 - blasted her ex-husband in an upcoming episode of "Vanderpump Rules". "What he did crossed every f****** line. There's no coming back from this. I've sat them both down, tears in my eyes," Katie said. Katie and Tom, 40, previously agreed that they wouldn't hook up with anyone who is in their friendship group. Katie also confessed to being angry with Raquel, 28. She said in a clip from the upcoming episode, "I want to light them both on f****** fire." Tom and Raquel locked lips when the cast took a trip to Mexico in August 2022. The TV star recently confessed to regretting the kiss. He said on "Watch What Happens Live" with Andy Cohen, "In hindsight, I don't think it was [worth it]." Tom also regretted hurting his ex-wife. He shared, "I never wanted to hurt Katie. The fallout I got, the blowback I got from that kiss, my God!" Meanwhile, it recently emerged that Raquel also had a months-long affair with Tom Sandoval, which prompted his split from Ariana Madix. Raquel subsequently took to social media to issue an apology. The reality star wrote on Instagram, "I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana (sic)." Raquel also promised to reflect on her mistakes. She said, "I am reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counselor and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved." "I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices." You can share this post! Cover Images/Dave Allocca Celebrity The 'Place Beyond the Pines' actress won't be posing for pictures with her husband on the red carpet when he attends the upcoming premieres of his new movie 'Barbie'. Apr 12, 2023 AceShowbiz - Eva Mendes feels awkward posing for photos with her husband Ryan Gosling. The 49-year-old model tied the knots with"Barbie" star Ryan, 42, but, after a fan reached out to her to express their hope that she would pose with him on the red carpet when his upcoming movie premieres, she revealed that would not happen and the only photos she posts of the pair of them are the ones that have already been published. "What a cool comment, thank you! But we don't do those things together. Like these photos I've been posting, I'm only comfortable posting them because they're already out there," she replied to the fan on Twitter. When questioned by another fan exactly what she meant by "not comfortable," "The Place Beyond the Pines" star - who has daughters Esmerelda, eight, and six-year-old Amada with Ryan - went on explain that she does not wish to expose their "very private life" to the cameras but admitted she would like to star in another movie with her husband. She said, "By 'not comfortable', I mean exposing the very private life that we value. I'm still dying to do another movie with him though!" Eva has a long tradition of being guarded about her private life during her time in the public eye and her comments about shunning red carpets together comes just months after it was reported that the pair had secretly tied the knot a number of years ago without announcing it to the world. She was asked about the marriage gossip in an interview on Australian radio's "The Kyle and Jackie O Show" in November with stand-in co-host Brittany Hockley asking the actress, "There's a rumour that you guys might have secretly tied the knot. Is that true?" Eve then replied, "But who says we weren't already? I like to keep it all mysterious." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The 'Dallas Buyers Club' actor remembers his reaction when his glass and plate were suddenly suspended in the air as the aircraft he was on dropped 4,000 feet. Apr 12, 2023 AceShowbiz - Matthew McConaughey was stunned after a flight he was on dropped 4,000 feet. The 53-year-old actor was flying on the Lufthansa aircraft in early March along with his wife Camila Alves, 41, when the flight suffered a massive drop, and he has now opened up about having "no control" over the situation as he was held down solely by his tray table because there was no warning for passengers to fasten their seatbelts. "It's suspended disbelief. I mean, it's zero gravity. Your red wine and the glass and the plates that your food was on are all suspended, floating, still just in the air. And to look at it for that long, which wasn't that long --one, two, three, four [seconds] - and then everything just comes crashing down," he said on SiriusXM's "Let's Talk Off Camera" podcast with Kelly Ripa. "It was a hell of a scare, That 100% feeling that you have no way to get control of this situation the moment. My tray table is what held me down. I did not have my seatbelt on, and there was not a seatbelt warning right before it happened. I immediately reached over, made sure Camila had her seatbelt on." The "Gold" star went on to add that he happened to also be in the company of a friend who is a pilot, who was able to diffuse his panic as he explained that the aircraft was in fact able to hold such a drop. He added, "As a person who's not a pilot, my mind goes to the actual engineering of the plane. The steel, it buckled. And you go, 'How can something withstand that?' I happened to have a friend of mine sitting next to me who was a pilot. And he was calm as could be." "I was like, 'Can the plane hold that?' And he was like, 'These things are so tested, that yes, don't worry, the plane structurally can hold that.' That was a big relief. I was like, 'If something's wrong, can you fly this thing?' And he was like, 'No problem.' And I was like, 'Great, love to hear that!' " You can share this post! Columbia Pictures Movie The 'King Richard' star looks in good spirits as he's photographed on the set of the upcoming buddy cop action movie in Atlanta, reprising his role as Det. Mike Lowrey. Apr 12, 2023 AceShowbiz - Will Smith has moved past the brouhaha over his Oscars slap with work. The Academy Award-winning actor has reported for duty as he's pictured filming "Bad Boys 4" for the first time. On Tuesday, April 11, the 54-year-old was spotted on the set in Atlanta. Dressing fully in character as Detective Lieutenant Michael Eugene "Mike" Lowrey, he looked happy as he was all smiles while interacting with his co-stars and the crew. Smith sported a black short-sleeved button-down shirt which was left unbuttoned on top of a black T-shirt or tank top. He also wore a medium-sized silver chain necklace, a silver bracelet and a watch as he held his phone in one hand and carried a water bottle in his other hand. The "Emancipation" star had a big smile on his face as he chatted up with a guy who was wearing a gray Nike sweater. Martin Lawrence, who is set to reprise his role as Mike's partner and best friend Detective Lieutenant Marcus Miles Burnett, was not seen filming a scene with Smith that day. "Bad Boys 4" is the first movie that Smith has been filming since he was embroiled in drama regarding his behavior at the 2022 Academy Awards. At last year's ceremony, he slapped Chris Rock on stage when the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head while presenting an award. Smith went on to win his first Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of Serena Williams and Venus Williams, in "King Richard". However, he was then banned from all Academy events for 10 years. In late January, Smith and Lawrence announced that "Bad Boys 4" got a green light. "Bad Boys for Life" directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah return to helm from a script by Chris Bremner. Jerry Bruckheimer, Smith for Westbrook, Doug Belgrad and Chad Oman are back producing, with Lawrence, James Lassiter, Mike Stenson, Barry Waldman and Jon Mone serving as executive producers. Vanessa Hudgens has also been confirmed to return as Kelly, a weapons expert of AMMO. Meanwhile, Eric Dane was recently announced to star as the villain, but the plot is still kept under wraps. No release date is set for the fourth installment of the "Bad Boys" franchise, which kicked off with the first film in 1995, just yet. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The 26-year-old hip-hop artist allegedly broke into his mother's home and fired shots inside the house, hitting his mom, sister and brother, before the scheduled release of his music video. Apr 13, 2023 AceShowbiz - A Virginia rapper is making headlines for doing the unthinkable. The hip-hop star, who went by the name EGYPXN, reportedly shot his family and released a music video before being gunned down by police. According to ABC 8 News, the artist, born Tiye Adam Washington II, broke into his mother's home on Tuesday, March 28. He then fired shots inside the house, hitting his mother Tyesha Hall, his 21-year-old sister and his 12-year-old brother. EGYPXN later fled the scene, prompting a citywide search for the 26-year-old by law enforcement. His family members were transported to VCU Medical Critical Care to treat their life-threatening injuries and are reportedly still in recovery. While the manhunt was still ongoing, his "Be Free" music video was released. According to The Source, the release of the visuals was pre-scheduled and it has since garnered over 43k views on YouTube. On Thursday, March 30, authorities located EGYPXN in Rutherford County, North California. A shootout ensued, during which he was shot and killed. A police officer was also injured in the standoff. Just one day before his demise, the star uploaded a message to Instagram to express his "last request." He penned, "My last request from humanity is that you seriously evaluate the care you have for each other. If this species is to ever evolve you must stop eating animals, stop warring with each other and take care of mother earth." He continued, "Overthrow this sadistic government and rebuild. On a fresh foundation. Its time for me to rest now." The motive of this violence is still unclear as a family friend, Tamara Harris, said, "To my knowledge, there were no issues that would have led to such a tragic event." Another family friend, Roneece Walker-Jewett, weighed in on the tragedy, "I didn't believe them, and I called [Tyesha's] ex-husband, and he actually got on the scene. I can hear the paramedics in the background saying (...) 'female, two shots to the chest.' " You can share this post! Apple has seen a significant drop in computer shipments in the first quarter of 2023, based on the latest industry report. Specifically, the Cupertino tech giant slashed more than 40 percent of its MacBook shipments in the early months of this year, which represents a further dip in MacBook sales compared to the same period in 2022. Apple's Decline in Shipments the Biggest Among PC Manufacturers for Q1 2023 As reported by Gizmodo, worldwide MacBook shipments in the first quarter of 2023 fell by 40.5%, according to the industry report published by IDC. It also appears that Apple is not the only PC manufacturer that had to scale down its shipments amid a decreasing consumer demand. ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo also saw a double-digit decrease in computer shipments for the same period. Unfortunately for Apple, its shipment drop was the most significant among the PC makers. Dell, HP, ASUS and Lenovo all cut down their shipments by about 25% versus Apple's 40%. Furthermore, the IDC report shows that the number of Apple MacBook shipments fell from 6.9 million to 4.1 million in 2023. Consequently, Apple's computer market share dipped from 8.6% to 7.2% for the first quarter of 2023. The shipment in question includes computer units that were made for both industry and individual sales. However, the IDC report only considered the MacBook shipments, while the tablet and smartphone units have been disregarded. Gizmodo also noted that the significant drop in shipments could be linked to Apple stopping the production of M2 series processors for MacBooks. Reports suggested that the tech giant only began to manufacture proprietary silicon at half of the usual rate in March. Related Article: Apple Reports Decrease in iPad Sales, Increase in Mac Sales Apple, Other PC Makers to See Improvements by the End of 2023 Despite the shipment cuts, the IDC report noted that Apple and other computer manufacturers could use weaker demands as an opportunity to set out new production plans and apply changes in the supply chain. The companies will also get the chance to persuade their suppliers to move their operations to other locations outside of China, as per CNBC. Prior to the release of the IDC report, Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri already expected that the company would see a double-digit decline in computer sales for the first quarter of 2023. Maestri made this pronouncement in February, following the decline in MacBook revenue by 28.66% in Q4 2022. Apple CEO Tim Cook also noted earlier that the poor performance of the MacBook, iPhone and Apple Watch in the market could be attributed to the "challenging macroeconomic environment. According to the IDC report, the shipment decline "represented a coda to the era of COVID-driven demand and at least a temporary return to pre-COVID patterns." At this point, PC manufacturers should expect low numbers in the near term. "Even with heavy discounting, channels and PC makers can expect elevated inventory to persist into the middle of the year and potentially into the third quarter," IDC researcher Jitesh Ubrani stated in the industry report. Although, computer manufacturers are expected to recover by the end of year. Read Also: Apple Might Launch First MacBook With OLED Display in 2024, Kuo Predicts Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi yesterday (April 10, 2023) gave the go ahead to the states law banning online gambling as well as regulation of online games. As per media reports, following the recommendations of retired Judge K Chandru-led committee, an ordinance banning online gambling was promulgated by the Tamil Nadu Governor on October 1, 2022. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a Bill on October 19 to replace the Ordinance, which was sent to the Governor. Reacting to this development, Malay Kumar Shukla, Secretary, E-Gaming Federation, said, It is extremely unfortunate and a disappointing development for the online gaming industry. The legislation passed by the TN legislature incorrectly categorises Rummy and Poker as a game of chance. The legal jurisprudence in this regard set by the Honble Supreme Court of India and several High Courts, clearly stipulates that games like Poker and Rummy are games of skill. In its detailed judgment in August 2021, the Honble High Court of Madras also reaffirmed that the preponderance test for distinguishing between games of skill and games of chance needs to be applied. Games of skill are protected under Article 19(1)(g) and are different from gambling activities. Continuing further, Shukla said, The fact that Rummy and Poker games are listed for prohibition as games of chance or gambling under this new legislation runs contrary to the decision of the Honble Madras High Court and the Honble Supreme Court. The online gaming industry has always been unequivocal in its readiness for a progressive regulatory framework by the government. We are examining the legislation and shall be taking appropriate action based on legal advice in due course of time. It may be noted here that on April 6, 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had issued a fresh Advisory warning against advertisements of online betting and gambling. Advertisements of betting platforms in violation of Indian laws, reiterated the Ministry and advised all media formats, including newspapers, television channels, and online news publishers, and showed specific examples where such advertisements have appeared in the media in recent times, to refrain from promoting betting platforms. The Ministry had earlier issued Advisories in the months of June and October, 2022 stating that betting and gambling are illegal, and hence direct or surrogate advertisements of such activities falls foul of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Press Council Act 1978, Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and other relevant statutes. Come Summer, Sony BBC Earth has planned some amazing line-up of shows making the vacation season merrier for its viewers. The channel has curated a special Earth Day line-up under its campaign Care For Earth, Care For Life. The shows aim at raising awareness about pressing environmental issues and encouraging viewers to protect the planet. The content line-up includes four thought-provoking and informative shows, each highlighting the various challenges that our planet is facing today. Water Brothers takes viewers on a global water adventure, showcasing the threat to our water sources and making people realize the value of water. Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline sees Ade Adepitan travel to the frontlines of climate change to understand its impact on people's lives and search for solutions. Ocean Rescue provides a worldwide perspective on humankind's changing relationship with the sea, and sheds light on the devastating results of plastic pollution in oceans. It presents inspiring stories of people working to make a difference. Stacey Dooley Investigates: Fashion's Dirty Secrets exposes the hidden costs of the fast-fashion industry and how it affects our planet. Additionally, Sony BBC Earth has premiered a diverse set of shows which cater to the interests of viewers. With a focus on intriguing stories from the past and modern-day manufacturing marvels, viewers can expect to be entertained, educated, and inspired. The 'Treasures Decoded Series 7' unearths some of our childhood's most intriguing, fabled stories in order to reveal historical secrets. In contrast, Inside the Factory promises to take viewers on an exciting journey deep into some of the world's most fascinating modern factories. Watch the special Earth Day line-up airing from 22nd April onwards from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Federal Department of Home Affairs Bern, 12.04.2023 - In view of Switzerlands ongoing efforts to support to the Great Lakes Region and its seat on the UN Security Council, President Alain Berset will be visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On 13 April, he will meet with President Felix Tshisekedi. In addition to bilateral relations, topics of discussion will focus on the UN Mission for Stabilisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), to which Switzerland deploys police forces and deminers. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa. Switzerlands efforts to promote peace and sustainable development in the Great Lakes Region include a regional programme and humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peacebuilding instruments. Established in 1999, MONUSCO is currently one of the UNs largest peacekeeping missions. It faces a challenging operational environment and is occasionally targeted by disinformation campaigns. In December, the UN Security Council extended the mission for a further year. The meeting with President Tshisekedi will be an opportunity to take stock of the situation and to discuss the UN missions medium-term orientation and the difficult security situation in eastern Congo. Protecting civilians in conflict areas Mr Berset will then travel to Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Discussions will focus on MONUSCOs tasks and on the protection of the civilian population in conflict areas. In mid-May, Mr Berset will chair a UN Security Council meeting on this topic. After the presidential visit to Mozambique in February, Mr Bersets visit to the DRC is the second to take place in this context. The purpose of these trips is to exchange views with authorities at different levels, international organisations and NGOs. During his visit to the DRC, Mr Berset will also meet with Swiss forces deployed to MONUSCO. In Bukavu, the capital of the eastern province of South Kivu, he will meet with regional authorities and partner organisations to discuss projects supported by Switzerland. A meeting is also scheduled to take place with Dr Denis Mukwege, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Address for enquiries GS-FDHA Communications, tel. +41 58 462 85 79, media@gs-edi.admin.ch Gianna Blum, Co-Head of FDHA Communications, +41 79 263 23 80, gianna.blum@gs-edi.admin.ch Publisher Federal Department of Home Affairs http://www.edi.admin.ch Armasuisse Bern, 12.04.2023 - On 12 and 13 April 2023, National Armaments Director Martin Sonderegger will receive his counterpart from Finland, Tarja Jaakola, for a bilateral meeting. Talks will focus on the procurement strategy among other topics. The meeting will take place in Thun and Bern. National armaments director Martin Sonderegger will receive his counterpart from Finland, Tarja Jaakkola, for bilateral talks. The meeting will take place on 12 April 2023 in Thun and on 13 April 2023 Bern. In addition to the national armaments director, the Head of the specialised service Aeronautical Systems, Vice Director and Head of the Air2030 Programme, Peter Winter, will also take part on the Swiss side. While the delegation is visiting the competence domain armasuisse Science and Technology in Thun on Wednesday, the bilateral meeting will take place on Thursday, during which current topics such as the political situation in Europe will be discussed. In addition, the Swiss side will provide information on the status of the Air2030 Programme and the Joint F/A-18 Life Cycle Plan. The agenda also includes talks regarding other topics such as medium range ground-based air defence and the Leopard 2 Working Group. The last bilateral meeting between Finland and Switzerland took place on 18 November 2021 in Helsinki. The goal was to maintain and strengthen good relations with Finland. Both the status of armaments cooperations and the further procedure for individual projects were discussed, and experiences and challenges in dealing with the procurement and use of complex military systems were shared. Information on future procurement projects and strategies was also reviewed. Address for enquiries Kaj-Gunnar Sievert Head of Communications armasuisse Tel. +41 58 464 62 47 Publisher Armasuisse http://www.ar.admin.ch/ General Secretariat DDPS https://www.vbs.admin.ch/ Allen John Hoe, accused of a 2020 murder in Monroe County, was granted bail in the case, but now finds himself back in prison. The Monroe County Sheriffs Office says Hoe is back in custody after he was caught trying to smuggle cellphones, lighters and other contraband into the Monroe County Detention Facility. The sheriffs office says Hoe attempted to smuggle the items into the prison via the lobby restroom, but he was recognized by the jail staff and they thwarted his plan before the items made it into the inmate housing area. Hoe is now charged with multiple counts of promoting prison contraband and his bond for the murder charge has been revoked. According to the sheriffs office, Hoe was arrested in late July 2020 and charged with murder in a June 2020 domestic incident in which police say Hoe shot and killed someone before shooting himself in the head. He was taken into custody after being released from the hospital. Commentary: How can U.S. democracy suffering chronic ill convince world? Xinhua) 15:37, April 12, 2023 BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, former U.S. President Donald Trumpwas arraigned recently at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, becoming the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted. The historic indictment revealed that political polarization and fierce partisan fight are aggravating in the United States, further tearing apart American society and causing decline of public confidence inAmerican democracy. Despite facing mounting problems of political dysfunction and social division at home,the U.S., claimingto be the beacon of democracy, has alwayspeddled and imposed its democracy around the globe, only to create instability and chaos for other countries. U.S. democracy suffers "chronic ills" The myth of democracy the U.S. built around itself has long collapsed. In the United States, deep-rooted problems such as political polarization, money politics, racial discrimination, gun violence, widened wealth gaps, among others, remain entrenched in society. These maladies afflicting American democracyfurther revealed U.S. governance failure and institutional defects. The Brookings Institution concludes in a 2022 report that the once proud American democracy is facing a systemic crisis andis accelerating its decline. Political polarization, especially the polarization of bipartisan politics, constitutes one of the most salient features of American politics. The Democratic and Republican Parties are increasingly at odds in many aspects. Politicians put the interests of their political parties and factions above those of the country and attack and pin blames on each other. Minutes after the indictment was announced last week, Trump, who is running for the White House for the third time, released a lengthy statement calling it part of a "witch hunt." He has repeatedly assailed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and egged on supporters to protest in the past weeks. Republicans have rallied behind Trump, criticizing that the justice system has been weaponized by the Democratic Party for political purposes. The unprecedented indictment of the former president showcased the dysfunction of American democracy amid increasingly extreme political polarization. "Trump's criminal indictment unleashes a bitter new phase in American politics," wrote Stephen Collinson, a reporter for CNN Politics covering the White House, in an analysis, adding that it "creates a uniquely perilous moment for a polarized republic already repeatedly driven to the brink." Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group listed "Divided States of America" as one of the top risks for 2023 in a recent report, saying the United States "remains one of the most politically polarized and dysfunctional of the world's advanced industrial democracies." The 118th House speaker was elected after four days' chaos and 15 rounds of voting by members of Congress, fully exposing the deep political polarization in the country. Brad Bannon, president of a U.S. political consultancy, put it bluntly, "The impasse in the U.S. House of Representatives over the election of the Speaker is another demonstration of the decline in our political institutions." American elections have become a game for the rich with money in elections setting a new record. According to an analysis published by OpenSecrets, the total cost of the 2022 state and federal midterm elections was nearly 17 billion dollars, the most expensive election in history. "A government of the people, by the people, for the people," the ideal democratic government of the United States depicted by then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in his landmark Gettysburg Address, has become "of the 1 percent, by the 1 percent, and for the 1 percent". American democracy has increasingly degenerated into a "democracy for the few", where only the power-holders, the rich, and the political elite have a final say. Despite a right to vote, the public does not have real sway over politics. Helene Landemore, a political theorist at Yale University, wrote in an article published by the Foreign Policy magazine in December 2021 that American democracy lacks "people's power," and that only the very rich, a very small part of the population, can use their very high economic status to push for a set of policy priorities that serve themselves. Americans are increasingly disillusioned with their own democracy. Up to 67 percent of Americans think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, showed a poll by The Quinnipiac University Poll on Aug. 31, 2022. According to a Pew Center poll, 65 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. democratic system needs major reforms, while 57 percent believe the U.S. is no longer a model of democracy. Export democracy to bully the world All those deep-rooted democratic ills have made narrative of American democracy even less convincing. How can the self-proclaimed shining city on a hill shine light on others when it is unable to illuminate its own backyard? Instead of reflecting on those problems facing its own democracy, the United States continues to export American democratic values to other countries, and use democracy as a tool to serve its own agenda, which has created divisions and chaos worldwide. The recently-concluded second "Summit for Democracy" is nothing but a ludicrous farce exposing Washington's attempt to maintain its dominance under the guise of promoting democracy. The summit, as a matter of fact, split the world into so-called democratic and undemocratic camps by U.S. standards, in a blatant attempt to gang up, draw ideological lines and stoke divisions in the world, thus contravening and trampling on the spirit of democracy. Harboring Cold War mentality, a hegemonic logic and a preference for bloc politics, Washington is trying to spread the false narrative of democracy versus autocracy, with a view to advance its own geostrategy under the disguise of democracy. The U.S. is trying to use "a very narrow concept of democracy as a tool for dividing the world", which is "a very undemocratic approach", noted Josef Gregory Mahoney, an American professor of politics and international relations at the East China Normal University in Shanghai. In the name of democracy, the "Summit for Democracy" enforces hegemony in practice, according to Shen Yi, director of the International Research Institute of Global Cyberspace Governance of Fudan University. In an attempt to enforce its hegemony, the U.S. has exported wars and upheavals under the guise of "safeguarding democracy," bringing turbulence and destruction to a number of other countries. Sovereign countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya have suffered numerous disasters due to U.S. invasion and its proxy wars. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. ended 20 years of war in Afghanistan with a hasty withdrawal of troops after shattering the whole country and destroying the future of several generations. Data released by the UK-based monitor group Airwars showed that U.S. airstrikes alone have killed as many as 48,000 civilians in nearly 100,000 bombings in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen since 2001. Worse still, the U.S. has increasingly resorted to unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction against other countries such as Cuba and Iran, which have seriously damaged their economic development and people's livelihood in a systematic and massive violation of human rights. As William Blum, a writer on U.S. foreign policy, pointed out in his book America's Deadliest Export: Democracy, "Washington's ambition for world domination is driven not by the cause of a deeper democracy or freedom, a more just world, ending poverty or violence, or a more liveable planet, but rather by economics and ideology." No one-size-fits-all model of democracy Democracy is humanity's common value and should not become a tool to advance hegemonic agenda of the privileged few. The essence of democracy should ensure that the people are the masters of their country. Therefore, whether a country is democratic or not and how to better promote democracy should be judged by the people of a country, not to be dictated by few self-righteous nations. As human civilization is diversified, it is natural that democracy takes different forms and develops along varied pathways in various countries. There is no one-size-fits-all model of democracy for all countries in the world and each country has the right to choose a path of democratic development that suits its own national conditions. "The basic principle of democracy is not to impose your model and your social values on others," said Marinko Ogorec, a Croatian political analyst, adding that different forms of democracy should be respected just like different values and traditions. "Only when we respect those differences can we talk about democracy," Ogorec noted. At the time when the world needs unity to solve common challenges, the U.S. should stop peddling its own democratic value, reflect on its own problems and respond with practical action to the global aspiration for peace and prosperity. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Google has announced that it will no longer provide updates for third-party smart displays. Therefore, the devices made by Lenovo, JBL and LG in the last five years would no longer be supported. The announcement was rather made indirectly as it came out of a Google support article for Duo calls on a smart display. Google Will No Longer Make Software Updates, But Smart Displays Should Keep Working As reported by 9to5Google, the search engine giant revealed that it has already stopped supporting third-party smart displays from Lenovo, JBL and LG. The announcement was only included as an "Important" notice in the Google support article for making Duo calls on speakers and smart displays. "Important: Google no longer provides software updates for these third-party Smart Displays: Lenovo Smart Display (7, 8 & 10), JBL Link View and LG Xboom AI ThinQ WK9 Smart Display. This could impact the quality of video calls and meetings," the Google support page states. As per Gizmodo, the announcement was somehow unexpected given Google's actions towards third-party devices over the past few years. It should be noted, however, that ending support for smart displays does not mean that these devices will also stop functioning. Users can no longer expect new features and software updates, but these devices should still work like they used to. The Lenovo, JBL and LG-powered smart displays were launched by Google alongside Assistant on screen. Hence, these devices were made for the purpose of introducing Google Assistant to the public, making them much more than third-party devices. Google's partnership with other tech makers to establish its Smart Home lineup began in 2018 with Lenovo. This partnership gave birth to Smart Display 8 and 10, which carried out Google Assistant's campaign against Amazon's digital assistant, Alexa. It was proven to be a worthy competitor to Alexa as Google Assistant was able to perform tasks like answering the user's questions and guiding through cooking recipes on screen. Related Article: Google Pixel Exploit Might Reveal Users' Personal Information Google Ends Its Support for Third-Party Devices as the Tech Giant Shifts Focus to AI Smart displays have been successful in introducing Google Assistant's capabilities. However, the competition with Amazon's Alexa eventually died down, as well as the hype for digital assistants. With this, Google has only provided a few updates for smart display devices. When the Big Tech disabled the web browser on smart displays not running on Nest Hub, some tech analysts speculate that the day would come when Google stops supporting third-party devices. According to The Verge, Google's recent stance on third-party hardware shows that the company is no longer interested in rebuilding its Assistant feature. As the new generation becomes more entangled with AI technology, Google appears to be shifting its focus on its own generative AI products, starting with Bard. It has been reported that the engineering vice president of the Google Assistant team, Amar Subramanya, would take on a new role in the Bard team. This only confirms the speculations that Google might be ready to let go of its digital assistant feature. Read Also: Google Live Translate Captions is Coming to Chrome When a woman filed for a protective order against Creola police officer Daniel Stubbs in February, accusing him of threatening to drug her and kill her, the Creola Police Department launched an internal investigation, the department confirmed. Monday night, that investigation concluded with Stubbs termination. As it turns out, he shouldnt have been hired in the first place, according to a TV news report. According to a report by WPMI, the Alabama Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission, Stubbs likely obtained his Alabama certification fraudulently when he failed to disclose he had been decertified as a police officer in Tennessee in 2001. Mr. Stubbs law enforcement certification in Alabama is invalid, as it appears he obtained said certification fraudulently. It appears that Mr. Stubbs may have intentionally misled his employing agencies and the Commission when he applied for certification in this state, APOSTC deputy executive secretary Maj. Neil G. Tew wrote in an email. In addition, WPMI reported Stubbs was also fired for undisclosed reasons as a police officer in Spanish Fort prior to his hiring as a Creola officer. According to court records, the allegations of domestic abuse filed by the victim not only include threats by Stubbs to drug and kill her, but also sending her vulgar pictures, repeatedly attempting to touch her sexually, and breaking in to her electronic devices. The woman also claims Stubbs threatened to kill himself and, in one instance, locked himself in a room with all his guns. For eight years, Aisha Wilson put her college degree to work as a test server engineer for IBM. But a wedding gift and a move to Huntsville about 14 years ago eventually led her down another career path. Wilson is the founder and owner of A. Wilson Cakes, the home-based Rocket City baking studio that specializes in designing and creating stunning, towering wedding cakes that are almost too pretty to eat. The evolution from computer engineer to cake baker makes perfect sense for Wilson. The engineering side of my brain likes numbers, likes precise measurements, likes things to definitely be in order, she says. And it likes doing research. So, I take all of those different aspects of my engineering (background), and I put them into (making) cakes. I like to be precise in the number of grams that I put in each pan to make sure that they are exactly the same, she adds. And when Im decorating, I like for my lines to be very clean and the same width and the same length. [To read more good news about Alabama, sign up for our This is Alabama Newsletter.] Aisha Wilson started her in-home cake studio A. Wilson Cakes in 2016.(Photo by Joel and Amber Photography; used with permission) My introduction to the baking world A Texas native who grew up in Houston, Aisha attended Prairie View A&M University, where she met her future husband, Sean Wilson, from Jackson, Miss. Well, he was an electrical engineering major, and I was a computer science major, but there were some classes, engineering classes, that overlapped, she recalls. So, we took a few classes together and started hanging out and, like I say, the rest was history. She moved to Tucson, Ariz., to go to work for IBM after she graduated in 2001, and Sean followed her there the next year. They got married in 2003. At her bridal shower, she received the 573-page The Best Recipe cookbook as a wedding gift. Its like a really thick cookbook, and I just remember taking it home and reading it like it was a novel, Wilson says. That was kind of my introduction to the baking world. RELATED: The inspiring story behind this heavenly Alabama cakes She became fascinated with the science of baking and began experimenting with some of the recipes -- especially the desserts. The first dessert recipe that I tried out of that book was for sugar cookies, she recalls. It was just a really simple sugar cookie, but it was probably the best sugar cookie Ive ever had -- even to this day. That kind of opened the door to me trying other recipes like cheesecakes and apple pies and pound cakes and, eventually, more elaborate cakes. But that (sugar cookie recipe) was the one that kind of sparked my interest in desserts and baking. This multi-tiered wedding cake is decorated with edible sugar flowers that baker Aisha Wilson made by hand.(Photo courtesy of A. Wilson Cakes; used with permission) Word of mouth just kind of spread When the Wilsons started a family, Aisha left IBM for a different adventure that she likes to call life engineering' - being a mother to her and her husbands two boys, Noah and Caden. In 2009, they moved from Tucson to Huntsville, where Sean started a new job. Seven years later, after the boys were a little older, Aisha turned her passion for baking into a business when, working out of her kitchen in compliance with the Alabama Cottage Food Law, she started A. Wilson Cakes. It was her birthday gift to herself. RELATED: The secret behind this Alabama BBQ joints beloved cake She put her computer programming skills to work designing and customizing a website and joined a group of wedding planners and professionals that got together to network on Tuesday nights. At one of their gatherings, she met a wedding photographer who needed a cake for a photo shoot. She needed a cake, and I provided the cake for her, Wilson says. She took some really nice photographs, and from there, word of mouth just kind of spread. After she outgrew the family kitchen, she transformed a spare room into her cake studio, which is equipped with mixers and refrigerators and stocked with all her baking supplies. I have everything I need there, she says. I do my decorating in that cake studio. My photos that I take of my cakes I do in that studio. So, all of my hands-on work is done in that space. Aisha Wilson with her husband, Sean, and their sons, Caden, far left, and Noah, far right. (Photo by Gianna Snell Photography; used with permission) A labor-intensive event Wedding cakes are about 95 percent of Wilsons business, although she does make cakes for other special occasions, as well. The process begins months in advance of the wedding day. Either the bride or the wedding planner contacts me through my website, and we talk about their colors and their vision for their wedding, she says. Then we figure out what type of design would work for their particular wedding. From there, Wilson creates a sketch of the cake on her computer for final approval. Then the week of the wedding is pretty much full steam ahead, she says. Her wedding cakes are multi-tiered marvels that -- from baking and decorating to assembly and delivery - can take up to 30 hours to complete. Its s a full week, she says. Its definitely a labor-intensive event. RELATED: Meet the Alabama baker who is as sweet as her pies Wilson also makes cake tasting gift boxes with a sampling of flavors -- vanilla, lemon, carrot, red velvet and chocolate -- and a variety of different buttercreams for customers who just want to try a few slices and not buy the whole cake. That is an opportunity for future clients to sample the work or for whoever just loves cake like I do, she says. When shes not making cakes for her customers, Wilson loves testing out new desserts on her husband and their two sons, who are now 15 and 12. Were all foodies, and we like experimenting with different cuisines, she says. Ironically, because we do like sampling different desserts, if Im making dessert, its not always cake. A. Wilson Cakes is a home-based cake studio in Huntsville, Ala. For more information, go here. READ MORE ON ALABAMA FOOD: This food trucks connection to a beloved Birmingham restaurant BBQ is in the name but tacos are the game for this Alabama food truck The story behind these legendary Alabama orange rolls This Alabama restaurant takes pimento cheese to the next level 5 Alabama chefs and 2 restaurants that could be our next James Beard Award winner MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Native American activist Winona LaDuke has resigned as executive director of the Indigenous-led environmental group Honor the Earth after the organization lost a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former employee. LaDuke announced her resignation Wednesday in a Facebook post, saying she failed Margaret Campbell by not responding sufficiently to her allegations of sexual harassment by a coworker in 2014 and 2015. A Minnesota jury awarded Campbell $750,000 last week in the suit against Honor the Earth. I take personal responsibility for the mistakes made, LaDuke wrote. I was the executive director, and it was my job to create a good foundation to heal and move forward. LaDuke, 63, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, is best known for leading opposition to Enbridge Energys Line 3 oil pipeline across northern Minnesota in 2021 and participated in protests against the Dakota Access pipeline near North Dakotas Standing Rock Reservation in 2016. She also ran for vice president as Ralph Naders running mate on the Green Party ticket in 1996 and 2000. She founded Honor the Earth 30 years ago with members of the musical duo Indigo Girls. LaDuke, who owns an industrial hemp farm, said she planned to take some time off and is already is busy with preparations for spring planting and maple syrup gathering. Krystal Two Bulls, who had been co-executive director since December, will now lead Honor the Earth. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office has removed the power of the states prison system lawyers to litigate on behalf of their agency, the latest in a series of public disagreements between the agencies. According to a statement from the Alabama Department of Corrections, Attorney General Steve Marshalls office told the ADOC that he intends to remove the Assistant Attorney General status of the prison systems six in-house attorneys. That status allows the lawyers to litigate on behalf of the state. The ADOC is in the process of transitioning all litigation matters from the departments attorneys to attorneys in the AGO. ADOC Commissioner John Hamm released a statement about the move. We will not speculate about the impact the AGs decision will have on the ADOC, but I am confident in the ability of our Legal Division to protect the interests of this department throughout this transition, he said. We will continue to focus on the critical mission of the ADOC to provide public safety through the secure confinement, rehabilitation, and reentry of offenders. The prison system is working with the AGs Office to determine what this change means in practice going forward, said a spokesperson. Court records in the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections show that, on April 6, two ADOC lawyers withdrew from the case. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall signed off on those withdrawal notices. The same day, the same two ADOC lawyers were pulled from working on another federal case involving the prison system and its handling of mental health treatment. The following day, three other private lawyers who were already working on the DOJ caseWilliam Lunsford, Matthew Reeves, and Lynette Potterupdated their contact information in the case file, noting they joined the law firm of Butler Snow. Those three attorneys had been working for the firm Maynard Cooper and Gale. Lunsford, Reeves, and another Butler Snow employee Kenneth Steely, will continue their work on the mental health lawsuit. The AGs Office declined to comment on the move to remove ADOC lawyers from litigation. The governors office directed questions at the ADOC. The State Finance Department did not return requests for comment about the impact the move will have on the state budget. A 2010 executive order from then-Gov. Bob Riley requires the governors office to approve all outside legal contracts for state agencies. That order said all legal contracts are limited to $195 an hour, unless the governor approves an extraordinary circumstance and makes an exception. Lawyers who work for the ADOC are paid state employees, and the money for their salaries comes through the General Fund. Gov. Kay Iveys office declined to comment on if the state would approve additional contracts for the three Butler Snow attorneys or demand the ADOC attorneys be reinstated to continue their work on the case. She also did not comment if the Butler Snow attorneys would be subject to the pay raise under extraordinary circumstances. According to the latest quarterly report from the ADOC, at least 19 new civil lawsuits were filed against the department during October, November, and December 2022. Of those cases, according to the report, the state paid nothing to defend the ADOC. Several cases noted the money was paid by the Department of Finances Division of Risk Management, while others were handled by ADOCs in-house lawyers. General fund money pays for the agencys attorneys, the report said. And of the 19, a dozen were handled by in-house lawyers and seven were handled by the AGs Office or outside counsel. The move is the latest in a series of spats between the two agencies. Earlier this year, Marshall sued the prison system and Hamm for implanting an early-release law, enacted by the state Legislature and signed by the governor, claiming the department didnt properly notify victims families. In 2022, representatives from Marshalls office said in a court hearing that the state was close to being ready to implement executions using nitrogen gas; but, Hamm said in an affidavit filed soon after that the department wasnt ready, and wouldnt be ready by the date mentioned by the AGs Office. A bill backed by Attorney General Steve Marshall and others in law enforcement to increase penalties for crimes committed by gang members won approval today in an Alabama House committee. Legislators received a letter signed by 162 police chiefs and sheriffs urging them to pass the bill. We call upon the Legislature to expeditiously consider and pass this important tool in combating the rise of gang activity in our communities, the letter says. Gang violence is a cancer and tough sentences are the antidote. The bill, HB191 by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, who is the former assistant police chief in Birmingham, would put a definition of gang member in state law. Crimes that those identified as gang members committed to benefit or promote a gang would automatically be bumped up to the next level of felony offense. For example, a Class C felony, which carries a penalty of 1 to 10 years, would be bumped up to a Class B, which carries a sentence of 2 to 20 years. Class B would be prosecuted as a Class A, which carries a sentence of 10 to 99 years. The bill would also set mandatory prison time for gang-related crimes when the offender carried or used a gun. And it would require 16-year-olds who commit a crime on behalf of a gang to automatically be tried as an adult. We applaud legislation that finally recognizes, and duly punishes, senseless gun crime that is so often tied to gang-related conflict, the letter from the police chiefs and sheriffs said. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin publicly called for a truce in gang activity after five people were shot to death on a Friday and Saturday in September. Attorney General Marshall worked with Ledbetter and Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Montgomery, to develop the bill. Gang violence has steadily increased over the last decade, but we must refuse to accept it in Alabama, Marshall said in a news release today. The legislature can help to curb this trend by enacting the Alabama Gang Prevention Act. Together, we are urging the swift passage of this legislation that will give state and local law enforcement the tools they need to take back our streets. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a voice vote. Several Democratic members of the committee said they understood concerns about gang-related crimes but questioned whether the bill to enhance prison sentences and prosecute 16-year-olds as adults was the correct response. Rep. Patrice McClammy, D-Montgomery, an attorney who represents juvenile defendants in the legal system, voted against the bill. McClammy said the state needs to provide more mental health counseling and other programs to help steer young people away from crime, including those who now move through what she called a revolving door in and out of the system. First of all, we can find money all over the place to fund prisons, McClammy said. We never talk about funding when its time to talk about funding some type of mental health, funding therapy, trying to fund programs, it seems like we never know where the money can come from. McClammy and several others said they were concerned that people would be unfairly labeled as gang members. We all know when youre talking about quote, unquote, gangs, youre profiling, McClammy said. Were targeting people. And we see the same kids, just put them in jail, let them stay there for a certain amount of time, put them right back in the same environment with no type of structure. No type of therapy. No anything. Treadaway said he was familiar with offenders who move in and out of a revolving door after a 31-year law enforcement career. He said he has encountered many who return to violent crime repeatedly despite intervention efforts. Ive seen it first-hand, Treadaway said. I cant tell you how many homicides Ive been on. Hundreds. And you know what? I care more about those victims and the families left behind than we care about these folks in prisons that have the revolving door in and out. I dont know the answer. But I can tell you this. Until we find it out, we better have a place to put them. Or theres going to be another victim, and another victim, and another family suffering. Todays approval by the committee puts the bill in position for a vote by the full House of Representatives. Frantic calls from witnesses reporting a mass shooting at a Louisville bank were released Wednesday by police including from a woman who was on a virtual meeting and saw the shooter, as well as one from the mans mother, who told a 911 operator that her son currently has a gun and is heading toward the bank. I need your help. Hes never hurt anyone, hes a good kid, said the woman, who identified herself as the gunmans mother. None of the callers are identified by name and other information is edited out of the calls, but the first call that came in was from a woman who was on a video call inside the bank. She screams and cries throughout the four-minute call and says there is an active shooter at the downtown branch of the bank. See also: I just watched it on a Teams meeting, she says. We were having a board meeting. With our commercial (lending) team. We heard multiple shots and everybody started saying, Oh my God and then he came into the board room. Bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, used an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the attack Monday at Old National Bank, where he killed five coworkers while livestreaming before police fatally shot him. Eight others were injured, including a police officer who was shot in the head and remains hospitalized in critical condition. After the first call, others began streaming in. One of the callers says shes calling from within the building as numerous gunshots are heard in the background. Im in a closet hiding, the caller says. She says people have been shot and gives a description of the shooting, saying she knows the shooter. He works with us. How long will it be before they get here? she whispers and the dispatcher tells her that authorities are on the way and advises her to keep quiet. Asked what kind of injuries there were, the caller replies: I dont know. I just saw a lot of blood. Another call came from a man inside the bank, who told dispatchers the address and said, We have an active shooting in our building. White male. Hes an employee of Old National Bank. Get here now. We need somebody now. Warning: This video contains graphic images and language. Another call came from a motorist driving down Main Street, who reported seeing a man with an assault rifle and a bulletproof vest walking around. How long ago was it that you saw this? the dispatcher asks. The caller says it was about 5 minutes prior and asks, Has anybody else reported this? Like, I hope to God Im seeing things. The dispatcher then describes what others reported the suspect was wearing and the caller confirms it. Did you see him shooting or anything? the dispatcher asks. No maam. He was like kind of like jogging around like he was like trying to get somewhere in a hurry, the caller says, but isnt able to give the direction the shooter was headed. The woman identifying herself as Sturgeons mother asks during the call if she can go to the bank but is told by the dispatcher that she should not because theres a situation going on down there and its dangerous. Youve had calls from other people, so hes already there? the mother asks with shock in her voice. Wednesdays release included a half-hour of emergency responder radio traffic. The release came hours before an interfaith vigil was planned at the Muhammad Ali Center to remember victims and allow the public to offer prayers for the injured. This is a very tough time for our city, and we were not meant to go through tough times alone, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement. On Tuesday, police released body camera video that showed the chaotic moments when officers arrived at the bank as the shooter, whom they couldnt see, rained bullets down on them. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked reporters through edited footage and still photos at a news conference and praised the responding officers for their heroism. Sturgeons parents said in a statement that their son had mental health challenges that were being addressed, but there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act. They said they are mourning for the victims and the loss of their son, and working with police to understand what happened. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Louisville. The five bank employees killed in the shooting were Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Jim Tutt Jr., 64, a commercial real estate market executive. Wednesdays vigil was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. local time. If you wish, were asking folks to gather together to share our strength, pray for those still fighting for their lives after Mondays shooting, remember all those touched by gun violence across our entire city and, together, begin working toward a safer future where we are truly preventing gun violence instead of constantly reacting to it, Greenberg, the mayor, said in his statement. Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told students at the University of Alabama that a great American comeback is just around the corner Tuesday night. Speaking at an event organized by the universitys chapter of the Young Americans for Freedom, an organization for young conservative voters, Pence touted the overturn of Roe vs. Wade, criticized President Joe Bidens handling of the national debt and told students their generation would be the ones to stand on the ramparts of freedom while defending America from the agenda of the radical left. Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks to students at the University of Alabama on April 11, 2023 at an event organized by Young Americans for Freedom. Sarah Swetlik/AL.com Much of Pences speech was biographical, describing his journey to the vice presidency, or focused on taking the country back from current leadership. Pence said the Biden administration had released a tidal wave of left-wing policies, saying it wiped out all the progress he and former President Donald Trump had put in place. The truth is in the Biden administration, wokeism has run amok in our public universities. In our schools patriotic education has been replaced with political indoctrination, Pence said. He condemned critical race theory, calling it state sanctioned racism and saying it should be banned in all schools. Alabama Republicans again are targeting divisive concepts in proposed legislation; the state GOP party also has prioritized ending some public government diversity, equity and inclusion work. Following the speech, Pence took questions from the audience. One attendee asked Pence whether AR-15 style rifles and similar styles of guns are needed. While Pence did not address the AR-15 or similar rifles, he said he would like to see mental institutions in every state where troubled youth could go if they represent a threat to themselves or their community. Pence added he would like to see federal legislation enacting the death penalty for mass shooters. Asked about Trumps recent indictment on federal charges in New York, Pence admitted they werent on the best of terms, but said the effort to prosecute Trump was an outrage and a disgrace. He added, however, that I know the president, and the president can take care of himself. Lines to see Pence were lengthy they wrapped around a hallway and down the stairs. The university ballroom was full. Former Secretary of State John Merrill and Rep. Robert Aderholt attended. Not everyone in attendance was a supporter. I completely disagree with the stance that the school took to bring him here. I thought there should be a lot more on the inclusiveness of the student bodys decision, but Im just here to really see like, what the reaction is going to be with the audience, said Shelby Johnson, a junior majoring in operations management. She said the title of Pences talk Saving America from the Woke Left was confusing, and she hoped to hear his definition of wokeness, but didnt think it would happen. Dequiala Kelly, who is pursuing her graduate degree in health education, said she hoped Pence would address extremism. I think it would be really nice if he addresses just the extremism from the right wing, she said. I think thats something is growing more and more these days and particularly on this campus, a lot of students are becoming targets for hate speech or even just violence, so I think thats something that he really should give a dog whistle to calm down. University of Alabama students Shelby Johnson and Dequiala Kelly wait for former Vice President Pence to speak at the student center on April 11, 2023. Sarah Swetlik/AL.com The event also attracted Alabamians from outside the university father and son Thomas and Anthony Pratt drove from Oxford. Anthony Pratt hopes to attend UA to after graduating from Oxford High School. Anthony said he plans to major in political science and aspires to be a U.S. senator for Alabama. He wore a Young Americans for Freedom shirt and said he plans to join the chapter when he attends. When I see an open border, and I see people flooding in and Im like: Close it. I want to help close it. Like when I see crime ravaging communities, its like: Put more police officers in, Anthony said when asked what draws him to a career in politics. Its not hard. I just want to be a force for good. Alabama father and son Thomas and Anthony Pratt of Oxford wait for former Vice President Pence to speak at the University of Alabama Student Center on April 11, 2023. Sarah Swetlik/AL.com Thomas, wearing a button that read To hell with socialism, said he is concerned about fiscal policy at the federal level. Im a little closer to retirement than most of the people in this room, so Ive seen my retirement funds dwindle last two years its not back to where it was two years ago, Thomas said. I dont know how Pence can do that, but Id like to see our politicians kind of address that issue more often. A bill to impose new penalties for street racing and other dangerous driving activities that have had deadly consequences during the last few years won approval today in the Alabama House of Representatives. Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, a former assistant chief of the Birmingham Police Department, is sponsoring the bill, which defines the terms speed contest, speed exhibition, burnout, and donut. It prohibits those activities on public roads or in parking lots or on private property without the permission of the property owner. The legislation is similar to a bill passed by the Senate last week. For a first offense, violators would face five to 90 days in jail or a fine of $25 to $500, or both. For a second or subsequent conviction, violators would face 10 days to six months in jail, a fine of $50 to $500, or both, and could lose driving privileges for six months. If a violation caused an injury or property damage, the crime would be charged as a Class A misdemeanor, which can result in up to a year in jail. The violators would lose driving privileges for six months. If a violation caused a serious injury or death, felony penalties would apply, including possible prison sentences and the loss of driving privileges for two years or more. Police could have vehicles towed and impounded. The bill moves to the Senate. Last year, lawmakers met with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin about the problems caused by street racing. Two years ago in Birmingham, a 52-year-old grandmother was killed when another driver authorities said was racing crossed the center line and crashed into her vehicle. In July, a 14-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle and killed while watching exhibition driving in Birmingham. In August, gunfire broke out at a driving exhibition in downtown Birmingham, leaving a woman dead and four others injured. In December, Birmingham police said 16 people were hurt, including a 5-year-old boy, when a Nissan 350z that was racing struck a Dodge Charger that was doing donuts, sending the Charger into the crowd of onlookers. Mayors of Alabamas 10 largest cities said a law to help police stop exhibition driving was one of their highest priorities for this legislative session. Officials in a small county in Texas are considering closing the public library system after a judge ordered books recently banned by the officials be returned to the shelves. The Daily Trib reports commissioners in Llano County will discuss the library systems future in a meeting on Thursday. The move comes after a judge ruled on March 30 that 12 titles, all childrens books, banned by the commissioners could again be made available at the countys three libraries. Many of the books were about race and LGTBQ issues, CNN reports, including Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings. It appears that the defendants would rather shut down the Library System entirely depriving thousands of Llano county residents of access to books, learning resources, and meeting space than make the banned books available to residents who want to read them, Ellen Leonida, the lawyer for plaintiffs, tells CNN. CNN reports seven residents sued the county in April 2022 after the books were banned. The lawsuit accuses the countys commissioners of getting rid of members of the library board and replacing them with a new panel that reviewed the library systems materials, leading to the ban of some childrens books. The county commissioners and the new library board have appealed the judges decision. Walmart is closing half of its stores in Chicago, citing financial losses that have topped tens of millions of dollars. In its announcement, Walmart officials said the closures comes after a series of meetings with Chicago officials to try and save the stores. As we looked for solutions, it became even more clear that for these stores, there was nothing leaders could do to help get us to the point where they would be profitable, the company said in a press release. READ MORE: Walmart closing 4 more underperforming stores These stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years. The remaining four Chicago stores continue to face the same business difficulties, but we think this decision gives us the best chance to help keep them open and serving the community, Walmart said. The company had tried several strategies through the years to improve business performance at the locations, it said, including building smaller stores, offering more localized products and offerings services beyond traditional retails. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the city, including $70 million in the last couple years to upgrade our stores and build two new Walmart Health facilities and a Walmart Academy training center, Walmarts release said. It was hoped that these investments would help improve our stores performance. Unfortunately, these efforts have not materially improved the fundamental business challenges our stores are facing. READ MORE: Walmart bringing something new to thousands of U.S. locations Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was incredibly disappointed with the news of the closures. All communities in Chicago should have access to essential goods and services, Lightfoot said. Unceremoniously abandoning these neighborhoods will create barriers to basic needs for thousands of residents. I call on Walmart to ensure that these soon-to-be-closed stores are repurposed with significant community engagement so they can find a new use to serve their neighborhoods. Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson said the closures will leave a void in the communities they serve. These stores, especially the locations in communities that have historically lacked options for grocery stores and pharmacies, served as a crucial lifeline for communities to obtain fresh, affordable produce. We are committed to identifying ways to fill the gaps these closures will leave in neighborhoods. The following stores will close to the public by Sunday, April 16: NASA is shedding some new light on the Crab Nebula. The space agency recently released a photo of the nebula in question using its Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite, revealing new information about its magnetic field. NASA launched its IXPE satellite in early December 2021 to better study the polarization of X-rays from objects like exploded stars and black holes. Crab Nebula IXPE Photos Details NASA mentioned in its recent blog post that the new images it took of the Crab Nebula showed that its magnetic field resembles that of the Vela Pulsar Wind Menula, another donut-shaped nebula. However, what sets the Crab Nebula's magnetic field apart from the Vela Pulsar Wind Nebula's is that its turbulence is more patchy and asymmetrical. Niccolo Bucciantini, the lead author of the study and astronomer at the INAF Arcetri Observatory in Florence, Italy, mentioned that the patchiness and asymmetry of the Crab Nebula's magnetic field is a clear indication that the models developed in the past don't fully capture the complexity of the Crab Nebula with the use of advanced numerical techniques. To view the asymmetry and patchiness of the Crab Nebula's turbulence, NASA added orange lines on IXPE's picture to highlight the shape of its magnetic field that the satellite determined. It also superimposed the composite image from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope. Read More: MacBook Shipments Drop by 40% as Apple Seen to Suffer from Dwindling PC Sales The resulting image is a mix of blue, white, purple, pink, and magenta, capturing all the possible areas where the Crab Nebula's magnetic field should be and how asymmetrical and patchy it is. History Of The Crab Nebula The Crab Nebula is a wispy and filamentary cloud of gas and dust that Chinese astronomers discovered in 1054 as a remnant of a supernova explosion. Within its center is a spinning neutron star, known as the Crab Pulsar, that spews jets of radiation from its poles, per Space.com. A neutron star is the usual aftermath of a supernova explosion when a dying star's fuel runs out and collapses on itself but is not massive enough to form a black hole, per NASA. The nebula and the neutron star that formed it is a favorite subject of study among astronomers, with astronomer Martin Weisskopf and his colleagues hope to understand the "extreme environment" in the Crab Nebula by measuring the polarization of X-rays from the Crab Nebula, which shines brightly in X-rays. This desire to know more about the Crab Nebula directly led to the development and launching of NASA's IXPe, which launched on Dec. 9, 2021. What Is NASA's IXPE? NASA's IXPE satellite is a space observatory borne from the joint effort between NASA and the Italian Space Agency to better study the polarization of X-rays coming from celestial objects like black holes and exploded stars, a category wherein the Crab Nebula and Pulsar fall under. The space observatory comes with three identical telescopes that each have a mirror assembly and a polarization-sensitive detector. According to the European Space Agency's EO Portal, IXPE's mirrors need to be about 13 feet (4 meters) away from the detectors to focus on X-Rays. NASA plans to decommission the space observatory on Dec. 9, 2023, two years after it launched into orbit. Related Article: #SpaceSnap The Alluring Crab Nebula Captured by the Hubble and Herschel Space Telescopes A man was shot to death at a convenience store Bessemer Tuesday night. The shooting happened at 8:43 p.m. in the 2900 block of Dartmouth Avenue. The victim was rushed to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead, said Bessemer police Lt. Christian Clemons. Details surrounding the fatal shooting have not yet been released. No arrests have been announced. This story will be updated if more information become available. Teams of state and federal agents fanned out across Jefferson County this week, shuttering the doors of more than a dozen bingo halls. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the shutdowns were carried out by his office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, as well as FBI and DEA agents. Hoover police also assisted. These facilities were operating in blatant disregard in violation of state law and apparently without any fear of reprisal, Marshall said at a press conference held Thursday outside Super Highway Bingo on Bessemer Super Highway in Brighton. If you drive around where these facilities are located, youll notice that while these facilities are raking in tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash every month, they are not lifting these communities up, he said. Nobodys property values have increased as a result of these facilities, Marshall said. The economies in these areas have not improved. No neighborhood has flourished as a result of the presence of these so-called casinos. Marshall said his office obtained temporary restraining orders against 14 illegal gambling facilities in Jefferson County involving more than 2,400 illegal slot machines and multiple non-profit and for-profit entities. The TROs require the facilities to cease all operations, the property cannot be used or accessed, and there can be no further financial transactions connected with the facility or those operating the facility until further orders from the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. No arrests have been made. State and federal agents, led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's Office, shut down 14 bingo halls in Jefferson County. (Carol Robinson) Here is the list of businesses shut down: - Shoot the Moon Bingo, 615 Bessemer Superhighway, Midfield - Paradise, 3528 Main Street, Brighton - Legion Bingo, 7070 Aaron Aronov Drive, Fairfield - Kings & Queens Bingo, 6556 Aaron Aronov Drive, Fairfield - Charity Bingo, 1266 Forestdale Square, Birmingham - Jays Charity Bingo, 1329 Eastern Valley Road, Bessemer - Just the Right Time Bingo (Bam Bamz), 1074 Forestdale Boulevard, Birmingham - Magic City Bingo, 315 36th Street, Fairfield - Plaza Bingo, 1421 Forestdale Boulevard, Birmingham - Jays Charity Bingo, 5130 Bessemer Superhighway, Brighton - Pinson Valley Bingo, 5115 Pinson Valley Parkway, Pinson - Skills Bingo, 1612 Forestdale Boulevard, Birmingham - American Legion #1228 Graysville Bingo, 1523 South Main Street, Graysville - Superhighway Bingo, 5131 Bessemer Superhighway Brighton Marshall previously took legal action against four of these same gambling facilities in Jefferson County in 2019; pursued and obtained injunctions against illegal gambling operations in Macon and Lowndes counties as illegal nuisances; and obtained judgment against Greenetrack in Greene County which resulted in the State of Alabama receiving a final judgment for $76 million in unpaid taxes. State and federal agents, led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's Office, shut down 14 bingo halls in Jefferson County. (Carol Robinson) Marshall said he finds it interesting that nobody talks about the pitfalls of having illegal gambling facilities. The law-abiding citizens who live around these facilities and who own property in these areas are the forgotten victims of these type of establishments, establishments that are historically associated with thefts, fraud, gangs, drugs and ultimately violence, the attorney general said. The good people of these communities deserve better than illicit casinos in their neighborhoods, and they deserve to have elected officials who are willing to keep it out, he said. Im familiar with the chatter and the narrative that arrives anytime that my office cracks down on illegal gambling, he said. People say that gambling isnt hurting anybody or that some how there are other real problems for us to solve. Yall, we dont get to pick and choose the laws in which we enforce, he said. And certainly, you prioritize your resources but you cannot just ignore rampant gambling thats going on across your county. Marshall did not say why the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office was not involved in Tuesdays countywide operation. Sheriff Mark Pettway has faced criticism for his handling of bingo halls amid allegations that he was allowing them to operate, against state law, to help his brother, Bruce Pettway. My brother does not own any bingo here in Jefferson County nor is he a partner in bingo nor does he have any investment in bingo, Pettway said in a previous interview with AL.com. He was a partner in Greene County years ago but that was dissolved before I even became sheriff. The sheriff office has said previously, and repeatedly, said that addressing violent crime is a priority of the sheriffs office, not enforcing gambling laws. Sheriffs officials on Wednesday declined comment following the closure of the bingo halls and Marshalls press conference. Marshall said the investigation is ongoing. The chairman of the county commission asked for our offices resources as well as various legislators and numerous citizens and so we are here, he said. There will be more to come as we examine all of the evidence collected. Laws are laws. Gambling is illegal in Alabama as the Supreme Court has recently affirmed, he said. Allowing the illegal gambling to operate freely in broad daylight is offensive to the rule of law and we simply arent going to tolerate it. The reality is theyve been allowed to open and continue, Marshall said. Yesterdays operation is a step in making sure theyre closed. I cant speak for local officials and why theyve allowed it to continue, but what I saw inside this room is illegal in the state of Alabama and it undermines the legitimacy of law enforcement to be able to allow that to continue, he said. Several citizens, including a bingo hall worker, attended the attorney generals press conference. Jesse Thompson, 70, has worked at Super Highway Bingo for years. Everybody that comes in here are decent people, older people, they come from church sometimes, Thompson told AL.com. I think theyre shutting it down because it all has to do with Montgomery and the attorney general. He just wants everybody to know hes got his hands on everything. It hurts people that work here every day, Thompson said. Theyre not trying to get food stamps, theyre making honest money. Thompson said he believes Marshalls actions are politically motivated. Theyre unfairly targeting Jefferson County in particular, and Blacks in general, he said. Thats what I feel like. I think theyre targeting Jefferson County because its a staple of democrats, liberals or whatever you want to call it. " People should be able to do what they want to with their money, he said. Its an injustice. In these times, everybody needs a little bit of relaxation, he said. I may not can go to Aruba, but I can go to the bingo hall. I dont even play bingo, but to each his own. Marshall said there are plenty of other jobs available. All I can say is there are opportunities to work at lawful businesses throughout this state and throughout this community, he said. This is not an economic development situation behind me. This is an illegal operation that cant be allowed to continue. Two men have been charged in the shooting death of 16-year-old Birmingham girl over spring break. Birmingham police on Wednesday announced murder charges against Arnold Laterrant Fuller, 27, of Midfield, and Daemar Marco Martin, 22, of Birmingham. They are charged in the March 29 slaying of Jada White, a Jackson-Olin student. Fuller surrendered to police, said Officer Truman Fitzgerald. Martin was taken into custody by Birmingham police detectives and West Precinct patrol officers. Both are being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. Police have previously said Jada was shot to death while with a group of teens who may have been vandalizing a house and car, and that appears to be the motive in her death. The suspects were acquaintances of the homeowner whose property was being vandalized, but police said the homeowners had no involvement whatsoever in the deadly violence that followed. Jada was killed just before 2:30 a.m. while she and several other juveniles were out drinking and riding around Ensley and damaging someone elses vehicle, Birmingham police Chief Scott Thurmond has said. At 2:24 in the morning, I dont know what a 16-year-old was doing out with three other juveniles, all of which had been drinking alcohol. Theyre damaging a vehicle and they subsequently get shot at, Thurmond said. Where were the parents? Did their parents know where they were? Did their parents know they were consuming alcohol? Did their parents know they were out at 2:24 in the morning? he said. I dont think so, and thats a problem. Were not babysitters, Thurmond said. Thats not our job. We had one of the females passed out and throwing up in our police car, throwing up here so shes unable to speak to us, he said. Theyre juveniles and we cant find their parents to come up here so we can question them. One of the females even told us, I dont have time to deal with this right now. I have to be home by 7 a.m.,' Thurmond said. Well, 7 a.m. is not an acceptable curfew. Those are the challenges we face in many of cases, not just juveniles but across the board, Thurmond said. Its difficult for us to make cases to present to the district attorney office when you have absolutely no cooperation, he said. This was obviously someone who was a friend of theirs, but they dont want to do anything to help law enforcement solve the case and get justice for their friend. Jada was one of two Jackson-Olin students killed over spring break. Caleb Witt, 17, was shot to death midday Sunday, March 26, on the citys southwest side. Birmingham police responded shortly before 12:30 p.m. to University Crossings apartments after Shot Spotter the citys gunfire detection system indicated multiple rounds were fired. Unfortunately, Mr. Witt was with a group of people that were shooting into a home and some individuals returned fire, unfortunately striking Mr. Witt, Thurmond said. There again, we have a 17-year-old engaging in illegal activity, possessing a firearm, and he lost his life. This could have been prevented had Mr. Witt not been engaging in that type of activity. A suspect has been identified but no charges have been announced. Jackson-Olin High School Principal Nichole Davis-Williams said both students were loved at the school. Its personal for me, Davis-Williams said. It hurts, deeply. Firefighters are battling a fully involved blaze on a rail car on Birminghams west side. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and Birmingham police responded just before 9 p.m. Tuesday to the railroad tracks at Jefferson Avenue and 31st Street. BFRS Capt. Orlando Reynolds said they arrived to find a rail carrying automobiles ablaze. Heavy fire and smoke were showing. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and Birmingham police responded just before 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, 2023, to the railroad tracks at Jefferson Avenue and 31st Street. (Photo courtesy of BFRS) There was an initial report of an explosion, but Reynolds said he is not aware of any explosion. As of 9:45 p.m., no injuries had been reported. Reynolds said there was no derailment. The train is block the roadway. This is a developing story and will be updated if more information becomes available. GOP lawmakers love to recycle and make blood money off their beloved murder weapons. From The Guardian: The mayor of Louisville has said Kentucky law would make him a criminal if he destroys the assault-style rifle used by a gunman in Mondays killing of five bank employees in his city. An emotional Craig Greenberg was speaking Tuesday at a lunchtime press conference during which police revealed the killer an employee at the Old National Bank who also wounded eight others, including two critically bought the weapon legally six days previously. Related: Louisville bank shooter who graduated from Alabama used AR-15 bought from gun dealer - al.com Related: Louisville bank gunman was University of Alabama graduate - al.com Related: Connor Sturgeon had mental health challenges, family says: There were never any warning signs - al.com The killers rifle was confiscated after police shot him dead, and Kentucky law requires officers to send it to state police officials to sell at auction. Think about that, Greenberg said. That murder weapon will be back on the streets one day under Kentuckys current law. AR-15 He added: Let us destroy illegal guns and destroy the guns that have been used to kill our friends and kill our neighbors. We have to do more than weve already done. Lets change the state laws that would make me a criminal for trying too hard to stop the real evil criminals who are taking other peoples lives. Greenberg, who said the US had grown tired of gun crime, appealed for Kentuckys Republican-controlled state legislature to cede responsibility for addressing gun violence to local municipalities. Let Louisville make its own decisions about reducing the amount of illegal guns on our streets, he said. I dont care about finger pointing. I dont care about blame. I dont care about politics. Im only interested in working together with our state legislators to take meaningful action to save lives, to prevent more tragic injuries, and more death. Arguing is not a strategy. Doing nothing is not a strategy. Read The Guardian story here More related content Nashville school shooting: Americas covenant with guns is killing our kids - al.com Violent gun culture is our cross to bear - al.com Texas school shooting: Gunning down schoolchildren is bearable in America - al.com Mass shooting on the Fourth of July: What could be more American? - al.com Uvalde school shooting video inspired Uvalde Police Departments new logo - al.com True stories and stuff by JD Crowe The mysterious Bubble Guy of Fairhope and the art of bubble Zen - al.com How I met Dr. Seuss Robert Plant head-butted me. Thanks, David Coverdale I was ZZ Tops drummer for a night and got kidnapped by groupies Check out more cartoons and stuff by JD Crowe JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Former Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes lost her motion for release after her legal team tried to appeal her conviction in the federal court. With this development, Holmes is set to surrender herself and begin her prison sentence later this month. Judge Affirms Holmes' Fraud Conviction, Cites Lack of 'Substantial' Questioning As reported by The Guardian, the disgraced Silicon Valley personality lost her chance to remain out of prison as Judge Edward Davila laid out an 11-page ruling, citing the reasons why Holmes should serve her prison sentence beginning on April 27th. Holmes' conviction was the result of defrauding investors who believed in her supposedly groundbreaking startup business, Theranos. According to Davila, Holmes' appeal didn't show "substantial questioning of facts or law." Specifically, Judge Davila argued that Holmes' motion should have addressed the main reason for her conviction, which is the federal crime of wire fraud that was committed against Theranos investors. Hence, the judge saw no reason to reverse the conviction or to start a new trial, even if there was a chance that the appeals court would hear her claims. Despite the junking of her motion for release, the federal court ruling sided with Holmes on the matter of being branded as a flight risk. Prosecutors argued that Holmes should be considered a flight risk following the purchase of a one-way ticket to Mexico even as the then-defendant was still waiting for the result of the trial, Engadget reported. While Judge Davila believes that Holmes is "not likely to flee or pose a danger," he commented that the act of buying a flight ticket, and the subsequent failure to cancel it after receiving a conviction, is a "bold move" and a "perilously careless oversight." Related Article: Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes May Serve Her Sentence in a Prison Camp, Judge Suggests Holmes Could Serve Her Sentence in Texas; Remaining Please Aims to Delay Deadline for Surrender Judge Davila further stated in his ruling that showing the "accuracy and reliability of Theranos technology" holds no merit as the conviction is about the "misrepresentations Ms Holmes had made to investors." As per CBS News, the judge has recommended Holmes be transported to a minimum security facility in Bryan, Texas to serve her prison sentence. Still, the final place of confinement will be determined by the federal prison authorities. After losing her motion for release, Holmes now has one remaining please to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which aims to move the April 27 deadline to surrender to start her prison sentence. However, the chance of the plea being granted might be low as the same plea was also made by her former beau and another convicted Theranos executive, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, which the court denied earlier this month. Holmes was sentenced to over 11 years in prison last November over fraud and conspiracy cases surrounding the health technology company Theranos. Holmes founded the company in 2003, which was built on a promise of delivering breakthrough medical procedures. For one, Theranos claimed that it had the technology to discover all the health issues of a patient with just one drop of blood. In 2015, a Wall Street Journal report exposed that Theranos' technology was just bogus. Read Also: Former Theranos Executive Sunny Balwani Gets Almost 13 Years in Prison English News Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park bears rich fruits Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 11 Avril 2023 Under the joint efforts from both the Chinese and Malaysian sides, the handling capacity of the Kuantan Port has been constantly improved. Its throughput and revenue doubled year on year in 2015. And three years later, it became the largest public port for bulk cargoes of Malaysia and two new 150,000-ton deep water ports were built. By Zhang Niansheng, Liu Hui, People's Daily Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) located in Malaysia, as a model of China-Malaysia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has promoted pragmatic cooperation between China and Malaysia and deepened the friendship between the two countries. Over the past 10 years, the industrial park has borne rich fruits. It has attracted 12 projects with a combined investment value of more than 40 billion yuan ($5.81 billion). These projects have generated industrial output value totaling over 35 billion yuan, created about 5,000 long-term jobs, and contributed an estimated 10 million tons to the increase in the annual throughput of the Kuantan Port, a multipurpose port in Malaysia. In February 2013, the MCKIP was officially launched in the capital city Kuantan of Pahang state, Malaysia. Located in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) of Malaysia, the tranquil city of Kuantan is an over three-hour drive away from Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and adjacent to the Kuantan Port. The MCKIP, together with the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) situated in China, represents a groundbreaking innovation: the model of "Two Countries, Twin Parks." "During the past 10 years, the MCKIP has become one of the most successful industrial parks in the ECER," said Baidzawi Che Mat, chief executive officer (CEO) of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC). "The 'Two Countries, Twin Parks' model built by Malaysia and China is successful," he noted. Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. was the first entrant in the MCKIP. It only took 18 months for the project to set up its full-process production line in the industrial park. With its annual output surpassing the designed annual production capacity of 3.5 million tons, Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has emerged as one of the largest and most advanced steel businesses with full-process technologies for steel products in Malaysia, and its products are sold to global markets. Steve Hu Jiulin, chief technology officer of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd., can still remember vividly the local situation he saw when he first arrived in Kuantan city. "When I came here in 2014, this place was mountainous and swampy. And the ground works alone took us more than a year," Hu said. "Who would think that there used to be a mountain right at the site of the office building," he said, pointing at the office building where he works. The premises of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. now boast wide and clean roads and neatly arranged buildings, including office building, factory building, and dormitory. "The technological design and equipment of the project of Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. are all from China. They are the most advanced ones of the industry," Hu said. Hu recalled that during a local official's inspection tour in Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd., the official asked as soon as he entered the premises of the company, "Why is this project so clean that it doesn't seem like a steel mill?" After learning that the project has followed standards for environmental protection higher than the local standards, and that all the waste heat and gases produced during the production processes are recycled for power generation in a bid to promote circular economy and energy conservation and carbon emission reduction, the official's eyes widened in surprise. Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has more than 4,000 employees, among whom most are local people who enjoy much higher salaries than the average local salary. The east coast where Kuantan city is located is relatively backward in terms of economic development, a local employee told People's Daily, adding that local people, especially young people, used to go to the relatively developed west coast states of the country for employment. Now that Alliance Steel (M) Sdn. Bhd. has been settled in the locality, he can work near his home and has significantly improved his quality of life, the young man said. The development of the MCKIP has boosted investment in Malaysia and China while creating jobs in various fields from production to management, said Baidzawi. Local contractors and suppliers have also participated in the development of the industrial park, which has benefited a good number of local small and medium-sized enterprises, according to him. The Kuantan Port is the largest port on the east coast of Malaysia, as well as a pillar for the development of the MCKIP. The Malaysian government has listed it as one of the key ports of the country. In 2013, the Beibu Gulf Port Group in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region became a shareholder of the Kuantan Port, and this China-Malaysia cooperation has brought new vitality to the Malaysian port that enjoys a history of more than 40 years. The Chinese company, together with the Malaysian operators, jointly upgraded the Kuantan Port and are working to expand the port. According to Ye Jingtao, general manager of operations of Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn. Bhd. which manages the Kuantan Port, equipment at the new port are all imported from China due to limited local supply. To ensure that the employees can well operate the equipment, the Beibu Gulf Port Group has launched training programs and sent employees to Chinese ports for learning. Under the joint efforts from both the Chinese and Malaysian sides, the handling capacity of the Kuantan Port has been constantly improved. Its throughput and revenue doubled year on year in 2015. And three years later, it became the largest public port for bulk cargoes of Malaysia and two new 150,000-ton deep water ports were built. Baidzawi said that the MCKIP and the CMQIP are expected to build more complete industrial and supply chains between Malaysia and China, and deepen their pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, technological cooperation, tourism, culture and other sectors, as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has taken effect. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Chinese young blood devote to Great Wall protection International passenger service adds new vitality to China-Laos Railway Democracy a common value of humanity, not prerogative reserved to few Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) There are some sad truths that have become blatantly clear in the hate-filled public forum of the 21st century. Public figures are often attacked in the media. Conservatives even more so. And if youre a high-profile conservative, then the left has no compunctions in their attacks on you, and everyone you may interact with. These truths have truly become self-evident in the 21st-century chaos that is Bidens America. Enter Justice Clarence Thomas and businessman Harlan Crow, two men who are being incessantly attacked and lied about not because of their actions, but because of their longstanding friendship. Lets start with the relationship itself, and whether it is appropriate for a judge. According to reports, the men and their wives have been social friends for close to three decades. Like all friends, they share common interests and meals and even may vacation together. But Mr. Crow is a businessman and donor to conservative organizations, so the question arises whether a social friendship like this is a good or bad thing for a justice, and as a result, for our nation. If we look at the history of judges going all the way back to the bible, the answer is that this type of relationship is not only appropriate for a judge but necessary. The modern concept and practices of judges go back to biblical times, even to Moses. At Jethros recommendation (Exodus 18:13-26), Moses appoints judges that render judgment over the ancient Hebrews while still being active members of the community. They are not to be separated from the community, but to be active participants within it. Enjoined to be men of wisdom, discernment, and knowledge (Deut. 1:13); later commentaries from Talmud to Rashi and Maimonides require that judges be part of the community they judge, and have the seven qualities of wisdom, humility, fear of God, disdain of gain, love of truth, love of people, and a good reputation. As Rabbi Hillel said 2000 years ago, Do not separate yourself from the community. The idea of judges having friendships within the community is possibly best expressed in the text of Pirkei Avot, one of Judaisms most sacred texts written over 2000 years ago. Make for yourself a teacher, acquire for yourself a friend is a famous quote that recognizes the importance of friends and teachers, and the truth that we often learn most deeply from our friends. It is mandatory that judges have personal friendships that deepen their humanity and wisdom without entering into the judicial decision-making process. Based on these primary religious concepts, it is vitally important for a judge to have friendships such as the one between the Thomas and Crow families. Their relationship, like any longstanding friendship, deepens the Justices wisdom and appreciation of life. By biblical standards, this type of relationship is not only beneficial to a judge, but necessary. It is a religious requirement that Justice Thomas has deep personal relationships like this one with the Crows to help him be a balanced individualmaking him a more discerning and wiser judge with a love of people. A judge with real friends remains steeped in the human condition, and it keeps his judgments from becoming edicts emanating from an ivory tower. But should anyone, let alone a Justice, be a friend with a Nazi lover? This is what is what so many leftist media outlets are now additionally accusing Mr. Crow of being; and simultaneously attacking the Justice for their friendship. But these lies about Mr. Crow being a Hitler lover were started years ago by Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a woman who betrayed all Jewish values in perpetuating fallacious vitriol about Mr. Crow. I addressed Rep. Schultzs despicable behavior almost eight years ago in an article for the Jewish Journal, the nations largest weekly Jewish periodical outside of New York City. Simply put, her accusations are not only disgusting, but antithetical to Jewish theology. Jewish holidays are often based around historical occurrences, especially Jewish persecutions. The holiday of Tisha bAv is entirely devoted to remembering those who persecuted Jews throughout the ages, going back to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem over 2500 years ago through the medieval expulsion from Spain and all the way to the 20th century Holocaust by the Nazis. It is a core practice in Judaism to remember those persecutors so that we never let men like that come to power again. As Holocaust survivors become fewer and fewer, it is vitally important that we never let the world forget the real history of the evil persecutors of history: Hitler, Stalin, Mao, et al. And this is why, as a Jewish leader, I thank God for men like Harlan Crow, who keep the memory of these men and their atrocities alive so that they are not repeated. I have never been to Mr. Crows library, but much of its content are well known. A patriot and historian, his library apparently contains more than 10,000 books and 8500 manuscripts spanning five centuries. The vast majority of it is said to be focused on the historical development of the United States, with documents from Columbus, Vespucci, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and every signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution among others. His collection demonstrates a respect for history and an understanding of how history is necessary for navigating the present. Given the political historical focus of the library, it is also clear that Mr. Crow is committed to keeping alive the values of Western culture and this nation. There are many collections of writings and items from great political leaders. But as a Jew, I am deeply appreciative not only of the depth of the Crow collection of the work of historical heroes, but also of his understanding the importance of remembering the villains of history so that their evils are never repeated. Part of the Crow library is a consistent reminder of those personifications of evil through a "rogues gallery. Substantially less than one percent of the librarys collection, this small area is dedicated to remembering the villains of history so that they are never forgotten nor glorified in a rewriting of actual history. Statues of Lenin, Stalin, Mussolini, Castro and Mao are accompanied by lesser known villains such as Feliks Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Soviet secret police, and Gavrilo Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which led to World War I. Mr. Crows library also apparently contains artwork by Hitler, as well as a signed copy of Mein Kampf. And thank God he has these items of proof of the evil of Hitler. Without this proof, the evils of Hitler might be forgotten, and God forbid, repeated. But Justice Thomas is considered an enemy by those who disagree with his judicial opinions, and so he and any of his friends are targets for a political elite and leftist media that seek to persecute rather than to learn from the history that Mr. Crow seeks to preserve in order to avoid exactly what they are doing. The attacks on Mr. Crow are disgusting, fallacious, and despicable. Calling him an anti-Semite is contradictory to Jewish practices, theology, and history. He is in fact the exact opposite. But he is targeted because of the conservative philanthropies he donates to; and because these same attackers really would rather repeat the horrors of history rather than learn from them. And he is being used as a weapon against one of the great legal minds of the last century because of their personal friendship...a friendship that is exemplary of what all good judges need to be: wise and discerning. One of the greatest Jewish leaders in history was Rabbi Judah HaNasi, who lived almost two thousand years ago and was the chief redactor and editor of the Mishnah, one of the most important texts in Judaism. He was also famous for his friendship with Emperor Antoninus Pius, the fourth of the Five Good Emperors of Rome. Their ancient relationship resulted in Antoninus leading Rome into a time of good government, good lives, and the good will of his subjects. Most notably, Antoninus reign was the longest period of peace without military conflict in the history of the Roman Empire. The personal friendship of Antoninus and Rabbi Judah HaNasi resulted in a great and long peace. If that type of friendship created peace in the ancient violence of Rome, then shouldnt we encourage this deep relationship between the Crow and Thomas families in the hope of achieving similar wisdom and peace in our chaotic times? In the upside-down world of a biased media, Harlan Crow has been attacked as an anti-Semite and Hitler-phile for demonstrating authentic Jewish values. Justice Thomas has been attacked for staying true to a friendship that brings wisdom, discernment, and a deep love of people. Deuteronomy 16:20 enjoins us to pursue justice. In so doing, we must call out the vitriol being thrust upon both these men and their families. It is the responsibility of all good men and women to support them as individuals and as friends. In so doing, we may be able to manifest the blessings of peace that came from the relationship between Judah HaNasi and Antoninus into a blessing of peace in our troubled and divisive times. May we all be blessed to see a time of peace in our nation coming through this friendship, and through all friendships that support wisdom, discernment, and a true love of people. Rabbi Michael Barclay is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Ner Simcha (www.NerSimcha.org) and the author of Sacred Relationships: Biblical Wisdom for Deepening Our Lives Together. He can be reached directly at Rabbi@NerSimcha.org Photo credit: official portrait Progressives in America really despise the Supreme Court now. They hate it. They call it illegitimate. They want to impeach conservative justices for anything and everything. Why? Simple: The Supreme Court as currently constituted upholds the rule of law against the totalitarian lust of the will to power. Political philosophy is very important, more important than its counterfeit child called political science. Political philosophy can be broken down into two traditions, the classical and the modern. The differences between the two are critical to understand in todays political debates around the Supreme Court. The classical tradition of political philosophy begins with the establishment of law as a reflection of nature. This begets the natural law and natural rights conception of politics to which the American Revolution and Founding Fathers adhered. The protection of natural law and natural rights is therefore embodied in the rule of law. The Supreme Court, as we know, is meant to be the institutional guardian of the rule of law which means it is the guardian of natural law and natural rights. The modern tradition of political philosophy begins with the assertion of the rule of will. This comes to us by men like Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, and others. Modern political ideology is also antagonistic toward nature; it believes nature to be malleable, or changeable, and that man has the power through science, industry, and will power to fundamentally transform nature to something new. Modern political philosophy is about the will to power, the will to transform. Because the Supreme Court exists as the guardian of the rule of law, and therefore the natural law and natural rights, which stands against the rule of will, progressives hate the Supreme Court and want the Supreme Court destroyed. Progressivism is the embodiment of modern political philosophy. It is all about the rule of will. Thus, progressivism naturally clashes with the Supreme Courts judicial philosophy of rule of law, natural law, and natural rights. Conservatism, which seeks to defend the rule of law, natural law, and natural rights must necessarily be seen as the enemy by progressives. Conservatism exists in total opposition to the rule of will with the understanding that the rule of will often leads to mob outrage and the tyranny that emanates from the mob (just read some Plato). Since progressivism isnt about the rule of law but the triumph of the will, one sees the tactics employed by progressives from storming the Tennessee Capitol, to the BLM protests and the destruction of property, to Democrats praising attacks on Republican lawmakers. Its all about will to power. Since the spirit of progressivism controls most of the bureaucratic institutions of the American republic, there is an urgency in destroying the last bastions of the rule of law: the Supreme Court (and, for the moment, the House of Representatives). This is why progressives constantly bemoan about the Supreme Court being illegitimate. By destroying the publics belief in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, this allows progressives to circumvent the rule of law. The rule of law is itself illegitimate if the very institution meant to uphold it is illegitimate! Its a simple but highly effective strategy that is also aimed at riling up the masses for mob action more will to power. If this is not good enough, then impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Of course, impeachment isnt really about upholding the rule of law. Its about the assertion of ones political will over the rule of law. If one doesnt like the current rulings of the Court, then just impeach the justices you dont like. Triumph of the will. It is important to defend the legitimacy of the Supreme Court because its legitimacy is bound to the rule of law, and with the rule of law natural law and natural rights. If the Supreme Court is destroyed, as progressives want, then the absence of the rule of law that comes with the desecration of the Supreme Court will bring the absolute rule of will across the country. However, not all wills are created equal. Only the will of progressivism will be permitted to rule. The great lie that progressives promote, through their media machines, is that law is restrictive of freedom. This is contrary to all ancient and humanistic wisdom. The absence of law is not freedom but chaos, and chaos is the prerequisite for tyranny and injustice. Even that famous American hymn once known to many, America the Beautiful, sings of thy liberty in law. Law permits the natural flourishing of human nature to take root and blossom. But since modern political philosophy also denies nature, all that is left is the irascible will. The assault on the Supreme Court is all about the will to power and the destruction of the rule of law. The rule of law stands athwart the lustful will and its desire to dominate. The rule of law and its upholding by the Supreme Court is the antithesis of everything progressivism desires. Therefore, no matter the cost, no matter the destruction, no matter the harm, progressivism must assail the Supreme Court. Paul Krause is the editor of VoegelinView. He is the author of Finding Arcadia: Wisdom, Truth, and Love in the Classics, The Odyssey of Love: A Christian Guide to the Great Books, The Politics of Plato, and contributed to The College Lecture Today and Making Sense of Diseases and Disasters. Photo credit: Joe Ravi CC BY-SA 3.0 license Call it the under-reported story of the year. But if you're in Taiwan, you'd be mighty nervous, given that the Chinese navy is surrounding your entire island -- just as a military exercise, of course. According to the Washington Post: TAIPEI, Taiwan Chinas newest aircraft carrier has for the first time practiced attacking Taiwan from the islands east coast, demonstrating Beijings growing determination to project power beyond the Taiwan Strait and far into the Pacific Ocean, an area traditionally dominated by the United States and its regional allies. Chinese saber-rattling in the Taiwan Strait, which is just 80 miles wide at its narrowest point, has become commonplace as the Communist Party under Xi Jinping becomes increasingly vehement about its intent to take control of the self-governed democracy. But the three days of military exercises around Taiwan that concluded on Monday marked a change: They focused on dominating the air and sea in the western Pacific by simulating a carrier-based strike from the far side of the island, rather than the usual approach from the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China. Which is disturbing, not only because it shows China's capabilities from the far side of the island but because unlike other military exercises, which theoretically at least, are defensive, this one can only be a dress rehearsal to an offensive attack on the island. Already, there's been plenty of rhetoric about that possibility coming from China. It also comes as China has been racking up diplomatic victories, one of the most recent of which directly undercut of Taiwan, severing of relations to the island by the far-left government of Honduras, which had been one of the island-state's largest allies, in favor of China. The swiftly arranged tour of Taiwan's president to neighboring Guatemala, to shore up relations there, attests to the seriousness of which the Taiwanese considered the maneuver. China has been buying itself allies at a rapid pace through its One Belt, One Road initiative and its promises of big investments -- not just in Central America, but in strategically important Pacific island states such as Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. Most recently, France's president, Emmanuel Macron, has visited China -- to express his pride in France's decoupling from the U.S., and its obvious indifference to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. One wonders if that will in retrospect be seen as an April Glaspie moment. Now they're circling the island. Anybody concerned? Historian and geographer Robert D. Kaplan has noted that the biggest and most critical source of the U.S.'s famed global power is in its Great White Fleet, which ensures order and free trade of goods up and down the Pacific coast. If China takes Taiwan, U.S. "hegemony" will be broken. China knows this. And China can now see weak Joe Biden at the helm in the U.S. with all his allies deserting him and his military in disarray and it's drawing its own conclusions about what to do next. It reminds me of how Russia amassed troops at the Ukraine border prior to its invasion last year -- as the Ukrainian government then dismissed the threat because they simply weren't ready, and couldn't comprehend it. Mark Levin has some thoughts on that problem of mental readiness for a war in China here: ARE YOU LISTENING America? I agree with Mark Levin: We need to prepare for war against China. I dont mean go to war. I dont mean initiate a war. But they are preparing for war. We are completely unprepared as a nation, psychologically. https://t.co/bW1PsBCL5b Fernando Amandi Sr. (@FernandoAmandi) April 11, 2023 And here's what the Chinese think: 1/2 Chinese assessment of the Taiwan Strait: The US has neither a clear objective nor the means to achieve one, if it had one. Maybe that's why markets didn't flutter when the PLA did a practice blockade of Taiwan this week. https://t.co/cKfuBvhefN David P. Goldman (@davidpgoldman) April 11, 2023 They've already seen how impressive the U.S. military under wokester Joe and Gen. Mark Milley is with the U.S. pullout in Afghanistan, and the fact that the U.S. is bogged down in supporting Ukraine. They also know that the U.S. is technologically behind: The White House, of course, is now asleep at the switch. No statements, and no interest. Joe Biden is preoccupied with demonizing Republicans to win re-election. What the CIA has to say about Taiwan is unknown, but it had accurately warned about the imminent invasion of Ukraine. It hasn't said much about this. But even the markets are complacent. Writer David Goldman, who's also an investment banker, put out this tweet here, showing the hedging behavior in the markets: The dog that didn't bark is market risk. Not a flutter in the implied volatility (hedging cost) of Chinese or Taiwan ETF's. Evidently no-one thinks there will be a war despite China's encirclement of the island. Below is implied and realized vol of MCHI. pic.twitter.com/6inJlNwXdU David P. Goldman (@davidpgoldman) April 11, 2023 ...and in Taiwan: And here's the Taiwan ETF, EWT: pic.twitter.com/fIySCMnHTP David P. Goldman (@davidpgoldman) April 11, 2023 No one's pricing in an invasion in the western markets -- with this kind of activity going on and China's obvious military superiority an emerging issue as Gen. Mark Milley worries about pronouns and his own white supremacy privilege in the U.S. military. Now the outer bands of a big hurricane are beginning to hit the shore. How long and how far this goes is unknown, perhaps the Chinese are waiting for the auspicious Year of the Dragon next year to make their final lunge and break U.S. power forever, but it could be anything. In light of what's going on now, it's not good. Image: Screen shot from shareable Washington Post video, via Microsoft Start Like many deep blue states, California has its share of deep rooted problems. From a surge in violent crime, homelessness, and drug overdoses to a giant budget shortfall, a population exodus, and a power grid on the brink of collapse, the Golden State is suffering from multiple crises. Yet, instead of addressing these problems and actually making life better for the 39 million Americans who currently live in California, Golden State lawmakers are focused on identity politics in the form of a comprehensive reparations plan that one California lawmaker says "will be a blueprint for America." So what does the California Reparations Task Force (CRTF) "blueprint for America" look like? For starters, the CRTF seeks to provide all eligible Black Californians with a lump-sum payment of $5 million. On top of that, eligible residents would also receive "free" college, "free" housing, and total debt forgiveness, among several other government goodies. California Reparations Task Force chair Kamilah Moore said, "I hope that ... this task force sets a precedent not only for what other states can do ... but, of course, the federal government as well because it's primarily the federal government's responsibility. They are the entity that has the big enough purse, for instance, to close the wealth gap, and so I do think that the task force is headed in the right direction in terms of that precedent-setting." If Moore gets her wish, and other states follow California down the reparations road, the economic and social repercussions will be terrible. If the federal government were to embark on a similar quest, it would spell the end of America as we know it. First, it must be stated that slavery never existed in California. In fact, California was a free state that fought alongside the Union against the Confederacy during the Civil War. That alone should make the reparations conversation in California moot. Second, California (and every other state, for that matter) does not have billions of dollars at its disposal to redistribute to a sliver of its population. Currently, California's population is 39 percent Hispanic, 35 percent White, 5 percent Asian, and 4 percent Black. Is it fair to force 95 percent of Californians, all of whom had absolutely nothing to do with a reprehensible institution that was outlawed more than 150 years ago, to pay enormous sums of money to 4 percent of the population simply based on their skin color? Of course not. Actually, that is the essence of racism. Third, if California lawmakers really wanted to help its Black residents and close the wealth gap, one-time payments and other government handouts will not make the situation better. It arguably will make it worse. Consider. Since the start of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "war on poverty," the federal government has spent $22 trillion on various wealth redistribution programs. Yet, over that span, the rate of poverty remains unchanged. Perhaps this is because giving some people other people's money is an incentive for the former to remain indolent. In other words, government checks breed dependence on government. On the other hand, if California lawmakers are actually interested in addressing the plight of many of the Black residents who live in the Golden State, they ought to take a forward-looking approach that would include an increased police presence, a tough-on-crime approach, lower taxes, fewer regulations, and commonsense policies that would make energy affordable and abundant. And if these same lawmakers were really audacious and genuinely wanted to throw a wrench into the cycle of poverty that has entrapped so many Black Californians, they would do everything in their power to ensure that universal school choice is the norm in the Golden State. It also would help if these so-called leaders addressed the elephant in the room: the breakdown of the Black family, which is arguably the biggest driver of poverty and so many other societal problems. However, these are difficult conversations for leftist lawmakers, who always view more government wealth redistribution as the answer to everything. It is much easier for politicians to propose a superficial solution, like reparation payments, even though time has shown that giving people money doesn't solve deep seated, complex problems. I hope the rest of the country does not follow California's lead on this issue. Once upon a time, Americans flocked to California because it was the land of freedom and opportunity. Today, Americans are fleeing California because it has become the land of big government socialism and identity politics. Suffice it to say, this is not the path that other states, or the federal government, want to tread. Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute. Image: Fibonacci Blue. Whole Foods on Monday shut down its ritzy new flagship store in San Francisco, after just a year in operation, citing crime and safety concerns. I wrote about that astonishing event yesterday, brought on by the city's failure to enforce its own laws, noting that the company had a good customer base and had shelled out big to make the place attractive, but that was no match for the chaos the one-party government had allowed the area to fall into. Whole Foods may have had a punchbowl for itself and its customers, but with the city's coddling of bums and criminals, someone dropped a deuce in it. In this case, seems that was literally. The story seems to have set San Francisco's locals buzzing on the internet, with person after person giving his story about what he saw in that place as it happened. I curated a few doozies describing how bad it was: Whole Foods San Francisco at SOMA 4th St. This is what employees have to deal with daily in S.F. People high on drugs, in psychosis. Suspect ate lot of fruit in store, his basket was full of orange/banana/tangerine peels. Look at security, hiding behind that brave woman employee pic.twitter.com/FU25XYhWcU Old Fashioned SF (@powellmarket415) April 11, 2023 This picture appears to be from the Whole Foods nearest to the Whole Foods that was shuttered, slightly up the road at Powell and Market. The point is clear, though. From local publication SFist: The block of Market Street between Seventh and Eighth streets has been notably more chaotic since the pandemic, with a crowds typically congregating closer to the Seventh Street end, and plenty of open-air drug use and dealing going on. The Whole Foods announced in November that it was instituting a rule for using its restrooms, which would require showing a receipt to a security guard to prove you had shopped there. Around that same time, the store cut back its hours and began closing two hours earlier, at 7 p.m., out of safety concerns for its employees. And from the comments section at SFist, the actual experiences of the locals: Had enough? Obviously, the bums were taking over, or, as another commentator noted, Whole Foods had become "a food bank for the druggies and homeless." Another said it was "never a good sign to see your grocery store filled with cops and security." Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera noted that what went on in that store and throughout the crumbling city amounted to an utter rejection of civilization. You would never see brazen thieves in previous years ... it's shameless going in five, 10, 15 of them roughing up innocent storekeepers, but stealing stuff in a way I mean, there was always shoplifting in this and that. But the fact that they just reject the rules utterly of civilization. Every now and then, Geraldo gets one right. Who would want to shop at such a place, particularly for food? When the bums are allowed in repeatedly, bringing in sanitation issues with them, and can make drug-addled spectacles of themselves, customers go other places. That's why Whole Foods just shut the place down. Image: Twitter screen shot. In a little-noted speech last week, V.P. Kamala Harris revealed that the federal government will be giving out gifts amounting to $1.7 billion to "minority" businesses. This amounts to a stealth reparations plan, as the recipients likely will be predominantly Black. The Hill reports: Vice President Harris on Monday announced $1.7 billion in grants for more than 600 community lenders to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, housing and commercial real estate as they seek to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. Harris announced the grants as part of the Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, saying that the loans will go to support local lending institutions that primarily serve minority communities, which may be hesitant to seek out a loan from a bigger bank. She said that the lenders will not need to pay back "not even a dollar of this investment," and noting that the awards are grants, not loans. "These banks predominantly do business in overlooked and underserved communities," she said. "They know these communities. They understand these communities. And in particular, most importantly, they know and see the capacity of these communities." YouTube screen grab (cropped). It is unclear where the money will come from, though there is still cash from COVID appropriations and the massive spending bills available. Disguising the gifts, targeted on the basis of race, as loans that don't have to be repaid is particularly obnoxious. What kind of lesson is it for budding entrepreneurs that you don't have to repay money that you borrowed because you have the approved racial identity? Moreover, targeted loans to "disadvantaged" firms have a terrible track record, as the Wall Street Journal editorial board points out: [T]he U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia recently won a $1 million settlement for fraud in federal contracting for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, or DBEs. Here's a wild idea: Why not award construction funds based on merit, not claims of identity? (snip) The DBE program, set up in the 1980s, steers money to small businesses that are at least 51% owned by "disadvantaged" persons. Women are "presumed disadvantaged," along with people who are black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-Pacific or Subcontinent Asian, although there are also limits on net worth and firm size. The government's general goal is for 10% of its highway and transit funds to be spent with DBEs. But they're supposed to do real work, not merely pass money through. "This was precisely the case with the Platt Bridge project," says a news release by the U.S. Attorney. In 2011, Hercules-Vimas Joint Venture won a $42.7 million painting job from Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation. To meet the disadvantaged rules, it subcontracted Vertech International, a certified DBE. "While Hercules-Vimas represented to PENNDOT that Vertech was the paint supplier, the government alleges that it worked directly with Sherwin-Williams, a non-disadvantaged business, to deliver paint and materials to the project site. Vertech merely created invoices designed to conceal the fraud in exchange for a nominal fee." Principals from Vertech and Hercules-Vimas pleaded guilty in 2016 and 2017. The new $1 million settlement is with Sherwin-Williams, which the feds allege was a knowing participant. (snip) So the DBE program raises the cost of construction, creates an ecosystem of make-work for certification and oversight, and provides easy pickings for scofflaws? The U.S. Attorney in Boston last week announced a $1.24 million settlement to resolve an alleged "fraudulent scheme" in an I-95 project. Favoritism of any type, whether based on race, ethnicity, bribery, or political clout, is counterproductive. I am more and more convinced that the solution to racial disparities is in the reforming the education system and efforts to recognize the importance of merit and to instill functional social norms across underperforming groups. Jung Jung-hoon's "Kairos 23-1" (2023) / Courtesy of KCDF By Park Han-sol A festival dedicated to Korean crafts, cuisine and traditional culture is set to unfold in three different Italian cities later this month. Titled "That's Korea," the large-scale fair will welcome local audiences in Milan, Venice and Brescia with exhibitions, a "hanbok" (traditional Korean attire) fashion show and cooking classes, the culture ministry and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation (KCDF) announced on Monday. In time for the annual Milan Design Week, the two-part Korean Craft Exhibition will run from April 17 to 23 in the northern Italian city. Curated by Koo Byung-jun, the main exhibit at the Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli will introduce 65 handicrafts ceramics, "ottchil" (lacquerware), glassworks and woodwork produced by 20 Korean creators under the theme of, "Shift Craft." The display space has been designed by celebrated Korean architect Cho Byoung-soo. The featured craftspeople include ceramic artists Yoon Kwang-cho and Kang Suk-young, as well as silversmith Cho Sung-ho. Kwon Jung-mo's "Pendant L" from his "New Wave" series (2023) / Courtesy of KCDF On Tuesday night, Tucker Carlson dedicated his entire program to an interview with Donald Trump. Despite six years of non-stop persecution, including two years of dealing with the fallout from a gamed election and a recent arrest, Trump looked unchanged. He hadn't aged a bit, and he was every bit as vibrant and on-the-ball as ever. His communication style hadn't changed, either: discursive and repetitive, but also insightful and showing his intelligence, humanism, and ego. In addition, the interview contained some serious bombshells on everything from the mundane to the existential. At the mundane, personal level was Trump's observation that his arrest was, in its own way, a moving and uplifting experience, thanks to the warmth he received from the everyday New York citizens who dealt with him during the booking process. At the existential level, Trump explained that the risk of nuclear war that we are facing thanks to Joe Biden's fecklessness is unlike anything Americans can imagine. We still have in mind Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but the current nuclear arsenal in American and Russian hands can destroy cities with something much smaller than a suitcase: Trump: "Nobody talks about nuclear ... the biggest problem we have in the whole world. It's not global warming, it's nuclear warming, and all it takes is one madman..." pic.twitter.com/VqeqzkilSX The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 12, 2023 Trump also noted the terrible toll Biden's Ukraine war has taken on America's arsenal. He stated (accurately) that he replenished badly depleted military supplies during his term in office. However, thanks to Biden's obsession with Ukraine, none of that is left. While Russia is busy making bullets, we have empty storehouses: President Trump: "We're not prepared to fight. I rebuilt our militarynew planes, new tanks, new everything. They've taken the military that I've rebuilt, and they've given it all to Ukraine." pic.twitter.com/f1gRXS94in Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 12, 2023 And speaking of the military, Trump was savage about Biden's chaotic, dangerous, and wasteful withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump agreed with the necessity of withdrawal and said that he had a plan in place that would have been organized, efficient, and safe. It would have protected civilians, American citizens, and the military. He also said Milley was willing to leave American equipment behind because it would be too expensive to remove a $100-million aircraft! President Trump SLAMS Joe Biden's shameful Afghanistan withdrawal: "These are idiots we're dealing with. They left $85 billion worth of equipment. They left our American citizens behind...We didn't have one soldier killed in 18 months." pic.twitter.com/4RThDiszpz Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 12, 2023 Another interesting point Trump made was that he had extremely good relationships with the world's dictators. They liked and respected one another, but he always made it absolutely clear that if they strayed so much as an inch beyond the lines he'd drawn, he would destroy them. He spoke especially well of Xi Jinping, a man he says is exceptionally talented and focused. President Donald Trump says to Tucker Carlson that [Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, & Kim Jong-un are]Top of the line. & Very smart. Trump praises the Chinese, Russian, & North Korean systems for producing REAL leaders! What do you think of them vs. AOC & Sleepy Joe? pic.twitter.com/J0GfTz3XPL BH Times (@BlkHmmrTimes) April 12, 2023 By contrast, earlier in the interview, Trump had slammed Joe Biden, saying that the problem isn't Joe's age older men are in great shape but it's simply that Joe, never the brightest bulb, has declined even more: BREAKING: Trump tells Tucker he doesn't think Biden will make it through to a 2024 campaign pic.twitter.com/wIfMlysa9l Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) April 11, 2023 And in the best line of the moment, Trump managed to slap both Biden, for his terrible policies, and Macron for being, well, Macron: Trump slams Macron for giving China soft greenlight to invade Taiwan: "Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China kissing [Xi Jinping's] ass in China." pic.twitter.com/mddP4bYHZ4 Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 12, 2023 Now, that is classic Trump! Overall, I found irritating the same things I always find irritating: the endless repetition and the post-nasal-drip sniffing. However, my dominant impression was that this man is an intelligent, self-confident dynamo and that the world would be in much better shape and America would be a confident, powerful, affluent nation if Trump were still in the White House. When it comes to the 2024 election, we Republicans have an embarrassment of riches: Trump, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy are the most notable, but other competent, intelligent people are following closely behind. I'm not tipping my hand as to the person for whom I'll vote in the primaries, but I can assure you of one thing: whoever wins in the primaries is the person for whom I'll vote in the national election. Nothing will more surely result in a Democrat victory than voters whose candidate lost the primaries than refusing to vote for the ultimate Republican candidate in November. According to a recent report, [t]he Vatican has abrogated three papal bulls, claiming that the documents are offensive to indigenous peoples and "have never been considered expressions of the Catholic faith." The bulls Dum Diversas (1452), Romanus Pontifex (1455) and Inter Caetera (1493) contain the basis for the "doctrine of discovery," which "is not part of the teaching of the Catholic Church," the Vatican has announced. "The Church acknowledges that these papal bulls did not adequately reflect the equal dignity and rights of indigenous peoples," the dicasteries for Culture and Education and for Promoting Integral Human Development said in a joint statement published Thursday [March 30, 2023]. While the above sounds open-minded and "progressive," the all-important context is, as usual, missing. The above referenced bulls, or edicts, were primarily focused on neutralizing Muslim powers that were otherwise terrorizing virtually every corner of Christendom. For example, Dum Diversas was issued the same year (1452) that Sultan Muhammad II laid siege to Constantinople, leading to that ancient Christian city's brutal fall in 1453. At the same time, Muslims from North Africa were terrorizing Spain and the broader Mediterranean through constant and devastating slave raids. Thus, whether in Christendom's farthest east (Constantinople) or farthest west (Spain), Muslims were massacring and enslaving countless Christians. As such, these bulls, like so many before them, were designed to inspire Europeans to rise up and defend Christendom against Muslims to "restrain the savage excesses of the Saracens and of other infidels, enemies of the Christian name," to quote from Romanus Pontifex. Because some of these bulls deal with Christians invading and seeking to conquer North Africa, modern-day "enemies of the Christian name" have sought to present these as wars of conquest and colonization. For example, Romanus Pontifex authorized King Alfonso V of Portugal (14321481) to "invade [North Africa], conquer, defeat and subjugate all Saracens and pagans and other enemies of Christ," and to "enslave their persons perpetually" and seize their possessions for profit. Again, such ruthless language must not be read in a vacuum. The atrocities Muslims were committing against nearby Christians, especially those of Spain, make Islamic State (ISIS) atrocities seem like child's play. It was all-out war to the death. Moreover, while expeditions into North Africa were similar to the Crusades, in that they featured Christians traveling to and seeking to conquer Muslim lands, often left out is that all of these "Muslim lands" all of North Africa and the Middle East were Christian for centuries before Islam invaded and conquered them in the seventh century. The popes and other Christians were well aware of this, and, as such, these expeditions were seen as just wars, both to quell Muslim aggression and to return North Africa and the Middle East to the fold of Christendom including by liberating the indigenous Christians, who, in the fifteenth century, were experiencing especially severe bouts of persecution. For example, contemporary sources concerning Egypt's Coptic Christians under the Mamluk dynasty (12501517) are riddled with accounts of Christians being slaughtered, immolated, and crucified, their women and children raped and enslaved, their churches razed to the ground. Further, most of these bulls were issued at a time when Muslims made it impossible for Christians to reach the East by land. Any merchant or traveler caught was instantly slaughtered or enslaved in keeping with Islamic law. Indeed, it is often forgotten, but all of the Spanish and Portuguese vessels that set sail and eventually found the New World in the late fifteenth century, including Christopher Columbus's, did so in the context of their long war with Islam not in search of "spices," as is today taught in classrooms. By conflating and condemning these bulls as "xenophobic" calls to justify the mistreatment of Native Americans without bothering to cite the unbridled ferocity that prompted them in the first place the Vatican manages not only to appease "wokeism," but to kill two birds with one stone: openly take a bow to "indigenous peoples," and clandestinely take a bow to Muslims, all while condemning the "sins" of Christians, with zero context. Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum. Image via Max Pixel. New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg's unprecedented charges against former President Trump shocked the U.S. But it also may have sent a few shock waves abroad: According to Carlos Vecchio, a former ambassador appointed by once-acting Venezuelan President Juan Guaido, his ex-boss is now under grave threat of arrest: #ALERTA | Juan Guaido enfrenta alto riesgo de detencion por el regimen de Maduro. Fuentes dentro del regimen dicen que hay voluntad de Maduro en avanzar contra @jguaido aprovechando la guerra interna entre las mafias del regimen. No le perdonan su liderazgo. Guaido se ha pic.twitter.com/qlZiZVhNWu CARLOS VECCHIO (@carlosvecchio) April 11, 2023 Google Translate: #ALERTA | Juan Guaido faces a high risk of detention by the Maduro regime. Sources within the regime say that Maduro is willing to move against @jguaido taking advantage of the internal war between the regime's mafias. They do not forgive his leadership. Guaido has remained firm in #Venezuela against the Maduro regime, touring the country, listening and bringing hope to Venezuelans, despite the persecution and permanent threat of the dictatorship for his democratic leadership. We urge the international community and global lovers of democracy to remain vigilant in the face of these serious threats against the integrity of @jguaido and other leaders of the democratic alternative. All this threatens the search for a solution to the Venezuelan conflict. Guaido is the biggest opposition leader in Venezuela. Guaido, recall, was democratic Venezuelan leader that the opposition legislature appointed as acting president in 2019, based on the evidence of flaming electoral fraud in Venezuela's presidential election of 2018. President Trump and the European Union acted swiftly to recognize him, and he was able to govern on some matters on Venezuela's government activities abroad. Venezuela's current usurper president, Nicolas Maduro, who benefited from the fraud, ignored the legislative action, appointed his own legislative overlord body, and went right on mis-governing the country until Joe Biden came along, hat in hand, and effectively switched diplomatic recognition back to Maduro in order to get him to pump oil for the U.S., undercutting Guaido. In late 2022, the Venezuelan legislature just shut the whole thing down. A very good short backgrounder can be read at MercoPress here. As of the end of that move towards democracy, Venezuela has fallen into hellhole status, emptying its jails, sending its migrants to the states to enter illegally as asylum seekers, engaging in assorted infighting between ruling gangs, and resuming state-sponsored narcotrafficking activities, becoming a cocaine supplier as well as transit country from neighboring Colombia. Joe Biden continues to cozy up to the regime. Guaido is the last remnant of democracy, except that unlike in recent years, when, for example, President Trump was in office, Maduro dared not move to arrest the man. Somehow that's changed. Guaido is far less powerful now than he was three years ago as legislatively-appointed acting president, is powerless on the sidelines. He's been abandoned by his friends, and abandoned by the democracies of the West in favor of Maduro. Maduro who's in office by fraud, is perfectly happy to be dealing with Joe Biden who's also in office by fraud. Maduro's also not oblivious to events in the states. You can bet he's seen how Joe Biden and his ally Alvin Bragg has dealt with Biden's opposition rival (read: President Trump), seeing how he's gotten away with actually arresting the man on ginned-up charges, and adjusted his calculations accordingly. If Biden can arrest his opposition rival on phony charges, what's to stop him from doing the same to his opposition leader? Why let Biden be the badass in the dictator-American community while he plays nice with Guaido. He no longer has anything to fear. That's my strong suspicion. Why would Maduro have left Guaido alone back when he was a real threat to his regime and President Trump was in office, deterring him from doing it? Why is he raring up, according to the source cited, to arrest him now? Biden's ally Bragg not only arrested Trump, Biden himself was involved heavily in the classified documents raid on the Trump residence last August. It seems to defy belief that Maduro wouldn't have been influenced by the ugly turn of events in the states. If so, it goes to show that the Biden effect is a very ugly one on international democracy movements as Biden undercuts democracy again and again in the U.S. You did that, Joe. Image: Screen shot from Twitter video They are coming for our children. Openly, but for the moment obscurely, U.N. health bureaucrats are pushing the sexualization of young children. It starts (naturally) with the children of Europe, where organized religion is weakest, but the sponsor's name is the WHO, which stands for the World health Organization, so you can be sure that our children are not going to escape this push. This document from the WHO Regional Office for Europe and BZgA[i], titled "Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe," is a stunner. Source. Its key points on the sexualization of children are summarized here: Children between 0 and 4 years must learn about masturbation and develop an interest in their own and others' bodies. Children between 4 and 6 years must learn about masturbation, and be encouraged to express their sexual needs and wishes. Children between 6 and 9 years must learn about sexual intercourse, online pornography, having a secret love and self-stimulation. Children between 9 and 12 years children should have their first sexual experience, and learn to use online pornography. This summary is genuine, as a look through the online document proves. For example: Further proof that it is genuine comes from the existence of multi-language versions of the document: Childhood is and ought to remain asexual. The body and mind are not yet prepared for the mighty forces that are unleashed in sexual activity. Those who want to violate our children by intruding on their childhood and inserting sexual thoughts and practices before maturity are demonic in my opinion. I have no hope that the U.S. government under child-sniffer Joe Biden would do anything to combat this. In fact, the best hope might be the Islamic countries. They would be told that this is for Europe, so none of their business. However, Islam regards the Muslims living in Europe as part of their ummah, and therefore a matter of direct relevance to all Islamic countries. The OIC ought to take a position on this. The time to shine light on this sexualization of children is now, before more innocent lives are wrecked with premature sexuality. Hat tip: Alex. On the night of July 31, 1761, a frigate of the French East India Company named Utile, captained by Jean de La Fargue, and carrying a contraband of African slaves ran aground on a small, flat island located about 500 km north of Reunion and about 450 km east of Madagascar. The ship was carrying on its hold some 160 slaves consisting of men, women and children, bound for Mauritius where the slaves would have been sold to plantation owners. Although slavery was legal at the time, de Lafargue was not authorized by colonial authorities to trade in slaves. In addition, the ship was also carrying a French crew of 140 men. Tromelin Island, formerly Ile des Sables. Photo: Richard Bouet The inaccuracy of the maps combined with the stubbornness of the captain drove the ship onto the reefs off the islets north end. The impact shattered the hull and the ship began to take in water. Most of the slaves, who were trapped in the cargo hold, drowned, but some managed to escape as the ship broke apart. The next morning, 122 of the 140 members of the crew and somewhere between 60 and 80 Malagasy slaves found themselves stranded on Ile des Sables (Island of Sand). Captain Jean de Lafargue suffered some kind of a nervous breakdown as a result of the wreck, so first officer Barthelemy Castellan du Vernet took over. He rallied the crew to salvage food, tools, and timber from the wreck and build separate camps for the crew and the slaves. They dug a well 5 meters deep, built an oven and a furnace, and work began on a new boat. Within two months Providence emerged from the remains of Utile. On 27 September 1761, the 122 surviving French sailors boarded Providence and set sail for Madagascar, promising the Malagasy slaves that a ship would return for them. After four days of sailing, Providence arrived in Madagascar, and the crew was transferred back to Reunion Island and Mauritius. During the transit, many men died of tropical diseases. Among them was Captain Jean de Lafargue, leaving Castellan du Vernet to face the wrath of the governor of Mauritius, who was furious for violating his prohibition on bringing slaves to his island. Du Vernet requested to have a ship sent back to the islet, but the governor denied. News of the castaway slaves even reached Paris and caused a brief stir, but there were bigger issues to worry about, like the Seven Years' War and the looming bankruptcy of the French East India Company. The slaves were soon forgotten, but not by Castellan du Vernet. In 1772eleven years after the slaves were stranded on the islandin response to another request from Castellan du Vernet, the minister of marine affairs agreed to send a ship, but it would be another three years before La Sauterelle would arrive at Ile des Sables. On reaching the island, a small boat carrying two men were dispatched to make contact with the stranded islanders. But the boat dashed on the reef. One man swam back to the ship, and the other swam to the island. Because of bad weather and dangerous reefs, no further attempts at landing were made and the ship decided to sail back. Two more ships followed La Sauterelle, but neither was able to make landfall. Finally, on 29 November 1776, 15 years after the sinking, La Dauphine, a corvette captained by Jacques Marie Boudin de la Nuguy de Tromelin, managed to land on the island and rescue the survivors. Only seven women and an eight-month-old boy remained. Upon arriving there, Tromelin-Lanuguy discovered that the survivors were dressed in clothes made from plaited feathers they obtained from sea birds that they killed for sustenance. The islanders also fed on fish, tortoises and birds eggs. According to Tromelin-Lanuguy, the islanders had somehow managed to keep a fire going all these years, although it was more likely that flint stones were used. They built huts from blocks of coral, a meter and a half thick, to shelter themselves from the cyclones, and had a communal oven. Unfortunately, the testimony of the seven remaining women and the records of La Dauphine have been lost, so there is no written account of what could be one of the greatest stories of human perseverance. Excavated homes on Tromelin Island. Photo: Jean-Francois Rebeyrotte A kitchen. Photo: Jean-Francois Rebeyrotte In order to learn more about how the islanders managed to survive 15 years on a tiny wind ravaged island, in 2006, Max Guerout, a former French naval officer and director of operations of the Naval Archeology Research Group, led an archeological expedition to the island. Guerout believes that most of the 60 to 80 slaves that landed on the island, died within the first couple of years. Not long after they were abandoned, a group of 18 departed the island on a makeshift raft but it is unknown whether they ever reached Madagascar. Within five years, their population was reduced to 15 survivors and remained so over the next decade. Just months before the rescue, the French sailor stranded from La Sauterelle, had left the islet on a raft with a sail of woven feathers, along with three men and three women. They were never heard from again. Guerout and his team discovered copper utensils that were salvaged from the wreck and then hammered into new shapes. More remarkable was how they had been repairedsome up to eight timesover the course of 15 years. The castaways had to cut pieces of copper from other objects for patches, drill holes through both patches and plates, and then use small rolled pieces of copper as rivets, which they then hammered into place. Excavation yielded about 45 domestic objects including iron tripods to hold cooking vessels, and big lead bowls probably made from lead sheets kept on Utile to patch holes at sea. They even found pieces of copper jewelry, such as rings, a couple of bracelets, pendants, and a comb. One does not have the impression that these people were crushed by their condition. They tried to survive with order and method, Guerout said of the castaway slaves. Its a very human story, a story of instinct and survival of people who were abandoned because they were regarded by some of their fellow human beings as less human. Much of their settlement was destroyed when French authorities built a weather station there in 1954. the station was destroyed by a cyclone two years later and then rebuilt. It is still in operation today and consists of a few buildings, cisterns, and concrete footings. There is also 1,200-feet airstrip that provides the only connection to the outside world. Since 1885, the island has been called Tromelin Island after Captain Tromelin de La Nuguy, who rescued the forgotten islanders. References: # Samir S. Patel, Castaways, Archeology.org # Joelle Weeks, The Shipwrecked Slaves of Tromelin Island: A Crime of Lese-Humanity, Angles In the Western Sichuan province, between central China and the Tibetan Autonomous Region, there exist hundreds of mysterious stone towers, some of them over 200 feet tall. They dot the valleys and the foothills of the Himalayas, often clustered near villages where they have been repurposed as stables for yaks and ponies. Others are abandoned and in a state of disrepair; their wooden stairs gone and roof collapsed. Although they clearly exist for centuries, the purpose and origin of these structures remain a mystery, and even the local residents are ignorant of their history Photo: Munford/Wikimedia The towers were first brought to the attention of the outside world by French explorer Frederique Darragon, who went to Tibet in 1998 to research snow leopards, but instead fell under the spell of these enigmatic structures. Darragon spent the next five years studying the towers. She counted them, mapped them, photographed them, and even climbed them when possible to collect samples of wood from the beams for analysis. But when she talked to people living in proximity to the towers, she was surprised to learn that nobody knew who built them and for what purpose. A search among the texts in the local Buddhist monasteries was also unfruitful. However, she did find a few references to the towers in some Chinese annals and in the diaries of 19th-century European travelers to the region, but nobody made any attempts to study them or unravel the puzzle. The lack of local knowledge about the towers origin could be due to the region's history and geography. The region where the towers are found has been historically occupied by different mountain tribes who have maintained isolation for centuries. Due to the diverse nature of their origins and the fragmented terrain in which they live, the languages and dialects they speak are vastly different from one another. Even from one valley to the next, the locals couldn't speak to each other, Darragon says in a documentary titled Secret Towers of the Himalayas, produced by her friend Michel Peissel. Darragon believes that knowledge of the towers might have been previously passed down through oral tradition, but now forgotten as dialects changed or vanished. Himalayan towers depicted in a painting of the Jinchuan campaigns. These monumental structures were built using a mixture of cut stone, brick, and timber and come in various shapes including square, polygon, and star-shaped with up to 12 vertices. They contain very little mortar and due to the wooded planks and beams that intersperse between the stones, these robust constructions are able to absorb the force of violent shaking that accompany earthquakes. Especially the star-shaped construction that make the structures less susceptible to tremors. By conducting radiocarbon dating of the wood in the towers, Darragon determined that these towers are between 600 to 1,000 years old. Darragon believes the towers did not serve a single purpose, but its use differed from valley to valley. In Miniak, for example, she believes that many were watchtowers. She bases her conclusions upon such observations like the entrance being several stories above the ground, and the location of the towers where trade routes met. In Kongpo and Damba, the towers seem to be primarily symbols of wealth and pride. According to one tale, the towers were built by locals who grew rich by trading with Mongol-ruled China. Many of the towers are now in a derelict state. Darragon is working to get the towers listed under UNESCOs World Heritage Site. The designation would likely help protect the towers and raise money to restore them. She is also trying to enlist Sichuan University's help in studying the structures. In 2006, the stone towers were placed on the watch list of the Worlds Monument Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world. References: # Towers To The Heavens, Newsweek # Towering Mysteries, Smithsonian # Stone Towers of Southwest China, World Monuments Fund It is said that a fall from a height of only six feet can be deadly with broken bones, head injuries, spinal cord injuries and even death. But there have been instances where people have fallen from astounding heights and survived. Vesna Vulovic On January 26, 1972, the JAT Yugoslav Airlines Flight 367 flying from Stockholm to Belgrade became the target of a terrorist attack. A suitcase bomb tucked inside the baggage compartment of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 aircraft exploded when the airplane was cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet over East Germany. The explosion tore through the fuselage of the narrow-body jetliner, breaking it apart into three pieces. The wreckage then crashed near the village of Srbska Kamenice in Czechoslovakia. Among the crew was Vesna Vulovic, a 22-year-old Serbian flight attendant who was accidentally placed on the wrong flight. The bomb detonated 46 minutes after departure from Copenhagen Airport, causing the cabin to depressurize and passengers and crew to be sucked out of the plane and fall to their deaths. However, Vulovic was miraculously trapped inside a broken section of the fuselage, protected by a food cart, which crash-landed in a heavily wooded area cushioned by thick snow. Bruno Honke, a villager who had served as a medic during World War II, discovered Vulovic alive amid the wreckage. She had suffered several injuries, including a fractured skull, broken legs and vertebrae, and a fractured pelvis and ribs. She was temporarily paralyzed below the waist and remained in a coma for several days. Doctors attributed her survival to her low blood pressure, which caused her to pass out quickly after the cabin depressurized and prevented her heart from bursting on impact. After several surgeries, and ten months later, Vulovic was able to walk again although the accident left her with a permanent limp. By September 1972, and less than nine months after the incident, Vulovic was eager to go back to work, but JAT gave her a desk job instead, because they didnt want Vulovic drawing too much publicity. Juliane Koepcke Juliane Koepcke returns to the crash site in 1998. On Christmas Eve 1971, seventeen-year-old Juliane Koepcke was flying over the Peruvian rainforest with her mother when her plane was hit by lightning. Immediately after, the airplane began to nosedive and as it fell, it broke apart separating her from everyone else onboard. The next thing she knew she was out in the open, still strapped to her seat and plummeting to the jungle below. The airplane was flying at an altitude of 21,000 feet when it ran into the thunderstorm. It broke apart at around 10,000 feet, and she fell from that height. Her survival was miraculous. Even her injuriesa broken collarbone, a sprained knee and a few gashes on her shoulders and legswere minor. For the next ten days, she walked through the dense Amazonian rainforest with nothing but a single bag of sweets for sustenance. Eventually she stumbled upon a group of fishermen in a hut, who took her to the hospital. Her survival story has been the subject a 1974 Italian movie called Miracles Still Happen, and a documentary by director Werner Herzog called Wings of Hope. In 2011, she published her own autobiography, When I Fell From the Sky. Ivan Mikhailovich Chisov In January 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Chisov was flying on a Soviet Air Force Ilyushin Il-4 bomber when he was attacked by German fighters, forcing him to bail out at 23,000 feet. With the battle still raging in the sky, Chisov decided not to open his parachute immediately to prevent becoming an easy target and decided to wait until he had dropped below the level of the battle. Unfortunately, the thin atmosphere of the altitude caused him to pass out and he was unable to pull the rip cord Chisov struck the edge of a snowy ravine at an estimated speed of somewhere between 190 and 240 km/h, then slid, rolled, and plowed his way to the bottom. When Chisov was seen falling to the ground, cavalrymen rushed to the site, and were surprised to find Chisov alive, still wearing his unopened parachute. He regained consciousness a short time later. Despite the severity of his injuriesspinal injuries and a broken pelvisChisov recovered in only three months and was able to fly again. Alan Magee On January 3, 1943, American airman Alan Magee was on a daylight bombing run over Saint-Nazaire, France, when enemy fire blew the right wing off causing the aircraft to enter a deadly spin. Lack of oxygen because of the high altitude caused him to black out, and Magee was thrown clear of the aircraft. He fell over four miles before crashing through the glass roof of the St. Nazaire railroad station. Magee suffered from several broken bones, severe damage to his nose and eye, lung and kidney damage, and a nearly severed right arm, in addition to numerous shrapnel wounds. After spending two years at a POW camp, Magee was was liberated and received the Air Medal for meritorious conduct and the Purple Heart. Nicholas Alkemade On the night of 24 March 1944, 21-year-old Nicholas Alkemade, a British tail gunner in the Royal Air Force, was returning from a raid on Berlin, when his bomber was attacked by German Junkers Ju 88. Alkemades airplane immediately caught fire and began to spiral out of control. His parachute too was destroyed forcing Alkemade to jump out of the burning plane without it. Alkemade felt that it was better to die on impact rather than burn to death. Alkemades fall was broken by pine trees and a soft snow cover on the ground. Unbelievably, not only Alkemade survived the 18,000 feet fall, he did so with little injuriesonly a sprained leg. The rest of the crew members all died in the crash. Larisa Savitskaya On August 24, 1981, a Tupolev Tu-16K strategic bomber collided with an An-24RV passenger airplane, which was going from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Blagoveshchensk. The collision occurred at 17,000 feet, killing 37 people on both aircraft. The sole survivor was a 20-year-old young woman named Larisa Savitskaya on the passenger plane. Larisa Savitskaya was returning home from honeymoon with her husband Vladimir. The plane was half-empty and the stewardess offered the couple seats in the front, but they decided to go to the back of the plane to feel less turbulence. This was one of the decisions that saved Larisas life. When the plane split, the seats in the front broke off and flew away, but the rear of the plane with Larisas seat stayed intact and begin to glide towards the ground. After 8 minutes of free fall, her plane fragment landed on a stand of flexible birch trees that cushioned the impact. Larisa suffered a concussion, a broken arm and rib and some spinal injuries. Despite all her injuries, Larisa managed to walk. She took shelter on piece of the fuselage and survived two days drinking water from nearby puddles. She couldnt even eat berries because the fall had knocked many of her teeth off. Then she found a pack of cigarettes and matches, and began to smoke. It was in this condition that Larisa was discovered by rescuers sitting on a chair and smoking. The Soviet government tried to keep the plane collision a secret. Soviet newspapers were forbade from writing anything about the catastrophe. Larisas survival was described as a glider accident. It wasnt until twenty years later, she was allowed to speak freely about her ordeal. She was paid only 75 Soviet rubles ($20) compensation by Aeroflot. The Chinese tech giant Alibaba wants to jump into the AI bandwagon by launching a rival for ChatGPT, BBC reports. Despite world tech leaders warning that the AI race has become out of control, more and more companies are tapping into this space. Microsoft and Google took the initiative with Bing and Bard, and Alibaba is one of the latest companies that is reportedly developing a ChatGPT-style chatbot. The outlet reports that Alibabas product is called Tongyi Qianwen and would integrate into the companys businesses. Yet, the release timeline is unknown, but the tech giant says it will come in the near future and supports both English and Chinese languages. Alibabas chairman and chief executive, Daniel Zhang, already said that AI and cloud computing drive todays technological watershed moment. Advertisement Alibaba to launch a rival for ChatGPT Its not a weird move by Chinese companies to develop a local version of a Western service. This is mainly because of government policies that restrict Western companies from operating in the country. Given that Alibaba is a tech giant in China, it cant certainly rely on a Western-backed AI product. Tongyi Qianwen would be first added to Alibabas workplace messaging app DingTalk. According to the companys announcement, the chatbot can turn conversations in meetings into written notes. As well as write emails, draft business proposals, etc. Alibaba also plans to bring Tongyi Qianwen to Tmall Genie, which is a smart speaker that uses AliGenies intelligent personal assistant. Meanwhile, the Cyberspace Administration of China is working on a draft to manage generative AI. The proposal states that companies are responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train the technology. As AI advances, its creating a sense of fear among governments, and theyre looking to enact regulations. Italy has recently banned ChatGPT, which led to a 400% increase in VPN usage in the country. Additionally, Goldman Sachs has reported that over 300 million jobs might be axed by AI. Today, Google is launching Android 14 Beta 1. This is the first beta for the new version of Android, however its still not a huge update over the previous developer previews. And that is because Google is saving most of the features for Beta 2 which will be announced next month at Google I/O. Keep in mind that now that Google has moved into the beta phase, you can easily enroll your Pixel device into the Public Beta here. Whats new in Android 14 Beta 1? Building on the feedback that Google received from the first two developer previews, Android 14 Beta improves the system UI. Giving users a more helpful system UI with changes to the system sharesheets. This will allow apps to add custom shortcuts and actions. Itll also give it a more prominent back arrow to help with navigating several apps at once. Google is also improving data transparency. This is thanks to a new attribute in Android 14 which allows apps to limit the visibility of sensitive data to accessibility services that clam to help users with disabilities. This has been designed to help protect user data and prevent critical actions from being performed unintentionally. Advertisement Finally, Google is improving the graphics. Thanks to updates to the Android Path API, it is now adding more functionality like morphing effects and interpolation. There are also enhancements to per-app language preferences that means apps can offer dynamic customization automatically. Now, if it sounds like Google doesnt have many user-facing features in Android 14, youd be right. Typically, Google saves those user-facing features for the Google I/O Keynote, where they can actually show it off to an audience. So while this is the first beta, its really more like a developer preview 3, but one that everyone can download onto their supported Pixel devices. Android 14 is still slated to be available to everyone around the end of August or early September. More Samsung Galaxy smartphones are receiving the April 2023 Android security patch in the US. The Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy A53 5G are the latest to join the party. This months security update has already reached dozens of other Galaxy models stateside. Samsung usually releases the latest updates for its Galaxy devices in international markets first before bringing them to the US. But it has mostly been the other way around this month. The April SMR (Security Maintenance Release) debuted in the US for many devices before other markets. The Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Galaxy Note 20 series are among those. The story is the same for the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy A53 5G as well. The April SMR for the Galaxy S21 FE is rolling out widely in the US. The update for the carrier-locked units comes with the firmware build number G990USQS6EWC3, while that for the unlocked variants is G990U1UES5EWC2. Samsung isnt pushing anything apart from this months security fixes to the device (more on that later). Galaxy S21 FE users in other markets can also expect to receive the latest security patch over the next few days. Advertisement Coming to the Galaxy A53 5G, Samsung began seeding the April SMR to this premium mid-range device in the US last week. But the initial rollout was limited to unlocked units in Puerto Rico. The company has now expanded the rollout to the mainland US, starting with carrier-locked units on Comcasts network. The new firmware version for the phone is A536USQS4CWC8 (via). The updated build number for the unlocked Galaxy A53 5G in Puerto Rico is A536U1UEU4CWC4. The April update for Galaxy devices patches more than 70 vulnerabilities This months security update for Galaxy devices is one of the biggest releases in recent months. It contains patches for more than 70 vulnerabilities. These include at least four critical Android OS flaws and one critical Galaxy-specific flaw. The vast majority of the remaining fixes are labeled high-severity by Google and Samsung. Overall, the April SMR patches 23 Galaxy-specific and 50 Android OS issues. All of these security fixes should be available to all users of the aforementioned Galaxy devices in the US within the next few days. As usual, you can check for updates from the Settings app. Go to the Software update menu and tap on Download and install. If you dont see any updates today, wait a few days and check again. Dunamu CEO Lee Seok-woo / Korea Times file By Lee Yeon-woo Dunamu, which operates the nation's leading cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, is expected to maintain dominance in the market, as other cryptocurrency exchanges in Korea meet problem after problem. GDAC, a mid-sized local exchange, was hacked resulting in the loss of 20 billion won ($15 million), or 23 percent of its entire asset pool, on Monday. The exchange has blocked the server connected to its deposit and withdrawal system, and filed for investigation by the police's cybercrime division. Struggle of Binance, one of the world's largest exchanges, is also having an impact in the cryptocurrency industry. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has canceled its local financial services license last week, and it is under scrutiny in the U.S. as well. On March 27, its Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged the exchange and its founder under the allegation of evading federal law. As Binance has been in the process of taking over Gopax, one of the five major exchanges here, to make a foray into the Korean market, it has been considered a top contender for Dunamu. The negative news overseas, however, are adding to concern that Binance may encounter problems in its plan to enter the domestic market. Bithumb, another major contender that has the second-largest number of cryptocurrency investors, is also having trouble due to its major shareholder, Vidente. On March 31, Korea Exchange issued a delisting warning to Vidente, as its accounting firm issued a disclaimer audit opinion to the company. Trading of its stocks has thus been halted on the Kosdaq since last Thursday. Other cryptocurrency exchanges, such as CoinOne, Corbit, and Gopax, hold market shares below one percent, each. Market watchers view that Dunamu's market dominance is likely to remain solid for at least a while, as its potential contenders are swamped with urgent matters. As the company is enjoying an average of 80 percent market share, some are voicing concerns about market monopolization. However, Lee Sang-seung, an economics professor at Seoul National University, said the current status should not be rashly determined as a monopoly. "We should first analyze a company's exposure to competition against rivals overseas," Lee said. "If a certain player's high market share is based on superior quality and attractive price, it should be regarded as the result of customers' free choices." Spam calls are one of the biggest things plaguing tech owners, and Google is looking to cure it. According to 9To5Google, Jonathan Eccles stated that Google wants to take its AI spam calling even further this year. In case you dont know, Google has a podcast called the Made By Google Podcast. Its a show where Google execs can discuss what the company is planning on doing and its products. It started with the unveiling of the Pixel 7. If youre interested, you can check it out. Google will take its AI call blocking to the next level One of the reasons that people like to use Pixel phones is the call blocking. Pixel phones are great when it comes to filtering spam calls and silencing ones its iffy on. Along with that, theres the call screening feature. This will have the Assistant pick up the phone for you and it will dictate what the caller says in real-time. For as effective as Googles efforts are on this front, the company wants to take this even further. During the podcast episode, Eccles talked about what the company wants to do as far as spam calls are concerned. Google wants a future where you should never ever, ever be annoyed at the thought of your phone ringing. Advertisement It seems that Google might implement Bard or its Large Language Model into its call blocking. During the podcast, Eccles mentioned that multi-step, multi-turn conversational AI could open a lot of interesting doors in terms of creating this protective and helpful layer at the front of every incoming call. At this point, were unsure what the company is planning on doing, but anything sort of improvement is welcome. Millions of spam calls are sent out on the daily, and its a huge headache. They slow down productivity, offer scams, and generally annoy people. Hopefully, Google will bring some useful changes. Samsung seems to have shipped some Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ units with faulty camera hardware that needs replacing. Shortly after the phones hit the market, reports emerged that the new Galaxy flagships have a weird camera focusing issue out of the box. Those reports have grown in recent days. Worst yet, the company has shown little regard for the problem, leaving affected users furious. According to reports and camera samples provided by users, Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ units affected by this problem cant keep the entire scene in focus. Photos captured with the 50MP primary rear camera of this phone come out with patches of blurriness, which typically appear around the center. The problem is more visible in photos of documents, though youll notice blurred areas in other photos as well. The blurred patches are mostly shaped like a banana, giving the issue its name: blurred banana. Many Galaxy S23 users have this camera focusing problem A Reddit user recently pointed out a survey by a German forum where 75 out of 82 respondents said they are affected by this issue. A similar survey by an Italian forum also shows 17 out of 25 people have the problem. Unfortunately, Samsung doesnt care. A user who sent their new Galaxy S23 to an official Samsung Service Center for repair was told that the company cant fix the issue for now. Thats because the official stance currently is that the blurriness is a characteristic of the big sensor. Its supposed to provide a DSLR-like bokeh effect. However, in reality, the photos often come out unusable. More so if its a document. The text is unreadable in some areas. By the looks of it, Samsung doesnt have guaranteed non-faulty camera modules to replace the faulty ones on affected devices. A user who had the camera hardware replaced faced the same issue with the replacement unit as well. Advertisement Since the Galaxy S23 Ultra uses a 200MP primary rear camera, the problem doesnt exist on it. Affected Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ users, meanwhile, have no other option but to live with faulty cameras or return the phones. Hopefully, Samsung will come up with a solution before this issue grows out of hand. The Galaxy S23 phones have been selling like hotcakes since pre-order days. But if this problem is widespread, people may soon stop buying the new Galaxy flagships. We will keep a close tab on the matter and let you know as soon as we have more information. In the meantime, if youre having this problem with your Galaxy S23 or Galaxy S23+, dont forget to report it to Samsung. You can send feedback via the Samsung Members app. The Xperia 1 V is Sonys upcoming flagship handset, and its launch timeline just surfaced. The thing is, it seems to follow the path the Xperia 1 IV set, and thats not exactly good. Theres still hope, though. Let me explain. The Sony Xperia 1 V launch timeline has just been revealed, kind of This information comes from Zackbuks, a tipster. He shared the info via Weibo. It seems like the Xperia 1 V will launch around the same time as the Xperia 1 IV last year. In other words, it may launch in May, and go on sale in June. That doesnt sound too bad, right? In the worst case scenario, it may take over a month for it to get released. Well, the thing is, the Xperia 1 IV launched in June in the UK, but it didnt arrive in the US until September. Sony just cant seem to get itself organized when it comes to smartphone launches. The company has been having such issues for years. Things were even worse with the Xperia 1 III. Advertisement The phone got released in China in early June 2021, while it took Sony until mid-August to push it out in the US and the UK. Its also worth noting that Zackbuks is talking about the Chinese market, and China (and Japan) usually get the companys phone sooner than others. Lets hope Sony learned its lesson So whats the bottom line? Well, we may be in for yet another rather odd release schedule when it comes to Sonys flagship offering. Sony will hopefully do things differently this time around, but it doesnt seem like it. Sony has been making some really compelling phones over the years, and yet thanks to its release cycle, and odd marketing choices, not many people got them. Thats a bit odd for such a huge company that provides almost every major smartphone out there with camera sensors. Lets hope Sony learned its lesson from past years. Lets hope the Xperia 1 V release timeline will be much different. Ein Rettungsteam war fruh auf den Beinen, um Sunset schnell in Sicherheit zu bringen 12. April 2023 Spat am Montag, dem 10. April, erhielten wir einen Notruf der Waldschutzbehorde der Provinz Hai Phong mit der Bitte, Animals Asia moge sich auf die sofortige Rettung einer Mondbarin in Haiphong vorbereiten 3 Stunden ostlich des Nationalparks Tam Dao, in dem unser Rettungszentrum beheimatet ist. Unser Barenrettungsteam Vietnam ist stets in Bereitschaft, es trat sofort in Aktion und schwor sich, es sollte der letzte Sonnenuntergang sein, den diese traumatisierte Barin eingesperrt in ihrem Kafig auf der Gallefarm erleben wurde. Fruh am Dienstagmorgen machte sich das Team auf den Weg und fand das arme Madel in einem engen Kafig in einem dusteren Raum vor. Der Kafigboden war durchgerostet, und das Team konnte die Barin nicht gefahrlos dazu verlocken, ohne Betaubung in den Transportkafig uberzuwechseln, das Verletzungsrisiko war zu gro. Stattdessen war es uns moglich, sie sanft in Narkose zu versetzen und sie noch am Ort der Rettung gesundheitlich zu untersuchen, bevor wir sie fur den kurzen Heimweg in ihr neues Leben in den Transportkafig brachten. Die Untersuchung ergab ganz klar, dass sie unter einigen schweren gesundheitlichen Problemen leidet, die dringend behandelt werden mussen. Ihre Zahne sind in einem furchtbaren Zustand, sie hat Zahnstein, eine Vereiterung am vorderen Backenzahn und benotigt eine Wurzelkanalbehandlung mindestens eines Eckzahns. Hinten im Genick hat sie eine sehr lange Narbe und viele Kratzer sowie Entzundungen an den Pfotenballen, und mindestens eine Kralle ist so lang, dass sie in den Pfotenballen zuruckwachst. Die Ultraschalluntersuchung, die auf der Farm neben dem Kafig, in dem sie offensichtlich viele Jahre verbracht hatte, auf dem Boden durchgefuhrt wurde, ergab verdickte Gallenblasenwande, auch mogliche Gallensteine geben Anlass zur Sorge. Das sind Krankheitsbilder, wie wir sie bei vielen Baren, die immer wieder Galleextraktionen uber sich ergehen lassen mussten, festgestellt haben. Unser Rettungsteam hielt Wort und kehrte noch vor Ende des Tages in das Barenrettungszentrum von Animals Asia Vietnam zuruck, sodass dafur gesorgt war, dass diese unschatzbare Barin, die jetzt den Namen Sunset erhalten hatte, niemals mehr einen Sonnenuntergang erleben muss, ohne die Liebe und Fursorge zu spuren, die sie in all den einsamen Jahren ihrer Einkerkerung so dringend gebraucht hatte. Zum ersten Mal, seit sie als Welpe in einen Kafig gesperrt wurde, wird sie, sobald ihre wichtige Quarantanezeit vorbei ist, Artgenossen kennenlernen und Gelegenheit haben, Entdeckungen zu machen, Futter zu suchen, zu klettern und in der Sonne zu spielen, mit Gras unter ihren Fuen und kuhlem Wind im Fell. Unser neues Rettungszentrum in Bach Ma ist schon bald bereit, gerettete Baren aufzunehmen, und damit geht die Sonne wirklich unter fur die schreckliche Barengalleindustrie in Vietnam. Doch gibt es immer noch Hunderte von Baren wie Sunset, die dringend unsere Hilfe brauchen. Und wir wissen, dass sie in jeder Minute in den Kafigen auf den Gallefarmen uberall in Vietnam Qualen erdulden. Doch mit Ihrer Unterstutzung werden wir gemeinsam dafur sorgen, dass kein Bar zuruckbleibt und dass sie den Geschmack der Freiheit kosten konnen, auf den sie ihr Leben lang gewartet haben. Read more: The most broken bear weve seen in years: Dawns story Five bears broken free from bile farm and brought to sanctuary One Life: Bears This April 11 photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows the North convening a plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly the previous day. Yonhap North Korea has adopted a new law aimed at strengthening state control of talents in the science and technology field, state media said Wednesday, amid the country's efforts to urge self-reliance during economic hardships. The decision was made at a plenary meeting of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) held Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The law on the sci-tech talents management is designed to "realize the unified state control and administration of the talents on a higher level so that they can play a leading and pivotal role in developing the country's economy and improving the people's living standard," the KCNA said in an English-language dispatch. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has stressed the importance of the practical use of science and technology in a bid to bolster self-reliance due to deepening economic hardships amid sanctions and COVID-19 lockdowns. At the latest parliamentary meeting, the North also decided to recall and elect a judge and people's assessors of the Central Court. The SPA is the highest organ of power under the North's constitution, but it rubber-stamps decisions by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Choe Ryong-hae, president of the Presidium of the SPA, presided over this week's meeting. (Yonhap) Actress Amita Suman has partnered with auction house Sothebys for a special sale of contemporary art. The star of Netflixs Shadow And Bone and Doctor Who has selected a number of artworks to appear as part of the sale with the help of specialists. Her personal edit will go on view at Sothebys New Bond Street galleries alongside the full contents of the sale from April 12-18, with the auction opening online at the same time. Andy Warhols Untitled (Moujik), which has sale estimate of 150,000-200,000 (Sothebys/PA) She said: I would not consider myself an art expert. I just see myself as someone who loves art and appreciates it in all its different forms. In my craft I create through my body, my mind and my soul to tell a story for an audience. I suppose art is very similar but, to me, it feels more personal and the narrative is more free. An artist may have intended to portray one thing, but the viewer might interpret it in a completely different way and thats the beauty of it. Youre always free to draw your own conclusions. Born in Parsa, Nepal, Suman moved to Brighton at the age of seven and began acting in high school before attending the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, in London. Banksys Exclamation Rat, which has a sale estimate of 220,000-320,000 (Sothebys/PA) Her interest in the visual arts includes impressionism, abstract art, mixed media, folk art and south-east Asian art, and this is reflected in her edit. The selection features 11 works covering three decades, from two Andy Warhol canvases created in 1986, including Moujik, a portrait of the late designer Yves Saint Laurents pet bulldog (150,000-200,000), to a 2022 oil paint study by painter Flora Yukhnovich. Also featured is a figurative canvas by Brooklyn-based artist Danica Lundy who made her debut at auction last November. There is also Banksys Exclamation Rat (220,000-320,000) which comes to market for the first time, having originally been acquired directly from the artist at his December 2003 exhibition Santas Ghetto at Pictures on Walls Gallery, London. As well as her starring role in Netflixs hit fantasy show, Suman has also appeared in television series including Doctor Who and The Outpost on British-American network The CW. Claims that UK special forces have operated in Ukraine have been widely reported after allegedly leaked documents were published online. The Ministry of Defence warned against taking allegations contained in the reported leak of US classified information at face value. A spokesperson said in a message posted on Twitter: The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation. Media outlets including the BBC and The Guardian reported that a document, dated March 23, indicates as many as 50 UK special forces personnel have been deployed to the country alongside other western special forces. But the document reportedly does not state where the allegedly deployed forces are located or what they are doing. Chris Meagher, a spokesman for the Pentagon, has urged caution in promoting or amplifying any of these documents, adding that it does appear that slides have been doctored. In response to the leak of alleged classified US information: pic.twitter.com/WWFLOhbeeU Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) April 11, 2023 The documents may first have been published in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers, Associated Press reported. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the posters own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, beginning to post images of papers with folds in them. The posts appear to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks ago, when they began to circulate more widely on social media. Associated Press could not independently confirm many details shared by the person, and the original chatroom has been deleted. Asked on Monday if the US Government was effectively waiting for more intelligence documents to show up online, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby replied: The truth and the honest answer to your question is: We dont know. And is that a matter of concern to us? Youre darn right it is. US President Joe Biden expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes as the region marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday peace accord that created Stormonts powersharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, the President said. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas that are going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who briefly met the President before his speech, described Mr Bidens remarks as measured but he insisted they would not alter the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. He said that would only be achieved if the UK Government took further steps to address his partys concerns about Brexit trade barriers. It doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, we know what needs to happen, said Sir Jeffrey. We believe the Government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade within the UK internal market and thats what needs to happen now to enable us to move towards the restoration of the political institutions, we need the Government to deliver what theyve said they will do, which is to protect our place in the United Kingdom. In his speech, President Biden said the response of Northern Irelands political leaders to Februarys shooting of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh showed the enemies of peace will not prevail. Mr Caldwell was seriously injured in the dissident republican murder bid. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God, said Mr Biden. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Mr Biden said Brexit had created complex challenges for Northern Ireland. I encouraged the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that served Northern Irelands best interest, he said. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner (Ursula) Von der Leyen to reach an agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement that they are preserved and strengthened. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed, and I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland, significant investment in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak welcomed the Presidents visit and said it was a reminder of the US contribution to the peace process. Mr Biden earlier met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Paul Faith/PA) The Prime Minister, who did not attend Mr Bidens speech at Ulster University, said a key focus of their earlier meeting was leveraging more economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland and we talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland, he said. I think that is incredibly exciting, it will bring growth, jobs and prosperity to Northern Ireland and I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. At the outset of Mr Bidens half-day of engagements in Northern Ireland, the White House insisted the President is not anti-British. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. Following his address in Belfast, Mr Biden headed for the Republic of Ireland where he will spend two and a half days in an itinerary that will include political engagements in Dublin and visits taking in his ancestral roots in counties Mayo and Louth. US president Joe Biden appeared to confuse the name of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team with a contentious War of Independence-era police force in Ireland during a speech in Co Louth. Mr Biden was speaking at the Windsor Bar in Dundalk, when he referred to the shamrock tie that he was wearing. The US president was thanking relative and former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney for the gift of the Irish team tie after a victory against the New Zealand rugby team at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2016. Joe Biden was wearing the tie on his trip to Co Louth (PA/Niall Carson) Mr Biden appeared to mix up the nickname of the New Zealand team, the All Blacks, with the Black and Tans. The Black and Tans is a name for additional part-time officers recruited to bolster Royal Irish Constabulary numbers in Ireland during the War of Independence, many of whom gained a violent reputation. He said: See this tie I have, this shamrock tie? It was given to by one of these guys right here, whos a hell of a rugby player who beat the hell out of the Black and Tans. Correcting himself after grimacing, Mr Biden continued: Ah god. But, but it was when you were at Soldier Field, wasnt it? Chicago. After it was all over he gave my brother, allegedly for me but if it wasnt I still took it I still got the tie. I wore it with great pride. The RIC was disbanded following the partition of Ireland in 1921 and replaced by An Garda Siochana. Concluding the speech, Mr Biden added: Thank you all for the homecoming welcome, the bad news for all of you is well be back. Therell be no way to keep us out. Thank you, thank you, thank you, we love you. Joe Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic of Ireland. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has been interviewed twice under police caution after allegations of sexual misconduct. The Metropolitan Police said officers were investigating five accusations of offences alleged to have happened between 1982 and 2016. The 65-year-old hip hop DJ and radio presenter, who stepped down from his show on Capital Xtra in April last year, has previously strongly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement on Wednesday, the Met said: Police are investigating five reports relating to allegations of non-recent sexual offences allegedly committed by a man. The offences are alleged to have occurred in London between 1982 and 2016. Tim Westwood (Scott Garfitt/PA) A 65-year-old man was interviewed under caution on March 15 2023 and April 4 2023. The DJ, who was not named in the statement, has previously been accused of a string of sexual assaults against women. Westwood began his career on local radio before joining Capital Radio in London, and was later given his own show by BBC Radio 1. He left Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013 after nearly 20 years and returned to Capital Xtra to host a regular show on Saturday nights, where he was referred to as The Big Dawg. In August the BBC launched an ongoing external inquiry into what was known about his conduct during his time at the corporation. Last year, a statement from a representative of Westwood said: Tim Westwood strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour. In a career that has spanned 40 years, there have never been any complaints made against him officially or unofficially. Tim Westwood strongly rejects all allegations of wrongdoing. His representatives have been contacted for further comment. Twitter owner Elon Musk has said the social media site will update the BBCs government-funded media tag after the broadcaster objected to the label. The BBC contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. In an interview with the BBC, Mr Musk said he has the utmost respect for the organisation, adding: We want (the tag) as truthful and accurate as possible were adjusting the label to (the BBC being) publicly funded well try to be accurate. He previously described the BBC as among the least biased news organisations. In a statement released in the wake of the government-funded media designation, the broadcaster said: The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee. The label links to a page on Twitters help centre which says state-affiliated media are outlets where the government exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. That label was applied to US broadcaster NPRs Twitter handle, but it has been changed to government-funded media the same as the BBC account. The @BBC Twitter account is tagged government-funded media (Screengrab/Twitter/PA) The BBC has always maintained its impartiality and operates through a Royal Charter agreed with government, which says it must be independent. Britons pay a 159 licence fee each year to fund the corporations output, which is set by government but paid by individual households. While the BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the label, much larger accounts associated with the corporations breaking news and sport output are not being described in the same way. The account mainly tweets about BBC-produced TV programmes, radio shows, podcasts and other non-news material. Elsewhere in the wide-ranging interview, Mr Musk said Twitter is roughly breaking even, as most of the sites advertisers have returned. Following his 44 billion dollar (38 billion) takeover of the platform in October, many advertisers paused work with the site over concerns about Mr Musks approach to content and moderation. You can see (the increased advertising) for yourself on Twitter, Mr Musk said. Twitter owner Elon Musk during an interview with James Clayton, right, for the BBC Breakfast show (BBC News/PA) I think almost all of them (who left) have either come back or said they were going to come back. Theres very few exceptions. Depending on how things go, if current trends continue, we could be cash flow positive this quarter if things keep going well. He also revealed legacy blue checkmarks will finally be removed by next week. Mr Musk said last month that legacy-verified Twitter users would see their blue ticks removed from the service on April 1, unless they paid a monthly fee of 8 US dollars (6.40) to its Twitter Blue subscription operation. As a result, thousands of the platforms high-profile users were braced to lose the ticks, which can help verify their identity and distinguish them from imposters. But the legacy blue ticks have remained in place past April 1. The Scottish and UK governments will face each other in a court clash over Holyroods reforms to the gender recognition process in Scotland. The Gender Recognition Reform Bill passed in December after lengthy debates at the Scottish Parliament, often amid divisive political rhetoric. It has been discussed for years, with strong opinions for and against changing the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. UK ministers stepped in to stop the Bill becoming law. Here, the PA news agency answers some of the key questions about the legislation, and what comes next. Debate has been ongoing for years (PA) What does the Bill do? The main element of the Bill is to make it easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) by removing the requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. It will also lower the minimum age for applicants from 18 to 16 and drop the time required for an applicant to live in their acquired gender from two years to three months six for people aged 16 and 17 though with a subsequent, three-month reflection period. What changes were made? The Bill was amended as it moved through Holyrood. At stage two, it was announced 16 and 17-year-olds would need to live in their acquired gender for six months rather than three before applying for a GRC. It was also announced there would be new statutory aggravation to the offence of making a fraudulent application for a GRC. At stage three, MSPs backed a change tabled by SNP MSP Gillian Martin which means anyone subject to a sexual harm prevention order or sexual offences prevention order will not be allowed to seek a GRC. Then first minister Nicola Sturgeon said the current process is intrusive (PA) What do its supporters say? Campaigners in favour of the Bill say a move to make trans peoples lives easier is long overdue. A group of LGBT+ organisations issued a joint letter saying the Bill is a historic opportunity to continue Scotlands journey towards full social and legal equality. They disagree that an expansion of trans rights comes at the expense of womens rights, saying the Bill will have little impact outside the trans community. Nicola Sturgeon, whose government launched the Bill, said the current system of medical diagnoses is intrusive, traumatic and dehumanising. What do opponents say? Those in opposition to the Bill say it will impact the safety of women and single-sex spaces. They say there are insufficient safeguards to protect women and girls from predatory men, raising concerns about environments like womens prisons. Protests inside and outside the Scottish Parliament called on MSPs to vote down the Bill. Some oppose the Bill on religious grounds, saying it will blur the distinction between men and women. Ash Regan quit as a Scottish Government minister in protest against the Bill (Lesley Martin/PA) How have politicians reacted? Unusually in Scottish politics, opposition to the Bill has cut across party lines. In October, the SNPs Ash Regan dramatically quit the government in protest against the Bill, as nine of the partys MSPs either abstained or voted against stage one of the legislation. Others in the SNP, like leadership contender Kate Forbes, are also opposed to reforming the gender recognition process. Most Conservative MSPs are opposed to the Bill, with exceptions being Jamie Greene and Sandesh Gulhane. Scottish Labour is largely in favour, but national party leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he has concerns about some elements of it. Scottish Green and Lib Dem MSPs are in favour of the new law. Conservative ministers in the UK Government, including Kemi Badenoch, have argued it could impact the operation of equalities law around the UK. This was the reasoning behind the decision to block the Bill with Section 35 of the Scotland Act an unprecedented move which stops it gaining royal assent. Kemi Badenoch said she has concerns (Aaron Chown/PA) What comes next? The SNPs reaction to the use of Section 35 was delayed by Ms Sturgeons resignation and the subsequent leadership election, which saw Humza Yousaf elected as First Minister. On the campaign trail, he said he would go to court to defend the Bill but only if legal advice told him the case is winnable. With Mr Yousaf seeking a judicial review at the Court of Session Scotlands highest civil court judges will rule on whether the UK Government had reasonable grounds to invoke Section 35. A ruling is likely to take several months and there could be appeals to courts in London. The Duke of Sussex is to attend his father the Kings coronation, but the Duchess of Sussex will miss the historic occasion and stay in California with the couples children, Buckingham Palace has announced. Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the royal family in his Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness Charles and stepmother the Queen Consort being crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 6. Meghan will not travel to the UK and instead stay in the US with the couples children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Palace said in a brief statement on Wednesday: Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The news ends months of Will they? Wont they? speculation about whether the couple would show up to the Kings big day, but will undoubtedly see Meghan accused of snubbing the monarch and the royal family. The King and the Sussexes with other members of the royal family (Jane Barlow/PA) May 6 is Archies fourth birthday, and the youngsters celebrations played a part in the duchesss decision to remain in the US, sources said. Archewell, Harry and Meghans charitable foundation, issued a near identical statement to the Palace confirming the duke will join guests at the coronation. Harrys attendance will see him appear in a public setting with Charles, Camilla, his brother the Prince of Wales, sister in law the Princess of Wales and the rest of his family for the first time since he lambasted the royals in his memoirs. It will also be the first time he has been pictured with the Windsors since the funeral of his grandmother the late Queen. The Waleses and the Sussexes (Jacob King/PA) But Harrys trip to the UK will be brief and he will not be attending any other coronation-related events over the weekend such as the concert in Windsor, sources said. He is expected to make a quick exit, flying back to the US to be with Meghan and the children, and in particular Archie. Harry criticised Charless parenting, said the King was jealous of Meghan and Kate, and accused William of physically attacking him in his tell-all book, which was published in January. He also branded Camilla dangerous and accused her of sacrificing him on her own personal PR altar. The duke went on to allege it was William and Kate who encouraged him to notoriously dress up as a Nazi at a fancy dress party. Archie turns four on the day of the coronation (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Harrys inflammatory claims were seen as damaging his fragile relationship with his brother, a future king, beyond repair, and further troubling his dealings with the King and the rest of the family In the three years since the Sussexes stepped down as senior working royals, the couple have been critical of the monarchy, telling their story in their Netflix documentary and in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry and Meghan were asked earlier this year to vacate their UK home Frogmore Cottage, in a move sanctioned by the King. It is unclear what the arrangements will be for Harrys security while he is in London. The duke is taking legal action against the Home Office over his security arrangements in the UK. The Duke of Sussex at the Royal Courts Of Justice, central London, in March (Jordan Pettitt/PA) It has not been confirmed whether or not Harry will play any particular role in the coronation ceremony, whether he will join the carriage procession or appear on the Palace balcony with the royal family in the celebrations afterwards. The RSVP save the date deadline last Monday April 3 came and went without public confirmation of the Sussexes decision. But the announcement now means the Earl Marshal and others planning Operation Golden Orb can finalise the seating plans and other travel arrangements, with just over three weeks to go. Harry will be among more than 2,000 guests in the Abbey on coronation day (Dan Kitwood/PA) A weekend of royal festivities is being held including a concert at Windsor Castle and Big Lunch events on the Sunday, and Monday, the bank holiday, has been set aside for volunteering and is being billed as the Big Help Out. The duke has a claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over phone hacking allegations being heard at the High Court, with the trial due to start on May 9 three days after the coronation. He is not expected to give evidence in person until early or mid June. Harry was last seen publicly in the UK at the end of March, when he made a surprise appearance at the High Court, in a separate claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information-gathering. Harry with his brother William at the unveiling of their mothers statue (Dominic Lipinski/PA) But the duke did not meet with his father or brother during his brief stay. Royal commentator Michael Cole suggested the duchess had decided to resist the lure of the limelight to stay at home for Archies birthday. He told GB News that rather than being a snub, it was some clever boxing on Meghans part. He added: The King has played a blinder on this throughout, putting the invitation in their court from the start. They had to make up their mind, leaving them open to the charge of hypocrisy if they did come after knocking seven bells out of the royal family for two years. The Duchess of Sussex will not be at the Kings coronation (Ben Stansall/PA) But political activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu tweeted: How empowering for Meghan Markle to say No to Britains most powerful family. A family that held her in contempt & constantly fed her to vultures. Any wife with bad in-laws knows she just took back control. Im here for Meghan not giving a damn what anyone thinks #Coronation. Unification Ministry spokesman Koo Byung-sam answers questions about North Korea being unresponsive to inter-Korean liaison communication during a regular briefing at the Government House in Seoul, April 10. Yonhap North Korea remained unresponsive to daily routine calls with South Korea through an inter-Korean liaison communication channel for the sixth straight day Wednesday, Seoul's unification ministry said. The North was unresponsive to the 9 a.m. routine opening calls, and has not answered the calls from the South since last Friday, according to the ministry. Seoul's opening call via the militaries' East and West seas communication lines also went unanswered. The two Koreas typically hold two phone calls daily, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., as part of communication between liaisons. In July 2021, the North restored the inter-Korean hotline, about a year after it severed the contact channel in protest of Seoul activists' leaflet campaigns critical of Pyongyang. The liaison line was again cut off in August that year for about two months in apparent protest against Seoul-Washington's military exercises. The latest suspension of the hotlines comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following the North's recent weapons tests in protest of joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. On Tuesday, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Young-se issued a rare statement expressing "strong regret" over the North's "unilateral and irresponsible" move. (Yonhap) A number of issues have led to the growing rift between the Duke of Sussex, other members of the royal family, and the institution of the monarchy. From being forced to give up Frogmore Cottage, his UK home, to claims of racism made against an unnamed member of the monarchy, Harry and Meghan have aired a number of grievances that have led to them becoming estranged from the royal family. Troubled family relationships Revelations about the state of Harrys relationship with members of the royal family have been aired in a series of interviews, either broadcast or in his memoir Spare. Copies of the autobiography from the Duke of Sussex (James Manning/PA) Harrys controversial autobiography includes claims his brother William physically attacked him and that the King put his own interests above Harrys, and was jealous of the Duchess of Sussex and the Princess of Wales. Reports of a fractious friendship between Meghan and Kate were confirmed in Spare, with Harry recounting how the princess, pregnant at the time with Prince Louis, said she was owed an apology from his wife who had previously commented Kate was suffering from baby brain due to her hormones. Harry attacked the reputation of the Queen Consort, saying her willingness to forge relationships with the British press made her dangerous and criticised her attempts to rehabilitate her image at his cost, during a series of interviews to promote his book. Harry, in his interview with Oprah Winfrey, said Charles stopped taking his calls when he was trying to discuss stepping down as a working royal in 2019. My father and my brother, they are trapped. They dont get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that. Harry told Winfrey. Harrys most damning claim in recent years is that a member of his family not the late Queen or Duke of Edinburgh made a racist comment about his son. The unnamed royal was worried how dark the skin tone of Archie might be before he was born. Money The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (PA) Being unable to earn their own money was one of the major obstacles for Harry and Meghan and a key factor in the couple stepping down as working royals in 2020. In a statement that announced their intentions, the couple said they would give up frontline roles in the monarchy and work to become financially independent. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh faced similar issues and attempted to run their own separate businesses, but ended up giving up their firms and becoming full time royals. Harry and Meghan went on to sign lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify, rumoured to be worth more than 100 million, which has enabled them to pay for their security and maintain their new lifestyle in America. Security Harry revealed in the couples Netflix documentary series how he never thought the British authorities would remove his familys security after they stepped down as working royals. The duke said with a documented hate campaign against them and suspect packages being sent to palaces, he did not believe they would lose the police protection that had kept them safe. After they temporarily moved to Canada in 2020, they soon found their accommodation on Vancouver Island completely surrounded by the press. Harry said: M asked me: Would they remove our security? I said: Theyll never do that. Meghans background, her heritage, the world documented hate campaigns against us, suspicious packages being sent to the palaces, specifically with her name on or my name on. She said: Do you think theyll ever do that. I said: No theyll never do that. And they did it. There are also issues with the Sussexes security in the UK which has seen the duke take legal action against the Home Office over security arrangements when he is in Britain. Press From the early days of Harry and Meghans relationship becoming public, the duke appeared on a collision course with the press. Things came to a head at the end of the couples tour to South Africa in October 2019, when Harry launched an unprecedented attack against the British tabloid press for a ruthless campaign against his wife. In a highly personal and scathing statement, Harry said some newspapers had vilified her almost daily for the past nine months and claimed they had published lie after lie at Meghans expense simply because she was out of public view on maternity leave. Referencing his mother Diana, Princess of Wales who was a tabloid newspaper staple and died in a Paris car crash while being pursued by the paparazzi, the duke said: I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces. The couple have gone on to launch a number of legal actions against various newspaper publishers. A general view of Frogmore Cottage (Steve Parsons/PA) Frogmore Cottage The duke and duchess reimbursed the taxpayer after 2.4 million of public money was spent refurbishing their Frogmore cottage home, but earlier this year it emerged a request had been made for them to vacate the property. Reports have claimed the move was sanctioned by the King and it has removed their remaining foothold in the UK and further weakened ties with the royal family. Specialist forensic accountants should be brought in to go through the SNPs finances, a former member of the Scottish cabinet said as he warned it is absolutely unacceptable that the partys auditors had quit months ago without members being informed. Alex Neil, who served in the top teams of both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, said SNP members need to know why accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had resigned from the role. SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf revealed on Tuesday the firm had quit in about October meaning the party has been without auditors for several months. The party has now informed watchdogs at the Electoral Commission which it has to submit accounts to in July of a difficulty in identifying replacement auditors. Former SNP MSP Alex Neil said the difficulties appear to be as a result of mismanagement of the partys finances (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) News that the auditors had quit emerged just days after Police Scotland officers searched both SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and the home of former first minister Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell who was SNP chief executive until last month. Mr Murrell was arrested by police investigating SNP finances, but was later released without charge pending further inquiries. Mr Yousaf said on Tuesday that appointing new auditors is one of his major priorities. But Mr Neil, who backed rival candidate Kate Forbes in the recent leadership contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon, said: We havent been told why the auditors resigned, we need to know why, what reason was given for them resigning. He told BBC Radio Scotlands Good Morning Scotland programme the partys situation is absolutely unacceptable, quite frankly. The veteran party member said it appears the SNP is struggling to find new auditors, as he questioned whether there had been mismanagement of the partys finances. He went on to call for specialist forensic accountants, who can be involved in investigating cases of fraud or professional negligence, to be brought in to go through the books. Speaking about the situation facing the SNP, Mr Neil said: Its very unfair, to say the least, on Humza. Clearly hes taken over a complete bed of nails, both in the Government in terms of the shambles of some policy areas as well as in the party, and its very worrying that a party that has got 72,000 members, with all sources of income weve got, appears to have financial difficulties. These difficulties appear to be as a result of mismanagement of the partys finances. We really have to get to the bottom of this. My own view is Humza should bring in special accountants, called forensic accountants, to look at every aspect of party funding and report back to the party at the earliest opportunity. Lets get to the bottom of this, lets get it sorted and move on. Police last week searched the home of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell and his wife Nicola Sturgeon (Robert Perry/PA) The SNP confirmed Johnston Carmichael had informed the party in September last year it would not be able to carry out the 2023 audit, with the decision coming following a review of its client portfolio. The party contacted alternative firms late last year, but found they were experiencing capacity issues and were unable to take on new clients. Mr Neil also urged Mr Yousaf to bring in a new business convener to replace Kirsten Oswald, and for members of the partys ruling National Executive Committee who had previously opposed reforms to the system of governance to consider their position. He said: Its not doing the party any favours, day after day having drip after drip of new information, it is all bad news and I think what Humza needs to do is bring in a new business convener of the party, bring in a new chief executive, and in the meantime get forensic accountants in to tell us the real state of the partys finances. With Mr Yousaf having already pledged a review of governance and transparency in the SNP, Mr Neil added that this should not be carried out by those who have failed in governance in the first place and should be done independently so we get people in who are professional advisers on governance and get our structures right. Mr Neil continued: People who opposed the governance reforms that were put forward, if they are still on the national executive, because this was two or three years ago, I think they should certainly consider their positions. US president Joe Biden has described how he feels like he has come home after an evening in the Republic of Ireland. People lined the streets in Carlingford and Dundalk in Co Louth to cheer and wave American flags as Mr Biden arrived. The president was accompanied by Tanaiste Micheal Martin as he toured St Johns castle, which offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. Joe Biden with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland (Brian Lawless/PA) As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of his visit, to which the president responded: It feels wonderful, it feels like Im coming home, adding with regards to the heavy rain: Its fine, its Ireland. At The Windsor Bar in Dundalk later, Mr Biden met with distant cousins John Owen Finnegan and Andrea McEvitt as well as local politicians. He also paid tribute to his sister Valerie and his son Hunter, who have accompanied him on the trip to the island of Ireland. He said: Coming here feels like coming home. The president added: Ive often said the Irish are the only people who are nostalgic about the future. In my experience, hope is what beats in the heart of all people, particularly the heart of the Irish. Joe Bidens cavalcade leaves Carlingford, Co Louth (Brian Lawless/PA) Every action is about hope that we can make things better, hope to build both our nations that has been passed down generation to generation by our families. And its hope that continues to this day. Completing his first day in the Republic of Ireland, he said: Thank you all for homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here. So proud to be in Louth. Mr Martin also spoke at the event, focusing his remarks on the value of peace to the border town as he introduced Mr Biden. He said that the value of the Good Friday Agreement was so tangible and real here in this location. It is a shared space, a place that links rather than divides. Peace is not an abstraction here, he said. As we build on the ambition of the Good Friday Agreement to sustain a dynamic and prosperous peace, the US will remain an essential and fundamental partner. He finished: Welcome home, Mr President. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford and Dundalk despite the heavy rain. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Jeremy Renner used a cane and a motorised scooter as he attended his first red carpet event since his serious snowplough incident earlier this year. The US actor, 52, appeared in-person at the premiere of his new Disney+ show Rennervations in Los Angeles on Tuesday, and was cheered by fans as he arrived. He posed for pictures with multiple members of his family, though later had to pause briefly and use the scooter to continue with press interviews. The event comes just over three months after the incident, which occurred on January 1. Jeremy Renner takes a pause before posing for photos at the Rennervations premiere in LA (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Renner was crushed by his own six-tonne snowploughing machine as he tried to help his nephew near to his US home. The actor broke over 30 bones in the incident and was air-lifted to hospital in Reno, Nevada. Renner posed for pictures with multiple members of his family (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Speaking to US outlet Variety, the Hawkeye actor admitted he looked a little beat up right now but said the show was propelling him to get better. I set out a goal to be walking this carpet. And here I am enjoying it, he said. Otherwise it would have gone to an abyss with no date and lost traction and excitement and I would have been very, very, very frustrated. Tuesdays premiere marked Renners first public, in-person appearance since his serious snowplough incident on January 1 (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Im very excited right now because were here. Speaking about his plans to return to acting, he told The Hollywood Reporter: Ill always be busy doing things I love to do. Ill be a little bit more focused on the things that really have value and matter to me and Ive got to appreciate my amazing fans because they end up loving the things that I do. It comes after the actor appeared on his first late night television programme, Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, in which he was given a standing ovation by audience members. Kimmel described him as indestructible and said there was now no question as to who the toughest Avenger was. During an ABC interview with US journalist Diane Sawyer, which aired last week, Renner went into detail about the incident and his ongoing mental and physical recovery. He said he had no regrets about what had happened and would do it again to save his nephew. His new show Rennervations, a four-part docuseries embracing the actors passion to give back to communities arrives on Disney+ on Wednesday. US President Joe Biden has arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday and he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The US President was also met by pouring rain and cold winds, with staff holding umbrellas for Mr Biden as he shook hands with Mr Varadkar. He travels to Co Louth by motorcade, after bad weather halted plans for the president to travel by helicopter. His arrival in the Republic came followed his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the President, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. During his stay in the Republic of Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Joe Biden said he would brag to his daughter about having his picture taken with one of the stars of Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye. The US president pointed out James Martins presence in the audience as he spoke at Ulster University in Belfast. Belfast native Martin, who worked as a barista in the city, stood and bowed in acknowledgment of the applause which was led by the president. US President Joe Biden (Aaron Chown/PA) Mr Biden said: Today Northern Ireland is a churn of creativity, art, poetry, theatre. Some of our favourite television shows and movies are filmed here, as you know. An Irish Goodbye won the best live action short film at the Academy Awards and Martin, who has Downs syndrome, won plaudits for his role as one of its main stars. Mr Biden said: I got to meet James, I got my picture taken, Im going to go home and brag to my daughter. A two-year-old girl with a severe developmental disorder is among the 5,500 people who now know the genetic cause of their condition, thanks to a major UK study. Sofia Brogden was recruited to the Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) study and received a diagnosis when she was just one month old, while still in neonatal care. She was diagnosed with Turnpenny-Fry syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes learning difficulties, impaired growth, and distinctive facial features that include a large forehead and sparse hair. Other common issues include feeding problems, severe constipation, as well as issues in the brain, heart, and bones. Turnpenny-Fry syndrome is caused by mutations in the PCGF2 gene. Sofia Brogden, two, with her parents Dasha and Carl (Dasha Brogden) Sofia, who lives with her parents Dasha and Carl in Oxfordshire, was born five weeks early and spent nearly three months at the neonatal care unit at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Mrs Brogden, 34, said having an early diagnosis helped her understand what to expect. She said: We were given a leaflet based on the experiences of other families, and through that, we knew she would need physiotherapy and occupational therapy. We learned that Sofia may have heart conditions, and a heart scan revealed that she needed surgery. She had a heart operation at two months old, and after that, she really started to make good progress, and we were able to take her home from the hospital. More than 13,500 families across the UK and Ireland were recruited to the DDD study, which has so far discovered around 60 new disorders. All the families had children with a severe developmental disorder, which was undiagnosed despite prior testing through their national health service. The genomes the complete set of genetic material of the children and their parents were sequenced by The Wellcome Sanger Institute. Sofia in neonatal care unit at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford (Dasha Brogden) So far, researchers have been able to provide genetic diagnoses for around 5,500 children, but the search is still ongoing. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed around three-quarters of the conditions were caused by spontaneous mutations not inherited from either parent. Lead author Caroline Wright, professor of Genomic Medicine at the University of Exeter, said: We found thousands of diagnoses in more than 800 known conditions, and the study itself also discovered around 60 new conditions. These included conditions caused by rare changes in genes such as ADNP, POGZ, DDX3X, PURA and many others. Prof Wright added: Getting the right diagnosis is absolutely critical for families with rare conditions, which collectively affect around 1 in 17 people. Most of these conditions are genetic and can be diagnosed using the same genomic sequencing technology. Jessica Fisher with her son Mungo (Jessica Fisher) The families in our study were desperate for answers, which can make a huge difference to clinical management and quality of life. We worked with hundreds of clinicians and scientists, as well as thousands of patients to try to find those answers. By sharing our findings, many more families in the future should get answers faster. Jessica Fisher was given a diagnosis for her son Mungos rare genetic disorder when he was 18. Like Sofia, Mungo also has Turnpenny-Fry syndrome, which was discovered in 2015. Mrs Fisher, 59, from St Austell in Cornwall, had been through years of uncertainty, not knowing how her sons development would unfold. Following Mungos diagnosis, she found comfort in being connected with another family, and forming a Facebook support group. She said: When I first saw a picture emailed to me of the other familys child it was really emotional. Mungo Fisher, on his second birthday, with his mother Jessica (Jessica Fisher) Wed always looked around for children who might look like Mungo and here was a child in Australia who could have been his sibling. For a few months it was just us two families, but then it slowly started to grow. We now have families from countries including America, Brazil, Croatia, Indonesia its devastating to learn that your child has a rare genetic disorder, but getting the diagnosis has been key to bringing us together. Mrs Brogden, who is also a part of this support group, said: Were also incredibly grateful to be part of this community. Very few people are living through this experience, and it feels like Jessica and Mungo are like family to us. Its invaluable, and its only been possible because they took part in the study and got a diagnosis, which is now helping others to get there much faster. A collaboration between the NHS and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the research was funded by Wellcome and the Department of Health and Social Care, and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Health Minister Will Quince, said: Were creating the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world and this study is yet another step forward to revolutionising care for NHS patients. Using cutting edge, high-tech methods such as this offers the potential to better understand and more accurately diagnose rare genetic conditions so children can access treatment faster and potentially limit the impact of the disease on their life. A 74-year-old man has been extradited from Pakistan to be charged with the murder of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford 18 years ago. Piran Ditta Khan was brought back to the UK on Tuesday and taken into custody at a West Yorkshire police station where he was charged with killing the 38-year-old officer on November 18 2005. He is also charged with robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday April 13. A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesman said that the charges were authorised in 2006, leading to the issuing of the extradition warrant. A memorial for WPC Sharon Beshenivsky (John Giles/PA) Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, said: A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford in 2005 has been extradited to the UK from Pakistan thanks to the continued hard work of prosecutors in the CPSs extradition and international units. Since Piran Ditta Khan was arrested in Pakistan in 2020, our specialist prosecutors have been working closely with our Pakistani partners to complete the legal process in the country so that he could be extradited back to England to face the allegations from almost 20 years ago. Pc Beshenivsky, who had three children and two stepchildren, was fatally shot as she responded with colleague PC Teresa Millburn to an alarm at a travel agent in Morley Street, Bradford. Pc Millburn was also seriously injured. Actor Martin Clunes is embroiled in a planning dispute with his neighbours over a proposal for a permanent traveller site near his farm. The Doc Martin star and other villagers close to his home in Beaminster, Dorset are objecting to the plans by Theo Langton and Ruth McGill. The couple, who have lived in a 45ft by 16ft mobile home on land they own at Meerhay for 25 years, have applied for planning permission to continue living there permanently. Martin Clunes starred as Dr Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin (Neil Genower/Buffalo Pictures/ITV) Planning officers at Dorset Council are recommending to councillors on the area planning committee the application is granted. The recommendation is a blow to the Men Behaving Badly star and his neighbours who are opposed to the application. Mr Clunes, 61, and his wife Philippa have lodged an objection to the plans along with several neighbours. They say the proposals would intensify the existing travellers site and impact upon an area of outstanding natural beauty. They also object to the lack of amenities on the site, such as electricity, water and sewage. Their planning agent, Will Cobley, said: Our clients have lived at their property for many years and are concerned by the proposal, which seeks to authorise and intensify a nearby traveller use on a permanent basis. The site is a wholly unsuitable location for a traveller site in an area of countryside and the Dorset area of outstanding natural beauty contrary to national planning policy. The permanent use of the land as a travellers site has been consistently rejected by the council. The current proposal seeks to continue and intensify the existing unauthorised use of the site. The site lacks basic services necessary for residential occupation on a permanent basis. Neighbours Diana and Robert Clarke are also against the application listing concerns about access to the site and the lack of amenities. The site is unsuitable for a travellers site in an area of outstanding natural beauty as it is contrary to national planning policy, they said. The current proposal seeks to intensify the existing unauthorised use of the site. Martin Clunes and his wife Phillipa are objecting to a travellers site near their home in Dorset becoming permanent (Michael Stephens/PA) Another neighbour, Jackie Riley, said: Impact on wildlife, potential pollution and destruction of habitat need to be avoided at all costs. Access is also an area of concern. Local resident Richard Fodder said: This proposal is generally inappropriate for an area of outstanding natural beauty and has specific challenges including access to the site and the lack of basic services required for permanent residence and the protection of the environment. In the most recent planning application Mr Langton, an artist, and Ms McGill were granted temporary permission in 2015 to use the land as a traveller site for five years. And now the couple are seeking to turn it into a permanent private residential traveller site for their mobile home and an additional caravan. Beaminster Town Council has withdrawn its opposition to the application. Planning officials at Dorset Council are also supportive, highlighting an increasing need for traveller sites across the county. This particular site is not one where there are significant identified problems. Nor have there been complaints in recent years submitted to planning, environmental health or highways officers, council official Bob Burden said. In sustainability terms the development already exists. It is relatively close to Beaminster which has a good range of services and is about one mile from the town. This application seeks to make permanent the use of this site for one traveller family. Historic concerns over the impact on the area of outstanding natural beauty have been substantially reduced by the landscaping/screening that has been carried out in recent years. The town council are supportive of this application. Given the context of difficulties identifying sites generally for gypsy/traveller families, coupled with the low key presence and limited visual impact of this particular site it is considered that it would now be reasonable to permit this on a permanent basis for this particular traveller family. Mr Burden is recommending conditions are placed on the application which would mean the site would be used only by Mr Langton, Ms McGill and their dependents. Were they to move away permanently they would have four months to remove all residential structures and return the land to its former condition. The couple would also be limited to no more than two caravans being kept on the site for residential use. The cost of childcare is forcing one in four UK parents to give up their job or drop out of education, according to a new study. More than 7,000 parents and carers from the UK, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Nigeria, Turkey and the US with children under the age of seven were questioned for global childrens charity Theirworld. The research found 23% of UK-based parents had either quit work or dropped out of their studies to avoid childcare costs, compared with 17% of their counterparts in Brazil, 16% in Turkey and 13% in Nigeria. Some 74% of parents in the UK said they find it difficult to meet childcare costs, compared with 52% in India, 57% in the Netherlands, 59% in Nigeria, 68% in the US and Brazil, and 72% in Turkey. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown is calling on governments to urgently prioritise spending on early years childcare (Lewis Whyld/PA) Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is calling on governments to urgently prioritise spending on the early years. The survey has laid bare the scale of the global early years crisis and its impact on children in rich and poor countries alike and change is needed because early years childcare is as essential to a countrys infrastructure as roads, hospitals and telecommunications, Mrs Brown said. Sixty-five percent of UK parents questioned said they have had to make major financial changes, including taking on more work and spending less on food, in order to afford childcare. Some 22% said they spend between 30% and 70% of their income on childcare. We are working with partners around the world to launch #ActForEarlyYears. This international campaign will bring together workers and experts, youth and business leaders, media and civil society, and families to take action for the #EarlyYears It's time to #ActForEarlyYears Theirworld (@theirworld) April 10, 2023 Theirworld said children from wealthier and educated backgrounds tend to begin primary school ready to learn, but there are nearly 250 million children in low- and middle-income countries who are at risk of not reaching their full development potential due to poverty, inadequate nutrition, exposure to stress, and a lack of early stimulation and learning. The charity noted that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made childcare a central part of his Budget, providing an extra 4 billion over three years. He also announced that in all eligible households in England every child under five will receive 30 hours a week of free childcare from the moment maternity leave ends. However, critics have pointed out that this will not be in place until September 2025. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee last month, denied that the childcare system is in crisis. He said: I think that announcements in the Budget were warmly welcomed by the childcare sector for what theyre going to do, which is to increase the funding for childcare as it is now, but also expand the provision to cover some of the gaps in the existing system and move us into a internationally quite generous position relative to our peers on childcare. Elvira Grob and her partner spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter Yoomi (Michael Simpson/Theirworld/PA) Elvira Grob, 41, who is a lecturer in design on a zero-hours contract, has been left feeling close to burnout as she and her partner Michael spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter, Yoomi. The London-based couple do not want to give up their daughters place at nursery to save money because she loves it there and it is good for her development. Ms Grob, who is also retraining and studying for a degree, returned to work two days a week when Yoomi was six months old. She said: I work in the evenings, I work when Yoomi sleeps, and I work at weekends. My income covers Yoomis childcare but I have rent to pay, and I also have to pay for my studies. Its got to a point where Im considering dropping my degree to help us pay our bills. Mrs Brown added: For a child, the first five to six years are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but this is being squandered on a global scale. Providing for children in their early years must be treated as a public good, not a private test of a familys financial strength. Parents around the world should no longer be reduced to hoping for the best, crossing their fingers that the inadequate care they are often forced to use isnt a risk to their childs safety or their future prospects in life. We need to see a revolution for the early years that brings together governments, businesses, international agencies, parents, frontline workers, civil society, youth campaigners and grassroots groups to improve the lives of the worlds youngest children. A total of 7,226 parents or childcare professionals took part in the survey carried out for Theirworld by Hall & Partners. This photo shows Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaking at a plenary session at the National Assembly, April 3. Yonhap South Korea and the United States plan to discuss ways to qualitatively enhance Washington's extended deterrence against growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea on the occasion of a bilateral summit later this month, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. In a report submitted to the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, the ministry said Seoul and Washington will discuss ways to "qualitatively enhance the extended deterrence capabilities against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats" during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S. this month. Yoon and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, are set to hold the summit in Washington on April 26. The trip will mark the first U.S. state visit by a South Korean president in 12 years. The ministry added Seoul is also "actively pursuing concrete and substantive achievements" in terms of cooperation in other fields, such as those of advanced technologies, economic security and people-to-people exchanges, based on results from the previous summit held in Seoul last year. The ministry said it also expects the state visit to serve as an opportunity to realize the vision of an "action-oriented South Korea-U.S. alliance" that "safeguards the lives and safety of the people of both nations" and upholds their shared core values. (Yonhap) Police in Northern Ireland have launched an investigation into a security breach around the visit of the US President Joe Biden. A huge security operation was put in place for the visit ahead of Mr Bidens arrival on Tuesday evening for a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. More than 300 officers from the rest of the UK have been drafted into Northern Ireland to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). A document, which was marked PSNI and sensitive, was found by a member of the public, the BBC reported. It is understood it was an operational order which outlines officer deployments, however, no personal details on the President, his officials or those of other dignitaries associated with the visit were included within the document. Responding, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed an investigation has been launched. We are aware of a security breach, they said. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer. We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place. US President Joe Biden sent a clear message to the DUP, Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle ONeill has said. During a visit to Northern Ireland, Mr Biden said he hoped the Assembly and the Executive will soon be restored, adding it could draw even greater opportunity in the region. The powersharing institutions have been effectively collapsed for more than a year while the DUP refuse to participate until their concerns around the Brexit Protocol are addressed. Jeffrey Donaldson from the DUP speaks to the media after US President Joe Biden delivered his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast (Aaron Chown/PA) Mr Biden briefly met the leaders of the five largest parties before making his address at the new Ulster University campus. Ms ONeill said she felt his message was on the right note. I think he sent a very clear message that everything that has been achieved over the past 25 years is something to be celebrated, but he very much was future focused, he was looking forward to the next 25 years, it was about the hope and the opportunity, but I think his message was clear, we need peace, we need stability and we need prosperity, those things all go hand in hand, she said. I think his message was very much on the right note. She added: I think the message here from this visit is going to be one about peace, prosperity and about stability, and that means we need the political leg of things to work as well. Im committed to making it work. Where Im focused is about trying to get Stormont up and running again, and make politics work. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long praised a positive and balanced message from the president. During our brief discussion, I spoke to President Biden about Northern Irelands economy and also the need for political stability, she said. Between both that and his later speech, the president gave a positive and balanced message that was optimistic for both our economy and future. He was also well aware of the challenges facing the restoration of the Assembly and Executive, but was keen to see that happen as soon as possible. When one of the largest economies in the world spends its time, effort and money showcasing us, we need to grasp that opportunity with both hands. However, we cant do that at present due to the political impasse and those causing that need to reflect on their actions. UUP leader Doug Beattie (right), attends US President Joe Bidens keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland (Aaron Chown/PA) Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the visit of the US President is an indication of the scale of opportunity that stands to be grasped for our people. I believe this opportunity must be grasped by a restored Assembly and Executive, he said. Whilst today there was rightly reflection on the importance of the Belfast Agreement in securing the peace we have enjoyed for 25 years now, there was also a welcome focus on prosperity. The next 25 years must be about delivering opportunities and prosperity for all our people. I believe the USA can play an important role in helping to deliver this and I will work with the presidents administration to make this a reality. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said, during his meeting with the president, Mr Biden was very clear that the US administration and US businesses are ready to come and invest but work should go on to restore the Assembly. I reminded him that John Hume used to say the best peace process was a job, and of course he agreed with that, he said. Weve seen great strides over the last 25 years but I can tell you from outside of Belfast, places like Derry, there is a lot further to go yet and we really need investment. Prospective students are attending fewer university open days when researching where to study due to rising living costs, according to the university admissions service. Nearly two in five (39%) prospective applicants in the UK said they have cut down on the number of open days they attended due to costs, and 5% said they did not attend any because of the expense, a survey has found. Prospective applicants from the most disadvantaged areas were more likely to have reduced university open-day attendance, according to the Ucas poll. Jo Richards, senior insight lead at Ucas, said its research found that some students are ruling out places earlier due to the cost of living. She said: By restricting their opportunity to explore the different potential environments, they have reduced the options available to them before they even apply. The Ucas survey, of 3,812 UK prospective applicants that had registered an interest in progressing to higher education, found that 42% from the most disadvantaged areas of the country said they had cut back on open days due to costs, compared to 35% of those from the least disadvantaged areas. The admissions service conducted the survey and focus groups with prospective applicants in November last year to understand the impact of rising costs on their decisions about their futures. One focus group participant said: (Open days) are really expensive and I couldnt afford the trains so I only got to visit one. Another said: (Virtual open days) gave me an insight into the subject that I wanted to do, but not in terms of the university the lifestyle and the area. Of those who said they have cut down on the number of open days, only around half (53%) said they had attended virtual visits instead, the survey found. In its submission to the cost of living inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Students, Ucas said: Open-day attendance is being affected due to rising living costs. Open days can be a vital source of information and guidance for applicants. We would continue to encourage universities, colleges, and government to consider how we can facilitate access to these, the admissions service said. The submission from Ucas added that there is evidence that living costs are having an impact on university or college choice, and many prospective applicants said they have lowered their expectations of student life. Among the prospective applicants domiciled in the UK who were surveyed, 58% said they were now considering getting a part-time job while at university due to increased costs, 26% said they would consider choosing a university closer to home, and 24% said they would consider living at home. More than half (51%) of the prospective students agreed that the cost-of-living increase has lowered their expectations of student life, the survey found. In a Ucas blog, Ms Richards said: We have a duty as a sector to make sure that we are putting support and interventions in place to ensure widening participation students are not more greatly affected than their advantaged peers. A Universities UK (UUK) spokesperson said: The latest findings from Ucas highlight that the cost of living is a significant concern for future students. Universities have stepped up efforts to alleviate financial pressures on their students, but Ucas findings show that more can be done to effectively communicate to prospective students the wide range of practical support they have to offer. These are difficult times for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds who may be discouraged from attending university due to financial barriers. This would be a tragic loss of talent to the country and impact social mobility. Its imperative that government look closely at the maintenance support package as maintenance uplifts, particularly in England, will not cover the real terms cut that students are seeing. A Department for Education spokesperson said: We recognise students continue to face financial challenges, which is why we are increasing loans and grants for living and other costs for a further year. To help students who need further support, we have made an additional 15 million available, increasing our student premium funding to 276 million this academic year. In addition, the Government has announced that it is extending the Energy Price Guarantee for a further three months and many students are also benefiting from the Energy Bills Support Scheme discounts, including the Alternative Funding scheme. Many universities are already stepping up efforts to support their students through a variety of programmes and we urge students who are worried about their circumstances to speak to their university. The PSNI will seek to recover some of the 7 million cost of security measures around commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, a senior officer has said. A major policing operation in Belfast has now ended after US president Joe Biden left Northern Ireland following a speech at Ulster University. The PSNI said that 2,920 of its officers had been involved in the operation to assist with Mr Bidens visit, including frontline officers, security detail and close protection. Several roads were closed in the city centre, causing disruption. It was the largest police operation in Northern Ireland since the G8 summit was held in Co Fermanagh in 2013. Joe Biden delivers his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast on Wednesday (Liam McBurney/PA) Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said: The breadth of this operation has been huge and has involved 2,920 police officers from around Northern Ireland. Extensive planning and preparation has been implemented to ensure the safety and security of the US president, his officials and staff, as well as Prime Minster Sunak and other dignitaries. This has been an extremely busy time for policing across Northern Ireland, with Easter parades and a high footfall of visitors attending the various beauty spots over the Easter holidays. We have benefited over the last few days from 84 mutual aid officers who travelled to Belfast and surrounding areas and provided essential additional specialist capabilities and support. Having such dedicated and professional colleagues ensured all operations were carried out expertly and I would like to thank all of our police officers, police staff and Mutual Aid officers for their contribution. Various road closures and cordons were put in place over the last few days so I would also like to thank the public for their understanding and cooperation. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) ACC Chris Todd thanked the public for their understanding during the security operation (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Todd added: This has been a complex and expensive operation delivered to internationally recognised standards and at present we anticipate the overall cost for the two week operation will be somewhere in the region of 7 million, however that is an early estimate and is subject to change. The Police Service of Northern Ireland will seek to recover what costs we can, under relevant established arrangements, once the operation has concluded and full details are known. Mr Todd said road closures in Belfast are now being lifted and cordons and security barriers are being removed. Next week former US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit Belfast to attend an international conference to mark the anniversary of the peace deal. A serial rapist who exploited his young victims through online chat sites and lured them to his home where he would make them wear dog collars has been jailed for 11 years. Scott Hanlon, 35, also known as Scott Lannister, degraded and abused his young victims after they accepted offers to live at his flat. Hanlon was found guilty of three sexual offence charges and two counts under domestic abuse legislation at the High Court in Stirling in February. Scott Hanlon, also known as Lannister, was sentenced at Glasgow High Court (Police Scotland/PA) The offences are believed to have taken place between 2018 and 2020. He repeatedly subjected victims to serious physical and sexual assaults, including rape, and compelled them to wear dog masks and collars. He also took their money and kept them locked up. Prosecutors demonstrated both victims suffered abusive, controlling behaviour, leaving them terrified of Hanlon, from Stirling. One of his teenage victims suffered a debilitating medical condition and was unable to defend themselves from the attacks. Hanlon was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday and was also handed a lifetime non-harassment order, preventing him from approaching or contacting his victims, and was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. Fraser Gibson, procurator fiscal for High Court sexual offences, said Hanlons victims had suffered terribly at the hands of someone they trusted. He said: Scott Hanlon manipulated vulnerable people much younger than himself for his own depraved ends. The victims endured appalling ordeals while being controlled and manipulated. It has taken great bravery on their part to speak out against him and report the crimes. We hope todays sentence offers them some degree of comfort as they attempt to move on in their lives. We urge any victim of similar offending to come forward, report it and seek help. You will be taken seriously, and we will use all the tools available to us to pursue justice on your behalf. Detective Inspector Forbes Wilson, of the Forth Valley public protection unit, said: I welcome the sentencing of Scott Lannister, who will now face the consequences for these degrading, violent attacks. Sexual crimes, of any nature, will not be tolerated. I would urge anyone who wishes to report an offence of this nature to come forward, regardless of the passage of time. We will investigate it thoroughly and you will be fully supported by officers and our partner agencies. Anas Sarwar must confirm where Labour stands on support for gender recognition reforms as the First Minister launches a legal battle against the UK Governments block on the legislation, the Scottish Conservatives have said. Scottish Labour leader Mr Sarwar whipped his MSPs to support the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill, which passed in Holyrood in December however Carol Mochan and Claire Baker both resigned from their frontbench positions in protest. UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has since signalled that he does not support the legislation, which allows 16-year-olds to legally change their gender, and expressed concern around the implications on the Equalities Act. Sir Keir Starmer has expressed concern over the Bill (Danny Lawson/PA) Scottish Tory equalities spokeswoman Rachael Hamilton has now told Mr Sarwar to confirm whether he will again whip his MSPs to support the Bill if it comes back to Holyrood. It comes as Humza Yousaf confirmed his Government is taking legal action after the legislation was blocked from gaining royal assent with a Section 35 order. Ms Hamilton said: With Humza Yousaf seeking a self-serving confrontation with the UK Government in an effort to divert attention from the SNP civil war, the public deserve to know where Scottish Labour stand on this issue. Anas Sarwar shamefully ignored the legitimate concerns of womens groups, many Labour members and the vast majority of Scots by forcing his MSPs to back Nicola Sturgeons reckless GRR Bill. Whether it was a response to the public backlash in Scotland to the passing of the Bill, or the inherent flaws in it exposed by the Isla Bryson scandal, Keir Starmer belatedly recognised that Labour were on the wrong side of the argument. With Humza Yousaf seeking confrontation with the UK Government to divert attention from the SNP civil war, the public deserve to know where Scottish Labour stand.@Rachael2Win has written to @AnasSarwar urging him to U-turn on his support for Nicola Sturgeon's gender ID bill pic.twitter.com/pMF0GKlZVY Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) April 12, 2023 Its time for Anas Sarwar to do the same and admit that he was wrong to ignore the safety fears of women by whipping Scottish Labour MSPs to vote for this deeply flawed Bill. The public deserve to know whether he now accepts that 16 is too young for vulnerable adolescents to be able to make such an enormous, life-changing decision. Where does he stand on Humza Yousafs weak and transparent attempt to create a constitutional row with the UK Government to try to rally feuding factions within the SNP? And if the Bill comes back before Holyrood, will he do what he ought to have done last time and offer his MSPs a free vote? If not, presumably Carol Mochan who returned to his front bench this week would have to resign a second time. We know Anas Sarwar would rather not discuss this issue, but the confused public deserve to know where Scottish Labour stands. A Scottish Labour spokesperson said This is too important an issue to be reduced to a constitutional fight or a culture war. The Tories are shamelessly playing politics with peoples rights because they have nothing else to offer Scotland. Since the passing of the GRR Bill it feels like everyone has lost. Many in our trans community dont feel any more protected and many women dont feel any more reassured. The election of a new First Minister should have been a reset moment. The sensible way forward would be to ask the Equality and Human Rights Commission to issue its guidance and for both governments to commit to addressing any inconsistencies or issues that it identifies. There is a need to build a consensus and take the public with us going forward. Welcome home cousin Joe! was the sign held up by a young girl, who, along with many other locals, had braved the relentless wind and rain to try to catch a glimpse of the President of the United States. As Mr Biden and his huge entourage arrived in Carlingford, nestled on the very edge of a lough and by the mountain Slieve Foye, cheers went up. As he arrived at Carlingford Castle, along with his sister Valerie and son Hunter, he was greeted by Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin, and former rugby player Rob Kearney, a distant relative of Mr Bidens. Feels wonderful, just like Im coming home! Mr Biden shouted down to reporters as he looked out from a ledge of the castle onto Carlingford Lough. The exposed top half of the 12th century castle gives a wonderful view, and on a clear day you can see Warrenpoint, Co Down, from where Mr Bidens ancestors left Ireland for New York. In the relentless wind and rain, the only cover the US leader had on Wednesday was a baseball cap, as he was briefed from two people from the Carlingford Heritage Centre about his familys history. When asked about what he thought of the rain, which resulted in him cancelling a helicopter trip from Dublin and a visit to Kilwirra Cemetery, he said: Its fine, its Ireland! Gerry Hoey and Yvonne Keenan from the Carlingford Heritage Centre gave Mr Biden a tour of the castle, and he was told about his Irish ancestry. Hes very family orientated, Mr Hoey said. When he came in, I was a bit apprehensive, its not every day we have the President of the United States here. But he said he gave people his time, and signed a photo of his grandson Thomas. Amanda Stewart-McClean, a piper in the Carlingford Pipe Band who played music for Mr Biden as he arrived at the castle, said it was so good to be a part of the event. Its something Im never going to be able to get to do again in my lifetime. It was such a privilege to be asked to do it, she told PA. Luisa Murray (left) and her daughter Siobhan, from Co. Louth, with a pin given to them by a secret service agent during US President Joe Bidens visit to Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, as part of his trip to the island of Ireland. Picture date: Wednesday April 12, 2023. Luisa and her daughter Siobhan Murray, from nearby Ravensdale, were delighted to catch a glimpse of Mr Biden after he visited the castle and got a gift from the Secret Service for their hospitality. Its funny, they all needed to use the bathroom, Siobhan said, while standing in the doorway of their aunts house. As the president left Carlingford and headed towards Dundalk, members of An Garda Siochana and the Secret Service availed of their restroom facilities, they said. Luisa, wearing a green jumper with the US flag on it, welcomed them in to use the bathrooms, and as a thank you, they were given a Secret Service pin. It was really good fun, Siobhan said, smiling. Rishi Sunak has visited a senior PSNI officer who was shot in Northern Ireland earlier this year. The Prime Minister, who was in Belfast to meet US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, is understood to have met Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell and his family at a hospital in the north west. The PSNI described it as a private visit and would not comment. The visit by @RishiSunak to our seriously injured colleague DCI John Caldwell was deeply appreciated. @PoliceServiceNI @ChiefConPSNI @NIPolicingBoard Heres our statement: pic.twitter.com/Mav0PFwsuD Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) April 12, 2023 Liam Kelly, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file officers, said the meeting with Mr Caldwell was deeply appreciated. It showed support for John as he progresses with his recovery following the cowardly attempt on his life in Omagh, he said. It also showed support for our officers who work against a backdrop of a severe terrorist threat. The Prime Minister by his actions firmly aligned himself and his Government with dedicated and committed police officers. The visit came as Mr Biden referenced the attack in his speech at Ulster University, warning that the the enemies of peace will not prevail. A rally outside Omagh Courthouse to unite against paramilitary violence after the shooting of John Caldwell (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Caldwell was left with life-changing injuries after the shooting in Co Tyrone earlier this year. The New IRA, an armed dissident republican group opposed to the peace process, has been blamed for the attack on the high-profile officer. Mr Biden, in his speech, praised the response of politicians to the attack, as he said: Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. Joe Biden referenced the attack in his speech at Ulster University (Aaron Chown/PA) But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. The terrorism threat level in the region was recently raised to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, with Mr Bidens visit coming after disturbances in Londonderry over Easter. Four suspected pipe bombs were recovered from a cemetery in the north-west city where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday. There were scenes of violence in the Creggan area of Derry after the event, when a number of missiles, including petrol bombs, were hurled by young people at a police Land Rover monitoring the pre-commemoration parade. Liz Truss said it was a mistake and a sign of weakness to ask for Chinas help in ending the war in Ukraine as she hit out at French president Emmanuel Macron during a speech focusing on the need to defend western capitalism and freedoms. The Conservative former prime minister was speaking in the US and delivering the Margaret Thatcher Lecture for the right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation. Earlier this month, Mr Macron, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, met with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. President of France, Emmanuel Macron (Kin Cheung/PA) Mr Macron said in Beijing: I know I can count on you (President Xi, under the two principles I just mentioned, to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table. Ms Truss, speaking in Washington on Wednesday, pointed to Russian president Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, and Chinas President Xi and the build-up of armaments in China and the menacing of Taiwan. And all this time, what weve seen, is weve seen accommodation and appeasement by the West of these authoritarian regimes, she said. She said later in her speech: Putin and Xi have made it very clear that they are allies against western capitalism. Thats why I think it was a mistake for western leaders to visit President Xi and ask for him to intervene in seeking a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. I believe that was a sign of weakness. Its also why its wrong for President Macron to suggest that Taiwan is simply something not of direct interest to Europe. I dont agree with that at all. It is of direct interest to Europe. And I think we should be doing all we can to make sure Taiwan has the support it needs to defend itself. Chinese president Xi Jinping (Matt Cardy/PA) She also said she would like to see Japan and Canada join Aukus, adding I would like that to become a real Pacific-wide alliance. She urged the Government and any future government to never allow China to join the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership). She added: I hope that the US will reconsider pulling out of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). In a Q&A after her speech, Ms Truss said: The idea that we can treat China as just another global player is wrong. It is a totalitarian regime and we need to adapt our policies accordingly and we need to be much more sceptical about what is said by China and what their promises are. And we need to make sure that we are working together as an alliance. So I dont agree at all with the visit by Ursula von der Leyen and Macron. I think it was a mistake. I think it showed a divide in the West which doesnt exist. And I also believe that we should be much much tougher on supporting Taiwan at this juncture. Ms Truss used her speech to criticise the size of the state in the US and UK, and warned they are becoming social democracies by the backdoor, describing a culture where too many people and too many businesses expect a bailout. She told the audience: The sad truth is what I think weve seen over the past few years is a new kind of economic model taking hold in our countries, one thats focused on redistributionism, on stagnation, and on the imbuing of woke culture into businesses. I call these people the anti-growth movement. There are also the people who live in the (Washington) beltway, or they live in London, they live within the M25, and theyve been enjoying quite a nice life, she said elsewhere in her speech, adding they dont want to see the status quo changed. All of those people are part of the resistance to the change we need to see. She also criticised the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) minimum tax agreement as nothing short of a global cartel of complacency. She said she did not understand quite how hard it would be to change the culture of government to something more in line with what she is now advocating, acknowledging last autumn I had a major setback, but adding I care too much to give up on this agenda. She said her plans faced co-ordinated resistance from her own party, the British corporate establishment, the International Monetary Fund and US president Joe Biden. Kim Tae-hyo, principal deputy national security adviser, speaks to reporters after arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, April 11. Yonhap A Korea's national security adviser insisted on Tuesday that the U.S. may not have had any ill intentions when it possibly eavesdropped on conversations at Seoul's presidential office. Kim Tae-hyo, principal deputy national security adviser, also said the allies believe a "large portion" of the classified documents believed to have leaked from the U.S. Department of Defense may be fake. "Currently, a third party is implicated in a large part of this incident and there exists no circumstance that our ally, the U.S., has done this with some kind of malicious intention toward us," Kim told reporters after arriving in Washington. Kim is here for talks with his U.S. counterparts on Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit, which is slated to begin April 24. However, Kim's visit also comes after two U.S. newspapers New York Times and Washington Post reported that leaked classified documents from the Pentagon showed U.S. intelligence services may have eavesdropped on conversations at the South Korean presidential office in early March to determine whether Korea may provide lethal assistance to Ukraine. The UK has slapped sanctions on people and companies who have helped Russian oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov shield their wealth from sanctions prompted by the Ukraine war. Former Chelsea owner Abramovich, and Usmanov, a close ally of Vladimir Putin and a former shareholder in Arsenal FC, are subject to sanctions imposed by the Government as it sought to freeze the assets of individuals with ties to the Russian president following his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday announced new penalties targeting those who knowingly assisted the oligarchs as they scrambled to hide their assets in complex financial networks. Today we are cracking down on oligarch enablers, including the financial fixers for Abramovich and Usmanov. We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war. We won't stop until Putin does. James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) April 12, 2023 The financial fixers have been hit with asset freezes, travel bans, transport sanctions and trust services sanctions, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. Among them are Cypriots Demetris Ioannides, who set up murky offshore structures used by Abramovich to stow away more than 760 million before being sanctioned, and lawyer Christodoulos Vassiliades, who helped Usmanov with trusts and offshore companies. Companies linked to Usmanov, including USM, Curzon Square Limited, and Hanley Limited, have also been sanctioned. Mr Cleverly said: We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war. Theres no place to hide. We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden. Together with our international partners the UK will continue to crack down on those who are supporting the war. We wont stop until Putin does. The package also hit family members used as proxies to conceal the assets of other Russian oligarchs, including Suleiman Kerimov and Vladimir Evtushenkov. US president Joe Biden was cheered and welcomed with waving flags as he arrived in a Co Louth town on the second stop of his visit to the Republic of Ireland. Locals turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Some of the well wishers held US or Irish flags, and a poster read Welcome home cousin Joe. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The US president was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. The US president is next due to visit Dundalk where eager members of the public in ponchos and raincoats were lining the streets waiting to welcome him. Red, white and blue bunting was strung across the road while people held American flags, tricolours and took cover under umbrellas in the steady evening drizzle. A sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street as families with young children waited in anticipation. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. US president Joe Biden is not anti-British, the White House insisted as he began a series of engagements on the island of Ireland. In Belfast, Mr Biden said he was there to listen as he had a cup of tea with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The pair met for around 45 minutes on Wednesday, with Mr Sunak telling broadcasters that the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. The White House said he would use the trip to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, 25 years after the peace deal was reached, and to encourage the restoration of powersharing something that collapsed due to the DUPs protest over post-Brexit rules. Hello, Northern Ireland! It's so great to be back. pic.twitter.com/A4PjLONoic President Biden (@POTUS) April 12, 2023 At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Mr Sunak, smiling, sat at a table with the US president as the pair met over cups of tea. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnson, and prime minister Truss as well. Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak met in Belfast (Paul Faith/PA) Ms Sloat went on: President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British Government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing. The US president will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to the objections of the DUP, the largest unionist party. However, the White House said there will not be formal talks with Northern Irelands political leaders. Ms Sloat said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the four-day trip, which will include visits in Ireland linked to his family history. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish president Michael D Higgins on Thursday. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina the presidents great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped him to afford to buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851. The Prince of Wales has led tributes to the inspirational co-founder of Help for Heroes, Bryn Parry, following his death. William and the Duke of Sussex both honoured Mr Parrys memory on Wednesday, after he died following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr Parry was one of the UKs best known countryside cartoonists and he founded the charity, which supports veterans and their families in the UK, with his wife Emma in 2007. Deeply sad to hear that Bryn Parry has passed away. A life-affirming, inspirational man, his work with @HelpforHeroes made a difference to so many and his legacy will be its continuing impact. My thoughts are with his family and friends. W. The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 12, 2023 Help for Heroes chief executive James Needham said: Everyone at Help for Heroes is deeply saddened by the death of our co-founder Bryn Parry CBE. Without Bryn, this charity wouldnt be here. Without him, over 27,000 veterans and their families wouldnt have received lifechanging support. Bryn was instrumental in changing the focus of the nation and the way we regard both military service and wounded veterans. Those who knew and worked with Bryn saw at his core an incredibly kind, earnest, and passionate soul, whose energy was contagious. Supported, encouraged and advised by Emma, he was unstinting in his total, unwavering commitment to making the lot of the wounded servicemen and women as good as it could be. Bryns founding principles and his no-nonsense approach of doing everything humanly possible to help our heroes, remain at the heart of all we do. Bryn Parry at Headley Court Military Hospital (PA) In a Twitter statement on Wednesday, William wrote that he was deeply sad to hear that Bryn Parry has passed away. He added: A life-affirming, inspirational man, his work with @HelpforHeroes made a difference to so many and his legacy will be its continuing impact. My thoughts are with his family and friends. W. Bryn Parry, co-founder of UK charity @HelpforHeroes has died. Together with his wife, Bryn was responsible for changing the landscape of support for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans in the UK. pic.twitter.com/rcToPrZ63z Invictus Games Foundation + (@WeAreInvictus) April 12, 2023 It is understood that William closely followed Mr Parrys work and recently wrote to him after he received his CBE, given to him in a private investiture at his home due to his terminal cancer. The Sun has reported that Mr Parry died peacefully and surrounded by family. He diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January 2023. The Duke of Sussex called Mr Parrys death a truly sad day for the military community, according to the Invictus Games Foundation. Harry founded the Invictus Games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military personnel and veterans from across the globe by giving them the challenge of competing in sporting events similar to the Paralympics. A statement posted on the foundations Twitter account attributed to its patron, Harry, states: Today is a truly sad day for the military community as we bid farewell to a man who, alongside his wife, completely transformed the UK charity sector for the benefit of those who have served. His vision, determination and brilliance provided a lifeline for thousands of veterans, as well as their families, when they needed it most. Those that come after him will always be better off because of his actions. Bryn Parry, we salute you! Thank you from all of us for the lives saved, the support given and the community inspired. Your legacy lives on through Help for Heroes. Our love and respect will remain with your family. The Invictus Games Foundation added: Together with his wife, Bryn was responsible for changing the landscape of support for wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans in the UK. All of us at the Invictus Games Founded are truly indebted to the vision and passion of his work with Help for Heroes, which directly influenced the formation of the Invictus Games London 2014, and their support for Team UK many years later. Minister for Veterans Affairs Johnny Mercer MP said Mr Parry will never be forgotten. Bryn Parry who with his wife Emma founded Help for Heroes has passed away after a short illness. pic.twitter.com/sDvOw74eti Rt Hon Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) April 12, 2023 My heart goes out to Emma and the family, he wrote in a social media post. At a time when the nations deficit of veterans care was so ruthlessly exposed by those men and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bryn and Emma stepped up, founded Help for Heroes, and single handedly revolutionised veterans care in the United Kingdom. Their place in history will never fade; what they started has continued to echo years later. He inspired me with his unapologetic determination to do right by these special men and women who serve. He will never be forgotten. After 10 years in the army, Mr Parry gave up his regular commission in The Royal Green Jackets to make a living from art, his sculpture website states. His commissions included work for the Duchy of Cornwall, the Duchy of Lancaster, Sandringham, Lloyds of London and many Regiments, Companies and individuals, it added. Jeremy Renner arrives for the red carpet premiere of Disney+ original series Rennervations at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif., on April 11, 2023. (Photo: VALERIE MACON / AFP) Jeremy Renner is back. The 52-year-old made a big return to the red carpet on Tuesday his first since his near-fatal snowplow accident on New Year's Day. He attended the premiere of his four-part Disney+ reality docuseries Rennervations, walking hand-in-hand with his 10-year-old daughter Ava Berlin Renner. He was surrounded by his larger family whom he's credited in helping him recover after being run over by his 14,330-pound PistenBully on his Reno, Nev., property. Jeremy held hands with daughter Ava as they posed with family. (Photo: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage) Jeremy used a cane to keep stabilized having broken "35 or so" bones in the accident, he said on Monday's Jimmy Kimmel Live and then switched to a scooter as he worked his way down the press line at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Father and daughter matched in dark blue. It marked Ava's first red carpet, as he's been notoriously protective of putting her in the spotlight. (Her mom is his ex-wife, model Sonni Pacheco.) Jeremy Renner arrives at the premiere of #Rennervations with his family pic.twitter.com/VuF96rBLwj The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 12, 2023 "I look a little beat up right now, but I promise you this show is what's propelling me to get better and makes me want to get better every day," he told Variety of the series, which is now streaming, that sees The Avengers star traveling the globe to help reimagine unique purpose-built vehicles that work in service of local communities."I set out a goal to be walking this carpet. And here I am enjoying it. Otherwise it would have gone to an abyss with no date and lost traction and excitement and I would have been very, very, very frustrated. I'm very excited right now because we're here." Jeremy told People that the event marked his "first time to kind of get out of my bed and out of rehab and to be on my feet and be out in the world. It's intense for me, it's a lot, but it's a step in the direction I want to be going, right? And this is exactly what I want to be doing and exactly where I want my life to be right now." Jeremy, the host and executive producer of Rennervations, gives a thumbs-up to photographers as he moves down the carpet on his scooter. (Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) As for having his family there, "It's everything," he told People. "They're the fuel behind a lot of things that I do, and it's nice to be able to share this with them and be a part of it." That held true especially for Ava. He also shared that his daughter was "a big part of the design on some of ... these buses and these ideas [around the repurposed vehicles]. She's been a big part of that narrative on the show, but also in the behind the scenes of it all. It's great to be doing something you love to do with people you love. That, to me, is like what heaven is. That's the greatest dessert." Jermey poses with a photo on an oversize tire on the red carpet. The four-part docuseries sees the Avengers star traveling the globe to reimagine unique purpose-built vehicles that work in service of local communities. He said the project was has been in the works for five years. (Photo: VALERIE MACON / AFP) The event drew a big crowd, including Disney CEO Bob Iger. Jeremy signed autographs for fans waiting to see him. Jeremy signs autographs at the premiere of Disney+'s Rennervations. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for Disney Television Studios) Following the screening of the premiere, Jimmy Kimmel hosted a Q&A and Jeremy was on the panel. He receiving a standing ovation when he arrived on his scooter. Talking about the accident near his Lake Tahoe home when he was run over by the snowplow after trying to jump back into the vehicle to prevent it from hitting his nephew he said, "My mom wants to light it on fire and have a big old party," according to Variety. Jeremy speaks onstage during the world premiere event for the Disney+ original series "Rennervations" at Westwood Regency Village Theater on April 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Anna Webber/Getty Images for Disney+) But he doesn't want to part with it. "The thing's amazing, I love the thing," he said of the vehicle, which was recently returned to him. "I just have to learn to drive it better," as he hadn't set the emergency brake. Speaking of his recovery, he told the crowd, "It takes a lot of people. It starts with my family and my daughter. Then a big part of my recovery was this show. It set a big milestone for me to get better, to make sure all of this hard work was not all for nothing. I mean, running my damn self over, right? I had a lot of love, man." Jeremy's energy was remarkable. After the screening and Q&A, he joined the reception outside, where he walked around with his cane and hugged his loved ones. The actor, who documented his recovery on social media, gave his first interview to Diane Sawyer last week. He said metal plates were put in his face to support his eye socket, revealing, "I could see my eye with the other eye." He has titanium rods in one of his legs. He said he was "awake through every moment" of the ordeal. Jeremy also recalled to Sawyer how Ava told him after the accident that she "was scared" and told him "she loved me." On Monday's Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Mayor of Kingstown star danced on the set. He also recapped being kicked out of the first ICU he was in. Kimmel introduced him as "indestructible Jeremy Renner" and declared him the "toughest Avenger." Jeremy's family was with him for his Kimmel appearance and they were together the whole weekend before. The group made a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif. Jeremy kept up with help from his scooter. Six U.S. states and the District of Columbia reached a $462 million settlement with e-cigarette giant Juul Labs. The settlement represents the company's largest multi-state agreement to date to end one of a string of disputes over its allegedly deceptive ads targeting children. Announced Wednesday, the settlement ends lawsuits against the company brought starting in 2019 by California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and the District of Columbia. The suits accuse Juul of violating their respective state laws that prohibit harmful and deceptive marketing practices. Juul, owned in part by tobacco giant Altria (MO), did not admit wrongdoing in entering the settlement. Taking a page out of Big Tobaccos playbook, Juul misled consumers about the health risk of their products, New York Attorney General Letitia James said during a press conference Wednesday. The e-cigarette company falsely led consumers to believe that its vapes were safer than cigarettes and contained less nicotine. However, just one pod of Juul contains as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. Juul e-cigarettes are seen on the counter of a vape store in Santa Monica, California, U.S., June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson James went on to criticize Juul for allegedly glamorizing its flavored nicotine products using ads featuring young models smoking the e-cigarettes at parties in New Yorks ritzy Hamptons, and for direct outreach to high school students in at least one New York City school. In addition to financial settlements to be apportioned between the states and D.C., the settlement also places restrictions on how and where Juuls e-cigarette vaping products can be sold. The accord also requires the company to secure its products behind retail store counters and verify the age of those who directly sell or promote its products online. Additional restrictions will prohibit the company from participating in giveaways and sponsorships that involve minors and from using minors in ads. The attorneys general said their respective settlement funds will be used to assist minors harmed by e-cigarette use, and for research, education, and enforcement related to nicotine health risks. Juul's settlement will be paid to the sates over an eight-year period. New York is slated to receive $112.7 in settlement funds. Massachusetts will get $41 million. The District of Columbia will receive $15.2 million, $175.8 million will go to California, $32 million will be paid to Colorado, $67.6 will be paid to Illinois, and approximately $17 million will go to New Mexico. In a statement emailed to Yahoo Finance, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said: JUUL preyed on children for profit, implementing an intentionally deceptive, manipulative marketing campaign targeting underage users with the intention of creating addicted customers. JUUL knew how addictive and dangerous its products were and actively tried to cover up that medical truth. The settlement is also binding on Juuls former directors and executives, Adam Bowen, Hoyoung Huh, James Monsees, Nicholas Pritzker, and Riaz Valani, and any business those former executives control that sell nicotine products. In a statement concerning the settlement with the seven attorneys general, Juul said the agreement represents another critical part in its "ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the companys past," and moves the company to near total resolution of its historical legal challenges. According to Juul, the company has now settled with 47 states and territories, providing over $1 billion to participating states. The figure is addition to its effort to resolve more than 5,000 private U.S. lawsuits involving approximately 10,000 plaintiffs. Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube A toddler or child can accidentally be exposed to fentanyl if a family member with the medication doesn't store it safely. (Photos: Getty; illustration: Katie Martin for Yahoo Life) Fentanyl has made headlines for years, with the narcotic being blamed for the deaths of Prince, Tom Petty and Mac Miller, to name a few. But more recent reports have linked the drug to children and teens and some have died from accidental fentanyl exposure. In Florida, 19-month-old Enora Lavenir died in August 2021 while her family was staying at a rental home in Wellington. Lavenir died from acute fentanyl toxicity, according to NBC News, and was found unresponsive by her mother after going down for a nap. It's not clear how she ingested the drug, but her family is suing Airbnb, alleging that they were misled into renting what was known as a "party house." In San Francisco, a 10-month-old nearly died in late November after it's believed the baby may have ingested fentanyl at a park. The baby's father, Ivan Matkovic, told CBS News that he believed that his son touched something with a trace amount of fentanyl powder on it and then put his fingers in his mouth. A 3-year-old child died after accidentally being exposed to a family member's fentanyl patch, according to a 2021 case study. It's understandable to feel uneasy about accidental fentanyl exposure and kids the Food and Drug Administration and American Academy of Pediatrics both warn about it, after all. With a new study noting that opioids like fentanyl were responsible for 52% of poisoning-related deaths of kids age 5 and under in 2018, you probably have questions. Here's what doctors want you to know about fentanyl exposure and kids. How might kids be exposed to fentanyl? Fentanyl is most commonly used by doctors to treat severe pain, including in those with advanced cancer, but it also circulates heavily among illicit drugs. Fentanyl can come in several different forms liquid, powder, pill or patch or be added to other drugs, Dr. Erin McKnight, adolescent medicine physician and medical director of the substance use treatment and recovery program at Nationwide Children's Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. "Approximately 1 out of every 4 pills that someone buys online or on the street are 'pressed pills' that are laced with fentanyl this includes pills that are sold as Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin, as well as Xanax, Ativan and Adderall," McKnight says. "A toddler or child can accidentally be exposed to fentanyl if someone has purchased fentanyl to use and has not put it in a secure location and a child gets ahold of it." It doesn't take much fentanyl to do harm. "Fentanyl is very potent it's 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine," Dr. Kristine Cieslak, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Lurie Children's at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. "As little as 2 milligrams can be lethal in adults and even smaller amounts can cause death in children." Pills that have been laced with fentanyl may look like candy and be swallowed by children if they're found at a park or in a home, Dr. Danelle Fisher, a pediatrician and chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. Even fentanyl patches could be mistaken by kids as stickers and applied to the skin, poisoning them in the process. "Fentanyl is just so, so powerful," Fisher says. What does fentanyl do to your body? Fentanyl "does the same thing to a big body and a little body it just takes less to impact children," Dr. John Brancato, division head of emergency medicine at Connecticut Children's, tells Yahoo Life. Fentanyl can cause a euphoric feeling, along with respiratory depression meaning difficulty breathing, he says. Fentanyl binds to the mu opioid receptors in the body, which are central to pain control, Jamie Alan, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Life. "Fentanyl binds to its target receptor very tightly," she says. "The drug does many things, but the most concerning is respiratory depression. This can lead to death." The medication can also cause drowsiness, nausea, confusion, unconsciousness and stroke, Cieslak says. "A perfectly healthy person can just fall over after being exposed to fentanyl," Fisher says. How to protect your children from fentanyl exposure With the exception of fentanyl patches, it's worth noting that fentanyl isn't absorbed through the skin from casual contact, such as touching money or doorknobs, which is a common misconception. Instead, experts say it's crucial to tell your children that they should never put objects, particularly pills, that they happen to find in their mouths. "Tell your child that if they ever find or see anything unusual, they should tell you or another adult nearby rather than ingesting it," Brancato says. But this is tricky with younger children, who are known for putting things in their mouths, Fisher points out. If you have fentanyl in your home or your children visit the home of someone who has been prescribed fentanyl, like a grandparent, McKnight says it's crucial to make sure the medication is stored safely and out of reach. "Always keep all medications in a secured, locked location," she says. If you've rented a home or are visiting a new area, McKnight says it's not a bad idea to inspect the place before letting your children explore. "Don't hesitate to ask about cleaning practices prior to arrival to new areas, if able," she says. "After you arrive, do a walk-through, and if you feel the place has not been cleaned, do not hesitate to reach out to the manager to have the site cleaned." What to do if you suspect your child has been exposed to fentanyl Fentanyl moves fast, which is why it's important to call 911 immediately if you suspect your child has been exposed, Cieslak says. "First responders carry Narcan and can administer this lifesaving medication," she explains. "Narcan reverses an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and restoring breathing. Seconds or minutes count and can be the difference between life or death, so parents should not attempt to drive their child to the emergency department." If your child seems off and you're not sure why, Brancato recommends looking at their eyes. "Look for tiny pupils," he says. "That strongly suggests opioids of some kind." But Fisher says parents can go down a rabbit hole with fears over fentanyl. "If you see a substance and you're unsure of it, stay away from it," she says. "Don't let your kids put it in their mouth. Have discussions with older kids about not putting 'candy' they find in their mouths. That's the best you can do." Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. Prince Harry to attend Charles' coronation, Meghan to stay in California Britain's Prince Harry walks outside the High Court, in London By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Prince Harry will attend the Coronation next month of his father King Charles but his wife Meghan will remain in California with the couple's young children. The announcement ends speculation as to whether the king's youngest son would attend following his high-profile and stinging criticism of the royal family since he stepped back from royal duties in 2020. Charles will be crowned next month in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and traditions that date back 1,000 years, following the 70-year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth who died in September. "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th," the palace spokesperson said. "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." Charles' coronation is expected to draw guests including foreign heads of state and dignitaries. Preparations for the event have been overshadowed in recent months by Harry's damning revelations about his father and his brother, the heir-to-the-throne William, in his recent memoir, a Netflix documentary and a series of TV interviews. Asked in one interview in January whether he would attend the coronation if given an invitation, Harry said: "There's a lot that can happen between now and then. But the door is always open." Harry used his book to reveal a series of bust ups in the family, including a brawl with William. Spokespeople for King Charles and Prince William have declined to comment. Harry was last in Britain in late March, attending a court case he and other high profile figures have brought against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper over allegations of phone-tapping and other privacy breaches. The publisher denies the accusations. (Reporting by Michael Holden and Sachin Ravikumar; editing by Kate Holton) Expelled State Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, delivers remarks outside the state Capitol Monday, April 10, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Pearson was expelled the previous week over his role in a gun-control protest on the House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) One of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 to reinstate Justin Pearson as a state representative. I will continue to fight with and for our people, whether in or out of office. We and the young protesters are the future of a new Tennessee. Those who seek to silence us will not have the final say, Pearson wrote in an op-ed published in The New York Times. Republicans expelled Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones last week over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. The Houses vote to remove Pearson and Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. Republican leadership denied that race was a factor, however. The expulsions last Thursday made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Support for Pearson has come from across the country, including Memphis. During a Monday rally in support of Tyre Nichols, who died in January after he was beaten by police during an arrest, backers of Pearson said the commission was on the clock. Youve got one job to reinstate Justin Pearson, activist LJ Abraham said. Ahead of Wednesday's vote, Pearson led hundreds of people in a march from the National Civil Rights Museum to the county commissions office in downtown Memphis. Pearson grew up in the same House district he was chosen to represent after longtime state Rep. Barbara Cooper, a Black Democrat, died in office. It winds along the neighborhoods, forests and wetlands of south Memphis, through the citys downtown area and into north Shelby County. Before he was elected, Pearson helped lead a successful campaign against a planned oil pipeline that would have run through neighborhoods and wetlands, and near wells that pump water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which provides drinking water to 1 million people. He gained a quick reputation as a skilled community activist and gifted public speaker. Should Pearson join Jones in returning to the Tennessee Capitol, they'll do so when political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and instead replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Particularly on addressing gun violence, Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. The speakers office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was very agreeable to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the state's dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were exaggerated to show "support of families who often wait decades for justice." After the Ada County Commission declined to provide more funding for people experiencing homelessness, Boise will foot the bill for rooms at a hotel in the West End. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Boise has been paying for Interfaith Sanctuary, a local homeless shelter, to rent rooms at the Red Lion Hotel through a series of federal programs. What started as a place to isolate people in the shelter system who came down with COVID-19 is now used to house medically fragile people and families with children. On Tuesday, the Boise City Council authorized $1.8 million for the program, which would pay for hotel rooms and on-site staffing by Interfaith until next spring. The citys expectation is that the year of funding is temporary, and will not be needed once Interfaith opens a new shelter on State Street next year. The city is looking to see if there are funds remaining from the American Rescue Plan Act than can cover the cost, and plans to otherwise spend general funds on the program, Courtney Washburn, Mayor Lauren McLeans chief of staff, told the Idaho Statesman. Twenty-five rooms at the hotel are now housing 48 guests, according to a memorandum from Missy Grothaus, of the citys Purchasing Department. Of those guests, 10 are families with children and 15 are medically fragile people. There are additional households in need of and waiting for shelter beds but, due to Ada Countys decision to only provide a few months of short-term funding, Interfaith Sanctuary has not placed them in this location, Grothaus wrote in the memo. Last year Boise asked the Ada County Commission to authorize enough federal funds to house people at the hotel until 2024. In December, the Commission instead authorized $697,600, which would cover housing at the hotel until April 15. When the Board of Commissioners provided the City of Boise with $697,000, we did so with compassion and respect for individuals experiencing homelessness who needed immediate shelter during the winter months, said a statement from the commissioners emailed by a spokesperson, Elizabeth Duncan. The four months worth of funds were allocated with a clear understanding that the county would assist with transitioning individuals ... to a more permanent location, the statement said. The county remains available to do so. However, due to the under-utilization of the current rooms at Red Lion, the lack of requested data from the city, and the expense to taxpayers, Ada County will not continue to fund the Red Lion project, the statement said. By phone, Duncan told the Statesman the mention of a permanent location was in reference to the Boise Rescue Mission, a Christian homeless services organization in the Treasure Valley. She said the commissioners had asked the city for more detailed information about the people who were staying at the hotel. At a public meeting in March, Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson said the county had been firm in December about its funds being short-term, and added that paying for the rooms was not sustainable. He said the short-term funds should have given the city enough for them to find new funding or a more permanent solution. In 2020, the county provided close to $34,000 in funds to pay for emergency housing for families experiencing homelessness, Duncan said. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean criticized the countys decision, saying it would push families out onto the streets, with no roof over their heads and nowhere else to go. McLean said she was shocked and deeply dismayed by the commissions decision to stop funding the rooms, which leaves Boise solely responsible for addressing countywide issues. Like Im human again. From the streets to finding shelter in Boise | Opinion In an interview with the Statesman, Jodi Peterson, executive director of Interfaith, said the funding from Boise would fill a vital gap. Interfaith Sanctuary is very grateful to the City of Boise for coming up with this funding, she said by phone. The years worth of funds should allow Interfaith to provide housing for the people at the Red Lion until Interfaith completes its planned new shelter on State Street. A lawsuit against the new shelter is pending. While Interfaith has an existing location in West Downtown for people experiencing homelessness, that shelter is full and cannot accommodate people who need extensive medical care, because such care often cannot be administered in a congregate setting, Peterson said. Peterson said it has been nerve-wracking providing temporary services through a hotel and multiple funding streams, and that the shelter is looking forward to its new shelter becoming a permanent solution. That is the solution, she said. She added that while its funding was uncertain, the shelter elected to not move some people from their waitlist into the Red Lion out of a concern that Interfaith might not have enough resources to continue serving them if the funding dried up. But she said the shelter was pretty successful at managing its waitlist during that period. The hotel shelter was always designed to serve two populations that are at the highest level of need and are the hardest to accommodate the numbers for, Peterson said. Then you add the increase of senior citizens who are falling out onto the street with chronic health issues. This hotel provides a home with that level of care that we cannot deliver at our emergency shelter. Rev. Bill Roscoe, CEO and president of Boise Rescue Mission, told the Statesman that his organization has shelter space available. Women and children can stay at its City Light home in Boise, while men stay at the River of Life shelter. Fathers cannot live together with children at those shelters, and Roscoe also said that while the organizations Recovery Lodge shelter in Nampa serves people with medical issues, it does not provide assisted-living care. The $1.8 million is on the consent agenda for Tuesdays council meeting. The city waived its standard practice of requesting bids for costs over $100,000 because Interfaith is the only organization that can provide the needed services, a spokesperson for the mayors office, Maria Weeg, told the Statesman by phone. This photo released by the Ministry of Economy and Finance shows Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho, right, shaking hands with Jonathan Gray, the chief operating officer of Blackstone, in New York, U.S., April 10, Yonhap. Global investors have hailed Korea's latest efforts to revamp its financial regulations, such as the extension of trading hours, pointing out they will help the country attract more investment, the finance ministry said Wednesday. The assessment came during Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho's meetings with representatives from major U.S. investors, including Blackstone, the Bank of New York Mellon, and Goldman Sachs, earlier this week in New York on Monday and Tuesday (U.S. time), according to the ministry. Choo was visiting the U.S. to participate in a string of events including a G20 finance ministers' meeting. During the meetings, the CEOs of global investment firms said the current situation in the U.S. financial market is different from the crisis in 2008, with its property market remaining stable. The global investors also expressed their positive view over the economy and the financial market of Korea, adding that they continue expanding long-term investment in the country, according to the ministry. The representatives, meanwhile, hinted Korea will be able to attract more investors seeking to expand their investment portfolio in Asia by making its market more accessible to foreigners. The officials expressed interest in Korea's efforts to revamp local financial rules to meet "global standards" and attract more investment, including abolishing the registration system for foreigners, in which they are required to file personal information to the authorities before purchasing local stocks. Korea's plan to extend its foreign-exchange trading hours will also help in vitalizing its asset market, the CEOs were quoted as saying by the finance ministry. Currently, Korean securities and foreign exchange markets run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The country plans to extend the hours to 2 a.m. beginning as early as the second half of 2024. Choo, meanwhile, will head to Washington on Wednesday to participate in the Development Committee of the World Bank as well as the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' meeting. (Yonhap) Assemblymember Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) in March. He co-sponsored Assembly Bill 1314, which would have required schools in California to notify parents if their child identified as gender-nonconforming or transgender. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) A bill that would have required California school officials to alert parents if their child identified as gender-nonconforming or transgender won't get a committee hearing, effectively killing the controversial legislation. Assembly Bill 1314, introduced by Assemblymembers Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) and James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), would have required school districts to notify parents in writing within three days if a student "is identifying at school as a gender that does not align with the child's sex on their birth certificate." The bill sparked backlash from LGBTQ activists and organizations, who warned that the legislation could place students in potentially dangerous situations by outing students who may be at risk in abusive or violent homes. AB 1314 was assigned to the Assembly Education Committee, but the chair of the committee, Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), announced Monday that he would not set a hearing date for the bill, meaning it was effectively dead before being considered for a vote. "This bill would require educators to 'out' a student to their parents, even when the student does not feel comfortable coming out, potentially forcing them into an unwelcoming or abusive home," Muratsuchi said in a statement. "All students deserve to be respected and supported for who they are, including at their schools." Essayli blasted the decision and urged parents to bring lawsuits against school districts. "While Democrats have the votes to kill my bill in Sacramento, they do not have the votes to suppress parents' voices at the local level," he said in a statement. "I encourage parents to continue bringing lawsuits against their school districts challenging existing policies that allow children to be socially transitioned at school without parental consent." Essayli promoted the bill in March alongside a Jurupa Valley High School teacher, Jessica Tapia, who said she was fired after refusing to follow current law, which prevents school officials from disclosing a student's gender identity to parents without the student's consent. Gallagher said the decision highlighted the division between Republican and Democratic legislators. "Democrats' refusal to even hear our bill confirms they are only interested in dictating a one-size-fits-all policy from Sacramento and shutting down anyone with a different point of view," Gallagher said in a statement posted on Facebook. "This decision confirms there are two fundamentally different views of education: Republicans want to empower parents to be involved with their children's upbringing and education, while Democrats see parents as a threat to be isolated and ignored." In his statement, Muratsuchi called the bill "bad policy," arguing that giving it a hearing would also provide a "forum for increasingly hateful rhetoric targeting LGBTQ youth." The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus applauded the decision. "The California Legislature should not provide a platform for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that threatens the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth and empowers those who wish to cause harm," the caucus said in a statement. The caucus added that while it supported the vision Gallagher and Essayli "have of a California where all parents are embracing and understanding of all LGBTQ+ youth in their journey to find their authentic selves," the bill ignored the dangerous environment some LGBTQ students face when coming out. "Not all trans or non-binary youth have such loving and supportive families," the caucus said. "The reality is that LGBTQ+ youth oftentimes face harassment, isolation, bullying, and even physical harm from their own families." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Police body camera video released Tuesday showed the chaotic moments when police arrived at the scene of a mass shooting at a bank in downtown Louisville, as the shooter they couldn't see from the street rained bullets down on them. The videos, taken from two wounded officers' lapels, offer a rare perspective of police officers responding to a massacre that killed five and injured eight others Monday. One, a rookie officer, was shot in the head within minutes of arriving at the scene, as his partner was grazed by a bullet and sought cover while still trying to take down the shooter. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked reporters through edited footage and still photos at a new conference Tuesday and praised the responding officers for their heroism. They received the call of a shooting at Old National Bank at 8:38 a.m., and the two officers arrived three minutes later, according to a chronology provided by police. They hadn't even gotten out of the patrol car when the gunman began firing on them. Back up, back up, back up, one officer shouted as gunshots thundered in the background. One still image from surveillance video showed the 25-year-old shooter, who worked at the bank, holding a rifle, wearing jeans, a blue button-down shirt and sneakers, surrounded by broken glass inside the building. He had already shot numerous people inside, and police said he set up an ambush position to attack officers as they arrived. The front doors were glass, elevated from the sidewalk, and because of the reflection, the officers could not see the shooter inside, Humphrey said. But he could see them. Officer Cory Galloway retrieved a rifle from the trunk of the patrol car. Cover for me, he said, and they reported to dispatch that there had been shots fired. Galloway was training rookie Officer Nickolas Wilt, who had graduated from the police academy just 10 days earlier. The videos showed them walking up the stairs toward the front door when the gunman fired a barrage of bullets. Wilt was shot in the head, though that was not captured on video. Galloway was grazed in the shoulder, police said. His body camera showed that he fell and then took cover behind a concrete planter at the bottom of the staircase leading to the building. Sirens from the dozens of police cars coming toward them wailed in the background. The shooter has an angle on that officer," he said in the video recording. "We need to get up there. I dont know where hes at, the glass is blocking him. A video taken by a bystander across the street, which police also released Tuesday, showed him darting back and forth from one side of the planter to another, trying to get a shot at the gunman. He waited, and as other officers arrived, more gunshots rang out and glass shattered. Galloway fired toward the gunman at 8:44 a.m., three minutes after arriving. I think I got him down! I think hes down! he shouted. Suspect down! Get the officer! He advanced into the building, and shards of glass crunched under his feet. The video then showed Galloway approaching the suspect, who lay on the ground inside the lobby next to a long rifle. I think you can see the tension in that video," Humphrey said Tuesday. "You can understand the stress that those officers are going through. ... They did absolutely exactly what they needed to do to save lives. Once officers arrived on scene, not another person was shot. Wilt was transported in the back of a police car to a hospital, Humphrey said. In the chaotic first minutes, police treated and triaged the victims inside. Humphrey said the ambulance service was short-staffed, so a police lieutenant drove the ambulance while emergency crews treated people at the scene. Wilt was still in critical but stable condition Tuesday, according to University of Louisville Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Smith. Two of the four wounded still in the hospital had injuries that were not life-threatening, Smith said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said it was crucial to release the footage because transparency is important even more so in a time of crisis. Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said at a news conference that bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, bought the AR-15 assault-style rifle used in the attack at a local dealership on April 4. Armed with the rifle, Sturgeon killed his co-workers including a close friend of Kentuckys governor while livestreaming the attack. We do know this was targeted. He knew those individuals, of course, because he worked there, Gwinn-Villaroel said, but didn't give an indication of a motive behind the shooting. Gwinn-Villaroel praised the heroic actions of officers who engaged the shooter without hesitation when they arrived. They went towards danger in order to save and preserve life, she said. They stopped the threat so other lives could be saved. No hesitation, and they did what they were called do to. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) to the south. That state's governor and his wife also had friends killed in that shooting. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he lost one of his closest friends in Monday's bank shooting. Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad," said Beshear, his voice shaking with emotion. "He's one of the people I talked to most in the world, and very rarely were we talking about my job. He was an incredible friend. Also killed in the shooting were Josh Barrick, Jim Tutt, Juliana Farmer and Deana Eckert, police said. The mayor urged unity as the community processes its grief, over this shooting and the many other spasms of gun violence that have stunned this city. Were all feeling shaken by this, and scared and angry and a lot of other things too," Greenberg said. "Its important that we come together as a community to process this tragedy in particular but not just this tragedy because the reality is that we have already lost 40 people to gun violence in Louisville this year." ___ Associated Press reporter John Raby contributed from Charleston, West Virginia, and Jonathan Matisse from Nashville, Tennessee. Lori Vallow is at the centre of a bizarre case involving cults and multiple deaths (The Idaho Post-Register/AP/The Independent) Cult mom Lori Vallow is currently on trial in a case that has shocked the nation with its bizarre doomsday cult ties and the tragic deaths of almost everyone close to the mother-of-three and her new husband Chad Daybell. The 49-year-old is charged with the murders of her children Joshua JJ Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan, 16, and conspiracy to murder Mr Daybells first wife Tammy Daybell. JJ and Tylee vanished without a trace back in September 2019, with their mother refusing to reveal their whereabouts to authorities for many months. One month after they were last seen alive, Tammy an otherwise healthy 49-year-old died suddenly and Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell soon jetted off to Hawaii to get married on the beach. In June 2020, the remains of JJ and Tylee were found buried on the grounds of Mr Daybells property in Rexburg, Idaho, and the doomsday cult couple were eventually charged with murder. Prosecutors allege that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with Ms Vallows brother Alex Cox to murder Tammy, JJ and Tylee as part of their bizarre cult beliefs but also for financial purposes so that they could collect Tammys life insurance money and the childrens social security and survivor benefits. After lengthy delays due to the pandemic and Ms Vallows admission into a mental health facility her trial is finally under way in a courtroom in Boise, Idaho. Here are the key revelations from the trial so far: Money, power and sex During opening statements, prosecutors said that Ms Vallow was driven by money, power and sex to murder her two children and her new husbands then-wife. Money, power, and sex thats what this case is about, said Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake. Tylee had money. Lori wanted it. Tylees gone. JJ took time and he also lost his father. When he lost his father, he became much more difficult to care for. He was entitled to social security benefits. The defendant didnt want to have to take care of JJ anymore. He had money. JJs gone. Ms Blake told jurors that the saga first began back in October 2018 when Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell met in person for the first time at a religious conference. Despite both being married, their romance grew with Ms Blake saying: The defendant will remove any obstacle in her way to get what she wants and she wanted Chad Daybell. Lori Vallow is seen in a courtroom sketch (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Doomsday couple used cult beliefs to justify murder The doomsday couple allegedly used their cult beliefs to justify their actions, the prosecutor said in opening statements. She was here on a religious mission to gather the 144,000, so she needed to spend her time and energy there, said Ms Blake. What she did on earth no longer counted for her. As part of their cult beliefs, they believed in a rating system of light and dark for how they ranked the spirits of the people around them. Over time, this evolved into the belief that some people including the children were zombies and the only way to get rid of the zombies was for the human body to be destroyed. Tammy Daybells cause of death revealed The cause of death of Mr Daybells first wife Tammy was revealed for the first time during opening statements. Ms Blake told jurors that Tammy, 49, died at the hands of another and died of asphyxiation, citing the Utah medical examiner. Tammy died suddenly on 19 October 2019. Mr Daybell declined an autopsy despite her young age and lack of health concerns and her death was ruled natural causes. Tammy and Chad Daybell were married in 1990. He is now accused of conspiring with Lori Vallow to kill her (Facebook) The prosecutor said that, 10 days before her death, Tammy had called 911 to report that someone had taken a shot at her in the driveway of her home. When Tammy then died, Cox raised concerns about being made the fall guy for her death by the doomsday couple. One day after he made that comment on 11 December 2019 Cox also died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was also ruled natural causes, however the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system. After the investigation into the missing children ramped up, Tammys body was exhumed and an autopsy carried out. Sobbing Brandon Boudreaux testifies about children and shooting Ms Vallows former nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux broke down in tears as he testified about the moment he learned about JJ and Tylees deaths and then had to identify JJs remains. He was married to Ms Vallows niece Melani Pawlowski for ten years and was close to JJ and Tylee. However, in 2018 he said things changed and got more bizarre when Ms Pawlowski became more involved in the doosmday cult with Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell. The couple divorced and he was living in a new home when, on 2 October 2019, he was the victim of a failed shooting attempt. After that, he said he began looking into his estranged wifes doomsday cult and learned that Mr Daybells wife Tammy had also died recently. Alarming items found in Vallows garage Rexburg Police Detective Ray Hermosillo testified how his officers found several alarming items during a search of Ms Vallows home. Arizona officials had raised the alarm about JJ and Tylees disappearance but, by that time, Ms Vallow had moved the children from Arizona to Rexburg. After being railroaded by Ms Vallow, Mr Daybell and Cox as to the childrens whereabouts, police executed a search warrant on her home in November 2019. In the garage, investigators found several guns, ammunition, empty magazines, silencers and Army-grade knives. There was also Hazmat-style suits and preparedness bags with emergency kits and a camouflage suit. Black trash bags full of clothes and papers and JJs toys and prescription medication was also found in the search. He testified that Ms Vallow appeared to have fled, with no clothes left behind in her closets. The last photo and known sighting of Tylee Ryan (pictured with JJ and Alex Cox at Yellowstone National Park) (FBI) Graphic photos show JJ was buried in pyjamas Graphic photos revealed that JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a pull-up nighttime diaper when his remains were found buried in a shallow grave on Mr Daybells property on 9 June 2020. The last proof of life of JJ is a photo taken on 22 September 2019 showing the little boy sitting on a sofa dressed in a matching set of red pyjamas. Shocked jurors were shown images of JJs body found in the shallow grave still dressed in the red pyjamas. His arms were wrapped in duct tape and his head was wrapped in a white plastic bag with thick layers of duct tape around it. He had been partly covered in a blue childrens blanket before wood panelling and three white stones were placed on top of him in the shallow grave. Det Hermosillo told the court that search teams digging on the property were first struck by the strong odour of a decomposing body. The team then uncovered what appeared to be the crown of a head later found to belong to JJ protruding through the earth. Tylees remains were then found not far from her younger brothers, close to a fire pit in the pet cemetery on the property. Investigators are seen digging in Chad Daybells yard on the day the children were found (AP) State of Tylees remains meant autopsy was impossible Tylees body was so badly burned that an autopsy to determine her cause of death was impossible, jurors heard. The 16-year-old had been dismembered, burned and her body parts were dispersed around the grounds. Eventually we uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee, whom we assumed was Tylee, that had been burned. There were pieces of bone, charred flesh, just globs of flesh that were falling apart, he said. Jurors gasped and JJs grandparents sobbed as harrowing images were shown in the courtroom of both the burial site and images taken JJs autopsy. At one point, Ms Vallows attorneys asked the judge to allow her to be excused from the court while the graphic testimony and photos were shown. The judge swiftly denied the request. Jailhouse call reveals Daybell warning Vallow as police close in Jurors heard a jailhouse phone call where Mr Daybell warned Ms Vallow that police were closing in on the day that her childrens remains were discovered buried on his property. In the call, made at 11.03am on 9 June 2020, Mr Daybell is heard telling his new wife that law enforcement were on the scene searching his property in Rexburg, Idaho. At the time, Ms Vallow was behind bars in Madison County Jail after she failed to meet a court order to present the children. They are searching the property, a forlorn-sounding Mr Daybell says. He later adds: So, well see what transpires. Just around one hour later, the remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered buried on Mr Daybells property. Earlier this year, Clubhound owner Jake Whitlock found himself in a ruff spot. Wanting to stir up attention, his planned dog park bar began barking a little on social media. Next thing you know? It kind of started to blow up, Whitlock says. Within a month, there were 135 business inquiries about partnerships, he says. Clubhound also presold a couple hundred memberships. We only did Instagram and Facebook ads for, like, a month and a half. Then we turned them off. It was like: OK, that worked. Lets hold off until were further along. It got to be a little overwhelming, he says. Dogs, coffee, beer, food Slated to debut this summer, Clubhound will take over a former industrial building and property at 411 Remington St. in Garden City. The dog-lovers destination will sit on 2.4 acres with ample room for canines to frolic while their owners sip a cold beverage, eat food-truck grub and socialize. Serving rotating draft beers and wine, the bar will be in a renovated 4,000-square-foot warehouse. It will be on-leash. Another 100,000 square feet outside will be supervised off-leash play space. Were your new neighborhood coffee shop, Clubhound explains on its website, your after-hours drinking hole, your spot for work and play. Everything you want in a happy place plus your dog. The idea has been years in the making, Whitlock says back to when he was a college student taking his golden retriever to a Meridian dog park. For an hour each day, he would study, bake in the sun and think there has to be a better way. A way with shade, beer and food, perhaps? I started looking around the rest of the country, he says. Has anyone done this before? Turns out they have been, and increasing very, very rapidly. Clubhound owner Jake Whitlock and his golden retriever, Ash, are looking forward to the new dog park bar. Established brands range from Bar K which has locations in Kansas City, St. Louis and Oklahoma City to Texas-based franchise chain Mutts Canine Cantina. With plans to expand west into Arizona and Colorado, Mutts is growing faster than an Irish wolfhound puppy. Theyre crushing it, Whitlock says. I started putting two and two together: Wait, theres a lot of dogs in Idaho. Clubhound will be free for humans with and without dogs. But canines will have to be members. The cost will be $12 for a daily pass. Memberships are being sold for $35 (monthly) and $305 (yearly). They come with people perks such as 10% off beverages and unlimited self-serve dog washing. Clubhound also plans to host a monthly event thats like a farmers market, except with dog-related booths, Whitlock says. Summer goal Theres still plenty of work to do. Whitlock hopes that Clubhound can open in June or July, but thats not a firm timeline. The plan is to operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, but that may change down the line, he adds. Although Clubhound has settled down a bit on social media, early bird-priced memberships are being sold through the dog park bars website to kind of reserve your spot, he explains. We may have to cap our membership in the future. Some parks, Ive noticed throughout the country, have had to do that. But we are one of the largest parks based on square footage. A lot of it will be a learning experience as we get into it, he admits. Bottom line? We know the markets there, he says. The hype level on social media already proved that. It kind of gave us a lot of confidence in the project, Whitlock says. Jen Psaki, the former Biden White House press secretary who landed a hosting gig with MSNBC in 2022, now considers herself a journalist in league with mainstream and legacy media outlets. Asked by Ben Smith, editor in chief of Semafor, whether the former spox identified as a member of the fifth estate, Psaki answered emphatically. I do. Because how do you define being a journalist? Psaki countered. Heres how I think about it. I mean, first of all, journalism has changed dramatically. Semafor is an example of that, Psaki said during an interview at the media summit hosted by the news startup on Monday. And even when I was in the White House, working in government, it really was already all on a spectrum. It wasnt just the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC News, and then everything else wasnt considered part of journalism, its all a big, broad, scope of things, Psaki elaborated with outstretched arms. And so to me, journalism is providing information to the public, helping make things clearer, explaining things, the former Press Secretary added. So I think there is a broad expansion of what that is. .@semaforben asks @jrpsaki if she considers herself a journalist: I do To me, journalism is providing information to the public, helping make things clear, explaining things, having conversations with people that people want to learn more about. pic.twitter.com/C8hL6666GZ Semafor (@semafor) April 10, 2023 Psaki was hired by MSNBC in May 2022 to provide her unique perspective from behind the podium and her deep experience in the highest levels of government and presidential politics, the network noted in an official release last year. MSNBC President Rashida Jones said much the same in a statement calling Psakis extensive experience in government and on the campaign trail and perspective as a White House and Washington insider is the type of analysis that sets MSNBC apart. Thrilled to join the incredible @MSNBC family this fall. Breaking down the facts and getting to the bottom of whats driving the issues that matter most to people in this country has never been more important. Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) May 24, 2022 Her departure for a sympathetic Democratic media network led many to question whether the job was a prime example of the revolving political door between Washington D.C.s political and media classes. Many within the news network privately anonymously shared their frustrations over the appearance of impropriety following Psakis hiring. People wanted answers on what NBCs role was in this and NBC News had no role in this. This is MSNBCs perspective programming, one source told CNN. However, Psaki remains unperturbed by the optics. I have always gone over and above the stringent ethical and legal requirements of the Biden administration and I take that very seriously, Psaki responded to critics. And as a standard for every employee of the White House, I have received rigorous ethics counseling, including as it relates to any future employment, she added. If you worry about crime and want law enforcement to be fully funded and supportedthe only place you should be directing your outrage for not doing more is MAGA Republicans, and their now-indicted leader.@jrpsaki on GOP's claim of being the party of law & order pic.twitter.com/CFO5ruShjH Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) April 9, 2023 Psaki served as President Bidens first press secretary before stepping down barely over a year into her appointment for the MSNBC hosting job. More from National Review FILE - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks during a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. Gascon announced criminal charges against ex-Whittier detectives Cynthia Lopez and Salvador Murillo who opened fire in 2020 as Nicholas Carrillo ran away from them. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill,File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) LOS ANGELES (AP) Two former Los Angeles-area police detectives have been charged in the 2020 shooting of an unarmed man that left him paralyzed from the waist down, the district attorney said Wednesday. Former Whittier detectives Cynthia Lopez and Salvador Murillo opened fire on April 30, 2020, as Nicholas Carrillo ran from them. Two bullets struck him in the back one severing his spinal cord as he climbed a fence to escape. Although he was lucky to survive, his life was forever changed and he must now begin using a wheelchair, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday during a news conference. Murillo is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and two counts of assault under color of authority. Lopez faces two counts of assault under color of authority, one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday. The detectives were in plainclothes and in an unmarked car when they spotted a sedan that had been supposedly used during an unarmed robbery the month before, Gascon said. A woman was the suspect in that robbery at a Walmart, where a television was stolen. Carrillo was alone in the car on the day he was shot. The detectives followed the sedan into an alley, and emerged from their vehicle with their guns drawn. The sedan reversed and collided with the detectives car, Gascon said. Lopez fired into the sedans rear windshield, prosecutors said. Carrillo then ran from the car and Lopez and Murillo opened fire as they chased him. He was not armed. They are expected to be arraigned Monday. Attempts to reach their attorneys were not immediately successful Tuesday. The detectives are no longer employed by the Whittier Police Department, which directed media inquiries to prosecutors. The Whittier Police Department, which is committed to responsible and accountable policing, will provide assistance to the District Attorneys Office as needed, Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said in a statement after the charges were announced. The Whittier Police Officers Association, the union that represents the departments rank-and-file officers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Whittier is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Whittier case comes two weeks after Gascon's office charged seven California Highway Patrol officers and a nurse with involuntary manslaughter in the 2020 death of a man who screamed I cant breathe while multiple officers restrained him as they tried to take a blood sample. A senior Taiwan leader has publicly questioned Emmanuel Macrons commitment to Frances founding ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity following anger at his comments over ties with Beijing. In an interview that was supposed to showcase European unity over China, the French president cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction. Mr Macron also called for the European Union to reduce its dependence on the United States and to become a third pole in world affairs alongside Washington and Beijing. Taiwan parliament speaker You Si-kun reposted the comments on social media, adding: Are liberte, egalite, fraternite out of fashion? Is it OK just to ignore this once its part of the constitution? Or can advanced democratic countries ignore the lives and deaths of people in other countries? The actions of President Macron, a leading international democracy, leave me puzzled. In the interview with French newspaper Les Echos and Politico Europe, Mr Macron suggested it was not in Frances interest to intervene in the Taiwan issue. The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: is it in our interest to accelerate [a crisis] on Taiwan? No, he said. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese over-reaction. He said it would be a trap for Europe to get embroiled in crises that are not ours. He also said there would not be time nor the means to finance our own strategic autonomy and we will become vassals if the conflict between the US and China increases. He also said that Europe could become the third pole [in the world order] if we have a few years to develop this. France, like most other countries, has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan in tune with Beijings One China policy and its claims over Taiwan. France, however, does maintain a de facto embassy in Taipei and has joined other US allies in underscoring the need for peace in the Taiwan Strait, near where China recently undertook three-day drills in response to the Taiwanese presidents US visit. Meanwhile, former British prime minister Liz Truss launched an attack on the French president and termed his visit to China as a sign of weakness. In a speech at the Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, Ms Truss said China and Russia are allies against Western capitalism. That is why Western leaders visiting President Xi to ask for his support in ending the war is a mistake and it is a sign of weakness. Instead our energies should go into taking more measures to support Taiwan. We need to make sure Taiwan is able to defend itself. We need to put economic pressure on China before it is too late. However, Taiwans foreign ministry downplayed Mr Macrons comments and said the French position on the Taipei-Beijing tensions had not changed. It said on Wednesday that China was planning to impose a temporary no-fly zone about 85 nautical miles north of the island, affecting 60-70 per cent of flights between northeast Asia and southeast Asia, as well as flights between Taiwan and South Korea, Japan and North America. Reuters reported that Beijing is planning to impose the restriction from 16-18 April. It comes after Taiwans president Tsai Ing-wen conducted an overseas trip last week which included a stop at the US and a meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, angering Beijing. Taiwans government strongly rejects Chinas sovereignty claims and says only Taiwans people can decide their future. Additional reporting by agencies Former President Donald Trump and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. (Allison Joyce and Win McNamee/Getty Images) Former President Trump said anything "wrong" with President Joe Biden has nothing to do with age. Trump is four years younger than Biden. However, he complimented progressive Senator Bernie Sanders and the founder of Home Depot. Former President Donald Trump downplayed concerns about age during an interview the first since his historic arraignment last week that aired Tuesday saying President Joe Biden, who's less than four years older than him, has other problems. Trump, who is 76, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson plenty of people in their 80s and 90s are sharp, noting Sen. Bernie Sanders, the 81-year-old progressive from Vermont. "Bernie's older than Biden. Whether you like him or not, he's 100% sharp," Trump said of his fellow 2016 presidential candidate, adding "so it's not an age thing." The former president also complimented Bernie Marcus the conservative co-founder of Home Depot who claimed "nobody works" anymore because of socialism by saying "he was 100%" while pointing his own head. Trump also levied criticisms at President Joe Biden, saying he could not see Biden running for president in 2024 but made clear that he did not think what was "wrong" with Biden had anything to do with him being 80 years old. "I think they do the age thing because I'm 4-5 years behind. They say 'this is a way of getting Trump,'" he said. Will Joe Biden run in 2024? Donald Trump doesn't think so. pic.twitter.com/Q7WfEQXm0M Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 12, 2023 As voters look to see if Biden the oldest sitting president will run for a second presidential term, his age has been brought up as a way to question whether he is fit to serve in public office. Past polls have found that a majority of Americans think both Biden and Trump are too old to seek reelection although Trump is doing just that with his 2024 presidential bid. In October, Biden addressed the concerns, saying they were "legitimate" but said that voters should judge him not by his age, but by his health. "I think the best way to make the judgment is to watch me. Am I slowing up? Am I going at the same pace?" Biden told MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart. Representatives for Sanders and the White House did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate on April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla., after being arraigned earlier in the day in New York City. After his initial court appearance in the New York case, the first of several in which he is in legal jeopardy, Trump ticked through the varied investigations he was facing and branded them as massive attempts to interfere with the 2024 election. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) NEW YORK (AP) An attorney for Donald Trump is seeking a one-month delay in the trial regarding a columnists claims that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s, contending that his client's right to a fair trial depends on a cooling off period following the former president's indictment and arraignment. The trial was set for April 25. In a letter Tuesday to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, attorney Joseph Tacopina cited the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage surrounding Trump's arrest and court appearance in arguing for a delay. The former president was charged March 30 with 34 felony counts related to allegations that he paid hush money to an adult film star, Stormy Daniels. The civil case before Kaplan was brought against Trump in November by E. Jean Carroll, a columnist who says the wealthy real estate developer raped her in early 1996 after a chance meeting at the Bergdorf Goodman department store. Trump has repeatedly and emphatically denied the allegation. A jury will be asked to decide whether the rape occurred and if Trump defamed Carroll with his comments. A temporary state law that took effect last year allows adult rape victims to sue their abusers, even if attacks happened decades ago. Tacopina's letter seeking a delay in the trial for Carroll's civil suit followed Kaplan's order on Monday directing parties in the case to notify him by April 20 whether they will be present throughout the trial in Manhattan federal court. Carroll's attorney has said she will attend; Trump's attorney has not responded to requests for comment on Kaplan's order. Carrolls lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said a response to the request for a delay will be filed in a letter to the judge. The lawyer and the judge are not related. Former President Donald Trump arrives at court on April 4. (Mary Altaffer/AP) Former President Trumps claim to a Fox News anchor that New York court employees were crying and apologizing for his arraignment on felony charges is absolute BS and doesnt remotely resemble what took place, a law enforcement source familiar with the details of what transpired that day told Yahoo News. Zero, said the source when asked how much truth there was to Trumps colorful account. There were zero people crying. There were zero people saying Im sorry. Trump offered his version of events in an interview with the Fox News host Tucker Carlson that aired Tuesday night. When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in, and Ill tell you, people were crying, Trump told Carlson. People that work there, professionally work there, that have no problems putting in murderers, and they see everybody. Its a tough, tough place, and they were crying. They were actually crying. They said, Im sorry. They said, '2024, sir. 2024. And tears were pouring down their eyes. In fact, the source said, aside from his lawyers and Secret Service agents, Trump interacted only with a handful of district attorney employees at the courthouse and had extremely limited exposure with others during his arraignment last Tuesday in lower Manhattan. Trump in court with his lawyers on April 4. (Steven Hirsch/Pool via AP) Upon his arrival, Trump was informed of the charges against him and was booked on 34 felony counts for falsification of business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star in the waning days of the 2016 presidential election. The former president, looking glum, said little during the booking, as did Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs deputies, who were with him throughout the process, the source said. The only hiccup came when his fingers were too dry for his fingerprinting, at which point district attorney employees provided lotion for his fingers, the source added. Carlsons friendly interview with Trump was especially ironic given its timing. It comes on the eve of a trial slated to begin next Monday in Delaware, in which Carlson, along with his fellow host Sean Hannity and multiple Fox executives, are slated to be witnesses in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News for airing debunked claims of 2020 election fraud by Trump and his surrogates. The suit has already brought to light multiple internal emails and texts by Carlson, in which he expressed his private contempt for Trump and derided the claims of fraud and vote flipping being brought by his lawyers views he never shared with his audience. I hate him passionately, Carlson said about Trump in a text to one colleague on Jan. 4, 2021, adding in another text, We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. A protester at a rally outside Fox News headquarters in New York City in June 2022. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) In other exchanges, Carlson privately called the claims of Trump lawyer Sidney Powell about vote flipping by Dominion insane and "absurd. Yet during Tuesday nights interview, Carlson never challenged or pushed back against any of Trumps assertions, including an unusual exchange about the Biden administrations alleged failure to rescue German shepherds from Afghanistan. They left everything, Trump said of Bidens pullout from Afghanistan. They left in the dark of night. They left the lights on. They left the dogs, by the way. They left the dogs? Carlson asked. They left the dogs," Trump responded. "You know, the dog lovers, and you know there are a lot of them. I love dogs. You love dogs. One of the first questions I got was, What did they do with the dogs?' Mostly German shepherds. They left them. The way they got out was so horrible. We would have gotten out with strength and dignity. In her memoir, Raising Trump, the former presidents ex-wife Ivana wrote that Trump was not a dog fan and often expressed hostility to her poodle, Chappy. Looking China Golden Lenses Awards presentation ceremony held in Beijing People's Daily Online) 15:41, April 12, 2023 The Looking China Golden Lenses Awards presentation ceremony was held on April 10 at Beijing Normal University (BNU) in Beijing. The 2023 Looking China Youth Film Project in Chongqing was simultaneously launched in southwest China's Chongqing municipality. Sun Hongpei, deputy secretary of the Party committee at Beijing Normal University (BNU), speaks at the Looking China Golden Lenses Awards presentation ceremony. (Photo courtesy of BNU) Sun Hongpei, deputy secretary of the Party committee at BNU, said the awards, which should present a unique cultural perspective, be artistically expressive and uphold the spirit of Chinese-foreign cooperation, have been presented to many excellent works. These works, by being widely circulated in and out of China, have helped the Looking China project become a bridge for cultural cooperation. Huang Huilin, founder of the Looking China project and a senior professor at Beijing Normal University (BNU), speaks at the Looking China Golden Lenses Awards presentation ceremony. (Photo courtesy of BNU) Huang Huilin, founder of the Looking China project and a senior professor at BNU, said that by the end of 2022, the Looking China project had received 854 documentaries by 895 students from 78 universities in 101 countries. These works have won over 157 international awards, been exhibited in 28 countries, and attracted continuous media coverage. Sudans Ambassador to China Omer Mohamed Ahmed Siddig (left) presents an award to director of an award-winning work. (Photo courtesy of BNU) After being reviewed by experts from home and abroad, 14 award-winning works were selected from over 100 works received by last year's Looking China project. The 2023 Looking China Youth Film Project in Chongqing is launched at Southwest University in southwest China's Chongqing municipality. (Photo courtesy of BNU) The 2023 Looking China Youth Film Project in Chongqing was simultaneously launched at Southwest University in Chongqing. Between April 12 and 17, eight young people from five countries, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany and Jamaica, will go to Chongqing to record the beauty of the city with their lenses. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, left, holds a new year policy briefing at the Central Government Complex in Seoul, Jan. 11. Yonhap Korea's defense ministry neither confirmed nor denied a media report Wednesday that Seoul and Washington recently signed a deal for the former to lend artillery rounds to the latter striving to procure ammunition to support Ukraine. The local daily, the Dong-A Ilbo, reported that the Seoul government and a local defense firm inked the contract with the Joe Biden administration, under which 500,000 rounds of 155-mm artillery ammunition will be "lent" rather than being sold to the United States. Seoul has been agonizing over how to respond to Washington's requests for ammunition supplies, while maintaining its policy against providing direct lethal aid to Ukraine in its war with Russian invaders. Civilian deaths in Ukraine have mounted, according to figures released by the United Nations on Tuesday, reaching nearly 8,500 confirmed deaths since the war began, with the top agency warning that actual figures are likely "considerably higher." The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported the 8,490 civilians had been killed and another 14,244 injured had been injured as of April 9, 2023, following Russias invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. A reported 501 children have been killed and another 994 injured in the war. UKRAINE READIES SPRING OFFENSIVE EXPECTED TO BE LARGEST MOBILIZATION SINCE WAR WITH RUSSIA BEGAN "OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration," the agency said in a statement released Tuesday. Investigations remain ongoing in areas like Mariupol in the Donetsk region and Lysychansk, Popasna and Sievierodonetsk in the Luhansk region where fighting persists and "where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Of the more than 22,700 casualties reported in total, the majority have been confirmed from areas controlled by the Ukrainian government with 18,280 casualties reported, including 6,596 deaths and 11,684 injuries. Destroyed Russian armored vehicles line the street in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022. UKRAINE RESCUE TEAM BRINGS BACK 31 CHILDREN FROM RUSSIA AMID WAR Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian infrastructure like hospitals, residential buildings and schools, though it made targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure a key strategy in its war aim by the late fall in 2022. Another 4,454 casualties, including 1,894 killed and 2,560 injured, have occurred in territories occupied by Russia at the time of incident further suggesting that casualties in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has occupied for nearly a year, are underreported. The U.N. has repeatedly condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and called on Moscow to abandon its war. Officials look over the scene after a Russian missile struck a train station in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes committed in Ukraine and the illegal deportation of children to the Russian Federation. Russia has rejected the arrest warrant as invalid as Moscow does not recognize the international court. Former Vice President Mike Pence will speak on UNC-Chapel Hills campus this month, one of various events the potential Republican presidential candidate has taken part in over recent months. His discussion entitled Saving America from the Woke Left will be hosted by the UNC College Republicans and conservative group Young Americas Foundation. It will take place on April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Carolina Union Great Hall. Pence has hosted a series of discussion events through the Young Americas Foundation, the most recent at the University of Alabama this week. Hes also led discussions at Stanford University and the University of Virginia over the last year. He is expected to deliver a speech and lead a Q&A session afterward, according to the events information page. At his most recent appearance in Alabama, Pence criticized President Joe Bidens administration and cheered the U.S. Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade. He also voiced his opposition to critical race theory the cross-disciplinary examination of how race and ethnicity factor into U.S. current events and history of racism being taught in schools. It should be banned from every school at every level in every state in America, Pence said during his Alabama speech. Pences former running mate, former President Donald Trump, is once again campaigning for president. Pences UNC-Chapel Hill event will take place weeks after Trump was indicted in New York. He faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree for his alleged role in a scandal involving hush money payments to an adult film star that prosecutors say he was having a sexual relationship with. He is the first former president to receive a criminal charge and indictment. Pence commented on the indictment during his Alabama event. The very idea that you would indict a former president of the United States of America on a 7-year-old campaign finance issue is an outrage, he said during the Q&A session. Pence has previously said he is considering running a 2024 presidential campaign, and said in an interview last month with NBC News he will make a decision by the spring. That decision could be complicated by a court order that Pence received to testify before a federal grand jury regarding alleged efforts by Trump to undermine the 2020 election. Trump has since appealed that order. How to see Mike Pence at UNC Tickets for the April 26 event at UNC are available at yaf.org/events. It is free and open to the public. There is a limit of two tickets per person. Doors open at 6 p.m. The talk begins at 7 p.m. Organizers note a ticket does not guarantee entry. Unclaimed seats will be given to those in a standby line up to 30 minutes before the event. The standby line will be on South Road. It will be streamed on the YAFtv YouTube channel. FILE - A sign at Twitter headquarters is shown in San Francisco, Dec. 8, 2022. Billionaire Elon Musk has told the BBC that running Twitter has been quite painful but that the social media company is now roughly breaking even after he acquired it late last year. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) WASHINGTON (AP) National Public Radio is quitting Twitter over the social media companys recent actions under owner Elon Musk to stamp it with labels the news organization says are meant to undermine its credibility. NPRs organizational accounts will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent, the news organization said in a statement Wednesday. Last week, Twitter labeled NPR's main account as state-affiliated media on the social media site, a label also used to identify media outlets that are controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments. Twitter later changed the label to government-funded media and gave it to at least one other public news organization, the BBC. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, NPR's statement said. NPR's chief communications officer, Isabel Lara, said in an email that NPR journalists and employees will decide on their own if they wish to remain on the platform, same for NPR member stations as theyre independently owned and operated. 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. 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. Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. By the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia, Arman Maralchyan was released from the position of the commander of the border guard troops of the National Security Service of Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports, the decree was published on the official website of the President of Armenia. The presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul / Courtesy of presidential office Experts suspect human intelligence gathering, surveillance of presidential office By Nam Hyun-woo Experts said Wednesday it is unlikely that the United States wiretapped Korea's presidential office as part of the country's alleged surveillance of Seoul's high-profile officials, which came to light recently following the online leak of purported Pentagon documents. They said the circumstances imply that the U.S. has attempted to monitor Korean officials' private communications through various means, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the U.S. has been spying on the presidential office in central Seoul's Yongsan District. They also dismissed the opposition's claim that the controversy took place because the office, relocated next to a large U.S. military garrison last year, is more vulnerable to surveillance than the former presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae. gettyimagesbank "From the perspective of an engineer, it is hard to say that we can protect someone 100 percent from eavesdropping or wiretapping, so other techniques are added to improve security, such as holding a conversation in a deep underground bunker or controlling people's access to the bunker," said Lim Jong-in, a former presidential special adviser for security and a distinguished professor at Korea University's School of Cybersecurity. "When it comes to a deep underground bunker, it is nearly impossible to wiretap what is happening inside Even if there is a bug planted inside the bunker, sending a signal outside the bunker (to a recipient) is a big problem." Lim's comments came after the presidential office dismissed allegations that its officials were under surveillance, an allegation raised upon the revelation of purported Pentagon documents leaked online. The documents contain conversations between the former national security director and foreign affairs secretary on how Seoul would handle the U.S.' growing calls to supply ammunition to Ukraine. The presidential office said the allegations are groundless because the office's security is ironclad, and additional procedures to determine what actually happened are needed. This was viewed as an apparent attempt to prevent the controversy from affecting President Yoon Suk Yeol's upcoming state visit to the U.S. while countering criticisms from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea that the Yoon administration is too submissive to the U.S., and that the suspected wiretapping took place because of Yoon's "hasty" relocation of the presidential office despite doubts and worries from the opposition. "As the U.S. and the Korean governments said, the documents are mixed with facts and disinformation, and it is impossible to know how much trust you can have in them," Lim said. "I would rather think that what was stated in the documents was an outcome of comprehensive intelligence activities, such as human intelligence gathering, rather than a specific act of wiretapping." Lim said it is possible to wiretap unsecured smartphones by intercepting signals when they are operating outside of secured areas. However, this also generates huge costs and requires an actual operative to be standing close to the target. Given the foreign affairs secretary and national security director are high-profile figures, chances are slim for them to be exposed to such an environment while using unsecured phones. "Most of all, the content of their dialogue is not worth costly spying activities," the professor said. "The information was at a level that U.S. officials can get right away by consulting with Korean counterparts." He added, "Reportedly, the presidential office also sees the possibility that the leaked dialogue could have taken place outside of the presidential compound." This May 22, 2022, file photo shows an aerial view of the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. Yonhap While officers are meant to serve people in their respective states, they are also required to adhere to the policies of the Central govt Tamil Nadu governor R.N. Ravi has trodden on many toes in the state government and the ruling party, be it withholding important bills or speaking his mind on Centre-state relations. Some may say that the situation seems to mirror a similar tussle in neighbouring Kerala, also a non-BJP-ruled state. The latest salvo from the governor has left Chief Minister M.K. Stalin fuming, and his party colleagues pushing for Mr Ravis ouster. Mr Ravis advice recently to IAS and IPS officers to prioritise the Centres policies over those of the state has raised the question of allegiance whom do the babus serve? This is particularly concerning given that officers are assigned to a state cadre until their retirement, but the Union government has the power to bring them to the Central services on deputation. So while officers are meant to serve the people in their respective states, they are also required to adhere to the policies of the Central government. This often creates conflict between the Centre and the states, especially when officers are called to the Centre for deputation. Observers have pointed to the recent controversy in West Bengal as an example of strife. In this case, the then chief secretary was recalled to the Centre after he failed to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to the state. Not surprisingly, such tussles are being witnessed in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala all non-BJP-ruled states. The ongoing political battles often leave hapless babus in these states in the middle of the crossfire. IOCL faces leadership crisis at crucial time The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is currently facing a leadership crisis, with several high-level positions set to become vacant in the coming months. In addition to the director of finance appointment being stalled due to a court case, three board-level positions are also falling vacant. With the PESB putting its recommendation for the post on hold, in response to a Delhi high court ruling. The director of pipelines, D.S. Nanaware, and the director of R&D, Dr S.S.V. Ramakumar, will retire in June and July, respectively, while the tenure of the chairman and managing director Shrikant Madhav Vaidya is ending in August. Curiously, the director of human resources, R.K. Mohapatra, completed his tenure in February but is still serving! The court case surrounding the appointment of the director of finance has halted the selection process, with the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) putting its recommendations on hold. The petitioner, a chief general manager at IOCL, has contested the shortlisting process, claiming that he too fits the eligibility criteria but was denied, and that preference was given to chartered accountants over cost accountants. Whatever the truth or merit of his claims, the court case has created a further delay in the already depleted leadership of the IOCL. Whatever the government decides to do with him, in the weeks ahead the IOCL board is staring at five vacancies! The government will need to move quickly to ensure the smooth functioning of IOCL. Kerala CS bans private awards for officials without approval The recent instruction issued by Kerala chief secretary V.P. Joy prohibiting IAS and IPS officers in the state from accepting awards from private organisations or individuals without prior approval from the government has sparked a conversation about the ethics of receiving awards in public service. The move comes after a section of the Kerala Police personnel protested against an IAS official receiving an award from a private organisation for the successful handling of worshippers at a famous temple in the state. The order not only stresses the need for transparency and accountability in public service but also highlights the importance of public officials focusing on their duty to serve the people rather than personal gain or recognition. The widespread practice of government officials accepting awards from private entities has become so common that it rarely raises eyebrows anymore. However, it raised questions about the motives behind these awards and whether they are truly deserved. Mr Joys order has set an important precedent for babus across the country. However, the bigger question remains; can he make it stick? It will require a change in mindset and a willingness to place public service ahead of personal gain for this directive to be effectively implemented. Further, it would benefit everybody if the approval process is transparent and impartial, with no room for favouritism or nepotism. Ideally, while the hard work and dedication of officials must be duly recognised; the recognition should come from the government or independent bodies rather than private organisations. In a hotter world, India urgently needs hyper-local heat action plans based on granular heat vulnerability assessment There will be a steady and gradual rise in maximum temperature by 3-5 degrees Celsius over most parts of the country during the next few days. (AA File Photo) The heat is on. It is going to get a lot worse. And not just in poll-bound Karnataka. This week, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority warned of heatwave-like conditions in 27 mandals (a mandal is a cluster of 20 to 25 villages). In Delhi, the temperature is steadily rising. In Ahmedabad, the maximum temperature rose above 40 degrees this week. There will be a steady and gradual rise in maximum temperature by 3-5 degrees Celsius over most parts of the country during the next few days, says the India Meteorological Department. We know that climate change is making heat waves hotter, and more frequent. But what is not adequately understood is that the risks due to extreme heat are not uniformly spread. How vulnerable we are to extreme heat depends not only on where we are, but who we are, how we live and the nature of our work. What needs to be stressed in the public conversation is that while extreme heat affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. Health and economic costs vary from group to group even in the same city or village. A 2019 report by the International Labour Organisation titled Working on a Warmer Planet The Impact of Heat Stress on Labour Productivity and Decent Work noted that in South Asia, the country most affected by heat stress is India, which lost 4.3 per cent of working hours in 1995 and is projected to lose 5.8 per cent of working hours in 2030. Moreover, because of its large population, India is in absolute terms expected to lose the equivalent of 34 million full-time jobs in 2030 as a result of heat stress. Although most of the impact in India will be felt in the agricultural sector, more and more working hours are expected to be lost in the construction sector, where heat stress affects both male and female workers. Clearly, there cannot be an oversimplified response to the problem. So, how prepared are we? India has heat action plans (HAP). Ahmedabad came out with the first HAP in the country in 2013 a direct fallout of a devastating heatwave in Ahmedabad in 2010 which killed 1,344 people. This spurred the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to team up with experts in the India Institute of Public Health-Gandhinagar (IIPH-G) and the US Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) and develop a plan to deal with extreme heat. Ten years down the line, there are many more heat action plans in the country. Many good practices, first tried out in Ahmedabad, are being replicated. Telangana, for example, has become the first state to introduce the cool roof policy 2023-2028. In essence, a cool roof is one built from materials that retain less heat and stay cooler than traditional roofs by reflecting more sunlight. As experts point out, such roofs are prepared, covered, or coated with materials that have special characteristics that help roofs stay cooler all through the day and buildings more comfortable. Cool roofs are much cheaper and more environment-friendly than air conditioners. Last December, Dr Jitendra Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for earth sciences, told Parliament that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) are working with 23 states to develop Heat Action Plans. But while India has come a long way since the first HAP, critical gaps remain in its response to extreme heat. One key issue is the lack of an adequate localised response to vulnerable groups. A recent study titled How Is India Adapting to Heatwaves? An Assessment of Heat Action Plans with Insights for Transformative Climate Action by Aditya Pillai and Tamanna Dalal of the Centre for Policy Research, a leading Indian think tank, flags this, and other lacunae. The authors analysed 37 heat action plans at the city (9), district (13) and state (15) levels across 18 states. Most of the HAPs, they say, are not built for local context and have an oversimplified view of the hazard. HAPs generally focus on dry extreme heat; only ten out of 37 HAPs reviewed seem to establish locally-defined temperature thresholds though it is unclear whether they take local risk multipliers (such as humidity, hot nights, duration of continuous heat among others) into account to declare a heatwave. Hot nights, heatwaves coming earlier, and cascading impacts are unevenly considered across HAPs, the report notes. Additionally, climate projections, which could help identify future planning needs, are not integrated into current HAPs. What leaps out in the report is one key statistic relating to groups most vulnerable to the extreme heat. The authors say that nearly all HAPs are poor at identifying and targeting vulnerable groups. Only two of 37 HAPs explicitly carry out and present vulnerability assessments. The report goes on to say that in all 37 HAPs reviewed, vulnerability is primarily understood through the health implications of heat. All but four HAPs (unclear in a further five) explicitly identify the elderly, children, pregnant and lactating women, those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, and people with physical disabilities as being vulnerable to heat-related illness This has policy implications, the authors point out, because the local authorities tasked to implement the HAP would not have accurate and actionable information on where to direct their scarce resources and this could lead to poor targeting. It is not that HAPs have not factored in the vulnerable groups but as the authors point out, the list of solutions they propose do not necessarily focus on these groups. Significantly, HAPs are also underfunded. Only 11 of 37 HAPs discuss funding sources, says the CPR report. Of these, eight asked implementing departments to self-allocate resources, indicating a serious funding constraint, it noted. The public discussion on heat waves typically focuses on cities. Arguably, urban India, with its asphalt, concrete, high density of buildings, is brutally impacted. But villages are where most Indians still live. India needs to have a localised rural response to extreme heat. Many researchers have pointed out that in parts of the country such as Maharashtras Vidarbha region, it is hotter inside the tin-roofed houses at peak heat times than outside. Official advisories must factor this in. Some good work has already started. For example, Watershed Organisation Trust, an NGO, in collaboration with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), piloted the delivery of heat-health advisories via SMS to farmers in rural Jalna district of Maharashtra during the Covid-19 pandemic. The bottomline: in a hotter world, India urgently needs hyper-local heat action plans based on granular heat vulnerability assessment. The measure will come into effect in 2026; meanwhile, school violence continues to grow. Prevention committees in schools are often ineffective. A recent study shows that cases drop with a caring approach that reduces competition. Seoul (AsiaNews) The South Korean government today announced that, starting in 2026, a record of bullying in school will reflect negatively on student university applications. Disciplinary records of serious bullying cases will be retained for four years, twice as long as hitherto, putting violent students at a disadvantage in terms of employment. Prime Minister Han Duck-so and his cabinet took this decision after the Presidential Office cancelled the appointment of Chung Sun-sin, as the new national investigation chief in February following revelations of his son's school bullying. Bullying is widespread in South Korean schools, a problem highlighted by a recent Korean Netflix series titled The Glory, Based on a true story from 2006 in a girls' middle school in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province, the series relates the experience of an elementary school teacher who seeks revenge against former classmates who bullied her when she was a girl, subjecting her to vicious practices, like searing her bare skin with a hair straightener and scratching her chest with a safety pin. The school put the bullies on a checklist but took no further action, while the victim was still traumatised many years later. Although South Korea adopted the Special Act on School Violence Prevention in 2004, the problem persists. In fact, the number of bullying cases went from 11,749 in 2013 to 31,130 in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, the number dropped, but rose again to over 15,000 in 2021. About half of all reported cases involve physical violence, but verbal abuse has more than doubled in recent years. In each school, bullying is dealt with by the school authorities, while the most serious cases are delegated to prevention committees, which are deemed ineffective since they are mostly composed of parents, teachers and government officials who often have no legal expertise. "Many of the legal professionals don't even attend the committee meetings often because it is an unpaid position, said Park Keun-byeong, president of Seoul School Teachers' Union, speaking to The Korea Times. "They are usually busy with their day jobs. Not to mention there are so few of them in each committee." In Chung Sun-sins case, the prosecutor-turned-lawyer refused to admit his son's misconduct despite charges by his school's prevention committee, which ordered his transfer. Only after a Supreme Court ruling was Chung forced to acknowledge that his son had committed acts of bullying. Committees lack of legal authority forces victims to take the matter to court. When this happens, as it did in the aforementioned case, the strategy of abusers families is to prolong the matter so that abusive actions are not recorded in the official school documents. As a result, victims and perpetrators often continue to attend the same class. What is more, it is easy to find online by lawyers advertising their services to defend bullies in the courtroom. Nevertheless, something can be done. Recently, a study involving 48 classes in Seoul found that teachers can create an anti-bullying climate by using a caring approach towards others and reducing competition among students. The research shows that over an 18-week period, the number of cases of school bullying dropped; for researchers, focusing on the whole classroom rather than on single bullies is the most effective strategy. Some 80 bodies have been collected, but many more are difficult to recognise, local witnesses say. The wounded include scores of women and children celebrating the traditional Myanmar New Year. The countrys ruling junta admitted that that a jet fighter and an attack helicopter were involved. For the third time in a year, a Christian village was attacked today. Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) Dozens of civilians were killed yesterday by Myanmars military in one of the worst incidents since civil war broke out following the coup d'etat of 1 February 2021. Some witnesses said that they collected at least 80 bodies, but expect the toll to rise, perhaps up to 100, while at least 50 people were wounded. A pro-junta media outlet reported that Deputy Information Minister Major General Zaw Min Tun acknowledged that the military was responsible for the attack. The air force attacked Pa Zi Gyi, a village near the town of Kanbalu (Sagaing region), where the People's Defence Forces (PDF) were opening an office. The PDF, which was formed after the coup, is the armed wing of the exiled National Unity Government (NUG), which is made up mostly of former lawmakers from the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's former civilian leader who was deposed in the coup and later jailed. Myanmars military junta has designated the NUG as a terrorist organisation. Witnesses reported that the wounded include many women, seniors and children, who had come to receive food as part of the ceremony, which coincided with the start of Thingyan, the traditional Myanmar New Year. Older villagers were in the building where the ceremony was held, while many children, some as young as two and three, were nearby. The jet dropped two bombs right on the crowd. Then a Mi-35 helicopter came and opened fire on them, maiming and killing a large number of civilians, a PDF officer said. The plane came back and attacked the people picking up the dead and wounded. Videos posted online by survivors show dismembered bodies and buildings and motorcycles on fire. An exact death toll was hard to establish because too many bodies were unrecognisable. One resident said that there were too many finger-size bits of body parts all over the streets," noting that one could "barely walk without stepping on them. Some bodies were headless, while some heads were without bodies. There is no way to identify who the bodies belong to," the resident added. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the attack, noting reports that schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians, were among the victims. Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law," he said in a statement. "There are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since 1 February 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes." Between 1 February 2021 and January 2023, Myanmars military junta carried out at least 600 air attacks against villages controlled by anti-coup forces in different parts of the country. Most of its planes are Russian- and Chinese-made. Chaung Yoe, a Christian village in the Sagaing region, was attacked yesterday for the third time in just over a year. Soldiers destroyed the pews of the local church and set fire to some motorcycles while residents fled without the opportunity of taking their belongings. In recent weeks, daily fighting has pitted regular troops against local resistance forces in the Christian majority Chin State. This follows recent protests outside the Indian High Commission in London that saw the removal of the Indian flag and a pro-Khalistan banner displayed in support of a united Punjab. In the meantime, the California State Assembly adopted a resolution describing anti-Sikh violence in the 1980s as genocide. New Delhi (AsiaNews) After senior British and Indian Home Ministry officials met in New Delhi, the Indian government released a statement, expressing its concerns on the misuse of UK's asylum status by the Pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India; for this reason, It requests better cooperation with [the] UK. This comes after protesters with Khalistan banners took down the Indian flag last month at Indias diplomatic mission in London as a protest against recent police action in India's Punjab state designed to capture Amritpal Singh, leader of the separatist movement. Khalistani nationalists seek an independent state that includes both Indian and Pakistani Punjab. In recent months, similar protests have also been reported in the United States and Canada, home to a large Sikh community. In late March, the California Assembly passed a resolution urging the US Congress to condemn and recognise as genocide the violence against Sikhs in 1984, when, in an attempt to suppress the secessionist movement, thousands were killed in clashes with police at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, one of Sikhisms holiest sites. This was followed that same year by the assassination of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by a Sikh bodyguard, sparking riots that left thousands dead in street violence. California Assembly Member Jasmeet Kaur Bains, first elected Sikh member of the state assembly, presented the resolution, which notes that the Widow Colony in New Delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning and murder of their families. The only Hindu member of the assembly, Ash Kalra, voted in favour of the resolution. On the return from the New Year holidays, numerous cases occurred in different cities, from Tehran to Urmia. The largest number in Saghez, Mahsa Amini's hometown, where the population has called several strikes against 'organised chemical attacks'. The authorities play down and blame the young people who want to stop classes. Tehran (AsiaNews) - In the Islamic Republic there is a (new) wave of protest, involving several cities, against "mysterious" episodes of poisoning of schoolgirls in the country's schools, a phenomenon that has already been the object of attacks and popular discontent in recent weeks. The episodes of gas attacks occurred when classes resumed, after a brief respite at the end of March for the New Year holidays in Iran. And even in this case, the authorities in Tehran show disregard for or blame the students, without succeeding in appeasing popular anger. Among the cities affected by the latest attacks are the capital Tehran, Karaj, Saghez, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Urmia, Oshnavieh, Shahinshahr, Tabriz, Khoy and Amol. Of all of them, the one with the highest number of cases is Saghez, the hometown of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year old Kurdish woman killed by the morality police for not wearing the hijab properly and whose death raised a massive pro-rights protest, suppressed in blood. In response to the new wave, residents in Saghez have launched numerous strikes in protest against what they call 'organised chemical attacks'. According to the Oslo-based activist website Hengaw, many parents have kept their daughters home from school out of fears for their safety and security. Also from Amol come videos and footage of enraged parents having heated discussions with local officials, including a religious leader. The poisonings have been occurring for over five months, with thousands of cases ascertained by the authorities although the actual numbers remain uncertain, even over 13,000 according to activist and pro-human rights groups. The victims present a range of symptoms from nausea to temporary paralysis in the most severe cases. At first the authorities denied the matter, only to change course radically in the last two weeks in the face of escalating numbers that made concealment impossible. In recent weeks, the government has made a number of arrests among the alleged perpetrators, without explaining their role in the affair or in what capacity they would be involved. The Mehr News Agency, close to the radical and religious wing, speaks in an editorial of a "very limited number of cases" trying - in vain - to reduce the scale of the phenomenon. 'Some students,' the article reads, 'played the victim or acted with malice, with the aim of interrupting the regular course of the lessons'. The tone is different in an in-depth article published in the reformist daily Etemad, which criticises the authorities for their inability to produce a comprehensive report on the incidents, which ends up fuelling a sense of frustration and popular discontent. On social media, meanwhile, protests against the government and the radical and religious faction are mounting. The most common theory circulating on the net is that, through the attacks, the State intends to frighten the female students or punish them for having participated, often in the front line, in the protests that have been shaking the country's squares since September. According to some experts, in fact, it is precisely the defiant attitude and audacity of the young women, who have gone so far as to burn the compulsory veil and the portraits of the supreme guide, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that have triggered the harsh repression. The Saint Porphyrios Orthodox Church announces the cancellation on social media. Israel has given no reason for its decision. At least 700 Christians got a travel permit to go to Jerusalem. Recent tensions with Gaza, Lebanon and Syria are the probable cause. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) Religious freedom for Christians in Gaza and the Holy Land suffered another blow at a time of high tensions and repeated attacks against symbolic sites and places of worship. As celebrations for Orthodox Easter get underway, Israeli authorities cancelled travel permits granted to Gaza Christians planning to go to Jerusalem and the West Bank for the festivity and to visit relatives. The Saint Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza posted the news on its Facebook page after receiving information from the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs. So far, the Israeli government has not given any reason for its decision. According to local sources, recent tensions on Israel's borders with Gaza, Lebanon and Syria are the likely reason for the cancellation. Over the past week, multiple rockets have been fired at Israel while Israeli planes have struck targets across the border. The National News, a news website based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reports that Israel had issued about 700 permits for Gazan Christians. A similar number was granted for Christmas, as Jerusalem Patriarch of the Latins Pierbattista Pizzaballa told AsiaNews, but according to him, for this Easter, just under 200 permits were issued. Orthodox Easter is celebrated a week later than Catholic Easter, 16 April instead of 9 April. Although the Gaza Strip is ruled by Hamas, local Christians who wish to travel to Jerusalem and West Bank locations like Bethlehem for Christmas or Easter must apply for an Israeli permit, allowing them to attend religious services as well as visit families and friends. Gaza Christians numbered around 3,000 ten years ago, but are now down to an estimated 1,000, mostly Greek Orthodox with some Catholics (Holy Family parish) and Protestants. Researchers at Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) conduct a final check of Danuri at the institute's headquarters in Daejeon in May. Courtesy of KARI Korea will stage a joint tabletop exercise (TTX) between its military and government officials Wednesday against potential dangers from space, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The TTX will be joined by officials from the military, the defense and science ministries, and other state-run space research centers, such as the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, according to the JCS. It will take place with a focus on bolstering the country's response system against dangers from space and strengthening coordination between the military and space-related agencies. It marks the first time the military will host the exercise, regularly held under the science ministry. During the session, participants will discuss response and coordination measures in a range of scenarios, such as a retired satellite crashing into the Korean Peninsula, a satellite colliding with space debris, and changes in space climate due to solar activity. "Considering the growing number of space objects, we will strengthen detection and tracking capabilities against them ... and strengthen response capabilities against dangers from space," the JCS said in a release. The exercise comes amid growing attention to possible dangers from space. In January, the science ministry raised the alarm over a retired U.S. satellite possibly crashing into the Korean Peninsula. It ended up falling into waters near Alaska. (Yonhap) by Vladimir Rozanskij Closed by Baku, it serves to connect Yerevan with Nagorno Karabakh, an Armenian enclave in Azerbaijani territory. Tension over the status of the village of Tegh. The local population tried by the dispute. Every negotiation has to reckon with the indomitable character of the Armenian population in the area. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The chairman of Armenia's Parliamentary Defence Commission, Andranik Kocaryan (see photo), met with journalists to explain the situation in the disputed Lacin corridor, which blocks Yerevan's communications with Nagorno Karabakh, an Armenian enclave in Azerbaijani territory. The Armenian deputy focused on the situation in the village of Tegh, a key junction of the affected area in the eastern part of the Siunyk region, 88 kilometres from the border town of Kapan, where the command of the Russian army's 'peacekeeping' forces has been based since November 2020. The armies of Azerbaijan are also stationed there, and it is unclear to what extent they are conniving or conflicting with the Russians, as well as with the Armenians. According to Kocaryan, the Azeris have done nothing to liberate the area, despite repeated statements to this effect. At the same time, the bodies commissioned by Baku and Yerevan are at work on border correction, which seems to be leading to some improvement, at least on paper, right around the village of Tegh, up to the other centre of Kornidzor. As the MP explained, 'when we talk about improvements, we mean that at least this crucial stretch has begun to be discussed, even if we still do not see real transfers, but perhaps we are beginning to understand what is ours and what is theirs'. The hope is that the Azeris will 'at least begin to back off a little'. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pasinyan himself said during a government meeting that 'border relocation points have been set at 7 and 12 kilometres, and work is being done on another 5 kilometres around Tegh'. According to the Armenians' assessments, the opponents have set up facilities with engineering works 100-300 metres from the border points, violating security distances and general agreements. As the premier says, 'we are talking about it with the Azeris, to get them to move away from Tegh, but if they do not understand, the day will come when we will have to find a way to make them understand'. As Kocaryan points out, when Baku really begins to liberate the area, it will be possible to talk about the 'reciprocal removal' of the military from the hottest areas. Therefore, an investigation on a legal basis will be necessary to fully understand the blame for the incidents that led to several victims and the sum of the problems that blocked the entire corridor, 'at all levels, from the lowest to the highest, focusing on the actions of the various authorities on the ground'. In the village of Tegh itself, there is an administrative head of the community, and a mixture of inhabitants and military forces. The maintenance and repair of roads, for example, concerns stretches of tens of metres, often decisive for the passage of vehicles. So far, no action has been taken against any officials on the Armenian side, and the Tegh Municipal Council awaits the arrival of a commission of enquiry, together with government representatives, to 'clarify the many issues that remain obscure', Kocaryan reiterates. One of the members of the Tegh Council, representing the opposition to the village's 'elders', Masis Zejnalyan, travelled to the capital of Siunyk, asking the regional administrators to come in their turn to verify the situation, 'no matter which side they are on, the professors from the House of Culture can come,' as long as someone really tries to understand how the locals live, 'now abandoned like butterflies fluttering in a prison'. The Azeris have allegedly destroyed crops to set up their facilities, and the inhabitants feel wedged between soldiers and policemen of all factions. The citizens of Tegh, says Zejnalyan, have no intention of 'giving up their bread and surrendering without a fight, what future would we have?' As always in these territories, any negotiations must always come to terms with the indomitable character of the population. 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 Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong, right, leads an interagency meeting on the response to cyberattacks on the energy sector at the presidential office in Seoul in this photo provided by the office, April 12. Yonhap National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong led an interagency meeting Wednesday to discuss the response to cyberattacks on the energy sector, the presidential office said. The meeting was held to prepare for the event that cyberattacks on the energy sector pose a threat to national security, as seen in Russia's war in Ukraine, the office said. Cho noted that President Yoon Suk Yeol recently called for maintaining a thorough response posture to ensure cyberthreats to infrastructure, including the financial and energy sectors, do not develop into a security crisis. The national security adviser also called for thorough readiness to safely protect the country's energy infrastructure from cyberattacks. The meeting was attended by officials from the industry ministry, the Korea Electric Power Corp., the Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Co., the National Intelligence Service, the prosecution and the police, among other agencies. The officials agreed to continue to work together to build strong resilience, such that the country's energy infrastructure could be restored in the shortest possible time even in the worst case scenario of a cyberattack destroying information systems, according to the presidential office. (Yonhap) The Integra Type S was already a well-known nameplate in the car-enthusiasts community, especially among Honda and Acura aficionados, and was revived in the mid-Spring of 2023. Honda has used the Integra moniker on its own-badged products since 1985 on the Quint Integra model that was sold in Japan and later in the U.S. and Europe. But starting with the fourth generation, this nameplate was canceled from Acura's lineup, being replaced by the RSX. Come 2022, the premium Japanese brand brought it back and, in 2023, unveiled the Type S version that targeted the young generation. It was a sporty vehicle that could also provide enough comfort and space to be considered a family car. Even though it wasn't the first four-door Integra, its sports-oriented designation was more obvious on the Type S version. The front fascia kept the angular styling from the rest of the Integra lineup but with a different bumper. That featured larger side scoops that flanked the apron fitted with a broad grille and a lip spoiler at the bottom. In addition, the main pentagonal grille was adorned with the Type S logo. Moreover, the hood was fitted with a vent. Finally, the automaker installed the three-exhaust system at the back, centrally mounted, like in the Civic Type R with which the Integra Type S shared its platform. Inside, the automaker installed a similar-looking cabin as in the rest of the Integra, bar the six-speed manual that replaced the selector for the CVT. Moreover, the front seats' headrests were adorned with the TypeS badge embroidered. But the most significant upgrade was on the drivetrain, which received the K20C turbocharged inline-four as the Civic Type R. It sent its power to the front wheels via a limited-slip differential. Unlike the Type R, which focused on performance, the Type S was designed mostly for street use, hence the adaptive suspension that allowed for a more comfortable ride than its Honda-labeled sibling. FWD AMG 4MATIC CVT DCT Late last year, Mercedes launched investigations into Michelin's disclosure in regard to certain tires losing air pressure spontaneously. Both parties analyzed the suspect rubber boots with X-ray technology, identifying a worrying defect in the bead area. The Stuttgart-based automaker immediately launched a rework campaign at the Kecskemet assembly plant, replacing defective tires with new units produced outside the suspect period.Certain vehicles had left said assembly plant with potentially defective tires, including three vehicles produced for the US market in the period between November 5, 2022 and November 9, 2022. Owners will be notified of the recall on May 30 at the latest, with instructions to bring their cars in for a new set of 255/35 ZR 19 high-performance summer tires from Michelin.The French tire manufacturer corrected the problem in production back on December 5 last year. Mercedes, on the other hand, is aware of zero warranty claims and field reports related to this defect in the United States.Arguably the nicest-looking Merc to feature aplatform, the CLA is advertised as a coupe despite being a four-door sedan with a slightly more sloped roof than a traditional sedan. The nomenclature is even weirder in the case of the GT 4-Door Coupe, a five-door sedan based on the W213 E-Class rather than the C190 GT.Internally referred to as C117, the CLA kicks off at $39,350 sans destination charge stateside for the front-wheel-drive 250 that packs 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) from a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder lump. The-ified 45 is rightfully more costly at $57,800 before taxes and optional extras. Not only does it feature a hand-built engine, but it also rocksall-wheel drive and hits 60 mph (97 kph) in 4 seconds.Assembled in Affalterbach by AMG master engine builders, the M139 can also be found in the A 45, GLA 45, C 43, SL 43, and even the Lotus Emira. Its highest-performing application is the C 63 S E Performance, a plug-in hybrid with more power and torque than the twin-turbo V8 engine of the previous-gen AMG C 63.The CLA 45 for the US market pumps out 382 horsepower and 354 pound-feet (480 Nm), which is the lowest tune available for the M139 engine. As opposed to Subaru's manual- or-equipped WRX, the CLA 45 comes exclusively with a dual-clutch transmission developed by AMG. The Speedshift8G is also shared with the Lotus Emira, whose Toyota V6-engined variant comes with manual and automatic boxes from Aisin. kW Twinned with the Bronco, the Ranger has been photographed on the production line at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Raptor specification. Production is expected to start this summer for the 2024 model year.Rather than upgrading the Tacoma's existing frame, Toyota will switch to the TNGA-F vehicle architecture of the Tundra for the next-generation midsizer. The Japanese automaker started teasing the 2024 model year in March 2023, and the most recent teaser confirms the arrival of an off-road trim level that may slot above the TRD Pro based on the ARB-supplied rear bumper with integrated parking sensors. ARB is Australia's largest maker of 4x4 accessories, and it shouldn't be confused with Montana-based American Expedition Vehicles.The rear end also includes four- and seven-pin connectors, a red tow hook, LED taillights, the word Tacoma stamped in the tailgate, and a rather interesting badge on the driver side of the tailgate. The logo in question stands for Trailhunter, which Toyota describes as being a new family of adventure-oriented pickups.Toyota previously used this name for the Tundra-brad Trailhunter Concept from the 2022 SEMA Show. The other teaser pic released today shows Trailhunter written in uppercase letters on the sides of the headlamps. We can further notice black plastic fender flares accommodating all-terrain rubber boots. It remains to be seen what make and model of tires those are, but as a brief refresher, the Trailhunter Concept rocks BFG rollers, as opposed to Falkens for the Tundra TRD Pro.Both ends also reveal a new color for the Tacoma, a very cool shade of bronze that contrasts nicely with the black front grille and grille surround. The Tacoma TRD Pro has been confirmed with the i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, which leads us to believe that the Tacoma Trailhunter will get this hybrid-assisted setup as well.The big question is, are we getting the same i-Force Max as the Tundra or a lesser powertrain with four instead of six cylinders? The general consensus is four cylinders across the board for the Tacoma, namely an unassisted engine for lower trims and the aforementioned hybrid.T24A-FTS is the codename of said engine, a 2.4-liter turbocharged mill that makes 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) in the Highlander sport utility vehicle. Its hybrid variant is available with up to 366 horsepower and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) in the Lexus RX 500h, whereas the Toyota Crown Platinum promises up to 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet (542 Nm).Even though Ford doesn't have a hybrid-assisted Ranger Raptor in the offing to take on the Tacoma Trailhunter, fret not because the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 is more than adequate in a mid-size truck. It produces 292and 583 Nm in Aussie spec, which means 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet in old money. By comparison, the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 of the Bronco Raptor belts out 418 ponies and 440 pound-feet (597 Nm) of torque. SUV Our colleagues, for example, feel mainly cheated by the Bavarians over at BMW as the bland and boring NY Auto Show booth dropped the ball at the event after years of leading the charge in a much more positive way. Hey, even the newly released 738-hp XM Label Red was absent from the party because it will soon get to shine at Auto Shanghai instead.At least, BMW could have brought to our attention the subtly introduced XM 50e base version. But no, that was also a no-show, and the booth only relied on an XM-iX-i7 trio! Another potential letdown is also Toyota , despite the presence of the great 2024 Grand Highlander that touched down in New York like a true 'ultimate family.' This is probably because ardent Japanese vehicle fans were waiting for a different model to feature its official presentation the best-selling mid-size Tacoma pickup truck.Indeed, the company is gearing up to introduce the fourth iteration, and it kicked off the traditional marketing campaign with a fresh teaser series at the end of March. Eager aficionados soon hoped the mini-Tundra vibes would soon get revealed in full, but that was not the case, even as a sneaky second 2024 Tacoma teaser hinted at something going on for April 4, just before the start of the NY Auto Show.Alas, that was smoke without a bonfire, and instead, we only got another detailed feature. Luckily, at least it confirmed that the next-gen 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro would feature the mighty i-Force Max hybridized powertrain that is also available under the hood of the 2023 Tundra full-size truck sibling, complete with 437 electrified ponies on tap.Nowadays, it feels like every moment can bring out yet another 'Taco' teaser, and even fan forums joined the hype to release into the wild some leaked teaser images that just added to the mystery and made everyone question if the presentation is coming any time soon or the Toyota marketing folks are just willingly torturing us with more postponements.Well, it certainly feels like they are on billable hours, as now there is a new teaser depicting an unsurprising new addition to the 2024 Tacoma family the all-new, first-ever Trailhunter trim level, which may or may not come on top of the TRD Pro but is undoubtedly focused on overlanding adventurers more than anything else. Naturally, that attracted everyone's attention, including across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators.So, it was only natural for the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube to try and imagine the CGI looks of the upcoming 2024 Tacoma, complete with (some) Trailhunter goodies. Unfortunately, their resident pixel master did not have enough time to present the entire pickup truck, so we are left longing for more after we check out the hypothetical and highly unofficial first digital depiction of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter.Oh, well, it seems like everyone is playing a game of patience with pickup truck fans these days, from the Blue Oval head honchos who are not releasing the all-new T6.2 Ford Ranger Raptor in America to the Toyota headmasters who are trying to prolong the wait until someone snaps, apparently! EV Said facility, a 630,000-square-foot site of which Canoo will only occupy 500,000 square feet at the beginning, is within easy proximity to road, rail, and waterways, which makes it perfect for complex supply chains and manufacturing.It already has a training center and test track, and it will be adapted to accommodate a modern vehicle assembly line with innovative robotics, a paint shop, quality control, vehicle testing/validation, as well as an upfitting center, according to the company. What's more, the plant will be powered by clean and renewable energy.Very conveniently, AFV Partners is run by Tony Aquila, who is also the chairman and CEO of Canoo. Thestartup already has a battery plant at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, and opening a new production facility in Oklahoma City is part of the company's ongoing effort "to bring high-paying light-blue collar jobs" to the state.The initial plan is to employ 500 people to work at the newly leased site, with the number expected to increase in "the coming months.""One of the reasons we picked Oklahoma is because it has one of the most amazing workforces in America. They have proven themselves across many industries, including aviation and aero defense, which is why we are excited to announce our second manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, following our Vehicle Module Manufacturing Facility event on April 5 in Pryor, OK," Canoos CEO explained.However, the Pryor facility has recently missed a construction deadline, which means they lost up to $10 million in state incentives. Founded back in 2011, Canoo has had a rocky journey so far, and it is no secret that the Californian startup has been struggling financially. For Q4 2022, Canoo reported a net loss of $80.2 million for Q4 2022, bringing the total loss for the year to $487.7 million.Despite facing delays in production, Canoo already has some pending sales. Oklahoma is said to be interested in buying up to 1,000 Canoo vehicles as part of an incentive package for the Pryor-based plant. Between $35 million and $50 million will be paid for the EVs over a span of five years.Walmart is another client for Canoo's electric vehicles , having ordered around 4,500 units for same-day delivery of its products. And last year, Canoo signed an agreement with NASA for three Canoo Crew Transportation Vehicles to take Artemis moon astronauts, support staff, and equipment to the launch pad. These vehicles are set to be delivered sometime this year.According to the company's CFO, Ken Magnet, they are "exploring a number of diversified funding sources," like the Department of Energys loan program. Hopefully, the new factory in Pryor and this recently-announced long-term lease agreement will help Canoo not only stay afloat but also fulfill its business commitments. Here is the cool thing. Alongside the Legend model, Acura's initial launch story back in 1986 began with introducing the original sporty Honda Integra automobile. The Integra has always been a posher and sportier Civic and was solely marketed under the Acura brand in North America. However, it quickly developed a significant cult following on account of quirky variations like the 'spider eye' DC2 third generation or the glorious 3-door liftback coupe body style Everyone can imagine the jigsaw feelings of diehard enthusiasts that went as high as the Burj Khalifa skyscraper last year when they heard the fifth generation Acura Integra was coming back after a long hiatus (17 model years) and their fall to Mariana Trench depths of despair when it was revealed the revival would feature a five-door liftback body style. Many saw it, subsequently, as nothing but a posher Honda Civic Si destined to replace the Acura ILX and potentially follow its footsteps into anonymity.But, not long ago, Acura reignited the passion and heated debates as it announced the upcoming summer 2023 introduction of the high-performance Type S version . Obviously twinned with the corresponding sixth-gen Honda Civic Type R hot hatchback (based on the eleventh Civic iteration), the 2024 Acura Integra Type S just debuted in the first official pictures and rocking (mostly) juicy details. These include the 2.8-inch (7.11 cm) wider fenders, six-speed stick shift, four-piston front Brembo brakes, light 19-inch wheels, and a 320-hp turbo four-pot under the hood.The main highlight is that Acura marginally trumps the 315-hp Honda Civic Type R (FL5) and paves the way for many aftermarket developments of the turbo four-cylinder. Remember, the Civic Type R's mill is even more powerful (325 hp) for the Japanese and European specifications without any interventions. So, no wonder everyone is thinking about the upcoming personalization and customization projects, both in the real world and across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators.As far as the latter parallel universe is concerned, influential automotive virtual artist Jon Sibal, titled jonsibal on social media, is back for another attempt at making an Integra Type S way cooler. The Acura model has become somewhat of an obsession for him lately, considering his desire to play with both the initial spy shots of the Integra Type S and some ritzy teal attire, plus the virtual flexing of some CGI-tuned muscles. Well, now that the high-performance version is official, it is again a fair digital game, right?So, he kicked off the potential tuning fun with a "slightly modified version" dressed in a signature yellow paintjob (which, frankly, is not too far off from the Tiger Eye Pearl launch color) that was subtly lowered on white Rays Wheels Volk TE37s and also featured a Voltex GT wing to properly attract everyone's attention to the quirky three-pipe exhaust setup tucked in the back. It looks great, right? But, more importantly, do we give it our CGI seal of approval or not? kWh Design evaluation Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Interior assessment Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Driving take Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution ESP Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Everyday living Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution WLTP kW Test drive roundup Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Pros Great longitudinal dynamics (acceleration) Very good traction Very fast DC charging (800V platform) Excellent ergonomy Low driving position, similar to the 911 Cons Narrower cabin compared to the Panamera Extremely expensive options 22 kW AC charging only available as an option Relatively low range in Sport/Sport Plus modes Inertia in tighter corners due to the car's heavy weight Revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the fall of 2019, the first full-electric Porsche became available in 2020. In the course of just two years, two new versions were introduced: the Cross Turismo (in the summer of 2021) and the Sport Turismo (in early 2022), when the range was completed with the GTS version.The Cross Turismo version sits at the top of the Taycan lineup, only being available with two electric motors, all-wheel drive, and a large battery, which has a gross capacity of 93.4(83.7 kWh net), while the Taycan and Taycan Sport Turismo versions can also be ordered with a single rear-wheel-drive motor and a smaller battery, which has a gross capacity of 79.2 kWh (71 kWh net). Therefore, the Cross Turismo is a high-end model and, with its ground clearance raised by 30 mm (1.18) and Gravel driving program, it also serves as an electric crossover in the Porsche lineup. At least until 2026-2027, when the first electric Cayenne (produced at the Bratislava factory) and the super Cayenne, codenamed K1 (produced at the Leipzig factory), are reported to make their debut.Before getting into the design, I have a tip for you. If you order this car, you might want to tick the Off-road Design package box because, otherwise, you will not receive the glossy black flaps integrated into the front apron, side sills, and rear diffuser like the ones featured on the car we tested which make up a lot of this model's appeal. This amounts to 1,987.30 (the equivalent of $2,158.70) and is also available in Vesuvius Grey. These flaps carry out an aerodynamic and protective role against stones when driving on gravel, while also contributing significantly to the crossover look that clearly differentiates this car from the Sport Turismo.The Cross Turismo carries over the front from the Taycan , with headlights that appear to float above the functionality-designated air intakes directing the airflow over the front wheels. At the rear, the taillights are located below the bodywork's waistline, connected by a light strip.Similar to the Panamera, there is no prominent spoiler on the tailgate, except for one on the roof that directs the airflow over the car, avoiding turbulence in the rear area. Moreover, from the side, the Taycan Cross Turismo resembles a modern four-door shooting brake just like the Panamera Sport Turismo which would make even Aston Martin jealous.Surprisingly, despite being an electric car with a large-capacity battery mounted in the floor, the Taycan Cross Turismo is 19 mm (0.75) lower than the Panamera Sport Turismo, even with the ground clearance raised by 30 mm (1.18) compared to the Taycan. The essence of the Taycan Cross Turismo was best expressed by Stefan Weckbach, Vice President of the Taycan range, who compared it to the multi-tool Swiss Army knife.The dimensions of the Taycan Cross Turismo are similar to those of the Panamera Sport Turismo, although it is 83 mm (3.27) shorter, 30 mm (1.18") wider, and 19 mm (0.75") lower. However, due to the modified roof that extends further toward the rear area, the interior height at the back surpasses the Taycan's by 47 mm (1.85).Yet, despite being almost 5 meters (16.4 ft) long and 2 meters (6.56 ft) wide, the Taycan Cross Turismo is less spacious than the Panamera, at least in regard to the rear seats, because the wheelbase is also 46 mm (1.81") shorter. The overall low height may result in a certain sense of claustrophobia, which can be alleviated by choosing the panoramic roof that was featured on the test car (1,606.50/$1,752.60).The rear benchseat can only accommodate two passengers comfortably, as the high center tunnel limits legroom for a third passenger. Porsche had to resort to a sophisticated technical trick by creating a recess in the battery (comprising 33 modules of 12 cells each) by the outer rear seats, but the center tunnel is still present.The test model had the 4+1 seat option (476/$519, as the standard car comes with two individual rear seats). This maintains the two individual seat configuration and only adds a backrest for the central seat that doesn't really help that much. However, the option is worth selecting because it also comes with a split-folding benchseat in a 40/20/40 ratio, as opposed to 40/60, allowing for long objects to be loaded without disturbing the two passengers at the back.The Cross Turismo also offers better access to the trunk compared to the Taycan due to a wider opening 778 mm (30.62") width and 538 mm (21.18") height, as opposed to 445 mm (17.51") and 325 mm (12.79") for the Taycan. Additionally, the trunk volume is larger than that of the Taycan. It comprises 446 liters (15.75 cu ft) that are expandable to 1212 liters (42.9 cu ft), compared to 407 liters (14.37 cu ft), plus a frunk of 81 liters (2.86 cu ft), very similar to the Taycan's, which comes in handy for storing charging cables.At the front, the optional Comfort seats with memory and electric adjustment in 14 directions (1,464/$1,597) provide great comfort and support while cornering, creating a surround-like feeling. Additionally, you can opt for the massage and ventilation functions (2,011/$2,194). Surprisingly, in the Cross Turismo, you are seated almost as low as in a 911 if you lower the suspension to the minimum level.All versions are equipped with two electric motors, all-wheel drive, and a large battery. We tested the 4S middle version, positioned between the 4 Cross Turismo and Turbo Cross Turismo, which develops 490 ps/483 hp (or 571 ps/563 hp with overboost).The Taycan range is built on the dedicated J1 electric platform at 800V, but carries over some elements from the Panamera. However, because the front side is lower than on Panamera, Taycan's front suspension could not be carried over as well, so it had to be developed from scratch. With a Cx of 0.26, the Cross Turismo is not as aerodynamic as the Taycan (0.22), but the value itself is still impressive. This was achieved because of the completely flat floor, air intakes under the headlights, active grille, and rear diffuser.The front electric motor is mated with a single-speed transmission. The rear motor, however, is paired with a two-speed gearbox (the first gear is very short and is only used in Sport and Sport Plus modes, while the second gear has an 8:1 ratio, similar to the single-speed transmission for the front) developed by ZF, a first for electric models.The driver has a plethora of available driving modes: Range, Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual, as well as an additional Gravel mode for the Cross Turismo. These can be accessed via touchscreen or by using the famous rotary knob included in the Sport Chrono package (1,124.5/$1,226.9). Moreover, the driver can adjust both the stiffness of the adaptive pneumatic suspension (to Normal, Sport, or Sport Plus) and the ground clearance on five levels: Lift, High, Medium, Lowered, and Low.When driving on gravel roads, the suspension can be raised by 30 mm (1.18") at speeds of up to 30 kph (18.6 mph) (Lift mode). At speeds above 90 kph (55.9 mph), the suspension lowers by 10 mm (0.39"), which turns to 22 mm (0.86") when reaching 180 kph (111.84 mph). The same low ground clearance is programmed in Range mode to maximize aerodynamics and improve energy efficiency.The driving modes modify the level of the ground clearance and suspension stiffness, but these aspects can also be adjusted separately. Additionally, they also change the response and power of the motors for example, in the Range mode, not all the power is available, and the top speed, which is adjustable, is limited at values between 90 and 140 kph (55.9 to 87 mph).Then, on Launch Control, for a short time, the maximum power available reaches 571 ps (563 hp), as opposed to the 490 ps (483 hp) in the Sport or Sport Plus modes. Porsche announces an acceleration from 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 4.1 seconds with the Sport Chrono package on Launch Control. However, as the test car was equipped with winter tires, we were only able to achieve a time of 5 seconds.Porsche doesn't disclose the individual power of the two motors, but, when accelerating, it is obvious that the rear one is more powerful it gives off the feeling that you're driving a car with predominantly rear-wheel drive. The two synchronous electric motors with permanent magnets don't react brutally to the initial sudden squeeze of the skinny pedal. They act rather linearly, providing a consistent acceleration while confidently pushing the 2,320-kg car (5,115 lbs) with a maximum torque of 650 Nm (479 lb-ft). Aboard the Taycan Cross Turismo, you feel like you're in a high-speed train that smoothly accelerates progressively, but very quickly at the same time.The suspension of the car we tested was equipped with all the perks Porsche has to offer: all-wheel steering with Power Steering Plus (2,332/$2,545), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus 1,487.50/$1,623), and active stabilizer bars (3,272.50/$3,571.5).In Sport Plus mode, the ground clearance is so low that the roll is almost non-existent. Therefore, we hardly felt the contribution of the active stabilizer bars, especially since the center of gravity is also very low due to the battery being mounted in the floor. However, the all-wheel steering not only helps reduce the turning circle in the city, but also improves the dynamics during high-speed cornering, along with the PTV Plus, which enhances traction at the limit.PTV Plus, in conjunction with the, handles critical situations so well that the rear axle never feels like it's losing grip. Understeer is almost non-existent because the electronics manage torque distribution very well, but during high-speed cornering, the inertia due to heavy weight can be felt.The steering has an instant, precise response, making the car feel smaller and more compact than it actually is. Another positive aspect we noticed was the fact that the electric steering is not over-assisted and provides very good feedback on turns.Unless you activate the Porsche Electric Sport sound (500/$545.6) which, on Sport Plus, tries to appease you with a metallic tone through the expensive 3D Surround Burmester system speakers (5,938/$6,480) there will be almost complete silence inside the Taycan Cross Turismo. Fans of the 911 will be disappointed, as the sound is far from that of a classic 911. However, Porsche wanted to somehow highlight the power of the motors, especially in Sport and Sport Plus modes.Equipped with 21-inch wheels fitted with winter tires, the Cross Turismo runs comfortably on smooth roads, but over short bumps, the suspension feels relatively stiff, even in Normal mode. Nonetheless, the subjective impression is that the Taycan Cross Turismo runs more easily and quietly than the Panamera.The dashboard resembles that of the Taycan and is characterized by the 16.8-inch curved screen with three digital dials, instead of the five traditional ones intersecting each other from classic Porsche models. These are very easy to control via the multi-purpose rotary button on the right spoke of the steering wheel, which allows, for example, changing the display to Powermeter, Map (map in the central dial), Map Extended (map on the entire screen), or Night Vision.If you also opt for the passenger display (1,023/$1,116.4), there are no less than four screens on board because this adds to the 10.9-inch infotainment system display and the 8.4-inch portrait display for climate control, seat menu, and battery management. The PDK shifter has been reduced to a small joystick on the dashboard, reminiscent of the... VW ID.3, and the start button is still on the left, but it is now digital.There's no room for worries thanks to the standard large 93.4 kWh battery (83.7 kWh net), as it offers a decent range of 491 km(305 miles). In reality, at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit), the onboard computer indicated 400 km (248.5 miles) in Normal mode, where consumption can be around 24-25 kWh/km (2.58-2.48 mile/kWh).In Sport mode, consumption increases to around 29 kWh/100 km (2.14 miles/kWh), which reduces the range to 300 km (186 miles). However, in the city if you use Range mode and turn on recuperation (there are also Off and auto modes available) you can increase the range significantly. In my opinion, this version remains the best choice because the Turbo and Turbo S versions are not so fuel-efficient.If you own a generous living space and have installed a high-performance charging station at home, then it is worth opting for the 22charger (1,666/$1,818), which reduces the charging time to 4.5 hours. For comparison, standard charging only offers 11 kW, which takes 9 hours. However, at public DC charging stations , thanks to the 800V platform, the Taycan Cross Turismo can charge up to 270 kW, being able to go from 10 to 80% in 30 minutes. For an enjoyable charging experience, you can also order the electrically sliding charging port cover (625/$683).The Taycan Cross Turismo ranges within the price segment of the Panamera Sport Turismo. Surprisingly, it is 7,000/$7,639 cheaper if we take into account equivalent 4S versions, and it can be even cheaper in countries that still offer incentives for electric cars.The Taycan Cross Turismo is quieter and more comfortable than its conventional sibling but the interior room is more limited. The Taycan Cross Turismo is lower priced than the Mercedes EQS or BMW i7 , while being sportier and faster.However, as with any Porsche, if you tick many boxes from the extended options list, the price may increase by over 50% as in the case of the car we tested, which reaches 184,000/$200,805, as opposed to the 119,914/$130,865 list price. EV Electric Vehicle Oakville will be home to a brand-new Explorer, different from the European model that features the Volkswagen MEB platform of the ID.4 crossover. The Nautilus , on the other hand, is believed to be replaced by an electric take on the Aviator baptized Aviator eGT.Both replacements are said to be produced on the GE2 platform, confirmed by the Dearborn-based automaker in May 2021 alongside a body-on-frame platform by the name of TE1. The GE2 will also be shared with the second generation of the Mustang Mach-E crossover.The F-150 Lightning is getting the TE1, and given time, the body-on-frame platform will also be employed by all-electric versions of the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Also worthy of note, there's a zero-emission Bronco and an electric Ranger in the offing as well.Ford will start retooling the Oakville Assembly Complex in Q2 of 2024, with production of next-gen electric vehicles to being in 2025. Following the $1.8 billion investment, the Ontario-based facility will be known as the OakvilleComplex. One assembly building, one paint building, and three body shops currently comprise the complex, which prepares to welcome an on-site battery plant.The 407,000 square-foot plant will use cells and arrays from the BlueOval SK Battery Park, a Kentucky-based joint venture between the second-largest automaker in the U.S. and the SK Group, the second-largest industrial colossus in South Korea after the Samsung Group.Even though Ford has recently taken the veils off a brand-new Edge crossover, that one's for China rather than North America. The same applies to the Nautilus that was previously sold under the MKX nameplate.The China-spec Edge and Nautilus are both manufactured by the Changan Ford joint venture in the Zhejiang province. Over in the United States, the Edge and Nautilus come with four-cylinder turbo and V6 twin-turbo engines on the CD4 platform of the discontinued Fusion and MKZ sedans. Noticeably inferior to the Explorer and Aviator, these fellows aren't particularly affordable either at $37,945 and $44,825.The 2022 sales report from the Ford Motor Company also reveals dwindling sales for the Nautilus in the United States, where it moved 15.6 percent fewer units than in 2021. The Edge posted a 0.3 percent year-over-year increase, racking up 85,465 deliveries in 2022. For reference, the Explorer sold 207,673 units in the US. Lee Ki-young, the suspect in the murders of a taxi driver and a woman, is transferred from the Ilsan Dongbu Police Agency in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, to the prosecution, Jan. 4. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-Seog Prosecutors on Wednesday demanded the death penalty for 32-year-old Lee Ki-young for murdering a taxi driver involved in a car crash and an ex-girlfriend last year. Lee was charged with killing the taxi driver in his 60s on Dec. 20 after luring him into his house on the pretext of paying compensation money for a collision he caused under the influence of alcohol. He then allegedly hid the victim's body in a closet. He was also charged with murdering his former girlfriend in her 50s last August and abandoning her body on the banks of a river in Paju, just northwest of Seoul. The victim's body, however, has not yet been found. During a trial at the Goyang branch of the Uijeongbu District Court on Wednesday, prosecutors also asked that he be ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. The double homicide case gained widespread attention when Lee confessed to the murder of his ex-girlfriend during police questioning for the murder of the taxi driver. At the time of the murder, Lee was living in the deceased woman's house. The court is expected to deliver a verdict on April 19. (Yonhap) EV MPGe SUV Photo: Genesis Photo: Kia Photo: Kia America Photo: Hyundai The Asian carmaker will invest a staggering 24 trillion KRW (around $18B) by 2030 to increaseproduction and export and support domestic EV-related industries. The group targets an annual EV production in Korea of 1.51 million units, with a global volume of 3.64 million units by 2030.The South Korean car company is targeting a premium buyer with its latest EVs, the most popular of which are the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Together, they recorded 100,000 units sold globally last year. The latter was introduced as one of the most efficient EVs on the market, boasting a range of up to 361 miles (581 km) and 140 combined. Using the Kona, Santa Fe, and the Ioniq 5 N , the companys first high-performance EV, Hyundai diversifies its portfolio to cater to various customer needs and wants.Genesis is Hyundais luxury vehicle division the relatively new brand is also looking at electrification as a silver bullet. It includes a few EVs in its range of models, such as the electrified G80 luxury sedan, the GV70 all-electric, and the GV60 CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle). Regarding Kia, the brand currently has three all-electric vehicles: the EV6 , the Niro EV, and the Soul EV.This year, Kia will launch the EV9, its first three-row electric flagship SUV, while Hyundai Motor plans to release the Ioniq 7 next year. Hyundai says it will have a comprehensive lineup of 31 electric models in 2030, including Hyundai Motor, Kia, and Genesis models.Kia announced it started building a plant dedicated to producing electric PEVs (purpose-built vehicles) and plans to invest around $758M to secure 99,000 acres of land. Its also expanding the existing EV lines at plants to grow manufacturing capabilities. Before we go any further, let me tell you what PBVs are. Hyundai describes them as eco-friendly multi-purpose vehicles intended to meet customers business purposes and needs.The new PBV plant will utilize innovative manufacturing technologies while also keeping sustainability in mind by minimizing carbon emissions. Furthermore, it will operate a dry booth, an eco-friendly construction method, during the painting process of vehicle manufacturing. Using natural light and streamlining the production process will decrease carbon emissions by 20% compared to existing factories.Hyundai Motor and Kias smart factory brand E-FOREST technologies will supply efficient and intelligent features, such as digital manufacturing systems. For instance, one of the groundbreaking manufacturing processes that will be implemented at the plant is the Cellular (or cell) method, allowing vehicle production to be customized depending on clients needs.Long story short, this process layout strategy groups together machines or workstations that produce similar parts or products and creates a more efficient and flexible dynamic by reducing the distance these components need to travel during production. Other desirable effects are minimized downtimes, reduced costs, and more productivity. AI (artificial intelligence) and automation will also play a significant role in the production process the technologies will be used for painting quality inspection, installation of parts, and real-time automatic measurement quality data analysis.And lastly, Kia will design the new plant as human friendly. It will do so by using automation for heavy-duty work while also creating tasks that require looking up at the ceiling, improving the feeling of openness, and minimizing noise levels.The first battery electric PBV is scheduled to start production in 2025 the company dubbed it SW, although thats just the project name. It will be a mid-sized PBS based on the eS platform. The vehicle is engineered to fulfill various business demands, such as ride-hailing, deliveries, or B2B transactions via a spacious indoor space and efficient load structure.Kia plans to extend its line-up to larger-sized PBVs for logistics, multi-seat shuttles, and food delivery, as well as small-sized and mid-sized vehicles incorporating autonomous driving technology. The brand wants to achieve production of 150,000 units in the first full year.Now back to Hyundais plans the automotive group is significantly investing in R&D and creating a platform for its next-gen EVs, expanding product line-ups, building new research facilities, and developing advanced technologies. Its also aiming to improve the hardware and software of EVs, including systems such as batteries and motors, and other components that play a significant role in determining a vehicles range.Dedicated platforms for each vehicle class will be developed under the Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA) system, including the eM, engineered solely for passenger EVs and scheduled to be introduced in two years.To support these ambitious vehicle developments, Hyundai is also preparing a high-speed charging infrastructure for maximum convenience while expanding existing ones in Korea. For example, Hyundai launched the high-speed EV-charging brand E-pit two years ago and introduced the E-pit Charging Service Platform (E-CSP) in 2022.The group is very keen on strengthening the competitiveness of the Korean automotive industry and the future automotive era its doing so by launching various partnerships and supporting suppliers via heavy investments, thus accelerating the electrification shift of the auto parts industry. For instance, it operated a program of KRW 5.2 trillion ($3.9B) to support suppliers in their liquidity and profit and loss.Tesla is the leader in e-mobility across the globe, and its far ahead of its competitors when it comes to the sales of BEVs. But lets suppose Hyundai refers to any electrified vehicle, hybrid or battery. In 2022, the Chinese automaker BYD topped the charts with more than 1.8 million units sold. Hyundai wasnt even in the top five companies, but considering its heavy investments and seven years until 2030 for their effects to come to fruition, theres a chance for the South Korean brand to achieve its goal. Photo: Tommaso Spadolini Photo: Tommaso Spadolini Photo: Tommaso Spadolini Tommaso Spadolini, one of the most revered designers in the yachting industry with more than 40 years of experience in the field, has recently revealed images of the interiors of My Legacy, a superyacht he designed for Codecasa, and they are nothing short of breathtaking.My Legacy is a 184-foot (55.7-meter) vessel whose cruising story started in 2021 when it was delivered to its Arabic owner. It features a steel hull, an aluminum superstructure, and a teak deck. Its sleek, distinctly contemporary exterior design is in stark contrast with the lavish living quarters that look like they have come straight from the Gilded Age. However, the four-deck superyacht boasts a unified look, achieved through a masterful blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design elements, like the dark glass visible from the exterior and its svelte silhouette and dynamic aesthetic.This is not the first custom Codecasa superyacht the Arabic businessman commissioned, so he is a knowledgeable owner with precise requests, especially for the interior. He asked for a luxurious palette of red, blue, and gold hues to balance the vessel's all-white exterior, and Spadolini spared no expense in meeting the client's requests while also producing "an incredible example of craftsmanship.""The owner spent much time on board his first yacht, so he had a very clear brief on the second yacht," Spadolini explained. "He loves Italian craftsmanship and wanted a handmade interior that reflected a cultural love of sumptuousness and opulence."Taking inspiration from luxurious periods of the past, Spadolini put passion and care into every detail, managing to perfectly customize and match materials and colors to create a consistency of style. He leveraged the artisanal contacts he built up over his long career and sourced all the woods, marbles, and brocade used in crafting the yacht's lavish interior . Most of the details are handmade by accomplished modern artisans.Well-known brands put their stamp on this yachts interior design. For instance, Stilnavi took care of the intricate woodwork, Ginori 1735 supplied exquisite porcelain, and Badari Firenze was responsible for the classic lighting. Loris Zanca contributed with the fabrics throughout My Legacy, while DL Decor and Zanaboni provided the plush furnishings. There is a sense of consistency throughout the yacht . One of the elements that ensures this consistency is the mahogany cabinetry, which features an identical pattern around the edge in all interior spaces.Gilded, beautifully upholstered furniture pieces and mahogany wood dominate not only the common areas but also the luxurious staterooms. Everything from the lamps to the carpets and curtains shows great attention to detail in designing this space.The main salon is adorned with gilded armchairs upholstered in red-and-gold brocade and elegant mahogany cabinetry panels boasting briarwood centers. Intricate patterns can be observed around the edge of the cabinetry, and the same design is reflected in the carpets.The owner of My Legacy benefits from a lavish apartment, including two cabins and a private lounge. It is located forward on the main deck and continues the red and gold theme seen on many areas of the yacht.A VIP cabin on the deck below and two additional staterooms complete the guest accommodations on board the superyacht. Keeping up with the high standards set by the owner's apartment, the VIP cabin is fitted out in a similar fashion but in different colors. Blue and gold reign supreme in this cabin that stretches the full 33-foot (10-meter) beam of the vessel. The remaining two guest cabins are designed in a combination of beige and gold.Speaking about the timeless styling, Spadolini said that "This interior may be classic, but displays a passion for the sea and for yachting. It is linked to the luxury of yacht interiors of the past, and Im old enough to remember some of those!"The grandeur on the inside also extends to outdoor spaces . The swimming pool on the upper deck is surrounded by plush custom lounger seats, while a generous sitting area on the sundeck and the alfresco dining space boast upholstered chairs crafted from refined outdoor fabrics.In terms of performance, the My Legacy superyacht can reach a top speed of 17 knots (19.5 mph/31 kph), taking power from twin Caterpillar 3512E engines. It can offer a range of 5,000 nautical miles (5,754 mi/9,260 km) when cruising at 12 knots (14 mph/22 kph). Codecasa also equipped this vessel with a CMC Marine Stabilis Electra SE160 stabilization system that allows a smooth and enjoyable cruising experience, as it greatly reduces the roll motion effect while underway. Photo: Bring a Trailer Photo: Bring a Trailer Photo: Bring a Trailer When the covers came off, CEO Stephan Winkelmann called the Lamborghini Reventon a true automotive superlative. The fighter jet-inspired design would inform the look of not only the cars direct successor the Aventador but the Huracan , which followed the Gallardo. Only 20 were made, with one reserved for the Lamborghini Museum in a moment of historic foresight by the brand.In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the car, which was heavily based on the Murcielago at the time, was named after a fighting bull. Reventon (the bull) was raised by Don Heriberto. Being Spanish, the cars name is not pronounced with a v. Instead, Reventon is pronounced with a b. More importantly, Reventon did what fighting bulls do. In 1943, he killed his opponent, one Felix Guzman.The name has more meaning than that. When used as a noun, it can mean 'small explosion.' Funnily enough, it also has some automotive etymology the Spanish sometimes use the word to refer to a blown tire. Other meanings include an adjective: 'he who is about to burst.'Etymology aside, the Reventons biggest statement was its design. Back then, Lamborghini said the F-22 Raptor fighter jet inspired the cars new, aggressive looks. At the time, it caught some flak from the media, who said the design looked superimposed over the Murcis original shape.The car featured more exaggerated air intakes throughout. At the front, two significantly larger intakes now dominated a much more angular nose this is arguably where the fighter jet resemblance is at its strongest. Around the side, the Mucris lines were smoothed out, giving way to a rear end that is almost identical to an Aventador. Or a stealth jet. That was also true for this cars special shade of matte grey. Again intended to invoke fighter jets, Reventon Grey also had some green flake in the paint.Inside, the idea was much the same. The interior is heavily based on the Murcielago, but with some interesting military touches. Lamborghini even went for a sort of olive drab green color for the cars acres of Alcantara. The center stack of these cars was all Murci, and Lamborghini fully committed to automatic transmissions at this point. The stick Lambo would be dead shortly after the Reventons debut.The Reventon cannot be mentioned without its new LCD gauge screen, something thats now common in cars. In 2007, it was a rarity. Its also the crown jewel of the car. Two displays are available, with each decidedly paramilitary. However, one is made to look like the altimeter of a jet, with green and red coloring. A G-meter is also included, adding to the fighter jet flair. It may just be the coolest gauge display of all time.Each of the 20 cars got a plaque, displaying which number each car was. No matter the number, they were all powered by the same thing- the Murcielagos V12. The LP640s engine displaced 6.5 liters and produced 640 ps (631 hp), as the name implies, and 487 lb-ft (660 Nm) of torque. Some upgrades were made to get to these figures, but Lamborghinis original press materials dont specify.Regardless, the whole car is motivated by the brands six-speed E-Gear automated manual transmission, which was controlled by two paddles on the back of the wheel. This, in turn, spun all four wheels with a new viscous system.This particular car, listed on Bring a Trailer , is number 5/20, and all were sold before the public even saw the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This one has a laughably low 457 miles on the odometer. Notably, someone managed to add some scuffs to the bodywork, especially under the cars very low nose. These were equipped with a nose lift system, but apparently not much of one.This car was originally sold in Canada. In fact, its the only Reventon that ever made it to the land of the maple leaf. However, it has since been imported, and now resides in California until the new owner takes it home.Where that will be is as much a mystery as the final hammer price. Right now, theres a day left, with the high bid at $1,450,000. However, current market averages place these cars somewhere around $1.9 million. Given this cars extremely low mileage and recent history, it isnt hard to see it sell for more. After all, Lamborghini will never make anything like this again. Apples rivals, on the other hand, embrace different strategies. Google focuses specifically on Android Auto and Android Automotive . Microsoft wants to leverage the power of the cloud and Azure to expand in this market, while Huawei develops software for traditional carmakers.Samsungs strategy comes down to bringing the companys products to as many companies in the auto sector as possible.The most recent move on this front was announced this week when Samsung signed a memorandum of understanding with none other than Ferrari . The South Koreans will become the exclusive supplier of OLED screens for Ferraris models.The announcement included typical PR language that praised both companies know-how in their main markets and product categories. However, anyone reading between the lines should be able to figure out that Ferrari picked Samsung specifically for its high-quality OLED panels.Samsung is currently the number one name in the display business. Its products are used on various products, including both budget and premium solutions. Apples iPhone is also fitted with Samsungs OLED panels, and this says it all. Apple is famous for its premium requirements, and Samsung supplying iPhone displays is living proof the Korean company is a leader in this market.The partnership with Ferrari will allow Samsung to expand in the automotive market. Additionally, it will also provide Ferraris models with high-quality OLED panels. The carmaker was specifically interested in slim, lightweight, and curved OLED panels, as the transition to everything-display is just a matter of time. Given Ferraris focus on performance, picking the lightest products on the market without neglecting quality was a top priority.Ferrari teaming up with Samsung isnt necessarily surprising. The companys CEO, Benedetto Vigna, previously worked at STMicroelectronics, so his expertise in the technology world is solid, to say the least. The carmaker also joined forces with Samsungs Harman not long ago to upgrade its vehicle experience. As such, expanding the collaboration is something that just makes sense.Samsung is slowly but surely winning the hearts of more carmakers. The South Korean company previously worked together with other high-profile names in the auto industry, including, most recently, Porsche.At the same time, the battle in this part of the market is also getting fiercer. LG Display is also investing aggressively in its automotive solutions , especially as the demand in other markets slows. The switch to products aimed at cars happens gradually for most tech part suppliers, as the demand for new-generation automotive solutions is expected to increase with the arrival of smarter vehicles. The push for autonomous vehicles also drives demand, producing a significant increase in terms of chips, sensors, and displays. Photo: Serena House Photo: Serena House Photo: Serena House Serena House is a real pioneer in Europe. Back in 2016, its DIY construction of an off-grid tiny house paved the way for a new approach to sustainable housing in this part of the world. That prototype, called Les Abers and built as part of the Vagabonde.House project, became the first autonomous tiny house in France. In 2017, it won the Loire Atlantique sustainable tourism award for environmental preservation.One year later, it was followed by another build, The Stendhal, which would become the first off-grid tiny house in Spain. Hundreds of people have experienced off-grid vacations inside these pioneering tiny homes over the next years, and many more have chosen similar models for permanent living.The team at Serena House build everything at its workshop near Barcelona, Spain. Several of them live in tiny homes themselves, so they know exactly what customers need and what are the best ways to make that happen. They currently have four basic designs, all customizable and all adapted to different styles and needs.The Freya is one of the most popular models built by Serena House, and its no wonder. This tiny isnt just entirely self-sufficient, and perfectly equipped for off-grid living, but also reflects that wild spirit in its atypical layout.Dont expect great luxuries, premium furniture, and fancy decor. Freja is unpretentious, yet highly functional for long-term living. It includes a kitchen, a bathroom, a loft bedroom, abundant storage, and a quirky living area. All of these are fitted inside a dwelling thats only six-meter (19.6 feet) long and 2.5-meters (8.2 feet) wide.The Freya is based on the brands Penates format. This is one of its largest designs, that can accommodate two to four people ideally, or even six, if it includes a convertible sofa. Its suitable for anything from permanent housing to tourist accommodation, and remote creative work (it could be a great mobile workshop).The Spanish brand describes it beautifully as a home that brings off-shore navigation to mainland. This is because the Penates format combines off-grid capabilities with a type of configuration thats inspired by ship layouts. Vessels that spend a lot of time at sea obviously need to make the most of the available space on board, and Serena House used a similar efficient space optimization.As soon as you enter Freya, you are welcomed by a rustic kitchen. Its very compact, but fitted with a sink, a two-burner cooktop, and a fridge. On the opposite side, youll discover a very tiny, but practical, multi-functional corner. A wall-mounted desk and a rustic stool, sitting in front of a window, are enough to turn this corner into an office, a breakfast spot, or just a simple relaxation area for more privacy.The kitchen countertop stands out right away because the ladder that leads to the loft bedroom is placed right on top of it. While this is definitely not your typical tiny house ladder, it does save a lot of space. The bedroom itself is spacious and airy, including a comfortable double bed, a generous cabinet, and discreet lighting.The bathroom is placed next to the kitchen, and its surprisingly well-equipped for a small, rustic house. This includes a large shower, an eco-friendly toilet, a stylish contrasting sink, and even a cute, wall-mounted washing machine.Going past the kitchen, youll be surprised to find a generous storage space thats rarely included in tiny houses. An XL dressing room is a rare luxury, especially when theres no modular furniture involved. The Freyja sacrifices the typical living room layout for abundant, easily-accessible storage.But this doesnt mean that it ditches the living room altogether. A couple of wide stairs connect it to a very unusual relaxation area, on a suspended platform. Of course, the space itself is versatile enough to be transformed in different ways, depending on the customers needs. But it can also work as a quirky living area, with one or two light chairs and a tiny coffee table.Designed to be entirely autonomous, Freyja is equipped with gas heating, a solar power system, plus a system for rainwater collection and filtration. It runs entirely on clean electricity, and its also built sustainably, using plenty of wood and ecological materials for insulation. Breathable walls and the use of ecological paint also make this tiny eco-friendly and more sustainable.Tiny and self-sufficient, Freyja is ready for adventure. Its built on a road-compliant, 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs) custom trailer, and its light enough to travel safely.As for the price, the Penates format starts at 39,961 ($43,700) for the empty shell and 72,000 ($78,600) for the turnkey version. Freyja may not be luxurious or fancy style-wise, but it stays true to the essence of off-grid tiny living. Photo: Skoda Photo: Skoda Photo: Skoda At first glance, putting a traffic light on the front of a moving car would seem counterintuitive, superfluous, redundant, useless, or plain nonsensical. After all, the various rules, regulations, and laws worldwide unanimously agree that cars stop, pedestrians cross the street, and vice versa, but both obey one regulating mechanism the traffic lights.Red means Stop, and green means Go that's the whole philosophy of it, and it has worked flawlessly since its invention. However, Skoda tackles a new traffic paradigm: autonomous cars. Also, the system tested by Skoda is not addressed to the general public but to the more exposed spectrum of pedestrians: children, seniors, and disabled.The Human Machine-Interface (HMI) consists of a grille-mounted LED panel that displays simple and concise symbols that are easily understandable, highly visible, and familiar. Play the first video for a demonstrative display of this traffic-regulating proposal.The concept is relatively straightforward: a self-driving car with no driver behind the wheel could detect when people want to cross the street. The car will then stop, and the LED screen will show a sequence of green arrows and a figure of a person walking.Skoda appeals to currently-used reference points , such as the color of the light (green, also found on all traffic lights, conveys the right of way) or the shape of the symbols the arrow is also easily recognizable.On the other hand, if the car computes that it cannot stop within a safe distance, a red-light warning triangle is displayed, alerting passers-by that it is unsafe to engage in crossing the street.Skoda tested this system on an Enyaq iV model (in a contained and controlled environment) using eye-motion-tracking goggles to analyze participants' focus times and points. The results indicated that the front grille is the most appropriate zone to install the HMI display.However innovative it may be, this passive safety mechanism still in its beta-testing phase is far from finding real-life practical applications on automobiles for two main reasons. The first and most impeding is the lack of a legislator framework to standardize all the various aspects involved.For example, civilian cars are not allowed to have any sort of colored lighting on the front and back other than those homologated for production. Green and especially red are therefore forbidden as of now. Other less apparent aspects also lack a judicial structure, like the minimum size for such a display, the brightness and refresh rate of the LED symbols, or the symbols' shapes.Installing the LED panel on the front grille is a second, less evident obstacle. While it wouldn't be a problem for EVs, it would obstruct the air intake for combustion engines. That's a far-fetched assumption, though, based on the presumption that future automobiles will continue to use piston power (and have autonomous capabilities simultaneously).Aside from the car-adorning traffic lights, Skoda is testing another pedestrian aid a robotic rover called IPA2X (see it in action in the second video). Also "designed to help children, seniors and people with disabilities cross the road safely," the seven-foot-tall (2.1 meters) gadget is a mobile intelligent traffic light.It positions itself in the middle of a zebra and then shines a green light for pedestrians and a red one for cars. Equipped with LiDAR sensors, it can scan above parked cars, monitoring the street to decide if it is safe to intervene in traffic.Additionally, it can communicate with an automobile's infotainment system and warn the driver about a change in traffic. After the foot walkers are safely on the other side of the road, the robot returns to the curb. Morris Garage was famous for its roadsters from the 1930s until its bankruptcy in April 2005. It had the T-Type Midget, the MGA, MGB, RV8, and finally, the MG F and MG TF, which saw MG go bankrupt. Now in the hands of SAIC, the once-British brand will soon reveal its latest roadster. Called Cyberster, it tries to remind us of its classic siblings, but you have to check its weight before deciding whether it really relates to an MGB or any of the historic MG roadsters. 19 photos Photo: SAIC/MIIT EV SUV Electric vehicles are a money pit for traditional carmakers, all selling EVs at a loss. Ford, the only carmaker that breaks down the financials for itsdivision Model E, lost more than $2 billion in 2022 and expects a $2 billion loss this year. It's hard to know how much money Volkswagen is losing on its EV business. It's likely to be less, considering the scale of Volkswagen Group operations compared to Ford.In a recent interview with Automotive News, Volkswagen brand's CEO Thomas Schaefer claimed that its upcoming affordable EV , the ID.2, should be profitable at the 25,000/$27,500 price. Not only that, but he expects at least a 6% profit margin on the model, a very bold statement. "We cannot have margins below 6 percent," Schaefer told Automotive News.To achieve this, Volkswagen Group will sell four vehicles, two from the Volkswagen brand, one from Cupra, and one from Skoda. Volkswagen's second model based on the ID.2 will be a crossover, followed by a Skodaand the Cupra Urban Rebel subcompact. The ID.2 would be the cheapest, while the rest will sell for more money.Volkswagen will build all four EVs in Spain, with the ID.2 and the Cupra Urban Rebel coming from the plant in Martorell. The Volkswagen crossover and Skoda SUV will be assembled in Pamplona starting in the second half of 2025. Both factories would need to be converted to produce electric vehicles by then. Volkswagen will source the batteries from its new battery plant in Sagunto, near Valencia, although this factory will only come online in 2026.Asked about the volumes, Schaefer boasted that Volkswagen doesn't make cars below 100,000 units per year, although this wasn't always true. The planned production is around 150,000 units for either factory, which can go as high as 300,000 per year. Volkswagen CEO said that battery production would be the limiting factor, although batteries can also come from other factories in Salzgitter and its supplier Northvolt.Volkswagen's battery-cell subsidiary PowerCo will produce the Unified cells, scaled across all models. The Unified cells are prismatic, and Volkswagen CEO thinks they will become the industry's standard. That is hard to believe, considering that Tesla, the dominant EV maker, favors round cells. Other carmakers are following Tesla, so Volkswagen would need to beat Tesla before its batteries would become the industry standard. Schaefer says that the Unified cells give his company a real cost advantage. However, he also believes that "getting a car below 25,000 euros that has no compromises with safety and range is literally impossible at the moment."Volkswagen is working on an even cheaper EV in the sub-20,000-euro ($22,000) segment. The smaller model will arrive around 2026-2027 and not use the MEB Entry platform. Volkswagen will develop an even cheaper in-house architecture and rely on extreme scale and a downsized battery to reach that price point. Volkswagen and Skoda jointly develop the new model. Lee Jung-geun, a former deputy secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in this Sept. 30, 2022 file photo. Newsis A former deputy secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was sentenced to four years and six months in prison Wednesday on charges of receiving more than 1 billion won ($754,660) in bribes and illegal political funds from a businessman. Lee Jung-geun, the former deputy secretary general, was charged with pocketing 940 million won worth of money and luxury goods from a businessperson, surnamed Park, between December 2019 and January last year in exchange for promises to lobby government officials and public institutions for business favors. She was also accused of taking illegal political funds from Park in early 2020 while a parliamentary election was under way. The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday also ordered a forfeiture of 980 million won and five luxury goods from Lee, delivering the prison sentence. The sentence was heavier than the three-year prison term prosecutors had sought for Lee. (Yonhap) 12 April 2023 19:00 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more Russias invasion of Ukraine continuing for over a year now has not only had devastating consequences with thousands of military and civilian deaths and millions of refugees but also created new realities in the region, turning around the tables. Thus, in light of the new settings in the region, Armenia has taken a closer seat to its Western "allies", or so it wanted to present. A Dublin-based EU Reporter media outlet carries an anonymous article on the topic of the Russia-Armenia-Iran alliance and its role in the Russian-Ukrainian war. To cite the publication, "Armenia serves as a major hub to supply sanctioned (including military) goods that support Russian aggression in Ukraine and provides the direct connection between Iran and Russia". Besides, the author notes that the trade turnover between Iran and Armenia has increased largely against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Apparently, a significant chunk of this increase is due to the use of Armenian territory as a transshipment point for the transfer of sanctioned goods, weapons, and drones from Iran to Russia. In response to these claims, Ukrainian military expert Vadim Tryukhan told Azernews in a comment that although there isnt any evidence proving the role of Armenia in the military support of Russia on the battlefield or by ammunition supply, Iran, on the other part, has played its role in the war. "Iran has made a decision many months ago to support Russia by supplying drones, so-called "Shaheds" of several modifications. And the Ukrainian army is forced to pay certain attention to the threatening of those drones, which are launched by Russia and with Iranian origin," the expert stated. The expert also underlined that Armenia is trying to distance itself from Russia after the start of the invasion, noting that there are several examples when Armenian officials made decisions to reject the conduction of military exercises on its territory. However, although Armenia does attempt to appear distant from Russia with the reemerged support from Iran and France, it still serves as one of the main distributors of sanctioned goods not only from Iran but also from the West. Besides, the pro-Russian protests on the streets of Yerevan demonstrate Armenias double strategy of trying to get two birds stoned at once. Similarly, the article touches upon the mutual support between Iran and Armenia, noting the visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's wife Anna Hakobyan to Tehran amidst the spiraling human rights crisis. In fact, Russia was not the only one using Iranian-made drones in its war. Armenia itself has confirmed that Iran had delivered attack drones and donated missiles to Armenians. Moreover, some sources report that Armenian forces allegedly used Iran-made drones in yesterday's border clashes with the Azerbaijani military. To recap, while playing the double game between Russia and the West, Yerevan does hold Iran as a particularly close ally. -- Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 10:28 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA), met with Seongsu Kim, the CEO of the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) for the CIS countries, Azernews reports, citing the agency. According to the information received from SMBDA, the head of KOTRAs Azerbaijan Office Kyekwon Jo participated at the meeting, as well. The meeting discussed the potential cooperation opportunities, and joint initiatives to support the development of local SMEs. Orkhan Mammadov gave detailed information on the SMBDA's activities and support mechanisms. The Chairman of SMBDA also posted a tweet and noted that he was pleased to receive the Korean Delegation led by Seongsu Kim. The Chairman noted that they discussed the expansion of potential cooperation opportunities, and promoting trade initiatives among the SMEs of Azerbaijan and Korea. Pleased to meet today with delegation headed by Mr. Seongsu Kim, KOTRA @iloveKOTRA CIS Director General at #KOBIA. Exchanged views on prospects for expansion of potential #cooperation opportunities, promoting trade initiatives among #SMEs of Azerbaijan and Korea. pic.twitter.com/bKYSfa49FA Orkhan Mammadov (@MammadovOrkh) April 11, 2023 We should note that South Korea is one of the important trade partners of Azerbaijan in the Far East. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and South Korea amounted to $269m in 2022. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 17:55 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov is paying a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with President Ilham Aliyevs instruction, Azernews reports, citing a tweet by the Minister. During the official visit, Minister Mikayil Jabbarov had several meetings with the officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina. First up, the Economy Minister was received by the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo. Mikayil Jabbarov noted the parties highlighted the growth dynamics of the economic relation between Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina and touched on the prospects of potential cooperation. Also, the meeting discussed the favorable environment created for foreign investments in Azerbaijan. In accordance with the instruction of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (@azpresident), we are on a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the meeting with Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo pic.twitter.com/V4eoOqp1wA Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) April 12, 2023 According to Ministers tweet, later Mikayil Jabbarov met with Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Stasa Kosarac. At the meeting the parties stressed the importance of expanding economic cooperation between two countries, and increasing mutual investments and intensifying direct contacts between the business circles. In accordance with the instruction of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (@azpresident), we are on a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the meeting with Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Stasa Kosarac pic.twitter.com/2TLxEf2MBI Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) April 12, 2023 The third meeting was held with the Prime Minister of the Bosnia and Herzegovinian Federation Fadil Novalic. The meeting discussed the prospects for the development of bilateral economic relations between two countries. In accordance with the instruction of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (@azpresident), we are on a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the meeting with Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Fadil Novalic, we have discussed the pic.twitter.com/d8jGQTzPNA Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) April 12, 2023 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 11:36 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more Police have seized different munitions abandoned by Armenians in Fuzuli, Azernews reports per the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the ministry's report, five machine guns, five assault rifles, one grenade launcher, one Fagot ATGM, one sniper rifle, one hand grenade, 3,968 rounds of various calibers and other munitions have been found and handed over to relevant structures. To recap, some 24 anti-personnel mines, 74 anti-tank mines, and 298 unexploded ordnances have been detected and neutralized in Azerbaijani districts in the past week. Armenia planted land mines in Azerbaijani territory, not only during the 30-year-long occupation but also just days before abandoning the Azerbaijani lands, as envisaged in the trilateral declaration to cause human casualties. Civilians and military personnel are frequently maimed or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated regions. Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation. --- Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 13:55 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Recently, the Armenian media has been discussing the planned meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, the capital of the United States of America in the second half of May. Also, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has initiated the meeting looks remarkably vigorous in his actions and in his approach to negotiation process. Besides, not only the West but Europe also seemed to be more interested to get looped in on the ongoing processes. President of the European Council Charles Michel recently had several phone conversations with Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev regarding the relations between the two countries and the status of the negotiation process. The leaking reports also show that European Union officials are very zealous about holding the Azerbaijan-Armenia summit in Brussels in the coming weeks. Regarding the issue, political analyst, Sector head at the Social Research Center Ilyas Huseynov noted that there is a war going on in the diplomatic field in the region. The US and EU intention of being fully involved in processes is quite tangible. This looks like a war in the diplomatic arena, which is in particular, about mediation and moderation. We have witnessed this war between the European Union and Russia for the past three years. We also observe that the USA is behind the EU, the pundit said in a comment to Azernews. In a number of cases, the USA, as a geopolitical actor, presents its mediation opportunities to the parties, and the last time a meeting was held between the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, within the framework of the Munich Security Conference, he added. Huseynov pointed out that the news about the meeting planned to be held in Washington with the mediation of the United States is regarded as a blow to Russia's positions in the South Caucasus. Russia's interests and presence in the South Caucasus are permanent and have strong leverage. According to the pundit, Russia's 200-year-old imperial interests in the South Caucasus can be cited as the reason for this. Despite the Russian-Ukrainian war, the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the South Caucasus and the military base No. 102 in Gyumri implies Russia's military participation in the region. Another important issue is that if the 102nd base leaves Armenia, NATO's expansion to the east may become more intense. As it is known, Finland became a NATO member against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and important negotiations regarding Sweden are being carried out. Turkiye's rightful demands should also be taken into account here. However, today Russia's borders with NATO are being observed on a wider scale. That is why, in order to reduce Russia's influence in the South Caucasus, the United States intends to join the settlement process here, the expert opined. Touching on the provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces in the Lachin District yesterday, the political analyst did not rule out the possibility of a connection between these two incidents. Military provocation took place in the direction of Lachin district after the information about the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the second half of May in Washington was released. I think there is some connection between this provocation and the news, he said. Ilyas Huseynov added that Armenia intends to gain time for itself by manoeuvring between various geopolitical centers, prolonging the deadline, and evading responsibility. During the past three years, all commitments are observed as unfulfilled by Armenia. On a practical level, however, no significant progress is visible. In Prague and Sochi, Azerbaijan's territorial integrity sovereignty was officially recognized by Armenia. The parties expressed their commitment to the UN Charter and the Alma-Ata Declaration. Later, we see that Armenia acted with territorial claims against Azerbaijan as well as attempting to illegally transport mines and ammunition into Azerbaijani territory, the pundit added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 14:15 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more Azerbaijani Ombudswoman Sabina Aliyeva appealed to the world community to take a decisive position to end Armenias military provocations and restore peace, Azernews reports, citing Ombudsman's Office. The appeal drew attention that on April 11, the Armenian armed forces units once again committed a provocation that broke peace and security in the region by launching intensive fires from their positions located in the direction of the Digh settlement in Gorus District at the opposite positions of the Azerbaijan Army located in the direction of the Lachin District. The human rights commissioner noted that the fatal provocation is still ongoing. "Despite repeated calls and statements addressed to the world community regarding Armenia's cessation of military provocations in order to ensure peace and tranquility in the region, the continuation of these provocations once again proves that Armenia is not interested in the peace process and has not given up its aggressive intentions," the statement stressed. Moreover, the appeal highlighted that Armenia is hindering the peace process in the region by seriously violating the norms and principles of international law and international humanitarian law. It is of note that according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, on April 11, at about 16:20, units of the Armenian armed forces from positions in the direction of the settlement of Digh, Gorus region, shelled positions of the Azerbaijan Army in Lachin District. Then the enemy continued to shell Azerbaijani positions using mortars and large-caliber weapons. As a result of the shelling, three Azerbaijani servicemen were martyred and several others wounded. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 15:20 (UTC+04:00) Sabina Mammadli Read more The Armenian provocation of April 11 was preplanned, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said. The official made the remarks during a joint press conference with his North Macedonian counterpart, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Buyar Osmani, who is currently on an official visit to Baku. Talking about the provocation, Bayramov called on Armenia to avoid such irresponsible and dangerous steps, as the consequences can be very serious as it was yesterday. Besides, the minister noted that Lachin residents are planning to return to the district in 2023. The mine threat and similar measures are aimed at preventing their return. If Armenia's provocations continue, our response will be very heavy for them. It was put forward by Azerbaijan that the peace process has no alternative, Bayramov reminded. The minister also pointed out that Armenia's attempts to interfere in the normalization process are unacceptable, noting that Azerbaijan has repeatedly called on the Armenian side to return to the negotiating table. "Negotiations will continue. The Azerbaijani side proposed to hold a meeting in Baku. However, Armenia's interference in the process of reintegration of the Armenian population into Azerbaijani society is unacceptable," the official added. The official emphasized that face-to-face meetings have not been held since December as a result of Armenia's destructive approach. In turn, the North Macedonian minister expressed his support for the initiatives, which promote dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, his goal at the moment is to strengthen and deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan to promote peace and security. "The OSCE reaffirms its desire to build trust between the member countries of the organization and should continue to work to build relations and establish an atmosphere of trust. I spoke with the minister about how exactly Baku can contribute to this process," Osmani said. Besides, he called for the continuation of direct contact between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to normalize relations between the countries. I received information about yesterday's incident as soon as I arrived. I conveyed my condolences in connection with the victims. Unfortunately, such incidents can lead to further escalation," Osmani commented. OSCE chair stresses importance of Azerbaijan's role in the organisation Talking about the bilateral ties, the Azerbaijani FM underlined that from the first days of joining the OSCE, Azerbaijan has been an active participant in it and remains committed to the principles of the organization. Furthermore, the official noted that the priorities of the OSCE coincide with the goals and priorities of Azerbaijan, including such as combating climate change, gender equality, etc. Similarly, Osmani stated that Azerbaijan plays an important role in the OSCE. Besides, during the conference, it was announced that the foreign ministries of Azerbaijan and North Macedonia plan to hold political consultations. Prior to the press conference, the two ministers held a tete-a-tete meeting and a meeting in an extended format. "The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia held a meeting in an expanded format and exchanged views on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the OSCE," the Azerbaijani foreign ministry tweeted. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 16:27 (UTC+04:00) On April 12, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Azernews reports citing The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The Foreign Ministry noted that during the telephone conversation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed his condolences regarding the death of Azerbaijani servicemen as a result of Armenian provocations on April 11. Turkish Foreign Minister emphasized that Turkiye stands with Azerbaijan. During the telephone conversation, the parties discussed the bilateral and multilateral cooperation issues between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, as well as the current regional situation. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 16:50 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Following yesterday the firing the Azerbaijan Army positions in the direction of Lachin, there was another deliberate provocation by Armenia. The presence of a corps commander in a position of no strategic importance clearly showed that the provocation was under the direct control of the military leadership of Armenia. Statements made by the Armenian side in order to justify themselves were contradictory. This showed that they were trying to come up with a more or less understandable answer, and the unexpected results were confusing, and as a result, their plans were completely ruined. Armenia, relying on the presence of the EU mission in the country, hoped that with this attack it would be possible to show Azerbaijan as the culprit. However, it could not achieve its malicious ambitions and now it tries to find some excuses to its provocation. Further, the Armenian side believes that the chaos and provocations they want to create in the region have been left out of the world's attention. For example, the Russian Telegram channel "Kremlin Laundress" writes that the quotes by the speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan completely contradicts what Armenia has done yesterday. "The EU mission will play a significant role in establishing peace in the region" - . Here the question arises: How..? The channel sarcastically writes that "on the border with Azerbaijan, clashes began after the Armenian armed forces "peacefully" fired on Azerbaijani servicemen". Making a perfect analysis the channel shed some light of Armenia's pre-planned act of provocation underlining name of Armen Gezaryan, commander of the special army corps, whose name appears in the list of the wounded from the Armenian side. "It is unlikely that the participation of a high-ranking officer in provocative activities could do without the sanction of the highest Armenian leadership in the person of Pashinyan and his direct subordinates. Especially, that the incumbent prime minister himself that day, by some unknown "accident", worked in the building of the Ministry of Defense, along with members of the General Staff and other representatives of the power bloc. And the Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan had a nice conversation with the NATO military in Brussels at the headquarters of the NATO High Command in Europe. Is that a coincidence? It is hard to believe...," the channel added. When we approach the issue from another aspect, it is reflected once again that Armenia caused this provocation on purpose. Because Armenia's shelling the Azerbaijan Army position took place amid the time when there were certain positive trends in the negotiation process, and there was even an issue on the agenda that the parties would be invited to Washington to continue negotiations. This shows that Armenia, as usual, is not interested in eliminating the problem, but in deepening it. Armenia's intentions did not come true, and the opposite side received its deserved response once again. The blood of our martyrs did not remain on the ground, the Armenian army suffered more losses. All responsibility for this incident falls on the military and political leadership of Armenia. The Armenian authorities should understand that it would be better for both the Armenian state and the Armenian people if they come to terms with the current realities and continue working on a peace agreement, rather than hoping that they will achieve their goals by gaining the support of various forces, rather than continuing the path of successive provocations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun speaks during a video conference with commanding departments from across the country at the agency's headquarters in western Seoul's Seodaemun District, Wednesday, to tackle drug crimes. The meeting took place after a recent extortion scam where high school students were duped into drinking drug-laced beverages distributed in southern Seoul. Yonhap 12 April 2023 17:25 (UTC+04:00) Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev received Seyed Abbas Mousavi, the Ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing a tweet by the Ambassador. The tweet reads that following the constructive negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Iran, he had a candid and constructive talk with Hikmet Hajiyev. The Ambassador hoped that the final outcome of the process that has started will be in favor of the interests of both countries and the region. Following the constructive negotiations btw the FMs of the &, I also had a candid & constructive talk with @HikmetHajiyev asst. to the @presidentaz. I hope that the final outcome of the process that has started will be in favor of the interests of both countries & the region. pic.twitter.com/JQ46JONQbw Seyed Abbas Mousavi (@SAMOUSAVI9) April 12, 2023 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more According to operational data for January-March 2023, gas production in Azerbaijan increased by 3.4 percent amounting to 12.2 bcm, Azernews reports citing Azerbaijans Energy Ministry. Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. 12 April 2023 10:48 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more In the first quarter of 2023, the volume of oil production in Azerbaijan, including condensate, decreased by 7.8 percent and amounted to 7.7 million tons, Azernews reports citing Azerbaijani Energy Ministry. The breakdown of oil production is as the following: Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli accounted for 4.7 million tons while Shah Deniz for 1.1 million tons (condensate) and SOCAR for to 1.9 million tons (including condensate). However, according to the Energy Ministry, the export of oil increased by 0.3 million tons, totaling 6.4 million tons. Out of this consortium accounts for 5.8 million tons, SOCAR for 576 thousand tons. Since its commissioning till 1 April 2023, more than 613 million tons of oil (including condensate) were extracted from Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz. 572 million tons of oil were extracted from ACG, while 41 million tons condensate from Shah Deniz. Out of this, 611 million tons were transported for export until 1 April 2023. During January - March 2023, oil refining in the country amounted to 1.7 million tons. The oil refinery has been 140 thousand tons more in comparison with the relevant period of the previous year. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 09:34 (UTC+04:00) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday he would invite his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to Brazil, speaking on the eve of his departure the Asian country in a bid to tighten relations between the two countries. "I am going to invite Xi Jinping to come to Brazil, for a bilateral meeting, to get to know Brazil, to show him the projects that we have of interest for Chinese investment," he said in an interview to state-owned broadcasting company EBC, adding he is planning to "consolidate" the relationship with China. The trip to China comes little more than two months after Lula met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, as Brasilia aims for a pragmatic foreign policy balancing ties with its top trading partners despite growing tensions between the two. "What we want is for the Chinese to make investments to generate new jobs and generate new productive assets in Brazil," Lula added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 April 2023 12:33 (UTC+04:00) 'The most important thing is to remain calm' with Iran, Special Envoy Elchin Amirbayov tells i24NEWS, an Israeli-based news television. Azerbaijans Special Envoy Elchin Amirbayov, advisor to the countrys vice president, hailed the opening of a new embassy in Tel Aviv in an interview with journalist Christian Malard. First of all, Israel is a very important strategic partner for Azerbaijan, he said. It is a friend of Azerbaijan. I think the decision to open an embassy reflects the results of the evolution in our relations over decades. While Israeli-Azeri relations are improving, Amirbayov stressed the importance of diplomacy with Iran, the Jewish states main adversary in the Middle East. For us, it is important that Iran, which is an important neighbor in terms of size and history, remains a good neighbor, he said. Some 20 to 30 million Iranians are of Azeri origins, Amirbayov noted, making decent relations between Baku and Tehran of utmost importance despite differing outlooks. The most important thing is to remain calm, to provide stability in the region, he said. Regarding the situation in his country following the 2020 Second Karabakh War, in which Baku took back swathes of territory taken by Armenian separatists in the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, he said that Azerbaijan wants to rebuild and rehabilitate all the occupied territories. Peace, he said, depends on the will of both countries, adding that there is no alternative to peace. Amirbayev denied claims that some 120,000 Armenians are being pressured to return to Armenia from territory captured by Azerbaijan, noting that he did not think there were so many Armenians in the region. There is no blockade right now, he said, noting 5,000 cars, trucks and different vehicles are bringing humanitarian aid to the Karabakh region. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Contributing columnist Jose Gaspar is a news anchor/reporter for Telemundo Bakersfield and KGET. Email him at elcompa29@gmail.com. The views expressed here are his own. The two photos show Yoo Sang-won, left, 50, and Hwang Eun-hee, 48, who are suspected of masterminding the recent kidnapping and murder of a woman in southern Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Police on Wednesday revealed the identities and photos of a couple suspected of orchestrating a recent kidnapping and murder of a woman from southern Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency identified the two suspects as Yoo Sang-won, 50, and Hwang Eun-hee, 48. The husband, Yoo, and his wife, Hwang, were arrested by Seoul's Suseo Police Station on Saturday and Monday, respectively, on charges of aiding and abetting a robbery and murder. A committee under the agency made the decision, citing the gravity and viciousness of their crime, as well as the sufficient evidence secured from their accomplices. Under criminal law, law enforcement can release the identities of suspects in heinous crimes for public safety. The couple, who are in a common-law relationship, are believed to have hired Lee Kyeong-woo, 35, to kill a 48-year-old woman with whom they had a dispute over a failed cryptocurrency investment. Under Lee's directive, two other suspects allegedly kidnapped the woman in Seoul on March 29, and killed and buried her in the central city of Daejeon the next day. The trio were arrested on April 3 and sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on April 9 for further investigation and indictment. A police investigation revealed Lee proposed the murder to the couple, who subsequently paid Lee a total of 70 million won ($53,673) since September last year to carry out the murder. Yoo also met with Lee twice after the incident and accessed the victim's cryptocurrency account, according to police. The couple denied the charges. Police plan to transfer them to the prosecution Thursday. The couple, Kim and the victim were among co-investors in a cryptocurrency in 2020-21. After the digital currency fell sharply in February 2021, Lee, the victim and other investors believed Hwang had manipulated the token's price. They extorted 190 million won worth of cryptocurrency coins from her. Lee and the victim were investigated by police for blackmailing Hwang, though only Lee was transferred to the prosecution for further investigation. Lee and the Yoo couple reconciled, but the latter and the victim had since been involved in civil suits over the investment. (Yonhap) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Jeju Air, Korea's leading low-cost carrier, said Wednesday it will resume the Incheon-Qingdao route later this month after three years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeju Air plans to provide flights to Qingdao on a daily basis starting April 30, while expanding flights from Incheon to Weihai and Yantai beginning April 23, the company said in a statement. "The company will gradually resume more pandemic-suspended routes to China, depending on market demands," the statement said. The budget carrier used to operate 45 B737-800NG chartered planes on 87 routes, including six domestic routes, before the pandemic. The numbers of routes and planes have fallen to 35 and 37, respectively. In 2022, Jeju Air's net losses narrowed to 172.42 billion won from 272.28 billion won a year earlier as eased COVID-19 restrictions unleashed pent-up travel demand. This year, it aims to turn around after posting net losses for four consecutive years through 2022. Korea and China have recently agreed to increase flights on their routes to pre-pandemic levels. Seoul and Beijing have the right to provide 608 flights a week on routes to each other's country, and they used to offer a combined 1,100 weekly flights before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the airline industry three years ago, according to the transport ministry. Korean carriers used to offer 450 to 470 flights a week on their routes to China before the pandemic. The flights to China accounted for one-fourth of their international flights. Local carriers are increasing the number of flights on routes to Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Yanji and other cities in China. Their flight resumptions come as South Korea lifted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test requirement on March 1 for travelers from China after their arrival here and the pre-arrival test requirement on March 10. Assistant director Lacee Thomason, left, and director Riley Yates rehearse a scene from SCOUTS with members of the 5th Street Players. (ECU photo by Rhett Butler) This post appears here courtesy of ECU News Services . The author of this post is Kristen Martin A common piece of writing advice is to write what you know. East Carolina University alumna Caitlyn Leach '18 did just that when she created the concept foran original musical about gender, inclusivity and Mothman that is premiering this summer off-Broadway.she said.takes place in the 1980s, a nod to the '80s movies that Leach and her writing partner, ECU alumnus Talen Piner '18, both enjoy. While working on her undergraduate degree in musical theatre, Leach became friends with Piner, a fellow Honors College student and theatre major. During the early days of the pandemic when all performing arts were shut down, Leach and Piner were looking for ways to remain creative.Leach said.This need to pivot, and Miranda's book, made Leach turn to Scouts. In addition to the '80s, Leach and Piner are passionate about gender, gender stereotypes and subverting those stereotypes.Leach said.A West Virginian legend, the Mothman was a beast that could fly with a humanoid shape and was linked to the Silver Bridge collapse in 1967. Leach put all of her ideas, characters and, of course, the Mothman into a Google doc and sent it to Piner, who created the original score and orchestration for the musical.Leach said.The main premise of the musical is two troops - brother and sister Scouts - are fighting to win the troop of the year title when one of the scoutmasters goes missing while trying to find Mothman. One of the sister Scouts named Alex, who doesn't fit in with the other feminine sister Scouts, decides to prove they can be a brother Scout by finding the scoutmaster. Alex's best friend rallies both troops to find both the scoutmaster and Alex before the Mothman strikes.Bringing 'SCOUTS' to GreenvilleAfter receiving the call thatwould be off-Broadway, Leach and Piner began thinking of ways they could connect back with ECU. The result was the creation of a fundraiser showcase that would feature some numbers from SCOUTS and be a celebration of new work.Leach said.The showcase will take place this Sunday, April 2, at 3 p.m. with ticket prices ranging from $40 for general population and $15 for ECU students. Funds will support the technical aspects ofincluding lighting, sound, costumes and more.said Todd Fraley, interim dean of the Honors College.Since it wasn't feasible to bring the entire cast ofto ECU, Leach and Piner sought the help of the 5th Street Players, an organization for students in the School of Theatre and Dance.Leach said.Honors College student Reagan Blackburn is the producing artistic director of the 5th Street Players. She first heard aboutthrough Instagram and friends of friends but thought that would be the extent of her involvement, until she received an email from Jayme Host, the director of the School of Theatre and Dance, looking to connect students with Leach and Piner for the fundraiser showcase.said Blackburn, a theatre arts and communication double major.The experience has been eye-opening and inspirational for Blackburn. She, along with director Riley Yates, assistant director Lacee Thomason and music director Will Wakeford, have gotten a glimpse at a potential life path after graduating with a degree in theatre arts.Blackburn said.Leach noted that working with the current students has been exciting, and they have brought a lot of new ideas to the work. Fueling that creative spirit is important to her since it can help bring an infusion of new ideas and talent into the theater world.she said.Tickets for the New York, New Work ECU showcase can be purchased on the ECU ticketing website. More information about "SCOUTS" can be found on the musical's website. While many other European countries are expanding nuclear power, the dogmatic Greens and Social Democrats in Germany are now shuttering all remaining nuclear power plants, one of the cheapest and most reliable parts of their power mix, along with coal. This is based purely on the political dogma of the Green Party, now shared by their coalition partner, the Social Democrats and is in spite of the threats to the power grid and power costs. Final closure of the nuclear plants will come at the end of this week. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/all-german-nuclear-reactors-to-cease-production/ https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/energy-chief-slams-germany-for-nuclear-shutdown/ Since Angela Merkel first initiated Germany's Energie Wende (Energy Transition) to wind and solar, power prices in Germany have skyrocketed, causing some industries to move our of the country. Residential power prices have soared to over three times what North Carolinians pay and they keep rising. At the same time, months long "wind droughts" have several times left Germany's power grid on the verge of collapse, which was only kept humming by importing nuclear power from France and coal power from Poland. The German grid will now no longer have the cheap and dependable nuclear power to rely on. This comes as countries around Germany are expanding their nuclear power plants. France approved last year a major expanstion of its nuclear power network, with nuclear already being the main source of electricity in France. That is a big reason that France has some of the lowest electricity rates in Europe. To the east of Germany, Poland entered into contracts last year with three different companies to build its first three nuclear power plants. The Netherlands is also moving to expand nuclear power, as is the new conservative government in Finland which intends to make nuclear its major source of electricity and the Conservative government in the UK. Unfortunately, our climate alarmist leaders in North Carolina, both Democrat governor Roy Cooper, and RINO legislative leaders Phil Berger and Tim Moore have committed North Carolina to Germany's path. North Carolina electricity monopoly Duke Energy, which is eaten up with ESG, wants solar and wind, not nuclear and not coal. Berger, Moore, and Cooper put through legislation last year, HB951, to let them do that and they are well on the way to wrecking our power suppy and making it a lot more costly. Their renewable energy fantasy has already seen our first, of what will be many, double digit electric rate hikes to promote NC's very own Energie Wende. Nuclear will not be part of the party. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Stark Museum of Art is hosting Any Way You Slice it, an exhibition featuring the varied work of young artists from across Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. The show features 100 pieces chosen from a record 812 entries from 29 campuses, Stark curator of education Jennifer Dickinson said. This is the ninth year the museum has held the juried show, featuring more than 1,000 artworks in that time. Dickinson said the show requires the artists to also submit an artists statement, which other shows for young people do not. Teachers tend to really appreciate the professionalism (and how) we handle their students work, she said. We're teaching those students hard professional skills, that if they pursue in the art world, they'll be prepared. And they're working in a format that's appropriate for their age and they'll be familiar with why you talk about your artwork. Dickinson said the original idea came from educational outreach about relating to an exhibition of works by artist and naturalist John J. Audubon. We were talking about Audubon's legacy, and I said if we want to talk about his legacy, we need to talk about how people continue to make animal art and document wildlife, and what better group of people to work with than our students, she said. The first year we did it, (the response) was just overwhelming, so it was very clear that was something that needed to continue. This years theme is "The Color Orange. Dickinson said she approached the teachers from school districts across Region V and from Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana and presented them with a series of classroom videos that talked about the theme, how to write the statement and the process of preparing work for an exhibition. The students submitted their work at the beginning of February. The museum matts and frames the selected works, which are chosen by a panel of the Stark Museum staff, and the work is returned matted. Entry is free. Clyde V. McKee, president of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation board, said it is part of the museums mission to nurture a love of art in young people. I think this juried art is really the best weve ever had, he said. The purpose of this juried art is to get to a forum for young artists in the area to showcase their work, and to inspire to push them to display their creative potential. The Signature Image Award was given to Catalina Canales, a fourth grader from Bridge City Intermediate School. The award recognizes the artwork that best reflected the theme. Dickinson said Canales is the youngest recipient of the award. Canales said her work was inspired by the 1963 song Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows: by Lesley Gore. Merit awards were given to Alyssa Puente from Bridge City Intermediate; Emily Grace Elliott from Sam Houston High School; and Sophie Hartman from Vincent Middle School. These were given for the high point scorers in the three divisions, 4th-5th grades, 6th-8th grades, and high school. Directors Choice Awards went to Nathan Martin from Beaumont United High School; Julia Bourgeois from Vidor High School; Landyn Boren from Bridge City Intermediate School; Casey Ellzey from Maplewood Elementary School; Lucy Payne from Groves Middle School; and Caroline Jackson from Groves Middle School. A playlist of songs chosen by 20 students also accompanies the exhibition. Any Way You Slice It is on display through May 13. The Stark Museum of Art is located at 712 Green Ave. in Orange. For more information, visit starkmuseum.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate More than five years after the tropical storm that shuttered it, Riverfront Park is on the road to restoration. Damaged caused by Tropical Storm Harvey eliminated Beaumont residents' ability to use the pavilion, picnic tables, benches, boat dock, walking path and amphitheater that made up Riverfront Park. "It's been a place where the citizens of Beaumont have gathered to watch Fourth of July fireworks, fish or simply enjoy life along the river," city of Beaumont's Director of Public Works and Technology Services Bart Bartkowiak said. "The park was severely damaged during Tropical Storm Harvey in 2017, and closed pending repairs." However, the park is now expected to be restored and "put the park back substantially the way it was prior to Harvey" by September 2024, according Bartkowiak. On Tuesday, city officials were joined by community members and others to officially breaking ground on the restoration project. "This is a day that we've waited for (for) a very, very long time," Mayor Robin Mouton said. "I would like to say, when council unanimously approved the vote to move forward with Riverfront Park, restoration seemed, in our goal, that we were all on the same page to build back better. We have a lot of great ideas of what we want Beaumont's riverfront to be and we are working together as a council with city leaders on a strategic plan for our future." RELATED: Beaumont's Riverfront Park restoration set to begin The city in January awarded a contract for the restoration work to Callan Marine, Ltd., to be largely funded by a nearly $47.3 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Beaumont Communications Director Lauren Monitz previously told The Enterprise. FEMA dollars will cover 90% of the project, while 7.5% will come from the Texas Department of Emergency Management. The remaining 2.5% will come from a city bond issued in 2010. Bartkowiak said a majority of the initial restoration work will be focused on dredging and demolishing landslide and marine items. "They're going to dredge a lot," Bartkowiak said. "A lot of what they're going to do at first you won't necessarily see a whole lot because they're pulling material out from under the water, from the banks. Then they'll pull the debris from the concrete and things that fell in. At a certain point they'll start driving sheet pile on the banks and that's when you'll you'll probably notice and hear the work and progress." City Engineer Amalia Villarreal said that work is meant to stabilize the shore to avoid additional erosion. RELATED: Photos: Riverfront Park hit hard by Harvey Although the goal is to restore the park, the loss of up to 70 feet of shoreline means the city doesn't have room to replace the amphitheater currently at the bottom of the Neches River, Villareal said. However, the city plans to restore the sidewalks, lights, benches, pavilions, picnic tables and a boat dock that make up the park. "It'll probably look substantially the same until almost the end and then at the end they'll do the pretty stuff -- concrete sidewalks, benches lighting and that'll all probably go fairly quick," Bartkowiak said. Callan received a notice in March that the work can proceed, with 550 calendar days allotted for completion. The company moved onto the park's site the last week of March and began gathering necessary equipment. The notice to proceed said construction could begin April 6, Bartkowiak said. RELATED: Beaumont council gives timeline for Riverfront Park stabilization CEO and Managing Partner of Callan Marine John Sullivan spoke during the celebration and said the company is excited to help Beaumont with restoring the park. "We have rigs showing up next week and of course we'll start some demo, the cranes will show up next week and the week following, so you should start seeing a lot of good progress," Sullivan said. "We hope it's a good, safe project the city can enjoy for a long time." Mouton said the restoration of the park will be a new stepping stone for revitalizing downtown Beaumont. "It means a new beginning for downtown," Mouton said. "Downtown has been but I think with the revitalization of this, the restoration of riverfront park, all of the new things that are happening, we're gonna keep moving forward to building a better Beaumont." Sometimes you step out of the box to garner attention. In this case, a man stepped out of the figurative box and into a hole. Since my freshman year of high school, I've wanted one thing: to be a reporter. I spent all four years of high school and four years of college working toward that goal and one year ago Tuesday, I became the full-time education reporter for The Beaumont Enterprise. For those of you who don't know, I began an internship with The Enterprise in May 2021 and then proceeded to work part-time as the education reporter in fall 2021 as I completed my journalism degree at Lamar University. So, to be truthful, Jan. 3 doesn't mark my real first year anniversary with The Enterprise. But it was the first time I got to be a reporter without also being a student, a distinction which matters to me. RELATED: MALICK: Same old place, brand new adventures In the last 12 months, I've written a lot and I've learned a lot. I spent New Year's Day this year surrounded by nature lovers at Sea Rim State Park in Sabine Pass on assignment and at one point during the mile-long hike we all took along the beach, I stood and looked out at the fogged-over Gulf of Mexico and I couldn't help but shed a tear -- a thankful one. There are pros and cons to every job and while some days it can feel like the cons outweigh the pros, I will never regret the decision I made to become a journalist. Throughout the past year, I've been able to write about things I never imagined I would have, meet people I probably never would have met and gained an appreciation and admiration for Southeast Texas that I don't know I would have otherwise. RELATED: The mess Harvey made: Looking back at Central, Ozen high schools I'm a homegrown girl -- Beaumont born-and-raised. If you've ever met me, I doubt I've managed to say five things to you without mentioning that. And that's because it means a lot to me to be able to tell people that I am the epitome of a local reporter. I care about what I write about because it effects my life, my family's life. The same locations that carry memories for many of you that read our paper carry memories for me, too. The same school district and local university that I report on is the one that I myself graduated from. My identity is intertwined with Beaumont and Southeast Texas, for better or for worse. The articles I write aren't just for views or to appease some far away corporation. I write what I do because journalists are record-keepers. We record what goes on in the community on a daily basis so that one day, people can look back and see what we were doing, the decisions that were made. The industry around journalism, local journalism in particular, has changed. But the mission has not. RELATED: How one school district is trying to prevent the decline of rural Texas Every day reminds me why I do this job, whether it's seeing local schools reopen after being severely damaged by hurricanes or just letting people know the newest business coming to town, all of it matters and it all serves as a record of history. Our history. So, in reflection of this past year, I want to thank all of you who read what I write and have been kind enough to share it, email me about it or tell me about it in person. You'll never know how much I appreciate it. Please continue to reach out to me -- always feel free to send me an email about stories you think we should be covering. Also, whether it's me or another one of our reporters, we appreciate a nice comment if you feel compelled to do so. I want to thank every person, school district, organization or other agency that has been willing to talk with me, whether the conversation was light-hearted or serious. RELATED: 20 years in the making: How the nation's largest coastal restoration project came to be I even want to thank the people who might not like what I write so much. You, too, remind me why I do this. But mostly, I want to thank The Enterprise for believing in me and Southeast Texas. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Southeast Texas, I'm in this for the long-haul. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announces reinforced measures to tackle school bullying at the government complex in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Lee Hae-rin Students with records of committing school bullying will face penalties in the university admissions process, while victims' consent will become mandatory in order to clear records of perpetrators' crimes, the government announced, Wednesday. Victims will also be better protected and receive more support when recovering with the help of school violence prevention and support centers, which will consist of school police officers, legal experts and psychological counselors. The government held a meeting with the school violence prevention committee, which is presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Wednesday, and passed a set of comprehensive plans to tackle bullying. The measures come as prosecutor-turned-lawyer Chung Sun-sin, who was named the new chief of the National Office of Investigation stepped down a day after his appointment on Feb. 24. Chung was attacked by controversial reports that stated that his son, currently attending Seoul National University, bullied his peers in high school in 2017. The Netflix hit series "The Glory" also raised public consensus on enforced punishment of school violence perpetrators. According to the new measures, schools will retain the records of school bullies for an extended period of four years after offenders graduate, allowing universities to take bullying records into account during the admissions process, starting next year. Since February, the education ministry has required all schools to retain bullying records for two years after perpetrators graduate in order to enhance safety in classrooms. In the past, the bullying records of students could be removed after graduation. Previously, universities only took school bullying records into account for rolling admissions, which assess students based on records and grades. However, its weighting on the test-based regular admission system was criticized for being insignificant. Thus, the government will recommend universities voluntarily and more heavily weigh applicants' school violence records in their admission process next year and require universities to reflect student records in all entrance types from the year after. Also, victims will be granted more safety in classrooms by being immediately separated from offenders for an extended period of seven days. In the past, in identified cases of school violence, victims and perpetrators were separated for three days, which was criticized as being ineffective, especially if the separation period started on Friday and ended over the weekend. Also, school principals will be able to suspend perpetrators or separate them from victims by moving them to a different class upon the victim's request. The measures will also reinforce follow-up support measures for victims. In 2022, Korea saw 62,052 cases of school violence across the country, which is a 68.8 percent jump from 2019's figure of 42,706. The city of Port Arthur has newly-named street in town, directly in front of City Hall, with a name officially commemorating its 125 years as an incorporated city. Quasquicentennial Way, was unveiled Tuesday at the intersection of Austin Avenue and Fourth Street directly across from the front door of City Hall. Ive been rather anxious about trying to get the signs unveiled. Were so very proud to have this physical marker of our 125th anniversary as we invite people around the country to come celebrate with us, Albert Thigpen, the Quasquicentennial Steering Committee Co-Chair, said. Port Arthur is still a major global impact on the petrochemical and industrial arena, as well as other areas of commerce. RELATED: Port Arthur launches website in recognition of city's 125th anniversary During Tuesday's Port Arthur City Council meeting, members and patrons walked from the council chambers on the fifth floor, out the front door of City Hall and directly across the street to the intersection. Surrounding the two intersecting street signs, city councilors pulled down the black drape to see the new name. Ten signs bearing the name Quasquicentennial Way will now stretch along 4th Street, symbolically preserving the citys history. The committee also recently unveiled its new website highlighting the citys 125 years of existence. RELATED: Port Arthur celebrating its 125th anniversary It will be here many years beyond our lifetime, so it will be a reflection on the celebration of what took place here in 2023. Its kind of the springboard for those future celebrations, said Verna Rutherford, Quasquicentennial Steering Committee Chair. Its the rich history and the culture that weve been raised watching in our community And then theres the other component -- being mindful of what lies ahead as the city continues to develop. Oh my goodness, you dont have to do much in Port Arthur. Were right next to rail and the water, other businesses, the pipelines. We are just primed for industrial petrochemical and refining growth, said Pat Avery, President and CEO of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce. Weve got $80 billion-plus going to be spent on capital projects in not just Port Arthur, but also in Southeast Texas. Were booming. Local educational leaders are looking at home in Southeast Texas for solutions to a nationwide problem. Administrators from Vidor ISD, Lamar University and Lamar State College Orange met Tuesday to celebrate a co-enrollment partnership between the three entities that aims to ease the ongoing teacher shortage by providing local students an opportunity to become certified teachers without ever leaving the area. The partnership creates a pathway for paraprofessionals employed by Vidor ISD to earn an associate of arts in teaching degree from Lamar Orange before obtaining their bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies from Lamar University. The first cohort, comprised of six Vidor and Newton ISD teacher aides, began their first Lamar Orange courses in Fall 2022 and will take their first Lamar University co-enrolled course this summer, according to a news release. The idea was formulated last year from Vidor ISD's "Ready, Set, Teach!" class, aimed at preparing students for a career in education, district Superintendent Jay Killgo told The Enterprise Tuesday. RELATED: Region 5 partnership aims to help educators get college degrees "We began talking to (then-Vidor ISD students) more than a year ago about, 'Here's the possibility, we will hire you as (teacher) aides in the morning, and then we will find a location for you to take college classes without (traveling to the Lamar Orange) campus,'" he said. "(Lamar Orange) comes to us, which is a vital component." While working as teacher aides at Vidor's three elementary schools and middle school, the paraprofessionals take classes through Lamar Orange in the afternoon, without having to take classes on the campus. The students are able to earn money through employment at Vidor and Newton ISDs and also earn 12 credit hours in a semester toward their associate's degree, Killgo said. "We've got an education plan for each of them as they progress...they will complete their associate's at (Lamar Orange), move on to Lamar University (earn their bachelor's) and become teachers," he said. "Hopefully, the idea is they will become teachers at Vidor ISD. We create and cultivate an environment where they are part of our team, they're part of our family and return back to the classrooms and fill a void we've got." It's a void Vidor ISD -- and school districts across the nation -- know all too well. Right now, Vidor currently has eight to 12 teacher vacancies across all of its campuses with, a dozen more expected by the end of the school year due to resignations, retirements and other sources, district Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Travis Maines said. RELATED: Vidor school district prepares to open elementary 5 years after storm devastation While those numbers themselves aren't necessarily concerning or abnormal, Killgo said the district over the past five years has seen the number of applicants for teaching positions decrease by about half. "(Some of the open teaching positions) have been posted all year long," he said. "We have not been able to find a certified, degreed individual for those specific jobs." Whereas the district previously only saw a shortage in qualified applicants for certain subjects such as math and science, they now run across all levels, Killgo said. "We are feeling the shortage in areas where we used to have no problem," he said. "(At the elementary level), we're seeing those number of applicants cut in half. Some positions, it's getting late in the summer before we hire." While Vidor might be seeing fewer vacancies than surrounding districts, it's an issue almost every district is facing right now, making a partnership such as the one with Lamar University and Lamar Orange all that more pertinent. RELATED: See how Southeast Texas teacher salaries compare "We do a lot of research into benefits and compensation and I feel that's helped us," Killgo said. "We try to cultivate a positive atmosphere for our staff...but it's a battle to find teachers." Enrollment in the program also nets the students a guaranteed interview for teaching positions within the district, Killgo said. For students in the program, it's an opportunity to get their foot in the door and have an early start, said student Brooklyn Buschelle. "It makes college a lot cheaper since you're not having to drive everywhere," student Aaron Wright said. "You don't have to worry about housing since they're bringing the college to you. It (makes the transition easier) from high school to college, it makes it a lot smoother." The opportunity has been eye opening, particularly for Wright, who said in high school he took welding courses, not expecting to be a teacher. The same goes for student Taryn Marks, who was originally pursuing a cosmetology certification. RELATED: 16 area teachers to be honored with $10K Reaud Award "I was on the drill team. So, I taught people before, but that was people my age," Marks said. "When you go from (teaching) 18-year olds to five-year olds, it's a little different." The four students representing the cohort -- Buschelle, Wright, Marks and student Natalie Smith -- all said they intend to seek employment in Vidor ISD or surrounding districts after obtaining their bachelor's degrees. The entities are hoping that this partnership doesn't end with just Vidor. "We would love to be able to do this for all our school districts because I am convinced that by growing your own students, they know your school, they know the culture of the school, they're able to bring so much more to it," Lamar State College Orange President Tom Johnson said. "We're going to them and saying, 'We will help you become a teacher right in your local school district.' It's also just the right thing to do." A Virginia jury has awarded a $2.23 million malpractice verdict against Mechanicsville, Va.-based Bon Secours Surgical Specialists, Bon Secours DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, Va., and a former Bon Secours surgeon for medical negligence leading to the death of a patient in 2018. Patient Robyn Stead, 58, died from multiple organ failure due to septic shock after a procedure at DePaul Hospital. Ms. Stead, a former nurse at DePaul Hospital, was seen by a surgeon from Surgical Specialists after developing abdominal pain. The surgeon recommended a colon resection surgery to remove part of her colon. Her initial surgery was described as uneventful, but four days later Ms. Stead's blood test revealed a spike in white blood cells, indicating she was fighting a new infection. Five days after the procedure, her levels reached nine times the normal range. Surgeons did not initiate an antibiotic order or order an abdominal CT scan, according to an April 10 press release from the law firm representing Ms. Stead's family. A CT scan would have shown that Ms. Stead's intestinal area had a leak that spread to the abdominal cavity and right thigh, the news release said. Surgeons allegedly took more than 40 hours to identify sepsis, and four days after enduring several post-operative surgeries, she died due to the effects of fast-spreading septic shock. Prior to the trial, the surgeon admitted that the intestinal leak caused the sepsis, but she and her colleague denied negligent responsibility and denied a delay in medical care. After five days of testimony and five hours of deliberation, the jury found that two treating physicians from Bon Secours Surgical Specialists breached the standard of medical care. Matt Kraemer, administrator of Northern Arizona Healthcare in Flagstaff, is Becker's ASC Administrator of the Week. Mr. Kraemer has connected with Becker's to discuss why he is wary of consolidation trends in healthcare, the strategy behind his practice's leadership model and why navigating the needs of patients, providers and payers is critical to success. When asked how his ASC remains competitive, Mr. Kraemer shared a few of his practice's secrets. "In order to remain competitive in the marketplace, our center focuses on meeting the needs of the patient, the provider and the payer. We understand that the value equation for each of these key stakeholders are different but aligned at the same time. "Our patients demand seamless, consistent and economical experience for their care. This requires hardwired processes built around reducing waste and driving out costs, as well as our interactions with them and their families. We achieve this through competitive pricing through accountable care organization participation, seamless communication from the pre-admissions team to the discharge nurses and, ultimately, a great experience with friendly interactions. "Similarly, our providers are looking for a facility to complete their cases where they can rely on a consistent and highly trained team to ensure there are no surprises, and they are able to get clean and efficient operating rooms operations with on-time starts, fast room turnover and block times when they need it." He is also a licensed physical therapist and has more than 18 years of experience in healthcare leadership roles, according to his LinkedIn page. Arlington, Va.-based Anderson Orthopedic Clinic, which is backed by management services organization M2 Orthopedics, is opening an orthopedic ASC in Oxon Hill, Md. The new ASC will be at the Harborside Surgery Center, which has been certified by Medicare and is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, according to an April 12 news release from Anderson Orthopedic. The facility recently completed Maryland's first Velys robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery in an ASC setting. Nearly 60 percent of U.S. surgeries are now performed in an ASC setting, the release said. The new orthopedic ASC will feature valet parking, waiting rooms, private rooms for overnight stays and improve physician amenities. Pennsylvania lawmakers decried the lack of dental benefits under the state's Medicaid program during a recent hearing, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported April 12. Gov. Josh Shapiros proposed $19 billion budget for the Department of Human Services includes an eight percent increase for Medicaid dental fees. During an April 11 hearing on the proposed budget, lawmakers questioned the effectiveness of fraud prevention in the states Medicaid program and noted the lack of a specific number for increased funding. Acting Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh, MD, said the state had a fully funded dental program for lower-income residents that was discontinued in 2011. She said it would cost about $170 million to reinstate it. Rep. Jordan Harris said it is unfair for patients to receive extractions for teeth that could be saved if they could afford it. Rep. Emily Kinkead noted that the number of dentists per 100,000 residents is declining and that the state is on the lower end for dentist salaries and reimbursement rates. She also spoke of the anguish in patients' voices in voicemails seeking help from a dentist, calling the situation "absolutely tragic." Eligible Penn Medicine Lancaster (Pa.) General Health employees will receive 4 percent pay increases, lancasteronline.com reported April 12. The announcement comes about two weeks after LG Health eliminated fewer than 65 jobs, or less than 1 percent of its workforce. "Eligible" employees will receive the 4 percent increase effective May 28, according to an April 11 email employees shared with lancasteronline.com. The email stated that the increase would be applied to base salaries. LG Health and its parent organization, Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine, did not respond to questions from lancasteronline.com about the announcement, including how many employees qualify for the increase or what would define their eligibility. LG Health announced the layoffs March 29. According to lancasteronline.com, the layoffs included 18 behavioral intervention managers and coordinators, and the health system eliminated its overnight behavioral intervention shift. Spokesperson John Lines told Becker's in March that laid-off workers would receive help finding other jobs within LG Health and outside the organization. He also said those leaving LG Health would be provided with severance and continuation of benefits based on length of service. Meanwhile, Penn Medicine separately announced it would eliminate administrative positions as part of a reorganization plan to save the health system $40 million annually. According to lancasteronline.com, Kevin Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, told LG Health employees: "Amid the unprecedented economic challenges in our field, we continue investing in our team. The ability to provide this [4 percent] increase is a testament to the incredible contributions of the UPHS workforce." LG Health has about 9,700 employees. Rushville, Ill.-based Culbertson Memorial Hospital has fully restored its IT systems after a cyberattack forced the hospital to go offline, The Record reported April 11. A spokesperson for the hospital told the publication that all systems were restored on April 11, but said it could not comment on the nature of the attack as it is still working to determine what happened. According to the spokesperson, more information about the scope of the attack would be released to Culbertson Memorial Hospital's Facebook page. But, as of April 12, the hospital has not detailed if the attack compromised any patient information from its systems. On April 7, the hospital posted to Facebook about the incident, and said that it was consulting with a third-party forensic team to investigate it further. VillageMD, which is majority owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance, has expanded into Colorado with three new primary care practices in the state. VillageMD now has two primary care practices in Fort Collins and a third in Longmont, according to an April 12 press release from Walgreens. The expansion, according to the company, will bring 70 new full-time jobs to the state, and will directly employ 30 physicians, nurse practitioners and medical assistants. Dayton (Ohio) Children's is adding biometric authentication company BIO-key's PortalGuard IDaaS platform as it moves from its Epic Systems' Hyperspace application to a new browser-based Hyperdrive application. The PortalGuard tool integrates directly into Epic and has 17 authentication factor choices. The new tool aims to secure Dayton Children's clinicians sign-in to Epic, according to an April 11 BIO-key news release. "Many of BIO-key's hospital customers use Epic, and most are already in Hyperdrive migration engagements with our technical team," Mark Cochran, president of BIO-key PortalGuard, said in the release. "BIO-key's unique identity-bound biometric capabilities have become a strong competitive advantage for us in healthcare because they create a long-lasting, personalized biometric authentication experience users prefer and are independent of phones, workstations, or tokens." China-Europe freight trains see surge in Q1 2023 People's Daily Online) 15:51, April 12, 2023 The China-Europe freight train service has witnessed a booming development and significant improvement across the board since the beginning of 2023. During the first quarter of 2023, China-Europe freight trains made a total of 4,186 trips and transported 449,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers, up 15 percent and 28 percent, respectively, from the same period last year, according to data released by the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) on April 10. This aerial photo taken on Sept. 10, 2022 shows China-Europe freight trains at the Alataw Pass, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Chen Qian) Last month, China-Europe freight trains made 1,488 trips and transported 162,000 TEU containers of cargo which represented year-on-year increases of 31 percent and 52 percent, respectively, which showed that the monthly number of China-Europe freight train trips had exceeded 1,000 for the 35th consecutive month since May 2020. The burgeoning development of the service is attributed to its increasingly dense service network and upgraded services, as well as the sound economic recovery across the country. Since the beginning of the year, many cities in various parts of the country have launched their China-Europe freight train service, while new stations have been added to the existing routes of China-Europe freight trains. On Jan. 22, the first China-Europe freight train service from Xinxiang city, central China's Henan Province to Fangchenggang city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region began its journey with 70 TEUs of containers loaded with 855 tonnes of cargo. After arriving in Fangchenggang, the cargo, which included auto parts, mechanical equipment, and recreational facilities, were transported to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries by sea. The opening of the new route, which followed similar services from Xinxiang to Hamburg, Germany, Liege in Belgium, and Hanoi in Vietnam, marked the realization of collaboration among multiple railway lines in all directions for China-Europe freight train services launched by Xinxiang. Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, added three new routes to its China-Europe freight train services this year. The city now has 44 stable cross-border China-Europe freight train routes covering 109 cities in 40 Eurasian countries. Rail-sea intermodal transport has ushered in new possibilities for the development of China-Europe freight trains. On March 21, a cargo vessel from the port of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam arrived in Haitian Wharf, Xiamen city, southeast China's Fujian Province. After whisking through customs transit procedures, the cargo carried by the vessel was transported from Xiamen to Almaty in Kazakhstan by the China-Europe freight train service. "Rail-sea intermodal transport enables cargo to be transported to their destination within only 20 days, which is 45 days shorter compared to the time it would have taken if the goods were transported all the way by sea. Rail-sea intermodal transport has become the best logistics choice for the transportation of cargo from Southeast Asia to Central Asia," said an executive from the Zhangzhou train depot of China Railway Nanchang Bureau Group Co., Ltd. Continuous upgrading of infrastructure and service capacity has increased the efficiency of China-Europe freight trains. On Feb. 3, Quanzhou city, Fujian Province changed the starting station of its China-Europe freight trains to Huangtang railway station, shortening the distance of the railway route by 213 kilometers and transport time by two days. Xi'an Guojigang Railway Station in Xi'an city, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, increased its loading and unloading capacity by 30 percent after expanding its capacity three times. Zhengzhoubei Railway Station in Zhengzhou city, capital of Henan Province, has made continuous efforts to optimize China-Europe freight train marshaling, and has given priority to these trains in such links as receiving, examination, and dispatching to ensure that the trains depart on time. In Wuhan, faster customs clearance benefited from the sharing of logistics data between customs and railway departments has reduced the time needed for customs clearance by one to two days for China-Europe freight trains. Sound economic recovery has also contributed to the fast development of China-Europe freight trains in China. Since China's new-energy vehicle (NEV) industry is flourishing, NEVs have become a new growth point for China-Europe freight trains in many cities across the country. "We have rolled out a transport model for auto exports, which, combined with the advantages of China-Europe freight trains, including high efficiency, fast transfer, and the fact that they can directly go inland, has made the China-Europe freight train service a new choice of Chinese automakers like Geely and BYD to explore overseas markets," said an executive of the Xi'an Guojigang Railway Station. China Railway Zhengzhou Bureau Group Co., Ltd. provides a customized transportation plan to customers based on the types of vehicles to be transported, according to an executive of the group. Each container can carry up to four vehicles, significantly reducing the comprehensive logistics costs for auto export companies, the executive said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday designated Gangneung as a special disaster zone after the eastern coastal city was ravaged by a massive wildfire the previous day, his office said. The designation makes Gangneung, 168 kilometers east of Seoul, eligible for the government's financial support in recovery work, relief funds for victims and other benefits. Yoon instructed acting Interior Minister Han Chang-seob to make every effort to help recovery work and enable residents to quickly return to their everyday lives, according to his spokesperson Lee Do-woon. The government plans to survey the extent of the damage, determine the amount of financial assistance needed and swiftly provide the aid, Lee said. The blaze left one person dead and 16 others injured or suffering from smoke inhalation, according to officials. It also forced 649 people to evacuate and burned down 379 hectares of woodland amid the combination of strong winds and dry weather. (Yonhap) Healthcare leaders in California warned more hospitals in the state will be forced to close or significantly reduce services without immediate financial relief from the state legislature. The California Hospital Association held a press call April 12 with the group's CEO and leaders from three hospitals in response to a new Kaufman Hall report that details the "staggering" financial blows hospitals have faced since the start of the pandemic. One in 5 California hospitals are at risk of closure, according to the report. In 2022, total expenses for California hospitals were $23.4 billion higher than prepandemic levels and outpaced increases in revenue. After federal COVID-19 relief, the state's hospitals still lost more than $20 billion in the last three years, Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association, said during the call. More than half of the state's 400 hospitals also lose money each day, Ms. Coyle said. One of the largest financial challenges for many hospitals is dependence on state and federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, which don't reimburse providers nearly as much as commercial insurers. "The healthcare math no longer adds up," she said. "Every single day that passes without action is a day that more and more hospitals in the state are taking the next step toward the edge of their survivability and toward the edge of access to care for their communities." MLK Community Hospital in southern Los Angeles began losing money in 2021 and is now tapping reserves and borrowing money to cover costs. The small hospital has been running between 20 percent and 50 percent above capacity, which reflects the unmet demands for basic care in the communities it serves, according to CEO Elaine Batchlor, MD. "Providers can't afford to practice in our community," she said. "The result is our community lacks access to doctors so our hospital is taking care of patients with very basic untreated medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney disease." Service cuts are looming for MLK Community Hospital. Sans financial support, it might have to close its wound center and end labor and delivery services, Dr. Batchlor said. "The impact on our patients when we need to begin reducing services and cutting back is going to be devastating," she said. Donna Hefner, BSN, RN, president and CEO of Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville, and Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health, echoed those same challenges and concerns. Sierra View Medical Center provides acute and outpatient services to a community of 62,000 residents and a greater area that spans 115,000 residents. Eighty percent of its patient revenue comes from government payers, according to Ms. Hefner. That's the same proportion of patients who were publicly covered at Madera Community Hospital, which closed its doors at the end of December. Ms. Maysent of UCSD described the pressures hospitals in Imperial County are facing, including El Centro Regional Medical Center. UCSD announced it would assume full operational, clinical and financial management to try and stabilize the hospitals' finances in February, but it's become clear that under "no scenario" is there enough leverage for the hospital to remain sustainable on its own. "This is just one scenario where hospitals are within two, three, four months of running out of cash, and they're going to close without some kind of major intervention," she said. With Madera's closure, the county's 160,000 residents face at least a half-hour drive to hospitals in neighboring Fresno County, which have struggled to keep up with the influx of patients. Some 50 miles south of Fresno in Visalia, Kaweah Health Medical Center is another hospital on the verge of closure. In March, its CEO, Gary Herbst, warned it "will not continue to exist" without outside financial support. While the CHA has asked Gov. Gavin Newsom for $1.5 billion to be distributed to the most financially burdened facilities, it's not the long-term fix, healthcare leaders said. "Expenses are simply outpacing those government payments. The only sustainable fix here is an increase in those reimbursement rates," Ms. Coyle said. Gardner, Ma.-based Heywood Hospital will close its pulmonary unit in mid-April due to financial reasons, The Gardner News reported April 11. The hospital is closing its outpatient pulmonary clinic but will continue to perform sleep tests and pulmonary function testing in the hospital. In 2022, the clinic saw 1,700 patients. "Pulmonary was not an area we can afford to continue providing service," Dawn Casavant, vice president of external affairs at the hospital, told Gardner News. "Consolidation (of other services) is something we are looking at." Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers said the FDA should ignore the Texas ruling that looks to rescind the agency's approval of an abortion pill, The Hill reported April 11. On April 7, a federal judge in Texas ordered a preliminary injunction to suspend mifepristone, which was approved in 2000 alongside another drug to terminate a pregnancy. The judge said the ruling will take effect April 14; meanwhile, the FDA, the drugmaker and the Justice Department appeal the decision. Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace called on the FDA to disregard the ruling, according to The Hill. The agency has enforcement discretion, meaning it can choose to not apply regulations on manufacturers to ensure supply, such as allowing facilities that don't have authorization to make hand sanitizer at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The enforcement discretion is akin to a police officer opting to not penalize a jaywalker, a law expert told The Hill. The final outcome remains unclear: A federal judge in Washington ruled to keep mifepristone available, some states are stockpiling abortion pills, the Justice Department asked for a longer stay to allow the abortion pill to remain available during the legal case, and the issue is likely to head to the Supreme Court because of the conflicting federal rulings. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has recognized five clinicians with its 2023 Pioneering Spirit Awards and the Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career, the organization said April 11. A breakdown of the award recipients: Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, former president of the American Nurses Association, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for his contributions to the field of nursing and efforts to support nurses throughout the pandemic. Dallas Michelle Ducar, MSN, RN, APRN, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for her efforts to expand access to gender-affirming primary care, mental health services and community healthcare. Ms. Ducar is the founder and CEO of Transhealth, a health center in Massachusetts that treats transgender and gender-diverse patients. Brenda Pun, DNP, RN, and E. Wesley Ely, MD, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for their joint work over the past two decades to create evidence-based tools for clinicians to improve patients' recovery and outcomes after an intensive care unit stay. Dr. Ely serves as co-director of the Center for Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. Pun serves as the center's director of data quality. Therese Richmond, PhD, RN, received the 2023 Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career for her holistic approach to addressing traumatic injuries. Dr. Richmond is the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia. She also serves as its associate dean for research and innovation. AACN will present the awards to recipients during the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition May 22-24 in Philadelphia. If hospitals want to prevent Clostridium difficile infections, it's essential they adopt antimicrobial stewardship programs, according to updated guidance from five medical organizations. In 2014, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, The Joint Commission, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the American Hospital Association led efforts to publish a set of guidelines for hospitals to combat C. diff infections. The latest recommendations published April 12 in the Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology journal elevate the adoption of an antibiotic stewardship program to an "essential practice." "C. difficile is an urgent health threat, and hospitals need system-wide commitment to stop it," said Larry Kociolek, MD, lead author of the recommendations. "Because the use of antibiotics is strongly associated with C. difficile infections, antimicrobial stewardship an approach to making sure these drugs are prescribed and used appropriately is a strong first-line defense," Dr. Kociolek, vice president of system preparedness, prevention and response at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and member of SHEA, said in a statement. The evidence-based guidance also addresses how to assess the adequacy of room cleaning, as well as procedure recommendations for cleaning equipment and the environment of patients who are infected to prevent spread. More than half of U.S. News & World Report's top 15 research medical schools have boycotted its rankings in the past year. The publication released its top 15 medical schools for research on April 11, a preview of the full list to come April 18. Its methodology has been updated to prioritize outcomes for students reflecting several schools' objections that the rankings are reductive and hinder diversity measures by prioritizing prestige. Of the 15 schools named, at least nine including the top three contenders have withdrawn from the rankings, refusing to submit data for 2023. For these institutions, U.S. News used data from submitted statistical surveys in 2023, or 2022 if there was none. It also analyzed publicly available metrics from the National Institutes of Health. The publication also made an effort to focus the rankings on student experience by adding NIH Grant Awards as a measure of research quality; increasing the weight of faculty-to-student ratios; and reducing the weight of reputation surveys, MCAT and GPA scores. U.S. News previewed its law school rankings, which have been met with similar media and collegiate backlash, in an identical fashion. "We develop our education rankings with the purpose of empowering students with helpful information to make one of the most important and most expensive decisions of their lives," Eric Gertler, U.S. News' executive chairman and CEO, said in a news release. "We are releasing these previews now to share the top 14 schools in the two categories that have gotten the most attention in the media, which represent approximately 10 percent of their respective student populations. "We will release the complete graduate schools rankings on April 18, at which point we hope the attention will be focused on those schools that represent the remaining 90 percent of students seeking to make the best choice for their legal and/or medical education." Here are the top 15 medical schools for research, according to U.S. News: 1. Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore) 2. University of Pennsylvania-Perelman School (Philadelphia) 3. Harvard University (Boston) 4 (tie). University of California San Francisco 4 (tie). Washington University (St. Louis) 6. Columbia University (New York City) 7 (tie). Stanford (Calif.) University 7 (tie). Yale University (New Haven, Conn.) 9 (tie). Duke University (Durham, N.C.) 9 (tie). University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) 11. University of Pittsburgh 12. Northwestern University-Feinberg School (Chicago) 13. New York University-Grossman School 14 (tie). Cornell University-Weill Medical College (New York City) 14 (tie). Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (Rochester, Minn.) Detroit Medical Center failed to pay 13 employees for missed meal periods in contravention of federal law, the Labor Department found. The department has since recovered $46,864 in back wages and damages to the 13 workers. Detroit Medical Center, whose parent company VHS of Michigan is owned by Dallas-based Tenet Health, automatically deducted meal periods from the employees' paid time, failing to make adjustments when they worked during meal periods. "This case should remind all employers to verify and validate [employees'] hours worked and to not rely solely on automated payroll systems," Timolin Mitchell, wage and hour district director, said in an April 11 statement. Tenet Health employs more than 100,000 workers at approximately 600 locations nationwide, according to the release. Detroit Medical Center had not responded to a request for comment by time of publication. Healthcare workers at NYC Health + Hospitals have received $580,000 in grants to help them pay off student debt. The grants are on the condition the workers pledge three years of service to the health system. The money focuses on behavioral health staff at the 11-hospital system, which provides about 60 percent of New York City's behavioral health services, the system said in a release shared with Becker's. Each of the 16 grants were worth between $30,000 and $50,000 per employee. The money was made possible through an anonymous $1 million donation, meaning that a further $420,000 is available for additional grants. Applications are open until May 1 for those. Early-career psychiatrists have on average $190,000 of medical school debt, psychiatric nurse practitioners have on average $56,000 of debt, social workers have on average $68,000 of debt and psychologists have on average $80,000 of debt, NYC Health + Hospitals said. In today's rapidly aging workforce, healthcare leaders and policymakers must recognize the importance of retaining experienced employees. The retirement of baby boomers in large numbers has led to a significant shortage of skilled healthcare workers, making it crucial for healthcare administrators to invest in programs that promote employee well-being and occupational safety, particularly for seasoned employees who contribute significant organizational value. It is worth noting that about 1 in 4 healthcare employees are over 55 years old, with those aged 50-64 taking an average of 3.3 different prescription drugs daily. This number increases to 4.4 for those aged 65 and older. Many of these drugs are used to administer various chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and COPD, resulting in additional healthcare complications for this age group. Older employees are more likely to experience frequent illnesses and may need more time off from work, highlighting the need for a more flexible work schedule. Absenteeism represents a high cost to organizations, estimated to be around $2 billion for every chronic disease. Even if an employee does come to work, they may experience reduced productivity due to their symptoms. Nurses, in particular, serve as an example of a vulnerable employee population. The retirement of experienced nurses creates a generational and institutional knowledge gap, which is a significant concern for many healthcare leaders. Losing seasoned nurses not only affects productivity but also results in a loss of valuable guidance that they can provide to the organization. This situation can leave new nursing graduates without adequate mentorship, which may negatively impact overall patient care and increase hospital costs. Besides nurses, other healthcare occupations similarly deal with the brunt of an ever-aging workforce. Older physicians, social workers, pharmacists, and allied healthcare staff have experienced burnout, leading to early retirement. There should be a renewed focus on employee wellness programs (EWP), specifically targeting older employees. Access to EWP is positively correlated with the utilization of preventive health services. Johnson and Johnson demonstrated that after 4 years of tracking its employee participants, there was a $224.66 decrease in medical care cost per employee per year. Diving deeper, for every dollar invested into employee wellness, medical costs decrease by $3.27, and absenteeism costs fall by $2.73. Other recommendations may include the following: Disability-Friendly Workplace: Creating an accessible environment fosters a welcoming work environment. Research from Accenture demonstrated that organizations that support staff with disabilities outperformed competitors. Whether offering screen readers or assistive listening devices, demonstrating an inclusive atmosphere will encourage older workers to stay in the organization. Flexible Work Schedule: Giving autonomy to workers in how they construct their work means employees can better meet their personal life obligations. This can include offering part-time or reduced-hour schedules, job sharing, or telecommuting options. By doing this, healthcare administrators can retain older workers by empowering them to focus on work and personal matters. Menopause Policies at Work: The majority of healthcare systems do not have clear policies relating to menopause. About 87% of all nurses in America are female and will approach menopause around 45 to 55 years. Statistically, 10% of women are expected to leave the job, cut back on hours, or decline promotions due to menopausal symptoms. Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Hospital Trust in London created a virtual clinic for its healthcare workers to receive services for menopausal symptoms. It demonstrated positive results, in which 100% of the participants supported the innovative program. They gave the clinic an 8.6 out of 10 rating on usefulness. On-Site Exercise Programs: The healthcare systems may develop a curriculum tailored explicitly to elderly employees that include a re-iteration of injury prevention and safe lifting techniques in moving patients. This training could reduce the risk of ergonomic injuries like herniated discs that could cost the employee and the organization through absenteeism and short-term disability costs. Strengthening exercises can further protect this. Teaching Bonuses for Mentorship: Finally, we can leverage the experience of elderly staff members to provide teaching and mentoring activities to the new hires. It is well-documented that mentorship improves job performance and increases organizational commitment. Overall, the US healthcare system is facing a staffing issue, specifically after COVID-19. Healthcare leaders should have a sense of urgency to implement age-friendly policies at their workplaces. The time to act is now. Authors: George Hseeh, BA is an MD/MBA Dual Degree student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Business School. Soumitra S. Bhuyan, PhD, MPH is a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University and an Associate Professor at Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University Anupam Lahiri, FACHE, MBA, OTR, Healthcare Operations Executive William Hamilton, MD, performed the first outpatient knee replacement using the Velys robot in Maryland. Dr. Hamilton completed the procedure at the newly-opened Harborside Surgery Center in National Harbor, Md., according to an April 12 news release from Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic. The robot helps incrase precision in knee replacements and can help patients recover faster. Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic is based in Arlington, Va. and has additional locations in the Washington D.C. area. Rep. Lee Jae-myung, center, the chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a party meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul, April 12. Korea Times photo by Koh Yeong-gwon The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Wednesday blasted the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol for taking a submissive attitude toward the United States over suspicions that U.S. intelligence agencies eavesdropped on South Korea and other allies. According to reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post, a set of leaked Pentagon documents shared on social media revealed that U.S. intelligence services eavesdropped on conversations at the South Korean presidential office in early March regarding whether to provide weapons support to Ukraine. A day earlier, the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. agreed on the assessment that much of the information in the purported documents was fabricated, while Yoon's office rejected the eavesdropping allegations as "absurd and false." In Washington, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo also said that no circumstances have been found that indicate the U.S. eavesdropped on South Korea with "malicious intentions." Kim was in Washington to discuss preparations for Yoon's upcoming state visit to the U.S. "Are there bad intentions and good intentions in eavesdropping?" Park Jie-won, an adviser to the DPK and a former chief of the National Intelligence Service, said in a radio interview. "The act itself is illegal and bad." Rep. Jung Chung-rai said the government is trying to defend the U.S. "It's like someone who was slapped in the face saying he was not when the one who hit him says he did slap him in the face," Jung said. "Is the Yoon Suk Yeol administration a lawyer for the U.S.?" The lawmaker appeared to be referring to remarks by Chris Meagher, an assistant to the defense secretary, earlier this week that the photos of the purported Pentagon documents appear to be "similar in format to those used to provide daily updates to our senior leaders." "The presidential office said the eavesdropping allegation is an absurd lie. Then is it the U.S. defense ministry who is lying, or the presidential office?" DPK Rep. Park Chan-dae said in a party leadership meeting. The DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung said the party will push for legislative measures to strengthen the security of the presidential office and find out the truth of this case. "Incidents like the Seoul sky being infiltrated by a North Korean drone and the presidential office being exposed to tapping of foreign intelligence services should never happen again," Lee said, referring to the document leakage case and the penetration of the no-fly zone around the presidential office by a North Korean drone in December. (Yonhap) Pledging US support to unleash the economic potential of Northern Ireland, US President Joe Biden evoked his home state of Delaware today in his speech at Ulster University in Belfast. Simon Hamilton is chief executive of Belfast Chamber and a former DUP Economy and Finance Minister The scale of US investment in Belfast is a testimony to the success of the city, a leading business figure has said. Belfast has consistently ranked as the second-most popular UK destination, behind London, for investment from the United States. Latest figures show that around 3% of all US tradable services projects in the UK in recent years have been in Belfast, compared to 1.3% in Glasgow and 2% in Manchester. US software, IT and banking firms have become particularly prominent in the city. Firms like Citi, Allstate and Cognizant Technology have planted their feet in Belfast in recent years, creating thousands of jobs. Allstate's HQ in Belfast alone, which opened in 2018, represented a 30m investment, while Citi purchased the Gateway Offices building in the Titanic Quarter in 2019 for 34.3m. On the high street, in the last decade major US brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Starbucks have opened sites in the city. Investment in infrastructure and education, such as at Queen's University's Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), has seen a boom in US tech and cyber security companies coming to Belfast. Firms like Liberty IT, Aflac and CME Group have operations in Northern Ireland's capital. Such investment provides well-paid jobs, which in turn boosts the economy. These firms also support other businesses whose services they use. Compared to the rest of the UK, Belfast has significantly less labour costs, commercial rents and tax. The city was also the first in Europe to achieve 100% broadband coverage. Simon Hamilton is the chief executive of the Belfast Chamber. Belfast possesses many advantages which have proven to be consistently attractive to US investors including geographical proximity, legal and regulatory compatibility, a business-friendly environment and, above all else, a pipeline of exceptionally talented people, he said. That ability to recruit the talent that firms need, coupled with the world-class research that flows from the citys two universities, has helped Belfast build an international reputation in sectors like cyber security and financial technology and made Belfast a magnet for American companies. It is testimony to the success of our city that so many US firms reinvest beyond their initial plans and companies like Citi and Allstate have not only made Belfast their home but have expanded their footprint time and time again, employing thousands of people. Belfasts economic transformation owes a lot to US investment and Belfast Chamber is confident that our citys attractiveness to global investment will continue. Read more President Biden arrives with pledge of investment boost for Northern Ireland US President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland Looking at Northern Ireland as a whole in terms of US trade, latest figures for 2021 reveal the scale of UK-US imports and exports. In 2021 total NI imports from the US were 524m, some 7% of the country's total imports for the year. This made the US the third-largest country for NI imports. Some 909m was racked up in exports to the US, 12% of NI's total exports. This made the US the second-largest country for NI exports. Looking at the specific sectors, machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles and chemicals account for 91% of NI's imports from the US in 2021, up 2% from the previous year. These sectors also accounted for 87% of NI's exports to the USA in 2021. Alliance MLA John Blair calls for inter-agency taskforce to tackle issue A report found there are more than 150 active badger baiters currently operating in Northern Ireland More than 22,000 wildlife crimes have been recorded in Northern Ireland in recent years, according to staggering new figures. These crimes include offences like badger baiting and animal cruelty. In 2022 alone there were 5,443 of these crimes recorded and since the beginning of 2019 there have been 22,606. This works out at an average of 15-a-day. Other wildlife crimes include the illegal use of poisons and traps, and illegally trading in endangered species. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where hunting with dogs remains legal. Alliance MLA John Blair expressed his shock at the figures. These figures for reported wildlife crimes, counted in their thousands, are staggering and appear to justify calls by myself and Alliance colleagues for an inter-agency task force to tackle wildlife crime, he said. Concern caused by these published figures is compounded by the fact that PSNI recently confirmed to me that there are only three officers in Northern Ireland dedicated to wildlife crime duties. Although local policing teams will respond to reported wildlife crime, it is clear that a greater focused resource is required. Despite expressed reluctance, from police and [the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs], to pursue a dedicated task force, I will continue to press for this given the ongoing levels of these crimes. The PSNI has a Wildlife Crime Unit dedicated to tackling the problem. PSNI Superintendent Johnston McDowell is the service lead for rural and wildlife crime and oversees the unit. Supt McDowell said: We take all wildlife crime extremely seriously and are committed to equipping our officers with the skills, knowledge, support and guidance to appropriately deal with and investigate all instances of wildlife crime which are reported to police. We work extensively with a number of partner organisations to address the issue of badger baiting on an ongoing basis, and our officers can investigate and, if required, seek the advice, support and assistance from the Police Services wildlife office. The Police Service is a member of the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime in Northern Ireland (PAW NI) with other partners. PAW NI members work together to reduce wildlife crime by raising public awareness and promoting effective enforcement. The news comes following a report which found that there are more than 150 active badger baiters currently operating in Northern Ireland. Badger baiting involves sending small dogs down into badgers setts in the ground. When badgers are located, people dig down and pull the badger from its sett before it is killed by large dogs. The practice is illegal, but still happens frequently here. The report was compiled by the USPCA and it estimated that in excess of 2,000 badgers are illegally killed here each year, however only three people have been convicted of these offences since 2011. Many known badger baiting suspects have posted material on their social media accounts referencing hunting as a rural past time, the USPCA said. Some have commented that people supporting last years attempt to introduce legislation to ban or restrict hunting with dogs did not fully understand this way of life. US President Joe Biden poses for a selfie photograph after delivering a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023,(Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images US President Joe Biden expressed hopes for a return to power-sharing at Stormont as he praised 25 years of peace in Northern Ireland. In a landmark speech at Ulster University, he described how Belfast has transformed from the city he visited in 1991, saying it was an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. Days after the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Biden said that protecting the stability was an issue that united a divided America, adding that the exceptional peace should be the birthright of every child in Northern Ireland for all the days to come. He insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region and hailed the Windsor Framework as addressing the practical realities of Brexit. Biden calls for powersharing return to bring economic boost to Northern Ireland Amid a vast security operation, the presidential motorcade made its way through the city centre to the new 350m campus, where Mr Biden gave the keynote address of his brief visit to Northern Ireland. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, before holding brief talks with the leaders of the five main political parties. They were seated side by side in the 300-strong audience at Ulster University as Mr Biden described how the democratic institutions established through the 1998 peace deal remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make. But it seems to me theyre related, he said. An effective, devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them. A government that works to find ways through hard problems together is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So, I hope that the Assembly and the Executive will soon be restored thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens along with the institutions that facilitate North-South and East-West relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. Afterwards, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson described Mr Bidens remarks as measured, but he insisted they would not alter the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. Sir Jeffrey made clear his party would only be returning to power-sharing if the government took further steps to address his partys concerns over the post-Brexit trading arrangements. In his address at Ulster Universitys new campus, which opened last autumn, Mr Biden focused on links between peace and prosperity and how Northern Ireland has transformed in the post-agreement era. President Joe Biden at Ulster University in Belfast, April 12, 2023 (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images He recalled a visit to Belfast in 1991, describing how the city was divided and barricaded. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral, a cathedral of learning built of glass It just has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. Its an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace, he said. Mr Biden said the Good Friday Agreement had shifted the political gravity in our world. Peace was not inevitable. We cant ever forget that. There was nothing inevitable about it, he added. He said that supporting the people of Northern Ireland, protecting the peace and preserving the agreement is a priority for Democrats and Republicans alike in the United States. That is unusual today, because weve been very divided in our parties. This is something that brings Washington together. It brings America together, he said. Mr Biden said that the Belfast he returned to as president is the beating heart of Northern Ireland. Its poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity and investment from communities across the UK, across Ireland and across the United States, he added. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together. Peace and economic opportunity go together. US President Joe Biden delivers a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023, as part of a four day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland for the 25th anniversary commemorations of the "Good Friday Agreement". (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images In the 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Irelands gross domestic product has literally doubled. And I predict to you, if things continue to move in the right direction, it will more than triple. He also praised young people in Northern Ireland, saying they are on the cutting edge of sectors that are going to define so much of the future. The President said Brexit had created complex challenges for Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement are preserved and strengthened, he added. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed. And I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland significant investment in Northern Ireland. President Joe Biden disembarks from Air Force One upon arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase (Photo by WPA Pool - Charles McQuillan / Getty Images) Getty Images A special assistant to Joe Biden has hit back at claims from Dame Arlene Foster that the US President "hates the United Kingdom". Amanda Sloat, who is also the National Security Council's Deputy Director for Europe, was speaking during a media briefing prior to Mr Biden's visit to Ulster University. Former Stormont first minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster criticised Mr Biden ahead of his visit, accusing him, among other things, of being "pro-republican". She also referenced the US President previously being pictured with the late Rita O'Hare, who was previously on the run during the Troubles after being released on bail following her arrest for the attempted murder of a British Army officer in 1972. US President Joe Biden is not anti-British, White House insists In 2017 Mr Biden was pictured alongside Ms O'Hare and then Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams. "He hates the United Kingdom, there is no doubt about that. I just think that his visit won't put any pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party, quite the reverse actually, because he is seen by so many as pro-republican and pro-nationalist," Ms Foster told GB News. Her comments came after TUV leader Jim Allister branded Mr Biden anti-British and anti-unionist. Ms Sloat was asked about these comments during the media briefing. "I think the track record of the President shows that he is not anti-British," she said. "He has been very actively engaged throughout his career, dating back to when he was a senator, with the peace process in Northern Ireland and that has involved meeting with the leaders of all the political parties. "The UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies. It's difficult to think of an issue that we are not closely co-operating with the British on." Asked abut Ms Foster's allegation that the US President "hates the United Kingdom", Ms Sloat said: "It's simply untrue. The fact that the President will be engaging for the third time in three months, and will again next month and in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation with the UK is. "Before the President also had engagements with Prime Minister Johnson and Prime Minister Truss. President Biden is obviously a very proud Irish American and is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bi-lateral partnership with the UK." US President Joe Biden arrives at Dublin Airport during his trip to the island of Ireland (Damien Storan/PA) Damien Storan US president Joe Biden was shielded by umbrellas as he touched down at Dublin Airport ahead of his three-day stay in the Republic of Ireland. Air Force One landed at the Irish capitals airport on Wednesday afternoon in heavy rain and cold winds. Mr Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens, was greeted on the tarmac and shook hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar alongside other Irish dignitaries. 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 US president had been due to travel to Co Louth by helicopter, but the poor weather conditions forced him to go via motorcade. Mr Varadkar also greeted Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they alighted Air Force One. Umbrellas were held for Mr Biden as he greeted each Irish dignitary in turn, including ambassadors Geraldine Byrne Nason and Claire Cronin. Mr Biden spent only four minutes on the tarmac before being escorted to the US presidential state car. Before leaving the airport, the president met embassy staff and their children and thanked them for their service, as well as describing the Taoiseach as a good man, adding: I dont want to hurt his reputation politically, but, in addition to us being allies, were also friends. One child asked Mr Biden what the key to success was, to which he replied: The key to success is, whenever you disagree with someone, its OK to question their judgment on whether theyre right or wrong, but it is never OK to question their motive. If you question their motive, youll never agree, the president added. The president also praised firefighters, saying: Theres an expression: God made man, then he made a few firefighters, because who else is crazy enough to run into a fire? Mr Biden then joked: Everybody I grew up with either became a cop, a firefighter, or a priest. I couldnt qualify for any, so here I am. A child also asked him about his dog, Commander, to which he replied: My dog is doing well. Writing on Twitter after the meeting, Mr Varadkar said it was a real pleasure to greet Mr Biden, adding: Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth. Focus on rehab rather than banning and punishing addicts Korea had long been a drug-free country. Occasional violators were limited to some errant celebs and children of chaebol tycoons. Southeast Asian drug rings used this country as a safe stopover. That changed around a decade ago. The nation is now a significant consumer of marijuana, methamphetamines and MDMA (ecstasy). Still, last week's news came as a shock for most Koreans. In broad daylight, some high school students were duped into drinking drug-laced beverages on the main streets of southern Seoul. Later, their parents received phone calls demanding money and threats to report their children to the police for drug use. The police arrested four drug distributors while pursuing their mastermind, believed to be in China. Law enforcement officers must hunt them down and root out this new hybrid crime of drug spreading and voice phishing. It is unforgivable to entice students struggling with college entrance exams with drugged drinks disguised as enhancers of memory and concentration. Disgusting as the crime was, it would have been hard to imagine had it not been as easy to get drugs as now. People can buy philopon or hemp for only around 30,000 won ($23) with just a few clicks of a mouse. The police arrested 18,395 drug offenders last year, up 14 percent from 2021. More than 34 percent were under 30, compared to 16 percent in 2017. Teenage offenders nearly tripled to 294 from 104 in 2008. However, these figures are the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The police estimate the number of chronic drug users at about 550,000, which is over 1 percent of the total population and is incomparable to the drug-free standard of 20 per 100,000 people. The data shows that the rapid increase in younger offenders is worrying. Drug damage to the brain is seven times more severe in teens and the rate of repeat offenses reaches 40 percent. It is hard to stop the habit with an individual's willpower alone. The "tasting event" in the Gangnam area revealed two noticeable trends. One is the lowered age of offenders. The news of a drugged middle-school girl passing out in the street last month was a case in point. The other is the "hybrid crime" by combining drugs with other offenses like forced prostitution, extortion, murders and even arms smuggling. The recent kidnapping and murder of a woman in southern Seoul also involved drugs and crypto coins as a means of payment for something dishonest. All this shows the time has come for Korea to join the war on drugs. So, it is timely for the nation to launch an interagency investigation team of 840 officials from the prosecution, police and local administrations to fight increasing drug crimes. By ordering the formation of such an organization, President Yoon Suk Yeol at least showed his willingness to combat drug crimes. According to a meeting at the United Nations some years ago, however, major governments lost the first war on drugs of the past 40 years by resorting mainly to prohibiting and criminalizing drug uses. That also explains why experts stress shifting to treatment and rehabilitation. The same should be true in Korea, where there are only a few drug rehab centers, with the existing ones barely operating normally. It was encouraging that the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided recently to move this way by focusing on treating, protecting and helping addicts return to society. There are voices to restore the prosecution's investigation right for a more effective fight against drugs. However, it is not desirable to further strengthen the already potent prosecution under any pretext from the viewpoint of adequate checks and balances among power organs. If the reason is to combat drug abuse, Korea may consider setting up an independent agency like the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Koreans expect the prosecutor-led incumbent government to do well, at least in their specialized field, after bungling in economy and diplomacy. If they fail even in this, the people will wonder what this government is good at. Document being discarded in security breach during Biden visit worrying, says MLA Concerning that details of PSNI operation to protect Mr Biden found lying in street, MLA says PSNI officers at Ulster University's York Street campus during President Biden's visit: Picture by PressEye Allison Morris Belfast Telegraph Wed 12 Apr 2023 at 22:26 Four pipe bombs discovered in City Cemetery in Londonderry were 'viable' devices. Four pipe bombs discovered in Londonderry on Tuesday were viable devices, police have confirmed. The objects were recovered from inside the grounds of the City Cemetery in Creggan area of the city after violence erupted on Easter Monday. Rioting broke out in the city as the PSNI was engaged in its largest policing operation in 10 years to facilitate US President Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland. Derry City and Strabane Area Commander PSNI Chief Superintendent Nigel Goddard said the main line of enquiry is that the pipe bombs were made by the New IRA. He said police believe they would have been used to attack officers has he warned young people taking part in the illegal parade have been exploited. "We believe these would have been used to attack police, and cause injury to our officers," Mr Goddard said. "Our colleagues from Terrorism Investigation Unit are continuing with their enquiries into this. At this time, the main line of enquiry is these pipe bombs are attributable to the New IRA. "We urge anyone with information that may assist the investigation to call police or contact Crimestoppers, which can be done anonymously." "The number to call with information is 101, quoting reference number 428 of 11/04/23. A public safety operation got underway following the discovery of a sinister device in the graveyard just after 6.30am on Tuesday. Three further suspected pipe bombs were subsequently discovered within the cemetery grounds in the same area where clothes worn by participants of an un-notified republican parade were removed and burned under the cloak of umbrellas a day earlier. They were made safe before being taken away for further forensic examination. Police officers were attacked with petrol bombs, stones and bottles during the operation. No one was injured during the disturbance but two vehicles were damaged. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton previously warned that police had strong community intelligence suggesting there would be attempts to draw police into serious public disorder in Derry and use it as a platform to launch terrorist attacks on police. He described the discovery of four pipe bombs as a further sinister and worrying development. "The actions of those responsible are reprehensible and show a complete disregard and utter contempt for the community, Mr Singleton added. " These suspected pipe bombs were left in a cemetery a place where people lay loved ones to rest and visit to pay their respects. "That is absolutely shameful. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Sandra Duffy described the reckless action as deeply concerning and warned lives were put at risk. People are focused on the future, the scenes of recent days are in stark contrast to wider society who are moving forward and building the peace in our communities, she added. Anyone with information on these devices should bring it forward to the police. Officers from the PSNIs Terrorism Investigation Unit are investigating the incident which unfolded during the largest policing operation since the G8 Summit in 2013. Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said: This has been an extremely busy time for policing across Northern Ireland, with Easter parades and a high footfall of visitors attending the various beauty spots over the Easter holidays. "We have benefited over the last few days from 84 Mutual Aid officers who travelled to Belfast and surrounding areas and provided essential additional specialist capabilities and support. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, for his visit to the island of Ireland. Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA Wire PA US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, for his visit to the island of Ireland. Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA Wire PA President Joe Biden disembarks from Air Force One upon arrival at Belfast International Airport on April 11, 2023 in Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Photo by WPA Pool - Charles McQuillan / Getty Images) Getty Images President Joe Biden arrives at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast on April 11th 2023 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott US President Joe Biden has landed in Northern Ireland as he begins his four-day visit to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The president touched down at Belfast International Airport at around 9.20pm. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Mr Biden off the plane. US President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland Mr Biden then left in his motorcade before heading to his hotel in Belfast City Centre. The US leader will give a speech at Ulster University tomorrow afternoon before travelling onwards to the Republic of Ireland for further events. Read how our live coverage of the Presidents arrival in Northern Ireland unfolded here: Lily Busby, Caoimhe Clements and Ross McCrea, UU students, taking in the sights as the US President visits the new Belfast campus London student Louis, studying in Belfast, said he wouldn't be here at all if GFA hadn't happened. Sharon Marshall with her mum Davina Adair from Larne and children Elliott and Edith, hoping to get a glimpse of the US President When a small crowd of people gather together on the back streets of Belfast its only natural for others to join them trying to get a glimpse of what they might be looking at. Its when they all look around at each other and wonder what theyre trying to see that you ask yourself why you bothered stopping. And by the time US President Joe Biden was driven off from Ulster University, most of those who had given up their lunch hour to catch that glimpse went back to their everyday lives with the memory of the back end of a car. It was an occasion far removed from the fanfare that greeted Bill Clinton when he arrived in the 1990s. No walkabout, no high fives. And when Barak Obama paid a visit to The Waterfront Hall ahead of 2013s G8 summit, there were chats, handshakes, cheers and selfies. Anyone expecting that sort of razzamatazz would have been disappointed. The turnout was small. No waving of flags. No cheers. And there would have been little point anyway as the President had entered the building by a side door leaving all those peering through makeshift scaffolding towards an empty street, the University doors and nothing else. Its a sterile environment was the PSNI terminology used as I remarked that there werent too many people around. And sterile it was. Yellow-jacketed police lined the roads between Grand Central Hotel and the University district. Most of Belfast had something better to do with their time. The scenes on the streets outside were in contrast to the technicolour splash of smiles on the third floor of the new Ulster University campus, the place where the carefully crafted words were spoken and selfies taken. In the end, it was a day for the university to savour. Not quite one for the people of Belfast to fondly remember in years to come. Even those who had arrived to protest yes the loudspeakers were chanting and, as its Northern Ireland, the religious pamphlets were being handed out would have been disappointed that their calls fell upon the ears of students and families and a hefty supply of photographers keen to capture the all too brief moment. For Sharon Marshall, originally from Larne but now living in Cheshire, visiting the city centre with her children Elliot and Edith and mum Davina Adair, it was an opportunity to see the US President set foot in Belfast. At least she saw his car. London student Louis, studying in Belfast, said he wouldn't be here at all if GFA hadn't happened. Were not over specially for this visit though! she said. We wanted to see what we could. Even just the cars. I think its good that he has come to the university, a place of education, a place for young people, she added. Why would he go to Stormont, theres no-one there. And three of those young people are Ross McCrea, Caoimhe Clements and Lily Busby, all journalist students at Ulster University and all delighted to sample the experience of having a US President on campus. Lily Busby, Caoimhe Clements and Ross McCrea, UU students, taking in the sights as the US President visits the new Belfast campus For Caoimhe the political state of Northern Ireland was a question for another day. She was keen to revel in the excitement of the media descending. Its great that hes not at Stormont and has come here to a place where the future can be built, she said. Queens had the Clintons, now Ulster University can say it has its own President to visit. It has got young people thinking about where we want to be in 25 years time, she added. For Ross the fact that Biden was in Belfast at all was something to savour. I know people will say he slept in Belfast longer that he walked about, but he is the President of the United States of America. To have him here to reflect on the last 25 years is brilliant. Yes, Lily agreed. Were such a small part of the world compared to the US, its great to have him here. A passing interest from the people of Belfast for a President whose visit was over in the blink of an eye, much reflective of the just passing through feel. Many were still looking at their phones and talking to the people standing beside them before they realised the President had left the building and was already off up the M1 to where Air Force One awaited. Just like that President Biden was in Dublin before many of the feet that had walked towards York Street in the hope of a wave were sitting down at a table in a cafe for a warming cup of coffee in the city centre not more than a few hundred yards away. Perhaps the most incisive comment came from Louis, a student in Belfast from London. I wouldnt be here if we were 25 years in the past, if you know what I mean. I would never have thought of coming to study in Belfast. He waved his homemade cardboard sign with the words Joe Biden, can I have your shirt? That sort of up close interaction wasnt on the agenda today. The optimism of youth is the message that should be taken from the streets. Joe Bidens visit to Belfast left the city centre buzzing, with a palpable sense of excitement in the air outside the Grand Central Hotel this afternoon. President Biden had been staying in the luxury establishment during his visit, with crowds gathered outside from early in the morning hoping to catch a glimpse of the leader and his entourage. Many of those making up the crowd were young people, eagerly waiting for a chance to see the US President. Theres a great atmosphere, theres a great buzz, Darragh Moroney (21) told the Belfast Telegraph. Eoghan Murphy and Darragh Moroney His friend, Eoghan Murphy (20) said the pair were not going to miss an opportunity to see President Biden. We just thought it would be nice to visit the city of Belfast, Joe Biden is coming so we might as well see the President. How many chances are you going to get to see the American President? he said. Odhran O'Hara Odhran OHara (19) compared seeing President Biden to living through a moment in history. I dont understand why anyone would be sitting in a cafe or something when this is going on outside, why would you not want to see him?, he said. He had planned on arriving outside the Grand Central as early as possible, but in the end he was glad President Biden didnt leave the hotel too early. I got up at 9.30am so I thought: Oh, maybe I have missed him but he isnt out yet so maybe he had a few Guinness's last night. I saw Rishi Sunak coming in just 10 minutes or so after I got here, so its really exciting to see everything happening. The Queens University student was also hoping to see Biden at the official opening of Ulster University. Im in the city so I thought: Why not try to catch a glimpse of him, its very exciting and good craic too, he said. Manning Family Many families were also gathered in the crowd, soaking up the exciting atmosphere. We are all excited to see the President, said Oliver Manning, from Limerick, who is visiting Belfast alongside his wife and their two children. Its not everyday you get to see a President, so when you get the chance, why wouldnt you? said his wife, Mandy. Ramsay Family The Ramsay family were also eager to see President Biden. Its really brilliant that hes here, said Keith Ramsay (57). However, the family were disappointed that the American President was only taking part in one event in Belfast. Mr Ramsay felt the Presidents visit to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement should include him visiting some of the places impacted by the agreement and speaking to the people who were most affected by it. He should meet the people, you come to Northern Ireland, you come to Belfast, you should meet the people, he should be on the street meeting the people of Belfast, he added. He should spend time with the people that live and work here, they are the ones that can give a true reflection of what is going on. Many of the crowd had travelled from across the Island of Ireland to see President Biden but other members of the crowd had travelled even further, including Debbie Prout and Dawn Street who had travelled from Devin. The pair are holidaying in Belfast city centre and were surprised how close they were staying from the President. Dawn Street and Debbie Prout I cant believe he is staying so close to the city centre, I thought they would have him stay outside of the centre for security, but its very good that he is in the centre because it means we all have a chance to see him, Ms Prout said. Despite the American Presidents visit being a fleeting one, Ms Street is thankful to have experienced a small part of it. When these important people come to places, they dont stay for very long, they come and do what they need to do and then leave, so we are lucky to be in the right place and the right time, she said. Belfast is a lovely, lovely city and it is brilliant that the President is visiting it and seeing how far it has come. Adam Menary Adam Menary (22) also joined the crowd outside the Grand Central at 9.00am. He was excited about the visit and joked the Presidents sleep schedule aligned well with his university timetable. I have uni in the afternoon, so I thought I would come here in the morning and hopefully see the President, I thought he would be out a bit earlier but he seems to enjoy his lie ins, Mr Menary joked. Its a great thing that he is coming here and the south, I think he is going to be seeing family and talking about his Irish herritage. I think its really positive he is supposed to be embracing his Irish roots while he is here. PSNI officers arrive for the visit at the York Street campus (Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye) The PSNI are probing a suspected security breach during President Bidens visit to Belfast which saw the largest policing operation in a decade get underway. The breach centres around a member of the public who said they discovered what the PSNI believe is a copy of an operational order. Speaking on BBCs The Nolan Show, the man who discovered the document confirmed it was a sensitive document". It gives you details of roads being closed, who the commanders are, phone numbers. "Its a bit crazy its been lying about the street." According to the mans report, this five-page order included information about how officers were deployed around Belfast for the visit. Joe Biden lands in Northern Ireland as part of historic four-day trip In a statement to BBC NI, the PSNI said: We are aware of a security breach. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer. We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place. It comes as PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd confirmed 2,920 officers took part in an extensive operation to assist with the US Presidential visit. He described the major strategic operation as the largest since the G8 summit in 2013 and said it required extensive planning and deployments: The breadth of this operation has been huge and has involved 2,920 police officers from around Northern Ireland," Mr Todd added. "Extensive planning and preparation has been implemented to ensure the safety and security of the US President, his officials and staff, as well as Prime Minster Sunak and other dignitaries. This has been an extremely busy time for policing across Northern Ireland, with Easter parades and a high footfall of visitors attending the various beauty spots over the Easter holidays. "We have benefited over the last few days from 84 Mutual Aid officers who travelled to Belfast and surrounding areas and provided essential additional specialist capabilities and support. Mr Todd praised the dedicated and professional staff who ensured all operations were carried out the adequate expertise and thanked all police officers,staff and Mutual Aid officers for their contribution. "Various road closures and cordons were put in place over the last few days so I would also like to thank the public for their understanding and cooperation, he continued. This has been a complex and expensive operation delivered to internationally recognised standards and at present we anticipate the overall cost for the two week operation will be somewhere in the region of 7 million, however that is an early estimate and is subject to change. The Police Service of Northern Ireland will seek to recover what costs we can, under relevant established arrangements, once the operation has concluded and full details are known. Road closures in Belfast city centre are now being lifted and cordons and security barriers are being removed as the city returns to normality after Joe Biden departed NI on Wednesday. President Biden left Belfast on Wednesday afternoon after giving a speech at Ulster University in the city. Previously, he had met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. A number of Northern Ireland politicians were at Ulster University for Mr Bidens speech to officially open the city centre campus. He will now travel on to the Republic of Ireland for the next few days to engage in further events. Two young people name-checked by US President Joe Biden during an historic address in Northern Ireland to mark the Good Friday Agreement have spoken of being blown away by the gesture. Addressing an audience in Belfast, the President heaped praise on young entrepreneurs like Jordan Graham, born three weeks after the agreement was signed, whose whole life has unfolded under the wing of peace. He added: Which means, not quite 25 years of age, hes been able to build an expertise in branding and marketing that hes used to help grow local businesses, support start-ups, consult for charities. Jordan, who graduated from Queens University, co-founded companies called Giant Kelp and Sugar Snap, two businesses in the fields of marketing and innovation. He is also a non-executive director at Youth Enterprise NI which is the largest provider of enterprise skills education. Read more Belfast is incredible testament to the power of peace, Joe Biden tells Ulster University Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Jordan said: I was briefed there might be something. Then I was sat at the front row about two metres away from the president. I thought, this could be a big deal. It wasnt just a quick name drop it blew me away, honestly, Ive never had a feeling like it before. Jordan spoke to the president briefly afterwards and shook his hand. He also met economic envoy Joe Kennedy who will be visiting his workplace. As a young entrepreneur, he looked ahead to the next 25 years in Northern Ireland saying: The key message was optimism. We have a key opportunity here in Northern Ireland. Thats what we should be focusing on, not division. President Biden also heaped praise on young people like Aimee Clint, born in 2000, whose parents like to tell the story about how she came home from her first day of secondary school and asked, whats the difference between a Protestant and a Catholic? She didnt grow up thinking of sectarian divides, she grew up thinking of how she could support her beloved brother and other children with autism, he added. Today, Aimees social enterprise has donated more than five thousand copies of her book to schools across Northern Ireland to help children better understand autism and to learn to treat others with kindness and respect. Thats the real power of the Good Friday Agreement. Compassion. Compassion. It changed how this entire region sees itself. Aimee and President Biden. Aimee said it was an absolute honour to be recognised by the President for her social work through Books by Stellas. Her little brother was diagnosed with autism and she struggled to understand what he was going through. It was positive to see so many young people in attendance, Aimee said, and she hopes NIs political leaders realise they should engage with young people more. It was absolutely fantastic meeting the president. I thanked him for mentioning me in his speech. "He mentioned my work and said how amazing it was and that we need more of that throughout the world, not just in Northern Ireland, and how he can see it making a massive difference. Its been a crazy day and an historic occasion that will never happen again. Stellas, meaning 'stars' in Latin, is a student social enterprise. Her aim is to break the stigma surrounding Autism and Special Educational Needs and raise awareness. She wants to make a difference by helping others become more understanding and educated about Autism and Special Educational Needs. To achieve its goal, the social enterprise intends to educate Key Stage 2 children, and older, about Special Educational Needs and why their peers may react differently to situations in their day to day life to break down barriers. For every book purchased, they donate another one to local primary schools across Northern Ireland. When speaking to the president after his speech, he told the pair hed heard so much about them. Looking to the future, Aimee is keen to see young talent in Northern Ireland showcased to the rest of the world because there are opportunities right now that have to be grasped. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson praised President Bidens measured speech, in which he hailed Northern Irelands dividends of peace. The US President has left Belfast to continue his engagements in the Republic of Ireland Scroll down for a recap on the days events President Biden meeting Rishi Sunak with Joe Kennedy, the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday evening. Photo: Reuters REUTERS President Joe Biden arrives at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast on April 11th 2023 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott Security and activity around the Grand Central Hotel on Bedford Street, Belfast City Centre (Jonathan Porter/PressEye) Jonathan Porter / Press Eye US President Joe Biden (L) reacts as he meets with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast AFP via Getty Images US President Joe Biden arrives at the new Ulster University Belfast Campus. US President Joe Biden pictured on his way to Ulster University in Belfast (Arthur Allison/Pacemaker) US President Joe Biden at the new Ulster University Belfast Campus (Picture by Kelvin Boyes / PressEye) The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a bilateral meeting with the US President Joe Biden during his visit to Northern Ireland. (Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street) Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Str Protecting peace in Northern Ireland is a priority for all sides in Washington and politicians in Stormont should restore the Assembly and Executive. That was the message delivered by US President Joe Biden during his keynote speech in Ulster University on Wednesday afternoon. The President has since left Belfast to continue his packed schedule across the island of Ireland. In the speech, Mr Biden touched on the benefits peace has brought to the country, delivered a direct message to the political leaders gathered in the room and, in a light-hearted moment, triggered huge applause when he referenced An Irish Goodbye Oscar winning actor James Martin. Following the speech DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the media the Presidents words were measured and welcomed Mr Bidens visit to Northern Ireland. During his speech, Mr Biden said the "dividends of peace are all around us", as he addressed those gathered in the room. POTUS Joe Biden full speech at Ulster University in Belfast "This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held a terrible sway," he said. "The idea to have a glass building here when I was here in '91 was highly unlikely. "Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass and let the light shine in and out. "This has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. "Its an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace." "Your history is our history, but even more important your future is America's future," the US president added. "Today's Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland and is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity and investment, from communities across the UK, across Ireland, across the United States. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together. "The 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland's gross domestic product has literally doubled." The president said that figure would only improve if "things continue to move in the right direction". "There are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest. Many have already made homes in Northern Ireland." 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 One of the key moments in the speech by the President came around the restoration of power-sharing at Stormont. He said: "I believe the democratic institution established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland. "It's a decision for you to make, not for me to make." US President Joe Biden at the new Ulster University Belfast Campus (Picture by Kelvin Boyes / PressEye) But he said "an effective, devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together" would help draw "even greater opportunity" to the region. "I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored," he said. "That's a judgment for you to make, not me. "I hope it happens, along with the institutions that help facilitate north-south and east-west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement." After he finished speaking, Mr Donaldson said it was good to see Mr Biden in Northern Ireland but said the Presidents remarks do not change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. "We welcome his visit here today it is good to see the President coming and we hope to see investment into Northern Ireland flowing. [His visit] doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, the DUP leader added. I thought the Presidents remarks were measured. I think they were more looking back in terms of the progress over the last 25 years. We want Northern Ireland to be prosperous that is why it is fundamentally important to us that Northern Ireland is able to trade within its largest market. "I heard what the President said, of course we would like to see the political institutions up and running again, but I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress we all desire. It is very much for the UK government to honour the commitments to the people of Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a bilateral meeting with the US President Joe Biden during his visit to Northern Ireland. (Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street) Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Str Earlier, Mr Biden held an informal meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over tea in the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. The US president told reporters he was "here to listen" as he met Mr Sunak. Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters, including whether he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. Mr Biden, meeting the Prime Minister on the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel, said: "Heck of a view out there." Mr Sunak, smiling, sat at a table with the US president as the pair met over cups of tea. A number of Northern Ireland politicians were at Ulster University for Mr Bidens speech to officially open the city centre campus. 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 Follow how the day unfolded here: Eduwill CEO Kim Jae-hwan By Park Jae-hyuk Eduwill, a provider of online education services for adults who seek to become public servants or to get licenses for jobs, is facing growing complaints from employees about its series of measures to reduce welfare benefits, according to industry officials, Wednesday. Their complaints mainly resulted from the company's request to return to a five-day work week. In 2019, Eduwill started implementing a four-day workweek system, but its deteriorating profits led the company to ask some of its departments to return to an ordinary five-day workweek system, so as to avoid hiring additional employees. In addition, the education firm froze the annual salaries of its employees this year and stopped providing them with various bonuses. Its employees have also been unable to enjoy a 30-minute break time from 4 p.m. Eduwill workers have cried foul over those measures, criticizing the management on Blind, an anonymous chat app for verified employees. "The management is shifting their responsibility onto the workers," an Eduwill employee said. Some of them reportedly left the company in protest against the worsening labor conditions, although Eduwill explained that the number of workers who have left the company over the past six months is not bigger than the average number of employees who left the company before it decided to reduce welfare costs. "The education industry tends to have higher turnover rates than other sectors," an Eduwill spokesperson said. "Once the company turns a profit, management will resume the suspended welfare policies and raise wages." Late last year, Eduwill's management decided to cut their own salaries voluntarily and reduce unnecessary marketing costs, in order to brace for the prolonged economic downturn. Eduwill CEO Kim Jae-hwan said at that time that the company would be able to upgrade its business model through crisis management, considering its great growth potential. Such a measure came after the company faced questions about its financial stability. Last July, Korea Ratings expressed skepticism about Eduwill, pointing out the intensifying competition with other education service providers, such as Hackers and MegaStudy. "Following the transition to managing COVID-19 as endemic, the online education market is expected to be stagnant," the domestic credit ratings agency said in a report. It added that Eduwill's growth will be limited in its flagship businesses, considering the falling competition rates for public servant positions, as well as the possibility of the housing market slump causing a decline in the number of applicants taking the test to become licensed real estate agents. He is expected to stress need to restore power-sharing in order to fully avail of financial opportunities US President Joe Biden and Joe Kennedy III, US special envoy for NI, are greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after disembarking from Air Force One upon arrival at Belfast International Airport last night GETTY AFP via Getty Images US President Joe Biden is expected to pledge fresh economic support for Northern Ireland today as he delivers a keynote address at the Ulster University. The promise of a significant financial boost will be used to try to pressurise the DUP back to Stormont. Sources said that the president would stress the need to restore power-sharing if Northern Ireland is to fully avail of the financial opportunities on offer. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to respond by offering to host an international economic conference on Northern Ireland in the autumn. It is understood that the British and Irish governments along with the EU plan to make a financial contribution to helping Northern Ireland. US President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland President Biden was greeted by Mr Sunak as he arrived in Belfast last night where he stayed in a city centre hotel. He will briefly and informally meet local party leaders at Ulster University as he delivers a major address to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill said: I am delighted to welcome President Biden to Belfast which cements our close bonds of friendship and our partnership for peace and prosperity with the USA. As we look back with pride at just how far we have all come, and all that has been achieved, we also look forward with hope, ambition, and opportunity for the next 25 years. I welcome the commitment of President Biden to this work through his appointment of Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III and I look forward to working with him now to deepen further US investment and economic growth to the benefit of all our communities. Peace, stability and economic opportunity are all connected and the onus is on the governments, parties and not least the DUP to restore the Executive and other Good Friday Agreement institutions so that we can push on and get back to business. Alliance leader Naomi Long said: I will be telling President Biden that we need to reform the Stormont institutions and that we must use the Good Friday Agreement to boost the Northern Ireland economy and to share the economic opportunity so everyone benefits. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: President Biden continues to demonstrate, in word and deed, his personal commitment to prosperity and political stability here. I hope his visit acts as a reminder of the friends we have in our corner. TUV leader Jim Allister said: Like the Belfast Agreement, I find nothing to celebrate in the visit of President Biden. He is irredeemably partisan. His continuing stance is anti-British and anti-unionist. Tanaiste Micheal Martin said: We stand ready to work with a newly restored Executive, and for the Irish government to work with the British government to develop an economic platform for Northern Ireland over the next number of years. I know the president is keenly interested in that. It is unclear how much US money would be involved in the economic package, but it could be a mixture of private and public funds. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said President Biden would emphasise the tremendous progress made since the Good Friday Agreement. Mr Kirby said: Hell underscore the readiness of the US to preserve those gains and support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. The president is very excited for this trip and has been now for quite some time. President Biden cares deeply about Northern Ireland and has a long history of supporting peace and prosperity there. The president will hold a bilateral meeting with Mr Sunak today but a proposed meeting with King Charles is off the cards. Ulster Universitys Students Union president Grace Boyle said: This is the first time that President Joe Biden has been to the island of Ireland and Northern Ireland since he has taken up office as president and this is hugely symbolic 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement. I think its a time of reflection. Following his speech at the Ulster University, he will travel to Co Louth, where his great grandfather James Finnegan was born and the Finnegan family lived before crossing the sea to begin a new life in America. He will tour Carlingford Castle and hold a walkabout in Dundalk before spending the night in Dublin. President Biden will meet with President Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tomorrow. He will then address a joint session of Dail and Seanad about Irish-American cooperation. The president is very much looking forward to the trip and to celebrating the deep, historic ties that our two countries and our two people continue to share, Mr Kirby said. President Biden will attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow night. On Friday, he will travel to Co Mayo for the culmination of his four-day trip. US President Joe Biden sent a clear message to the DUP, Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle ONeill has said. During a visit to Northern Ireland, Mr Biden said he hoped the Assembly and the Executive will soon be restored, adding it could draw even greater opportunity in the region. The powersharing institutions have been effectively collapsed for more than a year while the DUP refuse to participate until their concerns around the Brexit Protocol are addressed. Jeffrey Donaldson from the DUP speaks to the media after US President Joe Biden delivered his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast (Aaron Chown/PA) Aaron Chown Mr Biden briefly met the leaders of the five largest parties before making his address at the new Ulster University campus. Ms ONeill said she felt his message was on the right note. I think he sent a very clear message that everything that has been achieved over the past 25 years is something to be celebrated, but he very much was future focused, he was looking forward to the next 25 years, it was about the hope and the opportunity, but I think his message was clear, we need peace, we need stability and we need prosperity, those things all go hand in hand, she said. I think his message was very much on the right note. She added: I think the message here from this visit is going to be one about peace, prosperity and about stability, and that means we need the political leg of things to work as well. Im committed to making it work. Where Im focused is about trying to get Stormont up and running again, and make politics work. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long praised a positive and balanced message from the president. During our brief discussion, I spoke to President Biden about Northern Irelands economy and also the need for political stability, she said. Between both that and his later speech, the president gave a positive and balanced message that was optimistic for both our economy and future. He was also well aware of the challenges facing the restoration of the Assembly and Executive, but was keen to see that happen as soon as possible. When one of the largest economies in the world spends its time, effort and money showcasing us, we need to grasp that opportunity with both hands. However, we cant do that at present due to the political impasse and those causing that need to reflect on their actions. UUP leader Doug Beattie (right), attends US President Joe Bidens keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland (Aaron Chown/PA) Liam McBurney Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the visit of the US President is an indication of the scale of opportunity that stands to be grasped for our people. I believe this opportunity must be grasped by a restored Assembly and Executive, he said. Whilst today there was rightly reflection on the importance of the Belfast Agreement in securing the peace we have enjoyed for 25 years now, there was also a welcome focus on prosperity. The next 25 years must be about delivering opportunities and prosperity for all our people. I believe the USA can play an important role in helping to deliver this and I will work with the presidents administration to make this a reality. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said, during his meeting with the president, Mr Biden was very clear that the US administration and US businesses are ready to come and invest but work should go on to restore the Assembly. I reminded him that John Hume used to say the best peace process was a job, and of course he agreed with that, he said. Weve seen great strides over the last 25 years but I can tell you from outside of Belfast, places like Derry, there is a lot further to go yet and we really need investment. DUP leader also praised the speech for including references to the Ulster Scots and Presbyterian heritage in the USA (Left to right) U.S. Consul General in Belfast Paul Narain, U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy and Sir Jeffery Donaldson MP, leader of the DUP PA Sir Jeffery Donaldson MP (right), leader of the DUP, at Ulster University in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA Wire) PA The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has claimed President Bidens speech at Ulster University was measured and welcomed his visit to Northern Ireland on Wednesday. Sir Jeffrey was speaking as Mr Biden leaves Northern Ireland to continue his visit on the island of Ireland. During his speech Mr Biden encouraged political leaders at Stormont to act to restore the Executive and Assembly and said protecting peace in Northern Ireland is a priority for all sides in Washington Speaking to the media outside the campus following the speech, Sir Jeffrey said it was good to see Mr Biden in Northern Ireland but said the Presidents remarks do not change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is currently without its political institutions as a result of the DUPs opposition to the post-Brexit trading arrangements. The party is currently considering whether to accept the new Windsor Framework agreement agreed between the UK and EU. (Left to right) U.S. Consul General in Belfast Paul Narain, U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy and Sir Jeffery Donaldson MP, leader of the DUP PA Speaking about his meeting with Mr Biden prior to the speech, Sir Jeffrey said he had a brief conversation. "We made clear it is not his job, as we heard in his speech, to take decisions for political leaders in Northern Ireland, Sir Jeffrey said. "We welcome his visit here today it is good to see the President coming and we hope to see investment into Northern Ireland flowing. [His visit] doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. I thought the Presidents remarks were measured. I think they were more looking back in terms of the progress over the last 25 years. We want Northern Ireland to be prosperous that is why it is fundamentally important to us that Northern Ireland is able to trade within its largest market. "I heard what the President said, of course we would like to see the political institutions up and running again, but I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress we all desire. It is very much for the UK government to honour the commitments to the people of Northern Ireland. Earlier during a briefing, a special assistant to Mr Biden hit back at claims from Dame Arlene Foster that the US President "hates the United Kingdom". Addressing that, Sir Jeffrey said: I was pleased to hear the President make reference to the enormous contribution to the Ulster Scots of Presbyterian heritage who made enormous strides to build the USA. I was pleased to hear him refer to his own British heritage that his ancestors also come from England. The President confused the British recruits into the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War of Independence with New Zealand rugby team All Blacks in a pub speech in Co Louth The White House has said it was "very clear" that US President Joe Biden was referring to the New Zealand rugby team the All Blacks when he made a mistaken reference to "the Black and Tans". The US President who is currently in Dublin on the third day of his Ireland visit, appeared to confuse the name of the New Zealand team with a contentious War of Independence-era police force in Ireland during a speech in Co Louth on Wednesday. The Black and Tans is a name for part-time officers recruited to bolster Royal Irish Constabulary numbers, many of whom gained a violent reputation. Asked if he realised his mistake, NSC senior director for Europe Amanda Sloat said: "It was clear what the president was referring to, it was certainly clear to his cousins setting next to him." Mr Biden was standing near former Irish rugby international and his distant relative Rob Kearney, who had played in the rugby union match being discussed Wednesdays tour focused on his ancestral home of Co Louth, with Mr Biden taking his motorcade to Carlingford and Dundalk. For his speech in Dundalks Windsor Bar, the president was accompanied by Irish rugby international Mr Kearney. Mr Biden thanked his distant cousin for the tie he was wearing and referenced Irelands first win against the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016. This [tie] was given to me by one of these guys, right here, he said. [Kearney] was a hell of a rugby player. He beat the hell out of the Black and Tans. Joe Biden appears to confuse the All Blacks and the Black and Tans Read more Belfast is incredible testament to the power of peace, Joe Biden tells Ulster University Completing his first day in Ireland, Mr Biden said: Thank you all for the homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here. So proud to be in Louth. The president was welcomed to Ireland earlier in the afternoon with loud cheers as he began his three-day tour of the Republic. He was greeted on the Dublin Airport tarmac by Mr Varadkar, and in a video published by the airport of the presidents meeting with US Embassy staff and families, he told them, Its so great to see you all. God Bless Ireland, which attracted a loud cheer from the crowd. President Biden then called Mr Varadkar over, saying: I dont want to hurt his reputation politically by saying this, but in addition to being allies, we are also friends. This is a good man. Following his engagements at Dublin Airport, the president took his motorcade to Carlingford after earlier plans to fly via helicopter were abandoned because of bad weather conditions. The motorcade passed through the lined streets of the town in gloomy conditions before he was given a guided tour of King Johns Castle by Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Speaking to locals from the balcony of the castle, Mr Biden was asked how he was coping with the rain, to which he replied with a smile: Its fine. Its Ireland. Asked if it was good to be in his ancestral home, he said: Its wonderful. It feels like I am coming home. During his next stop in Dundalk, the president took time to stop and chat with locals and shake hands with hundreds of people lined along the streets. Shouts of Welcome home, Joe could be heard as he took selfies with those who had waited in the pouring rain to see him. During a community gathering in Dundalks Windsor Bar, the tanaiste focused on the value of peace in the border town as he introduced the president. In the darkest days of the Troubles, [Dundalk] was a place of refuge for those fleeing from violence, even though it itself was touched by violence, said Mr Martin. He said the value of the Good Friday Agreement was so tangible and real here in this location. It is a shared space, a place that links rather than divides Peace is not an abstraction here, he told the gathered audience The Good Friday Agreement enables us to make the most of the people-to-people connections across this island, as well as between Ireland and the UK. Mr Martin said that the island of Ireland and the peace process would move forward with the support of the US. He added: As we build on the ambition of the Good Friday Agreement to sustain a dynamic and prosperous peace, the US will remain an essential and fundamental partner. Mr Martin finished: Welcome home, Mr President. US President Joe Biden arrives to deliver his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland. Picture date: Wednesday April 12, 2023. Liam McBurney US President Joe Biden has arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday and he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The US President was also met by pouring rain and cold winds, with staff holding umbrellas for Mr Biden as he shook hands with Mr Varadkar. He travels to Co Louth by motorcade, after bad weather halted plans for the president to travel by helicopter. His arrival in the Republic came followed his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Charles McQuillan Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the President, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. During his stay in the Republic of Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) Paul Faith The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Niall Carson Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. The Duke of Sussex will attend the King's coronation alone. Prince Harry will attend the historic ceremony next month but Meghan will remain in California with their two children. In a statement Buckingham Palace said it is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6. "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." The couples attendance has been the source of speculation since the fall-out from Harrys tell-all memoir Spare which was published in January. King Charles IIIs second son criticised his fathers parenting, accused his brother and heir to the throne William of physically attacking him and branded his stepmother Camilla dangerous. The couple have been critical of the Royal family and the monarchy ever since they stepped down as working royals three years ago and told their story in a Netflix documentary which followed an explosive televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. They have recently been asked to vacate their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, in a move sanctioned by the King. May 6 is also Prince Archies fourth birthday. I understand that Archie's fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple's decision. Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Omid Scobie (@scobie) April 12, 2023 The Duke and Duchesss friend Omid Scobie confirmed the birthday played a factor in the couple's decision and said he expected it would be a 'fairly quick trip to the UK for Harry who will only attend the ceremony itself. The announcement comes just weeks before the event. A royal observer has told MailOnline that Charles will be pleased. "The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won't be there - it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate, they added. The couple caused controversy by delaying their decision over whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3. The uncertainty is believed to have left royal officials unable to sign off key transport and security arrangements in addition to seating plans. Harry and Meghan's charitable foundation Archewell has issued an almost identical statement to the Press Association news agency. The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th, it said. "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The passing of the Bill at Holyrood sparked protest from both sides of the argument (PA) Jane Barlow The Scottish Government is to challenge Westminsters decision to block controversial gender recognition reforms in court with Holyroods Social Justice Secretary insisting legal action is the only reasonable way of resolving the situation. Shirley-Anne Somerville confirmed the Scottish Government is to lodge a petition for a judicial review after the UK Government turned to never-before-used powers under the Scotland Act to prevent legislation passed by Holyrood from gaining royal assent. MSPs from all parties had backed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December last year, with the legislation introduced to simplify and speed up the process for trans people to obtain legal recognition in their preferred gender. Shirley-Anne Somerville confirmed the legal challenge will go ahead (PA) Andrew Milligan But the UK Government said the Bill would have an adverse impact on the operation of the UK-wide Equalities Act, and Scottish Secretary Alister Jack confirmed Section 35 powers would be used to prevent the legislation from going forward. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that that decision had been made after taking very careful and considered advice. Speaking to reporters in Belfast, Mr Sunak added: We had concerns, as the UK Government the Secretary of State set this out at the time, about how Scotlands gender recognition act would interact with reserved powers, about the operation of the Equalities Act, the protection of women elsewhere in the UK as well. Thats why we took the decision to block the GRR. Obviously theres a court process, we will follow that through. Ms Somerville said the legislation had been passed by an overwhelming majority of the Scottish Parliament, with support from members of all parties. She said the use of Section 35 represented an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliaments ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters, and risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent. Rishi Sunak said the UK Government has concerns about how the Holyrood legislation would impact the UK Equalities Act (PA) Phil Noble Ms Somerville said: In seeking to uphold the democratic will of the Parliament and defend devolution, Scottish ministers will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotlands decision. The UK Government gave no advance warning of their use of the power, and neither did they ask for any amendments to the Bill throughout its nine-month passage through Parliament. Our offers to work with the UK Government on potential changes to the Bill have been refused outright by the Secretary of State, so legal challenge is our only reasonable means of resolving this situation. It is important to have clarity on the interpretation and scope of the Section 35 power and its impact on devolution. These matters should be legally tested in the courts. The Scottish Greens, who are in Government alongside the SNP, said the decision is vital for equality and democracy. Equalities spokeswoman Maggie Chapman said: If the Tories get away with overriding our Parliament on such a clearly devolved area then it will set a dangerous precedent that could be used time and again. That is why everyone who believes in equality or devolution must support this challenge and oppose the Tory veto. Mr Jack said the UK Government will defend its position. 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 He said: The UK Government will robustly defend the decision to prevent the Scottish Governments Gender Recognition Reform Bill from becoming law. I made the order under Section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 after thorough and careful consideration of all the relevant advice and the policy implications. He said the Section 35 order was issued due to concerns over the gender reforms implications on reserved equality laws. He added: The use of the (Section 35) power is entirely within the devolution settlement as set out from its inception, with cross-party support. Earlier, former Scottish Government minister Alex Neil warned that the First Minister does not have a cat in hells chance of winning the legal challenge. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotlands Good Morning Scotland programme, the former SNP MSP said it would be better to set out the anomalies of the Bill. He said: My own view is in terms of the challenge to the UK Government, it would be far better just to reintroduce a Bill and this time in the Bill deal with concerns of women about places of safety for women and also deal with the UK Equality Act. Vic Valentine, manager of Scottish Trans, said: For the UK Government to seek to block the Scottish democratic process in this way, simply because they disagree with the welcome decision the Scottish Parliament has made to improve trans peoples lives, is unacceptable. In this photo provided by Mandy Iworrigan, is Nanuq, a 1-year-old Australian shepherd, after it was returned to Gambell, Alaska, on April 6, 2023. The dog disappeared a month ago from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, and wound up walking on the Bering Sea ice about 150 miles to Wales, Alaska, on the states western coast. (Mandy Iworrigan via AP) Mandy Iworrigan A one-year-old pet dog took an epic trek across 150 miles of frozen Bering Sea ice, being bitten by a seal or polar bear before being returned safely to his home in Alaska. Mandy Iworrigan owner of Australian shepherd Nanuq, who lives in Gambell, Alaska and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in the community of Wales, 150 miles north east of Savoonga on Alaskas western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. My dad texted me and said, Theres a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales, Ms Iworrigan said. She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound. I was like, No freakin way! Thats our dog! What is he doing in Wales? she said. The details of Nanuqs journey are likely to remain a mystery. I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting, Ms Iworrigan said. The family welcome Nanuq home (Mandy Iworrigan/AP) Mandy Iworrigan Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart. She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School Districts Native Youth Olympics tournament. Ms Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy. Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we dont know, because its like a really big bite, she said. Doto Takak Ire, the indigenous leader of the Kayapo People in the Amazon, speaks during a press conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk HD Hyundai Construction Equipment, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has been embroiled in a conflict with Greenpeace, due to its excavators accounting for the largest proportion of construction equipment used for illegal gold mining in indigenous lands in the Amazon. Its dispute with the environmental activists came a few weeks after the company was criticized by Amnesty International for overlooking the use of its machines to destroy the houses of Palestinians in Israeli-occupied areas. During Wednesday's press conference in Seoul, Greenpeace pointed out that the number of HD Hyundai excavators identified during overflights above indigenous territories in the Amazon reached 75, which is 43 percent of the 176 machines recorded in illegal gold mining pits in the territories. "Hyundai must put the planet above its profits and prevent its excavators from being used on indigenous territories and protected areas," said Danicley de Aguiar, senior Amazon forest campaigner for Greenpeace Brazil. Jang Da-ul, advocacy specialist for Greenpeace East Asia Seoul office, urged HD Hyundai President Chung Ki-sun to show his new leadership to cooperate with the Brazilian government and society to eradicate illegal mining in the Amazon rainforest as soon as possible. "HD Hyundai's cooperation will set the first good example for other companies selling their heavy machinery for illegal mining," Jang said. Doto Takak Ire, the indigenous leader of the Kayapo People in the Amazon, emphasized that the explosion of mining in the indigenous territories is poisoning and killing the residents. Greenpeace said it discovered that HD Hyundai's authorized dealers have recently established facilities in the vicinity of the indigenous lands most impacted by illegal mining. The environmental group cited a local TV interview, in which a representative from an HD Hyundai authorized dealership said that he "had convinced 'the Koreans' to invest" in a region renowned for its informal or illicit mining. In order to keep HD Hyundai's machines out of indigenous lands, Greenpeace asked the company to utilize its remote management technologies that use GPS to collect data about machines and can establish virtual borders for the equipment to work within. An HD Hyundai Construction Equipment official said that the company has been verifying whether Greenpeace's claim is true. When Amnesty International held a press conference last month in front of HD Hyundai's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in protest against the use of its machines to destroy the houses of Palestinians, the company responded by saying that it could not prevent the demolition, given that the machines were sold on the second-hand market. A fighter takes off during the combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island (Xinhua via AP) Wang Zixiao Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan are intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, a Beijing spokeswoman said. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended on Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with US house speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. A Chinese fighter jet refuels in mid-air (Xinhua via AP) Anonymous Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Chinese cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news conference: The Peoples Liberation Army recently organised and conducted a series of counter-measures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces. It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the US, Taiwans closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. Taiwans president Tsai Ing-wen (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP) Uncredited China has kept up military pressure against Taiwan despite the formal conclusion of the drills. On Wednesday, Taiwans ministry of national defence said it tracked 35 flights by Peoples Liberation Army warplanes within the previous 24 hours, as well as eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. The vast majority of Taiwanese favour maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Ms Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognise Taiwans government institutions and has cut off contact with Ms Tsais administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing generally seen as referring to the US. Chinas military declared it is ready to fight after completing three days of large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island (Xinhua via AP) Liu Mingsong External forces are intensifying their endeavour of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Ms Zhu said. She also repeated Chinas assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwans independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms is not clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. The judge presiding over a defamation case against Fox News has admonished its lawyers for potentially withholding evidence and said he is inclined to order an independent review by a special master that could lead to sanctions. The move by Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis came amid a burst of fresh revelations in the 1.6 billion dollar (1.3 billion) defamation case filed by Dominion Voting Systems against the conservative network and its parent company, Fox Corp. The judge expressed anger and frustration during a pre-trial hearing after learning that Fox only recently turned over recordings of Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo talking with two lawyers for then-president Donald Trump Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. That came after the disclosure a day earlier that Fox lawyers had withheld critical information about the role played at Fox News by company founder Rupert Murdoch, who is chairman of Fox Corp. Donald Trump (Matias J Ocner/Miami Herald/AP) Matias J. Ocner I am very concerned that there have been misrepresentations to the court, Judge Davis said. He had expressed his displeasure at the late disclosure regarding Mr Murdoch and became even more perturbed on Wednesday when he was told that Fox also did not reveal the recordings made by a former producer for Ms Bartiromo. The recordings were of conversations the host had with Mr Giuliani and Ms Powell before and after her show. Their existence surfaced in a lawsuit the former producer Abby Grossberg has filed against Fox alleging that the networks lawyers forced her to give misleading deposition testimony in an effort to protect the company in the defamation case. In one pre-show conversation on November 8 2020, days after the presidential election, Ms Bartiromo asked Mr Giuliani whether he had information about Dominions software, which some people had alleged could be manipulated. Thats a little harder. Its being analysed right now, Mr Giuliani responded. A week later, he said on Ms Bartiromos show that the software had been developed by a company founded by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and had been used to cheat in elections in South America. Rudy Giuliani (John Stillwell/PA) John Stillwell Colorado-based Dominion alleges that Fox damaged the company by repeatedly airing false allegations that its machines and the software they used rigged the 2020 presidential election to prevent Mr Trumps re-election. Records produced as part of the lawsuit show many executives and hosts did not believe the claims, but aired them anyway. There was no indication that the recent developments would delay the trial, which is scheduled to start on Thursday with jury selection, but they dealt additional blows to Fox in a lawsuit that already has embarrassed the network. In part, it has revealed how Fox used the false election claims to win back viewers who were angered after the network correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden on election night. The judge on Wednesday said he was considering asking a special master to investigate actions taken by Fox lawyers after they had certified to the court in December that they had complied with their obligations to produce documents. That could include Fox failing to disclose the Grossberg recordings and a Bartiromo email. Dominion lawyer Davida Brook told the judge that the company had only recently learned that Ms Powell had forwarded to Ms Bartiromo an email Ms Powell received in November 2020 from a woman who described a wide range of conspiracy theories, including claims of election fraud. In her deposition, Ms Bartiromo said she did not know if she even saw the email. Its not anything I looked at or considered real, she said under oath. But on Wednesday, the judge was shown an email confirming that she not only read Ms Powells email, but apparently discussed its contents with Mr Trumps son Eric, and sent a reply to Ms Powell: I just spoke to Eric & told him you gave very imp info. Judge Davis said he would allow Dominion to question Ms Bartiromo under oath again, at Foxs expense, though there was no immediate indication from Dominion that it would do so. The judge said he also was likely to ask a special master to investigate how Fox attorneys handled the issue of Rupert Murdochs role at Fox News. Fox Corp had asserted since Dominion filed its lawsuit in 2021 that Mr Murdoch had no official role at Fox News. In its filings, it had listed Fox News officers as Jay Wallace, Joe Dorrego and Suzanne Scott, who is the networks chief executive. But on Sunday, Fox disclosed to Dominions lawyers that Mr Murdoch also is executive chair at Fox News. The judge on Wednesday ordered Fox lawyers to collect and preserve all internal communications regarding the matter. Mr Murdochs role and those of other senior Fox executives are at the heart of Dominions defamation case. Fox lawyers have argued that executives roles at the parent company, Fox Corp, removed them from the day-to-day decisions that allowed the false election claims to be aired on various Fox News programmes. Pope Francis has urged world leaders to use reason, not force of arms, to resolve their differences, evoking memories of the 1960s Cold War between Washington and Moscow. At his weekly audience in St Peters Square, Francis noted that Tuesday marked the 60th anniversary of the issuance of a Cold War-era encyclical by Pope John XXIII. The Pacem in Terris encyclical, intended for both the Catholic Church and the world at large, was issued several months after the Cuban missile crisis, which had fuelled fears of nuclear war between the United States and the then-Soviet Union. A woman holds a phone as Pope Francis leaves after his weekly general audience in St Peters Square, at the Vatican (AP) Alessandra Tarantino Francis recalled the world then as full of tensions between two opposing blocs in the so-called Cold War, and said his predecessors message, which encouraged peace efforts, is very current today. The encyclical opened horizons in which you could speak of peace, construct peace, Francis told thousands of faithful gathered in the square. He called the document issued on April 11 1963 a real blessing, like a serene break in the midst of dark clouds. He cited a passage from the encyclical that reads: Relations between political communities, like those between individual human beings, should be regulated not by resorting to the force of arms, but by the light of reason, that is, in truth, justice and operative solidarity. Pope Francis urged world leaders to use reason to resolve their differences (AP) Alessandra Tarantino Francis then urged the faithful and men and women of good will to read the 60-year-old document. I pray that the heads of nations let themselves be inspired (by the encyclical) in their plans and decisions, Francis said. He did not name any national leaders, nor did he cite any current geopolitical tensions, such as between America and Russia over Ukraine, or the US and China over Taiwan. But as has done repeatedly in public remarks since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Francis referred to the war, saying: Lets pray for all those who are suffering in Ukraine. China has warned that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests, or interfere in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises that began on Tuesday in the Philippines, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Mr Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the US-Philippine security cooperation is hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington on Tuesday, the US and Philippines defence and foreign secretaries met to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. 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 US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises. He added the US was allocating more than 100 million dollars (80 billion) to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Mr Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the US delivery of much-needed defence equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. Philippine Army Major General Marvin Licudin and US Marine Corps Major General Eric Austin (AP) Aaron Favila This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organisers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, American and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan (a Tagalog word meaning shoulder-to-shoulder), told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Col Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Col Logico said. Mr Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at US security policies while praising China and Russia. Military exercise leaders take questions after the opening ceremonies of a joint military exercise flag called Balikatan (AP) Aaron Favila Mr Duterte tried to abrogate a key defence pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills, but later backpedalled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as Joe Bidens administration strengthens an arc of alliances to counter China, with a potential confrontation over Taiwan on the horizon. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Mr Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase US warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to American and Philippine military officials. What Biden was really saying in his Belfast speech US President wants Stormont back and NI will reap the benefits of it US President Joe Biden delivering his speech at the Ulster University campus in Belfast City Centre. Credit: PressEye Andrew Madden Belfast Telegraph Wed 12 Apr 2023 at 20:09 A HMM's container ship / Courtesy of Hyundai Merchant Marine Korean logistics firm Hyundai Glovis reaffirmed Wednesday that it has no plan to acquire HMM, the top container shipper in the country. "We don't have any plan to purchase HMM and will focus on mobility and transport," the logistics unit of Hyundai Motor Group said in a statement. In January, Hyundai Glovis said in an earnings call that it had no intention to acquire HMM. Still, Hyundai Glovis has been mentioned as a potential candidate to take over the state-owned company. A Hyundai Glovis official said the company wants to clarify its position on the issue to "prevent confusion and help the understanding of the business community and the capital market." The government has injected public funds to keep troubled HMM afloat, with the state-run Korea Development Bank owning a 20.7 percent stake and Korea Ocean Business Corp. holding another 19.96 percent interest. The two public institutions have recently signed a deal on the advisory service for the sale of HMM, kicking off full-fledged efforts to dispose of their stakes in the shipper. Earlier in January, POSCO Holdings, Korea's top steelmaker, denied talk of a plan to acquire HMM, saying "it has no plans to buy the shipper, which doesn't correspond with its mid- and long-term business strategy." Last year, HMM pulled off a stellar performance as its earnings jumped nearly 89 percent from a year earlier on high shipping rates and lower costs. (Yonhap) Provided by VisitJordan.com Jordan is a Near East country that borders Syria, Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, which was part of Canaan in ancient times. Its named after the Jordan River, which flows between Israel and modern-day Jordan, whose name means flow downwards or to descend. The region has an extended history as a trade center for every significant empire from ancient times to the present day. Numerous sites in the country are mentioned throughout the Bible. Besides Israel, no other country has as many biblical associations and locations as Jordan. Theres Lots Cave, Mount Nebo, Bethany, and Madaba. Jordan is also the land of the ancient kingdoms of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and many others. The most significant part of Jordans biblical significance is the Jordan River, which the Bible mentions over 185 times. Heres a deeper look into some of Jordans biblical locations, highlighting Jordans biblical significance. The Jordan River The Jordan River is 156 miles long, flowing from north to south from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. It sits on present-day Israels eastern border and Jordan and Syrias western border. Because of its length and location, the Bible mentions it over 185 times. Genesis 13 indirectly references the Jordan River, where Abraham and Lot divide the land where God led them. Abraham let Lot choose his stake first, and he chose the Jordan Valley due to its lusciousness, specifically in verse 10. This moment was critical because it established Lot as a selfish person and led him to the city of Sodom, which God destroyed in Genesis 18-19. Years later, as the Israelites fled from slavery in Egypt to the land God pledged to them, The Jordan River served as a pathway and an obstruction. The people roamed the wilderness for 40 years as a penalty for not trusting in the Lords care when He brought them to Canaan. Even Moses was denied access to the Holy Land and could only see it from a mountaintop across the Jordan River after he died. The next generation of Israelites stood on the banks of the Jordan, ready to enter Canaan at last. The Jordan River was their last hindrance, and it was flooded. At Gods order, Joshua, the peoples new leader, told the priests wearing the Ark of the Covenant to stand in the river. They did so, and the river stopped flowing to make way for the people to cross on dry ground, as detailed in Joshua 3:15-17. Mount Nebo In the Bible, Mount Nebo is a mountain in Moab where Moses saw the Holy Land before he died. Mount Nebo sits 4,000 feet above the Dead Sea on the east side of the Jordan River, parallel to Jericho. In the last stage of the Israelites trek to the Holy Land, they stayed in Moab near Mount Nebo. Before Moses died, God told him to go to the top of Mount Nebo, as detailed in yDeuteronomy 32:48-52. God told Moses he would die overlooking Canaan on Mount Nebo. God answered Moses prayer to see the Holy Land, but he couldnt enter because of what happened when he hit the rock at Meribah Kadesh. Moses and his brother Aaron disappointed God that day due to their pride, disobedience, anger, and lack of trust. After seeing the Holy Land from Mount Nebo, Moses died and was buried close by. In present-day, Mount Nebo still has broad views of the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, Jericho, and even Jerusalem on clear days. Lots Cave Lot was Abrahams nephew who had selfish tendencies. After the obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot was scared to stay in Zoar, so he stayed in the mountains with his daughters. He lost everything in Sodoms destruction, so he and his family lived in a cave. In this cave, Lots daughters developed a plan to keep the family line going: they would get Lot drunk and sleep with him. The eldest daughter slept with him first; the youngest daughter slept with him the next night. Both got pregnant and named their sons Ben-Ammi and Moab. These boys became the fathers of the Ammonites and Moabites. Years later, the Lord ordered His people to save the Moabites and the Ammonites for Lot when the Israelites journeyed to the Holy Land. The site of Jesus baptism. Perhaps the most significant event that occurred in Jordan was Jesus baptism. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John say His baptism took place on the banks of the Jordan River by John the Baptist. John 1:19-28 introduces us to John the Baptist, a rugged and rough prophet who spread the news that Israels Messiah was coming. Religious leaders started questioning him; the Pharisees insisted on knowing who gave John the authority to perform baptisms. John said that God sent him to prepare the way for the Lord. John 1:29-34 tells us that Jesus came to John on the east of the Jordan to get baptized. When thinking about a tour of Jordan, most people know that Jordan is biblically significant. Still, few understand how much this land exists in Christian and Hebrew scriptures. These locations are only the tip of the iceberg regarding Jordans biblical significance. You could also visit Petra, the land of the Edomites. Many movie lovers know about the treasury building of Petra due to its feature in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. From the site of Jesus baptism to the Jordan River, Jordan is filled with biblical sites and pieces of information. Imagine yourself visiting the site of Jesus baptism and how that would uplift and strengthen your faith. Picture yourself placing your feet in the Jordan River, the same place where the Israelites fled the terrors of Egypt. Outside of Israel, no other country has more biblical significance than Jordan. If youre considering taking a trip to Jordan, take some time to visit these biblical sites and immerse yourself in this beautiful land. Take the opportunity to travel back in time and feel Jesus presence around you. For more information on the Holy Sites of Jordan and planning your trip, please visit www.holyjordan.com Unsplash Any project is easier when you have the right tools, and studying the Bible is no exception. As Christians, we know we need to understand what Scripture says since its the basis of all of our beliefs about God, Jesus, salvation, and for living the Christian life. At the same time, Bible study is also challenging. Were separated from the authors and original audience of the Bible by time, language, culture, and (for most of us) geography. Thus, understanding the Bible involves a different approach than reading the latest nonfiction book or novel. The following five tools will help you dig deeper into Scripture and understand passages or verses that would be mysterious or confusing without them. These tools will help you mine the riches of Gods Word that are often below the surface. Tool #1A Searchable Bible Before the rise of online Bible websites, in order to search the Bible you needed a book known as a concordance. These volumes are still available, and list the occurrence of every word in the Bible so that you can search for specific terms. For example, if you wanted to find every occurrence in the Bible of Holy Spirit, you could open the concordance and locate every verse where this term appears. This is helpful because its important to know what the entire Bible says about a given topic, rather than looking at just a few verses. Now, however, there are several Bible websites that make searching easy, such as Bible Gateway and YouVersion (both are also available as mobile apps). These sites allow you to choose your favorite Bible version, and search within that version. With Bible Gateway, you can also create notes with your personal reflections and highlight passages. The ability to search the entire Bible for any term is a wonderful tool that will enrich your personal or small-group Bible study. Tool #2Bible Dictionary Bible dictionaries contain entries on people, places, and things in the Bible. These are wonderful tools for shedding light on terms you may not be familiar with, getting a concise overview, or for learning important background information. Lets say, for example, that youre studying one of the Gospels, and you want to know more about the town where Jesus grew up, Nazareth. You could open your Bible dictionary to Nazareth, and read the following: A small town in Galilee, about halfway between Mount Carmel and the [south] end of the Sea of Galilee. It was the home of Mary and Joseph, and here Jesus spent most of his life (Matt. 2:23; Lk. 1:26; 2:4; Jn. 1:46). After Jesus began his ministry, he visited the synagogue in Nazareth and the people there rejected his message (Lk. 4:1630; cf. Mk. 6:16a). Bible dictionaries are available as print books, and can also be found online (e.g., at Bible Gateway or biblestudytools.com), as well as in Bible software programs (e.g., Logos or Olive Tree). One significant advantage of Bible software for many of the tools described in this article is that you can search entire books for keywords, making it easy to locate information, as well as purchase modern, up-to-date resources (most free resources at online Bible sites are older works that are in the public domain). Tool #3Bible Word Studies The Bible was originally written in three languages. The Old Testament was mostly written in Hebrew, with a few parts in Aramaic, and the New Testament was written in Greek. Sometimes deeper insight can be gained into a passage by looking at the underlying Hebrew or Greek words using a Bible word-study resource. Say, for example, that youre reading Psalm 29, and you come to the last verse: The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace (vs. 11). Youd like to know more about what peace means in this verse, so you consult your word-study resource, which says the following. The Hebrew word for peace is salom. It . . . conveys the image of wholeness, unity, and harmonysomething that is complete and sound. Although peace is essentially a relational concept in the OT [Old Testament], it also conveys the idea of prosperity, health, and fulfillment. . . . Through the OT, some two-thirds of the uses of this word express the fulfillment that comes to human beings when they experience Gods presence. While in English, we typically use the word peace to mean an absence of conflict, our resource tells us that in Hebrew the word often has a more expansive meaning of well-being and fulfillment, especially in relation to Gods presence. In many cases, a word-study resource can help you uncover these deeper, richer meanings. While you can find basic definitions of Hebrew and Greek words on some Bible websites (such as STEPBible), more in-depth explanations like the one above are typically found in books devoted to word studies (many of which are also available electronically in Bible software programs). Two that are especially user-friendly are the New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words by Lawrence O. Richards and Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words by William D. Mounce. Tool #4Bible Commentaries Commentaries are books typically written by scholars to explain the meaning of biblical texts. Some commentaries cover the entire Bible in one large volume, but most devote a single volume to a single book of the Bible. Commentaries bring together insights from biblical history, cultures, the original languages, and theology in order to explain the meaning of biblical passages. Commentaries are thus one of the most helpful tools available for studying and understanding Scripture. Some commentaries are written at a high academic level, while others are aimed at a general audience. You can usually tell how basic or advanced a commentary is by reading its product description and a few sample pages at online bookstores. Commentaries aimed at everyday Christians tend to have a greater focus on applying the Bible to ones life. Like most of the tools weve already discussed, commentaries come in print as well as electronic versions. Some are also freely available online at sites like Bible Gateway and biblestudytools.com, though the majority of these are older works. Both sites, however, offer access to modern commentaries for a monthly subscription fee. This can be an attractive option, since purchasing full commentary sets can run hundreds or thousands of dollars. Commentaries can also be purchased in Bible software platforms. To see how helpful a commentary can be, imagine youve just started reading the Gospel of John. The very first verse says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). A question that naturally comes to mind is, Why does John refer to Jesus as the Word? To find out, you can open your commentary on Johns Gospel, and read the following. Much as our words reveal to others our hearts and minds, so Jesus Christ is Gods Word to reveal His heart and mind to us. He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father (John 14:9). . . . According to Hebrews 1:13, Jesus Christ is Gods last Word to mankind, for He is the climax of divine revelation. He existed in the beginning, not because He had a beginning as a creature, but because He is eternal. He is God and He was with God. The commentator here helpfully observes that Jesus is Gods full and final Word, or revelation, to human beings, and that Jesus is God and not one of Gods creations. Such insights can be indispensable for understanding Scripture. Tool #5Study Bibles If I were going to a desert island and could only take one Bible study tool, it would be a study Bible. This is because a study Bible not only contains the full text of the Bible itself, but also commentary notes (and sometimes diagrams, charts, or other features) that explain the Bibles meaning. Naturally, the commentary is much briefer than youll find in a full Bible commentary volume (like the one on John we just talked about), but there is typically enough to explain the meaning of a passage or verse. There are a multitude of study Bibles aimed at different audiences (e.g., women, teens, children, athletes) and that focus on specific topics (e.g., theology, applying Scripture to life, commentary by well-known pastors). They also come in all kinds of formatsleather, hardcover, paperback, e-versions. A recent trend is to include blank pages for readers to add their own notes and observations. If youre shopping for a study Bible, you may want to visit your local bookstore to see examples and to flip through them to determine which has the best feel and features. One example of a specialty study Bible is the ESV Prayer Bible, which intersperses prayers by notable past and present Christians throughout the biblical text. The prayer below, from the medieval theologian Anselm, is found near Galatians 5 (which discusses the fruit of the Holy Spirit). O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray you, with the graces of your Holy Spirit, with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of you, our Father, who makes your sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. A study Bible is one of the most versatile and useful tools for Bible study, and one that I highly recommend for going deeper in your regular reading of Scripture. Christopher L. Reese (MDiv, ThM) writes about the Bible at Bible Exposition. He is a writer, editor, and journalist and has published two books with Zondervan as a general editor. His work has appeared in Christianity Today, Bible Gateway, and other sites. Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, front row third from left, claps with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, front row fourth from left, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, front row second from left, and other Korean and Portuguese business and government officials during the Korea-Portugal Business Forum held at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of KCCI By Kim Hyun-bin Key political and business figures from Korea and Portugal agreed to cooperate in future core industries such as renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), and semiconductors. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) jointly held the Korea-Portugal Business Forum with the Portuguese Embassy in Korea and AICEP Portugal Global at the Four Seasons Hotel in, Seoul, Wednesday. The forum was co-hosted by the KCCI, the Portuguese Embassy in Korea, and the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency in celebration of the visit of Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa to Korea. Indonesian police Insp.-Gen. Ferdy Sambo (center, in red vest), accused of murdering bodyguard Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, is escorted to his trial at the South Jakarta Court in Jakarta, Oct. 17, 2022. Updated at 8:57 p.m. ET on 2023-04-12 An Indonesian appeals court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence of a former police inspector-general who was convicted for ordering a low-ranking policeman killed over the suspicion that he had sexually assaulted his wife. The Jakarta High Court rejected the appeal filed by Ferdy Sambo, who headed the national polices internal affairs division when the murder took place at his official residence in July 2022. In February, a trial court found Sambo guilty of premeditated murder and obstruction of justice, and condemned him to death row. The High Courts decision is essentially to uphold the verdict of the South Jakarta District Court, said Singgih Budi Prakoso, head of the five-judge panel that heard the appeal. Sambo and his wife, Putri Candrawathi, along with three other accomplices, were all convicted of charges in a conspiracy to murder Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, a 27-year-old brigadier, at Sambos official residence. Putri, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the killing, also had her appeal rejected by the Jakarta High Court on Wednesday. Both of the high-profile convicts and their lawyers were not in the courtrooms on Wednesday when the different panels ruled on their appeals. In addition, one of the three other convicted accomplices, Ricky Rizal, lost their appeal before the court on Wednesday. The court the same day was also hearing the appeal of the other accomplice, Kuat Maruf. On Wednesday, the judges rejected his appeal as well when they returned to the courtroom after breaking their daily Ramadan fast. The last accomplice has not appealed his conviction and is serving time in prison. Sambo, Putri and Rizal can still file a further appeal to the Supreme Court or seek clemency from the president. The police initially claimed that Yosua was killed in a shootout with another policeman, but the victims family demanded a second autopsy, which revealed multiple gunshot wounds. Amid a public outcry, national Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo set up a special team to investigate the case. The team exhumed Yosuas body and worked with an independent forensics team to conduct the second autopsy. Prosecutors said the motive for the murder was Sambos belief of his wifes allegation that Yosua had sexually assaulted her, a charge that was not proven in court. The case has drawn national attention and raised questions about excesses and corruption in the police force. The killing also drew attention to Sambos apparently disproportionate wealth and lavish lifestyle. Putri Candrawathi, the wife of former head of the internal affairs for Indonesias national police Ferdy Sambo, attends her trial at the South Jakarta court in Jakarta on February 13, 2023. [Aditya Aji/AFP] Sambos lawyer had argued that the death penalty violated human rights and the verdict was harsher than the prosecutions demand for life imprisonment. But the judges at the Jakarta High Court said that capital punishment was still needed as a deterrent and a shock therapy for law enforcement in Indonesia. Another policeman, Rizal, and the familys driver, Kuat, received sentences of 13 to 15 years for their roles in the crime. Another officer, Richard Eliezer, who cooperated with the investigation and testified against Sambo, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for firing his gun at Yosua on Sambos orders. Sambo is the first police general to be sentenced to death for murder in Indonesias history. In Indonesia, the death penalty is usually carried out by a firing squad. The couples trials were televised nationwide and transfixed Indonesians for months. The case came about amid instances of alleged police misconduct that have eroded public trust in the institution, and it prompted calls for reform and better governance in the force. Another police general, Teddy Minahasa, is on trial for allegedly trafficking 5 kg (11 lbs.) of crystal methamphetamine investigators had seized from suspected drug dealers last year as evidence. He could face the death penalty, if convicted of the charges. This report has been updated to add information about the outcome of the appeal by Kuat Maruf. President Joe Biden is greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, left, and US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley, center, he steps off Air Force One at Belfast International Airport in Belfast, Northern Ireland, April 11. AP-Yonhap President Joe Biden embarked Tuesday on a journey of diplomatic and family celebration, highlighting the U.S. role of 25 years ago in ending deadly bloodshed in Northern Ireland while catching up with distant relatives in the Republic of Ireland. It's his first trip back as America's president. Biden arrived in Belfast on Tuesday night and was greeted at the airport by United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He will spend about half a day in the city on Wednesday, holding talks with Sunak before going to Ulster University to mark the Good Friday accord anniversary. The president will also "engage" with the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties but not as a group, the White House said. Monday marked a quarter-century since the Good Friday Agreement, signed on that day in April 1998, ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland that killed 3,600 people. Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, is observing the milestone anniversary with a reunion of key players in the peace process along with Biden's visit. Deep divisions remain over the conflict's legacy, and U.K. authorities in March raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to "severe," warning of IRA dissidents opposed to the peace process and set on attacks. Youths threw gasoline bombs and set a police vehicle on fire during a dissident march in Londonderry on Monday. Biden said last month that nothing would change his travel plans. "They can't keep me out," he said. The Democratic president will spend four days on the trip in all, including appearances in Belfast, the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland; in Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, and in County Louth and County Mayo, on Ireland's East and West coasts, respectively. He will also address Ireland's Parliament. In County Louth the 80-year-old will dive into the Irish ancestry of which he is immensely proud and speaks about often. United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III. arrives at Belfast International Airport in Belfast, Northern Ireland, April 11. AP-Yonhap Biden will hold separate meetings Thursday in Dublin with Irish President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before the address to Parliament and a dinner banquet. Varadkar visited Biden in the Oval Office last month on St. Patrick's Day. The president will spend Friday, the final day of the trip, in County Mayo, exploring family genealogy and giving a speech about ties between the U.S. and Ireland in front of a 19th century cathedral that the White House said was partly built using bricks supplied by his great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt, a brickmaker and civil engineer. "The president is very much looking forward to that trip and to celebrating the deep historic ties that our two countries and our two people continue to share," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. Ending decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, a period referred to as "the Troubles," meant balancing competing identities in the country, which remained in the United Kingdom when the rest of Ireland won independence a century ago. Irish nationalists in the north most of them Catholic seek union with the Republic of Ireland, while largely Protestant unionists want to stay with the U.K. The Good Friday Agreement, struck on April 10, 1998, after almost two years of U.S.-backed talks, committed armed groups to stop fighting, ended direct British rule and set up a Northern Ireland legislature and government with power shared between unionist and nationalist parties. But Britain's exit from the European Union, which left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of Britain and EU member Ireland, has upset a delicate political balance, including the power-sharing system set up by the peace accord. The Northern Ireland Assembly has not sat for more than a year, after the main unionist party pulled out of the government to protest new trade rules for Northern Ireland brought in after Brexit. A more recent accord between the U.K. and the EU, known as the Windsor Framework , addresses some of the issues that arose around commerce and goods sent across the Irish Sea from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Biden has praised the framework as an important step in maintaining the peace, though Northern Ireland's political leaders have called for changes. Asked as he prepared to leave Washington about his priorities for the trip, Biden said, "Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place. Keep the peace. That's the main thing." Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said he would expect Biden to use the anniversary to highlight the positive role the U.S. can play in forging peace around the world. "This is a real success, 25 years later, of U.S. diplomacy, where the U.S. was asked and then played a very critical role in bridging the divide between two of its friends and partners," Bergmann said in an interview. "I think this is a moment to mark that progress can happen in the world and the United States can play a central role in it." Excitement over Biden's trip has been growing in the town of Ballina, from which one of the president's great-great-grandfathers left for the United States in 1850. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets U.S. President Joe Biden on his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, April 11. Reuters-Yonhap 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. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva holds the hand of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin as he boards to China in Brasilia, Brazil, April 11. Reuters-Yonhap President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva departed Brazil on Tuesday for an official visit to China, where he aims to convince President Xi Jinping to form a group of nations to mediate an end to Russia's war with Ukraine. Lula's visit, postponed from March for health reasons, aims to reset relations with Brazil's largest trade partner following a frosty four years under his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. Lula is also seeking to put Brazil back on the international stage after a period of relative isolation by Bolsonaro, who spurned his country's traditional role in multilateral forums and drew criticism for not protecting the Amazon rainforest. When he meets Xi on Friday, Lula has said he will suggest a proposal to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, an initiative that among Western leaders has only been welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron. "I am convinced that both Ukraine and Russia are waiting for someone else to say, 'Let's sit down and talk,'" Lula told journalists last week. Lula has suggested a peace solution could be the return of newly invaded territory, though not Crimea - an option that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy has rejected outright. For his initiative to advance, Lula needs China to send a message to Russia, said a European diplomat in Brasilia. "Lula knows that China is the only country Russia will listen to," said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding: "People are waiting to see if it gets some traction from other countries, like France and Germany." Lula's foreign policy adviser Celso Amorim flew to Moscow in March to push for peace talks, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Brasilia on April 17. Before arriving in Beijing, Lula will visit Shanghai to attend the inauguration of former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff as head of the New Development Bank set up in 2014 by the BRICS group of major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Lula's trip to China was originally scheduled for the last week of March but postponed after he caught pneumonia. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures during a ministerial meeting to celebrate the first 100 days of his government at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, April 10, Reuters-Yonhap Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. PITTSFIELD For three generations, Dr. Michael Fabrizio has guided Berkshire children through their first steps, flu shots, broken bones and chicken pox. After 44 years in practice, Fabrizio is stepping back from the work he loves. In July, Fabrizios practice at 387 Columbus Ave. extension will close. In a recent interview, he said that in the coming months hell speak with his 1,800 active patients or send them a letter letting them know theyll need to find someone new. He said he already has shed many a tear at the parting conversations with patients. I think theyre all pretty disappointed, Fabrizio said, and [the closing] really comes as quite a surprise. We have a special relationship with our patients, and I kind of expected it would be difficult for everyone concerned, including me. Fabrizio received his medical degree in 1974 from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. He completed his medical residency at Berkshire Medical Center in 1978. He opened his first practice in Pittsfield in 1979 in the second floor of a building at the corner of George and South streets. He said he considered either obstetrics or pediatrics, but chose pediatrics because it allowed him to share time with his patients and his family. I thought about the amount of time required to be in [obstetrics] and particularly the fact that it really could take over your life, Fabrizio said. So I looked around at the situation and said, Let me try pediatrics, and I really loved it. He added, I love the interaction with the families and the community. Fabrizios work in Pittsfield has spanned several critical health moments in the citys history. In 2006, Fabrizio and the 10 other practicing pediatricians in the city signed a letter to then Mayor James Ruberto contesting the decision to place PCB fill from GE in a dump site near the Allendale Elementary School. The doctors wrote in concern about the potential health risks local children could face from breathing PCBs in the air during active dumping at the site. The dumping continued anyway. Fabrizio also ushered his young patients through the coronavirus pandemic, helping parents to keep their children safe until a vaccine was approved for children. His practice became one of the first in Berkshire County to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines for children. For more than four decades, Fabrizio has balanced his time and attention between the family he created with his wife, Kathy, and the hundreds of families he cares for. Now the scale is tipping in his familys favor. Fabrizio said his difficult decision to close down his general pediatrics practice to clear more room in his life for his two children and three grandchildren who live in Nashville, Tenn. The couple has a condo near their children in Nashville and is considering spending more of the year in Tennessee. Ive been really reluctant to go down there because I didnt really want to close the practice, Fabrizio said. I thought it was a good thing for the community. We did our best to see whether or not there was a way for us to keep the practice open even though I wasnt going to be able to continue in the practice. He said he looked for a clinician to take over the practice but was unable to get anyone to commit to the job. He said he will continue seeing patients, but only on a consultation basis for developmental and behavioral pediatrics cases. He said he will miss working with Berkshire Countys children. Every day you come to work and no matter how you feel or what is going on in your life, these kids smiles and their needs just give you a boost, Fabrizio said. They just increase your spirit and make you better. You learn from them everyday. A Ukrainian egg decorating workshop was held at the First Congregational Church in Williamstown on March 26. Donations from participants will The entrance to an office listed as belonging to Quadream is seen in a high rise building in Ramat Gan, Israel, Jan. 25, Reuters-Yonhap New Israeli-made spyware resembling the notorious Pegasus program has been used to target journalists and opposition politicians in several countries, a Canadian watchdog said Tuesday. The spyware and related exploit or hacking software was created by the little-known firm QuaDream, which was established by a former Israeli military official and veterans of NSO Group, the creator of Pegasus, according to Citizen Lab. Citizen Lab, which studies the abuse of digital technologies, said it identified at least five people targeted by QuaDream spyware and exploits in North America, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. "Victims include journalists, political opposition figures, and an NGO worker," it said, saying it would not identify them at the moment. Spyware like Pegasus has been widely used by governments and other actors to spy on opponents, media and activists. The programs can be placed on computers and cellphones by phishing communications and backdoor exploits, and can survey and transmit information on the phone back to an operator without the user's knowledge. The White House said in late March that Pegasus has been used by governments "to facilitate repression and enable human rights abuses." Citizen Lab said that, one placed on a user's phone or computer, QuaDream's spyware can record audio from a phone call, record external sounds from a device's microphone, take pictures from cameras, and search the device's files, all without the user's knowledge. A Microsoft logo is seen a day after Microsoft Corp's $26.2 billion purchase of LinkedIn, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 16, 2016. Reuters-Yonhap Need some help? The Pioneer publishes a list of community resources every Wednesday. If any listing is inaccurate or to submit an event, contact Julie Norwood at 231-592-8358 or julie.norwood@pioneergroup.com. Deadline is noon Mondays. Free income tax preparation for taxpayers with low or moderate incomes. To scheduled an appointment, call 231-796-4848. Salvation Army, 325 Linden St., Big Rapids: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 7-April 13. Morton Township Library, 110 South James St., Mecosta: 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Feb. 10-April 14. Wheatland Township Library, 207 W Michigan Ave., Remus: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 8-April 12. ESSENTIAL NEEDS Manna Pantry of Big Rapids: 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday in the annex of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 315B S. State St., Big Rapids. Volunteers needed, 12:30-4:15 p.m. Monday-Friday or half shifts. Call Bonnie Clark, 231-408-2940, if interested. Project Starburst: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday in the basement of the United Church of Big Rapids, 120 S. State St., Big Rapids. Volunteers needed, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call Diane Long, 231-796-5342, if interested. Lord's Table Food Pantry: Open 1-5 p.m. Wednesdays at Faith Community Church, 610 Green St., Big Rapids. Volunteers needed. Everyone is welcome, all Veterans and those in need. Contact 231-796-8389 to set up an appointment outside normal hours. Reed City Food Pantry: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 831 S. Chestnut St., Reed City. For questions or emergency food needs, call 231-215-6996. Barryton Area Mobile Food Pantry: 2 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, rain or shine, at the Fork Township Community Center parking lot, 3265 20 Mile Road, Barryton. Registration to receive food begins at noon. For more information, visit bamfp.org. Angels of Action: 200 S. Stewart, Big Rapids. Provides children and their families access to food, essential needs and community resources. Call 231-629-8140 or email info@angelsofaction.org for assistance. Our Brother's Keeper: 405 S. 3rd Ave., Big Rapids. Provides temporary emergency housing for those homeless and looking for safety or a place to stay as they transition into more permanent housing. Call 231-629-8160 for assistance. Mid Michigan Community Action: 14330 Northland Drive, Big Rapids. Provides help with food, housing, early childhood education, home energy savings, energy assistance, homebuyer assistance and more. Multiple locations. Call 231-660-0271 for the Big Rapids location and 231-791-7078 for the Reed City location. HEALTH, INTERVENTION AND RECOVERY Mecosta County Health Department: 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 14485 Northland Drive, Big Rapids. 231-592-0130. Community Mental Health for Central Michigan: 500 South 3rd Avenue, Big Rapids. 231-796-5825. Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital: (formally Spectrum Health) Open 24-7 at 605 Oak St., Big Rapids. Main number is 231-796-8691. To schedule an appointment, call 231-592-4440 or 877-362-8362. For emergencies, call 911. Central Michigan Recovery Education Network: A network of organizations that provide education, prevention, recovery and treatment for those affected by substance use disorder. Call 1-800-662-4357 or visit www.cmren.org for more information. WISE (Women's Information Services): Provides crisis intervention and support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Call the 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-374-WISE. SUPPORT GROUPS TOPS 9189 (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): 8:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesdays in the United Church of Big Rapids dinning hall, 120 South State St. The public is invited to join TOPS 9189 weight loss support group. Weigh-in is 8:30-9:15 a.m., followed by a meeting at 9:30-10:30 a.m. First visit is free. Men Overcoming Loss, Grieving Dads: (virtual and in-person) 6-7 p.m. first Wednesday of each month, at Hospice of Michigan, 400 Perry Ave., Big Rapids. This support group is designed for dads who are dealing with the death of a son or daughter. RSVP with David Keller at 231-527-0913, dkeller@hom.org Mommy Support Group: 10-11 a.m. Mondays at The Corner Cup, 2963 Arthur Road, Remus. Alcoholics Anonymous: To find a group, call the hotline at 1-800-367-6788 or visit area34district9.org. Union Health Minister inaugurates the department Ghaziabad-based Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital has launched a new department for robotic surgery and artificial intelligence (AI). The department was inaugurated by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh L Mandaviya in the presence of Union Ministers, Hardeep Singh Puri and Gen VK Singh. The hospital has installed one of the 4th gen robotic surgery programmes, Da Vinci by US-based Intuitive, at the newly opened department. The hospital aims to make RAS affordable and accessible to the public through this initiative, with a focus on driving better patient outcomes. While inaugurating the department and scientific session, Dr Mandaviya said that it is setting a milestone in the journey of health for all missions of the Government of India. He said that it is not only professional work for them to add this kind of service but they are doing it for the growth of the nation. He said the mindset of the nation has changed since 2014 people were only expecting the government to work for the nation but now private hospitals have started to come in the front with a holistic approach to the growth of the nation. The hospital also conducted an informative session on the benefits of Robotic surgery and AI in healthcare, with a focus on robotic surgery technology. Hardeep Singh Puri said that other private hospitals should also come up with such great initiatives as the Yashoda Kaushambi to take India to a leading position in healthcare globally. The government has taken several cautious steps to fuel this promising sector. Strategic decisions such as foreign direct investments (FDI) promoting medical device parks are aimed to drive business. Let us look at how the industry has come along with this Make in India initiative. In September 2014, the Government of India launched a major national programme called the Make in India initiative to boost the manufacturing sector by providing investments and incentives for best-in-class facilities and infrastructure. Medtech was recognised as the sunrise sector under the Make in India campaign. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian Medtech sector is growing at a CAGR of 37 per cent and by 2050, it is expected to reach $50 billion. 100% FDI in medical devices through automatic route The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in 2014 allowed unconditional 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in medical devices to reduce imports and promote domestic manufacturing. The Reserve Bank of India clarified that the Medtech industry would have 100 per cent FDI through the automatic route, which differs from the pharmaceutical sector. This boosted the FDI for medical devices from $62.5 million in 2014 to $161 million in 2015 and $439 million in 2016. The government put a price cap on a few medical devices to make healthcare accessible and affordable to all. Though the price cuts benefited the patients, the Medtech industry was not encouraged. The FDI investment plunged to $184 million in 2017 and further dipped to $66 million in 2018. The price control made local manufacturers increase their imports and trades and build warehouse infrastructure rather than develop a manufacturing facility. Since Medtech is such a technology- and capital-dependent industry, a collaborative model such as public-private partnerships is essential for driving local manufacturing. In 2019-2020, the pandemic was vital in highlighting the high skill set and low manufacturing cost in India compared to the US, the UK, Europe, and Japan. This helped drive some of the medical devices FDI in the past two years. For example, in 2022, India and Japan discussed inviting Japanese companies to manufacture medical equipment in India. International companies can benefit from these policies and explore business expansion in this high-growth market. In May 2020, the government launched the PLI (Production Linked Incentive schemes), in which some categories of medical devices will be given financial incentives to build infrastructure for large-scale domestic medical equipment manufacturing. Categories include cancer care/radiotherapy medical devices, radiology and imaging medical devices (ionising and non-ionising radiation products), nuclear imaging devices, anaesthetics and cardio-respiratory medical devices, including catheters of the cardiorespiratory category and renal care medical devices, and all implants, including implantable electronic devices. The government declared to offer Rs 3,420 crore between 2020-21 and 2027-28. This has been a big boost for the large Medtech providers, and many have used this scheme to launch new manufacturing facilities. For example, in March 2022, Wipro GE Healthcare announced a new 35,000 sq ft medical device manufacturing factory in Bengaluru. This facility will manufacture CT, ultrasound imaging devices, cath lab equipment, patient monitoring solutions, ECG machines and ventilators. In April 2022, Siemens Healthineers started its new computed tomography scanners manufacturing facility in Bengaluru. These products are under the approved category of the medical devices segment of the PLI. Many more projects have been approved by the government under the PLI scheme, including Philips Global Business Services for MRI coils; Meril Healthcare, Envision Scientific and Bio India Interventional Technologies for manufacturing implantable electronics; and Allied Medical, Deck Mount Electronics and Microtek New Technologies for setting up manufacturing facilities for anaesthetics and cardio-respiratory medical devices. This scheme is boosting the Make in India initiative for the Medtech sector, promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat, or the self-reliant India campaign by the Indian government. The current PLI schemes eligibility PLI is that the company should have Rs 60 crore (FY 2022-23) threshold minimum for incremental sales of manufactured goods, and the threshold minimum increases by almost Rs 60 crore every year. Despite its benefits, this PLI scheme misses out on incentivising the technology-driven startups or mid-sized Medtech companies in India that need funds for research and development. During the recent pandemic, we witnessed increased demand for technologically advanced, high-quality, low-cost medical devices. Several Medtech startups with cutting-edge technologies emerged. Considering the large Medtech Indian market with diverse application opportunities, all large, small, and midsized companies need to be supported for a successful manufacturing ecosystem. Additional incentives for small- and medium-scale domestic companies will enable smaller institutions to thrive. R&D funding will also be imperative to support indigenous innovations. A recent Government of India central sector scheme towards the Make in India initiative is the promotion of medical devices parks. The Centre sanctioned four medical device parks (in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh) of about 1,326 acres and will also provide a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs 400 crore (Rs 100 per park) or 70 per cent of the common infrastructure cost, whichever is less. The rest of the costs will be covered by the state governments. This funding will help develop Medtech manufacturing state-of-art infrastructure and reduce the production cost of medical devices, improving affordability and availability. The tenure of this scheme is from FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-2025. This advanced infrastructure facility will benefit the small- and medium-scale industries by providing access to world-class common infrastructure and standardised testing facilities. These can significantly help the promotion of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) entered a strategic collaboration with Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), where small manufacturers can use the AMTZs in-house, state-of-art scientific facilities, helping manufacturers reduce the cost of manufacturing. Over the years, many more medical device parks have emerged across the country, promoting R&D and manufacturing. For example, Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) set up Asia's largest stent manufacturing and R&D facility at Hyderabad Medical Devices Park. The facility aims to manufacture more than one million stents and two million balloon catheters. AMTZ in Andhra Pradesh supplied 1 million RT-PCR kits per day at the peak of the pandemic. Transasia Diagnostic Pvt Ltd. (TDPL) launched the first-in-India Transasia-Erba Monkeypox RT-PCR kit in August 2022, and the company has the capacity to manufacture more than 200 million Monkeypox RT-PCR kits per month. In 2022, the Draft National Policy for Medical Devices 2022 was submitted. This policy tries to encompass all of the existing Medtech industry challenges, improve manufacturing for medical devices, and reduce import dependency from 75- 80 per cent to 30 per cent in the next 10 years. This latest draft policy streamlines the regulations and compliance requirements, simplifies the patent process, encourages innovation and R&D through public-private partnerships, and funds healthcare innovation hubs and medical parks. Working toward digital health, the Indian government is supporting startups in telemedicine and AI-enabled healthcare. The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) was launched on August 15, 2020, to boost the digital infrastructure for digital healthcare services. This digital healthcare database will enable accessible and affordable healthcare for all. However, the recent Draft National Policy for Medical Devices doesnt discuss the regulations on data privacy and cybersecurity in medical devices, and clear health data guidelines will be essential for digital-enabled Medtech industry growth. Future opportunities Today, India is a huge Medtech market; its the fourth largest in Asia. With a skilled, talented workforce, government incentives and resource availability, manufacturing costs can be optimised in India, but the country is still importing a majority of its medical device requirements. It is evident that the government is pushing to address this dichotomy with several schemes supporting the Make in India initiative for this high-capital, technology-dependent Medtech industry. The companies should benefit from the schemes and this favourable environment to grow their manufacturing setup in India. The Medtech sector in India has come a long way. Several large companies are setting up manufacturing hubs, and local manufacturers are growing their facilities. Some additional benefits to the small-to-medium domestic consumable segment players can help curb further imports. The latest Draft National Policy also aims to reduce the dependency on imports, improve the countrys health security, and make India a global manufacturing hub. Debarati Sengupta, Senior Industry Analyst/Team Lead (Medical Device and Imaging), TechVision, Frost & Sullivan National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications John Kirby, right, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, left, participate in a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, facing questions on leaked Pentagon documents regarding the war in Ukraine, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 10. EPA-Yonhap It's been less than a week since news of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war surfaced, sending the Pentagon into full-speed damage control to assure allies and assess the scope of the leak. The information on scores of slides has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters, raising questions about whether the leak will erode allies' trust in sharing information with the U.S. or impact Ukraine's plans to intensify the fight against Russia this spring. Overall, the leaked documents present a "very serious risk to national security," a top Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday. This is a look at what the documents are, what is known about how they surfaced, and their potential impact. What are they? The classified documents which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials range from briefing slides mapping out Ukrainian military positions to assessments of international support for Ukraine and other sensitive topics, including under what circumstances Russian President Vladimir Putin might use nuclear weapons. There's no clear answer on how many documents were leaked. The Associated Press has viewed approximately 50 documents; some estimates put the total number in the hundreds. The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., April 10. EPA-Yonhap Where did they come from? No one knows for sure, not even the Pentagon chief. "They were somewhere in the web, and where exactly, and who had access at that point, we don't know. We simply don't know," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a press conference Tuesday. "We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it." It's possible the leak may have started on a site called Discord. Discord is a social media platform popular with people playing online games. The Discord site hosts real-time voice, video and text chats for groups and describes itself as a place "where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community." In one of those forums, originally created to talk about a range of topics, members would debate the war in Ukraine. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that the poster claimed were classified, first typing them out with the poster's own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, uploading images of folded papers. The person who said he was a member of the forum told the Associated Press that another person, identified online only as "Lucca," shared the documents in a different Discord chat. From there, they appear to have been spread until they were picked up by the media. Many details of the story can't be immediately verified. And top U.S. officials acknowledge publicly that they're still trying to find answers. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to reporters during a news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Philippine Officer in Charge of the Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez, at the State Department, April 11, in Washington. AP-Yonhap The Encephalitis Society is a multi-award-winning charity and the leading global resource providing support and information, raising awareness of the condition and collaborating in research. It also funds and collaborates on ground-breaking research and raises awareness through various campaigns including World Encephalitis Day which is held annually on February 22. In an interaction with BioSpectrum India, Dr Ava Easton, CEO of the Encephalitis Society, UK shared her views on the activities of the society and programmes / projects that are being funded by the society in the country. Established in 1994, what have been the key achievements of the Encephalitis Society till now? Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. It can occur at any age, in any part of the world and is caused either by infection, usually viral, or by a persons own immune system going wrong. There are over 5,00,000 reported cases of encephalitis around the world each year with mortality up to 40 per cent depending on the cause. People might be more familiar with meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the brain. But this is inflammation of the brain cells, and it is caused either by infection, invading the brain. This can be an ordinary, everyday infection that people will be familiar with, such as the measles or the cold sore virus, or it can be through the immune system attacking the brain in error. It's often a devastating neurological condition and sadly in many cases can have a high death rate. But for many who survive the condition, it can result in injury to the brain and in some cases, life changing disabilities for people. At the encephalitis society, we operate in three different ways. We provide information and support for people that have been affected by the condition and also for their family, their friends and their caregivers wherever they live in the world. We raise awareness of encephalitis. And our primary global campaign for that is World Encephalitis Day on February 22. And we also participate in research both funding and collaborating on research around the world to change and to heighten the encephalitis agenda. More recently, we've been working with global stakeholders, including the World Health Organisation, trying to develop a plan to change the landscape, encephalitis around the world, and make it seen more as a public health priority, and that encephalitis really matters, no matter where people live in the world. What kind of projects have you been working on in the Asia Pacific region? We're involved in lots of projects, but certainly in Australia you'll be aware that in February and March of last year they had a Japanese encephalitis outbreak. We mobilised very quickly to develop a masterclass for professionals and we did lots of public awareness around then. The Encephalitis Society is doing lots of projects and lots of work around the world to try and change the landscape of encephalitis. Do you have direct operations in other countries and how do you look at working in other countries besides the UK? We don't have chapters in different countries. But my team is a global team and they can help and support patients wherever they are in the world. If those patients need specific in-country treatment or support. And we will source that and we will signpost them to who can help in that country. What is the current status of Encephalitis in India? In India, outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome pose a major public health problem, affecting thousands of people every year. Since 2005, the overall incidence of acute encephalitis syndrome in India has not decreased, with 10,867 - 13,672 cases reported each year to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) between 2014 and 2017. Overall, incidence of encephalitis is suspected to be 3,00,000 cases a year. Among individuals who develop acute encephalitis syndrome, case fatality is as high as 40 per cent and long-term neurological or psychiatric conditions can occur in 30-50 per cent of patients. More dramatic is the long-term brain damage that these patients suffer leading to Epilepsy, memory loss, loss of attention, personality changes, paralysis, sensory loss such as loss of hearing or vision, depression, speech and movement difficulties. How are you spreading your activities in India? We don't have a chapter in India at the moment, but our team at the Encephalitis Society people can contact us and our team will put them in touch with people that it depends on what their needs are. But I think it's important to mention that for World Encephalitis Day we've got famous landmarks and buildings around the world lighting up, and colleagues, Dr Netra and colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) are lighting up some buildings, and our colleagues at Christian Medical College,Vellore are lighting up buildings. If I had all the money and all the time in the world, I would have a chapter in every country. But we are a small team trying to do the very best that we can. I hope one day we will get there. That will be our dream. But at the moment we're doing what we can with the small resources that we have. To develop a novel diagnostic test that can differentiate scrub typhus from other causes of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in children, a project from India received seed funding in 2022. What is the current status of the project? The scrub typhus project was only started on December 1, 2022. They've just received ethical approval, patient samples have been collected and they're currently checking their quality control before processing the rest of the patient samples. So early stages, but good progress being made by then. We, the Encephalitis society, have funded this project. With a seed funding, the project, we would normally expect to hear the results usually about 12 months from the start of the project. Hopefully by the end of this year we can see some good results. Similarly in 2021 Dr Priyanka Madaan, Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Post graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India received seed funding for Validation of the Paediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis Severity Score (PASS) in children with autoimmune encephalitis. What is the progress of the study so far? The start of the project was postponed due to long delays at receiving the necessary authorisations. So that project actually started in October 2022. They've got ethical approval. Their recruitment began in Chandigarh in November with five children and they're currently undergoing assessments. New Delhi is the next centre that's going to begin recruiting very shortly. So again, good progress and we should see some results from both of those studies this year. Dr Netravathi M, Professor of Neurology NIMHANS, Bangalore and I are working as part of a consortium called Brain and Flow Infections Global. And, over the last five years, we've been looking at the diagnosis and treatment of encephalitis in low to middle income countries such as Malawi and Brazil. And we've been working in India, so we've worked on and supported that project for the last five years, and it's hoped that we're going to have some results from that study over the next few months. Some are really exciting and really good projects that have been created and that we've been collaborating on in India. Narayan Kulkarni (narayan.kulkarni@mmactiv.com) Lisa Black embodies what is a rising star in the creative industry. The young illustrator graduated from the Red & Yellow Creative School of Business where she was a top performer. In December she was named an AdFocus Awards Student of the Year finalist. Lisa Black is an intern illustrator who was one of the top students at Red & Yellow Creative School of Business. Source: Supplied. Tell me a little bit about Lisa Black I'm initially from the Helderberg Basin; I moved around quite a lot as a child and spent a large chunk of my childhood in the West Coast as well. I'm 22 now and have spent the last three years living in Cape Town. Before that I spent a bit of time abroad in Spain with my mom's side of the family, working as a receptionist and saving as much as possible for when I would return to go to university. What did you specialise in and why? I specialised in illustration, but have a love for art direction as well. I'm forever grateful to have been introduced to illustration during my studies, because before that time, it was a career path I had never considered and barely knew anything about. I experienced it to be such an effective and fun way to communicate my ideas with the world. I found a new voice through illustration, and a new purpose as well when I started to see how people would interact with my work and the potential it had to make an impact. At the end of the day, illustration is that thing that lights my soul on fire. I'm a crafter and creator at heart and the act of illustrating brings me a sense of fulfilment. What do you enjoy most about being a creative? Like many other creatives, being in this field feels more like a need than a want: it is what feeds my soul and fires my heart. When I am not being creative, I feel like I am not being my best self. But this is a double-edged sword, because when your work is your passion and your driving force, it very easily consumes you in ways that are not always good. A self portrait by Lisa Black. Beyond this actualisation through creativity, I get great enjoyment from the sense of reaching other people and communicating with them on a deeper level. I have always found that the creative fields have an ability to engage people who would not normally engage with each other. I find there is a power in illustration to be understood, to make people understand and to invoke emotions regarding events, issues and conditions that can not only bring us together, but also solve great problems. This sense of making people feel seen and creating spaces for important conversations is of great importance to me. What have been the highlights of your career/studying so far? One of my earliest highlights was the first time I created something that resonated with other people. That first time you see the excitement in someone else's eyes that shows you that they feel seen or understood through something you have created is very powerful. This was a first year project that in my third year of studying went on to be published in an anthology of creative work titled Is my Queer Body not Strong Enough?, edited by Dr Layla Cassim. Being featured in such a powerful collection of stories was another highlight and honour. Furthermore, receiving awards such as Pendorings and the title of South Africa's All Star were great highlights during my studies that helped me see the power of creativity to reach others. What have been the challenges you have faced? One of the most frustrating and recurring challenges of my creative career has been creative block and a sense of burnout. There is nothing more disheartening than the days or weeks or sometimes months where it feels like you simply cannot solve a problem or create anything. With time I learnt that this is really just a part of the process. Creativity is not a sacred talent bestowed on a select few of us, nor is it something that can be forced. It took me a very long time to understand that sometimes answers present themselves through rest, or a change of scenery and sometimes through systematic work (research, midmaps, sketching). Are you employed yet, where and what do you do? I'm currently working as an intern at Studio Kronk in Cape Town, where I am delighted to be able to learn from and work for some of the most talented illustrators and designers. Who are the people in the industry who inspire you? As cheesy as it may be, during my studies at Red and Yellow, my lecturers were some of the most inspiring people to me. Their love for their craft and dedication to their work gave me a great sense of who I was and who I want to be. Beyond that, Maria Corte, Oliver Jeffers, Felicia Chiao and Alice Bloomfield are some illustrators who inspired me to go into the industry many years ago and who I continue to draw inspiration from today. I must also add that every day I feel like I am meeting and being inspired by new illustrators. There is so much beautiful work being done out there and I feel truly blessed to be able to live in a city that harbours so many incredible creatives. What are your future goals? My future goals seem to change with every passing day. I have a million different ideas of what I want to accomplish in my lifetime and even more ideas of how I want to do that. An underlying theme in everything is that I want to use my skills and passions to make a difference to whatever degree I can. I love facilitating important conversations and allowing voices to be not only heard, but more importantly understood. It would be amazing to one day have my own studio and the means to run my own projects (I've been toying with the idea of creating some picture books for a while), but for now, I'm just looking for a place where I can contribute to something that makes me feel a sense of accomplishment and warmth at the end of the day. What do you want to positively add to the industry? I believe that representation is so important and so I would love to add a sense of authenticity and inclusivity to the industry. I don't think that these things are particularly lacking, but it would be amazing to bring even more to the table. I would also love to contribute towards a culture of kindness, sharing and helping each other as creatives. There is so much beauty in the ways that creative people can learn from each other and how those skills can evolve from person to person. If you happen to know a rising star in marketing and media, contact marketingnews@bizcommunity.com In Spain, currently, an advertising company dedicates an average of 3.5% of its turnover (sales) to communication / marketing / advertising budget. Source: Pixabay pexels In Spain investment in digital already accounts for 46% of the budget and, of its different disciplines This is according to the 23rd edition of Agency Scope in Spain. The percentage has not changed in comparison to the previous edition, and is slightly higher than the 2014-2022 average (3.2%). The average investment ratio of nine markets analysed is 2.6%, and South Africa and India are the only ones that exceed 4%. The study, which is carried out every two years, analyses advertiser relationships with the agencies they work with as well as the perception and image of agencies and other specialist marketing & communication agents in Spain. The results obtained are also compared with previous editions of the study and with the 11 markets where it is carried out, with the aim of analysing the evolution of trends. More than 1,600 interviews This is the only study of its kind carried out in the sector and its main value is to provide agencies that subscribe to it with key information to meet the current needs of their clients. The report gives them a unique tool to improve and offer new services that address current and future needs of marketers. The fieldwork took place between the months of April and October 2022 and, on this occasion, more than 1,600 interviews were carried out - 833 with professionals who work in 590 different advertising companies, 389 with professionals from creative agencies, 392 from media agencies and 15 from media commercial managers. Of those marketing managers interviewed, 63% work in Madrid, the majority are women (57%), around 43 years of age and have been working at their current company for almost eight years, of which seven have been in the same position. The position with the highest representation in the sample is that of marketing director (33%). 50% work in foreign multinationals, 26% in Spanish multinationals and 24% in national companies. Most of them are companies within the service sector (42%), followed everyday consumer goods (33%) and durable consumption (20%). Digital investment doubled Investment in Digital (46%) has almost doubled in the last eight years (24% in 2014) and is higher than the rest of the disciplines: ATL (34%) and BTL (20%). At a global level, we find that the countries where investment in Digital is highest are China (50%) and Mexico (48%). Marketers analysed dedicate 52% of their budget to branding activity and 48% to performance marketing (52.0%). However, some differences can be seen depending on the specific sector of the companies analysed: those of Mass Consumption invest more in branding (61%), while those of Durable Consumption and Services invest more in performance actions (51% and 53% respectively). Amongst the different Digital disciplines, budget is largely allocated to Paid Media (36%), followed by Search Engines-SEO/SEM (27%), Social Media and Influencers (21%), Ecommerce/Marketplaces (78%) and Digital CRM (7%). At an international level, Brazil is more committed to Paid Media than the rest of markets, Argentina is where investment in Social Media is highest and Spain leads investment in Search Engines. Globally, we see an increase of investments in Social Media and Influencers. Working with almost 12 different agents Regarding the different agents with which advertisers solve their communication, marketing and advertising needs, on average, each marketing manager in Spain works with almost 12 different agents: digital platforms (3.4) and advertising agencies (2.5) are the ones which collaborate the most with advertisers, followed by digital agencies, BTL agencies, media agencies, PR agencies and consultancies. In Brazil and China we find that the number of digital platforms with which advertisers work increases to over nine. Already in 2020 we saw that, in Spain, there was no desire to integrate all communication services in the same agency (Advertising, BTL, Digital, Media...), as had been customary in previous editions and as occurs in several of the countries where the study takes place. Currently, 78% of Spanish advertisers (72% in 2020) work with agencies by specialty, however, looking to the future, it is a smaller percentage (62%) who say they would like to continue working within this model. Among the disciplines that advertisers consider key for their company, the five most mentioned, in the following order, are: Strategic Planning, Creativity, Digital Strategy, Research (market, media, consumer) and Media Planning. It is interesting to observe how media agencies are improving their position as leading agencies in the relationship with the companies they work with. In Spain, we already find up to nine media agencies within the top 30, thus demonstrating that they have sufficient capacity to accompany their clients' marketing-communication-advertising team in leadership, due to their strengths in Research, Strategic Planning, Digital Strategy, Media Planning and Buying. The 2023 Eastern Cape SUV Challenge will tour the province from 12-16 April 2023. Image supplied Now in its fifth year, the SUV Challenge was established in 2018 by Deep Sky Blue and the Siyavuya Foundation to promote tourism through off-road adventure sport, road safety and social cohesion. The SUV Challenge is underpinned by the pillars of Road Safety, Heritage Tourism and Social Cohesion. Although a lifestyle and outdoor adventure tour, what sets the SUV Challenge apart is our intentional approach to socio-economic upliftment of the communities along the tour route through collaborative efforts with our social, government and private sector partners, says Siyavuya Mbete, managing director of Deep Sky Blue and the Siyavuya Foundation. The 2023 Eastern Cape SUV Challenge is delivered in partnership with the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, DJ Tira & Gugu Khathi (TGK) Foundation, Act Now Organisation, Amatyama Foundation, Winnie Madikizela Mandela Local Municipality, Ingquza Hill Local Municipality, King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Social Development, Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, Department of Small Business Development and the Department of Transport. Around 70 participants will take part in the challenge that starts at the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape border in Port Edward at the Wild Coast Sun and traverse down to Gqeberha through Lusikisiki, Port St Johns Mthatha and East London. The tour will visit Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandelas homestead in Mbongweni Village for a community outreach programme on road safety awareness, small business development, community safety, and Gender Based Violence (GBV). Similar outreach programmes will be undertaken throughout the tour, including in Lusikisiki on Thursday, a visit to Mqekezweni Great Place on Friday, and an activation at the Walter Sisulu University in Butterworth. On Friday, the tour moves to King Williams Town for a GBV activation at the Steve Biko Centre, followed by a Royal visit to Mngesha Great Place, and will culminate in a jazz festival evening at the Boardwalk Hotel in Gqeberha on Saturday to close off this years Eastern Cape SUV Challenge. This year we have made a concerted effort to evoke community activism to fight against social ills facing our society. Recent statistics have pointed to a rise in hearing challenges in the province. Thus, our partnership with the TGK Foundation who will bring hearing testing to the learners from under resourced rural schools who struggle with access to health amenities, says Mbete. Mbete further adds, Our partnership with the Act Now Organisation seeks to draw attention to the prevailing Gender Based Violence in South Africa in aims to ensure prevention and rebuilding social cohesion to fight against GBV. Forming part of this years Eastern Cape SUV Challenge are the Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams; Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele; Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture, Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu; Deputy Minister of Transport, Lisa Nkosinathi Mangcu; Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Xolile Nqatha; Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, and the First Deputy Secretary General of the ruling party, Nomvula Mokonyane. With the start of a new school term, you might find that your child unexpectedly needs a new pair of school shoes - and not necessarily because they've outgrown them. School shoes can take a real beating during the school term, through scuffs from daily hard wear, or not being cared for or stored correctly during school weeks and holiday periods. Footwear giant Bata South Africa produces over 4 million of the countrys school shoes every year, including Toughees, South Africas most trusted school shoe for generations since 1954, and BFirst, a budget-conscious range also designed to last. Michael Sithambaram, manager of Batas Schools Division, said good school shoe care is essential for ensuring shoes last from term to term, and even year to year. The act of caring for school shoes is a responsibility that many parents will recall from their own childhood. It not only teaches kids about responsibility, but also helps protect their possessions from wear and tear. At Bata, we understand that parents rely on us to create durable, comfortable, and high-quality shoes for their children. However, it's up to them thereafter to properly maintain and care for the shoes once they're purchased, he said. Here are Bata South Africas top tips to help teach and encourage children to take care of their school shoes during and in between school terms: Ensure a proper fit. Shoes that don't fit well will show signs of wear sooner. School shoes often come in different widths, and if you're ordering online you can check the Toughees sizing guide to make sure you're buying the perfect pair for your child. Shoes that don't fit well will show signs of wear sooner. School shoes often come in different widths, and if you're ordering online you can check the Toughees sizing guide to make sure you're buying the perfect pair for your child. Clean and polish shoes regularly. This keeps leather supple, protects it, and conceals scuffs and scratches. Polish the shoe with a matching polish colour to take away scratches or marks, or you could opt for a no polish pair from Toughees. Buff with a soft cloth for shine by wiping across the top of the shoe. This keeps leather supple, protects it, and conceals scuffs and scratches. Polish the shoe with a matching polish colour to take away scratches or marks, or you could opt for a no polish pair from Toughees. Buff with a soft cloth for shine by wiping across the top of the shoe. Teach your child to take off their shoes properly. This helps maintain the shoes shape and prolongs their life. Laced shoes should always be untied first before taking off or slipping back on. Show your child how to put their thumb in the back of the shoe until their foot is in, rather than using their other foot to slip out of shoes from the heel, or pushing the back of the shoe down, as this will help prevent damage to the heel counter. They should then work from the toes up to tighten their laces before tying them. This helps maintain the shoes shape and prolongs their life. Laced shoes should always be untied first before taking off or slipping back on. Show your child how to put their thumb in the back of the shoe until their foot is in, rather than using their other foot to slip out of shoes from the heel, or pushing the back of the shoe down, as this will help prevent damage to the heel counter. They should then work from the toes up to tighten their laces before tying them. Remove mud and grit as soon as possible. This will prevent buildup and extend the lifespan of the shoes. Brush the underneath of the shoe daily to clear any grit or mud caught underneath. This will prevent buildup and extend the lifespan of the shoes. Brush the underneath of the shoe daily to clear any grit or mud caught underneath. Dry wet school shoes carefully. You can do this by stuffing them with crumpled paper to absorb any moisture and allowing them to air dry naturally. You can do this by stuffing them with crumpled paper to absorb any moisture and allowing them to air dry naturally. Store school shoes properly. Do not store in a box, as the box can contain fungus and mould that could catch on the shoe. Do not store in a box, as the box can contain fungus and mould that could catch on the shoe. Invest in the best you can afford. School shoes like Toughees have durable features such as genuine leather uppers, odour protection, and are less susceptible to discolouration and deterioration of fibre structure. They also offer guarantees on fair wear and tear. With a few simple steps daily from term to term, both parents and children can lengthen the lifespan of a shoe and get maximum use without sacrificing on comfort, said Sithambaram. All Toughees school shoes are manufactured locally at the Bata factory in Loskop, KwaZulu-Natal at the foot of the Drakensberg mountains. Toughees are available online at Toughees.co.za, instore or online at major retailers including Ackermans, PEP, Jet, Edgars, MrP, NuShop and Shoe City, wholesale distributors Bhanas Wholesalers, Express Stores, Gem Schoolwear and Jumbo, as well as online at Zando, Superbalist and Takealot. Andy Innes is a musical director who also plays guitar, mandolin and sings. He joined Johnny Clegg and Savuka in 1992 and toured with Johnny ever since to more than 200 cities in 28 countries. Innes has worked as a session musician, in addition to the six albums he has recorded on for the late Johnny Clegg. He has also worked with Jackson Browne, Dave Stewart, Peter Gabriel. Now Innes is bringing members of the Johnny Clegg band back together under the name Zasha! Mandisa Dlanga (vocals), Andy on (guitar), Barry Van Zyl (drums) and Dan Shout (sax/piano) will come together for a one-off show in Cape Town called 'Under African Skies', featuring popular South African hits, at the Artscape Opera House on 29 April 2023 as part of the Suidoosterfees programme. I chatted to Andy ahead of the show. What is your purpose? To do more good than harm in the world and make great music along the way. What does music mean to you? Music is a way of expressing my feelings in a different language. One more suited to expression of feelings than words are, actually. My music is about... Joy, sorrow, history, groove. What is your motto? Keep moving forward. Never look back. Fame is about... Who knows? Fleeting at best. Retirement will happen when... Im dead. I don't do... Spiders or banjos. I would love to co-write with... Anyone who brings fresh ears and their unique vision. Where do you go for inspiration to create? Nature, poetry, or my studio. What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work? Feeling a piece of music really working. Its especially enjoyable in a live environment when a really good show hangs together. There is beauty in a thing which exists only for the moment that it was created between the synergy of the performers and the audience, never to be repeated in quite the same way. The song you must do during every show? The Crossing comes to mind. Weve played it more times than some people have had breakfast. Always fresh. Image by JustinAitken Any funny moments on stage? Always! I recall on one French tour the stage manager left the cleaning brush in the sax players tenor horn. It was only discovered when he stepped out to play his first solo for the night in front of a huge crowd. My heroes are... People who quietly change society and the world for the better. The unsung heroes. My style icon is... not something I think about much. Which living person do you admire most and why? Imtiaz Sooliman. A person who puts the needs of other South Africans at the top of his agenda, saving lives and changing the world. What is your most treasured possession? A bottle opener from the Warner Theatre in Washington DC. Embossed on top: STOLEN FROM the Warner Theater. (It was given to us by hospitality at the theatre for our tour bus). It's your round, what are you drinking? Water on a health kick. Dream gig to do? Royal Albert Hall, London. What makes you stand out? Amplifiers. Any nicknames? Magwaza. Dan Shout and Andy Paleo festival If you were not a musician, what would you do? Well I worked as a cashier at the Hyperama when I was a student. Hein Kaiser worked at the photo counter. Maybe we could have started a juggling duo given time Pick five words to describe yourself? Loyal, skeptical, South African, persistent. Five must have songs on your Spotify playlist please The Ballad of Bill Hubbard, Elegy for Dunkirk, Holocene, Ivolovolo (Big Zulu), My Maserati Does 185. Greatest movie ever made? With all the budgets going into series now and the A-listers starring in them Im going to expand your category and say Breaking Bad or GOT S1 tied for first place. What book are you reading? There are usually a few at a time right now: Orientalism Edward Said and The Better Angels of our Nature Steven Pinker What song changed your life? For the better: San Jacinto by Peter Gabriel Secret World Live. Simply breathtaking. For the worse: Mediterranean Sundance by Rio Ancho Friday Night Live in San Francisco Di Meola / De Lucia / McLaughlin. I gave up guitar for six months at the age of 14 when I heard it for the first time. Who do you love? My children. What is your favorite word? Lately: polyculturalism a concept which describes people who hold multiple cultural orientations or frames of reference, but in the context of culture as a fluid and changing entity which interacts with its environment. Top of your bucket list? Japan in springtime. Your greatest achievement? My children. What do you complain about most often? Stage 6 load shedding. What is your biggest fear? That my inverter batteries will die halfway through a session Happiness is... Not for the faint-hearted. On stage, I tend to... Concentrate. The best life lesson you have learned? Less is more. What has been your favorite journey so far? A trip with Johnny Clegg to play in the Golden Triangle on the Thailand / Myanmar border. Proper adventure that one. Do you do charity work, and if you do what do you do? Not formally, but I do some stuff with several young musicians talking to them about career strategies, music rights, contracts, royalties, streaming, etc. I also do some work as a volunteer researcher. Wishes and dreams? World peace and a slice of cheesecake (gave up sugar three months back). Social media Twitter: @andyinnesgtr Instagram: andyinnesgtr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andyinnesmusic/, https://www.facebook.com/andyinnes.sa Developed by Dr Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, a new composite material made from invasive Port Jackson trees and recycled low-grade plastic waste could help solve the social housing crisis. Dr Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed received his PhD in wood product science from Stellenbosch Universitys (SUs) Faculty of AgriSciences. Source: Supplied In December last year, Mohammed, originally from Ghana, received his PhD in wood product science from Stellenbosch Universitys (SUs) Faculty of AgriSciences. He developed a wood-plastic composite using a mix of biomass from all parts of a Port Jackson tree (Acacia saligna) and recycled, low-density polyethylene. This light polymer is primarily used in packaging such as plastic bags. Mohammed showed that this composite material has the necessary physical, chemical and mechanical properties to render it suitable for producing thermal and acoustic insulation boards for use in RDP and other houses. Producing composite materials Wood-plastic composites are generally made from recycled plastic and small wood particles or fibres. Typically, manufacturers separate the woody parts of the chosen plants used from the non-woody parts (such as bark, leaves and seeds). Until now, the non-woody parts of alien invasive trees were considered contaminants rather than suitable components from which to produce composite materials. Mohammed included every part of the Port Jackson tree from bark to leaves in his composite mix. The plant material was salvaged from alien invasive clearing operations in the Western Cape. The trees were used in their entirety as received, without any pre-processing. Having studied industrial art and wood science in Ghana before enrolling for his PhD, his choice of dissertation topic grew from his concern over the amount of waste generated in agricultural processes and the scale of plastic pollution in the environment. Plastic waste is a known global menace, so the idea was to transform this waste material into something useful, he says. I was also interested in developing affordable, eco-friendly alternatives to existing low-cost building materials. His supervisor was Professor Martina Meincken of SUs Department of Forestry and Wood Science. Mohammeds study is part of a bigger project in the department that investigates ways of using alien invasive wood species, including in the building sector. RDP housing: the reality Mohammeds dissertation is titled "Properties of wood-plastic composites made from alien invasive tree waste and recycled low-density polyethylene for interior use in social housing". It underlines the urgent need to find sustainable solutions for South Africas social housing challenges. People living in RDP houses are often exposed to severe heat and humidity due to the low quality of the building materials used. Over the last decade, the budget for these government-subsidised housing units has remained unchanged at R140,000 each. This often results in the use of the cheapest building materials available, he says. In terms of structural components, only the bare minimum is included thermal and acoustic insulation do not make the cut. Dr Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed developed a wood-plastic composite using a mix of biomass from all parts of a Port Jackson tree (Acacia saligna) and recycled, low-density polyethylene. Source: Supplied Chipping away at the problem The environmental and economic costs of efforts to control invasive plant species are huge. For example, invasive alien trees consume about 5% of South Africas scarce water resources and reduce the carrying capacity of the countrys natural rangelands. Australian acacia species are among the top 10 worst aliens in South Africa. These trees invade catchments, reduce water runoff, increase the severity of veld fires, and threaten indigenous species. The South African government has, therefore, established a programme specifically aimed at clearing the most invasive plant species. Several methods are being used to achieve this, including mechanical clearing operations and biological and chemical control programmes. But the issue of what to do with all the cleared biomass (apart from the fraction of it used as firewood) has, according to Mohammed, emerged as a matter of concern. The biomass is typically left behind in the cleared area to dry, where it poses a fire risk. Similarly, the surge in plastic pollution and its impact on the health and safety of ecosystems are demanding urgent attention. Currently, plastic packaging accounts for over 35% of plastic litter in South Africa. The recycled plastic Mohammed used in his experiments was of the lowest and cheapest available grade. In addition, it was minimally processed (that is to say, shredded and conglomerated rather than turned into plastic pellets). About the research He analysed the physical and mechanical properties of the new composite boards and determined how well the material performed in terms of certain processing requirements. Specifically, Mohammed tested the boards resistance to mould infestation and analysed their fire-resistant properties. He also considered the impact of the thermal degradation of the individual biomass constituents (such as bark, twigs, leaves and wood) on the physical, mechanical, acoustic and thermal insulation properties of these boards. His results show that wood-plastic composites made with Port Jackson trees have better mechanical properties, regardless of their exact composition, compared to two other invasive species, black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and red river gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Earlier research by Meinckens research group on composites made from the whole tree or only the wood from Acacia saligna, Acacia mearnsii and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, showed that the addition of bark, twigs, and leaves reduces the mechanical properties somewhat. However, all boards still met the minimum requirements for interior use. Better mechanical properties A surprising finding, however, was that regardless of the biomass type, boards made with Port Jacksons showed significantly better mechanical properties than those made with the other two wood species. This was an unexpected result, especially the large difference between the two otherwise very similar Acacia species. Mohammed found that boards produced with 70 weight percent of wood are best suited to providing overall thermal and acoustic insulation in RDP houses. The low proportion of non-woody biomass (seeds, leaves and bark) in the composite mix he used did not immediately nor entirely inhibit mould growth on the composite surfaces. Still, it did slow such growth across all samples tested. These results suggest that the wood-plastic panels may be used in rooms that experience high humidity, such as kitchens and bathrooms, without much risk of degrading or deforming. Moreover, their density and mechanical properties render them suitable for interior wall cladding and ceiling boards. While it is not commercially available yet, this material could aid in improving low-cost housing in future, he believes. Mohammed has published some of his results in the European Journal of Wood and Wood Products and in the journal Polymers. Transnet is looking for a partner in a venture to acquire and lease rolling stock to rail operators, it said on Tuesday, as it seeks to overcome logistics problems that led to its worst performance in a decade last year. Source: Col Andre Kritzinger via Wikimedia Commons The logistics firm has been struggling to provide freight rail services due to the shortage of locomotives and spares and vandalism of its infrastructure. It said in a statement that it is seeking a partner in a company that will jointly acquire and lease out rolling stock in response to "domestic and regional demand". Private companies, including mining giant Anglo American Plc and other mineral exporters, say they have lost billions of rand in potential export revenue due to Transnet's poor performance. They have called for public-private partnerships with Transnet to fix the logistics problems. Last year, Transnet invited private rail firms to operate some parts of its freight rail network under a government plan to expand rail capacity. However, only two private firms applied for the 16 available slots, reflecting lukewarm interest from investors amid concerns over unattractive terms and conditions. Transnet hauled 173 million tonnes of cargo in the financial year that ended March 2022, down from 183 million tonnes the previous year, the worst performance in a decade. With South Africa's education system in a crisis, the need continues to address issues of inequality and accessibility regardless of a student's background and socio-economic status. However, over the past decade, there have been ongoing efforts to improve music education in the country and this has resulted in some positive developments. Founder of The eAr Academy, Rus Nerwich, Greg Krupp, and Hein van de Geyn. Image supplied At one time, music education in South Africa faced various challenges that included limited funding and resources, a lack of trained music teachers, and a greater focus on academic subjects over the arts. Additionally, there was limited access to musical instruments and facilities, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. With the rise of e-learning, in comes The eAr Academy, a highly inclusive and accessible, digitally enabled model that is challenging archaic legacy approaches to music education, eroding conventional boundaries, and showing that musical excellence can be effectively transferred digitally. According to Rus Nerwich, celebrated musician and co-founder of The eAr Academy, "In recent years the international online music education arena has boomed. Informal, unstructured home-made YouTube content as well as gamified music learning platforms - made to pull people in - are to be found in abundance. Additionally, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of music education in promoting social and emotional development, as well as in supporting academic achievement." Innovative music education offering The academy's innovative offering draws a comprehensive toolset for music education including tuition, sheet music, inspiration, and handy tools - into a single hub easily accessible on almost any mobile phone, tablet, or laptop - a move away from exclusive and expensive formal tuition. The traditional approach to teaching music is often costly, rigidly tied to classical music conventions, and can be dogmatic and become dispassionate. Practical constraints such as time for lessons, and availability of trained teachers also limit the genres and instruments that most school learners can explore. Overly competitive and intimidating to youngsters, the legacy approach has resulted in an unbalanced scenario where many start to learn music during primary school, and then stop their musical learning in high school. Few ever progress through to university-level music institutions, or go on to work as professional musicians. "There is a real need for more broad music learning platforms that take learners from beginner to intermediate and even advanced levels. It is obvious that these platforms will be ideal to integrate into school systems that are anyhow going hybrid, and which often have serious financial constraints when it comes to servicing students in the traditional one-on-one model." says Nerwich. Curated and crafted music education Together with Hein Van de Geyn, co-founder and educational director at the academy, the duo curated and crafted the best of what theyve learned over decades of collective music education and then added what they felt was missing. Image supplied "By incorporating seven complementary facets of music, we created a more comprehensive curriculum. By introducing Shedding Sessions (guided practice sessions) and backing tracks, we have made practising richer and more rewarding. We also did what centuries-old wisdom previously couldnt: use tech to help teach, putting it all together in a way thats immersive, innovative and intriguing. We know this will help teachers to teach more completely, and students to play more confidently." notes Nerwich. New ways of learning and teaching With ways of learning changing, teaching has had to change too. Comments Nerwich, "Music teachers can adapt to the progression happening in music education by staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry. This can involve attending professional development workshops and collaborating with other music educators to share ideas and best practices. Additionally, music teachers can incorporate a wider range of musical styles and cultures into their curriculum to promote diversity and inclusivity, and use technology to enhance their teaching and engage students." It's also important for music teachers to be flexible and adaptable to changing student needs and interests, and to continuously evaluate and improve teaching methods. "Through The eAr Academy, teachers are invited to rethink the traditional approach by enabling their students to make more productive use of time between lessons. This is a transition from the many lonely hours students spend trying to integrate what has been taught in lessons to the experience of feeling supported and guided between lessons, improving the result for both teacher and student. This support is achieved by providing backing tracks and informative videos. This is not only a game-changer for the students, but will be a big inspiration to the teachers," notes Nerwich. Going forward, the music industry can make music education more accessible by leveraging technology to create online resources and platforms that allow students to learn from anywhere, at any time. This can include online music lessons, tutorials, and interactive tools that enable students to practise and develop their skills. The music industry can also partner with schools and educational institutions to provide funding and resources for music programmes, and offer mentorship and internship solutions that give students hands-on experience in the industry. Additionally, the music industry can support initiatives that promote diversity and inclusivity in music education, and work to break down barriers to access for underrepresented communities. A new report that seeks to generate a deeper understanding of the nature of conversations between men and women online with a view to engage online and to facilitate dialogues on attitudes, perceptions and practices on gender roles and expectations has been released by the Centre for Analytics and Behaviourial Change (CABC) as part of its HeCareZA programme. Source: Nataliya Vaitkevich pexels A new report seeks to generate a deeper understanding of the nature of conversations between men and women online The programme aims at engaging and supporting men to effectively promote gender equality, dismantle the cycle of gender discrimination and curtail the perpetration of Gender-based Violence (GBV) through online and offline dialogue facilitation. This report is a follow-up to the first one released earlier this year, based on the organisation's analysis of public social media conversations. Findings Researchers found that: Fatherhood remained an important focus area in the conversation, with varying opinions focused heavily on the relationship between separated parents and experiences of step-fatherhood. Prominent influencer accounts continue to drive conversations on interactions between men and women and conceptions of masculinity. The top topics of conversation in the month of February included the murder of two South African celebrities previously accused of abuse, Kiernan AKA Forbes and Tebello Tebz Motsoane. These conversations focused on the absolvement of abuse allegations in death and as it relates to celebrity status, as well as perspectives on co-parenting, gendered behavioural roles and cultural norms and practices. The murders of two young women, Ntokozo Xaba and Nosipho Msithini also spiked conversation around gender-based violence. Read the full report here. Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov attends a plenary meeting of the Russian State Duma, lower house of the Russian parliament, Tuesday. TASS-Yonhap Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that a trove of U.S. intelligence documents posted online in recent weeks might be fake and a deliberate attempt to mislead Moscow. The documents, the authenticity of which Reuters has not been able to independently verify, include what look like classified U.S. assessments of the war in Ukraine and the casualties purportedly suffered by the two armies, as well as documents covering other countries. Ryabkov told Russian news agencies on Wednesday that, for now, the leak threw up many questions. "It's probably interesting for someone to look at these documents, if they are documents at all, or maybe they are fake, maybe this is a deliberate information dump," Ryabkov was cited as saying. "Since the United States is a party to the (Ukraine) conflict and is in essence waging a hybrid war against us, it's possible such things are being done to mislead the enemy that is the Russian Federation," he said. The Kremlin said earlier on Wednesday that it did not know "like everyone else" how authentic the documents were. Some national security experts and U.S. officials say they suspect that the leaker could be American, but do not rule out pro-Russian actors. A former CIA officer has said it is highly likely that Moscow orchestrated the leak in order to sow confusion and potential divisions between Washington and its allies. When asked about such allegations, the Kremlin has said there's a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. (Reuters) South Africa should not shy away from spending to fix the country's power crisis, electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa told Reuters, ahead of a cabinet decision later this month on his proposals to end the crisis. Minister of electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa speaks during an interview in his office at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Source: Reuters/Alet Pretorius Ramokgopa was speaking in an interview less than two months after the National Treasury granted Eskom R254bn of debt relief over the next three years. He said he thought focusing on improving the performance of Eskom's ailing coal plants was the best opportunity to lower the intensity of power outages. But he said other interventions were needed, including investing in the capacity of the national grid and maintaining large outlays on diesel for Eskom's emergency open-cycle gas turbines. "Continued high levels of load shedding... penalise the South African economy and it causes untold injury to the poor, and our ability to attract investment," he said. A necessary trade-off If South African borrowing costs had to rise to fund diesel purchases then that was a necessary trade-off given the impact outages were having on unemployment and growth prospects, he said. "I am presenting to Cabinet and they will make that determination (on how to address the power crisis) at the end of the month," he added. Ramokgopa said grid constraints meant some renewable energy projects that had already been built were being throttled and new projects were being jeopardised. He said another set of interventions Cabinet would consider included Eskom investing more in the coal mines it buys from to ensure better-quality supplies and allowing Eskom to buy directly from original equipment manufacturers rather than from intermediaries. For decades, moving has been a tedious and stressful experience, largely untouched by the age of digital disruption. Wise Move, however, is revolutionising the industry with an innovative platform that streamlines the moving process and eliminates the many pain points. Source: Supplied Serving as a marketplace for independent moving companies, the platform connects clients with reliable and cost-effective moving services. With the aid of proprietary technology, tools, and AI, Wise Move ensures a seamless user experience for its clients and growth opportunities for moving companies. Having completed thousands of successful moves since its launch, Wise Move is now available nationwide, offering a range of innovative services to meet the diverse needs of its customers. Chante Venter, co-founder and CEO of Wise Move, sheds light on how the company is disrupting the moving industry and discusses the potential impact of the fourth industrial revolution on its future growth. How is Wise Move disrupting the moving space? Wise Move is very different to anything else within the South African moving industry at the moment, and were really proud of that. Were putting the power back in the hands of the user, whether its the client or the mover. Anyone who has ever had to get moving quotes from traditional websites knows just how frustrating it can be. Wise Move is so easy to use, you can have your delivery request up in under a minute and all quotes received on Wise Move are from trusted local moving companies that had to go through a rigorous vetting process before being able to quote. All our quotes are also public, so that means you can get an idea of what a move should cost from A to B without even having to contact a moving company. Which is really helpful in the planning stages. For businesses, Wise Move has created a thriving ecosystem. Were all about helping SMEs have a space where they can grow, expand and excel as service providers. Weve given our network access to bespoke technology and tools specifically designed for the moving industry, as well as the hands-on support they need to make the most of the opportunity. Wise Move is also taking over a sector of the transport industry that has been notoriously hard to crack - everything thats too big or bulky to be delivered by your standard courier delivery service. We are helping South Africans move everything from household goods and offices to cars, motorbikes, boats, caravans, and even pets. What inspired you to launch Wise Move? Wise Move was created to solve a problem. Many industries have gone digital, but the moving industry was stuck and needed a solution. So thats how Wise Move was born. We are a team of techpreneurs with complementary digital skills and we put them all together to create something awesome. What are some of the innovative services you offer? Wise Move has a number of unique tools that weve built to help our clients and movers make the most of the platform. Starting with our clients, the user interface has always been a big priority. We wanted it to be easy to use and everything on the platform is geared for just that. From selecting your car type based on icons to quick-select inventory lists for household items. It really is the fastest way to get quotes for moving. We also help our movers optimise their routes, which leads to better quotes for clients and fewer empty return trips for movers. If a mover is doing a delivery from Cape Town to Joburg, Wise Move helps them plan their routes better by helping them find deliveries for the return trip (called backloading) or fill their truck with shared loads. Seemingly small things done optimally really helps our movers make the most of every opportunity, which benefits the client at the end of the day. What measures do you have in place to protect customers from fly-by-night operators? All our moving companies go through an extensive vetting process that makes use of both AI and manual checks. The thing that makes Wise Move so different is that every mover on the platform has been vetted for quality assurance, and every review is from a verified completed booking through Wise Move. Movers also cant pay a subscription fee like on lead generation sites to be a mover on our platform, you have to comply with our requirements. This helps our clients make informed decisions and reduces the risk of being scammed or overcharged. Our aim is to be the go-to platform for quality moving services in South Africa. What are some of the challenges youve faced as a startup in SA? One of the biggest challenges we faced as a startup in South Africa was introducing our platform to companies who were accustomed to the traditional, offline way of doing things. While the pandemic has made online solutions a must for clients, we had to help movers who have been operating in the industry for decades transition to a digital platform. This meant providing them with training and support to get the most out of the technology and tools we offer. That being said, once they get a hold of it, the entrepreneurial and competitive spirit really kicks in. Our movers love the platform and its encouraging at the end of the year to receive emails saying that they look forward to another successful year on Wise Move. To what do you attribute Wise Moves success so far in the local marketplace? Chante Venter, co-founder and CEO of Wise Move There are several factors that have contributed to Wise Move's success so far in the local marketplace. Firstly, our platform is designed with the user in mind. We have created an easy-to-use, transparent, and competitive platform that provides clients with multiple quotes from top moving companies in the country. This ensures that clients get the best value for their money while also making the process of choosing a mover hassle-free. Secondly, we've been able to build a strong network of trusted moving companies in South Africa who have embraced our platform. By partnering with reliable movers who share our commitment to quality service and customer satisfaction, we've been able to establish a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy platform in the local marketplace. Finally, our team is passionate and dedicated to making a positive impact on the moving industry. We're constantly looking for ways to improve our platform and provide our users with the best possible experience. Our commitment to innovation, customer service and quality has helped us grow our brand. How is the 4IR likely to impact Wise Move and the work that you do? As a platform that relies heavily on technology, Wise Move is well-positioned to benefit from the ongoing wave of digital transformation. With new developments, we will be able to do more, more efficiently. Were currently growing at a phenomenal rate and the more we can do, the more people we can help, the more staff we can employ. Were excited for the future. How would you like to see your company expand or evolve in the short and long term? Short term, we would love to see more successful deliveries from all over South Africa. We have a lot of requests for removals and often from very remote places - you can imagine the challenge if its from Kuruman to Cape Town for instance. So we need more moving companies to sign up - no matter where theyre located. In the long term, we want to expand to include international container moving services. What advice do you have for other aspiring South African entrepreneurs? South Africa is a country brimming with opportunities for entrepreneurs who are willing to seize them. In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, it's essential to harness the power of technology, online marketing, and innovative tools and platforms to grow your business and gain a competitive edge. As an entrepreneur, the journey can be challenging, but the rewards of success are immeasurable. At Wise Move, we understand the value of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and creating jobs. That's why we're passionate about empowering entrepreneurs by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in today's dynamic business landscape. By making the most of the current need for online solutions, we believe that entrepreneurs can unlock new possibilities and drive meaningful change in their communities. South Africa needs entrepreneurs now more than ever, and we're committed to helping our movers achieve their goals and succeed in the ever-changing digital world. For more information on Wise Move, go to www.wisemove.co.za. Related: Palantir and Microsoft Expand Cloud Partnership to Public Sector: https://investors.palantir.com/news-details/2023/Palantir-and-Microsoft-Expand-Cloud-Partnership-to-Public-Sector/ Interview by Dominique Nora Palantir is an American company that is close to the CIA and that specializes in big data analysis. Our DGSI is equipped with its surveillance software, and a French alternative for it is currently being sought. Interview with Alex Karp, its CEO and co-founder. Palantir is an American big data analysis company named after the 'seeing stones' of the Lord of the Rings with a contrasting image. On the dark side, it is the eye of the American secret services whose surveillance tools are sometimes used for questionable purposes, including against their allies. On the lighter side, it enabled the elimination of Osama Bin Laden and plays an important role in preventing Islamist terrorism. In 2016, following the bloody attacks in Paris, the French General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) urgently adopted its platform, which also equips many other European states. However, the intelligence services have been seeking to replace the American tool with a French solution for two years now. Passing through Paris in mid-January before heading to the Davos Economic Forum, the CEO and co-founder of Palantir, Alex Karp, gave an interview to lObs. What does France represent for Palantir? Alex Karp: "Our first two markets are the United States and Great Britain, and then France is on a par with Germany, but Paris is our main office in the European Union. Its role is very important, because it is our base for us to develop across the rest of the continent. It represents significant revenue and a strategic mission. Besides that, many people who are successful at Palantir have one thing in common - they speak French! Just before you had a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in June 2022, you mentioned, in a letter to shareholders, that the risk of nuclear conflict was greater than we think. Why? I said that at a time when Americans thought there was zero risk. At the time, we werent allowed to talk about it, but in this conflict the Ukrainians are successfully using our software against the Russian army. Building Palantir over the past twenty years, I have seen, how companies, secret services and terrorists underestimate the power of software. When one side, Ukraine, uses heroism and agility alongside our platform, they can beat the other side, Russia, who werent expecting it, and if thats the case, it can become very dangerous because Vladimir Putin reasons in terms of a zero sum game. He is convinced that victory for Ukrainians would be a loss for Russia, which is quite foreign to the American way of thinking. You welcome the growth of Palantir, but it is essentially based on global threats: wars, terrorism, pandemics, etc. While it is true that bad times are good for us, the reality is more complex. The reason this benefits us is that our competitors are giving PowerPoint presentations while we are actually demonstrating transformative software to our customers. So when things get really bad and thousands of people could die, or when the far right is on the verge of power, decision makers test and buy whichever platform works best. And by working I dont just mean getting rid of terrorists, it means doing so while observing the law which is much more difficult to do! Democratic societies have to resolve the problem of terrorism while respecting data protection. Is your software the right one for emergencies? Yes, when companies have problems, they turn to Palantir. Our product has played and continues to play a huge role in counterintelligence, in the distribution of vaccines during the Covid pandemic in the United States and Great Britain and during wars. No one believes me, but I dont like war! Many of my friends are pacifists. They think that had the United States behaved differently, the Russians would not have invaded Ukraine. Personally, I think, on the contrary, that if the Russians had understood the real balance of power, they would not have gone in there. Admittedly, we are not a philanthropic organization, but if we build these tools, it is in the service of peace. If people realize that their actions will have consequences, there will be fewer wars, less terrorism. But can we ensure national security via this type of platform while respecting civil liberties and human rights? People dont believe its possible, but thats wrong! It is generally believed that to solve the problem of terrorism, it is necessary to capture the entire amount of thousands of millions of pieces of disparate data. That is what an undemocratic society would do, but you would be smothered alive underneath under this pile of data, and you wouldnt learn much And there are things you dont have access to. Palantir only takes the relevant data subject to local laws, and puts additional rules in place to define who sees what. And thats enough to allow our customers to fight against terrorism or improve their industrial processes without restricting civil liberties or violating personal data, etc. How many governments are using your platform in Europe? It took us five to six years to build this tool, and another five years to systematize it. This is why our product is a hit in Europe. Although the only client that we have the right to name is Denmark, I can tell you that our platform is really used massively in Europe. It is easier to identify countries that do not use us! In the past, Palantir has been accused by the American left of having provided its tools to the authorities to track down illegal immigrants, of having helped the government to protect itself from WikiLeaks or of having been involved in the Cambridge Analytica scandal Are these controversies behind you today? The immigration affair in the United States has been completely politicized. Even in Japan, which hardly accepts any immigrants, I have been asked questions about it! That said, the controversy does not bother me. It is normal that these debates are continuing because Palantir has played a central role in the most important issues affecting Western democracies over the last ten years- preventing the takeover of the far-right in France and elsewhere, which is linked to the resolution of terrorism; saving lives during the pandemic; preventing or countering territorial invasions in Eastern Europe, mainly in Ukraine And I think our role will be an even more important one over the next ten years. The problem is also the way in which your customers use your monitoring tool. They can use it in an unethical way, as we saw with the Israeli spyware Pegasus The question is a relevant one, but, over a twenty year period, we werent all that wrong about it. We have never sold anything to a Chinese or Russian institution. It makes a lot of sense now, but it didnt make sense fifteen years ago. But you still sell to countries with little respect for human rights like Qatar and Saudi Arabia We sell to certain countries in the Middle East. They have their own code of ethics which is not exactly the same as ours There is no perfect answer. Weve turned down some big contracts due to ethical reasons, and Im proud of that, but when I explain this to my investors, they ask the board why Im still the CEO! That said, the problem is a complex one. For example, if we sell to the French State, it is legitimate, but what happens if Marine Le Pen comes to power? On these types of questions, Peter Thiel, the other co-founder of Palantir, and you are politically poles apart. Whose view prevails? Peter and I are close friends, and I dont have many of those. Moreover, his political ideas are more complex than what people say, especially on human rights. Hes been a very effective chairman for twenty years, and I run the company. We had lively discussions on every subject. Unlike him, I think Trump is an abomination Besides, I warned Hillary Clintons collaborators during his campaign [in 2016] that he might win, but they thought I was crazy! That said, even before these sorts of dilemmas reach me or Peter, Ive had Palantirians [Palantir employees] yelling at me, We cant do this! And sometimes I agree with them. You make highly critical remarks against the big groups in Silicon Valley. Why? Silicon Valley made technology firstly for the military, which it then repackaged supposedly for the good of humanity, but, at one point, its leaders said to themselves: why help people, when we can persuade them to transfer all their assets to us? It is a parasitic approach, which amounts to exporting narrow, divisive philosophies for the sole purpose of migrating income to the bank accounts of the few. It is also a problem for Europe and France because these cancerous ideologies are exported here in a highly pathogenic way to the detriment of local technological companies. It is both culturally dangerous for society and economically disastrous. You once explained that whoever masters artificial intelligence (AI) will rule the world It is important for the United States, France, Great Britain and Germany to work together on AI, in particular on algorithmic warfare, because it can really change the balance of power in conflict, and we can do it while at the same time protecting everyones sovereignty. Do you understand the reluctance of the French, who do not want to depend on your tools for sovereign missions? I have the greatest respect for the arguments about French sovereignty because it goes back to De Gaulle and French history. When Im in our UK headquarters, I often joke, This is London But no one there gets the hint! [Laughs] The real question is: is it not possible for certain parts of the French defense and security technological system which are very difficult to have built by your services come from Palantir without affecting your sovereignty? Obviously, it is up to the French government to decide, but, in a crisis, if there is no other tool available for a critical need, it makes sense to buy an American system, provided, of course, that we have proven to the French administration that it is secure. In the medium term, how do you see your revenues changing between government customers and private customers? Government revenues are increasing due to the war. Five years from now, I think we will still be around 50/50... Your growth is good, but your profits are not, and your stock price is dragging. Why? Last year, Palantir has made $1.9 billion. Thats a lot! Last quarter, our business broke even for the first time in its history, and we expect to generate profits in the current fiscal year, the first year of profitability in the history of our company. We earn money every day from our sales and we have ample cash flow, which allows us to withstand bad times. That said, we are continuing to invest and our results are also affected by the significant equity compensation of our teams. As for the stock market, at times it likes us, at other times not Long-term evolution is rational, not year-on-year. Read the full interview in L'Obs here. Renee DiResta, CIA Fellow turned Stanford Internet Observatory research manager Since the 2016 elections, politicians, journalists, and many others have raised the alarm about foreign election influence and disinformation, demanding greater content moderation by social media platforms. It is too easy, they argued, for foreign and malign actors to quickly go viral at low cost, leaving the good guys unable to correct bad information. We must become more resilient to disinformation. Its now clear that all of that rhetoric was cover for a sweeping censorship effort by the federal government and government contractors. Since December, a small but growing group of journalists, analysts, and researchers have documented the rise of a Censorship Industrial Complex, a network of U.S. government agencies, and government-funded think tanks. Over the last six years, these entities have coordinated their efforts to both spread disinformation and to censor journalists, politicians, and ordinary Americans. They have done so directly and indirectly, including by playing good cop/bad cop with Twitter and Facebook. Hundreds and perhaps thousands of people have been involved in these censorship and disinformation campaigns in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. We now know, thanks to the Twitter Files, emails released by the Attorney Generals of Missouri and Louisiana, and research by others, that the Censorship Industrial Complex is violating the First Amendment by coordinating with government agencies and receiving government funding to pressure and help social media companies to both censor information, including accurate information, while spreading disinformation, including conspiracy theories. And such efforts are continuing if not accelerating. At Bidens Summit for Democracy last week, US allies in Europe demanded that Facebook censor false narratives and news that would weaken our support to Ukraine. Facebook agreed. One of the most intelligent, influential, and fascinating public-facing leaders of the Censorship Industrial Complex is Renee DiResta, Research Manager of the Stanford Internet Observatory. Diresta has, more than anyone else, made the public case for greater government-led and government-funded censorship, writing for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Wired, and other major publications, and through public speaking, including on podcasts with Joe Rogan and Sam Harris. To many journalists and policymakers, DiResta is one of the good guys, advocating as a citizen and hobbyist for greater U.S. government action to fight disinformation. DiResta has argued that the U.S. has been unprepared to fight the information war with Russia and other nations in her bylined articles for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wired, and many others. And in her 2018 Senate testimony DiResta advocated legislation that defines and criminalizes foreign propaganda and for allowing law enforcement to prosecute foreign propaganda. DiResta, as much as any other public person in the Western world, has sounded the alarm, repeatedly and loudly, for stronger governmental and non-governmental coordination to get social media platforms to censor more information. The Russian disinformation operations that affected the 2016 United States presidential election are by no means over, wrote DiResta in the New York Times in December 2018. Russian interference through social media is a chronic, widespread, and identifiable condition that we must now aggressively manage. In 2021, DiResta advocated for creating a government censorship center, which she euphemistically referred to as a Center of Excellence, within the federal government. Creation of a Center of Excellence within the federal government, she said, could tie in a federal lead with platforms, academics, and nonprofits to stay ahead of these emerging narratives and trends. DiResta argued that her censorship center could also help spread propaganda. As narratives emerge, she explained, the Center of Excellence could deploy experts to relevant federal agencies to help prepare pre-bunking and messaging, to identify trusted voices in communities, and to build coalitions to respond. Did the Department of Homeland Security act on DiRestas proposal to create a censorship center? It did. But DHS didnt call it a Center of Excellence. Instead, it called it a Disinformation Governance Board, which the agency announced publicly in April 2022. DiRestas rise to the highest levels of the U.S. intelligence community struck me back in December of last year as improbably meteoric. DiResta had repeatedly described her involvement in fighting disinformation as having started in 2013 when she became a new mom and grew concerned about spreading anti-vaccine information online. In 2013, she explained to Kara Swisher, I had my first kid You know, you have to do that preschool thing here, youve got to get them on a list a year early. I didnt want to be in a preschool with a bunch of anti-vaxxers, candidly. Two years later she was helping to fight ISIS online and by 2018 she was testifying before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. While these suspicions nagged at me, I waved them away because DiResta is brilliant, was already working in high tech, and was succeeding in the new field of fighting foreign disinformation on social media platforms. Of all the people in various government agencies and government-funded think tanks making the case for U.S. government censorship, DiResta is, by far, the most persuasive. She received a degree in computer science in 2004, worked as a trader at Jane Street until 2011, was a high-tech VC until 2014, and founded a cloud-based shipping management software company that was acquired in 2021. And, given the historical dominance of high tech by founders in their 20s and 30s, and the challenges of older people to understand social media, I convinced myself that a person with DiRestas limited experience battling disinformation online might leapfrog over the hundreds if not thousands of researchers, analysts, and intelligence experts who conduct research and combat foreign disinformation for the U.S. government and government-funded think tanks and academic institutions. But then I learned that DiResta had worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The journalist Matt Taibbi pointed me to the investigative research into the censorship industry by Mike Benz, a former State Department official in charge of cybersecurity. Benz had discovered a little-viewed video of her supervisor at the Stanford Internet Observatory, Alex Stamos, mentioning in an off-hand way that DiResta had previously worked for the CIA. In her response to my criticism of her on Joe Rogan, DiResta acknowledged but then waved away her CIA connection. My purported secret-agent double life was an undergraduate student fellowship at CIA, ending in 2004 years prior to Twitters founding, she wrote. Ive had no affiliation since. But DiRestas acknowledgment of her connection to the CIA is significant, if only because she hid it for so long. DiRestas LinkedIn includes her undergraduate education at Stony Brook University, graduating in 2004, and her job as a trader at Jane Street from October 2004 to May 2011, but does not mention her time at the CIA. And, notably, the CIA describes its fellowships as covering precisely the issues in which DiResta is an expert. As an Intelligence Analyst Intern for CIA, you will work on teams alongside full-time analysts, studying and evaluating information from all available sourcesclassified and unclassifiedand then analyzing it to provide timely and objective assessments to customers such as the President, National Security Council, and other U.S. policymakers. Unlike DiResta, Stamos didnt appear to believe that DiRestas time working for the CIA was too trivial, or too far in the past, to bother mentioning. When Stamos introduced DiResta to a Stanford audience, he described her as having worked for, not merely interned with, the CIA. Is DiResta telling the truth when she claims shes had no affiliation since? Perhaps. But one of the things I have heard from multiple people, including people within the intelligence community, is, Nobody ever retires from the intelligence community. Such a claim is, no doubt, exaggerated. But there is truth to it. Moreover, one of the main characteristics of spycraft is the deployment of agents and assets not publicly affiliated with the CIA or other intelligence agencies. A large amount of CIA involvement in content moderation requests was discovered through Twitter Files. CIA officials attended at least one conference with Twitter in the summer of 2020, writes Taibbi, and companies like Twitter and Facebook received OGA [Other Government Agencies, which is code for CIA] briefings, at their regular industry meetings held in conjunction with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. And it is striking how many former CIA Directors are involved in the censorship industry. Seven former CIA chiefs are on the board of The Atlantic Council, the organization that partnered with DiRestas Stanford Internet Observatory on the Election Integrity Partnership and Virality Project. The Chief Strategy Officer and the Director of Federal Programs at Graphika, another DiResta partner organization, are former CIA officials. Whatever DiRestas true history and continuing affiliations, she is without question one of the most, if not the most, influential leaders within the network of for-profit and nonprofit organizations and government agencies that comprise the Censorship-Industrial Complex. As research director of Stanford Internet Observatory, DiResta was the key leader and spokesperson of both the 2021 Virality Project, against covid vaccine misinformation and the 2020 Election Integrity Project. The question now is why. If we hope to defund and dismantle the Censorship Industrial Complex, we must understand what makes its leaders tick, why they rose to the top, and how they can be defeated. Who is Renee DiResta, and why is she, and not somebody else, the public-facing leader of the censorship industry and a trusted advisor to Democrats in Congress? Why is she doing it? And what will it take to defund the Stanford Internet Observatory, dismantle the censorship industry, and disempower DiResta? To answer those questions, we first need to understand how DiResta got away with and was even rewarded for participating in one of the most outrageous and likely illegal, election disinformation campaigns in recent history. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a speech during his visit to Warsaw, Poland, April 5. Ukraine is promising to investigate a gruesome video circulating on social media that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier. AP-Yonhap Ukraine promised Wednesday to investigate a gruesome video circulating on social media that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier. The video spread quickly online and sparked outrage from Ukrainian officials. The Kremlin called the footage "horrible" but said it needed to be verified. The Associated Press was not able to verify the authenticity of the video or the circumstances of where and when it was shot. The video appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. He is heard screeching before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him. A third man holds up a flak jacket apparently belonging to the man being beheaded. All three men speak in Russian. Since Russia's forces invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, they have committed widespread abuses and alleged war crimes, according to the United Nations, rights groups and reporting by The Associated Press. The International Criminal Court has also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. The Kremlin denies it has committed war crimes or that it has targeted civilians. Ukrainian troops have also been accused of abuses, and last year Kyiv said it would investigate video footage circulated online that Moscow alleged showed Ukrainian forces killing Russian troops who may have been trying to surrender. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said the violence in the latest video would not be forgotten and that Russian forces would be held responsible for such acts. "Everyone must react, every leader. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass," he said in a video posted to his official Telegram channel. In it, he used strong language to describe Russian soldiers, including calling them "beasts." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it's necessary to thoroughly check the "horrible" video including verifying that it's real. "In the world of fakes we live in the authenticity of the footage must be checked," he said in a conference call with reporters. Ukraine's state security service launched an investigation the video, according to a statement from Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the agency, known as the SBU. Posters in some pro-Kremlin Russian Telegram channels, while not confirming the authenticity of the video, did not dispute it. Some sought to justify it by saying that Russian troops have become hardened by combat. Andrei Medvedev, a Russian state TV journalist and a member of the Moscow city legislature, speculated that the timing of the video's release was "fairly opportune" for the Ukrainian army, saying it could help "fire up personnel ideologically" ahead of a planned major counteroffensive. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelenskyy, also linked the video's release to the expected offensive, but said it was meant to "demoralize the public mood or at least change the psychological perception of the war right now." Ukraine's ombudsman on Wednesday said that he will request that the U.N. Human Rights Committee investigate the video. Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram that "a public execution of a captive is yet another indication of a breach of Geneva Convention norms, international humanitarian law, a breach of the fundamental right to life." (AP) Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. The Big Migration: Excitement as New Arctic Museum Takes Shape As Oscar the walrus completed what was probably his final journey, there was relief and excitement among staff and faculty at Bowdoins newest facility, the John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies, which is due to open its doors next month. On the Move A window was removed to enable the taxidermied 600-pound mammal to be hoisted into the building by a professional rigging crew. Oscar was then raised onto a ledge overlooking the second-floor gallery and placed alongside other well-known items of taxidermy from Bowdoins Arctic collection, including a polar bear, a musk ox, and two caribou. Shortly to follow through the window were a full-sized Inuit kayak constructed more than 130 years ago, and the sledge from Robert Pearys North Pole expedition of 19081909. The heavy lifting is now complete, said Professor of Anthropology Susan Kaplan, director of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and Arctic Studies Center. But, she added, there are still close to a hundred artifacts to be removed from storage, brought over to the new building, unpacked, and put in place. The relocation of the Museum has been a lengthy and complicated process, said Kaplan. It started during the pandemic, when staff began to move artifacts out of Hubbard Hall to an off-campus storage site. In recent months, the larger items (including much of the taxidermy), many of which had been in place for more than fifty years, were painstakingly taken down, wrapped in protective plastic, and crated. Goodbye Hubbard Hall They were then removed from Hubbard (no easy task with all those interior steps, said Kaplan), and placed in a huge freezer inside an industrial shipping container on the Polar Loop parking lot. We put them in deep freeze for three to four weeks to mitigate against insects, particularly the dermestid beetle and clothing moths, said Kaplan. Much of our collection is organic, so its made from protein, which these insects love to eat, she added. A New Environment The John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies may lack the Gothic, old world charm (and occasional ghost, say some) of the 120-year old Hubbard Hall, but it is a lot more convenient, said Kaplan. For one thing, there is a huge elevatorbig enough to accommodate a polar beargiving us easy access to the exhibition spaces, she enthused. As well as providing a spacious new home for the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, the 16,426-square-foot facilitymade using a pioneering, sustainable product called mass timberincludes archeology research and teaching labs, a classroom, an exhibit production workshop, and offices for museum staff. One game-changing feature of the new building is the climate-controlled environment, said Kaplan. The consistent humidity and temperature mean even the most sensitive objects in the collection can be kept here under one roof, either on display, in storage, or in one of the classrooms or labs. Previously, we were spread out all over the place. Our workshop, for example, was in Fort Andross. This new setup makes life a lot simpler for exhibit designer Dave Maschino, said Kaplan. At Hubbard, Dave had to manually adjust each display case in order to safeguard our objects. Once or twice a week he would open the base of each case to make sure it contained enough water to maintain the correct level of humidity and temperature. Now he doesnt have to! Another major advantage of this climate-controlled environment, said Kaplan, is that it enables the Museum to feature works borrowed from other institutions and to host traveling exhibitions. The consistent humidity and temperature mean even the most sensitive objects in the collection can be kept here under one roof." Susan Kaplan. On Display The John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies will house three inaugural exhibits when it opens. The museum galleries are spread over the top two floors of the building, with the second floor dedicated to an ongoing, semipermanent exhibition called At Home in the North. Its basically an exploration of Inuit life, with some details about Bowdoins legacy in the region, said Kaplan. From a sledge that carried Peary to the North Pole in 1909 to a SMARTbuoy that tells contemporary Inuit travelers if it is safe to travel on the sea ice, this exhibit examines life in the Arctic historically and today. The third-floor gallery runs the entire length of the building, said Kaplan, and will house two related exhibits: Collections and Recollections features a range of significant objects from the Museums collection, said Kaplan, and highlights the many stories they tell, from the challenges faced by Arctic explorers to the joys of community life as depicted by contemporary Inuit artists. It also reflects on the growth of the collection through the years. When I arrived at Bowdoin more than three decades ago, the Museum tended to concentrate on Peary and MacMillan and the places they explored, said Kaplan. There was very little from Alaska, for example, and I remember thinking we should address this, as Alaska is, after all, the US foothold in the Arctic. Since then, she explained, the Museum has expanded the collection significantlyincluding the addition of Alaskan materialthrough acquisition and the generosity of donors. Chinese President Xi Jinping talks with villagers at a village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, Guangdong Province in China, Tuesday. Xinhua-Yonhap China's President Xi Jinping called on the country's armed forces to "strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat," state media reported Wednesday, after Beijing conducted military drills intended to intimidate Taiwan. Xi's comments, made on a naval inspection trip on Tuesday, come amid heightened tension in the region after the show of force by Beijing, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as its territory. China on Monday concluded three days of military drills launched in response to a visit last week by Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States, where she met a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Xi on Tuesday told the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command Navy that the military must "resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability," state broadcaster CCTV reported. Beijing is also enraged by a plan for US forces to use a growing number of bases in the Philippines, including one near Taiwan. The United States and the Philippines are holding their largest-ever joint military drills this week, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken committing to "standing with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea." Xi added Tuesday that China must be "innovative in its concepts and methods of combat." Disputed waters China and Taiwan split following a civil war in 1949. Beijing views the democratic island as part of its territory and has vowed to take it one day, stepping up its rhetoric and military activity around the island in recent years. Washington has been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would defend Taiwan militarily. But for decades it has sold weapons to Taipei to help ensure its self-defense, and offered political support. At the same time, China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims in the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation in international waters. (AFP) US president Joe Biden was shielded by umbrellas as he touched down at Dublin Airport ahead of his three-day stay in the Republic. Air Force One landed at Dublin Airport on Wednesday afternoon in heavy rain and cold winds. Mr Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens, was greeted on the tarmac and shook hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar alongside other dignitaries. Real pleasure to welcome @POTUS to Dublin today. Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth pic.twitter.com/GlBRoq3aeX Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 12, 2023 The US president had been due to travel to Co Louth by helicopter, but the poor weather conditions forced him to go via motorcade. Mr Varadkar also greeted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they alighted Air Force One. Advertisement Umbrellas were held for Mr Biden as he greeted each Irish dignitary in turn, including ambassadors Geraldine Byrne Nason and Claire Cronin. Mr Biden spent only four minutes on the tarmac before being escorted to the US presidential state car. Before leaving the airport, the president met embassy staff and their children and thanked them for their service. One child asked Mr Biden what they key to success was, to which he replied: The key to success is, whenever you disagree with someone, its OK to question their judgment on whether theyre right or wrong, but it is never OK to question their motive. If you question their motive, youll never agree, the president added. Writing on Twitter after the meeting, Mr Varadkar said it was a real pleasure to greet Mr Biden, adding: Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth. Joe Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Advertisement Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. Advertisement The prime minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in Co Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Dail. Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Advertisement The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. US president Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday after arriving in Northern Ireland on Tuesday night as part of a historic four-day trip to Ireland. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at RAF Aldergrove to greet Joe Biden (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. Later, the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties will have the opportunity to engage with Mr Biden before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million (398 million) Belfast campus. Advertisement The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation will be in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. Advertisement After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area, and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. Ireland US president Joe Biden arrives in Belfast to start... Read More The presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. Darren Gilligan, son of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan, has appeared before the High Court in respect of a extradition request issued by the Spanish authorities. The Dublin court heard that 47-year-old Darren Gilligan's surrender is sought in relation to an offence of breaching Public Order and Safety. He was detained on foot of an SIS Alert issued by the Spanish Authorities, which informs the Gardai that a European Arrest Warrant seeking his surrender has been made in respect of Mr Gilligan. The Schengen Information System (SIS) alert is an information exchange system used various authorities in Europe. The court heard that in Mr Gilligan's case the EAW has not yet arrived from Spain. Following his arrest by members of the Garda extradition unit on Wednesday morning, Mr Gilligan appeared before Mr Justice Anthony Barr during Wednesday's vacation sitting of the High Court. Advertisement Giving details of his arrest, Detective Garda Adrian Murray told the court that he arrested and cautioned Mr Gilligan at an address in West Dublin on Wednesday morning. The Detective told the court that when he asked Mr Gilligan if he knew what the allegations contained in the SIS were about, he replied "Yes" and that it came "from being in the wrong place at the wrong time over nothing I done." In reply to counsel for the state Simon Matthews Bl the detective said that the Gardai were opposed to Mr Gilligan being granted bail at this time. Mr Gilligan, who was accompanied in court by members of his family, was represented during the hearing by Mark Lynam Bl. Mr Lynam told the court that prior to his arrest his client had purchased tickets to fly to Spain in the coming days, where he is due to appear before a Spanish Court on another matter. Ireland Simeon Burke demands audio recording from Court of... Read More Counsel said that his client is willing to consent to his surrender to the Spanish authorities but cannot do so until the EAW has been provided to the Irish Authorities. Mr Lynam said Mr Gilligan was not seeking to be granted bail at this point of the proceedings. His cleint also intends to apply to have his legal fees covered under the state's Custody Issue Scheme Mr Justice Barr, having being satisfied that the person before the court is the person whose surrender is being sought in the SIS, remanded Mr Gilligan in custody. A High Court judge has directed an inquiry into the legality of law student Simeon Burke's on-going detention in a Dublin prison. In a ruling on Wednesday evening, Mr Justice Antony Barr said that sufficient evidence had been raised regarding the 24-year-old Co Mayo man's detention at Cloverhill Prison that merited the court directing an inquiry under Article 40.4 of the constitution. Mr Justice Barr gave his decision following an ex-parte application brought on Wednesday afternoon by Mr Burke's sister Ammi Burke on behalf of her brother who is currently detained at the Prison, on foot of an alleged breach of the peace following an incident at the Court of Appeal last month. The judge said that Mr Burke has raised issues concerning the lawfulness of both his arrest and treatment at the hand of the gardai, and ongoing detention. He also made complaints about the District Court's handling of his case. Advertisement He further claims that the breach of his constitutional rights is so egregious that the District Court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the case against him. While there were clearly "two sides to the story", the judge said that an inquiry into Mr Burke's imprisonment, where both sides can make submissions on the legality of the detention, was merited. The inquiry will take place before the duty judge at the Four Courts during Thursday's vacation sitting of the court. As part of his inquiry Mr Burke seeks an order from the court directing his immediate release from Cloverhill. Mr Justice Barr's decision comes after two other High Court judges Mr Justice Mark Heslin and Ms Justice Melanie Greally who ruled against directing inquiries into Simoen Burke's detention. In her submissions to Mr Justice Barr on Wednesday, Ms Ammi Burke strongly criticised the other judge's refusal to entertain the applications, and rejected Ms Justice Greally's contention that she was "forum shopping". She said that it was a matter of "basic law" that a third party can seek an article 40 inquiry on a prisoner's behalf. She also argued that multiple applications for such an inquiry can be made before the courts in respect of the same person. Advertisement In his ruling Mr Justice Barr said he was not making any comments in relation to any decisions made by other judges of the High Court. However, he was satisfied that Ms Ammi Burke did have the legal standing to apply for an inquiry. The judge said that the courts have always "erred on the side of caution" when it comes to applications under Article 40.4 regarding a person's liberty, the threshold for directing such inquires was "low". He added the fact that Mr Burke's trial on the public order charge is due to take place early next week and his refusal to take up bail were not matters that prohibit the courts from directing an inquiry. Simeon Burke, who the High Court will represent himself in the inquiry, has been remanded in custody since his arrest over a month ago with consent to bail, which he has declined to take up. The accused, a younger brother of secondary school teacher Enoch Burke, has pleaded not guilty to a breach of the peace offence in connection with outbursts in the Court of Appeal on March 7th last. Ireland Simeon Burke demands audio recording from Court of... Read More Simeon Burke who is a student barrister-at-law at the Kings Inns has refused to sign a bail bond with a condition to stay away from the Four Courts, where his brother has been involved in a lengthy and high profile legal dispute with Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath. Simeon Burke is charged with a breach of the peace, under the Public Order Act, for engaging in threatening, insulting and abusive words and behaviour at the Court of Appeal. The offence carries a possible three-month custodial sentence. Simeon Burke, with an address at Cloonsunna, Castlebar, Co Mayo, denies the charges and the contested hearing is due to take place before the District Court on April 17th US president Joe Biden has described how he feels like he has come home after an evening in the Republic. People lined the streets in Carlingford and Dundalk in Co Louth to cheer and wave American flags as Mr Biden arrived. The president was accompanied by Tanaiste Micheal Martin as he toured St Johns castle, which offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. Joe Biden with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland (Brian Lawless/PA) As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of his visit, to which the president responded: It feels wonderful, it feels like Im coming home, adding with regards to the heavy rain: Its fine, its Ireland. Advertisement At The Windsor Bar in Dundalk later, Mr Biden met with distant cousins John Owen Finnegan and Andrea McEvitt as well as local politicians. He also paid tribute to his sister Valerie and his son Hunter, who have accompanied him on the trip to the island of Ireland. He said: Coming here feels like coming home. The president added: Ive often said the Irish are the only people who are nostalgic about the future. In my experience, hope is what beats in the heart of all people, particularly the heart of the Irish. Joe Bidens cavalcade leaves Carlingford, Co Louth (Brian Lawless/PA) Every action is about hope that we can make things better, hope to build both our nations that has been passed down generation to generation by our families. And its hope that continues to this day. Completing his first day in the Republic of Ireland, he said: Thank you all for homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here. So proud to be in Louth. Mr Martin also spoke at the event, focusing his remarks on the value of peace to the border town as he introduced Mr Biden. Advertisement He said that the value of the Good Friday Agreement was so tangible and real here in this location. It is a shared space, a place that links rather than divides. Peace is not an abstraction here, he said. As we build on the ambition of the Good Friday Agreement to sustain a dynamic and prosperous peace, the US will remain an essential and fundamental partner. He finished: Welcome home, Mr President. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford and Dundalk despite the heavy rain. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Advertisement It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The prime minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Dail. Advertisement Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. Ireland 'Summer 2024 will see record US visitors' thanks t... Read More He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. US President Joe Biden has arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday following his third in-person meeting with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim. Photo: Charles McQuillan/PA. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Advertisement Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. During his stay in Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday. Photo: Paul Faith/PA. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth. Photo: Niall Carson/PA. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. Ireland Biden sent a clear message to the DUP over Storm... Read More He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Advertisement Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. President Joe Biden will visit Dublin on Thursday and the city centre will be largely blocked off to all traffic. He will address the Houses of the Oireachtas on Thursday afternoon at 3.45pm and will being doing a private event afterwards, the details which have yet to be revealed. As The Irish Times reports, although he is not doing any public events, there will be a raft of road closures which will make it difficult for any motorists driving into the city centre. The US president will arrive into Dublin Airport on Thursday afternoon. Normal operations will continue at Dublin Airport at all times, however members of the public, travelling through the airport should allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible additional security patrols around the perimeter. Advertisement The Phoenix Park will be closed to traffic from 5pm on Wednesday to 5pm on Thursday evening while Mr Biden visits the US ambassadors residence and President Michael D Higgins. Preparations are underway ahead of the U.S President Joe Biden's vist to Ireland. Photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos The area around Kildare Street including Molesworth Street, Merrion Street, Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square will be closed from 7pm on Wednesday to 7pm on Thursday. Earlsfort Terrace is closed to traffic until Saturday. There is pedestrian access to businesses on Earlsfort Terrace via Hatch Street only. Ireland Biden says Irish visit is to 'keep the peace' ahea... Read More President Biden will depart Dublin Airport on Friday afternoon for Ireland West Airport. Again, normal operations will continue at Dublin Airport at all times but members of the public, travelling through Dublin Airport at this time, should allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible additional security patrols in the vicinity of Dublin Airport, gardai said. In an advice notice to members of the public, An Garda Siochana said the nature and scale of its policing and security operation continues to be proportionate to the need to protect everyones safety. We would ask members of the public to heed the advice and instructions of Gardai and we thank them for their continuing co-operation. Police in Belfast have launched an investigation into a security breach around the visit of the US president Joe Biden. A huge security operation was put in place for the visit ahead of Mr Bidens arrival on Tuesday evening for a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. More than 300 officers from Britain have been drafted into Northern Ireland to support the PSNI. A document, which was marked PSNI and sensitive, was found by a member of the public, the BBC reported. Nolan exclusive: PSNI-Biden secret security document found laying in street pic.twitter.com/qQeTaj1PrU Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) April 12, 2023 It is understood it was an operational order which outlines officer deployments, however, no personal details on the president, his officials or those of other dignitaries associated with the visit were included within the document. Advertisement Responding, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed an investigation has been launched. We are aware of a security breach, they said. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer. We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place. Remand prisoner Simeon Burke has insisted the presiding judge never asked his family to leave the Court of Appeal (CoA) before an incident that led to his breach of the peace prosecution. In a pre-trial procedural hearing, the Kings Inns barrister-at-law student complained that he was provided with CCTV evidence on Wednesday despite being told earlier that there was no footage. The younger brother of sacked teacher Enoch Burke told Dublin District Court the footage was given to him five minutes before his case was listed for mention to confirm his hearing on Monday could go ahead. He also demanded that copies of the appeal court's digital audio recording be handed over. He maintained that the presiding judge had not asked his family to leave the courtroom on March 7th when gardai intervened following a ruling against Enoch Burke. Advertisement Mr Burke (24), currently a remand prisoner, appeared via video link at Dublin District Court when his case was listed for mention to confirm his hearing on Monday could go ahead. He has repeatedly refused to sign a bail bond with a condition to stay away from the Four Courts, where his brother was at the centre of a legal dispute over transgenderism and his sacking by Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath. Simeon Burke, with an address at Cloonsunna, Castlebar, Co Mayo, was charged with a Public Order Act offence for engaging in threatening, insulting and abusive words and behaviour at the CoA on March 7th. The offence carries a possible three-month sentence. There was no objection to bail set at 200, requiring no lodgement, but with a condition to stay away from the Four Courts. However, the student who has pleaded not guilty refused to sign the bail bond. Consequently, he has remained in custody in Cloverhill Prison since. CCTV evidence On Wednesday, Mr Burke, representing himself, told Judge Grainne Malone that previously, he had been told by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that there is no CCTV evidence. However, a request was made for the footage in the intervening period. Advertisement Mr Burke said it was "extraordinary" that five minutes before he came into the video link booth in prison, a guard appeared and "thrust" an envelope at him "and said the CCTV was in the envelope". He said it was important and needed time to review the evidence. He had an issue about the digital audio recording from March 7th at the CoA. "In relation to his matter, I would just say there is a dispute; it's an important plank of the prosecution case that the judge had asked for the family to leave." "I say the judge never asked for my family to leave or for myself to leave the court, and obviously, therefore, the digital audio recording would be extremely relevant in getting to the truth, I say, of this critical dispute between the parties." He said that it was "vitally important that it be produced"; it was easily obtained, and he offered to have it collected from the Bridewell Garda station or the offices of the DPP. A State solicitor understood the accused was furnished with additional Garda statements and CCTV evidence on Wednesday morning. However, he said this was the first he had heard of the request for the audio recording from the Court of Appeal. Advertisement He agreed there was an obligation on the DPP to seize and disclose relevant evidence. But the defendant was also obliged to contact and liaise with the prosecution about relevant evidence. In reply, Mr Burke said that it was incorrect that this was the first time the audio issue had been raised. Formal application Ammi Burke spoke up from the public gallery to say that over a week ago, a formal application was made to the CoA for the recording to be provided to her brother. Mr Burke also said Ammi Burke, a qualified solicitor, is to act as a "McKenzie friend" to assist his defence, and he would have his own video and photographic evidence. Judge Malone told the defendant that the law was clear that he was entitled to disclosure, that the court was conscious of the obligation for fair procedures and that he could raise the issues at the hearing. However, she also informed him that she had no jurisdiction to determine the lawfulness of his detention. She remanded him in continuing custody with consent to bail to appear on Monday for his hearing. Ireland Court refuses to entertain inquiry into detention... Read More At a previous appearance, Simeon Burke had told the District Court that the CoA was trying "to shove transgenderism down the throats of the people", and he called for a halt to his prosecution. Since being charged, Mr Burke has unsuccessfully applied to the District Court and the High Court to throw out the case and claimed his detention was unlawful. He has said he was deprived of his liberty and claimed four or five gardai had attacked him. Another judge told him last month that his refusal to sign the bond was the only thing holding him. "It is entirely of your own making; you are in custody in circumstances where with one flick of a pen, you could walk out," he had said. US president Joe Biden was cheered and welcomed with waving flags as he arrived in a Co Louth town on the second stop of his visit to Ireland. Locals turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Some of the well wishers held US or Irish flags, and a poster read Welcome home cousin Joe. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 Advertisement The US president was met by Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. The US president is next due to visit Dundalk where eager members of the public in ponchos and raincoats were lining the streets waiting to welcome him. Red, white and blue bunting was strung across the road while people held American flags, tricolours and took cover under umbrellas in the steady evening drizzle. A sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street as families with young children waited in anticipation. The US president arrived in the Republic earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. Advertisement The UK prime minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Dail. Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Advertisement The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. Ireland Explained: The full itinerary for Joe Biden's visi... Read More He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Updated at 13:50 US President Joe Biden expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes on the heels of the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday peace accord that created Stormonts power-sharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met with Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Advertisement Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, said the President. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So, I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north-south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas thats going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things." Profound impact Advertisement Biden also said the dividends of peace are all around us, as he addressed a gathering at the Ulster University campus in Belfast. This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held a terrible sway, he said. The idea to have a glass building here when I was here in 91 was highly unlikely. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass and let the light shine in and out. This has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. It's an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. Joe Biden spoke of how compassion had changed how this entire region sees itself, as he called for a recommittal to peace in Northern Ireland. He told an audience at Ulster University: This place is transformed by peace, made technicolour by peace, made whole by peace." Earlier in the day, Biden said he was there to listen as he had a cup of tea with British prime minister Rishi Sunak. The White House said he would use the trip to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, 25 years after the peace deal was reached, and to encourage the restoration of powersharing something that collapsed due to the DUPs protest over post-Brexit rules. Advertisement Hello, Northern Ireland! It's so great to be back. pic.twitter.com/A4PjLONoic President Biden (@POTUS) April 12, 2023 At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Mr Sunak, smiling, sat a table with the US President as the pair met over cups of tea. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (right) meets with US President Joe Biden at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland. Photo: PA Ireland Explained: The full itinerary for Joe Biden's visi... Read More But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the prime minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. Advertisement And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnston, and prime minister Truss as well. Ms Sloat went on: President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British Government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing. Serbia has agreed to supply arms to Kyiv or has sent them already, according to a classified Pentagon document, despite the country's professed neutrality in the Ukraine war and refusal to sanction Russia over its 2022 invasion. The document, a summary of European governments' responses to Ukraine's requests for military training and "lethal aid" or weapons, was among dozens of classified documents posted online in recent weeks in what could be the most serious leak of US secrets in years. The document is marked Secret and NOFORN, prohibiting its distribution to foreign intelligence services and militaries. It is dated March 2nd, and embossed with the seal of the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Reuters could not independently verify the document's authenticity. Serbia's defence minister Milos Vucevic dismissed the document's assertions as "untrue" in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement "Serbia did not, nor will it be selling weapons to the Ukrainian nor the Russian side, nor to countries surrounding that conflict," Mr Vucevic said. Entitled "Europe|Response to Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict," the Pentagon document in chart form lists the "assessed positions" of 38 European governments in response to Ukraine's requests for military assistance. The chart showed that Serbia declined to provide training to Ukrainian forces, but had committed to sending lethal aid or had supplied it already. It also said Serbia had the political will and military ability to provide weapons to Ukraine in the future. In his statement, Mr Vucevic said there was a possibility that Serbia-made weaponry and ordnance could "magically appear" in the conflict, but "that has absolutely nothing to do with Serbia". "Someone clearly wants to drag Serbia into that conflict, but we are diligently maintaining our policies," he added. Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic's office did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, but the Serbian foreign ministry issued a statement denying that the country is supplying military equipment to Ukraine. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Reuters questions about the document's reference to Serbia and has previously declined to comment on the leaked documents. Ties to Russia Advertisement Mr Vucic's government has professed neutrality in the Ukraine war, despite the country's deep historic, economic and cultural ties with Russia. "If this document is accurate, it either shows Vucic's duplicity vis a vis Russia or he's under enormous pressure from Washington to deliver weapons to Ukraine," said Janusz Bugajski, an Eastern European expert with the Jamestown Foundation, a foreign policy institute. The Justice Department is investigating the leak, while the Pentagon is assessing the damage done to US national security. The Pentagon chart divided the responses to Ukraine's requests for aid into four categories: countries that had committed to provide training and lethal aid; countries that had already provided training, lethal aid or both; countries with the military ability and the political will "to provide future lethal aid". Austria and Malta were the only two countries marked "No" in all four categories. Malta's foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Austria has said its neutrality prevents it from military involvement in the conflict and while it supports Ukraine politically it cannot send the country weapons. Pro-Russia documents The disclosure of the chart comes just over a month after documents posted in a pro-Russia channel on the Telegram global messaging app purportedly showed the shipment by a Serbian arms maker of 122mm Grad ground-to-ground rockets to Kyiv in November. The documents included a shipment manifest and a Ukrainian government end-user certificate. Moscow said in March it had asked Belgrade for an official explanation of the alleged deliveries, the state-run TASS news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying. Arms manufacturer Krusik Corp. of Valjevo denied providing rockets or other weaponry to Ukraine. Mr Vucic called the allegations "a notorious lie". "We didn't export any weapons or ammunition to Russia or Ukraine," he said during a March 5 visit to Qatar. Reuters could not independently confirm the authenticity of the shipment documentation posted on Telegram. Mr Vucic has long tried to balance close ties with Moscow with Serbia's goal of joining the European Union. Although Belgrade has repeatedly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the United Nations and other international forums, Serbia remains one of the only holdouts among European countries in imposing sanctions on Moscow. Serbia recognises Ukraine in its entirety, including areas occupied by Russia since 2014, while Kyiv refuses to recognise independence of Kosovo, Serbias predominantly Albanian former province. New York City officials have unveiled three new high-tech policing devices including a robotic dog that critics called creepy when it first joined the police pack two-and-a-half years ago. The new devices, which also include a GPS tracker for stolen cars and cone-shaped security robot, will be rolled out in a manner that is transparent, consistent and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve, said police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who joined mayor Eric Adams and other officials at a Times Square press conference where the security robot and the mechanical canine nicknamed Digidog were displayed. Digidog is out of the pound, said Mr Adams, a Democrat and former police officer. Digidog is now part of the toolkit that we are using. Digidog makes an appearance. NYPD says the department spent $750k of forfeiture money to purchase the technology. Maddrey says it will only be used at his orders. pic.twitter.com/krxNjMcYfv Advertisement Samantha Max (@samanthaellimax) April 11, 2023 The citys first robot police dog was leased in 2020 by Mr Adams predecessor, former mayor Bill de Blasio, but the citys contract for the device was cut short after critics derided it as creepy and dystopian. Mr Adams said he will not bow to anti-robot dog pressure. A few loud people were opposed to it and we took a step back, the mayor said. That is not how I operate. I operate on looking at whats best for the city. New York Mayor Eric Adams inspects the Digidog mobile robot (New York City Office of The Mayor via AP) Mr Adams said the remote-controlled, 32kg Digidog will be deployed in risky situations like hostage standoffs from this summer. If you have a barricaded suspect, if you have someone thats inside a building that is armed, instead of sending police in there, you send Digidog in there, he said. So these are smart ways of using good technologies. Tracking system StarChase will let police launch a GPS tag that will attach itself to a stolen car so officers can track the vehicles location. The New York Police Departments pilot programme for using the system will last 90 days, officials said. The NYPD is resurrecting Digidog the robot dog - in instances of hostage situations, bomb threats, counter-terrorism and other high-risk or hazardous situations. They bought 2 for $750k pic.twitter.com/SxSVxpQjkj Advertisement Yoav Gonen (@yoavgonen) April 11, 2023 The Autonomous Security Robot, which Mr Adams compared to a Roomba, will be deployed inside the Times Square subway station in a seven-month pilot programme starting this summer, police officials said. The device, used in shopping centres and other locations for several years, will at first be joined by a human partner, police said. Civil libertarians and police reform advocates questioned the need for the high-tech devices. This latest announcement is just the most recent example of how mayor Adams allows unmitigated overspending of the NYPDs massively bloated budget, said Ileana Mendez-Penate, programme director of Communities United for Police Reform. The NYPD is buying robot dogs and other fancy tech while New Yorkers cant access food stamps because city agencies are short-staffed, and New Yorkers are getting evicted because they cant access their right to counsel. Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said: The NYPD is turning bad science fiction into terrible policing. New York deserves real safety, not a knock-off RoboCop. Eva Kaili, the former European Parliament vice president accused of corruption, is to be released from custody, while still facing charges, federal prosecutors and her lawyer's office said on Wednesday. The 44-year-old Greek Socialist and others are accused of accepting bribes from Qatar and Morocco in one of the biggest corruption scandals to hit European Union institutions. Kaili and the Gulf state have denied any wrongdoing. Morocco has complained of "judicial harassment" and media attacks. Kaili was detained along with three others during police raids in December that recovered 1.5 million in cash. She will wear an electronic tag and will not be allowed to leave Belgium. It was not clear exactly when she will be released. The other three have also been released, along with Belgian European lawmaker Marc Tarabella, who was detained in February and let out with an electronic monitor on Tuesday. He also denies wrongdoing. Advertisement Another lawmaker, Italian Andrea Cozzolino, is fighting Belgium's request that he be extradited from Italy. He denies taking bribes from foreign countries. Police have released frantic calls from witnesses reporting a mass shooting at a Kentucky bank, including one from the mans mother, who told a 911 operator that her son currently has a gun and is heading toward the bank. I need your help. Hes never hurt anyone, hes a good kid, said the woman, who identified herself as the gunmans mother. None of the callers are identified by name and other information is edited out of the calls, but the first call was from a woman who was on a video call inside the bank on Monday. Police at the scene in central Louisville (Louisville Metro Police Department/AP) She screams and cries throughout the four-minute call and says there is an active gunman at the Old National Bank in central Louisville. Advertisement I just watched it on a Teams meeting, she says. We were having a board meeting. With our commercial (lending) team. We heard multiple shots and everybody started saying, Oh my God, and then he came into the boardroom. Bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, used an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the attack, killing five co-workers while livestreaming before police shot him dead. Eight other people were injured, including a police officer who was shot in the head and remains in critical condition in hospital. After the first call, others began streaming in. One of the callers says she is calling from inside the building as gunshots are heard in the background. Im in a closet hiding, the caller says. She says people have been shot and gives a description of the shooting, saying she knows the gunman. He works with us. How long will it be before they get here? she whispers and the dispatcher tells her that authorities are on the way and advises her to keep quiet. Connor Sturgeon inside the bank (Louisville Metro Police Department/AP) Asked what kind of injuries there were, the caller replies: I dont know. I just saw a lot of blood. Advertisement Another call came from a man inside the bank, who told dispatchers the address and said: We have an active shooting in our building. White male. Hes an employee of Old National Bank. Get here now. We need somebody now. Another call came from a motorist driving down Main Street, who reported seeing a man with an assault rifle and a bulletproof vest walking around. How long ago was it that you saw this? the dispatcher asks. The caller says it was about five minutes and asks: Has anybody else reported this? Like, I hope to God Im seeing things. The dispatcher then describes what others reported the suspect was wearing and the caller confirms it. Did you see him shooting or anything? the dispatcher asks. No maam. He was like kind of like jogging around like he was like trying to get somewhere in a hurry, the caller says, but is not able to give the direction the gunman was headed. The woman identifying herself as Sturgeons mother asks during the call if she can go to the bank but is told by the dispatcher that she should not because theres a situation going on down there and its dangerous. Advertisement Youve had calls from other people, so hes already there? the mother asks with shock in her voice. The audio releases came hours before an interfaith vigil at the Muhammad Ali Centre to remember victims and allow the public to offer prayers for the injured. This is a very tough time for our city, and we were not meant to go through tough times alone, Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the US this year, came just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles south of Louisville. The five bank employees killed in the shooting were Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Jim Tutt Jr, 64, a commercial real estate market executive. Britain's Prince Harry is to attend his father King Charless coronation, but Meghan Markle will miss the historic occasion and stay in California with the couples children, Buckingham Palace has announced. Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the royal family in his controversial Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness Charles and stepmother Camilla be crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 6th. Charles and Camilla with other members of the royal family. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Meghan will not travel to the UK and instead stay in the US with the couples children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Palace said in a brief statement on Wednesday: Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Advertisement The news ends months of speculation about whether the couple would show up to the kings big day, but will undoubtedly see Meghan accused of snubbing the British monarch and the royal family. May 6th is Archies fourth birthday. Mexicos top immigration official will face criminal charges over a fire that killed 40 migrants in Ciudad Juarez last month. Federal prosecutors said Francisco Garduno was remiss in not preventing the disaster despite earlier indications of problems at his agencys detention centres. The decision to file charges against the head of the National Immigration Institute was announced late on Tuesday by the federal Attorney Generals Office. It followed repeated calls from within Mexico, and from some Central American nations, not to stop the case at five low-level officials, guards and a Venezuelan migrant already facing homicide charges. Foreign Ministry officers hold portraits beside the coffins of Guatemalan migrants whose remains arrived at the La Aurora Air Force Base in Guatemala City (Moises Castillo/AP) On Wednesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that even though the Attorney Generals Office was investigating Garduno, prosecutors had revealed few details and it was not clear what they would charge him with. Advertisement We are going to wait and we are going to make decisions in the (right) moment, Mr Lopez Obrador said. Anger initially focused on two guards who were seen fleeing the March 27 fire, without unlocking the cell door to allow the migrants to escape, but Mr Lopez Obrador said earlier on Tuesday that they did not have the keys. The Attorney Generals Office said several other officers of Gardunos agency will also face charges for failing to carry out their duties, the statement said, but prosecutors did not explain what charges or identify the officials. Prosecutors said the case showed a pattern of irresponsibility. Workers carry the coffins of Guatemalan migrants whose remains arrived at the La Aurora Air Force Base in Guatemala City (Moises Castillo/AP) They said that after a fire at another detention centre in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration agency knew there were problems which needed to be corrected, but failed to act. There have long been complaints about corruption and bad conditions at Mexicos migrant detention facilities, but they have never been seriously addressed. Mr Lopez Obradors comments about the guards in last months fire in the border city of Ciudad Juarez came on the day the bodies of 17 Guatemalan migrants and six Hondurans killed in the fire were flown back to their home countries. Advertisement It was unclear what effect Mr Lopez Obradors comments might have on the trial of the guards, who were detained previously over the fire. The door was closed, because the person who had the keys wasnt there, he said. A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the fire started inside the cell holding migrants. The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the facility, and they do not appear to make any effort to release the migrants. Three Mexican immigration officials, a guard and a Venezuelan migrant are being held for investigation in connection with the fire. They face homicide charges. The migrant allegedly set fire to foam mattresses at the detention centre to protest about what he apparently thought were plans to move or deport the migrants. A one-year-old pet dog took an epic trek across 150 miles of frozen Bering Sea ice, being bitten by a seal or polar bear before being returned safely to his home in Alaska. Mandy Iworrigan owner of Australian shepherd Nanuq, who lives in Gambell, Alaska and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in the community of Wales, 150 miles north east of Savoonga on Alaskas western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. Advertisement My dad texted me and said, Theres a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales, Ms Iworrigan said. She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound. I was like, No freakin way! Thats our dog! What is he doing in Wales? she said. The details of Nanuqs journey are likely to remain a mystery. I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting, Ms Iworrigan said. The family welcome Nanuq home (Mandy Iworrigan/AP) Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart. She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School Districts Native Youth Olympics tournament. Ms Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy. Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we dont know, because its like a really big bite, she said. Emmanuel Macron has said protests in France and the Netherlands are a social price that has to be paid as the two governments push ahead with reforms. We must sometimes accept controversy, the French president said. We must try to build a path for the future. He was speaking to members of the French community in Amsterdam on the second day of a state visit which has been dogged by small protests against his unpopular pension reform, which will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Emmanuel Macron and Dutch King Willem-Alexander visit the University of Amsterdam (Mischa Schoemaker/AP) The reforms have sparked massive and sometimes violent protests in France. In the Netherlands, farmers and their supporters protested for months about plans to rein in emissions of nitrogen oxide. At times last year, farmers used tractors to blockade supermarket warehouses, torched bales of hay alongside roads and dumped waste including manure and asbestos on highways. Advertisement A populist pro-farmer political party made major gains in recent provincial elections in the Netherlands. Sometimes in France we think that we are the only country where there are protests, Mr Macron said in his speech in Amsterdam. You who live here know very well that there is also a strong, profound protest movement here. One of two detained demonstrators is carried to a police van (Peter Dejong/AP) Earlier in the day, police tackled and detained a protester who ran, shouting, towards Mr Macron as he arrived at a University of Amsterdam science campus. It was the second day that protesters had targeted him. On Tuesday, demonstrators shouted and held up banners at the start of a speech in The Hague. The incident on Wednesday happened as Mr Macron arrived with Dutch King Willem-Alexander at the universitys science park to visit its Quantum Gases and Quantum Information Lab to discuss quantum technology. The protester was tackled by a military officer and police before being restrained and taken to a nearby police vehicle. Mr Macrons visit continued after the man and another protester were detained. Dutch King Willem-Alexander leaves the University of Amsterdam science campus (Peter Dejong/AP) Advertisement The French leaders wife Brigitte and Dutch Queen Maxima visited a Dutch foundation that works to improve the mental health of young people in the Netherlands. World Volcano spews ash cloud for second day on Russias... Read More They then toured the Anne Frank House, a museum in the canal-side building where the Second World War Jewish diarist hid with her family from Nazi occupiers until they were discovered and deported to death camps. Only Annes father Otto survived. Earlier, French and Dutch ministers signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in moves to develop digital technology and make the countries industrial sectors more sustainable. The Pact for Innovation and Sustainable Growth aims to promote partnerships in areas including semiconductors, quantum, critical raw materials, sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure, the Dutch government said in a statement. China has warned that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests, or interfere in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises that began on Tuesday in the Philippines, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Mr Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the US-Philippine security cooperation is hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington on Tuesday, the US and Philippines defence and foreign secretaries met to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. Advertisement Ive said before that the United States and the Philippines are more than just allies were family. Great to join @SecBlinken today to welcome our friends from Manila for the 2+2 Ministerial. https://t.co/FsktB65r4Y Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 11, 2023 US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises. He added the US was allocating more than 100 million dollars (80 billion) to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Mr Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the US delivery of much-needed defence equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. Advertisement Philippine Army Major General Marvin Licudin and US Marine Corps Major General Eric Austin (AP) This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organisers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, American and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan (a Tagalog word meaning shoulder-to-shoulder), told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Col Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Col Logico said. Mr Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at US security policies while praising China and Russia. Advertisement Military exercise leaders take questions after the opening ceremonies of a joint military exercise flag called Balikatan (AP) Mr Duterte tried to abrogate a key defence pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills, but later backpedalled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as Joe Bidens administration strengthens an arc of alliances to counter China, with a potential confrontation over Taiwan on the horizon. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Mr Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase US warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to American and Philippine military officials. Who remembers Sandi Thom? I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) was Australias biggest-selling single in 2006. The songs mischievous mangling of past musical metaphors was deliberate because pfft, who cared, grandpa? This was the future. Thom arrived on webcam from a London basement via a hot new vehicle called MySpace. Now meet Sophie May. She arrived during the pandemic, streaming from her London basement via smartphone and TikTok. Her intimate, witty song fragments slowly primed followers for an EP, You Do Not Have To Be Good, now streaming to millions on Spotify. After creating a career in lockdown, it was a bit of a shock to suddenly be onstage singing songs, says Sophie May. One obvious parallel is the wow factor: canny indie artists using evolving technologies to cut through an overcrowded music ecosystem. Another is more old-school: the acoustic guitar confessional remains a remarkably durable genre for connecting young hearts and minds. I was lucky because it was not super early days of TikTok but it definitely wasnt saturated yet. It felt kind of like this new place, May says via Zoom from her parents home in Dulwich, south London. Its a really good question, we get asked that a lot. I never like to be presumptuous, because you just dont know how its going to go. But I know that Joe put a lot of time into learning how to write good scripts, and from there, making the show, we always set a high standard. We just wanted to make a high-quality show. By the end of it, near the end of season one, before it started airing yeah, I would say I had a feeling that this could be really good. Yeah, that was where we met, in 2004. We hit it off straight away well, the three of us did, Mark Paterson ( Bluey animator) as well. We were the only Kiwis and Aussies in the studio, it was quite fun. So we worked together for years and years, and in between London and Bluey I went to Africa to direct a project, and Joe came back to Aussie and started his own little studio, where he slowly developed Bluey . Then when I was back in New Zealand he gave me a call, said, Rich, this things happening, Id love you to be on it and help make the show. I didnt take much convincing. I never want to say that I was sort of, Yeah, weve definitely got a big show you dont (know for sure) but I remember Chris, one of our animators, saying to me, Richard, I think this is going to go bananas, this is going to be a huge hit, its going to go out of control. I was like, Yeah, well, I hope it does too, I think youre right. Then when it did, it was beyond our wildest dreams, really. Its reached a scale now where its amazing. Its amazing to work on a show thats reached so far. Jeffery says Bluey portrays a more honest portrayal of modern parenting. I think anyone whos watched Bluey would say that it has something that sets it apart from most childrens programming. Is there a secret ingredient, or is it just everyone working on it doing great work? I think we did take a fresh approach. I know that Joe had an idea of the kind of show he wanted to make, and it was different from anything wed made before. Part of that was just a more honest portrayal of modern parenting, how parents can be, you know. Most cartoons, the dads always a buffoon, mums stay at home. It doesnt have to be like that. I think with Dad particularly, we wanted to portray a very competent well, both the parents are very competent parents. I think it makes it more relatable, rather than going for the old trope of, Oh yeah, stupid dad. We kind of broke away from that a little bit. And I think theres just some genuine writing that appeals to the parents as well: relatable moments. Its gained this co-viewership thing, which I think is one of the key factors to its success. I think theres many factors to its success, but Id say thats one. All of a sudden parents feel really good about their kids watching the show, and theyll even watch it with them. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size James Packer did not want his portrait painted. He agreed to it as a favour to an old friend, actor-turned-artist Dee Smart, who, armed with her pencils, shadowed her busy, reluctant subject on his boat during the Red Sea International Film Festival late last year. I just wandered around and drew him, she says. Any stolen moment. Those few days were enough for Smart. She knows Packers face well. They met on a blind date decades ago, and, while romance never kindled, friendship did. She married his close mate, Chris Hancock, and the couple lived with Packer and his first wife, Jodhi Meares, in the late 1990s. I know what hes thinking in those eyes all the time, Smart says. And also, we all know the Packer features. The beautiful lips, the hooded eyes. Still, she struggled to get the tone of the portrait right. For a while, her studio was crowded with discarded images of Packer. It was quite spooky, she says. Some were too sad. Some, too indifferent. Her final effort, the one she has entered in this years Archibald Prize, shows a proud, burdened man with a spark of defiance in his eyes. A man who, in his third act of life, has settled into himself, in all his complexity. Smart with her children Zoe, Charlie and Johnny in Alexandria. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer [His face is] saying, what do you want from me? Smart says. Its a full circle. This is what I am. Im not going to strive to be all these other things. Like it or lump it. This is me. Im not perfect. Im so far from perfect, and Im OK with it. Smarts empathy for Packer is not just due to their friendship. She, too, understands what its like to suffer under the public eye, to be almost broken by the judgment of others, and to emerge from the wreckage stronger. She, too, is far from perfect. In January last year, onlookers saw Smart screaming at, then hitting, her then 11-year-old son Johnny outside her inner-city studio. She was shouting, look what youve f---ing done. The incident was heavily publicised. Advertisement She knows her painting of one of Australias most famous men, entered into the countrys best-known portrait competition, will prompt questions about that moment of rage and shame. So she wants to explain how she lost her mind one summer morning, and what she has done to ensure it doesnt happen again. Dee Smarts portrait of James Packer. There came a point a year-and-a-half ago, where my whole life basically collapsed on me, she says. Smart has three children with Hancock; Charlie, now 21, Zoe, now 18, and Johnny, 12, her youngest. When she gave up a successful acting career involving stints on Home and Away and Water Rats for motherhood, she found a new creative outlet in painting, something in which shed always had interest, but never the patience to pursue. What began as a hobby while babies slept has become a passion; she has been an Archibald finalist twice, and has had work hung here and overseas. But in late 2019, Smarts life was put on hold when a large, cancerous tumour was discovered in her bladder. She underwent radiation and chemotherapy, which triggered early menopause. Around the same time, she and Hancock separated after two decades. Amid cancer treatment and pandemic restrictions, she had to rely on her art to support herself and her children. Those years, she says, were horrific. As anyone who has been going through divorce with children [knows], its brutal, she says. Being in the trenches, working out how to move forward ... its just heartbreaking. Advertisement Physically, Id just come out of a very nasty cancer. So I was still having treatments for that. After the chemo and everything and you kind of expect it to be oh whoopee, youre better, hooray. And were actually not, you are a completely different thing. And things that you took for granted that you were strong at all changed. That January morning, Smart was about to put the finishing touches on two commissioned paintings, which had taken weeks. She relied on the money to cover her rent and bills. Her ex-husband had asked her to look after her son at the last minute. She had the paintings with her, and was struggling with the sticky lock on her studio door, so she asked Johnny to hold her coffee. After opening it, she looked over and saw him pouring the coffee over the two artworks. Dee Smart was a star of Australian television, appearing on Home and Away and (above) Water Rats. I lose my shit, she says, of what happened next. Im the first to say Im ashamed. I lost it. I just literally lost my mind. Im just screaming. It wasnt even [him]; Im screaming at the world. Im a good swearer. Im slapping at his hands, slapping him away. Im screaming, screaming, and then thinking, Ive got to get [the paintings] inside to pour water over them. Well try and get the coffee off. Im still screaming. Loading The screaming continued. Then inside, she calmed down. I say [to her son], Im so, so sorry. This is not you. This is just the f---ing thing. Hes like, mum, its fine. But onlookers were concerned about Johnnys welfare. The incident made the news. Smart felt like the worst mother in the world. Im failing at all this, and I did do that. And Im so ashamed. No one was more upset about what Id just done to my son in public than me. Smarts two older daughters spoke up in her defence. For 20 years, the amount of attentiveness, love and support our mum gives us constantly is beyond, said Charlie. Zoe said her brother, who has ADHD, could be a handful. I know that my mum regrets what happened deeply, she said. Advertisement Many months of heartache followed. She stopped painting her hands shook too much - and cancelled a show. She barely left her flat. I honestly believed I was the worst person on the planet, she says. And the worst mother. All those 20-odd years of being a full-time mum meant nothing because of what these [people] said I was. Loading But she did begin seeing a psychologist, a decision that began the recalibration she needed. It helped her family. It was a wake-up call to say, lets not do this, like this, Smart says. Ive learned that your family may change its logistics, but its not broken. It also helped her understand that to look after others, she needed to look after herself. [Now] I say, you know what? Im getting to the [limit] here. And Im walking away. Im not going to try and fix you all because I cant. I will be there for you. I slowly built myself back up. She learned to forgive herself, and that we all struggle. Perhaps if those onlookers had been mothers, she wonders, they might have helped rather than judged her. Towards the end of last year, Smart felt life return in a gush. She painted madly for two months; her next show sold out, and she was selected as a finalist for the Moran prize. Late last year she flew to Saudi Arabia to join Packer, the reluctant subject who was fulfilling an old promise. She wanted to paint him because no one has, and no one [else] would be able to. Hes got a great face, and I have the inside story and empathy for who he is. He was born into this stuff, and theres a lot of pressure that its easy to look over. Loading Sitting on the boat, pencils in hand, Smart made suggestions for the portrait; perhaps an Arabian theme, given their surrounds. Deesky, Packer said, Ill just leave it to you. In the end, she stripped him back to his essence; the face of a man, who, without the trappings of wealth and business, is as human and flawed as everyone else, including the artist herself. I know Im not perfect, Smart says. But I also know Im spectacular. The value of assets at Queenslands elite grammar schools has surged to almost $1 billion a bump of $75 million in one year. But despite almost $100 million in Commonwealth and state government grants in 2022, the sector warned a new method of funding would strip tens of millions of dollars from grammar schools resulting in fee increases. Brisbane Grammar School received $53 million in fees from parents last year and $12 million in state and federal funding. Credit: Glenn Hunt The financial details are revealed in annual reports for Queenslands eight grammar schools, which are registered not-for-profits and exempt from Commonwealth taxation, except for fringe benefit tax and GST. Brisbane Grammar School which charged high school students a hefty $29,000 annual fee listed assets of $269 million last year, and the inner-city schools campus, spanning Spring Hill and Normanby, was given a value of $30.3 million up from $24 million a year earlier. The Andrews government is reconsidering an urgent package of reforms to slash building industry red tape to boost the supply of houses and stave off a looming crisis for the sector. Treasurer Tim Pallas held crisis talks with four Victorian building sector lobby organisations to discuss an overhaul of planning and building contract laws as part of a push to cut delays and lower the risk of growing cost blowouts for builders. Treasurer Tim Pallas met with building industry representatives last Thursday to discuss reform options. Credit: Jason South The meeting with the Housing Industry Association, the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Master Builders Association and the Property Council marks a thawing of relations after the state governments failed bid last year to introduce an $800 million social housing tax on major housing developments in exchange for streamlined planning processes. Asked about the meeting, which was held on Thursday last week, a government spokesperson said the states building industry was facing substantial challenges. The doctors lobby has ramped up its attack on government plans to give pharmacists more prescribing powers by launching a campaign that alleges authorities are failing the public and putting their safety at risk. An Australian Medical Association (AMA) scare campaign that began this week escalates a long-standing turf war that is now playing out ahead of the May budget over prescription packet sizes and whether pharmacists should be allowed to prescribe some medicines, such as UTI treatments and the contraceptive pill. In an online video, AMA president Steve Robson says Australians are being failed by their governments. Credit: YouTube But health policy experts and consumer advocates say the public conflict between professional bodies particularly the AMA and Royal Australian College of GPs on behalf of doctors, and the Pharmacy Guild on behalf of pharmacy owners serves the interests of the professions and ignores consumer voices. The AMAs campaign, which will run online indefinitely, says: Instead of improving access to your doctor, governments are funding services which will threaten your safety, fragment your care, and undermine Australias world-class health system. Spread over 300 acres, it is touted to be Foxconn's largest manufacturing unit in India. It is expected to create 50,000 jobs in the next five years. Foxconn is expected to start construction of its mobile manufacturing plant in Karnataka in May this year, The Economic Times (ET) reported on Wednesday. The Rs 8,000-crore greenfield plant will be set up near Bengaluru International Airport and has already received a thumbs-up from the State High-Level Clearance Committee (SHLC). The Taiwan-based manufacturer will set up an electronics manufacturing and assembly unit which is expected to produce iPhones for Apple. The construction of the factory will start just a month after India gets its first Apple-owned retail store in Mumbai. Apple CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to fly to India to inaugurate the store. Some things like roads to support the plants etc, however, are still to be worked on by the state government. The establishment of Foxconn's plant is also expected to help Karnataka attract investments from other global tech companies. Foxconn chairman Young Liu signed an agreement with the state government last month. In a letter to the state's chief minister Basavraj Bommai, Liu wrote, "It was great to note the infrastructure readiness timelines, the Government of Karnataka's support for skilling and talent acquisition, and the availability of social infrastructure around the region where the plot is earmarked for the project." Also Read GST invoices to custom Macs: Apple extends online store benefits to SMEs Google to HP: Apple's Mumbai store zone to be a no-go area for 22 brands Violent clashes in China likely to boost India's iPhone exports Tata Group set to takeover of Wistron's iPhone plant in Bengaluru Apple iPhone is 16 today, and a long way from when Steve Jobs unveiled it Exports of Made in India iPhones rise 4 times in FY23, tops $5 bn: Report Twitter's to remove legacy Blue checks by April 20, says Elon Musk Indian Rare-Earths eyes 400% expansion for clean energy transition Airtel flags concerns over broadcast content on unregistered digital sites Strengthening omni-channel ecosystem to meet needs of consumers: Dell The company already manufactures mobile phones in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Owing to this, India's overall smartphone exports crossed $10 billion for the first time ever in FY23. Samsung accounts for $3.5-4 billion, the report added. Underlining the speed at which Apple Inc is scaling up its manufacturing in the country, exports of Made in India iPhones jumped about four times to top $5 billion in 2022-23 (FY23) as compared to FY22, The Economic Times (ET) reported on Wednesday. iPhone also became the first brand to cross the $5 billion export mark in India. Currently, China is the largest maker of iPhones in the world, and India follows it in the second spot. India accounts for 5 per cent of the total iPhones made in the world. But it is a significant jump from 2020 when it accounted for less than 1 per cent. Apple is working to make India one of its key manufacturing hubs. Recently, the company announced that it would open its first retail store in the country in Mumbai on April 18. The second company-owned store will be opened in New Delhi on April 20. On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer (CEO), will visit India to open the stores. The trip comes seven years after Cook's maiden visit in 2016. Three contract manufacturers - Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron - manufacture iPhones in India at their plants in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Also Read CEO Tim Cook may visit India to launch Apple's first store in the country GST invoices to custom Macs: Apple extends online store benefits to SMEs Google to HP: Apple's Mumbai store zone to be a no-go area for 22 brands Trying to troll Tim Cook, Google Pixel caught using an iPhone to tweet Apple BKC to open on April 18, Saket retail store on April 20: Details here Twitter's to remove legacy Blue checks by April 20, says Elon Musk Indian Rare-Earths eyes 400% expansion for clean energy transition Airtel flags concerns over broadcast content on unregistered digital sites Strengthening omni-channel ecosystem to meet needs of consumers: Dell NCLAT dismisses NCLT order, directs Ansal Housing to pay money to creditor Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said: With the doubling of exports of smartphones to over Rs 90,000 crore, India is well on its way to becoming a leader in the global mobile device market. India doubled its exports of smartphones to $11.1 billion (about Rs 91,000 crore) in 2022-23 (FY23) over the previous years figure of $5.48 billion (Rs 45,000 crore), thanks largely to the Apple juggernaut, according to data from the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA). PLI push When it comes to the domestic market, however, Chinese companies rule the roost, collectively controlling over 70 per cent of it, with revenues of over $20 billion annually from Indian sales. On the flip side, despite the government prodding Chinese companies to export more, their smartphone shipments fell steeply by 26 per cent from $214 million in FY22 to $157 million in FY23. The Chinese companies accounted for just 1.35 per cent of the total smartphone exports in FY23, the data showed. The Chinese exports were not only very small but in FY23 they were skewed in favour of just one company, Lenovo. Lenovo exported Motorola phones through its vendor and accounted for over 80 per cent of all Chinese exports. The others included Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Apple Inc accounted for 45% of smartphone exports from India in FY23 Smartphones contributed 25% to the increase in merchandise exports Exports by Chinese smartphone firms fell 26% YoY in FY23 despite a push from govt; they accounted for just 1.35% of exports Overall electronics exports went up 50% to Rs 1.85 trillion, with mobile phones accounting for nearly half of thatSource: India Cellular and Electronics Association data The growing importance of mobile phones in the overall Indian exports can be gauged from the fact that merchandise exports were slated to go up from $422 billion in FY22 to $447 billion in FY23 according to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. This implies mobile device exports would account for 25 per cent of the increase in merchandise exports in FY23. Also Read GST invoices to custom Macs: Apple extends online store benefits to SMEs Apple Watch Series 8 review: Iterative upgrade with temperature sensor Apple BKC to open on April 18, Saket retail store on April 20: Details here Apple iOS 16: 5G software available for iPhones, but do not update just yet Premiumisation drove the surge in smartphone sales this festive season RIL to set up $2.4-3 bn InvIT to monetise retail warehousing assets Power giant NTPC to raise Rs 3,000 cr via non-convertible debentures Macquarie mulls sale of 9 road projects in India for $1.5 billion Campus Activewear acquires land, building from Marico Industries in HP TCS blames US financial crisis for weak fourth quarter results Minister of State for IT and Electronics, Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomed the doubling of exports. Propelled by the PMs visionary PLI scheme, Apple has increased its exports 400 per cent to $5 billion in FY23 and total smartphone exports have touched a new level for the first time ever, he said. Apple exported over $5 billion worth of iPhones from the country in FY23 and already accounts for 45 per cent of the overall smartphone exports, followed by Samsung. ICEA national president Pankaj Mohindroo explained the importance of the export push: Exports are a sacrosanct ingredient in a tiger economy. The mobile phone export juggernaut continues - it has now crossed Rs 90,000 crore in FY23 and overall electronics exports have also gone up by 58 per cent to Rs 1,85,000 crore. Industry and the government are strenuously working on replicating this in other verticals, said Mahendroo. On the Chinese performance, he said he was very disappointed by the lacklustre export performance. Chandrasekhar has met most of the Chinese mobile brands and has been pushing them to increase their exports from the country and many had publicly shown an interest in doing so. He also said the smartphone export numbers were much higher than the ICEAs estimates of around Rs 75,000 crore in FY23. Reliance Retail Ltd, India's largest retailer in terms of revenue, scale, and profit, has already begun setting the framework for the potential InvIT of its warehouse assets, having registered a trust with Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) at the end of February, sources told ET. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has begun a process that could see the group unlock value in its retail business's backend warehousing and related logistical assets via an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT), a report by The Economic Times said. Reliance declined to comment on the development. This trust will store the warehouse assets that the group intends to monetise, they added. In addition to registering the trust, Reliance has established Intelligent Supply Chain Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which will likely be involved in managing the assets to be housed under the InvIT, sources said. Though preliminary and with granular details still being worked out, the petchem-to-personal-products conglomerate intends to structure the vehicle as a privately placed or listed InvIT. It has begun working with its financial and legal consultants. Also Read IRB Infra becomes the first company to list privately-placed InvIT Warehousing biz grows 45% in first 9 months of 2022 amid headwinds: Experts Centre asks ministries, depts to identify new assets for monetisation Nitin Gadkari wants retail investors to pip institutions in NHAI InvIT No immediate plan to get retail investors into NHAI InvIT: CEO Suresh Goyal Nestle India declares interim dividend of Rs 27/share, fixes record date Apple supplier Foxconn to start construction of its Karnataka plant in May Exports of Made in India iPhones rise 4 times in FY23, tops $5 bn: Report Twitter's to remove legacy Blue checks by April 20, says Elon Musk Indian Rare-Earths eyes 400% expansion for clean energy transition Reliance Retail's monetisation According to the company's memorandum of association, it has been established to build, develop, acquire, provide, manage, and operate storage, warehousing, supply chain, cold chain, logistics infrastructure, and facilities. Reliance Retail increased its store count to 17,225 by the end of December 2022, up from 14,412 the previous year, with retail floor area exceeding 60 million sq ft, up from 40.6 million sq ft at the end of FY22. Reliance Retail had a warehousing portfolio of 33.6 mn sq ft as of December 31, 2022, show RIL's latest financial filings. Reliance Retail added 11.1 mn sq ft in FY22, bringing its total warehousing space to 22.7 mn sq ft. The company's warehouse area has tripled in the last three years. The group has acquired a majority stake in Addverb Technologies, which offers warehouse automation solutions and robotic equipment for automated material handling. It has been testing 5G robots and drones for bagging lines and warehouse storage location logistics, roles that would otherwise require human intervention. The assets that could be transferred to the InvIT are worth $2.43 billion (Rs 20,00025,000 crore), said one of the sources, adding that more assets will most likely be added once they become operational. The Rs 2,850 crore acquisition of Metro Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd will also assist Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) grow its warehouse network for the B2B e-commerce platform JioMart Kirana as well as its B2C hypermarket operation, consultants working with the firm said. Reliance Retail's strategy to monetise its warehouse and related logistics assets comes at a time when the company has been actively expanding its warehouse capacity. "Warehousing is emerging as the new asset class for InvITs," an investment banker told ET. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, Reliance Retail operated its own cash and carry company, Reliance Market. However, these facilities were closed and turned into warehouses and a fulfilment centre to service Kirana's e-commerce business. Reliance's consolidation plan "A lot of capital has gone into building top-class warehouse space for industries such as retail, e-commerce, industrials, pharma, etc. More warehousing InvITs are expected to come up, given the huge demand for warehousing space in a growing economy like India," the banker added. "The real value unlocking will happen once the company decides to do a similar InvIT for the storefronts," said the banker, adding, "They will wait for Nexus Malls to list for a valuation benchmark." Reliance Retail operates in grocery, consumer electronics, pharmacy, fashion, and lifestyle markets through brands such as Reliance Fresh, Reliance Digital, Trends, and Ajio.com. It has also launched a number of new ventures, including in Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and new sectors such as beauty. RIL's step-down subsidiary is Reliance Retail Ltd. RIL owns 85.06 per cent of the subscribed equity shares of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), which in turn owns 99.93 per cent of Reliance Retail Ltd ( RRL). Reliance Retail (which includes RRVL) has risen to become India's largest retail conglomerate since its foundation in 2006. According to the ET's report, Nexus Select Trust REIT, India's first real estate investment trust incorporating retail assets, is expected to conduct its initial public offering in the first week of May. "The idea is similar to the pipeline and fibre-optic cable InvITs. It will consolidate all warehousing assets in the InvIT with one customer, and that is Reliance Retail, a very strong counterparty that has thousands of stores across India and millions of customers," an executive was quoted as saying by ET. If Reliance's plans come to fruition, this will be the company's fourth infrastructure trust, following its oil pipeline and Jio telecom towers. In 2019, Reliance sold its East West Pipeline gas pipeline network to India Infrastructure Trust, an InvIT sponsored by Canadian investor Brookfield, for Rs 13,000 crore. The company also raised Rs 25,215 crore from Brookfield and other investors through its telecom tower, InvIT, in the same year. RIL raised Rs 7,558 crore from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in 2020 for a 51 per cent interest in the Digital Fibre Infrastructure Trust, which was established to monetise its fibre optic network assets. How do InvITs work? An InvIT is made up of several entities, including the sponsor, who establishes the trust and transfers the assets to the trust; the trustee, who holds the assets in trust for the benefit of the shareholders; the investment manager, who makes decisions on acquisitions, divestments, and fundraising for the InvIT; and the project manager, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the underlying assets. InvITs have also been established for various infrastructure assets, such as roads, renewable energy projects, and electricity transmission lines. With the doubling of smartphone exports from India to over USD 11 billion, the country is on its way to become global leader in the mobile devices segment, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. Mobile phone exports from India reached close to USD 11.12 billion with iPhone maker Apple accounting for around half of the total exports, according to industry body ICEA and estimates from industry sources. "With the doubling of exports of smartphones to more than USD 11 billion, India is well on its way to become a leader in the mobile device market of the world and play a major role in India's electronic exports. This is a major win for PM Modiji's 'make in India' programme," Vaishnaw said. India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) said that mobile phones export from India have doubled to surpass Rs 90,000 crore, about USD 11.12 billion, in the financial year (FY) 2022-23 from Rs 45,000 crore in FY22. "No economy or sector in the economy can become a great and vibrant global economy without large exports. The mobile phone export juggernaut continues. Riding on the 100 per cent growth in mobile phone exports, which have crossed Rs 90,000 crore for FY 2022-23, electronics exports have also grown by 58 per cent to Rs 1,85,000 crore. It is extremely satisfying that we have crossed the targeted figure of Rs 75,000 crore for the year," ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said. The government has set a target of USD 10 billion worth of mobile phone exports from the country. Also Read 1.6 mn jobs being generated by Centre every month: Ashwini Vaishnaw Deliberations on draft telecom bill being conducted: Ashwini Vaishnaw BSNL to start 5G services in 2024, says telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw 4G and 5G stacks can handle 10 mn simultaneous calls: Vaishnaw at B20 meet Certain people used BSNL as 'cash cow' during UPA rule: Ashwini Vaishnaw Consensus on definition of global challenges essential for MDB: Sitharaman India's economic growth projected to decelerate to 6% in 2023: UN DPIIT to raise startups' concerns on 'fair market value' with FinMin No let-up in India's reforms agenda, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman Retail inflation falls to 15-month low in March on easing price pressure According to industry sources, Apple is estimated to have clocked 50 per cent share with export of 'made in India' iPhones worth USD 5.5 billion, about Rs 45,000 crore. Sources estimate that Samsung accounts for about 40 per cent share with export worth Rs 36,000 crore. Emails sent to Apple and Samsung did not elicit any response. "Third party exports contributed around USD 1.1 billion in the total export. These players export phones of all brands that are made in India," the source said. The government has set the target of achieving USD 300 billion worth of electronics manufacturing by 2025-26, with USD 120 billion expected to come from exports. Mobile phones are anticipated to contribute more than USD 50 billion worth of exports by 2025-26. According to ICEA, mobile phone exports now account for 46 per cent of the overall electronic goods exports. Software exports from four information technology (IT) Special Economic Zone (SEZs) in Madhya Pradesh's Indore jumped 66 per cent to Rs 2,925.60 crore during FY23, a commerce and industry ministry official said on Wednesday. The largest share in the overall shipments from the SEZs has been of IT giant TCS with 51.6 per cent. The official said in the FY22, software worth Rs 1,761.19 crore was exported from these four IT SEZs. During the financial year ended March 2023, software exports worth Rs 1,509.80 crore were made from TCS SEZ, registering a growth of about 74 per cent. Exports from Infosys SEZ grew more than three times to Rs 444.80 crore during the period, while the outbound shipments from Impetus SEZ more than doubled to Rs 330.77 crore, the official said. According to the official, during FY23 software exports from Crystal IT Park SEZ reached Rs 640.23 crore, registering an increase of about seven per cent. Also Read Madhya Pradesh govt issues security alert to ensure peace, communal harmony DESH Bill: Commerce dept may scrap concessional corporate tax provision Rahul Gandhi-led Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Madhya Pradesh BJY resumes from Ujjain; ex-CM Harish Rawat, actor Swara Bhaskar join Rahul Abundant resources, govt policies make Madhya Pradesh investors' haven Electronics exports cross Rs 1.8 trn, mobiles alone surpass Rs 90K cr IMF sees India's combined debt-to-GDP ratio rising for 4 yrs starting FY24 Revised gas pricing formula to aid profit stability for producers: Fitch India likely to have stable debt-to-GDP ratio going forward: IMF official India's industrial production rises 5.6% in February vs 5.2% in January Speaking at the 22nd Annual Insurance Conference Panda said, I would like to ask all of you (companies) to go to your boards and think in terms of augmenting your capital because going forward we expect the growth will be speedier than before hence more capital needs to be pumped into the sector. Existing insurance companies should go to their boards and augment their capital base so that they can focus on growing at a faster pace than they are currently, Debasish Panda, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) said on Wednesday. The investment landscape is also being rebuilt to attract more investment through the FDI route. The limit has been enhanced to 74 per cent from 49 per cent. So those companies which have a foreign partner should look at this opportunity to bring in more capital and grow even faster than they have been growing, Panda said. He further asked insurance firms in joint ventures with foreign entities to make use of the enhancement in foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from 49 per cent to 74 per cent to get more capital from their foreign partners. Insurance penetration in India during 2021-22 remained the same as in 2020-21 at 4.2 per cent, with life insurance at 3.2 per cent, and non-life at one per cent. But insurance density rose from $78 in 2020-21 to $91 in 2021-22. While insurance penetration is the ratio in percentage of insurance premium to GDP, density is the ratio of premium to population (per capita premium). Previously, Panda had emphasised that the insurance sector would need an additional capital of Rs 50,000 crore every year to double penetration in the country from the current levels. Also Read Irdai approves amendments, simplifies rules to set up insurance firms Irdai endorses panel's view to cut obligatory cession to zero from 4% Irdai boss signals faster regulatory reforms to boost insurance penetration New tax norm to hurt insurers; stocks attractive for the long run: Analysts Irdai draft norms do away with specific caps on commissions to agents DFS Secretary chairs meeting to boost enrolments under PMJJBY, PMSBY DFS urges states, UTs to deepen micro-insurance schemes in 3-mth campaign Non-life insurers may have to reduce payouts to adhere to EoM norms Irdai grants life insurance registration to Acko & Credit Access Grameen Why Irdai's flexible rules are significant for insurance industry Data suggests that the top five insurers have an RoE of about 20 per cent. The average RoE is around 16 per cent and 14 per cent in the non-life and life insurance sectors, respectively. Panda said the new regulations that Irdai brought in the last year or so to improve ease of doing business has made the insurance sector an attractive destination for prospective investors. The insurance sector looks more attractive both from the return on investment (RoI) and return on equity (RoE) standpoints and we are also seeing merger and acquisition (M&A) activity," he said. The granting of new licences is significant as they have been issued in the life insurance space after a gap of almost 12 years. And a new entity is entering the general insurance space after almost six years. Further, about 20 odd applications to set up insurance companies are pending with the insurance regulator for approvals. Meanwhile, the insurance regulator recently granted licenses to three companiesone in general insurance, two in life insurance. Acko and Credit Access Grameen have received licences to set up life insurance firms while Kshema has obtained approval for setting up a general insurance company. As the regulator, we have changed the registration guidelines and are bringing in more clarity, making it easier for investors to enter this sector... Minimum criteria and turnaround timelines have also been defined. The last Life insurer was registered in 2011 and now there are two more in 2023. The last general insurance licence was given in 2017 and now there is a new one in 2023, Panda added. In the recent past, three new insurance companies have registered: two life and one general. And 20-odd applications are in process with Irdai. We are chasing them, they are taking some time to file their R2 applications," the Irdai chairman said. We need more players, more agents, more distribution channels, more products, more innovation and more healthy competition among players, Panda said. The chairman also dwelt on the need for more insurance companies in the industry to cater to the diverse needs of the population. A country as vast as India cannot have a one-size fits all approach, hence there is a need to have unique products that meet the insurance needs of the super-rich as well as the poor, he said. And, such unique products cannot be served by the limited players that are in the industry currently. He went on: There are 1,300 political parties in India. Of them, there are only six national parties; and of them, there are only three that have governments in one or more states. AAP is one of the three. Unimaginable! beamed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal. It is as if it was just yesterday, 10-and-a-half years ago, that we formed our party. At that time, no one even thought that the party would get one MLA. And today, in ten years, AAP has become a national party. The whole programme was a joyous celebration, albeit low key. It was a party function ministers and the Punjab chief minister were not on the dais. It lasted just 30 minutes. He addressed the imprisonment of Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, two ministers in Delhi in jail on charges of corruption, and said their only crime was that they encouraged the poorest in Delhi to dream big. Im just coming from a school in East Vinod Nagar. French is taught there, so is German, Spanish, Japanese and it is a government school. This was Manishs contribution. And theyve put him in jail. Jainsaab believed the best quality of healthcare should be available to everyone. Hes in jail. All of you, be prepared. Theyre getting ready to put everyone from among you in prison. Are you ready? he asked. The crowd roared yes. If this is rhetoric, many have bought it. For AAP, getting national status matters. It matters a lot. It is not about the perks of which there are only a few. It will now be allowed to retain a single and permanent election symbol across all states, will get free campaign slots on national broadcasters during elections, and will have the right to a party office in New Delhi. But the national party recognition by the Election Commission of India (ECI) is for AAP, a political statement: Uparwala (God) has a grand plan. He wants us to fight to save our country said Kejriwal. Also Read How Manish Sisodia's arrest poses a challenge to AAP's Delhi govt, Kejriwal AAP MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj to be elevated to Delhi cabinet Manish Sisodia to be produced in court today: All you need to know Decoding Delhi's alleged 'liquor scam' that led to Manish Sisodia's arrest Held in graft cases, Sisodia, Jain quit Arvind Kejriwal's Cabinet PM Modi to virtually flag off Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express today Earthquake of 4.3 magnitude hits near Siliguri, tremors felt in Araria Sitharaman participates in roundtable on 'Investing in the India Decade' Sitharaman, Gita Gopinath meet in US, both discuss debt vulnerabilities Live: 4 casualties in firing incident inside Bathinda Military Station PDT Achary, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha, explains, A party gets to become a national party if it secures 6 per cent of valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the Legislative Assembly; and, in addition, it wins four seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states; if it wins 2 per cent (11) of the seats in the Lok Sabha at a general election, and these candidates are elected from three states; or if it is recognised as a state party in four states. AAP has a ruling majority in two states Delhi and Punjab. It got 6.77 per cent of the total votes polled in the Goa Legislative Assembly elections held in March last year. The Gujarat assembly election held in December last year, where it got 13 per cent of the vote, facilitated its claim as a national party. So now, among Indias national parties, theres BJP, Congress and AAP. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh says, Everyone desires quality education and health. We have ensured this in Delhi without getting into the age-old, degraded debates on Hindu-Muslim or caste. AAP, he adds, is the only party that talks about these issues and will continue to do so in the coming elections. The BJP is at a loss as to how to counter us on these issues. National status for AAP means a party pitching itself as an institution representing the subaltern. It has now got a seat at the high table. It is convinced that this is because it is doing something right, and proposes to go on doing it. In his speech, Kejriwal said: Our ideology has three pillars: kattar deshbhakti (patriotism), kattar imandari (honesty) and kattar insaniyat (humanity)... What about other parties? One partys ideology is thuggery, abusing people and misbehaviour with women. All thugs are sheltered in that party. The other partys ideology is corruption. But being a national party, AAP will now have to address other issues on which it has so far not vouchsafed an opinion. It got 13 per cent of the vote share in Gujarat: an amazing feat, without question. But it is yet to explain to voters how it sees the role of the Gujarat government in the remission given to those convicted of the rape of Bilkis Bano. Party leader Gopal Italia said it was reprehensible but Sisodia brushed it aside, saying the party was more concerned about issues of development. But responding to the new responsibility of being a national party, MP Sanjay Singh has attended all opposition meetings called by the Congress. The party could find it challenging to resolve this contradiction. Scores of BJP leaders and workers staged a protest near the AAP office on DDU Marg here on Wednesday, and demanded resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over charges of corruption against its leaders. Addressing the protesters, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that the AAP government was a government of "criminals" and cited names of its former ministers currently in jail over corruption charges. Kejriwal said that he was missing Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, Sachdeva told the gathering, referring to the AAP national convener's speech at a function to mark its national party status. "I want to assure Kejriwal, he will soon join Sisodia and Jain. There is a long list of AAP leaders who have been in jail over criminal charges and the BJP will expose the party by reaching out to every household in the city in next three months," the Delhi BJP president said. Sachdeva also claimed that two other ministers - Gopal Rai and Kailash Gahlot - were also under scanner for corruption. Also Read BJP govt at Centre fighting with everyone, alleges Delhi CM Kejriwal MCD brawl: BJP leaders protesting outside Kejriwal's house detained Delhi LG replaces AAP govt nominees from discom boards with senior officers Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal inaugurates Ashram flyover after months of closure Despite Chinese aggression, India's trade with Beijing up by 50%: Kejriwal Patna court summons Rahul Gandhi on April 25 in Modi surname case Met coal prices may fall; rate correction to help Indian steel makers: S&P Decide in 10 days on AIADMK bye-laws: Delhi High Court tells ECI Domestic aviation sector recovering, passenger traffic 60% higher in FY23 Irdai looking at 20 more insurance applications: Chairman Debasish Panda The Congress on Wednesday expressed concern over the reported Chinese buildup close to the Doklam plateau, and said it poses a grave security threat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should break his "silence" on the issue. In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Modi government has failed to restore the status quo ante on the Line of Actual Control for three years and urged the Union home minister to restore it instead of making "misleading claims". "The Indian Army has expressed fresh and serious concern at the Chinese military build-up close to the Doklam plateau. Here is my statement on this grave security threat that even Parliament has been prevented from discussing for almost three years now," he said on Twitter while sharing his statement. He said that according to a recent news report, the Indian armed forces have expressed concern about a major Chinese military buildup close to the Doklam plateau. "These developments represent a clear threat to India's national security," he said in the statement. Citing the March 9 statement of Home Minister Amit Shah that "we will not allow anyone to take even an inch" of Indian territory, Ramesh said, "Yet the reality is that China prevented our troops from accessing 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory after May 2020." He claimed that even today, Chinese patrols block our access to numerous patrolling points in Depsang, Demchok, Hot Springs (Kungrang Nalla) and Gogra Post. Also Read With sweeping defense buildup, financial burden unavoidable: Japan panel Bomb threat calls received by Mumbai police; security tightened in city Why does US lawmakers see Chinese-owned TikTok as a security threat? China's chip industry poses significant threat to global security: Report Threats from Chinese telecom, surveillance equipment haunt global clients ED makes 'false cases' under political pressure: AAP MP Sanjay Singh Don't use interim orders on service charge to mislead consumers: Delhi HC Delhi HC upholds notifications imposing GST on Ola, Uber auto rides Mandaviya to meet representatives of e-pharmacies soon, plan regulations DFS secretary meets chief secretaries to boost PMJJBY, PMSBY enrolments "The Modi government has failed for three years to restore the status quo ante on the Line of Actual Control. We request the Home Minister to restore the status quo rather than make bombastic and misleading statements inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's infamous claim that 'Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai'. "We are fully confident in the ability of the Indian armed forces to repel any Chinese misadventure, as they did in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on 9 December 2022. But when will the prime minister break his eloquent silence on China, after having given it a clean chit in 2020? Or will his longstanding links to China, including those of his close friends the Adanis, prove too strong for him to comment at all," Ramesh asked. The Congress has been demanding a discussion on the border situation with China. The matter will now be heard by another judge on April 18. Justice Pratibha M Singh on Wednesday recused herself from hearing the petition filed by the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) in the Delhi High Court against CCI and Google in the Google Play Store case. The startups have also requested the court to "keep the implementation of Google's UCB in abeyance" until the CCI hears the complaint. The decision to move the court holds significance as Google is looking to implement its UCB policy from April 26. A group of digital startups, represented by ADIF, moved court on Monday to suspend Google's new in-app billing fee system, called the User Choice Billing system (UCB) until the Competition Commission of India (CCI) investigates the tech giant for alleged non-compliance of its October 2020 directives. ADIF alleged despite the market regulators directive, which required the tech giant to allow the use of third-party billing services for in-app payments, the UCB system still charges a high service fee. The case pertains to a Google Playstore policy that requires all app developers to only use Google Plays billing system (GPBS) to charge customers. GPBS was not only used for receiving payments from apps but also for in-app purchases. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on January 12 refused to stay the second Competition Commission of India (CCI) order imposing a penalty of Rs 936.44 crore on Google for abusing its dominant position through its Playstore policies. Also Read Google employing 'delaying tactics' and exploiting loopholes, say startups 87% app makers don't pay for Apple store, 97% for Google Play: Report Apps and payments: What is the controversy about Google Play Billing System NCLAT upholds Competition Commission's Rs 1,337 crore penalty on Google Indian startups laud Supreme Court's ruling in Google-CCI case PM Modi's comments at Vande Bharat launch aimed at coming polls: Gehlot Keshub Mahindra: A leading industrialist very different from the ultra-rich Indian CMs have assets worth over Rs 30 crore on an average: ADR report Bihar Police detain one person for hoax bomb call to Patna airport Gopal Rai asks depts to prepare action plans to curb summer air pollution AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate has obtained "false statements" from some people putting them under duress in the Delhi excise policy case and said he will raise the issue before the privilege committee of Parliament. Addressing a press conference here, Singh alleged that the ED sleuths beat up one Chandan Reddy so badly to obtain his false statement during interrogation that he is facing hearing loss. "Chandan has moved (Telangana) High Court complaining against the ED," Singh said. The AAP leader also showed purported copies of the petitioner's medical certificate and said he will raise the matter before the Parliament's privilege committee along with the documents. "These documents prove that ED makes false cases under political pressure, defames governments and levels false allegations... There is no liquor scam, Singh said. He claimed that alleged liquor scam accused Sameer Mahendru, Arun Pillai and three others have also complained against ED officials, accusing them of having obtained their statements under duress. Also Read Aim of BJP-led Centre is to defame Kejriwal, AAP leaders: Sanjay Singh ED questions Manish Sisodia's PA in Delhi Excise Policy scam case Delhi excise policy case: K Kavitha likely to appear before ED today Delhi excise policy case: Court grants interim bail to five accused Excise policy case: BRS minister slams BJP; says Centre targeting KCR govt Don't use interim orders on service charge to mislead consumers: Delhi HC Delhi HC upholds notifications imposing GST on Ola, Uber auto rides Mandaviya to meet representatives of e-pharmacies soon, plan regulations DFS secretary meets chief secretaries to boost PMJJBY, PMSBY enrolments Andhra Pradesh CM disburses Rs 659 crore under YSR EBC Nestham scheme "I have been given privilege notice for raising abysmally low conviction rate of ED cases...I will now raise this issue before the privilege committee with documents so that ED officials are called and truth about the complaints filed against them be ascertained," Singh added. He further alleged that some people who are not ED officials have been part of the agency's investigation process. "This is how the ED has become the enforcer of dictatorship. Even people who are not ED officials were present during Chandan Reddy's interrogation. Who are these goons accompanying ED during their investigation? Arun Pillai, Sameer Mahendru, Bhusar Belgavi, Manaswami Prabhu and Raghav Reddy have even accused the ED of torturing them during interrogation," Singh alleged. He claimed that former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's private secretary, Rinku, was also called for interrogation by the ED. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took to twitter and said, "The allegations levelled by Sanjay Singh against the ED are very serious. Maharashtra is among the states with the highest number of daily Covid cases. India registered 7,830 new Covid-19 cases, highest in over seven months, and 16 deaths, according to the health ministry data released on Wednesday. The Centre has asked the Maharashtra government to buy vaccines to meet any supply shortages, as many people are queuing up for the booster dose amid a steep rise in cases. Official sources said since vaccines are available in the market, states were free to procure them according to their requirement. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry and Haryana are some of the states to have brought back fresh Covid-19 protocol, especially the mask mandate. Health ministry sources also said the current rise in cases may continue for another 10-12 days before the trend starts subsiding, but there was no cause for worry since severity and hospitalisations were low. Even with the current surge, the Centre does not have any plans to make masks mandatory yet. We may be in the endemic stage... We do not want to create any panic among people. We are asking those who have comorbidities to get their booster dose, a senior government official said. Only 441 Covid vaccine doses were administered in the country on Tuesday, health ministry data showed. The increase in the number of cases, the health ministry official said, is also due to an increase in the number of tests. On Tuesday for instance, 214,242 tests were conducted in the country. A health ministry official also said there was no need for a fourth dose of Covid vaccine, and the third dose, too, is to be taken by those who are senior citizens or have certain comorbidities which make them more vulnerable. A hoax call claiming that a bomb was planted on the premises of the Jayprakash Narayan International Airport in the Bihar capital sent security personnel into a tizzy on Wednesday. Security was beefed up at the airport after the call was made at a landline number in the morning, a senior official said. "As the information was non-specific, the entire terminal building, parking area and office building was scanned by security forces but no bomb was found," the airport official said. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra told PTI that the call turned out to be a hoax and nothing was found so far. "The entire area was scanned thoroughly but no suspicious object was found. The search operation was carried out without inconveniencing the passengers. The matter is being investigated further," he said. Also Read Google improves Gmail search, Chat with search labels, related results Bihar Board releases DElEd result for first and second year exams 2 more deaths reported in Bihar hooch tragedy; toll in Saran rises to 28 Bard, Bing and Baidu: How big tech's AI race will transform searches Key staff driving Apple search engine leaves, rejoins Google: Report 'False' cases filed against Manish Sisodia, says AAP as it stages protest Delhi excise 'scam': HC seeks ED stand on bail plea by Vijay Nair PM refers to Raj Cong crisis, thanks CM Gehlot for attending train launch Rahul's conviction 'litmus test' for Indian judiciary: Anand Sharma SC to hear plea challenging validity of Maternity Benefit Act on Apr 28 The bail hearing application for the aspiring member of Parliament for Makoni West Moses Ruwona and his accomplice Macmillan Chiweshe, who are allegedly involved in a US$500 000 fraud case, was yesterday postponed to today. The pair allegedly issued a fake receipts of payments to a local telecommunications firm and a financial services company. The State led by Mr Pardon Dziva asked for postponement to allow the investigation officer to testify. Ruwona appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje charged with fraud. Prosecuting, Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that sometime in December last year, the complainant Aubrey Chademana was awarded a contract by Liquid Telecommunications Holdings (Pvt) Limited in Zimbabwe to supply outdoor WiFi routers. Chademana was supposed to import WiFi routers from Liquid Telecommunication Holdings in Mauritius. Mr Dziva further alleged that on December 8, Chademana engaged Ruwona who undertook to settle the payment using his offshore foreign currency account. On the same day, Chiweshe received US$630 400 from the Chademana and forwarded it to Ruwona to settle the bill. Ruwona reportedly provided a fake proof of payment document claiming to have transferred the money from his account in Zambia to Liquid Telecommunications Mauritius Standard Bank. On January 20, 2023, Ruwona and Chiweshe again sent the complainant another fake proof of payment. They did the same on February 3. On February 15, they sent a proof of payment of US$426 420 and on February 17, they sent a proof of payment of US$203 910. On March 7, they successfully transferred US$280 332 and US$132 151.24 to Liquid Telecommunications Mauritius, but failed to account for the remaining US$218 249. Using the same modus operandi, they allegedly defrauded Assess Finance of US$256 000 in a deal to import some fabric material. The complainant reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the two accused persons. Herald Car Pooling application BlaBlacar Co-founder And Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Brusson met with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in France's capital Paris on Tuesday. Goyal and Blablacar co-founder discussed new opportunities and the tech systems in India. 'The main discussion was what BlaBlacar car can actually do and how it can grow in India. He (Commerce Minister) gave some good ideas about how to develop even more in India," BlaBlacar CEO said about his meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal while speaking to ANI. Explaining what the Blablacar is, Nicolas Brusson said, "Blablacar allows drivers to share their car when they drive between cities. It is an intercity carpooling app. For example, if you drive from Mumbai to Pune and you have two or three empty seats in your car, you can go on the app, and set up your profile, after the verification, you can start offering empty seats when you travel between the two cities." He further explained that passengers can book those (empty) seats and share the cost of the journey. "We have 4 million active users in India as of 2022, and it's roughly doubling every year. There are some regions like Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi and Chandigarh. There are corridors or regions where carpooling actually makes a lot of sense because public transport is too crowded or expensive," he added. He said that they are working on building more trust and reliability features in the product so that people feel trustful. Also Read Piyush Goyal co-chairs India-US CEO Forum with US Commerce Secretary Goods and services exports may cross $750 bn-mark this fiscal: Piyush Goyal Countries eager to sign FTAs with India: Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha Union Minister Piyush Goyal pitches for startup database in country Large companies must take responsibility to handhold MSMEs: Piyush Goyal MoRTH plans developmental works worth Rs 1,30,000 cr in J-K: Gadkari Steps taken to implement Act East policy for NE, Bangladesh: Reddy Karnataka polls: BJP names 189 candidates, fields heavyweights against Cong PIL against Amir Khan, Ganguly, Rohit Sharma for encouraging gambling Maha to observe Swatantrya Gaurav Diwas on Savarkar's birth anniversary: CM Regarding the other such applications, he said that Blablacar is sometimes confused with the services of Uber and Ola. But Uber and Ola are very different because it is professional drivers typically for shorter distances within a city. Whereas in Blablacar, car owners are the drivers themselves. They just offer a ride once a month or a week when they do a trip. "So it's a non-professional service versus a professional service," Blalacar CEO said while speaking to ANI. Speaking on the expenses one might have to bear, he said that because it's car sharing, it's ten times less expensive on a per kilometre basis other than cab service applications. "Motorization is going up rapidly in India and we have created more trust features in the product so that people would feel it's a safe and reliable product. And in terms of transport, people move around a lot in India," he said while pointing out the expansion opportunities in India. "India is the fastest, largest growing economy," he added. Speaking on the Indian economy, he said, "I think it's very good. After having the meeting Minister, I realized as a foreign company that we are welcome in India. It is a very big market. Though we have 4 million users in India as of 2022. Yet, compared to the size of the market and the potential, it is very tiny because it's a big and growing market." He said that the technology ecosystem in India has always been very strong. Hiring engineers in India has always been easy. "There are lots of technology providers in India. India is a very large market and it has a very good business ecosystem making it relatively easy to do business in India," he added. He further added that it is easy to scale tech products in India. And consumer adoption is much faster than in Europe. The business summit and CEO roundtable are being organized by the Embassy of India in Paris in partnership with Medef, CII, Business France and IFFCI. 400-plus participants have registered for the business summit and have shown tremendous enthusiasm. Minister Goyal is scheduled to meet with French business leaders across various sectors and attend a CEOs roundtable. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal is leading the Indian delegation at the India-France Business Summit, commemorating 25 years of India-France friendship, on Tuesday in Paris. Goyal and Olivier Becht, France's Minister delegate of Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad will co-chair the India-France Business Summit. Trade ministers of India and France have held discussions related to the ongoing talks for a free trade agreement between India and the European Union, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was here to attend India-France Business Summit and CEOs roundtable meet. He held bilateral meetings with several CEOs and French minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht. The ministers discussed priority areas related to India - EU FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations where issues related to market access were deliberated," it said. Goyal also said India is looking to buy 2,000 commercial aircraft in the next 10 years and there is a huge opportunity to make commercial aircraft in India to meet domestic and international demand. With the purchase of Rafale and the recent Airbus order, more value has been added to this partnership, he added. In January last year, India and the EU resumed negotiations for a free trade agreement, investment protection and Geographical Indications (GI). Also Read Goods and services exports may cross $750 bn-mark this fiscal: Piyush Goyal US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo had 'fruitful meeting' with PM Modi ONDC to support small retailers against large tech-based e-com firms: Goyal Piyush Goyal discusses investment opportunities with US executives in NY Union Minister Piyush Goyal pitches for startup database in country Denied ticket, former Dy CM Laxman Savadi announces decision to quit BJP India to put across concerns of Global South at G20: EAM Jaishankar India offers predictable, stable & business-like environment: Industrialist North East students' body urges Centre to revoke AFSPA from all NE states Drunkenness, PDA, grooming in flight, behaviour that irritates passengers Becht mentioned that bilateral trade was USD 15.1 billion in 2021-22, doubled in the last decade; and foreign direct investment (FDI) has been USD 10 billion from France which is a top foreign investor in India. There is a will from French companies to invest in India, he added. Goyal highlighted that by breaking language barriers trade can further be expanded. He also invited the French minister to India along with the French community on the sidelines of G20 Trade Ministers meet in August 2023. Goyal also addressed a CEOs roundtable meet on April 11. More than 50 CEOs from Indian and French companies participated at the roundtable. Sectors such as agriculture, tourism, defence, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, aerospace were represented at the meet. Along with both the ministers, perspectives were shared by Ambassador of India to France Jawed Ashraf; Vice-President, CII and Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Sanjiv Puri; Executive Director, International Energy Agency Faith Birol; and CEO, Danone Antoine de Saint-Affrique. India's progress and prosperity can create new opportunities that can benefit Uganda, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, as he met the Indian business community here and encouraged it to bolster bilateral business ties for growth and development. Jaishankar is on a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique from April 10-15 to strengthen India's strong bilateral ties with the two African countries. "India's progress and prosperity create new opportunities that can benefit Uganda. Just as India's experiences can help Uganda's development journey," he tweeted on Tuesday after his meeting with the Indian Business Community. Addressing the community, Jaishankar spoke about the problems that India faced due to the war in Ukraine. He said when the Ukraine conflict started a year ago, the first hit that the world economy took was the price of oil. "Very soon thereafter, there was a big issue with the price of wheat, because the oil prices, of course, were a more complicated issue. The wheat was a direct outcome of the lack of exports from Ukraine, which is a big exporter of wheat," he said. Also Read India's palm oil imports jumed 29% to 1.14 million tonnes in Nov: Report UN delivers aid in in Mozambique, Malawi as Cyclone Freddy claims 200 lives NFSU opens first overseas campus in Uganda, Jaishankar calls it significant EAM Jaishankar launches 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project' in Uganda India to put across concerns of Global South at G20: EAM Jaishankar Vande Bharat train between Ajmer, Delhi Cant big gift for Rajasthan: Gehlot MVA should work unitedly irrespective of differing opinions: Sharad Pawar FIR against Union Minister Arjun Munda, 40 others over protest in Ranchi K'taka polls: BJP meets to finalise remaining seats, list likely tomorrow NFSU opens first overseas campus in Uganda, Jaishankar calls it significant Jaishankar said what was a less noticed story, however, was the problems that India faced in terms of edible oil. "We were big importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine. And the pressure on us to find compensatory resources actually took Indian importers well beyond their traditional sources, a lot of those sources were in the ASEAN. It actually took them to Latin America," he said. "So, if you look today at the big spike in India's trade with Latin America, interestingly, some of that is oil in terms of fuel oil, but a large part of it is oil in terms of edible oil," he said in a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday. India's total imports of edible oils surged to a record Rs 1.17 lakh crore in the 2020-21 marketing year (November to October) from nearly Rs 72,000 crore in the previous year due to a sharp rise in global prices. India imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, while soybean oil comes from Brazil and Argentina In his address, Jaishankar also highlighted India's growing relationship and development partnership with Africa, especially its ties with Uganda. "The core of the relationship, which we need to address is how do we expand this business between our two countries and I certainly would urge all of you to look at these possibilities and I certainly assure you from our side, there is a great deal of interest, a lot of empathy in actually trying to find ways of growing this trade," he said. Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar's birth anniversary will be celebrated as 'Swatantrya Gaurav Diwas', Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Tuesday. The objective was to propagate his ideas, and several programmes will be organised for this, he said. Savarkar was born on May 28, 1883, in present-day Nashik district. State Industries Minister Uday Samant had written to Shinde stating that Savarkar's birth anniversary should celebrated on a grand scale as his patriotism, valour and progressive ideas will inspire the young generation. The move came days after the Shiv Sena-BJP targeted Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after Rahul Gandhi took swipes at the Hindutva ideologue. The first overseas campus of India's National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) was on Wednesday opened in Uganda's Jinja, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar describing it as a "significant milestone" in bilateral ties. "We have assembled here to mark a significant milestone in our bilateral cooperation. India's National Forensic Sciences University is opening its campus in Uganda, partnering with the Ugandan people's defence forces," he said while speaking at the inauguration of the campus. Addressing the event attended by Uganda's Deputy Prime Minister, ministers and top officials, Jaishankar said today is a proud day for both India and Uganda. The minister noted that it is actually the first government university of India opening a campus anywhere abroad and added that as a Member of Parliament from the state of Gujarat, where the NFSU is located, it is a particular pleasure for him to see this university take the lead. "And by doing so, they are realising a project. That is the personal vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added. The NFSU is an institution of national importance and it's world's first university dedicated exclusively to forensic sciences, he said. Also Read India to put across concerns of Global South at G20: EAM Jaishankar EAM Jaishankar to embark on official visit to Sri Lanka from today EAM Jaishankar launches 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project' in Uganda Relations with Indian diaspora bolstered due to Sushma Swaraj: Jaishankar EAM Jaishankar to visit Cyprus, Austria from Dec 29 to Jan 3: MEA Robust defence finance system backbone of strong military: Rajnath Singh 2020 Delhi riots: Court acquits father-son duo of rioting, arson charges Thackeray-Pawar meeting positive, discussed politics in Maha: Sanjay Raut Covid entering endemic stage in India, cases to subside after 10-12 days Hoax call claiming bomb at Patna airport sends staffers into tizzy "For the past few years, we have seen the courses and forensic sciences were in very high demand from students in Africa on the various scholarships provided by the government of India. One of the reasons why the stakeholders thought about a campus in Uganda was in fact the high acceptance of this university among students from Africa," he said. The inauguration of the campus is reflective of the vision and the relationship of the highest leadership of both countries. "Our two countries have robust defence relations. India has been regularly training and exchanging with UPDF under its economic and technical cooperation program. About 50 UPDF officers travel to India every year to take defence courses, ranging from short term ones to up to one year," Jaishankar said. "I'm happy to note that our discussions have raised the possibility of further expansion of defence cooperation in the last few months and years. Cooperation between the National Defence College and the newly constituted NDC of Uganda is also under consideration," he added. Jaishankar is here as part of a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique from April 10-15 to bolster India's robust bilateral relations with the two African countries. The North East Students' Organisation (NESO), the apex body of student outfits in the region, has demanded the complete removal of AFSPA and implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the entire Northeast. NESO chairman Samuel B Jywra, in a press conference here on Tuesday, demanded that Common University Entrance Test (CUET) should not be conducted for the northeastern states as students of the region lag behind pupils in other parts of the country in many aspects. NESO advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya demanded the establishment of more technical and non-technical institutions in the region. He demanded that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the region be identified as deported. "NESO opposes the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act," Bhattacharya said. He said the region has faced a "lot of atrocities" due to Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, with the latest being the killing of 13 daily wagers at Oting in Nagaland's Mon district on December 4, 2021. Also Read AFSPA to be extended in 8 Assam districts for another 6 months from April 1 Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury seeks discussion in parliament on Jammu-Kashmir MHA extends AFSPA in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh for 6 more months Job aspirants protest in Srinagar, demand inquiry report to be made public Doors of party always open for secular-minded people: J&K Congress chief India offers predictable, stable & business-like environment: Industrialist Drunkenness, PDA, grooming in flight, behaviour that irritate passengers India logs 7,830 new Covid cases, active infections breach 40,000-mark Ukraine's Zelenskyy writes to PM Modi, seeks additional humanitarian aid ED conducts searches in money laundering case against Atiq Ahmad: Report "We have suffered due to AFSPA and it should be totally removed from the Northeast," he said. The NESO advisor also demanded that Inner Line Permit (ILP) be implemented in the entire region to protect the indigenous inhabitants. The NESO office-bearers are likely to meet representatives of the Union government over their demands. A school in Delhi's Defence Colony was evacuated Wednesday morning after an e-mail said there were bombs on the premises, police said. The bomb squad and other agencies are inspecting the school for any such explosive substances, they said. A senior police officer said a person named Brijesh of Indian School, BRT Road, informed them about the email. The email was received at 10:49 am, the officer said. The school has been evacuated and a thorough check is being conducted by the team, he added. Also Read Bomb threat calls received by Mumbai police; security tightened in city Delhi school receives bomb threat in e-mail, nothing recovered: Police Has the rally in defence-related stocks run its course? Zebronics launches ZEB-Sound Bomb X1 with built-in earbuds, speaker, torch Info war can be a threat to stability: Defence minister Rajnath Singh Cattle scam: Cop questioned by ED transferred to insignificant post India, France's trade ministers discuss progress on India-EU trade pact Denied ticket, former Dy CM Laxman Savadi announces decision to quit BJP India to put across concerns of Global South at G20: EAM Jaishankar India offers predictable, stable & business-like environment: Industrialist Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will join her Japanese counterpart and a senior French finance ministry official in Washington on Thursday to announce Sri Lanka's debt restructuring negotiations process, the IMF has announced. The finance ministers of the three creditor countries will hold a press briefing on the margins of the annual Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington. "Japan, India, and France on Thursday will hold a press briefing on the margins of the Spring meetings to announce the launch of the debt restructuring negotiations process on Sri Lanka," IMF said on Tuesday, quoting a Japanese Finance Ministry statement. The three creditor countries have been working closely for a coordinated debt restructuring for Sri Lanka, the statement said. Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki and France's Director General of the Treasury Emmanuel Moulin will join Sitharaman during the press briefing. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his state finance minister Shehan Semasinghe will also join the in-person live streaming. Also Read Sitharaman flags downside risks due to economic slowdown at IMF meet India sends 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka police under 'Neighbourhood First Policy' SL to finalise negotiations with creditors before 1st review of IMF bailout Sri Lanka concludes debt restructuring talks with Japan: Wickremesinghe IMF delegation to visit Pakistan next week for talks on review: Official Delhi liquor scam: YSRCP MP's son tried to derail probe, ED retrieves chats SC again defers plea against WhatsApp: What is new Data Protection Bill? PM Modi to visit Assam on Friday, dedicate projects worth Rs 14,300 crore Karnataka elections: Election Commission to set ball rolling on April 13 School in Delhi's Defence Colony evacuated after bomb threat via email The Washington-based global lender had made Sri Lanka's debt restructuring a prerequisite for granting the USD 2.9 billion bailout. The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board approved a 48-month extended arrangement under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (about USD 3 billion) to Sri Lanka following financing assurances from the creditors. Sri Lanka, which drew its first tranche of the USD 3 billion bailout programme, has already met an instalment to pay back an Indian line of credit which the island nation obtained early last year just before announcing the debt default. Wickremesinghe, also the island nation's finance minister, who spearheaded the IMF negotiations, specially mentioned the contributions made by Sitharaman to assist his government with the IMF for the bailout. The IMF bailout, the 17th in Sri Lanka's history, was approved following prolonged discussions over Colombo's unsustainable debt. Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves, sparking a major political and humanitarian crisis in the island nation. Emphasizing close ties between India's Northeast and Bangladesh, DoNER Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the Narendra Modi government has taken concrete steps to implement the Act East policy for mutual benefits. The Bay of Bengal is very close to the Northeast and there is a need for cooperation from its immediate neighbour, Bangladesh, for development of the region, he said during the third India-Japan Intellectual Conclave here. Highlighting the Modi government's efforts for developing connectivity, Reddy mentioned the number of airports in the region has increased from nine in 2014 to 17 in 2023. Rs 5 lakh crore has been spent for growth in the region, Rs 1 lakh crore has been spent for road works and Rs 77,000 crore has been invested in railway connectivity in the past nine years, he said. Reddy said Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a vibrant village project in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. The central government has set a target of covering all the isolated and Himalayan areas with telecommunication by this year, he said. Also Read 'India, Bangladesh play significant role in ensuring security of region' India-Bangladesh border haats will reopen soon: Dhaka Commerce Minister RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement RBI hikes repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%, cuts FY23 GDP forecast to 6.8% Dilip Mahalanabis, whose ORS saved lives during 1971 Bangladesh War, dies Karnataka polls: BJP names 189 candidates, fields heavyweights against Cong PIL against Amir Khan, Ganguly, Rohit Sharma for encouraging gambling Maha to observe Swatantrya Gaurav Diwas on Savarkar's birth anniversary: CM Average response time of UP police emergency service reduced after 2017: CM Two-day nationwide Covid-19 mock drill concludes at 35 States and UTs The use of Chittagong and Mongla ports will further strengthen the connectivity with Bangladesh. We need to work together for the mutual benefit of both sides, he said. Reddy also thanked Japan for being an important development partner not only for the Northeast but also for the entire nation. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister (State) Shahriar Alam said his country achieved a miracle in the last 10 years with a growth rate of 7 per cent. It has become an example for others. India is our closest friend and Dhaka is ready for business with its neighbours. We have already established 365 days of connectivity with India, he pointed out. Alam also made an offer to have a one-day meeting of ministers of all northeastern states in Dhaka for a discussion on increasing trade and business. Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, threw light on the trade and business possibilities in the Bay of Bengal. Japan and Bangladesh are working closely for mutual benefits with 338 Japanese companies working there. The 7 per cent growth in Bangladesh is phenomenal and it has a good future, he said. With Matabari deep sea port coming up in Bangladesh 2027, Northeast India will be opened up for the whole globe. The days are not long when the Bay of Bengal will be a new industrial hub and Japan is very interested in working in Bangladesh. Dhaka is one of the most benefited nations under Official Development Assistance (ODA) by Japan, he said. FIRST LADY Auxilia Mnangagwa last week reportedly chartered a private plane to Belarus with her sons, Collin and Sean and conducted government business during a trip which has been shrouded in secrecy. Mnangagwa and her entourage reportedly hired a Gulfstream G550, whose average hourly rental rate is around US$10 900. It takes an average of 10 hours to travel from Harare to Minsk, the Belarusian capital. This means a one-way trip gobbled a staggering US$109 000. While it could not be independently verified if the First Lady was on a private trip to Belarus, media reports from that country say she met with President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss government business. First ladies do not hold official government positions under Zimbabwean law, and its not clear under what arrangement Auxillia is conducting business on behalf of the State. We had a wonderful meeting with Mr President. There were no closed topics between us. I felt absolutely at home. We discussed absolutely everything. I can see now that our co-operation will move forward. He [the Belarusian president] has one important thing that we have, too. He is able and willing to work hard, the First Lady told journalists from the European country after the meeting yesterday. Unusually, she did not travel with journalists from the State media. Yesterday, pictures emerged of her engaged in a meeting with Lukashenko while pictures of the First Lady and her sons in the company of controversial businessman, Aleksander Zingman, meeting Belarusian Foreign Affairs minister Sergei Aleinik were posted on the Information ministrys social media pages last Friday. Zingman was appointed honourary consul for Zimbabwe by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2019. The Belarusian, through the Dubai and Minsk-based AFRTRADE DMCC, has a wide footprint across 16 African countries. These are Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. In yesterdays meeting, Lukashenko was quoted as saying: Dear Mrs Auxillia Mnangagwa, as we agreed with the President, you are in Belarus today on a very important visit. I am fulfilling the request of my friend President Emmerson so that the technologies that are in demand in Zimbabwe are in your country. We are ready to help you implement several projects at the request of your country and your president to build high-tech enterprises. First of all, this concerns humanitarian activities. Lukashenko reportedly said during his visit to Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa asked for help in establishing a system similar to the Belarusian one in the area of maternity services, help for children, especially newborns, and child nutrition. In short, women and children are the priority, and Emmerson told me this many times during my visit to your country, the Belarusian leader was further quoted as saying. He noted that Mnangagwa got familiar with the opportunities available in Belarus when he visited the southern African nation in January this year. The doors are open everywhere. So you are welcome to choose and decide, and we will start to act. Moreover, please tell Emmerson he asked me to have talks in the Emirates and in Russia on the implementation of joint projects that there was not a single refusal. These two countries, he talked about, are extremely interested in co-operation with African countries, and especially with Zimbabwe, Lukashenko further said, adding that we need to do everything fast. Presidential communications secretary Regis Chikowore said he could not comment on matters involving the First Lady. The First Lady has her own office, you can call it or talk to Charamba, he said. But presidential spokesperson George Charamba kept saying: Hello, hello, hello when asked whether the First Ladys Belarus visit was official or private. Foreign Affairs ministry spokesperson Livit Mugejo also referred all questions to the First Ladys office. I cannot comment on the First Lady, she has her spokesperson in her office, he said. However, investigations by NewsDay showed that the person who was in charge of Auxilias information department was recently transferred to the Presidents Office and is yet to be replaced. According to Auxilias itinerary, she toured the Khatyn Memorial Complex: A tribute to about three million Belarusians who died during the Great Patriotic War. ommenting after the visit, Auxillia was quoted on the Belarusian Foreign Affairs ministry website saying: I was shocked by the history of death of so many Belarusians, including women and children. Zimbabwe supports Belarus and condemns devastating wars. We all want peace. No more wars. Her visit to the East European country came days after a delegation from Belarus visited Zimbabwe and met officials from the Local Government ministry over a controversial fire tenders deal. During the meeting, the two sides discussed setting up of a fire-fighting training centre in Zimbabwe and equipping Zimbabwean fire-fighting units with Belarus-made suits and gear. The Zimbabwe government is forging ahead with its plans to import 131 fire tenders at US$464 296 each from Belarus, a deal that have been described by local councils as daylight robbery. Similar vehicles cost less than US$30 000 in other countries like China. A 4 000-litre medium six-wheel fire truck costs around US$26 000 in Malaysia, while a foam fire-fighting truck costs between US$26 000 and US$28 000 in China. In a communique to town clerks, council secretaries and chief executive officers dated June 14 last year, Local Government secretary Zvinechimwe Churu said each rural local authority would get one fire tender, urban councils two each and metropolitans three. Newsday Also Read Bajaj Auto Q2 preview: Ebitda may rise up to 34% YoY, margins seen flat Bajaj Auto shifts gear, logs 20% rise in profits; revenue jumps 16% Will low exports pause the rally in auto stocks? Metal stocks: Will export duty rollback help? Bajaj Auto slips over 4% on concerns of weak export sales ITC, Nestle India: Fresh breakouts to assist FMCG index reach historic peak Infosys Q4 Preview: Profit may weaken sequentially; FY24 guidance eyed Sugar shares surge amid rising prices; Balrampur, Dwarikesh rally up to 6% Nestle India declares interim dividend of Rs 27/share, fixes record date Venus Pipes rallies 7% to hit record high as Ashish Kacholia buys 2% stake Shares of Bajaj Auto hit an over two-year high of Rs 4,249.05, gaining 2 per cent on the BSE in Wednesday's intra-day trade, in an otherwise range-bound market. The stock of the two/three-wheeler company was quoting higher for the eight straight trading day, and has rallied 12 per cent during the period. It is inches away from the record high level of Rs 4,361, touched on February 4, 2021. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 0.12 per cent at 60,237 at 11:27 am.In a regulatory exchange filing, Bajaj Auto on Monday, April 11, informed that the company and Triumph Motorcycles have completed the successful transfer of Triumph's India Sales & Marketing operations to Bajaj Auto. This follows the announcement, done back in 2020, of the strategic partnership between the two companies, in which both confirmed that they would jointly collaborate to create a new range of mid-sized Triumph Motorcycles.This launches the next phase of the partnership, effective from April 1, 2023, where all the current 15 Triumph Motorcycle dealerships will be managed by Bajaj Auto.This comes as the third partnership for the company to manufacture higher CC bikes apart from KTM & Husqvarna in its Chakan plant with capacity of 1.22 million units annually. Under this partnership, Bajaj Auto, apart from manufacturing higher CC bikes for Triumph will also co-develop new products in the mid-size category and sell it under Triumph badge."Given that Triumph is a premium brand with higher CC (i.e. >600 cc) offerings, and ~1,000 units sales for FY23, we await more affordable offerings from the partnership adapting to the needs of domestic market in mid-weight category, which is currently dominated by Royal Enfield," ICICI Securities said in a note.Meanwhile, for the January-March quarter (Q4FY23) quarter, analysts at Emkay Global Financial Services expect Bajaj Auto's Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) margin to expand 196 bps YoY due to price hikes, better mix and rupee depreciation. On a QoQ basis, Ebitda margin may remain unchanged as impact of the price hike is negated by the adverse scale.Revenue could grow YoY, despite decline in volumes (-12 per cent), owing to increase in realizations (+20 per cent). Realization to improve due to better mix (higher domestic 2W and 3W mix), price hikes and INR depreciation, the brokerage firm said in a Q4 result preview report.Over the years, Bajaj Auto has created a formidable franchise in the export market, with a market share of 45 per cent in FY23YTD (out-of-India 2W exports) and leadership position in several countries (over 80 per cent of exports from countries enjoying either the number 1 or number 2 position)."Exports, though volatile over the near term, offer a structural growth opportunity. They could sharply rebound (as seen in the past), with improving macros at the margin level. Thus, we have built-in a 13 per cent export volume CAGR over FY23E-25E (-2 per cent over FY22-25E), to reflect the improved volumes from 2HFY24E," Emkay Global Financial Services said in a auto sector update.However, the weakening domestic ICE-2W franchise with continued market-share loss in the commuter and premium motorcycles space, along with sustained absence from the ICE-scooter segment, is a structural concern, it added. In rupee terms, the company can report a YoY revenue growth of 20-21 per cent to an average of Rs 38,824 crore, as per a compilation of six brokerage estimates, while its yearly profit may rise 12-21 per cent to an average of Rs 6,589 crore. IT major Infosys is set to release its March quarter (Q4FY23) results on Thursday, April 13. Analysts expect the company to report muted quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) revenue growth between 0.1-0.7 per cent in constant currency (cc) terms in the traditionally weak quarter. The companys Ebit margin is pegged between 21.3-21.8 per cent in Q4 as compared to 21.5 per cent in the December quarter. While four of the six brokerage houses expect the companys profit to decline QoQ in Q4. Kotak Institutional Equities estimates a 3.1 per cent quarterly decline in profit, followed by Sharekhan at 1.4 per cent, HDFC at 0.8 per cent and Jefferies at 0.1 per cent. Key monitorables: Investor focus will remain on FY24 guidance. The quantum of deal pipeline, nature of large deals, pace of decision-making and drivers of consolidation trend will also be closely tracked. Commentary on health of impacted verticals such as hi-tech, retail, parts of financial services and Europe, re-allocation of responsibilities of former President Mohit Joshi, and impact of recent banking sector events on BFSI tech spending outlook. Besides, Infosys is expected to deliver annual FY24 revenue guidance (cc) between 5-8 per cent and Ebit margin guidance of 21-23 per cent. Also Read Infosys Q2 preview: Revenue could rise by up to 26% YoY; share buyback eyed TCS Q4 Preview: Revenue may rise up to 18% YoY; EBIT margin seen at 25% Infosys Q3 growth may be muted on higher furloughs; PAT may rise 9-15% YoY IPL 2023 SRH vs RR preview: Runners-up Royals up against young Hyderabadis Infosys strong TCV, deal wins in Q3 lend comfort amid macro risks: Analysts Sugar shares surge amid rising prices; Balrampur, Dwarikesh rally up to 6% Nestle India declares interim dividend of Rs 27/share, fixes record date Venus Pipes rallies 7% to hit record high as Ashish Kacholia buys 2% stake Sula Vineyards jumps 11% after strong March quarter business update Avoid paint stocks as crude oil may keep margin cheer at bay: Analysts Here's what brokerages expect: Jefferies: The brokerage expects soft QoQ cc revenue growth due to the macroeconomic slowdown and seasonal weakness. The Ebit margin is expected to expand slightly by 30 bps QoQ driven by increase in utilization and currency benefit. Large deal wins are expected to be in the $2-2.5 billion range supported by larger deals amid slower decision making. PhillipCapital: The brokerage expects cc revenue growth of 0.1 per cent on a QoQ basis and 1 per cent in dollar terms. It expects margins to decline marginally QoQ by 10 bps due to a lack of growth leverage and visa costs, which will be offset by easing of supply side pressures. Kotak Institutional Equities: The brokerage expects Infosys to post a muted 0.1 per cent cc revenue growth driven by both cloud and digital programs and cost take-out agenda of clients. It does not expect material incremental revenue contribution from the Daimler deal. It sees 25 bps sequential decline in Ebit margin with headwinds from visa costs (40 bps) partially offset by operational efficiencies and lower pass-through expense. The brokerage expects cc revenue growth of 0.1 per cent on a QoQ basis and 1 per cent in dollar terms. It expects margins to decline marginally QoQ by 10 bps due to a lack of growth leverage and visa costs, which will be offset by easing of supply side pressures. Over 80,000 tigers were killed in India before a ban on its hunting was imposed. And later, in 1973, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched the Project Tiger to save the animal. Fast forward to now, the world is staring at digital disruption due to advanced artificial intelligence. OpenAIs ChatGPT has taken the world by a storm. It is clearing competitive exams with flying colours and writing impressive programs and articles. While some say it will create fresh jobs, others are worrying about the threat to their livelihood. So will artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGpt take away jobs? India added 200 more tigers in the last four years. With this, the total number of big cats prowling its forests has soared past 3,000. Tourists too are foraging these forests to get a glimpse of these elusive animals, contributing to the economy. And the tiger conservation efforts have also given rise to an entire economic ecosystem. So with Indias tiger conservation initiative marking 50 years, Bhaswar Kumar and I explore exactly how large the tiger economy is. Parag Agrawal, Twitter's former general counsel Vijaya Gadde, and Ned Segal, its former chief financial officer, were removed from their positions when Elon Musk acquired the platform in a $44 billion deal in October last year. Twitter's former Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal, and two other former executives are taking Elon Musk-owned Twitter to court, a report in the Financial Times (FT) has said. The case is about the non-payment of personal legal expenses amounting to over $1 million. The expenses were incurred during the investigation carried out by the US Department of Justice when the three employees worked for Twitter. However, there is little clarity about the nature of the investigations or if they are still being conducted. The trio have claimed that the company has "refused to acknowledge its obligations and to remit payment of any invoices," the FT report said. The three employees spent a significant amount of money responding to lawsuits and investigations related to their former positions. In a recent development, Twitter has announced that it no longer exists as a separate entity and has been merged into X Corp. In a court filing in the US, Twitter submitted, "Twitter Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists. X Corp. is a privately held corporation, incorporated in Nevada, with its principal place of business in San Francisco, California." Twitter merged into X Corp. Also Read How will Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter change the public square? New 'Chief Twit': 5 ways Twitter could change with Elon Musk's takeover The Chief Twit takes over, but why should any of us care? Musk sets up A team to rejig Twitter, seeks to change verification process Is Elon Musk mismanaging Twitter? OpenAI will pay people to highlight vulnerabilities in bot ChatGPT WhatsApp users will soon be able to edit, save contacts directly: Report YouTube Premium introduces new features with higher quality video, more Apple market share in Indian PC market to go up in 2023, say analysts OnePlus 9 5G available at discounted price in India: Details here Parag Agrawal's exit and the story so far Parag Agrawal was CEO of Twitter for a relatively short tenure of 10 months, however, when he left the company, he got a handsome amount. Parag Agrawal had the golden parachute clause in his employment contract with Twitter. Apart from this, he also held a significant number of shares in the company, an India Today report said. According to the report, Parag holds around 128,000 Twitter shares, which are now valued at close to $7 million. Australian grocery delivery startup MilkRun has decided to shut shop and laid off 400 employees amid the gloomy global economic scenario. According to Forbes Australia, its co-founder Dany Milham told the staff that the company will wind down business on April 14. "Since we announced our structural changes in February, economic and capital market conditions have continued to deteriorate, and while the business has continued to perform well, we feel strongly that this is the right decision in the current environment," Milham was quoted as saying. MilkRun in February had announced it would make 20 per cent of its then staff redundant, as part of a move to consolidate its delivery hubs. "We've always been committed to doing things the right way, and winding down the business while we still have a sufficient cash balance enables us to ensure our people and suppliers are paid in full," the co-founder told employees. All staff would be made redundant at the startup MilkRun that was launched during the pandemic in 2021. Also Read Food delivery apps taking action on rising stress among delivery staff Zomato launches hotline number to report rash driving by delivery partners Domino's launches 20-minute deliveries across as many zones in India Reliance JioMart shuts its 90-minute delivery service 'Express': Report Indian e-grocery market to witness growth in tier 2, beyond in 2023: Report NPR to quit Twitter after being labeled as 'state-affiliated media' India likely to have stable debt-to-GDP ratio going forward: IMF official US consumer prices rise moderately in March; underlying inflation still hot No obstacles for United Nations to function in Afghanistan: Taliban Google 1st Big Tech firm to end Covid jab mandate for entering buildings It secured a $11 million seed round and in early 2022, the startup raised further $75 million that included US-based Tiger Global Management. According to McKinsey, in the first nine months of 2021, nearly $5.8 billion was invested globally into adark convenience stores'. However, as the pandemic waned, the popularity of instant grocery delivery platforms also decreased. Global grocery delivery player Gopuff announced its third round of layoffs in 12 months in March this year. Gorillas laid off more than 100 workers and exited three countries in 2022. While the upper house had approved the government's contribution to the rescue package, parliament's lower, and larger chamber, pushed back again on Wednesday. Switzerland's parliament rejected on Wednesday the government's 109 billion Swiss francs ($120.82 billion) aid for Credit Suisse's merger with UBS, leaving the fallen bank's hastily arranged rescue without a largely symbolic parliamentary blessing. Seeking a compromise, the upper house passed changes to the measure on Wednesday morning, but it was not enough to sway the lower house lawmakers. It had already rejected the proposals in a late night session on Tuesday, forcing the upper house to find a solution when it met again on Wednesday. Speaking just before the lower house vote, Cedric Wermuth, the co-president of the Social Democrats said the party just could not support the funding. They turned it down by 103 votes to 71 in favour, a similar level of opposition to the night before. Also Read UBS takes over Credit Suisse: Everything you need to know about the crisis UBS in talks to buy embattled Swiss rival Credit Suisse, says report Credit Suisse under pressure to merge with UBS, meets to weigh options After Credit Suisse wipeout, AT1 bonds make a return in the global market After UBS merger, Credit Suisse planning layoffs in India back offices Grocery delivery app MilkRun to wind down business, lays off 400 employees NPR to quit Twitter after being labeled as 'state-affiliated media' India likely to have stable debt-to-GDP ratio going forward: IMF official US consumer prices rise moderately in March; underlying inflation still hot No obstacles for United Nations to function in Afghanistan: Taliban "This decision has no impact on the takeover of Credit Suisse decided on March 19," the Swiss Finance Ministry said after the vote. While the government's commitment, made using emergency law, cannot be overturned, the vote marks a symbolic rebuke for the authorities, whose decision to largely bypass the nation's legislative has angered many politicians. "The funds have already been fully committed," it added. The support package had already been given binding approval by the parliament's finance delegation, due to the urgency of the matter, it said. "It doesn't really matter what we decide in detail, but it would really send a bad signal if these loans were rejected," said Eva Herzog, who is a member of the Council of States, the upper house, before the vote. Lawmakers who backed an approval of the deal, voiced concern about Switzerland's image. They included a proposal for Switzerland's federal government to draft an amendment to the country's Banking Act. Following a day of heated debates held in the country's four national languages, that continued into early morning hours, the upper house passed changes aimed at winning over the sceptics. Addressing parliament before the vote on Wednesday, finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter told lawmakers to consider what message their rejection of the rescue would send to the world. Its aim would be to reduce the risks posed by systemically relevant banks, such as Credit Suisse and UBS for Switzerland, by, for example, raising capital requirements and restricting bonuses. Lawmakers were recalled to the country's capital, Bern, for the rare extraordinary session to discuss the Swiss government's open chequebook response to a collapse that many in the country have blamed on Credit Suisse's top management. "What signal do you want to give internationally, are the institutions reliable, do you value financial market stability in a place where you already have a financial centre with a certain importance?" The government invoked Swiss emergency law to sign it off to the ire of the almost 250 lawmakers left without a say. Last month's shotgun marriage which saw the bank taken over by rival UBS for 3 billion Swiss francs and propped up with more than 250 billion Swiss francs in guarantees and support has drawn widespread criticism. "The use of emergency law has reached a level in the last three years that is beginning to annoy me," Hansjoerg Knecht, a member of Parliament's upper house, said on Tuesday. Two police officers who were married but are now on separation are failing to account for their minor childs whereabouts, in a mysterious case that has raised suspicion of murder. The child was one year and eight months old when she was last seen at the couples former residence in Mabvuku over three years ago. Curiously, the couple has not filed a missing person report with relatives and neighbours, also professing ignorance on the whereabouts of the child. Samunderu Muchazepi and Agness Khoza, who are both constables with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have since been arrested after failing to give a satisfactory explanation on the whereabouts of their child. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) (Homicide) are still investigating the case before the State prepares an appropriate charge pending the couples expected court appearance. It is alleged that on an unknown date in February 2020, Khoza was deployed to Zvishavane and left her daughter in the custody of the father Muchazepi although they had been on separation since December 2019. Khoza returned from Zvishavane after a month and Muchazepi could not give a plausible explanation on the whereabouts of the couples daughter. Neighbours noticed that something was amiss and an unknown informant tipped off the police who interrogated the couple. They couple could still not give a satisfactory explanation on the whereabouts of their child and suspicion was raised that they might have murdered her and concealed the death. Muchazepi and Khoza were taken to ZRP Ruwa from where they were taken to CID Homicide for further management.Herald The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions aimed at Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, targeting the financial network of one of Russia's wealthiest businessmen. Usmanov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been subject to U.S. and European Union sanctions since shortly after the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine last year. The Treasury Department said the new designations, being coordinated with sanctions announced by the British government, aim to reinforce existing penalties and further disrupt Russia's importation of critical technologies used in its war against Ukraine. The action by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control involves 25 individuals and 29 entities in 20 jurisdictions. As the Kremlin seeks ways around the expansive multilateral sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine, the United States and our allies and partners will continue to disrupt evasion schemes that support Putin on the battlefield, Brian Nelson, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. He said the move shows the U.S. is honoring the commitment by the Group of Seven leading industrial nations "to impose severe costs on third-country actors who support Russia's war." Usmanov was an early target of Biden administration sanctions aimed at key Russian sectors and individuals close to Putin. In addition to the individuals and entities penalized by the Treasury Department, the State Department designated 80 entities and individuals connected to Usmanov, other Russian billionaires and efforts to evade sanctions. The Treasury Department was also citing the International Investment Bank, a Russia-controlled financial institution in Budapest, Hungary. Three current or former executives of the bank Russian citizens Nikolay Nikolayevich Kosov and Georgy Nugzarovich Potapov as well as Hungary national Imre Laszloczki were designated for sanctions. Also Read US to continue sanctions on Russian, Iranian arms trade: White House UK announces new tranche of sanctions against Russia over Ukraine war Hungarian PM vows to block sanctions against Russia to safeguard interests US turns to new aggressive ways to punish Russian oligarchs for Ukraine war Iran to uphold nuke commitments, if sanctions removed: Iranian atomic chief Swiss parliament rebukes Credit Suisse rescue by rival bank UBS Grocery delivery app MilkRun to wind down business, lays off 400 employees NPR to quit Twitter after being labeled as 'state-affiliated media' India likely to have stable debt-to-GDP ratio going forward: IMF official US consumer prices rise moderately in March; underlying inflation still hot A Treasury Department statement said the bank enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlin's malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations. Germany had previously seized Usmanov's superyacht, known as Dilbar. The yacht, named after Usmanov's mother, has an estimated worth of between $600 million and $735 million, according to the Treasury Department. Dilbar has two helipads and one of the world's largest indoor pools ever installed on a yacht, and costs about $60 million per year to operate. The oligarch's private jet, a custom-built 209-foot Airbus A340-300 passenger liner, is believed to have cost between $350 million and $500 million and was previously leased out for use by Uzbekistan's president. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's decision not to create a further exemption programme for around 178 000 Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa does not take away their rights - it confers them. This was one of the arguments by Motsoaledi and the Department of Home Affairs' director-general in a court challenge by the Helen Suzman Foundation which is being heard in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. During the economic and political strife in Zimbabwean in 2008 and 2009, many of the country's nationals fled to South Africa. The South African government at the time decided to create a blanket exemption so Zimbabweans could get permits to live and work in the country legally. The permits were effectively extended by creating another permit over the years and have since become known as the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP). In December 2021, Motsoaledi announced the termination of the ZEP, effectively announcing no further exemption would be created for holders and their children. This decision was challenged by the foundation, which argued in court Motsoaledi's decision was procedurally unfair and irrational. It said he did not consider the impact this would have on ZEP holders, and it infringed on their rights. On Wednesday, advocate Ismail Jamie SC, for the minister and director-general, dismissed the issues raised by the foundation and premised the respondents' arguments around the fact the decision made was a policy decision. Jamie argued such a policy decision was not up for judicial scrutiny and only the policy's implementation could be challenged in a court of law. In terms of the implementation, he said this was ongoing as ZEP holders were given until June 2023 to regularise their stay in South Africa by applying for other visas or asking to be exempt from the expiration of the ZEP. Jamie added giving a blanket exemption to Zimbabwean nationals entering South Africa in the 2000s was a policy decision based on the issues in the neighbouring country at the time. Similarly, the decision to not create a further exemption was also based on policy, which he said was based on rational reasons that included budgetary constraints, improvements in conditions in Zimbabwe, and a backlog in the asylum system. The decision was also placed under the spotlight on whether Motsoaledi terminated the ZEP or if it expired because of the effluxion of time. It was argued the minister did not decide to terminate the ZEP but extended its validity to help holders get their affairs in order. Motsoaledi said this decision did not remove the rights of ZEP holders but rather conferred them. This argument also centred around whether the court challenge was premature as the extension granted has yet to expire. Jamie conceded Motsoaledi did not decide to create another exemption and said this was not a legal decision but a policy one. He reiterated there was no legal obligation to create the blanket exemption in the first place, nor the exemptions that followed, and ultimately ended with the ZEP, which was set to expire at the end of 2021. The foundation took the matter to court, seeking a declaration of invalidity and that Motsoaledi's decision be reviewed and set aside. News24 Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 2:53AM Image: Ford Ford plans to invest CAD 1.8 billion into its Oakville Assembly Complex to turn it into a "high-volume hub of electric vehicle manufacturing" in the country. The campus will be renamed Oakville Electric Vehicle Complex. The carmaker plans to retool and modernize in the second quarter of 2024 in preparation for next-generation EV production. This investment allows Ford to repurpose and transform its existing buildings into state-of-the-art facilities. The current 487-acre Oakville site includes three body shops, one paint building, and one assembly building. The transformed plant will feature a new 407,000 square-foot on-site battery plant that uses cells and arrays from BlueOval SK Battery Park in Kentucky. Oakville workers will take these components and assemble battery packs that will be installed in vehicles assembled on-site. This transformation will help increase Ford's global production run rate of two million EVs annually by the end of 2026. Source Lucknow University PG Admission 2023: The University of Lucknow has started the application process for its postgraduate (PG) programmes from today, April 11, 2023, in online mode. Candidates who want to get admission into various PG courses at Lucknow University can register themselves by visiting the official website- lkouniv.ac.in According to the exam schedule, the deadline to submit the Lucknow University PG application form is June 10, 2023. The LU postgraduate exam for the upcoming academic year is scheduled to be conducted between July 1 to July 10. LU PG 2023 Exam Schedule Interested candidates who are applying to get secure admission into various postgraduate programmes can check the important dates mentioned in the table given below: Lucknow University PG 2023 Applications start date - April 11, 2023 Last date to register for LU PG 2023 n - June 10, 2023 LU PG Exam 2023 - July 1, 2023, to July 10, 2023 Announcement of LU PG result 2023 - Till July 20, 2023 Counselling phase I - July 25, 2023 onwards LU PG 2023 Exam Fees General, EWS and OBC candidates - Rs 1,000 SC, ST candidates - Rs 500 Differently abled (PH) any category - Rs 500 How to Register for Lucknow University PG Admissions Candidates are required to follow the steps given below to apply for Lucknow University The Ministry of Home Affairs proposes to fill 1.30 lakh Constable (General Duty) positions in the CRPF. According to the Ministry's notification, a total of 129929 positions will be filled, with 125262 reserved for male candidates and 4467 reserved for female candidates. For selection to the position of Constable, 10% of the openings will be designated for Ex-Agniveers. According to the notification, the upper age limit for the first batch of Ex-Agniveers will be relaxed by up to five years. Also, the upper age limit for Ex-Agnives candidates will be relaxed by three years. Ex-engineers are exempt from the Physical Efficiency Test (PET).To apply for CRPF Constable Recruitment 2023, the applicant must be between the ages of 18 and 23. The remuneration range for CRPF General Duty Constable positions is Rs. 21700-69100/. The notification states that "8n exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 18 of the Central Reserve Police Force Act, 1949 (66 of 1949) and in supersession of the Central Reserve Police Force Group 'C' (General Duty/Technical/Tradesmen) Cadre Recruitment Rules, 2010 in so far as they relate to the post of (General Duty Cadre), Constable, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules regulating the method of recruitment to the post of Constable (General Duty) in Group 'C' post, General Duty Cadre in the Central Reserve Police Force." Overview of CRPF Constable Recruitment 2023 Recruitment Body Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Name of the post Constable (General Duty) Vacancies 129929 Job Location All India Mode of Apply Online Official Website crpf.gov.in How to Apply for CRPF Constable Jobs 2023 Go to the official website at crpf.gov.in. Navigate to the main webpage. Scroll to the bottom and select the 'Recruitment' tab. Click on the CRPF Constable recruiting link. Easily register by supplying the necessary information. Fill out the CRPF Constable recruitment form using the user ID and password you created. Submit the necessary documents and photographs appropriately. Submit the form after paying the application fee. Eligibility to Apply Applicants must have a matriculation or equivalent from a board or university recognised by the Central or State Governments, or an equivalent Army qualification in the case of ex-Army soldiers. They must also meet the physical and medical requirements for CRPF constable recruitment. Selection Procedure Applicants will be chosen for these positions based on a physical efficiency test, a medical assessment, and a written exam. To qualify for the next stage exam, candidates must pass the Physical Efficiency Test and the Written Examination. Seven-seaters are all about practicality. For the Filipino family, it has to be safe, reliable, but most of all, offers comfort and joy with... Mannok Cement secures Green Energy funding 12 April 2023 Mannok Cement, located in Fermanagh, is one of two companies in Northern Ireland to secure funding in a new GCP240m (US$298.4m/EUR273.4m) UK Government Green Energy Scheme. The funding will support Mannok in the first vital phase of its energy transformation programme. The first phase of the programme, which the funding will support, is the generation of onsite green hydrogen (H 2 ), a more sustainable, zero-emission fuel created using renewable energy, to replace the use of diesel in over 70 per cent of the companys 150 heavy-goods truck fleet. Hydrogen will play an important role in helping intensive industries convert to using clean energy and as one of Northern Irelands successful NZHF projects, Mannok plans to design a project that will generate local green hydrogen using a direct wire connection from local wind assets and a 5MW electrolyser. Mannok Operations Director, Kevin Lunney, said, We are very pleased our application has been successful and that we will receive support to produce cleaner energy onsite to fuel our fleet and potentially our cement manufacturing business. The application process is extremely competitive and to have success at this early stage of our sustainability programme illustrates the merit of our projects and strategy. Published under Chiles cement dispatches down 10% in January-February 2023 ICR Newsroom By 12 April 2023 Cement dispatches in Chile fell by 9.5 per cent to 288,761t in February 2023 from 309,297t in February 2022, according to the countrys construction chamber, CChC. In the first two months of 2023, deliveries declined by 10.2 per cent YoY to 598,058t from 666,175t in the year-ago period. Published under DOHA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's energy and chemical giant Sinopec on Wednesday signed a partnership agreement with QatarEnergy, the state-owned petroleum company of Qatar, to participate in the North Field East (NFE) expansion project. The agreement was signed by Ma Yongsheng, chairman of Sinopec, and Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the minister of State for Energy Affairs and CEO of QatarEnergy, in a ceremony held in the Qatari capital of Doha. The NFE project, with a total investment of 28.75 billion U.S. dollars, aims to raise Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity from the current 77 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 110 MTPA, making it one of the largest LNG projects in the world, Sinopec said in a statement. The project is part of Qatar's strategy to expand its global LNG market share and meet the growing demand for clean energy. With the signing of the agreement, Sinopec becomes the first Asian shareholder in the NFE project, the Chinese company said. "The cooperation will help Sinopec optimize the energy consumption mix in China and secure long-term and reliable clean energy supply to the nation. The partnership represents another model of bilateral cooperation between China and Qatar," Sinopec said. 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 Will Deloach, RN, and Cynthia Proctor, RN, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Two patients nominated Mr. Deloach for his compassion. Will was amazing. I had so many questions regarding my blood pressure and all of the other vital signs that were out of whack with me. Will took his time to work with me and explain everything. This nurse had so much compassion and empathy- I was blown away. He took his time to help me, calm me down, and just explained everything. Another patient wrote, I have never had a more kind and amazing nurse than Will. Will spoke with me at length while the pain was so intense so it would ease and I would get some sleep. I know this was something little, but it was so meaningful to me I would only hope I have Will as my nurse if I have to visit Memorial again.Mr. Deloach is a nurse on 5 North at CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and has worked at CHI Memorial since July 2022.Ms. Proctor was nominated by a patient for her comprehensive care. She went above and beyond to provide excellent, compassionate care. The morning that Cynthia came into my room for the first time, I could immediately tell I was going to be in very good hands Cynthia tidied up my room, took her time with me and just had the BEST attitude. Cynthia is one of the most compassionate people I have come into contact with. She explained all of the medical equipment I was hooked up to and let me know this was to prevent blood clots in my legs. She brought me food when I was hungry, made sure I didnt look like a mess and just went way above and beyond my expectations. I have been admitted to the hospital a few times in my life and Cynthia was by far the BEST nurse I have ever had taking care of me She is such a special person, she takes her job seriously, and she definitely is deserving of recognition for the work that she does.Ms. Proctor is a nurse on 3 South at CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and has worked at CHI Memorial since July 2019.Officials said, "CHI Memorial is pleased to partner with the DAISY Foundation to recognize the extraordinary difference nurses make in the lives of patients and co-workers. Nurses are chosen each month to receive this wonderful award that honors compassionate care. "Honorees receive a bouquet of daisies, a certificate, a copy of her/his nomination letter and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healers Touch - hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. The honoree's nursing unit also receives a cinnamon doughnut party, because it takes a team for a nurse to achieve his/her best. Tasty Doughnuts generously donates the treats for this worthy cause." A Hamilton County man on trial on child sex charges in Chattanooga Federal Court has declined to testify. The defense for Mark Alan Deakins, 63, put on no witnesses. Judge Charles Atchley gave both sides until April 28 to submit final legal briefs. He said afterward he would set a date and give his ruling in court. On Tuesday, three males took the witness stand to say that Deakins had molested them - dating back to 2000 for one witness and 2021 for another. An FBI agent who works undercover on child sex cases said he had investigated multiple other victims of the defendant and located some of them. If convicted, Deakins faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 35 years up to a maximum term of life in prison. One witness said he went on a trip to Florida with Deakins when he was 17 and visited Sea World and other attractions. He said he was involved in sex acts with Deakins on the trip. He said Deakins had been molesting him since he was 11. Another witness said when he was 11 he met Deakins, who was doing a construction job at a house next to his Chattanooga home. He said his own father was absent so he began doing odd jobs for Deakins and getting paid $100 per day cash. He said on one job he broke a window and Deakins said he could pay for it by taking off all his clothes and running outside. He said he did so though it was snowing. The witness said he began visiting Deakins' home on Culver Street in Red Bank and was induced to take part in sex acts with him. He said Deakins showed him pornography on a computer and told him they needed to emulate what they were seeing. Afterward, he said Deakins advised "not to tell anyone or he could get in a lot of trouble." He said on one occasion Deakins took him fishing and carried him through the water to an island. He later told him to take his wet clothes off. He said Deakins often paid him $200 for the sexual encounters. The witness said he eventually told a sibling, who contacted his school principal and his mother. He said the principal had earlier given him a ride and asked him if everything was okay with him. He said his mother "broke down. We broke down together. She didn't take it too well." Deakins wound up being charged with sexual exploitation of a child in 1998 in Hamilton County. He got time served on one count and a suspended two-year term on another after pleading guilty in 2002. He also went on the Sex Offender Registry. A third witness, age 12, said he got acquainted with Deakins because he lived nearby. He said he began spending lots of time with him, including spending many nights. He said he and Deakins would often walk around the house naked or in their underwear. At one point he said Deakins took a photo of the boy measuring the length of his (the boy's) penis. Another witness said the same thing occurred to him. In most cases, the witnesses said they did not know that Deakins was filming them. The FBI agent said he was brought into the case when a black pouch was found in LaFayette, Ga., that contained three ID cards for Deakins. It also contained seven thumb drives that included photos and videos of Deakins involved in sexual acts with young boys, including some of those who testified. There were also hundreds of images of child sex pulled off the Internet with file names such as New Young Ones, Boy O Boy and Naked Boy Scouts. The pouch and its contents were turned over to the Red Bank Police Department. The agent said a search warrant was obtained and he and other officers went to the Deakins residence on June 3, 2021. He said there was heavy cigarette smoke in the house and it appeared he had just left. Deakins was later arrested in Middle Tennessee. The agent said there were multiple computers in the house along with computer discs with child sex images. There was also a shelf for boys clothes and underwear. As a parent, I get angry when I share the experiences my children have had at school. My nine-year-old son was interrogated by law enforcement for having safety scissors in the playground. Personal experiences like this one fuel a fire for protecting children's rights, and they serve as a reminder of the potential consequences of Tennessee House Bill 534/Senate Bill 627. This law threatens to deprive our children of their Constitutional rights and fosters a hostile environment in schools. Parents, we must be vigilant in ensuring our children's rights are protected and that they are not subjected to undue harm. The law's intention to prevent school violence is commendable, but some of its language leaves room for subjective interpretation, which could potentially lead to abuse. Under this law, a child can be accused of a crime for recklessly communicating a threat to commit an act of mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity. The potential consequences? Interrogation by law enforcement and suspension for perceived threats as determined by government officials. This can happen to your kindergartner. In an environment where educators may have a predisposition to interpret certain behaviors as threatening, the law's requirements for reporting threats of mass violence will, like nearly every other government program, result in overreach. This will lead to false accusations and unjust consequences for students who have not exhibited any real intent to harm others. Jordan Peterson, a renowned psychologist and cultural critic, has written extensively on the dangers of false accusations and ostracization. In his book, "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos," Peterson states, "To be accused is to be rendered guilty, in many regards at least in the court of public opinion, which is swift and harsh." This concept is echoed in the work of other psychologists, such as Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt, who asserts that implicit biases can result in unjust treatment. The potential for psychological harm to accused students is significant. A wide body of psychological research has shown that the experience of being ostracized can lead to increased feelings of anger, depression, and anxiety. These negative emotional states can, in turn, contribute to a sense of isolation and potentially increase the risk of violent behavior in some individuals. Parents, we must be proactive in safeguarding our children's rights. Inform your child's school administrators that you do not consent to any interrogation by law enforcement without your presence and legal representation. We must challenge this law and work together to ensure our schools remain safe spaces for learning and growth not places where our children are unfairly targeted and ostracized. Tennessee state law is intended to protect students from school violence, but some of its language and the potential consequences of its widespread administration of the law raise concerns about its impact on children's rights and well-being. We must remain vigilant in protecting their rights, advocating for their interests, and fostering a safe, nurturing environment for all students. Chris Moreland * * * Mr. Moreland, I no longer have any children in school. My grandchildren are all grown except for one, and he's 17. However, like you I have concerns too of the roles of police in schools. Unless roles are clearly defined and lines aren't allowed to be crossed, and there are consequences not if but when those lines are crossed, my concerns are we're just going to be left with future generations of even more damage children going into adulthood. If the role of police in schools is to protect the students, then it should begin and end there. They should have no say whatsoever in any daily disciplining of students. The only exceptions should be when or if there's a clear threat by a student or students to fellow students or faculty. My granddaughter is living outside the U.S. at this time, but when she was in grade school she was wrongly accused of talking along with a group of other students she was nowhere near, while awaiting her first period class to begin. The principal hauled each student in to confess. When it came her turn, she denied even having been anywhere near the students who were talking. My granddaughter being "my" granddaughter isn't going to confess to doing something she had no part in, no matter the threat. The principal brought the school SRO, uniform/holstered gun and all the dressings, in to stand beside her in an act of intimidation, thinking she'd be so afraid she'd say anything the principal wanted out of fear of the SRO. My granddaughter looked the SRO up and down, then back at the principal and told the principal she wasn't talking and was nowhere near the other students who were. That her granny taught her to never lie, and if she said she was talking just to get out of trouble she would be lying. My girl. Chip off the granny block. Girl Power. The principal took a minor situation and turned it into a big mess. I once worked in the schools, in addition to being an active parent. I got to see a lot...and to be honest, some of the people placed over America's most vulnerable, it's children, simply aren't tightly wrapped themselves, and the damage done to a child can be irreparable and catastrophic to the child as well as society. The point I'm making is, when you have all these grownups from both sides ganging up on these children, you're going end up creating even more severely damaged teens and adults than we have already. Just placing armed guards, off duty police, former veterans in schools with no defined rules simply put, aren't good at all. I honestly don't think police are going to treat students in school any better than some have gotten caught treating the average citizens on the street during a routine traffic stop. In fact, it's already been proven they won't. In the end, children are going to act like children and, well, cops in schools are going to act no different than cops on the street during traffic stops. Just not a good situation at all without defined rules, enforcing those rules and accountability when, not if, lines are crossed that should not have been. Brenda Washington This article will not include a quote on the controversial topic of killing an unborn fetus because most of what Lewis Grizzard thought on the subject was expressed in an already published article in Chattanoogan.com on December 9, 2022. However, with one poll claiming that between 70-80% of Americans were in favor of a woman being allowed to make the prochoice decision, abortion will be one of the main issues in the elections of 2024. An election in the State of Wisconsin on April 5, 2023 in the race for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court resulted in a win for the candidate that favored the pro-abortion right in an apparent rebuke of the 2022 United States Supreme Court decision that overturned the right to an abortion in the 1972 opinion in Roe v. Wade. State legislatures have enacted laws on both sides of the question with political differences between the two major political parties and potential congressional and presidential candidates entering the contests but the Economy, Crime and Immigration issues continues to be the great priorities in the current political atmosphere. However, this does not mean that abortion does not surpass any or all of them as conditions may change by 2024. (At least three of my 100 readers suggest that the 12-9-2022 article is worth reviewing under the prior article aforementioned of Best of Grizzard Abortion). * * * You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com Wedged between the Bidens motoring up to Camp David and then jetting off to Ireland leaving a bewildered press corps wondering why he wont speak to them, CNN revealed their latest poll with 68 percent not wanting Joe to seek re-election. Very serious and extremely sensitive intelligence leaks are trickling out daily and Joe leaves the country on a family vacation. What if this had been Bush or Trump? The liberal media nearly imploded over Trump and classified documents with talk of nuclear codes and such until it was learned Joe had sensitive documents scattered around, some for over three decades. Seemingly unaware the leaks revealed the presence of U.S. soldiers in our embassy in the Ukraine (BBC, P Adams 4/11/23), NPR chose to explain the Bidens jaunt to the Emerald Isle through a heartwarming tale of Joes love for Irish poets (NPR, T Keith 4/11/23) These really are highly sensitive leaks which could have serious, long term consequences. Along with Joes sinking poll numbers, this revelation should be of great concern requiring a president to give an account but some in the liberal media are more concerned about rhymes than reason. Ralph Miller Previous Next The Kelly administration and its partners on Wednesday announced a nearly 40 percent reduction in the number of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in Hamilton County during 2022, marking what they called "record-breaking progress in the citys work to end homelessness in Chattanooga." The point in time count for homelessness, conducted by the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition in January each year, showed a 39.8 percent reduction in the number of unsheltered people in the county from 2022 to 2023 - with an overall reduction (including temporarily sheltered people) of 31 percent, Mayor Tim Kelly said at a press conference at James A. Henry School. He said, Chattanooga was in the midst of a homelessness crisis when I took office, and with support from local and federal partners, we took bold and decisive steps to start solving it. The record-breaking progress weve made is a direct result of that work and a testament to what we can achieve when we work together. As mayor, Im incredibly grateful for our partners, the teams at the city, and every Chattanoogan with a heart for service who stepped up to be a part of the solution. This is another chapter in Chattanooga's remarkable history of coming together to solve our toughest problems. Chattanooga was one of 105 communities across the country to join the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments (HUD) House America program, launched in September 2021 in partnership with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to help reduce homelessness nationwide. Tasked with efficiently deploying federal funds to rapidly house at least 240 households experiencing homelessness and create at least 100 new affordable housing units, the City far surpassed its goals. I am pleased the city of Chattanooga not only met, but exceeded its 2022 goals under House America, and by doing so, reduced homelessness, said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. I launched House America to enlist local leaders to work with urgency to address the nations homelessness crisis, including through the resources provided from the American Rescue Plan. Mayor Tim Kelly, the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition, and other partners did just that. Chattanooga exemplifies what it looks like when a community uses an all-hands-on-deck approach to solve homelessness by helping people find a safe and stable home. Deploying a Housing-First Strategy Since being elected, Mayor Kelly said he has "prioritized a housing-first strategy to solving homelessness, which focuses on providing permanent housing as quickly as possible and following up with supportive services to help residents reach self-sufficiency." The citys Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing significantly increased its capacity to quickly move people off the streets and into permanent homes during 2022, rapidly rehousing more than 1,000 people, it was stated. City officials cite three primary factors that led to the progress, including: Federal HOME American Rescue Plan dollars, deployed by HUD, which allowed the city to cover move-in costs and monthly rent for vulnerable residents until they were able to obtain a housing voucher. HUDs Emergency Housing Voucher program, which allowed the Chattanooga Housing Authority to reserve a portion of its housing vouchers for people and families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. A unification of partners through the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition, which brought together local service providers, landlords, and nonprofits into a single continuum of care with additional funding support from the city. At the same time, the city and its partners prevented more than 600 people at risk of homelessness from losing their homes, thanks to programs like the Eviction Prevention and Diversion Initiatives and support from community organizations that provide temporary housing options to those in need, officials said. City officials said the city "remains focused on building up its affordable housing supply, including permanent supportive housing units for chronically homeless people to rebuild their lives. Through partnerships with the AIM Center and the conversion of the Airport Inn, 133 of these units will become available over the next two years enough to house and support nearly all of the 156 chronically homeless people identified this January. To keep the momentum going in the short-term, the Kelly administration will continue strengthening and expanding partnerships to close service gaps and find housing solutions for residents in need. In particular, officials will be working with the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition to prioritize rapid housing for veterans and households with children. "The administration will also be working with landlords to open up more affordable units, as well as engaging the faith community, who play a critical role in providing resources and support to previously homeless residents working to rebuild their lives." The Oak Mountain State Park Demonstration Farm will soon close, and the area will be developed into a dog park and event space. The farm is scheduled to remain open through April 30, as park officials work to find retirement homes for the remaining animals. We understand that the Demo Farm has been a treasured part of Oak Mountain State Park for a long time, said Scottie Jackson, Central District Superintendent for Alabama State Parks. This decision was not taken lightly, but we want to do what is best for the aging animals by making sure we find them happy retirement homes. Weve always kept the well-being of the animals as a top priority, and thats why weve been careful about who we allowed to adopt these animals. Retirement homes for many of the most popular animals have already been secured. The famous donkey, Taylor, lives on an OMSP staff members farm and has a donkey friend named Polly, who he loves. Princess, the elderly mini horse, also lives with Taylor and Polly and is loving her other horse friends. Many goats, cows and chickens have found forever homes with families. A few residents remain and are heading to wonderful, hand-selected homes selected by our staff, who are conducting careful vetting to find appropriate homes for the aging animals. We also realize that closing the farm will be disappointing to many of our longtime visitors, Mr. Jackson said, but we must do whats best for the animals and for the long-term future of Oak Mountain State Park. Thats why were also excited about creating a new amenity at the park for our visitors to enjoy. The iconic red barn located near the parks main entrance will remain, and it will be renovated and become a rental venue for parties, weddings and other events. The nearby area formally used by the demonstration farm will be developed into a dog park, including a small retail area for purchasing treats, toys and other items. The event space and dog park will be separated by fencing, and other new features will likely be added to the dog park over time. Other nearby areas, such as the stables and facilities for guided horseback riding, wont be affected by the changes. There will no fee to use the dog park after visitors pay the Oak Mountain State Park entrance fee at the gate. OMSP officials report an increasing number of visitors arrive with dogs, and the addition of a dog park will make it easier for dog owners to interact with their pets in a safe environment. We understand change isnt always easy, said State Parks Director Greg Lein, but we believe this is in the best interest of the animals and for the future of Oak Mountain State Park. We hope everyone will embrace these new amenities as we continue to improve all of our State Parks. TPC Printing & Packaging, a 99-year-old company specializing in printing and folding containers for cosmetics, spirits, fulfillment and fashion companies, on Wednesday announced a $21 million expansion in East Ridge. TPC plans to add more than 90 new jobs and build a new 60,000 square foot expansion on Ringgold Road, connecting with TPCs existing 150,000 square foot manufacturing plant. Officials said it will enhance the companys production of high-end luxury packaging for global brands. The building will be completed and operational this October, well in advance of our 100-year anniversary celebration in April of 2024, said Joey Schmissrauter, president, TPC Printing & Packaging. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp thanked TPC for its continued commitment and investment in our region. Im excited TPC has chosen to expand in Hamilton County and invest in our community and workforce, he said. This family-owned company has thrived even through two world wars and the Great Depression it remains a leader across North America in folding carton manufacturing. East Ridge Mayor Brian Williams also thanked company leaders for their investment and commitment, adding that TPC has operated in the city of East Ridge for 54 of its 99 years. I want to thank the Schmissrauter family for their involvement and commitment to East Ridge, Mayor Williams said. The city of East Ridge is extremely excited for the future expansion of TPCs printing and packaging operations. TPCs job creation and investments are among the major reasons the city of East Ridge is a great place to live, work and play. We are confident TPC will continue to prosper and succeed. Steve Hiatt, director, Existing Business Development, Chattanooga Chamber, congratulated TPC for continued growth and noted community collaboration and partnerships that helped the company develop this expansion. He said, When companies like TPC thrive, our community thrives also. This expansion is an important step in positioning Hamilton County and Chattanooga as engines of economic stability. Were excited to welcome nearly 100 high-quality jobs to Tennessee. Thank you to TVA and EPB, our local utility providers, for their role in providing infrastructure that made this expansion possible. Founded with a $250 investment by Joseph A. Schmissrauter in 1924, TPC has operated for nearly 100 years under his guiding principle to put clients first. The Schmissrauter family continues to own and operate TPC, deploying expert packaging solutions through its dedicated team of employees and earning a reputation as the regions leading folding carton manufacturer, officials said. I want to commend the young people of Nashville, the Tennessee 3, Governor Lee and President Biden for a willingness to start a serious, bi-partisan, public policy conversation about the gun violence epidemic in Tennessee and across America. When the leading cause of death for American children is gun violence, it's time for change. When our right to life, our freedom to assemble, and our freedom to be reasonably secure in our person, while in public spaces, is being seriously compromised by those using high-kill capacity assault weapons, it's time for change. Let me encourage everyone to get involved in this issue and begin voting for politicians willing to try something different to address this major public health crises. We do not have to accept the status quo on gun violence in America. What weve been doing is not working. Its time for serious change. Tim Gobble Former Bradley County Sheriff * * * Mr. Gobble, You mentioned "it's time for serious change", as do most everybody else. What changes would you propose that would have prevented the bad actors in the recent school and bank shootings from doing their evil deed? What reasonable law would you propose? Give us some useful examples instead of hyperbole. And stop using "limit magazine capacity" or "ban this type or that type of firearm" because that cat's out of the bag. Pandora's Box has been opened. And as a former sheriff, you surely know a bad actor will procure whatever means necessary to act out their desires....no matter the law or the ban. I will reiterate....a law does not and will not stop a bad actor with intent. Banning an object does not and will not stop a bad actor from using that object with intent. As an example, there is a law a felon can't be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. As a former sheriff, can you tell us if that law is/has been effective in keeping felons from possessing? As a citizen who reads a few appellate court briefs, I will tell you, that law is not very effective in preventing. The law is effective on felons who happen to get caught. They are going to jail....again. Preventing though? Not really. My point is this, a bad actor will do evil things no matter the laws you propose or objects you ban. I believe the Tennessee governor is proposing guards and other security measures in all schools. That's a beginning for your "time for a change". Phil Snider * * * I dont have the statistics to prove my belief, but personally I believe the leading cause of death among children is actually abortion and/or the COVID vaccine. In my 75 years of life I have never seen nor heard of a violent gun just jumping up and shooting anyone. Those shootings have all had some person pull the trigger. I think it is high time we address the real problem concerning people being killed by gunfire and that is the mental condition that causes someone to kill another human being regardless of the weapon of choice, whether it is a gun, knife, blunt object, automobile or anything else. We need to stop blaming the weapon and focus on the real killer, people. Phil Gillenwater A new No Wake Zone is in effect this year on a section of the Little River on Fort Loudoun Lake. The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to implement the new zone during its December 2022 meeting due to safety concerns. The move comes in response to multiple serious injury and fatal boating incidents in the area in recent years, and at the request of local residents who shared their concerns with the commission. Effective immediately, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will implement the No Wake Zone on Little River near the Alcoa Highway Bridge and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge. The new regulation mandates that vessels operating on the Little River arm of Fort Loudoun Reservoir near the Highway 129 bridge and the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge be operated at a "Slow-No Wake" speed. "No wake" is defined as a vessel traveling at or below idle speed, or at such speed that the boat or its wake (waves) is not sufficient to cause possible injury or damage to other persons, boats, or property. Boaters in the No Wake Zone may not tow a person on water skis, surfboard, inner tube, or similar devices. The zone will be delineated by informational buoys placed on the upstream and downstream sides of the bridges. Kate Middleton, Prince Williams Star Power May Present Problems for King Charles: Hes Been Through This Before Says Royal Commentator King Charles III may face competition from his son, Prince William, and wife, Kate Middleton, regarding star power. However, the king of the United Kingdom experienced this type of popularity shift when he married Princess Diana. A royal commentator explains what King Charles may face as William and Kates popularity grows in the public eye. King Charles, Kate Middleton, and Prince William | Danny Lawson WPA Pool/Getty Images What happens to Prince William and Kate Middleton now that Charles is king? Charles became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022. The eldest of the late monarchs four children, Charles assumed the roles left by his mother as the monarch of the United Kingdom and other provinces and the Church of England. As Charles moved up in the royal familys ranks, so did Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton. William is the firstborn son of Charles and his late wife, Princess Diana. When Charles became king after Queen Elizabeths death, William inherited the Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales titles. However, Williams role will change significantly throughout his fathers reign due to Charles age. 74. In preparing to assume the kings duties, William will become very involved in all matters of the crown. Williams wife, Kate Middleton, had a title change to Princess of Wales. This position was last held by Williams mother, Princess Diana, upon Charles ascension. She is also the Duchess of Cambridge, The Countess of Strathearn, Lady Carrickfergus, and the Duchess of Cornwall and Rothesay. When William assumes the throne, Kate will become the Queen Consort, a title now held by Camilla Parker Bowles. It appears that Kate and William are the most-liked senior royals. Prince Charles is from a different generation so he might be seen as old-fashioned, Charles former butler, Grant Harrold, tells Slingo. While he is old-fashioned, hes also quite modern, but William and Kate show more of their personalities, so people like them more. Theyre drawn to them more. Charles last experienced this type of popularity contest during his marriage to Princess Diana, historically more beloved by royalists than her husband. However, Kate and Williams popularity may not dampen Charles reign. A royal commentator says, Hes been through this before. King Charles III may find himself in a popularity contest with Prince William and Kate Middleton Kate Middleton, Prince William, Camilla Parker Bowles, and King Charles at the film premiere of No Time to Die | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Upon marrying Princess Diana in 1981, Charles, once the most popular royal family member, took a backseat to his superstar wife. Dianas popularity became a sticking point for Charles. In 1995, Diana spoke to the BBC, explaining how this shift affected Charles. Wed be going round Australia, for instance, and all you could hear was, Oh, shes on the other side.' She continued, They werent on the right side to wave at or touch me. Therefore, this power dynamic upset her husband. Now, if youre a man like my husband, a proud man, you mind about that if you hear it every day for four weeks. And you feel low about it instead of feeling happy and sharing it. As Charles moves into a new season of life as king, could he be upstaged again by the star power of his son and daughter-in-law? Hugo Vickers, a royal commentator who knew the queen for over five decades, weighs in. It shouldnt be. I hope it isnt. It should be a benefit. But he may not see it like that, Vickers said of King Charles. Hes been through this before. In his first address to Britain as the king, saying he was proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. Charles said William and Kate would continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground, where vital help can be given. King Charles Coronation 2023 will prominently feature Prince William On May 6, 2023, Charles will be crowned king of the United Kingdom. A religious ceremony at Westminister Abbey confirms his role alongside his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, who becomes queen consort. Prince William is the only senior royal involved in the ceremony. He will perform one particular role. According to The Sunday Times, Charles has scrapped the act of the royal dukes kneeling to pay homage before touching the crown and kissing the monarchs right cheek. William is the one to perform the tradition. The solemn religious service kicks off a three-day celebration of the new king and queen consort in the United Kingdom. Events include a concert, a Big Lunch event, and a bank holiday, where people are encouraged to help in their communities on that day. Evonik is selling its site in Lulsdorf (Germany) and the associated cyanuric chloride business in Wesseling (Germany) to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG, Luxembourg). The agreement was signed. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Lulsdorf is a substantial part of the Functional Solutions business line within Evoniks Performance Materials division. Transfer of ownership is scheduled for mid-2023. The closing of the transaction is subject to antitrust clearance and approval by the competent Evonik committees. ICIG is an established Luxembourg-based chemicals investor. The company has approximately 4,800 employees and generated sales of around 4 billion last year. It has extensive expertise in the development of sites and business units that no longer are part of the core business of other enterprises. Christian Kullmann, Chairman of Evoniks Executive Board: We wanted a reliable investor that is able and willing to leverage Lulsdorfs potential effectively, and that is what ICIG offers. For Evonik, that means: We are taking the first step in the planned disposal of the three businesses in our Performance Materials division. For the site, its employees, and the town of Niederkassel, the sale provides excellent options for future development. ICIG is taking over the entire site in Niederkassel-Lulsdorf (near Cologne) and the associated cyanuric chloride business in neighboring Wesseling, including more than 600 employees and all production plants. ICIG already has subsidiaries operating in chlorine chemistry and specialty chemicals and wants to expand the businesses in Lulsdorf and Wesseling. Dr. Achim Riemann, Managing Director of ICIG: We are delighted to be adding these attractive sites to our portfolio and are planning extensive investments. The existing businesses are an excellent strategic fit with our focus. ICIG has given contractual assurances that the sale will not alter the rights of the employees at the sites. Thomas Wessel, Chief Human Resources Officer at Evonik: Its good that our employees in Lulsdorf and the associated business in Wesseling will find themselves in established and experienced hands. That is, and always has been, our precondition in every divestment process. For example, the agreement excludes dismissals for operational reasons following the transaction until 2032. "We have closely monitored the divestment process and got a first-hand impression of the future owner," says Martin Albers, Chairman of the General Works Council of Evonik. "It is common practice at Evonik to select investors who deal responsibly with employee rights. That also holds true in this case and will remain a prerequisite for the other parts of Performance Materials." In conjunction with the divestment of this site, Evonik is realigning the three businesses of the Functional Solutions business line. With this sale, Evonik will completely divest the production of potassium derivatives and cyanuric chloride, which takes place exclusively in Lulsdorf and Wesseling. As planned, Evonik is retaining the business with alkoxides for biodiesel, which are produced at two further sites apart from Lulsdorf. This business was integrated into the Catalysts business line in the Smart Materials division effective January 1, 2023. ICIG will produce alkoxides at the Lulsdorf site exclusively for Evonik until 2027. In total, the businesses to be divested generated sales of around 260 million in 2022. Evonik started preparing the sale of the Lulsdorf site in fall 2021. The company is now realizing its preferred solution, selling the entire site to a new owner. Plans by another investor to produce ethylene oxide in Lulsdorf had previously caused public concern. The sale to ICIG marks the definitive end of these plans. Instead, ICIG intends to invest in facilities for renewable energies in addition to strengthening the existing production in Lulsdorf. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. urges members of Congress to strengthen the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act by ensuring artists are citizens of federally recognized tribes. When Russell Moore first heard the title of Christopher Watkins new book, Biblical Critical Theory, his mind immediately went to the controversy around critical race theory. But, as this episodes conversation with Watkina professor and senior lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, revealsits about so much more. Tune in for a rich discussion of what critical theory actually is (and isnt), what it means to critique the status quo, and where the Bible fits into all of this. Moore and Watkin talk about the authority of Scripture and the role of morality in the lives of both Christians and non-Christians. Their conversation touches on social media, gender and sexuality, and moral relativism. And they consider what it means to let the Bible interpret the Bible, looking to Augustine as a model for cultural and political thought, and how to begin investigating the stories we tell ourselves. Resources discussed during this episode include: Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. The Russell Moore Show is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and Azurae Phelps CT Administration: Christine Kolb Social Media: Kate Lucky Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Production Assistance: coreMEDIA Audio Engineer: Kevin Duthu Coordinator: Beth Grabenkort Video Producer: John Roland Theme Song: Dusty Delta Day by Lennon Hutton The Eastern Orthodox Church has a major emphasis on Good Friday through Easter and the emphasis is on what is sometimes called the "harrowing of hell," the descent of Christ into hell between the Cross and the Resurrection. The idea is that Christ entered into Hades after his death and raided hell to ransom the righteous of the Old Testament. This is the classical theology of Holy Saturday. Clearly, then, the death prior to Christ's death was not final. Is the death after the death of Christ final, then? I read the pious and and learned study of Archbishop Hilarion Alfeyev (Christ the Conqueror of Hell: The Descent into Hades from an Orthodox Perspective), mostly because I've always wanted to read a good piece by an Orthodox theologian on the Eastern (and traditional) sense of the "descent into Hades," an article in our creed. There are a number of NT texts that, while open to dispute, have been traditionally understood as referring to Christ's descent into hades and they are, if so, clear signs that one kind of death was not final. Matthew 12:40: For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fishfor three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Matthew 27:51-52 Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart. And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died were raised. (They came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) Acts 2:31: David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experiencedecay. 1 Peter 3:18-21: Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit. In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison, after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you - not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. 1 Peter 4:6: Now it was for this very purpose that the gospel was preached to those who are [now] dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh by human standards they may live spiritually by God's standards. Eph 4:9: Now what is the meaning of "he ascended," except that he also descended to the lower regions [of] the earth? Rev 20:14: Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death - the lake of fire. The New Testament evidence, when read in its context, almost certainly indicates that Jesus "did" something between the Cross and the Ascension. The texts cited already, in particular 1 Peter 3:18-25 and Acts 2, as well as the baptism for the dead in 1 Cor 15 and that enigmatic text in 1 Peter 4, indicate to me that we should be open to Jesus either gospeling the dead or announcing the good news to the dead after his death and before his ascension. Do these texts indicate that death is final? One of the comments elucidated what I mean by "is death final?" when it suggested that the first death is not final but the second death is final. The question the Church has asked, and some are surprised by this, is whether that second death is final? Does it matter to your way of doing theology that the early theologians all believed in a descent into hades? Here's a basic historical conclusion, and it is sketched in readable detail in Alfeyev's book: into the 4th Century, Christians in both the West and the East clearly affirmed the descent into hell, the victory of Jesus over death, and either the liberation of saints from the realm of the dead or the total liberation of all humans from the power of death and hell. Here are some details: Irenaeus is typical in seeing both the descent and a release of the patriarchs, prophets and saints from the Old Testament period. Hippolytus: John the Baptist also descended to preach to those in hades. Clement of Alexandria: Christ descended and preached to the saints and to the Gentiles who lived outside the true faith. Hell for him was a place of reformation. Origen is like Clement, but emphasizes human choice. Issue: how to define the various terms, but many saw places. That is, there's Abraham's bosom, and hell, and hades, and a prison. Athanasius: leans, at times, toward the universal redemption or release from death. The famous text "Christus patiens," attributed by some to Gregory Nazianzen, poetically sketches a universal release of the dead through the descent. Cyril of Alexandria follows this line of thinking; so does Maximus the Confessor. Many are somewhat ambivalent or clearly believe Jesus' release was only for the saints, and an example is St John Chrysostom. John Damascene emphasizes human choice by those in the realm of the dead and so not all are liberated. St Jerome is in this camp of saying at times that all are liberated but other times not all are liberated. A decisive voice in this issue, especially in the West, was Augustine who believed in both a descent but not all in a "second chance". For Augustine, death was final and the only ones in hades who were released were those who were predestined in God's elective grace. What is interesting, though, is that Augustine was clearly battling many who did think Christ emptied hades and death and hell of all its inhabitants. Gregory the Great completed the Augustinian perspective. Alfayev emphasizes that the Eastern fathers did not spell things out the way the Western fathers did. Dante took theology about the afterlife and turned it into an epic adventure, modeling his story on Homer's stories and on Virgil's famous The Aeneid and in many ways taking them to the next millennia of history. In the East, instead of finding a Dante's journey into the underworld and then back up to heaven, we find poets who told stories of Christ's victory of Death and the Devil and Hell. The principle poets are Ephrem the Syrian and Romanos the Melodist. Their poetry, which has been said to be some of the best in the world, puts into words the theology of what Christ accomplished between his death and his resurrection/ascension. Do you believe in the descent into hades (after the death of Jesus)? Why or why not? What part does this theology of the fathers play in your understanding of the descent? As I dipped into the Eastern theology poems by reading Alfayev, what struck me was how personified and mythic and epic everything had become. Here are the principle themes: Christ, the protagonist, breaks the gates and bars of Hades, overpowers Satan and his ministers, and breaks their resistance. Christ then illumines Sheol with is light, destroys Death and opens the way for the dead to rise. What we see in the poetry of the East is a near universal, if not universal, victory over death and hades and hell and Satan. Which borders on a kind of universalism. Alfayev sums up his study by noting four views of the effect of Christ's descent: 1. All are liberated from hell and death (Orthodox liturgical emphasis). 2. The OT saints are liberated (Eastern patristic tradition emphasis; West after Augustine). 3. Those who followed Christ [elect] were liberated (Augustine). 4. Those who lived by faith and in piety were liberated (West; after Augustine). Alfayev sees Scripture as prominent in authority with the liturgical texts second. The councils, which are specific responses to specific issues at specific times, are alongside the liturgical texts. Then the fathers opinions. Thus, the descent for Alfayev is doctrine but how many find salvation is private opinion. The most pervasive view, as I read him, is that only those who believe are saved. Christian astronaut will pilot NASA's first crewed moon mission in over 50 years A devout Christian astronaut will pilot NASA's first crewed trip around the moon in over 50 years as one of four people from two countries slated to make the trip next November. In an announcement earlier this month, NASA named the crew for the Artemis II mission, which will include NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is a 10-day-long flight test of NASA's Orion spacecraft. Glover, who will be the pilot for the mission, was a former U.S. Navy commander who flew combat missions in Iraq and served as a legislative fellow to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., before he joined NASA in 2013. At the NASA event in Houston announcing the Artemis mission earlier this month, Glover said that he wanted "to thank God for this amazing opportunity," Glover believes the celebration is about "so much more than the four names that have been announced." "We need to celebrate this moment in human history," he said, adding the mission is meant to be "the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars." "I pray that God will bless this mission, but I also pray that we can continue to serve as a source of inspiration, for cooperation and peace not just between nations, but in our own nation," he added. Glover is a member of the Churches of Christ in the Houston area, having been profiled in The Christian Chronicle in 2020 when the astronaut was training for a six-month mission to the International Space Station. "I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA," he told The Chronicle in 2020. "That's really the thing I think the most about." Glover brought a Bible and communion cups to the station, saying he planned to engage in "virtual service, virtual giving, reading my Bible and praying." In addition to Glover being the first African American to fly to the moon, Koch will be the first woman to do a lunar mission, while Hansen will be the first Canadian. The minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency, Francois-Philippe Champagne, said in a statement he is happy that "Canada is at the center of this exciting journey." "On behalf of all Canadians, I want to congratulate Jeremy for being at the forefront of one of the most ambitious human endeavors ever undertaken," Champagne stated. "Canada's participation in the Artemis program is not only a defining chapter of our history in space, but also a testament to the friendship and close partnership between our two nations." The first NASA moon landing ocurred in July 1969 through the Apollo 11 mission. The last crewed mission to the moon was Apollo 17, which was in December 1972. The crew of four scheduled to lift off next November will collaborate on work during the trip to execute a set of demonstrations for the flight test. "I could not be prouder that these brave four will kickstart our journeys to the Moon and beyond," Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight of NASA Johnson Space Center said. "They represent exactly what an astronaut corps should be: a mix of highly capable and accomplished individuals with the skills and determination to take on any trial as a team. The Artemis II mission will be challenging, and we'll test our limits as we prepare to put future astronauts on the Moon. With Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy at the controls, I have no doubt we're ready to face every challenge that comes our way." Former homeless, suicidal Sudanese refugee becomes pastor, aids missionaries A Sudanese war refugee who was once homeless and at one point tried to end his life now heads a church in South Sudan that is helping to rebuild his homeland. The Rev. Bernard Suwa, the 66-year-old head pastor and founder of Grace Community Church in Juba, South Sudan, shared his testimony with the United Kingdom-based publication Premier Christianity, which was published earlier this month. Suwa, who grew up as a refugee during Sudan's lengthy civil war, said that by his 16th birthday, he was a homeless orphan wandering the streets of Juba. "Until the age of seven, I lived peacefully with my family in southern Sudan, but in 1964, that changed. The first Sudanese Civil War reached our village, so I fled to Uganda with my sister's family," Suwa recounted. "We began our 22-mile journey on foot, but because the main road was infested with soldiers, we had to access the border another way." "When we crossed the river into Uganda, my brother-in-law put me behind his head, my baby niece was over his shoulder, and his right hand dragged my sister through the raging waters. We ended up in Gulu, but the rest of my family settled at Elegu near the border. We were separated." Life as a refugee Suwa said as a refugee in Uganda, he constructed his own mud hut with a thatched roof made of grass. He also said authorities only gave them machetes and hoes for fieldwork. When Suwa was 12, his father died from an asthma attack while authorities tried to relocate refugees closer to the border. His mother was later raped and murdered by Sudanese soldiers while crossing the border shortly after a treaty had been signed. "When I was 15, the Addis Ababa Peace Agreement was signed, which signalled hope of returning home. Mum decided it was time to leave," he wrote. "My brothers returned to Sudan first to construct huts for our family. My job was to look after the family's possessions while mum sought transport for repatriation. But it was so chaotic and slow, that mum decided it would be quicker to walk the 22 mile journey across the border alone." "As she crossed the river into Sudan, the military hiding in the bush caught up with her, raped her and left her for dead," he continued. "My siblings in Sudan thought that my mum was with me, and I thought that she was with them. Two weeks later, we discovered the burnt remains of mum hidden under a bush." After both his parents died, Suwa tried to pick up the shambled pieces of his life. He received free placement at a secondary school. However, with more than 500 students populating the campus, Suwa said he felt lost in the crowd. He had no other option but to stay at his school during weekends and holidays as he had no official place of residence. "Every Sunday, I would sit under the same mango tree in the school grounds wondering why my life had been wrecked by war and poverty. I felt lonely. Life wasn't worth living," Suwa recalled. 'My new life' One Sunday, while sitting in his usual spot under the tree, where he mourned his losses, Suwa considered suicide. But then, he suddenly heard a song coming from a chapel nearby. "When I heard 'What a friend we have in Jesus,' I felt that I was being called. So I left my tree, walked in and sang with the rest of the students. That was the beginning of my new life. Life was never the same again," Suwa recounted. The chaplain who led the service was an employee of ACROSS an interdenominational development agency in Sudan co-founded by the Christian aviation charity Mission Aviation Fellowship. Suwa said the people from the agency gave him the hope and direction that he desperately needed. Even with his newfound faith providing him with internal peace, the community around him continued to be in a state of complete chaos as Sudan's second civil war began in 1983. Church leader By the time Suwa was 29, he was married with a daughter. When the second civil war broke out, he and his family fled to Nairobi, Kenya, for safety, with MAF helping them escape. In 1990, Suwa started working with ACROSS in Nairobi, to help support Sudan's development. He started training to become an Anglican minister. After Kenya refused to extend Suwa's visa, Australian missionaries sponsored him and his family, which led them to move to Sydney. After Sudan's second civil war ended in 2005, Suwa returned to Africa in 2007. According to the MAF website, Suwa served as CEO of ACROSS from 2007 until 2011. In 2011, as the new nation of South Sudan was formed and conflict in the region continued, he launched Grace Community Church. "I know there are things that only God can change in my country. I dream that the war will cease and that political leaders will put their people's interests first," Suwa said. "I thank God for Grace Community Church, which has become a chaplaincy for many MAF staff and other Christian organizations. I am very appreciative of the selflessness of these people." Yonas Dembele, an analyst for the World Watch Research unit of Open Doors, a Christian persecution watchdog group, noted in a statement earlier this year that South Sudan has experienced internal problems connected to ethnic conflict. "South Sudan has endured crisis after crisis since 2013. Many had hoped that tolerance, democracy and human rights would flourish in the majority Christian nation," stated Dembele. "However, the clash between the two main ethnic groups (represented by the president and the vice president) led to a civil war that resulted in hatred, death and destruction." Dembele noted, "many aid workers have been kidnapped and killed, and churches and Christian training centers have been attacked." In February, Pope Francis visited Juba, celebrating mass before tens of thousands and calling for peace and reconciliation among the population. "Even if our hearts bleed for the wrongs we have suffered, let us refuse, once and for all, to repay evil with evil," Francis said, as quoted by The Associated Press. "Let us accept one another and love one another with sincerity and generosity, as God loves us." Kentucky must pay $270K for banning large worship gatherings during pandemic: appeals court A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling ordering Kentucky to pay more than $270,000 in legal fees in response to a lawsuit over Gov. Andy Beshear's coronavirus worship restrictions. A ruling handed down by a three-judge panel on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday upholds a district court's decision ordering the state government led by Gov. Beshear to pay $272,142.50 in legal fees to plaintiffs over restrictions on mass gatherings imposed in 2020 to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. The plaintiffs, T.J. Roberts, Randall Daniel and Sally O'Boyle, attended an Easter service at Maryville Baptist Church on April 12, 2020, at the height of the lockdowns. At the time, an executive order implemented by Beshear prohibited Kentucky residents from attending "mass gatherings," including church services. Shortly after they attended the Easter service, the plaintiffs received notices indicating that state officials were aware of their presence at the service and warned them of future "enforcement measures," including possible misdemeanor charges. This prompted the plaintiffs to file a lawsuit against Beshear and other state and local officials. Judge David Hale, appointed to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky by former President Barack Obama, sided with the plaintiffs in a May 2020 decision allowing Maryville Baptist Church to hold in-person worship services. While Beshear appealed the order to pay attorney's fees handed down by the lower court, the 6th Circuit upheld the decision. Beshear argued that the plaintiff's attorneys billed excessive hours, used exorbitant rates, and should not receive payments for work performed after the injunctions enabling in-person worship services to take place. "The district court has considerable discretion in determining the amount of a fee award, and this case offers no red flags of abuse," the ruling asserted. "The court considered the Governor's arguments, assessed the evidence and the congregants' degree of success, and clearly explained its convincing 'reasons for the fee award.'" Roberts, one of the plaintiffs in the case, reacted to the development in a tweet Monday, expressing gratitude that "we won and the right to worship was affirmed." He shared a picture of the notice he received on his car after attending the Easter service. The notice informed him that the state was aware of his presence at a "mass gathering prohibited by Orders of the Governor and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services." It warned that "this vehicle's occupants, and anyone they came into contact with, are at risk of contracting COVID-19." Three years ago today, @AndyBeshearKY told the people of Kentucky that they are not allowed to attend church during a Good Friday press conference. Beshear told the people of Kentucky that church goers will have their licenses taken down and they will be forced to quarantine, pic.twitter.com/uEx5vTVUNT TJ Roberts (@realTJRoberts) April 10, 2023 "This vehicle's license plate has been recorded," the notice stated. It vowed that "employees of the local health department will be contacting those associated with this vehicle with self-quarantine documents, including an agreement requiring this vehicle's occupants and anyone in the household to self-quarantine for 14 days." The notice stipulated that failure to comply with the agreement "may result in further enforcement measures." "I know a lot of people who are outraged that the TAXPAYER is on the hook for ANDY's violation," Roberts added. "I share this outrage, but this outrage must be aimed at Beshear. If the people of Kentucky want to quit being taxed to pay for these court judgments, Kentucky MUST elect a governor who will actually follow the constitution." Beshear faces re-election this fall. Kentucky votes overwhelmingly Republican in presidential and federal elections. Still, polling of the race thus far shows the Democrat with a high approval rating and a lead over all his potential Republican opponents. A poll conducted by Mason-Dixon in January gave Beshear a 61% approval rating. In a hypothetical matchup between Beshear and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Beshear takes 49% of the vote, followed by Cameron at 40%. In hypothetical matchups with other Republican opponents, Beshear takes 57% to Kelly Craft's 32%, he wins 52% to Republican Ryan Quarles' 35%, and he captures 53% compared to 33% for Republican Mike Harmon. Newsom's vow to stop doing business with Walgreens over abortion pill would violate federal law California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office walked back the governor's claims that the state is "done" doing business with Walgreens after the pharmacy chain announced it would not distribute the abortion pill in states where it's illegal to do so. Following Walgreen's announcement that it would not dispense mifepristone in certain states after pressure from nearly two dozen attorneys generals, Newsom declared in March that California would withdraw from a $54 million contract with Walgreens. The governor also tweeted that the state would not do business with any company that "cowers" to "extremists and puts women's lives at risk." However, Newsom didn't consider that federal law requires the state to continue doing business with Walgreens through California's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, as Kaiser Health News reports. Medi-Cal provides coverage to nearly 15 million low-income residents and people with disabilities. If the state stopped covering Medi-Cal prescriptions filled at Walgreens stores, it would violate federal Medicaid requirements, which allow patients to obtain medications at any approved pharmacy, according to the report. In a statement to the outlet, Tony Cava, a spokesperson for the California Department of Health Care Services, confirmed that the state would not take any action that violates federal law or inhibits low-income individuals' ability to access their medications. Likewise, a spokesperson for Newsom, Anthony York, clarified in a statement to Kaiser Health News that "Tweeting is not policy." He provided assurances that the governor would not "take any action that hurts people who need access to care." Walgreens and Newsom's office did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. As CP reported last month, under Newsom's directive, the California Department of General Services gave the company a formal notice that it's withdrawing from a contractual agreement set for renewal in May. The contract enabled the state to procure "specialty pharmacy prescription drugs," typically used by the state's prison healthcare system. Walgreens had received $54 million from California under the contract. Walgreens, alongside CVS and Rite Aid, announced that it had taken steps to begin dispensing mifepristone after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration modified restrictions on the drug in January. Following threats of legal action from multiple Republican state attorneys general, Walgreens announced that it would not dispense mifepristone in over 20 states, as it would be illegal under those states' laws. In a statement to CP last month, Fraser Engerman, senior director of external relations for Walgreens, disclosed that the corporation was "deeply disappointed" by the state of California's decision not to renew a longstanding contract following the company's decision. "Walgreens is facing the same circumstances as all retail pharmacies, and no other retail pharmacies have said that they would approach this situation differently, so it's unclear where this contract would now be moved," Engerman stated. The spokesperson said that Walgreens has consistently made it clear that it would dispense the abortion pill drug only in parts of the country where distributing it is "legally permissible." "We will dispense this medication consistent with federal and state laws," he vowed. "Providing legally approved medications to patients is what pharmacies do, and is rooted in our commitment to the communities in which we operate." Earlier this year, the American College of Pediatricians released a 24-page report following the FDA's decision, outlining the risks of taking mifepristone without proper medical supervision. "Bleeding, cramping, and abdominal pain are commonly associated with a chemical abortion, and approximately 8% of women will experience bleeding for more than 30 days afterward," the report reads. "Planned Parenthood acknowledges the following possible complications after a chemical abortion: bleeding, infection, allergic reaction, retained fetal tissue, and incomplete abortion." On Friday, a federal judge in Texas suspended the FDA's approval of mifepristone. Another federal judge in Washington issued a preliminary injunction shortly after, prohibiting the FDA from "altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of mifepristone." The ruling from the Texas judge gave the Biden administration a week to appeal the decision. The U.S. Department of Justice filed an emergency stay motion with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday to block the ruling from Texas. Oklahoma board rejects Catholic schools request to become nations first religious charter school Oklahoma education officials have, for the time being, unanimously rejected an application by a Catholic school seeking to become the first religious charter school in the United States. The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board rejected the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School Application for Initial Authorization during a meeting Tuesday at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. The board cited multiple points of concern with the application, including questions on the constitutionality of having a state-sponsored Catholic school, reported The Washington Post. Despite the vote, it is possible for the Catholic school to reapply for charter school status, as the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has 30 days to revise and resubmit its application. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive advocacy group that has been monitoring the controversy, celebrated the boards decision. Its hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nations first religious public charter school, said Americans United CEO Rachel Laser in a statement. We will say it again: We urge the board to reject any application for a virtual charter school that includes a religious curriculum or engages in religion-based discrimination. Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, told National Public Radio in an interview shortly before the board vote that he believed recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions had paved the way for allowing state-funded religious schools. In our opinion, they all seem to be pointing in one direction, and that is that as they've said and as they've said now three times if a state has a program generally available that is state-funded, then they cannot prohibit a religious institution from participating in that program simply because they're religious, said Farley. Last year, then Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor and Solicitor General Zach West issued an opinion warning that state prohibitions against faith-based charter schools might not be constitutional. OConnor and West cited three cases: Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (2017), Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020) and David Carson et al. v. A. Pender Makin (2022). In Trinity Lutheran, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that a Missouri churchs preschool could not be prohibited from benefiting from a secular aid program solely because it was run by a faith-based institution. In Espinoza, the high court ruled 5-4 that parents in Montana could take advantage of a publicly-funded scholarship program to send their children to sectarian schools. In Carson, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Maines state-operated tuition assistance program could not prevent parents from using the funds for schools that have religious instruction. While Okalhoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has expressed concern over the Catholic school receiving charter status, Gov. Kevin Stitt supports the approval, writing to Drummond in February that state provisions against religious charter schools likely violate the First Amendments prohibition on religious discrimination. You contend that the United States and the Oklahoma Constitutions permit, and indeed require, the state to discriminate against religious organizations seeking authorization to operate charter schools. In fact, the opposite is true, wrote Stitt. Religious liberty also precludes the government from singling out believers for disfavor or preventing them from fully participating in public life, including in public-benefits programs. Canadian pastor spent Easter weekend in jail after protesting drag queen events A Canadian pastor spent Easter weekend in jail after publicly protesting drag shows for children at public libraries in Calgary, Alberta, marking his third arrest in five weeks. Video footage posted on Rumble shows Calgary police officers arresting Pastor Derek Reimer of Mission 7 Ministries as he protested outside the Genesis Centre on April 4, five days before Easter. Reimer has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of drag queen story hours, events usually hosted by public libraries where men dressed as women read to children. Reimer was arrested on two separate occasions for similar protests, both of which occurred last month. In an interview with Rebel News, Reimer described his arrest as "outrageous." Reimer claims he was "nearly a kilometer away from the Genesis Centre, just preaching, making people aware of what was taking place there." He said the focus of his protest was the "pervert grooming hour" taking place there, referring to a drag queen story hour. BREAKING: Pastor Derek Reimer has been arrested again, his third recent arrest, on a warrant for allegedly breaching bail conditions he received following a previous protest Drag Queen Story Hour event. Support his legal fight: https://t.co/Aemeo5Afjlpic.twitter.com/wcVz4vTyHz Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 4, 2023 "The cops come up, you can already see in the video, they arrest me, they're not telling me even what I'm arrested for or what the warrants are for," he lamented. The police informed Reimer that "there's a warrant out for eight additional charges." The eight charges include five counts of breaching court conditions, two counts of causing a disturbance and one count of criminal harassment, according to The Calgary Herald. Speaking to Rebel News, Reimer's attorney Ben Allison said his client spent Easter weekend in jail due to an alleged breach of his bail conditions. Responding to reports that the additional charges were "hate-motivated," Allison said that "if a person is sentenced of any criminal act, one of the factors the court can consider is whether or not the criminal act was motivated by hate." Reimer has a court hearing scheduled for April 12. Reimer's first arrest came on March 2 following a confrontation five days earlier at the Seton Library location of the Calgary Public Library, where he protested another drag queen story hour. A fundraiser set up by Rebel News claimed that Reimer "was assaulted, and then absurdly fined and arrested." As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser set up to cover Reimer's legal expenses had reached 56% of its goal. Shortly after Reimer's initial arrest, he was arrested again for breaching an order prohibiting him from getting within 200 meters, or approximately 656 feet, of any events involving members of the LGBT community. The fact that Reimer spent Easter weekend behind bars did not sit well with Rev. Franklin Graham, the CEO of the charitable organization Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. On Facebook Monday, Graham wrote, "Pastor Reimer feels that God was calling him to expose and stand up against these events that endanger and seek to indoctrinate children." "It's just wrong to expose children to sexualized, agenda-driven progams like this," he added. Graham said the government's treatment of Reimer is an example of the hostility toward Christians in Canada, pointing to the multiple arrests of Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski over his violations of coronavirus restrictions. Graham claims those arrests are government overreach and a violation of the right to worship. In March, the Calgary City Council voted 10-5 to pass a new bylaw prohibiting protests near city facilities. The measure is known as the Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw. Under the new law, protests targeting any race, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, place of origin, marital or family status, sexual orientation, or income source must not take place within 100 meters (328 feet) of a public library or city-operated recreation center entrances. Convictions are punishable by up to CA$10,000 ($7,310) or up to one year in prison. "The City is committed to ensuring that all Calgarians who wish to access public services and facilities are not being exposed to messaging or behaviour that is hateful, intimidates, harasses, or discriminates," the council maintained in a statement. Scientist discovers 'erased' 1,750-year-old New Testament translation using ultraviolet photography A scientist claims to have discovered a hidden ancient translation containing portions of the Gospel of Matthew which are said to be the only known "remnant of the fourth manuscript that attests to the Old Syriac version" of the Gospels. The researchers, including medievalist Grigory Kessel of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW or Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften), used ultraviolet photography to find the ancient translation hidden underneath three layers of text. The study, published last month in the journal New Testament Studies, features an interpretation of Mattew 11:30 to Matthew 12:26, originally translated as part of the Old Syriac translations nearly 1,500 years ago. According to the British Library, Syriac was a dialect of Eastern Aramaic used by the Church in Syria and several countries in the Middle East from the first century until the Middle Ages. Although it was written in the same alphabet as Hebrew, the Syriac language has its own unique characters. "As far as the dating of the Gospel book is concerned, there can be no doubt that it was produced no later than the sixth century," the study reads. "Despite a limited number of dated manuscripts from this period, comparison with dated Syriac manuscripts allows us to narrow down a possible time frame to the first half of the sixth century." According to a statement released by OeAW earlier this month, the discovered text was made in the third century and copied in the sixth century. More than 1,000 years ago, a scribe in ancient Israel erased a book of the Gospel inscribed with Syriac text to reuse it, as the parchment was a scarce resource in the desert in the Middle Ages and was often reused. "The tradition of Syriac Christianity knows several translations of the Old and New Testaments," Kessel stated. "Until recently, only two manuscripts were known to contain the Old Syriac translation of the gospels." One of those fragments is kept at the British Library in London. The second fragment was discovered as a "palimpsest," or reused manuscript that still bears traces of its original form, in St. Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai. The fragment identified by Kessel offers a "unique gateway" to an early phase of the "textual transmission" of the Gospels. "For example, while the original Greek of Matthew chapter 12, verse 1 says: 'At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and his disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat,' the Syriac translation says: '[...] began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them," the statement noted. Claudia Rapp, the director of the Institute for Medieval Research at the OeAW, praised Kessel for the discovery, crediting the researcher for his "profound knowledge" of old Syriac texts and script characteristics. Rapp estimated that the Syriac translation was produced at least a century before some of the oldest surviving Greek manuscripts, including the Codex Sinaiticus. The Codex Sinaiticus is a complete text of the Gospels believed to be older than the fourth century. "This discovery proves how productive and important the interplay between modern digital technologies and basic research can be when dealing with medieval manuscripts," Rapp stated. In February, The Christian Post reported on the upcoming auction of the Codex Sassoon in May, which is reportedly the earliest single codex containing all the books of the Hebrew Bible. Created circa 900, the book consists of 24 books divided into three parts. The Hebrew Bible is foundational to three Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The 24 books contain the canonical Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah, the Nevi'im and the Ketuvim. Sotheby's, the fine arts company auctioning the book, suggests it could sell for up to $50 million at the scheduled auction in New York. Before the auction, the manuscript is touring several major cities, including Tel Aviv, Israel, Dallas and Los Angeles, providing the public with an opportunity to view it. Watermark Church leader looks to the Bible to answer Gen Zers questions about 'gray areas' and sin A Texas megachurch leader says there are gray areas in life when it comes to making certain decisions that could lead to sin, and it's best to look to the Bible first and apply it to one's present circumstances. Is it OK to drink alcohol? Is it OK to move in with my fiancee if we sleep in separate bedrooms so we can save money? These were just a couple of the questions read by Josiah Jones, young adult director of volunteers for Watermark Community Church, during a recent gathering where he addressed "Gray Areas of Christianity" at a weekly gathering of millennials and Gen Zers in their 20s and 30s called The Porch in Dallas, Texas. You know those things in life that aren't always black and white? For some of you, the gray areas are a sin. But for others of you ... like the things that we're going to propose tonight, it's not a sin for you, Jones said. Drinking alcohol One example of a gray area, Jones said, is drinking alcohol. It's 100 percent clear from God's Word that getting drunk is a sin. Ephesians 5:18 says this: 'Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.' In other words, thats sin. ... But it's also clear that the Bible doesn't say anything about you not being able to have a drink. That's also clear. We have the freedom to drink moderately." Although drinking alcohol is not like the forbidden fruit in Genesis, Jones said there are times when it might not be good for someone to have even one drink. Jones recounted having an addiction to alcohol, with this battle leading him to dedicate five years of his life to sobriety. Before Christ, I was nearly an alcoholic. And when I came to Christ, it's not like everything just cleaned up and I never had a drink. And so, I would go out even after [saying], Hey, Jesus is my Lord and Savior. And I would drink, and sometimes that would lead me to drunkenness. [And that led to] just one too many times of drunkenness. So for me, it was bringing me under its power, Jones admitted. For the next five years, I just said, Hey, I'm just going to cut it off. I'm going to starve my flesh of this privilege. The Bible doesn't say you can't drink. But for me, I couldn't, because it led to an unhealthy place. Christians need to determine what is best for themselves when it comes to whether or not they should drink a minimal or moderate amount of alcohol, Jones added. He stressed, however, that Christians shouldnt make that decision on their own. Instead, they should let trusted voices into [their] life that can help make that decision. I think the tendency for us is [to say], Yeah, check. I'm good. And we're just not very thoughtful in wanting that circle and asking people that know us and we know them. And they can help make that decision for us and give you some more thoughtful questions to possibly ask based on your history, Jones said. You should ask questions like, 'Are you running to alcohol as a means of escape because you're stressed? Smoking marijuana Jones said another gray area is whether or not smoking marijuana in states where it's legal is OK. Even though I believe most people don't let borders stop them from smoking weed, I can see how you get there. Like some of you have this mindset, Well, it's OK to have that glass of wine, you know, or that beer, liquor at 21, [so] it's OK for me to hit this blunt, Jones illustrated. And again, I'm genuinely asking is it really to help you with your anxiety and sleep? Or if you had to be honest, you like how you feel? [or] it allows you to check out of reality? Jones said Ephesians 5:1 which states, Do not be drunk with wine. For that is debauchery. But be filled with the Spirit, is only about alcohol. I think [the verse is] for a lot of different things. Can you be filled with the Spirit and filled with weed? I would love to have that discussion. I genuinely want to learn because I don't want you to do anything that would suppress the Spirit of God in you. Because He's our guide, Jones declared. The Bible says that when you commit your life to Jesus, He gives you another power so that you would submit to that power, not to the ways of the world's power. Dressing modestly When it comes to the gray area of choosing what clothes to wear, Jones said, it is vital that Christians question why they choose to dress a certain way. [Is it] in the name of body positivity or this is what everyone else is doing? You kind of justified your actions in wearing this or going here or buying that. But deep down you really want the attention from the opposite sex, Jones said. You really want that guy to slide into your DMs. Or guys, you just want that girl to ... tell you how great you are. And you just want someone to gas you up because you've been in that gym looking good and you've lost your 20 pounds and you're down to 10% body weight or whatever it is, he continued. I'm just saying, what's the motivation of your heart? These things are bad in and of themselves. The motivation of your heart can tell everything. Is there any real reason to show that much body to anyone other than just to kind of get praise? Listening to secular music Jones said listening to secular music can be considered another gray area, as some might be led deeper into sins when they listen to secular music. For them, he said, they should avoid being tempted further into sin. As an example, he said: You've had a long day. It was a frustrating day. You turn on the Spotify playlist. When you get in your car, you go to a rap song and it's hooking up with girls [and] explicit language. Let me ask, do you need more of the world in that moment or do you need more of the Kingdom of God in that moment? Is that going to hook you to a place of, Hey, Tinder I just need a quick hookup. Is that going to lead you to that place? Is it going to lead you to not glorify God? Self-reflection Jones told the audience of young adults that there are four questions Christians should ask themselves when trying to decide whether something that is in a gray area that could potentially lead to sin: Is it helpful physically, mentally and spiritually? Does it bring me under its power? Does it hurt others? Does it glorify God? If you ask these questions, think over it. Go be free, man. Go enjoy it for the glory of God and try your best not to entertain what would be evil and sinful, Jones said. In the Bible, it is clear that not all sin is a gray area and not all gray areas are sin. But I think, for some of us, we want to make all gray areas gray. And I don't see that in my Bible, he added. And so, what I see in my Bible is this: That there is none righteous. No, not one. What I see in my Bible, in Romans 3:23, is that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. What I see in my Bible is Jesus stepping onto the scene, and He says, 'I am the way. John 14:6. 'I am the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" 'Medicine ... has been captured' by trans ideology, lifelong medical professional warns This isnt the first time that medicine has lost its way. Jennifer Lahl knows a thing or two about medicine: after spending 20 years in clinical nursing, she is the founder and president of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, which works to help educate the public about the days most pressing bioethical issues. Nowadays, however, that usually involves the topic of transgenderism. I mean, think back to what doctors were doing at Nuremberg, during Nazi Germany, Lahl said during CPs Generation Indoctrination conference. Think about the Tuskegee studies that were done for several decades in the United States on men with syphilis. So this isnt the first time that were witnessing a moment in time, a moment in history, where medicine has lost its way. Lahl said since her days in nursing, the medical profession and the relationships it represents has been completely transformed. Whereas traditionally, the profession involved a relationship between doctors and patients, Lahl said now, in the Google era, doctors have become healthcare providers, while patients are now clients or customers. That was a big shift in our view of medical professionalism, she said. We used to believe, you know, doctor knows best, and weve sort of swung the pendulum to the other side, so now the consumer knows best. That shift has always displaced what Lahl called the trusted covenantal relationship between doctor and patient to one which simply provides a service. Now weve become consumers of medicine, said Lahl. I walk in, I show up, I say, Doctor, Ive done the Google search, heres what I want, heres what I have ... Another factor, according to Lahl, is that medical ethics is no longer required in med school, the result of what she described as a medical field now beholden to politics rather than science. Medicine like academics, like the media, like the cultural elites has been captured, she said. That includes body mutilating sex-change operations, or what are known in trans-identified communities as gender-affirming procedures, which Lahl said are increasingly being marketed to minors, and parents are granting their consent to such procedures. Lahl explored this dynamic in a 2022 documentary The Detransition Diaries, which recounts the stories of three young women who mistakenly believed that their trauma and gender dysphoria would be solved by attempting to medically transition from female to male. Its important, Lahl said, to make a distinction between someone who is a de-transitioner versus someone who would be more accurately identified as a desister. A desister is somebody who never took medical hormones, never did any surgery, she explained. They thought they were born in the wrong body, so they changed their name. They were Suzie, now they go by Tom. They were she/her, now they go by him/them, they cut their hair short ... thats a desister, she added. De-transitioners, on the other hand, are those who took the extra step of medical treatment and then later regretted it. These people are young children, young adolescents, young adults who have all kinds of co-morbidities, they have childhood trauma, maybe they were sexually abused, Lahl explained. These are troubled young people, these are vulnerable young people, because we live in this toxic environment where weve told people they can change sex and weve told them this will help you, these young, now de-transitioners, have bought into that lie. Lahl pointed to the physical harm that many face during the transition process by taking medications that the female/male body was never meant to have and undergoing surgeries that cause all kinds of complications. We would need no medical training whatsoever to know that when you start doing surgeries and start taking things off the body that are normal and healthy, maybe things dont go right, she added. These complications, Lahl explained, also typically fail to solve the underlying issues that drove these now de-transitioners to transition in the first place. What happens is all those problems that were never addressed the trauma, the depression, the autism all those issues were never dealt with, so they do all this, and you know what? They dont feel any better, she said. It didnt work. Its that failure that underpins Lahls own personal conviction that transgenderism isnt simply a political or cultural tool, but one that is satanic in its origins. I don't believe in transgenderism, she said. I think thats a lie from the devil. American family donates rare 2,700-year-old papyrus fragment written to Ishmael during biblical times An American family that had a rare 2,700-year-old papyrus note on display in their home for decades, one of only three known fragments to be in existence in the world, has donated it to Israel by way of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The tiny fragment, 1.5 inches x 2 inches, contains four lines written in ancient Hebrew during the time of the Old Testament kings that begins with the words "To Ishmael send" and the rest of the words are incomplete. During a Christian mission to Israel in 1965, a woman was either gifted or had purchased the papyrus as a memento to keep after participating in an excavation. This papyrus is unique, extremely rare, Eitan Klein from the IAAs Theft Prevention Unit said, referring to the fragment written in Palaeo-Hebrew which is from the First Temple era, AFP reported, saying only two other papyruses from that period are known to researchers. It had been stored in a cave in the Judean Desert for centuries and the dry climate there enabled its preservation, IAA said. The First Temple era refers to the period from the construction of the temple under King Solomon to its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Klein was able to locate the papyrus in the United States with the help of professor Bruce Zuckerman of the University of Southern California, The Times of Israel said. Zuckerman, who was in touch with leading epigrapher Ada Yardeni until her death in June 2018 and who was writing a book about First Temple-period Hebrew scripts, helped Klein locate the son of the U.S. owner of the papyrus in Montana. Klein found that the fragment was either purchased by or given to the Montana resident when she visited Israel in 1965 as part of a Christian mission from the U.S. and participated in excavations around Qumran and met key people involved with the Dead Sea Scrolls, the newspaper said. The papyrus hung on the wall of the Montana home for decades. Klein then contacted the son, who requested to remain anonymous, and invited him to come to Israel with the papyrus as a special guest of the IAA. During the Montana mans visit, Klein and his colleagues requested him to return the papyrus. The son knew that the fragment was highly valuable but due to his Christian values and to memorialize his mother, he donated it to Israel, Klein said. The Ishmael in the note does not refer to the son of Abraham who lived centuries earlier but instead to a man with that common name who lived during the First Temple era, Christian Headlines explained. It first appears in the Bible as the name of the son of Abraham and Hagar, and it is subsequently the personal name of several individuals in the Bible, including Yishmael ben Netanyahu, who murdered the governor Gedaliah ben Ahikam, Shmuel Ahituv, a professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel who was the first to alert Klein about the existence of the papyrus, was quoted as saying. It also appears as the name of officials on paleographic finds such as bullae (clay stamp seals) used for sealing royal documents in the administration of the Kingdom of Judah, for example the bulla reading, To Yishmael, son of the king. The present document probably certified a dispatchment either to, or from, Yishmael, added Ahituv. NASA astronaut says science 'doesn't contradict' Christianity; Bible museum opens new exhibit WASHINGTON A former NASA astronaut said he believes the study of nature and science are intertwined with Scripture at the opening of a new exhibit at the Museum of the Bible about the Good Book's role in the relationship between science and Christianity. Jeff Williams, a retired NASA astronaut who traveled to space on four separate occasions, told The Christian Post during a visit to the exhibit, titled "Scripture and Science: Our Universe, Ourselves, Our Place" that he spent 534 days in space from 2000 to 2016. A devout Christian, Williams previously attended a Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod congregation for many years and now attends a Bible church in Washington state. Williams, who has been heavily involved in scientific research relating to astronomical studies for roughly 26 years, said the new exhibit reaffirmed his belief that science goes hand-in-hand with Christianity, each complimenting the other. "Science does not contradict Christianity. There is no contradiction. The contradiction comes into your philosophy going into your science," said Williams. "And your philosophy acknowledges a God that has either revealed Himself specifically in the scriptures of the Bible or your philosophy discounts or doesn't allow a God. Then, you have to explain the existence of everything by chance over time." Williams believes there is a God who has revealed Himself in creation as well as in His Word. "The exhibit reaffirmed all of the elements that I believe in, in terms of my faith and also applying the faith to the question of science and Scripture," Williams said. "Many of the scientists in the age of science who we all read about in our textbooks about the laws of physics and chemistry were believers first. They were theologians first. People like Kepler and Newton and Faraday and Maxwell, and many others. They were driven by their faith and their understanding of their calling before God to fulfill that calling." Williams said the first Great Commission, which can be drawn out of Genesis 1:28 to "subdue God's Creation," was obeyed by many early scientists. God has provided His creation with everything, including the scientific order of Creation, the mathematical order of Creation chemistry, physics, and optics which are all clear demonstrations of God's order in creation. "I believe in the biblical account of creation recorded in Genesis 1 and 2 bearing the image of God. He gave man not only the calling but the ability to seek out that order," Williams stated. "I think this exhibit will certainly help people reexamine questions that they have in life if they think that there's a conflict between science and the Bible." Williams delivered a presentation on what it's been like to be a practicing Christian living the life of an astronaut. "I hope to share with people how I was selected as an astronaut in 1996, and I came in with a mature faith and understanding of the doctrines of creation," Williams, a retired U.S. Army colonel, said right before his presentation. "And because of the public perception that science and the Bible were in conflict, I dedicated a lot of studying in those early years so that I could be equipped to answer these kinds of questions going into my career as an astronaut. Because I know this topic comes up all the time." Williams discussed the awe and wonder of going to space, the vantage point of Earth's orbit. "I want to talk about how the Bible supports and informs science with the elements of the mathematical order of God's Creation, our calling as humans, bearing the image of God, and how God has equipped us to explore and extract that order and utilize it for the glory of God and the good of mankind," Williams said. "And that gives the foundational understanding for the biblical worldview of how we can understand the history of technology development, for example, and the history of human progress; it's the God-given ability that stems from His call to subdue His Creation." Also attending the opening of the new exhibit was Lawrence Principe, a member of an advisory board that helped bring the exhibit to the museum. "The purpose of the new exhibit is to bring together two of the major features of human culture. That is Scripture, religious belief and scientific investigation, and to look at the interactions between the two over time," Principe told CP. "I'm hoping people will see that science and faith have a complicated history of relationship with one another. Sometimes working in the same direction and sometimes in debate with one another. But many of the questions both are trying to address are similar about life, human beings' place in the universe, the structure of the cosmos and so forth." Principe, a practicing Catholic, said one "interesting fact" about the advisory board that created the exhibit is that there is substantial representation from various Christian denominations as well as Judaism. "I and my Greek Orthodox colleagues were all making sure that we would have a balanced exhibit that shows the different approaches of different faith traditions in relation to the issues of science and religion," Principe said. "There's a widespread belief that science and Christianity always have to be in conflict, but what we're trying to show here is that people of faith have been involved in science, texts out of the Bible have inspired people to do science, and science has, in turn, helped us gain overtime a better understanding of what the Bible really says." The hope for the new exhibit, Principe said, is for visitors who are exploring Christianity and wondering how science coincides with it to understand both in a way that enhances their scientific knowledge and increases their faith. "I think there's a lot of misinformation out there about what the relationship between science and religion is supposed to have been, and this exhibit is an attempt to tell a more historically accurate depiction of the complex interactions between the two," Principe said. "I would hope that people who are concerned about what is the impact of religion on science and what's the impact of science on religion will come here and come away with some new ideas of how that interaction can exist." The museum contracted Storyline Studios to design the exhibition. The executive producer of Storyline Studios, Jeff Wyatt, who helped lead the team of artists, designers and fabricators in facilitating the creation of the exhibition's visual impact and design, attended the exhibition's opening. "I hoped that in creating and designing this exhibition, people would see that Scripture and science are not in conflict but are in a conversation that is ongoing. And in recent years, it seems like there is more conflict, but there is a longer history that proves that faith and science are not at odds with each other," Wyatt said. Wyatt noted that reading the Bible inspires curiosity about the world, while scientific discovery has encouraged some people to look at the Bible in different ways, which creates a back-and-forth that has happened across history. "Faith provides meaning, while science provides 'the why.' It all comes back to that. This whole exhibition shows that both science and religion have their place and that they don't necessarily need each other, but they are in constant conversation with each other and the world," he said. "They are hand-in-hand. One inspires the other." Professor says ancient inscriptions prove Old Testament account 'reflects historical reality' An Israeli professor claims that a recent translation of an eighth-century B.C. inscription containing the name of Judean King Hezekiah in Jerusalem's City of David is "one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Israel of all time." Prof. Gershon Galil, head of the Institute for Biblical Studies and Ancient History at Haifa University in Israel, alongside Eli Shukron, from the Bible and Ancient History research institute, deciphered Hezekiah's name on a palm-sized limestone tablet discovered in 2007. The inscription also summarizes the first 17 years of Hezekiah's reign and his accomplishments, as described in 2 Kings 20 of the Bible. The verse describes how Hezekiah brought water to the city through the discovery of a pool and a tunnel, and the inscribed stone was found at a pool in the Gihon Spring area. As Arkeonews reported Monday, Shukron and archaeologist Ronny Reich found the fragment near a man-made pool in the Siloam tunnel. The discovery was made during excavations at Jerusalem's City of David National Park in 2007, with Shukron and Galil spending over a decade deciphering it. The inscription measures about 5.3 inches long by 3.8 inches wide, and there are two lines of writing containing six letters inscribed in Old Hebrew script. Galil and Shukron concluded that the full inscription reads: "Hezekiah made the pool in Jerusalem." "This is an extremely important discovery that changes [some basic assumptions of] research, since until today it was commonly accepted that the kings of Israel and Judah, unlike the kings of the ancient Middle East, did not make themselves royal inscriptions and monuments to commemorate their achievements," Galil was quoted as saying. The professor explained that these inscriptions are the "earliest manuscripts of the Bible," noting that they predate other ancient artifacts, such as Hinnom silver amulets by 100 years and the Dead Sea Scrolls by hundreds of years. "They also support the claim that scriptures in the Book of Kings are based on texts originating from chronicles and royal inscriptions and that the Bible reflects historical reality and not imagination," he added. The Jerusalem Post reports that the researchers deciphered five royal inscriptions of King Hezekiah, which include dozens of lines and hundreds of letters. According to Galil, the inscriptions indicate the date the water project was completed in the 17th year of Hezekiah's reign, around 709 BCE. The researchers believe that the stone was attached to a public building and that the inscription was much larger. The inscription carries a link to another fragment discovered at the Gihon Spring in 1978 by archaeologist Yigal Shiloh. The text includes the word "seventeen/seventeenth," which could be a reference to the length of Hezekiah's reign. Notably, both inscriptions are of the same type of limestone and have the same lettering. The letters also look similar to the Siloam Inscription, which describes how the tunnel was constructed to carry water into the city to prevent the Assyrians from cutting off Jerusalem's water supply. Other archaeological discoveries have claimed to provide further context about events in the Old Testament. As The Christian Post reported, a study published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences described a new dating technique that enabled researchers to date several military conquests mentioned in the Bible properly. Twenty researchers from different countries and disciplines utilized archaeomagnetic dating to gather readings from ancient geomagnetic fields preserved through time to track changes. The study, conducted by Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, dated 21 destruction layers at 17 archaeological sites in Israel. The researchers claim their findings indicate that King Hazael of Aram-Damascus' army was responsible for the destruction of the cities of Tel Rehov, Tel Zayit and Horvat Tevet, in addition to Gath, a Philistine state. However, the team also stated that their research shows that Hazael did not conquer Tel Beth-Shean. Other geomagnetic findings appear to confirm theories that Edom took advantage of Jerusalem's fall and razed parts of Southern Judah to the ground. World's oldest Hebrew Bible could sell for $50M, become most expensive historical document sold What is being advertised as the world's oldest Hebrew Bible is scheduled for auction this May in New York and could sell for up to $50 million, according to the broker featuring the collectible. Created circa 900 and consisting of 24 books divided into three parts, the Codex Sassoon is allegedly the earliest single codex containing all the books of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is foundational to three Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. "The Bible is one of the world's greatest treasures and holds powerful resonance for the three monotheistic religions and their billions of adherents," Sotheby's, the fine arts company auctioning the book, posted on its website. "For thousands of years its sacred words have been closely studied, analyzed, and meditated on." The 24 books contain the canonical Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah, the Nevi'im and the Ketuvim. "Christians revere the texts as the Old Testament and Islam teaches that the Torah and the Psalms are divinely revealed books," Sotheby's editor Will Fenstermaker wrote in an online overview of the item's history. "Arguably, the Hebrew Bible constitutes the most influential book in human history and the bedrock of Western civilization." The item is named after its original owner, David Solomon Sassoon (1880-1942), who was known for assembling the most extensive private collection of Hebrew manuscripts. Sassoon reportedly had an "affinity" for collecting Bibles, according to Sotheby's. "Some of the most valuable and important items in his library belonged to this genre of Hebrew literature," Sotheby's stated. "His collection catalogue, Ohel Dawid, begins and ends with biblical material, and Codex Sassoon is its very last entry, giving pride of place to this monument of world civilization." The Codex Sassoon will be available for auction on May 16, 2023, starting at 10 a.m. EDT. Sotheby's believes the Codex Sassoon "could become the most valuable historical document ever sold at auction." The record was set in 2021 by billionaire investor Kenneth Griffin, who bought a first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution for $43.2 million at a Sotheby's auction. The Codex Sassoon's current owner, collector Jacqui Safra, had the manuscript carbon dated, confirming that it's older than the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex, two other major early Hebrew Bibles. Before the auction in May, the public will have the opportunity to see the manuscript for the first time in 40 years at Sotheby's auction house in London. Starting next week, the Hebrew Bible will go on a tour through several major cities, including Tel Aviv, Israel, Dallas and Los Angeles, before heading to New York for the auction. As The Christian Post reported, the Dead Sea Scrolls are the oldest known biblical manuscripts, dating back almost 2,000 years. The texts were hidden in 11 caves in the Judean desert around 68 BCE, and fragments of the scrolls were discovered in 1947 and 1956 at the archaeological site of Qumran in the West Bank. Fragments of the texts have been published in two books, titled Gleanings from the Caves: Dead Sea Scrolls and Artefacts from The Schyen Collection, and Dead Sea Scrolls Fragments in the Museum Collection. This 7th grader chooses to stand up for God's truth Sitting in my seventh-grade History Class at a Christian school, I focused my eyes on the text. We were learning about how many Church denominations split into Northern and Southern groups right before the U.S. Civil War. Our Christian history text mentioned how the Church got involved with the issue of slavery. My teacher put it up for discussion. She asked, What do you think? Should the Church get involved with the social issues of the day? I quickly raised my hand. I believe the Church should be involved, I firmly stated. If it is not the Churchs job to uphold Gods moral law for society, then whose job is it? If you only follow God during Sundays at church, you should question whether you are truly a Christian. Following Jesus wholeheartedly requires following Him at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances. My teacher called on a few others. Unless something is obviously wrong, like using California as a nuclear bomb testing site, the Church should not get involved, one boy said. The Church should only get involved if no one else stands up. The Church should focus on God, another student declared. And on it went. They all said basically the same thing the Church should not get involved except in extreme circumstances. I was shocked! After all, we were talking about the issue of slavery. Was not slavery an extreme circumstance? But how did it get so extreme? Wasnt it due partially to the fact that this evil was allowed in our society because most Christians did not view slavery from a biblical worldview, and therefore did not stand up for what was right? I am grateful that my pastor has firmly stood for God's truth on all of these social issues. In fact, my pastor says to always compare what he or any other pastor says with Gods Word. Sadly, it appears from my classmates responses that many pastors do not engage with social issues and severely lack a biblical worldview. Getting back to our day, I started thinking about some of our cultures hot-button issues, like abortion. Over 63.4 million unborn babies have been murdered since 1973. The Guttmacher Institute (Planned Parenthoods research arm) says that over 1.1 million babies were killed in 2010 alone. When I think about my 1.1 million missing fellow 12-year-olds who died the same year I was born, I cannot help but wonder if the Church had protected life, a fundamental biblical truth, whether they would be here with me today? And where is the Church on the issue of biblical marriage? In November 2022, over a dozen religious groups called on the Senate to pass the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act. And to make matters worse, last March a Public Religion Research Institute poll found that majority of most major religious groups support same-sex marriage. Biblical marriage is fundamental to the Christian faith and the foundation of our society. So, why are so many Christians supporting same-sex marriage? I would suggest that it is because the Church is doing a poor job in teaching its own congregants what the biblical view of marriage is. Far too many churches have given up the fight. And it shows. The transgender movement, within a matter of just a few years, has managed to completely corrupt the younger generations. Answers in Genesis states, According to the latest CDC health survey, which looked at data from between 2017 and 2020, 1.4% of 13 - to 17-year-olds and 1.3% of 18- to 24-year-olds were transgender, compared with about 0.5% of all adults. This number represents about 300,000 young people (double the previous estimate) and it doesnt necessarily include those who would identify as nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or other monikers. If such data were included, the number would be much higher! If the church does not stand up for truth now, our culture will continue to disintegrate. Look at what we are already seeing: the erasure of women, unsafe spaces for women and girls, medical issues for those who have undergone sex-change surgery, and many more. Hopefully my generation will reverse the current trend. Many Christians in this country will rise to defend Gods truth and refute the harmful lies that have plagued our culture for decades. Thats really what all these issues are about Gods unchanging truth versus mans truth, which is ever changing. Francis Schaeffer, a famous theologian and author, often emphasized how important it is for Christians to stand up for the social issues of their day wherever God has placed them. Although I am only a seventh-grade student, I choose to stand up for, wherever God places me, for His truth above everything else. Simply put, what I have learned is that Jesus did not ignore the social issues of His day. Instead, He shared His love and forgiveness with the thieves, murderers, tax collectors, adulteresses and beggars. One verse that has been an encouragement to me is Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said We must obey God rather than men. I encourage my fellow classmates, my generation, and all who claim the name of Christ to do the same obey God rather than men; just as the courageous Christians in antebellum America once did. When (false) narratives trump reality One valuable lesson we can learn from the awful shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville is just how committed progressives are to playing the victim, no matter how dubious or fanciful the act is. The left understands sometimes better than the right does that whoever shapes the account of a movement has a better chance at shaping the public policy surrounding that movement. Put differently, the political battles of our day are largely public relations ones, where competing interests are duking it out over who controls the narrative and language regarding a contentious subject. To cite one example, think of how certain politicians use the phrase gender-affirming care to describe hormone blockers and genital mutilation. People have adopted this phrase because, in part, gender-affirming care sounds far more palatable to the human ear than, say, chopping off a teenagers healthy sex organ. It is this emphasis on controlling the narrative that explains why the left, from the outset, has framed the transgender community as the real victims in the aftermath of the Nashville murders, even as six Christians were gunned down, including three kids, by a transgender zealot. The Associated Press, for instance, published the absurd headline: Trans people face rhetoric, disinformation after shooting. The report began with this opening paragraph: Anti-transgender rhetoric and disinformation in the days following the shooting at a Nashville Christian school that killed six people have heightened the fears of a community already on edge amid a historic push for more restrictions on trans peoples rights this year. Remember now, barely a week before this story circulated, Christians were executed by a woman identifying as a man, and yet its the trans community thats on edge over gasp rhetoric. The AP even straddles the line in rationalizing the horrific attack by noting how Tennessee is where the Republican governor has signed into law restrictions on drag show performances and a ban on gender affirming care for minors. Translation: the Christians had it coming. The AP wasnt alone, however, in engineering this ludicrous role-reversal on who the actual victims were. Kentucky Democrat State Sen. Karen Berg declared on MSNBC that there is a national, concerted, well-funded effort to eventually erase gay and trans children from our schools. Berg was then asked by host Jonathan Capehart why conservative lawmakers are putting targets on the backs of [trans] children? to which she blamed the Christian legal firm Alliance Defending Freedom. Catch what I mean about narratives? In the real world, a trans person literally put a target on the backs of young children at a Christian academy and pulled the trigger over and over and over again. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Katherine Clark got up on the U.S. House floor days after the bloodbath to proclaim that transgenders are the ones being forced to fight for [their] very existence. There are other examples, but why bother. Its obvious that the left is trying to dictate the language involving a mass murderer because theyre invested in dictating the narrative that trans folks are marginalized members of society who need liberal white knights to come to their rescue. Its a well-crafted political ploy designed to collectivize and expand voting blocs under the banner of ones victim status. But this alleged victimhood is pure nonsense. And we must not shy away from saying as much. How many marginalized people have vocal advocates in the White House, legacy media, Hollywood, and big business? Rachel Levine, who is the highest-ranking female pretender in the federal government, proudly announced that for the second year in a row, the transgender flag is flying above [the Department of Health and Human Services] in Washington, D.C. His comments were part of the Biden White House officially recognizing March 31 as the Transgender Day of Visibility. Levine also used the occasion to reiterate the Biden administrations support for evidence-based gender affirming care, which, as you know, is the lefts dishonest way of championing chemical castration and double-mastectomies for adolescents. Likewise, celebrities have promised to back the trans cause using their influential platforms and large bank accounts. Madonna, were told, is planning a benefit concert in Nashville to protest what she called the oppression of LGBTQ+ individuals, while pop star Miley Cyrus will donate money to an organization that provides LGBTQ-inclusive books to pre-K through 3rd grade classrooms to help students and teachers read out loud, read out proud! So much oppression, so much marginalization. And so many corporate sponsorships. The beer giant Anheuser-Busch turned heads recently when it inexplicably partnered with transgender agitator Dylan Mulvaney to observe his 365 Days of Girlhood by manufacturing commemorative Bud Light cans with Mulvaneys face on them. The company stood by its decision, claiming that the partnership helps it authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points. The argument that the LGBTQ+ brigade are victims of anything other than living outside of Gods design for their lives is a case study on how devoted progressives are to weaponizing language as they pursue the complete secularization of America. Its a devotion theyve been at for a while now. More than 30 years ago Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen authored what they described as a manifesto on how to shift public opinion on the subject of same-sex relationships. The book was called After the Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90s. The approach the duo advocated was to portray gays as victims of circumstance and depression, not as aggressive challengers. By embracing this imagery of victims in need of protection, Kirk and Madsen wrote, straights will be inclined by reflex to adopt the role of protector. Kirk and Madsen knew what we still know today Americans have a soft spot for the underdog. We will root for the kid who stands up to the bully. And it was the authors objective to get the cultural gatekeepers of civic life to paint orthodox Christianity as that bully. Even though it was built on a pack of lies, the tactic worked. Attitudes regarding traditional sexuality, including within the Church, have moved dramatically within the last 20 years. The strategy has worked so well, in fact, that todays LGBTQ+ lobby is sticking with the same PR script. Thats why media propagandists will pump out one embarrassing story after another where they invert the literal flesh-and-blood victims in The Covenant School massacre. The goal is to foster sympathy for the T in their leftwing alphabet train and drive the direction of the country farther away from Americas Christian heritage. Proverbs 18:17 reminds us that the one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him. The lefts fabricated narratives must not go unchallenged. They must be examined forcefully and exposed bluntly if we care about protecting our children from ideologues who would carve them up on the operating table or shoot them up in the classroom. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. 'Hidden' Bible chapter sheds new light on the Gospels A concealed portion of the Gospel of Matthew has been discovered with the help of UV light. According to a study published in the journal New Testament Studies, the Scripture portion was found beneath other layers of text in an ancient manuscript housed by the Vatican. Grigory Kessel, from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, used UV light to penetrate the layers. The newly uncovered text contains parts of Matthew 11-12 and is written in the ancient Syriac language. This text was later scraped from the parchment by a scribe and written over. It reveals some details not included in the later Greek version. Matthew 12:1 in the Greek reads: "At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath and his disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat." The newly discovered Syriac text says that the disciples "began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them." Professor Hugh Houghton, at the University of Birmingham's Department of Theology and Religion, told MailOnline that it was a "genuine and important discovery". "Until a few years ago we only knew of two manuscript witnesses to the Old Syriac translation of the gospels and now we have four," he said. "The value of the early translations is that they were made from Greek manuscripts which no longer survive, and may provide some of the first evidence for particular readings." Prof Houghton continued, "The find is important for Christians as the evidence from this document will be incorporated in editions of the Greek New Testament and used by editors to reconstruct the earliest form of the text. "Given how few manuscripts survive from the first centuries, all pieces are welcome in reconstructing the jigsaw puzzle of the history of the text." Justin Brierley, host of Premier's Unbelievable? programme, said that the variation in the wording was "fascinating". "The discovery of this new fragment of a Syriac copy of the Gospels is yet another example of how rich the manuscript tradition of the New Testament has been over many centuries," he told MailOnline. "I often encounter critics who question whether the Bible has been changed over time, but the science of textual criticism, aided by discoveries like these, help historians to put together an extremely accurate picture of what the original gospels said." Indian Archbishop fears for Christians under anti-conversion laws The Catholic Archbishop of Bangalore has spoken out against India's anti-conversion laws as the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in at two key hearings this month. Archbishop Peter Machado is seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court to compel the disclosure of records of religious violations in states that currently have anti-conversion. The highest court in India will consider his case at a hearing on Friday. Speaking to Open Doors ahead of the hearing, Archbishop Machado warned that anti-conversion laws expose Christians to spurious claims of forced conversion. "These are laws that undermine private family life," he said. "Imagine a person has a holy picture in a book, that they have in their family home. "Their brother could turn on them and say, 'This holy picture is a source of conversion to us,' and bring a claim of forced conversion." At another hearing on 29 April, the Supreme Court is being asked by BJP activist, Ashwinu Upandhay, to call upon the Indian government to extend the anti-conversion laws across all 28 states. According to Open Doors, the anti-conversion laws are being used to target India's Christian and Muslim minorities, and the push to introduce them nationwide is being driven by "nationalist concerns that mass conversion away from Hinduism might alter the country's substantial Hindu majority". Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors, said, "There is no evidence to support the claims of 'fraudulent conversion' or of 'forced conversion'. "This is an illusion, whipped up by religious nationalists for political purposes. It has the effect of dividing whole communities and families." India is ranked 11th on Open Doors' World Watch List of the most dangerous countries to be a Christian. Open Doors reports a "sharp increase" in attacks and mob violence against religious minorities in recent years. The Archbishop of Bangalore is part of the Constitutional Conduct Group, which last month wrote to the Indian government urging it to speak out against increasing violence and intimidation against Christians and end the "climate of fear". "It is imperative that you ... give this reassurance," the group said. Scottish government to challenge Westminster block on controversial gender identity reforms The Scottish government has confirmed it is taking legal challenge against the UK government's block on its gender identity reforms. Holyrood voted last December in favour of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will make it easier for people to change their legal gender by removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Under the new law, the time period for living in a chosen gender will be reduced from two years to three months. The age limit for applying for a gender recognition certificate will also be lowered from 18 to 16. In an unprecedented move, Scottish secretary, Alister Jack, announced in January that section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 would be used for the first time to stop the Bill from becoming law. The UK government claimed it would have an "adverse impact" on UK-wide equality laws. This view was challenged by Scotland's Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, who said the UK government had failed to provide "sufficient justification" for the use of Section 35. She confirmed that the Scottish government was seeking a judicial review "to uphold the democratic decision of the Parliament, and ensure proper protection of devolution". Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has called the Section 35 order an "undemocratic veto" of the Bill. UK's largest teacher's union demands schools support drag queen story time, set up LGBT spaces (CP) A new motion from the largest teacher's union in the United Kingdom demands schools support drag queen story time to help create safe spaces for LGBT students. During its annual conference in Harrogate, England, last week, the National Education Union passed Motion 34, titled "Raising the aspirations of LGBT+ students in our schools." The conference highlighted what it says is an apparent lack of "LGBT+ inclusive education" and spaces for students to discuss their gender or sexuality. The motion claimed that some schools have not allowed LGBT authors to visit and that the "far right" has attacked "[c]reative initiatives" like drag queen story time. According to the motion, the government is creating a "hostile" environment for trans-identifying people by using Section 35, which allows the UK government to stop a Scottish Parliament Bill from receiving Royal Assent, to block the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Act. The bill changed the process for obtaining a "gender recognition certificate." The teacher's union acknowledged that some schools have "developed good practice" regarding LGBT curriculum and LGBT student spaces since the abolition of Section 28, which prohibited the promotion of homosexuality through teaching or published material. However, the motion stated that these LGBT student groups "often exist in isolation from each other." "It is the educational duty of the union to publicly raise the aspirations, hopes and dreams of LGBT+ students and encourage all schools to set up LGBT+ spaces," the motion reads, arguing that creating spaces for these students challenges "the homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in schools." "Initiatives like Drag Queen Story Time and inviting LGBT+ authors into schools can help challenge the heteronormative culture and curriculum that dominates Education," the conference agenda continued. The NEU called for the executive to publicly support initiatives like drag queen story time and work with LGBT educators to build on "inclusive resources" that already exist on the online platform Mobilize and continue to expand it. In addition, the teachers union believes there should be a guidance booklet for setting up a "LGBT+ space/lunch club," believing this will encourage more schools to participate. The NEU did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. In a Wednesday statement on the passing of Motion 34, NEU Joint General Secretary Mary Bousted believes that the push for "inclusive teaching" is necessary at a time when many young people are being "targeted online with intolerant and divisive ideas" from social media influencers like Andrew Tate. The former professional boxer was arrested in December alongside his brother and two Romanian women on allegations of human trafficking, rape and committing the crimes of constituting an organized criminal group. "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," she stated. "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." Bousted asserted that LGBT spaces and networks are "now more necessary," accusing the government of not doing enough to protect trans-identifying individuals. The motion comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed concern about the content of sex education materials being taught in UK schools and ordered a review of "age-appropriate" sex education materials. Last October, Christian parents who pulled their children out of a church-run school and claimed two boys in their sons' classes at the age of 6 were allowed to identify as girls received a commitment from the British government to reform trans-affirming policies in schools. As CP reported in October, a report from the NHS advised doctors against encouraging minors to socially transition, proposing a more watchful approach to treating gender dysphoria in children. The report warned doctors that children who profess to identify as the opposite gender may be in the middle of a "transient phase." "The clinical management approach should be open to exploring all developmentally appropriate options for children and young people who are experiencing gender incongruence, being mindful that this may be a transient phase, particularly for prepubertal children, and that there will be a range of pathways to support these children and young people and a range of outcomes," the proposed guidelines state. The Christian Post This article was first published on NerdWallet.com. Wondering just how savvy you could be with your bank accounts? Brush up on ways to boost your savings balance and get smarter about banking strategies. Here are five actions you can start today. 1. Overcome account anxiety When was the last time you took a look at your bank statements? If it's been a while, you're not alone. It can be common for people to avoid looking at their expenses and deposits, says Omari Hall of GreenPath Financial Wellness, a nonprofit organization based in Farmington Hills, Michigan. "It could be that looking at your account and seeing the balance gives you a sense of anxiety," Hall says. Or, it could be the familiar sense of disappointment in wanting to buy something but seeing that the funds aren't there. But looking at your account also gives you data, which can be beneficial, he says. "When the data is in front of you, it's easier to decide what to do with your money," Hall says. For example, if you notice you are using expensive food delivery services several times a week, it could prompt you to plan a few meals cooked at home instead. This is especially true when calculating how much money you'd save. 2. Aim for saving consistency Part of being a savvy saver means putting money away for an emergency fund. It's nice to have a cash cushion ideally, enough to cover three to six months' worth of expenses, though that amount is unrealistic for many people, Hall says. If you are building your savings, Hall suggests having a goal of consistency instead of a particular amount. For example, say you get paid weekly and set up automatic savings deposits of $10 with each paycheck. With this consistent saving, you would have more than $500 after a year. That could go a long way toward paying for an emergency expense. 3. Make the most of account yields From your first dollar saved, you'll want to put your money in a high-yield account. Earning more interest allows your balance to grow faster over time. And rates on savings accounts right now are higher than they've been in years. Suppose you have $1,000 to deposit in a savings account (say, you had $500 saved and received another $500 as a tax refund). If you keep the money in a savings account that earns only a 0.10% annual percentage yield, your balance will earn only a dollar in interest after a year. But put that money into a high-yield savings account that pays a 4% APY, and your funds would grow by $41 in that period. Without much more effort, that's $40 more than you'd have if you kept your money in the low-rate account. There are also checking accounts that let you earn high yields on your balances. You might have to jump through a few hoops make a certain number of debit card transactions each month, for example but if you find one that works with the way you bank, you might earn higher yields on both your checking and savings. 4. Eliminate fees If you have a bank account that charges you a $5 monthly fee, you're paying the bank about $60 a year which could be more than you're earning in interest. Some institutions charge more. Opt for an account that waives this charge with requirements that are easy for you to meet, or better yet, go for a free account that doesn't charge maintenance fees at all. Also, look for checking accounts with low or no overdraft charges. Many financial institutions have reduced these penalties or eliminated overdraft fees. 5. Learn about federal insurance Many of the accounts that offer the best yields are online-only. If you've never opened an account with an online bank before, you might wonder if banking online is safe. However, your money is protected if the account is with a bank with federal insurance through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. or with a financial technology company that partners with a federally insured bank. For credit unions, the money would be federally insured through the National Credit Union Administration. According to the FDIC, "the standard deposit insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category." (Examples of ownership categories are joint accounts and single accounts.) And per the NCUA, that standard insured amount is the same. This means if your financial institution fails, you still have access to your money, up to the insured amount. Before depositing your money with any institution, however, be sure to check its policies and make sure funds are federally insured. Boosting your banking smarts doesn't have to take a lot of effort. These five suggestions can level up your banking knowledge and bank balances. Margarette Burnette writes for NerdWallet. Email: mburnette@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @Margarette. The article 5 Ways to Level Up Your Banking Smarts originally appeared on NerdWallet. Actress Denise Fennell was married thousands of times on stage before becoming a real-life bride in her 40s. Her journey to matrimony, including family drama and an examination of the wedding industrial complex, are part of Fennell's new one-woman show, The Bride, Or: Does This Dress Make Me Look Married? currently running at Stages Theatre. Houstonian theater fans will know Fennell from her numerous performances at Stages as the nun in the Late Night Catechism series. Nationally, Fennell is also known for playing the female lead in the Off-Broadway hit Tony n Tinas Wedding, a role she's performed more than 4,000 times in in 150 cities. Tony n' Tina is one of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time. In the interactive play, which debuted in 1985, the audience serves as guests to a raucous Italian-American wedding ceremony. In 2006, Denise starred opposite actor Rick Pasqualone as Tony in a single performance of Tony n' Tina in Temecula, Calif. She was instantly smitten, she told The New York Times, but Pasqualone was already married with kids. The pair wouldn't see each other again until 2014, when they were invited to a 25th anniversary revival of the show to play opposing in-laws. "They were looking for an iconic Tony and Tina to play the mother and father of the bride and groom," Fennell says. "There were many many Tinas before and after me but to have been considered one of the iconic Tinas was such an honor." Pasqualone also had a long run in the show, acting in roughly 1,000 performances, but only ever playing opposite Fennell once. "Ricky, I had heard about him for years, what a wonderful Tony he was," Fennell says "I really had every experience I thought I could with the show, so I wasn't really on board to do [the revival]. And then when I heard that Ricky had signed on, I'd had such admiration for his career, for the choices that he had made and the success that he had had in the business. And I thought to myself, wow, if he's coming to New York to do this play, there must be something really special about this experience. So he was part of my decision to return to Tony n' Tina's Wedding. I had no idea that through the course of the revival that I would meet my future husband." While playing enemies in the revival, a relationship bloomed between the two performers (Pasqualone by that time was divorced). They were married for real in June 2021, Fennell at the age of 47, and Pasqualone at age 55. Their Broadway romance was even featured in the New York Times wedding section. Fennell, being a bride of a certain age, wanted to have a smaller ceremony in the front yard of her parents' home in York Beach, Maine. Fennell's internal struggles over planning her dream wedding versus the expectations of her family and society are a major theme of The Bride, which is alternately hilarious and poignant. The show was commissioned by Stages about a year ago thanks to Houston's love for Fennell in the Catechism series. Like Tony n' Tina and Catechism, The Bride is largely interactive. "Audiences really come to play with me," Fennell says. "They start the experience when the audience arrives," with people invited to take pictures in front of a flower wall (similar to the real one built by Fennell's sister for her and Pasqualone's ceremony) and asked to fill out "marital advice" cards for the happy couple before the show. Fennel originally had a very different concept for the play, but shortly after receiving the invitation from Stages, her father died from stage 4 lung cancer. "To finally have somebody see your talent and recognize it and give you that opportunity? It was really a monumental moment for me," she says. "Some of the last conversations I had with my dad were, wow, I just got this amazing opportunity. They're going to be commissioning me to write a play." In the midst of her grief, Fennell considered backing out of the Stages commission. Instead, Pasqualone took over and wrote the majority of the show for her. "For the first time in my life I really took a step back from the business," Fennell says. Pasqualone said that having similar upbringingsboth grew up in large Italian families and later went on to work in showbusinessmade it easier to write from the perspective of his wife. "I wanted to write something for her that meant something to her," Pasqualone adds. Those large families feature prominently in the show, from Fennell's cartwheeling brother-in-law to Pasqualone's tradition-loving mother. Though the characters are real (as are many of the anecdotes) they've been amplified for comedic effect. Pasqualone calls it "two truths and a lie." The death of Fennell's father also changed the original concept for the play. As Denise (the character) sits in her childhood bedroom, struggling with Pinterest-fueled expectations for what a wedding should look like, she also pays homage to her familial lineage: her immigrant grandparents' love story, her father's effect on her life, and her relationship with her sister. Along the way, she educates the audience on wedding traditions, from the original purpose of bridesmaids to why wedding dresses are white. There are also Easter eggs hidden throughout the show, many of which reference Fennell and Pasqualone's lives, as well as director Kenn McLaughlin's. There is some theater magic with Denise's wedding dress, which starts as a frilly 1980s confection before transforming into a simple, sophisticated slip dress. A talismanic metal box that plays a somewhat mystical role in the storyline contains snapshots of the three's departed loved ones. Animations behind the stage are taken from the couple's actual wedding photos. And the production is filled with music referencing both Boston, where Fennell is from, and Houston. Weddings are a universal experience, Pasqualone says, and are about connecting with loved ones and reconnecting with the past. That's also the goal of The Bride, Fennell says. "My wedding was the happiest day of my life, and my dad's death was the worst day of my life. But as long as you speak (your loved one's) name, they remain with us." The Bride, Or: Does This Dress Make Me Look Married? runs through May 14 at Stages Theatre. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) Prince Harry will attend his fathers coronation, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday, ending months of speculation about whether the prince would be welcome after leveling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family. His wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain at the couples home in Southern California with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the palace said. A nearly identical statement from the Sussex's representatives confirmed the news. The May 6 date of the coronation at Westminster Abbey coincides with their sons birthday. While the announcement should silence the will he or wont he debate in the British media, it wont end the royal soap opera swirling around Harry and Meghan as King Charles III prepares for his coronation. When the prince attended the funerals of his grandfather, Prince Philip, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, commentators discussed everything from whether Harry would be allowed to wear his military uniform to exactly where he was seated. And there is always the question of whether he will meet face-to-face with his father and older brother, Prince William. That intrigue will only be heightened after Harry and Meghan stoked their critique of the royal family in a six-part Netflix series about their decision to step back from royal duties three years ago, which was followed by Harrys decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling memoir Spare. Harry and Meghan, who is biracial, have alleged she faced racist attitudes from both the palace and the U.K. press. The treatment contributed to their decision to leave the country. The revelations in Spare,'' including details of private conversations with his father and brother, Prince William, fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. The book also included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves. The prince singled out Camilla, the queen consort, accusing her of leaking private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after marrying Charles. Camilla was once reviled for her long-term affair with Charles, which contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to the late Princess Diana, Harry and Williams mother. The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view last month when the Sussexes said that they had been asked to vacate their home in Britain. Frogmore Cottage, a royal residence 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. Nelson Vanegas Houston is a city that loves reinvention and isn't afraid to follow the adage "out with the old and in with the new." In many ways, the city's diners benefit from this willingness to throw out tradition in pursuit of doing things differentlyafter all, experimental culinary combinations are to thank for Viet-Cajun and curry crawfish, pho kolaches, and deep-fried BLT sandwiches. One downside to this never-ending quest for progress: It's all too common for historical buildings to be razed to make room for the new and shiny. Thankfully, there are a few bars and restaurants around town in older, original buildings with character. Here are some of the best. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate To help maintain healthy herds, the federal Bureau of Land Management is set to host a two-day adoption event for wild horses and burros in Willis. The agency manages more than 245 million acres of public land has placed more than 280,000 of these animals in homes across the country. Wild horses are protected and managed by the agency and the U.S. Forest Service, according to a release from the bureau. On YourCourierNews.com: Hello Kitty food truck is rolling back into Houston this month with two stops Wild horses and burros, or small donkeys tend to reproduce at a high rate, doubling every four to five years and causing stress to their environment. As of March 2022, it was estimated that there were 82,384 wild horses and burros on public rangeland, the release continues. This is three times the appropriate level to maintain a healthy environment. Many of the animals live in arid environments with little water or forage. The adoption and sale program is another means for the agency to protect these animals and their environment. The Willis event will take place April Friday and Saturday at the city's agriculture barn and arena at 13551 Rogers Road. The event kicks-off at 10 a.m. Friday, while adoptions will take place from noon to 6 p.m. that same day. Adoptions will also take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. On YourCourierNews.com: Conroe Crossroads Music Festival is back this weekend. Here are 5 key things to know. Those looking to adopt a wild horse and burro must meet specific requirements and be at least 18 years old with no record of animal abuse. Applicants must have homes with a minimum of 400 square feet of coral space per animal, with access to food water and shelter. And trailers must be stock type, covered, with swing gates and sturdy walls or floors. Applicants also must meet coral fence requirements to accommodate for the height of the animal. For adult horses, the fence must be 6 feet tall, 5 feet for younger horses and 4.5 feet for burros. The agency also will offer $1,000 to people who adopt an untrained animal. The adoption incentive program also includes inspections conducted by the agency. The inspections are done within six months of those adopting a wild horse and burro. For more information, visit the agency's website at www.blm.gov. A former Magnolia High School math teacher has been charged with several felonies after several students reported allegedly seeing him in an improper relationship with a female student. Grant Tozer, 26 of The Woodlands, is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of improper relationship between an educator and student. Tozer resigned from his position with Magnolia ISD following the report of the improper relationship to district officials, according to information from the Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constables Office. On YourConroeNews.com: Montgomery County public school leaders blast Texas school voucher plan for lack of accountability According to an arrest affidavit issued Monday, in March several students reported seeing Tozer and the then 17-year-old girl exchanging text messages and often being alone in his classroom with the door locked. The girl has since turned 18, court document state. During the investigation, Tozer told officials with the Precinct 5 Constables Office he tutored the girl on various occasions with one session taking place at his home in The Woodlands. Tozer also consented to have his cellphone searched which revealed several nude photos of the girl. The girl told officials with nonprofit agency Childrens Safe Harbor the nude photos were ones she sent Tozer. The girl also said she had sex with Tozer two times at his residence, the arrest affidavit states. The agency offers specialized services to traumatized and abused children and their families. Possession of child pornography is punishable by two to 10 years in prison and improper relationship between an educator and student is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Tozer is being held at the Montgomery County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Tozer does not yet have an attorney of record. The Beaumont Public Health Department wants to help those who may not have adequate health insurance get up to speed on vaccinations, medical testing and more. The health department, located at 3040 College St., will host a free community health fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The health fair will help those on Medicaid, uninsured or underinsured make sure their children are up-to-date on standard vaccinations, including the measles, mumps and rubella combination shot required to attend school. The fair will also offer COVID-19 vaccines, diabetes assessments and educational materials sexually transmitted infections and other relevant ailments. RELATED: The Spindletop Center is looking for mental health professionals, human service techs Theres a lot of people in our area who are uninsured or underinsured," health department Director Kenneth Coleman said. "So, we invited a lot of agencies to provide to that particular group of people, where these people can have access to primary care. Were just trying to meet the needs of our citizens who need access to health care. Participating agencies at the fair will include the Jefferson County Health Department; TAN Healthcare, which offers primary care for underinsured people; and Legacy Community Health, which offers primary care for both uninsured and the underinsured individuals. The U.S. Census Bureau in 2022 reported that about 5 million Texans 18% of the states population was uninsured. As of October 2022, according to healthinsurance.org, more than 4.5 million Texans are Medicare beneficiaries. Only California and Florida had larger numbers of people enrolled in Medicare. RELATED: Christus Health improves digital options to simplify care Coleman believes people who attend the health fair will benefit greatly from learning about risks with associated health ailments and the available resources. A lot of times, people are just not aware of the resources. Or theyve heard about the resources, (and) they just dont know where to begin to make contact, Coleman said. For more information about the fair, call the health department at 409-832-4000. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday removed the national police director who had talked about using exorcisms to catch fugitives. Neither Petro nor the Defense Ministry elaborated on reasons for the dismissal of Gen. Henry Sanabria, a staunch Catholic who was appointed by Petro in August of last year. But Sanabria was under an internal investigation by the ministry over whether he had inappropriately allowed his religious beliefs to infringe on his duties. Sanabria had unleashed a debate about the impact of his faith on the police after his statements in an interview last month including that police had used exorcisms to catch drug kingpins and guerrilla leaders. He also issued a strong condemnation of abortion, which is legal in Colombia. Although Colombia is a predominantly Catholic country of conservative and religious traditions, it is a secular state under its constitution. Petro, who was sworn in as the countrys first-ever leftist president last August, said that Sanabria would never be persecuted over his religion, but that there must be separation between religious beliefs and the state. Interior Minister Alfonso Prada said Wednesday that Sanabrias departure had nothing to do with his expressions of his religious beliefs, since the government respects freedom of thought. He said only that the dismissal was part of a new start for the national police force. In a Twitter message, Petro thanked Sanabria for his work without referring to the reason for his removal. Sanabria will be replaced by a retired general of the police force, William Salamanca, who currently is Colombias consul in Miami. In an interview in Semana Magazine last month, Sanabria said that the police forces carried out exorcisms to catch top leaders of drug trafficking gangs and guerrilla groups. He also spoke out strongly against abortion, which has been legalized in Colombia by the Constitutional Court since February of last year. Sanabria said that abortion is a very serious sin because it implies killing a little person who is being formed. The Biden administration on Tuesday moved closer to imposing unprecedented cuts in how much water Arizona, California and Nevada could pull from the Colorado River, while raising the possibility that these reductions could be distributed in ways that contradict long-standing water rights that favor powerful farming regions. In releasing a new environmental review of how to operate the Colorado River's major reservoirs, the Interior Department detailed the painful dilemma facing the American West after a two-decade drought and chronic overuse. Interior officials also defended Secretary Deb Haaland's right to make cuts in a proportional way in times of emergency even if that goes against water rights held by farming communities from more than a century ago. Over the past year, the seven states of the Colorado River basin have been unable to reach an agreement among themselves to make major cuts to protect the reservoirs. The federal government expects to make a decision on how reductions could be distributed by August. Amid the tables of numbers and technical jargon in the draft environmental review, the three options the Interior Department proposes for consideration expose the stark decision in the coming months. One option would strictly follow water rights and give priority to farming regions in California, such as the Imperial Valley, that stock supermarkets across the country with winter vegetables - while letting a large part of the water supply of Phoenix and Los Angeles "get taken virtually to zero," as Interior Department Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau put it in an interview. Another option would distribute up to 2 million acre-feet of cuts in water usage - more than 15 percent of the river's average flow over the past two decades - in the same percentage across all users in Arizona, California and Nevada. That would be different from how cuts have been distributed in the past. Both federal and state officials have warned that the third option, changing nothing, would be the worst of all. That's because climate change and the drying of the West have put the reservoirs of Lake Powell and Lake Mead - the water supply for tens of millions of people - on a path toward falling so far that the dams could no longer produce hydropower, or even hit "dead pool," when water would effectively be blocked from flowing to the southern states. If no action is taken, "we can expect water levels to continue to decline, threatening the operations of the system, and the water supply of 40 million people," U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said Tuesday from a conference room at the Hoover Dam. Through the windows behind her, the bleached "bathtub ring" on the hillside above Lake Mead was clearly visible - a reminder of how far the reservoir, now about a quarter full, has fallen over the past two decades of drought. "Some may believe that this winter's snow and rain has saved the river, but that is not the case," said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. "We have a lot of hard work and difficult decisions ahead of us in this basin." State officials expressed the desire for all seven Colorado River basin states to reach an agreement over the next few months and avoid the need for the federal government to impose cuts unilaterally. Federal officials described the two alternatives they laid out - strictly following water rights, or making cuts of the same percentage across California, Arizona and Nevada - as "bookends" on a spectrum, giving state officials direction to seek compromise in between. "It gives us the framework . . . on which we can build and perhaps find something that is partway between those two bookends," said Estevan Lopez, New Mexico's representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission. "I think that's our challenge right now." The goal of the document is to assess potential rule changes for how water is released from Lake Powell and Lake Mead to protect these reservoirs from falling below what is known as "minimum power pool." That's the point at which the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams can no longer produce hydropower because there is not enough water to flow through the turbines safely. These reservoir elevations - about 3,500 feet above sea level at Lake Powell and 950 feet at Lake Mead - will be the thresholds that the federal government is working to avoid. Lake Powell stands just 20 feet above that level and is less than a quarter full. "Our fundamental assumption is we're protecting the system and we're not going to allow shortages to bring the system below those elevations," Beaudreau said. The unusually wet and snowy winter in the West has eased some of the most dire predictions for immediate cuts. The 2.083 million acre-feet ceiling on cuts that the environmental review establishes is at the low end of the 2 million-to-4 million acre-feet range that Touton, the Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, called for last summer. Beaudreau said that he was "comfortable with that number" and that it would be the "outer bounds" of what the federal government would consider cutting heading into next year. It also gives the seven states of the Colorado River basin something to shoot for, he said, as they develop programs to conserve water by paying farmers not to plant crops and making other improvements to improve the efficiency of irrigation. An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, what it would take to cover an acre of land with a foot of water. The Biden administration has set aside billions of dollars from new legislation to fund payments for drought resilience and to encourage such water savings. The more cuts to water usage that can be made voluntarily within the states would reduce the amount the federal government might impose unilaterally. In some ways, the options presented in the environmental review mirror the proposals that the seven basin states have been wrestling with this year. In January, six of the states - Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming - agreed on an approach that would make major cuts in a proportional way among states. That would hit California farmers in places such as the Imperial Valley - who suck up a lot of the river and have rights to it that predate some cities - particularly hard. California, the largest user of Colorado River water, rejected that approach, and called for cuts that adhered to water rights priority. The plan would be devastating to Arizona, state officials there say. The states have so far failed to reach an agreement on voluntary cuts. But Tuesday's environmental review also establishes a different way to justify the reductions. The six-state plan rationalized departing from a strict adherence to water rights by attributing some 1.5 million acre-feet of cuts to evaporation and other losses as water travels down the canals from the major reservoirs. But the federal government's second alternative - the one for proportional cuts - is based not on evaporation but on Haaland's legal authority to protect the river. "In our mind, the appropriate presentation is grounded in the secretary's authorities to provide for human health and safety, manage the system under emergency conditions, and provide for beneficial use," Beaudreau said. "It is the secretary's responsibility, and she has the authority, to protect the system." Haaland's authority could be at issue if states decide to bring lawsuits challenging the federal government's decision. The threat of litigation has hung over this process from the beginning, and many worry that a prolonged legal battle would delay taking action and let the reservoirs continue to fall. "We have to avoid that outcome," said Buschatzke, with the Arizona Department of Water Resources. "Litigation that might take 10 or 15 or 20 years is going to be occurring while the system and the lake behind us is going to crash." Colorado River Board of California Chairman J.B. Hamby, who is also a board member of the Imperial Irrigation District, said California is "looking to develop a true seven-state consensus" over the next two months. While the Interior Department did not say which option it preferred, Beaudreau acknowledged that "nobody's advocating" for the path that strictly follows water rights seniority and would cut off major cities such as Phoenix and Los Angeles from big portions of their water supply. "Even California would say that's not what we want," he said. "But we think analytically it's important to show if you just follow strict priority and you had to cut 2 million acre-feet out of the system, this is what would happen." Now that the environmental review has been published, a public comment period will last for 45 days. Haaland is expected to choose an option this summer. By August, Lake Powell and Lake Mead will have new rules for how much water comes out of the dams and flows to the Southwest. "We're on a little bit of a merry-go-round. We got to get off the merry-go-round. We need to have an outcome," Buschatzke said. "I think we lose confidence of the public if they don't see us taking major steps, creating an outcome in which we are stabilizing the system for a long time out into the future." A federal judge has denied Elizabeth Holmes's latest attempt to stay out of prison, ruling that she must begin serving her more than 11-year sentence on April 27. The Theranos founder had argued she should be allowed to remain free while she appeals her fraud convictions for misleading investors in her now-defunct blood-testing start-up. Though U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ruled that Holmes is not a danger to the community or likely to flee, he wrote that the court was "unable to find that she has raised a 'substantial question of law or fact' that if 'determined favorably to [her] on appeal'" is likely to result in a reversal or new trial. Holmes was once a wunderkind of Silicon Valley - the young, female founder of a promising start-up that pledged to make health care more affordable and less painful for the masses. Theranos, which Holmes founded while still a student at Stanford University, created a blood-testing device that was purported to have the capability to run a multitude of tests from just a few drops of blood. The company raised hundreds of millions of dollars from prominent U.S. statesmen and Silicon Valley investors, and Holmes became a picture of success for young founders. The saga of Theranos has now been captured in a best-selling book, a Hulu series and an HBO documentary. Holmes's image and the company came crashing down in 2015 when a Wall Street Journal investigation revealed the company's technology was sputtering along - it was relying on traditional lab testing machines and typical blood draws to run many of its tests, and testing was erratic and limited. Theranos was investigated by regulators and eventually shuttered. During Holmes's four-month trial in late 2021, former employees and partners testified that the public declarations about the company's technology did not reflect the chaos inside the firm. When Holmes took the stand, she insisted that she acted in good faith and denied that she intended to mislead anyone. But a jury found her guilty on four counts of misleading investors. Ten months later, she was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison and ordered to turn herself in on April 27. Holmes then asked the judge to allow her to remain free during the appeal process. Her lawyers argued in court filings that she is not a flight risk or a danger to the community. "She has received financial and other support from family and friends, and she continues to work on ideas for patents, as the government notes," lawyers wrote. "None of that is criminal or poses a danger to the community." They also noted that she has two young children. Holmes was pregnant at her sentencing in November and had her first child in 2021. But the government signaled that Holmes was a possible flight risk, referencing a flight to Mexico her partner had booked for the pair to attend a wedding just weeks after her verdict came in. Her defense said that the ticket was booked before she was found guilty and that it was later canceled. "Booking international travel plans for a criminal defendant in anticipation of a complete defense victory is a bold move, and the failure to promptly cancel those plans after a guilty verdict is a perilously careless oversight," Davila wrote in his latest ruling. "However, after reviewing the counsels' contemporary communications and immediate subsequent remediation, the Court accepts Ms. Holmes's representation that the oneway flight ticket - while ill-advised - was not an attempt to flee the country." Holmes's former romantic and business partner, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, was convicted in a separate trial of 12 counts of misleading investors and patients. He was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison in December. The same judge also denied Balwani's request to remain out of prison during his appeal, and the former Theranos executive is scheduled to report to prison on April 20 at a federal correctional institute in San Pedro, Calif. The judge previously recommended Holmes serve time at a federal prison camp in Bryan, Tex., about 100 miles from Houston, where she grew up. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has the final say, according to Bloomberg News. The agency did not confirm where she would go, saying in a statement Tuesday that "specific designation information is not releasable until after an individual arrives at his or her destination." Holmes's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ARACRUZ, Brazil - The 16-year-old waited until his father left the house before executing his plan. Then he pulled on his camouflage fatigues, wrapped a swastika around his arm, grabbed a mask painted with a skull and retrieved his father's guns - the Taurus .40-caliber and the .380-caliber revolver. Heading out into Aracruz that late November morning, this was his intent: to kill as many people as possible. What authorities say came next will be painfully familiar to any American. The boy drove to two schools, where he shot four people to death, wounded 10 more and delivered to this coastal city of 100,000 the kind of anguish that has devastated American communities from Newtown, Conn., to Uvalde, Tex. For decades, school massacres have seemed a distinctly American disease. But now Brazil is infected, too. In the past four years, Latin America's largest nation has suffered 17 school attacks. Twenty-six people have been killed and dozens wounded. In the last eight months alone, the country has endured 11 assaults, alarming many Brazilians who now fear that the carnage is just beginning. Many of the perpetrators fit a profile Americans will recognize: young, disaffected White men and boys in the grip of online groups that worship the killers of schoolchildren. Some have adopted the iconography of hate groups based in the United States: the skull masks of the white supremacist Atomwaffen Division, swastikas and other hate symbols. Several, including the boy in Aracruz, were inspired by the 1999 Columbine massacre in Colorado. In the debate over whether the abundance of guns in American life is leading to increasingly deadly school attacks, the Brazilian assaults offer a unique, if tragic, case study. The two sprawling countries are in many ways similar: bound by a shared history of colonialism and slavery, and characterized today by political polarization, racial strife, economic stagnation and social media obsession. But one difference divides them. "Access to guns," said Daniel Cara, an education researcher at the University of Sao Paulo. "We have the social climate. We have a community that is mobilized. The only thing missing is access to guns." In a country where firearms are far more difficult to obtain than in the United States, more than half of the recent school attacks have been committed with knives, machetes or, this month, a hatchet. The result has been substantially fewer deaths. More than half of the attacks in the past year didn't result in a single death. In one representative incident late last month, police say, a 13-year-old student in Sao Paulo excused himself to go to the bathroom. He returned wearing the skull mask and holding a long knife. He then allegedly stabbed to death his teacher, 71, and wounded five others. Afterward, authorities say, he told investigators he had tried to purchase a gun online but failed. In a social media posting the night before, he lamented committing his attack "without a decent weapon." He had wanted to be like the boy in Aracruz, whose dress he mimicked. He wanted to kill more people. - - - The global appeal of Columbine Researchers have long studied what they call the Columbine effect - the enduring fascination with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the students who shot 13 people to death in their Colorado high school. In the words of sociologist Ralph Larkin, they wrote the "cultural script" that continues to inspire shooters in the United States and abroad. In France, a teenager allegedly shot eight people at his high school in 2017 after watching videos of the Columbine massacre. In Britain, two teens who reportedly idolized the Columbine duo were charged that year with plotting a school massacre. In Russia last year, police say, a man killed 17 students at his former school with guns braided with cords that spelled out "Columbine" and the names "Eric" and "Dylan." The Columbine effect has hit Brazil particularly hard. Investigators and researchers here have uncovered an active ecosystem online of hundreds, if not thousands, of users paying homage to school massacres while peddling antisemitism and racism. They trade images, videos and memes of the Columbine shooters, referring to them by their own online handles, "Reb" and "VoDKa." Researchers at the State University of Campinas in Sao Paulo have discovered many online groups. "Trench Coat Mafia 2.0," one calls itself on Discord, in reference to a student clique at Columbine, and boasts of being "the biggest Brazilian server about criminal cases, principally involving school shootings and killings." The university's library was vandalized in 2018, in apparent retaliation for the researchers' work. One message the vandals left: "There's going to be a #columbine massacre." The next year, a teen named Guilherme Taucci Monteiro, 17, obtained a .38 revolver illegally and with partner Luiz Henrique de Castro, 25, attacked a school in the Sao Paulo suburb of Suzano in imitation of the Columbine massacre. Ten people died, including the shooters, who died by suicide. Today, the Suzano shooting is lauded online. Brazilians who celebrate school killings use Taucci's skull mask in their profile pictures. Others, like the 13-year-old who stabbed his teacher to death, dub themselves "Taucci" in their screen names. Users say they will wear the same symbols in their own massacres. "Do you know where they sell this mask?" one person asked last week. Their profile read: "THE BULLYING ONLY STOPS WHEN YOU SHOOT." (The post has since been deleted.) "Don't do what happened in 2019 in Suzano," one person pleaded. "They're not heroes." "I DO WHAT I WANT," came the response. - - - A carefully planned attack One boy who studied the violence lived in a yellow house on a quiet street in Aracruz. To neighbors, his family appeared the picture of suburban stability. His father, a police officer, was president of the neighborhood association. His mother was a recently retired schoolteacher. But for two years, inside the yellow house, the teenage boy quietly analyzed school massacres - and planned his own. "The Columbine and Suzano attacks interested him greatly," Aracruz police detective Andre Jaretta said. "He read about them. He learned the stories of the perpetrators. They were an inspiration to him." The Washington Post is not naming the boy because he is a minor. The boy's parents did not respond to requests for comment. But in testimony given to police, Fabio Cunha Castiglioni, his father, described him as a very happy baby, always smiling, who retreated into himself as he got older, growing increasingly serious and quiet - even "rigid." The father thought it was strange for a boy to be so gloomy, he told investigators, so the family sought psychological care and took him on vacations. But nothing seemed to lighten his demeanor. When he was around 13, his father said, he started to complain he was being bullied at school. It was a "watershed" moment, when the happy baby he once knew disappeared for good, and he withdrew still further. On the rare instances neighbors saw him outside the house, he was alone or with a parent. Never with friends. Even online, Jaretta said, he didn't interact with others. Instead, the detective said, he read and "absorbed." He consumed videos that "teach, incentivize and justify school attacks," police say in a case filing. On the morning of Nov. 25, armed with his father's guns, he drove to Primo Bitti, the state school where his mother, Maria Aparecida Rodrigues Castiglioni, had worked. He entered the building from the back, near a teachers' lounge. It was packed with faculty. He went in shooting, stopping only once to reload his Taurus .380. Within a minute, he had killed three teachers and wounded eight more. Then he drove to a private school and pulled out the revolver. He killed Selena Zagrillo, 12, and wounded two others. The boy was arrested and confessed later that day, authorities say. A judge within two weeks sentenced him to three years of institutional confinement - the maximum penalty for a minor in Brazil. Selena's mother, looking down at her hands months later, shook her head and smiled bitterly. Her daughter had lost her life. Her killer will only lose three years. He'll even escape the stain of having his name publicized. "How could someone like him be allowed to come back into society?" Thais Fanttini asked. "I don't even get a sense of justice." - - - Memories of a massacre Three teachers sat inside the new lounge at Primo Bitti school last week, whispering about another attack. Just that morning, a man had broken into a day-care center in Santa Catarina state. He killed four children between the ages of 4 and 7 with a hatchet. This new violence had erupted place 900 miles to the south. But to the teachers, it felt much closer. One closed her eyes. She had been in the room when her colleagues were killed, she said. The woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she wasn't authorized to speak publicly, had hidden underneath a long desk and tried to stay quiet. Months later, she said, she still can't stop seeing the killer's boots as he walked past. "This has messed with all of us so much," she said. Government officials and schools across the country are considering new safety measures. Some have called for American solutions: metal detectors, armed guards and active shooter drills. Other say such measures will do more harm terrifying children than good stopping an actual attack. Brazil's federal government has asked Twitter to block hundreds of accounts that circulate violent rhetoric and unveiled a tip line to identify potential assailants. None of that has made the Aracruz teachers feel safer. They said another attack was coming, somewhere in this country that to them seemed in this new way every day more like the United States. "In five years," one said, "this will be so much worse." JamesBrey/Getty Images A fiery explosion at a dairy farm in North Texas on April 10 has left 18,000 dairy cows dead and one person injured. The fire and explosion at the South Fork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt, Amarillo, may stand to be the deadliest barn fire for cattle in Texas, according to the Animal Welfare Institute. Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera told KFDA Channel News 10 on Monday that officials are still investigating the root cause of the fire, but acknowledged that the ensuing blaze spread in an area of the barn where the cows roam. Only a small percentage of cattle on the farm survived, Rivera added, and the surviving group of cows has been moved to a separate facility under South Fork's care. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced a nearly $5 million plan to support incarcerated women held in the county's Women's Center Jail. The Harris County Commissioners Court approved the funding last week. According to KPRC 2's Amanda Cochran, the $4.7 million allocation will support mental health services, trauma counseling, vocational and educational training, and substance abuse counseling, among other services. The money for these expanded programs will draw upon American Rescue Plan Act resources distributed to Harris County by the federal federal government, according to Cochran. These resources will ultimately help women reenter society successfully, reduce recidivism, and cut the cycle of incarceration, Hidalgos office said in a news release, according to Cochran. Hidalgo will hold a 3:30 p.m. press conference on Tuesday about the planned programming. News of expanded services for Harris County's women detainees comes following a historically deadly start to 2023 in Harris County Jail, announcements of state and federal investigations into recent jail deaths and protests from victims' families at the Texas State Capitol. Hidalgo's plans for expanded services for women detainees follows another multi-million plan to overhaul services for detainees held within Texas' largest county jail system. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez presented a four-part, $6.8 million plan to address the jail's substandard conditions during a commissioners court meeting last month. Commissioners approved the plan. Sheriff Gonzalez's plan aims to address numerous problems documented by state inspectors during a walk-through in February. Harris County Jail failed to meet minimum standards during that walk-through, the latest in a series of failed inspections stretching into last year. The mass shooting in Louisville on Monday and the mass shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, in March are just the latest in a slew of high-profile shootings in the U.S. Thus far in 2023, there have been more than 140 mass shootings in America, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. The Gun Violence Archive is a non-profit research database that records mass shootings in the U.S., and data collected by the organization shows that gun violence deaths have increased over the past decade. The organization defines a mass shooting as four or more people killed or injured in a shooting event. In addition to the rise of mass shootings, gun deaths overall have climbed in the past few years. Currently, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. The United States' troubling statistics are also being mirrored in Harris County's youth gun violence numbers, according to a recent report released by the Harris County Commissioners Court Analyst's Office. The department compiled data from January 2016 to December 2021 from the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, the Center for Disease Control, and numbers from Harris County Public Health. According to the study, youth is described as involving perpetrators and victims under 18. Overall, youth gun violence offenses increased in the county by 37 percent, while non-violent offenses decreased by 52 percent in the same period. Moreover, homicides were Harris County adolescents' primary cause of firearm-related deaths. The data also shows that in gun violence deaths, Black and Hispanic youths died more by homicide while white youths died by suicide. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo outlined the numbers in a press conference last week. "Every year, more and more children in Harris County are dying because of firearms and the ready availability of firearms," Hidalgo said. Moreover, Hidalgo said that Texas's lax gun legislation, like permitless carry, contributes to gun violence instances in the state and the county. "The data is showing us that Texas gun legislation is leading to more children dying in our state," she said. "Studies have shown that lenient gun legislation are associated with a higher occurrence of youth carrying guns and weapons. We're letting people who shouldn't have guns have guns; there's no vetting. The only way in which you have a background check is if you go to a federally licensed firearm dealer, but people could just go to gun show." According to Commissioners Court's data, 37.7 percent of youth gun violence offenses were ruled a robbery, 36 percent were carrying, possession, or threat of use of a weapon, 10 percent were ruled assault/felony, 6.8 percent were carrying or exhibiting a weapon in school, and 3.4 percent were theft/felony. The area of town with the most firearm-related offenses was in the 77090 zip code along Interstate 45 and FM 1960. Hidalgo blamed this rising tide of gun violence on Texas Republicans refusing to pass gun control legislation in the wake of numerous tragedies. "They are trying to raise the age to 26 for gender-affirming care, so they're saying the youth can't make decisions about their own body till their 26, but they can carry an assault rifle when they're 18 or even younger," Hidalgo said. "The gun lobby has the Texas legislature in an iron grip." Both Hidalgo and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis noted policies the county has passed to address gun violence, including the Community Violence Interruption Program, which employs people to build relationships with youth at risk of committing violence or being a victim of it. The county and the City of Houston have also collaborated on three gun buy-back initiatives. "We can not sit by idly and continue to lose children to preventable death," Ellis said. "We have to act, and we have to do it while the state legislature is still in session." In a bombshell lawsuit filed against the city of Houston Monday, Pappas Restaurants alleges that a disgraced former aide to Mayor Sylvester Turner reached out to the restaurant group's CEO during a bidding process for a contract at Hobby Airport that Pappas ultimately lost. The lawsuit is the latest in the battle between city officials and Pappas, operating under the umbrella company 4 Families of Houston, over a contract to run the concessions at the airport. City Council voted on March 8 to award the contract to Spain-based restaurant group Areas SUA, ending 20 years of Pappas-branded restaurants at the airport. The lawsuit alleges that William-Paul Thomas, at the time the mayors liaison to City Council, called CEO Chris Pappas in November 2019, during the first round of bids to determine the airport's new concessionaire. Thomas later resigned from his role with the mayor's office after being offered $13,000 by a Houston-area bar owner in May 2020 to fast-track that bar's inspection and permitting process. Thomas pled guilty in July of last year to one federal count of conspiracy to accept a bribe, according to the Houston Chronicle. He has yet to be sentenced. Pappas was widely expected to file a lawsuit against the city following the convoluted bidding process, but the allegations involving Thomas add a new wrinkle to an already contentious case. Per the lawsuit, Thomas called Chris Pappas on the latter's home telephone, leaving the following voice message: "Mr. Pappas, this is William Paul-Thomas, Mayor Sylvester Turners Office. I wanted to visit with you regarding the upcoming airport concession at Hobby Airport. I had a great meeting with a couple of folks and Im going to share with you some of the thoughts that we had going forward. Please give me a call at your convenience. The lawsuit states that the call took place on November 25, 2019, which would have been during the "no contact period" as outlined by the city's own procurement manual. Only the city's designated procurement official can discuss potential bids with companies during this so-called quiet period, which extends from the day the city opens an invitation to bid and closes when the city publicly posts notice of a council agenda containing the applicable award. Per the lawsuit, Chris Pappas did not attempt to return Thomas's call. The lawsuit comes after a protracted three-year process to award a new contract for concessions at Hobby. Beginning in 2002, Pappas signed two consecutive ten-year contracts to serve as the airport's main concessionaire. In 2019, with that second contract set to expire, the city put out a call for new bids. That bidding process was canceled in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city put out a new ask for bids in December 2021, reaching the "best and final offer" stage with two bidders, before canceling again in September 2022 "due to competitively close scoring." The vote on the third and final bidding process, originally on the council's agenda for February 22, 2023, was tabled twice by council members. Council finally voted on the contract on March 8 following a heated public comment period and debate among the elected officials. The vote was decided 11-6 in favor of Areas, which will bring some local restaurants, including Spindletap Brewery and Killen's Barbecue, to the airport. Before the vote, Pappas launched a public support campaign called "Save Our Pappas," claiming that they were being "evicted" from the airport. Turner hit back at the suggestion, calling the campaign a "smear." A week after the contract vote, 4 Families filed a formal protest with the city pointing to nearly a dozen issues with the procurement process, including that "the city applied unstated evaluation criteria" to the bids and "the evaluation committee improperly failed to identify 4 Families local participation as a strength". At the time, Chris Pappas also intimated that a lawsuit could be forthcoming, saying in a statement "We will continue to fight for a just process, and we will continue to pursue all legal actions available." Jedediah Greenfield, the city's chief procurement officer, responded to 4 Families' protest on March 6, writing in part that the company's protest "makes some incorrect assumptions about how we run our processes." "I have reviewed this procurement thoroughly and am confident it was conducted in accordance with relevant law, ordinance, and policy," Greenfield wrote. "Consequently, I am denying your protest and your request to reevaluate the proposals. The procurement is complete." After filing the lawsuit on Tuesday, 4 Families released a new statement from Chris Pappas. "Unfortunately, the (city's) response was conclusory at best and clearly did not take seriously our concerns that the city failed to comply with state law, city code, as well as the citys own policies and procedures in this procurement. Texas authorities are sounding the alarm about a career con man they believe is currently targeting women on TikTok. A man identified by police as Brenton Fillers, 54, has built a multi-decade career in manipulation, with multiple criminal convictions in Texas alone, according to Fox 26's Matthew Seedorff. "He's never had a job, his criminal history expands 30-plus years, and he's a prolific con artist," Police Chief John Barber of Spanish Fort in North Texas told Fox 26's Seedorff. Barber told Seedorf that the alleged con man has "27 aliases," and a "criminal history in six different states." Fillers' latest alleged racket? Conning women out of their money on TikTok. The alleged career con artist is using "fake names and pictures to meet women on TikTok, building relationships with them, and using sob stories over time to steal their money, and occasionally cars," according to Seedorff's reporting on police statements. One of Fillers' victims is Brittany, a Houston-area resident who chose to conceal her identity for protection. Brittany told Seedorff that "he's good. He's got it down. He's got his story down this has been a 20-year game for him." Seedorff reported that Brittany gave the alleged con artist about $4,000 over time. Barber, Spanish Fort's Police Chief, warned that, "if he's got somebody right now that he's with, he's working on the next one, even the one after that." Fillers has already been convicted in three previous criminal cases in Texas alone. According to Fox 26's review of court records, the alleged fraudster has three convictions for theft, fraud and forgery in the Lone Star State. James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle A video from Bluebonnet News shows the giant Texas sinkhole continues to grow and swallow structures in the small town of Daisetta, which is between Houston and Beaumont. Posted on Saturday, April 8, the video gave a close-up look at the deep cracks in the earth. The sinkhole was first reported in 2008. It started out as a 20-foot hole in the ground and grew into a crater 900-feet wide and 260-feet deep, according to ABC 13. News outlets reported it first swallowed up oil tanks, barrels, tires, telephone poles, and several cars. CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) A convict serving a life sentence for murder and rape who escaped from a top-security prison in South Africa by faking his own burning death likely got warders to help smuggle a corpse into his cell, a parliamentary hearing was told Wednesday. Thabo Bester's elaborate escape happened nearly a year ago when he was formally declared dead by suicide but has only been made public and pieced together in the past three weeks. Critics allege that officials intentionally covered up the story. New details emerged in Wednesday's hours-long parliamentary hearing into security failures in the breakout, as lawmakers questioned senior officials from the prison and British private security company G4S, which has a long-term contract to run it. Bester, who was convicted on one count of murder and two counts of rape and sentenced in 2012, was finally re-arrested in Tanzania last weekend along with his girlfriend, a celebrity doctor and socialite, police said. Police are in the process of bringing the two back to South Africa. Three prison employees, the prison's night supervisor and two warders in the security camera control room, have been fired on suspicion of helping Bester escape amid the confusion of the pre-dawn blaze in his cell on May 3, 2022. One of them faces a murder charge over the body of the unidentified man that was left burned beyond recognition in Bester's cell. The father of Bester's girlfriend also was charged with murder. Police said the unidentified man died of a blunt force trauma to the head before being burned. But lawmaker Glynnis Breytenbach said Wednesday she suspected more warders and officials were bribed to get the body into the cell and help Bester escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in the central Free State province. How many palms were greased?" Breytenbach asked the prison and G4S officials. Are you honestly telling us this escape of Hollywood proportion was done with the assistance of only three people? The prison and G4S officials conceded under questioning that a TV cabinet big enough to possibly hide a dead body in was brought into the prison in an unauthorized vehicle on May 2 last year, hours before Bester broke out around 4 a.m. the following morning. Neither the cabinet nor the vehicle was searched. They also said top prison officials had given Bester permission to be transferred to a single-occupant cell three days before his escape for his own safety, because he claimed he was being threatened by prison gangs. His new cell was situated next to a fire escape through which hes believed to have fled, in a part of the prison where security cameras had a blind spot, according to lawmakers. Lawmaker Xola Nqola said it was "not a coincidence that Bester was moved to that cell at that time. An internal investigation by G4S found the prison's security camera recording system had a power interruption around the time of the escape, according to documents the company submitted to the hearing. For months after Bester's escape, he and girlfriend Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, whom police identified as his accomplice," lived in a mansion in a wealthy suburb of Johannesburg, driving luxury cars while running a company that defrauded businesses out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to media reports. Authorities only announced publicly last month that Bester hadn't died in his cell and had escaped, and that only after South African news organization GroundUp broke the story that the charred body found in the cell wasn't Bester, according to findings from the autopsy. GroundUp also reported there had been recent public sightings of Bester shopping at an upmarket mall with Magudumana. Those reports and heightened public interest in the story appeared to have spurred Bester and Magudumana to flee the country. After a two-week hunt, police announced the couple had been arrested Saturday near the border between Tanzania and Kenya, more than 2,000 miles away. The sensational story unleashed heavy criticism against authorities for failing to warn the public that a dangerous criminal was on the loose. While Wednesday's hearing focused on the initial prison failures, more hearings are scheduled on what police, the Department of Corrections and South Africa's Ministry of Justice knew about Bester's escape and when they found out, amid allegations of a cover-up. Bester was already a renowned criminal known as the Facebook rapist for using the social media site to lure his victims to meetings, claiming he could get them modeling contracts. He was found guilty of murder for stabbing his girlfriend, a model, to death in 2011 and raping two other female models. ___ Magome reported from Johannesburg. ___ More AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa FREDERICK, Md. (AP) A Maryland sheriff repeatedly lied to federal authorities to help a local firearms dealer illegally obtain machine guns and rent them out to his customers, forming a partnership that was profitable and politically beneficial, according to a federal grand jury indictment filed last week. Frederick County Sheriff Charles Chuck Jenkins pleaded not guilty Wednesday to several charges, including conspiracy and making false statements to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. After initially pledging to remain in office while the case proceeds, Jenkins said Wednesday he is taking a leave of absence. I have full confidence in the system, and I know that my innocence will prevail at the end of all of this, Jenkins said in a statement released by the agency. He was released pending trial on several conditions, including that he refrains from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapons. Federal law generally prohibits firearm dealers from importing machine guns unless they are being used as demonstration models for law enforcement agencies, which can legally purchase such weapons. But in order for dealers to use that exemption, the interested law enforcement agency must submit a letter to ATF requesting a sample of the machine gun they are considering purchasing. According to the indictment, Jenkins wrote such letters on behalf of his co-defendant, Robert Krop, whose Frederick County business The Machine Gun Nest offered machine guns for rent. The business made over $100,000 in profits from the rentals in 2018 and 2019 alone, the indictment says. Krop offered Jenkins political support in exchange for the favor, according to federal prosecutors. In several letters dating back to 2015, Jenkins falsely claimed the Frederick County Sheriffs Office wanted samples of various machine gun models, according to the indictment. The requests were approved, allowing Krops business to obtain the weapons. In a 2018 letter, Jenkins requested machine gun models that are suitable only for use in combat, not for law enforcement purposes, the indictment says. Jenkins was first elected sheriff of the largely rural county in 2006. He started his career with the agency in 1990. Evan Vucci/AP NEW YORK (AP) An attorney for Donald Trump is seeking a one-month delay in the trial regarding a columnists claims that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s, contending that his client's right to a fair trial depends on a cooling off period following the former president's indictment and arraignment. The trial was set for April 25. In a letter Tuesday to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, attorney Joseph Tacopina cited the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage surrounding Trump's arrest and court appearance in arguing for a delay. The former president was charged March 30 with 34 felony counts related to allegations that he paid hush money to an adult film star, Stormy Daniels. WASHINGTON (AP) In an appeal to the heads of the IMF and World Bank, Ukraine's president on Wednesday renewed his call to confiscate Russian Central Bank assets held around the world and use them to help rebuild Ukraine. To charge the aggressor with compensation for damages," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said by video link. "Russia must feel the full price of its aggression." The U.S. announced at the start of Russia's invasion that America and its allies had blocked access to more than $600 billion that Russia held outside its borders. The U.S and its allies continue to impose rounds of targeted sanctions against companies and the wealthy elite with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It must be clearly stated that the assets of the Russian Central Bank will be confiscated. It will be a peacemaking act on a global scale, Zelenskyy said. He was patched in for a session with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, World Bank President David Malpass and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, held during the IMF and World Bank spring meetings to discuss Ukraine's ongoing funding needs. A joint assessment released in March by Ukraines government, the World Bank and European Commission estimates Ukraines long-term recovery needs will total at least $411 billion. In March, Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up the government's severely strained finances. Since the war began in February 2022, the United States has given Ukraine more than $100 billion in military and civilian support, which includes some money for reconstruction. Other countries also have provided Ukraine with substantial support. At the roundtable, Yellen said the United States will do what it takes to support Ukraine, for as long as it takes. She said our historic multilateral sanctions coalition is restricting Russias access to the technology and equipment it needs to supply its military. Zelenskyy argued that liquidating Russia's funds held around the world, including those of sanctioned oligarchs, would send a message to potential aggressors wherever they may be. The idea is gaining traction. Former Biden administration official Daleep Singh told the Senate Banking Committee on Feb. 28 that forfeiting Russias billions in assets held by the U.S. is something we ought to pursue. And Charles Michel, president of the European Council, has called for using Russia's Central Bank funds to rebuild what it has destroyed. The U.S. announced last week that Treasury officials Liz Rosenberg and Brian Nelson specialists in sanctions and terrorist financing will travel to Europe this month to meet with leaders of financial institutions in Switzerland, Italy and Germany. They plan to share intelligence on potential sanctions evaders and to warn of the potential penalties for failure to comply with international sanctions. During Wednesday's meeting, Zelenskyy stood and called for a moment of silence for a Ukrainian soldier who appears to have been beheaded. A gruesome video that purports to show the beheading spread quickly online and drew outrage in Ukraine, in the latest accusation of atrocities said to have been committed by Russian troops. Fernando Vergara/AP BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) A hippopotamus descended from animals illegally brought to Colombia by the late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar has died in a collision with an SUV on a highway near Escobars hacienda, environmental authorities said Wednesday. The hippos, which spread from the estate into nearby rivers and now number more than 100, have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species that could upset the ecosystem. The crash late Tuesday reflected the additional danger that hippos, which weigh as much as 2 tons, can pose to motorists. Mothers Day is coming up, and there are many options to choose from when it comes to picking out a present for new moms, whether youre looking at gifting self-care products, gadgets to make her life a little easier, or thoughtful items honoring the motherhood journey. Weve rounded up a list of some of the best Mothers Day gifts, from a gift card for a healthy meal service (one less thing to think about every night) to keepsake journals and bath soaks. Theres still time to order and to ensure shipments arrive well before the holiday, so check out our picks below, and then check your Mothers Day gift(s) to the new mom in your life off the list. Letters to You Keepsake Journal A perfect gift for soon-to-be or new moms, this baby journal provides a place to record all the experiences of being pregnant, giving birth and the growing newborns milestones. Writers block? No worries: Its pages come filled with prompts, inspirational quotes, and space for parents to write letters to their child. Baby Book: The Story of You This Baby Book from Articraft Uprising includes guided prompts as well as convenient pockets for stashing various mementos to document the first year of a newborns life a wonderful gift for all new moms (and the future adolescents and teenagers their babies will become). Take it from this writer, you and your kids will appreciate looking back through its pages as they grow up. Thisworks Deep Sleep Bath Soak Giving birth and parenting is hard work. Treat the new mom in your life to a relaxing bath soak with these restorative deep-sleep calming salts from Thisworks. Scented with a blend of lavender and chamomile, these will leave moms feeling relaxed and peaceful and, hopefully, help them get at least a couple of hours of solid sleep. Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Robe This classic, 100% Turkish cotton robe from buzzy home textile brand Parachute is the perfect thing to wrap up in after a relaxing bath soak. Its available in six different colors and a variety of sizes to suit a variety of tastes. 16J Organics Turkish Hammam Spa Bath Perfect for pairing up with a new robe is this hammam-inspired bath set from 16J Organic, which is made with 100% organic ingredients like laurel berry oil, water, and extra virgin olive oil (with the addition of sodium hydroxide, thats the complete ingredient list). It includes two bars of soap made by hand in small batches using 100% organic ingredients and an extra thick exfoliating mitt. Consider adding a bottle of 16Js nut-free skin moisturizer a vitamin-rich, antioxidant serum you spray onto wet skin after a bath to round off the gift. Baby Breeza Instant Warmer With three customizable temperatures, this appliance instantly makes warm formula bottles by dispensing water already heated to the desired temperature with the press of a lever thus alleviating the three- to five-minute wait time of traditional bottle warmers. The tank holds 50 ounces of water (enough for a day), and theres a LED night light for those midnight and 4 a.m. feedings. Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine The best thing about this white noise machine? It's portable, so it can go where you go, and it comes with a battery that will last through the night. Theres also a lanyard and loop so you can hang it on a stroller, car seat, or crib, plus a tracklist of 21 soothing sounds to help calm a crying baby so mom can get a little peace. Baby Teething Necklaces These teething necklaces made from 100% food-grade silicone are meant to be gnawed on by growing humans who are just developing teeth. The baby-friendly design includes various angled beads to reach specific areas in the childs mouth. Plus, they wont catch on hair and are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. Luna Bean Hand Casting Kit If youre looking for a lasting keepsake that encapsulates and preserves a time when your favorite new moms child was a baby, these casting kits capture a moment in time forever. This one contains supplies to make two molds, and it doesnt take too long for busy parents and squirming kids to do, either. Personalized Family Print This cute family print with custom illustrations by artist Shelley Klein makes a memorable gift for a new mom. Gift-givers can customize each image with the number of figures (family members including adults, children, and pets), style of figure (hair length, clothing options, kind/breed of animal), and the color of skin or fur for each figure. Harlem Candle Company James Baldwin and Lady Day Candle Both the hand-poured James Baldwin candle and the Lady Day candle from Harlem Candle Company make excellent gifts for the new mom in your life. The Lady Day candle features a rich blend of jasmine, ylang ylang, lush green leaves, neroli blossom, and sparkling bergamot in a glass jar perfect for reuse as a vase or cocktail glass. The James Baldwin version combines the scents of crisp apple, watery greens, elemi, and spice clove in a gold imprinted glass with Baldwins quote, Love brought you here. Lady Belle Macarons If the new mom in your life enjoys a sweet treat at the end of a long day, these beautifully handmade French-Southern fusion macarons made by Charlotte Bell in Atlanta, Georgia will hit the spot. The 15-flavor keepsake box is fully customizable, and flavor choices include double chocolate, vanilla bean, lemon creme, salted caramel, red velvet, peach cobbler, key lime, and strawberry shortcake. Blue Apron Meals Gift Card Blue Aprons gift cards are perfect for new moms running on little sleep and mental energy sometimes, the last thing you want to do is think about dinner. Blue Apron meals are delivered right to her door with recipes and all the pre-measured ingredients needed to cook healthy dinners and lunches. From left, Christeann Hryb and Bill Hryb, with Thunder Bay Shipping; Pat Bushby, board director with the Port of Thunder Bay; Tim Heney, port chief executive officer; Capt. Anuvarat Arora and chief engineer Samit Sachan, MV Federal Dart crew leaders; and Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff are pictured at Superior Elevator with the ocean vessel berthed in the background. The group took part in a Top Hat ceremony welcoming the crew for piloting the first ocean-going vessel to Thunder Bay for the 2023 navigation season. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form During the pandemic, nut lovers were alarmed to see shelves in their favorite part of the supermarket emptyand devoid of the roasted delicacies they craved. Now, we finally understand why. In addition to the usual threatsdroughts, wildfires, and weatherCalifornia almond growers had to contend with wild fluctuations in supply and demand while transportation resources became limited, unreliable, and expensive. This was challenging news for Sacramento-based Blue Diamond Growers, the worlds largest almond processing and marketing cooperative. The state provides 80% of the worlds (almond) supply, Aubrey Bettencourt, President and CEO of the California Almond Alliance, explained to KCBS Radio. Part of that is dependent on our ability to transport it around world. The inability to move that product, that is sold but cannot be delivered, means a cash-filled crisis, because we get paid once the product is delivered. Out of their tree This was compounded by the fact that Blue Diamonds processes, systems, and documents used for managing the cooperatives $300-million supply chain and logistics functions were limited by a number of manual processes. With workers dependent on a disjointed network, the conditions created by the pandemic made it all but impossible to consistently satisfy demand. While customers worried about the uncertainty of orders being filled, customer service representatives were required to navigate through 10 different systems and data sources for answers. At times, it took days for customers to receive a reply. During this period, lead time for securing freight increased from three weeks to five months, while the early stage of planning new promotions stretched from two months to five. The chaotic environment also hampered the ability of the cooperative to create a 12-month demand and supply plan for the fiscal year. With so many disparate documents and systems, consolidating, validating, and analyzing the data and metrics was time consuming, leaving limited opportunities to run scenarios and simulations. The circumstances accelerated the need for Blue Diamond to move to a completely digitized supply chainand there was little time to lose. Kernel of hope Originally founded as the California Almond Growers Exchange in 1910, Blue Diamond now represents approximately 3,000 growers and ships to nearly 75 countries. The organizations efforts are largely responsible for Californias almond crop being the states largest food export. Almonds are all we do, the cooperative boasts. Indeed, the organizations catalog includes everything from wasabi and soy sauce almonds to low-sodium treats to almond milk. Yet, to maximize returns for each grower, Blue Diamond must regularly develop new products while operating with efficiency, scenarios the old supply chain system did not particularly enhance. Since 2014, though, Blue Diamond had been working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software leader SAP. Now, the cooperative turned to the German multinational to utilize its transportation management, logistics, business planning, analytics cloud, and other capabilities to build a world-class supply chain solution. Planting the seed Deployment occurred in phases over 2021 and 2022, building off the SAP and ERP ecosystem foundations. The enhanced supply chain visibility and planning tools helped eliminate shortages due to supply and freight issues, while the organization now had a single source for responding to customer inquiries. The new system allows planners and support representatives to comprehensively plan ahead to meet demand, relieve supply gaps, and identify transportation gridlock. Indeed, supply planning, which used to take place once a month, can be done weekly or even daily. Meanwhile, the number of related systems supported by the IT team declined from five to one. Rather than being assigned low-level Excel tasks, planning employees have been endowed with new responsibilities, redefining themselves as product managers and experts. With a more comprehensive management view across the business, Blue Diamond has been able to meet the industry standard of keeping two months of inventory on hand at a particular time. This is a 20% reduction from the prior method of stocking 75 days of product. Another noticeable change: scenario planning can be concluded in 20 minutes, down from the previous six hours. An incredible $1 million has been saved in logistics costs, and order fill rates increased to 99%10% more than the industry average. Forecast accuracy has improved by almost 10%, as well. We have created a solid foundation for an intelligent, data-driven cooperative that provides the best value for our growers, observed Steve Birgfeld, the cooperatives Vice President of Information Technology and Services. The development of a state-of-art supply chain earned Blue Diamond Growers the distinction as a finalist at the 2023 SAP Innovation Awards, a yearly ceremony honoring organizations using SAP products to craft meaningful change. The solution provides a roadmap to improve production planning, scheduling, plant maintenance, sustainability, and other critical areas as part of an overall movement of resilience disruption. You can read how Blue Diamond accomplished this in their Innovation Awards pitch deck. Alexander Wallner, CEO of plusserver, believes the importance of the sovereign cloud services and solutions needed to ensure that data is protected, safe, and compliant cannot be overemphasized. He is also quick to point out that plusserver takes responsibility for the cloud-based operations of its growing customer base, which includes enterprises across industries and throughout Germanys public and private sectors. Our customers, especially public institutions and leaders in industries like healthcare and financial services, have high data security and sovereignty requirements that must be met, says Wallner. We enable them to benefit from a robust, high-performance IT foundation one that combines our sovereign cloud offerings with those from the major hyperscalers to create a true managed multi-cloud platform so they can focus their time and effort on growing their businesses, not building and managing the IT infrastructure they need to accomplish their goals. At plusserver, we believe that data sovereignty is crucial for enabling digital growth and that digital growth in turn is synonymous with business growth. With four advanced data centers in Germany, including two facilities in Hamburg and ones in Cologne and Dusseldorf, as well as a cadre of seasoned cloud experts who are fully-vetted German nationals plusserver offers a wide range of solutions that meet or exceed myriad certifications, including BSI C5, ISO 9001, IDW PH 9.860.1, ISO 27001, and of course the classic data protection requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation. The companys extensive portfolio of sovereign cloud solutions addresses the needs of customers at every point in their cloud journey, whether its first migrating to the cloud or the development of advanced cloud-native applications. The company also offers a number of complimentary services, including ones for data management, data lifecycle management, and security and storage. In addition, plusservers high-performance cloud setups and deployments ensure that customers can consume all services without restrictions or performance degradation even during peak times. Our company is viewed as a companion by our customers on their way to the cloud, and once there, in initiatives that realize its full potential, he adds. For many, this leads to pluscloud, our sovereign cloud based on trusted and proven VMware technology that features consumption-based billing and free traffic for planning and cost transparency. Now, as a result of earning the VMware Sovereign Cloud distinction, customers can enjoy even greater peace of mind and confidence in our ability to support them at every stage in their unique cloud journey. Notably, plusserver is a founding member of Gaia-X. The company also recently commissioned a study with IDC titled Data Sovereignty in the Cloud Requirements, Potential and Challenges, to learn more about the specific needs of both public and private-sector enterprises in Germany. The survey found that cloud computing is the most important modernization factor for IT, and that cloud services will increasingly replace legacy IT over the next two years, with 61% of companies also planning to use cloud services even more intensively in the medium and long-term because of increased cybersecurity requirements and new standards. In addition, 82% of respondents in companies with more than 1,000 employees rated data sovereignty as very important or important. Even so, only 11% of German companies were found to have implemented data sovereignty plans or to have a strategy in place for the sovereign handling of data. This will be important if organizations are to meet what Wallner sees as increasingly imperative requirements. These include knowing where important data resides and who has access to it, retaining the ability to quickly change service providers and avoid vendor lock-in, and enjoying the freedom to innovate that robust sovereign cloud platforms deliver. Clearly the market for sovereign cloud solutions will only increase as organizations in Germany take steps to address data sovereignty an issue that is overwhelmingly acknowledged as being very important, Wallner says. At plusserver, our staff is well trained, highly experienced and ideally qualified to help enterprises address this reality. Importantly, our product portfolio is highly standardized for smooth and fast delivery, but we also have the proven ability to develop highly bespoke applications and solutions that surpass the most stringent data protection requirements. Data security, compliance, and data sovereignty are in plusservers DNA. Learn more about plusserver and its partnership with VMware here. IT teams can also download a complimentary data sovereignty summary and decision matrix. 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 Background UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Project Description With Accelerating Digital Transformation in Public Sector Project (Digital Transformation Project or Project), UNDP Moldova aims to improve access to and quality of public services and business conditions through accelerated digital transformation of government processes and business model(s) and promote innovation, as well as collaborative experimentation within the Government, in the private sector, internally in UNDP Moldova, and in collaboration with external partners. UNDP Moldova, through this Project is strategically positioned as an integrator of programmatic solutions with innovative mindset, including bringing forward digital components in supporting accelerated delivery of the SDGs. The Project has the following objectives: Support transformative changes in the organizational and innovation culture in the public and private sectors and align all participants for the accelerated achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda and national targets; Contribute towards streamlining innovation through engaging with the ongoing and prospective projects and seeking ways to maximize and to measure their social impact; Support the Digitalization of Moldova that will contribute to improved governance by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of government processes, increasing transparency and public access to governmental information and therefore promoting accountability and public participation, and improving an innovative delivery of public services, as well as impact evaluation and strategic support to scaling-up of the successful solutions. Scope of Work The Project Associate is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems. Administrative management Pro-actively contribute to day-to-day project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and project work-plans; Provide support to international consultants in the implementation of their tasks for the achievement of project results (communication, contracts, agenda, visas, accommodation, etc); Maintain records on all project personnel/national consultants and their respective status (contracts, ToRs, and attendance if appropriate, etc.) in accordance with accepted policies and procedures; Coordinate other support staff, the project driver, translators, and short-term consultants. Prepare and issue contracts; Make pertinent logistical arrangements for the prompt and effective implementation of the programme activities; Draft minutes of Project Board and other project related meetings; Assume overall responsibility for administrative matters of a more general nature, such as registry and maintenance of project files and records; Arrange external and internal meetings (including the meetings of the Project Board, Technical level, as well as other relevant meetings etc.). Financial management Prepare requests for advance of funds and/or direct payments; Monitor budget expenditures and maintain a proper record of approved project budgets and their revisions; Prepare proposals for budget revisions; Prepare and submit expenditure and programme budget status reports; Respond to queries from the Government and UNDP with respect to financial aspects of the programme, liaise with UNDP-appointed and external auditors wherever required; Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for budget preparations and audit; Advise and assist international advisors and national consultants on all aspects of allowances, travel claims and other financial matters and calculate payments due for claims and services; Assist the auditing performed by the project managers over the funds allocated to project. Ensure the compliance of allocated funds with the UNDP norms and regulations. If necessary, travel for control and auditing purposes to the project. Undertake other financial and administrative tasks on an ad hoc basis. Procurement In accordance with the Work Plan arrange for procurement of equipment, supplies and services; Create and mange e-requisitions in Quantum; Prepare the procurement plans for the projects and monitoring of their implementation; Prepare the submissions to the Contract, Asset and Procurement Committee (CAP); Arrange for equipment maintenance and insurance as required; Ensure that contractual processes follow the stipulated UNDP procedures; Physically clear and ensure delivery of equipment and supplies procured for the various programme sites; Maintain the equipment and spare inventory including verification and transfer when required. Other duties as assigned. a) Assume full responsibility for and manage effectively and efficiently financial, physical / material assets, etc. in order to meet expected results. b) Apply UNDP programming tools utilization, and namely, introduce and control over the financial data in Quantum. Institutional Arrangement Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the incumbent assists in the effective management of the project through a range of actions contributing to the design, planning, management and monitoring of project activities. The Project Associate applies and promotes the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. Project Associate works in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations, Communications and other project teams in the Country Office (CO) for effective achievement of results, anticipating and resolving complex project-related issues and information delivery. Core Competencies: Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination Cross-Functional & Technical competencies Business Management/Digital Awareness and Literacy Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skilfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed. Business Management/Customer Satisfaction/Client Management Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solution, and deliver timely and quality results ans/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients immediate requests. Ability to anticipate clients upcoming needs and concerns. Administration and Operations/Entitlement travel Knowledge of policy and procedures related to entitlement travel, including the identification of entitlement for lump sum for UNDP as well as other UN agencies. Procurement/Procure-to-Pay Knowledge of purchase-to-pay cycles, concepts, principles and policies, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations. Administration & Operations/Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings) Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc Administration & Operations/Travel contract management Knowledge of policy and procedures related to contract management, incl. oversight of the Long Term Agreement (LTA) with the Travel Management Services (TMS) provider; UN airline agreement management covering all major and rail providers; ability to negotiate airline discounts Finance/Budget management Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets. Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA Education: Secondary Education. Bachelor Degree in economics, finance, accounting, law, public administration or other related field would be desired. Experience: Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or minimum 3 years (with Bachelor Degree) of experience in administrative work, accounting/finance, economics, in development assistance or related work for a donor organization, consulting company, or NGO experience is required. Required skills: Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems. Experience in providing effective administrative and logistical support. Experience in office maintenance and assets management. Desired skills: Experience in compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, reports. Previous experience in organization of procurement processes. Experience to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to obtain, evaluate and interpret factual data and to prepare accurate and complete reports and other documents. Experience in maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials. Languages: Fluency in oral and written English, Romanian and Russian. Knowledge of one or more minority languages relevant for Moldova, including Romani, Gagauzian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and sign language is an asset. Required Documents Personal CV or P11 , indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers. , indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials. Disclaimer Applicant information about UNDP rosters Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements. Scam warning The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Data de incheiere a postului vacant ai fost extins pana la: 27 April 2023 Pentru a aplica, va rugam sa adresati link-ul: Apply Now Background UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Briefly describe the context and where the position fits into the office/project/unit structure Include relevant background information and objectives of the unit/project Briefly describe how the required services will contribute to the work/objectives of the unit/project If applicable, explain any specific challenges around the unit, project and/or work required (e.g., security risks involved in conducting the work in certain communities, certain cultures and practices unique to the stakeholders, etc.) The fifth phase of EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP has the overall objective to contribute to the facilitation of the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict by supporting the increase of confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol through joint initiatives involving local authorities, civil society organizations and other stakeholders from both sides of the river. The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to the facilitation of the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict by supporting the increase of confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol through joint initiatives involving local authorities, civil society organizations and other stakeholders from both sides of the river. Specific objectives: To contribute to economic and social development by ensuring a more equal access to the opportunities provided by the AA and its DCFTA and integration between the two banks of the Nistru River; To tackle the growing disparity between the Transnistrian Region and the rest of the country by supporting local development and CSOs; To continue supporting the sectoral rapprochement in pilot sectors (i.e. Culture and others) and to progressively include Transnistria in Moldovan-wide development initiatives in order to facilitate the future reintegration while limiting the development gap between both banks; To support the activities of media on both banks of Nistru river through common media production. The programme will represent a framework for engaging in development interventions across the security zone on both sides of the Nistru River, comprising a series of activities that will strengthen, regularize and intensify interaction between otherwise divided societies, aiming to establish this interaction as a norm. The programme will represent a framework for engaging in development interventions across the security zone on both sides of the Nistru River, in line with agreements reached in the 5+2 negotiation process. As such, it is comprised of a series of activities that will strengthen, regularize and intensify interaction between otherwise divided societies, aiming to establish this interaction as a norm. It looks to deal strategically with barriers to cooperation experienced by all development cooperation actors working in Transnistria by building the trust towards such actions and broadening opportunities for engagement for a wide range of actors. Special focus will be given to balancing the actual support of the programme to communities on both banks of the Nistru River. Duties and Responsibilities The Project Associate in close cooperation with the project team, under the direct guidance and supervision of the Programme Manager, will ensure the provision of project support services of the highest quality and standards to the project team, UNDP Country Office, as well as national counterparts and clients. Administrative management: Assume overall responsibility for the coordination of project administrative matters; Contribute to project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and work plans; Monitor compliance with both UNDP and Donor standards and ensure the corresponding quality control; Provide advice to the project team on administrative issues and financial issues; Maintain records on all project personnel and consultants, including their respective status (e.g. contracts, ToRs and reports, etc.) in accordance with accepted policies and procedures; Ensure compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies under UNDP HR procedures; Undertake other administrative tasks on an ad hoc basis. Financial management: Ensure compliance with all corporate rules of UNDP in the field of financial planning, reporting, and auditing; Monitor budget expenditures and maintain a proper record of approved project budgets and their revisions; Produce relevant operational and financial reports according to UNDP rules and procedures; Respond to queries from the UNDP and SDC with respect to financial aspects of the programme, liaise with UNDP-appointed and external auditors wherever required; Prepare requests for advance of funds and/or direct payments, as well as proposals for budget revisions; Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and other reports as required for budget preparations and audit; Perform necessary checks of the financial reports submitted by sub-contracted project implementers; Advise and assist international and national consultants on all aspects of allowances, travel claims and other financial matters and calculate payments due for claims and services; Provide advice to the team on project financial issues; Undertake other financial tasks on an ad hoc basis. Procurement: Organize procurement processes in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations; Elaborate the Projects procurement plan and monitor its implementation; Process transactions in Quantum, in line with the Internal Control Framework; Prepare and issue project contracts; Prepare and oversee the Projects asset inventory. Institutional Arrangement Under the overall guidance of the Programme Manager, the Project Associate will work directly with the EU-CBM V Programme team to provide project support and quality assurance to ensure successful implementation of the EU CBM V Programme. Competencies Core Competencies: Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies: Business Development - Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making Administration and Operations - Travel policy and procedures: Knowledge of travel policy and procedures; ability to interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel- related matter Finance - Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations Finance - Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets. Finance - Financial Reporting and Analysis: Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including nonfinancial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance. Finance - Management and cost accounting: Ability to produce periodic qualitative and quantitative performance reports to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Ability to use a range of costing techniques and analyse cost related data to provide quantitative information to the users of reports. Required Skills and Experience Education: Secondary education. Bachelor's degree in economics, finance, accounting, business administration, human resources or other related fields is desired. Experience: Minimum 7 years (with Secondary education) or 4 years (with Bachelors degree) in accounting/finance, economics, or other substantive area. Proven experience in a similar position in UN Agencies is desired. Experience in development assistance or related work for a development organization, consulting company, or NGO is desired. Required Languages: Fluency in English and Romanian (oral and written) is required. Knowledge of one or more minority languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Romani, Gagauzian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and sign language is desired. Required skills: Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems. Professional Certificates: Additional training and/or certification in financial management and/or accounting would be an advantage. The following documents shall be required from the applicants: Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials. Disclaimer Applicant information about UNDP rosters Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements. Scam warning The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Data de incheiere a postului vacant: 26 May 2023 Pentru a aplica, va rugam sa adresati link-ul: Apply Now The former chief executive of Jewish Womens Aid (JWA), who left the role after just one month, has said she was asked to sign an NDA. Alison Rosen succeeded Naomi Dickson, and began her role in March before leaving soon afterwards. Rosen said she was asked to sign an NDA about the circumstances of her departure from the charity. She posted on Facebook: I was very much aligned with the values of the organisation and the tremendous work that the charity does with women, to prevent abuse. With that in mind, I was shocked to be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement about my departure. Intimidating people to sign an NDA is not good practice. I am now putting this episode behind me and I am establishing an interim management and charity consultancy portfolio. I have been overwhelmed with the support I have received from close friends and colleagues and am looking forward to using my 30 years of expertise to benefit the sector. The charity previously said it had parted ways with Rosen, adding she leaves with our thanks and very best wishes for the future. JWA has yet to respond to Civil Societys request for further comment. It is currently Passover, a major Jewish holiday. Charity Commission data for the financial year ending 31 July 2021 puts the charitys total income at 1.1m. The charitable purpose of JWA is the support and empowerment of women and girls who are experiencing sexual and domestic violence, in a culturally sensitive way. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Some non-religious charities tend to capitalise on Muslim donors, particularly during Ramadan, to seem more inclusive and generate easy income, the head of an umbrella body has said. Fadi Itani, chief executive of the Muslim Charities Forum, said that secular charities, especially large UN agencies, systemically targeting Muslim supporters for Zakat funds poses a problem. He told Civil Society News: If we consider Muslim donors as just another source of funding, this is problematic because the relationship is transactional here. Even across our sector, we keep reminding charities that the relationship shouldnt be transactional between donors and charities. Its a partnership to improve and save peoples lives. When it becomes commercialised this is where the problem is, we chase funding for the sake of it rather than the value of the donors who can give, what they believe in and how they can be more involved. They capitalise on Muslim giving Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a type of Islamic wealth tax that requires Muslims to give 2.5% of their qualifying wealth each year to Muslims in need across a range of categories. Itani criticised charities including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) running Zakat campaigns during Ramadan as it is not just an act of charity for the benefit of everyone but a form of solidarity between Muslims. Overall secular charities running Ramadan campaigns to raise voluntary contribution is not a problem as long as these charities are being genuine and authentic in engaging Muslim donors and are able to demonstrate that their practice is sound and that their impact aligns with Islamic values. However there is still a tendency for charities to feel like they are capitalising on Muslim giving, particularly during Ramadan, in a bid to seem more inclusive and to generate easy income. Engagement is key Itani said that these charities need to better understand Muslim donors, alongside any religious communities, why they donate, how they donate and what they are interested in. How can they be more involved in all operations rather than just being [seen as] another source of funding? Engagement with faith communities should be a journey of partnership and it should be genuine. There are spiritual belief requirements that many organisations are not aware of. We have colleagues from mainstream organisations who do not know the difference between Zakat and voluntary contributions from the Muslim community. Itani added that there needs to be more understanding and education from both sides. Bridges are not built from one side, theyre always built from two sides. If we have colleagues who want to engage with the Muslim community to support their causes, they need a proper programme to understand what they should and shouldnt touch, what they should and shouldnt involve and how to understand needs, sensitivities and stuff like this. Theres a missed opportunity here. When we can be more engaging and representative, we opt to go for the low-hanging fruits or easy goals. UNHCR: We engage with faith-based organisations In response to Itanis comment, a UNHCR spokesperson said the organisation has received endorsements and fatwas from scholars and institutions in the Middle East and beyond, advising and shaping our approach to Islamic philanthropy, and guiding cooperation and partnerships with entities that are looking to create a brighter future for people forced to flee. Faith-based giving, including Muslim giving, is one aspect of our engagement with faith leaders and communities, including Muslim community members, many of whom inquire about the possibility of faith-based giving via UNHCR. This has motivated, for some years now, an on-going process of engagement between us and various Muslim leaders, communities and organisations to build meaningful collaboration to improve the lives of the most vulnerable displaced people. Our Zakat appeal is part of an engagement strategy Last month, WaterAid launched a Zakat appeal to bring clean water, decent sanitation and good hygiene to communities affected by climate change in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Mali. Director of communications and fundraising Jennie York said the charity has worked with faith communities for several years and understands the importance of water to many faiths around the world. Our Zakat appeal is part of an engagement strategy which includes activities throughout the year. Our Zakat policy has been underwritten by Imam Shaykh Abid Khan and is reviewed annually. We have an ongoing relationship with an expert consultant on Islamic giving and provide training for staff to understand the values and principles of giving within Islam. WaterAid delivers projects in many Muslim-majority countries where communities are eligible for Zakat donations. Consulting with communities and understanding Islamic values is a critical part of our approach. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, For Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Jen Parker, the mass protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020 were a call to action. In the aftermath of what have been dubbed the largest demonstrations in US history, Taylor, a contributing writer at The New Yorker and professor at Northwestern University, and Parker, a former editor at the New York Times, felt a need to bridge the gap between the organizers, who have long fought injustice, and the millions of people who joined protests for the first time that year. One way to do that, they thought, was a magazine. In February, after two or so years of planning, that magazine, Hammer and Hope, launched. The first issue features eleven worksincluding contributions from organizers who influenced the magazinethat outline and exemplify its mission. In one of the articles, KC Tenants, a tenants union in Kansas City, details how it uses direct action to end evictions. Others organize around ideology; we organize around mutual interests, they write. In another piece, Olufemi O. Taiwo offers a framework through which to understand Hammer and Hopes position as a magazine of Black politics. While many media organizations still downplay their political impact, Hammer and Hope is certain about its own. By publishing stories from movements around the world, we hope to provide a platform for a politics of struggle that is built from the bottom up, Parker and Taylor wrote in an introductory statement. The magazine, Taylor hopes, will not only share useful information but also get people to think beyond the surface of things and grasp the root of what troubles our society. Recently, I spoke with Taylor about the journey to starting the magazine, its influences, and its plans for the future. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. FM: What was the catalyst to create Hammer and Hope? As a contributor to The New Yorker, what did you feel was missing that you couldnt do in your work there? KT: Writing in The New Yorker has given me access to a much broader audience than I might ordinarily be in touch with and, for my own contributions to that platform, that has been fine. But for Hammer and Hope, I think that we envision reaching a different kind of audience. Jen Parker and I decided to do this really in frustration in the aftermath of the protests in 2020, feeling like this was an opportunity for the left, for radicals to move beyond the usual circles or people that were in touch with. It felt like that opportunity was not being taken up politically, in terms of media publications that were accessible to the left. I think the other part of it is that, through those protests, it was clear that there were political debates about what should happen next. Should all of the energy that was generated be funneled only into the presidential election or Georgia Senate races? Or was this an opportunity to do more? There were debates about what the nature of reform should be. Should people be satisfied with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act? What about the demands for defunding the police or the demand for the abolition of police and prisons? These are serious questions that needed to be engaged, and so that was really the context within which we started talking about the possibility of starting a publication. Sign up for CJR 's daily email When you say the usual suspects, who do you mean? Im talking about people who already see themselves as part of that political endeavor; people who dont need to be convinced to go to political protest, or who have a critique of capitalism, a critique about policing. While those people still have to be organized, I believe that we can also reach further than that. I think the protests and the Black Lives Matter decade have upended a common sense about policing, a common sense about the status quo, and have raised questions for people. One response is to just be like, Well, people should already understand this in the first place. We want to take a different response, which is to engage those people, but on our own terms, to try to widen the group of people who see themselves as critical of the status quo, of capitalism and its social effect, of the criminal legal system, and who are not just open to alternatives but want to engage with the existing social movements and struggles to change those things. How does Hammer and Hope plan to reach those people? I think our ambition is to create a publication that has wide appeal, that is written to engage with peoples questions while trying to get people to think beyond the surface of things and grasp the root of what troubles our society and other societies in the world. To create entry points for people into activism, organizing, and struggle. During the protests in 2020, social media played a big role in communication. Is that part of your plan to reach people as well? I noticed that you have Instagram and TikTok accounts set up. Absolutely. Ours is a web-based magazine; we might do a periodic print edition, but its mostly intended as a web-based platform. We certainly want to take advantage of the platforms created by Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, because these are the spaces where people are engaged in some of these debates. I dont think thats the only means by which we can reach people, because we aim to create a platform for organizers and activists to talk about the particular struggles that theyre involved in. We do want to create entry points into the real world, and not just stay in the imagined world of social media. But thats where a lot of people are, so we want to be there as well. How did the funding for the magazine come together? I was the recipient of the Marguerite Casey Freedom Scholar fellowship in the summer of 2019, for which I received a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar grant. I went back to Marguerite Casey to see if they would match what they had already given to me, and they did that; they did extra, actually. That was important seed money. Weve gotten some other donations elsewhere and have been able to cobble together the finances for this thus far. Youve said before there are no plans for a paywall, ads, or sponsored content. As a professor, would you consider being housed at a university or another nonprofit institution? Were going to continue to ask for donations. We might have some merch sales. I think our commitment is to keep this free and accessible with the logic that you cant build a movement behind a paywall. We see our primary purpose as not just providing a forum for the left; were doing it to knit together and build among those groups of people to contribute to social movements, to change conditions that we all oppose, in this country and beyond. We want to maintain our independence. Thats not to say that if youre housed at a place like a university you cant be independent, but we also want to be able to comment on the horrible treatment of the executive body at universities during the strike of adjuncts. And, as universities become more business-like or corporate in their structure, it becomes more complicated to speak as freely as one might want to. Its the same thing with foundations. Its one thing to take funding from a foundation, its another thing to be a project of a foundation. So were trying to do this in our own way, for as long as we can. What was important for you to communicate with this first issue? We wanted to basically announce our existence and to get peoples attention through having good artwork, having very good pieces, and having strong writers. This isnt a daily, its not a weekly, and so you want to be relevant and timely, but you also have to, in some sense, have evergreen pieces that will make sense weeks later or months later. That was all important in terms of first impressions. And then I think, with our statement of purpose, we wanted to really give some idea about, Why this publication, now? Theres a lot of blogs out there; Substack, Patreon. You have to explain why this, why now, why its important, why its not the thing that youve already read. What were the inspirations for Hammer and Hope? Some of the ones we talked about in our introductory statement were less inspiration but more a tradition that we hope to follow in some ways. The Communist Party in Alabama and the lengths to which members of the organization went to circulate news, because it mattered and it was critical to their organizing efforts. The Black Panther, which at one point in the early seventies, was circulating over a hundred thousand issues a week. I would also add to that Freedomways, the publication steered by Esther Cooper Jackson, who was a member of the Communist Party but also acted very independently of the party. She created that publication to basically have a forum in which the left could challenge and educate each other, but also had a much broader profile than that. Early on, when Jen and I were going back and forth about what we would call it, I suggested at one point calling it Freedoms Journal, which was summarily denounced and laughed at. But Freedoms Journal was the first Black publication in the US and it was written not just as an abolitionist publication, but as a way for Black activists to be in touch with each other about what was happening in their various areas, and how to create political networks to keep in touch with each other. Thats really the spirit of this effort. Some news from the home front: On April 18, CJR and Orion Magazine will host a discussion about disinformation in climate reporting featuring Mary Annaise Heglar, Nancy MacLean, and Amy Westervelt, all three of whom contributed to Orions Deny and Delay series, a close study of climate disinformation generously supported by the Fine Fund. Kyle Pope, CJRs editor and publisher, will moderate the conversation. You can find more details about the event here. Other notable stories: ICYMI: The Dominion-Fox trial, and the legacy of the Murdoch phone-hacking scandal Feven Merid is CJRs staff writer and Senior Delacorte Fellow. CompScience Now an MGA for Nationwide, Swiss Re CompScience Insurance Services has entered into a managing general agent agreement with Nationwide and Swiss Re to underwrite, bind and service workers compensation policies. CompScience, a San Francisco technology company, says its Intelligent Safety Platform reduces claims through actuarial analysis. The product detects previously underreported workplace risks by analyzing existing workplace videos to spot behavioral and environmental hazards. Nationwide looked at two years of actuarial data and saw that the technology shows promise, we found that the CompScience computer vision models, data science, and reporting tools could help potentially save lives and reduce costs, John Lopes, senior vice president of Nationwide Product Expansion, said in a press release. CompScience says its predictive risk models allow customers to benchmark their workplaces against other businesses, monitor trends and quantify the value of risk mitigating technology. Josh Butler, chief executive officer of CompScience, told A.M. Best that its risk assessment program looks for immediate and long-term issues that could generate claims. He said instead of scheduling safety inspections, when employees may be told to exhibit best safety practices, the company requests recently recorded video from multiple camera views taken during varying times and days of operation, A.M. Best reported. New Insurtech Pitching Software to Avoid Nuclear Verdicts Two Southern California attorneys, who founded an insurance defense firm that markets itself as a specialist in avoiding nuclear verdicts, have launched an insurtech that sells software to help insurance carriers identify claims that have the potential to go nuclear. Schaefer City Technologies said in a press release that it has a patent pending on its software product, called NaVel, uses predictive analytics that embeds with existing insurance software to determine the likelihood that a claim will result in a verdict of more than $10 million. The company said its program uses data points from thousands of cases that resulted in nuclear verdicts. Robert Tyson Jr. and Patrick J. Mendes are among Schaefer Citys founders. The two attorneys are both partners with the Tyson & Mendes law firm in San Diego. Tysons sister, Denise M. Tyson, is chief executive officer of the firm. The No. 1 question weve received from thousands of insurance professionals in the last three years is, How do I spot a nuclear verdicton my desk before it happens?' Tyson said in a press release. With Schaefer City Tech, we have developed the early-warning system to help insurance companies save billions of dollars. The company said its proprietary algorithm was developed in partnership with Villanova University School of Business and Professor Nathan Coates, who focuses on data analytics and the application of machine learning to business problems. EagleView Teams Up with Mike Holmes EagleView, which provides aerial imagery to property insurers, has teamed up with a home inspectiion company founded by television personality Mike Holmes to assess roof damage. Mike Holmes Inspections will use EagleView Access to improve the qualityand efficiency of roof inspections for property insurance claims, EagleViewsaid in a press release. The company has a network of roof inspectors throughout Canada who are trained and equipped with EagleView drones, the company said. My team was impressed with how easy it was for an inspector to fly the EagleView drone and the quality of the imagery provided, Holmes, said in a prepared statement. And the autonomous flight capabilities ensure a consistent and efficient roof inspection every time. Holmes is a Canadian contractor best known as host of the Holmes on Homes television show, where he rescues desperate homeowners from botched renovation projects with a promise to make it right. New GGA Division Offering Multilingual Claims Services GGA Solutions, a near shore business process outsourcing company that operates in the United States and Mexico, has launched a claims services division. The new arm of the company, GGA Claims Services, is equipped to face a silent but concerning phenomena in the insurance industry: 25% of claims adjusters have retired or are about to retire, the company said in a press release. The claims adjuster population is aging and recent college graduates are gravitating to the tech industry. GGA said it specializes in providing multilingual customer service specialists. Its new claims division will offer help with tasks ranging from first notice of loss to end-to-end claims handling, the company said. The company said it employs college-educated claim representatives who work out of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and in Puebla, Mexico. LOS ANGELES (AP) An offshore pipeline involved in a 2021 oil spill that fouled Southern California beaches is being put back in service, the operator said. Amplify Energy Corp. said Monday that it received approval from federal regulatory agencies to restart operations and last weekend began the process of filling the pipeline, which is expected to take about two weeks. Following the line fill process, the pipeline will be operated in accordance with the restart procedures that were reviewed and approved by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Houston-based company said in a press release. The pipeline carries oil to shore from platforms in San Pedro Bay, near the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors. Amplify Energy recently announced a settlement with companies associated with two ships it accused of dragging anchors and striking the pipeline during a January 2021 storm, leading to the spill of 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil months later. The approval from federal regulatory agencies and the receipt of $85 million in net proceeds from the vessels that struck and damaged our pipeline substantially concludes a very challenging last 18 months for the Company, Amplify said. While less severe than initially feared, the oil spill created a miles-wide sheen in the ocean and sent blobs of crude ashore, primarily impacting the cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. It further shuttered beaches for a week and fisheries for more than a month, oiled birds and threatened area wetlands. Southern California fishermen, tourism companies and property owners sued Amplify and the shipping vessels seeking compensation for their losses. Amplify agreed to pay $50 million and the vessel companies agreed to pay $45 million to settle those lawsuits. Amplify also reached a plea deal with federal authorities for negligently discharging crude. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CINCINNATI, Ohio Renovations for Paycor Stadium could total more than half-a-billion dollars, or building a brand new stadium could be in order for the city, per a report from WCPO in Cincinnati. Hamilton County Commissioners gave updates about the future of the stadium during a Tuesday meeting. The stadium is funded by Hamilton County taxpayers, and the Bengals lease it from the county. The lease expires in 2026. Recommended Bengals stories In 2022, Hamilton County officials hired an outside firm to assess the next step of the future of the stadium, per WCPO. Those results indicated nearly $500 million was needed over the next two decades, and an additional $200 million more for various upgrades to suites, concessions, signs and scoreboards. The commissioners asked for the master plan to have scenarios for renovations, as well as for a completely new stadium. Theyre hoping the plan will be given by December. FanDuel Sportsbook BET $5, GET $200 ANY GAME CLAIM OFFER Ohio Launch Offer Ohio bettors can wager now at FanDuel in Ohio and other sportsbooks in the state, including Barstool Sportsbook, Caesars and DraftKings. Paycor Stadium, formerly Paul Brown Stadium, was opened in 2000 and cost $455 million. Great American Ballpark, just down the road was opened in 2003. Andrew Gillis covers the Bengals for cleveland.com. Follow him on Twitter @Andrew_Gillis70 for the latest updates and see all his coverage at StrictlyStripes.com. If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700 or visit 1800gambler.net for more information. 21+ and present in Ohio. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns second-year defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey is back in the news for the wrong reason again. He was arrested at about 7 p.m. Monday on a misdemeanor assault charge in Harris County, Texas, for causing bodily harm to a woman he was dating, court records show. Charged with one count of assault on a family member, hes free on $1,000 bond and is set to be in court on Tuesday. CHICAGO Walmart announced Tuesday it will close half of its stores in Chicago due to mounting operating losses. The company said in a statement that collectively, its eight stores in Chicago have never been profitable since they first opened 17 years ago, losing tens of millions of dollars a year. Annual losses nearly doubled in the last five years, the company said. The remaining four Chicago stores continue to face the same business difficulties, but we think this decision gives us the best chance to help keep them open and serving the community, the company said in a statement. The decision to close a store is never easy. The impact is greater than just closing a building. It affects people people who work in, shop in and live in communities near our stores and we never take that lightly. Chicago is the nations third most populous city, with nearly 2.7 million residents, according to 2021 U.S. Census estimates. These four Chicago stores will close to the public by Sunday, April 16: #5781 Chatham Supercenter, the Walmart Health center, and the Walmart Academy, 8431 S. Stewart Ave. #3166 Kenwood Neighborhood Market, 4720 S. Cottage Grove Ave. #5645 Lakeview Neighborhood Market, 2844 N. Broadway St. #5646 Little Village Neighborhood Market, 2551 W. Cermak Road Pharmacies at the four stores will remain open for at least 30 days, the company said. While it did not specify how many employees will be affected, Walmart said all will have a chance to move to jobs in other stores. They will be paid into August, and then given severance pay if they have not transferred to another store by then. Related coverage: Walmart tells hundreds of workers they have 90 days to find jobs at other locations; see list of stores closing Walmart to add thousands of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, but they wont be free Walmart closing stores in this large U.S. city on heels of CEO warning about high theft levels Walmart to close stores in 11 states: See if your favorite store is affected The four Chicago stores are the latest in a string of closures the nations largest retailer has announced recently. In December, CEO Doug McMillon warned that stores were not meeting financial expectations and that an increase in thefts could force the retailer to either raise prices or close stores if the problem continued. Theft is an issue. Its higher than what it has historically been, he told CNBCs Squawk Box. Weve got safety measures, security measures that weve put in place by store location. I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and thats normally how we approach it, McMillon said. That was followed in March with the closure of Walmarts last remaining stores in Portland, Oregon, a city that had been grappling with retail theft problems. But the chain has announced the closure of well over a dozen stores across the country for poor performance. Last week Walmart told hundreds of workers at five sites that fulfill e-commerce orders that they have 90 days to find jobs at other company locations. The decision affects about 200 workers in Pedricktown, New Jersey. Hundreds of others at Fort Worth, Texas; Chino, California; Davenport, Florida; and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; were let go due to a reduction or elimination in evening and weekend shifts. The company made no mention of retail theft in the statement about the Chicago stores. But it acknowledged it had made investments and worked with community leaders to try to stem losses, to no avail. Over the years, we have tried many different strategies to improve the business performance of these locations, including building smaller stores, localizing product assortment and offering services beyond traditional retail, the company said. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the city, including $70 million in the last couple years to upgrade our stores and build two new Walmart Health facilities and a Walmart Academy training center. Community and city leaders were supportive as Walmart met with them to look for solutions, Walmart said in the statement. As we looked for solutions, it became even more clear that for these stores, there was nothing leaders could do to help get us to the point where they would be profitable, Walmart said. CLEVELAND, Ohio Kentucky non-profit Give 270 is offering its latest series of charity whiskey raffles, which includes special weekly drawings and a new 50-4-50 Bourbon Strong raffle event. Celebrating Give 270s seventh anniversary as a nonprofit, the Whiskey Wednesdays Birthday Bash will provide ticket buyers with five chances to win bourbon prizes weekly. All proceeds benefit Give 270s mission to support community, economic and workforce development. The charitys beneficiaries are in three Kentucky counties. Weekly raffles Raffles will take place on Give 270s Facebook page and YouTube channel at 8 p.m. Wednesdays today - April 12 - through June 28. Give 270 will give away the grand prize of a bottle of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, along with a Weller 12 Year, a Weller Antique 107, a Weller Special Reserve and a bottle of Riff Corp, a single-barrel selection. Through the raffle, 12 bottles of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon of various years will be hidden behind 12 locker doors. When purchasing tickets, participants choose a locker number. If their ticket is chosen, they will be given the bottle hidden behind their selected locker. Once the grand prize has been drawn, drawings of the other four bourbon prizes will follow. 50-4-50 Bourbon Strong This raffle - 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 - will feature 50 bourbon prizes, including three grand prizes: A five-bottle set of Pappy Van Winkle, a six-bottle Weller vertical and an eight-bottle set of Blantons. Other bottle prizes given away during the raffle include: William LaRue Weller Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Sazerac Rye Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B 12 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Bourbon Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Weller Full Proof Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon 20 bottles of Weller Antique 20 bottles of Weller Special Reserve Single-bottle prizes four through 50 will be drawn before returning each of those winning tickets to the tumbler for the drawing of grand prizes. Proceeds from the 50-4-50 Bourbon Strong raffle support Charities For Kentucky, which works in cooperation with University of Kentucky student-athletes who promote fundraising with their name, image and likeness for non-profits. Participating charities include Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass, Gods Pantry Food Bank and Junior Achievement. Tickets Whiskey Wednesdays raffles are $5; there is no limit to the number of tickets purchased per person each week. Bourbon Strong raffle tickets are $50, with a total of 3,000 tickets available. There is no ticket-buying limit per person. Go online to buy tickets. I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Twitter: @mbona30. Get a jumpstart on the weekend. Sign up for Cleveland.coms weekly In the CLE email newsletter, your essential guide to the top things to do in Greater Cleveland. It will arrive in your inbox on Friday mornings - an exclusive to-do list, focusing on the best of the weekend fun. Restaurants, music, movies, performing arts, family fun and more. Click here to subscribe. All cleveland.com newsletters are free. Like cool local food + drinks photos and videos? Follow @DineDrinkCLE on Instagram. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Cleveland Museum of Art has stepped up its commitment to artist Amy Sherald, highly-regarded for her 2018 portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama, by acquiring a portrait of a member of the artists family in oil on canvas. The museum announced Wednesday that its acquisitions for spring 2023 include Sheralds 2022 portrait of her nephew, Keith Pemberton, wearing a bright green lacrosse jersey with the number 22 emblazoned in white across the front. MARION COUNTY, Texas Officials called to remove a Jeep found submerged in a lake ended up discovering a woman was alive inside the vehicle, a few hours after she had been reported missing. A news release from the Marion County Sheriffs Office says a fisherman called the department on Friday morning saying he had spotted the vehicle in Lake o the Pines about 40 feet from a boat ramp. Rotunda Rumblings Clap back: The Manhattan district attorney who brought criminal charges against former President Donald Trump has filed a federal lawsuit to stop U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, a Champaign County Republican, from interfering in the investigation. Sabrina Eaton reports that prosecutor Alvin Braggs lawsuit accuses Jordan of an unprecedently brazen and unconstitutional attack on the district attorneys effort to prosecute Trump and seeks to stop Jordans subpoena of a former office employee. Earlier this week, Jordan announced a House Judiciary committee field hearing about crime in New York as his feud with Bragg escalated. You get a tutor, and you get a tutor Most Ohio students are eligible for $1,000 in before- and after-school tutoring, music and language lessons, day camps and other enrichment, as the legislature has made more funds available. Laura Hancock reports that the grants previously were for $500. Now theyre for $1,000, and a larger group of students is eligible. Drill baby, drill: A Franklin County judge declined a request from environmental advocates asking her to pause a new state law expanding and temporarily forcing state agencies to agree to certain lease proposals to frack state parks. Jake Zuckerman reports that though the ruling is not final, it marks an early win for the state. False charity? Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sued a Columbiana County man he claims raised money for a charity that said it was going to provide water and other emergency aid for the residents in East Palestine in a partnership with a local food bank. But thus far, just $10,000 has been paid to the food bank, of $141,000 raised, Hancock reports. An attorney for Mike Peppel, a former congressional and state legislative staffer, declined to comment. No decisions yet: The Ohio State Board of Education delayed for another month the decision of whether to hire a search firm to find a permanent state superintendent. Meantime, the board also voted on a resolution, which will be sent to each Ohio lawmaker, condemning legislation that would strip the board of most of its power, Hancock reports. Up in the air: GOP U.S. Reps Dave Joyce of South Russell and Bill Johnson of Marietta introduced legislation that would designate Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG) and Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) as a primary airport. They said its currently the only commercial airport in the country with an Air Reserve Station that does not have commercial air service. Joyce and Johnson said they hoped the designation would improve maintenance at the airport, attract commercial air service to replace those that departed in 2018, and bolster the areas economic growth. Nursing along: Joyce announced Monday that hell serve as co-chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, a bipartisan group of legislators dedicated to advancing policies that support the nations 4.2 million registered nurses. As the husband of a nurse, I know firsthand that the millions of men and women working throughout the Unites States as nurses are the backbone of our nations healthcare system, said a statement from Joyce. At a time when our country faces a nursing workforce shortage, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, legislators on both sides of the aisle must come together to advance commonsense solutions to bolster the workforce and encourage more Americans to enter this critically important profession. Intelligence leak: U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, a Dayton Republican who chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement Monday with its top Democrat that said they were deeply concerned by reports that classified U.S. documents about the war in Ukraine have appeared on public websites. Protecting classified information is critical to our national security, and the DOD (Department of Defense) and Intelligence Community must work quickly to prevent any spillage and identify the source of any leak, Turner wrote with Connecticut Democrat Jim Himes. We have requested additional information from the DOD and IC and expect the Committee to be briefed as the investigation proceeds. Caucus kumbaya: Ohio House Republicans backing House Speaker Jason Stephens and state Rep. Derek Merrin, respectively, have finally struck a deal to jointly oversee the caucus campaign bank account ahead of legislative elections next year. State Reps. Phil Plummer of Dayton said he and state Rep. Jeff LaRe of Fairfield County will co-chair the Ohio House Republican Alliance and jointly approve expenditures. Plummer said there will also be a kind of advisory board consisting of Merrin, two state representatives who backed him for speaker, and two Stephens supporters. Merrin supporters, who make up about two-thirds of the House GOP caucus, previously threatened to sue Stephens for Merrins supporters to gain control of the caucus account. But now, Plummer said, Were all happy with the outcome. Stephens, in a statement, said, I look forward to working together, supporting all of our Republican members and ensuring the Ohio House remains a model for conservatism. When asked if this marks a sign of healing between the Stephens and Merrin camps, Plummer replied, Unfortunately, no. But this just had to be done. On board: The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northeast Ohio announced Tuesday it is supporting the proposed amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, according to a statement by Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, one of the groups organizing the campaign to pass the amendment. Dr. Jonathan Scharfstein, president of the 6,000-member group, said it has concerns with any policy that erodes the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship. Abortion bans violate long-established and widely accepted principles of medical ethics by substituting legislators opinions for a physicians individualized patient-centered counseling. Fewer abortions: Estimates by #WeCount and the Society of Family Planning find 4,800 fewer abortions were performed in Ohio last summer after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Ohioans six-week abortion ban took effect until the autumn, when a judge in Cincinnati put the new law on hold, for now, according to reporting by FiveThirtyEight. Some states, such as Illinois, had an increase in abortions, likely because women were traveling from outside the state. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from the May 16, 2022, financial disclosure of state Sen. Michael Rulli, a Mahoning Valley Republican. 1. He reported earning $100,000 or more as director of operations for Rulli Brothers Market in 2021. He earned $76,000 in the Ohio Senate in 2021. 2. Hes a partner in R-Sons Limited Partnership. 3. He has a 401(k) from Merrill Lynch. 4. He owns two pieces of property in Boardman, including the space where his familys grocery market is located. 5. He drives American, listing he owed money to Chrysler in 2021. On the move John Keeling, former communications director for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, has joined the Columbus Partnership as its communications director. Ben Errig has been appointed deputy communications director for the Ohio Senate Democrats. He previously worked as a senior legislative aide to state Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson. Birthdays Michael McGovern, Democratic strategist Vanessa McMahon, Ohio Senate Republicans senior policy adviser Charles Foster, Ohios 35th governor (1828-1904) Straight From The Source In Cuyahoga County, which makes up the majority of my district, black women are up to three times more likely than white women to die of causes related to childbirth. So, expanding Medicaid and closing the coverage gap is a key component of improving maternal health, especially for women of color. - U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, a Warrensville Heights Democrat, in a press phone call to mark Medicaid Awareness Month. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. Subscribe to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. ATLANTA -- In his Farewell Address in 1796, as he prepared to retire from political life, President George Washington warned that political parties are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. Last week, Republican lawmakers in the Tennessee state legislature held votes to expel three Democratic members of the legislature for participating in nonviolent protests from the floor of the General Assembly on March 30. The protests were calling for lawmakers in that state to tighten gun control laws in response to the massacre of three young children and three adults by an armed gunman at a private elementary school in Nashville. Republican lawmakers expelled two of the three legislators, both of whom just so happened to be the two Black legislators of the three. Also last week, Democrats in Wisconsin celebrated the election of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Judge Protasiewiczs victory cemented a 4-3 liberal court majority in the state. However, that same week, Republicans in Wisconsin also had reason to celebrate. Rep. Dan Knodl was elected to the state Senate, giving Republicans a two-thirds majority in that chamber. Under Wisconsin law, an elected official can be impeached with a majority vote in the House of Representatives and a vote of two-thirds of the Senate. With Knodls election, Wisconsin Republicans gained the necessary votes to impeach an elected official. Rep. Knodl said that he was open to removing officials such as the Milwaukee County District Attorney and Judge Protasiewicz. Also last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called on the state Board of Pardons and Paroles to recommend a pardon for U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Perry and send it to his desk. The day before Gov. Abbotts statement, Sgt. Perry was found guilty by a Texas jury of the July 2020 murder of Garrett Foster. Sgt. Perry murdered Foster during a protest following the May 2020 killing of George Floyd. At trial, Perrys attorneys argued that Perry killed Foster in self-defense. In calling for Sgt. Perrys pardon, Gov. Abbott said, Texas has one of the strongest Stand Your Ground laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney. Also last week, it was revealed that, for over 20 years, U.S. Supreme Court Justice and senior member of the conservative supermajority of the Court Clarence Thomas had been treated to luxury vacations by billionaire Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. Crow sits on the boards of conservative-leaning organizations such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution, which publish scholarship advancing conservative legal theories and have fellows who occasionally file amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Thomas never disclosed these gifts from Crow, because according to him he was advised at the time that he did not have to report them. However, he intends to report them in the future. Also last week, former President Donald Trump became the first ex-president to be criminally arraigned. He is accused of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments he made to women with whom he had affairs. Though warned by the presiding judge to refrain from making any comments which create unrest or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals, that evening, Trump claimed that he had a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris. He also attacked the Manhattan district attorney who was prosecuting the case, as well as the Fulton County district attorney and the U.S. Justice Department special counsel that are conducting criminal investigations regarding whether Trump committed additional crimes. The judge and his family have since received dozens of threats. Trump said, This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election. He currently enjoys a comfortable lead in polling regarding the Republican nomination for president in 2024. This is not what I learned in U.S. government class in high school over 20 years ago. I was taught that everyone including lawmakers had a right under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to peaceably assemble and protest. I wasnt taught that doing so could get you expelled from elected office by other elected officials not voters who didnt like your protest. And I certainly wasnt taught that your chances of being expelled for exercising your First Amendment rights increased when you were Black (although, I probably would have presumed that one). I was taught that the legislative branch makes the laws, the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial branch interprets them. There is a system of checks and balances which ensures that we have co-equal branches of government. I wasnt taught that the legislative branch could (or even would) consider removing judges in the judicial branch or prosecutors in the executive branch, not because of crimes they committed, but political differences. I was taught about the importance of the rule of law. As John Adams wrote, a government of laws, and not of men. I was taught that presidents and state leaders of the executive branch had the authority to issue pardons, but they were rarely issued only in limited circumstances because everyone (including presidents and governors) believed in upholding the rule of law. I wasnt taught that, where the leader of the executive branch believes that a jury of the accuseds peers decided wrongly, he or she could (or would) immediately seek to exercise the pardon power to void that jury decision. I was taught that judges were supposed to be fair, impartial, and above politics. As Andrew Jackson is reported to have said, All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous judiciary. Because maintaining the independence and virtue of the judiciary were important, judges were always careful about what they did or said. I certainly wasnt taught that it was normal or no big deal for rich people with political agendas to provide gifts to judges who rule on issues of importance to those rich people with political agendas. I was taught that presidents, like all other elected officials, were supposed to be chosen among the best of us. As John Adams wrote his wife from the White House, May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof. I wasnt taught that being charged with crimes (and being investigated for others) would not only not prevent someone from running for president, but it would also arguably help them secure a partys nomination. I dont know what kids are learning today in their U.S. government classes (if they are even taking a government or civics class). But I know that if they are being taught the same things that I was taught, all they have to do is read the news to see that what they are being taught does not match with the reality of what is happening. If schools are still teaching them about the supremacy of democracy as a form of government, and the genius of the separate branches of government, and the wisdom of the system of checks and balances, teachers nowadays have little in the current news cycle upon which they can rely to support those teachings. That should trouble us. It troubles me. Thats probably because I still believe in the supremacy of democracy, and genius of separate branches, and the wisdom of checks and balances. I still believe that despite the current evidence otherwise our system of government can work. Eric Foster is a columnist for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. Before you dismiss this as the scribe of some whining liberal, consider if the shoe was on the other foot. Imagine that the California General Assembly expelled lawmakers for protesting gun reform laws in that state. Imagine if the governor of New York pardoned a 19-year-old drug trafficker immediately after his conviction because the jury got it wrong. Imagine if U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was found to have spent her summers on yachts owned by George Soros. Imagine if President Joe Biden chose not to run again, Vice President Kamala Harris was charged with a crime, and she still decided to run for the 2024 Democratic nomination. Then, imagine that she was leading the polls. Im not writing this to suggest that Republicans are immoral. Im only submitting that no matter who is performing these actions, we should all be troubled by them. This is not how a democracy should function. I dont have a fix for this. But the first step is recognizing the problem. George Washington saw this before it happened. Its incumbent upon us now to see it while it is happening. Eric Foster, a community member of the editorial board, is a columnist for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. Foster is a lawyer in private practice. The views expressed are his own. To reach Eric Foster: ericfosterpd@gmail.com 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. CHICAGO -- Newly elected Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio earlier this year said that he will do all he can to ensure the Great Lakes are protected not just today, but for generations to come. Hes also agreed to co-chair the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. Sen. Vances predecessor, Sen. Rob Portman, was known for his bipartisan approach and strong support for the Great Lakes. We hope that Sen. Vance is on the way to following in his footsteps as a Great Lakes champion. We appreciate Sen. Vances pledges to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and fight invasive species. These are critical efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. SOLON, Ohio -- As a constant reader, I value the public library system (Id go broke buying all the books I read). Imagine if I arrived to find that a book which had captured my interest had been removed from the public library system my choice taken away because of the opinion of a few. Liberty is defined as a quality or state of being free, the power to do what one pleases, the power of choice. Yet, there is a burgeoning group of women ironically called Moms for Liberty who are leading a movement to remove books from public schools and public libraries. What the Moms for Liberty are doing is the complete opposite of liberty. They may want the right to decide what their children wont read but they are taking away the right of parents to decide what their children will read. They arent the only ones, though. PEN America is a nonprofit organization that has existed for one hundred years. Their Index of Banned Books in schools lists 2,532 instances of books being banned written by 1,261 different authors and affecting nearly 4 million students from July 2021 to June 2022. Ninety-six percent of the bans were enacted without following the best-practice guidelines for book challenges outlined by the American Library Association and the National Coalition Against Censorship. The most controversial books are young adult novels based on the authors real-life experiences, including books with transgender, gay, and Native American characters. Anything of a sexual nature tends to be labeled pornography. As a parent, you may not believe your teen is ready for these topics, but what about the young people who are personally struggling with issues of their identities and difficult life circumstances? They should have the option to read about others like themselves. I grew up in a suburb where every family looked like my family. Books taught me everything about the real world, about poverty, war, and the realities of history. I quickly appreciated my own life and learned compassion for those less fortunate through the books I chose to read as a young person. I was given credit for understanding right from wrong by being given those choices. Of course, parents should have a say in what their children are exposed to, and no one is stopping them. I recall battles with my daughter over the young adult section of our local library when I thought she was too young for those titles. That doesnt mean other parents should have to make the choice I did. In Texas, a state representative, Matt Krause, has called for the review of 849 books, including anything that would cause discomfort for students. I read and hear things every day that cause me discomfort. How will children deal with real life if they only read pleasant stories? Moreover, professional librarians are caught in the middle of this controversy, being harassed and threatened for doing their job. In 1933, a series of massive bonfires in Nazi Germany burned thousands of books. Included were the works of Einstein, Freud, Hemingway, Helen Keller, Jack London, Erich Maria Remarque, and Upton Sinclair. Author Diane Vogel Ferri taught students with special needs in the Cleveland area for over 30 years. Book censorship is the act of some authority taking measures to suppress ideas and information within a book. Censorship is defined as the regulation of free speech and other forms of entrenched authority. Adolf Hitler is said to have said this: Only the continuous and steady application of the methods for suppressing a doctrine, etc., makes it possible for a plan to succeed. We guide and protect our children and that is as it should be, but a small group of people should not be making those decisions for all of us because of their personal discomfort. After all, this is America with liberty and justice for all. Diane Vogel Ferri taught in the public schools for over 30 years and is the author of No Life But This: A Novel of Emily Warren Roebling. 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. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina launched an exploratory committee for a 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday, taking a major step toward a Republican primary arena that former President Donald Trump has dominated so far. "This is personal to me," Scott, 57, said in a video announcing the committee. "I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that makes America exceptional. And that's why I'm announcing my exploratory committee for president of the United States." Scott's move toward a White House run puts him on track to collide with fellow South Carolina Republican Nikki Haley, the former governor and United Nations ambassador who launched her own presidential campaign in February. Both appear to have a challenging task in trying to defeat Trump, the party's de facto leader, and dislodge prospective candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as GOP voters' preferred alternative to Trump. Trump has dominated early Republican primary polling, while DeSantis has usually held the second spot. Scott made history by becoming the first Black senator elected in the U.S. south since the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. He is currently the only Black Republican in the Senate two other Black incumbent senators, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Cory Booker of New Jersey, are Democrats and one of just four Black Republicans to serve in the chamber in U.S. history. In his announcement video Wednesday morning, Scott slammed President Joe Biden and the left for trying to "weaponize race to divide us." He accused his political foes of labeling him a "prop" and a "token" because "I disrupt their narrative." Scott's video was released on the day marking the start of the Civil War and was filmed near Fort Sumter, where the war's first major conflict took place in South Carolina, his committee noted. The senator, who has been touring key primary states, is planning another swing this week through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, his committee said. Scott's preparation for his presidential run was well telegraphed. In a fundraising email in March, Scott even teased, "I wanted you to hear this from me first, Friend. I've made a decision. To go to church!" This is breaking news. Please check back for updates. A pivotal fight over the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone has spurred new accusations of "judge shopping" by plaintiffs seeking a favorable audience for their litigation. The legal battle over the abortion pill has largely taken place in Amarillo, Texas, home to a federal court division with just one district judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk. Kacsmaryk, appointed to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump in 2019, previously worked for the Christian conservative legal group First Liberty Institute and has espoused socially conservative views on LGBTQ rights and abortion. By filing the lawsuit in Amarillo, the cadre of anti-abortion groups seeking to cancel the FDA's approval of the drug virtually guaranteed Kacsmaryk would hear their case. Critics have accused the plaintiffs of targeting Kacsmaryk to preside over the case because he was seen as more sympathetic to their arguments that the drug, which was approved in 2000, has major safety concerns. "We can't always predict that judges will act in accordance with their biographies," Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, told CNBC. But "if you're the Alliance Defending Freedom" the legal group representing some of the plaintiffs "you're going to want someone like [Kacsmaryk] because your odds are going to be better," she said. The Amarillo court did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. The strategy of targeting single-judge divisions damages the perception of judicial fairness, critics say. They argue plaintiffs are skirting the usual process of cases being assigned randomly which is mainly intended to "avoid judge shopping," as one federal court explains. Kacsmaryk on Friday suspended mifepristone's approval, while giving the Biden administration time to appeal. The same day, another federal judge ordered the FDA not to restrict the pill's availability in 17 states, essentially contradicting the Texas judge's ruling. The issue could ascend to the U.S. Supreme Court, which bears a 6-3 conservative majority. A ruling on the pill's legal status will have massive implications around the country, including in states where abortion remains legal after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year. Medication abortion is the most common form of the procedure in the U.S. An attorney for one of the plaintiffs has rebuffed accusations of judge shopping. "We're very confident that any judge who looks at the FDA regulations and what the FDA actually did is going to rule for us," Denise Harle, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, told Fox News in February. "That's what we're looking for, just a fair trial, a fair opportunity to make our arguments to the court." Harle also told Fox that the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a group of anti-abortion doctors represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, is based in Amarillo. But Kacsmaryk's courthouse has reportedly become a preferred destination for conservative legal causes. The judge has repeatedly sided with challenges to Biden administration policies. Other judges have sparked similar accusations. Trump was accused of judge shopping for Florida federal Judge Aileen Cannon, whom he appointed, when he filed a sweeping lawsuit in 2022 against his former political rival Hillary Clinton in Cannon's division. That case was instead assigned to Judge Donald Middlebrooks, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton. Middlebrooks dismissed it. But Cannon was randomly assigned to another Trump lawsuit months later, this one asking a judge to appoint a "special master" to review the government documents the FBI seized in a raid of the ex-president's resort home Mar-a-Lago in August. Cannon granted Trump's request, surprising some legal experts at the time. It isn't new for litigants to try to get their cases heard in the most advantageous environment. The strategy is not a partisan one, either: Ziegler noted that a 2017 challenge to then-President Trump's controversial travel ban was filed in Hawaii. That type of forum shopping is "always kind of an imperfect proxy" for those seeking a sympathetic judge, Ziegler said. She noted there are progressive judges in conservative states and vice versa. But by filing a lawsuit in a single-judge division, a plaintiff can more easily target a specific judge. Constitutional law expert Steve Vladeck wrote in February, "Of the 27 divisions in Texas' four district courts, nine have a single judge; 10 others have only two." In a separate case brought before Kacsmaryk this year, the Department of Justice asked for a transfer to a different federal court, arguing that the decision to "forum shop" to the Amarillo court "undermines public confidence in the administration of justice" because the court "has no connection whatsoever to this dispute." Kacsmaryk rejected that request. Another DOJ brief in February singled out Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accusing the Republican official of filing 18 of his 28 lawsuits against the Biden administration in single-judge divisions. Paxton's office has defended its decisions on where to file its cases, telling CNN last month that the Biden administration's accusations risk "undermining the public's trust in the legal system." Ziegler echoed the view that even the appearance of judge shopping can erode trust in the courts. "When the public knows you can order an outcome by picking a judge, it makes it really hard to convince the public that the courts are legitimate," she said. A view of Apple's first company-owned store in India to be launched inside the Jio World Drive mall at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. Apple is set to open its first physical stores in India next week, highlighting the country's importance to the U.S. tech firm's future in iPhone sales and manufacturing, The Cupertino giant will open a store in Mumbai on Apr. 18 and in the Indian capital Delhi on Apr. 20. Apple CEO Tim Cook may travel to India to open the stores, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The move underscores his bullishness towards the world's fifth-largest economy. Cook's visit, almost 7 years since his inaugural trip to India, comes as Apple is looking to boost retail sales of its products and its manufacturing activity locally. Apple has been bolstering its inroads into the Indian market, which has been dominated by low-to-mid-cost smartphones from companies such as Samsung and Xiaomi. IPhone shipments grew 16% year-on-year in 2022 and Apple was the number one player in the premium segment of the market, which are phones above $365, according to Counterpoint Research. While it is only now looking to open its first physical retail location in India, the company has had an online store there since 2020. "I'm very bullish on India," Cook said during a February earnings call covering Apple's results for the December quarter, when the tech giant observed record iPhone revenues in India, while the number of regional iPhone users increased to "double-digit." Apple is "putting a significant amount of energy" in India, Cook stressed at the time. Retail is only one step. On the manufacturing front, Apple began assembling its flagship iPhone 14 in India last year the first time that the company has produced its latest device in the country, so close to its initial launch. Piyush Goyal, India's minister of commerce and industry, said in January that Apple is aiming to make 25% of all of its iPhones in India. The manufacturing push in India comes as Apple is looking to reduce its reliance on China, where it currently makes the bulk of its iPhones. Fragilities in China were exposed last year, after production was disrupted by a COVID-19 outbreak and worker protests at the world's largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China, which is run by Taiwanese firm Foxconn. Police clear the U.S. Capitol Building with tear gas as supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather outside, in Washington, January 6, 2021. A coalition of nine media companies, including CNN, The New York Times and Politico, have sued for copies of the surveillance videos from the Capitol riot that Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., gave exclusively to Fox News. In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the media companies demanded that the Justice Department's Office for U.S. Attorneys and the FBI "promptly" provide copies of the footage of the riot on Jan. 6, which they characterized as "the most significant assault on the Capitol since the War of 1812." Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit seeking access to the tapes include Advance Publications, which owns Vogue, GQ and regional newspapers; the Associated Press; ProPublica; CBS; E.W. Scripps, a large local TV broadcaster; and Gannett, which owns USA Today and several local newspapers. The media outlets say the suit was brought using the Freedom of Information Act, which allows the public, including journalists, to request access to federal records, unless the information is in an exempted category. McCarthy faced pressure from allies of Donald Trump in Congress, who have worked to further the former president's argument that the attack that day was peaceful, to release the footage. Five people died during or shortly after the riot and more than 130 police were injured that day. Hundreds of participants have been charged with crimes, including some for attacks on the police. When McCarthy was struggling to secure the speakership earlier this year, Carlson argued on television that McCarthy should release the Jan. 6 videos to win over enough Republicans. In February, Carlson said he was provided access to about 44,000 hours of security feeds during the attack. Asked in February when the videos would be released to other outlets and the public, McCarthy said, "As soon as possible." Carlson, using the videos provided to him by McCarthy, aired segments last month that appeared to portray the Jan. 6 attack as a peaceful gathering and showed rioters calmly walking around the Capitol, rather than the violence. Lawmakers, including Republicans, blasted Carlson's segments as offensive and misleading. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said McCarthy's decision "poses grave security risks" to lawmakers and people who work in the Capitol, warning that it could lead to another assault on the building. "It was a mistake, in my view, for Fox News to depict this in a way that's completely at variance with what our chief law enforcement official here at the Capitol thinks," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The media outlets submitted a Freedom of Information request days after Carlson announced he had the videos, but they have not been notified of the scope of records the DOJ planned to produce or withhold within the time limit required by law, the companies said in their lawsuit. The media companies added in the filing that the FBI had responded to the Freedom of Information request on March 2, saying it was unable to identify records and deliver what was requested by the media companies. The DOJ did not immediately respond to request for comment and the FBI declined to comment. NBC News was among a group of news organizations that previously asked McCarthy to share the footage. Elon Musk Twitter account seen on Mobile with Elon Musk in the background on screen, seen in this photo illustration. On 19 February 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Elon Musk says that Twitter is close to becoming cash-flow positive after making sharp layoffs and working to lure advertisers back to the platform. "I'd say we're roughly breakeven at this point," Musk said Wednesday, during a live interview with the BBC recorded on Twitter Spaces. Musk has pushed to make more money at Twitter to recoup his multibillion-dollar investment in the company. As part of this income-generation drive, Twitter has sought to make more money from subscriptions, charging users $8 a month to get access to Twitter verification marks and for the ability to edit tweets, among other features. Musk said that Twitter will start removing blue checks from accounts without a subscription to the company's paid Twitter Blue service next week. During the interview, Musk said that "almost all" advertisers have resumed buying ads on the platform, after several hit pause on Twitter advertising following Musk's acquisition of the app. Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in late October after a drawn-out legal battle with the company. He has since sought to radically overhaul the platform, including its content moderation policies. This has spooked many product placers, with half of Twitter's top 100 advertisers now estimated to have left the platform since Musk took over. "Depending on how things go, if current trends continue, I think we could be ... cashflow-positive this quarter, if things keep going well," Musk said. Brands were concerned about the app failing to tackle hateful posts in the wake of the $44 billion deal, which was completed in October 2022. Musk styles himself as a "free speech absolutist" and says that he wants to encourage free expression on Twitter. He controversially allowed Donald Trump, who was last week charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, back onto the platform. The former president has said that he has no intention of returning, opting to instead post on his own site, Truth Social. CNBC was not able to independently verify if most previous advertisers are returning to Twitter. "Almost all of them have either come back or said they're going to come back, there are very few exceptions," Musk said. When pressed by the BBC on which advertisers haven't yet returned, Musk said: "I actually don't know of anyone who said definitively they're not coming back." "They're all sort of trending to coming back. 'Hey, jump in, the water is warm, it's great,'" he added as his message to advertisers who had yet to return. Representatives for Volkswagen, General Motors, Stellantis, which paused advertising on Twitter after Musk's acquisition, were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. Twitter, which erased its press department in a wave of layoffs this year, automatically responded to a CNBC request for comment with a poop emoji. In December, advertising guru Maurice Levy told CNBC that Twitter was at a crossroads of "complete freedom" which could result in either chaos or better oversight and that most advertisers were in "wait and see" mode. "I believe that if we are back to something more controlled, advertisers will get back to Twitter," Levy, who is chairman of Publicis Groupe 's supervisory board, told CNBC's Charlotte Reed at the 2022 Conference de Paris. Ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, right, attends the House Judiciary Committee hearing titled Revoking Your Rights: The Ongoing Crisis in Abortion Care Access, in Rayburn Building, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. A Republican-led House committee said Wednesday it subpoenaed the Federal Trade Commission for documents related to the agency's inquiry into Twitter. The subpoena comes after the House Judiciary Committee asked the FTC to hand over the information voluntarily last month. The request came after the Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government released a report about what Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, called "inappropriate and burdensome demands" by the FTC of Twitter around the time that billionaire Elon Musk acquired the company. Jordan wrote in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan Wednesday that the agency's compliance with the earlier demand "has been woefully insufficient." Jordan said the FTC's earlier response sought to link its inquiry into Twitter to a privacy-related order it's tasked with enforcing. But Jordan said that ignored other aspects of the committee's questions about the FTC's probe. An FTC spokesperson said the agency had offered to brief congressional staff on its inquiry but that they hadn't yet taken the FTC up on that offer. "The FTC respects the important role of Congressional oversight," FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in a statement. "We have made multiple offers to brief Chairman Jordan's staff on our investigation into Twitter. Those are standing offers made prior to this entirely unnecessary subpoena." Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Juul will pay $462 million to settle claims by six states and Washington D.C. that the vaping company marketed its addictive e-cigarettes to underage teens, five Democratic attorneys general announced Wednesday. The agreement is the largest multi-state settlement the company has reached to date, the attorneys general said during a press conference. It means Juul has now settled in suits with 45 states for more than $1 billion. The deal will impose strict limits on Juul's sales and marketing abilities, and will force Juul to secure its products behind retail store counters and verify the age of purchasers, the officials added. The states that reached the settlement with Juul are New York, California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Illinois and Colorado. "There is no doubt that Juul played a central role in the vaping epidemic today," New York Attorney General Letitia James said. "Juul is paying for widespread harm caused and will undergo severe restrictions on its marketing and sales practices." The settlement adds to years of heavy scrutiny on Juul, the one-time Silicon Valley darling among both tobacco giants and investors. A string of payouts to both governments and consumers over allegations that it marketed addictive products to teens has hampered the company and left it seeking options to stay afloat. The settlement brings the company closer to a "total resolution of the company's historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future," a spokesperson for Juul said. They noted that underage use of Juul products has declined by 95% since the company dropped all U.S. advertising and discontinued most of its flavors in 2019. "Now we are positioned to dedicate even greater focus on our path forward to maximize the value and impact of our product technology and scientific foundation," the spokesperson told CNBC. Juul's priority is to secure Food and Drug Administration authorization of the company's Premarket Tobacco Product Applications, which it needs legally market its products in the U.S., the spokesperson said. The FDA denied those applications last June, essentially banning Juul from selling its vaping products. But the agency placed a temporary hold on that decision a month later, and it is not in effect now. Under the settlement announced Wednesday, California will receive $175.8 million, which will be used for e-cigarette research, education and enforcement, the state's Attorney General Rob Bonta said. New York will get $112.7 million over an eight-year period, which will support underage vaping abatement programs across the state. Massachusetts will receive $41.7 million, a portion of which will fund vaping addiction services. Colorado will get nearly $32 million, New Mexico will receive $17 million and D.C. will get around $15 million. James said Juul led consumers to believe that its vapes are safer than cigarettes. But one pod of Juul's e-cigarette contains as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes, she noted. She said the company's colorful advertisements often featured young models and flashy parties, which "downplayed the harmful effects" of its products. "Taking a page out of big tobacco's playbook, Juul misled consumers about the health risks of their products," she said. James highlighted the agreement's crackdown on Juul's marketing practices. She noted that the company will be barred from funding or operating youth education and prevention campaigns. The agreement will also force Juul to stop using people under 35 years old in its marketing materials that directly or indirectly target young people, James said. Teen vaping skyrocketed nationwide after the company launched in 2015, leading the Food and Drug Administration to declare an "epidemic" of underage e-cigarette use just three years later. Parents, school administrators and politicians largely blamed the company for hooking a generation of young people on its high-nicotine pods. Since then, Juul has been buffeted by lawsuits and state-led investigations over its products and allegedly deceptive marketing practices. Those legal and hurdles and a potential U.S. ban have hurt Juul's bottom line. The company in November said it secured enough new funding to stave off bankruptcy. But at the time it announced plans to lay off about 400 staff and cut its operating budget by 30% to 40%. Juul appeared to be exploring other options in January. Company executives were in early stage talks with Philip Morris, Japan Tobacco and Altria about a potential sale, investment or alliance, the Wall Street Journal reported at the time. More than 3 million middle and high school students used tobacco products last year, according to a report released in November by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. E-cigarettes were the most common tobacco product among those young people, as more than 2.5 million students used them, the report said. It added that youth use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe. Geography probably isn't the only reason a startup succeeds or fails but it often plays a role, especially when it comes to the costs of starting a business. Your location can affect how much you'll pay on office space and taxes, or your ability to find and hire talented workers. If you're thinking of starting something new and you want to stretch your money as far as possible, you might consider setting up shop in Nevada, according to a new ranking from online small business advisory company SimplifyLLC. Nevada tops this ranking as the least expensive U.S. state to start a small business, due to factors like an abundance of available commercial space and the state's lack of corporate income tax. Those types of costs can matter: Roughly 44% of startup failures last year stemmed from businesses running out of cash, according to an analysis of CB Insights data published by Skynova, which makes invoicing software for small businesses. Here are the nine least expensive U.S. states for starting a small business, according to SimplifyLLC's list: Nevada Colorado Arkansas Montana North Carolina South Dakota Wyoming Idaho Arizona Nevada is one of only six states without any corporate income tax, though it does collect a gross receipts tax of up to 0.3% from businesses with at least $4 million in annual revenue. The state also ranks just outside the top 10 in labor force participation rate and average worker salaries. It also boasted the country's fourth-best business survival rate in 2021, with nearly twice as many new startups formed than failed, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Colorado and Arkansas came in just behind Nevada. Both states have some of the lowest corporate tax rates levied on businesses, with Arkansas imposing a rate of 3.3% and Colorado at 4.4%, the ranking notes. Small business loans were also widely available in those two states in 2020, the most recent year with complete Small Business Administration data. Arkansas small businesses received nearly $43 million in loans per 100,000 residents that year, the sixth-highest of any state. Colorado was eighth at $41.2 million per 100,000 residents. To calculate its rankings, SimplifyLLC used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Tax Foundation to rate each of the country's 50 states in nine categories: Corporate income tax rates Business filing fees Average annual income Labor force participation rate Percentage of adults over the age of 25 with at least a bachelor's degree Average monthly commercial electric bills Available commercial real estate Amount of small-business lending per capita Business survival rates Some of the categories, like corporate tax rates or small-business lending availability, are fairly straightforward in how they'd affect your business' expenses. Others have more tacit implications: A high average annual income in your state, for example, could mean paying employees inflated salaries to stay competitive. The ranking's categories aren't comprehensive. Small-business insurance costs can vary by state, as can inventory and equipment expenses. Some states offer tax credits for businesses in specific industries, which could help some startups and not others. "For entrepreneurs who have the ability to pick and choose where they want to start their business, it's clear that certain states will allow you to save money," the ranking noted. DON'T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work & life? Sign up for our new newsletter! Check out: Semiconductor stocks have rebounded this year after a difficult 2022. The iShares Semiconductor ETF , which tracks the sector, is up nearly 25% year-to-date, well outperforming major U.S. indexes. But there have been some recent shocks from the famously cyclical sector, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reporting a decline in monthly revenue for the first time in nearly four years, while Samsung reported a 96% drop in quarterly profit. The South Korean chip maker also said it will cut memory chip production amid slowing global growth, dwindling demand and oversupply. Wall Street is looking past the bad news, however, with a raft of investment banks issuing positive commentary on both chip stocks in the wake of the announcements. TSMC When it comes to TSMC, Morgan Stanley is staying bullish despite expectations of near-term pressure on the stock. "Investors continue to ask about our view on TSMC's full-year guidance. We believe the company could tone down its full-year revenue outlook slightly and give more conservative 2023 capex guidance in view of milder semi demand recovery in 2H23. In the near term, we also expect TSMC's 2Q23 revenue guidance to be weaker than expected," Morgan Stanley's analysts, led by Charlie Chan, wrote in a note on Apr. 10. With TSMC's first-quarter earnings report due on Apr. 20, the bank's base case scenario will see the chip giant guiding for a longer-than-expected inventory correction. Nevertheless, Morgan Stanley thinks TSMC is still a buy. "Stay overweight on TSMC into 1Q23 results for long-term technology leadership," it said, retaining its price target of 700 Taiwanese dollars ($22.97) on the stock. That represents potential upside of about 30% from its closing price on Monday. And it's not the only bank that's bullish on TSMC. Over 90% of analysts covering the stock rate it a "buy," and give it average potential upside of 16.9%. Tim Seymour, founder and chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management, believes the dip in TSMC's share price is a buying opportunity . "You want any chance to buy this stock on weakness," Seymour said on CNBC's "Fast Money" on Monday. "Right now, that's a stock everyone should want to own, and they should probably want to own it somewhere around here, which is 16 times [earnings]," he added. "You could probably get it cheaper because I just think semis have run so far." CNBC's Tanaya Macheel contributed to reporting Morgan Stanley thinks it's time to get back on board the MongoDB train, saying it sees a "pivot to profitability" for the company. Analyst Sanjit K Singh upgraded the cloud database stock to overweight from equal-weight. He also increased his price target to $270 per share from $230 per share, implying upside of 27.6% from Tuesday's closing price. The firm moved to the sidelines on the company in November due to macro uncertainty, while noting at the time that it was willing to get bullish on the stock in the future due to its positive view on MongoDB's competitive positioning and growth forecasts. Morgan Stanley now believes that many of its prior concerns have been addressed by the company and is now "getting back on board a secular beneficiary." MDB YTD mountain MDB in 2023 "We see MongoDB continuing to be a long-term beneficiary from strong growth in net-new applications particularly as advancements in AI/large language model accelerate code development fueling growth in new applications and consequently database adoption," Singh said. The analyst also cited cloud migrations driving growth for the company, in addition to "a significant consolidation [as] a[n] opportunity ahead as customers look to standardize their development efforts with fewer vendors during the current economic downturn driving ongoing share gains." Singh thinks that much of MongoDB's headwinds from cloud digestion should be behind it by the end of the current fiscal year. To be sure, the analyst noted that the company's cloud optimization efforts could continue longer than currently anticipated, which would be a headwind to revenue growth projections. The stock was up more than 3% in the premarket Wednesday. MongoDB shares have gained 7.4% in 2023, on par with the S & P 500. However, shares have lost almost half of their value over the past 12 months. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. The company behind the Raspberry Pi line of computers has raised fresh investment from Sony's semiconductor unit, in a deal aimed at advancing its efforts in artificial intelligence. Sony Semiconductor Solutions, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, invested an undisclosed amount in Raspberry Pi Ltd., the trading company of Raspberry Pi, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The extent of the funding was not revealed, but Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi's co-founder and CEO, said that the firm raised the cash at the same $500 million valuation it was worth in a 2021 funding round, when it brought in $45 million. Upton established Raspberry Pi in 2012 with the aim of making computing more accessible to young people. Raspberry Pi's tiny single-board computers are the size of a credit card and have been used to build everything from high-altitude balloons to small radio-controlled submarines. Raspberry Pi's customers were mainly hobbyists and teachers in the early days. The company has since become a more active player in the enterprise in a typical year, roughly 70% of its sales now come from commercial customers embedding its products into factories or consumer devices, Upton told CNBC. The deal extends an existing manufacturing relationship between Sony and Raspberry Pi. A new partnership, forged alongside the investment, will see Raspberry Pi users and developers gain access to Sony's Aitrios platform, allowing them to develop visual sensing applications using AI cameras equipped with its IMX500 imaging sensors. Upton said this would help kids understand computers as they exist today, rather than machines from several decades ago. "It's super important we teach kids about computers as they are now, rather than [how they were] 30 years ago," Upton told CNBC. "While Raspberry Pi looks back, on the education, we hark back to the glory years of 1980s, we've got to be conscious we're not trying to make faster versions of 1980s computers." People have already been experimenting with Raspberry Pi products for machine learning applications, Upton said, adding that the Sony partnership will allow them to do more in that field. It comes at a time of tremendous hype for the AI industry. ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot from OpenAI, has become a viral phenomenon, thanks to its ability to generate new content such as essays and poems from simple user prompts. Since its launch in November last year, ChatGPT has amassed over 100 million monthly users, according to UBS . At the same time, the capabilities of ChatGPT has led to some worries in the tech community that AI may be becoming too powerful and could displace many jobs. In an open letter last month, Elon Musk and several other tech leaders called for a six-month moratorium on developing AI more advanced than GPT-4 the latest large language model from OpenAI citing risks to society. Italy has gone as far as to ban the service, blaming fears around privacy. Upton said that, although GPT-4 and other large language models such as Google's Bard are impressive, he thinks concern that they will lead to AI capable of general intelligence on par with humans is overblown. "You can naively say GPT-3 was good, and GPT-4 looks a lot better, so GPT-8 is going to be general AI, self-aware. That is probably not an extrapolation you should make," Upton said. WATCH: Three decades after inventing the web, Tim Berners-Lee has some ideas on how to fix it Former President Donald Trump sued his onetime personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen on Wednesday, seeking at least $500 million for alleged breaches of contract and "unjust enrichment." The civil suit, filed in federal court in Miami, accused Cohen of "spreading falsehoods" about Trump, violating his attorney-client relationship and breaching a confidentiality agreement he had signed with the Trump Organization. The allegations against Cohen, whose once-close relationship with Trump imploded in 2018, come as the disbarred lawyer has become a key witness against the former president in a criminal case in Manhattan. Trump, the first ex-president to face criminal charges, pleaded not guilty earlier this month to 34 counts of falsifying business records in that case. It centers on hush money payments made before the 2016 presidential election, which Cohen facilitated for Trump. The famously litigious former president has previously been accused of using the courts as a cudgel against his adversaries. Alejandro Brito, Trump's attorney in the case, referred CNBC's questions about the timing of the new lawsuit against Cohen to a spokesman for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. The spokesman said in a statement that the lawsuit and Cohen's alleged wrongdoings "stand for themselves." The complaint alleged Cohen's fiduciary obligations owed to Trump "survive the attorney-client relationship and Defendant's disbarment and are still in effect today." Cohen's "most egregious breaches of fiduciary duty and contract" came in connection with the tell-all books he published in 2020 and 2022, as well as claims made on his podcast, "Mea Culpa," the lawsuit alleged. "Mr. Trump appears once again to be using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen," Lanny Davis, Cohen's attorney, said in a statement. Davis said the "frivolous" lawsuit suggests Trump is "terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him." Legendary value investor Warren Buffett said he has no expertise in artificial intelligence whatsoever, but thanks to Bill Gates, he took a crack at the buzzy chatbot ChatGPT. "I think it's something I don't understand at all, but Bill did come by about four or five months ago at least. [He said] 'I'm going to show you the latest thing and what can be done with that.' I actually said take the song 'My Way' and write it in Spanish," Buffett told CNBC's Becky Quick on "Squawk Box" Wednesday from Tokyo. "Two seconds later, you know, it comes out and it comes out that rhymes and does all these wonderful things." The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO has spent decades telling shareholders that technology was outside of his circle of competence. After avoiding tech stocks for years, the "Oracle of Omaha" bought into Apple under the influence of his investing lieutenants and the tech giant has now become his one of biggest and most successful bets in his career. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by San Francisco-based startup OpenAI, which Microsoft is betting billions on. The tool is capable of taking written inputs from users and producing a human-like response. Buffett recalled Gates saying one of the limitations of ChatGPT is that it can't tell jokes. "It just doesn't know how to tell jokes, but it can tell you that it's read every book, every legal opinion. I mean, the amount of time it could save you, if you were doing all kinds of things, is unbelievable," Buffett said. Ultimately, the 92-year-old investor said he's unsure if the advanced technology is beneficial to the human race. "I think it's an incredible technological advance in terms of showing what we can do," Buffet said. "I think this is extraordinary but I don't know if it's beneficial." The technology has sparked concerns over potential abuses. For example, students have used ChatGPT to generate entire essays, while hackers have begun testing it to write malicious code. Gates and Buffett have been friends for more than three decades. The pair co-founded The Giving Pledge, which encourages the world's wealthiest people to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable causes. "I don't think they're necessarily bad people for sure, but their response should not have been the same way," Buffett said. He noted that BNSF had a derailment in March that spilled diesel fuel on tribal land in Washington. Buffett, whose BNSF Railway competes with Norfolk Southern, said Norfolk was "tone deaf" for its handling of the Feb. 3 derailment in Ohio. "I think they've handled it terribly," the Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO said Wednesday in an interview with CNBC's Becky Quick from Tokyo on "Squawk Box." Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Norfolk Southern botched the response to its East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment in February, an accident that spilled toxic chemicals into the environment. Cleanup efforts continue on portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 9, 2023. A Norfolk Southern spokesperson pointed CNBC to media coverage of the company's commitment to working with the East Palestine community. Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has said the company will support cleanup efforts in Ohio, pledging roughly $24 million in reimbursements and investments. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board opened a special probe into Norfolk Southern last month that will examine the company's organization and safety culture. The Justice Department and the state of Ohio sued Norfolk Southern in March, leading Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Sherrod Brown of Ohio to propose the Railway Accountability Act. On Tuesday, a truck carrying around 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the East Palestine derailment site overturned on a highway. Buffett's deputy Greg Abel in the same interview Wednesday said derailments are a "railroad problem" that BNSF and other companies are working to address. He said BNSF aims to improve its practices on safety records and equipment failures to avoid problems at the front end. Still, Buffett cautioned that rail companies may not be able to eliminate accidents. "To say that there will never be any more derailments is just plain crazy," he said. Buffett added: "We would rather not handle hazardous material. We are a common carrier, we're required to carry, whether it's chlorine or you name it." Warren Buffett said Americans should not be concerned about their bank deposits in the wake of the latest financial shock in the sector and the government would ensure no depositor in this country lost a dime. "People shouldn't be worried about losing the money and the deposits they have in an American bank, and today, they have no reason to worry," said the Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO in an interview with Becky Quick from Tokyo on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Wednesday. "But the message has gotten very confused and people don't really understand how it all works." The banking sector went through a brief panic in March as depositors fled Silicon Valley Bank, which had mismanaged its bond portfolio and was overly leveraged to the tech industry. Fear grew that depositors with more than the $250,000 FDIC insurance limit would lose their money. But over the weekend on March 12, the government backstopped all depositors in SVB, along with those in Signature Bank, no matter the amount they had with the banks. Buffett said the government would likely step in to backstop all depositors in all U.S. banks if that was ever necessary, though he did note that would require Congressional approval. "We'll get the OK," he said when asked if Congress would approve that extraordinary action. Buffett noted that Congress would also adjust the debt ceiling for this to take place in order to avoid financial ruin for the country. The banks closures have set off a crisis of confidence among investors and customers as they questioned whether other financial institutions could face the same fate. Bank stocks largely tumbled in March as investors grew skittish on the sector, with the selloff specifically focused on regional banks amid liquidity concerns. To restore confidence, 11 banks put $30 billion in deposits in First Republic Bank , whose shares have tumbled during the shock. Buffett noted that shareholders may lose out if more bank failures occur and rightly so, but depositors shouldn't be worried. Solar was the fastest-growing source of electricity for the 18th consecutive year, the report said, rising by 24% year-on-year and adding enough power to meet the annual electricity demand of South Africa. Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty Images Record growth in wind and solar last year pushed worldwide electricity generation to its cleanest-ever level, a report found, reflecting a renewable energy boom that researchers say could herald the "beginning of the end of the fossil age." The analysis published Wednesday by independent climate think tank Ember found that 12% of the world's power came from solar and wind in 2022, up from 10% of global electricity generation in 2021. Solar was the fastest-growing source of electricity for the 18th consecutive year, the report said, rising by 24% year-on-year and adding enough power to meet the annual electricity demand of South Africa. The report found that the increase in wind generation, which added 17% in 2022, could have powered almost all of the U.K. "We are entering the clean power era," said Magorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember and lead author of the research. "The stage is set for wind and solar to achieve a meteoric rise to the top. Clean electricity will reshape the global economy, from transport to industry and beyond." Wiatros-Motyka added, "A new era of falling fossil emissions means the coal power phasedown will happen, and the end of gas power growth is now within sight." 'Much more needs to be done' Researchers said that the analysis which was based on electricity data from 78 countries last year and represents 93% of global power demand provides the first accurate picture of the electricity transition in 2022. It shows that more than 60 countries now generate over 10% of their electricity from wind and solar. Renewables and nuclear sources were collectively found to have accounted for 39% of global electricity generation in 2022 in a new record high. Despite this progress, researchers said that the dramatic build-out of wind and solar was still not fast enough to fulfil all of the world's increasing electricity needs. Consequently, the report noted that coal and other fossil fuels met the remaining gap, driving up emissions to a new record high. Coal, the world's dirtiest fossil fuel, was found to be the single largest source of electricity worldwide last year, producing 36% of global power. Coal, the world's dirtiest fossil fuel, was found to be the single largest source of electricity worldwide last year, producing 36% of global power in 2022. Ina Fassbender | Afp | Getty Images Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, is the chief driver of the climate emergency. "Much more needs to be done to ensure that developing countries are not left behind and locked into high carbon futures," said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and special representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. Ogunbiyi said the fact that coal power remained the single largest source of electricity worldwide last year reaffirmed the point that the power sector is off track to meet net-zero targets. "The deployment of wind and solar needs to be massively and urgently accelerated." Have power sector emissions peaked? Today is April 12, 2023 and here is what you need to know: Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and Democrat Adam Frisch are in a dead heat in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, according to a new poll released Tuesday by a Democratic firm. The Global Strategy Group's Mountaineer poll, conducted March 29-April 2 in partnership with liberal advocacy group ProgressNow Colorado, found the two-term incumbent and her challenger tied 45% to 45% among likely voters, with the remaining 10% split between voters who are undecided and those who say they plan to vote for someone else. Boebert defeated Frisch in the Republican-leaning district by just 546 votes in last year's election in the closest congressional race in the country. The poll suggests it could be another close race next year. Coloradans with low incomes could qualify for much more rental housing under a new bill making its way through the state legislature. Most landlords require tenants to earn at least three times the amount they charge for rent. In 2022, the average monthly cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Colorado was $1,364. That means tenants must make at least $49,104 to qualify. The individual median income for Coloradans is just under $37,000, according to the most recent Census data from 2020. If passed, Senate Bill 184 would cap minimum income requirements for tenants to twice the cost of rent. It would also cap security deposits to the cost of two months' rent, among other changes. "When places are requiring three, four, five times the rent, it's becoming almost impossible to qualify," said bill sponsor Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster. "Something has to be done. That's what we're doing with this bill, making sure responsible folks who pay their rent can qualify for housing." A coalition of mayors in 39 cities and towns in the Denver metro region opposes a sweeping land use bill pushed by Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic lawmakers. The opposition from the Metro Mayors Caucus aligns with the position of the Colorado Municipal League, which represents 270 cities and towns in Colorado, and Colorado Counties, Inc., which speaks for all of the state's 64 counties, except Denver, Boulder and Broomfield. In an open letter, the caucus said land use is just one solution to meeting affordable housing needs, and while the mayors' caucus supports some of the concepts around middle housing in the bill, its members have "serious concerns about the top-down process through which they are applied." The caucus said it also doesn't believe the bill does enough to ensure that the resulting development will be affordable. The bill talks at length about affordable housing in its seven-page legislative declaration, and it includes a definition of affordability that equals no more than 30% of household income for low- and middle-income Coloradans. Lakewood City Council member Rebekah Stewart announced on Tuesday that she's running for the Democratic nomination in the open House District 30 seat. Stewart, the first board-certified music therapist elected to office in Colorado, said she wants to bring her experience advocating for the disability and health care communities to the legislature. "Every day, I've tried to wake up and be the best representative of my community's needs and values that I possibly can be," she told Colorado Politics. "I'm feeling a lot of excitement to take this next step and run for the state House to continue that work of lifting up the voices and the values and needs of my community, but at the state Capitol." The Jefferson County-based district is currently represented by House Speaker Pro Tem Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, who is term-limited. Two other Democrats have already filed to run for the seat, including Kyra deGruy Kennedy, the incumbent's wife, and Rhiannon Wenning. The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday of competing plans for how seven Western states and tribes reliant on the dwindling water supply from the Colorado River should cut their use but declined to publicly take a side on the best option. On one side is California and some tribes along the river that want to protect their high-priority rights to the river's water, which they use for drinking and farming. On the other side are the other six states Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico who say it's time to come up with an approach that more fairly shares the river. The Interior Department did not say how states should get to deeper water cuts, but defended its authority to make sure basic needs such as drinking water and hydropower generated from the river are met even if it means setting aside the priority system. "Failure is not an option, Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau told The Associated Press. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. 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. 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. 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 Riddle me this, my fellow tech-contemplating primate: What exactly is ChromeOS? It's a simple-seeming question that's deceptively difficult to answer. If there's been one near-constant with Google's ChromeOS operating system since its launch nearly 12 years ago, it's the platform's perpetual state of foundational change. In its earliest days, ChromeOS represented an ahead-of-its-time vision for an exceptionally focused kind of cloud-centric computing one in which you quite literally just had a full-screen browser window and nothing else around it. The philosophy was admirable, but the concept was arguably a touch too ambitious and something that went overboard in its drive to strip back our digital domains. Over time, Google adjusted first bringing a more familiar desktop interface and series of settings into the equation and then eventually adding in support for a dizzying array of local app types. These days, ChromeOS has truly transformed from the "nothing" OS into the "everything" OS, with the ability to run purely web-based apps as well as progressive web apps, Android apps, Linux apps, and even Windows apps in certain enterprise-specific scenarios. It's made for an impressively versatile yet at times confounding environment in which you, the user, are occasionally presented with a labyrinth of overlapping options and no clear direction as to which path is the best to take. (Not convinced? Consider my example of all the different ways you could install the task app Todoist on a Chromebook, then consider how an average Chromebook-owning human would view the task of sorting all of that out.) [Psst: Love all things ChromeOS? Get fresh 'n' zesty Googley insight directly in your inbox with my Android Intelligence newsletter. Three new things to try every Friday!] As a certain extraordinarily charming writer once put it, that approach has created an inherent irony within the operating system with the current state of ChromeOS being amusingly at odds with the platform's original simplicity-centric purpose. And while Google's taken some baby steps toward addressing that contrast, it's yet to make much meaningful progress. And now, Google seems poised to add in a new layer of ChromeOS complication one that creates another bit of mind-bending overlap within the Chromebook experience and again adds an interesting new type of function at the expense of simplicity. This move in particular raises some vexing questions about Google's ultimate plans for the platform and what we, as Chromebook-carrying creatures out in the real world, can expect in the months ahead. And so far, at least, there are no easy answers. Google's ChromeOS Android app conundrum The feature of which we speak is an intriguing new way of accessing Android apps within the ChromeOS environment. As you probably know, you can currently use Android apps on a Chromebook by opening up the Play Store on the device and installing an app directly onto your computer. It's a brilliant feat of engineering that opens up all sorts of practical possibilities and fills in countless gaps throughout the ChromeOS universe addressing everything from advanced word processing to high-end graphic work and even gaming. Well, soon, you'll have the option to do that as well as to stream an Android app from your phone on your Chromebook to see and interact with the app on your computer, in other words, while it's technically installed and running only on your phone. If your brain just started hurting, you aren't alone. When Google first showed off the concept for this setup last January, it presented it primarily as a way to access messaging apps on your phone via your Chromebook a narrow use-case that'd exist mostly to let you click on an incoming phone-based notification on your computer and interact with it directly in the associated app, without having to pick up your phone. As Google put it at the time: If youre working on your Chromebook and your Android phone is out of reach (such as charging in a different room), youll be able to stay in touch by accessing chat apps from your phone directly to your Chromebook without needing to install them again on your Chromebook. That kinda makes sense, right? It adds a logical and useful-seeming new capability into the ChromeOS environment and brings Android phones and Chromebooks closer together in a way that naturally complements the existing options. But now, it's looking like that same system will be much more ambitious. And as we've seen before, when Google gets overly ambitious with ChromeOS concepts, things can sometimes take perplexing turns. The two-part ChromeOS Android app future So here it is: A small handful of folks have been able to access an early version of the Chromebook Android app streaming system in ChromeOS's under-development Canary channel and unlike the narrowly focused and purposeful original vision for the system, this current approach seems designed to provide on-demand access to streaming any and all apps from your phone, anytime. JR As it stands now, the feature shows up as a new panel within the ChromeOS taskbar's Phone Hub area one that offers up a list of recently opened apps from your phone along with a complete list of all installed apps on the device. You can select anything from that list and then open it in a phone-shaped window within the corner of your computer's screen. It certainly seems like a novel capability, at least on the surface. But when you really start thinking about the concept and its existence alongside the already-present ability to install Android apps locally on a Chromebook, its ultimate purpose starts to get a lot more murky. And it sure seems like it's gonna add a goopy new layer of extra complication into the Chromebook-using experience. To wit: Why and when would you want to install an app on your Chromebook vs. stream the same app from your Android phone? And how in the world are most average Chromebook owners possibly gonna make sense of that choice especially if this new path is being presented merely as an alternate way to achieve the same basic result that's already possible? Unless Google has a carefully conceived plan for helping Chromebook owners navigate that choice each and every time it comes up, it's essentially gonna give us the noggin-numbing app source selection enigma all over again. What is the reason, the value, the experience-enhancing sensibility with this? Here's what's especially interesting about this: Every time Ive had the chance to chat with folks from the ChromeOS team and ask them about future features, particularly as they relate to Android-connected concepts coming into the ChromeOS environment, they've made a point to emphasize how they dont want to do something just because they can; they want to do it only if they see a specific reason and an important form of value itd add into that side of the experience, in a way thatd make sense on that specific platform. As Thomas Riedl, Google's director of product for enterprise and education, put it during our conversation earlier this year: "We don't want to just catch up or copy features. We want to add features ... because [they] can significantly improve the user experience." So seeing how this new Android app streaming system is shaping up, I can't help but wonder: What is that reason, that value, that experience-enhancing and platform-specific sensibility with this particularly given the fact that the option for local Android app installation already exists? So far, at least, the answer isn't exactly apparent. And so far, Google hasn't spoken up to shed any light onto the subject. (I reached out to the company early this week to ask, but representatives weren't able to provide any official comment at this time.) Google has long faced a difficult balancing act between maintaining simplicity and increasing versatility within the ChromeOS universe. At times, it's masterfully navigated that challenge. And at times like with the current untamed jungle of Chromebook app source options it's given us ample power and utility at the cost of an approachable and easy-to-understand experience. Unless Google manages to provide some clear and explicit guidance around why these seemingly redundant Android app-using systems exist and exactly when and why you'd want to embrace one option over the other, this latest addition seems destined to take us back toward bewilderment. Now, don't get me wrong: ChromeOS's endless evolution is often an asset and an advantage. But at its core, the software's simplicity is what most meaningfully sets it apart from our more conventional desktop operating system choices. We can only hope Google doesnt let itself get too far down a rabbit hole and lose sight of that and forget what actually makes Chromebooks so appealing, useful, and unique. Want even more Googley knowledge? Sign up for my weekly newsletter to get next-level tips and insight delivered directly to your inbox. Just weeks after President Biden signed an executive order designed to prevent the US government from purchasing commercial spyware used to subvert democracies, researchers have identified yet another shameful zero-click, zero-day exploit that targeted iPhone users. This spy-for-hire solution was sold by an Israeli firm called QuaDream. Making everyone less safe QuaDreams attacks have been exposed by security researchers at Microsoft and Citizen Lab. QuaDream is a more secretive entity than NSO Group but shares much of the same pedigree, including being founded by ex-NSO Group employees and having connections to Israeli intelligence. Its attacks were first exposed last year, but the researchers have since found more about how these digital mercenaries worked. The company sold a spooky surveillance platform called Reign to governments, ostensibly for law enforcement. Reign provides malware, exploits, and infrastructure to steal data from compromised devices, including iPhones running iOS 14. Apple was made aware of these exploits in 2021 when it notified individuals targeted by the spooks and hardened its own security protections. The researchers claim QuaDream now exclusively focuses on iOS attacks. What is the Sicilian Defense? The newly identified malware is called KingsPawn and was proliferated by a ghastly exploit christened EndOfDays, a zero-click attack which appeared to make use of invisible iCloud calendar invites to infect machines users didnt even need to do anything to be attacked. The researchers report it to be in active use in Mexico, and Citizen Lab has identified victims situated in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia. Victims include politicians, journalists, and one NGO worker. When installed on an iPhone, the spy software can record audio from calls or the microphone, take pictures, steal and remover keychain items, generate 2FA iCloud passwords, track location, search files, and search databases, all while masking its presence. It even has a self-destruct feature. To support these attacks, CitizenLab has identified over 600 servers located in at least 10 nations operated by QuaDream customers. Those servers perform a range of tasks, including storage of stolen data and exploit distribution/targeting. Nations in which the servers are based include Israel, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Singapore, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Mexico, and Ghana. At least three (Hungary, Mexico, and the UAE) are known to use spyware to target human rights defenders (HRDs), journalists, and others involved in civil society. Too many known unknowns We cannot determine if the systems operated from Israel are operated by the Israeli government or QuaDream itself. Nevertheless, the Israeli government is also suspected to have abused mercenary spyware to target Palestinian HRDs, as well as domestic political activists, the researchers said. With names like KingsPawn, ForcedEntry, EndOfDays, and Pegasus, the exploits used by these firms share some features, principally sophisticated attack vectors and a tendency to proliferate into wider use. No surprise, then, to learn that two of the co-founders of QuaDream include people who previously worked for the NSO Group and that the company itself is allegedly led by a former Israeli military official. Numerous key individuals associated with both companies have prior connections with another surveillance vendor, Verint, as well as Israeli intelligence agencies, Citizen Lab said. Until the out-of-control proliferation of commercial spyware is successfully curtailed through systemic government regulations, the number of abuse cases is likely to continue to grow, fuelled both by companies with recognizable names, as well as others still operating in the shadows. A threat to democracy Microsoft is scathing about such attacks. It describes the growth of mercenary spyware companies as a threat to democracy and human rights and warns that the attacks used by these shady players will inevitably leak into wider criminality, with extreme effects. This poses real risk to human rights online, but also to the security and stability of the broader online environment, warned Amy Hogan-Burney, Microsofts associate general counsel for cybersecurity policy and protection. Thats not just because of the threats themselves, but also the culture they create. The services they offer require cyber mercenaries to stockpile vulnerabilities and search for new ways to access networks without authorization, she said. Apple has made no secret that it agrees with this Microsoft assessment. Filing suit against NSO Group in 2021, it called these people 21st century mercenaries who have created highly sophisticated cyber-surveillance machinery that invites routine and flagrant abuse. Ivan Krstic, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture, has said, Our threat intelligence and engineering teams work around the clock to analyze new threats, rapidly patch vulnerabilities, and develop industry-leading new protections in our software and silicon. Apple runs one of the most sophisticated security engineering operations in the world, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect our users from abusive state-sponsored actors like NSO Group. Protect yourselves While the kind of attacks developed by such shadowy groups may cost a great deal to mount at first, that cost declines. For Apple, the challenge is to continue to make it hard enough to crack device security that the cost of those attacks remains too high for casual attackers. But over time exploits do leak, and those using older devices that no longer receive security patches are at increased risk. It is extremely hard to protect against hitherto unknown zero-click attacks, but there are some approaches that may help limit the attack surface: Update devices to the latest software, which includes the latest security fixes. Protect devices with a passcode. Use two-factor authentication and a strong password for Apple ID. Install apps only from the App Store. Use strong and unique passwords online. Use Apples advanced iCloud+ security tools, if available to you. Dont click on links or attachments from unknown senders. An iPhone user who believes they may be a target of attack should enable LockDown Mode, which enhances existing security protection by dramatically shrinking the available attack surface, at the cost of some iPhone functionality. But one thing everyone can do is insist this industry is bought to heel particularly as generative AI machines get ready to combine with the profound computational power of Quantum computing. Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe. When Satya Nadella took over as Microsoft CEO nearly 20 years ago, he turned Microsoft into techs choirboy. Under his leadership, the onetime corporate shark that the US government prosecuted for violating antitrust laws became meek and mild, played nice with competitors rather than squashed them, and even worked hand-in-hand with the open-source movement. It paid off. Freed from governments harsh spotlight, Microsofts market value soared, and at $2.15 trillion today, its the second most valuable company in the world by market cap, second only to Apples $2.56 trillion. But Microsoft is no longer the tech worlds choirboy. Governments across the world are accusing it of violating antitrust laws, filing lawsuits against it, considering levying hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and proposing regulations that would require it to drastically change its business practices. The actions are targeted at the companys push into gaming, its attempt to control the cloud business in Europe, and its aggressive drive to dominate artificial intelligence. What does this mean for the future of the company? Heres what you need to know about government pushback against Microsoft. The $69 billion Activision gamble In January 2022, Microsoft announced plans to by the video game maker Activision for $68.7 billion. If the deal goes through, it will be the biggest consumer-related tech deal since the purchase of Time Warner by AOL two decades ago. Thats a big if, though. In December 2022, the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the takeover. Holly Vedova, director of the FTCs Bureau of Competition, explained, Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals. Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets. As I wrote in a column about the lawsuit, even if Microsoft wins the suit, it may end up losing if it gets so distracted by the legal action that it misses out on other potential opportunities and executes poorly on its existing businesses. The bigger problem: What about the cloud? Microsoft faces a bigger problem than the Activision lawsuit. Its facing multiple government actions that target the engine turbocharging the companys growth: the cloud. At the moment, the companys biggest cloud problem is in Europe. A year ago, the European Union began looking into Microsofts cloud business practices when several European cloud providers, including Germanys NextCloud and Frances OVHcloud, claimed they were anti-competitive. A questionnaire sent to the company by EU investigators noted, The Commission has information that Microsoft may be using its potentially dominant position in certain software markets to foreclose competition regarding certain cloud computing services. Based on the investigation, in October 2022 Microsoft made licensing changes that it said addressed the issues. Competitors disagreed. In November, the European cloud provider trade group CISPE made a formal complaint against the company with the EU. CISPE secretary general Francisco Mingorance explained, Leveraging its dominance in productivity software, Microsoft restricts choice and inflates costs as European customers look to move to the cloud, thus distorting Europe's digital economy. Specifically, CISPE complains that Microsoft leverages its dominance in operating systems, Windows 10 and 11, to direct European businesses and customers to the companys Azure cloud infrastructure and to its OneDrive storage platform. The EU has yet to rule on the complaint. But its central claim, that Microsoft uses Windows to harm competitors in other businesses, almost eerily echoes the 90s US antitrust suit that sent Microsoft reeling into its lost decade years ago. Its not just in Europe that Microsoft faces scrutiny about its cloud practices. Reuters reports that the Federal Trade Commission has begun looking into the business practices [of cloud providers] including details on their market power, competition and potential security issues. FTC Chair Lina Khan said, Swathes of the economy now seem reliant on a small number of cloud computing providers, and went on to say the agency is seeking public input on how the current market structure and business practices of cloud providers affect competition and data security. The FTC didnt name names about which companies might be targeted, but the Reuters article notes that the biggest cloud providers are Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. Given that the FTC is already suing Microsoft, the company has a lot to fear. The biggest target of all: AI and chatbots A possibly bigger concern for Microsoft is whether governments will look into regulating AI and chatbots like the one built into Bing. Microsoft believes AI and chatbots will transform computing, the economy, and the way we live and work and is essentially betting its future on it. Theres already evidence that European governments and possibly the US may regulate artificial intelligence. Given that Microsoft is the market leader, any regulations would hurt Microsoft more than its competitors. The fear is that generative AI chatbots like Microsofts could do immeasurable harm if not reined in with the proper guardrails. A New York Times investigation, In A.I. Race, Microsoft and Google Choose Speed Over Caution, found that both Google and Microsoft ignored warnings by their own employees and company ethicists about the harm chatbots could cause, and released them prematurely to gain market share. The article notes that nearly a year ago, Microsoft employees and ethicists wrote in several documents that the A.I. technology behind a planned chatbot could flood Facebook groups with disinformation, degrade critical thinking and erode the factual foundation of modern society. Microsoft ignored the warnings and released its chatbot anyway. Since then, more than 1,000 tech researchers and leaders, including Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and Rachel Bronson, president of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists organization that manages the Doomsday Clock, called for a pause in developing powerful AI because the technology presents profound risks to society and humanity, they warned. The group added, If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium. Governments are paying attention. Italy temporarily banned ChatGPT, the brains behind Microsofts Bing chatbot, and other European countries are eyeing similar measures. The EU has proposed laws that would regulate AI. EU industry chief Thierry Breton explained, As showcased by ChatGPT, AI solutions can offer great opportunities for businesses and citizens, but can also pose risks. This is why we need a solid regulatory framework to ensure trustworthy AI based on high-quality data. Even the US, which is typically hands-off when it comes to regulating technology, has taken notice. President Biden, in talking about AI, said, Tech companies have a responsibility to make sure their products are safe before making them public. When he was asked whether AI might be dangerous, he answered, It remains to be seen. Could be. Bidens comments may ultimately prove to be more than just words. On April 11, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency of the Commerce Department that advises the White House on telecom policy, asked for public input into possible AI regulations. The agency said it wants to ensure that AI systems are legal, effective, ethical, safe, and otherwise trustworthy. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson explained, Responsible AI systems could bring enormous benefits, but only if we address their potential consequences and harms. For these systems to reach their full potential, companies and consumers need to be able to trust them. The upshot Freed from government oversight for decades, Microsoft has thrived. Now, though, its become far more aggressive than its been in the past, and its attempt to dominate the gaming market, grow its cloud presence, and become the AI leader has put it into governments crosshairs across the world. Aggressive companies typically draw more government attention because theyre more likely to go up to or cross legal boundaries but they may also reap greater market share and profits, and so its worth the cost to them. On the other hand, government antitrust actions can crush a company, as happened to Microsoft once before. Its not clear yet which will happen to Microsoft. For the moment, at least, government actions havent directly hurt it in its cloud business and the company is reportedly trying to stay one step ahead of EU antitrust investigators by offering to change its cloud licensing practices yet again. And so far, theres been more talk than serious actions about regulating AI. However, all that could change fast. And if so, Microsofts fortunes will as well. Economic uncertainty coupled with widespread tech industry layoffs drove CIOs and CFOs to slow IT hiring last quarter. March was the first month this year that saw an uptick in the number of IT jobs added, according to a new report. In the first quarter of 2023, the US IT job market lost 13,700 jobs, according to management consulting firm Janco Associates. That contrasts with 51,000 jobs created in Q1 of 2022. Currently, there are now just over 4.18 million jobs for IT professionals in the US. Layoffs by tech giants including Accenture, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet have meant about 170,000 workers losing their jobs in the first quarter, according IT industry jobs tracker Layoffs.fyi. Layoffs at big tech companies are having an adverse on overall IT hiring, Janco CEO Victor Janulaitis said in the report. More CIOs are looking at a troubling economic climate and are evaluating the need for increased headcounts based on the technological requirements of their specific business operations. Janco Associates Fear of an economic downturn remains high for many CIOs and CFOs, Janco said and that is impacting all decisions around hiring new IT pros and increasing technology-related expenditures. Given these facts, we believe that median salaries for IT Pros in 2023 will be 3% to 4% above 2022 salary levels, not the 7% to 8% that was budgeted for 2023, Janulaitis said. US IT job market growth screeched to a halt at the beginning of the year, with a decline of 2,600 jobs in January and 11,600 jobs in February. In March, the market rebounded slightly with 500 jobs added, according to Janco, which bases its information on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to Jancos figures, there are 145,000 unfilled jobs for IT professionals in the US, mainly due to a lack of qualified candidates. Another IT industry group, CompTIA, placed the number of unfilled IT job openings at 316,000; the tech unemployment rate remained unchanged from February at 2.2%. Based on our analysis, the IT job market and opportunities for IT professionals are limited but exist for experienced individuals, Janulaitis said. Layoffs, for the most part, did not hit developers. In the first quarter, the largest layoffs hit telecommunications providers with 4,500 jobs, hosting and cloud providers with 6,100 jobs, and content providers with another 1,500 jobs, according to Janco. Roles with big job cuts included data center operations, administrative and human resources roles related to recruiting, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) roles. Janco Associates Some roles, especially in telecommunications and data center operations, are being automated and eliminated, Janulaitis said. Driving this is CIOs and CFOs who are looking to improve the productivity of IT by automating processes and reporting where possible. They are focusing on eliminating non-essential managers and staff. Experienced coders and developers still have opportunities, Janulaitis noted. The highest demand continues to be for security professionals, programmers, and blockchain processing IT Pros, according to Jancos report. Janco forecasts the growth of the IT job market in 2023 to be in the 60,000 to 70,000 new jobs range. That will be less growth than in 2021 and 2022, but still with some growth in the latter half of this year. Employers are still impacted by Pandemic Paranoia they remember how long it took to bring workers back and are holding onto and hiring business critical talent, Janulaitis said. Were still seeing concentration of demand in our real-time data, and this survey reflects concentration too, with IT leading the way in hiring plans despite layoffs dominating the headlines. Workers with in-demand tech and soft skills will find themselves in high demand and the need to re-skill today for tomorrows jobs remains urgent as talent shortages grow. Many of the issues faced by the economy continue to be due to ongoing supply chain problems, according to Janco. But if China opens fully, overall supply chains should improve but will still take several months to completely recover. That should lessen the recessionary pressures that are driving companies to reduce staff, Janulaitis said. Janco Associates While there has been an overall job market cooling this quarter, global demand for talent remains resilient, and the race for skills continues, according to global staffing firm ManpowerGroups Q2 Outlook Survey of more than 38,000 employers in 41 countries and territories released in March. One indicator of economic and labor market trends is the Net Employment Outlook, calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers who anticipate reductions to staffing levels from those who plan to hire; that currently stands at 30% in the US, up 1% from last quarter and down 5% from this time last year, according to ManpowerGroup. The overall hiring expectations in North America are the highest of all world regions. This aligns with a US unemployment rate that is currently the lowest since 1969, ManpowerGroups report stated. All industries and sectors indicate hiring more people in the first quarter. The highest percentage of organizations in the IT industry report an optimistic outlook (+34% hiring), followed by communication services (+30%) and financials and real estate (+29%). In addition, the global talent shortage continues to grow in Q2, with 78% of employers in IT reporting challenges hiring suggesting that workers who have found themselves laid off in recent reductions will soon be reabsorbed into the market. This labor market continues to defy signs of economic gravity with another robust hiring outlook for the quarter ahead, said Becky Frankiewicz, president and chief commercial officer with ManpowerGroup North America. Not for India, dont take: Singapore Malay woman and Indian husband shooed away from Ramzan snack stand In a story that has gone viral for its shocking racist undertones, a Malay-Indian Muslim woman in Singapore has described in her Facebook post how she and her Indian Muslim husband were very rudely the word she has used is repulsively driven away from a Ramzan snack stand at the NTUC FairPrice supermarket located in Our Tampines Hub. Farah Nadya and Jahabar Shalih with their children. Photo courtesy: Facebook/Farah Nadya The post has so far got 1,000 reactions on Facebook. Also, NTUC FairPrice issued an apology statement on Facebook yesterday, stating that it would like to apologise for the incident and had since engaged the couple to address their concerns and have closed this matter amicably. The story was posted by Farah Nadya, 35, who was out shopping with her husband Jahabar Shalih, 36. According to the post about her experience, the couple was browsing groceries etc at the supermarket run by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on April 9, when they spotted a stand where Muslim shoppers were being gifted small iftar snacks in the spirit of Ramzan. The iftar snack stand at NTUC FairPrice where the incident took place. Photo courtesy: facebook/Farah Nadya They stopped to see what was happening, and Jahabar began reading the stand board that said Iftar Bites from Fair Price. At that moment, a male employee of NTUC FairPrice supermarket came up to the couple. Farahs post said that one of the Fairprice staff approached Jahabar and repulsively mentioned, Not for INDIA, not for India. Farah wrote: Jahabar was in disbelief and exclaimed, WHAT??. The staff repeatedly said, Not for India, dont take. Go away! So basically he tried his best to shoo us away! After the Facebook post got widely noticed, Jahabar was interviewed by CNA on the phone, and he reportedly said that during this unpleasant episode, the supermarket employee told him, No India, only Malay! He said that the Facebook post written by his wife was meant not to discredit the employee concerned but more to clarify things for their children, especially his five-year-old son, who saw the incident and had questions about it. The top people tell me to say like this Farah wrote in her story that despite this offensive behaviour, Jahabar spoke politely to the FairPrice employee, trying to explain that the iftar snacks ought to be for all Muslims, not for any specific groups. The employee retorted that he was only doing what he was told to do. In her post, Farah said: As appalled as Jahabar and I were, Jahabar stood there calmly to nicely explain to him Uncle, next time dont say like that. This is for all Muslims. Dont say Indian or Malay who can take or cant take. Not all Malays are Muslims and some Indians can be Muslims. And guess what this staff retorted???!! [He said] I dont know. I no education, the top people tell me to say like this. I dont know. Just go away. Deeply hurt and shocked by this treatment, she wrote: Dear Fairprice SG, this is incredibly distasteful and we cant even express how shocked we are. My husband is Indian-Muslim and Im Malay-Indian and were both Muslims. Guess whats the best part? We were not even intending to take the free goodies but just stopped by the stand to applaud such an inclusive initiative. But I guess we spoke too soon. Come on Fairprice SG This is 2023. Im sure we can do better! NTUC FairPrice apology statement on its Facebook page The NTUC FairPrice apology statement said: We take this matter seriously and would like to apologise for the incident. We have since also counselled our employee accordingly. We would like to clarify that Iftar Packs are offered free of charge to all Muslim customers during the month-long Ramadan period. Back in November, we wrote that Bob Odenkirk was in talks to play a part in the upcoming Marvel Studios TV series Wonder Man, co-starring Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Well, the man himself has proved us wrong next hes going to tell us that ice cream machines work in cold weather after all. In a recent interview with The Independent, the Lucky Hank and Better Call Saul star reflected on his career post-heart attack and the continued success he enjoyed as he transitioned from the Breaking Bad spinoff show to his latest warmly received AMC series. Odenkirk also took time during the talk to shoot down the hopes of us who foolishly craved a comedic comic book TV series that heavily featured one of the best comedic-turned-dramatic actors of the 21st century, saying of the MCU that he isnt built for that world. I always like to keep things grounded, relatable and smaller, Odenkirk said when asked about a potential debut in the Disney property, Im built for characters that make you feel like that guy could live next door. If he was looking for smaller, he could have taken Bill Murrays spot in the most recent Ant-Man movie, and if hes going for unassuming characters, Wonder Man would have been a perfect fit the unknown, D-tier Avenger could have been our neighbor for years and we wouldnt have noticed. Dylan gets the gist of Rubin Hurricane Carters story right famous Black man wrongfully imprisoned for murder but the fact that his song is largely dialogue that rhymes should be your first clue that hes not lifting it straight from the primary sources. For one thing, Carters career had taken a decided downturn at the time, and hed lost about half of his last 15 fights. Pretty far from the number-one contender for the middleweight crown. He also wasnt exactly a man who didnt like to talk all that much about how good he was at punching. He bragged about it constantly and even admitted with pride to knocking out a horse, which also renders the line about how much hed like to retire up to some paradise where the trout streams flow and the air is nice and ride a horse along a trail a little suspect. As for being in South America, fighting for his name, no one has any idea what thats about. Advertisement Initially, Dylan wanted to extend his poetic license beyond its legal limits. He had to re-record the song after his record label got worried that a line describing the two main witnesses against Carter robbing the victims bodies, which no one had even accused them of doing, would get them sued. They eventually were sued by one witness, but the case was thrown out because Dylans description of her was (according to her) just untrue, not defamatory. Were used to breakthroughs. We live in an age where technology advances so quickly that seeing once-unimaginable feats performed by computers and artificial intelligence barely causes anyone to raise an eyebrow. We carry supercomputers in our pockets and complain when they do anything less then perfectly. But once upon a time, technological feats drew gasping crowds and every breakthrough seemed tantamount to magic. One such breakthrough came in 1770, when a Hungarian inventor named Wolfgang von Kempelen unveiled the Mechanical Turk, an automaton capable of beating people at chess, to impress the Empress of Austria. It was a striking-looking machine, a large wooden cabinet accompanied by the top half of a model man in a turban. Inside the doors of the cabinet was an impressively complicated array of shiny brass pipes, cogs, turbines and wheels. On the top was a chessboard, over which one of the Turks hands hovered. When someone was invited to play against the automaton, the Turks arm would move to a piece, pick it up and make a move. It would nod three times if it had placed its opponents piece in check, and would shake its head if its opponent performed an illegal move. Kempelen, who stood by the machine at all times, would frequently glance into a small, vaguely coffin-like box at the edge of the table. The overall impression was eerie enough no doubt helped by the unshifting expression of the mysterious turbaned figure that some audience members were convinced that supernatural elements were at play. It was presented, however, as cutting-edge technology. When the cabinet was open, spectators could see right through it, marveling at the intricacy of it all. As well as beating almost all challengers, the Turk could perform the technically challenging knights tour, in which a knight visits every square on the board. Advertisement Chess has always held a certain status in the public imagination, symbolic of extreme, but very human, genius someone excelling at it is seen as operating at a deeper level of intelligence than those around them. Its used as a metaphor for life and for war. Ingmar Bergmans The Seventh Seal shows a knight playing chess with Death itself, an iconic piece of cinema history that wouldnt be the same if they were playing Hungry Hungry Hippos. The machine was a sensation upon its public debut, beating member after member of the Queens court. However, after a few demonstrations, von Kempelen stopped showing it off, claiming whenever anyone wanted to play against it that it was being repaired. He instead focused on his other passions: speaking machines. It was a full decade after its debut that he was persuaded (read: ordered) to bring it out again, and subsequently take it on tour through Europe. Crowds gathered and paid handsomely from London to Leipzig. Benjamin Franklin played against it in Paris. After its creator died, its new owner, Johann Nepomuk Malzel, toured it further: Napoleon lost to it after attempting to cheat; Founding Father Charles Carroll beat it in Baltimore. Decades after its first game, the Mechanical Turk remained a marvel. Advertisement Advertisement Except, it wasnt. It was, in fact, all bullshit. The high-tech trappings were nonsense, and the way the machine worked was ultimately very low-fi: There was a dude in there. A dude who was great at chess, but a dude nonetheless. He could see where all the chess pieces were from underneath, and controlled the Turk with a series of levers. When the knights tour was performed, the operator was following a set of instructions in there with him. When someone played against the Mechanical Turk, they were playing against a very patient, cramped, skilled chess player curled up in a cabinet. The machinery inside had been designed to allow every section to be revealed in turn, the secret player moving from part to part as needed. The coffin-like box on the top was meaningless, a red herring designed to distract. The whole thing was ingenious, but not in the way it was presented as being ingenious. Advertisement That was why von Kempelen was so unenthusiastic about it following its initial unveiling for all the excitement it brought everyone else, he knew it was just a cheap trick. While there had always been speculation that the cabinet housed a series of small but talented chess players, nobody had ever entirely hit upon how it worked. Edgar Allan Poe concluded that there had to be a human element in there when he saw the Turk lose a game, his logic being that a genuine version would perform flawlessly. It was obvious to some people what was going on copycat automatons were built by rivals in which the secret was exactly the same, and articles floating it as an idea had frequently appeared, but nobody got it quite right or could explain it in a way that satisfied people, perhaps because the truth was so unsatisfying. The machine represented progress, genius, innovation; hiding a person in a box was none of these things. Advertisement Advertisement Touring Cuba, however, disaster struck: William Schlumberger, the player inside the Turk, became ill with scarlet fever and died. Malzel himself died on the ship home, and the Turk ended up in a museum, where it was destroyed in a fire. In 1912, 142 years after the Mechanical Turk was built, Spanish engineers debuted El Ajedrecista. This was a machine that genuinely did what the Turk claimed to do, with some fairly hefty caveats rather than an entire game of chess, El Ajedrista could only do the very end, using a white king and rook to checkmate a black king moved by the human player. It was an extraordinary feat even with those caveats, worked out with analogue algorithms and laying a claim to arguably being the first-ever computer game. It wasnt until 1997, when IBMs famous supercomputer Deep Blue beat international chess number one Garry Kasparov, that technology had genuinely reached the point von Kempelens automaton alleged in 1770: capable of beating anyone at chess. (The name Mechanical Turk is now used by Amazon for a controversial service providing cheap human input on jobs where people outperform computers certain types of image recognition, for instance but in a totally removed way for the client, where it feels much like deploying software to perform a task. The thinking behind the name is that its humans hidden within a machine, rather than a giant decades-long scam.) Advertisement Why then, over 200 years before it was possible, were so many people taken in by it? Advertisement While computers have shown that chess can be won algorithmically through sheer mathematics, its a complex enough game in the hands of mere humans that personality shines through. Aggression, patience, recklessness, desperation, tenacity, elegance these are all deeply human traits that can be played out upon a chessboard. Calculation is one thing, but chess feels like it requires thinking. A machine outperforming a human at arithmetic? Impressive. But a machine outperforming a human at an exercise in deviousness, grace and courage? That feels substantially different, less like an assistant and more like a replacement. Thats why people gasped in 1770, and why they gasped again in 1997. Now, of course, every one of us is carrying around a device that can outperform us in countless fields many times over, that can run programs that may put large swathes of us out of work, that we are in thrall to. Yet somehow, were not gasping any more. We probably should be. When many of us moved our server and application needs to the cloud, we rejoiced that we no longer had to worry about the drudgery of patching. We didnt have to monitor servers and their Patch Tuesday deployments; it was all in Microsofts hands. But as often occurs with cloud deployments, a solution that means you no longer have to worry about one area can create security issues in others. Time and again in the handling of any cloud deployment, how we manage identity and authentication needs to be reviewed on a scheduled basis to ensure that the security of cloud assets is being handled according to the latest recommended guidance. In the worst-case scenario, the attackers find out first and dont inform us to take action. In the best case, researchers find a flaw and work with the vendors to help us all make better security decisions Orca Security recently pointed out just such a flaw. Orca, which constantly reviews for cloud misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, found that it could abuse Azure Storage account keys and use the vulnerability to gain full access to storage accounts and even move laterally within the cloud. As Orca notes in its blog, it can be all too easy to set up a storage account and business critical assets with this Shared Key authorization while inadvertently handing administrators privileges that they dont need. Shared Key is enabled by default While Microsoft states in its documentation that the use of Shared Key authorization is not ideal and recommends using Azure Active Directory, which provides superior security, Shared Key authorization is still enabled by default when creating storage accounts. Administrators should have only rights over those assets to which they explicitly need access. In this case, the vulnerability can surface if DevOps have the ability to gain Azure listKeys permission. The user who has permission to access Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/listkeys/action is not granted access to data. However, the action grants access to the keys, and one can then access the data with the keys hence the exposure to risk when using Shared Key authorization and not authorization via OAuth/Azure AD. Too often in cloud deployments, you get your project working and take the potentially easier way to get something set up. You dont go back and read the guidance that states: Authorization with Shared Key is not recommended as it may be less secure. For optimal security, disable authorization via Shared Key for your storage account, as described in Prevent Shared Key authorization for an Azure Storage account. Use of access keys and connection strings should be limited to initial proof of concept apps or development prototypes that don't access production or sensitive data. Otherwise, the token-based authentication classes available in the Azure SDK should always be preferred when authenticating to Azure resources. Microsoft recommends that clients use either Azure AD or a shared access signature (SAS) to authorize access to data in Azure Storage. For more information, see Authorize operations for data access. As the documentation further states: When you attempt to access blob data, the Azure portal first checks whether you've been assigned an Azure role with Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/listkeys/action. If you've been assigned a role with this action, then the Azure portal uses the account key for accessing blob data via Shared Key authorization. If you haven't been assigned a role with this action, then the Azure portal attempts to access data using your Azure AD account. Attackers have already shown that they will target administrators and DevOps to gain access to key resources. Targeting a remotely working developer who is using his home computer to connect to company assets is a key means of gaining corporate secrets and credentials. Shared Key access can leave the door open for intruders Targeting the users who have Listkeys rights, the attacker can then identify these shared keys and move to accessing those resources. Think in terms of an attacker not having the key to the door of your house but knowing where youve stashed the secret key under the doormat. The end result is that the attacker can walk right in, access your data and either use it for corporate infiltration or notify you of access and demand a ransom not to destroy the data. As Orca points out, pivoting from merely reading the shared keys to performing a subscription privilege escalation can be trivial for the attacker. If you are like many Azure customers, you may have set up your organization years ago and are not really sure what the impact will be of moving all of your authentication over to the more secure Azure Active Directory implementation. It could take time and testing that you may not have. Thus, you may have to implement a security review of your Azure assets that not only reviews for this Shared Key authorization risk but other potential configurations that may cause additional problems in the future. Review Microsofts guidance Review the guidance for granting access to Azure storage and consider additional solutions that will monitor for misuse of access. Orca specifically has a service to monitor for unusual activity in the Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/listKeys/action permission so that you can be alerted should someone start abusing the rights. Review those users/administrators that have Azure blob rights. Do they still need that right? Have they moved to other roles and duties? Should they have rights over that storage location? What is the bare minimum of rights that every DevOps needs to get their job done, but not place undue risk to the organization? Assign someone to perform regular reviews of best-practice guidance and determine whether your organization is still abiding by it. Zero trust and least privilege are key concepts increasingly being stressed as a solution not only in traditional on-premise installations but in cloud assets as well. From users to resources, the assignment of roles should be explicitly granted and understood attackers should not know more about your organization and how to access your data than you do. Dark web intelligence company Searchlight Cyber has announced the launch of Stealth Browser a new, secure virtual machine for cyber professionals to access the dark web and conduct investigations anonymously, reducing the risk to themselves and their organization. Stealth Browser is an enhancement to Searchlights Cerberus investigation platform, which is used by law enforcement agencies, enterprises, and MSSPs to uncover criminal activity on the dark web. The dark web consists of sites that are not indexed by popular search engines such as Google, along with marketplaces for stolen data and cybercriminal services. Operational intelligence on what transpires on the dark web can be highly useful for security teams and critical in defending organizations against cybercriminals using compromised accounts to enable attacks, commit fraud, or conduct campaigns using spear-phishing. However, accessing the dark web carries risks for the investigator and their organizations infrastructure, with accidental malware installation, exposure of digital fingerprints/proprietary IP addresses, and inadvertent leaking of sensitive information among the potential dangers. Stealth Browser reduces risks associated with accessing the dark web Stealth Browser reduces the risks associated with accessing the dark web by masking the investigators digital fingerprint, allowing both novice and experienced investigators to quickly and securely access Tor and I2P onions on the dark web, Searchlight Cyber said in a press release. Stealth Browser allows the investigator to generate a virtual machine directly from any internet browser, without the need to install any software. This contrasts with the complex setup usually required to safely access the dark web and allows analysts to get the relevant information they need more easily, without the need for lengthy administrative and approval processes, according to Searchlight Cyber. Many organizations struggle with providing scalable and secure access to investigate threats on the dark web, said Ben Jones, CEO and co-founder of Searchlight Cyber. Stealth Browser was created to allow any threat analyst, regardless of expertise, to get the information they need while always staying safe and secure, he added, with a focus on protecting threat hunters and investigators when collecting intelligence on cybercriminals and malicious actors who are lurking on the dark web. Some organizations, sectors need dark web access more than others Not all organizations need direct access to the dark web for threat monitoring purposes. Some can benefit from tools like extended detection and response (XDR) or services like managed detection and response (MDR), which both commonly ingest data gleaned from sources on the dark web to identify compromised accounts, calculate risk, and provide context. However, some industries, notably government, financial institutions, and certain high-profile IT security businesses, may have a need for more direct access to intelligence only directly available from sources on the dark web. In many cases, these companies are looking for something beyond leaked credentials or corporate data scanning for intelligence on threat actors, evolving attack vectors, or exploits. In general, individual businesses wont have the required contacts with internet services providers, cloud hosting platforms, and even law enforcement, to effect takedowns on their own. Digital risk protection services (DRPS) offer service-based solutions that cater toward protecting brands through monitoring (including the dark web) and more hands-on methods like site takedown services. This week, Google launched a free API service that provides software developers with dependency data and security-related information on over 5 million software components across different programming languages. Today, the company also announced the general availability of its Assured Open Source Software (Assured OSS) service, which provides development teams with a Google-curated repository of security-tested packages for Python and Java. Both services are part of Google's efforts to reduce the software supply chain risks that exist in the open-source ecosystem by providing extensive security metadata, vulnerability information, and the needed information to build software bills of materials (SBOMs). One of the most common ways in which attackers can introduce malicious code into software projects is by compromising a popular open-source component or one of its many dependencies. Transitive vulnerabilities inherited from dependencies are also a major problem, as many of them are not even unaccounted for if development teams don't have good tools to track software advisories in indirect dependencies -- multiple layers down in the dependency chain. Google's free deps.dev API Google's Open Source Insights team has collected security metadata from multiple sources for 5 million packages with 50 million versions found in the Go, Maven (Java), PyPI (Python), npm (JavaScript), and Cargo (Rust) public registries. Support for NuGet (.NET framework) packages is also planned. The collected metadata includes transitive dependency graphs, license information, security advisory impact reports, and OpenSSF Security Scorecard information. This data is now organized as a BigQuery dataset and is made available for querying and analysis for free through the deps.dev API. For example, by using this API developers can answer questions like: Which versions are available for a specific package? Which software licenses a particular version uses? How many dependencies does a package have and what are they? What packages and what versions does a particular file correspond to? This can help developers make better informed decisions when assessing risk associated with a package or version they consider consuming as part of their project. The new API has already been integrated into Graph for Understanding Artifact Composition (GUAC) an open-source tool for building SBOMs, but Google expects more integrations in the future. For example, as a plugin for integrated development environments (IDEs) the API can make dependency and security information immediately available for developers. However, it could also be integrated into CI/CD frameworks to prevent rolling out vulnerable code, into build tools and policy engines for compliance reasons, post-release analysis tools to detect newly reported vulnerabilities in existing code bases, software inventory management tools that can help identify mystery files, and visualization tools to get a better understanding and view of a software program's dependency graph. Vulnerabilities like Log4Shell, a critical flaw in the Java log4j component, showed how fragile the software ecosystem is. Many software companies and development teams found themselves slow to determine if their products were affected or not, because while log4j might not have been a direct dependency for their software, it might have been an indirect one -- statically included in some other package they used. In such cases deps.dev API integration could be very useful. For example, the API supports searching by file hash to see which version of a package it belongs to and whether it's affected by a known vulnerability. A CI/CD tool using the API could immediately alert that a known vulnerability affects the codebase and a visualization tool could rely on the API to show a dependency graph which could indicate which direct dependency has the vulnerable log4j file and initiate efforts to contact that package maintainer to ask for or to contribute a fast patch. To understand how pervasive and serious the issue of transitive vulnerabilities is, almost one year after Log4Shell was discovered and was widely covered across tech communities, 72% of organizations still had assets vulnerable to it and the number of exploitation attempts for the flaw remained high. One reason was because it wasn't just log4j directly that was impacted and required a patch. The vulnerable Java class called JndiManager included in Log4j-core was borrowed by 783 other projects and is now found in over 19,000 software components. The deps.dev API service is globally replicated and highly available using Google's cloud infrastructure. It is free to use and does not require authentication or an API key. Developers can simply issue API queries over HTTPS and receive query responses formatted as JSON objects. "Software supply chain security is hard, but its in all our interests to make it easier," members of the Google Open Source Security Team said in a blog post. "Every day, Google works hard to create a safer internet, and were proud to be releasing this API to help do just that and make this data universally accessible and useful to everyone." Assured OSS at no cost In addition to the deps.dev API, Google announced the general availability of its Assured OSS service. This is essentially a repository for over 1,000 of the most popular Java and Python packages whose provenance has been verified and that were security tested by Google's own teams. This service was originally launched in public preview a year ago. "Available today at no cost, Assured OSS gives any organization that uses open-source software the opportunity to leverage the security and experience Google applies to open-source dependencies by incorporating the same OSS packages that Google secures and uses into their own developer workflows," Andy Chang, group product manager for security and privacy at Google Cloud, said in a blog post. All the packages hosted in this repository are compliant with the Supply-chain Levels for Software Artifacts (SLSA) framework and provides three levels of assurance: Level 1, built and signed by Google Level 2, securely built from vetted sources and attested to all transitive dependencies Level 3, including transitive closure of all dependencies and continuously scanned and fuzzed Packages receive regular vulnerability scanning, analysis and fuzz testing and include data from the Open-Source Vulnerabilities (OSV) database. Package artifacts are also signed and are distributed from a Google-maintained and secured repository. Finally, each package comes with SBOMs and metadata from Cloud Build, Artifact Analysis, package health, and vulnerability impact data in multiple standard formats to be consumed by different tools. In addition to security testing, Google has a patching team that will quickly patch security issues identified in packages including backporting those patches to older versions that the original maintainer doesn't support. "There are significant security benefits to Assured OSS adopters and the larger community from the curation process," Chang said. "Since our Assured OSS team curated the first 278 packages, we have been the first to find 48% of the new vulnerabilities (CVE) each of these CVEs has been fixed and upstreamed." Maintaining copies of commonly used packages inside local repositories instead of always pulling them from public repositories is a practice that many companies engage in. In theory this provides a buffer in case the public version of a popular package is compromised and has malicious code injected into it. However, it could also delay the adoption of security patches. Many studies have shown over the years that organizations commonly use outdated and vulnerable versions of open-source components in their applications. Google's Assured OSS aims to address some of the drawbacks of maintaining a private repository by employing a dedicated team of experienced security professionals to manage it and ensure the security quality of the packages inside, which most companies can't afford to do in house. As daffodils and forsythia bloom bright yellow, lawns turns from brown to green, and blue skies replace gray, it would be nice to say that our long, hard winter is finally over. Except it wasnt. We skated through one of the mildest winters in memory. Whether by luck or climate change probably both the past few months were Carolina, not Connecticut. The only folks who missed the snow were kids with sleds and people with plows. But spring is definitely here. Theres warmth in the air, a bounce in our steps. So as Westporters begin spring cleaning, Woogs World does too. Its time to get rid of a few column ideas that sat for a while, gathering dust on my desk. One is affordable housing. Ive written about this before, for good reason: Its among the most consequential issues facing our town. The incremental but steady growth of apartments most with some affordable units has been noticeable. More will come soon. I have no quantitative evidence, but I sense a shift in attitude among Westporters toward affordable housing. New residents have not changed our town; theyve added to it. We realize that our neighbors are paraprofessionals in our schools, employees of our stores, single parents reimagining life after divorces. The steady drumbeat of hearings and bill proposals in Hartford about housing have had an effect. Westporters whether living here for decades, or just moved into a mega-mansion understand that building housing units for more than the very affluent is not a matter of if, but where. The shift can be seen in public debates. Were talking less about whether affordable housing in Westport is good or bad, and more about the sites best suited for it. Cluster housing a few homes in one spot has crept into our vocabulary, with few dissenters. One of the neighborhoods where affordable housing is a particularly hot topic is Saugatuck. Ive written before about Summit. The project dragged its way through the courts for two decades, with lawsuits about density, traffic, sewers and more. It represents the old way of doing zoning business. In The Hamlet at Saugatuck the new residential/retail/marina complex that may be built after a recent text amendment change we have a chance to give new life to an old area that has grown unattractive, and has long been underutilized. It has the potential to open up the river, revitalize Railroad Place, and provide people with a reason to use the train other than work or play in New York. Well be discussing height and setbacks for a while. But and this is another story idea I havent gotten around to what about another change to Saugatuck: the clear-cutting of hundreds of trees and bushes on both sides of I-95? The Department of Transportation is doing work on the highway, and no one can argue it isnt needed. The interstate is almost 70 years old. It needs the vehicular equivalent of new hips, knees and heart valves. But DOT isnt in the business of Botox. If anything, aesthetics got in the way of this project. DOT did to the roadside what we do to our poodles every spring: shaved everything off. The visual impact still stuns me, every time Im in the area. I cant imagine what its like to live nearby especially the loss of a very effective sound barrier. The project may affect home values in the area. Real estate is a topic I have planned to tackle for a while. The market is cooler than the red-hot days of COVID, when just about anyone with kids in small Manhattan and Brooklyn apartments realized it would be nice to have a yard, a beach, and great schools paid for only through taxes. So what is Westport like today, a couple of years after all our new arrivals have unpacked and settled in? My take: Its a much more exciting and vibrant place. Young families brought energy and freshness. They came here for the right reasons seeking a community more diverse than some other Fairfield County suburbs, a place with lots to do and plenty of beauty and they are eager to be involved in it. Theyre learning everything we are blessed with here, and how things are done. They have creative ideas of how to jazz them up, and initiate new ones. Many newcomers work right here, at home or close by. They are smart and sharp, and they want to use their talents to make Westport even better than it is. So just as soon as they return from their kids school vacation, and finish spring cleaning, well see them and you at the beach. Which is another column Ive been meaning to write LOS ANGELES (AP) Two former Los Angeles-area police detectives have been charged in the 2020 shooting of an unarmed man that left him paralyzed from the waist down, the district attorney said Wednesday. Former Whittier detectives Cynthia Lopez and Salvador Murillo opened fire on April 30, 2020, as Nicholas Carrillo ran from them. Two bullets struck him in the back one severing his spinal cord as he climbed a fence to escape. Although he was lucky to survive, his life was forever changed and he must now begin using a wheelchair, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday during a news conference. Murillo is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and two counts of assault under color of authority. Lopez faces two counts of assault under color of authority, one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday. The detectives were in plainclothes and in an unmarked car when they spotted a sedan that had been supposedly used during an unarmed robbery the month before, Gascon said. A woman was the suspect in that robbery at a Walmart, where a television was stolen. Carrillo was alone in the car on the day he was shot. The detectives followed the sedan into an alley, and emerged from their vehicle with their guns drawn. The sedan reversed and collided with the detectives car, Gascon said. Lopez fired into the sedans rear windshield, prosecutors said. Carrillo then ran from the car and Lopez and Murillo opened fire as they chased him. He was not armed. They are expected to be arraigned Monday. Attempts to reach their attorneys were not immediately successful Tuesday. The detectives are no longer employed by the Whittier Police Department, which directed media inquiries to prosecutors. The Whittier Police Department, which is committed to responsible and accountable policing, will provide assistance to the District Attorneys Office as needed, Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said in a statement after the charges were announced. The Whittier Police Officers Association, the union that represents the departments rank-and-file officers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Whittier is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Whittier case comes two weeks after Gascon's office charged seven California Highway Patrol officers and a nurse with involuntary manslaughter in the 2020 death of a man who screamed I cant breathe while multiple officers restrained him as they tried to take a blood sample. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The National Weather Service has again issued red flag warnings for all of Connecticut on Wednesday when temperatures will near 80 degrees as the combination of dry air and gusty winds have heightened the risk of "potentially critical fire weather conditions." The warning is issued for an area when low humidity, wind and dried out fuels like sticks, leaves and mulch combine to create conditions where fire could rapidly get out of control if ignited. It's the second straight day the weather service has issued red flag warnings for the entire state. "A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels will create a significantly elevated fire growth potential," the weather service's New York office said in a bulletin. The warnings are in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued its own warning, saying the risk of forest fires in all eight Connecticut counties is "very high" Wednesday. The agency issues a daily forest fire danger report. When days are designated as "high," "very high," or "extreme" risk of forest fire, permits issued by local authorities for burning brush are not valid if the burning is within 100 feet of woodland or grassland. The red flag warnings on Wednesday also extend into all of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, while a wide swath of the central United States from New Mexico to Michigan are also under the warnings. In New Jersey, a forest fire raged over 3,800 acres in the pine barrens. The fire forced dozens of residents to evacuate their homes in Manchester Township, a community of about 43,000 residents around an hour east of Trenton, the Associated Press reported. One state official said the blaze "exhibited extreme fire behavior, before firefighters were able to bring it mostly under control as of Wednesday. Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to rise to near 80 degrees in Connecticut, the weather service said. Skies will be sunny or partly sunny, with gusty winds reaching 35 mph in some places. Even warmer temperatures are expected Thursday and Friday when highs are expected to reach the low 80s across most of Connecticut. Parts of the state may reach the upper 80s on Friday. The weather service said highs for Wednesday and Thursday will be about 20 to 30 degrees warmer than average, and could break records. But with water temperatures in Long Island Sound will continue to hover in the 40s. Officials have warned beachgoers and boaters of the frigid water temperatures. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived Wednesday in China to strengthen ties with his nation's biggest trade partner and win support for his long shot push for peace in Ukraine. Lula wants Brazil, China and other nations to help mediate the war as part of his nation's return to the world stage, but his proposals to end the conflict have irked Ukraine and some in the West. Less controversial is the Brazilian and Chinese mutual interest in trade after a rocky period under Lula's predecessor. China and Brazil are expected to sign at least 20 bilateral agreements during Lulas two-day stay, according to the Brazilian government. Lula plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and meet with his counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, investment, reindustrialization, energy transition, climate change and peace agreements, the Brazilian government said. China is Brazils biggest export market, each year buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef, iron ore, poultry, pulp, sugar cane, cotton and crude oil. Brazil is the biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America, according to Chinese state media. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and members of his family at times caused friction with Chinese authorities during his 2019-2022 term. In 2020, when Bolsonaros lawmaker son Eduardo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil called his words an evil insult against China and the Chinese people. Later that year, Eduardo referred to the giant Chinese technology company Huawei as Chinese espionage, prompting a sharp rebuke from Chinas embassy. Last year, China did not have an ambassador in Brasilia for eight months. The rift stoked criticism in Brazil, even among sectors that supported Bolsonaro, like agribusiness. I want the Chinese to understand that their investment here will be wonderfully welcome, but not to buy our companies. To build new things, which we need, Lula told journalists in Brasilia on April 6. Chinese companies are involved in public works projects in Brazil, including a metro line in Sao Paulo, the countrys business capital. One of the agreements Lula will sign in China will be for construction of the sixth satellite built under a binational program, a satellite that would monitor biomes such as the Amazon rainforest. Brazil cant afford to turn its back on the benefits China brings. The U.S. doesnt have the capacity to absorb Brazils exports as China does, nor occupy the same space in investment and infrastructure, said Pedro Brites, an expert on China at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank in Sao Paulo. And China is encouraging its companies to find new markets and foreign partners to reduce reliance on the U.S. "Lula knows you have to treat your clients well. Even more so when it is your best client, said Charles Tang, who chairs the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce. In what Tang suggested was the result of a renewed partnership, China ended restrictions on Brazilian beef just before Lula was initially scheduled to make his trip. Sales of Brazilian beef to China were banned in February following the discovery of an atypical case of mad cow disease. Lulas visit to China, initially scheduled for March but canceled after he fell sick, is also an attempt by the leftist leader to reaffirm Brazils role on the global stage following Bolsonaros term, who admired right-wing nationalists and showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. Lula visited Argentina and Uruguay in January and the U.S. in February, signaling the importance he gives to international affairs, experts said. He toured the world during his first presidency, particularly in his second term, when he visited dozens of countries, and has visited China twice before. Lula is implementing the promise he made that Brazil is back, said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. China and Brazil are members of the BRICS group of developing countries and have pushed for changes in what they say is a U.S.-dominated system of managing global political affairs. Russia is also a BRICS member, and a key piece of Lulas outreach abroad is his proposal that Brazil and other developing countries, including China, mediate peace. Lula has irritated Ukraine and some in the West with his position on the war, most recently by suggesting during a meeting with journalists in Brasilia last week that Ukraine cede Crimea as a means to forge peace. Xi met with Putin last month, sending a message to U.S. and European leaders that their condemnation of Russias invasion is not unanimous. Earlier this month, a Lula adviser, former foreign affairs minister Celso Amorim, took a discreet trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Amorim "went to listen and to say the time has come to talk, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told reporters in the capital, Brasilia, on April 5. There is at least some common ground. Vieira noted that the Chinese peace proposal presented in February contains aspects in common with Lulas, such as ceasing hostilities and starting negotiations. These are completely plausible and may be stimulus for talks, he said. ___ Bridi reported from Brasilia. Associated Press writers Joe McDonald in Beijing and Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo and AP researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GENEVA (AP) Switzerland's lower house of parliament issued a searing though symbolic rebuke Wednesday of an emergency plan spearheaded by the executive branch to prop up embattled Credit Suisse and shepherd it into a takeover by Swiss banking rival UBS. The National Council, through an unusual left-right alliance, voted twice over the last day to reject government guarantees authorized last month of 100 billion Swiss francs (about $110 billion) to help keep Credit Suisse afloat and 9 billion francs to help UBS mop up any losses it may incur in the deal. The votes took place in a special parliamentary session that wrapped up Wednesday to scrutinize long-running troubles at Credit Suisse, a 167-year-old bank that was a pillar of Swiss finance, and the government plan to save it from a collapse that could have shaken the global financial system. Switzerland's main right-wing party opposed tighter regulations on banks, while centrists favored tougher rules but would accept state help for banks in some cases. Left-leaning parties that have long decried overly dangerous banks were insistent on stricter limits on bonuses for top executives and requirements for more money to be kept on hand by the biggest lenders. "The whole discussion centered on whether more regulation was needed in particular to the leverage ratio and severely regulate bonuses of the managers of the big, systemically important banks," Socialist lawmaker Roger Nordmann said. Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, who has been at the epicenter of a political firestorm around the 3 billion franc ($3.25 billion) Credit Suisse-UBS deal, told lawmakers that capital requirements would be increased and you can start from the premise that big banks will face more severe restrictions. But Nordmann, who had questioned the minister on that issue, said by phone that Keller-Sutter hadn't presented any clear measures and was too noncommittal. That's an invitation for all dishonest bankers to come to Switzerland, and what we need is honest people, he said. The votes were symbolic because a parliamentary commission has already signed on to the emergency rescue plan that Swiss authorities orchestrated last month as shares of Credit Suisse sank and customers rushed to pull out their money. The failure of two U.S. banks just days before had sparked concerns about the stability of the Swiss lender and the global financial system. Both the Swiss central bank and the government splashed out more than 200 billion Swiss francs in guarantees to help underpin the fusion of the country's top two banks and keep Credit Suisse from failing. Parliament's upper house had voted Tuesday to accept the takeover plan announced March 19 by Switzerlands seven-member executive branch known as the Federal Council, which is headed by the Swiss president as well as the Swiss National Bank and the financial markets regulator, FINMA. Lawmakers in the upper house backed a plan that would have included limits to bonuses for bankers, but it didn't go far enough for the lower house. For now, stricter legislative rules on Switzerland's biggest banks led by UBS are in limbo ahead of crucial elections for parliament this fall. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) Germany's government presented scaled-back plans Wednesday to liberalize the country's rules on cannabis, including by decriminalizing possession of limited amounts and allowing members of nonprofit cannabis clubs" to buy marijuana for recreational purposes. In a second step, German officials also envision setting up regional test projects to sell cannabis through commercial supply chains, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. But the proposal differs from one he presented in October, which foresaw allowing the sale of cannabis to adults across the country at licensed outlets. The German government revised the plan following talks with the European Union's executive commission. Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir said EU law sets us limits we must respect, but that I will also say we are pushing. Lauterbach had cautioned all along that the government would only proceed with its original plan if it got the green light from the EU. Germany has allowed some patients to get cannabis as a prescription medication since 2017. The proposed new legislation foresees legalizing the possession of up to 25 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of cannabis for recreational purposes and allowing individuals to grow up to three plants. It would let German residents 18 and older join nonprofit cannabis clubs with a maximum 500 members each, which would be allowed to grow cannabis for members' personal consumption. Individuals would be allowed to buy up to 25 grams per day, or up to 50 grams per month a figure that would be limited to 30 grams for adults under age 21. Membership in multiple clubs wouldn't be allowed, and authorities could limit the number of clubs. The clubs' costs would be covered by membership fees, which would be staggered according to how much cannabis the members use. Ozdemir said that draft legislation will be finalized this month and that consumption will become legal this year already. Officials hope that the first step will help push back the black market. This fall, the government plans to map out the next step: five-year tests of regulated commercial supply chains in select regions. Lauterbach said details, including which regions would be chosen, have yet to be thrashed out. The government wants to have the pilot projects scientifically evaluated. The ministers were optimistic that successful tests would enable them to build pressure for a change of policy at the EU level, and ultimately to clear the way for their original plan to allow licensed sales. The feedback so far from Brussels is on the one hand, something that perhaps disappointed us, but on the other hand also an opportunity the opportunity to build the basis for a European cannabis policy with a well-conducted study, Lauterbach told reporters in Berlin. The plans will need the approval of the German parliament's lower house, but officials said an endorsement is not needed from the upper house. That chamber represents Germany's 16 state governments, many of which include the country's main center-right opposition bloc. The bloc has opposed liberalizing cannabis laws. One conservative regional official went to Brussels to lobby against Lauterbach's initial plan. Center-right health policy spokesman Tino Sorge told the Funke newspaper group that the government was pressing ahead with legalizing a risky drug despite European legal hurdles, clear expert opinions and bad experiences from other countries. He accused Lauterbach of setting the wrong priorities. The health minister argued that Germany's existing policies have failed. He said the government's aim is to offer greater safety, protect consumers against contaminated and toxic products, and reduce drug-related crime. We are not creating a problem, Lauterbach insisted. We are trying to solve a problem. He reiterated that Germany doesnt want to emulate the model of the neighboring Netherlands, which combines decriminalization with little market regulation. The cannabis plan is one of several social reform projects that German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs socially liberal three-party governing coalition agreed to embark on when it took office in December 2021. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AMSTERDAM (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron commented on his published remarks on China and Taiwan that raised questions after he visited Beijing last week, insisting Wednesday that his views have not changed. The position of France and the Europeans on Taiwan is the same. We are for the status quo, and this policy is constant," Macron told reporters in Amsterdam near the end of a two-day state visit to the Netherlands. "It hasnt changed. Its the policy of one China and the peaceful settlement of the question. He was referring to remarks published Sunday from an interview with French newspaper Les Echos and Politico Europe. The remarks elicited doubts about whether Macrons views were in line with the European Unions position on Taiwan's status. Beijing claims that the island is a Chinese territory that must be brought under its control, by force if necessary. The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No, Macron was quoted as saying in the interview. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction. Macron said he spoke to U.S. President Joe Biden before he traveled to China. A string of foreign politicians have visited Taiwan in recent months, including then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and numerous politicians from the EU. The French leader addressed other topics during his trip to the Netherlands. Earlier Wednesday, Macron said that protests in France and the Netherlands were a social price that has to be paid as governments in the two countries push ahead with reforms. We must sometimes accept controversy, Macron said. "We must try to build a path for the future. He was speaking to members of the French community in Amsterdam, on the second day of a state visit that has been dogged by small protests against his deeply unpopular pension reform, which will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The reforms have sparked massive and sometimes violent protests in France. In the Netherlands, farmers and their supporters protested for months about plans to rein in emissions of nitrogen oxide. At times last year, Dutch farmers used tractors to blockade supermarket warehouses, torched bales of hay alongside roads and dumped garbage including manure and asbestos on highways. A populist, pro-farmer political party made major gains in recent provincial elections in the Netherlands. Sometimes in France we think that we are the only country where there are protests, Macron said in his speech in Amsterdam. "You who live here know very well that there is also a strong, profound protest movement here. Earlier in the day, police tackled and detained a protester who ran, shouting, toward Macron as he arrived at a University of Amsterdam science campus. It was the second straight day that protesters targeted Macron. On Tuesday, demonstrators shouted and held up banners at the start of a speech in The Hague. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that free speech is an important right but he regretted the protests. We are hosts, so you don't want that, he said, standing alongside Macron at the Amsterdam Mayor's official residence. Earlier, French and Dutch ministers signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in moves to develop digital technology and make the countries' industrial sectors more sustainable. The Pact for Innovation and Sustainable Growth aims to promote partnerships in areas including semiconductors, quantum, critical raw materials, sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure, the Dutch government said in a statement. Macron was wrapping up his two-day state visit with talks between the two countries' government ministers and a visit to a sell-out exhibition of paintings by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. ___ Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet and Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) The Biden administration is urging U.S. meat processors to make sure children aren't being illegally hired to perform dangerous jobs at their plants. The call comes after an investigation found more than 100 kids working overnight for a company that cleans slaughterhouses, handling dangerous equipment like skull splitters and razor-sharp bone saws. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent a letter Wednesday to the 18 largest meat and poultry producers urging them to examine the hiring practices at their companies and suppliers. The letter is part of a broader effort by the administration to crack down on the use of child labor. The Labor Department has reported a 69% increase since 2018 in the number of children being employed illegally in the U.S. "The use of illegal child labor particularly requiring that children undertake dangerous tasks is inexcusable, and companies must consider both their legal and moral responsibilities to ensure they and their suppliers, subcontractors, and vendors fully comply with child labor laws," Vilsack said in the letter. Just last year, the Labor Department found that more than 3,800 children had been working illegally at 835 companies in various industries. In the most egregious recent case, Packers Sanitation Services Inc., or PSSI, agreed earlier this year to pay a $1.5 million fine and reform its hiring practices after investigators confirmed that at least 102 kids were working for the company at 13 meat processing plants nationwide. PSSI, which is based in Wisconsin, employs about 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations, making it one of the largest food-processing-plant cleaning companies. The plants where PSSI was found to be employing minors were in Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas. The Labor Department says it has more than 600 child labor investigations underway and officials are concerned about the exploitation of children, particularly migrants who may not even have a parent in the United States. Several federal agencies launched a broad effort to combat child labor earlier this year, and officials asked Congress to increase the penalty for violations because the current maximum fine of $15,138 per child isn't enough of a deterrent to big companies. One major meat producer, Smithfield Foods, said Wednesday it was not aware of any violations at its facilities. Smithfield Foods and all of its affiliates comply with all child labor laws, both federal and state, the company said. We require all of our contractors to do so as well. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MADISON, Wis. (AP) Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who spearheaded legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages last year, announced on Wednesday that she is seeking a third term in battleground Wisconsin. Baldwin, 60, said in a statement that she intends to continue fighting for the working class and families struggling with inflation, as well as opposing Wisconsin's abortion ban. No Republicans have announced they are running for Baldwin's seat, which will be critical for Democrats to hold if they want to maintain control of the Senate. The state's Democratic Party chair, Ben Wikler, celebrated Baldwins announcement, saying, No one works harder for Wisconsin families than Tammy Baldwin. He said there was a reason so many Republican politicians are hiding under a rug instead of running for U.S. Senate: They know that Wisconsinites trust Tammy Baldwin. Baldwin won her first local race at age 24 and in 1998 won a seat in the U.S. House to become the first woman Wisconsin voters sent to Congress. She was elected to the Senate in 2012, handing Republican former Gov. Tommy Thompson his first defeat in a statewide race, in a year when Barack Obama was also on the ballot. Baldwin will be seeking another term in a presidential election year when turnout on both sides is likely to be high. Already, the Wisconsin Republican Party was working Wednesday to tie Baldwin's campaign to President Joe Biden, who's facing low approval ratings with voters. Baldwin needs to explain her regularly voting in lockstep with Joe Bidens unpopular agenda, said Rachel Reisner, the party's communications director. As speculation rises over who the GOP will back to challenge Baldwin, U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher has surfaced as a potential candidate. Gallagher, a Marine Corps veteran first elected to represent Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District in 2017, has been an outspoken proponent of more aggressive China-focused policies as head of the House Select Committee on China. But when asked Wednesday whether Gallagher plans to enter the race, his spokesperson referenced Gallagher saying last month he was too busy with committee affairs to think about the 2024 election. Baldwin won her 2012 race by nearly 6 percentage points and defeated a Republican state senator for reelection in 2018 by 11 percentage points. In that race, which came two years after Donald Trump won Wisconsin, Baldwin solidified Democratic support while attracting independent voters with her message that she was looking out for the best interests of everyone in the state. A tireless campaigner, her victory in the swing state was closely analyzed and followed by Democratic candidates who also found success, including Gov. Tony Evers, who won reelection in 2022. Her strategy included highly targeted digital ads on a variety of issues and competing for voters outside of the Democratic strongholds in Madison and Milwaukee. Baldwin was the first person elected to Congress after announcing they were gay and was the first openly gay person elected to the Senate. In the early 1990s, she was the first openly lesbian member of the Wisconsin Assembly and one of the first openly gay people in elected office across the country. She has been open about her sexual orientation but did not emphasize it during her previous runs for the Senate. I didnt run to make history, Baldwin said after winning her first Senate race in 2012. I ran to make a difference. But in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion, Baldwin gained national attention for her leading role in passing a bill protecting the rights of gay couples. She spent months winning over Republicans for the measure, which passed last December with bipartisan support. Republicans have tried to portray Baldwin as too liberal for Wisconsin, a state that reelected Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022 and that Trump narrowly won in 2016 and lost by a similarly small margin in 2020. Johnson is one of the Senate's most conservative members. But Baldwin, despite embracing policies like Medicare for All, has been able to win over key swing voters in the state. The lack of housing at all price points is the No. 1 issue in the state of Connecticut today. But the reality is that our state has been on the brink of a housing crisis for a long time. This housing shortage affects everyone, especially people of low to moderate income. For decades, investment in new housing in Connecticut has lagged behind the need. This is especially true for affordable housing, where local zoning laws and municipal opposition in some of our communities constructed sizable barriers to adding more, or any, affordable housing in their towns. To make matters worse, the eviction moratorium put in place during COVID ended in September 2022. Evictions in our state have skyrocketed, reaching, 22,754 in 2022, the highest in almost a decade. And there is simply no housing affordable or otherwise, to meet the need. Because of these conditions, homelessness in Connecticut has increased by 39 percent, and as of this writing, 4,835 people are homeless in our state. Of that number, 376 are families and 85 percent of these families have children. The majority of the individuals and families who are homeless are people who have held jobs, paid their rents or mortgages and bills on time. Most are homeless because a catastrophic event an unexpected and costly illness, losing a job, the end of a marriage upended their lives. Today, we can add sharply escalating rents and utilities costs to that list. And as a state we are under prepared to respond and address the rising rate of homeless because along with failing to invest in new housing stock, over the past decade weve also underinvested in Connecticuts Homeless Response System. What is the Homeless Response System? Community-based nonprofit organizations providing shelter, homeless outreach, diversion, rapid rehousing, housing navigation, supportive housing, housing case management and call center assistance. Additionally, they activate and operate the Cold Weather Emergency Response System when the governor declares a cold weather emergency. They, and the professionals they employ, are on the front line of homelessness in Connecticut. Every day these essential workers assist people in navigating one of lifes most devastating circumstances. While their work is critical, they are considerably underpaid and many themselves are just one paycheck away from homelessness. Rising costs of health insurance, rent, utilities and other goods and services make it impossible for organizations to offer competitive salaries, severely limiting the ability to recruit, hire, train and retain qualified front line staff. Unlike other nonprofits that receive funding from the state to support wages and other costs, Connecticuts Homeless Response System has been left out of the state budget. Thats why we are working hard to change this dynamic. Homeless service providers across the state, organized as CT CAN End Homelessness, are advocating for $50 million to Rescue the Homeless Response System. Heres how the funding would be invested: 1. One-time adjustment to existing state contracts to address the financial shortfalls facing homeless response organizations due to higher operating costs. 2. Establish a livable and competitive wage for front line workers, whose essential services help mitigate the financial and social determinant of health effects of homelessness on individuals, families, local communities and the state. Wage equity will contribute to our ability to recruit, retain and train staff to deliver the services, run community-based programs, operate emergency programs, and transform these positions from jobs to careers of choice. 3. Annually fund the states Cold Weather Emergency Response System, ensuring that those who are homeless have a warm and safe place during the winter months. We are seeing the effects of the rising rate of homelessness is our communities. A well-funded Homeless Response System means local providers would have the resources to help those in need, even before they become homeless. We can solve the homeless crisis. Weve done it with veteran homelessness, we can do it now. As a state, we need to invest in a variety of housing in all of our cities and towns for people of all incomes, and we need to say yes to funding Connecticuts Homeless Response System so the necessary supports can be in place to help the over 4,400 residents who are facing the crisis of their lifetime. Evonne Klein is the chief executive officer of Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. She is the former Connecticut housing commissioner from 2013-2019 under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. During her tenure the department constructed 24,000 units of housing, of which 22,000 are affordable. Connecticut tax revenue is likely to plunge in the last four months of the current fiscal year, taking annual tax revenue down about $1.1 billion below the official forecast, according to a new study by The Townsend Group which I head. Thats a big miss in a state with total annual tax revenue of about $22 billion, particularly given that we already know how much taxes have been collected for two-thirds of the year. The miss can be traced to tax revenue derived largely from investment activities. In 2021, the stock market boomed and capital gains skyrocketed, taking this revenue from $4.7 billion in fiscal 2021 to $6.6 billion in fiscal 2022. In 2022, the stock market plunged and capital gains turned mostly into losses. Nevertheless, the states official forecast is for $5.5 billion of this type of revenue in this fiscal year 2023 ending in about three months on June 30. That is a mere 16 percent decline from the record-breaking prior fiscal year. The Townsend study projects revenue of $4.4 billion, or a 32 percent decline. The Townsend study caps off what has been a six-month public debate between state officials and me. The state adopted its official forecast for this type of tax revenue in April of 2022 and reconfirmed it as recently as last month. I began questioning state officials in early autumn, suggesting the April-to-September decline in the stock market might warrant an adjustment downward. The official spokesman for the Office of Policy and Analysis (OPM) replied saying that OPM is data-dependent and that receipts in the first three months of the fiscal year (July through September) were coming in above target. In November, I challenged OPM and the Office of Fiscal Analysis in the General Assembly (OFA), which, together, are required by state law to issue official consensus revenue forecasts (CRF) periodically. Their November CRF forecast left the original April forecast unchanged, to which I replied in an op-ed that their projections of tax revenue from investment income for the current fiscal year (FY2023) are way too high. When OPM and OFA reconfirmed the April forecast again in their Jan. 17 CRF, I wrote another op-ed criticizing these agencies, saying their stance reflected the limitation of a data-dependent approach when faced with a lack of data. Every year, about three-quarters of stock market related individual income taxes are paid in January through June. In April every year, roughly one-third arrives. Clearly, the first six months of the fiscal year provide little data upon which to adjust a forecast, so their data-dependency locked them into their original forecast. I concluded in the op-ed that budget officials should not waste time tracking the numbers before April. They should make a broad judgment. If the stock market was up for the prior year, they should expect robust revenue; if it was down, a significant decline should be expected. So why does this debate matter? In January I wrote that In about two weeks, Governor Lamont will release his budget for the next biennium. If based upon the Consensus Forecast, it will be based upon a highly uncertain foundation. The op-ed continued In all probability, the whole budget process will have to undergo massive and confusing revisions as a result of the likely overestimation of this revenue source. Lamont should ignore his budget officials and base his budget proposal on more conservative numbers. Just weeks ago in mid-March when OPM reconfirmed the official forecast of $5.5 billion of this type of revenue that is the combination of Estimates and Finals (E&F) and the Pass-through Entity Tax (PET), it stated that Any negative deviation in collections of either the PET or E&F would impact the volatility cap deposit and not budgetary balance This statement appears to be an attempt to minimize the significance of the potential revenue shortfall by saying it would not impact the budget. To this, I would say that a revenue shortfall is a revenue shortfall, no matter what part of state operations it impacts. Townsends projection of a $1.1 billion shortfall signifies a big impact. Since the January CRF was issued, the state has posted data for two more months of E&F and PET receipts for January and February 2023, for which combined receipts are down 23 percent from 2022. Factoring in a $57 million increase in refunds of these taxes in the two months, two-month net receipts are down 43 percent year over year. The shortfall Townsend projects would not impact the current budget ending in June 2023, but rather would reduce funds in the states two big public pension funds, which are severely underfunded. The next few weeks will tell whether the official forecast or the Townsend projection is closer to the mark. For the sake of Connecticut, and retirees receiving benefits from the pension funds, I hope the official forecast is more accurate. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PANAMA CITY (AP) The United States, Panama and Colombia announced Tuesday that they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year. Details on how the governments will try to curb the flow of migrants that reached nearly 90,000 in just the first three months of this year through the dense, lawless jungle were not provided in the joint statement. The ambitious announcement came as the Biden administration nervously awaits the expected end of a pandemic-related rule May 11 that has suspended rights to seek asylum for many. Without that instrument of dissuasion at the U.S. border, there is concern migrant arrivals could again become unmanageable. The joint statement said the countries will also use new lawful and flexible pathways for tens of thousands of migrants and refugees as an alternative to irregular migration, but again gave no details. The plans third element is investment to reduce poverty and create jobs in the Colombian and Panamanian border communities, presumably so fewer people work at smuggling migrants. Recognizing our shared interest and responsibility to prevent the risk to human life, disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and preserve the vital rainforest, the governments of Panama, Colombia, and the United States intend to carry out a two-month coordinated campaign to address the serious humanitarian situation in the Darien, the statement said. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with the foreign ministers of Panama and Colombia in Panama on Tuesday. According to Panamas government, more than 87,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap in the first three months of the year, mostly from Venezuela, Haiti and Ecuador. That was up from nearly 14,000 migrants during the same period a year earlier. Last year, set a record for migrants using the Darien route, with nearly 250,000. That increase was driven largely by Venezuelans, who accounted for some 60% of the migrants crossing there last year. The Biden administration responded in October by using the pandemic-related rule known as Title 42 to deny Venezuelans the chance to request asylum at the border. Instead, the U.S. government said it would accept as many as 24,000 Venezuelans at U.S. airports who had already applied and been pre-approved through a government online application. That program was expanded to Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba earlier this year. Now with Title 42 set to expire next month, the U.S. is looking at the Darien Gap as the natural choke point to stop extracontinental migration. Michael Lee Weintraub, a profesor at the University of the Andes School of Government in Colombia, said that with Biden under pressure from conservatives to address immigration ahead of next year's presidential election, his administration is looking for ways to diiscourage irregular migration and make legal migration easier. But he expressed doubt that Colombia's security forces have the capacity to dramatically affect migrant smuggling because the country's armed groups profit from it and are "very sophisticated." The Darien Gap is among the most dangerous portions of the long route to the U.S. borders. Migrants and international human rights groups have denounced sexual assaults, robberies and killings in the remote jungle. That's in addition to the natural dangers posed by venomous snakes and rushing rivers. For the migrants who survive the crossing, the Panamanian government and nongovernmental groups bus migrants across Panama to near its border with Costa Rica to continue their journey. ___ Associated Press writer Astrid Suarez in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) The judge presiding over a defamation case against Fox News admonished its attorneys Wednesday for potentially withholding evidence and said he is inclined to order an independent review by a special master that could lead to sanctions. The move by Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis came amid a burst of fresh revelations in the $1.6 billion defamation case filed by Dominion Voting Systems against the conservative network and its parent company, Fox Corp. The judge expressed anger and frustration during a pretrial hearing after learning that Fox only recently turned over recordings of Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo talking with two lawyers for then-President Donald Trump, Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. That came after the disclosure a day earlier that Fox lawyers had withheld critical information about the role company founder Rupert Murdoch, who is chairman of Fox Corp., played at Fox News. I am very concerned that there have been misrepresentations to the court, Davis said. The judge had expressed his displeasure at the late disclosure regarding Murdoch and became even more perturbed Wednesday when he was told that Fox also did not reveal the recordings made by a former producer for Bartiromo. The recordings were of conversations the host had with Giuliani and Powell before and after her show. Their existence surfaced in a lawsuit the former producer, Abby Grossberg, has filed against Fox alleging that the networks attorneys forced her to give misleading deposition testimony in an effort to protect the company in the defamation case. In one pre-show conversation on Nov. 8, 2020, just days after the presidential election, Bartiromo asked Giuliani whether he had information about Dominions software, which some people had alleged could be manipulated. Thats a little harder. Its being analyzed right now, Giuliani responded. A week later, Giuliani said on Bartiromos show that the software had been developed by a company founded by Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez and had been used to cheat in elections in South America. Colorado-based Dominion alleges that Fox damaged the company by repeatedly airing false allegations that its machines and the software they used rigged the 2020 presidential election to prevent Trumps reelection. Records produced as part of the lawsuit show many executives and hosts didnt believe the claims, but aired them anyway. There was no indication that the recent developments would delay the trial, which is scheduled to start Thursday with jury selection, but they dealt additional blows to Fox in a lawsuit that already has embarrassed the network. In part, it has revealed how Fox used the false election claims to win back viewers who were angered after the network correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden on election night. The judge on Wednesday said he was considering asking a special master to investigate actions taken by Fox attorneys after they had certified to the court in December that they had complied with their obligations to produce documents. That could include Fox failing to disclose the Grossberg recordings and a Bartiromo email. Dominion attorney Davida Brook told the judge that Dominion only recently learned that Powell had forwarded to Bartiromo an email Powell received in November 2020 from a woman who described a wide range of conspiracy theories, including those involving claims of election fraud. In her deposition, Bartiromo said she didnt know if she even saw the email. Its not anything I looked at or considered real, she said under oath. But on Wednesday, the judge was shown an email confirming that Bartiromo not only read Powells email, but apparently discussed its contents with Trumps son, Eric Trump, and sent a reply to Powell: I just spoke to Eric & told him you gave very imp info, Bartiromo wrote Powell. Davis said he would allow Dominion to question Bartiromo under oath again, at Foxs expense, though there was no immediate indication from Dominion that it would do so. The judge said he also was likely to ask a special master to investigate how Fox attorneys handled the issue of Rupert Murdochs role at Fox News. Fox Corp. had asserted since Dominion filed its lawsuit in 2021 that Murdoch had no official role at Fox News. In its filings, it had listed Fox News' officers as Jay Wallace, Joe Dorrego and Suzanne Scott, who is the networks chief executive officer. But on Sunday, Fox disclosed to Dominions attorneys that Murdoch also is executive chair at Fox News. The judge Wednesday ordered Fox attorneys to collect and preserve all internal communications regarding the matter. Earlier in the day, he denied Dominion's request to hold separate trials based on the new information about Murdoch's roles one for Fox News and another for the network's parent company. Murdochs role and those of other top Fox executives are at the heart of Dominions defamation case. Fox attorneys have argued that executives roles at the parent company, Fox Corp., removed them from the day-to-day decisions that allowed the false election claims to be aired on various Fox News programs. At first, when suburban mom Kristin gets the mysterious call to head to Italy to settle the affairs of a dead relative, she protests shes too busy. Then she realizes theres not much keeping her: Her son is off to college, her job is dead-end, and her husband? He's cheating with the school guidance counselor. So why not treat herself to a me-focused trip, a la Julia Roberts? Maybe an Eat, Pray, Love trip, muses Kristin (Toni Collette), to which her friend (Sophie Nomvete) replies that what she really needs, bluntly, is to Eat, Pray, $%&$. Soon thats the slogan for her trip. It also would a great alternative title for Mafia Mamma, if they could get away with it. And really, they try to get away with most everything else. That includes some cringe-worthy slapstick, some Tarantino-level violence, and also every Italian stereotype you can imagine (Grape-stomping? Check. Gelato, gnocchi and cannoli? Check. Speaking of cannoli: The Godfather? Check. Stanley Tuccis food show? Check!) Some of this is to be expected, but Mafia Mamma, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is over-saturated with shtick. And in a script which seeks to empower its protagonist by having her don a tight dress and commit murder with a stiletto heel to the groin (and eyeball), the goriest death is by cliche. Nobody escapes it. Not even the wonderfully versatile Collette, who does yeomans work selling the increasingly repetitive plot developments, especially in the latter half, and maintaining sympathy for her character, who's such a wide-eyed fish out of water, shes never even seen The Godfather (a running joke, which like many jokes here is funny the first time). The opening scenes are promising. We begin with always-welcome Monica Bellucci, as hardened consiglieri Bianca, surveying a crime scene full of dead bodies, including her boss Giuseppe Balbano, and declaring: This is war. Soon, Kristin gets Bianca's call about grandad, whom she never knew. Kristin grew up in America and always assumed grandad was a vintner (and Tony Soprano was in waste management...). Soon Kristin arrives in Rome, ready to eat, pray and you-know-what. (After all, her husbands you-know-whatting with the guidance counselor, who has one of the films funnier lines when she says, caught in the act: I want you to know Im a feminist!) It seems like the you-know-what is about to happen quickly for Kristin too, because an impossibly handsome guy just happens to show up at the airport and take her number. At the funeral, Kristin narrowly escapes death when the procession itself is attacked by the rival family (a cascade of oranges running down the cobblestoned street is a clever Godfather reference, until the joke gets tired). At the family home, shes shown a video message designating her as the successor. She tries to flee, but Bianca tells her she cant run from her destiny. And so the film chronicles her making peace with that destiny, even if peace means severing a few eyeballs from their sockets along the way. Not that Kristin becomes evil or anything. Most of her bad deeds are done by accident or in self-defense. But the worst deed of all is that the movie cant decide what it wants her, or itself, to be. Its not fully slapstick comedy wine-stomping scenes aside and hardly a serious crime saga. Most of all, it seems to want to tell a story of female empowerment; at one point Kristin is reminded to never let a man dictate who she can be or what she can do. Nice message, but its muddled. Who exactly is dictating? Surely not her husband, a caricature of a doofus. And so, despite some satisfying moments, by the increasingly cringe-worthy last third of the movie youre just annoyed that it seems to want to cover all bases to have its, er, cannoli and eat it, too. Maybe Kristin should just eat, pray, you-know-what, and head on home. Mafia Mamma, a Bleecker Street release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for bloody violence, sexual content and language. Running time: 101 minutes. Two stars out of four. ___ MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT How should Bridgeport spend its dwindling federal COVID-19 relief? The city has used up or committed all but $6.5 million of the $110 million windfall Bridgeport received two years ago from the American Rescue Plan, which was passed to help the nation and its economy weather the COVID pandemic. And while the bulk of those expenditures have not been controversial, a few recent decisions by Mayor Joe Ganim's administration about what to do with the remaining funds have spurred the City Council to get more involved in the process. "Things happen or change and we're not privy about it or know about it," councilman Tyler Mack told fellow members of the budget recently. "I think it's important for transparency." "It just keeps everybody honest," said councilman Ernie Newton, a committee co-chairman. On Tuesday, the council's budget committee unanimously passed a resolution requiring the full council to approve all future uses of the remaining $6,507,503 in ARP dollars exceeding $250,000. Ganim aide Tom Gaudett, and finance staff Kenneth Flatto and Nestor Nkwo, were present for the discussion. While the local legislative body had worked in 2021 with the Ganim administration to develop a list of priorities providing large, multi-year grants to city-based businesses and non-profits, funding sewer and roadway improvements, paying municipal workforce bonuses and balancing a few annual municipal budgets council members had ultimately left the final decisions up to City Hall. But with the federal aid close to running out, some on the council have been second-guessing a few recent expenses. For example, the city decided to try to push ahead with a long-delayed effort to launch a high-speed ferry service, based in part on a nearly 17-year-old feasibility study. The Bridgeport Port Authority is building a terminal using an $8 million federal grant that had languished for years and $2.5 million from the ARP in the hopes it can attract a potential ferry operator despite critics' claims the plan is not feasible nor affordable. Then there was the $600,000 that the Ganim administration announced would help pay to remove the remnants of the car bridge connecting the Pleasure Beach peninsula to the East End. The bridge was destroyed by fire in 1996 and has been deemed a navigation hazard. In January, city officials decided to provide developer Anthony Stewart $412,000 in COVID relief funds to help complete his delayed and financially troubled Honey Locust Square office and retail project aimed at revitalizing the East End. Although municipalities have generally been given a lot of leeway to spend their ARP monies as they deem appropriate, councilwoman Maria Pereira in particular publicly questioned using that money for that purpose. The council also voted to spend an additional $588,000 in city dollars on finishing Honey Locust Square. Two other expenditures were questioned at Tuesday's budget committee meeting, during which Flatto gave members a detailed spreadsheet of how the ARP funds have been utilized to date. The council had received prior updates as well. Council President Aidee Nieves said she was learning for the first time that $975,000 had been set aside to pay for additional police patrols at Bridgeport's low-income public housing sites, run by Park City Communities. "Why? I thought they had their own funds to pay for (a) police detail," Nieves said. The spreadsheet also revealed the Ganim administration intends to use $1 million to help get a scholarship program the mayor just proposed last week in his 2023-24 budget off othe ground. Modeled after similar programs in Hartford, New Haven and Waterbury, the Bridgeport Promise initiative was, Ganim had previously indicated, going to be launched with $500,000 in the annual municipal fiscal plan the council is currently in the middle of reviewing and revising. So why, wondered Councilman Scott Burns, a budget committee co-chair, was $1 million included for Bridgeport Promise in the ARP list? "I think a lot of us like the concept (of the scholarships) but I didn't know that was there," Burns said Tuesday. "Honestly, we just added it today," Gaudett said. "You're creating a program with money we're supposed to use to help existing programs, existing things in the city," councilman Matthew McCarthy argued. McCarthy also inquired about the whereabouts of $8 million the Ganim administration had early on proposed for improving broadband infrastructure. It was to be one of the largest single investments using Bridgeport's share of the COVID aid. But Gaudett last December acknowledged the plan was not going to move forward because it would require far more money and there may be financing available through Connecticut's separate share of the ARP. "So where'd it go?" McCarthy asked Tuesday. There was no clear answer other than municipal cybersecurity, which only cost $904,873. The budget committee's initial resolution called for council approval of any future ARP expenditures of $500,000 or more. It was McCarthy who successfully suggested that figure be lowered to $250,000. Councilwoman Jeanette Herron called for investing more in addressing homelessness. Over $2.8 million was already targeted in that area, but the city is currently grappling with a shortage of affordable housing and hundreds of potential evictions for unpaid rent of Park City Communities tenants. "I'm seeing these numbers (of ARP funds for homelessness) kind of low for my liking," Herron said. McCarthy also suggested, and Nkwo agreed, that perhaps the remaining $6.5 million be set aside for a future municipal budget. The Ganim administration has so far used $15 million to balance the 2021-22 and current 2022-23 budgets, the mayor included $10 million in his proposed 2023-24 fiscal plan currently under council review, and a final $10 million is intended for the 2024-25 budget. McCarthy said, and Nkwo confirmed, that when those dollars go away it will be a challenge to fill that hole in the city's finances. "I very much agree with what Councilman McCarthy said," Nkwo told the committee Tuesday. He said that $6.5 million could be saved for the 2025-26 fiscal year. "Or else we're gonna run into a financial shock," Nkwo said. BRIDGEPORT A local man was sentenced to 45 years in prison after he was convicted of fatally shooting an 18-year-old multiple times and stripping him naked at a city housing project several years ago. Standing before the judge with his hands in his pockets Wednesday, Jahmari Wack Cooper, 23, who is awaiting trial in New York in a murder-for-hire case, told the sobbing members of the victims family that he was sorry for their loss. But, he added, facing the prosecutor, the state, the police, you werent there, you dont know what happened. On Oct. 11, 2017, 18-year-old Jeri Kollock Jr. had gone searching for the person he thought killed his best friend. Instead, he was directed to the parking lot of Columbus School where police said Cooper, a man with a history of gun violence since he was 12, was waiting. Kollock was found lying in the outside basement doorway of Building 1 in the Greene Homes Housing Project. A small towel had been placed on his naked body. In February, a jury convicted Cooper of murder. There was no doubt in my mind that by the time the trial was over that Mr. Cooper committed this murder, Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton said in her sentencing remarks. This murder, it was horrible, the victim was lured to his death in his grief. He was on his knees when he was shot. The judge continued that the sentence must reflect the seriousness of the crime but added, Its got to be a deterrence but I dont think general deterrence works as well as we would like it to. If it did, we wouldnt have so many murders in Bridgeport. In addition to the 45-year term, the judge also ordered Cooper placed on 10 years of special parole. Senior Assistant States Attorney Tiffany Lockshier had urged the judge to impose a substantial sentence. This is a sad case, its sad and a disturbing case of senseless violence, she told the judge as Cooper sat at the defense table twirling the end of his mustache. There is no remorse here whatsoever, Lockshier continued. Once told there was a warrant for his arrest, he first fled to New York and then to Florida and had to be extradited back to Connecticut. While Kollocks mother, sobbing, told Cooper she would pray for him, the grandmother had only harsh words for Cooper. What you did was heinous. You ruined a lot of lives. You are a menace and I hope you go to jail for the rest of your life, she told Cooper. Police said Kollock had been distraught over the death of his best friend, 19-year-old Eric Diaz, who was found shot to death on Sept. 14, 2017 at the intersection of Beardsley Street and Newfield Avenue. Convinced that Diaz had been killed as part of a rivalry between the citys East Side and the Greene Homes, police said Kollock had gone to the nearby housing project to get information on the killer. It was later determined Diaz had been killed during a drug deal, officials said. Lonnie Mebane, who had served time for a Stratford home invasion, was convicted last year of Diazs murder. During Coopers three-day trial, Lockshier presented video showing Kollock and Cooper meeting in the school parking lot. After Cooper patted down Kollock for weapons, the two men walked to the housing project, the video shows. A short time later, the video shows Cooper leaving Building 1 alone. Police Lt. Christopher LaMaine testified at trial that based on the evidence Cooper stripped Kollock naked on a third-floor landing of a stairwell in the building and then shot Kollock multiple times in the head and torso. LaMaine said the wounded Kollock managed to drag himself down the stairwell to the basement and across the room to the outside doorway where he collapsed and died. Jurors were shown photographs of the bloody trail. LaMaine later questioned Cooper after he was identified on the video. In a recorded statement, Cooper admitted meeting Kollock at the school and searching him for weapons. He said they both went to Building 1, but he claimed he didnt know why Kollock followed him there. He denied shooting the victim. Police let Cooper go at that time but later found the murder weapon, a .45-caliber handgun, in his Iranistan Avenue home. I apologize for my son, Coopers father told the judge at Wednesday's sentencing hearing. Im not saying my son did this, Im not saying he didnt. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The management of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has drawn criticism from a prominent archbishop and some members of Congress by choosing not to renew a contract for Franciscan priests to provide pastoral care, and instead hiring a secular firm to oversee provision of those services going forward. For nearly two decades, priests from the Holy Name College Friary in Silver Spring, Maryland, had ministered to service members and veterans hospitalized at Walter Reed, a renowned medical facility in nearby Bethesda. Walter Reed said it notified the Franciscans in March that their contract would not be renewed, and that another bidder for the new contract had been selected secular defense contractor Mack Global LLC. The medical center said it issued a cease-and-desist order on April 4 in the midst of Holy Week when Franciscans continued to provide pastoral services after their contract expired on March 31. The events dismayed Timothy Broglio, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and also is archbishop for the Military Services. I fear that giving a contract to the lowest bidder overlooked the fact that the bidder cannot provide the necessary service, Broglio said in a statement last week. On Wednesday, Broglio provided an updated response to The Associated Press. "The Archdiocese has been assured that the situation will be rectified and waits to learn of the outcome of the efforts to ensure appropriate care so that the First Amendment rights of patients and staff at the Medical Center will be respected, he said. Walter Reed, in a lengthy statement of its own, said it honors and supports a full range of religious, spiritual, and cultural needs. The statement said the new contract offered to Mack Global is under review to ensure it adequately supports the religious needs of our patients and beneficiaries. For now, the medical center said, an active-duty Army priest on its staff is providing Catholic pastoral services, supplemented as warranted by other priests in the region. The medical center declined to say whether it was dissatisfied in any way with the services provided by the Franciscans. It also declined to provide any monetary figure for the new and previous contracts. Asked for comment, the Franciscans provided a statement Wednesday expressing pride in the services they had provided to Walter Reed. While this is certainly disappointing after 20 years of service after building trust and so many wonderful relationships and friendships the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province respect the process, the statement said. It has been an incredible privilege and, really, a very powerful ministerial experience for the Franciscan Friars to be invited into the lives of these true American heroes who have sacrificed so much for our country. Walter Reed is one of many U.S. military medical centers whose pastoral care lies within the Archdiocese for Military Services, headed by Broglio. The statement issued by Broglio's office last week was stinging: The refusal to provide adequate pastoral care while awarding a contract for Catholic ministry to a for-profit company that has no way of providing Catholic priests to the medical center is a glaring violation of service members and veterans Right to the Free Exercise of Religion. The developments have drawn the attention of several Republican members of Congress who criticize Walter Reeds action. Among them was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who tweeted that the decision was incredibly embarrassing and wrong. Eleven other members of Congress, including Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Roger Marshall of Kansas, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin inquiring why the contract was awarded to a secular contractor which cannot fulfill the statement of work. We have made promises to our service members and veterans that if they take care of us, we will take care of them, the letter said. This extends to not just providing quality healthcare at our nations military medical facilities, but by also providing the ability to freely practice their religion to those under the care at these facilities. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) U.S. officials in North Carolina will not federally prosecute the person suspected of killing a Charlotte-area woman vacationing in Mexico last year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Federal prosecutors say they have presented the findings of their investigation to the family of Shanquella Robinson, who was seen being beaten in a viral video last fall at a resort development in San Jose del Cabo. As the video circulated on social media, it raised suspicions that Robinson may have been killed by her travel companions. Attorneys with the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Wednesday that the available evidence and autopsy results do not support a federal prosecution. Investigators could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a federal crime was committed, the release said. An autopsy was conducted in North Carolina by the Mecklenburg County medical examiners office. Local prosecutors in the state of Baja California Sur filed charges late last year against another U.S. woman whom they would not name suspected of killing Robinson on Oct. 29. They issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, who had already left Mexico with other travel companions after Robinson was found dead in a rented villa. Mexican federal prosecutors are trying to get her extradited to face charges in Mexico. Sue-Ann Robinson, the family's attorney, said at a news conference Wednesday in Charlotte that the U.S. autopsy results, which have not been released publicly, revealed inconsistencies with a previous autopsy conducted in Mexico, which had labeled the cause of death a severe spinal cord or neck injury. She criticized federal officials for the speed at which they conducted their investigation, saying people on social media should not have had to create the movement behind the case." United States citizens cannot go to Mexico, commit a crime that we all saw on video and then come back to America and say, Were on base. We're safe. We're not going to be charged with a crime,' she said. That cannot be the message that U.S. authorities want to send. Federal officials say they will review and examine any new information that becomes available. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIRUT (AP) Syria will reopen its embassy in Tunisia, state media reported Wednesday, as Syrias top diplomat visited Saudi Arabia seeking to restore ties that have been severed for more than a decade. Tunisia has become the latest Arab state to reestablish diplomatic ties with Syria, after cutting off relations in 2012. Tunisian President Kais Saied announced earlier this month that he had directed the country's foreign ministry to appoint a new ambassador to Syria. His move to appoint a new ambassador to Syria was reciprocated by the Syrian government, a joint statement from the two countries foreign ministries said Wednesday, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The announcement was the latest in a regional trend of rapprochement with the war-torn country, which has picked up pace since the massive Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the Chinese-brokered reestablishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Syria was widely shunned by Arab governments over Syrian President Bashar Assad's brutal crackdown on protesters and later civilians in an uprising turned civil war that began in 2011. The breakdown in relations culminated with Syria being ousted from the Arab League. Tunis shut down its embassy in Damascus in 2012. Earlier this year, Assad visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates, two nations that had backed fighters trying to topple his government. The Syrian government is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia to reopen their embassies in Damascus and Riyadh. A delegation headed by Syria's foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks about bilateral relations between the two countries, Syrian state media reported, the first such visit since 2012. Saudi state media reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad was received by the kingdom's Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji. The meeting focused on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves Syrias unity, security and stability, facilitates the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and secures the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected areas in Syria. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, where most states hope to restore Syrias membership, the leagues secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said. If Confederation of British Industry bosses thought that sacking director-general Tony Danker might draw a line under their troubles, they were sorely mistaken. Mr Danker, a former Guardian executive and Labour policy adviser, was dismissed after allegedly sending unwanted messages to a female employee, which she regarded as sexual harassment. But there are at least a dozen allegations of misconduct against other men within the organisation, including of sexual assault, sending explicit images and even rape. Complainants spoke of a toxic culture of unchecked misogyny and widespread use of illegal drugs. Three male employees have been suspended and City of London police are now investigating. For Britains premier big business lobby group, whose members include some of the countrys biggest firms, this is a devastating scandal, from which it may not recover. Mr Danker, a former Guardian executive and Labour policy adviser, was dismissed after allegedly sending unwanted messages to a female employee Quite apart from these accusations, there has long been a feeling that the CBI is static and outdated. Its main preoccupation in recent years seems to have been moaning about Brexit, migration policy, lack of government support, even Thatcherism, which made many of its members rich. Membership has already fallen from around 250,000 to 190,000 over the last decade as newer, more nimble companies, especially in the tech sector, viewed it as obsolete and ineffectual. The question now is whether it has any future at all in its current form. Or indeed whether it should. Bidens Irish test President Joe Bidens dewy-eyed Republicanism no doubt plays well among Irish-American communities in the US. Citing Wolfe Tone, leader of the 1798 rebellion against British rule, as a political hero and fond of recalling his grandmothers implacable hatred of the English he wears his Celtic roots on his sleeve. But if he is to have any hope of playing honest broker in the stalemate over power sharing at Stormont, such gushing sentiment needs to give way to hard pragmatism. Arriving in Belfast last night Mr Bidens top priority was said to be protecting the Good Friday Agreement. To do that, he must treat Nationalists and Unionists as equal partners. The immediate source of conflict between the two is the Northern Ireland protocol, designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit. Arriving in Belfast last night Mr Bidens top priority was said to be protecting the Good Friday Agreement The result has been a Unionist boycott of Stormont, creating a democratic deficit, whereby civil servants must make decisions that should be made by elected politicians. Rishi Sunak has offered an imaginative solution to the protocol in the Windsor Framework, but the Democratic Unionist Party believes it still gives the EU too much power over Northern Irish affairs. If their reservations can be overcome, government from Stormont will resume and we could see a new era of cooperation. But it must be done by persuasion and diplomacy. Tony Blair, one of the architects of the Ulster peace process, warned Mr Biden that trying to pressurise the DUP into returning to Stormont would be futile. It would also be dangerous. Vestigial paramilitary groups across the divide are just looking for an excuse to cause mayhem. He must not give them that excuse by taking sides. As co-chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee, Robert Laurenson has been a cheerleader for the hugely damaging four-day strike which began yesterday. So will he be joining his colleagues on the picket line? Alas, no. He has a family wedding to go to and will be on holiday all week. So while hes happy to cause maximum anxiety and inconvenience for his patients, he draws the line at interrupting his own social life. What dedication! Dont be ill. Dont have an accident. Dont travel by train. Dont go by bus. Dont expect your bins to be emptied. Dont wait for the post. Dont try to get a passport. And as for the potholes . . . dont get me started. Welcome to Britain in 2023, the land in which nothing or in the public sector, at least, it sometimes seems no one works. Its small wonder that a poll this week by market research consultancy Savanta found that 63 per cent of us think taxpayers do not get good value from the services we fund. Local councils have become a byword for uselessness. Find a council which actually gets the basics done, such as repairing potholes or ensuring the bins are collected more than sporadically, and Ill show you a unicorn because no such council exists. There are simply some which are less awful than others. Inadequate A toxic mix of inefficiency, waste, political posturing and the new craze for strikes has led to this appalling state of affairs in which fantasy demands for more pay have started to collide with reality. Yesterday, for example, junior doctors embarked on their second strike in pursuit of a 35 per cent pay rise. Yesterday junior doctors embarked on their second strike in pursuit of a 35 per cent pay rise A toxic mix of inefficiency, waste, political posturing and the new craze for strikes has led to this appalling state of affairs But once youve stopped to catch your breath at the sheer brass neck of their demands, another thought might cross your mind. Given how much we hand over in taxes to fund public services, and how little we are now getting in return, perhaps its those of us who toil in the private sector who should be striking for 35 per cent. But not as a pay rise rather, as a tax cut. After all, what are we getting in return for paying the highest taxes imposed in this country since World War II? Following Chancellor Jeremy Hunts budget last month, the UKs tax burden is on track to hit 37.7 per cent of GDP. His decision to freeze income tax thresholds will result in 3.2 million more people paying income tax, 2.1 million more people being brought into the 40p higher-rate band and 350,000 more paying the 45p rate. Total receipts from income tax are forecast to rise from 225 billion in 2021-22 to 321 billion in 2027-28. And what do we receive in return for this staggering largesse? Why, already inadequate services brought even lower by strike action. Following Chancellor Jeremy Hunts budget last month, the UKs tax burden is on track to hit 37.7 per cent of GDP In a fortnight, teachers will be downing tools. Bus drivers up and down the country have withdrawn their labour at various times over the past few months. And while the train strikes have been suspended, no one sane would bet against the unions walking out again in the near future. Meanwhile, postmen and women have walked out, as have university staff and even driving-test examiners. On and on it goes, with pretty much the entire public sector getting in on the act. The idea the strikes are aiming to right some kind of wrong over pay is drivel. Quite apart from the job security offered by being employed on the taxpayers dime, many such positions are extremely well rewarded. Take the train drivers. Their average salary is 59,000 and the job is so appealing that there are no vacancies. But thats not enough for the RMT, which is driven by nothing more elevated than greed. Its figurehead Mick Lynch spews out rubbish about safety concerns, but the strikes are really about one thing money and if that means destroying the daily commute for millions, so be it. Mick Lynch spews out rubbish about safety concerns, but the strikes are really about one thing money and if that means destroying the daily commute for millions, so be it If it means deserted streets, pubs, restaurants, bars and shops at Christmas, as we saw last year, and sending businesses into bankruptcy, they dont give a damn. And just in case you fancy fleeing the country to get away from this life of misery and chaos, make sure your travel documents are in order because, of course, the passport office started a five-week strike last week. There was a time when you could apply for a passport and hope to get it in a reasonable, predictable time. Now union leader, Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, says: There will be huge delays in the already ten weeks that people are supposed to apply for passports, and there will be huge disruption on the fast-track service that people can use when they want to get a passport quicker. You can almost see him salivating at the thought of the misery he can cause with one flick of his magic strike wand. But its the junior doctors, who began their strike at 7am yesterday, who really get my goat. The British Medical Association has always been hard-nosed when it comes to protecting its members its a union in all but name but it is now in the hands of hardcore Left-wing activists who have seen how easy it is to bring the NHS to its knees. You can almost see Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS, salivating at the thought of the misery he can cause with one flick of his magic strike wand They have leapt at the chance to strike and show what more damage they can do to it. And they have been aided in this effort by other healthcare workers. The NHS has been hit by 25,000 paramedics walking out, along with emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians, call handlers and other 999 crew members. Devastating The nurses strikes, meanwhile, are currently on hold while the Royal College of Nursing asks its members if they want to accept the Governments pay offer or strike again. What a state of affairs for a health system in the modern world not to mention one with a post-pandemic waiting list of seven million-plus. Even the apparatus of government appears to be falling apart. This week it was reported that civil servants mental health sick days have risen by 38 per cent. Mark Serwotka him again came out with predictable guff about the devastating impact the Governments appalling treatment is having on workers. Translated into reality, that means that even more civil servants than usual are taking time off. The nurses strikes, meanwhile, are currently on hold while the Royal College of Nursing asks its members if they want to accept the Governments pay offer or strike again Why? Because they can. Many workers in the private sector would jump at the devastating impact wreaked by being awarded a job for life, six weeks of annual holiday, a cushioned pension, and the chance to work from home whenever you feel like it. Of course, our children are having their lives turned upside down by the union barons, too. Having endured a terrible time as a result of the pandemic, what pupils needed more than anything was stability. So what does that most pig-headed, selfish and mean- spirited of all unions the NEU, which represents teachers, lecturers and educational support staff do? Cause as much chaos as it can by targeting pupils prospects as exam season approaches. Defeat What the NEU always keeps quiet about is that, compared to most people, teachers are very well remunerated, not least thanks to their pensions. The average private sector employer contributes six per cent of salary towards retirement; the Teachers Pension Scheme employer contribution is 23.7 per cent. That takes the average class teachers pay and pension package to more than 50,000 a year. Hilariously, Labours Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that teachers have to go to food banks because they cannot afford to get by. A career in stand-up surely beckons. What the NEU always keeps quiet about is that, compared to most people, teachers are very well remunerated, not least thanks to their pensions The NEU, like its predecessor, the NUT, is more concerned with hard-Left politics than actually making things work better. Thirteen members of its National Executive, for example, signed a statement by the Stop The War Coalition blaming Nato for Putins invasion of Ukraine. The chance to defeat the Government through strikes was no doubt irresistible to its leaders. Meanwhile, the rest of us have to deal with the consequences of a public sector that either wont work or cant do the job properly. Enough. Its time for the Government we fund to give us our due. So, prepare the placards if we dont get what we deserve, were walking out. Power to the (taxpaying) people! He discovered that it was better to flush your toilet after closing the lid A microbiologist has revealed just how dirty your bathroom is before and after flushing, and the results have germaphobes squirming. After testing his bathroom air for bacteria, Tim Call, from Utah, found an alarming amount of bacteria that would make people think before they flush. The microbiologist, 32, came up with the idea to conduct the experiment after becoming curious about how air quality was affected by bathroom activities. In viral clips on TikTok, which had amassed almost 25,000 views at the time of writing, Tim revealed why you should always cover the toilet before flushing by conducting a series of tests in both his private bathroom and a public restroom. Tim Call, from Utah, is a microbiologist who has revealed just how dirty your bathroom is before and after flushing, and the results have germaphobes squirming After testing his bathroom air for bacteria, Tim, 32, found an alarming amount of bacteria that would make people think before they flush Tim began the experiment by placing a petri dish on the tank that stores the water above his toilet and left it open for 10 minutes without flushing. When he did this, he found just two bacterial colonies on the petri dish. He did the same test again but this time with flush and feces in the bowl. And this time he found five bacterial colonies. He conducted the experiment again, but this time with a clean bowl. Again it yielded the same results as the last one. Of his results, Tim said 'two to five bacteria' was 'surprisingly clean' for a bathroom and it really depended on the flush. To do further research, the microbiologist conducted more tests on a public toilet with a 'stronger flush.' He placed one petri dish each on the front and back of the toilet. The one that was placed at the front 'had crap in it,' adding there still was not that much bacterial growth. It had six bacterial colonies. Meanwhile the one from the back of the toilet seat only had two. 'It appears to be not nearly as gross as I and probably you originally believed. Sorry to disappoint,' Tim added at the end of the video. The microbiologist conducted two tests in his private bathroom (left) - one was for 10 minutes without flush and second was one with flush and feces in the bowl. The second test yielded five bacterial colonies (right) The second location for his experimenting took place in a public bathroom where he placed petri dishes at the front and the back of the toilet The microbiologist came up with the idea to conduct the experiment after becoming curious about how air quality was affected by bathroom activities. Pictured is the bacteria found on the petri dish that was on the back of the toilet seat in the public bathroom Tim explained he decided to conduct the experiment because he wanted to find a 'visual' answer to the many questions he had about germs floating around. 'I make this content because I've always been curious about what was growing around me and I wanted to visually see it. It's starting to visually answer many questions that people have had,' he said. The microbiologist added that he was surprised by the findings and he hoped to perform the tests again. 'This time, I discovered that the air was not nearly as dirty as I thought it would be,' he said. 'While this was a sample size of one, and I plan on testing more, the results are still very surprising.' Tim added that the next time he conducted the tests, he would use a larger sample size. 'I am extremely interested in increasing my sample size to determine if this test was just an outlier or if bathroom air isn't nearly as dirty as we perceived,' he said. Tim's 255,000 TikTok followers have been left horrified both by the results and the idea that anyone would flush a toilet without first closing the lid On his TikTok account, Tim also tested the amount of bacteria in strawberries (pictured left), a used mask (pictured right) and more On his TikTok account, Tim has also tested the amount of bacteria in strawberries, a used mask and more. Tim's 255,000 TikTok followers have been left horrified both by the results and the idea that anyone would flush a toilet without first closing the lid. 'People don't close the lid before flushing?!' one horrified user wrote. Another TikToker added: 'I close the toilet lid then flush!' A third person said: 'I'm disappointed! I am adamant that the seat lid should be down before flushing.' 'It means my college roommate who told me flushing the toilet would get poop on her toothbrush was wrong, I win,' someone else added. Tim replied, 'With this initial test, it would appear she may have overreacted,' followed by a laughing emoji. Another TikTok user said: 'I've gotten in several fights with my husband because he will not put the damn lid down! However, I'm SO happy to learn I have virtually no argument lol.' 'I flush it even if I'm still sitting on the toilet,' one person wrote. 'Who doesn't close the lid?' another user added. 'I always wear a mask in public restrooms for this reason,' someone else said. 'This is why I said NO to having my toilet in the same room as my bathroom with my toothbrush and towels in it,' one comment revealed. A British mother has sparked discussion about what 'crazy stuff' people's parents got away with when they were young that nowadays would be frowned upon. The woman took to parenting platform Mumsnet to reveal that her own mother and father let her babysit her younger siblings over night when she was 11 years old. She explained that although it seems 'insane' now, it was deemed normal at the time. Many rushed to the comments with their own examples including a four-year-old who used walk herself to school, and a woman whose parents put her in the boot for car journeys. The women explained: 'Crazy stuff your parents did that would have social services out now?' A British mother has sparked discussion about what 'crazy stuff' people's parents got away with when they were young that nowadays would be frowned upon She said: 'Dipping the dummy in sugar, fizzy juice for toddlers did your parents do anything that would be considered shocking now? 'For me, I looked after my younger siblings when I was 11 (they were 8 and 5) overnight a few times a week due to clashes of my mum and dads nightshift work. 'No adults in the house, just the three of us. It didnt cross my mind that it was crazy at the time but when I think back, it was insane.' Others took to the comments with their own shocking stories from their childhood. One person wrote: 'Ooh, yes, travelling in the boot on the odd night. I loved travelling in the boot. 'Sad that my children will never know the joy.' Another wrote: 'My mother used to put Vaseline on my bedroom door handle so I couldnt get out.' Someone else said: 'Leaving my sister and I, aged 6 and 8, alone in bed while they went out to a social club every week. The woman took to the British parenting platform to reveal that her parents let her babysit her younger siblings overnight when she was 11 years old 'I can clearly remember getting our Christmas presents from where they were hidden as soon as we heard the front door close and playing with them.' A fourth wrote: 'My brother and I used to walk to school together when I was 4 and he was 5. 'It wasn't far, but did involve crossing two roads, one of which was a busy main road.' Meanwhile many remembered when people were allowed to smoke indoors, as this only became illegal in England and Northern Ireland in 2007. One person wrote: 'Apparently my mother smoked in the maternity suite before and after an EMCS for pre-eclampsia. 'She worked there and they gave her a private room so she got away with it (80s).' Another said: 'And then both my parents chain smoking cigarettes (mum), cigars and pipes (dad) everywhere. 'Mum used to put her cigarettes out on the edge of her plate at the end of a meal. Makes me shudder even now. ' While another said: 'Mum smoking everywhere in the house and walking to school by myself at 5 with all the other kids, not a parent in sight.' Meanwhile many others revealed their own shocking moments from childhood - including being locked in bedrooms and travelling in the boot of a car A fourth wrote: 'Smoking! Even in a car with the windows up. We must have stunk as kids, as its such a revolting smell on hair and fabric!! 'They would also lock themselves in their bedroom for an hour or two on Saturday mornings. 'We were 2 and 7, so really shouldnt have been left alone! I think/hope theyd fed us breakfast beforehand. 'Grandparents would make tea with sugar and give it to babies in bottles! 'And dip a babys dummy in the jam dish or sugar bowl.' A well-off teenager was faced with an eye-opening experience after staying with a skint mother raising her daughters in a mould-infested flat. Mimi, 17, is used to her quiet town in Surrey, where she lives in a five-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion with her financier father and her mother, an estate manager. On last night's Rich Kids Go Skint on 5Star, the teen, who attends a 30,000-a-year boarding school, went to stay with Kerena Harvey and her two daughters, Leilani, five, and Imani, three, in North London. The family share a two bedroom flat badly affected by mould, forcing them to sleep in their front room. Seven years ago, Kerena was diagnosed with chronic rheumatoid arthritis, a condition which affects the body's joints, and she had to give up her job as a maths teacher when the pain got too bad, instead home-schooling her children. Living with Kerena, who receives 1,800 in benefits per months and relies on a local food bank when she can't cope, was eye-opening for Mimi who learned to appreciate her privilege. Mimi, 17, an heiress who is used to her quiet town of Surrey, where she lives in a five-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion with her father, a finance tycoon, and her mother, an estate manager Speaking in the show, Mimi revealed: 'Life growing up was very good. I pretty much got everything I asked for when I asked for it.' The rich kid admitted she had 'never been to state school,' but that she had seen TV programmes about it and thought she wouldn't enjoy it. Her parents' Surrey home includes five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a gym and an office for her father, as well as a recording studio above their garages and four ovens in their open plan kitchen. Mimi, who has a horse, says she's lucky it's her mother who looks after the animal the most, joking she doesn't like 'to get her hands dirty. ' By her own admission, Mimi doesn't have to worry about how much she spends because she uses her mother's card. She enjoys a wardrobe full of designer labels, including a Mulberry bag and Ralph Lauren sweaters. 'I've seen council houses before but I've never been inside one. It would be interesting to see how they actually look,' she admitted. 'It would be nightmare scenario if you could barely move around shared spaces like bathrooms.' Kerena, pictured with her daughters Imani, five, and Leilani, three, had to give up her teaching job due to chronic rheumatoid arthritis Meanwhile, Kerena is doing her best to raise her two younger daughters in cramped conditions, with some parts of the flat unusable due to mould. 'Unfortunately I have been in a position where I am on universal credit,' she said. 'It's something I have to do, I'm not ashamed of it, this is my life,' the mother, who also has a grown-up son, said on the show. Kerena's health diagnosis means that there are days where she can't leave the flat at all, making keeping a job or doing her daughters' school run impossible. 'Some days I don't get out of bed for most of the day, because I'm just in too much pain,' she admitted. 'To kinda get everything wiped away in an instant, that's exactly how it felt to me. It was a shock. And then I have to now adapt to my new reality being on benefits.' The former teacher admitted that having to rely on benefits has hurt her pride, but also taught her to ask for help. 'I never used to ask for anything. I've learned to say, "Oh my goodness, I need help," because it's so hard doing it by yourself,' she said. In total, the mother receives 1,800 a month in universal credit, child benefits and personal independent payments, saying it 'blows her mind' that she's now reliant on help from the state. Mimi said her stay with the mother-of-three (pictured right with her two daughters) was 'eye-opening' On top of her financial issues, she's also facing a mould problem that started in her bedroom after her building was recently renovated. 'In a short space of time, mould spread rapidly through the house so everything had to be thrown away. Losing so much is extremely difficult,' she said. 'Just to think, "Where is all this money going to come from, to buy back all the things that we've lost?".' In order to contain the mould, Kerena has to clean her flat daily, and bought a dehumidifier that costs 5 a day to run. 'I constantly have the heating on. Our safety means we have to be trapped in the front room, sleeping on a blow-up bed,' she said. The mother also had to empty her room and her daughters', and to keep the clothes they have left in suitcases in order to keep them safe from mould. During the day, Kerena educates her daughters, because her condition also means she cannot do the school run. 'I love teaching the girls, the girls love working with me,' she said with a smile. Reflecting on what Mimi could learn from living with her, the mother-of-three said: 'I would like the rich kid to experience what it's like being in a community where people look out for each other together and how the people actually really live. WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS? THE AGONISING LONG-TERM ILLNESS THAT IS INCURABLE Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK and nearly 1.3 million adults in the US. Women are up to three times more likely to develop the condition than men. Those with family history of rheumatoid arthritis are also more vulnerable. It is a long-term illness in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself, causing painful, swollen and stiff joints. RA, the second most common form of arthritis that often begins between the ages of 40 and 50, tends to strike the hands, wrists and knees. Scientists are currently unsure as to the exact cause of RA, but smoking, eating lots of red meat and coffee drinkers are at higher risk. A cure has yet to be found, but treatments are available and proven to help slow down the progressive condition. RA is a complex autoimmune condition that is diagnosed and treated by a Consultant Rheumatologist in secondary care and the patient is followed up on a regular basis by a consultant-led multi-disciplinary team in hospital. Advertisement Meanwhile, Mimi's father Richard said he hoped that going on the show would be a 'very valuable experience,' for his daughter. 'You've been fairly privileged and the nicest people in the world are usually people with the least, I've found,' he told her. 'They appreciate every they've got. And hopefully it will make you appreciate things in life a little more,' he added. Mimi joked it would be a 'shock to the system,' for her to help tidy up and do the washing up. En route to Kerena's flat, Mimi's apprehension started to build up, with the teen admitted that her host's neighbourhood was more 'run down' than she was expecting. 'It doesn't feel like a friendly area,' she said, noting that she'd never been to a council house before, or even inside a flat. She immediately received a warm welcome from Kerena, who told her she'd spent her whole life in this part of London. Mimi admitted that it felt a bit different to leafy Surrey. 'Everything is quite close together, whereas I'm used to fields surrounding houses,' she said. Kerena also warned her about the mould situation, and explained that she slept in the front room with her two daughters. With no room left for Mimi, the heiress had to sleep in a local hotel. 'It's very eye-opening that people have to live like this, I've never been inside a flat before, so I didn't quite realised the spacing of it all and how crammed it actually was,' Mimi told the camera. 'I definitely feel a bit guilty. You could probably fit it into my room comfortably, plus they have to sleep on mattress on the floor in the living-room. As they ate homemade sandwiches, Mimi told Kerena should could spend as much as 100 on lunch for two people without a second thought. Kerena asked her if she felt spoilt, with Mimi responding: 'I never feel spoilt myself because my friends around me are able to do the same.' The mother-of-three admitted that it was a good point, saying: 'If it's your norm, how would you differentiate?' The former teacher told her guest that she couldn't afford to buy her daughters Christmas presents, but that she was lucky that 'everyone around me gets them presents, it's a big blessing'. Kerena also got emotional as she revealed to Mimi that she had to give up teaching due to her health. 'I was gutted because I love teaching,' she said, before breaking down in tears. 'Having such a drastic change in a short space of time was very difficult. 'But I know that for me I made the right decision. Because to me, family comes first.' Mimi said the conversation was 'eye-opening, adding: 'Seeing her get upset made me feel sorry for her and I wanted to give her a massive hug.' The next day, Kerena took Mimi to her local food bank, to show how the cost of living crisis has left many people struggling to feed their families. Kerena volunteers at the food bank, and got Mimi to help out as well. 'I've never gone a day going hungry. I can't imagine people having empty cupboards and having nothing to eat. To think that people's weekly shop comes from there is actually really sad,' the heiress said. 'It's very interesting to see how communities come together and help, because I assume all the people who work here are volunteers?' she asked Kerena. 'I don't know half the people who live in my village and I live in quite a small village. We don't often come [together] as a group and help the community, which I think we should. 'I definitely want to get more involved with helping the community in the future.' She added that she could see how Kerena had a 'loving community' helping her in her time of need. The former teacher also took Mimi on a walk around the neighbourhood, asking her how she felt walking in the streets like this. Used to quiet Surrey, Mimi admitted she found it a bit 'overwhelming.' Meanwhile, Kerena explained that a lot of youth clubs in the area had been closed due to lack of funding. 'Young people are the futures and they need places to go,' Kerena said, adding she would like for her local government to invest more in spaces for young people. Reflecting on their walk outside, Mimi said: 'I've been to central London at night and obviously that's quite busy, but I feel a lot more safe in the areas that I choose to go to, whereas I've never been to an area like that before. 'I do find it quite scary and feel a little bit unsafe in a way.' Kerena admitted she found Mimi to be sheltered, saying: 'She doesn't really know what's out there, because she's kind of like in a bubble. 'I think it was a great opportunity for her to see what life is really like for the majority of people in the country,' she added. During her stay with Kerena, Mimi helped around the house, washing up the dishes and taking part in a morning yoga session with the mother-of-three and her daughters. Yoga, Kerena explained, helps to relieve her joint pain, which leaves her unable to do anything during a bad flare-up. The mother-of-three also challenged the teen to buy dinner for the four of them for 10, and to cook it. 'I've never been food shopping before. I've gone with my mum but I didn't have to buy anything so it's going to be a challenge,' Mimi admitted. After a 'stressful' shop, Mimi was able to buy pasta, tinned veggies, chickpeas, sausages, garlic bread and pasta sauce for 9.25. 'Getting a meal for four to five people for under ten is very difficult,' she said. 'This is what most people have in their budget for a meal, if not less.' But cooking proved equally challenging for the teen, who put oil in the pasta water, and forgot to turn the oven on to cook garlic bread. 'This is really stressful, quite a lot of stuff has gone wrong and I wasn't expecting for it to go wrong this early on,' she said. Eventually, she served up a pasta to the family, telling Kerena: 'I will not be offended if you don't like it by the way.' Kerena eventually gave the teen a three out of ten for her efforts, while Leilani refused to eat the dish. At the end of her stay, Mimi thanked Kerena for their time spent together. 'It's been an amazing experience. It has definitely changed my perspective. 'Like how some people live with far less money than someone like I have,' she told her hostess. 'I really enjoyed every second of it it's been amazing.' Meanwhile, Kerena reflected on what she had learned from the experience. 'What I learned from you is how shielded you can be, especially with someone with your background, coming from so much money. 'I'm hoping that you continue taking opportunities that will help educate you about things in life so you feel more prepared,' she told Mimi. Mimi also gifted a print and schooling supplies to Kerena to help her with educating her daughters. When Richard came to collect his daughter, Kerena told him that Mimi was 'mature for her age' and had shown 'a lot of understanding and compassion.' 'I really feel grateful that I've lived the life I lived. I learned not having money doesn't mean you can't experience life,' Kerena said. 'If you don't have the community, you can feel isolated at times. I'm just hoping that I can continue to give the girls the best experience as possible.' Mimi added that the experience made her realise how lucky she was to be in a position where she didn't have to worry about money. Since her time on the show, Mimi has been regularly donating food to her local food bank. And Kerena has joined a home schooling group so that her daughters get to socialise with other kids their age. Rich Kids Go Skint airs tonight at 9pm on 5Star. The doctor called them the 'highest form of humanity' He praised eight-year-old girls and said others should be like them A pediatrician and father-of-seven has claimed that the secret to becoming 'the best kind of person' is acting like an eight-year-old girl - insisting that elementary school girls are the 'highest form of humanity'. Dr. Michael Milobsky is a Colorado-based medical expert with over 20 years of experience who believes the world should follow the lead of young girls. The doctor took to Instagram to praise eight-year-old girls as the 'highest form of humanity.' He described the kids as the 'best people' and even said, 'Congress should be all eight-year-old girls.' Dr. Michael Milobsky is a Colorado-based pediatrician and father-of-seven who has revealed the secret to being a good person is acting like an eight-year-old girl The medical expert with over 20 years of experience who believes the world should follow the lead of elementary-aged school girls. The doctor took to Instagram to praise eight-year-old girls as the 'highest form of humanity' (stock image) In a clip shared to his social media account, he said: 'I spend all day dealing and talking to and interacting with people of all ages. 'I just have to say in my own experience as a pediatrician and a parent of seven [that] the highest form of humanity are eight-year-old girls.' He went on to gush about the children for their ability to care about others in an incomparable way. 'Eight-year-old girls are magnanimous. Theyre sympathetic. Theyre empathetic. Theyre emotionally mature. They love to help,' he explained. 'They love to give. They love to do for others. Theyre accepting of everybody. Theyre the ones who see the sign for the lost cat and want to go find it.' He noted that the elementary school-age girls are the 'best people' before giving his take on how to make the world a better place. Dr. Milobsky added: 'In my opinion, Congress should be all eight-year-old girls. Honestly, the country would be a better place. I said what I said.' He further emphasized his point in the caption of the clip, writing: 'If you want to know how to be the best kind of person, spend time with some eight year olds.' He noted that the elementary-aged girls are the 'best people' before giving his take on how to make the world a better place Dr. Milobsky (pictured with his family) added: 'In my opinion, Congress should be all 8-year-old girls. Honestly, the country would be a better place. I said what I said' Many viewers flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts, agreeing with the doctor. One person wrote: 'My youngest daughter is currently 8, and I could not agree with this more. She is magical, and if I could bottle that magic up I would sprinkle it over the world and share it with everyone. It really is the most delightful age.' Another user added: 'I can attest to this! My daughter is 9 and she continues to have these qualities. She became sassier too. I dont know from where she got that!' 'As a mom of an eight-year-old girl, I agree 1,000 per cent. The heart in this human is huge,' commented one mom. Another parent wrote: 'As the dad of an eight-year-old girl, I cant agree more.' In a follow-up post shared to his TikTok account, the doctor clarified that eight-year-old girls and boys need to be praised for their big hearts. Many viewers flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts, agreeing with the doctor He described eight-year-old boys as the 'Oceans Eleven' of childhood, noting that they can do 'just about anything.' The pediatrician praised their ability to intensely collaborate as their 'superpower.' He said: 'Eight-year-old boys are out there in the neighborhood with packs of bicycles going to do something and accomplish something and (to) have an experience or have an adventure.' He also recommended that eight-year-old boys run the Army Corps of Engineers. The pediatrician said: 'Give them a river to cross. Give them a bridge to build, you get enough 8-year-old boys together, and they will figure it out. Eight-year-old boys can "Oceans 11" almost any situation. I said what I said.' A nurse from California has lifted the lid on how she ensured she would be earning upwards of $500,000 a year by the time she was 27. Olivia Reeves, 35, is known as @the_o.crew on TikTok, where she has more than 1.3 million followers thanks to her videos about life as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). She went viral this week when she detailed the steps she took in college that led to her making between $250,000 and $500,000 a year. 'Want your life to look like mine? Then listen up,' she told viewers. 'I don't think my life's that cool, but I am proud of what I've done to get where I'm at.' Olivia Reeves, 35, from California, went viral on TikTok this week after sharing how to make $250,000 to $500,000 a year by the age of 27 She works as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, administering anesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures A CRNA is an advanced practice registered nurse who administers anesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures. Many programs require applicants to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in order to apply. Reeves explained that the first thing to do on a path to becoming a CRNA is 'go to college' and 'get good grades.' She warned against getting an underage drinking citation, which you may be required to report on your graduate school applications. 'I'm not here to be your mom, but if you're gonna do stupid things then think about your future and how that would impact that,' she said. 'Freshman year, you're gonna talk to some counselor and you're gonna be like, "Hey, I want all the classes that get me into nursing school. Sign me up",' she advised. 'Then you're gonna go to nursing school. You're gonna sell your soul to nursing school. College may not look like the typical college kid's life [for you] and that's okay.' Reeves (pictured in college) explained that the first thing you need to do on your path to becoming a CRNA is 'go to college' and 'get good grades' Reeves, who graduated with a 3.9 GPA, stressed that you need to work hard in school if you want to play hard later Reeves, who graduated with a 3.9 GPA, stressed that you need to work hard in school if you want to play hard later. 'You're gonna get kick a** grades, like a 4.0. You're gonna be number one in your class,' she said. 'Want to know why? Because that makes you a competitive candidate years from now when you're applying to anesthesiology school.' She also suggested joining clubs and the honor society to beef up your resume while making your studies your number one priority. 'Be proud of your education. Be proud that you want to go to college and that college opens up a lot of doors for you. 'Can you be successful without going to college? Absolutely,' she said. 'But going to college and getting a degree that gets you a job as soon as you get out of college takes a lot of pressure off of things. Personally, my personality needed that set plan. 'I don't like an open future. I like to plan, I like to see what my life is going to look like, and I just knew that I needed to do the things to make it that way.' After working as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit, she applied and was accepted into anesthesiology school Reeves graduated from anesthesiology school (pictured) with a 4.0 GPA The next step after earning your BSN is taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse. Reeves explained you should then 'get a kick a** job at a big trauma teaching hospital' because CRNA programs prefer candidates who have experience working in the intensive care unit (ICU). 'You're gonna do all the things. You're gonna become charge nurse. You're gonna join all the societies of being a nurse. You're gonna get all the certifications, and then you're gonna start shadowing CRNAs,' she said. She also suggested shadowing other staffers, including nurse practitioners, anesthesiologists, and doctors in other specialties. 'See that this is what you want to do and be knowledgeable about what you're doing,' she advised. 'Then research the schools that you're interested in. Know their programs. Are they frontloaded or are they backloaded? If that doesn't make sense to you, then google that. 'You go for the interview, you're gonna be intelligent. You're gonna know about the program that you're applying for and why you're passionate about going to that program and that program only,' she continued. The average CRNA in California makes roughly $230,000 a year , but she explained in a follow-up clip she worked overtime to pay off her $200,000 in student loans in just three years Reeves insisted that she has the 'best life ever' as a CRNA 'You're gonna have bomb a** grades from nursing school and a GRE and you're gonna be like, "Yeah, you're gonna want me." Then you'll have the best life ever,' she concluded. The average CRNA in California makes roughly $230,000 a year, but she explained in a follow-up clip she worked overtime to pay off her $200,000 in student loans in just three years. Reeves's video has been viewed more than 1.1 million times and has received hundreds of comments from fans, including nurses and aspiring nurses. 'When you said "sell your soul to nursing school" I felt that,' one person shared. 'Watching this like "I should send this to my stepdaughters" and then thought man youre inspiring and impacting SO MANY!' another added. 'You're amazing.' 'This is [incredibly] informative, funny, and insightful,' someone else responded. 'Not even close to being a nurse but this was very helpful and somewhat relatable.' Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Brigitte Macron looked ready to fully embrace spring in vibrant ensembles today. The pair put on equally colourful displays as they toured the famous Keukenhof garden - dubbed the most beautiful spring garden in the world. First Lady Brigitte, 69, dressed in a yellow coat and black trousers, was all smiles as she posed with fans for a photograph during the second day of her and President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Amsterdam and The Hague. Looking just as chic, Maxima, 51, donned an all-red ensemble, complete with a blazer, blouse, trousers and even matching heels. Later tonight, the elegant Queen and French first ladies were joined by their husband and the Prime Minister Mark Rutte to have dinner at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Brigitte Macron looked ready to fully embrace spring in vibrant ensembles today Brigitte, meanwhile, added to her stylish ensemble with a pair of fashionable sunglasses, while wearing a smattering of glamorous makeup on her features. Earlier in the day, Queen Maxima wowed in a red and flesh-coloured dress at a series of engagements with Brigitte in Amsterdam. The pair first visited MIND Us mental health foundation, which supports the mental health of young people aged 12 and 27, before visiting the Anne Frank House. Maxima looked stunning in her striking ensemble on the second day of President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Amsterdam and The Hague with the First Lady. For the day's visits, Maxima chose a showstopping nude-coloured dress with red detailing. She partnered the look with a bold red coat, which was buttoned up to guard against the early spring cold weather. The mother-of-three fashioned her blonde tresses into a sleek up-do, which showed off her statement tassel earrings. She finished the outfit with a red snakeskin-patterned clutch bag, creating a stylish, coordinated look. Her makeup maintained the glamorous tone as Maxima opted for dramatic smokey eyes and sculpted brows, with a rose pink lip gloss adding a dash of colour. First Lady Brigitte, 69, dressed in a yellow coat and black trousers, was all smiles as she posed with fans for a photograph during the second day of her and President Emmanuel Macron 's visit to Amsterdam and The Hague The pair put on equally colourful displays as they toured the famous Keukenhof garden - dubbed the most beautiful spring garden in the world Looking just as chic, Maxima, 51, donned an all-red ensemble, complete with a blazer, blouse, trousers and even matching heels Maxima completed her stunning outfit with a cream coat which she kept on her shoulders, while holding a scarlet clutch and coordinating gloves Brigitte, meanwhile, added to her stylish ensemble with a pair of fashionable sunglasses, while wearing a smattering of glamorous makeup on her features The French First Lady Brigitte Macron and Queen Maxima visit the Keukenhof (pictured) Queen Maxima was accompanied by her guest, Brigitte, and they looked engaged as they listened to explanations about the work of the MIND Us mental health organisation and visited a drop-in facility for young people. Brigitte, 69, looked elegant in a structured royal blue trouser suit with gold buttons, which she paired with a simple white blouse. She wore her blonde hair down in a neat blow dry and kept her makeup subtle, with dark eyeshadow and a pink lip. The pair also visited the Anne Frank House and were pictured receiving a presentation and leafing through the pages of what appears to be Anne Frank's diary. The visit today comes after the pair were pictured with their husbands - President Emmanuel Macron, 45, and King Willem-Alexander, 55 - for a state dinner at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam last night. Earlier in the day, Queen Maxima (third from the right) wowed in a red and flesh-coloured dress as she visited MIND Us mental health foundation in Amsterdam The royal partnered her look with a bold red coat and a matching snakeskin-pattered clutch bag Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 51, wowed in a red and flesh-coloured dress as she visited MIND Us mental health foundation in Amsterdam Brigitte Macron (far right) looked elegant in a structured royal blue trouser suit with gold buttons, which she paired with a simple white blouse The pair were visiting the Mind Us organisation which supports the mental health of young people aged 12 and 27 Maxima (right) fashioned her blonde tresses into a sleek up-do, which showed off her statement tassel earrings Brigitte (right) wore her blonde hair down in a neat blow dry and kept her makeup subtle, with dark eyeshadow and a pink lip Maxima opted for dramatic smokey eyes and sculpted brows, with a rose pink lip gloss adding a dash of colour Maxima partnered her look with a pair of striking red high heels with a clear panel to coordinate her look Maxima donned an elegant bright red dress which featured puffed ornate sleeves and exposed her shoulders. She also wore her tiara and a pearl necklace, while her husband cut a dapper figure in a tuxedo and white bowtie, putting his military medals on display. The royal pair wore matching red sashes adorned with badges and Maxima also accessorised with a decorative brooch in the shape of a butterfly, with stunning pearl-drop detail. Meanwhile, Brigitte was effortlessly elegant in an indigo maxi-dress which showed off silver and bronze designs. Her husband also wore a tuxedo, partnering his look with a blue and gold sash. The pair also visited Anne Frank House in Amsterdam as part of the second day of the French presidential couple's visit to the Netherlands Queen Maxima and Brigitte Macron were seen leafing through the pages of what appeared to be Anne Frank's diary The colourfully-dressed pair were also pictured listening to a presentation at Anne Frank's House Brigitte was photographed holding onto a framed picture as she stood with Maxima Maxima and Brigitte were pictured smiling together as they attended their engagements in Amsterdam The glamourous pair made a striking impression in their colourful ensembles as they smiled for a photograph Macron's trip to Amsterdam and The Hague is the first state visit by a French leader since Jacques Chirac 23 years ago and underscores the close links between the Netherlands and France and the two leaders. After arriving in Amsterdam yesterday, Macron met with Willem-Alexander and inspected a guard of honour on the square outside the capital's royal palace as a military band played and the French and Dutch flags fluttered in a brisk breeze. Maxima was dazzling in a yellow ensemble, pairing a smart wrap coat with an orange and blue fascinator. The elegant ladies performed an outfit change this evening to have dinner together with female directors during a canal cruise The Dutch royal couple put on a stylish display as they arrived at the Rijskmuseum in Amsterdam tonight The French president and his wife posed with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, right, ahead of tonight's event The French couple were all smiles as they made their way to tonight's dinner at the museum. It is the first state visit by a French President for 23 years The French first lady, left, looked elegant in a black dress, while Maxima opted for shimmery palazzo pants and a boatneck black top Museum director Taco Dibbits, right, led the royals and their guests through the new collection Mark Rutte and Macron stopped to admire this work by Rembrandt, titled Syndics of the Drapers' Guild The Dutch Prime Minister and the French president toasted to the successful state visit during dinner The dinner started with a toast, with both Macron and Rutte standing, facing each other while taking a sip of wine Queen Maxima made a bold fashion statement last night with a scarlet gown as she and her husband welcomed President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for a state dinner at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam The royal looked glamourous in a crimson gown and pearl tiara, which matched her necklace and earrings Brigitte (left) was effortlessly elegant in an indigo maxi-dress which showed off silver and bronze designs Macron (left) and the King (right) were pictured clinking glasses as they sat down for the royal banquet She was beaming as she shook hands with Brigitte, before the group stood side-by-side to watch the guard of honour. Macron's itinerary today includes visiting a science park in Amsterdam, talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and viewing a blockbuster exhibition of paintings by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum. The French politician is set to outline his vision for the future of Europe during his two-day state visit to the country. It's the brand that pioneered food storage when it burst onto the scene in the mid-1940s. But after almost 77 years in business, Tupperware is now on the brink of collapse. Last Friday, Tupperware disclosed it has 'substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern' in the face of a cash crunch and pressure from creditors, after errors in its financial statements left it unable to timely file an annual report. Meanwhile, experts have now said that financial missteps, the demise of the direct-sales model in the age of e-commerce, and the rise of cheap alternatives - including re-useable containers from food deliveries - have all played a role in Tupperware's downfall. With the current bleak circumstances, it's almost hard to believe that brand inspired a cultural phenomenon in the 20th century with its famous 'Tupperware parties'. Brownie Wise (pictured) was a divorced single mother when she discovered Tupperware products in the late 1940s. She took the brand worldwide by coming up with their 'Tupperware parties' What's more, the brand famously also had a fan in the late Queen - who was said to use their products everyday, Here FEMAIL takes a look back at company's glory days - as consumers prepare to say goodbye to Tupperware. Glamorous face of the brand In 1946, Earl Tupper, from New Hampshire, created his first range of polyethylene kitchenware. At the time, the US was still reeling from the Great Depression and the chemist wanted to create a product that could help with food waste. The aspiring product developer was inspired by the airtight seal on paint cans and used this as the basis for the 'Wonderbowl' - which hit shelves the following year. A 1947 House Beautiful review of the Wonderbowl labelled it 'fine art for 39 cents'. However, the vacuum-sealed plastic container was so innovative that shoppers were wary at first - and required demonstrations on how to use it. Undated photo of Earl Tupper and Brownie Wise. The founder hired the single mother as his Vice President of Marketing in 1951 A group of unspecified women attend a Tupperware party, some wearing hats fashioned from Tupperware products in 1955 According to History.com, confused customers kept returning the air-tight lids to shops as they believed they didn't fit. In a bid to boost sales, Earl Tupper hired divorced secretary Brownie Wise to be his Vice President of Marketing in 1951. A few years before, a travelling salesman tried to sell the single mother the products on her doorstep. According to Bob Kealing's 2016 biography Life Of the Party, Brownie was so unimpressed with his pitch that she decided to try selling Tupperware herself. In order to make some extra money, the single mother started hosting 'Tupperware Patio Parties' at her home. She later said: 'I needed the money for me and my kid. So I got out there and made it.' Brownie Wise, vice president and general manager of the Tupperware Home Parties, receives award from Boston Sales Executives Club in 1956 At the time, she had been working at Stanley Home Products and became one of the chain's managers in Michigan - before the founder told her: 'Management is no place for a woman.' Although Tupperware had been well received by the press, it was still struggling to shift products in store. As Brownie was outselling major department stores between 1949 and 1950, she was offered exclusive rights to sell Tupperware in Florida. From 1951-1958, she headed up sales at Tupperware and she's credited with spurring the company's growth by becoming the glamorous face of the brand, which was targeting other housewives. As well as being the first woman to ever appear on the cover of BusinessWeek, Brownie also gave demonstrations to editors at Vogue and Glamour. Tupperware Parties Pictured: UK residents attend a Tupperware party in 1963. The brand had come to the UK just two years before Tupperware adverts from the 1950s, urging housewives to throw their own parties to buy and sell the products Women attend a Tupperware party, hosted to market the new brand of plastic containers, in 1955 Just like Avon Ladies in the UK, Tupperware began offering housewives the chance to become 'consultants' and sell the products to local families in the 1950s. In her role as Vice President of Marketing, Brownie even wrote her own 'manual' for recruits - including the 'urgent musts' of any successful Tupperware party. According to the New York Post, Brownie wrote that the atmosphere of the party should be 'relaxing' because the 'social spirit of a party tends to lower sales resistance of those present'. Wise went on to write that 'it is a proven fact that you will sell more to a group of 15 women than you will sell to them individually'. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tupperware Parties were the only way in which shoppers could purchase the food storage containers. An 1950s magazine advert for the parties read: 'There's nothing quite like Tupperware for refrigerator, freezer, cupboard or table. Advert for Tupperware from the 1950s shows a 'consultant' hosting a party in her home to educate others about the products An advert urging housewives to host Tupperware parties which appeared in a US magazine in the 1960s 'Only Tupperware has the patented Tupper Seal - keeps stored foods so fresh, so long... and yet it looks so attractive on your table, too! 'Millions of women each year are introduced to Tuperware's work-saving wonder-world by the popular home party plan. 'Invite your friends over for a Tupperware party and receive a lovely gift just for being a hostess!' At the time, hostesses would receive free products based on how much they had sold at their event. Writing for the Emporia Gazette in 1960, columnist Irene Corbally Kuhn described a Tupperware party she attended in Queens, New York. She said: 'The evening started with games, and all the women taking a night off from husbands, housework and children, got right into the spirit of the occasion. 'Only soft drinks and cookies were served this is an unwritten law so that no one is tempted to overreach herself socially or financially. Pictured: a 1965 advert for Tupperware. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tupperware Parties were the only way in which shoppers could purchase the food storage containers 'Mrs Stegmaier showed the new things, discussed new ways of using them. The party lasted two hours, and when it was over, the women ordered what they needed. One of the guests announced shed like to be a hostess next month.' In her 1999 book Tupperware: The Promise Of Plastic In 1950s America, Dr Alison Clarke wrote: 'There was a strong philosophy in Tupperware of women being totally supportive to women. It was like a big sisterhood.' The popularity of Tupperware parties waned as the number of housewives fell dramatically and women entered the workforce in droves. Suddenly, eating out was easier than home cooking and Tupperware was no longer needed to store leftovers in. Global Reach In 1961, the first Tupperware party was hosted in the UK. Four years later, the company had launched in Japan, Australia and Singapore. Speaking to the BBC, Dr Alison Clarke discussed the international appeal of the range of food storage containers - which was being developed in different shapes, sizes and colours. Shopper in Target's San Bruno store in California browses the Tupperware aisle and inspects the new launches A 1980 advert for Tupperware with the taglinge 'where work and pleasure come together'. In this period, the popularity of Tupperware parties had waned She explained: 'The Tupperware parties glamourised dull housework, and you could only buy it if you knew someone who sold it, so it was exclusive, and social, and about relationships with other women. 'I started off thinking it was an exploitative capitalist conspiracy against women, and then I met all of these women who had a fantastic life because of it and saw how it was empowering for them.' In 1965, the influential fashion magazine, Queen, gave Tupperware its seal of approval, lauding it as 'the greatest revolution in household consumer goods since the Phoenicians invented glass'. In 2007, the brand was still going strong and even inspired a Broadway musical about Tupperware's origins. What's more, the firm was said to have an army of saleswoman in post-Soviet Russia- with many of them said to be earning more than 50,000 a year. Royal fan In 2003, an undercover journalist reported that the Queen used Tupperware to store her cereals - prompting sales to surge by 80 per cent After launching in the UK in the 1960s, Tupperware also gained a surprising fan in the late Queen. In 2003, it was revealed by an undercover reporter that the monarch - who passed away at the age of 96 last September - was said to store all of her various breakfast cereals in the brand's containers to keep them fresh. What's more, Her Majesty's former chef Darren McGrady revealed these weren't the only Tupperware products she owned. Speaking to Marie Claire in 2016, the ex-employee - who worked for the Queen from 1982 to 1993 - explained: 'People always say, "Oh, the Queen must eat off gold plates with gold knives and forks." 'Yes, sometimes...but at Balmoral she'd eat fruit from a plastic yellow tupperware container.' As a result of the royal revelation, retail sales surged - increasing by a reported 80 per cent. At risk of folding Tupperware has seen its market dominance threatened by competition from other popular brands including Rubbermaid, Glad, Pyrex and Oxo Professor Gary Mortimer, a business and retail expert at the Queensland University of Technology, has said the company has failed to innovate or appeal to younger customers What happened to Earl Tupper and Brownie Wise? In 1958, Earl Tupper abruptly sacked Brownie, declaring that she had betrayed the company ethos and endangered its reputation. He said she had been observed using a Tupperware dish as a dog bowl in her luxury home. It went against his ethos of the product as a hygienic way to store food. Later that year, he sold the company in 1958 to the Rexall Drug Company for $16 million and moved to Costa Rica to avoid tax. He died a broken man in 1983 after his later inventions including a laundry device for travelling salesmen failed to take off. The same year, Tupperware became the world's biggest direct seller with annual sales of 620 million. Advertisement Over the years, the direct sales model has generally suffered with the rise of e-commerce, and companies that rely on an army of individual neighborhood sellers have been forced to re-think their business model. Last June, the brand began selling on Amazon and then launched a partnership with Target four months later to put their products back on shelves. However, it appears the new sales channels may not be enough to save the business. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Professor Gary Mortimer, a business and retail expert at the Queensland University of Technology, said the company has failed to innovate or appeal to younger customers. 'Tupperware is over 75 years old as a brand. It grew in the 50s, 60s, and 70s through product innovation and creating innovative solutions for kitchenware,' Professor Mortimer explained. 'But today, there are significant ranges of competing products in the marketplace, and there is only so much innovation you can take in food storage.' Others note that Tupperware faces stiff competition from alternatives such as Rubbermaid, Glad, Ziploc, and even the reusable containers from food carry-out and delivery orders from the likes of DoorDash and Grubhub. 'I don't know about you, but I just save my takeout containers and reuse those,' said Yahoo Finance anchor Julie Hyman in a Monday broadcast. Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail, told CNN that a 'sharp decline in the number of sellers, a consumer pullback on home products, and a brand that still does not fully connect with younger consumers' were all issues facing Tupperware. He said the firm is in a 'precarious position' because it's struggling to grow sales and being 'asset-light' means it is hard for it to raise money. 'The company used to be a hotbed of innovation with problem-solving kitchen gadgets, but it has really lost its edge,' he added. Tupperware's dire straights came to light in a regulatory filing on Friday, in which it said it was working to find financing to stay in business, but that it wouldn't have enough cash to fund operations if it failed to do so. Tupperware CEO Miguel Fernandez said the company has 'embarked on a journey to turn around our operations' The company is reviewing its workforce and real estate portfolio as cost-cutting options, it said. CEO Miguel Fernandez said in a statement: 'Tupperware has embarked on a journey to turn around our operations and today marks a critical step in addressing our capital and liquidity position. 'The company is doing everything in its power to mitigate the impacts of recent events, and we are taking immediate action to seek additional financing and address our financial position.' Tupperware is also battling to avoid being delisted, after the New York Stock Exchange issued it with a warning for not filing an annual report by the March 31 deadline. The company's shares last traded at $1.30 on Tuesday morning, down 48 percent from one week ago, and a 93 percent drop from one year ago. It's no secret that sister-in-law Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton do not share a warm relationship, and today's news that the Duchess of Sussex won't attend King Charles' Coronation may well be a welcome relief to the Princess of Wales. Buckingham Palace announced today that Prince Harry will attend his father's big day alone, while Meghan remains behind in California with the couple's two children Archie and Lili. And while there will certainly still be tension in the air, Meghan's absence will reportedly make things a little easier for senior royals. A royal observer noted: 'Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won't be there - it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.' It comes amid reports that Kate found her Windsor walkabout with Harry and Meghan after the Queen's death 'one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do', according to a sensational new royal book. The Princess of Wales, pictured on Easter Sunday with Prince Louis, would have been 'particularly uncomfortable' if Meghan had attended the Coronation, a royal observer has claimed Kate found her Windsor walkabout with Harry and Meghan after the Queen's death 'one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do', a sensational new royal book recently claimed The Princess of Wales told a senior royal it was so difficult for her because of the 'ill-feeling' between the couples, veteran royal correspondent Robert Jobson said in Our King, serialised in The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. The book lays bare the inside story of the Royals' war with the Sussexes before, during and after Megxit. Kate and William's appearance with Harry and Meghan to greet well-wishers and view the flowers outside the gates of Windsor Castle came two days after the Queen's death at the age of 96 in September last year. To many, the couples' joint walkabout - said to have been William's idea to put on a show of unity - might have seemed like some kind of reconciliation. But Mr Jobson says sources close to the royal family have confirmed to him that was an 'illusion'. 'Catherine later admitted to a senior royal that, such was the ill feeling between the two couples, the joint walkabout was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do,' he writes. It comes as relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family remain at an all time low following a series of blistering attacks over the past year. The Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary in December criticised King Charles as a father before taking a swipe at the choice of wives by male members of the Firm. Harry insisted that his decision to marry Meghan set him apart from his family because it was 'from his heart' and not because she 'would fit the mould'. Meanwhile the Duke's bombshell memoir, released in February, dealt further blows to the reputation of the monarchy. Harry accused his brother of assault, branded his stepmother a 'villain' and repeatedly spoke of the family's 'unconscious bias' when it comes to race. The late Queen Elizabeth II, Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Harry and Meghan attend the Commonwealth Day Service on March 9, 2020 There has yet to be a reconciliation and all eyes are on the King's Coronation on May 6 - which Prince Harry is attending alone. Buckingham Palace confirmed the dramatic news in a statement today, saying it was 'pleased to confirm' the Duke of Sussex will be at Westminster Abbey on May 6. But the Duchess will stay home at the couple's residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony. The couple's friend Omid Scobie confirmed Archie's birthday 'played a factor in the couple's decision' and he expected it would be a 'fairly quick trip to the UK' for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which is likely to last a few hours. The announcement comes just over three weeks until the event, and a royal observer told MailOnline: 'Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won't be there - it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.' Harry and Meghan had controversially delayed their decision over whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3 having passed. Meghan Markle will not attend the King's Coronation service in London next month with Prince Harry - instead remaining in California with their children Archie and Lilibet. Sharing the news in a statement today, Buckingham Palace said it was 'pleased to confirm' the Duke of Sussex, 38, will be at Westminster Abbey on May 6. But the Duchess of Sussex, 41, will remain home at the couple's residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony. The couple's friend Omid Scobie confirmed Archie's birthday 'played a factor in the couple's decision' and he expected it would be a 'fairly quick trip to the UK' for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which is likely to last a few hours. It's unclear how exactly Meghan plans to celebrate her son's milestone. For his first birthday, she shared a sweet video in aid of a Save The Children fundraising campaign of a beaming Archie, while reading him children's book Duck! Rabbit!. It's unclear how exactly Meghan plans to celebrate her son's milestone. For his first birthday, she shared a sweet video in aid of a Save The Children fundraising campaign of a beaming Archie, while reading him children's book Duck! Rabbit! (pictured) The mother-of-two apparently crafted a strawberry and cream smash cake while Prince Harry decorated their home with balloons to mark his first birthday, a source told People magazine at the time. Sources told how the couple crafted a 'really simple but incredibly joyous' celebration for their son, with the trio taking time to video call his godparents and family. The source explained: 'Meghan made the cake strawberries and cream. And Harry helped with decorations and blew up balloons.' Meanwhile, Lilibet's first birthday was celebrated at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor (the couple's former UK home), with birthday cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks. The family were in the UK for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Among the gifts were apparently a pastel pink VW Beetle ride-on car, 75 from Selfridges, while Sussex supporters donated $100,000 to charity in her honour. King Charles, then Prince of Wales in June 2022, may have bought her a swing similar to one he bought for Prince George - after an aide to the Sussexes was seen unloading it from their private jet in Santa Barbara. East London baker Claire Ptak who made the couples wedding cake in 2018 created new treats for the low-key bash. She later shared a picture of a small peony-covered cake that could be the one enjoyed by guests. A spokesman for the couple did not name family members who attended the party, but Zara and Mike Tindall are believed to have made an appearance at the time. But Prince William, Kate, George and Charlotte were in Wales representing the Queen. The mother-of-two apparently crafted a strawberry and cream smash cake while Prince Harry decorated their home with balloons to mark his first birthday (pictured), a source told People magazine at the time In this picture from Lilibet's first birthday party, the young princess is seen in her mother Meghan's arms beside photographer Misan Harriman's family which includes his wife Camilla Holmstroem Mr Scobie, who is a trusted contact of the Sussexes, tweeted the news of Harry's forthcoming attendance at the Coronation and then added: 'I understand that Archie's fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple's decision. 'Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.' Reacting to today's announcement, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: 'Meghan will be with Archie on his fourth birthday. This is probably an ideal compromise. 'For months I hoped for reconciliation but after Spare, the interviews promoting it and the Netflix docuseries, it is obvious that this is highly unlikely to happen and that the Sussexes rift with the Royal Family is very serious.' The announcement comes just over three weeks until the event, and a royal observer told MailOnline: 'Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won't be there - it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.' Harry and Meghan had controversially delayed their decision over whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3 having passed. The uncertainty over the Sussexes' attendance was thought to have left royal officials unable to sign off arrangements for seating plans, transport and security. Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the Royal Family in his Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness his father Charles and stepmother the Queen Consort be crowned next month. The news ends months of speculation about whether the couple would show up to the King's big day. In June 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a new picture of Lilibet at Frogmore Cottage where she celebrated her first birthday Birthday cake? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex asked the baker who created their wedding cake to make a creation for their daughter Lilibet's low-key first birthday party. Claire Ptak shared a photo of this beautiful pink cake topped with peonies, which could have been Lilibet's A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at 3pm today: 'Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.' Archewell, Harry and Meghan's charitable foundation, then issued a near identical statement to the Press Association news agency confirming the Duke will attend. A spokesman said: 'The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.' Charles will be crowned in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and traditions that date back 1,000 years, following the 70-year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth II who died last September. Harry admitted he clashed with Angela Kelly over the tiara in his book Spare Meghan Markle's decision not to attend the coronation next month will avoid the Royal Family having to rehash an awkward argument over which tiaras the Duchess is entitled to wear. This afternoon, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry will attend the historic ceremony next month without his wife. The Duchess of Sussex, 41, will stay home at the couple's residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony. Ahead of the coronation, which will take place at Westminster Abbey on 6 May, the Palace has already confirmed that Queen Camilla will be wearing Queen Mary's Crown - which was made by Garrard & Co for Mary of Teck in 1911. The Princess of Wales, 41, is also expected to wear a tiara to the ceremony - after donning the Cambridge Lover's Knot, which was a wedding gift to Princess Diana, for her first state banquet since inheriting her new title in November 2022. The sparkling tiara Meghan wore on her wedding was the Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau, which was loaned to her by Harry's grandmother the Queen from the Royal Collection However, this afternoon's announcement has saved Buckingham Palace from a potential repeat of the argument over Meghan Markle's wedding crown, which was famously dubbed 'tiara-gate'. In late 2018, it was reported that Prince Harry yelled 'what Meghan wants, Meghan gets' at his late grandmother's personal dresser Angela Kelly. It was claimed Meghan wanted to wear an emerald tiara - but the Queen had instead selected a diamond tiara worn by her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1932. The authors of the 2020 biography Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claimed Harry felt Angela Kelly had deliberately dragged her feet while trying to help decide on what tiara to wear, The Sun reported. According to a Royal insider, the Queen is said to have told Prince Harry: 'Meghan cannot have whatever she wants. She gets what tiara she's given by me.' 'The Queen also questioned why Meghan needed a veil for the wedding, given it was to be her second marriage', the source alleged, adding that: 'Meghan can be difficult'. In his bombshell biography Spare, which hit shelves earlier this year, Prince Harry revealed his side of 'tiara-gate' and denied yelling at the Queen's personal dresser. The Duke claims his mother's sisters had earlier offered Meghan one of the Princess of Wales's tiaras. The Queen's dresser Angela Kelly allegedly didn't respond to Harry's messages about Meghan's chosen tiara In his memoirs, Harry denies saying the previously reported line: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets' Meghan was 'touched' and spent 'hours and hours' with her wedding dress designer to get the scalloped edges of her veil to match the Spencer tiara But shortly before the wedding in May 2018, Harry says the Queen 'reached out' to the couple, offering Meghan access to her collection of tiaras. Harry says: 'She even invited us to Buckingham Palace to try them on. "Do come over", I remember her saying.' What unfolded, Harry says, was 'an extraordinary morning'. They were shown into his grandmother's private dressing room, next to her bedroom a place Harry had never been before. Princess Diana pictured in the Spencer family tiara in 1983. Meghan had planned to wear the Spencer tiara before the Queen offered to lend her one from the Royal Collection for her wedding Harry also claims there 'had been spirited arguments in the back corridors of the Palace about whether Meghan could or should wear a veil' The Queen was standing alongside a jewellery expert who knew the history of each stone in the Royal Collection. Also in the room was Ms Kelly a docker's daughter from Liverpool who had become indispensable to the Monarch as her personal dresser and confidante, but who was known to courtiers as 'AK-47' because of her forceful personality. Harry says the Queen asked Meghan to view five stunning tiaras, including one with emeralds and another with aquamarines. The Queen then told Meghan: 'Tiaras suit you.' After Meghan chose one, the Queen advised her to try the piece on with her hairdresser before the wedding day. But Harry says that when he tried to contact Ms Kelly later to get hold of the tiara for the practice session, the dresser didn't respond. The Queen was pictured attending London Fashion Week alongside her trusted confidante, Angela Kelly When he finally tracked her down, Ms Kelly told him taking the tiara out of the Palace for an appointment with Meghan's hairdresser 'can't be done' because it would require an orderly and a police officer to guard it. Harry who admits to being exasperated says Ms Kelly eventually 'appeared out of thin air' at Kensington Palace to make him sign a release form before handing over the tiara. He writes: 'She fixed me with a look that made me shiver. I could read in her face a clear warning. This isn't over.' The Spencer Tiara, which it is claimed Meghan originally planned to wear, was worn by Princess Diana at her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981, and worn by her on numerous occasions after her big day. The tiara is a family heirloom that was also worn by all of Diana's sisters on their wedding days. The headpiece, which was made by Garrards in the 1930s, has an elaborate design of stylised flowers decorated with diamonds in silver settings. Harry says the Queen asked Meghan to view five stunning tiaras, including one with emeralds and another with aquamarines The diamond and platinum bandeau tiara worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on her wedding was displayed on exhibition at Windsor Castle The tiara is now owned by Diana's brother, Earl Spencer. Meghan instead wore the Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau, the centerpiece of which is a 10-diamond brooch that Mary of Teck received as a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara saga was just one of the many difficulties Meghan is said to have faced when trying to prepare her wedding ensemble. Harry claims there 'had been spirited arguments in the back corridors of the Palace about whether Meghan could or should wear a veil'. For a divorcee to wear a veil was, for some courtiers, out of the question, he says. But Harry goes on to say that 'the powers that be, unexpectedly, showed some flexibility' and relented. His telling of the Tiara-gate story shows the extent of the power wielded by the Queen's dresser. Ms Kelly first came into the Royal Household as an assistant dresser, but worked her way up and was entrusted with the keys to the Queen's priceless jewellery collection. She served Queen Elizabeth II for almost 30 years and was pictured at her state funeral on September 19. The Queen is said to have given royal provision to allow Ms Kelly to remain in her house for the rest of her life, even after she passed away. The pair were known to exchange light-hearted banter with each other, as the Queen once jokingly told her dresser 'you're sacked' during a trip to Australia. Her heavy influence was said to lend her considerable power over other senior staff and junior members of the household. A professional organizer has exposed the kinds of household messes that she considers to be 'normal.' Kayleen Kelly, who has more than nine years of experience, specializes in chronic clutter, ADHD, and mental health. The 37-year-old, from Jacksonville, Florida, took to TikTok to reveal what real, lived-in homes actually look like. And her recent video was met with a wave of support from followers who thanked her for allaying their worries. Kayleen Kelly revealed what she considers to be normal messes which includes having 'a donation pile that's been sitting there for a week' and keeping 'food that needs to be thrown away' In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 82,000 times, Kayleen speaks to camera as she begins: 'If you struggle with cleaning and chores, this is for you.' Messes Kayleen insists are 'normal' Not making your bed Leaving a messy bathroom Living out of the dryer Having a donation pile that's been sitting there for a week Keeping food that needs to be thrown away Advertisement She then reveals what she considers to be normal messes as she lists 'not making your bed, a messy bathroom [and] living out of the dryer.' But she does not stop there, adding it is also not unusual to have 'a donation pile that's been sitting there for a week' and 'food that needs to be thrown away.' Kayleen then speaks directly to camera once again as she explains: 'I've worked in real homes with real people for nine years. 'I am telling you, this is normal, this is okay. 'You're not doing anything wrong and you're not alone. Welcome to the club.' Explaining the situation further, she said: 'This. Is. Normal. 'I'm here to highlight what real LIVED IN homes look like. 'You can have an organized, functional home and still struggle with chores and cleaning. 'Especially common for us with #adhd and #neurodivergence. It will never be perfect and this shouldn't be your goal. 'Focus on FEELING better in your home rather than it LOOKING better.' The 37-year-old, from Jacksonville, Florida, also explained how 'not making your bed' and 'living out of the dryer' was normal And other social media users were quick to flood the comments to thank Kayleen for her candid insight And other social media users were quick to flood the comments to thank Kayleen for her candid insight. One wrote: 'Omg! You are fantastic to put up this video. I have always struggled with what standards are normal vs what I struggle with and mildly berating myself.' Another said: 'Once again, I'm almost in tears listening to you say this is normal because I beat myself up EVERYDAY bc my place doesn't look Pinterest pic ready. Thank you.' And a third added: 'Thank you! So much anxiety about people just stopping by. I know I'm not terrible but sometimes it feels like perfect is normal.' Three cheers for actress Sophie Winkleman, who has revealed she pulled her two young daughters out of primary school because they were to be given iPads in the classroom from the age of six. 'I have moved them twice now to get them out of tech-heavy schools,' she said. Winkleman fears the use of screens and online learning is becoming 'normalised' in British schools and she's not wrong. Back in 2015, Ofsted was warning that iPads in the classroom were a huge distraction at nearly a third of secondary schools, yet they've stealthily been creeping further into our education system since then, accelerated, of course, by Covid lockdowns. A friend of mine was obliged to buy tablets for her 11-year-old daughter's schoolwork whether she wanted to or not. Back in 2015, Ofsted was warning that iPads in the classroom were a huge distraction at nearly a third of secondary schools. Stock image used One primary school recently celebrated the fact it had raised 10,000 to give every pupil their own iPad. Schools now routinely ask for homework to be done on a screen. Of this wall-to-wall tech, Winkleman says: 'I do not know how many more facts and statistics we need for everyone to say 'This can't happen any more.' The problem is that being online in any capacity is addictive as hell.' She speaks perfect sense. The internet is utterly, horribly addictive. Excessive screen time for children has been linked with reduced creative imagination, worse sleep and poorer 'mental imagery skills', otherwise known as 'imagination'. And yet I would be a hideous hypocrite if I did not make a confession. Unlike sensible Sophie, who only gives her daughter a tablet briefly on a Sunday, when it comes to my children's screen time I am often to blame. Five years ago, while pregnant with my first baby, I was full of good intentions. My daughter would never, ever be one of those kids on trains and planes clutching an iPad as though their life depended on it. How I tutted inwardly at the parents: how weak they were, how negligent! Didn't they know they were rotting their babies' brains? Now with three children under five, those screen-free intentions have been smashed to smithereens. In the doctor's waiting room: I'll just stick Spot The Dog on for five minutes. At breakfast in a hotel: better put some cartoons on or they'll be lobbing croissants and disturbing the other guests. Yes, they get lots of fresh air and wholesome activities. They play in streams and get muddy like characters in an Enid Blyton novel. But if I'm honest, screen time is not an occasional treat but a daily one. Last week I got the wake-up call that things need to change. For a few months I have been teaching my four-year-old to read the old-fashioned way, using flash cards and fridge magnets. We were flying, with various animal words under our belts. Clare Foges (pictured) praises Sophie Winkleman's crackdown on heavy tech for children - but says she struggles to set boundaries with her kids Bill Gates didn't let his children get smartphones until they were 14. Even Steve Jobs banned his children from using a tablet. Stock image used Then I saw a TV advert for an online learning programme. It showed kids playing educational games on their tablet, whizzing through the levels until they were reading fluently, mastering algebra and speaking Mandarin (probably) by the age of seven. Seduced by this promise of easy learning, I downloaded it onto the family iPad. Big mistake. Now whenever my daughter wants to do her 'learning', it's not boring old mummy she wants but the digital teacher. So addictive is this 'teacher' with her candy-coloured games that last week we got the mother of all tantrums. 'I want the iPad!' cried my four-year-old, red-faced and roaring. 'Give me the iPad!' I have never witnessed someone in the throes of withdrawal, but I imagine there are similar scenes. These screens are designed to be addictive, and in my experience they're not brilliant teachers, either. When using flash cards I can almost see the cogs in my daughter's brain turning. When she's swiping her finger across some brightly-flashing game, she is in a passive state, zombified by the music and colours. Excessive screen time for children has been linked with reduced creative imagination, worse sleep and poorer 'mental imagery skills', otherwise known as 'imagination'. Stock image used The great irony is that it's those who have made their fortune from internet addiction who are best at protecting their children from it. Years ago, I worked with a man whose wife was a senior player in Silicon Valley. Their sons were being educated in a school where, he told me proudly, they baked bread, climbed trees and collected eggs from the school hens. The best bit? Absolutely no screens. Such 'draconian' parenting is common in Silicon Valley. Bill Gates didn't let his children get smartphones until they were 14. Even Steve Jobs banned his children from using a tablet. This knowledge alone is enough for me to reconsider letting my daughter 'learn' on the iPad. Like Sophie Winkleman, I will choose my children's schools according to how tech-heavy or light they are. And yet when it comes to the broader problem of children's exposure to technology, I'm afraid I can't share her fighting spirit. I fear it is a battle that can't be won: the tech genie is already out of the bottle. How to make your mum-in-law feel old Nicola Peltz, 28, posed in a belly top and tiny shorts as she stood between her husband and mother-in-law Nice to see peace break out between the Beckhams and their daughter-inlaw. But judging by the picture of Nicola Peltz, 28, posing in a belly top and tiny shorts next to Victoria, 48, she could do with some advice in the art of sartorial diplomacy. If you want to get on with your mother-inlaw, it's best not to pick an outfit that makes her feel ancient. Junior doctors striking in pursuit of a 35 per cent pay rise say without a big pay hike, more will head overseas. Fair point: Australia's population is surging, thanks in part to the number of British doctors and nurses heading there. Medics must be free to work wherever they like, but given it costs the UK taxpayer around 163,000 to train a doctor, shouldn't there be some obligation to work in the UK before they head down under? It won't be the same without Dimbleby David Dimbleby pictured at the 23rd National Television Awards in 2019. Clare Foges laments that he won't be there for the coronation Kirsty Young, Huw Edwards, Sophie Raworth: the BBC's presenting team for the coronation is strong, but let's face it, with Dimbleby gone it feels like we're a man down. Any chance they could rope in another venerable David (Attenborough)? Yes, it's ludicrous for five police officers to raid a pub for a collection of golliwogs. But the landlords have nothing to be proud of. This isn't a woke thing. It's over 30 years since golliwogs were recognised for the offensive caricatures they are and banned from TV ads. See you in the queue outside Boots! Now the High Street chain claims to have gone one better with No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Remember in 2007 when Boots launched its 'miracle' Protect & Perfect cream, causing shoppers to camp outside stores in order to bag a bottle? Now the High Street chain claims to have gone one better with No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal, a cream so powerful it may even help treat burns victims' scarred skin. My first thought: 'Another load of marketing hype, they think we'll fall for anything!' My second: 'Where's my sleeping bag?' A handy mum has shared how she made a stunning designer-like side table using some old bricks, plaster and a $12 Kmart buy. Brooke Puletua, from Sydney, used Kmart's round terrazzo tray as the top of her stylish homemade table. She said she bought all of her materials, some of which she already had at home from Bunnings, besides the bricks and Kmart tray. 'For the majority of my products, I try to ensure I use what I have to save money and be more effective on cost,' Brooke told FEMAIL. The DIY'er stacked five bricks flat on top of one another and secured them together using Liquid Nail's adhesive Fast Grab glue. Scroll down for video Sydney mum Brooke Puletua has shared how she made a stylish end table with old bricks, a Kmart tray and materials from Bunnings The DIY'er stacked five bricks flat on top of one another and secured them together using Liquid Nail's adhesive Fast Grab glue Brooke used Davco's Cement-based tile adhesive to hold the bricks together then added plaster by Gyprock Australia for the final finish. She said she made 'the biggest mess' making the brown bricks white but admits it was 'worth it' in the end. She placed the Kmart tray upside down on the top of the brick structure and painted it white to create a chic tabletop. Brooke used Davco Cement based tile adhesive to hold the bricks together then added plaster by Gyprock Australia for the final finish 'I'm a lover of External Paint as its durability is amazing. I used Exterior Low Sheen White paint (my go to) and sealed it off with Rust-Oleum Clear Spray Paint,' she added. Brooke styled the table by with a large cement clam shell from Pillow Talk Australia that cost between $11-$14 and a candle sitting inside. The home stylist wowed thousands with her simple DIY table after she shared a step-by-step guide in an Instagram video. 'Oh my! This is so cool Who would have thought?' one viewer wrote. Striking junior doctors are claiming up to 10,000 in taxpayer-funded 'life-admin' fees, figures reveal. More than 40million has been claimed by trainee doctors in relocation expenses, which are exempt from income tax, in the past five years. The fund supports junior doctors who have to relocate or commute during training, with the allowance rising from 8,000 to 10,000 in 2020 after a consultation between the British Medical Association and stakeholders. Data obtained by the Daily Telegraph shows the amount claimed in 2021/22 increased by more than a quarter compared with the previous year 9.98million compared with 7.86million. Nearly 8million has been claimed in 2022/23 up to February. More than 40million has been claimed by trainee doctors in relocation expenses, which are exempt from income tax, in the past five years (pictured: junior doctors taking part in a rally at Trafalgar Square in London during a nationwide strike on April 11) Trainee medics are eligible if they have to relocate 30 miles from home or travel more than an hour to work. Successful applicants can claim costs via their NHS trust, which then charges Health Education England the workforce arm of the health service. Trusts are able to cover trainees for estate agents' and solicitors' fees, stamp duty and temporary accommodation. Other incidental expenses, such as nursery registration and storage unit hire, can also be covered. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Patients are tired of complaints about funding from a health service that already receives record levels of cash. 'With doctors able to bill taxpayers for life admin and other perks, households will rightly recognise that a doctor's salary is just one part of the package. 'Ministers must ensure that when discussing pay, they view negotiations in the round.' But Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee, said: 'It is misleading to suggest that junior doctors derive any financial gain from this policy.' The H3N8 strain is not normally thought to spread between humans Samples later taken from the wet market tested positive for influenza A(H3) The woman first became ill on February, 22 and died on March, 16 A Chinese woman who became the first person to ever die from the H3N8 strain of bird flu may have caught the killer strain from a wet market. The 56-year-old, from the Guangdong province, first became ill on February 22 and was admitted to the hospital with severe pneumonia on March 3. She died 13 days later on March 16. But health officials believe she caught the virus from a wet market, where she spent time before becoming ill. Samples taken from the site in question tested positive for influenza A(H3), the World Health Organization (WHO) said. It is thought the woman caught the virus from a wet market where she spent time before becoming ill, after samples taken from the market tested positive for influenza A(H3) The woman, from the Guangdong province, first became ill on February 22. She was admitted to the hospital with severe pneumonia on March 3 and died on March 16 Wet markets are large collections of open-air stalls where sellers flog live animals, raw meat and fish, as well as fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices. Experts have long warned of the mounting disease threat such markets pose, labelling them ideal grounds for transmission of pathogens. China has repeatedly insisted one such site, in Covid's ground zero of Wuhan, is the source of the pandemic. Yet experts have poked holes in the claims of President Xi Jinping's communist regime, saying it could have leaked out of a nearby lab instead. H3N8 is different to the H5N1 strain, which has sparked fears of a fresh pandemic in the wake of Covid after fuelling the world's biggest ever bird flu outbreak. The unidentified woman is only the third person ever to officially be diagnosed with H3N8 - one of the most common strains in birds. Two young boys were struck down with the same virus in April and May last year in China in unlinked cases, but both survived. So far, no close contacts of the woman have any symptoms of an infection. The WHO was not informed about the case until March 27 a month after Chinese health officials were aware of her illness. Beijing has previously faced massive criticism for not making important information about Covid's early spread in its nation available. It comes as vaccine makers have said they are 'standing ready' for a human bird flu pandemic as fears mount about a zoonotic spillover. The Chinese patient had several underlying conditions and a history of exposure to live birds prior to falling sick, as well as previous wild bird presence around her home. The case was picked up through the WHO's severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance system, which tracks these types of infections. The H3N8 variant is common in birds, horses and dogs and has even been found in seals, but it has rarely found its way into the human population. Like other forms of bird flu, human infections can occur when enough virus gets into a persons eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled. They are usually the result of 'direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments', the UN health agency said. Although there have only been a limited number of cases of this strain globally, the illness is believed to be similar to other bird flus in people. Usual symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea and other flu-like symptoms. Sufferers may experience diarrhoea, sickness, stomach pain, chest pain and bleeding from the nose and gums, and pink eye. The WHO said: 'Since avian influenza viruses continue to be detected in poultry populations, further sporadic human cases are expected in the future.' China's slow reporting of this infection draws parallels to the nation's initial response to the Covid pandemic. The country has been accused of covering up early cases and has not been compliant in the fight for the virus's origin. Dr Steven Salzberg, a professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com: 'Of course China should report any such cases promptly, as should any country, but occasional avian influenza cases happen every year in China.' He added: 'The [much] bigger problem is the continuing practice in China of selling birds and other animals for food at live animal markets. 'Scientists have been saying for years [decades now] that China should shut down these markets, but they don't. 'So a good question is whether this case originated from a live animal market. The [WHO] report is vague on that question.' Back in 2003, China was accused of covering up details about the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The Chinese government was criticized for its slowness in releasing information about the outbreak after a Beijing hospital was shut down. This case is among a spate of human bird flu cases that have emerged in the early parts of 2023. Earlier this year, a Cambodian man and his daughter were diagnosed with H5N1, another strain of bird flu. Their cases sparked international concern, with many experts fearing they signaled the virus had mutated to infect people better after tearing through the world's bird population. In the UK, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, an arm of DEFRA, is reviewing the bird flu risk to humans every week. The UK Health Security Agency 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 There has only been one case of a British person becoming infected with the bird flu strain 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 The bird flu outbreak, which began early last year, is the biggest in history, affecting more than 200 million domestic birds globally, on top of countless wild birds. It has already spilled into mammals like mink, foxes, raccoons and bears, sparking fears it may soon acquire worrying new mutations that would allow it to cause a human pandemic. Further testing found the Cambodian family did not have the H5N1 strain rapidly spreading among the world's wild birds but instead a variant known to spread locally in the Prey Veng province they resided in. 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. But the virus has already been spotted in foxes, otters and seals in the UK. People with close or prolonged unprotected contact - not wearing respiratory and eye protection - with infected birds or places where sick birds or their mucous, saliva, or feces have been contaminated might be at greater risk of bird flu virus infection. A human is unlikely to catch the virus from eating poultry and game birds because it is heat-sensitive, and properly cooking the poultry will kill the virus. The symptoms in humans are high fever, a cough, sore throat, muscle aches and a general feeling of malaise. Additional early symptoms could include pain in the abdomen and chest and diarrhea. It can quickly develop into serious respiratory illness, including shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia. People may also suffer an altered mental state or seizures. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the bird flu death rate is believed to be around 50 per cent globally. In the UK, the 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. Current laws prevent poultry and most captive birds from being vaccinated against the pathogen. But health chiefs are now 'actively' contemplating scrapping the ban, in response to the escalating threat bird flu poses. The UK Health Security Agency (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. British farms have also faced tough biosecurity rules in efforts to combat the deadly disease. Bird keepers have been subject to a national housing order since November 7 to help curb an unprecedented number of bird flu cases. The housing order meant that eggs laid by hens who normally had access to outside areas, and chickens produced for meat, could not be marketed as free range. But restrictions will be lifted from midnight on April 18 after the risk level was lowered to 'medium'. Eggs laid by hens with access to outside range areas can once again be labelled as free range. Some parts of the country, including large areas of Norfolk, will stay under lockdown, and poultry farmers will be required to maintain enhanced biosecurity measures. Places with poor biosecurity have been assessed as at a medium risk of infection and those with good biosecurity are seen as low risk. There could be a risk of infection for several more weeks, the environment department warned. A new Covid strain is wreaking havoc in India, with hospitals now on red alert and compulsory face masks being brought back. 'Arcturus', a spin-off of Omicron, is thought to be the most contagious variant yet. However, top scientists don't expect it to be more lethal than other types currently circulating, which cause a much milder disease that closely resembles the flu. Officials believe it is single-handedly driving India's latest wave, with cases having exploded 13-fold within a month. The nation's ministry of health this week ran mock drills to check how prepared its hospitals were for another potential influx of patients. And some states have brought back face masks in public settings, the first time for more than a year in some areas. New Covid variant 'Arcturus' had driven a huge increase in cases in India over the past month While the rise is of some concern, it is still far below the devastating wave of cases the country experienced in 2021 from the Delta wave What is 'Arcturus' and should we be worried? A new Covid variant dubbed 'Arcturus' has sparked some concern after causing a surge of cases in India. What is 'Arcturus'? 'Arcturus' is the name that has been given to Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16. It is a spin-off strain, similar to that of the Kraken variant (XBB.1.5). Where has it been spotted? It emerged in March and has been spotted since in 22 countries, but the largest outbreak by far is in India. Why has it sparked concern? 'Arcturus' has led to a surge in cases in India with infections soaring 13-fold within the last month. This has prompted the nation's health authorities to run hospital drills and reintroduce mask mandates in some areas. Is it dangerous? 'Arcturus' has mutations on its spike protein that the Word Health Organisation says could increase its ability to infect people as well as trigger disease. Japanese researchers have suggested it is 1.2 times more infectious than the already super transmissible Kraken. However, there is no evidence it increases severity of disease. But a rise in cases could put health services under pressure. Do vaccines still work? Early results suggest 'Arcturus' does not have any increased ability to evade protection from vaccines compared to other Omicron spin-offs Advertisement India's Ministry of Health said there were 40,215 active Covid cases on April 12, up by 3,122 in just one day. These Covid cases can include those who test positive while unwell at home as well as those in hospital. Separate figures from the Oxford University-run platform Our World in Data show that new daily cases hit 3,108 on April 4, up from 242 one month earlier. The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently monitoring Arcturus, scientifically known as XBB.1.16. It was first detected in late January, with officials saying it has some mutations of concern. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid technical lead, said: 'It's been in circulation for a few months. 'We haven't seen a change in severity in individuals or in populations, but that's why we have these systems in place. 'It has one additional mutation in the spike protein which in lab studies shows increased infectivity as well as potential increased pathogenicity.' Dr Van Kerkhove added that while XBB.1.16 had been detected in other countries most sequences were from India, where it had replaced other variants. She also said that thus far there had been no reported change in disease severity in XBB.1.16 infections. Meanwhile, a study by Japanese scientists has suggested Arcturus is 1.2 times more infectious than the closely-related Kraken Covid strain. Uploading their findings to the biology research website bioRxiv, they wrote that this advantage suggests the new variant will 'spread worldwide in the near future'. They attributed this to mutations that could make it more difficult for the immune system to tackle and increase its growth rate. However, they said there is no evidence that Arcturus had any greater ability to evade the protection offered by vaccines or prior infection compared to Kraken. Kraken was the dominant strain in the UK by the end of February, causing 50.4 per cent of cases, according to ONS data. Technically XBB.1.5, the Omicron spin-off was considered the most infectious Covid variant yet and sparked concern after triggering a surge in cases in several countries. However while it triggered more cases, the new strain did not cause more severe disease than its ancestor Omicron, already considered a 'milder' version of Covid. The rise in cases triggered by Arcturus has led the Indian state of Haryana, in the north of the country, to reintroduce masks in public places due to the 'significant upsurge' in Covid cases. Veena George, Health Minister of southern state Kerala, on Saturday reintroduced masks for pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying conditions. On Monday and Tuesday, hospitals across India took part in mock drills to test their preparedness. Office for National Statistics analysts estimate almost 1.7million Brits were carrying the virus on any given day in the week to March 13. This a jump of almost 14 per cent on the week before Office for National Statistics analysis has calculated how much of each Covid wave infected the population of England. The latest, Omicron BA.4/5, was the biggest, infecting 46.3 per cent of the population. Individuals could be represented twice in the data having, for example, caught Covid once at the start of the pandemic, then again during the Omicron surge Officials have also told states to ramp up testing for the virus. The drills and return of masks are a grim reminder of how the country was devastated by the Delta wave in 2021 with a total of 4.7million excess deaths according to WHO estimates. India's health system was overwhelmed by a surge of cases triggered by that Covid variant, with some hospitals even running out of oxygen. Like similar new Covid variants, virus trackers online decided to call XBB.1.16 'Arcturus' following a pattern of naming new strains after mythological entities. Arcturus means 'Guardian of the Bear' and is related to the constellation called the Great Bear. The White House has named a veterinary tranquilizer that is increasingly being mixed with fentanyl as an 'emerging threat'. It is the first time President Biden's drug czar has ever identified a substance for that classification - in a sign of how dangerous officials view the situation. Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer nicknamed 'tranq', has become a go-to cutting agent for drug dealers looking to stretch supply and boost the effect of illicit drugs. It is showing up in everything from cocaine to MDMA and heroin. But recently it has been mixed with the already extremely lethal fentanyl. Xylazine-contaminated drugs can cause fatal overdoses and result in users erupting in painful sores as the drug rots flesh and leaves gaping wounds, requiring amputation in extreme cases. A DEA study published in December and involving 60,000 US adult drug tests showed xylazine was detected in samples from 48 out of 50 states in the US Xylazine prolongs the highs felt from heroin and other street drugs, but results in users passing out for hours at a time, while injection points ulcerate and lead to grisly wounds that spread across the body. Pictured: Homeless people on the streets of Kensington, Philadelphia Xylazine in fentanyl has been detected in 48 states and up to a quarter of seized fentanyl tests positive for the sedative. The substance was a factor in about 800 drug deaths in the U.S. in 2020 - most of them in the Northeast. By 2021, it was present in more than 3,000 fatalities - with most in the South - according to a report last year from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Dr. Rahul Gupta, the head of the drug control office, who is often referred to as the national drug czar, said: 'We cannot ignore what we're seeing. We must act and act now. Many communities are not even aware of the threat in their backyard.' Dr Gupta said the federal government will publish a plan within 90 days on ways to combat the overdose scourge caused by xylazine. The plan would look at increasing testing capacity, withdrawal management, treatment protocols and attacking the supply chain of illicit xylazine, he said. The drug was approved for veterinary use in 1971, typically used to sedate large animals such as horses and deer. Consumption of xylazine can lower one's blood pressure and heart rate to critical levels and can cause skin ulcers and abscesses that can lead to amputation. Dr Rahul Gupta has cleared the way for more efforts to stop the spread of xylazine and develop an antidote It is believed to be added to other drugs to increase profits. Officials are trying to understand how much of it is diverted from veterinary uses and how much is made illicitly. While it's often used in conjunction with opioids, including fentanyl and related illicit lab-made drugs, it's not an opioid. And there are no known antidotes. Dr Gupta said his office is requesting $11 million as part of its budget to develop a strategy to tackle the drug's spread. Plans include developing an antidote, learning more about how it is introduced into illicit drug supplies so that can be disrupted, and looking into whether Congress should classify it as a controlled substance. Xylazine needs to be available for veterinary uses even amid crackdowns on the supply used by people, Dr Gupta said. He added systems to detect the drug and data about where it is being used need to be improved. He said: 'President Biden remains committed to beating the overdose crisis. We need support from Congress for this and we'll continue to work with members of both parties on this urgent issue.' According to DEA figures, overdose deaths linked to xylazine increased by 1,127 percent in the south of the country from 2020 to 2021 from 116 to 1,423 and were substantially higher in other regions too. A kilogram (2.2 pounds) of xylazine powder can be purchased online from Chinese suppliers for just $6-$20 dollars, according to the DEA. The drug is part of a deepening overdose crisis in the US. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 107,000 people died from overdoses in the 12 months that ended October 31, 2022. Before 2020, the number of overdose deaths had never topped 100,000. Most of the deaths were linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Like xylazine, they are often added to other drugs and users don't always know they are getting them. Meanwhile, test strips for 'tranq' are being rolled out in the US in an effort to curb accidental overdoses. The new testing kits which cost just $2 per test are available from BTNX online and give a result within five minutes. The test strips will also be available to public health workers, health departments, and grassroots harm-reduction groups as well as individual drug takers to test substances for traces of xylazine. A Vietnamese woman was left with parasitic worms crawling underneath her skin, according to reports. Grim images show the creatures burrowing in the unidentified 58-year-old's arms, legs and hands. Scans revealed the infestation had also reached her brain, according to her doctor, who was quoted in local media. Medics do not know for certain what caused her infection. But worms can be ingested by eating contaminated raw or undercooked meat. For a human's brain to be infected with a Taenia Solium larvae, the eggs must pass through human faeces then a pig and then be ingested again where the larvae can infest the tissue through cysts, according to the World Health Organisation The woman is known to have eaten a local delicacy made with raw blood before being struck down. 'Tiet canh', also known as blood soup, is a traditional Vietnamese dish consisting of fresh blood from animals, mixed with cooked meat. The woman, from An Binh commune in the suburbs of Hanoi, was taken to Dang Van Ngu Hospital after suffering from extreme headaches and falling over at home. Dr Tran Huy Tho, deputy director of the hospital, initially thought the woman had suffered a stroke, which can cause balance problems and a severe headache. The woman has now been discharged from hospital after being prescribed medication to treat the infection. Speaking to local media on Monday, Dr Tho said he was certain that the infection was a result of eating Tiet canh. Grim images show the creatures burrowing in the unidentified 58-year-old's arms, legs and hands The woman said: 'I thought if I make the pudding myself, it would be clean and I would rest assured knowing there would be no disease involved.' Dr Tho said the patient's situation could have been much worse, as it could have resulted in paralysis or death. The doctor said: 'Many people even believe they suffer from seizures, strokes and other mental health conditions, so they get treated at psychiatric hospitals for years. 'By the time they go to Dang Van Ngu Hospital, their conditions have already progressed and the parasites have already harmed their brain, forcing them to live with lifelong conditions like reduced eyesight.' It is unclear what type of parasitic worm the woman was infected with. But humans can get pork tapeworm, scientifically known as taenia solium, after eating raw or undercooked pork carrying the worm or its eggs. The infection, which is thought to affect 2.5million people annually, is most commonly detected in poor regions of Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, where there is poor sanitation and raw meat is consumed. While taenia solium usually causes no symptoms, or mild stomach problems, it can lead to a parasite tissue infection called cysticercosis, which can develop in the brain and causes headaches and balance problems. It can lead to stroke and death. However, this infection does not cause visible worms under the skin. A man in California has died from a flesh-eating disease after chasing his dog into a pond. Jeff Bova, 41, had a small cut on his right arm when he waded into standing water in San Diego last month. The wound is thought to have become infected with bacteria, which caused necrotizing fasciitis, a deadly condition that rots the body's soft tissue. What began as a small red spot quickly progressed into swelling, blisters and puss that felt like 'acid' when it oozed down his arm. Jeff Bova, 41, from San Diego, died after becoming infected with a flesh-eating bacteria. He caught it from a pool of stagnant water His mother Susan McIntyre, 67, pictured above with him, said that it was 'hard' and that 'everything happened so fast' The handyman tried to treat the infection at home using antibiotic cream and moisturizers. Mr Bova became infected after chasing his dog into a pond (he is pictured above with a pet dog) But eventually the pain became so bad that he went to hospital, where he died two days later. His mother is speaking up about his story to urge others to seek medical care when they have an infection and to avoid stagnant pools of water. Susan McIntyre, 67, from El Cajon, California, said that he had been killed by necrotizing fasciitis. She told NBC News: 'He developed these really nasty blisters and he said that it felt... when his arm was oozing that it was acid coming down his arm.' Speaking about the effect his death had, she said fighting back tears: 'It's hard... everything just happened so fast. 'Right before he passed, he told me he still had a job to finish for me. He was within a couple of days of finishing it.' Necrotizing fasciitis is typically caused by bacteria such as Strep A, which can multiply while lurking in pools of stagnant water. The condition develops when bacteria enter the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. As they multiply, they release toxins that start to kill the surrounding tissue. The bacteria will spread rapidly in the body, triggering symptoms including bumps on the skin, bruises, sweating, fever, and nausea. Organ failure and shock can then ensue. Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg. Cell death caused by necrosis cannot be reversed, medics say. There are about 1,000 cases of necrotizing fasciitis in the United States every year. The flesh-eating bacteria is fatal in about 20 percent of cases, with chances of surviving dropping the longer someone delays treatment. A number of stagnant standing pools of water have emerged in San Diego recently amid heavy rainfall. Urging others to avoid the pools, Ms McIntyre said: 'Stay away from standing water, especially after it rains, because there is just a ton of bacteria in it,' she urged. 'If you get any kind of cut and it starts getting red, go to the doctor immediately don't wait.' A California bill that would ban ingredients in popular treats such as Skittles and Sour Patch Kids moved a step closer to becoming law. If the bill becomes law, it will block five chemicals from being used in foods sold or manufactured in the state. Each of these chemicals is already banned in the EU. Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who filed the bill the February, told DailyMail.com in March that the 'the goal of the bill is to protect kids and their parents from harmful chemicals.' He hopes that it will spur manufacturers to ditch these chemicals, the same way they had to do to comply with regulations in Europe. Among the affected chemicals in Red 3, a food dye used in some candies. Previous research linked exposure to it to cancer in mice. The state Assembly's Committee on Health passed the bill by a 12-1 vote Tuesday, sending the bill to the Committee on Environmental Safety on Toxic Materials. Asm Gabriel, a Democrat who represents the 46th district just northwest of Los Angeles, said in a release Wednesday: 'There is no realistic chance that this bill will result in Skittles or any other product being pulled off the shelf. 'The idea here is for these companies to make minor modifications to their recipes so that these products no longer include dangerous and toxic chemicals.' He added: 'Skittles and many other brands have already made changes to their recipes in the European Union, the United Kingdom and other nations where these chemicals are banned. 'While the chemical companies might want you to believe we're going too far with this bill, we are in fact many steps behind the rest of the world. 'We simply want our kids to have the same protection.' Among the dozen 'yea' voters for AB418, 11 were Democrats, with Republican Asm Marie Waldron of San Diego joining them. Republican Asm Vince Fong, who represents an area around Bakersfield, California, was the lone 'no' vote. Two other Republicans on the committee were not present. The Health committee oversees matters regarding public health in the state. AB418 will now head to the state's Environment Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, which oversees rules for toxic substances and hazardous materials. After making it through committee it will then be voted upon by the entire state Assembly. If it then passes the same process in the state Senate it will reach the desk of Gov Gavin Newsom to be signed into law. Lawmakers hope to put the bill into effect on January 1, 2025. It has the backing of advocacy organizations such as Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group. Brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and titanium dioxide and propyl paraben are among the chemicals targeted by the law. If it becomes law, the bill would also prevent the manufacture of food products including these chemicals in the state even if they are sold elsewhere. While the state assembly is only concerned with matters in California, Asm Gabriel does see the new regulations having a national impact. The additives are put into the foods to enhance their flavor, appearance or help keep them fresh. Titanium dioxide is the most notable of the group. The additive was at the center of a 2022 lawsuit filed in the Golden State last year alleging the popular candy Skittles were not fit to be eaten. Another targeted additive is Red 3, a food dye included in many candies to enhance their color. Since the early 1980s, studies have shown it can cause cancer in lab animals in very high doses and has been linked to behavioral issues in children. It was banned in cosmetic products in 1990 for these reasons, but remains in many foods and sweets including pastries and breakfast cereals. Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said: 'Despite the serious and well-documented risks posed to our health by these five food chemicals, the FDA has failed to take action to protect the public. Asm Jesse Gabriel (pictured) filed the bill last month. He hopes to 'protect' families in California by banning these potentially harmful substances 'The committee's vote is an important first step by California lawmakers to remove these harmful chemicals from candies, cookies and other processed foods. 'At a time when the FDA's weak oversight has prevented it from taking action, it is critical for states like California to ensure consumers are protected from these toxic food chemicals.' The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington DC-based consumer advocacy group, led a petition to the FDA to ban the chemical last year. A 2012 study from Brazilian researchers found Red 3 could cause genotoxicity - when the DNA suffers toxic damage - and causes permanent transmissible changes to strains as well. In 2020, California's Environmental Protection Agency found children who consumed Red 3 regularly were more likely to suffer from hyperactivity and inattentiveness. A 2016 study led by researchers from the University of North Carolina, Asheville found that the dye was being used in 11.1 percent of candy products. It was also found in 3.3 percent of pastries, 2.6 percent of fruit snacks, and 2.6 percent of cakes marketed to children. Brominated vegetable oil is a plant-derived substance used to combine the elements of citrus-flavored soft drinks. Long-term exposure to the chemical can harm the body's central nervous system. It has been linked to the development of chronic headaches, memory loss and impaired balance. It was previously used in the popular soda Mountain Dew, until parent company Pepsi removed the ingredient in 2020. Sun Drop, a similarly flavored soda manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper, still uses it. Many other budget and store brand versions of Mountain Dew and Sprite sold around the country also use the chemical. It has been banned as an additive in the EU, India and Japan. Its use in the US is limited to just citrus drinks, where it is uniquely able to mix different elements. Propylparaben is often used in baking products as a preservative, as the substance derived from some plants and insects has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. Some highly-processed, pre-made baked goods include it. The Weight Watchers line of backed deserts targeted at people trying to shed pounds are among the culprits. The additive has been linked to fertility issues in mice, with previous research showing that it could reduce sperm counts in males and disrupt estrogen development in females. Some experts fear it could cause similar harm to the endocrine systems of humans. Despite this, the FDA still considers the propylparaben to be 'generally recognized as safe'. Potassium Bromate is found in many baked goods too, including popular sugar cookie brand Balducci's. It is banned in the EU, Canada and Brazil among others for its links to the development of thyroid and kidney cancer. It is often used in processed foods to make dough rise higher. A new Covid variant wreaking havoc in India is already in Britain, MailOnline can reveal. Health chiefs announced 'Arcturus' had been detected in the country last month. Almost 50 cases have now been spotted. Hospitals in India are now on red alert, with compulsory face masks being brought back in some states to curb exploding infection rates which have soared 13-fold in the last month. 'Arcturus' is a spin-off of Omicron, and is thought to be the most contagious variant yet. New Covid variant 'Arcturus' had driven a huge increase in cases in India over the past month While the rise is of some concern, it is still far below the devastating wave of cases the country experienced in 2021 from the Delta wave However, top scientists don't expect the variant scientifically called XBB.1.16 to be more lethal than other types of Covid currently circulating. Nowadays the illness caused by the coronavirus closely resembles that of flu, unlike during the earliest days of the pandemic. The UK Health and Security Agency said the variant was already in the UK in its final variant report issued last month. Separate data collected from variant trackers report that the UK has now sequenced almost 50 samples of Arcturus. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, said it was too early to tell if XBB.1.16 would cause a significant surge in cases in the UK but noted that it thankfully did not appear to cause more severe disease. What is 'Arcturus' and should we be worried? A new Covid variant dubbed 'Arcturus' has sparked some concern after causing a surge of cases in India. What is 'Arcturus'? 'Arcturus' is the name that has been given to Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16. It is a spin-off strain, similar to that of the Kraken variant (XBB.1.5). Where has it been spotted? It emerged in March and has been spotted since in 22 countries, but the largest outbreak by far is in India. Why has it sparked concern? 'Arcturus' has led to a surge in cases in India with infections soaring 13-fold within the last month. This has prompted the nation's health authorities to run hospital drills and reintroduce mask mandates in some areas. Is it dangerous? 'Arcturus' has mutations on its spike protein that the Word Health Organisation says could increase its ability to infect people as well as trigger disease. Japanese researchers have suggested it is 1.2 times more infectious than the already super transmissible Kraken. However, there is no evidence it increases severity of disease. But a rise in cases could put health services under pressure. Do vaccines still work? Early results suggest 'Arcturus' does not have any increased ability to evade protection from vaccines compared to other Omicron spin-offs Advertisement 'Although in India it has taken off in the past few weeks so far it has not been increasing rapidly globally,' he said. 'I suspect we will see a wave of infections with this variant but I doubt it will cause a big wave probably not even as great as the one we have just had in the UK and so probably not put as great a pressure on health services than recently.' But he added that a spike in cases in the US at the start of April, with XBB.1.16 accounting for almost 6 per cent of samples tested, could give a hint of what was in store for countries like the UK. Officials in India believe the variant is single-handedly driving the latest wave. The nation's ministry of health this week ran mock drills to check how prepared its hospitals were for another potential influx of patients. And some states have brought back face masks in public settings, the first time for more than a year in some areas. India's Ministry of Health said there were 40,215 active Covid cases on April 12, up by 3,122 in just one day. These Covid cases can include those who test positive while unwell at home as well as those in hospital. Separate figures from the Oxford University-run platform Our World in Data show new daily cases hit 3,108 on April 4, up from 242 one month earlier. The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently monitoring Arcturus, scientifically known as XBB.1.16. It was first detected in late January, with officials saying it has some mutations of concern. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid technical lead, said: 'It's been in circulation for a few months. 'We haven't seen a change in severity in individuals or in populations, but that's why we have these systems in place. 'It has one additional mutation in the spike protein which in lab studies shows increased infectivity as well as potential increased pathogenicity.' Dr Van Kerkhove added that while XBB.1.16 had been detected in other countries most sequences were from India, where it had replaced other variants. She also said that thus far there had been no reported change in disease severity in XBB.1.16 infections. Meanwhile, a study by Japanese scientists has suggested Arcturus is 1.2 times more infectious than the closely-related Kraken Covid strain. Uploading their findings to the biology research website bioRxiv, they wrote that this advantage suggests the new variant will 'spread worldwide in the near future'. They attributed this to mutations that could make it more difficult for the immune system to tackle and increase its growth rate. However, they said there is no evidence that Arcturus had any greater ability to evade the protection offered by vaccines or prior infection compared to Kraken. Kraken was the dominant strain in the UK by the end of February, causing 50.4 per cent of cases, according to ONS data. Technically XBB.1.5, the Omicron spin-off was at the time considered the most infectious Covid variant yet and sparked concern after triggering a surge in cases in several countries. However while triggering more cases, the new strain did not cause more severe disease than its ancestor Omicron, already considered a 'milder' version of Covid. The rise in cases triggered by Arcturus has led the Indian state of Haryana, in the north of the country, to reintroduce masks in public places due to the 'significant upsurge' in Covid cases. Veena George, Health Minister of southern state Kerala, on Saturday reintroduced masks for pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying conditions. On Monday and Tuesday, hospitals across India took part in mock drills to test their preparedness. Office for National Statistics analysts estimate almost 1.7million Brits were carrying the virus on any given day in the week to March 13. This a jump of almost 14 per cent on the week before Office for National Statistics analysis has calculated how much of each Covid wave infected the population of England. The latest, Omicron BA.4/5, was the biggest, infecting 46.3 per cent of the population. Individuals could be represented twice in the data having, for example, caught Covid once at the start of the pandemic, then again during the Omicron surge Officials have also told states to ramp up testing for the virus. The drills and return of masks are a grim reminder of how the country was devastated by the Delta wave in 2021 with a total of 4.7million excess deaths according to WHO estimates. India's health system was overwhelmed by a surge of cases triggered by that Covid variant, with some hospitals even running out of oxygen. Like similar new Covid variants, virus trackers online decided to call XBB.1.16 'Arcturus' following a pattern of naming new strains after mythological entities. Arcturus means 'Guardian of the Bear' and is related to the constellation called the Great Bear. Around 5,000 fewer abortions are being performed monthly in the US following the overturning of Roe v Wade, a study suggests. There were a total of 77,000 abortions per month from July to December last year, down from 82,000 before the landmark ruling, according to the pro-abortion rights group Society of Family Planning. As bans have gone into effect since June 2022, people seeking abortions have been forced to either travel long distances to another state that allows abortions or order abortion pills online to be delivered in the mail. The report comes amid a landmark legal battle over access to the abortion-inducing medication mifepristone which is likely to make it all the way to the Supreme Court. There were about 5,000 fewer legal abortions each month on average than there were in the months before the June Dobbs v Jackson ruling a drop of about six percent The Texas ruling against the Food and Drug Administrations approval of mifepristone will likely have major implications for abortion access throughout the US, even in states where abortion remains legal More than a dozen states have restricted access to abortions following the overturning of Roe V Wade The June Supreme Court decision overturned the 1973 case Roe v Wade, which guaranteed access to abortion up until the point at which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own. That decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, handed abortion policy making authority back to the states, paving the way for a patchwork of restrictions. Once Roe had been expelled, 13 state bans on the procedure went into effect immediately, causing abortion rates to fall more than 95 percent in those Republican-led states through December. There were surges in some states that neighbor others with restrictions on the books, including Minnesota and Kansas, suggesting that women had to travel across state lines for healthcare. WeCount's report used abortion counts from 83 percent of clinics, hospitals and telehealth providers across the US. Researchers behind the report considered data on all abortions provided by clinics, private medical offices, hospitals, and virtual providers who could prescribe abortion medication via telehealth to send through the mail. The group compared data on abortion counts from April through May ahead of the Dobbs decision in June to data from the months after the decision from July through December 2022. For those places that did not provide data, WeCount estimated the changes based on historical data and nearby clinics. In states without abortion bans, the picture of legality varies widely. Different states have imposed disparate laws. For instance, Georgia has instituted a ban on abortion after six weeks gestation. Despite being less stringent than a full-out ban, Georgias decline in abortions was the second-highest in the US at nearly 11,000 fewer abortions post-Dobbs after Texas, which saw more than 15,500 fewer abortions. Florida, meanwhile, which is currently inching toward tightening its abortion limits from 15 weeks to just six, saw the largest increases in the number of abortions performed. The report does not give a reason for this but it is noteworthy that Florida has long been seen as a lifeline for women in the South, many of whom lived in abortion deserts even before the June Dobbs decision. In a sea of strict limits on abortion access in deep southern states, desperate women were more likely to go to closeby Florida for care. But states in the Northeast and on the West Coast, where abortion is largely legal, did not see those same surges. The total number of abortions performed across the US post-Dobbs fluctuated month-to-month, but was always lower than it was in April 2022. The national abortion rate decreased from 13.2 per 1,000 women of reproductive age in the month of April to 12.3 per 1,000 women for the monthly average of abortions in the six months following the Dobbs decision. Notably, while abortions overall decreased, abortions provided by telehealth providers who could prescribe abortion-inducing pills increased from over 3,600 in April 2022 to more than 8,500 in December. Telehealth providers have been able to prescribe a two-drug regimen consisting of mifepristone and misoprostol for women to take in the privacy of their homes to induce a miscarriage. Medication abortion accounts for more than half of all abortions performed due to its ease of use and safety profile. More than 5.6 million women have successfully used medication abortion since the drugs approval 23 years ago, according to the FDA and complications occur in less than 0.3 percent of patients. But Texas Judge Kacsmaryk, appointed by President Trump in 2017 and known to be a staunch Christian conservative, sided with anti-abortion advocates who argued that the FDA skirted safety guidelines in approving mifepristone. Judge Kacsmaryk said in his ruling: 'But here, FDA acquiesced on its legitimate safety concerns in violation of its statutory duty based on plainly unsound reasoning and studies that did not support its conclusions.' The report comes in the aftermath of dueling court rulings regarding the legality of mifepristone, one of two abortion-inducing medications that now account for more than half of procedures that take place in the US. The above shows the estimated travel time to abortion clinics now Roe v. Wade has been overturned across America, with it rising to about 100 minutes on average. The 18 states highlighted have imposed restrictions on abortion or banned it outright The controversial ruling was slammed by the pharmaceutical industry in a surprise show of unity around the issue of abortion access. Abortion travel times have tripled and sales of overseas termination pills have surged since Roe v. Wade was overturned. The study said: 'People of color and people working to make ends meet have been impacted the most. 'Those unable to overcome travel barriers are likely those with the fewest socioeconomic resources; even small declines in the abortion rate still translate into enormous life impacts for those affected.' The data ran through December 31, during which time the following 13 states had banned abortion with almost no exceptions: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Access to mifepristone is in peril now as the federal government leverages an appeal to US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryks ruling last week to suspend the FDAs 2000 approval of the drug. The immediate future of mifepristone now lies in the hands of the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Currently, the drug is set to be pulled from the market on Friday, but the appeals court could issue an injunction to allow its use for the time being. A new Covid variant that has sent cases skyrocketing in India has already reached more than half of states in the US, data suggests. Health chiefs first detected 'Arcturus', a highly infectious spin-off of Omicron, in New York in late January. But it has since spread to 26 more states and triggered 235 cases, with hotspots emerging in California, New Jersey and Virginia. The variant known scientifically as XBB.1.16 is believed to be the most infectious version of Omicron to date, but there is no evidence that it is more deadly than other currently circulating strains. In India, it is believed to have single-handedly driven a 13-fold surge in cases within a month. Hospitals in the country are on red alert and some states have even brought back masking restrictions. The above map shows the states where the ultra-infectious variant has been detected to date New Covid variant 'Arcturus' had driven a huge increase in cases in India over the past month The US data is available on the global genome sequencing database GISAID, which monitors the spread of Covid variants. It shows that in total, XBB.1.16 has been detected in 27 states with a total of 235 cases recorded to date. These are likely an underestimate because only a handful of positive tests are analyzed for variants. California is the hotspot for the new variant in the United States, with 54 sequences recorded to date. What is 'Arcturus' and should we be worried? A new Covid variant dubbed 'Arcturus' has sparked some concern after causing a surge of cases in India. What is 'Arcturus'? 'Arcturus' is the name that has been given to Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16. It is a spin-off strain, similar to that of the Kraken variant (XBB.1.5). Where has it been spotted? It emerged in March and has been spotted since in 22 countries, but the largest outbreak by far is in India. Why has it sparked concern? 'Arcturus' has led to a surge in cases in India with infections soaring 13-fold within the last month. This has prompted the nation's health authorities to run hospital drills and reintroduce mask mandates in some areas. Is it dangerous? 'Arcturus' has mutations on its spike protein that the Word Health Organisation says could increase its ability to infect people as well as trigger disease. Japanese researchers have suggested it is 1.2 times more infectious than the already super transmissible Kraken. However, there is no evidence that it increases the severity of the disease. But a rise in cases could put health services under pressure. Do vaccines still work? Early results suggest 'Arcturus' does not have any increased ability to evade protection from vaccines compared to other Omicron spin-offs Advertisement Rounding out the top five are New Jersey, 38 cases, Virginia (25) Texas (23) and New York (21). The other states where the strain has been detected are: Washington, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Utah, Ohio, Minnesota, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, Iowa, Indiana, Hawaii, Delaware, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Colorado. Dr Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia in England, said he was not worried about the strain. 'Yes, this variant does appear to spread more readily than other currently circulating variants,' he told DailyMail.com. 'But, on the other hand, it has been around for some time, first being seen in the UK in early February.' He added: 'Although in India it has taken off in the past few weeks so far it has not been increasing rapidly globally. 'From what I can gather in reports from India, there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease. 'I suspect we will see a wave of infections with this variant, but I doubt it will cause a big wave probably not even as great as [previous ones].' Internationally, XBB.1.16 has been detected in 28 countries and Aruba including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. But India has been hit hardest by its emergence. Officials there believe the variant is single-handedly driving the latest wave. The nation's ministry of health this week ran mock drills to check how prepared its hospitals were for another potential influx of patients. And some states have brought back face masks in public settings, the first time for more than a year in some areas. India's Ministry of Health said there were 40,215 active Covid cases on April 12, up by 3,122 in just one day. These Covid cases can include those who test positive while unwell at home as well as those in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently monitoring Arcturus, scientifically known as XBB.1.16 but which was named by variant trackers. It is yet to be added to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) weekly update on circulating Covid variants. It was first detected in late January, with officials saying it has some mutations of concern. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid technical lead, said: 'It's been in circulation for a few months. 'We haven't seen a change in severity in individuals or in populations, but that's why we have these systems in place. 'It has one additional mutation in the spike protein which in lab studies shows increased infectivity as well as potential increased pathogenicity.' Dr Van Kerkhove added that while XBB.1.16 had been detected in other countries, most sequences were from India, where it had replaced other variants. She also said that thus far, there had been no reported change in disease severity in XBB.1.16 infections. At present, the XBB.1.5 variant is dominant in the US, accounting for about 88 percent of cases according to estimates. The above map shows the weekly rate of Covid infections by state in the United States. Although California is the XBB.1.16 hotspot, it does not have the highest case count in the US The above shows the number of Covid cases detected in the US by week. Cases are heading downwards, but the data is less reliable because fewer and fewer people are getting tested This map shows the Covid death rate in the United States per 100,000 people This graph shows the number of deaths involving Covid reported by week in the United States Omicron spin-offs have proven highly infectious and good at evading immunity when they have emerged. But Covid has now become a background issue for many Americans. The US is currently recording about 1,773 Covid deaths every week, compared to the 17,480 fatalities at the peak of the last wave last February. It is also registering about 120,000 cases a week, but this is likely to be a major underestimate because many people with the disease are not getting tested. Vape giant Juul has agreed to pay nearly a half-billion dollars to settle lawsuits from six US states alleging it marketed its addictive devices to minors. The San Francisco-based company will shell out a total of $462 million to California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Washington DC. It did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement. With the deal, Juul will have settled with 47 states and territories for more than $1 billion. Its legal battles are not finished yet, with Juul still facing a lawsuit or investigation in Minnesota, Florida, Michigan, Maine and Alaska. In addition to the state settlements, the company last year agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits by local government entities and individual consumers in recent years. The firm rose to prominence in the 2010s, almost becoming synonymous with the vape industry. Its popular flavored devices were a boon to the company, but now it is being blamed for the surge in nicotine use among the nation's youth. The vape giant Juul has settled a lawsuit for $462million with six states and Washington DC over allegations it illegally marketed its products (file photo) More than 2.5 million US children use e-cigarettes - rising a half-million from last year and reversing downward trends in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) reports that 2.55 million Americans in middle or high school admit using the device in the past 30 days. It is a jump of 500,000, or of 24 per cent, from 2021. It is the first increase since the CDC started gathering annual data in 2019 'This settlement with seven state attorneys general represents another critical part in our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the company's past,' Juul wrote in a statement. The firm has been under fire in recent years, facing lawsuits and investigations from around the country. It rose to prominence from 2015 to 2018, with its flavored nicotine devices becoming a favorite among younger smokers. It reached a valuation of $15billion in 2018. Its troubles began in 2019, when Congress launched an investigation into the company's business practices alleging it was marketing the prohibited substance to minors. 'JUUL appears to be violating FDA regulations against making unapproved express and implied claims that its product helps users stop smoking cigarettes and is safer than cigarettes,' Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, wrote at the time. Also that year, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Chief Dr Scott Gottlieb issued scathing words about Juul, saying it was fueling a 'dramatic spike' in youth nicotine use. The outgoing director, who now serves as a board member for Pfizer, declared an 'epidemic'. Juul pulled most of its flavors from the market and halted much of its advertising in 2019 as pressure from Congress and regulators began to ramp up. In the time since, the firm has faced many lawsuits from state and county-level leaders to individuals who believe the devices harmed them. The $462million settlement Wednesday is the largest payout it has issued yet. Within that, $112.7million will be sent to New York over the next eight years. 'There is no doubt that Juul played a central role in the vaping epidemic today,' Letitia James, the state's attorney general, said during a press conference. 'Juul is paying for widespread harm caused and will undergo severe restrictions on its marketing and sales practices.' California is set to receive $178million, the most any single state has received in a Juul settlement. 'Today is another step forward in our fight to protect our kids from getting hooked on vaping and nicotine,' Rob Bonta, the Golden State's attorney general, said in a statement. 'By using advertising and marketing strategies to lure young people to its products, JUUL put the health and safety of its vulnerable targets and the California public at risk.' The District of Columbia is set to collect $15.2million from the lawsuit. Brian Schwalb, attorney general of the Nation's Capital, said: 'JUUL preyed on children for profit, implementing an intentionally deceptive, manipulative marketing campaign targeting underage users with the intention of creating addicted customers. ''JUUL knew how addictive and dangerous its products were and actively tried to cover up that medical truth.' The CDC report found that a vast majority, nearly 85 per cent of teen e-cigarette users, report using flavored nicotine products. The FDA is cracking down on flavored tobacco products in an effort to reduce teen smoking rates in the US Massachusetts is set to receive $41 million. Colorado will be sent $32million. Last year, the FDA banned the products, though it put the ban on hold and agreed to reconsider the action after the company appealed. Dr Brian King, head of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said last year that adolescent e-cigarette use in the US remained at 'concerning levels'. He went on to say that use of these devices also posed a serious public health risk. Federal health officials said last October that an estimated 2.55million US middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes at least once a month. In that study, it was also found that 85 percent of teens who vaped used flavored devices. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, the addictive substance present in regular cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products. The addictive substance can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control in young people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. The CDC also has said using nicotine in adolescence may raise the risk for future addiction to other drugs. Diptheria cases have risen sharply as a result of small boat crossings, scientists have warned. Researchers said outbreaks across the continent over the past year have been mostly linked to incoming migrants nearly all from Afghanistan. Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection which can be fatal, is rare in the UK because babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against it since the 1940s. But people who are unvaccinated are highly susceptible to the disease, which can cause nasty ulcers on the skin, breathing problems and heart damage if not treated with antibiotics. The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases report for England uses figures from the UK Health Security Agency, and is based on genomic testing of hundreds of cases across ten countries in Europe, including 59 in England. Diptheria cases have risen sharply as a result of small boat crossings, scientists have warned It highlights how 73 cases of the disease were recorded in England in 2022 overall up from 12 cases the previous year and one further case was recorded this year. Most of the patients (97 per cent) were young Afghan males aged under 18 with unknown vaccination history although the UKHSA notes that this group may be over-represented due to greater clinical awareness and case ascertainment among the demographic. Around half of those infected (51 per cent) presented with skin problems caused by the disease, which can include blisters on the legs, feet and hands, and large ulcers. Some 12 per cent had no symptoms, and the disease in these cases was picked up through screening or contact tracing. The authors said: Linked to an increase in migrant arrivals via small boat in the summer of 2022, the UK experienced a sharp increase in diphtheria cases caused by toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae last year. Speaking about data for Europe as a whole, they said there had been evident transmission among migrant people which they believed had occurred during travel within migrant facilities. They added that a lack of proper vaccination among the migrant people was the reason for the outbreaks. To avoid future diphtheria outbreaks, the researchers recommended increased awareness among physicians who provide care to migrants, thorough vaccination protocols and timely screening of at-risk individuals. Most of the patients (97 per cent) were young Afghan males aged under 18 (pictured: health officials dealing with diptheria cases at Manston migrant processing centre) They added: Further monitoring of this situation using molecular typing and genomic approaches will be key to define the source and routes of this resurgence. The research was led by Dr Helena Seth-Smith from the University of Zurich, and Dr Sylvain Brisse of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, who worked with scientists from across Europe including at the European Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people died of diphtheria in the UK in 2021 and one in 2022. Before vaccination began in the UK, there were 60,000 cases a year, with around 4,000 deaths. The disease made headlines last year after an outbreak was traced to the Manston migrant centre in Kent. A hedge fund has placed a record-breaking bet that NatWest shares will plummet as the global banking system comes under further strain. Data from City regulator the Financial Conduct Authority showed London-based Marshall Wace had taken a 0.61 per cent short position in NatWest shares. It was the largest short in NatWest stock reported to the FCA, under regulations in place since 2012, according to analysis by The Times, which first reported the position. Banking shares have come under pressure since a crisis enveloped US lenders including Silicon Valley Bank and European giant Credit Suisse. NatWest shares have fallen by 8 per cent since the crisis began around a month ago. Data from City regulator the Financial Conduct Authority showed Marshall Wace had taken a 0.61 per cent short position in NatWest shares However, markets have been relatively calm since Credit Suisses emergency rescue by its Swiss rival UBS. And analysts think major UK banks - which have been forced to be much more cautious since the 2008 crisis - are largely insulated from the problems. NatWest remains more than 40 per cent owned by the taxpayer after it was rescued during the financial crisis in 2008. Earlier this month, the Treasury pushed back its plan to sell down its holding in the bank by two years, to 2025, in response to the recent share price fall. Sunseeker Bridget Manning was browsing a rail of bright summer clothes in a souvenir shop in Tenerife three weeks ago when the shop assistant asked her whether she was interested in their cheap deals on electronics. The 84-year-old widow was told that for just 150 she could get her hands on a top-of-the-range tablet computer. Even better, she needed to put down only a 26 deposit to take the tablet away with her to try it out. A new electronics scam that has taken off in Tenerife sees shopkeepers accidentally overcharge a credit or debit card without the knowledge of the buyer Have you been a victim of this scam or similar? Contact laurence.dollimore@mailonline.co.uk After a bit of back and forth to change the tablets language from Spanish to English, she returned to the shop on Los Cristianos promenade on the day she was due to fly back to England, and paid in full for the gadget. But upon arriving home in Warwickshire, Bridget discovered her two bank accounts had been emptied of 2,128 money shed saved up by taking on cleaning and ironing jobs in retirement. It seemed like a good deal and they were very charming they even offered me and my friends soft drinks and had us sit down, she recalls of the scammers. I need this money to pay my bills. I am so distraught Ive been crying for many days and cannot sleep at night. Bridget, a retired legal assistant from Stratford-upon-Avon, had fallen for a heartless scam that has taken off in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Money Mail has heard from a number of victims, who say the ruse typically starts with a shop offering a product at a very low price and then pressuring the customer into upgrading to another item at a considerably higher price. The shopkeepers then accidentally overcharge a credit or debit card without the knowledge of the buyer. HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP What you need to know about money every week: This is Money podcast When Bridget bought her tablet, she was told her card which she uses for holidays did not work. After three attempts, she tried a second debit card for her main bank account with Santander and entered her PIN. This was accepted and she was given a guarantee for the tablet. But she now recalls how the conman dangled his hand in front of the payment terminal screen to obscure the sums entered. Bridget Manning was told that for just 150 she could get her hands on a top-of-the-range tablet computer Bridget says she couldnt see the total she was being charged and did not receive a receipt either. As part of the bluff, the shop assistant asked to take photographs of her passport, with the excuse that it would help her to declare the tablet when she went through customs. As Bridget found, one red flag for this scam is the salesman suggesting you return to the shop on the last day of your holiday to make the full payment. The idea is that youll be many hundreds of miles away before you realise youve been hoodwinked. When Bridget notified Santander that she had fallen victim to a scam, she was denied any compensation on the grounds that she had willingly entered her PIN to make the payment. Money Mail has asked the bank to investigate again. After we got involved, Santander agreed to reimburse Bridget the full 2,128 she had lost. A spokesman for the bank says: We would encourage all customers always to check carefully that they are paying the correct amount before making any payment, and if they are in any doubt not to make it. It couldnt explain how both accounts were fully drained. It is vital to see the sum you are paying on the card terminal before entering your PIN, they added. Lynn Mackenzie also fell victim when she was on holiday in Tenerife in November last year. She was told she had to sign up for broadband in order to set up the tablet in English, but that the subscription could be cancelled as soon as she got home. Upon realising it was a scam, she urgently asked her bank to block the payment, but it was too late 1,750 had already been transferred. Another reader, Susie Adlington, was horrified to find that her father had been conned. He was on a surprise holiday to Tenerife that she and her uncle had taken him on to celebrate his 87th birthday. We were on a mobility scooter when a guy came out of a shop on the seafront promenade and started speaking to us about buying a tablet and a phone SIM card, Susie says. Her father lost 1,500 to the scammers, while her uncle handed over 280 in cash. A surprise birthday in the sun turned into a nightmare. These terrible people are preying on elderly folk. j.beard@dailymail.co.uk The previous record amount paid was 7.2million in 2008 for the '1' plate 'P - 7' plate was bought by an anonymous bidder at a charity auction on Saturday There are plenty of drivers in the UK who love a personalised number plate. British motorists spend millions of pounds on them every year and the Treasury has cashed in on billions from private plate sales since their inception. But one driver has just obliterated the highest amount paid for one, splashing out an incredible 12million on a very special Dubai plate. The '7' plate sold at a Dubai charity auction at the weekend for a record 55million Dirham - that's around 5million more than the previous record held since 2008. How much? An anonymous bidder forked out a massive 12million on the '7' number plate in Dubai at a charity auction hosted on Saturday. It has sent a new world record for the amount paid for a private plate Emirates Auction sold the plate during the 'Most Noble Numbers' charity event hosted in Dubai on Saturday. The 'P - 7' plate - which reads simply as '7' in Dubai - has gazumped the 52.2million Dirham paid for the '5 - 1' (which displays as '1' in the city) number plate in 2008, which worked out at the time at 7.2million. That previous record amount was paid by Dubai businessman Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri and has been used on his Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Mercedes G-Wagen. However, the identity of Saturday's winning bidder has been kept anonymous. Unless the buyer has an order placed on a 20million Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, which is the most expensive new car in the world, then the chances are that their latest purchase will cost more than the vehicle it is fixed to. The record 12million is nothing in comparison to the highest figure paid for a car at auction, though. That mind-boggling amount was achieved last year when an exceptionally rare 1955 Mercedes SLR 300 Uhlenhaut Coupe sold at a top-secret auction in Germany for a world record 115million. With '7' considered lucky in many cultures around the world, this isn't the first occasion where a driver has forked out a huge sum on a plate with that number. Back in 2016, a 7 number plate sold for 2.96million in the United Arab Emirates. That same plate had changed hands only six years previous for 3million. The weekend sale now sees 'P - 7' top the global chart, with nine of the ten record highest prices paid for plates all in the UAE. The 'P - 7' plate - which reads simply as '7' in Dubai - has eclipsed the 52.2million Dirham paid for the '5 - 1' (which displays as '1') number plate in 2008, which worked out at the time at around 7.2million Emirates Auction sold the plate during the 'Most Noble Numbers' charity event hosted in Dubai on Saturday The charity auction of special number plates was organised to generate funds for the largest Ramadan sustainable food aid project The charity auction event was part of the '1 Billion Meals Endowment' campaign, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish the largest Ramadan sustainable food aid endowment fund. In total, some 21.2million was raised from sale of a number of 'special vehicle plates'. Speaking after the auction, Abdulla Matar Almannaei, chairman of Emirates Auction, said: 'Breaking world records is always exhilarating, but breaking a world record while making a difference in people's lives is truly priceless. 'The sale of plate number P - 7 for $15million [12million] at the Most Noble Numbers charity auction is a testament to the generosity and commitment of our bidders towards supporting the '1 Billion Meals Endowment' campaign. 'We at Emirates Auction are proud to have played a role in this achievement, and we look forward to continuing our support for charitable causes through innovative auction events.' The record amount eclipsed the highest figures paid in the UK for private plates. The currently known biggest amount forked out was in 2014 when a buyer spent 518,480 on plate '25 0'. With '7' considered lucky in many cultures around the world, this isn't the first occasion where a driver has forked out a huge sum on a number plate with that number On December 30 last year, I transferred 48,000 from my Revolut account to National Savings & Investments (NS&I) to buy extra Premium Bonds on top of the 2,000 worth I already held. Revolut confirmed the money was received by NS&I on the same day. Last month, having not had a notification of any prizes, I logged on to my account to check I hadn't missed any. I was shocked to discover only the original 2,000 balance was showing. NS&I seems to have lost my money. G. P., Chelmsford, Essex. Missing thousands: A reader got a nasty shock when the 48,000 they transferred to National Savings & Investments to buy Premium Bonds seemingly disappeared Sally Hamilton replies: When you discovered your money was missing, you immediately phoned NS&I, which reassuringly told you it had a record of receiving the 48,000. But then it added that it no longer had your funds. It turned out your transfer had not been accepted, as the home address listed for your Revolut account did not match the address on your NS&I account. You explained that your premium bond account is registered with your UK address. But you also have a home in Spain, to which the Revolut account is registered, as you use this firm for certain banking arrangements while abroad. You were told by NS&I employees that the money had been returned automatically to Revolut but they had no reference numbers that could help you trace the money. Worryingly, your Revolut account did not show any record of your money either. Where was it? I contacted NS&I on your behalf, and it began the detective work to locate your savings. It emerged a few days later that Revolut had bounced the returned payment because its security systems also did not like the mismatched addresses on your two accounts. In this game of ping-pong with your money, the funds had ended up back at NS&I. Since there was no reference number attached to this transfer, the money vanished into a black hole. Even when you later managed to obtain a payment ID for the Revolut funds, this somehow got missed by NS&I when you passed it on, and no action was taken by staff, leaving you panicked your money was lost for good. Hardly premium service from the Premium Bonds provider. However, I am pleased to report that after a comprehensive search of its coffers, NS&I has found your 48,000. It was sitting in its 'pending' account. An NS&I spokesman says: 'We are sorry to hear that G. P. had difficulty transferring money from his Revolut account to his NS&I account. 'We have given him a 150 goodwill payment for the inconvenience caused due to our inaction.' Unfortunately, your saga hasn't reached a full conclusion yet, because despite an understanding that the funds would be transferred directly to your bank account so you could quickly reapply for your Premium Bonds, NS&I sent you a cheque instead. You fear the inevitable delays could lead to you missing another monthly Ernie draw. Let's hope the money is credited quickly and your Premium Bonds luck changes for the better. Straight to the point Privelege Insurance gave me a car and home insurance renewal quote 80 pc higher than last year. I called, cancelled and found cheaper cover elsewhere three weeks before it was due to renew. But Privilege then took a 1,652 payment from my credit card on March 28. D. I., by email. After being told you would receive a refund when you called in March, 11 days later the money has finally arrived in your account. *** Shell Energy disconnected my landline and is charging me for broadband, which I do not want. I would like my phone line back. K. R., Halifax, W. Yorkshire. A spokesman for Shell says there is a fault on your landline and it is working to get this fixed. Shell has apologised for the inconvenience and will reimburse you for the days your line has not been working. It says there is no package available without broadband, so you are not being charged extra for this. *** I have solar panels and had an arrangement with SSE to supply them with energy, for which we were paid every quarter. In August, Ovo took over, but since then we've not received any money. C. C., Suffolk. OVO contacted you in February to say that a meter inspection with a photo is necessary every two years. You provided this but it was too late for the December payment. You will receive your 450 payment in May and will be sent 60 as a gesture of goodwill. Hospital can't find my wife's wedding ring My wife, who has dementia, was an inpatient at Trafford General Hospital last May. While there, her wedding ring and hearing aid went missing. I completed a claim form, which I posted, along with two estimates. Since then, I have heard nothing, despite making numerous phone calls to the hospital and being passed from pillar to post. W. H., Manchester. Lost: This reader's wife had her wedding ring go missing while staying in hospital Sally Hamilton replies: It is upsetting enough to have a sick loved-one in hospital, but to have her wedding ring and her hearing aid go astray while in the care of the NHS simply added to your distress. Hospitals are busy and frenetic places and patients' possessions can sadly make easy targets for determined thieves, or can just go missing in the general mayhem. My elderly mother lost spectacles and her lower dentures during a hospital stay a few years ago, which caused great upset and inconvenience. A set of false teeth was found in lost property but sadly it didn't belong to her. The specs were also never discovered. The usual advice for patients is not to take along any money or valuables when facing a hospital stay or, if this is unavoidable, to hand such items over to the safe custody of the ward (and have them signed for), if that option is available. But few people would imagine needing to remove their wedding ring in these circumstances. And how many people can manage without their hearing aids? You had enough to worry about without these important items vanishing while your wife was ill. The lack of communication from the hospital following your claim added to your distress over the ten months or so since the items were lost. We all know the NHS is under severe pressure, but it is vital that patients and families can have confidence that a hospital is looking after all their interests and not just their health. Most trusts will have systems in place for dealing with such incidents. The police might also need to be called in certain circumstances if theft is suspected. As you are one of your wife's main carers, you certainly have enough to deal with, without having to chase this claim over and over again. You recently threatened the hospital with legal action if you didn't hear anything about your case, but to no avail and contacted me for help because you were at the end of your tether. I am pleased to say that within a few days of me contacting Trafford General Hospital on your behalf, staff got in touch with you directly, and your claim was settled soon afterwards. You and your wife received 1,200 in settlement, which you tell me you are happy with. Operation successful. Heathrow celebrated a cracking Easter getaway as millions of passengers jetted off. The airport said yesterday that it handled more than 6.2m passengers in March 1m more than in February. And, in a sign the Easter holidays were particularly busy, the final day of March was one of the airports busiest days since 2019 as schools broke up and families went away. Taking-off: Heathrow said that it handled more than 6.2m passengers in March 1m more than in February Some 221,606 passengers travelled through Heathrow on March 31 alone. The airport insisted service levels were excellent despite strikes. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye, who is stepping down this year, said: I am very proud of the way that colleagues have pulled together to ensure passengers got away smoothly on their Easter holidays. The worlds largest gold miner raised its takeover offer for its main rival in an ongoing bid to consolidate its grip on the market. Colorado-based Newmont has hiked the offer for Australian group Newcrest to 15.7billion from 13.7billion, which was rejected in February. Newmont founded Newcrest in the 1960s and is trying to bring the business back together after splitting it three decades ago. Golden opportunity: Colorado-based Newmont has hiked the offer for Australian group Newcrest to 15.7bn from 13.7bn, which was rejected in February The latest bid, which the US giant has said is its best and final offer, would see Newcrest investors control 31 per cent of the combined firm. Newmont has promised that if the takeover succeeds, it will keep a listing on the Australian stock exchange. It is conducting due diligence work, which is expected to be completed within the next four weeks. A tie-up with Newcrest would boost Newmonts access to copper reserves as well as increase its exposure to investment funds. But such a large merger is likely to face scrutiny from regulators, particularly in Australia where Newmont will control four of the five largest gold mines. Black Sheep is considering a sale of the business after appointing financial advisers to help it navigate choppy economic waters. The North Yorkshire independent brewer has launched a strategic review after flagging the after-effects of Covid-19 on pubs and the impact of the cost of living crisis on consumers spending. Breweries have struggled since the pandemic struck and pubs were forced to close in lockdowns. In the family: Brewer Black Sheep -set up in 1992 by Paul Theakston (pictured with with sons Jo and Rob) - has struggled since the pandemic The sale of Black Sheep would mark a significant setback for the industry. The company was set up in 1992 by Paul Theakston to champion independent brewing in Yorkshire after his family business T&R Theakston was bought out by a larger brewer. Theakston describes himself as the Black Sheep after leaving the family business and building his own site in Masham, the same town where five generations of Theakstons brewed beer before the sale. Theakston Brewery came back into family control following a buy-back from Simon Theakston and his brothers in 2003. Across its almost 200 year history, the brewery has always operated out of its Masham home town. Black Sheep's beers including its flagship Black Sheep Ale and Cry Wolf IPA are sold in pubs and supermarkets across the UK. Black Sheep told investors yesterday its ambitious growth plans were being held back by a significant constraint on funding amid prevailing economic conditions. Experts at management consultants Teneo will help the board look at options, including a merger or acquisition in whole or in part. But a sale is not guaranteed, with Black Sheep stressing it would only opt for one if it would create a stable base for the future. In its 2022 annual report, Black Sheep lamented the industrys slow recovery after Covid and said breweries would continue to be economically affected for some time. EY has scrapped plans to break up its business after months of internal backlash and disagreement. The accounting and consultancy giant had been aiming to separate its audit and consulting businesses in a plan code-named Project Everest, in what would have been the biggest shake-up of the industry in more than two decades. But partners are set to be told the plan has been shelved as bosses look at a different strategy, the Financial Times reported. Break up plan: Accounting and consultancy giant EY had been aiming to separate its audit and consulting businesses in a plan code-named Project Everest When it was conceived last year, EY planned to put the split to a vote of its 13,000 partners as early as October 2022. Proponents argued it would free both sides of EY from conflict-of-interest restrictions that prevent it from selling consulting services to its audit clients. But the plan stalled amid an outbreak of infighting at the top levels and now seems set to be permanently scrapped. A key barrier to the plan was the EYs US business, which had been fighting to keep more of its tax and transaction advisory work to support the audit business. EYs chairman in the US, Julie Boland, called for the split to be halted last month. The plans were further complicated when the feud spilled into the public eye, causing concern for many of EYs clients such as BP, Apple and Google owner Alphabet. The U-turn is yet another headache for EY as it battles with the fallout of several scandals. Last week, it was banned from taking on new listed audit clients in Germany for two years by the countrys regulator after failures in its work on collapsed payments firm Wirecard. EY is still grappling with the effects of an exam cheating scandal in the US which saw it fined 81million by regulators last year. Ex-Barclays boss Jes Staley has been accused of whining by a judge overseeing legal action connected to his relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Jed Rakoff rejected a request by Staley to separate a lawsuit against him by his one-time employer JP Morgan from two other cases involving the Wall Street bank. Staley also asked for the trial date to be pushed back to March 2024. Denied: Judge Jed Rakoff rejected a request by Staley (pictured) to separate a lawsuit against him by his one-time employer JP Morgan from two other cases involving the Wall Street bank None of Staleys whines remotely warrants either a severance or a change in the joint trial date, the judge said in a New York court ruling. The ruling dismissed the supposed need of his 400-attorney law firm for more time to prepare. It is the latest episode in a legal battle, centred on Epsteins behaviour, involving JP Morgan. Staley was a senior executive at the investment bank before he joined Barclays and financier Epstein was his client. JP Morgan faces two civil suits alleging it enabled Epsteins activities one from the US Virgin Islands, where Epstein had a home, and the other brought by an alleged victim. Lawyers for the US Virgin Islands claimed that the disgraced financiers behaviour was so widely known at JP Morgan that senior executives joked about his interest in young girls. The bank is seeking to claw back tens of millions of dollars it paid Staley from 2006 to 2013 to cover costs it may incur as a result. Court documents show it has identified Staley who quit as Barclays boss in November 2021 after a probe by City regulators into his relationship with Epstein as the powerful financial executive said by the alleged anonymous victim Jane Doe to have sexually assaulted her. She claimed Staley (pictured) had Epsteins permission to do what he wanted to her but she had been too afraid to name him. Staleys legal team, in seeking to sever the cases, has described allegations about his connection to Epstein as slanderous and baseless and claimed the legal timeline gave him grossly insufficient time to mount a defence. But the judge said: Stripped of its heated rhetoric, Staleys motion identifies no issue that was not previously considered by the court. His lawyer declined to comment when asked by the Mail about the whines. Some bereaved loved ones have been in limbo for up to a year over the issue Hundreds of families are still caught in a backlog of complaints following a customer service meltdown at Scottish Widows, despite the firm's promises to clear the logjam by the end of March. Many bereaved families have waited months to get hold of money they are entitled to from the insurance and pension firm after a loved one has died. In the worst cases, it has taken almost a year for the cash to be paid out. In an exclusive interview with Money Mail in January, Scottish Widows' chief operating officer Donald MacKechnie told us that up to 6,000 cases of complaints were waiting to be resolved. Backlog: Many bereaved families have waited months to get hold of money from Scottish Widows despite the firm's promises to clear the logjam by the end of March He promised that all of those cases would be cleared by March 31, which came as a relief to frustrated customers. Within the first month, the backlog had fallen to 4,700. But as of March 31, more than 600 complaints were still pending. A spokesman for Scottish Widows says: 'The remainder are generally more complex cases and will be resolved in the weeks ahead. 'We're very sorry that some of our customers have not received the level of service they should have over recent months.' The company has now increased the number of staff answering calls and dealing with customer requests. Complaints should be resolved within four weeks of being lodged, the spokesman adds. j.beard@dailymail.co.uk Four migrants who died trying to reach the UK when their dinghy deflated in the English Channel last week have still not been identified. Inquests into the deaths of the four men are due to open this Friday but they have been listed as 'unknown'. All have been described as male but no ages were given, although one is thought to have been a teenager, according to reports. The inquests are due to be opened in Maidstone, Kent, on Friday but it is expected they will then be adjourned pending an ongoing police investigation into the case. Four migrants who died trying to reach the UK when their dinghy deflated in the English Channel last week have still not been identified A lifejacket floating in the sea close to where the Channel tragedy is believed to have happened A major international rescue operation was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, December 14, after a dinghy began to deflate between Lydd and Cap Gris-Nez. British and French rescue vessels and helicopters headed to the scene, including Royal Navy patrol boats, Border Force boats and the RNLI, to find survivors. The crew of a British fishing boat were able to pull 31 people to safety after they heard cries for help in the darkness. A total of 401 migrants were picked up at sea on the same day, according to official figures. Detectives launched an investigation into the incident last week. Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, assisted by the National Crime Agency, are involved in the operation. A major international rescue operation was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, December 14 A Kent Police spokesperson said last week: 'The circumstances surrounding the deaths of four people in the English Channel are being investigated by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, assisted by the National Crime Agency. 'Kent Police was called to Dover to assist HM Coastguard following a report received in the early hours of Wednesday 14 December 2022 of a small boat in distress in the water. 'A multi-agency search and rescue operation was carried out, resulting in 39 people being safely brought to shore. Four other people have been pronounced deceased. 'Officers are working to establish the identity of the deceased and locate the next of kin.' Ibrahima Bah, 19, is due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court in Kent on January 16, 2023, charged with knowingly facilitating the attempted arrival in the UK of people he knew or had reasonable cause to believe were asylum seekers. He pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court, Kent, on Monday. It is almost 16 years since she disappeared A Polish woman's claims she was missing British child Madeleine McCann came crashing down this week making it just one more of the thousands of dead ends and red herrings in a mystery that have touched all corners of the globe - even Australia. Julia Faustyna, 21, claimed she might be the adult British girl who disappeared at the age of three from a Portuguese resort where her family was holidaying in May of 2007 but this was disproved by a DNA test last week. The tests showed she is not Madeline, who was from the English Midlands city of Leicestershire, but was from Poland, with some Lithuanian and Romanian heritage. Dr Fia Johansson, a private investigator and 'pyschic medium' who acted as Ms Faustyna's spokespeson, confirmed the find. 'She is absolutely 100 percent from Poland,' Dr Johansson said. 'At least Julia got the investigators to move on the McCann case she made things happen.' Ms Faustyna, who also goes by Julia Wendell or Julia Wandelt, thought she might have been Madeleine because she had the same rare blotch in her right iris and other similar facial features. The 16th anniversary of Maddie's disappearance is approaching this year. She would be 19, turning 20 in May, if still alive She recalled being sexually abused as a child by a 'German pedophile' who resembles an official police sketch of the man suspected to have abducted Madeleine but said she had no other memories of her early childhood. Her parents insisted Ms Faustyan was their natural born daughter. In response to this Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate McCann issued a short statement through a spokesperson. 'There isn't anything to report at this time. If and when there is, it will come from The Metropolitan Police' the spokesperson said. These are the latest twists in a case that has captivated global attention ever since the McCann parents fronted the media nearly 16 years ago to plead for the return of their blonde-haired girl. Madeleine went missing from a holiday apartment in the port town of Praia da Luz on the southern tip of Portugal as her parents were dining with six other friends at a tapas restaurant 100 metres away. The adults said they were checking on Madeleine and her two-year-old twin siblings Sean and Amelie, who have turned 18 this year, every 15 minutes. However, when Kate checked at 10pm that night Madeleine's bed was empty, which prompted a frantic search of the resort assisted by staff and a call to police. Since that fateful night Portuguese, British and other international police along with private investigators have exhaustively investigated thousands of leads and put forward a dozens of theories about what happened to Madeleine. Polish woman Julia Faustyna has claimed she could be Madeleine McCann as she has the same blotch in her right eye and doesn't remember her childhood but claims to have been sexually abused by a German pedophile matching a police sketch of a suspect in the case of the missing British girl There has even been an Australian connection when private investigators working for the McCann parents sought to interview luxury yacht owner and Perth businesswoman Rhonda Wyllie along with her daughter Melissa Karlson in 2009. The investigators believed Ms Wyllie's 32-metre yacht, Willpower, was moored in the Spanish city of Barcelona three days after Madeleine disappeared. Ms Wyllie and Ms Karlson, who was 31 at the time, denied they or the yacht had been in Barcelona during the time in question. There is no suggestion that Mrs Wyllie and Ms Karlson had anything to do with Madeleine's disappearance. 'Rhonda and Melissa are perplexed by the media coverage of the past 24 hours, especially given that neither of them was actually in Spain on the night in question,' a spokesperson said at the time. A British businessman said during a night out on the marina three days after Maddie went missing he spoke to a 30-year-old woman with an 'Australian accent', who asked if he was there to 'deliver my new daughter'. The woman, who has never been identified, reportedly went into a nearby bar and had a heated conversation with a local in fluent Spanish. The tourist, who was chaperoning his brother on a stag party, was too shocked to reply and the woman repeated the question twice more. A second member of the party also spoke to the woman before she left. It is believed that the woman mistook the witness for a man she had arranged to meet. At an early stage of investigations Portuguese police accused the McCann parents of covering up an accidental death of Madeleine but those suspicions were dismissed by Portugal's attorney-general in 2008. Melissa Karlson was at one stage sought for questioning by private investigators as a possible suspect in the Madeleine disappearance There has also been speculation that the young girl wandered out of the apartment by herself and came to grief, possibly falling down a hole that was covered up the next day at a nearby work site. German serial rapist and child molestor Christian Brueckner was identified as a prime suspect in the case in April of last year but despite claims by his nation's police that charges were close to being laid they have not eventuated. Brueckner, who was convicted of raping a 10-year-old girl at Praia da Luz a month before Madeleine disappeared and remained in the region, is serving time in Germany for the rape and murder of a 72-year-old woman. From his prison cell he has maintained he had no involvement with Madeleine's disappearance. Rhonda Wyllie (pictured left chatting with British tycoon Richard Branson) owned a luxury yacht that private investigators believed could be connected with Madeleine's disappearance In 2007 it was revealed there had been more than 8600 reported possible sightings of or potential leads on Madeleine from around the globe. This included the discovery of a suitcase containing the skeletal remains of a fair-haired young girl next to a motorway in Wynarka, near Adelaide in 2015. Forensic experts believed the girl died in 2007 and with no children reported missing matching the remains there was speculation they could belong to Madeleine. However, a DNA test did not find a match. It was recently reported by English tabloid The Sun that UK police are set to get approval to continue spending hundreds of thousands of pounds in the continued search for Madeleine. Since 2011 UK police are estimated to have spent $30million on the case but for all the money and man hours spent what happened to the three-year-old girl seems no clearer now than the night she disappeared. Her parents, Kate and Gerry, have never given up the hope of one day being reunited with their daughter. In a statement released last year, the McCanns wrote: 'This year we mark fifteen years since we last saw Madeleine. It feels no harder than any other but no easier either. It's a very long time. 'Many people talk about the need for 'closure'. It's always felt a strange term. Regardless of outcome, Madeleine will always be our daughter and a truly horrific crime has been committed. These things will remain. 'It is true though that uncertainty creates weakness; knowledge and certainty give strength, and for this reason our need for answers, for the truth, is essential. We are grateful for the ongoing work and commitment of the UK, Portuguese and German authorities as it is this combined police effort which will yield results and bring us those answers. 'As always, we would like to thank all of our supporters for their continued good wishes and support. It is a huge comfort to know that regardless of time passed, Madeleine is still in people's hearts and minds.' Vulgarities, hot potatoes, and shattered dishes: this is the back story of a rising California Democrat and how reports of anger issues created collateral damage that has shrouded her political career. Now Rep. Katie Porter wants to run for higher office, but can she convince the voters and donors that she's the best candidate for the decisive role? As she runs for Dianne Feinstein's coveted seat, Porter must prove that she's the West Coast version of Massachusetts' Sen. Elizabeth Warren - a fiery progressive champion versus the ill-tempered politician she is according to former staffers, politicians and her ex-husband. California Democrats will have to choose between Porter, a third-term congresswoman, and longtime liberal heavyweights like Reps. Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee in the Senate primary. Porter is pictured with son Paul on election night 2022 Porter reads a book as Republicans hash it out over the speaker's race Porter's divorce almost became a matter for her House campaign to deal with in 2018, but it didn't - the California Democrat told the story of the domestic abuse she said she suffered to the Huffington Post. She's now on the media circuit with a memoir out Tuesday that dives deeper into her account of the relationship and shows off her 'no bulls*** style' of politics -- I Swear: Politics is Messier Than My Minivan. But after reports claimed she used abusive language toward staff, her divorce documents have resurfaced to DailyMail.com. They tell the story of a messy and dramatic ending to the congresswoman's marriage that left her one of Capitol Hill's rare single moms raising school-age children. On March 20, 2013, Porter and then-husband Matthew Hoffman filed for divorce but decided they would continue to live in the same home for the sake of their three children. But from there, the relationship deteriorated - with Porter and Hoffman filing restraining orders against each other and alleging abuse. Old incidents came to light in divorce filings, with Hoffman alleging Porter dumped a bowl of steaming hot boiled potatoes on his head. From 2009 on, Porter was the sole breadwinner, and Hoffman stayed home with the kids. Hoffman insisted that Porter was prone to 'extreme anger' and had a 'history of snapping and screaming at [him] and the children,' and would 'claw and scratch her arms' while blaming him for the markings. Hoffman said Porter frequently said things like 'you f***ing idiot!' and 'you're f***ing incompetent.' 'She would not let me have a cell phone because she said, 'you're too f***ing dumb to operate it,'' Hoffman said. No confirmed photos of Porter's ex-husband are in circulation. Porter said in divorce documents that their marriage had been 'troubled' for four years leading to divorce, but her husband had 'not acted violently' other than one incident years earlier where Hoffman punched a wall until she began the process of leaving him. In a filing, Porter said she and Hoffman had attended anger management classes together in 2009. But in another instance, Hoffman said that in 2012 Porter came home from work one day enraged that the house was not clean and slammed a glass coffee pot on the counter, causing glass shards to spray everywhere and cut him. 'This house is a mess! You f***ing slob! You're incompetent! What the f*** do you do all day!' Porter allegedly said while the three kids were nearby in the living room. Hoffman said Porter began picking up dishes and saying, 'Look how f***ing dirty this is.' In the Spring of 2006, Hoffman said Porter came into the kitchen as he was making mashed potatoes for dinner. As their oldest child Luke sat in the highchair, Porter looked at the potatoes in a ceramic bowl and yelled 'Can't you read the f***ing instructions!' 'She then took the ceramic bowl of steaming hot potatoes and dumped it on my head, burning my scalp,' Hoffman said. When the Iowa-born law school professor-turned-outspoken progressive first ran for her seat, she said the divorce and restraining order became a 'whisper campaign' among her primary opponents -- with a rival campaign reportedly telling people something in her divorce documents would disqualify her from running. So instead of waiting for her dirty laundry to be aired by opponents, Porter went to the media herself. Revelations from Hoffman's restraining order request against Porter House Democrat Katie Porter wears batgirl outfit on the same day as a key vote on Trump's impeachment inquiry Porter hugs her son Luke on the campaign trail in 2018 'To be made to feel like I've done anything wrong I'm just outraged,' Porter told the Huffington Post. 'I have a wonderful track record. I've worked really hard to fight for consumers. That's what I should be campaigning on. But I'm not going to let anyone say that because a woman's been a victim of domestic violence because she stood up for her children's safety, she's disqualified. Who will run then?' Since assuming office Porter's profile has risen, whether over her tough line of questioning of Trump officials during committee hearings or a fight with Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan in which she told Khan her police force was a 'disgrace' and added a threat: 'You can lecture me on professionalism. And see what happens.' Porter blasted the department for arresting a man she lived with after he allegedly assaulted a pro-Trump protester in July 2021. Julian Willis spent only 'brief' time in custody for allegedly giving a pro-Trump protester a bloody nose, but Porter texted the mayor: 'I will never trust them again' and 'your police force is a disgrace,' reported Fox News. In 2019 Porter made waves by wearing a 'Batgirl' costume to the House floor to vote for Donald Trump's first impeachment inquiry, and in 2023 she was pictured reading 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***' during the heated speaker's vote. Last year text messages came to light where an angry Porter told a staffer, Wounded Warrior fellow Sasha Georgiades 'You gave me Covid' and told her not to return to the office. As a boss, Georgiades, who spent two years with Porter's office, told DailyMail.com she felt Porter was 'very dismissive' and 'short-tempered.' 'It didn't really take much to make her upset,' Georgiades said, recounting a time when she wrote a brief for a call Porter was about to place to congratulate a student on being accepted to a service academy. 'I forgot to change 'she' to 'he' on a brief,' she said, 'I just forgot to change one part ... I got in trouble for that because I would have ruined her phone call to this kid. It's like, why are you yelling at me?' After Georgiades' claims, anonymous ex-staffers came forward on the Dear White Staffers Instagram account to say they'd heard Porter say 'rude/racist things' while trying to 'mask it as edgy humor' and badmouthing Democrat leadership. 'Thinks she knows better and talks s--- about other members, leadership, staffers, local [elected officials], etc., at full volume, in public, and to literally [anyone] who will listen,' the post reads. And according to Hoffman's restraining order request, in November 2011, Porter decided she would have a C-Section to deliver their oldest daughter Elizabeth, named after Porter's law school mentor Warren. Hoffman alleged their middle son Paul, two and a half years old, was 'very excited to have a baby sister' and was talking to Porter about it. Hoffman said Porter stood over Paul and screamed, 'Get out of my face and leave me alone!' Hoffman said he rushed in, and Porter struck him in the face and said, 'Why can't you keep them away from me?' Porter called the allegation 'absolutely false.' And on Thanksgiving 2011, Hoffman said Porter came in as he made Jell-O with the kids and said, 'Are you so f***ing stupid you can't make jello? How f***ing dumb are you!' He said she kept telling him he was useless. Hoffman told stories about Porter's alleged anger to try to get a restraining order on April 30, 2013 One fateful day about a month after the couple filed - April 24, 2013, the couple got into a fight that led to Hoffman's arrest. The pair had agreed to a schedule where when it was Hoffman's morning with the kids, Porter would not be there. On April 24, Hoffman alleged Porter refused to leave the house and slowly moved around, 'taunting and laughing at me.' Porter insisted she was simply getting ready for work. Hoffman said Porter began brushing her teeth 'very slowly,' and he punched a light switch out of frustration. Porter claimed Hoffman squeezed her hands, ripped the floss out of her hand, demanded she leave the house and yelled that she was 'ruining our children' called her a 'dumb b***h,' 'despicable person,' 'f***ing evil' and 'should rot in hell.' Hoffman, who admitted to grabbing her hands to take her toothbrush away, claimed that Porter was the one who ran at him and punched him, causing a bruise on his arm. Porter said that the evening before, Hoffman had thrown the DVD case for 'Californication Season 4' across the room and said, 'This is pornography. Only a terrible person would watch this.' Porter said Hoffman used his elbow to shove her, shoved the dining room table, and threw a newspaper at her. Porter went to work and did not call the police until nearly 11 hours later, during which time the kids were under the care of Hoffman. 'During the day, I had time to process what happened that morning and more frequently since I filed for divorce,' she said. She said Hoffman urged her not to call the police - the police had been involved in an altercation of theirs only a month earlier. She said Hoffman told her: 'If I did, our children would go to foster care' and asked if she wanted him to kill himself. 'Is that what you are trying to make happen here?' he allegedly said, according to the restraining order request. According to a police report, when cops came to talk to Hoffman, their seven-year-old Luke told them Hoffman had hit Porter in the past and had kicked him but did not go into detail. Text from Hoffman's request for a restraining order against Porter Porter filed for - and won - a temporary emergency protective order against her husband. Hoffman, in turn, filed his own domestic violence restraining order. Both claimed the other had filed one in retaliation to better their standing with the law. In 2014, the pair came to an agreement: Porter would pay her ex-husband spousal and child support, and they would share custody of the children - 70 percent of the time with Porter and 30 percent with Hoffman. Porter's campaign notes that according to a petitioner's brief, Hoffman regretted making the allegations against his wife as they were hashing out a custody and financial agreement. 'Porter's then-husband's [protective order] request was not supported by any evidence, other than his false allegations,' Porter campaign spokesperson Lindsay Reilly told DailyMail.com. 'This common defensive tactic is designed to intimidate a victim.' Hoffman says Porter filed a restraining order to look better in the eyes of the law. Porter claimed Hoffman did so for the same reason Hoffman's account of the day that led to Porter calling the police and him being arrested Hoffman tells his version of what happened before police came and arrested him Porter calls Hoffman's version of events 'absolutely not accurate' Police account in Porter's restraining order request Porter's account of what led her to call the police on April 24, 2013 Tupperware has warned that it could face extinction unless it can quickly raise new financing as a leading retails expert how it all went wrong for the brand. The 77-year-old food storage business, which has been operating in Australia since 1961, pulled out of New Zealand last year and has struggled in recent years with the demand for home products falling amid the growth of home delivery apps and the lack of engagement in their iconic Tupperware parties. While the brand's sales briefly surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, as families prepared more home-cooked meals during lockdown, the trend sharply reversed last year as restaurant dining boomed once again. On Friday, Tupperware disclosed it has 'substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern' in the face of a cash crunch and pressure from creditors, after errors in its financial statements left it unable to timely file an annual report. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Professor Gary Mortimer, a business and retail expert at the Queensland University of Technology, said the company has failed to innovate or appeal to younger customers. Tupperware has seen its market dominance threatened by competition from other popular brands including Rubbermaid, Glad, Pyrex and Oxo Tupperware sales have been in decline since peaking in 2013. A bump in sales during pandemic lockdowns sharply reversed last year, and the company is facing insolvency He explained that fewer people are home than in the 1960s, and with women working outside of the home, there is less appeal for Tupperware parties, the traditional method of sale where consultants would come to a host's house to sell the range to friends and neighbours. Over the years, the direct sales model has generally suffered with the rise of e-commerce, and demographic changes that have seen smaller household sizes and the convenience of individual meals which mean people are cooking in bulk less. 'Tupperware is over 75 years old as a brand. It grew in the 50s, 60s, and 70s through product innovation and creating innovative solutions for kitchenware,' Professor Mortimer explained. 'But today, there are significant ranges of competing products in the marketplace, and there is only so much innovation you can take in food storage. He said due to the durability of the product, meaning many Aussies held onto their Tupperware for years, 'Part of the issue is the durability and life expectancy of the product itself,' he added. 'It's positioned as a high-quality product, not the type of thing you'd regularly buy every year or so. I'm sure there's many kitchens are around Australia with a couple of pieces of Tupperware in it.'. Tupperware CEO Miguel Fernandez said the company has 'embarked on a journey to turn around our operations' He added that people tend to cook less for big groups and instead opt for easy delivery options, meaning there is less demand for storage containers. 'Australian bureau of statistics data shows that we're having smaller families too, and we're more likely to be living in smaller households, which means less batch cooking,' Professor Mortimer said. 'People don't make big meals anymore and store them, and opt for more convivence around single serve portion control meals and consume it throw packaging away'. Professor Mortimer added that the consumers the brand first attracted in the 1960s and 1970s are now in their eighties and nineties, with the brand not resonating in the same way with others. He added that the brand doesn't advertise on TV or social media, and customer won't spot it in stores meaning it's not reaching younger audiences, while similar products are popular on the shelves of supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths, which people tend to opt for instead. Tupperware products were traditionally exclusively sold at 'Tupperware parties' popularised during the 1950s. The first Australian party was in 1961 Tupperware is also battling to avoid being delisted after the New York Stock Exchange issued it with a warning for not filing an annual report. A Tupperware party is pictured in the 50s 'When it started out, it was supported through a party plan business model, and it worked really well through network selling. 'But now, mums and dads are at work, party plan business model has decreased. Mums aren't at home anymore, they're working.' Professor Mortimer added that there was still 'a lot of nostalgia' associated with the brand, and they did well in the pandemic by launching a vintage range that people in their late forties and early fifties could resonate with. Tupperware's dire straights came to light in a regulatory filing on Friday, in which it said it was working to find financing to stay in business, but that it wouldn't have enough cash to fund operations if it failed to do so. A Tupperware seller is seen with the company's products in 1989 A Tupperware party is seen in the UK in 1963, as the food boxes exploded in popularity abroad The company is reviewing its workforce and real estate portfolio as cost-cutting options, it said. CEO Miguel Fernandez said in a statement: 'Tupperware has embarked on a journey to turn around our operations and today marks a critical step in addressing our capital and liquidity position. 'The company is doing everything in its power to mitigate the impacts of recent events, and we are taking immediate action to seek additional financing and address our financial position.' Tupperware is also battling to avoid being delisted, after the New York Stock Exchange issued it with a warning for not filing an annual report by the March 31 deadline. The company's shares last traded at $1.30 on Tuesday morning, down 48 percent from one week ago, and a 93 percent drop from one year ago. An idyllic beach village is being overrun by hundreds of migrant fruit pickers who locals claim are turning the coastal paradise into a 'shanty town'. Arrawarra, a village 30km north of Coffs Harbour on the NSW Mid North Coast, is a destination for surfers, caravanners, backpackers and visitors to its absolute waterfront holiday park. It is regarded as a gem hidden among the more populous townships of the area, boasting a laid-back vibe, kangaroos hopping along the beach and pristine surf. But an influx by hundreds of berry pickers over the past few years has left residents - whose local population is only between 50 and 100 people - concerned their slice of paradise is being destroyed. The provider of the worker accommodation blasted the criticism as 'lies and fabrication' and accused locals of being prejudice against Pacific Islanders, who make up the bulk of the fruit pickers. Shipping containers, rubbish and noisy buses moved into the holiday park that was once a haven for backpackers and surfers and now accommodates hundreds of fruit pickers Rubbish in the creek at Little Arrawarra which gets a pounding during picking season when hundreds of workers fly in In recent weeks, fruit pickers from Vanuatu have again begun arriving and hundreds amore are expected over the coming weeks to harvest crops during the winter berry season. Locals told Daily Mail Australia that up to 400 pickers will be accommodated in Little Arrawarra's holiday park and surrounds and bussed daily from around 4.45am the 17km up to Corindi, where Costa Berries has a 360-hectare farm. Last year there were daily 37 trips in and out of pickers on mini-buses from the town to and from Corindi. For the next six to nine months, pickers will be stationed at Little Arrawarra to complete the picking season for Costa, Australia's leading berry producer. But the influx has sparked numerous complaints about noisy early morning buses, mountains of rubbish, maggots in the local creek and aggressive drunken behaviour by the workers towards women. Photographs show the area strewn with empty bottles and the picker accommodation such as dongas and shipping containers allegedly encroaching on their land and public areas. One man filmed maggots which he said clung to his legs as he walked through the creek and another claimed that the local native wildlife, brush-turkeys, had been killed, cooked and eaten by farm workers. Photographs from previous picking years show bottles, cans and food wrappers discarded in sand dunes, creeks and around what is normally an orderly holiday park. Described as a 'shanty town' by some residents the holiday park is about to admit hundreds of seasonal berry pickers from Vanuatu Little Arrawarra is a secret paradise on the NSW Mid North Coast that has had an infiltration of fruit pickers for the last few years, creating rubbish and pollution Little Arrawarra has been described as a 'hidden little gem' and a paradise on the NSW MId North Coast Drone footage shot last month shows the buses lined up on the property near shipping containers and dongers to accommodate fruit pickers Drone footage shows the dongas - temporary accommodation structures - and shipping containers on land previously used as holiday accommodation and which Coffs Harbour City Council is now investigating to see if there has been any zoning issues. Some locals also say they fear losing beach access from their properties as the holiday park with backpacker accommodation turned fruit picker town is on private land with no public access unless a person gains a permit. The tenant and business operator of the holiday park and fruit picker accommodation, Nathan Folkes, told Daily Mail Australia he allowed permits on conditions and denied threatening anyone with closing off access. Residents in the village were recently told they only had access to the beach between sunrise and sunset. Mr Folkes described the current controversy as 'a mud slinging match' and suggested some locals with expensive real estate were prejudiced against Pacific Islanders. Maggots filmed in Arrawarra Creek by a local who said when he walked through they clung to his legs Map showing Little Arrawarra Beach and the 17km trip fruit pickers are taken in 37 buses daily to the Costa Berry farm at Corindi over a 6-9 month picking season A local photographed this bin (left) over the Easter weekend, overflowing with empty beer bottles and rubbish, and the beach (right) and other areas are littered with bottles and cans each year the pickers have come Described on his @thebeacharrawarra Instagram page as 'the epic absolute beachfront location' and 'our perfect little hidden gem by the sea', Little Arrawarra's supposed ruin was just 'lies and fabrication' Mr Folkes said. 'It's been a really brutal witch hunt, those photos ... are all old,' he said and described the fruit pickers as 'beautiful people'. 'These are human beings, they work really hard, they are wonderful people. They are building a future for their families and countries and our nation depends on them to support the farm.' The operator of a business called Mojo Surf, Mr Folkes said one woman in Little Arrawarra in particular had 'zero empathy' and only 'worried about her property prices'. Daily Mail Australia has seen a letter signed by 14 local owner residents who have expressed their concerns to the council, and who have supported a change.org petition to have Mr Folkes' holiday park licence not renewed when it expires in August. However the beach hamlet, which has just 52 houses, appears divided. Another resident who has lived in Little Arrawarra for more than a decade, defended Mr Folkes and said there had been a lot of jumping up and down, but thats not representative of this place Its rundown, its rough around the edges, but its a work in progress, she said. (Nathan Folkes) should be given a chance to follow his dream of building an eco beach resort. She said the fruit picker accommodation had been one of two options when the bottom fell out of Mr Folkes surfing and backpacking business during the pandemic. The other option was a halfway house for inmates out of Grafton jail and I know which one Id prefer. The resident said the berry pickers presence in Little Arrawarra was always a temporary thing and they would be housed elsewhere in the future. Mr Folkes said he had decided to build accommodation for fruit pickers when Covid meant his backpacker and surf school business dwindled. Little Arrawarra was known for the kangaroos which hopped along the beach (above), the waters which were pristine, and it was regarded as a hidden gem with a laid back vibe 'The berry pickers appreciate the beauty of the location, it makes them feel at home coming from the islands. 'It would be great to see some more support from government and other stakeholders for the Pacific Islanders.' Drone footage filmed last month shows numerous buses parked near Arrawarra Creek and nearby dozens of shipping containers side by side, and dongas to house the pickers. The photos of rubbish from previous years show what some locals expect to accumulate again, once the picking season is in full swing. 'We have nothing against the Pacific Islanders who come here to work,' one local told Daily Mail Australia, 'but the accommodation, even the number of rubbish bins, for several hundred people is inadequate, we would say sub-standard. 'Council needs to investigate this properly. The town of Little Arrawarra does not have the infrastructure to support a community of 450 plus seasonal workers for up to nine months. 'We are not against the workers from Vanuatu. They are lovely people. It's great to hear them on Sundays, singing hymns, and that's a contrast to them filing off the buses each afternoon and looking at the ground. 'It's as if they have been told not to talk with town residents. If they do leave rubbish after relaxing from a long day fruit picking, we understand it's not their fault or responsibility. 'We also need to develop a plan for after hours security to patrol the park seven days per week, for the residents and the pickers' sake. Bottles and cans local say the migrant fruit pickers leave strewn around the beach and creek Mojo Surf owner Nathan Folkes said the complaints about his fruit picker accommodation were 'a witch hunt' and he felt the attacks on housing workers from Vanuatu were 'almost racial' Vanuatans arrived on a bus into Little Arrawarra for the picking season, with hundreds more expected to be housed in dongas and shipping containers in the holiday park 'Currently there is a shanty town of dongas erected essentially overnight on people's fence lines. How much money is he making?' Mr Folkes said everything on the park had been erected properly and told Daily Mail Australia that fruit pickers are charged half the backpacker rate of $40-$50 per night per bed, and that the numbers of pickers were 'far less' than had been estimated. He said the pickers worked 40 hours a week and earned award or above award wages. He said by December this year he hoped to turn the holiday park into his dream, an eco beach retreat, but did not rule out having more pickers in future seasons. 'There's an accommodation crisis in this country,' he said, 'we cant and wont discriminate against anyone.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Costa Berries for comment. Coffs Harbour City Council said: 'There is currently an open investigation over recently submitted concerns regarding Arrawarra Holiday Park and no update can be provided until this investigation is completed'. ' The co-founder of a multi-billion dollar investment management company has thrown his fortune behind an organisation pushing against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The 'Vote No' campaign, led by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and supported by the Coalition party, is funded by conservative group Advance, which recently received $250,000 in donations. Simon Fenwick, the co-founder of US-based International Value Advisors, pledged to match the total amount of donations, giving $250,000 from his own wallet. Advance executive director Matthew Sheahan praised Mr Fenwick's generosity in an email to supporters and seen by The Australian Financial Review. 'All the evidence is in front of your eyes: the Voice is not modest, it's not unifying,' he said. 'It's divisive and dangerous.' Mr Fenwick is now retired, having worked at EY in Australia, and donated $1million to the conservative political group in 2020. Another major backer of the No campaign is Blackmores major shareholder Marcus Blackmore - whose dad started the vitamin giant in the 1930s. One major backer of the campaign voting no against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is Blackmores major shareholder Marcus Blackmore (pictured) - whose dad started the vitamin giant There was a call to boycott Blackmores after Mr Blackmore said he'd be voting no against the Voice The boycott hashtag was trending on Twitter in February sparking a lively debate In February Mr Blackmore publicly declared he would vote no on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. His announcement saw the hashtag 'BoycottBlackmores' shooting to the top of Twitter's trending list as people either pledged to avoid the company's products or argued why it shouldn't matter. 'If Jacinta [Price] tells me I should vote no, I am voting no. She obviously knows a lot more about the Aboriginal issues than I do,' Mr Blackmore told the AFR at the time. 'I have not been convinced by the Prime Minister or anybody else that I should vote yes. It's no different to business. If you're no good at sales, employ a salesman.' The business mogul reportedly donated $35,000 to Advance and more than $70,000 to the Coalition in the last financial year. A spokesperson for the Blackmores Group said at the time that Mr Blackmore's views did not represent those held by the company and that he had not worked or been a director at the vitamin business for more than two years. 'His views are completely independent of Blackmores Group,' the spokesperson said. 'Blackmores is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all people and values and celebrates diversity, inclusivity and equality for employees, customers, partners, and those in the community.' Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's 'vote no' campaign is funded by conservative group Advance which recently received $250,000 in donations Senator Price's 'No' campaign is urging Aussies to vote against the changes she has labelled 'dangerous', 'divisive', 'useless' and 'costly'. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the Liberal party would be opposing the Voice. The Liberal Party supports recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Constitution but not an enshrined national Voice in the Constitution, with Mr Dutton rubbishing it as a future Canberra bureaucracy in the making. A 'Vote Yes' campaign for the Voice has also been launched, backed by a $5million donation from the Paul Ramsay Foundation. Senator Price is concerned that the issues faced by Indigenous Australians would not be tackled by the Voice. 'The fundamental principle about all of this is the fact that I don't believe we need this in our constitution to actually do what it says,' the Northern Territory senator told ABC's Radio National on Tuesday. 'I mean, if the government is so sure that their model is going to work, then they can legislate it right now if they wanted to. 'What's happening is we're having this debate, which is taking away from the issues that are actually going on the ground right now. 'The issues going on the ground aren't being effectively dealt with because focus is on representation in Canberra.' Theyre chasing each other along a sunny, suburban California street. Hes driving a crappy red truck, shes in a posh white SUV. I got you, motherf****r, he yells. Im so f***ing sick of this shit! Every f***ing day! Cursing (a lot), swerving, revving, mounting sidewalks, dodging on-coming traffic this is full-throttle, roaring road rage. And everything you need to know about Netflixs new smash-hit Beef is there in this opening scene. Hes poor. Shes rich. Hes disenfranchised. Shes entitled. And theyre both really, really angry. Two people. Thrown into each others paths on their own very different, very bad days. Danny (Steven Yeun) a failing construction worker whos been planning to commit suicide by lighting hibachi grills and inhaling the carbon monoxide almost reverses into Amy (Ali Wong) an unhappily married millionaire whos at a breaking point over the imminent $10million sale of her luxury plants business. This chance encounter sparks a cycle of increasingly reckless revenge and bad decisions. Ten episodes of anxiety-ridden ridiculousness in which neither party, for whatever reason, will let go of their beef the quarrel kind, not the bovine no matter the consequences. Danny (Steven Yeun) is a failing construction worker who slips from one busted business venture to the next, barely managing to support his computer-gaming obsessed brother Amy (Ali Wong) wants more from life and shes certainly not finding it in the bedroom with George. Though quite why she resorts to masturbating with a gun is anybodys guess Affairs, felonies, death and destruction Korean writer Lee Sung Jin delivers it all in his expert script. Within days of debuting on Netflix last week, Beef was already being lauded as an instant success securing a highly coveted perfect 100 per cent score on rating-website Rotten Tomatoes. Its not hard to see why. Just beneath the surface, Americans are boiling with rage. Post-pandemic, millions are stressed, lonely, poorer forced to navigate a world that doesnt work the way it once did. So many have never felt this way before and theyre liable to snap. Certainly, Amy is proof that you really cant buy your way to happiness. Despite her obvious successes, Amy hates being the family wage-earner, wishes she spent more time with her daughter and resents her deadbeat stay-at-home husband George (Joseph Lee), whose worthless sculptures look like giant male genitalia that have been stung by a vicious wasp and never recovered. The globs, they dont feel too out of place in here? Amy asks a colleague about one of Georges vases as shes tries to find a place for it in her stylish plant shop. She clearly hates it, though would never say. Even his overbearing mother Fumi (Patti Yasutake) agrees: Hes no artist. Amy wants more from life and shes clearly not finding it in the bedroom with her husband, whose sex she calls vanilla. (Though quite why she resorts to masturbating with a gun is anybodys guess. It would be put to better use taking out George altogether!) Perhaps that explains her strict secrecy when it comes to her war with Danny she needs a private outlet, even if the fear of having her deranged obsession discovered threatens to drive her mad. Dannys life is equally lonely as he slips from one busted business venture to the next, barely managing to support his computer-gaming obsessed brother Paul. Nobody understands, Danny cries as he tries to kill himself, sat in front of the burning hibachi grills in his bedroom, the carbon monoxide detector beeping like crazy. When Im dead, youll see Cue the sudden change of heart: No, this is not it! He rushes to open a window. Its kind of tragic. But also kind of hilarious. The series features Emily in Paris star Ashley Park Amy hates being the family wage-earner, wishes she spent more time with her daughter and resents her deadbeat stay-at-home husband George (Joseph Lee) As a Korean immigrant who left his parents behind, Danny will move hell and high water to buy his mom and dad a house in the US. But his credit is terrible and his ex-con cousin Isaac (David Choe) keeps popping up to lead him astray. Along with Paul, theyre a perfect trio of incompetent musketeers who cant seem to get anything right. The American Dream is proving rather elusive. At the heart of this show lies an age-old question: what really makes a person happy? But its also about so much more. Its about class, love, sex, greed, satisfaction, selfishness, selflessness - and yet somehow, its never preachy. Indeed, so much of what makes Beefs writing so compelling is whats left unsaid. Amys quivering top lip hovers over her teeth, like a theatre curtain struggling to come down, as she stares vacantly at her husband who doesn't understand her. ('Yeh, you're right... thanks, babe', she says but doesnt mean.) Dannys contorted face burns red as he fights back tears in church, teetering on the edge of breakdown. (I didnt know what that was all about, he later lies.) Their chance encounter sparks a cycle of increasingly reckless revenge and bad decisions. Ten episodes of anxiety-ridden ridiculousness These moments say it all. For, in many ways, this pair of unlikely enemies are also remarkably similar. Both dissatisfied with their lots in life; both failing to meet the expectations of their families; both battling a niggling internal trauma. But there are also countless unexpected twists and turns, told with immense deftness and often a lightness of touch that belies the seriousness of the message. By turns intense, emotional, lyrical, slapstick, even utterly farcical, Beef lulls you into a false sense of security that makes the one heart-in-mouth moment of utter Tarantino-esque grossness in episode 9 wham you over the head even harder. But thats what Korean black comedies do best. The rest of the world first woke up to the true potential of the genre in 2020, when Bong Joon-hos phenomenal film Parasite became the first non-English language movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars. And for those who still werent paying attention, Netflixs 2021 Squid Game series put Korean drama firmly on the map. Clocking up a staggering 1.65 billion viewing hours, it quickly became Netflixs most-watched show despite the need for subtitles. George's sculptures look like giant male genitalia that have been stung by a vicious wasp and never recovered Amy (right) an unhappily married millionaire whos at a breaking point over the imminent $10million sale of her luxury plants business Beef is in English but has all the unmistakable hallmarks of a genre that likes to lead you by the hand down one path, only to pull you back at the last minute and send everything spinning on its head. Remember the first mass murder scene in Squid Game? And how quickly we all went from WHAAAAAAAT? to: Oh, I get it now. Whos next to die? These shows bring out the darkness in us all as shock soon becomes the new normal, and grotesque horror subsides to belly laughter. Why arent we repulsed? Why arent we rushing to the moral high ground with our placards, denouncing these shows? Quite simply: because they're genius. And Beef really is a cut above. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second to Trump despite not yet announcing South Carolina Republicans still favor Donald Trump to be their nominee in 2024 by a margin of 21 percent with two politicians from the Palmetto State coming in third and fourth place behind the former president and Florida's governor Ron Desantis. Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, once governor of South Carolina and former Ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, earned 18 percent in the latest Winthrop University poll taken among the state's GOP primary voters. Meanwhile, current South Carolina Senator Tim Scott's announcement Wednesday that he's taking the next step toward a bid for president coincided with the release of the poll showing him in fourth place with only 7 percent support among voters in his own state. Launching a presidential exploratory committee is traditionally the move taken just before announcing a White House bid. Scott is the only black Republican in the upper chamber and has been traveling the country recently on his Faith in America listening tour. A new poll out of South Carolina shows that Donald Trump is still the favorite in the state to get the Republican nomination in 2024 by a margin of 21% Two South Carolina politicians, former Gov. Nikki Haley (left) and Sen. Tim Scott (right), are in third and fourth place in the poll, respectively. Haley earned 18% and Scott, who launched a presidential exploratory committee Wednesday, with 7 % support Although nearly 7 in 10 Republicans polled say they approve of the job Scott is doing as a U.S. senator, that support does not seem to translate to a presidential bid. DeSantis continues to garner popularity in the U.S., coming in second place with 20 percent of South Carolina Republican voters saying they would cast their ballot for the Florida governor in a primary race. Only four Republican candidates so far have officially announced a White House bid. This includes Trump, Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and biotech multi-millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy. After Haley's 18 percent, no other candidate included in the poll was able to gain double-digits. Haley is the first Indian American person to serve as a member of a presidential cabinet. Former Vice President Mike Pence earned 5 percent, Trump's ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earned 2 percent and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu with just 1 percent. Hutchinson did not earn any support in the Winthrop poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.45 percent. Trump's team pumped out the poll Wednesday morning, lauding: 'President Donald Trump is the clear favorite of South Carolina Republicans, according to a poll released Wednesday.' 'Trump is riding high and doubling support over the next candidate in the field,' Winthrop poll director Dr. Scott Huffmon said in a statement included in the release Wednesday morning. Trump is still the favorite in South Carolina with 41% support among GOP primary voters in the Palmetto State Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not made an announcement on whether he's running in 2024, has consistently come in second place to Trump in national and state-level polls South Carolina is a key early primary voting. Republicans will vote there third in the 2024 primary race, after Iowa and New Hampshire. Democrats recently voted to make South Carolina their first primary contest state. At the same time the latest poll came out Wednesday, Scott, 57, released a presidential platform video coinciding with his announcement that he is launching an exploratory committee. In launching an exploratory committee for a potential presidential run, Scott called for unity by invoking the start of the Civil War. His video, posted to Twitter, features images of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, where Confederate troops fired on this date more than 150 years ago, and makes reference to the bloody conflict but blames President Joe Biden for dividing the country. 'On this day, April 12, 1861, in this harbor, the first shots of the Civil War were fired and our country faced the defining moment: Would we truly be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,' Scott says. 'America's soul was put to the test - and we prevailed,' he added in the voice-over. 'Today, our country is once again being tested. Once again, our divisions run deep and the threat to our future is real. Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness. They're promoting victimhood instead of personal responsibility and they're indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country.' He then used his own background to claim he was a threat to Democrats. 'Because I disrupt their narrative. I threaten their control. They know the truth of my life disproves their lies,' he said. Scott is the first black candidate to join the GOP primary field and the only black Republican U.S. senator. On Wednesday, he will be in Iowa, the lead-off state in the Republican presidential nominating process. Following that stop, Scott will travel on Thursday to New Hampshire, the second primary contest state, before coming back to his home state of South Carolina on Friday for a local summit in Charleston. Karl Stefanovic has unleashed over news that a sadistic serial killer who killed three young women could be released from jail within days. Paul Denyer was given three life sentences for the brutal murders of three young women in Frankston on Melbourne's outskirts 30 years ago. His victims included TAFE student Elizabeth Stevens 18, Deborah Fream, 22, who'd given birth 12 days earlier and schoolgirl Natalie Russell, who was 17 at the time. Now aged 50, Denyer could be days away from freedom after his 30 years of non-parole period ended. The families of his victims were told last year Denyer had applied for parole and that his earliest possible release date this week. The Today show host has echoed calls for Denyer to remain behind bars. Schoolgirl Natalie Russell was among three young women Paul Denyer killed within months in 1993 'Some of this is uncomfortable, but we need to say it,' Stefanovic began. 'Paul Denyer stalked the streets of Melbourne. Plucking young women at random and brutally killing them. 'Paul Denyer is sadistic. He's a threat to society. He's never shown remorse. He never provided a reason for killing. Three murders, 30 years behind bars.' It's likely Denyer could have claimed more lives had he not been arrested weeks after the three murders, according to police. 'Now, he's eligible for parole. Can you believe it?' Stefanovic fumed. 'He didn't show any remorse.' Elizabeth Stevens, 18, was strangled and had her throat slashed by Denyer on her way home from the library on the night of June 11, 1993. A month later, Deborah Fream, 22, was out buying milk to make an omelette for dinner when she was held at gunpoint in her car, abducted and strangled to death by Denyer. She had given birth to her baby son Jake 12 days earlier. The last of his victims Natalie Russell, 17, was walking home from school when she was dragged from train tracks, stabbed and hidden in scrubland on July 30. Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer (pictured behind bars) could be granted parole within days Today show host Karl Stefanovic (pictured) is furious that the serial killer could be released from jail after 30 years behind bars Several other women were attacked by Denyer but survived. Denyer began identifying as a transgender woman while behind bars but has since reverted to identifying as Paul. Federal minister Bill Shorten acknowledged 30 years doesn't feel long enough for the families of Denyer's victims. 'It's a state court system issue, but thinking about it, 30 years, on one hand, sounds a long time,' he told the Today show. 'But for those three women, they're gone for an eternity and their families live with that pain daily.' Victoria's confidentiality laws prevent the Department of Justice and Community Safety from confirming if a prisoner is being considered for parole or notifying the public when they're freed. Gus Worland agreed everyone needs to know that Denyer could soon be out on the streets again. 'Even if he did show remorse, he should remain behind bars for the rest of his life,' 'The people have got to know what's going on as he's got to stay behind bars.' The first of Denyer's murder victims Elizabeth Stevens (pictured) was strangled and had her throat slashed The families of Paul Denyer's families remain in the dark as to whether and when the serial killer will be freed The friends and families of Denyer's victims are now demanding more information about whether and when he will be freed. 'He's just an evil animal,' Natalie's dad Brian Russell told Nine News. 'It's frightening, it feels like we are in a tunnel with no ending,' His wife Carmen added: 'We don't get told anything.' 'It feels like we have done the wrong thing.' As President Joe Biden continues to aimlessly shuffle around a 2024 run, it's time that Democrats publicly admit the obvious: He is not fit to finish his first term, let alone serve a second. The 80-year-old commander-in-chief told NBC News' Al Roker at the annual White House Easter Egg roll on Monday, 'I plan on running, Al, but we're not prepared to announce it yet.' Come on, Joe. If you were so confident you would have jumped in by now. The delay is embarrassing. And this waffling - unprecedented in modern American political history - belies the reality. Let's just say what people on both sides of the aisle whisper in political circles. He's too old. If Biden wins in 2024, he would be 86 at the end of his second term. Let that sink in. 86-years-old. He is already the oldest person to ever enter the Oval Office at 78-years-old and now he's going to double down? This week's Easter event was a reminder of last year's debacle. Remember when a White House staffer in an Easter Bunny costume shooed the President away from the media as they shouted questions. It was proof of the anxiety that grips his staff every time he opens his mouth. Here are some recent examples of his glaring gaffes: In early February, Biden boasted in a speech that 'more than half the women in my administration are women.' As President Joe Biden continues to aimlessly shuffle around a 2024 run, it's time that Democrats publicly admit the obvious: He is not fit to finish his first term, let alone serve a second. He accidentally shared details about former President Jimmy Carter's failing health by revealing that he was 'asked to do his eulogy' before realizing 'I should not have said that.' As he toured tornado damage, he referred to the town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi as 'Rolling Stone'. Yes, one could dismiss these as flubs. But we know they're not. It's a pattern that has only become more pronounced over the past two years. Shall we revisit the greatest hits? He said a 'minor' Russian incursion into Ukraine may not elicit a U.S response; he searched for a deceased U.S. Congresswomen at a White House event; he botched the articulation of U.S. policy in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. These aren't tiny mistakes. Biden's also had an increasing number of physical missteps. He tripped and fell in Poland on February 22nd while climbing the stairs to Air Force One and he did it again nearly two weeks later on a trip to Alabama. And how can we forget the dangerous spill that he took off a bike in Rehoboth, Delaware. I am not trying to be cruel. I am being honest in the face of this mass delusion. Many Democrats admit to me privately what they're loathe to admit in public. They are terrified of the prospects for America under a second Biden term. They recognize that a President who cannot be trusted to represent the country at regular news conferences is an unacceptable vulnerability for the country. It's no surprise that compared to his predecessors Biden has granted the media pathetically few opportunities to question him. But don't take it from me. An April Economist-YouGov survey revealed that only 48 percent of Democrats want Biden to run again. A majority 52 percent are either against it or unsure. A Yahoo poll from February cut even closer to the bone. Forty-eight percent of Democrats said Biden's 'too old for another term'. This week's Easter event was a reminder of last year's debacle. Remember when a White House staffer in an Easter Bunny costume shooed the President away from the media as they shouted questions. None of this is lost on the elite Democratic establishment, but frankly what else are they going to do? There is no formidable party challenger to take on Biden, because every major player has doubled down on progressivism and wokeism. Governor Gavin Newsom is a pipe dream. His state is an example of what a failed progressive dystopia looks like as citizens flee California like rats from a sinking ship. Mayor Pete has bungled crisis after crisis as Transportation Secretary. He recently delayed visiting East Palestine, Ohio after a toxic train derailment for nearly three weeks. And then there's Vice President Kamala Harris. How a women that checks every identity politics box can be so disliked by Democrats is a mystery. Be there she is cackling and obsessing over Venn diagrams. The only thing that Biden's party has left is to gaslight America into thinking that his age should not be a factor. 86 is the new 46. Didn't you know? White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has repeatedly dismissed concerns about Biden's age and stamina saying 'this is not a question we should even be asking.' She went so far as to say she can 'barely keep up with him.' Yeah. Right. I am also not oblivious to the criticism that I will receive for voicing this opinion. My own father ran for a Senate seat at 78-years-old. He later died of glioblastoma brain cancer a few days shy of his 80th birthday. I loved him with all my heart and miss him every single day. But I also regret not pushing harder for him to retire instead of run for re-election. He got sick while holding office and he didn't have the opportunity to spend the last years of his life with his friends and family. So, a word of advice, Mr. President. My father should have been more realistic about his advanced age. Maybe you should too? It is a hard reality for me reconcile, but if I had a time machine, I would go back and lobby my dad to pass the baton and come home to a family that loved him. It is a hard reality for me reconcile, but if I had a time machine, I would go back and lobby my dad to pass the baton and come home to a family that loved him. Nikki Haley is right. There should be competency tests for politicians of a certain age. I also believe it is time for term limits. Some of these boomers are too selfish to ever leave office. They'd rather decline in front of us. Look at Senator Diane Feinstein. At 89 years old she has missed 58 Senate votes since getting sick in late February and that's now impacting judicial nominee votes. A top Democratic strategists was recently quoted saying, 'God Bless her, but the most pathetic part of politics is when somebody doesn't know when it's time to leave.' In the end, why does Biden keep saying he's 'planning' on running? Well, because he's also planning on not running. So Joe - if you have any sense left - get out while the getting is good. Police believe Lesley Trotter, a 78-year-old retired teacher, died sometime between midnight on March 27 and 12pm the following day Police will comb through rubbish sites that may hold the remains of an elderly woman after detectives revealed they believe she was dumped in a wheelie bin. Detectives believe Lesley Trotter, a 78-year-old retired teacher, died sometime between midnight on March 27 and 12pm the following day after blood was found near her unit complex bins in Toowong, in Brisbane's west, last Friday. Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said on Tuesday that a garbage truck had collected Ms Trotter's body from a general waste wheelie bin outside her home during the weekly collection service two weeks earlier on March 28. The bin believed to be carrying her remains was taken to the Nudgee Waste Transfer Station. The rubbish was then transported to two dump sites in Rochedale and Swanbank. Police say they will now go through each dump site 'piece by piece' to try and locate Ms Trotter's remains. Police will scour dump sites in Swanbank (pictured) and Rochedale in the hopes of locating Ms Trotter's remains, which they believe were dumped in a wheelie bin The sites must first be excavated before detectives can scour through the rubbish. The process is expected to be carried out this week. 'These types of searches are not uncommon, but I think the scale of this one will make it quite complex for us,' Det Supt Massingham said on Tuesday. 'It will require a combination of resources to ensure we leave no stone unturned.' Police have also seized the rubbish truck that carried the 78-year-old's remains. Once found, Ms Trotter's remains will be forensically examined to determine her cause of death. Police will now launch a large-scale search for Lesley Trotter's (pictured) remains at a garbage tip Police say they have not had any suspects and have limited CCTV from the street where the bins were taken from. Ms Trotter's family has been advised of the new 'disturbing development'. 'This is traumatic to them. I think this is confronting for them, the nature ... would be concerning for any family, particularly a lady of that age ... looking forward to the next chapter of her life,' Det Supt Massingham said. Police said Ms Trotter's habit of leaving rubbish on the ground and in the driveway as she rummaged through the bins to find and sort recyclables had caused 'some angst among some people' in her street. A 'greedy' homeowner has been slammed for advertising a patch of grass in his backyard for $130 per week amid Sydney's deepening rental crisis. The man, from Eagle Vale in the city's southwest, specified that renters would need to provide their own 'small shed' or 'tent' on Facebook Marketplace. He made it clear the square of turf was only available for a 'short stay' and that $520 in bond and two weeks' rent would be required up-front. The landlord said he would be open to discussing 'power, water, Wi-Fi, toilets and showers' with applicants interested in the space. He said tenants would be living in a 'residential area, close to public transport and shops' in the short advertisement that appeared online this week. The man, from Eagle Vale in the city's southwest, made it clear the space (pictured) was only available for a 'short stay' and that $520 in bond and two weeks rent would be required The man said he would be open to discussing 'power, water, Wi-Fi, toilets and showers' with applicants interested in the turf, which was located close to public transport and shops Facebook users were quick to criticise the 'grubby' offer, with one commenter accusing the man of 'taking advantage' of the rental crisis. '$130 to pitch a tent in someone's backyard, and it doesn't include access to facilities like a toilet,' one outraged user wrote. 'Exactly where are they expecting the tenants to urinate and defecate? Outside the tent like dogs?' 'If you're happy to loan your backyard to someone in that situation, then you shouldn't be charging a cent,' another said. 'If life has become that hard for someone they have to set up a tent in someone's backyard, then wouldn't you think they are doing it hard enough?' Many questioned why the man was charging a bond in addition to two weeks' rent. It comes as an international student revealed she had been forced to fork out $300 a week to rent a pop-up tent in a living room amid Sydney's deepening rental crisis. According to SQM Research, prices for rental properties in Sydney have skyrocketed 25.2 per cent in the last 12 months (pictured, potential tenants inspect an apartment in the city's east) The City of Sydney council has taken to posting some of their own advice to renters (pictured) Zoe Jiang, 27, from China, was forced to stay in short-term accommodation when she moved from Australia to study finance due to the fierce competition for rooms. Her situation isn't unique, as international students who flock back to Australia are greeted by one of the most challenging rental markets in decades, with housing in short supply and prices through the roof. 'I have never had a night in a tent before... camping in a living room was very different,' Ms Jiang told the ABC. According to SQM Research, prices for rental properties in Sydney have skyrocketed 25.2 per cent in the last 12 months, in Melbourne 21.9 per cent, in Brisbane 20.8 per cent and in Perth 16.3 per cent. This increase has combined with incredibly low vacancy rates, with only around one per cent of properties in Sydney available for lease. Tenants' Union of NSW CEO Leo Patterson-Ross recently called on the government to step in to create more housing and establish an independent body to ensure accommodation is up to standard. Mr Patterson-Ross said he had seen exploitive behaviour in the past, such as landlords holding onto tenant's passports and threatening to report them to immigration if they caused problems. The skyrocketing prices of rentals has combined with incredibly low vacancy rates, with only around one per cent of properties in Sydney available for lease (pictured, hopeful tenants queue to inspect a property in the city's east) People looking to rent in Sydney have recently taken to social media to illustrate how competitive the market is (pictured) 'We just do not have enough homes for everyone in Australia,' he said. Labor's $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which would finance the construction of 30,000 social and affordable rental homes over the next five years, was also recently rejected by the Senate cross bench. The Greens withheld their vote, arguing it didn't go far enough to alleviate soaring rents with the party pushing for a national rent freeze. Independent ACT senator David Pocock is also holding out for a larger commitment from the federal government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in March a national rent freeze was impossible, branding the idea as 'pixie dust'. Yu and her husband Chen appeared this week in Orange County Superior Court Yu's attorney now says she was trying to deal with an ant infestation Dr. Yue 'Emily' Yu was indicted on four felony counts related to the poisoning A dermatologist in California who was caught pouring Drano into her husband's tea says she was trying to deal with an ant infestation and not trying to kill him. Yue 'Emily' Yu, 45, was recorded pouring drain cleaner into her husband Jack Chen's hot lemon tea over three days in July 2022. Chen, 53, noticed something was wrong with the tea so he used a hidden camera to film her tampering with his drink. Yu's divorce attorney has now told The New York Post his client was in fact using 'unconventional methods' to deal with an ant problem in the couple's home. The attorney's comments came as the two appeared in court on Tuesday as part of divorce proceedings in the Orange County Superior Court. On April 5 a grand jury indicted her on three felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury, according to Orange County prosecutors. She faces more than eight years in prison if found guilty. Dermatologist Yue 'Emily' Yu, 45, says she poured Drano into tea her husband later drank as a measure to deal with an ant infestation Footage allegedly shows Yue 'Emily' Yu, 45, putting Drano - a brand of drain cleaner - into her husband Jack Chen's hot lemonade on multiple occasions Yue 'Emily' Yu, far left, was recorded on video pouring the drain cleaner into her husband's, far right, hot lemon tea over three days in July 2022. The two are pictured on Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court Attorney David Dworakowski said Yu put Drano and sugar in the drink thinking that would attract the ants and kill them. 'While prosecutors are making it out like this video of Emily is a "smoking gun", the reality is she was trying to attract the ants into the glass so they would drown,' he told The Post. 'Dr. Yu has been a physician for many years, has never been in trouble before and is a loving mom. We believe there is a sinister motive on the part of her ex-husband to take advantage of her in their divorce case,' he added. To support the claim Chen was acting nefariously, Dworakowski pointed to the fact that he surrendered the video footage to his divorce attorney before going to the police, a move the attorney described as being 'odd'. Chen, a radiologist, did however eventually hand over footage of Yu pouring the Drano into his lemonade at their $2.7million mansion to police in Irvine. He later filed for divorce and a judge granted him a restraining order against Yu, which also covered their two children aged seven and eight. Dr. Jack Chen, a radiologist, is pictured appearing in Orange County Superior Court on April 11, 2023 Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement earlier this month that Yu intentionally shattered her husband's sense of security by intentionally torturing him with poison against his knowledge. 'Our homes should be where we feel the safest,' he said, according to the Post. 'Yet, a licensed medical professional capitalized on her husband's daily rituals to torment her husband by systematically plying his tea with a Drano-like substance intending to cause him pain and suffering.' An attorney for Chen, Steve Hittleman, told the Post that the father had custody of the couple's children, and he was pleased to hear about the indictment. 'Making sure that there's a chance for justice to be served,' he said. 'This is the next step in resolving this horrible turn of events. This is tragic on a number of levels.' After his wife's arrest in August, Chen claimed she had abused him and their children for years, with the dermatologist once shouting at the youngsters to 'go die,' according to court documents. 'When Emily gets frustrated and yells at the children, she'll commonly use a Chinese phrase that translates to "go die",' Chen wrote in a court statement as he sought a restraining order against his wife. 'She also says to the children, "your head has a problem," "your head is sick," "go f**k yourself," "f***ing idiot," "stupid a**hole," and "get the f**k out of my way,' Chen wrote. Yu was released on $30,000 bond after her arrest last August, which she posted a few days later. Dr. Jack Chen, 53 leaves the Central Justice Center Court in Orange County after a divorce hearing Only static images from the nanny-camera footage have been released The alleged poison attacks are believed to have happened at their $2.7 million mansion in Irvine, California No motive for the crime has emerged. Yu, who works at the Providence Healthcare system in Mission Viejo, has had her work headshot removed from her employer's website. A spokesman said they were cooperating with police. Chen said he and Yu met in 2011 and the couple married a year later on July 4, 2012. Chen claimed his wife's behavior changed after their son and daughter were born in 2013 and 2014. He also claimed that Yu's mother, Yuqin 'Amy' Gu, also verbally and physically abused their children. Chen said he and Yu met in 2011 and the couple married a year later on July 4, 2012 'As early as two-years-old Emily and Amy were verbally and then physically abusive to [our son and daughter] which intensified as they grew older,' Chen said. 'They are both verbally and physically abusive to me.' He said the women would call the children "f***ing stupid."' Chen claimed Yu spanked her daughter when she was three-years-old because she wet her bed. Yu also allegedly hit her son on his head and arms when he was two. 'When the kids fall asleep without permission, even if after 11:00 p.m. she would wake them up, demand that [they] go to her room, shut the door and make them cry,' he said. 'At the end sometimes she would tell the kids to get out and then slam the door behind them, making them cry outside her door.' When the children would play piano after school, Yu would allegedly tell them they were 'f***ing stupid' until they cried. Following the alleged poisoning, Bingham said Chen began to develop symptoms that worsened over the last month. He said Chen did seek medical treatment once he became ill but was unable to provide details to whether a blood test revealed the poison in his bloodstream. 'Due to the integrity of the case it appears the poisoning happened over a period of time,' Bingham said. Grim details have emerged about how a woman was found dead in a pool of blood in a horrific scene discovered by her husband on Easter Sunday night. Erin Gilbert, 42, was stabbed several times in the head with an unknown sharp object causing 'severe' wounds. Paramedics were called to an address in Merrylands, in Sydney's west, late on Sunday after Ms Gilbert was found by her husband, Nic, in their living room. Mr Gilbert performed CPR after finding his wife face down in a pool of blood, and paramedics rushed to try to revive her but she could not be saved. Police said her 'injuries were very serious and severe', and that they were concerned someone else may have been at the unit with Ms Gilbert. Erin Gilbert's lifeless body was found in pool of blood by her husband Nic at their Merrylands home (pictured, the couple on their wedding day) Erin Gilbert and her husband (pictured) had been together for at least four years Mr Gilbert assisted police with their inquiries on Sunday and Monday and was released without charge. He is understood not to be a suspect, with CCTV confirming his alibi. The killer remains on the run more than two days after the attack. Mr Gilbert paid tribute to his late wife on Facebook, updating his bio to say: 'I was broken and then I found my best, my better half. 'Without you bub... I love you'. A previous post from May, 2019, dedicated to Ms Gilbert and their pet cat Bonnie hinted at someone trying to 'come between them'. 'They are my world and with out them I would be lost,' Mr Gilbert wrote. 'To the horrible fake lonely person who keep trying to come between us, well I suppose thank you for reminding us that we are so deeply in love that no matter what games you try play or how good at them you may be you will not come between us. 'And the day you do I promise you there will be no God to protect you from me!' Ms Gilbert's body was discovered face down in a pool of blood inside a unit block (forensic police pictured) Mr Gilbert that same year spoke lovingly of his future wife, saying: 'I fell in love because after getting to know you, I realised I wanted to make you a permanent part of my world.' Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Gilbert or the unknown 'lonely person' is responsible for Ms Gilbert's death. Mr and Mrs Gilbert were both known to police for 'minor matters'. Detectives have launched Strike Force Trevelyan to get to the bottom of what happened in Ms Gilbert's final hours at her home on Sunday night. 'Definitely we believe something's happened on Sunday night ... when police arrived, she hadn't been passed away for long,' Cumberland Police Superintendent Andrew Holland told reporters on Tuesday. 'Erin was at home in her unit block that evening ... we are aware that neighbours have heard her at the unit block, she's been speaking that night. 'We're just concerned somebody else may have been at the unit block with her.' 'We need to know what happened, who was there.' The Facebook page of Erin Gilbert's husband is filled with gushing tributes to her Erin Gilbert and her husband Nic. He was interviewed by police and released without charge Forensic officers used a ladder to scour for clues on Erin's unit balcony Supt Holland revealed her husband made the triple-0 call, and had been 'very forthcoming' with police during their inquiries. He said Ms Gilbert's family had requested privacy and that her partner was well known in the local community. No one has been ruled in or out as a suspect. 'Anyone who has lost a daughter can only imagine how difficult it is for (the family),' Supt Holland said. 'People don't realise that something they saw days earlier could be a useful piece of information. 'We need to get a timeline of what took place before the incident.' It's understood the couple moved to Merrylands seven months ago. 'I knew her and her husband, they were pretty quiet people,' a shocked neighbour told the Daily Telegraph. 'I sew and she came to me and asked if I could teach her how to sew, so we were going to do that.' Erin and her partner were dating when he shared this gushing post in 2019 He also hinted at the time that someone had been trying to come between he and Erin Forensic police collected a blood-stained sock at the crime scene to be taken away A crime scene was established was extensively examined by specialist forensic police on Monday. Forensic officers swarmed the Newman Street unit block and were seen taking swabs from the railing of the balcony and inside the doorway. A rainbow, round rug hung over the railing, while the balcony was cluttered by other items, including a telescope, a wooden jewellery box and a number of plastic tubs. Forensic officers dressed in blue hazmat suits, sealed a number of items from the home into brown evidence bags as uniformed officers watched on. Police released a photo of Erin Gilbert (pictured) as a strike force investigation into her death was launched on Tuesday One bag was marked 'mascara found next to deceased on bed in bedroom', and stacked against the wall of the unit block with at least five others. Officers were also seen closely inspecting the open entrance area under the apartment, with one holding a blood-soaked sock. It's understood sheets and a doona in the home were also stained with blood. Police have established a crime scene at the address, and investigations are underway to determine her cause of death. Strike Force Trevelyan has been set up to investigate Erin Gilbert's death. Pictured are police at the Newman Street crime scene on Monday Vulnerable people are being urged to get vaccinated Young children, older Australians and other vulnerable people are being urged to get vaccinated for Covid-19 and influenza amid fears a range of viruses could create a 'perfect winter storm'. Health officials are monitoring trends and a potential early start to the flu season, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said on Tuesday. Top health insurer Bupa went a step further, warning of a 'triple pandemic'. It said northern hemisphere modelling indicated winter illnesses will arrive earlier than expected in Australia and be worse than last year, likely hospitalising more people. Health officials are monitoring trends and considering a potential early start to the flu season, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant (pictured) said on Tuesday 'It's really very difficult to predict,' Dr Chant said on Tuesday. 'We are considering the potential early start to the flu season and a protracted flu season.' Influenza is expected to begin circulating with COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) over winter, Dr Chant said. COVID transmissions and hospitalisations have also increased, particularly in recent weeks - a trend elderly people and other vulnerable groups particularly need to note. Figures released last week showed 27,469 new Covid cases Australia-wide. That was the highest in a week since late January but 93.5 per cent than in early April last year. Likewise, latest figures showed there were 1,752 people in hospital with Covid nationwide compared with 2,445 at the same time last year. Influenza shots are free in Australia for children under five, Indigenous people, pregnant women, people with asthma and other serious health conditions and anyone over 65. These groups are most at-risk from the flu, the Australian Medical Association says. Influenza shots are free in Australia for children under five, Indigenous people, pregnant women, people with asthma and other serious health conditions and anyone over 65 (stock image) Shots are available at GP clinics and can also be accessed at pharmacies for adults and children over five. Australia has already recorded more than 21,000 cases of flu this year - far more than during the pandemic. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Nicole Higgins said people have been travelling more and stopped measures like wearing masks and assiduously washing hands, which has allowed flu to spread. In the US, hospitalisation rates are significantly higher this season than last. Those flu trends would likely be mirrored in Australia, Bupa's chief medical officer Tony MacDermott said. 'We're anticipating a perfect storm of flu, COVID-19 and other flu-like viruses to come together this winter,' he said. NSW Premier Chris Minns urged people to get vaccinated, with an aim to increase the rate of vaccination from about 40 per cent of people in the state to 50 per cent . 'We all want to make sure our nurses, our paramedics, our doctors, those that work in the health system are not rushed off their feet during the busy winter period,' Mr Minns said. All adults are eligible for COVID boosters six months after their last infection or six months after their most recent shot. Babies younger than six months are not eligible for a flu shot. The departure of Tony Danker as boss of the CBI after a sex and drugs scandal is nowhere near enough to stop the rot at what is supposed to be Britains premier business organisation. Nor is his replacement with a new female director-general even though she is a senior economist with an unblemished reputation. So much damage has been done that the next step for the CBI, if it has a shred of self-respect left as an institution, must be to disband itself. As for the FTSE 100 companies, trade groups and small firms on its membership rolls, they should all be reviewing their subscriptions. To do otherwise, in the face of allegations of rank sexual misconduct at a lobby group supposed to speak as their voice, is an insult to each and every one of their female employees. The question for every member is this: Do they really want to hand many thousands of pounds a year to the CBI, when it appears to be a corporate version of Jurassic Park, populated by all-powerful male dinosaurs stalking vulnerable female prey? The departure of Tony Danker (pictured) as boss of the CBI after a sex and drugs scandal is nowhere near enough to stop the rot at what is supposed to be Britains premier business organisation, writes Ruth Sunderland Mr Dankers dismissal came after an investigation by law firm Fox Williams found his conduct alleged to include bombarding a woman with unwanted messages fell short of what was expected of him. Even more shocking are a string of allegations against other men at the CBI. These, which do not involve Mr Danker, encompass alleged rape, attempted sexual assault and the widespread use of cocaine at official events. It paints a grisly picture of an institution that is supposed to represent the cream of British capitalism. At any workplace, accusations like these would be extremely worrying but, as the CBI has supported successive governments in trying to eradicate discrimination against women at work, it was especially important for its senior men to act as role models. In fact, they allegedly behaved in such an appalling way that the testimony of the women involved inspired revulsion among board members. Rain Newton-Smith, who is taking over from Mr Danker, is highly regarded. Yet, however brilliant she is and however impeccable her personal and professional track record, she is not the answer. Not least because she is herself a CBI veteran, having served as its chief economist for nearly nine years before recently decamping to Barclays for a brief sojourn. So much damage has been done that the next step for the CBI, if it has a shred of self-respect left as an institution, must be to disband itself The board of the CBI has instigated a root and branch review of its culture and governance, though this too will be led by an insider, board member Jill Ader. It all sounds a lot more like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic than wholesale reform. The only logical solution is to wind down the CBI and set up a new body. Firms need an organisation capable of speaking on behalf of innovative 21st-century British ventures, not a relic of the past. Even its full name, the Confederation of British Industry, harks back to days when factory owners sat in smoke-filled rooms negotiating with union leaders. Membership, even before the latest allegations, had declined from around 240,000 a decade ago to 190,000 now. It has also lost much of its influence in the corridors of power by adopting a position diametrically opposed to the Governments on many of the biggest issues of the day, including Brexit. As one senior City source said last weekend, the CBI has been on the wrong side of many of the big arguments since the 1940s. From supporting nationalisation, to state planning, joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and the euro, the CBI has a distinguished history in being wrong, they said. Every member of the CBI would be better off spending the membership fee on something else. That said, the issue is not one of past mistakes, but whether it is fit for purpose in the modern world. The UKs future prosperity lies in the hands of a new generation of youngsters in tech, green energy, life sciences and the creative sector. Increasing numbers of these up-and coming-entrepreneurs are female. Unlike my age-group, who in the 1990s felt we had to put up with unwanted male attention in the workplace as an occupational hazard, todays career women are not prepared to tolerate it. Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com A woman who was stabbed to death ran a lucrative online sales trade in the weeks before she died, hawking everything from her own hair to 'ancient' artifacts and war memorabilia she found on the street. Erin Gilbert, 42, was found by her husband Nic in a pool of her own blood in the living room of her Merrylands rental, in Sydney's western suburbs, at about 11.30pm on Easter Sunday. Mr Gilbert, 38, tried to save her life by performing CPR but she was dead by the time paramedics arrived. He was questioned by police on Monday, but was released without charge. It is understood there is CCTV confirming his alibi. Police remain baffled by her mysterious death and have appealed to the public to help find her killer. Ms Gilbert previously worked in aged care and as a nurse, before she started answering phones for a sales company. However, Daily Mail Australia can reveal she had a side-hustle selling an array of unique goods on Facebook marketplace for thousands of dollars. Erin Gilbert and her husband Nic (pictured) got married in 2020. He tried to save her life on Sunday Ms Gilbert and her husband found war memorabilia on the nature strip near their home and sold it for $1500 on Facebook In January, three months before she died, Ms Gilbert and her husband salvaged a stack of World War I medals and certificates from a nature strip during council cleanup and successfully sold them on social media for $1500. The memorabilia dated back to 1914 and belonged to a veteran named James Sadler, who quit his job as a laborer at age 22 to join the military. 'Me and my husband have never personally met Mr Sadler but when my husband found these he was [SIC] discusted to see his memory been thrown out in a council clean up,' she wrote in the Facebook sales ad. 'The more we found out about this guy the more we wanted to know and wanted to make sure the memory of this genuine Aussie battler didn't get forgotten ... guys like this can not be forgotten.' Ms Gilbert was also selling a clay vase for $300 - discounted from $700 - which she claimed was 'Berber antique ancient pottery' that used to belong to an 'old African tribe'. Berber is a style of ceramics from Morocco. 'Antique jug has been hand painted. It's from an old African tribe. Happy to negotiate,' she wrote on the listing. Ms Gilbert also took a photo of her hair (pictured) and offered her services as a model for budding hairdressers Pictured left: An 'ancient' Berber vase, as advertised by Ms Gilbert. Right: A cosplay-style mask Ms Gilbert was trying to sell for $100 Ms Gilbert was also selling an e-bike for $3500 on behalf of a friend, a cosplay-style mask for $100, two car head rests for $150, and a 'Korean mother of pearl cabinet' from the 1940s for $600 - discounted from $1000 - despite its two broken legs. About two weeks before she died, she sold an Apple watch for $300, and was trying to sell a vintage Holden repair catalogue for $500. In another ad, she took a photo of her hair and offered to be a model for budding hairdressers in the Paramatta region. 'Hi all you lovely hairdressers. I'm free to be someone's hair model. Any day of the week. In the Parramatta area. Just hit me up if you need my help,' she wrote. In the hours after she died, Mr Gilbert updated his Facebook bio to say: 'I was broken and then I found my best, my better half. 'Without you bub... I love you'. A previous post from May, 2019, dedicated to Ms Gilbert and their cat Bonnie hinted at someone trying to 'come between them'. 'They are my world and with out them I would be lost,' Mr Gilbert wrote. 'To the horrible fake lonely person who keep trying to come between us, well I suppose thank you for reminding us that we are so deeply in love that no matter what games you try play or how good at them you may be you will not come between us. Ms Gilbert was also selling an e-bike on behalf of a friend, for $3500 (pictured) About two weeks before she died, Ms Gilbert successfully sold an Apple watch for $300 'And the day you do I promise you there will be no God to protect you from me!' Mr Gilbert that same year spoke lovingly of his future wife, saying: 'I fell in love because after getting to know you, I realised I wanted to make you a permanent part of my world.' Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Gilbert or the unknown 'lonely person' is responsible for Ms Gilbert's death. Mr and Mrs Gilbert were both known to police for 'minor matters'. Detectives have launched Strike Force Trevelyan to get to the bottom of what happened in Ms Gilbert's final hours at her home on Sunday night. 'Definitely we believe something's happened on Sunday night ... when police arrived, she hadn't been passed away for long,' Cumberland Police Superintendent Andrew Holland told reporters on Tuesday. 'Erin was at home in her unit block that evening ... we are aware that neighbours have heard her at the unit block, she's been speaking that night. Ms Gilbert's body was discovered face down in a pool of blood inside a unit block (forensic police pictured) 'We're just concerned somebody else may have been at the unit block with her.' 'We need to know what happened, who was there.' A crime scene was established was extensively examined by specialist forensic police, who were still swarming the scene on Wednesday morning. Forensic officers swarmed the Newman Street unit block and were seen taking swabs from the railing of the balcony and inside the doorway. A rainbow, round rug hung over the railing, while the balcony was cluttered by other items, including a telescope, a wooden jewellery box and a number of plastic tubs. Officers were also seen closely inspecting the open entrance area under the apartment, with one holding a blood-soaked sock. It's understood sheets and a doona in the home were also stained with blood. Police have urged anyone with information about Ms Gilbert's death to call Crime Stoppers. She said that readers should instead start with a famous speech Long. Slow. Boring. Not words you'd expect to come out of the mouth of a professor of Shakespeare. But that's the withering assessment of Emma Smith, from the University of Oxford, who has argued that you shouldn't read the opening lines of the Bard's plays or bother seeing them at the theatre. 'Skip the beginnings. Pick out the greatest hits. And don't feel you have to go and watch Shakespeare,' she said. 'If you start reading at the beginning of a Shakespeare play, you'll be bored by the time the main character arrives. Start with a famous speech, like Lady Macbeth's 'Unsex me here...'.' You could begin there, but you'd miss the witches in the other-worldly opening scene, one of whom says: 'When shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightning, or in rain?' A Royal Shakespeare Company production of Richard III Scene from the 2018 The Royal Shakespeare Company production of Romeo and Juliet And is 'If music be the food of love, play on', from the start of Twelfth Night one of the best-known lines of poetry in the English language really that dull? Or would you fall asleep as Richard III declares, 'Now is the winter of our discontent'? Professor Smith also told Radio Times ahead of the launch of her Radio 4 show, Taking Issue With Shakespeare, marking 400 years since the first collection of the Bard's plays was published: 'The theatre can be so respectful, as if these plays absolutely need to be three and a quarter hours long. I don't think any play needs to be.' Professor Smith also reassured those who struggle with the language, adding: 'People didn't speak like that even in the Shakespearean period.' The Royal Shakespeare Company previously claimed Shakespeare's texts provide a 'conduit for conversations' about topical debate. But Professor Smith warned the playwright does not necessarily have the wisdom to tackle modern day issues. 'There's a long history of him being thought of as a kind of sage, but he hasn't usually got the answers for our modern problems,' she said. 'Asking the questions can be revealing in both directions, though talking about toxic masculinity and Hamlet, we can see him as a young man radicalised, on a mission to clear things up, and turning against women's sexuality in a very violent way, maybe like the guy who takes a gun to school. 'That was revelatory for me.' Professor Smith's new show marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's First Folio. It will feature guests including Gordon Brown and Michael Gove discussing populism and levelling up in relation to plays such as Julius Caesar and King Lear. Last week Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh said Shakespeare is better performed with regional accents than received pronunciation as it captures the 'musicality' of the Bard's work. Ms Andoh will play Richard III in a new stage adaptation which will see the drama unfold in the Cotswold's, with characters speaking in West Country accents. 'There is a musicality to Shakespeare that I think accents always bring out in a way that received pronunciation doesn't so to lean into that accent has been a joy,' she said. A newlywed jockey who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being kicked in the head by a horse has revealed she and her husband have split. Juana Andreou, 29, was left fighting for life in an induced coma after she was struck by a horse she was grooming at Flemington's stables, in Melbourne's inner city, on July 4 last year, prompting her new husband Jesse Hemmens to share a romantic message. Mr Hemmens, who she married just three months before the accident, publicly vowed to 'stay by her side' and nurse his wife back to health, just as she had done for him 12 months earlier. However, in a tragic twist, Ms Andreou last week revealed their marriage had fallen apart in the wake of the incident. In a dramatic update about her recovery, Ms Andreou said she suffered a traumatic brain injury and remains in a rehabilitation hospital receiving ongoing treatment. Juana Andreou, 29, has revealed she and her husband Jesse Hemmens have separated The couple are pictured together on their wedding day in Victoria's Yarra Valley on April 22, 2022 Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Ms Andreou said the relationship ended on a bitter note after a series of issues - including a dispute over a horse and regarding funds raised by a GoFundMe page following her injury - arose between the couple over the past few months. On Wednesday, Mr Hemmens would not comment on when the pair broke up, but warned it was 'fraught' to report on the couple's situation. 'Juana suffered a devastating acquired brain injury and her rehabilitation is ongoing,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I urge you to be very sure of the facts before publishing any reports or commentary on our situation. 'I have nothing else to say and do not intend to have any further communications about a matter that is deeply personal to me.' Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on behalf of Mr Hemmens, simply that the couple are estranged. The young couple exchanged vows at an intimate vineyard ceremony in Victoria's Yarra Valley in front of family and friends on April 22, 2022. Photos of the event show the couple beaming as they walked down the aisle hand-in-hand - the new Mrs Hemmens clutching a bouquet in her right palm while her husband gripped their wedding certificate. Just three months later, tragedy struck when Ms Andreou was left in a 'really critical state', with family told to prepare for the worst as she was rushed in and out of surgeries to stem the bleeding on her brain. Mr Hemmens previously told Daily Mail Australia he would 'stay by his wife's side' as she fought for life in a coma The couple are pictured on Christmas Day, 2020, the day they became engaged Members of the racing industry jumped online to share their well wishes for the jockey following her accident last year At the time of Ms Andreou's accident, her husband pledged to 'stay by her side', revealing she had been there for him when he was hospitalised in the same intensive care unit in 2021. 'Juana is everything to me, my best friend and the most generous caring person you could want as a wife,' Mr Hemmens told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'I've had my own health issues for a long time and had surgery 12 months ago that went sideways and I nearly died. 'She never left my side and I'll never leave hers.' On Wednesday, Ms Andreou's father Arthur said he was amazed by how far his daughter has come in her recovery journey over the past nine months. He said she is thriving and is back doing things she loved before the accident, including recently wrangling her horse during a recent visit to her family home. 'I used to cry almost every day, I thought we had almost lost her,' Mr Andreou said. 'Now, she is doing terrific. I am blown away. The hospital is talking about discharging her. We can't wait to have her home. 'Every time I look at her I say 'youre amazing Juana".' The July 2022 freak accident marked the end of a horror week in the racing industry which saw Ms Andreou - who has 48 career wins - become the third female jockey to be hospitalised within the space of two days. Ms Andreou's father Arthur told Daily Mail Australia he is 'blown away' by his 'amazing' daughter's recovery Loved ones quickly rallied around Ms Andreou and her new husband, with a GoFundMe set up to help Mr Hemmens cover the cost of his wife's treatment and the couple's living expenses raising $52,960 within a few weeks. Ms Andreou's injury came after two back-to-back shocking falls in NSW which left apprentices Leah Kilner, 24, and Elissa Meredith, 27, in critical conditions. Ms Kilner was placed into an induced coma after suffering critical injuries when she fell from Stella's Turn at the third track race in Grafton, her home track on July 3. The next day, Elissa Meredith, 28, was taken to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with brain injuries and placed into an induced coma after her mount Starlink fell at the Gunnedah races. Ms Kilner suffered brain injuries, a broken collar bone, broken ribs, post-traumatic amnesia, and a closed left eye with only 25 per cent vision. She miraculously regained consciousness and was released from hospital in August to continue her rehabilitation from home. Ms Meredith spent eight weeks in Newcastle before she was transferred to a Sydney rehabilitation centre. An unsuspecting Aussie has become $30million richer from the biggest Oz Lotto draw this year. The Western Australian player has become the sole division one winner of Oz Lotto's draw 1521, worth $30million. Entries for the draw closed 7.30pm on Tuesday night before the results were announced at 8.30pm. The winning numbers were 19, 47, 15, 46, 12, 9 and 21 with the supplementary numbers 16, 34 and 30. Tuesday's division one winner has joined a string of recent lucky lottery players across WA - including one ticketholder who won the entire $40million Powerball jackpot in March. Oz Lotto will draw its biggest jackpot this year, worth $30million, at 8.30pm on Tuesday night The Oz Lotto winner bought their ticket from the state's lottery service, Lotterywest, online. The winner has not come forward publicly. 'We're absolutely thrilled to welcome yet another big win for WA, only a few weeks after celebrating a Swan Valley family taking home $40 million in Powerball,' Lotterywest CEO Ralph Addis said. 'The WA community is also a winner following tonight's draw, with more than $1.27 million raised thanks to players over the five-week jackpot roll which will contribute to our grants program.' Another six players took home $64,355.20 from the division two prize pool and another 88 division three winners received $5,185.65 each. Two of those division two players were also Western Australians who purchased their tickets through Lotterywest. The jackpot was the largest offered by Oz Lotto so far this year, only equalled by this week's Powerball draw for the country's biggest lottery prize. 'This week, Aussies have the chance to win $30million twice with both Oz Lotto on Tuesday night and Powerball on Thursday night offering this giant prize,' The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said. Tickets for Oz Lotto draw 1521 will be available online or at licensed lottery outlets until 7.30pm If a first division winner is announced on Tuesday, they will become the sixth division one winner of 2023. 'As we head into the cooler months, your plans for the future could be just heating up with an Oz Lotto prize of this magnitude,' Hart said. 'We've had a steady stream of Oz Lotto division one wins so far this year, which is why we haven't seen the jackpot climb too high until now. 'This $30 million prize is the highest Oz Lotto has reached so far in 2023. 'Will we have another division one winner this week or will the Oz Lotto jackpot soar higher for next week's draw? Only time will tell.' Aussies looking to try their hand at Oz Lotto can either choose seven number between one and 47 or opt for a QuickPick, which chooses the numbers for you. Oz Lotto said its most frequently drawn number last year were 9, 37, 27, 5 and 24 while the least drawn were 26, 15, 43, 35 and 34. All five division one winners, who took home a collective $63million, this year claimed their prizes of QuickPick tickets. Tickets for Tuesday's draw were available online or at licensed lottery outlets until 7.30pm. Registered jackpot winners will be contacted by The Lott following the draw at 8.30pm. Unregistered players need to check their tickets themselves and contact The Lott to begin the claim process. Ticketholders can check their numbers either online, at licenced lottery outlets or on The Lott app. Childcare costs are forcing one in four British parents to give up their job while nearly three quarters said it was difficult to meet payments, research has found. The number quitting work is higher than in countries such as Brazil, Turkey and Nigeria, according to research by children's charity Their World. It comes as UK-based organisation the National Childbirth Trust found part-time childcare now costs an average of 7,000 per child per year, with even higher costs in London. In his latest Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt assigned an extra 4billion to fund childcare over three years. For eligible households in England, every child under five will receive 30 hours a week of free childcare. However, this will not be in place until September 2025. The research by Their World involved questioning more than 7,000 carers and parents with children under the age of seven from the UK, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Nigeria, Turkey and the US. In his latest Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (pictured) assigned an extra 4billion to fund childcare over three years The research found 23 per cent of British parents had quit work or studying to avoid childcare costs, compared with 17 per cent of those in Brazil, 16 per cent in Turkey and 13 per cent in Nigeria. As many as 74 per cent of UK parents said they find it difficult to meet childcare costs, compared with 52 per cent in India, 57 per cent in the Netherlands, 59 per cent in Nigeria and 68 per cent in the US. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is calling on governments to urgently prioritise spending on the early years. The survey has 'laid bare the scale of the global early years crisis and its impact on children in rich and poor countries alike' and change is needed because 'early years childcare is as essential to a country's infrastructure as roads, hospitals and telecommunications', Mrs Brown said. Sixty-five percent of UK parents questioned said they have had to make major financial changes, including taking on more work and spending less on food, in order to afford childcare. The UK-based organisation the National Childbirth Trust found part-time childcare now costs an average of 7,000 per child per year, with even higher costs in London. [File image] Some 22 per cent said they spend between 30 per cent and 70 per cent of their income on childcare. Theirworld said children from wealthier and educated backgrounds tend to begin primary school ready to learn, but there are nearly 250 million children in low- and middle-income countries who are at risk of not reaching their full development potential due to poverty, inadequate nutrition, exposure to stress, and a lack of early stimulation and learning. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee last month, denied that the childcare system is in crisis. He said: 'I think that announcements in the Budget were warmly welcomed by the childcare sector for what they're going to do, which is to increase the funding for childcare as it is now, but also expand the provision to cover some of the gaps in the existing system and move us into a internationally quite generous position relative to our peers on childcare.' The final years of John Olsen's long life were overshadowed by a vicious family dispute which pitted the acclaimed artist against his stepdaughter in court. Olsen, who died on Tuesday aged 95, sued Karen Howard Mentink in 2019 alleging unconscionable procurement of money from the estate of her mother - his fourth wife Katharine Howard-Olsen. New South Wales Supreme Court judge John Sackar found Mentink had unduly influenced terminally ill Howard-Olsen to obtain a $2.2million gift shortly before her death three years earlier. Justice John Sackar ruled Mentink 'was actively involved in or stood by and did nothing' as she accepted the 'extraordinarily large' gift, knowing of her mother's illness, changed behaviour and anxiety. 'It was an act of self-indulgence, somewhat callous and extraordinarily selfish on the part of the defendant,' Justice Sackar found. The final years of John Olsen's long life were overshadowed by a vicious family dispute which pitted the acclaimed artist against his stepdaughter in court. Olsen on Tuesday aged 95 'The defendant took no opportunity to suggest her mother seek independent advice, nor speak to anyone else in the family about such a large gift.' At the time of the initial legal action Mentink was 58 and Olsen 91. The hearing was convened at Moss Vale Court House in the Southern Highlands near Olsen's home in Bowral. Howard-Olsen, who was married to the Archibald Prize winner for 27 years, had withdrawn $2.2 million in October, 2016, and given the money to her daughter. She died of cancer two months later. Justice Sackar, who described Mentink as 'a most unsatisfactory witness', upheld Olsen's claim she had received the huge sum by reason of 'undue influence or unconscionability' over her mother. Mentink subsequently appealed against that decision, with her barrister Raoul Wilson SC submitting there was no evidence she had initiated the gift or influenced Howard-Olsen. 'It resulted from free will on the part of the deceased,' Wilson said in written submissions to the Court of Appeal in May 2020. Olsen sued Karen Howard Mentink (above) alleging unconscionable procurement of $2.2m from the estate of her mother - his fourth wife Katharine Howard-Olsen Mentink had challenged the decision on 12 grounds, contending Justice Sackar erred in a number of his findings. 'The primary judge should have found that the transfer of $2.2million to the appellant was a gift resulting from an exercise of free and informed judgment on the part of the deceased,' the grounds stated. Mark McCulloch SC, for Olsen, said for Mentink's appeal to succeed she 'must demonstrate that the primary judge erred in relation to no less than 20 findings of fact.' McCulloch said none of Mentink's challenges gave a cogent reason why Justice Sackar's fact finding contained any error. 'To the contrary, a fair reading of the entire judgment would leave the court with the overwhelming sense that the primary judge discharged his function impeccably,' McCulloch said. The Court of Appeal dismissed Mentink's challenge to the original judgment in August 2020 and ordered her to pay her stepfather's costs. Justices Anthony Meagher, Anthony Payne and Arthur Emmett said Justice Sackar's findings on unconscionable conduct were supported by oral evidence, probabilities and contemporaneous documents. Olsen, whose painting career spanned more than 60 years, is one of the few artists to win the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes and his work hangs in international galleries They also ruled Justice Sackar did not err by concluding the $2.2million transaction by way of gift was not fair, reasonable and just. Olsen's son Tim, a prominent gallery owner, said after the decision that 'John will be having a good night's sleep, which he hasn't had for a while'. Olsen jnr said the four years since the death of his father's last wife had been 'very arduous' and 'for John, it's been a very sad experience'. 'He's happy but he's not jumping up and down in celebration,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'He's taking it very humbly.' Olsen, whose painting career spanned more than 60 years, is one of the few artists to win the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes and his work hangs in international galleries. He won the Archibald for Self-portrait Janus-Faced in 2005 and the Sulman Prize for Don Quixote Enters the Inn in 1989. Olsen twice won the Wynne Prize - for The Chasing Bird Landscape in 1969 and A Road to Clarendon: Autumn in 1985. Perhaps his best-known work Salute to Five Bells, hangs in the Sydney Opera House. A tribute Olsen's career will be beamed onto the landmark building's sails during the Vivid Sydney festival next month. Suncorp has become the latest Australian company to offer gender affirmation leave to employee to support its trans and gender-diverse employees. The finance company's 13,000-strong workforce is now entitled to six weeks paid gender affirmation leave and up to 12 months of unpaid leave to give them the time and financial support they need to affirm their gender. The new entitlement includes time for staff to inform families and friends about a gender identity change, adopt the style of dress and presentation that better aligns with their gender identity and change their pronouns or name. The leave also covers legal and medical affirmation, including changing identification documents, surgery, post-operation recovery, hormone therapy and attending appointments. Suncorp now provides six weeks of paid gender affirmation leave to staff (stock image) Suncorp staff in New Zealand are also entitled to the new leave benefit. Vera Dawson is among the employees who will benefit and hopes the reform will inspire other staff to share their true identity with Suncorp. She said the new leave provides with tailored support in her ongoing gender affirmation, including the flexibility to take time off to attend appointments difficult to accommodate when working full-time. 'Seeing that Suncorp has this kind of leave entitlement definitely has an impact on how new-starters view, trust, and feel supported by their employer,' Vera said. 'People like me now have the freedom and the support of the organisation to make the appointments they need, and it's just going to make things so much more painless for them.' Chair of Suncorp's Employee Resource Group Amplify Olivia Sinden said the move signified Suncorp's progression to acknowledge and celebrate its staff diversity. A host of Australian workforces now offer gender affirmation leave for staff (stock image) 'Many of the changes required by people affirming their gender take multiple appointments, the majority of which are only available during standard working hours Monday to Friday,' Ms Sinden said. 'On top of this, the unemployment rate among the gender diverse populations is over triple the Australian average, so re-entering the workforce has not always been an easy undertaking for this community.' Suncorp joins a host of organisations offering gender affirmation leave, including ANZ, Coles, Zurich, Allianz, along with broadcasters ABC and SBS. Gender affirmation leave has become an emerging inclusion in enterprise agreements and workplace policies across Australia, according to Clayton Utz. Suncorp staff will have access to 12 months unpaid leave to get the time and financial support they need to affirm their gender Global IT software company Saleforce announced in late 2021 it was assisting its Australian and New Zealand transgender employees in their transition to gender affirmation. It included a transgender employee benefits package with four extra weeks of paid leave and $54,400 towards gender affirmation surgeries along with prescription drugs, hormonal therapy and hair transplant/removal costs. There's also a $500 wardrobe allowance, $1000 towards legal costs of updating the gender status on birth certificates, licences and other government documents and counselling services for staff and their loved ones. An employee advocacy program was also set up to provide staff support with belonging, equity, and career navigation. A judge has slammed three young men who hurled a rolled-up newspaper and a ceramic pot at an elderly couple before callously robbing them. Coolio Dereck Mears, 20, and his co-accused, two men who cannot be named as they were 17 at the time of the attack, were sentenced in Perth District Court by Judge Linda Black on Tuesday. The trio were found guilty of breaking into the South Lake home of Russell and Katie Edwards during the early hours of January 6, 2021, in a criminal trial late last year. Ms Edwards said the men hit her over the head with a rolled-up newspaper, stomped on her foot and bruised her hand as they tried to grab her rings. Her husband was hit with a ceramic cat ornament which caused blood to gush from his head, with the young men then wreaking havoc in his home. Judge Black didn't hold back as she sentenced Mears to three years behind bars and his younger co-accused to four-and-a-half years and three years, respectively. 'It is beyond my imagination how any young man could look into the face of two elderly people and behave the way you did,' she told them. Coolio Dereck Mears, 20, (pictured) and his co-accused, two men who cannot be named as they were 17-years-old at the time of the attack, were sentenced in Perth District Court by Judge Linda Black on Tuesday Judge Linda Black (pictured on October, 2021) said the couple would have been 'terrified' but that Ms Edwards, 92, had been brave enough to investigate the loud bang The trio were found guilty of breaking into the South Lake home of Russell and Katie Edwards and attacking them during the early hours of January 6, 2021 'To not stop what you were doing when you saw how old and vulnerable those two people were is disgusting. 'If you get the impression that I am appalled by the offence that you have committed, then you are right.' Both in their 90s, the couple had been awoken by a large crashing sound and found three men in duffel coats standing on their doorstep. Judge Black said the couple would have been 'terrified' but that Ms Edwards, 92, had been brave enough to investigate and give one of her attackers a 'shove'. After knocking over furniture and ransacking the home, the attackers 'added insult to injury' by turning off all the lights and leaving their victims in darkness. The couple called triple zero as the trio fled the property with several items, including two watches. Paramedics had to staple the cut on Mr Edward's head to stop the heavy bleeding, with graphic images of their injuries later released by WA Police. Judge Black described the attack as 'disgraceful' and 'disgusting'. After knocking over furniture and ransacking their home, the attackers 'added insult to injury' by turning off the lights and leaving their victims in the dark Ms Edward's hands (pictured) were bruised by her attackers attempts to take her rings The couple, both in their 90s, had been awoken by a large crashing sound and found three men in duffel coats standing on their doorstep (pictured is their broken fly-screen on the lawn) 'They (the Edwards) were in their bed fast asleep and you terrified them, you hurt them, and you stole from them,' she said. She agreed the offending had been out of character for 20-year-old Mears who had excelled in school, completed Year 12 and didn't take drugs. He had a clean criminal record, unlike his two younger co-accused, and was the only one who had expressed regret at his actions. One of the teenagers had been on bail at the time of the attack and both had significant criminal histories. The Edwards have been left with restricted mobility with Ms Edwards now having to use a walker to get around. In an Australian first, Chinese-made hybrid MGs will soon be part of one of the nation's biggest police fleets with experts claiming China will eventually own the country's electric vehicle market. The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has a target of a complete hybrid sedan and SUV fleet by 2025. To help reach its 100 per cent hybrid target, the state's police service ordered 45 MG HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid SUVs in March to join its fleet. The vehicles will be adorned with First Nations artwork, with three cars given to each of the 15 policing districts across the state. In an Australian first, Chinese-made MG HS SUVs (pictured) will be used as marked police cars The Queensland Police Service ordered 45 MG HS plug-in hybrid SUVs in March to join its fleet. It comes as the state's police force plans to be 100 per cent hybrid by 2025 The hybrid cars were independently tested and evaluated by QPS to assess whether they were suited for police duties. QPS has yet to own the vehicles and pictures of the MGs are not yet available, according to CarExpert. In New South Wales, MGs are used as speed camera vehicles but are not used in the state as marked police cars. The MGs will join more conventional hybrid vehicles as part of Queensland's police fleet including Toyota Camry, RAV4 and Kluger models along with Mitsubishi Outlanders and Kias. The police department confirmed more than two-thirds of its sedan and SUV fleet is electrified and is on track to have a fleet comprised of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles within the next two years. QPS has not set a deadline for the introduction of hybrid vehicles nor has it set any fleet targets as part of its 'hybrid first' policy, but told CarExpert it was looking to a 'full electric vehicle future in the years to come'. Experts claim the Australian EV market is being dominated by Chinese-made vehicles, with China set to own the market by the end of the decade. Sam Evans, founder of EV news channel The Electric Viking, explained the majority of hybrid cars being sold in Australia are made in China. Sam Evans (pictured), founder of EV news channel The Electric Viking, explained the majority of hybrid cars being sold in Australia are Chinese-made and predicted the country's EV market will be owned by China by the end of the decade In his video 'Electric car marketshare in Australia increases 158 per cent' shared to YouTube on Monday, Evans pointed to the proximity of China as a cause for the massive upturn in EV purchases. 'The EV market in Australia is probably going to go at a faster pace than a lot of other countries because why we're right near China,' Evans said. He explained China is about to 'dump' its EVs onto Australia because the country was not making any money after close to 2,000 car dealerships declared bankruptcy last year. 'I mean no one is making any money in China right now ... The Chinese market is just going to hell and they're all saying "what are we doing what are we doing just to sell them in Australia we can make a profit". They can and they will they're coming.' Evans said Australia's market share is currently dominated by EV brands- including Tesla MG, Polestar, Volvo and BMW - made in China. 'The kings of market share in Australia, well, they're all from China including Tesla,' Evans said. 'Pretty much all EVs dominating market share in Australia come from China. MG, Polestar, Volvo, yeah, Tesla and even some of the other brands as well. 'Soon we'll have Aura with the good cat. Soon we'll have the MG4 and a range of other EVS which you may or may not know about yet. 'There's a whole lot more. China will own the Australian car market by the end of the decade. Toyota bye-bye that's what I think.' Data released by CarExpert in January showed the five most popular electric vehicles sold in Australia last year were all made in China. Data released by CarExpert in January showed the five most popular electric vehicles sold in Australia in 2022 were made in China (pictured) Sales of electric cars in 2022 almost doubled with 33,410 EVs sold in the year - equating to about 3 per cent of the new vehicle market. Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y topped the list with 10,877 and 8,717 sales respectively - with the Model 3 breaking Toyota Camry's decades-long run as Australia's top-selling mid-sized sedan. BYD Atto 3 secured ranked third with 2,113 sales despite only being available from November and December. In fourth spot was the Polestar 2 with 1,554 sales in its first full year, while the MG ZS closed out the top-five with 1,119 sales. Chicago's newly appointed top cop is calling for the firing of an officer who shot dead an unarmed Latino American boy in the city's Little Village section two years ago - but managed to escape charges due to insufficient evidence. Graphic body camera video showed how Officer Eric Stillman chased down 13-year-old Adam Toledo into an alley before firing a single shot into the boy's chest on March 29, 2021. The video sparked protests almost overnight, after it revealed Toledo had dropped a handgun he had been carrying shortly before Stillman fired the fatal shot, and was raising his hands in surrender. The city's DA's office would then agonize over whether to hit Stillman with a disciplinary hearing for the better part of year, before coming to the conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge the officer. At the time, the department's superintendent - the only official with the power to sign off on such a hearing - elected to only hit Tillman with a five-day suspension. More than a year later, his successor is saying that decision should be reversed. Scroll down for video: Eric Stillman, 36, shot dead an unarmed Latino American boy in the city's Little Village section two years ago - but managed to escape charges due to insufficient evidence Adam Toledo, 13, passed away after sustaining the single gunshot wound on March 29, 2021., despite dropping a gun and raising his hands in surrender 'Officer Stillman's use of deadly force was not necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm from an imminent threat posed to Officer Stillman,' CP Superintendent Eric Carter wrote in charges filed with the city's police board Monday. Additionally, Carter - who succeeded Superintendent David Brown just this past month - accused Stillman, 36, of failing to use proper de-escalation techniques to 'prevent the use of deadly force as a last resort.' The city's police board is now to hold hearings on Stillman's potential termination beginning in May. In the interim, Stillman - a seven-year veteran who had never used deadly force prior to the shooting - will remain on active duty, as he has for most of the past two years. In the recommendation, Carter stated that the officer violated several department policies including unlawful or unnecessary use of his firearm. He added that Stillman acted 'inconsistently' with his training when he chased down the youngster and failed to alert the Office of Emergency Management, while also neglecting to wait for backup after being separated from his partner. The disciplinary charges almost immediately elicited a response from Stillman's attorneys, who slammed Toledo's death as a 'tragedy' - while also thrusting blame not on the officer, but the 'the gang violence that is epidemic on our streets.' Following Stillman's fatal encounter with Toledo, many theorized the teen had been involved with the notorious Latin Kings street gang, hence why he was holding a gun when he was shot. That said, the department had yet to produce any verifiable evidence to substantiate such claims. Toledo also had no discernable criminal record - a fact that his family's attorneys cited amid calls for Stillman to face consequences for the shooting. Graphic body camera video showed the gruesome killing, and how the officer chased down the teen into an alley before firing a single shot into his chest on March 29, 2021 At the time, the department's then superintendent David Brown - the only official with the power to sign off on such a hearing - elected to only hit Tillman with a five-day suspension. More than a year later, his successor - Superintendent Eric Carter - is saying that decision should be reversed 'The Cook County State's Attorney's Office investigated this case and correctly concluded that the use of force by Officer Stillman was proper and within Illinois law,' Chiagao based Tim Grace wrote of Carter's recently filed recommendation. 'There is no reason or justification for the City of Chicago to have sought termination on this case,' Grace continued, before pointing the city's current crime woes. 'The members of the Chicago Police Department continue to work under amazingly difficult circumstances, yet still come to work each day to protect the citizens from the gun-wielding offenders who terrorize our city.' He added: 'The work of the men and women of the Chicago Police Department should not be ostracized but rather given the appropriate amount of appreciation that is deserved. 'We now enter the next phase of Officer Stillman's long journey which is to try and separate him from the Chicago Police Department.' Full of dramatic language, the lawyer's statement eventually concluded: 'It is not only a sad day for the police officers, and public safety but also to all Chicagoans. We look forward to presenting our case to the Police Board.' Previously, as the city's spread-thin state attorney probed whether to charge the civic staffer, Grace complained how 'very little interest' he had seen from the general public as to Stillman's wellbeing, claiming his client was traumatized. 'The officer involved has served his country and his city with honor and deserves our support,' he said shortly after the shooting - which came in a crime-ridden year hailed as one of the city's worst in decades. Since then, crime - especially shootings - has only worsened, with incidents up nearly 50 percent from this time last year, and nearly 100 percent from 2021. The city's struggles have seen its image image dwindle under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who since taking office in late 2019, tried to defund the city's police force before making an abrupt reverse to those plans in August of 2021, amid increasing crime and mass walkouts by the city's peace officers. Toledo was carrying a gun in the moments before he was shot, and bodycam footage shows him throwing it behind a fence before turning to face Stillman The officer fired a single shot, striking Toledo in the upper chest, after yelling at him to show his hands and 'drop it' Stillman is seen in body camera video frantically performing CPR on Toledo after shooting him once in the chest Amid that general unrest was a still-active Stillman, who joined the police department in 2015 and has since served as a patrol officer assigned to the Ogden District on the city's West Side. A month after the shooting, COPA released footage from Stillman's bodycam, showing that Toledo was carrying a gun in the moments before he was shot, but dropped it and raised his arms before facing Stillman. In the footage, Stillman is heard yelling: 'Stop right f***ing now!' Show me your f***ing hands! Drop it'. When Toledo turns, he appears to raise his hands. A moment later, a single shot rings out and the teen collapses to the ground. Stillman is then heard radioing 'shot fired' as he lays Toledo flat on his back and begins frantically looking for the wound. He is heard saying: 'Stay with me, stay with me'. Despite efforts to revive Toledo, as seen in the body camera video the teen died from his injury. On Monday, his family hailed the department's renewed attempt to charge their son's killer. 'Firing Eric Stillman will not bring our Adam back,' the statement read. 'But will take us one step closer to Justice for Adam. 'This brave decision will send a much-needed message to the Chicago Police Department... that its officers must respect the sanctity of human life... and strictly follow CPD's policies and training while doing their job.' Stillman's hearing is currently set for May 1. He will remain on duty until then. Penny Wong's promotion to Acting Prime Minister has stunned Australians with some expressing their pride at seeing her in the top job and others joking her temporary rise was to 'poke the right'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese started his week of leave on April 8, keeping his location a secret but it's expected he is still within Australia's borders. In his absence, Senator Wong, Australia's Foreign Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles are sharing the title of Acting Prime Minister. Senator Wong, 54, joked on Channel Nine on Wednesday that she had pushed Mr Albanese to take a holiday. 'He didn't take any leave over Christmas,' she said. Penny Wong's promotion to the office of prime minister, albeit temporarily, has stunned Australians Senator Wong joked on Channel Nine on Wednesday that she had pushed Albanese to take a holiday 'or you'll drive us all crazy' 'So, you know, It's about time. I said to him, "you need to go have a break. You'll drive us all crazy".' One of her first acts as acting PM was to announce an agreement with China to resolve the damaging trade dispute over Australia's barley imports. In May, 2020, China imposed a tariff of 80.5 per cent on our barley exports following an investigation into claims Australian grain was being dumped cheaply on the local market. Australia will now suspend its case at the World Trade Organization while China reviews the duties it imposed on Australian barley. 'Obviously, if the duties are not lifted at the end of the review period, we will resume our dispute in the WTO,' Senator Wong said. Her elevation to the Acting Prime Minister role has drawn a lot of attention with her constituents admitting they were 'happy' to see someone who wasn't Caucasian or heterosexual finally in the top job. Senator Wong, an Asian-Australian lesbian, revealed she was gay a month after being elected to the Senate back in 2002. The South Australian senator has been with her partner Sophie Allouache for more than 20 years and the couple have two children. Senator Wong's elevation to the role of Acting Prime Minister has drawn a lot of attention In 2008, Senator Wong became the first Asian-Australian in any Australian Cabinet. She was also the first female Australian federal parliamentarian openly identifying as being part of the LGBTQI community. In 2013, she became the first female leader of the opposition in the Senate. Senator Wong's courage to be herself in public has led to her being one of the most highly-regarded and trusted politicians in Australia. A 2022 study conducted by Roy Morgan Research found Senator Wong was the most trusted politician in Australia. She was voted the most effective minister in the Albanese government in a national survey last year. On social media, the mood surrounding Wong's promotion was that it was completely deserved. 'There's something I didn't think I'd see in my lifetime but happy to see it. Acting PM Penny Wong,' said Brad Keeling, a leading marketing entrepreneur on Twitter. Another commenter joked her ascension to the top role was 'poking the right [wing]'. Penelope Ying-Yen Wong is the Acting PM, sharing the role with Richard Marles Penelope Ying-Yen Wong was born in Malaysia to a Chinese Malaysian father and a British Australian mother. Her parents, Francis and Jane, split when she was just eight. She moved to Australia with her mum and younger brother. Senator Wong went to primary school in Adelaide and won a scholarship to attend Scotch College, where she studied studied chemistry, physics and mathematics. She went on to study at the University of Adelaide where she studied medicine then law. After graduating, she worked for the CFMEU as a solicitor. Senator Wong ran for pre-selection for the Senate in 2001 and was successful at the 2001 election in her efforts to became a Senator for South Australia. She has held a number of ministerial portfolios including climate change, finance and deregulation and foreign affairs. A mobile phone is reported as stolen every six minutes in London, figures show. That's 91,000 phone thefts in 2022 alone, according to data revealed by the BBC. And only 2 per cent of victims are reunited with their mobile a figure described as 'unacceptable' by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke. He said: 'Phone theft is not a minor crime, it strikes at the heart of how safe people feel in their own communities. 'There needs to be a concerted drive to address this because it directly affects the public's confidence in the police's ability to keep them safe.' Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in Islington, north London within the last year, said it feels like 'a crime that goes unpunished' (file image) Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand (file image) The Metropolitan Police said officers 'run daily operations to target offenders'. Westminster (25,899 thefts), Camden (7,892) and Hackney (4,618) were among the worst hit boroughs last year. Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in Islington, north London within the last year, said it feels like 'a crime that goes unpunished'. READ MORE - Revealed: Victims of London phone theft find their stolen mobiles are ending up in the SAME street in Chinese city Advertisement Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand. On both occasions she contacted the police but this was 'mainly because I needed the crime reference number' for insurance. She added: 'I knew the police wouldn't do anything about it. 'The first time it happened and I reported it, nothing happened. (This was) despite the fact that I was able to track its location and see where it had been taken to. 'On the second occasion, I had a conversation with a police officer who said that because the thief was wearing a balaclava, there was nothing they could do. Ms Kenyon added: 'It just feels like there is no point in reporting it in the first place, unless you need to for your insurance. 'It's only for proof not for any repercussions. It's a crime that goes unpunished, there seems to be no effort from the police to prevent this. 'You feel very violated, your whole life is on your phone, you can be left not knowing what to do.' A Metropolitan Police spokesman: 'The recovery of phones is difficult as those stealing them pass them on to be sold very quickly. 'Police run daily operations to target offenders and work with second hand retailers to crack down on stolen mobile phones being sold on. 'Specially trained officers focus their attention on hotspot areas, as well as key times of the day, to prevent those intent on using mopeds and other means of transport to steal from being able to do so.' Less than a year ago, Dany Milham was waxing lyrical about his stratospheric goals for MilkRun - the rapid grocery delivery company that was then sweeping the streets of Sydney and Melbourne. 'I'm just so ambitious,' he told the Australian Financial Review in a puff piece ahead of his entry as number 40 on the publication's Young Rich List. The serial entrepreneur then made the gobsmacking claim that within ten years MilkRun would be a bigger business than Coles or Woolworths, with plans to expand into Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and to deliver everything from groceries to iPhones. MilkRun founder and serial entrepreneur Dany Milham believed MilkRun would be bigger than Coles or Woolworths within a decade The super-fast grocery delivery company went into administration on Tuesday 'We've hit our targets and our goals, our investors are happy, we have market leadership so early on,' he said. 'The opportunities are endless.' Ten months on, his riders will lock up their bikes for the final time on Friday. MilkRun announced yesterday that it will close its doors and make all staff and riders redundant, becoming the latest in a long line of delivery start-ups to go under. Mr Milham sent an email to its 400 workers on Tuesday in which he blamed worsening market conditions for his company's collapse despite the business 'performing well'. He told his staff they had 'set out to change the face of grocery delivery in Australia'. His despondent tone was a far cry from the heady optimism he exhibited last year. In January 2022, MilkRun raised $75 million in seed capital and was backed by the likes of Atlassian founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, making it one of Australia's fastest-growing start-ups. Meet the multi-millionaire Young Rich Lister behind MilkRun Dany Milham is the co-founder of mattress company Koala and the brains behind grocery delivery app MilkRun. He is estimated to have a net worth of around $150million. Mr Milham was born in Byron Bay, on the NSW north coast. His first entrepreneurial endeavour was building gaming computers and selling them at the age of 13. Mr Milham then went on to work for Mude Creative before he then co-founding Koala in 2015. He is regarded as one of the most successful and high-profile start-up owners in NSW. Advertisement The company was thought to have a valuation in the hundreds of millions. Riding high on the success, Mr Milham told AFR's Yolanda Redrup in May that MilkRun would crush the opposition to concur the 'one-player market' of super-fast grocery delivery. 'We're the player in Australia. It's a great opportunity because we're going to have the entire Australian market,' he said. 'It's my first battle with incumbents. [But] they can't disrupt their own business faster than we can do it. It's been proven time and time again.' Mr Milham, who is in his early 30s and has as an estimated personal wealth of $153million, has been a serial entrepreneur from a young age. Among others, he has founded a coffee company, a tree planting business and the Byron Bay Skincare brand. He struck gold with mattress delivery firm Koala which he co-founded with childhood friend Mitch Taylor in 2015. The company turned over $165 million in 2020-21 and was given a valuation of $500 million. He had hoped to replicate that success with MilkRun. Initially, the promise of groceries, alcohol and other supplies delivered to the doorstep in under ten minutes proved irresistible for customers and investors alike. But this week Mr Milham blamed tough economic and market conditions for the eventual decision to close the business. 'Since we announced our structural changes in February, economic and capital market conditions have continued to deteriorate, and while the business has continued to perform well, we feel strongly that this is the right decision in the current environment,' he wrote in the email to staff. Professor Gary Mortimer, business and retail expert at the Queensland University of Technology, told Daily Mail Australia that MilkRun's collapse was 'not a shock'. 'The writing was on the wall for these hyper-grocery delivery start-ups for some time,' he said. 'They grew significantly during the pandemic. It was opportunistic entrepreneurship at its very best. We had populations in Sydney and Melbourne locked down and people not wanting to venture out of the home. Mr Milham (right) with his Koala co-founder Mitch Taylor (pictured left) who is also ranked on Australia's young Rich List 'Obviously as the pandemic came to a close, people ventured back into supermarkets and we started to see these businesses start to fall over. 'First to go was Deliveroo, then there was Send, then Quicko and Voly. For Milkrun the writing was on the wall for sometime. It's incredibly difficult to scale that business when you're needing riders and bikes to deliver the groceries in some cases under 15 minutes it's just not sustainable. 'When you've got 3.5 per cent unemployment people aren't choosing to ride bikes, they are choosing to get jobs elsewhere.' Prof Mortimer said that small and agile start-ups like MilkRun and Voly had been able to exploit the demand for rapid deliveries in urban areas during lockdown because for Woolworths and Metro it was a case of being 'tough to turn a big ship around'. However, they had now introduced their own quick-turnaround delivery services which squeezed the start-ups. 'It's really hard to compete with the might of big supermarkets that offer not just speed but also range,' Prof Mortimer said. 'The investment that both big supermarkets have put into their online operations and automated fulfilment centres they are really scaling up to be ready for consumers to continue shopping online for food and groceries. 'Ten cents in every dollar of food and grocery is now purchased online and then benefit is they have got the capital behind them to invest in this infrastructure and customers trust them.' Last year, Woolworths introduced Metro60, which aims to delivery groceries in under an hour, while Coles has introduced a 60-minute click and collect service across around 600 stores. UberEats has also expanded well beyond simple takeaway food deliveries. Mr Milham reassured staff they would be paid severance packages. 'We've always been committed to doing things the right way, and winding down the business while we still have a sufficient cash balance enables us to ensure our people and suppliers are paid in full,' he wrote. Prof Mortimer praised MilkRun's handling of their downfall. 'They've made sure that they are going to be able to meet their liabilities, including their staffs' wages,' he said. 'It's disappointing to see small start-ups like this close but they are not alone.' There had been signs of trouble at MilkRun for some time. Just weeks ago, the company announced it was slashing 20 per cent of its workforce. 'With economic and market conditions changing rapidly, we need to get ahead of the curve and evolve the way we operate to fit the current environment and extend our runway,' Mr Milham wrote to a letter addressed to staff two months ago. 'This means making some structural changes and some tough decisions that will unfortunately impact some of our people.' Last June, Mr Milham apologised to customers who complained they had failed to receive their orders within the promised 20 minute timeframe. Mr Milham admitted the company had experienced an 'unacceptable' decline in service. 'There have been a number of factors which have, at times, led to an unacceptable decline in our delivery experience in busy periods,' he wrote. 'These included ongoing Covid cases affecting the availability of riders and hub staff, record rainfall in Sydney, and the challenges involved with scaling a fully employed workforce faster than anyone has ever tried before.' The problems became more pronounced eight months later when Mr Milham laid off a substantial part of the workforce - and culminated with his email today. Free-range eggs could return to supermarkets next week after five months as the Government finally lifts its bird flu lockdown. Bird keepers have been subject to a national housing order since November 7 to help curb an unprecedented number of bird flu cases. More than 330 have been confirmed in the UK since October 2021. The housing order meant that eggs laid by hens who normally had access to outside areas, and chickens produced for meat, could not be marketed as free range. Restrictions will be lifted from midnight on April 18 after the risk level was lowered to 'medium'. Eggs laid by hens with access to outside range areas can once again be labelled as free range. Pictured: Chickens (file photo). Bird keepers have been subject to a national housing order since November 7 to help curb an unprecedented number of bird flu cases. More than 330 have been confirmed in the UK since October 2021 Some parts of the country, including large areas of Norfolk, will stay under lockdown, and poultry farmers will be required to maintain enhanced biosecurity measures. Places with poor biosecurity have been assessed as at a medium risk of infection and those with good biosecurity are seen as low risk. There could be a risk of infection for several more weeks, the environment department warned. Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, said: 'Whilst the lifting of the mandatory housing measures will be welcome news to bird keepers, scrupulous biosecurity remains the most critical form of defence to help keep your birds safe. 'It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter that we are in a position to take this action. 'However, the unprecedented nature of this outbreak has proven it is more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and to maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.' All of the clothing of poultry and captive bird keepers must be cleansed and disinfected. They must also keep to a minimum the number of people entering and exiting their farms to reduce the risk of avian flu spreading. They are also being told to keep to a minimum contamination from slurry and manure, suppress vermin and intensively clean and disinfect bird housing on a consistent basis. Pictured: Eggs (file photo). Restrictions will be lifted from midnight on April 18 after the risk level was lowered to 'medium'. Eggs laid by hens with access to outside range areas can once again be labelled as free range The Government said the virus poses a very low the risk to public health. It added that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe for consumption. Despite the low risk, UK scientists are concerned that the virus may have jumped to mammals and could one day evolve to transmit more easily between humans. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also said the threat to humans remains low, as does the risk to food safety in the UK. It said it has so far discovered no positive cases in people while monitoring those who have been hit with flu or cold-like symptoms after coming into contact with a bird. The agency is advising people to avoid contact with any sick or dead wild birds and to wash their hands after feeding wild birds. Prominent vaccine makers, such as Moderna and GSK, have said they are prepared to manufacture hundreds of millions of bird flu shots for humans if the virus spreads. Bird keepers have been asked to report any potential instances of disease to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). At least 48 million birds have been culled across the UK and Europe since the start of the outbreak in 2021. Avian flu can lead to birds stumbling around and can cause their heads to swell and their necks to twist. Pictured: Chickens (file photo). There could be a risk of infection for several more weeks, the environment department warned 'Free-range egg producers will be relieved to see their hens outside again,' said Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association. British Poultry Council chief executive Richard Griffiths said: 'This has been a testing time for the poultry meat industry, so we welcome the lifting of the housing order that comes with the reduction of the risk level. 'Reduced risk does not mean no risk: the health of our birds remains the priority for our members up and down the country. We urge all bird keepers to maintain effective biosecurity throughout the year to avoid any incursion of potential infection and minimise impact on international trade.' Last month, the Government said it was looking into vaccinating poultry to prevent future outbreaks of avian flu, with such vaccinations currently banned. However, it said that further research was required and noted that bird flu vaccines would not provide the solution to the current outbreak. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that, while rare, the public should stay vigilant about avian flu reaching humans. The current H5N1 bird flu outbreak started in October 2021 and has been unrivalled in its scale and longevity. Last week, the virus reached the tip of South America for the first time. In February, an 11-year-old girl in Cambodia died after contracting the disease. A pregnant woman and three kids under six were among seven people dramatically rescued from a crocodile-infested river in the early hours of Easter Sunday. The woman's husband and two family friends made up the rest of the seven found on the banks of the Northern Territory's Goomadeer River after their boat overturned at 2am in the pouring rain. Passengers on a recreational fishing vessel, the Seachange, anchored just 200metres away, were woken by what they described as 'blood curdling screams' coming from the 10.5m cruiser worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Seachange owner and NT Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Ireland said he and six friends on board responded to an SOS call from the sinking boat. 'At 2am ... we responded to a duress call from a sinking vessel with a family on board,' he wrote on Facebook. Seven people, including a pregnant woman and three children, were found on the banks of the Northern Territory's Goomadeer River after their boat (pictured) overturned at 2am 'It has been a stressful time but happy that it all ended well from a safety perspective. 'It serves to remind us that when travelling to remote locations, every decision is critical and every preparation you make is potentially crucial to your survival.' It was low tide on the river, which is almost 500km east of the NT capital of Darwin and an hour west of the Maningrida, allowing the passengers to make it to shore. A Northern Territory Police and Fire spokesperson said the emergency services were called at around 3am. Passengers on a recreational fishing vessel, the Seachange (pictured), anchored 200metres away were woken by what was described as 'blood curdling screams' 'All passengers were uninjured and returned safely back to Maningrida,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'A salvage plan to retrieve the sunken vessel is being prepared.' The NT Police commended 'the actions of the rescuers and all those who assisted in conveying the family back to Maningrida and securing the vessel in place for salvage. 'This was an excellent result and police would continue to urge everyone out on Territory waterways to make sure you have the required safety equipment and let someone know your plans, in particular where you are going and when you will be back.' The police said people should 'plan ahead and stay safe on the water'. Mr Ireland explained how the cruiser had come to fall over in the water. 'When it pulled at anchor it ended on the shoreline, but because it was too steep it was unable to rest on an even keel and they disembarked onto the bank when they felt they were unable to recover the boat,' he told the NT News. Seachange owner and NT Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Ireland (pictured) said he and six friends on board responded to an SOS from the sinking boat He and a friend used a smaller vessel attached to the Seachange to rescue the stranded adults and children, all of whom were wearing lifejackets, and bring them to safety. 'They were a bit distressed about what had occurred in the middle of the night, particularly the young kids, but chocolate Easter eggs and lollie snakes calmed things and everyone slept soundly next morning.' He added that the family had a satellite communicator to call for help, 'but fortunately we were five minutes away'. Mr Ireland has been contacted for comment. King Charles is hiring a new assistant private secretary to beef up his advisory team and the successful candidate will get paid up to 80,000-a-year. The role is based within the Private Secretary's Office in Buckingham Palace. 'The private secretary's office acts as the primary source of advice to His Majesty the King in his role as head of state and head of nation,' the advert on the royal website explains. 'Advice relates to constitutional, governmental and political affairs, including those affecting the 15 realms in which His Majesty is head of state and in the 54 countries of the Commonwealth of which the King is head. 'It is also responsible for policy guidance on matters concerning the King's role in relation to the Church of England and the Church of Scotland.' King Charles is hiring a new assistant private secretary to strengthen his advisory team and the successful candidate will get paid up to 80,000-a-year King Charles III's joint Private Secretary is Sir Clive Alderton (pictured), who has been a trusted advisor to the King and Queen Consort since 2006 He is holding the role alongside Sir Edward Young (pictured), who also served as the Queen's Private Secretary King Charles III's joint Private Secretary is Sir Clive Alderton, who has been a trusted advisor to the King and Queen Consort since 2006. He is holding the role alongside Sir Edward Young, who also served as the Queen's Private Secretary. Sir Edward was kept in post by King Charles III after the Queen's death and is known in Palace corridors as a 'hatchet man' for his ability to deliver bad news, particularly relating to job cuts, a skill that came in handy when dozens of Clarence House staff were notified of redundancies during a service held for the Queen in Edinburgh. Sir Edward joined the Royal Household in 2004, serving as the Queen's Assistant and then Deputy Private Secretary before being promoted to his current post in 2017. Sir Clive, a former diplomat, is known for his love of culture, his intelligence and his sense of humour. The trusted courtier once held a Foreign Office role, living in various countries at the start of his career including Singapore, Poland and France. In 2006, Sir Clive landed the role of deputy Private Secretary to then Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and, promoted to Private Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to their Royal Highnesses three years later, becoming ambassador to Mauritania and Morocco. Since 2015, when he became Charles' Principal Private Secretary, he's been a constant by his side. Alongside Sir Clive and Sir Edward works Dr John Sorabji, who is the King's Deputy Private Secretary. Before he joined the royal household, he worked at University College London and also as a barrister. Locals have defended a popular cafe after a mob of online trolls called it out for employing children as young as 11. The Long Track Pantry in Jugiong, about 300km southwest of Sydney, started employing kids after becoming a popular tourist destination. To meet the growing demand, owners Huw and Juliet Robb hired country kids to boost the workforce. Local kids are now the driving force behind the pantry's success, with children as young as 11 or 12 tasked with preparing produce and washing dishes. A booming jam factory in a tiny country town has been defended by locals after the business was slammed for employing children as young as 11 (pictured, locals enjoy a coffee) The Long Track Pantry in Jugiong, about 300km southwest of Sydney, started employing pre-teens after finding growing popularity with tourists (pictured is the cafe) Junior staff undergo strict training programs, are paid award wages and work their way up the ladder under the supervision of senior staff members. Treen Brooker, head of wellbeing and culture at the pantry, told the ABC the young employees 'work hard' but still have fun. 'They slowly get moved up and out and it's always a great excitement for them when they move into the next area,' she said. However, outsiders have questioned if children so young should be put to work. 'Pay more for employees instead of using child labour, you utter flogs,' one wrote on the cafe's most recent Facebook post. 'If a company needs to use child labour then the business model is not workable. Business owners should pull themselves up by the bootstraps and work harder.' Local students are now the driving force behind the pantry's success, with children as young as 11 or 12 tasked with preparing produce and washing dishes (pictured, a young worker) Jugiong locals have been quick to defend their beloved cafe (pictured) against people who criticised the age of some of its younger employees However, locals were quick to defend their beloved cafe. 'As a parent who is fortunate enough to have two children employed there, we couldn't be happier. The care, training, support and education provided is amazing for all staff, but especially junior staff,' one woman wrote. 'The culture and team environment is so important to Juliet and Huw and they invest heavily to ensure their staff are looked after. 'They pay award wages, super and offer so much more, it is so upsetting to see negative feedback.' Another woman said each of her three daughters had starting working at the cafe at 11 or 12-years-old and had started with short shifts to gain experience. One woman said each of her three daughters had starting working at the cafe (pictured) at 11 or 12-years-old and had started with short shifts to gain experience 'Working at the Longtrack has given them such a rewarding opportunity that we would repeat time and time again,' she said. 'One of my daughters is one that started work at 11 years of age and now holds a full time management position. 'She absolutely loves her job and the social connections that are made with the staff.' Outsiders don't realise how well the staff are treated and the effort the owners go to outside of work hours for their team,' a third wrote. 'Those who think it is slave labour are completely wrong!' Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would 'never drop out' of the presidential race even if he got convicted of a crime, telling Fox News' Tucker Carlson, 'It's not my thing.' During a Tuesday sit-down at Mar-a-Lago, Carlson had asked if there was anything prosecutors could throw at Trump legally that would convince him to drop out of the 2024 White House race. The former president said there was not. 'No, I'd never drop out. I'd never drop out,' he replied. 'It's not my thing, I wouldn't do it.' Trump made the comments after suggesting that President Joe Biden would be the one to bow out. Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would 'never drop out' of the presidential race even if he got convicted of a crime, telling Fox News' Tucker Carlson, 'It's not my thing' The former president arrives at his Waco, Texas rally in March. Trump told Carlson on Tuesday that he would never drop out of the 2024 presidential race - even if he was convicted of a crime The ex-president claimed 'there's something wrong' with Biden, 80, though added, 'it's not an age thing.' 'Look, I watch him just like you do. And I think it's almost inapproriate for me to say it - I don't see how it's possible - but there's something wrong,' Trump told Carlson. Trump reiterated that Biden was 'not too old' and even commended 81-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders, a former Biden rival, saying that he's '100 percent sharp.' 'I think they do the age thing because I'm four or five years behind,' the 76-year-old former president said. 'They say, this is a way of getting Trump, let's call him old.' 'But there's something wrong,' Trump said of Biden. 'I just don't see Biden doing it from a physical or a mental status, I just don't see it,' Trump later added. Trump pointed to an interview Biden gave at Monday's White House Easter Egg Roll with Today's Al Roker. 'I saw his answer today. On television. About whether or not he was going to run. To a very nice guy named Al Roker. You can't get a softer question than that. That was a long answer, talking about the eggs and the this and that,' Trump said. 'Look, I don't think he can.' Trump (left) sat down for an interview with Tucker Carlson (right), which will air Tuesday night, and was asked by the Fox News Channel host if he believed Biden would stay in the race. Former President Donald Trump referenced President Joe Biden (center) and first lady Jill Biden's interview with NBC's Al Roker when discussing with Tucker Carlson whether he believed Biden would stay in the race Roker talked to Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the Truman Balcony and asked the president if he planned to take part in Easter Egg Rolls after 2024. 'I plan on - at least three or four more Easter Egg Rolls,' Biden replied. 'Maybe five,' he continued, his childhood stutter slightly apparent. 'Maybe six, what the hell?' Roker asked if that meant Biden would be running for reelection. 'I'll either be the guy rolling the egg or the guy pushing them out,' Biden answered. He then clarified. 'I plan on running, Al,' he said, 'but we're not prepared to announce it yet.' Trump also poked fun at Biden for not hosting a press conference on his trip this week to Ireland - something reporters pushed for in the White House briefing room earlier this week. 'He's now in Ireland, he's not going to have a press conference,' Trump said. 'The world is exploding ... the world is exploding around us. You can end up in a third world war and this guy's gonna be in Ireland and not having a news conference.' 'He hasn't had a news conference I guess in months, I saw today,' the former president added. Trump announced another run for the White House in mid-November and is currently leading in the GOP polls. He's photographed here in late March at his first large-scale Texas rally in Waco Trump supporters pose for pictures outside the airport venue for the former president's Waco, Texas rally in late March Carlson then asked what Democrat would take Biden's place atop the 2024 ballot. 'Well obviously the one they would talk about would be the vice president, Kamala,' Trump said. 'But I don't think she's performed well on the big stage.' 'But there's a certain group of people who are going to go crazy if it's not her,' Trump added, seemingly alluding to black voters. Trump also noted how there was a 'very ambitious guy' in California - Gov. Gavin Newsom. 'But he's done a terrible job with the state,' Trump said. Carlson seemed surprised when Trump revealed that he and Newsom got along great. 'I did. I really did. He was always very nice to me. Said the greatest things,' Trump gushed. Additionally, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. is now engaged to Newsom's first wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle. Trump announced his intentions to retake the White House in mid-November, directly after the midterm elections, elongating the already lengthy presidential campaign timeline. Biden, however, has yet to officially announce a reelection campaign. An Axios report last week quoted some Biden sources suggesting it could come as late as this fall, while others thought he'd announce sometime this summer. Meanwhile, Trump is trying to make quick work of the Republican primary field - which has officially attracted Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Vivek Ramaswamy, but with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo all flirting with a bid. At the same time, he's under increased legal scrutiny, having been arraigned last week in New York on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation 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 is also being investigated by federal officials in New York, county officials in Georgia and there are two Trump-related probes being overseen by a special counsel. Two boys, 16, rushed to hospital after 'stabbing' at Stratford Tube station Two teenage boys were rushed to hospital after a stabbing on the platform of Stratford Tube station in London. The 16-year-olds were both wounded at the east London Tube station last night, police said. Officers were called to the scene at 7.05pm to reports of a stabbing, although the exact nature of the injuries are not yet clear. British Transport Police officers investigating the attack have now launched a manhunt for the knifeman. Two teenage boys were rushed to hospital after a stabbing on the platform at Stratford Officers have made an appeal for any witnesses to the attack to get in touch by calling 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016 with reference 490 of 11 April. Elizabeth Line trains did not stop at Stratford station last night and pictures and reports of the incident on social media show a person being treated by paramedics at the station platform. Images show the platform covered in blood, thought to be that of the two boys injured in the attack. One person who saw the aftermath of the attack wrote on Twitter: 'Stabbing on the platform at Stratford, avoid the area cos theres loads of barriers/police now.' Another added: 'Avoid Stratford #ElizabethLine/Central Line Eastbound! Serious incident. I'm pretty sure from the amount of blood we've just had to walk through, over two platforms, it's a stabbing. Hope they're OK. Awful to see.' The director of a trendy gym that charged premium clients $430 per month has claimed his business is 'running really well' - despite the fact it has gone bust. Clients of the Cremorne Club in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, received emails on Tuesday alerting them their memberships had suddenly been suspended. Administrators Brooke Bird also sent out a notice notifying members the gym was now in voluntary receivership. 'At present we have suspended all memberships to the gym and temporarily halted trading at the premises pending our review of the company's financial position,' the notice said. However, the gym's director and head trainer, Andy Brand, 44, has since lavished praise upon the state of his business, which he founded in 2021. 'The gym is running really well,' he told Daily Mail Australia, the day after this masthead revealed the elite gym had gone under. Andy Brand (pictured left), is the director of the Cremorne Club in Melbourne. The fitness centre recently entered voluntary receivership Bondi Sands tanning products founder Shaun Wilson (pictured left) with Cremorne Club Director Andy Brand While declining to comment on the reasons behind his gym's sudden collapse, Mr Brand said there were three partners behind the business including himself, his colleague who runs the finances and the building's landlord. Daily Mail Australia understands Mr Brand has told friends the business suffered severely during Melbourne's strict lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The website for the Cremorne Club is now inactive with the content on the website replaced by 'website coming soon'. The Cremorne Club advertised itself as 'boutique health club that provides a premium service'. The top-notch facility even provided gym-goers with towels, pre-workout drinks on arrival and protein shakes after their session. Clients previously spotted working out at the gym include Real Housewives of Melbourne reality TV star Lydia Schiavello, realtor and star of reality show Survivor Fraser Lack, swimwear entrepreneur Erin Deering and Bondi Sands tanning products founder Shaun Wilson. Retired NRL legend Nate Myles and models Tess Shanahan and Lulu Liberman have also been spotted breaking a sweat at the gym. Mr Brand and his wife are seen enjoying a holiday to Italy Mr Brand's gym provides trainers with pre-workout drinks and protein shakes after their sessions While members have praised Mr Brand as a 'great trainer', they also pointed out the gym was very exclusive. 'You sort of have to know someone to go - that's the impression I got,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's a bit elite.' Mr Brand said last year his fitness studio was set up to ensure his clients could work out in private, with semi-secluded areas. Model Tess Shanahan is one of the star list of clients who are members of the Cremorne Club gym in Melbourne WHO IS CREMORNE CLUB FOUNDER ANDY BRAND? Andy Brand, 44, is the director and a trainer at the Cremorne Club in Melbourne The fitness centre describes itself as a 'private' club for people to train Mr Brand recently said he wanted to ensure people felt comfortable working out in his gym, and weren't intimidated He shares a young daughter with his wife Renee Advertisement 'A lot of gyms aren't set up to make women feel comfortable this gym is set up to make people feel comfortable,' he told news.com.au. 'A lot of people have got too dependent on watching videos of people working out that they get into the gym, they're confused and have watched too much Instagram content.' The Cremorne Club also has neon signs with messages of support hung up like 'believe in thyself', 'magic happens this way' and 'love thyself'. Mr Brand, who was born in New Zealand, and now lives in Montmorency, in Melbourne's northeast, has featured on the Cremorne Club's Instagram page posing for snaps alongside clients, including Mr Wilson. The father-of-one has also shared a series of photos of he and his wife travelling around the world onto his Facebook account in recent years, including trips to Italy's Amalfi Coast. Cremorne Club's administrators expressed hopes there could be a buyer willing to take over the gym. 'We have also commenced talks with a party interested in acquiring the gym to reopen shortly,' the letter stated. Millionaire swimwear entrepreneur co-founder of Triangl Erin Deering (centre) with Fraser Lack (right) at the Cremorne Club 'However, as talks are in their infancy, we are unable to provide any certainty at this stage. 'In the event that we are able to secure a purchaser for the business, further correspondence will be provided for you.' Corporate watchdog ASIC said there will be an online meeting of creditors scheduled for April 21 at 10.30am. Those wishing to attend have to provide proof of the debts incurred by 4pm on April 20. Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson called former President Donald Trump 'moderate, sensible and wise' after sitting down with the ex-president Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago - marking Trump's first interview since being arraigned last week. Carlson also said that Trump's description of a Mar-a-Lago meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was 'remarkably nuanced and even affectionate' despite Trump's tough-on-China stance, telling Fox viewers they were in for a 'really interesting story.' Carlson's comments come after his private messages were unsealed and made public in March as part of Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billiion defamation lawsuit against Fox. 'We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can't wait,' Carlson allegedly said about Trump, according to the lawsuit. 'I hate him passionately,' the Fox host had texted his producer Alex Pfeiffer on January 4, 2021, the suit said. At the time, Trump was contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson called former President Donald Trump 'moderate, sensible and wise' after sitting down with the ex-president Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago - marking Trump's first interview since being arraigned last week Carlson (right) had messages made public as part of the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News. In them he allegedly said, 'I hate him passionately,' about Trump (left) and said he 'truly can't wait' to cover him less. Carlson interviewed Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday (pictured) When Carlson's messages were released a Fox spokeperson said: 'Thanks to todays filings, Dominion has been caught red handed again using more distortions and misinformation in their PR campaign to smear FOX News and trample on free speech and freedom of the press. 'We already know they will say and do anything to try to win this case, but to twist and even misattribute quotes to the highest levels of our company is truly beyond the pale.' Fox is being sued by Dominion, with the voting machine company arguing that the conservative media company defamed them by questioning their technology and methods as alllies of Trump spread election fraud conspiracy theories on Fox's airwaves. Fox is contesting the allegations and the case is heading to trial in Wilmington, Delaware. And while Trump has been critical of the Rupert Murdoch-owned cable network, he didn't make that viewpoint known during the nearly hour-long interview with Carlson that aired Tuesday night. Nor did he bring up Carlson's texts. Before each interview segment aired, Carlson addressed Fox viewers from an outdoor liveshot location in Palm Beach, Florida, near the Mar-a-Lago property. 'For a man who was caricatured as an extremist, we think you'll find what he has to say moderate, sensible and wise,' Carlson said before a foreign policy-heavy portion of the interview. 'For a man who was caricatured as an extremist, we think you'll find what he has to say moderate, sensible and wise,' Carlson said before a foreign policy-heavy portion of the interview Trump briefly spoke about last week's arraignment in Manhattan, but then segued to foreign policy topics for most of his nearly hour-long interview that was broadcast on Carlson's show Tuesday night on Fox News Trump briefly spoke about last week's arraignment in Manhattan, but quickly segued to hitting President Joe Biden's administration on the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The White House put out a report last week as Biden was leaving for Easter break that put a lot of the blame on Trump for what happened. 'These fools, these stupid people - and think about the way they left Afghanistan and nobody was fired,' Trump scoffed. 'They they left in the dark of night. They left the lights on. They left the dogs, by the way, you know, the people, they left out the dogs. They left the dogs. Everyone you know, the dog lovers. And you got a lot of them. I love dogs. You love dogs, but they left their things,' Trump continued. He also claimed that he told Russian President Vladimir Putin not to touch Ukraine. 'I could see that he loved it,' Trump told Carlson. 'He considers it to be a part of Russia.' 'I said, not when I'm president,' Trump continued. 'I said I was going to do something really nasty if he goes into Ukraine and he said, "no, no, you're not going to do that." I said, I will. And he didn't believe me either, but he believed me 10 percent. And the 10% you never heard talk about going into Ukraine.' Throughout the course of the interview, Trump also shared his fears about 'nuclear warming' and criticized Biden for not holding a press conference while the president is in Ireland. Trump was aghast that French President Emmanuel Macron went to China to meet with Xi and condemned Biden for giving a fistbump last summer to Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - not because it was too friendly, but because it wasn't friendly enough. 'You've got this crazy world that's blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say and Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China kissing his ass. In China. I said France is now going to China?' Trump said. 'You take a look at Saudi Arabia. Look at what happened. They're great people. They wanted to help us. He goes and gives a fist bump. Do you know what a fist bump means? It means don't shake my hand because your hand is dirty, that's what a fist bump is. They were so insulted. You understand that, yes?' the former president continue. In talking to Carlson about how he hosted Xi at Mar-a-Lago in April 2017 he recalled how the Chinese president has a 'beautiful female interpreter.' 'He had an incredible - I'm not allowed to say it because it's very impolite and very politically incorrect - a beautiful female interpreter,' Trump recalled. 'If you say it, they'll say, "this is terrible, you're not allowed to say that." But she was very professional. She spoke every word for him, very professional.' At the end of the interview, Trump hinted he thought it was the U.S. that blew up the Nord Stream pipeline that connected Russia with Germany. 'I don't want to get our country in trouble, so I won't answer it. But I can tell you who it wasnt was Russia. But when they blamed Russia, you know, they said Russia blew up their own pipeline. You got a kick out of that one, too. It wasn't Russia,' Trump said. He then shared the news on Twitter The Federal government has forced Twitter to remove an offensive post aimed at Brittany Higgins and her fiance. David Sharaz lodged a complaint with the federal eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, in April last year, requesting an investigation into an abusive tweet which Twitter refused to remove. Ms Inman Grant issued Twitter with a formal notice and ordered the content to be taken down. The post was deleted 24 hours later. The exact content of the offensive tweet was unclear. It marked the first time the commissioner had used new adult cyber abuse powers to issue a notice since the Online Safety Act was enacted in January 2022. According to the Act, the commissioner is allowed to compel major social media platforms to remove offensive cyber-abuse material targeted at Australian adults. Mr Sharaz took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to share the news: 'Nobody should have to cop the abuse Brittany has the last two years.' Brittany Higgins is pictured with her fiance David Sharaz, who lodged a complaint about an offensive tweet last year The post was removed, and Mr Sharaz shared the news on Twitter on Wednesday (pictured) He thanked the eSafety office and the commissioner for 'using your takedown powers for the first time', and tagged Ms Inman Grant's personal profile. The commissioner has used its powers six times since the laws were imposed last year, The Guardian reported. 'The adult cyber abuse scheme gives Australian adults somewhere to turn if an online service provider has failed to act on a report of seriously harmful online abuse,' a spokesperson said. 'Adult cyber abuse can have a long-lasting impact on the targeted person's sense of safety, self-esteem, mental health and physical wellbeing, especially when part of a broader pattern of abuse and harassment.' Mr Sharaz, who calls himself a 'prolific tweeter', made headlines earlier this year when he changed his Twitter bio to 'AWAY' upon leaving his job as a newsreader at Southern Cross Austereo in Brisbane. The change came after Ms Higgins reached a confidential settlement with the Commonwealth over allegations that she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann inside Parliament House in 2019. Mr Lehrmann denies the allegations. Mr Sharaz's recently updated Twitter bio now suggests he is currently a journalist, and lists has previous positions at SBS and Sky News. While there is no data on encampments in the area, new photos show tents pitched on sidewalks and people sleeping on benches and mattresses Some residents of Beverly Hills say they may leave as tents appear on sidewalks In one of LA's most wealthy neighborhoods homelessness is an escalating issue Beverly Hills is the stomping ground of the Hollywood elite, but spiraling homeless in Los Angeles means that vagrant encampments risk spilling into the hallowed area. Santa Monica Boulevard is the dividing line between the Hills - where the median house price is $3.5million - and nearby Beverly Grove where clusters of tents have sprung up amid the department stores and green parklands. Photos taken on Tuesday reveal tarpaulins, shopping carts, mattresses and loose bedding next to busy junctions and on the sidewalks of the wealthy suburb. The scenes were captured along San Vicente Blvd, near the upscale Beverly Center shopping mall where celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Paris Hilton and Hailey Bieber have all been known to shop. Homeless encampments are becoming increasingly common near Beverly Hills, one of LA's most affluent neighborhoods Pictured is a homeless encampment near Beverly Hills on April 11, 2023 Tents are pictured scattered along the sidewalk in Beverly Grove, near Beverly Hills, along with bicycles wheelchairs and loose bedding An estimated 40,000 people are homeless in the city of Los Angeles, which has a population of nearly 4 million people. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority estimated there were around 70,000 people experiencing homelessness in the wider Los Angeles County in 2022, a four percent increase since 2020. In January the affluent Sherman Oaks neighborhood, just north of Beverly Hills made national headlines after three people died on its streets in just one week. There are no certain statistics on homelessness in Beverly Hills, but in a report seen by local paper the Beverly Hills Courier, city manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey wrote that it 'seems to be increasing'. Last year a number of residents in the neighborhood gave testimony to the city council on their experiences of homelessness as part of a discussion to address the escalating issue. 'Many of my peers are considering moving because they consider the situation hopeless,' said Amy Conroy, who said she is afraid to let her children play outside. Recently elected Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ran a campaign on claims she was going to address the growing homeless crisis in Los Angeles. She tweeted about the Sherman Oaks deaths at the time, writing: 'This is exactly why I've declared a state of emergency. Successfully confronting the homelessness crisis is a matter of life and death.' The leading cause of death among homeless people in Los Angeles is drug overdoses, other leading causes include murder and suicide. According to Beverly Hills City Manager, Nancy Hunt-Coffey, the amount of homelessness in the area is increasing. Pictured: tents in nearby Beverly Grove In the center of junction in Beverly Grove, near Beverly Hills, tents and tarpaulins have been set up by some of LA's homeless population Between 2016 and 2021, fentanyl overdose deaths in Los Angeles County increased more than ten-fold, between 2019 and 2020, they increased 149 percent from 462 to 1,149, and were up 31 percent in 2021 to 1,504. Speaking about the homeless deaths in Sherman Oaks, Ken Craft of advocacy group Hope of the Valley, told ABC Los Angeles: 'What we do see, unfortunately, is an increase in fentanyl on our streets which has caused a higher level of overdoses.' Bass told a conference in January that affluent residents in her city don't care about homeless people and just want to see them moved on or arrested. She said she intends to get over 17,000 homeless people into housing in her first year through a mix of interim and permanent facilities. Similarly California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last month that the state is hoping to cut homelessness by 15 percent in just two years and committed to providing 500 small homes in the city to achieve that. 'In California we are using every tool in our toolbox - including the largest-ever deployment of small homes in the state - to move people out of encampments and into housing,' Newsom said. 'The crisis of homelessness will never be solved without first solving the crisis of housing - the two issues are inextricably linked.' A homeless person is seen napping on a patch of grass in a park on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Crescent Dr. A homeless man sits on a public bench in Beverly Grove, near Beverly Hills on April 11, 2023 Some residents of wealthy Beverly Hills told the city council that they were considering leaving as they didn't feel safe allowing their children to play outside Los Angeles city council member Joe Buscaino has complained that kids in his city have to 'step over needles' and 'human waste' on their way to school due because of those crashing out in residential areas. 'No child in America should be afraid to walk to school, and what we have found in Los Angeles is kids are afraid to walk to school,' the Democrat said in a television interview late last year. 'They tell their parents they have to step over needles, human waste, and deal with individuals unfortunately suffering from psychotic behavior - right next to their playground area.' Initiatives have sprung up to help deal with the crisis, including CICRLE, active in West Hollywood, which aims to move individuals experiencing homelessness off the streets and into housing. Conservative women have been sharing on social media their number of days lived as a woman, in response to Bud Light's decision to celebrate transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney's '365 days of girlhood'. Mulvaney, 26, came out as a trans woman in March 2022 and began chronicling her 'Days of Girlhood' on TikTok, detailing her experience of transitioning. Mulvaney marked her 221st day, in October, with a visit to the White House, where she interviewed Joe Biden about trans healthcare and the president said he felt 'people fear what they don't know.' On April 1 she announced she was an 'ambassador' for Bud Light, and the beer maker had created a special edition can to celebrate 365 days since she began living as a woman. The move generated an intense backlash, and women are now sharing their own 'days of womanhood' online with posts beginning with the phrase 'Today, I celebrate' - a trend some men have jumped on, too. Dylan Mulvaney made the announcement herself on Instagram during the beer company's promotional event for the NCAA March Madness tournament 'Today I celebrate 12,620 days of real womanhood,' tweeted one, going by MAGA Barbie. 'Where's my sponsorship? @budweiserusa @Tampax @Nike.' Lauren Boebert, the firebrand Republican congresswoman representing Colorado, tweeted: 'Today, I celebrate 13,262 days of being a woman. I've been pregnant five times (miscarried in 2012) and gave birth to a four incredible boys that came out of my womb. 'Any day now, one of those four boys will make me a grandmother. 'Womanhood is so much more than just dressing up in makeup and a skirt for internet videos.' Another said: 'Today I celebrate 18,155 days of womanhood. 'I've held 8 babies in my womb. I gave birth to/raised 6. I went through triple negative breast cancer & would've had ovarian cancer had I not had my ovaries removed in time. No man can say these things, even if he appropriates my gender.' One woman posted a photo of her pregnant stomach, and said: 'Today, I celebrate 12,065 days of being a woman. 'I'm a sister, aunt, daughter, granddaughter, and now a mother. I've endured 229 menstrual cycles. I've been pregnant one time & gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. My body grew a human child, and my body is now feeding a human child. 'No man can say he has done these things because you cannot change your gender.' One woman, describing herself as 'Proud Patriot Trump', tweeted: 'Today, I celebrate 20,756 days of being a woman. 'I'm former women's college athlete, a daughter, a sister and a lesbian. I DO NOT support the alphabet soup agenda. 'I've survived breast cancer and been through early menopause and I refuse to let anyone try to discredit me as a women [sic].' Another said: 'Today, I celebrate 8,607 days of being a woman. 'I've had about 100 menstrual cycles. 'I've never been pregnant, but I will be some day. 'I've had bad cells on my uterus that are currently being monitored. 'No man can ever understand any of this.' Some men joined in the movement. 'Today I celebrate 12, 214 days of NOT being a woman,' said 'Travis in Flint'. 'I can have children, but I can never be pregnant. 'I was born to lead my family, provide, and protect. My testosterone level gives me a deeper voice, more muscle strength, and more bone strength. 'Drugs can reduce this and make me feminine, but I'll never be a woman. 'I am not better than women, but I am different. Women have achieved great things, and to watch men attempt to erase them is a disgrace to everyone.' Another added: 'Today I celebrate 21,300 or so days of being a man. And not one of those days did I question if I was or was not. My math sucks, I know.' But some trans women joined Mulvaney in celebrating their 'days of womanhood'. Kerri Elyse Colby, who took part in Ru Paul's Drag Race, tweeted: '3 years, 1095 days, over 1.5 million minutes. 'I have dedicated my life and my future to authenticity and today I celebrate my tranniversary! #TransDayOfVisibility.' And some took issue with the concept. 'Today I celebrate being a woman for 17,784 days,' said one. 'I've given birth to 2 amazing kids. I've had rough periods, cervical dysplasia and uterine ablations. 'I also run a business & volunteer in my community. None of this makes me more a woman than anyone else. Let TW be joyful ffs.' Program will be used to monitor tax compliance The Australian Tax Office is ordering banks to hand over data on 1.7 million people amid a crackdown on landlords using investment properties to dodge a whopping $1.3billion in tax. The government agency on April 6 announced a new data-matching program used to monitor tax compliance. The program will target landlords who are incorrectly claiming deductions, failing to pay capital gains tax and those who have not declared rental income and expenses. The ATO aim to collect data about residential investment property loans from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 financial years in a bid to catch those 'who may be failing to meet their reporting or lodgment obligations'. 'Each year we undertake the property management data-matching program to allow us to identify and address a number of taxation risks in the investment property market,' the ATO website said. The Australian Taxation Office (pictured) will force 17 financial institutions to hand over private data of 1.7million people in a bid to crackdown on landlords who are using investment properties to dodge tax 'We expect to collect data on approximately 1.7million individuals each financial year.' The ATO listed 17 Australian financial institutes including the big four banks - Commonwealth, Westpac, NAB and ANZ - from which data will be collected. Data providers will be forced to hand over client identification details - including addresses, phone numbers, names and date of birth - account numbers and balances, transaction details and rental property details. The ATO website described the collection of data as 'coercive' with banks and financial institutions obligated to provide the information. 'To ensure statutory requirements are met, we obtain data under our formal information gathering powers,' the ATO website said. 'This is a coercive power, and data providers are obligated to provide the information requested.' The federal government missed out on an estimated $9billion in revenue from tax avoidance and errors made by individuals, according to a 2020-21 sample audit. The ATO said the net tax gap, which is estimated at 5.6 per cent, was driven by incorrect reporting of rental property income and expenses. The ATO listed 17 Australian financial institutes including the big four banks - Commonwealth, Westpac, NAB and ANZ (pictured) - from which private data will be collected 'The rental component of the individuals' tax gap is estimated to be $1.3billion,' the ATO told The Guardian. The ATO believes the program will 'promote voluntary compliance' by aiding those who prepare their own tax returns through myTax and providing prefilled details for tax agents. Once a relevant case for administration is identified the ATO will contact an individual or tax agent to verify any discrepancies. Individuals and tax agents will have 28 days to respond before the ATO takes administrative action. Although 'tired and cold' troopers said in a post to Facebook that the moose made a full recovery from the ordeal and was able to stand without assistance Footage of the incident shows the group of six men throwing a rope around the moose and rescuing her from the broken ice Alaska state troopers and hero neighbors saved a female moose from the freezing cold waters of the Chena River after she fell through thawing ice on Easter Sunday. Footage shows a group of six men tying a rope around the water-logged creature and pulling her to safety from the river, which flows west from the White Mountains to the Tanana River near the city of Fairbanks. Although the moose appeared to be 'tired and cold', state troopers posted to Facebook that she made a full recovery and was able to stand on her own - albeit with huge chunks of ice on her nose. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game there is an estimated 16,000 moose in the region and the population objective, before hunting season, is 10,000 to 12,000 animals. Alaskan state troopers and hero neighbors saved a female moose from the freezing cold waters of the Chena River after she fell through thawing ice on Easter Sunday Pictures of the moose show it covered in snow and ice after it emerged from the river Gary Niese, who was among those rescuing the moose, told KTUU Alaska that he saw the moose 'fighting for its life.' 'He was clearly unable to get out of the hole and was fighting with all his effort,' Niese said. Realizing he needed to act, the courageous bystander rallied help from some neighbors nearby and called wildlife and state troopers to assist in the rescue mission. A group of six men wrapped a rope around the moose's front legs and pulled the creature from the icy river. Footage of the rescue effort showed the men tugging at the rope while the creature struggled to get back on land. Eventually the moose was recovered from the broken ice Fairbanks resident Eric Dillion, who also assisted, citing that it had been a 'coordinated effort,' he told the outlet. 'With the coordinated efforts of all of us, we were able to pull the moose out,' said Dillon. 'It was a feat, but it was exhilarating, exciting and a nice outcome to an unfortunate situation.' Footage of the scene showed the moose struggling in the broken part of the icy river struggling to get out Although the moose appeared to be 'tired and cold', state troopers posted to Facebook that she made a full recovery and was able to stand on her own The 'coordinated effort' helped save the moose. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game there is an estimated 16,000 moose in the region Alaska state troopers shared an update on Facebook saying: 'Troopers in Fairbanks were notified that a moose had fallen through the ice on the Chena River and couldn't get out.' 'Troopers Chroniger, Lindblom, and Norris responded with Wildlife Trooper McDowell. 'With the assistance of some local neighbors, Troopers were successful in rescuing the moose from the water and relocating it to the riverbank. 'Although tired and cold, the moose was able to stand on its own and thankful for the assistance. 'Troopers wished the moose a Happy Easter and warned her of the dangers of thawing river ice.' A tradesman has been busted masturbating at a busy bus stop in broad daylight after leaving a late-night drinking session at his boss's house. Kip Perrin, 49, was charged with exposing himself in a public place after he was spotted sitting on the ground pleasuring himself on Geeves Avenue, near Rockdale train station in Sydney's south west, around 7am on Sunday March 12. Shocked bystanders called police, but as officers arrived at the scene, Perrin stood up, dressed himself, and walked away. He later handed himself into police after a photo obtained by a member of the public and CCTV footage of the incident were distributed in a public appeal for information. On Tuesday, fresh details about the married father-of-two's lewd act came to light as he pleaded guilty to the crime in Sutherland Local Court. Perrin is employed as a storeman on the M6 tunnel project Bystanders spotted Perrin in a bus stop on Geeves Avenue around 7am on a Sunday morning According to court documents, Perrin, who is employed as a storeman on the M6 tunnel, told officers he spent the Saturday night enjoying dinner and drinks with work colleagues. The festivities continued at his boss's place, with Perrin leaving around 2am to walk home. However, on the way, he decided to take a break at a bus stop - where he removed his shorts, sat on the ground, then masturbated for more than an hour. Perrin initially denied responsibility, telling officers when presented with CCTV footage: 'thats not me, Ive never done that before, but that is me'. However, Perrin told the court he decided to plead guilty after reviewing the footage. He will be sentenced at a hearing on May 23. Leaked Pentagon papers that plunged US espionage into crisis first emerged in an obscure online meme group of gamer nerds. The community is dedicated to a 20-year-old British college student known as Wow Mao whose eccentric political commentaries have helped him amass 250,000 YouTube followers. Last month, a member of Wow Mao's Discord gaming chat group shared around 30 leaked dossiers from the Pentagon concerning the Russia-Ukraine war - sparking action by the Biden administration to limit the fallout. The documents reveal that Kyiv's forces are running short of arms, the location of Ukrainian air defenses - and American and British special forces have secretly deployed to the warzone. Wow Mao said he did not know how the leaker had obtained the top secret trove - but said the unidentified user was unlikely the source. He suggested the files had probably been shared with his online buddy through an online game like Minecraft. 'It was just spread onto the nicheiest [sic], nerdiest parts of the internet,' Wow Mao told The New York Times. 'That's the kind of people who would find these documents losers. That's who the U.S. government really has to fear.' YouTuber wow_mao, who was thrust onto the international stage after classified Pentagon papers were leaked on a Discord server he hosts, has said that the 'US government should fear these losers' He said a moderator on his Discord server, called the End of Wow Mao Zone, 'shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war' on March 1 and one month later he was unwittingly at the center of the scandal. He told the Times he spent 'little time' on the Discord server and mostly focused on his YouTube channel. Wow Mao declined to share his real name to the outlet but said he is British and Filipino. He said that the documents being leaked on his server was 'hilarious.' 'It was just spread onto the nicheiest [sic], nerdiest parts of the internet,' he said. 'That's the kind of people who would find these documents losers. That's who the U.S. government really has to fear.' What is the encrypted app Discord? Discord is a messaging service which is invite-only and encrypted - meaning data is concealed by being converted into code. The platform can only be accessed with a log-in and password with chat groups known as 'servers' - of which many remain small and exclusive. Any Discord user is able to start a server for free and invite their friends. There are also larger, more open communities, which usually focus on specific topics such as popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. The app estimates it is being used worldwide by tens of millions aged 13+. Discord says the server is: 'A place where they can be themselves and spend time with other people who share their interests and hobbies'. Advertisement A lack of respect for the government was cited as why the documents were most likely leaked, Wow Mao telling the outlet: 'They'll always find it funny to mock them and cut under them in some sort of way.' Users investigating the leak on the server revealed moderator Lucca had been behind the leak. The origins of the documents were reported earlier by Bellingcat who said they later spread to other sites such as the imageboard 4Chan before appearing on Telegram, Twitter and then major media publishers around the world in recent days. The New York Times reported that a Twitter account using the name 'MrLucca,' who used the same profile photo of Lucca on Discord, said that he'd sourced the documents from yet another Discord server. 'Found some info from a now banned server and passed it on,' the user wrote, according to screenshots of the conversation obtained by the outlet. The Twitter and Discord accounts have since been deleted. In a video posted in the wake of the leak to YouTube, Wow Mao said: 'Hey guys Filipino YouTube celebrity here, guess who just got an article on Forbes. Me. But not for the best reasons. If you don't know what's going on right now let me give you a quick rundown.' 'On the first of march a mod on my Discord server shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war and one month later my name is showing up on news sites such as Forbes, the Telegraph, and the Washington Post.' The niche internet star refuted being the center of the leak instead suggesting that it probably came from another server. He also refused to divulge the name of the moderator who first published the documents in the group. 'I won't name who this moderator is since they're probably getting a lot of s**t right now and you don't need me to tell you how bad it is to leak secret War documents. I completely denounce this,' he said with the caption 'even if you think it's funny.' Images circulating online reveal clues that point to the leaker's identity. This picture shows an English-language instruction manual for a hunting scope in the background 'From what I understand its nowhere near as bad to share already leaked private documents as it is to do the actual leaking and from what I know this moderator found the documents from another discord server. Either from a Minecraft server where they were talking about maps, or I'm not kidding here, a server called thug shaker central. 'So, uh, yeah, we're definitely not at the center of this leak. But my server was how a lot of people saw those documents for the first time. I should mention that my Discord server has never been perfect, hell, its very much been the opposite.' The 20-year-old goes on to say he can see the humor in 'sharing private military secrets among your internet friends' but cautioned away from doing so. 'I can sort of understand how sharing big private military secrets could be a funny thing to do among your internet friends, but come on, take care of yourself and stay away from doing stuff like this,' he said. 'Despite my server being a small part of this massive leak, it hasn't stopped reporters bringing up my name while trying to trail back where these leaks came from. 'I'm just a road block the CIA had to go through in the trail to find whoever actually leaked that stuff. 'I'm a s**t posting internet micro celebrity and I'd like to keep it that way, he said with the caption 'everything I said was speculation and a joke and parody and satire and I'm mentally unwell.' The top secret documents leaked online contained classified information on Ukraine's counter-offensive plans. Ukraine's air defenses could be depleted within weeks - making the country vulnerable to Russia President Vladimir Putin's fighter jets, newly leaked Pentagon documents suggests These are two of the leaked documents which have been shared by the New York Times This document appears to show the state of Ukraine's air defenses in February and in May, when it is anticipated they'll be badly depleted They set out concerns on how Kyiv's armed forces are running short on some weapons, the location of Ukrainian air defenses, and the extent to which the Biden administration spies on friends and foes alike. The documents, which have been circulated for weeks on social media, also touch on Israel's Mossad spy agency, China, the Middle East and Africa. The leak covers such a wide range of topics, prompting experts to suggest that the main source could be an American. READ MORE: Leaked Pentagon documents show spies are deeply ingrained in Russian intelligence services and Putin's army is ravaged after a year of fighting Advertisement 'The focus now is on this being a US leak, as many of the documents were only in US hands,' Michael Mulroy, an ex-senior Pentagon official, told Reuters. Kyiv-based security analyst James Rushton said that 'the Russians are clearly the main beneficiaries' from the leak. 'It's a major embarrassment to the US, and it comes at a critical time as Ukraine is preparing to launch their long-awaited Spring counteroffensive,' he told DailyMail.com. 'Kyiv was already cautious about sharing their operational plans with Washington; this will likely further damage intelligence sharing between Ukraine and Western partners at a crucial moment,' he added. US officials have not ruled out pro-Russian elements behind the leak, although the investigation by the Justice Department is still in its early stages. It is the most serious intelligence security breach in the United States since WikiLeaks obtained some 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables in 2013. The Ukraine leaks are a series of photographs of presentations and files printed on A4 paper, folded twice, perhaps to be smuggled out of a secure area. Investigators will be looking at clues seen in the margins of the photos that could help unmask the leaker. They include Gorilla glue, shoes, and an English-language instruction manual for a GlassHawk HD spotting scope traditionally used for hunting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions that Moscow had orchestrated the release of such highly confidential information. 'There is, in fact, a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. 'It is, in general, a disease,' Peskov, Putin's long-serving propagandist, said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions that Moscow had orchestrated the release of such highly confidential information The intelligence breach could have a drastic impact upon the landscape of the conflict in Ukraine. Biden seen pictured meeting Ukrainian President Zelensky in February 2023 A villager is seen near a wracked car during heavy fighting at the front line of Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar, in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine in April 2023 Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed the leak was 'to divert attention from the actual preparation for the next stage of the war.' Another aide to the Ukrainian leader told CNN that Ukraine's military had already changed their counter-offensive plans as a result. In a statement on Sunday, the Pentagon said it was reviewing the validity of the photographed documents that 'appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material.' US officials told the Washington Post that some documents appeared to have been manipulated, but many were consistent with CIA World Intelligence Review reports that are shared at high levels within the White House, Pentagon and State Department. Defense analysts say any breach of internal classified US documents would be both damaging and potentially embarrassing. In addition, the leak would prove valuable to Moscow by showing how deeply US intelligence has penetrated parts of the Russian military apparatus. Officials are looking at what motivations a U.S. official or a group of officials would have in leaking such sensitive information, said one of the officials who spoke to Reuters. The official said investigators were looking at four or five theories, from a disgruntled employee to an insider threat who actively wanted to undermine U.S. national security interests. The U.S. has devoted most of its considerable spying resources to hindering Putin's efforts and helping Ukraine. But its spies have also been eavesdropping on allies, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Israel. The Times reported that the U.S. is spying on Ukraine in the hopes of getting a clearer picture of its military strategies and helping maximize the effectiveness of its army against Putin. The documents - while up to several months old - offer detailed insights into which Russian intelligence agencies have been most compromised, and clues as to how the United States has gleaned so much secret Kremlin information Leaked documents suggest the U.S. knows more about Putin's war operations than Zelensky's, which raises questions over the $200 billion in military aid that has been sent to Ukraine The document leak indicates that the US has been spying on Ukrainian allied officials. Pictured: A Ukrainian serviceman in training exercises in Donetsk That comes despite the Biden administration stumping up more than $77 billion in aid to the war-torn country since the full-scale invasion began last year. Those figures have been complied by the German think-tank the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. US cash has been credited for helping the country successfully hold-off Russian advances far longer than anyone thought necessary. And while support for funding Ukraine continues to have bipartisan support, news that US officials are often in the dark could raise questions over the sheer amount of resources the White House continues to send to Eastern Europe. The 100 pages of documents, at least some believed to be accurate, were leaked on a Discord server earlier this year. They've triggered panic at the Pentagon, and a huge effort to work out where the leak is coming from. Ukraine has suggested they're not real, but Pentagon officials are said to be treating them as genuine, exposing another schism between the US and its costly ally. They also appear to show that the intelligence services have been compromised as some reports contain daily real-time warnings on the timing and targets of Moscow's strikes - which has enabled the U.S. to warn their Ukrainian counterparts. The documents - up to several months old - offer detailed insights into which Russian intelligence agencies have been most compromised, and clues as to how the United States has gleaned so much secret Kremlin information. Lawyer said she'd be 'aggressive' if forced to attend court An elderly grandmother charged with major drug trafficking who claims she'd never touched a drug in her life is struggling with deteriorating health concerns that make her aggressive, a court has heard. On Wednesday, Eudoxia 'Effie' Pehlivanidis's lawyer Yasmin McMahon told the Adelaide Magistrates Court her client was suffering from deteriorating dementia, and attending court would be too overwhelming for her. 'It is difficult to get her into the setting like the court,' she said. Ms McMahon told the court her 82-year-old client could be 'aggressive' if forced to come to court in person. Magistrate Ben Sale said that people charged with such significant matters who are on bail are normally required to attend, but prosecution counsel didn't object Ms Pehlivanidis' absence. 'I'm not seeking to make any audits,' prosecution counsel said. Eudoxia 'Effie' Pehlivanidis, 82, (pictured) suffers from deteriorating dementia. Her lawyer claimed Ms Pehlivanidis is too ill to attend court and could be 'aggressive' if forced The 82-year-old grandmother (pictured) has denied knowing of any cocaine at her property In February, South Australian detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch armed police raided Ms Pehlivanidis' home in Flinders Park. Ms Pehlivanidis and her grandson Kosta, 30, were arrested as part of an investigation into the attempted importation of 8kg of cocaine. After her arrest, Ms Pehlivanidis told 7News she didn't know why police arrested her, and she'd never touched any drugs. 'Never! Never smoked, never nothing,' she said. The court heard prosecutors needed six months before they could determine charges against Ms Pehlivanidis and her co-accused grandson Kosta Pehlivanidis because the matter involved police from different states. 'The reason for a long period is that it does involve cross agency between New South Wales Police and SAPOL,' prosecution counsel said. 'There is also likely to be drug analysis and DNA related evidence. 'It's slightly more complicated than most ordinary drug trafficking.' Her grandson Kosta Pehlivanidis, 30, (pictured) was also arrested as part of an investigation into the attempted importation of 8kg of cocaine after a raid at their Flinders Park home Kosta attending Adelaide Magistrates Court by himself on April 11 (pictured). His grandmother was too ill to attend She previously told 7News there was a box, allegedly found by police containing drugs, but didn't know what was in it. 'It's just a box with sticks,' she said. 'I don't know (if it was delivered) by the post office man or a different man.' The two were charged with attempting to traffic in a large commercial quantity of cocaine. They will remain on bail to face court again in October. In 2020 a committee reconvened to launch an inquiry into his malpractice A criminology professor at Florida State University suddenly left his $190,000-a-year position after being accused of fudging data to make racism seem more common. Eric Stewart has had six of his studies - one of which dates as far back as 2006 - retracted amid allegations that he fabricated data by altering sample sizes. Stewart has denied such criticisms but after the sixth incident in 2020 an FSU committee reconvened to address his record and findings. Since last month, the professor has been absent, perhaps marking the end of his 16-year career at the school and a years-long investigation into his academic malpractice, the Florida Standard reported. In 2011 Stewart co-authored a study that claimed to demonstrate that as black and Hispanic populations grew, the public increasingly demanded longer sentences for black and Hispanic criminals. Professor Eric Stewart (pictured) has been accused of altering his data and has had six studies retracted, according to the Florida Standard Stewart had a $190,000-a-year position at FSU but disappeared unexpectedly last month after working there for 16 years, it was reported The study was intended to test whether the public held prejudicial views toward minority groups and whether that affected sentencing. Stewart was eventually called out by a peer, Justin Pickett, another criminologist at the University of Albany with whom he had co-authored that paper. Pickett notes that the original, untampered data, showed that there was no relationship between the growth of minority groups and the severity of criminal sentences handed to them. He published his own paper pointing out issues in their joint paper, some of which he said were introduced just before publication. 'The data were also altered - intentionally or unintentionally - in other ways, and those alterations produced the article's main findings,' Pickett wrote. Among other inaccuracies, he pointed out that in their article it was claimed that their study was based on 1,184 respondents, but that there were actually only 500. It also hand-picked data from 91 counties as opposed to including the full 326. Stewart was eventually called out by a peer, Justin Pickett (pictured), another criminologist at the University of Albany with whom he had co-authored that paper Pickett pointed out that in their article it was claimed their study was based on 1,184 respondents, but there were actually only 500 'There is only one possible conclusion from reanalyzing the data I have: the sample was not just duplicated in the analysis for the published article; the data were also altered, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and those alterations produced the article's main findings,' wrote Pickett. He says that when he brought the issues to Stewart's attention and he asked for specific data, he was ignored for four months, the Florida Standard reported. Later four other articles, all co-authored by Stewart between 2006 and 2015, were also retracted and eventually Florida State University agreed to carry out an inquiry led by a three-person committee. Two of those three had co-authored papers with him, the Standard pointed out. Stewart told administrators that Pickett's claims 'lynched me and my academic character' and said that was particularly significant given that five of his six studies were race-related, and Stewart himself is black. The committee decided not to take action, but then in 2020 a new controversy involving Stewart arose involving a sixth paper. 'There's a huge monetary incentive to falsify data and there's no accountability. If you do this, the probability you'll get caught is so, so low,' Pickett told the Florida Standard. 'There's too much incentive to fake data and too little oversight.' A lieutenant in the NYPD's property department has been accused of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend, demanding threesomes and threatening to throw her under a train if she spoke of their affair. Ammy Ventura, a 40-year-old single mother and civilian employee of the property division, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday at Manhattan Supreme Court. She is suing Lt Wilder Lucas, 41, and the city for unspecified damages under claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. In the court documents, obtained by The New York Post, Ventura said that she began dating Lucas in April 2021. He told her he was divorced, she said. The relationship soured after five months, with Ventura claiming he became aggressive and vicious. Lt Wilder Lucas, 41, asked about the lawsuit, said he had no idea what it was about Ammy Ventura, 40, filed court documents on Tuesday at Manhattan Supreme Court. She is suing Lucas and the city for unspecified damages under claims of sexual harassment and discrimination 'My client was treated with contempt as a sexual object, harassed, sexually assaulted, and had her life threatened repeatedly at work by her supervisor who felt he could act with impunity due to his position,' said Ventura's lawyer, John Scola, speaking to the paper. Lucas, contacted by The Post, said: 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' Ventura, in the court documents, reportedly claims that Lucas demanded she perform oral sex on him after a date at a shooting range in May 2021, where he taught her to fire a gun. When she refused his request, he became angry, she claims, and yelled: 'Shut the f*** up!' Shortly before they broke up in September 2021, Lucas invited Ventura to the Dominican Republic. But on landing, she alleges he brought three other women with them and ignored her, calling her 'f****** annoying'. After the trip, she confronted him, she claims, but he told her: 'I can't talk - I'm a married man.' Ventura then claims that Lucas sexually assaulted her in his office, while at work, in August 2022. She claims, according to the Post, that Lucas grabbed her by her hair, pulled her behind his desk and forced her to give him oral sex while his office door was wide open. The court documents state the incident was 'against her will,' but Ventura felt 'paralyzed and completely powerless to stop the violent attack.' Ventura says, in her suit, that she felt 'powerless' to speak out against him, despite him making inappropriate comments and repeatedly saying he wanted a threesome with her. She claimed he 'openly enjoys' making her feel uncomfortable. At the end of 2022, when news of Ventura and Lucas's relationship began to circulate, he threatened her and demanded she never mention their affair. He allegedly told Ventura: 'I'll f****** kill you,' and threatened to 'push [her] in front of a train.' He also demanded she delete evidence of their relationship from her phone and from the cloud which she did out of 'fear for her life,' the documents claim. 'As a single mother, [Ventura] lives in constant fear of her financial situation deteriorating as a result of Defendant Lucas's threats that he could terminate her employment given his position,' the suit charges. Lucas is pictured at his promotion ceremony. The NYPD said they have a zero tolerance policy on sexual discrimination, but could not comment on the ongoing legal process A NYPD Property Department office A spokesman for the NYPD said: 'Sexual discrimination is prohibited by federal, state, and city laws as well as Department policies, and the NYPD takes seriously all accusations of such behavior. 'The NYPD thoroughly investigates all complaints it receives, and offers several reporting options for NYPD employees, including anonymously. 'The Department does not tolerate discrimination in any form and is committed to respectful work environments for our diverse workforce.' A city Law Department spokesman said the agency 'will review the lawsuit once served.' The lawsuit was filed on the same day it emerged that a Texas 911 dispatcher, Krystle Perez, has been placed on leave for 'sexting' colleagues. Perez, an overnight dispatcher at San Antonio's Bexar County Sheriff's Department, spoke with both a sergeant and deputy at length about alleged past trysts. Other messages sent by Perez, 38, and uncovered by husband Giancarlo Perez, 41, contain equally sexed-up correspondence - between her and four other officers employed by the force, as well as an officer at a nearby department. Krystle Perez, a 38-year-old overnight dispatcher at San Antonio's Bexar County Sheriff's Department, has been placed on leave over the sordid messages - which saw her speak at length with both a sergeant and deputy about alleged past trysts This text sent to Reynaldo Salinas suggests he and Krystle Perez previously met for sex The messages were uncovered and sent to the small-town police department by husband Giancarlo Perez, and are now being vetted to glean their legitimacy Sgt Renaldo Salinas (left) of Bexar County Sheriff's Office texted Perez implying they'd previously met for sex, while Deputy Juan Leal (right) sent raunchy messages Another, Deputy Jason Jarvis (at right), has been hit with a proposed suspension of 30 days. Seen here with wife Jessica, the deputy reportedly has confessed to having sex with the dispatcher - and has since been hit with divorce papers One of those officers, Deputy Juan Leal, has been placed on unpaid leave as a result of the recent revelation, whereas another, Deputy Jason Jarvis, has been hit with a proposed suspension of 30 days. Sergeant Renaldo Salinas has also been placed on leave without pay, as the department continues to vet the salacious text messages. Salinas, Leal and Perez have all been warned by Bexar County Sheriff's offices that they are likely to lose their jobs. They deny misbehaving while on-duty, but the sheriff is now investigating to see whether this is true. Messages sent to Salinas suggest he and Perez met up for sex, while Jarvis's wife - who's now divorcing him - said he admitted an affair to her. Many of the messages leaked to the department by Perez's jilted husband are extremely sexual in nature, while others recount Perez's past exploits with two of the officers in painstaking detail. 'She was the love of my life and it was very distraught, heartbreaking,' 41-year-old Giancarlo told KABB San Antonio over the weekend. He said his marriage imploded in December when he discovered the texts on his wife's phone. 'I was in disbelief,' he says in the clip, and at on point even appeared on the verge of retching as he recalled the traumatic discovery. The drama is reminiscent of the scandal which engulfed La Vergne Police Department in Tennessee earlier this year. Married cop Maegan Hall was fired after having sex with six of her colleagues - but her husband Jedidah Hall stood by her. The pair are currently trying to save their marriage. Maegan Hall, a Tennessee police officer (pictured), was fired after having sex with six of her colleagues Musk sat down for the interview almost six moths after his $44billion takeover Elon Musk defended laying off thousands of staffers and charging for blue ticks Twitter owner Elon Musk has sat down for a wide ranging interview in which the billionaire detailed the social media company's financial status, controversial plans for 'blue ticks', and reasons for laying off thousands of its staff. After almost six months into his ownership - having taken over the app giant in a $44billion deal in October last year - Musk also revealed in the interview on Wednesday that he had taken to sleeping on a couch on the seventh-floor of the Twitter headquarters. In the spontaneous interview - which appears to have been organized in a matter of hours - Musk responded to some of the controversies that have surrounded his takeover and shared what he has learned during his short tenure at the helm of the app. The Tesla CEO and world's second richest person defended laying off thousands of staffers and explained his reasoning for charging $8 for a blue tick check mark. Twitter as both a company and app has vastly changed under the South African-born entrepreneur, and policies claiming to maximize 'free speech' have been ushered in since Musk's entrance. But despite this, Musk said his takeover had been painful and that he has felt 'under constant attack'. Elon Musk sat down for an interview with the BBC's James Clayton at the Twitter offices. The interview was also broadcast live on Twitter Spaces Musk said he 'sometimes' slept in the office in a quiet library on the seventh floor of the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, California Speaking to the BBC's James Clayton broadcast live on Twitter Spaces, Musk admitted the social media company is 'roughly breaking even'. He said most of Twitter's advertisers have returned and its aggressive cost-cutting efforts have started bearing fruit after massive staff layoffs. At a glance: What Elon said Musk said the BBC's label on its @BBC Twitter account would be changed from 'state-funded' to 'publicly funded'. The broadcaster objected to the tag after it appeared earlier this week. Twitter receives some 8 billion user minutes each day. Musk said 'usage is up'. Musk claimed there was less misinformation on Twitter since his takeover. This is contrary to other reports that say hate speech has risen on the platform in recent months. Weighing in on the TikTok debate, Musk said he was generally against banning things. Musk claimed Twitter was 'roughly breaking even' and could be profitable this quarter. He said he would not likely accept a $44billion offer to buy Twitter at the moment. He said it 'depends on who'. Musk said cutting Twitter's workforce from 8,000 to around 1,5000 had not been easy. Advertisement Musk also said Twitter has about 1,500 employees now, a sharp decline from 'just under 8,000 staff members' it had before he took it over in October. He claimed the controversial layoffs were not easy and said he did not speak to everyone in person. 'It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face,' Musk said. Defending the sackings, Musk said: 'The issue is like the company's going to go bankrupt if we do not cut costs immediately. 'This is not a caring, uncaring situation. It's like if the whole ship sinks then nobody's got a job. 'What would you do? If you've four months to live, a 120 days, in a hundred and 20 days you're dead, so what do you want to do?' Twitter has been marked by chaos and uncertainty since the acquisition by Musk, as its layoffs have also reportedly included many engineers responsible for fixing and preventing service outages. Last week, Twitter suffered a bug that prevented thousands of users from accessing links, its sixth major outage since the beginning of the year, according to internet watchdog group NetBlocks. Musk acknowledged some glitches, including recent outages, but said they have not lasted very long. He says Twitter was in a $3 billion negative cash flow situation and had to take drastic actions, referring to its large-scale layoffs. 'We could be cash-flow positive this quarter if things go well,' he said in the interview that attracted more than three million listeners, adding the company currently has all-time high user numbers. Twitter has been hit by a massive decline in advertising since his acquisition of the platform in October last year. Many advertisers paused work with the site over concerns about Musk's approach to content and moderation. This was due to the cyclical nature of ad spending, Musk claimed, adding that some of it was 'political.' He said on Wednesday most of its advertisers have returned. 'You can see (the increased advertising) for yourself on Twitter,' Mr Musk said. 'I think almost all of them (who left) have either come back or said they were going to come back. There's very few exceptions. 'Depending on how things go, if current trends continue, we could be... cash flow positive this quarter if things keep going well.' Musk said Twitter has about 1,500 employees now, a sharp decline from 'just under 8,000 staff members' it had before he took it over in October. Pictured: Musk at the E3 gaming convention in LA, California, June 13, 2019 Twitter has been marked by chaos and uncertainty since the acquisition by Musk. Pictured: Twitter corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California on November 4, 2022 - just as the period of chaotic layoffs began to unfold The billionaire, who also runs electronic car maker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX, said he has no one in mind to succeed him as Twitter chief executive. Musk has faced scrutiny from Tesla investors about the amount of time he spends running the social media platform and had previously said the end of this year would be 'good timing' to find a new Twitter CEO. He also revealed legacy blue checkmarks will finally be removed by next week. Mr Musk said last month that legacy-verified Twitter users would see their blue ticks removed from the service on April 1, unless they paid a monthly fee of $8 to its Twitter Blue subscription operation. As a result, thousands of the platform's high-profile users were braced to lose the ticks, which can help verify their identity and distinguish them from imposters. Publications like The New York Times are no longer verified, as well as many journalists and celebrities. But many of the legacy blue ticks have remained in place past April 1. In a window into the tech entrepreneur's working life, Musk said he 'sometimes' slept in the office. He said there was a quiet library on the seventh floor of the Twitter headquarters which largely goes unused. Musk admitted to sleeping on the couch there some nights. Musk also acknowledged some of his personal Tweets had instigated controversy. 'Have I shot myself in the foot with Tweets multiple times? Yes. I think I should not Tweet after 3am.' Musk also said his social media site will update the BBC's 'government-funded media' tag after the British broadcaster, as well as NPR, objected to the label. The BBC contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. Musk said he had the 'utmost respect' for the organisation, adding: 'We want (the tag) as truthful and accurate as possible - we're adjusting the label to (the BBC being) publicly funded - we'll try to be accurate.' He previously described the BBC as 'among the least biased' news organisations. Musk acknowledged some of his personal Tweets had instigated controversy. Pictured: Elon Musk at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 2, 2022, New York City Musk has faced scrutiny from Tesla investors about the amount of time he spends running the social media platform. Pictured: Musk at Heidi Klum's 21st Annual Halloween Party in New York, October 31, 2022 In a statement released in the wake of the 'government-funded media' designation, the broadcaster said: 'The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee.' The label currently links to a page on Twitter's help centre which says 'state-affiliated media' are outlets where the government 'exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution'. That label was applied to US broadcaster NPR's Twitter handle, but it has been changed to government-funded media - the same as the BBC account. The BBC has always maintained its impartiality and operates through a Royal Charter agreed with government, which says it 'must be independent'. Britons pay a 159 licence fee each year to fund the corporation's output, which is set by government but paid by individual households. While the BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the label, much larger accounts associated with the corporation's breaking news and sport output are not being described in the same way. The account mainly tweets about BBC-produced TV programmes, radio shows, podcasts and other non-news material. Jurors have ruled a California meth addict was 80 percent to blame for his own death during a police confrontation - but still awarded the man's sister $1.5 million in compensation. The suit stems from the July 2019 death of 34-year-old Kevin Niedzialek in Temecula, and spurred a trial that began on March 28 before U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. Niedzialek's surviving sister, 49-year-old Tracey Alves, filed the wrongful death lawsuit in federal court due to it alleging that officers violated Niedzialek's constitutional rights in the buildup to his death. Prior to the arrival of officers, bystanders in the SoCal city roughly an hour's drive from LA called 911 because they witnessed Niedzialek behaving in 'an erratic and threatening manner,' Riverside County sheriff's said at the time. A struggle then ensued, culminating with the recovering addict being twice incapacitated by a deputy's stun gun - and dying soon after. On Friday, a five-man, three-woman jury deemed that Niedzialek was 'mostly' at fault for his own death - with enough reasonable doubt to award Alves the $1.5 million. The suit stems from the July 2019 death of 34-year-old Kevin Niedzialek - seen here with a child who was not his - and spurred a four-day federal trial that began on March 28 The four-day federal trial was presided over by US District Judge Jesus Bernal (pictured) and saw the recovering addict - who relapsed before his death - deemed mostly responsible for his death In actuality, the jury awarded Alves $7.5 million, but deducted $6million from the full award due to Niedzialek supposedly being '80 percent' at fault. Sheriff Chad Bianco on Friday praised the jurors' decision, which saw jurors agree that the officers involved had been negligent, but had not used excessive or unreasonable force. 'Today, the jury found that our Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputies did not violate the constitutional rights of decedent Kevin Niedzialek,' Bianco said in comments passed along by the department's Media Information Bureau. 'They also found that our department's training on prone restraint and positional asphyxia was lawful and played no role in this tragic, methamphetamine death.' In statements provided to the United States District Court for the Central District of California, deputies employed under Bianco said they found Niedzialek - whose family said he was in recovery - 'shouting incoherently and exhibiting aggressive behavior'. Suspecting Niedzialek was under the influence of an illicit substance, the officers attempted to approach him - but found the man to be uncooperative, yelling, and aggressive and combative. A Taser was subsequently deployed and discharged twice on Niedzialek, in dart mode, sending him writhing to the floor as officers tried to subdue him. Eventually restraining Niedzialek in the prone position and handcuffing his wrists, the officers eventually realized the alleged addict was no longer resisting. They then moved him from a prone to a supine position where he was unresponsive. Paramedics were called to evaluate Niedzialek and found him to be in cardiac arrest. Measures to save the man's life were immediately initiated, including CPR and intubation, leading Niedzialek's pulse to return - though the man remained unresponsive. Sheriff Chad Bianco on Friday praised the juror's decision, which saw jurors agree that the officers involved had been negligent, but had not used excessive or unreasonable force. Niedzialek was rushed to Inland Valley Medical Center in nearby Riverside to receive emergency treatment and received a blood transfusion. He was then transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit, where he remained unresponsive - all while showing evidence of irreversible neurologic brain damage. He survived until the next day, after doctors decided to forgo any further life support measures upon realizing the irreversible nature of his condition. A coroner attributed his cause of death to acute methamphetamine toxicity - citing toxicology reports that showed the man had relapsed - with 'other significant conditions of application of restraint maneuvers.' Alves immediately took issue with the assessment, arguing that officers mishandled the situation, and that her brother only stopped breathing after a deputy knelt on his back as he lay face-down on the ground. She promptly sued Riverside County in January 2021, giving way to the recently-wrapped March trial. Jurors on Friday agreed with Alves' attorneys' assessment that the officers involved with the incident had been negligent, but stopped short of asserting that they used excessive or unreasonable force. They also inexplicably agreed that Niedzialek had been negligent as well during the altercation, while saying the aforementioned officers' carelessness directly led to the addict's death. Bianco said of the decision: 'While the jury found that two of our deputies were negligent toward Mr. Niedzialek after he was handcuffed, the jury also found that Mr. Niedzialek was liable for 80 percent of damages they awarded. 'While our hearts go out to the decedent's family for their loss, the Sheriff's Department is gratified that the jury correctly understood that there was no excessive force or defective training here.' One of Alves attorneys, Dale K. Galipo, shortly after criticized the sheriffs response as 'misleading.' He argued jurors never decided whether the two officers' training was inadequate, citing how related questions did appear on jurors' verdict form. 'Further the jury correctly found under the evidence and the law that the officers negligent conduct was a cause of death,' Galipo told Mercury News. 'Thats why the plaintiff won the trial and thats why the county is responsible for $1.5 million. Because the jury did not find a constitutional violation, they never decided whether or not Bianco should be held personally responsible.' Alves will have the opportunity to appeal - though first the case will need to be heard by the US Supreme Court. Her lawyers on Friday did not express any such plans. Orchard owner Kalim Saliba, 86, died after he and his wife were allegedly attacked at their home in Cherrybrook in April, 2020 Two men have been arrested over the alleged home invasion and murder of an elderly apple farmer three years ago. Orchard owner Kalim Saliba, 86, suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital after he was allegedly attacked by two men who broke into his home in Cherrybrook in Sydney's north-west on April 29, 2020. He had bravely tried to defend his 83-year-old wife of 60 years, who was also seriously injured in the alleged attack. NSW Police offered a $1million reward for information leading to the arrest of those involved in December, 2021 and on Wednesday charged two men. A 33-year-old was arrested at his home in Castle Hill while a 58-year-old was arrested at Silverwater Correctional Complex. Both have been charged with murder, and specially aggravated break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence. Mr Saliba's family thanked the police force in a statement on Wednesday and said their grief at losing their loved one will remain with them forever. Two men have been arrested over the alleged murder and home invasion of Mr Saliba NSW Police officers are seen arresting a 33-year-old man over the alleged murder of Mr Saliba 'We are extremely thankful to the NSW Police Force for all their diligent hard work and assistance over the past three years. We have full confidence in the investigation team and appreciate their support and hard work,' the family said. 'This has understandably been a traumatic and emotional time for our family. We lost a treasured family member, and continue to grieve the loss every day. 'While the courts process is underway, our family requests privacy at this time.' Both men charged were due to face court on Wednesday. At the time of the alleged attack, police said two masked men broke into the couple's home just after midnight. Detectives spent months combing through CCTV around the couple's home in a bid to find their alleged attackers. Mr Saliba owned the family-run Saliba Fruits apple orchard in the Blue Mountains town of Bilpin. In one of the more bizarre robberies to rock Australia in recent times, a flock of ostrich chicks have been stolen from a hatchery over the Easter weekend. Hastings Ostrich Farms in Winchelsea, Victoria had about 20 chicks stolen in the early hours of Monday morning with the farm asking the community for help to track down the culprit. Most of the hatchlings stolen are only two weeks old, with the owner holding grave fears whoever stole them wouldn't know how to care for the young birds. Owner Michael Hasting said he was at a loss as to how the thieves managed to break into the facility or why they decided to take the birds. The stolen flock is estimated to be worth more than $10,000, with some individual birds worth $1000 each. Around 20 ostrich chicks (pictured) have been stolen from Australia's last commercial ostrich farm Hasting Ostrich Farms, with the hatchlings worth around $10,000 Most hatchlings stolen are only two weeks old, with grave fears whoever nicked them wouldn't know how to care for them Mr Hasting runs Australia's last commercial ostrich farm and said almost all ostrich chicks countrywide are sourced from their farms. Hastings Ostrich Farms urge anyone who knows of someone who has ostrich chicks to contact them. Mr Hasting told the Herald Sun the breeds stolen included the red-necked ostrich, the blue-necked ostrich, the African black ostrich and the farm's exclusive breed the white ostrich. 'Never in 35 years, even when things were booming and ostriches were worth $3000 each, I've never had any stolen,' Mr Hasting said. Mr Hasting said he had 'no doubt' the farm was targeted but the motive was currently unclear. Instead of being killed for meat or fashion items, Mr Hasting said the chicks had all been committed to local hobby farms. The farm said the birds which weigh around 1.5kg each were 'quite sensitive' and that they feared for the welfare of the birds. Hastings Ostrich Farms, which has been operating since 1989, said it managed more than 3,000 birds and produces eggs and meat as well as bags, wallets and purses made of ostrich leather A focal point of the farm's store is their Ostrich Red Wine Mettwurst, a German style sausage/salami which comes in the popular spicy variety (pictured: spicy sausage) At their current stage in development, the chicks will grow about two feet (60centimetres) a month. Hastings Ostrich Farms, which has been operating since 1989, said it manages more than 3,000 birds and produces eggs and meat as well as bags, wallets and purses made of ostrich leather. A focal point of the farm's store is their Ostrich Red Wine Mettwurst, a German style sausage/salami which comes in the popular spicy variety. The shop also sells ostrich eating eggs, described as tasting 'similar to a chicken eggs just much larger'. In 2020, the farms store was broken into with burglars stealing more than $50,000 worth of handbags and 30 kilograms of ostrich meat. Victoria Police was contacted for comment. Twitter owner Elon Musk has said the social media site will update the BBC's 'government-funded media' tag after the broadcaster objected to the label. The corporation contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. Mr Musk said he has the 'utmost respect' for the BBC and reiterated that the social media site wants tags to be as 'truthful and accurate as possible'. It comes as the Tesla founder offered insight into the current state of affairs at Twitter, which he took over last year. Mr Musk revealed that the firm went from staffing nearly 8,000 employees to now 1,500. He also reiterated that despite it having been a 'really quite a stressful situation over the last several months' he believes the platform is 'headed to a good place'. Twitter owner Elon Musk, in an interview with the BBC yesterday (pictured), has said the social media site will update the BBC's 'government-funded media' tag after the broadcaster objected to the label The corporation contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account In an interview with the BBC yesterday, Mr Musk said he has the 'utmost respect' for the broadcaster, which he previously described as 'among the least biased' news organisations. 'We want (the tag) as truthful and accurate as possible - we're adjusting the label to (the BBC being) publicly funded - we'll try to be accurate,' he said of the tag. In a statement released in the wake of the 'government-funded media' designation, the broadcaster said: 'The BBC is, and always has been, independent. 'We are funded by the British public through the licence fee.' The label links to a page on Twitter's help centre which says 'state-affiliated media' are outlets where the government 'exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution'. That label was applied to US broadcaster NPR's Twitter handle, but it has been changed to government-funded media - the same as the BBC account. The BBC has always maintained its impartiality and operates through a Royal Charter agreed with government, which says it 'must be independent'. Mr Musk said he has the 'utmost respect' for the BBC and reiterated that the social media site wants tags to be as 'truthful and accurate as possible' Britons pay a 159 licence fee each year to fund the corporation's output, which is set by government but paid by individual households. While the BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the label, much larger accounts associated with the corporation's breaking news and sport output are not being described in the same way. The account mainly tweets about BBC-produced TV programmes, radio shows, podcasts and other non-news material. Mr Musk was also questioned about the internal operations at the social media network, including staffing. Several former reporters have tweeted about being sacked from the firm after the billionaire's overhaul. The SpaceX CEO confirmed that when he purchased the company last year for a reported 44billion, there were 'just under 8,000' staff members. The firm now employs 1,500 people. He said that terminating employees is 'not fun at all' and in some circumstances was even 'painful.' Mr Musk admitted that he hasn't been able to sack everyone in person, adding: 'It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face'. It comes as the Tesla founder revealed that since he bought Twitter, the firm went from staffing nearly 8,000 employees to now 1,500. The company's San Francisco, California headquarters is pictured earlier this week after the organisation modified its exterior sign He also reiterated that while the 'pain level has been extremely high' since he bought Twitter and launched his campaign to rework the company, he believes it was the right thing to do. 'Were there many mistakes made a long the way? Of course,' he told the BBC. 'But all's well that ends well, I feel like we're headed to a good place.' Mr Musk said that despite the 'really quite a stressful situation' he is optimistic about his future goal for the social media site - which is to make it the 'most accurate' platform that it can be. He did acknowledge: 'No system is going to be perfect'. Prosecutors have launched a fresh bid to send former footy star and now convicted rapist Jarryd Hayne to prison ahead of his sentencing. Hayne, 35, was granted bail after a NSW District Court jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018. It was his third trial. Judge Graham Turnbull SC allowed Hayne to remain on bail to help his family get sorted before his fate is sealed on May 8. The 35-year-old walked out of Sydney's Downing Centre last week, clutching the hand of his wife Amellia Bonnici under the escort of seven sheriffs. Jarryd Hayne is pictured with his wife, Amellia Bonnici, outside Sydney's Downing Centre last week However, it can now be revealed that the Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a higher court to overturn the ruling and put him behind bars. Hayne will again face court on Friday to fight the application. The NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had filed a new application to detain Hayne. The first District Court application was opposed by Hayne's defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC, who told the court Hayne was 'too high-profile' to be sent to prison in the midst of major media coverage. Judge Turnbull agreed with the defence, saying 'who he is and what's surrounded him' has made him 'particularly vulnerable in the circumstances'. 'It is something which is an exceptional case and created an exceptional circumstance,' he said. 'I'm of the view they exist sufficient to justify a rejection of the detention application.' The court heard he had received hundreds of threats in the days since the guilty verdict. 'Should lock him up with a few guys and teach him what it's like to have your consent disregarded,' one threat read. 'You are the lowest of the low you deserve no sympathy,' another said. Another read: 'Big bubba is waiting'. Hayne's wife Amellia Bonnici (pictured together) cried in the court when the guilty verdict was handed down Judge Turnbull said there was evidence Hayne had been 'vilified' in the public arena as he anticipated the star would be taken into custody at a later date. He told the court there was 'no question' Hayne would be going to prison when he faces sentencing next month. Ms Cunneen told the court she opposed the application, saying the young family has endured large amounts of 'vitriol' following the verdict. She argued that Hayne should not be taken into custody because he is too high-profile. 'This is a case which is exceptional, there wouldn't be such a massive press contingent present in court if there wasn't something exceptional about this case, but that has added to the unrelenting media pressure on this very young family,' Ms Cunneen said. 'The fact (is) this family can't even walk out of their homes without the pressure of the press on them.' The court heard Hayne had previously been targeted while in custody, meaning he had to be protected, with the decision to release him on bail based on the conditions he would face now, rather than what he would face when sentenced. Ms Cunneen said Hayne is 'much more liable' to attacks while in custody as the 'intensity of publicity' is greater than ever. 'The visceral response is grossly out of proportion to the relative seriousness to the circumstances in this case,' she said. 'Mr Hayne is treated as the most evil and serious sex offender that has ever come out of the earth.' Hayne will face the Supreme Court on Friday. A popular sushi chain which had outlets in NSW, the ACT and the NT has suddenly collapsed owing millions of dollars. Sushi Bay was also being investigated over alleged breaches of the Fair Work Act and the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation had begun winding up proceedings. All of its restaurants in NSW and the ACT are in liquidation or were ordered to close, but its Darwin store remains open. The chain's Miranda store, in Sydney's south, which was registered under the name Auskobay Pty Ltd, went into liquidation in February. Then an operation registered as Sushi Bay Pty Ltd in the south-western Sydney suburb of Campbelltown went under a month ago. Sushi Bay (restaurant pictured) was being investigated over alleged breaches of the Fair Work Act and the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation had begun winding up proceedings Sushi Bay's Canberra outlet went out of business at the end of March. Though the Darwin restaurant is still open, it may not be for long. Sushi Bay Darwin had a court hearing on Wednesday, with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) calling for it to be liquidated over unpaid debts. Sushi Bay's former main branch in Campbelltown allegedly owes around $1.5million to the ATO and $155,000 to trade creditors. It also allegedly owes about $250,000 in other debts, reportedly including to a landlord, with 11 employees being affected by its closure. All of Sushi Bay's restaurants in NSW and the ACT are in liquidation or were ordered to close, but its Darwin store remains open. Sushi is pictured Christopher Palmer of insolvency firm O'Brien Palmer was appointed as the liquidator of Sushi Bay, Sushi Bay ACT and Auskobay, news.com.au reported. The Fair Work Ombudsman was investigating all three companies over alleged Fair Work Act breaches, with more than $500,000 being sought in back pay for staff. Mr Palmer is also likely to be the liquidator of Sushi Bay Darwin if it is ordered to shut down. He said it's possible creditors might get some money back, as the company still some cash in the bank. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Sushi Bay seeking comment. A swathe of wintry weather with heavy rain and strong 70mph gusts will batter Britain today as Storm Noa sweeps across the nation. The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected. The Met Office has warned of potential short-term losses of power and disruption to road and ferry travel in the region. A yellow weather warning for wind has also been extended to the south-east of England, where the storm is predicted to migrate over the course of the day. The UK is experiencing wet and wintry weather this week. Pictured: Traffic on the A939 at the Lecht today as fresh snow falls in the North of Scotland Strong winds, low temperatures and heavy rain or showers are being felt across the country. Pictured: Pat Mathieson from Tomintoul, Scotland trudges through the snow today The forecaster said there is a chance of 'heavy outbreaks of rain and thunder' in south-east England by this evening. 'There's likely to be some warning updates from us of winds with some associated rain throughout the day with gusts up to 60-70 miles per hour this morning and some heavy rains accompanying,' Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said. 'Coastal areas, particularly Devon and Cornwall, are likely to see the worst of this with potential short-term losses of power and disruption to travel. 'This is a low-pressure system that is building in from the west and is set to get worse throughout the course of the day.' Although the weather is a named storm in France, it is not classed as such by the Met Office. A swathe of wintry weather with heavy rain and strong 70mph gusts will batter Britain today as Storm Noa (pictured) sweeps across the nation The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected A yellow weather warning for wind has also been extended to the south-east of England, where the storm is predicted to migrate over the course of the day A blast of cold air this morning could even see an 'increasing risk of snow over the higher ground for parts of the UK, especially in the north'. Pictured: Snow in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning Heavy showers are also expected in Scotland, with western areas predicted to see in excess of 30mm of rain and other areas set to see around 20mm of rain. Temperatures in Scotland are expected to be 5C but will dip to freezing level overnight tonight, particularly in rural areas in the north of the country. Motorists particularly those driving HGVs, motorhomes and motorcycles, and those towing caravans and trailers have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions. National Highways is urging motorists to check conditions before beginning their commute. Drivers should be extra vigilant when travelling across exposed locations, such as coastal and high lying areas and bridges, as these areas could be affected by high winds. A yellow warning for wind has been lifted in Northern Ireland, though the Met Office predicts strong winds of around 50mph in some coastal areas. The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day. Pictured: Traffic on the A939 at the Lecht today as fresh snow falls in the North of Scotland People have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions today. Pictured: Bad weather causes waves to create a snow-like effect in in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning A swathe of disruptive winds with gusts of up to 70mph and 'severe gales' and heavy rain is set to sweep across Britain today. Pictured: The sky in Dunsden, Oxfordshire at dawn today ahead of what is set to be a wet and windy day The wet and wintry weather is set to bring a chilly start this morning with sunshine and showers that may be heavy and thundery. Pictured: The sun rises over the countryside in Dunsden, Oxfordshire this morning The grip of the unsettled conditions is set to last for the rest of the week, with sunshine and heavy showers for many on Thursday and persistent rain in the south on Friday. It is then set to become drier and brighter into the weekend, while temperatures may start to rise next week. Mr Dixon added: 'The set up is low pressure dominant both in the South West and in Scotland. Overnight tonight and into Thursday, we are expecting these low-pressure systems to combine and move into the North Sea. This will leave behind showers across much of the UK with winds decreasing throughout the day on Thursday.' The first storm to be named by the Met Office, or Irish or Dutch weather services, this season will still be Storm Antoni, in accordance with the 2022/23 name list. A transgender paedophile who was allowed to serve time in a women's prison backed Nicola Sturgeon as a 'great first minister', it was revealed today. Katie Dolatowski, 22, sexually assaulted a ten-year-old girl in a Morrisons toilet just weeks after using her phone to spy on another girl in an Asda female toilet. The attacker, who was born a man but now identifies as female, has previously been held in the segregation unit at Cornton Vale women's jail in Stirlingshire. Now, it has emerged that Dolatowski often tweeted to support Ms Sturgeon's controversial gender reforms to make it easier for Scots to change their legal sex. Two days after the former first minister announced her resignation on February 15, Dolatowski tweeted: 'I will miss Nicola Sturgeon. It's a shame she's leaving'. It has emerged that Dolatowski often tweeted to support Ms Sturgeon's controversial gender reforms to make it easier for Scots to change their legal sex Dolatowski also wrote on Twitter on March 7: 'Nicola was a great first minister, it's a shame that people are trying to make out her out as an evil person.' Posting under the name Alyanna McKenna, a new identity by which she has been referred to in court documents, she follows more than 850 people and has more than 770 followers. In 2018, she sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl in one supermarket toilet and filmed a 12-year-old girl in another. Last year, Dolatowski was held in Cornton Vale prison after breaching a restriction of liberty order - and in recent days, both of her parents have called for her to go back to jail after another bail breach. Dolatowski had a night in custody last month following a curfew order breach, but she was freed by a sheriff to stay at a hotel under the 'Alyanna McKenna' name. Her tweets come in the context of the UK Government blocking Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform Bill on January 16 in an unprecedented intervention. The Bill aimed to lower the age people can apply to change their gender to 16, remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and reduce the time someone has to live in their acquired gender. But Ms Sturgeon's reforms were highly controversial and were blocked despite being passed by the Scottish Parliament. Some women's rights campaigners raised concerns about the impact it would have on single-sex spaces for females, while the UK Government insisted it would have an 'adverse impact on the operation of Great Britain-wide equalities legislation'. But Dolatowski claimed the laws would not impact women's rights or make it easier for trans people to access women's spaces, reported the Daily Telegraph. She wrote on February 9: 'What parts of the gender bill actually give trans people more rights and/or access to women's only spaces? As women's aid and rape crisis already work on self ID.' In addition, she backed the Scottish Prison Service over the scandal involving rapist Isla Bryson who was also sent to Cornton Vale before being moved to the male prison, HMP Edinburgh. And she voiced her support for Humza Yousaf to replace Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader, describing his rival candidate Kate Forbes as a 'fake feminist'. Dolatowski has also written about trans people using bathrooms, tweeting on April 1: 'I know trans women aren't a threat if I use the bathroom.' She also wrote on March 21: 'I know I'm not a threat to anyone. If you don't feel safe. Don't use public bathrooms.' Last year, protesters gathered outside Cornton Vale after Dolatowski was sent to the jail. She was thought to have been in the segregated unit since October. Marion Calder, from the For Women Scotland campaign said it would come as 'no surprise to anyone, apart from Ms Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf' to see sex offenders backing the Gender Bill. She told the Telegraph: 'The ability to construct a new identity is of course appealing to those wishing to hide a criminal past.' Dolatowski's case has also previously attracted the attention of Harry Potter author JK Rowling who now regularly speaks out on transgender issues. The writer took to Twitter in January to point out how Ms Sturgeon was tying herself in knots by moving rapist Bryson - who was shaven-headed Adam Graham when he raped women - from a female prison, but not moving Dolatowski. Dolatowski, who was born a man but now identifies as female, has sexually assaulted girls A protest last year outside Cornton Vale women's prison over Dolatowski being housed there Rowling tweeted at the time: 'So in Nicola Sturgeon's Scotland, trans women AREN'T women if they're convicted double rapists, like Adam 'Isla Bryson' Graham. 'However, trans woman and paedophile Katie Dolatowski, who covertly filmed a 12-year-old and attempted to rape a 10-year-old, both offences committed in women's public bathrooms, IS a woman and remains in the women's prison from which Adam Graham is to be removed.' When Ms Sturgeon announced she would resign in February, she denied it was 'a reaction to short-term pressures' but spoke about the personal toll of her role and how she wanted to 'free' her party to choose its own independence strategy. The husband of a woman who was brutally murdered in their unit said he feels like he's 'let her parents down' and wished he was able to help her. Erin Gilbert, 42, was stabbed multiple times in the head with a sharp object in the living room of her Merrylands rental, in Sydney's western suburbs, at about 11.30pm on Easter Sunday. Her husband Nic Gilbert, 38, was out during the alleged attack and panicked when he got inside their home to find Mrs Gilbert 'choking on her own blood'. He said he's been racked with extreme guilt since discovering her. 'I feel like I let her parents down,' he told Nine News between muffled sobs on Wednesday. 'I feel like I should have been there.' Nic Gilbert said he found his wife Erin Gilbert (pictured together) in a pool of her own blood on Easter Sunday The 38-year-old described Mrs Gilbert as his 'better half' and his 'world'. 'She just completed me, everything about her I miss,' he said. Mr Gilbert said when he arrived to the unit on Sunday he kept pressing the doorbell, but his wife didn't answer so he decided she was probably asleep. He then went around the back of the unit and tried to throw a rock at the window to capture her attention, but eventually made it inside by climbing on a wheelie bin and hoisting himself over the balcony. 'I walked through the bedroom, Erin was on her back and it looked like she was choking on blood,' he said. 'I jumped in, grabbed her arm and tried to resuscitate her.' Mr Gilbert said he grabbed his phone, pressed the call button, and spoke to the first person whose name popped up. 'I just said 'Erin's dead, help me, Erin's dead',' he recalled. He tried to perform CPR, but Mrs Gilbert was dead by the time paramedics arrived. Nic Gilbert (pictured) came home on Sunday night to find his wife choking on her own blood Mr Gilbert assisted police with their inquiries on Sunday evening and has been released without charge. It is understood there is CCTV to back up his alibi. Mr Gilbert said he has no idea who may have attacked her. Police remain baffled by Mrs Gilbert's mysterious death and have appealed to the public to help find her killer. When asked what he'd do if he was confronted by his wife's killer, Mr Gilbert fought back tears as he instead answered with what Mrs Gilbert would want. 'I would love to get my hands on you (the killer) myself but Erin would want the police to get you,' he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Gilbert revealed on social media that he had been having trouble at home - with his cat Bonnie going missing. 'I'm going insane I can't find Bonnie anywhere please. Can the public help me find our cat Bonnie. 'This is all (too) much for me I don't know what to do,' he wrote. Mrs Gilbert's body was discovered face down in a pool of blood inside a unit block (forensic police pictured) Erin Gilbert and her husband Nic (pictured) got married in 2020. He tried to save her life on Sunday On Tuesday afternoon, he took to Facebook to pay tribute to his late wife, updating his bio to say: 'I was broken and then I found my best, my better half. 'Without you bub... I love you'. In an earlier post in May 2019, he wrote a post dedicated to Mrs Gilbert and their pet cat Bonnie - with a hint that someone had tried to 'come between them.' 'They are my world and with out them I would be lost,' Mr Gilbert wrote. 'To the horrible fake lonely person who keep trying to come between us, well I suppose thank you for reminding us that we are so deeply in love that no matter what games you try play or how good at them you may be you will not come between us. 'And the day you do I promise you there will be no God to protect you from me!' Mr Gilbert that same year spoke of lovingly of his future wife, saying: 'I fell in love because after getting to know you, I realised I wanted to make you a permanent part of my world.' Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Gilbert or the unknown 'lonely person' is responsible for Mrs Gilbert's death. The couple were both known to police for 'minor matters'. Detectives have launched Strike Force Trevelyan to get to the bottom of what happened in Mrs Gilbert's final hours at her home on Sunday night. Mr Gilbert hinted in May 2019 that someone had been trying to come between him and his wife (pictured, with a photo of his cat Bonnie) 'Definitely we believe something's happened on Sunday night ... when police arrived, she hadn't been passed away for long,' Cumberland Police Superintendent Andrew Holland told reporters on Tuesday. 'Erin was at home in her unit block that evening ... we are aware that neighbours have heard her at the unit block, she's been speaking that night. 'We're just concerned somebody else may have been at the unit block with her. 'We need to know what happened, who was there.' Supt Holland revealed her husband made the triple-0 call, and has been 'very forthcoming' with police during their inquiries. He added Mrs Gilbert's family has requested privacy and that her partner is well known in the local community. No one has been ruled in or out as a suspect. 'Anyone who has lost a daughter can only imagine how difficult it is for (the family),' Supt Holland said. 'People don't realise that something they saw days earlier could be a useful piece of information. 'We need to get a timeline of what took place before the incident.' It's understood the couple moved to Merrylands seven months ago. Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. A tiny fishing village in Italy has launched new anti-tourist measures with 275 fines for loitering in selfie hotspots in an attempt to put an end to 'anarchic chaos'. The mayor of Portofino has introduced a no-loitering rule in two 'red zones' where visitors often take photographs and tourism groups crowd together, The Times reported. The no-waiting zones were put into effect amid the Easter break tourism boom that saw around 1.7million holidaymakers visiting Italian city centres, a 12 per cent increase from last year. The ban is the latest in a string of rulings seemingly aimed at freezing out tourists - and in particular, Britons. Destinations across Europe have measures in place to discourage tourists, including Portofino, Italy which recently launched two 'red zones' where police can issue 275 fines to anyone who is loitering in selfie hotspots Portofino's newly instated no-waiting zone bans are active daily from morning until 6pm. The bans will remain in effect through October 15. Pictured: Stock image of Portofino town and port with boats Both Steven Spielberg (pictured left in 2016) and Rhianna (pictured right in 2012) are known to have taken holidays to Portofino, Italy Portofino's newly instated no-waiting zone bans are active daily from morning time until 6pm. The bans will remain in effect through October 15. Mayor Matteo Viacava insists the ban is not aimed at making the city 'more exclusive' but instead to 'allow everyone to enjoy our beauty' and 'avoid dangerous situations caused by overcrowding'. He said the crowds of loitering tourists prevent access for emergency services which could be very dangerous. The tiny fishing village, which has a population of 369, is known for its seafood, luxurious boutiques and pastel-coloured homes. The village has reportedly been popular with celebrities. Both Steven Spielberg and Rhianna have been photographed holidaying in the yacht town. But Mr Viacava claims there will not be favouritism towards stars when issuing loitering fines. 'Portofino isn't anyone's property, it belongs to everyone,' he said. 'Everyone must respect it.' MailOnline has approached the mayor's office for comment. Mayor Matteo Viacava insists the ban is not aimed at making the city 'more exclusive' but instead to 'allow everyone to enjoy our beauty' and 'avoid dangerous situations caused by overcrowding'. Pictured: Church of San Giorgio in Portofino, Italy Rihanna is seen in a bikini on a boat in Portofino, Italy in July 2012. The yacht town is a popular destination amongst celebrities, but Mr Viacava claims there will not be favouritism towards stars when issuing loitering fines Steven Spielberg is seen boating on July 9, 2016 in Portofino, Italy Venice, the capital of northern Italy's Veneto region, this year announced a 3 to 10 entrance fee for all day visitors aged six and older. Pictured: The old town of Venice at night Snowdonia National Park in Wales is limiting the number of people who can enter PLACES WELCOMING TOURISTS WITH OPEN ARMS Taiwan The Taiwan Tourism Bureau is offering travellers 5,000 New Taiwan dollars (about 132) to visit, CNBC reported. The government is issuing visitors tourist cards that can be used on food, accommodation, and other travel expenses in a bid to improve the economy. Hong Kong City leaders in Hong Kong are giving away 500,000 plane tickets this year. The giveaway began last month and will last six months, according to the airport. The giveaway is a bid to help boost the economy after Covid isolation. Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy Officials in Friuli-Venezia Giulia will reimburse tourists' transportation costs, according to CNBC. To be eligible for reimbursement, visitors must come into the region by train from anywhere in Italy. The region is known for its ski resorts. Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda has launched an extended remote-working visa programme to try and bring visitors to the islands after the pandemic. The two-year visa costs 1,235 for a single applicant and 1,645 per couple. Botswana Botswana suffered greatly during lockdown because of on-off border restrictions, Time Out reported. The South African nation is now seeking more tourism to help flourish its economy. Fiji Fiji, like Botswana, saw few tourists during the pandemic and is inviting holidaymakers to lounge on the beach, swim, snorkel or scuba dive. Madeira The island, located off the coast of Portugal, also lacked tourists due to lockdown restrictions. Travellers are now encouraged to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, canyoning, kayaking, swimming and scuba diving. Mauritius Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, wants travellers to explore its 'culture-packed capital' of Port Louis, and relax on its beaches. Advertisement Several European cities have taken measures to discourage tourism and the negative behaviours associated with it. Tourist chiefs in Amsterdam warned British men to 'stay away' as part of a major new operation to clean up the city and rid it of rowdy and hedonistic behaviour. The new campaign features a staged video showing a young man being arrested after he was found stumbling along the city's streets. The video features large red and white writing saying: 'Coming to Amsterdam for a messy night and getting trashed = 140 fine and a criminal record.' It then shows the police officers taking the tourist to a prison cell and making him kneel down in front of a bed in a bizarre scene. The footage is overlaid with red writing which reads: 'So coming to Amsterdam for a messy night? Stay away.' Despite the campaign deliberately targeting young men from the UK, Dutch sex workers have come out in support of male British tourists. Hundreds held a protest against the campaign in support of Brits - saying that they are not associated with bad behaviour any more than any other nationality - and attacking the campaign as an attempt to gentrify the heart of the Dutch capital. Similarly, Lanzarote President Dolores Corujo last month claimed the island was being saturated by British tourists and instead wanted to accommodate more 'higher-quality' travellers from mainland Europe. Ms Corujo claimed the island would pursue 'a diversification strategy to reduce dependence on the British market.' But her remarks were met with backlash, including from the Tourist Federation of Lanzarote (FTL) which reiterated the island has 'very strong ties' with British tourists and will continue to be 'absolutely hospitable' towards them. The tourism body called on Ms Corujo to 'clarify the situation' and meet with representatives from the UK market to reiterate that 'our island is open to the reception of visitors from any part of the world.' The mayor of Siurana, a village in Catalonia, Spain, last year declined for the city to be featured in an annual list of the country's prettiest villages. Siurana's two car parks have a total capacity of 200. Like Mr Viacava said of Portofino, Mayor Salvador Salvado declared 'overcrowding' a problem in Siurana and told The Times he wanted 'the town not to become crowded and for the people who arrive in Siurana to leave happy.' Venice, the capital of northern Italy's Veneto region, this year announced a 3 to 10 entrance fee for all day visitors ages six and older. Alhambra in Granada is also now requiring entrance fees - 3, 7 or 9 - and requires reservations for visitors. Dutch tourist chiefs last month launched a controversial advert discouraging nuisance behaviour from boozy stag parties of young men from the UK Similarly, Lanzarote's president said she wants to diversify the island's tourist economy and reduce reliance on British visitors The Spanish island of Mallorca has moved to limit hotel beds to 430,000 in attempt to have 'tourism of greater value and less volume'. Pictured: People enjoy the sunny weather on Illetas beach, on the Balearic island of Mallorca, Spain last week The Spanish island of Mallorca has moved to limit hotel beds to 430,000 in attempt to have 'tourism of greater value and less volume'. The national parks across the region have also placed restrictions on visitors. The Parc National des Calanques in Calanque de Sugiton, France now requires a booking to enter. Snowdonia National Park in Wales and the Giants Causeway, on the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, are also limiting the number of people who can enter the parks. Bonza's chairman is stepping aside only three months after the budget airline launched in Australia and as it announced a big result over Easter. Rick Howell vacated the chairman position in late March and also quit the airline's board, according to documents filed with the corporate regulator. Mr Howell will continue to work for Bonza's Miami-based private equity owners, 777 Partners, but is set to head overseas to develop 'further early-stage aviation innovation projects within the 777 Partners portfolio'. The airline insists it was always the plan for Mr Howell to act as temporary chair to oversee Bonza's first three months of operations. Rick Howell has stepped down as Bonza chairman only a few months after the budget airline launched in Australia The start-up airline boasted that it had sold over 100,000 tickets over the Easter long weekend '777 Partners is deeply thankful to Rick for his important contribution to the successful launch of Bonza and looks forward to continuing to work with him on global aviation projects,' a statement from the firm said. 'He has played a key role in laying the foundation for Bonza's successful operation in Australia.' Mr Howell has also stood down as chair of 777 Partners' Australian holding company Oz Holdco, where his position will be filled by the airline's investment chief executive Manish Raniga. A new Bonza chair has not been yet announced. Bonza, which has four aircraft flying out of Melbourne Airport and the Sunshine Coast, boasted it sold over 100,000 tickets during the Easter long weekend. This comes only months after the airline launched its first flight on January 31 from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsunday Islands off Queensland. The start-up airline offers fares as low as $49 to 17 regional destinations along 27 routes but avoids operating on Australia's busiest flight paths between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Bonza began by operating five planes but one was sent to Canada earlier this month to be part of 777 Partners' budget airline Flair. A replacement Boeing 787 Max is being ordered. Bonza says its fleet of Boeing 787 Max aircraft are the newest and most technologically advanced passenger planes in Australia Mr Howell said in February the make of aircraft was a good reason to travel with Bonza. 'Our brand new fleet of 737 MAX aircraft, the youngest, most technologically advanced and most efficient in Australia, will ensure more Aussies get to travel at low prices but with the bar set high on the quality of their experience with us,' he said. 'Although some airlines in the past have connected the two, low cost travel does not mean low quality travel. 'We're investing in advanced aircraft to bring the opportunity for low fares along with great environmental efficiencies.' Australia has traditionally been a tough market for budget airlines, with only the Qantas-owned Jetstar operating in that sector presently. In the 1990s budget carrier Compass went bust and in more recent times TigerAir fell victim to the Covid pandemic and abandoned the Australian market in 2020 while business-oriented OzJet folded earlier in that same year. Victims of mobile phone thefts are tracking their stolen devices to the same addresses while police 'do nothing' to retrieve them - as new figures show one is stolen every six minutes in London but just two per cent are recovered. Around 91,000 phone thefts were recorded across the capital last year alone, but fewer than 2,000 were returned to their owners amid fears it is has become 'a crime that goes unpunished'. Victims have revealed their trust in police to tackle the issue has become 'non-existent' after detailing how they have been able to track down the location of their phones, yet the crime has remained unsolved. They have also shared concerns that 'a small group of thugs' are responsible for the 'vast majority' of the thefts, with claims 'hundreds' are ending up at the same addresses. Have you had your phone stolen and been able to track its location? Get in touch by emailing jamie.phillips@mailonline.co.uk Sharon Browne-Peter, who runs a sickle-cell anaemia charity, recalled how her phone was snatched from her hand by a man riding a bicycle as she waited for a bus in Islington, north London, in February earlier this year. She tracked the location of the device and informed police, but her phone was never retrieved. Ms Browne Peter told the BBC: 'They told me that there were hundreds of cases at that same address but there's nothing they can really do. So after that point, I just sort of left it.' READ MORE: Mobile phone theft suspect is stopped in his tracks by HUGE rugby tackle from passer-by Advertisement Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in the same area within the last year, said it feels like 'a crime that goes unpunished'. Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand. She said: 'I knew the police wouldn't do anything about it. The first time it happened and I reported it, nothing happened. (This was) despite the fact that I was able to track its location and see where it had been taken to. 'On the second occasion, I had a conversation with a police officer who said that because the thief was wearing a balaclava, there was nothing they could do.' Ms Kenyon added: 'It just feels like there is no point in reporting it in the first place, unless you need to for your insurance. 'It's only for proof not for any repercussions. It's a crime that goes unpunished, there seems to be no effort from the police to prevent this. 'You feel very violated, your whole life is on your phone, you can be left not knowing what to do.' Around 91,000 phone thefts were recorded across the capital last year alone/ Pictured: Two motorcyclists approach a man on his phone before snatching the device Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand (file image) HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke (pictured) attributed the number of offences going unsolved to 'missed opportunities' from increasingly inexperienced investigators It comes as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke admitted 'the stats don't make for good reading' as he attributed the number of offences going unsolved to 'missed opportunities' from increasingly inexperienced investigators. He told BBC's Today programme: 'It is not just an issue for the Metropolitan Police, but across the country. There are a number of facets to it, first of all the demand on policing is ever increasing and policing does have finite resources, so it needs to prioritise accordingly. 'However, on a recent inspection that we did in relation to volume crime - burglary, robbery and theft - it was quite apparent that policing didn't always make the most of the opportunities it had to catch those responsible for it. 'What we found on our most recent inspection was that from the first point of contact, when the first time the call was coming in, opportunities weren't being taken firstly to secure forensic evidence and, secondly, to give good crime prevention advice. 'Moving on from there, the investigations themselves were not always timely, so that golden hour of opportunity to preserve the forensic evidence was missed. 'Investigators, because policing has recruited an awful lot of people in a short period of time, there is a good deal of inexperience there. 'When you have inexperienced people, you need very strong supervision and we found that was missing in many, many forces across the country.' It is believed that the iPhones are likely being stripped for parts and filtered into legal markets, or being turned into 'Frankenstein phones'. Mr Cooke also shared concerns over the 'broken windows theory', that increases in low-level crime lead to a rise in serious offences. READ MORE - Revealed: Victims of London phone theft find their stolen mobiles are ending up in the SAME street in Chinese city Advertisement He added: 'I think that broken windows theory certainly impacts upon people's feelings of safety in their environments. 'Our communities want to feel safe walking down the street, they want to feel safe in their own homes, and if there's visual representations of things that make them feel unsafe, then that will add to it. 'But policing also needs to make sure people don't feel ignored when they contact them, they need to make sure they are keeping victims updated throughout and policing needs to show it cares, which can be difficult with the high demand we have. 'These offenders don't just commit one offence, they commit a series of offences. It might seem like one low-level crime, but that masks an awful lot of other offences being committed by the same people at the same time.' Westminster (25,899 thefts), Camden (7,892) and Hackney (4,618) were among the worst hit boroughs last year. The Met Police said officers 'run daily operations to target offenders'. A Met Police spokesman added: 'The recovery of phones is difficult as those stealing them pass them on to be sold very quickly. 'Police run daily operations to target offenders and work with second hand retailers to crack down on stolen mobile phones being sold on. 'Specially trained officers focus their attention on hotspot areas, as well as key times of the day, to prevent those intent on using mopeds and other means of transport to steal from being able to do so.' In October, a member of the public took matters into his own hands when he rugby tackled a phone theft suspect as he sprinted away before a woman applied a chokehold to keep him on the ground. Footage shared on social media showed the unidentified individual sprinting along St Thomas Street near Borough Market. As calls of 'trip him up' could be heard in the background, a bystander stepped off the pavement and rugby tackled the alleged thief into barriers lining the street. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe and Sadiq is clear that phone thefts and robberies are horribly intrusive crimes that can have a long-term impact on victims and must be treated seriously. 'Whilst robberies have fallen in the capital by 27 per cent over the last year, the Mayor is determined to do more and work with the Met and new Commissioner to ensure officers are in the right place at the right time to prevent these crimes occurring. 'The Mayors record investment in the Met is targeting the worst offenders through the City Hall funded Violent Crime Taskforce, restoring neighbourhood policing with funding for Town Centre officers and 500 new PCSOs where they are needed most. 'The new funding from City Hall is also working to improve the service Londoners receive when they call the police in an emergency to help build a safer London for everyone.' Have you had your phone stolen and been able to track its location? Get in touch by emailing jamie.phillips@mailonline.co.uk Russia overnight unleashed a 'new intercontinental ballistic missile' test launch, 'successfully' striking a target at a firing range in Kazakhstan. Full details of the mysterious 'advanced' rocket were not initially released but experts believe it to be a powerful Topol-ME system. the launch came only weeks after Russia suspended its participation in its last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the US, New START, under which the US and Russia had agreed to limit their nuclear stockpiles. The missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar test site in Astrakhan region and hit the Sary-Shagan range in neighbouring Kazakhstan. In an official statement, the Russian defense ministry said: 'The combat crew of the Strategic Missile Troops successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile of the land-based mobile missile system from the Kapustin Yar State Central Training Ground in the Astrakhan Region.' Pictured: the Russian missile taking off overnight from April 11 to 12 in Kazakhstan A Topol-ME launch from Kapustrin Yar had previously been predicted for this year Experts say the 'mysterious' new rocket could be a Topol-ME, expected to launch this year While the Russian defense ministry did not specify the type of missile used in Tuesday's launch, it said the exercise's purpose 'was to test advanced combat equipment of intercontinental ballistic missiles'. Why did Russia suspend participation in New START? New START was a formal treaty signed by the Obama administration in 2010, taking effect in February 2011, as a 10-year agreement. It obligated Russia and the US to commit to regular communications on the status of their nuclear arsenals, allowing regular weapon inspections and abiding by limits on how many missiles they could maintain. The treaty had since been extended to run through 4 February 2026. Until now, both have respected the caps. Last month, Putin said that Russia would no longer allow NATO countries to inspect its nuclear arsenal, accusing Ukraine's allies of helping conduct air strikes on Russian air bases. The bases contained strategic bombers. Putin also said that 'if the US conducts tests, then so will we'. Advertisement 'The launch permitted proving that design and engineering solutions used in the development of new strategic missile complexes are correct,' said the ministry. The exercise hit a 'hypothetical target' at Sary-Shagan which Russia uses under agreement with Kazakhstan. 'The launch fully dispatched its mission,' said the ministry. Outlet Military Russia and others indicated the launch was a test 'apparently for the first time' of advanced combat equipment 15Zh55ME Topol-ME, also known as Yars-E. The rocket can be unleashed from a mobile launcher, it stated. A Topol-ME launch from Kapustin Yar had been predicted for this year. It is believed to be a development of the old Topol system. Topol Ms have been developed and used by Russian forces since 1997. They were the first ICBMs to be built after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The new development 'will solve the issue of the expiration of Topol missiles, which were previously used for such test launches, and will also allow the payload to be launched on a platform unified with many modern missiles [such as Yars and Bulava],' the outlet said. Russia is also due to carry out more tests with its big beast hypersonic Sarmat rocket, known in the West as Satan-2, which appears subject to mysterious delays after a humiliating failure to meet a deployment deadline at the end of 2022. Three weeks ago, Putin said he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in allied Belarus, bringing powerful missiles closer to the European Union. The decision, and the one to leave New START, drew condemnation from NATO. 'Our relations have degraded, and that's completely and utterly the U.S.'s fault,' Putin said. 'If the U.S. conducts tests, then so will we,' he added. 'Nobody should have any illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.' Russia appears to have about 400 nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles, which the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists estimate can carry up to 1,185 warheads. If the U.S. conducts tests, then so will we... Nobody should have any illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed. Russia last year launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. The US has slightly fewer nuclear weapons in its arsenal - 5,428 versus Russia's 5,977. While Russia also has more strategic nuclear bombers, the US recently unveiled its B-21 raider, expected to make its first flight this year and to enter service by 2027. It has been dubbed the 'most advanced military aircraft ever built', costing $750mn and virtually undetectable by radar. Vladimir Putin signaled an end to formal arms control between the world's two biggest nuclear superpowers when he announced he would suspend Russia's participation in the New Start treaty on Tuesday Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile launch on 20 April 2022, at the start of the war Some reports have suggested a failed test launch of Sarmat in February. READ MORE: Russia will STOP warning the US about its missile tests - ending decades of protocol that is designed to stop accidental global Armageddon Advertisement The Satan-2 rocket is the size of a 14-storey tower block weighing 208 tons which is capable of delivering multiple nuclear warheads. Five test launches of Satan-2 have been predicted for this year. In May, former head of state space agency Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin, seen as a close Putin ally, said almost 50 Satan-2 missiles, which were in mass production, would soon be on combat duty. In early June, a major ICBM test was scheduled and locals near the Kura test range were warned to stay clear of the target site in remote Kamchatka. But this test never happened. On 25 June Rogozin boasted: 'We are absolutely on schedule, we are now preparing for the second flight test of the Sarmat.' The following month Rogozin was fired for unknown reasons with his promised new job yet to arrive. His successor, ex-deputy premier Yury Borisov, in July repeated the claim that the missile is in mass production without reiterating Putin's goal of Satan-2 being on combat duty by December. Defence analysts suspecting hypersonic hyperbole have pointed out that Russia's R-36M2 Voevoda missile was tested no fewer than 17 times before it was put on combat duty. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, April 11, 2023 US President Joe Biden (far left) reacts as he is greeted by Britain's Prime Minster Rishi Sunak (second from left) after disembarking from Air Force One upon arrival at Belfast International Airport on April 11 The launch comes as President Biden meets with Rishi Sunak in Ireland and Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Where will Biden go on his four-day tour? TUESDAY - Land in Belfast WEDNESDAY - Meet Rishi Sunak in Belfast and go to Ulster University to mark the Good Friday agreement. Biden will travel to Dublin and then to County Louth. THURSDAY - Biden will hold separate meetings in Dublin with Irish President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before addressing Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament. FRIDAY - Biden will visit County Mayo, exploring family genealogy and giving a speech about ties between the US and Ireland Advertisement The Good Friday Agreement - also known as the Belfast Agreement - was a peace accord signed on 10 April 1998, establishing power-sharing between Unionist and Nationalist political parties. It helped created institutions for North-South cooperation while calling for the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and the release of political prisoners, in effect ending decades of conflict known as The Troubles. There have been some challenges to its implementation, including the failure of some paramilitary groups to fully decommission their weapons and ongoing tensions between Unionist and Nationalist communities. Violence broke out in Londonderry on the anniversary of the agreement, with masked youths targeting police and launching petrol bombs at a police vehicle ahead of Biden's visit. Mr Biden is only expected to 'greet' the leaders of the main Northern Ireland political parties, before giving a speech and heading over the border to the Republic, where he will spend the next three days. The US President - accompanied by his Northern Ireland envoy Joe Kennedy - will carry out several other engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He will meet the Prime Minister again on Wednesday for a bilateral meeting. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to 'make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, [and] keep the peace'. Joe Biden is meeting Rishi Sunak in Belfast today as they mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The PM and US president are due to hold talks as he kicks off his visit - but hopes that it could spark a breakthrough in the deadlock at Stormont have dwindled. Mr Biden is only expected to 'greet' the leaders of the main Northern Ireland political parties, before giving a speech and heading over the border to the Republic, where he will spend the next three days. He has also been roundly condemned by the DUP for being 'extremely partisan' and 'anti-British', after repeatedly trumpeting his Irish roots. Mr Sunak welcomed Mr Biden after he touched down last night at RAF Aldergrove, near Belfast, in Air Force One last night. However, despite a thawing in relations after the Windsor Framework eased the row with the EU over post-Brexit rules in the province, Downing Street has been playing down the prospect of progress on a Transatlantic trade deal. Joe Biden was greeted by Rishi Sunak on the steps of Air Force One in Belfast last night (pictured). They will hold talks this morning Biden was seen stepping off Air Force One onto the tarmac of RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim on Tuesday Joe Biden was cheered by crowds as he arrived at City Hall in Belfast last night The leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties will have the opportunity to talk to Mr Biden before he delivers an address at Ulster University's new 350million Belfast campus later. But the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Mr Biden is also not going to Stormont, with the power-sharing Assembly established in the peace deal currently suspended amid a boycott by the DUP. The unionist party's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said this morning that Mr Biden had to take a share of responsibility for the 'political instability' in Northern Ireland. 'He is seen as extremely partisan,' Mr Wilson told Talk TV, adding that Mr Biden had shown himself 'anti-British' in the debates over Brexit. 'I suppose this is more about Joe Biden his reelection attempts and appealing to the Irish vote in America,' Mr Wilson said. The US President - accompanied by his Northern Ireland envoy Joe Kennedy - will carry out several other engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. He will meet the Prime Minister again on Wednesday for a bilateral meeting. Where will Biden go on his four-day tour? TUESDAY - Land in Belfast WEDNESDAY - Meet Rishi Sunak in Belfast and go to Ulster University to mark the Good Friday agreement. Biden will travel to Dublin and then to County Louth. THURSDAY - Biden will hold separate meetings in Dublin with Irish President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before addressing Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament. FRIDAY - Biden will visit County Mayo, exploring family genealogy and giving a speech about ties between the US and Ireland Advertisement Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Biden's keynote speech. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to 'make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace'. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation will be in place for Mr Biden's visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. In the Republic Mr Biden will give a speech in Dublin as well as making visits to ancestral homelands. He will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth this afternoon. The President has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublin's Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins' official residence is within the park's grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the President's official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patrick's Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow evening. The President's trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre's family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina. Monday marked 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland and left 3,600 people dead. The President tweeted he would use the Belfast leg of his trip to underscore his nation's 'commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity' in the region. But he was cautioned against exerting too much pressure on unionists by former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He told Radio 4 Today: 'One thing I learned about the unionists is if you try and pressurise them to do something that they're fundamentally in disagreement with, it's usually futile pressure, even if it comes from the US, so you've got to use that influence carefully.' Biden was greeted at Belfast International Airport by Rishi Sunak just before 9.30pm The American President was seen in conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak President Joe Biden was greeted by Rishi Sunak and US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley (centre). To his right was United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III Biden and Sunak were all smiles as they spoke to each other on the tarmac of the air base US President Joe Biden arrived in Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday evening U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland April 11 The Prime Minister was pictured waiting for the American president at the bottom of the steps to Air Force One British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets U.S. President Joe Biden on his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland April 11 The American leader and the First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, touched down in Belfast in Air Force One on Tuesday, where he was greeted by the British Prime Minister before being taken away in his armoured car, dubbed 'The Beast' (pictured) US President Joe Biden was seen smiling and pointing as he rode in 'The Beast' on Tuesday evening The UK is observing the milestone anniversary with a reunion of key players in the peace process alongside Biden's visit. Deep divisions remain over the conflict's legacy, and authorities raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to 'severe' in March as they warned of IRA dissidents opposed to the peace process. Youths threw petrol bombs and set a police vehicle on fire during a dissident march in Londonderry on Monday. Police said they had intelligence that a major attack had been planned so when masked teenagers threw petrol bombs at a vehicle, they simply withdrew rather than being sucked into what they thought might be an ambush. The following day they said they had recovered four pipe bombs from a cemetery near the city. 'The discovery of these devices was a further sinister and worrying development,' said Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton. Security preparing for Joe Biden's visit Meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden, Belfast, Northern Ireland President Joe Biden spoke to reporters before boarding Air Force One for Belfast, for a four-day trip that will also take him to the Republic of Ireland Easter Monday brought violence to Derry, where masked teenagers through petrol bombs at a police vehicle during a march by dissident republicans opposed to the 1998 peace deal Biden arrived with his son Hunter (far left) and sister Valerie Biden Owens for the trip In Belfast, armored vehicles parked up outside the Grand Central hotel, where barriers were erected to close the street to traffic. The violence is nothing compared with the decades of violence known as the Troubles, but Britain's MI5 intelligence agency recently increased the threat level from domestic terrorism to 'severe' - meaning an attack is highly likely. The result is a major policing operation. Some 300 officers have been drafted in from elsewhere in the U.K. to bolster numbers, with the whole cost coming to about 7million (about $8.7million). Latvia, France, US and the Netherlands are believed to have sent special forces As many as 50 British special forces operators are currently deployed in Ukraine, allegedly leaked US intelligence documents suggest. Britain has the largest contingent of special forces on Ukrainian soil, alongside more than a dozen operators each from fellow NATO states Latvia, France and the US, according to a document dated March 23. The Ministry of Defence warned against taking allegations contained in the reported leak of classified information at 'face value', posting on Twitter: 'The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy.' Some of the classified documents, which were leaked online and have been widely circulated on social media, appear to have been doctored, according to Pentagon spokesman Chris Meagher. But US defence officials have been adamant a leak had taken place, with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowing to 'investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it'. Former head of the Royal Marines, Lt. Gen. Robert Magowan, confirmed in December that British commandos had already deployed twice to Ukraine in 2022 - first in January to evacuate the British Embassy in Kyiv, and again in April 'to provide protection to critical personnel'. Lt Gen Magowan said the personnel had served in Ukraine 'with a high level of political and military risk'. Britain has the largest contingent of special forces on Ukrainian soil, alongside more than a dozen operators each from fellow NATO states Latvia, France, the US, according to an allegedly leaked document dated March 23 Ukrainian soldier aims a gun in a dugout in Ukraine in undated footage Ukrainian servicemen fire an artillery shell near the frontline area amid the Russia-Ukraine war, in Bakhmut, Ukraine on April 2, 2023 The leaked documents have revealed a trove of information about the Ukraine war, including details of US spying operations - not only in Russia, but also among its allies including South Korea, Israel, Ukraine and the UK. READ MORE: Huge classified document leak could boost Putin's war effort by revealing exactly how US is spying on Russia A massive leak of classified Pentagon documents that revealed how the US is infiltrating Russian intelligence could give Putin's war effort in Ukraine a huge boost Advertisement They show how US intelligence has been able to provide Kyiv with extensive details of planned Russian attacks, but also revealed that Ukraine's air defences are almost exhausted. And one section titled 'US/NATO SOF in UKR' appeared to reveal the number of Western special forces present in Ukraine. Britain has allegedly deployed 50 operators - the most of any Western nation - alongside 17 Latvian, 15 French, 14 American and a lone operator from the Netherlands. But the documents did not shed light on where in Ukraine the operators have deployed, or in what capacity. The leaked documents may first have been published in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers, Associated Press reported. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the poster's own thoughts. Then, as of a few months ago, the poster began to share images of printed documents with folds in them, suggesting they had likely been taken directly from a secure printer. A probe was launched on Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department as investigators are trying to quickly identify the source of the breach. Typically, classified documents can only be printed using a secure process, which may make it easier for officials to find the source of the leak. A Ukrainian soldier looks out a passing APC on the frontline in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 10, 2022 Ukrainian service member, Naza, 21, commander from 28th mechanised brigade repositions his machine gun during a fire exchange at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 5, 2023 The posts appear to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks ago, when they began to circulate more widely on social media. Asked on Monday if the US government was effectively waiting for more intelligence documents to show up online, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby replied: 'The truth and the honest answer to your question is: we don't know. And is that a matter of concern to us? You're darn right it is.' Defence Secretary Austin, the first senior US official to comment on the leak, said the Pentagon was aware that documents had been posted dated February 28 and March 1, but was not sure if there were other documents that had been online before. US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, speaking later at Rice University in Texas, called the leaks 'deeply unfortunate,' but did not give details on what he said were 'quite intense' investigations by the Pentagon and the Justice Department. 'We need to learn lessons from that, as well, about how we can tighten procedures,' Burns said. Investigators are working to determine what person or group might have had the ability and motivation to release the intelligence reports. The leaks could be the most damaging release of US government information since the 2013 publication of thousands of documents on WikiLeaks. Milancy Harris, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, is leading the Pentagon's review to assess the potential impact of the leaked documents, a US official told Reuters. The sensitive material was first shared on an obscure online meme group run by a 20-year-old university student living in the UK on a part of the messaging app Discord. The student, a self-professed 'micro celebrity' calling himself wow_mao, posted a video discussing the fallout onto YouTube and told a journalist it was 'hilarious'. YouTuber wow_mao, who was thrust onto the international stage after classified Pentagon papers were leaked on a Discord server he hosts, has said that the 'US government should fear these losers' What is the encrypted app Discord? Discord is a messaging service which is invite-only and encrypted - meaning data is concealed by being converted into code. The platform can only be accessed with a log-in and password with chat groups known as 'servers' - of which many remain small and exclusive. Any Discord user is able to start a server for free and invite their friends. There are also larger, more open communities, which usually focus on specific topics such as popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. The app estimates it is being used worldwide by tens of millions aged 13+. Discord says the server is: 'A place where they can be themselves and spend time with other people who share their interests and hobbies'. Advertisement He said a moderator on his Discord chat group called the End of Wow Mao Zone 'shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war' on March 1 and one month later he was unwittingly at the centre of the scandal. In an interview with the New York Times, wow_mao said he spent 'little time' on the Discord server and mostly focused on his YouTube channel where he has about 250,000 subscribers. He declined to share his real name to the outlet but said he is British and Filipino and was living in the UK. 'It was just spread onto the nicheiest [sic], nerdiest parts of the internet,' he said. 'That's the kind of people who would find these documents losers. That's who the U.S. government really has to fear.' A lack of respect for the government was cited as why the documents were most likely leaked, wow_mao telling the outlet: 'They'll always find it funny to mock them and cut under them in some sort of way.' Users investigating the leak on the server revealed a moderator named Lucca had been behind the leak. The origins of the documents reported earlier by Bellingcat who said they later spread to other sites such as the imageboard 4Chan before appearing on Telegram, Twitter and then major media publishers around the world in recent days. The New York Times reported that a Twitter account using the name 'MrLucca,' who used the same profile photo of Lucca on Discord, said that he'd sourced the documents from yet another Discord server. 'Found some info from a now banned server and passed it on,' the user wrote, according to screenshots of the conversation obtained by the outlet. The Twitter and Discord accounts have since been deleted. They had been carrying supplies from Base Camp to Camp 1 for clients The trio, who are Sherpa guides, were hit by an avalanche on the Khumbu Icefall A search operation is underway on Mount Everest for three missing Nepali climbers who fell into a deep crevasse while ascending the world's tallest mountain. The guides, who were carrying climbing gear from Base Camp to Camp 1 for their clients, were swept down by an avalanche that buried them in the crevasse, a tourism department official said. The avalanche hit the most popular Southeast Ridge route to the peak's summit on Wednesday morning. Bigyan Koirala of Nepal's tourism department said: 'We are still getting details, but we know that they were hit by a mass of snow this morning and are missing in a crevasse. 'Teams at the Base Camp are working together for search and rescue.' Three Nepali climbers are missing after being hit by an avalanche as they carried supplies from Base Camp to Camp 1 across the treacherous Khumbu Icefall (mapped above) Another official, Yubaraj Khatiwada, said: 'A block of snow fell and hit them.' He added that a search helicopter had been mobilised for the climbers, who are believed to have been buried in a crevasse about 50 metres (164 feet) deep. Unfortunately, the Simrik Air chopper was unable to trace the climbers and it returned without locating the missing guides. 'Aerial searchers have been abandoned because of poor weather this afternoon', an official said. A ground search team has also so far failed to locate the missing climbers, Mr Khatiwada said, and sadly they are unlikely to be found. The trio were part of an expedition organised by Imagine Nepal Treks, according to Base Camp officials, and had been crossing a treacherous section of the mountain just above Base Camp called the Khumbu Icefall. The Khumbu Icefall is a dangerous, ever-shifting expanse of glacial ice that requires climbers to navigate crevasses over rickety ladders, and huge overhanging ice that can be as big as 10-story buildings. In 2014, an immense tumbling wall of snow, ice and rock killed 16 Nepali guides on the Khumbu Icefall in one of the deadliest accidents in the Himalayas. Today's missing climbers had been carrying supplies to the first camp on the mountain, a waystation to the 8,849-metre (29,032 foot) peak, Mr Khatiwada said. A search and rescue mission on Mount Everest (pictured above) is underway, with both a ground team and a helicopter deployed, but officials say hopes of finding them are slim This is the first such accident to happen on Everest this climbing season, which will see hundreds of foreign and Nepali climbers flock to the mountain. The three are Sherpa guides, Sherpas being an ethnic group native to the valleys around Everest, and the other most mountainous regions of Nepal and Tibet. They are renowned in the international climbing and mountaineering community for their hardiness, expertise and experience - and are considered the backbone of the industry in the Himalayas. Sadly, they account for around a third of the deaths on Everest, underlining the risks they take in the service of the adventurers aiming to summit the peak. For each expedition, they make several dangerous trips to ferry tents, food and oxygen bottles to high altitude camps. Hundreds of adventurers will flock to Base Camp (pictured above) this season to climb the world's tallest mountain Nepal, located between China and India, is home to 10 of the world's 14 highest peaks and welcomes keen climbers each spring season, when temperatures are warm and winds are typically calm. The government has issued more than 500 climbing permits for various Himalayan mountains, including 243 for Everest, this season. Everest was first climbed by the New Zealander Sir Edmud Hillary and his Sherpa climbing mate Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Since then, thousands have scaled the peak and around 300 people have perished on its slopes. Climbing Everest and other smaller peaks is a popular adventure sport in Nepal, as well as a source of employment and income to the country, where around a quarter are living below the poverty line. British soldiers have been filmed saluting Ukrainian troops on their way to the frontline after training in the UK ahead of Kyiv's expected spring counteroffensive against Putin's invading armies. The moving footage, tweeted by Ukraine's Ministry of Defence and then shared by the British equivalent, is taken from inside a moving bus leaving a training area and shows uniformed soldiers lined up along a road waving, clapping, saluting and holding Ukrainian flags. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) would not give the exact location for security reasons, but confirmed to MailOnline it was somewhere in the North of England. This sign of solidarity and respect came as the soldiers saw off their Ukrainian allies, who had completed training this winter to prepare them for a fresh push in the Russia-Ukraine war. Alongside the 37 second clip, the UK MoD wrote: 'We salute our Ukrainian friends as they return home after completing training to defend their freedom, loved ones and independence.' British soldiers (pictured) salute Ukrainian troops as they head back to their country to fight off invading Russian forces The video evoked an emotional response online, with one Twitter user writing: 'Brought tears to my eyes. So much respect to both teams.' Another added: 'Ukrainians are extremely grateful to you United Kingdom. God bless your kind hearts! Ukraine will never forget your help and everything you do for Ukraine!' A third said: 'I am so proud to be British... to see these soldiers, united in their beliefs, supporting one another well, it brings tears to my eyes.' A YouTube commenter said: 'That's some serious respect and honour given by the British. I'm deeply moved by this.' The Russian invasion of Ukraine forced many ordinary citizens to take up arms to defend their homeland, so training them up to be combat-ready is essential for their military success. The programme for Ukrainian forces, organised by the UK's MoD and carried out by both British forces and allied partners, is known as Operation Interflex and has seen thousands of Ukrainians receive basic British Army training. Basic training involves surviving in a hostile environment; troops are taught skills like basic fieldcraft and medical care, as well as marksmanship and weapon handling. The training has also been adapted to reflect what is needed on the ground - essentially trench warfare. Taken from inside a moving bus, the video was tweeted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence and shared by the UK equivalent Ukrainians have been trained in the UK since last summer, and by the first anniversary of the Russian invasion in February, around 10,000 left the country combat-ready. READ MORE: British and American special forces are inside Ukraine, leaked documents claim Advertisement A further 20,000 are expected to go through the five-week course in 2023. There are also tank crews who completed their training on Challenger 2s at the end of March, having travelled to the UK shortly after Rishi Sunak announced in January that the UK would send 14 of these tanks to help oust Putin's forces. There are also troops who have been learning how to fire AS-90 self-propelled artillery guns, 32 of which the UK is donating to the war effort. Despite hope that these newly-trained soldiers will deal a crushing blow to the Russian invaders, leaked US documents cast doubt on Ukraine's military capacity. According to documents reviewed by AFP, the US has serious concerns about Ukraine's ability to make significant gains in its upcoming offensive, as well as Kyiv's capacity to keep defending itself. In particular, there are concerns about Ukraine's air defences, critical in protecting against Russian strikes. One top secret document said tough Russian defences and 'enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive,' according to the Washington Post. The highly-sensitive material being posted online has sparked a US criminal investigation into a breach that the Pentagram says poses a 'very serious' risk to national security. The video of the British guard of honour for Ukrainian forces comes amid claims that UK special forces have operated in Ukraine. Alleged leaked documents, dated March 23, were published online and indicated as many as 50 UK special forces personnel have been deployed to the country alongside other western special forces. However, the document reportedly does not state where the allegedly deployed forces are located or what they are doing. Thousands of Ukrainians have been receiving training in the UK from the British Army and allied partners as they prepare for a fresh push against Russian aggression The MoD warned against taking allegations contained in the reported leak of US classified information at 'face value'. A spokesperson said in a message posted on Twitter: 'The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy. 'Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation.' Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Chris Meagher urged caution in 'promoting or amplifying any of these documents', adding that it 'does appear that slides have been doctored.' A father has vowed to boycott McDonald's after he was slapped with a 100 fine for exceeding the 90-minute parking limit during his daughter's ninth birthday party. Nick Forrester, 45, claims he and his mother both received penalties after parking at the fast food chain's Festival Park branch for 107 minutes. Mr Forrester, from Abbey Hulton, said there was nothing to indicate that they had been fined while eating at the establishment and they later learned of the violation via a letter sent in the post. The cemetery worker has slammed McDonald's and the parking authority it uses for having 'no compassion' and says they way they treat their customers is 'disgusting'. Mr Forrester took his daughter Sadie, nine, and her friends to McDonald's in Stoke-on-Trent after they spent time playing at a nearby children's amusement centre. Nick Forrester, 45, has vowed to boycott McDonald's after he was slapped with a 100 fine for exceeding the 90-minute parking limit during his daughter's ninth birthday party. He is pictured with his daughter, Sadie, in 2020 'We pulled onto the Maccies car park after being at Just Kidding and got out of the car. We went into Maccies and it took ages to choose,' Mr Forrester recalled. 'We managed to get out, got into the car, drove off, and we thought nothing of it. A few days later, my mum rang me and said she had got a letter saying we had overstayed.' Mr Forrester phoned McDonald's, requesting to speak to a manager, and was informed that parking fines are handled by ParkingEye. He was instructed to contact the company directly to appeal. 'I ended up paying the fine,' he told MailOnline. 'I didn't appeal to parking eye as it's completely pointless and and I decided I didn't want the hassle.' He is frustrated that the company issued him a ticket while 'we were eating in the establishment'. 'It is a relaxed environment and 90 minutes is not long enough,' he argued. 'They can check the CCTV and they will see that we were in the restaurant.' Mr Forrester said he has been going to the Festival Park branch for over 30 years and is completely shocked by the 'disgusting' treatment they received. 'It left me feeling very bitter towards them,' he said of the restaurant, adding that he will be boycotting McDonald's and 'anywhere that uses ParkingEye.' 'Sadie lost her mother to cancer in 2019 and now she can't go out for a meal with her friends,' he stated. 'They have got no compassion. It is disgusting how they have treated their customers. I know McDonald's can overturn it but they won't.' He added: 'They are driving people out of the city with this.' Nick Forrester, 45, claims he and his mother both received penalties after parking at the fast food chain's Festival Park branch (pictured) for 107 minutes. He claims there was nothing to indicate that they had been fined while eating at the establishment and they later learned of the violation via a letter sent in the post McDonald's says it has signs in its car park highlighting the 90-minute parking limit. A McDonald's spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have parking restrictions in place at a number of our restaurants, with a time limit to ensure there is adequate parking for all of our customers. 'If a customer feels they have been wrongly ticketed, we would encourage them to immediately get in touch with the third party contractor who issued the ticket by way of appeal. The spokesman added: 'In some instances where a customer expects to exceed the stated parking limit, they should make themselves and their car registration known to the restaurant manager in advance, who can look to get the parking limit extended.' Car park operator ParkingEye also said it stands by its decisions. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'The car park at McDonalds Festival Heights, Stoke-on-Trent, implemented a car park management solution due to non-patrons of the restaurant parking for long periods of time and abusing the parking facilities. 'The car park features prominent and highly-visible signs providing information on how to use the car park responsibly, including guidance on how McDonalds customers have a maximum stay of 1 hour and 30 minutes. 'The motorists correctly received a Parking Charge Notice due to each of them parking for 1 hour and 47 minutes. Our records show that both PCNs have been paid without appeal. 'We would add that Parkingeye operates a BPA (British Parking Association) audited appeals process, which motorists can use to appeal their Parking Charge Notice. If anyone has mitigating circumstances, we would encourage them to highlight this by appealing.' President Biden got a warm welcome from people who lined the streets of Belfast to catch a glimpse of his armored limousine as it made its way through the center of Belfast Tuesday night. Biden was greeted by cheering crowds of people who wanted to catch a glimpse of the president and 'the Beast' as he made his way to a luxury hotel in a city that has experienced tremendous changes since negotiators reached the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago. It is a trip with special meaning for the president, who regularly invokes his Irish roots. Biden brought along son Hunter and sister Valerie Biden Owens on the journey. The president got to see it all from his custom-modified $1.5 million Cadillac limo, equipped with blast-resistant 8-inch armor plating and tires that can run flat. The vehicle, nicknamed 'Stagecoach,' goes with the president when he travels abroad. It is reported to weigh more than 15,00 pounds, and is built over a GMC TopKick truck platform. The Beast is just part of Biden's motorcade, including a heavily armed Counter Assault Team, communications vehicles, an ambulance, SUVs to ferry staff, and a press contingent that follows him wherever he goes. He also brought a bit of the Kennedy magic that continues to engage people in Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the U.S. bringing the U.S. envoy for Northern Ireland, Joseph Kennedy III. Biden has a series of events lined up for Wednesday, but as is typical for his foreign trips it won't start too early. Nice view: President Joe Biden smiles and points as he drives in 'the Beast' through the center of Belfast at the start of his trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland Video: Crowds cheer as President Biden arrives in #Belfast City Centre. pic.twitter.com/aC3elISSdh Aodhan Roberts (@AodhanRob) April 11, 2023 He plans to meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who greeted Biden when the Air Force One landed in Belfast. The hope that the meeting might spark a breakthrough agreement at the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont has dwindled. Biden is only expected to 'greet' the leaders of the leading Northern Ireland political parties, not hold a joint meeting. His signature event in Northern Ireland is a speech at Ulster University on 'underscoring the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities,' according to Biden's official schedule. By early afternoon, the president is set to fly to the Republic of Ireland, where he has a packed series of events on tap, although the trip forced the White House to respond to questions about whether the president was going on a taxpayer-funded family reunion. Biden landed in Belfast late Tuesday evening to kick off a long-sought trip to his ancestral homeland surrounded by heightened security because of the 'severe' threat of terrorism and amid a new political crisis. Biden landed on Air Force One Tuesday night, then drove immediately to his hotel aboard 'The Beast' Biden's motorcade The Beast crosses a bridge on the way to his summit with Putin in Geneva He arrived to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement accompanied by Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, the U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland, whose grand-uncle JFK made his Irish roots a part of his political identity. The decision to bring his sister and son indicated how Biden intends to make the trip a family affair. Also, it served as a defiant gesture to House Republicans, who are investigating Hunter's business practices and the Biden family's role in foreign deals. President Joe Biden landed in Belfast late Tuesday evening, kicking off a long-sought trip to his ancestral homeland He was accompanied by Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, the U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland, whose grand uncle, JFK, made his Irish roots a part of his political identity Security specifications for 'the Beast' The US president typically rides in a specially modified Cadillac when he travels. The cars are transported aboard military aircraft in advance of a presidential visit abroad. The specially modified $ 1.5 million Cadillac boasts night vision cameras, tear gas cannons, and 8 inches of armor. Its doors weigh as much as those on a Boeing 757 aircraft, and its tires are pneumatic run-flats, so the vehicle can still drive even if they are deflated. The president also can use a state-of-the-art communication system built into the Beast, weighing about 20,000 pounds. There is also a secure oxygen system and a supply of the presidents blood in an emergency. It is equipped with a 214 horsepower diesel engine powerful enough to carry its heavy armor. Advertisement Biden, whose Irish ancestors set sail for the U.S. 165 years ago, was greeted in Belfast by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on a visit the White House says is both personal and professional. Although part of his trip will include celebrating the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement that helped bring peace 25 years ago, there were reminders of threats that once dominated life in Belfast. Police said they discovered four suspected pipe bombs at a cemetery in Derry, a day after people threw gasoline bombs at police during parades on Easter Monday. As he flew out of Washington on Tuesday morning, Biden said the main aim of his four-day trip was to protect peace deals. 'Keep your fingers crossed,' he told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One. Meanwhile, police in Belfast, his first stop, laid down a ring of steel, deploying armored cars in a reminder of the violence that plagued the city for decades. The bulk of Biden's visit will take him south of the border, to counties that were home to his ancestors, but his brief time in Northern Ireland will include a chance to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and other deals that secured peace. 'Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place,' said Biden when asked about the trip's purpose. 'Keep the peace. That's the main thing, and it looks like we're gonna.' Biden also made a special phone call from Air Force One - to Kennedy family matriarch Ethel Kennedy the widow of Robert F. Kennedy to wish her a happy 95th birthday. Biden also made a special phone call from Air Force One - to Kennedy family matriarch Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, to wish her a happy 95th birthday. '@Potus just called to wish Grandma Ethel happy birthday,' Ethel's daughter Kerry Kennedy wrote on Instagram. 'He was 35,000 feet above the earth with @JoeKennedyiii, U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. He said how much of a difference Joe K is making, especially on economic development in Northern Ireland, and how happy he is to be traveling with Joe K today on the way to Belfast.' In her Instagram post, Kerry added that the president told Ethel 'he had two heroes sitting right by his desk, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King.' In Belfast, armored vehicles parked up outside the Grand Central Hotel, where barriers were erected to close the street to traffic. The violence is nothing compared with the decades of violence known as the Troubles, but Britain's MI5 intelligence agency recently increased the threat level from domestic terrorism to 'severe' - meaning an attack is highly likely. The result is a major policing operation. Some 300 officers have been drafted in from elsewhere in the U.K. to bolster numbers, with the entire cost coming to about 7 million (about $8.7 million). Biden arrived with his son Hunter (far left) and sister Valerie Biden Owens for the trip Police in Belfast set up a ring of steel around the city center hotel where President Joe Biden will stay during his brief visit to Northern Ireland Easter Monday brought violence to Derry, where masked teenagers through petrol bombs at a police vehicle during a march by dissident republicans opposed to the 1998 peace deal There is a heavy police presence in the center of Belfast ahead of Biden's arrival While in Belfast, Biden, who has long been known for his pro-Irish views, has been warned to tread carefully for fear of offending unionists loyal to London and who are boycotting the province's power-sharing government. The president will meet leaders from five Northern Irish parties on Wednesday. 'The president will have the opportunity to engage with the political parties of Northern Ireland before his speech,' said John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson. Roads have been closed around Biden's hotel amid a huge police operation to keep him safe EXCLUSIVE: MP warns Biden to avoid anti-British gaffes during Belfast visit: Political foes are waiting to 'weaponize' president's jokes for political gain to derail Northern Ireland's deadlock President Joe Biden needs to be on best behavior during his visit to Northern Ireland and avoid making any anti-British gaffes that could further derail the region's deadlocked political system, according to one of the province's MPs. Claire Hanna, who represents South Belfast for the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party, said unionists were ready to seize on any clumsy jokes or asides for political gain. But Biden has a habit of peppering remarks about his Irish links with memories of his mother's anti-English sentiment and dubious jokes about the Protestant community. 'Any such gaffes would be mercilessly weaponized by the Democratic Unionist Party,' said Hanna, referring to the biggest unionist party. Belfast MP Claire Hanna said President Joe Biden will need to mind his manners during his visit to Northern Ireland. Any gaffe will be seized on by pro-British unionists, she said Biden arrives at a politically awkward time. Northern Ireland's government has not sat in nearly a year amid wrangling over post-Brexit trade arrangements Biden's trip to Belfast comes at a time of political crisis. The province has not had a government since May last year. The DUP has refused to take part because of wrangling over post-Brexit trade arrangements. Experts hold out little hope that any encouragement from a U.S. president known for his pro-Irish sentiments could help ease the impasse. Instead, they fear his occasional anti-British sentiments could further alienate unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. As vice president, for example, Biden caused massive offense to Northern Ireland's unionist community when, during a St Patrick's Day event, he joked: 'If you're wearing orange, you're not welcome here.' Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the color in celebration of William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Hanna said unionists would look for similar slights during Biden's visit. Biden is visiting for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement which ended decades of violence. This 1975 photograph shows the aftermath of a bomb attack on the Europa Hotel Easter is always a flashpoint in Northern Ireland, and republican youths clashed with police in Derry on Monday, a reminder that the 1998 peace deal was only the start of a process While many of Biden's gaffes can be shrugged off as inconsequential, Northern Ireland's febrile political scene means they could have a profound impact. 'I mean, I think from day one, they characterize Biden's Irish roots as meaning that he was hostile to Northern Ireland,' she told DailyMail.com. 'You know, in Northern Ireland, people go out of their way to be offended. They'll be on high alert looking for something to be cross about in what he says.' Before heading south of the border, Biden will spend less than a day in Northern Ireland. That schedule has already annoyed some in Belfast who believe he should spend more time in the province. But it does reduce the time for gaffes in such a politically sensitive place. A British yachtsman has been rescued from the South Atlantic after his boat was damaged in a 100mph storm. Ian Herbert-Jones, 52, from Shropshire, was competing in the single-handed Golden Globe Race and set off in March. But just less than a month into his journey, a rescue effort was under way on Tuesday 11 April after he called for help when his boat was hit by strong winds as he approached the east of Argentina, South America. His boat, named Puffin, was damaged and water entered the hull, while Mr Herbert-Jones reported injuring his back, which left him stiff, and gashing his head. In an attempt to control the boat during the stormy conditions, he was forced to cut the mast free. Ian Herbert-Jones, 52, from Shropshire, was competing in the single-handed Golden Globe Race and set off in March. But just less than a month into his journey, he was rescued There was eight inches of water over the cabin sole and Mr Herbert-Jones said it was probably leakage through the cockpit, but he confirmed that Puffin was not sinking On Monday 10 April, Mr Herbert-Jones called the Crisis Management Team to inform them that conditions on the sea were extreme and he had been washed out of the cockpit twice On Monday 10 April, the sailor called the GGR Crisis Management Team that he was he was in extreme weather and confused sea of 7.7 metres, running under bare poles and trying to hand steer downwind. The team then informed the UK Coast guards Agency and MRCC Argentina, who directed the rescue operation. Then, around 15.50 GMT that day, Mr Herbert-Jones called again to inform that he was not launching his drogue to keep Puffin stern to the waves, as conditions were extreme and he had been washed out of the cockpit twice. There was eight inches of water over the cabin sole, Mr Herbert-Jones said, adding that this was probably due to a leakage through the cockpit. But he confirmed that Puffin was not sinking. At 18.42, Puffin sent the following message which read: 'Rolled Dismasted , injured Back, hard to move, 2ft water in boat,' followed by another two minutes later which said: 'Situation getting worse..need weather break to cut rig from PUFFIN.' But because he was unable to make contact with his Satphone, a device that sends signal to the nearest satellite, Mr Herbert-Jones decided to activate his emergency position-indicating radiobeaco (EPIRB) so that the Search And Rescue chain would be aware of his position and situation. Contact was lost with Mr Herbert-Jones on a number of occasions and waves of nearly 8m (26ft) were reported. However, around 20.15, he rang the crisis team to and explained that had gashed his head and his back was painful and getting stiff after he began cutting the rig of the boat away. The rescue ordeal lasted over 24 hours for the solo sailor, and over the course of the next few hours, the weather conditions got worse. ON Monday 10 April, the sailor rang the crisis team to and explained that had gashed his head and his back was painful and getting stiff after he began cutting the rig of the boat away The location of Puffin during the time of the incident. On Monday 10 April, the sailor called the GGR Crisis Management Team that he was he was in extreme weather and confused sea of 7.7 metres, running under bare poles and trying to hand steer downwind Luckily for the solo sailor however, at 06.47 on Tuesday 11 April, a fishing boat from Taiwan, the Zi Da Wang, which was 90 miles away from his position had been diverted to rescue him by 19.00. Hours later, at 08.42, Mr Herbert-Jones sent a message through his YB3 positioning and texting device to the GGR Crisis Management Team. The message read: 'ALL RECD THKU! OK HERE TOUGHNIGHT TRYING2STAYWARM.' This was then shortly followed by another message at 08.52, that said: 'GRTNEWS REF FISHIMGBOAT WAITING4 FIRSTLIGHT 2CLEAR RIG.' Following this communication, the GGR team knew that the yachtsman was active in his own rescue and aware of the effort taking place to rescue him. Then, at around 10.10, Mr Herbert-Jones called the GGR from his satellite phone, and confirmed that he he had received messages had taken an Ibuprofen last night for his injuries. He also confirmed to them that he was able to work on deck due to Puffin's mast still being on the side of the boat. And the sailor confirmed that there was no more water coming into the boat and he had power for continuing communication with the team on land. According to the GGR Crisis Management Team, they kept Mr Herbert-Jones in the developments of his rescue throughout. The race control team also advised him that the storm would ease very slowly and the rescue attempt would be affected by weather conditions. At 18.45 on Tuesday, Golden Globe Race organisers posted an update confirming Mr Herbert-Jones' safe rescue. He was rescued by a fishing boat from Taiwan, the Zi Da Wang However, although reportedly were not receiving any responses or updates physically, the sailor was manually activating an 'acknowledgement' button on his YB3 tracking device. This meant that he remained conscious throughout, and informed of all the latest developments. During the rescue mission earlier this week, Don McIntyre, GGR Founder and Chairman spoke out about how 'greateful' he is of the 'international efforts' to aid with Mr Herbert-Jones' rescue. Mr McIntyre said: 'We're all hands on deck obviously thinking of Ian and grateful for the international efforts to assist him. 'Fortunately the situation has improved dramatically for several reasons: first Ian is able and active in his rescue, secondly, the weather conditions at PUFFIN have improved a lot facilitating the possibility of a transfer operation, which will still be challenging and the final decision is with the master of the fishing vessels.' At 18.45 on Tuesday, Golden Globe Race organisers posted an update confirming his safe rescue, writing: 'IAN HERBERT JONES !! IS ON THE FISHING VESSEL ZI DA WANG.' Between 18.15 and 18.30, the Zi Da Wang arrived at Herbert-Jones's position, and was manoeuvred to the west of Puffin, where a solo skipper manoeuvred at close quarters to the boat. The organisers' post continued: 'He was recovered at 1845 UTC today . He is battered and bruised with scrapes and scratches, some back pain, but he is very happy to be with the crew. The master of the rescue ship moved straight into a recovery operation in the 25k wind and 4 mtr sea as soon as they were on scene. 'Congratulations to all the personnel, ships, government agencies involved over the past 30 hours who have displayed complete professionalism, dedication and passion in continuing one of the strong traditions of the sea.' Race organisers continued: 'The GGR wish to thank the SAR Puerto Belgrano in Argentina and the MRCC Taiwan for an exemplary international coordination of Ian's rescue, as well as the shipowner, masters and crew of the F/V Zi Da Wang and the F/V Fa Da Cai and Yuh Sheng N1. and the MV Lilibet, MRCC UK and GRIZ NEZ France were also on standby.' Suspected terrorists could be free in Britain after evading biometric security checks during chaos at the Manston migrant processing centre last year, the former head of Border Force warned today. Tony Smith said his main 'worry' was that a Channel migrant with a 'terrorist intent' could have 'crept through' due to the failure to conduct biometric checks on anyone entering the UK illegally. His intervention comes after the Mail revealed that 19 men with terrorism links arrived in the UK by small boat across last year and are living freely in this country. Some of the men who included five with links to Islamic State and its offshoots are understood to have lodged asylum claims and are housed in hotels at the taxpayers' expense. Some are believed to be under surveillance. Mr Smith said he was concerned some suspected terrorists could have evaded detection after being bailed from Manston in Kent without full biometric checks and screening interviews. Tony Smith said his main 'worry' was that a Channel migrant with a 'terrorist intent' could have 'crept through' due to the failure to conduct biometric checks on anyone entering the UK illegally In November last year the facility had to be quickly cleared after becoming dangerously overcrowded with 4,000 people in a site intended for 1,600. 'Not all security checks were done and someone could have been missed,' Mr Smith told the Telegraph. 'That's what my worry is, that someone with a terrorist intent has crept through that system.' Mr Smith said one of the issues had been the 24-hour limit on the time migrants could spend in Manston, which did not allow enough time for proper checks to be carried out. Downing Street has insisted any terror suspects who slip across the Channel will be subject to 'law enforcement measures'. It comes as security experts called for ministers to begin 'tough talking' to secure a migrant returns agreement with France. Lord Carlile KC the former terrorism watchdog, said: 'This is not a legal problem it is a political problem and it seems to me that the UK is playing it far too softly with Europe, and particularly France. 'It's time for some tough talking between the UK and Europe, including France. 'The Home Office is chaotically incompetent to remove people who should not be here, starting with suspected terrorists.' He added: 'It is absolutely not a surprise to me that suspected terrorists have been able to reach the UK hidden among refugees. 'It illustrates a much bigger problem, which is the porosity of the very disorganised system which is in place between Britain and France. 'The Prime Minister has announced plans to give 500million to France to prevent boats reaching Britain, but what have the French actually done?' Mr Smith said he was concerned some suspected terrorists could have evaded detection after being bailed from Manston in Kent without full biometric checks and screening interviews Lord Carlile, who was the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation for nine years until 2011, added that the 19 should be placed on Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures, (TPIMs). They replaced 'control orders' in 2011 and can impose curfews and other restrictions including access to the internet on terror suspects. 'If these people are not already under TPIMs they should be placed under them without delay, because if they are properly implemented it should help ensure they can do no harm,' Lord Carlile said. The Home Office declined to set out any specific measures which may have been taken against the 19 arrivals. A spokesman for the Prime Minister refused to comment in detail on the Mail's revelation but said any suspects identified by the security services would be monitored. 'Our first priority is the need to provide security and safety for the people of the UK,' he said. 'I wouldn't comment on specific cases, but any individual of national security interest would obviously be subject to appropriate law enforcement measures.' Professor Anthony Glees, a security and intelligence expert from the University of Buckingham, also called for a 'determined effort' to secure a new returns agreement with France. 'The Home Secretary must use all her available powers to ensure these terrorists are dealt with properly,' the academic said. 'In the medium to long term we have to have a deal with France, and other European countries, to ensure that those who have come here via European countries will take them back. 'This needs to be a determined effort to secure the kind of agreement we had prior to Brexit, the so-called Dublin agreements. Mr Smith served as interim director general of Border Force from 2012 to 2013 'In the meantime the Home Office must be making sure any arrivals with terrorism connections are segregated so they cannot radicalise others. They shouldn't be in hotels alongside other migrants.' Seven of the 19 terror suspects were already under 'active investigation' in other countries when they arrived here, it is understood. Five of the known terrorists who arrived last year are Iraqi, five are Iranian, four are Afghan, four are from Somalia and one is Libyan. Three Iraqis are linked with Islamic State (Isis) and two are associated with Isis' Afghan affiliate, Islamic State in Khorasan. Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK which campaigns for tougher border controls, said it was 'shameful' that terrorists had been able to reach Britain with such ease. 'It shows the state of our border is lamentable it is full of holes and we seem helpless to do anything about it,' Mr Mehmet said. 'That is a shameful state of affairs for any country to be in.' A terrorist attack was carried out in Britain in 2017 by an asylum seeker who arrived from Calais hidden in the back of a lorry two years earlier. Ahmed Hassan set off a 'Mother of Satan' bomb on a London Tube train at Parson's Green, west London, injuring 23 people. Prosecution of the 19 terrorists who arrived by small boat last year is currently thought to be impossible. If the cases against them are based on surveillance material - or other information from intelligence-gathering - it cannot be used in British courtrooms, for fear of exposing surveillance capabilities or endangering covert sources. Official figures show 4,899 small boat migrants have reached Britain so far this year after last year saw a record 45,700. A Home Office spokesman said: 'Our highest priority is protecting the safety and security of this country, which is why the UK has world-class police, security and intelligence agencies and a robust counter-terrorism framework. 'If an individual of national security interest entered the UK as an illegal migrant, we would take the firmest possible steps, which could include removal, action by law enforcement or other appropriate measures. 'As the Prime Minister has said, this Government is focussed on stopping small boats, and the Illegal Migration Bill will enable us to take back control of our borders and ensure we have an asylum system that is fair, safe and legal.' An MBE-awarded Christian youth festival founder accused of giving 'inappropriate massages' has resigned from the charity he set up. Ministry bosses have already said they are investigating the 'safeguarding' complaints made against the Rev Canon Mike Pilavachi, who established the Soul Survivor series of summer festivals. Companies House documents viewable to anyone online show he stepped down from his director role of Soul Survivor on April 4. 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 The statement read to his congregation 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. Do you know the true identity of wow_mao? Email rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk A major leak of top secret Pentagon documents that has shaken Washington and aired disputed claims British special forces are operating in Ukraine was shared on an obscure online meme group run by a 20-year-old university student living in the UK. The trove of information was shared on a part of the messaging app Discord operated by self-professed 'micro celebrity' calling himself wow_mao. Afterwards, he posted a video discussing the fallout onto YouTube and told a journalist it was 'hilarious'. He said a moderator on his Discord chat group called the End of Wow Mao Zone 'shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war' on March 1 and one month later he was unwittingly at the centre of the scandal. In an interview with the New York Times, wow_mao said he spent 'little time' on the Discord server and mostly focused on his YouTube channel where he has about 250,000 subscribers. He declined to share his real name to the outlet but said he is British and Filipino and was living in the UK. He said that the documents being leaked on his server was 'hilarious.' Do you know the true identity of wow_mao? Email rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk YouTuber wow_mao, who was thrust onto the international stage after classified Pentagon papers were leaked on a Discord server he hosts, has said that the 'US government should fear these losers' 'It was just spread onto the nicheiest [sic], nerdiest parts of the internet,' he said. 'That's the kind of people who would find these documents losers. That's who the U.S. government really has to fear.' A lack of respect for the government was cited as why the documents were most likely leaked, wow_mao telling the outlet: 'They'll always find it funny to mock them and cut under them in some sort of way.' The leak includes claims that 50 members of the UK's special forces have operated in Ukraine, prompting the UK Ministry of Defence to warn against taking allegations contained in the documents 'at face value'. Britain has the largest contingent of special forces on Ukrainian soil, alongside more than a dozen operators each from fellow NATO states Latvia, France and the US, according to a document dated March 23. In response, the Ministry of Defence posted on Twitter: 'The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy.' What is the encrypted app Discord? Discord is a messaging service which is invite-only and encrypted - meaning data is concealed by being converted into code. The platform can only be accessed with a log-in and password with chat groups known as 'servers' - of which many remain small and exclusive. Any Discord user is able to start a server for free and invite their friends. There are also larger, more open communities, which usually focus on specific topics such as popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. The app estimates it is being used worldwide by tens of millions aged 13+. Discord says the server is: 'A place where they can be themselves and spend time with other people who share their interests and hobbies'. Advertisement Some of the supposedly classified documents leaked online appear to have been doctored, according to Pentagon spokesperson Chris Meagher. But US defence officials have been adamant a leak had taken place, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowing to 'investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it'. Users investigating the leak on the server revealed moderator Lucca had been behind the leak. The origins of the documents reported earlier by Bellingcat who said they later spread to other sites such as the imageboard 4Chan before appearing on Telegram, Twitter and then major media publishers around the world in recent days. The New York Times reported that a Twitter account using the name 'MrLucca,' who used the same profile photo of Lucca on Discord, said that he'd sourced the documents from yet another Discord server. 'Found some info from a now banned server and passed it on,' the user wrote, according to screenshots of the conversation obtained by the outlet. The Twitter and Discord accounts have since been deleted. In a video posted in the wake of the leak to YouTube, wow_mao said: 'Hey guys Filipino YouTube celebrity here, guess who just got an article on Forbes. Me. But not for the best reasons. If you don't know what's going on right now let me give you a quick rundown.' 'On the first of march a mod on my Discord server shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war and one month later my name is showing up on news sites such as Forbes, the Telegraph, and the Washington Post.' The niche internet star refuted being the centre of the leak instead suggesting that it probably came from another server. He also refused to divulge the name of the moderator who first published the documents in the group. 'I won't name who this moderator is since they're probably getting a lot of s**t right now and you don't need me to tell you how bad it is to leak secret War documents. I completely denounce this,' he said with the caption 'even if you think it's funny.' Images circulating online reveal clues that point to the leaker's identity. This picture shows an English-language instruction manual for a hunting scope in the background Ukraine's air defences could be depleted within weeks - making the country vulnerable to Russia President Vladimir Putin's fighter jets, newly leaked Pentagon documents suggests 'From what I understand its nowhere near as bad to share already leaked private documents as it is to do the actual leaking and from what I know this moderator found the documents from another discord server. Either from a Minecraft server where they were talking about maps, or I'm not kidding here, a server called thug shaker central. 'So, uh, yeah, we're definitely not at the centre of this leak. But my server was how a lot of people saw those documents for the first time. I should mention that my Discord server has never been perfect, hell, its very much been the opposite.' The 20-year-old goes on to say he can see the humor in 'sharing private military secrets among your internet friends' but cautioned away from doing so. 'I can sort of understand how sharing big private military secrets could be a funny thing to do among your internet friends, but come on, take care of yourself and stay away from doing stuff like this,' he said. 'Despite my server being a small part of this massive leak, it hasn't stopped reporters bringing up my name while trying to trail back where these leaks came from. 'I'm just a road block the CIA had to go through in the trail to find whoever actually leaked that stuff. 'I'm a s**t posting internet micro celebrity and I'd like to keep it that way, he said with the caption 'everything I said was speculation and a joke and parody and satire and I'm mentally unwell.' The top secret documents leaked online contained classified information on Ukraine's counter-offensive plans. These are two of the leaked documents which have been shared by the New York Times This document appears to show the state of Ukraine's air defences in February and in May, when it is anticipated they'll be badly depleted They set out concerns on how Kyiv's armed forces are running short on some weapons, the location of Ukrainian air defences, and the extent to which the Biden administration spies on friends and foes alike. The documents, which have been circulated for weeks on social media, also touch on Israel's Mossad spy agency, China, the Middle East and Africa. The leak covers such a wide range of topics, prompting experts to suggest that the main source could be an American. READ MORE: Leaked Pentagon documents show spies are deeply ingrained in Russian intelligence services and Putin's army is ravaged after a year of fighting Advertisement 'The focus now is on this being a US leak, as many of the documents were only in US hands,' Michael Mulroy, an ex-senior Pentagon official, told Reuters. Kyiv-based security analyst James Rushton said that 'the Russians are clearly the main beneficiaries' from the leak. 'It's a major embarrassment to the US, and it comes at a critical time as Ukraine is preparing to launch their long-awaited Spring counteroffensive,' he told DailyMail.com. 'Kyiv was already cautious about sharing their operational plans with Washington; this will likely further damage intelligence sharing between Ukraine and Western partners at a crucial moment,' he added. US officials have not ruled out pro-Russian elements behind the leak, although the investigation by the Justice Department is still in its early stages. It is the most serious intelligence security breach in the United States since WikiLeaks obtained some 700,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables in 2013. The Ukraine leaks are a series of photographs of presentations and files printed on A4 paper, folded twice, perhaps to be smuggled out of a secure area. Investigators will be looking at clues seen in the margins of the photos that could help unmask the leaker. They include Gorilla glue, shoes, and an English-language instruction manual for a GlassHawk HD spotting scope traditionally used for hunting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions that Moscow had orchestrated the release of such highly confidential information. 'There is, in fact, a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. 'It is, in general, a disease,' Peskov, Putin's long-serving propagandist, said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions that Moscow had orchestrated the release of such highly confidential information The intelligence breach could have a drastic impact upon the landscape of the conflict in Ukraine. Biden seen pictured meeting Ukrainian President Zelensky in February 2023 A villager is seen near a destroyed car during heavy fighting at the front line of Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar, in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine in April 2023 Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed the leak was 'to divert attention from the actual preparation for the next stage of the war.' Another aide to the Ukrainian leader told CNN that Ukraine's military had already changed their counter-offensive plans as a result. In a statement on Sunday, the Pentagon said it was reviewing the validity of the photographed documents that 'appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material.' US officials told the Washington Post that some documents appeared to have been manipulated, but many were consistent with CIA World Intelligence Review reports that are shared at high levels within the White House, Pentagon and State Department. Defence analysts say any breach of internal classified US documents would be both damaging and potentially embarrassing. In addition, the leak would prove valuable to Moscow by showing how deeply US intelligence has penetrated parts of the Russian military apparatus. Officials are looking at what motivations a U.S. official or a group of officials would have in leaking such sensitive information, said one of the officials who spoke to Reuters. The official said investigators were looking at four or five theories, from a disgruntled employee to an insider threat who actively wanted to undermine U.S. national security interests. The U.S. has devoted most of its considerable spying resources to hindering Putin's efforts and helping Ukraine. But its spies have also been eavesdropping on allies, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Israel. The Times reported that the U.S. is spying on Ukraine in the hopes of getting a clearer picture of its military strategies and helping maximize the effectiveness of its army against Putin. The documents - while up to several months old - offer detailed insights into which Russian intelligence agencies have been most compromised, and clues as to how the United States has gleaned so much secret Kremlin information Leaked documents suggest the U.S. knows more about Putin's war operations than Zelensky's, which raises questions over the $200 billion in military aid that has been sent to Ukraine The document leak indicates that the US has been spying on Ukrainian allied officials. Pictured: A Ukrainian serviceman in training exercises in Donetsk That comes despite the Biden administration stumping up more than $77 billion in aid to the war-torn country since the full-scale invasion began last year. Those figures have been compiled by the German think-tank the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. US cash has been credited for helping the country successfully hold-off Russian advances far longer than anyone thought necessary. And while support for funding Ukraine continues to have bipartisan support, news that US officials are often in the dark could raise questions over the sheer amount of resources the White House continues to send to Eastern Europe. The 100 pages of documents, at least some believed to be accurate, were leaked on a Discord server earlier this year. They've triggered panic at the Pentagon, and a huge effort to work out where the leak is coming from. Ukraine has suggested they're not real, but Pentagon officials are said to be treating them as genuine, exposing another schism between the US and its costly ally. They also appear to show that the intelligence services have been compromised as some reports contain daily real-time warnings on the timing and targets of Moscow's strikes - which has enabled the U.S. to warn their Ukrainian counterparts. The documents - up to several months old - offer detailed insights into which Russian intelligence agencies have been most compromised, and clues as to how the United States has gleaned so much secret Kremlin information. A census bungle could have 'significantly' increased estimates for the number of transgender people, experts have warned. Figures released from the huge survey earlier this year suggested that 262,000 residents of England and Wales were trans. However, the statistics regulator is looking at the figures again after academics pointed out that the highest figures were in areas of London such as Newham - where English is often a second language. Michael Biggs, associate professor in sociology at the University of Oxford, told The Times it did not seem 'plausible' that one in 67 Muslims was trans. He pointed out that instead of posing a question such as 'Are you transgender?', the ONS asked: 'Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?' Academics pointed out that the highest figures for trans people were in areas of London such as Newham - where English is often a second language Prof Biggs said the wording was chosen after consultation with LGBT lobby groups, but might have bewildered people who had a shaky grasp of English. 'I'm 99 per cent sure that the misinterpretation has had a significant impact in inflating the numbers,' he added. He said statisticians 'never thought about how a Bangladeshi grandmother or a Hungarian plumber will think about this question'. 'I'd be disappointed if a Masters student at Oxford made that error,' Prof Biggs added. London had the highest proportion of over-16s saying they were trans, at 0.91 per cent. Eight of the the top 10 areas were in the capital - with Brighton and Hove in 20th place. But it also had the most who did not specify their current gender at 0.42 per cent. The next highest in other regions was 0.25 per cent. Some 1.51 per cent of Newham residents said they were trans, while in Brent the level was 1.31 per cent. Only two-thirds of residents in Newham speak English as their first language. The ONS admitted it was 'possible' the question had been misinterpreted, and is working with the Office for Statistics Regulation to analyse the data. A spokesman told the Times it had tested different wordings and the findings were 'broadly consistent with NHS data collected in the same year'. 'However, while the question on gender identity was tested thoroughly, it is possible that individual responses were affected by different interpretations of the question and we will do more work to understand whether that was an issue,' the spokesman added. President Joe Biden made the short hop from Belfast to Dublin on Wednesday afternoon, arriving in the Irish capital during a downpour. Luckily his son Hunter was on hand with an umbrella to keep the president dry as he was greeted by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Hunter and Biden's sister Valerie were in the audience for a speech in Belfast, marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that ended decades of political and sectarian violence. But their presence on the trip has raised awkward questions about who is paying their fares and whether it makes the four-day swing through Ireland more of a taxpayer-funded family reunion than a working visit. Officials were forced to say the trip was work rather pleasure during a briefing on Wednesday morning. Hunter Biden was on hand with an umbrella when the president landed in Dublin to meet Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, left 'I would, not surprisingly, dispute that characterization,' National Security Council senior director for Europe Amanda Sloat told reporters, before listing engagements with the British prime minister and official events to mark the peace deal. Biden's trip comes at an awkward time, with the province's power-sharing government suspended amid political wrangling. And the brevity of his stay in Northern Ireland about 17 hours has irritated local leaders, who wonder whether it is part of a strategy to minimize the chances of a gaffe. Biden makes much of his Irish roots and has occasionally made Britain the butt of jokes, much to the anger of the pro-London unionist community in the province. Sloat was also asked whether the famously Irish-American president was anti-British, as pro-London unionist politicians have claimed. 'I think the track record of the president shows that he's not anti British,' she said. However, Biden has a history of making anti-English jokes and has frequently described his mother's hostility to the U.K. and its crown. Sloat reeled off examples of cooperation between the Biden administration and London. Biden greets U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire D. Cronin and her spouse Ray Cronin in the rain Families of U.S. embassy staff hold placards as U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at Dublin International Airport in Dublin From left, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley, Valerie Biden Owens, Hunter Biden and U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III listen to the speech 'The UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies,' she said. 'And it's difficult, frankly, to think of an issue in the world that we are not closely cooperating with the British on, and it's why the president wanted to have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Sunak this morning to start his his day here in Belfast.' Later Biden played up some of his English heritage during a speech at Ulster University to open its new campus in Belfast. He said the campus symbolized a city booming after years of conflict. 'You couldn't have a glass building like this here in this neighborhood,' he said at the new Ulster University building. 'I don't think it would have stood up very well. But things are changing.' He said it was vital that new generations did not forget the hard work of making peace. 'It's an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace... 25 years ago this week, the landmark Belfast Good Friday Agreement was signed. and it wasn't easy. And he carefully stepped back from any suggestion that he was pushing one side or the other to resolve the impasse. Crowds gathered outside the Belfast city center hotel where Biden was staying on Wednesday Police put up a ring of steel around the city center hotel where Biden stayed on Tuesday night Biden is spotted in the Beast, his armored car, as he arrived in Belfast on Tuesday night 'So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored,' he said. 'That's a judgment for you to make, not me. But I hope it happens.' Unionists were ready to seize on any gaffe or pressure to undermine the visit. As Ian Paisley Jr., of the hardline Democratic Unionist Party, put it to TalkTV, 'the poor fella is unfortunately quite gaffe-prone,' adding: 'It would be like a Frenchman coming over to you and telling you what to do in England.' Biden arrived in Belfast amid a significant policing operation in the province, the biggest in the past ten years. Some 300 officers have been drafted in from elsewhere in the U.K. to bolster numbers, with the whole cost coming to 7 million (about $8.7 million). Writing on Twitter earlier, Biden said: '25 years ago, Northern Irelands leaders chose peace. 'The Belfast/Good Friday agreement ended decades of violence and brought stability. I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity.' Officials say the teens are treated like slaves and tortured into compliance They source vulnerable teens from around France to run drugs in Marseille Drug lords in the southern French city of Marseille are luring impressionable teens from around France into a life of 'semi-slavery' to replace their dead foot soldiers amid escalating violence, French officials claim. A total of 45 drug runners have been slaughtered on Marseille's streets since the start of 2022, with three killed and eight wounded in one night alone this week. With so much bloodshed, dealers cannot find enough locals willing to risk their lives selling drugs on the streets and are using vulnerable adolescents to fill the gap. Many of the young recruits 'find themselves reduced to a state of semi-slavery, held hostage and even tortured,' the city's chief judge, Olivier Leurent, told AFP. This week a 16-year-old was shot dead and a 14-year-old badly wounded by fire from an assault rifle. And in February, a 17-year-old was beaten and stabbed to death on the city's notorious Paternelle estate by a mob of 30 - the gruesome murder filmed by the killers before being posted on social media. The mounting death toll in Marseille echoes similar explosions of extreme violence in Antwerp and Rotterdam, the ports through which most of Europe's cocaine is smuggled by gangs linked to the Mexican cartels. A policeman from unit 'Brigade specialiste terrain' (BST 14) checks a suspected dealer for drugs in a northern district of Marseille A French policeman from unit 'Brigade specialiste terrain' (BST 14) shows a bag of drugs found in a northern district of Marseille Pedestrians walk next to an entrance to the 'Les Rosiers' neighbourhood, blocked by waste containers and damaged chairs in the northern district of Marseille, southern France A photograph taken on March 27, 2023 shows a sign reading 'Marseille' installed in the northern neighbourhood of Marseille, southern France By 'outsourcing' street dealing to young, expendable outsiders known as 'jobbeurs', Marseille's drug lords make sure 'they won't know enough about the network to pass on information' if they are arrested, said Tiphanie Binctin, of the French police's anti-drug unit OFAST. Marseille's judges say four in ten minors they now see in drug cases come from outside the city. One of the primary recruitment platforms used by the drug barons is Snapchat, popular among French teens. 'We need a lookout. Young, with a good memory for faces, respectful of customers. Helpful to be good on motorbikes. 10am to 10pm,' one ad read. Most of the young 'jobbeurs' arrive at Marseille's Saint Charles train station, with its staggering views towards the blue of the Mediterranean. But they do not get a chance to take in the old town, or the wealthy seaside suburbs that lead to the spectacular azure coves of the Calanques. Instead, they are taken directly to the notorious north of the city, to some of Europe's poorest and most crime-infested estates. Their names may be redolent of bucolic old Provence - La Marine Bleue (the Blue Navy), Les Oliviers (the Olive Trees) - but gangs have such a hold here they even have checkpoints filtering traffic in and out of the estates. The stakes are high. Some of the city's dealing spots turn over 80,000 euros a day, with police scattering 12 customers queuing up to buy drugs during one recent swoop. The roots of the drugs trade in France's second city are long and deep, and the gangs that control it are highly sophisticated. Marseille's Corsican drugs mafia controlled most of the heroin that was smuggled into the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s, when 'The French Connection' - which gave its name to the Hollywood film - was finally dismantled. But the criminal underworld, which has since switched to cocaine and cannabis, continues to have a stronghold in France's poorest city. A French policeman from unit 'Brigade specialiste terrain' (BST 14) checks a person for drugs in a northern district of Marseille, southern France Policemen of the Drug and Underground Economy Unit ('Unite Stupefiants Economie Souterraine' - USES) hold bags of confiscated drugs A policeman patrols near a staircase, looking for suspected dealers Despite the spiralling risks, there seems to be no shortage of young recruits willing to work for the gangs. 'It's better than being a street walker,' a 21-year-old woman told police after she was arrested. 'I had to work to get my daughter back.' The dealers put her up in a hotel when she arrived in Marseille from her village in Herault. Others have not been so lucky, according to the police, forced to sleep on balconies, in basements or next to bins. 'It's pure exploitation,' said children's judge Laurence Bellon, with teens having to work long hours and take huge risks. Even so, some youths making '1,400 euros a week for working seven days in a row... think they have made it and are earning a fortune,' said Marseille's prosecutor Dominique Laurens. But the reality is very different. The young outsiders are more vulnerable and 'less well paid and well treated than locals', said lawyer Valentin Loret, who has represented some of them. And when police catch them with drugs and cash they fall in the debt trap, with 'the gangs demanding they pay them back'. Migrants from Algeria and Nigeria have also been recruited, thinking they were being hired to work on building sites, he added. Marseille 'is no Eldorado', said Frederique Camilleri, the region's top law enforcement official. 'It's violence, fake debts, torture and acts of barbarity. It is being at the mercy of the gangs.' Their control is total, with teenagers punished for not counting the cash quickly enough or for failing to raise the alert fast enough when the police appear. A 16-year-old who had run away to Marseille from a children's home in Chartres in central France was found unconscious after being tortured with a burning torch for selling a small amount of pot without permission. One of his torturers, also then underage, was jailed for ten years in November. Another minor was recently put on a train back to his home by the authorities only to be intercepted at the next station by dealers because he had a 'debt' to repay. Many of the cases verge on human trafficking, said Judge Bellon. One group of teenagers recruited online were locked up, beaten and tortured for no apparent reason after their arrival in the city during the pandemic in 2020. One of the boys, who was 15 at the time, was raped by a young dealer and blackmailed with a sex tape to keep him quiet - a tactic the gangs often use, according to a judicial source. Yet some vulnerable young people are still willing to put their lives at risk for a few hundred euros. With many having dropped out of school at 11, said Judge Bellon, they cling on to the 'designer clothes (they buy from dealing) as only part of their identity they can put forward. 'They are paupers in designer labels,' said one of their lawyers, shocked by a client oblivious to the risks he was taking as he strutted around in a coat worth several hundred euros. The conspicuous consumption of social media influencers and series like 'Narcos' that glamorise the drug world seem to justify their lives, the authorities argue. While police struggle to reach out to the teens, or work their way up the chain of command, some end up running to them when things get desperate. In this file photo taken on March 31, 2023 A young person is arrested for suspected drug trafficking by a policeman (R) from the unit 'Brigade specialiste terrain' (BST 14) at the 'Paternelle' neighbourhood in the northern district of Marseille A young person is released after undergoing a drugs search In this file photo taken on March 31, 2023, a young person is checked for drugs by policemen In December, a young man who feared he was about to be kidnapped jumped on to a bus and begged passengers to help him. A month later another climbed onto the roof of a tower block and pleaded with the emergency services to rescue him, a police source said. Prosecutor Laurens said she feared 'a worsening of the situation, with a shift to what some South American countries are experiencing - a Mexicanisation' - even if the number of deaths is not comparable. Judge Bellon is equally worried. 'It is more than lawlessness,' she told AFP. 'It sometimes reminds me of an image we have of Brazil, where there is a complete divide between wealthy neighbourhoods and those where there is extreme poverty and hyper-violence.' One of the 'Essex Boys' killer gangsters faces a rare two day Parole Board grilling - as a new documentary series is set to reexamine the notorious 1995 triple murder. Michael Steele, now 80, and his accomplice Jack Whomes, 62, were jailed for life over the gangland shooting of three men who were found dead in a Range Rover near a farm in Rettendon, Essex. Patrick Tate, 37, Anthony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26, who were part of the 'Essex Boys' drug gang, were killed with a pump-action shotgun in December 1995 in what is believed to have been a row over drugs. The decision to give Steele a two-day hearing reflects the complexity and sensitive nature of the case - which is set to come to national attention again in The Essex Murders, a new Sky Documentaries series which launches on Sunday (16th April). The murders also inspired the 2000 movie Essex Boys, starring actor Sean Bean. Michael Steele, 76, (left) was convicted alongside Whomes (right) for the same triple murder. Steele, now 80, is up for parole this month. Pictured in 2006 Patrick Tate, Anthony Tucker and Craig Rolfe (from left to right) were all found shot dead in a Range Rover on an isolated farm track at Rettendon, Essex in December 1995 Sean Bean starred as Jason Locke in the 2000 film 'Essex Boys' While Steele has been behind bars ever since, Whomes was released in 2021 after serving a reduced sentence of 22-years. Both Whomes and Steele have continued to insist that they had nothing to do with the murders. MailOnline has learned that Steele will appear before the three-person parole panel on the 10th and 11th of May, and will give evidence. The panel is being asked to recommend he be released on licence. At the hearing, the panel will take oral evidence from Steele's community-based probation officer, the official responsible for supervising his case in prison, and a psychologist employed by the prison service. The panel will also have access to Steele's prison dossier. The Secretary of State will also be represented. The parole hearing will be scrutinised by Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, who under new powers has the right to ask the Parole Board to reconsider any decision to release Steele. The high profile hearing has been given more significance by a new TV documentary in which a former police detective who worked on the case states that 'dominoes will start to fall' and the murder investigation will be reopened. David McKelvey, now a private investigator, who retired from the Met Police in 2010, features in the new documentary. Mr McKelvey, who was involved in the original response to the murders, thinks Steele and Whomes are innocent. 'Credible lines of investigation were not followed,' he told the programme. 'I think the programme will open a door and I think once the door is open, the dominoes will start to fall and hopefully, touch wood, with the new material we've got someone will take that material on board.' The murders occurred on the 6th December 1995 on a small farm track in Rettendon. The bodies of the three men were found the following morning by farmer Peter Theobald and his friend Ken Jiggins. All the victims were shot with a pump-action shotgun. Tate sustained injuries to the head and body, while Rolfe and Tucker died from head wounds. Essex Police were soon alerted by the witnesses and launched an investigation, led by Detective superintendent Ian Dibley. At the time, Det supt Dibley said: 'This is not an ordinary murder. It looks as if they were enticed down there. 'As far as murders go, you don't get any more serious than this.' Whomes and Steele were found guilty at London's Old Bailey of the killings two years later and received three life sentences with a minimum of 15 years. The key witness was police informer Darren Nicholls from Braintree, Essex, who claimed he was the get-away driver for the murders. Evidence given at the trial, including disputed mobile phone data, was subsequently lost. This included much of the tape recordings of Nicholls' interrogation. Sentencing the pair Mr Justice Hidden said: 'There is little that can be said usefully to either of you at this stage. You two men were responsible, in my view, for taking away their lives in a violent and summary way. 'You lured them to a quiet farm track and summarily executed them.' Mr McKelvey arrested Darren Nicholls in May 1996 for drugs offences, before he became the so-called 'supergrass' and says evidence sent to him four years ago by defence lawyers 'raised doubts.' He says in the documentary, along with former Met Det Supt Albert Patrick, that they believe the assassination surrounds the proceeds of an armed robbery, rather than drug dealing. He said: 'We believe that we have a credible and compelling alternative account of what happened and if you go on the basis that the test in the UK justice system is beyond reasonable doubt, we believe now there is sufficient material to show not just reasonable doubt, but significant doubt.' Lawyers for both Steele and Whomes have claimed the get-away story was fabricated. The Court of Appeal rejected applications brought by the defendants in 2006, 2013 and 2016, and the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) decided as recently as January not to refer an appeal back to the courts. Essex Police said the case was 'exhaustively examined' and there was 'no fresh evidence' to dispute the 'original verdicts'. Steele has served 24-years for murder. He was moved from a Category A prison to a Category B jail in 2021. The transfer to a reduced security jail is normally the precursor to release. Police officers with the Range Rover on the farm track in Rettendon where the three men were found dead The killing in the small village of Rettendon was made into a 2000 film starring Sean Bean In 2021, Whomes was released on licence and returned to his mother's Suffolk home. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'A two day oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Michael Steele and is scheduled to take place in May 2023. '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 including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing. 'The prisoner and witnesses are then 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.' A controversial former councillor and Sydney businessman facing trial on domestic violence charges has been accused of choking his girlfriend until she fell unconscious. Salim Mehajer was charged in 2021 with three counts of common assault, intimidation intending to cause fear and physical harm, intentional choking and assault occasioning actual bodily harm with an alternate charge of common assault. Mehajer, 36, who represented himself in the NSW District Court on Wednesday has denied the charges. The former deputy mayor of Auburn, in Sydney's west, allegedly choked his then-girlfriend until she became unconscious, insensible or incapable of resistance at a Lidcombe property, the court heard. Salim Mehajer (pictured), 36, who represented himself in the NSW District Court on Wednesday has denied the charges The former deputy mayor of Auburn, in Sydney's west, allegedly choked his then-girlfriend until she became unconscious, insensible or incapable of resistance at a Lidcombe property, the court heard Judge James Bennett said the allegation seemed to arise from 'a dysfunctional, disrupted or broken down relationship'. Judge Bennett told the jury the most important thing to note in the case was the perceived truthfulness of the accused. He also warned the jury about the defendant's high profile. Judge James Bennett said the allegation seemed to arise from 'a dysfunctional, disrupted or broken down relationship' (pictured, Salim Mehajer) 'Mr Mehajer has been the subject of publicity in various media formats,' Judge Bennett told the court on Wednesday. 'He's not on trial for any newspaper article that has been written in the past. That is completely irrelevant to what we will do in this courtroom.' The trial will continue on Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 The teenager is due to appear in court for possession of an offensive weapon A teenager was found to have a 2-ft long machete when he was stopped by police in a routine stop and search operation in north London. A video shows the 15-year-old boy handcuffed with his back against the wall of a shop while two plain-clothes officers hold him. One of the officers can be seen holding the large machete, which was still in its sheath, while talking to the boy. The stop and search was conducted by local police officers in Cricklewood as part of their efforts to crack down on knife crime in the area. The officers immediately confiscated the weapon and the individual was taken into custody for further questioning. A teenager was found to have a 2-ft long machete when he was stopped by police in a routine stop and search operation in north London The stop and search was conducted by local police officers in Cricklewood as part of their efforts to crack down on knife crime in the area The recording shows the officer telling the youth he was under arrest for possession of a weapon and checking on the youth's condition. He said: 'Obviously the situation is s***, but physically you're all right yeah?' The boy remained silent throughout the duration of the video but nodded in response to the officer's question. A spokesperson for Met Police said: 'On the afternoon of Saturday, 8 April, officers on patrol in the area of Cricklewood Broadway stopped and searched a 15-year-old boy who was found with a knife. 'On Sunday, 9 April, he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. 'He will appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Monday, 24 April.' Liz Truss today branded Emmanuel Macron's visit to China a 'mistake' as she launched a fierce attack on the French President's cosiness with Beijing. The ex-prime minister accused Mr Macron of attempting to draw a 'moral equivalence' between the 'totalitarian regime' of Xi Jinping and Western nations. She also claimed the French leader's controversial trip, on which he was accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, had portrayed 'a divide in the West which doesnt exist'. Mr Macron made a three-day state visit to China last week during which he received a red carpet welcome from President Xi. But the French President arrived back in France to a torrent of criticism from other European capitals and in the US. It came after he suggested on the trip that a potential conflict between the US and China over Taiwan was not an issue for Europe. Liz Truss branded Emmanuel Macron's visit to China a 'mistake' as she launched a fierce attack on the French President's cosiness with Beijing Mr Macron made a high-profile trip to China last week to meet with Xi Jinping - but he has faced a torrent of criticism on his return The French President's three-day state visit saw him receive a red carpet welcome from President Xi Speaking at a thinktank event in Washington DC this afternoon, Ms Truss became the latest Western politician to deliver a blast at Mr Macron. 'The idea that we can treat China as just a another global player is wrong,' she told the Heritage Foundation. 'It is a totalitarian regime and we need to adapt our policies accordingly and we need to be much more sceptical about what is said by China and what their promises are. 'And we need to make sure that we are working together as an alliance. 'So I dont agree at all with the visit by Ursula von der Leyen and Macron. I think it was a mistake. I think it showed a divide in the West which doesnt exist. 'And I also believe that we should be much much tougher on supporting Taiwan at this juncture.' Ms Truss, who endured a rocky relationship with Mr Macron while foreign secretary and as PM, also hit out at the French President for attempting to suggest a similarity between the US and China. 'I remember growing up in the 1980s and, although I am a Conservative, my parents were quite left-wing,' she added. 'I remember the talk in left-wing circles at the time was there wasn't really much difference between the USSR and USA - they were both superpowers fighting it out and there was a moral equivalence between the two of them. 'That's what this feels like, it feels like the idea of moral equivalence and it simply isn't true. 'China is a totalitarian regime run by somebody whose explicit aim is to impose their way of thinking on the world and to undermine freedom and democracy, which is what they've already done in Hong Kong and are now seeking to do in Taiwan. 'Now I'm not saying everything America has done in history is perfect - no country is perfect - but it is a free democracy.' The ex-PM, speaking at a think tank event in Washington DC, accused Mr Macron of attempting to draw a 'moral equivalence' between China's 'totalitarian regime' and Western nations Ms Truss made the remarks after delivering the Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Washington-based think tank. She said in her speech: 'People who hate freedom have been gaining ground. 'We know that proportionately fewer people live in democracies today than when Mrs Thatcher left office. And that our opponents have felt they can act with impunity. 'We've seen Vladimir Putin launching an unprovoked attack on a free and democratic neighbour. 'We see the Chinese building up their armaments and their arsenal and menacing the free and democratic Taiwan. 'Too many in the West have appeased and accommodated these regimes.' Ms Truss also warned Western nations against cosying up to China in an attempt to use Beijing's influence with Russia to bring an end to the Ukraine war. 'Putin and Xi have made it clear they are allies against Western capitalism,' she will add. 'That is why Western leaders visiting President Xi to ask for his support in ending the war is a mistake. And it is a sign of weakness. 'Instead our energies should go into taking more measures to support Taiwan. 'We need to make sure Taiwan is able to defend itself. We need to put economic pressure on China before it is too late.' It is not the first time that Ms Truss has delivered a public dig towards Mr Macron. During last year's Tory leadership contest, the then foreign secretary refused to state whether Mr Macron was a 'friend or foe' of Britain and claimed the 'jury's out' on the French President. She later described Mr Macron as a 'friend' when the pair met in Prague after she became prime minister, shortly before her disastrous premiership collapsed amid economic chaos. In remarks that sparked criticism from across the globe this week, Mr Macron called for Europe to be a 'third pole' in global affairs between Washington DC and Beijing and not become a 'vassal'. 'Do we have an interest in speeding up on the subject of Taiwan?,' Mr Macron told reporters on his plane. 'No. The worst of things would be to think that we Europeans must be followers on this subject and adapt ourselves to an American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.' Mr Macron's comments were widely condemned by Taiwan, US senators and fellow EU politicians. Police have swooped on a young woman who allegedly played a role in the brutal kidnapping of a businessman who was held ransom and tortured for six days. Peter Vuong, 26, was allegedly abducted from a house in Smithfield in Sydney's west on March 9 by six men wearing face masks and wielding sledgehammers and guns. The men allegedly pulled his teeth out during the traumatic ordeal and demanded a $5million ransom be paid for his release. Sira Elkheir, 21, is accused of using her position as a Service NSW employee to supply the group with Mr Vuong's address and has been charged with a string of kidnapping-related offences. Dramatic footage shows the moment Ms Elkheir was arrested in a Bunnings carpark in the western Sydney suburb of Greenacre at 11am on Wednesday. She was patted down by officers who searched through her handbag and black Mercedes, before ordering Ms Elkheir to take off her shoes and jewelry and bundling her into the back of a police van. Sira Elkheir, 21, has been arrested in western Sydney on charges related to the kidnapping and six-day torture of small business owner Peter Vuong Police made the arrest in a western Sydney Bunnings carpark on Wednesday morning Sira Elkheir's long list of charges The 21-year-old is accused of using her position at a state government agency to assist in a man's kidnapping. She has been charged with: Take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm. Unauthorised function with intent serious offence (penalty>10 y), Access/modify restricted data held in computer. Participate criminal group contribute criminal activity. Advertisement 'Police will allege in court the woman was an employee of a state government agency and accessed personal data which was shared with others for the purpose of criminal activity.' The Yagoona woman was refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday. Viliami Siasau, 19, Valali Tonga, 20, Sunia Siasau, 20, and John Totau Fahamokioa, 20, Lolo Liavaa, 19 and Kitueau Tatafu, 21, have also been charged related to the alleged abduction and torture. Mr Vuong was allegedly snatched while in bed with his girlfriend, Angela Bowyer, who Daily Mail Australia revealed is a former member of a drug gang that sold large amounts of cocaine, ice and MDMA. Documents show Ms Bowyer was given a three-year sentence for her role in the drug group, with a minimum jail term of 18 months. Ms Bowyer is believed to have counted out money exchanged in an MDMA deal at her parents' house - the same property her boyfriend was allegedly kidnapped from. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any member of Ms Bowyer's family had any involvement in Mr Vuong's extortion, nor that they knew about her previous drug dealing. Ms Bowyer has reinvented herself since her legal troubles and is now an influencer with 90,000 TikTok followers. Angel Bowyer, the influencer girlfriend of the man whose teeth were pulled in the $5 million alleged torture kidnap is a convicted big time drug dealer who was jailed for selling a large commercial quantity of MDMA Peter Vuong, 26, and his glamorous influencer girlfriend Angel Bowyer (above, together) were sleeping in her family's Smithfield home when he was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to a squalid house 20km and tortured She was previously arrested with her then-boyfriend in a police undercover sting operation into cocaine and MDMA supply in 2017, after being watched turning up for major drug deals in her father's black Audi. During one of her deals, she was seen coolly counting out $38,000 of drug 'buy money' and then setting aside $7,000 from funds for the sale of MDMA to keep for herself. Ms Bowyer denied any involvement in drug supply, but was found guilty of one charge of supplying 3kg of MDMA and two additional charges of supplying a commercial quantity of drugs. The drug gang used the encrypted messaging system WICKR and names like 'd0peman88', 'candyman88' and 'unclekracker88' to safeguard their illegal activities, but were infiltrated by an undercover police officer. The drug sting, part of Task Force Teribah, unfolded when Ms Bowyer was a 19-year-old UTS business student and her boyfriend was Nguyen Huynh, a Domino's delivery driver. Ms Bowyer served 18 months in prison before her release on parole in 2018. She has since transformed herself into a big-brand influencer on social media. Ms Bowyer now operates an exclusive events business Cloud Nine Studio which she rents out for photo shoots, brand launches, baby showers and engagement parties in a luxury white themed space. Since becoming an influencer, Ms Bowyer has also represented brands like PrettyLittleThing. The business is on hold as Ms Bowyer and her family recover from the alleged kidnap ordeal of her partner Mr Vuong. Angel Bowyer (above) was convicted of commercial supply of MDMA after a police drug sting blew apart a gang selling teh drug, alogn with MDMA and cocaine in 2017 The alleged kidnappers demanded their $5million ransom from Ms Bowyer's high-flying crypto trader and property developer relative Tran Dinh - or claimed they would cut Mr Vuong's body 'in pieces', court documents say. No wrongdoing is suggested on the part of Mr Vuong or Tran Dinh, a father-of-four. The alleged kidnapping has shined a light on Ms Bowyer's past in a drug gang in 2017. Police from SF Teribah conducted three controlled drug supply operations to bring down the gang, with an undercover officer 'Jim' penetrating the group and using cash with pre-recorded serial numbers to pay for the drugs. On March 22, 2017, Jim paid a gang member a $1000 deposited on a 1kg MDMA purchase, meeting up five days later to hand over another $49,000. The Bowyer family's Smithfield house where Vuong was allegedly kidnapped from as he slept beside his influencer girlfriend Angel Bowyer was also where she counted $38,000 in cash during a commercial supply operation of MDMA Police facts say that when Jim arrived at a Canley Heights address at 3.06pm on March 27, 2017, Angel Bowyer and Huynh were in her father's black Audi and Jim was instructed to follow them to the Bowyer family home at Smithfield. Jim entered the house where Ms Bowyer, H and another man counted out $38,000 of the money, then Huynh handed over $7000 to Bowyer and instructed her to take it upstairs, which she did. Jim then drove about 5km to an address at Wakeley, and was given a plastic-wrapped parcel covered in yellow tape and told his WICKR nickname was 'd0peman88' and the drug supplier was 'candyman88'. Drug officers later weighed the cryo-vac plastic bag of brown powder and found it contained 992g of MDMA with 53.5 per cent purity. The police facts say that Ms Bowyer was aware that at least a commercial quantity was being supplied, but that the Crown had not established beyond a reasonable doubt that she knew it was a large commercial quantity. Vuong (left) was rescued by police after six days after police say his alleged kidnappers demanded $5 million from high flying crypto trader Tran Dinh (right) a relative of Mr Vuong's girlfriend Angel Bowyer In late April 2017, Jim the undercover officer was told by Ms Bowyer's boyfriend H that he could supply MDMA by the kilo, and could also provide 'nose', (cocaine) and 'eye' (methamphetamine) and that Jim's new WICKR name was 'unclecracker88'. Jim arranged to buy 1kg of MDMA for $40,000, an ounce of cocaine for $7500 and an ounce of ice for $4500, and collected $60,000 of recorded buy money and drove to an address at Hinchinbrook in southwestern Sydney. Huynh and Ms Bowyer were waiting and Jim met a third man who lived there with his parents, and they went into the back yard to count out $55,000. Huynh retrieved a black backpack which contained two knotted bags with white powder, a resealable bag with a clear crystal substance and a cryo-vac bag with a brown substance. After the exchange of cash for drugs, Jim handed police the bags which were analysed and found to contain 1006.5g of MDMA of 49pc purity, 28g of cocaine of 87pc purity and 28g of ice of 78pc purity. Agreed facts say that Ms Bowyer was aware that at least a commercial quantity of MDMA was being supplied, but the Crown could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she knew it was a large commercial quantity, or that cocaine and methylamphetamine were being supplied. The final deal in the police sting took place on May 16, 2017 when Jim arranged to buy 3kg of MDMA for $120,000 and 10 ounces of cocaine for $73,000. Angel Bowyer became an influencer after her release from prison and now operates an exclusive events business Cloud Nine which (right) rents out for photo shoots, brand launches, baby showers and engagement parties in a luxury white themed space Police arrest one of Mr Vuong's alleged kidnappers after a days long sting operation moved in to rescue the 26-year-old from his torture ordeal At 8am on the day Jim collected $220,000 of buy money and followed Huynh and Angel Bowyer to Hinchinbrook, where the couple had a disagreement over who would retrieve the drugs because Huynh said his foot was 'f***ed'. Ms Bowyer entered the house's rear yard and returned with a bag of MDMA and of cocaine and gave them to Huynh who handed it to Jim. Police arrived at the scene and arrested Huynh, Angel Bowyer and the young man who lived at the house, and seized the cash and the drugs. Ms Bowyer's three year maximum sentence expired in May 2020. In September 2020, Daily Mail Australia interviewed Ms Bowyer about how she had transformed her life in just five months by losing 23kg without a costly gym membership. Ms Bowyer revealed she had weighed 73kg in November 2018, but by April 2018 was down to 50kg after working out in the backyard or at the park. Mr Dinh is a successful businessman and father whose partner regularly shares photos of his lavish life - including on holidays in Paris. The squalid house where Peter Vuong was taken to and allegedly held for six days as his teeth were 'forcibly removed' with pliers by members of the extortion gang Following the dramatic alleged kidnap of her boyfriend, Ms Bowyer and her family have declined to comment publicly about the ordeal. Mr Vuong was rescued by dozens of heavily armed NSW Police tactical officers at the rundown home on Canterbury Road in Belmore at about 6pm on Tuesday night. Police used flash grenades to storm the home where they allegedly found Mr Vuong blindfolded on a bed, and his teeth and a set of bloody pliers in another room. Is Ukraine winning the war? It is the question everyone has been asking since the first day of Russias invasion, 14 months ago. Now, a leaked trove of US intelligence documents has given us the clearest answer to date. It is not good news for Kyiv, and it could be about to get a whole lot worse. Overall, Russia has lost more men and more firepower than the Ukrainians, the documents show, but its losses are nowhere near as devastating as many in the West had been led to believe - with less than two Russian casualties for every one Ukrainian. Despite huge shipments of weapons to Kyiv, its army is still running critically low on some missiles - particularly air defence rockets - which could start running out in the coming weeks, if they have not done so already. Whats worse, the papers give detailed breakdowns of all the military gear currently heading to Ukraine for the much-anticipated counter-attack. That will be extremely valuable for the Kremlin when deciding where and how to position their own forces to resist it. Ukraine remains committed to retaking lands in the south to sever Russia's land ties to Crimea Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery at Russian positions near Bakhmut late last year. The region remains a contested part of the frontline as Ukraine prepares to mount its counteroffensive Even before the leak, the papers reveal fears the offensive could fall well short of its aim of pushing Russia out of the country. Kyiv has now been forced to change some of its plans last minute, possibly without any more US intelligence, putting its success in further jeopardy. The papers first came to light last week, when the New York Times picked them up as they began circulating on pro-Russian channels on anonymous messaging app Telegram. But it appears they were lurking online for at least a month beforehand on Discord - another social media app popular with gamers and young people - and notorious message board 4chan. Some may have been available as far back as January. While one paper appears to have been crudely edited, the Pentagon has all-but confirmed their authenticity by launching an investigation to assess the damage. Experts have warned it is potentially the most harmful breach since Edward Snowdens US cable leaks in 2013. The documents - most of which date from February or March and provide a snapshot of the war at that time - say Ukraine has seen up to 17,500 troops killed compared to 40,000 Russians, in the most-detailed picture ever given of their casualties. It means that Putin has seen roughly two of his troops killed for every one on the other side. But Ukraine has also seen 115,000 soldiers wounded compared to 180,000 Russians, meaning the ratio drops to around one and a half Russians to every Ukrainian when these are included in the total. That is not good news for the Kremlin but it is nowhere near as bad as some had estimated - the most outlandish of whom had put the ratio closer to seven to one. Given Russias huge population and Putins ability to conscript them, it suggests Ukraine may actually be the side with greater manpower issues. A leaked document dated 23 March shows Britain has the largest contingent of special forces in Ukraine. The Pentagon has launched an investigation to assess the damage of the leaks Military medics give first aid to a soldier wounded in a battle in Bakhmut, 9 April. Leaked documents say Ukraine has seen 115,000 soldiers wounded compared to 180,000 Russians More bad news comes in the form of Ukraines air defences, which the West has been scrambling to beef up over winter after Moscow began attacking cities and power stations. They reveal that ammunition for Ukraines Soviet-era air defences, which make up 90 per cent of its anti-air defences when you take low-altitude weapons like Stingers out of the equation, is perilously low. Rockets for its BUK launchers were due to run out on March 31, while its S-300 systems only had enough to last until early May. If those rockets do run out, the documents warn Ukraine will not only struggle to protect its cities but also its troops as it masses them for the expected counter-attack. It is unclear whether any extra ammo has been found. Meanwhile a map reveals the location of every single anti-air launcher spread out across Ukraine - including Western-supplied Patriots, Iris-T, and NASAMS - which could help Russia track and destroy them. Troubling detail is also given about the battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut, which has been the focus of Russias thus-far failed winter offensive. While Ukraine continues to hold the city, the files reveal soldiers were almost operationally encircled there in late February - meaning they were at high risk of being forced to surrender, or destroyed. Ukraines commanders appear to have toyed with the idea of a retreat, but ultimately decided to send in special forces who stabilised the situation. The Russian pincer movement that almost surrounded the Ukrainians has since ground to a halt, though Kyivs men are still slowly losing ground in the centre of Bakhmut. Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut. Despite revelations of Ukrainian shortcomings, the leaks show a weakened Russian force Ukrainian soldiers take shelter from Russian shelling in a trench near Bakhmut on 22 March But perhaps the most dangerous information contained within the leaks are details about Ukraines upcoming spring offensive. While the papers do not say where or exactly when the attack will come, they drop some heavy hints including a map which gives dates of when the ground in eastern Ukraine will be sufficiently hard enough for tanks to traverse it. They also detail when new Western kit - such as tanks and armoured vehicles - will be heading to Ukraine, and when the Ukrainians will finish training on it. Information included in one document even appears to confirm the presence of NATO special forces in the country - half of them British - who could be involved in the training efforts. And they give a breakdown of the units which are being built for the new offensive, including exactly what kit each of them will be armed with and which ones will lead the charge. That could give the Russians clues about where the thrust of the attack will come if they are able to track those commanding units on the battlefield. Several more maps give the exact locations of dozens of Ukrainian units in key areas such as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Donbas. The leak comes at a bad time for Ukraine, which is sufficiently advanced in its planning for the attack that it would be difficult to change plans now - but not so advanced that they could launch it immediately and maintain the element of surprise. Kyiv has already said it is changing plans based on the leaks, and may be doing so without the benefit of further US intelligence if the Pentagon has clammed up as a result of the leak. Worse still, the documents contain some information about how the data was collected and from which branch of the Russian military it came. The Kremlin could use that information to identify and stop the leaks, meaning the US will have less data to share even if it decides to keep sending sensitive information to Kyiv. The documents also reveal doubts within the American military about how successful the Ukrainian counter-attack - viewed by most analysts as Ukraines best chance to retake its territory - will end up being. Dated from early February, one says that force generation and sustainment shortfalls could mean the much-hyped operation will result in only modest territorial gains. If that ends up being the case, then Kyiv could be forced to make some difficult choices in the months ahead. With Western stocks of ammunition and armour all-but exhausted, it is unlikely Ukraines allies will be able to build another army any time soon - added to which, the death toll may mean President Zelensky is running low on troops. That could force him into returning to the negotiating table with Russia despite vowing not to do so, or the conflict settling into a stalemate as happened after 2014. Ukrainian soldiers in a trench in the direction of Bakhmut, 22 March 2023. For months, forces on both sides have been locked in a stalemate outside the symbolically important city A view of a damaged car near the Bakhmut frontline in Chasiv Yar, pictured on 10 April But the papers also reveal some stark truths about the Russian army as well. For example, they show Russia has lost some 2,000 tanks since the start of the war and now has less than 500 on the battlefield - a devastating blow for what was once the worlds largest tank army, and which could take decades to rebuild. They also appear to confirm Putins manpower problem is as bad - and perhaps worse - than expected, with more than 90 per cent of his combat formations committed to Ukraine. It means the despot has few options of what to do if Ukraine is successful at breaking his defences, and even fewer if he wants to keep trying to push forward. That information could also inspire separatist movements within Russia who know the state has little power to resist them, or harden resistance to Kremlin control in former allied states - such as Kazakhstan. Additionally, the scope and detail of the information contained within the documents reveals that America has moles hidden deep within Russias military including among those planning attacks, creating a headache for the Kremlin over who to trust. In fact, it appears Washington knows far more about what Russia is up to than Ukraine. If Moscow cannot find the source of the leaks and stop them, then any preparations they make for Ukraines coming counter-attack could simply be leaked back to Kyiv which can then find ways to work around them. Trust is already at a low ebb, as shown by the fact that each side is blaming the leak on the other - blaming them for circulating disinformation. As far as Putins propagandists are concerned, the leaks appear to be American disinformation designed to deceive them about Kyivs weaknesses and lull them into a false sense of security ahead of the counter-push. But Ukraine believes the papers have originated with Russia, and are meant to put them off their preparations before they can deal the killing blow. An aerial view of Bakhmut, the frontline of the war, shows devastation after months of fighting A Ukrainian soldier looks out of an APC on the frontline at the city of Bakhmut on 10 April It may be that the information proves not to be much use to anyone, simply because nobody is willing to trust it. Identifying who leaked it and why could be the key to unlocking that puzzle. Nobody has yet put forward a credible theory on that. But, if we take the documents at face value, then what we can say is the war is in a particularly grim place - and could be about to get grimmer. According to the papers, the most-likely outcome of the conflict as-of March was that neither side has the means to achieve its aims, and the most-likely outcome is a stalemate that stretches beyond the end of the year. A historic village pub backed by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has been saved after a whopping quarter of a million pound whipround. The Hollywood star, 48, has donated to the 250,000 campaign for the Glan Yr Afon pub - where his father grew up nearby - after it came under threat of closure. Owners of the grade-II listed boozer in Pennal near Machynlleth, north Wales, announced their decision to sell up, but punters have come together in a bid to save it. They set up a group called Menter y Glan, where they hope that the funding will allow the pub to reopen in a few months, following maintenance work. There are also future plans to build a community hub and a hotel. Saving the village pub has been backed by Hollywood star Matthew Rhys (pictured at the boozer) after he donated to the 250,000 campaign for the Glan Yr Afon pub The Hollywood star joined the bid to save the grade-II listed boozer in Pennal near Machynlleth, north Wales, when it came under threat of closure This comes after Welsh actor Rhys, who has starred in Cocaine Bear, Burnt and Brothers & Sisters, visited the pub. Pictured: Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings in American drama series The Americans The money was raised through a share scheme, while volunteers have carried out essential building work. Speaking about the project, Chairman Meirion Roberts, of the group, said: 'The work of the local volunteers has been overwhelming and it shows what true community spirit really means. We think that Owain Glyndwr would be quite proud of what we have achieved. 'A new volunteer group has been formed to continue on the original plan to develop a village shop and cafe and develop Glan Yr Afon to be a true community hub. As part of the vision we are keen to make steps to develop our community mental health hub.' The grand re-opening is in June. However, there is still a long way to go before it can open up once again, as the pub is searching for a front of house manager for the restaurant. This comes after Welsh actor Rhys, who has starred in Cocaine Bear, Burnt and Brothers & Sisters, visited the pub. Following this, he called on his fans from across the globe to join the campaign to save the pub. Matthew Rhys (pictured outside the pub) called on his fans from across the globe to join the campaign to save the boozer The money to reopen the pub was raised through a share scheme, while volunteers carried out essential building work Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys attend the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards at L.A. in 2021. Rhys, who was born in Cardiff now lives in New York Matthew Rhys starring as Perry Mason in the TV crime drama series Perry Mason. The Hollywood star's father grew up nearby Pennal, Machynlleth, north Wales Speaking about why he donated the cash, Rhys, who now lives in New York said: 'It was great visiting the pub and seeing first hand all the great work they have been doing to keep this historic pub and local community hub alive. 'Owain Glyndwr himself would be proud of the community fighting spirit shown so far.' The campaign has also been backed by funding from the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund. The village of Pennal has a historic association to the Prince of Wales Owain Glyndwr, who wrote to King Charles VI of France in the 15th century. In Pennal, Owain composed the Pennal Letter of 1406, a letter to the King of France setting out his plans for an independent Wales. Unfortunately, the French king never replied to the letter, and with the hope of foreign aide gone, Owain's Welsh supporters began to desert him. The Glan Yr Afon has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment. It was meant to be a special moment for Rishi Sunak as he seeks to put the 'special' back into the UK's strained relationship with the US. But the Prime Minister suffered an awkward moment as he greeted Joe Biden off Air Force One last night. In what some have suggested was a diplomatic snub the US president was quick to shake off the attentions of the PM after landing in Belfast. After a swift greeting with the UK leader on the tarmac in blustery, chilly conditions he moved away to salute the King's personal representative for County Antrim, Lord-Lieutenant David McCorkell. He then appeared to be wrapped in a longer, much more friendly embrace with Jane Hartley, the glamourous US ambassador to the UK appointed by the president last year. Mr Biden's team was forced to deny today that he was 'anti-British' after the DUP slammed the president as 'extremely partisan' after he trumpeted his Irish roots. The president was only expected to 'greet' the leaders of the main Northern Ireland political parties before his speech, after which he immediately headed over the border to the Republic, where he will spend the next three days. After a swift greeting with the UK leader Biden moved away to salute the King's personal representative for County Antrim, Lord-Lieutenant David McCorkell. He then appeared to be wrapped in a friendly embrace with Jane Hartley, the glamourous US ambassador to the UK he appointed last year. Ms Hartley was the warm-up act for the president's speech in Belfast this afternoon Ms Hartley (pictured at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival) is a former ambassador to France and Monaco. Before her diplomatic career she was the chief executive of economics and political advisory firm Observatory Group. Joe Biden was greeted by Rishi Sunak on the steps of Air Force One in Belfast last night (pictured). They will hold talks this morning Biden was seen stepping off Air Force One onto the tarmac of RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim on Tuesday Joe Biden was cheered by crowds as he arrived at City Hall in Belfast last night US ambassador is a key democrat fundraiser Jane Hartley is a prominent Democratic fundraiser who was US ambassador to France and Monaco during the Obama administration. Her selection for the prestigious diplomatic post at the Court of St James's came in January last year. A veteran Democratic supporter, Ms Hartley worked in the White House from 1978 to 1980 in Jimmy Carter's administration. She moved into the private sector as a TV executive, followed by 20 years at an economic consulting firm, the Observatory Group. Choosing the mother of two, 72, who is married to a multi-millionaire financier, surprised Washington insiders because she is neither a close friend of Mr Biden nor one of his campaign's top tier of fundraisers the usual criteria for earning such a plum job. However, White House insiders say the President wanted to reward her loyalty after she stuck by him in the early faltering stages of his election campaign. The ambassadorship is usually one of the first to be announced by an incoming leader but Mr Biden reportedly had difficulty finding the right candidate. Former secretary of state Colin Powell and ex-New York mayor Mike Bloomberg were approached but both turned down the job, according to reports at the time. Ms Hartley moved with her husband Ralph Schlosstein into Winfield House, a mansion in Regent's Park with 12 and a half acres of grounds the second largest private garden in the capital after Buckingham Palace. Anne Armstrong was the first woman US ambassador to the UK, serving from 1976 to 1977. Advertisement Mr Biden held one-to-one talks with Mr Sunak this morning in a Belfast hotel. He faced a volley of questions from reporters, including whether he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he failed to answer them. He told reporters he is 'here to listen' during a trip to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Despite fledgling signs of a thaw in relations after the Windsor Framework eased the row with the EU over post-Brexit rules in the province, US officials have suggested the leaders will not even talk about reviving a trade package. Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, told a briefing for journalists the focus will be Northern Ireland and the war in Ukraine. 'I don't anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that that's where they're meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues,' she said. Ms Sloat flatly denied that Mr Biden was 'anti-British', or on what amounted to a holiday to Ireland. 'I think the track record of the president shows that he's not anti British,' she said. 'The UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies,' she said. 'And it's difficult, frankly, to think of an issue in the world that we are not closely cooperating with the British on and it's why the president wanted to have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Sunak this morning to start his his day here in in Belfast.' She said Mr Biden and Mr Sunak had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be 'furthered and deepened' when they meet in Washington in June. 'We're continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues,' she added. Downing Street is believed to be focusing on smaller agreements with the US, such as one that has been mooted on minerals. But the US administration said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. 'The main message of the president to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, and obviously pillar one and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the presidents message as he said on St Patrick's Day and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States' strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically elected power sharing representative governance,' Ms Sloat said. Mr Biden is also not going to Stormont, with the power-sharing Assembly established in the peace deal currently suspended amid a boycott by the DUP. The unionist party's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said this morning that Mr Biden had to take a share of responsibility for the 'political instability' in Northern Ireland. 'He is seen as extremely partisan,' Mr Wilson told Talk TV, adding that Mr Biden had shown himself 'anti-British' in the debates over Brexit. 'I suppose this is more about Joe Biden his reelection attempts and appealing to the Irish vote in America,' Mr Wilson said. The US President - accompanied by his Northern Ireland envoy Joe Kennedy - will carry out several other engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. He will meet the Prime Minister again on Wednesday for a bilateral meeting. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Biden's keynote speech. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to 'make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace'. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are accompanying him for the trip. There have been fears that a gaffe by the president during his visit could further alienate unionists. As vice president, Mr Biden caused massive offense to Northern Ireland's unionist community when, during a St Patrick's Day event, he joked: 'If you're wearing orange, you're not welcome here.' The American President was seen in conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak President Joe Biden was greeted by Rishi Sunak and US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley (centre). To his right was United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the color in celebration of William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Biden's long history of 'anti-British' views There have been fears that Joe Biden could enrage unionists with references to his Irish heritage during his visit to Belfast. As vice president, Mr Biden caused massive offense to Northern Ireland's unionist community when, during a St Patrick's Day event, he joked: 'If you're wearing orange, you're not welcome here.' Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the color in celebration of William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. As a senator in 1985, he spoke out against making it easier to extradite IRA militants from the US to Britain, a sentiment popular with Irish-Americans but not in Britain. He has talked often about his mother's hatred for England, which was so intense that she once refused to use a bed that Queen Elizabeth II had slept in. In his memoir, 'Promises to Keep,' he recalls with a degree of embarrassment at his English surname Biden. And he describes how his Irish-American aunt Gertie Finnegan once told him: 'Your father is not a bad man. He's just English.' In 2020, as president-elect, he took a cheeky dig at the UK's national broadcaster when a BBC reporter shouted a question at him. 'The BBC?' he said, moving on with a smile. 'I'm Irish.' Advertisement As a senator in 1985, he spoke out against making it easier to extradite Irish Republican Army militants from the U.S. to Britain, a sentiment popular with Irish-Americans but not in Britain. He has talked often about his mother's hatred for England, which was so intense that she once refused to use a bed that Queen Elizabeth II had slept in. In his memoir, 'Promises to Keep,' he recalls with a degree of embarrassment at his English surname Biden. And he describes how his Irish-American aunt Gertie Finnegan once told him: 'Your father is not a bad man. He's just English.' In 2020, as president-elect, he took a cheeky dig at the UK's national broadcaster when a BBC reporter shouted a question at him. 'The BBC?' he said, moving on with a smile. 'I'm Irish.' Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth this afternoon. The President has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublin's Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins' official residence is within the park's grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the President's official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patrick's Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow evening. The President's trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre's family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina. Monday marked 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland and left 3,600 people dead. The President tweeted he would use the Belfast leg of his trip to underscore his nation's 'commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity' in the region. Where will Biden go on his four-day tour? WEDNESDAY - Meet Rishi Sunak in Belfast and go to Ulster University to mark the Good Friday agreement. Biden will travel to Dublin and then to County Louth. THURSDAY - Biden will hold separate meetings in Dublin with Irish President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before addressing Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament. FRIDAY - Biden will visit County Mayo, exploring family genealogy and giving a speech about ties between the US and Ireland Advertisement But he was cautioned against exerting too much pressure on unionists by former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. He told Radio 4 Today: 'One thing I learned about the unionists is if you try and pressurise them to do something that they're fundamentally in disagreement with, it's usually futile pressure, even if it comes from the US, so you've got to use that influence carefully.' The UK is observing the milestone anniversary with a reunion of key players in the peace process alongside Biden's visit. Deep divisions remain over the conflict's legacy, and authorities raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to 'severe' in March as they warned of IRA dissidents opposed to the peace process. Youths threw petrol bombs and set a police vehicle on fire during a dissident march in Londonderry on Monday. Police said they had intelligence that a major attack had been planned so when masked teenagers threw petrol bombs at a vehicle, they simply withdrew rather than being sucked into what they thought might be an ambush. The following day they said they had recovered four pipe bombs from a cemetery near the city. 'The discovery of these devices was a further sinister and worrying development,' said Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton. The journey of Joe Biden's Irish ancestors - from Counties Mayo and Louth to Scranton: How president's great-great grandfathers left an Ireland ravaged by famine for a new life in the U.S. 180 years ago Ernie Caffrey has a gift waiting for President Joe Biden when he visits his ancestral hometown of Ballina, Co. Mayo: A brick from the home where the Blewitts lived before they left famine-ravaged Ireland for the U.S. Caffrey's fine art gallery stands on the spot in Garden Street where Edward Blewitt lived with his wife and eight children in what is now known as Biden's ancestral home. All that remains is part of a wall and an old hearth in the backyard of the gallery. 'I was up a ladder and down the other side to chip out these bricks,' he told DailyMail.com. 'It took me hours.' But it is a physical connection between an American president and the land of his forefathers, said Caffrey. Ernie Caffrey wants to present President Joe Biden with a brick from the wall of his ancestral Blewitt home in Ballina, Co. Mayo, when the president visits at the end of this week Biden's maternal line emigrated from Ireland during the Great Famine. The Blewitts left Co. Mayo and settled in Scranton, PA, while the Finnegans left Co. Louth and came to New York The story of how Biden and his Irish ancestors made it to a better life in America is the story of generations of Irish who left the island during the years of the great hunger, sailing often from Liverpool to New York. Two branches of Biden's mother's family the Finnegans from the eastern county of Louth and the Blewitts from the western county of Mayo made a similar journey at a similar time. In all, 10 of his 16 great-great grandparents were from the Emerald Isle, making him 'among the most Irish' of all U.S. presidents, according to the Irish Family History Centre. Ballina was one of the places worst hit by the potato famine that cut down an entire generation of Irish people. An estimated million people died. When the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle visited the town in 1849, he wrote that the population was 'gone to workhouse, to England, to the grave.' Edward Blewitt, a prosperous engineer and businessman, plumped for the U.S. His son, Patrick, Biden's great-great grandfather, traveled first as a 20-year-old cabinboy to scope out prospects. When he returned two years later they were ready to set out in style. While most families went one by one, scrimping and saving to afford the fare, Blewitt could afford to take the whole family on the SS Excelsior in 1851, his fortunes bolstered by the sale of 27,000 bricks to the local cathedral. After the crossing, the family settled first in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. But within a decade they were living in Scranton, where Edward Blewitt helped lay out the streets. Biden arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday evening for a four-day visit. He is due to spend time in Co. Louth and on Friday ends his trip with a public speech in Ballina Caffrey standing by the hearth of the old Blewitt home in Ballina Co. Mayo. He has decorated it with red, white and blue spring flowers and American flags for the occasion Ballina is gearing up to welcome President Biden on Friday during his four-day Ireland trip Joe Blewitt is a third cousin of Joe Biden, and has visited the White House for St Patrick's Day. Excitement is building in Ballina, a town of 10,000 people in Co. Mayo It was a familiar destination for people from Mayo at that time. And in 1990 Ballina was twinned with the town, a move that predated Biden's links being discovered. If the west of Ireland was the area worst affected by the famine, then the Cooley peninsula was one of the worst hit parts of the east. It is here that the tumbledown remains of the Finnegan home still stand. The name features on gravestones in nearby Kilwirra cemetery. Biden visited the graveyard during a 2016 visit. It stands close to the coastline that would have been the Finnegans' last view of Ireland as they left on the 'famine ships', and at its center is a ruined church where they would once have worshiped. Owen Finnegan, Biden's great-great grandfather, left Ireland in 1849, sailing on the Brothers from the nearby port of Newry. His profession was listed as locksmith, although other records say he was a shoemaker. The rest of the family, including nine-year-old James the president's great grandfather followed a year later on the Marchioness of Bute. The grave of Thomas Finnegan, an ancestor of President Joe Biden, in Kilwirra cemetery near Whitestown, Co. Louth. Biden's great-great grandfather sailed from here in 1849 Biden with restaurant staff outside Fitzpatrick's Restaurant and Pub after a family lunch, in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, during his 2016 visit They settled first in Ovid, New York. James was partially sighted, according to research by Jean Smolenyak, which meant he avoided service in the Civil War and, rather than becoming a shoemaker like his father, he instead took up the fiddle. By the time his youngest son Ambrose was born in 1884 the family was in Olyphant, near Scranton. And that is where the lines merged, with Ambrose marrying Geraldine Blewitt in 1909. Their daughter Catherine was Biden's mother. The extended families mean both Co. Mayo and Co. Louth are littered with relatives. 'There's so many Finnegans over here it's unbelievable,' said Donal Marks, 81, a distant cousin. He described how the Finnegans are nicknamed locally to separate each line. He's from the 'Fick' line (he doesn't remember how it was named). There are the Steves and then the Owens. The old Finnegan house in Whitestown, Co. Louth. Owen Finnegan left for the U.S. in 1849 Donal Marks, 81, a distant cousin of Biden, still lives in the area and met Biden during his 2016 visit to Louth. 'There's so many Finnegans over here it's unbelievable,' he said 'That's the one that matters,' he said around the kitchen table of the house he had built when he returned from a career in England. That is the line that resides in the White House. He and his wife Bernie were among the guests when Biden stopped by the old family pub, Lily Finnegan's, during his 2016 visit. 'He was very much at home,' said Bernie. 'He was quite happy to go around and talk to everyone. I've never seen such a relaxed person. 'His brother was having a drink and his daughter was pulling pints. It was like they had always been here.' Biden arrived with a sheaf of papers and was busily showing everyone how they were related. 'He had it all written down, the whole tree,' said Bernie, 'and he was showing everyone.' Elon Musk appeared to respond to the news with an obscure tweet stating: 'X' The merger was confirmed in a California federal court filing from April 4 Twitter 'no longer exists' as a company after its owner Elon Musk merged the social media company with another of his entities called X Corp. California federal court filings from April 4 now dictate that Musk's entire Twitter stock has been transferred to X Holdings Corp. It has been suggested that the latest move signals the next phase of Musk's plans for an 'everything app'. X Corp may also act as a future parent company for Musk's other businesses: Neuralink, SpaceX, Tesla, and The Boring Company. Musk has previously stated that his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in October last year was 'an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.' The Twitter and Tesla boss appeared to allude to the news with a rather obscure tweet stating simply: 'X'. Twitter 'no longer exists' as a company after its Elon Musk merged it with X Corp. Pictured: Elon Musk departs court in San Francisco, California, January 24, 2023 Musk appeared to allude to the court filings with a tweet simply stating: 'X' 'Twitter, Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists,' A California federal court filing from April 4 states The court filing states: 'Twitter, Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists. 'X Corp. is a privately held corporation. Its parent corporation is X Holdings Corp. No publicly traded corporation owns 10% or more of the stock of X Corp. or X Holdings Corp.' The document was subsequently signed by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, and attorneys: Johnathan Patchen, Michael Gottlieb, Meryl Conant Governski, Kristin E. Bender, and Yuhan Alice Chi. The filing earlier this month was only made public after lawyers were forced to disclose the paperwork in an ongoing legal case with US Congressional candidate Laura Loomer. A separate filing was made in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida Miami Division, where documents were amended to state: 'Twitter, Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists.' 'X Corp. is a privately held corporation, incorporated in Nevada and with its principal place of business in San Francisco, California, and is thus a citizen of Nevada and California.' Musk later appeared to allude to the court filings with a tweet simply stating: 'X.' MailOnline approached Twitter for comment, which received the company's standard automatic response of the poo emoji. California federal court filings from April 4 now dictate that Musk's entire Twitter stock has been transferred to X Holdings Corp Elon Musk with Mike Sievert, president and CEO of T-Mobile, during a news conference at SpaceX Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, August 25, 2022 The billionaire has previously stated that he is interested in creating an 'everything app'. This has been compared to China's WeChat and would incorporate a peer-to-peer mobile payment platform as well as a taxi and food delivery service. He told Morgan Stanley's conference in March that he wanted it 'to become the biggest financial institution in the world'. The news comes as Musk admitted that taking over Twitter had been painful and that he had been 'constantly under attack'. He told the BBC in a rather spontaneously organized interview his reasons for laying off thousands of staff members and Twitter's current financial situation. 'The issue is like the company's going to go bankrupt if we do not cut costs immediately,' he said. 'This is not a caring, uncaring situation. It's like if the whole ship sinks then nobody's got a job. 'What would you do? If you've four months to live, a 120 days, in a hundred and 20 days you're dead, so what do you want to do?' A rapist who fled court during a lunch break in his trial has been caught after eight years on the run when he was recognised by German police in a Crimewatch appeal. Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali, 36, who used to be a barber, fled Hove Crown Court during his trial for rape and sexual assault in 2014 before he disappeared into Europe. But he was spotted in Germany before being extradited to France where he was jailed for one year for sexual assault in a different incident. Ali was then sent to Britain, where he has now been imprisoned for seven years at Lewes Crown Court. In 2014, Ali was convicted at Hove Crown Court in his absence of rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault committed one year earlier in 2013 against a 33-year-old man in Hastings who was known to him. During that trial, Ali had been granted bail which allowed him to leave the dock during the lunch break as long as he did not leave the court. But during the judge's summing up, Ali fled and disappeared, leaving the jury to convict him in his absence. Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali was previously a barber and lived in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex A warrant was issued for Ali's arrest and an appeal to trace him was issued by Sussex Police. Later his case was featured on the BBC's Crimewatch 'Most Wanted' appeal. Ali - who used to live in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex - had been arrested in Regensburg in Germany and while under investigation for offences there, an officer from the German Police recognised him from the Crimewatch photographs. The officer then contacted Sussex Police and told them Ali was in their custody, but he was then extradited to France for offences he had committed there before a European Arrest Warrant could be executed. Following jail time in France, he was arrested there and extradited back to the UK. On his return back to the UK, Ali appeared at Lewes Crown Court. In 2014, Ali was convicted at Hove Crown Court in his absence after he fled the court At that hearing he was sentenced to seven years in prison, plus a further three years on an extended licence. An extended licence means he will be subject to monitoring and is put in place to further protect the public from dangerous offenders. He was also sentenced to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life, which will restrict his access to children under the age of 16. This is to reflect his risk to young people following his conviction in France. Sussex Police investigator Julian Stokes said: 'Admiration has to be given to the courageous victim, who gave evidence at the trial in 2014 and who has had to wait for more than eight years for justice to be served following Ali's sentencing. 'This demonstrates that Sussex Police will go to extraordinary lengths to bring dangerous offenders such as Ali back to the UK to face justice.' A toddler has been rushed to hospital with serious neck and head injuries following a vicious attack by a pack of dogs. Emergency services were called to a property on Paterson Road in Yatala, north of the Gold Coast, around 5.20pm on Wednesday following a report up to four dogs had mauled a child. The three-year-old was taken by ambulance to the Queensland Children's Hospital. 'Concerningly, another young child has sustained significant injuries from dog bites,' A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said. 'Multiple paramedic units were called to a private address in Yatala at 5.20pm and transported a child to Queensland Children's Hospital in a serious condition with head and neck injuries.' Pictured: One of the dogs is seized by authorities and taken away A three-year-old was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being attacked by a dog at a property on Paterson Road in Yatala, north of the Gold Coast on Wednesday It is understood the owner of the property was a registered dog breeder and the grandmother of the child. Gold Coast City Council said multiple dogs had been seized from the property by animal management officers and an investigation was under way, the Courier Mail reported. Four dogs, including German Shepherds and a French Bull Mastiff, were taken from the home about 7.30pm and could be heard crying from inside two council vehicles. It is understood the toddler's mother was also taken to hospital. Neighbour Kurt Poole said he knew some of the dogs and owns one of their puppies. He said the attack was surprising as he believed they were 'good dogs'. 'They've never done anything bad towards us,' he told The Courier Mail. 'We play with them all the time, we're down here working. They're happy.' Four dogs, including German Shepherds and a French Bull Mastiff, were taken from the home about 7.30pm and could be heard crying from inside two council vehicles (scene pictured) Mr Poole added the girl's grandmother would be 'beside herself' following the horrific incident. The news comes just days after a six-year-old girl was attacked by two dogs in Woodridge, south of Brisbane, after climbing on a fence. Emergency services were called to an Ormesby St property just after 4.30pm on Monday. The child was rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital in a serious condition after sustaining significant abdominal, chest and shoulder injuries. It is understood she remains in a serious but stable condition. A 110,000 campervan seized by police from outside the home of Nicola Sturgeon's mother-in-law was bought by the SNP to act as an election 'battle bus', it was claimed today. Detectives probing the nationalists' finances took away the state-of-the-art Niesmann + Bischoff vehicle from outside 92-year-old Margaret Murrell's home last Wednesday morning after arresting her son Peter, 58, the party's ex-CEO. And it was reported today that it was purchased to ferry around Ms Sturgeon and her team on the 2021 Holyrood election campaign so they would not need to use hotels. However, a source told the Daily Record it had not been used because Covid restrictions had been eased by the time the vote took place in May. It had spend a couple of years outside the house in Dunfermline, Fife, before it was removed last week, as first reported by the Mail on Sunday. It came as a former member of Nicola Sturgeon's government today said 'forensic accountants' should be brought in to go through the SNPs finances covering the latter part of her time in power. Alex Neil, who served under Ms Sturgeon and predecessor Alex Salmond when they were first ministers, spoke out after it emerged the party's auditor quit six months ago. The nationalists are currently being investigated by Police Scotland amid questions over the whereabouts of more than 600,000 of donations from supporters. Police probing SNP fraud claims have seized a 110,000 luxury motorhome from ex-chief executive Peter Murrells mothers house Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly denied that a police investigation involving her husband and hundreds of thousands of pounds in allegedly 'missing' party funds contributed to her shock resignation in February Alex Neil, who served under Ms Sturgeon and predecessor Alex Salmond when they were first ministers, spoke out after it emerged the party's auditor quit six months ago. Mr Neil, who backed Mr Yousaf's rival Kate Forbes in the leadership election last month, told BBC Scotland the First Minister had been handed 'a complete bed of nails.' A police probe saw Ms Sturgeon's husband, former SNP CEO Peter Murrell, arrested last week. Mr Neil said SNP members need to know why accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had resigned from the role and why no one had been told until this week. SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf revealed on Tuesday the firm had quit in 'about October'. Mr Neil, who backed Mr Yousaf's rival Kate Forbes in the leadership election last month, told BBC Scotland the First Minister had been handed 'a complete bed of nails.' 'These difficulties appear to be as a result of mismanagement of the party's finances,' he said. 'We really have to get to the bottom of this. My own view is Humza should bring in special accountants, called forensic accountants, to look at every aspect of party funding and report back to the party at the earliest opportunity. Let's get to the bottom of this, let's get it sorted and move on.' The SNP confirmed Johnston Carmichael had informed the party in September last year it would not be able to carry out the 2023 audit, with the decision coming following a review of its client portfolio. The party contacted alternative firms late last year, but found they were 'experiencing capacity issues' and were unable to take on new clients. The party has now informed watchdogs at the Electoral Commission - which it has to submit accounts to in July - of a 'difficulty in identifying replacement auditors'. News that the auditors had quit emerged just days after Police Scotland officers searched both SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and the home of former first minister Ms Sturgeon and her husband Mr Murrell - who was SNP chief executive until last month. Mr Murrell was arrested by police investigating SNP finances, but was later released without charge pending further inquiries. Mr Yousaf said on Tuesday that appointing new auditors is one of his 'major priorities'. But Mr Neil, who backed rival candidate Kate Forbes in the recent leadership contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon, said: 'We haven't been told why the auditors resigned, we need to know why, what reason was given for them resigning.' Mr Neil also urged Mr Yousaf to bring in a new business convener to replace Kirsten Oswald, and for members of the party's ruling National Executive Committee who had previously opposed reforms to the system of governance to consider their position. He said: 'It's not doing the party any favours, day after day having drip after drip of new information, it is all bad news and I think what Humza needs to do is bring in a new business convener of the party, bring in a new chief executive, and in the meantime get forensic accountants in to tell us the real state of the party's finances.' With Mr Yousaf having already pledged a review of governance and transparency in the SNP, Mr Neil added that this should 'not be carried out by those who have failed in governance in the first place' and 'should be done independently so we get people in who are professional advisers on governance and get our structures right'. Mr Neil continued: 'People who opposed the governance reforms that were put forward, if they are still on the national executive, because this was two or three years ago, I think they should certainly consider their positions.' He is said to have inappropriately touched and propositioned 13 women Thirteen women have joined an alleged rape victim in accusing movie star Gerard Depardieu of sexually inappropriate behaviour, according to France's leading investigative news site. Mediapart published a dossier on Wednesday outlining how the 74-year-old regularly preyed on his victims during recent productions including Marseille, the Netflix crime drama. Depardieu - who made his name in hits such as Green Card and The Last Metro - vehemently rejects the claims, with a legal spokesman saying: 'He formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law.' It follows French actress Charlotte Arnould, 33, accusing Depardieu of raping her at his Paris mansion. Ms Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021, to protest at how long the investigation is taking, following Depardieu being charged with rape and sexual assault. Thirteen women have accused French actor Gerard Depardieu (pictured) of sexually inappropriate behaviour These new allegations come after French actress Charlotte Arnould (pictured) went public with her accusation that Depardieu, 74, raped her in his Paris mansion Within a few days of his indictment, Depardieu was back working on the Paris set of the police drama 'Maigret And The Dead Girl', in which he starred with Jade Labeste. There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Arnould in August 2018, but the actor said their relationship was consensual. The new Mediapart report reads: 'Besides the complaint from Charlotte Arnould, we have gathered 13 accounts from women who say they were subjected to sexually inappropriate gestures or proposals by the famous actor, of differing levels of gravity.' The report continues: 'Across the different accounts, the same scene seemed to repeat itself. They are actresses, make-up artists and crew members. 'They attest to have been subjected to a hand on their buttock, between the legs, or on their thighs or stomach - as well as obscene sexual propositions, and sometimes insistent groaning.' None of the new 13 reports - some of which have been made anonymously - are currently formal criminal complaints. It alleged that the incidents were often brushed off with laughter, and the words: 'Oh, OK, it's just Gerard!' Mediapart suggests that many victims feared a complaint might lead to a backlash which could see them never working again. The Charlotte Arnould case is currently making its way through the French courts, but none of the 13 other reports of sexual misconduct are formal criminal complaints to date. French outlet Mediapart published a dossier on Wednesday describing how Depardieu preyed on victims during recent productions including Netflix crime drama Marseille Mediapart notes 'the asymmetry between, on the one hand, often young, precarious women, starting their career, and on the other, a world-famous actor, whose mere presence sometimes makes it possible to finance the film'. The Charlotte Arnould case is currently making its way through the French courts after an attempt by Depardieu's counsel to get the charges overturned was overruled. Accusations against Depardieu follow a series of #MeToo complaints against powerful men in the Paris arts establishment who are said to have raped or otherwise abused young women working as models and actresses. Such scandals have led to demonstrations by women's groups at high-profile showbusiness events, as they call for female actors to stop working with allegedly abusive men. For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit samaritans.org A son was killed in a road crash hours after attending his own father's funeral when his drink and drug driving cousin smashed his Mercedes into a lamp-post on their way home. Driver Michael Stock, 54, was high on a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol when he crashed at 12.40am on May 1, 2021, on Graiglwyd Road in Townhill, Swansea, killing his second cousin Dean Heaven, 46. Swansea Crown Court heard the two men had been at the funeral and wake of Mr Heaven's father in the hours before the late night crash which saw Stock lose control of his car, clipping parked vehicles and span across a road before demolishing bollards, a lamppost and bus shelter, and flipping on its roof. Prosecutor Brian Simpson said Stock had been driving between his Mercedes between 70mph and 89mph on residential streets when he crashed. Mr Heaven was thrown three metres from the car and suffered fatal head injuries, while Stock was left hanging upside down from the seatbelt inside the wrecked vehicle. Driver Michael Stock, 54, (pictured) was high on a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol when he crashed at 12.40am on May 1, 2021, on Graiglwyd Road in Townhill, Swansea, killing his second cousin Dean Heaven, 46 Swansea Crown Court heard the two men had been at the funeral and wake of Mr Heaven's father in the hours before the late night crash which saw Stock lose control of his car, clipping parked vehicles and span across a road before demolishing bollards, a lamppost and bus shelter, and flipping on its roof (Dean Heaven is pictured) Police and paramedics arrived but Mr Heaven was pronounced dead at the scene in Townhill, Swansea, just after 1am, after suffering from 'serious and unsurvivable head and rib fractures'. Swansea Crown Court heard Stock had 117mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood - the legal limit being 80mg - when tested at 5am, five hours after the crash. He was also over the driving limit for cannabis and a metabolite of cocaine. Judge Paul Thomas KC noted that he was 'astonished' back calculations were not made to work out Stock's blood-alcohol level at the time of the crash. Stock, of Skewen, Neath, admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He was jailed for two years and eight months, and banned from driving for five years. Tim Evans, defending, said Mr Heaven was some whom Stock 'loved dearly' and he wished he could turn back the clock. He said Stock wished he had been the one who had died instead of his cousin and showed 'the ultimate level of remorse'. Mr Evans said: 'He never wants to get behind the wheel again and remember what he did to his beloved friend and cousin Dean'. Prosecutor Brian Simpson said Stock had been driving between his Mercedes between 70mph and 89mph on residential streets when he crashed (pictured, junction of Townhill Road and Graiglwyd Road where the crash happened) Judge Paul Thomas KC said Stock 'drove at grossly excessive speed while out of his head'. Mr Heaven's daughter Jade read a family impact statement to the court, WalesOnline reports, where she gushed about her father being her 'first love, best friend and the person who had made me smile'. She added that there was 'no goodbye, no answers... the only thing was have for certain is loss'. A mystery dog-owner is being hunted by police after an attack in a supermarket car park - in a town previously hit by two tragic deaths by deadly animals. Police issued a photograph of the man being sought in the town described as a 'hot-spot' for dangerous dog attacks after the spate of injuries and seizures of animals. It comes after great-great grandmother Shirley Patrick, 83, and schoolboy Jack Lis, 10, were killed by XL Bully breeds and the seizure of at least 13 animals by police in the town of Caerphilly, South Wales. Officers want to speak to a man over a 'serious' dog attack in a supermarket car park when another animal was savaged by a cross-breed animal. Gwent Police revealed that a shopper was walking their dog on a lead when it was approached by an off-lead dog, described as a mastiff cross great Dane. Police are looking for this man in relation to a 'serious' dog attack in a supermarket car park in Caerphilly when another animal was savaged by a cross-breed animal The attack occurred in the car park of an Asda in the town in south Wales, where two people were killed by XL Bully breeds last year This animal then bit their dog causing serious injury. The injured dog was taken to the vets for treatment and is now recovering at home. Read more - Pictured: American bulldog that launched savage attack on four-year-old girl who needed 40 stitches in her face Advertisement 'Officers would like to speak to this man, who they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries,' Gwent Police said in a statement. The incident is reported to have taken place in the car of the Asda store on Pontygwindy Road, Caerphilly - at around 4.30pm on Thursday, March 2. Police have seized 13 dogs on suspicion of being banned breeds in tragedy-hit Caerephilly. Tragic Jack and Shirley lived just half a mile away from each other in Penyrheol, Caerphilly, South Wales, and died one year apart. Gwent Police have now revealed that warrants have been carried out in the town to seize a number of suspected pit bull-type animals. Mrs Patrick died in hospital 17 days after suffering 'life-threatening injuries' to her head, body, face and arms by a black XL Bully cross Cane Corso breed. Her daughter Gail Jones, 63, said her mum had been suffering with dementia when she was attacked in December last year. Her death came one year after little Jack was killed by a seven stone XL Bully named Beast in November 2021. Shirley Patrick, 83, (pictured) died in December. She spent 17 days in hospital after being savaged by a powerful XL bully at her own home in Caerphilly, South Wales Jack Lis, 10, (pictured) was mauled to death by a killer XL Bully dog named Beast while visiting a friend's house in Caerphilly in November 2021 Jack had been playing with a friend after school when they went to the house where Beast was roaming around downstairs and then bit his face, head and neck. Amy Salter, 29, and Brandon Hayden, 19, were in charge of the raging animal when it attacked Jack after school in November last year. Hayden was later jailed for four years and six months while Salter was given a three-year sentence at Cardiff Crown Court. Wayne David, MP for Caerphilly, is calling for a change in the law to make sure owners have a responsibility to train their dogs properly so they are not a threat. Mr David, 65, who represents the town, previously said he will 'continue to campaign until the law is changed' after progress stalled in Westminster. This is the moment a protester was tackled and detained by Dutch police after running towards Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the University of Amsterdam. The man was heard to shout 'We are here! We are here!' as he charged towards a gathering of people around the French president, before security grabbed him. It comes amid months of nationwide protests and industrial action in France over reforms pushed through that would lift the retirement age by two years, to 64. Yesterday, arriving in Netherlands to give a speech on European sovereignty, Macron was heckled in The Hague as protesters called out: 'Where is French democracy?' TV footage showed a protester echo the sentiments while pinned down: 'For the honour of the workers and a better world, even if Macron doesn't like it, we are here.' A demonstrator is detained by police officers as French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch King Willem-Alexander arrive at the University of Amsterdam on Wednesday A protester is detained by police after being seen to run at Macron near the university. The French presidential couple is paying a two-day state visit to the Netherlands Un homme crie "On est la, on est la" a l'arrivee d'Emmanuel Macron a l'universite d'Amsterdam avant d'etre plaque au sol pic.twitter.com/O3wevOxoUo BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 12, 2023 In the video, a crowd is seen gathering around the president at the University of Amsterdam. The protester ran towards Macron and was tackled to the ground, knocking over a man in uniform, according to images on social media. The incident happened just after the French president had got out of a limousine with Dutch King Willem-Alexander, greeted by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. Police confirmed they had arrested two people 'for running towards the president, for disturbing public order and threatening.' Amsterdam police spokesperson Lex can Liebergen told Afp: 'It was a man and a woman, protesters. One of them had a banner.' There was a separate small group of demonstrators but it was not clear if they were linked to the arrested protesters, she added. Similarly, on Tuesday, protestors held up banners at the start of the speech at The Hague. Demonstrators stood in an upper tier of the theatre and shouted 'You have millions of protesters in the streets' while holding up a banner that read 'President of Violence and Hypocrisy'. Macron is in Amsterdam to sign an agreement to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, developing digital technology and building more sustainable industrial sectors. Later today, Macron is scheduled to speak to Prime Minister Mark Rutte and visit Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Demonstrators on Tuesday protest Macron amid pension reform backlash, at The Hague A protester passes by a fire with a bottle during clashes with police on the sidelines of a demonstration on the 11th day of nationwide action, during a protest in Nantes last Thursday Macron faces 'fire and fury' across France over the decision to push through contentious pension reforms without consulting the lower house of parliament. The bill lifts the retirement age by two years to 64 and means that from 2027 workers will have to work for longer to receive full state pension benefits. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out nationwide last week following a breakdown in talks between trade union leaders and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. The protests on 6 April marked the 11th nationwide day of civil unrest since the reform plans were first unveiled in January. Strikes also continue to impact key sectors including education, transport, healthcare and energy. Domestic and international flights have been delayed or grounded, and train strikes have continued to disrupt travel. Police have been criticised for their violent putdowns of the protests. In Lyon last week, police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd outside a Nespresso coffee store that was being looted. In the capital, Macron's favourite restaurant, La Rotonde, was hit by demonstrators in balaclavas wielding Molotov cocktails, a witness said. In general, France's anti-reform protests have been peaceful, and polls show a majority of French people continue to oppose the pension legislation and the government's decision to push it through without consulting the lower house of parliament. Unions continue to organise mostly peaceful protests, though note fewer people are joining the demonstrations after months of campaigning. Protesters burn a chair during the anti-reform demonstrations in Paris earlier today Protesters on the margins of a wider procession protect themselves from tear gas smoke behind umbrellas and garbage containers in Nantes, western France, earlier today French CRS riot police, wielding riot shields, form a cordon during clashes in Paris on 6 April Before visiting The Netherlands, Macron visited China. During the three-day visit, he was met with a very different reception, praised for his 'brilliant' comments after he suggested Europe should not be 'followers' of the United States or China when it came to Taiwan. Macron sowed confusion across the international community after calling for 'strategic autonomy' on Taiwan following the visit. Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo accused the French president of 'appeasement' over the 'ill-conceived' remarks. Students chased Macron in Guangzhou, looking for selfies. CCP-affiliated outlet The Global Times said the comments represented a path that was 'relatively objective, rational and in line with Europe's own interests.' A French diplomatic source insisted that Paris remained a 'reliable' ally of Washington despite the comments but an ally that 'decides for itself'. 'We are not followers of the United States for a simple reason, which is that the president wants European sovereignty,' the source said. This comes amid heightened tensions around the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, with China looking to extend its influence in disputed waters. On Sunday, Chinese and Taiwanese vessels were trapped in a 'stand off' as China carried out simulated strikes on 'key targets' nearby. Twitter owner Elon Musk has accused a BBC reporter of lying during an interview in a row over whether incidents of hate speech are increasing on the social network. Mr Musk was asked by US tech journalist James Clayton how he would respond to claims that there are not enough staff at Twitter to police rising hateful content. But he challenged the reporter to give him examples of such content - and when Mr Clayton declined to do so, Mr Musk accused him of spreading a 'false' claim. During a wide-ranging discussion at Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco, Mr Musk also said that Twitter had 'four months to live' when he bought the firm. He insisted it needed to cut costs to save it from bankruptcy and confirmed that about 80 per cent of its staff have been axed since he took over last October. And, explaining the last-minute nature of the interview - for which Mr Clayton is said to have had only 20 minutes to prepare - Mr Musk later tweeted: 'I said BBC could come Twitter, then, to my surprise, a reporter shows up.' Mr Musk also described the interview as 'penetrating deep and hard'. Today, Mr Musk retweeted a post by user @TexasLindsay_ which said he had 'shut down this pro-censorship BBC reporter and left him scrambling on how to justify his own questions' Speaking during the chat, Mr Clayton asked Mr Musk: 'We've spoken to people very recently who were involved in moderation and they just say there's not enough people to police this stuff, particularly around hate speech in the company. Is that something that you want to address?' At a glance: What Elon Musk said in BBC chat Elon Musk said the BBC's label on its @BBC Twitter account would be changed from 'government-funded' to 'publicly funded'. The broadcaster objected to the tag after it appeared earlier this week. Twitter receives some 8 billion user minutes each day. Mr Musk said 'usage is up'. Mr Musk claimed there was less misinformation on Twitter since his takeover. This is contrary to other reports that say hate speech has risen on the platform in recent months. Weighing in on the TikTok debate, Mr Musk said he was generally against banning things. Mr Musk admitted Twitter was 'roughly breaking even' and could be profitable this quarter. He said he would not likely accept a $44billion offer to buy Twitter at the moment. He said it 'depends on who'. Mr Musk said cutting Twitter's workforce from 8,000 to around 1,500 had not been easy. Advertisement Mr Musk replied: 'What hate speech are you talking about? I mean, you use Twitter. Do you see a rise in hate speech? Just a personal anecdote? I don't.' And Mr Clayton said: 'Personally, for you, I would say I get more of that kind of content, yeah, personally. But I'm not going to talk for the rest of Twitter.' Mr Musk then asked him to 'describe a hateful thing', and Mr Clayton said: 'Well, yeah, you know, content that would solicit a reaction, something that is slightly racist, slightly sexist.' Mr Musk then asked Mr Clayton whether he thinks that 'if something is slightly sexist it should be banned.' Mr Clayton denied this was the case, but Mr Musk pressed him to give specific examples. Mr Clayton then said: 'Honestly, I don't... I don't actually use that feed anymore because I just don't particularly like it. And actually a lot of people are quite similar. I only look at my followers.' The Twitter owner said: 'I'm asking for one example and you can't give a single one. I say sir that you don't know what you are talking about. 'You cannot give me a single example of hateful content, not even one tweet. And yet you claimed that hateful content was high. That is false, you just lied.' But Mr Clayton said there were 'many organisations' that would say hateful posts on Twitter were on the rise, such as the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, before moving on to discuss Covid misinformation. MailOnline contacted the BBC to establish whether it will be responding to Mr Musk's claims that Mr Clayton lied, but a spokesperson declined to comment. Today, Mr Musk retweeted a post by user @TexasLindsay_ which said he had 'shut down this pro-censorship BBC reporter and left him scrambling on how to justify his own questions on misinformation and the supposed rise in hate speech'. Above this post, Mr Musk wrote: 'Penetrating deep & hard with @BBC.' Twitter owner Elon Musk (left) gave an interview to the BBC's US tech journalist James Clayton Elon Musk carried out the a wide-ranging interview at Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco In addition, Mr Musk tweeted: 'I said BBC could come Twitter, then, to my surprise, a reporter shows up.' And he retweeted a post by user @__SeriousGemini which had a meme asking 'Do you like BBC' above a picture of two buttons saying 'yes' and 'no' and then a picture of a man portraying the BBC sweating. Also during the interview, Mr Musk said the social media platform was 'spending money like it's out of fashion' before he stepped in. Asked whether his approach to sacking staff members was 'haphazard and uncaring', Mr Musk replied: 'I wouldn't say it was uncaring. The Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, where the interview with the BBC was carried out 'The issue is, the company is going to go bankrupt if we do not cut costs immediately. This is not a caring, uncaring situation. If the whole ship sinks, then nobody's got a job.' There was a $3billion (2.4billion) 'negative cash flow situation', he said, which left Twitter with 'four months to live'. As a result, thousands of employees across the business have been sacked since he bought the platform for $44billion (35.7 billion) in October. There are now around 1,500 staff members, from just under 8,000 when Mr Musk took over, the boss confirmed. The Tesla and SpaceX boss was criticised for cutting half the company's full-time staff in one week, ending remote working and setting an ultimatum for remaining staff to agree to longer, more intense working patterns or leave. It also led to concerns that the platform could struggle to survive with the reduced maintenance team and available engineers. Mr Musk admitted today that shutting down one of Twitter's service centres had ended up being 'quite catastrophic' as it resulted in the platform losing a large amount of its functionality. But he said that Twitter was now 'roughly breaking even' and could be profitable again soon. He added: 'Depending on how things go, if current trends continue, I think we could be profitable, or to be more precise, cash flow positive this quarter if things keep going well. 'I think almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back. There's very few exceptions.' Following his takeover of the platform, many advertisers paused work with the site over concerns about Mr Musk's approach to content and moderation. He also revealed legacy blue checkmarks will finally be removed by next week. Mr Musk said last month that legacy-verified Twitter users would see their blue ticks removed from the service on April 1, unless they paid a monthly fee of $8 (6.40) to its Twitter Blue subscription operation. As a result, thousands of the platform's high-profile users were braced to lose the ticks, which can help verify their identity and distinguish them from imposters. But the legacy blue ticks have remained in place past the original deadline of April 1. Furthermore, Mr Musk said the social media site will update the BBC's 'government-funded media' tag after the broadcaster objected to the label. The BBC contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. As many as 64 US and British special forces operators are currently deployed in Ukraine, an allegedly leaked American intelligence document has suggested. A total of 14 US special forces are claimed to be operating on Ukrainian soil, with as many as 50 from Britain - the largest of the listed contingents. It is claimed they are operating alongside more than a dozen actors each from fellow NATO states Latvia and France, the document states, which is dated March 23. Some of the classified documents, which were leaked online and have been widely circulated on social media, appear to have been doctored, according to Pentagon spokesman Chris Meagher. But a Pentagon spokesman also told reporters that the document posed a 'very serious risk to national security.' Britain has the largest contingent of special forces on Ukrainian soil, alongside more than a dozen operators each from fellow NATO states Latvia, France, the US, according to an allegedly leaked document dated March 23 Ukrainian soldier aims a gun in a dugout in Ukraine in undated footage Ukrainian servicemen fire an artillery shell near the frontline area amid the Russia-Ukraine war, in Bakhmut, Ukraine on April 2, 2023 US defense officials have been adamant a leak had taken place, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowing to 'investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it'. In its entirety, the classified documents - which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials - range from briefing slides mapping out Ukrainian military positions to assessments of international support for Ukraine and other sensitive topics, including under what circumstances Russian President Vladimir Putin might use nuclear weapons. READ MORE: Huge classified document leak could boost Putin's war effort by revealing exactly how US is spying on Russia A massive leak of classified Pentagon documents that revealed how the US is infiltrating Russian intelligence could give Putin's war effort in Ukraine a huge boost Advertisement There's no clear answer on how many documents were leaked. Some estimates put the total number in the hundreds. The UK Ministry of Defense warned against taking allegations contained in the reported leak of classified information at 'face value', posting on Twitter: 'The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy.' Former head of the Royal Marines, Lt. Gen. Robert Magowan, confirmed in December that British commandos had already deployed twice to Ukraine in 2022 - first in January to evacuate the British Embassy in Kyiv, and again in April 'to provide protection to critical personnel'. Lt Gen Magowan said the personnel had served in Ukraine 'with a high level of political and military risk'. The leaked documents have revealed a trove of information about the Ukraine war, including details of US spying operations - not only in Russia, but also among its allies including South Korea, Israel, Ukraine and the UK. They show how US intelligence has been able to provide Kyiv with extensive details of planned Russian attacks, but also revealed that Ukraine's air defenses are almost exhausted. And one section titled 'US/NATO SOF in UKR' appeared to reveal the number of Western special forces present in Ukraine. Britain has allegedly deployed 50 operators - the most of any Western nation - alongside 17 Latvian, 15 French, 14 American and a lone operator from the Netherlands. But the documents did not shed light on where in Ukraine the operators have deployed, or in what capacity. The leaked documents may first have been published in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers, Associated Press reported. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the poster's own thoughts. Then, as of a few months ago, the poster began to share images of printed documents with folds in them, suggesting they had likely been taken directly from a secure printer. A Ukrainian soldier looks out a passing APC on the frontline in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 10, 2022 Ukrainian service member, Naza, 21, commander from 28th mechanised brigade repositions his machine gun during a fire exchange at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 5, 2023 A probe was launched on Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department as investigators attempt to quickly identify the source of the breach. Typically, classified documents can only be printed using a secure process, which may make it easier for officials to find the source of the leak. The posts appear to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks ago, when they began to circulate more widely on social media. Asked on Monday if the US government was effectively waiting for more intelligence documents to show up online, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby replied: 'The truth and the honest answer to your question is: we don't know. And is that a matter of concern to us? You're darn right it is.' Defense Secretary Austin, the first senior US official to comment on the leak, said the Pentagon was aware that documents had been posted dated February 28 and March 1, but was not sure if there were other documents that had been online before. US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, speaking later at Rice University in Texas, called the leaks 'deeply unfortunate,' but did not give details on what he said were 'quite intense' investigations by the Pentagon and the Justice Department. 'We need to learn lessons from that, as well, about how we can tighten procedures,' Burns said. Investigators are working to determine what person or group might have had the ability and motivation to release the intelligence reports. The leaks could be the most damaging release of US government information since the 2013 publication of thousands of documents on WikiLeaks. YouTuber wow_mao, who was thrust onto the international stage after classified Pentagon papers were leaked on a Discord server he hosts, has said that the 'US government should fear these losers' Milancy Harris, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, is leading the Pentagon's review to assess the potential impact of the leaked documents, a US official told Reuters. The sensitive material was first shared on an obscure online meme group run by a 20-year-old university student living in the UK on a part of the messaging app Discord. The student, a self-professed 'micro celebrity' calling himself wow_mao, posted a video discussing the fallout onto YouTube and told a journalist it was 'hilarious'. What is the encrypted app Discord? Discord is a messaging service which is invite-only and encrypted - meaning data is concealed by being converted into code. The platform can only be accessed with a log-in and password with chat groups known as 'servers' - of which many remain small and exclusive. Any Discord user is able to start a server for free and invite their friends. There are also larger, more open communities, which usually focus on specific topics such as popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. The app estimates it is being used worldwide by tens of millions aged 13+. Discord says the server is: 'A place where they can be themselves and spend time with other people who share their interests and hobbies'. Advertisement He said a moderator on his Discord chat group called the End of Wow Mao Zone 'shared 30 plus leaked documents concerning the Russia-Ukraine war' on March 1 and one month later he was unwittingly at the centre of the scandal. In an interview with the New York Times, wow_mao said he spent 'little time' on the Discord server and mostly focused on his YouTube channel where he has about 250,000 subscribers. He declined to share his real name to the outlet but said he is British and Filipino and was living in the UK. 'It was just spread onto the nicheiest [sic], nerdiest parts of the internet,' he said. 'That's the kind of people who would find these documents losers. That's who the U.S. government really has to fear.' A lack of respect for the government was cited as why the documents were most likely leaked, wow_mao telling the outlet: 'They'll always find it funny to mock them and cut under them in some sort of way.' Users investigating the leak on the server revealed a moderator named Lucca had been behind the leak. The origins of the documents reported earlier by Bellingcat who said they later spread to other sites such as the imageboard 4Chan before appearing on Telegram, Twitter and then major media publishers around the world in recent days. The New York Times reported that a Twitter account using the name 'MrLucca,' who used the same profile photo of Lucca on Discord, said that he'd sourced the documents from yet another Discord server. 'Found some info from a now banned server and passed it on,' the user wrote, according to screenshots of the conversation obtained by the outlet. The Twitter and Discord accounts have since been deleted. A sex therapist locked in legal battles with her aristocratic landlords has lost her latest case - after she took over their historic home with more than 50 animals. Lady Patricia Ramshaw, 54, has been denied a refund on her rent and a judge has dismissed her claim of harassment against the aristocratic Cator family, over her tenancy at their 300-year-old family home. The dispute had been dubbed the UK's most upmarket eviction row with an ongoing fallout involving mouldy walls, dozens of animals - and claims of being spied on from a church tower. Lady Ramshaw first moved into the Old House at Ranworth, Norfolk, in winter 2021 to find no central heating, causing her to 'freeze' despite being supplied with oil radiators. She then took the wealthy landowning family to court for a rent refund of 28,538 after claiming the house was unfit to live in with no mandatory energy efficiency rating. Sex therapist and artist Lady Patricia Ramshaw, 54, has been foiled in her rent refund bid There's somebody at the door: An enormous white horse was among Lady Ramshaw's animals Jane Cator (pictured) was called to give evidence at a previous hearing, and claimed Lady Ramshaw had breached her tenancy agreement by bringing animals 'in huge proportions' on to the land The property is believed to be worth around 1.5million, based on similarly sized homes in the region. Landlord Sam Cator claimed Lady Ramshaw breached the terms of her tenancy by moving in with more than 50 animals, including three Great Danes, two horses, 12 sheep, two pigs, a goat, ducks and hens. The animals allegedly destroyed the historic Cator family orchard on the grounds of the seven-acre property, after Lady Ramshaw allowed them to graze under the trees during the 2022 summer heatwave. And in the latest twist of this row, self-dubbed Lady Ramshaw, who still lives at the property, was denied her rent refund by tribunal judge Stephen Evans. Lady Patricia Ramshaw had claimed she has been forced to live in freezing conditions at her Grade II-listed rental home in Ranworth, Norfolk Lady Ramshaw keeps four dogs including three Great Danes in the lovely property in Norfolk He also criticised the two parties for allowing the dispute to end up at a tribunal - suggesting the matter be dealt with by civil means. He wrote: 'The entirety of this case centres on the parties' respective civil rights, which is suitable for an entirely different forum. 'These proceedings provide a salutary lesson for those prospective landlords and tenants who embark on entering a tenancy without defining the ambit of the demise, and without agreeing on all relevant terms of the tenancy, before occupation is taken up.' Lady Ramshaw, who works as a sex therapist, was bought the title by an ex-boyfriend as part of a burlesque act where she was known as 'Lady Pea'. The Cators refunded her a 13,000 heating bill she incurred during the first Christmas at the property, plus 4,500 of rent. Lady Ramshaw has horses, goats, sheep, pigs, ducks and four Great Dane dogs called Jager, Nova, Lola, Yogi which live in the house with her Lady Ramshaw is fighting a bid by her landlord to evict her from her Grade II-listed rental home over accusations her 50 animals were doing 'damage' to the property The two parties were negotiating her finishing her tenancy early and Lady Ramshaw said she was set to move out that summer in 2022, having gathered her animals from different stables onto the land to move the same week in June. However the Cators then went back on the agreement to end her tenancy early with a rent refund after getting in touch with an ex-partner of Ramshaw's, which she described as abusive. Whilst Judge Evans denied Ramshaw's right to a rent refund, he did acknowledge that the Cator family had altered a deal with Lady Ramshaw after speaking with her ex-partner. He wrote: 'It is unfortunate for the applicant [Lady Ramshaw] that the contact had the effect of causing the respondent [Sam Cator] to change the terms of his offer of surrender.' Speaking after the hearing, Lady Ramshaw said she did not consider the ruling to be a defeat as it had allowed the case to enter the public domain. Lady Ramshaw keeps four dogs including three Great Danes, two horses, two pigs, a goat, several ducks and hens and a flock of sheep Lady Ramshaw keeps 20 animals including four dogs at the sprawling Norfolk property She said: 'The rent repayment hearing has been very successful for me as I got to see the disgraceful truth of what has gone on. 'I am very grateful to the judge for revealing such awful things.' Speaking previously, she outlined the issues she had faced since moving in. She added: 'At Christmas I had pneumonia for weeks through the cold here. 'I didn't know there wasn't central heating when I moved in. 'I visited the house beforehand, it was beautiful and described as "cosy and warm". 'The week I moved in I froze. My head was throbbing from the cold. 'The week I moved in I was trying to organise with the landlord where the animals were to go. 'We had a meeting about the heating, then from December they started trying to evict me. I'd paid a year of rent in advance.' The judge's report included allegations made during the hearing that Jane Cator, mother of landlord Sam Cator, had spied on Lady Ramshaw from a nearby church tower and had moved her animals. However, the judge ruled that Mrs Cator's explanations for going up the tower - that it was not to spy on Lady Ramshaw and that she was a caretaker of the church - was 'entirely plausible'. The report reads: 'We believe Mrs Cator when she said she looked at the property - but not specifically the applicant - on all occasions she went up the tower.' The judge also dismissed claims that the Cator family's staff had taken photographs of Lady Ramshaw. The judge wrote: 'We are not satisfied that the respondent or his agents have photographed the applicant in person, as opposed to her animals or the damage they have caused.' As of April 2023, Lady Ramshaw continues to live in the property, which she says she cannot afford to leave without a rent refund. A possession order has been made against her through county courts, but she is seeking to set it aside. The Cators declined to comment. Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott announced Wednesday he was launching an exploratory committee for a potential presidential run and called for unity by invoking the start of the Civil War. If he were to run, Scott would challenge former President Donald Trump, who launched his campaign in November and recently became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted by a grand jury and is insisting he won't drop out even if convicted. On Wednesday, Scott will be in Iowa, the lead-off state in the Republican presidential nominating process. He will then travel to New Hampshire on Thursday before coming back to his home state of South Carolina on Friday ahead of a local summit in Charleston. His state has already produced a potential Trump challenger, former governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) plans to launch a presidential exploratory committee, which would have him competing against former President Donald Trump Scott, 57, is the first African American candidate to join the field. Haley is the first Indian American member of a cabinet when she served in the Trump administration. His video features images of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, where Confederate troops fired on this date more than 150 years ago, and makes reference to the bloody conflict but blames President Joe Biden for disunity. 'On this day, April 12, 1861, in this harbor, the first shots of the Civil War were fired and our country faced the defining moment: Would we truly be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,' Scott says. 'Americas soul was put to the test - and we prevailed. Today, our country is once again being tested. Once again, our divisions run deep and the threat to our future is real. Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness. Theyre promoting victimhood instead of personal responsibility and theyre indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country,' he said. He then used his own background to claim he was a threat to Democrats. 'Because I disrupt their narrative. I threaten their control. They know the truth of my life disproves their lies,' he said. Scott's new video invokes the first shots fired on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 Images show him standing in front of the cannons at Ft. Sumter and holding a bible. Trump appeared to take a swat at Haley during an appearance on Tucker Carlson's show Tuesday night, when he went after those who have criticized President Biden for his age. Trump said Biden, 80, was 'not too old' and even commended 81-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders, a former Biden rival, saying that he's '100 percent sharp.' 'I think they do the age thing because I'm four or five years behind,' the 76-year-old former president said. 'They say, this is a way of getting Trump, let's call him old.' Haley launched her own campaign by pointing to Biden's age and calling for new leadership. It was Haley who appointed Scott to the Senate when she was serving as governor in 2012. Scott's exploratory committee comes after Donald Trump (left) sat down for an interview with Tucker Carlson (right) and said he would stay in the race even if convicted Scott's move puts him in competition with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley Scott's announcement comes days after Trump was arrested and arraigned in Manhattan The committee would allow Scott to raise funds for a potential run as he explores a potential bid for the White House. On Saturday, Scott will give donors and prominent supporters a 'political update,' according to an invitation. As the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, Scott has taken a leading role on police-reform efforts and has spoken frequently on racial issues. Scott often called out Trump during his presidency over racially charged comments and blocked several of his judicial nominees for such reasons. At the same time, Scott has accused Democrats of exploiting racial tensions for partisan gain. Scott has described being the victim of racial prejudice but has insisted, as he put it in a 2021 speech, that 'America is not a racist country.' Republicans who have formally launched campaigns for the party's 2024 nomination include former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and activist investor Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence are also expected to join the race, though neither have announced their candidacy. Polls show DeSantis as Trump's closest rival for the Republican nomination. Scott garners no more than 2% support in almost all polls, though supporters argue that will change as he becomes a better-known national figure. (Reporting by Gram Slattery and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Scott Malone and Gerry Doyle) President Joe Biden made clear he had no intention of wading into Northern Ireland's febrile politics on Wednesday, insisting his role was to listen during his brief visit to Belfast. His trip is meant to mark 25 years of peace in the province since the signing of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement. But local political parties are deadlocked over returning to its powersharing government, and pro-London unionist figures are on alert for any perceived slight by Biden, who is ferociously proud of his Irish roots. On Wednesday, the president was asked what he planned to say to the political parties when he meets their leaders later in the day. 'I'm going to listen,' he said during a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. President Joe Biden met Rishi Sunak on Wednesday morning during his 17-hour Belfast visit, and made clear he was not going to wade into local political disputes Biden was seen stepping off Air Force One onto the tarmac of RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim on Tuesday Biden's long history of 'anti-British' views There have been fears that Joe Biden could enrage unionists with references to his Irish heritage during his visit to Belfast. As vice president, Mr. Biden caused massive offense to Northern Ireland's unionist community when he joked during a St Patrick's Day event: 'If you're wearing orange, you're not welcome here.' Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the color in celebration of William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. As a senator in 1985, he spoke out against making it easier to extradite IRA militants from the US to Britain, a sentiment popular with Irish-Americans but not in Britain. He has talked often about his mother's hatred for England, which was so intense that she once refused to use a bed that Queen Elizabeth II had slept in. In his memoir, 'Promises to Keep,' he recalls with embarrassment at his English surname Biden. And he describes how his Irish-American aunt Gertie Finnegan once told him: 'Your father is not a bad man. He's just English.' In 2020, as president-elect, he took a cheeky dig at the UK's national broadcaster when a BBC reporter shouted a question at him. 'The BBC?' he said, moving on with a smile. 'I'm Irish.' Advertisement Hardline unionists had earlier warned him to stay out of Northern Ireland's politics, saying it would be a bit like a Frenchman turning up in London and lecturing British leaders on how to run their affairs. For all the turmoil, Biden looked relaxed during the meeting with Sunak. 'Heck of a view out there,' he remarked from the top floor of his downtown hotel. Biden's trip is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement, which ended decades of sectarian and political violence known as 'the Troubles.' But he arrives at an awkward time with the province's power-sharing government suspended amid political wrangling. Hardline unionists are boycotting the institution, which means it cannot sit. White House officials have avoided any suggestion that Biden will try to pressure the holdouts. And unionists have been quick to accuse Biden of anti-British feelings. As Ian Paisley Jr., of the hardline Democratic Unionist Party, put it to TalkTV, 'the poor fella is unfortunately quite gaffe prone,' adding: 'It would be like a Frenchman coming over to you and telling you what to do in England.' Officials were also forced to defend President Joe Biden 's trip to Ireland on Wednesday, insisting it was work not just pleasure and fend off accusations that he is anti-British during his brief visit to Northern Ireland. He was due to begin his day with a meeting with British Prime Rishi Sunak, before greeting five local party leaders followed by a speech at Ulster University. But questions about his stance on Britain and Ireland, and who is paying for his son Hunter and sister Valerie to travel with him dominated a morning briefing. Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, was asked whether the famously Irish-American president was anti-British, as pro-London unionist politicians have claimed. 'I think the track record of the president shows that he's not anti British,' she said. However, Biden has a history of making anti-English jokes and has frequently described his mother's hostility to the U.K. and its crown. Sloat reeled off examples of cooperation between the Biden administration and London. 'The UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies,' she said. 'And it's difficult, frankly, to think of an issue in the world that we are not closely cooperating with the British on, and it's why the president wanted to have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Sunak this morning to start his day here in Belfast.' Crowds gathered outside the Belfast city center hotel where Biden was staying on Wednesday Police put up a ring of steel around the city center hotel where Biden stayed on Tuesday night Biden is spotted in the Beast, his armored car, as he arrived in Belfast on Tuesday night And with just 17 hours in Belfast before heading off on a genealogical tour of Ireland, Sloat was asked whether the visit was really a taxpayer-funded family reunion. 'I would, not surprisingly, dispute that characterization,' she said frostily, before listing engagements with the British prime minister and official events to mark the Good Friday Belfast agreement. In his speech at Ulster University, Biden will congratulate the province and its leaders on 25 years of peace with a speech at Ulster University. Sloat said she would not discuss what would come up in the meetings. 'I think as a broad matter, and as I indicated, the president obviously is supportive of the institutions,' she told journalists in a morning briefing. 'The president, like everybody in Northern Ireland and the leader of the UK, would like to see the institutions up and running.' Biden arrived in Belfast amid a major policing operation in the province, the biggest in the past ten years. Some 300 officers have been drafted in from elsewhere in the U.K. to bolster numbers, with the whole cost coming to 7 million (about $8.7 million). His main official engagement on Wednesday is a speech at Ulster University. Biden's maternal line emigrated from Ireland during the Great Famine. The Blewitts left Co. Mayo and settled in Scranton, PA, while the Finnegans left Co. Louth and came to New York The president will deliver at least two messages, according to White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. 'Congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, which has brought unprecedented peace and prosperity," Kirby said. "And that kind of goes to the second goal, which is to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities, as well as the United States.' Writing on Twitter earlier, Biden said: '25 years ago, Northern Irelands leaders chose peace. 'The Belfast/Good Friday agreement ended decades of violence and brought stability. I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity.' The mother of a student who took his own life has said her son was 'let down' by his university after counsellors failed to pass on a note saying that he thought about suicide 'most nights'. Ben Sharrott, 19, was found hanged in a room at in John Lester Court student accommodation at the University of Salford after being reported missing by friends on November 19 last year. The teenager, from Nuneaton, had moved to the university to study Music Performance and had appeared to be thriving during his first year at the university. But an inquest into his death heard he had been nervous about returning for his second year and approached the university's wellbeing team with 'anxiety and low mood'. When asked on a referral form whether he was currently experiencing suicidal thoughts, he wrote: 'Yes. Most nights I think about ways I could commit suicide.' Ben Sharrott, 19, was found hanged in a room at in John Lester Court student accommodation at the University of Salford in September The teenager, from Nuneaton, moved to the university to study Music Performance and appeared to be thriving during his first year at the university. Pictured: Ben with his sister Lucy But Ben added that he did not take the idea of taking his life 'super seriously'. As a result, the counselling team only rated him in an 'amber' risk category, meaning details of the consultation were not shared with his GP. When Ben contacted his doctor the following month to complain of heart palpitations, the doctor was therefore not aware of potential mental health concerns. Just a month after the missed opportunity to offer help, the keen musician took his own life. John Pollard, assistant coroner for Manchester West, told the inquest it was clear as a pikestaff that Bens comments should have been shared with his GP. His parents have now joined calls for universities to do more to help students struggling with their mental health. His mother Helen said: 'Ben went to see the university counselling service saying he had suicidal thoughts every day that should have rung alarm bells. 'But because he was only treated as an amber risk, it meant that when he went to his doctor, nothing was joined up. 'It might not have made a difference, but were always going to be left with the thought that it might have done.' The inquest heard Ben referred himself to the university counselling and wellbeing team last September with anxiety and low mood shortly after beginning his second year. He explained on a form that he thought about suicide most nights, but said he did not 'treat these thoughts super seriously'. Ben added: 'I treat them more as intrusive and passing even if I do go into detail about how I could do it, they are more of a fantasy.' Andrew Hartley, director of legal and compliance at the university, told the hearing the counselling teams notes suggested Ben was 'confident' he would not commit suicide. But Mr Pollard said it was 'quite clear' from the form that Ben had both the ideation and the intent of suicide. In October, he called his mother to say he believed he was having symptoms of a heart attack. Unaware of his suicidal thoughts, she told him it sounded like a panic attack and recommended he get in touch with his GP. The inquest heard Ben referred himself to the university (pictured) counselling and wellbeing team last September with anxiety and low mood shortly after beginning his second year In a telephone consultation with Dr Omar Irshad at Langworthy Medical Practice, Ben described having 'an irregular heartbeat feeing which left him light-headed or unsteady at times'. But the GP told the hearing Ben described himself as happy and that his symptoms 'didnt seem to fit' with anxiety or a panic attack. Had he known Ben had expressed concerns over anxiety to the university counselling service, Dr Omar may have been more likely to ask after his mental health. However, on November 19, Bens body was found in his room after friends reported they had not heard from him since the previous day. A post mortem examination found a blood alcohol level of 100mg per 100ml - enough for an average social drinker to be 'moderately intoxicated'. Journal entries were later found that showed 'methodical' planning behind his death. Mr Pollard told the inquest that the suicide thoughts should have been shared with his GP and said the university should consider changing the way it shares student health information. He recorded Bens death was a suicide, saying he gave 'no real clues' to his tutors or parents that he was struggling. Ben explained on a form that he thought about suicide most nights, but said he did not 'treat these thoughts super seriously It comes as as a group of 25 bereaved families have secured 100,000 signatures in an online petition calling for the law to be changed so universities have a legal duty of care towards their students. Among them are the parents of Natasha Abrahart, who successfully sued Bristol University over her 2018 suicide. Backing the calls for change, Mrs Sharrott said: 'We do feel he was let down when someone says theyre having suicidal feelings, surely thats got to be taken seriously. She said Ben - a keen guitarist - was 'quiet and sensitive' with a 'dry sense of humour' and had lots of friends. 'We miss him every day,' she added. A spokesman for the University of Salford said staff had been 'deeply saddened' by his tragic death, but insisted it had 'extremely well-developed systems of student wellbeing and support with experienced and dedicated staff'. They added: 'We are constantly looking for ways to improve and even before the inquest took place, we had opened and progressed discussions with local medical practices about how we might better share information in relevant cases.' For confidential support call Samaritans on 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org A picture of the American Bulldog who mauled a four-year-old girl, requiring her to have 40 stitches in her face, has been released. Tiny Luna-Ann Forsyth was pinned to the ground by the large white dog, which had to be punched by mother Amy Hobson, 32, to get it to relinquish its grip. The nightmare unfolded at a friend's home Nuneaton, Warwickshire, on Thursday afternoon. Ms Hobson had to take Luna to hospital by taxi after call handlers said an ambulance would take several hours. When they arrived, Luna was rushed for treatment and suffered the ordeal of 40 stitches in her face from the wounds. Police say an investigation has been launched and the dog has been seized and destroyed. Pictured: The American Bulldog who mauled a four-year-old girl, requiring her to have 40 stitches in her face Luna-Ann Forsyth, four, was attacked by the dog at a friend's home nearby last week Surgeons toiled for two hours on her and have warned her mother she will have permanent scarring. Read more: Police hunt dogwalker after mastiff cross attacks dog in Asda car park in town where two have been killed by XL Bully breeds Advertisement Ms Hobson said the dog had been in a room upstairs but managed to open the door and came down. She told the Mirror: 'The dog came up to me so I gave him a fuss like I always have done, my daughter Luna shouted the dog's name so she could fuss him just like she always has done. 'He got hold of her face and got her to the ground. 'I was kicking and punching the dog to get him off her and I got my little girl off the floor, and called 999 straight away. 'They said they couldnt get an ambulance out to me, it was going to be a few hours for them to get to me, so I got a taxi to A&E. 'There was loads of blood. Luna was calm and brave, it was me that was panicking and crying.' Ms Hobson had to take Luna for the hospital by taxi after call handlers said an ambulance would take several hours How to spot aggression in a dog - and its cause Aggression in dogs is almost always a case of fear - using their bite as a last resort method of self-defence or to get a frightening or unpleasant experience to stop. Such fears can arise due to early years puppy socialisation or past experiences. Owners need to be able to recognise and establish how a dog is feeling, with many giving off warning signals before an attack. There are several signals that your dog may give to indicate they are worried, fearful or feeling stressed and these include: yawning or licking lips, crouching with their tail between their legs, wagging tails and growling. If a dog is showing any signs of aggression, a vet should be consulted to determine if there is a medical cause, such as pain or discomfort. Failing that, speaking to a behavioural expert could help tame a more aggressive animal. Source: Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership Advertisement Dr John Tulloch, a veterinary public health expert at the University of Liverpool, authored a 2021 research paper that revealed a startling rise in the number of dog bite incidents over the past 20 years. He told MailOnline that although wider research into the cause of this explosion in these attacks was limited, there had been an emergence of 'worrying' trends that he has witnessed in more recent dog ownership. Possible explanations include broader changes in society, with more dogs now being bought from unregulated or overseas breeders, or the way in which people interact with their pets - fuelled by TikTok trends or videos hoping to garner likes online. Dr Tulloch told MailOnline: 'In the last 20 years or so there's been a definite rise in cases of severe dog attacks - it has been creeping up and up and up and we should be calling it what it is: a growing public health problem. 'In most cases, it's a dog that is known to the victim as these events are occurring behind closed doors. 'Children still account for around 25 per cent of hospital admissions due to dog bites, but we need to understand why adults are being attacked more now. It's a striking problem.' The issue of violent dogs has caused problems in the town of Caerphilly, south Wales. In the past year and a half, great-great grandmother Shirley Patrick, 83, and schoolboy Jack Lis, ten, were killed by XL Bully breeds and at least 13 dangerous dogs have been seized. Mrs Patrick died in hospital 17 days after suffering 'life-threatening injuries' to her head, body, face and arms by a black XL Bully cross Cane Corso breed. Jack had been playing with a friend after school when they went to the house where 'Beast' was roaming around downstairs and then bit his face, head and neck. A bodega clerk, the mother of a homicide victim and an anti-crime activist will all testify at the Judiciary Committee's high-profile New York City hearing on Monday. Republicans are bringing in at least three witnesses to talk about crime in the Big Apple to paint the narrative that Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg is more focused on going after Donald Trump than crime in his own backyard. Jose Alba, a bodega worker who Bragg's office at first charged with murder when he stabbed a man who attacked him over a bag of chips, will give his testimony at the hearing. So will Madeline Brame, chair of the Victim Rights Council and the mother of a homicide victim and Jennifer Harrison, founder of Victims Rights NY. Alba, 62, was arrested and sent to Rikers Island for stabbing Austin Simon after the 35-year-old charged into the Harlem bodega where he worked and attacked him. This was the altercation that led to Jose Alba's arrest last Friday. Alba, 62, is shown in a blue striped shirt and hat. Austin Simon, right, arrived in the store to confront Alba who had refused to give his girlfriend a bag of potato chips Alba was sitting down in the tiny store when the man cornered him and demanded that he apologize to his girlfriend, who police say couldn't afford a bag of chips He at first faced second-degree murder charge for the incident that happened on July 1 at Blue Moon Deli. But video footage showed Simon attacking the deli worker before he pulled the knife in what appeared to be self defense. Bragg's office asked a judge to drop the charges on July 19 after facing intense backlash for going after Alba, including from Mayor Eric Adams. The motion to dismiss stated that prosecutors 'have determined that we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was not justified in his use of deadly physical force.' Surveillance footage clearly showed that Simon had moved behind the counter at the convenience store in Hamilton Heights and pushed the store clerk into a stack of shelves before grabbing him. Other videos obtained by DailyMail.com show Simon - who was on parole for attacking a police officer when he died - marching behind the bodega counter to confront Alba when his girlfriend's benefits card declined as she tried to buy a bag of chips. 'Papa, I don't want a problem, papa,' Alba told him calmly before things got physical. The hearing will take place Monday at 9 a.m. at the Javitz Federal Building. At least some Democrats are expected to attend even as they paint the move as a 'political stunt.' Brame will also share her story with the committee. Her son, Army veteran Hason Corea, was fatally stabbed in Harlem in 2018. Correa, a 35-year-old married father of three, was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death by a group of assailants in an altercation outside an apartment building. Two of Correa's attackers struck a plea deal with Manhattan prosecutors and one has been let off on time served. The man who stabbed Correa was given 20 years in prison. Last summer Brame sent letters to Bragg and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul saying Bragg's office had not informed her it would offer the plea deal. 'You violated my rights as a crime victim to be fully informed, and to be heard,' Brame wrote in the letter. 'Why would you dismiss murder charges against half of the participants, when the murder and their roles were caught on video?' The third witness, Harrison, is the head of Victims Rights NY, which is running its own 'fire Alvin Bragg' campaign. Harrison said her boyfriend and best friend were killed in a double homicide where two of the assailants 'went free' and the third was released in 'just a few years.' She has been vocal about repealing the state's bail reform that requires the release of all misdemeanor and some felony suspects without cash bail. Madeline Brame, above, will testify at the Judiciary Committee's NYC hearing on Monday. Her son was fatally stabbed in 2018 Hason Correa, a US Army veteran, was fatally stabbed in Harlem in 2018 and two of his assailants got a plea deal with a light sentencing 10993537 Alba shows DailyMail.com the wounds he suffered in the attack Republicans are bringing their fight with Manhattan Alvin Bragg to New York City on Monday where they will hold a field hearing with 'victims' of the district attorney's policies Crime in New York City ticked up in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic (before Bragg took office) after a decade-long mostly downward trend. Major crime soared about 22 percent in 2022 - with Bragg taking office on the first day of that year. New York recorded 438 homicides in 2022 -- up from 319 in pre-pandemic 2019. From April 2022 to April 2023, major crime remains about the same, though murders, shootings and burglaries have dropped. The city was far safer even in 2022 than it was during a dangerous period in the 80s and 90s -- murders and robberies were down 80 percent in 2022 compared to 1990, rapes down 50 percent. The Judiciary Committee, together with Oversight and Administration, have launched all-out political war against Bragg over the indictment, most recently firing off a subpoena to prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who formerly worked in Bragg's office and wrote a book about the need to prosecute Trump. On Tuesday Bragg sued Jordan in an extraordinary move to try to keep him from interfering in the criminal case against Trump. Jennifer Harrison is the head of Victims Rights NY, which is running its own 'fire Alvin Bragg' campaign The suit accused Jordan (R-Ohio) of a 'brazen and unconstitutional attack' on the prosecution of Trump after the committee subpoenaed Bragg's former employee, demanded documents and planned a field hearing in New York. Lawyers for Bragg seek to prevent Jordan's subpoena of Pomerantz. Pomerantz tried to persuade the DA he should prosecute Trump - but quit when Bragg rejected his legal theories. Bragg has refused to comply with documents requests from chairs of the three committees relating to Bragg's communications with the Department of Justice. Bragg has described Republicans' interference as improper interference in a criminal case. The charges against Trump were revealed last week and included 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and 'catch and kill' payments through the National Enquirer to Playboy model Karen McDougal and a doorman who purported to have a story on Trump's alleged love child with a housekeeper. A woman has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after scaffolding was blown off a roof and came crashing down on her as Storm Noa brings 70mph gusts to Britain. Emergency services rushed to a high street in Fareham, Hampshire after the metal scaffolding was blown down outside a Halifax bank. Shop workers on the high street described hearing a 'loud bang', with dramatic photos showing metal strewn across the street and police confirming the woman had suffered 'serious injuries.' The frightening incident comes as the UK battles to stay in control of a storm that has already brought high winds, snow and disruption to all parts of Britain today. Aircraft arriving at Heathrow could be seen swaying in the high winds amid Met Office warnings of short-term power cuts and disruption to road and ferry travel in the south west. HAMPSHIRE: A woman has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after scaffolding fell on her during Storm Noa HEATHROW: Tens of thousands of people have tuned into Big Jet TV to watch enormous jets land HEATHROW: Many of the jets were seen to wobble and sway as they approached the landing strip WALES: A motorist drives through a wintry landscape near Llanfihangel-nant-Melan, Wales CUMBRIA: Skiddaw mountain in the Lake District covered in snow this morning as Storm Noa sweeps the UK WALES: Waves crash against the lighthouse wall in Porthcawl today as Storm Noa arrives SCOTLAND: A man trudges throught the snow today as Storm Noa hit the North of Scotland DEVON: Dartmoor experienced a brief blast of snow, sleet and hail this morning before sunshine returned DORSET: A surfer in the fierce waves as Storm Noa batters the seafront in Bournemouth DORSET: A dog walker on the sea foam covered promenade as rough seas from Storm Noa crash against the sea defences at West Bay There has been snowfall in Scotland, Wales and Cumbria today with a sudden flurry of 'snow, sleet and hail' also reported in Devon. Some homes were without power and fallen trees blocked several roads in Devon and Cornwall. A gust of 68mph was recorded at Berry Head at Brixham and at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly a 64mph gust was logged. BBC weather forecaster David Braine said: 'In Plymouth there was a massive gust which rattled the roof and that was 60mph.' The Met Office warned of further blasts until 8pm tonight. Elsewhere, a tree fell on to a house in Torquay, Devon, and all the occupants were accounted for. A woman was being treated by ambulance staff after her car was in collision with a fallen tree on the A377 between Crediton and Copplestone, blocking the road. Her condition is not yet known. The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected. The forecaster said there is a chance of 'heavy outbreaks of rain and thunder' in south-east England by this evening. Taking to social media, one dog walker described how suddenly the Arctic blast had arrived. They said: 'Early sunshine & blue skies meant I decided to take the dogs and my coffee out to the sheepfold this morning . then this! Snow, sleet and hail. Five minutes later we had sunshine again!' 'There's likely to be some warning updates from us of winds with some associated rain throughout the day with gusts up to 60-70 miles per hour this morning and some heavy rains accompanying,' Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said. 'Coastal areas, particularly Devon and Cornwall, are likely to see the worst of this with potential short-term losses of power and disruption to travel. 'This is a low-pressure system that is building in from the west and is set to get worse throughout the course of the day.' Although the weather is a named storm in France, it is not classed as such by the Met Office. LONDON: A runner navigates the torrential rain close to Tower Bridge today DORSET: A couple battling the wind on the pier in Bournemouth today DORSET: Storm Noa batters the seafront in Bournemouth as Storm Noa brings a yellow wind warning to area A swathe of wintry weather with heavy rain and strong 70mph gusts will batter Britain today as Storm Noa (pictured) sweeps across the nation The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected A yellow weather warning for wind has also been extended to the south-east of England, where the storm is predicted to migrate over the course of the day A blast of cold air this morning could even see an 'increasing risk of snow over the higher ground for parts of the UK, especially in the north'. Pictured: Snow in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning Heavy showers are also expected in Scotland, with western areas predicted to see in excess of 30mm of rain and other areas set to see around 20mm of rain. Temperatures in Scotland are expected to be 5C but will dip to freezing level overnight tonight, particularly in rural areas in the north of the country. Motorists particularly those driving HGVs, motorhomes and motorcycles, and those towing caravans and trailers have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions. National Highways is urging motorists to check conditions before beginning their commute. Drivers should be extra vigilant when travelling across exposed locations, such as coastal and high lying areas and bridges, as these areas could be affected by high winds. A yellow warning for wind has been lifted in Northern Ireland, though the Met Office predicts strong winds of around 50mph in some coastal areas. The UK is experiencing wet and wintry weather this week. Pictured: Traffic on the A939 at the Lecht today as fresh snow falls in the North of Scotland People have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions today. Pictured: Bad weather causes waves to create a snow-like effect in in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning A swathe of disruptive winds with gusts of up to 70mph and 'severe gales' and heavy rain is set to sweep across Britain today. Pictured: The sky in Dunsden, Oxfordshire at dawn today ahead of what is set to be a wet and windy day The wet and wintry weather is set to bring a chilly start this morning with sunshine and showers that may be heavy and thundery. Pictured: The sun rises over the countryside in Dunsden, Oxfordshire this morning The grip of the unsettled conditions is set to last for the rest of the week, with sunshine and heavy showers for many on Thursday and persistent rain in the south on Friday. It is then set to become drier and brighter into the weekend, while temperatures may start to rise next week. Mr Dixon added: 'The set up is low pressure dominant both in the South West and in Scotland. Overnight tonight and into Thursday, we are expecting these low-pressure systems to combine and move into the North Sea. This will leave behind showers across much of the UK with winds decreasing throughout the day on Thursday.' The first storm to be named by the Met Office, or Irish or Dutch weather services, this season will still be Storm Antoni, in accordance with the 2022/23 name list. Action star and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was seen filling in a neighborhood pothole after waiting several weeks for the problem to be addressed with no luck. In a minute-long video posted to his Twitter page, Schwarzenegger, 75, works with another man to fill in the large pothole that he said has been plaguing his neighborhood for weeks. The eleven atmospheric rivers that have hit California this year have mitigated drought that has plagued the state for years, but have also opened up potholes and cracks on local streets and freeways. Road crews have struggled to keep pace with the demand for repairs following the exceptionally stormy season. The 75-year-old former governor took matters into his own hands regarding a neighborhood pothole that had plagued residents for weeks The case is apparently no different in the wealthy enclave of Bel Air, where Schwarzenegger lives in a nearly 15,000 square foot palatial home. In the video posted Tuesday, which has amassed 4.5million views, Schwarzenegger pours a bag of Quikrete into the pothole and begins evening our the spread with a shovel. A woman in a white car comes driving up to thank the team of worker before realizing who is doing the heavy lifting. 'Oh, Arnold!' she exclaimed, when she saw who was responsible for the neighborly act. 'You're welcome,' he said. 'You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks I've been waiting for this hole to be closed.' The Terminator actor captioned the vide: 'Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that's been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. 'I always say, let's not complain, let's do something about it. Here you go.' Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for Schwarzenegger, said Brentwood residents made repeated requests for repairs since winter storms opened up potholes and cracks on local roads. Mayor Karen Bass last week announced a plan to address what she called an unprecedented number of damaged streets across the city. Since Dec. 30, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs, and as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes, officials said. The Terminator actor sported brown work boots, a brown bomber jacket, an all black athleisure look, dark sunglasses, and a white beard to do the neighborhood work. Schwarzenegger previously served as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011. Extreme flooding in California in recent months has opened up numerous potholes and damaged local roads and freeways in other ways A car is pictured after having fallen into a sinkhole in Chatsworth, California in January following flooding Workers make emergency road repairs in Soquel, California after high winds and heavy rains washed out a local road According to ABC7, a Los Angeles Department of Public Works official said that the hole Schwarzenegger filled is not really a pothole, but rather a service trench that needs to be taken care of the by the Southern California Gas Company. Furthermore, the utility company said that because the road is concrete, and not asphalt, Schwarzenegger's handy work may only be a temporary fix. Some Twitter users in the comments section seemed to agree with that assessment. Aaron Cooper wrote: 'Cool. But this is all wrong. In order to make pre-packaged asphalt work properly, the area must be tack-coated, then the asphalt must be heated to activate the oil and emulsion in order for the patch to adhere to the area as well as itself. 'I do asphalt work for a living,' he said. NBC News Los Angeles reported that an LA city official said Schwarzenegger had filled up a service trench 'that related to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects work to be completed by the end of the May.' A former Eton College master has denied murdering his 84-year-old mother who was found in the street with head injuries in a quiet Cotswolds market town. Matthew Corry, 45, appeared via videolink to plead not guilty to allegations in relation to the killing of his mother, Beatrice Corry. Police were called to High Street in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, at around 12.30am on January 6 this year after Beatrice was found with head injuries. She later died from her wounds. Corry formally submitted his not guilty plea to one charge of murder at Bristol Crown Court during a short hearing on Wednesday morning. Prosecutors said they were now waiting for further psychiatric reports before the crown decided how to proceed with the case. A former Eton College master has denied murdering his 84-year-old mother in her own apartment in a quiet Cotswolds market town. Matthew Corry, 45, (pictured) appeared via videolink to plead not guilty to allegations in relation to the killing of his mother, Beatrice Corry Police were called to High Street in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, at around 12.30am on January 6 this year after Beatrice (pictured) was found with head injuries. She later died from her wounds The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance, which was listed for 7 June this year. A provisional trial date has been set for 3 July at Bristol Crown Court. Corry had been living with his mother Beatrice in her apartment within a converted grammar school in an affluent Cotswolds town at the time of her death. The 45-year-old worked at Eton until 2008 and had been teaching biology at fee-paying Godolphin and Latymer, in West London, until April 2020. The victim had also previously lived in an apartment The Styles in Berkshire that was a former home of crime writer Agatha Christie. Mrs Corry, a retired teacher and volunteer, was part of the University of the Third Age and was an award winning volunteer at the Campden Home Nursing charity shop. Paying tribute at the time of her death, CEO Helen Makaritis said: 'Beatrice was an incredible lady, she had so much energy and would regularly have completed a 5 mile walk before her shift in the shop. Corry formally submitted his not guilty plea to one charge of murder at Bristol Crown Court during a short hearing on Wednesday morning (pictured, police at the scene on High Street, Chipping Campden, where Mrs Morris died on January 6, 2023) Prosecutors said they were now waiting for further psychiatric reports before the crown decided how to proceed with the case. Pictured, police at the scene on High Street, Chipping Campden 'Described as a 'force of nature' by the shop team, she was always positive and never afraid to voice her opinion, a very intelligent lady who was knowledgeable about so many things. Never without a scarf or a twinkle in her eye, she was loved by us all. 'We are lucky to have many funny anecdotes and stories in our memory banks and she will be remembered with great affection. 'We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, especially her grandchildren, of whom she talked of often and with immense pride.' Police will be stripped of their power to arrest drunk people in Victoria as part of a new law which some cops have called 'insane'. The controversial changes to public intoxication laws will come into effect on November 7, when the state gears up for Melbourne Cup Day. Inebriated Victorians will either be taken home or to 'sobering-up' centres instead of police cells under the new system led by health professionals. Some within the police force have slammed the timing of the new law. Victoria Police Association boss Wayne Gatt said the Melbourne Cup was 'traditionally an extremely busy day for our members' and that the move may add to the pressure. Victorian police will be stripped of the power to arrest intoxicated people as of November 7, Melbourne Cup Day (pictured, revellers at the Melbourne Cup in 2021) The move to abolish public drunkenness laws across Victoria on Melbourne Cup day has been labelled as 'insane' by some cops (pictured, Melbourne Cup celebrations in 2022) The decision to abolish the laws was recommended by a panel set up by the state government after the death of Yorta Yorta woman, Tanya Day, in police custody in 2017. Ms Day, who was 55, died after sustaining a serious head injury in a police cell. In January, the Andrews government announced it would not give police any new powers to arrest people for being drunk in public once the existing offence is decriminalised in November. It is understood Victoria Police has sought independent legal advice over the pending changes, the Herald Sun reported. Tender documents released this week for prospective service providers of a new health service to deal with public drunkenness have been told to expect at least 500 cases a month. The figure is almost double the number of people arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour across Victoria last year. Data from Victorias Crime Statistics Agency shows 3,181 public drunkenness offences were recorded across the state in the year ending June 2022. Intoxicated Victorians will taken home or to 'sobering-up' centres instead of police cells under the new system (pictured, crowds exit the Melbourne Cup) In January, the Victorian government announced it would not give police any new powers to arrest people for being drunk in public (pictured, Melbourne Cup day in 2018) Sgt Gatt said he was concerned police would continue to be expected to provide significant support when primary healthcare workers were unavailable. He said police could be forced to act as 'secondary responders', which could divert them from critical frontline duties. When asked about the laws coming into effect on Melbourne Cup day, he said: 'What we don't want on the first day this legislation is introduced is for our members to be fielding hundreds of extra calls and then have to find the resources to act as 'secondary responders' in lieu of there being no adequate first responders. 'It's on the government to explain how this is going to work and time is ticking.' Sgt Gatt said it was not yet clear how the government planned to roll out the new program without the continued role of police. 'The scope of the tender clearly does not cover the whole of the state and the financial cost will be enormous,' he said. 'All this at a time when the government is purportedly struggling to balance its budget.' 3,181 public drunkenness offences were recorded across Victoria in the year ending June 2022 (pictured, Melbourne Cup revellers in 2020) Tender documents reveal the service provider will be responsible for responding to public drunkenness reports and providing immediate support, transport, monitoring and short-term care, follow-up and referrals. It will only be required to answer 80 per cent of calls within 15 minutes in order to meet KPIs. In 10 areas, outreach and 'place of safety services' will be set up for Aboriginal people, while another service for the wider population will run across Melbourne. The outreach services will work alongside local health and social support services to assist people in accessing follow-up or ongoing support. Shadow attorney-general Michael O'Brien said the Victorian Premier wanted 'police to do their job with one hand tied behind their backs'. Victoria and Queensland are the only jurisdictions in Australia to still have a specific offence for public drunkenness, which the 1991 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody found had disproportionately affected Indigenous people, and recommended that it be abolished. Joe Biden has been hailed as 'unmistakably a son of Ireland' - despite being born in Pennsylvania - while the US President's boasting of his Irish heritage has often been accompanied by 'anti-British' slights. The Democrat politician has courted controversy with off-the-cuff remarks made when attempting to demonstrate his fierce pride about his 'Irishness'. The 80-year-old, whose parents were also both born in the US, has previously been severely criticised for a joke that 'anyone wearing orange' is not welcome in his home. He has also in the past turned down an opportunity to speak to the BBC because he is 'Irish', and hinted at an embarrasment that both his father and his surname were of English descent. Mr Biden claimed just last year that his father's 'saving grace' was he also had Irish heritage, as well as connections to Westbourne, West Sussex. Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania yet traces his roots back to County Louth and County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland The US President's boasting of his Irish heritage has often been accompanied by 'anti-British' slights Mr Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania yet can trace his roots back to County Louth and County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland. Mr Biden will visit both on his tour of the country this week, which will follow his swift trip to Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. His connections to Ireland come mainly on his mother's side with his great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt having grown up in Ballina, Co. Mayo. Blewitt emigrated to Scranton after the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Another of the US President's great-great-grandfathers, Owen Finnegan, was a shoemaker from Co. Louth who emigrated to America in 1849. His family, including Mr Biden's great-grandfather James Finnegan, followed him in 1850. The US President has previously revealed how his English father, Joseph Biden Snr., had the 'saving grace' of also having Irish heritage. Mr Biden said last year: 'He had the saving grace, on his mother's side, of having a Hanafee from Galway. 'That's the only thing that saved him. And you all think I'm kidding. I'm not.' It was not the first time that Mr Biden has hinted at a familial embarrassment at his father's English heritage. He previously recalled his aunt telling him when he was young: 'Your father's not a bad man. He's just English.' Mr Biden has, in the past, also spoken of a discomfort at Biden being an English surname and revealed 'my grandfather and my mother were never crazy about it being English'. Last year, it emerged that Mr Biden had once revealed his mother Jean so disliked England that she chose to sleep on the floor rather than in a bed in which the Queen had previously slept. British screenwriter Georgia Pritchett claimed the US President made the revelation when they met in the White House during his period as vice-president. She wrote in her autobiography how Mr Biden had recalled his mother visiting the UK and spending a night in a hotel where, Jean was told, the Queen had once stayed. 'She was so appalled that she slept on the floor all night, rather than risk sleeping on a bed that the Queen had slept on,' Pritchett wrote. During his long political career, the US President has made a series of risky jokes at times when he has been proudly displaying his Irish heritage. In a 2012 meeting with then prime minister David Cameron, while he was vice-president, Mr Biden jokingly offered a message to Amrbose Finnegan, his grandfather, that 'things have changed' as he sat down with a British leader. In 2015, Mr Biden was fiercely criticised after he quipped while welcoming then Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny to his home: 'Anyone wearing orange is not welcome in.' Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the colour in celebration of William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. During an event at the White House last month to celebrate St Patrick's Day, Mr Biden was described by current Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as 'unmistakably a son of Ireland' When he was president-elect after winning the US election in 2020, Mr Biden turned down a chance to speak with a BBC reporter, telling them: 'The BBC? I'm Irish.' During an event at the White House last month to celebrate St Patrick's Day, Mr Biden was described by current Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as 'unmistakably a son of Ireland'. He said: 'Every American President is a little bit Irish on St Patricks Day - but some are more Irish than others. 'I think its fair to say that today were celebrating our national day with a President who is unmistakably a son of Ireland.' Mr Biden used the event to quote a poem written by his great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt. The US President told the audience of his ancestor: 'He had an engineering degree from Lafayette College and the heart of an Irish poet. 'In 1919, in one of the over 100 poems that I found in my - when my mom passed away, in her treasures, he wrote about "his Ireland". 'In one stanza, he wrote the following: From the fairest land, except my own, Neath sun, star, and moon, the citadel of Liberty, My mothers land, aroon."' Former BBC and Capital Radio DJ Tim Westwood has been interviewed under caution by Met detectives over a series of five sex offence complaints spanning 34 years. The 65-year-old was questioned first on March 15 and then again some two weeks later on April 4 by police. All five of the allegations are said to have happened in London, with the first dated as 1982 and the most recent 2016. The time period covers his career both at the BBC and Capital FM. Westwood's representatives did not respond to a request to comment. A spokesman for the Met told MailOnline: 'Police are investigating five reports relating to allegations of non-recent sexual offences allegedly committed by a man. Veteran DJ Tim Westwood has now been interviewed under caution twice by the Met Police Westwood attends the ULTRA HAZE launch party of Skepta's new EP 'All In' at The Hippodrome on July 29, 2021 in London 'The offences are alleged to have occurred in London between 1982 and 2016. 'A 65-year-old man was interviewed under caution on March 15, 2023, and April 4, 2023.' In August the BBC said it should have further explored issues raised about Westwood during his time at the broadcaster, an internal review concluded. He has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing or illegality. The BBC are currently probing six misconduct allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct against him. Hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood facing fresh sex pest claims following new claims made last year The Former Radio 1 star has previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing or illegality The broadcaster has appointed an independent barrister to lead a broader review to 'fully examine' his conduct during the two decades he spent working there. The veteran DJ, who left the BBC in 2013, stepped down from his show on Capital Xtra in April following accusations by several women of misconduct and predatory behaviour. In July, the BBC said it had received six complaints against Westwood, including one that was referred to police, despite director-general Tim Davie previously saying he had seen 'no evidence of complaints'. Last year a 40-year-old woman claimed the hip-hop star had been in a relationship with her when she was just a schoolgirl. The alleged victim - who was known under the pseudonym Esther - said she felt the DJ groomed her and she was 'prey' to 'predator' Mr Westwood. She said they began their relationship after meeting at a club night in Arch in Vauxhall in 1990, which developed into a sexual one when Westwood allegedly started kissing her before initiating unwanted sex. A woman, 40 claimed the hip-hop star, 64, had been a relationship with her when she was 14 Esther said their alleged underage relationship later led to her attempting to take her own life. She said at the time: 'I kind of thought it was normal but that's because I didn't understand the gravity of the situation, she said. 'It wasn't a relationship and it wasn't about love, it was just a thing, and a thing you couldn't discuss with anybody.' She added to the BBC she felt: 'Disgusted. Angry. Upset. Dirty. Yeah, dirty. I wish I could pretend it never happened but it did.' Westwood said in a statement in 2020 claims of inappropriate behaviour made against him on social media were fabricated, false and without foundation. He said: 'I can categorically say that I have never had an inappropriate relationship with anyone under the age of 18.' 'Esther' is one of 10 women who have come forward to accuse the former Radio One DJ of sexual misconduct. None of the 10 initially reported the incidents to the police. Another woman claims she was 16 when the renowned hip-hop DJ, who was in his 40s at the time of the alleged incident, kickstarted their 'controlling' relationship. DJ Tim Westwood was accused of being a 'predator' after a woman claimed he had sex with her multiple times starting when she was just 14-years-old One woman, using the pseudonym Isabel, alleges she was 19 and the DJ was 53 when he exposed his genitals to her in a car A third, who was 20 when she first met Westwood while he toured clubs and student unions across the country, claims he pushed his penis into her mouth despite her resisting. Two more women claim they were sexually assaulted by Mr Westwood. The new allegations had come forward as part of a BBC News documentary, entitled Tim Westwood: Hip-Hop's Open Secret, that details more than two decades worth of sexual misconduct allegations against the DJ stretching from 1990 to 2012. 'Lydia', another woman claiming to have been targeted by Westwood, says she was approached by him during a night at Caesars club in Streatham, south London. Although she was only 16 at the time while he was in his 40s, 'Lydia' and Mr Westwood allegedly began an 18-month sexual relationship in which he is accused of isolating her from friends and family. 'It was quite controlling in lots of ways,' she told the BBC. 'I had a home phone, and he demanded to have the password to it so he would often listen to my messages. A woman using the alias Pamela claims Westwood drove her to a flat in central London and initiated unwanted sex when she was 19 and he was 53 A woman, using the alias Tamara, alleges Westwood, then aged in his mid-thirties, also subjected her to unwanted sex when she was 17 'I wish more people had stepped in, I wish the adults who were around him, the bodyguards, the secretaries, the people who I would say were bystanders.' Following social media allegations published in 2020, Westwood has previously 'categorically' denied claims he has had an 'inappropriate relationship with anyone under the age of 18'. Seven women came forward to accuse the DJ of initiating unwanted sexual behaviour following a joint investigation by the BBC and the Guardian earlier this year. Following the allegations, Mr Westwood resigned from his weekly Capital Xtra radio show 'until further notice'. A statement from a representative of Westwood in April last year said: 'Tim Westwood strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour. 'In a career that has spanned 40 years, there have never been any complaints made against him officially or unofficially. 'Tim Westwood strongly rejects all allegations of wrongdoing.' 10 more women have since come forward to share their allegations against the DJ since the investigation broke in April. Several claim they engaged with Mr Westwood while they were under the age of 18. Westwood, pictured above in 2005, is at the centre of a sexual misconduct storm after allegations were levelled against him in recent years The DJ, who is the son of Bill Westwood, the former Anglican bishop of Peterborough who died in 1999, began his career on local radio before joining Capital Radio in London. He was later given his own show by BBC Radio 1. The radio presenter left Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013 after nearly 20 years and returned to Capital Xtra to host a regular show on Saturday nights, where he was referred to as 'The Big Dawg'. A representative for Westwood was contacted for comment. The news comes after the Guardian and BBC published testimonies in April from seven women who made allegations of predatory sexual behaviour against Westwood. In 2020, Westwood was forced to deny involvement in similar allegations when the hashtag #survivingTimWestwood appeared on Twitter. Westwood's name and the allegations began trending on Twitter after an unnamed woman posted messages describing a four year relationship. Using the Twitter name @survivingtimwestwood she admitted she was in love with the DJ and had not gone to police with any of her allegations. Others responding to the Twitter messages called on bosses at Global Radio, where Westwood works for Capital Xtra, to investigate his behaviour towards young black women. The renowned DJ vehemently denied sensational allegations on social media that he behaved inappropriately with student fans. In October 2013, Westwood was condemned by students for a 'vulgar and sexist' stage show he put on during a freshers' event at the University of Leicester. While performing as guest DJ at the O2 Academy he was heard shouting over the microphone: 'Girl in the front row with the black dress on, I will be f****** you later.' Earlier this year, Westwood was heard in unearthed clips urging a fan to stay in her bra as he ogled her on stage in the BBC3 film Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power. The DJ was accused of groping black women at gigs in the scathing documentary. Westwood was also filmed cat-calling a woman as she scrambled to cover up as he shouted from the decks: 'Yo baby you don't have to put your top back on'. He was also caught clutching a woman while looking down her top and asking: 'I like your rack is it real?'. The documentary also showed him refusing to let go of a woman's arm after he allegedly whispered something sexual in her ear while backstage at a festival. And another clip shows Westwood interviewing rapper Cardi B during a 2017 interview for Capital FM. The American artist asks him: 'Do you have sex with a lot of like, you know, black girls?' Westwood replied after a pause: 'Not as much as I'd like to' in an interview where he was accused of being inappropriate towards the star. After years of anti-British jokes President Joe Biden touted his connections to England during a visit to Northern Island on Wednesday as he tried to walk a tightrope through Belfast's sectarian politics. Pro-London unionist leaders accused the famously pro-Irish president of sidelining their views when he arrived to mark the 25th anniversary of a peace deal that ended years of violence between the two sides. Biden used a speech celebrating peace to talk up his British roots for once. He described how a previous British ambassador to Washington had presented him with a book showing a British officer in his quarters with a bulldog during the 19th Century. 'And his name was Captain George Biden,' said the president, describing how his ancestor had gone on to write the Royal Navy's rules on mutinies. After years of anti-British jokes, President Joe Biden touted his connections to Britain during a visit to Belfast on Wednesday as he tried to walk a tightrope through the city's sectarian divide While Biden makes much of his Irish ancestry, a major portion of his relatives were English Biden's long history of 'anti-British' views There have been fears that Joe Biden could enrage unionists with references to his Irish heritage during his visit to Belfast. As vice president, Mr. Biden caused massive offense to Northern Ireland's unionist community when he joked during a St Patrick's Day event: 'If you're wearing orange, you're not welcome here.' Northern Ireland's primarily Protestant unionist community associate themselves with the color to celebrate William of Orange's victory over Catholic forces at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. As a senator in 1985, he spoke out against making it easier to extradite IRA militants from the US to Britain, a sentiment popular with Irish-Americans but not in Britain. He has talked often about his mother's hatred for England, which was so intense that she once refused to use a bed that Queen Elizabeth II had slept in. In his memoir, 'Promises to Keep,' he recalls with embarrassment at his English surname Biden. And he describes how his Irish-American aunt Gertie Finnegan once told him: 'Your father is not a bad man. He's just English.' In 2020, as president-elect, he took a cheeky dig at the UK's national broadcaster when a BBC reporter shouted a question at him. 'The BBC?' he said, moving on with a smile. 'I'm Irish.' Advertisement The ambassador, he added, was 'always kidding me .. he'd say, why are you talking about the Irish. He said you're English remember that?' He said Robinette a family name may have come originally from France but arrived as his own family name via relatives from Nottingham, England 'So I don't know what the hell's going on,' he said. It was a marked change for Biden, who travels to the Republic of Ireland next to visit two counties where his ancestors once lived. Earlier officials had to fend off accusations that his history of talking up his Irish links meant he was anti-British. That is a hot-button issue in Northern Ireland, driven by violence as mainly Catholic republicans fought for the right to unify with the Republic of Ireland, while mostly Protestant loyalists fought to remain part of the United Kingdom. The 1998 Good Friday Belfast agreement ended decades of fighting known as 'the Troubles.' But Biden arrived amid political deadlock with hardline unionists refusing to allow a powersharing government to operate. They were suspicious of Biden's intentions, accusing him of being anti-British. He once jokingly declined to talk to a reporter with the BBC because he was Irish. He has also offended Protestants in the province by suggesting anyone wearing orange should not be welcome at St Patrick's Day Celebrations. (Protestants identify with the color orange.) The result was unionist demands that Biden not get involved in local politics. As Ian Paisley Jr., of the hardline Democratic Unionist Party, put it to TalkTV, 'the poor fella is unfortunately quite gaffe-prone,' adding: 'It would be like a Frenchman coming over to you and telling you what to do in England.' They were already on high alert for any hint of bias. But the bulk of Biden's speech was a celebration of how the peace deal had transformed Belfast from war-torn to booming. 'You couldn't have a glass building like this here in this neighborhood,' he said at the new Ulster University building. 'I don't think I don't think it would have stood up very well. But things are changing.' He said it was vital that new generations did not forget the hard work of making peace. During his speech at Ulster University he expressed hope of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland and said stable government could deliver an economic windfall for the region Biden met actor James Martin, after referencing him during the speech. Martin, who has Down's syndrome, was one of the stars of Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye From left, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley, Valerie Biden Owens, Hunter Biden and U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III listen to the speech Biden began his day with a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 'It's an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace ...25 years ago this week, the landmark Belfast Good Friday Agreement was signed. and it wasn't easy. And he carefully stepped back from any suggestion that he was pushing one side or the other to resolve the impasse. 'So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored,' he said. 'That's a judgment for you to make, not me. But I hope it happens.' Earlier, officials were asked whether it was fair to say that the famously Irish-American president was anti-British 'I think the track record of the president shows that he's not anti-British,' she said during a briefing with reporters. However, Biden has a history of making anti-English jokes and has frequently described his mother's hostility to the U.K. and its crown. Sloat reeled off examples of cooperation between the Biden administration and London. 'The UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies,' she said. 'And it's difficult, frankly, to think of an issue in the world that we are not closely cooperating with the British on, and it's why the president wanted to have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Sunak this morning to start his day here in Belfast.' The brevity of his stay in Northern Ireland has irritated local leaders, who wonder whether it is part of a strategy to minimize the chances of a blunder. And with just 17 hours in Belfast before heading off on a genealogical tour of Ireland, Sloat was asked whether the visit was really a taxpayer-funded family reunion. Biden was seen stepping off Air Force One onto the tarmac of RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim on Tuesday evening at the start of his four-day trip Crowds gathered outside the Belfast city center hotel where Biden was staying on Wednesday Police put up a ring of steel around the city center hotel where Biden stayed on Tuesday night Where will Biden go on his four-day tour? TUESDAY - Land in Belfast WEDNESDAY - Meet Rishi Sunak in Belfast and go to Ulster University to mark the Good Friday agreement. Biden will travel to Dublin and then to County Louth. THURSDAY - Biden will hold separate meetings in Dublin with Irish President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before addressing Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament. FRIDAY - Biden will visit County Mayo, exploring family genealogy and giving a speech about ties between the US and Ireland Advertisement 'I would, not surprisingly, dispute that characterization,' she said frostily, before listing engagements with the British prime minister and official events to mark the Good Friday Belfast agreement. The Northern Ireland government has not sat in almost a year, amid a wrangle over post-Brexit trade arrangements. While the trade regulations have been reformed, the Democratic Unionist Party refuses to return to power-sharing institutions. The deadlock takes some of the shine off the visit, which began a day after republican youths clashed with police in Derry. Biden arrived in Belfast amid a major policing operation in the province, the biggest in the past ten years. Some 300 officers have been drafted in from elsewhere in the U.K. to bolster numbers, with the whole cost coming to 7 million (about $8.7 million). Writing on Twitter earlier, Biden said: '25 years ago, Northern Irelands leaders chose peace. 'The Belfast/Good Friday agreement ended decades of violence and brought stability. I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity.' The SNP-led Scottish Government will launch a legal challenge against Rishi Sunak's block on Holyrood's controversial gender identity reforms, it was confirmed today. First Minister Humza Yousaf is pushing ahead with the contentious legislation - introduced by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon - by attempting to overturn the Prime Minister's use of a Section 35 order. He has repeatedly hit out at Mr Sunak's 'undemocratic veto' of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and this afternoon it was confirmed he will seek a judicial review of the PM's action. This is despite Mr Yousaf being warned by a former SNP minister that he does not 'have a cat in hell's chance' of winning a case at the UK Supreme Court. The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill sparked controversy when it was passed by the MSPs in December. It seeks to make it easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) - a legal recognition of their acquired gender - by introducing a system of self-declaration. The Bill was blocked by Scotland Secretary Alister Jack in January, who used Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop it becoming law, amid concerns about UK-wide legislative chaos. Mr Sunak today signalled he would not back down in his refusal to allow the Bill to receive royal assent by promising to 'follow through' with his block on the legislation during possible court proceedings. Humza Yousaf, the Scottish First Minister and SNP leader, has repeatedly described the use of a Section 35 order as an 'undemocratic veto' of Holyrood legislation by Westminster Speaking on a visit to Belfast, where he met with US President Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak signalled he would not back down in his fight with Holyrood The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill sparked controversy when it was passed by the MSPs in December It came after Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland's social justice secretary, this afternoon announced a judicial review will be sought over Westminster's use of a Section 35 order. She described Mr Sunak's action against the Bill as a 'unprecedented challenge' to the Scottish Parliament and claimed legal action was the 'only reasonable means of resolving this situation'. 'The Gender Recognition Reform Bill was passed by an overwhelming majority of the Scottish Parliament, with support from members of all parties,' the Scottish minister told MSPs. 'The use of Section 35 is an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliament's ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters and it risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent. 'In seeking to uphold the democratic will of the Parliament and defend devolution, Scottish Ministers will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotland's decision. 'The UK Government gave no advance warning of their use of the power, and neither did they ask for any amendments to the Bill throughout its nine-month passage through Parliament. 'Our offers to work with the UK Government on potential changes to the Bill have been refused outright by the Secretary of State, so legal challenge is our only reasonable means of resolving this situation.' Responding to the Scottish Government's announcement, the PM vowed to 'follow through' with his Section 35 order in the face of the legal challenge. He told broadcasters on his visit to Belfast to meet with US President Joe Biden: 'We said at the time it was a decision we made after taking very careful and considered advice. 'We had concerns as the UK Government about how Scotland's Gender Recognition Act would interact with reserved powers, about the operation of the Equality Act, the protection of women elsewhere in the UK as well. 'That's why we took the decision to block [the legislation] and, obviously, if there's a court process we will follow that through.' Earlier today, former SNP MSP Alex Neil - who served in both Alex Salmond's and Ms Sturgeon's governments - said instead of mounting a legal challenge Mr Yousaf should reintroduce the gender legislation and deal with its 'deficiencies'. He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: 'My own view is in terms of the challenge to the UK Government it would be far better just to reintroduce a Bill. 'And this time, in the Bill, deal with concerns of women about places of safety for women and also deal with the UK Equality Act. 'We know that going to the Supreme Court, and every lawyer I have spoken to has told me, we don't have a cat in hell's chance of winning at the British Supreme Court. 'Let's not hand this over to the Supreme Court in London. Let's sort it out ourselves and pass a Bill that we can all unite behind and all be proud of.' Mr Neil urged Mr Yousaf to 'sort out the anomalies in this Bill, sort out the deficiencies in the Bill, sort out the clash apparently with the Equality Act'. 'Let's do it ourselves. Let us sort it out ourselves and not resort to a court case we can't win,' he added. But, in an article published today on the SNP's website, Mr Yousaf claimed he had 'a duty to defend democracy and devolution'. 'While we all know there are a range of views on this Bill, this Tory Governments veto on devolved matters is not about the substance of the Bill, but about the principle of undermining the Scottish Parliament,' he wrote. 'If unchallenged, it sends a signal that the UK Government can veto any legislation they disagree with, at a whim. 'Of course, Scotlands democracy can only be fully protected with the powers of independence, but we know if you give the Tories an inch, theyll take a mile and undermine devolution and our Parliament at every given opportunity.' The latest constitutional row between Edinburgh and London has been set up amid new developments over the police probe into the SNP's finances. It has been claimed a 110,000 campervan seized by police from outside the home of Ms Sturgeon's mother-in-law was bought by the SNP to act as an election 'battle bus'. Detectives probing the SNP's finances took away the state-of-the-art Niesmann + Bischoff vehicle from outside 92-year-old Margaret Murrell's home last Wednesday morning after arresting her son Peter, 58, the party's ex-CEO. It was reported today that it was purchased to ferry around Ms Sturgeon and her team on the 2021 Holyrood election campaign so they would not need to use hotels. However, a source told the Daily Record it had not been used because Covid restrictions had been eased by the time the vote took place in May. It had spent a couple of years outside the house in Dunfermline, Fife, before it was removed last week, as first reported by the Mail on Sunday. It came as Mr Neil, a former member of Ms Sturgeon's government, said 'forensic accountants' should be brought in to go through the SNPs finances covering the latter part of her time in power. He spoke out after it emerged the party's auditor quit six months ago. The SNP are currently being investigated by Police Scotland amid questions over the whereabouts of more than 600,000 of donations from supporters. Police probing SNP fraud claims have seized a 110,000 luxury motorhome from ex-chief executive Peter Murrell's mother's house Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly denied that a police investigation involving her husband and hundreds of thousands of pounds in allegedly 'missing' party funds contributed to her shock resignation in February Alex Neil, who served under Ms Sturgeon and predecessor Alex Salmond when they were first ministers, spoke out after it emerged the party's auditor quit six months ago Mr Neil, who backed Mr Yousaf's rival Kate Forbes in the leadership election last month, told BBC Scotland the First Minister had been handed 'a complete bed of nails' A police probe saw Ms Sturgeon's husband, former SNP CEO Peter Murrell, arrested last week Mr Neil said SNP members need to know why accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had resigned from the role and why no one had been told until this week. SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf revealed on Tuesday the firm had quit in 'about October'. Mr Neil, who backed Mr Yousaf's rival Kate Forbes in the leadership election last month, told BBC Scotland the First Minister had been handed 'a complete bed of nails'. 'These difficulties appear to be as a result of mismanagement of the party's finances,' he said. 'We really have to get to the bottom of this. My own view is Humza should bring in special accountants, called forensic accountants, to look at every aspect of party funding and report back to the party at the earliest opportunity. Let's get to the bottom of this, let's get it sorted and move on.' The SNP confirmed Johnston Carmichael had informed the party in September last year it would not be able to carry out the 2023 audit, with the decision coming following a review of its client portfolio. The party contacted alternative firms late last year, but found they were 'experiencing capacity issues' and were unable to take on new clients. The party has now informed watchdogs at the Electoral Commission - which it has to submit accounts to in July - of a 'difficulty in identifying replacement auditors'. News that the auditors had quit emerged just days after Police Scotland officers searched both SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and the home of former first minister Ms Sturgeon and her husband Mr Murrell - who was SNP chief executive until last month. Mr Murrell was arrested by police investigating SNP finances, but was later released without charge pending further inquiries. Mr Yousaf said on Tuesday that appointing new auditors is one of his 'major priorities'. But Mr Neil, who backed rival candidate Kate Forbes in the recent leadership contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon, said: 'We haven't been told why the auditors resigned, we need to know why, what reason was given for them resigning.' Mr Neil also urged Mr Yousaf to bring in a new business convener to replace Kirsten Oswald, and for members of the party's ruling National Executive Committee who had previously opposed reforms to the system of governance to consider their position. He said: 'It's not doing the party any favours, day after day having drip after drip of new information, it is all bad news and I think what Humza needs to do is bring in a new business convener of the party, bring in a new chief executive, and in the meantime get forensic accountants in to tell us the real state of the party's finances.' With Mr Yousaf having already pledged a review of governance and transparency in the SNP, Mr Neil added that this should 'not be carried out by those who have failed in governance in the first place' and 'should be done independently so we get people in who are professional advisers on governance and get our structures right'. Mr Neil continued: 'People who opposed the governance reforms that were put forward, if they are still on the national executive, because this was two or three years ago, I think they should certainly consider their positions.' A devastated friend who watched on in horror as a father and son drowned at a popular waterfall has opened up about the horror ordeal. Sisira Gajanayake, 59, and his son, Themiya Gajanayake, 21, were both pulled from the water unresponsive at Crystal Cascade swimming hole, about 20km west of Cairns in far north Queensland, about 5pm on Tuesday. Tragically Sisira, a bus driver from Dandenong east of Melbourne, died at the scene while Themiya was rushed to hospital but could not be revived. Family friend Nakula Premaratine said the tragedy unfolded when conditions rapidly changed. 'We all went for a swim and then suddenly the water level (went) up and his son jumped in to save him,' he told 9News. 'But unfortunately, they both couldn't be saved.' Fatrher Sisira Gajanayake (pictured left) and son Themiya Gajanayake (pictured right) both died after being pulled unresponsive out of a popular Queensland swimming spot Mr Premaratine was a work friend of Sisira at Melbourne's Ventura bus company and they were part of a group with two other colleagues who had all brought their families on the trip. Sisira was described by Mr Premaratine as a 'very kind-hearted person'. 'He was (always) helping everyone,' he said. 'It's a very big shock for the Sri Lankan community.' Don Ranawaka, another of Sisira's workmates, said just hours before the tragedy the Gajanayakes had taken a family photo with the proud father, mother and their three children. 'The last photo they took as a family, they sent around 12pm,' he said. Mr Ranawaka described Sisira as a 'very good work colleague and very friendly to everyone.' 'We was a very nice, friendly gentleman. A very popular guy. Still no one can believe this happened,' Mr Ranawaka said. 'Even the son is a very outstanding guy, just 21.' Mr Ranawaka said the family was still in Queensland, waiting for the coroner's report before they could take the pair home to Victoria. Just hours before the tragedy Sisira Gajanayake (right centre) posed with his family for this happy holiday shot Tributes for the father and son poured in on Facebook. Jude Fernando described Mr Gajanayake as 'one of the most beautiful, loving brothers for almost 40 years'. 'Heard very shocking news yesterday evening. Good hearted and loving people gone too soon. May the lovely friend and lovely son attain Nibbana,' Mr Fernando posted on Facebook. Friend Jagath Balage said the sudden death was 'very sad'. 'Dear brother Sisira. The sudden demise of you and your beloved son is very sad to us, but brother, goodbye to you and your son,' Mr Balage posted. Ventura Bus company said that Sisira, who had worked there for eight years, was a 'much loved' man. 'We are deeply saddened to lose such a lovely member of the Ventura bus driving team. Sisira has worked for Ventura as a professional driver for over eight years and is much loved by our Sri Lankan employee community,' Ventura managing director Andrew Cornwall said. Emergency services attended the scene at around 5pm on Tuesday (pictured, Queensland Ambulance crews at the scene) The two men were pulled unresponsive from the water at Crystal Cascade Waterfall, about 20km west of Cairns 'Our thoughts are with Sisira's family and his work colleagues from Melbourne that we holidaying with Sisira in Cairns at the time of this awful incident.' Queensland Police said officers were called to the swimming spot in Lamb Range on Tuesday after receiving reports that two men were struggling to get out of the water. Their deaths are not considered as suspicious. A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said a woman was treated for emotional distress before she was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition. Queensland Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner. President Joe Biden on Wednesday unveiled the toughest rules to date for automobile emissions in an effort to push more Americans to purchase expensive electric vehicles. The strict new pollution limits would require 67% of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2032 to be electric, which is about 10 times as many as are currently sold and is far above the president's previous commitment to have EVs make up 50% of cars sold by 2030. But Americans aren't quite sold on the deal, according to a new Gallup poll released on Wednesday, citing the high cost of EVs as the main reason for not purchasing one. The average cost of an EV in 2022 was $64,338 while the average cost of a gas-powered car was significantly lower at $46,000, according to Kelly Blue Book. The new emission rule from the Environmental Protection Agency will impact car model years 2027 through 2032, requiring 13% annual average pollution cuts. 'As a car enthusiast and self-proclaimed car guy, President Biden is seizing the moment,' the White House said in a statement on the new regulations. President Joe Biden announced the toughest new vehicle emissions rules in the US to date - above Biden in an F150 electric truck in Michigan in May 2021 Electronic vehicle purchases almost doubled in 2022 from previous years, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates, but still remain only 5.8% of total automobile sales up from 3.2% in 2021. The Gallup survey reflected those figures, with 41% of Americans saying they would not buy an EV and only 4% currently owning one. The poll also found that 60% of respondents don't even think EVs help combat climate change. There are also concerns about whether there are enough charging stations. and the fact they are less efficient. Gas vehicles average a range of 403 miles compared to the 234-mile range EVs, according to the Department of Energy. Meanwhile, the White House has set aside $5 billion from the infrastructure law to help states build a network of EV charging stations. However, the Biden administration claims momentum is on their side. 'Cars and truck manufacturers have made clear that the future of transportation is electric,' the White House said. 'The market is moving.' Some Republicans were critical of the plan. 'It will make cars much more expensive for every American,' Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee wrote on Twitter. And Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina fumed: 'The Biden Administrations proposed rule is an outrageous regulatory overreach and an underhanded attempt to force all Americans to adopt their woke liberal agenda.' Americans cite the high cost of electric vehicles and the lack of charging stations as reasons they don't want to purchase one EPA Administrator Michael Regan touted the environmental benefits of its new emissions rule Biden's new emissions rule doesn't require a specific amount of EVs to be sold every year. But its pollution standards for cars and trucks would force the auto industry to sell more EVs in order to meet the emissions requirement. John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents large U.S. and foreign automakers, questioned the EPA's goal. 'Yes, America's transition to an electric and low-carbon transportation future is well underway,' he said in a statement. 'E.V. and battery manufacturing is ramping up across the country because automakers have self-financed billions to expand vehicle electrification. 'It's also true that EPA's proposed emissions plan is aggressive by any measure. 'Remember this: A lot has to go right for this massive and unprecedented change in our automotive market and industrial base to succeed,' he said. Auto companies had already pledged to get behind Biden's original proposal to have EVs make up 50% of cars sold by 2030. In 2021, General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NV voluntarily agreed to a target of between 40% and 50% of their annual U.S. vehicle sales to be electric by the 2030 deadline. But car makers have expressed concern about the lack of a charging infrastructure and the supply of necessary minerals to make batteries for the EVs. Still, the administration is focused on the environmental effect of the new regulation. The EPA projects its new standards would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of carbon emissions through 2055, equivalent to more than twice the total U.S. carbon emissions in 2022. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said it was 'the strongest-ever federal pollution standards for cars and trucks.' 'Together, these actions will accelerate the ongoing transition to a clean vehicles future, tackle the climate crisis and improve our air quality for communities across the country,' he said. Vehicle-emissions are the largest source of green-house gas in the United States. Biden has pledged to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by the end of the decade and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. A heartbreaking photo of Kaylee Goncalves laughing and smiling with friends shortly before her murder was found inside her car. The Goncalves family posted the photo strip to their Facebook page on Good Friday, revealing they found the precious photos tucked away in the 'inside door pocket' of Kaylee's car after recently getting the vehicle back. The four photos were taken on November 6 at Silver Lake Mall - exactly one week before Kaylee, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were brutally murdered inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13. Kaylee is seen smiling and making funny faces inside the photo booth as the trio of girls looked carefree and happy. In a video posted to Blababooth.com the girls, two who are unidentified, are seen being silly as they decide what faces to make at the camera. The border of their photo strip reads: Best Friends Forever. The Goncalves family posted the photo strip to their Facebook page on Good Friday, revealing they found the precious photos tucked away in the 'inside door pocket' of Kaylee's car after recently getting the vehicle back. The border of their photo strip read: Best Friends Forever Suspect Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested on December 30 by a SWAT team at his parents' home in Pennsylvania for the quadruple murder and is currently being held in Idaho. It was recently revealed by a source that he had multiple photos of one of the victims on his phone Another, Jazmine Dillion, wrote: 'Love in its purest form. You raised winners and Kaylee being one of them, shes forever cheering you all on from up above.' Corinne Hiles wrote: 'Thats the best treasures to find, truly.' Kristina Robinson wrote: 'So bittersweet for you to find this. My prayers and heart thinks of your family daily.' One user, Hunter Nordquist, said Kaylee 'sent [her family] a love note from Heaven!' On December 30, a SWAT team arrested suspect Bryan Kohberger, 28, at his parents' home in Pennsylvania for the quadruple murder and he is currently being held in Idaho. It has recently been revealed that he had multiple images of one of his alleged female victims on his phone when it was searched by cops. The source did not tell People which of the girls was in the pictures, and Moscow Police have not yet revealed a motive for the brutal crime. The four photos were taken on November 6 at Silver Lake Mall - exactly one week before Kaylee, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were brutally murdered inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13 Kaylee is seen smiling and making funny faces inside the photo booth as the trio looked carefree and happy The photos show the girls being silly as they decide what faces to make at the camera The family received an outpouring of support, including one message that said that Kaylee was telling the family: 'I'm still here' It is not clear if the images found on the device were photos that Kohberger had taken himself or if they were downloaded from her social media, and if they were taken before or after the quadruple-slaying. Investigators have remained tight-lipped over the potential motive, but revealed in an affidavit that Kohberger had visited the area of the home in Moscow 'several times'. He is even alleged to have returned to the scene of the crime at 9am on November 13 - just hours after police believe he committed the quadruple murder. The documents say that the criminal justice graduate stalked the property at least 12 times. His phone was taken by officers shortly after a SWAT team swooped on his family home in Pennsylvania, where FBI officials saw him taking out the trash wearing surgical gloves. Many took to social media to say the photos were a 'love note from Heaven' and that it was the 'best treasure' to find Kohberger was tracked to the area of the home in the months leading up to the deaths by his phone, but officials have yet to confirm how he became aware of the students in the first place. The affidavit states that police made 'efforts to determine if Kohberger stalked any of the victims' before the killings. It added that they looked into if he 'conducted surveillance on the King Road Residents and was in contact with any of the victim's associates before or after the alleged offence.' However, it does not elaborate how the students came to be on the radar of the Washington State University PhD student simply that he had stalked them for a period of time in the 'early morning and late evenings.' It comes after allegations that Kohberger was fired from his teaching assistant position at WSU after 'inappropriate' behavior with female students. A report in the New York Times claims that he followed at least one student to her car, with pals remembering him as a 'creepy' loner. Kohberger is expected to enter a plea in the case on June 26, around the same time as the presentation of evidence. He is charged with four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary and waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing in January. Joe Biden appeared 'dismissive' towards Rishi Sunak when they met at an airport in Belfast last night before their 'frosty awkwardness' at a staged photoshoot today, a body language expert has said. Judi James said the president placed a 'hard, steering hand' on Mr Sunak to ease him aside after the PM greeted him on the tarmac at Belfast International Airport for the start of his visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. She told MailOnline: 'Sunak performed what is called an ingratiating ''act of inconvenience'' by waiting on the windswept tarmac to greet Biden keenly the minute his feet touched the ground. 'This ritual is a statement of respect that Biden would understand perfectly: the higher the rank of his own guests the further outside the White House he emerges to wait to greet them. 'In Sunak's case though, the compliment seemed to get brushed to one side, along with the PM. Did Biden even recognize Sunak? Joe Biden placed a 'hard steering hand' on Rishi Sunak to move him aside when they met at Belfast International Airport last night, according to body language expert Judi James Ms James said that after the initial greeting Mr Sunak went on to be 'gently sidelined' 'Was it because he looked different wearing his glasses? Because the hard, steering hand Biden seemed to place on Rishi's arm appeared to push him firmly out of the way for Biden to greet and throw a smiling salute at a man in uniform.' Ms James said that after the initial greeting Mr Sunak went on to be 'gently sidelined'. She said: 'He was like the guest that can't quite break into the main group at a party. Biden's body language was warm, effusive and chatty with people like the US ambassador to the UK, but when Sunak seems to touch his arm to speak, Biden's expression changes and his smile drops as he turns his head to listen. 'Biden's touch rituals with Sunak look more like power-pats and at the end he even places a hand on his shoulder as though to draw a close to his conversation.' This morning, the pair sat down for a brief meeting over tea at a hotel in Belfast, with both men sitting awkwardly while photographers snapped photos of the occasion. Analysing the meeting, Ms James said: 'All leadership photo-shoots are manufactured but the main aim is to create a body language announcement signal that shows the rest of the world the state of the relationship between the two countries and even the two leaders themselves. 'This ''announcement'' from Biden then, seemed to be a declaration of frosty awkwardness. He looked detached, with no smile, eye contact, touch or exchanged chatter for Rishi despite the rather quaint and presumably friendly tea-room setting. 'His mind looked as empty as the plates and cups on the table, although he was happy to indulge in some good-natured banter with the photographers, while Rishi sat nervously pretending to sip invisible tea from an empty cup. 'The real test of a world leadership relationship tends to come during the last, telling few moments of these staged photo-calls, when the photographers have been told to leave. 'As they were ushered away here there was not one glance, word or connection between Biden and Sunak despite the fact they could at that point drop the fake smiles and relax a bit.' This morning, the pair sat down for a brief meeting over tea at a hotel in Belfast, with both men sitting awkwardly while photographers snapped photos of the occasion Analysing the meeting, Ms James said: 'All leadership photo-shoots are manufactured but the main aim is to create a body language announcement signal that shows the rest of the world the state of the relationship between the two countries and even the two leaders themselves' Ms James said the exchange was the 'most telling moment' when it came to understanding the relationship between Mr Biden and Mr Sunak. 'Even world leaders who are at loggerheads will often engage in some friendlier chatting once the official poses are over but Biden looked almost oblivious of Sunak's existence here right up to the end of the clip,' she said. 'He sat throughout with his legs crossed away from Sunak in a gesture of subliminal rejection, sitting back with his elbows on the arms of the chair and a blank facial expression.' It comes as Mr Biden played up his English roots today as he tried to counter claims he is 'anti-British' during a speech at Ulster University. In a rambling anecdote, he described how a former US ambassador to the UK had discovered that one of his ancestors wrote the rules of mutiny for the British navy in the 1800s. The body language expert said Mr Sunak looked prepared to 'spin some kind of bonhomie' but Mr Biden 'didn't want to play ball' Close ups of the two leaders smiling at the camera during the photoshoot Mr Biden - who has frequently trumpeted his Irish heritage' - said that other parts of his family were from Nottingham, quipping that he 'doesn't know what the hell is going on here'. The comments came after Mr Biden and Rishi Sunak held talks over tea at a hotel this morning. He praised the 'leadership' of Mr Sunak and the EU's Ursula von der Leyen in striking the Windsor Framework for post-Brexit rules in the province, suggesting it could unlock more US investment. However, hopes that the visit could help break the deadlock at Stormont have dwindled - with the DUP slamming the 'extremely partisan' president for 'hating Britain' after he trumpeted his Irish roots. Mr Biden only 'greeted' the leaders of the main Northern Ireland political parties, before giving a speech and immediately heading over the border to the Republic, where he will spend the next three days. AIRPORT MEETING: The American President was seen in conversation with Mr Sunak Mr Biden was also greeted by US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley (centre). To his right was United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III Biden and Sunak were all smiles as they spoke to each other at Belfast International And despite fledgling signs of a thaw in relations after the Windsor Framework eased the row with the EU over post-Brexit rules in the province, US officials made clear the leaders would not even talk about reviving a trade package. Mr Sunak said the countries were 'very close partners and allies' and they had a 'very good discussion' about economic opportunities in Northern Ireland. 'That comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US, I'm seeing him again next month at the G7 and then I'm going to Washington in June; we're very close partners and allies, we co-operate on a range of things, whether that's supporting Ukraine or economic security,' he said. 'I think actually the relationship is in great shape, and the President and I have lots that we're working on together.' Sir Keir Starmer today insisted 'nobody is targeting the Prime Minister's wife', hours after Labour published an election advert critics said was targeting the Prime Minister's wife. The Opposition leader said that a series of highly personal ads the party has released this week were 'highlighting the failures' of the Tory Government. It comes after Labour MPs and high-profile supporters questioned the wisdom of the line of attack. Previous ads in the series accused the PM of being soft on sentencing child sex attackers and gun crime. The most recent ad, posted yesterday, said: 'Do you think it's right to raise taxes for working people when your family benefitted from a tax loophole? Rishi Sunak does.' Featuring a picture of Mr Sunak in the same style as the earlier ads, it said the Conservatives 'have raised taxes 24 times since 2019' while refusing to 'close the non-dom tax loophole' for foreign residents in the UK. Ms Murty was revealed last year to hold the special tax status, reportedly saving her millions, but has since said she will pay UK taxes on all her worldwide income. During a visit to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: 'Nobody is targeting the Prime Minister's wife. Sir Keir Starmer's latest attack advert blasted Akshata Murty's use of non-dom tax status while living in Downing Street at the same time millions of Britons were struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Ms Murty, whose father is an Indian billionaire, sparked uproar last year when it was revealed that she legally held non-dom tax status while living with the then Chancellor in No11. She later agreed to start paying full UK taxes. The Opposition leader (pictured today with Rachel Reeves in Great Yarmouth) said that a series of highly personal ads the party has released this week were 'highlighting the failures' of the Tory Government. 'Behind these adverts is a basic truth - that they have broken our criminal justice system, broken our NHS, and broken our economy.' The Labour leader has stood firmly behind the campaign despite criticism from senior figures in his party and accusations of 'gutter politics'. During a visit to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: 'I make no apologies for highlighting the failures of this Government. 'They've broken our NHS, they've broken our economy. And this argument that because they've changed prime minister five times, that somehow the prime minister doesn't bear responsibility for 13 years of grief for many, many people, I just don't think stacks up.' Ms Murty, whose father is an Indian billionaire, sparked uproar last year when it was revealed that she legally held non-dom tax status while living with the then Chancellor in No11. She later agreed to start paying full UK taxes. The initial ad, which accused the Prime Minister of not wanting child sex abusers to go to prison, caused unease among the shadow Cabinet. Labour is hoping to benefit in England's May 4 local elections as the Tories continue to lag far behind in national polls. But the Tories hit back over the ad, accusing Labour of 'the height of hypocrisy' amid questions over Sir Keir's pension from his time as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Last month it was revealed Sir Keir has a unique pension deal that allows him to avoid tax on his savings, despite being a vocal critic of the Government's pensions shake-up for big earners. Sir Keir criticised Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Budget plan to abolish the tax-free limit on pensions savings, which had stood at 1.07 million, describing it as a 'huge giveaway to some of the very wealthiest'. But he was himself exempt from tax rules he would apply to other workers who save more than 1 million, under a special arrangement with the Government from his time as Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales between 2008 and 2013. He has vowed to remove his own exemption if he comes to power. The initial ad, which accused the Prime Minister of not wanting child sex abusers to go to prison, caused unease among the shadow Cabinet. The Twitter post highlighted analysis of official data and said that, under the Tories, '4,500 adults convicted of sexually assaulting children under-16 served no prison time'. It shared a photo of the Prime Minister alongside the words: 'Do you think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn't.' Senior figures including former home secretary Lord David Blunkett called for it to be withdrawn, saying Labour is better than 'gutter' politics. Prosecutors told the court their mother, Reyham, P, 44, knew about the plot A German father who survived serious injuries in a machete attack by a teenage girl allegedly hired by his sons to kill him has said he forgives them and hopes they get a light sentence, so they can be reunited. The two boys, identified only as Arhat, 15, and Firat, 16, hired a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Eileen O, to carry out the murder, a court heard. The pair apparently believed their father, a 55-year-old kiosk owner, deserved to die because he would not grant their mother, Reyham, P., 44, a divorce, and because of domestic violence. The father allegedly hit and kicked his wife on April 5 last year. In the same month, she moved to Berlin with her younger son, Arhat, while Firat stayed with his father, German outlet Bild reported. In Berlin, classmate and friend Eileen O was reportedly ready to kill the hated father with a machete for money paid to her by his two sons. Two German teenage boys (one pictured above) are on trial for allegedly hiring a 14-year-old girl to murder their own father Their father, 55, said he forgives his sons (one pictured above) and hopes they get the lightest possible sentence After the boys hired the girl, she and Arhat are said to have travelled from Berlin to the town where the father lived: Herne, in the state of Rhine-Westphalia, in northwest Germany near Dusseldorf. They apparently stayed at the Zur Post hotel, but headed over to the family home in the middle of night on October 24 last year. The court heard how Firat opened the door and let the hired killer in while his father was sleeping in bed, and the girl sneaked into his room to carry out the attack at 4.40am. The father suffered deep head wounds and lost a finger as he fought for his life, but managed to survive the brutal attack. The girl then fled and Arhat hid, a prosecutor said. In hospital later, doctors treated the numerous face cuts and sewed the severed finger back on. Prosecutors told the court in the nearby town of Bochum how the children's mother knew about the plan, but did nothing to stop it. Prosecutor Danyal Maibaum, 47, said: 'As agreed, Firat opened the door after making sure that the father was sleeping and that no resistance was to be expected from him. Prosecutors told the court how the boys' mother Reyham (pictured above) knew about the plot but did nothing to stop it. The attack took place in Herne in the state of Rhine-Westphalia, in northwest Germany near Dusseldorf and the border with the Netherlands 'The victim woke up and fought off the blows. He lost a finger in the process. The killer fled, son Arhat hid.' Ismail Kilicli, 53, who is representing the father in the process, said: 'My client is a living corpse. He would rather have died. He thought he had a loving relationship with his sons. He can't explain the act at all.' Despite his ordeal, the victim says he still loves his sons and hopes for the lightest possible sentence. The teens have all been charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and assisting in attempted murder. The trial for the two boys started on April 4 and is ongoing, while the 14-year-old girl who allegedly carried out the attack is to be tried separately in Berlin. The boys' mother is facing potential charges of aiding and abetting and attempted murder. Also on trial is a friend called Karim S., 22, who, according to the investigation, wanted to take over the murder for 4,000 (3,519). He even offered to get a Desert Eagle semi-automatic pistol, according to Bild. Also on trial is Karim, S. (pictured above), who allegedly wanted to take over the murder for 4,000 (3,519) The brothers and friend are currently being held in custody, while the mother has been released subject to conditions. Meanwhile, the 14-year-old girl is currently on bail in Berlin, as the public prosecutor sees no risk of absconding. She is to be tried in the capital, as the place of residence of underage suspects is considered the trial location. All potentially face long prison sentences. A gunman accused of two deadly shootings over Easter was out on bail following his arrest for the attempted murder of three policemen. Sickening footage allegedly showed Messiah Nantwi, 21, shooting Brandon Bunson, 36, in the head and neck in a smoke shop in Harlem on Sunday. It came just hours after Nantwi allegedly fatally shot Jaylen Duncan, 19, on Saturday afternoon, about half-a-mile away. It has now emerged that the reputed gang member was out on bail after first being arrested in February 2021 for pulling a .22-caliber pistol on three cops who had tried to bust him for spray-painting graffiti in the Bronx. He was charged with three counts of first and second-degree attempted murder and initially held without bail. But Acting Bronx Supreme Court Justice David L. Lewis allowed his family to post bond, freeing Nantwi in mid-2021. Messiah Nantwi, 21, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday after he was arrested for shooting a patron of a smoke shop in the head His trial in the case is still pending. Brunsons mother, Gwendolyn Brunson, slammed the authorities for allowing Nantwi back on the streets. You shot at a cop; you supposedly killed someone, she said. Why was this person not in jail? It blows my mind. It comes amid a row over New York's bail laws, which have been blamed for allowing deadly criminals to roam the streets. Despite originally being held without bail, Justice Lewis ordered Nantwi to be held on $500,000 bail at his March arraignment, records show. The Bronx District Attorney objected, but the judge pushed forward and even reduced his bail to $300,000 - again despite prosecutors objections. Nantwis family posted the required 10 per cent to free him. In-store footage of the Harlem smoke shop shooting appears to show Brunson having a conversation with Nantwi. Seconds later, Brunson raises a hand towards Nantwi on his way out of the shop, before Nantwi pulls a gun out of his pocket and shoots him. The stricken Brunson struggles to get up before Nantwi shoots him a second time. The killer reaches into the victim's pockets before the video ends. Police do not believe Nantwi knew Brunson. Surveillance footage of Nantwi in the Harlem smoke shop moments before he shot dead Brandon Bunson in cold blood Bunson's killing came just hours after Nantwi had allegedly fatally shot a 19-year-old in a gangland assassination NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said Tuesday that Nantwi had earlier assassinated Duncan, who belonged to a rival gang. Essig said Nantwi is thought to be a member of Harlems OTN Goodfellas gang, which has been known to terrorize the neighborhood while trafficking guns. Police said they recognized Nantwi from video and linked shell casings to both killings. He was arrested when cops spotted him riding a CitiBike during a video canvas on 115th Street and Lenox Avenue on Monday night. Police found the handgun allegedly used in both murders close by, they said. Nantwi has been charged with murder in both cases. He was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday. New York bail laws have been repeatedly slammed as soft-on-crime as it is the only state where judges cannot assess a defendants dangerousness when setting bail. Instead, judges must choose the least restrictive means to ensure a defendant returns to court. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been accused of a soft-on-crime approach that has allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets Although crime is currently the same rate as last year, many New Yorkers remember the times during the pandemic where crimes were rampant and left many in fear New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed doing away with this standard for some serious charges, allowing judges to set a higher bail based on whether they felt a defendant posed a threat. The laws would allow cops and judges to bypass Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who has been widely criticized for his soft-on-crime stance, which involves only applying cash bonds in the most serious cases. Hochul has previously blasted Bragg for going soft after he released without bail a man who terrorized McDonalds patrons with an ax. She has also personally intervened in a case to ensure a registered sex offender who sucker-punched a man into a coma would remain in jail despite the Bronx DAs office initially charging him with only a misdemeanor. Bragg in February backtracked on his soft-on-crime approach when he sent out a memo to all his staff making it clear that any crime involving a firearm would be prosecuted as a felony reversing the stance he took just a month ago. More than one in five Americans has been threatened by a gun, and most families have been rocked by some type of firearm violence, says an alarming survey about the prevalence of guns in everyday life. Mass shootings, like the gunman who murdered five coworkers at his bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, are still relatively rare, but the new survey by health nonprofit KFF lays bare just how common gun violence has become. About a fifth of adults says they've been threatened with a firearm, and similar numbers say a family member has been either killed or injured by guns, including those who turn the weapons on themselves. Everytown, a group of survivors of firearm violence that campaigns for tighter restrictions on gun ownership, said the results showed how everyday Americans needlessly live in fear in a country awash with firearms. 'We are a nation of survivors, but we shouldn't have to be,' the group posted on social media. The new survey by health nonprofit KFF lays bare just how common gun violence has become Mass shooters, like the carnage this week in Louisville, Kentucky, attract a lot of headlines. The KFF survey shows how stick ups and other more common incidents have become a fact of life for millions of Americans. Pictured: a fight inside a bodega in the Bronx, New York City 'No other country is forced to tolerate this much collective trauma as a result of gun violence.' The KFF survey of 1,271 adults last month found that a majority (54 percent) have either personally or had a family member who had witnessed a shooting, or been threatened, injured or killed by a gun. Most Americans (84 percent) have taken at least one precaution to protect themselves or their family from gun violence including talking to relatives about gun violence, avoiding crowds and buying alternative weapons, such as a knife or pepper spray. Guns have a bigger impact on black and brown Americans, who experience higher rates of shootings than whites and are many times more likely to say they worry 'every day' about being shot themselves than whites. About four in ten adults report having a gun in their household. More than half say it's stored in the same location as its ammunition. In many cases, the weapon is kept unlocked and one-third said the weapon was loaded and ready to fire. Poll Do you support tighter gun restrictions in your area? Yes No Not sure Do you support tighter gun restrictions in your area? Yes 3 votes No 0 votes Not sure 0 votes Now share your opinion Jennifer Mascia, who analyses America's violence crisis for The Trace, a nonprofit, called this a 'startling finding.' 'Overall, three in ten adults are irresponsibly storing their firearms,' she posted on social media. The findings come amid a recent wave of gun violence. On Monday, a gunman opened fire at the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville, killing at least five people and injuring nine others, police said. Six adults and six nine-year-olds were killed last month when a shooter entered a Christian school in Nashville and began firing. There have been at least 146 mass shootings so far this year, says the Gun Violence Archive, leaving more than 200 people dead and hundreds more injured. Three in ten gun owners 'irresponsibly' store their weapon loaded with bullets, says Jennifer Mascia, who analyses America's violence crisis for The Trace, a nonprofit Connor Sturgeon, 25, is seen on surveillance video walking armed through Old National Bank on the morning he shot and killed five people in downtown Louisville Deindra Bailey writes a message on a cross at the Old National Bank on Tuesday, after the deadly shooting in Louisville, Kentucky Campaigners have called for greater restrictions on guns, but there's strong opposition to gun control from many Americans, who warn against restricting a right that's enshrined in the US Constitution Within the first 24 days of 2023, the country saw some 39 mass shootings. The US witnessed nearly 49,000 gun-related deaths in 2021, says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a jump of about 23 percent over two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. Guns are now the leading cause of death among children and teens, surpassing car accidents in 2020. This makes the US an outlier in the developed world, where children are rarely killed by guns. The number of children and teens being killed by gunfire jumped 50 percent between 2019 and 2021, leaving nearly half of US parents scared that a bullet will kill their offspring, Pew Research Center says. Campaigners have called for greater restrictions on guns, including background checks on those buying weapons, and tougher rules on how weapons must be stored to reduce the chances of accidents. But there's strong opposition to gun control from many Americans, who warn against restricting a right that's enshrined in the US Constitution. A new safety warning has been issued over e-bikes and e-scooters following two house fires in London over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned of the dangers these vehicles pose, urging Brits to be careful about how they charge and store them, as devastating pictures show aftermaths of house fires caused by e-bikes. This comes after the fire service was called to a semi-detached house in Dalston, east London, in the early hours of Sunday 9 April, when a charging e-bike set alight. The staircase was damaged in the blaze as a man had to be rescued from the first floor, and was treated for smoke inhalation as the bike blocked an escape route. The second blaze broke out the following day on the ground floor of a three-storey house in Streatham, south London, as two men were led to safety by firefighters. Aftermath of fire caused by e-bike in Shepherds Bush, London. E-bikes and e-scooters are at their most risky when their lithium batteries are charging, as during this period the batteries are most likely to fail Remnants of e-bike after it combusted in Wapping, London. On average in 2023, the LFB has been called to an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days Aftermath of fire caused by e-bike in High Road, Tottenham, London. A blaze or explosion can also occur if there a battery is overheated or overcharged Luckily a woman and three children managed to leave the house before the crews arrived as the LFB took about an hour to tame the flames. Following the latest two incidents, fire chiefs have issued an urgent warning about the charging and storing of e-bikes and scooters. Speaking about the two incidents, LFB Deputy Commissioner Dom Ellis said: 'Investigators believe a converted e-bike caught fire at the house in Dalston and we understand the bike's batteries were purchased online second-hand. 'The bike was on charge at the time and due to where it was being charged, blocked an escape route and a man had to be rescued by our firefighters via a short extension ladder. 'It is vital that you never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. And the only way to be sure of a legal, safe and reliable e-bike is to buy one in complete form, from a trusted and reputed retailer. 'Meanwhile, at the incident on Barrow Road, a smoking e-scooter was moved by an occupant from a room to a communal area of the house where the fire then spread. 'Moving the scooter significantly increased the risk to everyone inside the house and reaffirms our advice which is if you suspect there is a fire involving these types vehicles, leave it, shut the door, get out and call 999.' The fire brigade has attended over 158 e-bike and e-scooter fires from the start of 2022 to March 2023 - resulting in 78 injuries and some fatalities. This means that on average in 2023, the LFB has been called to an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days. This is a 60 per cent increase in the rate of fires, compared to the same period last year. Sofia Duarte, 21, died on New Year's Day after a converted e-bike battery burst into flames in the entrance of her flat, blocking the fire escape routes. Pictured is the e-bike that set on fire Remnants of e-scooter after it combusted in Callender Road, Erith, London. Fires caused by e-bikes and e-scooters continue to run rampant in London after two more incidents related to e-scooter or e-bike fires took place over the Easter bank holiday In 2022, the London Fire Brigade attended 87 e-bike and 29 e-scooter fires - a total of 116 fires. And according to the fire brigade, most people injured in these fires are in their 20s. They added that fires are also more likely to occur in homes where multiple adults are living together without children. Devastating pictures show what little is left of homes following three house fires caused by electric bikes in London, in Shepherds Bush, Wapping and Tottenham. Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal in public places in London, but are not illegal to purchase. E-bikes and e-scooters are at their most risky when their lithium batteries are charging, as during this period the batteries are most likely to fail. Lithium batteries also store a significant amount of energy in a very small space. This means that they are much more powerful compared to other types of batteries. Therefore, the LFB has warned that if energy is released in an uncontrolled way a fire or explosion can occur. A blaze or explosion can also occur if there a battery is overheated or overcharged. And while cheaper batteries are available to buy online, they do not always adhere to the UK's safety regulations and are more likely to present an increased fire risk. DIY installations can also lead to damage of the kit, experts have warned. On New year's Day, Sofia Duarte, 21, died after a converted e-bike battery burst into flames in the entrance of her London flat. The devastating incident led her mother to urge people to take care with e-scooters and e-bikes. Maria Frasquilho Macarro said: 'Sofia loved life, she loved to party and she enjoyed her job working behind the bar at a nightclub. Now all I have left is my daughter's ashes. 'I really want to make sure her death is not in vain and if I can raise awareness about the dangers of e-bikes and lithium batteries then there will be a positive in this. 'If we can save someone else's life, I will take great comfort in that because at the moment I am hurting - I don't want others to suffer as much as I have done. 'Sofia meant the world to me and my family. I don't know how to live without her. It feels like a nightmare and I can't wake up.' Following this, the LFB have set up the #ChargeSafe campaign, which aims to highlight the fire risks associated with lithium batteries. As part of the campaign, the brigade outlined safety tips for e-bike and e-scooter users. These include: urging people not to block escape routes, check the battery and charger meets UK safety standards and always use the correct and official charger from a reputable seller. Experts have also warned people never to modify or tamper with their battery and let the battery cool before charging. Brits have also been advised that they should unplug the charger once it's finished charging and fit alarms wherever they may charge. London Fire Brigade is also partnering with delivery companies like Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats to provide safety information to their drivers about the risks of e-bike fires, as part of the campaign. Wives and daughters of Russian oligarchs have had their assets frozen and been hit with travel bans by the UK for helping hide wealth from sanctions [prompted by the Ukraine war. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced new penalties targeting those who knowingly assisted the oligarchs as they scrambled to hide their assets in complex financial networks. Among those sanctioned are the wife and daughter of billionaire Vladimir Evtushenkov - the largest shareholder in Russian IT company Sistema. Also targeted in the new sanctions is Oksana Marchenko, the wife of key Putin ally Victor Medvedchuk, and owner of multiple luxury properties in Crimea. The TV star, and friend of Putin, has previously begged for the release of her husband from a Ukrainian prison on video. These 'financial fixers' have been hit with asset freezes, travel bans, transport sanctions and trust services sanctions, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. The glamorous wives and daughters of Russian oligarchs have been slapped with sanctions for helping shield their wealth from sanctions (pictured: Oksana Marchenko, who hosted X-Factor Ukraine) Oksana Marchenko has previously begged the release of her husband from a Ukrainian prison on video The new measures will affect Gulnara Kerimova, the daughter of Putin-linked oligarch Suleyman Kerimov, who holds four luxury villas in France on behalf of her father. The penalties have also hit Tatiana Evtushenkova, who has been the acting director of firm Redline Capital which is owned by her father, Vladimir Evtushenkov. Billionaire Vladimir Evtushenkov owned a company which reportedly supplied Putin's forces with drones used for deadly bombing raids in Ukraine and until last 2021 owned key Russian defence contractor RTI. The financial sanctions extend to Natalia Evtushenkov, wife of Vladimir Evtushenkov, who holds board positions in banks and other companies in which her husband owns stakes including MTS Bank. She is also on the board of directors for Telecomms company Instacom International, which is owned by her husband. Sanctions also have hit Felix Evtushenkov, whose father Vladimir transferred 10 per cent of shares in Russian conglomerate Sistema to Felix at the time of his own designation, bringing Vladimirs stake to below 50 per cent. Nariman Gadzhiev acts as the beneficial owner of a series of shell companies connected to Kerimov. A company linked to Gadzhiev was found to be transferring hundreds of millions of dollars to companies linked to his uncle Kerimov. Tatiana Evtushenkova has been hit by sanctions - she has been the acting director of firm Redline Capital which is owned by her father, Vladimir Evtushenkov Natalia Evtushenkov, wife of Evtushenkov, holds board positions in banks and other companies in which her husband owns stakes including MTS Bank Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, a close ally of Vladimir Putin and a former shareholder in Arsenal FC, are subject to the sanctions. Among them are Cypriots Demetris Ioannides, who set up offshore structures used by Abramovich to stow away more than 760million before being sanctioned, and lawyer Christodoulos Vassiliades, who helped Usmanov with trusts and offshore companies. Companies linked to Usmanov, including USM, Curzon Square Limited, and Hanley Limited, have also been sanctioned. Mr Cleverly said: 'We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war. 'There's no place to hide. We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden. 'Together with our international partners, the UK will continue to crack down on those who are supporting the war. We won't stop until Putin does.' She had been facing eviction from home A woman who was brutally murdered on Easter Sunday was thousands of dollars in debt and facing possible eviction from her home in western Sydney. Erin Gilbert's money and housing troubles have been laid bare in court documents which detail her legal battles with two landlords. The 42-year-old was found dead amid a gruesome and bloody scene at her apartment just before midnight. There is no suggestion Ms Gilbert's financial problems were linked to her death. It is understood her husband Nicholas Gilbert found her body on a bed inside the home they shared. Erin Gilbert (pictured) was found dead in her Merrylands apartment on Easter Sunday Court documents reveal Ms Gilbert had money trouble at the time of her death He told 9 News it looked like his wife was choking on blood when he found her on her back in the bedroom. The 38-year-old said he tried to resuscitate Ms Gilbert and give her CPR but she was already dead. He was questioned by police and released without charge. Police confirmed the couple only moved to the area around seven months ago, but court documents show it was long enough for the Gilberts to become embroiled in two legal battles over housing. The documents reveal the married couple were fighting their previous and current landlord over thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. Two court orders from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal direct the Gilberts to pay more than a total $8850 in overdue rent to their landlords. Ms Gilbert and her husband Nicholas were ordered to pay back thousands of dollars in rent In October, the couple were evicted from their home on Victoria Rd in Parramatta after they breached their tenancy agreement by failing to pay more than $7780 in rent. Only a few months later, the Gilberts were ordered to pay the outstanding rent of more than $1060 on their current home in Merrylands. Ms Gilbert was found dead in that apartment only days after the court mandate was handed down. She and her husband had been facing eviction by July if they didn't meet their rental repayments. It is understood bedsheets, a doona, and a sock were all found stained with blood at the grisly crime scene Specialist forensic police examined the blood spattered apartment on Monday, where they took swabs of the metal balcony railing and the inside of the unit's doorway. It's understood bedsheets, a doona, and a sock were all found stained with blood at the grisly crime scene. The group of officers, dressed in blue hazmat suits, sealed a number of items from the home into brown evidence bags as uniformed officers watched on. One bag was marked 'mascara found next to deceased on bed in bedroom', and stacked against the wall of the unit block with at least five others. Police have now launched a major manhunt to find Ms Gilbert's killers. Mr Gilbert told 9 News he was devastated by the loss of his 'better half'. 'She just completed me, everything about her I miss,' he said. 'She finished my sentences when I struggled with words.' London Mayor Sadiq Khan's proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) is under threat after the High Court today ruled a challenge can go to trial. Five councils who launched the legal battle - Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Surrey - have been given permission to proceed with their case for judicial review. The Ulez zone currently covers the area inside the North and South Circular roads, but the Mayor intends to expand it across all of Greater London on August 29. However, this could now be under threat - with a trial set to be heard in July. One Conservative MP hailed today's decision as a 'significant step forward' in the protest. The five councils succeeded in moving the case forward after the High Court ruled that two of the allegations raised have enough evidence to proceed to trial. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) currently covers the area inside the North and South Circular roads, but the Mayor intends to expand it across all of Greater London on August 29 London Mayor Sadiq Khan, pictured at Piccadilly in London on March 21, has claimed Nazis have infiltrated demonstrations against his expansion of the Ulez to all of Greater London These are that there was a failure to follow statutory procedures, and a failure to consider the potential for inclusion of non-Londoners in a new scrappage scheme. Nick Rogers, City Hall Conservatives transport spokesman, told MailOnline: 'The High Court has now ruled there is sufficient evidence that Sadiq Khan's Ulez decision may have been unlawful. 'The Mayor clearly does not have the legal grounds to proceed with his Ulez tax plans, which take money from charities, small businesses and low-income Londoners who cannot afford a new car. Sadiq Khan should do the right thing, immediately stop work on his Ulez expansion, and explain his actions to the court.' Under the policy, owners of non-compliant vehicles are charged 12.50 a day to drive inside the zone. The plan has proven hugely controversial amid claims it does little to improve air quality and will have a dire impact on families and tradespeople who need cars. Even some London Labour MPs have opposed it, warning it could price key workers and others who rely on their vehicles out of the city. Gareth Bacon, the Conservative MP for Orpington, said today: 'While the full legal case is still to be fought, today's decision is a significant step forward.' He added: 'Sadiq Khan arrogantly dismissed this legal challenge like he ignored outer Londoners' concerns during the consultation. Protesters demonstrate against the expansion of Ulez on Whitehall in London on March 18 'He was wrong to do so, and this should be a wake-up call. He still has time to cancel Ulez expansion and spare residents his 12.50 daily road tax.' Louie French, Tory MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, tweeted that the decision by the High Court was a 'big first win!', adding: '#Khanmustgo.' The five boroughs launched the judicial review on February 16, following the announcement by Transport for London last November that Ulez would expand. The first point of challenge relating to 'statutory procedures' has looked at how the Mayor wants to expand Ulez by varying the existing scheme. This was being done under Schedule 23 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 which allows the making of 'charging schemes'. However, the councils said that though this allows such a scheme to be changed, the proposed changes are so big that they amount to an entirely new scheme. The second point relates to the proposed 110million scrappage scheme, which provides financial assistance to help eligible Londoners scrap their highest-polluting vehicles to prepare for the Ulez expansion. The councils claimed details of the scheme only became available following his decision to expand Ulez and were not subject to prior consultation. Another protest against the Ulez expansion at London's Trafalgar Square on February 25 They add that the decision to only offer the scheme to those living in London was not consulted upon. But a spokeswoman for Mr Khan pointed out that three of the five claims brought by the councils have already been rejected outright and the scrappage claim was only partially granted on a single aspect. The spokeswoman told MailOnline today: 'The Mayor is pleased to see the court has refused permission for the majority of the grounds. We will continue to robustly defend his life-saving decision to expand the Ulez and continue with preparations without delay. 'It is a shame that some local authorities have chosen to attempt this costly and misguided legal challenge instead of focusing on the health of those they represent. 'Around 4,000 Londoners die prematurely every year due to air pollution. This is a health emergency and the Mayor is not prepared to stand by and do nothing while Londoners are growing up with stunted lungs and are more at risk of heart disease, cancer and dementia due to our toxic air.' She said that permission on the scrappage claim was only granted on the basis that whether the Mayor properly considered the previous 'buffer zone' approach was a 'material consideration'. The spokeswoman said it was 'on the cusp' of being arguable, and permission was also refused on the other aspects of that claim. But Mr Khan has sparked major controversy with his plans for the Ulez expansion, and has even claimed Nazis have infiltrated protests against it. The Mayor said last month that 'anti-vaxxers, Covid deniers, conspiracy theorists and Nazis' had joined 'decent Tories' in opposing the extension. Mr Khan also sparked fury after branding some Ulez opponents 'far-Right' at a public meeting at Ealing Town Hall last month, during which he was heckled. Former London mayor and prime minister Boris Johnson has also voiced his fears over the plans, saying Mr Khan will 'hit hard-working families and businesses in outer London with an unfair tax grab'. Elon Musk has called to 'defund' the National Public Radio (NPR) after it quit Twitter over spat with CEO, who labeled the outlet 'government-funded media' and accused it of not being 'editorially independent.' NPR's 52 Twitter accounts went silent on Wednesday after the social platform added the black label tag of 'state-affiliated media' to the brand's official account last week - a tag that is often only seen associated with propaganda outlets in Russia and China. It has since been changed to 'government-funded media.' The BBC and PBS have also been given the same tag. Since the declaration, Chief Twit has taken to his own platform to share an email between himself and NPR Tech Reporter Bobby Allyn. In the email, Allyn questioned if the news outlet's response will 'cause a chain reaction among news [organizations].' 'What's your reaction?' Allyn questioned the billionaire. Musk simply replied on Twitter: 'Defund NPR.' NPR CEO John Lansing (left) has stalled all 52 official NPR Twitter accounts a week after the Elon Musk (right) branded it 'state-affiliated media' It has since been changed to 'government-funded media.' BBC and PBS also have the same tag Hours after the news broke, Musk declared that NPR needed to be 'defunded' Earlier on Wednesday, NPR revealed it would stop using the popular social media app over the tag, saying: 'We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public's understanding of our editorial independence. 'We are turning away from Twitter but not our audiences and communities.' NPR also noted in an article that the company only receives less than one percent of its $300million budget through the federally-funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In its final tweets, the company plugged its other social platforms, including Facebook, where it posted a link, titled: 'NPR quits Twitter after being falsely labeled as "state-affiliated media."' NPR is boarding up its Twitter pages to protect its credibility, according to NPR President and CEO John Lansing. 'I would never have our content go anywhere that would risk our credibility,' he said in the article. 'At this point, I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter. I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again.' In addition, three of NPR's member stations - KCRW, WESA, and WEKU - have also gone dark on Twitter. Last week, Lansing bashed Twitter on its own site, writing: 'NPR stands for freedom of speech [and] holding the powerful accountable... 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. 'We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public's understanding of our editorial independence,' the company wrote in a statement Last week, Lansing bashed Twitter on its own site, writing: 'NPR stands for freedom of speech [and] holding the powerful accountable...' 'NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide,' he continued. 'It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy.' As for NPR's journalists, Lansing is allowing them to decide if they want to continue to promote their work on Twitter, but said in an email to employees that it would be a 'disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards.' Several news organizations were branded 'government-funded' last week, but Musk has since walked back on tagging the BBC that, saying in an interview with the company on Wednesday that he would change it 'publicly funded.' 'We're trying to be accurate,' he said in the interview. 'I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC.' The Tesla owner had once called the British source 'among the least biased' of news organizations. In theBBC spontaneous interview on Wednesday (pictured) - which appears to have been organized in a matter of hours - Musk responded to some of the controversies that have surrounded his takeover and shared what he has learned during his short tenure at the helm of the app Musk also said NPR's tag would change to 'publicly funded' as well, but it has yet to do so. However, NPR said on its website that it does not plan on returning to the platform until further notice. 'The whole point isn't whether or not we're government funded,' Lansing said. 'Even if we were government funded, which we're not, the point is the independence, because all journalism has revenue of some sort.' In addition to the annual budget - which is largely funded through individual supports and grants - the company said its board is selected without government influence. In addition to apologizing to BBC, Musk - who took over as Chief Twit six months ago - revealed that he had taken to sleeping on a couch on the seventh-floor of the Twitter headquarters. In the spontaneous interview - which appears to have been organized in a matter of hours - Musk responded to some of the controversies that have surrounded his takeover and shared what he has learned during his short tenure at the helm of the app. The New York Times' primary Twitter profile is no longer adorned with a gold verification mark BBC, as well as PBS, has also been branded a 'government-funded media' source, but Musk revealed on Wednesday that it would be changed to 'publicly funded' The Tesla CEO and world's second richest person defended laying off thousands of staffers and explained his reasoning for charging $8 for a blue tick check mark. Twitter as both a company and app has vastly changed under the South African-born entrepreneur, and policies claiming to maximize 'free speech' have been ushered in since Musk's entrance. But despite this, Musk said his takeover had been painful and that he has felt 'under constant attack.' Speaking to the BBC's James Clayton broadcast live on Twitter Spaces, Musk admitted the social media company is 'roughly breaking even'. He said most of Twitter's advertisers have returned and its aggressive cost-cutting efforts have started bearing fruit after massive staff layoffs. Musk also said Twitter has about 1,500 employees now, a sharp decline from 'just under 8,000 staff members' it had before he took it over in October. TIMELINE OF ELON MUSK'S CHAOTIC ATTEMPT TO TAKEOVER TWITTER April 2: Musk announces that he owns 9.2 percent of the company, making him its largest single shareholder April 14: Musk offers to take Twitter private at $54.20 a share, valuing the company at $44billion April 25: Twitter accepts Musk's offer April 29: Musk sells $8billion in Tesla shares to finance deal May 13: Musk says Twitter deal is on hold pending a review of bot accounts May 26: Musk is sued by Twitter for stock manipulation during takeover July 8: Musk says he's backing out of the deal. Twitter sues, trying to force him into seeing it through. October 4: Musk proposes again to go ahead with the deal at the original price October 17: Proposed trial date in Delaware October 26: Musk visits Twitter HQ with a sink, updates his bio on the site to 'Chief Twit' and sets his location to Twitter HQ October 27: Musk's $44 billion takeover of Twitter is finally completed October 28: Musk fires top Twitter employees, including CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal and top counsel Vijaya Gadde, the woman responsible for banning President Trump after the January 6 riots. October 30: Twitter employees are told by Musk to make verified accounts a feature that's exclusive to Twitter Blue, the platform's paid subscription service October 31: Musk confirms he's the new CEO of Twitter and dissolves the board of directors Early November: Half the company is fired Late November: Musk assures the remaining staff that no more major layoffs are in the works February 25: Another 200 staffers are unceremoniously fired Advertisement He claimed the controversial layoffs were not easy and said he did not speak to everyone in person. 'It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face,' Musk said. Defending the sackings, Musk said: 'The issue is like the company's going to go bankrupt if we do not cut costs immediately. 'This is not a caring, uncaring situation. It's like if the whole ship sinks then nobody's got a job. 'What would you do? If you've four months to live, a 120 days, in a hundred and 20 days you're dead, so what do you want to do?' Twitter has been marked by chaos and uncertainty since the acquisition by Musk, as its layoffs have also reportedly included many engineers responsible for fixing and preventing service outages. Last week, Twitter suffered a bug that prevented thousands of users from accessing links, its sixth major outage since the beginning of the year, according to internet watchdog group NetBlocks. Musk acknowledged some glitches, including recent outages, but said they have not lasted very long. He says Twitter was in a $3billion negative cash flow situation and had to take drastic actions, referring to its large-scale layoffs. 'We could be cash-flow positive this quarter if things go well,' he said in the interview that attracted more than three million listeners, adding the company currently has all-time high user numbers. Twitter has been hit by a massive decline in advertising since his acquisition of the platform in October last year. Many advertisers paused work with the site over concerns about Musk's approach to content and moderation. This was due to the cyclical nature of ad spending, Musk claimed, adding that some of it was 'political.' He said on Wednesday most of its advertisers have returned. He also revealed legacy blue checkmarks will finally be removed by next week. Musk said last month that legacy-verified Twitter users would see their blue ticks removed from the service on April 1, unless they paid a monthly fee of $8 to its Twitter Blue subscription operation. As a result, thousands of the platform's high-profile users were braced to lose the ticks, which can help verify their identity and distinguish them from imposters. Publications like The New York Times are no longer verified, as well as many journalists and celebrities. But many of the legacy blue ticks have remained in place past April 1. Police are urgently investigating after a document containing top secret details on President Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland was found by a member of the public on a Belfast street. Dozens of officers could have been put at risk after the discovery of the document, which is said to have included a detailed itinerary of the US President's trip and the $8.7 million security operation surrounding it. While no personal details relating to the President or his dignitaries were disclosed in the Police Service of Northern Ireland paper, it reportedly included the names of all PSNI officers involved today's operation. It also included the phone numbers and addresses of top PSNI officers, BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show reported. Biden's visit to the country to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement has been awash with security concerns - with violence towards the police and suspected bombs discovered this week. Police are investigating after a document containing details on President Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland was found by a member of the public The document's discovery today came prior to President Biden's address at Ulster University More than 300 officers from the rest of the UK have been drafted in to support the PSNI's operations around the major event. While the President's trip was designed to celebrate Good Friday Agreement that helped bring peace to the island 25 years ago, there have been worrying reminders over recent days of threats that once dominated life in Belfast. The latest security concerns today came as video footage showed secret service operatives patrolling with sniffer dogs outside the hotel where Biden was staying overnight. Yesterday, the PSNI said they discovered four suspected pipe bombs at a cemetery in Derry, with dramatic images showing bomb disposal units moving in. And on Easter Monday, gasoline bombs were thrown at police during parades amid fears of more violent activity from dissident republicans. A number of missiles were hurled by young people wearing tracksuits and masks on their faces at a PSNI Land Rover monitoring the parade in the Creggan area of the city. The terror threat level in the region was raised from substantial to severe last month. The heightening of the threat level came following a gun attack in County Tyrone on senior detective John Caldwell. Police have said that the New IRA were behind the attack, which saw DCI Caldwell gunned down in front of his son in a leisure center car park. He remains in hospital. Police recovered four suspected pipe bombs (pictured) from a cemetery in Londonderry where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday A huge Irish tricolour flag and the slogan 'NO 2 NATO' is displayed on the side of Black Mountain which overlooks Belfast The document's discovery today came prior to Biden's address at Ulster University, which he used to reflect on the importance of the agreement in maintaining peace in Northern Ireland. The President said during his speech that the response of Northern Ireland's political leaders to the shooting of DCI Caldwell showed 'the enemies of peace will not prevail'. 'Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. 'The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. The latest security concerns today came as video footage showed secret service operatives patrolling with sniffer dogs Police officers stand guard outside the Grand Central Hotel, where President Joe Biden has been staying during his visit 'But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most.' A police spokesman said regarding the situation today: 'We are aware of a security breach. 'An investigation has commenced and we have notified the Senior Information Risk Officer. 'We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place.' Prince Harry will attend the King's Coronation service in London next month alone - with Meghan Markle remaining in California with their children Archie and Lilibet. Buckingham Palace confirmed the dramatic news in a statement today, saying it was 'pleased to confirm' the Duke of Sussex will be at Westminster Abbey on May 6. But the Duchess will stay home at the couple's residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony. The couple's friend Omid Scobie confirmed Archie's birthday 'played a factor in the couple's decision' and he expected it would be a 'fairly quick trip to the UK' for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which is likely to last a few hours. The announcement comes just over three weeks until the event, and a royal observer told MailOnline: 'Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won't be there - it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.' Harry and Meghan had controversially delayed their decision over whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3 having passed. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St Paul's Cathedral in London on June 3 last year King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are pictured in Malton, North Yorkshire, on April 5 The late Queen Elizabeth II, Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Harry and Meghan attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2020 The uncertainty over the Sussexes' attendance was thought to have left royal officials unable to sign off arrangements for seating plans, transport and security. ANALYSIS: Decision is an 'ideal compromise' with any reconciliation now 'highly unlikely' By RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS King Charles will undoubtedly be pleased that both his sons will be represented at his Coronation. It is, after all, quite literally the crowning moment of his life. He had the longest period as Prince of Wales in our history and he used it wonderfully well for the benefit of others. Camilla is wonderfully supportive and also is doing important charitable work. Meghan will be with Archie on his fourth birthday. This is probably an ideal compromise. For months I hoped for reconciliation but after Spare, the interviews promoting it and the Netflix docuseries it is obvious that this is highly unlikely to happen and that the Sussexes' rift with the royal family is very serious. The Sussexes are unpredictable. Their endless attacks on the royal family have been extremely damaging. They have affected its popularity especially among the young. This has become something of a circus. They should find constructive roles in which to employ such talents as they have. Harry is unlikely to have a role in the ceremony or appear on the balcony. He may well appear in the procession after the ceremony. However, it would have been impossible for the Sussexes to not be represented at this unique event and expect to be taken seriously as members of the Royal Family in the future. Advertisement Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the Royal Family in his Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness his father Charles and stepmother the Queen Consort be crowned next month. The news ends months of speculation about whether the couple would show up to the King's big day, but will likely see Meghan accused of snubbing the monarch and the royal family. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at 3pm today: 'Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.' Archewell, Harry and Meghan's charitable foundation, then issued a near identical statement to the Press Association news agency confirming the Duke will attend. A spokesman said: 'The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.' Charles will be crowned in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and traditions that date back 1,000 years, following the 70-year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth II who died last September. Mr Scobie, who is a trusted contact of the Sussexes, tweeted the news of Harry's forthcoming attendance and then added: 'I understand that Archie's fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple's decision. 'Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.' And ITV News royal editor Chris Ship said: 'Given everything that been said/alleged - in six Netflix episodes and one book - this is a big development. 'But Harry coming alone does mean less pressure on the Royal Family - and fewer of those awkward photographs together.' Harry's attendance comes despite the rift within the Royal Family prompted by the Duke's decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book. The revelations, including details of private conversations with his father - and his brother, Prince William - fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. The Duchess of Sussex leaves Gracias Madre restaurant in West Hollywood on March 8 The book also included allegations that members of the royal family regularly feed the press unflattering information about other members of the House of Windsor in exchange for positive coverage of themselves. Asked in one interview in January whether he would attend the coronation if given an invitation, Harry said: 'There's a lot that can happen between now and then. But the door is always open.' Reacting to today's announcement, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: 'Meghan will be with Archie on his fourth birthday. This is probably an ideal compromise. 'For months I hoped for reconciliation but after Spare, the interviews promoting it and the Netflix docuseries it is obvious that this is highly unlikely to happen and that the Sussexes' rift with the royal family is very serious. 'The Sussexes are unpredictable. Their endless attacks on the royal family have been extremely damaging. They have affected its popularity especially among the young. This has become something of a circus. They should find constructive roles in which to employ such talents as they have. 'Harry is unlikely to have a role in the ceremony or appear on the balcony. He may well appear in the procession after the ceremony. However, it would have been impossible for the Sussexes to not be represented at this unique event and expect to be taken seriously as members of the Royal Family in the future.' And BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said today: 'So Harry is coming to the coronation but Meghan is not. It means that the Palace planners can complete the seating plan. They are overdue in delivering their answer.' Queen Consort Camilla and King Charles, pictured at the State Opening of Parliament in 2013 He pointed out that Harry had not seen his father Charles or his brother William since the Queen's state funeral last September, adding: 'An awful lot of course has happened since then, not least the publication of his book and the bad feeling that has undoubtedly caused within the Royal Family towards him. A strong sense of betrayal within the family towards Harry. But at this moment, a moment perhaps of some reconciliation, he will be there to see his father crowned.' Harry's attendance will see him appear in a public setting with Charles, Camilla, his brother the Prince of Wales, sister in law the Princess of Wales and the rest of his family for the first time since he lambasted the royals in his memoirs. It will also be the first time he has been pictured with the Windsors since the funeral of his grandmother the late Queen. Harry criticised Charles's parenting, said the King was jealous of Meghan and Kate, and accused William of physically attacking him in his tell-all book, which was published in January. He also branded Camilla 'dangerous' and accused her of sacrificing him on her own 'personal PR altar'. The duke went on to allege it was William and Kate who encouraged him to notoriously dress up as a Nazi at a fancy dress party. Harry's inflammatory claims were seen as damaging his fragile relationship with his brother, a future king, beyond repair, and further troubling his dealings with the King and the rest of the family In the three years since the Sussexes stepped down as senior working royals, the couple have been critical of the monarchy, telling their story in their Netflix documentary and in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry and Meghan were asked earlier this year to vacate their UK home Frogmore Cottage, in a move sanctioned by the King. It is unclear what the arrangements will be for Harry's security while he is in London. The duke is taking legal action against the Home Office over his security arrangements in the UK. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and then-Prince Charles at Westminster Abbey in March 2019 It has not been confirmed whether or not Harry will play any particular role in the coronation ceremony, whether he will join the carriage procession or appear on the Palace balcony with the royal family in the celebrations afterwards. The Abbey will be filled with 2,000 people for the service - down from a potential guestlist of 7,000 - including leaders from the likes of France, Spain and Japan. US President Joe Biden called Charles to let him know he will not be attending the service in central London, sending his wife Jill instead, in what some commentators have viewed as a snub. Charles will be the 40th monarch to be crowned in the Abbey and at 74 at the time of the ceremony, the oldest to ever be crowned. The service is expected to be watched by hundreds of millions across the globe in what will be a masterclass in pomp and pageantry, despite the King's decision to 'slim down' the occasion. The service itself will start at 11am and be 'solemn and religious' while also offering 'celebration and pageantry', according to the Royal Family website. It will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and 'will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions.' Among those will be the role of the Page of Honour, carried out by Prince George and seven other boys. The historic ceremonial position will see the eight youngsters - four for each monarch - carry the King and Queen's robes into the Abbey. Harry will not take part in the Coronation procession afterwards nor join senior royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, it is believed. The Gold State Coach during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London in June 2022 Prince William will be the only royal liege man at the ceremony, and only he will kneel to 'pay homage' to the King, before touching the crown and kissing his father's cheek. The action is usually performed by all the royal dukes, but Charles scrapped the traditional obligation, effectively absolving Harry of any ceremonial duties. Harry and Meghan's children, Archie and Lilibet, are seen to be too young to perform roles in the ceremony. Over the weekend, glittering ceremonial celebrations for the Coronation were unveiled, detailing the procession route, the carriages and the priceless Crown Jewels chosen to play a starring role. Charles and the Queen Consort will travel in a shorter procession route than the late Elizabeth II and break with tradition by only using the elaborate 260-year-old Gold State Coach one way - on their return. The monarch and Camilla have personally decided to make the 1.3-mile outward journey - known as the King's Procession - from Buckingham Palace in the more modern, comfortable Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which has shock absorbers, heating and air conditioning. They will travel, accompanied by The Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, down The Mall via Admiralty Arch, along the south side of Trafalgar Square, along Whitehall and Parliament Street, around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at the Abbey. The priceless array of Coronation regalia from the Crown Jewels which will be used during the religious service in the Abbey has also been confirmed. It will include the Sovereign's Orb, the Golden Spurs, bracelets known as Armills, two maces, five symbolic swords, the Sovereign's Ring, the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove. Camilla will be crowned, as previously announced, with the modified Queen Mary's Crown, but she will also hold the Queen Consort's Rod with Dove - despite the controversial rod being made from ivory. The piece is said to symbolise equity and mercy, and the dove, with its folded wings, represents the Holy Ghost. Camilla will also hold the Queen Consort's Sceptre with Cross, which originally made for the Coronation of Mary of Modena, Queen Consort of James II, in 1685 and is inlaid with rock crystals. As part of the proceedings, she will receive the Queen Consort's Ring - a ruby in a gold setting made for the Coronation of King William IV and Queen Adelaide in 1831, and used by three further Queens Consort - Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and the Queen Mother. As previously announced, Charles will be crowned with the 17th-Century St Edward's Crown which has been resized to fit his head. He will switch it for the lighter Imperial State Crown at the end of the ceremony as is the custom. The audio, from June 2020, saw Daybell hauntingly tell his wife he was feeling 'pretty calm' before investigators found the bodies The two discuss a raid on his Idaho property hours before remains of her two children were d iscovered in Daybell's backyard A chilling phone between Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell was played in court on the third day of her murder trial Lori Vallows murder trial has heard a chilling call between the doomsday cult mom and her husband Chad Daybell hours before police and FBI agents found the bodies of her two children in his yard. Vallow, 49, made the call from Madison County Jail as Daybell, 54, watched investigators dig up his yard before they eventually uncovered the badly decomposed bodies of JJ Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan, 16. In the call, Vallow tells Daybell, I love you so much. Daybell also gives the haunting remark, Im feeling pretty calm. Hours later, JJ and Tylee would be found in shallow graves where they'd been buried after the couple allegedly murdered them following the warped claim the children were 'possessed and zombies'. 'Doomsday cult mom' Lori Vallow's trial for the murders of her children JJ, 7, and Tylee, 16 started on Monday. She is pictured in August 2022 Vallow is accused of killing her kids, seven-year-old Joshua (JJ), left, and 16-year-old Tylee, right Vallow allegedly murdered her children over three years ago after her religion led her to believe she would play an important role in a looming apocalypse, during which only 144,000 'chosen' souls would survive. The 49-year-old is also accused of conspiracy to murder Daybell's ex-wife Tammy, 49. Daybell, a known apocalyptic author and self-proclaimed prophet, is set to face a separate trial over the killings. They deny the murders. Soon after the third day of Vallow's trial got underway, a chilling recording of the call from the morning the childrens remains were found was played to jurors. Vallow phoned Daybell from jail - where she was being held on child abandonment charges. After Vallow greets Daybell: Hi baby, her husband is audibly distressed as he immediately responds: 'They are searching the property... Theyre out in the property.' Vallow asks: Are they seizing stuff again? Daybell responds: They are searching. The haunting phone call was previously played during a court hearing for Chad Daybell two years ago. Hours after the June 2020 phone conversation, investigators found the children in separate shallow graves. Jurors previously heard gruesome detail about the discovery of JJ and Tylees remains. During the call, which Daybell took in his car as he observed the search, Vallow asks: What do you want me to do? Just pray? Her husband replies, yeah, pray. Vallow then asks Daybell, what can I do for you? Daybell responds: Im feeling pretty calm. I would call Mark [Daybells son] maybe. Talk with him. Lori Vallow, depicted center in a court sketch, allegedly murdered her children over three years ago Vallow spent much of the Wednesday mornings court session jotting notes on a yellow pad The trial previously heard Mark Daybell answered the door holding a bowl of cereal when investigators arrived to carry out the warrant which eventually unearthed the bodies. Daybell was awoken by police who then sealed off his property and began the search. The call ends as Daybell tells Vallow: I love you so much. Vallow tells him, I love you and well talk soon and says shell try to call him later that day. Shortly after, Daybell attempted to flee the scene in his car at speed but investigators quickly caught up with him and he was detained. Vallow spent much of the Wednesday mornings court session jotting notes on a yellow pad. Her demeanor has shifted throughout the week from initially relaxed to visibly agitated at times. She was seen to exchange smiles with her defense team during the opening arguments on Monday, but by Wednesday the conversations with her legal team appeared more serious. Relatives of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, attended court on Wednesday, including his son and ex-wife. Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallows brother, Alex Cox, in July 2019. The trial was adjourned abruptly just after midday. It later emerged one of the prosecution's lead attorneys reported a death in their family. In a statement, the prosecution team said: 'The court and defense have been gracious in allowing the prosecution to adjust to this personal situation.' The 'charred remains' of Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ Vallow, seven, were found at the couple's home in Salem, Idaho. Pictured: Investigators searching the property on June 9, 2020 Vallow, 49, had been due to stand trial alongside her husband Chad Daybell, 54, but their cases were separated Day two of Vallow's murder trial had drawn audible gasps from the courtroom when horrific photos of JJ and Tylee's remains were shown to jurors Tuesday afternoon. The distressing images of her children's remains saw Vallow petition the judge to be excused from the remainder of the day's proceedings, which the judge denied. Detective Ray Hermosillo, who was part of the team who searched for the children's bodies, testified while photographs of the crime scene at Chad Daybury's Idaho home were displayed to the court. Hermosillo described how investigators found JJ's remains wrapped in a plastic bag, and when a medical examiner removed the covering they saw the boy with 'a thick layer of tape across his mouth, jawline to jawline.' He was wearing red pajamas, a pull-up night diaper and covered in a blue childs blanket. Vallow spent much of the afternoon session slouched in her seat with her head propped up by her arm, in an apparent attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone else in the courtroom - a marked shift from her previously calm appearance during much of the proceedings. JJs grandfather, Larry Woodcock, broke down and sobbed in the public gallery during the highly distressing testimony. Hermosillo said: Through the videos and pictures that we had seen of JJ for the last eight months... the tips coming in, everything we had obtained and looked at, I was able to recognize that same little boy lying on the table to be JJ Vallow. He had the same haircut. He added there 'was some visible bruising on his arms that the medical examiner had pointed out to us.' After JJ was found near a tree in the backyard, investigators discovered Tylee's badly burned remains in the yard's pet cemetery nearby. Tylees remains were so badly damaged and burned that the coroner was unable to conduct an autopsy, the detective said. Detective Ray Hermosillo, pictured arriving at the courthouse on April 10, 2023, was part of the team who found JJ and Tylee's burnt bodies on Chad Daybell's property 'Cult mom' Lori Vallow pictured during a court hearing in March 2020 Chad Daybell, left, and Lori Vallow pictured at a car rental counter in Maui Airport, at the same time the mother's children were missing The 'doomsday cult' mom allegedly murdered the two youngsters after becoming obsessed with ideas of the apocalypse and the second coming of Christ, leading her to believe her children were 'zombies'. A web of mystery surrounds details of the case, with Vallow also accused of conspiracy to murder her husband and Chad Daybell's ex-wife Tammy, 49. Daybell - who will face a separate trial over the killings - was a doomsday 'prepper' who forged a reputation through books and talks about the end of the world. He was arrested in Hawaii alongside Vallow in February 2020 after the two fled to the islands while her children were still missing at the time. Earlier in the second day of Vallow's trial Tuesday, Hermosillo revealed in grisly detail how JJ's remains were found by the FBI's Evidence Response Team as they searched near a tree in the yard. He described in gruesome detail how investigators had to take turns digging at the property because the smell of decomposing flesh was so unbearable. The 22-year veteran of the force apologized to the court as he recounted the scene, because he was forced to use such vile language in the descriptions. 'As they began to remove the top layer of soil, it began to expose three white rocks,' said the detective. 'At that point there was a strong odor. Through my experience, it was a decomposing body.' He said more wood paneling was slowly and methodically removed from beneath the rocks, which revealed a black, round object starting to protrude. The hole where JJ was buried was just a few inches deep. They scraped away some more solid around the round object and it began to take the shape of - it looked like the crown of a head protruding from the dirt, the detective said. The digging exposed what appeared to be a small body wrapped in black plastic. Lori Vallow, right, pictured with her daughter Tylee The burnt remains of Tylee Ryan, left, were so badly damaged that the coroner was unable to perform an autopsy The detective's harrowing testimony also included details of how investigators discovered Tylee's burnt remains. As we began digging we were on our hands and knees. We started to uncover just burnt flesh, charred bone, the smell was again of a decomposing body. We had to take turns digging because the smell was so bad. We could only dig for a couple of minutes. The team used paintbrushes and small trowels to carefully remove solid and eventually we uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee - who we assumed was Tylee. The best I can describe was just blobs of flesh that were falling apart, Hermosillo said. Once we removed some of that, under them there was another round blobs - Im sorry, its the best I can describe it - just burnt flesh, what appeared to be put in a green bucket. The bucket was melted so it was kind of deformed. The flesh and bone was all kind of stuffed in that melting bucket, he said. Xi Jinping has called on China's armed forces to 'strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat' following three days of drills intended to intimidate Taiwan. State media reported today that China's president had told the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command Navy the military must 'resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability.' One day after the simulated precision strikes, Taiwan's foreign minister, Joseph Wu, told CNN China appears to be 'trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan'. As tensions rise, the United States and the Philippines are holding their largest-ever joint military drills this week, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken committing to 'standing with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea'. Beijing views Taiwan as an extension of the mainland, not recognising the administration set up by the fleeing KMT government after the Chinese Civil War in 1949. China also claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea. A Chinese warship fires during a military drill off the Chinese coast near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, across from the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands on 11 April during training exercises A fighter jet takes off during combat readiness exercises around the Taiwan Island carried out by the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), 8 April 2023 In response to the drills over the weekend, Wu stressed Taiwan was also taking measures to build up island defences, saying: 'Chinese leaders will think twice before they decide to use force against Taiwan.' Why does China claim Taiwan? The island's history as "Taiwan" is relatively new. The island has been populated by Malayo-Polynesian peoples for centuries. Europeans built bases on the islands until Chinese Ming loyalists drove out the Dutch in 1662. By 1885 the island had become a province of the Qing Empire. China descended into civil war, 1927 and 1949, between the nationalist KMT party and the CCP in power today. The civil war was caused by a number of factors, fomented by widespread poverty and slow economic development. Through WWII, Britain and the US offered much support to the KMT to fight Japan and restore stability. Russia allied more closely with the CCP, which hoped to solve China's problems through socialism. Ultimately, the nationalist government was forced out and relocated to Taiwan along with 1.2mn people from China. China still lays claim to the island and waters around it through its "One China" policy. The Republic of China government in Taiwan maintains that it is sovereign. The ROC officially also seeks peaceful 'reunification' with mainland China, on condition its freedoms and democracy are preserved. Most Taiwanese people oppose joining China in fear of losing these freedoms. Advertisement China and the United States have stepped up military exercises in recent months around the contested areas east and south of the mainland. The United States put on a show of force, sending 17,600 troops to the South China Sea with the Philippines. The drills run annually, and will continue until 28 April. It follows three days of simulations by the People's Liberation Army around Taiwan, training with 11 warships and 70 fighter jets - including nuclear-capable H-6 bombers armed with live missiles. Meanwhile, the US - which had repeatedly called for China to show restraint - sent the guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius through contested parts of the South China Sea. Japan also responded to the drills, scrambling jets. A spokesperson for the German foreign ministry accused China of inflaming tensions with the recent drills around Taiwan, ahead of a visit by the foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, to Beijing. 'We have the impression that measures such as threatening military gestures... increase the risk of unintended military clashes,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse said. Germany is 'working with our international partners to contribute to de-escalation' in the region, she added. Baerbock, who has previously called for more caution in trade with China, will meet representatives of German companies as well as Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during her trip. At the end of March, China committed to 'fighting back' if Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen met with the US House Speaker during a trip to the United States, citing resolute countermeasures. The Taiwanese president did go ahead and meet Kevin McCarthy on 5 April regardless. The United States also last month partnered with Britain and Australia in a tripartite agreement to develop new nuclear powered submarines, supplied for the first time to Australia, in joint efforts to expand influence and security in the Indo-Pacific. At the end of February, China pointed the finger at the US for 'endangering' peace after a P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane flew through the Taiwan Strait. The US Navy responded that the reconnaissance plane was in international airspace when it flew through the 110-mile wide strait between mainland China and Taiwan. The legal status of the strategically-important body of water is contested, with the US claiming it is in international waters and China claiming it falls within its own waters, as it considers Taiwan an extension of the mainland. A fishing boat sails past a Chinese warship during a military drill off the Chinese coast near Fuzhou, amid three-day military simulations around the island of Taiwan, on 11 April Soldiers of the Taiwanese Army take part in a military exercise at an undisclosed location in Taiwan in this handout picture provided by Taiwan Defence Ministry and released on 9 April China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up its military activity near the island in the past three years as it seeks to try to force Taiwan to accept Beijing's sovereignty. Taiwan's government says only the island's people can decide their future and it will not give in to threats. The island's leaders fled to the island after the 1927-1949 Chinese Civil War, which resulted in communist forces controlling mainland China and establishing the People's Republic of China. Washington is Taiwan's most important international backer and seller of arms despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, and US support for the island is a constant irritant in Sino-US relations. Former President Barack Obama's speechwriter Jon Lovett called on Sen. Dianne Feinstein to resign due to her prolonged absence in the Senate due to health issues, which is hampering Democrats' ability to confirm federal judges. Feinstein (D-Calif.) was hospitalized for shingles in February and released last month, but has not returned to the Senate, missing 60 of the last 82 votes. 'Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate,' Lovett said on his "Pod Save America" podcast Tuesday, as first reported by the New York Post. 'She should resign and more people should be calling on her to resign,' continued Lovett, the co-founder of Crooked Media. Former President Barack Obama's speechwriter Jon Lovett called on Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein to resign Feinstein was hospitalized for shingles in February, but has not returned to the Senate to vote since she was released last month The former speechwriter said that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) had admitted Feinstein's absence on the committee has made it 'basically impossible' to move judicial nominees to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. 'I think what the people around Dianne Feinstein are doing, allowing, being part of this farce of having a lack of a senator in such an important job is really wrong,' continued Lovett. 'Dianne Feinstein, who should not be in the Senate, is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges,' he said Tuesday. Democrats have held only 49 voting members in the Senate with the absences of Feinstein and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who was hospitalized for clinical depression at Walter Reed in February. Fetterman is expected to return to the Senate next week nearly two months later. Feinstein, 89, is also facing criticism from a number of Democrats, who fear she 'mentally unfit to serve' and that her memory is 'rapidly deteriorating.' Feinstein confirmed in February that she will not seek reelection in 2024, but it is widely speculated that she will resign early before her term ends. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has already announced that he will run to replace Feinstein's seat in the Senate. He has raised over $6.5 million since entering the race in January. Feinstein was first elected to the senate in 1992. She is pictured as the Mayor of San Francisco in 1978 Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee have also announced that they are running for the seat. A GOP challenger, GOP attorney Eric Early, threw hit his hat in the race Tuesday, officially launching his bid in a new campaign video. Early, who unsuccessfully ran against Schiff in 2020, said in the video that he will campaign on combatting the fentanyl and border crisis and champion parents' rights. 'Eric will stand-up to the Socialist woke interests that control Washington, DC, fight to preserve and protect our Democracy, and fight for ordinary Californians who are being left behind,' his campaign website states. He claims the other Democrats running for Feinstein's seat have messy politics that are harmful to Californians. 'Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee have been in Congress for a combined 51 years. Judge them by the results of their actions and their votes they put us in this mess,' he says. He is the first major Republican to announce his intention to run for the seat, but faces a strong headwinds in the strongly blue state. Feinstein, who was first elected to the senate in 1992, is the longest-serving female lawmaker in Senate history. The senator has largely avoided public events since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and after her husband passed away in February 2022. President Joe Biden's administration moved to protect women who cross state lines to have an abortion on Wednesday as the White House pushes to ensure access to reproductive rights amid a slew of new restrictions. The Department of Health and Humans Services is enacting a rule prohibiting healthcare providers and insurers from sharing private health information if that information will be used to investigate someone accessing or providing an abortion. The proposed rule will protect women who live in states where abortion is illegal but travel to a state where it is legal to have the procedure. It's unclear if the proposed rule will actually stifle criminal investigations. President Joe Biden's administration has moved to protect women who cross state lines to have an abortion In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling in 2022, more women are traveling to obtain an abortion as states outlaw the procedure. Nearly 1 in 10 abortions in 2020 were provided to patients who'd crossed state lines, according to a report from the Guttmacher Institute. That's up from 6% in 2011. Clinics in states like Colorado and Illinois, which have less restrictive laws, report an influx of patients from states with more restrictive laws. As of January 2023, 24 states have enacted restrictive bans or are in the process of doing so. Twelve states are enforcing a near-total ban on abortion with very limited exceptions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. In four states, laws prohibiting abortion after a specific point in pregnancy, which would have been unconstitutional under Roe, are in effect. Many other states are pushing anti-abortion laws through their state legislatures. Many of these state bans are being challenged in court, which is expensive and time-consuming. In addition to these laws, a ruling in a Texas court threatens abortion access on a national level. Many states have passed laws that restrict abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in the Dobbs case - above abortion rights activists in front of the Supreme Court More than a dozen states have restricted access to abortions following the overturning of Roe V Wade The White House is working to counter the slew of restrictions in a way that works faster than the legal system. The proposed rule for HHS, which is set to be finalized following a 60-day public comment period, strengthens existing privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which applies in all states. The rule specifically prohibits the 'use or disclosure' of private health information by a 'regulated entity' for these purposes, according to the White House, including: 'A criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into or proceeding against any person in connection with seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating reproductive health care, where such health care is lawful under the circumstances in which it is provided. 'The identification of any person for the purpose of initiating such investigations or proceedings.' Vice President Kamala Harris met Wednesday with Biden's Cabinet to discuss the administration's tactics in the wake of Texas ruling that restricts access to the abortion pill mifepristone. It is set to go into effect on Friday. 'In effect if this ruling stands, creating what could very righteously be considered a nationwide ban,' she said. 'The ramifications of this decision five days ago are wide sweeping, and for that reason require we do believe a very serious response.' Harris called the state of reproductive rights a 'healthcare crisis in America' and said that women have been living in a 'state of fear about what this means for them what this means for the people they love.' The Justice Department has appealed the Texas decision to the conservative-leaning 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to put a stay on the order pending a full appeal and asked for a decision by noon on Thursday. The ruling from Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by Donald Trump, threatens to upend abortion access for the entire country. Many abortion clinics heavily use medication-only abortions. Also many of them have relocated to Democratic-leaning states, in order to preserve access to abortion for millions of women around the country. Kacsmaryk's ruling validated the FDA's approval of mifepristone, the most commonly used abortion drug in the U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said the Texas court ruling requires a 'very serious response' Many abortion clinics have moved to Democratic-leaning states to preserve abortion rights A Texas judge restricted access to the abortion pill mifepristone; Justice Department is appealing The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of mifepristone in 2000, but the plaintiffs in Texas argued the FDA didn't adequately review mifepristone's safety. It is one of two drugs used for medication abortion in the United States, along with misoprostol, which is also used to treat other medical conditions. Medical groups point out mifepristone has been used by millions of women over the past 23 years with a low complication rate. Meanwhile, a judge in Washington state has ordered the FDA to leave mifepristone in place for 17 states and D.C. that brought a case separate from the one that Kacsmaryk heard. The clashing rulings means the issue is likely to end up before the Supreme Court. A former 'Bachelorette' contestant said he is 'grateful to still be here' after he was the victim of a beat down while on a recent trip to Colombia. Will Urena, who competed on Michelle Young's season of the hit ABC reality dating show in 2021, posted a message about the incident on his Instagram story on Tuesday. He wrote: 'While in Colombia I was drugged, beat [sic], and robbed of all my belongings. 'These past few days have been something I could of [sic] never imaged. Thank you for all those reaching out with kind words. I really appreciate y'all beyond words.' A recent picture of Will Urena on vacation in Medellin, Colombia, before he was allegedly assaulted, drugged and robbed Urena competed on the 18th season of the Bachelorette for a chance to be with teacher Michelle Young He explained that he is 'working to get life back to normal,' and concluded the message by writing: 'I am just beyond grateful to still be here. God is good!' Urena, 30, had previously shared a picture of himself on the streets of Medellin in Colombia, though it is unclear if he was attacked there or elsewhere during his trip to the South American country. Violent and petty crime are significant concerns in Colombia, especially to tourists, who may not know which areas to avoid. Urena works in education as an academic interventionist, with autistic students at an elementary school - though his Instagram page now links to an account that appears to be a real estate business. During his run on the show, he said he was 'very tired of being the only single one in his group of friends.' However, he was eliminated during week four of the show. Young, who also works in education, as a teacher, went on to get engaged to Nayte Olukoya, though the pair ultimately parted ways in 2022. On Tuesday, Urena posted an Instagram update to his story about what had happened to him while abroad At least 25 foreign tourists were killed in Medellin last year Last year, a California man was found dead on a Colombia street after going on a date with a woman he met on Tinder. Paul Nguyen, of Orange County, flew for the first time to Medellin with one of his friends on November 6 and was murdered four days later. He was the 25th foreign tourist murdered in Medellin last year. Authorities at the time said they believe Paul was drugged and robbed. The United States government issued a level three travel advisory to Colombia in January, warning American tourists to reconsider traveling to the South American nation due to crime and terrorism. 'Violent crime, such as homicide, assault, and armed robbery, is widespread. Organized criminal activities, such as extortion, robbery, and kidnapping, are common in some areas,' reads the State Department travel advisory. Their two friends were shot dead by the cartel who mistook them for drug dealers Latavia McGee and Eric Williams were kidnapped in Matamoros in March The surviving duo of the 'tummy tuck four' who were kidnapped in Mexico after traveling across the border for cut-price cosmetic surgery say their captors tried to force them to have sex with each other. Latavia 'Tay' McGee, Eric Williams, Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard were kidnapped in Matamoros, a border town on the east coast of Mexico, in early March. Only Williams and McGee survived after four days in captivity. They say the cartel mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers and that once they realized their mistake, they let the two survivors go. In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, McGee and Williams say their kidnappers tried to force them into having sex with each other. Latavia 'Tay' McGee, Eric Williams, Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard were kidnapped in Matamoros , a border town on the east coast of Mexico in early March. Only Williams and McGee survived after four days in captivity The group had traveled to Matamoros for McGee to have a tummy tuck. She said she lied to the gangsters by telling them she was pregnant to get out of being forced into sex with her friends Eric Williams was injured in the leg and says the cartel 'stitched him up' on a table 'They tried to make us have sex with each other but we told them we were brother and sister and that she was pregnant,' Williams said. They also described being moved between multiple cartel safehouses and having to hide under their friends' dead bodies while in transit. After several days, a video of the moment the group were kidnapped started to spread. McGee says the kidnappers showed them the footage - and that is when they realized they'd taken four innocent Americans. The gangster who set them free, she said, told them he was American. The pair were rescued from a safe house after four days in captivity McGee said 'none of them deserved' the treatment they received. She is shown after being rescued 'He said there's nothing we can do to bring your two brothers back but we're sorry, somebody made the wrong call, he was high and drunk, and I am from America too. 'He said, "I am fighting with my boss for him to give you up" and that once he let us go, he'd have to leave too because they would kill him.' They drove 'all night' in a car beneath their friends' bodies, she said, waiting to be rescued. 'They kept asking us questions and our answers never changed, they said, "We're going to get you some help,"' McGee said. The group had traveled to Matamoros for her to have a tummy tuck. They had driven from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for days to get there. Speaking of her murdered friends, McGee said: 'They didnt deserve that. None of us deserved it. But were alive we have a lot of recovering to do'. The State Department has repeatedly urged caution when traveling to Mexico. Many states remain under 'do not travel' advisories. With just four months until the first Republican presidential primary debate, it's still unclear who will be on stage with only five candidates officially announced but dozens more rumored to be considering a run. The Republican National Committee announced Wednesday that Fox News is to host the first debate of the 2024 election cycle, which will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August, coinciding with the RNC's summer meeting. It is still not clear what parameters will need to be met for the candidates to reach the debate stage, but there are whispers that the RNC might require candidates to sign a commitment to support the eventual nominee if they want to participate. This could pose a problem for former President Donald Trump, who is unlikely to throw his weight behind any 2024 nominee who isn't him. 'At this time, no other debates have been sanctioned, nor has the final criteria for the first debate been decided,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in February. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel (right) announced Wednesday morning on Fox & Friends (pictured) that the Fox News network is hosting their first RNC presidential primary debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August It's still unclear who will make the debate stage, and the RNC has not yet released qualification requirements for the first debate. Some say that discussions over requiring candidates to support the eventual nominee would be a disqualifer for Donald Trump The debate titled 'Fox News Republican Primary Debate with partners Young America's Foundation and Rumble,' will exclusively air on Fox News and live-stream on Rumble, which emerged as a conservative and free-speech alternative for YouTube. It is unclear yet which Fox News personalities will moderate the debate. McDaniel told Fox & Friends in an interview Wednesday morning: 'We're also going to partner with some pretty exciting partners.' 'For the first time ever, we're going to livestream on Rumble,' she said. 'We're getting away from Big Tech, YouTube is owned by Google, we're going to have an RNC channel on Rumble. And then the Young America's Foundation which is run by Scott Walker to really reach out to young voters, they're based in Wisconsin so they are going to be a partner, as well.' The debate will take place during the month of August in the RNC summer meeting host city of Milwaukee. It comes 11 months before the 2024 Republican National Convention, which will also be hosted in the midwest state. Wisconsin is a key swing state that went red for Trump in 2016 before swinging blue for Joe Biden in 2020 by just 0.63 percent over Trump, helping the now-president clinch the win against the incumbent at the time. Former Ambassador to the UN and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the only women who has so far announced her candidacy for the GOP presidential primary Multi-millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy (left) and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (right) have also announced their candidacy and would compete to be on the debate stage despite showing up in the single digits in polls so far Although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet announced a bid, he consistently comes in second place in primary election polling The only declared Republican 2024 presidential candidates so far are Trump, his once-Ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, biotech multi-millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, who attempted to run for governor last year. Some potential candidates have said they don't plan to make an announcement until the end of the year or beginning of 2024, while others say they are weighing officially entering the running in coming months. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, announced Wednesday his launch of a presidential exploratory committee, which is usually the last step taken before officially entering the running. The field is expected to grow exponentially in coming weeks and months. Among those expected to enter are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, quickly emerging as No. 2 to Trump's popularity, and the ex-president's former Vice President Mike Pence. Trump's former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu are also mulling their own bids. Govs. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and former Reps. Will Hurd of Texas, Mike Rogers of Michigan, and Liz Cheney of Wyoming are also considering a run. A couple were found dead in their armchairs at their 1 million home following a suspected carbon monoxide leak. Stephen Baxter, 61, and his wife Carol, 64, are believed to have been overcome by the deadly fumes as they relaxed together. They were discovered by a family member on Sunday at their five-bedroom house in the yachting town of West Mersea, near Colchester in Essex. Paramedics were called but were unable to resuscitate them. The couple's daughter, Ellie, 21, who raised the alarm when she turned up at the family home, said: 'It was absolutely awful to see. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Stephen Baxter, 61, and his wife Carol, 64, are believed to have been overcome by a carbon monoxide leak at their home The couple were discovered by a family member on Sunday at their five-bedroom house in the yachting town of West Mersea, near Colchester in Essex 'But what I keep going back to is they were sitting there together and were peaceful. There were no signs of a struggle or any pain.' Miss Baxter, who was with her one-year-old son at the time, immediately suspected carbon monoxide poisoning and threw open the bi-fold doors at the property. Paying tribute to her parents, she added: 'They were very loving. Family always came first. They made sure that we always had what we needed, and then some. 'They were extremely loved by many people. They worked hard for everything they had. Their absence will make a big impact on many people in many places.' Mrs Baxter was managing director of Cazsplash Ltd, a bathroom accessories firm which sells bath mats designed to fit around curved or corner showers. The former adult educator came up with the idea and held the intellectual property rights. West Mersea Yacht Club, which the couple joined in 2016 for socialising, declined to comment yesterday, although Commodore John Munns said there were plans to fly its flag at half-mast Mrs Baxter was managing director of Cazsplash Ltd, a bathroom accessories firm which sells bath mats designed to fit around curved or corner showers Her husband, whom she married in 2000, was a fellow director of the business, which launched 11 years ago. He was also global lead, operational risk and assurance, for multi-billion pound transnational real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, which was founded in the UK but has its headquarters in Chicago. The couple had two children together, Miss Baxter and her brother, while Mrs Baxter had two more children from two previous marriages. Their Nissan Juke car and black Jaguar, both with personalised number plates, remained parked on the driveway of their home yesterday. A neighbour said: 'The road outside was cordoned off with blue and white tape by police on Sunday afternoon. It looked like there had been a murder. 'I also saw two fire engines and a gas van arrive. We later heard they had been found dead in their chairs and that it was probably down to some sort of gas leak. 'It is just a terrible tragedy. They were a lovely couple and seemed really happy.' Tributes were paid to Stephen and Carol Baxter by their neighbours, who said they were a 'lovely couple' Essex Police have confirmed there was nothing suspicious about the Baxters' deaths and they are treating them as accidental. Officers are preparing a file for the coroner. The police investigation is understood to be focusing on a possible leak from a faulty appliance or poor ventilation in the house. Carbon monoxide is odourless and can slowly overcome people when exposed to it. The town hosts an annual regatta, usually in August, known as Mersea Week. West Mersea Yacht Club, which the couple joined in 2016 for socialising, declined to comment yesterday, although Commodore John Munns said there were plans to fly its flag at half-mast. An Essex Police spokesman said: 'We were called by colleagues in the ambulance service to concerns for the welfare of two people on Sunday at about 1.30pm. 'Officers arrived and, sadly, found two people aged in their 60s had died. Their deaths are being treated as unexpected but not suspicious and we are investigating the circumstances.' East of England Ambulance Service said it despatched a number of personnel to the address but added: 'Sadly, the patients were found deceased.' Essex Coroner's Office will set a date for the formal opening of an inquest after receiving the results of the post-mortem examinations, which are due to take place this week. Officers are on the hunt and are appealing for information about the whereabouts of a violent prisoner who fled from a secure hospital for a second time. Mosa Jamal Abid, 26, was out on an escorted trip to a newsagent on Uxbridge Road, in Ealing, west London, when he ran off at approximately 3.00pm on Monday. He is believed to have fled eastbound along Uxbridge Road before possibly entering Brent Lodge Park. The area was searched but he was not found. Extensive CCTV enquiries are ongoing and officers are continuing to search the area. Police warn that Mosa can be violent and, if seen, he should not be approached by the public. This is the second time he has escaped after he previously fled from Homerton hospital in 2019. Mosa Jamal Abid, 26, was out on an escorted trip to a newsagent in Uxbridge Road, in Ealing, west London, when he ran off at approximately 3.00pm on Monday Mosa Abid was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in June 2017 after he pleaded guilty to killing his friend Moamen Settar after vowing to do so in a letter to Satan. Abid went to Mr Settar's home in Wembley north London, on October 15, 2017, and took a large knife from the kitchen before repeatedly stabbing him. The victim's younger sisters, aged 9 and 15, heard screams from their brother's bedroom before Abid left the house laughing with the knife hidden behind his back. Abid then went to his father's flat to change into a new shirt, before he was found sitting on a bench by police next morning, reported ITV. When police raided his home they found documents and devil worship and the Illuminati, including the letter to Satan. He requires medication for a health condition and might attend a hospital for help. It is also possible he may approach local mosques during the Iftar period for food or drink. Police are liaising with hospitals and mosques to keep them informed. The 26-year-old was last seen wearing a navy hooded jacket, with black trousers and blue trainers. Extensive CCTV enquiries are ongoing and officers are continuing to search the area. Pictured: Mosa was last seen wearing a navy hooded jacket, with black trousers and blue trainers Detective Inspector Alistair Stillgoe, from the local policing team in west London, said: 'I recognise this will cause concern in the community, however, I want to assure you that we have officers working round the clock to find Mosa and return him to hospital as soon as possible.' Anyone with information that could help our investigation is asked to call 999 quoting CAD 3873/10Apr immediately. The Metropolitan Police has declined to share any further details. The NHS Trust has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment. Furious victims of phone thefts say they are being ignored by police despite tracking their stolen devices - and are being left with no choice but to try and hunt them down themselves. More than 90,000 phone thefts were recorded in London alone last year, with victims across the UK saying the issue has become 'a crime that goes unpunished'. Just 2,000 mobile phones were returned to their rightful owners in 2022, equivalent to just two per cent, with some devices ending up as far afield as Dubai and China within just days. Often victims are able to track down the exact location of their stolen phone, but say police 'do nothing' to retrieve it. Have you had your phone stolen and been able to track its location? Get in touch by emailing jamie.phillips@mailonline.co.uk Shelby-Jade Murdock, 27, clinical data manager at the University of Utah, whose phone was stolen in Manchester Scarlett White and her father (pictured) took it upon themselves to visit the location of her mobile phone after police refused She reported the incident to police and told investigators the exact location of her phone, but her case was closed without any officers visiting attempting to recover it. Ms Murdock, a clinical data manager at the University of Utah, told MailOnline: 'I didn't notice it had been stolen until I got a notification through my Apple Watch a few minutes later. READ MORE: Mobile phone theft suspect is stopped in his tracks by HUGE rugby tackle from passer-by Advertisement 'I then got a ping to a location in a nearby street. I headed there, but couldn't find it. I went home and kept updating my computer to see if it was in the same location or moving. 'I filed a police report online, then called them when I got a ping that it was at a storage facility. But police told me it was being held in a private compartment and therefore they could not search it and retrieve my phone - they then closed the case. Ms Murdock accused police of failing to see the value of phone crimes and she was left having to catch a return flight to the US two days later using her father's old phone. Despite accepting she would never be reunited with her phone, she looked up its location 'out of interest', only to see it had been located in Dubai and then China a few days later. Ms Murdock was left having to fork out $1,300 to replace her iPhone 13 Pro Max, along with a new case. Scarlett White, 25, was walking to catch the last train home when she was shoved by two men outside the entrance to Victoria station on Friday. She was left shaken up following the ordeal, before realising her phone had been snatched when she got on the train with friends. Ms White, who lives in Cardiff and was visiting her parents in Bromley, said: 'I had a full blown meltdown. Our entire lives are on our phones. I was full of paranoia and anxiety as I have pictures of credit cards and details on my phone. Around 91,000 phone thefts were recorded across the capital last year alone. Pictured: Two motorcyclists approach a man on his phone before snatching the device Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand (file image) 'I logged into my iCloud on a friend's phone to mark it as lost, but they had turned it off. I got home and I could not stop crying. I was trying to cancel everything, but needed my phone to login to my apps to do so. 'I did not sleep one bit that night. I called police to report it and as I was on the phone I saw the location, but I was told that the location was a block of flats and police would not have a warrant to search it, so they told me they would not be visiting the location.' READ MORE - Revealed: Victims of London phone theft find their stolen mobiles are ending up in the SAME street in Chinese city Advertisement When the phone was moved to another location the following day, she updated police, but was again told no officers would search for the device. Instead, she and her father took it upon themselves to visit the location - a shop in east London. She added: 'I had lots of plans to catch up with friends over the bank holiday, but instead I was panicking about this. My dad and I visited the shop on Monday, which was about an hour's drive and parked up outside. 'We asked the man at the counter if he sold phones, but he just pointed us to other stores. We went in to ten to 15 different shops trying to find it, but couldn't.' Ms White said she was afraid she and her father might be putting themselves in danger and had no idea what would be said if they found the phone. The iPhone 12 Pro Max cost her 800 and she has now been left having to pay 500 to find a refurbished older phone. She continued: 'It is a massive hit on me financially and it is frightening to think this has happened so many times.' Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in Islington, north London within the last year, said it feels like 'a crime that goes unpunished'. Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand. On both occasions she contacted the police but this was 'mainly because I needed the crime reference number' for insurance. She added: 'I knew the police wouldn't do anything about it. 'The first time it happened and I reported it, nothing happened. (This was) despite the fact that I was able to track its location and see where it had been taken to. 'On the second occasion, I had a conversation with a police officer who said that because the thief was wearing a balaclava, there was nothing they could do. Ms Kenyon added: 'It just feels like there is no point in reporting it in the first place, unless you need to for your insurance. 'It's only for proof not for any repercussions. It's a crime that goes unpunished, there seems to be no effort from the police to prevent this. 'You feel very violated, your whole life is on your phone, you can be left not knowing what to do.' The victims shared concerns that 'a small group of thugs' are responsible for the 'vast majority' of the thefts, with claims 'hundreds' are ending up at the same addresses before often being moved abroad. Sharon Browne-Peter, who runs a sickle-cell anaemia charity, recalled how her phone was snatched from her hand by a man riding a bicycle as she waited for a bus in Islington, north London, in February earlier this year. She tracked the location of the device and informed police, but her phone was never retrieved. HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke (pictured) attributed the number of offences going unsolved to 'missed opportunities' from increasingly inexperienced investigators Ms Browne Peter told the BBC: 'They told me that there were hundreds of cases at that same address but there's nothing they can really do. So after that point, I just sort of left it.' It comes as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke admitted 'the stats don't make for good reading' as he attributed the number of offences going unsolved to 'missed opportunities' from increasingly inexperienced investigators. He told BBC's Today programme: 'It is not just an issue for the Metropolitan Police, but across the country. There are a number of facets to it, first of all the demand on policing is ever increasing and policing does have finite resources, so it needs to prioritise accordingly. 'However, on a recent inspection that we did in relation to volume crime - burglary, robbery and theft - it was quite apparent that policing didn't always make the most of the opportunities it had to catch those responsible for it. 'What we found on our most recent inspection was that from the first point of contact, when the first time the call was coming in, opportunities weren't being taken firstly to secure forensic evidence and, secondly, to give good crime prevention advice. 'Moving on from there, the investigations themselves were not always timely, so that golden hour of opportunity to preserve the forensic evidence was missed. 'Investigators, because policing has recruited an awful lot of people in a short period of time, there is a good deal of inexperience there. 'When you have inexperienced people, you need very strong supervision and we found that was missing in many, many forces across the country.' It is believed that the iPhones are likely being stripped for parts and filtered into legal markets, or being turned into 'Frankenstein phones'. The Met Police said officers 'run daily operations to target offenders'. A spokesman for the force added: 'The recovery of phones is difficult as those stealing them pass them on to be sold very quickly. 'Police run daily operations to target offenders and work with second hand retailers to crack down on stolen mobile phones being sold on. 'Specially trained officers focus their attention on hotspot areas, as well as key times of the day, to prevent those intent on using mopeds and other means of transport to steal from being able to do so.' Have you had your phone stolen and been able to track its location? Get in touch by emailing jamie.phillips@mailonline.co.uk The mastermind of an international designer clothing scam has been convicted of one of the UK's largest ever carousel tax frauds. Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, of Preston, Lancashire, and his gang tried to steal 97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones. They also imported and sold counterfeit clothes from China and Turkey with a value of at least 50 million, had they been genuine. The proceeds were used to buy property across Preston and London through offshore bank accounts. Patel's company, Faisaltex Ltd, was the heart of his criminal empire but he fled to Dubai in 2011 and was convicted in his absence while his two brothers are wanted. Sock manufacturer Arif Patel (pictured), 55, of Preston, Lancashire, and his gang tried to steal 97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones They also imported and sold counterfeit clothes from China and Turkey with a value of at least 50 million, had they been genuine Co-accused Mohamed Jaffar Ali, 58, of Dubai, also laundered the proceeds through bank accounts he set up there and offshore. Ali attended the trial at Chester Crown Court but fled before it concluded and was convicted in his absence. Patel and the Faisaltex group of companies had turned to bulk imports of counterfeit clothing in 2004. During the next three years dozens of containers with fake designer clothing inside were stopped at ports across the UK, including Liverpool, Southampton and Felixstowe. A delivery to a Glasgow wholesaler was intercepted by police and revealed to be poorly made designer rip-offs. Patel also used the business from 2004, to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims on supposed high-value goods and yarns. Yesterday, on Tuesday, Patel was found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering, Co-accused Ali was also found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the revenue and money laundering in his absence, and both will be sentenced next month. Some 24 members of the criminal empire were convicted in five trials between 2011 and 2014 and jailed for more than 116 years. HMRC has restrained more than 78 million of the gang's UK assets and proceedings are now underway to recover the cash. The gang was rumbled after Scottish cops stopped a van full of counterfeit clothes on the A74 near Ecclefechan in Dumfries and Galloway in August 2005. Inside the van were replica goods including Calvin Klein, Walt Disney, Nike, Prada, Emporio Armani, Lacoste and Levi Strauss. In total, the gang fraudulently claimed 97 million on false exports of textiles and mobile phones, but HMRC stopped 64 million of the claims. The scam is known as a carousel fraud, where goods are purportedly sold to genuine buyers - but the process is controlled by the criminal, who instigates a paper trail of alleged sales and exports in order to reclaim VAT. Patel frequently travelled to Dubai to meet Ali and also made trips to China and Turkey to set up deals with manufacturers of counterfeit clothing. The profits were laundered by Ali through freezone companies and bank accounts held in the UAE. Money was sent to British Virgin Island-registered companies, which Patel then used to buy property in his hometown of Preston, including commercial properties on the main shopping street. Patel's enterprise relied on contacts around the UK, including professional enablers. This involved two chartered accountants from a Preston-based practice - Anil Hindocha, 69, from Preston, and Yogesh Patel, 66, from Aylesbury, Bucks. Anil Hindocha was jailed for 12 years and 10 months in 2014 after being found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public Revenue and money laundering. Yogesh Patel was jailed for five years and seven months after being found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the public Revenue and money laundering. Arif Patel's brothers Munaf Umarji Patel and Faisal Patel are on Lancashire Police's wanted list. Richard Las, Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: 'These guilty verdicts close a significant chapter in one of the biggest tax fraud cases ever investigated by HMRC. 'For more than a decade HMRC and our partners have worked tirelessly and together to bring this gang to justice. 'Arif Patel lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the law-abiding majority. 'Tax crime is not victimless and fraudsters like this pair steal the money that funds the NHS and other vital public services we all rely on. 'Our work doesn't stop here. We have more than 78 million of the gang's UK assets restrained and have begun the process to recover all those proceeds of crime.' Andrew Fox, Senior Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The convictions of Arif Patel and Mohamed Jaffar Ali successfully conclude this part of an immense investigative and prosecution case against an organised criminal group, involved in counterfeit clothing, fraudulent VAT claims and money-laundering. 'The cost to the public purse was tens of millions, money that could have been used for essential public services in the NHS, social care and education. 'Patel was convicted in his absence, having remained in Dubai throughout the trial. 'The CPS will now pursue confiscation proceedings against the defendants, to prevent them enjoying the benefits of their criminal enterprise.' Former President Donald Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron's recent trip to China, saying he was kissing the a** of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump sat down Tuesday with Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson and the interview aired later that night. Much of the interview - Trump's first since being arraigned in New York last week - was foreign policy-themed. 'You've got this crazy world that's blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say and Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China kissing his a**. In China. I said France is now going to China?' Trump said. Macron traveled to China last week and pressed Xi to use his influence to urge Russia to seek a peace deal with Ukraine. Former President Donald Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron's recent trip to China, saying he was kissing the a** of Chinese President Xi Jinping Chinese Preident Xi Jinping (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron (right) are photographed during Macron's trip last week to China 'I know I can count on you to bring Russia back to its senses,' Macron told Xi. Macron received blowback from the trip, as he said in an interview while in China that the European Union should reduce its dependence on the United States and cautioned getting too involved in a China-Taiwan showdown. The French president floated that there could be a crisis over the self-governed island driven by 'American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.' A senior French diplomat told reporters Wednesday that Macron makes no apology for the comments, according to Reuters. During his time in office, Trump courted Xi, but also deployed policies that were tough on China including tariffs that set off a trade war. Carlson admitted surprise when hearing Trump talk about hosting Xi in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago, calling the former president's comments 'remarkably nuanced and even affectionate.' Trump called Xi 'top of the line.' 'President Xi is a brilliant man. If you went all over Hollywood to look for somebody to play the role of President Xi, you couldn't find - there's nobody like that,' the ex-president said. 'The look, the brain, the whole thing. We had a great relationship.' Trump also recalled Xi's interpreter. 'He had an incredible - I'm not allowed to say it because it's very impolite and very politically incorrect - a beautiful female interpreter,' Trump said. 'If you say it, they'll say, "this is terrible, you're not allowed to say that." But she was very professional. She spoke every word for him, very professional.' Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's former Connecticut home has been razed and placed on the market for a staggering $21million. Weinstein, 71, who is currently in jail, entertained many guests at the Beachside Avenue property - including hosting fundraisers for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - before he sold the property and the adjacent plot in 2018 for $16million. He purchased 26 Beachside Avenue in 1994 for $4.25million and bought the adjacent plot - 28 Beachside Avenue - in 2000 for $4million. The Hollywood producer offloaded the properties to English graphic designer Andrew Bentley and his wife Fiona Garland during the height of his sexual assault scandal. Bentley and Garland razed the Westport property shortly after purchasing the two plots, according to the New York Post, and are now selling the nearly six-acre lots for a total of $21million, although each are listed separately. Bentley, who owns several homes in the upscale neighborhood and was neighbors to the mogul, said he has 'never met or seen Weinstein,' who was known to frequent the home on the weekends with his former wife Georgina Chapman and their children. Disgraced Harvey Weinstein, 71, who is currently in prison, purchased 26 Beachside Avenue (pictured) in 1994 for $4.25million and bought the adjacent plot - 28 Beachside Avenue - in 2000 for $4million The Hollywood producer offloaded the properties to English graphic designer Andrew Bentley and his wife Fiona Garland during the height of his sexual assault scandal Weinstein (pictured in October) has been sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison in New York and California for sexual assault The graphic designer had initially bought the property with plans of building a new home, but those ideas never came to life. When the colonial-style home was standing, it occupied nearly 9,000 square feet and had eight bedrooms and ten baths. Weinstein married Chapman on the property in 2007. Around the same time, Weinstein offloaded several properties to avoid bankruptcy while he viciously fought sexual assault allegations in court. He sold a mansion in the Hamptons he bought in 2014 for over $11 million - a million less than what he bought it for. He also sold another Westport home, where his mother lived until her death in 2016, for $1.6million in 2017. Weinstein unsuccessfully fought the assault claims and was sentenced to 39 years in prison. He was sentence to 23 in 2020 for crimes in New York. He was also sentenced to 16 years in California in February of this year. The barren land now sits quickly along the shoreline The front gate has stone pillars leading onto the now razed property It has access to the water through a series of steps outside the home Bentley and his wife razed the property (pictured) shortly after buying it with plans of building a new home. However, the plans fell through for unknown reasons The side-by-side plots are located in the upscale Westport neighborhood in Connecticut The two plots are being sold by the Higgins Group (pictured) After his most recent conviction, Weinstein persisted that he was 'innocent.' 'It is incredible to be convicted for a crime I wasnt even present for. I am innocent. I never raped or assaulted anyone,' Weinstein said in a new statement following the verdict. Weinstein, who continued to maintain his innocence, added that the actress 'perjured herself at least three times and then sued for money, when she said on the stand that she would "never.'" 'I was never with her. Her entire claim thing was a setup for a money grab,' he added. Weinstein was already serving a 23-year sentence for separate rape and sexual assault convictions in New York when he was found guilty of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by foreign object of an unnamed Russian-born Italian model. Weinstein frequented the property with his wife and kids and hosted fundraisers for Barack Obama (pictured on the property in 2012) and Hillary Clinton His latest sentence - which will only begin when he completes his New York sentence - came after a rape at the Mr. C Beverly Hills Hotel in February 2013. As the judge revealed his fate on Thursday, Weinstein - who is now almost certain to die behind bars - moaned: 'I maintain that I'm innocent. 'I never raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe 1. I never knew this woman, and the fact is she doesn't know me.' 'Please don't sentence me to life in prison,' he begged Judge Lisa B Lench, to no avail. 'I don't deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case.' He will now serve the 16 years in addition to the 21 years left in his New York sentence. That would mean that Weinstein would be extradited to California to serve his 16 years behind bars in the state at the age of 91 - if he's still alive at that age. Should Weinstein make it to the end of his California sentence, he'd be released aged 107. A Canadian couple visiting California to surf was struck by a driver who fled the scene leaving one in a coma and the other with traumatic leg injuries. Kevin Gulbranson, 31, and Dayae Choi, 31, were just hours into their trip to San Diego when an unidentified driver hit them and their rental vehicle in the city's Ocean Beach area. The couple were unpacking their suitcases at the time of the horrific incident. Authorities say the car, believed to be an older model black Lexus sedan, made an 'unsafe movement' that caused Gulbanson and Choi to be struck. 'Pretty emotional. It's very hard. We're just hoping and praying for the best right now,' said Allison Gulbranson, Kevin's sister, in an interview with ABC 10 News. Kevin Gulbranson, 31, and Dayae Choi, 31, were just hours into their trip to San Diego when an unidentified driver hit them and their rental vehicle in the city's Ocean Beach area. Authorities say the car, believed to be an older model black Lexus sedan, made an 'unsafe movement' that caused Gulbanson and Choi to be struck According to the San Diego Police Department, Gulbranson and Choi were unpacking their rental vehicle in the 4700 block of Greene Street around 5.40pm on Friday, April 7. The couple were staying with a friend when who lived nearby when the car struck them and drove away. As they were pulling their luggage from the vehicle, the other vehicle came along and hit them, taking off immediately and leaving them injured. Allison told the local news outlet that Dayae's memory of what happened is hazy. 'They went to reach in [to the rental vehicle], and the next thing that she can remember was that she was lying on the ground and so was Kevin,' said Allison. Kevin was rushed to the hospital after the collision with life-threatening injuries. According to his sister, the Canada resident is still in critical condition in a medically induced coma with severe head trauma. 'They did brain surgery a few nights ago,' Allison told CTV News. 'We're hoping he's going to make a full recovery.' Choi is suffering from ongoing injuries including several fractures but she is conscious. She has also undergone surgery for her leg injuries, which include missing muscle, fat, and skin in her leg. Choi will undergo additional surgeries and skin grafting. According to the San Diego Police Department, Gulbranson and Choi were unpacking their rental vehicle in the 4700 block of Greene Street around 5.40pm on April 7 This is the intersection where the hit and run occurred on April 7 As they were pulling their luggage from the vehicle, the other vehicle came along and hit them, taking off immediately and leaving them injured According to Kevin's sister, the Canada resident is still in critical condition in a medically induced coma with severe head trauma Choi is suffering from ongoing injuries including several fractures but she is conscious The couple's family is now reeling and searching for answers. 'Upset, disgusted, angry. I can't believe somebody would be able to do that, knowing that there are two very injured people,' said Allison. 'This was supposed to be a fun vacation and it ended with absolutely horrible and devastating injuries to both of them,' Kevin's sister said. 'We're just looking for answers and for justice,' said Allison. A GoFundMe titled 'Kevin & Dayae Need Our Help' has raised $112,000 in three days. Friends are appealing to the public to help cover the cost of medical expenses in the United States. 'As Canadian citizens on international travel, our support will be critical in easing the strain of expenses that will be required to ensure the best care and recovery mechanisms are utilized,' the GoFundMe's description reads. In an update on the GoFundMe, friends thanked those who have contributed. 'On behalf of Dayae and Kevin's family, the ongoing support is highly appreciated and this outpouring from the community is felt deeply by all,' an update reads. 'Upset, disgusted, angry. I can't believe somebody would be able to do that, knowing that there are two very injured people,' said Allison Gulbranson, Kevin's sister A GoFundMe titled 'Kevin & Dayae Need Our Help' has raised $112,000 in three days Police continue to search for the vehicle involved in the hit and run. The car is described as an older black Lexus sedan, possibly an LS400, with damage on the passenger side. The vehicle also has a missing mirror on the passenger side and a missing windshield wiper. A $1,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information on the collision. Anyone with information about the suspect and the car is asked to call SDPD's Traffic Division at 858-495-7823 or Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477. As the State Department enters negotiations with Russia to secure the release of 'wrongfully' detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the family of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned since 2018, is begging the Biden administration to also free him. The Biden administration has successfully secured the release of two other detained Americans since the start of the year: WNBA star Brittney Griner who was held on drug possession charges and former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed who was accused of assaulting Russian police officers. Whelan's family said Tuesday that a third prisoner swap conducted by the administration that does not include Whelan would be an 'unconscionable betrayal.' 'We have asked our parents to express to Paul that Elizabeth and I can't conceive a scenario where the U.S. government conceded anything to the Kremlin for an American's release that did not include Paul,' the former Marine's brother David Whelan and sister Elizabeth Whelan said in a joint statement to press first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Whelan's family said Tuesday that a third prisoner swap that does not include Whelan would be an 'unconscionable betrayal' Paul Whelan's parents, who are in their 80s, wish to see their son freed from Russia before they die 'Paul's fear of being left behind a third time was apparently palpable in his conversation with our parents yesterday,' David Whelan continued, noting that his parents, who are in their 80s, wish to see their son again before they die. Whelan, 53, was arrested in 2018 after the Russian government accused him of spying and convicted him shortly thereafter. The State Department officially designed Gershkovich as 'wrongfully detained' by the Russian government over the weekend. Whelan is also considered wrongfully detained and the U.S. has said for years that his espionage conviction is fake. The State Department has entered negotiations with Russia to secure the release of 'wrongfully' detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. He is pictured here in 2021 In a statement Sunday, the Wall Street Journal Publisher Almar Latour and Editor in Chief Emma Tucker praised the Biden administration for the designation. The say it will 'unlock additional resources and attention at the highest levels of the U.S. government in securing his release.' 'We are doing everything in our power to support Evan and his family and will continue working with the State Department and other relevant U.S. officials to push for his release,' the statement continued. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that President Biden is also focused on securing Whelan's release. 'The President made it clear that his national security team has been and will remain focused on securing Evan's release as well as that of Paul Whelan, both of whom are wrongfully detained in Russia,' Jean-Pierre said. The White House has declined to comment on the details of ongoing negotiations with the Russians. A New Jersey mother said staff of a recent United Airlines flight refused to accommodate her son's 'life-threatening' peanut allergy. Lianne Mandelbaum said she, her husband, and her teenage son Josh were traveling home from a recent college visit to Texas when she asked a flight attendant to notify the rows around them of her son's peanut allergy. Mandelbaum, who also runs the food allergy advocacy group No Nut Traveler, recounted the incident to Good Morning America, saying that she 'went up to speak to the flight attendant and I said, "my son has a life-threatening peanut allergy. I would really appreciate it if you could just tell the surrounding rows to be careful."' Mandelbaum said she had made similar requests in the past without issue and had, in fact, had a perfectly fine experience with a United crew on the family's flight to Texas. New Jersey mother Lianne Mandelbaum filed an official complaint against United Airlines after a flight attendant refused to tell the rows around her about her son's life-threatening peanut allergy The mother of three recounted her experience, saying that a United flight attendant supervisor summoned her prior to takeoff and said: 'I don't care what you're going to say or what you're going to show me. I'm telling you, this is not going to happen on this plane.' 'So what are you going to do about it now?' Mandelbaum recounted the attendant saying. 'At that point, I really did feel threatened that she was going to kick me off,' she said. Mandelbaum says she attempted to show the flight attendant United's allergy policy, but the attendant waved her hand in her face and shut her down. She said she was not expecting her efforts to keep her son safe to be thwarted by the flight staff. 'I wasn't expecting any pushback on the flight on the way home. In fact, I was approaching it with a very optimistic view and the opposite happened,' she said. Following the interaction, Mandelbaum said her son felt embarrassed and asked her to let the request go after she returned to her seat. However, her experience left her rattled, prompting her to purchase in-flight WiFi and tweet about the incident after takeoff. Once they were home, Mandelbaum filed an official US Department of Transportation complaint against United with the assistance of her attorney Mary Vargas. The complaint, according to GMA, claims that Mandelbaum was 'subjected to denial of accommodation, humiliation, retaliation, and intimidation because she disclosed her son's food allergies and requested accommodation.' The complaint further alleged that United violated the Air Carrier Access Act and Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights. The airline is also accused of a 'pattern or practice of discriminatory treatment of passengers with food allergies and those who advocate on their behalf.' She is hoping it will be determined that United violated disability discrimination laws, the punishment for which would be a fine and mandatory training for employees. Contamination on airlines can be deadly for those with serious food allergies. Flight attendants often notify passengers sitting in the seats around those with allergy concerns Mandelbaum, a mother of three, runs a nonprofit called No Nut Traveler, which advocates for those with food allergies United said it is 'looking into this incident' in response to an inquiry about Mandelbaum's encounter GMA reported that United subsequently filed a response to the complaint, which in part acknowledged that Mandelbaum spoke with at least two United staffers and 'requested that other passengers be informed that her son had a peanut allergy.' The company also disputed that Mrs. Mandelbaum was subjected to 'discriminatory treatment' or that there is a 'pattern or practice of discriminatory treatment of passengers with food allergies and those who advocate on their behalf.' Since sharing her experience online, Mandelbaum says she has received some threatening messages online, including one that called her a 'selfish person.' But she said she is undeterred by the negativity. 'Despite what people say on social media, it's not really suffering to go without your favorite snack for a couple hours or just be careful around someone who's asked you politely. I mean, what kind of world are we living in where we can't help someone that has a different health risk than we do? It's just, it's really upsetting.' 'I'm trying to model for [my son] so that when he is an adult flying without us and going back and forth to college, that he models my behavior and he asks for things that are going to keep him safe. There's no reason why his food allergy should stand in the way of him achieving any of his goals,' she said. When contacted by Dailymail.com, United said it is 'looking into this incident' and linked to its allergy policy, which states: 'Due to the presence of food allergens in the processing environment and in meals and snacks served, United cannot guarantee an allergen-free meal or environment on its flights. Further, it is not possible to prevent customers from bringing food items on board that contain major food allergens including peanuts. 'If you have a severe food allergy and are traveling on a flight please notify a flight attendant on board the aircraft that you request an allergy buffer zone so we can attempt to notify customers seated nearby to refrain from eating any allergen-containing products they may have brought on board. Please understand that we cannot prevent any customer from eating the products they have brought on board.' Storm Noa caused chaos in Britain today with 96mph winds that saw a woman being injured by flying scaffolding, pilots struggling to land at Heathrow and huge waves smashing into UK coasts. The chaos and disruption caused by Storm Noa are likely to continue as the Met Office warned that the severe winds are set to continue. Gusts of up to 96mph were recorded as Storm Noa brought down trees across swathes of Britain, causing power cuts and blocking railway lines. In Hampshire, a woman had to be rushed to hospital with serious injuries after scaffolding was blown off a roof and came crashing down on her, due to heavy winds brought by Storm Noa. Emergency services rushed to a high street in Fareham, Hampshire after the metal scaffolding was blown down outside a Halifax bank. Shop workers on the high street described hearing a 'loud bang', with dramatic photos showing metal strewn across the street and police confirming the woman had suffered 'serious injuries.' The frightening incident comes as the UK battles to stay in control of a storm that has already brought high winds, snow and disruption to all parts of Britain today. HAMPSHIRE: A woman has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after scaffolding fell on her during Storm Noa HEATHROW: Tens of thousands of people have tuned into Big Jet TV to watch enormous jets land NEWHAVEN: Storm Noa has caused waves higher than the lighthouse on the south coast today DOVER: The Irish Ferries Isle of Inisheer ferry battled against strong winds and rough seas as it arrives at the Port of Dover HEATHROW: Many of the jets were seen to wobble and sway as they approached the runway WALES: A motorist drives through a wintry landscape near Llanfihangel-nant-Melan, Wales CUMBRIA: Skiddaw mountain in the Lake District covered in snow this morning as Storm Noa sweeps the UK WALES: Waves crash against the lighthouse wall in Porthcawl today as Storm Noa arrives SCOTLAND: A man trudges through the snow today as Storm Noa hit the North of Scotland DEVON: Dartmoor experienced a brief blast of snow, sleet and hail this morning before sunshine returned DORSET: A surfer in the fierce waves as Storm Noa batters the seafront in Bournemouth DORSET: A dog walker on the sea foam covered promenade as rough seas from Storm Noa crash against the sea defences at West Bay Aircraft arriving at Heathrow could be seen swaying in the high winds amid Met Office warnings of short-term power cuts and disruption to road and ferry travel in the south west. There has been snowfall in Scotland, Wales and Cumbria today with a sudden flurry of 'snow, sleet and hail' also reported in Devon. Some homes were left without power and fallen trees blocked several roads in Devon and Cornwall. A gust of 68mph was recorded at Berry Head at Brixham and at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly a 64mph gust was logged. BBC weather forecaster David Braine said: 'In Plymouth there was a massive gust which rattled the roof and that was 60mph.' Elsewhere, a tree fell on to a house in Torquay, Devon, and all the occupants were accounted for. A woman was being treated by ambulance staff after her car was in collision with a fallen tree on the A377 between Crediton and Copplestone, blocking the road. Her condition is not yet known. Also in Devon, a woman had to be taken to hospital after her car was crushed and trapped by a falling tree this afternoon. Fire crews confirmed she was treated at the scene of the incident, on the A377 near Spence Combe, until ambulance crews arrived who proceeded to take her on board and to hospital for a thorough assessment. Firefighters from Crediton and North Tawton attended the incident earlier today, who said they had to make space to get the casualty out by 'moving the [car] seats back'. A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service added: 'Crews then remained on scene to allow police to complete their investigations and to make the vehicle safe. 'We wish the casualty all the best for her ongoing recovery.' The casualty's injuries are 'not not suspected to be serious at this stage', they added. SWANSEA: Major waves were crashing against rocks in Bracelet Bay overlooking Mumbles Lighthouse near Swansea DEVON: A woman had to be taken to hospital after her car was crushed and trapped by a falling tree this afternoon on the A377 near Spence Combe LONDON: At London City Airport the strong winds pushed passenger planes sideways KENT: In Folkstone, Kent, a lighthouse on the harbour was hit by massive waves and strong winds today Fire crews confirmed she was treated at the scene of the incident, on the A377 near Spence Combe, until ambulance crews arrived who proceeded to take her on board and to hospital for a thorough assessment DOVER: The DFDS Cote D'Opale ferry battles against strong winds as it arrives at the Port of Dover in Kent CORNWALL: In Cornwall tall waves roll in from a stormy sea LONDON: A runner navigates the torrential rain close to Tower Bridge today BRIGHTON: Police and coastguards in search off the beach by Brighton Palace Pier after reports of missing people in the sea NEWHAVEN: Storm Noa is battering the south coast as massive waves broke over Newhaven Lighthouse In London, commuters were met with travel chaos as they tried to get the train home from Paddington Station this afternoon. Most train services from the station were cancelled from around 5.15pm after a tree fell onto the railway and made contact with the overhead wires near Acton Main Line station putting two out of four lines out of use in the area. One commuter called the result 'total carnage' when they shared a photo of an overcrowded information desk at Paddington on Twitter. Another commuter posted a picture of the departures board, showing all routes were either delayed, cancelled or awaiting further updates. They wrote: 'Not sure I'm getting home tonight...' GWR have said that disruption between Paddington and Slough is expected until 10.30pm. The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected. The forecaster said there is a chance of 'heavy outbreaks of rain and thunder' in south-east England by this evening. Taking to social media, one dog walker described how suddenly the Arctic blast had arrived. They said: 'Early sunshine & blue skies meant I decided to take the dogs and my coffee out to the sheepfold this morning . then this! Snow, sleet and hail. Five minutes later we had sunshine again!' 'There's likely to be some warning updates from us of winds with some associated rain throughout the day with gusts up to 60-70 miles per hour this morning and some heavy rains accompanying,' Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said. GWR warned this afternoon that train services from Paddington were cancelled this afternoon after a tree fell on the line Commuters stranded at Paddington Station this evening after service cancellations PLYMOUTH: Trees came crashing down, crushing cars after chaos caused by Storm Noa DORSET: A couple battling the wind on the pier in Bournemouth today DORSET: Storm Noa batters the seafront in Bournemouth as Storm Noa brings a yellow wind warning to area A swathe of wintry weather with heavy rain and strong 70mph gusts will batter Britain today as Storm Noa (pictured) sweeps across the nation The weather system, named Storm Noa by Meteo France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected A yellow weather warning for wind has also been extended to the south-east of England, where the storm is predicted to migrate over the course of the day A blast of cold air this morning could even see an 'increasing risk of snow over the higher ground for parts of the UK, especially in the north'. Pictured: Snow in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning 'Coastal areas, particularly Devon and Cornwall, are likely to see the worst of this with potential short-term losses of power and disruption to travel. 'This is a low-pressure system that is building in from the west and is set to get worse throughout the course of the day.' Although the weather is a named storm in France, it is not classed as such by the Met Office. Heavy showers are also expected in Scotland, with western areas predicted to see in excess of 30mm of rain and other areas set to see around 20mm of rain. Temperatures in Scotland are expected to be 5C but will dip to freezing level overnight tonight, particularly in rural areas in the north of the country. Motorists particularly those driving HGVs, motorhomes and motorcycles, and those towing caravans and trailers have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions. National Highways is urging motorists to check conditions before beginning their commute. Drivers should be extra vigilant when travelling across exposed locations, such as coastal and high lying areas and bridges, as these areas could be affected by high winds. A yellow warning for wind has been lifted in Northern Ireland, though the Met Office predicts strong winds of around 50mph in some coastal areas. The grip of the unsettled conditions is set to last for the rest of the week, with sunshine and heavy showers for many on Thursday and persistent rain in the south on Friday. It is then set to become drier and brighter into the weekend, while temperatures may start to rise next week. Mr Dixon added: 'The set up is low pressure dominant both in the South West and in Scotland. Overnight tonight and into Thursday, we are expecting these low-pressure systems to combine and move into the North Sea. This will leave behind showers across much of the UK with winds decreasing throughout the day on Thursday.' The first storm to be named by the Met Office, or Irish or Dutch weather services, this season will still be Storm Antoni, in accordance with the 2022/23 name list. The UK is experiencing wet and wintry weather this week. Pictured: Traffic on the A939 at the Lecht today as fresh snow falls in the North of Scotland People have been warned to expect some difficult travel conditions today. Pictured: Bad weather causes waves to create a snow-like effect in in Cleveleys, Lancashire this morning A swathe of disruptive winds with gusts of up to 70mph and 'severe gales' and heavy rain is set to sweep across Britain today. Pictured: The sky in Dunsden, Oxfordshire at dawn today ahead of what is set to be a wet and windy day The wet and wintry weather is set to bring a chilly start this morning with sunshine and showers that may be heavy and thundery. Pictured: The sun rises over the countryside in Dunsden, Oxfordshire this morning BLACKPOOL: The Big One (pictured) at Blackpool Pleasure Beach had to be stopped just seonds before it reached the summit of its first terrifying drop yesterday afternoon One day before Storm Noa brought chaos to Britain, thrillseekers in Blackpool faced horror as the iconic rollercoaster the Big One was forced to stop mid-climb. The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which reaches a height of 235ft, had to be stopped just seconds before it reached the summit of its first terrifying drop yesterday afternoon. Park staff had to scale the ride by foot to rescue the riders at 2.50pm yesterday due to the heavy gusts and the ride was kept closed the rest of the day. Guests on the rollercoaster had to make their way down guided by staff, which had them scale down from nearly the top of the more than 200ft tall roller coaster. They were seen gripping the handrails and carefully climbing down the over 400 steps on the red emergency stairs, the Blackpool Gazette reports. A spokesperson for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said: 'At 2.50pm Blackpool Pleasure Beach stopped the Big One train on the ride's lift hill due to sudden changes in weather conditions. 'Guests on the ride were reassured and escorted from the ride by Blackpool Pleasure Beach staff. 'Due to high gusts of wind the Big One rollercoaster closed for the remainder of the day.' Prosecutors say Dr. Darius Paduch would force patients to masturbate in front of him while watching pornography A Manhattan urologist has been sued after he was accused of telling seven male patients - including two minors - to masturbate while he played porn and performing rectal exams without using gloves. Dr. Darius Paduch, who practiced in the city since 2003, used his position of power to repeatedly sexually assault patients, prosecutors said. One section of the indictment accuses the 55-year-old of telling patients that they were masturbating incorrectly and then grabbing their penises. In court Tuesday, Paduch pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial will likely take place later this year. In addition to criminal charges, Paduch is also facing a lawsuit being brought by multiple victims. At least two of the victims involved in the suit were minors at the time of the incidents which occurred between 2015 and 2019. Darius A. Paduch, 55, of North Bergen, New Jersey, was charged in Manhattan federal court with sexually abusing patients, including two males who were allegedly attacked before they became adults In an interview with CBS New York, one victim who is suing the doctor, Tucker Coburn said that he has been seeking justice since 2020 when he first made accusations against Paduch in a police report. At the time, he was told that the statute of limitations had expired. 'He touched me inappropriately. He pressed himself against me to demonstrate his sexual interest,' Coburn said. He then began recording his interactions with the doctor before leaving the practice. Coburn alleges that when he told the hospital about what had happened, no action was taken. 'Ever since I filed my report in 2020, I've been looking for him to be criminally charged and put behind bars. That's my number one goal. That's where he belongs. But at the very least I hope this ends his medical career and ensures he has no chance of abusing anyone else in the future,' Coburn added. 'As alleged, for years, Darius Paduch abused the trust of patients, including minors, who saw him for sensitive medical problem. Paduch took advantage of his victims for his own deviant satisfaction,' United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damien Williams said Monday. Thanks to this mornings arrest, Paduchs abuse of his patients ends today,' he added. The physician was a specialist in male reproductive health. The indictment also accuses Paduch of touching his victim's penises, pressing himself against them and speaking openly about penis sizes as well as sexual activity. 'Such discussions had no bearing on medical treatment In the same manner, volunteered intimate information about his own sexual activity, sexual history, and sexual orientation, which also had no bearing on medical treatment or any other legitimate medical purpose,' one section of the indictment read. The indictment said Paduch had worked in New York from 2003 through 2023 as a practicing urologist specializing in male reproductive health U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in a statement said Paduch abused the trust of patients who saw him for sensitive medical problems Prior to appointments, Paduch would send his victims inappropriate sexual jokes in text messages, authorities said. Paduch is facing two counts of 'inducement of a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and inducement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. 'The indictment unsealed today against Paduch, a New York-area doctor, details alleged systemic abuse of a number of patients, to include minors, over the course of several years. Sexual abuse of anyone at any age for any reason is a horrific crime that carries strict penalties,' FBI Assistant Director Michael Driscoll said in a statement. He could face 60 years in prison if convicted on all charges. In addition to criminal charges, Paduch is also facing a lawsuit from a further 20 victims who have made similar accusations. Among those being represented in the lawsuit is a person who says that they were abused at 16 when they worked as Paduch's intern. A lawyer for the victims, Mallory Allen, described the doctor as a 'master manipulator who groomed these people so he could abuse them' and someone who took advantage of his position of supreme trust,' according to the New York Times. Victim Tucker Coburn, shown here, said that he has been seeking justice since 2020 when he first made accusations against Paduch in a police report The victims are also suing the two hospitals where the disgraced doctor work, New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and Northwell Health. The plaintiffs allege that the hospitals knew of Paduch's behavior and allowed it to continue. As recently as February, Paduch's profile was featured on Northwell Health's website, reports the New York Post. The lawsuit being brought against Paduch is being filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act which allows victims of sexual assault to go after their abusers without any statute of limitation concerns. Paduch was well-regarded in the world of male reproductive health, in 2016 he was quoted in a New York Times feature on generic Viagra. The article refers to the doctor as being a paid researcher for Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of another erectile disfunction drug, Cialis. In 2011, he authored a study that found that 65 percent of men with erectile disfunction where unable to have orgasms and 58 percent had trouble ejaculating. While two years earlier, his opinion was sought by ABC News in regards to the reality of a Grey's Anatomy episode. 'For me, it's certainly great to see the charges come forward and be publicized, and that he was arrested, which is something that I've been hoping for since he abused me when I was 18,' Tucker Coburn said in a separate interview with Gothamist. 'Reading a lot of the charges, everything that's in the indictment, I definitely was taken back to some of the things that he did with me as well,' he added. 'I would certainly like to see for this case, that Dr. Paduch be behind bars. I think that that's certainly appropriate in terms of the conduct that he had, and the sexual abuse that he perpetrated against other victims, as well as myself,' Coburn concluded. Connor Sturgeon, 25, was receiving professional treatment for depression and anxiety, DailyMail.com can reveal, but he had no anger issues Louisville mass shooter Connor Sturgeon was receiving professional treatment for depression and anxiety, but his family are unaware of him having any issues with anger, a source close to the killer's family exclusively told DailyMail.com Wednesday. The family were also unaware that the 25-year-old had any employment concerns, despite early reports that he'd been fired or was facing termination, the source added. Asked whether the family knew of him of him having any motive to go after co-workers Monday, the source replied: 'Absolutely not.' 'That's the amazing thing about this,' the source told DailyMail.com. 'He was in the care of health professionals. There's a history of depression and anxiety, but no anger. 'That's the piece of this puzzle that is the hardest to understand for the family.' Connor Sturgeon, 25, was receiving professional care for depression and anxiety, DailyMail.com can reveal Sturgeon is pictured in surveillance footage, casually dressed while holding an AR-15-style rifle. 'He was in the care of health professionals. There's a history of depression and anxiety, but no anger,' a source close to the Sturgeon family said The source said the family are 'puzzled' by his actions and were not aware that he had employment issues at the bank. The Sturgeon family broke their silence in a statement on Tuesday The family are also struggling to grasp why he'd target the bank, despite an early, unrepeated claim by authorities that he'd been fired, the source said. 'The family did not know there was anything awry with his employment status,' the source said. 'So in the first press conference when they said he'd been fired, the family was very upset about that. 'I think authorities kind of walked that back a little bit yesterday, saying he was not fired. But there's still this narrative out there about him being told he was going to be fired, and the family is trying to seek clarity on that because they're unaware of that.' The source also stated that the family were unaware their son had purchased an AR-15 rifle a week before the attack. 'They had no idea,' the source said. 'They're not a gun family, not a single gun in this family.' Connor's father Todd Sturgeon had even re-tweeted anti-gun accounts and tweets online. Sturgeon was seen entering the bank on East Main Street in Louisville at 8.33am on Monday armed with a legally-purchased AR-15 before opening fire and killing five senior executives and injuring eight other people. Over the course of six minutes, police were seen driving up to the building and charging down the doors - as gunshots rang out into the streets. One officer, Nickolas Wilt, was shot in the head in the ambush before Sturgeon was then killed. A lawyer representing the family told DailyMail.com exclusively on Tuesday that Sturgeon's parents received a text from their son minutes before the rampage, with him simply stating 'I love you.' They're aware of the young man leaving a note or notes, but police have yet to share them with the family, the lawyer added. Police on the scene of Monday's shooting in Louisville. Armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, Sturgeon burst into the morning conference at 8:30am - before the bank was open to the public On Tuesday night, the killer's family broke their silence to condemn his 'senseless acts of violence' and revealed he had mental health problems - but said 'there were never any warning signs' he would commit mass murder. 'No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community,' the statement read. 'We mourn their loss and that of our son, Connor. We pray for everyone traumatized by his senseless acts of violence and are deeply grateful for the bravery and heroism of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department. 'While Connor, like many of his contemporaries, had mental health challenges which we, as a family, were actively addressing, there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act. 'While we have many unanswered questions, we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do all we can to aid everyone in understanding why and how this happened.' Footage of the incident, released at a news conference on Tuesday, detailed the Louisville Metro Police Department's quick response to the massacre. Audio between a dispatcher and officers, released on Broadcastify, filled in the gaps of the speedy operation. Sturgeon's roommate Dallas Whalen, 24, (right) has been cooperating fully with the police investigation, his lawyer told DailyMail.com The pair lived in this modest two-bedroom home for about a year before Monday's shooting that left Sturgeon and five victims dead. An officer is seen at the home Sturgeon had been living in a one-story house with his close friend, who said he did not know his roommate was planning an attack, DailyMail.com revealed exclusively. Dallas Whalen, 24, Sturgeon's roommate, has been cooperating with police, his lawyer said. 'It was as unknown and surprising to Dallas as everybody,' the lawyer said. Whalen has kept a low profile since the shooting. His father went to the home Monday night to retrieve some of his son's belongings and also to help a young woman, who is believed to have been staying there. Authorities tell DailyMail.com that the murder weapon was 'legally purchased from an arms dealer in Louisville on April 4.' Whalen was unaware of the purchase and did not have any advanced knowledge or information about Connor's plan or intentions, his lawyer, who is also representing the Sturgeon family, added. Whalen's lawyer said he's working with the Sturgeon family and through them is offering Whalen counsel as well. Neighbors told DailyMail.com that Sturgeon and his friend had been living in the modest two-bedroom house for about a year and described the shooter as quiet but friendly. The neighbor said Sturgeon and Whalen were always polite and would invite her family over to their home when his friends would gather in the backyard, sometimes playing beer pong. Armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, he burst into the morning conference at 8:30am - before the bank was open to the public - and killed Tommy Elliott, 63; Joshua Barrick, 40; James 'Jim' Tutt, 64; and Juliana Farmer, 57. The death of Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer at the bank and a mother of two, was confirmed on Monday evening by Louisville police. All five were senior executives at the bank. A father-of-three was stabbed to death after he was chased through a busy shopping centre by balaclava-clad thugs, a court heard. Michael Ugwa, 29, was killed at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock, Essex, after complimenting his assailant's girlfriend, Basildon Crown Court heard on Wednesday. Muhammad Khan, 23, and 20-year-old Brandon Lutchmunsing are alleged to have cornered him before Khan allegedly stabbed him in the chest. Mr Ugwa, from Rainham, east London, died of 'catastrophic' blood loss at the scene as the two men fled. The attack on August 28 last year was captured on CCTV as witnesses fled from the knife-wielding Khan. Michael Ugwa, 29, was killed at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock, Essex, after complimenting his assailant's girlfriend, a court heard The pair, from east London, deny Mr Ugwa's murder. A jury heard how an argument broke out after Mr Ugwa made comments towards Lutchmunsing's girlfriend, Shannon Weston. Khan is said to have brandished a knife before he and Lutchmunsing stalked Mr Ugwa through the shopping centre food hall. Karim Khalil KC, prosecuting, described the 'brutal attack of two on one' in which the men trapped Mr Ugwa in a 'pincer movement'. Footage played at court showed Mr Ugwa holding up a chair in a bid to defend himself before throwing it at Lutchmunsing. Khan stabbed then stabbed Mr Ugwa in a 'single and deadly' blow before fleeing with Lutchmunsing in Weston's red Audi, Mr Khalil said. Weston is accused of driving Khan and Lutchmunsing away from the shopping centre, and of helping her then-boyfriend to evade police between April 28 and May 4. The 21-year-old, of Canewdon, Essex, denies three counts of assisting an offender and is also on trial. Khan is said to have brandished a knife before he and Lutchmunsing stalked Mr Ugwa through the shopping centre food hall Mr Khalil said: 'The killing is particularly shocking because it happened just before 4.30 in the afternoon in the public food court. 'It happened in front of a number of people going about their normal business. 'Witnesses were clearly frightened for their safety. 'A mother with two youngsters in a pushchair can be seen dragging them away as fast as she can. 'The three defendants were sitting by a food outlet when Michael Ugwa and his friend walked in. 'There was a short verbal exchange during which Michael passed some admiring comments towards Shannon Weston. 'The two male defendants decided to take it as some form of challenge. 'Muhammad Khan pulled out a knife. Khan did this in a secretive manner but we say from the manner of Lutchmunsing's behaviour that he knew. 'Mr Ugwa ran for his safety. He continued to be chased around the food court. The attack on August 28 last year was captured on CCTV as witnesses fled from the knife-wielding Khan 'Mr Ugwa went through some tables. He grabbed a chair. He threw the chair at Lutchmunsing. 'He was the subject of a pincer movement as they went around different parts of the food court effectively trapping him between them. 'Eventually Mr Khan cornered him and stabbed out. He aimed the knife at his chest and struck him as he intended to. It was a single and deadly blow. 'Mr Ugwa was quickly surrounded by helpers but he bled out. 'As he was left to die there the two defendants fled the scene. Shannon West drove them away. 'She had witnessed the violence in the food court. She was clearly helping the two men to escape.' Lutchmunsing said he was unaware that his friend had pulled out the knife until he stabbed Mr Ugwa, while Khan claimed he was acting in self-defence. Mr Khalil described their account as a 'fabrication concocted to avoid the consequences' of their actions. The trial continues. The elder brother of former labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will have to wait until July 2024 to face trial for assaults on two cops outside BBC Broadcasting House. Piers Corbyn, 76, allegedly assaulted two police officers, Sam Baylis and Holly Ryan, by beating on February 11 this year. The lockdown protestor and climate change denier also assaulted Chantelle Ansell-Viera by beating the same day, it is said. Appearing at Southwark Crown Court this afternoon, wearing a grey suit and red tie, Corbyn denied all three counts of assault. A trial was set for July 15, 2024, and it is due to last three days. Pictured: Piers Corbyn, 76, brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, on February 3 Pictured: Jeremy Corbyn at the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, on September 24, 2019 Judge Christopher Hehir told the conspiracy theorist: Mr Corbyn, your trial will take place at this court ton 15 July next year. Im sorry for the very lengthy delay but the courts have a huge back log of work for several causes. Because you are on bail you have to wait in the queue behind the number of people in prison awaiting their trial. There will be a pre-trial hearing on 7 June 2024, that will be done remotely, and your attendance wont be required. No details were given in court today, but footage posted on Twitter that day shows Corbyn apparently swinging his bag at police officers as they arrest a woman in Portland Place. Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries has only a 'vague recollection' of the controversy surrounding his anti-semite uncle but wrote a fiery op-ed in college defending him. The minority leader's Black studies professor Leonard Jeffries faced backlash in the 1990s after making comments about the involvement of 'rich Jews' in the slave trade and of Jewish executives launching 'a conspiracy, planned and plotted and programmed out of Hollywood' to denigrate Black Americans in films. When Jeffries was a college student at Binghamton University in New York, he wrote an editorial in 1992 defending his uncle and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The school's Black Student Union, where Jeffries was an executive board member, had invited the university professor to speak after the controversy. The younger Jeffries began his editorial by warning that the 'rise of the black conservative' would threaten to 'sustain the oppression of the black masses,' referring to the confirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas. The minority leader's Black studies professor Leonard Jeffries, above, faced backlash in the 1990s after making comments about the involvement of 'rich Jews' in the slave trade He likened black Republicans to 'House n*****s' who 'sought to emulate the white master,' according to a copy of the document unearthed by CNN. He questioned why the media had built up black people like Thomas, former Sec. of State Colin Powell and author Shelby Steele. 'Do you think that a ruling elite would promote individuals who would seek to dismantle their vice like grip on power?' Jeffries asked. The Democratic leader is pictured lower in this story smiling beside Powell. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' 1992 editorial 'Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Minister Louis Farrakhan have come under intense fire. Where do you think their interests lie?' he continued, suggesting the pair were better representatives of black interests. 'Dr. Jeffries has challenged the existing white supremist [sic] educational system and long standing distortion of history. His reward has been a media lynching complete with character assassinations and inflammatory erroneous accusations.' Jeffries wrote the piece for The Vanguard, the BSU student newspaper. The younger Jeffries then went on to say conservatism does not represent black people because it stands against the 'redistribution of wealth.' 'Conservative political thought rejects the redistribution of wealth. Conservative political thought shuns social reforms and favors a huge defense industry. Conservative political thought does not advocate Civil Rights advances.' Jeffries went on to attack capitalism: 'The black conservative buys into the idea of the American dream, the dream in which hard work and perseverance eventually liberate and reap benefits. However, this totally ignores the economic reality of this country's capitalist system. Capitalism necessitates the perpetuation of a permanent underclass.' Jeffries' office insisted that he does not share the views his uncle did 'over 30 years ago.' 'Leader Jeffries has consistently been clear that he does not share the controversial views espoused by his uncle over thirty years ago,' spokesperson Christiana Stephenson told CNN. Leonard Jeffries Jr., Professor of Black Studies at the City College of New York, pictured in Harlem, New York City, 1991 Jeffries, right, questioned why the media had built up black people like Thomas, former Sec. of State Colin Powell, left, and author Shelby Steele. 'Do you think that a ruling elite would promote individuals who would seek to dismantle their vice like grip on power?' Jeffries asked Like Leonard Jeffries, Farrakhan came under fire for explosive remarks about Jews - once praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the 1980s as a 'great man' and calling Judaism a 'dirty religion.' Jeffries told the Wall Street Journal in 2013 he had only 'a vague recollection' of the controversies with his uncle as he had been away at college. He remembered it as a tough time for his father and claimed his mother tried to shield him and his brother from the fallout. 'And so when a lot of the controversy took place and my brother and I were away at school,' Jeffries said. 'There was no Internet during that era and I can't even recall a daily newspaper in the Binghamton, N.Y., area but it wasn't covering the things that the New York Post and Daily News were at the time.' In another Wall Street Journal report Jeffries said he had not even looked at his uncle's most controversial speeches. But after backlash followed when the Black Student Union (BSU) invited Leonard Jeffries, Hakeem and the BSU held a press conference to defend him. 'We have no intention of canceling a presentation that contains factual information, proven through scholarly documents and texts,' Jeffries reportedly said. In 2012 the Anti-Defamation League quoted Leonard Jeffries as saying: 'The evil genius of the Jewish community was to put together their powers to make business their religion and make it part of their culture.' In 1994 the Associated Press reported him saying: 'Jews were like 'skunks' and 'stunk up everything.'' Jeffries poses on the campus of his alma mater, Binghamton University Asked about the comment, professor Jeffries said 'he did not remember it,' adding, 'Isn't there free speech in America?' He was condemned at the time by Gov. Mario Cuomo and Mayor David Dinkin, and eventually left his position as chair of the Black Studies Department at City University of New York in 1995, after a lengthy legal back-and-forth. Then-student Jeffries went on to explain his comparison of black conservatives to 'house negroes.' 'During the period of African enslavement, our ancestors were given the duality of the Field Negro and the House Negro. The Field Negro labored from dawn 'till dusk, had nothing but contempt for his white master, and most importantly, the majority of Black slaves, who were Field Negroes. In contemporary terms, what we would refer to as 'the masses.' The House Negroes didn't labor in the field, they were domestic servants. The House Negro was dressed up and was led to believe that he or she was better than those in the field. Most importantly, the House Negro sought to emulate the white master. This emulation was not designed with the interests of the masses at heart. Rather, the motivating force was personal gain. 'Perhaps this is the problem with the Black conservative politician of today. Their political agenda is not designed to contribute to the upliftment of their people. These right-wing opportunists espouse the political ideology of the power structure and, in return, they are elevated to positions historically reserved for whites.' And according to local press coverage, professor Jeffries spent much of his speech at the college defending himself against anti-semitism charges but reiterated his message about 'anti-black' Jewish moguls in Hollywood. He reportedly compared Jewish opposition to his speech to Nazism. 'It's ironic that members of the Jewish community felt compelled to take a position that is antidemocratic and.pro-Nazi in its viciousness,' he said. President Joe Biden riffed on his heritage and notions of Irishness when he met up with relatives at a bar and restaurant not far from the home of his great-great grandfather on Wednesday afternoon. It may have been an odd setting for a teetotaller, but the relaxed vibe let him hit all his favorite themes. Somehow he even managed to shoehorn in a well-worn story about Chinese leader Xi Jinping. But his main theme was the hope and optimism he derived from his roots in Ireland. 'I've often said the Irish are the only people who are nostalgic about the future. In my experience hope is what beats in the heart of all people, particularly the heart of the Irish,' he said at the Windsor Bar and Restaurant in Dundalk, Co. Louth. 'Every action is about hope that we can make things better, hope to build both our nations that has been passed down generation to generation by our families. And it's hope that continues to this day.' President Joe Biden delivered a speech on his roots during a stop at a bar and restaurant in Dundalk, Louth, not far from where his great-great grandfather lived before leaving for the US Biden meets relatives at the Windsor Pub and Restaurant on the second day of his trip Like millions of other Irish Americans, Biden's ancestors set sail from their home at the peak of the Great Famine at the end of the 1840s. He returned on Wednesday during a four-day visit. After touring nearby Carlingford Castle, he said: 'Coming here feels like coming home.' With him were his son Hunter and sister Valerie. He introduced them to a gathering of locals, that included dozens of cousins. 'Stand up guys, I'm proud of you,' he said. But his speech may be remembered best in Ireland for an unfortunate gaffe as he paid tribute to his cousin Rob Kearney, who played international rugby and was part of a side that beat the world-dominating New Zealand team in Chicago. 'Was a hell of a rugby player, beat the hell out of the Black and Tans,' said Biden, referring accidentally to the brutal, hated police constables recruited to keep republicans in line during the War of Independence, rather than the All Blacks, as New Zealand are known. The result was good-natured amusement among Irish viewers, who are simply thrilled to have the president in the country. Biden takes a selfie outside the Windsor Bar in Dundalk as crowds line the streets for his visit Joe's son Hunter walks along the line of fans and shakes hands before joining his father in the pub Biden was treated like a returning prodigal cousin as his motorcade arrived in County Louth. It was here that one line of his ancestors left for the U.S. in 1849 Crowds lined the streets of Dundalk to catch a glimpse of the motorcade and 'the Beast' The people of Co. Louth count Biden as one of their own and turned out in force While much of his message was designed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement that ended decades of violence in Ireland, he still managed to throw in his familiar story about the Chinese leader, slightly adapted for a new audience. 'I spent more time with him than any world leader has over the last 10 years ... and I was in the Tibetan plateau with him and traveled 17, 000 miles in China over 10 years,' said Biden. 'And he asked me to define America... and I can say the same of Ireland. 'I can. Yes, I can in one word: possibilities. Anything is possible if we set our mind to it. 'That's who we are.' Biden was treated like a returning prodigal cousin as his motorcade arrived in County Louth. It was here that one line of his ancestors left for the U.S. in 1849. Locals cheered as he arrived in the town of Dundalk. Aoudhan McGuness, 40, a mortgage adviser, said: 'It's a momentous occasion for the town.' His wife Linda, 39, who has a dental lab and who watches Fox and CNN, interjects: 'He's doing better here than in America.' Biden's maternal line emigrated from Ireland during the Great Famine. The Blewitts left Co. Mayo and settled in Scranton, PA, while the Finnegans left Co. Louth and came to New York They both commute to work in the north - a crossing that was harder when British soldiers were deployed around the border. 'It's a new world now compared to that, we don't want to go back to it,' she said with a nod to the Good Friday Agreement Biden is here to mark. People screamed when Biden's car 'the Beast' drove by. 'He's gonna have a pint at Windsor - thats the funniest thing I ever heard,' said Kayla McCardle Stokes, 16, a student. His first stop in Louth was at Carlingford Castle. 'It feels wonderful,' he told reporters during a tour. 'Feels like Im coming home.' In fact, as he looked out across Carlingford Lough, he was looking at the route Owen Finnegan would have taken when he left Ireland for good and boarded the Brothers ship in April 1849. After spending the first half of the day in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Biden flew to Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. From there he drove north to Carlingford and a chance to meet cousins who still live in the area and hear about his Irish family. He was met by Ireland's deputy premier Micheal Martin and they were joined by Rob Kearney, a cousin who played international rugby for Ireland. Biden was behind schedule by the time he arrived. His entourage was forced to travel by road rather than air because of bad weather, and abandoned plans to visit the family cemetery. Biden gazes out into Carlingford Lough which runs into the Irish Sea 'It feels wonderful,' Biden told reporters during a tour of Carlingford Castle with Martin. 'Feels like Im coming home.' Louth was home to his great-great granfather before he set sail Biden received a warm welcome in Co. Louth, the home of his Finnegan ancestors After touring the castle he want to Dundalk, where he was cheered when he emerged from the Beast for a walkabout in the town center on Wednesday evening The president, wearing a blue cap, shrugged off the rain. 'It's fine, it's Ireland,' he said. The Carlingford Pipe Band, a four-piece bagpipe and drum ensemble, arranged to play a special composition, 'A Biden Return,' for the visit. It is the third time Biden has visited the area, coming first in 2016 as vice president. The tumbledown house where James Finnegan, Biden's great grandfather, was born in 1940 is still standing, and it is currently being renovated by new owners. In all the president's trip will last four days, mixing official business with a chance to explore his Irish roots. So in Belfast he delivered a speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement, before getting on to the family business later in the day. He has been accompanied on the trip by his son Hunter and sister Valerie, attracting questions about who is paying for their travel. On Thursday he will deliver a speech to the Irish parliament, plant a tree and ring a 'peace bell.' The motorcade leaves Carlingfor for the town of Dundalk. Crowds lined the route Earlier Biden delivered a speech at Ulster University and said he hoped that Northern Ireland's deadlocked political parties would soon return to a powersharing government From left, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley, Valerie Biden Owens, Hunter Biden and U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III listen to the speech And then on Friday it is back to family matters. He will travel west to Co. Mayo, to learn more about another branch of his family, the Blewitts, who left Ireland at about the same time as the Finnegans. Waiting to see Biden later at a pub in Dundalk was Andrea McKevitt, a local councilor and a distant cousin. She said Louth was an important place to visit for more reasons than family. 'Part of the reason for Biden's trip is to celebrate 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, and we here are in a border County, right. 'Many people have lived through and know what the Troubles are all about here,' she said referring to the decades of violence that blighted Ireland, but largely ended with the peace deal. Rescue teams suspended a major search operation amid reports a teenage boy had been swept into the sea as Britain was battered by gales and rain. Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter scoured the Sussex coast following the incident in Brighton at the height of Storm Noa late yesterday afternoon. The rescue operation was launched following reports of a person being swept by a wave from a groyne near the Palace Pier in Brighton. Members of the public braved ferocious weather in an attempt to spot them, while lifeboats from Newhaven, Littlehampton and Shoreham joined a Coastguard helicopter and police to scour the coast.. Despite an 'extensive' six-hour search, Coastguard teams were forced to stand down, with a spokesman saying: 'The search has been suspended.' A coastguard spokeswoman said crews from Newhaven, Littlehampton and Shoreham were assisting police and the RNLI in a search for a possible person in the water near the Palace Pier A search and rescue team is seen at the Palace Pier yesterday evening in Brighton Reports came in of a person being swept out to sea near the famous Palace Pier at the height of Storm Noa late this afternoon James Deacon, a builder, said: 'I was down at the front and then there was a huge commotion. People shouting that a teenage boy had been swept off the big stone groyne near the pier. 'I had a look but couldn't see anyone but the coastguard helicopter and the lifeboats were launched and have been searching for a couple of hours without finding anyone.' Dramatic footage shows coastguards and police running onto the Albion Groyne shortly after a man was captured waving a life ring to bystanders on the Palace Pier. Half a dozen police can be seen scouring the water for a person before officers sprint onto the pier. Shortly afterwards two lifeboats and the coastguard helicopter were launched. Another bystander said: 'I heard someone had been swept into the water near the Palace Pier. 'There was an immediate commotion. Lifeboats were launched and the helicopter has been up in treacherous conditions. 'It is blowing a gale here and the wind, rain and visibility are dreadful, you can hardly see a thing. 'A large number of police officers rushed to the pier while dozens of people have been trying to spot the child in the water. 'It's tragic. I don't think anyone is going to be able to survive in the water for very long. The waves are enormous and the winds are making it impossible for the lifeboats and helicopter.' Lifeboats from Newhaven and Shoreham were launched and the coastguard helicopter took off in high winds to scour the shoreline Members of the public on the beach battled ferocious winds and rain in an attempt to spot the missing person in the water and direct the rescue operation A coastguard spokeswoman said crews from Newhaven, Littlehampton and Shoreham were assisting police and the RNLI in a search for a possible person in the water near the Palace Pier. She said: 'HM Coastguard's Newhaven, Littlehampton and Shoreham Coastguard Rescue Teams, alongside Shoreham and Newhaven RNLI all-weather lifeboats, Sussex Police and the Coastguard helicopter from Lee-On-Solent are coordinating a search for a possible person in the water at Brighton Palace Pier, following concerns first raised to emergency services shortly before 4pm today.' A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: 'Emergency services were called to a report of a person seen going into the water by Brighton Pier at about 3.50pm on Wednesday in extremely rough sea conditions. 'Searches by the Shoreham and Newhaven RNLI lifeboats and the coastguard helicopter are currently ongoing along with coastguard teams and police on the shoreline.' A bystander said: 'I heard someone had been swept into the water near the Palace Pier. 'There was an immediate commotion. Lifeboats were launched and the helicopter has been up in treacherous conditions' Dramatic footage shows coastguards and police running onto the Albion Groyne shortly after a man was captured waving a life ring to bystanders on the Palace Pier Half a dozen police can be seen scouring the water for a person before officers sprint onto the pier. Shortly afterwards two lifeboats and the coastguard helicopter were launched A bystander said: ''It's tragic. I don't think anyone is going to be able to survive in the water for very long. The waves are enormous and the winds are making it impossible for the lifeboats and helicopter' Storm Noa saw winds reach 96mph at Needles Old Battery on the Isle of Wight yesterday afternoon, while gusts of 74mph were recorded on the Isle of Portland and 71mph at Mumbles Head, South Wales. At Heathrow, planes could be seen being buffeted by the high winds as pilots struggled to land. In Snowdonia, North Wales, a search continued for a woman who went missing while walking with her dog on Tuesday morning. Mountain rescue teams joined the hunt for Ausra Plungiene, 56. Around 1,000 homes in Cumbria and 300 in Cornwall were left without power. Flood alerts were issued for some coastal areas, including in Dorset between Lyme Regis and Chesil Beach. Further squally showers and longer spells of rain are expected across most areas of England and Wales throughout today and tomorrow. However, Stephen Dixon of the Met Office said: 'Things are due to settle down for many areas. Temperatures are turning much milder through the weekend. 'The theme for next week is itll be mostly dry with temperatures above average and locally well above average in some spots. 'After whats been an unsettled spell, it will finally feel like we are getting into the later part of spring, towards more of a summery regime.' Temperatures could reach 22C (72F) in some areas by Monday. Mostly settled conditions are expected to continue into next month, the Met Office said, adding: 'Temperatures will be generally above average through the period, and locally very warm in the sunshine at times.' Sofia Vergara's ex-fiance is still fighting in court for the couple's frozen embryos, only this time he is suing the fertility clinic they used. Nick Loeb previously lost a court battle to win custody of the two frozen embryos that he and Vergara created when they were together in 2013. The pair split in 2014 and Sofia, now married to Joe Manganiello, did not want her ex to be able to bring them to term. It was a bitter court battle that dragged out for years but eventually in 2021, a judge sided with her and imposed a permanent injunction to stop Loeb from accessing them. Nick Loeb previously lost a court battle to win custody of the two frozen embryos that he and Vergara created when they were together in 2013. They are shown together in 2014 Loeb is suing ART Reproductive Center in Beverly Hills, claiming its doctors never made him aware that the embryos would be destroyed, or that Sofia could block him from accessing them, if they split Now, in a final court effort, Loeb is suing ART Reproductive Center in Beverly Hills, claiming its doctors never made him aware that the embryos would be destroyed, or that Sofia could block him from accessing them, if they split. It remains unclear whether the embryos remain intact. Loeb, who describes himself as 'pro-life' and pro-parenthood', is a film director and actor from an impressive background of American dynasty families. His family tree includes Seagram heirs the Bronfmans, the Lehman family of the now defunct Lehman Brothers bank, and the Loeb family of Loeb, Rhoades & Co. In court filings, he alleges medical malpractice by ART, despite admitting that he signed a contract which stated what would happen to the embryos in the event of a break-up (he says he signed a second document that contradicted the first). 'I never would have gone forward with creating what Sofia and I regarded as lives if I knew that she would not consent, or that she wanted to thaw and destroy the embryos, in the event of a breakup,' he said in the most recent filing. Loeb is seeking damages from ART to cover his legal fees. A judge previously ruled that he would not be able to later claim emotional distress damages for not having the children. He and Vergara were together for four years before they called off their engagement in 2014. By then, they had already visited ART and had the embryos frozen. Vergara, now 50, already had an adult son at the time. In 2017, three years after their split, she filed legal papers to block Loeb from accessing the embryos. It was a fight that lasted four years, until a judge turned down his final appeal in March 2021. 'I think we're sitting on a time bomb that's going to explode and we don't know when,' said former Sierra Madre mayor Glenn Lambdin Those who live in the area are expressing their concerns that the increase in encounters involving bears could soon turn deadly Sierra Madre, California residents are reporting a growing number of bear sightings, close encounters, and break ins in their neighborhood Residents in one Los Angeles area neighborhood are expressing concerns over a growing number of bear-related incidents that they say could turn deadly after a man and his dog were injured. Videos shared online show recent encounters including instances of bears breaking into local homes and roaming Sierra Madre streets unencumbered. In one of the most recent attacks, a homeowner and his dog were hurt by a mother bear who was with her cub. The extent of their injuries has not been released, but fish and wildlife crews were forced to tranquilize the animals. 'It's more than a nuisance,' said former Sierra Madre mayor Glenn Lambdin in an interview with KTLA. 'And it has already gone into the danger zones. I think we're sitting on a time bomb that's going to explode and we don't know when,' Lambdin said. Residents in one LA area neighborhood are expressing concerns over a growing number of bear-related incidents that they say could turn deadly after a man and his dog were injured Videos shared online show recent encounters including instances of bears breaking into local homes and roaming Sierra Madre streets unencumbered. 'It's more than a nuisance,' said former Sierra Madre mayor Glenn Lambdin City residents say they have been raising red flags for years and are becoming increasingly concerned due to a spike in recent incidents. Video posted online shows one bear working his way through snacks in a kitchen. In that clip, the bear is seen sitting on a counter with his snout in what appears to be a bag of flour. The rest of the kitchen is in a state of disarray with cabinets open and pots, pans, and various foods strewn about. Another video from a Sierra Madre resident shows a bear jumping out of their pool and walking about in their back yard. Others have shared photos and videos of bears roaming their yards and streets without a care in the world. City leaders say they have been working with residents to create a plan that addresses their concerns regarding the wild bears. During a recent city council meeting, officials said they are considering a resolution to get the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to enhance its policies with the black bear population. Video posted online shows one bear working his way through snacks in a kitchen. City leaders in Sierra Madre say they have been working with residents to create a plan that addresses their concerns regarding the wild bears During a recent council meeting, officials said they're considering a resolution to get the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to enhance its policies with the black bears The proposed resolution may not be good enough for residents who say they are becoming worried by the growing number of incidents. 'Sierra Madre has had four attacks on humans since 2016,' said Lambdin. 'It's the highest concentration of attacks anywhere in the state of California.' 'Unfortunately there have been attacks in the city of Sierra Madre,' Rebecca Barboza, a fish and wildlife biologist, told KTLA. She said the attacks are food-related. Barboza also said she thinks humans need to learn how to better coexist with bears. 'Eradicating the bear population is not a feasible endeavor,' she said. 'If you remove bears from the equation, then they're just going to fill in from all the other communities that have bears as well as forests because bears see our urban areas as prime habitat,' the wildlife biologist stated. Councilmembers have said they are hoping pressure they put on fish and wildlife officials will reduce the bear population. Lambdin agrees. 'You can imagine the impact when these bears are coming into our homes, into our schools and it's only a matter of time until our children are possibly mauled,' said Lambdin. 'Sierra Madre has had four attacks on humans since 2016,' said Lambdin. 'It's the highest concentration of attacks anywhere in the state of California' 'Unfortunately there have been attacks in the city of Sierra Madre,' Rebecca Barboza, a fish and wildlife biologist, told KTLA Bear sightings and encounters have been reported in the past including one attack on a 19-year-old in 2020 and one incident in which bears were caught on camera taking a dip in a backyard pool Bear sightings and encounters have been reported in the past including one attack on a 19-year-old in 2020 and one incident in which bears were caught on camera taking a dip in a backyard pool. In the 2020 incident, a young woman had fallen asleep in her own backyard when a bear entered the yard and mauled her. 'The bear really viciously started to scratch her and then started to bite into her and the only thing she could do is to grab her laptop and start hitting the bear with it. said Capt. Patrick Foy of the California Fish and Wildlife Department at the time. Another more recent encounter happened in September when a woman taking a hike came face to face with a bear on a major trail. The woman was not injured and she said the bear just walked right past her. 'This bear just came and had my phone out and I just let it pass,' Victoria Pham told ABC 7 Los Angeles. 'He looked at me, and I looked at him and I was like, "Cool man!"' Pham said. A hairstylist and yoga instructor accused of stealing nearly $3million from a doctor while posing as caregivers allegedly pumped him with ketamine and transformed his mansion into a five-star narcotics spa before he died of an overdose. Anthony Flores, 46, and his ex-girlfriend Anna Moore, 39, are said to have manipulated vulnerable David Sawusch to take over his life and finances. The couple were indicted by a grand jury on December 15 on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, according to court documents. Now extraordinary testimonies from those who worked at the doctor's Malibu beach house have revealed how Flores and Moore isolated Sawusch from his family in Florida while keeping him on a cocktail of drugs and allegedly embezzling his cash. One of half a dozen therapists who was commanded to provide Sawusch, who was a successful investor with a $60million fortune, with up to six massages a day told The LA Times that the couple 'just kept him drugged'. Yoga instructor Anna Moore, 39, (left) and her hairstylist ex-boyfriend Anthony Flores, 46, are accused of stealing $3million from bipolar doctor David Sawusch, 57, (right) As well as being an eye surgeon, Sawusch was a successful investor with a $60million fortune, but he handed over his power of attorney to Flores so he could bail him out of jail Flores, a hairstylist from Fresno, California, and Moore, a yoga instructor who lives in Monterrey, Mexico, moved into the eye surgeon's home just days after they met him at an ice cream shop off Venice Beach in June 2017. Sawusch, 57, had operated his medical practice for more than 30 years but suffered from severe bipolar disorder and had been left unable to perform surgery after burning his hands the previous year, according to a civil lawsuit filed in LA by his mother. He had been voluntarily hospitalized several times between 2015 and 2017, prosecutors said. Shortly after the trio met, Sawusch experienced a severe mental breakdown and was arrested on multiple occasions on charges including public intoxication and vandalism. At Twin Towers jail in downtown LA he was handcuffed and chained to a bench where he talked to himself, sang and cursed jail guards and refused medication. It was then that Flores allegedly suggested to Sawusch he grant him power of attorney so he could withdraw enough money from his accounts to post his bail. Sawusch did so despite having kicked Flores and Moore out of his home in a fit of rage just three weeks after they moved in, describing them as 'white collar tax fraud criminals who tried to steal my Tesla and home,' the LA Times reported. But after Flores bailed him out of jail he invited them back into the beach house. The hairstylist hired a raft of massage therapists and more than 20 housekeepers, handymen and other staff to work at Sawusch's 1,200-square-foot home, telling them he wanted it to be like a five-star spa, sources told the LA Times. By early 2018, the doctor was getting up to six massages a day lasting around two hours each, with talking discouraged. Assistants worked in an office where they ran the medical, legal and financial affairs of Sawusch as well as Flores and Moore's window-washing business in Fresno, the records show. During this time, Flores and Moore were transferring money from Sawusch's accounts to their own personal accounts, prosecutors said. Anna Moore and Anthony Flores Extraordinary testimonies from those who worked at the doctor's Malibu beach house have revealed how Flores and Moore isolated Sawusch from his family in Florida while keeping him on a cocktail of drugs and embezzling his cash Flores and Moore have denied the charges and the former's attorney, Ambrosio E. Rodriguez, has said it is untrue that Sawusch was 'seduced and duped' by the couple Some of it fueled their taste for LA nightlife and they threw an Oscars viewing party at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. It also funded the couple's 'shopping sprees', according to testimony from massage therapist Dora Peterson. The couple prohibited his friends and county case workers from making visits and told his mother not to try to contact her son, authorities said. They also allegedly took Sawusch to a doctor for weekly infusions of ketamine to treat depression and back pain - and provided him with marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and LSD, prosecutors said. Two weeks before Sawusch died, the couple invited a shaman, Alan, into his home for a Mother's Day acid trip. He supplied liquid LSD in a vial with a dropper for doses under the tongue, Flores testified. It was while Sawusch was under the influence of LSD that Flores allegedly switched the two-step authentication on a brokerage firm account to his own number so he could access the $60million account, prosecutors said. Sawusch evicted the couple from his home again after LSD caused his mental state to deteriorate further, prosecutors said. When the LSD caused Sawusch's mental state to deteriorate further, he evicted Moore and Flores from his home again. But it appears they anticipated this and Flores and some assistants spent several days beforehand packing boxes, according to testimony from Jessica McDermoot, another massage therapist. Flores also added cameras to the home surveillance system and used it to watch Sawusch's final decline before his death. He spent several days disoriented, 'flipping out' and in a 'manic state', according to staff who worked there and texts from Flores. At one point, the cook on duty told Flores that Sawusch had left his bedroom long enough for him to clean it up. 'Good job!' Flores told him. 'Watching this all happen is really interesting.' Most of the footage of his final days have disappeared, but the three hours that survived show Sawusch dying on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend in 2018. It has not been publicly released, but Adam Streisand, a Los Angeles lawyer for the Sawusch family, called it 'the most horrific thing that I've ever had to watch in my career'. Sawusch was a successful eye surgeon before his bipolar disorder and drug abuse took hold A photo showing the deck of Mark Sawusch's Malibu beachfront home was submitted as evidence in court The LA County coroner found it was an accidental death caused by ketamine and alcohol intoxication. But a pathologist who did an autopsy found that ketamine and alcohol 'did not significantly contribute to the immediate cause of death' and that Sawusch died as a result of two heart conditions: dilated cardiomyopathy and a congenitally narrow coronary artery. Flores and Moore moved back into Sawusch's beach house after his death, according to court documents, and allegedly withdrew large amounts of money from his bank accounts. In January, the FBI arrested Flores in Freson and Moore a few days later in Houston. They pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors argue the couple used ketamine, massages and marijuana to subdue and stop Sawusch from discovering they were stealing millions of dollars from him. But Flores' attorney, Ambrosio E. Rodriguez, has said it is untrue that Sawusch was 'seduced and duped' by the couple. He suggested prosecutors were overstating the mental incapacity of Sawusch, whom he described as 'a very successful, financially savvy person who was in the middle of a middle-age crisis and enjoyed having my client and Anna at his home.' Flores and Moore were both denied bail and locked up in separate units at the U.S. Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. to await trial. A Ukranian soldier freed from Russian captivity has launched a desperate search for her two beloved sniffer dogs - who are still missing following her release. Alina Panina, 25, was let go in a prisoner exchange after five months in the invaders' most notorious jail but her captors cruelly kept her spaniels, Sonja and Jessie, behind enemy lines. The female border guard has vowed to get them back by any means possible even sending a search party into occupied Donetsk where they had been held. But she understands the Russians have now employed the highly skilled sniffer dogs to work for them against Ukraine - making her mission to save them all the more daunting. 'I miss them so much,' Mrs Panina told the Mail from Western Ukraine, where she is working as a dog instructor. Released: Alina Panina, who was let go in a prisoner exchange after five months in the invaders' most notorious jail, with her new dog Chelsea 'They were so clever and affectionate - they understood us just by looking at us. It must be possible to find the people who have taken them. 'I am just ready to buy the dogs back for whatever money they want. Because these dogs, they saved my life more than once during the war.' Mrs Panina is also desperately trying to get information about her husband, Illya, who she has not heard from since he was captured two weeks before her in Mariupol. She had been in the city's port checking cargo for contraband with Sonja, three, and Jessie, four, when Russia invaded. She was ordered to join defensive forces in the city's steelworks, and was part of the last stand at Azovstal where she finally surrendered on May 17. The border guard was then taken to Olenivka prison in Donetsk where her dogs were immediately taken from her. Mrs Panina said: 'They didn't even let me say goodbye. They just took them by the lead and walked them away. They were barking but there was nothing I could do.' She could hear her dogs pining for her from the other side of the detainment centre but that was the last she saw of them before she was freed last October. Her spaniels, Sonja and Jessie, are being held behind enemy lines by Russian forces The female border guard has vowed to get them back by any means possible even sending a search party into occupied Donetsk where they had been held Immediately on her release alongside 107 fellow female Ukrainian prisoners of war she sent a rescue party of brave volunteers to try and get her pets from Olenivka. She said: 'They went back to Olenivka - where I had been held together with the dogs. 'They asked and were told that the dogs were no longer there. After I was exchanged, the dogs were given away straightaway to Russian dog handlers. 'Ukrainian sniffer dogs are very smart, very well trained - Russians don't have dogs like that. So they took our dogs away.' She has also desperately pushed the Russians for information for information on her husband - but has been stonewalled. 'There is no information about my husband. They give me nothing. I miss him so much - I drew all my strength from his support.' Britain will be 'overwhelmed' by migrants crossing the Channel this year, a former high-ranking naval officer has warned. Dr Chris Parry criticised both the British and French governments for failing to crack down on people smugglers and those attempting to enter the country illegally. He suggested bolstering the technology to identify when and where boats were leaving France from, and imposing 'political sanctions' on the French if they don't play their part. More than 1,100 migrants crossed the channel last week, with more than 4,500 making the trip in 2023 alone. Dr Parry, a retired Royal Navy rear admiral, told TalkTV that the situation is only likely to get worse in the summer. Pictured: Migrants travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel, bound for Dover He said: 'We've got now what we call the boating season and currently, with the legislation and arrangements in place, we're going to be overwhelmed. 'If you think last year's numbers were bad, it is going to be even worse this year. The Government picks at this in tactical fashion it doesn't look at overall strategy.' Rishi Sunak has vowed to stop small boat crossings, with the Government's Illegal Migration Bill allowing authorities to detain and deport anyone who arrives illegally on British shores. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, onboard the RNLI Life Boat following a small boat incident in the Channel on April 4, 2023 Dr Parry stressed: 'We need to detect these people as they're getting into the water, rather than when they get to the median line across the Channel. 'The only way to do that is to get decent technology in the air, tell the French when it's happening and get them to sort it out. 'If the French don't apply the law and help us here and this is a humanitarian crisis which affects both sides of the Channel we need to apply political sanctions.' Dr Parry added: 'I suspect the EU would be putting very heavy pressure on the UK if it was the other way round.' The second of two black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore his position. 'The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can't expel hope. You can't expel justice,' Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. 'You can't expel our voice. And you sure can't expel our fight.' Afterward, a throng of jubilant supporters greeted him outside in a churchlike celebration, as Pearson delivered a rousing speech with call-and-response crowd interaction. He pumped his fist, jumped up and down and hugged relatives. Justin Pearson celebrates with supporters after being reinstated to the the Tennessee House of Representatives by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners building in Memphis Wednesday Justin Pearson (left), Gloria Johnson (center) and Justin Jones (right) raise their fists in solidarity at a rally to support of Pearson on Wednesday in Memphis 'They've awakened a sleeping giant,' he said, as a drumbeat and roaring cheers echoed his voice. Pearson is expected to return to the Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, when the House holds its next floor session, and plans to be sworn in there. Republicans expelled Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones last week over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. The House's vote to remove Pearson and Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. Justin Pearson and his fiance Oceana Gillian arrive at the Shelby County Board of Commissioners building in Memphis on Wednesday Justin Pearson is surrounded by supporters as they march to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting in Memphis on Wednesday Justin Pearson speaks to supporters after being reinstated to the the Tennessee House of Representatives by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis on Wednesday Republican leadership denied that race was a factor, however. The expulsions last Thursday made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Justin Pearson arrives at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis before marching to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday An image of Martin Luther King, Jr., is reflected in Justin Pearson's glasses before a march with supporters to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday Justin Pearson hugs a supporter in Memphis on Wednesday after he was reappointed to the Tennessee House of Representatives Support for Pearson has come from across the country, including Memphis. During a Monday rally in support of Tyre Nichols, who died in January after he was beaten by police during an arrest, backers of Pearson said the commission was 'on the clock.' 'You've got one job - to reinstate Justin Pearson,' activist LJ Abraham said. Pearson grew up in the same House district he was chosen to represent after longtime state Rep. Barbara Cooper, a Black Democrat, died in office. It winds along the neighborhoods, forests and wetlands of south Memphis, through the city's downtown area and into north Shelby County. Before he was elected, Pearson helped lead a successful campaign against a planned oil pipeline that would have run through neighborhoods and wetlands, and near wells that pump water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which provides drinking water to 1 million people. Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson attends a rally at the National Civil Rights Museum on Wednesday Gloria Johnson (left), Justin Jones (center) and Justin Pearson (right) march to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting in Memphis on Wednesday He gained a quick reputation as a skilled community activist and gifted public speaker. In their return to the Tennessee Capitol, Pearson and Jones still face the same political divisions between the state's few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashville's autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the state's few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and instead replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashville's airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Particularly on addressing gun violence, Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Justin Pearson celebrates with supporters after being reinstated to the the Tennessee House of Representatives by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners Justin Pearson and his supporters march to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting in Memphis on Wednesday Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sexton's office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if 'hanging by a tree' could be added to the state's execution methods. The speaker's office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was 'very agreeable' to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the state's dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were 'exaggerated' to show 'support of families who often wait decades for justice.' Outraged MPs have called for a militant junior doctors' leader to be sacked for going on holiday during the most disruptive strike in NHS history. The British Medical Association (BMA) last night asked the Government to attend talks with conciliation service Acas as they seek a 35 per cent pay rise, worth up to 20,000. But Dr Robert Laurenson, co-chairman of the union's junior doctor committee, came under fire for taking the week off to be at a friend's wedding, leaving him unable to attend negotiations. The trainee GP, 28, played a key role in plotting the four-day walkout, during which time up to 47,600 medics below the rank of consultant are refusing to deliver any services, including A&E and cancer care. While junior doctors who fail to turn up to work when scheduled to attend will lose pay, those who are absent because they had booked it off as holiday will be paid. Choppy waters: Firebrand union leader Dr Robert Laurenson went on holiday during the strike Dr Robert Laurenson, co-chairman of the union's junior doctor committee, came under fire for taking the week off to be at a friend's wedding, leaving him unable to attend negotiation Dr Laurenson played a key role in plotting the four-day walkout, during which up to 47,600 medics below the rank of consultant are refusing to deliver any services Tory MP Mike Penning called for Dr Laurenson to be fired for his 'hypocrisy'. He said: 'You can't tell your members to give up pay and walk out on strike in pursuit of a large pay rise while you're booking holiday no matter how important the wedding. Going on holiday during a strike clearly shows he has no intention of negotiating for his members. You can't negotiate during a wedding ceremony.' Tory MP Paul Bristow, a member of the Commons health and social care committee, said: 'Militant union leaders often demand their members take to the picket lines and lose pay but conveniently find a reason not to make the same sacrifice themselves. 'Dr Laurenson should show solidarity by donating his salary to a fund that supports the union's members or to a medical charity that can help patients impacted by the industrial action.' Dr Laurenson even came under fire from his own uncle who said yesterday he 'disagreed' with his nephew's conduct. His uncle, also named Robert Laurenson, 72, a retired podiatrist, added: 'They're going on a four-day strike, what's that about? I've got a hernia that's not being treated. 'I would like a 35 per cent increase on my pension. If they want 35 per cent, I want 35 per cent. I've worked 50 years in my business and come out with this, smallest house on the lane, I haven't got a five-bedroom house.' When asked what he thought about his nephew going on holiday right before the strike, he said: 'He's getting out of it. Getting out of conflict. I'm disgusted.' Tory MP Mike Penning has called for Dr Laurenson to be fired for his 'hypocrisy' The NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, last night called on both the BMA and Health Secretary Steve Barclay to support the negotiations 'as a matter of urgency'. Downing Street insisted talks would only take place if the BMA abandon their starting position of a 35 per cent pay rise and call off the strikes. Speaking on a trip to Belfast, Rishi Sunak said: 'What I'm focused on is making sure we get the right outcome for patients and taxpayers.' Union sources suggested they would reconsider the 35 per cent pay rise if factors such as tuition fees, student debt and exam fees were taken into account. A man has been extradited from Pakistan and charged with the murder of hero police officer Sharon Beshenivsky, it has been revealed. PC Beshenivsky, a mother of three children and two step children, was gunned down while responding to a robbery at a travel agent in Bradford in November 2005. The 38-year-old officer had only served for nine months when she was murdered. Her colleague PC Teresa Millburn, was also seriously injured in the same incident. Piran Ditta Khan, 74, has now been flown to the UK and charged with murder, robbery, two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon. The pensioner was brought to a police station in West Yorkshire, having previously been arrested by Pakistani police in January 2020. He has been remanded into custody to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow. PC Beshenivsky was shot while responding to a robbery at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford, on November 18 2005 Pakistani police officers escort to Piran Ditta Khan (right) following a court appearance in 2020 PC Teresa Milburn (pictured at the funeral of PC Beshenivsky) was also shot but survived to testify against the gang members He had previously fought his extradition to the UK. PC Beshenivsky was shot while responding to a robbery at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford, on November 18 2005. At the time of her death, she had been a probationer. During the robbery, a bullet hit PC Beshenivsky's rib, punctured her aorta and damaged her spine - ultimately killing her. Her colleague, PC Teresa Milburn, was also shot but survived to later give evidence at the trial of members of the armed gang who were charged with being involved in the murder. On the day of her death, the Beshenivsky family were due to hold a birthday party for their youngest daughter Lydia at their home near Haworth, West Yorkshire. PC Beshenivsky had wrapped the presents and even baked a cake for the occasion. But as she neared the end of her shift that afternoon, she was called out to a robbery by a seven-strong gang at the travel agency. Officers are pictured patrolling floral tributes laid where PC Sharon Beshenivsky was gunned down in Bradford in 2005 Forensic investigators are pictured at the scene of PC Beshenivsky's murder in Bradford in 2005 Six men were later jailed at Newcastle Crown Court but Khan, a former bouncer who was suspected of being involved in the attack, had gone abroad. He has previously denied any wrongdoing, telling reporters in Pakistan: 'I can't really apologise because I haven't done anything wrong.' A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said that the charges against Khan were authorised in 2006, leading to the issuing of the extradition warrant. Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, said: 'A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford in 2005 has been extradited to the UK from Pakistan thanks to the continued hard work of prosecutors in the CPS's extradition and international units. 'Since Piran Ditta Khan was arrested in Pakistan in 2020, our specialist prosecutors have been working closely with our Pakistani partners to complete the legal process in the country so that he could be extradited back to England to face the allegations from almost 20 years ago.' West Yorkshire Police said they were grateful to the National Crime Agency, the Pakistani Authorities and the CPS for their 'invaluable assistance in this matter'. Speaking after the news had been announced, West Yorkshire's mayor Tracy Brabin said: 'The loss of PC Sharon Beshenivsky was a dark day in the history of West Yorkshire. 'I pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of all of our partners involved in successfully securing this extradition. 'PC Beshenivsky and her family remain in our thoughts.' Rishi Sunak could have been forgiven a sigh of relief when Air Force One touched down in Dublin yesterday afternoon following Joe Biden's cursory visit to Northern Ireland. Given his proud Irish heritage and long association with the republican movement, there was never any chance that Mr Biden would be able to sweet talk the DUP into re-joining the power-sharing process it has boycotted for more than a year. But there were real fears that the gaffe-prone US President might inadvertently upset the delicate negotiations with the DUP by antagonising them. The trip did not get off to a good start. As he left the US, Mr Biden told reporters he was aiming to 'keep the peace' comments which only served to raise the hackles of Unionists who accuse him of siding with republicans pushing for the reunification of Ireland and the break-up of the UK. As a senator in 1985 he opposed and watered down an extradition treaty which would have made it easier for the UK to extract suspected IRA terrorists. BELFAST: US President Joe Biden posing with Ulster University students in the Northern Ireland capital President Joe Bidengreets people at the Food House while on a walkabout through Dundalk, Co Louth A decade later he invited Gerry Adams to Capitol Hill during the Sinn Fein president's controversial tour of the United States at a time when the IRA's murderous campaign was still under way. His 'Irishness', which plays well with millions of Irish-Americans, even saw him jokingly refuse a question from the BBC in 2020 on the grounds that 'I'm Irish'. By the time he landed in Belfast the former DUP leader and First Minister Arlene Foster had declared: 'He hates the United Kingdom, I don't think there's any doubt about that. 'I just think the fact he's coming here won't put any pressure on the DUP at all, quite the reverse actually, because he's seen by so many people as just simply pro-republican and pro-nationalist.' Even Tony Blair, who has always gone out of his way to remain in lock step with the White House, felt the need to issue a gentle warning to Biden that it would be 'futile' for him to try to pressure the DUP back in to Stormont. The hostile reaction forced the White House to take the highly unusual step of briefing reporters that the President 'is not anti-British'. In the event, Mr Biden took a diplomatic approach, going out of his way to praise the role of Ulster-Scots pioneers in helping found the modern United States comments which met with the approval of DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Instead of lecturing the Unionists he dangled the prospect of 'billions' in investment in Northern Ireland if the Province got power-sharing up and running again. But it was hard to see the point of his visit. When Mr Biden first conceived the trip last year it was seen as the chance for a 'victory lap' to mark the US involvement that helped get the Good Friday Agreement over the line 25 years ago. But the continuing stalemate at Stormont saw it downgraded to a brief add-on to what one Whitehall source described as a 'holiday' for Mr Biden in Ireland, where he will spend the rest of the week visiting his ancestral homelands. In the end the US President spent just 15 hours in the Province, half of it asleep. A further clue that the visit lacked a serious policy focus was provided by the fact that Biden was accompanied by his sister Valerie and son Hunter rather than the usual phalanx of aides. Its the Belfast tea party: The PM holds talks over a cuppa with Joe Biden yesterday The timing is also curious, with Mr Biden arriving a week before the main commemorations, fuelling rumours he did not want to play second fiddle to Hillary Clinton who will host a major event in Belfast next week, which will be addressed by Mr Sunak. A meeting described by No10 as a formal bilateral between the Prime Minister and President was downgraded to a 'coffee' by the White House, leading it to be dubbed the 'bi-latte'. In fact, No10 insisted the meeting had been 'warm' and productive, albeit with no mention of a new trade deal. Sir Jeffrey later declared that Mr Biden's visit 'doesn't change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland'. At least it had not made things worse. Once she was taken to the county jail she tried to flee, according to an affidavit Police in Idaho responded to reports a woman was nude in the supermarket The daughter of soap opera star Kristoff St. John and professional boxer Mia St. John was arrested on Monday after stripping and meditating in a supermarket. Paris St. John, 30, was arrested after police responded to reports at about 8pm that a woman was naked, praying and meditating in a WinCo in Boise, Idaho, according to an affidavit seen by TMZ. St. John was arrested and taken back to the Ada County Jail, where she was then said to have tried to flee, requiring police to bring her to the ground. She was booked into jail just before 9pm on April 10 on three misdemeanor charges: indecent exposure, escape, and resisting arrest, according to inmate records. Paris is the daughter of the late actor Kristoff St. John, who was an American actor best known for playing Neil Winters on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. He died aged 52 in 2019 from heart disease. Paris St. John, 30, was arrested after stripping and meditating in a supermarket in Boise, Idaho Late actor Kristoff St. John is pictured with his daughter Paris at the Emmys in April 2015 Police said in the affidavit that when they arrived at the supermarket St. John had been convinced by a store clerk to put her clothes back on. While she was being booked into the county jail she was then said to have escaped the jail's sally port when the door opened to allow an officer in. Police say they asked Paris to stop, but that she ignored them, requiring them to run after her, grab her and bring her to the ground. The St. John family has experienced considerable trauma in the last decade. In 2014 Paris's brother Julian committed suicide, aged just 24. In the subsequent years Kristoff battled with depression and alcoholism. In October 2017, he was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after threatening to shoot himself. He was again hospitalized earlier in 2019 after checking himself into the UCLA Medical Center after suffering another bout of depression. He was released only a few days prior to his death. Paris pictured with her mother, professional boxer, Mia St. John Young And The Restless star Kristoff St. John suffered from heart disease and had been heavily drinking before his death After his death Paris made headlines after filing court documents in LA to control his estate because he died without a will. Soon after, Kristoff's father, Christopher St. John, turned in what he claimed was a handwritten will. The note detailed that Paris should receive 25 percent of his estate while his other daughter, Lola St. John, receive the rest. Paris then filed an objection to her grandfather's motion to become the executor of his deceased sons estate. The documents claims Paris believes the holographic will 'was written inside a private diary and was not intended to be seen by third parties,' the Blast reported at the time. 'The document would never have been found if someone had not opened the decedents private journal,' it added, according to the publication. She said she 'believes certain other alterations and interlineations were made in someone other than the decedent's handwriting after his death.' She also said the second page of the handwritten will had been removed and destroyed. It 'begins mid-sentence and is not connected to the previous sequence of thought,' she said. Several witnesses in a federal probe were asked whether former President Donald Trump showed them a map that contained classified information. The New York Times reported Wednesday that federal investigators are pursuing this line of questioning in the probe of Trump's handling of classified documents that he brought to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House. It's unclear exactly what the map depicted, where Trump might have shown it off and who in the ex-president's circle saw it. The Times reported that one source told the newspaper that investigators asked about Trump showing the map to people while on board an airplane. Another source said that investigators seemed to believe that Trump showed it to at least one adviser after leaving office, while another speculated the map may have been shown to a journalist working on a book. More broadly, investigators are working to determine why Trump had a trove of classified documents at his Florida club and home. Several witnesses in a federal probe were asked whether former President Donald Trump showed them a map that contained classified information Investigators are trying to determine why Trump had a trove of classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago (pictured), his Florida home and private club The Times reported that investigators are also trying to determine if Trump stayed later into the spring at Mar-a-Lago - he summers at his Bedminster, New Jersey property - to look at the contents of the boxes found to have classified documents in them at Mar-a-Lago. On June 3, Justice Department officials visited the Florida resort and left with a handful of documents with classified markings on them. A lawyer for Trump said a 'diligent search' had taken place. Mar-a-Lago was then raided by federal officials in August - a move that the former president has repeatedly condemned - and boxes of classified materials were found. Special Counsel Jack Smith - who Trump referred to as a 'lunatic' last week - is overseeing the classified documents probe. Smith's two Trump-related probes have been playing out in the background as the Manhattan hush-money case has moved front-and-center. A photo that was part of a Department of Justice court filing that shows the classified materials found in the FBI's August search of Mar-a-Lago Trrump was indicted on March 30 and spent last Tuesday in Manhattan criminal court for his arraignment - a first for an American ex-president. He was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation 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. During his sit-down with Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson that aired Tuesday the ex-president claimed court employees were crying and apologizing as they booked him. 'When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and I'll tell you people were crying - people that work there, professionally work there, that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody,' Trump said. 'It's tough, tough place, and they were crying. They were actually crying. They said "I'm sorry."' Additionally, Trump is reportedly due back in New York Thursday to sit for a second deposition in New York Attorney General Letitia James' $250 million civil fraud lawsuit. On top of that, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to make a decision on whether to charge Trump with a crime related to his effort to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia. President Joe Biden got help from his son Hunter as he took questions from children when he arrived in Dublin on Wednesday. On the second day of the 80-year-old's trip to his ancestral homeland, the president told families of US Embassy staff they could ask him 'anything' - despite refusing to hold a press conference during his four-day trip. He told a rambling story about the late Senator Jesse Helms, and discussed his German Shepherd Commander. Hunter corrected his father at one point when he was trying to remember if Helms was from North or South Carolina, and then guided him to 'walk the rope line' when the event wrapped up. The president's son, who is under federal tax investigation and under constant threats from Republicans, was alongside his father as he followed his family roots on the Emerald Isle. The teetotaller stopped off at Carlingford Castle in County Louth, then got a rock star's welcome at a pub with historical links to his family - even though he didn't pour the traditional pint of Guinness. President Joe Biden got help from his son Hunter as he took questions from children when he arrived in Dublin on Wednesday 'Any of you guys want to ask me any questions?' Biden asked the children. He then got distracted by a youngster holding a toy model of Air Force One. Then he turned his attention back to the crowd. 'In the back. He's got a question,' Hunter told his father. The kid then asked the president to describe the 'top step' to success. Biden went into a long-winded answer about Senator Helms 'who was "not very crazy about African Americans." 'Oh, what's the key to success? You know what I found out is the key to success? And I'm not sure I'm the best guy to explain it; these guys can tell you,' he says. 'The key to success is whenever you disagree with someone, it's okay to question their judgment whether they're right or wrong but it's never okay to question their motive. If you question their motive, then you never get to be able to agree. 'For example, if you say to somebody, "The reason why you don't agree with me is because you are stupid, you are bad, you are you just don't like the people I like." Hunter (right) corrected him at one point when he said South Carolina instead of North and then told him to 'walk the rope line' when the event wrapped up 'Instead of saying I just didn't just tell you why, I disagree with you because of the following things. 'Because once you question somebody's motive why they're doing something because you don't know. In fact, what happens after that, you can never get an agreement, get together. 'I learned that lesson a long time I say to that to all the embassy folks, too. 'There was a guy named Jesse Helms from South Carolina from North Carolina South Carolina.' 'North,' Hunter interjects. 'North Carolina,' Biden continues. 'And he was a very conservative guy who was very, very not very crazy about African Americans when he got here. He was all we always had fights. 'And one day, I was going into the United States Senate, and Jesse Helms was on the floor of the Senate saying some terrible things about Ted Kennedy and Bob Dole, the Republican leader, who both had introduced a bill for making sure people with disabilities have access to curb cuts, access to buses, and all these things. It's called the Americans with Disabilities Act. 'And what happened was, I was very upset when I walked in to go see the Majority Leader when I heard this debate. Children of embassy staff wait to greet President Biden at Dublin International Airport 'And unfortunately, I was more afraid of the Majority Leader being late than I was to go and talk. 'I walked in, and I guess I looked like I was angry. And he looked at me, and he said, "What's the matter, Joe?" I was 32 years old. And I said and I went on about Jesse Helms, that he has no social redeeming value. "How could he possibly say things like that?" I couldn't believe it. 'And he looked at me and he said, "Joe, what would you say if I told you that Jesse Helms, in 1970, sitting in his living room with his wife, Dot, in Raleigh were reading the paper? And there was a photograph of a young man on crutches 16 years old, with braces from under his arms all the way down to his ankles, and two steel crutches. 'It was an advertisement for an orphanage. And it said, "All I want is someone to take me home for Christmas and love me." 'He said, "What would you say, Joe, if I told you they adopted that young man?" I said, "I'd feel foolish." Well, they did adopt him. 'And I went and apologized to Jesse Helms, because... the suggestion that he's doing it because he didn't care about people with disabilities was wrong. I questioned his motive. I never did that again. 'That's a long answer to a real quick question,' he finished to laughs from the crowd. Another child then jumped in and asked: 'How is your dog doing?' 'My dog is doing well,' he said. 'His name is Commander.' The president then asked the kid his dog's name/ 'Louie.' He then signaled his appearance was coming to an end by saying: 'Anyway, guys.' He then started to walk out, when Hunter said: 'Youre supposed to do the rope line, Dad.' Looking around, Biden asked: 'Im supposed to do the rope line?' 'Just to say hi to everybody,' Hunter told him. 'All right. Well, guys, thank you,' Biden said as he left. Joe's son Hunter walks along the line of fans and shakes hands before joining his father in the pub Florida has executed a 56-year-old man known as the 'Ninja Killer', who shot dead a visiting New Jersey couple in 1989 and robbed their winter home for Christmas presents. Louis Bernard Gaskin confessed to the crime, which he committed wearing all-black ninja clothing. 'The guilt was always there,' Gaskin said. 'The devil had more of a hold than God did. I knew that I was wrong. I wasn't insane.' Jurors voted 8-4 in 1990 to recommend the death sentence, which the judge accepted. Florida law now requires a unanimous jury vote for capital punishment. Gaskin woke up at 4:45am on Wednesday and had his last meal at 9:45 am, said Kayla McLaughlin Smith, a spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections. His final meal included BBQ pork ribs, pork and turkey neck, buffalo wings, shrimp fried rice, french fries and water. Louis Gaskin, 56, was executed at Florida State Prison on Wednesday evening for the 1989 murder of Robert and Georgette Sturmfels Gaskin is pictured during his trial. He confessed to the killing and told a psychologist he was not insane Gaskin is pictured during his trial. He was sentenced to death by a jury in 1990 Gaskin killed the Sturmfels at their home in Flagler County (pictured) in December 1989 Gaskin's execution was carried out at Florida State Prison in Raiford, 40 miles south east of Jacksonville. None of the relatives of the victims were present. Protesters outside demanded an end to the death penalty, claiming that Gaskin was mentally ill. 'Louis Gaskin, a mentally ill Black man sentenced to death by an all-white non-unanimous jury, is scheduled to be executed in Florida at 6pm,' tweeted the ACLU of Florida. 'No one should be killed by the state. The time to end the racist, unfair and cruel death penalty is now.' The state and U.S. supreme courts have rejected appeals Gaskin filed since his death warrant was signed, with the latest denial coming on Tuesday. Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty sent a petition to Governor Ron DeSantis, signed by 350 faith leaders, asking for clemency and saying that the jury was not told about Gaskin's traumatic childhood - which included his being exposed to incest, forced to eat off the floor and enduring 'severe family dysfunction'. Campaigners against the death penalty are seen on Wednesday outside Florida State Prison Protesters pleaded with Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, to halt the execution but he refused But DeSantis has been signing death warrants at a rapid pace this year as he prepares his widely-expected presidential campaign. He oversaw only two executions in his first four years in office, both in 2019. This execution comes six weeks after Donald Dillbeck, 59, was put to death for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann, 44, in Tallahassee. It is also three weeks before the scheduled execution of Darryl B. Barwick for killing Rebecca Wendt, 24, in 1986 in Panama City. If Barwick's execution is carried out as expected, it will be the shortest period that three executions have been carried out in Florida since three were put to death within 36 days in 2014. Gaskin's death will mark the state's 100th execution since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. There are an additional 297 people on Florida's death row. Executives at JP Morgan were so familiar with Jeffrey Epsteins abuse that they laughed about him being out with 16-year-old Miley Cyrus, court documents claim. A bombshell lawsuit states that senior managers at the bank joked about (Epsteins) interest in young girls including Cyrus in 2008 when she was still starring in the Disney TV series Hannah Montana. Staff at JP Morgan were accused of making light of the pedophiles activities in a case filed against it by the government of the US Virgin Islands. The lawsuit also alleges that at least 20 victims were paid through Epsteins accounts with JP Morgan in excess of $1m. One women who Epstein bought when she was 14 was paid $600,000, the documents claim. Executives at JP Morgan were so familiar with Jeffrey Epsteins abuse that they laughed about him being out with 16-year-old Miley Cyrus, court documents claim Executives, including chief exec of JP Morgan's Assets and Wealth Division Mary Erdoes, emailed internally about Epstein's abuse and their relationship with him A bombshell lawsuit states that senior managers at the bank joked about (Epsteins) interest in young girls including Cyrus in 2008 The jokes about Cyrus were made while she was under age and still starring in the Disney Channel TV series Hannah Montana The USVI government sued JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank in December accusing the banks of turning a blind eye to Epsteins sex trafficking of underage girls despite myriad red flags. Both banks deny wrongdoing. The amended complaint from the USVI, where Epstein had a private island, says that JP Morgan obstructed investigations into Epstein and its relationship to the bank. Executives emailed internally about his abuse during the course of their relationship with him, which ran from 1998 to 2013, including after he served 15 months for soliciting and underage girl for sex in 2008. They included Mary Erdoes - chief executive of JP Morgans Asset & Wealth division. The document states: Internal emails questioned who Epsteins clients were. Indeed, Epsteins behavior was so widely known at JPMorgan that senior executives joked about Epsteins interest in young girls. In 2008, for example, Mary Erdoes received an email asking her whether Epstein was at an event with miley Cyrus. The USVI alleges that JP Morgan did not follow the requirements for reporting suspicious transactions because if they did it would have prevented Epsteins secret cash transactions that were necessary to his sex-trafficking operation from escaping knowledge of federal investigative and prosecuting agencies. The USVI government sued JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank in December accusing the banks of turning a blind eye to Epsteins sex trafficking of underage girls despite myriad red flags Executives at both JP Morgan and Deutsche have denied any wrongdoing The amended complaint from the USVI, where Epstein (left) had a private island, says that JP Morgan obstructed investigations into Epstein and its relationship to the bank The Epstein victim who he is said to have bought at 14 was paid more than $600,000 while a recruiter given immunity through Epsteins sweetheart plea deal in 2008 was paid handsomely too. Virtually all of the money was paid after Epsteins conviction in 2008, it is claimed. The filing also note that Epstein transferred more than $23m to Ghsilaine Maxwell, his madam who is serving a 20 year jail sentence for recruiting underage girls for him, between 1999 and 2002. The document also alleges that at least 20 individuals paid through JP Morgan accounts were victims of trafficking to Epsteins island, New York and other Epstein properties. The lawsuit claims: These women were trafficked and abused during different intervals between at least 2003 and July 2019, when Epstein was arrested and jailed, and these women received payments, typically multiple payments, between 2003 and 2013 in excess of $1 million collectively. Epstein also withdrew more than $775,000 in cash over that time frame from JP Morgan accounts, especially significant as Epstein was known to pay for massages, or sexual encounters, in cash. Financial information also reflects payments drawn from JP Morgan accounts of nearly $1.5 million to known recruiters. Last month a judge partially rejected a request to dismiss the case by JP Morgan, allowing some of the claims to proceed. The filing notes Epstein transferred more than $23m to Ghsilaine Maxwell, his madam who is serving a 20 year jail sentence for recruiting underage girls for him, between 1999 and 2002 The lawsuit claims: These women were trafficked and abused during different intervals between at least 2003 and July 2019, when Epstein was arrested and jailed, and these women received payments, typically multiple payments, between 2003 and 2013 in excess of $1 million collectively The USVI attorney general last week subpoenaed several wealthy men for communications with Epstein including Google founder Sergey Brin. The lawsuit is running parallel to a similar claim by a woman called Jane Doe 1 which has made numerous allegations against Jes Staley, the former boss of JP Morgan. Court documents alleged that between 2008 and 2012, Staley exchanged around 1,200 emails with Epstein from his JP Morgan email account. The banker allegedly visited Epsteins private island in the Caribbean while the pedophile was in prison for having sex with underage girls. Staley is accused of making suggestive references to Disney characters in the emails including one from 2010 in which he says: Say hi to Snow White. Staleys lawyers have denied wrongdoing and denied he used codewords with Epstein. In a motion to dismiss, JP Morgan called the USVI complaint a masterclass in deflection that seeks to hold (JP Morgan) responsible for not sleuthing out Epsteins crimes over a decade ago. Twitter has a new top dog. For, according to Elon Musk, his pet shiba inu Floki is now running the social media giant. The billionaire made the bizarre claim in a spontaneous interview with the BBC on Tuesday night. He later tweeted a mocked-up picture of Floki sitting at a desk in front of a contract signed with a paw print. Musk admitted he has had a rollercoaster six months since his 38billion takeover of Twitter, aggressively cutting costs and sacking 80 per cent of staff in a bid to balance the books. He has often dismissed claims he has fuelled disinformation and hate speech, and has responded to critics by mocking them online. Elon Musk made the bizarre claim in a spontaneous interview with the BBC on Tuesday night But in a show of vulnerability, he admitted to the BBC the process had been stressful, adding: This hasnt been some kind of party. He conceded that his tendency to stir up trouble on Twitter in the early hours of the morning may not have helped. Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yeah. I need bullet proof shoes at this point, he told BBC journalist James Clayton. I think I should not tweet after 3am. But the worlds second richest man then claimed Floki has taken over as boss. He repeatedly corrected Clayton when he called him the CEO, saying: Im not the CEO of Twitter. My dog is the CEO of Twitter. Hes a great dog, very alert, and its hard to get anything by him. The joke is understood to have started following a poll Musk ran in December in which he asked users whether he should step down as chief executive. The billionaire later tweeted a mocked-up picture of Floki sitting at a desk in front of a contract signed with a paw print Musk claimed he had abided by the result and installed Floki as boss. Yesterday, he pinned a tweet showing the dog, dressed in a black turtle-neck with CEO written on the breast, sitting behind an office desk. It was captioned: The new CEO of Twitter is amazing. Last week, he also replaced Twitters bird logo with a picture of Floki. In his interview, Musk addressed the controversy over Twitter labelling the BBCs main account as government-funded media, adding that he was aware the corporation was not thrilled with the tag. He said he had a lot of respect for the broadcaster and that the label would be changed to publicly funded. Musk, a self-confessed workaholic, confirmed he sometimes sleeps on a sofa in a library in Twitters San Francisco headquarters. He said the business was now roughly breaking even, could be profitable again soon and he would be open to selling to the right person. Carl Heneghan said the ONS findings could be 'biased' based on validity tests MPs and campaigners yesterday voiced concerns about an 'exaggerated' focus on transgender issues as it emerged official statistics may have 'significantly overestimated' the trans population. Findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggesting there are 262,000 transgender people in England and Wales should be 'treated with caution', academics said. Carl Heneghan, director of Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, said the ONS findings could be 'biased' because it does not do fieldwork to test their validity. He backed Michael Biggs an associate professor in sociology at Oxford who believes the question used to record gender identity in the 2021 census may have confused respondents whose main language was not English. Both academics believe this may explain why the London boroughs of Newham and Brent, where many speak English as a second language, recorded the highest proportion of transgender people in the UK. It may also explain why one in 67 Muslims said they were transgender, they said. Carl Heneghan, director of Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, said the ONS findings could be 'biased' because it does not do fieldwork to test their validity Professor Heneghan told the Daily Mail: 'In research, we normally triangulate data. So you take statistics and you do fieldwork to test the validity of the data. Until that's done it should be treated with caution. 'The ONS has no way of knowing if the information going into the survey is correct or not so although their data the maths they do is correct, there's a bias if the information going in there is incorrect. There's nobody that can say with certainty that these figures are correct. It seems a significant overestimate.' The academics said the potentially flawed figures likely stemmed from the question asked. Rather than keeping it simple with a question such as 'Are you transgender?', respondents were asked: 'Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?' Dr Biggs claimed this question was decided upon after consultation with pro-transgender rights lobby groups and the ONS 'never thought about how a Bangladeshi grandmother or a Hungarian plumber will think about this question'. Other 'anomalies' included Brighton and Hove home to the country's longest-running Trans Pride celebration having the twentieth-largest trans population. Dr Biggs said in The Spectator magazine that the ONS data was 'scarcely credible'. The ONS published figures in January showing 262,000 people, or 0.5 per cent of the population over 16, declared themselves as transgender. It was based on answers to the 2021 census. Of the 262,000, 118,000 did not provide extra detail, while 48,000, or 0.1 per cent of the population aged 16 and over, identified as a trans man. Other 'anomalies' included Brighton and Hove home to the country's longest-running Trans Pride celebration having the twentieth-largest trans population. Pictured: The annual Brighton Pride parade A total of 48,000 identified as a trans woman, 30,000 as non-binary and 18,000 wrote a different identity. Those who speak English poorly were five times more likely to be trans. Adults whose first language was not English accounted for 10 per cent of the population but made up 29 per cent of the trans total. Tory MP Sir John Hayes said: 'We need to have statistics that reflect reality.' And Stephanie Davies-Arai, of campaign group Transgender Trend, said: 'I think the ONS has made itself a laughing stock.' The Office for Statistics Regulation is probing the ONS findings. The ONS said its gender identity census results were 'broadly consistent with NHS data collected in the same year'. A spokesman said: 'While the question on gender identity was tested thoroughly, it is possible individual responses were affected by different interpretations of the question and we will do more work to understand whether that was an issue.' Meghan's spiritual 'guru' has given a fascinating insight into the Sussexes' state of mind as Prince Harry prepares to leave his wife and their two children behind to attend King Charles's Coronation. Deepak Chopra, 76, an Indian-American alternative medicine practitioner with 2.8million devoted followers on Instagram, told Richard Eden the California-based couple are 'struggling' amid their rift with the Royal Family. At a red-carpet event in Central London, he said: 'I enjoyed the podcast and interacted with them. 'It [our work together] has been periodic - they're struggling right now.' He added: 'I hope they get through it light-hearted. I think there's too much drama around them - people should mind their own business.' Deepak Chopra (pictured left), 76, an Indian-American alternative medicine practitioner with 2.8million devoted followers on Instagram, told Richard Eden: 'I hope they get through it light-hearted. I think there's too much drama around them - people should mind their own business' The first picture of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet, released in a Christmas card on December 23, 2021 Chopra appeared on the Duke and Duchess's first podcast for audio giant Spotify. However, the best-selling author, who has written more than 90 books, has advised them to refrain from addressing their fall-out with the Royal Family publicly to prevent a further backlash. 'My advice is to ignore it because if you react you'll just aggravate the situation,' he said. 'If you ignore it, people can't say anything, then they'll stop.' Chopra was one of Meghan's inner circle who marked her 40th birthday in 2021 by taking part in her 40x40 Compassion In Action initiative, which helped women return to work after the pandemic. 'To celebrate the 40th birthday of my friend Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, I'm donating 40mins of mentorship to a woman re-entering the workforce,' he said at the time. Chopra, whose famous admirers include chat show host Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow, is known for his guidance on meditation and yoga. 'I spend two hours every morning doing yoga and meditation and then again before I sleep,' he said. 'I don't take myself too seriously, nor does my wife or kids.' Kirstie Allsopp has called for pensioners to be paid to downsize as the current rate of stamp duty is discouraging them from moving to smaller homes. The Location Location Location presenter said the tax in place at the moment puts off people from making the final move even though it might help them be cared for in later life. Currently a pensioner selling a family home at 700,000 to buy at 500,000 would face a 15,000 stamp duty bill. There have been calls to reform the system so that larger houses can be freed up for younger families who need the space. Weighing in on the Difficult Women podcast, the 51 year old said: 'You can fiddle around with stamp duty, it definitely doesn't work. Location Location Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp says stamp duty system needs change 'The thing about it is, there's all sorts of things I'd do with stamp duty. 'I think the number one thing that is the problem with stamp duty, is it discourages people from making that final move. 'So, older people say 'ah I'm 70, I'm not going to downsize because I'm not going to spend this amount'.' Asked by podcast host Rachel Johnson if they should be paid to downsize and not charged, she said: 'Exactly. 'That's my problem with stamp duty, I think it prevents older people from making the final move which will make their life easier, which will make their caring more easy.' Kirsty Allsopp reckons that stamp duty puts pensioners off downsizing ahead of final move Capital punishment: London buyers pay 47 times more stamp duty for an average home than those in the East Midlands Homebuyers in London typically pay 47 times more stamp duty than those in the East Midlands, according to Coventry Building Society. An average home in the capital is worth 543,099, meaning a buyer pays 14,654 in land tax. But those buying in the East Midlands pay 307 on a typical home worth 256,206. Jonathan Stinton, from Coventry BS, says: A system where people can pay up to 47 times more tax than others on something which is only twice as valuable is clearly flawed. The differences are due to rises in stamp duty tax thresholds last September. Homebuyers previously paid the duty on properties worth more than 125,000 but changes mean the first 250,000 is now tax-free. The next 675,000 is taxed at 5 per cent, up to a value of 925,001, after which point it increases to 10 per cent. The thresholds are in place until March 2025 and reduce the amount of stamp duty on an average-priced home from 5,767 to 3,303. Advertisement Government legislation states you must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if you buy a property or land over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland. Currently, the threshold applies to all residential properties valued at 250,000 or more. The latest figures revealed the Treasury pocketed an extra 69 cent between financial year 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022, from 6 billion to more than 10 billion. Of these transactions, 52 per cent were accounted for by properties valued at 250,000 or less - with only three per cent coming from properties valued at over 1 million. Allsopp - who has homes in Notting Hill, west London and Devon - caused uproar last year when she suggested young people stop wasting money on Netflix and coffee and move somewhere cheaper to get on the property ladder. On the podcast she said she had been misquoted and described the backlash as the 'most devastating time of my life'. Speaking about the current housing market crisis now, she continued: 'Our planning and zoning is shot to pieces. 'The transactional process is not fit for process and is collapsing. 'The rental market is completely up the creek without the paddle. 'We need to have longer, more secure leases and stop having this incredibly combative attitude between landlords bad, tenants good. 'You just don't have that in Germany and Italy and other places. 'You need secure long tenure, to be able to plan for your children. 'We spend - as a proportion of our income - it's mad. 'The two things in this country which are so cripplingly expensive are property and childcare.' The parchment was reused by a scribe, which was a common practice A 'hidden chapter' of Bible text written more than 1,500 years ago could provide key insights into how the religious text has changed over time, experts say. The new text comprises parts of Matthew 11-12 in the New Testament written in the ancient Syriac language, giving more details than today's standard Gospel text. Scientists uncovered the scripture after applying UV light to a manuscript about ancient Christian stories and hymns housed at the Vatican Library. The text had been scraped from the parchment, a common practice so new text could be written over it, but the text left traces detectable by UV light. Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Garrick Allen, a senior lecturer in New Testament studies at the University of Glasgow, said the discovery provides an insight into the early translations of the Bible. The manuscript is chapters 11 through 12 in Matthew. Experts applied UV light to a document, revealing the Bible text was masked behind two layers of writing 'This discovery is highly interesting, but it isn't ground-breaking in isolation, mostly because the newly identified text is only fragmentary parts of Matthew 11-12,' Dr Allen told MailOnline. 'The Syriac translation of the Bible is important on its own as one of the earliest translations from Greek. Old Syriac Bible translation reveals hidden details Original Greek of Matthew chapter 12, verse 1: 'At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath and his disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.' Syriac translation: 'At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath and his disciples became hungry, began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them.' Advertisement 'It gives us insight into the earliest stages of the text of the Bible and the communities that produced these translations.' Justin Brierley, a Christian author, broadcaster and radio host, called the discovery 'fascinating'. 'The discovery of this new fragment of a Syriac copy of the Gospels is yet another example of how rich the manuscript tradition of the New Testament has been over many centuries,' he told MailOnline. 'It's also fascinating to note the variation in some of the wording of Matthew's gospel compared to our received version of the text. 'I often encounter critics who question whether the Bible has been changed over time, but the science of textual criticism, aided by discoveries like these, help historians to put together an extremely accurate picture of what the original gospels said.' Professor Hugh Houghton at the University of Birmingham's Department of Theology and Religion, called it a 'genuine and important discovery'. 'Until a few years ago we only knew of two manuscript witnesses to the Old Syriac translation of the gospels and now we have four,' he told MailOnline. 'The value of the early translations is that they were made from Greek manuscripts which no longer survive, and may provide some of the first evidence for particular readings.' Professor Houghton continued: 'The find is important for Christians as the evidence from this document will be incorporated in editions of the Greek New Testament and used by editors to reconstruct the earliest form of the text. 'Given how few manuscripts survive from the first centuries, all pieces are welcome in reconstructing the jigsaw puzzle of the history of the text.' Meanwhile, Dr Peter Williams from Cambridge's Faculty of Divinity said: 'Its an exciting discovery. The team that did this are top of their game.' The new text was discovered by Grigory Kessel from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, who has not yet revealed a complete translation written in ancient Syriac but shared some details. In the Greek version of Matthew chapter 12, verse one reads: 'At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath and his disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. The more detailed Syriac translation reads, '[...] began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them.' Austrian Academy of Sciences scientists found the manuscript in the Vatican Library (pictured). The document was written on parchment that was reused three times. This was a common practice because paper made from animal skin was scarce The initial text was written around the third century but was erased by a scribe a person employed before printing was invented to make copies of documents in Palestine. This was a common practice because the paper made from animal skin was scarce and needed to be reused. Writing over scraped-off text creates palimpsests manuscripts with multiple layers of writing. Hebrew Bible created 1,100 years ago could auction for $50M - READ MORE Its writing style suggests its creator was an early 10th-Century scribe in Egypt or the Levant Advertisement UV light has become popular among scientists who hope to uncover secret documents, as the hidden text absorbs the light and glows blue. It can capture hidden text because parchment soaks in ink. And no matter how often it is reused, the original writings are still imprinted on the paper. 'The Gospel text is hidden in the sense that the early 6th-Century parchment copy of the Gospels Book was reused twice and today on the same page one can find three layers of writing (Syriac - Greek - Georgian),' Grigory Kessel from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, who made the discovery, told MailOnline. The Old Syriac translation of the scriptures was called 'Peshitta' and became the official translation used by the Syriac Church in the fifth century. Kessel and his colleagues said the parchment was first reused for the Apophthegmata patrum in Greek, translated to 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers' a title that refers to early Christian hermits who practiced asceticism in the Egyptian desert. They did so around the 3rd century and eventually formed the basis of Christian monasticism. The Apophthegmata patrum is a collection of more than 1,000 of their stories and sayings and dates to the late fifth and early sixth centuries. The hidden Bible chapter was a palimpsest uncovered by Grigory Kessel from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (pictured) The next time the page was erased and reused was to copy the Iadgari of Mikael Modrekili, a Georgian manuscript of the 10th Century that included a collection of hymns. The Syriac translation was written at least a century before the oldest Greek manuscripts that have survived, including the Codex Sinaiticus the 4th-Century Christian manuscript of the Greek Bible. Dr Nic Baker-Brian at Cardiff University's School of History, Archaeology and Religion called the new text a 'remarkable discovery' and said its significance lies in a small number of variants. 'The example cited already - Mt. 12.1-2 - of the disciples "rubbing the ears of corn in their hands" is not attested in the Greek manuscripts for Matthew,' he told MailOnline. 'The presence of variant readings in the manuscript highlights the diverse nature of early Christianity and reinforces an emerging consensus that ancient Christianity was not fixed and monolithic, rather different versions of stories about Jesus were circulating in the early Church. 'Its existence should remind modern Christians about the diverse history and nature of their religion.' The findings are published in the journal New Testament Studies. If you want to keep your blue tick on Twitter, you'll have to hand over payment details in the next few days, according to Elon Musk. The Twitter CEO has confirmed the final deadline for the company to remove 'legacy' blue ticks will be April 20 just over a week away. It's believed the date is a sly reference to cannabis, which is associated with the number 420 because of the time of the day it is traditionally smoked. Musk was famously filmed smoking the drug during a live webcast with comedian Joe Rogan back in 2018. He tweeted the update and also confirmed the news in a 'hastily-arranged' bombshell interview with the BBC, in which he accused the interviewer of lying. Musk tweeted the new update on Tuesday evening in a brief message: 'Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20.' Musk tweeted on Tuesday evening: 'Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20.' What are 'legacy' checkmarks on Twitter? The blue tick on Twitter used to indicate an account that was notable or authentic - such as that of a celebrity or politician. But Elon Musk, who bought Twitter for $44 billion in October, has changed this. Under his ownership, the blue tick means an account holder is paying for its subscription service Twitter Blue. Currently, some users who were granted a blue tick before Musk's ownership still have it on their account. Musk refers to these as 'legacy' ticks - and he now says they will all be removed by April 20, 2023. The only way to keep the tick after then is to subscribe to Twitter Blue. Advertisement Twitter previously said April 1 would be when 'legacy' checkmarks would start to be removed although many remained after this date, causing confusion. On Twitter, the blue checkmark at the end of an account holder's name used to indicate an account belonging to someone of public interest such as a celebrity, politician or journalist. The whole point of the blue checkmark was that it could verify a notable person's identity and distinguish him or her from an imposter. Under Musk's ownership, however, the tick is now simply an indicator that an account is subscribed to Twitter Blue, the platform's subscription service that costs up to 11 per month in the UK. Twitter Blue gives subscribers access to several exclusive features such as custom app icons, the ability to undo a tweet immediately after posting it, and, for subscribers in certain countries, the ability to edit tweets. Meanwhile, some features that have long been available on the free version of Twitter such as voting in polls and SMS two-factor authentication are soon becoming or have become exclusive to Twitter Blue. It's thought Musk who purchased the social media network in October for $44 billion (35 billion) is trying to get Twitter's userbase to start shelling out a monthly charge to boost profits. April 20 is believed to be a reference to cannabis, which is associated with the number 420 because of the time of the day it is traditionally smoked, and in turn the date 4/20 (April 20). Musk was famously filmed smoking the drug during a live webcast with comedian Joe Rogan back in 2018 (pictured) In the UK, Twitter Blue costs 9.60 per month for desktop and 11 for iOS and Android and adds a blue tick next to a user's name, among other features Musk has also rolled out new gold and grey ticks to indicate verified businesses and government bodies, respectively, and is charging 1,000 per month for them. Elon Musk gives biggest interview since 'painful' takeover - READ MORE Elon Musk sat down for an interview with the BBC's James Clayton at Twitter offices Advertisement The South African-born entrepreneur has just given his biggest interview since taking over Twitter, with the BBC at Twitter HQ in San Francisco on Wednesday. While discussing the subject of hate speech on Twitter, Musk accused BBC interviewer James Clayton of lying because he couldn't back up his claims. Musk also said Twitter had 'four months to live' if he didn't make changes and cut costs to save it from bankruptcy. The billionaire owner confirmed that about 80 per cent of its staff have been axed since he took over at the helm including Twitter's global communications team. Any emails sent to press@twitter.com now get a poop emoji in reply, while Musk seems to have taken over the role of comms himself by tweeting regular updates. Twitter has about 1,500 employees now, a sharp decline from 'just under 8,000 staff members' it had before he took it over in October. Musk also revealed his takeover had been painful and that he has felt 'under constant attack', but that financially the company is finally breaking even. And he revealed that he had taken to sleeping on a couch on the seventh-floor of the Twitter headquarters. Also this week, Musk shut down the company that owned Twitter Twitter Inc and incorporated it into a company of his own, called X Corp. The Twitter and Tesla boss appeared to allude to the news with a simple tweet containing the letter X. X Corp is set to become the parent company for all of Musk's endeavors, including SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink and an upcoming platform that he's referred to as an 'everything app'. This app could one day incorporate parts or all of Twitter, as well as online services and utilities such as ridesharing, food deliveries and more. Microsoft's Windows is ditching a classic feature of PC keyboards that dates back around two decades and users are not happy about it. Print Screen is a button on PC keyboards that takes a screenshot and automatically copies it so users can paste it into another application, such as Paint. Now, an upcoming update for Windows 11, called KB5025310, will change this so the Print Screen button opens up Microsoft's Snipping Tool instead. The controversial new update comes nearly two years after Windows 11 was originally launched although luckily it can be fixed. Microsoft explained it in a blog post along with other new features set to roll out for members of its Insider programme, which allows testing before a general rollout. Print Screen is a button on PC keyboards that takes a screenshot and automatically copies it so users can paste it anywhere (file photo) But it will mean the Print Screen button won't automatically copy screenshots anymore resulting in extra time-consuming hurdles for Windows users. How to restore 'classic' Print Screen function Head to Settings on your Windows 11 PC Click on Accessibility followed by Keyboard Toggle off the option 'Use the Print Screen key to open Snipping Tool' Advertisement Instead, they'll have to manually take a screenshot in Snipping Tool before copying and pasting it, as reported by Windows Latest. Windows 11 already lets PC users open Snipping Tool by pressing the Print Screen key, but the new KB5025310 update sets this as default. To restore the Print Screen key's traditional functionality, you have to head to Settings on your Windows 11 PC, followed by Accessibility and Keyboard. You then have the option to toggle on or off 'Use the Print Screen key to open Snipping Tool'. Windows says: 'If you have previously modified this setting yourself, your preference will be preserved.' News of the change got a mixed reception on social media. One Twitter user said: 'I don't like this at all. There could be things on screen that would either dissappear [sic] or get messed up once you open another app (in this case snipping tool).' Windows 11 already lets PC users open Snipping Tool by pressing the Print Screen key - but the new KB5025310 update will set this as default. Windows 11 users can head to Settings to toggle the option on and off Another user said: 'Why not do a screenshot and open it on the Snipping tool for editing automatically?' Microsoft launches three Surface devices - READ MORE The Surface Pro 9 (pictured) is two-in-one device with the power of a laptop but the flexibility of a tablet Advertisement However, another user called it a 'huge quality of life improvement'. Print Screen which started appearing on PC keyboards in the 1980s is often labeled in shorthand to fit on the key, such as PrtSc or PrtScn. It may require users to hold down the Alt key first, if it shares the key with another function. When it was first added to keyboards, Print Screen originally captured the text that appeared on-screen and transferred it to a computer's printer port. But more modern use in the last 20 years has taken an instant snapshot of the whole of a user's screen. One potential issue with the current function of the Print Screen button is it takes a screenshot without any acknowledgement that it has done so potentially causing confusion. But it's possible Microsoft is wanting to direct users to its new and improved Snipping Tool, which got a redesign under Windows 11. Windows 11 was revealed to much fanfare in June 2021 and became generally available four months later in October. It also included a new colour scheme for the famous blue screen of death, a new 'Start' button in the centre of the taskbar and Android apps on the desktop. Pictured is Snipping Tool for Windows 11, which now includes the option to record a short clip of the computer screen's output like a video Last year, Microsoft added 'screen recording' to the new Snipping Tool, allowing users to record their computer screen's output like a video. Users have the option of clicking the 'Record' tab at the top as an alternative to the traditional 'Snip' tab that captures images. Microsoft released three new devices in its touchscreen Surface range last year especially designed to work with Windows 11, including a 4,699 update on its all-in-one PC,. But the firm has hit the headlines recently for its work with OpenAI, creator of the hugely successful AI tool ChatGPT. Microsoft has been melding ChatGPT into its Bing search engine, which once posed a rival to Google Search before falling well behind. The volcano last erupted in 1985, killing 25,000 people in nearby villages Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano has been hit with 6,000 quakes per day One of the world's deadliest volcanos has lain dormant since it last erupted in 1985, but a surge in seismic activity indicates it could awaken in the 'coming days.' Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz registered an unbelievable 6,000 earthquakes per day last week, leading officials to raise the alert to the second highest scale and evacuate more than 2,500 families in the area. Some 57,000 people live in the volcano's hazard zone, which is spread across parts of six provinces, according to Colombia's Geological Service (CGS). The volcano's eruption in 1985 killed more than 25,000 people, the fourth-deadliest volcanic eruption in human history, leaving people buried under avalanches of earth and rock fragments. CGS believes last week's earthquakes are due to magma moving through the fault system, setting the stage for what could be Nevado del Ruiz's next deadly eruption. Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz was seen spewing ash on April 7. The volcano recorded 6,000 earthquakes per day last week The Nevado del Ruiz straddles the border between Colombia's Tolima and Caldas provinces. The volcano, which formed about 150,000 years ago, reaches an elevation of 17,717 feet and sits about 80 miles west of the capital city Bogota. It is a stratovolcano composed of many layers of lava that alternate between hardened volcanic ash and rocks. On November 13, 1985, Nevado del Ruiz spewed hot ash and lava some 23,000 feet into the atmosphere, Earth Magazine reports. The event caused the ground to rumble, releasing mudflows towering more than 98 feet through the region. The eruption was not considered large, but heat released during the event, surrounding glacier capping on the volcano, released the deadly mudflow on villages below. Now that Nevado del Ruiz is showing signs of activity, officials are not taking any chances and evacuating nearby people. President Gustavo Petro has asked for evacuations to move more quickly. Disaster officials have said livestock - critical to many livelihoods in the rural area - may also be moved, or farmers can return during the day to care for them. The Nevado del Ruiz straddles the border between Colombia's Tolima and Caldas provinces On November 13, 1985, Nevado del Ruiz spewed hot ash and lava some 23,000 feet into the atmosphere. The heat from the eruption melted surrounding glaciers, which buried villages in mudflows However, some residents said they do not plan on leaving their homes. 'It doesn't scare me because it already exploded,' said Evelio Ortiz, a potato farmer who survived the 1985 eruption with his wife and five children. 'What was going to erode eroded.' Authorities said that children must evacuate even if adult family members choose to stay. Before last week's activity, officials said an average of 50 earthquakes per day were recorded, with minor events over the past 10 years. CGS reported that increased seismic activity was first observed last month, with 6,500 earthquakes on March 28 to 11,000 earthquakes on March 29. Activity began to slow on Sunday, but the volcano spewed a 3,000-foot column of ash the same day. A Colombian Air Force helicopter flies near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano while it continues emitting smoke and ash on April 10 The government raised the volcano's alert level from yellow to orange last week in preparation for an eruption in the coming days or weeks The government raised the volcano's alert level from yellow to orange last week in preparation for an eruption in the coming days or weeks. 'We support the decision of local committees to evacuate some people,' national disaster unit interim director Luis Fernando Velasco said after a meeting late on Monday with national and local authorities. 'It's probable that in the coming days we will need to evacuate additional people.' Caldas governor Luis Carlos Velasquez has asked the national government for 800 million pesos (about $173,800) to strengthen an early warning system, 400 million pesos for machinery, and funding for evacuees' housing, the government said in a statement on Monday. For some women, the smell of a nice aftershave can make a man appear infinitely more attractive. And it seems the same goes for bees, according to new research. Scientists have discovered a particular type of bee, found in countries such as Costa Rica and Brazil, has more mating success when they wear a 'perfume'. They gather a mixture of scents from various sources and store it in special hind leg 'pockets', before using it to seduce a mate. Researchers from the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Germany conducted an experiment where they provided some male orchid bees with scents from different flowers, while others were left untreated. Scientists have discovered a particular type of bee, found in countries such as Costa Rica and Brazil, has more mating success when they wear a 'perfume' Bees can TWERK too! Hilarious video shows how youngsters follow the 'waggle dances' of older insects - READ MORE A new study has shown that even bees can twerk Advertisement They found the 'perfumed' bees mated with more females and sired more offspring than their untreated counterparts. Writing in the journal Current Biology the researchers said: 'Our results demonstrate that male-acquired perfumes are sexual signals that stimulate females for mating. 'These results constitute the first direct evidence that male perfume affects the mating preference of female orchid bees.' Previous observations have revealed female bees approach the males from downwind, indicating that scent may be a driver to their sexual advances. During this study the researchers noticed one instance where the female bee flew back and forth between two bees before finally making a choice to mate with the one which had a perfume. 'With perfumebeing scarce and unpredictable in natural habitats, the process of concocting perfume is certainly costly to male orchid bees,' the researchers said. 'This provides an opportunity for perfumes to evolve as honest indicators of survival, foraging success, cognitive skills or competitive strength.' Females that respond to the perfume are effectively selecting males that express that they are 'fit', they added. In the wild, these bees collect volatile compounds the building blocks of perfumes from a range of sources including flowers, fruit, resin, sap, mushrooms and even faeces. After storing them in 'pouches' on their hind legs, they release the fragrance by repetitively crossing their legs and spraying it into the air using vibrations from their wings. We are speeding across the Ionian Sea under full sail while my wife lays out a perfect lunch of Greek salad, fried halloumi and an icy glass of rose. Happily, none of it is sliding around the table, let alone crashing to the floor, even as the wind gets stronger. Thats because we are sailing in a catamaran. And stability is not its only attraction. This boat is so roomy it has bean-bags on the front deck. It also has two fridges and even air-conditioning. We have opted for a flotilla holiday, which means you sail your own boat all day but meet up with a small fleet at night, safe in the knowledge that the flotilla organiser has sorted out good places to drop anchor, eat and sleep soundly. If you dont want to sail your own boat, theyll arrange someone to do that for you, too. We had booked through Sunsail, the UK-based experts in sailing holidays, now approaching their 50th anniversary. The whole thing started with just half a dozen boats in Greece back in 1974, the year Abba won Eurovision. And here I am with my family, all these years later, living the Mamma Mia dream as we potter around some of Greeces loveliest islands with the children blasting Abba through the on-board sound system. Our boat is a Leopard 45 which comes with four en-suite double cabins, a large saloon and multiple outdoor sunbathing areas. Overall, there is room for up to ten people, easily allowing for two families (as in our case). Its rather like a villa holiday on the waters edge, except that the villa changes location every night. Through the tour operator Sunsail, Robert Hardman and his family enjoy a Greek flotilla holiday, which means you sail your own boat all day but meet up with a small fleet at night. Above is Robert's boat - a Leopard 45 Sunsail offers several flotilla circuits in Greece but weve signed up for the northern Ionian route, which goes up as far as Paxos and the southern tip of Corfu. After flying to Preveza, its an easy cab ride to Sunsails Ionian base in the big marina at Lefkada. Here, you stock up on basic supplies, get a lesson on how the boat works and meet the other crews. Our flotilla consists of 10 boats, most with families who, like us, have done a bit of sailing but are grateful to have that expertise close at hand. Each fleet has a lead boat with a flotilla captain (a professional skipper), an assistant and an engineer/mechanic who are just a radio call away if needed. Each morning, you gather for a coffee and a briefing on where to aim for by sundown plus a few tips on where to stop for lunch. Robert and his family stop by the pretty islet of Antipaxos, pictured, and discover that it boasts 'the clearest waters' On the first day, after an easy 20-mile sail and a few swimming stops, its a relief to arrive at Preveza old town and see our flotilla captain, Jack, on the quayside to guide us in to a pre-reserved berth. On another night, hes waiting in a dinghy to steer us to a quiet spot off Parga where we spend the night at anchor. The children are thrilled to discover that our boat has underwater floodlighting and they jump in and out of the sea late into the evening. Paxos in summer is rammed, mainly by Britons who think they have cleverly avoided the Corfu crowds. We simply cruise along the more sheltered east coast, stopping in quiet bays which would have been hard to access by land. 'Its rather like a villa holiday on the waters edge, except that the villa changes location every night,' Robert, pictured with his family, says of the trip TRAVEL FACTS Robert travelled with Sunsail, which offers one-week on its Paxos flotilla from 2,405 per boat for a family of four (including flotilla fee and special offer; flights not included). Book before May 1 for 20 pc off April-June departures and 15 pc off summer bookings (sunsail.co.uk, 0330 3321166). Advertisement At the islands main town, Gaios, Jack arranges for us all to tie up against the old fortress opposite the main harbour, a secluded spot a short hop across to town. So we enjoy all the buzz and back-alley bustle of Gaios and then retreat to the peace of our cool cabins. Even prettier is neighbouring islet Antipaxos, with the clearest waters. At the end of the week, we sail past Lefkada to the south and spend a day cruising the sheltered gulf beyond. Here we find another smattering of enchanting islands, such as Meganisi and Skorpios. The latter is now the fenced-off, fortified hideaway of a Russian oligarch but was where Aristotle Onassis married Jacqueline Kennedy. She grew to love the place, especially the little white beach house he built for her in a south-facing cove next to a crescent of sand and pebbles. I can quite see why. Where better to drop anchor for one last lunch and one last Mamma Mia-style plunge? This new Canaries cruise stops at a new island each day, Jo reveals Travel writer Jo Kessel filmed her voyage from Lanzarote to Tenerife on French cruise line CroisiEuropes recent addition to its fleet - La Belle des Oceans. The footage shows how, despite the 130-passenger ships boutique size, it packs a punch with a pool, gym and spa where Jo enjoys her first-ever reflexology massage. Plus, the video has the inside scoop on the ships gourmet cuisine, complimentary wines and a spellbinding bartender called Jester who conjures up an Electric Blue cocktail. Theres a romance about the Canaries. Each of this volcanic archipelagos seven main islands has a different character and their location off the west coast of Morocco makes them feel more tropical than European. Many a cruise itinerary includes a couple of the Canary Islands, but CroisiEuropes new voyage is a trailblazer, stopping at a new island each day. The ship sailing this itinerary is La Belle des Oceans and, while new to Croisis fleet, its not actually new. The vessel was built in 1989 and previously belonged to the upmarket cruise line Silversea. When I hopped on board I hoped to capture the characters of the individual islands as well as the personality of this bijou seven-deck ship. The video starts on La Belle des Oceans sun terraces, found on top deck as well as at the back of the ship where theres a pool. Jo Kessel on her seven-night cruise around the Canaries aboard French cruise line CroisiEuropes recent addition to its fleet - La Belle des Oceans La Belle des Oceans was built in 1989 and previously belonged to the upmarket cruise line Silversea Cruises No matter that the ship is more than 30 years old, it sparkles and gleams like new. Cabins are luxuriously appointed and furnishings in mine are decadently oversized, from the bed to the dressing table to the sofa suite. The film shows me checking out the gym and visiting the spa to book an appointment more of which later. The seven-night voyage starts in Lanzarote or Tenerife, depending on the week booked. Sea and weather conditions play a part in the itinerary too and on the first night, were warned that high winds might prevent us from stopping in La Palma. Despite a murmur of discontent the captain remains firm: 'Your safety is my priority.' Croisi provides optional excursions in every port I join one in Fuerteventura. This is a desolate island, bar an abundance of one succulent: aloe vera. Known for its healing properties (its great for cuts, bruises and burns) its the key ingredient for umpteen lotions and potions. On a visit to a plantation we learn how Aloes leaves contain an inner sticky substance and in the film, I expose the plants interior to show how this gel looks before it ends up in a tub of body cream. Rub the neat jelly onto forearms and its stickiness vanishes, leaving skin taut and smooth. Jo goes for a dip in the ship's outdoor pool. 'Be warned, its unheated,' she says Jo says that the furnishings in her cabin (pictured) are 'decadently oversized' Fuerteventura is famed for its award-winning goats cheese, with samples to taste during a visit to a cheese farm. It comes fresh, smoked or spicy and I try some with a dollop of local cactus jam. Its a delicious combination. Mostly I explore independently. The footage moves to Lanzarote where its fun to mooch round capital Arrecifes castles - ones called Castillo de San Jose. It was given a makeover by local artist Cesar Manrique and is now an art gallery with an impressive roof terrace. Next up is a spot of R&R in La Gomera. This is one of the archipelagos lesser-known smaller islands and its volcanic black-sand beaches are refreshingly quiet. Its always a pleasure to return to La Belle des Oceans where drinks soft or alcoholic are included. Wine flows freely (think Spanish riojas and Chardonnays) and theres even a cocktail menu. Bartender Jester flaunts his moves while making a cocktail called Electric Blue. Watch the video to see him sucker a can of Sprite onto his palm and turn it upside down to pour. Unbelievable! Ditto the electrifyingly blue beverage. Theres never a dull moment on board, from dance classes to a sunset boogie to daring to dip a toe in the pool. Be warned, its unheated. While on the island of Fuerteventura, Jo pays a visit to an aloe vera plantation The seven-night voyage starts in Lanzarote or Tenerife, depending on the week booked The surprises keep on coming. I book a reflexology massage in the spa and its a strange sensation especially for the ticklish amongst us to surrender one's feet to be prodded. Once the ticklishness is overcome (it takes a while) I allow masseuse Joana to apply pressure to the soles and toes and find it unexpectedly enjoyable. The high winds predicted by the captain come to pass which means we do not stop in La Palma. To compensate I book adventure hikes for our final two ports with a company called Tours by Locals. Tenerife is home to Mount Teide, a volcano that last erupted a century ago. At 3,718m (12,190 feet) in height, its Spains loftiest mountain. The volcano looms over us as guide John leads a trek across the Teide National Park a high-altitude desert whose otherworldly, lava-coated landscape has made it the film set for many a spaghetti western. Its also where the movie Clash of the Titans (starring Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes) was made. 'I book a reflexology massage in the spa and its a strange sensation especially for the ticklish amongst us to surrender one's feet to be prodded,' Jo reveals Mount Teide (pictured), Spains highest mountain, looms over Jo during a guided trek across the Teide National Park in Tenerife Every dish the ship's chef prepares 'looks and tastes like a work of art', Jo reveals In Gran Canaria the hike is more hardcore. Instead of walking around a volcano, this time we go inside one, tracking a path to the bottom of Bandama Crater. It is mind-blowing to be standing on the floor of where a volcano erupted 2,000 years ago. This cruise offers a bit of everything: beach, culture and adventure as well as gourmet cuisine. While English is widely spoken on its ships, CroisiEurope is a French cruise line and our chef hails from France. Every dish he prepares looks and tastes like a work of art. As the video draws to an end it features a trio of his amazing creations from Pumpkin and Shrimp Velvet to Fillet of Beef with Morel Sauce to Chocolate Mousse Cake. Everythings so delicious that even though I was very happy with the airline that brought me here (my Jet2 outbound flight was smooth as could be) Im not ready to go home. Eventually, however, its the last night and a Canarian folklore group performs in the ships lounge. Their last song is a fitting finale to the video and voyage. And so its farewell to La Belle des Oceans - Beauty of the Seas - the perfect name not just for the ship, but for each and every Canary Island visited too. For more from Jo visit her YouTube channel, Go with Jo. Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay has already cut former friend and bridesmaid Raquel Leviss out of her life - but now she's also chopped her out of her wedding photos amid the pair's bitter fallout over the Tom Sandoval affair scandal. Scheana, 37, held nothing back while discussing her true feelings for her ex-pal during an appearance on an upcoming episode of Pol Atteu and Patrik Simpson's Undressed podcast - admitting that she is taking drastic steps to remove all trace of Raquel from her life. In an exclusive clip obtained by DailyMail.com, the reality star rails against Raquel, 28, branding her 'diabolical' - before revealing that she has edited her out of all her wedding photos, replacing her face with her fellow co-star Lala Kent. 'I decided to edit all my wedding photos and put Lalas face on Raquels,' Scheana admitted. 'I had to. I dont want that b***h in my photos.' The move marks quite a turn in the pair's roller coaster friendship, which came to a sudden and dramatic end after it was revealed that Raquel had been having an affair with her co-star Sandoval - while he was in a nine-year relationship with with longtime girlfriend and fellow Vanderpump Rules regular Ariana Madix. Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay (center) - dressed in a couture wedding gown by fashion designer and star of Gown and Out in Beverly Hills on Amazon Prime Pol Atteu - has revealed that she's edited her former friend and bridesmaid Raquel Leviss (back row left) out of her wedding photos Raquel, 28, and Scheana, 37, once enjoyed a close friendship - however they went through a bitter fall out after it was revealed Raquel had been having an affair with co-star Tom Sandoval The news of the affair sent shockwaves through the entire cast - and ultimately destroyed Raquel's relationship with many of her co-stars - however it was her friendship with Scheana that was shattered in the most dramatic and scandalous fashion. Shortly after the affair scandal broke, Raquel took out a restraining order against Scheana, alleging that she had punched her when she learned about her romance with Sandoval. Although the restraining order case was dismissed by a judge when Raquel failed to show up to a hearing, the bitter fallout between the two women appears to have put an end to their once close-knit friendship once and for all - and has prompted Scheana to take drastic action when it comes to severing all ties with her castmate. However, while the Bravo star is resolute in her decision to cut Raquel out of her life, she admits that the end of their friendship is not something she ever saw coming. 'No one could have said anything negative to me about her [before this happened],' Scheana says of Raquel during her podcast appearance. 'Even a month ago. She was my friend. Now there's a restraining order.' Scheana added that seeing the truth unfold while watching this season as a 'complete mind f**k' because it brought to life the truth about what had been going on behind all of the cast members' backs. That realization was all the more painful for Scheana, because she said she had always been the person who'd supported Raquel through thick and thin. 'I was just team Raquel,' she shared. 'Getting to watch it back, you know, there's nothing normal about getting to go back in time and relive it as if you are fly on the wall. To be on the other side of it has been such a mind f**k because I really didnt know that was happening.' Raquel's illicit romance with Tom (left) took place while he was in a nine-year relationship with their fellow Vanderpump Rules co-star Ariana Madix (center) Scheana (left) tied the knot with her husband Brock Davies (right) in August 2022 . During the Undressed podcast, she admits to having regrets about Raquel being a bridesmaid The on-screen co-stars were once so close that when it came time for Scheana to choose who would serve as a bridesmaid during her August 2022 wedding to Brock Davies, Raquel was one of the few women she asked - a choice she made clear she now regrets. To add insult to injury, Scheana now believes that Raquel helped to drive a wedge between her and another one of her former friends, Katie Maloney, who was not present at the August ceremony. Scheana's friendship with Katie has been incredibly rocky over the past few years - but looking back, she says Raquel may well have played a key role in their fall out. 'Going back, I wish I had more conversations with Katie,' Scheana says. 'I got all my information about her second-hand, mostly from Raquel. So, the version was just very skewed. 'I wish I had a little more empathy for what Katie was going through back then. Because of what Raquel was telling me I wanted nothing to do with her.' Although the affair between Sandoval and Raquel was unearthed in March, the story actually started in December 2021 when Raquel and her Pump Rules co-star fiance, James Kennedy, called it quits. Coincidentally, Sandoval helped James pop the question to Raquel with an over-the-top proposal. To make the dynamic between the group even more complicated, Raquel actually ended up enjoying a brief fling at Scheana and Brock's wedding - not with Sandoval but with his best friend, Tom Schwartz. The Vanderpump Rules star is going to replace Raquel's face with that of fellow Bravolebrity Lala Kent (pictured) in her wedding photos, she revealed Schwartz, 40, who is Sandoval's business partner and bromance sidekick, Tom was caught kissing Raquel in a pool bar during the festivities - despite the fact that his ex, Katie, was in Mexico with the group, although she did not attend the wedding. In a preview clip from an upcoming episode of Vanderpump Rules, Katie says, 'What he did crossed every f*****g line. There's no coming back from this. I've sat them both down, tears in my eyes. I want to light them both on f*****g fire.' But Raquel was not at all bothered by the fact that she broke girl code by hooking up with her friends man. In fact, she flirted with him all season. The entire sordid affair came to a head last month, when Ariana officially ended her nine-year relationship with Sandoval, revealing that she had found texts sent between him and Raquel which proved undeniably that the pair had been carrying on an illicit relationship behind her back. Scheana and Brocks wedding aired on Pump Rules last on the recent April 5 episode - and after that premiered, Schwartz went on Watch What Happens Live to drop a stunning confession, revealing that Sandoval had told him in January that he'd been cheating on Ariana with Raquel. He said that he was flabbergasted when Sandoval told him he was in love with Raquel. Schwartz continued, 'He is obsessed with her. Hes addicted and its an infatuation of all infatuations. Raquel is Toms heroin.' Schwartz also said Sandoval had a game plan to break the news to Ariana. He was going to sit Ariana down and he was going to tell her his version of the whole thing, probably an edited version, Schwartz claimed. Since news of the affair broke out, Sandoval and Raquel have not tried to hide their love for each other. Raquel and Scheana were both at the explosive season 10 reunion that filmed on March 23. Pregnant Montana Brown showed off her bare baby bump in a skimpy red bikini from her babymoon on Tuesday. The former Love Island star, 27, is expecting her first child - a baby boy -with boyfriend Mark O'Connor later this year. And posing for some snaps around the pool, a make-up free Montana gazed downwards to proudly show off her bump. The beauty covered her face with a pair of black sunglasses and opted for a chic straw hat to bask in the sun. In another sweet picture shared to her Instagram, Montana cosied up to boyfriend Mark as they posed for a selfie. Time away: Pregnant Montana Brown showed off her bare baby bump in a skimpy red bikini from her babymoon on Tuesday A beaming Montana smiled from ear to ear as she wrapped her hand around her beau. Posing in the mirror, the couple gathered round again for more pictures. Montana looked stunning in a yellow and green striped dress and complimented her look with a hat. Meanwhile, Mark, standing behind her, got into the holiday spirit in a black t-shirt and cap. Captioning the slew of photos, Montana penned: 'babymoon has begun'. It comes after Montana admitted she was left 'terrified' after discovering a stalker was tracking her location after putting an Apple AirTag in her bag while she was travelling alone. The Love Island star was 'spooked and panicked' after finding the device as she flew to Los Angeles to see friends last month. Speaking to Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway on Monday's Good Morning Britain, the reality star detailed her stalker hell as she told how a notification popped up on her phone saying she was 'being tracked' after her flight landed. Expecting: The former Love Island star, 27, is expecting her first child - a baby boy -with boyfriend Mark O'Connor later this year Exciting! Captioning the slew of photos, Montana penned: 'babymoon has begun' Montana said: 'I was travelling to LA on my own to see friends. It was only when I landed I had a notification pop up on my IPhone and it said "your location is being tracked by an AirTag". 'I think initially I thought it was someone else's AirTag near by because people use them to track their luggage. 'It was when my partner flagged it and was like you should have a look in your bag so as soon as I got through security, I was rushing off at this point like it was probably nothing. 'But when I went to the toilet before leaving the airport, I emptied my bag out and that was when I found it at the bottom of my bag.' Montana said her phone gave her a time frame of 'eight hours' when it first started tracking, which she put it to around when she 'checked in or boarded' at the airport. The reality TV personality admitted she 'panicked and flushed it down the toilet' after finding the stalker's tracking device. Exciting: Posing for some snaps during a hike last month, make-up free Montana lifted up her blue sweater to proudly show off her bump Reveal: It comes after Montana announced her unborn baby's gender with a touching Instagram video She continued: 'It was really quite terrifying. I should have taken a picture of the serial number but I was like I just need to get away from it. 'I panicked and flushed it down the toilet. I was so spooked and panicked I wanted to just get rid of it. 'I think next time I travel I will check my stuff. That was the first time I was by myself and it was shocking. 'You then go down a rabbit hole like, "Why were they tracking me? What were they going to do?" I still am really baffled that someone got that close to me to put it on me.' Nicole Kidman's niece Lucia Hawley has spoken out after landing a plum new gig as a red carpet reporter for the E! network. Lucia, who is the daughter of Nicole's sister Antonia Kidman, spoke about nepotism and admitted that she comes from a 'privileged life and background'. The young journalist, 25, said that her family connections have made her more determined to prove herself in the industry. She told Woman's Day this week: 'I would never deny my privilege and I actually, totally hold my hand up and say, ''yeah I'm privileged, I come from a really privileged family and I'm so grateful for the opportunities that have come my way because of it''. 'The only thing I can do is work hard and make an individual name for myself and prove myself.' Nicole Kidman's 'nepo baby' niece Lucia Hawley, 25, (left) said she 'would never deny her privilege' and is determined to prove herself after landing plum gig as a reporter for E!. Pictured back in 2018 with Nicole and Keith Urban Discussing her 'nepo baby' title, she added: 'If that's the worst thing being said about me, then so be it.' The term 'nepo baby', short for 'nepotism baby', stems from a recent article published by New York magazine calling out U.S. celebrities who used their famous parents and relatives to build their careers. Among those named were Jaden Smith, the son of actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith; Zoe Kravitz, the daughter of rock star Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet; and Maya Hawke, whose parents are actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. Last month, Lucia signed with major talent management agency Chic Talent after she landed the coveted gig of red carpet reporter for the E! network While the phenomenon is nothing new, the term 'nepo baby' has become an increasingly popular term to describe it. Last month, Lucia signed with major talent management agency Chic Talent after she landed the coveted gig of red carpet reporter for the E! network. 'Incredibly excited to announce the signing of [Lucia]to our roster,' they announced via their Instagram page. 'Lucia is the new host of the iconic Live from E! red carpet coverage for 7Bravo.' Lucia is the daughter of Antonia Kidman, a former television presenter-turned-lawyer who is the sister of Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman Lucia is the daughter of Antonia Kidman, a former television presenter-turned-lawyer who is the sister of Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman. Her grandfather was Antony Kidman, the late Australian psychologist and academic, who died from a heart attack in 2014 at age 75. The signing came days after Lucia explained why she shouldn't be labelled a 'nepo baby' despite her enviable showbiz connections. Of the 'nepo baby' title, she added: 'If that's the worse thing being said about me, then so be it' As the new face of Live From E!, the aspiring journalist will attend the biggest events in Australia, interviewing celebrities and reporting on the hottest fashion moments. While some may accuse Lucia of using her 'nepo baby' connections to further her media career, she's insisted she worked hard to land her 'dream job'. 'I've been working towards this,' she recently told The Sunday Telegraph. In her interview, Lucia did admit her mother's work as a TV presenter was beneficial for her career, but only because it taught her 'perspective' rather than opening doors. Faye Winter dressed to impress on Tuesday as she posed up a storm braless in a blue dazzling mini dress on Instagram. The former Love Island star, 27, looked sensational in the extreme plunging glittering number which boasted a daring thigh-high split. She turned up the heat by looking away from the camera while posing for the sizzling snaps. The reality star applied a flawless palette of makeup to accentuate her beauty including a perfect winged eye liner and bronzed cheeks. The TV personality styled her long blonde tresses in luxurious waves as they cascaded past her shoulders from a side parting. Hot! Faye Winter dressed to impress on Tuesday as she posed up a storm braless in a blue dazzling mini dress on Instagram Sizzling: The former Love Island star, 27, looked sensational in the extreme plunging glittering number which boasted a daring thigh-high split Faye penned: 'What is it they say about rolling it in glitter'. It comes after the ITV2 star revealed she's determined to freeze her eggs after splitting from Teddy Soares. The Love Island sensation confirmed her split from her partner earlier this year and has now said she feels like she's grieving him. In an interview with OK! Magazine, she admitted she is pushing forward as a single woman and wants to freeze her eggs as she will not let her single status dictate her hopes of starting a family. She explained: 'Personally, I want to start my journey of freezing my eggs and giving myself some time to fall in love with this new life. 'Its such a change and now Im at a point where Im starting to find myself on my own in this world, I want to fall in love with that.' The reality star admitted Teddy will always have a special place in her heart and said called it quits after realising they tried to built a relationship in a very high-pressure environment. She explained: 'It's so hard. I honestly believed he was my soulmate. It's always hard to come to terms with these things and him not being there to build a life with.' Going solo: It comes after Faye revealed she's determined to freeze her eggs and is embracing her single status after splitting from Teddy Soares Former flame: Faye and Teddy came third on the 2021 series of Love Island - but announced their split this year after 18 months of dating She added that she felt like she was grieving but is trying to move on and embrace single life. The TV personality previously didn't hesitate to share the excitement of moving into her 'dream' property in Essex with Teddy - only three months after leaving the villa. The former lettings and sales manager even created a home Instagram account for the swanky apartment she shared with Teddy, 28. Faye admitted she feels like she's grieving her ex lover as she thought he really was her soulmate, but understands is time to move on. She announced their split last month in a post that read: 'I wanted to let you know that after lots of time and consideration, Teddy and I have decided to go our separate ways. 'Thank you all so much for supporting our relationship and sharing the journey with us. I'm forever grateful.' It comes after the star hit back at skinny-shaming trolls as she showed off her physique in a sparkly purple swimsuit on Sunday. The star posed for Instagram snaps in the pool at the luxury Londoner Hotel. The reality TV personality put on a leggy display as she slipped into a purple sparkly one-piece and shared a powerful message about body positivity. Faye wrote: 'They'll say I'm too skinny, they'll say I'm too loud, they'll say my appearance has changed but I'll say I'm me and I'm proud of myself for never changing my soul.' Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara looked stylish as they returned to work in Pasadena, California Tuesday for America's Got Talent. Heidi, 49, who has also gained a spot on the new season of Celebrity IOU, looked ready for spring in a cheerful neon green outfit. The supermodel showcased her toned abs in a form fitting knee length ruched skirt and matching halter top. The runway veteran donned a long sleeve ankle length sweater in the same bright shade. Her long blonde hair was styled in loose waves with curtain bangs and she wore natural looking makeup. Stylish: Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara looked stylish as they returned to work in Pasadena, California Tuesday for America's Got Talent. The two judges have been conducting auditions for season 18 of the competition show The German-born beauty stepped into some white high heel sandals with silver buckles and carried a large white purse. The fashionista accentuated the ensemble with stacked rings on each hand. She wore large, round mirrored sunglasses. Heidi taped a video message from her car telling fans, 'Hi y'all, I hope everyone had a nice long beautiful Easter weekend.' 'We're back in Pasadena for more auditions for America's Got Talent, and I can't wait to meet all of you. Bring it on!' Sofia Vergara, 50, looked sexy, but more casual when she reported for the day's taping in a pair of form hugging distressed jeans, cropped at the calf. The Modern Family alum wore a one shoulder black top with a crossover frill. She strolled across the sidewalk in a pair of open toed silver mules. Ready for Spring: Heidi, 49, IOU , looked ready for spring in a cheerful neon green outfit Toned abs: The supermodel showcased her toned abs in a form fitting knee length ruched skirt and matching halter top. The runway veteran donned a long sleeve ankle length sweater in the same bright shade Accessories: The German-born beauty stepped into some white high heel sandals with silver buckles and carried a large white purse. The fashionista accentuated the ensemble with stacked rings on each hand. She wore large, round mirrored sunglasses Message: Heidi taped a video message from her car telling fans, 'Hi y'all, I hope everyone had a nice long beautiful Easter weekend.' 'We're back in Pasadena for more auditions for America's Got Talent, and I can't wait to meet all of you. Bring it on!' Sofia's highlighted hair was blown out straight and she completed the look with dark sunglasses and a red lip. The influencer revealed on social media that any of her fans could match her look, if they chose. She explained on Instagram that she was wearing the Mayra jean and that the look was 'All @walmartfashion arriving on set this morn' Sexy: Sofia Vergara, 50, looked sexy, but casual when she reported for the day's taping in a pair of form hugging distressed jeans, cropped at the calf. She wore a one shoulder black top with a crossover frill and strolled across the sidewalk in a pair of open toed silver mules Match the look: Sofia explained to her fans on Instagram that the could match her look if they chose. The actress explained she was wearing the Mayra jean and that the look was 'All @walmartfashion arriving on set this morn The next season of America's Got Talent was scheduled to premiere May 30. Sofia can be seen in next acting job as a cartel leader in Griselda. The film is based on the true story of Griselda Blanco who became one of the most notorious and deadly drugs lords in memory. Her actions earned her the name Black Widow. The Netflix limited series is set to debut later this year. Debbie McGee looked the epitome of chic as she made her appearance at The Pantomime Awards in London on Tuesday. The stage performer, 64, opted for a light pink and blue satin blouse for the occasion at the Trafalgar Theatre in London. The glamorous number featured jewelled hem and colour pop of yellow and pink tones. She paired the look with white-lined tailored trousers and lifted her frame with a pair of gold strappy heels. Debbie accentuated her natural beauty with a stunning palette of make up, including a bright red lip and accessorised with a selection of gold jewellery. Gorgeous: Debbie McGee looked the epitome of chic as she made her appearance at The Pantomime Awards in London on Tuesday She styled her blonde locks into an elaborate up do and flashed a grinning smile to cameras ahead of the event. Also making a stylish appearance was Vernon Kay, who picked up the award for the Best Newcomer To Pantomime for Cinderella. Vernon looked dapper in a navy blue blazer and high-neck top, paired with matching trousers and black shoes. Sir Ian McKellen also offered a wide grin as he collected the Special Recognition award. He opted for a brown and black checkered suit and wore a white shirt underneath. Traitors star Amanda Lovett also looked beautiful at the awards, where she donned a baby pink mini dress. Smiling alongside her co-star Theo Mayne, the pair put on a show-stopping appearance. Marking the second year in which the Awards have taken place, 64 judges attended over 700 performances across the UK during the 2022-23 season. Beauty: The stage performer, 64, opted for a light pink and blue satin blouse for the occasion at the Trafalgar Theatre in London Stylish: She paired the look with white-lined tailored trousers and lifted her frame with a pair of gold strappy heels Meanwhile, Debbie's appearance comes after she revealed that she is opened to finding love again following the death of her magician husband Paul Daniels in 2016. The stage performer was speaking on Good Morning Britain with Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway on Wednesday morning. Paul and Debbie married in 1988 after the pair had reached notoriety as a magician and magician's assistant on the BBC 1 series Paul Daniels Magic Show. He died from brain cancer in 2016, aged 77. Debbie revealed that while she is not actively 'looking' for another relationship, she would be open to the prospect if it happened to come along. She said: 'Well, I've never said I'm ready for it. I've just said that if it happens it happens. 'Because I think if you go looking for it, a, you look desperate and, b, you never find it. 'All the people I know who go "I wish I could find somebody", men or women, don't seem to find it or find the right person.' The Strictly Come Dancing finalist also shed light onto her life without Paul, revealing how she has stayed positive in the wake of his loss. Dapper: Also making a stylish appearance was Vernon Kay, who picked up the award for the Best Newcomer To Pantomime for Cinderella Congrats! Vernon looked dapper in a navy blue blazer and high-neck top, paired with matching trousers and black shoes Beaming: Sir Ian McKellen also offered a wide grin as he collected the Special Recognition award Dream team: Traitors star Amanda Lovett also looked beautiful at the awards, where she donned a baby pink mini dress She continued: Life is never the same when you lose somebody. There is that hole. You cant fill that gap just take every day as it comes. 'But what you can do is accept they've gone is the biggest thing and then just take every day as it comes. 'I'm so lucky that I have fantastic family, wonderful friends, everywhere I go people are lovely to me. I would say that I just embrace every minute of my life now and accept its different to when I was with Paul but it doesnt mean it cant be as good. 'I'm just lucky that I had this amazing life and now I've still got an amazing life. It comes after Debbie revealed that strangers hugged her in the street following the death of her magician husband. The stage performer spoke to Coleen Nolan on the Let's Talk About Grief podcast and explained that being in the public eye helped her to grieve. Romance on the cards: It comes after Debbie revealed on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain she could be open to love again following the death of her magician husband Paul Daniels in 2016 Star couple: The stage performer, 64, was married to famous magician Paul since April 2 1988 Speaking on the show, Debbie revealed: 'People said to me, "Whats it like being in the public eye and going through it? It must be awful." And I said, "No, its the opposite." 'When youre somebody who nobody knows, you walk around with your grief inside and they dont know why youre being grumpy or sad. 'But when youre in the public eye, they know what youre going through. People werent intrusive, but particularly women would just come up to me and give me a hug and walk away. They didnt say anything and it meant so much.' Debbie continued: 'Because the first couple of years, that pain inside you is so strong that you put on a smiley face and you get on with life. 'But youre walking around the shops with this huge pain... I cant describe it but, you know, kind of in your diaphragm.' Debbie went on to say: 'I think in the first couple of years after Paul died, I just didnt realise how vulnerable I was because suddenly your support blanket is gone.' Bindi Irwin shared a heartwarming tribute to her younger brother, Robert, to mark National Siblings Day on Tuesday. The 24-year-old daughter of the late Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin posted a sweet throwback photo of herself and Robert, 19, as children to mark National Siblings Day. In the caption she wrote: 'Happy National Siblings Day to the very best. Grateful to call you my brother.' In the photo, a young Bindi smiled for the camera while her baby brother stood behind her. Bindi also expressed her love and admiration by uploading a photo of the pair posing together on her Facebook account. Bindi Irwin, 24, gushed over her younger brother Robert, 19, on Tuesday as they celebrated National Siblings Day 'Robert, I'll always be here to cheer you on! Thank you for being the best little brother and friend,' she captioned the post. 'You're the most incredible wildlife warrior and your passion for conservation is inspiring. I'm so proud of you! Happy National Siblings Day!' The post quickly gained traction on social media, with fans and followers adding their love and support for the two siblings. The 24-year-old posted a sweet throwback photo of herself and Robert as children and wrote: 'Happy National Siblings Day to the very best. Grateful to call you my brother' Many commenters praised the Irwins for their continued dedication to wildlife conservation, following in the footsteps of their late father. Steve, known to millions around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. 'Wonderful picture of you both.. sending love and hugs,' one fan wrote. Steve, known to millions around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. (Steve is pictured with wife Terri and children Bindi and Robert) 'Awesome picture! America's favourite siblings! God bless your family!' commented a second. 'I am so proud of all you guys have achieved and lived your lives in dad's honour.. so very beautiful,' wrote another. Bindi and Robert have both made names for themselves as wildlife conservationists, advocating for the protection of animals and their habitats. Jennifer Love Hewitt showed off her new tattoos in a photo that was shared to her Instagram account on Tuesday afternoon. In the snap, which was also posted on tattoo artist Victoria Do's account, the actress revealed that she had a trio of butterflies placed on her upper arm in honor of her three children. The performer, who celebrated her 44th birthday this past February, also had several smaller designs inked onto her fingers, which she showed off in a second snap. Hewitt shares her sons Atticus and Aidan, aged seven and one, as well as her daughter Autumn, aged nine, with her husband, Brian Hallisay. The pair initially met while costarring in The Client List, which aired from 2012 until 2013. Fresh ink: Jennifer Love Hewitt showed off her new tattoos in a photo that was shared to her Instagram account on Monday afternoon; she is seen in 2019 Dedication: In the snap, which was also posted on tattoo artist Victoria Do's account, the actress revealed that she had a trio of butterflies placed on her upper arm in honor of her three children The I Know What You Did Last Summer actress was previously linked to figures such as Carson Daly and John Mayer. She was also formerly engaged to Ross McCall, although they separated in 2008. Hewitt and Hallisay began dating in 2012 and they went on to tie the knot the following year. The happy couple started a family with Autumn's birth, which occurred just a few days after their wedding ceremony. The performers went on to bring Atticus into their lives just thirteen months later. The actress announced she was pregnant for the third time in May of 2021, and she gave birth to Aidan that September. Hewitt spoke to People just prior to the birth of her third child and expressed that she and Hallisay were excited about the prospect of expanding their family. 'This has been such a pleasant, beautiful, surprising gift in this time to be able to get to do all that again with another little human,' she said. Body art: The performer, who celebrated her 44th birthday this past February, also had several smaller designs inked onto her fingers, which she showed off in a second snap Proud parents: Hewitt shares her sons Atticus and Aidan, aged seven and one, as well as her daughter Autumn, aged nine, with her husband, Brian Hallisay Moving fast: Hewitt and Hallisay began dating in 2012 and they went on to tie the knot the following year Enthusiastic: Hewitt spoke to People just prior to the birth of her third child and expressed that she and Hallisay were excited about the prospect of expanding their family The actress also commented that she was proud of how her two eldest children were turning out. 'I feel like we've been able to so far raise two really special kids who will be great role models,' she said. Hewitt concluded the interview by stating that she would likely stop adding children to her family after she gave birth for the third time. The actress stated: 'I don't think I could do another one. I think five is a great number.' Ellen DeGeneres took to social media on Tuesday in honor of National Pet Day. The former talk show host, 65, shared three snaps of her furry friends. In the first photo, the Ellen alum, is relaxing on her couch in a green sweatshirt and blue plaid pajama pants surrounded by her three dogs. She shares Kid, a Poodle-Maltese mix, Augie, a Beagle mix, and Mrs. Wallis Browning, a Poodle with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, 50. The next snap is of the Finding Nemo star taking a selfie with her two tuxedo cats named George and Chairman. Woof: Ellen DeGeneres took to social media on Tuesday in honor of National Pet Day. The former talk show host, 65, shared three snaps of her furry friends The final snap is another shot of her loyal pups out in their backyard. She captioned the post: 'Happy #NationalPetDay to this crew,' and added a heart emoji. Ellen is a well-known animal lover and even has a line of pet toys, beds, dresses, tees, tank tops, and sweatshirts called ED by Ellen DeGeneres. The couple formerly had another cat and another dog but Charlie the cat and Wolf the dog both passed in 2020. Ellen and the Ally McBeal alum have been married for 15 years. They renewed their vows in February in a star-studded ceremony that was attended by Kris Jenner, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Portia wore her old wedding gown from when she walked down the aisle to Ellen in 2008. Ellen was much more dressed down in a blue jacket and khaki slacks with sneakers. Ellen was surprised with the renewal, thinking she was merely attending Portia's birthday celebration. Puppy love: She shared photos of Kid, a Poodle-Maltese mix, Augie, a Beagle mix, and Mrs. Wallis Browning, a Poodle Meow mix: The Finding Nemo star and Ally McBeal alum also share two tuxedo cats named George and Chairman Ellen shared the video to her Instagram page. 'Portia surprised me at her birthday party by renewing our vows,' wrote the stand up comedienne. 'Thank you @KrisJenner for officiating and @BrandiCarlile for performing, and Portia for being the greatest gift to me, even on your birthday. 'You can watch the whole video on my YouTube.' In the video Portia is seen walking through a sea of people in the wedding gown until she comes in front of Ellen who is shocked with mouth agape. 'Oh my God!' she said as she had no clue it was a wedding vow renewal. Ellen thought they were just celebrating Portia's birthday. At one point Ellen and Portia were seen holding hands as they looked into each other's eyes. They were also each holding long-stemmed white flowers. Keeping Up With The Kardashians producer and Kardashian/Jenner manager Kris was also seen at the vow renewals as she served as officiant. She read from a piece of paper as she oversaw the ceremony. Jenner wore a white coat and black leather slacks as she adjusted her prescription glasses. Funny: In January Ellen took to Twitter with a hilarious clip of outtakes, where she attempted to read her children's book 'Little Ellen' to her dogs Pup parents: She shares the adorable pets with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, 50; The duo pictured 2022 Kris and Ellen have been close friends for decades. Speaking in a video posted to Ellen's YouTube channel on Thursday Kris said: 'These two were born for each other, and Corey [Gamble] and I have spent so much time with them as their friends, neighbors, cocktail buddies and late-night chat sessions. 'These two are couple goals who continue to amaze me with how cute they are together. A match made in heaven. Two peas in a pod. Their love and commitment to one another is amazing and it makes me so happy that they each have each other to love and cherish and grow old with." Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Tuesday to share flashback images of her recent trip to Tokyo, Japan. The 42-year-old mother-of-four - who is joining the cast of American Horror Story -was absent in the carousel of snapshots, choosing to only post her kids, niece Penelope Disick, and her publicist and friend Tracy Romulus' two daughters. The SKIMS founder aptly wrote in the caption to her whopping 352 million followers, 'More from Japan.' The slideshow featured her eldest daughter North, nine, with her hair in long, purple and light pink braids. In one photo with Tracy's kids Ryan and Remi, North modeled a monochrome pink outfit. Looking back: Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Tuesday to share flashback images of her recent trip to Tokyo, Japan (pictured daughter North and Tracey Romulus' kids) Throwback: The 42-year-old mother-of-four was absent in the carousel of snapshots, choosing to only post her kids, niece Penelope Disick, and her publicist and friend Tracy Romulus' two daughters Ryan and Remi were also dressed in eye-catching looks typical of the famous Japanese city. Ryan's hair was in the same colorfully plaited style as North's and she donned a plaid mini skirt with knee-high white socks. Her younger sister flashed a peace sign as she wore blue jeans, sneakers, and a long green braid in her hair. Kim made fans laugh earlier this month when she apologized to her younger sister Khloe Kardashian for mocking her style during a trip to Tokyo in 2018. 'People grow and evolve ok??? LOL I'M SORRY,' the billionaire wrote on Instagram after posing in a fuzzy pink coat similar to one Khloe previously wore. At the time, she teased Khloe as well as older sister Kourtney Kardashian for their fashion choices, telling them, 'You look like f*****g clowns,' during an episode of their show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The photos Kim shared on Tuesday showed the girls spending time at a 711 complete with novelty Japanese merchandise. Penelope, 10, joined in some of the photos, rocking straight leg jeans and a KISS t-shirt. Tokyo style: The slideshow featured her eldest daughter North, nine, with her hair in long, purple and light pink braids Tourists: The photos Kim shared on Tuesday showed the girls spending time at a 711 complete with novelty Japanese merchandise North and her BFF Ryan rocked their hair in matching styles - two space buns, swoop bangs, and the remaining hair flowing over their shoulders. The trio enjoyed cups of what looked like ice cream as Kim caught candid photos of them hanging out. Also appearing in the fun-filled post were Kim's younger kids, daughter Chicago, 5, and sons Saint, 7, and Psalm, 3. Kardashian's latest post comes after she recently announced she has been working on a 'dream project' in collaboration with Japanese architect Tadao Ando for two years. 'Met with the master himself, Tadao Ando, to review and discuss a dream project we have been working on for the past two years,' captioned the reality TV star. Tadao, 81, is considered the most famous architect in Japan and is recognized worldwide for his 'minimalist concrete buildings.' Kim flew to Japan to look over designs with Tadao for an impressive structure that will be built in Palm Springs, California. She continued: 'I visited his office in Japan so that we could make the finishing touches before we break ground.' Girl gang: Penelope, 10, joined in some of the photos, rocking straight leg jeans and a KISS t-shirt Sibling love: Also appearing in the fun-filled post were Kim's younger kids, daughter Chicago, 5, and son and Psalm, 3 Adorable: Chicago and Remi posed for a photo Along with pictures from the visit, Kim included a digital mockup of a massive concrete fortress with a roof shaped like the bow of a ship. The front of the building runs in a straight line while the entry is recessed and obscured by a tall pillar providing support for the protruding roof. The mogul closed out the post by expressing gratitude to Tadao as well as her excitement over building the latest addition to her real estate portfolio. 'So deeply honored and incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to work with him and finally see this special project come to life.' Tadao is entirely self-taught and his style is classified as 'critical regionalism,' which relies heavily on local topography in order to counter the principles of modernist and post-modernist architecture. He opened his a studio in Osaka, Japan back in 1968 after shelving his career as a professional boxer. The Ibaraki Kasugaoka Church is one of Tadao's most famous designs while the Row House in Sumiyoshi is one of his earliest. Tadao also created The Hill of the Buddha, a famous Buddhist shrine in the capitol of Hokkaido, Japan. Playful: Saint wore a red Mario hat and matching eyeglasses while Remi wore the same items in green Peace! Psalm was too cute in green track pants and Yeezy slides Tom Sandoval made several shocking claims as he shared his side of the story regarding his split from Ariana Madix after nine years together. The Bravo star alleged Madix punched him as he attempted to split up with her, and that he even broke up with her on Valentine's Day. 'I actually did break up with her on Valentine's Day,' Sandoval, 39, admitted during an appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, adding he had actually intended on breaking up with her during therapy. Sandoval also alleged Madix became physical with him as he talked through plans on how to handle the break-up: 'I told her, "Listen, we don't have to post anything on social media. Lets talk through this." Like, "We can keep this between us." 'So obviously she was very upset, she punched me and all this s**t.' 'She punched me and all this s**t': Tom Sandoval has shed more light on his break-up with Ariana Madix, claiming she punched him in the midst of their split and that he broke up with her on Valentine's Day DailyMail.com has contacted Madix's reps for comment. He also alleged she was in 'denial' over him wanting to split up and later told him she was going to have be 'forced' out of the relationship. 'She's like, "I'm, like, not letting you leave me. You're gonna have to force me out of this relationship If you break up with me, you will effectively be ending my life,"' he recounted. Sandoval claimed Ariana was determined to salvage the relationship after he vocalized his intention to split up during a therapy session. 'I made it pretty clear in therapy that I wanted to, like, take the steps to break up. And then actually Ariana kind of just started really started fighting for it and I felt so, so bad about it because she was being so unbelievably sweet and amazing,' he said. Sandoval also insists she was aware they were broken up yet they kept it to themselves. 'We were broken up. She knew we were broken up. We didn't tell anybody, but she knew.' The Schwartz & Sandy's owner has been embroiled in controversy for over a month after it was revealed he had been in a months-long affair with co-star Raquel Leviss despite being in a relationship with Madix. During his appearance on Howie Mandel's podcast, Sandoval also revealed the current status of his relationship with Raquel, and admitted they had hit the brakes on their sexual relationship. Following the recent end of his nine-year relationship with Ariana over his infidelity, the bar owner revealed they are 'kind of taking a break.' Cooling off: Sandoval revealed he and Raquel Leviss hit the brakes on their sexual relationship, after their months-long affair was exposed in March 'We're not putting any label on it,' the reality star said on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast. When asked if they were still friends 'with benefits' by the comedian, 67, Sandoval denied they were still romantically involved. 'Not right now,' the rocker, who is in the cover band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, told listeners, after insisting he and the former pageant queen are still 'good friends.' As for how their relationship blossomed from platonic to intimate, Sandoval opened up about his attraction to Leviss as he and Madix drifted apart after nearly a decade together. 'We were at my house, and I'm locked out of my house and we're talking and we kissed,' he recalled. 'It was magnetic. We were moving closer and as we were talking, time went on, and we're talking closer and closer and closer, and all of a sudden, we're kissing. I felt something that I hadn't felt in so long, like, emotionally.' He went on to explain how he and Madix had begun living their own lives and the romance between them had grown stale. 'We had been together for nine years, and obviously we had built a house and business together and everything. We were a brand. And like many relationships, it became more of a best friend/family/sometimes roommates situation,' he explained. The Missouri native said their relationship overall was 'just lacking intimacy' and 'connection.' He felt that they were remaining together to 'keep the optics up that [they] were solid' for their reality show and other business endeavors. 'We did have each other's backs, for sure, and that was nice. There was a safety to it and a stability,' he said of Madix. After turning 40, he recalled thinking his life 'looked very bleak' and started thinking his 'best years were behind.' Still friends: Following the recent end of his nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix over his infidelity, the 39-year-old bar owner revealed they are 'kind of taking a break' 'We're not putting any label on it,' the reality star said on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast 'I started to lose my optimism in life and my drive. I felt like I needed to make a change to feel alive again, to feel motivated, to feel optimistic again,' Sandoval confessed. Before his affair, he said his 'confidence was zapped' and any sexual experience with him would be the equivalent to hooking up with 'a 19-year-old' during 'his second time' as he lost his 'game.' 'I'm not saying it's [Ariana's] fault, we just didn't have that intimacy,' Sandoval claimed. After hearing his guest's side, Mandel urged fans to have 'empathy and compassion' for Sandoval, who previously said he felt like 'one of the most hated people in America' for betraying Madix. Backlash: After hearing his guest's side, Mandel urged fans to have 'empathy and compassion' for Sandoval, who previously said he felt like 'one of the most hated people in America' for betraying Madix (seen on Tuesday) 'You need to be heard because the narrative is everyone else's but but yours,' the America's Got Talent judge told listeners. 'I don't understand the hatred and the vitriol.' While the father-of-three stated he wasn't 'condoning cheating on a partner,' he raised eyebrows for saying that the amount of backlash Sandoval has received has been perplexing. Social media users flocked to Twitter to vocalize their frustration that Mandel would defend Sandoval or even give him the opportunity to give his 'side of the story.' One mused: 'Howie Mandel is defending Scandoval by saying the media and the world is being unfair to him when he has no clue who he is but has him on his podcast for views.' 'There is a special place in hell for Tom Sandoval and Howie Mandel. These two together are so fould,' another said. Some however laughed at the idea of Sandoval getting his 'big break' on Mandel's podcast as his ex-girlfriend booked 'movie roles' and is 'doing DWTS.' 'There is a special place in hell for Tom Sandoval and Howie Mandel. These two together are so fould,' another said Confusing: One mused: 'Howie Mandel is defending Scandoval by saying the media and the world is being unfair to him when he has no clue who he is but has him on his podcast for views' A former Married At First Sight bride has showed off her impressive transformation. Joanne Donaghy (nee Todd) now looks radically different to when she walked down the aisle on season eight of the reality TV megahit. Although the 41-year-old didn't find love with her on-screen husband James Susler two years ago, she has had a major glow-up and has since found her prince charming. She eloped with her boyfriend of two years, Joe Donaghy, last September in a beautiful private beachside ceremony at Cable Beach, Western Australia. On Tuesday, Jo posted a carousel of photos where she showed off her stunning figure in three gowns from The Style Squad, where she works. Joanne Donaghy (nee Todd) looks unrecognisable compared to when she walked down the aisle on the show on season eight two years ago In one snap, she shows off her toned torso and slim legs in a floor length emerald green dress that has a high slit and a cut out at her waist. She paired the look with a smokey eye and red lipstick while she wore a nude pair of heels on her feet. Her hair looks very different from when she appeared on MAFS. Although the 41-year-old didn't find love with her on-screen husband James Susler (pictured) she has had a major glow-up and has since found her prince charming The former reality star now has shorter locks with a darker shade of blonde that she splits down the middle The former reality star now has shorter locks with a darker shade of blonde that she splits down the middle, compared to her longer blonder hair with a side fringe that she sported two years ago. Her smile has also drastically changed as after leaving the show the mother-of-three underwent a $48,000 teeth transformation. At the time, Jo told Daily Mail Australia that her dental makeover helped combat years of insecurity. Jo eloped with her boyfriend of two years, Joe Donaghy (pictured) last September in a beautiful private beachside ceremony at Cable Beach, Western Australia Jo has changed her hair since appearing on MAFS two years ago 'I am the happiest. I actually feel different,' she said of her new smile. 'This is incredible. I am so grateful. I just love them.' After being fired from her job in a barber shop as she wouldn't get the Covid-19 vaccine, Jo now works for The Style Squad, which recently opened up a shop in Mornington, Victoria. Sharing the news on Instagram last week, she wrote: 'After taking a year off thinking about what I was going to do next, I am finally very excited to tell you all that I have joined The Style Squad. 'This opportunity came up and I decided to go for it because I love fashion, making girls feel good about themselves and it was a great work/ mum life balance.' Comedians who fail to raise enough laughs are the least likely acts to make it through the audition rounds on Britain's Got Talent, according to show judge Amanda Holden. The radio host, 52, exclaimed: 'Comedy thats not funny!', when asked what she was most likely to buzz to get the performance to stop while filming the ITV talent series. Actress Amanda explained to the Mirror: 'We had a stand-up, a woman came on the other day, and from her opening speech, I knew she wasnt going to work.' She is set to appear on the judging panel with Simon Cowell, 63, Alesha Dixon, 44, and Bruno Tonioli, 67, when the programme returns to screens this Saturday. And Amanda insists she's tired of 'magic that weve seen before, where theres a big old emotional story attached'. Bad luck: Comedians who fail to raise enough laughs are the least likely acts to make it through the audition rounds on Britain's Got Talent, according to show judge Amanda Holden, 52 She added that conjurors with a good technique who perform 'exciting magic or curious magic' would be welcome on the stage, with the television personality describing pressing the red buzzer for acts she doesn't like as 'excruciating'. It comes after it emerged Bruno hit the Golden Buzzer 'at the wrong time' on his first day on Britains Got Talent. The ex Strictly Come Dancing judge - who replaced David Walliams on the judging panel - has admitted he got 'caught up in the moment' and forgot everything his new co-stars taught him, after admitting to not watching the show. He said: 'I told Simon, I never watched the show before. But I never watch anything I'm in, I never even watched Strictly or Dancing With the Stars. 'I want to feel free to give it my own personal spin, not copy what someone before me has done, if that makes sense. 'Alesha gave me a brief, but then I forgot everything she told me! I think that was obvious when I pressed my Golden Buzzer at the wrong time on the first day! 'They were like, "Here are the rules, you press it then, not then," but that went out the window. I honestly got caught up in the moment, forgot everything I'd been told and just reacted instinctively.' Bruno admitted the blunder was well received by music mogul Simon. All stars: Amanda (third left) is set to appear on the judging panel with Simon Cowell, 63, Alesha Dixon, 44, and Bruno Tonioli, 67, when the programme returns to screens this Saturday (L-R host Ant McPartlin, Alesha, Amanda, Simon, Bruno and host Declan Donnelly) He said: 'I looked up, Simon was in stitches, Alesha looked shocked! 'But that really happened. I mean, it wasn't planned. I honestly had no idea I'd do that in the moment. 'Anyway, Simon tells the crowd there's no rules, to forget what they've been told and act badly behaved, so I listened! Come on, he's the boss!' Bruno spilled how he 'lost his voice' trying to live up to his showbiz reputation on the programme. He said: 'When youre on screen you cant sit there looking bored. You have to give the viewers a show, you have to entertain them. Mishap: It comes after it emerged Bruno hit the Golden Buzzer 'at the wrong time' on his first day on Britains Got Talent Failed tuition: He explained: 'Alesha gave me a brief, but then I forgot everything she told me! I think that was obvious when I pressed my Golden Buzzer at the wrong time on the first day!' (Alesha pictured) Laugh-a-minute: It seems Bruno's blunder did not cause a problem with show boss Simon Cowell. Bruno said: 'I looked up, Simon was in stitches!' (Simon pictured) 'So I crank up my delivery and become a larger-than-life persona. I draw on my years of experience working with the likes of Elton. 'The energy comes automatically during filming but then Im dead, absolutely dead. 'I lost my voice at the end of the first day on 'BGT' because I didnt pace myself.' Britain's Got Talent will air Saturday, April 15 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans shared a series of shots on Instagram Monday commemorating her Easter Sunday celebration with her family, after regaining custody of her son Jace last month. 'Easter vibes, and sunny skies!' the Oak Island, North Carolina native, 31, captioned the image, with emojis of a cloudy sun, heart and bunny, with the hashtag #HappyEaster. In the family photo, Evans, who has more than 3.1 million Instagram followers, was flanked by husband David Eason, 34, stepdaughter Maryssa, 15, son Jace, 13, son Kaiser, eight, and daughter Ensley, six. In a carousel of accompanying images, the family was seen enjoying the holiday by painting and collecting Easter eggs, and playing billiards. Jace was seen matching his stepdad Eason in blue plaid button-down shirts. The one-time MTV star is mother to Jace with Andrew Lewis, Kaiser with Nathan Griffith and Ensley with Eason. The latest: Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans, 31, shared a series of shots on Instagram Monday commemorating her Easter Sunday celebration with her family, after regaining custody of her son Jace last month Evans was granted custody of Jace last month after relinquishing parental rights to her mother Barbara Evans more than a decade ago. 'My relationship with Jace is closer than ever and doing much better,' Jenelle told E! News last month. 'I feel like being with his family makes him much happier. Our family wasn't complete without him.' Evans also revealed that the new arrangement has partially helped to heal her strained relationship with Barbara, saying, 'My relationship with my mother has got a little better, but truthfully she is still a little controlling.' 'I think it's going to take time for her to get use to this change,' she added. Evans revealed the push to get custody came from believing that her son 'needed a change' of pace. 'We also didn't like the crowds he was hanging out with, so now he's in the country. He loves riding his dirt bike and working on it recently. He wants to sign up for dirt bike races in the future,' she shared. Jenelle also shed light on Jace's relationship with stepdad David Eason. She said, 'David teaches him how to hunt, fish, fix dirt bikes or giving Jace dating advice. Jace needed a father figure and I can tell how happy Jace is having one around.' Game on! Jace was seen matching his stepdad Eason in blue plaid button-down shirts Love: Eason was seen daughter Ensley, six, in a colorful outdoor shot on the family day Memorable: The kids enjoyed seasonal activities such as making Easter eggs Holiday: Ensley was seen holding a basket full of Easter goodies on the sunny day Enjoyable: Kaiser smiled alongside his own Easter basket as he sat on the back of a truck The new custody arrangement became official after Jenelle and her mother Barbara signed the papers on March 16. She wrote in the caption of a video of herself signing the documents and shedding tears of joy: 'Words can't describe how happy I truly am. Our family is complete now! Thank you mom.' The North Carolina native who welcomed Jace in 2009 had signed over custody of her eldest son to Barbara just shortly after his birth. Previously, Jenelle had stated that she regained custody of Jace while speaking in a candid TikTok video posted in January 2021. Over the years, Jenelle continued with a long battle in court with her mother over custody of her firstborn child, due to battling a drug addiction and having been arrested a number of times in her preteen years. 'My mom and I decided together to grant full custody back to me because we want to build our relationship back as mother and daughter,' Jenelle told Us Weekly in a statement. 'We have officially signed the papers on Thursday, March 16th at the courthouse,' she stated. 'It's a done deal!' She went on to explain that her mother wishes for Jace to live with his family and be around a proper father figure. 'My relationship with Jace is closer than ever': Teen Mom's Jenelle Evans, 31, revealed that her relationship with son Jace, 13, is thriving, after she recently regained full custody of him Complete: 'I feel like being with his family makes him much happier. Our family wasn't complete without him,' she added Father figure: Jenelle shared Jace enjoys having step-dad David Eason, 34 (pictured) around: 'Jace needed a father figure and I can tell how happy Jace is having one around' 'My mother agrees it's time for Jace to be back with his siblings and living with a mother and father,' she said. 'She also thinks it's important for Jace to be around a father figure to learn "boy things" and have "men talk",' she added, noting that Barbara 'has seen the way David parents [her] children'. 'She knows we're able to handle it,' Jenelle continued. 'We want to all get along for the sake of the children and - like I said before - building back our relationship as mother and daughter.' Her manager, August Keen, also told Us Weekly despite disputes in the past, Jenelle and her husband have patched things up and are in a stable, healthy relationship. 'Jenelle and David are definitely together,' Keen said. 'Things between them are great.' 'They're a happy family, and they are completely fine,' he said in the statement. Jenelle was 17 at the time of Jace's birth and had her entire pregnancy documented on MTV's 16 And Pregnant. David also has two children Maryssa and Kaden from previous relationships. Update: She also shed light on her relationship with mom Barbara - who previously had custody of Jace - saying it 'got a little better, but truthfully she is still a little controlling'; The duo pictured 2015 Finalized: She recently posted a sweet clip of the process of signing the custody paperwork and wrote,'#MyHappyEnding, IT'S OFFICIAL! Thanks everyone for the support!' Happy tears: She wrote in the caption of a video of herself signing the documents and shedding tears of joy, 'Words can't describe how happy I truly am. Our family is complete now! Thank you mom' In the past, Jenelle and David had lost custody of all of their children after a scary incident involving their dog in April 2019. Eason killed their French bulldog, Nugget, after the dog allegedly attacked and bit Ensley. Following the tragic event, their children were removed from their custody, and the couple separated for around a year. Despite their rocky history and having both been fired from the MTV program, they ended up rekindling their relationship and reconciling their issues. Mother-of-three: Jenelle also shares an eight-year-old son named Kaiser with her ex-boyfriend Nathan Griffith as well as daughter Ensley, six, with her husband David While his Ghosted co-star Ana de Armas gets ready to host Saturday Night Live for the first time this weekend, Chris Evans reveals he's terrified of hosting. Evans, 41, was promoting Ghosted with de Armas in an interview with ET Canada, when he was asked if he might stop by for a cameo appearance at SNL. Although the actor didn't confirm or deny any potential cameo happening on Saturday, he revealed he would be able to handle that... but he couldn't handle hosting. 'Well, now a cameo I can handle. Ive avoided hosting SNL like the plague for years now just because Im so scared. Its terrifying to me,' Evans admitted. 'To me, it would just be one of those things that every single night I would wake up in a cold sweat,' Evans continued. Terrified: While his Ghosted co-star Ana de Armas gets ready to host Saturday Night Live for the first time this weekend, Chris Evans reveals he's terrified of hosting Couldn't handle: Although the actor didn't confirm or deny any potential cameo happening on Saturday, he revealed he would be able to handle that... but he couldn't handle hosting He added that, 'a cameo sounds great, thats perfect. In and out get your toes wet,' though hosting holds no interest for him. 'But hosting, I tip my hat to her. Shes going to be amazing. But it would provide a lot of sleepless nights for me,' Evans continued. He added later in the interview, 'Im not a funny person. Maybe I only feel that because I have very, very funny friends who once told me Im not a funny person.' 'I just know how I would feel it would just be an everyday anxiety, constant regret,' he continued. 'Why did I do this? I could have been comfortable at my house, in my bed, not worrying about this,' he insisted. Ghosted follows a man named Cole (Evans), who falls head over heels for a woman named Sadie (de Armas). After she doesn't return his calls and texts, he decides to follow her to London as a 'romantic gesture' but he discovers she's a CIA secret agent. Together they must team up on an international mission to save the world in this new film, debuting on Apple TV Plus on April 21. Cameo: He added that, 'a cameo sounds great, thats perfect. In and out get your toes wet,' though hosting holds no interest for him Cole and Sadie: Ghosted follows a man named Cole (Evans), who falls head over heels for a woman named Sadie (de Armas) Coming soon: Together they must team up on an international mission to save the world in this new film, debuting on Apple TV Plus on April 21 Evans is coming off a busy 2022, voicing Buzz Lightyear in the Pixar animated spin-off Lightyear and starring in The Gray Man with Ryan Gosling. Ghosted will be the first of three movies he has coming out in 2023, followed by Pain Hustlers and Red One. Pain Hustlers is another Netflix production, with Evans starring alongside Emily Blunt, Chloe Coleman, Catherine O'Hara, and Andy Garcia. Netflix has currently set a release date for Pain Hustlers on October 27, 2023, directed by Harry Potter filmmaker David Yates. Red One teams Evans up with Dwayne Johnson in a holiday-themed adventure also starring Oscar winner J.K. Simmons as Santa Claus. The film also stars Kienan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, Lucy Liu, Nick Kroll, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus. While Netflix hasn't handed out a release date, it seems likely it will debut on the streaming service near the Christmas holiday. Evans was also recently announced to reprise his role as Lucas Lee in a new Scott Pilgrim anime TV series. Busy: Evans is coming off a busy 2022, voicing Buzz Lightyear in the Pixar animated spin-off Lightyear and starring in The Gray Man with Ryan Gosling Kourtney Kardashian showed off her ample bust in a promotional photo shared to Poosh's Instagram account on Tuesday. The reality TV star, 43, modeled a silky pink low-cut lingerie top as she whipped up one of her favorite smoothies at home in a blender. She styled the skimpy top with a lilac satin skirt and she wore a dark green jacket draped over her shoulders. Kardashian's bleach blonde hair was parted to one side and tucked behind her ears as she smirked at the camera. The influencer, who recently went bottomless in an Easter snap, launched her lifestyle brand Poosh in 2019. Hot stuff! Kourtney Kardashian showed off her ample bust in a promotional photo shared to Poosh's Instagram account on Tuesday Later in the day, Kardashian decided to a share a throwback bikini portrait with her Poosh devotees. She showed off her figure in a vibrant pink two-piece as she lounged on a boat cruising around a lake. Kardashian looked fresh out of the water as her then-brunette hair fell down her back in damp strands. The entrepreneur added a link to Poosh's official website to her photo that revealed the 'simple moves' that will help 'tone your abs and butt.' Kardashian founded Poosh in 2019 with an initial focus on releasing lifestyle-related articles, such a recipes and workouts. She has since appeared in several promotional photos for the brand that have been shared on its Instagram account. Poosh's managing editor, Michelle Scanga, previously spoke about the company during an interview with WWD. Turning heads: Kardashian was also seen while relaxing next to a lake in a throwback shot that was shared on her Instagram Story on Monday. In the past: Kardashian founded Poosh in 2019, and the company was initially focused on releasing lifestyle-related articles During the sit-down, which took place just after the company was launched, she stated: 'We're basing the [editorial] strategy on our brand ethos that Poosh is a destination for the modern woman to live her best life.' Scanga went on to stress that the website was meant to appeal to a wide variety of readers. 'Poosh was built with the modern woman in mind, but we're an inclusive site that's open to everyone regardless of gender, status, and we want everyone to know that their best life is within reach,' she said. At the time, Kardashian commented that Poosh was the first project she felt 'super passionate about' in years. When she's not focusing on her business, Kardashian is spending time with the three children she shares with ex Scott Disick. Doing the most: She has since appeared in several promotional photos for the brand that have been shared on its Instagram account Strong feelings: At the time, Kardashian commented that Poosh was the first project she felt 'super passionate about' in years The former couple welcomed sons Mason, 13, Reign, eight and daughter Penelope, 10, over the course of their decade-long romance, which ended in 2015. She married longtime friend and Blink-182 rocker Travis Barker, 46, last May. They rang in their first Easter as a married couple by heading to the desert with Travis and their blended brood. On Saturday, Kourtney celebrated an extravagant Easter party with the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan at matriarch Kris Jenner's $12 million mansion in Palm Springs, California. Daniel Radcliffe has welcomed his first child with long-term partner Erin Darke, MailOnline can reveal. The Harry Potter star, 33, who has been dating the American actress, 38, for over a decade, stepped out with the new arrival in New York City on Monday. He looked every inch the doting dad as he pushed the newborn in a pram while Erin followed closely behind. Imogen Thomas sent temperatures soaring on Tuesday with a slew of bikini snaps from a yacht in Beirut, Lebanon. The model, 40, who was crowned Miss Wales in 2003, donned a skimpy black bikini to flaunt her ample assets and gorgeous curves. She added a sheer beige sarong to her ensemble as she posed up a storm in the captain's quarters. Making the most of her sun-soaked trip, she threw on a pair of black sunglasses and accessorised her look with a statement gold necklace. The beauty styled her brunette locks in loose waves as they cascaded past her shoulders. Life of luxury: Imogen Thomas sent temperatures soaring on Tuesday with a slew of bikini snaps from a yacht in Beirut, Lebanon Showing off her behind, she turned around and gazed into the ocean with her hands in her hair. No stranger to a lavish holiday, Imogen recently returned from Dubai, where she put on a busty display in a skimpy white bikini. The beauty enjoyed lounging by the pool at the 1,000-a-night Royal Atlantis Hotel as she cooled off with a quick dip in the water. She shielded her eyes and wore a straw hat to protect herself from the sun as she giggled to herself and sipped on a tinned drink. The Welsh TV personality was not pictured with her two children, daughters Siera, six, and Ariana, 10. Imogen previously revealed she has a new boyfriend who is not in the public eye after splitting from partner Adam Horsley - the father of her children - in 2018, but insisted she won't marry. She told new! magazine in October: 'I think when you're not looking, that is when you'll find someone. We've been dating for a couple of months and he's not in the public eye.' Imogen admitted that she 'doesn't ever want to get married' despite finding love again, and firmly shut down having any more children. Wow! The model, 40, who was crowned Miss Wales in 2003, donned a skimpy black bikini to flaunt her ample assets and gorgeous curves Busty: She added a sheer beige sarong to her ensemble as she posed up a storm in the captain's quarters The TV personality also revealed her professional life was affected following her separation from Horsley, with the split prompting the closure of her swimwear business, Chasing Summer. Confirming the closure with Instagram followers in 2019, she said: 'The past 11 months has been the most challenging time of my life. Becoming a single parent has changed me as a person. 'When my relationship broke down so did my aspirations for my business. My motivation has not returned so after thinking hard this year I've decided it's time to say goodbye to Chasing Summer. 'It's been a great few years but my priorities now lie with my two beautiful girls and I simply just do not have the time and energy that the business needs.' Speaking to MailOnline, the mother-of-two also revealed that after splitting with her ex Adam Horsley in 2018 and getting back onto the dating scene, she piled pressure on herself to look good. Enjoying the sun: No stranger to a lavish holiday, Imogen recently returned from Dubai, where she put on a busty display in a skimpy white bikini Happy family: Imogen (left) with daughters Ariana (centre) and Siera (right) during a recent sunshine break She said: 'For me, since becoming single, I need to be looking my best. I keep thinking 'I'm single, I'm single, I need to look my best.' 'Because when you're in a relationship you get so settled, you eat loads and go out for meals. But when you're single you have to look your best.' The Welsh beauty admitted she is 'really, really strict' with herself in order to maintain her slimmer figure, as she revealed that since becoming single she feels the need to 'look her best.' She added: 'It's hard because I've been out drinking all week and then the next day you want to eat so much rubbish, but I've been trying to be good. 'So, I'll force myself to get up the next morning and go for a run. I'm really really strict. So, I will always try and maintain my weight and shape now.' Heartbreak High star Chloe Hayden could not wipe the smile off her face on Tuesday when she guest starred on the long-running ABC children's series Play School. The disability activist, 25, looked every inch the stunner in a purple strawberry-themed plunging dress as she posed up a storm with the shows famous teddies. Chloe wowed her young viewers by performing a catchy tune on her guitar about watermelons. She posted a gallery of eye-popping snaps to Instagram capturing her having the time of her life on set and captioned it with some sweet words. 'A dream come true, it has without a doubt been the highlight of my career. Play School has always been one of the tops of my bucket list to be on,' she wrote. Chloe Hayden (pictured) could not wipe the smile off her face on Tuesday when she guest starred on the ABC children's series Play School. She looked every inch the stunner in a purple strawberry-themed plunging dress as she posed up a storm with the shows famous teddies Chloe wowed her young viewers by performing a catchy tune on her guitar about how much she loved eating watermelons It didn't take long for Chloe's celebrity friends to congratulate her on the milestone achievement. Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins gushed 'amazing' and fellow children's entertainer Emma Watkins posted a loveheart emoji. It comes after Melbourne's Marvel Stadium announced new measures for its sensory room in the wake of Chloe's claims she was denied access for 'not looking autistic enough'. The actress and disability activist, who has autism and ADHD, launched a scathing tirade against the venue after she claimed she was denied access to its sensory room on February 24 during a Harry Styles gig. She posted a gallery of eye-popping snaps to Instagram capturing her having the time of her life on set and captioned it with some sweet words She said staff decided she 'didn't look autistic enough' to access it so she lodged a complaint to the venue. The star has now said that she has since heard back from the CEO of Marvel Stadium, and he has promised that staff will be retrained. Taking to social media, Chloe said: 'I've spoken with the CEO of Marvel Stadium and weve discussed steps forward. 'A second sensory room is being built, they have committed to retraining staff. I plan on keeping them accountable for both. Don't ever say raising your voice is futile.' Chloe said although the experience took an 'immense toll' on her she will never stop fighting. Scheana Shay put her fit figure on display on Tuesday while shopping with her husband Brock Davies in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old West Covina, California native rocked a sheer black Bluebella bustier top with spaghetti straps that she paired with loose light blue jeans. The Bravo star, who recently attended a birthday party with her Vanderpump Rules castmates, completed her look with black shoes and accessorized with sunglasses, large hoop earrings, a nameplate necklace reading 'Summer' and belly piercing. Scheana had her short brown hair straight down and smiled as she carried a black Peta + Jain bag while walking with Brock, 32, in the trendy Melrose Avenue area. Brock kept it simple in a plain white T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers. Reality star: Scheana Shay put her fit figure on display on Tuesday while shopping with her husband Brock Davies in Los Angeles Cute couple: The 37-year-old reality star had her short brown hair straight down and smiled as she carried a black Peta + Jain bag while walking with Brock, 32, in the trendy Melrose Avenue area He sported a full beard and also accessorized with sunglasses. Scheana and Brock got married last August in Mexico and have 23-month-old daughter Summer Moon together. Their wedding will be shown during season 10 of Vanderpump Rules that premiered on February 8. The current season also will show the cast learning of the so-called 'Scandoval' affair between Tom Sandoval, 39, and Raquel Leviss, 28, that prompted Ariana Madix, 37, to split from her longtime boyfriend Tom. Scheana has fully supported her friend Ariana during the split while disavowing Raquel who was a guest at her wedding. Ariana recently returned to Los Angeles after shooting the Lifetime film, Buying Back My Daughter, in Vancouver, Canada. Simple style: Brock kept it simple in a plain white T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers The couple joined other reality TV stars at the CLD Pre-Festival House party in LA Ready for her close up! Scheana took full advantage of all the available photo ops while wearing a sheer black Bluebella bustier top Two more days! The Coachella-loving beauty perused 'festival era' clothing on the rack Social media: The Bravo star also shared her shopping trip on social media Another scandal? Last Saturday, Vanderpump Rules podcaster @blndhairblckhrt tweeted a dubious blind item from a 'source' claiming Brock 'messed around' with disgraced co-star Raquel Leviss while she was staying with them Showing support: Scheana has fully supported her friend Ariana Madix, shown earlier this month on Instagram, following her split from Tom Sandoval after his affair with Raquel Leviss The film stars Meagan Good, 31, as a woman trying to free her daughter from being trafficked by an online escort ring. Ariana played a police officer in the thriller, according to Hollywood North Buzz. It also was reported recently that Ariana was in 'late stage negotiations' to join the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars. Scheana is the host of her weekly podcast Scheananigans with Scheana Shay. MasterChef contestant Jonny was left in floods of tears during Tuesday night's episode after he was lambasted for serving up hairy pork. The hopefuls were tasked by food critic William Sitwell to come up with dishes that paid tribute to Britain's most popular celebrity chefs. But 31-year-old Jonny's efforts left a lot to be desired after the meat he served came with some unwanted extras. As judges John Torode, 57, and Gregg Wallace, 58, gave their critique of Jonny's food, John insisted he preferred his pork to be free of hair. The brutal critique as a result of the unfortunate situation left Jonny in tears as he was voted out of the competition. Unfortunate: MasterChef contestant Jonny was left in floods of tears during Tuesday night's episode after he was lambasted for serving up hairy pork Preference: As judges John Torode, 57, and Gregg Wallace, 58, gave their critique of Jonny's food, John insisted he preferred his pork to be hair-free (judge John is seen inspecting the hairy pork) It comes after Gregg left viewers shocked during the first episode of the new series of MasterChef after refusing to try a contestant's food. The TV personality returned alongside his co-host John to judge the offerings of nine new hopeful amateur chefs. However things got off to an awkward start when Gregg told one of the contestants that is 'undercooked' chicken was making him feel 'uncomfortable'. Contestant Woei was in a race against time to get his food ready to be served up in under five minutes to present to Gregg and John. He told the show's floor manager: 'Under control, don't worry, the sauce is done. Hopefully it doesn't blow John and Gregg away with the heat.' Despite his finished meal looking delicious, it was quickly rebuffed by Gregg who said he wouldn't be able to eat it. Woei served up marinated chicken with tomato and chilli sauce with blue basmati rice and tempura curry leaves. Things got off to a positive start, as John told him: 'I love that sauce. Rich and buttery, sweet with tomato and nice chilli heat running through the back of it. Challenge: The hopefuls were tasked by food critic William Sitwell to come up with dishes that paid tribute to Britain's most popular celebrity chefs Unorthadox: But 31-year-old Jonny's efforts left a lot to be desired after the meat he served came with some unwanted extras Awkward! It comes after Gregg (pictured) left viewers shocked during the first episode of the new series of MasterChef after refusing to try a contestant's food Not impressed: Things got off to an awkward start when Gregg told one of the contestants that his 'undercooked' chicken was making him feel 'uncomfortable' 'The thing with the curry leaf, it's nice and crispy but because they are curry leaves, they stay quite greasy.' Next, Gregg initially praised the dish for its 'light and fluffy rice', before moving on to the 'undercooked chicken'. Admitting he felt 'uncomfortable', Gregg explained: 'I have issues with this chicken. there's a pink tinge on the insides of my bits of chicken, which is putting me off. 'They're undercooked. Not all of it but enough to make me uncomfortable.' Woei took the comments on the chin, and said: 'You have to learn how to take criticism as well. Resilience is the most important part of life.' Woei however did make it through to the next stage of the competition with three other hopefuls. Masterchef returned with a bang on Monday evening as the judges praised a contestant for the 'best Ackee and saltfish' they'd ever seen on the show. But while the judges were wowed by one 'outstanding' aspiring chef, viewers at home were less impressed, branding the contestants as the 'most annoying' to date. Matthew, 33, an IT project coordinator from Wolverhampton, won over the judges with his Caribbean cooking. He presented Gregg and John with a classic Ackee and salt fish with coconut and lime rice. Stunned at such a success so early in the show, Gregg said: 'Matthew that is the prettiest and smartest Ackee and salt fish Ibe ever seen. That tastes fantastic. Good work: Matthew, 33, stunned the judges with his Ackee and salt fish, which they called the best they'd ever seen earlier this week 'There is absolutely nothing that would stop me demolishing that plate and asking for another one. John added: 'This is the best Ackee and saltfish Ive ever eaten. Ever! The tasty dish quickly won Matthew one of the first aprons of the series, as he progressed through to the next round. Masterchef UK continues on BBC One on Friday at 8.30pm. Fact always being stranger than fiction, don't be surprised if, just four weeks after the Coronation, King Charles sees his much fancied horse, Slipofthepen, thunder home to victory in the Epsom Derby the only classic race in which Queen Elizabeth never had a winner. But things, I can reveal, could get stranger still thanks to Old Harrovian sporting baronet Sir Rupert Mackeson, 81. After two and a half decades at the course, selling books and prints many of them signed by his late friend, the legendary Lester Piggott, a Derby winner a record nine times Mackeson has been given his marching orders by its owners, the Jockey Club. 'Lo and behold, out of the blue, I've had an email telling me I can't go anymore,' Mackeson tells me, adding that he has 'a very nice stand', close to the paddock and backing onto the Queen's Stand. Mackeson is not in the mood to go quietly. Indeed, he's mounting a rearguard action which will see him appeal directly to the new monarch. His intention, he explains, is to 'petition the King'. He takes heart from a previous petition which he learned of during his time in the Household Cavalry. 'The last time that happened, that I know of, [was when] a chap in my regiment petitioned the then King [George VI] in 1946 to be allowed to marry a German when non-fraternisation regulations [were in place]. It certainly worked for him. King George gave permission.' Sir Rupert Mackeson, 81, is mounting a rearguard action which will see him appeal directly to the new monarch After two and a half decades at the course, selling books and prints, Mackeson has been given his marching orders by its owners, the Jockey Club The Jockey Club declines to comment, though its email to Sir Rupert explains that impending building work means that his stand will be unavailable Were that not enough, Sir Rupert may find favour with Queen Camilla. 'I probably danced with her and her sister when I was a Deb's Delight,' he tells me. The Jockey Club declines to comment, though its email to Sir Rupert explains that impending building work means that his stand will be unavailable, and adds that there may be a place for him on the area known as 'The Hill'. That, says Mackeson, is out of the question, thanks to serious injuries sustained in the Army. 'I broke my back a horse came down on me when I was wearing state uniform. They said, 'If you live long enough, you'll end up in a wheelchair' and that's where I'm going.' The Jockey Club, he adds, is now 'so aggressive'. Alas, I'm told that the authorities feel much the same about Mackeson. Time for a monarchical intervention to restore the peace? Lady Bakewell puts her 90th party on hold Joan Bakewell turns 90 this weekend, but is putting the celebrations on hold until after she's completed her treatment for colon cancer Joan Bakewell turns 90 this weekend, but is putting the celebrations on hold until after she's completed her treatment for colon cancer. 'Having the chemotherapy isn't really comfortable and it's intruding in my life in way that would spoil a party,' the celebrated broadcaster tells me. 'So I thought I'd wait until it's over in June and do a party in the autumn. The chemo has been going OK but it does cut across my life, rather, and it means I'm not my normal self.' Baroness Bakewell, who underwent an operation before Christmas after her cancer was detected during a routine examination, adds: 'I'll have it in September when people come back from their holidays.' Russell Crowe's Roman general in Sir Ridley Scott's blockbuster Gladiator would address his soldiers with the words 'Strength and Honour'. Now Crowe has revealed that the inspiration for them comes from his school days. 'I went to Ridley and said: 'I want something original that Maximus says when he's greeting one of his soldiers'.' Crowe wondered if the Sydney Boys High School motto 'Veritate et Virtute' could be used: 'The idea would be to say 'forza e l'onore'. And Ridley goes: 'What the f*** does that mean?' I said, 'Well, it actually means strength and honour', and he goes, 'Ooh, say that.' Moving behind the camera to direct Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans? was not the bag of laughs Hugh Laurie reckoned it would be. 'I thought it would be a bit of fun,' says the House star, 63. 'But that's not quite the word. Imagine trying to do something like a Rubik's Cube, while others are pelting you in the face with handfuls of hot gravel. 'I have some retrospective guilt at not appreciating the directors I've worked with before. I now realise what they were going through and my hat is off to them.' Janet Jackson is parting ways with a massive amount of classic memorabilia while donating part of the proceeds to charity. The 56-year-old pop legend is set to auction off over 800 items, including her outfits and costumes from music videos and tours, on May 21. The auction will be held live at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online at Julien's Live, the auction house announced. Among the items are instantly recognizable outfits Jackson wore on her Rhythm Nation tour and in her iconic 1993 That's The Way Love Goes video, along with bedazzled microphones and CDs commemorating the platinum status of her blockbuster albums. Among the looks being made available to fans is a black suede vest with silver buttons, which she famous wore in her That's The Way Love Goes music video. Clearing out her closet: Janet Jackson is auctioning off over 800 outfits and bits of memorabilia. The items will be sold in person at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online at Julien's Live on May 21 Skimpy: Among the looks being made available to fans is a black suede vest with silver buttons, which she famous wore in her That's The Way Love Goes music video Revealing: In the original video, she paired the top with a white Native Americaninspired collar while baring her toned tummy In the original video, she paired the top with a white Native Americaninspired collar while baring her toned tummy. The vest is actually being auctioned as a pair, though it's unclear if they are being put up as a set or are being sold off individually. Joining the cropped vests is a matching pair of black suede bellbottoms that Janet wore with the outfit. Another standout of the collection is a white long-sleeve puckered shirt that Janet wore in her classic Scream music video. The song was the lead single from Michael's 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, and it's stylish black-and-white music video was among the most-expensive music videos ever due to its $7 million price tag. Janet wore the white textured shirt, along with an off-white faux leather bikini top which is also part of the auction. The songstress went all in on padded shoulders with a striking black Richard Tyler coat featuring velvet lapels. She wore the eye-catching look on her 1990 Rhythm Nation tour when she sang her iconic songs Control and Nasty. Collaboration: Another standout of the collection is a white long-sleeve puckered shirt that Janet wore in her classic Scream music video Back in black: The songstress went all in on padded shoulders with a striking black Richard Tyler coat featuring velvet lapels. She wore the eye-catching look on her 1990 Rhythm Nation tour when she sang her iconic songs Control and Nasty Casual cool: Janet is also auctioning off a white denim Christian Dior jacket that she wore during an appearance on BET's 106 & Park to promote the album Woman in white: She stuck to the color theme with a white button-down vest featuring a cummerbund and matching pants from a 2006 performance of So Excited on the Today Show Another item hitting the auction block was a two-piece yellow suit with prominent shoulder pads and a red-and-yellow polka dotted scarf in the left pocket. She had on the outfit while singing Alright on her janet. tour and on her television special The Jackson Family Honors, which aired in 1994. A black-and-white off-the-shoulder dress with a pinstripe skirt, an attached black tie and detached white cuffs is also part of the auction. She caused a stir in the dress when arriving at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards in it. A white Ralph Lauren snakeskin top was worn for interviews as she promoted her 2001 album All For You. Janet is also auctioning off a white denim Christian Dior jacket that she wore during an appearance on BET's 106 & Park to promote the album. She stuck to the color theme with a white button-down vest featuring a cummerbund and matching pants from a 2006 performance of So Excited on the Today Show. The auction includes a black pinstripe suit that Janet rocked in her 1989 Alright video, before reviving it for her Velvet Rope tour. A tattered black mesh dress with a single leather sleeve made a splash during her performance at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Looking cool: The auction includes a black pinstripe suit that Janet rocked in her 1989 Alright video, before reviving it for her Velvet Rope tour Mix and match: A tattered black mesh dress with a single leather sleeve made a splash during her performance at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards Woman in red: Among her more colorful items is a red jumpsuit from her 2008 Rock Witchu tour, which featured chainmail epaulets and long black wigs attached at the waist Stunning: The songstress went all out on glamour at the 2005 Vanity Fair Oscars party, where she wore an ivory off-the-shoulder Badgley Mischka gown with furry shoulders, which is also being auctioned Edgy: One striking look included a gray latex jumpsuit with brown mesh accents on the sides, along with fin-like silver epaulets and Christian Louboutin high-heel boots. Jackson wrote the futuristic outfit for her opening number on her Number Ones, Up Close And Personal tour from 2011 Elegant: In addition to her outfits, Janet is auctioning off several accessories, including a Louis Vuitton Alzer 80 suitcase Among her more colorful items is a red jumpsuit from her 2008 Rock Witchu tour, which featured chainmail epaulets and long black wigs attached at the waist. The songstress went all out on glamour at the 2005 Vanity Fair Oscars party, where she wore an ivory off-the-shoulder Badgley Mischka gown with furry shoulders, which is also being auctioned. One striking look included a gray latex jumpsuit with brown mesh accents on the sides, along with fin-like silver epaulets and Christian Louboutin high-heel boots. Jackson wrote the futuristic outfit for her opening number on her Number Ones, Up Close And Personal tour from 2011. In addition to her outfits, Janet is auctioning off several accessories, including a Louis Vuitton Alzer 80 suitcase. She is parting ways with some furniture from Ralph Lauren, including a Modern Icons collection bar cabinet and a Metropolis collection bed frame made of rosewood and leather. Janet's super fans even have the chance to buy her old car, a 2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. It features a black leather interior with charcoal inserts, and its DOHC 48-valve 6.0 liter 12-cylinder engine can produce 460 horsepower and can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, while it can hit 60 miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds. Lovely: She is parting ways with some furniture from Ralph Lauren, including a Modern Icons collection bar cabinet Solid: The designer was also responsible for her Metropolis collection bed frame made of rosewood and leather Luxury: Janet's super fans even have the chance to buy her old car, a 2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Simple: One item will be a long black button-up dress Sporty: One black item features number-like designs on the chest and a colorful skirt. She wore it at the 2004 BET Awards Loud and clear: Other items included in the auction include some of Janet's microphones. One is a rhinestone-covered headset, while another is a standard cordless bedazzled microphone, which includes its storage case Classics: Fan can celebrate Janet's success with some of her platinum albums, including a commemorative CD display for her 1993 album Janet and its single That's The Way Love Goes, both from Australia Covered up: The collection includes a striking black hat with a white striped band Intriguing: One sheer beige dress with hair-like gold accents and a halter neck will be available No fuss: One of her conservative black blazers is among the collection Out now: Fans looking to see some of the memorabilia will be able to find it at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida starting on Tuesday, April 8, and the exhibit will move to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 8 Other items included in the auction include some of Janet's microphones. One is a rhinestone-covered headset, while another is a standard cordless bedazzled microphone, which includes its storage case. Fan can celebrate Janet's success with some of her platinum albums, including a commemorative CD display for her 1993 album Janet and its single That's The Way Love Goes, both from Australia. Fans looking to see some of the memorabilia will be able to find it at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida starting on Tuesday, April 8, and the exhibit will move to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 8. Rachel Brosnahan attended the fifth season premiere of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in New York City on Tuesday. The 32-year-old actress who stars as the title character in the Amazon Prime Video period comedy series stunned in a bold corset top and a semi-sheer maxi skirt made out of rubies. The niece of late fashion designer Kate Spade finished off her eye-catching look with a pair of red patent leather heeled sandals. Recently, Brosnahan has been busy on a press tour promoting the upcoming season of the comedy drama. The fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will be released on the streaming service on April 14. Bold: Rachel Brosnahan, 32, attended the fifth season premiere of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in New York City on Tuesday For her red carpet appearance, the Milwaukee native opted for a light makeup look to keep the spotlight on her bright ensemble. She modeled a light gray, smokey eye paired with a wash of peach blush and a mauve pink lip gloss. She styled her dark brunette tresses in effortless and casual waves that were parted down the center. For accessories, she opted for a pair of dangling silver earrings and a few statement diamond rings. For the big night, she was joined by her husband Jason Ralph, 37. The actor who also stars on the show looked dapper in a royal blue, velvet blazer over a white button-up and black bow-tie. He also donned a pair of black, ankle-length trousers and leather mule loafers. The pair originally met in 2013 on the set of I'm Obsessed With You and tied the knot in 2016. Stunning: The actress who stars as the title character in the Amazon Prime Video period comedy series stunned in a bold corset top and a semi-sheer maxi skirt made out of rubies Dazzling: For her red carpet appearance, the Milwaukee native opted for a light makeup look to keep the spotlight on her bright ensemble A stylish pair: For the big night, she was joined by her husband Jason Ralph, 37 who also stars on the show On the red carpet, Brosnahan also stopped to pose with some of her costar Alex Borstein and screenwriter-director-producer extraordinaire Amy Sherman-Palladino. The creator of the series, 57, put on a stylish display in a shimmering, black gown and a chic fedora. The Emmy-winning actress, 52, looked dazzling in a sheer dress with floral embroidery and glittering details that she wore over a black slip. Paired with the Chinese qipao-inspired dress, she modeled sparkling boot heels with a teal strap made of satin. She styled her auburn tresses in uniform waves and opted for a light makeup look that highlighted her striking eyes. Brosnahan also stopped for snaps with her costars Marin Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub. The 57-year-old actress looked radiant in an orange satin gown with a plunging neckline and asymmetrical petaling at the skirt. She completed the look with a pair of cream, glittering platform heels. Glamorous: On the red carpet, Brosnahan also stopped to pose with some of her costar Alex Borstein and screenwriter-director-producer extraordinaire Amy Sherman-Palladino The trio: The creator of the series, 57, put on a stylish display in a shimmering, black gown and a chic fedora Shimmering: The Emmy-winning actress, 52, looked dazzling in a sheer dress with floral embroidery and glittering details that she wore over a black slip Colorful: Paired with the Chinese qipao-inspired dress, she modeled sparkling boot heels with a teal strap made of satin Striking: She styled her auburn tresses in uniform waves and opted for a light makeup look that highlighted her striking eyes Hinkle styled her brunette tresses in loose blowout-style waves and modeled an elegant makeup look that brought out her brown eyes. She wore a copper eyeshadow look that paired perfectly with her orange gown as well as coral pink blush and a bright pink lip. The five-time Emmy-winning actor, 69, donned a stylish suit jacket with an olive green, navy blue, and black design. He completed his outfit with a pair of black trousers and leather oxfords. Hinkle was seen with Caroline Aaron, 70 who wore a glamorous ensemble highlighted by fuchsia and floral details. The Sleepless in Seattle star donned a floor-sweeping black gown with a long-sleeved mesh top and a satin skirt adorned with pink and purple flowers. She sported a pair of dramatic platform sandal heels and accessorized with a purple flower in her voluminous curls to match her dress. For an added pop of color, she also rocked a bold, fuchsia pink lipstick matching the flowers in her look. Fashionable: Brosnahan also stopped for snaps with her costars Marin Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub Chic: The 57-year-old actress looked radiant in an orange satin gown with a plunging neckline and asymmetrical petaling at the skirt. The five-time Emmy-winning actor, 69, donned a stylish suit jacket with an olive green, navy blue, and black design Effortlessly chic: She completed the look with a pair of cream, glittering platform heels. He completed his outfit with a pair of black trousers and leather oxfords Radiant: Hinkle styled her brunette tresses in loose blowout-style waves and modeled an elegant makeup look that brought out her brown eyes. She wore a copper eyeshadow look that paired perfectly with her orange gown as well as coral pink blush and a bright pink lip Vivid: Hinkle was seen with Caroline Aaron, 70 who wore a glamorous ensemble highlighted by fuchsia and floral details Fuchsia flowers: The Sleepless in Seattle star donned a floor-sweeping black gown with a long-sleeved mesh top and a satin skirt adorned with pink and purple flowers Kevin Pollak, 65 who plays Moishe Maisel in the series looked effortlessly chic in a gray suit with a striped and checkered design. Underneath the ensemble, he donned a pink and white checkered satin button-up and wrapped up the look with a pair of formal leather sneakers. Matilda Szydagis opted for a mixed pattern look for the red carpet. She wore a hot pink midi dress with a brick red, abstract floral design. With the eye-catching gown featuring a keyhole and flowing sleeves, she donned a pair of pointed-toe, white kitten heels with black hearts adorned all over. Sutton Foster attended the premiere in an elegant, sleeveless, and white gown with a high, semi-cowled neckline. The dress featured a dramatic cutout revealing her back bejeweled with a gold chain down her spine. To add to the gold details, she also wore a pair of diamond-strapped champagne-colored stiletto heels. She styled her brunette tresses in a chic updo to show off a pair of dangling diamond earrings. Dapper: Kevin Pollak, 65 who plays Moishe Maisel in the series looked effortlessly chic in a gray suit with a striped and checkered design Mixed patterns: Matilda Szydagis opted for a mixed pattern look for the red carpet. She wore a hot pink midi dress with a brick red, abstract floral design. With the eye-catching gown featuring a keyhole and flowing sleeves, she donned a pair of pointed-toe, white kitten heels with black hearts adorned all over Stylish: Sutton Foster attended the premiere in an elegant, sleeveless, and white gown with a high, semi-cowled neckline while Alfie Fuller put on a sultry display in a black cardigan with ruffles on the cuffs of the sleeves Sultry: She wore the top off of one shoulder and paired the garment with latex micro shorts Gold details: The dress featured a dramatic cutout revealing her back bejeweled with a gold chain down her spine Eye-catching: To add to the gold details, she also wore a pair of diamond-strapped champagne-colored stiletto heels Alfie Fuller put on a sultry display in a black cardigan with ruffles on the cuffs of the sleeves. She wore the top off of one shoulder and paired the garment with latex micro shorts. She modeled a pair of sheer black tights with platform heels. She styled her hair in a polished and sleek updo at the crown of her head to show off a pair of edgy, gunmetal chandelier earrings. For makeup, she rocked a dramatic pink cat eye look and a deep burgundy lip. Michael Zegen and Reid Scott both sported muted blue power suits for the red carpet. Zegen sported a pair of black, patent leather dress shoes and left his suit jacket unbuttoned to reveal a simple white T-shirt. Scott buttoned-up his double-breasted, double-buttoned jacket to show a bit of a heathered gray sweater he wore underneath and sported a pair of cream oxfords with brown leather laces. Both in blue: Michael Zegen and Reid Scott both sported muted blue power suits for the red carpet Stately: Hank Azaria also opted for a muted blue suit over a white-button up but his ensemble featured a subtle checked pattern Bold colors: Alanna Fox stunned in a textured, bright pink minidress with dramatic shoulders and a pair of pointed-toe kitten heels in a nearly identical color while Emily Bergl looked regal in an eye-catching blue gown with a plunging neckline and a pleated skirt Bright and bold: Later, inside the venue the duo also posed with their Hinkle to show off their three looks in bright colors all reminiscent of the spring season Hank Azaria also opted for a muted blue suit over a white-button up but his ensemble featured a subtle checked pattern. Alanna Fox stunned in a textured, bright pink minidress with dramatic shoulders and a pair of pointed-toe kitten heels in a nearly identical color. Emily Bergl looked regal in an eye-catching blue gown with a plunging neckline and a pleated skirt. Later, inside the venue the duo also posed with their Hinkle to show off their three looks in bright colors all reminiscent of the spring season. Rebecca Lobie has been estranged from her cousin Bindi Irwin since resigning from Australia Zoo in December 2015. But it seems the pair could be reconciling their relationship after more than 8 years. According to Woman's Day, Bindi is open to a reunion with her cousin Rebecca, who is the daughter of Steve Irwin's sister Joy and her husband Frank Muscillo, following rumours she has split from her husband. 'Bindi is compassionate, and it would break her heart to know a member of her family is going through a tough time,' a source said. The insider claimed Bindi's husband Chandler Powell has also been encouraging her to 'forgive and forget the past'. Bindi Irwin is 'open to a reunion' with estranged cousin Rebecca Lobie - almost 10 years after she left Australia Zoo 'He understands family squabbles, but he thinks it will be good for them to move on, not only for Bindi but for their two-year-old daughter Grace.' Rebecca used to run the restaurants at Australia Zoo before exiting the family business. She rose to prominence in September 2019 when her racy social media photos caught the attention of the media. Keen to cash in on her new-found fame, the Sunshine Coast native launched her own subscription-based adult website in July 2021. The blonde bombshell previously charged AUD$6.80 (US$4.99) for the first month's subscription to her website, and AUD$13.61 (US$9.99) thereafter. For an additional AUD$74.92 (US$55), fans could purchase a 'fully nude' video. According to Woman's Day , Bindi is open to a reunion with her cousin Rebecca, who is the daughter of Steve Irwin's sister Joy and her husband Frank Muscillo. Pictured together in 2014 It follows rumours Rebecca has split from her husband Mick - with all signs pointing to a messy break-up. The 34-year-old is believed to have called time on her 16-year marriage several months ago. Cracks started to appear in February when mechanic Mick shared a series of alarming posts on Instagram implying his wife had walked out on him. One post read: 'If I'm continually treated like I don't exist then what's the point of continuing to push myself to be here because no one would even notice if I was gone.' Mick then shared another post asking Rebecca to return to the family for the sake of their two sons. The full text of this post cannot be published for legal reasons. Later, he posted a series of screenshots after one of his friends reached out to him via Instagram messenger to ask if he was okay. 'Bindi is compassionate, and it would break her heart to know a member of her family is going through a tough time,' a source said The friend asked, 'You ok bro,' prompting Mick to reply, 'F**k off ya dog.' When the friend asked what Mick meant by this, he accused the other man of 'talking s**t' about his family and leaving flirtatious emojis on Rebecca's photos. The friend later said it was 'not cool' to post screenshots of their conversation, but Mick simply replied 'F**k you.' After weeks of silence on social media, Mick returned to Instagram last month to share a worrying post about being a 'shell of my former self'. When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Mick denied the post was alluding to a split but refused to comment when asked if his marriage was intact. 'I didn't allude to anything like that. You people are ridiculous,' he said. Rebecca Lobie was also contacted for comment but did not reply. Katie Holmes attended a promotional event for her upcoming movie Rare Objects, which took place at 92NY in New York City on Tuesday night. The 44-year-old actress posed for several photos before making her way to the function's main area, where she participated in a discussion alongside the project's producers and cast members. The performer, who was recently spotted in the company of her daughter Suri, is currently preparing for the wide release of her third directorial effort. Holmes wore a slim-fitting white button-up shirt and a matching skirt during the event. The Thank You for Smoking actress stood out in a floral-printed maxi skirt that featured a large peekaboo hole at the front, and a second short pleated skirt underneath. Skirting the issue: Katie Holmes wore TWO skirts for a promotional event for her upcoming movie Rare Objects, which took place in New York City on Tuesday night Front and center: The 44-year-old actress posed for several photos before making her way to the function's main area, where she participated in a discussion alongside the project's producers and cast members. The performer donned a pair of beige high-heeled shoes and accessorized with a similarly colored dress. Her voluminous brunette hair cascaded onto her shoulders and paired well with the tones of her outfit. Rare Objects is based on Kathleen Tessaro's novel of the same name, which was released in 2016. Although the book takes place just after the Great Depression, Holmes' movie is set in modern-day New York City. The movie is centered on a young woman who attempts to rebuild her life by working in an antique store before various figures from her past begin to resurface. In addition to directing the film, the Dawson's Creek actress co-wrote its script, served as a producer and appeared in a supporting role. Performers such as Julia Mayorga, Derek Luke and Gina Jun rounded out the movie's cast. Deadline previously revealed that the project was in development in June of 2021. Lady in white: Holmes wore a slim-fitting white button-up shirt and a matching skirt during the event Standing out: The Thank You for Smoking actress stood out in a floral-printed maxi skirt that featured a large cutout portion at its front Source material: Rare Objects is based on Kathleen Tessaro's novel of the same name, which was released in 2016 Storyline: The movie is centered on a young woman who attempts to rebuild her life by working in an antique store before various figures from her past begin to resurface All over the place: In addition to directing the film, the Dawson's Creek actress co-wrote its script, served as a producer and appeared in a supporting role In the works: Deadline previously revealed that the project was in development in June of 2021 Characters: Holmes recently sat down for an interview with Access Hollywood and spoke about how she was particularly moved by the relationship between the novel's protagonist and primary supporting figure Positive: The performer went on to express that she wanted to illustrate their relationship in a positive light The upcoming movie's trailer was subsequently released to the public this past February. Holmes recently sat down for an interview with Access Hollywood and spoke about how she was particularly moved by the relationship between the novel's protagonist and primary supporting figure. 'What I love about this film and what attracted me to the book, is the friendship between these two characters,' she said. The performer went on to express that she wanted to illustrate their relationship in a positive light. 'We see both of them struggle with different things in their life, but they also find the joy of life for each other, and we see them supporting each other. I think that's really nice to see onscreen and to see women supporting one another,' she said. Mayorga also stated that she quickly bonded with the movie's director while working on set. 'I was super excited to work with Katiethere are so many talented people on this film,' she said. Rare Objects will be released both in theaters and on demand on Friday. Having fun: Mayorga stated that she quickly bonded with the movie's director while working on its set Love Island Australia star turned influencer Cassidy McGill has revealed shocking details about her living situation. The blonde, 27, admitted that she is currently living in an expensive, beachside apartment in Sydney just to 'keep up appearances'. Cassidy, who boasts 389,000 followers, was asked why she isn't 'in love' with her apartment anymore in a Q&A when she made the admission. In a video posted on Wednesday, she added that while she often gets compliments on her pad from fans, she insisted that 'social media is a f**king lie'. 'I'm about to offload something that's been plaguing my mind for a while,' her post began. Love Island Australia star turned influencer Cassidy McGill, 27, (pictured) has admitted that she's living in a stunning beachside apartment in Sydney just to 'keep up appearances' 'When I moved into this apartment, I think I felt as if I had something to prove. I was getting a lot of pressure about not having started my own business and not seeming successful.' 'People were asking what my next steps were in my career. I had just bought my dream car so I guess I wanted to keep going. ' 'I needed to move because my car didn't fit in my current space and when I found this apartment I thought this might be flashy enough to appease people.' 'I've found it really hard to be naturally in love with this space and call it home. It's an absolute waste of money.' Cassidy, who boasts 389,000 followers, was asked why she isn't 'in love' with her apartment anymore in a Q&A when she made the admission. 'I thought this might be flashy enough to appease people,' she said She added that she wants to downsize to a cheaper two bedroom apartment and preferably in an 'Art Deco building'. She also said she isn't 'broke' and it's her choice if she does decide to downsize. 'But if I move out of this space into something not as nice I don't want to have to constantly defend my decision and explain it was a choice and not because I'm broke or whatever these keyboard warriors will come up with,' she said. In a video posted on Wednesday, she added that while she often gets compliments on her pad from fans, she insisted that 'social media is a f**king lie' In an accompanying clip, Cassidy thanked her concerned followers for reaching out and said she needs to remind herself to just 'do what makes her happy' rather than worry what anyone else thinks. 'Everyone's idea of success is different... social media is such a f**king lie,' she said. Cassidy, who rose to fame on Love Island, was involved in a white powder scandal just a few months ago and soon issued an apology to fans. 'I made a mistake, which I do not take lightly,' she wrote on Instagram. Cassidy was involved in a white powder scandal just a few months ago and soon issued an apology to fans. In an image, she smiles with her mouth and eyes closed as she holds a plate that looks to have two lines of a white substance on it, along with a small bag of powder 'This behaviour is out of character and I am truly sorry to have let you all down. I am sorry to my friends, family, my team and the brands I represent.' McGill had accidentally uploaded the photo to Instagram on December 28, before quickly deleting it. In the image, she smiles with her mouth and eyes closed as she holds a plate that looks to have two lines of a white substance on it, along with a small bag of powder. Fans were quick react to the image on social media, with one writing: 'That's just disappointing.' Days later, McGill issued another statement, this time revealing she had sought therapy as a result of the public backlash. Ada Nicodemou never gets it wrong on the red carpet. And the Home and Away star, 45, proved her off-duty style is just as flawless when she headed to the airport on Good Friday. Ada looked incredible in a smart casual outfit which tallied up to around $8,525. The age-defying star opted for a cream Burberry trench worth approximately $4,000. She opted for a white turtle neck, jeans and white sneakers. Home and Away star Ada Nicodemou, 45, looked off-duty glam in very pricey outfit worth $8,525 on Good Friday. Pictured The star finished her look with high-end accessories, wearing a Gucci belt that retails for $775. She also wore a Louis Vuitton crossbody bag which retails for $3,750. The star opted for a matte makeup palette and wore her brunette tresses down allowing them to sit on her shoulders. It comes after Ada posted a throwback snap of herself from school, sending her fans into a frenzy over her youthful look. The age-defying star opted for a cream Burberry trench worth approximately $4,000. She opted for a white turtle neck, jeans and white sneakers The star finished her look with high-end accessories, wearing a Gucci belt that retails for $775. She also wore a Louis Vuitton crossbody bag which retails for $3,750 'What do we think of this young girl? And how's the hair?' Ada captioned the image followed by two laughing face emojis. Friends and fans flocked to the comments, with many in disbelief that the photo is a young Ada, and others in awe of her curly locks. One fan wrote: 'What's your secret, you haven't aged a dayso jealous.' It comes after Ada posted a throwback snap of herself from school. Pictured While another said: 'You sure can recognise it's you. Have you still got a natural curl? Lovely pic xx' Many of her fellow Home and Away co-stars also gushed over the adorable snap. Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts, commented: 'I try to get my hair like that every day!!!!' While Georgie Parker said, 'I LOVE the hair', and Demi Harman wrote, 'Bring back the hair', followed by three heart eye emojis. Josephine Jobert has revealed she's been in talks to appear in the Death In Paradise spin-off series, Beyond Paradise. The French actress, 37, who played sergeant Florence Cassell in the BBC comedy-drama until series 11, told fans she would 'love' to reprise her role. In an Instagram Q&A, she said: 'It's not officially planned yet. But, it's a possibility that we discussed with the producer some time ago. 'So we'll see if that will happen. But I would love to anyway. It would be a very nice wink.' Eva Green's cousin left the show when her character found herself in trouble with a criminal gang, which she had infiltrated undercover. 'I would love to do it!' Josephine Jobert has revealed she's been in talks to appear in the Death In Paradise spin-off series, Beyond Paradise Fingers crossed! The French actress, 37, who played sergeant Florence Cassell in the BBC comedy-drama until series 11, told fans she would 'love' to reprise her role (pictured with Kris Marshall on the show) Fleeing Saint Marie for her own safety, Florence left DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) heartbroken as he had developed feelings for her. But she could be reunited with her former boss DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) once again, who is now residing in the West Country with his fiancee DI Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd). The first episode of Beyond Paradise aired on Friday March 24 and is a spin-off to long-running murder mystery show Death In Paradise. It drew in 4.4million viewers and has since been renewed for a second series, according to reports. According to show writer Tony Jordan, creators have started preparing the script for a second series and they have plenty of ideas about where the storyline should go. 'I've started writing series two of Beyond Paradise. We had loads of stories that didnt make the cut in season one,' writer Tony told The Sun. 'Tim Key, the producer, has a long-held ambition to film on a steam train so well definitely be on a steam train in season two and Tim will be there with his little hat on. 'Id love to finally get the show made, it means a lot to me and is my ultimate passion project.' Tragic: Florence left DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) heartbroken when she left Saint Marie as he had developed feelings for her Gripping: The detective spin-off is fronted by Kris and Martha Lloyd, who play DI Sally Bretton and Humphrey Goodman The BBC is yet to confirm whether they have agreed to a second series. MailOnline contacted the broadcaster for comment at the time. Speaking on the show, and murders in it, leading man Kris recently revealed: 'I'm going to give you a spoiler: there are none,' says Kris. 'We've got someone who may have been injured by a witch. We've got a kidnapping. We've got an art theft which is a real caper.' But some things are the same. 'You still have the fun of trying to solve the puzzle, which is a huge part of both shows.' And there's another revelation. 'We don't have the classic Death In Paradise ending, with all the suspects sat there while the detective points at each in turn, going, "You had the motive but it's not you!" Our new way is much more interactive. You go inside the mind of Humphrey.' The crimes are now played out in the detective's imagination; he watches things unfold, and commentates from within the scenes. It's bold and clever and really works. BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- An air cargo route linking east China's Qingdao and Belgium's Liege was launched on Tuesday, adding a new air logistics channel between China and Europe, according to SF Airlines. Two round-trip cargo flights are scheduled to run between China and Europe every week on this route, adding 400 tonnes of air express capacity, the cargo airline said. Prior to the opening of this new route, the airline on April 1 launched a cargo route linking Ezhou, in central China's Hubei Province, and Belgium's Liege. SF Airlines is the aviation branch of China's leading courier enterprise SF Express. It is the country's largest air-cargo carrier operating a fleet of 80 freighters. The company has established a cargo route network covering China, radiating across Asia, and reaching Europe and the United States. It is committed to continuously expanding the fleet size and strengthening the air-logistics service capacities to promote high-quality development. Netflix viewers have been left terrified after watching a technology thriller they described as the 'scariest' film ever. Fans took to Twitter to share their nail-biting reactions to South Korean mystery movie Unlocked, which debuted on the streaming platform in February. The tense thriller sees a woman's life completely turned upside down when a dangerous man uses her lost phone to track her every move. Viewers were left completely terrified by the eerie movie, with fans deeming the film to be one of the 'scariest' things they had watched in a long time. One person even said they wanted to 'throw their phone into the sea' after being left very unsettled by the horrifying events. Creepy: Netflix viewers have been left terrified after watching a technology thriller they described as the 'scariest' film ever Thriller: The tense thriller sees a woman's life completely turned upside down when a dangerous man uses her lost phone to track her every move Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: 'Have you watch the kmovie UNLOCKED on Netflix. Digital footprint is scary.' Another commented: 'Watching Unlocked on Netflix it's so scary,' while a third tweeted: 'I'm watching Unlocked on Netflix rn and this is genuinely scary.' A fourth said: 'Unlocked on Netflix is one of the scariest films Ive seen in a long while. I want to throw my phone into the sea.' And a fifth penned: 'Do you want to watch a really good movie? I've got you: #Unlocked a Korean movie on Netflix. 'It was the scariest thing I've seen in a while and it will make you reconsider a few things. Most definitely WATCH IT. Highly recommended!!!' Meanwhile, another shared their reaction, adding: 'So creepy.. Luckily I watched in daytime.' Spyware: Directed by Kim Tae-joon, the film sees Lee Na-Mi (Chun Woo-Hee) lose her phone on a bus, with Oh Jun-Yeong (Im Si-Wan) picking it up and installing spyware on it to track her Shock: Viewers were left completely terrified by the eerie movie, with fans deeming the film to be one of the 'scariest' things they had watched in a long time Directed by Kim Tae-joon, the film sees office worker Lee Na-Mi (Chun Woo-Hee) lose her phone on a bus, with Oh Jun-Yeong (Im Si-Wan) picking it up. Jun-Yeong then tells her to pick up her phone at a repair shop under the pretense of fixing her broken screen, but instead installs spyware on to the device to track her every move, text and conversation. Jun-Yeong starts to infiltrate Na-Mi's life, with her father growing suspicious of him, while Jun-Yeong then pretends to work at a software company and says he will try to help her with the spyware. Jun-Yeong then leaks confidential information about Na-Mi, while still deceiving her into thinking he isn't the culprit and things quickly take a very dark turn. Lily James was snapped alongside Riz Ahmed on the set of their new film Relay for the first time on Tuesday in New York City. The Pam & Tommy actress, 34, got into character as she was dressed down for the role, sporting a pair of wide leg tan trousers with a linen blue shirt. Filming in the big Apple, she was snapped departing a yellow cab while surrounded by the set's crew. Whilst Riz was all in black as he appeared on a bike alongside her, kitted out in a hard-shell helmet and gloves. The film comes from director David Mackenzie and will continue to shoot throughout April, taking to New York and New Jersey. Relay FIRST LOOK: Lily James swapped glamour for a low-key look as she took to the New York City set of her new thriller flick Relay Leading roles: She was joined by co-star Riz Ahmed, who also got into character for the first time In character, Lily donned a pair of walking shoes while throwing a black leather bag over one shoulder. Her brunette tresses were left in a tousled style as they were thrown up, with strands left down in a natural style to frame her face. While Riz donned a Carhartt jacket with a pair of black trousers, walking alongside the cab with a bike. The new production follows Tom (Riz Ahmed), who keeps his identity hidden while brokering lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten their ruin. Things change for the character after a potential client, Sarah (Lily James), reaches to seek protection to stay alive. Production company Black Bear International is launching the project at the European Film Market. The new project was revealed to be led by the two acclaimed actors back in February, with a release date yet to be known. Relay joins a collection of projects for Lily this year, who is also starring in the Zac Efron fronted wrestling biopic The Iron Claw. New York minute: Filming in the big Apple, Lily was snapped departing a yellow cab while surrounded by the set's crew Low-key: The Pam & Tommy actress dressed down for the role, sporting a pair of wide leg tan trousers with a linen blue shirt Covering the triumphant and tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family, Lily portrays Pam Adkisson Riz most recently wrapped up filming on science fiction romance film Fingernails, which shot in Toronto. He joined Jessie Buckley and Jeremy Allen for the project, which takes place in a near future where scientists have learned to analyze and quantify love. This lets them determine which couples are truly in love and will be successful long term, as well as which unions will flame out over time. The look: Her brunette tresses were left in a tousled style as they were thrown up, with strands left down in a natural style to frame her face Millie Bobby Brown's engagement to her longtime beau Jake Bongiovi has sent fans into a frenzy, after they shared the exciting news on Tuesday. The actor, 20, is no stranger to the spotlight as the son of 80s legend Jon Bon Jovi, 61, and his wife Dorothea Hurley. But while the Bon Jovi family appear to be one of the most tight-knit in showbusiness, they've still had their fair share of struggles. The musician, 61, has previously revealed his own battles with mental health, while his daughter Stephanie was hospitalised following a drug overdose. As Millie and Jake prepare to start their life together, MailOnline takes a look back at his famous family's struggles... Tough time! Jon Bon Jovi's family are seen as one of the most tight-knit in showbusiness, but they've still had their fair share of struggles (L-R) Jake Bongiovi, his brother Romeo Bongiovi and parents Dorothea Bongiovi, and Jon Bon Jovi Getting wed! The 80s hitmaker's second son Jake Bongiovi, 20, recently announced his engagement to Millie Bobby Brown, 19 From the outside, Bon Jovi and his wife Dorethea are one of Hollywood's most long-lasting couples, having been married for 34 years. The high school sweethearts tied the knot in Las Vegas in 1989 after nine years together, and welcomed four children, Stephanie, 30, Jesse, 28, Jake, 20, and Romeo, 19. Dorothea previously revealed that she and Jon tried to keep their children shielded from the spotlight, telling PEOPLE: 'We never really drag the kids to things. 'I never pointed at the TV and said, 'There's Daddy!' We try hard just to give our kids a normal life.' In 2012, Jon and Dorethea's eldest child Stephanie, who was 19 at the time, was hospitalised after taking Opioids. Speaking about the ordeal in a 2013 interview, he told The Mirror: 'It was horrible, a horrible moment. It was my worst moment as a father. 'She was by no means sticking needles in her arms. But there's a lot of synthetic stuff in the world and a lot of temptation and access and pressures that just a generation ago you and I didn't know about... 'I feel it was a terrible tragic lesson of life but I thank God every day because she is whole. It happened and it has gone. I know personally people whose sons and daughters, where it was a lot, lot worse. That could have been Stephanie.' Famous family: Jake was born to celebrity parents Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley on May 7, 2002 (they are all pictured with his siblings Stephanie and Jesse in November 2013) Close bond: Dorothea previously revealed that she and Jon tried to keep their children shielded from the spotlight, telling PEOPLE: 'We never really drag the kids to things' (pictured: Jesse, Stephanie, Jacob, Jon, Dorothea and Romeo in 2011) Scary: In 2012, Jon and Dorethea's eldest child Stephanie (pictured in 2015), who was 19 at the time, was hospitalised after taking Opioids In 2016, Bon Jovi spoke about his own devastating mental health struggles, admitting the previous three years were 'the worst of his life,' after Bon Jovi's guitarist Richie Sambora abruptly left the band after 30 years. His exit blindsided the hitmaker, with this and the ensuing row with his record label left Jon at his lowest ebb. He told The Mirror: 'It was a very, very difficult time that I haven't fully rebounded from yet but my wife has been phenomenal. Without her, I am not sure how I would have coped.' The star has also previously revealed he suffered a breakdown in 1991, after being left exhausted the release of Bon Jovi's third album Slippery When Wet, and back-to-back touring. While seeking help from a psychologist, he contemplated suicide by jumping out of a moving car. He added: 'I am not ready to share it in full but it was not pretty. But I am working towards it. It was similar to that period in retrospect. 'I found acting at that time which gave me a release. There was no release this time around but there were just as much difficulties.' Rock star Jon, whose full name is John Francis Bongiovi Jr, has dabbled in acting but is best known as the founder and frontman of his band Bon Jovi. He formed the band in 1983 with David Bryan, Tico Torres, Phil X and bassist Hugh McDonald and they went on to release a staggering 15 studio albums. Jon also made his solo debut with his 1990 album Blaze of Glory and has had array of smash hits with his band, including It's My Life and Livin' On A Prayer. His wife Dorothea works as a karate instructor in New Jersey and the pair sweetly first met when they were at school together. Despite the Bon Jovi family's struggles, they've proven to be one of the most tight-knit units in showbusiness, with Jon previously opening up about his longtime romance with his high school sweetheart in a 2020 interview. 'Having grown up together and grown together. And we really like each other. We want to hang out,' he said in People. 'I was immediately drawn to her from the minute I saw her - and that's never changed - 40 years ago.' Jon added: 'We enjoy each other and we never fell for the trappings of what celebrity can do. We've witnessed that happen over the years to people that were close to us and people that we knew from afar.' The family lived in New Jersey for many years before moving to a lavish mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, until they sold the $20million property in August 2020. On the same day, he purchased a new seaside mansion in Palm Beach for $43million, according to reports at the time. Jon is believed to be a big fan of the South Florida area and is often seen spending time at the coastal resort with friends, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. Jon and his wife also run the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which aims to end hunger and homelessness through their pay-what-you-can Soul Kitchen restaurants and food bank. Praised: Jon has previously credited his wife for supporting him, after he battled with his mental health following Richie Sambora's departure from Bon Jovi in 2013 Millie and Jake revealed their engagement on April 11, writing on Instagram: 'I've loved you three summers now, honey, I want 'em all'. While Jake also shared an announcement post to his own page, simply writing 'forever' alongside two snaps of the couple. Celebrating the joyous news, the smitten couple took part in a beachy photoshoot - with Millie dressed in a crochet dress while Jake donned a cream polo shirt. The announcement confirms some speculation that has been circulating on social media over recent weeks, after she flashed a glimpse at the ring in a recent post. Posing behind the wheel of a convertible car in a picture last month, Millie looked away from the camera and lifted her hand in the air, showing the prominent diamond ring on her finger. While she also sparked rumours in August when she was seen wearing a gold diamond ring on her wedding finger during a PDA-packed outing. Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham looked as loved-up as ever as they packed on the PDA in new snaps from their recent Tokyo trip on Wednesday. The actress and model, 28, and the aspiring chef, 24, couldn't resist a kiss as they posed for snaps in their matching pink outfits. It comes after Brooklyn's mother Victoria, 48, and Nicola enjoyed a catch up over Easter after quashing their rumoured rift. The pair spent last Sunday at the 76 million Peltz family manor in Palm Beach, Florida, with the Beckham brood popping over for an Easter egg hunt. It was said to be a 'peace summit' for the families, who have been plagued with rumours of a fall out ever since Nicola tied the knot with Brooklyn last year. Sweet: Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham looked as loved-up as ever as they packed on the PDA in new snaps from their recent Tokyo trip on Wednesday Love: The actress and model, 28, and the aspiring chef, 24, couldn't resist a kiss as they posed for snaps in their matching pink outfits In the Tokyo snaps they kissed each other and were wearing matching light pink jumpers with jeans. Another saw them beaming for the camera as they walked around the city taking in the sights. Elsewhere Nicola posed with her photographer pal Andie Jane while wearing a black and white fur coat and pretty bright ribbons in her hair. Another shot saw her in the trendy outfit complete with a black corset as she worked her best angles for the camera in a room full of mirrors. The rest of the Instagram album captioned 'more tokyo' also showed off the scenery of the beautiful city. It comes after Victoria and Nicola's 'peace summit' over Easter. While Victoria and Nicola have been at the centre of the drama, they seemed to be in good spirits as they caught up on Sunday - although Victoria seemed to be feeling rather fatigued from the weekend's activities and failed to hold in a yawn. The cold war began when Victoria and Nicola clashed over her wedding dress and the Transformers star accused her new mother-in-law of stealing the limelight at her wedding. Glam: Elsewhere Nicola posed with her photographer pal Andie Jane while wearing a black and white fur coat and pretty bright ribbons in her hair Stunning: Another shot saw her in the trendy outfit complete with a black corset as she worked her best angles for the camera in a room full of mirrors Stunning: She showed off her flawless complexion in another image where she posed in blue light Close: She and Andie posed for another snap together where she wore stylish dark sunglasses and toted a pink bag The Beckhams refused to pay for Brooklyn's US green card, a source claims, and, most recently, the one-time Spice Girl snubbed her son and daughter-in-law for her new Paris Fashion Week show, says another family insider. Though the newlywed chef and Transformers actress are happy and fawning over each other, trouble had reportedly been brewing between their two houses for some time. A source who knows Nicola well said the drama began around her and Brooklyn's Palm Beach, Florida, wedding and only escalated. As a celebrity designer, many in the fashion world assumed Victoria would be designing Nicola's wedding dress. But instead, the bride appeared on the May cover of Vogue in Valentino couture. Nicola later gave an interview insisting that ditching Victoria's offer was not designed to be a slight against her new mother-in-law. 'I was going to and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realized that her atelier couldn't do it, so then I had to pick another dress,' she told Variety last month. But one insider said Nicola 'never' intended to wear Victoria Beckham at her wedding. 'She was always just going to let her design something. But she was never going put that on her,' the source said. 'She has too many actually talented designer friends. 'It's like when you have an in-law, and they say they make the best meatballs, you hate meatballs, but you let them cook it anyway. That's exactly what happened. 'She was never, ever going to wear it.' Another source with knowledge of the dress controversy was led to believe Nicola really was considering wearing her mother-in-law's design, but was left in the lurch at the 'last minute.' 'Valentino was concerned that they didn't' have enough time to do the dress because Victoria didn't tell the Peltzes that her atelier couldn't make the dress for Nicola until the last minute,' the second source said. After the dress drama unfolded, Nicola became offended when David and Victoria's close friend Marc Anthony gave a gushing speech at her wedding all about Victoria, according to one insider. 'It was totally just an ode to Victoria and how awesome she is. Nicola loves to be the center of attention, especially on her wedding day. So this really, really p***ed her off,' the source said. 'She stormed off in the middle of her wedding reception with [sister] Brittany and her mom, and was crying her eyes out.' With the dust apparently settled on Sunday, Beckham daughter Harper, 11, gleefully ran around the grounds collecting chocolate treats, while the other members of the family were seen out enjoying the sunshine and bonding together. The Beckham/Peltz reunion culminated in an Easter dinner at the Peltz mansion, which was described as a 'peace summit'. In the year since aspiring chef Brooklyn and his heiress wife's lavish nuptials, the family has been plagued with rumours of a fallout between the latter and mother-in-law Victoria. According to The Sun, they decided to throw a big family Easter to welcome back Brooklyn and Nicola returning from their trip to Tokyo for the holiday. Location: The rest of the Instagram album captioned 'more tokyo' also showed off the scenery of the beautiful city Figure: She flashed her toned abs in another shot where Brooklyn stood behind her holding a wine glass Mended relations: It comes after Brooklyn's mother Victoria, 48, and Nicola enjoyed a catch up over Easter after quashing their rumoured rift An insider told the publication: 'The couple have spent the last few days in Tokyo but wanted to gather both families in Palm Beach for a low-key Easter Sunday dinner to commemorate their first year as a married couple.' Victoria and David have been spending time in the US over recent weeks, joined by their two youngest children. And with their eldest son based so near, the celebration appears to have worked out perfect for the clan. They last reunited in March for Victoria's catwalk show during the city's Fashion Week, which also coincided with Brooklyn's birthday later that week. Nick Cannon has been accused of harassing Taylor Swift after he publicly announced he'd love to have his 13th child with her. Cannon, 42, who shares 12 children with six different women, appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Monday, when he was asked which celebrities he would father a child with. As Swift - who recently broke up with her boyfriend of six years Joe Alwyn - was mentioned, he said: 'Absolutely. I'm in. Let's go.' While the comments were laughed off on the radio show, shocked listeners took to Twitter to claim it was an example of misogyny and accused Cannon of reducing women to being 'objects' that could bear his children. One fan shared: 'Isnt this harassment?? F**k nick cannon. this is do rude & unprovoked. Taylor swift is larger than the world rn & he wants to take that away from her thru reproductive violence like all men who want their women to sit at home & care for babies when theyre at the peak of success [sic].' Not impressed: Nick Cannon has been accused of harassing Taylor Swift after he publicly announced he'd love to have his 13th child with her Others added: 'Imagine if he'd said that The Rock can now carry his baby, or Jason Momoa. He wouldn't, right? Even if they could carry babies. And it's because a man won't violate another man's bodily autonomy without expecting a fight. But a woman? Available to every man, right? No consent?'; 'Taylor Swift has been single for one day (publicly) and already s****y men are seeing her as an available womb. That's what we're talking about when we we're talking about reflexive straight cis male misogyny.'; 'nick cannon needs to leave Taylor swift alone and schedule a neutering'; 'Its troubling that both Nick Cannon and Kanye West have publicly implied sex with Taylor Swift and her consent is not part of the conversation and no one has called them on it'; 'nick cannon saying he wants to have his 13th child with taylor swift was NOT on my 2023 bingo card'; This Nick Cannon/Taylor Swift s**t is really really gross.'; To say hed be open to having a CHILD. Bro, she didnt even say she wanted one, let alone with you. The f**k? 'Hes open to having his 13th child with Taylor Swift As if he is the only person with a say in the matter and as if she is available to him.'; 'Nick Cannon is beyond gross'; 'Idc if Nick Cannon was joking about he say about Taylor Swift, the fact he only see women as objects to bear his children is very weird behavior [sic].' MailOnline has contacted Cannon's representatives for comment. During his radio appearance, Cannon was asked if he was done having kids, to which he replied: 'Every time I answer this question I can never answer it correctly because I don't know.' He added one time he said he would, 'leave it in God's hands' which angered many religious people. Picked: When Cannon, 42, who shares 12 children with six different women, was asked which celebrities he would father a child with, he opted for Taylor (pictured last month) Shocking: While the comments were laughed off on the radio show, shocked listeners took to Twitter to claim it was an example of misogyny When talk turned to celebrity baby mamas and Swift, he quipped: 'That's the one. That... I'm all in,' as Stern's co-host Robin Quivers asked Cannon what it was about Swift that made him say that. 'First of all, she's an amazing songwriter and what I do love about Taylor Swift is the fact that she has been so open and vulnerable with all of her music since she was a young girl,' Cannon said. He added, 'And, she's kinda like me. Me and Taylor's numbers are very similar when we're talking about being out here in these streets.' 'I think she would relate to me very well, based off of like... yo, you've dated a lot of people in the public eye, so have I, so we probably would really understand each other,' Cannon added. Stern mentioned that it's been reported that she broke up with Alwyn, and Cannon added, 'You know that I know that, Howard. You know my Spidey senses was tingling.' Stern added he would love it if he had a baby with Taylor Swift, adding he thinks it would be 'fantastic.' 'Me too. I think that would be amazing,' Cannon admitted. Back in 2016, Cannon was asked about Swift's feud with Kim Kardashian, and he said, 'I'm gonna go with Taylor, all day. That's an easy one.' Cannon shares 11-year-old fraternal twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey, who he was married to from 2008 to 2014. He shares son Golden Sagon, 6, daughter Powerful Queen, 2, and son Rise Messiah, 6 months, with Brittany Bell. He also shares twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, 21 months, and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin, 4 months, with Abby de la Rosa. It's over: Swift has been in the headlines amid reports that she recently broke up with her boyfriend of six years Joe Alwyn (pictured in 2020) Cannon also shares son Legendary Love, 9 months, with Bre Tiesi, daughter Onyx Ice, 6 months, with LaNisha Cole and daughter Halo Marie, 3 months, with Alyssa Scott. His son Zen with Alyssa Scott, Zen, passed away in December 2021 at just five months of age from a brain tumor. Cannon recently clarified statements that he's a 'provider' to his six baby mamas by admitting that he actually doesn't give any of them a 'monthly allowance' or 'set amount' of money for the children they share. 'I don't give myself that [guideline]. What they need, they get it. There's never been something that one of the mothers of my children has asked for and they didn't receive,' he clarified. Andrew Garfield was recently dogged by claims that he launched into a furious rant at a group of onlookers who were watching him film his new movie. The former Spider-Man actor, 39, who is currently shooting a rom-com with actress Florence Pugh, called We Live In Time in south-west London, apparently had a cross word or two with onlookers who were 'distracting' his film shoot. It's certainly not the first time Andrew has lost his cool with his fans - he's got quite the track record of lying about his identity when approached by devotees. Having been called 'rude asf' by a DoorDash delivery driver last year, Andrew even admitted the story was true but insisted he doesn't 'like' upsetting people. Back in 2018, the Hollywood star was caught on video getting impatient with an admirer, who had enthusiastically thrusted forward a poster for him to sign. So, following Andrew's most recent sharp encounter with the public, MailOnline takes a deep dive into all the times he's flipped out before. Spider-MAD! After Andrew Garfield 'launched a furious rant at fans watching his latest film shoot', MailOnline looks back at all the times he got sassy with his admirers in the past (pictured in 2021) He ruins photographers' shots by holding up signs Back in 2012, Andrew had been enjoying a lunch date with his then-girlfriend Emma Stone when they realised paparazzi were nearby. Upon departing a New York City restaurant, the pair covered their faces with brown paper bags, which they had folded and written on. But, it turned out, the placards had been displaying web addresses for charitable causes. Emma's sign read: 'We just found out that there are paparazzi outside the restaurant we were eating in. So... why not take this.' Andrew's continued, 'Opportunity to bring attention to organisations that need and deserve it? www.wwo.org. www.gildasclubnyc.org. Have a great day!' Spoil sport: Back in 2012, Andrew had been enjoying a lunch date with his then-girlfriend Emma Stone when they realised paparazzi were nearby He was called 'rude asf' by a DoorDash delivery driver In January 2021, Andrew had a very frosty exchange with a DoorDash delivery driver when the courier asked him for ID. Twitter user @DrnBerry wrote on the platform: 'I just delivered food to that n***a that played Spider-Man in 2014. Andrew Garfield. Bra rude asf.' When another asked, 'How was he rude? So he's in Spider-Man 3 then?' the driver went into further detail. He explained, 'It was cool but I asked for his id it's protocol if we deliver liquor we have to scan. He kinda got agitated I brushed it off. Then I thought about I was like "damn" that's da n***a that dropped Gwen.' Confirming the story was true, Andrew told his own side when he appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast the following year. He said: 'This is my first night in Atlanta, and I'm with two of my best friends. 'I ordered takeout for us, and COVID is high, and I order food. It's literally my first night there, and it's great. I get to wear a mask everywhere. I get to wear a hat. 'Nobody's ever going to know I'm here, and I'm going to really be low-key and whatnot. So the guy comes to the door, the delivery guy - sweet seeming guy, nice seeming dude - and I open the door, I've got my mask on, my hat, and I'm like, "Thanks, man." 'He's like, "I need to see your ID." And I'm like, "No delivery food thing has ever asked me for my ID. This is interesting." 'And by the way, he's like, kind of like really close to the door, and at this point, I'm super like, I've got to go to set tomorrow. I don't want to risk shutting down a Marvel set in the middle of a pandemic. 'So I'm just like, "Sure, just one second. Would you mind just like stepping a few feet back because of COVID and everything," and he does. I'm like, "Sorry, man, why do you need my ID?" "So I can check that it's you.'' 'First of all, my DoorDash account is not my name. And he's like, "Yeah, because you got alcohol." And I'm like, "No, I didn't get alcohol. I didn't get any alcohol, man. I got some tacos." 'Lo and behold the guy goes, "I think I just delivered food to Andrew Garfield," and I think he called me rude, which I definitely wasn't. 'I did ask to do social distancing, but I obviously upset the man and I didn't mean to and I apologise for anything that may have been misconstrued as being rude. I don't like upsetting people, but it just became this whole thing, and then I think he got in trouble. I don't know, whatever. 'But wherever you are, I know what you were up to. You were being sneaky, and you gave me a good challenge that night.' Awkward! In January 2021, Andrew had a very frosty exchange with a DoorDash delivery driver when the courier asked him for ID (stock image) Spilling the beans: Twitter user @DrnBerry wrote on the platform: 'I just delivered food to that n***a that played Spider-Man in 2014. Andrew Garfield. Bra rude asf' He lies about his identity when approached by fans Andrew once boasted that he denies he's the famous actor when fans approach him in public. He told Dakota Johnson in a discussion for Vanity Fair: 'Someone will say, "Hey, are you the guy from the thing?" Im like, "No, I look like him," and then we can have an actual conversation, but then sometimes Im very just like, Yeah. I am and Im going to disappoint you now. You know what I mean?' When asked why he feels like he would disappoint them, Andrew reflected on meeting his idol Tom Hanks, where he realised the movie icon is 'just a person'. He continued: 'Its more that I give myself permission to be ordinary, to be a person. 'A lot of the time, it does do that. If someones open to me being a person, we have a lovely conversation, but then there are some people that dont want that. They want the Mickey Mouse. Yeah, exactly or they want you to be tied up to a thing and thats an unfair position for you to be put in.' Cracking a smile: Andrew once boasted that he denies he's the famous actor when fans approach him in public (pictured in 2014) He flipped out at a fan who asked him to sign a poster The Los Angeles-native lost his temper after the preview night of his play, Angels in America, in New York City. A flurry of fans had been waiting outside the Neil Simon Theatre in 2018 when one eagerly held out a programme in hope that Andrew wouldn't miss him out. But the star of the production flipped out, refusing to sign the booklet while lecturing him on the rules he must abide by. He said, 'No, no, no, that's not the way it works. That's not the way it works. You know the way it works. Do you know the way it works 'No, you don't do that, these people are here. I just signed yours already, I saw it over there. The way it works is you don't put things in front of other people's faces.' Fuming: The Los Angeles-native lost his temper after the preview night of his play, Angels in America, in New York City Uh-oh: A flurry of fans had been waiting outside the Neil Simon Theatre in 2018 when one eagerly held out a programme in hope that Andrew wouldn't miss him out Andrew Garfield 'launches furious rant at "distracting and disrespectful" residents watching him shoot new movie in London from their OWN windows' Andrew Garfield has been dogged by claims that he launched into a furious rant at a group of onlookers who were watching him film his new movie. Andrew, 39, who is currently shooting a rom-com with actress Florence Pugh called We Live In Time in south-west London, has apparently had a cross word or two with onlookers who were 'distracting' his film shoot. English-American actor Andrew is the latest luvvie to kick off amid an ongoing row about theatre-goers singing during performances, which thespians have insisted is disrespectful to the work they have put into the show. Andrew was spotted shooting one scene outside of a row of flats, when residents noticed what was going on outside and came to the window to watch. Oh no! Andrew Garfield has been dogged by claims that he launched into a furious rant at a group of onlookers who were watching him film his new movie The onlookers have claimed that Andrew 'motioned at them to open the window' before yelling at them for 'distracting' him while he worked. A source wrote into gossip site Deux Moi, saying: 'Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh currently filming a new movie in London. 'On Monday AG was filming in a scene right outside his flat (S London). My bf and flatmates were looking through their second story and AG saw them watching. 'Then AG cut the scene, motioned for them to open the window and started yelling a them, saying how disrespectful it was for them to be distracting him by looking out of their own living room window??' A video with no sound was also included in the post, which showed Andrew approaching the flat window mentioned in the message. The same day [Monday April 3] Andrew was spotted by the Deux Moi source, he was pictured on set in London with Florence, 27. In the photographs, the pair were seen enjoying a coffee before heading to a small farmer's market where they picked out some fruit and veg. The film's plot has been closely guarded but is being described as a 'funny, deeply moving and immersive love story'. Claims: Andrew was spotted shooting one scene outside of a row of flats, when residents noticed what was going on outside and came to the window to watch MailOnline have reached out to representatives for comment. Last month, it was reported that Florence and Andrew were set to co-star in a new romantic film together. The Don't Worry Darling actress and Andrew - who presented together at the Oscars - were in negotiations on the project. Florence recently confirmed on the Jimmy Fallon Show: 'We are doing a movie together don't worry that's not a lie. We are doing a movie together. 'I met him the day before in rehearsals and we instantly got along and I was taking the p*ss out of him and he loved it and he was taking the p*ss out of me and I loved it. It was great!' John Crowley will direct the film from a script by Nick Payne, according to Deadline. Florence recently confirmed on the Jimmy Fallon Show: 'We are doing a movie together don't worry that's not a lie. We are doing a movie together' (pictured) Luisa Zissman displayed her washboard abs as she posed on a horse wearing a bikini while holidaying in Thailand on Wednesday. The former Apprentice contestant, 35, previously caused controversy when she revealed she had her beloved pet horse Madrono stuffed. In the new snap, Luisa donned a blue bikini for the snap and looked relaxed as she enjoyed the sun-soaked surroundings. Luisa looked glowing and showcased her slender arms in the swimwear, writing on Instagram: 'Happiest when...' The star, who is a horse lover, has white stallion Madrono on display in her living room window after the animal died in 2019 and was stuffed in 2022. Animal lover: Luisa Zissman displayed her washboard abs as she posed on a horse wearing a bikini while holidaying in Thailand on Wednesday Smiles: Her dark blonde tresses flowed free and she opted for a large pair of black sunglasses as she cooled off in the water Happy: Luisa looked glowing and showcased her slender arms in the swimwear, writing on Instagram: 'Happiest when...' Luisa, who is a mother-of-one, opted to keep the animal in her life by undergoing the process with skilled taxidermist Simon Wilson over a two-month period. The move, which was delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, proved to be divisive among social media followers, with some branding her 'creepy' for wanting a constant reminder of its death. Appearing on Good Morning Britain in 2021, shortly after Wilson reunited Luisa with her horse, she admitted it was impossible to say goodbye to Madrono. She explained: 'I suppose everyone deals with grief in different ways. He's so majestic and so beautiful so I didn't want to let go of him... 'When I knew Madrono had to be put to sleep I went to Simon and said I couldn't bear to not see him again. 'I couldn't describe it, I just wanted him with me forever.' Recalling how she felt after seeing him stuffed for the first time, she said: 'It made me really happy! 'Like you said he's a work of art, he's a sculpture. For me I just wanted him to live forever I guess and be this amazing piece of art, this sculpture, I was so privileged to own him.' She added: 'I was pretty grief stricken, I had quite a hard time after Madrono died, some people might find that strange but we're a nation of animal lovers so I hope some people with understand.' Since Madrono's death, the animal lover has acquired four more horses. Elsewhere, on Luisa's break in Thailand, she continued to fault her stunning figure as she took to Instagram on Easter Monday. The star displayed the fruits of her labour while posing in a pink bandeau for a stunning selfie. She ran a hand through her dark blonde tresses and framed her face with a pair of oversized black sunglasses. In her caption, the Celebrity Big Brother star wrote: 'Happy Monday. How are you spending yours?' Luisa slipped into a yellow bikini as she visited a farm yard during her sun-soaked Thailand getaway on Saturday. Woah! Elsewhere, on Luisa's break in Thailand, she exhibited her washboard abs as she took to Instagram on Easter Monday Having fun: In her caption, the Celebrity Big Brother star wrote: 'Happy Monday. How are you spending yours? ' She looked sensational in the skimpy two piece as she posed for a slew of fun snaps with a drove of pigs. The swimsuit boasted a bandeau top and high-cut bottoms and perfectly showcased her svelte figure. Shielding her eyes behind oversized shades, Luisa wore her caramel tresses -ironically- in pigtails as she got down and dirty in the mud. Writing: 'There is a reason the expression 'as happy as a pig in s***' exists'. 'Today, I experienced the expression in real life & I can confirm when rolling around with with these guys I really was as happy as a pig in s***'. Excursion: Luisa slipped into a yellow bikini as she visited a farm yard during her sun-soaked Thailand getaway on Saturday Millie Bobby Brown is engaged to her boyfriend Jake Bongiovi after almost two years together. The Stranger Things actress, 19, shared the news on Instagram as she showed off her glimmering diamond ring while the actor, 20, wrapped his arms around her. Millie is the third of four children to estate agent turned film producer Robert and his wife Kelly Brown, she has an older sister Paige, 30, brother Charlie, 25, and younger sister Ava, 11. Meanwhile, Jake is the son of rock star Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley, he has three siblings, sister Stephanie, 29, and brothers Jesse, 28, and Romeo, 19. Here, MailOnline takes a look at the newly engaged couple's siblings - from Millie's film producer sister and brother to Jake's wine merchant brother. Congratulations! Millie Bobby Brown is engaged to her boyfriend Jake Bongiovi after almost two years together Millie is the third of four children to Robert and Kelly Brown. She has an older sister Paige, 30, brother Charlie, 25, and younger sister Ava, 11 (L-R Millie, Ava, Paige and Charlie) Jake is the son of rock star Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley. He has three siblings, sister Stephanie, 29, and brother's Jesse, 28, and Romeo, 19 (L-R Jesse, Jake, Dorothea, Stephanie and Jon, pictured in 2019) Millie's siblings: Paige, Charlie and Ava Millie was born to British parents Robert and Kelly Brown in Marbella, Spain, on February 19, 2004, and has three siblings - two older and one younger. She has an older sister Paige, 30, who works as a producer, brother Charlie, 25, who is a photographer, and a younger sister Ava, 11. The actress shares a close bond with her brother and sisters, often sharing snaps of them on social media. The family first moved to Florida before relocating to Hollywood to help kickstart Millie's acting career. Her dad became a producer and Paige followed in his footsteps. The duo work for Millie's company PCMA Productions, with her brother Charlie often helping out behind the scenes. The company has produced both Enola Holmes films as well as new fantasy film Damsel, that is set for release later this year. They are also working on a thriller named The Girls I've Been and Netflix film A Time Lost. Speaking in 2019, about the original story, A Time Lost, created by herself and Paige - Millie revealed her sister is also executive producer alongside their dad Robert. Millie's sister Paige, works as a producer, while her brother is a photographer (L-R Millie, Ava, Paige and Charlie) The star's sister Paige and her dad Robert work for her company PCMA Productions, with her brother Charlie often helping out behind the scenes (pictured in 2018) The company has produced both Enola Holmes films as well as new fantasy film Damsel, that is set for release later this year (pictured in October 2018) Speaking about Enola Holmes, Millie said: 'My older sister and I have collaborated on this project and made sure it came to light in the most authentic and British way as possible' In an interview with The Mirror, Millie added of her siblings: 'To have them on set was just this comfort blanket' (pictured with Ava) In a statement, they said: 'We are so grateful to Netflix for their confidence in us and this beautiful story, which we have spent years writing and developing. 'Its about friendship, family and overcoming obstacles when it feels like the world is pushing you down. Its been a labour of love, literally.' The film is set to follow two feuding families whose arguments with one another are put to one side when one of their teenage daughters is diagnosed with cancer. As of now, no actors have been announced to join the cast, but Anna Klassen is set to adapt the story for the big screen. Last year, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Millie discussed her film, Enola Holmes 2, in which she portrays the title character again while also serving as a producer along with her older sister Paige. 'This is something that I have been wanting to do since I was little. I mean, 13, 14, I read the book series and I went to my dad and I said I wanted to make it,' she said. 'My older sister and I have collaborated on this project and made sure it came to light in the most authentic and British way as possible. 'And, you know, I never had, growing up, a female British lead to look up to and Enola is that for me and it's been an amazing experience creating it.' The Netlix films starring Millie as the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes are based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries young adult detective novels by American author Nancy Springer, 74. British actor Henry Cavill, 39, portrays Sherlock Holmes in the Enola Holmes movies. In an interview with The Mirror, Millie added of her siblings: 'They are incredibly creative people. And to be able to be a part of that journey with them it was the best love and support anyone could ever have. 'To have them on set was just this comfort blanket, but also a certain level of respect that I had never really known that I had. 'My brother's very professional and I was always kind of like, "Lets have lunch together", which was really sweet.' Jake's siblings: Stephanie, Jesse and Romeo Jake was born to celebrity parents Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley on May 7, 2002. The high school sweethearts, who got married at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in 1989, also have three other children - Stephanie, 29, Jesse, 28, and Romeo, 19. Despite their dad's enormous fame, Dorothea told PEOPLE in 2016 that they try to keep their children out of the spotlight. 'We never really drag the kids to things. I never pointed at the TV and said, "Theres Daddy!" We try hard just to give our kids a normal life,' she explained. Jake's older sister Stephanie was born on May 31, 1993, in New Jersey, with his dad even penning a song, I've Got the Girl, after her. In 2012, Stephanie, who was 19 at the time, was hospitalised after taking opioids. Speaking about the ordeal in a 2013 interview, Jon told The Mirror: 'It was horrible, a horrible moment. It was my worst moment as a father. 'She was by no means sticking needles in her arms. But there's a lot of synthetic stuff in the world and a lot of temptation and access and pressures that just a generation ago you and I didn't know about... 'I feel it was a terrible tragic lesson of life but I thank God every day because she is whole. It happened and it has gone. I know personally people whose sons and daughters, where it was a lot, lot worse. That could have been Stephanie.' She now works as a camera operator and often makes red carpet appearances with her dad. Meanwhile, Jesse was born on February 19, 1995, in Los Angeles, and later studied political science and government at the University of Notre Dame. In 2018, he went on to create a wine brand with his dad, named Hampton Water. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia during a virtual Q&A in Sydney last year, Jon spoked of their family business. '[We thought] if we were going to do this, we were going to make sure we did it right,' he explained. 'There's no family name on the label, there's nothing to do with any song titles on the label because we needed to respect the profession, if we were going to do this we had to take it seriously. 'We worked very hard every day to garner the respect of the industry and to learn and that's all we're doing. So the last thing we are going to do is be a celebrity brand. It's a family business.' The wine-making has been somewhat of a father-son bonding experience for the pair, who also spoke to DailyMail.com about the venture in June 2019. Jesse gushed over working with his father, saying: 'It's been an amazing experience working with my dad. 'It's hard to say what the best part is, but one of my favourite things is just being able to bounce ideas off of him. He has a wealth of knowledge, and he is a great marketer. I love going to him with an idea and getting his feedback.' He continued: 'He intuitively just knows the right way to slightly tweak something to make it genius. I learn from him every single day.' 'I am glad I pursued rose instead of singing, but you are too, ha, trust me I did not inherit the singing gene,' joked Jesse. Last year, the business owner became engaged to his girlfriend of four years, Jesse Light. Jake is the son of rock star Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley. He has three siblings, sister Stephanie, 29, and brother's Jesse, 28, and Romeo, 19 (pictured in 2011) Despite their dad's enormous fame, Dorothea told PEOPLE in 2016 that they try to keep their children out of the spotlight (pictured in November 2013) In 2012, Stephanie, who was 19 at the time, was hospitalised after taking opioids. She is now a camera operator (pictured with her parents in 2015) Jesse he went on to create a wine brand with his dad, named Hampton Water He became engaged to girlfriend Jesse Light in August 2022,after dating for four years The youngest Bongiovi sibling, Romeo, was born in New Jersey on March 29, 2004, and is the most private, having no social media (pictured with his mum in 2022) Jesse got down on one knee in August in East Hampton with his rocker dad in attendance, according to Page Six. Following the special moment, the group headed to Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York, which is where the lovebirds first met in 2018 on Labor Day. Finally, the youngest Bongiovi sibling, Romeo, was born in New Jersey on March 29, 2004, and is the most private, having no social media. According to reports, he attends school in Manhattan. Jon posted a sweet birthday tribute to him last year. As Romeo rang in his 17th birthday, the rocker penned: 'Happy 17th birthday Romeo!!! Love, Mom and Dad.' Sarah Paulson has revealed that she helped out pal Pedro Pascal in the early days of his career by giving him wages from her acting jobs to help him afford food. The actress, 48, has been pals with The Last Of Us star for 30 years now, after meeting at the beginning of their careers in 1993. She had a slew of TV appearances in the early 2000s, before catapulting to fame with the American Horror Story franchise in 2012. While Pedro, who is now worth an estimated $10M, became a Hollywood sensation more recently, following break out roles in Game Of Thrones and Narcos. Explaining that she wanted her pal to succeed, Sarah shared to Esquire in a recent interview that she would give him the cash to 'feed himself' before the days of fame. Sarah Paulson reveals that she gave wages from her acting jobs to Pedro Pascal so he could 'feed himself' at the start of his career - with the actor now worth $10M Fame: She had a slew of TV appearances in the early 2000s, before catapulting to fame with the American Horror Story franchise in 2012 She said in the interview: 'Hes talked about this publicly, but there were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself. Continuing to share her joy that her friend has become a household name, Sarah said: 'Hes a part of some spectacularly successful things. But sometimes in those situations, the show is the superstar. Its really exciting to see that he is the thing that is becoming the superstar out of this.' Sarah and Pedro met when the latter moved to New York to study at the Tisch School of the Arts, both hoping to make it big in Hollywood. While the actress was booking bigger gigs such as American Gothic and Jack & Jill in the early 2000, Pedro was making smaller cameos on screen, But with a combined net worth of $22 million now, the two actors have certainly dominated the screens since - with Sarah's risk paying off. The actress went on to share her view that Pedro could go on to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, adding: 'Everybody wants a piece of him ...You just want him to succeed. And that to me, I feel like, is the sign of a major movie star. She even shared her hopes that he take on the leading male role in many romantic comedies, suggesting remake of Die Hard with Pedro at the helm. Long-time friends: The actress has been pals with The Last Of Us star for 30 years now, after meeting at the beginning of their careers in 1993 Pedro and Sarah have often shown support to one another over the years, with the latter appearing on Saturday Night Live recently to support Pedro during his guest hosting stint. Hollywood sensation Pedro also recently spoke about finding fame later in life, describing the struggles he endured early in his career and admitting he was 'getting my ass f***ing kicked' as he pursued acting. Despite often getting passed up for roles he was close to landing, he received good feedback from casting directors which ultimately persuaded his representatives to continue working with him. 'I guess that, and this delusional self-determination, and no real skill at anything else, is what kept me going,' he said to Esquire. Early in his career, he thought it would all be 'over' if he didn't achieve major success by the time he was 29. 'I died so many deaths. My vision of it was that if I didnt have some major exposure by the time I was twenty-nine years old, it was over, so I was constantly readjusting what it meant to commit my life to this profession, and giving up the idea of it looking like I thought it would when I was a kid. 'There were so many good reasons to let that delusion go.' A1 star Christian Ingebrigtsen announced on Tuesday he has become a father aged 46. The 90s pop star, whose partner Martine gave birth to a baby girl, took to Instagram to share the news and posted a sweet snap of their new arrival. He wrote: '01:36 this morning we became parents to the most beautiful little girl. 'All is well with the three of us, and we feel so blessed and happy.' His friend and A1 bandmate Mark Read took to social media to congratulate him, posting a picture of him and Martine and writing: 'Congrats!' New arrival: A1 star Christian Ingebrigtsen celebrated becoming a father at 46 on Tuesday after his partner Martine (pictured together) had a baby girl Congrats! The 90s pop star, whose partner Martine gave birth to a baby girl, took to Instagram to share the news and posted a sweet snap of their new arrival Sweet: Christian wrote on Instagram: '01:36 this morning we became parents to the most beautiful little girl. 'All is well with the three of us, and we feel so blessed and happy' Elsewhere, the group's page also had a message on it, which read: 'Congratulations @christian_ingebrigsten and @mdoenheim.' Social media was ablaze with well wishes for Christian and Martine, with fans surprised by the news as the couple had not announced they were expecting a baby. Christian rose to fame after boyband A1 was formed in 1998 with Christian, Mark, Paul Marazzi and Ben Adams. They reached the top of the charts a number of times around Europe and hit the top spot in the UK twice in 2000 with singles Take On Me and Same Old Brand New You. The group released three albums in their heyday - 1999's Here We Come, 2000's The A List and 2002's Make It Good. In 2002 Paul left the band for personal reasons and they decided to split before going on to have solo careers. They later reunited as a trio without Paul, releasing albums Waiting for Daylight in 2010 and Rediscovered in 2012. They then went on to take part in ITV2 show The Big Reunion without Paul. Pop stars: Christian rose to fame after boyband A1 was formed in 1998 (L-R Mark, Paul Marazzi, Ben Adams and Christian pictured) A1 and the other bands from the programme Blue, Five, Damage, 3T, 911 and a new band called 5th Story toured together in October 2014. They went on to stage their own reunion gig in Singapore in 2016 before performing in Manila and Cebu that same year. Paul rejoined the band, with Ben announcing the band would be going on a 20th Anniversary celebration tour in 2018. Hollywood actress Alyssa Milano will make her first trip to Australia in June when she attends Supanova Convention & Gaming expo in Sydney and Perth. The 50-year-old Charmed star will participate in a Q&A panel and meet and greet during the eventful weekend in both cities. However, die-hard followers wanting to meet the iconic actress face-to-face must be prepared to fork out a hefty sum. A single photo with Milano will set fans back a cool $100, while those seeking her autograph will need to cough up an additional $60. Milano won't be the only celebrity gracing the convention. The Iconic Series, Charmed is available now only on Stan. Hollywood actress Alyssa Milano, 50, (pictured) will make her first trip to Australia in June when she attends Supanova Convention & Gaming expo in Sydney and Perth The Charmed star will participate in a Q&A panel and meet and greet during the eventful weekend in both cities. Pictured: Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs and Shannen Doherty Supanova attendees can also look forward to appearances from Teen Wolf's Tyler Hoechlin, Superman's Elizabeth Tulloch, and Doctor Who star Michelle Gomez. More information about guest panels and photo sessions will be revealed closer to the event. Milano is best known for her starring role as Phoebe Halliwell on the hit series Charmed. A single photo with Milano will set fans back a cool $100, while those seeking her autograph will need to cough up an additional $60 Supanova attendees can also look forward to appearances from Teen Wolf's Tyler Hoechlin, and Superman's Elizabeth Tulloch. Both pictured at the Critics Choice Awards in January Her impressive career includes roles on Melrose Place, Who's the Boss and Mistresses, as well as hosting and judging Lifetime's Project Runway All Stars. The versatile actress has also appeared in over 20 films. Milano recently took to social media to gush over a Charmed cast reunion, which she was notably absent from. She captioned the post: 'This makes me happy for the OG Charmed fans. What a gift! #90sconvention.' Charmed ran from 1998-2006 and followed the three Halliwell sisters, played by Doherty, Combs, and Milano Joe Biden was a little star-struck during his first full day touring Northern Ireland on Wednesday, after he spotted An Irish Goodbye star James Martin in the crowd. The President said he was going to go home and 'brag to my daughter' after posing for a photo with James, 31, who won Best Live Action Short at this year's Oscars. James became the first leading actor with Down Syndrome to win an Academy Award after his portrayal of Lorcan in a story about brothers reuniting after their mother's death. Joe, 80, led the applause after he pointed out James in the audience while delivering a speech at Ulster University in Belfast. Belfast-native James, who worked as a barrister in Starbucks before his big break, bowed his head in acknowledgment and later posed for a photo with Biden. 'I'm going to brag to my daughter': Joe Biden was a little star-struck during his first full day touring Northern Ireland on Wednesday, after he spotted An Irish Goodbye star James Martin Say cheese: The president said he was going to go home and 'brag to my daughter' after posing for a photo with James, 31, who won Best Live Action Short at this year's Oscars The president said: 'Today Northern Ireland is a churn of creativity, art, poetry, theatre. 'Some of our favourite television shows and movies are filmed here, as you know. 'I got to meet James, I got my picture taken, Im going to go home and brag to my daughter'. Joe is proud dad to his daughter Ashley, 41. Fans took to Twitter after the shout out. One wrote: 'Nice to see James Martin at the university to see President Bidens speech.' Another added: 'Look who is going to meet President Biden, Munch! Our big star James Martin!' A third fan chimed: 'Biden will never forget the day he met James Martin. What an absolutely brilliant photo.' Biden said the priority for his trip -- which includes three days in his ancestral homeland the Republic of Ireland -- was "to keep the peace" in Northern Ireland. Impressed: Fans took to Twitter after the shout out. One wrote: 'Nice to see James Martin at the university to see President Bidens speech' Talented: James became the first leading actor with Down Syndrome to win an Academy Award after his portrayal of Lorcan in a story about brothers reuniting Fan: Joe, 80, led the applause after he pointed out James in the audience while he delivered a speech at Ulster University in Belfast Speech: 'Some of our favourite television shows and movies are filmed here, as you know. I got to meet James, I got my picture taken, Im going to go home and brag to my daughter', he said Joe has daughter; Ashley, 41, (pictured with his family and grandchildren) Amazing: James celebrated his 31st birthday on stage at the Oscars and co-director Tom Berkeley led the glistening A-list crowd in singing Happy Birthday But senior figures in the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is under pressure to resume local power-sharing, were strikingly undiplomatic about the president. Sammy Wilson, a DUP member of the UK parliament in Westminster, branded Biden "anti-British", accusing America's second Catholic president of having "made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known". Another DUP lawmaker, Nigel Dodds, suggested any mediation efforts would prove futile. Meanwhile, James last month revealed he would be returning to his Starbucks day job after his performance in the film. He said: 'I help out with all the customers. I've been doing that a long time. It's nice.' The actor keeps himself busy, also working in local restaurant Scalini's as a chef. James celebrated his 31st birthday on stage at the Oscars and co-director Tom Berkeley led the glistening A-list crowd in singing Happy Birthday. 'This award is actually the second most important thing about today because it's James' birthday,' Tom explained. He continued: 'He's out here in Hollywood wearing a leopard-print suit jacket. We would love to use the rest of our time up here to sing to James.' Love Is Blind has given viewers its fair share of drama, break-ups and tense arguments when it returned for a fourth series earlier this month. The latest instalment of the Netflix show is set to come to an explosive end when the weddings episode airs on Friday, revealing which couples decide to say ' I do'. The cast will then reunite for a reunion episode, which, in a first for the show, will be broadcast live on Netflix, with viewers able to tune in and watch the action as it happens. In previous years, the reunion episode has been prerecorded before being aired on Netflix after the series finale, and is usually followed by more catch-up episodes called After The Altar. The live reunion will only be the second ever show Netflix has aired live, after Chris Rock's stand-up comedy special Selective Outrage was shown live on the streaming platform on March 4. Drama: Love Is Blind has given viewers its fair share of drama, gossip, break-ups and tense arguments as it returned for a fourth series earlier this month (pictured: Brett and Tiffany) Reunion: The cast will soon reunite for a reunion episode, which, in a first for the show, will be broadcast live on Netflix (pictured: Zack and Bliss) But when can you catch up with the drama and who will be returning? MailOnline shares all the details about the upcoming reunion ahead of its air date. When can you watch Love Is Blind: The Live Reunion? Love Is Blind: The Live Reunion will be available to watch on Netflix on Sunday in the United States, airing at 8pm Eastern Time (ET) or at 5pm Pacific Time (PT). Meanwhile, UK viewers eager to watch the reunion live will be able to do so at 1am British Summer Time on Monday. For any eager fans not able to watch live, the reunion episode will also be available to watch on the streaming platform after it has been broadcast. Who will be attending? All five couples from season four are set to be attending the reunion and will share the gossip about what happened on the show and reveal if they are still together now. Netflix has confirmed that Brett Brown and Tiffany Pennywell, Chelsea Griffin and Kwame Appiah, Paul Peden and Micah Lussier and Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi will all be on the show. Exes Marshall Glaze and Jackelina Bonds, who explosively broke up shortly before the weddings, will also be returning to speak about their journey on the show. It is not yet known whether Irina Solomonova will be rejoining her former castmates for the episode, after she and Zack explosively broke up during their Mexico 'honeymoon'. They're back! All five couples from season four are set to be attending the reunion episode and will share all the latest gossip on what happened on the show (pictured: Paul and Micah) Still together? It is not yet known which couples are still together, but Chelsea Griffin and Kwame Appiah will be among the people returning for the reunion Exes: Marshall Glaze and Jackelina Bonds, who explosively broke up shortly before the weddings, will also be returning to speak about their journey on the show Tense: It is not yet known whether Irina Solomonova will be rejoining her former castmates for the episode, after she and Zack explosively broke up during their Mexico 'honeymoon' On Sunday, she took to Instagram to apologize to the people she 'mistreated' on the show after fans called her out for being a 'mean girl.' 'The first thing I want to say is that I have privately apologized to the people that I have hurt and mistreated,' she told her Instagram followers. 'Second of all, I wanted to say I am so, so, so sorry for the people that watched the show that felt frustrated, angry, hurt by the way that I was mistreating people on the show. It was very immature and naive of me in a lot of those situations.' What can you expect? Netflix released a teaser trailer ahead of the show airing featuring a whole host of familiar faces along with hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey. The teaser kicked off with Brett saying: 'We have a lot to discuss,' before his former co-star Zack was seen raising a teacup, hinting at who will be 'spilling the tea'. Nick and Vanessa also teased that there 'would be no spoilers' as they revealed it will be the first ever reunion show broadcast live in Netflix's history. Live reunion: Netflix released a teaser trailer ahead of the show airing featuring a whole host of familiar faces along with hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey Gossip: The teaser kicked off with Brett saying: 'We have a lot to discuss,' before his former co-star Zack (pictured) was seen raising a teacup, hinting at who will be 'spilling the tea' Zack was then seen saying, 'anything could happen,' while Jackie added: 'Literally anything.' Host Vanessa added: 'And when it does, we will be just as shocked as you are.' 'You know the tea is going to be spilled,' Tiffany added as she threw a sugar cube into a gold teacup and saucer, hinting at the gossip to come. Irina did not feature in the teaser trailer, leaving fans questioning whether she will be returning for the show. Jamie Chung glammed up to attend the opening of immersive pop-up exhibition and shop The Grey Zone in honor of Dare In Gris Dior in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The 40-year-old SAG Award nominee took the plunge in a Dior vest and wide-leg pants, which she paired with a Dior clutch and peep-toe silver heels. Hairstylist Amaran Grewal gave a boost to Jamie's sleek middle-parted ponytail with waist-length hair extensions. Make-up artist Freddy Castro applied a hint of teal shadow to Chung's eyes, defined her brows, and put pink blush on her cheekbones. The NoCal native was thrilled to embrace Swarm star Dominique Fishback, whom she called a 'legend' over Instastory: 'Love watching you work and seeing you shine.' Glam: Jamie Chung glammed up to attend the opening of immersive pop-up exhibition and shop The Grey Zone in honor of Dare In Gris Dior in Los Angeles on Tuesday night Missing from Jamie's side was her husband of seven years - You People actor Bryan Greenberg - who threw her a 'monumental' birthday bash last weekend. Chung and the Nebraska-born 44-year-old welcomed their 17-month-old twin sons via surrogate because she was 'terrified of becoming pregnant.' 'I was terrified of putting my life on hold for two-plus years,' the My Dad the Bounty Hunter star confessed on Today on June 8. 'In my industry, it feels like you're easily forgotten if you don't work within the next month of your last job. Things are so quickly paced in what we do. So it's a compromise that we made together as a couple.' Jamie will next co-star as Katie with Bryan in his upcoming directorial debut - a drama about the opioid crisis called Junction - also starring Sophia Bush, Josh Peck, Ryan Eggold, Dascha Polanco, and Griffin Dunne. Last Sunday, Chung guest-starred as wedding planner Beth in the notorious season four episode three - titled 'Connor's Wedding' - of HBO's Succession, which killed off billionaire Waystar RoyCo founder Logan Roy (Brian Cox). Creator Jesse Armstrong's critically-acclaimed episode directed by Mark Mylod set a new record for the network by amassing 2.5M viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts, according to Deadline. The Dexter: New Blood actress is also a full-blown influencer with paid partnerships for brands like Corefoods, Trinny London, and Nick Stenson Beauty. It's hard to believe Jamie got her first big break as a reality star appearing in MTV's The Real World: San Diego back in 2004. Evergreen: The 40-year-old SAG Award nominee took the plunge in a Dior vest and wide-leg pants, which she paired with a Dior clutch and peep-toe silver heels Long hair, don't care! Hairstylist Amaran Grewal gave a boost to Jamie's sleek middle-parted ponytail with waist-length hair extensions Ready for her close-up! Make-up artist Freddy Castro applied a hint of teal shadow to Chung's eyes, defined her brows, and put pink blush on her cheekbones The NoCal native was thrilled to embrace Swarm star Dominique Fishback (R), whom she called a 'legend' over Instastory: 'Love watching you work and seeing you shine' Hubbie: Missing from Jamie's side was her husband of seven years - You People actor Bryan Greenberg (L, pictured Sunday) - who threw her a 'monumental' birthday bash last weekend 'A perfect moment with my little nuggets': Chung and the Nebraska-born 44-year-old welcomed their 17-month-old twin sons (pictured March 4) via surrogate because she was 'terrified of becoming pregnant' Coming soon! The My Dad the Bounty Hunter star will next co-star as Katie with Bryan in his directorial debut - a drama about the opioid crisis called Junction - also starring Sophia Bush, Josh Peck, Ryan Eggold, Dascha Polanco, and Griffin Dunne Vicky Pattison has revealed she does not plan on getting married or having children any time soon. The television personality, 35, is engaged to Ercan Ramadan, a former TOWIE star, who asked her to marry him last year while they holidayed in Dubai. Vicky, who is on a fertility journey to freeze her eggs, admitted that she and her beau have made no wedding plans yet and that she is not ready to be a mother. The star, who recently appeared on BBC series Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal with a host of other stars, told the Sun: 'I keep telling everyone it will be in the school holidays next year because I have a lot of friends with kids but I am no further forward. 'It is so expensive and there is so much to do I am not sure when we'll be getting married.' Not yet: Vicky Pattison has revealed she does not plan on having children or getting married any time soon. Pictured: With fiance Ercan Ramadan Journey: The star recently went on a Pilgrimage for a BBC series with a host of other stars (pictured: Nabil Abdulrashid, Bobby Seagull, Millie Knight, Shane Lynch, Rita Simons, Su Pollard and Vicky) Vicky added: 'To be honest I don't really have any [plans]. I really underestimated how much there was to do. She also opened up about ideas she has had for the decorations at her wedding. At first, she wanted a rustic theme in Italy but now wants modern decorations and candles after having a rethink. Elsewhere, Vicky suffered a setback with her fertility journey in January and has yet to have her eggs frozen due to being busy with work. The star has a cyst on her ovaries which has to be removed before she can continue with treatment. Sharing her experience with her fans, Vicky said the news left her feeling understandably emotional. She wrote at the time: 'Unfortunately yesterday didn't go as planned and I have another cyst on one of my ovaries. 'As the injections I would have to administer as part of my fertility treatment are predominantly oestrogen- rather than stimulating the ovary follicles which is what we want to happen- it would end up instead predominantly feeding the cyst and treatment would be wasted. Emotional: Vicky Pattison, 35, revealed she's been in tears at the hospital after being forced to halt her fertility treatment for health reasons - she shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday She added: 'I'm naturally a little bit disappointed and spent most of yesterday crying and just feeling super drained- it was as if someone had let all the air out of a balloon. 'But I suppose that was just all the angst and nervous energy leaving my body and making me feel like a human raisin.' She continued: 'This is pretty common and as I am beginning to learn these journeys aren't often linear and there may be plenty more ups and downs for me as I go. 'So I need to brace myself for that and be thankful that I'm in a position to have options - which I truly am. 'I want more women to know that it isn't easy for lots of us. .. and you're not alone. No matter how it may feel. 'I've made my peace with this today- I'm going back to work, I'm going to focus on other things and I will try again next month.' Loved-up: Vicky and Ercan have been together since 2019 after being introduced by friends and the pair live together in Essex A famous Shakespearian actor looked unrecognisable as he filmed a new TV series with a long grey wig on Tuesday. The 79-year-old was on the Los Angeles set of the Disney+ programme, Wonder Man, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the scene, the legendary star in question was wearing a brown jacket which he layered above green shirt, along with khaki trousers and leather shoes. Over his 57-year career, he's earned an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy and two Golden Globes and is best known for starring in Gandhi and Shutter Island. But can you guess who it is? Who could it be? A famous Shakespearian actor looked unrecognisable as he filmed a new TV series with a long grey wig on Tuesday Big reveal: It's Ben Kingsley! He was reprising his role as Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe It's Ben Kingsley! He was reprising his role as Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Trevor was a failed British actor who was hired to play a fake villain in Iron Man 3, and he returned in last year's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Emmett first appeared in 2013's Iron Man 3 and reprised the role in 2014's All Hail the King. He went on to star in 2021's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings. Marvel and Disney have finally found their Wonder Man, tapping Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for their new Wonder Man series on Disney Plus. Back in November, it was reported Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, 36, was set to play Simon Williams, the son of a wealthy industrialist who ultimately transforms himself into Wonder Man, via Screen Geek. The role will be the third comic book character Abdul-Mateen II has tackled, following his portrayal of Black Manta in 2018's Aquaman and Dr. Manhattan in the 2019 HBO series Watchmen, which he won an Emmy Award for. Wonder Man debuted in the Marvel Comics in The Avengers #9, which hit the shelves in October 1964, created by writer Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby and Don Heck. While the character appeared to be killed off in that issue, he would later be revived and become a member of The Avengers and later as a founding member of the West Coast Avengers. Talented: Emmett first appeared in 2013's Iron Man 3 and reprised the role in 2014's All Hail the King (pictured in March 2023) Simon inherited his father's munitions factory after his death though the company is ultimately decimated by Tony Stark's Stark Industries. He ultimately turns to the villainous Baron Zemo to give him superpowers to betray the Avengers... though he would go on to form the West Coast Avengers. Simon is also a successful movie star, which may very well factor into the story as well, given another cast member's involvement. There have been reports that the show will be a satire of the Hollywood movie system, though those reports are unconfirmed. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) is developing Wonder Man alongside head writer Andrew Guest (Community, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Yahya is coming off his action-thriller Ambulance with Jake Gyllenhaal, which premiered this spring. He will return as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom for Warner Bros., which is slated for release on December 25, 2023. The actor is also attached to star in the TV series Scent of Burnt Flowers and the movie Emergency Contact. Katie Holmes cut a stylish figure in a knitted gray sweater paired with graphic trousers while stepping out on Wednesday. The 44-year-old actress looked incredible as ran errands in the Soho neighborhood of New York City. Katie was seen sported stylized paint-splattered taupe bottoms, adding bold yellow kitten heels. The brunette beauty carried a black back with yellow studded details along the bottom, adding gold earrings. The mom of one styled her hair up into a chic bun with just a touch of makeup, highlighting her natural beauty. The stunner outing comes one day after she wore an interesting look to a screening of her film Rare Objects on Tuesday night in New York City. Looking good: Katie Holmes cut a stylish figure in a knitted gray sweater paired with graphic trousers while stepping out on Wednesday Stepping out: The 44-year-old actress looked incredible as ran errands in the Soho neighborhood of New York City The star chose a unique gray and cream patterned skirt that featured a hole in the center that revealed a pleated white skirt beneath. Katie paired it with a white button up shirt that she tucked into the skirt, adding a white Prada crossbody and white heels. One of her heels also appeared to have a hole in - on purpose as well for another unique touch. The beauty wore her long brunette tresses pulled back and opted for minimal makeup. Rare Objects is based on Kathleen Tessaro's novel of the same name, which was released in 2016. Although the book takes place just after the Great Depression, Holmes' movie is set in modern-day New York City. The movie is centered on a young woman who attempts to rebuild her life by working in an antique store before various figures from her past begin to resurface. In addition to directing the film, the Dawson's Creek actress co-wrote its script, served as a producer and appeared in a supporting role. Performers such as Julia Mayorga, Derek Luke and Gina Jun rounded out the movie's cast. Pretty lady: Katie was seen sported stylized paint-splattered taupe bottoms, adding bold yellow kitten heels Striking: The brunette beauty carried a black back with yellow studded details along the bottom, adding gold earrings A look: The stunner outing comes one day after she wore an interesting look to a screening of her film Rare Objects on Tuesday night in New York City Deadline previously revealed that the project was in development in June of 2021. Katie is mom to daughter Suri Cruise from her marriage with Tom Cruise. She is set to ring in Suri's 17th birthday on April 18. Katie was married to Tom from 2006 until they divorced in 2012. Myleene Klass looked sensational as she arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday to host the Classic FM concert. The television presenter and radio host, who turned 45 last week, was the picture of spring chic in a bright yellow figure-hugging maxi dress. The gorgeous number from Norma Kamali featured a low-cut neck, drawing attention to her ample assets, and stunning backless detail which led to a train behind her. Showcasing her age-defying figure, Myleene flaunted her curves and offered the cameras a sultry stare before heading into the event. The beauty accessorised with a selection of gold chains around her neck and statement gold hoop earrings. Gorgeous: Myleene Klass looked sensational as she arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday to host the Classic FM concert She styled her brunette tresses straight, allowing them to cascade past her shoulders and finished her look with a stunning palette of make up. The beauty added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of gold platform heels and made the street her sidewalk as she headed inside for hosting duties. The Classic FM concert will debut a range of live classical music, in partnership with the English National Opera for the first time. Earlier in the day, Myleene Klass was the epitome of chic as she left Classic FM in London after another day presenting. Myleene donned a sleeved floral jumpsuit from her Next range as she strolled out of the Smooth radio studios. Myleene toted a stylish leopard-print suitcase and two carrier bags as she prepared to head home. The star complemented the ensemble with a pair of cream wedge heels, adding inches to her height. Accessorising with large gold hoops, sunglasses and a number of necklaces, the beauty looked glowing as she made her way through sunny central London. Beauty: The television presenter and radio host, who turned 45 last week, was the picture of spring chic in a bright yellow figure-hugging maxi dress Figure-hugging: The gorgeous number featured a low-cut neck, drawing attention to her ample assets, and stunning backless detail which led to a train behind her Wow! Showcasing her age-defying figure, Myleene flaunted her curves and offered the cameras a sultry stare before heading into the event Her ensemble showcased her slender figure and she draped a Chanel handbag over her shoulder. It comes after it was reported that Myleene will recreate her iconic I'm A Celebrity shower scene in the All Stars spin-off show. The former pop star famously set pulses racing in 2006 by sporting a white two-piece in the outside shower and wore it last week for her birthday. Now, it has been reported that she will be revisiting the look as she joins the South Africa show as a latecomer. Speaking to The Sun, a source said: 'Myleene couldn't wait to have her moment again and bring out the white bikini. 'She knows the impact it had last time and wanted to do a cheeky nod to it. 'She's proud of her body 16 years on from the original show and wants to show women they can be body confident and strong in their 40s.' The source claimed Myleene will be launching a Next swimwear range as the show airs so that fans can recreate the iconic look. Details: She styled her brunette tresses straight, allowing them to cascade past her shoulders Pose: The beauty accessorised with a selection of gold chains around her neck and statement gold hoop earrings Big night: The beauty added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of gold platform heels and made the street her sidewalk as she headed inside for hosting duties Ready for the night: Myleene posed up a storm before heading in for the big night Myleene has become synonymous with white bikinis ever since her appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here 18 years ago. The star went for a shower in the jungle while sporting a tiny two-piece, which showcased her incredible frame. The famous tiny white bikini was auctioned for charity for 7,500 and Myleene later revealed it was a last-minute purchase. She explained she had spent just 20 on the skimpy two-piece after producers informed her the striped number she had originally packed would not look good on film. Back in 2020, she reflected on the swimwear that helped to make her a household name on I'm A Celebrity. She penned: 'It feels like I was in the jungle only yesterday! Every time I see this pic pop up, I can't believe how fate handled it all. 'I remember one of the shows producers looking at my bikinis in the hotel before I went to camp. 'One was covered in stripes. ''We'll have to stop at the shops as that's probably going to strobe on camera''. 'I ran into the shop en route to the jungle, asked the shop assistant for the plainest bikini she had. Best $40 I ever spent....especially as it raised so much for charity.' Earlier: Myleene nailed Spring chic in a sleeved floral jumpsuit as she left Classic FM in London after another day presenting on Wednesday All smiles: Accessorising with large gold hoops, sunglasses and a number of necklaces, the beauty looked glowing as she made her way through sunny central London Gorgeous: The star complemented the ensemble with a pair of cream wedge heels, adding inches to her height Glam: Her ensemble showcased her slender figure and she draped a Chanel handbag over her shoulder Wow! It comes after Myleene harked back to her famous shower scene last week, by sporting a very similar white two-piece for a snap to mark her birthday Looking good: The beauty was all smiles as she made her way through the streets of central London Iconic: It comes after it was reported Myleene will reportedly recreate her iconic I'm A Celebrity shower scene in the All Stars spin-off show (pictured in 2006) Since her appearance, a slew of female stars have tried to recreate her iconic shower scenes during their time in camp. Myleene ultimately finished in second place, behind Matt Willis, and is heavily tipped to be one of the surprise latecomers to the All Stars camp, alongside Georgia Toffolo and Joe Swash. Icon Gillian McKeith - who was renowned for her dramatic fainting scene - Dean Gaffney and Andrew Whyment could also be among those making a return on the South Africa show. They are said to join previously announced stars Helen Flanagan, Carol Vorderman, Amir Khan, Janice Dickinson, Paul Burrell, Jordan Banjo, Shaun Ryder, Fatima Whitbread and Phil Tufnell. James Corden stripped off for an eye-popping skit with the Kardashians for The Late Late Show this week. The Brit star, 44, went from presenter to personal assistant as he became one of the family's lackeys for the day - making Kris Jenner a wine-laced smoothie, buying gummy bears for Kim Kardashian and getting naked in Kylie Jenner's office shower. James sent jaws dropping as he bared all in front of momager Kris, 67, after she burst into the shower room at the Kylie Cosmetics office looking for the absent assistant. Kris screamed: 'Oh s**t! What the f*** are you doing?!' as a naked James covered his modesty while showering. She screamed: 'Oh my god! I can't unsee this! James get out of the shower, get a towel! Nobody is supposed to be in Kylie's bathroom. I could get in a lot of trouble here, somebody could sue us for this! Oh my! James Corden stripped off for an eye-popping skit with the Kardashians for The Late Late Show this week Good to see you: The Brit star, 44, went from presenter to personal assistant as he became one of the family's lackeys for the day - making Kris Jenner a wine-laced smoothie, buying gummy bears for Kim Kardashian and getting naked in Kylie Jenner's office shower James retorted: 'I'll come now, I've been working up a sweat! Can I have some privacy?' while flashing his derriere at Kris. The star began his day by joining Kris for a workout, where his show cameras and the Kardashians on Hulu cameras joined the glamorous momager. An enthusiastic James skipped off to make Kris a smoothie at the end of her workout with James quipping: 'Unlike some members of this family, I know how to chop a cucumber', referencing Kendall Jenner's viral video. The star chucked spinach, cucumber, rice krispies and a bottle of wine into the blender before screaming: 'Kris!' The pair then had their first sip of the vile concoction, with Kris immediately gagging and spitting the drink into the sink and saying: 'That is f*****g vile! What f*****g planet are you on James? James then met up with Kim, 42, with the star revealing she wanted 'like some gum and gummy bears' - as James vowed to drive her and 'act as security'. Kim said: 'Let's try and not draw too much attention to ourselves' as James joked: 'Yeah, we're just going to show up in a dripping grey Rolls-Royce. While en-route, Kim opened up about working as Paris Hilton's 'closet organizer' saying: 'Her closet was wild. You would be going through things and she would have diamond necklaces shoved in a drawer and she wouldnt even know. Wow: James sent jaws dropping as he bared all in front of momager Kris, 67, after she burst into the shower room at the Kylie Cosmetics office looking for the absent assistant No! She screamed: 'Oh my god! I can't unsee this! James get out of the shower, get a towel! Nobody is supposed to be in Kylie's bathroom. I could get in a lot of trouble here, somebody could sue us for this!' Clear: The star began his day by joining Kris for a workout, where his show cameras and the Kardashians on Hulu cameras joined the glamorous momager An enthusiastic James skipped off to make Kris a smoothie at the end of her workout with James quipping: 'Unlike some members of this family, I know how to chop a cucumber', referencing Kendall Jenner's viral video The star chucked spinach, cucumber, rice krispies and a bottle of wine into the blender before screaming: 'Kris!' Oh dear: The pair then had their first sip of the vile concoction, with Kris immediately gagging and spitting the drink into the sink and saying: 'That is f*****g vile! What f*****g planet are you on James?' Plates; The star was left giddy at seeing Jenner's plate collection She always had a change of clothes in her purse. She would be totally comfortable with me saying this, but she would always have a bikini or a change of clothes, because youd never know where wed end up' James retorted: 'In case she **t her pants?' As the pair entered the gas station, James yelled at a man to get on the ground, saying: 'Excuse me sir, down! Get on the ground! Stay down' as the man willingly obliged. James also hit the side of Kim's luxe car on the sidewalk with Kim scaring James by pretending he had scratched the entire bottom of the car. As a shocked James stepped out to examine the damage, Kim burst out laughing and revealed she had been joking. Next up was a salad shaking tutorial with Khloe, 38, with James pouring crispy onions and dressing on the healthy meals, before feeding the star with a fork and draping a napkin over her face. He said: 'This doesn't even feel like I'm working!' as Khloe said: 'Yeah it doesn't look like you are to me either.' James then wandered into the Kylie Cosmetics showroom where he donned a necklace comprised of lipsticks before taking a Zoom call from Kylie, 25, who was 'working in London.' He told the shocked star he had taken a shower in her bathroom before she hung up on him. James also incurred the wrath of Kris once again as he energetically fluffed her cushions before hanging up on one of her business associates. Fun: James then met up with Kim, 42, with the star revealing she wanted 'like some gum and gummy bears' - as James vowed to drive her and 'act as security' Good to see you: Kim looked typically stunning as she greeted James Bodyguard;: James protected Kim as they headed into the gas station Salad days: Next up was a salad shaking tutorial with Khloe, 38, with James pouring crispy onions and dressing on the healthy meals, before feeding the star with a fork and draping a napkin over her face For you: The star fed a glam Khloe during their lunch He said: 'This doesn't even feel like I'm working!' as Khloe said: 'Yeah it doesn't look like you are to me either.' Getting the man's name repeatedly wrong on the call, James shot down his ideas for a Kardashian-Jenner sweetener endorsement and said: 'You're starting to p*ss me off now.' He then told an incredulous Kris: 'Can I be honest, you're too big for this' before suggesting she collaborate with Shake Shack on a new 'mommaburger.' Last up was a stint in the Kardashians' confessional space, where the star, complete with beauty filter, said: 'Feeding Khloe was fun, but shes still a b***h.' The appearance comes after the air date for the final episode of The Late Late Show has been revealed - with Tom Cruise joining the host for his presenting swansong. In April 2022, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed Corden had quit the CBS show to spend more time with his young family - and the Brit star will present The Last Last Late Late Show primetime special on April 27, followed by the final episode of his hit show. Cruise, 60, who took part in a hilarious Top Gun sketch with the star last year, will join Corden in a musical performance during The Lion King at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, reports Deadline. Hmm: James also incurred the wrath of Kris once again as he energetically fluffed her cushions before hanging up on one of her business associates The Last Last Late Late Show will air Thursday April 27 at 10pm, before the final episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden airs at 12:37am ET/PT. Back in May 2022, Cruise joked 'I'm sorry you got fired' as he appeared on the show after the host recently announced he was leaving. Speaking from his dressing room before joining the host on stage, the actor hinted that James was 'fired' from the talk show as he expressed mock sympathy towards the star. 'I'm here for you tonight whatever you need,' Tom said. ' I would not have fired you. 'I'm here for you if you need anything.' 'Okay,' said James. 'I just want you to know that I'm sorry,' Tom said. 'I would love it if you could lend me some money,' James said. 'I told you anything, James,' Tom said. 'Don't worry.' Change: The star will wrap up his eight year presenting stint at The Late Late Show at the end of April 'Then this works out great,' James making light of his recent announcement that he will be leaving The Late Late Show next year after his contract ends. Corden made the decision to quit at the end of season eight despite the best efforts of CBS executives who exclusively told DailyMail.com that they 'desperately tried to keep him for longer.' The star and his wife of 10 years Jules are mulling over a return to the UK with their three children but they are still trying to 'figure out' what's next for the family. An insider tells DailyMail.com that spending more time in the UK when the show ends is 'definitely on the horizon'. Lala Kent revealed she and her Vanderpump Rules costar Katie Maloney sensed that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss were having an affair since the summer. While the pair's cheating scandal left his then-girlfriend, Ariana Madix and the rest of the world blindsided, the Salt Lake City native, 32, confessed that the news did not come as much of a surprise to her. 'I was suspecting it kind of for a long time. Since the summer, something felt off,' the mother-of-one, who recently moved to Palm Springs, told TMZ. When asked if Madix was 'shocked' by her longtime partner's infidelity, Kent made it clear that her friend 'didn't know' and 'was devastated.' 'Everyone was devastated. I think it was just me and Katie [who had suspicions],' The Row star reflected. Suspicious: Lala Kent revealed she and her Vanderpump Rules costar Katie Maloney sensed that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss were having an affair since the summer; seen in 2022 Not shocking: While the pair's cheating scandal left his then-girlfriend, Ariana Madix and the rest of the world blindsided, the Salt Lake City native, 32, confessed that the news did not come as much of a surprise to her Her comments come after Sandoval revealed he and Leviss hit the brakes on their sexual relationship while appearing on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast. 'We're not putting any label on it,' he said. 'We're just kind of taking a break.' When asked if they were still friends 'with benefits' by the comedian, 67, Sandoval denied they were still romantically involved. 'Not right now,' the rocker, who is in the cover band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, told listeners, after insisting he and the former pageant queen are still 'good friends.' As for how their relationship blossomed from platonic to intimate, Sandoval opened up about his attraction to Leviss as he and Madix, 37, drifted apart after nearly a decade together. 'We were at my house, and Im locked out of my house and were talking and we kissed,' he recalled. 'It was magnetic. We were moving closer and as we were talking, time went on, and were talking closer and closer and closer, and all of a sudden, were kissing. I felt something that I hadnt felt in so long, like, emotionally.' He went on to explain how he and Madix had begun living their own lives and the romance between them had grown stale. 'We had been together for nine years, and obviously we had built a house and business together and everything. We were a brand. And like many relationships, it became more of a best friend/family/sometimes roommates situation,' he explained. Her comments come after Sandoval revealed he and Leviss hit the brakes on their sexual relationship while appearing on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast; pictured in 2021 The Missouri native said their relationship overall was 'just lacking intimacy' and 'connection.' He felt that they were remaining together to 'keep the optics up that [they] were solid' for their reality show and other business endeavors. 'We did have each others backs, for sure, and that was nice. There was a safety to it and a stability,' he said of Madix. After turning 40, he recalled thinking his life 'looked very bleak' and started thinking his 'best years were behind.' 'I started to lose my optimism in life and my drive. I felt like I needed to make a change to feel alive again, to feel motivated, to feel optimistic again,' Sandoval confessed. Before his affair, he said his 'confidence was zapped' and any sexual experience with him would be the equivalent to hooking up with 'a 19-year-old' during 'his second time' as he lost his 'game.' 'Im not saying its [Arianas] fault, we just didnt have that intimacy,' Sandoval claimed. After hearing his guest's side, Mandel urged fans to have 'empathy and compassion' for Sandoval, who previously said he felt like 'one of the most hated people in America' for betraying Madix. 'We're not putting any label on it,' he said. 'We're just kind of taking a break' (seen in 2022) 'You need to be heard because the narrative is everyone elses but but yours,' the America's Got Talent judge told listeners. 'I dont understand the hatred and the vitriol.' While the father-of-three stated he wasn't 'condoning cheating on a partner,' he raised eyebrows for saying that the amount of backlash Sandoval has received has been perplexing. Social media users flocked to Twitter to vocalize their frustration that Mandel would defend Sandoval or even give him the opportunity to give his 'side of the story.' One mused: 'Howie Mandel is defending Scandoval by saying the media and the world is being unfair to him when he has no clue who he is but has him on his podcast for views.' 'There is a special place in hell for Tom Sandoval and Howie Mandel. These two together are so fould,' another said. Some however laughed at the idea of Sandoval getting his 'big break' on Mandel's podcast as his ex-girlfriend booked 'movie roles' and is 'doing DWTS.' Molly Smith has decided to quit showbiz and is currently retraining to become a personal trainer on Wednesday. The former Love Island beauty, 29, who found fame on the ITV2 show in 2020, is currently undertaking exams and hopes to gain her qualification soon. The influencer has decided to make her fitness hobby into a job and 'can't way to get started' as soon as she can. A source told The Sun: 'Molly has always loved fitness and shes decided she wants to turn her hobby into a job. 'She is a natural trainer and cant wait to get started helping other people feel as good as her.' New venture: Molly Smith has decided to quit showbiz and is currently retraining to become a personal trainer on Wednesday Exciting! The former Love Island beauty, 29, who found fame on the ITV2 show in 2020, is currently undertaking exams and hopes to gain her qualification soon Prior to appearing on the hit dating show, Molly was working as a model and has had success as an influencer. During her time in the villa, she coupled up with boyfriend Callum Jones while in Casa Amor. Molly and Callum are one of Love Island's major success stories, meeting on the first-ever winter edition of the ITV dating show in 2020, where they left before the finale. The couple moved into a lavish four-bedroom house in Manchester that November after meeting on the show. Despite their rushed start, the lovebirds seem to be going from strength to strength, recently celebrating their second anniversary together. It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the couple, however, as their get-together caused a stir on the ITV2 show. Callum entered the show as one of the original contestants and connected with Shaughna Phillips at the beginning. The couple's relationship continued to blossom until the infamous Casa Amor came along - which saw Molly's arrival to the show. Molly and Callum hit it off upon meeting, and he decided to return to the villa with her - leaving Shaughna devastated as she was left to fly solo. The couple now keep their followers up-to-date on social media and enjoy lavish sun soaked getaways together. A source told The Sun: 'Molly has always loved fitness and decided to turn her hobby into a job. She is a natural trainer and cant wait to get started helping other people feel as good as her' Minka Kelly has recounted her shocking and abusive childhood in her harrowing new autobiography, Tell Me Everything. The Friday Night Lights actress, 42, emotionally spoke about being involved in an abusive relationship aged 17, and claimed her then-boyfriend coerced her into making a sex tape, with the star later falling pregnant. In excerpts from her memoir, obtained by Page Six, the star details how she moved in with her high school boyfriend and his family after her mom Maureen - who died in 2008 - left their hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico to avoid a potential drug bust. Kelly, whose father is Rick Dufay, 71, a onetime Aerosmith guitarist, was raised in a single parent family, and previously said it's not because her father wasn't interested in raising her. She said: 'He wanted to try to do the family thing. It was my mum who was too busy having fun. Harrowing: Minka Kelly has recounted her shocking and abusive childhood in her harrowing new autobiography, Tell Me Everything (pictured 2006 in Friday Night Lights) Troubled relationship: In excerpts from her memoir, obtained by Page Six , the star details how she moved in with her high school boyfriend and his family after her mom Maureen - who died in 2008 - left their hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico to avoid a potential drug bust Kelly said her boyfriend had already 'insisted' on taking graphic photos of the pair - before getting a video camera and urging Minka to 'perform even raunchier scenes.' Kelly said upon watching the video, she was struck by how she acted 'like a young child', writing: 'I hardly even remembered making the tape. Id become such a master at leaving my body when things were uncomfortable.' Her former boyfriend allegedly attempted to sell the video to the press years later, with Kelly saying she had to shell out $50,000 to buy the film back. She said her boyfriend wanted her to get his name inked on her body, and in fear of being evicted from the home, she agreed to get a tattoo of her lip print 'on the side of my pubic mound.' She wrote: 'Little did I know Id spend the rest of my life explaining to new lovers what the mark was, lying to everyone I was too ashamed to admit the truth, Id been so dependent on a man Id let him brand me as [if] I was a member of the NXIVM cult. She claims her boyfriend repeatedly called her a 'slut' over her dress sense and wanted her to have sex with a female friend - when she refused, he had sex with the friend in front of her. The next day, Kelly discovered she was pregnant. When her mom returned, Kelly said the pair went to Planned Parenthood where she agonized over whether to terminate the pregnancy. Maureen suggested raising the baby together, with Kelly writing: 'With what money? What home? What insurance? I couldnt imagine bringing a baby into what my mother brought me into. Absolutely not.' Emotional: The Friday Night Lights actress, 42, emotionally spoke about being involved in an abusive relationship aged 17, claiming her boyfriend coerced her into making a sex tape, with the star later falling pregnant Close bond now: Kelly, whose father is Rick Dufay, a onetime Aerosmith guitarist, was raised in a single parent family, and previously said it's not because her father wasn't interested in raising her (pictured 2007) 'That was it. In that moment, I knew the right choice. Raising a child with my mother would only continue this family trauma, another cycle added to so many generations of pain. Hadnt there been enough damage already?; She later underwent an abortion. Kelly also revealed her mother went to jail for a short period for transporting drugs for her boyfriend David by driving a car across the Mexican border. Maureen moved her and Kelly to New Mexico to be with David, his family and a multitude of girlfriends. Kelly claims David beat her by punching her and thrashing her with cable wire after he found out she had used his car without permission. She said that after the beating, David told her the beating 'hurts me more than it hurts you.' Kelly said she held in an urge to tell her mom and David to 'go f*** themselves', finishing high school and moving to LA to reunite with her father. Kelly worked in as a receptionist in a plastic surgeons office, but was fired after refusing a boob job as a method of payment. She worked as a surgeon's assistant while modeling and taking acting lessons, before landing her breakout role on Friday Night Lights in 2006. Kelly also detailed how her mom moved in with her and her boyfriend, but refused to get out of bed and asked for $5,000, leading to Kelly kicking her out. Kelly and her mom mended their relationship, with the actress moving her to Austin, Texas, where the show filmed. so she could care for her during her treatment for colon cancer Kelly has previously said of her mom's death: 'That's detectable. Talk about being reckless and not paying attention to your body.' 'By the time she passed I was holding her. I was with her until her last breath. We made it.' Elsewhere in her memoir Kelly revealed she underwent IVF with an unnamed boyfriend, with the star falling pregnant but tragically having a miscarriage. After she and her beau split, the star had ketamine treatments which made her realize she had been 'operating in my adult relationships like that scared sixteen-year-old girl' Kelly also revealed her mother went to jail for a short period for transporting drugs for her boyfriend David by driving a car across the Mexican border (Kelly and mom Maureen pictured together) She said she sometimes believes her mom 'should have aborted her' because she was unprepared to be a mother. Previously, Kelly was in a relationship with Trevor Noah, 39. In May 2022, the pair split after two years of dating on-and-off. She has been dating Imagine Dragons star Dan Reynolds, 35, since late 2022. Reynolds himself split with his wife Aja Volkman, 43, of over a decade in September in the same year. Four years prior to their divorce, the pair had a seven-month separation before reconciling. Reynolds shares four children with his ex-wife. During their marriage, they had three daughters - Arrow, 10, and twins Gia and Coco, aged five - and one son - Valentine, three. The two musicians were previously married from 2011 until they split in 2022. New man: She has been dating Imagine Dragons star Dan Reynolds, 35, since late 2022 (pictured November 2022) In 2018, Reynolds and Volkman announced their split but never went through the divorce proceedings. They ended up reconciling that year and later co-wrote a song titled Bad Liar. 'I am saddened to say that after many beautiful years together Aja and I have separated,' Reynolds stated in a tweet posted in September. 'Being great parents to our children is our number one priority,' he continued. 'Thank you for always supporting us with love and care for all these years.' Minka Kelly: Tell Me Everything will be released May 2 Reggae legend Jah Shaka has died just days after revealing a new tour date, it was announced on Wednesday. Jah - who was also known as Zulu Warrior - was a pioneering member of the roots reggae Jamaican sound system in London. He was born in Clarendon in Jamaica and was based in south east London since 1956. He became central to London's sound system culture, producing successful records and running his own label called Jah Shaka Music - where he released songs with artists such as Max Romeo, Bim Sherman and Johnny Clark. The producer had only recently announced a new tour date for August 19 in the days before he passed. Tragic: Reggae icon Jah Shaka has died just days after announcing a new tour date, it was revealed on Wednesday (pictured in 2016) Talent: Jah - who was also known as Zulu Warrior - was a pioneering member of the roots reggae Jamaican sound system in London (pictured performing in Bexhill in June) The cause of death has not yet been revealed. The news was shared by Horsepower Productions's Benny Ill on Wednesday afternoon on Twitter, who wrote: 'Rest In Power Jah Shaka.' Devastated fans soon took to social media to share tributes and express their condolences at the news. His fellow Jamaican artist Dennis Alcapone wrote on Facebook: 'Just getting some sad news that the great Jah Shaka has passed away. 'The Zulu warrior left us. Very sad indeed. More to come on that. May his soul rest forever in perfect peace.' DJ Jumpin Jack Frost tweeted: 'The king of Kings has left us. The greatest soundman that ever lived.' Nadine White wrote on Twitter: 'The sound system was formed as a vehicle to bring a message of peace. To bring people together' 'Jah Shaka, legendary reggae sound system pioneer, has died. A musical giant who was beloved far & wide; a pillar within our Black communities and a real messenger. Sad news.' Devastated: Tributes from fans have poured in on Twitter, with one calling Shaka 'the greatest soundman that ever lived' Performing: The sound system became a central part of the London scene, but Shaka also toured the US, Europe and Japan Another fan added: 'Crushed at the news of our hero Jah Shaka's passing. 'His uncompromising stance, dedication to inspire the community and legendary sound system dances were the standard everyone measured against. He remained our spiritual guiding light thru all he did.' The Jah Shaka Sound System appeared regularly in London and toured the US, Europe and Japan. He was known for his 'Warrior' style of music and kept active in the music scene until the days before his death. In a 2014 lecture Jah said: 'When people left Africa for the Caribbean, all they could bring with them was their music, their songs and their memories from home. 'So, over the years, this is all that people had to keep them together. 'In the 1950s and 1960s in London, there were house parties 50, 60 people with only record players. It helped families know other families, which was important at that time because the people were so forced to be segregated.' In 1980 Shaka played himself in the film Babylon, where he operated his sound system and which portrayed the racial tensions he experienced on arriving in the UK. He stars in a pitch-black new comedy about the escalating feud of two people involved in a road rage incident. But Steven Yeun, 39, says it was his costar Ali Wong, 40, who kept spirits high with her 'good vibes' on the set of their new Netflix series Beef, despite the dark subject matter. 'She's an amazing costar because she holds a lot of weight,' the Nope star told People during the show's premiere in Los Angeles. 'She is someone who knows how to uphold a lot of the good vibes and a lot of the unseen, and I deeply appreciate that about her.' The supportive atmosphere off screen appears to have done wonders for the critically acclaimed production, as the show currently has an impressive 100 percent fresh rating from the most prestigious critics surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes. In the show, Yeun plays a contractor who has seen better days, while Wong sells plants, and both become inextricably entwined after they almost crash their cars into each other and become obsessed with making each other's lives a living nightmare. Keeping it pleasant: Steven Yeun praised costar Ali Wong's 'good vibes' on the set of Netflix's Beef while chatting with People at the show's LA premiere; seen March 20 in LA Safe atmosphere: 'She is someone who knows how to uphold a lot of the good vibes and a lot of the unseen, and I deeply appreciate that about her,' Yeun said. They play two strangers who become obsessed with each other after a road rage incident between them; still from Beef 'There's a lot going on,' Yeun said of the Netflix series. 'I think we start somewhere and then we dig so much deeper, and that's something I'm always looking for.' Both Yeun and Wong previously voiced characters on the animated series Tuca & Bertie, along the isolated voice recording style meant that Beef was their first true collaboration. While speaking to the Wall Street Journal for a profile of Yeun, Wong admitted that she was anxious about working with him after he had amassed a string of critically acclaimed roles in recent years, along with an Oscar nomination. 'I was intimidated by Steven, because hes such an incredible actor,' she said. After she admitted how on edge she was about sharing scenes with him, she recalled his response: 'He just shrugged, looked me in the eye and said, "I dont know anything that you dont know." That really set the tone for everything.' While chatting with NPR about Beef, Yeun shared that he and Wong had met each other before the show, but they didn't really know each other before they were cast, which led to a happy surprise once they were finally working together. 'I think coming onto this show, I couldn't fully see what was happening or what was possible until we started reading together,' he said. 'And I was like, ooh, this is going to be fun.' He praised her 'nurturing' persona for creating a safe off-camera context for them to dig into darker emotions on set. Nerves: Ali previously told the Wall Street Journal that she was 'intimidated' by her Oscar-nominated scene partner, but he put her at ease on set; seen March 30 in LA Honing in: While speaking to NPR, Yeun said the decision to focus on a mostly Asian-American cast made it easier to focus on intra-racial class issues; still from Beef 'Ali also has just this really warm personality and just warm presence that is really inviting, that is really nurturing and caring,' he gushed. 'And when you can feel safe and connected to each other off camera, you can really lay into each other on camera.' Yeun also noted that the series was able to highlight the class divide between the two characters by focusing on a predominately Asian-American cast. 'We just kind of, like, flattened that whole landscape by being like, it's all Asian people. So now we can just get to who these people are,' he explained. 'Then anyone can access them. Then it's an open door and an invitation for anyone to sit at the table respectfully and eat from our table, too, and connect with us as human beings.' All 10 episodes of Beef are currently available to stream on Netflix. Jessica Alba took to Instagram on Wednesday to give fans a glimpse into her family's spring break trip, which included sweet snaps of husband Cash Warren and their three children. The 41-year-old Honest founder - who was pictured on the Hawaiian getaway last week - wrote in the caption: 'another #springbreak vacay in the books.' Jessica opened the carousel with a gorgeous selfie that showed her tilting her head and showing off her tan. The dark-haired beauty had a light face of matte makeup applied to her visage and donned ornate chandelier earrings. The Honey actress wore a gold spaghetti strap dress and her dark, slightly textured hair fell over her shoulders. Life in pictures: Jessica Alba took to Instagram on Wednesday to give fans a glimpse into her family's spring break trip, which included husband Cash Warren and their three children Family time: The 41-year-old Honest founder - who was pictured on the Hawaiian getaway last week - wrote in the caption, 'another #springbreak vacay in the books' The second image featured the family-of-five gathered for a group snapshot. Cash, 44, affectionately wrapped in his arms around the couple's 5-year-old son Hayes' neck. The little boy, dressed in beige shorts, a black t-shirt, and a black and white patterned shirt, held his father's hand. Standing next to the tot was his older sister Haven, 11, who was dressed in a long-sleeved black dress. Jessica's firstborn child, daughter Honor, 14, towered above her younger sister as she placed a loving hand on her shoulder. The teenager also wore a dark-colored dress, hers with short sleeves and a square neckline. The sisters matched each other in two identical pairs of black slide sandals with double straps. Warren wore a purple and white lei around his neck as he coordinated with his son in a black shirt and beige shorts. Looking good: In one beachside photo Jessica threw up a peace sign while posing in a hat and sunglasses Proud mom: In a TikTok clip Jessica showed footage with her three children Jessica also shared vacation memories on Instagram on Tuesday, which showed her in a red dress as her eldest child, daughter Honor towered over her. Jessica leaned in and rested her head on the teenager's shoulder as the family-of-five smiled for the camera. The actress-turned-entrepreneur wrote in the caption to her 20.2 million followers, 'Island time w[ith] my mains.' Her younger daughter Haven wore a dark mini dress with a white floral pattern as she posed next to her father. Honor was also clad in a bright frock - the teenager donned a long blue maxi dress with cap sleeves. She added a long necklace with a pendant to the look, which featured a modest, square-shaped neckline. Meanwhile, Hayes looked adorable in blue shorts, a gray t-shirt, and a white shirt worn unbuttoned. Cash, a film producer, looked like a proud father as he wore a dark, long-sleeved shirt as he wrapped his arm around his daughters. The family posed outdoors, standing on lush green grass in front with a blue sky above them. Jessica shared a second image that showcased the happy clan in a close-up selfie. The whole family flashed megawatt smiles and he little boy held up a peace sign. Loved one: A friend also joined the tight-knit family on their annual spring break holiday Beach reads: Jessica's post also included a collection of memorable outtakes of places and things Cash, who is the son of Hill Street Blues actor Michael Warren, met Jessica while assistant directing her 2005 hit film Fantastic Four. The couple spontaneously decided to get married at a Beverly Hills courthouse one day in 2008 while Jessica was pregnant with Honor. They welcomed their baby girl one month after the nuptials. She was followed by Haven, who was born in June 2011, and Hayes, born on New Years Eve in 2017. In a 2021 interview for the Instagram show Before, During and After Baby, Alba admitted to Katherine Schwarzenegger that it can be challenging to find alone time with her husband while parenting three kids. 'It's not even him, I would say it's us. When I'm seeing him and spending time with him and were really enjoying each other, its an "us" thing and it feeds me as well. It's hard. It's impossible,' she explained. The star added, 'If youre both every day deciding to do it, its gonna work out, regardless of the drama, regardless of anything that happens. If youre both like, "I want to figure this out," nothing can really break that. 'The second one of you is checked out then its a one-sided relationship. Because youre not always gonna be on the same page, and youre not always gonna grow at the same pace.' Three days after celebrating her 33rd birthday with fiancee Dylan Meyer, Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart has signed on to star in her ex-boyfriend Michael Angarano's second feature directorial effort, Sacramento. The former child stars originally met - at age 13 and 15 - back in August 2003 when they co-starred in Jessica Sharzer's critically-acclaimed indie high school drama Speak. They split in May 2009 - two months before Kristen publicly denied she was dating her Twilight leading man Robert Pattinson, whom she romanced on/off until 2013 following her affair with married filmmaker Rupert Sanders. '[Michael and I] laugh about it,' Stewart told E! News at the time. 'Rob and I are great friends, but I understand why you would assume that when we lean on each other for support. There must be something more... Amicable exes: Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart (R, pictured in 2008) has signed on to star in her ex-boyfriend Michael Angarano's (L) second feature directorial effort, Sacramento 'And I'm not criticizing anyone for thinking it, either. If anything, they're really perceptive, because they can see a closeness.' Any day now, the 32-year-old Los Angeles native will begin filming her role as Rosie, the wife of Glenn (Michael Cera), who embarks on an impromptu road trip from LA to Sacramento with his friend Rickey (Angarano). The 35-year-old Emmy-nominated actor cast his real-life fiancee Maya Erskine - who welcomed their son Leon Frederick in 2021 - to play his onscreen wife Tallie. Michael - who previously helmed the 2017 dramedy Avenues - co-wrote the script with Christopher Nicholas Smith 'years ago' and it will also feature A.J. Mendez, Iman Karam, and Rosalind Chao. 'We feel grateful and very excited to make a movie like Sacramento,' Angarano told Deadline on Wednesday. 'We're honored to be working with this wildly talented cast and crew led by Stephen at Bee-Hive [Productions] who is not only a great partner, but a true collaborator. It's already been quite a journey but we're finally ready to go make a movie.' Kristen confirmed she got engaged to the 35-year-old Moxie screenwriter in 2021 after two years of dating while appearing on The Howard Stern Show. 'Cheers to my favorite shrimp on her birthday!' Dylan wrote on Instagram Sunday. Babies! The former child stars originally met - at age 13 and 15 - back in August 2003 when they co-starred in Jessica Sharzer's critically-acclaimed indie high school drama Speak The other man? They split in May 2009 - two months before Kristen publicly denied she was dating her Twilight leading man Robert Pattinson (L), whom she romanced on/off until 2013 following her affair with married filmmaker Rupert Sanders Stewart (pictured in 2008) told E! News at the time: '[Michael and I] laugh about it...Rob and I are great friends, but I understand why you would assume that when we lean on each other for support. There must be something more...And I'm not criticizing anyone for thinking it, either. If anything, they're really perceptive, because they can see a closeness' Action! Any day now, the 32-year-old Los Angeles native will begin filming her role as Rosie, the wife of Glenn (Michael Cera), who embarks on an impromptu road trip from LA to Sacramento with his friend Rickey (Angarano) It's all who you know! The 35-year-old Emmy-nominated actor cast his real-life fiancee Maya Erskine (R, pictured November 25) - who welcomed their son Leon Frederick in 2021 - to play his onscreen wife Tallie 'Sweetheart, I love you more than all the shades of green, all the phases of the moon, all the cats in LA. Love you more than Chunking Express, or Denis Johnson's Already Dead, or The Stooges' raw power. 'I love you more than a Domino's Pizza when you're stoned, a Ricky's [Burgers Mexican] fish taco when you're hungover, and even more than a plate of wings - hot and extra crispy - from [Ye Rustic Inn], aka the pinnacle of my capacity to love. Some might say that's too much love but I say those people are squares. Go big or go home! Happy birthday dude I love you so much.' Stewart originally met Meyer in 2013 on the set of a film (most likely Camp X-Ray), and they share her $2.195M four-bedroom Los Feliz home. Birthday girl! On Sunday, Kristen celebrated her 33rd birthday with her fiancee of two years, Dylan Meyer (L, pictured in 2022) As her ex Nick Loeb continues his legal battle over their destroyed embryos, America's Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara appeared unbothered as she arrived to the Pasadena set of NBC's reality TV competition on Wednesday. The Colombian 50-year-old - who joined AGT for season 15 in 2020 - carried a $3,800 Christian Dior 'Large Dior Book Tote' while sporting casual sweats and sneakers. Also on set Wednesday was judge Heidi Klum wearing a bizarre double waist-banded denim mini-skirt with thigh high cream-colored boots. In 2021, The Cinemaholic reported that Sofia earns $10M per season, Heidi earns $2.5M per season, judge Howie Mandel earns $1.75M per season, and judge Simon Cowell earns $45M per season. Filming on the 18th season officially began March 25 and it's scheduled to premiere May 30 on NBC with host Terry Crews back in place. All smiles! As her ex Nick Loeb continues his legal battle over their destroyed embryos, America's Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara appeared unbothered as she arrived to the Pasadena set of NBC's reality TV competition on Wednesday Meanwhile, Vergara's 47-year-old ex-fiance is heading back to Los Angeles Superior Court on April 24 for a hearing on his claim for medical negligence over the two frozen embryos they created in 2013, which were 'thawed and destroyed' upon their 2014 split. Nick is suing ART Reproductive Services LLC over not being clear about what would happen with the embryos, while the Beverly Hills clinic claims it would've been a felony to allow him to use the embryos without the written consent of the four-time Emmy nominee. 'I never would have gone forward with creating what Sofia and I regarded as lives if I knew that she would not consent, or that she wanted to thaw and destroy the embryos, in the event of a breakup,' Nick wrote in his sworn declaration last Friday. 'I am pro-life and pro-parenthood and my religious views are such that I believe that life begins at conception. Throughout the course of our relationship, I expressed these views to Sofia, who similarly expressed to me that she was a devout Catholic and therefore also believed that life begins at conception. She told me that she regarded embryos as "lives."' Loeb - who lost his case against Sofia in 2021 - is so pro-life he co-directed and starred as thrice-divorced anti-abortion activist Dr. Bernard Nathanson in his 2021 drama Roe v. Wade, which received a dismal 14% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Vergara - who's been married to Joe Manganiello for the past seven years - already has a 31-year-old son called Manolo from her two-year marriage to high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez, which ended in 1993. Audiences can next catch the Modern Family alum's appearance on the NBC/Peacock lifetime achievement special Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, which airs on the legendary comedian's 90th birthday on April 26. 'What an honor to have been invited to be part of celebrating Carol Burnett's 90th bday. An idol, an inspiration!' Sofia gushed on Instagram. Rich: The Colombian 50-year-old - who joined AGT for season 15 in 2020 - carried a $3,800 Christian Dior 'Large Dior Book Tote' while sporting casual sweats and sneakers Kinky boots: Also on set Wednesday was judge Heidi Klum wearing a bizarre double waist-banded denim mini-skirt with thigh high cream-colored boots Wow! In 2021, The Cinemaholic reported that Sofia earns $10M per season, Heidi earns $2.5M per season, judge Howie Mandel earns $1.75M per season, and judge Simon Cowell earns $45M per season Ready for more? Filming on the 18th season officially began March 25 and it's scheduled to premiere May 30 on NBC with host Terry Crews (M) back in place 'What a night! There's only one like her!' The special was taped on March 2 at Avalon Hollywood & Bardot and featured Cher, Julie Andrews, Katy Perry, Amy Poehler, Kristin Wiig, Steve Carrell, Lisa Kudrow, Vicki Lawrence, Marisa Tomei, Maya Rudolph, Billy Porter, Allison Janney, Susan Lucci, and more. Vergara also has a mystery role in Josh Greenbaum's star-studded canine comedy Strays, which Universal Pictures will release in US/UK theaters on June 9. Back on June 20, the four-time SAG Award winner revealed she was shooting her 'last big week' on Netflix's six-episode series Griselda, which she's executive producing and starring as Colombian cartel leader Griselda Blanco. The first-ever billionaire female criminal was known as the Cocaine Grandmother, the Black Widow, and the Queen of Narco-Trafficking before being gunned down, age 69, in 2012. Relentless: Vergara's 47-year-old ex-fiance (L, pictured in 2014) is heading back to LA Superior Court on April 24 for a hearing on his claim for medical negligence over the two frozen embryos they created in 2013, which were 'thawed and destroyed' upon their 2014 split Battle: Nick is suing ART Reproductive Services LLC over not being clear about what would happen with the embryos, while the Beverly Hills clinic claims it would've been a felony to allow him to use the embryos without the written consent of the four-time Emmy nominee Nick (pictured at CPAC in 2021) wrote in his sworn declaration last Friday: 'I never would have gone forward with creating what Sofia and I regarded as lives if I knew that she would not consent, or that she wanted to thaw and destroy the embryos, in the event of a breakup' Lost his case against Sofia in 2021: Loeb is so pro-life he co-directed and starred as thrice-divorced anti-abortion activist Dr. Bernard Nathanson in his 2021 drama Roe v. Wade, which received a dismal 14% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes Mother-son snap: Vergara - who's been married to Joe Manganiello for the past seven years - already has a 31-year-old son called Manolo (L, pictured March 2) from her two-year marriage to high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez, which ended in 1993 Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will join her Japanese counterpart and a senior French finance ministry official on Thursday to announce Sri Lanka's debt restructuring negotiations process, the IMF has announced. The finance ministers of the three creditor countries will hold a press briefing on the margins of the annual Spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington. "Japan, India, and France on Thursday will hold a press briefing on the margins of the Spring meetings to announce the launch of the debt restructuring negotiations process on Sri Lanka," IMF said on Tuesday, quoting a Japanese Finance Ministry statement. The three creditor countries have been working closely for a coordinated debt restructuring for Sri Lanka, the statement said. Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki and France's Director General of the Treasury Bruno Le Maire will join Sitharaman during the press briefing. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his state finance minister Shehan Semasinghe will also join the in-person live streaming. The Washington-based global lender had made Sri Lanka's debt restructuring a prerequisite for granting the USD 2.9 billion bailout. The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board approved a 48-month extended arrangement under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (about USD 3 billion) to Sri Lanka following financing assurances from the creditors. Sri Lanka, which drew its first tranche of the USD 3 billion bailout programme, has already met an instalment to pay back an Indian line of credit which the island nation obtained early last year just before announcing the debt default. Wickremesinghe, also the island nation's finance minister, who spearheaded the IMF negotiations, specially mentioned the contributions made by Sitharaman to assist his government with the IMF for the bailout. The IMF bailout, the 17th in Sri Lanka's history, was approved following prolonged discussions over Colombo's unsustainable debt. Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves, sparking a major political and humanitarian crisis in the island nation. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. India's progress and prosperity can create new opportunities that can benefit Uganda, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, as he met the Indian business community here and encouraged it to bolster bilateral business ties for growth and development. Jaishankar is on a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique from April 10-15 to strengthen India's strong bilateral ties with the two African countries. "India's progress and prosperity create new opportunities that can benefit Uganda. Just as India's experiences can help Uganda's development journey," he tweeted on Tuesday after his meeting with the Indian Business Community. Addressing the community, Jaishankar spoke about the problems that India faced due to the war in Ukraine. He said when the Ukraine conflict started a year ago, the first hit that the world economy took was the price of oil. "Very soon thereafter, there was a big issue with the price of wheat, because the oil prices, of course, were a more complicated issue. The wheat was a direct outcome of the lack of exports from Ukraine, which is a big exporter of wheat," he said. Jaishankar said what was a less noticed story, however, was the problems that India faced in terms of edible oil. "We were big importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine. And the pressure on us to find compensatory resources actually took Indian importers well beyond their traditional sources, a lot of those sources were in the ASEAN. It actually took them to Latin America," he said. "So, if you look today at the big spike in India's trade with Latin America, interestingly, some of that is oil in terms of fuel oil, but a large part of it is oil in terms of edible oil," he said in a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday. India's total imports of edible oils surged to a record Rs 1.17 lakh crore in the 2020-21 marketing year (November to October) from nearly Rs 72,000 crore in the previous year due to a sharp rise in global prices. India imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, while soybean oil comes from Brazil and Argentina In his address, Jaishankar also highlighted India's growing relationship and development partnership with Africa, especially its ties with Uganda. "The core of the relationship, which we need to address is how do we expand this business between our two countries and I certainly would urge all of you to look at these possibilities and I certainly assure you from our side, there is a great deal of interest, a lot of empathy in actually trying to find ways of growing this trade," he said. Stefano Pioli said on Tuesday that he is not expecting a repeat of his AC Milan team's devastating Serie A display against Napoli when the pair face off in their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final. Milan smashed four goals past Italy's runaway league leaders without reply earlier this month, but Pioli doesn't think there is any chance of Napoli being rocked by that defeat in Wednesday's first leg at the San Siro. "The match in the league will obviously give us an idea, but there's no way it will be the same match again," said Pioli. "They're the highest scoring team in this Champions League and after Bayern Munich the team which has won the most matches so they're a really good team with great quality. "I think both teams have the same chance of going through. I'm expecting two very balanced matches... I think we can expect something different from Napoli so we need to be aware whether we need to make changes from the match in the league." Latest reports in Italy suggest Napoli will be without star striker Victor Osimhen, who did not take part in team training on Tuesday. Osimhen, who has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season, also missed the league encounter with a thigh injury picked up on international duty. "It doesn't make a difference, Napoli have great players, they're all good," added Milan's France full-back Theo Hernandez. "Whether he plays or not, whoever is out there tomorrow will play their part." Napoli will be playing their first ever last-eight tie in the Champions League at a stadium which has seen a raft of memorable European nights. Milan have been crowned continental kings more times than any other team bar Real Madrid and Pioli believes that playing such a huge game at a packed San Siro will have a positive impact on his team. If the UK apologises for Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Muslim countries should also be made to do the same for Timur and Nadir Shahs crimes Every year, as April 13 approaches, there are demands in India that Britain should apologise for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar (and, in general, even pay reparations for colonial loot). For it was on that day that Brig-Gen Reginald Dyer carried it out in 1919. The demand, based on a misunderstanding of history, is frivolous at best and fraught with misuse at worst. A few questions need to be asked: Why do we always demonise and malign the British? Why dont we seek an apology from Iran for the general massacre that Nadir Shah ordered in Delhi in 1739? Or from Afghanistan whose Ahmad Shah Abdali ordered the mass slaughter and enslavement of women after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)? Or from Uzbekistan, from where Timur came, invaded India in 1398, and in a single day slaughtered one lakh Hindus? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, A devout Muslim, Timur alleged that his co-religionist Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud of Delhi was being too lenient toward his Hindu subjects... By the time Timur approached Delhi, his army was so encumbered with loot and captured slaves that military efficiency was imperiled. Timurs solution was to order his followers to kill all their slavespossibly around 100,000 people. Ahmad Shah Durrani or Ahmad Shah Abdali perpetrated Wadda Ghallughara or the Great Massacre or Holocaust or Sikh Genocide in 1762. According to an Indian Government website, after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, Abdali looted Delhi and captured thousands of women. When Ahmad Shah Durrani started his journey to go back to Afghanistan, Sikhs attacked his forces, right from River Sutlej to the River Indus and liberated about 2,000 women prisoners. Abdali retaliated next year, killing thousands of Sikhs. On March 22, 1739, Nadir Shah of Persia ordered the notorious qatle-aam (general massacre) in Delhi. His soldiers slaughtered 20,000 men, women and children in just six hours. More importantly, all these mass murderers are heroes in their respective countriesand for many Muslims elsewhere. Pakistan, for instance, has named weapon systems after Abdali, Ghaznavi, and Gauri. On the other hand, there is no evidence to suggest that Gen Dyer is lionised as a hero in the UK. No Briton in the right frame of mind certainly not among its ruling and intellectual elites glorifies him today. And yet we demand an apology from the UK, and not from Muslim countries! This is perhaps because nobody wants to attract the charge of Islamophobia, a weapon of mass deception used against anyone daring to ask politically incorrect questions. Should India insist on an apology from Uzbekistan, Iran, and Afghanistan? The answer is a big no. For that would give legitimacy to an erroneous concept: intergenerational transference of guilt. No man in any civilised country in the world today can be punished for the crimes his grandfather committed. Similarly, no country should be asked to atone for the sins it committed a century ago. History of mankind anyway is the story of wars and bloodshed, empires and enslavement, tyranny and oppression, cruelty and oppression, massacres and genocides. Poor understanding of history results in reading it as a morality play and desiring to right the past wrongs. For the past can neither be edited nor rectified; Jallianwala Bagh cant be undone; if we try to do that, the consequences would be deplorable. We should not forget that history is about what was in the past, not what it should have been. Quite apart from the untenability of the apology business, there is the issue of its dangerous repercussions in India. In a country where identity politics and unctuousness are the defining features of public life, the dangers can scarcely be overemphasised. As it is, a lot of people capitalise on the public sentiments related to communities, languages, regions, etc; states fight each other over rivers, often ignoring Supreme Court rulings. If the apology madness catches up, the consequences will be deplorable. We should not forget that all nations, communities, etc., have committed crimes in the past. So, we should not be surprised at the birth and growth of some Shiv Sena-type outfit in Odisha, demanding an apology from Bihar, as the great Mauryan King, Ashok, from that state had slaughtered 1 lakh people and displaced one and a half lakh people thousands of years ago. There may be demands from Hindu bodies for an apology from the Muslims. That several Muslim rulers carried out massacres of Hindus, imposed the discriminatory jizya tax, and generally oppressed them is well-documented, even in the books and accounts of Muslim scholars. Similarly, the suppression and cruelty that the Shudras suffered at the hands of the so-called high castes is also well-documented. Then there are tribal people, who were exploited by practically everybody else. Therefore, Parliament should pass a resolution seeking the forgiveness of these groups. This is just a brief list; if the apology mania begins, it will grow by the day; real and imaginary wrongs of various communities and interest groups will proliferate. This will not just further vitiate public discourse but also cast its shadow on the political arena. An orgy of apology demands follow, opening up a Pandoras Box. (The writer is Resident Editor, The Pioneer, Delhi. He has authored There Is No Such Thing As Hate Speech, Bloomsbury (2017)) We have a large number of politicians intoxicated with power who swear by the name of Mahatma Gandhi but do not follow in his footsteps The manner Indian Parliament of India conducted itself in the second half of the Budget session in March 2023, inflicts considerable disquiet amongst all those who revere it as a pious institution that could transform the lives of every Indian, could give dignity and better life to those who deserve support and hand holding because of exclusion and sufferings inflicted for generations due to historical, social and cultural constraints. Could such an assembly of responsible people afford to waste its time for weeks together? They all are officially honourable individuals who are guardians of the Constitution, are policymakers, and are lawmakers of the nation. The global image of India, its place and role amongst the international community, is changing fast and it is being viewed with considerable interest and high hopes by the international community. The last decade has convinced the powers that be of India emerging as a self-confident nation, no more to be cowed down by its belligerent neighbours. India is no more willing to suffer a thousand cuts and terrorist attacks. The new-found sense of national pride could be seen in practically every home and hearth in India, in its farms and fields, across the high-end research labs bringing out innovations in areas extending from artificial intelligence to space research. India has enhanced its pace of change with full confidence and self-assurance. It has to make course corrections as well and must recall the Mahatma. The Lonely Pilgrim (Gandhijis Noakhali pilgrimage), a compilation by Manubahan, contains the essence of how Gandhi had realized that the National service has nowadays come to mean striving for a big name, according to many now, through which one can get a notice in the papers or is photographed which is better or secure ministership as a reward for going to jail. So everyone wants to grab power in order to rise to a ministership in the end. But how can even good ministers do any notable work without the peoples support? The country does require, among others, ministers too. But a Minister can adorn his post only if he deserves it. He observed, in this very context, the presence of selfish stinginess and reiterated that We must, therefore, train ourselves to keep national interest always before us. And this was not the first time he was referred to ministers. On September 18 of 1938, when provincial governments had spent just ten months in power, things were not much different! The Mahatma received a letter from a citizen indicating that the main purpose of the Congress ministry appears to us to be to worship your idol in public and break it in secret; to worship the symbols of Imperialism in secret and denounce them in public, to play the malefactor towards their opponents when they cannot conquer by truthful and legitimate methods,... Gandhi had condensed this after toning down the bitterest part. The letter writer had also included a sentence which after 85 years appears prophetic: The government of a people cannot be run by the common argument of promised boons and by corrupting the electorate with hope. The lesson to be drawn is clear: the mere scent of power coming to ministers made them leave no stone unturned to shake the moral foundation of good government! In this particular instance, the letter-writer found it strange why Gandhis Soul should not revolt against such a predatory Ministry for creation of which the moral responsibility is entirely yours. After over seven decades of independence, India has more ex-ministers than serving ministers. The taste of having savoured power exceptions apart has been highly intoxicating. We have Lok-Sewaks who swear by the name of Mahatma Gandhi but have amassed wealth by means that could be beyond the comprehension of the finest of economists. People have seen the growth and display of affluence that follows politicians becoming elected representatives, ministers and chief ministers. In fact, it has shown the path to Panchas and Sarpanchas of village Panchayats and most of them have proved good learners and skilled management experts in money matters. The issue before the nation is: why are the elected representatives losing credibility amongst those who elect them and put them in the saddle of power? The manner democracy is being conducted was most crudely exposed in the recent election of the Mayor of Delhi, which presented a shocking spectacle for everyone who feels a sense of pride in Indian democracy. Entire India witnessed it, the world watched it, and as a citizen, I found it shameful. Sadly enough, one could cite numerous such instances that led to the disaffection between the representative and those represented. On May 12, 1920, MK Gandhi said: If I seem to take part in politics, it is only because politics today encircles us like the coils of a snake from which one cannot get out no matter how one tries. I wish to wrestle with the snake He did, and created a model of giving people a voice, a non-violent approach that helped not only India but so many other nations to throw away the yoke of imperialism, caste system and apartheid! In one word, he made people trust the moral force. On September 7, 1920, it was so well-articulated by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore: We need all the moral force which Mahatma Gandhi represents, and which he alone in the world can represent. It was this moral force that every Indian was supposed to comprehend, internalize and put to practice! Obviously, the representatives of people at every stage were and are supposed to be the prime torchbearers of the legacy of Gandhi. Each one of them needs self-introspection, and must analyse the extent to which his conduct and contributions are contributing to the national cause, strengthening democracy, and helping the amelioration of the miseries from the life of the last man in the line! The 75+ generation of Indians has seen and observed the downfall of moral, ethical and humanistic values in the political sphere and the consequential widespread credibility deterioration in the public esteem for leaders, elected representatives and those in seats of power. It adversely impacts the very vitals of democracy, its institutions and above all, the people and their concerns. Ministers are put behind bars, but continue to receive all the perks and privileges of the post and position! It is an unheard-of situation in a democracy! How could India ignore resignations on moral grounds like those of TT Krishnamachari, KD Malaviya and Lal Bahadur Shastri? This generation of elderly citizens often recalls MK Gandhi and his in-depth comprehension of a free person and a free nation. He acknowledged that the superficial study of the British parliament had made him think that all power percolates to the people from parliaments. It was not so, he himself realized: The truth is that power resides in the people and it is entrusted for the time being to those whom they may choose as their representatives. Parliaments have no power independently of the people. One earnestly hopes that the elected representatives shall realize the source of their power- the people and ensure not only proper and well-informed debates and discussion in their August Houses. Adherence to the moral canvas could strengthen their role performance and bestow the satisfaction of serving the needy. (Professor Rajput works in education, social cohesion, and religious amity. The views expressed are personal) Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu says she was excited to reunite with her "The Family Man" directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK for the Indian chapter of "Citadel", a globe-trotting spy drama, is a complete package full of action and emotion. The 35-year-old actor features alongside Varun Dhawan on the Indian original series within the Citadel franchise, whose flagship show, featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden, launches on Prime Video on April 28. "I am privileged to work with Raj and DK again, they are (at) the top of their game, they gave me such an amazing character with Raji (in The Family Man 2'). With Citadel' we are pushing the boundaries even further, with action, with emotions, it is quite a package. It is like working with family, there is equal amount of fun and challenge, the actor told PTI in an interview. Billed as a local original spy series, the project hails from Prime Video and AGBO, the production banner co-founded by Hollywood filmmaking duo Russo Brothers. Samantha said even though her health posed a major challenge, she enjoyed doing action for Citadel. She is grateful to the team for being patient and understanding of her. The actor was diagnosed with myositis, an autoimmune condition, in October last year. Physically, the show is very intense, there is a lot of action in Citadel' and we recently shot something and we are very happy and proud to show it to the world, I am really looking forward to that. "Considering the challenges that I am facing health wise, I am glad I am able to do what I am doing in Citadel'. Everyone is being patient and kind and I am truly grateful for that, the Yashoda star said. Asked whether she took special precautions to avoid injuries during the action sequences, Samantha said she has often been warned for not being too careful in such scenes. I am the worst at that, I just think, I just have to go and do and do my best'. I have been told by other actors that, It is not cool, you should be better prepared, you should protect yourself better'. "But I am all very eager to dive into it, especially for a girl to do action and it is not really every day that you get a tag that, she is good at action'. So, now you want to do better and you want to push it, and you don't want that tag to go away. I think that is what is pushing me to my maximum capabilities. The Indian Original Citadel series marks the streaming debut of Varun. Working with the Bhediya star, Samantha said, has turned out to be a great collaborative experience, as they both often push each other to perform their best. He is an amazing co-star and a very good human being. I have worked well whenever there is a good camaraderie between myself and the co-star. So, it is an absolute pleasure with him and we say (to each other) the scene came out well' and he would say, I felt it too'. So, it is working out really well, she added. Samantha revealed that she has seen the sneak peak of the American version of Citadel, which features Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden. "I have seen a little bit of it, it is going to be great, she said. Reportedly, Samantha has been signed by producer Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films for a feature movie opposite Ayushmann Khurrana, there's also buzz that she has been roped in for a mythological film with Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar. Without commenting on her future Hindi projects, Samantha said her focus is on Citadel and Telugu romantic-comedy Kushi with Vijay Deverakonda. I am focusing on my projects that I have, like Citadel', and Kushi', and my health, which is at the centre stage right now. As of now, I am looking to complete the projects that I have in hand, she said. I look forward to the roles that I have been given, it doesn't matter to me which language it is in. What matters the most is what I have to offer to my best, she added. Samantha further said the character should challenge her as an actor for her to give a nod to any film, the language, she added, doesn't matter to her. It doesn't matter which language it is (film or show), what matters the most is the meat of the character, do I see myself, do I see a challenge in it, she added. She is currently awaiting the release of her pan-India movie Shaakuntalam. The Telugu film, based on Kalidasa's acclaimed Sanskrit play Abhijnana Shakuntalam, is billed as a whimsical tale that revolves around the epic love story of Shakuntala (Samantha) and King Dushyant, played by Dev Mohan of Sufiyum Sujatayum fame. Directed by Gunasekhar, the movie is set to release in theatres on Friday. It is presented by Dil Raju via Sri Venkateswara Creations in collaboration with Gunaa Teamworks and is produced by Neelima Guna. India and Uganda have reviewed the entire range of their bilateral ties during a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni there. They also discussed possible cooperation in the areas of trade, infrastructure, energy and defence after Jaishankar called on President Museveni. Jaishankar, who arrived in Uganda on Monday, met Museveni at his farm in Rwakitura and conveyed to him the personal greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Privileged to call on President @KagutaMuseveni of Uganda at his farm in Rwakitura. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Appreciated his guidance on furthering our traditional and long-standing ties, he tweeted on Monday. Discussed cooperation in trade & investment, infrastructure, energy, defence, health, digital and agricultural domains. Congratulated Uganda on assuming the chairship of the NAM and affirmed our strong coordination at multilateral forums including the United Nations, he said. Jaishankar also launched the Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project of Varanasi during his visit to Uganda on Monday. Taking to Twitter, he appreciated the initiatives of Overseas Friends of BJP-Ugandas initiative to contribute to further beautifying the oldest living city in the world. Living in a land of the Nile, their commitment to a ghat on the Ganga reflects the confluence of our two cultures. The conservation of Varanasis heritage underlines the cultural revival of India. This has profound global implications, he said. Confident that many more members of the Indian community in Uganda will keep visiting Varanasi and continue their efforts for its redevelopment, he added. Speaking at the launch of the project, Jaishankar said a few months from now, India, which is economically and politically more influential today than before, will be hosting the G20 development ministers meeting. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. The meeting at Kharge's residence comes amid talks of Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 general elections. Kumar arrived here on Tuesday is expected to meet a slew of Opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital. Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders recently in an attempt to forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and may have a meeting with top opposition leaders in the coming weeks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot a "friend", thanking him for attending the launch here of a Vande Bharat Express even when he is going through a "political tussle" in the state. Flagging off the state's first Vande Bharat train virtually, the prime minister thanked Gehlot for being present at the event in Jaipur. "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of political struggle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. On Tuesday, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot observed a daylong fast in Jaipur, targeting the Gehlot government over "inaction" in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state. Earlier, during his address at the launch event, Gehlot raised demands related to the railways in Rajasthan, and mentioned that for the first time since independence, the Union railway minister is from the state. Modi said, "The work that should have been done immediately after independence had not been done till now. But you have so much faith in me that you have given me that task today." The prime minister told Gehlot that his trust in him gives strength to their "friendship". "I thank you for the trust you have in this friendship," he told the Congress leader. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board both being from Rajasthan, the prime minister said, "And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... The railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan." This is the second time in five months that Modi has "praised" Gehlot. Last November, when the two shared the dias at an event in Banswara, Modi described Gehlot as the senior-most chief minister in the fraternity of CMs. Pilot had then taken a dig at the chief minister over this. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also shared a clip of parts of the speeches of Modi and Gehlot. In the caption, he said even Gehlot knows that only Modi will get the work done. Reacting to this, the chief minister's Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Lokesh Sharma said when there is a BJP government at the Centre and as prime minister, it is Modi's responsibility to fulfil the state's demands. The Vande Bharat launch function was organised at the Jaipur junction railway station. It was also attended by Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra among others. The regular service of this new Vande Bharat train will start from April 13 and will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment with stops in Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgugram. Exuding confidence that the BJP will win over 300 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the voters will gift the third consecutive term to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term with the party winning over 300 seats (out of 543 seats) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shah said during a rally in Dibrugarh, where he laid the foundation stone for the Upper Assam zonal BJP office. Shah thanked the people of Assam, which was the first State in the N-E to give mandate to the BJP. He expressed confidence that the saffron party will win 12 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern State. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the senior BJP leader said, North-East was once considered a fortress of the Congress but despite Rahul Gandhis yatra, the party failed to perform well in the recent Assembly elections in three States in the region. Assembly elections were recently held in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. The BJP formed the government in Tripura, and came in power as alliance partners in the other two States. Earlier, Assam was known for andolan (agitation) and aatankwad (terrorism) but now there is peace and people are dancing to the beats of Bihu music, Shah said, while referring to a mega event which will be held in Guwahati on April 14 in which over 11,000 dancers will perform in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah said that under the BJP rule in Assam, over 41,000 have been given employment, 25,000 hectares of land have been earmarked for Bajra Mission, two lakh hectares for palm oil production and 12 lakh families have been provided with handlooms. He said the BJP Government in Assam has already established 12 medical colleges and 12 more are in the pipeline, while Modi will inaugurate AIIMS in the state on the occasion of Rongali Bihu. An IAF General Court Martial (GCM) has recommended sacking of a Group Captain for the crash of a Mi-17 V5 helicopter in Budgam in Jammu & Kashmir after it was hit by a missile on February 27, 2019, official sources said on Tuesday. Six IAF personnel on board the helicopter and a civilian on the ground were killed in the crash. The attack helicopter was struck by the IAFs own surface-to-air missile when the helicopter was on its way back to Srinagar on the day Indian and Pakistani air forces were engaged in an aerial combat, according to a Court of Inquiry. Sources said the GCM ordered dismissal of Group Captain Suman Roy Chowdhury, who was serving then as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Srinagar Air Force Station. They also said the IAF can only act on the GCMs recommendation after a decision on a case relating to the incident by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. According to laid down norms, the Chief of Air Staff has to give an approval on the recommendation of the GCM for sacking of the official. Sources said the order of the GCM will be put up before the IAF chief after a decision on the case by the court. The GCM was constituted based on the findings of a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident, which found that the Mi-17 V-5 helicopter was hit by a ground-based missile. The probe had found that the Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) system on-board the helicopter was switched off and there were vital gaps in communication and coordination between the ground staff and the crew of the chopper. It also found violations of standard operating procedures. The IFF helps air defence radars identify whether an aircraft or helicopter is friendly or hostile. The helicopter crashed in Budgam around 10 am on February 27 when Indian and Pakistani fighter jets were engaged in fierce aerial combat in Nowshera, a day after Indias air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan. A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shahs visit to Arunachal Pradesh and China objecting to it claiming the State is its part, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said, We completely reject it. Making Indias position clear, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said here, We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the State of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other State of India. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objection to such visits does not stand reason and will not change the above reality. This categorical assertion by Bagchi came in response to media queries regarding Chinese official spokespersons comments on the recent visit of Home Minister of India to Arunachal Pradesh. Incidentally, Beijing had renamed some places in the eastern State last week and said Zangan is Chinas territory. China calls Arunachal Pradesh Zangan, the southern part of Tibet and its spokesperson on Monday said Shahs visit violates Chinas sovereignty. Zangan is Chinas territory, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in response to a question on the visit by the Home Minister. The Indian officials visit to Zangnan violates Chinas territorial sovereignty, and is not conducive to the peace and tranquility of the border situation, the spokesperson said in Beijing. Zangnan (Chinas name for Arunachal Pradesh) is part of Chinas territory The activity of the senior Indian official in Zangnan violates Chinas territorial sovereignty and is not conducive to peace and tranquility in the border areas. We are firmly against this, he had said. Shah on Monday visited Arunachal Pradesh, where he launched the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in Kibithoo, a village along the India-China border. In a clear message to China from the border village of Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, Shah on Monday had said no one can dare cast an evil eye on Indias territorial integrity and encroach even an inch of our land. He said the era when anyone could encroach the borderlands of India was over. Our policy is clear. We want peace from everybody. But no one can encroach on even an inch of our territory The protection of borders is the protection of the country, which is why Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has made border infrastructure a matter of priority, he said. India had dismissed Chinas move to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the State has always been and will always be an integral part of India. As ties remain strained between the two countries, Pakistan on Tuesday expressed its strong indignation over Indias decision to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar on May 22-24. Islamabad also said New Delhi is exploiting its membership of an important international grouping to advance its self-serving agenda. Pakistans Foreign Affairs Ministry said, Indias irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self-serving measures to perpetuate its illegal occupation of Jammu & Kashmir in sheer disregard of the UN Security Council resolutions, and in violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves. Pakistan expresses its strong indignation over Indias decision to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar on 22-24 May 2023. Scheduling of two other meetings of a consultative forum on youth affairs (Y-20) in Leh and Srinagar...Is equally disconcerting, it said. Indias irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self-serving measures... Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves, it said. Pakistan said such events cannot hide the reality of Jammu and Kashmir being an internationally recognised dispute that has remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for over seven decades. The G20 tourism track meeting will be the first major international event to be held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Delegates from G-20 member states, guest countries and several international organisations have been invited to participate in the event as part of Indias G20 Presidency. While the G20 member countries comprise Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union, Indias special invitee guest countries this time include Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the UAE. Besides delegates from these countries, those representing international organisations such as UNWTO and International Labour Organisation are also expected to attend the Srinagar meet. Islamabad also said, For a country that has a grandiose vision about itself and its place in the world, India has once more demonstrated that it is unable to act as a responsible member of the international community, the statement said. Pakistan had earlier urged its allies Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China at the United Nations to stop the meeting. Pakistan had registered its protest in June 2022 when India announced that a working group meeting was going to be held in Srinagar. India declared the dates of the meeting on Friday last week. India assumed the year-long presidency of the G20 in December last year and aims to host a leaders summit in New Delhi in early September. The G20 is an important forum of the worlds 20 major developed and developing economies. Defying the Congress Central leaderships warning that a sit-in will be consider an anti-party activity, Rajasthan Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Tuesday sat on a fast in Jaipur, piling pressure on his own party by targeting the Ashok Gehlot Government for inaction in the alleged corruption cases during the Vasundhara Raje-led BJPs term. The day-long fast has not gone down well with the Congress leadership which has summoned Pilot for explanation. On the other hand, backed by the party high command, Pilots bete noire Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot released a video on his vision to make Rajasthan the top State by 2030. Gehlot did not make any direct remark on Pilots fast. If there is any issue with his own government, it can be discussed at party forums instead of the media and in public. This is clearly anti-party activity. I am in touch with him and I still appeal for dialogue since he is an indisputable asset to the Congress, said Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rajasthan in-charge at the AICC. Sources in the AICC said Pilot is likely to be in Delhi to meet Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge and the partys first family members Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka. So far Pilots occasional revolt against Gehlot was being contained by Priyanka, but sources said this time the Gandhis did not make any effort. Rahul and Priyanka are in Wayanad, Kerala, the Parliamentary constituency represented by Rahul until his disqualification last month. As he left the protest site, Pilot told reporters that Rahul, the Congress and other Opposition parties have united over corruption and financial irregularities, and claimed that his fast will speed up this movement. No ruling party minister or MLA showed up as they were asked by Pilot to keep away. But several other leaders, including former MLAs Santosh Saharan and Ramnarayan Gurjar were present. Rajasthan Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singhs son Anirudh Singh, who recently targeted Rahul for his remarks in the UK, was present at the dharna site. Several workers from Pilots constituency Tonk and areas in eastern Rajasthan also came. Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot have been at loggerheads since 2020 when the latter revolted against Gehlots leadership, leading to a month-long political crisis that ended after assurance by the party leadership. including Priyanka Gandhi to look into the issues. Gehlot later used terms like gaddar (traitor), nakara (failure) and nikamma (worthless) for Pilot, and accused him of being involved with BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government. Last September, MLAs in the Gehlot camp boycotted a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting and held a parallel meeting to stall what they felt was an attempt to make Pilot the new chief minister. Gehlot was then being considered for the party presidents post. A sugar molecule in blood can be used to develop a simple screening procedure which is able to predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease 10 years in advance, a study has found. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that the sugar molecule called glycan is associated with the level of tau, a protein that plays a critical role in the development of severe dementia. Glycans are sugar molecules found on the surface of proteins, the building blocks of life, and determine the location and function of these proteins in the body. "We demonstrate in our study that blood levels of glycans are altered early during the development of the disease," said Robin Zhou, from Karolinska Institutet. "This could mean that we'll be able to predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease with only a blood test and a memory test, said Zhou, first author of the study published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia. In Alzheimer's disease, the neurons of the brain die, which is thought to be a result of the abnormal accumulation of the proteins amyloid beta and tau. Clinical trials for Alzheimer's drugs show that treatment should commence early in the pathological process, before too many neurons have died, to reverse the process before it is too late. There is both a practical and a financial need for non-invasive screening methods for Alzheimer's. Markers in blood are preferable, as taking samples of the cerebrospinal fluid is more difficult and brain imaging is expensive. Researchers found that the level of a certain glycan structure in blood, denoted bisected N-acetylglucosamine, can be used to predict the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. By measuring blood glycan levels, the researchers found that individuals with matching levels of glycans and tau were over twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's-type dementia. "We also show that a simple statistical model that takes into account blood glycan and tau levels, the risk gene APOE4 and a memory test, can be used to predict Alzheimer's disease to a reliability of 80 per cent almost a decade before symptoms such as memory loss appear," said corresponding author Sophia Schedin Weiss from Karolinska Institutet. The results are based on 233 participants of the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K). The samples were collected between 2001 and 2004, and the participants were monitored regularly with respect to factors such as memory loss and the presence of dementia. The follow-ups were carried out every three to six years and continued for 17 years. The researchers will now be analysing blood samples from the remaining participants of the SNAC-K study as well as from participants of other aging studies in and outside Sweden. We are collaborating with researchers in primary care in Sweden to evaluate different biomarkers for dementia at primary health care centres, said Weiss. We hope that glycans in the blood will prove to be a valuable complement to current methods of screening people for Alzheimer's disease that will enable the disease to be detected early," the researcher added. An 11-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Maharajganj district. The incident took place at Shastri Nagar Intermediate College ground, police said on Tuesday. The deceased, Adersh, had left his home around 11 am on Monday to go to a market. His family members started looking for him after he did not return. The minors body bearing bite marks was recovered late at night, the police said. His face and right arm were bitten off, the police said, adding that the boy appeared to have put up a fight. Inspector, Kotwali, Ravi Rai said the boy was mentally unwell and a pack of dogs attacked and killed him. Further action was being taken after taking possession of the body, he added. In another tragic incident, a 7-year-old boy died due to electrocution after coming in contact with a submersible pump inside the premises of a primary school on Monday, police said. The incident took place under Manauna police station in Mainpuri and the deceased was identified as Anshu Diwakar, son of Chhabiram Diwakar. The child was playing when he inadvertently touched a submersible pump. Enraged over the incident, villagers and the bereaved family members damaged the car of the school principal and protested against the district administration. Later, with the efforts of the circle officer and tehsildar, the police sent the body for autopsy. Deputy Collector Gopal Sharma ordered an FIR against the school principal following a complaint by the victims family. Basic Education Officer Deepika Gupta also reached the spot and assured departmental action against anyone found guilty. SP leader and former MLC from Karhal Arvind Pratap announced a financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh for the victims family members. Meanwhile, a 60-year-old man was killed and his son grievously injured when a tractor-trolley rammed into their motorcycle in Mathura, police said on Tuesday. The accident occurred near Bichpuri police outpost under Raya police station when the victims were returning to Hathras from Mathura. Their motorcycle was hit by a tractor-trolley which sped off soon afterwards, police said. Yogesh Kumar (60) died on the spot while his son Alok was admitted to a hospital where his condition was said to be critical, Raya police station in-charge Ajay Kishore said. The tractor-trolley was loaded with hardware items. On the basis of a complaint by the deceaseds nephew Sanjay Sharma, a case was lodged against the unidentified tractor-trolley driver. The complainant said that the motorcycle was bought only on Sunday and his uncle was returning from Mathura in connection with a land deed. In one more tragic incident in Shahjahanpur district, a man and his two were killed in a mishap while returning home from their workshop on Monday night. Additional Superintendent of Police Sudhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday that Intezar Khan (55) and his sons Zulfikar (25) and Jarnain (18) were returning home from their workshop opposite Rehan School on the National Highway in Kotwali police station area when an unidentified vehicle hit their motorcycle. Some passersby rushed them to a hospital where doctors pronounced them dead upon arrival. Police registered a case against the unidentified driver and sent the bodies for autopsy. In Muzaffarnagar, a Bolero rammed into a tree late on Monday night on the Budhana-Barot road after the driver fell asleep. Three people, including a woman, travelling in the car, died in the mishap. Two young sons of the deceased were also injured. Poonam Devi (50), wife of Jai Kumar of Jalalpur village in Titavi area, along with her sons Manoj (28) and Ankur (25) and relatives Vajis and Vinit (35), had gone to Pilkhawa village in Meerut for some work. When they were returning home, the driver fell asleep on Budhana-Baraut road and the vehicle ploughed into a tree. All the injured were taken to a hospital where doctors pronounced Vajis, Vineet and Poonam Devi 'brought dead'. AIIMS Bhopal continues to excel in the academic field with its PG residents winning numerous accolades in various conferences and CMEs. Dr Jayesh, PG resident in Department of Radiodiagnosis, AIIMS Bhopal was awarded the 1st prize for his e-poster 'Aortic dissection in right sided aortic arch' prepared under the guidance of (Dr) Rajesh Malik, Head of Department and Dr Radha Gupta, Additional Professor in CME on Chronic Venous Insufficiency held in GMC, Bhopal on 26th March 2023. This CME was endorsed by Indian Society for Vascular and Interventional Radiology (ISVIR) and saw participation from numerous state medical colleges. A team of PG residents from the department won the 2nd prize in quiz competition in the CME. Dr Nadeem won another accolade in CME on Cardiac imaging held in MGM Medical college, Indore on April 09, 2023, in which he won the 1st prize for his e-poster 'LV aneurysm-true or false: Role of MR', prepared under the guidance of Prof. (Dr) Rajesh Malik. and Dr Radha Gupta, Dr Nadeem was also awarded a complimentary one-year membership of Indian Association of Cardiac Imaging (IACI). The All India Sikh Conference (Babbar) has issued a statement saying that Sikhs under its banner will reach Har Ki Paidi in Haridwar on April 13 to reclaim Gurudwara Gyan Godri. The AISC (Babbar) chief Gurcharan Singh Babbar appealed in the statement on Tuesday to the Sikh community, leaders of Akali Dals and various Gurudwara committees of different States to unite on the occasion of Baisakhi on Thursday to get the possession of the Gurudwara. He also appealed to the Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the director general of police Ashok Kumar to not unnecessarily harass the Sikh Sangat slated to arrive at Har Ki Paidi on Thursday. He asked the CM to instruct all senior police officials to not register false cases against the Sangat or make any effort to intimidate them or put them in jail as it will not be in the interest of the nation. He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Uttarakhand government to contribute towards facilitating the repossession of the Gurudwara. Babbar also appealed to the Khalistani fugitive Amritpal Singh to also arrive at Har Ki Paidi on the occasion of Baisakhi and surrender to the authorities. Addressing Amritpal in his statement, Babbar said that Sikhs across the country including Punjab, Khalsa Panth, Singh Sahab of Shri Akal Takht Sahib and Giani Harpreet Singh want this which will also give him an opportunity to present his side in front of the whole nation. The additional director general of police (Law and Order) V Murugesan told The Pioneer that the Haridwar district police have been directed to take measures to maintain law and order in the area on the arrival of Sikh activists on the occasion of Baisakhi. A day after the Punjab Police arrested Papalpreet Singh mentor and a close aide of fugitive radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and booked under National Security Act (NSA), he was sent to Assams Dibrugarh Central Jail on early Tuesday morning. He will be lodged at Dibrugarh Jail along with eight other associates of Amritpal, who continues to evade arrest, for 24 days now, ever since the Punjab Police launched a massive crackdown against their Waris Punjab De outfit. The Punjab Police has booked Amritpal and his nine associates, including Papalpreet, under NSA. Of these, eight have been arrested and lodged in Dibrugarh jail, with Amritpal still on the run. Papalpreet was brought to Amritsar's Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport under heavy police protection at around 5 am. His flight left for Assam at 5.45 am. Talking briefly with the media at Amritsar airport, Papalpreet dispelled rumours about his surrender. I am in high spiritsI was arrested yesterday as the police said, he said. On the media query regarding the whereabouts of Amritpal Singh, Papalpreet said that he was not aware. I dont even know where he is, he added. Notably, Papalpreet and Amritpal got separated on March 28, after which the two could not contact each other. Amritsar Rural Police, on Monday, arrested Papalpreet from Kathunangal in Amritsar district under the National Security Act (NSA), besides six other cases. Papalpreet had been on the run along with Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal since March 18 following a crackdown on the organization and pictures of the two escaping from the police had surfaced on social media last month. A delegation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also reached Dibrugarh to meet Amritpals eight associates, who are currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail. SGPC has already announced that they will fight the cases of all the Sikh youths who were arrested in the Amritpal incident in the past. Haryana increases monthly pension of journalists Chandigarh: Haryana Government has increased the pension of the accredited media personnel under the Journalist Pension Scheme already being run by the State Government with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar approving a proposal regarding it. Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Director General, Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department, Dr. Amit Agrawal said that the Chief Minister has accorded approval to a proposal for an annual increase in the pension amount and this will be increased in proportion to the increase in DA according to the norms fixed by the Central Government. Under this scheme, a monthly pension is being given to accredited media personnel above the age of 60 years. According to the eligibility criteria for this scheme, journalists must have 20 years of experience and must have media accreditation given by the state government for a period of 5 years. Monitor privately run de-addiction centres: Himachal Governor Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Tuesday directed the deputy commissioner of Mandi to monitor privately run de-addiction centres. The directions came in the wake of feedback the governor received from patients of a de-addiction centre at Raghunath Ka Padhar in Mandi during a visit to the facility. According to a statement, Shukla said it was a collective responsibility to vigorously carry forward the campaign against drugs to make Himachal Pradesh free from the menace. The state government is working comprehensively against the problem of narcotics, the governor said, adding that he has taken upon himself the responsibility to make Himachal Pradesh drug-free. Earlier, the governor also visited the zonal hospital in Mandi and enquired about the well-being of patients. Haryana to organise two-day water conclave on April 26, 27 Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on Tuesday said that the Government has decided to organize a two-day water conclave on 26-27 April which will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The water conclave aims at promoting awareness, building partnerships, and fostering collaborative efforts to ensure the sustainable management of water resources, which is essential for the socio-economic development and well-being of citizens, he added. Punjab Govt to spend Rs 13.63 cr on beautification of Barnala Chandigarh: Punjab Local Government Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar on Tuesday said that approximately Rs 13.63 crore will be spent for the beautification of Barnala, and the office process for the same has already been initiated for these works. Dr Nijjar stated that Rs 89.64 lakh will be utilized for bio-remediation of legacy waste at Municipal Council Barnala, with the objective of addressing waste management issues and improving the environment in the area. Additionally, Rs 1.75 crore will be spent on constructing public and community toilets to provide better sanitation facilities and promote cleanliness. Centre of Excellence for Retina' launched Chandigarh: Centre of Excellence for Retina boasting of the Ultra-wide Field and Ultra High Definition Multimodal Imaging Facility and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) was unveiled by Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health and Family Welfare, and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Union Territory of Chandigarh. The Centre was unveiled at Mirchias Laser Clinic, a unit of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Sector-22. Pb Ministers lay foundation stone of Govt Children Home Chandigarh: Punjab Social Security and Women and Child Development Department Minister Dr Baljit Kaur and Transport and Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the government children home at Usma village in Tarn Taran district. This children home will be constructed at a cost of Rs five crore and will be fully-equipped with state of the art basic facilities. Dr Baljit Kaur said that this children home will have the capacity of residing 50 destitute children, and will provide state of the art basic facilities such as accommodation, food, education, health and other facilities free of cost. BSES discoms BRPL and BYPL have facilitated the installation of around 2,300 charging points in Delhi for electric vehicles (EVs) and are in the process to set up 900 more in the coming months. The 2300 charging points installed at over 900 locations across south, east, central and west Delhi include 1,123 private ones, 745 public and 419 for captive BSES use, the officials said. The company is in talks with several partners to expand the charging infrastructure further, they said. BSES will facilitate the installation of additional 900-plus charging points over the next few months, an official said, adding BSES discoms aim to convert their entire fleet of vehicles to EVs by 2030. According to officials, the EV charging infrastructure facilitated by BSES includes over 1123 private charging points, 745 public charging points, and 419 captive charging points for in-house use. This infrastructure will go a long way in promoting the use of EVs and reducing carbon emissions in Delhi. BSES is also making significant strides in converting its own fleet of vehicles to EVs. Currently, BSES has deployed over 80 EVs for its in-house use, including cars, 3-wheelers, e-rickshaws, 2-wheelers, and even a pick-up truck. Over the next two years, the fleet of EVs in BSES fleet is expected to increase to around 150. By SA Commercial Prop News Makro Store will be housed within the Cornubia Ridge Logistics Park, which is adjacent to the Gateway precinct and accessible from all major highways including the M41 and the N2. Cornubia, a multi-billion rand mixed-use development in the northern corridor of Durban, has welcomed the new state-of-the-art Makro Store scheduled to start operating this week. This will be Makros 22nd store in South Africa housed in a 19 000m2 retail facility within the Cornubia Ridge Logistics Park, which is adjacent to the Gateway precinct and accessible from all major highways including the M41 and the N2. The R1 billion development is a joint venture between Fortress REIT Limited, one of the members of the JSE-listed Resilient group of property companies and M&F Giuricich Developments, a privately owned development company. ALSO READ: The Global Lift & Escalator Expo comes to South Africa The Cornubia Ridge Logistics Park is ideally located on the main routes between Durban and the fast-growing Durban North region and is also in close proximity to the Dube Trade port, which has been designated a special economic zone, as well as King Shaka airport, said Konrad Kohler, the Development Manager at Fortress. Construction commenced in April 2018 and completed in December. The land on which the Cornubia multi-use development is situated was purchased from Tongaat-Hulett by Fortress and M&F Giuricich Developments in 2016. ALSO READ: Click here if you need reasonable modern Office Space The development of the Cornubia Ridge Logistics Park forms part of Fortress strategy to expand its logistics-focussed asset base to approximately two thirds of its total portfolio by 2020. Although the domestic economy still faces some strong headwinds we remain cautiously optimistic about the logistics sector, said Kohler. There is certainly space for further growth because even in a fairly stagnant economy there is still need for distribution of products. ALSO READ: Sandton grows apace with R3bn Skyscraper Makro is owned by Massmart, a JSE listed company which is in turn 51% owned by Walmart, the US based retail company operating all over the world. Makro currently has 22 stores countrywide. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that innovation is necessary in education. He said that the objective of education is balanced development of every dimension and it is impossible without innovations. The CM was addressing a programme organised on the occasion of Praveshotsav ( enrollment festival) at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose residential school Bhaniyawala here on Tuesday. He said that apart from inculcating high ideals and virtues in an individual, education provides solutions for the problems of the society. Dhami said that the State government is consistently working to promote girl education. He added that the government is committed to a bright future of the students. The CM opined that any society can become powerful and enrich only with the help of education. He said that the National Education Policy (NEP) -2020 would provide employment oriented education to the students and now they would not have to prepare separately for the competitive examinations. It would also encourage research and innovations and it would go a long way in making India a developed nation. He said that Uttarakhand is the first State in the country which has implemented the NEP-2020. Congratulating the students, the CM said that a new academic session is commencing in the State. He said that 11 new residential schools have been approved in the State. The CM said that a sum of Rs 10,000 is being provided to the primary teachers for purchasing tablets. It would help in digital enrichment of the teachers. The CM inaugurated the upgraded building of the residential school Baniyawala on the occasion. A sum of Rs 21.76 crore was also digitally transferred by him in the accounts of the primary teachers for purchasing tablets. Speaking on the occasion, the education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that the enrollment festival would last one month and the public representatives would also take part in them. He said that the State government is working to bring down the drop out ratio to zero in the State. The minister said that a decision to provide free textbooks to the aided schools has been taken. He said that a survey of all schools of minority would be done to check whether these schools are following norms or not. The MLAs Sahdev Singh Pundir, Dalip Singh Rawat, secretary Ravinath Raman, director general of education Banshidhar Tiwari and others were present on the occasion. Amid a surge in the Covid-19 cases in the national Capital, mock drills were conducted at hospitals for the second day running, to ascertain their preparedness to tackle the disease in case of a pandemic. The city had reported almost 700 Covid cases and four deaths on Sunday, an increase of more than 200 infections from the previous day when three deaths were also recorded. As many as 484 cases were reported with a positivity rate of 26.58 per cent on Monday. The mock drill conducted on Tuesday was part of a nationwide exercise to take stock of the hospitals preparedness to tackle the surge in Covid cases. Officials had already announced that both public and private facilities are expected to participate in the exercise conducted on April 10 and 11. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital here on Monday to review the measures taken to combat the disease. At Delhi government-run hospitals, the exercise was undertaken on Tuesday. Suresh Kumar, the medical director of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, said more cases are being reported in the city but there is no need to panic. Only 10 patients have been admitted to our hospital, while 440 Covid beds are vacant. The objective of the exercise is to ascertain our preparedness in terms of availability of essential medicine, equipment and staff, he said. Talking about the recent Covid-related deaths, Kumar said only those who had severe comorbidities like tuberculosis, cancer, chronic lung diseases etc succumbed to the infection. An FIR has been registered on Poddhar School management, as it pressurised parents to buy books and uniforms from the same shop, did not even providedthe list. SDM Manoj Verma and other officials reached the school and also conducted the investigation. A case has been registered against Poddar International School Management located at Ayodhya Bypass in Bhopal. Despite the orders of the Collector, the school management was pressuring the children to buy books and uniforms from the same shop. Also, the list of books and its publishers was not pasted on the notice board of the school. District Education Officer Nitin Saxena complained about this at Chhola police station. It was told that some parents had complained to the School Education Department that the Poddar International School Management was pressurizing them to buy uniforms and books from the same shop. If this is not done, the children are being threatened with not being allowed to enter the school. On Tuesday, District Education Officer Nitin Saxena along with the team arrived to inspect the school. Investigation revealed that the class-wise list of books along with the name and price of the author and publisher was not posted on the notice board before the commencement of the academic session and even at present. The list was not made available even on the demand of children and parents, so that parents can buy those books from the open market as per their convenience. The Principal has also given information about the books and publishers to be used in every class in the school, on the website, email id deobho-mp@nic. School books and uniforms are available only at one shop, Aruna Cell JK Road. Books and uniforms cannot be bought from anywhere else. After this the DEO lodged a complaint with the Chhola police station. A case has been registered against the school administration Ankit Jain. This action was taken against Poddar International School. Restriction of Section-144 to curb arbitrariness Collector Ashish Singh had issued orders under Section 144 on Monday to end the monopoly of private school operators, publishers and booksellers. Now the operators of private schools will not be able to force the students or parents to buy uniforms, shoes, ties, books, notebooks etc. from the designated shops only. Nor will they be forced to buy sets of books. Collector said - Take immediate action Collector had given instructions to SDM and DEO to take action against such school management. If a complaint is received against any school or institution, it was also asked to take disciplinary action against it. However, all schools have opened since 3 April. In such a situation, most of the parents have already bought uniforms and books. Private school operators forced them to buy uniforms and books from the same shop. Parents say that if the order had come out earlier, the arbitrariness of the school operators would not have worked. When the team went inside the school, it also found a flex, on which information about the uniform was given. Parents are forced to buy expensive uniforms and books. In a bid to ensure transparency in Government projects, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has approved a proposal making mandatory an integrity pact between the Delhi Government and a vendor in all contracts exceeding Rs 10 crore. Besides, independent external monitors will be appointed to check the execution of such contract, the Raj Niwas officials said. The threshold for the integrity pact which the departments and agencies in Delhi started to follow since 2017 has been lowered from Rs 50 crore to Rs 10 crore to ensure total compliance, they said. The integrity pact, in respect of a particular contract, will be operative from the date it is signed by both the parties till the completion of contract. After award of a work, the external monitors will look into any issue relating to execution of contract, if specially referred to them, the officials said. The LG in a note to the chief secretary of Delhi has directed that the fresh guidelines regarding adoption of integrity pact and appointment of external monitors in every project and procurement above Rs 10 crore should be adhered to in letter and spirit. All government projects and procurement exceeding Rs 10 crore will necessitate the Integrity Pact. Violation of the pact by bidders will lead to disqualification and other penal actions, an official said. Under the integrity pact, both parties (government and contractors) will commit not to resort to any corrupt practices at any stage of the contract. The external monitors will be selected from the panels of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), or the government organisation, the officials said. The LG also underlined that though provisions for an integrity pact and appointment of external monitors were to be done way back in 2007 as per recommendations of the CVC, the departments and agencies in Delhi started to follow these guidelines from 2017. He rued the fact that even after 2017, none of the bigger agencies like PWD and MCD adopted the procedure for integrity pact and external monitors, and those who did it stated that their projects and procurement were not covered under the Rs 50 crore threshold, another Raj Niwas official said. Any violation of integrity pact would entail disqualification of the bidders and exclusion from future business dealings, as per the existing provisions of general financial rules, 2017, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and other financial rules and guidelines, the officials said. The Bharatiya Janata Party State in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam has appreciated the step taken by the State government regarding illegal religious structures in Uttarakhand. In an information interaction with media persons after arriving here on a three-day tour of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, Gautam said that the manner in which chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed his commitment to action in the matter of illegal religious structures is undoubtedly better and also necessary for Devbhoomi. He said that illegally built mazars or any type of religious encroachments should not be acceptable in Uttarakhand. He stressed that the BJP is not against any community but is against the system of encroaching on governmental and non-governmental land and usurping it as part of a conspiracy. The manner in which the chief minister has announced that strict action will be taken in such cases is better and appreciable, said the partys State in-charge. This decision has sent a good message to the public and the citizens are welcoming it, he averred. Gautam further said that the anti-conversion law enacted in Uttarakhand has also become an issue of interest in other States. He further said that with the help of the Centre, various projects amounting to more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore are underway in Uttarakhand which are taking the State forward on the developmental path at a swift pace. The strict anti-copying law brought by the Dhami government is also being studied by other States which are also eager to implement a similar law, he said. Increase in tourism activities in the State will also increase employment opportunities. As per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand will surely become one of the leading States of India under chief minister Dhamis leadership, added Gautam. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday pledged to provide a government job to the family member of the 22-year-old youth who died in Biranpur village of Bemetara district. The family will also be provided Rs 10 lakh assistance, an official communication said. The Chief Minister asked for a high-level administrative inquiry under the Divisional Commissioner. The report should be submitted in a week. A delegation of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Sahu Sangh led by state president Tehal Singh Sahu and other office bearers met the Chief Minister, then made the declaration. He also urged the people of the state to maintain peace and harmony. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule dedicated his entire life for the upliftment of farmers and the poor and also took the initiative to educate women and today people need to imbibe the teachings of this great man in their lives. Speaking at the state-level birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Kurukshetra where he also inaugurated the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Chowk and also unveiled his statue, Khattar The Chief Minister, MP Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, MLA Sh. Subhash Sudha, MLA Sh. Ram Karan Kala, MLA Sh. Ram Kumar Kashyap and other dignitaries offered floral tributes on the photo of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule at the birth anniversary celebrations. During the programme, Sh. Manohar Lal announced to give Rs. 31 lakh from his personal fund to the Saini community and Rs. 21 lakh on behalf of MP Sh. Nayab Singh Saini. Khattar said that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule dedicated his entire life to education. This great man was a social reformer in the true sense. He said that there is nothing without education and the person who will not be educated, his life will not be successful. He also worked to educate women, he added. The Chief Minister said that the state government is continuously working; inspired by the life of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. The government has started various schemes in the spirit of Antyodaya and has done the work of connecting the last mile people. In the last 5 years, the data of people belonging to extremely backward classes has been collected and on the basis of these figures, the government is making several schemes, he added. After three days of tension, the city has finally started returning to a state of normalcy following the recent outbreak of communal violence. The streets of Shastri Nagar, Kadma that were once marred by clashes and chaos are now showing signs of calm and order, with security forces taking measures to restore peace and stability. In order to ensure strict vigil, paramilitary forces, Rapid Action Force (RAP) are still deployed in the area, despite the situation in the trouble-torn Shastrinagar in Kadma. No untoward incident was reported from Shastrinagar on Monday and in the intervening night of Tuesday during which the police continued to carry out raids in and outside of the locality As of now over 100 persons have been taken into custody by the police after the latter identified the former through the CCTV footage and from the investigation. While one of the arrested persons, Abhay Singh has already been lodged in the Ghaghidih central jail, preparation for forwarding others to judicial custody is on. In the aftermath of the communal clashes that erupted in the city, security has been significantly beefed up to prevent any further untoward incidents. The police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in large numbers, conducting extensive patrolling and maintaining a strong presence in sensitive areas to deter any attempts at incitement or violence. Efforts are also being made to promote communal harmony and foster a sense of unity among different communities in the city. Inter-community dialogues, peace meetings, and awareness campaigns are being conducted to bridge the gaps and promote tolerance and understanding among different religious and ethnic groups. The city residents, who were left shaken by the recent events, are now cautiously stepping out and trying to rebuild their lives. Many are expressing relief that the situation has improved and are hopeful that peace and harmony will prevail in the days to come. The city administration has also emphasized the need for proactive measures to address the root causes of communal tension, such as economic disparities, social inequalities, and religious polarization. Plans are being formulated to promote inclusivity, strengthen community relations, and create avenues for dialogue and reconciliation. The deputy commissioner, Vijay Jadhav and senior SP, Prabhat Kumar are constantly monitoring the situation in Shastrinagar even as the residents of the area have resumed their daily chores of life. Interestingly, while the RAF jawans are still deployed in the troubled Shastrinagar locality, the civic body Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) and utility company, Tata Steel UISL on Monday carried out an anti-encroachment drive there for paving the way for a road-widening project. The JNAC functionaries removed about a dozen unauthorised shops which had become a hurdle in the way of the road-widening project at the stretch along the troubled area for a long time. A tension between members of a temple committee and people belonging to the minority community flared up on Sunday, leading the police and district administration to successfully control it immediately. The prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC will remain imposed in Shastrinagar and the RAF deployment in place until the situation does not get completely normal. With the cases of COVID-19 rising rapidly across the country, mock drills were conducted at hospitals in Punjab on Monday and Tuesday, to ascertain the COVID-19 preparedness and to effectively tackle any kind of exigency. The two-day exercise was part of nationwide mock drill as per the directions of the Union Government to ensure COVID preparedness at both public and private health facilities. Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh directed all health officials to be fully prepared to tackle any kind of COVID-related medical exigencies. He also instructed all the Health Institutions to maintain adequate stock of medicines, besides, having requisite health infrastructure including bed capacity and ventilators, face masks, PPE kits, oxygen cylinders, oxygen plants etc. He has also asked the Health Department to ramp up the COVID testing immediately. Maintaining that the situation is under control and people need not to panic, Dr Balbir urged the people to strictly adhere to the health and safety protocols including social distancing, proper wearing of masks and washing hands frequently to contain coronavirus. If anyone has a cold, fever, or cough, do not go to public places, and wear a mask when you go out. People who are sick, have low immunity, at least they should not leave the house and avoid going to crowded areas, he added. The statess Health and Family Welfare director Dr Adarshpal Kaur apprised the Minister that Punjab has earmarked approximately 15,000 beds for COVID patients in private as well as government health institutions and sufficient number of oxygen cylinders, LMO tanks and PSA plants are available to cope with any untoward situation. Hry records 595 fresh infections; Face masks mandatory in Gurugram Haryana on Tuesday reported 595 fresh infections and one coronavirus-related fatality. According to the state health department's bulletin, of the fresh infections, Gurugram reported highest 266, followed by 128 in Panchkula, 65 in Faridabad, 27 in Jind, 26 in Hisar, 10 in Rohtak, 2 in Ambala, 15 in Karnal and others. One person died in Kurukshetra from the virus. As many as 373 patients were cured of the infection on Tuesday, it stated. Amid rising cases, the Gurugram district administration on Tuesday made it mandatory for the general public to wear face masks at all public places, government offices, malls, private offices etc, where there is a gathering of more than 100 people. According to the administration officials, this decision was taken as a precautionary measure against the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in Gurugram over the past few weeks. Paying homage to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his birth anniversary, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that before the formation of her government in Uttar Pradesh, such a great man remained neglected. Remembering Phule, Mayawati tweeted that he was the father of social revolution in the country, who started the flame of womens education and womens emancipation from his own home, became immortal by creating a humanist history and fighting hard for it throughout his life. She said hundreds of salutes and immense respect were paid to the great son of the country, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, on his birth anniversary on Tuesday. Now in the greed of vote bank politics, the same casteist elements are eager to celebrate his birth anniversary in an ostentatious manner, she said. What kind of remembrance, what kind of tribute is this? Mayawati later said in a statement that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was introduced for the first time in North India, especially Uttar Pradesh, the state with the large population, only during the BSP government. Efforts were made to give him full respect by installing his statue, naming a district after him, opening Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, auditoriums, schools, etc. Targeting other political parties, Mayawati said that due to the emergence of Dalit/Bahujan Samaj as a political force under the banner of BSP, the same casteist opposition parties are now trying to win their votes. People seem to be very eager to do ostentatious and deceitful work of photo events through Mahatma Jyotiba Phules birth anniversary, she remarked. The BSP chief said that the people of Bahujan Samaj have to unite and get the masterkey of power in order to be able to save themselves, otherwise the ruling elements would not allow the humanist democratic constitution to be implemented properly in this country. PNS/ Dedicating the newly-renovated Guru Tegh Bahadur Museum to the masses, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday exhorted the people to uphold and emulate the high ideals of secularism and humanitarianism embodied by the ninth Sikh Guru. The Chief Minister, addressing the gathering after inspecting the ongoing work at Panj Pyara Park, said that the ninth Sikh guru, who founded the holy town of Sri Anandpur Sahib, was the epitome of socialism and secularism as he sacrificed his life for the sake of preserving human rights in the country. Mann urged the people to imbibe the spirit of self-sacrifice preached and practiced by Hind Di Chaadar, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, who laid down his life to safeguard the freedom of worship, besides upholding the human and secular values. He said that the bani of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, which is included in Guru Granth Sahib, preaches the message of oneness of mankind, universal brotherhood, righteousness, valour and compassion, which need to be followed by one and all. The Chief Minister said that the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur is a lighthouse for the entire humanity adding that this Museum will help in perpetuating this glorious legacy on one hand and further cementing the ties between people on the other. It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that this Museum has been rededicated to the people after equipping it with latest technology and Audio-Visual presentation of its content. Earlier, the museum showcased Guru Sahibs life and teachings only through paintings displayed on its walls, devoid of any light effects and audio-visual presentation, he said adding that the upgradation and renovation work of the Museum gathered pace during last year and had been completed now at a cost of nearly Rs two crore. The Chief Minister said that the museum now portrays its content showcasing the teachings and the supreme sacrifice made by Guru Sahib for the protection of religion in chronological manner with the latest technology projection system using 2D motion and animation videos, synchronized lighting and running commentary. A mobile App has also been developed with which a visitor can watch and listen to the videos and commentary using his or her mobile phone, he said. Mann said that this renovated hi-tech museum, which has been dedicated to the public on the occasion of parkash purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur, will apprize the visitors and pilgrims about the history replete with sacrifices and motivate the youth for preservation of invaluable heritage. Slamming the Akali leadership for ignoring the development of the sacred cities, the Chief Minister said that though the SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had always made tall claims but he had not done anything tangible for development of these cities. Due to the misdeed of the Akali leadership, the people of the state had shown them the door by trouncing them badlyThe Badals had given paramount importance to their own vested interests by ignoring the state and its people, he said. The Chief Minister also announced that he will close another toll plaza at Samana on Wednesday to stop the plunder of common man. He said that these toll plazas have been illegally looting the people in connivance with the previous governments. However, Mann said that when the common man has got the power this sheer loot of public money has been checked. The Chief Minister further said that the state government has inherited a debt of Rs 9020 crore of Powercom from previous governments. This bad debt is being repaid through installments worth Rs 1804 crore. The State Government has, so far, provided more than 28,000 jobs to the youth in the state, he added. The AAPs office in New Delhi wore a vibrant look on Tuesday as the office premises was decked up with flowers and balloons, and party workers danced to beats of drums to celebrate the political outfits new feat as a national party. Scores of AAP leaders and workers gathered at DDU Marg as the streets were decorated with yellow and blue balloons, party flags and patriotic songs were played. A large number of women workers were also present at the celebrations, while sweets were distributed by others. Senior AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced that party workers at all State and district offices across the country would celebrate the AAPs achievement of getting a national party status on April 12. He said that the AAP supporters and workers would take out padyatras across the country and appealed to the citizens to join the party by giving a missed call on 9871010101. This is the result of the hard work and dedication of each and every party member. We are proud to be recognised as a national party. All our efforts have paid off, Seema Arya of AAPs women wing said. Arya, who has been a part of the AAP since 2013, said it is a matter of pride that the party, which was formed in November 2012 got the national status in a short period of 10 years. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is currently in power in Delhi and Punjab, and has five MLAs in the Gujarat Assembly and two in the Goa Assembly. Each and every party worker has put in efforts. Many of us have worked for the party day and night. There were days when we did not have time for our families, said another AAPs women wing member Dharna Seth. She further said that the tag of national party has boosted the spirit of all the party workers at a time when the AAP is gearing up to contest the Assembly polls in Karnataka next month and in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh later this year. It will also give a boost to the party in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. We are extremely happy and the party workers will be celebrating all day today. The national party tag is a huge achievement for us. We kept working hard without any expectations and today, all those efforts paid off, party worker Madhu Bhatia said. Chhattisgarh Police on Tuesday seized 150 kg of cannabis valued at Rs 30 lakhs and arrested three persons in Mahasamund district who were transporting it to Haryana from Odisha. Mahasamund Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh told The Pioneer that they were Darshan Singh, Aman Minchanda and Manoj Kashyap, all from Haryana. The police intercepted a goods carrier near the Narra check post. The cannabis, stuffed in gunny bags, was hidden behind drums of chemicals, the officer said. An elderly man and his son were found dead on Tuesday near violence-hit Biranpur village in Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh. The bodies of the victims Raheem Mohmmad (55) and his son Induk Mohammad of Biranpur were found in Korwaay village, 5 km away, Bemetara Superintendent of Police IK Elesela told reporters. They went to Korwaay village on Tuesday morning to graze their goats, he said. Preliminary investigation suggests that the bodies had head injuries but the exact cause of the death will be known after post-mortem, the police said. A 22-year-old man, Bhuneshwar Sahu, was killed and three policemen were injured in a communal clash in Biranpur village. As many as 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in and around the village it to maintain law and order. Continuing their attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, leaders of the Uttar Pradesh Youth Congress have sent thousands of letters, addressed to the prime minister, questioning him for his alleged relations with Gautam Adani. Taking the postcard campaign against the PM further, UP Youth Congress president Kanishk Pandey said here on Tuesday that the way the voice of MPs is being muted in the parliament and the membership of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been cancelled is unfortunate for a democracy. He termed all these moves political. We all will continue to do Satyagraha against the undemocratic and unconstitutional moves against our leader Rahul Gandhi, and will not back down, he said. Pandey said that in the postcards sent to the PM from GPO here on Tuesday morning, they asked several questions such as How many crores of funds has Adani given to BJP so far?, How many contracts did Adani get after your official foreign visits?, Please also tell us the formula by which your dear friend became the second richest person in the world from 609th place in eight years? It may be mentioned that a postcard campaign is being run in the entire state by Youth Congress leaders. The campaign was held in Lucknow under the leadership of State Youth Congress president Kanishk Pandey. A 61-year-old woman here was allegedly duped of Rs 2 crore on the pretext of custom clearance by a man she befriended on social media. Sunita Kapagunta, in her complaint, alleged that in December 2022 she received a follow request from a person who introduced himself as a British Airways pilot, police said. On December 5, he said he had a surprise package with gift items like i-phone, artificial jewellery, watch, accessories and cash and asked for my address and phone number, she said in her complaint. The fraudster said that he would send the package to the woman if she paid him Rs 35,000. After Kapagunta paid the money, she received a call from another person posing as an airport authority official and asked to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh, police said. On the fraudsters assurance of getting the penalty money back, she transferred Rs 95,000 and sometime later he again called the woman and asked her to pay another Rs 2 lakh for a certificate required for doing currency exchange from USD to INR and she again got cheated, they said The fraudsters did not stop there, on December 9 she received an SMS from another number claiming to be from United Nations Anti-Terrorist Department, saying that she had to get a clearance form for the package, for which she had to pay. I was forced to take a loan against all my jewellery with Muthoot Finance and scammers forced me to transfer that loan amount as well, the woman said. Kapagunta transferred Rs 35 lakh from her account and also sold a plot to arrange for Rs 50 lakh more. She also borrowed Rs 24.5 lakh from her relatives, police said. I was asked then for more money so I withdrew money from my joint bank account with my son and when my son was alerted of the withdrawal, he called me to inquire. After that it was revealed that the whole story was a scam and the scammer duped me of almost Rs 2 crore, the complainant said. An FIR was registered against unidentified fraudsters under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66-D of the IT Act at cyber crime police station, Manesar on Monday and a probe is underway, said Naresh Kumar, the investigating officer. BJP veteran and former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar met party president J P Nadda here on Wednesday, a day after he expressed his displeasure with the party's decision to not field him in the May 10 assembly polls. During his meeting with Nadda, Shettar was accompanied by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. Shettar, the sitting MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central, said on Tuesday that he had been asked by the BJP central leadership not to contest the elections. He, however, told the leadership that he would contest the election again, and requested them to give him an opportunity. He told them that their decision was not acceptable to him and urged the party top brass for its reconsideration. On Tuesday, the BJP declared its first list of 189 candidates for the polls. The list included 52 new faces. At least nine legislators, including ministers Angara (Sullia constituency) and Anand Singh (Vijayanagara), have not been fielded for the May 10 polls. Filing of nominations for the May 10 elections begins on April 13 and will continue till April 20. The BJP aims to retain power in the southern state by winning a majority in the 224-seat assembly. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met his Ugandan counterpart General Odongo Jeje and took stock of the close and historical ties between the two nations, and acknowledged that possibilities of partnerships in trade, investments, energy, defence and air connectivity were being explored. Jaishankar is on a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique from April 10-15 to bolster Indias robust bilateral relations with the two African countries. Jaishankar said he had comprehensive discussions with his Ugandan counterpart and thanked him for the warmth of the welcome. Took stock of our close and historical ties that have been given greater intensity by our leadership. Possibilities in trade & investments, energy, defence and air connectivity being explored, Jaishankar said in a tweet. During the meeting, Jaishankar also affirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modis Kampala principles will be further implemented with a focus on digital, green and health projects. In 2018, Prime Minister Modi unveiled a set of 10 guiding principles that would dictate Indias engagement with Africa. In his speech at the Ugandan parliament, Prime Minister Modi outlined a vision for not just a bilateral relationship with Africa but also a partnership at the global level. The External Affairs Minister also participated in the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of solar-powered piped drinking water supply systems funded by the Exim Bank in Uganda. This project will provide safe and sustainable water supply to half a million Ugandans across 20 rural districts, Jaishankar tweeted. Jaishankar also met Ugandas Minister of Water and Environment Sam Cheptoris, Minister of Trade, Mwebesa Francis and Industry & Cooperatives and MoS for Foreign Affairs. Noted successful delivery of Indian development partnership projects, which will aim towards empowerment, capacity building and enhancing human resource capacity, Jaishankar said in another tweet. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar addressed members of the Parliamentary Forum on Indian Affairs in Uganda and said Indias G20 presidency is different in the sense that no other chair has made an effort to consult all the countries from the Global South. Jaishankar said India would like to use the G20 presidency to get the forum focussed on its mandate which is global growth and development and issues important for Uganda. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver a speech outlining his vision for the future of Europe during a two-day state visit to the Netherlands that began Tuesday. The afternoon speech at a theatre in The Hague comes after Macron raised eyebrows with comments on Taiwan after his recent visit to China. The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: Is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No, Macron was quoted as saying in an interview published Sunday in French newspaper Les Echos and by Politico Europe. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction. The remarks raised questions about whether Macrons views are in line with the European Unions position and whether the bloc of 27 is able to become the third superpower that Macron says he hopes to build within a few years. The interview was Friday, before China launched large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in response to the Taiwanese presidents trip to the US last week. Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Beijing last week for talks and urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to bring Russia to its senses over its war in Ukraine. He emphasised the concept of strategic autonomy for Europe which he has promoted for years. He warned of what he called the trap that would lead to the bloc getting caught up in crises that are not ours. China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war, and the government in Beijing says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if necessary. Nepal on Tuesday reported the first COVID-19-related death in the last three months and detected 106 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours, a week after the Himalayan nation confirmed the detection of the new Omicron variant XBB1.16. The country-wide death toll reached 12,021 with the addition of the lone death, The Ministry of Health and Population said during its regular briefing on Tuesday. The country confirmed 74 positive cases from the 476 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours. The ministry also said that out of the 1,960 Antigen tests conducted, 32 people were infected with SARS-CoV-2. A total of 48 recoveries were also recorded during the same period. Currently, there are 469 active COVID-19 cases across the country. Nepal on April 3 confirmed the detection of a new Omicron variant of COVID-19 identified as XBB1.16. The Ministry said it cautioned its citizens after the XBB1.6 variants detection, which has been identified and spreading in neighbouring India. A new variant of Omicron XBB1.16, spreading in the neighbouring country India, has also been detected in Nepal. So far, 10 of the 24 samples tested by the Health Ministry have been confirmed, Dr Sameer Kumar Adhikari, deputy spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, said. According to the ministry, to identify the molecular genetic changes in COVID-19, 24 PCR and antigen-positive samples were collected in March at the National Public Health Laboratory through random sampling. During its April 3 briefing, the Ministry also urged people to not neglect symptoms of cough, cold, and running nose, and to stay in isolation if these symptoms are observed. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Argo Group International (NYSE:ARGO Get Rating) in a report published on Saturday morning. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock. ARGO has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Raymond James cut shares of Argo Group International from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 28th. Compass Point cut shares of Argo Group International from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $30.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Monday, March 13th. Get Argo Group International alerts: Argo Group International Price Performance Shares of Argo Group International stock opened at $29.77 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $29.16. The stock has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a PE ratio of -5.61 and a beta of 1.03. Argo Group International has a 1-year low of $19.00 and a 1-year high of $45.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Argo Group International ( NYSE:ARGO Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The company reported ($2.69) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.62) by ($1.07). The business had revenue of $379.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $504.90 million. Argo Group International had a positive return on equity of 0.06% and a negative net margin of 9.98%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Argo Group International will post 2.85 EPS for the current year. Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Voce Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Argo Group International by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Voce Capital Management LLC now owns 3,317,697 shares of the companys stock valued at $122,290,000 after acquiring an additional 44,000 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Argo Group International by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,237,969 shares of the companys stock valued at $133,663,000 after acquiring an additional 28,602 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Argo Group International by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,251,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $43,362,000 after acquiring an additional 50,544 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in Argo Group International by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,194,998 shares of the companys stock valued at $90,610,000 after acquiring an additional 21,380 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Argo Group International by 47.2% in the 4th quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 1,891,939 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,907,000 after acquiring an additional 606,520 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.92% of the companys stock. Argo Group International Company Profile (Get Rating) Argo Group International Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of underwriting property and casualty insurance and reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Operations, International Operations, and Run-off Lines. The U.S. Operations segment include distribution through retail, wholesale, and managing general brokers/agents in the specialty insurance market. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Argo Group International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Argo Group International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Circassia Group Plc (LON:CIR Get Rating) dropped 6.8% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 33.75 ($0.42) and last traded at GBX 34 ($0.42). Approximately 4,513 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 99% from the average daily volume of 773,465 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 36.50 ($0.45). Circassia Group Stock Down 6.8 % The stock has a market capitalization of 142.66 million and a PE ratio of 3,400.00. The firms fifty day moving average is GBX 34 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 34.37. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.95. Circassia Group Company Profile (Get Rating) Circassia Group Plc, a medical device company, focuses on the respiratory diagnostics and monitoring products in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It offers NIOX and NIOX VERO, a fractional exhaled nitric oxide measurement and monitoring products for use in asthma diagnosis and management. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Circassia Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Circassia Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hyundai Motor (OTCMKTS:HYMLF Get Rating)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $89.00 and last traded at $89.00, with a volume of 0 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $89.00. Hyundai Motor Price Performance The company has a 50 day moving average price of $89.00 and a 200-day moving average price of $89.00. Hyundai Motor Company Profile (Get Rating) Hyundai Motor Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes motor vehicles and parts. It operates through Vehicle, Finance, and Others segments. The company offers cars under the Azera, Sonata, Veloster, Veloster N, i30 Fastback N, i30 N, i30, Elantra, Accent, i20, and i10 names; and SUVs under the Palisade, Santa Fe, Tucson, Creta, Kona, and Venue names. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hyundai Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hyundai Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Rating) had its price objective decreased by equities researchers at JMP Securities from $470.00 to $460.00 in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a market outperform rating on the investment management companys stock. JMP Securities price objective indicates a potential upside of 40.51% from the companys current price. Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on GS. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $325.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, January 9th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $485.00 to $443.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 18th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $420.00 to $390.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $410.00 to $495.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, The Goldman Sachs Group presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $393.54. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance GS stock opened at $327.37 on Monday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $342.87 and a two-hundred day moving average of $345.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32. The stock has a market cap of $109.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.41. The Goldman Sachs Group has a 52-week low of $277.84 and a 52-week high of $389.58. Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 17th. The investment management company reported $3.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $5.25 by ($1.93). The company had revenue of $10.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.91 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 16.39% and a return on equity of 10.55%. The Goldman Sachs Groups quarterly revenue was down 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $10.81 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 32.11 earnings per share for the current year. In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.43, for a total value of $25,720,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 17,099,784 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $109,951,611.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In the last three months, insiders have sold 4,105,275 shares of company stock valued at $26,412,477. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Visionary Wealth Advisors raised its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Visionary Wealth Advisors now owns 1,262 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $370,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Magnus Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Magnus Financial Group LLC now owns 2,933 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,007,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Aviance Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,866 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,671,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Souders Financial Advisors grew its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Souders Financial Advisors now owns 4,573 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,340,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Platform Technology Partners grew its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Platform Technology Partners now owns 4,218 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,449,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.09% of the companys stock. About The Goldman Sachs Group (Get Rating) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Global Banking and Markets, Asset and Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions. The Global Banking and Markets segment includes investment banking, equity and debt underwriting, Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodities (FICC) intermediation and financing activities, relationship lending and acquisition financing, and investing activities. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JPMorgan European Growth & Income plc (LON:JETG Get Rating)s stock price traded down 0.5% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 363 ($4.50) and last traded at GBX 363 ($4.50). 7,932 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average session volume of 35,464 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 365 ($4.52). JPMorgan European Growth & Income Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of 570.77 million and a P/E ratio of 3.34. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 363 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 363. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.82, a current ratio of 72.47 and a quick ratio of 72.39. JPMorgan European Growth & Income Company Profile (Get Rating) JPMorgan European Investment Trust plc Growth Shares is an open-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by JPMorgan Funds Limited. The fund is co-managed by JPMorgan Asset Management (UK) Limited. It invests in the public equity markets in Europe. The fund primarily invests its portfolio in the financial sector. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for JPMorgan European Growth & Income Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for JPMorgan European Growth & Income and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Balentine LLC decreased its holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO Get Rating) by 35.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 132,315 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 72,821 shares during the quarter. Balentine LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $5,158,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sound Income Strategies LLC raised its position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 311.0% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 637 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 482 shares during the last quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA raised its position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 110.1% during the 4th quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 689 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 361 shares during the last quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH purchased a new position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Accel Wealth Management raised its position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 63.3% during the 4th quarter. Accel Wealth Management now owns 722 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA purchased a new position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Get Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF alerts: Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Stock Performance Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF stock traded up $0.04 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $40.74. 1,161,627 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,681,423. The stock has a market cap of $71.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.70. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a 52-week low of $34.88 and a 52-week high of $45.98. The firms 50 day moving average is $40.28 and its 200 day moving average is $39.41. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Profile The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VWO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Haleon (LON:HLN Get Rating) had its price objective boosted by stock analysts at Barclays from GBX 364 ($4.51) to GBX 383 ($4.74) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage presently has an overweight rating on the stock. Barclayss target price suggests a potential upside of 10.71% from the companys current price. HLN has been the topic of several other reports. Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of Haleon from GBX 358 ($4.43) to GBX 344 ($4.26) in a research report on Tuesday, March 7th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Haleon from GBX 370 ($4.58) to GBX 360 ($4.46) in a research report on Tuesday, March 7th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on Haleon from GBX 335 ($4.15) to GBX 330 ($4.09) and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 6th. Credit Suisse Group restated an outperform rating and set a GBX 376 ($4.66) price objective on shares of Haleon in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an underweight rating and set a GBX 250 ($3.10) price objective on shares of Haleon in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 324.82 ($4.02). Get Haleon alerts: Haleon Price Performance Haleon stock traded down GBX 0.75 ($0.01) during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting GBX 345.95 ($4.28). The companys stock had a trading volume of 7,479,354 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,399,714. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 64.50. The stocks 50-day moving average price is GBX 326.85 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 307.20. Haleon has a 12 month low of GBX 241.17 ($2.99) and a 12 month high of GBX 350.60 ($4.34). The company has a market capitalization of 31.93 billion and a PE ratio of 3,144.55. Haleon Company Profile Haleon plc engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various consumer healthcare products in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company provides therapeutic oral health, pain relief, respiratory health, digestive health, and other products, as well as vitamins, minerals, and supplements. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Haleon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Haleon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU Get Rating) shares reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $48.45 and last traded at $48.53, with a volume of 42764 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $49.21. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently issued reports on CBU. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on shares of Community Bank System from $64.00 to $57.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Raymond James assumed coverage on Community Bank System in a research note on Tuesday, December 20th. They set a market perform rating for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Community Bank System in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a sell rating for the company. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage on Community Bank System in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $66.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $63.00. Get Community Bank System alerts: Community Bank System Stock Down 1.7 % The firm has a 50-day moving average of $56.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $60.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.24 and a beta of 0.61. Community Bank System Dividend Announcement Community Bank System ( NYSE:CBU Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 24th. The bank reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.95 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $187.69 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $177.60 million. Community Bank System had a net margin of 26.77% and a return on equity of 11.94%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.81 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Community Bank System, Inc. will post 3.64 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th were paid a $0.44 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.64%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 14th. Community Bank Systems dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 50.87%. Insider Buying and Selling at Community Bank System In related news, Director Kerrie D. Macpherson purchased 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 20th. The stock was bought at an average price of $55.42 per share, for a total transaction of $55,420.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 3,662 shares in the company, valued at approximately $202,948.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Kerrie D. Macpherson bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 20th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $55.42 per share, for a total transaction of $55,420.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 3,662 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $202,948.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Sally A. Steele bought 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 15th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $53.46 per share, for a total transaction of $106,920.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 4,585 shares in the company, valued at approximately $245,114.10. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.75% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CBU. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its position in Community Bank System by 43.0% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 5,912 shares of the banks stock worth $422,000 after buying an additional 1,777 shares during the period. Raymond James & Associates raised its position in shares of Community Bank System by 1.0% during the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 17,408 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,221,000 after buying an additional 167 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its position in shares of Community Bank System by 15.8% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 7,143 shares of the banks stock valued at $501,000 after buying an additional 977 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Community Bank System by 2.7% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 20,597 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,447,000 after buying an additional 540 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. raised its position in shares of Community Bank System by 20.9% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 51,951 shares of the banks stock valued at $3,644,000 after buying an additional 8,977 shares during the last quarter. 71.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Community Bank System (Get Rating) Community Bank System, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of retail, business, and municipal banking services. It operates through the following segments: Banking, Employee Benefit Services, and All Other. The Banking segment offers lending and depository-related products and services to individuals, businesses, and municipal enterprises. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Community Bank System Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Community Bank System and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Austin Gold (NYSE:AUST Get Rating) is one of 106 public companies in the Gold & silver ores industry, but how does it compare to its peers? We will compare Austin Gold to related businesses based on the strength of its dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership. Profitability This table compares Austin Gold and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Austin Gold alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Austin Gold N/A -7.06% -6.94% Austin Gold Competitors -25.68% -1.52% -0.69% Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Austin Gold and its peers, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Austin Gold 0 0 1 0 3.00 Austin Gold Competitors 653 3091 3822 78 2.43 Institutional & Insider Ownership Austin Gold currently has a consensus target price of $5.25, indicating a potential upside of 330.33%. As a group, Gold & silver ores companies have a potential upside of 33.40%. Given Austin Golds stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Austin Gold is more favorable than its peers. 1.3% of Austin Gold shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 31.4% of shares of all Gold & silver ores companies are owned by institutional investors. 70.7% of Austin Gold shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.8% of shares of all Gold & silver ores companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Austin Gold and its peers revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Austin Gold N/A -$1.07 million -17.43 Austin Gold Competitors $1.81 billion -$14.39 million -0.06 Austin Golds peers have higher revenue, but lower earnings than Austin Gold. Austin Gold is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Austin Gold Company Profile (Get Rating) Austin Gold Corp., a gold exploration company, focuses on the exploration and evaluation of mineral property interests in Nevada. The company's principal property the Kelly Creek Project with a mix of 6 patented mining claims and 1,600 unpatented mining claims covering an area of 136.8 square kilometers located in the Kelly Creek Basin, in southeastern Humboldt County, Nevada. Its other projects include the Fourmile Basin Project that comprises 312 unpatented lode mining claims covering approximately 6410 acres located in Nye County; the Lone Mountain Project consisting of 454 unpatented lode mining claims and 6 patented mining claims covering approximately 34.2 square kilometers located near Lone Mountain in Elko County; and the Miller Project with a total of 281 unpatented lode mining claims covering approximately 23.5 square kilometers in Elko County in Nevada. The company was incorporated in 2020 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for Austin Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Austin Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) by 0.7% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 208,744 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,502 shares during the period. AmerisourceBergen makes up about 2.2% of Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc.s holdings in AmerisourceBergen were worth $34,591,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Czech National Bank purchased a new position in AmerisourceBergen in the third quarter worth $2,445,000. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. boosted its position in AmerisourceBergen by 716.7% in the second quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 1,225 shares of the companys stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 1,075 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its position in AmerisourceBergen by 2.2% in the third quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 143,276 shares of the companys stock worth $19,390,000 after purchasing an additional 3,100 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue boosted its position in AmerisourceBergen by 10.4% in the third quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 38,076 shares of the companys stock worth $5,152,000 after purchasing an additional 3,600 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clarius Group LLC lifted its position in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 6.1% during the 3rd quarter. Clarius Group LLC now owns 2,534 shares of the companys stock valued at $343,000 after buying an additional 146 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.79% of the companys stock. Get AmerisourceBergen alerts: Insider Transactions at AmerisourceBergen In related news, EVP Gina Clark sold 1,924 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.22, for a total transaction of $300,567.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,176,229.26. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Gina Clark sold 1,924 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.22, for a total transaction of $300,567.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,176,229.26. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.28, for a total value of $1,724,775.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 257,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $42,378,818.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 28,633 shares of company stock worth $4,490,081. 20.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. AmerisourceBergen Price Performance NYSE ABC traded down $0.89 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $165.66. The companys stock had a trading volume of 102,951 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,271,183. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $157.42 and a 200 day moving average of $158.14. AmerisourceBergen Co. has a one year low of $135.14 and a one year high of $174.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.30, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.51 billion, a PE ratio of 20.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.52. AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 1st. The company reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.62 by $0.09. AmerisourceBergen had a return on equity of 597.57% and a net margin of 0.72%. The firm had revenue of $62.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $62.77 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.58 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that AmerisourceBergen Co. will post 11.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. AmerisourceBergen Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were issued a $0.485 dividend. This represents a $1.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 9th. AmerisourceBergens payout ratio is currently 23.54%. Analysts Set New Price Targets ABC has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group upped their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $184.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $185.00 price target on shares of AmerisourceBergen in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $199.00 to $201.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. Argus upped their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. Finally, TheStreet cut AmerisourceBergen from a b- rating to a c rating in a research report on Monday, March 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $180.46. About AmerisourceBergen (Get Rating) AmerisourceBergen Corp. engages in the provision of pharmaceutical products and business solutions that improve access to care. It operates through the Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and Other segments. The Pharmaceutical Distribution Services segment distributes an offering of brand-name, specialty brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, and long-term care and alternate site pharmacies. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for AmerisourceBergen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AmerisourceBergen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating) by 22.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 169,477 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 31,229 shares during the quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc.s holdings in Kellogg were worth $12,074,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of K. Glenmede Trust Co. NA lifted its holdings in Kellogg by 1,923.8% during the 3rd quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 716,281 shares of the companys stock worth $49,894,000 after buying an additional 680,888 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Kellogg by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 29,353,099 shares of the companys stock worth $1,892,981,000 after acquiring an additional 646,828 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Kellogg by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 14,696,120 shares of the companys stock worth $947,753,000 after acquiring an additional 369,620 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Kellogg by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,185,275 shares of the companys stock worth $269,909,000 after acquiring an additional 310,891 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Kellogg by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,137,164 shares of the companys stock worth $331,296,000 after acquiring an additional 302,388 shares in the last quarter. 82.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Kellogg alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Kellogg In other news, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 100,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.64, for a total value of $6,764,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 55,231,838 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,735,881,522.32. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, SVP Rodrigo Lance sold 2,975 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.79, for a total value of $201,675.25. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 14,935 shares in the company, valued at $1,012,443.65. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 100,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.64, for a total value of $6,764,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 55,231,838 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,735,881,522.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 628,437 shares of company stock worth $41,982,511. Insiders own 1.40% of the companys stock. Kellogg Stock Up 0.2 % Kellogg stock traded up $0.17 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $68.55. The stock had a trading volume of 280,346 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,144,176. Kellogg has a 12 month low of $63.74 and a 12 month high of $77.17. The company has a market capitalization of $23.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.51, a PEG ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $66.59 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $69.81. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $3.83 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.66 billion. Kellogg had a return on equity of 32.51% and a net margin of 6.27%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.83 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Kellogg will post 4.04 EPS for the current fiscal year. Kellogg Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were paid a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.44%. Kelloggs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 84.59%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have recently weighed in on K. TheStreet lowered Kellogg from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Credit Suisse Group lowered their price objective on Kellogg from $72.00 to $71.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Kellogg from $74.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on Kellogg from $73.00 to $69.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Kellogg from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $71.44. Kellogg Company Profile (Get Rating) Kellogg Co engages in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of ready-to-eat cereal and convenience foods. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Middle East Africa. The North America segment includes the U.S. businesses and Canada. The Europe segment consists of European countries. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding K? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Kellogg Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kellogg and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:BSCP Get Rating) by 5.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 437,178 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 21,631 shares during the period. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. owned 0.42% of Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF worth $8,805,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Webster Bank N. A. grew its stake in Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Webster Bank N. A. now owns 26,988 shares of the companys stock worth $544,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Solitude Financial Services grew its stake in Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Solitude Financial Services now owns 63,955 shares of the companys stock worth $1,288,000 after buying an additional 511 shares during the last quarter. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC now owns 89,321 shares of the companys stock worth $1,782,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. Iowa State Bank grew its stake in shares of Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Iowa State Bank now owns 14,957 shares of the companys stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 654 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 20,864 shares of the companys stock valued at $416,000 after purchasing an additional 669 shares during the last quarter. Get Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF alerts: Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF Trading Up 0.2 % Shares of BSCP stock traded up $0.04 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $20.35. The company had a trading volume of 31,720 shares, compared to its average volume of 898,190. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $20.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.13. Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $19.74 and a 52-week high of $20.86. Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF Company Profile The Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF (BSCP) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an index of investment-grade corporate bonds with effective maturities in 2025. The fund will unwind in December 2025 and return capital and proceeds to investors. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSCP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:BSCP Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WFA of San Diego LLC lowered its position in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY Get Rating) by 9.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 16,525 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,702 shares during the quarter. WFA of San Diego LLCs holdings in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF were worth $309,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 40.2% during the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 1,852,321 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,324,000 after acquiring an additional 531,036 shares during the period. Private Ocean LLC increased its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 4.1% during the third quarter. Private Ocean LLC now owns 1,742,643 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,520,000 after acquiring an additional 69,306 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 2.5% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,213,772 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,561,000 after acquiring an additional 29,954 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 4.3% during the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 946,372 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,032,000 after acquiring an additional 38,777 shares during the period. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $8,470,000. Get Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF alerts: Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA PCY traded down $0.07 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $19.19. 157,508 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,155,448. Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF has a fifty-two week low of $16.20 and a fifty-two week high of $21.66. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $19.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.65. Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Profile The Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (PCY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-dollar-denominated sovereign debt in emerging markets with at least 3 years to maturity. PCY was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PCY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Graypoint LLC lessened its position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Get Rating) by 8.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 237,422 shares of the companys stock after selling 22,909 shares during the quarter. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF makes up about 1.3% of Graypoint LLCs holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Graypoint LLC owned 0.31% of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF worth $11,278,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Activest Wealth Management acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $96,000. Credit Suisse AG acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $110,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $111,000. Finally, Destiny Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $117,000. Get iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF alerts: iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Price Performance iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF stock traded up $0.61 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $53.73. The company had a trading volume of 284,824 shares, compared to its average volume of 809,799. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.11 and a beta of 0.97. The firms fifty day moving average is $51.53 and its 200-day moving average is $48.09. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF has a fifty-two week low of $38.54 and a fifty-two week high of $53.76. About iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF The iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Europe IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed European securities. IEUR was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WFA of San Diego LLC decreased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Get Rating) by 1.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,730 shares of the companys stock after selling 90 shares during the period. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF makes up about 1.4% of WFA of San Diego LLCs holdings, making the stock its 15th biggest position. WFA of San Diego LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF were worth $1,870,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Toth Financial Advisory Corp lifted its stake in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 450.0% in the 3rd quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 121 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Dougherty Wealth Advisers LLC acquired a new position in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. Absolute Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Vigilant Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF by 1,100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vigilant Capital Management LLC now owns 168 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Price Performance IJH traded down $0.23 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $248.80. The companys stock had a trading volume of 325,232 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,117,516. The stock has a market cap of $66.16 billion, a PE ratio of 13.24 and a beta of 1.12. The firms 50 day moving average price is $254.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $247.19. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF has a twelve month low of $217.39 and a twelve month high of $272.95. iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Company Profile Ishares S&P Midcap 400 Index Fund, formerly The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the United States mid-cap stocks, as represented by the Standard & Poors MidCap 400 (the Underlying Index). See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJH Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Islay Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR Get Rating) by 27.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,821 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,926 shares during the quarter. Islay Capital Management LLCs holdings in Kroger were worth $393,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of KR. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in Kroger by 5.5% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 65,735,592 shares of the companys stock worth $2,875,933,000 after buying an additional 3,443,687 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 160.7% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 3,114,170 shares of the companys stock valued at $136,245,000 after purchasing an additional 1,919,463 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter valued at $71,410,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 403.7% in the 3rd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,180,854 shares of the companys stock valued at $51,662,000 after purchasing an additional 946,412 shares during the period. Finally, Eaton Vance Management lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 175.8% in the 1st quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 1,306,295 shares of the companys stock valued at $74,943,000 after purchasing an additional 832,615 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.03% of the companys stock. Get Kroger alerts: Insider Activity In other news, CFO Gary Millerchip sold 30,182 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.88, for a total value of $1,475,296.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 185,423 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,063,476.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, VP Carin L. Fike sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.90, for a total value of $137,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 40,147 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,842,747.30. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Gary Millerchip sold 30,182 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.88, for a total transaction of $1,475,296.16. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 185,423 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,063,476.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 153,505 shares of company stock worth $7,332,497 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.35% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Kroger Stock Down 0.7 % A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com raised Kroger from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Northcoast Research raised Kroger from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $60.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 20th. Telsey Advisory Group cut their price target on Kroger from $64.00 to $55.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Kroger from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $50.00 to $54.00 in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Kroger from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kroger has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $52.31. KR stock traded down $0.33 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $47.63. 2,490,081 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,382,104. The firms 50-day moving average is $46.37 and its 200-day moving average is $45.92. The company has a market cap of $34.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.62, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.30. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $41.81 and a 12 month high of $59.13. Kroger (NYSE:KR Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 2nd. The company reported $0.99 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $34.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $34.89 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 31.84% and a net margin of 1.51%. Krogers revenue for the quarter was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.91 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 4.51 earnings per share for the current year. Kroger Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 15th will be issued a $0.26 dividend. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 12th. Krogers payout ratio is 33.88%. About Kroger (Get Rating) The Kroger Co engages in the operation of supermarkets and multi-department stores. Its brands include Big K, Check This Out?, Heritage Farm, Simple Truth, and Simple Truth Organic. The company was founded by Barney Kroger in 1883 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Kroger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kroger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:JHML Get Rating) shares saw unusually-high trading volume on Wednesday . Approximately 77,166 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 44% from the previous sessions volume of 53,524 shares.The stock last traded at $51.81 and had previously closed at $51.78. John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF Stock Up 0.4 % The stock has a market capitalization of $725.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.58 and a beta of 1.01. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $51.28 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $50.16. Get John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kestra Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF by 340.4% during the 4th quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 145,022 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,142,000 after acquiring an additional 112,093 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF by 20.9% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 254,464 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,532,000 after acquiring an additional 43,913 shares during the last quarter. Columbia Advisory Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF by 11.8% during the 4th quarter. Columbia Advisory Partners LLC now owns 253,871 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,503,000 after acquiring an additional 26,803 shares during the last quarter. Ford Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,199,000. Finally, UBS Group AG lifted its position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 213,498 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,699,000 after acquiring an additional 24,469 shares during the last quarter. John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF Company Profile The John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF (JHML) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the John Hancock Dimensional Large Cap index. The fund tracks an index of largest 800 US firms, weighted by multiple factors relative to their sector peers. JHML was launched on Sep 28, 2015 and is managed by John Hancock. See Also Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Large Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital Investment Counsel Inc increased its holdings in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Rating) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,823 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 178 shares during the quarter. Capital Investment Counsel Incs holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $1,855,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA grew its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 13.5% during the 4th quarter. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA now owns 890 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. Surevest LLC grew its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 37.0% during the 3rd quarter. Surevest LLC now owns 411 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the period. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 4,188 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $331,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares during the period. Norway Savings Bank lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Norway Savings Bank now owns 2,943 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $250,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bangor Savings Bank lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 2,603 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.48% of the companys stock. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades MS has been the topic of a number of research reports. Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $97.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 19th. StockNews.com began coverage on Morgan Stanley in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Barclays cut their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $125.00 to $112.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $92.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Friday, January 6th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to an underperform rating and set a $92.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, January 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $94.87. Morgan Stanley Stock Up 0.8 % Shares of Morgan Stanley stock traded up $0.70 on Wednesday, reaching $85.79. 1,759,734 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,717,274. Morgan Stanley has a 1-year low of $72.05 and a 1-year high of $100.99. The company has a market cap of $144.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $92.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $88.74. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.06. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 12.06% and a net margin of 16.73%. The business had revenue of $12.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.16 billion. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Morgan Stanley will post 7.05 EPS for the current year. Morgan Stanley Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 31st were paid a dividend of $0.775 per share. This represents a $3.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.61%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, January 30th. Morgan Stanleys payout ratio is 50.49%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 24,556 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.23, for a total transaction of $2,412,135.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 190,440 shares in the company, valued at $18,706,921.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Morgan Stanley news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 24,556 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.23, for a total value of $2,412,135.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 190,440 shares in the company, valued at $18,706,921.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO James P. Gorman sold 250,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.93, for a total value of $24,232,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,112,348 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $107,819,891.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 341,699 shares of company stock worth $33,143,046 over the last 90 days. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders. Morgan Stanley Profile (Get Rating) Morgan Stanley operates as a global financial services company. The firm provides investment banking products and services to its clients and customers including corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. It operates through the following segments: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. North American Construction Group Ltd. (TSE:NOA Get Rating) (NYSE:NOA) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$24.54 and last traded at C$24.37, with a volume of 67670 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$23.95. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have recently issued reports on NOA. National Bankshares increased their price objective on shares of North American Construction Group from C$24.00 to C$27.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 17th. TD Securities lowered shares of North American Construction Group from a buy rating to a hold rating and raised their price target for the stock from C$25.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Friday, February 17th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on shares of North American Construction Group from C$22.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Friday, February 17th. ATB Capital upgraded shares of North American Construction Group from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from C$24.00 to C$29.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 16th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price target on shares of North American Construction Group from C$24.00 to C$26.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$26.81. Get North American Construction Group alerts: North American Construction Group Stock Up 1.7 % The businesss fifty day moving average is C$22.17 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$18.87. The company has a market cap of C$677.94 million, a P/E ratio of 11.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 142.32, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.20. North American Construction Group Increases Dividend Insiders Place Their Bets The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 7th were given a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.64%. This is an increase from North American Construction Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.08. North American Construction Groups payout ratio is presently 18.60%. In other news, Director Martin Robert Ferron sold 40,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$23.10, for a total value of C$924,000.00. 9.05% of the stock is owned by insiders. About North American Construction Group (Get Rating) North American Construction Group Ltd. provides equipment maintenance, and mining and heavy construction services in Canada, the United States, and Australia. The company's Heavy Construction & Mining division offers constructability reviews, budgetary cost estimates, design-build construction, project management, contract mining, pre-stripping/pit pioneering, overburden removal and stockpile, muskeg removal and stockpile, site preparation, air strip construction, site dewatering/perimeter ditching, tailings and process pipelines, haulage and access road construction, tailings dam construction and densification, mechanically stabilized earth walls, dyke construction, and reclamation services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for North American Construction Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for North American Construction Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Omnia Family Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NUV Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 12,200 shares of the closed-end funds stock, valued at approximately $105,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of NUV. Citigroup Inc. raised its stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund by 98.7% in the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 2,981 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 1,481 shares during the period. Moors & Cabot Inc. raised its stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund by 6.5% in the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 31,077 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $298,000 after buying an additional 1,888 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund by 86.1% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 40,328 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $387,000 after buying an additional 18,660 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund by 39.6% in the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 111,809 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $1,071,000 after buying an additional 31,738 shares during the period. Finally, Mariner LLC raised its stake in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund by 6.7% in the first quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 22,054 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $211,000 after buying an additional 1,381 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 17.32% of the companys stock. Get Nuveen Municipal Value Fund alerts: Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Price Performance NYSE:NUV traded up $0.06 on Wednesday, hitting $9.00. The companys stock had a trading volume of 35,228 shares, compared to its average volume of 365,550. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $8.84 and a two-hundred day moving average of $8.71. Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. has a one year low of $8.25 and a one year high of $9.56. Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Dividend Announcement Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Profile The company also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.028 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $0.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.73%. (Get Rating) Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc is a closed-end diversified management investment fund. Its objective is current income exempt from federal income taxes and its secondary objective is the enhancement of portfolio value through selection of tax-exempt bonds and municipal market sectors. The company was founded on April 8, 1987 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NUV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Nuveen Municipal Value Fund, Inc. (NYSE:NUV Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Municipal Value Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PBMares Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Rating) by 9.9% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 9,113 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,000 shares during the period. PBMares Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $922,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 15,762 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,308,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Meixler Investment Management Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 9.5% in the third quarter. Meixler Investment Management Ltd. now owns 35,760 shares of the companys stock worth $2,968,000 after buying an additional 3,089 shares during the period. K.J. Harrison & Partners Inc purchased a new position in Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter valued at $5,484,250,000. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International in the 3rd quarter worth about $263,000. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 5,136 shares of the companys stock worth $426,000 after buying an additional 254 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.85% of the companys stock. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Price Performance Shares of NYSE:PM traded up $0.30 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $98.94. The company had a trading volume of 880,366 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,537,701. Philip Morris International Inc. has a one year low of $82.85 and a one year high of $109.81. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $98.56 and its 200-day moving average price is $96.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $153.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.98, a PEG ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.68. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 businesss revenue for the quarter was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.35 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.31 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 23rd were paid a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 22nd. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.13%. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 87.44%. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider Stacey Kennedy sold 8,756 shares of Philip Morris International stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.31, for a total value of $887,070.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 47,731 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,835,627.61. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 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 directly owns 87,321 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,588,020.35. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Stacey Kennedy sold 8,756 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.31, for a total value of $887,070.36. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 47,731 shares in the company, valued at $4,835,627.61. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 117,064 shares of company stock valued at $11,738,763 over the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PM has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $109.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from $95.00 to $120.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from $86.00 to $118.00 in a report on Thursday, January 19th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $109.00 price objective on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Tuesday, December 13th. One equities research 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, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $110.36. 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. Sargent Investment Group LLC boosted its position in Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT Get Rating) by 8.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 12,882 shares of the retailers stock after acquiring an additional 1,037 shares during the period. Sargent Investment Group LLCs holdings in Walmart were worth $1,827,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of WMT. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Walmart by 1,519.2% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 8,129,341 shares of the retailers stock worth $1,054,376,000 after acquiring an additional 7,627,286 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 96,570,711 shares of the retailers stock valued at $12,525,224,000 after acquiring an additional 2,712,886 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 130,176,496 shares of the retailers stock worth $16,883,890,000 after buying an additional 1,832,388 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 34.2% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 5,258,231 shares of the retailers stock worth $783,056,000 after buying an additional 1,340,328 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its holdings in shares of Walmart by 85.3% during the 1st quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 2,399,536 shares of the retailers stock worth $357,339,000 after buying an additional 1,104,427 shares in the last quarter. 31.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Walmart alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth WMT has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $170.00 price target on shares of Walmart in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $155.00 target price on Walmart in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. Finally, Tigress Financial raised Walmart from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $170.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $164.34. Walmart Trading Up 0.4 % NYSE WMT traded up $0.56 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $150.63. The stock had a trading volume of 1,213,121 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,452,729. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a current ratio of 0.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $406.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.24, a P/E/G ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.48. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $117.27 and a one year high of $160.77. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $143.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $142.52. Walmart (NYSE:WMT Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The retailer reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $164.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $158.67 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 1.91% and a return on equity of 20.45%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.53 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 6.06 earnings per share for the current year. Walmart Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 8th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.51%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 7th. Walmarts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 53.27%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 26th. The shares were 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 of the companys stock, valued at $205,666,178.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other 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 transaction of $1,393,777.56. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,432,515 shares of the companys stock, valued at $205,666,178.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director S Robson Walton sold 1,504,039 shares of the companys 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 directly owns 245,711,516 shares in the company, valued at $35,753,482,693.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 21,053,710 shares of company stock valued at $2,982,527,217 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 47.06% of the companys stock. About Walmart (Get Rating) Walmart, Inc engages in retail and wholesale business. The company offers an assortment of merchandise and services at everyday low prices. It operates through the following business segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sams Club. The Walmart U.S. segment operates as a merchandiser of consumer products, operating under the Walmart, Wal-Mart, and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands, as well as walmart.com and other eCommerce brands. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT Get Rating). 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. Shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO Get Rating) have received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eighteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $153.94. A number of research analysts recently commented on VLO shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $160.00 to $172.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 28th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Wednesday, March 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $176.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James lifted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $169.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Valero Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $135.00 to $160.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $140.00 to $160.00 in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Get Valero Energy alerts: Valero Energy Price Performance NYSE VLO opened at $136.71 on Wednesday. Valero Energy has a 12 month low of $96.71 and a 12 month high of $150.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.74 billion, a PE ratio of 4.69, a P/E/G ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.66. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $133.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is $129.25. Valero Energy Increases Dividend Valero Energy ( NYSE:VLO Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 26th. The oil and gas company reported $8.45 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.45 by $1.00. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.54% and a return on equity of 50.15%. The business had revenue of $41.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $43.31 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.47 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Valero Energy will post 24.4 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 14th were paid a $1.02 dividend. This is a positive change from Valero Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 13th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.98%. Valero Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 14.01%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Live Oak Investment Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake 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 buying an additional 247 shares during the period. HighMark Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake 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 buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Prostatis Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.28% of the companys stock. 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. Read More 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. VELA Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) by 19.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,036 shares of the information technology services providers stock after acquiring an additional 495 shares during the period. VELA Investment Management LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $810,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in ACN. Cadence Bank lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Cadence Bank now owns 4,999 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,686,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. Simmons Bank lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 7,260 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,868,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. Bangor Savings Bank lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 1,099 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. Tilia Fiduciary Partners Inc. lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter. Tilia Fiduciary Partners Inc. now owns 449 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $114,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the period. Finally, Quantum Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. Quantum Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,385 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $356,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 73.97% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Piper Jaffray Companies upped their target price on Accenture from $245.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Accenture from $289.00 to $294.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, March 24th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Accenture from $300.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 24th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Accenture from $340.00 to $325.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. Finally, William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of Accenture in a report on Monday, March 20th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $314.00. Insider Buying and Selling Accenture Trading Down 0.1 % In related news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total value of $1,756,875.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 180,314 shares in the company, valued at $50,686,265.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In other Accenture news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $281.10, for a total transaction of $1,756,875.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 180,314 shares in the company, valued at $50,686,265.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 556 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.53, for a total value of $155,974.68. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 42,991 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,060,265.23. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,475 shares of company stock worth $10,225,149. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Shares of ACN stock traded down $0.37 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $285.96. 670,019 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,383,666. The company has a market capitalization of $180.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.37, a PEG ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.25. The firms 50-day moving average is $272.95 and its 200 day moving average is $274.58. Accenture plc has a 1 year low of $242.80 and a 1 year high of $330.32. 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. The firm had revenue of $15.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.59 billion. Accenture had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.54 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Accenture plc will post 11.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Accenture Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a $1.12 dividend. This represents a $4.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. Accentures dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.25%. Accenture 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. Read More 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. 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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 On April 11th, the first post-epidemic tour to Huangshan organized by Hong Kong Wing On Travel Agency arrived in Huangshan City via Hefei and began a three-day spring trip. It is the second inbound tourist group to come in Huangshan City after the first tourism group from China International Travel Service (Macao) on April 7th. Since March 31st, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China has resumed the operation of inbound tourist groups for foreign nationals by travel agencies and online travel enterprises, as well as the "flight + hotel" business. Huangshan City's cultural and tourism industry is actively strengthening cooperation with overseas travel organizations and media platforms, expanding the Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asia markets, and making efforts to develop the markets of Japan, South Korea, Europe, and America, comprehensively promoting the recovery of the inbound tourism. Huangshan City will also welcome inbound tourist groups from Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, and other countries in April. In addition, approximately 40 global dealer groups of Hefei JAC Motors in Russia, Chile, Australia, Vietnam, India, and other countries and regions will also visit Huangshan this month. It is reported that the tourism charter flight from Jakarta, Indonesia to Huangshan is also expected to be approved by the end of April. Reported by Wu Jianghai Edited and translated by Zheng Chen Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 73F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. President Trump, for he is the true President of the United States, may soon be arrested by his constant persecutors. This nefarious action will create a martyr for the real American people. One can only postulate that sainthood will be the next natural step for Saint Trump of Mar-a-Lago. Usurper in chief, Joe Biden is an abomination who is weaponising federal agencies like the FBI, and IRS to attack his opponents by corrupting these former non-partisan governmental units in partisan ways. We will arrest Trump because were hoping of keeping him in prison for the entirety of the year 2024. We are not doing it because we are afraid that he will win the U.S. Election in that year, no, we are not, for sureahem, wheres my ice cream? Mr Biden said from the White House whilst counting his ill gotten gains. NEW YORK - USA - The Bud Light Marketing VP who completely destroyed the brand is now transitioning to be a homeless tramp. Bud Light tastes like piss water, but is a beer brand that was generally well-known in America amongst a predominantly male drinking group; that is, until Alissa Gordon Weinerscheisse decided to market the predominantly male orientated beer to a portion of the population only making up 0.007% i.e. the trans community. A graduate of Fharton business school, Weinerscheisse has been hailed in interviews as the first woman to lead Bud Light in its 41-year history. The brand VP was shoe-horned into the fray to supposedly increase sales and since her appointment, sales of Bud Light have dropped by over 90% and the company, Anheuser-Busch has lost over $6 billion in stock value. The reason for the drop in sales is that in a bid for supposed inclusivity she thought using a gay man with a penis who thinks he is a woman prancing around embarrassingly in videos acting like a catatonic jerky rabid effeminate cissy trying to emulate a female badly would be good for sales. This embarrassing woke fiasco is a sashaying [email protected] trans opera that has created a huge backlash and a rapid sales drop that is so precipitous it may even mean the loss of the brand completely. Alissa Gordon Weinerscheisse has since deleted all her online profiles and is transitioning to be a homeless drug addict in Philadelphias Kensington Avenue. I am transitioning to become a homeless person. I now identify as a drugged up fuck who will probably overdose on Fentanyl mixed in with copious amounts of Xylazine imported fresh from China daily. The positive thing is that I will have loads of cans of Bud Light which I will be pushing around in a shopping cart with the rest of my belongings. Principal secretary (Health) M.T. Krishna Babu issued an order recently to establish the state food laboratory in the premises of Regional Public Health Laboratory in Visakhapatnam under the centrally sponsored scheme. (File Photo: PTI) Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh will get its own state food laboratory in Visakhapatnam at an estimated cost of nearly 25 crore by August, after a gap of nearly 10 years. In addition, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also ready to sanction two more state food labs at Tirupati and Guntur, once the AP government takes up civil works for buildings where they would be established. Centre has already released nearly 13 crore for setting up the state food lab at Visakhapatnam. Principal secretary (Health) M.T. Krishna Babu issued an order recently to establish the state food laboratory in the premises of Regional Public Health Laboratory in Visakhapatnam under the centrally sponsored scheme. Institute of Preventive Medicine had entered into a memorandum of understanding with FSSAI for the lab. AP government released 14.22 crore in a 60:40 cost sharing ratio between the centre and state for setting up the lab in Visakhapatnam. FSSAI then released the first instalment of 8 crore 4 crore for setting up basic lab equipment, 3.5 crore for microbiological lab and 50 lakh for civil works. In the aftermath of undivided APs bifurcation, the State Food Laboratory went to Telangana in 2014. AP has had no state food lab so far. As per provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, AP can avail the services of State Food Lab in Telangana up to June, 2024 for a period of 10 years. In case AP fails to set up its State Food Lab by that time, it has to pay 80 lakh per month to test its food samples at a cost of 14,000 per sample, unlike earlier practice of charging only 6,000 for testing each sample. State food safety authorities disclosed that basic works for setting up the lab in a 12,000 square feet area have started. The microbiology lab costing 8 crore will be set up followed by installation of high-end equipment in a year. Nearly 90 technical and non-technical posts are to be filled up with those hailing from AP and working in TS. Some of them will be shifted to the lab on deputation and promotion to fill up sanctioned vacant posts for making the lab functional. The upcoming lab will need to get recognition from National Accreditation Board for Testing Calibration Laboratories and also FSSAI in due course of time. Authorities say the main objective of setting up the state food lab is to test food samples for adulteration and initiate penal action against those involved in case the food is adulterated and unsafe for general public. The lab will also test food to be served during VIP visits for safety. Institute of Preventive Medicine director N. Poornachandra Rao said, "We are going to set up a state food lab in Visakhapatnam within a few months. We have started civil works for the lab with the funds released by the centre. This will help us test food samples promptly and protect the health of general public as also VIPs in the state." Bathinda military station in Punjab where a firing incident took place, Wednesday morning, April 12, 2023. Four people were killed in the incident, the Army said. (PTI Photo) New Delhi: Four Indian Army personnel were killed in a shooting incident at the Bathinda military station in Punjab early on Wednesday morning, in what is suspected to be a case of "fratricide". The local police told the media according to eyewitnesses two personnel in civilian clothes who were involved in the shooting incident and 19 empty shells of INSAS rifles were found at the spot. Two days back an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds was reported to be missing from the Bathinda military station. The four slain personnel, in their mid 20s, were sleeping as the firing took place at around 4.30 am near the barracks behind a mess. A search operation has been launched to nab the shooter. "The firing incident reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435 hours inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed," the Armys South Western Ccommand said in a statement. "It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four Army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported," said the statement. It said the area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with the Punjab police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case. "All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained," said the statement. There was no official word on the involvement of the person in the incident. Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande is reported to have briefed defence minister Rajnath Singh on the matter. Bathinda superintendent of police (detective) Ajay Gandhi, who headed the police investigation, said CCTV footage is being scanned and the Army is conducting a cordon-and-search operation and the entire area has been sanitised. He said that the slain jawans were identified as Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogesh Kumar J (24) and Santosh M Nagaral (25). The police officer said there was still no information on who opened fire, and added the matter was under investigation. "Our investigation is going on jointly with military police," Mr Gandhi said. Punjabs additional DGP S.P.S. Parmar told PTI: "It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident We are in touch with the Army." Bathindas senior superintendent of police Gulneet Singh Khurana told reporters: "It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached inside (military station) with all forensic equipment and they are conducting investigations. In-depth investigations are going on." Speaking to reporters, Bathinda cantt police station SHO Gurdeep Singh said nobody has been detained in connection with the incident so far. Asked as to who fired the gunshots, he said they have no information in this regard. When asked if an FIR has been lodged, the SHO said: "We will lodge the FIR." Further asked when the police received the complaint about the missing rifle, he said they got the information on Tuesday evening. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao offers a date to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi during Iftar celebrations organised at the LB Stadium, Hyderabad (Photo by arrangement) Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday said the party was getting an "overwhelming response" from people in Maharashtra, sharing that he entered national politics to bring about a "qualitative change" to the current political situation. Chandrashekar Rao said that the country is "waiting for the right leader and the right party" to get out of the current situation, vowing to never compromise on the unity and integrity of the country. Speaking at an iftar party organised by the government at LB Stadium, he said: "Today, India is passing through difficult times. India is known for communal harmony. This country belongs to all. Let us move forward unitedly. Let us strive to protect the country." Stressing the need for everyone to unite and work towards finding solutions to the problems being faced by us today in the country, Rao said, "India is ours. We have to save it at any cost. Whatever we are witnessing in the country today is only a temporary phase. Finally, victory will be of truth. Even during the Telangana movement, I used to believe that achieving statehood will take time, but one day, it will definitely become a reality. We will overcome the current situation in the country too very soon." The Chief Minister said that no one could destroy the "Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb (communal harmony) of the country", adding that those who try would be destroyed. Lashing out at the BJP government at the Centre, Rao said Telangana state has been progressing, but the country has been going backwards. "If the Centre also performed like the Telangana state government, the country would have progressed at a much greater pace," he said. "Telangana GDP would have been Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh crore more than the present had the Centre performed like us. We lost Rs 4 lakh GSDP due to Centre's failures," he said. He said that over the past nine years, Telanganas per capita income has touched Rs 3.08 lakh, the per capita power consumption reached 2,140 units and paddy cultivation reached 66.40 lakh acres, the highest in the country. "We have resolved power and drinking water issues and soon, the issue of unemployment will be resolved," he said. Stating that the welfare of minorities was of utmost priority to his government, Chandrashekar Rao said that the previous Congress government, from 2004 to 2014, spent only Rs 1,180 crore on minority welfare, whereas the BRS government has spent over Rs 12,000 crore in nine years. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is going all out to win the hearts of Dalits and Girijans by aggressively pursuing the Dalit and Girijan outreach campaign following the inauguration of the 125-foot statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar in the city on April 14. (Photo: Twitter) Hyderabad: With the Assembly elections in the state coming up in a few months, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is going all out to win the hearts of Dalits and Girijans by aggressively pursuing the Dalit and Girijan outreach campaign following the inauguration of the 125-foot statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar in the city on April 14 . As a first step towards the aggressive outreach campaign, the party decided to mobilise Dalits and Girijans from every Assembly constituency to Hyderabad on 14 April for the Ambedkar statue inaugural event, which would be addressed by the CM. The party has set a target of mobilising 300 people from each constituency. Telangana has 31 reserved Assembly seats, with 19 reserved for Dalits (Scheduled Castes) and 12 reserved for Girijans (Scheduled Tribes). As a result, the CM has summoned a special meeting with the party's Dalit and Girijan MLAs to discuss how to further sharpen and focus the party's outreach plans. In an effort to win over Dalits and Girijans, the CM has announced a slew of initiatives, including the Dalit Bandhu and Girijan Bandhu, as well as enhancing reservations for STS from 6 per cent to 10 per cent and naming the new Secretariat after Dr B.R. Ambedkar, one of the most iconic figures of the time. The BRS MLAs represent 28 reserved seats. In order to make a clean sweep, the BRS government plans to highlight pro-Dalit and pro-Girijan schemes such as Dalit Bandhu, T-Pride for Dalits, and 10% reservations for STs. In addition, the Chandrasekar Rao-led BRS government plans to hand out cheques worth Rs 500 crore to 8,000 Dalit entrepreneurs on April 14 in a bid to woo the Dalit vote bank. The CM will outline the BRS government's initiatives, such as the Telangana State Program for Rapid Incubation Dalit Entrepreneurs Incentive Scheme (T-Pride), which allows Dalit entrepreneurs to establish their own units/industries, and the Dalit Bandhu scheme, which promises to empower the community by providing financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to Dalit families. The KCR government has disbursed nearly Rs 2,700 crore to Dalit entrepreneurs over the last nine years, with nearly 39,000 beneficiaries receiving Dalit Bandhu of Rs 10 lakh each since the scheme's inception in August 2021. As part of the outreach programme, the BRS MLAs will highlight state government initiatives such as increasing ST reservations in education and employment from 6% to 10% in November 2023, and the construction of Komaram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan and Sevalal Banjara Bhavan on Banjara Hills Road No. 10 in September 2022. For the uninitiated, the Banjara Bhavan with 61,544 sft was built at a cost of Rs 24.43 crore, while the Adivasi Bhavan with 82,009 sft was built at a cost of Rs 24.68 crore. In addition, the CM is planning to announce the construction of Adivasi and Banjara Bhavans in all the constituencies where there is significant Girijan population. The CM will discuss all these issues in his meeting with Dalit and Girijan MLAs. Kerala High Court (PTI) Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking a Customs and Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the alleged involvement of high-ranking political functionaries, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in the gold smuggling through diplomatic bags case. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas rejected the petition by Aji Krishnan, the founder secretary of NGO Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS) India, which had briefly employed Swapna Suresh -- one of the accused in the case. The dismissal of the plea was confirmed by a lawyer associated with the case. The lawyer said the petition was dismissed as being non-maintainable and on merits. The detailed order is not yet available. Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with another accused Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020. The NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Customs conducted separate probes into the racket that was busted with the seizure of gold worth Rs 15 crore from the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020. Several people, including M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and another ex-employee of the UAE Consulate here, Sarith, were arrested in connection with the case. The incident took place when the party workers and sympathisers were bursting crackers to welcome MP Nama Nageshwar Rao. (Image By Arrangement) KHAMMAM: Three persons died and six were severely injured, with many losing a limb, in an LPG cylinder explosion in a hut in Cheemalapadu village of Khammam districts Karepalli mandal on Wednesday afternoon. As per local accounts, a few BRS leaders, mediapersons and police personnel, who were in the vicinity, also received minor injuries. The incident took place when the party workers and sympathisers were bursting crackers to welcome MP Nama Nageshwar Rao and MLA Ramulu Naik, for an Athmeeya Sammelanam. A stray cracker entered a hut in the vicinity, causing it to catch fire, following which locals tried to put out the fire with water. A firefighting vehicle was summoned, but the response was delayed as the vehicle was in Khammam for a fitness test. The deceased were identified as Ajmeera Mangu, Bhanoth Ramesh and Dharam Soth Laxman Naik, while an injured person, identified as Sandeep, lost two legs and four others lost one leg each. They were amputated at the Khammam district hospital. Police commissioner Vishnu S. Warrier visited the spot and inquired about the incident. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao expressed shock over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims, assuring them of all possible help. Meanwhile, IT minister K.T. Rama Rao and health minister Harish Rao inquired the partys local leaders about the incident. Harish Rao also spoke to the superintendent of the Khammam Government Hospital to take stock of the situation, asking the superintendent to provide the best possible treatment and, if necessary, shift the injured to Nims in Hyderabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked new recruits to make a place in their hearts for their students, similar to a mother or a teacher's influence on people's lives. ( File Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The new National Education Policy is implemented keeping in mind the requirements of modern and developed India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday. Addressing newly-induced teachers in Madhya Pradesh via a video message, Modi said the policy emphasises on holistic development of children, focusing on knowledge, skills, culture, and promotion of Indian values. The Prime Minister noted that the campaign to provide government jobs to youth in Madhya Pradesh is going on at a fast pace, where thousands of youth have been recruited to various posts by organising employment fairs in different districts. Modi informed the newly-inducted teachers that over 22,400 youth have been recruited for the post of teachers, and congratulated the youth who received appointment letters for getting involved in such an important line of work. "The policy lays emphasis on the holistic development of children," he said, noting the important role of teachers in implementing this policy effectively. The massive teacher recruitment campaign in Madhya Pradesh is a big step in this direction, he stated. The Prime Minister also said that almost half of the teachers appointed on Wednesday will be deputed in tribal areas, which will benefit children, and expressed delight that the Madhya Pradesh government has set a target of recruiting for more than one lakh government posts this year, including 60,000 teachers, and as a result, the state has made a big leap in the quality of education in the National Achievement Survey. Modi further noted that the states rank has increased from 17 to five without spending money on publicity. He mentioned that the government lays special emphasis on skill development to promote employment and self-employment, and skill development centres have been opened across the country. Modi remarked that to provide training to the youth under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, 30 Skill India International Centres will be opened where youth will be trained through new age technology, and an initiative has been taken to provide training to small artisans through PM Vishwakarma Yojana as well as to connect them with MSMEs. The Prime Minister asked new recruits to make a place in their hearts for their students, similar to a mother or a teachers influence on peoples lives. "You should always keep in mind that your education will not only shape the present but also the future of the country," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flags off the Vande Bharat Express train connecting Ajmer and Delhi Cantt. at Jaipur Junction railway station, from New Delhi, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot a "friend" and thanked him for attending the flagging off of the Vande Bharat Express amid political tussles in the desert state. Flagging off Rajasthans first Vande Bharat Express virtually, Mr Modi said that the Indian Railways had become an arena of politics under the previous governments and that its modernisation was affected by political considerations. Thanking the Rajasthan chief minister for being present at the event in Jaipur, Mr Modi said, "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of political struggle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him." On Tuesday, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister and senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot observed a daylong fast in Jaipur, targeting the Gehlot government over its inaction in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP was in power in the state. The Prime Minister said: "The work that should have been done immediately after Independence had not been done till now. But you have so much faith in me that you have given me that task today." Mr Modi told Mr Gehlot that his trust in him gives strength to their friendship. "I thank you for the trust you have in this friendship," he said. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board, the PM said, "And I want to say, Gehlot ji you have laddoos in both your hands. The railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan." This is the second time in five months that Mr Modi has praised Mr Gehlot. Last November, when the two shared the dais at an event in Banswara, Mr Modi described Mr Gehlot as the senior-most chief minister in the fraternity of chief ministers. Mr Pilot had then taken a dig at the chief minister over this. Earlier, during his address at the launch event, Mr Gehlot raised demands related to the railway in Rajasthan and mentioned that for the first time since independence, the Union railway minister is from the state. Speaking at the flagging-off event of the 15th Vande Bharat train in the country that will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment stations, the Prime Minister lamented the fact that an important and basic need of the citizens, like the railway, was turned into an arena of politics. "India inherited a fairly large railway network at the time of Independence, but political interests dominated the need for modernisation in the years after Independence. Politics was evident in the selection of the railway minister, the announcement of trains and even in recruitments," he said. Mr Modi noted that land acquisition was done under the false pretence of railway jobs and many unmanned crossings continued for a very long time. He also talked about the lack of cleanliness and how safety took a back seat. "The situation took a turn for the better after 2014, when people elected a stable government with a full majority. When the pressure of political give and take receded, the India Railways heaved a sigh of relief and sprinted to new heights," Mr Modi said. The Prime Minister pointed out that the government at the Center is making Rajasthan a land of new opportunities and said that the Central government has done unprecedented work for the connectivity that is so important for a state like Rajasthan, which has tourism as an important part of its economy. Mr Modi talked about the Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and said that the section will benefit Dausa, Alwar, Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi and Kota districts. The Prime Minister said that the Central government is working on about 1,400 km of roads in the border areas of Rajasthan and more than 1,000 km of roads are proposed in the state. Highlighting the priority that is being accorded to connectivity in Rajasthan, the Prime Minister mentioned the start of work on the railway line from Taranga Hill to Ambaji. He said that broad gauging of the Udaipur-Ahmedabad line has already been completed and more than 75 per cent of the railway network has been electrified. Mr Modi remarked that the Railway Budget for Rajasthan has been increased 14 times since 2014 -- from Rs. 700 crores in 2014 to more than Rs. 9,500 crores this year. "The speed of doubling the railway lines also doubled. The gauge change and doubling have helped tribal areas like Dungerpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Pali and Sirohi. Dozens of stations are being upgraded under the Amrit Bharat Railway Yojana," he said. Keeping in mind the convenience of the tourists, the Prime Minister said that the government is also running different types of circuit trains and gave the example of Bharat Gaurav circuit trains that have made more than 70 trips so far, ferrying more than 15,000 passengers. "Be it Ayodhya-Kashi, Dakshin Darshan, Dwarka Darshan, Sikh pilgrimage sites, Bharat Gaurav circuit trains have been run for many such places," he said. NVSS Prabhakar, former Uppal MLA and BJP state vice president address the media at the party state office at Nampally in Hyderabad. (S. Surender Reddy/DC) HYDERABAD: BJP state vice-president N.V.S.S. Prabhakar said that the party would intensify its fight in support of unemployed youths in the state by organising a march of jobless persons in Warangal on April 15. He said that 30 lakh people were waiting for job notifications to attempt the tests and get a government jobs. The BRS government in a planned manner had resorted to leakage of competitive exam question papers so as to delay recruitments as it has no money to pay salaries. He called minister K.T. Rama Rao a "leak master" for failing to prevent the leakage of question papers of the Telangana State Public Service Commission. He demanded immediate dismissal of Rama Rao from the state Cabinet and instituting a probe by a High Court judge into the question papers leak. Speaking to reporters at the state party headquarters here, Prabhakar said that a probe by a High Court judge into the TSPSC paper leakage was needed to find out who were the invisible forces behind this conspiracy. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had no sincerity in providing government jobs to unemployed youths who had supported Telangana movement and sacrificed their lives. "KCR is busy with a two-pronged strategy to save his MLC daughter Kavitha from the Delhi liquor scam and his minister son KTR from the TSPSC question paper leakage," Prabhakar alleged. He said that administration had come to a standstill and there seemed to be no government to address the problems of people. He claimed 12,000 files had piled up at Chandrashekar Raos farmhouse for his signature. Taking a potshot at the atmeeya sammelanams of BRS MLAs, Prabhakar said that Chandrashekar Rao should organise similar meetings with government employees, teachers and students unions and participate in them and sort out their problems. Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu addresses the activists at the Road show in Krishnalanka in Vijayawada on Wednesday. (DC) Vijayawada: Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu has said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy "is not your Bidda (child) but he is Cancer Gadda (cyst)," one who has become like a cancer and is oppressing the society. Naidu started his three-day tour of Krishna district here on Wednesday and toured the Eastern parts of the city and mainly the Penamaluru and Pamarru constituencies. He participated in road shows and meetings. The former chief minister was warmly welcomed by the people, youths and party workers at every stop. Addressing the gatherings, Naidu asked them not to carry the YSRC flag, saying that these destroy the society. "Dump these flags in the Krishna river and instead hold the TD flag," he said. Naidu warned, "I will not leave them (YSRC), I will pay them back with interest for all their illegalities and corruption. During Jagan Mohan Reddy's rule, the lives of girls and children were ruined. A Muslim woman who asked for pension was tortured and the police filed a 'reverse' case against her in Vijayawada," he said. He deplored that the minority woman could not bear the torture and died of a heart attack. Naidu warned, "I will not spare any bully who attacks our party office. Isn't public money that is given to volunteers? If you do wrong things, people will defeat the ruling party. Jagan Mohan Reddy is like a cancer to this state. If the cancer lump is not removed, it can spread throughout the body. People are at risk if a person like Jagan Mohan Reddy is not ousted." Naidu said Jagan Mohan Reddy is offering people 10 rupees via the welfare schemes and robbing a hundred rupees in return through taxes from each beneficiary of his welfare schemes. "AP state would be developed only if Jagan Mohan Reddy loses the next polls. Referring to some statements of Telangana leaders against AP, Naidu said "the people from other states are making fun of Telugus." He said the case of YSRC leader Y.S. Vivekananda Reddys murder took many turns day-by-day, citing the cause of the death as a heart attack, hypertension and something else. "Rowdyism will not be allowed in Vijayawada," Naidu said and declared, "I will cut the tail of the rowdies." Naidu said the attitude of the police was objectionable. "They are carrying out attacks on women who question them, and the police are filing cases against me also. I have nothing to fear. I always speak politely. We will not leave the attackers. We will pay them back with interest." Some 1,000 YSRC "leaders and supporters" joined the TD at the event. Naidu welcomed them into the party. YSRC BC Cell state secretary Gogula Ramesh Yadav, 17 leaders and more than 1,000 followers joined the Telugu Desam under the leadership of MLA Gadde Rammohan, who gave a warm welcome to Chandrababu at Ranigarithota in Krishna Lanka. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and JD (U) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh addresses the media at Kharge's residence, in New Delhi, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Photo: PTI) NEW DELHI: Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a semblance of Opposition unity was at display with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi. Indications were given that Mr Kumar will speak to other like-minded parties to stitch together a wide-ranging Opposition alliance against the BJP. Sources said that a meeting of Opposition parties will be held later this month to draw a roadmap for a united fight against the BJP in next year's parliamentary election. "In the meeting likely to be held in the last week of April, an announcement will be made giving an important role to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to bring all like-minded parties together. There is a discussion going on in the Opposition camp that Congress will play junior partner in states where the regional parties are in a direct fight with the BJP," they said, adding that a change of guard is likely to take place in Bihar in July. Afterwards, the Congress president said that this had been a historic meeting and it was decided to unite all parties to fight the upcoming polls together. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi noted that this was a process to unite the parties and the Oppositions vision will be developed together. "We will take all the parties together in this ideological battle. We will unitedly fight the attack on institutions and the country and will take an important step in this regard," Mr Gandhi said. The Bihar chief minister said that they will try to unite more and more Opposition parties. "We will together carry on efforts in this regard," Mr Kumar said. In a tweet in Hindi, Mr Kharge said: "Will preserve the Constitution and save democracy. Rahul Gandhi ji and we met Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar ji, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav ji and other leaders, reiterated our resolve to raise the voice of the people together and give a new direction to the country." The Opposition leaders also had lunch at Mr Kharges residence, where JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present. The JD(U), RJD and the Congress are in a coalition government in Bihar and the three parties are in talks to bring other Opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. Mr Kumar arrived here on Tuesday and is expected to meet a slew of Opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital. Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav is also in the national capital as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Recently Mr Kharge has spoken to several Opposition leaders in an attempt to forge unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and may have a meeting with top Opposition leaders in the coming weeks. British financial services giant EY on Tuesday said it was stopping a project to split its audit and advisory units after opposition from its US branch. The move, agreed in September, aimed to accelerate growth and avoid conflicts of interest but required the approval of EY's 13,000 worldwide partners. EY's global management said in a note that the company's US executive committee "decided not to move forward" with its plan, dubbed "Project Everest". "Given the strategic importance of the US member firm to Project Everest, we are stopping work on the project," it said. EY's global executive said it remained "committed to moving forward with creating two world-class organizations that further advance audit quality, independence and client choice". But it conceded that separating its businesses came with challenges, including giving both organisations the capabilities to compete effectively in the market, and that more time was needed to make necessary investments. A vote on the split on a country-by-country basis was originally scheduled to conclude by early 2023 but was delayed on several occasions. Britain's audit sector, dominated by the "big four" comprising EY, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, has come under increased scrutiny and faced criticism for failing to foresee a series of high-profile bankruptcies in recent years. Page Content THE HAGUE, the Netherlands, April 04, 2023 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 the economic resilience and the 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, draw 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' government. 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. US President Joe Biden will meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Northern Irish political leaders in Belfast on Wednesday, kicking off a three-day Irish tour with a speech to mark the 25th anniversary of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace deal. Biden, who is fiercely proud of his Irish heritage, will spend just over half a day in the UK region before travelling south to the Republic of Ireland for two-and-a-half days of speeches and meetings with officials and distant relatives. Speaking to reporters before leaving Washington, Biden said his priority was to help "keep the peace" as Northern Ireland marks the anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that largely ended 30 years of bloodshed between mainly Catholic opponents and mainly Protestant supporters of British rule. Read | UK's PM and EU chief clinch Brexit deal over North Ireland trade He also said he would seek to make sure the recent Windsor Framework deal between the European Union and Britain to ease post-Brexit trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK remains in place. That deal has so far failed to convince the region's largest pro-British party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), to end a boycott of the devolved power-sharing government, a key part of the 1998 peace deal. The DUP has said Biden's visit - the first to the region by a US president in 10 years - will not pressure it to end its more than year-long protest at the trade rules that treat the province differently to the rest of the UK. While Biden is expected to greet representatives of the DUP and the other four main Northern Ireland political parties, it is unclear if they will hold separate meetings. Biden, flanked by new US special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs Joseph Kennedy III on his arrival, will also float the possibility of closer US/Northern Ireland investment ties to try to encourage an end to the impasse. Read | President Biden says he will run again in 2024 After his speech at the Ulster University and a meeting with Sunak, Biden will travel to County Louth - midway between Belfast and Dublin - where his great-grandfather was born. Stormy weather is expected across the island on Wednesday. Biden will meet relatives from another side of his family in the western county of Mayo on Friday. Biden's great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan, a shoemaker from County Louth, immigrated to the United States in 1849. His family, including Biden's great-grandfather James Finnegan, followed him in 1850. Myanmar's ruling junta has confirmed that it carried out an air strike on a village in which dozens of people were reported killed, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and Western powers. UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the deadly air strike, whose victims he said included schoolchildren performing dances, with the global body calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. The death toll from the early Tuesday morning strike on the remote Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region remains unclear. Read | Thousands flee into Thailand after fighting between Myanmar military, rebels At least 50 fatalities and dozens of injuries were reported by BBC Burmese, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia, as well as a witness contacted by AFP. The junta confirmed late Tuesday night that the strike had taken place, but did not say how many were killed. "There was (a People's Defence Force) office opening ceremony... (Tuesday) morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village," said spokesman Zaw Min Tun, referring to the armed anti-junta groups that have sprung up across the country since its elected government was toppled in a 2021 military coup. "We attacked that place." Some of the dead, he added, were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though "there could be some people with civilian clothes". The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the People's Defence Force for some of the deaths. The United Nations, while not confirming a toll, said several civilians were killed, with Turk accusing Myanmar's military of once again disregarding "clear legal obligations... to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities". The military's crackdown on dissent in the wake of the coup has left more than 3,100 people dead, according to a local monitoring group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces today", according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres "reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", the spokesman added. Washington said it was "deeply concerned" about the air strikes. "These violent attacks further underscore the regime's disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement, using the country's former name. Read | US condemns Myanmar dissolving Suu Kyi party "The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma." Sagaing region -- near the country's second-largest city Mandalay -- has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the military's rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. Graphic video clips circulating on social media -- footage AFP has been unable to verify -- show bodies scattered among ruined homes. "We are going to rescue you if we hear you screaming," one person could be heard saying in the video. "Please scream!" A rescuer connected to a People's Defence Force group told AFP that women and children were among the dead. After recovering bodies and transporting victims for medical treatment, he estimated the death toll could be as high as 100. Germany's Foreign Office in a tweet said it "strongly" condemned the strike, adding it expected "the regime to end the violence against its people immediately". Myanmar's National Unity Government, a shadow body dominated by former lawmakers from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, called the strike a "heinous act". "We... share the great pain felt by the families affected by this tragedy," it said in a statement. Read | At least 22 people killed in suspected massacre at Myanmar monastery The military, which accuses anti-coup fighters of being terrorists, has faced international condemnation for razing villages, mass killings and air strikes on civilians. More than 30 people sheltering in a monastery were killed in Shan state in March. Last year, a military air strike on a concert put on by the Kachin Independence Army in northern Kachin state killed about 50 people and wounded more than 70, the rebels said. At a military parade last month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing vowed to continue cracking down on opponents. The military last month announced a six-month extension of a state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August because it did not control enough of the country for a vote. An Indian-origin mastermind of a fake designer clothing scam, accused of trying to steal around GBP 97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones with the help of a criminal gang, has been convicted of tax fraud in the UK. Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, was found guilty in what Britain's tax department has described as one of the countrys largest ever "carousel" tax frauds. Patel was found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering following a 14-week trial at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday. Also Read | Indian-origin man sentenced in UK for offensive TikTok video Arif Patel lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the law-abiding majority. Tax crime is not victimless and fraudsters like this pair steal the money that funds the NHS (National Health Service) and other vital public services we all rely on, said Richard Las, Director of the Fraud Investigation Service at His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which was part of a joint investigation with the local Lancashire police. For more than a decade HMRC and our partners have worked tirelessly and together to bring this gang to justice...Our work doesnt stop here. We have more than GBP 78 million of the gangs UK assets restrained and have begun the process to recover all those proceeds of crime, he said. Patel and his gang imported and sold counterfeit clothes that would have been worth at least GBP 50 million had they been genuine and the proceeds were then used to buy property across Preston in northern England and London through offshore bank accounts. A co-accused, 58-year-old Mohamed Jaffar Ali from Dubai, was also found guilty of conspiracy to cheat HMRC and money laundering at the end of the trial this week. Reporting restrictions have now been lifted to reveal for the first time that 24 members of the criminal empire have been convicted in five trials between 2011 and 2014 and jailed for a total of more than 116 years. Arif Patel and Ali are due to be sentenced next month. These guilty verdicts close a significant chapter in one of the biggest tax fraud cases ever investigated by HMRC, added Richard Las. The court heard how Patels Preston-based company, Faisaltex Ltd, was the heart of his criminal empire, from where he ran the counterfeit clothing import operation and false export business. As well as being a major player in the overall criminal conspiracy, co-accused Ali also laundered the proceeds through bank accounts he set up in Dubai and offshore. While presenting himself as a genuine and reputable businessman Arif Patel in fact used stolen taxpayers cash to line his own pockets and fund a lavish lifestyle, said Sam Mackenzie, Assistant Chief Constable, Lancashire Constabulary. Arif Patel travelled to Dubai in July 2011 and failed to return, to be convicted in the UK in his absence. The convictions of Arif Patel and Mohamed Jaffar Ali successfully conclude this part of an immense investigative and prosecution case against an organised criminal group, involved in counterfeit clothing, fraudulent VAT claims and money laundering. The cost to the public purse was tens of millions, money that could have been used for essential public services in the NHS, social care and education, noted Andrew Fox, Senior Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Patel and the Faisaltex group of companies had turned to bulk imports of counterfeit clothing in 2004. During the next three years dozens of containers with fake designer clothing inside were stopped at ports across the UK, including Liverpool, Southampton and Felixstowe. Onward distribution to UK traders was confirmed when a delivery to a Glasgow wholesaler was intercepted by police and revealed to be poorly made designer rip-offs. Patel also used the business to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims on supposed high-value goods and yarns, fraudulently claiming GBP 97 million but the HMRC stopped GBP 64 million of these. Such a scam is known as a carousel fraud, where goods are purportedly sold to genuine buyers, but in fact the whole process is controlled by the criminal, who instigates a paper trail of alleged sales and exports in order to reclaim value added tax (VAT). It emerged in court that Arif Patel frequently travelled to Dubai to meet Mohamed Jaffar Ali and also made trips to China and Turkey to set up deals with manufacturers of counterfeit clothing. The profits were laundered by Ali through freezone companies and bank accounts held in the UAE. Money was sent to British Virgin Island registered companies, which Arif Patel then used to buy property in his hometown of Preston. The HMRC said that Patels criminal enterprise relied on dozens of lieutenants around the UK, including professional enablers. This involved two chartered accountants from a Preston-based practice: Anil Hindocha, 69, from Preston, and Yogesh Patel, 66, from Aylesbury. Hindocha was jailed for 12 years and 10 months in 2014 after being found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the tax department and money laundering. Yogesh Patel was jailed for five years and seven months for the same offences. A 65-year-old Indian Sikh pilgrim who arrived here to attend the 'Vaisakhi Mela' festivities died of a heart attack, officials said on Wednesday. Jokindar Singh, a resident of Taij Buhadar Nagar, Jalandhar, arrived in Lahore via Wagah Border last Sunday and died of a heart attack on Tuesday, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi told PTI. A total of 2,470 pilgrims from India went to Pakistan last week for the Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) celebrations. Also Read | Pakistan-administered Kashmir's PM sacked by court in contempt case "Singh who was staying at a residential block of the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib complained of chest pain after which he was shifted to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival," Hashmi said. Singh was part of the group of Sardar Amar Jeet Singh, he said. The district headquarters hospital Nankana Sahib issued his death certificate citing "cardiac arrest" as the cause of his death, the board spokesperson said. "The body was handed over to the Border Security Force at Wagah Border by ETPB additional secretary Rana Saleem and Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee president Sardar Ameer Sigh," he said, adding that Indian Yatree Rubaal Singh accompanied the body to India. Meanwhile, the remaining Sikh pilgrims left for Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal on Wednesday to take part in the main festival which will be held on Friday at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. The pilgrims will attend the ceremony of Bhog Akhand Paath Sahib & Nagar Kirtan to celebrate the 324th Khalsa Janam Din. They will also visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal on April 16 and will return to India on April 18. Also Read | Pakistan wise to trash sedition law Indian Sikh devotees visit Pakistan on pilgrimage all around the year to mark their various religious festivals. Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurudwara Janam Asthan, is the most sacred site (some 80 kms from Lahore) for the followers of Sikhism as the first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born there. A meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is scheduled to be held on April 26 for the election of the mayor and deputy mayor of the city, according to officials. A notification to this effect was issued on Wednesday, a senior official said. "The nomination process will end on April 18, and the ordinary meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is scheduled to be held on April 26, for the election of mayor and deputy mayor," he said. The city gets a new mayor after the end of a financial year. Also Read | Row over nomination of MCD members: SC asks how L-G can act without aid & advice of council of ministers Incumbent Shelly Oberoi will continue to hold charge till a new mayor is elected, official sources said on April 3. "A meeting has been called on April 26 for the election of mayor and deputy mayor of the city," an official source said. "Once the term of a mayor ends, the new mayor is to be elected in the first meeting of the MCD, according to the norm. And, similarly, for a deputy mayor. After the start of the financial year 2023-24, the meeting scheduled to be held on April 26, will be the first meeting during the new financial year," former North Delhi mayor Jai Prakash said. Prakash, a senior BJP leader, said the presiding officer who will conduct the mayoral election, will be chosen by the Delhi Lt Governor. Oberoi, an AAP councillor, was elected as the mayor of Delhi on February 22. She defeated BJP's Rekha Gupta by a margin of 34 votes. Oberoi polled 150 votes, while Gupta received 116 votes out of the total 266 votes polled. The voting was held at the Civic Centre - the headquarters of the MCD. Delhi had got the mayor in the fourth attempt since the earlier elections were stalled amid a ruckus over voting rights being given to nominated members. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to be elected in the very first session of the House after the civic polls. Sources said the Aam Aadmi Party is likely to repeat Oberoi and deputy mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal as its candidates for the respective posts. The fresh mayoral poll in Delhi is likely to be held in late April, officials had earlier said. The post of mayor in the national capital sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second for the open category, the third for the reserved category, and the remaining two again for the open category. Tenure of mayors has seen extended terms in the past too, he said. The December 4 civic polls last year were the first after the three corporations were unified into the MCD and a fresh delimitation exercise was carried out, reducing the total number of wards from 272 in 2012 to 250. The AAP had emerged victorious in the high-stakes polls. The unification of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 wards), the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 wards) and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (64 wards) happened last year, with a notification issued to that effect in May. The Supreme Court has quashed the proceedings under the National Security Act (NSA) against a Samajwadi Party leader in Uttar Pradesh in a revenue dues matter, and pulled up the state for "non-application of mind" and "improper exercise" of jurisdiction. A bench of Justices S K Kaul and A Amanullah said the apex court is "quite amazed" with the exercise of power under the NSA in April last year against petitioner Yusuf Malik in respect of a dispute over revenue dues of a property in Moradabad. "Is this a case for NSA?," the bench asked the state's counsel while observing that this is why allegations of political vendetta crops up. "This is a case of non-application of mind and improper exercise of jurisdiction. We quash the proceedings under the NSA and direct that the petitioner be set at liberty," the bench said on Monday, adding that he be released forthwith. Read | Need CEC who can act against a Prime Minister too: Supreme Court It noted that the petitioner was already granted bail in the two separate FIRs, on the basis of which the police authority made application for initiation of proceedings against him under the NSA. The top court passed the order while hearing Malik's plea which claimed that he has been implicated in false cases on the basis of concocted allegations and thereafter, detention order was passed against him by invoking the provisions of the NSA with mala fide intention to keep him incarcerated indefinitely. The petitioner was represented by senior advocate Wasim A Qadri, lawyer Saeed Qadri and others in the matter. The plea said personal liberty of the petitioner was taken away by the State by "misusing the process of law" and he was falsely implicated in two cases lodged in Moradabad in March last year. It alleged that thereafter, due to political reasons, the police recommended for initiating proceeding under section 3(2) of the NSA against him without any cogent material and detention order dated April 24, 2022 was passed by the district magistrate. It said the petitioner has challenged the detention order before the Allahabad High Court but the plea could not be heard due to "delay caused" by the authorities and two extension orders of detention have been passed by the state even during the pendency of the petition before the high court. The plea said on March 25, 2022, a notice of attachment was issued by the Office of Tax Department, Nagar Nigam, Moradabad and it was pasted on the house of a person, who is the father-in-law of the petitioner's daughter, stating that dues (house tax and water tax) amounting to Rs 23,04,456 was pending till March 31, 2021. It said no prior notice informing about the dues amounting to Rs 23 lakh had ever been communicated to or received by the owner of the house. The plea said an FIR was registered on March 26 last year upon the complaint of additional commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Moradabad with respect to the incident alleged to have taken place wherein it was alleged that Malik and others did not allow the revenue officials of the district administration to do their duty of alleged collection of due land revenue. The allegation in the FIR was that Malik had entered the office of a revenue officer and misbehaved and thereafter made a call to the complainant and threatened him with dire consequences for having sealed the residence of the person, the plea said. It said on March 27 last year another FIR was registered upon the written complaint of a revenue Inspector alleging that he had sealed the residence of the person but one of the seals at the gate were found broken. The plea said the March 27 FIR does not name the petitioner. Read | Supreme Court orders sacking of trial court judge in Karnataka It said later, the station house officer of civil lines police station in Moradabad submitted his report to the SP on April 23, 2022 for initiating proceedings against the petitioner under section 3(2) of the NSA based on these FIRs. "The allegations against the petitioner in the preventive detention order dated April 24, 2022 passed by the district magistrate, Moradabad, under section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980 pertain to the allegations that do not fall within the definitions of acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State or from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order or from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community," the plea said. It said the detention order and its extension for further period of three months by the state government are "wholly illegal and not sustained in the eye of law" and is liable to be set aside. Dozens of dead stingrays appeared on a beach in Rio de Janeiro this week, sparking confusion and concern in the local community. Local fishermen reported the first sightings early on Tuesday. A woman who lives in the fishing village said she noticed the incident shortly after dawn, prompting the arrival of vultures. "This made us all sad. We've never seen the death of stingrays like this here," said fisherman Renato dos Reis Oliveira. Read | Dead whales washed up in Cyprus likely linked to earthquakes Biologist Ricardo Gomes, from the Mar Urbano Institute, argued the absence of other dead species on the beach indicates the incident was likely not caused by pollutants or a lack of oxygen in the water. "This makes the hypothesis of trawling more evident in the cases of these stingrays," he said. Trawling is a fishing technique that involves pulling a net through the water behind one or more boats. "This is not (the stingray's natural) place, so this is strange even for the people who are here and who live off fishing," said environmentalist Isabeli Delois. "Something very bad happened," she added. Following a lightning strike to a tree in a New Port Richey neighbourhood in Florida, US, a university professor discovered that the strike led to the formation of a new phosphorus material. The material, found in a rock and in solid form for the first time on Earth, could represent a member of a new mineral group, said the geoscientist Matthew Pasek from University of Florida. Pasek examined in a study how high-energy events, such as lightning, can cause unique chemical reactions and, in this instance, result in a new material which is transitional between space minerals and those found on Earth. The study is published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. Also Read | Lightning kills 3, injures 5 in Odisha "We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth - minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and space, but we've never seen this exact material anywhere," said geoscientist Matthew Pasek. "When lightning strikes a tree, the ground typically explodes out and the surrounding grass dies, forming a scar and sending electric discharge through nearby rock, soil and sand, forming fulgurites, also known as 'fossilized lightning'," said Pasek. Pasek purchased the fulgurite from the New Port Richey homeowners, who discovered the lightning scar and found a fulgurite and decided to sell it. He then began a collaboration with Luca Bindi, a professor of mineralogy and crystallography at the University of Florence in Italy. The team set out to better understand high-energy phenomena by investigating unusual minerals that bear the element phosphorus, especially those formed by lightning. Pasek said that understanding lightning better would help know the damage a lightning strike could cause on average and how dangerous it is. Stressing the importance of lightning safety, he said that if it was strong enough to melt rock, it could certainly melt people too. Not only had the lightning strike combusted the iron on the tree roots, accumulation of which is common in wet environments such as in Florida, it had combusted the naturally occurring carbon in the tree as well. Pasek said that the two elements led to a chemical reaction that created a fulgurite that looked like a metal 'glob'. Inside the fulgurite, a colorful, crystal-like matter revealed a material never before discovered. Co-principal investigator Tian Feng, a graduate of University of South Florida's geology program, attempted to remake the material in a lab. The experiment, having been unsuccessful, indicated that the material likely formed quickly under precise conditions, and if heated too long, would turn into the mineral found in meteorites. Feng said that while previous research indicated lightning reduction of phosphate to have been a widespread phenomenon on the early Earth, there is an environmental phosphite reservoir issue in Earth that these solid phosphite materials are hard to restore. Feng said this research may reveal other forms of reduced minerals are plausible and many could have been important in the development of life on Earth. Given the rarity of the mineral occurring naturally, Pasek said that it's unlikely this material could be mined for uses similar to other phosphates, such as fertilizer. However, Pasek and Bindi plan to further investigate the material to determine if it could be officially declared a mineral and bring additional awareness to the scientific community. La Defensa Ministerio de Defensa Las Fuerzas Armadas La Defensa y yo National Bank of Canada FI increased its position in shares of Primo Water Co. (NYSE:PRMW Get Rating) by 314.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 70,294 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 53,322 shares during the period. National Bank of Canada FIs holdings in Primo Water were worth $1,091,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 24.7% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 11,600,023 shares of the companys stock worth $145,580,000 after purchasing an additional 2,296,515 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 9.8% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 11,581,085 shares of the companys stock worth $165,030,000 after purchasing an additional 1,031,066 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 4.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,977,201 shares of the companys stock worth $137,764,000 after purchasing an additional 470,410 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in Primo Water by 0.3% during the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,814,880 shares of the companys stock worth $47,876,000 after buying an additional 10,888 shares during the period. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its stake in Primo Water by 5.6% during the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 3,738,216 shares of the companys stock worth $46,914,000 after buying an additional 198,860 shares during the period. 88.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Primo Water alerts: Primo Water Trading Down 0.7 % NYSE PRMW opened at $14.84 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $14.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.76. Primo Water Co. has a one year low of $12.15 and a one year high of $16.47. The firm has a market cap of $2.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 78.11 and a beta of 1.05. Primo Water Increases Dividend Insider Activity The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 10th were paid a $0.08 dividend. This is a positive change from Primo Waters previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.16%. Primo Waters dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 168.42%. In other news, Director Jeremy S. G. Fowden sold 47,630 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.01, for a total value of $762,556.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,268,770 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,313,007.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 4.40% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have weighed in on PRMW. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on shares of Primo Water from $17.00 to $16.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 20th. TheStreet lowered shares of Primo Water from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Friday, March 17th. Finally, CIBC lowered shares of Primo Water from a sector outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Primo Water presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $19.33. Primo Water Company Profile (Get Rating) Primo Water Corporation provides pure-play water solutions for residential and commercial customers. It offers bottled water, water dispensers, purified bottled water, self-service refill drinking water, premium spring, mineral water, sparkling and flavored water, filtration equipment, and coffee. The company offers its products under the Primo, Alhambra, Crystal Rock, Mountain Valley, Deep Rock, Hinckley Springs, Crystal Springs, Kentwood Springs, Mount Olympus, Pureflo, Nursery, Sierra Springs, Sparkletts, Clear Mountain Natural Spring Water, Earth2O, Renu, and Water Event Pure Water Solutions brands in the United States; Canadian Springs and Labrador Source brands in Canada; and Decantae, Eden, Eden Springs, Chateaud'eau, and Mey Eden brands in Europe and Israel. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PRMW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Primo Water Co. (NYSE:PRMW Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Primo Water Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Primo Water and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Page Content The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau in collaboration with the French Tourist office and local hoteliers recently organized a series of events part of the Florida Roadshow for travel advisors, agents and cruise planners in the cities of Miami, Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. In attendance were representatives from the Dutch and French Tourism Offices, Cyndi Miller who is the Sales Representative for both tourism offices in the United States, as well as representatives from The Morgan Resort, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Casino & Spa, Secrets St. Martin Resort & Spa, and Grand Case Beach Club. In addition, Star Clippers, Classic Vacations, Delta Vacations, ALG Vacations, The Moorings, Vacation Express and Pleasant Holidays also joined the events. The series of events were a success with all three events being sold out with a total of over 120 travel advisors in attendance. Meetings were also held with Flight Centre and JetBlue to provide update, and discuss future collaboration and support. Organizing roadshow events and providing sales training presentation to travel advisors is an integral part of the sales and promotional activities to increase destination awareness and encourage travel to the island. The United States account for 60% of the islands stayover arrivals with the majority of travelers residing in the North-East Coast. Two former pupils of St Columb's College, Oran McLaughlin and Colum Ferry, have developed a revolutionary artificial intelligence-powered tool to assist writers, students, teachers, and professionals with their work. Recognising the needs they had in their own working lives, the Derry-based duo sought to create a tool that could address these needs. Oran, a teacher, and Colum, a software engineer, were on a Zoom call, as is the way of the world currently, when the idea struck them. With AI becoming more prevalent in todays society, they believed it was time for a tool that could use AI to help people complete their work faster without losing any of the quality. As two advocates for a healthy work-life balance, Oran and Colum devised a set of features that could target certain audiences but could also be used by everyone. Oran said their goal is to provide everyone with a tool that can help them claim back some of their free time, instead of constantly thinking or worrying about work. He added that the tool should help people get back to focusing on what matters most; spending time with family and friends and spending time on hobbies. It should do this by helping people complete their work faster and to a high standard. The tool, called GrammarGuru, provides a comprehensive set of features to aid in improving existing text, getting feedback on text, and generating text to complete work. For writers, it can help combat writer's block, provide feedback on paragraphs of text, and even generate writing prompts. Students can use it to structure essays, get feedback on their work, and improve their tone, conciseness, and reading complexity. Teachers can also avail of the tool to create lesson plans, develop content for slideshow presentations, and get quick feedback on essays and assignments submitted by their students. It can also help individuals spruce up their CVs to make sure they put their best foot forward when applying for jobs. For professionals, GrammarGuru can help them proofread emails, memos, and presentations. It can also offer feedback on the tone and structure of the writing. GrammarGuru is a tool for anyone who needs help with their writing. You can access the tool at https://grammarguru.app. Speaking to the County Derry Post as republicans assembled for the annual Swatragh 1916 Rising Commemoration on Easter Monday, local Sinn Fein councillor, Brian McGuigan, who chaired proceedings said: "As always we are looking forward to our Easter Monday 1916 commemoration in Swatragh when we will parade to Granaghan Churchyard for a wreath-laying ceremony in memory of Ireland's Patriot Dead before returning to the village for speeches and reading of The 1916 Proclamation. "We will especially remember our local republican dead buried in Granaghan Churchyard, including IRA volunteer, Danny McMullan from Slaughtneil who died while on active service as well as assassinated Sinn Fein councillor, Bernard O'Hagan who had made Swatragh his home, immersing himself in the area's rich cultural and community life, while playing an important leadership role in the republican struggle. "As we gather in Swatragh for our tribute to our republican dead we recall all the sacrifices of Irish republicans in pursuit of Irish freedom and national democracy. "But, we will also be looking to the future and the achievement of an independent 32 County republic with social justice and economic democracy at its core. A republic that in the words of the 1916 Proclamation 'cherishes all the children of the nation equally'. "Our commemoration in Swatragh is supported by a local community who will again attend in their hundreds and we are all looking forward to have the opportunity to meet up and renew comradeship and our commitment to the historic task of achieving Irish Unity. "There are many stalwarts of our struggle in attendance. Everyone is looking forward to a colourful and vibrant commemorative parade which enjoys the participation of an ever-growing and confident republican community which is stepping out in support of a strong and principled Sinn Fein leadership both nationally and locally. "We are immensely proud of our young activists from across our county who are building a very strong, effective and youthful organisation via their participation in Ogra Shinn Fein and cumainn in our colleges and universities, and who are spearheading and making a massive contribution in terms of electoral preparation for the council elections to be held in the coming weeks. This Easter we remember those who resisted colonial domination and partition. We remain strategically focused, while building our political strength, and being resolute in pursuit of our republican objectives - Irish Freedom, Independence, Equality and Social Justice. The emerging preferred route for the bypass of Bridgend is likely to see land subjected to compulsory purchase order if it is selected as the final option. A route just north of Bridgend running just behind the main road through the village has emerged as the emerging preferred route corridor. The 200-metre-wide corridor runs between the Aileach Valley housing estate, the Elaghbeg business park and the village and could involve a flyover over the regional road to Buncrana. Any final route would be selected within the corridor and while no final decisions have been made, planners say this option would be likely to involve compulsory purchase orders. The corridor has emerged as the leading option for the dual carriageway project, narrowly ahead of a route further north of the housing estate. A bypass south of the village came third after the initial analysis was completed. That route would involve the construction of an embankment close to the Stoneybridge estate. A fourth option is a dual carriageway through the village. A public consultation on the N13 Bridgend to county boundary route improvement project runs until May 3. The road improvement scheme, which is being planned by Donegal County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), is aimed at improving the road infrastructure on the N13 in the area. Around 17,000 vehicles use the road through Bridgend every day with around 9,500 vehicles travelling between Derry and Buncrana and 7,500 travelling between Derry and Letterkenny. Road planners hope to separate local traffic from vehicles using the village for onward journeys and say a bypass could reduce the number of vehicles using the village to around 3,000 a day. The need for a road improvement scheme in the area also takes into account major housing development on the Derry side of the border and the proposed A2 dual carriageway project on the Buncrana Road in Derry. Donegal County Council says no decision on the final route has been made and a decision is expected at the end of May or early June. Work is continuing on plans for the village as part of the project and a transport hub in Bridgend is one option being considered. Research has identified the border crossing at Bridgend as the most strategically important and busiest crossing point between Donegal and Derry. Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Donegal County Council have been exploring the options for improving the road. The high number of right turns made on the N13 in the village has contributed to a collision rate above the national average. A2 plans paused Meanwhile, plans to upgrade the A2 Buncrana Road in Derry, which would meet the N13 dual carriageway at the border, have been paused. The Department of Infrastructure in the North has decided to pause the 4.1km proposed scheme until a new Regional Transport Strategy is complete. It said it is fully committed to progressing the road improvement scheme which would involve a footway and cycleway, with additional crossings and a park-and-ride facility. US President Joe Biden expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes as the region marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday peace accord that created Stormonts powersharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, the President said. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas that are going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who briefly met the President before his speech, described Mr Bidens remarks as measured but he insisted they would not alter the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. He said that would only be achieved if the UK Government took further steps to address his partys concerns about Brexit trade barriers. It doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, we know what needs to happen, said Sir Jeffrey. We believe the Government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade within the UK internal market and thats what needs to happen now to enable us to move towards the restoration of the political institutions, we need the Government to deliver what theyve said they will do, which is to protect our place in the United Kingdom. In his speech, President Biden said the response of Northern Irelands political leaders to Februarys shooting of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh showed the enemies of peace will not prevail. Mr Caldwell was seriously injured in the dissident republican murder bid. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God, said Mr Biden. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Mr Biden said Brexit had created complex challenges for Northern Ireland. I encouraged the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that served Northern Irelands best interest, he said. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner (Ursula) Von der Leyen to reach an agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement that they are preserved and strengthened. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed, and I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland, significant investment in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak welcomed the Presidents visit and said it was a reminder of the US contribution to the peace process. The Prime Minister, who did not attend Mr Bidens speech at Ulster University, said a key focus of their earlier meeting was leveraging more economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland and we talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland, he said. I think that is incredibly exciting, it will bring growth, jobs and prosperity to Northern Ireland and I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. At the outset of Mr Bidens half-day of engagements in Northern Ireland, the White House insisted the President is not anti-British. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. Following his address in Belfast, Mr Biden headed for the Republic of Ireland where he will spend two and a half days in an itinerary that will include political engagements in Dublin and visits taking in his ancestral roots in counties Mayo and Louth. JPEG XS support built into LAWO HOME Apps officially introduced at NAB 2023 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, April 12, 2023 intoPIX, the leading provider of innovative compression technology, and Lawo proudly announce that, following the popularity of Lawos vm_jpegXS app for its V__matrix platform, several new Lawo products will be natively JPEG XS-compliant thanks to Lawos adoption of the intoPIX TicoXS codec. As the media industry increasingly leverages the benefits of IP-based remote and distributed production workflows, the challenge it faces is pushing a relentlessly growing amount of data through a fiber-optic pipe with a fixed bandwidth while preserving broadcast-grade quality. Support for the lossless JPEG XS compression technology in HD, 3G and UHD video-format resolutions will allow users of Lawos new HOME-managed Apps, which run on standard servers, to encode, process and decode compressed IP streams. Lawos aim is to provide broadcasters with the ability to encode and decode compressed streams as and when required in order to accelerate high-quality distributed content creation. JPEG XS support is built into the HOME Apps Multiviewer, UDX conversion with HDR processing, and Stream Transcoder which will be officially introduced at NAB 2023. JPEG XS delivers broadcast-grade compression ratios of up to 10:1. This makes it ideal for WAN-based IP networks where bandwidth is typically limited, while the number of camera feeds and video streams keeps rising. JPEG XS (ISO/IEC 21122) provides visually lossless quality with sub-millisecond (<1 video frame) delay and is designed for latency-critical applications, such as live remote event productions over wide-area networks. intoPIXs JPEG XS content production codec is a lightweight image coding system that processes video at the microsecond level, explains Katty Van Mele, Director Business Development at intoPIX. Real-world testing confirms that compression ratios in the range of 4:1 to 12:1 can deliver lossless video quality while considerably reducing bandwidth consumption. Higher compression ratios up to 36:1 for less critical applications are also possible. For Lawo, support of JPEG XS has become essential to give operators the flexibility to maximize their bandwidth usage, states Phil Myers, Chief Technology Officer at Lawo. Increasingly, IP signals travel from one remote location to two or more destinationsand sometimes even back. This would require 100GbE or higher fiber-optic bandwidths for uncompressed signals, which come at an increased cost. Our HOME Multiviewer, UDX conversion with HDR processing and Stream Transcoder apps natively support JPEG XS input and output. We obviously intend to provide the same convenience at the edge for maximum agility and flexibility in the future. For more information about the intoPIX JPEG XS solutions, visit the intoPIX website or book a meeting with their team during NAB 2023 (Booth C6335) in Las Vegas, from April 16 to 19, 2023. About intoPIX intoPIX creates and licenses innovative image processing and compression solutions. We deliver unique IP-cores and efficient software solutions to manage more pixels, preserve quality with no latency, save cost & power and simplify storage and connectivity. We are passionate about offering people a higher-quality image experience. Our solutions open the way to new imaging workflows and new devices, reducing costs in HD, 4K, or even 8K, replacing uncompressed video, and always preserving the lowest latency with the highest quality. www.intopix.com About LAWO Lawo designs and manufactures pioneering network, video, audio, control, and monitoring technology for TV and radio broadcast, performing arts, houses of worship, stadiums, and corporate applications. Products include IP-based media infrastructure solutions, control and monitoring systems, digital audio mixing consoles, and video processing tools. Products are developed in Germany and manufactured according to the highest quality standards at the companys headquarters in the Rhine valley town of Rastatt, Germany. www.lawo.com. April 12, 2023 -- Zagreb,Croatia Xylon just revealed XYLON QUATTRO, the companys 4th generation data logging and HIL system for development, testing and validation of autonomous driving (AD) and vision-based advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). With its future-proof and unprecedented feature set, the new XYLON QUATTRO is ready to support automotive developments up to the L5 autonomy. It greatly complements the existing third-generation logiRECORDER data logger that will be actively maintained and upgraded for use in performance and cost-optimized automotive developments. XYLON QUATTRO offers unrivaled 128 Gbps of data logging and playback bandwidth, up to 128 TB of internal data storage and industrys best automotive interfacing. It enables direct connections of up to sixteen (16) video cameras, with resolutions up to 32 MP, via current LVDS interfaces, such as GMSL2 from Analog Devices or FPD-Link III from Texas Instruments. Xylon is already working on support for next-generation LVDS interfaces. XYLON QUATTRO is backwards compatible with the existing logiRECORDER video I/O modules, which assures an immediate support for different video interfaces. High-end LIDAR and RADAR sensors, as well as many other automotive systems can be directly interconnected via up to sixteen (16) 10M/100M/1G/2.5G/10G Ethernet (BASE-T) and Automotive Ethernet (BASE-T1) channels. Four-channel Ethernet modules can be configured into the fastest, HW-based two-channel TAP configuration, thus eliminating the need for expensive external Ethernet switches. XYLON QUATTRO can directly interface, without external converter boxes, more than twenty (20) low and mid speed automotive interfaces, including different versions of CAN, LIN, UART and FlexRay networks. It complements the devices high-speed data logging and playback to enable a complete collection of centrally timestamped vehicle data. "We consulted with practically all Tier1s, OEMs, as well as with many technology and AI companies on their current and future needs, said Xylon's founder and CEO Davor Kovacec. "Taking everything into consideration, we were able to create a universal, multifunctional device capable of fulfilling all test tasks in the years to come. The new and open SW architecture paired with configurable HW enables customers to tailor tests to virtually any user case." The key XYLON QUATTRO differentiator is Xylons unique programmable hardware engine configurable at the FPGA chip level. Custom designed hardware enables data processing out of reach to software or common hardware-based processing engines, such as real-time insertion of a live video cameras metadata into synthetically generated camera data for HIL testing of an ECU under test that runs the production firmware mode. To add even more flexibility, Xylon has expanded the HW engine with a complete x86-based PC to offer new possibilities in data logging and HIL playback, AI triggering and filtering, automated scripted testing, etc. The company has heavily invested into an open software architecture to enable user customizations and modularity, e.g. high-speed sensors emulation and support for existing and emerging protocols and services management (SOME/IP, DoIP, DDS...). In HIL setups, Xylon systems work as smart I/O boxes that convert synthetic data from multiple and heterogeneous vehicle sensors modeled within the simulation platform into physical automotive interfaces connected to real ECU and domain controllers under test. This real-time interface between the synthetic and real world works in both directions and enables full virtual test drives. While the third generation data logger has a single 10 GbE HIL port, the new XYLON QUATTRO integrates two (2) 100 GbE HIL ports to enable the most complex simulations like ECU perception algorithms checkup based on simulated high-resolution camera and LIDAR inputs. Xylon plans to start shipping XYLON QUATTRO to selected customers by the end of 2Q2023, with full production planned for 3Q2023. To learn more about this solution get in touch with Xylon at lr-sales@logicbricks.com and watch the video introducing XYLON QUATTRO: https://xylon-lab.com/product/xylon-quattro Live European premiere will take place on June 13-15, 2023 at the ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo in Stuttgart, Germany Booth #6310. About Xylon Xylon is an electronics company focused on design of flexible automotive data logging and HIL solutions, embedded electronics, intellectual property and design services based on programmable FPGA and SoC/MPSoC devices. The company was founded in 1995, and has since then delivered many FPGA designs used in production automotive systems on the road. Xylon is a Premier AMD Adaptive Computing Partner. More information can be found at www.xylon-lab.com and www.logicbricks.com, the official Xylon web sites. -- Laptops MSI Laptops MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) price in India MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Updated on 12-Apr-2023 +2 Market Status : LAUNCHED Release Date : 12 Apr, 2023 Official Website : MSI Key Specifications OS Windows 11 Home Display 15.6" (1920 x 1080) Processor AMD Ryzen 5-7530U | 4.5 GHz Memory 512 GB SSD/16 GB DDR4 MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Price in India: 53,990 ( onwards ) Buy Now Available at Set Price Drop Alert See All Prices Overview PRICES Specs Photos News User Reviews MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Price in India MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Price In India Starts From Rs.53990 The best price of MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) is Rs.53990 on Amazon. Merchant Name Availablity Price Go to Store Available 53,990 Buy Now Disclaimer: The price & specs shown may vary. Please confirm on the e-commerce site before purchasing. Error in pricing: Please let us know. MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Full Specifications Basic Information Model name : Modern 15 Launch date (global) : 12-04-2023 operating system (with version) : Windows 11 Home Display Resolution : 1920 x 1080 display size (in inches) : 15.6 Refresh Rate : 60 HzHz Connectivity connectivity : Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Memory ram included (in gb) : 16 GB ram type : DDR4 Physical Specifications laptop weight (in kgs) : 1.7 laptop dimension (in mm) : 359 x 241 x 19 Processor processor model name : AMD Ryzen 5-7530U clock speed : 4.5 GHz graphics processor : AMD Radeon Boost Clock Speed : 4.5 GHz Storage Storage drive type : SSD Storage drive capacity : 512 GB Power battery type : 3 Cell 39.3 WHr Sound Warranty And Manufacturer Info Details Of Pre-Installed Software Error or missing information? Please let us know. MSI Modern 15 B7M-071IN Ryzen 5-7530U (2023) Price in India Updated on 12th Apr 2023 Store Product Name Price Amazon MSI Modern 15, AMD Ryzen 5-7530U, 40CM FHD 60Hz Laptop (16GB/512GB NVMe SSD/Windows 11 Home/AMD Rade... 53,990 Disclaimer: Digit, like all other media houses, gives you links to online stores which contain embedded affiliate information, which allows us to get a tiny percentage of your purchase back from the online store. We urge all our readers to use our Buy button links to make their purchases as a way of supporting our work. If you are a user who already does this, thank you for supporting and keeping unbiased technology journalism alive in India. Explore More Mobile Laptop Gaming Dell India has launched a new batch of Alienware and Inspiron laptops. Here we will be focussing on the gaming laptops named Alienware m18 and x16 R1. They come with Intel 13th gen processors and Nvidia GeForce 40-series GPUs. The heating solution and design have been improved. These could be considered as some of the reasons they may appeal to PC gamers. Lets dig deeper to learn more about the new Dell laptops. Dell Alienware m18 and x16 R1 specs and features 1. Alienware m18 and x16 R1 feature whats called a Legend 3.0 design. The angular edges are now smoothened out for easier ergonomics. They are made out of Aluminum and carry a dark two-tone finish. The laptops also come with CherryMX mechanical keyboard. 2. Going with the trends, the new Alienware laptops offer a 16:10 aspect ratio display. The m18 has got a 165Hz refresh rate and QHD resolution. Being the premium one of the lot, the x16 R1 rocks a 240Hz QHD+ screen with a 3ms response time with Nvidia Advanced Optimus and G-sync support. The displays also feature Dolby Vision, and ComfortView Plus blue-light filter. Above the screen, there is an FHD webcam for video calls with noise cancellation. For sound, there are Dolby Atmos-aided speakers. 3. Under the hood, the Alienware m18 and x16 R1 are powered by up to 13th gen Intel Core i9 13980HX and 13900HK processors respectively. The graphics are handled by up to 16GB GDDR6 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs. The m18 supports DDR5 RAM while the x16 R1 gets LPDDR5 memory. You get more RAM and PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage on the Alienware m18. 4. You also get new and improved thermal solutions such as an Element 31 thermal interface and a larger vapour chamber and fan system for a 25% better airflow claim. 5. The m18 houses a bigger 97WHr battery and faster 330W charger compared to 90WHr battery and 240W charger on the x16 R1. New Dell laptops pricing and availability You can buy the new Alienware laptops starting April 12, 2023, from Dell.com, Dell Exclusive Stores, large format retail, and multi-brand stores. - The Alienware m18 starts at INR 3,59,990 - The Alienware x16 R1 starts at INR 3,79,990 - The Inspiron 16 starts at INR 77,990 - The Inspiron 16 2-in-1 starts at INR 96,990 The Inspiron devices hit the stores on April 14, 2023. You can buy them from Dell Exclusive Stores, select large format retail, and multi-brand stores. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Apples official retailer, Imagine has thrown some offers on the latest offering by Apple, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The discount is said to be a 12,200 off on the phone without any conditions. Imagine is now hosting these offers just a few days before the opening of Apples stores in India. Apple is launching their stores in India on April 20. The tech giant will open two stores in India, one in Delhi and one in Mumbai, which will reportedly be inaugurated by Tim Cook himself. This might be bad news for Apples retailers which are Imagine and Unicorn that are currently working in India. Imagine is also promising free delivery of the devices. Here is the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with 12,200 discounts available on Imagine. iPhone 14 on Imagine iPhone 14 is available on Imagine at a price of 71,700 after an instant discount of 8,200. The original price of the iPhone 14 is 79,900. However, there is another offer which can get you an additional discount of 4000 by making a payment with HDFC Bank Cards. Calculating these offers and the iPhone 14 will cost you only 67,700. Apple iPhone 14 Plus on Imagine iPhone 14 Plus is available on Imagine at a price of 80,900 after an instant discount of 9,000. The original price of the iPhone 14 Plus is 89,900. However, there is another offer which can get you an additional discount of 4000 by making a payment with HDFC Bank Cards. Calculating these offers and the iPhone 14 Plus will cost you only 76,900. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus specifications The iPhone 14 comes with a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels. It is powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chipset paired with up to 512GB storage. It has a 12-megapixel dual camera setup and a 12-megapixel selfie shooter. This phone packs a 3279mAh battery. On the other hand, iPhone 14 Plus comes with the same specifications as iPhone 14 only it has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1284 x 2778 pixels and it packs a bigger battery of 4323mAh. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Xiaomi is reportedly headed towards launching its new smartphone Xiaomi 13 Ultra in China on April 18. We also expect it to come to India soon. The CEO of Xiaomi has confirmed the smartphones launch overseas as well and that too as soon as possible. Now just a few days prior to the launch in China, a live image as well as the high-res renders of the phone has surfaced. The renders are in courtesy of OnLeaks via Smartprix. Xiaomi 13 Ultra first look From the image it can be analysed that the Xiaomi smartphone has a protruding circular-shaped camera and has four lenses and a dual LED flashlight. The device might possibly have a leather back. The volume and power buttons appears to be aligned perfectly on the right side of the device. The other side is apparently vacant. The report claims the Xiaomi phone is 163.1874.649.57mm in dimensions. Let's look into the specifications that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is rumoured to possess. Features and Specifications of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra There is a word on the street that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra will have three variations viz. 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB. The front of the phone could be a 6.7-inch E6 AMOLED LTPO Quad HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The front camera could be a 32MP sensor sitting within a centrally-aligned punch-hole. The back of the device could showcase four 50MP cameras. The primary one is rumoured to be a 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor. Inside, it is believed to bring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 chipset, a 4900 mAh battery with 90W wired charger and 50W wireless charger. From the looks of it, the 13 Ultra seems to be a fully flagship smartphone but until officially confirmed, we suggest you to take these details with the proverbial grain of salt. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. Page Content Many persons will be heading to the beach for various watersports activities and having a funday with family and friends. Safety should always be a concern. Keep a watchful eye on young children who cannot swim; make sure that their flotation devices are in proper working condition. Tragic water events can happen quickly. Pay attention to senior family members who are swimming. The beach can be fun and enjoyable experience, so its up to you to stay safe. Watch out for strong water currents. Stay in shallow water. Exercise safe cooking practices in the kitchen to prevent kitchen fires and burn injuries. While at the beach barbecuing, also pay keen attention that young children are not close by. After a successful BBQ, dont forget to clean up all utensils from your family/friend Easter holiday beach experience and properly dispose them in a garbage bin. Once coals have been completely extinguished, remove them so the beach environment is returned to its original state. Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children this Easter holiday weekend. During this holiday weekend, drive sober! Dont drink and drive, because drunk-driving can result in a serious injury or even worse, death. Make sure everyone has a sober ride home if youre hosting a Easter holiday gathering. Dont let someone get behind the wheel if that person has been drinking. Have a designated driver. Dont speed this holiday weekend. Always wear your seat belt. Its your best defense against impaired drivers. Be responsible, drive safely. The Fire Department wishes all a safe and happy Easter holiday weekend. The Fire Department falls under the Ministry of General Affairs. The Fire Department is calling on the community to be safe this Easter holiday weekend that kicks off from Friday, April 7 until and including Monday, April 10.In the event of a fire emergency, call 919. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Page Content COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 03, 2023 The Honorable Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs of Sint Maarten, Ms. Silveria E. Jacobs, on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten, and Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Mr. Jens Wandel signed the Host Country Agreement, which is a treaty that establishes the cooperation framework for the implementation of projects headed by UNOPS on Sint Maarten. Also present at the signing were Sint Maartens Honorable Minister of Justice, Ms. Anna E. Richardson, and the Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Denmark, H.E. Mr. Arne Brandsma. As a result of this agreement, UNOPS will establish an office in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten to coordinate all necessary cooperation with the country and in the region. The establishment of UNOPS on Sint Maarten marks an important milestone for the organization in terms of providing support to Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean region in line with the objectives of social development recognized in the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway. On December 7, 2022, the Government of Sint Maarten, UNOPS, and the Government of the Netherlands signed the project proposal, the project agreement, and the letter of agreement for the Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities, also referred to as the new prison project. The Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities will define a new model of prison infrastructure that will benefit both the prison population and its staff, ensuring full compliance of human rights and the consideration of social, gender and environmental components in its design. The first phase of development for the project will be the design of Rule of Law Facilities, funded by the cooperation framework existing between the Government of the Netherlands and the Government of Sint Maarten with a budget of approximately US$ 4 million. Other potential areas that have been identified for cooperation with UNOPS are future project development that can help prepare the country for the impacts of climate change and the threat it poses to Sint Maartens development. The presence of UNOPS on the island makes it a valuable ally for promoting and developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure practices. The opening of the UNOPS office reflects the Government of Sint Maartens commitment to expanding foreign relations, building capacity, and strengthening international partnerships. Id like to thank the technical advisors of the UNOPS Legal Team and the Directorate of Foreign Relations for negotiating and drafting of the Host Country Agreement. The agreement will facilitate the presence of UNOPS on Sint Maarten and the realization of the prison project that is currently being led by the Department of Judicial Affairs and the Cabinet of the Minister of Justice said Silveria E. Jacobs, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten. I am elated as the Government of Sint Maarten continues to strengthen its relationship with UNOPS. Since working with UNOPS, they have made two work visits to Sint Maarten; in May 2022, for their first mission, meeting with the Council of Ministers to discuss the new prison project, and in January 2023 for their second mission, to engage with key stakeholders for the planning and design phase of the new prison project. Building upon this fruitful relationship, the Ministry of Justice remains committed to finalizing the process for the completion of the projects first phase, said Anna E. Richardson, Minister of Justice of Sint Maarten. Partnerships with UNOPS and other international organizations will help support the sustainable growth, expertise, and capacity of Sint Maarten. Hosting international organizations on the island can also increase opportunities for Sint Maarteners living abroad to return home. These initiatives can broaden the horizons for Sint Maarteners and in turn combat the brain drain effect and increase our institutional capacity. When executing projects on Sint Maarten it is beneficial to have close engagement with and physical presence of international organizations to help facilitate execution of projects, leading to higher quality and speedier implementation of projects. In pursuing an active diversification policy and foreign relations policy, we look forward to welcoming and hosting the UNOPS team, and in the future other international organizations, on Sint Maarten. In closing, Prime Minister Jacobs stated that she looks forward to working with UNOPS on this critical new prison project and on future projects, with the shared goal of promoting sustainable development, building resilience, and creating a brighter future for the people of Sint Maarten. With UNOPS on board, we can be assured of a strong partnership to help us navigate our challenges and build a better future for our people. With the establishment of a UNOPS office on Sint Maarten, the first project to be developed under this cooperation framework will be the design of the Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities Pakistan and IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) governments remain divided over how to deal with the TTP (Pakistani Taliban). The IEA refuses to admit that the TTP uses camps in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. TTP regularly carries out attacks across the border in Pakistan. This was not supposed to happen because there are pro-Pakistan officials in the IEA government. Pakistan misjudged how much influence these pro-Pakistan Afghan officials had when it came to IEA/TTP relations. Pakistan was dismayed to discover that TTP has much more support among IEA leaders than Pakistan. Most IEA leaders back TTP efforts to overthrow the secular government of Pakistan and replace it with something like the IEA. Not exactly an IEP (Islamic Emirate of Pakistan), but something similar. Pakistan believed that once the IEA took over, the pro-Pakistan members of the IEA government would give Pakistan their long-desired control over the Afghan government. That might have happened except for the fact that the official leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada, had a lot more supporters in Afghanistan than Pakistan realized. Before the IRA took over Pakistan was convinced that Akhundzada was unpopular with many Taliban faction leaders, in part because Akhundzada was seen as a figurehead and his chief deputy, the head of the Haqqani Network, was actually in charge. That was true but the secret was that Akhundzada only acted as a figurehead because he had to operate from the Pakistan sanctuary in Quetta, a city just across the border from the Afghan province of Kandahar, where many of the original Taliban came from. Kandahar was where Akhundzada went after the IEA replaced the IRA (American backed-Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) in mid-2021. Once back in Afghanistan, Akhundzada could exercise his power as the official head of the Taliban and do so without potentially lethal pressure from Pakistan. The Taliban factions Pakistan believed were hostile to Akhundzada, and openly supported him once he was back in Kandahar. Pakistan underestimated how widespread the hatred of Pakistan was in Afghanistan, even among the many Afghan Taliban who seemed to maintain a pro-Pakistan attitude. Pakistan believed this would neutralize the many Afghan Taliban factions who had openly expressed their opposition to Pakistan interference in Afghanistan. Mullah Akhundzada was a highly respected Islamic scholar who rarely commented on his political beliefs. The Pakistani ISI (military intelligence service) that created the Taliban in the mid-1990s and managed them ever since misjudged Akhundzadas silence on his attitude towards Pakistan. This was seen as agreement with or neutrality towards the ISI and Pakistan in general. Akhundzada had widespread support in Afghanistan while the pro-Pakistan IEA officials who were appointed while the Taliban were still in Quetta had little such support. When Akhundzada overruled Pakistan-backed IEA officials, it was clear he was no longer a figurehead. Akhundzada was not a rigid religious fanatic either. When he imposed a ban on womens higher education in December 2022, he paid attention to the reaction of most Afghans and agreed to lift most of the restrictions. Akhundzada understands he is responsible to what Afghans, not the ISI, want. This revelation created a lot of problems for the ISI and the Pakistan military, who are in trouble with Pakistan voters and elected officials who want to curb the independence of the Pakistan military. The militarys policy towards Afghanistan played a minor role in this, but the revelation that the Afghans hate the Pakistani military as much as most Pakistanis do make it clear that the Pakistani generals overestimated their power. Inside Afghanistan, the pro-Pakistan Haqqani government officials would not criticize IEA leader Akhundzada openly because that might lead to more anti-Pakistan violence inside Afghanistan. Another Afghan problem with Pakistan is that Pakistanis tend to take their Islam very seriously and are more violent against any group that has different beliefs. Afghans, in contrast, tend to be more tolerant. The exception is radical Afghan Moslems like the original Taliban. Their radical attitudes were the result of the Taliban being created by the Pakistani military in the mid-1990s. This left a lethal legacy as clashes in northwest Pakistan between Pakistani troops and Islamic terrorists continues. To a lesser degree, violence occurs in the southeast (Baluchistan) with Baluchi separatists. Afghans and Pakistani elected officials blame the Pakistani military for causing the separatist and religious violence and the resulting economic problems. While Pakistanis complain of their Afghan problem the Afghans are more justified complaining about a much more damaging Pakistan problem. April 10, 2023: The IEA continues to fail at convincing foreign aid donor nations that the IEA can be trusted to distribute aid, especially food aid, to those that need it most. UN experts believe $800 million worth of aid is needed to deal with looming starvation for millions of Afghans. Only a third of that sum has been pledged, which is half what was pledged last year. Erratic and harmful decisions by IEA leaders continue to be the norm and discourage more foreign aid donors. The UN tries to be reasonable with the IEA but that has not worked either. Foreign aid groups believe that half the Afghan population (thats 20 million people) face severe food shortages. This will cause some starvation deaths and even more fatalities because prolonged hunger makes victims more likely to die from some other affliction. A year ago the UN estimated that 95 percent of Afghans were not getting enough food and eventually there would be starvation deaths. The UN experts calculated the total need and costs to transport the aid to where it is needed most. The major flaw in this plan is that few foreign aid donors are willing to donate. Disaster areas have earned unofficial risk level ratings that measure how much of the aid disappears (is stolen) before it can get to those in need. Afghanistan is considered one of the riskiest aid recipients in the world and has earned and sustained that designation over the last fifty years. This has already happened this year. In February 2022, Pakistan allowed a 50,000-ton Indian wheat shipment into Afghanistan, where most of it did not reach those most in need. The IEA sent the food to loyal groups and withheld it from areas where there was a lot of opposition, some of it armed to IEA rule. A further complication is the war in Ukraine, which has disrupted Ukrainian and Russian grain exports, which normally comprise about 30 percent of world grain exports. Russia started this war and refuses to end it. That means grain supplies are lower and prices higher. That means even less potential food aid for Afghanistan and more incentive for the IEA to mismanage food aid. There is a similar situation with non-food aid, especially medical supplies and equipment. Donors believe the IEA will use access to medical care as another item that can be withheld from Afghans who do not support the IEA. April 7, 2023: The IEA is maintaining its ban on Afghan women working for foreign aid organizations even though that policy limits the amount of foreign aid donors are willing to provide. The IEA is unpredictable when it comes to how it treats foreign aid and non-Afghan foreign aid workers. Another aspect of that is the seizure of Westerners inside Afghanistan and using them as hostages when the IEA negotiates with Western governments over foreign aid. This is also why the IEA has still not received any diplomatic recognition. Over a dozen nations have representatives in Afghanistan to maintain non-diplomatic lines of communication for trade and border-control issues. In other words, most of these foreign reps are from countries in the region that have borders or long-standing trading relationships. The IEA needs to maintain access to traditional markets for Afghan exports, especially the perishable commodities that cannot be stockpiled. India and Pakistan have resumed importing these items in a big way. Nations that are importing from Afghanistan are also more likely to turn over the local Afghan embassy and consular offices to the IEA. Many of these diplomatic facilities are still controlled by the IRA (Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) that the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) deposed in 2021. While the foreign embassies and many government staff are in Kabul, the official capital, the senior IEA leaders, including supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada, are based in the southern city of Kandahar. April 4, 2023: In the north (Balkh province), IEA security forces raided a hideout of the local ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) affiliate, ISK (Islamic State Khorasan). The IEA is on good terms with al Qaeda but ISK considers al Qaeda as an enemy of Islam and carries out terror attacks against the IEA as well as against Shia Afghans. About 20 percent of Afghans are Shia and ISIL considers Shia heretics and heretics must be killed. ISK has a lot of supporters in Afghanistan. Despite the local supporters, ISK has suffered major losses inside Afghanistan during the last year. This is a common situation in countries where ISK is present. In Afghanistan the IEA has captured or killed many ISK members and identified who the most senior leaders are and gone after them. Since the IEA took over in mid-2021, over 2,000 ISK members have been killed or captured in Afghanistan. This has not eliminated the ISK in Afghanistan and some ISK factions have maintained a low profile and concentrated on planning and carrying out attacks outside Afghanistan, especially in the West. The IEA will tolerate this kind of ISK presence, but not one that attacks Afghans. March 30, 2023: The IEA has slowly hired and organized security forces. There are about 150,000 armed men available now and they are stationed throughout the country. While they are all armed, few wear uniforms or have a complex organization and chain of command. This force includes some men who were soldiers or officers in the deposed IRA army and police. These men were hired more for their organizational skills than to serve as commanders. Nearly all the command jobs go to trusted IEA loyalists. In the coming year the IEA expects to add another 30,000 or 50,000 men and supply more of them with uniforms and official ranks. This sort of thing already exists for some of the security forces in Kabul. Outside of Kabul there are complaints about the IEA hiring men for the security forces and not supplying uniforms. Some gangsters take advantage of this and commit crimes while describing themselves as members of the security forces. The lack of uniforms is due to the lack of cash income for the IEA. That makes it difficult to pay for essential services. The IEA has found that taxes on imports and exports is a reliable way to obtain cash to keep the government going. In the past year, government revenue had increased nearly 60 percent. There is still widespread hunger and the IEA expects donor nations to eventually relent and send food. Meanwhile the drug gangs are allowed to keep operating as long as they continue providing cash to IEA and keeping the peace as well as reducing the amount of drugs reaching Afghans rather than being exported. This has always been a problem and now the IEA is demanding a solution or else. The drug gangs consider this a major threat and one they cannot bribe or fight their way out of. Inside Afghanistan, the only organized opposition to IEA rule was a successor to the 1990s Northern Alliance. This anti-Taliban group reassembled in 2022 as the NRF (National Resistance Front) and appeared to be a major threat to IEA rule and possibly something that was more than the IEA could handle. Some of the NRF leaders are sons of successful Northern Alliance commanders. Iran threatened to provide more support to the NRF than they gave the Northern Alliance. By late 20221 the NRF dominated Panjshir province (northeast of Kabul) and believed they could resist any IEA attack. That was optimistic because IEA forces suffered some losses initially but soon turned that around and inflicted heavy losses on NRF in terms of gunmen, territory and local support. This was not a repeat of the 1990s when the Northern Alliance dominated the Panjshir Valley (a 90-minute drive from Kabul) right up to the defeat of the Taliban government after September 2001. Northern Front leaders became members of the IRA government and now their sons reassembled as the NRF, which had some initial success but no staying power. Not enough Panjshir Valley residents willing to die opposing the IEA government. The NRF faced many of the same problems the Northern Alliance did in 2001; they were seen by Pushtuns as representing the ethnic minorities of Afghanistan, which make up over half the population and vilely deny the expected respect to Pushtuns. For centuries the Pushtuns dominated Afghan politics and the minorities tolerated that until the Islamic radicals came along with Pakistans creation of the Taliban. One thing nearly all Afghans agree on is the damage Pakistan has done to Afghanistan and unwillingness to give up that interference. Afghans see themselves as the victim of neighbors seeking to control the country. Afghans prefer to restore the modern state of Afghanistan, which was peacefully created over a century ago. That quasi-monarchical/quasi-tribal form of government was doing fine because until the 1970s there was an agreement that largely kept the peace. This arrangement meant Afghanistan was a constitutional monarchy presided over by a Pushtun king who largely dealt with foreigners and left the tribes (60 percent of them non-Pushtun) to negotiate their differences. At that point Afghanistan was still largely medieval as far as cultural norms and economic activity was concerned. The 20th century was making an impression and the educated urban minority was calling for radical change. This was tempting to many leading Afghans but the vast majority of Afghans were still in the countryside ruled by tribal leaders. Most of these rural Afghans opposed any radical change. The reform factions, mainly the pro-communist ones, tried violence to overthrow the monarchy, failed and in 1979 Russia intervened to rescue their fellow communists. That led to a civil war that was still going on until 2021. The IEA government was intolerant and anti-Pakistan but also seemed capable to maintaining more peace than Afghanistan had known for decades. It is uncertain how long this will last, but for the moment it is. March 27, 2023: In Kabul, a suicide bomber was intercepted at a police checkpoint as he approached the Foreign Ministry. The bomb went off at a checkpoint, killing the bomber and six bystanders as well as wounding another six. March 24, 2023: The IEA cooperated with China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, India, Turkey, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to reoccupy their embassy buildings and offices and use them to facilitate trade and other matters of mutual interest. The IEA treats these embassies as diplomatic operations and provides protection even though no ambassadors have been sent to Afghanistan yet. Some of these nations have said they will soon send ambassadors and the others are monitoring how this process is going. Foreigners, and many Afghans, still consider the IEA unstable and unpredictable. A CORK man who has been working in the UKs oldest LGBT bookshop for over three decades has expressed solidarity with staff in the library on Grand Parade who have been subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation over LGBTQ+ reading material. Last month, Cork City Library confirmed that it had reported to gardai a number of recent incidents at the Central Library involving people opposed to the display of the material. A number of libraries across the country, including the Central Library, have been subjected to campaigning from groups who object to LGBTQ+ reading lists which are available to young adults, a Cork City Library spokesperson said. Libraries are centres of learning at the heart of communities and have no role as censors. Cork City Council has been to the fore nationally when it comes to social inclusion and the diversity and inclusion agenda . Cork City Libraries fully recognise the right to peaceful protest and has informed An Garda Siochana of recent activity. There are no plans to remove material from the library. Amid the difficult period, however, staff are believed to be receiving overwhelming support in the form of everything from bouquets to letters and chocolates from members of the public who oppose the protests. And now, Ballinlough native Jim MacSweeney who is the manager of Gays The Word, in London, the UKs longest-running LGBT bookshop, has also sent words of support from overseas. I applaud the staff at the library for having a range of books on the shelves that give succour to young people who might be LGBT, Mr MacSweeney said, when asked about the situation by The Echo. I think its fantastic that LGBT books are available in libraries they certainly werent there when I was growing up and its really important just to have visibility, to let people know that theyre not alone. Anything that emboldens people to be authentic and live life on their own terms is fantastic. Mr MacSweeney said an attempt to ban certain books is reminiscent of a shameful period in Irelands history. Im aware in the States theres a kick back sometimes with families trying to ban books and banning books is a bad thing. We had it in Ireland in the establishment of the Free State and the control of the church and that fear of contaminating people with ideas and so many great books were banned . We look back now and hopefully hang our heads in shame so to see it reoccurring. Youre going, really? Is this where Ireland wants to be? Because the Ireland Im seeing is a very modern, progressive and outgoing society. Indeed, Mr MacSweeney said he believes there has been an enormous shift in attitudes on the whole towards LGBT people in Ireland over the decades. When I was growing up in 60s/70s Ireland, I had a sense of being the only one. I boxed and ignored my sexuality until I came to live in England and didnt deal with until I was about 22. Whereas these days itd be very difficult for young people to think theyre the only one. LGBT people are much more visible and its much more positive. One thing I found really moving was I happened to be home in Cork when the referendum was going through on same-sex marriage and walking down say North Main Street and seeing flyers and banners and pubs festooned with vote yes, I thought, my God this is not the Ireland I left. It was extraordinary. I was really proud of those changes and proud of the activists and the people who caused those changes. Its just a much better place to be if you happen to be different. Mr MacSweeney, whose family owned a former second-hand and antiquarian bookshop on Lavitts Quay, said that serving customers at the till in Gays The Word remains his favourite part of his job. He also said there has been a welcome increase in age appropriate LGBT reading material for young people over the years. In the old days you would have say a mum or a dad ring us and you would be the first person theyd talk to since their son or daughter had come out and youd talk to them for a bit and then youd suggest a book. These days, its much more visible and you get parents coming in with their teens and the teens will choose books and the parents will pay for them. And theres also many more books available for young people. Theres now a huge growth in books for young adults, fiction, where there happen to be LGBT people as main characters and these are age appropriate, he said. It gives them that sense that theyre not alone. CAMPAIGNERS are planning a rally to protest a decision they say is preventing a Cork funfair from returning to a venue it had occupied for almost a century. Pipers Funfair, which has been running for 90 years in the town car park in Kinsale, had been expected to return to its traditional home this summer, but a local group says a demand by Cork County Council is throwing further barriers in the way of that return. It emerged last week that Cork County Council has said it requires a 60,000 bond from the operators of the funfair before they can be allowed to set up in their traditional home. The town car park was recently resurfaced at a cost of 140,000, and it is understood the bond, essentially a deposit, will be required to cover any costs accrued in the event of the surface being damaged when the fairground is erected. Because of the pandemic, the funfair has not operated in Kinsale for three years, and the funfairs owner, Brendan Piper, has said the prolonged closure had depleted its finances and they would not be able to meet the bond. Previously, Cork City Council had refused permission for Pipers traditional showmans wagon to be parked on Short Quay, where it had been in place since 1939. The council was also forced to reconsider a large rent increase in May of last year following a public campaign, an online petition signed by more than 2,000 people, and a Dail intervention by then-taoiseach Micheal Martin, urging the council to have a heart. A community action group led by former Pipers worker Helen Hickey and local Green Party representative Marc ORiain are holding a protest this Sunday at 2pm, leaving from Short Quay in the centre of town. Mr ORiain said the council had not followed Part 8 planning which, he said, would have required an official consultation process, and was a contravention of trading rights and of the planning process. Mr ORiain said the people of Kinsale had demonstrated their passion last year and were now being forced again onto the streets. I am calling on the people of Kinsale to come out in force this Sunday and stand in solidarity with the Piper family, he said. I am calling on Cork County Council to have a heart, in the words of the former taoiseach. Bin this bond and let the funfair go ahead in Kinsale this summer. Cork County Council was asked for a comment. TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie has hit out at the Governments record in recruiting and maintaining pay and conditions for Teachers, in a hard hitting speech delivered in Cork. Mr Gillespie was addressing 500 delegates and guests at the TUIs Annual Congress this week, on the occasions of the TUIs fiftieth anniversary. The lack of investment in the Irish education system at all levels and in all sectors must be reversed, said Mr Gillespie. The TUI has warned over several years that a recruitment and retention crisis was building within the system. The current recruitment and retention crisis is the direct result of the boneheaded, failed policy of successive governments of attempting to make the education system do more and more with less and less. Not paying the piper but wanting the tune, played better, longer, inclusively, and more melodiously, no doubt to enhance general wellbeing. The hidden work of preparation reflection and assessment that is over and above class contact is not recognised, said Mr Gillespie. This essential work, alongside all that is done to support and build relationships with students, takes time and resources which are not made available to teachers and other staff in our education system. The real work done, and real time spent outside class time, must be recognized for the good it does. We can have a world-class education system, but change is needed. Adding to this and causing severe work overload are the bureaucratic and administrative demands, he said. This accumulating workload is unfair, excessive, and unsustainable. This work is rapidly colonising personal time, at night and at weekends. The workload issue must be dealt with in a meaningful manner if we are to retain our teachers and lecturers and maintain the quality, we have in the Irish education system. HOURS The TUI pre-Congress survey aimed at teachers shows that only 31 per cent of teachers recruited post 2011 received full hours in their first year of teaching. This means that seven of every ten of those teachers had to make do with part-time work, fragments of a job, low pay, and precarity, said Mr Gillespie. Only 13 per cent of teachers received a permanent contract upon initial appointment, meaning that 87 per cent had no creditworthiness, could not hope to get a mortgage. Thirty-three per cent of teachers took three years or more to secure full hours and therefore a full-time salary. They would on average have been 28 years of age by that time. This looks and feels like professional hazing, initiation by humiliation, said Mr Gillespie. It is unacceptable in any circumstances, never mind when there is also a cost-of-living crisis and a recruitment crisis. The remedy is simple: give new teachers and teachers we want to bring home full-time jobs with full-time salaries, so that they have some chance of meeting their financial commitments. To compete in this global market for teachers we need to reimagine the whole recruitment process for our schools. 'HAEMORRHAGING TEACHERS' Former Education spokesperson for Sinn Fein, Cork South Central TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire, said he shared many of Mr Gillespies concerns. Unfortunately, there is a supply crisis of teachers. Many of them are leaving the profession, and indeed leaving for the Middle East, for Scotland, and for elsewhere. That needs to be addressed. Some of those relate to terms and conditions. We need to see much more full-time contracts created. We also need to see postal responsibility restored, giving Teachers the opportunity to progress in their career. We need to seriously examine the possibility of schools being able to offer a permanent contract at any stage in the year. Currently, they can only offer them between Summer and November. That needs to be addressed so we can attract newly qualified Teachers back from the Middle East and other countries. At the minute, we are haemorrhaging teachers, particularly in the urban centres, and particularly in subjects such as Maths, and Foreign Languages, and the Science subjects. Its going to impact on many schools, its already particularly impacting on schools in Dublin and the large urban centres, so we need urgent action to resolve the crisis in Teacher supply, added Mr O Laoghaire. A new use has been found for the Starlink satellite communications network; a GPS substitute. Using signals from six Starlink satellites provides location data that is within eight meters of the user. Not as accurate as GPS but accurate enough for many tasks. Ukraine gained access to the Starlink network soon after the Russians invaded in 2022 and quickly developed a number of useful applications. For example, later in 2022 Ukrainian app developers created an app (ePPO) to enable civilians to quickly report incoming Russian cruise missiles, especially the new Iranian Shahed 136 Russia obtained which is low (down to 100 meters) slow (180 kilometers an hour) and noisy. These are often sent in small swarms (4 to 12 missiles) and at night. With ePPO all a user has to do is point the phone in the direction of the missile and press a large button. The information quickly arrives at the local air defense headquarters where numerous reports are instantly combined on a computer display so the officer on duty can instantly send the data to nearby air defense units. With that kind of information, more and more of the Shahed 136s and even some larger, faster cruise missiles are detected and shot down. Civilians with a take cover app get an alert to do that if they are in the target area. Suppliers of this data are verified by another app, Diia, which contains user identification documents Earlier the phones with Diia had a similar app to instantly report any enemy activity. For Ukrainians in Russian occupied territory, this often provided important target locations so Ukrainian guided missiles could destroy weapons storage sites as well as headquarters or troops concentrations. Technically, the use of this app in enemy territory makes the user a partisan and subject to attack. This did not discourage many Ukrainians, who noted that the Russians were already attacking Ukrainian civilians without any provocation. As soon as the invasion began in February, civilians were using chat apps to quickly report where the enemy had been spotted. Ukraines cell phone services kept operating during the invasion because of access to the Starlink satellite system. The Russians had no such access and not many military radios. The Russians were moving and fighting blind compared Ukrainian troops and civilians with cell phones. This persistent cell phone service enabled families to keep track of their men, and women, in the military. Apps for that had already been used in many other countries as well as numerous navigation, first aid and fire-control apps that had been developed over the last decade. Many of these apps were also used by police, firemen and first-responders. The military has had problems with some of these apps revealing troop locations to an enemy equipped to detect such use. This led to many apps being banned from use in combat zones until the flaws could be fixed. Although Russia also had some military apps, they had fewer of them and less opportunity to get cell phone service in Ukraine. The Russians were also unable to develop new apps to deal with new developments in the war. Ukraine always had a more robust and prolific app development community and that turned out to be a military superiority the Russians did not expect, much less deal with. An even more fatal flaw was the lack of encrypted communications for Russian forces in Ukraine. While Russia has some encrypted communications devices, those were few in number and not very reliable. Most Russian communications were unencrypted and monitored by the Ukrainians. Russia also has nothing like Starlink and seek ways to cripple the Starlink network. So far Russia has had no success with that either. WEST Cork Distillers is adding to its rock credentials with the launch of a whiskey in collaboration with Thin Lizzy and the Phil Lynott Estate. The distillery, based in Skibbereen, previously worked with The Pogues to release The Pogues Whiskey, and has now added another music-themed brand to its portfolio. New-product development manager at West Cork Distillers, Joey Shore, told The Echo that the business venture started with a Facebook personal message. When I started working for West Cork Distillers, I knew they had done the Pogues [Whiskey], which was very successful for West Cork Distillers, and I suggested why dont we reach out to Thin Lizzy? I literally sent Phil Lynotts wife a Facebook message and surprisingly enough, she came back to me, and it took about two or three years to get a contract and the artwork together. We got Jim Fitzpatrick, who did all the Thin Lizzy album covers, on board to do the artwork. In May last year, Phil Lynotts wife Caroline, his two daughters Sarah and Cathleen made the trip to Skibbereen, alongside Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham and drummer Brian Downey, to finalise the whiskey blend they preferred. We spent a magical three days down in Skibbereen where we went through all the different liquids and when we started to test different liquids from barrels in order to get the blend that they really preferred, Joey said. They got to know the business of West Cork Distillers and we went to a traditional music session in Skibbereen. So, it was a really magical three days where we collaborated to get the liquid and get the brief for the artwork right. Thin Lizzy and the Philip Lynott Estate said they are delighted to announce the global launch of their own brand Irish whiskey, developed by the band in collaboration with Irelands West Cork Distillers. The Thin Lizzy Irish Whiskey was created as a result of band members Scott Gorham and Brian Downey together with the family of Philip Lynott wife Caroline and daughters Sarah and Cathleen visiting the beautiful town of Skibbereen and working with the head distiller at West Cork Distillers to develop an Irish whiskey which we all enjoy and are excited to share with Irish whiskey enthusiasts around the world. Thin Lizzy Irish Whiskey in collaboration with West Cork Distillers. We hope you will enjoy this very special product. Scott, Brian, Caroline, Sarah & Cathleen. Slainte! West Cork Distillers started from humble beginnings. Formed in 2003, childhood friends John OConnell, Denis McCarthy, and Ger McCarthy started their business venture in a room at the back of Denis home. Fast forward to 2023, West Cork Distillers is based on a 12-acre site just outside Skibbereen and employs more than 80 people. It exports whiskey, vodka, and gin to over 70 countries. The announcement of Thin Lizzy Whiskey has been a hit with fans online, who are eager to pick up a bottle for themselves. Weve already become very viral over the weekend, and it exploded on a lot on the fan sites they have 1m followers on Facebook, Joey said. Two weeks ago, a Dublin radio station did a poll of 10,000 people and Thin Lizzy was voted the best Irish band. They are still very, very relevant, which is just a testament to the great songs that they had. To mix Irish whiskey with one of the best Irish rock bands that ever lived, I think, is a no-brainer and weve had inquiries from all over the world already. At least some Cork passengers can look forward to a cuppa on the train from Dublin to Cork following the long-awaited return of the food service on the Kent to Hueston line. The tea trolley has returned to a number of Cork services this week in preparation for a further rollout of the catering facility. "With on-board catering resuming on the Cork to Dublin route later this month, please note there will be catering services available on a limited number of services on the Cork to Dublin route this week, operating for staff training purposes," an Irish Rail spokesperon said. "There is no set return date for catering onboard any other services currently." Catering will be available on a select number of trains each day, focusing on busier time periods, with hopes to expand to all Cork to Dublin services next month. The amenity is to be provided by Carriage Food Services, who currently also provide catering services on board the Dublin to Belfast Enterprise service under a separate contract. The trolley service was withdrawn as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. Irish Rail has said that alcohol will not be for sale as part of the returning catering service and all transactions will be through card only. A spokesperson for Irish Rail has also revealed that vending machines are set to be piloted on train services across the country in the coming months, in addition to the trolley service. However, the transport operator has not confirmed an exact date as to when full services will resume fully on the Cork to Dublin line. A new special school will be established in Carrigtwohill for the 2023/24 academic year, it has been revealed. Minister for Education, Norma Foley, and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan, have today announced the establishment of two new special schools as part of a comprehensive update on enhanced education provision for students with special educational needs. The two new special schools, one in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and one in Dublin 7, will be established for the 2023/24 school year. The new special school in Carrigtwohill will provide for the enrolment of children and young people with autism and complex learning needs up to 18 years of age. It is envisioned that the school will operate under the patronage of the Cork Education and Training Board (ETB). Places will be prioritised for children who have no offer of a special school place for the 2023/24 school year. Details in relation to the location of the new special school, the admission process and the number of places to be offered for 2023/24 will be confirmed very shortly. The NCSE will work closely with the families of the children and young people concerned to assist them in accessing the new places which will become available during the 2023/24 school year. The new special school in Carrigtwohill will operate under the Cork ETB, according to the Department of Education. Planning for the establishment and opening of the new special school will begin immediately. This will include a determination of the size of the school required so that the necessary staff recruitment, school policy development and related arrangements can be put in train. This will also include ongoing communication with the families concerned. In addition to the establishment of two new schools in the school year 2023/24, plans are also underway to increase the capacity at Rochestown Community Special School in Cork, along with 10 other schools across the country. Meanwhile, a further 218 new special classes have been confirmed for opening in 2023, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks 126 at primary and 92 at post-primary level. Allocations of special needs assistants will be published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) before April 30, an earlier date than usual to allow schools to plan. A new SNA Workforce Development Unit has been established in the Department and the NCSE is undertaking a recruitment process and campaign to fill special educational needs organiser (SENO) vacancies and hire additional SENOs. Speaking on Wednesday, Minister Foley said: The announcement of new provision today, including two new special schools serving Dublin and Cork, is a significant step forward, and I am pleased that we are making real progress in meeting the needs of our young people and collaborating in new ways to ensure every child has access to a welcoming and inclusive environment to learn and flourish. I want to thank all of the parents, schools, patron bodies and other stakeholders for their ongoing engagement with the Department and with the NCSE. "I know that the additional capacity announced today will be a welcome relief to the families that do not yet have a school place for next September. This announcement reflects the very strong emphasis on forward planning and roll-out of provision for children and young people with special educational needs," she added. Our school communities have demonstrated a real commitment to inclusion. I would like to thank those involved in supporting the continued establishment of special classes. "Throughout Ireland, the number of special classes continues to grow year on year ensuring that children and young people have access to school places which are appropriate to their needs." Education Minister Norma Foley, who announced plans on Wednesday for a new special school in Carrigtwohill. Minister Madigan added: As Minister of State for Special Education, I am committed to keeping inclusion at the heart of education by ensuring that every child has a school place appropriate for their needs. Special schools play a vital role, and it is for this reason that I am delighted to have secured agreement for the establishment of two new special schools in East Cork and Dublin, parts of the country where need has been highest. At this time of year, many families are applying for school places for their children. It can be a period of anxiety. I am determined to support students and families in securing school places where they are needed. I know this can be a difficult process and I want to make it as easy as possible. "Todays announcement is about saying to families that we understand the pressures you are facing, we are on your side, and we are committed to ensuring that as many places as possible are available. I am delighted to have secured the additional provision being announced today. This is a much-needed development which will help to meet the demand for special school places in these areas," she added. The major investment of an additional 13million in the NCSE is being undertaken so that the NSCE can respond effectively, compassionately and quickly to the increased need in our education system so that children and their families are fully supported and achieve the best possible education outcomes. "I want to thank everyone involved in this endeavour. I also want to be clear that work continues to meet the ongoing demand for special education placements. Information on special schools and the list of mainstream schools with special classes, including new classes for the coming school year 2023/2024, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website. A CORK teacher and president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) has called on the government to address issues that, he said, are driving young teachers to work abroad. INTO president, John Driscoll, is a native of Cork and deputy principal of Star of the Sea Primary School in Passage West. Addressing the INTO conference in Killarney this week, Mr Driscoll said teachers are overburdened with paperwork, competing for limited resources in overcrowded classrooms, and being offered unattractive salaries. If the Department of Education wants to ensure that Ireland retains its reputation for having a high-quality education system, they must urgently reduce the excessive work pressures which are placing an unsustainable strain on teachers and school leaders in primary and special schools, he warned. Mr Driscoll went on to highlight the level of paperwork and administration duties which he said are overburdening teachers even outside of school working hours. The INTO completed a workload survey last year. Mr Driscoll explained that, while the findings show that teachers are comfortable with the practical part of teaching in class, it is the extraneous things that are sapping energy. For a lot of the time, teachers would say what is the value in me compiling a lot of paperwork that is really not impacting on the education of the child in front of me? Mr Driscoll highlighted the large amount of paperwork associated with applications to access special education supports. It takes a huge amount of effort, time, and energy to complete applications, to pursue them, to get the right resources in place, he said, adding that the pressure falls on the teacher, who is also trying to teach a classroom full of pupils. Theyre in a catch 22, in that they may find themselves with a child who should be getting proper support, but the supports arent there. Its unfair on the teacher and its unfair on the pupil. Mr Driscoll called on the Government to restore the number of assistant principals to pre-recession levels in Budget 2024. He also highlighted the need for a reduction in class sizes, and measures to recruit and retain teachers. They [teachers] have gone through colleges in Ireland to be trained to teach in Ireland thats where we want them. But at the same time, if the salaries and conditions arent attractive enough, to attract them in, and to retain them, theres a problem. A Cork woman and her family are in fear of her son after he allegedly sent a text saying he is going to kill his father and the rest of the family. The woman who is aged around 60 testified at an in camera hearing of Cork District Court that she is terrified of her son. She testified that her son who is accused of breaching a safety order granted to his mother had sent a text to his dad which she had seen. The text mentions that he is going to kill his father and the rest of the family. I see that as a threat to me too. He made a threat before that he was going to smash the cars and he came down and done it, the witness stated. Sergeant John Kelleher said the accused was already charged with breaching a safety order in relation his mother on March 31 and now he was charged with a similar offence again on April 11 in relation to alleged texts. Killian McCarthy solicitor applied for bail and said the only other alleged breach under the Domestic Violence Act was the March 31 charge. Mr McCarthy said, He suffers quite severely from his mental health. He said the only reason the defendant, who is aged around 30, sent the text to his father was because he was looking for money. The accused said he did not threaten to kill anyone in the text. If given bail I will never speak to my mother and father again. I am hearing voices. I have made 12 suicide attempts. My parents stole this money from me 12,000. I am never going near them anyway. The only reason I contacted my father was to get money. I dont need medication. I wont take it. I dont need it. I need peace in my life I am not taking medication. I stopped 12 weeks ago. I did damage the cars but I have already paid for it. She (his mother) is definitely not in danger, the defendant said. Judge Olann Kelleher said to the young man that his mother says she is terrified of you. The defendant replied, She has no need to be. Judge Kelleher refused bail and remanded the accused in custody for a week. Mr McCarthy, solicitor, asked that the defendant would be fully assessed in prison, adding, I have concerns for him. THE Minister for Education Norma Foley has paid tribute to teachers and school leaders for opening their classrooms and hearts to young people and their families from Ukraine. Speaking this afternoon at the TUI Annual Congress 2023 which was held in Cork, Minister Foley said Ireland has a strong education system. In Ireland, we are fortunate to have a strong stable education system, where our teachers embrace diversity and inclusion. Our schools have in recent times become safe havens for 15000 children and young people fleeing war in Ukraine. "I am immensely appreciative of the way that you as teachers and school leaders have opened your classrooms, but also your hearts to young people and their families from Ukraine, she said. In Ireland, we are fortunate to attract entrants to teaching who are of a very high calibre, said Minister Foley. In Ireland, teachers are trusted professionals. We know from research that the quality of teaching is the major contributing factor to educational outcomes for students. We must ensure that we build a strong career pathway for all teachers so that they stay within our system. I am mindful that we must continue to ensure that their calibre is copper-fastened throughout their career with continuous professional development and opportunities for reflection, collaboration and innovation, she added. Speaking this afternoon at the TUI Annual Congress 2023 which was held in Cork, Minister Foley said Ireland has a strong education system. The Minister for Education said the recruitment of teachers is a priority area. The recruitment of teachers is a priority area of action. The Department of Education is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. This included providing the allocated staffing resources for the 2023/24 school year to post-primary schools in January. "We have provided for fully funded upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish, and a new Irish upskilling programme is planned for 2023/24. She however acknowledged work remains to be done to address teacher supply challenges. I acknowledge that work remains to be done to address teacher supply challenges, particularly to ensure the availability of sufficient numbers of substitute teachers. "The Department continues to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement creative solutions to address the teacher supply challenges for schools. Initial teacher education providers have put in place flexibilities in their programmes which have created greater capacity to assist schools in teacher supply. JOE Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic of Ireland. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. US President Joe Biden leaves after a visit to Dundalk, Co Louth. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. President Biden at Carlingford Castle Co.Louth with Tanaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Mr Micheal Martin, T.D Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. MEETING WITH UK PM It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. President Biden at Carlingford Castle Co.Louth with Tanaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Mr Micheal Martin, T.D and local guide Gerry Hoey. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Dail. Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. People awaiting the arrival of US President Joe Biden in Dundalk, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. TWO units from Cork City Fire Brigade and building inspectors attended an incident on Oliver Plunkett Street earlier this afternoon following reports of falling slates and glass from a building. Members of Cork City Fire Brigade and building inspectors examined the roof of a building on Oliver Plunkett Street in the city centre at around 4.15pm on Wednesday afternoon after reports of falling glass and slates onto the street during strong gusts of wind. Cork City Fire Brigade and building inspectors examined the roof of a building on Oliver Plunkett Street on Wednesday afternoon after reports of falling glass and slates onto the street during strong gusts of wind. Pics: Larry Cummins Cork City Fire Brigade and building inspectors examined the roof of a building on Oliver Plunkett Street on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson for Cork City Fire Brigade told The Echo the units have been stood down. Cork City Fire Brigade and building inspectors examined the roof of a building on the right on Oliver Plunkett Street this afternoon. There were two appliances there from Anglesea Street. One aerial platform and one water tender were there. The crews would have put up the platform to gain access to the roof. The building control people were also there. It is all done and dusted, he said. By Cillian Sherlock and Rebecca Black, PA US president Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday after arriving in Northern Ireland on Tuesday night as part of a historic four-day trip to Ireland. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at RAF Aldergrove to greet Joe Biden (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. Later, the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties will have the opportunity to engage with Mr Biden before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million (398 million) Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation will be in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area, and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. By PA Reporters Joe Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The prime minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. US President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in Co Antrim (Charles McQuillan/PA) Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to Dublin, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US leader and Rishi Sunak held talks earlier on Wednesday (Paul Faith/PA) The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Dail. Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. A view of the church ruins and Kilwirra cemetery, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, IMF official Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. "We're projecting (for China) 5.2 percent growth in 2023. That's up from 3 percent last year," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, director of the Research Department of the IMF, told a press briefing Tuesday on the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. "As COVID-19 waves subsided (in China) in January of this year, mobility normalized, and high-frequency economic indicators, such as retail sales and travel bookings, started picking up," said the IMF in the WEO report. "The reopening and growth of its economy will likely generate positive spillovers, with even greater spillovers for countries with stronger trade links and reliance on Chinese tourism," it added. According to the IMF forecast, the world economy will grow 2.8 percent in 2023, 0.1 percentage point lower than its January forecast. "A return of the world economy to the pace of economic growth that prevailed before the bevy of shocks in 2022 and the recent financial sector turmoil is increasingly elusive," said the IMF. Global growth is estimated at 3.4 percent in 2022, to fall to 2.8 percent in 2023, before rising to 3 percent in 2024, it added. The growth of advanced economies will decline by half in 2023 to 1.3 percent, before rising to 1.4 percent in 2024, said the IMF. "About 90 percent of advanced economies are projected to see a decline in growth in 2023," it said. "With the sharp slowdown, advanced economies are expected to see higher unemployment, a rise of 0.5 percentage point on average from 2022 to 2024," said the IMF. China and India are "two exceptions to the slowdown" that the global economy is expected to experience this year, said World Bank Group President David Malpass in a media call ahead of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings week. "India and China are expected to account for half of global growth in 2023. But others face a steeper climb," said Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva at a recent event in Washington D.C. RIONA OMahony jokes she must have been pre-destined to win this years Miss Cork, as her name translates as Little Queen. The 20-year-old from Cobh was still in a state of shock at winning this years title when The Echo called her, the morning after the night before. I woke up in complete disbelief to see the crown on my desk, said Riona, a second year Irish and History student at UCC. Nonetheless, the young woman was remarkably composed for her first official interview after taking the crown and has lots of exciting and original plans on how to use her platform for the coming 12 months, including to promote a message of supporting local. That comes from my love of the Irish language, and my desire to preserve Irish culture and traditions and I think the best way to do that is by supporting local businesses, she said. From left, Miss Cork Peoples Choice - Molly Dennehy OMahony' Miss Cork 2023 - Riona OMahony; Miss Cork City - Rachel O Leary. Picture: Sinead Crowley As well as studying full-time, she works part time in Bakestone Cafe in Carrigtwohill, and her mum Ali previously ran her own wedding cake business, so shes well used to seeing what it takes to run your own enterprise, and all the work that goes on behind the scenes. Riona would also like to use her Miss Cork year to promote Irish, and having attended a gaelscoil until fourth year, she loves everything about our native language. My dad Kieran is also a history fanatic, something Ive picked up off him, and I think one love sort of lends itself to the other, she said. Ultimately, she wants to be a secondary school teacher, and during the coming months shed like to become a role model for younger students and show that theres more to the language than the drudgery of the modh coinniollach. I think the way that Irish is taught in schools can sometimes discourage people, theres so much more to it than grammar. Its such a gorgeous and poetic language, with wonderful sayings. Since Paul Mescal had his cupla focal on the red carpet, theres been a bit of a revival which is great and Id like to do my bit too, she said, hitting the ground running with a nice smattering of gaeilge on her Insta stories from the Miss Cork final. She got lucky with her on-stage question on the night of the competition. The top 10 girls got asked a question in front of the audience and mine was Whats your favourite thing about Cork? I said that I love our heritage and tradition and would love to push an Irish revival here, and in the Miss Ireland competition, she said. Describing herself as a people person, she said shes really only found her confidence in herself in the past while. Her first year in college, she admits, was a little overwhelming. With over 300 students studying arts, making friends was challenging to begin with, and social media didnt help. In fact, she thinks its one of the single biggest challenges facing third level students right now. It just brings pressure on how youre supposed to look, and to always look like youre having a great time, and its easy to forget that its just highlights and not real life. Outgoing Miss Cork Saoirse O'Shaughnessy. Picture: Sinead Crowley Social media negatively impacted my mental health when I was in first year and just made it all seem a bit more daunting, she honestly admits. I was very lucky though with a recent history group trip to Rome where I made some great friends, and its easier then to expand your circle. My advice to anyone in the same situation is that, as daunting as it might be, to sit beside someone you might not usually at a lecture and get chatting. College is a great way to broaden your horizons and make friends with people you wouldnt normally meet. Right now Rionas living with her mum Ali Cullinane in Cobh and is commuting to the city but shes hoping to move up next September. Her parents, she says, are both amazing. They separated when she was 14 but she says theyre incredibly supportive of her, and her sister Lauren, 24, who is currently in Australia and was disappointed not to have been there to see her younger sis on her big night. The most emotional part of winning the crown was seeing how proud my parents are of me, she said. Riona also had a group of friends and co-workers there to see her moment of glory, and boyfriend Jamie Collins from Midleton. When shes not working, or studying, youre likely to find her with her nose in a book. I know it sounds boring, but Im a book- worm, and love reading. I also like yoga and pilates, but its mainly books! At the moment shes reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, and her guilty pleasure is anything by American fantasy author, Sarah J Maas. I also love Downton Abbey and Call The Midwife any period drama really! she laughed. And, to any knockers of the pageant, she has this to say: Its all about beauty with a purpose. The pageant enables girls to use their confidence to support good causes. Miss Cork City Rachel O'Leary in the fitness round. Picture: Sinead Crowley For now its about doing her end of term exams, enjoying what the year brings, including the Miss Ireland competition in September, and selecting her chosen charity for the year. Its a cliche, she said, but its about grabbing all the opportunities that come her way in this exciting new chapter. Other well-deserved winners on the night were Rachel OLeary, Miss Cork City, and Molly Dennehy, Peoples Choice. 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 amount of critically endangered fish species in Australia has recently doubled after nine species were newly categorized as critically endangered in March. All nine species are part of the galaxias genus, and an additional tenth galaxias species has been labeled as endangered. The findings present an urgent need to conserve these species. One major problem for these fish is the presence of invasive species, particularly brown and rainbow trout. Invasive fish species can crowd the critically endangered species into smaller portions of their original range or separate populations while also competing for resources. If we are serious about stopping extinctions, then we need to tackle the major threats that are driving declines of our native animals, James Trezise, conservation director at Australias Invasive Species Council, told The Guardian. Scientists have recommended a threat abatement plan be established for freshwater pest fish, yet this hasnt happened. The newly listed fish species include short-tail galaxias, tapered galaxias, East Gippsland galaxias and West Gippsland galaxias. Galaxiids, also known as mountain minnows, are often mistaken to be the same species, which can hinder conservation efforts. There are currently more than 40 different species of galaxiids in Australia, with many of them under threat, including the nine species now listed as critically endangered. The nine species join another nine species for a total of 18 fish species officially recognized as critically endangered in Australia. According to Trezise, the species have greater than a 50% chance of going extinct within just two decades. Because invasive species force the critically endangered species into small areas, these vulnerable populations are at greater risk from natural disasters, like flooding, drought or wildfires, and inbreeding. Extreme weather events are becoming more of a risk to galaxiids as climate change worsens, warned the Arthur Rylah Institute, which has been involved with galaxiid research and conservation for over 30 years. Experts believe saving these species from extinction will require captive breeding programs and translocations. Together, these actions can help establish new populations for the species, giving them better protection from being wiped out by a single drought, flood or other event. Our target of zero new extinctions includes our native freshwater fish, said Tanya Plibersek, Australias Minister for the Environment and Water, as reported by The Guardian. Listing these 10 galaxiid species under national environmental law is a critical step to increase efforts to protect and restore these precious populations. 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. For generations, the Indigenous Samburu, Maasai, Borana and Rendille people of northern Kenya have been grazing cattle and other animals, following the rhythm of the rains and rules passed down from community elders. But in 2013, a conservation organization run by a white, formerly colonial family thought it could do better. It set up a project to sell carbon offsets based on the idea that replacing the unplanned grazing methods of Kenyas Indigenous communities with a more centralized approach closer to commercial ranching would actually store more carbon in the soil and help offset the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation responsible for the climate crisis. Now, a new report from Survival International backed by Indigenous Kenyans argues that the project is putting pastoralist culture and food security at risk, and likely isnt offsetting emissions either. We have blown a whistle so the world can hear what they are doing, Abdullahi Hajj Gonjobe of Kenyas Borana people said in a video shared by Survival International. The [international] funds they are sending to this place are destroying us, they are not helping us. Way Off Base The report, Blood Carbon: How a Carbon Offset Scheme Makes Millions From Indigenous Land in Northern Kenya, focuses on a carbon offset project called the Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon Project. The project, which covers two million hectares of land home to more than 100,000 people, was started by conservation group the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), which calls it the the worlds largest soil carbon removal project to date and the first project generating carbon credits reliant on modified livestock grazing practices. This is based on the assumption that the planned rotational grazing methods introduced by the NRT will foster more vegetation and therefore store more carbon than traditional methods, to the tune of around three-quarters of a tonne more carbon per hectare per year. Over one year, that would amount to 1.5 millions of tonnes of carbon stored; over 30 years, the project claims it would generate around 41 million net tonnes of carbon credits for $300 to $500 million. The project was registered by Verra the worlds top carbon credit certifier as Project #1468 and has generated at least 6.7 million credits between 2013 and Feb. 2023, 4.5 million of which have been purchased as offsets, including 180,000 by Netflix and 90,000 by Meta. However, the report raises serious questions about whether any of that money actually accomplished anything. For example, the aim of the project is to increase vegetation, but NRTs own maps for 2012 to 2020 show vegetation declining in 48.5 percent of the project area. [I]f, as the project asserts, vegetation cover is correlated with soil carbon, this would suggest that soil carbon in much of the area is in fact also declining, the report author Simon Counsell wrote. Then theres the projects foundational assumption the baseline against which credits can be claimed. The project argued that vegetation declined during the ten years before it launched, but the evidence does not clearly support this or prove any variation came from overgrazing as opposed to changes in rainfall and the climate crisis itself. Beyond that, the idea that the land would be better served by imposed grazing methods may come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the latest science on biodiversity and Indigenous rights. While they currently represent only five percent of the worlds population, Indigenous peoples shelter 80 percent of remaining biodiversity in their territories. Study after study has shown that the best way to make sure that biodiversity stays protected is to assure Indigenous land rights. We have traditional ways of grazing. We have patterns of grazing according to the dry season and rain season, members of the Borana Council of Elders said in an interview quoted in the report. That is why our land has good vegetation. Even the wildlife wants to stay here because of the good vegetation. Blood Carbon So why did NRT think it could do better? There is this reproduction of, I would say, colonial and racist attitudes that is still very difficult to change, Fiore Longo, who leads Survivals Decolonize Conservation campaign, told EcoWatch. These attitudes have historically dominated the mainstream conservation movement, which has tended to set aside national parks and other reserves without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous peoples and local communities, often evicting them from their homes and separating them from their livelihoods. Before it launched the Northern Kenya Grassland Project, NRT was already in the conservation business. It was founded by Ian Craig in 2004 by turning his familys 62,000 hectare Lewa ranch into a conservancy. NRT now manages 43 community conservancies covering 63,000 square kilometers (approximately 24,324 square miles) more than 10 percent of Kenyas entire land area. Conservancies are supposed to be community governed to some degree, and NRT describes itself as grassroots. However, there is evidence that NRT is more top-down than bottom up. An Oakland Institute report from 2021 found it had allegedly dispossessed pastoralist communities of their ancestral lands, through corruption, cooptation, and sometimes through intimidation and violence, to create wildlife conservancies, as quoted in the report. The conservancies are typically patrolled by rangers, Longo explained, and they are usually hired from tribes who are already in conflict with the groups they are expelling. Now that NRT is taking in more money for carbon credits, Survival International is concerned that this will be used to pay more rangers and spark more violence, and that the push to use land for carbon offset projects will repeat the worst mistakes of the conservation movement before it. There is already evidence in the report that NRT did not fully inform impacted communities to gain their consent to the project and that its legal basis for trading the soil carbon in the area is dubious. This organization created by a former colonial family is now explaining to pastoralists how they have to graze and is claiming that pastoralists are the cause of environmental destruction, Longo said. We have seen it several times in the history of conservation. A Samburu woman in Northern Kenya. One of her family members was allegedly killed by park rangers when grazing his animals near an NRT conservancy. F Longo / Survival International This is why Survival International is using the NRT report to launch a new campaign opposing Blood Carbon carbon offset projects on Protected Areas with a record of Indigenous rights violations. Selling carbon credits from Protected Areas will be a disaster for people and the climate, Survival says. It unites all the human rights abuses caused by fortress conservation, with all the environmental problems linked to greenwashing. The report and campaign come as there is growing concern about both the ethics and effectiveness of carbon offsetting. The 2022 Global Witness report on violence against land defenders noted two cases tied to carbon offset projects: Three land defenders were killed in Honduras in 2015 for opposing a dam funded as an offset project and thousands of people in Uganda have been expelled from their homes to make way for a tree plantation. A major investigation released at the start of the year found that 94 percent of Verras forest-based carbon offset projects did not remove any carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at all, and at least one of them actively harmed people by forcing Peruvian forest dwellers from their homes. For Longo, carbon offsets are a false solution to the climate crisis that tempts consumers and companies in wealthy countries with the notion that they can solve the problem without changing anything about their lifestyle or business model. The reason we are today with a dying planet is because we have let the market lead our life, Longo said. The reality unveiled in the Blood Carbon report suggests we must move in a new direction. Its not going to be this false solution that stops the crisis, Longo said. We have to reduce our emissions and recognize Indigenous peoples land rights. Under Review As part of its Blood Carbon campaign, Survival International is urging concerned individuals to write to Verra demanding it both delist the NRT project and cease from certifying any other projects on Indigenous lands that have a history of human rights violations and did not obtain Free, Prior and Informed Consent. In fact, Verra launched a Section 6 quality control review of the Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon Project March 10, six days before the report was officially released. When asked if the review was because of the Survival International report, Verra responded that these reviews are triggered whenever Verra identifies concerns about a project, but did not say what rang the alarm in this case. However, Survival International communications director Jonathan Mazower told EcoWatch in an email that Verra had informed the relevant parties March 10 that its review had actually begun in January. Survival had shared a summary of its concerns with Verra on Jan. 23. It is likely that Verra put the project on review at some time after this, possibly prompted by receiving media enquiries about it, such as from Die [Zeit], the German newspaper in February, Mazower told EcoWatch. (Die Zeit published an expose on the project March 17.) He also thought a January start date for the review was incongruous for several reasons. [I]t seems somewhat odd that they would have taken the most serious step in their whole system (which can result in the project being de-registered) and not informed the parties about this for up to two months, Mazower wrote. It would also seem odd that Verra approved a new verification of the project in mid-December 2022, along with the issuing of more than 3 million credits, and then spontaneously halted the project only a few weeks later. In a statement on its website March 23, NRT said the Verra review had been launched [a]s a result of Survival Internationals comments. While the review continues, the project will be suspended and unable to issue carbon credits. Verra certified this project after it had undergone Verras comprehensive certification process, including review by an independent third-party auditor. At that time, Verra had not identified any non-conformances with VCS rules, Verra said in a statement emailed to EcoWatch. After Verra had identified concerns in relation to project 1468, we opened a Section 6 review. We take such concerns very seriously and are committed to investigating them thoroughly. When asked about its purchase of credits from the project, Meta defended the theory behind nature-based carbon offsets. To maintain net zero emissions in our operations, Meta purchases carbon removal credits for any residual emissions that are difficult to reduce, and we evaluate the projects we support through a thorough due diligence process, Meta sustainability manager Sylvia Lee told EcoWatch in an email. As the voluntary carbon market evolves, we support ongoing reviews to strengthen projects and look forward to working with our partners to ensure theyre handled with the highest degree of care. We believe that nature-based solutions are a critical step to reaching a net zero future. NRT meanwhile, defended its project and argued that the report was inaccurate in its estimation of NRTs effective assessment of soil carbon before and after the project, that the project had broader consent than the report suggested and that the claims of land grabbing and violence had been discredited. We are confident in the data and documentation behind the project and see the benefits of the project to the community and the environment throughout the year, NRT said. The result of the Section 6 Review will be public, as will the detailed point-by-point scientific response. We welcome this review as it will only work to strengthen the project. Indigenous Kenyans, however, pushed back against NRTs account. We know NRTs skullduggery game too well, the Borana Council of Elders said in a March 30 statement shared on the Survival website. The council said that the community had little or no information regarding the project and demanded that NRT leave their land, stop making transactions on it and release its audited financial accounts surrounding the project. The Indigenous communities fully support this report that is damming on NRTs commercial operations on unregistered community lands to the detriment of pastoral communities who have been facing displacements, extra judicial executions and enforced disappearances through endless ethnic conflicts and blood bath supported and well organized by NRT, the elders said. An early Eichler sales brochure summed it up this way: "One of the luxury features of an Eichler home is the cork floor... (It is) durable, easy to maintain, and easy on the feet; and its rich, natural tones add warmth and elegance to a room. Properly installed and properly maintained, it is virtually indestructible." Cork floors have an impeccable heritage: Frank Lloyd Wright used it in his iconic Fallingwater house. For Eichler owners craving a warm, natural flooring surface, cork seems to fit the bill. But if it's not installed right, it can lead to headaches down the road. While the popularity of cork flooring is increasing among Eichler fans, it's still not an easy material to source and have installed properly. Many flooring stores don't sell it, and installation is tricky, even for a pro. Proper surface preparation is critical. A clean, level concrete or plywood sub-floor is required. Don't install cork over any type of old flooring. Any irregularities in the sub-floor surface can show up after the cork tiles have been laid, so all irregularities have to be taken care of in advance. After he has removed the old flooring materials and hand-scraped the surface of the slab to take off any high spots, expert installer Perry Cordova, one of our flooring resources, uses a very thin (about 1/16 inch) skim coat of Ardex "Feather Finish" cement-based underlayment to smooth out the floor. The skim coat also serves to cover over and seal in old adhesives, and avoid the mess that machine sanding the floor would inevitably create. Although cork has insulating properties, cork floors do not seem to adversely affect radiant-heat systems. After all, Eichler himself used cork tiles liberally in his subdivisions. Unlike in the '50s, there is now a choice between floating cork-floor panels and cork tiles glued directly to the floor. A floating floor will be significantly thicker than thin tiles, offering more resistance to radiant-heat transmission. In addition, it is noisier to walk on, and many homeowners prefer tiles for that reason. What's more, if a tile becomes damaged or a section of tile needs to be removed to repair a radiant-heat leak, tiles are easier to remove and replace than floating panels. Manufacturers of cork floating floors specify that a 6 to 8 mil plastic film "vapor barrier" be laid down between the sub-floor and the cork. Larry Wagner of Anderson Radiant Heating claims that plastic films will definitely make radiant-heat leak detection more difficult, given that helium leak detectors are the method of choice for pinpointing leaks in radiant tubing. There are many size and style choices with cork tile. While Eichler used 12-inch square tiles, modern day homeowners often follow Eichler interior designer Sue Olson's advice to go with the slightly more expensive 24-inch square tiles. "Larger tiles mean fewer lines and a less busy look," says Olson. Some manufacturers also offer a range of rectangular dimensions. Tiles are available in a variety of shades, from quite light to very dark; and even in patterns, though Eichler purists will strive for a uniform, even look. Modern tiles start at 3/16 inch (Eichler used 1/8-inch thick tiles), and thicker tiles are available, but there seems little reason to use them, and they cost more. Protecting a cork floor is the key to its longevity. While tiles are available unfinished, waxed, or varnished with a polyurethane sealer, Olson only uses the varnished variety, and recommends that after they are laid, two additional polyurethane coats be applied to seal the seams. Cork is a resilient material, yet pads should be placed under sharp furniture legs or other objects. It is not easily dented or marked, but if not sealed properly, staining may occur. Like other natural materials, including wood and bamboo flooring, cork will fade when exposed to sunlight. Interior designer Patsy Zakian-Greenough lays it on the line for her clients: "Cork will always fade to a certain degree, and you have to be prepared for that." Generally, fading is more noticeable in the darker shades of cork. In part, it occurs due to heat and visible light, but the principal culprit is in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. Fortunately, UV-blocking window film is widely available, and also can include varying degrees of reflectance to visible light, if desired. If cork is used anywhere near a window, it is highly recommended that an appropriate window film be applied. Of course, window film offers other advantages to Eichler owners with walls of glass, as it can reduce solar heat gain, cut down on glare, and make original un-tempered glass safer around children and in earthquakes. Sun-Chek offers film in 72-inch widths. Zakian-Greenough points out a benefit of cork that won't be full appreciated until after it is installed. A client of hers who was hard of hearing found that changing a hard floor surface over to cork made it was easier for her to have conversation in her kitchen. The cork absorbed sound better, resulting in fewer acoustic reflections. Properly applied and protected, cork is a marvelous floor surface that fits perfectly with the Eichler style, and with proper care and maintenance will last for decades. MLCs to take up Departmental roles Two Members of the Legislative Council have been appointed to roles with Government departments. Dawn Kinnish MLC will join the Department of Infrastructure after securing her election to the Legislative Council last month. Paul Craine MLC, who successfully gained re-election, will join the Department of Education, Sport and Culture. A further political appointment will see Ann Corlett MHK take up the role of vice-chair of the Housing and Communities Board. Barclaycard closure email mistake Barclaycard has confirmed an email to sent to customers of the Isle of Man about account closures was a mistake. Customers had recieved emails and communication from the bank stating their card will stop working after 30th May unless they have a UK residential address. Barclays has now confirmed this was a mistake. Barclays spokesperson said: We offer our sincere apologises to any of our Barclaycard customers resident on the Isle of Man that may have been incorrectly informed that their accounts would be closed. We can confirm all existing cardholders resident on the Isle of Man will continue to be supported and there will be no change to the service they currently receive. Code Club level up with Manx Lottery Trust funding A local organisation which helps develop peoples digital skills has been awarded a grant from Manx Lottery Trust for the purchase of new equipment. Isle of Man Code Club has received 18,384 from the Trusts Community Awards programme for the purchase of 16 laptops, which will help progress the young people they support. By sharing valuable knowledge and experience, the Code Club guide and educate people of all ages with digital skills via a weekly drop-in session at the Eagle Lab in Douglas. The charity has been taking part in CyberCenturion, a cyber defence competition established by the Air Force Association, since 2015, which is very demanding in terms of resources. To prepare for future competitions, Code Club plan to purchase a bank of powerful Windows laptops which will support future cohorts taking part in CyberCenturion. The Morning After: Biden administration wants help making rules for AI models like ChatGPT Officials hope to hold companies accountable for misbehaving AI. ChatGPT, Bard and Bing AI: You cant escape the AI models and chatbot evolution and headlines. Now, the US government is trying to get a handle on things. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is asking for public comments on possible regulations to hold AI creators accountable. The measures will ideally help the Biden administration ensure these models work as promised "without causing harm," the NTIA says. Hopefully, theyll also speak to experts, too, and not just rely on the anonymous internet public. ChatGPT and similar generative AI models have already been tied to sensitive data leaks and copyright violations and have prompted fears of automated disinformation and malware campaigns and thats in addition to basic concerns about accuracy and bias. 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 IKEA's latest idea is an online design-a-room service YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket packages start at $249 The best air fryers for 2023 Judge rejects Elizabeth Holmes bid for freedom while awaiting appeal It's a move in the right direction for AI transparency. Google To be more open about Bard's development, Google has created a new experiment updates page where anyone can find information on recent updates to Bard, including new features and bug fixes. So far, the updates include a "what" and a "why." For the updates page itself, Google says it was created so "people will have an easy place to see the latest Bard updates for them to test and provide feedback." The information is still pretty short and vague, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Continue reading. It'll debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18th. Polestar Polestar has confirmed its latest and fastest production EV, the Polestar 4, will debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18. The new generation joins the Polestar 3 and an updated Polestar 2, with the new model's design expected to fall somewhere between the two. The Polestar 4 is slightly smaller than the Polestar 3 and a bit higher off the ground than the Polestar 2 and is expected to have a battery that should run for about 373 miles. Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, emphasized it is not a modified version of its first SUV: "Instead, we reconsidered the entire design to create a new breed of SUV coupe." Continue reading. Dont fall for the hyped-up, overly marketed options. VPNs are having a moment. And they are important. But deciding the best option for browsing means digging through claims of attributes that arent always accurate. It makes it harder to figure out which one to subscribe to, or if you really need to use one at all. We tested nine top VPN services available now to help you choose the best one for your needs. Continue reading. They allege Twitter owes them more than $1 million in unreimbursed legal fees. Twitter faces yet another lawsuit over unpaid bills. In a complaint filed with the Delaware Chancery Court, former CEO Parag Agrawal, former CFO Ned Segal and former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde allege Twitter owes them more than $1 million in unreimbursed legal fees. Elon Musk fired all three execs after taking control of the company last fall. The former executives allege Twitter spent months ignoring letters they sent asking it to honor a reimbursement agreement they had in place before their termination. According to the complaint, Twitter finally acknowledged the letters last month but did little else. Continue reading. One of Russia's most active volcanoes erupted on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, shooting a vast cloud of ash that smothered villages in drifts of gray volcanic dust. Wednesday, April 12, 2023 Last fall, two of our consulting clients were scheduled to have their annual conferences in Orlando. In late September, Hurricane Ian pummeled central Florida, triggering a significant number of flight cancellations. Group No. 1 had no choice but to cancel its in-person event. Fortunately, this association had already planned a digital version of the conference to be held four weeks after the in-person event. This virtual extension quickly became the back-up plan for the in-person conference. The opening keynoter was rescheduled to kick off the now enhanced digital conference, still set for a month after the canceled in-person event. In November, it was Hurricane Nicoles turn to put a damper on client No. 2s plans. This time, a good percentage of the attendees were able to travel and got to experience a hurricane from the comfort of their hotel room. This association had already planned a hybrid offering that included livestreaming general sessions and select concurrents. Attendees who were unable to travel were able to switch their registration to the digital cohort. Due to flight cancellations, the opening general session speakers were not able to arrive in time. The association acted fast and was able to pull off a very effective virtual fireside chat with the two speakers, conducted live with an on-site interviewer. It served as a very successful plan B. These two associations had solid contingency plans in place that enabled them to react quickly and effectively. Their success depended on the flexibility of their speakers. Five Asks for Professional Speakers Reflecting on the uncertainties of the past few years, its wise for organizers to ask professional speakers and speaker bureaus to proactively help with main-stage contingency planning. Here are some suggestions. Relax recording policies. Instead of speakers prohibiting video recording and scheduled replays, have them provide permission for you to rebroadcast keynote sessions for 30 days after the conference. Other than those associations that are offering CME credits online, no one is making bank on their virtual offerings. Add value. When it comes to large conferences, revenue is down and expenses are way up. Ask professional keynote speakers to explore opportunities to add value by facilitating VIP conversations, presenting a concurrent session, or giving a pre- or post-event webinar. Give you peace of mind. For speaker proposals and agreements, add a paragraph on the extra steps your speakers can or will take to help you with contingency planning. Can they arrive a day early? Do they have a strong network of speakers that they can activate to sub in in case of an emergency? Are they up to date on vaccines and flu shots? Make semi-live your last alternative. In my opinion, watching a recording of a keynote from a general session room is a poor option. Ask your speakers to agree to a contingency plan where they participate live in a session from a remote location which is recorded for access after the event as a back-up plan. Customize Whether your speaker is in-person or being streamed in, canned keynote presentations are inauthentic and hit a brick wall with audiences now more than ever before. The speakers who can deliver the greatest impact will outline the extra steps they plan to take to really understand your participants and their current pain points. This should include advance calls with some of your stakeholders. Speakers who do their homework and weave in real stories from your industry will be seen as credible and earn the trust of your audience as well as referrals. Adapted from Daves Forward Thinking column in PCMAs Convene . Reprinted with permission of Convene, the magazine of the Professional Convention Management Association. 2023.The post Putting Plan B into Play for Your Main Stage appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw A partnership that includes former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros is engaged in a court battle over a federally subsidized low-income housing project for seniors on the Northwest Side. The partnership, Mission DG Ltd., has a deal in place to sell its 85 percent interest in the entity that manages LIV at Westover Hills, a 197-unit apartment complex at 9015 Ingram Road. Mission DG developed the $31.7 million project, which opened in 2020. But Steven Wibracht, a limited partner who holds a 5 percent interest in the entity, wants to exercise his right of first refusal to buy Mission DGs interest. He alleges Mission DG has disregarded his intentions and sued for breach of contract last week. Wibracht scored an early victory in the dispute April 6 when state District Judge Tina Torres issued a temporary restraining order that prevents Mission DG from selling its interest. The two sides were expected back in court this morning on Wibrachts request for a temporary injunction, but the hearing was dropped Wednesday. An injunction would have prevented Mission DG from the selling its interest until a trial was conducted. MORE UNITS: Developers seek to partner with county on Tower Life, South Side projects Cisneros and Victor Miramontes are principals in Mission DG. Miramontes, its managing partner, said in a court filing that it could be harmed if it cant proceed with the sale to Eenhoorn Development of Grand Rapids, Mich. Loss of the entire investment, triggering of personal guarantees and other damages would result, Miramontes warned in an affidavit attached to Mission DGs opposition to the temporary restraining order. Wibracht, who went bankrupt in 2017, would never qualify as managing member, Miramontes added. He also is concerned the spat may lead Eenhoorn to try to pull out of the deal. Itd be in the best interest of everyone, even including Mr. Wibracht, if the sale went through, said Wade Caldwell, a lawyer representing Mission DG. Were not going to comment on the lawsuit itself other than hes a 5 percent limited partner trying to stop the sale. We intend to do whats in the best interest of the city and our partners and try to make sure this (sale) goes through. William Dub Sutherland VI, Wibrachts lawyer, didnt respond to requests for comment. Wibrachts brother Mission DG teamed up with two San Antonio Housing Trust corporations to develop LIV at Westover Hills, a community for low-income residents who are 62 and older. The San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corp. owns the land and leases the improved property to Westover Housing Partnership P3 LP. The complex is managed by Westover Housing Partnership SLP LLC (Westover SLP). Mission DG has an 85 percent interest in Westover SLP. The ownership structure results in a 100 percent real estate tax exemption under Texas laws that pertain to public facility corporations. Westover SLP was formed in 2016 and its original managing member was Wibrachts brother, Michael Wibracht, Mission DG said in a court filing. It said it acquired Michael Wibrachts interest after a series of poor financial decisions. MICHAEL WIBRACHT: The rise and fall of a San Antonio apartment developer Michael Wibracht was a onetime pioneering San Antonio developer who adapted old, neglected buildings for apartments. His projects included a century-old peanut factory on South Frio Street and some old military barracks and a dining facility at Brooks City Base. The developments attracted the attention of Cisneros and Miramontes, who invested in a Wibracht project to remake a former seminary school near Mission Concepcion into apartments. But Michael Wibrachts life unraveled in recent years with a bankruptcy filing and a guilty plea for conspiring to defraud the federal government to secure more than $240 million in government contracts intended for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. He was facing possible prison time, but on March 1 U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez sentenced him to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine. The judge also prohibited him from engaging in any government contracts. Google Earth Struggles Miramontes, in his affidavit, said the LIV at Westover Hills apartment complex has not performed financially. That led Mission DG to begin the search for another company to come in and manage the project, provide capital, and take over personal guarantees signed by myself and others. Mission DG first listed it for sale in June. Any proposed buyer would have to go through numerous steps and approvals due to the structure of this project, Miramontes said in the affidavit. That would include qualifying with its lender and obtaining approvals from the Housing Trust and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Cisneros was HUD secretary under President Bill Clinton. A major investor in the project also would need to sign off on any changes. Eenhoorn has offered $2.6 million down from an earlier proposal of $4.2 million for Mission DGs interest, the rights to a project development fee and acquisition of debts owed to Mission DG, a court exhibit shows. It has received approval from the Housing Trust and the lender but is awaiting HUDs decision, Caldwell said. Mission DG doesnt dispute Steven Wibracht has the right of first refusal. But it argues that he allowed his right to expire and terminate. Wibracht alleges Mission DG gave inadequate notice of Eenhoorns offer to those who hold an interest in Westover SLP. Westover SLP is first in line to buy membership units offered for sale, followed by the other members, Wibracht said. He added his 30-day option period does not begin unless and until he receives notice of Westover SLPs refusal to purchase Mission DGs interest. Wibracht stands ready, willing, and able to purchase the interest subject to the disclosure of additional information from Mission DG, his lawsuit said. Bankruptcy Mission DG disputes that Wibracht has the wherewithal to complete the purchase of its interest. It cited his Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, in which he reported almost $18.9 million in assets and $18.5 million in liabilities. The assets included an $18 million claim he had against Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, while the liabilities included a $17 million claim the insurer had against him. The insurer had sued Wibracht and others in 2020 in San Antonio federal court, but it doesnt appear Wibracht ever made his own claims against the company in the case. Travelers reached a mediated settlement with Wibracht and dismissed its claims in November. In early 2019, Wibracht waived the discharge of his debts meaning he remained on the hook to pay his creditors. Despite his waiver, Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta issued an order a day later denying Wibracht a discharge of his debts. Wibrachts bankruptcy and lack of experience managing low-income senior housing projects mean it would be impossible for him to obtain the required approvals from HUD and the Housing Trust, Miramontes said in his affidavit. Emails sent to Caldwell, Mission DGs lawyer, by a lawyer for Wibracht show he originally offered to accept $145,000 for his partnership interest and a developer fee in November. The settlement offer was raised to $250,000 a couple of months later. These amounts are many times what Mr. Wibrachts 5 percent interest is worth, Miramontes responded in his affidavit. The emails were included as exhibits in Mission DGs response to the lawsuit. Caldwell wasnt told why the temporary injunction hearing set for this morning had been dropped. When Judge Tina Torres granted the temporary restraining order last week, she set the bond at $200,000. The bond would hold Wibracht financially responsible if its later determined the order should not have been granted. Wibracht had not posted the bond. On Wednesday, he agreed the TRO was no longer in effect, Caldwell said. Twitter Inc. is no more. In a court filing last week, lawyers for the San Francisco social media giant owned by Elon Musk said it has merged with another one of the CEOs companies and dropped its distinctive moniker. Twitter, Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists, according to a document filed April 4 and thats related to a lawsuit brought by far-right activist Laura Loomer against Twitter and Facebook. X Corp. is a privately held corporation operating under its parent company X Holdings Corp. On Tuesday, Musk posted a one-letter tweet marking the document leak: X. TESLA IN TEXAS: Heading toward Cybertruck, Tesla triples employment and builds 4,000 Model Ys a week in Texas Although the name change is not yet reflected on the Twitter website or app, it marks the latest step in Musks plan to transform the social media platform he acquired for $44 billion last year into X, the everything app a plan he signaled in a tweet last October. While he has not provided specific details, the Tesla and SpaceX founder has previously noted the convenience of Chinas WeChat, which consolidates various app experiences, including food delivery, ride-sharing and cashless payments, into one service. The rebranding also aligns with Musks other products: Space X, Teslas Model X, and the website X.com, which he started before co-founding PayPal. He still has ownership of the domain. READY TO GO: SpaceX pushes window for first-ever orbital launch from its Boca Chica Starbase to mid-April In another tweet, Musk also provided an update on the status of Twitters legacy blue check marks issued to public figures, government agencies and others for verification purposes. Individuals previously verified for free were supposed to pay up to $11 a month or lose their verification badges on April 1. However, the CEO announced Tuesday that the final date for removing legacy check marks for those who do not subscribe to the monthly service would now be April 20. The first deadline passed with only a few accounts, including the main profile of the New York Times, which has 55 million followers, losing their verification badges. Twitter also falsely labeled NPRs account as state-affiliated media, leading to the news organization going silent on the social media platform. Last week, Musk also temporarily replaced Twitters bird logo with doge, the meme representing a cryptocurrency he favors, dogecoin. He followed that by changing his profile name to Harry Bolz and using paint to cover the w on Twitters marquee at its San Francisco headquarters on Market Street. A closed nursing home and rehabilitation facility in the Government Hill neighborhood near Pearl could be replaced by a multifamily development if those behind the proposal can overcome opposition from the nearby community. Owner Meridian RJ Care Realty Group of SA III LLC is seeking to have a 1.2-acre property at 815 E. Grayson St. rezoned and its land use category changed to allow 92 residential units to be built. A plan submitted to the city shows a four-story building and 105 parking spaces at the site, where the boarded-up Meridian Care at Grayson Square facility sits. But city staff and neighbors are pushing back. The city recommends that the Zoning and Planning commissions reject Meridians request on the grounds that the project is inconsistent with the density and development in the area. The Meridian Care center is surrounded by small apartment complexes and offices, as well as single-family homes. Zoning commissioners were scheduled to take up the rezoning case April 4, but the applicants attorney, Emilie Weissler, asked that the item be postponed because her clients need a lot more time for ongoing discussions with neighbors. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio home appraisals jump, but less than last year as market cools This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Courtesy of Google Earth Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Show More Show Less In a voicemail played for commissioners, Marlene Hawkins of the Government Hill Community Association said she agreed with city staff and wants to discuss repurposing the property to make it more usable and city-friendly. Among the 50 rezoning notices the city mailed to those within 200 feet, one was returned in favor and six in opposition. The Zoning and Planning Commissions make recommendations to the City Council, which has final authority on requests. Both commissions are scheduled to vote on Meridians case in mid-May after the company requested more time. Through its attorney, Meridian declined to comment. Tensions rise as neighborhood changes The Government Hill neighborhood sandwiched between Pearl, downtown and Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is morphing. Apartments and offices are being built, new restaurants are opening, and neglected properties are being renovated. The changes have prompted concerns about rising property taxes and gentrification, and tension over development. The 78208 ZIP code in Government Hill ranked third among the 10 ZIP codes with the biggest increase in the median price of a home from 2015 to 2020, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors. The price climbed 153.7 percent during that period to $212,500; nearly half of the 10 ZIP codes were on the East Side. On ExpressNews.com: Chick-fil-A opens restaurant in downtown San Antonio The median value of a home in the neighborhood more than doubled from 2017 to 2022, rising from $90,820 to $206,000, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. More white residents have moved into the neighborhood, while Hispanic residents have moved out. From 2010 to 2020, the percentage of white residents more than doubled to 29 percent, according to Census Bureau data. The percentage of Hispanic residents fell from 78 to 60 percent. The overall population jumped 11 percent. Development plans abound The Meridian Care site is about four blocks east of Broadway Street, where complexes such as 1800 Broadway and The Mosaic, Credit Human and Jefferson Banks new headquarters and more office space have been built in recent years. Local firm GrayStreet Partners said it was working with Houston-based developer Midway to turn about 20 acres across Broadway from Pearl into a 1.6-million-square-foot development with housing, retail and hospitality space, offices and outdoor plazas called Broadway East. GrayStreet sold most of that land in 2021 to San Antonio-based Fulcrum Development, which has remained tight-lipped about its plans. Earlier this year, GrayStreet bought a 0.8-acre site that includes the Pig Stand diner and a sliver of land next to it. Pig Stand owner Mary Ann Hill closed the business, citing health concerns. Roughly half a mile west of Meridian Care, a group of investors and developers led by JJ Feik plans to build 281 apartments, a parking garage and retail space outside Fort Sam Houston. Feik has said he expects the housing to appeal to workers at Fort Sam, students in the Alamo Colleges District and young professionals employed at Credit Human and Jefferson Bank. Farther west, a battle erupted in 2020 over plans to rezone a residential site in the 2000 block of North Walters Street to facilitate commercial development. Some nearby homeowners said they were concerned about razing houses on the site and the kinds of businesses that could end up there, while others said they wanted to see more development in the area. They eventually struck a compromise for a less-intense commercial zoning than was originally sought. In 2018, a group of residents who worried that the neighborhood was not doing enough to control development tried unsuccessfully to take over the Government Hill Alliance Neighborhood Association. They accused the associations leaders of being too friendly with developers, failing to alert them about proposed projects, and lacking transparency. The neighborhood now has two groups: the Government Hill Alliance and the Government Hill Community Association. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Dime con quien andas, y te dire quien eres. Tell me who your friends are, and Ill tell you who you are. Ive heard that Spanish-language proverb my whole life. It was a warning to check the company one kept. At once judgmental and deeply caring, the dicho illustrated a village at work, on the lookout for a bad judgment call. Dime con quien andas meant the people who loved us were keeping a close eye on the people in our orbits. Bookworms and marching band nerds? Yes. People who skipped class? No. In the who-was-who, my mother did a lot of good guesswork. That all came to mind in reading about the ProPublica investigation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Virginia, who took lavish vacations from far-right extremist and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow that they didnt report. Crow wouldnt do well in the dime-con-quien-andas category either. His friend Clarence Thomas is the most right-wing jurist on the most powerful court in the country; Thomas wife is an anti-democracy extremist implicated in the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. It was part of a coordinated effort to overturn the legitimate election of President Joe Biden in 2020. More from Elaine Ayala: San Antonios Henry Munoz, a very smart guy, again snared in controversy The reason Thomas gave for not reporting such gifts was ultra-short: Were friends. It doesnt work that way, especially when the Texas billionaire is board chair and former CEO of Crow Holdings and reportedly made contributions to the reckless campaigns of Herschel Walker in Georgia and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. Crow also gave generously to the Texas Republican Party and Texas Sen. John Cornyns re-election campaign. The man with jets and yachts at his disposal also has various dubious collections that reportedly include paintings by Adolf Hitler and a signed copy of Mein Kampf, according to Rolling Stone magazine, the Times of Israel and the Washingtonian. So, if Thomas had to answer to con quien andas? his answer wouldnt pass the smell test in my West Side tribe. ProPublicas report laid out the largess the Thomases enjoyed. Their friendship with Crow dates back more than 20 years. Thats two decades of half-million-dollar annual vacations. The justice, meanwhile, makes $285,000 a year. The report gave oxygen to longstanding criticisms about Thomas and the high courts disclosure requirements. His national and international trips defy what Thomas has said about his vacation style. I dont have any problem with going to Europe, Thomas said in a recent interview for a documentary about his life. But I prefer the United States. In case you missed it: Going beyond stereotypes, Eva Longoria is at home in Searching for Mexico I prefer the RV parks. I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. Theres something normal to me about it. I come from regular stock, and I prefer that. I prefer being around that. Led by U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia, several congressional Democrats have called on Chief Justice John Roberts to launch an investigation into Thomas unethical, and potentially unlawful, conduct at the Supreme Court, asking for a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into these allegations. Other Democrats have called for impeachment hearings. Thomas defense last week was weak in its face. Early in my tenure at the court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the court, was not reportable. These are gatherings of friends, Crow said, too. The extent and frequency of Crows apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court, the ProPublica story concluded, drawing on flight records, internal documents to Crows employees and interviews with dozens of people, including yacht staff and an Indonesian scuba diving instructor. What we know now is that Clarence Thomas needs to answer questions, and they need to be asked while hes sworn in and under the penalty of perjury, ethics experts have said, especially in regard to who gave the justice such dubious ethics advice to begin with. And because you are the company you keep. eayala@express-news.net BOERNE The Boerne City Council has approved a controversial and much-debated plan to guide how new roads will be built in the swiftly growing Hill Country city. Council members Tuesday night unanimously approved the new version of the city's thoroughfare plan. The vote came after months of public meetings and opposition from residents who say they are worried their land will be taken to build new roads. Some also accused the City Council of encouraging growth and development, which they say will detract from Boernes small-town character. City leaders say the thoroughfare plan needed to be revised and updated to ensure new residential and commercial developments will connect more seamlessly with existing roadways. Although a planning document created by the city shows some potential routes for new roads, City Council members have insisted the "lines on the map" are theoretical and that no roads will be built unless those properties are sold for development. Dealing with growth: Boerne's transit plan passes; here's what residents can expect. Most importantly for residents to know, it is not a planning tool for (the Texas Department of Transportation) and it does not plan for the building of highways that is a function of TxDOT, documents on the the citys website say. The thoroughfare plan focuses on connectivity and mobility at the local level. That hasn't reassured residents who own property along the potential roadway sites. Some of them say city leaders have plans for more and larger roads to deal with Boerne's swift growth. Boernes population almost doubled in the past 10 years from 10,471 in 2010 to an estimated 19,109 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Surrounding Kendall County's population was 48,973 as of 2022, up from 33,410 in 2010. Critics of the thoroughfare plan contend building new roads will encourage more growth and development, and they say that Boernes small-town character recedes with every new neighborhood. 'People are not going to forget' Residents filled the Boerne City Council chambers for Tuesday's vote, although the crowd was smaller than for the first public hearing over the measure on March 28. Jeff Carroll, Boernes director of engineering and mobility, opened Tuesday's public hearing by explaining the plan and then fielded questions from council members who were attempting to assuage residents' concerns. Several residents who spoke at the March 28 meeting returned for Tuesday's hearing, echoing the same warnings against encouraging more development. Mike Luckey, who spoke in the previous meeting, warned council members that Boerne residents will remember Tuesday's vote in the next election. "People are not going to forget what happens here tonight," Luckey said. "I'd be concerned about your tarnished reputations here tonight." A number of Kendall County residents who live outside of Boerne also spoke, some contending that a government body they did not elect was making moves to pave roads through their properties. Denise Dever, a Kendall County resident who lives outside the city's jurisdiction, disputed the city's explanations of the thoroughfare plan and questioned whether the council members understood the ramifications of their decisions. "You guys are doing TxDOT's work, whether you like it or not," Dever said. "It's insulting to say we don't understand what's going on." Council member Quinten Scott disputed the notion that the thoroughfare plan would have any impact on whether development happens in Boerne. We're not encouraging growth; we're not discouraging growth, Scott said. The thoroughfare plan is the second measure the City Council has approved in recent weeks aimed at dealing with Boerne's rapid growth. The City Council on March 28 approved the Boerne Mobility Master Plan, which the city describes as a long-range plan that seeks to create a safer, more accessible and more efficient transportation network. The mobility plan calls for addressing the citys worsening traffic issues by widening heavily trafficked roads; modifying problematic intersections, in some cases with roundabouts; building more sidewalks; and adding shared-use paths for bikes and pedestrians. The plan seeks to accomplish all that while keeping Boernes rural character in place and minimizing environmental impact. After months of debate, the Brackenridge Park project is moving to the next stage which will mean removing and relocating dozens of trees from the historical park. The Texas Historical Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve building and archaeological permits for the first phase of the two-part, $7.75 million 2017 bond project for Brackenridge Park. The commissioners delayed their decision in Austin last month after a group of San Antonians attended to oppose the project, which would remove dozens of trees from the park. The commission is focused on the built landscape, which includes archeology and historic preservation, and not the natural landscape such as trees, said John Nau, chair to the historical commission. As such, the commission members said it is not within their authority to protect the trees in the park. It became very clear to the executive committee that there is passion on both sides of this issue, Nau said. Nobody is going to be 100 percent happy with either one of these decisions no matter which way the board goes. Brackenridge: A San Antonio engineer says he can save the Brackenridge Park trees set for removal Phase one of the Brackenridge Park project includes repairing the river walls in the 1920s Lambert Beach area. Originally, plans called for the removal of 105 trees, but after protests from San Antonio residents, that number dropped to 77. Now, after restructuring the project, the final number proposed to the historical commission was 48 trees removed. That number includes six heritage trees with trunks exceeding 24 inches in diameter and eight invasive, dead or dying trees. Another 19 trees will be relocated to other parts of the park. For more than a year, residents have been at odds with the city over the planned removal of trees from the park. Signs calling to Stop the Chop have appeared at a number of public meetings, and environmental advocates accused the city of attempting to eliminate the birds at the park through tree removal. City officials have disputed those claims and said the tree removal is needed for bank stabilization, water quality and restoration of historic structures in the park. At last months meeting in Austin, residents from the River Road Neighborhood Association in San Antonio found two consulting engineers who said more of the trees could be saved by using different tactics for the river wall repairs. The engineers Moises Cruz and Carlos Gutierrez recommended a pier-based structure that would allow most of the trees to remain in place, which would cost more. The current plan would need to remove any tree within five feet of the wall. The engineers said with their approach it would only require as much as 12 inches. In response, which residents didnt hear until Tuesdays meeting, the city said any alternatives would impact the trees entangled root systems and as such wouldnt save any of the trees. More on Brackenridge: Too much poop: San Antonio shoos federally protected birds from Brackenridge nests After receiving approval from the Texas Historical Commission, the city will go back to San Antonios Historic and Review Design Commission for further review. Our big take away now is that we have an improved plan because of the public engagement process that occurred, said Homer Garcia, director of San Antonios Parks and Recreation Department. We are listening and we can demonstrate that from what our initial plan was to what we have now. A number of residents said they were disappointed by Tuesdays historical commission vote. Since the city began hosting public meetings last year about the project, attendees have called for more communication and collaboration from the city. At one public meeting, city officials apologized to residents, saying they should have been more clear about their objectives related to the birds in the park. Jennifer Lane, a critic of the Brackenridge Park Project, said she wasnt surprised by the result of Tuesdays meeting. During our public comment last month, most of us were focused on how the trees themselves are historic and cultural, Lane said. Im disappointed the commissioners didnt give that any consideration at all. They passed right by it and focused on the built environment. Lane, along with Jennifer Strawn of the River Road Neighborhood Association, expressed concerns that the trees would not be replaced along Lambert Beach after construction finishes. If you prioritize the wall and have no trees, then its not going to look the same, Strawn said. That landscape is going to change forever. UVALDE The new school that will replace Robb Elementary, the scene of one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, will include a quiet tribute to the victims. And it will be a much more secure facility. Inside the building, an artist-made oak tree will memorialize the 19 children and two teachers killed in the May 24 shooting. It will bear two large branches representing Irma Garcia, 48, and Eva Mireles, 44 the fourth-grade teachers fatally shot that day and 19 smaller branches for each student. The installation will be located between the schools library and outdoor courtyard. It will look like a tree with a wood base and with branches and other materials to form the leaves and whatnot, said Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Moving Forward Foundation, a nonprofit that is raising money to build the new school. Its designed to look like the oaks and other old, strong trees in Uvalde. The foundation and the school district's Community Advisory Committee presented the final renderings of the campus to a small crowd of parents Tuesday night. The now-vacant Robb Elementary is slated to be demolished, and the effort to replace it is unfolding as this city of 15,000 struggles to recover from the rampage. Keeping students, teachers and staff safe and complying with state security and building standards for schools were top priorities in designing the new campus, Miller said. PROJECTS: Remembering the lives lost in Uvalde The new safety measures include a secure vestibule at the visitors entrance, which will be locked. Anyone wanting to enter the school will have to present identification after being buzzed into a waiting area in the vestibule. Any visitor needing to go to a classroom will be escorted by a credential-carrying employee. So theres a number of access controls, not only at the very start of the school but also other parts of the campus, that are different from other campuses right now, Miller said. Alarms will be installed to alert school employees when doors are not entirely closed, and the buildings windows will be fortified glass that will be harder to break or shoot through. At about 11:30 a.m. May 24, a gunman hopped the 5-foot security fence on Robb Elementary's perimeter and fired several shots from his semiautomatic rifle through classroom windows as he approached the building. He entered the school through an unlocked side entrance and advanced to rooms 111 and 112, where he carried out the massacre. The classroom door he entered was also unlocked. School comes into focus The Moving Forward Foundation has been working on the plans with the district's Community Advisory Committee, a group of parents, teachers, administrators and community members charged with selecting a conceptual design for the new school. The foundation was established in the wake of the massacre. In their final public meeting at the Herby Ham Activity Center on Tuesday, the group updated about 40 parents and other Uvaldeans on the project, designed by Austin-based Huckabee Architects. The school, which hasn't been named yet, will be nearly 120,000 square feet and house 800 students in the second, third and fourth grades. Construction is expected to be complete by the fall of 2024. It will be located on 23 acres adjacent to Dalton Elementary School. In November, the school board decided to build the school next to Dalton at Leona Road and North Fourth Street. The site was recommended by the districts Community Advisory Committee. The Uvalde school board will decide when it will open. The foundation is looking to raise $60 million for the new school. H-E-B contributed $3 million, with its chairman, Charles Butt, and several other family members kicking in another $7 million, Miller said during the meeting. We have about $15 million in cash donations we need to raise, Miller said. The foundation needs another $8 million in in-kind donations that is, contributions of services or materials, instead of money. Bright colors will punctuate the school's interior the classrooms, library, dining facility, gym and administrative offices and the building materials will be native to the Uvalde area. The schools exterior will feature red bricks produced in the region, but limestone will be the dominant element in its facade. When the Community Advisory Committee was providing us input, what they wanted the school to look like, they pulled colors from the Uvalde community, Miller said. Several of the pictures that were shown up there are quinceaneras and other festivities that have a strong cultural heritage for a majority of people who live here in Uvalde." But also sunset, the beautiful sunsets we all have here in Uvalde," he said. "I think those colors also show the selection of that color scheme." On ExpressNews.com: They dont care about us: Uvalde students leave school in walkout over gun safety San Antonio boasts an impressive number of parking lots and garages, enough to push the percentage of land they consume above most major metropolitan areas across the country, according to data compiled by a nonprofit working for parking reforms across the United States. About 26 percent of downtown San Antonios surface area is reserved for cars, according to an analysis by the the Parking Reform Network. It said that reality is compromising the area's walkability. Its clear that if we want to have walkable cities, we need cities that are less parkable, the organization said on its website. On average, 20 percent of land in the 50 city centers it analyzed was dedicated solely to parking. An abundant supply of parking infrastructure also creates a scarcity of reusable land for other purposes, the network said. That can contribute to increased housing costs, lower population density and greater sprawl. Related: San Antonio is the least-walkable major U.S. city. Here's why its growth is to blame. "A low parking score means the city devotes much less land in its central neighborhoods to parking than the average," the study reads. "Conversely, a high score translates to more land dedicated to parking compared to the average for a city of that size." Among the 50 cities analyzed, Arlington's score indicated it had the most land devoted to parking, while San Francisco had the lowest. Just 17 percent of downtown Austin is dedicated to parking lots or garages. Parking garages built recently in San Antonio and elsewhere are more utilitarian than most have been in years past. Some are being designed more thoughtfully, with security and ease of use for drivers at top of mind. Some of the changes come from more stringent city zoning that requires amenities such as street-level retail and designs that blend with the surrounding neighborhood. But other changes are the result of clients' desire to put their best foot forward. You might also like: Nearly 50 trees will be removed from Brackenridge Park as preservation project moves forward The trend can be seen in several buildings outside of downtown San Antonio, including the Brackenridge Park Parking Garage near the Witte Museum, the Tobin Center Garage, the new San Antonio Zoo garage on Tuleta and a planned garage at University Health System Womens and Childrens Hospital in the South Texas Medical Center. The Parking Reform Network said downtown areas in general face the most pressure from high levels of land use for parking. This parking is often clustered around main streets, office districts and historic cores, creating a barrier around the citys most valuable and walkable areas that limits residential and commercial growth, it said. Dr. Wayne J. Riley hasnt forgotten the hard years when African American physicians, including his own father, Dr. Emile Edward Riley, struggled to establish medical practices in the face of discrimination. I never, ever take for granted what these men and women who came before us had to endure, said Riley, president of the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, the largest of four academic medical centers in the State University of New York. They did more than endure, they persisted. Access Denied: How COVID ravaged San Antonios South Side Now, Riley wants to end another legacy of that era health disparities affecting Black and Hispanic Americans. During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Riley said, Black women had the highest rate of pregnancy-related deaths among all ethnic groups. He said that for years, people have asked what Martin Luther King Jr. would think of the state of society today. On the screen behind him was a quotation by the late civil rights leader: Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman. Riley said he would amend the word inhuman to inhumane. Riley made his remarks recently as keynote speaker at the 20th Anniversary Frank Bryant Jr. Memorial Distinguished Lecture at UT Health San Antonio. Bryan, who died in 1999, was a San Antonio physician revered for his commitment to medically underserved communities on the East Side. He was a pioneer: one of the first Black students to attend the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and the first Black president of the Bexar County Medical Society. He co-founded and was the first medical director of the Ella Austin Health Clinic on the East Side. He co-developed the East San Antonio Medical Center and was a clinical professor at UT Health San Antonio. The Texas Medical Foundation established the lecture series in 2002 to honor Bryant. Riley called Bryant an exemplar of persistence to contribute to the health of all. He wasnt just about the Black folks on the East Side of San Antonio, Riley told the audience in the Holly Auditorium at UT Health. He was for all San Antonians. He is what we get up every morning to do, create more healers like Frank Bryant. Riley is a pathbreaker in his own right. A New Orleans native, he earned his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and completed a residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He went to become a vice president and vice-dean at Baylor and was later named president and CEO of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, a historically black institution and his father's alma mater. He's a former chair of the National Institutes of Health's National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Riley said Texas still struggles with inequities that existed when Bryant was practicing medicine. According to a Commonwealth Fund report, Texas ranks in the second quartile for state health system performance among white residents and in the bottom quartile for Blacks and Hispanics. Almost 25 percent of Blacks and Hispanics surveyed said they werent in good health, compared to 16 percent of whites. Riley said there has been progress. He lauded the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010 and often referred to as Obamacare. This landmark piece of legislation is second to LBJ (President Lyndon B. Johnson) passing Medicare and Medicaid, Riley said. He said that during the 2023 open enrollment period for Obamacare, 16.4 million people selected or re-enrolled in government and state marketplaces established under the law. But Riley noted that Texas is one of 10 states that has refused to expand Medicaid coverage with federal support under the Affordable Care Act, leaving $15 billion on the table. This is an impediment to addressing the issue in Texas, Riley said. That number is chilling. Dr. Ruth Berggren, director of the UT Health San Antonio Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, said theres confusion about the meaning of the term health equity. Equity is the perspective of how can we help everyone have the best possible outcome, Berggren said. Some people are going to need more input than other people. That is the difference between equity and equality. I think its unfortunate that wrong meanings get assigned to words that are simply trying to convey what fundamentally is a value that is common to all of us. She said earlier in the day, Riley met with medical students for an hour and a half and shared stories from his early years of training. "That was so encouraging for our students," Berggren said. "I believe they could see themselves evolving into a physician like Dr. Wayne Riley and a leader." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With Mayor Ron Nirenberg widely expected to win re-election on May 6, he touted progress on several of his signature initiatives, including the push to build more affordable housing and a sales tax-backed effort to retrain workers, during his annual State of the City speech on Tuesday. What he didnt talk about: anything new that hed look to execute in his fourth and final term. In previous years, I have come to this stage discussing plans and proposals for housing, transportation, and workforce development, Nirenberg told a crowd of about 600 in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Centers Stars at Night Ballroom. For the most part, the talking on those issues is over. This year, we are focused on implementation. READ MORE: Voting for Prop A could lead public to distrust government more, Mayor Nirenberg says One of the projects likely to define his legacy as mayor will be Ready to Work, the $200 million sales-tax funded job skills-training program, which he successfully pitched to voters in November 2020. The program has gotten off a rocky start, with far fewer program enrollees and graduates than expected. To date, 2,030 people have enrolled in Ready to Work, according to city figures. Of those, 278 have finished their training or education programs 99 of whom have landed jobs paying at least $15 an hour. The average hourly wage for graduates is just under $19, according to the city. Nirenberg defended the program, which is nearing the end of its first year. RELATED: Mayor Nirenberg has $320K to fend off opponents, but a local business owner is putting up a fight If the goal is to count numbers, were missing the point, he said. The goal is to change lives and change the trajectory of this citys economy, long term, to break cycles of poverty. Saying he wasnt discouraged by a few bumps in the road, he noted that nearly 13,000 people have applied for Ready to Work while acknowledging that enrollment so far has been less than a sixth of that number. The program initially aimed to enroll 10,000 people a year, a target that has been drastically reduced. At a meeting in March, Workforce Development Executive Director Mike Ramsey said almost 2,900 people should be enrolled by June 30, which marks the end of the programs first year. Ready to Work came on the heels of the COVID-era Train for Jobs program, which the mayor said has trained, or currently is training, more than 5,500 people and placed almost 2,400 in better paying jobs. More affordable housing The pandemic, which nearly crippled the citys economy in 2020, only worsened an existing need for more affordable housing in San Antonio, said Nirenberg, who's facing eight little-known challengers in the May 6 election. But he said the $150 million for affordable housing projects included in the citys $1.2 billion bond package, approved by voters nearly a year ago, will help ease the crunch. In March, the city broke ground on Los Arcos at Vida on the South Side, the first affordable housing project using the bond. The development will add 324 affordable units to across 600 acres on South Zarzamora Street. Its a mix of single-family homes and duplexes. Several similar projects are in the works. City Council has approved 14 projects for housing bond funding. Nirenberg said they will build or preserve nearly 2,500 rental units. Council will take up the second round of projects this summer. The mayor also touted the citys efforts to address homelessness. Of the 100 cities that are part of the Biden administrations House America program to reduce homelessness, Nirenberg said San Antonio was the first to meet its goal of placing 1,500 individuals and families living on the streets in homes between November 2021 and December 2022. Our work to move people off the streets will continue and be further accelerated by the $25 million included in the housing bond for permanent supportive housing to help people exit homelessness for good, Nirenberg said. Bigger, better airport Nirenberg also highlighted the $2.5 billion plan to expand San Antonio International Airport, which includes a new terminal that would be more than twice the size of either of the facilitys two existing terminals and is expected to open in 2028. Renderings of the new terminal were unveiled in February. The planned facility, to be built adjacent to Terminal B, would take up 832,500 square feet. By comparison, Terminal A is 378,524 square feet, and Terminal B 231,753 square feet. The renderings show a largely glass exterior that would flood travelers with light. Construction is expected to start in 2025. The new terminal could include a courtyard and up to 17 gates, for a total of about 40 at the airport. When it opens in the second quarter of 2028, it will operate eight security lines but would be able to increase the number to a dozen down the road. The airport project is a transformational move for San Antonio a move that demonstrates to us and to the world where San Antonio is headed, Nirenberg said. Economy strengthening Nirenberg said San Antonios economy has largely recovered from the shock of high unemployment and slashed productivity early in the pandemic. San Antonio saw a 46-percent increase in gross domestic product from 2017 through 2023. The mayor said the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise projects that San Antonios economy will be the fifth fastest growing of any major U.S. city this year. The local unemployment rate is slightly above 4 percent near pre-pandemic levels and the Texas Workforce Commission has reported that the San Antonio-area labor force increased by more than 35,000 workers since February 2022. William Luther, Staff / Staff The Texas government is warning people against consuming fish in waterways near San Antonio and at the coast due to the presence of contaminants. The Texas Department of State Health Services said it monitors fish in the state for environmental contaminants and issues bans and advisories when it believes a fish poses a danger to human health if consumed. President Joe Bidens drug czar on Wednesday announced an emerging threat to public health one thats already in San Antonio. The threat? A mixture of fentanyl and a powerful animal tranquilizer called xylazine. Biden administration officials call the combination FAAX, for fentanyl-adulterated or -associated xylazine. This is the first time that the White Houses Office of National Drug Control Policy has ever identified a substance for that designation, a mark of the gravity of the danger that it considers to be posed by the drug. Xylazine, known by the street name tranq, is dangerous enough to begin with. Its a sedative and muscle relaxant meant for use with large animals such as horses. In people, it slows breathing and heart rate, increases the risk of fatal overdose and can cause large, infected skin wounds that last months and can lead to amputations. Madelein Santibanez, director of the Corazon harm reduction team in San Antonio, which provides outreach services to drug users throughout Bexar County, said her team has seen evidence that xylazine, combined with fentanyl and other street drugs, has entered the local drug supply. On ExpressNews.com: Texas fentanyl crisis spurs $10 million effort to prevent deaths That uptick is being observed nationally as well, but many communities are not even aware of the threat in their backyard, Dr. Rahul Gupta, the head of the drug control office, who is often referred to as the national drug czar, said in a briefing Wednesday with reporters. Xylazine has been linked to an increasing number of deaths in the United States. Between 2020 and 2021, fatalities involving xylazine increased more than 1,100 percent in the South, 750 percent in the West and 515 percent in the Midwest, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Drug Enforcement Agency With Guptas declaration Wednesday that the drug combination was an emerging threat, the Biden administration now is required to develop a plan within the next 90 days to address the crisis. That could include creating protocols for treatment, withdrawal and wound care therapies; expanding testing for the drugs presence; and scheduling it as a controlled substance, which would give federal law enforcement agents authority to pursue its illicit use. In many cases, users may not realize theyre taking xylazine. Drug traffickers add the drug to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin, or other street drugs because its relatively cheap and can increase highs. It also has its own addictive properties. Gupta said xylazine withdrawal could lead to symptoms so intense such as migraines, double vision and body-rattling anxiety that persons may leave medical treatment, including drug treatment, against medical advice. The risk of overdose is multiplied when xylazine is combined with heroin or fentanyl, the DEA report said. Currently, the supplies of xylazine are thought to come from China and possibly Mexico, India and Russia, but they also could be coming from some domestic manufacturers who sell to veterinarians. Wednesdays announcement follows a crescendo of recent alerts from local health authorities and warnings from other federal agencies. In a xylazine alert in March, the DEA said it had detected the drug in 23 percent of confiscated fentanyl samples in 48 states in 2022. Last November, the Food and Drug Administration, which approved xylazine decades ago for veterinary procedures, issued a nationwide warning to health care providers; and in February, it announced it would monitor imported xylazine for illegal diversion. Xylazine differs from fentanyl in major ways, which contributed to the administrations decision to declare it an emerging threat. Unlike fentanyl, heroin or the prescription painkiller oxycodone, xylazine is not an opioid. That means conventional methods for reversing an opioid overdose, like naloxone injections or nasal sprays, may not succeed in fully reviving a person who has used it. Xylazine withdrawal symptoms must be managed differently from those of an opioid, and rehabilitation protocols are not yet established. And unlike opioids or, for that matter, amphetamines, xylazine is not listed as a controlled substance, which would make it subject to greater law enforcement scrutiny. Gupta noted that managing xylazines licit and illicit uses would be challenging. It is frequently used as a sedative and an analgesic in large-animal medicine, as veterinarians suture wounds, grind down sharpened molars and treat infected hoofs. Preserving the drugs status and access for veterinarians while shutting down supplies to dealers is a topic already under deep discussion. On ExpressNews.com: Fentanyl test strips are a cheap, easy way to avoid deadly overdoses but theyre illegal in Texas Cate Graziani, co-executive director of the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, said during a recent committee hearing in the Texas House of Representatives that more tools are needed to help users determine whether street drugs contain additives such as xylazine or fentanyl. Legislation that would legalize fentanyl test strips in Texas has drawn bipartisan support in the Texas Legislature. The strips indicate whether a pill or compound has been spiked with fentanyl. Theyre illegal drug paraphernalia under current Texas law. Graziani said legislators need to get ahead of the curve and legalize strips that test for other substances as well. Our goal is to keep people alive, and we want more tools to do that, Graziani said. We need to get ahead of the crisis, so were not here a year from now or five years from now. Gupta echoed that sentiment, saying his office is pressing this effort in part to look ahead to what potentially comes after xylazine, as an additive to fentanyl, in order to get in front of the next additive in the drug supply. The New York Times contributed to this story. SALEM, Ore. (AP) An emotionally charged debate over Oregon's gun-related legislation recently brought lawmakers on different sides of the issue near tears, reflecting a passionate divide over gun rights that is also playing out nationwide. One of the most sweeping bills being proposed in the politically diverse state the one that led to highly personal speeches from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers at a committee hearing last week would increase the purchasing age to 21 for AR-15s and similar types of guns, impose penalties for possessing undetectable firearms and allow for more limited concealed-carry rights. Republican lawmakers in Oregon said community safety depends on access to firearms, while Democrats conversely called for greater restrictions in the name of safety. The debate in the Oregon State Capitol comes as Democrats and Republicans across the country spar over gun rights, and as the number of gun violence deaths nationwide has risen to 11,767 so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. I have a beautiful 19-year-old daughter and I want to know, what did she do wrong to have this imposed on her? Republican Rep. Greg Smith, his voice cracking with emotion, remarked of the proposed restrictions. I want to know, what did my beautiful daughter do wrong to where she cant protect herself? I dont get it. Meanwhile, Sen. Lew Frederick, a Democrat from Portland, said when he sees someone in his neighborhood with a long gun over their shoulder, I wonder who they're hunting. Portland experienced 268 shootings during the first three months of this year, compared with 392 for the same time frame last year, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Legislation in state capitals across the nation this week similarly highlights the red-blue divide on guns: __ In Washington state, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign, as early as this week, legislation going through the Democrat-majority state Legislature that would ban many semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15s and other rifles that fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload. The bill passed both the state House and Senate but needs an additional vote in the House. __ In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is scheduled to sign legislation Thursday that will implement stricter background checks and safe storage requirements for firearms. The legislation is part of an 11-bill gun safety package that was introduced after a gunman killed three students at Michigan State University on Feb. 13 the states second mass shooting in 15 months. __ In Florida, a bill passed by the Republican-dominated statehouse allows people to carry concealed firearms without a permit, and without training or a background check. Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this month, it takes effect July 1. __ In Kentucky and Tennessee, each of which experienced a mass shooting in the past two weeks, GOP lawmakers who dominate both statehouses have long resisted limiting gun access. However, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee asked lawmakers Tuesday to pass legislation that would keep firearms out of the hands of people who could harm themselves or others. One of those killed in the March 27 school shooting in Nashville was a close friend of Lee's wife. In Oregon, the Joint Ways and Means Committee sent the broad gun safety bill to the House floor for a vote last week after a wrenching debate. An extraordinary number of Oregonians about 1,000 submitted written testimony for or against the 17-page measure. In a nod to hunters, the bill doesn't prohibit a person at least 18 years of age from possessing a single-shot rifle; several types of shotguns; a repeating rifle that has a bolt, lever, pump, or revolving action; a rifle with an attached magazine for .22-caliber rounds; or a muzzleloader rifle. "Those are your guns that are traditionally made for hunting, Rep. Jason Kropf, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said in an interview Wednesday. "In my mind, there are guns that are made for hunting. And if you're under the age of 21, you can have those. There are guns that are made for shooting people, and we're going to limit access to those. Democrats say Republicans who raised concerns about losing the rite of passage of taking a teen hunting are missing the point. The rite of passage that drives me nuts is the rite of passage that my neighbors have to go to funeral after damn funeral, Frederick said, banging the table with his fist. The Oregon bill would also make the manufacture or importation into the state of an undetectable firearm a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. Possession of a so-called ghost gun, such as one made with a 3D printer, would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and/or a fine up to $6,250. In 2021, the Legislature gave local school districts the authority to prohibit firearms on school grounds. The new bill would expand that, giving locally elected governments the ability to adopt rules restricting firearms and concealed carry in their facilities and adjacent grounds. The measure was scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Wednesday. But bills are stacked up because minority Republicans have insisted that each one be read in full, to slow the Democrats' agenda. A machine is being used to speed-read the bills. Passage by the House would send it to the Senate for consideration. ___ This story has been updated to correct Portland shootings data. ___ Associated Press reporters Lisa Baumann in Seattle; Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan; and Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 59F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. (The Center Square) - North Dakota U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday that blocked the implementation of the Biden administration's clean water rule, also known as WOTUS. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers published the rule on Jan. 18 that brings the country's wetlands, streams and other waterways under federal jurisdiction. The rule was implemented during the Obama administration and repealed under the Trump administration. Twenty-three states and several organizations joined North Dakota in the lawsuit filed on Feb. 21. Hovland said in his order that the EPA exceeded its statutory authority and could be unconstitutional. "The first category under the new Rule are traditional navigable waters, territorial seas, and interstate waters," Hovland said. "The EPA has now taken the position that 'interstate waters' includes all such waterseven those that are not 'connected to navigable waters' in any manner. There are serious questions whether this is a permissible construction of the Clean Water Act as the Rule essentially reads non-navigability out of the Act. And does the Clean Water Act support making every wetland, stream, tributary or other water traversing a border subject to federal jurisdiction?" Hovland said claims by North Dakota and West Virginia officials that the rule would cause their agencies harm outweighed the harm the injunction could do. "An injunction at this early stage can avoid the massive waste of resources and delayed projects in pursuit of permits that may soon be legally irrelevant," Hovland said. "By contrast, the EPA will not suffer any real harm that would justify a denial of injunctive relief. And any potential harm the federal agencies may suffer from compliance with an injunction is not enough to tip the scales at this stage. In fact, it is difficult to see what those potential harms may be." The EPA said in an email to The Center Square that the agencies are reviewing the decision and their options. "The agencies continue to believe the rule, which is informed by the text of the relevant provisions of the Clean Water Act and the statute as a whole, as well as the scientific record, relevant Supreme Court case law, input from public comment, and the agencies' experience and technical expertise after more than 45 years of implementing the longstanding pre-2015 regulations defining waters of the United States, is the best interpretation of the Clean Water Act," the agency said. "In light of the preliminary injunctions, the agencies are interpreting 'waters of the United States"' consistent with the pre-2015 regulatory regime in 26 States until further notice. The agencies remain committed to establishing and implementing a durable definition of "waters of the United States" informed by diverse perspectives." Gov. Doug Burgum said the rule would have created confusion and driven up costs for consumers. "North Dakota has some of the cleanest air and water in the nation because we responsibly develop our natural resources and properly exercise our state's authority to protect our own waters from pollution," Burgum said. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond also praised the ruling. "The Biden administration routinely infringes on the 10th Amendment rights of Oklahoma and other states, but today the Court put that overreach on hold," Drummond said in a statement. (The Center Square) Lawmakers are outraged after reports that federal COVID-relief tax dollars may have gone to wealthy hospitals while avoiding helping out poor hospitals in recovering from the pandemic. Republican members of Congress have raised this very question, asking why $17 billion of COVID-19 relief funds was used by hospitals with profits topping more than $53 billion, while $35 billion went to hospitals that reported a loss of almost $130 billion. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., launched an investigation this week into the Department of Health and Human Services over the matter, the latest of several questions about about how trillions of COVID-19 relief dollars were spent, or misspent. The federal spending spree during the COVID-19 pandemic produced historic amounts of waste and fraud, and American families are paying a steep price as a result, Heritage Foundation Budget expert David Ditch told The Center Square. The exact amount is impossible to calculate because so much was given in so many directions. The lawmakers sent a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding answers for why rural hospitals were battling bankruptcy while wealthier hospitals received more funds. It is crucial that we understand how the Department of Health and Human Services distributed these funds to hospitals that did not need it while hospitals in need received minimal benefit, the letter said. We request documents and communications to assist the Committees oversight of HHSs administration of COVID-19 relief funds to low-income hospitals. This isnt the first time COVID-19 relief funding has come under scrutiny. Lawmakers passed six bills totaling about $4.6 trillion in spending post pandemic, most of which has already been spent. Even though state and local governments did not see a meaningful drop in tax revenue, Congress still shoveled hundreds of billions of dollars in 'relief' their way, Ditch said. With money to burn, states embarked on a spending spree of their own that featured boondoggles, corporate welfare, and food stamp expansions for wealthy households. Much of the funding passed in the wake of COVID-19 was lost to waste, fraud and abuse, watchdog groups say. Massive increases in federal unemployment benefits led to individuals and criminal networks targeting the program for easy money, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in fraudulent claims, Ditch said. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) also suffered from large amounts of fraud, with just one notable example including a Georgia man using a PPP loan to buy a $57,000 Pokemon trading card. The Government Accountability Office has documented this kind of waste at length. From GAOs February report: While fraud and accountability issues will continue to occur in COVID-19 relief programs, there is already ample evidence of widespread fraud, improper payments, and accountability deficiencies during the pandemic. For example, GAO found that from March 2020 through January 13, 2023, at least 1,044 individuals pleaded guilty to or were convicted at trial of federal charges of defrauding COVID-19 relief programs. This includes the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (COVID-19 EIDL) program, the Department of Labor's (DOL) Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, and economic impact payments issued by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. As The Center Square previously reported, billions of dollars went to equity warriors in schools, sparking backlash. For example, California used ESSER funds for training in environmental literacy, ethnic studies, and LGBTQ+ cultural competency, Republican lawmakers said in a letter last year to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. New York used part of the $9 billion it received to provide staff development on culturally responsive sustaining instruction and privilege and to recognize equity warriors. Illinois received $5.1 billion, which it partially used to emphasize equity and diversity and make equity driven investments. At least ten other state plans included proposals to use the ESSER funds to implement racially biased curriculum and programs based on Critical Race Theory. The federal Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan were reportedly rushing funds out the door, leading to significant issues. Unemployment insurance also saw high levels of waste. The Department of Labor Inspector General estimated about 42% of the pandemic unemployment dollars were misspent, with 20% going to fraudulent recipients. [Employment and Training Administration] and states made significant efforts; however, they did not protect pandemic-related UI funds from historic levels of improper payments, including fraud, the IG said in its report from last September. We attribute this to four causes. The watchdog group pointed to government failures that allowed large-scale fraud. Specifically, states did not perform eligibility testing, ETAs oversight was not timely enough, PUA initially allowed claimants to self-certify their eligibility, and ETA suspended 1 of their primary oversight tools for the first 3 months of the CARES Act, the report said. Furthermore, ETAs interpretation of its regulations hindered the OIGs timely and complete access to state UI claims data to assist in detecting and deterring large-scale fraud. The Montana state Capitol in Helena on the opening day of the 2023 legislative session on Jan. 2, 2023. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) Gov. Greg Gianfortes proposed adoption tax credit passed the first hurdle on the Senate floor on Tuesday, along with two House abortion bills and a bill protecting against purported discrimination in the real estate industry. The adoption tax credit proposed in House Bill 225 would provide a $7,500 state income tax credit for parents who adopt children from the state foster care system and $5,000 for all qualifying adoptions. The credit would apply retroactively to all adoptions on or after July 1, 2022, and is effective through the end of 2031. Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, said in opposition to the bill that a Title IV-E subsidy is already given to families who adopt children in the state, and pays up to $2,000 of out-of-pocket costs, but those who qualify for the subsidy would not qualify for the new tax credit. Kids with emotional and/or physical disabilities, minority children, kids over age 6, and kinship adoptions where a family member adopts a child would not apply, she said. There are so many kids out there who deserve a loving family, and this bill doesnt support them, she said. This bill supports wealthy families who are already choosing to adopt certain types of infants. Most of them, frankly, are likely not even going to be Montana kids. Boldman said the $5,000 was going to go to private adoption agencies to subsidize international travel for international adoptions. Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, who carried the bill sponsored by Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, said he hoped Boldman would change her vote. If it benefits one child, thats enough for me, Hertz said. We have kids who are not in the foster care system who need help. Their families need help in order to get these kids to get into a permanent home. The bill passed 30-20 with bipartisan support and opposition. Two abortion bills also passed the Senate on second reading a bill from Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, to define fetal viability at 24 weeks and a bill from Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, that would put in statute an amended version of LR-131, which Montana voters rejected last fall. Abortions are protected in Montana until the fetus is viable, meaning it could survive outside the womb, under the 1999 state Supreme Court decision Armstrong vs. State. Sheldon-Galloways House Bill 575 was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee to add a requirement medical practitioners perform and keep record of an ultrasound. The bill also includes a presumption of viability, meaning if the medical professional is unsure if the fetus is viable, it legally would be considered viable. Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, said that the bill would add unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy, especially during what may be a difficult time for a family. Dr. Timothy Mitchell, an OB/GYN, said in opposition to the bill in committee that less than 1% of abortions happen after 20 weeks, and that most of these pregnancies are wanted, but may experience complications like severe birth defects. Dunwell spoke about her own experience in pregnancy and remembered contemplating the path forward with her husband after being told their son may be born with a developmental disability. Its a personal decision, not a government decision, she said. Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, said, Every once in a while, in this place of ours here, the duplicity of our actions smacks me upside the head, and today is one of those days. Flowers said that many folks who would vote for the bill voted against funding for Medicaid developmental disability waivers in Senate Finance and Claims. He said the waiting list for disability waivers is huge and that HB575 would only bring more disabled persons into the world. I think we need to also consider that we have to assist families and those folks as they arrive into our world, he said. Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell, responded to Flowers, I take great exception exceptional exception to the concept of disabled children or disabled unborn children are not deserving of being brought into this world. Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls, who carried the bill in the Senate, said there are many disabled people who value their life. As a society, our responsibility is to protect those who cannot protect themselves, Emrich said. The bill passed 30-20, with four Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. House Bill 625 from Seekins-Crowe is the legislatures attempt to codify LR-131, the Born Alive ballot initiative that failed last fall, which would have required doctors to save any infant born alive after an abortion later in pregnancy. The new language says parents or guardians can turn down medical treatment under certain circumstances when a baby is not expected to survive, a major critique from the movement against LR-131 last fall. Every physician medical provider has taken the oath to do no harm, said Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, who carried the bill in the Senate. This bill holds medical providers accountable to that oath by requiring them to provide life-saving care to a born alive infant as they would provide to the mother. Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, said the bill, no matter how its packaged, is still an attack on the freedom of women to control their bodies. Sen. Denise Hayman, D-Bozeman, listed opponents to LR-131, which included the Montana Medical Association, Montana Primary Care Association, the Montana chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, and the Montana Nurses Association. Anti-abortion activists are trying to enact by statute what Montanans already rejected through voting, she said. House Bill 443, which is written to prohibit discrimination based on freedom of speech in the real estate industry, was drafted after a Missoula pastor and realtor was cited for an ethics complaint with the National Association of Realtors that accused him of anti-LGBTQ hate speech. His attorney said the organization was pushing anti-Christian bigotry. Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork, said this was a freedom bill. Fuller said there are professional organizations looking to promote an agenda that violates free exercise of peoples beliefs. What this bill does is it protects those freedoms, Fuller said. Sen. Barry Usher, R-Billings, said the pastors statements had nothing to do with their real estate practice and the Real Estate Organization went too far. Sen. Andrea Olsen, D-Missoula, said it is a private organization that can establish its own code of ethics. Even the legislature has decorum rules, Olsen said. The bill passed 34-16. All bills will need to pass third reading before advancing. The post Abortion legislation, Gianfortes adoption credit bill, advance in Senate appeared first on Daily Montanan. Rep. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, opens testimony on his House Bill 234, which aims to criminalize teachers and school librarians who provide students with material deemed to be "obscene," on Friday, April 7 in the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) Backers of an obscenity bill that seeks to criminalize school staff told a Senate committee Friday afternoon the committee chair was censoring speech when a proponent tried to read passages from a book aloud, while another told lawmakers: It looks like there needs to be some book burning. In the proponent testimony today, I heard words like afraid, mistrust, references to books like Sherman Alexies, and things like book burning, said lobbyist Sam Forstag, testifying in opposition to House Bill 234 on behalf of the Montana Library Association. Were better than that, Montana. I think were still better than that in Montana. I hope thats something that is as disturbing to you, as committee members, as it is to me. Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee Chairperson Sen. Dan Salomon, R-Ronan, tamped down testimony from Heather Higgs, whose efforts to get a book removed from Gallatin High School curriculum were denied by the Bozeman school board earlier this year, as she attempted to read sexual excerpts from Alexies The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a 2007 National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature, into the public record. Hang on, youre not doing that in here, Salomon said. Were having a hearing and were having good decorum in the Senate. Thats exactly why we need this bill, sir, Higgs said. Higgs was one of two dozen proponents of Rep. Bob Phalens bill that seeks to implement criminal penalties against school librarians and teachers who provide students with material deemed to be obscene a group that also included House Speaker Matt Regier, R-Kalispell; Rep. Lee Deming, R-Kalispell; Office of Public Instruction Director of Family Engagement Jenna McKinney; Ennis School Board Chair Kyle Stone; and Montana Family Foundation President Jeff Laszloffy. Even though my school district does not have obscene materials at least none that Im aware of anyway, other districts in the state may. Other districts decisions have negative impacts on all of us as the discussion spreads through social media and other media outlets, Stone said. Not intervening at the legislative level will continue to increase division in our communities and amplify mistrust in our public school system statewide. Much of the discussion on both sides of Phalens controversial bill centered around what can be defined as obscene and how peoples differing perspectives could result in vastly different outcomes should his bill be signed into law. Proponents of the bill decried decisions by several locally elected Montana school boards not to ban books they objected to, while opponents told the committee their counterparts were furthering national political messaging that disregarded Montana teachers, librarians and school boards and their efforts to give students good, well-rounded educations and make those decisions at a local level. Montanas kids are seeing these insinuations that their teachers are indoctrinating them, lying to them, hurting them. And thats undermining their relationships with their schools, said Sarah Piper, the director of public policy and research with the Montana Federation of Public Employees. Please dont drive a further wedge between parents, kids and their teachers by waging a national culture war here in Montana. Phalens bill narrowly passed the House in early February in a 53-45 vote and awaited its first Senate committee hearing for nearly two months. In mid-March, the Senate denied a motion from Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, to have the bill sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, made up of more hardline Republicans, on an 18-32 vote. The Lindsay Republicans bill would subject school teachers and librarians to fines up to $500 and six months of jail time if they were convicted of providing obscene material to children. It was previously amended to remove those liabilities for museum and public library employees. Rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, a former attorney, told the committee about two people he represented who were charged with violating Montanas obscenity law only to be found not guilty or have the charges dropped. He said each charge not only severely damaged each persons reputation despite them both being cleared, both also incurred large costs in attorneys and court fees. He asked the committee if it wants to add another burden to qualified teachers and public schools in a time when Montana already faces teacher shortages. You can bet therell be complaints about particular books, films, etc. We heard them today. Weve heard them in the news and other states, Stafman said. It doesnt take much. All thats needed is a complainant to persuade one of our 56 county attorneys to bring the case, and that teachers life, or a librarians life and reputation, will be destroyed regardless of the outcome. Stafman answered questions from lawmakers for about 20 minutes, and explained how the Miller test, used to find where materials cross the line into obscenity, is complex because of peoples different opinions and standards as to what is offensive. The Miller test contains three prongs: Whether the average person applying contemporary community standards would find the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. Obscenity is also defined in Montana code; the portion of statute takes a similar stance as the Miller test. Stafman explained that when people only use excerpts of material, taken out of context, it can have a dangerous and chilling effect. In the case of teachers and librarians being pressured, he said, they might remove legitimate material to not get close to the line of obscenity. Thats one of the most dangerous parts of this, is that we deprive our kids of good material just because were scared and because the consequences are so severe, Stafman said. Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls, queried Stafman as to what parents should do if a school board ignored their pleas to ban certain materials even if they had gone through the proper review process and were not removed. Remember, we live in a democracy, Stafman said, noting that all 33 bills he brought forth this session had been tabled. We would hope school boards will listen to them or theyll vote them out. But thats how it is. In public schools, you dont always get your way. You have the right to be heard, like Im heard here. You dont have the right to have your way. Some opponents of Phalens bill said if the legislature felt it needed to address the topic of books in schools, it should back House Bill 913 from Rep. Bob Barker, R-Roberts, which puts an exact process in place for school boards to consider and reconsider materials in school libraries. The bill passed the House in a 68-30 bipartisan vote earlier this month with the no votes coming from the right wing of the Republican party. The intent of Rep. Barkers bill was to turn down the heat on this topic, which is being fueled by national debate, yet very rarely has been an issue in the schools in our state, said Jana Hess-Herbert, who noted her daughter is a librarian in Kalispell. Six school children also testified against the bill Friday afternoon, saying they felt it would restrict their learning opportunities, especially for any of their classmates trying to learn more about LGBTQ+ topics and experiences. Kellen Alger, a public school teacher in Helena, offered lawmakers to come to his classroom 200 yards down the street on Broadway and see that he was not there indoctrinating or pushing his values on anyone. He said as a teacher, his job is to create and build relationships, and as a parent, he doesnt want others creating blanket rules and regulations for his own children. Im a parent. I can make those decisions, he said. More than 30 people testified against Phalens bill, including teachers, librarians and parents from across the state who said the bill sought to take away parental control, control from local principals, superintendents and school boards, and to further the teacher shortage by driving educators away from Montana. Phalen had handed out images from the book Gender Queer as exhibits during the hearing, and in his closing, asked the panel if the images were ones they wanted their children and grandchildren to get their hands on. He then handed out another picture of children playing together in what appeared to be the 1950s or 60s. All my opponents can think about is the penalty, which is only a misdemeanor. It seems that the children here are just playing second fiddle. So, lets be adults and the good examples for them to follow, he said. Just remember that this picture here because this is where we used to be. This was our kids, and this is where I grew up. And this kind of a lifestyle we were never bombarded with sexualizing materials. The committee did not take executive action on Phalens bill Friday evening and is next scheduled to meet on Wednesday. An opponent of the bill said they believed the committee could take action later this week. The post Opponents ask committee to kill Montana obscenity bill as backer calls for book burning appeared first on Daily Montanan. A new analysis of the outlook for the UK beef sector has pointed to crucial global factors which will give farmers cause for optimism, despite uncertainties at home. Over the past 12 months, farmgate prices for beef cattle have hit record levels. In the early months of 2023, steers consistently fetched close to the 5 per kilo mark in the deadweight market. The average price in England and Wales sat at 4.85 per kilo at the end of March 17% higher than the levels seen in 2022, and 33% higher than the 5-year average for the time of year. The report, part of Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) market insight series, points to significant challenges for both farmers and consumers at home. GB retail figures suggest that domestic consumers are feeling the cost of living pinch, with the proportion of beef sold as cheaper mince products increasing to 54%, which has an impact on the profitability of the supply chain. And farm input costs, although lower than they were in the immediate aftermath of Russias invasion of Ukraine last year, are still historically high, putting pressure on farm business margins. However, an analysis of global data suggests that worldwide demand, which has helped to underpin farmgate prices, will continue to be buoyant. In 2022, the volume of beef exports from Wales jumped by 20% on the previous year, with the trade worth around 75m to Welsh farmers and processors. HCCs intelligence insight executive, Glesni Phillips said: By looking at cattle population data, we can see that beef production in GB as a whole is set to increase slightly in the short term. "Given the challenges we face in terms of the impact of the cost of living crisis on British consumers, this could have led to a shift in the balance of supply and demand and a fall in farmgate prices. However, she added that a tight global supply of beef was likely to continue to have a significant impact. Production may be set to increase somewhat in GB and some other countries such as Brazil and China in 2023," Ms Phillips said. "But this is offset by likely reductions in output in Europe, including Ireland, and a significant fall in the amount of beef produced in the USA. These factors should give some confidence to beef producers in Wales over the next 18 months," she said. Farmers in England could miss out on revenue from agritourism this year due to the UKs 'failing' planning system, the sector has warned. Statistics have revealed that the number of standard minor commercial planning decisions - including those for agritourism projects - fell by more than 50% between 2017 and 2022. Yet despite the fall, the proportion of decisions made by local planning authorities after the statutory eight week limit almost doubled, leaving hundreds of applicants across the UK frustrated. This, along with a delay in the governments consultation into permanently extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for camping, means the opportunity for farmers to earn revenue from tourism this year is being hampered. According to the figures, a total of 6,710 standard minor commercial planning decisions were submitted in England in 2017, with 12.3% (824) failing to be decided on in the statutory eight week period. However, by last year the number of planning decisions plummeted to just 3,205 but the proportion of those that failed to meet the eight-week deadline soared to 23.1% (739). Dan Yates, founder of outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com, described the figures as a kick in the teeth for farmers. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of standard minor commercial planning decisions more than halved yet the proportion of those that failed to be decided upon within the statutory time limit almost doubled. Whereas some of this is due to the more complex applications being submitted in a different way, the situation overall is absurd." He added: "Youd have thought with far fewer decisions overall, planning authorities would be able to hit the deadline on all but the most complex of applications. "But the figures show this isnt the case at all, in fact their performance has sunk to a five-year low which has a huge knock on effect for farmers trying to set up diversification projects. Although many farmers apply for full planning permission to set up permanent agritourism projects, others rely on PDR to run seasonal caravan and camping sites. PDR enables farmers and landowners to run a pop-up campsite for 28 days per year without applying for extra planning permission, but this is often unprofitable due to the cost of hiring facilities such as toilets and shower units. Just over a month ago, the government launched a consultation into permanently extending PDR to 60 days per year for up to 30 tents. But according to Mr Yates, the outcome of the consultation will come too late for farmers struggling to make a living this year. 2023 is shaping up to be a record year for camping, he said. But with the consultation likely to take months, the measly 28-day PDR looks set to remain in place for the holiday season, despite bookings levels 40% up on last year. This is a shame because PDR is often the way by which farmers get into diversification projects. Once theyre successful, they then apply for full planning permission. But with the planning system broken too, any application for an agritourism project potentially faces lengthy delays." During the pandemic, the government temporarily extended PDR to 56 days to help the rural economy recover from the impact of lockdowns. The move injected an extra 25m into the rural economy in 2021, yet despite this, PDR returned to 28 days at the end of that year. Farmers are being urged to ramp up security in their farmyards and fields as GPS thefts have surged by nearly a third. The latest figures from NFU Mutual reveal the cost of GPS theft has gone up 30% in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year. In recent weeks, thefts of expensive GPS kits have been reported in the east, south west and north of England, sparking concern other parts of the UK could be next. The rural insurer has urged farmers to increase their security as thieves look to cash in on increased farmyard and field work activities. Earlier this month, thieves stole GPS systems worth approximately 150,000 from farms across Norfolk. And two men who stole GPS kits and other technical farming equipment were recently sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. Bob Henderson, who leads NFU Mutuals Agricultural Engineering Field Team, said it was 'extremely concerning' that thieves were taking advantage of increased spring activity to identify targets. As well as stealing vital equipment, criminals are leaving a trail of damage as they smash glass to gain access and crudely cut wires," he warned. "Not only is this costly, but the theft of GPS kits can hinder farming operations as well as place additional pressures on the business. Were urging all farmers to be on their guard and review and update their security, such as removing GPS equipment when not in use and storing it away from the machines." He added: "It is also worth taking pictures of the kit and recording any serial numbers. Police intelligence shows offenders are willing to travel across the UK to steal GPS kits and immediately export them out of the country. Criminal gangs often target agricultural machinery dealerships as well as farms. DC Chris Piggott, from the National Construction and Agri Thefts Team (NCATT), which forms part of the National Rural Crime Unit, said it was 'incredibly important' for farmers to remove GPS kits and store it elsewhere. It may seem impractical, but GPS kits are hard to replace and if stolen, will severely impact a farms ability to carry out vital fieldwork," DC Piggott explained. Id also encourage anyone to overtly mark them so that they are undesirable for resale purposes." How can I better protect GPS kits? To protect GPS systems from thieves, NFU Mutual has issued farmers the following advice: Activate PIN security on GPS kit with your own unique number if available If your system is not pin enabled, mark your postcode to deter thieves and trace your property back to you Keep tractors and combines with GPS fitted stored out of sight when possible Remove GPS kit when possible from tractors and other machinery and store it securely when not in use Record serial numbers and photograph your kit Check serial numbers of second-hand kit offered for sale A UK agri-tech firm specialising in the next generation of green insecticides has secured a further round of investment, totalling 4 million. The funds will be used to scale up the development of SOLASTA Bio's unique nature-inspired pesticides, the first of their kind to be developed worldwide. Based in Glasgow, the firm develops environmentally-friendly Insect Control Agents (ICAs) that meet a global need for new and effective crop protection. These ICAs also aim to preserve the ecosystem by protecting beneficial insects such as bees and other pollinators. Investment in the latest pre-Series A funding round was led by Yield Lab Europe, with other investors including Rubio Impact Ventures, Scottish Enterprise, Cavallo Ventures, SIS Ventures, UKI2S. This latest round brings the total raised by SOLASTA Bio to 5.5 million. The company has developed the world's first technology platform for creating neuropeptide-based insect control products that are nature-inspired. The products effectively target insect pests while preserving beneficial pollinators such as bees in an environmentally friendly manner. Disturbance of target physiological processes by neuropeptide-based ICAs leads to a reduction in pest species. SOLASTA Bios platform can be mobilised for any pest of interest. With its latest funding secured, SOLASTA Bio is aiming to scale up its UK and US operations, and create 25 jobs by expanding its technical and commercial teams. Having run several successful early-stage R&D trials with commercial partners, SOLASTA is on course to bring its first ICAs to market in 2027. This is in at least half the time traditionally taken by synthetic pest control products. Shireen Davies, CEO of SOLASTA Bio said the firm was confident that its technology provided the solution and had the potential to make a huge impact. She said: "Weve spent the past 18 months developing our platform and validating peptide candidates with expert third parties and commercial partners. "Were really excited by the results and feel that were ready to take the next step towards commercialising our technology." Harry Howarth, investment manager at SIS Ventures added: "Theres a clear industry demand for their eco-friendly insect control agents, with significant benefits for crop protection. "Were looking forward to continuing our work with Shireen and the team as they move one step closer to bringing these products to market. A terrified British shopper was left reeling in horror after finding a huge huntsman spider in his pack of bananas. Man finds huntsman spider in his pack of bananas Craig Harrison, from Windsor, made the shocking discovery after returning from a shopping trip at local supermarket Tesco. The 35-year-old man munched on one banana before noticing the scary and evil-looking eight-legged beast inside the bag with its egg sac that can contain up to 200 spider babies. Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "Initially, I was just in shock. I stumbled backwards and lost my balance. I didnt think I was scared of spiders until this but it turns out I might have developed something. After capturing the spider in a plastic Tupperware box he took it back to Tesco, and pest control experts were able to confirm the huntsman spider came from suppliers in the Dominican Republic. The arachnids are the worlds biggest species of spider that can grow to 12 inches across and have been known to hide in banana plants. Whilst theyre venom is not deadly, it can cause an array of nasty symptoms in humans, including heart palpitations, headaches and vomiting. Craig was offered 100 compensation from Tesco following the passenger in his shopping but insists he wants more as the "money doesnt even come to a big weekly shop". One of the most interesting facets of writing is that each line vividly depicts the writer. Every writer has their own flavour, set of attributes, and expertise. Only a hardworking few can develop a fan following around the piece of art that theyre creating. Author Puja Guha In the genre of espionage, where weve seen some phenomenal writing from the likes of Charles Cumming, Alan Furst, and Paul Vidich, one name has undoubtedly made its way into the hearts of all those intrigued by mystery, action, and love. Presenting the woman of the hour and the writer behind one of the most exciting spy-fiction books of todayPuja Guha! So, what has she been up to? With the latest instalment of The Ahriman Legacy, we see the return of the iconic Petra Shirazi, Kasem, and Carlos. This time, were delving into a more psychological and drama-driven narrative that illustrates the level of versatility Puja can conjure with her words. While every writer has an ace up their sleeve, Puja has two. The Ahriman Legacy has become nothing less than a brand. Pujas writing style is intricate; she weaves words into her fabric, creating a whole world for her readers to explore. But her flagship series has us curious for more. So, we spoke to the author and got all the details on her creative process and behind-the-scenes. She had quite the insights to share and some comprehensive tips on how she does what she does! A good writer has many teachers, and Puja makes sure she extracts the best from every book she reads. She draws inspiration from the most unconventional of places, delving deep into her inventiveness. But words can only do so much. There are perks to being an independent consultant; Puja gets to travel a lot. Shes been to the most fascinating cities, inspiring her to adapt realistic descriptions and locations into her books. When you read The Ahriman Legacy, you are transported to not just one world of the writers making but many. The series has been a captivating read for her fans and critics alike. The history and events that have transpired in the setting and locations invite you to become a part of it. Puja takes us from the historical metropolis of Kuwait to Burundi, the heart of Africa, in Reckoning from the Shadows. Puja emphasizes the countrys traumatic history and its abundance of nature, which she helps her readers explore as if they were there. Pujas attention to detail is meticulous and authentic, a treat for all those seeking to flip through the pages of her mind-blowing series. When it comes to the characters, you dont see Kasem, Petra, and the gang bound by fiction; its like you know them and have grown with them through the story. Weve seen Petra and Kasems relationship develop from Ahriman III: Resurgence of the Hunt, and look where they are now. Without spoiling too much, at the start of the book, the dynamic duo of Petra and Kasem breaks down their walls and perseveres. But heres what will excite you whats so beautiful about The Ahriman Legacy is that the side characters, too, make their mark. Puja doesnt write your average antagonist; hers are gripping and relatable! It takes a true genius to create villains that appeal to the massesin her case, espionage aficionados. Most writers would show their villains in some high-flying action from the get-go; Puja prefers taking her time and giving us readers breadcrumbs on the characters until the finale, which worked out great for one character in particular in the latest instalment of The Ahriman Legacywho shall not be named! But whats the secret behind writing such larger-than-life characters? According to Puja, she lets them be their own person. Writers would agree there comes a point in the creative process where the character just seems to write itself. Even though youre their creator and breathed them to life, your role becomes limited to that of a spectator as they move toward their defining moments themselves. Pujas books have plenty of these moments. Petra has been a fan favourite since day one, and rightfully so. In a world where girls seek inspiration to fight the bad guys, Petra Shirazi, witty, strong, and elegant, does not disappoint. Exciting locations, relatable characters, and to-die-for plotswhats next for our author and her critically acclaimed series? For the future of her books, Puja plans on a fifth instalment that she is currently busy writing, with a possible spin-off on the way as well. The Ahriman Legacy is a treat for spy-fiction lovers. If youre a fan of espionage and Puja Guhas spell-bounding world, much more is coming your way. So, buckle up! Arnold Schwarzenegger took to the streets of Los Angeles with a shovel to terminate a pothole which had been bothering his neighbours. Arnold Schwarzenegger has swapped politics and acting for filling in potholes The 75-year-old Hollywood action man - who spent nearly a decade as Governor of California - was filmed lugging bags of tarmac and filling in a large hole in the road to help out residents of his local community in the Brentwood area - insisting he wanted to do something about it instead of just complaining. In a post on Instagram, he wrote: "Today, after the whole neighbourhood has been upset about this giant pothole thats been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, lets not complain, lets do something about it. Here you go." In the video, Schwarzenegger was seen flattening down the new tarmac with a shovel and even using a broom to sweep up the mess after he was done. The clip also showed one of his neighbours stopping her car next to the site of the pothole and rolling down her window to thank the star for helping out. Arnie - who was labelled 'Tarminator' by fans on social media - then told her: "Youre welcome ... You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks Ive been waiting for this hole to be closed." It comes after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass insisted filling potholes is a priority for the city after winter storms left holes in roads all over the region. Speaking at a press conference last week, she explained: "City workers are pulling out all the stops, but not to just prepare for every pothole that is reported, but also to be proactive. That means driving around the city, throughout this district and all others, to assess the conditions of our streets and identify and repair the damage right away." Elon Musk has slammed media groups refusing to pay $1,000-a-month for Twitters corporate blue ticks as he thinks it is a small amount of money. Elon Musk has slammed media groups refusing to pay $1,000-a-month for Twitters corporate blue ticks as he thinks it is a small amount of money The worlds second-richest man, 51, who finalised his controversial Twitter buy-up for $44 billion in October, hit out after news outlets joined famous faces and even the White House in declaring they wouldnt fork out for a verified checkmark next to their name on the microblogging platform. Elon told the BBC in a surprise sit-down chat on Tuesday (11.04.23) night about the companys premium subscription plan: Its a small amount of money, so I dont know what their problem is. Business will need to pay $1,000 a month to retain their blue ticks in the Verified for Organizations programme, which is available worldwide as part of the Twitter Blue premium subscription that charges individuals $8 or $11 per month would have the badge. Elon also told the BBC Twitters legacy blue account tags will all be gone by next week. He previously said the company was going to remove them from accounts of verified users from 1 April but the changes have not yet widely taken place. Elon added he was making the move as he didnt want Twitter to promote some anointed class of journalists to spread news and level the platforms playing field. He said: Im hopeful that this can be more a case of the public choosing the narrative, as opposed to the media choosing the narrative. In November, dad-of-10 Elon slammed Twitters old verification programme as a lords and peasants system. CNN journalist Larry Madowo recently joined the list of famous people who lost their verification and rejected the idea of paying for it. He tweeted: I have no plans to pay for Twitter Blue at this time and neither does CNN. Twitter says my blue checkmark will soon disappear after 12 years of being verified. Anyone will be able to create an account in my name and get it verified for $8. What could possibly go wrong? Media outlets including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed, POLITICO and Vox have joined the list of organisations refusing to pay for Twitter Blue. Gerard Depardieu is facing sexual abuse allegations from 13 more women. Gerard Depardieu is facing sexual abuse allegations from 13 more women The 74-year-old Green Card actor has been hit by the accusations after French actress Charlotte Arnould, 33, accused the film icon of raping her at his Paris mansion in 2018. He has vehemently denied the womens claims after French online investigative newspaper Mediapart published a dossier on Wednesday (12.04.23) outlining how he allegedly preyed on them using similar methods, while shooting recent projects including Netflixs crime drama Marseille. A legal spokesman for the actor the second highest grossing big-screen star in the history of French cinema behind Louis de Funes said: He formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law. Mediaparts report said: Besides the complaint from Charlotte Arnould, we have gathered 13 accounts from women who say they were subjected to sexually inappropriate gestures or proposals by the famous actor, of differing levels of gravity. Across the different accounts, the same scene seemed to repeat itself. They are actresses, make-up artists and crew members. They attest to have been subjected to a hand on their buttock, between the legs, or on their thighs or stomach as well as obscene sexual propositions, and sometimes insistent groaning. The outlet claims the incidents were laughed off by people saying: Oh, ok, its just Gerard, and states similarities between the womens accounts include that thy were young and precarious actresses at the start of their careers when they were allegedly targeted. None of the 13 new complaints are currently filed as a legal complaints. It is said the actors alleged victims some of whom anonymously reported the claims feared they may never work again if they made an issue about their allegations against a star who has the heavyweight star power and cultural status to get movies funded. Mediapart said there was an asymmetry between, on the one hand, often young, precarious women, starting their career, and on the other, a world-famous actor, whose mere presence sometimes makes it possible to finance the film. Ms Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021 in protest at the length of time the investigation into her accusation is taking after Depardieu was charged with rape and sexual assault. Within days of his indictment, the actor was back at work on the Paris set of police drama 'Maigret and the Dead Girl. There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Ms Arnould in August 2018, but the actor said their relationship was consensual. Ms Arnould went public at the end of 2021 by posting a message on Twitter saying: I was raped by Gerard Depardieu. It was a year to the day since the actor was charged with attacking her at his Paris home in 2018 when she was aged 22. Ms Arnould, who knew Depardieu since she was a child and has appeared in films including The Art of the Crime, added: I am the victim of Depardieu. He's been indicted for over a year. I can no longer be silent. Depardieu is one of a series of power-players in the French arts establishment who were accused as part of the #MeToo movement of the rape or other abuse of young female models and actresses. Paris Hilton sees everything "differently" since she became a mother. Paris Hilton sees everything differently since she became a mom The 42-year-old socialite tied the knot with entrepreneur Carter Reum in 2021 and the pair welcomed their son Phoenix via surrogate in January 2023 but kept it a secret from everyone for several days and she has now admitted that she has become "so protective" of the little one. She told E! News: "I view everything differently being a mom now, I'm just so protective of my little angel. For me, no one even knew about him until he was like a week old so it was definitely hard to keep that secret in, but I just put it out on my podcast because I felt like I wanted to control the narrative. He just completes my life and he is such an angel. Seeing him smiling now, everything just melts my heart." Throughout her pregnancy, the 'Paris in Love' star kept schtum about her baby boy's moniker and refused to let up until days after his birth, but during an appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', Ellen correctly guessed the name and Paris has now admitted she "never thought" she would figure it out on the set of her talk show. "I was like 'How did she know?' I never thought she would guess! After Phoenix was born, Ellen took to social media to post a clip of an unearthed interview with Paris where she suggests naming her baby after the Arizona city. In the clip, Paris said: " I'm not going to say yet as I'm scared someone will steal the name!" Ellen replied: "Alright. We're going to take a break then. I'll guess it. I will! Phoenix?" Alongside the post, Ellen - who stepped down from hosting 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' in May 2022 - took the correct guess as a win and wondered if she would be winning one of the famous Hilton hotels as a prize. She captioned the post: "I named @ParisHilton's baby! What do I win?!?! A hotel?!?! Paris was on my show on 1/27/22 (sic)" At the time, Paris appeared to merely giggle at the suggestion but revealed on Wednesday that she had chosen the moniker for her son - whom she welcomed via surrogate - because she wanted it to go with her own location-based name. Speaking on her 'This Is Paris' podcast, she recited a passage from her upcoming memoir 'Paris', which read: "If all goes well, by the time you read this, Carter and I will have a baby boy. We plan to name him Phoenix, a name that I decided on years ago when I was searching cities, countries and states on a map looking for something to go with Paris and London. Prince Harrys trauma doctor says he didnt mean to diagnose the royal with a disease when he told him he had Attention Deficit Disorder. Prince Harrys trauma doctor says he didnt mean to diagnose the royal with a disease when he told him he had Attention Deficit Disorder Dr Gabor Mate, 79, who specialises in traumas and childhood development, told the Duke of Sussex, 38, in March during a paid-for online question and answer session the royal was suffering from the neurological condition as they also discussed the impact of Princess Dianas death. The self-help guru has now said in a chat with The Guardian newspaper: I wasnt diagnosing him with a disease. I said, Youve got no disease. I said, You've got a normal response to abnormal circumstances. Because if a child is stressed like he was, or I was, what do you do with that stress? You cant escape it, so what do you do? The brain tunes out? But this is happening when the brain is developing and that affects its circuitry. Dr Mate told Harry in March: Whether you like it or not, I diagnosed you with ADD. It takes one to know one, so I share that diagnosis. Dad-of-two Harry, who has children Archie, three, and 22-month-old Lilibet with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 41, responded: Okay. Should I accept that or should I look into it? He also joked to Dr Mate during the 19-per-ticket chat: Thanks for the free session. Dr Mate, 79, is a controversial figure who has provoked outrage due to past comments, including a comparison of Hamas to the Jewish heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against Nazis. The Holocaust survivor has also defended Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and he once branded the Israeli government terrorists. Dr Mate was branded in stories about his chat with Harry as a so-called trauma expert, and a Holocaust survivor who hails Hamas as heroes, which he told The Guardian left him upset. He said: I thought by this age I was past that stuff. The doctor added the stories and social media trolling left him roiling inside with upset and even some degree of shame. He added about reaching out to a psychiatrist friend who he said asked him: What is it about this whole thing that upset you so much? Dr Mate said: Thats my trigger. If somebody disagrees with me, thats great, I dont care. But let them see me and let them disagree with what I actually say and who I actually am and not their distortion. Cambodia has included garments among potential products that can be exported to Turkiye in greater volume. Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Turkiye witnessed a growth of 70 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year. Cambodia's garment exports also jumped 110 per cent to $84.143 million last year. If both countries intensify their efforts to boost trade, textiles may be the major products to get a boost. Officials from Cambodia's ministry of commerce recently held a virtual conference with their counterparts from Turkiye. They shared ideas and experiences to enhance economic cooperation, trade, and investment. They also discussed the feasibility study for an economic agreement between them. Cambodia has identified garments as potential exports to Turkiye, following a 70 per cent growth in bilateral trade in 2022. Its garment exports to Turkiye increased by 110 per cent to $84.143 million last year. Cambodian and Turkish commerce officials recently held a virtual conference to discuss enhancing economic cooperation, trade, and investment. Cambodia's apparel exports to Turkiye have noticed an upward trend after the COVID disruption. The outbound shipment reduced to $37.564 million in 2020 from $48.314 million in 2019. The export value was at $56.782 million in 2018. It increased to $40.609 million in 2021 and $84.143 million in 2022, according to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro. Cambodia's import of garments from Turkiye was negligible. Cambodia was an importer of fabric from Turkiye. However, the trade was not very large. Cambodia imported fabric worth $9.385 million in 2022, which was lower than the shipment of $13.025 million in 2021. The inbound shipment was noted at $12.099 million in 2020, $7.842 million in 2019, and $4.935 million in 2018, as per TexPro. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) On Tuesday, commuters were caught off guard when actress and politician Hema Malini was spotted using the Mumbai Metro. The actress tweeted that it took her two hours to drive from Mumbai to Dahisar, a suburb. She described the trip as "tiring," but she stated that she changed her mind and decided to use the Metro, arriving at her destination in about 30 minutes. Hema Malini posted numerous images and videos documenting her most recent Metro trip. "I must share with all of you my unique, wonderful experience. Drove 2 hours to reach Dahisar by car, so tiring! In the eve decided I would try the metro, and OMG! What a joy it was! True, we went through tough times during the constr, but worth it! Clean, fast & ws in Juhu in 1/2 hr," she shared on her Instagram. 'After my metro experience, decided to go by auto from DN Nagar to Juhu & that too was fulfilled. Landed by auto at my house & the dazed security could not believe their eyes! All in all, a wonderful, pleasurable experience for me! In the metro with the public,'' she shared in a second post. After my metro experience, decided to go by auto from DN Nagar to Juhu & that too was fulfilled. Landed by auto at my house & the dazed security could not believe their eyes! All in all, a wonderful, pleasurable experience for me! In the metro with the publicAAAAAA pic.twitter.com/Whr7mOIRM8 Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) April 11, 2023 The actor-politician, who was clad in a pink blouse and white trousers, was seen in the video exchanging selfies with other riders inside the Mumbai Metro. She also took ab auto after her Metro experience. She rode the bus from DN Nagar to Juhu, claiming that the security personnel were "dazed" when she arrived at her residence. ''This is the video I shot from inside the auto. Enjoyed myself thoroughly!'' she said in her caption. The Mumbai police on Tuesday arrested a 16-year-old boy for allegedly making a threatening call to the police control room to kill actor Salman Khan on April 30. According to the police, the boy is from Jodhpur, Rajasthan and reportedly made the call for 'fun'.On Monday evening, the Mumbai police control room received a call from a person who identified himself as Roki Bhai, Gaushala Rakshak from Jodhpur. The caller said, "I am going to kill Salman Khan on April 30. Tell him."As reported by multiple news agencies, the investigation was launched by Mumbai Police after they received a call. They were able to track the number from which the call was made to Dolkhamb village of Shahapur in Thane, which is 70 km from Mumbai, with technical help. Cops rushed to Shahapur and discovered that a 16-year-old boy had made the threatening call to Salman.Mumbai police stated, The caller who called the Mumbai Police Control in the context of threatening actor Salman Khan was taken into custody. The caller who made the threat call is a minor. There is no seriousness in this call."Recently, at the trailer launch of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, Salman arrived in his new high-end bulletproof SUV.Meanwhile, Salman Khan's upcoming film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan is set to be released in the cinemas on April 21. Met Gala 2023: Over the years, India has taken an esteemed spot at the prestigious fashion event Met Gala. Several Bollywood celebrities including Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Natasha Poonawala, Sudha Reddy, and Isha Ambani have represented the country at the global platform. Now joining the list of celebs at the infamous Met steps will be the new Bollywood mommy, Alia Bhatt. ALIA BHATT'S MET GALA DEBUT Alia Bhatt is all set to take make her big Hollywood debut this year with Netfilx's thriller Heart Of Stone. And it is being reported that she will be representing India at the gala event sent to place on May 1, 2023. For the event, Alia is donn an outfit from the shelves of Nepalese-American fashion designer, Prabal Gurung. Alia Bhatt had a phenomenal 2022. Her films, Gangubai Kathiawadi and RRR received accolades from all quarters. The actress and her husband Ranbir Kapoor were blessed with a daughter, who they have named, Raha kapoor. Now, big Bollywood and Hollywood releases in her hand, and also now that Met Gala is happening, 2023, will also be an illustirius year for the actress. The details about Alia Bhatt's debut was shared by Elle India. Their official Instagram handle shared a picture of Alia Bhatt informing her debut on the red carpet of the fashion event. The caption read, "Ahead of her international debut with Netflix's Heart of Stone, @aliaabhatt will be gracing the Met Gala carpet for the very first time in a @prabalgurung creation. Set to take place on the 1st of May, the fashion event will honour the timeless legacy of ace designer Karl Lagerfeld at the Metropolitan Museum of Art." Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra made their Met Gala debut in the year, 2017. While Deepika opted for designer Prabal Gurung, Priyanka was dressed in Ralph Lauren. Mumbai, Apr 12 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his brother Shamasuddin not to post or upload any remarks against each other on social media for the "sake of maintaining equity" and in light of efforts to amicably resolve issues between them. A single bench of Justice R I Chagla gave the direction while hearing a defamation suit filed by the 48-year-old actor seeking Rs 100 crore in damages from his brother for posting alleged defamatory statements against him on social media. The bench directed the brothers to remain present in his chambers along with their lawyers on May 3 to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement. The suit has also named the actor's ex-wife Zainab, but on Wednesday Nawazuddin Siddiqui's counsel Abhinav Chandrachud told the court that said since the former couple was trying to resolve their issues amicably the actor did not wish to pursue the defamation suit against her. Advocate Rumi Mirza, appearing for Shamasuddin Siddiqui, told the HC settlement talks are going on between Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his ex-wife due to intervention of a division bench of the high court and that with the help of this bench, a similar arrangement could take place between the warring brothers. Chandrachud, however, said any talks between the brothers could begin only when Shamasuddin Siddiqui takes down his defamatory posts in which the award winning actor has been allegedly called a "rapist and molester". The court agreed and said for any settlement, the posts in question will have to be deleted and both the brothers shall refrain from posting on social media any further remarks against each other. "In view of settlement talks, there will not be any (social media) posts against each other, there will be no aspersions cast against each other, in view of possibility of an amicable settlement. It is to maintain equity between parties so that there are no further posts against each other," Justice Chagla said. Meanwhile, a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh was on Wednesday informed that the discord between the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor and his ex-wife Zainab over education of their two minor children has been resolved. The court was told the children would be travelling back to Dubai to attend their school. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui seeking a direction to Zainab to reveal the whereabouts of the two children. The 'Sacred Games' star had claimed Zainab had brought the children back to India without informing him and that they were not attending school in Dubai. Richard Gere-Shilpa Shetty Kissing Row: In 2007, during an AIDS Awareness event, the Hollywood star, Richard Gere planted a kiss on Shilpa Shetty's cheek. Gere's intention was to show that a simple kiss cannot spread an HIV infection, however, a case was registered against them for obscenity. What Was The Case? The complaint was filed by Bhupsinh against Shilpa and Richard at the Alwar police station in Rajasthan as they found the gesture obscene. Richard and Shilpa's act was said to be offensive under the IT Act and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. The complainant said that the actress was aware that the media covered the public event extensively, but she did not resist the kiss. Mumbai Court's Order Now, the Mumbai court has ruled that a woman being groped on a street or on public transport cannot be accused. After hearing both the side, the court in its ruling on April 3 said, "A woman being groped on the street or touched on a public way or in public transport cannot be termed as accused or participative to an extent of mental culpability and she cannot be held for illegal omission to make her liable for prosecution." The court further noted that the respondent, Shilpa Shetty had not kissed, but was kissed. The court mentioned that obscenity was evident on the actress's part and the judge said there was nothing on record on the complainant's prima facie evidence of annoyance. In response to the case, Shetty had earlier said that the complaint was filed just to gain cheap publicity as there was evidence to charge her with any of the sections. The magistrate court, in 2022 had discharged the case against her citing it as 'groundless.' Shetty's lawyer Prashant Patil has said that the actress was a victim of malicious proceedings and harassment. Armaan Malik Payal Malik: Armaan Malik, the popular YouTuber who grabbed headlines after he revealed that both of his wives were expecting a baby in December, has now become a father to a son, Zaid, with his second wife, Kritika, on April 6. And now their fans are eagerly waiting for an update on Payal's delivery date. Meanwhile, Armaan's first wife, Payal, is expecting twins, and in their latest vlog, the soon-to-be mom opened up about embracing motherhood again. She also revealed her delivery date. Payal Malik revealed that she is in her final trimester of pregnancy and is expecting twins in 3 weeks. She shared that she has already prepared for her baby girl's arrival, having bought toys and clothes, and even showed off a swing she got for her daughter. ARMAAN MALIK'S FIRST WIFE PAYAL MALIK DEVELOPS BAD HEALTH In the same vlog, YouTuber Armaan Malik revealed that Payal got sick because of the bad weather and is suffering from a severe cough. Along with this, she is also having breathlessness, which is causing issues in her pregnancy. Payal added that she is not able to work or even meet Zaid as she is not well. Is Having Two Wives The New YouTube Trend? Heres Another YouTuber Ready To Compete With Armaan Malik Revealing that her physical condition has deteriorated to the point where she is feeling nerve strain, Payal joked that her delivery might happen within a day or two. Let us tell you that Payal Malik went through multiple IVF cycles before getting pregnant for the second time. She is the mother of a son named Chirayu Malik. Her first child was also born through IVF, as Payal had some complications. Armaan Malik and Payal got married in 2011. Meanwhile, Armaan Malik gave a befitting reply to those who trolled him and his second wife, Kritika, for keeping a Muslim name for their newborn, Zaid. Replying to the trolls, Armaan said, "I consider all religions equal. Hindus and Muslims are all brothers. People are having trouble with the fact that why I have named my child Zaid, but now I am going to name my two upcoming children after different religions. I will name one of them as Sikh and one as Christian...When India is one, then all religions are also one." WHAT! Popular YouTuber Armaan Malik Expresses Pain As Second Wife's Health Worsens After Delivery Of Their Son Himanshi Khurana became a household name after her powerpack appearance on Bigg Boss season 13. The diva entered the house as a wild card contestant, but due to her distinctive aura, she gained immense popularity, after which she didn't turn and served a bunch of music videos and her stints as the lead actress in hit Punjabi films like Shava Ni Girdhari Laal and 2 Bol are praised by all. She is constantly active on social media and always puts forth her views on anything happening wrong in society. Being an animal lover, Himanshi can't tolerate any violence and harassment against animals. She recently shared a story on her Instagram account regarding an incident that took place in Ludhiana. In the video, a few people killed a dog by mercilessly throttling him. Seeing this, she just couldn't resist herself to share among all the animal lovers to wake up and speak against these cruel people in society. Has Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai's Harshad Chopda Ever Regretted Doing A Project? Actor Says 'Want To Keep It...' Himanshi took to her official Twitter and tweeted, "Can we expect a proper law for animals, for their safety, for their lives or we are only tend to shoot for magazine cover pages to "save them" for our PR activities. #petaindia @pfaindia" She tagged organizations like PETA India and People For Animals India which work against the people who harass and torture the animals, and works for the betterment of the animals. Himanshi also appeals to the Government to take strict actions against these people, to have a proper law for their safety. Take a look at her post below: There's Something Coming...: Anupamaa Star Gaurav Khanna Hints At BIG TWIST Amid Anupama-Anuj Separation Can we expect a proper law for animals, for their safety, for their lives or we are only tend to shoot for magazines cover pages to save them for our PR activities. #petaindia @pfaindia Himanshi khurana (@realhimanshi) April 12, 2023 Meanwhile, Himanshi is looking forward to some actions being taken against them and more people raising their voices against these people. She is busy wrapping up her shoots for her upcoming flick, Fatto De Yaar Bade Ne whose release date has still not been announced. Home Top Listing Top Listing Shaankuntalam OTT Release Date : When And Where To Watch Samantha's Mythological Drama Samantha Ruth Prabhus upcoming Telugu mythological drama 'Shaankuntalam' will be released in theaters on April 14, 2023. Directed by Gunasekhar, Shaankuntalam' is one of the most-anticipated Telugu movies this year. Fans are eagerly waiting for the big release, the celebrations already begun everywhere. As per the latest resources, the much-awaited film will start streaming on OTT platform after its big release. To know more about its detail, read the article given below. From Fiction To On-Screen Directed by Gunasekhar, the film 'Shaankuntalam' is based on Kalidasa's acclaimed Sanskrit play "Abhijnana Shakuntalam". Billed as a mythological drama, it features Malayalam actor Dev Mohan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in lead roles. It also marks the film debut of actor Dev Mohan to Telugu film industry. Apart from this, Actor Allu Arjun's daughter Arha who will be seen as Prince Bharata in the movie. Strong Supporting Cast The stellar cast of the film includes actors like Smantha Ruth Prabhu, Dev Mohan, Allu Arha , Kabir Bedi , Prakash Raj , Mohan Babu , Jisshu Sengupta and Sachin Khedekar. Written and directed by Gunasekhar, the film 'Shaankuntalam' marks the actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu's first pan-India film. Produced by Neelima Guna, Mani Sharma composed music for the film. Story Line Touted to be a mythological drama, it tells the epic love story of Shankuntala and King Dushyant from Mahabharata. The film also highlights romance and struggles of women in relationship. Actress Samantha who will appear in the role of the Shankunatala. Trailer Release The trailer of Samantha Ruth Prabhus upcoming Telugu mythological drama Shaakuntalam was released on January 5th 2023, in Hyderabad. The actress grabbed the audience attention with her mind blowing performances in the trailer. The two minute long trailer depicts the epic love story of Shakuntala and King Dushyant. OTT Platform Starring Samantha Ruth Prabhu in lead role, the much-awaited film will be released in theaters on April 14, 2023. As per the latest resources, the film is expected to be released on OTT after three weeks of big release. LOADING...... The Eighth Edition of the report delves into Risk Density, Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR) critical vulnerabilities, and the convergence of vulnerability management and penetration testing output. DUBLIN, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Edgescan, the first-fully integrated cybersecurity platform, announced today the release of its 2023 Vulnerability Statistics Report. The vulnerability data analyzed was collected from thousands of security assessments and penetration tests performed on millions of assets, utilizing the Edgescan Platform in 2022. The eighth edition of the report provides a statistical model of the most common weaknesses faced by enterprises to enable data-driven decisions for managing risks and exposures more effectively. The statistical models are split across layers of the technology stack such as Web Application, API, and Device/Host layers. Additionally, we make a distinction in the data for four tiers of business sizes based on employee count and a distinction between internet facing and internally facing assets. "We are still not getting the basics right; In 2022 we've observed many very basic vulnerabilities, many of which are commonly leveraged by cybercrime. Continuous assessment, validation & prioritization will make a huge difference to any organization's cybersecurity posture. All vulnerabilities are not created equal, and we must focus on what matters to protect our respective organizations and businesses," said Eoin Keary, Founder and CEO of Edgescan. The report provides insight into how quickly vulnerabilities are being fixed based on risk. Unfortunately, high rates of known types of risk are still being found (i.e., patchable) exploitable vulnerabilities, with working exploits in the wild being used by nation states and cyber-criminal groups against organizations who are slow to patch. Non-internet facing systems have a significant risk density resulting in an easy time for criminals once the network perimeter is breached. Mean Time to Remediation (MTTR) for Critical Severity vulnerabilities is 65 days 33% of all vulnerabilities across the full stack discovered in 2022 were either High or Critical Severity The most common application layer and API vulnerabilities are still Injection related 13.5% of vulnerabilities in an enterprise's backlog are either high or critical severity 12% of all Risk accepted vulnerabilities in 2022 were considered (in isolation) Critical Severity New in this report is the way Edgescan looks at prioritization and risk scores. Since Edgescan employs several risk prioritization scoring mechanisms we take a deeper look at the most common risks faced by organizations and look at correlation of the various risk scoring methodologies. REGISTER FOR REPORT: https://www.edgescan.com/intel-hub/stats-reports/ Methodology of Data Collection All vulnerability data analyzed for the Edgescan Vulnerability Statistics Report was collected from thousands of security assessments and penetration tests performed on millions of assets; this growing collection of intelligence is stored in our data lake and is used for analytics-based validation purposes amongst the solutions that comprise the Edgescan Platform. Vulnerability data was sourced from over 250 companies of various sizes, Fortune 500 to medium and small businesses, across 30 industry verticals. About Edgescan Edgescan is the first fully integrated cybersecurity platform that unifies all required security solutions into a single combative platform. These solutions include pen testing as a service (PTaaS), vulnerability management, dynamic application security testing (DAST), external attack surface management (EASM), and API security testing. All vulnerability information gleaned from any assessment or test is added to a growing collection of intelligence that is stored in our data lake and shared amongst the solutions. The platform enables companies to view and map assets across their entire global attack surface and delivers validated vulnerability data eliminating false positives. The platform reduces the complexity and overhead associated with tool proliferation, speeds up remediation, cuts operational costs, while reducing risk associated with digital transformation and cloud deployments. Media Contact: Christine Carrig SVP Global Marketing Edgescan pr@edgescan.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2012649/Edgescan_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/edgescan-releases-2023-vulnerability-statistics-report-revealing-33-of-vulnerabilities-discovered-in-2022-were-high-or-critical-severity-301794830.html CHANGZHOU, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TrinaTracker, the smart tracker solution provider under Trina Solar (SHA: 688599), has announced the global launch of second generation of the Vanguard 2P tracker, equipped with its latest multi-motor control system. The 2P configuration and the fewer-pile design features are proven to significantly reduce BOS costs, especially for harsh soiling and scenarios with higher pile requirements. Those harsh environments are increasing in prevalence globally with the decrease of flat land for solar plants. Vanguard 2P (single-axis two-in-portrait tracker) has been the main product of TrinaTracker since its first release in 2021. Its patented spherical bearing prevents misalignment and minimizes friction and reduces installation time and cost. The continuous module and tracker R&D capability of Trina Solar makes it perfectly compatible with ultra-high power modules and maximizes power generation of solar plants. By the end of 2022, TrinaTracker had delivered 3GW of Vanguard 2P trackers globally. The second generation of Vanguard 2P uses a multi-motor control system to replace the original mechanical method. In the new drive system, the main controller sends commands and the secondary controller receives commands to drive the motors. The self-developed intelligent mechanism enables the synchronization of multiple motors to avoid potential structure failures, which can save time and costs on operations and maintenance. Besides the multi-motor control system, the second generation of Vanguard 2P also improves the structure's compatibility with larger-sized modules up to 695W. All these improvements reduce system costs, lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and better fit the most challenging sites. Attending the launch, Andrew Gilhooly, Head of Utility, Commercial and Industrial Solutions for Trina Solar Asia Pacific, said: "For the past few years, we've seen more projects in sites with slope terrains, deserts, and near coastal regions. This requires solar components to meet more severe quality standards and include more innovative developments to operate under those harsh scenarios. The second generation of Vanguard 2P aims to successfully solve such challenges." TrinaTracker has 19 years of experience in solar tracker development and manufacture, is the only solar tracker brand with R&D centers in both Europe and Asia. TrinaTracker is dedicated to continuously bringing customers better value with a more reliable structure, smart platforms and professional life-cycle service. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2050204/PIC_Vanguard_2P_Launch_20230411.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/trinatracker-launches-new-generation-vanguard-2p-with-multi-motor-control-system-301794534.html Hangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 11, 2023) - Presented by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, the award ceremony of 2022 Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreigners Across the Globe-Storytelling Contest, held in Hangzhou, has concluded as of April 10th, 2023. After a half-year-round contest, and several rounds of evaluation opinions by an expert group, 10 Individual Awards, 10 Excellent Work Awards, 7 Finalist Awards, 8 Best Mentorship Awards and 6 Best Organization Awards were finally selected. Photo of Contestants To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8457/161961_9271a7653412aae4_001full.jpg Sponsored by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, and organized by the Hangzhou Culture Radio Television Group, the 2022 Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreigners Across the Globe-Storytelling Contest aims to provide a stage for Chinese learners all over the world to show their language ability. At the award ceremony, Jack, who received the Most Charming Award, shared his story. After falling in love with Chinese martial arts and Taoist culture, he came to China to learn from a master and became the 16th generation successor of Sanfengpai. A large number of Chinese learners share similar experiences of integrating the culture of China into their life and enjoy themselves in the process. Photo of Jack To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8457/161961_9271a7653412aae4_002full.jpg Yang Jun, deputy director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, said, "We hope that foreign friends can apply what they have learned to bring more excellent works and take language as a bridge to show their Chinese learning achievements and the unique side of their country to the people of China. By deepening the communication and mutual learning of civilizations, it will convey the warm, friendly, sincere and peace-loving feelings of people from all countries to every corner of the world. " Photo of Representative of Sponsor To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8457/161961_9271a7653412aae4_003full.jpg According to the sponsor, there were three parts in this competition: The preliminary competition, the semi-final competition and the final competition. There was no theme for the preliminary competition. The themes for the semi-final competition and the final competition were "change" and "breakthrough," respectively. Since the event, more than 720 works from more than 90 countries have been collected. Contestants across ages, industries and races gather to tell rich and multidimensional stories about the world and China. Photo of Performers To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8457/161961_9271a7653412aae4_004full.jpg This award ceremony differed from previous award ceremonies by utilizing cutting-edge technology to combine the Metaverse with the venue for interactive experiences. It allowed participants who were not physically present to participate simultaneously in the Metaverse. Online participants could upload personalized photos based on their preferences and customize an exclusive virtual image for the awards ceremony to represent an immersive interactive experience. Photo of Metaverse Venue To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8457/161961_9271a7653412aae4_005full.jpg Contact: Danjie Zheng, Xinze Wang Email: storytelling2022@163.com Website: http://bridge.chinese.cn/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161961 EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands, LAUSANNE, Switzerland, and BOSTON, MA USA, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD), the medical technology company creating innovative therapies to restore movement, independence, and health in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), today announced that management will attend the following conferences in the upcoming weeks: ASIA 50 th Annual Scientific Meeting (https://asia-spinalinjury.org/2023-annual-scientific-meeting/) (American Spinal Injury Association) April 17-19, 2023 Atlanta, GA, US Dave Marver, CEO, will attend and participate in the conference. Needham Annual Healthcare Conference April 17-20, 2023 Virtual Event Lara Smith Weber, CFO, will give a company presentation. DMGP Congress (https://dmgp-kongress.de/) (36th Annual Meeting of the German-Speaking Medical Society for Paraplegia) April 19-22 Nottwil, Switzerland Gregoire Courtine, CSO, will deliver the keynote address with Dr. Jocelyne Bloch. LSX World Congress (https://www.lsxleaders.com/lsx-world-congress)May 3-4, 2023 London, UK Dave Marver, CEO, will attend and serve on a panel. "Invest & Connect" by KPMG & the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CVCI) June 13, 2023 Lausanne, Switzerland Lara Smith Weber, CFO, will deliver the keynote address at this start-up event. Stifel European Healthcare Conference June 28-30, 2023 Bordeaux, France Dave Marver, CEO, will attend and participate in the conference. Information on upcoming conferences and events is available in the investor section of the ONWARD website at https://ir.onwd.com/news-events . About ONWARD Medical ONWARD is a medical technology company creating innovative therapies to restore movement, independence, and health in people with spinal cord injuries. ONWARD's work builds on more than a decade of basic science and preclinical research conducted at the world's leading neuroscience laboratories. ONWARD's ARC Therapy, which can be delivered by implantable (ARC-IM) or external (ARC-EX) systems, is designed to deliver targeted, programmed spinal cord stimulation to restore movement and other functions in people with spinal cord injury and other movement disabilities. ONWARD has received eight Breakthrough Device Designations from the US FDA encompassing both ARC-IM and ARC-EX. ARC-EX is an external, non-invasive platform consisting of a stimulator and wireless programmer. Positive top-line data were reported in 2022 from the Company's first pivotal study, called Up-LIFT, evaluating the ability of transcutaneous ARC Therapy to improve upper extremity strength and function. The Company is now preparing marketing approval submissions for the US and Europe. ARC-IM consists of an implantable pulse generator and lead placed near the spinal cord. The Company completed first-in-human use of the ARC-IM neurostimulator and reported positive interim clinical outcomes for ARC-IM Therapy for improved blood pressure regulation following SCI in 2022. ONWARD is headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. It maintains a Science and Engineering Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, and has a growing U.S. presence in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company has an academic partnership with .NeuroRestore, a collaboration between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. To access our 2023 Financial Calendar, please visit IR.ONWD.com. For Company Enquiries: info@onw d.com For Media Enquiries: MC Services AG US: Laurie Doyle, P: +1 339 832 0752 Europe: Dr. Johanna Kobler, Katja Arnold, Kaja Skorka, P: +49 89 210 228 0 media@onwd.com For Investor Enquiries: investors@onwd.com Disclaimer Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company's or, as appropriate, the Company directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition, and technology, can cause actual events, performance, or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The delivery of HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX machines at Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1 is already leading to a reduction in passenger time spent at security Italy's largest airport, Rome's Fiumicino International Airport 'Leonardo da Vinci',is seeing passengers speed through security screening following the deployment of the HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX carry-on baggage screening technology from Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies. Fiumicino International Airport was recently awarded 5-Star by Skytrax and has been awarded ACI Europe Best Airport four times in the last five years. The airport is well known in the industry for its high level of automation in processes and for persistently setting new standards of service excellence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411005730/en/ Smiths Detection's leading energy efficient CT scanner(Photo: Business Wire) The use of Computed Tomography (CT) technology allows passengers to leave electronics and liquids in bags rather than removing them for screening, which further improves the customer experience and improves security effectiveness and waiting times. Smiths Detection's leading CT checkpoint technology produces high-resolution volumetric 3D images for quicker and deeper baggage assessment, automatic explosives detection and low false-alarm rates. The systems, which have achieved ECAC EDS Cabin Baggage C3 certification, can be further advanced through integration of AI such as Smiths Detection APIDS technology, which can automatically highlight non permitted items to further improve security outcomes. Currently operational in the main checkpoint in Terminal 1, the airport will continue to introduce the HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX throughout 2023 in the other main checkpoint in Terminal 3. Gabriel Pequignot, Smiths Detection Head of Market, said: "We're delighted by the early results that we're seeing at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport. The installation of Smiths Detection's world-leading passenger CT technology is a reflection of the airport's commitment to security, passenger experience and improving operational process and a demonstration of why they have been awarded ACI Europe Best Airport and 5-Star by Skytrax." Marco Stramaccioni, Chief Executive Officer of ADR Security for Leonardo da Vinci Rome International Airport, said: "Aeroporti di Roma looks forward to being a frontrunner for passenger experience and security at Leonardo di Vinci Rome International Airport. As passenger numbers increase, we will be well placed to efficiently screen passengers, reducing the burden on our operators. By harnessing the power of CT technology, we have futureproofed our security checkpoints." Smiths Detection's HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX is certified by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) under the Accessible Property Screening System (APSS) program to detection standard 6.2, Level 1, permitting the scanner to operate at an enhanced level with lower false alarm rates, as well as ECAC and STAC EDS CB C3 approval. ENDS About Smiths Detection Smiths Detection is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, urban security and defence. With more than 70 years of field-tested experience, Smiths Detection deliver the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemicals, biological agents, and narcotics helping make the world a safer place. For more information visit http://www.smithsdetection.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411005730/en/ Contacts: FTI Consulting: Tom Hufton/Harriet Jackson/Liam Gerrard sc.smithsdetection@fticonsulting.com +44 (0)20 3727 1000 Smiths Detection: Sophie Mills, Head of Corporate Communications sophie.mills@smithsdetection.com +44 (0)73 8423 6474 Press contact Capgemini: Magali Rouault Tel.: +33 (0)1 70 48 11 67 E-mail: magali.rouault@capgemini.com (mailto:magali.rouault@capgemini.com) Press contact Promethee: Florence Bonetti Tel.: +33 (0)6 08 49 84 37 E-mail: f.bonetti@promethee.earth (mailto:f.bonetti@promethee.earth) French NewSpace operator Promethee selects Capgemini to develop its JAPETUS mission center Mission center for future European earth observation constellation to manage real-time imaging requests and optimize the constellation's mission planning Paris, April 12, 2023 - Promethee, the French NewSpace operator of nanosatellite constellations for earth observation, has selectedCapgemini to develop the mission center for its first European constellation 'JAPETUS'. Supported by CNES, the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty as part of the France Relanceplan, and by the European Union as part of NextGenerationEU, JAPETUS aims to offer earth observation data to players in the environment and the fight against climate change space, as well as security and defense. Thanks to the 20 nanosatellites in this planned constellation, the areas to be protected will be observed every 45 minutes (under European latitudes), an improvement of about 10 times the revisit rate compared to traditional space systems. The performance of JAPETUS in terms of observation frequency, automatic global coverage and hyperreactivity, is combined with onboard Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities integrated with the ground data processing platform. This will enable a whole range of new innovative services, such as high-frequency surveillance of critical sites, ocean protection, the fight against deforestation, and real-time detection of abnormal activities in the fight against illegal fishing. The mission center, a major brick in the JAPETUS ground segment system Promethee commissioned Capgemini to develop its mission center in an optimized cloud environment, integrate it into the on the ground segment, as well as qualify the entire system. The ground segment is the set of on the ground resources and equipment required to carry out a space mission. It covers the definition of the mission for the JAPETUS constellation as well as the collection, processing and distribution of data acquired in orbit. The new possibilities offered by the nanosatellite constellation allow the optimization of the satellite programming plan, in order to offer increased simplicity and reactivity to meet multiple user needs. The mission center - as a core component of the JAPETUS ground segment - will manage real-time imaging requests and optimize the planning of the missions to be performed in the future constellation. The solution developed by Capgemini will be operational as soon as the first satellites are commissioned. It is designed to be industrial and scalable to allow for the agile integration of new requirements and to enhance the operational efficiency of operators. The mission center will interconnect with all the other components, such as the flight control and dynamics center, based on the innovative solution of Promethee's partner, Leanspace, a digital platform, offering cloud services specific to space activities, which enables the rapid implementation of ground segment infrastructures. "Promethee chose Capgemini for its recognized expertise in the implementation of this type of system with major industrial and government space organizations, which perfectly meets Promethee's requirements," said Olivier Piepsz, President and co-founder of Promethee. "We are very pleased to collaborate with one of the most promising emerging players in the NewSpace market segment, and to share our space expertise to contribute to the success of an earth observation nanosatellite constellation that is unique in terms of performance and capabilities," said Denis Dallez, Head of the Space Industry at Capgemini in France. "We share a common vision of space observation data as an unparalleled information and measurement tool for elements related to climate change that have been little or poorly observed until now." The first launch into orbit is scheduled for October 2023 for the ProtoMethee-1 prototype, and by 2025 for the deployment of the 20 satellites of the future JAPETUS constellation. About Promethee Promethee is the French NewSpace operator of a constellation of earth observation nanosatellites. Our goal is to democratize the use of satellite imagery for a safer and more sustainable world. Founded in January 2020 by Olivier Piepsz and Giao-Minh Nguyen, Promethee brings together recognized experts in space, digital and services. Climate change and the increase in human activity have a direct impact on ecosystems and populations. It is essential to have the means to observe, monitor and predict these events. Nanosatellite constellations are today the only way to have near real-time access to information at anytime, anywhere in the world. Promethee thus responds to the challenges of crisis management and sustainable development by providing strategic intelligence and environmental intelligence services. Promethee's scope of application is virtually unlimited, from maritime surveillance and critical infrastructures to the protection of ecosystems, water resources, fauna and flora, the fight against deforestation, illegal fishing and the prevention of natural disasters. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 360,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong 55-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2022 global revenues of 22 billion. Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com Attachment What's the News: A newly published white paper from telecoms industry analysts Omnisperience, 'UK Digital Fraud: There's a gap in the UK digital infrastructure and it's letting fraud in,' is now available. The paper explores the current fraud landscape in the UK, and why a revamp of its number porting system is critical to curbing both fraud and cyber crime. A newly published white paper from telecoms industry analysts Omnisperience, 'UK Digital Fraud: There's a gap in the UK digital infrastructure and it's letting fraud in,' is now available. The paper explores the current fraud landscape in the UK, and why a revamp of its number porting system is critical to curbing both fraud and cyber crime. Why it Matters: With Digital ID tied to the phone, it's not surprising that criminals are targeting mobile devices to commit fraud. Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, accounting for 41% of crimes against the individual, and costing the UK economy billions each year. According to a recent report by The House of Lords, one of the weakest links in the digital fraud chain is the UK telecoms industry, with the Lords committee calling for the sector to become more accountable. With fraud costing the UK economy more than 137 billion each year, it's imperative that the telecoms industry plays its part in reducing the opportunity for fraud, according to a newly published white paper from UK-based analyst house Omnisperience. The paper analyses how the UK telecoms industry is inadvertently fuelling fraud due to its use of an outdated, inefficient and vulnerable number porting process. The Omnisperience white paper 'UK Digital Fraud: There's a gap in the UK digital infrastructure and it's letting fraud in,' comes on the heels of the 'Fighting Fraud: Breaking the Chain' report, published by The House of Lords (HoL) in November 2022. This revealed that fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, accounting for 41% of crimes against the individual, with an alarming 25% increase in fraud since the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the main reasons for this is increased digitalisation, with 80% of frauds now cyber-enabled according to the UK's national reporting center for fraud and cyber-crime, Action Fraud. Since mobile phones have become the de facto digital ID used to access and pay for an ever-increasing range of services and a critical component of online security, it's not surprising that criminals are targeting mobile devices. While banks, retailers and telecoms firms are doing everything they can to minimize fraud, Omnisperience's newly released white paper points to a major security gap that's been overlooked and is 'letting the fraud into the UK's digital infrastructure'. "While the UK telecoms industry has worked hard at securing SIM cards, applications, handsets and data, hidden in plain sight is a risk that's largely been overlooked the security of the phone number itself," says the report's author Teresa Cottam, Omnisperience Chief Analyst. Cottam explained that number porting is essential for a healthy competitive market because it allows customers to change service provider without having to change their number. "Unfortunately," she commented, "the UK's existing number portability process is antiquated and vulnerable because it was built for a very different era long before cybercrime existed at this scale." The UK's number porting process, which was implemented in 1997 was designed to allow customers to shift service provider as easily as possible. But what's easy for customers is also easy for fraudsters to target and exploit. "Criminals probe for vulnerabilities and the UK's number porting process is a huge and overlooked vulnerability exactly what criminals like to exploit," Cottam said. "And yet it is something that could quickly and easily be addressed." The report found most other countries have already updated their number portability process to one based on a central database of ported numbers. This increases efficiency, helps make the process more secure, and enables telecoms firms and banks to work together to shut down fraud before it impacts customers. Cottam stated: "The UK is well behind its competitors. It's been delaying replacing this process for over 15 years and it has run out of time. The current process is no longer fit for purpose and is impeding the growth of the digital economy, undermining customers' digital confidence, and exposing everyone customers, telecoms service providers, financial institutions and the wider economy to a huge range of risks." To access the Omnisperience white paper, 'UK Digital Fraud: There's a gap in the UK digital infrastructure and it's letting fraud in,' visit https://omnisperience.com/uk-digital-fraud/ or to learn more, contact Jessica Levy at jlevy@globalresultspr.com. About Omnisperience Omnisperience is an independent UK-based industry analyst firm that takes a fresh approach to research and advisory projects by helping its customers better understand their market and, as a result, become more profitable. Omnisperience's experienced analysts focus on digital service providers in the telecoms, media technology sector (TMT), providing insight that helps them reimagine their businesses and improve their commercial success. Omnisperience engages and inspires delivering Value From Experience. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005213/en/ Contacts: Jessica Levy Global Results Communications jlevy@globalresultspr.com mobile +1 714-292-2990 SEOUL, South Korea, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Korean skincare brand Mixsoon (Parket Inc.) recently participated in the 2023 Cosmoprof Bologna event held in Italy from March 16 to 18. The brand, known for its natural ingredient-based products, has already been recognized by Amazon in the U.S. as an Amazon Choice. The 2023 edition of Cosmoprof Bologna, a renowned global beauty trade fair, drew in over 2,700 exhibitors and 220,000 visitors from almost 70 countries. Mixsoon took part in this prestigious exhibition and successfully drew a significant number of buyers and visitors to its stands that took place in three different Pavilions. 'Healthy skin starts with good ingredients.' says Mixsoon. It hails from Korea and is known for its unique philosophy of 'minimalism' and 'ingredientism'. They pursue 'minimalism' by eliminating all superfluous ingredients and incorporating only essential ingredients that are good for the skin. They are 'Ingredient-oriented' brand by harvesting their own raw material in their farm in Jeju island. They have been making waves in the international skincare industry with their popular 'Bean essence' which has fermented soybean extract as a main ingredient. Mixsoon's skincare products are easily accessible to consumers worldwide, with availability on popular e-commerce platforms such as Amazon in the U.S., Sephora in the U.K., and Olive Young Global Mall in Korea. At the fair, Mixsoon Bean essence garnered interest from the European buyers due to its unique formulation and unprecedented efficacy. Mixsoon's popularity among European buyers continues to grow, expanding to Italy, Germany, and Spain. The Korean skincare brand, previously seen at Sephora U.K., has secured key distribution channels in these countries. From March 31 to April 2, it participated in the Beauty Dusseldorf Fair in Germany to continue promoting its brand and products to the European buyers and consumers. Mixsoon's representative stated that the European CPNP registration had been completed for 50 SKUs of its products, making them marketable in Europe. The representative stated, "We received over 500 export inquiries from many European countries at the exhibition, which shows how strong our brand is in the European market." She added, "It is gratifying to see that the authenticity of Mixsoon, which contains only core ingredients with quality ingredients, is being recognized globally" The representative also emphasized the company's plans to expand its global distribution network to make Mixsoon's products more easily accessible to customers worldwide. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2049661/Mixsoon_Beauty_D_sseldorf_Fair.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/k-beauty-brand-mixsoon-participated-in-the-2023-edition-of-cosmoprof-bologna-301792436.html With the cyber threat landscape ever changing, it's important to recognise the work that goes into keeping so many of us safe. The National Cyber Awards were designed to recognise employees of organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, National Crime Agency and the UK Cyber Security Council, whose hard work to protect the UK is rarely seen by the general public. Now in its fifth year and following the huge success of the 2022 event, The National Cyber Awards returns to London on Monday 25th September 2023 at the Novotel London West, Hammersmith. In support of recognising individuals, teams and organisations for their achievements within the cyber and digital sectors, the National Cyber Awards 2023 will be sponsored by BAE Systems Digital Intelligence. With backing from The Prime Minister's Office, The Cabinet Office, National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec), National Crime Agency (NCA), Ministry of Defence (MoD), NHS Digital and the UK Cyber Security Council. This year, we welcome four exciting new awards: The Prime Minister's Award for Cyber 2023, The Alan Turing Cyber Award 2023, The NHS Digital Cyber Award 2023 and the National Cyber Security Council Award 2023. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP said: "The National Cyber Awards are a wonderful way to reward, celebrate and showcase the work of those who are committed to keeping us safe online. My warm congratulations as always to the finalists and winners who are an inspiration to everyone across the sector who wish to work to protect others in the same manner." Dave Armstrong, Group Managing Director of BAE Systems' Digital Intelligence said: "It's important that we recognise the hard work from across the industry that goes into understanding and tackling the ever changing threats that we face. Events like these, which we're delighted to be a part of, help showcase the incredible skill and talent keeping us safe and inspire future generations." Commissioner Angela McLean Commissioner of the City of London Police and NPCC Lead on Cyber Crime, said: "The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) is delighted for a fourth year to be a headline sponsor for these awards that recognise not just the best talent and products but also the unsung cyber heroes and those seeking to help others in every sector." Christine Maxwell, Director of Cyber Defence and Risk for the Ministry of Defence said: "The National Cyber Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of many teams and individuals who protect us across numerous sectors. With cyber-related warfare becoming an increasingly important part of the United Kingdom's Government and Defence Cyber Strategies, I am delighted that a special award for Ministry of Defence military and civilian staff will be presented at this year's national awards." Graeme Biggar CBE, Director General of the National Crime Agency, said: "The NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) leads the UK's incident response to high-end cyber criminality, working closely with regional police forces, Government agencies and international law enforcement partners. This collaborative response is key to bringing cyber criminals to justice and protecting our national security. The National Cyber Awards allow us to recognise the exceptional work undertaken every day to tackle cybercrime and increase the UK's resilience against this threat." Pete Cooper Deputy Director Cyber Defence at Cabinet Office said: "The National Cyber Awards allow us all to recognise and celebrate outstanding individuals, teams and organisations. They demonstrate innovation, collaboration, individual effort, teamwork and leadership that not only makes a real-world difference in meeting our most critical challenges but also inspires current and future generations. The Cabinet Office is also delighted to be overseeing The Prime Minister's Award for Cyber 2023 reaffirming the government's commitment to this vital sector and those that work within it." Professor Liz Bacon Vice Chancellor Abertay University said: "(We are) proud to be among only ten UK institutions to have achieved gold-level Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education recognition from the National Cyber Security Centre, reflecting the outstanding facilities and teaching on offer to our global student family, industry and partners. The new Abertay cyberQuarter centre for cybersecurity R&D on our campus in Dundee represents the next phase of growth for the university as we seek to provide research and innovation-led solutions to the most prominent challenges facing the sector. We are delighted to be sponsors of the very first Alan Turing Cyber Award 2023 at The National Cyber Awards 2023 which will be awarded for an outstanding contribution to the safety of vulnerable groups or individuals an area that resonates closely with our mission here at Abertay." The Awards remain totally independent, free to enter and our sponsors ensure that every finalist receives a free ticket to the black-tie ceremony and dinner. This allows anyone to enter without any financial constraint or obligations and we are grateful to our headline sponsors BAE Systems Digital Intelligence for providing additional tickets for parents and carers where needed. By popular demand, the organisers will again host the International Cyber Book Fair at the Novotel London West prior and during the awards. This is free for budding and established authors to promote and undertake book signings for their cyber related books. The organisers are also grateful to The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park who will be presenting an interactive exhibition of historic wartime computers and decoders for guests. END Notes for editors The highlight of the evening will be the winner of The National Cyber Citizen of the Year award who will receive a unique gold Cyber Citizen trophy. The awards are free to enter and all finalists receive a free ticket to the black-tie dinner. Chair of the Independent Judges is Nicola Whiting MBE and Deputy Chair is former City of London Commissioner Ian Dyson QPM DL who both ensure propriety and fairness. At this year's event there will again be representatives from our chosen charities: The Cyber Trust, Cyber Security Challenge UK, Help for Heroes, NSPCC and The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park. For more information, please visit www.thenationalcyberawards.org or email info@thenationalcyberawards.org To learn more about International Cyber Expo 2023, visit: https://www.internationalcyberexpo.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005091/en/ Contacts: Jess info@thenationalcyberawards.org NEW YORK and LONDON and PUNE, India, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Synechron, a leading global digital transformation consulting firm, today announced it has been named a winner of the Business Intelligence Group's Best Places To Work award program 2023. Synechron was one of 28 companies honored with this award, and one of only two companies named within the Large Business awards category. This annual award is important because it is based upon the results of input from a global survey of Synechron employees, conducted several weeks ago. This is the fifth time that Synechron has been honored with this prestigious award. The award recognizes organizations that are doing all they can to improve performance through actively working to challenge employees in environments that make work fun and engaging. The award honors companies for helping their employees accelerate their careers, knowledge and performance. Synechron has been mindful of its full breadth of 14,000+ global team members, and has sought ways to recognize, support and provide them with the tools to excel and build their careers. Notably, Synechron has provided no-cost access to the Udemy 24/7 online learning and development platform, as well as on site and virtual trainings that provide opportunities to both reskill and upskill. Synechron also takes pride in offering its 'Same Difference' diversity, equity and inclusion ('DEI') program, which includes a variety of collaborative, team building and team supporting projects, events and initiatives. Synechron has also forged multiple initiatives and partnerships with several diversity organizations all focused on demonstrating how our talent can enhance and embrace DEI across the entire company. Synechron supports an array of corporate social responsibility programs that contribute to the good charitable work being done by local/regional organizations and the wellbeing of the individuals they serve. "The strength of our team is based on the power and contribution of each individual. And our core values drive what we do every day," said Christin Spigai, Chief Human Resources Officer at Synechron. "We are so honored to have won this prestigious award which demonstrates that our employees themselves, not just an external organization, believe that we are doing great things together." "Congratulations to Synechron for building an organization focused on employee engagement and performance," said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer of Business Intelligence Group. "This clearly was a most challenging year for many companies, and it is clear this is a great place to work and employee feedback is not only listened to but acted upon. Congratulations to the entire team." About Synechron: At Synechron, we believe in the power of digital to transform businesses for the better. Our global consulting firm combines creativity and innovative technology to deliver industry-leading digital solutions. Synechron's progressive technologies and optimization strategies span end-to-end Consulting, Design, Cloud, Data and Engineering, servicing an array of noteworthy financial services and technology firms. Through research and development initiatives in our FinLabs we develop solutions for modernization, from Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence to Data Science models, Digital Underwriting, mobile-first applications and more. Over the last 20+ years, our company has been honored with multiple employer awards, recognizing our commitment to our talented teams. With top clients to boast about, Synechron has a global workforce of 14,000+ and has 40 offices in 17 countries within key global markets. For more information on the company, please visit our website or LinkedIn community. About Business Intelligence Group The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry and, business executives-those with experience and knowledge-judge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers. For more information please contact: Synechron Rashmi Joshi Media@Synechron.com Ph: +91-9560694654 OR SEC Newgate UK, Andrew Adie / Sophie Morello / Matthew Redley Business Intelligence Group Maria Jimenez +1 (909) 529-2737 jmaria@bintelligence.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1943591/3758361/Synechron_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/synechron-named-a-winner-of-the-best-places-to-work-award-program-2023-301795257.html Land Avion, a private property acquisition company based in New Mexico, has expanded its cash purchase program to include a variety of land types in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, and several other states. Las Cruces, New Mexico--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Land Avion's recently expanded cash sale program is tailored for owners of unwanted parcels of land in Florida, Texas, Virginia, and Alabama. The company's services are particularly suitable for clients seeking to sell property in rural and undeveloped areas across these states. More details can be found at https://landavion.com. Land Avion Expands Cash Purchase Program For Florida Commercial & Rural Land To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/161954_553b641074223b05_001full.jpg Land Avion's updated cash purchase program is designed to be a rapid and reliable method of selling unwanted land, with no additional commissions or closing fees added to the quoted price. The company's program has been in operation throughout New Mexico for several years, and has been used by owners who are behind on taxes, want to avoid foreclosure, or have had difficulty selling through other channels. The program expansion comes as urban centers in many states continue to grow, limiting demand for rural and/or undeveloped parcels of land. The latest data from the World Bank shows that 82.5% of the US population lives in urban areas, and this figure is increasing by approximately 0.8% every year. While Land Avion's cash purchase service is well-suited to those who own land in rural regions, the company states that it will also make offers on commercial and residential lots. Land in any condition can be accepted, and the team will work with owners regardless of their legal situation, which is what differentiates the company from many other potential buyers. Landowners can now access the program by submitting property details via the Land Avion website. Upon receipt of information, the company will research available data in the area, and then contact owners. The streamlined processes used in Land Avion's program havebeen developed over many years. The company has been involved in landacquisitions throughout New Mexico since the 1990s. "We founded Land Avion as a way to help landowners sell their unwanted vacant, bare, and/or raw land," Land Avion owner Robin Lilly says. "Many of the lots we buy are in rural or undeveloped areas, making them hard to sell through traditional methods. However, we are interested in all types of land, including rural, suburban, and even commercial." Interested parties can find more information by visiting https://landavion.com. Contact Info: Name: Robin Lilly Email: robinlilly@landavion.com Organization: Land Avion, LLC Address: 2521 North Main Street #1-276, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001, United States Website: https://landavion.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161954 Joint solution improves accuracy, enhances productivity, and reduces pre-printed label costs PORTSMOUTH, N.H., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Loftware, the world's largest cloud-based Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management provider, and Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson"), the global leader in color label printers, today announced a strategic partnership that aims to revolutionize customers' labeling workflows. Epson and Loftware will collaborate to develop cloud-based 1-step color printing solutions to improve print efficiency and ease-of-use. The companies will lower barriers for on-demand color label printing through seamless integration with SAP and other leading business systems. The partnership will integrate the Epson ColorWorks series of color label printers with Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud platforms. Businesses will be able to print from NiceLabel Cloud directly to Epson ColorWorks cloud-connected printers. This will improve productivity, reduce customers' reliance on IT, minimize print errors, and decrease the cost and inventory of pre-printed labels. The partnership between Epson and Loftware comes following a sharp increase in demand for high-productivity color labeling solutions as businesses invested in supply chain improvements, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand has particularly grown among companies that employ SAP EH&S ERP systems and who plan to migrate to S/4 HANA and the cloud. These businesses manage production, warehouse, and distribution facilities and operate across multiple industry segments including chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, aerospace, and retail. The Epson-Loftware collaboration meets a growing demand from businesses for the use of color on products, cartons, and pallet labels for identification. Furthermore, companies in the chemical (GHS), medical device, and pharmaceutical segments are faced with the urgent need to comply with international labeling regulations requiring color. Through the integration of Epson color label printers with Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud platforms, companies that use 2-step printing to print color labels can now move to lower cost and error-reduced 1-step on-demand color label printing. "We're partnering with Epson to help businesses of all sizes move their labeling into the cloud," said Paul Vogt, VP of Channel and Alliance Strategies at Loftware. "Businesses are adopting best-of-breed partner labeling solutions and 1-step color label printing to bring radical improvements to their supply chain printing operations. We're delighted to collaborate with Epson to deliver such transformation." The collaboration will bring several important benefits for customers. Businesses will gain the ability to print labels efficiently and quickly without missing production and shipping deadlines. They'll reduce waste by eliminating leftover and unused label stocks when a label's format changes. Additionally, organizations will no longer be required to manage the inventory of urgent procurement or customer label stocks. Finally, customers won't need to purchase higher cost pre-printed customer short-run labels, but can instead use low-cost standard blank label stocks. "Readiness to adapt to cloud trends is critical," said Junkichi Yoshida, Executive Officer and COO of the Printing Solutions Division at Epson. "Our goal is to drive the growth of color on-demand printing in various kinds of businesses and applications by further enhancing the quality of our label print technology and optimizing both hardware and solutions. This partnership with Loftware is essential for our future business development, since by providing Cloud print, our Colorworks printers can connect to the systems of enterprise customers across multiple industries." Learn more on Epson's website here and here. About Loftware Loftware is the world's largest cloud-based Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management provider, offering an end-to-end labeling solution platform for companies of all sizes. Maintaining a global presence with offices in the US, UK, Germany, Slovenia, China, and Singapore, Loftware boasts over 35 years of expertise in solving labeling challenges. We help companies improve accuracy, traceability, and compliance while improving the quality, speed, and efficiency of their labeling. As the leading global provider of Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management, along with Clinical Trials Labeling and Content Management, Loftware enables supply chain agility, supports evolving regulations, and optimizes business operations for a wide range of industries. These include automotive, chemicals, consumer products, electronics, food & beverage, manufacturing, medical device, pharmaceuticals, retail, and apparel. About Epson Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact, and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. corporate.epson/en/ Media contacts: Laura Hindley, Loftware Senior PR & Communications Manager, lhindley@loftware.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1658239/3979719/Loftware_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/loftware-and-epson-announce-partnership-to-revolutionize-labeling-workflows-301794215.html CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / CogniSure, AI, an Illinois-based corporation, is pleased to announce they are entering into a partnership with PwC UK for the London market. CogniSure and PwC are joining forces to collaborate on an integrated digital underwriting solution for the London insurance market. The engagement will help insurers and MGAs optimize their underwriting process, reduce expense ratio and scale their business by boosting underwriting capacity. PwC's digital underwriting workbench uses the Salesforce platform to digitize the underwriting experience for underwriters, brokers and collaborators. CogniSure's AI-powered platform extracts data from unstructured insurance documents such as MRC slips, loss runs and schedules, which is then integrated into PwC's digital underwriting workbench solution. This integration automates and streamlines the submission intake process for underwriters. "CogniSure's platform breaks the efficiency barriers created by unstructured data in the insurance industry. Through this relationship, we are much better prepared to help insurance companies overcome their underwriting challenges in a comprehensive manner," said Steven Gough, Partner, from PwC. "We are extremely enthusiastic about this development. PwC's reputation in providing strategic advisory services to insurance companies is second to none. Combining this competency with their digital underwriting workbench accelerator and CogniSure's AI platform will act as a force multiplier for the insurance industry," said Sai Raman, CEO and Founder of CogniSure Inc. About CogniSure CogniSure is a leading provider of AI-powered insurance solutions that help insurers streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. The company's solutions leverage the latest advances in machine learning and natural language processing to analyze insurance data and provide actionable insights. Founded in 2016, CogniSure is headquartered in New York City. For more details, please visit www.cognisure.ai. About PwC At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 155 countries with over 327,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com. Media inquiries can be directed to Katy McBride at media@cognisure.ai. Contact Information Katy McBride Head of Operations media@cognisure.ai ?(630) 995-9904? SOURCE: CogniSure, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748617/CogniSure-and-PwC-Announce-a-Collaboration-to-Offer-an-Integrated-Digital-Underwriting-Solution-for-the-UK-Market Agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supports the expansion of manufacturing capacities for the semiconductor industry. The roughly $300 million investment is part of the company's 'Level Up' program aimed at accelerating its innovation and capacities. HOMETOWN, PA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / EMD Electronics, the Electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada, today announced an agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support expansion plans at its semiconductor manufacturing site in Hometown. This expansion is part of the company's Level Up growth program, announced by its Electronics business sector in late 2021, which aims to invest over $3.5 billion in innovation and capacity expansion projects by 2025. The roughly $300 million investment in the Hometown site will create the world's largest integrated Specialty Gases facility and support the success of Merck's Semiconductor Solutions business, one of its "Big 3" growth engines. New Plant Rendering Rendering of the new plant at EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site. "Despite near-term cautions due to the industry's cyclical nature, the demand for semiconductor materials remains very promising long term," said Kai Beckmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO Electronics. "Having domestic production capacity for critical electronics components has become a high priority for many economies. As the brains of modern electronics, semiconductors enable technology critical to economic growth and global competitiveness. We're poised to support our customers as the most local of global partners in the inextricable rise of semiconductor innovation." "Together with EMD Electronics, we are planting a flag here in Pennsylvania and showing the rest of the country that we are going to be a leader in the semiconductor industry, helping our country produce vital high-tech products that power everything from our smartphones to our cars," said Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. "I'm proud the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is partnering with EMD Electronics on the largest integrated specialty gases facility in the world. This investment will create high-paying jobs in Schuylkill County and should serve as a shining example of how the Commonwealth and leading businesses can work together to foster innovation and advance economic development here in Pennsylvania." The agreement includes incentive targets associated with at least 68 new jobs and roughly $300 million in potential investments that will enable Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to capture and grow its semiconductor materials business in North America and Europe and provide supplemental capacity to supply Asia. The company expects to hire at least 68 employees at full ramp-up, including technicians and engineers. Those interested in exploring career opportunities at the site should visit the EMD Electronics career website. "We have been the employer of choice in Hometown for almost 50 years. Our commitment to level up our business in Schuylkill County bodes well for the community and its global impact on the semiconductor industry. We appreciate the efforts on the part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the value of our growth plans and work with us to make this expansion possible. We would also like to acknowledge the support of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, State Senator Dave Argall, Secretary of Community and Economic Development Rick Siger, and other local elected officials for their support," said Jeff White, President, EMD Electronics. "EMD Electronics has been an anchor manufacturing facility in Schuylkill County for decades during which time it has grown to be one of the most sophisticated industrial complexes in all of Pennsylvania," noted Frank Zukas, President of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation. "These planned expansion projects will allow our community to play a major part in the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in the U.S." Level Up program continues to deliver critical capacity to fuel accelerated semiconductor growth in the U.S. Driven by the accelerated industry growth, the Electronics Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is delivering a remarkable track record of investment execution since the introduction of its Level Up growth program and the announcement of significantly more than $3.5 billion in innovation and capacities in the U.S., Germany, and Asia by the end of 2025. As part of this investment plan, approximately $1 billion will be allocated to supporting R&D and manufacturing capacities in the company's Electronics business sector in the U.S., primarily in its Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania sites. For instance, by the end of the first half of 2023, the company expects to start operations at its new factory in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area for the manufacture of equipment for its Delivery Systems & Services (DS&S) business. The new site will enable the company to further grow its gas and chemical delivery systems business and provide key supplemental capacity to the semiconductor ecosystem. Related Images New Plant Rendering Rendering of the new plant at EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site. EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site Aerial photograph of EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site. About EMD Electronics EMD Electronics is the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Electronics' portfolio covers a broad range of products and solutions, including high-tech materials and solutions for the semiconductor industry as well as liquid crystals and OLED materials for displays and effect pigments for coatings and cosmetics. Today, EMD Electronics has approximately 2,000 employees around the country, with regional offices in Tempe (AZ) and Philadelphia (PA). For more information, please visit www.emd-electronics.com. Contact Information: Johanna Batista Communications Business Partner johanna.batista@emdgroup.com +1 (848) 230 5400 SOURCE: EMD Electronics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748677/EMD-Electronics-Expands-Semiconductor-Manufacturing-Capacities-for-the-Worlds-Largest-Integrated-Specialty-Gases-Facility-in-Hometown-Pennsylvania Oakville, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - FendX Technologies Inc. (CSE: FNDX) (the "Company" or "FendX") a nanotechnology company developing surface protection coatings, is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a development stage agreement (the "Agreement") with Dunmore International Corp. ("Dunmore"), a Steel Partners Holdings L.P. (NYSE: SPLP) operating company, to provide their engineering expertise to scale-up the Company's REPELWRAP film to create intermediate-sized prototype films for testing. Dr. Carolyn Myers, CEO of FendX states, "We have successfully completed testing a lab prototype with McMaster University and are now ready to transfer the process for making REPELWRAP film to Dunmore to continue with our prototype development milestones to create larger versions of REPELWRAP film. The engagement of Dunmore is an important milestone for us as this is the first step to assessing and creating an automated manufacturing process. We look forward to continuing to execute on our scale-up and development milestones with highly experienced collaborators and are excited to work with an experienced manufacturer such as Dunmore." Dr. Myers continues, "We are committed to the further development and testing of REPELWRAP film, with the intention of developing a commercial product. Leveraging our robust patent portfolio and nanotechnology, the Company also plans to research and develop a pipeline of other products to contribute to the global effort to reduce the spread of pathogens." REPELWRAP film is the Company's first product under development and is a protective surface coating film that leverages the Company's award-winning nanotechnology. REPELWRAP film has demonstrated unique repelling properties that prevent the adhesion of pathogens, bacteria and viruses, reducing their transmission on surfaces prone to contamination. The Company believes REPELWRAP film will have applications in healthcare settings and other industries. The Company announces it has signed an amendment agreement dated April 11, 2023, with an effective date of January 1, 2023, with McMaster University to the Collaborative Research Agreement (the "CRA") dated July 7, 2021 with an effective date of August 1, 2021. The amendment with McMaster amends the CRA to update the payment schedule related to the timing of payments including two payments of $87,500 and $75,000 originally scheduled to be made in 2022 to be amended to be made in 2023. The Company announces it has entered into an agreement with Triple Bull Consulting Inc. ("Triple Bull") for Triple Bull to provide investor communications services to the Company in exchange for an aggregate amount of $40,000, payable within 10 days of signing. The services will include analytics and web traffic tracking set up, market research and persona development, content creation and publishing, digital marketing campaign set up and management, weekly analytics reports and other related investor communication services. Triple Bull may conduct certain of these services on social media platforms. The term of the Triple Bull agreement is for a period of four months ending on August 11, 2023. Triple Bull's contact information is as follows: 119 Duncan Dr., Arnprior, Ontario K7S 0E1, attention: William McClain, email: william.mcclain@triplebullconsulting.com, telephone: (604) 773-9423. The Company announces it has entered into an agreement with ARU Global Inc. ("ARU") for ARU to provide investor relations and communications services to the Company in exchange for an aggregate amount of $500,000 USD, payable in installments as follows: $100,000 USD upon execution of the agreement, $100,000 USD paid 30 days prior to campaign launch, $150,000 USD after month two of the campaign launch and $150,000 USD after month three of the campaign launch. The services will include advertorial landing page long-copy and design, lead-generation drip sequence, Yahoo, Google, Retargeting ad creation and audience optimization and email teasers and other related investor relations services. The term of the ARU agreement is for a period of 12 months ending on April 11, 2024. ARU's contact information is as follows: Calle Punto Colon, Punta Pacifica, attention: Brian Uppal, email: brian@aruglobalinc.com, telephone: 507-6532-8900. About Dunmore International Corp. Dunmore is a global manufacturer of engineered coated and laminated films and foils with manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Germany. Dunmore offers film conversion services such as coating, metallizing and laminating along with contract film manufacturing and custom film product development. Dunmore services a diverse group of industries including aircraft, spacecraft, photovoltaic, graphic arts & labels, packaging, and insulation. Dunmore is a subsidiary of Steel Partners and is ISO 9001:2015 and OSHA VPP Star certified. About FendX Technologies Inc. FendX is a Canada-based nanotechnology company focused on developing products to make people's lives safer by reducing the spread of pathogens. Our first product under development, REPELWRAP film, is a protective surface coating film that, due to its repelling properties, prevents adhesion of pathogens and reduces their transmission on surfaces prone to contamination. The Company is conducting research and development activities using its nanotechnology in collaboration with industry-leading partners including McMaster University. The Company has an exclusive world-wide license to its technology, including an IP portfolio, from McMaster. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Carolyn Myers" Carolyn Myers Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact: Carolyn Myers Telephone: 1-800-344-9868 For Media and Investor Relations Inquiries: investor@fendxtech.com For more information please visit https://fendxtech.com/ and the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the 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. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including with respect to: the plans of the Company; statements regarding Dunmore and the scale up and testing of an intermediate prototype; the Company's plans to research and develop a pipeline of other products; the Company's belief that REPELWRAP will have applications in healthcare settings and other industries; and products under development and any pathogen reduction benefits related thereto. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. 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. Important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include: product candidates only being in formulation/reformulation stages; limited operating history; research and development activities; dependence on collaborative partners, licensors and others; effect of general economic and political conditions; and other risk factors set forth in the Company's final prospectus dated January 31, 2023 under the heading "Risk Factors". The reader is urged to refer to the Company's prospectus and other filings, publicly available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162106 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Palladium One Mining (TSXV: PDM) (FSE: 7N11) (OTCQB: NKORF) ("Palladium One" or "PDM") is pleased to announce that, further to PDM's news release dated March 30, 2023 , it has completed a C$4,252,050 non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Glencore plc ("Glencore"). Pursuant to the Private Placement, PDM issued 28,347,000 common shares ("Common Shares") at C$0.15 per Common Share. Upon completion of the Private Placement, Glencore owns approximately 9.99% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of PDM on a non-diluted basis. Net proceeds of the Private Placement are intended to be used for exploration and development activities at the Company's nickel projects, for future exploration and development activities, working capital and general and administrative expenses. In connection with the Private Placement, Palladium One and Glencore entered into an investor rights agreement (the "Investor Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which Glencore is entitled to certain customary rights including participation rights on future equity security issuances and a right to nominate an individual to the technical committee of Palladium One. Under the Investor Rights Agreement, Glencore will agree to certain customary transfer and standstill restrictions. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws. No commissions or finder fees are payable in connection with the Private Placement. About Palladium One Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) is focused on discovering environmentally and socially conscious Metals for Green Transportation. A Canadian mineral exploration and development company, Palladium One is targeting district scale, platinum-group-element (PGE)-copper-nickel deposits in Canada and Finland. The Lantinen Koillismaa (LK) Project in north-central Finland, is a PGE-copper-nickel project that has existing NI43-101 Mineral Resources, while both the Tyko and Canalask high-grade nickel-copper projects are located in Ontario and the Yukon, Canada, respectively. Follow Palladium One on LinkedIn, Twitter, and at www.palladiumoneinc.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Derrick Weyrauch" President & CEO, Director For further information contact: Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com 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. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Private Placement; expected future attributes, capitalization and strategy of Palladium One following the completion of the Private Placement; the anticipated benefits of, and rationale for, the Private Placement; plans, strategies and initiatives for Palladium One; the expected use of proceeds of the Private Placement; the terms and conditions of the Investor Rights Agreement; 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 include, among others, the timing and ability of Palladium One to obtain final approval of the Private Placement from the TSX Venture Exchange risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162033 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. Microbiotica, a leader in discovering and developing microbiome-based therapeutics and biomarkers, today announces it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration with MSD (Merck Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA). Under the terms of the agreement, Microbiotica will conduct a phase 1b clinical trial to evaluate the safety and tolerability, and initial signs of clinical activity of its live biotherapeutic product, MB097, in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), MSD's anti-PD-1 therapy, in melanoma patients with primary resistance to an anti-PD-1-containing immunotherapy. Microbiotica will be the study sponsor and MSD will supply KEYTRUDA. MB097 is an orally administered live biotherapeutic product consisting of a defined consortium of nine bacterial strains designed to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as KEYTRUDA. The bacterial strains in MB097 were identified by analysing the microbiome of patients in multiple studies of ICIs in melanoma. Microbiotica's discovery platform facilitates precise, strain-level identification of bacterial signatures associated with clinical response. Moreover, MB097 displayed potent anti-tumour efficacy in combination with ICIs in in vivo tumour models and demonstrated multiple immuno-stimulatory mechanisms in primary human immune cell assays including Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte activation and tumour cell killing in vitro Tim Sharpington, CEO of Microbiotica, said: "We are delighted to be working with MSD, a world leader in immuno-oncology. The treatment of patients with advanced melanoma has been revolutionised by ICIs such as KEYTRUDA and there is an opportunity to increase the number of patients who can benefit from these treatments. There is growing evidence that the gut microbiome plays a critical role in determining a patient's response to ICIs and we believe that MB097, in combination with KEYTRUDA, has the potential to enhance the benefit for patients with advanced melanoma and other difficult-to-treat cancers." (KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.) -ENDS- NOTES TO EDITORS About Microbiotica Microbiotica is a leading player in the field of microbiome-based therapeutics, biomarkers and targets. The Company is building a growing pipeline of differentiated products based on high quality clinical datasets and unique bacterial signatures that drive biology, identified by its proprietary platform. Consisting of a leading microbiome Reference Genome Database, Culture Collection, mass culturing technology (Personalised Bacterial Bank) and proprietary AI tools, Microbiotica's platform enables unrivalled strain-level microbiome analysis linked to patient phenotypes. The Company's current therapeutic areas of focus are immuno-oncology and IBD and it has established major clinical and academic partnerships in these areas. Spun out of the Sanger Institute in 2016, the Company is based at Chesterford Research Park near Cambridge, UK. Microbiotica's investor syndicate includes British Patient Capital, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Flerie Invest, IP Group plc, Seventure Partners, and Tencent. In 2022, Microbiotica raised 50m Series B fund raising, the largest such fund raising for a microbiome company in Europe. For more information, please visit www.microbiotica.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005455/en/ Contacts: Microbiotica: Ro Gardner T: +44 1223 869302 M: +44 7801 480569 E: rgardner@microbiotica.com Microbiotica (Media relations): Melanie Toyne-Sewell Agnes Stephens Giulia Lasagni Batoul Ali T: +44 20 7457 2020 E: microbiotica@instinctif.com TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSXV:LG)(OTCQB:LGCXF) (the "Company" or "Lahontan") is pleased to announce that it will commence base-line environmental studies at its Flagship Santa Fe Mine in the heart of Nevada's prolific Walker Lane. The base-line studies will be utilized in the Company's Plan of Operations ("POO") submittal to the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") which, when approved, will allow Lahontan to conduct exploration activities including road building and drilling, in a 12.2 km2 area within the Mine area. Furthermore, the base-line environmental data can be used in future submissions should the Company elect to put the Santa Fe Mine back into production, greatly streamlining that process. Lahontan will continue its current resource expansion drilling program under an approved Notice of Intent ("NOI"), with the goal of an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRI") by year-end. Kimberly Ann, Lahontan Gold Founder, CEO, President, and Director commented: "The Company is excited to begin these crucial environmental studies which will not only facilitate far more widespread exploration drilling throughout the majority of the Santa Fe Mine property, but very importantly, these studies can also be utilized to obtain permits to bring Santa Fe back into production if Lahontan elects to pursue that path. As we have noted, Santa Fe is a target-rich environment; we believe that there are multiple excellent exploration targets external to our current Resources that could change the narrative about Santa Fe underscoring the multi-million ounce potential of the property." Lahontan Gold has signed a contract with Great Basin Environmental Services, LLC ("GBES") to advise and act as permitting agent for the preparation of a Plan of Operations for the Santa Fe Mine. GBES will coordinate with government oversight agencies and obtain proposals from multiple environmental contractors to complete the work. The POO will allow the Company more surface disturbance on the property, allowing Lahontan to continue expanding the current Resources. Furthermore, it will allow the Company to drill exploration targets more distal to known Resources, unlocking the full potential of the property. The POO will cover 12.2 km2 of the 19 km2 Santa Fe Mine property. Environmental baseline studies will be conducted that will lead to an Environmental Assessment document. Biological studies will include botanical surveys, raptor surveys, migratory bird surveys, and potentially, bat roost surveys. Cultural resources will be surveyed and documented. These studies will guide how the exploration disturbance will proceed. Currently, Lahontan is operating under a NOI level permit allowing for up to five acres of disturbance within the 19 km2 property. Lahontan will continue resource expansion drilling under the NOI permit until the POO is completed and approved. About Lahontan Gold Corp: Lahontan Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company that holds, through its US subsidiaries, three top-tier gold and silver exploration properties in the Walker Lane of mining friendly Nevada. Lahontan's flagship property, the 19 km2 Santa Fe Mine, had past production of 345,000 ounces of gold and 711,000 ounces of silver between 1988 and 1995 from open pit mines utilizing heap-leach processing (Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 1995). The Santa Fe Mine has an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,112,000 oz Au Eq (grading 1.14 g/t Au Eq) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 544,000 oz Au Eq (grading 1.00 g/t Au Eq), all pit constrained (Au Eq is inclusive of recovery, please see Santa Fe Project Technical Report available on SEDAR or the Company's website). The Company will continue to aggressively explore Santa Fe during 2023 and begin the process of evaluating development scenarios to bring the Santa Fe Mine back into production. Quentin J. Browne, P.Geo., Consulting Geologist to Lahontan Gold Corp., is the Qualified Person for the Company and approved the technical content of this news release. For more information, please visit our website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Kimberly Ann Founder, CEO, President, and Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Lahontan Gold Corp. Kimberly Ann Founder, Chief Executive Officer, President, Director Phone: 1-530-414-4400 Email: Kimberly.ann@lahontangoldcorp.com Website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com Cautionary Note Regarding 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. Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a varietyof risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com SOURCE: Lahontan Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748739/Lahontan-to-Begin-Base-Line-Environmental-Studies-at-Santa-Fe SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Today FBC Holding, Inc. (OTC PINK:FBCD) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Formrunner Apparel Inc. is thrilled to announce that the company will be hosting a Music Festival alongside popular Streetwear Vendors on October 14th, 2023. This exciting event will be held at Walter Studios in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. This musical event will feature some of the most talented musicians from all over the country, showcasing a range of musical styles and genres. Attendees can expect a stacked lineup including a special guest rap artist which will be announced at a later date. In addition, attendees will also get a unique shopping experience provided by FBC Holding, Inc's carefully curated selection of clothing vendors. President & CEO Lisa Nelson states "Music and fashion have always gone hand in hand, and we believe that having clothing vendors at the festival will add an extra layer of excitement to the event." FBC Holding, Inc. have handpicked a selection of clothing vendors that they believe will appeal to a wide range of styles and tastes. Attendees can browse and shop at their leisure, finding the perfect outfit to wear as they enjoy the festival's music performances. "We want to make sure that we have something for everyone." added Lisa Nelson. "From vintage to modern trendy streetwear, our clothing vendors will have a variety of styles and trends available for purchase." In addition to the music and shopping, the festival will also feature a range of food and drink vendors, as well as other fun activities and attractions for attendees to enjoy. All proceeds will go towards teen safety driving and the company will keep beloved shareholders updated every step of the way as the event gets closer. Formrunner Apparel Inc. has built a significant reputation by delivering on both Clothing quality and price to become one of the most respected and trusted names in the Retail Clothing Space. Our customers admire our variety of high-end clothing, top notch customer service, competitive pricing, and easy payment alternatives. Since Hyperviolent first opened, Formrunner Apparel Inc. has managed to establish valuable long-term relationships with customers and distributors and the company cannot wait to see what the future holds! More news to come! About Formrunner Apparel Inc. Formrunner Apparel Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of FBC Holding, Inc. Formrunner Apparel Inc. carries a variety of Top-Notch Streetwear & Accessories located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Formrunner can be viewed and bought on the Company's website. at www.formrunnerapparel.com Formrunner Apparel Inc's main website: www.formrunnerapparel.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/FormrunnerTM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Formrunner Instagram (Mall Location): https://www.instagram.com/Hyperviolentaz IR Contact: info@formrunnerapparel.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 FBC Holding, Inc 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, changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, including codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. 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. SOURCE: FBC Holding, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748634/FBC-Holding-Inc-FBCD-Announces-Extravagant-2023-Fall-Music-Festival Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (OTC Pink: EQTRF), ("Altamira" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received the results of an initial metallurgical leach characterisation test on a drill core composite sample of primary mineralization from the recent Maria Bonita discovery within the Cajueiro project in Para state, Brazil. This test complements those test results released on March 1, 2023, using the conventional cyanide leach technology. The current test was conducted at SGS Australia and CSIRO laboratories in Western Australia using a proprietary thiosulphate leach technique developed by Clean Mining, a subsidiary of Clean Earth Technologies (CET), based in Singapore. CET is commercialising a non-cyanide approach to leaching of gold ores that was originally developed in Australia by CSIRO. Cyanide leaching is the traditional method to extract low grade gold. Thiosulphate leaching offers a more environmentally benign route to gold extraction. Highlights: A 24-hour agitated leach test using the thiosulphate leach agent, at a grind size of 80% passing 75m, recovered 92% of total gold content. The head grade of the sample treated compares well with the original assays of the diamond drill composites making up the sample (50g fire assays). The original assays from the drill samples gave 1.07g/t gold. The Clean Mining laboratory head grade (500g sample) gave 1.04g/t gold. The Clean Mining leach test resulted in a back-calculated head grade of the sample (after leaching) of 1.10g/t gold (1000g of leach test sample). These results underline the consistency of the mineralization. A cyanide leach test was also conducted in parallel using the same grind and leach time and yielded a gold recovery of 91%. These results correlate very well with recently announced cyanide leach tests carried out in the Testwork laboratory in Brazil, which also returned an average cyanide leach gold recovery of 91% for primary mineralized material from Maria Bonita. Final drill results from a series of reconnaissance drill holes completed during 2022 at the Santa Helena project returned several notable intercepts including 0.8m @ 44.8 g/t gold and 0.9m @ 10.4 g/t gold. Altamira Gold President and CEO, Michael Bennett, commented; "We are pleased to receive this very positive result, which underlines the potential for a non-cyanide process route to be technically highly competitive with conventional cyanide leaching at our Cajueiro project. Our previous work with Clean Mining on oxide material from the existing Cajueiro resources, gave similar highly encouraging results, and we have now achieved high recoveries with primary material from the new Maria Bonita discovery. This initial test creates a strong option to now evaluate the application of both the Clean Mining and conventional cyanide leach technologies to a start-up heap leach project." Consulting metallurgist Ian Gordon Hall Dun BSc (Eng), MSc., who has 45 years of experience as a metallurgist in Brazil, observed, "This leach test supports the concept of Altamira utilising a non-cyanide route to gold recovery for the Maria Bonita project. At this initial stage, the results provide higher gold recoveries than conventional cyanide leach at low reagent consumption rates which is a very positive initial result. We will further develop this option through testing both the Clean Mining and conventional cyanide leach routes for heap leaching conditions". CAJUEIRO PROJECT The Cajueiro project is located approximately 75km NW of the town of Alta Floresta in the state of Mato Grosso (Figure 1) in central western Brazil and is easily accessible by road and has grid power. Cajueiro forms one of three key projects that Altamira controls in the region, the other two being Apiacas and Santa Helena (Figure1). Figure 1: Location of the Cajueiro, Apiacas and Santa Helena projects. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/162109_2e3b893e54996883_001full.jpg The Cajueiro project has current NI 43-101 resources of 5.66Mt @ 1.02 g/t gold for a total of 185,000 oz in the Indicated Resource category and 12.66Mt @ 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 515,000 oz in the Inferred Resource category. Several strong mainly untested gold-in-soil anomalies occur within a short radius of the Cajueiro resource area and include Maria Bonita, Sossego and Novo Sonho (Figure 2). Maria Bonita is the strongest of these peripheral gold-in-soil anomalies and is open to the west, with the current footprint of the geochemical anomaly covering an area comparable in size to the entire Cajueiro mineral resource area. Figure 2: Location of the Cajueiro (Baldo) mineral resource and the Maria Bonita target showing relative size and intensity of the soil responses. The Maria Bonita soil anomaly remains open to the west and north. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/162109_2e3b893e54996883_002full.jpg Maria Bonita Target The Maria Bonita target is located approximately 7km northwest of the Cajueiro resource area (Figure 2) and is defined by a gold-in-soil anomaly which is at least 800 x 800m in size and open to the west. The central part of the anomaly returned gold values in excess of 1g/t gold in soils (Figure 3). Figure 3: Gold-in-soil values at the Maria Bonita target over background aero-magnetic data (derivative of total magnetic intensity - TMI) with structural interpretation. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/162109_2e3b893e54996883_003full.jpg Maria Bonita Metallurgical results Following completion of holes MBA001-MBA004 (see press releases dated September 7 and November 16, 2022), a representative composite sample of fresh rock mineralization was prepared from assay sample coarse rejects, returned from the analytical laboratory. The sample weighed 5kg and was comprised of 15 subsamples of individual core intervals, each of which measured 0.77-1.5m. The samples were submitted to Clean Mining and the testwork was conducted at SGS Australia and CSIRO laboratories in Western Australia from January to February 2023. Clean Earth Technologies (CET) is a Singapore-based EnviroTech company that focuses on the identification, development, and commercialization of research for non-toxic, environmentally friendly industry processes and remediation. CET has two patented technologies, a nontoxic leach reagent and a resin-based collector. The testwork programme involved crushing and grinding the sample to 80% passing 75 microns. Standard bottle roll leach tests were conducted using 1000 g of sample repulped to 40% solids, with pH adjusted to 5-7 for Clean Mining's reagent and 10.8 for a comparable cyanide leach test. For the Clean Mining leach test, 31.2 grams of clean leach reagent (CLR), equivalent to 20 grams of reagent per litre of liquor) and 5.6 grams of clean leach enhancer (CLE) equivalent to 3.7 grams of reagent per litre of liquor were added. The concentration of reagents and the pH were monitored for the duration of the test. After 48 hours of leaching, the pulp was filtered and washed with three displacements of water. The results indicate a consumption of 3.59 kg/t of CLR and 0.36 kg/t of CLE and an average gold recovery of 92.1% within 24 hours. As concluded by Clean Mining, "The ore has shown low reagent consumption, high gold recovery and fast leaching kinetics". Figure 4: Progressive leach recovery of gold using CET and conventional cyanide leach reagents. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/162109_2e3b893e54996883_004full.jpg For the comparable cyanide leach, gold recovery after 24 hours leaching was 91% with a sodium cyanide (NaCN) consumption of 0.3 kg/t. When compared with the prior results for metallurgical characterisation for Maria Bonita mineralization, the thiosulphate leach gave high recoveries, marginally higher than those for conventional cyanide leaching. Au recovery % Reported 01/03/23 This report CN CN CET CN Saprolite 91.3 92.8 Fresh Rock 89.9 90.5 92.3 91.1 CN = conventional cyanide leach CET = Clean Earth Technologies thiosulphate leach Table 1: Summary for leach test results for Maria Bonita project. As a next step, the Company plans to further investigate crushing and grinding characteristics, the amenability of both conventional cyanide and thiosulphate leach to the dynamics to heap leaching, and further evaluation of agitated leach using both reagent options. SANTA HELENA PROJECT The Santa Helena project is located immediately adjacent to the paved BR-163 federal highway in the state of Mato Grosso and 60km SW of the Jaca porphyry copper deposit which was recently discovered by Anglo American Corporation (Figure 1). Previous artisanal mining activity has focused on high-grade gold hosted in vein structures. However, mapping, soil and rock chip sampling by Altamira has identified both extensions to the known vein gold targets plus significant copper, molybdenum and gold anomalies in soils related to areas of porphyry-style alteration in a zone which extends 7km E-W by 4 km N-S, indicating the presence of a very large hydrothermal system. Santa Helena Drill results Twenty-three diamond drillholes totalling 3,615m were completed on eight separate targets identified by a combination of soil sampling, geological mapping, and reviews of artisanal miners' workings. The Santa Helena area contains several active artisanal workings extracting gold from discrete vein and shear structures. Altamira's prospecting work identified both gold and copper-in-soil targets. The initial scout drilling reported here relates to the gold targets, all of which are the site of minor to significant former or current artisanal workings. Notable drill results received from the scout drilling program are shown in Table 1. Highlights include 0.8m @ 44.8 g/t gold from the Dorival Sul target and 0.9m @ 10.4 g/t gold and 9.2m @ 1.2 g/t gold from the Tucura target. Target Hole Depth From To Metres g/t Au Gabriel DDSTH0003 341 174 177 3 0.47 Gabriel DDSTH0009 129.96 4.8 23 18.2 0.36 Gabriel DDSTH0012 151.47 70.55 71.55 1 0.45 Flecha Dourada DDSTH0013 142.42 44 46.5 2.5 3.64 Flecha Dourada DDSTH0014 106.53 31 32 1 1.02 Tucura DDSTH0015 167.73 92.3 92.8 0.5 1.74 Tucura DDSTH0016 139.74 57.2 58.1 0.9 10.38 Dorival Sul DDSTH0017 134.35 92 92.8 0.8 44.8 Dorival Sul DDSTH0018 79.68 63.9 65.4 1.5 3.10 Tucura DDSTH0020 226.01 173.8 183 9.2 1.17 Tucura DDSTH0021 151.56 56 58 2 0.50 Table 2: Santa Helena significant drill results. Several coherent copper targets remain to be tested at Santa Helena, pending the completion of geophysical surveys, which are now planned for Q2 2023. Qualified Person Guillermo Hughes, FAIG and M AusIMM., a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About Altamira Gold Corp. The Company is focused on the exploration and development of gold projects within western central Brazil. The Company holds 8 projects comprising approximately 190,000 hectares, within the prolific Juruena gold belt which historically produced an estimated 7 to 10Moz of placer gold. The Company's advanced Cajueiro project has NI 43-101 resources of 5.66Mt @ 1.02 g/t gold for a total of 185,000 oz in the Indicated Resource category and 12.66Mt @ 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 515,000oz in the Inferred Resource category. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, ALTAMIRA GOLD CORP. "Michael Bennett" Michael Bennett President & CEO Tel: 604.676.5660 Toll-Free:1-833-606-6271 info@altamiragold.com www.altamiragold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities described herein have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. Forward-looking Statements Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the extension of the Warrants. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Notes Gold analysis has been conducted by SGS method FAA505 (fire assay of 50g charge), with higher grade samples checked by FAA525. Analytical quality is monitored by certified references and blanks. Until dispatch, samples are stored under the supervision the Company's exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor. Pulps are returned to the Company and archived. Drill holes results are quoted as down-hole length weighted intersections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162109 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (NEO: AWKN) (OTCQB: AWKNF) (FSE: 954) ("Awakn"), a biotechnology company developing therapeutics to treat addiction with a near-term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), is today providing a corporate update. Dr. Ben Sessa has resigned from his role as Head of Psychedelic Medicine at Awakn and will leave the business effective April 13. As a result of Dr. Sessa leaving Awakn, Dr. Sessa has agreed to transfer his 49% stake of Awakn Bristol Limited, which operates Awakn Clinics Bristol, to Awakn Life Sciences Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Awakn, resulting in Awakn Life Sciences Inc. holding a 100% interest in the Bristol operation. Nushama Inc., a licensing partner of Awakn based in Manhattan, New York, has treated its first clients with Awakn's novel treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder, Awakn Kare, marking the first people in North America to receive the treatment. Awakn has completed the filing of three Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications for its New Chemical Entity program. As a result, and pursuant to the Intellectual Property Transfer Agreement among Awakn, Awakn Life Sciences Inc. and Equasy Enterprises Ltd. dated March 8, 2021, as amended, an additional 70,000 common shares of Awakn are issuable to Prof. David Nutt. On March 1st, 2023, Awakn opened 'Awakn Clinics Trondheim', Awakn's fourth clinic and its second clinic in Norway. Awakn Clinics Trondheim is the first ketamine-assisted therapy clinic in the region. In accordance with the terms of the Share Exchange Agreement among Awakn Axonklinikken AS ("Axon") and its shareholders dated September 15, 2021, the opening of an additional clinic in Norway has triggered an obligation of Awakn to issue an additional aggregate of 100,000 common shares of Awakn to the former shareholders of Axon. Awakn CEO, Anthony Tennyson commented: "We thank Dr. Sessa for his contribution to Awakn and wish him well in the future. We are happy to hit another milestone in our licensing partnerships business with the first clients to be treated with Awakn Kare in North America. On the clinics side of the business, we are delighted to open our fourth clinic, and second in Norway; we have a dedicated and industry-leading team in Norway making huge progress." About Awakn Life Sciences Corp. Awakn Life Sciences Corp. is a biotechnology company developing therapeutics to treat addiction. Awakn has a near-term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), a condition affecting 285m people globally for which the current standard of care is inadequate. Our goal is to provide breakthrough therapeutics to addiction sufferers in desperate need and our strategy is focused on commercializing our R&D pipeline across multiple channels. www.AwaknLifeSciences.com | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | www.AwaknClinics.com Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events or the Company's future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "continues", "forecasts", "projects", "predicts", "intends", "anticipates", "targets" or "believes", or variations of, or the negatives of, such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, including statements relating the business of the Company. All forward-looking statements, including those herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information. These include, but are not limited to:COVID-19; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; the business plans and strategies of the Company; the ability of the Company to comply with all applicable governmental regulations in a highly regulated business; the inherent risks in investing in target companies or projects which have limited or no operating history and are engaged in activities currently considered illegal in some jurisdictions; changes in laws; limited operating history; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; fluctuations in securities markets; inconsistent public opinion and perception regarding the medical-use of psychedelic drugs; expectations regarding the size of the addiction market; and regulatory or political change. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date or dates specified in such statements. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For more information on the Company, investors are encouraged to review the Company's public filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 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. Investor Enquiries: Anthony Tennyson, CEO, Awakn Life Sciences anthony.tennyson@awaknlifesciences.com Media Enquiries: Gordo Whittaker, CMO, Awakn Life Sciences gordo@awaknlifesciences.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162112 Continuous nickel mineralization of 1.49% over a length of 58.2 meters, including intercepts as high as 2.95% over 4.2 meters. Impressive cobalt grades encountered throughout all zones of mineralization, including a 4.2-meter section grading 0.22%. Unexpected 3PE anomaly of 28.23 g/t over 0.7 meters in hole GL23003. BHEM results suggest a continuation of mineralization to depth and possibly along a greater strike extent than previously recognized. Numerous, robust off-hole BHEM conductors to be targeted in future exploration programs. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI) (FSE: 6Q5) (OTCQB: FNICF) (the "Company" or "Fathom"), is pleased to announce assay results from the two drillhole program at the historic Gochager Lake deposit within the Company's 19,342 Ha Gochager Lake Project. Drilling Highlights: Drillhole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m)1 Ni (%) Cu (%) Co (%) 3PE (g/t) GL23003 124.45 182.65 58.20 1.49 0.38 0.11 0.07 Including 124.45 150.20 25.75 2.06 0.49 0.16 0.08 Including 128.15 146.25 18.10 2.43 0.51 0.18 0.06 Including 139.30 143.50 4.20 2.95 0.62 0.22 0.05 GL23003 244.10 244.80 0.70 1.16 0.19 0.07 28.23 GL23004 250.90 253.30 2.40 1.38 0.43 0.11 0.27 Including 252.90 253.30 0.40 1.82 0.18 0.14 1.36 1 Reported drillhole intersections are down-hole intersection length and are not a true thickness. At present there is insufficient information to determine true thickness. The above drilling highlights are associated with zones of semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization. Both drillholes were probed by borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) tools. The various zones of sulphide mineralization demonstrated significant off-hole BHEM anomalies indicating the mineralization intersected has significant strike beyond the borehole (see Press Release March 28, 2023). The off-hole conductors are expected to be drill tested in future exploration programs. Fathom is the first company to systematically sample the Gochager Lake style of mineralization for Cobalt, Platinum, Palladium and Gold. The Cobalt results are very positive and potentially add a significant credit to the Nickel-Copper mineralization. The localized, extremely high-grade Platinum-Palladium+Gold (3PE) in both drillholes is very surprising and an indication of potential 3PE credits associated with this style of mineralization. Ian Fraser, CEO and VP Exploration stated, "The impressive nickel-cobalt values and, importantly, their consistency over broad intersections, has us very excited and extremely pleased with the results of the two-hole program completed in February. Simply put, this program has been a tremendous success. We achieved our three-pronged goal of 1) intersecting high-grade nickel bearing semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization; 2) successfully testing for associated cobalt mineralization; and, 3) employing the BHEM tool for the very first time at this project - a tool which has proved very successful at Albert Lake. The very high-grade, localized 3PE mineralization encountered in drillhole 23003 is also an indication of a potential source to this mineralization, yet to be determined. 'Excited' is a bit of an understatement. We have a lot of work ahead of us and very much look forward to the next step of exploration at the Gochager Lake property." Photo - 1: Semi-Massive to Massive Sulphide Mineralization; drillhole GL23003: 135.85 - 149.30m; interval assayed: 2.31% Ni, 0.55% Cu, 0.17% Co, 0.07 g/t 3PE / 15.55m To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7843/162099_fathomfigure1.jpg Photo - 2: Massive Sulphide Mineralization; drillhole GL23003 at 130.45m, pentlandite, chalcopyrite noted in drillhole log; interval 130.40 - 130.95m assayed: 2.38% Ni, 0.38% Cu, 0.19% Co, 0.26 g/t 3PE / 0.55m To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7843/162099_ff645481b447eb68_004full.jpg Drillhole Assay Summary: Drillhole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ni (%) Cu (%) Co (%) 3PE (g/t) GL23003 59.45 62.25 2.80 0.75 0.90 0.05 0.07 Including 59.45 60.25 0.80 1.16 2.69 0.07 0.16 GL23003 124.45 182.65 58.20 1.49 0.38 0.11 0.07 Including 124.45 150.20 25.75 2.06 0.49 0.16 0.08 Including 128.15 146.25 18.10 2.43 0.51 0.18 0.06 Including 130.40 146.25 15.85 2.55 0.54 0.19 0.07 Including 139.30 145.20 5.90 2.87 0.66 0.22 0.05 Including 139.30 143.50 4.20 2.95 0.62 0.22 0.05 GL23003 222.70 310.85 88.15 0.30 0.07 0.02 0.25 Including 243.80 247.15 3.35 0.76 0.14 0.06 5.92 Including 244.10 244.80 0.70 1.16 0.19 0.07 28.23 GL23004 8.80 46.90 38.10 0.31 0.09 0.02 0.03 GL23004 238.30 287.30 49.00 0.40 0.14 0.03 0.04 Including 250.15 275.00 24.85 0.58 0.19 0.05 0.05 Including 250.90 253.30 2.40 1.38 0.43 0.11 0.27 Including 252.90 253.30 0.40 1.82 0.18 0.14 1.36 Including 267.70 268.80 1.10 1.47 0.49 0.12 0.07 Drillhole Location Details: Drillhole ID UTM Easting UTM Northing Azimuth Dip Total Depth (m) GL23003 502442.3 6180207.5 175 -85 336.0 GL23004 502510.9 6180275.8 213 -60 389.0 Ian Fraser commented further, "Our decision to significantly expand the Gochager project by acquiring the Watts Lake claims was based on our anticipation of these positive assay results. We have locked-up a contiguous land package, now totaling over 19,000 hectares, that links the Gochager Lake deposit to the Mal Lake nickel occurrence 10 km SE of Gochager. The historic drilling at Mal Lake suggests an analogy between the Gochager Lake deposit and the nickel mineralization at Mal Lake." He added, "Cobalt is clearly a very significant credit to this style of mineralization that was not previously recognized. Secondly; BHEM results suggest a continuation to depth of this mineralization and possibly along a greater strike extent not previously recognized. BHEM will be a very powerful tool going forward and will guide us in defining what we feel will be multiple high-grade, nickel-cobalt lenses within the historic boundaries of the Gochager Lake deposit2." 2 - The Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMID#0880) reports drill indicated reserves at the historic Gochager Lake Deposit of 4,262,400 tons grading 0.295% Ni and 0.081% Cu mineable by open pit. Fathom cannot confirm the resource estimate nor the parameters and methods used to prepare the reserve estimate. The estimate is not considered NI43-101 compliant and further work is required to verify this historical drill indicated reserve. Fathom Exploration Plans - Balance of 2023 The two-hole drill program and five-hole BHEM work (the 2023 drillholes, plus two holes drilled in 2018 and one in 1989), has defined multiple off-hole anomalies indicative of semi-massive to massive Ni-Cu-Co+3PE mineralization at depth and along strike. The Company has begun planning for a summer program at the Gochager Lake project which will involve: Further BHEM surveys within the area of drillholes GL23003 and GL23004 to properly understand the geometry of the mineralization and off-hole responses detected in the 2023 drilling and historic drillholes. Surface geochemistry, mapping and prospecting and ground proofing recommendations derived from a 2008 VTEM survey; work that has never been performed on the property. Summer results will lead into a Q3-Q4 drill program. The Company is also continuing to evaluate results of a winter gravity and two-hole drilling, BHEM program performed in the area of very robust soil geochemistry at the Albert Lake Project. Deep penetrating, surface geophysics, additional BHEM surveying and additional MMI surface geochemistry is all being contemplated ahead of additional drilling at Albert Lake which could commence mid Q3. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Disclosure Statement Fathom implements an industry-standard QA/QC for all field and diamond drill programs. Fathom, through the services of TerraLogic Exploration Inc., inserts QA/QC samples in its diamond drill programs at a rate of one sample per approximately every 12-13 samples collected. Standards sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories and CCRMP were inserted into the sample stream at a rate of 1 in 30 samples. Additionally, lab duplicates (coarse rejects) were inserted and positioned in the sample sequence at a rate of 1 in 30 samples and positioned in the sample sequence alternating with standards to result in a QA/QC insertion rate of no less than 1 in 15 samples. Blanks were inserted at the start of every sample batch and additionally after samples of anticipated high-grade or high sulphide content. Assaying is performed at ALS Canada Ltd. ALS is an accredited laboratory; (SCC - CAN-P-1579 and CAN-P-4E ISO/IEC 17025) and is independent of Fathom. All drill core samples are analyzed using a 4-Acid digestion followed by 33 element ICP-AES analyses (Code ME-ICP61). Over limit Ni, Cu results are further analyzed by 4-Acid ore grade elements ICP-AES process (Code ME-OG62). Analyses for Au, Pd and Pt utilized the ore grade Pt, Pd and Au by ICP-AES (Code PGM-ICP27). Total sulphur is analysed by (S-IR08). Qualified Person and Data Verification Ian Fraser, P.Geo., CEO, VP Exploration and a Director of the Company and the "qualified person" as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of the Company. About Fathom Nickel Inc. Fathom is an exploration company that is targeting magmatic nickel sulphide discoveries to support the rapidly growing global electric vehicle market. The Company now has a portfolio of two high-quality exploration projects located in the prolific Trans Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan: 1) the Albert Lake Project, a 90,000+ hectare project that was host to the historic and past producing Rottenstone deposit (produced high-grade Ni-Cu+PGE, 1965-1969), and 2) the Gochager Lake Project, 19,000+ hectare project host to a historic, NI43-101 non-compliant open pit resource; the Gochager Lake deposit,( of 4.3M tons at 0.295% Ni and 0.081% Cu2, defined 1967-1970), an analogous drill tested nickel occurrence of drill intersections >1.% Ni (Mal Lake last drilled in 19673), and the Borys Lake Zn-Cu-Pb+Ag occurrence. 3 - Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index #0836 ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Ian Fraser, Chief Executive Officer & Vice-President Exploration 1-403-650-9760 Email: ifraser@fathomnickel.com or Doug Porter, President & CFO 1-403-870-4349 Email: dporter@fathomnickel.com Fathom Nickel Ni-Properties Saskatchewan Location Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7843/162099_ff645481b447eb68_005full.jpg Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding payment of terms under the Option Agreement, permitting for the Property, receipt of an exploration permit, timing of the exploration program on the Property and the Company achieving the earn-in thresholds under the Option Agreement. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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 except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162099 In a matter of seconds, the free tool identifies "high-risk" files that may include sensitive data stored within a Google Drive account and who has access to them Metomic, a next generation data security solution for protecting sensitive data in the new era of collaborative SaaS, announced today its Google Drive Risk Report, a free cybersecurity tool that scans Google Drive accounts to find sensitive data and information lurking in Google Docs and files. After entering a Gmail address and password, Metomic's free security solution will scan the Google Drive connected to the Gmail address and, in a matter of seconds, generate a "Risk Report" for the Google Drive account. The Google Drive Risk Report includes a risk score and highlights the total number of public files in the Google Drive account, the number of people with access to the files, and the total number of people that files have been shared with externally. The report also lists files that may require urgent attention, in addition to the full list of files identified as potentially including sensitive data, their access settings, how many people the file is shared with, and who created it. After scanning over five million Google Drive files, Metomic's Google Drive Risk Report discovered up to 40% were at risk of exposing sensitive data. Once the report is delivered, Metomic deletes all traces of data from its scanner and automatically removes all access to the Google Drive, Docs and files within 24 hours. "We built our Google Drive Risk Report so that people could see just how much sensitive data is being stored in their Google Drive," said Rich Vibert, CEO, Metomic. "It not only gives you a risk score for your Google Drive account, but also identifies your most high-risk files and lists who has access to them. It's eye-opening once you see the report and realize how much information is in your Google Drive and how many people have access to the files." The SaaS ecosystem is rapidly expanding. Studies show that the average enterprise uses anywhere from 250 to more than 350 SaaS applications and this number is increasing at an exponential rate with reports showing SaaS app usage up 18% over the past year. A primary challenge for IT, security and compliance teams is the lack of visibility into their organization's SaaS ecosystem. In fact, more than half of SaaS applications used within a business environment are implemented without IT approval or any common security compliance measures in place, putting companies at severe risk of exposing vulnerable data. Metomic's data security platform enables businesses to leverage SaaS applications without the threat of sensitive information being uploaded to the cloud. By identifying high-risk data within popular SaaS platforms including financial data, security credentials, and personal identifiable information (PII) Metomic removes the risk of critical information being exposed within the very tools they use to do business. With Metomic, security, IT, and compliance teams have complete visibility into their organization's SaaS ecosystem. They are able to protect the business without getting in the way of employees who are simply trying to do their work. Metomic's Google Drive Risk Report shines a light on just how much sensitive information is stored in the cloud and how many people have access to it. When you multiply those insights by the average number of SaaS apps used by organizations the amount of sensitive data lurking unprotected within a Google Drive is staggering. "We wanted to help people realize just how much of their information lives in their Google Drive and show how important it is to secure such sensitive data," said Vibert. "It's scary to see the report findings and realize how much data is in the cloud that you don't even realize is there and accessible by people you may not even know." The launch of Metomic's Google Drive Risk Report comes on the heels of a major funding announcement in February. Metomic raised $20 million in a Series A funding round led by Evolution Equity Partners with participation from Resonance and Connect Ventures. The investment will be used for the company's expansion efforts in the U.S. and research and development initiatives. About Metomic: Metomic was born out of the frustration of its leaders trying to implement SaaS applications that make businesses more productive but are off limits because of high-risk security concerns. As a next generation security solution focused on cloud-based applications, Metomic gives security teams clear visibility into their organization's SaaS network to manage sensitive data and detect security threats, allowing businesses to take full advantage of their SaaS application network. To learn more, visit www.metomic.io. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005016/en/ Contacts: Rich Mullikin Activa PR rich@activapr.com Tanya Jeffers Activa PR tanya@activapr.com GUANGZHOU, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday inspected south China's Guangdong Province. He first went to the city of Zhanjiang, where he visited a mariculture base, an area of mangrove forests, a port, and a water resource allocation project. Xi learned about efforts in developing marine aquaculture, strengthening the protection of mangrove forests, boosting transportation infrastructure connectivity, advancing the collaborative development of Guangdong with its neighboring island province of Hainan, and optimizing water resource allocation. Launch of free plans and community forum reinforces commitment to the open source community and is a testament to its vision of democratizing open source technologies Aiven, the open source cloud data platform, today announced the launch of free plans for its open source database services, Aiven for PostgreSQL, Aiven for MySQL, and Aiven for Redis. These free plans are available to anyone with technical support through a newly launched community forum. "By making our portfolio of open source tools that our customers love accessible to all, we're enabling the next generation of developers to begin learning and expanding their skill set without having to endure the traditionally high costs," said Oskari Saarenmaa, Co-Founder and CEO of Aiven. "Providing access to these free plans is another step in realizing Aiven's vision of democratizing open source technologies, making them available to everyone and reinforcing our commitment to the open source community." The new free plans from Aiven allow everyone to access the Aiven platform with no commitments or hidden costs. The free plans include many advanced Aiven platform features. These include dedicated instances, daily backups, Terraform integration and more. Once initiated, Aiven free plans can be seamlessly, securely, and automatically upgraded to larger, paid plans as required. Technical support for Aiven free plans is available through the new Aiven Community Forum, which launches alongside the new plans. The Aiven Community Forum provides a space for developers to discuss and collaborate on the applications and services they are building with open source data technologies. Developers can share what they are building, ask questions, and get support on challenges they are facing from other members of the community and Aiven team members, or Crabs as we like to call them. "Aiven extending free access to its platform and setting up of a community forum have an impact on far more than just one student or developer looking to learn more about databases," said Stephen Catanzano, Senior Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group. "Open source educators and the broader developer community now have greater opportunities to drive awareness to and grow the technology most crucial to our society." Learn more about Aiven's free plans here and head to our community forum to join the discussion today! Additional Resources For more information on the different services and plan types available on Aiven, have a look at our plan comparison. Get access to our comprehensive guide to the latest tools and resources in open source technology here in our Aiven Developer Center. About Aiven Headquartered in Helsinki and with hubs in Amsterdam, Berlin, Boston, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto. Aiven provides managed open source data technologies, such as PostgreSQL, Apache Kafka and OpenSearch, on all major clouds. Through Aiven, developers can do what they do best: create applications. Meanwhile, Aiven does what they do best: manage cloud data infrastructure. Aiven enables customers to drive business results from open source data technologies that trigger true transformations on a global scale. Most recently, Aiven achieved a $3B valuation and has now raised $420M total funding backed by its investors Atomico, Earlybird, Eurazeo, IVP, Lifeline, Salesforce Ventures, and World Innovation Lab. To learn more about Aiven, visit aiven.io and follow @aiven_io on Twitter. Postgres, PostgreSQL and the Slonik Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the PostgreSQL Community Association of Canada, and used with their permission. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005054/en/ Contacts: press@aiven.io Creation of a Global Leader in Scientific Editing and Language Services TOKYO and FUKUOKA, Japan, and CHATHAM-KENT, ON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Edanz Inc., a leading provider of author and researcher services for the global scientific community, today announced the acquisition of Scribendi, a renowned ISO 9001:2015-certified online editing and proofreading company. This acquisition will create a world-class, full-service language and publication solutions provider, leveraging the combined strengths of both companies to offer a comprehensive suite of services for researchers, authors, publishers, institutions and companies around the world. With complementary geographies and capabilities, this merger represents a significant strategic move for both companies, offering an opportunity to expand their global reach, enhance customer experience, and drive innovation in the rapidly evolving author and researcher services industry. By integrating their services, resources, and expertise, both organizations will be able to deliver unparalleled quality, innovation, and value to clients. Koji Yamashita, CEO of both Edanz and Scribendi, expressed excitement about the merger: "We are thrilled to welcome Scribendi to the Edanz family. This represents a significant step forward in our mission to support researchers and facilitate global scientific communication. By joining forces, we will be better positioned to support researchers and authors in achieving their publication goals, while also expanding our services to meet the evolving needs of the academic and publishing communities." Clients and partners of both Edanz and Scribendi can expect to benefit from an expanded range of services, a seamless integration of technology, and a continued focus on quality and customer support. Edanz (www.edanz.com) Edanz owns a freelance platform with approximately 500 top-class scientific and medical research professionals (mainly English native speakers and Ph.D. holders), supporting the drafting and editing of research papers mainly within the medical field. As the pioneer in this field, they are a globally leading company within English editing services for research papers. Edanz caters to clients in over 120 countries, mainly in academia including The University of Tokyo and Peking University, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals. With a repeat rate of over 80%, Edanz is highly regarded in the research community, and has supported the preparation of more than 330,000 manuscripts, as well as the development of more than 600 clinical research papers for pharmaceutical companies in Japan. Scribendi (www.scribendi.com & www.scribendi.ai) Scribendi, founded in 1997, owns an editing and proofreading platform with approximately 400 active freelancers and provides services to 28,000 clients annually, including the global academic community, students, researchers, authors, companies, and individuals for whom English is a second language. The company also operates on a proprietary platform and has developed its own natural language processing (NLP) AI technologies based on a dataset of more than 30 million sentences edited and corrected by professional proofreaders. Among other things, their technologies can automatically correct grammar, measure quality, and automate the process from receiving an order to delivery, thereby shortening lead time to only 2 hours. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052351/Edanz_Logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052350/Scribendi_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/edanz-acquires-scribendi-301795264.html In collaboration with prominent biopharma companies and academic institutions, Biognosys will demonstrate the technological advances and versatility of the TrueDiscovery, TrueTarget, and TrueSignature proteomics platforms across the entire spectrum of oncology research and clinical development Proteoverse offers intuitive and interactive data visualization to make proteomics data more accessible and easily identify actionable biological insights for biomarker and biopharma research ZURICH, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biognosys, a leader in next-generation proteomics solutions for drug discovery and development, announced today the details of their presence at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2023, which will be held April 14-19, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. The company will be presenting 8 scientific posters around their three research service platforms, TrueDiscovery, TrueTarget, and TrueSignature, in collaboration with leading biopharma and academic researchers. Biognosys' team of scientific experts will also be exhibiting at booth #319. In addition to presenting their suite of research platforms and applications, the company will be unveiling and demonstrating for the first time their new Proteoverse data exploration tool. "Our strong scientific presence with leading collaborators at the AACR Annual Meeting demonstrates the growing momentum of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in oncology biomarker research and drug development," said Kristina Beeler, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer of Biognosys. "The launch of Proteoverse revolutionizes proteomics data analysis and marks a significant leap towards making proteomics even more accessible and actionable for researchers to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets - helping to continue this forward momentum." Biognosys' strategic partner, Bruker, will be present at booth #1818 to present their proteomics ecosystem and imaging capabilities in oncology. Proteoverse: Making Proteomics Accessible with Intuitive Data Visualization Biognosys' innovative research services platforms provide industry-leading depth and quality in mass spectrometry data generation. Proteoverse enhances accessibility to this rich data and provides a wide range of intuitive and interactive data visualization and exploration features. Customers can quickly and easily extract valuable biological insights to advance their research by uncovering the most interesting analytes out of thousands of proteins, exploring their peptide-level structure, and examining their biological relevance. The tool will be offered alongside Biognosys' TrueDiscovery research service projects, first as an early-access version and eventually for all customers. 8 Scientific Poster Presentations: Transformative Insights from Discovery to Clinic Posters will be available for downloading at biognosys.com/aacr23by Wednesday, April 19th. Abstract 185 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/2437): Global mapping of pathway modules and phosphorylation networks in PDX and corresponding organoid (PDXO) models treated with targeted therapies Presenter: Jakob Vowinckel, Ph.D. Collaborator: Crown Bioscience Platform, Technology and Application: TrueDiscovery, Hyper Reaction Monitoring, Phosphoproteome Profiling Session: Tumor Organoids for Therapeutic Testing Date and Time: Sunday, Apr 16, 2023, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Abstract 2024 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/4076): High resolution limited proteolysis (HR-LiP), a novel structural proteomics approach for the prediction of small molecule-protein binding events Presenter: Nigel Beaton, Ph.D. Collaborator: Cedilla Therapeutics Platform, Technology and Application: TrueTarget, High Resolution Limited Proteolysis, Drug Target Validation Session: Proteomics and Biomarker Discovery Date and Time: Monday, Apr 17, 2023, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Abstract 2991 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/6996): Complementarity of class I and II neoantigen mapping in MSI-high colorectal cancer in needle biopsy size tissue samples Presenter: Christopher Below, Ph.D. Collaborator: Indivumed Platform, Technology and Application: TrueDiscovery, Hyper Reaction Monitoring, Immunopeptidome Profiling Session: Tumor Antigens and Antigen Presentation Date and Time: Monday, Apr 17, 2023, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Abstract 5059 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/9160): High-throughput monitoring of proteoforms and pathways through multiplexed and customizable mass spectrometry assay panels Presenter: Yuehan Feng, Ph.D. Platform, Technology and Application: TrueSignature, Parallel Reaction Monitoring, Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Session: Pharmacologic Approaches Date and Time: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2023, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Abstract 3974 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/1998): Discovery and validation of therapeutic targets in immune cells by mass spectrometry-based proteomics Presenter: Jakob Vowinckel, Ph.D. Collaborator: Genmab Platform, Technology and Application: TrueDiscovery, Hyper Reaction Monitoring, Mechanism of Action Studies Session: Identification of Molecular Targets 2 / New Nonclinical Models for Targets Date and Time: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2023, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Abstract 3847 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/7697): Target identification of a multi-pass transmembrane G protein coupled receptor using limited-proteolysis coupled mass spectrometry (LiP-MS) Presenter: Nigel Beaton, Ph.D. Collaborator: InterAx Biotech Platform, Technology and Application: TrueTarget, Limited Proteolysis Mass Spectrometry, Drug Target Deconvolution Session: Structural and Chemical Biology Date and Time: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2023, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Abstract 5300 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/3293): Mass spectrometry-based protein biomarker analysis in chemoimmunotherapy combinations identifies unique immune signatures in pancreatic cancer Presenter: Nigel Beaton, Ph.D. Acknowledgment: Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) Platform, Technology and Application: TrueDiscovery, Hyper Reaction Monitoring, Biofluid Biomarker Discovery Session: Biological Mass Spectrometry and Systems Biology Date and Time: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2023, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Abstract 4352 (https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10828/presentation/4159): Leveraging deep proteome profiling of plasma- and serum-derived extracellular vesicles for melanoma biomarker discovery and disease dissection Presenter: Yuehan Feng, Ph.D. Collaborators: University Hospital Zurich and Stanford University Platform, Technology and Application: TrueDiscovery, Hyper Reaction Monitoring, Biofluid Biomarker Discovery Session: Biomarkers of Therapeutic Benefit 4 Date and Time: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2023, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM About TrueDiscovery The Biognosys TrueDiscovery platform offers integrated proteomics solutions across the entire drug development pipeline. TrueDiscovery is powered by Hyper Reaction Monitoring (HRM) mass spectrometry, an advanced Data Independent Acquisition (DIA)-based protein quantification technology co-invented and patented by Biognosys. TrueDiscovery is the only platform that searches the complete proteome to quantify thousands of the most relevant proteins, including an unlimited number of proteoforms. The platform enables the deepest unbiased profiling of tissue and biofluids proteomes with unbeatable specificity on a large scale. The generated data are highly reproducible and easily transferrable to clinical assays. Studies can be performed in a GLP certified and GCP compliant environment. For more information, visit truediscovery.bio . About TrueTarget The Biognosys TrueTarget proteomics platform uniquely addresses the most pressing challenges in early drug discovery by identifying on- and off-targets to accelerate and de-risk drug development throughout the pipeline. TrueTarget is powered by Limited Proteolysis Mass Spectrometry (LiP-MS), a proprietary, patented chemoproteomics technology co-developed by Biognosys. TrueTarget is the only tool to probe structural changes across the complete proteome with peptide-level resolution, providing unique insights into compound binding and target identification. The platform enables elucidating mechanisms of action and revealing unanticipated toxicities. For more information, visit truetarget.bio. About TrueSignature The Biognosys TrueSignature platform provides high-precision customizable proteomics panels for pharmacodynamic readouts and clinical biomarker monitoring. Parallel Reaction Monitoring mass-spectrometry powers the platform, allowing complete customization and independence from affinity-based recognition and reagent availability. The TrueSignature panels offer an unprecedented level of multiplexing, enabling the simultaneous absolute quantification of up to 100 proteins. TrueSignature panels can be developed within weeks and are available both as a standalone solution or an integrated solution, in which insights from TrueDiscovery studies guide the choice of proteins in the custom panel. The measurements are performed with unprecedented speed and throughput at Biognosys' state-of-the-art facility, the world's largest high-end GLP-certified and GCP-compliant mass spectrometry laboratory. For more information, visit truesignature.bio. About Biognosys At Biognosys, we believe that deep proteome insights hold the key to breakthrough discoveries that transform science for better lives. With our versatile portfolio of next-generation proteomics solutions, including the TrueDiscovery, TrueTarget, and TrueSignature research service platforms, our flagship software Spectronaut, and the PQ500 kit, we make the proteome actionable to empower research, drug development, and clinical decision-making. Our solutions provide a multi-dimensional view of protein expression, function, and structure in all biological species and sample types. Our unique, patented technologies utilize high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins with industry-leading precision, depth, and throughput. Through our strategic partnership with Bruker. Novaliq, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on first- and best-in-class ocular therapeutics based on the unique EyeSol water-free technology, today announced that results from the second pivotal Phase 3 trial for CyclASol, ESSENCE-2, have been published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Ophthalmology. CyclASol is currently under regulatory review for the treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of June 8, 2023. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005078/en/ ESSENCE-2 demonstrated that CyclASol improved total and central corneal staining within 2 weeks (Photo: Business Wire) The publication titled "Efficacy and Safety of a Water-Free Topical Cyclosporine 0.1% Solution for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Dry-Eye Disease: ESSENCE-2, a Randomized Clinical Trial" [Protected link] reported that CyclASol shows early therapeutic effects on the ocular surface. This study evaluated corneal staining responders to get a better understanding of how many patients benefit from the treatment. A 3 score improvement of corneal staining on the National Eye Institute (NEI) scale is an immediately noticeable and clinically meaningful response of a dry eye disease therapy1. In ESSENCE-2, 71.6% of CyclASol treated patients showed such a response after 4 weeks of treatment, significantly more than in the vehicle group. Notably, the study showed that a 3 score of corneal staining improvement was associated with significant improvements in a variety of patient reported symptoms, establishing a correlation between the magnitude of improvement in the physician-measured clinical signs and the patient-reported symptoms. According to Dr. Esen Akpek, MD, professor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins hospital, Baltimore, MA and primary author of the publication, corneal staining represents the single most critical clinical parameter for DED due to its direct and indirect impact on vision. As reported, the rapidity of the onset as well as the magnitude of effect of CyclASol 0.1%, twice-daily eye drop solution, on corneal staining has not been shown with any of the currently used therapies. The profile combined with demonstrated tolerability may provide distinct clinical benefit to patients and eye care professionals alike when the product is approved. CyclASol consists of the water-insoluble active pharmaceutical ingredient cyclosporine solubilized in a novel, water-free excipient, perfluorobutylpentane. This makes CyclASol the first water-free drug solution without requirement to use any preservatives, oils, or surfactants, which can be irritating and disturbing for the tear film. "High quality clinical research and scientific communications of the results are key strengths at Novaliq," said Dr. Christian Roesky, CEO Novaliq. "The breadth and depth of the scientific publications on CyclASol in peer-reviewed journals provides increasing evidence on the clinical value of our water-free technology to address unmet patient and medical needs". About Novaliq Novaliq is a private biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization of first- and best-in-class ocular therapeutics based on EyeSol, the worldwide first water-free technology. EyeSol is Novaliq's proprietary water-free technology using ultrapure semifluorinated alkanes (SFAs) that are physically, chemically, and physiologically inert with excellent biocompatibility and a very good safety profile. Two EyeSol dry eye drug products are in regulatory reviews by U.S. FDA: CyclASol and NOV03 (perfluorohexyloctane) with PDUFA target action dates on June 8 and 28, 2023 respectively. In the EU perfluorohexyloctane is registered as a medical device to treat patients with dry eye disease since 2013. The company continues to progress into other ophthalmic indications based on its validated EyeSol platform. Novaliq GmbH is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany and Novaliq Inc. has an office in Cambridge, MA, USA. The long-term shareholder is dievini Hopp BioTech holding GmbH Co. KG, an active investor in Life and Health Sciences companies. More on www.novaliq.com. Recommended Readings Holland EJ, Jackson MA, Donnenfeld E, et al. Efficacy of Lifitegrast Ophthalmic Solution, 5.0%, in Patients With Moderate to Severe Dry Eye Disease: A Post Hoc Analysis of 2 Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2021 Nov 1;139(11):1200-1208 Any product/brand names and/or logos are trademarks of the respective owners. 2023 Novaliq GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005078/en/ Contacts: Novaliq Media Contact: Simone Angstmann-Mehr info@novaliq.com Moratorium Process will Assist Exploration of Strategic Alternatives Process WILMINGTON, Del., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FTX Trading Ltd. (d.b.a. FTX.com) and its affiliated debtors (together, the "FTX Debtors") today announced that the Board of Directors of debtor FTX Europe AG, the holding company of the FTX European business, has filed a petition for a Swiss moratorium proceeding (the "Moratorium"). A Swiss court granted the Moratorium on April 11, 2023. FTX Europe AG notes the Moratorium process will facilitate the exploration of strategic alternatives, including the previously disclosed potential sale of its business pursuant to U.S. Bankruptcy Court-approved bidding procedures. Importantly, the previously announced process for confirming customer balances in preparation for allowing the withdrawal of funds from FTX EU Ltd. is unchanged by the Moratorium. In its order granting the Moratorium, the Swiss court appointed an administrator for FTX Europe AG. FTX Europe AG is also a debtor in the Chapter 11 proceedings in Delaware. Advisors The FTX Debtors are represented by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as legal counsel and are assisted by Alvarez & Marsal North America, LLC as financial advisor, Perella Weinberg Partners LP as investment banker, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP as special counsel and Landis Rath & Cobb LLP as Delaware counsel. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1950453/3982061/FTX_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ftx-europe-ag-files-petition-for-a-swiss-moratorium-proceeding-301795527.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Gilead Sciences: Originally published by Gilead Sciences Dr. Jeffrey Lazarus was studying at New York University in the late 1980s when he saw first-hand the devastation of the HIV epidemic. Today, as a professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy and head of the health systems team at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain, he's encouraged by the fact that many people with HIV are living longer because of treatment advances that make it possible to reduce the virus to an undetectable level. Still, he knows that much work needs to be done to meet the United Nations' (U.N.) goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030 and to fully meet the needs of people living with HIV around the world. Social and structural barriers prevent many people from accessing HIV treatment or prevention and care, and individuals living with HIV face complex medical needs as they age. Gilead helped transform HIV care by developing the first HIV single-tablet regimen and has long been committed to addressing the unmet needs of diverse communities and to removing barriers to care. As part of this work, Dan Murphy, Gilead's Global Therapeutic Policy Lead in HIV, and his colleagues recently convened a panel of experts, including thought leaders, legislators and HIV advocates, to examine these challenges of the epidemic. Chaired by Jeffrey, the panel made a series of recommendations that are included in a global policy paper on long-term success in HIV. We sat down with Dan and Jeffrey to discuss some of the highlights. Q. What does long-term success look like, and what are some of the factors that will make it possible? Dan: Long-term success involves meeting more than the U.N. goals of ending the epidemic. For those living with HIV, success must include both good health and quality of life, free of barriers to treatment and free of stigma and discrimination. There are three core ingredients to long-term success. First, social determinants of health such as racism, housing and transportation must be addressed to ensure access to innovative treatments. The second is designing health systems to provide greater integrated care. And finally, the challenges of living with HIV in aging individuals need to be addressed, including the development and early onset of co-morbidities. About 50% of people living with HIV in Western Europe and North America are older than 50 - a number that will grow to 75-80% by 2030. We need more treatment options and health care systems that meet these growing needs. Q. What are some of the barriers that stand in the way of achieving long-term success? Jeffrey: Huge progress has been made, but that progress isn't equally felt around the world. There needs to be greater access to treatment for people in every corner of the world, or we are at risk of leaving behind many people in key populations. Additionally, there is a lack of attention to and a lack of understanding about health-related quality of life. The health system is very rigid because it focuses on one aspect of health - the physical - and often neglects the social and mental well-being of an individual. We need to re-engineer the system to reduce these barriers and have a more holistic view of how we think about health. There are so many important issues outside the health system, like housing problems or food insecurity, that the health system could seek to address. The health system needs to think much broader than whether someone is taking their meds and controlling their viral loads. For example, why not partner health services with social welfare? Q. What can governments do to address these issues? Dan: Governments need to have national and sub-national HIV plans in place that incorporate some of the principles that we've mentioned, such as developing health systems that reflect a holistic integration and health-related quality of life. There also needs to be a commitment to funding for HIV strategies, and while many nations have pledged to the U.N.'s Sustainable Development goals of ending the epidemic by 2030, most have yet to clearly identify how they plan to achieve those goals. Jeffrey: There needs to be an understanding that this isn't just an HIV issue or a health systems issue. It's a societal issue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not been just about stopping viral transmission and treating COVID-19. It has also been a social issue filled with stigma and people's perceptions about getting the virus or having long COVID. I serve as co-chair of the HIV Outcomes Beyond Viral Suppression Coalition, where we call upon policymakers and healthcare providers to address a new set of health outcomes that includes quality of life and to make HIV care more person-centered. We missed that during the pandemic. We missed the chance to engage with the person who is ill and help them in so many other ways. We know people living with HIV have a multitude of needs because of their condition - for example, they may face discrimination in obtaining life insurance, a mortgage or a job. We need governments to understand that this is about people and not just a virus. Q. What role can Gilead play in the broader picture? Jeffrey: Industry plays an incredibly important role in facilitating communication, sharing best practices and supporting research and the scholarly exchange of evidence at meetings and conferences. Oftentimes, some of the most innovative opportunities come from the private, rather than public sector. I would hope that industry continues to play such an important role, in addition to drug development. I appreciate the longer-term commitment to this population that continues to face many challenges, in spite of our efforts. Dan: The biopharmaceutical industry has an ongoing commitment to innovate in HIV. Gilead works with others to ensure there's a continued focus on HIV as a public health priority. Part of Gilead's role is to help shape policy by working in partnership with clinicians, governments, thought leaders, people living with HIV and others, all of whom are critical to long-term success. There's a real risk that HIV will be de-prioritized by governments. While we've made huge progress to get to where we are now, there is still much to do. We must prioritize HIV and long-term success in HIV in order to help end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gilead Sciences on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Gilead Sciences Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gilead-sciences Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Gilead Sciences View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748769/Gilead-Sciences-4-Questions-Global-Experts-Convene-To-Identify-Key-Measures-to-Long-Term-Success-in-HIV NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Alison Lewis, Kimberly-Clark's chief growth officer, recently participated in a keynote presentation moderated by Pree Rao from Egon Zehnder at Northwestern University's 12th annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit. During her remarks, she discussed the value of leading with resiliency and authenticity in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. "The successful leader of tomorrow is one who can cope with disruptive changes and adapt. This, combined with a growth mindset and intellectual humility, allows leaders to accomplish milestones they never dreamed possible," she said. Alison also shared how Kimberly-Clark emerged stronger from the pandemic through purposeful brand building, the power of saying "I don't know" as a way to expand learning, and the importance of staying close to the consumer while pivoting quickly to stay ahead. About the Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit Last month, The Kellogg School of Management's Center for Marketing Leadership at Northwestern University, in partnership with Egon Zehnder and McKinsey & Company, convened senior marketing leaders at the Evanston campus of Northwestern University for the 12th annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit. By invitation only, the summit was an interactive and intimate discussion among renowned faculty and marketers who lead some of the world's most important organizations. The event featured C-suite keynotes, engaging panel sessions and cutting-edge research. This year's theme was 'R2 - Radical Shifts x Resilient Leadership.' We are facing so many dramatic shifts, including digitization, evolving customer needs, new hybrid working models, the rethinking of supply chains...the list goes on and on. How can marketing leaders respond to these changes? At this year's summit, speakers and attendees explored resiliency amid these shifts - for brands, for teams, and for themselves. Together, they explored the ability to bounce back from this complex interplay of challenges, and how they could ultimately grow as leaders. Photo credit: Mary Rafferty View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Kimberly-Clark Corporation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Kimberly-Clark Corporation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/kimberly-clark-corporation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Kimberly-Clark Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748764/Kimberly-Clarks-Alison-Lewis-on-Resilient-Leadership-Cultivate-a-Growth-Mindset-and-Embrace-Intellectual-Humility NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Bayer: The world population is continually growing*, and agriculture faces the challenge of growing enough food while using fewer natural resources. With this growth in population, coupled with the effects of climate change and extreme weather around the globe, maintaining the status quo in agriculture and the food value chain is not enough. Farmers are looking for innovative solutions to make the most of their land and use fewer natural resources while growing their crops in a safe and sustainable way. Over the years, the way farmers have collected data has evolved from notebooks and spreadsheets to digital tools and satellites. Now, through the power of science, our cutting-edge data collection technology is helping evolve it once again, not just aiding farmers in surveying their land, but by identifying unprecedented opportunities for greater, more profitable, and more sustainable harvests. With Climate FieldView, smart drones, and soil sensors, our digital tools inform farmers' choices of the amount, type, speed, and depth of seeds planted, as well as measuring weather and fertiliser spray schedules. Overall, this contributes to the use of less fuel, fertilizer, water, and pesticide, making farming more energy-efficient and planet friendly. Today, farmers can help fight climate change and increase global food security in the future. It is just one of our many missions to help create a world with health for all and hunger is for none. Through science, we are working on making every day better: For farmers like Kurt, it means using less land, water, and energy to grow crops. We call this journey Science for Better. Learn more about our other missions below. View original content here. *Growth reference: https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bayer on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Bayer Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/bayer Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Bayer View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748766/Better-Is-Growing-More-Food-with-Fewer-Resources Key Takeaways: A new report from the cyber threat intelligence (CTI) leader Cybersixgill analyzes intelligence collected by its threat research team in 2022 and reveals the trends and tactics on the cybercriminal underground. Several factors have contributed to the continuous decline in credit card fraud over the past few years. However, the UK still sees an increase in illicit card activity year over year. The growing use of cryptocurrency is giving way to a rise in new forms of financial fraud. Threat actors are flocking to encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram, Discord, and QQ to collaborate, communicate, and trade tools and services. These platforms have become an increasingly powerful hub for cybercrime. Advancements in AI, Initial Access Brokers (IABs), and As-a-Service Offerings are lowering the barriers to entry into cybercrime, streamlining the weaponization and execution of ransomware attacks. TEL AVIV, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Cybersixgill, the global cyber threat intelligence data provider, announced today its newest report, State of the Cybercrime Underground, which analyzes the company's collected intelligence from the clear, deep, and dark web in 2022. The report provides detailed insights into underground cybercriminal discourse and activity and compares it with trends and data from previous years, revealing the current state of threat actors' tactics and targets. State of the Cybercrime Underground delves into several key topics, including: Trends in credit card fraud Cryptocurrency observations AI developments and their impact on the barriers of entry to cybercrime The evolution of initial access broker markets (IABs) The rise of cybercriminal "as-a-service" activities "Each day, our threat research experts collect 10 million intelligence items from the cybercriminal underground, giving Cybersixgill a unique ability to track the pulse of the deep, dark web and monitor its changes over time," said Delilah Schwartz, Security Strategist at Cybersixgill. "Cybercrime is rapidly evolving, with new opportunities and obstacles in the cyber threat landscape impacting threat actors' tactics, tools, and procedures. In response, organizations can no longer rely on outdated technologies and manual processes to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks. Proactive attack surface management informed by real-time CTI from the deep, dark, and clear web is now of paramount importance and will be a critical cyber defense weapon in the months and years to come." Key Findings Credit Card Fraud on the Decline Over the past few years, most of the world has experienced a near-collapse in credit card fraud. Yet the UK saw an increase in fraudulent card sales in 2022 and now has the highest number of compromised cards per capita globally. Still, financial fraud in other forms continues to run rampant as cybercriminals discover new opportunities for attack enabled by the growth in cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency a Cybercrime Tool and Target Amidst the rising popularity of digital coins and tokens for legitimate purposes, cryptocurrency has also become a target of threat actors finding ways to conduct financial fraud through "crypto-jacking," digital wallet takeovers, crypto-mining, and siphoning digital assets from crypto exchanges. Rising Use of Encrypted Messaging Platforms Growing numbers of cybercriminals use encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram, Discord, and QQ to collaborate, communicate, and trade tools, stolen data, and services. More than an accessible medium for illicit communications, these messaging platforms offer automated functionalities that make them an ideal launchpad for cyber attacks. A Lower Barrier to Entry into Cybercrime Several factors combine to make cybercrime more accessible to less sophisticated cybercriminals. For example, the recently released AI technology ChatGPT enables threat actors to quickly write malicious code and perform other "pre-ransomware" preparatory activities. In addition, IABs are playing a significant role in the ransomware ecosystem and giving threat actors a beachhead from which they can deploy attacks, access confidential information, and assume control of logged-in financial accounts. Furthermore, the as-a-service business model has grown enormously popular in recent years, making it possible to commercialize cybercriminal expertise and scale operations. To learn about the above findings in greater detail, download Cybersixgill's State of the Cybercrime Underground here. About Cybersixgill Cybersixgill continuously collects and exposes the earliest possible indications of risk produced by threat actors moments after they surface on the clear, deep, and dark web. This data is processed, correlated, and enriched using automation to create profiles and patterns of threat actors and their peer networks, including the source and context of each threat. Cybersixgill's extensive body of data can be consumed through a range of seamlessly integrated into your existing security stack, so you can pre-empt threats before they materialize into attacks. The company serves and partners with global enterprises, financial institutions, MSSPs, and government and law enforcement agencies. For more information, visit https://www.cybersixgill.com/ and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. To schedule a demo, please visit https://www.cybersixgill.com/dve-demo/. Media Contacts: North America Danielle Ostrovsky Hi-Touch PR for Cybersixgill Mobile: US 1-410-302-9459 Email: ostrovsky@hi-touchpr.com Israel Ayelet Elani Mobile: Israel 972-54-6242458 Email: Ayelet@davidmalits.com SOURCE: Cybersixgill View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748700/Cybersixgill-Releases-Annual-State-of-the-Cybercrime-Underground-Report-A-Detailed-Analysis-of-Malicious-Dark-Web-Activity-in-2022 CLARENDON, SC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Georgia-Pacific believes in being a good steward in the community. Its Clarendon OSB facility is committed to making a positive difference in the community with recent donations to the Clarendon County Fire Rescue and Sumter Fire departments through Georgia-Pacific's Bucket Brigade grant program. Georgia-Pacific's Bucket Brigade program has awarded $3 million in grants, educational materials, and other in-kind donations since the program began in 2006 to help support firefighters and keep our communities safe. Clarendon County Fire Rescue and Sumter Fire departments received training material after requesting assistance from Georgia-Pacific's Clarendon OSB facility. The first responders use OSB as props to cover multiple skills and techniques needed for fire suppression and medical responses. The donation will allow firefighters to receive realistic training to develop lifesaving skills. Georgia-Pacific donations provided through Bucket Brigade help the Clarendon County Fire Rescue and Sumter Fire departments protect our facility communities. View original content here Clarendon County Fire Rescue donation View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Georgia-Pacific on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Georgia-Pacific Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/georgia-pacific Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Georgia-Pacific View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748768/Georgia-Pacifics-Clarendon-OSB-Donates-to-Local-Fire-Departments HOYA and AIER will provide Chinese patients with more comprehensive product coverage, better services and more precise diagnosis to effectively improve eye health for all. Shanghai, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Alexandre Montague, CEO of HOYA Vision Care, visited China recently to explore more opportunities in the Chinese market. The highlight of the trip was Montague's visit to the headquarters of the AIER Eye Hospital Group to discuss industry development and strategic cooperation. HOYA has been dedicated to the research and development of optical technology for over 80 years and has established a multiyear mutually beneficial cooperation with AIER, the leading listed healthcare provider in China. It is expected that HOYA's R&D strengths and AIER's clinical expertise will further deepen cooperation in the future to address the rising problem of youth myopia in China. The present situation of preventing and controlling myopia among Chinese teenagers is critical, and presbyopia caused by aging poses a severe problem. The China's National Eye Health Plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) proposes to further establish a high-standard and convenient eye health service system, providing care for patients of all ages. Aiming for a better solution for children's and teenagers' eye health, the optometric industry today is shifting focus from the diagnostic and treatment stage to prevention. According to Professor Yang Zhikuan, vice president of AIER Eye Hospital Group and a PhD supervisor at Central South University's AIER School of Ophthalmology, as pioneers in myopia management, AIER and HOYA have jointly been implementing policies relating to the prevention and control of adolescent myopia and promoting the development of the optometric business in China. HOYA Vision Care CEO Alexandre Montague has emphasized that the company not only contributes to global research on myopia but also offers substantial support to local myopia management professionals in China. He said HOYA will help conduct training for grassroots ophthalmologists and explore solutions to optimize eye care management through collaboration with local partners. Professor Zhikuan Yang also introduced that AIER has made innovations in myopia management, talent cultivation, scientific research and extensive data management over the years. Both AIER and HOYA are committed to industry development and business cooperation, implementing policies to collectively promote the development of China's optometric industry and benefit society. AIER pays great attention to talent management and development, and continuously carries out school-enterprise cooperation programs that create multi-dimensional talent training environments and provide outstanding elites to society. AIER has served more than 60 million people in the past five years and has become a primary eye hospital group with a global reach. As a leading corporation in optical technology innovation, HOYA's divisions and business units research and develop products utilized in the healthcare and information technology fields. In the healthcare field, the company provides medical device products such as eyeglasses, medical endoscopes, contact and intraocular lenses, orthopaedic implants, surgical or therapeutic devices and medical device reprocessing and disinfection solutions. Furthermore, HOYA continues to care for the eye health of senior citizens and give back to society through excellent solutions with a better product portfolio and services in China's rising progressive lens market. Looking ahead, Montague noted that the deepening cooperation between HOYA and AIER will provide Chinese patients with more comprehensive product coverage, better services and more precise diagnosis to effectively improve eye health for all. The alliance will accelerate innovation and development in the vision care industry and contribute vitally to improving human vision quality. HOYA will join hands with AIER to contribute to the evolution of the global ophthalmology market and help more people enjoy a clear vision and a brighter future. Contact Info: Name: Monica Wang Email: monica.wang@hoya.com Organization: HOYA Corporation Vision Care Address: 13F, No. 99, Wuning Road, Shanghai 200063 China Phone: +86-21-52819663 Website: https://www.hoyavision.com/cn/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162108 Winnipeg, Manitoba--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Beyond Minerals Inc. (CSE: BY) (OTCQB: BYDMF) (the "Company" or "Beyond Minerals") is pleased to announce that an annual general and special meeting of the shareholders of the Company has been called for May 15, 2023 (the "Meeting") to consider, among other items of business, and approve the following: the election of the directors of the Company for the ensuing year; a special resolution to change the name of the Company to "Beyond Lithium Inc." to more accurately reflect the Company's focus on lithium assets; and an ordinary resolution, subject to disinterested shareholder approval, to ratify and confirm the adoption of the Company's new omnibus equity incentive plan (the "Equity Incentive Plan") to replace its current incentive stock option plan. Allan Frame, President and CEO, commented: "We feel changing the name of the Company to Beyond Lithium Inc. makes good sense as we are now the largest greenfield lithium exploration player in Ontario. We are currently working with our technical team to plan the 2023 exploration season which starts shortly. I look forward to updating shareholders once these plans and budgets are finalized." The Company recently became the largest greenfield lithium exploration player in Ontario by optioning 57 high potential greenfield lithium properties totalling 125,751 hectares and acquiring through staking three properties totalling 9,104 hectares, bringing its total lithium property portfolio in Ontario to 66 properties covering 147,975 hectares. The Company also proposes to replace its existing stock option plan with the Equity Incentive Plan to provide for the flexibility to grant equity-based incentive awards in the form of stock options, restricted share units, deferred share units, performance share units, and stock appreciation rights. A summary of the Equity Incentive Plan, together with the full text thereof, is set out in the Company's management information circular in respect of the Meeting dated April 10, 2023 (the "Information Circular"). The nominees for election to the Company's board of directors include current directors Craig Gibson, Michelle DeCecco, James Campbell, and Tom Provost and the Company's recently appointed new President and CEO, Allan Frame. Wanda Cutler and Jean-Francois Meilleur, directors of the Company since its incorporation in October 2019, have advised the Company that they will not be standing for re-election at the Meeting, in order to focus on their respective roles and responsibilities at certain other public companies. Management and the board of directors of the Company would like to thank Ms. Cutler and Mr. Meilleur for their valuable contributions to the Company and wish them success with their other endeavors. Registered shareholders of the Company as of the record date of April 10, 2023 (the "Record Date") will be eligible to vote at the Meeting. Meeting materials, including the Company's Information Circular, will be available via the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and will be mailed to all shareholders as of the Record Date on or about April 24, 2023. About Beyond Minerals Inc. Beyond Minerals Inc. is the largest greenfield lithium exploration player in Ontario with 66 high potential greenfield lithium properties totalling almost 150,000 hectares. The Company has adopted the project generator business model to maximize funds available for exploration projects, while minimizing shareholder dilution. Beyond Minerals is advancing certain of its projects with its exploration team and will seek to option other properties to joint venture partners. Partnering on various projects will provide a source of non-dilutive working capital, partner-funded exploration, and long-term residual exposure to exploration success. Please follow @BeyondMinerals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. For more information, please refer to the Company's website at www.beyondminerals.ca. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding future capital expenditures, anticipated content, commencement, and cost of exploration programs in respect of the Company's projects and mineral properties, anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities, resources and/or reserves on the Company's projects and mineral properties, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "will", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In stating the forward-looking information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious and base metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration of the Company's properties, the availability of financing on suitable terms, and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements of forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, the proposed expenditures for exploration work on its properties, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the Canadian Securities Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, the Company's limited operating history, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's prospectus dated February 23, 2022 and other filings of the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release except as otherwise required by law. For further information, please contact: Allan Frame President and CEO Tel: 403-470-8450 Email: allan.frame@beyondminerals.ca Jason Frame Manager of Communications Tel: 587-225-2599 Email: jason.frame@beyondminerals.ca To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162089 Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - One of the world's leading Real Estate Investment Intelligence companies, Global Proptech Solutions (GPS), launches "rhomeo", a new app that concentrates on proprietary technology and data to inform, and guide people on property investment options. GPS understands that the real estate industry can be overwhelming, especially for people unfamiliar with it, and with market cycles that are ever changing people struggle to comprehend when to make smart property decisions. A lot of information needs to be clarified, and every decision is important and hard to make, which is why the startup company wants to create solutions that are helpful to everyone with their premier property intelligence platform. Co-Founder Gabi Billing says, "We are extremely passionate about creating accessibility and seamless experiences for easy property investments." The establishment of rhomeo aims to provide a seamless and efficient platform for real estate professionals and aspiring real estate investors to easily manage their properties and transactions, as well as, custom reporting, search functionality, suburb insights and price and rent forecasts. Through rhomeo, GPS will highlight its proprietary technological solutions for more accessible and effective property investments. According to Co-Founder Goose McGrath, "Rhomeo will allow property investors to do advanced suburb search and gain access to extensive suburb insights with the aim to provide a more successful and effective property finding." He also adds that this new Australia's premier property intelligence platform will unlock access to the Australian property market with relevant details such as price and rent forecasts, custom heatmaps, saved searches, and new location alerts that will help investors find the right property based on their specific needs and preferences. Goose McGrath shares, "We believe that rhomeo is a game-changer for the real estate industry. Focusing on property technology and data analytics will empower more people on their real estate investment journey." Gabi Billing adds, "A lot of our innovation has been developed from the goal of making property investing approachable and simple to understand. We are thrilled to launch rhomeo, which we believe will become the go-to platform for real estate professionals and even those who want to get themselves started in investing." Launching rhomeo reveals GPS' commitment to the real estate industry and its dedication to making the process easier and more efficient for everyone in Australia. Rhomeo is the first of many products developed by the GPS team. Head of Data & Technology Julien Mougenot expresses, "GPS' mission is to drive the world's most advanced, and seamless solutions for real estate investing. Our team is excited to launch rhomeo this April, as well as many other projects and offerings such as our predictive model capability and custom dashboards for investors." Early access to rhomeo will be available mid year, 2023. "We are living in a world where people expect convenience and accessibility. Leveraging data is not new, it's the norm. Via the rhomeo brand and product, we endeavor to empower people through insights that pull the curtain back on property investment opportunities," says Jess Norton, Head of Marketing. About Global Proptech Solutions (GPS) GPS is a Real Estate Investment Intelligence company that focuses on sophisticated data and proprietary technologies that assist people to achieve their life goals and investment aspirations by finding properties that match their investment objectives and financial capacity. The company's main objective is to offer tools, technology, products and access to data for individuals, allowing them to make informed decisions when it comes to real estate investing and insights. With its innovative approach to real estate, it makes intelligent property decisions accessible to everyone, revolutionizing the industry and giving control to consumers. Contact Details: Contact Person: Nat Griffiths Email: hello@dashdot.com.au Website: https://dashdot.com.au/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/161963 LAS VEGAS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Spiro, the global experience agency for the NEW NOW had a landmark inaugural year in business, securing numerous high-profile awards while cementing itself as an industry leader and a top contender in several other major upcoming award categories. Launched in March 2022, as part of the GES Collective, Spiro sought to help brands adapt to the NEW NOW, or the evolution of the events industry brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Spiro helps clients create impactful experiences that transcend traditional mediums to unite audiences where they are. Spiro's efforts, both on behalf of its own clients and the events industry at-large, have racked up an impressive list of awards and accolades in their first year. Most recently, Spiro was shortlisted for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Award and their work was recognized for Caterpillar's EXHIBITOR Best in Show Award at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Along with inclusions also in Chief Marketer's Top 200 Marketing Agencies of 2023, Event Marketer's Fab 50 and Top 100 IT List of 2022. Spiro also took home the coveted Campaign Middle East Start-Up Agency of the Year title in 2022 at the awards celebration in Dubai last December. "These awards are a true testament to the team we've assembled and our ongoing efforts to lead the industry forward," said Jeff Stelmach, Global President of Spiro. "We are proud of what we've been able to accomplish in our first year, positioning our clients as authorities within their respective fields, and helping other marketing, branding and event professionals address ongoing industry changes." Spiro has created several initiatives to grow their community and establish themselves as the global brand experience agency for the NEW NOW. This includes launching nSpiro, their thought leadership program, their work with CBSNews.com as an Innovation & Disruption Leader, along with various features in industry publications. For more about Spiro, its first-year successes and the nSpiro Thought Leadership Program, check out ThisIsSpiro.com. About Spiro Spiro, part of the GES collective, is the global brand experience agency for the NEW NOW. We create global events and experiences that redefine how humans connect, and we bring them to life across integrated physical, digital, mobile and hybrid mediums. Working with some of the world's most recognized brands, Spiro's strategists, creators, innovators, builders, marketers and specialists are skilled in analytic & strategic event management, creative design, and production. Working together, we deliver high-impact experiential exhibits, conferences & events, product launches, sponsorship activations, and consumer pop-ups that unite audiences - wherever they may be. Media Contact: Ashley Serafin aserafin@thisisspiro.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2051731/Brand_experience_agency_celebrates_first_anniversary.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774232/Spiro_Part_Of_The_GES_Collective_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-brand-experience-agency-spiro-reflects-on-results-successes--accolades-on-first-anniversary-301794900.html OCP Regional Summit in Prague Invites Telescent to Present on How Automation Revolutionizes the Future of Edge Infrastructure Telescent, a leading manufacturer of automated fiber cross-connects for networks and data centers, announces today that it has been invited to present at the 2023 OCP Regional Summit in Prague Congress Center taking place on April 19-20, 2023. The invite-only event is part of the Future Technologies Symposium demonstration taking place on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. The program brings together research organizations, academia, as well as startup and investor communities, to solve longer-term challenges facing the technology infrastructure industry. Telescent's technology demonstration will showcase the company's all-fiber, robotic fiber patch-panel that scales to thousands of fibers per system and is designed to manage the fiber connectivity in hyperscale data centers and machine learning clusters. The programmable fiber interconnect platform also integrates diagnostic tools such as power monitors and OTDRs to improve network service delivery, performance and uptime. The live demo will illustrate how the Telescent system can be directed and managed remotely through an open software API to control and reconfigure the physical network topology, all while maintaining a machine accurate fiber inventory and test database. To illustrate the remote-controlled capabilities, users at the Prague conference will remotely access, operate and reconfigure a Telescent system located in Irvine CA, all in real-time. "Automating the characterization of fibers to guarantee link performance at ever increasing bandwidth and tighter loss budgets helps improve the performance and operational efficiency of hyperscale data centers and mass-scale networks," comments Anthony Kewitsch, Co-Founder and CEO of Telescent. "Telescent's fiber management systems extend API control to the fiber infrastructure, enabling data center and network operators to save significant time and manpower. Using our automated cross connect platform enables customers to connect with ease and simplifies the management of fiber at scale." Telescent's automatic cross-connect platform has been deployed globally for over 4 years and is adopted by companies including MOX Networks and Quantum Loophole. To register for the OCP Regional Summit or learn more about the speaker topics, visit here. For more information about Telescent, go to: www.telescent.com. About Telescent With a large-scale, low-loss, robotic patch-panel solution, Telescent Inc. brings automation to the fiber layer of optical networks. Telescent's unique all-fiber design ensures optimal performance and reliability while enabling software control for remote reconfigurations and diagnostics. Companies can enjoy the advantages of automation with Telescent's new RobUSTTM system configuration, providing enhanced flexibility to upgrade the system on a pay-as-you-go basis as port count requirements expand. Automation of the fiber layer can reduce operating expenses and errors while creating new service opportunities for multi-tenant data center operators, telecom service providers, and at hyperscale cloud data centers. To learn more about Telescent, including any recent product updates, please visit www.telescent.com. About OCP The Open Compute Project is a collaborative community focused on redesigning hardware technology to efficiently support the growing demands on compute infrastructure. The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) was initiated in 2011 with a mission to apply the benefits of open source and open collaboration to hardware and rapidly increase the pace of innovation in, near and around the data center's networking equipment, general purpose and GPU servers, storage devices and appliances, and scalable rack designs. OCP's collaboration model is being applied beyond the data center, helping to advance the telecom industry edge infrastructure. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005022/en/ Contacts: Ilissa Miller iMiller Public Relations Tel: 1.914.315.6424 Email: telescent@imillerpr.com SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Arvana Inc. ("OTC:AVNI") is pleased to announce that the forward stock split previously announced on February 23, 2023, will take effect following the close of business on April 18, 2023. The forward stock split was approved by Arvana's stockholders and will result in a stock split ratio of three (3) new shares of Arvana common stock for each (1) share of common stock outstanding. "We are excited to move ahead with the forward stock split which we believe will enhance the liquidity and accessibility of our stock to a wider range of investors," said Arvana's chief executive officer, Ruairidh Campbell. On the effective date of the forward stock split, the number of outstanding shares of common stock will increase in proportion to the stock split ratio with no change in the par value of Arvana's common stock or in the number of authorized shares. Stockholders of record, as of the close of business on the effective date, will be entitled to receive the additional shares which we expect to be distributed on or about April 19, 2023. For additional information concerning the forward split, please refer to Arvana's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or contact us directly. Arvana Inc. Arvana ("OTC:AVNI") is a public company registered under the Securities & Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that is quoted on the OTC Pink Sheets Current Information Alternative Reporting platform. We operate a fishing charter business through our wholly owned subsidiary Down2Fish Charters, LLC. Down2Fish offers a range of curated maritime adventures that include inshore, offshore, and custom charters for fishing enthusiasts, nature lovers, and sea bound adventurers. Our business is operated from a private dock in Palmetto, Florida to service the Greater Tampa Bay area including St Petersburg, Venice, Sarasota, and Clearwater. Forward-Looking Statements Several statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements of future expectations based on currently available information that are subject to risks and uncertainties including general economic conditions, changes in capital markets, regulatory legislation, and other circumstances that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expectations. Arvana does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or status of such statements so it will not be liable for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements contained in this press release. Arvana encourages the public to read the information provided in conjunction with its recent filings on Schedule 14c, Form 8-K, Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov . Contact Ruairidh Campbell, Chief Executive Officer Phone: +1 801-232-7395 Email: ruairidhcampbell@msn.com Website: https://arvana.us SOURCE: Arvana, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748786/Arvana-Inc-Announces-New-Effective-Date-for-Forward-Stock-Split The City of Arlington's unwavering support has allowed for the empowerment of the nation's heroes with the tools they need to succeed, through partnering with Rehab Warriors to fund cutting-edge workforce development training. FORT WORTH, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Rehab Warriors, the nation's first and only certified and accredited workforce development model specializing in community revitalization through residential rehabs, home building, and development, recognizes the importance of helping those who have served in combat transition to civilian life by providing new opportunities, a sense of purpose, and a chance at a sustainable future after service. The recent completion of a partnership with the City of Arlington, Texas, demonstrates how its projects are designed and coordinated from within communities by working with the local municipalities to maximize long-term sustainability and minimize displacement of its residents. Rehab Warriors According to a recent report from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), veterans are 45% more likely to start their own businesses than non-veterans. The report cites veterans' technical skills, leadership abilities, and discipline as key factors in their success as entrepreneurs. "Veterans have a unique set of skills and experiences that can make them highly successful entrepreneurs in the construction industry," said Andy Williams, CEO and founder of Rehab Warriors. "While their technical expertise in engineering, logistics, and project management makes them a natural fit for running their own businesses, their attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and work ethic give them the ability to be the answer to America's housing crisis." One such success story is Jerry Torices-Tello, a Marine Corps veteran who launched his own construction design-build firm after completing training with Rehab Warriors. Jerry had struggled to find meaningful employment after leaving the military, but through the training and support of Rehab Warriors, he was able to develop and sharpen his skills to launch his own business. Today, his company is thriving, as it currently manages 20 construction projects, generating over $100K in revenue, supporting his mission to provide jobs and drive the economic growth of his community. Veterans face unique challenges when transitioning from military to civilian life, including finding employment opportunities that allow them to utilize their unique skills and experiences. According to a 2019 Pew Research study, veterans who served in combat are significantly more likely to experience difficulties readjusting to civilian life than those who did not. The study found 46% of those with some combat experience, compared with 18% of those without combat experience, describe their readjustment to civilian life as difficult. However, many veterans have found success in entrepreneurship, with the help of Rehab Warriors, through its workforce development model. By providing the tools and resources veterans need to succeed as entrepreneurs, Rehab Warriors has helped to create a new generation of veteran business leaders in the real estate and construction industries across the country. "Transitioning to civilian life following combat can be difficult for veterans, especially those who saw combat," said Williams. "The goal for Rehab Warriors is to give all veterans a chance to find a new mission in life and the tools, through workforce training and education, to find a sustainable career and future." The study also found that only roughly half of the veterans believed they were well-prepared for the transition to civilian life, with 16% responding that the military prepared them very well and 36% responding that they were prepared somewhat well. Rehab Warriors leverages veterans' unique skills and experience to build a highly competent and dedicated workforce. Helping veterans acquire new skills and improve their employability is at the forefront of the organization's mission. Through its accredited workforce development model in residential development, veterans receive the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in their post-military careers. Investing in workforce training for veterans can significantly benefit both veterans and the economy. With their discipline and motivation, veterans are often highly productive and valued workers, making them valuable assets in any workforce. For more information, please visit http://www.rehabwarriors.com. About Rehab Warriors Rehab Warriors leverages veterans to build a workforce, as they provide veterans with world-class training in residential construction, remodeling, and small-scale development, empowering them with the necessary skills to be a force multiplier as Rehab Warriors collectively rebuilds communities that have been undercapitalized and underserved. Contact Information: Mike Albanese Newswire mike.albanese@newswire.com SOURCE: Rehab Warriors View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748415/Rehab-Warriors-Empowers-Veterans-Providing-Training-and-Purpose-Post-Service-in-Recent-City-Partnership-Completion PARIS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Paris Rhone Energy, a new brand under Paris Rhone, the electrical appliance company with over 100 years of history, has recently unveiled its first home energy system, the all-in-one PEX Series. The company launched the PEX Series on Indiegogo on April 11. "With global concerns about energy security and prices remaining relatively high, an increasing number of families are considering new solutions for their home power supply. Using energy storage systems can help families save money on their bills in the long run and adopting clean energy technology can also help with sustainable development," said ALAIN DAVID V. Paris Rhone CEO. Dubbed by the company as the most powerful home energy system ever, the PEX Series provides users with an energy storage solution that can fast-charge to full in just one and a half hours. The solution provides users with reliability and security during times of need, such as peak usage hours or in case of a blackout. With zero-millisecond transfer time UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply), users' power supply can instantly switch to the battery backup supply mode as soon as there is a cut in grid power. The solar-based solution allows a 15,600W solar input. With up to 12,000W AC output, the PEX Series can power an entire household independently when considering the power needed for a family's daily life, such as using a laptop, powering a fridge for keeping food fresh or charging a Tesla electric vehicle. While an expandable capacity from 10.24kWh to 76.8kWh allows it to provide backup power for up to 10 days. The solid technical know-how used under the hood makes this product an ideal solution for long-term use, as the system is suitable for 10,000+ charges. Moreover, Paris Rhone Energy provides a comprehensive 10-year warranty to address user concerns. The product also utilizes industry-leading ultra-safe LFP battery cells that boast faster charging speeds and a longer lifespan than traditional battery cells on the market. The PEX Series adopts a modular design for easy and quick installation, providing users with greater convenience. In addition, it can be controlled and remotely monitored using a handy mobile app that utilizes cutting-edge IoT technology. "For over a century, Paris Rhone has focused on generators, which has laid a solid foundation for the development of Paris Rhone Energy. We believe that smart energy makes life better and aims to bring more professional and high-quality energy storage products for a smart and sustainable life across the globe," added ALAIN DAVID V. Paris Rhone Energy is also planning the release of its outdoor energy solution - the PEO Series, with more details to be released soon. About Paris Rhone Energy Paris Rhone Energy is a brand under Paris Rhone, a company established in 1915 and is a subsidiary of Guangdong SACA Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd (Stock Code:300464)now. Paris Rhone has specialized in electronics research and manufacturing for over a century and has been committed to sustainable, cleaner energy storage products. With 100+ patents in the segment of the energy storage system, Paris Rhone is also a leading energy technology company that provides advanced power grid software solutions, backup and prime power systems for home and industrial applications, solar+battery storage solutions, virtual power plant platforms, and engine- and battery-powered tools and equipment. With Smart Energy Bettering Life as its mission, Paris Rhone Energy has developed three series of energy storage products, including HE: Home Energy, OE: Outdoor Energy, and SES: Smart Energy Solution. It aims to create sustainable and cleaner energy storage products that add convenience to people's daily lives and improve their overall quality of life. For more information, please visit https://igg.me/at/parisrhone Find Paris Rhone Energy: Paris Rhone PEX Global Launching Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parisrhone.pex Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParisRhoneEnergy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisrhone.energy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParisrhoneE Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/87128055/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ParisRhone_Energy Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2051704/Paris_Rhone_Energy_launching_Home_Energy_System.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/century-old-appliance-brand-paris-rhone-expands-its-business-to-energy-storage-systems-301794708.html Union gives rise to an impressive global partner to the world's leading businesses DETROIT, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Top data analytics and advisory firm Escalent announces today it has acquired C Space and Hall & Partners from Omnicom. As leading partners to some of the world's exceptional brands, Escalent, C Space and Hall & Partners have been helping companies innovate, improve, and navigate disruption for years. Now they are coming together to create a bigger, stronger and more capable partner to the world's leading companies, combining deep industry expertise across brands, customers and products on a focused, global market insights platform to help clients find new sources of growth. Together, the organizations have earned trusted partner status to the world's leading brands across fast-growing industries including Automotive & Mobility, Consumer Goods & Retail, Financial Services, Health, and Technology as well as Energy, Telecom and Travel & Tourism. "This union is rooted in unparalleled expertise in what drives human beings, cultures and markets-an understanding that makes our team incredibly valuable partners and positions our clients for success in today's fast-paced, ever-changing business climate," said Escalent CEO Melissa Sauter. "Together, there is tremendous growth potential for our employees, clients and shareholders across the globe." Hall & Partners brings an excellent research and brand management franchise coupled with proprietary technology including an award-winning brand knowledge management platform to the union. C Space brings the market-leading solution for building communities and customer relationships, and Escalent brings a strong global platform with deep industry knowledge, and advanced capabilities in secondary research and analytics. The combined organization creates a powerful global presence with nearly 2,000 consultants, researchers, data scientists, technologists and operational experts in 20 countries. "This acquisition is a big win for our employees," added C Space CEO Jessica DeVlieger. "Our organizations are forward-thinking and offer employees an opportunity to nurture their professional growth through expanded products and services that have a real impact on our clients, in an environment that celebrates diversity and recognizes each team member's valuable contributions." "Over the coming year, cross-company teams will work together to develop a thoughtful plan that ensures our clients and employees feel the benefits from our combined organization," said Hall & Partners CEO Tim Wragg. "We are perfectly balanced to offer deep resources and leading technology while remaining devoted to personal client relationships. We're eager to start working toward our future." DeVlieger and Wragg will continue to lead their organizations as part of Sauter's executive leadership team. Clients will continue to work with the same experienced teams, and there are no near-term plans to change company locations or merge brand identities. "We are very excited to put together these amazing capabilities into a focused, yet global leader dedicated to the highest quality research and insights for our clients. Together the companies create a fantastic combination of depth of expertise with scale and growth capability, while still being focused on one shared core mission. As such, the combined organization will continue to differentiate with their clients through exceptional insights and partnership," said J.T. Treadwell, Managing Director at STG, Escalent's financial sponsor. About Escalent Escalentis an award-winning data analytics and advisory firm specializing in industries facing disruption and business transformation. As catalysts of progress for more than 40 years, we accelerate growth by creating a seamless flow between primary, secondary, syndicated, and internal business data, providing consulting and advisory services from insights through implementation. Escalent is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan with locations across the US and in Canada, China, India, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, UAE and the UK. Visit escalent.coto see how we are helping shape the brands that are reshaping the world. About C Space C Spaceis a global customer insight, strategy and innovation agency building customers into the ways businesses work. Partnering with the world's best-known brands including Walmart, McDonald's, IKEA and more, C Space helps clients unlock growth through the power of human relationships-co-creating with customers, instead of for them, for increased relevance, deeper loyalty and higher customer lifetime value. C Space's full-service customer solutions are tailored to meet specific business needs with a focus on private online communities, co-creation events, workshops and powerful storytelling and insights activation. Headquartered in Boston, C Space has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Mexico City. About Hall & Partners Hall & Partnersis a team of unconventional thinkers, obsessed with how marketing influences the relationship between people, brands and culture. Born out of adland, we are the insight agency known for weaving creativity with science. We distil data through a strategic lens to reveal 'uncommon insights' - human truths tailored to individual brands, not blackbox data available to the masses. We partner with clients to shape brand strategy and optimize brand and campaign performance. Our award-winning approach amplifies insights across every business area, propelling marketing decision-making to create an unmatched competitive advantage. Headquartered in London, Hall & Partners has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9fa10fe-a141-4ab5-9823-af7a6ccf35c3 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd85618f-f66f-4b47-957b-53e9fb689ffb Ocutrx purchased Spectrum AMT, Inc. for vertical integration IRVINE, Calif. and COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocutrx Technologies, a global technology company developing revolutionary medical devices with augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI), announces today its strategic acquisition of Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Inc., a Colorado-based electronics manufacturing and assembly company. With this acquisition, the consolidated Oxutrx_Spectrum company now has seven (7) process lines, including ISO Optics Lab capabilities, serving medical, commercial and government entities. Spectrum is known for providing Hi-Rel hardware and New Product Introduction (NPI) support to its diverse customer base along the Colorado Front Range with a premier quality legacy of over 25 years for many defense, NASA and commercial space flight programs. Spectrum also provides microelectronics, wiring and harnessing, and assembly for many Fortune 500 DOD and aerospace contractors. The mid-cap acquisition will fuel Ocutrx's efforts to repatriate its supply chain and leverage Spectrum's infrastructure to produce innovative devices, like the OcuLenzTM AR/XR medical headsets, in compliance with FDA standards on U.S. soil. Ocutrx will also work with Spectrum's Fortune 500 clients like Lockheed-Martin, Raytheon, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Honeybee Robotics, Barber-Nichols, and NASA, enabling growth opportunities in new non-medical verticals including the aerospace, robotics, 5G, 5G-MEC, automotive, gaming and AR/XR defense markets. Ocutrx, a Tier One customer with Qualcomm, is leveraging the latest in AR, virtual reality, and AI headset technologies with the Qualcomm XR-2 Chipsets, to build its breakthrough AR devices for Healthcare and other verticals. Among its products is the OcuLenz AR headset which improves the experience of those suffering from Age-Related Macular Degeneration and its OR- Bot Surgical Visualization Theatre with the ORLenz AR/XR Surgery headsets which improve ergonomics and visualization for surgeons of all disciplines. With the Spectrum acquisition, Ocutrx intends to expand its products' applications within and beyond the medical field furthering AR integrations globally. Ocutrx is introducing its OR-Bot 4900D Surgery Visualization Theatre at the Frankfurt Retina Meeting 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany on April 14-17. "The acquisition of a revenue positive, EBITDA positive company which can build our OR-Bot 3D Surgery Visualization Theatres and AR headsets in compliance with FDA, CE and MDR standards is a huge milestone for us in controlling our growth and in healthcare generally. It is also a quantum leap to bring new 3D visualization and AI tools for surgeons in the operating room." Ocutrx CEO Michael A. H. Freeman said, "And, the fact that the DOD and Fortune 500 companies are looking more and more for AR/XR and AI solutions creates a unique opportunity out of this business combination integration." The global augmented reality market size is anticipated to reach USD 597.54 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 40.9% from 2022 to 2030, according to the latest report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growth of the market can be attributed to the growing adoption of augmented reality (AR) technology in various end-use industries and industry verticals, including automotive, healthcare, and education, among others. "Spectrum's deep relationships with industry leaders will give Ocutrx access to programs and business metrics inside and outside the Medical Device field allowing Ocutrx to broaden its product applications and further integrate AR into global industries," said Jim Gatzimas who serves the role of Chief Business Development Officer for the consolidated companies and manages the East Coast (Boston) Company Offices, "while also positioning Spectrum to meet market demands and drive technology development ensuring long-term success." The founder and current Spectrum CEO, Jeff Riggs is staying on as a minority partner with Ocutrx and will remain CEO of Spectrum for several years to permit Ocutrx and Spectrum to fully integrate, "The complementary talents of Ocutrx and Spectrum AMT will allow for a streamlined and integrated new product development cycle for Ocutrx to get quality products to market faster and more efficiently," Mr. Riggs said, "Spectrum AMT leadership and employees remain committed to our core competency of providing agile manufacturing support to our valued customers." Sage Consulting and Wealth Preservation, Inc. serves in the capacity as Administrative Agent for the loan facility funded by the individual and family officer lenders who provided transaction financing. A team from Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC served as Acquisition Counsel for Ocutrx. The Team consisted of: Author O. Rogers, Christopher Warburton, Bryan Clark, and Gary Peters. Seaton Curran, served as IP and Patent Counsel. Howard & Howard was founded over 153 years ago and is a full-service business law firm with both a national and international practice. It provides legal services to businesses and business owners. Withers Bergman LLP acted as counsel to the Administrative Agent in connection with the financing transaction. About Ocutrx: With corporate headquarters in the OC at Irvine, California, a research and R&D lab in Oklahoma, and a manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs Ocutrx is a new breed of medical manufacturing company focusing on 3D visualization innovations, including Augmented Reality/Extended Reality. About Spectrum AMT: Founded in 1997 to manufacture medical devices in compliance with FDA regulations and provide quick-turn product development and manufacturing services to commercial and government entities, Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. is a multi-process line circuit card manufacturing and assembly facility based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Spectrum serves a robust client base in Hi-Rel industries such as medical devices, industrial controls, defense and space flight hardware. For more information please visit https://spectrumamt.com/ . michelle@kafkamediagroup.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c6400745-cdec-4895-92af-d5942fb65234 $0.00157 per share to be paid on or about April 14, 2023 BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / CBA Florida, Inc. (www.cbafloridainc.com) ("CBAI" or the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors (the "Board") has approved a liquidating cash distribution of approximately $2 million, or $0.00157 per share, to shareholders of record as of April 4, 2023. The distribution will be paid on or about April 14, 2023. As previously disclosed, in connection with the effectiveness of the Company's articles of dissolution, CBAI closed its stock transfer books and discontinued recording transfers of common stock, effective as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 26, 2020. As a result, the common stock, and stock certificates evidencing the shares of common stock, have not been assignable or transferable on the Company's books, other than transfers by will, intestate succession or operation of law. For those shareholders receiving a distribution of $0.01 or less, they will receive a credit to their account at Direct Transfer, LLC ("Direct Transfer"). Those shareholders that receive a credit in lieu of a cash distribution can request their funds from Direct Transfer via an ACH transfer. Any shareholder questions regarding the liquidating distribution may be addressed to the payment agent at Direct Transfer who can be reached via phone at (919) 744-2722 or e-mail at transfer@issuerdirect.com. Subject to uncertainties inherent in the continued winding up of the Company, CBAI may make an additional liquidating distribution. However, no assurances can be made as to the ultimate amount to be distributed, if any, or the timing of any such distribution. About CBA Florida, Inc. CBA Florida, Inc., formerly Cord Blood America, Inc., does not currently have any active business operations and consists of the cash and liabilities remaining post-closing of the sale of substantially all of the Company's assets. Forward-Looking Statements Some statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. The Company uses words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "future," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based largely on the Company's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, risks and uncertainties associated with its continuing limited operations, as well as liabilities and third-party claims currently existing or which may arise in the future. The Company encourages you to review other factors that may affect its future results in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this press release will in fact occur. The Company does not undertake, and the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, events, or circumstances after the date of such statement. Investor Contact: Anthony Snow asnow@cbafloridainc.com SOURCE: CBA Florida, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748789/CBA-Florida-Inc-Announces-Cash-Liquidating-Distribution ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / The Home Depot: Originally published on Built From Scratch In the 14th year of its Retool Your School program, The Home Depot awarded 36 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with more than $2 million in grants to improve their college campuses. Alabama A&M University, Coahoma Community College and Fisk University placed first in their respective competition clusters, each winning a $150,000 grant. The 2023 Retool Your School program was expanded to include an additional $2 million in needs-based grants such as Innovation Lounge renovations, internship and externship programs, scholarships and more. The Retool Your School Awards Celebration was held on Tuesday, April 11 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to celebrate the participating schools and the 2023 program year. The event was hosted by actor, author, and HBCU alumnae, Rashan Ali. Andre Dickens, mayor of Atlanta, and Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of The Home Depot, delivered remarks to attendees about the importance of championing our nation's HBCUs. "The Home Depot's commitment to HBCUs goes deeper than just financial support," said Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "We recognize that HBCUs are fundamental to academic success and professional development in both the communities they serve and our nation as a whole. We're committed to preserving that incredible history and seeing that it continues to grow." HBCUs participating in the Campus Improvement Grant program were separated into three clusters based on student population. The top ten schools with the most votes per cluster received grants ranging from $40,000 to $150,000. As part of the new needs-based grant program, 10 schools were also awarded with Innovation Lounge funding to enhance existing spaces on campuses where students can congregate, ideate and collaborate. Congratulations to all the winning institutions of the 2023 Retool Your School program. Campus Improvement Grant Cluster 1 Alabama A&M University Jackson State University Albany State University Howard University Hampton University Grambling State University Alabama State University Southern University and A&M College Winston-Salem State University Norfolk State University Campus Improvement Grant Cluster 2 Coahoma Community College South Carolina State University Tuskegee University Bethune-Cookman University Kentucky State University Benedict College Savannah State University University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff University of Maryland Eastern Shore Mississippi Valley State University Campus Improvement Grant Cluster 3 Fisk University Tougaloo College Johnson C. Smith University Lane College Texas College Southwestern Christian College Wilberforce University Morris Brown College Rust College Saint Augustine's University Innovation Lounge Grant Bethune-Cookman University Florida A&M University Interdenominational Theological Center Lincoln University of Missouri Meharry Medical College Morehouse College Morris Brown College Southern University and A&M College Southwestern Christian College Voorhees College Since 2009, through Retool Your School, The Home Depot has invested more than $9.25 million dollars to update, upgrade and uplift HBCU campuses. In 2023, the company quadrupled its Retool Your School commitment to $4 million as part of its continued dedication to celebrating the legacy and pride of HBCUs. To learn more, visit RetoolYourSchool.com. Keep up with all the latest Home Depot news! Subscribe to our bi-weekly news update and get the top Built from Scratch stories delivered straight to your inbox. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Home Depot on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: The Home Depot Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/home-depot Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: The Home Depot View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748799/The-Home-Depot-Announces-Grants-for-36-HBCUs-at-2023-Retool-Your-School-Awards-Celebration GUANGZHOU, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Xu Bing, Vice Secretary General of Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, lately led a delegation to Denmark, Iceland and Sweden for the promotion of China Import and Export Fair ("Canton Fair" or "the Fair"), to showcase the new image of the 133rd Canton Fair and attract more Nordic companies to attend the Fair, receiving wide attention from the business communities in these countries. Northern European countries and China enjoy strong complementarities in industries and huge space for cooperation. Based on the unique characteristics of the local market, the delegation conducted an array of promotional activities, such as: held two promotional conferences in Denmark and Sweden and one seminar in Iceland ; and and one seminar in ; visited government departments for trade promotion and industrial and commercial organizations, such as the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Business Iceland and Business Sweden; signed Canton Fair Global Cooperative Agreement with Sweden-China Trade Council; paid research visits to renowned convention and exhibition center including Bella Center in Denmark , Harpa in Iceland , and Stockholmsmassen in Sweden ; , Harpa in , and Stockholmsmassen in ; visited and communicated with major retail chain enterprises, including Denmark's Netto and Bilka supermarket of Salling Group, Kronan in Iceland and Canton Fair VIP buyers such as X18 in Iceland . The working group conveyed the latest Canton Fair information and potential business opportunities to the Nordic business community, including the use of venue expansion, the increased exhibition area, and new exhibition sections and topics. International trade companies, exporters and importers of these 3 countries have shown strong interest to the Canton Fair. Meanwhile, the group learned firsthand opinions and suggestions from local partners on Canton Fair services through face-to-face, in-depth conversations. In the future, China Foreign Trade Centre will maintain close contact with industrial and commercial organizations in the world, improve customer service, facilitate more enterprises to share the benefits of Made in China and Chinese market, and contribute to the economic and trade exchanges between China and other countries. For latest news regarding the upcoming 133rd Canton Fair, please register at https://invitation.cantonfair.org.cn/BuyerUser/RegisterUser?MediaType=16 . Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052583/image_5003628_47284409.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/133rd-canton-fair-promotion-activities-received-wide-attention-from-nordic-business-communities-301795690.html LOS ANGELES / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Yum! Brands: The It Gets Better Project announces the release of a new original web-series "The Assignment," a career and skill-readiness series pairing queer youth with LGBTQ+ professionals in the culinary industry. With nearly 50% of LGBTQ+ youth employed either full or part-time and more than one in three experiencing some form of workplace discrimination, The Assignment serves up LGBTQ+ professionals to offer mentorship and inspiration for young people who are beginning to sharpen their skills in the culinary world or explore food industry related careers. The series was created with generous support from the Taco Bell Foundation. Episode one is available to view now at itgetsbetter.org. The Assignment features a host of noted LGBTQ+ professionals with successful careers in the food, decor, and the health industry. A finalist on Bravo's Top Chef: Boston Season 12 and the winner and fan favorite of Top Chef All Stars: Los Angeles Season 17, Melissa King has carved out a name for herself as one of the most exciting talents in the Bay Area; two time Chopped-champion, multi-hyphenate Lazarus Lynch (chef, musician, mental health advocate, filmmaker) made history as the first Black, Queer chef to cook at the Met Gala; Sophie Colle is a self-taught, New York-based designer whose Instagram presence has caught the eye of Architectural Digest and Domino Magazine; and SuperJuiced Oakland co-owner Rana Halpern's vision that food justice is social justice has made the queer, Black and Brown-owned organic juice business an inclusive experience in Oakland. "In pairing well-known LGBTQ+ professionals in the culinary and design industry with young people who are curious about cooking or creating spaces that feel authentic to them, the conversations went far beyond what technical skills the mentors could offer," said Eboni Munn, Director of Brand Marketing, Content & Creative. "Watching the pairs connect over shared experiences of identity, cultural backgrounds, LGBTQ+ journeys, and creating space in male-dominated industries, reminds us all that life is a journey of constantly learning and relearning, moving between mentor and mentee interchangeably. 'The Assignment' offers safe spaces for both the mentors and mentees to teach, learn, and connect" Projects that center on career-readiness and amplify marginalized voices are of particular interest to the Taco Bell Foundation, which has awarded more than $150 million in scholarships to youth-serving nonprofit organizations focused on education since 1992. Since 2022, The Taco Bell Foundation has generously invested over $200,000 in the It Gets Better Project's mission to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe. "At the Taco Bell Foundation, we have made it our mission to fuel every young person's boldest ambition to create good, and we are honored to play a role in bringing 'The Assignment' to life," said Jennifer Bradbury, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation. "We are energized and excited to see what comes out of this web-series and look forward to continuing to work with the It Gets Better Project to champion and inspire the next generation." As with all original series from the It Gets Better Project, The Assignment will be accompanied by a free to access educational guide (EduGuide) to help facilitate conversation beyond each episode. The Assignment follows the successful November release of the original series Industry, focusing on LGBTQ+ people working in S.T.E.M. and the Anthem Award-winning series Queer Sex Ed. Further information about the It Gets Better Project's work is available at www.itgetsbetter.org About the It Gets Better Project The It Gets Better Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that strives to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe. Created in 2010 as the result of one of the most successful viral video campaigns in YouTube's history, the It Gets Better Project provides critical support and hope to LGBTQ+ youth around the world by leveraging the power of media to reach millions of people each year. The project has expanded its origins in storytelling and media to include educational resources through It Gets Better EDU and reaches 19 countries outside of the U.S. through It Gets Better Global. The project has garnered support from President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with numerous celebrities, including Kelly Clarkson, Gabrielle Union, Zachary Quinto, Mj Rodriguez, Josie Totah, and Gigi Gorgeous. More than 750,000 people have taken the It Gets Better pledge to share messages of hope and speak up against intolerance. Please visit www.itgetsbetter.org for more information, and join the conversation on all social platforms @itgetsbetter. About Taco Bell Foundation Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps break down barriers to educate and inspire the next generation of America's young leaders. Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has reached more than 5 million young people across the country and has awarded more than $130 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness. For more information about the Taco Bell Foundation, visit www.tacobellfoundation.org. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Yum! Brands on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Yum! Brands Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/yum-brands Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Yum! Brands View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748802/The-It-Gets-Better-Project-Premieres-New-Web-Series-The-Assignment-With-Support-From-Taco-Bell-Foundation Kingston, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Delta Resources Limited (TSXV: DLTA) (OTC Pink: DTARF) (FSE: 6GO1) ("Delta" or "the Company") is pleased to provide assay results from the first five drill holes from its 2023-Phase 1 drill program at Delta-1 Gold located 50 km west of Thunder-Bay, Ontario. All five drill holes reported herein intersected broad zones of favourable alteration and gold mineralization with drill hole D1-23-30, the easternmost and deepest drill hole reported so far returning assays of: 4.23 g/t gold over 26.2 metres, Including a 1.10 metre interval of 49.91 g/t Au. Within a broader zone of 2.06 g/t Au over 65.8 metres And an even broader zone of 0.97 g/t Au over 162.8 metres Drill hole D1-23-30 is located one hundred metres east of drill hole D1-22-25, previously reported on February 9, 2023 (see long section and map attached). Assays are pending on seven additional drill holes to the east and results will be released in the coming weeks as they are certified by SGS Lab and pass all of Delta's QA/QC protocols. Drill holes D1-23-26 to D1-23-28 were drilled above drill holes D1-22-18, D1-22-22 and appear to have intersected the gold-mineralized halo surrounding the higher-grade gold zones (See Figure 1). The mineralized zone in drill hole D1-23-29 is cut by a late, post-mineral diabase dike that locally splits the gold zone into two smaller zones. Complete drill results are shown in Table 1 below, including the previously released drill holes D1-22-18, 24 and 25 (true widths are believed to be 60% to 87% of reported lengths depending on the inclination of drill holes). Andre Tessier, President and CEO commented: "The gold zone at Delta-1 continues to provide us with very exciting results as we move eastward and at depth. The higher-grade zone persists, within a broad halo that remains above the cut off grade of most open-pit operations in Canada and throughout the world. We expect to receive assay results from the remaining seven drill holes within a few weeks and look forward to integrate this new data in anticipation of Delta's next phase of drilling expected to begin in late-April after spring thaw." The mineralized zone trends roughly 100 azimuth, dips 80 towards the north, and has now been intersected over a strike length of approximately 1.5 kilometres to a vertical depth of approximately 220 metres. Towards the east, as gold grades increase, the zone appears to turn to an azimuth of 115 azimuth. This change in the orientation of the mineralized zone may be responsible for the improved gold grades and widths of the mineralized zone. The gold mineralization is generally located at the contact between sandstones to the north and mafic volcanics to the south, spatially associated with feldspar porphyry intrusive dikes that crosscut both rock types. All three rock types are mineralized and altered. Kilometre-scale, texture destructive alteration consists of intense ankeritization, albitization, silicification and sericitization. Gold mineralization consists of a network of multiple generations of quartz-ankerite-pyrite veinlets locally with disseminated grains of visible gold. The Delta-1 project is located in the Shebandowan Greenstone Belt and covers a 17 km strike extent of the Shebandowan Structural Zone. Analytical Protocol and QA/QC Chemical analyses reported in this press release were performed at SGS Canada Minerals Laboratories. Sample preparation was performed in Sudbury, Ontario. Sampling and analytical procedures are subject to a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control program that includes duplicate samples, blanks and analytical standards. The following assaying protocol was adopted at Delta-1 in an attempt to reduce the assay variability due to nugget effect caused by visible gold: If visible gold is observed in the sample or within the assumed mineralized zone , the assay is performed by Metallic Screening whereby the entire sample is crushed, a 1 kg portion is pulverized and screened to 106m and analyzed by 50 g fire assay with gravimetric finish at the SGS Laboratory in Lakefield, Ontario. If no visible gold is observed or outside of the mineralized zones , an initial assay is performed by 50 g Fire Assay with ICP-OES finish at the SGS Laboratory in Burnaby, British Columbia. If the assay result exceeds 2.0 g/t gold, remaining rejects are pulverized, a 1 kg portion is screened to 106m and analyzed by 50 g fire assay with gravimetric finish at the SGS Laboratory in Lakefield, Ontario. NQ-size drill core was sawed in half lengthwise and half of the core was sampled and sealed in clean plastic bags before being shipped for assay. The remaining half of the core was replaced in core boxes and is stored at Delta's core storage facilities. Standards and blanks are inserted in the sequence of samples on site as quality assurance and quality control in addition to the regular insertion of blank, duplicate, and standard samples accredited by SGS Canada Minerals Laboratories during the analytical process. Qualified Persons Daniel Boudreau, P.Geo. Manager of Exploration of Delta Resources Limited is the Qualified Persons as defined by NI-43-101. He has reviewed the technical information presented in this press release. About Delta Resources Limited Delta Resources Limited is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on growing shareholder value through the exploration of two very high-potential gold and base-metal projects in Canada. DELTA-1 covers 58.3 square kilometres located 50 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario where a gold mineralized zone 950 metres long was outlined through drilling in a multi-kilometre-scale intense alteration halo. Best grades to date include a drill intercept of 14.8 g/t Au over 11.9 metres, within a broader interval of 5.92 g/t Au over 31 m. The zone is open in all directions. DELTA-2 VMS and DELTA-2 GOLD covers 194 square kilometres in the prolific Chibougamau District of Quebec. The property holds excellent potential for gold-rich polymetallic VMS deposits as well as hydrothermal-gold deposits. Delta targets VMS deposits such as the LeMoine past producer where 0.76 Mt were mined between 1975 and 1983, grading 9.6% Zn, 4.2% Cu, 4.5 g/t Au and 84 g/t Ag. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DELTA RESOURCES LIMITED. Andre C. Tessier President, CEO and Director www.deltaresources.ca We seek safe harbor. 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. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein. DELTA-1 TABLE OF 2023 DRILL INTERCEPTS DRILL HOLE NO UTM Coordinates Zone 16 Azimuth Incl. Length (m) FROM (m) TO (m) Au Grade (g/t) CORE LENGTH (m) Easting Northing D1-22-18 289955 5385581 180 -45 453 293.00 324.00 5.92 31.00 incl. 308.10 320.00 14.80 11.90 incl. 314.00 316.20 72.95 2.20 D1-22-24 290005 5385581 180 -45 428 309.00 317.00 6.49 10.00 incl. 309.00 310.00 30.66 1.00 D1-22-25 290052 5385573 180 -45 453 229.00 234.00 2.34 5.00 301.50 302.50 130.00 1.00 321.00 341.00 1.2 20.00 382.90 401.00 1.66 18.10 incl. 399.50 401.00 16.42 1.50 D1-23-26 289947 5385383 180 -58 300 8.70 138.50 0.37 129.80 D1-23-27 290050 5385390 180 -40 270 16.80 110.00 0.45 93.20 incl. 16.80 77.00 0.54 60.20 D1-23-28 290050 5385390 180 -68 300 44.90 62.00 0.63 17.10 105.00 117.60 1.91 12.60 incl. 105.00 113.60 2.46 8.60 D1-23-29 290150 5385360 180 -40 231 79.00 85.00 2.29 6.00 85.00 93.90 Late Diabase Dike 93.90 99.00 1.37 5.10 D1-23-30 290150 5385360 180 -65 303 73.20 236.00 0.97 162.80 incl. 73.20 139.00 2.06 65.80 incl. 76.00 102.20 4.23 26.20 incl. 79.00 80.10 49.91 1.10 217.00 236.00 0.74 19.00 D1-23-31 290254 5385377 180 -40 247.5 Pending D1-23-32 290254 5385377 180 -65 303 Pending D1-23-33 290363 5385355 180 -40 261 Pending D1-23-34 290363 5385355 180 -70 144.3 Pending D1-23-35 290464 5385361 180 -40 258 Pending D1-23-36 290464 5385361 180 -65 354 Pending D1-23-37 289883 5385385 180 -70 312 Pending D1-23-38 290600 5385200 180 -45 222.5 Pending D1-23-39 290600 5385200 180 -70 350 Planned Figure 1: Vertical longitudinal section looking north 010 of the eastern portion of the Delta-1 Gold Zone showing piercing points of drill holes with grades and metal factors. The section shows the metal factors increasing towards the east and at depth, as defined by drill holes D1-22-18, 24, 25 and D1-23-30. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8482/162098_e94d06fc6443c8df_002full.jpg Figure 2: Total magnetic map showing the projected gold-mineralized zone at Delta-1, with gold grades for drill holes D1-22-18, 24, 25 and D1-23-30. Assay results are pending for seven drill holes to the east. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8482/162098_e94d06fc6443c8df_003full.jpg For Further Information: Delta Resources Limited Frank Candido, Chairman, VP Corporate Communications Tel: 514-969-5530 fcandido@deltaresources.ca or Andre Tessier, CEO and President Tel: 613-328-1581 atessier@deltaresources.ca Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Some statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases (including negative or grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and involves risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual facts to differ materially. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes management's current estimates, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake to update any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162098 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - ION Energy Limited (TSXV: ION) (OTCQB: IONGF) (FSE: 5YB) ("ION" or the "Company"), Mongolia's first lithium brine explorer and developer, is very pleased to share that hydrogeological studies have commenced at the 100%-owned Urgakh Naran site. This crucial step in the Company's exploration efforts is expected to lay the framework for NI 43-101 resource estimates at this site, and guide future exploration work. Lithological results released in December 2022 have shown the basin to be impregnated. "As the first mover for lithium brine in Mongolia, and with the world's continued lithium supply constraints, our Company is pleased that this work brings us a step closer towards resource estimates, and ensures ION Energy has the ability to disrupt the battery metals supply chain in Asia," said Ali Haji, CEO & Director of ION Energy. "ION Energy's team remains encouraged by the positive results to-date, and we expect the ongoing hydrogeological work to form the basis of a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate by Q3 2023. We believe that all of these critical steps will bring the Company closer to unearthing the vast potential that the Urgakh Naran asset represents." This phase of hydrogeological testing is intended to serve as the foundation for upcoming NI 43-101 resource estimates and is expected to advance Urgakh Naran to a position in which an inferred resource can be calculated. Urgakh Naran is a 100%-owned, +29,000 hectare lithium project, strategically located in Mongolia's Dorngovi Province - an infrastructure rich region of the South Gobi Desert with major throughfares to the Chinese border. Figure 1: Hydrogeological bailers deployed at Urgakh Naran's UNWH-01. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6906/162121_221c487264e98823_002full.jpg. Figure 2: Hydrogeological testing at UNWH-02. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6906/162121_221c487264e98823_003full.jpg. Figure 3: Brine samples being collected at UNWH-01. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6906/162121_221c487264e98823_004full.jpg. Figure 4: Brine samples being collected at UNWH-01. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6906/162121_221c487264e98823_005full.jpg. Figure 5: Solinst Level Logger at UNWH-01. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6906/162121_221c487264e98823_006full.jpg. All technical information disclosed in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Khurelbaatar Lamzav, P.Geo., an independent consultant to the Company and a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101. About ION Energy Ltd. ION Energy Ltd. (TSXV: ION) (OTCQB: IONGF) (FSE: 5YB) is committed to exploring and developing Mongolia's lithium salars. ION's flagship, 81,000+ hectare Baavhai Uul lithium brine project, represents the largest and first lithium brine exploration licence award in Mongolia. ION also holds the 29,000+ hectare Urgakh Naran highly prospective Lithium Brine licence in Dorngovi Province in Mongolia. ION is well-poised to be a key player in the clean energy revolution, positioned well to service the world's increased demand for lithium. Information about the Company is available on its website, www.ionenergy.ca, or under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For further information: COMPANY CONTACT: Ali Haji, ali@ionenergy.ca, 647-871-4571 MEDIA CONTACT: Siloni Waraich, siloni@ionenergy.ca, 416-432-4920 Cautionary Note Regarding 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 news release. Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's 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 management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, potential mineralization, exploration and development results, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from ION Energy's expectations include, among others, uncertainties relating to availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, risks related to international operations, the actual results of current exploration activities, delays in the development of projects, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as future prices of lithium, and ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162121 LONDON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Xapien, the deep tech platform transforming how organisations understand who they're doing business with, today announced that it has closed a 4.5M round led by YFM Equity Partners and backed by D2 Fund, concluding total seed funding of 6M. Described as 'the ChatGPT of Due Diligence', Xapien uses Artificial Intelligence to deliver an executive-level report on any person or organisation, anywhere in the world in minutes. Every piece of information is fully sourced, enabling confident, auditable decision making. The company's rapid growth since its commercial launch in January 2022 underpinned the competitive round led by YFM Equity Partners and backed by D2 Fund alongside existing investors. The proceeds will be used to accelerate product development and go-to-market, expand into new verticals and extend their US footprint. Chris Green, Xapien CEO, said: "Every year, billions of dollars are wasted on laborious and time-consuming background research. Firms seeking to do international business are facing a perfect storm. Emerging ESG considerations present complicated and nuanced risks. There is a continuing explosion in publicly available information, and ever-increasing regulation. This creates an increasing need for organisations to really 'know' their third parties. This includes their customers, suppliers, donors, applicants and investors. Put simply, firms can no longer afford to just ask 'can we' be in business with someone. They must also ask 'should we'? Traditional screening tools cannot answer this nuanced question. A typical KYC/AML search is a factual check of recorded data in structured databases. To really 'know' a third party, deep contextual background research is required. Current methods will not scale, but there is a better way." Founded by technology experts with decades of experience in intelligence and financial crime, Xapien uses cutting edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing technologies to emulate the complex process of human-led research. David Wrench, partner at YFM, said: "Xapien has demonstrated impressive growth over the past 12 months. The high calibre management team has a well-defined vision and plan to grow the business further. They have built technology that is providing demonstrable ROI to its customers. What today takes days when produced manually can be done in minutes through Xapien." Xapien automates an otherwise manual research process to deliver an executive-level report on any person or organisation, anywhere in the world in minutes. Full sourcing of all information gives greater assurance whilst driving major efficiencies for organisations in many sectors, including law firms, financial services institutions and philanthropy. Whether used for client onboarding, investment due diligence, compliance, reputational and integrity due diligence, donor prospect research and more, the technology provides a competitive edge. Amory Poulden, Managing Partner at D2 Fund commented: "Understanding who you are doing business with is a time-consuming and uncertain undertaking. Xapien's solution delivers clarity amongst the noise, allowing companies to perform radically faster and more accurate searches on individuals and companies. We were impressed by what Chris, Dan, Shaun and the rest of the Xapien team have built so far and are looking forward to working with them as they scale the business from here. Chris continued, "YFM and D2 Fund really understand the market that we are serving and share our vision to transform it using AI and deep technology. This investment will accelerate our product roadmap, deepen our proprietary application of Large Language Models, enhance our Identity Resolution Engine and turbo-charge our growth in sectors where we are experiencing strong demand, including legal, fintech, insurance, private equity, and philanthropy. It is an important step in our journey to help the world do better business." The YFM team included David Wrench, Zach Francis and Jamie Roberts. The D2 Fund team included: Amory Poulden and Joshua Minsk. YFM and Management team were advised by: Legal: HCR, Financial: PKF Francis Clark; Organisational: Sonia Allinson-Penny and Ian McDonald; Technical: Leckie Kershaw; Sales and marketing: Emerse; VCT Advice: Philip Hare & Associates. IMAGES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST: viktoria.harrison@yfmep.com About Xapien Founded by deep technology experts with decades of experience in intelligence and financial crime, Xapien applies cutting edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing to deliver on-demand research for businesses seeking to truly understand their third parties. Xapien's SaaS platform is transforming how the world deals with third parties. It enables anyone to know who they are in business with, a capability available until now only to organisations with significant resources. For more information visit www.xapien.com or follow us on LinkedIn About YFM YFM?invests 2m to 10m into businesses with strong growth potential located across the UK through a regional network of offices in London, Leeds, Manchester, Reading and Birmingham. YFM Equity Partners are specialist, independently owned, private equity investors. Having recently celebrated 40 years of investing experience, our portfolio may have changed over the years, but our ethos has remained the same - to support small businesses across the UK in their next phase of growth. We seek to unlock value and growth potential by providing up to 10 million of equity to fuel the development of established business throughout the UK regions. We do this by helping our portfolio companies launch new initiatives, make transformative acquisitions, and upgrade technologies and systems. We are dedicated to working alongside management teams to create long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and make a positive economic impact for the communities in which we work. We manage funds in excess of 420 million which include venture capital trusts and private equity funds. YFM Equity Partners conducts its investment business through its subsidiary YFM Private Equity Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 122120). For more information, please visit www.yfmep.com or follow us on LinkedIn About D2 Fund D2 is a specialised early-stage venture capital fund that invests in B2B software companies with robust technical moats, founder-market fit, and a capital-efficient business model. Their typical investment size ranges from 250k to 1m, with a focus on supporting emerging businesses in their early growth stages. For more information, please visit www.d2.fund Contacts: Viktoria Harrison, viktoria.harrison@yfmep.com, +447716097774 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052631/YFM_Equity_Partners_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ai-firm-xapien-closes-latest-4-5m-funding-round-led-by-yfm-equity-partners-301795722.html LINQING, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- From April 8 to 10, 2023, the 8th Linqing China Bearing, Spare Parts and Special Equipment Exhibition & Bearing Industry Summit Forum was held in Linqing city, Shandong Province. Themed "Leading Intelligent Manufacture, Driven by Innovation", the forum attracted delegates from China Bearing Industry Association and renowned enterprises of the bearing industry and experts from research institutes to discuss and explore the new development path for Chinese bearing industry, according to the News Office of the People's Government of Linqing. Known as "joints of industry", bearing is a core part indispensable in machinery equipment, widely applied in every field of national economy. As one of the five bearing industrial cluster districts in China, the bearing industry cluster of Linqing boasts the most complete and vibrant bearing industrial chain in China. Over 1,000 registered individual businesses engaged in bearing production and sales locate here, with more than 100,000 practitioners, producing products of over 5,000 models under 11 categories including category 0-9 and non-standard bearing. The products are exported to countries and regions including Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Zhou Yu, the council director of China Bearing Industry Association, pointed out, with Linqing as the core, the bearing industry of Liaocheng has been keeping growing and developing rapidly with high quality, a batch of backbone bearing enterprises have grown quickly. The Linqing bearing exhibition has been keeping growing in both scale and influence, making a prominent contribution for China's bearing industry to be bigger and stronger. At the forum, the first secondary node of identification and resolution for the Industrial Internet of domestic bearing industry was released, which will further promote the integrated development of bearing industry and information at a broader range, in greater depth and on a higher level. The exhibition was attended by 628 enterprises, with an exhibition area of over 30,000 square meters. As the renowned main engine manufacturers and purchasing agents and clients from all corners of China gathered in Linqing, the exhibition became a comprehensive industrial event integrating finished product bearing exhibition, spare parts at upstream and downstream, numerically controlled machinery tools, industrial robots and bearing digitization. Image Attachments Links: Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439749 Caption: The bearing industry of Liaocheng Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439754 Caption: Forum site Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439755 Caption: Scene of opening ceremony Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052675/1_Bearing_industry.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052676/2_Forum_site.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052677/3_opening_ceremony.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-8th-linqing-china-bearing-spare-parts-and-special-equipment-exhibition--bearing-industry-summit-forum-held-in-linqing-301795725.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / The list recognizes 100 companies with the best corporate responsibility reputations in the world Whirlpool Corporation announced that is has been included in the Global RepTrak 100 for 2023, which recognizes companies for their ability to build and communicate their commitment to corporate responsibility as well as develop positive relationships with consumers, employees, and the community. "We are proud to be recognized by RepTrak for our efforts to bring our corporate vision to life and be the best kitchen and laundry company in constant pursuit of improving life at home," said Pam Klyn, senior vice president of corporate relations and sustainability at Whirlpool Corporation. "This accomplishment would not be possible without our employees who work every day to earn trust by innovating for our consumers, nurturing our talent to bring out the best ideas, protecting our environment, and helping our communities thrive." This accomplishment would not be possible without our employees who work every day to earn trust by innovating for our consumers, nurturing our talent to bring out the best ideas, protecting our environment, and helping our communities thrive." For over 111 years, Whirlpool Corp. has remained committed to corporate social responsibility, resulting in the company's House+Home strategy. Through this framework, the company continues to prioritize its 23-year-old global relationship with Habitat for Humanity, recently concluding the first two phases of a three-phase commitment to Habitat's BuildBetter with Whirlpool Initiative, a commitment to build 250 climate-resilient and energy efficient homes in the United States, including donating energy efficient appliances. At the onset of the war in Ukraine, the company's EMEA employees, with Habitat for Humanity, worked tirelessly to provide shelter and monetary assistance to displaced families in Hungary, Poland, Moldova and Slovakia. Whirlpool Corp. also continued to advance local communities through education and neighborhood revitalization, leveraging the collective impact of collaborations with the United Way, Consul brand's Consulado da Mulher, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Whirlpool brand's Care Counts and the Feel Good Fridge programs sponsored by its U.S. Sales team and Maytag brand. Whirlpool Corp. is also frequently recognized for its efforts related to corporate responsibility and company culture. So far this year, the company was named one of Fortune's Admired Companies and included on America's Most JUST Companies list for 2023. The Global RepTrak 100 measures perceptions of a company's key drivers of corporate responsibility, including Citizenship, Governance and Workplace, and assesses its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials. The list is based on data collected from 230,000 ratings across 14 global economies and is pulled from online surveys, media content, and third-party sources. Data collection takes place from December 2022 through January 2023. Click here to learn more and see the full Global RepTrak 100 for 2023. 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/748814/Whirlpool-Corporation-Recognized-for-Commitment-to-Corporate-Responsibility-by-RepTrak-in-the-Global-RepTrak-100-for-the-Eleventh-Consecutive-Year Highlights Assays results for all 15-drill hole include intersections of 4.59% copper over 3.2-meters in a 11.75-meter zone averaging 1.51% copper and containing notable zinc, gold, and silver values. Copper and/or zinc mineralization intersections in 13 of the 15 holes with zones averaging 3 to 4-meters. Final assay results include additional critical metal assets and high-grade silver, testing up to 98 g/t, accompanied the higher copper mineralization. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Advance United Holdings Inc. (CSE: AUHI) (OTCQB: AUHIF) (FSE: 9I0) (the "Company" or "Advance United") is pleased to announce the receipt of final assay results all 15 diamond drill holes completed on the Buck Lake Property in the Sault-Ste Marie area, Ontario. Figure 1: High-grade copper and/or zinc mineralization. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/162123_img1.jpg Drilling followed a successful summer work program where previously reported channel samples identified 4.93% zinc, 0.33 g/t gold, and 1.58% copper, as reported in the Company press releases on December 1, 2022 and December 21, 2022). A total of 688 samples were analyzed from 15 drill holes and tested with Actlabs in Timmins, Canada. The sampling was completed in accordance with their comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) program including the OREAS standards, blanks, duplicate core, and pulp samples. The VMS zones at Buck Lake were stripped of overburden to expose bedrock and identified 10 areas with significant potential. A total of 89 samples, over a total length of 85-meters, identified several high priority targets including Taret Area "M" which showed highly anomalous gold up to 0.33 g/t along with high grade copper potential with anomalies averaging 1.58%. "We are happy to report the final assays of the diamond drilling results from our 2022 drilling program at Buck Lake," states Mr. Jim Atkinson, P.Geo. and CEO of Advance United. "We appreciate the importance of these critical metals in today's commodity markets. And frankly underscores our value and approach - capture the value of critical materials and make play an important role in making them available at a reasonable cost. They are essential for economic and national security and fuel the renewable energy sector and the electrification of transportation. Our important role as a modern developer providing producers and the mining industry these opportunities is very fulfilling and exciting for our team and shareholders." The drilling traced a 500 meter VMS mineralized zone, which not only possibly remains open on strike but remains untested beyond the 140 meter drilling depth. The drilling intersected massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralization which the Company believes corresponds to the source of the VLF EM anomalies outlined by the previous surface work. Figure 1 below shows the relationship of the mineralization intersected in the drilling to the main VLF EM anomaly. The sulphide zone is open to the north and south and the Company intends to make the subject of follow-up with further geophysics and drilling. Figure 2: Location of Drill Holes. Note the sulphide intersections are presented in red and the various VLF EM anomalies are colored in yellow, orange, red and blue, and the main mineralized zone is in Red. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/162123_3a162610d48d7b04_002full.jpg The Buck Lake Geological Model The drill program helped delineate mixed volcanic units consisting of felsic and mafic volcanics with tuffaceous and agglomerate textures enclosing the massive to semi-massive sulfides which are dominantly pyrite and pyrrhotite with varying amounts of chalcopyrite and sphalerite and rarely galena. The sulphide zones are often enclosed in silicious material and exhalite and are often accompanied by chloritic alteration. The environment is typical of VMS-type deposits such as Kidd Creek in Timmins and Horne in Noranda. Notably, VMS deposits occur in clusters as can be seen in Mattagami and in NW Quebec (Millenbach, Ansil, Corbet etc.) Copper and/or zinc mineralization was intersected in 13 of the 15 holes generally in zones of 3 to 4 meters. Notably, high-grade silver (up to 98 g/t) accompanied the higher copper mineralization. The highest copper value returned in the present drilling program was in drill hole BL-22-06 which returned a value of 4.59 % Cu over 3.2 m in a larger zone of 11.75 m of 1.51% Cu. Drill holes BL-22-14 and BL-22-15 also intersected copper mineralization with assays of 0.42 over 4.15 meters and 2.38% over 2.95 meters. Figure 3: Assays in this section returned 0.17% cu over 2.8-metres. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8072/162123_3a162610d48d7b04_003full.jpg In this photo we see a typical intersection of massive and semi-massive mineralization consisting of pyrite and pyrrhotite with chalcopyrite in a silicious and chlorite altered matrix which may be exhalite. In drill hole BL-22-04 assays in the section in the figure above returned 0.17% cu over 2.8-metres. The full assay results are included below: Hole Number From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag g/t BL-22-01 57.35 59.25 1.90 0.80 48.00 64.30 66.15 1.85 0.12 92.50 95.50 3.00 0.12 96.58 98.05 1.47 0.12 107.10 107.85 0.75 0.10 141.45 145.45 4.00 0.40 BL-22-02 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 75.30 78.60 3.30 0.08 76.30 76.95 0.65 0.58 0.56 46.40 BL-22-03 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 67.80 70.20 2.40 0.36 BL-22-04 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 93.55 96.37 2.82 0.17 94.75 96.88 2.13 0.11 138.00 144.00 6.00 0.11 152.75 155.05 2.30 0.32 BL-22-05 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 75.65 78.70 3.05 0.23 113.53 115.53 2.00 0.10 201.35 203.55 2.20 0.06 BL-22-06 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 35.35 47.10 11.75 1.51 Including 42.35 45.45 3.10 4.59 BL-22-07 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 75.40 79.65 4.25 0.16 86.40 88.05 1.65 0.14 99.00 100.00 1.00 0.70 BL-22-08 Anomalous Cu BL-22-09 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % 23.00 25.90 2.90 0.20 33.80 38.15 4.35 0.05 61.30 63.00 1.70 0.27 BL-22-10 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper (%) Zinc (%) Ag (g/t) 45.95 51.85 5.90 5.15 55.55 58.45 2.90 0.21 BL-22-11 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 17.20 20.50 3.30 0.13 Including 19.80 20.50 0.70 0.25 21.80 25.60 3.80 0.14 Including 23.15 23.95 0.80 0.17 21.00 21.80 0.80 0.11 24.75 25.60 0.85 0.43 Including 16.00 26.45 10.45 3.61 BL-22-12 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 18.00 19.00 1.00 0.71 72.30 73.00 0.70 0.15 128.00 132.70 4.70 0.08 128.00 136.15 8.15 1.70 BL-22-13 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 78.00 79.00 1.00 0.14 166.00 169.00 3.00 0.23 166.00 171.65 5.65 18.10 Including 167.40 168.10 0.70 96.50 BL-22-14 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 31.85 32.60 0.75 0.14 2.00 35.60 47.60 12.00 0.11 0.88 50.60 54.75 4.15 0.42 1.64 60.75 61.75 1.00 0.09 0.70 BL-22-15 From (m) To (m) Length (m) Copper % Zinc % Ag (g/t) 5.00 7.00 2.00 0.08 1.00 9.00 10.00 1.00 0.10 1.10 16.00 17.00 1.00 0.21 18.00 24.00 6.00 1.50 20.00 21.00 1.00 0.08 0.09 45.45 48.40 2.95 2.38 29.10 About Advance United Holdings Advance United brings an entirely different approach to the mining industry. We don't mine. Rather, we've acquired a portfolio of undervalued gold properties and are increasing their value through the application of modern technology. We have a growing pipeline of similar properties that we are looking to acquire. And now we've launched the Au Marketplace. A first of its kind digital platform that connects owners of mineral commodities and deposits with developers and producers. We are involved exclusively in the acquisition and advancement of past projects - with no intent to bring them back into production or to mine them ourselves. Our expertise is in identifying and acquiring undervalued properties with significant historical work, which were uneconomic at the time, but we believe have economic value at today's prices. We fund the development of re-working historic data and applying modern technology to underwrite new qualified reports, document quantifiable resources and reserves to current standards, thereby recognizing the current value. Our purpose is to bring immediate and long-term value to our partners and shareholders while seeking to eliminate exploration risk, so that we can all advance united in the shortest possible time frame. For additional information about us, our projects, or to find out how you can list your project in the Au Marketplace, visit www.advanceunited.ca. Contact Information James Atkinson, P. Geo., CEO Email: jim.atkinson@advanceunited.ca Tel: (647) 278-7502 Qualified Person James Atkinson M.Sc., P. Geo., a Qualified Person ("QP") as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify all historic information on the Property, particularly with regards to historical sampling, drill results, and technical work provided by Noranda and others. The Qualified Person assumes that sampling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results. Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the trading of the Company's securities and the focus of the Company's business. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's ability to increase the value of its current and future mineral exploration properties and, in connection therewith, any long-term shareholder value, the Company's ability to mitigate or eliminate exploration risk, and the Company's intention to develop a portfolio of historic gold properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue its business as described above. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other periodic filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162123 WASHINGTON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Panelists urged governments and private sector to join force to address climate crisis in a consistence manner on Monday in a high-level session coorganised by the International Finance Forum (IFF) as part of the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C.. The meeting, organised by the IFF along with Bretton Woods Committee, the Paulson Insititute, highlighted the urgency of climate action and the need to mobilise governments and private sector for sustainability financing. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, opened by saying the IMF has loaned to five countries under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) with 44 countries interested in joining. The Trust was established last April to help countries build resilience to external shocks and ensure sustainable growth. The panel discussion, with experts from public and private sectors, included Li Bo, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda, Deborah Lehr, Vice Chairperson of the Paulson Institute, Vera Songwe, Founder and Chair of Liquidity and Sustainability,and Kenneth Lay, Senior Managing Director of RockCreek Group. The Resilience and Sustainability Trust was the first long term instrument of the IMF, said Li, which demonstrated the commitment of IMF member countries. But the available funds are insufficient to address climate issues. "We need urgent action. We need unprecedented global cooperation," urged Li, before adding that the IMF will continue to push the RST so that Climate Change remains top priority for global leaders. Jin Liqun of the AIIB expressed concerns over a lack of public awareness about the Climate Crisis and a sense of urgency by authorities to mobilise resources to deal with climate issues. "Unless you do believe this (climate issues) is going to be a crisis looming large on the horizon, it is impossible to mobilize sufficient resources for that purpose," said Jin. Ndagijimana said governments should equally prioritise climate crisis vis-a-vis Covid 19, with "immediate actions and continuous and consistent measures". The panel also stressed the importance of collaborations between public and private sectors, Multilateral Development Banks and bilateral donors in climate financing. Li of the IMF thinks good policy environments and incentives are essential to crowd in the private sector in climate financing. Moreover, the international community should also work together with low and middle income countries to build these countries' capacity in public finance, public investment management and financial management. Ken Lay of RockCreek suggested that risks in climate projects are holding private funds from pouring into climate financing. Jin pointed out that regulators should improve policy and regulatory environment to reassure private investors. Songwe sees carbon pricing and carbon as the next commodity boom when international communities including MDBs work together to deliver data on carbon pricing and wealth will not only go to finance ministries but also local communities. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052528/image.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/panelists-call-for-consistent-and-concerted-effort-to-fight-climate-crisis-at-imf-spring-meeting-coorganised-by-iff-301795746.html NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As per Facts and Factors study, the global purified terephthalic acid (PTA) market size was estimated to be worth roughly USD 57.72 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 82.04 billion by 2028. The global purified terephthalic acid (PTA) market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of roughly 5.15% during the forecast period. Report Link with All Related Graphs & Charts: https://www.fnfresearch.com/purified-terephthalic-acid-market Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Overview The creation of high-performance multifunctional polymers like polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polytrimethylene terephthalate uses purified terephthalic acid (PTA) as a raw material (PTT). Polyester fiber manufacture makes substantial use of purified terephthalic acid (PTA). It is also used in the production of polyester coating resins for a variety of uses, including coil coatings and general metal, appliances, automobiles, and industrial maintenance. The manufacturing of several thermoplastics predominantly uses purified terephthalic acid (PTA) as a significant raw ingredient. Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) is an organic compound that is produced through the oxidation of compounds like paraxylene with the aid of the oxygen levels in the surrounding air. PTA is used in commercial applications. It is known to be inert and comes in a white, physical form that resembles crystalline powder. This can be interpreted as an aromatic acid used extensively in the manufacture of materials like polyester fiber and films. These substances are known to contribute to the production of yarn, polyester fibers, and PET bottles, among other products. This also serves as a step in the production of plasticizers and liquid crystal polymers, among other things. Get a Free Sample Report with All Related Graphs & Charts (with COVID 19 Impact Analysis): https://www.fnfresearch.com/sample/purified-terephthalic-acid-market Key Insights: As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 5.15% over the forecast period (2022-2028). In terms of revenue, the global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) market size was valued at around USD 57.72 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around USD 82.04 billion by 2028. Due to a variety of driving factors, the market is predicted to rise at a significant rate. in 2021 and is predicted to grow to around by 2028. Due to a variety of driving factors, the market is predicted to rise at a significant rate. Based on application segmentation, PET resins was predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2021 Based on end-use segmentation, bottling & packaging was predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2021 On the basis of region, Asia-Pacific was the leading revenue generator in 2021. Facts and Factors published the latest report titled "Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report By Application (PET resins, Polyester fiber, Films, Others), By End Use (Textile, Bottling & packaging, Home furnishing, Others), 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 Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Growth Drivers Rise in demand for Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) in the production of carbonated plastic bottles. The global purified terephthalic acid (PTA) market is being driven by an increase in demand for PTA due to its flexibility and durability in the production of carbonated plastic bottles. Due to its durability and dimensional stability, purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is utilized as a raw material for polyester films. Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) market growth is anticipated to be driven by an increase in demand for these films in photographic films and data storage tapes and sheets. Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) is primarily utilized as a raw material in the manufacture of coating resins, therefore an increase in demand for it in the paints and coatings industry is predicted to drive the market for it. The purified terephthalic acid (PTA) market is anticipated to be driven by rising demand from the food and beverage and pharmaceutical packaging industries. The increase in demand for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in the textile and packaging industries, continuous urbanization, and bettering consumer lifestyles in Asia Pacific are the main factors driving the market growth. The need for purified terephthalic acid is also being fueled by the expansion of end-use businesses like bottling, packaging, and fiber and yarn. Global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Restraints Fluctuation in crude oil prices to hamper market expansion. Crude oil price volatility is anticipated to have a negative impact on the market for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in the near future. Demand for bio-based polyethylene terephthalate is anticipated to increase as a result of the implementation of strict rules on purified terephthalic acid (PTA) (PET). During the anticipated period, this will reduce demand for the market for purified terephthalic acid (PTA). Directly Purchase a Copy of the Report @ https://www.fnfresearch.com/buynow/su/purified-terephthalic-acid-market Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Opportunity Technological advancements to create growth avenues for market Due to the widespread usage of PTA standards in the production of polybutylene terephthalate, their output will increase in the upcoming years (PBT). It is employed in many different industrial sectors, including electronics & electrical, food processing, and automotive, and is recognized to have a wider impact and more mobility. The enormous demand for PTA as an intermediate product will result from the manufacturing of various items that contain this chemical. Due to their dependable qualities like dimensional stability and toughness, polyester films are also used for various things like photographic films, sheet materials, and data storage tapes. These applications will create numerous opportunities for the growth of the global purified terephthalic acid (PTA) market. Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Challenges The fluctuating raw material cost and stringent environment regulations to pose challenges for market The cost of raw materials and their availability are significant determinants of the cost of finished goods. The primary obstacle for the worldwide PTA market is the shifting price trends of raw materials, which are changing as a result of erratic energy costs, given that the majority of raw materials are based on petroleum. According to BP figures, the average price of crude oil rose from $54 per barrel in 2017 to $71 per barrel in 2018. The price of the raw materials used to produce PTA is affected by changes in the price of crude oil. As a result, PTA is being impacted by the change in raw material prices, which is preventing further market expansion. To lessen the carbon footprint and VOC emissions from coatings, a number of agencies, including the California Air Resources Board and the US Environmental Protection Agency, have established various rules and guidelines. The German translation of DIN EN 16516, a test standard that uniformly controls the emission measurement of construction materials including coatings, was released by the EU in January 2018. Therefore, stricter rules regulating VOC emission from coatings are being implemented in response to increased environmental concerns, which could impede industry expansion. Global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Segmentation The global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) market is segmented based on application, end-use, and region. Based on application, the market is segmented into PET resins, polyester fiber, films, and others. PET resins will see large volume growth at a significant CAGR because they have a clear appearance. Over the course of the projected period, market development is anticipated to be aided by rising demand for PET resins in water bottles and soft drink bottles. The use of more PET resin in the packaging of prepared and fresh meals will increase the market growth. Additionally, its increased use in the food and cosmetics industries is due to its exceptional qualities, including strength and water resistance. The expansion of the market for purified terephthalic acid is anticipated to be significantly influenced by the rising demand for water bottles. PET bottles can be resealed, are lightweight, and are easy to handle. Based on end-use, the market is segmented into textile, bottling & packaging, home furnishing, and others. Due to the increased demand for soft drinks and bottles, the bottling & packaging industry is anticipated to experience significant volume growth at a high CAGR. Takeout containers, ketchup, jars, baked goods containers, household goods, frozen foods, bottled water, cosmetics, juices, and carbonated beverages all employ purified terephthalic acid. Get More Insight before Buying@: https://www.fnfresearch.com/inquiry/purified-terephthalic-acid-market List of Key Players in Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: Reliance Industries Limited Sinopec Corporation British Petroleum Indorama Ventures Public Company SABIC Jiaxing Petrochemical Co. Ltd. Recent Developments: In May 2021 , a subsidiary of petrochemical manufacturer Indorama Ventures Ltd, Indo Rama Synthetics ( India ) Limited (IRSL), announced plans to invest up to INR 6 billion to expand the capacity of PET resin at its manufacturing facility in Nagpur, India , adding 700 tons of capacity per day and upgrading equipment. a subsidiary of petrochemical manufacturer Indorama Ventures Ltd, Indo Rama Synthetics ( ) Limited (IRSL), announced plans to invest up to INR 6 billion to expand the capacity of PET resin at its manufacturing facility in Nagpur, , adding 700 tons of capacity per day and upgrading equipment. In April 2021 , Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) awarded Tecnimont Private Limited an EPCC contract for the construction of an integrated paraxylene (PX) and PTA plant in Paradip, Odisha, with a USD 450 million investment. This plant will be integrated with IOCL's Odisha-based Jagatsinghpur refinery facility. By 2024, the petrochemicals complex, which would serve as the feedstock for the production of PTA, will be operational with an annual capacity of 800 kilotons of PX. Key questions answered in this report: What are the growth rate forecast and market size for PURIFIED TEREPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) Market? What are the key driving factors propelling the PURIFIED TEREPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) Market forward? What are the most important companies in the PURIFIED TEREPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) Market Industry? What segments does the PURIFIED TEREPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) Market cover? How can I receive a free copy of the PURIFIED TEREPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) Market sample report and company profiles? Report Scope: Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2021 USD 57.72 Billion Revenue forecast in 2028 USD 82.04 Billion Growth Rate CAGR of almost 5.15 % 2023-2028 Base Year 2020 Historic Years 2016 - 2022 Forecast Years 2023 - 2028 Segments Covered By Application, End Use, 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 Reliance Industries Limited, Sinopec Corporation, British Petroleum, Indorama Ventures Public Company, SABIC, Jiaxing Petrochemical Co. Ltd., 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/purified-terephthalic-acid-market Free Brochure: https://www.fnfresearch.com/ask-to-analyst/purified-terephthalic-acid-market Regional Dominance: Asia-Pacific to lead the market growth during the projection period. On account of the solid manufacturing bases in the food & beverage, textile, and construction sectors in India, Singapore, and China, Asia Pacific is anticipated to experience significant volume growth at a significant CAGR. Over the projection period, industry growth will be fueled by ongoing industrialization, an aging population, and expanding foreign investments in the packaging and paints & coatings sectors. Growing demand for Indian brands like MTR ready-to-eat meals, Bikanervala Foods, and "ITC's Kitchens of India" at retail outlets is expected to generate enormous market potential over the course of the forecast period. The creation of 42 food processing parks was announced by India's Ministry of Food Processing in September 2014. Therefore, it is anticipated that market demand will be fueled in the near future by regulatory support intended to promote India's food processing output. Given the increased investment in urban and infrastructure improvements in nations like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Egypt, MEA accounted for a sizeable volume in 2020 and is predicted to have rapid growth. The demand for textiles and fabrics in commercial and residential applications has expanded as a result of infrastructural expansions in these nations. Positive macroeconomic conditions, favorable demographic trends, and increased tourism will all contribute to the growth of the construction industry. Qatar construction sector is expected to witness significant growth on account of huge government investment along with rapid urbanization in the country, which in turn is projected to fuel industry expansion. Global Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market is segmented as follows: Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: By Application Outlook (2023-2028) PET resins Polyester fiber Films Others Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Market: By End Use Outlook (2023-2028) Textile Bottling & packaging Home furnishing Others Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) 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-purified-terephthalic-acid-market Browse Other Related Research Reports from Facts and Factors Firefighting Foam Market : According to Facts and Factors, the global firefighting foam market size was worth around USD 5.51 billion in 2022 and is predicted to grow to around USD 6.72 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 3.81% between 2023 and 2030. 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Contact Us: Facts and Factors Tel: +1 347 690-0211 USA/Canada Toll-Free No. +44 2032 894158 Email: sales@fnfresearch.com Website: https://www.fnfresearch.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1981423/FnF_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/demand-for-global-purified-terephthalic-acid-pta-market-size-rise-at-5-15-cagr-by-2028--value-to-cross-us-82-04-billion---purified-terephthalic-acid-industry-trends-share-value-analysis--forecast-report-by-facts--factors-301795691.html Multi-year contract leveraging EUTELSAT 65 West A's unparalleled coverage of Brazil Avoiding interferences generated by 5G rollout currently underway in Brazil Benefiting from Eutelsat's 'Planned C-Band' solution to assure a seamless and cost-effective migration of service Regulatory News: RecordTV has signed a multi-year contract with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) (Paris:ETL) for capacity on its EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite. RecordTV is a Brazilian media company focused on the content production and its distribution in Brazil and internationally. RecordTV is one of the largest TV networks in Brazil. The partnership enables RecordTV to seamlessly migrate 15 HD channels to the EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite, avoiding interferences generated from the rollout of 5G currently underway in the country. Brazil is implementing 5G within the 3.5GHz band, which is currently used to support satellite TV services in the C-band. EUTELSAT 65 West A's planned C-band is a unique frequency range that is not affected by the 5G rollout. The decision was supported by an extensive analysis conducted by the technical team of RecordTV endorsing EUTELSAT 65 WestT A planned C-band as free of potential 5G interference. The migration of services took place under Eutelsat's 'Planned C-Band' solution, developed to offer Brazilian broadcasters a simple procedure to adapt or replace equipment and repoint antennas to the orbital 65W position. Planned C band is also named as C-band AP30B frequencies, with frequencies ranging from 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz, starting 800MHz above from 5G frequencies in Brazil. EUTELSAT 65 West A thus enables a cost-efficient geographic expansion for broadcasters as filters do not require to be installed to avoid 5G interference. Commenting on the contract, Jose Ignacio Gonzalez-Nunez, Eutelsat Americas Video Senior Vice President, said: "We are delighted to welcome RecordTV to EUTELSAT 65 West A. Our 'Planned C-Band' solution offers a seamless and cost-effective proposition for Brazilian broadcasters required to migrate their signals out of the lower end of the C-Band spectrum, while offering them unparalleled coverage of the Brazilian market. This choice made by RecordTV strengthens EUTELSAT 65 West A's video neighbourhood as well as Eutelsat Video services." Geraldo Marques, broadcast engineer of RecordTV said: "As one of Brazil's largest TV networks, RecordTV requires robust content distribution over satellite. With over a hundred of TV stations spread all over the Brazilian territory, we reach audiences nationwide, and we need to ensure a premium service for viewers demanding the highest quality of reception. We are pleasure to have Eutelsat as one of the main partners." About Eutelsat Communications Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Around 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Committed to promoting all facets of sustainable development across its business activities, Eutelsat leverages its in-orbit resources to help bridge the digital divide while maintaining a safe and uncluttered space environment. As an attractive and socially responsible employer, Eutelsat assembles 1,200 men and women from 50 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service. For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005517/en/ Contacts: Media Anita Baltagi Tel.: +33 1 53 98 47 47 abaltagi@eutelsat.com Daphne Joseph-Gabriel Tel.: +33 1 53 98 47 47 djosephgabriel@eutelsat.com Investors Thomas Cardiel Tel.: +33 6 99 07 86 47 tcardiel@eutelsat.com Hugo Laurens-Berge hlaurensberge@eutelsat.com Christine Lopez Tel.: +33 1 53 98 47 02 clopez@eutelsat.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Enbridge: (Editor's note: Feb. 5 to 11 is Shriners Children's Burn Awareness Week. Learn more here about staying safe from burns .) Four-year-old Avery came to Shriners Children's Ohio (SCO) several weeks after a fiery car crash near her home in Tennessee. Burns covered more than 60% of her tiny body, including her face. When she arrived at SCO, she could barely move. But Avery's determination, combined with SCO's skilled medical team, led to major strides in her recovery. Within a month, she could sit up. Soon after, she began to play, and then giggle. Her personality started to come back as her healing progressed. Now she is renowned among the medical staff for her hugs. "It was very emotional to see the journey she took in such a short period of time," says Mike Caldwell, Shriners Children's Ohio's regional director of marketing and communications. "Avery is a fighter for sure. She is a resilient little girl and doing really wonderful today," he notes. "And she has a long journey ahead." SCO specializes in treating pediatric burns , which is why Avery's doctor in Tennessee recommended the child receive care at the facility in Dayton. Burn patients travel from near and far for treatment; since the burn ward was established in 1968, it has welcomed patients from more than 28 states and 35 countries. Thanks in part to fundraising efforts and the generosity of donors, SCO provides life-changing burn and plastic surgery care, regardless of families' ability to pay or their insurance status. For young burn victims to have the best possible outcomes, treatment should begin immediately after the injury occurs. But when SCO conducted a community health assessment on the subject, they found health care providers lacked up-to-date education on how to care for a child with a burn injury. The hospital stepped in to fill the knowledge gap. Debbie Harrell, SCO's director of professional relations and a registered nurse, travels to nearby states to deliver education programs on burn treatment and safety for children. She speaks directly to health care providers in communities big and small, meeting with emergency room physicians and nurses, firefighters, first responders and EMTs, as well as groups like school nurses and the Ohio National Guard. Recognizing the importance of this work to make communities safer, Enbridge recently awarded SCO a $5,500 Fueling Futures grant to help fund the hospital's education efforts. In addition to safety, which is the very foundation of our business , education is a value we share with Shriners; it's one of the pillars of the 22 Shriners hospitals in North America, along with care and research. "When (first responders) are in these emergency situations, we want them to understand the steps they can take to help the child have a better outcome later and prevent future complications," explains Cambry Gossett, a philanthropy officer with SCO. When tragedy strikes, kids like Avery will be in good hands. Avery has been in good hands at Shriners Children's Ohio, which provides life-changing burn and plastic surgery care, regardless of families' ability to pay or their insurance status. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Enbridge on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Enbridge Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/enbridge Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Enbridge View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748823/Hope-and-Healing-for-Young-Burn-Victims Regulatory News: ESI Group (FR0004110310 ESI) (Paris:ESI), leader and pioneer in Virtual Prototyping solutions, hereby releases the total number of shares making up the company's capital and the total number of voting rights on March 31st, 2023, in accordance with articles 223-16 and 221-3 of the General Regulations of the "Autorite des Marches Financiers". Number of shares Number of theoretical voting rights * Number of voting rights ** 6,079,657 8,048,853 7,662,054 * The number of theoretical voting rights is calculated based on all shares eligible for voting right (single or double), including shares temporarily deprived of voting rights (treasury shares). ** All Group shares have equal right to vote, except treasury shares, which are deprived of the right to vote, and registered shares held for more than four years that are eligible for double voting rights. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005428/en/ Contacts: ESI Group SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global digital experience platform market size is estimated to reach USD 30.41 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 11.9% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Incumbents of several industries and verticals have started using a customer-centric approach to deal with real-time customer data. Digital experience platforms (DXP) can help these industries in achieving a holistic view of activities, customer interactions, and data across multiple applications and touchpoints. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: The platform segment is expected to witness a considerable growth of CAGR at 12.9% over the forecast period. Advances in technology are particularly allowing organizations to modernize their internal operations, cut down paper costs, reduce errors, easily onboard new employees, and drive better communication between departments. Better utilization of data with the help of AI and ML is also allowing organizations to deliver exceptional customer experiences more effectively. The cloud segment is expected to witness a considerable CAGR at 15.3% over the forecast period, owing to the ease in deployment, relatively lower investments in physical infrastructure, and hassle-free integration associated with cloud deployment. The business-to-consumer segment is expected to witness a considerable CAGR at 14.2% over the forecast period, owing to the rising interest in content personalization to offer an enhanced customer engagement experience. The IT & telecom segment is expected to witness a considerable CAGR of 13.6% over the forecast period. With continued digitalization and the growing use of connected devices, the adoption of digital experience platforms by IT & telecom companies is expected to gain traction over the forecast period. The Asia Pacific regional market is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR and reach USD 7,804.8 million by 2030. The growth of the Asia Pacific DXP market can be attributed to the rising penetration of mobile devices such as smartphones & tablets, growing public & private investments in the IT industry, and a considerable increase in per capita incomes. Key market players have an extended operating history, a large customer base, and significant competitive strengths. For instance, for instance, in September 2020 , Deloitte Digital announced a strategic partnership with Lamborghini, an automotive giant based in Italy , to assist in the transformation of its digital experience. Deloitte Digital developed a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform based on the Salesforce platform and integrated it with a content management system, allowing Lamborghini to create and deliver relevant content to their customers. Read 130-page market research report, "Digital Experience Platform Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Platform, Services), By Deployment (On-premise, Cloud), By Application, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Digital Experience Platform Market Growth & Trends Digital experiences offered by the companies also contain the potential to enhance customer engagement and increase operational productivity in the long run. As these, enterprises prioritize various components of digital experience to attract tech-savvy and self-educating customers. These factors would further supplement the growth of the digital experience platform industry. Increasing demand for CRM solutions owing to the shifting focus of end-use companies toward digital marketing and services to enhance consumer experience is anticipated to drive the digital experience platform market growth across the globe in the forecast period. The integration of emerging technologies such as big data analytics and cloud computing plays a vital role in improving the productivity of DXPs, thereby supporting market growth. Digital experience platforms assist companies in providing enhanced consumer experience across all channels, including physical touchpoints, social media, mobile applications, and websites. Moreover, with these platforms, companies can optimize content creation and actively improve their digital channel to attract a potential consumer base. Rising public and private investments in AI and big data analytics technologies are anticipated to create significant growth opportunities for the digital experience platform industry. With AI and Machine Learning (ML) integration, marketers are automating their marketing processes, such as content creation and data analysis, and ensuring security compliances. With AI, companies are integrating chatbots into their websites to address various consumer queries. Additionally, AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to determine intent via users' semantic vector search to optimize search engine performance. These factors would further supplement the growth of the DXP market. Digital Experience Platform Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global digital experience platform market based on component, deployment, application, end-use, and region Digital Experience Platform (DXP) Market - Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Platform Services Digital Experience Platform (DXP) Market - Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) On-premise Cloud Digital Experience Platform (DXP) Market - Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Business-to-Consumer Business-to-Business Others Digital Experience Platform (DXP) Market - End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) BFSI Healthcare IT & Telecom Manufacturing Retail Others (Non-profit Organizations, Government, Construction, Educational Institutions, and Energy & Utility, among others) Digital Experience Platform (DXP) Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Asia Pacific China India Japan Australia South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa & UAE Saudi Arabia South Africa List of Key Players of Digital Experience Platform Market Salesforce.com, Inc. Acquia Inc. ADOBE INC. International Business Machines Corporation Liferay, Inc. Microsoft Corporation Open Text Corporation Oracle Corporation SAP SE Sitecore Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Digital Map Market - The global digital map market size is estimated to reach USD 54.98 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2023 to 2030, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to have a significant demand from navigational application developers as well as geographical information system (GIS) operators, who are driven by an increasing end-user base. The increase in the number of smartphone and internet users has fueled global growth. Moreover, the rise in the number of connected and semi-autonomous cars, and expected developments in self-driving and navigation technology, among others are anticipated to drive global demand. The global digital map market size is estimated to reach by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2023 to 2030, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to have a significant demand from navigational application developers as well as geographical information system (GIS) operators, who are driven by an increasing end-user base. The increase in the number of smartphone and internet users has fueled global growth. Moreover, the rise in the number of connected and semi-autonomous cars, and expected developments in self-driving and navigation technology, among others are anticipated to drive global demand. Digital Identity Solutions Market - The global digital identity solutions market size is expected to reach USD 98,638.6 million by 2030 and is expected to expand at 17.2% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The upsurge in identity-related fraudulent activities, data breaches, and the requirement to abide by various upcoming regulatory frameworks are expected to drive the growth of the market. - The global digital identity solutions market size is expected to reach by 2030 and is expected to expand at 17.2% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The upsurge in identity-related fraudulent activities, data breaches, and the requirement to abide by various upcoming regulatory frameworks are expected to drive the growth of the market. Digital Transformation Market - The global digital transformation market size is expected to reach USD 4,617.78 billion by 2030, according to the new reports of Grand View Research. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 26.7% from 2023 to 2030. Digital transformation helps organizations improve their customer experience, customer retention ratios, and brand reputation through the software's implementation. This software help organization in training and educating their internal teams about numerous aspects of their organizations. Furthermore, digitally transformed organizations can become accustomed to the growing technological landscape and confront sudden industry shifts. Moreover, a substantial part of the digital transformation market growth is expected to be driven by companies investing in cloud platforms, mobility, and big data technologies to build Digital Experience Platforms (DXP). Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/digital-experience-platform-market-worth-30-41-billion-by-2030-grand-view-research-inc-301795546.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Utopia Messenger, the fully decentralized messaging platform, is excited to announce the launch of a new feature that will change the way users interact with their messaging app. The company is introducing ChatGPT Assistant, a complimentary feature that offers 24/7 assistance to all Utopia Messenger users. Utopia Messenger To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/162111_6497f3d8e49a4b8f_001full.jpg ChatGPT Assistant is a powerful tool that helps users navigate Utopia Messenger's many features, providing answers to questions and offering assistance whenever needed. Whether users are new to Utopia Messenger or seasoned veterans, ChatGPT Assistant is always available to provide help and guidance. Utopia Messenger is a fully decentralized messaging platform that offers unparalleled privacy and security to its users. With no servers, no data mining, and no tracking, Utopia Messenger provides users with complete control over their data and communications. In addition, Utopia Messenger offers a range of unique features, including the ability to send and receive UUSD, the platform's own stablecoin, and a range of privacy tools to keep users' data safe. "Utopia Messenger is proud to introduce ChatGPT Assistant, a feature that will make using our platform even easier and more convenient," said Samantha Brown, spokesperson for Utopia Messenger. "We believe that this new feature will be a game-changer for our users, offering unparalleled convenience and support." ChatGPT Assistant is available and complimentary to all Utopia Messenger users. To get started, simply download the app from the Utopia website and start using the platform. With ChatGPT Assistant, users will always have the help needed right at their fingertips. For more information about Utopia Messenger and its features, please visit the Utopia website. About Utopia Messenger Utopia Messenger is a fully decentralized messaging platform that offers unparalleled privacy and security to its users. With no servers, no data mining, and no tracking, Utopia Messenger provides users with complete control over their data and communications. In addition, Utopia Messenger offers a range of unique features, including the ability to send and receive UUSD, the platform's own stablecoin, and a range of privacy tools to keep users' data safe. Media Contacts: Contact: Samantha Brown Email: bright@u.is Website: https://u.is To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162111 Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Emerald Fields, the Colorado-based cannabis dispensary chain known for their award-winning Cherry Creek and Manitou Springs locations, has expanded their retail footprint in the Boulder and Denver areas from two marijuana dispensaries to six. Since their acquisition by Schwazze in 2022, the Emerald Fields team has opened up four new recreational dispensaries, including locations in South Boulder, the Denver Highlands neighborhood, Wash Park, and Aurora. The details for each new dispensary are below. Emerald Fields Dispensary Manitou Springs 27 Manitou Ave Manitou Springs, CO 80829 (719) 375-0554 Emerald Fields Dispensary Cherry Creek 4182 E Virginia Ave Glendale, CO 80246 (303) 377-1501 Emerald Fields Dispensary Aurora 503 Havana St Aurora, CO 80010 (720) 669-3571 Emerald Fields Dispensary Highlands 2675 W 38th Ave Denver, CO 80211 (720) 389-9179 Emerald Fields Dispensary South Boulder 5190 S Boulder Rd Boulder, CO 80303 (303) 499-2898 Emerald Fields Dispensary Wash Park 2215 E Mississippi Ave Denver, CO 80210 (720) 595-3143 About Emerald Fields Emerald Fields proudly sells some of the best cannabis products available. With a wide selection of concentrates, edibles, tinctures and more, Emerald Fields has something for everyone. Their primary mission is to provide each customer with a comfortable and informative dispensary experience to make sure each of their customers feels relaxed and not intimidated by all the options. Not only is their selection unmatched, they have one of the most competitive loyalty membership programs in the entire country. Emerald Fields also gives back to the community in many ways, by supporting their local community. Media Contact: Brittanny Szalewski, brittanny.szalewski@schwazze.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162152 Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Star Buds and Emerald Fields, two of the leading cannabis dispensaries in Colorado, are excited to announce the details for their upcoming festivities celebrating the high holiday that is 4/20. All 19 of Star Buds' dispensary locations and all six of Emerald Fields' dispensary locations will host their own unique parties that will include good food from local vendors, music, and good vibes. Throughout the month of April, you can take advantage of exclusive discounts on a wide range of cannabis products such as edibles, vapes, concentrates, pre-rolls, and various flower deals at all Star Buds and Emerald Field dispensaries throughout Colorado. "This 4/20, Star Buds and Emerald Fields are celebrating our customers in a major way. We're excited to reward our loyal customers with not only amazing deals and product specials, but opportunities to win big prizes and hot-ticket items," said Collin Lodge, Colorado Division President for Schwazze. Star Buds and Emerald Fields loyalty club members will be automatically entered for monthly giveaways after meeting a certain threshold. However, no purchase is required to be eligible. Simply, email them at digitalmarketing@schwazze.com to enter their monthly drawings. Visit the Star Buds and Emerald Fields websites to find the 420 celebrations and specials. About Star Buds and Emerald Fields Star Buds and Emerald Fields take pride in offering a diverse range of high-quality cannabis products, including concentrates, edibles, and tinctures, to cater to every customer's preferences. Their primary objective is to provide a welcoming and informative dispensary experience to ensure that each customer feels at ease and confident in their selection. They boast an unparalleled selection of products and offer one of the most competitive loyalty programs in the country to reward their customers for their patronage. Star Buds and Emerald Fields feels privileged to be able to give back to our local communities. Media Contact: Brittanny Szalewski, brittanny.szalewski@schwazze.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162154 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / If you pay attention to any news even vaguely related to corporate responsibility (news about sustainability, socially responsible investing, stakeholder capitalism, etc.) two acronyms will consistently pop up: CSR, which stands for corporate social responsibility, and ESG, which stands for environment, social, and governance. It's easy to conflate these two terms because, in truth, they're different angles of measuring the same thing: a company's impact on society. The main difference between CSR and ESG is that CSR is an internal initiative to fulfill a corporate purpose, while ESG reflects a company's external impact. Social impact professionals must understand the difference between these two principles so they can help your organization live up to its values and make a positive impact on society. What do CSR and ESG mean? Put simply, CSR initiatives are determined and demonstrated in your organization's internal culture and policies, while ESG is an external assessment of your organization's impact on society. But, as with anything related to social impact, there's a lot more nuance to take into account. CSR focuses on an organization's internally-defined social impact vision Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to a company's values, policies, and practices that address social, economic, and environmental issues. All of these facets are usually condensed into one corporate purpose statement. CSR is not externally mandated or regulated by outside bodies. Leadership, management, and employees develop these principles together and hold themselves internally accountable to them. Ideally, they're embedded into the corporate culture and drive decisions regarding volunteering, community investment, and giving programs. ESG is a set of criteria for evaluating a company's impact Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is an umbrella term that refers to criteria used by stakeholders (primarily investors) to assess a company's impact on society. When evaluating investments, many investors look not only at a company's traditional financial metrics but also at its ESG rating. A company will typically create an annual impact report to showcase (here's an example from Nike) their ESG ratings. They help a company's leaders, employees, investors, and consumers understand whether corporate decisions are having a positive impact. How do CSR and ESG work together? CSR, for the most part, makes up the "S" (or, social) part of ESG. The social aspect of ESG measures a company's impact on society, including DEI initiatives, donations, volunteering, grantmaking, and more. These are much the same initiatives that make up a company's CSR strategy which, again, the company defines internally. When putting together a report that external stakeholders can use to evaluate ESG criteria, a company will summarize its CSR efforts alongside its environment and governance efforts. Typically, CSR is qualitative due to the many nuances of measuring social impact, while ESG criteria tend to be quantitative. This dichotomy can lead to tension, as there is no solid agreed-upon way to quantify the impact of "S." For example, a company's volunteer program might aim to feed hungry kids in the community. "Meals distributed" doesn't quite capture the full story, especially when studies show full bellies lead to higher grades over time. This pressure to quantify the "S" in ESG stems from how much work that's gone into quantifying the "E" in ESG. It's easier to measure environmental impact through direct results, like C02 reduction and sustainable materials. There's a clear before and after. Whereas the before and after of CSR efforts are much fuzzier. In fact, an ESG survey from 2021 found that 51% of investors consider "social" the most difficult element to analyze and embed in investment strategies. That said, a movement is building to demand companies and ratings agencies better define and measure social outcomes, so the "S" in ESG gets as much focus as the "E" and "G." If companies better define how they measure their commitment to CSR, they'll be more prepared to provide data demonstrating the social outcomes of their operations. ESG elevates what CSR started The principles of CSR can be seen in the actions of early industrialists of the 20th century, like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, who spent billions on philanthropic causes. In 1953, the "father of CSR," Howard Bowen, published Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, which condensed these attitudes into a manifesto of sorts that advocates for corporate ethics and social responsibility. From there, research and development of CSR principles continued through the late 20th century to today. The roots of ESG started with the anti-apartheid movement, which advocated for a ban on new investment in South Africa. The anti-apartheid movement was one of the first instances of a social issue becoming a shareholder issue. ESG came into the spotlight in 2006 when the United Nations launched the Principles for Responsible Investment. Sixty-three investment companies agreed to incorporate these ESG criteria into their financial evaluations. Now, major institutional investors expect companies to commit to and report on ESG metrics. S&P and other ratings agencies collect and index ESG performance scores to provide these insights. Recently, there has been a new emphasis on the "S" in ESG, according to the 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking, which recognizes ESG transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest U.S. public companies. The largest portion of that ranking, 45% of the overall weight, measures the social impact of companies. Why is it important for a social impact professional to know the difference between ESG and CSR? CSR and ESG make good business sense. Companies with cultures that value and implement CSR principles enjoy increased employee morale and productivity, plus consumer loyalty, particularly in younger generations. Businesses that commit to both CSR and ESG have a competitive advantage. Put simply, investors aren't the only ones interested in a company's ESG ratings. Customers increasingly care about a brand's impact on society. Younger generations would rather support companies that share their values, including a concern about issues like climate change and social inclusivity. Some people fear the ESG movement is being compromised by investors and is losing its connection to the spirit of social impact. The term "ESG washing" targets companies that focus on reporting ESG metrics but not driving the internal transformation that results in creating environmental and social value for society. If CSR principles are not a foundational part of their culture, ethos, strategy, and operations, companies will find it challenging to achieve ESG goals and attract the right type of investors and employees who will demand and drive that change. Social impact professionals have a foot in both the philanthropic and corporate worlds. Understanding how CSR and ESG work together can help you bridge the gap between those two worlds. Take the next step: Get a comprehensive guide for launching and scaling your CSR program: Learn how to launch and manage a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to make a meaningful impact and build trust. Get the guide: " Launch and Scale Your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program " to learn how to gauge the full impact of your efforts. ESG gets the headlines, but CSR is the heartbeat. By keeping your company committed to the spirit and practices of CSR and ESG, you can help ensure a sustainable future for its employees, investors, and society. And a technology partner that can help you execute your CSR strategy can make all the difference in building that future. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Submittable on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Submittable Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/submittable Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Submittable View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748854/ESG-vs-CSR-Whats-the-Difference-and-Why-Does-It-Matter ESPO: , ... Originally published on TriplePundit NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / It's springtime in Washington, D.C. The weather is getting warmer, the cherry blossoms have bloomed, and global leaders are descending upon the nation's capital for the World Bank Group and IMF Spring Meetings, where they will take on the evolving role of multilateral collaboration in solving global challenges like economic inequality and climate change. Alongside these meetings, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Aspen Institute will host the 2023 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, assembling leaders to shine a spotlight on the power of the private sector to drive scalable and sustainable impact, in partnership with government and social sectors. The event, which will be livestreamed to a global audience, will take place on Thursday, April 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. With more than 15 sessions featuring over 30 speakers and thought leaders, there are so many reasons to tune in - but here are our top five. 1. Get inspired by transformational business leaders talking about real-world impact Hear corporate CEOs like Verizon's Hans Vestberg, Chobani's Hamdi Ulukaya, and Mastercard's Michael Miebach share how their companies are using their expertise and networks to help tackle global challenges like the digital divide and the global refugee crisis. 2. Learn how influencers are using their platforms to advocate for inclusion Today, there are 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24 - the largest generation of youth in history. Trevor Noah and Lilly Singh will speak about using their unique talents and perspectives to empower youth to foster inclusive growth from the ground up. 3. Understand what it will take to collectively advance progress toward gender equality Research shows that women are powerful drivers of global development and economic growth. Yet, at current rates, women will not achieve economic parity until 2154. Global philanthropist Melinda French Gates will join Trevor Noah in a conversation about women's economic power, envisioning a world where women and men contribute and benefit equally from prosperity, and sharing their perspectives for accelerating progress. 4. Get a past and present view of the impact of climate change on communities To understand the consequences of climate change and how it is exacerbating inequality, we need to know what it's like on the front lines of the most impacted populations. Join Hindou Ibrahim, president of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad, as she shares her perspective on what it will take to protect people and the planet from climate change. 5. Explore the evolving role of public-private partnerships to digitize the last mile Digital technology is starting to be woven into everyday life, from rural farms and medical clinics to schools and businesses. Ensuring technology brings transformative change that improves lives and livelihoods requires intention and innovative partnerships. Take part as Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Mastercard Vice Chairman Mike Froman discuss how the public and private sectors can work together to build a trusted digital ecosystem that supports democratic principles and fosters inclusive and sustainable economic development. For a closer look at the speakers and topics in store, check out the complete 2023 Global Inclusive Growth Summit agenda and register here. Image courtesy of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from TriplePundit on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: TriplePundit Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/triplepundit Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: TriplePundit View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748867/Five-Reasons-To-Tune-Into-the-Global-Inclusive-Growth-Summit KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Tryp Therapeutics Inc. ("Tryp" or the "Company") (CSE:TRYP), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing intravenous-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) for diseases with high unmet medical needs,is pleased to announce a private placement (the "Private Placement") for a minimum aggregate principal amount of AUD$2.0 million, with the ability to accept oversubscriptions of AUD$1.0m, of secured convertible debentures (the "Debentures"). In connection with the Private Placement, the Company has entered into an engagement agreement (the "Engagement Agreement") with Westar Capital Limited ("Westar"), to act as lead manager for the placement and to provide ongoing services related to capital markets activities. The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to advance Tryp's research and development programs and for general working capital purposes. Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or about April 19, 2023 and is subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Debentures will be denominated in Australian Dollars, will have a term of 18 months (the "Maturity Date"), and will be interest free during the initial 8 months following the date of issuance. During the period between the date that is 8 months from the date of issuance and 18 months from the date of issuance, the Debentures shall pay interest of 20% per annum. The Debentures shall automatically convert, as to principal and accrued interest, into common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the earlier of: (i) the Maturity Date, or (ii) the time the Company is completing a liquidity event. The price at which the Debentures (including any accrued but unpaid interest thereon) shall be converted into Common Shares (the "Conversion Price") will vary depending on various scenarios as set out in the debenture and at a conversion price fixed in accordance with CSE policies. The Debentures are secured by a general security interest over substantially all of the present and after-acquired personal property of the Company. The Debentures and the underlying Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation. In accordance with the terms of the Engagement Agreement, Westar is entitled to a cash fee of up to 6% of proceeds raised under the Private Placement and will be issued warrants (the "Broker Warrants") equal to 10.05% of the Company's total undiluted issued and outstanding shares on closing of the Private Placement. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price equal to the greater of: (i) the closing market price of the Common Shares on the date of issuance and (ii) the price implied by an AUD$15 million equity valuation on an undiluted basis, for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The Company shall retain the ability to cancel up to 60% of the Broker Warrants in certain circumstances. It is currently expected that a director of the Company will participate in the Private Placement, acquiring Debentures on the same basis as other subscribers. In addition, this same director is entitled to receive certain fees from Westar in connection with the Private Placement and the transactions contemplated in the Engagement Agreement. Consequently, the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions in MI 61-101 from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements. The Company relied on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement. 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 Tryp Therapeutics: Tryp Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing proprietary, novel formulations for the administration of psilocin in combination with psychotherapy to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Tryp's lead program, TRP-8803, is a proprietary formulation of IV-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) that alleviates numerous shortcomings of oral psilocybin including: significantly reducing the time to onset of the psychedelic state, controlling the depth and duration of the psychedelic experience, and reducing the overall duration of the intervention to a commercially feasible timeframe. The Company has initiated a Phase 2a clinical trial for the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder at the University of Florida, where an interim analysis showed an average reduction in binge eating episodes of greater than 80%. The Company is also planning for Phase 2a clinical trials with the University of Michigan for the treatment of fibromyalgia and with Mass General Hospital for the treatment of abdominal pain related to irritable bowel syndrome. Each of the studies are utilizing TRP-8802 (synthetic, oral psilocybin) to demonstrate efficacy in these indications. Where a preliminary clinical benefit is demonstrated, subsequent studies are expected to utilize TRP-8803 (IV-infused psilocin), which has the potential to further improve efficacy, safety and patient experience. For more information, please visit www.tryptherapeutics.com. Investor & Media Contact Peter Molloy Chief Business Officer Tryp Therapeutics pmolloy@tryptherapeutics.com Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release, including statements relating to the anticipated closing date of the Private Placement, constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Tryp as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Tryp's final prospectus available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Tryp; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and Tryp expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. SOURCE: Tryp Therapeutics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748883/Tryp-Therapeutics-Announces-Private-Placement-of-Secured-Convertible-Debentures-for-Gross-Proceeds-of-a-Minimum-of-AUD2000000 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Zimtu Capital Corp. (TSXV:ZC)(FSE:ZCT1) (the "Company" or "Zimtu") announces it has signed an agreement with Interra Copper Corp. to provide its ZimtuADVANTAGE program (https://www.zimtu.com/zimtu-advantage/). Zimtu has received $150,000 for the duration of the one-year contract. ZimtuADVANTAGE is a program designed to provide opportunities, guidance, cost savings and assistance to clients covering multiple aspects of being a public company. The services of this program include the following: Zoom with Zimtu; Zimtu Connect - all major news/events/important updates sent to email distribution list, Lead Generation campaigns; Blog Posts; Digital Awareness campaigns; Influencer Marketing; Social Media Distribution of company news/important updates through Zimtu accounts including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube & Instagram; Rockstone Reports & Distribution; Video News Releases - major news releases will be translated to video format, which will be distributed on all social media platforms and to Zimtu Connect subscribers; and Zimtu Question Period. About Interra Copper Corp. Interra Copper Corp. is a junior exploration and development company focused on creating shareholder value through the advancements of its portfolio of highly prospective exploration assets that include the Tres Marias and Zenaida projects in Antofagasta Region of Chile, Pitbull in the Tarapaca Region of Chile, and the Thane and Chuck Creek projects in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Interra's leadership team is comprised of senior mining industry executives who have a wealth of technical and capital markets experience and a strong track record of discovering, financing, developing, and operating mining projects on a global scale. Interra Copper is committed to sustainable and responsible business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which we operate. See the latest Rockstone Research Report: https://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/6056-A-Masterstroke-of-a-Deal-Tightly-structured-for-a-major-copper-porphyry-discovery-by-first-class-management-team. About Zimtu Capital Zimtu Capital Corp. is a public investment issuer that aspires to achieve long-term capital appreciation for its shareholders. Zimtu Capital companies may operate in the fields of mineral exploration, mining, technology, life sciences or investment. The Company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ZC" and Frankfurt under symbol "ZCT1". For more information visit: www.zimtu.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors ZIMTU CAPITAL CORP. "David Hodge" David Hodge President & Director Tel: 604.681.1568 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Zimtu Capital Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748888/Zimtu-Capital-Announces-Agreement-with-Interra-Copper-Corp Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Trojan Gold Inc. (CSE: TGII) (OTCQB: TRJGF) ("TGI" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the listing of its common shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange ("FSE") under the trading symbol "KC1". The Company's common shares are now cross listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) in Canada and OTCQB in the United States. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is one of the world's leading exchanges and Germany's most active. "This listing is a natural fit for Trojan. We are excited to open the opportunity to European investors while increasing potential trading liquidity and market awareness for our Company," commented Charles Elbourne, CEO and Director of the Company. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange (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. About Trojan Gold Inc. Trojan is an active Ontario-based prospect generator junior exploration company, led by a team of professionals having exploration, engineering, project financing and permitting experience. Trojan has accumulated land positions in the Hemlo Gold Camp and Shebandowan Greenstone Belt which in management's view represent mineral exploration potential. For further information on the Company, please visit www.trojangold.com. Trojan is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol (CSE: TGII) and the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB") under the ticker symbol TRJGF. For further information, please contact: Charles J. Elbourne, President & CEO Trojan Gold Inc. 82 Richmond St. East, Suite 401 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1 Telephone: 416-315-6490 Email: elbourne007@gmail.com Website: www.trojangold.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "likely", "should", "would", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "proposed", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions, and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy. Forward-looking information contained in this press releases includes, but is not limited to the timing and amount of estimated future exploration potential and success of such exploration activities. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is based on assumptions made in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. Such assumptions include, without limitation, that sufficient capital, personnel and other resources will be available to the Company that will allow it to undertake exploration activities on its properties. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, the impact of the recovery post COVID 19 pandemic, including but not limited to its impact on precious metals and the mining industry generally; the Company not having access to the resources it needs in order to carry out its proposed exploration activities on the timeline described in this press release or at all; there being no assurance that the exploration program will result in expanded mineral resources; risks and uncertainties inherent to any mineral resource estimates; receipt of necessary approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future gold and other metal prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; environmental risks; and other risks relating to mining industry, including the risks set out in the Company's public disclosure documents that can be found on its profile page at www.SEDAR.com. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as at the date hereof and are based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations, and opinions of management on such date. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements or any forward-looking statements contained in any other documents whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required under applicable securities law. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties, and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162142 Carbon Robotics, a Seattle, WA-based AI-powered robotics company, raised $30M in Series C funding. The round, which brought the total amount to $67M, was led by Sozo Ventures with participation from existing investors Anthos Capital, Fuse Venture Capital, Ignition Partners, Liquid2 and Voyager Capital. Rob Freelen with Sozo Ventures and Erik Benson with Voyager Capital will join the Carbon Robotics board of directors. The company intends to use the funds to expand sales regions in North America, optimize and scale manufacturing, develop new software and hardware products, and launch into international markets. Led by Paul Mikesell, CEO and founder, Carbon Robotics is an AI-powered robotics company that provides farmers with tools such as the LaserWeeder, a commercial laserweeding robot. LaserWeeder leverages AI learning technology, computer vision, robotics and lasers to deliver weed control. It identifies weeds and targets them for elimination. The implements 30 high-powered CO 2 lasers use thermal energy to destroy the meristem of the weed with millimeter accuracy, without damaging nearby crops or disturbing the soil. To date, the robots have eliminated more than 500 million weeds across 40 different crops and, in 2023, they will be active across 17 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. FinSMEs 12/04/2023 Hometree, a London, UK-based residential energy services challenger brand, raised $46M in Series B funding. The round was led by 2150 & Energy Impact Partners, alongside Legal & General Capital. Returning investors Inven Capital, the energy fund backed by Czech Utility CEZ Group, Oxford Capital, & FJ Labs are joined for the first time by impact fund AENU and angel investor Frank Strauss the former Deutsche Bank board member & CEO of Deutsche Postbank AG. Hometree has also acquired BeWarm, a green home improvement financing platform offering green loans, leases and mortgage advances. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by Founder and CEO Simon Phelan, Hometree is a residential energy services company, which operated in the home emergency insurance/home cover market, helping people ensure their homes are running smoothly with emergency heating, plumbing and electrical repairs. Now, Hometree is supporting the lifecycle of sustainable homeownership, helping homeowners to install, manage and finance renewable energy solutions, enabling them to run their homes in a carbon neutral way. Founded in 2018 by Rory Duff, ex Strategy Director at HomeServe and CFO of renewable financing business EcoVision, and Matthew Boyes, ex Founder of StreetLife, the UK local social network that was acquired by NextDoor in 2017, BeWarm is an innovative point of sale financing platform, which partners with local installers who use it to offer a range of financing plans to homeowners. This includes Heat Lease Plans, where homeowners can get a new energy efficient boiler or heat pump installed with nothing paid upfront, plus all the ongoing peace of mind included, arranging mortgage further advances at the point of sale to allow the purchase of green home improvements, and Green Home Loans. FinSMEs 12/04/2023 MetaVC Partners, a San Francisco, CA-based venture capital firm, closed MetaVC Partners, LLC, at $62m. Investors in the fund include Corning Inc., Gates Frontier, JSR Corporation along with other family wealth offices and institutional pension funds. The fund will invest in early-stage, hard-tech metamaterials startup companies. Metamaterials refer to a broad class of manufactured materials engineered to control and manipulate energy (e.g., radio waves, light, and sound). Composed of arrays of structures whose size and spacing can be finer than the wavelength of visible light, metamaterials are designed to exhibit properties not found in naturally occurring materials. Metamaterials are being deployed commercially to produce high-performance and energy-efficient products in computing, imaging, wireless communications, and sensors. The firms current investments include: Lumotive, which uses the physics of metamaterials to produce tiny semiconductor scanning sensors for anti-collision systems and consumer electronics applications. Mangata Networks, which is building a proprietary network of satellites and terrestrial systems to bring low-cost, ubiquitous connectivity to networks, data, and devices. Imagia, which uses metamaterials to produce flat-optical lens technologies used in AR/VR headsets and other consumer electronics products. Neurophos, which is building high-performance optical AI processors that will be over one hundred times faster and more energy-efficient than todays state-of-the-art AI computer processors. Led by co-founders and managing partners Chris Alliegro and Conrad Burke, MetaVC Partners is an early-stage venture fund investing in new startup companies using metamaterials for applications in renewable energy, high-performance computing, imaging, and next generation wireless communications and sensors. FinSMEs 12/04/2023 Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, and its most commonly used in the manufacturing industry. Swiss CNC machining is a machining process also known as sliding head stock where the bar moves in addition to the tools. They use computer software to control the movement of axis and tools within the lathe. CNC processes are highly effective for controlling tools to precise dimensions when cutting metals and making machined parts. What is CNC Machining? CNC machinery combines sophisticated computer software with compatible manufacturing tools and machinery. The computer software controls and guides the machinery to complete specified tasks, similar to a robot. Machinists used to program machines using paper punch cards which would then be fed into the machines. The machine would read the dimples on the cards and tools would move according to the dimples. Now a G and M code language, combined with coordinates, is entered into the computer on a machine. The machine reads the program and tools move according to the codes and coordinates. The output is a very precise process that can hold dimensions to a fraction of a hair. Once the machine is programmed, the software will run independently, enabling operators to move on to other tasks. What Are the Benefits of CNC Machining? CNC machining enables manufacturers to automate some of their processes by removing the need for manual control. The CNC software guides the manufacturing tools through a set of prompts. The integration of CNC machines reduces stress on operators and speeds up efficiency and productivity for manufacturers. Automation via pre-programmed software ensures consistency, reliability, and accuracy in a way that manual work cannot. Manufacturers can rest assured knowing that they can trust their software to guide their machinery in a specific way to achieve the desired outcome every single time. CNC Software and Programming All types of CNC manufacturing use software-guided machinery. The programming language that developers use for CNC machining is known as G-code, and it coordinates the speed, directions, and feed rate of the manufacturing tools. Once coded, the software can run independently without requiring human intervention. However, operators will usually run a test once the software is ready to ensure that there are no errors or glitches. There are two main processes that manufacturers use in CNC machining open-loop and closed-loop. The former refers to when the signal between the control unit and the motor is unidirectional. Closed-loop systems involve bidirectional communication between the controller and the motor of the machinery. This type of system offers more resilience and versatility, as the control unit can receive feedback and rectify small errors during the process itself. CNC Machinery and Tools CNC machines can combine the benefits of multiple tools to provide fast but precise production of materials, including: Ten grams of 24-carat gold is being sold at Rs 61,310 today, 12 April in India. One kilogram of silver is being traded at Rs 77,350. The value of the precious yellow metal alter every day due to factors like state taxes, excise duty and making charges. The Good Returns website suggests that 10 grams of 22-carat gold in New Delhi is priced at Rs 56,350 while the same amount of 24-carat purity is being sold at Rs 61,460 in the national capital. Ten grams of 22-carat gold in Kolkata and Mumbai is being traded at Rs 56,200 and the same amount of 24-carat gold is valued at Rs 61,310 in both the metro cities. In Chennai, 10 grams of 22-carat is being sold at Rs 56,800 whereas the same quantity of 24-carat is priced at Rs 61,960. In Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Patna, 10 grams of 22-carat gold is being procured at Rs 56,250. The same amount of 24-carat purity is available for Rs 61,360 in the above cities. Ten grams of 22-carat gold is being sold at Rs 56,200 in Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad. The same quantity of 24-carat purity in valued at Rs 61,301 in these three cities. Ten grams of 22-carat gold in Nagpur is being sold at Rs 56,200 while the same quantity of 24-carat is being traded at Rs 61,310 in the city. In Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow, 10 grams of 22-carat purity is valued at Rs 56,350 while the same amount of 24-carat gold is priced at Rs 61,460. As per the data available on Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) website, gold futures which are set to mature on 5 June 2023 rose by 0.47 percent to Rs 60,790.00. Silver futures, which will mature on this years 5 May, hiked by 0.95 percent to Rs 75,755.00. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tiny Beautiful Things on Disney+ Hotstar makes you understand that no matter how hard you try; you cannot make everybody happy. There are a lot of instances in the series with which one can relate to, especially if you are a mother. It is based on Cheryl Strayeds 2012 collection of essays of the same name, which is based on the responses she used to write for the Dear Sugar problem page of online literary magazine the Rumpus. The responses were based on her experiences of life. Tiny Beautiful Things is a show that a mother can resonate with if you have a teenage child. Kathryn Hahn totally messed up life and dealing with grief of losing her mother who was her pillar of strength is the center of the show. Actor Kathryn Hahns essays the role of Clare, who is asked to take over the column when the previous writer steps down. Initially reluctant, Clare is encouraged by a friend to take on the role of a columnist, and she finds herself neck deep with letters from people seeking advice on day-to-day hurdles of life like relationship problems to work to family issues. The way Kathryn Hahn portrayed grief and the way she deals with it looks real. I am sure everybody has their own way of dealing with the mess around them, but her biggest hurdle was how people around her failed to understand what she is going through and why she is behaving the way she is behaving. All she wants is some love and respect from her daughter and those close to her. Clares struggles are real and she finds it difficult to balance her professional and personal life. But the selfless person Clara is, she is willing to give her all to help people who need her advice and most importantly the readers resonate with her column because there is a soul in her writings and it isnt preachy. Claras husband though sometimes understands the grief and pain that she is going through, but mostly fails and disregards her when she gives parental advices. The best part of the show is when Clara is trying to convince her daughter to go to college and not waste her life. The daughter questions that her father didnt go to college and then why is it important for her to go to college. To which she says, I want so much for you, but you wont get any of them, unless you want them for yourself Basically she is trying to tell her that later on she is going to regret not going to college and that regret is the worst thing to deal with. Among all the grief, loss and crying what makes the show, Tiny Beautiful Things extraordinary is the fact that Clara never gives up on hope even in the darkest phase of her life. The question the show asks is what does it mean to you to move on and to let go? Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On Tuesday, the skies turned deadly for the people of Pazigyi village in the north-western Sagaing region of Myanmar. The Myanmar air force dropped multiple bombs while attack helicopters blitzed a gathering of civilians, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule. The strike claimed the lives of at least 100 people an attack that could be the juntas deadliest since a coup two years ago. We take a closer look at what happened on Tuesday in Myanmar and how the military has increasingly used air strikes against their opponents since seizing power in February 2021. The deadly airstrike I was standing a short distance from the crowd when a friend of mine contacted me on the phone about the approach of a fighter jet. The jet dropped bombs directly on the crowd, and I jumped into a nearby ditch and hid. A few moments later, when I stood up and looked around, I saw people cut to pieces and dead in the smoke. The office building was destroyed by fire, a witness to Tuesdays aerial attack told the Associated Press. The attack, according to a BBC report, began about 07:00 local time and dropped a bomb, followed by a helicopter gunship which attacked the village for 20 minutes. The airstrike in Sagaing came as communities in this region have put up some of the strongest opposition to military rule in Myanmar. Also read: Aung San Suu Kyi charged with election fraud: Whats happened in Myanmar since junta coup Tuesdays attack came as about 150 people, including women and children, had gathered to celebrate the opening of a Peoples Defence Forces (PDF) office. The PDF are volunteer anti-coup militias waging an armed campaign against the military in various parts of Myanmar. Those who survived the attack said that they tried to collect the dead after the strike but it was proving to be difficult as pieces of bodies had scattered across the area among shredded clothing and ruined houses. Outrage over the attack The attack on civilians prompted anguish and anger from all different corners of the world. Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was horrified by the incident, calling it a blatant disregard for international law. He said: As I have previously noted, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since 1 February 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes. The United States urged the Myanmar military to stop the violence. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said, These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup. Nabila Massrali, a spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy of the European Union was quoted as saying: The EU is deeply shocked by reports of the latest atrocity committed by the military regime in Sagaing, taking the lives of dozens of innocent civilians. We will continue to work to hold those responsible fully accountable. The military took responsibility for the attack on Tuesday, but denied taking aim at civilians, saying it was intended for terrorists. Yes, we launched the airstrike, military spokesman Zaw Min Tun told a state-backed television channel. Leading human rights group Amnesty called for a suspension of aviation fuel to Myanmar as a measure to stop such attacks. Amnesty Internationals Business and Human Rights Researcher Montse Ferrer said, The relentless air attacks across Myanmar highlight the urgent need to suspend the import of aviation fuel. Amnesty reiterates its calls on all states and businesses to stop shipments that may end up in the hands of the Myanmar air force. This supply chain fuels violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, and it must be disrupted in order to save lives. When bombs rained down Myanmar is at a war with itself. Since February 2021 when the military the Tatmadaw snatched power from the National League for Democracy, violence has risen unabated in the country. Since the coup, the scale of the juntas violence and brutality has intensified, reaching nearly every corner of the country. In an attempt to assert its power, the junta has detained nearly 20,000 civilians and killed an estimated 3,000 others over the last two years. Meanwhile, 1.5 million people have been displaced as the junta and a strengthening resistance movement fight for territorial control. It is reported that air strikes have become a regular occurrence across Myanmar, in an attempt to suppress a determined opposition. A BBC analysis of data from the conflict-monitoring group Acled (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project) shows that there has been at least 600 air attacks by the military between February 2021 and January 2023. Experts note that the aerial attacks have been adopted by the military, as they suffered heavy causalities early on in road ambushes carried out by the Peoples Defence Forces. Hence, they have relied on air support where helicopters and aircraft blast areas before the soldiers arrive to kill. It is important to note here that the Myanmar junta relies upon Russian and Chinese aircraft to carry out these attacks on their people. Also read: Veteran activist, hip-hop-star-turned lawmaker: The men executed by Myanmars junta According to local media reports, the first such aerial attack after the coup took place on 27 March 2021. The Irrawaddy, an independent news outlet, reported that three ethnic Karen villagers were killed and at least seven injured when two junta jets bombed a village in Papun District, Karen State, in retaliation for the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) seizing a junta outpost early the same day. Over 10,000 villagers were forced to flee their homes and the KNLA said that it would escalate its defensive actions to protect its territory. Since then bombs have continually dropped from the skies. In September last year, while world leaders descended on London to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth II ahead of her state funeral, people in Myanmar were mourning deaths that went unnoticed by most of the world. On 16 September 2022, the junta launched an airstrike on the village of Let Yet Kone, near Tabayin in Sagaing Region. The attack took out an entire school, killing 11 school children. The attack became one of Myanmars deadliest civilian massacres involving children in 2022. One eyewitness told BBC of the attack, They fired right through the school walls, hitting the children. Pieces flying out of the main building injured children in the next building. There were big holes blown out of the ground floor. A month later, a similar airstrike killed as many as 80 people when air force jets bombed a concert in Kachin State. The attack came as people had gathered to attend an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minoritys main political organisation. At the other of the country in southern Karen State, the junta executed another aerial attack in November 2022, killing three miners and injuring eight others. However, despite the repeated attacks and the countless innocent deaths, opponents of the military rule vow to fight on in the hope that democracy once again returns to their country. 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. Chile on Tuesday approved a bill reducing its work week from 45 to 40 hours. Once signed, the law will take effect in three stages the first year, the work week will be reduced to 44 hours, the third year to 42, and the fifth year to 40. Employers will have the option of reducing work hours ahead of schedule. But which countries have the worlds longest work hours? Lets take a closer look: According to the World Population Review website, the list of countries that have the longest work week is as follows: Mauritania (54) Egypt (53) Gambia (51) Qatar (50) Burkina Faso (50) Lesotho (50) Bangladesh (49) Mongolia (48) Kenya (48) Lebanon: (48) The website uses data from the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO defines employees as those that work full-time or part-time in a traditional arrangement. The website notes that low-income and least-developed nations in general have the longest work weeks but points out that it is hard to come by reliable data in such instances. Workers in India, South Korea, China put in long hours As per The Wire, the ILO in January released a new report on work-life balance across the world that found that workers in South Korea, China and India were putting in far longer hours than those in the US, Brazil and France. However, the report pointed out that the data comes from before the COVID-19 pandemic. From 1970-2017, China and India have witnessed a gradual increase in working hours, while South Korea has witnessed a decrease. South Korea recently rolled back its plans to increase its work week after a backlash from its youth. South Asia has an average number of 49 working hours per week, while East Asia follows closely at 48.8 hours. Win for workers rights Chiles decision was hailed by the left-wing government as a breakthrough for workers rights. The measure passed the lower house 127-14, after being unanimously approved by the Senate three weeks ago. President Gabriel Boric, who took office in March 2022 after making the measure a campaign promise, was expected to sign it into law before 1 May. Yes, changes can be made to advance workers rights, labor minister Jeannette Jara said. The votecame six years after the law was initially presented. Ana Camayo, a 54-year-old manicurist who works in a department store, said the law is fantastic for women over 30 who have children, referring to herself and her colleagues. She said the extra free time will be spent with her family. The reduced work week initially was proposed by communist lawmakers in 2017, but the proposal languished for years. New momentum came after about 200 roundtable sessions between workers and employers of large, medium and small companies and the government. The law is intended to allow Chilean workers to be more rested and happy, said Opposition lawmaker Emilia Schneider. This is the second time the left-wing country has done so. Chile previously cut its working hours from 48 to 45 hours in 2005. Chile will join Ecuador, which already has a 40-hour work week. 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. China has reported the first known human fatality from a bird flu strain that is rare in people, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). A 56-year-old woman in the southern province of Guangdong died on 16 March after being infected with H3N8 bird flu. The woman was the third case of human infection with the H3N8 virus found in China. The first two cases were recorded in the Asian country in April and May 2022. While one of these two cases reported last year became critically ill, the other had mild symptoms. Both had contracted the disease through direct or indirect contact to infected poultry. What do we know about the first human death from the avian influenza A (H3N8) virus? Did the patient catch the virus from a wet market? What has the WHO saying? Lets take a closer look. Worlds first H3N8 human fatality The Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported the womans case in late March but did not inform about her death, as per Reuters. The woman, who has been identified as a resident of the city of Zhongshan, fell ill on 22 February and was hospitalised for severe pneumonia on 3 March, according to the WHO statement. The patient had several underlying conditions and also a history of exposure to live poultry before falling sick. Citing Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the woman suffered from multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system. Her H3N8 bird flu infection was detected through the severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance system. ALSO READ: No land to bury dead chickens in Japan: How deadly is the current bird flu outbreak? Wet market connection Without elaborating, the WHO said in the statement that the patient had spent time at a wet market before she became ill. The United Nations health agency said environmental samples were collected from the patients house and the wet market she visited. The samples from the wet market tested positive for influenza A(H3). The WHO also said that none of the patients close contacts had developed infections or symptoms. As per Reuters, scattered infections of bird flu in humans are common in China where avian influenza constantly affects poultry and wild bird populations. Experts have previously warned about conditions at wet markets where fish, meat and wild animals are sold in open-air stalls. Dr Steven Salzberg, a professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com: Of course China should report any such cases promptly, as should any country, but occasional avian influenza cases happen every year in China. The [much] bigger problem is the continuing practice in China of selling birds and other animals for food at live animal markets. Scientists have been saying for years that China should shut down these markets, but they dont. So a good question is whether this case originated from a live animal market. The [WHO] report is vague on that question, Dr Salzberg added. Should humans be worried? Not yet. Based on available information, it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low, the WHO said in the statement. But due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO stresses the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health, it added. The other strain of bird flu H5N1 is a cause for worry, as according to the UN health agency it has a 53 per cent mortality in humans. Its recent outbreak in poultry, wild birds and mammals have fuelled concerns of the virus evolving and turning into another pandemic. According to the WHO, from 2003 to 25 February 2023, there have been a total of 873 human cases of H5N1 infection across 21 countries, out of which 458 were fatal. Notably, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission yet of this deadly strain of bird flu either. What is the WHO saying? H3N8 viruses are found in animals, especially birds, around the world. It first emerged in North American waterfowl in 2002 and is known to be circulating since. Cross-species transmission of A(H3N8) avian influenza viruses has been reported for various mammal species, including being endemic in dogs and horses, says the WHO. Amid the report from China and the ongoing bird flu outbreak, the WHO has issued an advisory for countries and people. The UN health agency has recommended people stay away from sick animals or those who died from unknown causes. The WHO has also urged countries to inform the public about avoiding contact with high-risk environments such as live animal markets/farms, live poultry, or surfaces that may be contaminated by poultry or bird faeces. Further, it has asked visitors travelling to countries with known avian influenza cases to avoid farms, contact with animals in live animal markets or any areas where animals may be slaughtered. 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. Its part homecoming, part diplomacy and part politics. Thats the way experts are describing United States president Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland and then onto Ireland. The 46th US president arrived in Belfast on Tuesday night for the first leg of his four-day visit and was greeted on a cold, rainy tarmac by Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of Great Britain; James Senior, the commander of the 38th Irish Brigade & Northern Ireland garrison, and a half-dozen other officials. Bidens visit to Ireland comes 60 years after the last Irish Catholic president John F Kennedy visited his ancestral homeland, telling his aides later that it was the best four days of my life. As he set out from the United States, Biden said his goal on the trip was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place, to keep the peace. Thats the main thing, he said, referring to agreements that helped end decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. As the US president embarks on this visit, we take a closer look at why Ireland is important to Biden and what significance does it hold. Reclaiming his Irish roots Joe Biden is unequivocally proud of his Irish heritage. With two great-great-grandparents coming from Ireland, Joe Biden could be one of the most Irish presidents in American history. It is said that one of Bidens great-great grandfather, Owen Finnegan, had left for America in the 1840s as the potato famine (1845-52) ravaged Ireland. His other great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks that helped build that County Mayo cathedral, and used the money to bring his family on a ship to America. Biden loves to quote Irish poets and uses the experience of Irish citizens living under British rule as a way to express empathy with persecuted minorities around the world. He also often speaks and writes about his Irish roots. In his book Promise Me, Dad he writes, We Irish are the only people in the world who are actually nostalgic about the future. Several political pundits state that Bidens Irish identity overlaps with his political image. As Brendan OLeary, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, tells NPR: I think theres no doubt that Joe Biden is the most Irish of Irish American presidents. As part of his Ireland visit, Biden will tour County Mayo and County Louth from where his family hails. He will visit castles and perhaps a pub or two in County Louth home of the Finnegans and the Kearneys, his ancestors on one side of the family and take a tour of a shrine and a cathedral in County Mayo, where he will meet with some of the remaining Blewitts, his ancestors on the other side. The US president is accompanied on the trip to Ireland by Valerie Biden Owens, his sister, and Hunter Biden, his son. Both travelled from the United States with the president on Air Force One. Political significance Bidens visit to Ireland is primarily to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to this part of the United Kingdom. The agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed on 10 April 1998 and was designed to bring an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles. The Troubles refers to the term used to describe sectarian violence that took place in Northern Ireland between unionists, who wished to see Northern Ireland stay within the United Kingdom, and nationalists, who want it to become part of the Republic of Ireland. The violence that took place claimed the lives of over 3,000 people. After years of violence, in the late 1980s and 1990s there was willingness from all sides to end the violence and find some sort of negotiated peace. US president Bill Clinton also took a keen interest in Northern Ireland and sent a special envoy in the form of Senate majority leader George Mitchell, who would eventually chair the talks between the parties and groups. After much back and forth between all parties involved, the deal was formally made between the British and Irish governments and eight political parties from Northern Ireland, including Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionist Party, the SDLP and the Alliance Party. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) were the only major political group to oppose it. The agreement acknowledged the constitutional status of Northern Ireland as a part of the UK, reflecting the wish of the majority of citizens. It also established a principle of consent: that a united Ireland could come about if and when a majority of people in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland wanted it. However, there are now concerns about how Brexit may affect the agreement. Notably, after Brexit, Northern Ireland becomes the only part of UK to share a land border with the Republic of Ireland an EU country. Checks are required on goods transported between the UK and the EUs markets. But both sides agree this should not happen on the Irish border, to protect the Good Friday Agreement, because it is feared that cross-border co-operation could be threatened if new checkpoints are set up. To avoid any clashes at the border, the concerned parties agreed on the Northern Ireland Protocol. But this deal wasnt acceptable to many and created a lot of friction. The DUP argues that it actually undermines the Good Friday Agreement because it separates them from the rest of the UK. In February, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade. However, the DUP is still to accept it and has refused to return to government. It is expected that during Bidens visit to Belfast, he will try to resolve the issue. John Finucane, a member of the British Parliament from Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party, told CNN that Bidens visit to Northern Ireland would be a huge help toward resolving some of the lingering differences. And it seems that calming minds are needed. In late March, British intelligence services raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland from substantial to severe. It is left to be seen just what the effect of Bidens visit, but one thing that is certain is that it will help the US president to connect with his ancestry and perhaps also give his probable 2024 run a boost as 32million people claim Irish heritage in the United States. 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. Kyiv: Electric trams are running again in Kyiv, and electric scooters dot the sidewalks. With curfew extended to midnight, the streets are bright and buzzing. Portable generators, nearly impossible to find as they flew off the shelves in December, are being sold at half price. The Kremlins campaign to break the Ukrainian will to fight by turning winter into a weapon and knocking out power ultimately failed but there were moments when it seemed that all might be lost. The darkest week in a long, cold season came in mid-November, when Russian missiles streaked in from three directions, bearing down on Ukrainian power plants. Energy officials, gathered in a secret bunker in Kyiv, watched alarms flash on the large screens mapping the countrys energy grid as critical substations, thermal power plants and hydroelectric facilities all went dark. Then something happened they had never seen before over weeks of bombardment: All of the nations nuclear power plants were thrown into blackout. Within seconds, control rods positioned above reactors at Ukraines three working plants dropped into cores to absorb neutrons and stop the chain reaction that could lead to a meltdown. The reactors, which provide 50 per cent of the countrys energy, went offline. At the same time, Russian missiles and drones severed Ukraines connection to the European grid, a critical source of energy that has helped Ukraine prevent collapse in its own grid. On a continent of light, Ukraine was an island of darkness. Millions had no heat. Toilets did not flush. Lines formed at old wells as people lugged jugs of water to pitch-dark apartments in Kyiv. Internet service went down for many. Officials discussed mass evacuation plans. These were some of the most difficult days, Ukraines energy minister, Herman Galushchenko, said in an interview. Given the depth of the crisis outlined in more than a dozen interviews with senior energy officials, utility workers, government officials and military intelligence it is all the more remarkable that as winter has released its icy grip, Ukraines power grid not only survives but was even able, in early March, to produce surplus energy for the first time in months. Major challenges to the power supply, however, may still loom. Staving off the relentless bombardments has dramatically depleted Ukraines air defences, newly leaked Pentagon documents show, and there is concern that Russian bombers may soon be able to prowl the skies of Ukraines cities unscathed. But for now, rather than break Ukrainian spirit, the bombardments have only made Ukrainians more determined. Some 97 per cent of Ukrainians surveyed now say they believe they will win the war, and 74 per cent predict that Ukraine will retain all the territory within the borders internationally recognised in 1991. The national survey released in March, was conducted by the National Rating Group, the largest independent research organisation in Ukraine. Still, there remains much work to be done. The Russian assaults destroyed or damaged more than 40 per cent of the nations energy infrastructure, and it will cost billions of dollars to repair, according to a new report by the World Bank. It was not just missiles. In the towns and cities where Russian forces were forced to withdraw, infrastructure was deliberately destroyed as the invaders fled. They littered the ground with thousands of mines, making repair work slow and treacherous. And all along the front, ruined towns and villages were without power for months. Since its sustained bombardment of infrastructure began in October, Russia hit 112 targets with 255 missiles, Andriy Kostin, Ukraines prosecutor general, said in early March. Russia deployed hundreds more missiles and drones that were shot down. Ukraines ability to survive the war on its grid was made possible by a combination of new air defence systems provided by Western allies, pre-war planning to reduce a long-standing dependence on Russian energy, and deft problem solving by engineers. The country was also helped by a robust grid a legacy of the Soviet infrastructure design international donations of critical supplies and the dedication of utility workers who often worked around the clock and under great risk. Dozens of energy workers have been killed in missile strikes and mine explosions, and hundreds more injured, Ukrainian officials say. The first wave of missiles left Ukrainian power workers stunned. Everyone had big eyes, said Ihor, the chief engineer at a critical substation. But after two to three weeks, he said, the pattern of Russian airstrikes became clear, and utility workers learned measures to protect some of the most vital equipment. The next attacks were scary, but we already knew what to do, Ihor said. We felt much more confident. Also Read: J9: The Ukrainian unit that finds dead Russian troops and sends them home The New York Times was allowed to visit several substations that had come under repeated attack on the condition that it not reveal their locations or the full names of employees, for safety reasons. At the heart of every power substation are hulking, high-power autotransformers. These are used to convert electricity from high voltage during transmission to low voltage for distribution to consumers. Ukrainian officials suspect that Russian missileers, assisted by electrical engineers and detailed maps of the Ukrainian grid, knew precisely what to target. New transformers cost about $2 million and weigh hundreds of tons, and Russia destroyed dozens of them. But Russias grid attacks also backfired somewhat, prompting Ukraines supporters to speed up delivery of the air defence systems that Kyiv had wanted since the first days of the war. Since Ukraine obtained these systems, the damage inflicted by missile bombardments decreased dramatically, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of the Ukrainian national electric utility, Ukrenergo, said in an interview in March. Ukraine, however, still has few defences against ballistic missiles, and it was unable to shoot down six Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in the last large-scale attack, on 9 March. Kudrytskyi said that engineers worked closely with the military to track incoming waves of missiles and drones and tried to prepare the grid to limit damage. Without going into technical details for security reasons, he compared it to the balance of riding a bicycle. The system needs to always maintain stability between generation and consumption, and a fluctuation of as little as one per cent can create cascading events that ripple through the entire system and cause widespread outages. Russias goal has been to tip the system off balance. Ukraine has found ways to make that much harder, in part by severing its connection to the Russian power grid and connecting to the European system. Russian forces tried repeatedly to hit the lines from Europe to Ukraine, and two major attacks in November did briefly sever that connection. That was also when the nuclear power plants lost power. Also Read: How Russia-Ukraine war and truce bring a gift of history for both the Asian giants- India, China But it was while visiting one of those plants a few months later that Galushchenko, the energy minister, became convinced Ukraine would weather the winter. Repair work that might have been expected to take 260 days of work, he found, had been completed in just 40. For millions of Ukrainians, the battle over energy could be felt every time their lights went out. It was a crazy time, said Julia Shpyg, the manager at the Electric Cinema amphitheatre. I woke up one day and had no power. I went to work, thinking there would be power here and it was also out. That is when I knew how bad it was. Going to the movies is like a vacation, a few hours to forget about the war, Shpyg said. Now that was being put in doubt. But the theatre, like many businesses, found a way to stay open, using generators to offer limited showings. Now, it no longer needs the generators, and the only interruption audiences have to deal with are the near-daily air alarms, a reminder that Russia has not given up trying to batter Ukraine into submission. Hopefully, we will never have to go through another winter like the one we just lived through, Shpyg said. Marc Santora, c.2023 The New York Times Company 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 US president, Joe Biden, is in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. His visit will be one of historic symbolism and of personal significance, as an Irish Catholic president who has spoken proudly of his ties to the country. A few weeks ago, the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, formally invited Biden to come to Northern Ireland to mark the anniversary of the peace deal, which the US helped broker. The UK has much work to do to repair relations with the US following the Trump-Johnson years, especially if they are to pursue a much desired trade deal that has been stymied partly due to US concerns about the safety of the Good Friday Agreement post-Brexit. The four-day visit comes at a fragile time for the agreement, threatened by post-Brexit trade arrangements and political tensions in Northern Ireland. Power-sharing in the Northern Ireland assembly a key feature of the Good Friday Agreement has been in limbo for over a year, due to a boycott by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). In a recent poll, a majority of Northern Irish unionists said they would vote against the agreement if a referendum were held today. The visit has other historical symbolism and personal relevance for the US president. Biden will spend three days in the Republic of Ireland. For that part of the island, the visit will be less about Northern Ireland issues, and more around the historically resonant imagery of an Irish Catholic president returning to his roots. There is a long history of US presidents visiting Ireland. It is thought that 23 of the 46 presidents have been of Irish heritage. Until the early 1960s, most visits were by former presidents whose families originated in Northern Ireland. Also Read: Keep the peace: Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland to mark 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement In 1963, John F Kennedy became the first sitting and first Irish Catholic president to visit. His sojourn was widely viewed as a symbolic homecoming. Both Irish and American media at the time described it as a sentimental journey. Biden, the second Irish Catholic US president, will stir memories of Kennedy. Biden will spend time visiting his ancestral home and meeting family in County Louth and County Mayo. He is clearly proud of his Irish roots, often referencing how his family history has shaped his political career and worldview. As he wrote in 2016: Northeast Pennsylvania will be written on my heart. But Ireland will be written on my soul. Biden has knowingly taken on the Kennedy mantle as a politician. Over the years he has come to personify a liberal politics of empathy, in which his Irish ancestry and Catholicism function as moral touchstones. However, this can shroud an underlying reality, that Ireland and the US are increasingly adrift, out of sync on matters political and cultural. At the same time, Irish America is ageing and growing more conservative, with very few new emigrants refuelling it. Biden represents a disappearing figure, the last of a once powerful tribe of liberal Irish American politicians. A diplomatic mission Bidens visit should not be understood as purely a sentimental journey. Indeed, looking back we can see that Kennedys visit was much more of a diplomatic mission than many viewed it in 1963. Kennedy visited Ireland on his return from Berlin, after giving one of the most important speeches of the Cold War. His engagement with Ireland at that time aligned the controversially neutral state with the forces of freedom. And behind the scenes, a good deal of diplomatic and economic business was carried out that would benefit Irelands relations with the US for years to come. As with Kennedys visit, economic diplomacy will be important, most obviously in the promise of US investment in Northern Ireland to reward and secure the new EU-UK deal on Brexit. It is also a chance for Biden to repair the USs global reputation for leadership in liberal internationalism, which has been on the back foot since the Trump administration. Also Read: US President Joe Biden celebrates diplomacy, his ancestry on trip to Ireland Biden views the Good Friday Agreement as a significant achievement of US foreign policy, and one that enjoys bipartisan support in the US. To celebrate it today is to assert the USs support for the rule of law in foreign policy, and promote the agreement as a model of peace for other post-conflict states. Hell receive a warm welcome, but like Kennedy, the visit is something more than just sentimental. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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 China building a spy base on an island in the Bay of Bengal? Indian authorities seem to think so. This news was first reported on 31 March by London-based think-tank Chatham House. The report stated that Myanmars Coco Islands which are 55 kilometres from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are getting a steady makeover, with tell-tale signs of military modernisation and facilities to support aircraft. Lets take a closer look: The report from Geo-intelligence researcher Damien Symon and Chatham Houses John Pollock noted that the Coco Islands have been at the centre of attention from analysts, journalists and policymakers for decades. The piece noted that the claim that Myanmar has allowed the Chinese to build an intelligence facility on the islands have been made since the early 1990s. The piece noted that while there has been little proof to back up such assertions, recent pictures have raised New Delhis hackles. The Chatham House report cited photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies in January. The pictures revealed renewed levels of construction activity including new hangars, a causeway and accommodations all these near a 2,300-metre runway and radar station. Photos taken by the company at the southern tip of Great Coco show land clearing which hints of further construction to come. What do experts say? Experts have raised concern about Chinas growing influence over Myanmar given the fact that the junta is under heavy economic sanctions and has become something of a global pariah. 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, the piece noted. Were Myanmar to get the base fully established, surveillance flights could track movements to and from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the piece added. Given Chinas well-established intelligence practices, local intelligence from Great Coco could find its way, either through espionage or consent, to Shanghai. For India, Great Coco Island was in the past a place for outlandish theories. It may now become a real point of concern, the piece concluded. Troy Lee-Brown, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia Defence and Security Institute, told SCMP the images suggested a fairly significant build-up in infrastructure development on the archipelago from what used to be a pretty rudimentary radar station. Added Swaran Singh, a political-science professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, China is bound to be a natural suspect [for the installations] as it has both the intention and the wherewithal and, above all, it has secured access to the Coco Islands for the last 30 years. India shares information with Myanmar, China responds Bloomberg reported that New Delhi is alarmed that such facilities will allow Beijing to covertly monitor communications from naval bases and even track missiles from test sites. As per India Today, this is because the Coco Islands is near the Indian Tri-service Command on the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Established in 2001, to defend Indias interests in Southeast Asia, the Tri-Service command has the Indian Navy, Indian Air force, and Indian Army working in tandem. Bloomberg reported that officials representing the Indian government have shared the details with their counterparts in Myanmar. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the workers were also seen extending an airstrip. External affairs minister Arindam Bagchi vowed New Delhi would take necessary measures to safeguard its interests. The government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on Indias security, Bagchi said. Beijing on Monday dismissed the reports of a Chinese spy post on Coco Islands as complete nonsense, according to Bloomberg. The relevant report is sheer nonsense, the Chinese foreign ministry stated. A spokesman for Myanmars ruling State Administration Council called the allegation that China was building the facility in the islands absurd. Myanmar and India always have discussions at many levels, but there was no specific discussion on this issue, Major General Zaw Min Tun said. The Indian government already knows perfectly well that only Myanmar security forces are based there, and they are doing defense activities for their own country. 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. It has been dubbed the #MeToo movement of performing arts in India. And at the centre of it is Kalakshetra, Indias premier cultural institution teaching Bharatanatyam, Carnatic classical music and visual arts. There have been allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against faculty at the Chennai institute in Tamil Nadu at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts run by Kalakshetra, which is known for teaching Bharatnayam. There have been protests by students and one arrest, as more victims speak up about the alleged harassment. The allegations and the arrest The rumbling started in December last year when Bharatnatyam dancer Leela Samson put up a social media post, only to delete it soon after. She was also a former student and the last director of Kalakshetra. Samson wrote in the post on the haven of the highest art and contemplation now turning a blind eye to how young girls are treated. A male member of the staff is known to be threatening and molesting (those) who are not yet adults The said teacher must be brought to book Rukmini Devi did not build this institution and all her ideals to be abused so, she alleged. She also warned parents against sending their daughters to an institute filled with sexual predators. While Samson did not call out any perpetrator, the names of Hari Padman, a known Bharatanatyam dancer and assistant professor at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, and a student appeared in the comments. Both denied having an inappropriate relationship. In yet another post which was brought down, another student said that she was forced to discontinue her course in 2019, when a senior faculty member approached her inappropriately with sexual undertones. She reportedly identified Hari Padman as the faculty member and further said she had filed a complaint against him with Kalakshetras Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), set up as per the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, on 6 February 2023, four years after the alleged incident, according to a report in News18. Soon, more allegations of abuse started coming in against faculty members and three repertory artists. Students started registering their dissent on social media before it spread to the campus and they boycotted exams. On March 31, Padman was booked under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act after a complaint from a former student that he had sent her obscene text messages. That day, he along with the other three accused reportedly performed at a dance festival in Hyderabad. Days later, Padman was arrested on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. No police action has been taken against the rest. At least 100 women from Kalakshetra have now lodged petitions with the Tamil Nadu Womens Commission, complaining of verbal abuse and sexual harassment by the four faculty members. Many women said they have faced harassment on the campus since 2008, AS Kumari, chairperson of the commission said. More tales of abuse More students, present and former, have spoken out about their experiences at Kalakshetra. Complaints of sexual harassment are galore and some have even opened up about facing verbal abuse, caste discrimination, and body shaming. Even male students were not spared. A male student told the BBC that a faculty member sent him offensive messages. At midnight, he sent me a good night message. When I replied, he asked if I was alone and if he could come over. I was shocked. He then asked for a video call so that he could see me fully. He continued sending lewd messages. I could not handle this, I fell ill, the pupil said, narrating his ordeal. A former student from Russia has mailed a complaint to the womens body alleging that she was sexually harassed by a faculty. She said that she was staying in a hostel and faced harassment from the professor from the sixth month of the course. He used to call her over the phone at the hostel, according to a report in The Hindu. The teacher touched her inappropriately when he called her to his house after 8 pm for a dance lesson. He threatened that he would give her poor marks in an internal exam if she did not adjust. Several students have revealed that they complained to the college administration but it did not act on their grievances. The administration did nothing about it and it further emboldened the harasser. It also prevented more students from coming forward to complain, the male student told BBC. Lapses from Kalakshetra? At first, the institute dismissed the complaints of students as rumours and instructed them not to spread gossip. The colleges Internal Complaints Committee stated that it found the sexual harassment allegations false after taking note of a social media post. The ICC has maintained that it did not receive any written or verbal complaints of sexual harassment from students. However, conducted a thorough investigation after taking suo motu cognisance of a social media post. The case against Padman and the student was investigated and later closed because the latter denied any accusations of harassment. Also read: #MeToo in India: Stalked, harassed for a decade, how one journalist coped with the trauma Lawyer BS Ajeetha, who was an external member of the ICC since 2018 and quit recently, said that the students did to feel safe approaching the committee. We never received any complaints regarding the current case. There were no complaints because there was no trust. The management was not taking the students struggles seriously, she told The Quint. In a statement on the website, the administration blamed vested interests for trying to sully Kalakshetra Foundation. According to a report in The Quint, the Kalakshetra ICC had earlier received four complaints of sexual harassment from male students. It responded to two saying it had the authority to deal with sexual harassment of women alone. But after the scandal hit headlines, the institute said on 4 April that it had constituted an independent inquiry committee, comprising a retired high court judge and former top cops, to look into the matter. It has suspended Padman and said that the services of the three repertory artists have been dispensed pending an inquiry. The professors defence Before his arrest, Padman told News18 that he would make every effort to seek justice for himself. There are hundreds of students who are presently studying in Kalakshetra. Ask them if I ever misbehaved with them or misspoke. There are students who have been studying here for six years, I have never abused anybody. I stand by my conscience and I know they do not have a shred of evidence, he said. We have 55 CCTV cameras in Kalakshetra. We will pull out every available footage to prove my innocence, he added. Defending Padman, his wife has lodged a counter-complaint against the complainant and two of Kalakshetras teachers, accusing them of levelling false charges against her husband out of jealousy and professional rivalry, reports the BBC. According to Divya Hari Padman, the charges against her husband were an act of revenge because he had chided some students for bad behaviour. Two teachers had instigated the former student to lodge the complaint. The matter remains to be instigated but Indias IIT of fine arts has been tainted. Its no longer the sound of ghungroos that reverberates on its serene campus but the voice of angry students demanding justice. 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. The Pentagon document leaks have become Pandoras box for the United States. From a crucial assessment of Ukraines defence capability and shortcomings to the US spying on its allies and adversaries alike, all is out in the open since the news of the leak of highly classified US military documents broke last week. Earlier documents revealed the extent of the US spying on key allies, including South Korea, Israel and Ukraine, as well as foes such as Russia. The pictures of this trove of classified files, with some even marked top secret, have been on messaging app Discord since February. While some documents may have been doctored, Pentagon officials have reportedly confirmed that most of them are genuine. An embarrassed US, which is now left placating its allies, has promised to turn over every rock to find the source of the leak. What new information have the purported Pentagon documents revealed? Lets find out. Ukraines spring offensive US intelligence assessments from February have expressed doubts about Ukraines gains in its expected spring counteroffensive against Russia. The leaked documents state that due to significant force generation and sustainment shortfalls, Ukraines forthcoming counteroffensive would result in only modest territorial gains, reported The Washington Post. The document further warned that Russias elaborate defences combined with enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive. Ukraines air defence Ukraines air defences are likely to run out of missiles and ammunition within weeks, one of the leaked documents say. US intelligence believes that Ukraines medium-range air defences to provide cover for front-line forces would be completely reduced by May 23, reported CNN. As per The Guardian, SA-11 Gadfly missiles would have run out by March end and S-300 missiles by May, thus giving aerial superiority to Russia. The US intelligence also believes that Ukraine could lose the capability to gather ground troops in a counteroffensive, reported CNN. The documents also reviewed issues with Russias military offensive that could eventually lead to a deadlock with Ukraine in the coming future. Russias grinding campaign of attrition in the Donbas region is likely heading toward a stalemate, thwarting Moscows goal to capture the entire region in 2023, CNN quoted one of the documents as saying. ALSO READ: The Pentagon Leaks: Who leaked the US classified documents and what has been revealed? Western special forces in Ukraine One of the most crucial leaks of alleged Pentagon documents reveals the presence of Western special forces in Ukraine. The document marked 23 March contains the number of Western special forces operating inside Ukraine, without any details about their location or activity. At 50, the United Kingdom has the largest contingent, followed by Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1), reported BBC. While the UKs ministry of defence has refrained from commenting on this, it said in a tweet on Tuesday that the leak of alleged classified information had a serious level of inaccuracy. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread misinformation, the ministry warned. Egypt and Ukraine war According to a leaked document from mid-February accessed by The Washington Post, Egypt had planned to covertly produce 40,000 rockets for Russia. Egypts president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had also held talks with his top military officials about shipping artillery rounds and gunpowder to Russia. The report further claimed that el-Sisi had told officials to keep the plans secret to avoid problems with the West. As per an official named Mohamed Salah al-Din, the minister of state for military production, Egypt decided to arm Russia to repay Moscow for unspecified help earlier. However, the document does not confirm if Egypt went ahead with the delivery or not. As per BBC, an unnamed official cited by Egyptian news channels has called the allegations utterly baseless, adding that Cairo did not pick sides in Russias war in Ukraine. ALSO READ: How a video game chatroom is at the heart of the massive US intelligence leak Serbia and Ukraine According to a leaked Pentagon document, Serbia was ready to supply arms to Ukraine or have already sent them, Reuters reported. Serbia, which is the only European country that has not sanctioned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, was ready to provide lethal aid or already had supplied it to Kyiv. The documents also show that Belgrade refused to train Ukrainian forces. Serbian president Aleksandar Vucics government has claimed neutrality in the war, even though it shares deep historic, economic and cultural ties with Russia, noted Reuters. If this document is accurate, it either shows Vucics duplicity vis a vis Russia or hes under enormous pressure from Washington to deliver weapons to Ukraine, Janusz Bugajski, an Eastern European expert with the Jamestown Foundation, a foreign policy institute, told Reuters. UAE and Russia The purported Pentagon documents say that America found Russian intelligence officers boasting of persuading the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies, reported The Associated Press (AP). In mid-January, FSB officials claimed UAE security service officials and Russia had agreed to work together against US and UK Intelligence agencies, according to newly acquired signals intelligence, the document seen by AP said. The UAE probably views engagement with Russian intelligence as an opportunity to strengthen growing ties between Abu Dhabi and Moscow and diversify intelligence partnerships amid concerns of US disengagement from the region, it added. Reacting to the allegations, the UAE government on Monday termed the report categorically false. North Koreas missile threat US intelligence analysts believe a recent military parade in North Korea probably oversells the threat of its inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to America. The document said Pyongyang intended probably to portray a maturing nuclear threat to the US. The North paraded these nonoperational systems to portray a larger, more capable missile force than it possesses and to mitigate the risk of damage to its real missiles, the document was quoted as saying by Reuters. China The Washington Post came across a document that said Beijing tested DF-27 hypersonic glide vehicle, an experimental missile, in late February. It also reported citing documents that the missile which flew for 12 minutes spanning a distance of 2,100km had a high probability of pervading US ballistic missile defence systems. A separate intelligence report warned that China is likely to use attacks by Ukraine that go deep inside Russia as an opportunity to cast NATO as the aggressor, and may increase its aid to Russia if it deems that the attacks were significant, reported The Guardian. 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: Four people were killed in an incident of firing at Bathinda Military Station in Punjab on Wednesday morning, said the Armys South Western Command. Four casualties reported in a firing incident in the early hours of the morning around 0435 hours inside Bathinda Military Station today. The Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated and the area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operation in progress, Armys South Western Command said in a statement. Punjab | Four casualties in firing inside Bathinda Military Station; Area cordoned off, search operation underway Visuals from outside the Military Station pic.twitter.com/gFj4kNQdXC ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Punjab Police sources said that that about two days ago one Insas rifle with 28 cartridges had gone missing. Some army personnel may be behind this incident, they said. The sources, however, ruled out any terror angle in the firing incident. Confirming the incident, SPS Parmar, Punjabs Additional Director General of Police, said, It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident. 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: The Defence Ministry is seeking potential bidders for the procurement of 439 light electric vehicles for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF). According to media reports, 415 of these electric light vehicles will be procured for the Indian Army while 24 will be given to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Apart from this, the defence ministry will also procure 35 fast chargers for these electric light vehicles of which 29 will go to the Indian Army and 6 to the IAF. These electric light vehicles will be procured under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category with at least 50% indigenous content. According to the conditions set down by the ministry of defence, these electric light vehicles should be capable of reaching speeds of up to 120 kmph and have a range of 400 km. These vehicles should also be able to carry payloads of 900 kg and have a motor life of at least 8 years or 160,000 km. The Indian Army intends to conduct field evaluation trials with suppliers that submit bids. In order to attain net zero carbon emissions, the Indian Army plans to replace its current fleet of Light vehicles with electric ones that are powered by Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) technology. 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: The Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru will collaborate with the combat systems engineering branch of the Indian Navy to create secure communication channels of strategic value utilising quantum technology. According to a report by Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW), the RRI had revealed last week that it has successfully used quantum key distribution to show secure communication between a stationary source and a moving receiver. Quantum communications would offer secure communications for Indias missile submarines, creating the prospect that it could be used to connect with nuclear-armed submarines, even though the Indian Navy aims to utilise it for ship-to-shore communication in the first phase. The ability to stay in touch with submarines that are a part of Indias nuclear triad not only has strategic value but also guarantees that Indian military planners can direct order a nuclear strike in response to a first strike in the event of war in minutes rather than hours or days, according to US researchers who discovered that quantum communications with submerged objects in turbulent water are possible. When on patrol, nuclear-armed submarines frequently bury themselves in the vast ocean to ensure that at least some of their nuclear bombs survive any potential first nuclear strike by enemies. In order to enforce the nuclear grid, India currently operates two nuclear-armed submarines and plans to add two more in the next two to three years. Additionally, India wants to buy five larger submarines with twice the displacement of its current submarines so that they can remain hidden for up to 60 to 70 days at a time. 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: Coming down heavily on the previous governments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday alleged that selfish and mean politics had always overshadowed the modernisation of the Indian Railways in the past. The Prime Minister flagged off the Ajmer-Delhi Cantt Vande Bharat Express, the worlds first semi-high-speed passenger train on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) territory via video conferencing today. Prime Minister said Vande Bharat Express will immensely benefit the tourism industry of Rajasthan. I am fortunate to have flagged off the 6th Vande Bharat Express in the last two months, he said. Travelling to Jaipur-Delhi, the PM said will now be easier with the Vande Bharat Express. This train will also help a lot to the tourism industry of Rajasthan. Bharat Gaurav Trains are being praised and liked by people from across the country. Their immensely positive feedback about these trains can be seen on Social Media. PM Modi said the One Station One Product Scheme by Indian Railways is highly praiseworthy, which aims to build each railway station as a promotional hub and showcase local and indigenous manufacturing products. He said it has hugely benefitted Rajasthan by delivering its locally-made products across the country. The PM said Indian Railways has set up around 70 One Station-One Product stalls in Rajasthan. Jaipuri quilts and handicrafts are being sold through these stalls. He said small farmers, artisans and handicraftsmen of Rajasthan have got a new medium to reach the market. The inaugural train will run between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway stations. The regular service of this Vande Bharat Express will start from Thursday, April 13 and will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt., with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. Notably, Ajmer-Delhi Cantt Vande Bharat Express is Rajasthans first Vande Bharat Express train. Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience. At the launch event which he joined via video conferencing, Prime Minister said that post-Independence, political interests always dominated the modernization of Railways. Unfortunately, selfish and mean politics had always overshadowed the modernisation of the Railways. The large-scale corruption did neither let the development happen in Railways nor did it let even the Railways selection process be transparent, he said. Only after 2014,PM Modi said that the revolutionary transformation started taking place Who would become the railway minister was decided by looking at the political interest. It was the political interest that such trains were announced which never actually ran. The situation was such that after snatching the land of the poor, they were given a job in the railways. Railway safetycleanliness everything was ignored. Changes in all these arrangements started coming after the year 2014, stated the Prime Minister. Prime Ministers remarks came against the backdrop of central agencies probing the lands for jobs involving Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. He said Vande Bharat Express enriches the spirit of India First, Always First. The prime minister said the Vande Bharat train has today become synonymous with development, modernity, self-reliance and stability. Todays journey of Vande Bharat will lead us to the journey of developed India tomorrow, he said. Ever since Vande Bharat started, he said, about 60 lakh people have travelled in these trains. The biggest feature of high-speed Vande Bharat is that it saves people time. From fast speed to beautiful design, Vande Bharat train is endowed with many features, he said. Prime Minister said the central government is also working on about 1,400 km of roads in the border areas of Rajasthan. Along with road, the central government is also giving top priority to rail connectivity in Rajasthan. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ahead of the Joint Sword exercise from 8 to 10 April which encircled Taiwan Island, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), issued a stern cautionary statement on the provocative actions of Taiwan independence secessionist groups and their collusion with foreign forces. It came as no shock that China responded with vehement displeasure, accompanied by overt displays of military posture, subsequent to the hosting of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen by US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on 5 April. The United States unequivocal avowal of support for Taiwan was met with dissatisfaction by China, as evident in a strongly-worded statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, vowing resolute and forceful action to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China further admonished the US, urging it to refrain from proceeding down a misguided and perilous path. From Chinas perspective, Taiwan is not recognised as a sovereign and independent nation, a stance that Taipei vehemently contests. Military exercises as a form of warning China consistently employs military exercises of varying magnitudes, be it along the Line of Actual Control, with respect to Taiwan, or in the South China Sea, as a means to convey a message to its adversaries, showcasing its military prowess and strength. This approach is aimed at instilling a sense of apprehension and intimidation in the minds of its rivals. Such military drills also serve as a mode of indirect communication, frequently directed at the United States, by the Chinese leadership. These displays of military might are often perceived as demonstrations of force, intended to highlight Chinas military capabilities. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of Chinas international disputes revolves around matters of trade and territorial claims. While military exercises are standard procedures for maintaining preparedness and readiness among nations, the timing, scale, and location of Chinas military drills often carry geopolitical implications and raise concerns about the possibility of imminent aggression. Chinas conduct of military exercises has been observed to have diplomatic implications, as it tends to dictate terms rather than engage in dialogue on equal footing and mutual respect. Despite the complexities of international relations and military activities, Chinas approach often puts diplomatic channels under pressure, as it chooses to exert its influence rather than pursue equitable and respectful dialogue processes. Chinas Joint Sword Exercise against Taiwan Following the conclusion of the Joint Sword Exercise, Senior Colonel Shi Yi stated that the exercise served to assess the combat capabilities of the troops under the Eastern Theatre Command of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The exercise entailed joint operations that involved multiple services and weapons, conducted under simulated real-combat conditions, as highlighted by the spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command. The statement further emphasized that the troops under the command are determined to firmly counter any attempts at Taiwan independence and foreign interference in any form, underscoring Chinas stance on the matter. According to the State-owned Global Times, In the Taiwan Straits, multiple destroyers, frigates and missile boats worked in tandem with shore-based missile assault groups and locked on targets in the southwest of the island of Taiwan, with the PLA Navy vessels taking strike positions using high-speed maneuvers and stealth approaches. As per the newspaper report, China has officially disclosed key targets on the island of Taiwan and in its surrounding waters during the mock drill, marking the first time such information has been made public. This action is perceived as a direct provocation towards Taiwan, and indirectly towards the United States, which has pledged to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of Taiwan at all costs, as highlighted in its previous statements. Why India needs to watch out In all likelihood, India closely monitored the Joint Sword Exercise although it was primarily aimed at Taiwan, to keep a keen eye on Chinese military capabilities across land, sea, and air domains. Notably, the final day of the Joint Sword Exercise coincided with the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Arunachal Pradesh in the North East. During his visit, Shah launched the Vibrant Villages Programme at Kibithoo, a border village in Arunachal Pradesh. He also inaugurated nine micro hydel projects of the Arunachal Pradesh government and 14 infrastructure projects of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police valued at Rs 120 crore. India wants peace with everyone but no one will be able to encroach on even an inch of our countrys land and it is the policy of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there can be no compromise with the respect of our army and borders, Shah said in his speech in a clear reference to China which has claimed the whole of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory and even went ahead to rename the state in its records as Zangnan province. China has repeatedly engaged in the unilateral renaming of various places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh, with the most recent instance occurring on 2 April this year. In response, India has consistently rejected these provocative actions, affirming that they do not alter the ground reality. However, given Chinas penchant for psychological warfare, it is unlikely that such provocations would cease. This underscores the need for continued vigilance in safeguarding Indias territorial integrity. The Union home minister made it clear that the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers the security of the borders as the security of the nation and thus infrastructure development on the border is a priority for the prime minister. During his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted significant infrastructure development in the border areas. He noted that all villages within a 5-kilometre radius of the international border in Arunachal Pradesh have been connected with all-weather roads, and construction has commenced on the 1,859-kilometre-long Arunachal Frontier Highway. Furthermore, 684 border villages have been provided with 4G connectivity, and approximately 1,327 border villages have been electrified. These infrastructural advancements demonstrate Indias commitment to enhancing connectivity and development in its border regions, with the aim of bolstering security and promoting economic growth in these strategically significant areas. As a part of its efforts to support infrastructure development, the Central government has allocated a substantial amount of Rs 44,000 crore to Arunachal Pradesh. Shahs visit to Arunachal Pradesh is noteworthy as it coincides with Chinas recent provocative actions of unilaterally renaming places and geographical points that are rightfully named in the Indian state. Despite Chinas provocative moves, Indias proactive approach in providing substantial funds for infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh highlights its commitment to enhancing connectivity, promoting economic growth and strengthening security in its strategically significant border regions. China swiftly responded to Shahs visit to Arunachal Pradesh, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin claiming that the Indian state is Chinas territory. Wenbin further alleged that Indian officials activities in this area violate Chinas sovereignty and (are) not conducive to peace and tranquility in the border regions and that China firmly oppose it. This statement from China highlights its ongoing territorial claims and disputes with India in the region despite the areas China is claiming are rightfully Indias with even the US acknowledging the same. India is no stranger to belligerent Chinese military exercises As China concluded its Joint Sword Exercise on Monday, there is a heightened possibility that Beijing may undertake similar provocative actions along the LAC or may take harsh diplomatic measures. Shahs visit to Arunachal Pradesh could potentially serve as a pretext for such actions, given Chinas history of reacting strongly to such high-profile visits to the state. Chinas military exercises along the LAC have been a matter of concern for India. Since the Galwan clash in 2020, there has been an observable increase in the frequency of military exercises by Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in the Tibet autonomous region, as noted by General Manoj Pande in October 2021. China has also conducted joint military exercises with Pakistan, with India perceived as a common adversary. While each and every country has the sovereign right to conduct military exercises, Chinas extensive and persistent military drills have raised concerns among India and other countries that share land or maritime borders with it. These ongoing military activities by China have necessitated collective efforts to address potential challenges and maintain regional stability in the region. The ceaseless Chinese has forced India to remain in a state of heightened alertness, enhancing its response preparedness to effectively respond to any contingencies that may arise. Despite Indias peaceful stance, Chinas hegemonic attitude has compelled India to adopt a path of deterrence. Observing Chinas exercises aimed at other nations serves to enhance Indias preparedness for deterrence, and given the current circumstances, such practice is unlikely to be wasted. Monitoring Chinas military activities, including drills, provides India with strategic awareness and aids in understanding Chinas military capabilities, thus facilitating a better assessment of Indias own defence posture and national security. In January of this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping placed great emphasis on the combat readiness of Chinas troops during his video address to soldiers at a border defence station in Khunjerab, which falls under the Xinjiang military command. It is noteworthy to mention that the Xinjiang military command is responsible for the border along the LAC, with Ladakh falling on the Indian side. China has demonstrated a pattern of both provocative actions and reactive responses in the context of border issues. However, considering Shahs recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, it would be unprecedented and uncharacteristic for China to simply remain content with a routine reaction from its foreign ministry. As for India, as it has been in the past and will continue to be in the future, its approach remains , (Sada satrdruva, sada tatpara) always alert, always ready to effectively address any challenges or contingencies that may arise. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If 2022 was all about Russia launching Special Military Operations against Ukraine in February, China has been hogging the headlines in 2023, especially in the last month. On 10 March, President Xi Jinping secured an unprecedented third term as the countrys president. Shortly thereafter, China shocked the world when it successfully mediated a rapprochement deal between two bitter rivals in West Asia; Saudi Arabia and Iran. Announced on 11 March, almost synchronized with Xi Jinpings re-election, it was a major global diplomatic coup which caught the world by surprise, especially the US, which felt deceived, having dominated the geopolitics of the West Asian region for decades. This was soon followed by President Xi Jinpings state visit to Moscow on 21 March which was a well-orchestrated show of solidarity between the two countries and a clear signal to the West that Russias isolation through western sanctions would be largely nullified by Chinas no hold barred support to Russia. Both leaders signed multiple agreements bringing their ties into a new era of cooperation, as they called for responsible dialogue to resolve the Ukraine crisis. This visit further cemented the no limits partnership with no forbidden areas of cooperation signed between the two countries in February 2022 when President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing, weeks before Russia launched operations against Ukraine. These developments have been closely watched in India and some concern whether Russias dependence on China could come at a cost of Russias close ties with India. This is especially important in the context of Indo-China ties, virtually frozen ever since the Galwan Valley clash in May 2020 and continued disagreements on completing the military disengagement from contested areas in Eastern Ladakh, India. With China supposedly pulling the strings, could it force or influence Russia to go slow in its ties with India? An objective analysis of recent engagements between Russia and India could provide better insights into this question rather than merely a subjective assessment. Current Thread of Indo-Russia Ties Indias ties with Russia are time-tested and are based on deep trust. Russia has always stood with India in the most difficult times in its independent history of 75 years. It has and remains the largest arms exporter and collaborator for India, not only for routine conventional weapons systems but strategic military platforms like the Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (refurbished Russian carrier), S-400 Air Defence system, nuclear-powered submarines, joint collaboration on fifth generation fighter aircraft etc. The list is long and exhaustive. Most of the nuclear plants in India owe their origins to Russia too. In recent months too, events and engagements between Russia and India only reaffirm the close and friendly ties. When the Indian NSA was in Moscow for the 5th multilateral meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils/NSA on Afghanistan in February this year, he was granted audience with President Putin, not something normal for visiting NSAs in Russia. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in Delhi twice in a month, first for the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting on 1-2 March and then on a standalone visit on 31 March when, apart from meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, he was granted a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, the only foreign minister in recent times who was given this privilege. Lavrov briefed Prime Minister Modi on the situation in Ukraine and praised Indias foreign policy outlook, adding that India could play an important role in the resolution of the Ukraine war, a significant statement in light of the Chinese presidents visit to Moscow earlier in the month. Some other facts too may deserve highlighting here. There has been some noise about the delayed delivery of S-400 Air Defence systems from Russia. However, it is not unusual for such delays, especially for a country at war. Russia has already made the initial deliveries and balance is already in the pipeline. Indias support to Russia especially at various votes at the UN on the Ukraine war has been acknowledged and appreciated in Russia. In February this year, both countries established Rupee-Ruble trade too, to help bypass the Western sanctions. Banks of both countries are opening Vostro accounts to facilitate it. In midst of Western sanctions and offer of cheap crude oil, India has steadily stepped up the purchase of crude oil from Russia, leading to Russia emerging as the top oil exporter to India bagging almost 23 per cent of Indian oil imports by end of 2022, pipping Iraq which was earlier the top oil exporter to India. On 27 March, India and Russia reached a deal wherein the Russian national carrier Aeroflot was permitted to operate 64 weekly flights, up from 54 flights earlier, a major boost to the beleaguered Russian airline, hit by Western sanctions. In mid of all these developments, Russia unveiled its new foreign policy on 31 March. It reaffirms its privileged strategic partnership with India, stating that it will place special emphasis on increasing bilateral trade, strengthening investment and technological ties. India and Russia already enjoy a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership which includes an annual summit meeting of the Indian prime minister and Russian president, a format that India has with very few select countries. Both countries also engage in the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) as well as 2+2 dialogue, both strategic and high-level engagements. Space cooperation is yet another time-tested engagement and both are currently collaborating closely for Indias first human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan. Conclusion The above list of engagements is not exhaustive but only indicative of intensely close engagement between Russia and India. Russia also realises the weight India brings to any global platform and the significance of any endorsement by India. On the other hand, China with all its economic might and no holds barred support to Russia remains a global pariah owing to its hawkish stance on Taiwan, military threats in the Indo-Pacific, continuing stand-off with the US and not to forget, strong (almost confirmed) allegations on the origin of COVID-19 virus from Wuhan in China. When weighed against each other, Russia cannot afford to lose Indias support against what China has to offer. For Russia, ties with India and China are not a zero-sum game. It requires China to help out in the ongoing Ukraine conflict as also to put up a strong alternative global front against the US-led Western alliance. India, however, will remain Russias long-term friend and support, especially when it has to seek a responsible and trustworthy voice on a global platform for help or support. India, which itself professes strategic autonomy and independent actions in pursuit of its national interests, understands why Russia needs to court China in the present times in pursuit of its national interests. India should, however, remain vigilant and monitor developments closely. India-Russia ties are too deep-rooted and exclusive, to be threatened by China, and India therefore should have no major reason to worry about the current Russia-China intensifying engagement. The author is Assistant Director, MP-IDSA. 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. The date 25 October 1971 would be remembered as one of the defining moments in world history. An event that took place on this day seemed very inconsequential to the world at that time. Not many would have realised that it was a cataclysmic event that would reshape the world in the days to come. China was in hibernation ever since the Communist Party established its dictatorship in 1949 and forced the Chiang-Kai-Shek government to move to Taiwan as the Republic of China. The latter was considered to be representing the real Chinese people and hence was having a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. However, with resolution number 2758, the world order changed overnight. The Republic of China(ROC) was expelled from the United Nations and the Peoples Republic of China i.e., the Communist China replaced it. When the vote took place 76 countries voted in favour of this resolution which unfortunately included India also. Thirty-five countries had opposed it and 17 abstained from this vote. UN Resolution 2758 First, let us have a look at the official text of the UN resolution 2758 passed by the UN General Assembly (UNGA): Recalling the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Considering the restoration of the lawful rights of the Peoples Republic of China is essential both for the protection of the Charter of the United Nations and for the cause that the United Nations must serve under the Charter. Recognizing that the representatives of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations and that the Peoples Republic of China is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Decides to restore all its rights to the Peoples Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it. The earlier draft of the UN Resolution 2758 was titled A/L. 630 and it was moved by Albania. The other countries who co-proposed the introduction of this resolution were Albania, Algeria, Burma, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka], Congo (Peoples Republic), Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Iraq, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, Pakistan, Romania, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen, Yemen (Peoples Democratic Republic), Yugoslavia, Zambia. Geopolitics behind UN Resolution 2758 The resolution that gave Communist China legitimacy even after millions were killed by a dictatorial regime during the Cultural revolution in 1960s there was an outcome of complex geopolitical dynamics as well as myopic view of several Western and Third World countries who supported Communist China to replace the ROC or what is known in common parleys Taiwan. The great game for China seat at the UN played out against a mosaic of competing geopolitical forces. From 1949 to 1971, there was an intense cold war where the Communist bloc led by the Soviets, bound together by the Warsaw Pact, were pitted against the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Association (NATO). There were several disputes in the Asia-Pacific region which were actually proxy disputes between the two superpowers and leaders of the opposite camps USSR and the US. These geopolitical tensions played out in the United Nations also as the USSR became the first country not only to recognize PRC but also pushed for it to replace ROC in the UN. However, between 1949 and 1971, the US backed by some of its Western allies was able to block the entry of Communist China at the cost of ROC. There were resolutions and counter-resolutions from both cold war adversaries. China meanwhile was desperate to get into the UN. Until 1965, it tried to move several resolutions through its sympathetic countries but didnt succeed. But then its approach changed. Elaborating on this, Jessica Drun and Bonnie Glaser explained in a detailed report, The Distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to Limit Taiwans Access to the United Nations, There was a lull after 1965, during which time the PRC expressed disinterest in joining an organisation it viewed as a place for playing power politics between the United States and the Soviet Union and with overt US influence and manipulation. This view was in part spurred by Indonesias withdrawal from the UN in 1965, which prompted Beijing to issue a comprehensive list of demands and preconditions for its entrywhich largely went unheeded. Soon after, with the onset of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, the PRCs attention turned inward. As the Cultural Revolution began to wind down, which allowed the CCP to regain greater control over state mechanisms, Beijing began a renewed push to join the UN. This was part of a broader, more flexible foreign policy that sought to further legitimize the PRC party-state within the international community and, following the earlier Sino-Soviet split, to counterbalance the Soviet Union. The PRCs new foreign policy strategy placed greater emphasis on fostering bilateral relations, including the aim of normalizing ties with former adversaries, on people-to-people relations, and on aid diplomacy, with particular emphasis on developing countries. Such overtures, especially those focused on the Global South, began to pay dividends. The wave of decolonisation following the Second World War, in which three dozen countries in Africa and Asia gained independence between 1945 and 1960, shifted the balance of power at the UN. One of the key factors which catapulted many non-communist bloc countries to support the Chinese bid to enter the UN was the Sino-Soviet Split. This resulted in many countries normalising their relationship with the PRC. This included several Western countries. The final tally of those who voted in support of the PRC to replace the ROC, gives one a fair idea of how the Communist Party of China (CCP) played a deft hand to fool the rest of the world. The countries that voted in favour of this resolution included several Western countries such as: Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Israel, Ireland, United Kingdom, Denmarka and Iceland. Both India and Pakistan had also voted in favour of this resolution. Now China, taking advantage of its position as a permanent member of the UNSC, has repeatedly blocked Indias attempts to apprehend Pakistan-based terrorists. It has also misused its position to protect and nurture Islamic terrorism in Pakistan which is specifically targeted at India. Several other countries have also suffered at the hands of China as it has been leveraging its permanent seat in the UNSC to bully all those who are opposed to the Chinese hegemony. But the biggest sufferer has been Taiwan or what you call the Republic of China. We will talk about Taiwans woes and its geopolitical significance in the next part of this series. (Continues) The writer, an author and columnist, has written several books. 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. In February this year, Indian income tax authorities carried out a brief survey at the offices of the BBC in New Delhi. Following this, the BBC released a lengthy video on their Hindi platform, with the claim that they are an independent media organization funded by the British public. A number of foreign governments took note of the Indian income tax survey. The foreign press, always ready to jump on Indias throat, acted on cue. Civil society groups cried that democracy is in danger in India. Or in other words, the usual stuff. For many Indians and a number of people around the world, the BBC carries an automatic air of respectability. We all know that they are linked to the British state. But we have all been assured that the BBC is somehow independent, factual and most of all, impartial. Not surprising. After all, in disputes around the world, from the Indian subcontinent to the Middle East and Africa, the ability of the British to act impartially has never been in doubt. But then Elon Musk came along. And Twitter decided to label the BBCs official handle as government funded media. The BBC objected, saying that they are funded not by the government, but by the British public through a license fee. We have heard that before, but what exactly does it mean? How does the BBC raise money from the public without being government funded? You mean from voluntary donations and such? Does not seem likely. What if I told you that the BBC has its own private army of enforcers with the power to raid any household in the UK? And that the BBC prosecutes over 100,000 people each year, most of them poor, many of them immigrants, some who may not even understand English well. In other words, the least powerful in society. In fact, the BBCs private army now has a special unit to raid the homes of those who are over 75 years old. Such is the dark underbelly of sophisticated global liberalism. How is the BBC actually funded? The BBC has something called a royal charter. That is just a fancy way of saying that the BBC has the legal power to collect a license fee from every household in the UK. Well, almost. From everyone who owns a TV, or a laptop, a phone or a tablet that is. And it is not cheap. Currently, it is set at 159 (nearly $200) a year. What is wrong with the BBC charging subscribers for its services, you may ask. Except subscribers is just an Orwellian term. Those people dont have a choice. Even if you do not watch the BBC, you must pay. And this applies to all platforms, not just TV. Even if you are just watching your favourite YouTuber live on your phone, for some reason, you owe money to the BBC. Two hundred dollars a year. This sounds so absurd that it may take a while to believe it. Indeed, where am I getting all this information? From the website of the BBC! Imagine if you were charged a car license fee even if you dont own, need or want a car. Or had to pay a license fee to McDonalds to eat at KFC. Oh, so the BBC is like the government after all. We all have to pay for government services we may never use directly. Even if you travel in your own car, you still pay for the government to run public buses. Its called taxes. So what is the problem? But remember that the BBC rejects the tag of government funded media. Governments collect taxes. The BBC collects only fees. According to the BBC, they are not the government, but a corporation. That is what the C in BBC stands for. A very special kind of corporation, with the legal power to throw people in jail for refusing to buy its product. The BBCs ruthless fee collection model Understandably, the reporting on this is thin, because big media do not like to embarrass each other. A 2014 article in The Guardian describes what happens in the courtroom to the poor souls who are herded together to be prosecuted by the BBC: Between 1 December 2013 and 31 December 2013 you used a colour television receiver without a licence at this address. Do you plead guilty or not guilty? The victim is a young woman, who apologizes to the court, hoping for leniency. It doesnt work. She is found guilty, ordered to pay court costs, a fine as well as some kind of surcharge. There is no way she can pay upfront. The court allows her to go on a payment plan of 5 per week. The Guardian article mentions another defendant who has health issues and who says: I rang the BBC and asked them to hang on and I will pay, but they wanted it here and now It wasnt because I didnt want to pay, it was because I couldnt pay . Im already paying these extra things I cant afford. What do they want us to do, kill ourselves? He is found guilty and put on a payment plan as well. He can afford to pay only 2.50 a week. Remember that the next time you hear of high-profile BBC reporters and their slick production teams who travel the world looking for human interest stories. Remember it for the next time the BBC says they have come to India to speak truth to power. It is all being funded by taking money from the desperately poor guy who can barely afford 2.50 a week! Independent media? Perhaps. But at whose cost? The Guardian article mentions another unfortunate soul who thought he could get out of paying the fee by handing over his TV to the government. Another victim, evidently a foreigner, asked for a Turkish language interpreter. I wonder if the BBC in the UK even has any programmes in Turkish. Must pay the license fee though. For the sake of press freedom. These are not isolated incidents. It happens to lakhs of people every year. The BBCs own website mentions 1,14,531 convictions in 2019 alone. Some 50 people even go to jail every year for this. Who says there is no debtors prison in the UK? Or should we call these people political prisoners held by the BBC? If you think it cant get worse, it does. On its website, the TV licensing authority in the UK says they have a database of every household in the country. They have their team of enforcers and detection vans, who can visit any house any time to check for a license. Remember that this is not even the government, but a corporation. The violations of privacy and civil liberties are simply off the charts. And the BBC does keep it classy. Which is why they just hired an extra unit in their private army specifically to go after those who are over 75 years old but failed to pay the license fee during the pandemic. But if that is what it takes for the global liberal elite to have their independent media, they think it is worth every frail old grandmother they can throw into jail. The Nazi roots of the BBC What else could the BBC cover-up in plain sight? For instance, the fact that Lord John Reith, founder of the BBC and its first director general, was a Nazi sympathizer who praised the way Hitler had cleaned up dissent against him. Yes, he said cleaned up. Exact words. Hitler continues in his magnificent efficiency, Reith wrote even as German troops occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939. The BBC website has a separate page on its founder but makes no mention of his Nazi sympathies of course. They also have a bust and a portrait of him at their offices in London, which they refuse to get rid of. Instead, the BBC runs a highly prestigious annual lecture series in honour of John Reith. Because the job of the BBC is to promote Britains brand, not to hurt it. Even if they have Nazi skeletons in their own closet. To be fair, Nazi sympathies were actually fairly common among British elites of the time. This is partly because much of the British nobility, including the royal family itself, is of German descent. And the BBC is in charge, whether officially or unofficially, of hiding embarrassing facts. So when old video emerged in 2015 of Edward VIII teaching a young Elizabeth the Nazi salute, the BBC wrote a long article providing context (read excuses). Edward VIII became king, later abdicated, but remained a supporter of Nazism throughout. Incidentally, the real name of the British royal family is the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, named after counties in Bavaria in Germany, and descended from the House of Hanover. It was changed to the now familiar House of Windsor by royal decree in 1917, at the peak of anti-German sentiment during the First World War. In a media appearance last year, veteran journalist Karan Thapar made fun of the BJPs way of changing historical names that it does not like. He pointed out that the British had the maturity not to rename Hanover Square in London, despite two wars with Germany. Well, Karan, there is your answer. They did not change the name because Britain is still ruled by the House of Hanover. You wouldnt know if you only watched the BBC. How does the BBC keep getting away with everything? For that, we must ask a better question. Who would gain from calling out the BBC on its extortion of the poorest and weakest in society? Usually, such calling out is the job of the media, civil society groups, intellectuals, activists, NGOs and so on. What do these people want? They want fame, prestige, awards and junkets. The BBC can already help them advance their careers. Why would they go against it? Even if they are not directly connected to the BBC, the BBC brand makes all the difference. Due to its privileged position, the BBC can decide which narrative is cool. And so, everyone wants to be like them. Other news organisations copy the narrative of the BBC. Many people in these organizations would aspire to work for the BBC one day, or align themselves with it. Working for the BBC would open doors in important places. On the other hand, BBC alumni would find it easier to enter high positions in existing media organisations or even start new ones of their own. Hence, what appears like a free market is not so free after all. The incentives for going against the BBC simply arent there. The other reason is that the BBC is a highly prized weapon of information warfare. Think about it. Using the BBC, the British are able to exert influence over the elites inside every country, well within their borders. It gives them enormous power over world affairs. This would be practically impossible by conventional military means, and too far beyond the resources of a small nation such as the UK. And therefore it is in the supreme national interest of the UK (and more broadly, the West) to make sure that the sun never sets on Britains information empire. Even if it means breaking the backs of over 1 lakh of the poorest and most vulnerable residents of the UK each year. The empire always works for the elites. The writer is an author and columnist. He tweets @AbhishBanerj Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ukrainians are at the heart of Russian history. They are the famed Cossacks and the noblest of Eastern Slavic families. Ukrainians were also top rulers of the Soviet Republic. Nikita Khrushchev was born in Kalinovka, a village in what is now Russias Kursk Oblast, near the present Ukrainian border but was raised in Eastern Ukraine. In time, Khrushchev became the head of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. After Joseph Stalins death, he led the Soviet Union between 1953 and 1964. While Khrushchev was ethnically Russian, but he was Ukrainian in many ways. In 1954, the Crimean Region of the RSFSR was given to the Ukrainian SSR, in gross violation of legal norms that were in force at the time, Putin said of Khrushchevs act, which the latter described as a symbolic gesture. Leonid Brezhnev hailed from Kamianske, a city in Central Ukraine on the Dnieper River. He ruled the Soviet Union between 1964 and 1982, the second longest-reigning Communist leader of the state after Stalin who incidentally was born in Georgia. Konstantin Chernenko was another Ukrainian, who also reached the upper echelons of Soviet power. Though born in Siberia, he was Ukrainian by descent. He led the state for a brief period from 1984 to 1985. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, was half-Ukrainian. His maternal family had Ukrainian descent and migrated from Chernihiv, a city in Northern Ukraine, he succeeded Chernenko as the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party. Gorbachev established the office of the President of the Soviet Union in 1990. He was the first and the last President of the Soviet Union, overseeing its dissolution. He ruled the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. From Stalins death in 1953 to the disintegration of the USSR in 1991, the Soviet Union was led by Ukrainians for 31 of those 38 years. Clearly, Ukraine punched above its weight when it came to political influence within the Soviet Union. To understand the war in Ukraine, a necessary starting point is to look at the centuries-old relationship between Ukraine and Russia. Its in Kyiv where one of the holiest places stands: the great Medieval-era Saint Sophia Cathedral, currently a museum, was built under the reign of the most revered rulers of Kievan Rus, Vladimir the Great, originally a follower of Slavic paganism, Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988 and Christianized Kievan Rus. This along with other landmark shrines in Kyiv, is religiously significant to both Ukrainian Orthodox and Russian Orthodox. It was in Kyiv in this period that Christianity was brought from Byzantium to the Slavic people. The birth of Kievan Rus central to Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian history came in tandem with other great kingdoms moulded into shape by Vikings, also known as Normans or Norsemen in Europe. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Norman warriors became some of Europes most able and trusted fighters and rulers; in the short span of a century, they founded flourishing kingdoms in France, England, Southern Italy and also in Kyiv. They cherished the idea of reconstituting the peace and prosperity enjoyed under the Roman Empire. Norsemen solidified their footing in the 9th century, travelling on large wooden river boats, conquering as they went farther South. On the banks of the Dnipro River, they founded what is now Kyiv, the jewel of early East Slavic history. The modern nations of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine all claim Kievan Rus as their lineage with Belarus and Russia deriving their names from it. The State eventually disintegrated into rival regional powers and was ultimately destroyed by the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. The area was then contested, divided, and ruled by a variety of external powers for the next 600 years, including the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, the Austrian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Tsardom of Russia. The Cossack Hetmanate emerged in central Ukraine in the 17th century but was partitioned between Russia and Poland, and ultimately absorbed by the Russian Empire. From the steppes of Ukraine, the Cossacks helped turn Moscow into a great European power. Their grit and fighting spirit were legendary and the fighting spirit being demonstrated by the Ukrainians can possibly be traced back to their Cossack past. The Cossacks were tough people who had mastered the art of horseback fighting. Theirs was a multi-ethnic, semi-nomadic, anarchic and democratic society that emerged in the late Medieval period; in a loose semi-democratic military federation, they ran affairs on the Ukrainian plains for centuries. They were early followers of the East Slavic Christian Orthodox faith and withstood assaults from both the Russian and Turkish empires, each vying for control of the Black Sea. Today the Black Sea is back in focus as one of the principal reasons for the Russian invasion of Ukraine is control of the Black Sea. Russias Black Sea fleet remains harboured in Sevastopol in Crimea. Russias expansion on the Black Sea was beneficial to the Russians as they developed Ukraines warm-water ports, and gained access to the booming world trade in the Mediterranean Sea. The lands surrounding the Black Sea have for centuries been a crossroads of Empires, voyagers, diseases, wars and revolutions. It was on the Eastern shores of the Black Sea in present-day Turkey that Marco Polo launched his great overland voyage to Cathay. The Bubonic plague also known as Black Death arrived in Europe via Crimea. Over the course of Moscows imperial expansion, the Cossacks entered into alliances with the Tsars of Moscow and provided crucial military strength: They fought on the side of the Kremlin in the Great Northern War, the Seven Years War, the Crimean War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Caucasus War and in the many Russo-Persian Wars and Russo-Turkish Wars becoming the backbone of the Russian Empire. In Kyiv, a granite stele commemorates the Pereyaslav Council of 1654, at which the Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky and other leaders of the autonomous Cossack Hetmanate pledged allegiance to Russia in exchange for protection against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth leading to the eventual Russification of the region that is now Ukraine In the late 1700s, they fought for Russian Empress Catherine II and it was largely to their military prowess that Moscow was able to push back the Ottomans from Crimea and Ukraine. Catherine the Great was indebted to the Cossacks and bestowed them with favours, wealth and noble titles and they played a major role in turning large but land-locked Russia into a European power. But in Ukraine, Catherines legacy is mixed and a source of deep division. Catherine sent the Russian General Peter Tekeli to disband the Zaporozhian Sich, a semi-autonomous and republican-style government in Southern Ukraine run by Cossack Chiefs. Russian forces surrounded the Sich in May 1775, forced its surrender and razed what buildings they had to the ground. With the sacking of the Sich, Catherine renamed Southern and Eastern Ukraine Novorossiya, or New Russia. After the 1783 Russian annexation of Crimea from the Ottoman Empire and liquidation of the Cossack Zaporozhian Sich, Grigory Potemkin a nobleman became governor of the region. Crimea had been devastated by the war, and the Muslim Tatar inhabitants of Crimea were viewed as a potential fifth column of the Ottoman Empire. Potemkins major tasks were to pacify and rebuild by bringing in Russian settlers. In 1787, as a new war was about to break out between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Catherine II, with her court and several ambassadors, made an unprecedented six-month trip to New Russia. Famously, Grigory Potemkin, brought the Queen by river boat to see her new possessions, an episode best remembered as Catherines Potemkin village trip. The destruction of the Sich led to Ukrainian resentment against the Tsars and in time an important narrative about why Ukraine needed to become independent again from Russia. During the spread of Ukrainian nationalism in the 19th century, references to the sacking of the Sich were a rallying call. Going back in history, the word Ukraine first appeared in 1187 AD, upon the death of Volodymyr Hlibovych, a great ruler of the Principality of Pereyaslavl in the South Eastern extreme of the Kievan Rus dynasty. During the Russian Revolution, an independent Ukrainian Republic briefly survived before it was crushed by the Bolsheviks. To allay the seething anger raging across so many regions of the now-decapitated Russian Empire, the Bolsheviks created new Soviet republics roughly corresponding to regional, ethnic and geographic boundaries. Thus, the borders of Ukraine were formalized. Ukraine, then, became a semi-state within the Soviet universe in 1922. During World War II, Hitler invaded Ukraine and millions were killed in his bid to possess the Black Sea, Ukraines fertile wheat fields and the untold riches farther East. In fact, in Babyn Yar, a ravine in Kyiv, more than 33,000 Jews were killed within 48 hours in 1941 when the city was under Nazi occupation in one of the largest mass killings at a single location during World War II. Napoleon Bonaparte had made a similar attempt more than 200 years before, though he invaded Russia with an eye to joining forces with Ukraines anti-Tsarist population, still fuming over the destruction of the Sich. The Soviet years saw Ukraine transformed from a once wild and unspoiled steppe into an industrial heartland. Under Stalins Soviet rule, Ukraine became the industrial engine as well as an environmental wasteland with the Chernobyl nuclear disaster topping them all. Ukraine was a powerhouse among the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: Many of the Soviets biggest dams, highways, government complexes, factories, mines, oil refineries, chemical plants, ships and space rocket facilities came up in Ukraine. However, this was also marked by one of Ukraines worst tragedies, the Holomodor or death by hunger. In the drive to quickly industrialise and modernise, Stalin oversaw mass starvation across the Soviet Union. The famine of the early 1930s hit Ukraine particularly hard. To most it remains a consequence of human made factors which included the collectivisation of agriculture. Anne Applebaum, in her book Red Famine: Stalins War on Ukraine, states Its a piece of history, and its remembered by Ukrainians as an attempt to eradicate them. In the annals of time, there is no doubt that the people of Ukraine have suffered. Victims of war, deprivation, lost history. Ukraine, has been a victim of countless invasions from all sides, the North, the South, the West and the East: Mongols, Swedes, Lithuanians, Poles, French and Germans have all invaded this land. In 1991 they obtained their independence as a Republic with the dissolution of the USSR. Yet, since gaining independence, the past 30 years have seen the country continue to suffer with the decline of 10 million people, a flat economic curve and endemic corruption. In understanding this war, it seems wise therefore to reflect on its history. History which is now repeating itself as has happened so many times before, Ukrainians are born in a land crossed by empires. The struggle over control of Mackinders Heartland and Russias need to reclaim control over Ukraine, is now resulting in Europes worst war since World War II, where the conflict is raging without an end in sight. Yet, for as much as theyve been at the centre of Russian history, Ukrainians resent that history. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. 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. Stockholm: Swedish vodka maker Absolut has resumed deliveries to Russia under the ownership of Pernod Ricard of France, a spokesperson of the company has confirmed to local newspapers. According to reports that cited, Paula Eriksson, a spokeswoman for Absolut as its source, the owner Pernod Ricard acted with the interests of its employees in Ukraine and Russia in mind after the start of the Russian special military operation, as a result of which the supply was stopped. She said Under the sanctions that are currently in place, the company is supplying products in an amount that can support local employees and give local entities economic sustainability. Following the start of the operation, some international producers of alcoholic beverages, notably Pernod Ricard, Diageo, and Bacardi, said they would no longer be selling their products in Russia. After the sales were halted, Absolut was in stock, but now the shelves are bare, according to the publication. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kabul: As the Taliban administration plans to increase forces by a third and develop anti-aircraft missile capability, the military leader told Reuters in a rare encounter with international media that the military has received the largest portion of funding in Afghanistans budget. The Afghan Taliban, who seized political power in Afghanistan when they captured Kabul in August 2021, face harsh international criticism for their policies, including limitations on womens access to employment and school, which has slowed their efforts to get diplomatic recognition. Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the chief of army staff and a Taliban commander from the Badakhshan province in the north, spoke out against foreign drones entering Afghan airspace on Tuesday. Speaking from his office in the heavily protected defence ministry in Kabul, the capital, the defence troops, which currently number 150,000, are intended to be augmented by 50,000, he added, but he did not provide the actual amount of funds. The ministry of defence is the top-ranked in the budget, he said. Fitrat added that it received a significantly higher sum than other ministries, as it was a priority in the budget, which is largely funded by boosted tax and customs revenue. Since taking power, the Taliban have invested one and a half years in creating a civilian government and a national military from a rebel group that fought a 20-year conflict against foreign forces and the former Afghan government that was supported by the United States (US). The government, which is dealing with economic difficulties as a result of sanctions on the banking industry and the suspension of all development aid, has not been formally recognised by any foreign country. Fitrat said a major defence focus was securing Afghan airspace against drones and other incursions. Anti-aircraft missiles are the need of countries, he said, adding that all nations sought developed weapons to ensure the integrity of their territory and airspace, a problem Afghanistan also faced. There is no doubt that Afghanistan is trying, and doing its best, to have it, he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. Fitrat declined to go into further detail about the sources that the government was looking to buy its anti-aircraft missiles from. He also refrained from identifying Pakistan, whose neighbour the Taliban government has frequently objected and charged with allowing drones to infiltrate Afghanistan. We are doing our best to find a solution for protection of our airspace. We will work on it by using all our capability, Fitrat added. From where we will obtain it is confidential, but we should have it. An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by Pakistans foreign ministry. Officials from Pakistan have not verified whether drones approach Afghanistan from their skies. We have always tried, and will try, to solve the issue using diplomatic ways, and we have done our best to be patient regarding these cases, Fitrat said, but sounded a note of caution. Neighbouring countries should not let our patience be exhausted. Relations between the neighbours have occasionally been difficult because Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of allowing militant groups to exploit Afghan territory as a safe haven. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which has increased attacks in Pakistan recently, is one of them. Yet, the Taliban government denies permitting attacks on other people to take place on its soil. Both countries armed forces have engaged in border confrontations, and many believe Pakistans air force would give them a significant advantage if the conflict escalated. Fitrat claimed that Taliban militants were being paid and treated similarly to former security personnel, who make up a large portion of Afghanistans military. The remarks come after international rights organisations and the UN expressed alarm that some former Afghan security force members had been assassinated or attacked. The Taliban have announced a wide amnesty for former militants and promised to look into any wrongdoing, but they have not specified what legal action will be taken in the case of any extrajudicial targeting. (With agency inputs) Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. British crime writer Anne Perry who helped bludgeon her friends mother to death as a teenager and was the inspiration for Peter Jacksons Heavenly Creatures has died in Los Angeles, her publisher said on Wednesday. She was 84. Anne Perry, a prolific author whose period thrillers have sold over 25 million copies worldwide, was 15 years old when she and her friend Pauline Parker murdered Paulines mother in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1954. Honora Mary Parker died after being hit with a brick around 20 times, in a killing that shocked and captivated the country. A trial heard that the two girls had plotted the murder in a bid to avoid being separated when Perrys parents were planning to send her abroad. Perrys biographer Joanne Drayton said the trial sparked a salacious interest. The matricide, the betrayal of a daughter by a mother, the lesbianism - homophobia was rife and undoubtedly in the mix, it was looked at with horror and a degree of repugnance, news website Stuff quoted her as saying. Perry would later deny the pair were romantically involved, telling Britains Times newspaper they were not lesbians, but acknowledged their relationship had been obsessive. As teenagers, they were too young for the death penalty, and were jailed instead. Perry left New Zealand after her release from prison five years later and worked for a while as a flight attendant. She also became a Mormon, before settling in a small Scottish village. She began writing under the name she had adopted after release from prison (she had been born Juliet Hulme), with her first novel published in 1979. A prolific career followed, in which she published scores of titles, including a Victorian detective series whose main character was called Thomas Pitt, and one featuring an amnesiac private investigator called William Monk. Kate Winslet played Perry in Heavenly Creatures The story of the 40-year-old murder was dramatized by New Zealand director Peter Jackson in the 1994 Academy Award-nominated Heavenly Creatures with a young Kate Winslet playing Perry. Perry had reportedly been living in Los Angeles in recent years to promote film adaptations of her many works. The authors French publisher, 10/18, told AFP that Perry had died in LA on April 10. A statement said Perry would be remembered for her memorable characters, historical accuracy, the quality of her detective stories, and also for her exploration of social issues. 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. New Delhi: A prisoner exchange involving hundreds of detainees from Yemens brutal civil war will start on Thursday, a Yemeni government official said, against a backdrop of rising hopes for peace. Nearly 900 prisoners, most of whom were fighting with Huthi rebels, will be flown between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which leads the military coalition fighting on behalf of the ousted government, the official said on Tuesday. The Arabian Peninsulas poorest country has been at war since the Saudi-led intervention began in March 2015, months after the Iran-backed Huthis seized the capital Sanaa. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, through direct and indirect causes, and Yemen is suffering one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations. The prisoner exchange, the biggest since October 2020, will last three days and involve multiple cities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, said Majid Fadael, the official spokesman for the government delegation negotiating the exchange. The Huthis will release 181 prisoners, including Saudis and Sudanese, in exchange for 706 detainees held by government forces, according to an agreement reached last month in Switzerland. All arrangements have been completed to implement the agreed-upon exchange process, Fadael tweeted. The first day of the exchange process will be through reciprocal flights of the Red Cross between Aden-Sanaa and Sanaa-Aden, he added. Jessica Moussan, public affairs and media relations advisor at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said our teams are on the ground working to facilitate the safe transfer and repatriation of detainees. We are hoping that the upcoming detainee release operation in Yemen will take place in the next few days. However, considering the complexity of such operation, we are not in a position to confirm any specific dates as the situation continues to evolve, she told AFP. The exchange agreement was struck days after the landmark announcement that heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Iran, long at odds in the turbulent Gulf region, would seek to restore diplomatic ties after a hiatus of seven years. Political solution Yemens six-month, UN-brokered truce that officially lapsed in October is still largely holding, providing respite for a population of 30 million that is mostly dependent on aid. This week, a Saudi delegation has held discussions with the Huthi leadership in Sanaa, hoping to stabilise the truce and seeking inter-Yemeni dialogue towards a comprehensive political solution, according to the Saudi ambassador. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and welcomed Saudi Arabias extraordinary efforts to pursue a more comprehensive roadmap for ending the war and offered full US support for those efforts, the White House said in a statement. Analysts say oil-rich Saudi Arabia wants to exit the war in neighbouring Yemen to focus on domestic projects aimed at diversifying its crude-dependent economy. After Thursdays flights between rebel-held Sanaa and Aden, on Friday and Saturday prisoners will be flown in and out of Riyadh and Abha in Saudi Arabia and Yemens Sanaa, Mocha and Marib, Fadael said. This exchange process will be followed by other exchanges in the near future until all detainees and abductees are released on the basis of all for all, and all detention centres and prisons are cleared, he tweeted. According to the Huthis, 13 prisoners arrived at Sanaa international airport on Saturday, in exchange for a Saudi prisoner who was released earlier. More than 1,050 prisoners were released in the last major exchange in October 2020, according to the ICRC. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Huthis political council, told AFP that the talks with the Saudi delegation now revolve around lifting the (transport) blockade completely, withdrawing all foreign forces in Yemen, and releasing all prisoners. What we care about now is the issue of achieving comprehensive peace, he said in an interview. But in a tweet, he also warned of the return of war in a more fierce manner if negotiations fail. Saudi aircraft will bomb Yemen again, and the Yemeni air and missile forces will resume bombing Saudi Arabia, Bukhaiti tweeted. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Skopje (North Macedonia): US special envoy James P Rubin on Wednesday claimed that countries in the western Balkan region have been pretty seriously poisoned by Russias influence campaigns amid a rise in global disinformation. Rubin, who heads the US State Departments Global Engagement Centre, travelled to North Macedonia on a tour that also includes stops in Montenegro and Albania. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment of Rubin, a 63-year-old veteran diplomat, last December, worried that disinformation campaigns engineered by Russia had intensified due to the war in Ukraine and Western support for Kyiv. The main source of the threat in this part of the world is Russian-generated disinformation, often repeated and acting as a hub through Serbian media platforms and then repeated and promulgated here in the Western Balkans, Rubin told journalists in the capital, Skopje. I would say that (this region) is pretty seriously poisoned by primarily Russian disinformation. Russian President Vladimir Putin thought that he could take over the Ukrainian government and divide Europe. He failed in all of these aspects, Rubin said. But that doesnt mean Russia isnt continuing to try to spread the poison of disinformation and division designed to divide people from each other, divide countries from each other, to divide communities from each other, to bring discord. Rubin said he was working in coordination with many European governments and the European Union, and said the West is just beginning to come to grips with fighting back against the new threat. A US federal government body, the GEC says it helps allied governments identify disinformation campaigns targeting their countries, providing assistance with analytics and research, and technology support. A statement from the US Embassy in North Macedonia said Rubin also discussed efforts by China and other malign actors who deploy disinformation to undermine democracy and national security around the globe. On his final stop in Tirana, Albania, Rubin will join meetings with US ambassadors from across the Western Balkans. Washington: A day after designating Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovichs arrest in Russia as wrongful detention, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday pointed out that the arrest and denial of consular access has given out very obvious signals that people across the world should be cautious and beware of even setting foot in Russia. US consular officials have not been granted access to the journalist since his detention on March 29, in breach of its obligations under a consular convention Moscow signed with Washington earlier. Gershkovich has been charged with espionage and it has also been alleged that he violated the laws of the Russian Federation. Blinken added that Russias recent actions regarding the WSJ journalist would do even more damage to Russias already low standing around the world. Globally, Russia has for some time now been isolated by the Western world and slapped with stringent sanctions for its aggressive invasion of neighbouring Ukraine a year earlier. In its turn, the Kremlin a day earlier said that Gershkovich had been caught red-handed, after the United States officially designated the journalist as having been wrongfully detained by Russia. When quizzed about the case at a news conference, Blinken said, I think it sends a very strong message to people around the world to beware of even setting foot there lest they be arbitrarily detained. Russias embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to the US Secretary of States remarks. Russias FSB security service said on March 30 it had arrested Gershkovich, accusing him of gathering information about a Russian defence company that was a state secret. Russia has presented no evidence to support the case against Gershkovich, which is proceeding in secret because Russia says the case materials are confidential. The Biden administration recently transferred the case from the State Department to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs thus sharply raising the issues political profile. 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: Days after Beijing launched the military drills in response to a visit last week by Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen to the US, Chinas President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on the countrys armed forces to strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat. Xi made these comments during a naval inspection trip on Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Xi told the PLAs Southern Theatre Command Navy that the military must resolutely defend Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability, CCTV reported. Tensions are high in the region after the show of force by Beijing, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as its territory. Refering to Chinas military exercises and rhetoric, Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Tuesday had warned that they (Beijing) seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan. Look at the military exercises, and also their rhetoric, they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan, said Wu in an interview to CNN. The Taiwanese government looks at the Chinese military threat as something that cannot be accepted and we condemn it, he added. Wu voiced confidence in Taiwans preparedness when asked if Taiwan had any idea of the timing of any potential Chinese military attack, given US intelligence assessments that Xi has ordered his military to be ready by 2027. Chinese leaders will think twice before they decide to use force against Taiwan. And no matter whether it is 2025 or 2027 or even beyond, Taiwan simply needs to get ready, he 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. Beijing: In a move that could disrupt flights around the north of Taiwan, China is planning to close the airspace in the region from April 16 to 18, four sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. China and Taiwans foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ban would disrupt Taiwans northern flight information region (FIR) and that they were not aware of the reason for the restrictions, four officials outside China told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. It comes as China rounds off several days of military training around self-ruled Taiwan, a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens recent meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California which infuriated Beijing. One senior official with direct knowledge of the matter said the flight ban would affect 60 percent-70 per cent of flights going between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as flights between Taiwan and South Korea, Japan and North America. According to OPSGROUP, an aviation industry cooperative which advices on flight risks, previous restrictions imposed during Chinese military drills last August resulted in significant disruptions to flights in the region, with some pilots forced to carry extra fuel. 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: Officials in Inner Mongolia, a region in northern China, have ordered all schools to switch to Mandarin-medium teaching and eliminate Mongolian language classes by September, reported Radio Free Asia (RFA). The action is a continuation of a policy that in August 2020 caused significant unrest across the region when the regional education bureau ordered all schools to implement teaching in our national Mandarin language and to guarantee that high-school students are proficient in the language, even if they speak Mongolian at home. Regional officials stated at a meeting in late March that schools must build Chinese national consciousness and community, and deepen education in national unity, according to RFA. Some rights advocates have cautioned that national unity initiatives have prompted forced intermarriage between majority Han Chinese and Uyghurs and Tibetans, as well as other measures to obliterate ethnic identity and autonomy. The Southern Mongolia Human Rights and Information Center in New York uploaded an audio clip of school administrators at Hohhot No. 30 High School advising parents that they must firmly inculcate a common, Chinese national identity among the regions six million ethnic Mongolians, reported RFA. The official is heard saying, according to RFA, Under a directive from the central government, all Mongolian schools across the region will use Mandarin as the language of instruction starting Sept. 1 this year. Beginning in 2025, all ethnic Mongolian students will be forced to take college admission examinations in Chinese rather than Mongolian. The Chinese policy of total erasure of the Mongolian language in [Inner] Mongolia has been well planned and systematic, the Southern Mongolia Human Rights and Information Center said, as reported by RFA. 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. Beijing: A judge in the Chinese supreme court has been convicted and given 12 years in jail for accepting bribes amounting to 22.7 million yuan ($3.3 million) over a span of two decades. Former director of the Supreme Peoples Courts enforcement bureau and member of its trial committee, Judge Meng Xiang, was also told to pay a penalty of two million yuan after he admitted accepting bribes between 2003 and 2020, the intermediate peoples court in Zhengzhou city announced on Tuesday. The court said Meng had used his status and power to accept bribes in exchange for helping others with matters such as court rulings and law enforcement, securing construction contracts for firms and influencing cadre selection, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday. Meng, 58, was placed under investigation two years ago as part of a self-rectification campaign targeting judicial and land enforcement officials, the report said. He had worked in the countrys justice system for more than three decades, starting as a clerk in a local district court in Beijing. As Meng rose through the ranks he held various leadership positions in the judicial system, including the high peoples court in Beijing. Mengs case highlights the corruption in the higher echelons of Chinas judiciary. Zhou Qiang, a former chief justice, said during the annual meeting of the legislature last month that 61 officials from the supreme court which comprises hundreds of judges and administrative officials had been placed under investigation and punished over the past five years. Mengs role as a member of the supreme courts trial committee a group of high-ranking officials selected by the National Peoples Congress, the countrys legislature meant he was involved in discussions about complex and important cases, the report said. He was made director of the enforcement bureau in 2016 a role that meant he was responsible for helping to maintain the smooth operation of the justice system. The bureau enforces court orders, handles disputes involving the execution of judgments across different regions or provinces and reviews appeals relating to those judgments. The verdict said Meng had been given a lighter sentence because he had expressed remorse and confessed to bribery offences the authorities had not previously known about. All his illegal earnings will be confiscated, and any interest accrued will be handed over to the national treasury, the Post report 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. Brussels, Belgium: On Wednesday, defendants on trial for the 2016 Brussels attacks described their rage at the international coalitions aircraft bombardments of the Islamic State organisation. Nine defendants are now on trial over the suicide bomb attacks on 22 March 2016, claimed by the terrorist organisation that murdered 32 people at Brussels airport and the citys metro. Investigators think the IS cell responsible for the assaults has ties to the organisation responsible for the 130-death attacks in Paris in November 2015. Sofien Ayari, already sentenced to 30 years in jail over the Paris attacks, went to fight with IS in 2014 before being wounded and hospitalised in the Syrian city, Raqqa. What I experienced in Raqqa was not a war, it was something else, it was bombs falling on men, women, children, the 29-year-old Tunisian said. It was a tipping point for me. I had never felt such hatred, such incomprehension. I was mad with rage. He claimed Western leaders showed no consideration for human lives in IS territory. I have the impression that only one side is being condemned, he said. Ayari fled after the Paris attacks but was detained in the Belgian capital just before the Brussels bombings. When I see people suffering, of course, it doesnt make me happy, he said of the victims of the Brussels attacks. Today I am not at peace with everything. Co-defendant Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving member of the unit that carried out the Paris attacks, linked his actions to disastrous decisions taken by the heads of the anti-IS coalition. Like Ayari, Abdeslam was in custody on the day of the Brussels attacks and denies being involved. The pilots of the planes on Raqqa and Mosul will never find themselves in the dock to answer for their abominable acts, they have been rewarded, said the 33-year-old Frenchman, who did not go to Syria. He said, The wave of attacks in the West was not carried out to raise the black flags of IS on European territory, but in response to the bombings. Another suspect Bilal El Makhoukhi, a 34-year-old Belgian-Moroccan former IS fighter, said that in Syria he had spent the best moments of his life, even if it was hard. I felt more alive there than here. I felt I was serving a purpose, he said. The questioning of the defendants is set to run until late Thursday. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MBABANE The police have presented graphic details on how popular inyanga Malungisa Dlamini, who was known as Bayazonda Bathakathi was allegedly murdered by his wife and two others. These details include that the wife allegedly dressed her husbands corpse after murdering him. It is alleged that after having poisoned him, his wife and her co-accused drove with his body next to Eswatini Television, where they allegedly squeezed his private parts, assaulted him on the head, back, arm, ankle and further strangulated him. As per the police investigations, the trio then took the cadaver to the Coronation Park where they cleaned and dressed it in a gown before taking it to Mbabane Burial Benefit Society. The wife, Nonhlanhla Matsenjwa (45) of Mpolonjeni in Mbabane is currently in custody, together with her brother, Bhekithemba Matsenjwa (46) of New Mbuluzi and her 22-year-old niece, who is a pupil. They are alleged to have killed Dlamini on March 11, 2023. In her bail application which is being opposed by the Crown, Nonhlanhla submitted that the reality of her plight was bewildering and had left her appalled. In his opposing papers, the principal investigator of the case, Detective Sidumo Mpila, first dismissed the assertion by the applicant that the deceased was abusive towards her and accused No.2 (Bhekithemba). He informed the court that investigations revealed that the applicant (Nonhlanhla) never reported any form of abuse to her in-laws at Sithobelweni, to her parental homestead at Mhlanhlo and not even to the police. This bare allegation of abuse is an attempt by applicant to conceal the heinous act she committed with her co-accused that of murder of her husband, argued the investigator. Money Detective Mpila narrated to the court that their investigations revealed that on March 10, 2023, Nonhlanhla allegedly transferred money to her brother (accused N0. 2) and instructed him to go and buy a poisonous substance. She pretended to be ill and her husband conveyed her to hospital. In the process, her brother gained entry in the house and laced the traditional concoction with poison, which deceased used to drink on a daily basis, submitted the investigator. According to the investigator, at night, the deceased drank the traditional medicine and fell sick. He brought it to the attention of the court that, instead of the applicant conveying her husband to hospital, she left their home and went to fetch her brother from the other homestead. The deceased, with the little strength he had, was able to scream and call out for help. The neighbours responded to the call and according to the witnesses the deceased told them that nangu umfati uyangibulala ungifakele poison embiteni, meaning my wife wants to kill me as she put poison in my traditional concoction, submitted Detective Mpila. The investigator said at that moment, Nonhlanhla arrived at her homestead in the company of accused No.3 (22-year-old niece, who is a pupil) and she looked at the neighbours who were trying to assist her husband while holding her waist. He alleged that at that time, her husband was losing strength and he had diarrhoea. Detective Mpila submitted that the deceased was pleading with his neighbours to convey him to hospital. The neighbours, according to the investigator, requested the applicant to assist them to place the deceased in the motor vehicle but the deceased cried out and exclaimed; Nonhlanhla uyaphi la ngicela bemmango batongisita hhayi wena ngoba ufuna kungicedzela,meaning what was Nonhlanhla doing here as I am requesting the community members to assist me, not you as you want to finish me off. Concoction He alleged that Nonhlanhla went into the house and came out with a concoction, which she alleged was the substance that her husband drank and she promised to hand it over to the police. Detective Mpila said the applicant, however, did not hand over the substance to the police, nor did she report the matter to the police as the community members had advised her. Applicant left with the deceased, accused No.3 and went to fetch accused No 2. Instead of taking the deceased to hospital she drove past the Mbabane Government Hospital up to an open area opposite Eswatini TV, where in the thick of the night, the applicant and her co-accused squeezed the testicles of the deceased, assaulted him on the head, back, arm, ankle and further strangulated him to death, submitted the detective. He further told the court that after killing her husband, the applicant, together with her co-accused, drove to Coronation Park, where applicant cleaned the blood that was oozing from the injuries that deceased had sustained. He said the trio then conveyed his body to Mbabane Burial. Detective Mpila highlighted that, according to witnesses who had already recorded statements, when the applicant left with the deceased from their home at Mpolonjeni, he was already too weak, such that he was lifted into the motor vehicle as he could not board the vehicle by himself because of his frail condition. He contended that it was, therefore, not true that the deceased assaulted and strangulated applicant as his health condition had drastically deteriorated. I hasten to add that after committing their evil act of killing the deceased, they took the corpse to Coronation Park where they wanted to ensure that he was indeed dead. A mortuary attendant has recorded a statement to the effect that the body of the deceased was placed at the back seat of the vehicle (Mercedes Benz) when brought to the mortuary, he argued. The bail application is still pending in court and appearing for the Crown is Ncobile Mhlanga from the chamber of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) while Linda Dlamini is appearing for all the applicants. Washington: Donald Trump said on Tuesday that French President Emmanuel Macron had been in China meeting with Xi Jinping and kissing his ass. The former US president spoke with Fox News host Tucker Carlson for the first time since being arrested in New York, according to AFP. The Republican Partys presumptive presidential nominee argued in a rambling interview that the United States had lost power in the world since he left office. He told Carlson, You got this crazy world, its blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say. And Macron, whos a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass. Okay, in China! I said, France is now going to China.' Last week, during a state visit to China, Macron warned Europeans not to become enslaved to US foreign policy. In remarks to journalists Macron said European countries should not get caught in the tense standoff between Beijing and Washington over the fate of Taiwan. China has vowed to regain control of Taiwan, while the US government pledges to help Taiwan defend itself. Macron warned against Europe being caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its strategic autonomy. The paradox would be that, overcome with panic, we believe we are just Americas followers. The worse thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction, Macron said, according to AFP. The remarks raised concern in Washington, but the White House attempted to downplay them, with spokesman John Kirby stating the Biden administration is comfortable and confident in the fantastic bilateral relationship we have with France. 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. TikTok is facing an imminent ban in the US, with lawmakers gearing up to pass the US RESTRICT that would allow the US President and the US Commerce Secretary to ban all apps and technology that it feels would be detrimental to national security. While the US has its own agenda, and there is a very good chance that the bruhaha over TikTok is the result of a long and concerted effort by social media platforms based in the US, Elon Musk has said that generally, he is against banning things. Musk on banning TikTok Speaking to the BBC during Wednesdays Twitter Space session, Musk was asked about the US potentially banning the Chinese app TikTok because of national security concerns. To begin with, Musk claims that he does not use TikTok, the most downloaded app in the last two years. He also offers a realistic assessment of the possibility of a ban. Im typically opposed to bans. I mean, I think it would assist Twitter if TikTok was banned since people would spend more time on Twitter and less time on TikTok. However, even though that would benefit Twitter, I am generally opposed to banning things. Calls for a ban getting stronger The US government has banned TikTok on federal government-issued devices due to national security concerns over its China-based parent company, ByteDance. The US fears that the Chinese government may leverage TikTok to access those devices and US user data. However, it is important to note that this ban only applies to federal government-issued devices and not personal devices. Also read: With TikTok US Ban likely, ByteDance launches alternate, Insta-like app, run pricey promo campaigns Having said that, the US Congress is pushing the Restrict Act forward, in a rare, bipartisan move. Several US lawmakers have stated that through the Restrict Act, the US will be able to protect all US citizens against illegal surveillance by foreign tech companies. The Restrict Act is not what is being hyped up to be The Restrict Act is a proposed bill that would give the US President and the Secretary of Commerce the power to review and prohibit certain transactions involving information and communications technologies products or services from foreign adversaries, such as China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela. The bill aims to address technology-based threats to the security and safety of Americans. Also read: Opinion: US Restrict Act to ban TikTok is more dangerous and overreaching than the Patriot Act However, some critics argue that the Restrict Act is problematic because it lacks transparency, accountability and due process. For example, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) claims that the bill would allow the government to ban companies from operating in the US without the public ever knowing the basis for the ban. The bill also does not provide any judicial review or appeal mechanism for affected companies or users. The EFF also warns that the bill could be used to censor or suppress dissenting voices or unpopular opinions on platforms that are deemed as foreign adversaries. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As a civilization, humans have been asking whether life exists beyond the Earth for centuries. With the advent of space travel, this question has only picked up steam. Thats why, even today, one of the key aspects of most space missions is to look for signs of life. If extraterrestrial life exists in our solar system, experts believe it will most likely be found on Mars or one of Saturns or Jupiters ice moons. That is why there is so much enthusiasm about a new spacecraft that will leave Earth this week on an eight-year voyage to the biggest planet in our solar system. The JUICE mission Once it reaches Jupiter, JUICE or the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer, one of Europes most ambitious space missions to date, the satellite will do a series of flybys of Jupiter and its three giant ocean-bearing moons, Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa. The six-tonne spacecraft will employ an upgraded set of equipment to examine the gas giant and determine if any of the satellites that circle it are livable as it travels closer to these worlds than ever before. Also read: The Moon ghosting the Earth: Is the moon really creeping away from the Earth at an alarming rate? JUICE will launch from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana on Thursday (April 13) at 13:15 BST, riding on an Ariane 5 rocket similar to the one that sent the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit in December 2021. It will then travel 4.1 billion miles (6.6 billion km) to the Jovian system during an eight-and-a-half-year period, arriving at Jupiter in July 2031. The JUpiter ICy lunar Explorer spacecraft will do 35 flybys of Jupiters three moons before entering a permanent orbit around Ganymede in late 2034. It can operate on half the power of a hairdryer and has a nuclear bunker to protect its electronics from radiation. One of the ten tools JUICE contains was developed by British scientists, and the UK Space Agency also contributed 9 million to the 1.4 billion spacecrafts construction. A risky mission According to Dr Caroline Harper, head of space science at the UK Space Agency, JUICE will take us to a portion of the solar system that we know very little about, to study Jupiter, our largest planet, and to discover if any of its frozen moons are home to conditions that potentially sustain life. Europa may be the most probable of Jupiters moons to harbour alien life, but JUICE will only get a fleeting sight of it. This is due to the hostile atmosphere around the moon. NASA claims that it may destroy a spacecraft in a matter of months at most. In fact, simply getting to Jupiter is difficult. The closer you go to the gas giant and the longer you desire to stay near it, the more difficult it becomes. Also read: What are the enormous universe breaker galaxies discovered by NASAs James Webb telescope? Jupiter is five times further away from the sun than Earth, therefore it only receives 4 per cent of the sunlight that our planet does. Although JUICE is not geared to look for indications of life, its goal is to investigate the circumstances that potentially sustain life. Part of the reason for this is that underneath Europas ice crust is expected to lay a vast ocean of liquid water, holding twice as much water as all of Earths seas combined, which is heated by tidal forces. This is thought to generate an interior circulation system that keeps water circulating and regularly refreshes the frozen surface. Such a notion is crucial because it implies that scientists would not have to travel far into the subsurface ocean to locate evidence of life, as the fact that the ocean floor interacts with the top implies that clues may be found there. Jupiters largest moon has the best chance to host life Of the Galilean satellites, Europa is the most probable to have alien life since the ocean is likely in touch with sand/rock, said Professor Coates. Scientists, however, are more interested in Ganymede for the aims of the JUICE mission. Jupiters biggest moon is expected to contain a salty ocean beneath its icy shell, and one of JUICEs primary objectives is to study this body of water in order to establish whether this planet is livable. Also read: China now has their own space station, successfully dock the final module of the Tiangong space station The spacecraft was designed to resist strong radiation and high temperatures ranging from 250 degrees Celsius at Venus to -230 degrees Celsius near Jupiter. Sensitive electronics are safeguarded inside a pair of lead-lined vaults within the probes body, which includes ten instruments for data collection. J-MAG, a magnetometer developed by Imperial College London experts, will measure the features of Jupiters and Ganymedes magnetic fields. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. According to a document filed on Wednesday in federal court in Florida, former US President Donald Trump is suing his former attorney Michael Cohen for more than $500 million. The lawsuit follows Cohens testimony before a Manhattan grand jury, which led to the indictment of Trump on 34 felony charges of falsifying business recordsthe first time in US history that a former president has been accused of a crime. Cohen was formerly Trumps devoted fixer, and his testimony led to the indictment. Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty in that case on April 4. Cohen is poised to be a star witness in any eventual trial in the case, which centres around a hush money payment he made before the 2016 election to a porn star who says she slept with Trump. The lawsuit accuses Cohen of violating his attorney-client relationship with Trump by revealing his confidences and spreading falsehoods in books, podcasts and media appearances. It says Cohen wrongfully called Trump racist in his 2020 book, Disloyal, and fabricated conversations with Trump. The timing of Disloyals release, just prior to the November 3, 2020 Presidential Election, suggests that Defendant intended to improperly disclose Plaintiffs confidences when it would be most lucrative to do so and while Disloyal would be sure to have the most damaging reputational effect, the lawsuit said. Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden. Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cohen was a top executive at Trumps real estate company and then worked as his personal lawyer when Trump assumed office in 2017. While Cohen said that year that he would do anything to protect Trump, his stance had changed dramatically by 2019, when he testified before a US congressional committee. I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is, Cohen told the panel. He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat. Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating federal election law through the $130,000 payment to the porn star, Stormy Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison for that and other crimes, including cheating on his personal taxes and lying under oath to Congress about when the Trump Organization stopped working on a proposed building project in Russia. Trump denies the affair with Daniels. He is accused by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of falsifying Trump Organization records to conceal that he reimbursed Cohen for the payment to Daniels. 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: Less than a year after deadly floods wreaked havoc across Pakistan leaving the countrys economy into severe crisis, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has predicted strong possibility of the nation witnessing another deluge this year. The authority said there is a 72 per cent chance of devastating floods in Pakistan this year, ARY News reported. The rapid increase in the temperature, glacier melting and early monsoon are some of the reasons which can result in another floods-like in Pakistan, said NDMA chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider in a briefing to Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Amid concerns, the Pakistani authority along with the countrys climate change ministry are monitoring 17 satellites, the official said, adding that 36 flood early warning systems will be placed. Haider has warned the committee that Pakistan will land in a huge economic crisis if similar situation like last year occurs in the country. Pakistan Floods 2022 The catastrophic floods in Pakistan last year resulted in the destruction of over 1,76,153 acres of crops and affected 4,66,366 homes, as per the latest figures by the National Flood Response Coordination Committee (NFRCC), ARY News reported. Over 3,90,201 homes have been affected while 124 people died amid floods in Balochistan, while in Gilgit Baltistan, 23 people were reportedly killed, and 8,479 homes were affected due to floods. On the other hand, 26 people died in Sindh, while 10,721 acres of crops were lost. Over 33,301 homes were affected, 85 people dead, and at least 10,048-acre crops were affected by floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Punjab, 2,328 homes were demolished. (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. Belfast: I hope the (Northern Ireland) Executive and Assembly will soon be restored, said US US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, as he urged political compromise in Northern Ireland. Biden paid a brief visit to promote the benefits of enduring peace and investment, but faced heated criticism from pro-UK hardliners, AFP reported. While speaking at Ulster University, the US president urged feuding political leaders to restore power-sharing government which has been suspended since February last year. Further, Biden touted the unlimited possibilities for investment and growth offered in the UK-ruled territory, 25 years on from a historic peace deal brokered by the US government. He noted that peace and stability must always be guarded, adding that the January 6, 2021, riot at Congress in Washington had proved that in every generation, democracy needs champions. Biden met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said the UKs relationship with the US was in great shape. Biden also greeted local political leaders ahead of his speech. Earlier on Tuesday, he said that the priority for his trip which includes three days in his ancestral homeland, the Republic of Ireland was to keep the peace in Northern Ireland. But senior figures in the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is under pressure to resume local power-sharing, were strikingly undiplomatic about the president. Sammy Wilson, a DUP member of the UK parliament in Westminster, branded Biden anti-British, accusing Americas second Catholic president of having made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known. Another DUP lawmaker, Nigel Dodds, suggested any mediation efforts would prove futile. Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all, he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. (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: Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday informed that trade ministers of India and France held discussions related to the ongoing talks for a free trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU). Indias Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was in France to attend the India-France Business Summit and CEOs roundtable meet. During his visit, Goyal held bilateral meetings with several CEOs and French minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht. The ministers discussed priority areas related to India EU FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations where issues related to market access were deliberated, it said. Goyal also said India is looking to buy 2,000 commercial aircraft in the next 10 years and there is a huge opportunity to make commercial aircraft in India to meet domestic and international demand. With the purchase of Rafale and the recent Airbus order, more value has been added to this partnership, he added. In January last year, India and the EU resumed negotiations for a free trade agreement, investment protection and Geographical Indications (GI). Becht mentioned that bilateral trade was USD 15.1 billion in 2021-22, doubled in the last decade; and foreign direct investment (FDI) has been USD 10 billion from France which is a top foreign investor in India. There is a will from French companies to invest in India, he added. Goyal highlighted that by breaking language barriers trade can further be expanded. He also invited the French minister to India along with the French community on the sidelines of G20 Trade Ministers meet in August 2023. Also, the Union Minister addressed a CEOs roundtable meet on April 11. More than 50 CEOs from Indian and French companies participated at the roundtable. Sectors such as agriculture, tourism, defence, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, aerospace were represented at the meet. Along with both the ministers, perspectives were shared by Ambassador of India to France Jawed Ashraf; Vice-President, CII and Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Sanjiv Puri; Executive Director, International Energy Agency Faith Birol; and CEO, Danone Antoine de Saint-Affrique. (With inputs from PTI) Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kampala: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is currently on a two-nation visit to Uganda and Mozambique, said India is making efforts to include concerns of the Global South in the G20 framework under its presidency. On Tuesday, Goyal addressed members of the Parliamentary Forum on Indian Affairs in Uganda. We (India) are doing it differently in the sense that no other chair of G-20 made an effort to consult all the countries of the Global South and ask it saying, look, you are not on the table. So what is your interest, what are the things you want? What are your concerns that we can put on the table on your behalf? We went through this very, very detailed, very exhaustive exercise in the month of January, he said. He further stated that India would like to use its G-20 presidency to get the influential forum focused on its mandate of global growth and development issues. And of course, naturally, Uganda was participant as well. And today we would like to use the G-20 presidency really to get that forum to focus on what is its remedy, what was its mandate, which is global growth and global development issues, which are very important for you. Issues of green growth, issues of debt, issues of health, issues of SDG, developmental agenda, issues of digital delivery. I think all these are really the issues on which we would like the G-20 to focus, Jaishankar said. The G20 Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10 this year. During his visit, the external affairs minister reiterated Indias full support to Uganda for a very successful chairship of the Non-Alignment Movement. Uganda was endorsed to chair the Non-Aligned Movement on behalf of Africa for the period from 2022 to 2025. The NAM chair position rotates every three years during summit conferences. The chair of the movement is assisted by both the former and incoming chairs. According to the movement, this structure represents its past, present and future. Jaishankar also announced that he will participate in the inauguration of the National Forensic Research University, whose first campus is opening in Uganda. The minister who is on a two-nation visit from April 10-15, participated in the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of solar-powered piped drinking water supply systems funded by India Exim Bank in Uganda, on Tuesday. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, This project will provide safe and sustainable water supply to half a million Ugandans across 20 rural districts. From April 13-15, Jaishankar will be in Mozambique. This will be the first-ever visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of Mozambique, stated the MEA release. During the visit, he will meet Mozambiques top leadership and co-chair the 5th Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with Mozambican Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo. The EAM is expected to meet several other ministers and representatives of the Assembly of Mozambique. (With inputs from ANI) 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 order to boost trade and tourism by eliminating currency hassles, Nepal and India are set to sign an agreement for cross-border digital payment using the e-wallet. According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, The deal is expected to be signed during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahals visit to India scheduled for sometime before mid-April. According to the reports, the two neighbours have chalked out an agreement for this purpose, and the document is awaiting signatures from both countries officials. New Delhis Ambassador to Kathmandu, Naveen Srivastava said at a recent programme that the proposed Indian digital payment service in Nepal would boost its travel and tourism industry. An overland Indian visitors survey conducted before the Covid-19 pandemic showed that the average length of stay of Indian tourists coming overland was 5.8 days. The average expenditure per visitor was Rs 11,310. According to reports, the advantage of travelling to Nepal is that one did not need to change money. Tourism entrepreneurs say that the launch of digital payment services will eliminate the hassle of carrying large amounts of cash for Indian tourists and businessmen in Nepal. Last May, payment system operator Gateway Payment Service began a cross-border payment system for the first time in Nepal based on inter-operable and mobile-first technology. The National Payment Corporation of India and its international arm International Payments had joined hands with Gateway Payment Service and Manam Infotech to deploy a unified payment interface in Nepal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Damascus: Iran reportedly sent deadly weapons and military equipment in Syria hidden along with relief materials in the flights during earthquake rescue mission, sources based in Syria, Iran, Israel and Western countries told Reuters. According to the Reuters source based exclusive report, the objective was to support Bashar al-Assad in Syria and enhance Irans defences against Israel. Hundreds of flights carrying goods from Iran started landing at Syrias Aleppo, Damascus, and Latakia airports after the earthquake that struck northern Syria and Turkey on February 6 in which more than more than 6,000 people died in Syria alone. According to a Western intelligence source, Iranian flights started entering Syria since the earthquake on February 6. We believe that Iranian militias have transferred huge quantities of ammunition they have restocked quantities lost in prior Israeli drone strikes, the source added. The rescue mission continued for seven weeks, meaning the weapons kept coming, it is still unclear how big were those consignments. According to two regional sources and a Western intelligence source, the supplies included cutting-edge communications gear, radar batteries, and replacement components needed for a planned upgrade of Syrias air defence system supplied by Iran during its civil war. For this report, Reuters consulted Western intelligence officials, sources close to the Iranian and Israeli governments, a Syrian military defector, and an active-duty Syrian officer. Irans envoy to the United Nations in New York responded, Thats not true, when questioned about the claims of transporting military material to Syria to strengthen its network there and support Assad. The Reuters also tried to get a comment from government of Syria, however no response receieved. Israels response According to regional officials cited by Reuters, Israel launched an aggressive counterattack after learning promptly about the movement of weapons into Syria. Israeli air strikes against the shipments relied on intelligence so precise that Israels military knew which truck in a lengthy convoy to target, according to Brigadier General Yossi Kuperwasser, an insider and former head of research in the Israel army as well as the general director of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs. According to a senior Israeli defence officer who requested anonymity and spoke to Reuters, Israel has seen significant movements of military equipment from Iran, mostly transported in parts, under the guise of shipments of earthquake aid to Syria. He claimed that the Aleppo airport in northern Syria received the majority of the help. He said that the Unit 18000 Syrian division of the Quds Force, the overseas espionage and paramilitary branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards directed by Hassan Mehdoui, was responsible for organising the shipments. He stated the Transport Unit 190 of the Quds Force, under the command of Bahanem Shahariri, was in charge of ground transportation. Colonel Abduljabbar Akaidi, a former member of the Syrian military who still has connections in the army, claimed that Israeli strikes also targeted a meeting of Iranian militia commanders and shipments of electronic chips to upgrade weapons systems. Akaidi omitted to mention the location of the meeting. According to a regional source, Israel struck Aleppos runway just hours after two Iranian cargo planes had arrived with arms shipments while pretending to be carrying assistance supplies. This information was corroborated by two additional Western intelligence sources. A few days prior to President Assads arrival, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force was the first foreign official to enter the earthquake zone in Syria. In the event of a humanitarian crisis, U.N. relief aircraft are permitted to ask local authorities for permission to land, and humanitarian aid is free from penalties. Given this, the authorities have given the go-ahead for direct flights from Iran and Russia to land in Syria. The earthquake was a terrible tragedy, but at the same time, God enabled us to aid our Syrian brothers in their struggle against their adversaries. As soon as possible, tonnes of weapons were transferred to Syria, according to a local source close to Irans clerical leadership. Why Bashar al-Assad? Since starting to help Assad in the civil conflict that started in 2011, Israel has been conducting attacks against what it has referred to as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehrans influence has expanded. Israeli efforts to destroy Iran in Syria are increasing up, according to a Syrian army official who begged to remain anonymous. The source claimed that the earthquake produced the ideal circumstances. The ensuing confusion made it simple for Iranian jets to land. Following additional earthquakes on April 3, Israeli targets have included weaponry in the Jabal Manea Kiswa mountain range south of Damascus, where Iranian troops and Lebanons Hezbollah have built what is likely their most heavily fortified military site in Syria, according to two Western intelligence sources and a regional security source. The regional source confirmed what two Western intelligence sources had told Reuters that a drone radar site had also been targeted on April 3. (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. SITEKI - Called to shed light on the matter, Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza acknowledged that this was an old issue that the local centre conducting Matric examinations knew about, since 2021. Mabuza said they informed the head teachers in 2021 to stop admitting pupils to Grade 10, as they had received correspondence from the South Africa (SA) education authorities that Eswatini should stop writing the Matric exams. She explained that they were told that, according to the law governing their education system, the Matric exams were only designed for the SA curriculum and not any other country. The minister mentioned that they were told SA did not want to share its Matric exams, as it was against the law, hence if Eswatini wanted to be part of the process, the two governments should hold talks first. At first, we were furnished with a communique in 2021, informing us that we should stop admitting Grade 10 pupils as they would be stopping us from writing the exams the following year. I communicated that correspondence to the head teachers. In 2022, I told them that they had since informed us that our pupils would be writing the Matric exams for the last time, she said. Mabuza said she had appointed a committee tasked with engaging the SA Education Ministry on the matter. She said a legal team was commissioned from SA to meet the local committee, whereby they emphatically explained that legally, it was not permissible to allow another country to write their Matric exam, as it was against the dictates governing their education system. Head teachers should have stopped admitting pupils for the Matric programme as per my advice, but they did not, she elaborated. Engage Moreover, the minister said she had tried to engage her SA counterpart Motshekga, but her efforts yielded negative results. She stated that she had tried several times to call, text and send emails to Motshekga but she did not respond. The ministry communicated this decision from South Africa a longtime ago to the head teachers. Now, they will put the blame on me, yet I have done everything in my power to find a lasting solution, she said. The Mafutseni Member of Parliament (MP) said her ministry would soon issue an official statement regarding the matter, detailing the process and steps, including stages that they undertook in engaging their SA counterparts. In essence, SA doesnt want any other country to write their exams, Mabuza concluded. Worth mentioning is that, the local centre attained 90 per cent pass rate in overall performance in the Matric results last year, while U-Tech High obtained a 100 per cent pass rate. New Delhi: Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed on Tuesday that he had once again been placed in solitary confinement and was being subjected to extremely hellish conditions, reported Reuters. The 46-year-old Navalny is currently serving two sentences totaling 11-1/2 years in a high-security penal colony for fraud and contempt of court, which he claims were made up to keep him quiet. Last month, a documentary about him received an Oscar. According to Reuters, Navalny said he was released from solitary confinement on Friday and ordered to another 15 days there on Monday after his supporters circulated a report alleging that the prison service was overpaying for cabbage and pocketing the surplus. He tweeted, That is why the very next day after my colleagues released their investigation about these fun cabbage stories, they put me in the (confinement cell), immediately started setting up a working cell for me and changed the daily routine, turning it from hellish to extremely hellish. 7/11 That is why the very next day after my colleagues released their investigation about these fun cabbage stories, they put me in the SHIZO, immediately started setting up a working cell for me and changed the daily routine, turning it from hellish to extremely hellish. Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 11, 2023 Navalny, who survived a poisoning attempt in 2020, has been regularly kept in punishment cells over the last year, and supporters claim his life is at risk as his health deteriorates. According to lawyer Vadim Kobzev, an ambulance was sent to the colony on Friday night when Navalnys condition deteriorated due to a stomach complaint. The prisoner tweeted that he lost eight kilogrammes (18 pounds) during his most recent 15-day stint in solitary confinement, reported Reuters. Navalny also claimed that prison officials made up completely illegal rules, forbidding me to buy food, even with money I had earned. 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. Tokyo: In an effort to counter China from deploying military force and further its territorial ambitions in East Asia, Japan has given contracts worth 378 billion yen ($2.84 billion) to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), its largest supplier of defence equipment. According to a statement by Japans Ministry of Defense, the four contracts cover land, sea, and air-launched missiles as well as a hypersonic ballistic warhead that will be used starting in 2026. Japan unveiled its largest military build-up since World War Two in December. The East Asian country will treble defence spending over the next five years, in response to Russias war on Ukraine and growing worries that China may strike neighbouring Taiwan. The core of that strategy is the new missile force, which should be able to attack ships and ground targets more than 1,000 kilometres away from Japan. Japan also said in February that it would purchase a large quantity of US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles from Raytheon Technologies Inc (RTX.N) to boost its defences before deploying those home-built weapons. It has not yet said how many it will purchase, perhaps 500 or more, according to local media reports. (With agency inputs) 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: Japan has suggested building an industrial hub in Bangladesh with supply networks to landlocked northeastern states in India and beyond, including Nepal and Bhutan, according to Reuters. This comes after Japan PM Fumio Kishidas visit to India last month. He promoted the idea of a new industrial centre for the Bay of Bengal and northeast India that may support development in the impoverished region with 300 million people. Hiroshi Suzuki, Japans ambassador to India, said on Tuesday that this can be a win-win plan for India and Bangladesh. He claimed that the deep seaport, which would be essential to creating an industrial hub linking the Indian subcontinents landlocked regions to the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka, is likely to be operational by 2027. At the meeting, G Kishan Reddy, Indias federal minister for its northeast region, praised the Japanese initiative. Shahriar Alam, the state minister for foreign affairs of Bangladesh, predicted that it would increase bilateral trade between his country and Japan as well as other foreign investment, reported Reuters. The Matarbari project would be Bangladeshs first deep-sea port capable of accommodating large vessels. Tripura, which is about 100 kilometres from the proposed seaport, could serve as a gateway for regional exporters, according to Sabyasachi Dutta, the head of Asian Confluence, the think tank that organised the two-day meeting. To counter Chinas growing influence, India and Japan have collaborated on infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Africa as an alternative to Chinas multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, according to Reuters. According to Suzuki, more than 300 Japanese companies already operate in Bangladesh. According to him, both countries are expected to sign an economic partnership agreement soon, which could boost manufacturing and attract more foreign companies. According to a government statement, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Japan from April 25 to 28 at Kishidas invitation. 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: Juul Labs Inc., the embattled manufacturer of electronic cigarettes, will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia as part of the highest settlement the business has so far reached for contributing to the rise in teen vaping, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday. The deal Juul signed with the cities and states of New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. is the most recent in a series of recent legal settlements Juul has made with cities and governments around the nation. The West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey stated on Monday that the vaping firm, which has fired hundreds of employees, would pay $7.9 million to resolve a complaint alleging that the company violated the states Consumer Credit and Protection Act by promoting its products to minors. The business paid Chicago $23.8 million last month to settle a lawsuit. Minnesotas case against Juul went to trial last month with the states Attorney General Keith Ellison asserting that the company baited, deceived and addicted a whole new generation of kids after Minnesotans slashed youth smoking rates down to the lowest level in a generation. Like some other settlements reached by Juul, this latest agreement includes various restrictions on the marketing, sale and distribution of the companys vaping products. For example, it is barred from any direct or indirect marketing that targets youth, which includes anyone under the age of 35. Juul is also required to limit the number of purchases customers can make in retail stores and online. Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that its harmless, James said in a statement. Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused. James said the $112.7 million due to New York will pay for underage smoking abatement programs across the state. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a statement that Juul knew how addictive and dangerous its products were and actively tried to cover up that medical truth. A spokesperson for the Washington D.C.-based Juul said that with Wednesdays settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future. The spokesperson added that underage use of Juul products has declined by 95 per cent since 2019 based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey. According to the CDC though, since surveys were administered online instead of on school campuses during the pandemic, the results cannot be compared to prior years. In September, Juul agreed to pay nearly $440 million over a period of six to 10 years to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products to young people. That settlement amounted to about 25 per cent of Juuls US sales of $1.9 billion in 2021. Three months later, the company said it had secured an equity investment to settle thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes. Juul rocketed to the top of the US vaping market about five years ago with the popularity of flavours like mango, mint and creme brulee. But the startups rise was fueled by use among teenagers, some of whom became hooked on Juuls high-nicotine pods. Parents, school administrators and politicians have largely blamed the company for a surge in underage vaping. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. US President Joe Biden landed in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that ended decades of sectarian violence in the region. He was received by UK PM Rishi Sunak at the airport in the Northern Irish capital of Belfast. Before boarding Air Force One, Biden said the priority for his trip was to keep the peace and bring an end to the protracted political deadlock caused by opposition among pro-UK parties to post-Brexit trading rules. Security remains a concern in Northern Ireland. On Monday, masked youths pelted police vehicles with petrol bombs during an illegal march by dissident republicans in Londonderry, which is also known as Derry. Despite the scenes, US officials said Biden was very excited for this trip. Wed like to see the national assembly (in Belfast) returned, clearly, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters en route to Belfast, with the Stormont legislature currently suspended. The message is twofold. Its congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday agreement (and) to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities as well as the United States, he said. Biden to meet Northern Irish leaders Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday at Ulster University in Belfast, set to focus on the economic promise of inward investment if the peace endures. He will also meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties, the White House said, with reports he will press the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to resume power-sharing. The devolved government in Belfast is a key plank of the peace accords but it collapsed 14 months ago over the partys trenchant opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. Biden, who has Irish ancestry, will also travel south to Ireland for a three-day visit, in part tracing his family history. The trip will include an address to a joint sitting of Irelands parliament and celebrate the deep, historic ties the country shares with the United States, the White House says. Fragile peace after Belfast Agreement Northern Ireland has been significantly reshaped since unionist parties wanting to remain part of the UK and nationalists favouring reunification with Ireland struck the peace deal on 10 April 1998. But a quarter-century on, the post-Brexit trading situation and demographic shifts are prompting fresh political instability and violence from hardliners on both sides. While it is time to reflect on the solid progress we have made together, we must also recommit to redoubling our efforts on the promise made in 1998 and the agreements that followed, Sunak said to mark Mondays anniversary. In Dublin, Biden will meet Irish President Michael Higgins and the Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar on Thursday, when he will also take part in peace ceremonies, address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle. During a trip to County Mayo in northwest Ireland on Friday, Biden will visit his ancestral hometown of Ballina and meet distant cousins. The US president is due to address thousands in the place that his family left in the mid-19th century when the country was ravaged by famine before they eventually settled in blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania. Biden will head home on Friday, with Northern Ireland continuing its peace accord commemorations the following week, including a three-day conference starting April 17 hosted by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Her husband, Bill Clinton, played a pivotal role in securing the 1998 deal as US president. In the years after 1998, Northern Irish republican and loyalist paramilitaries were disarmed, its militarised border was dismantled, and British troops departed. But the security situation has deteriorated, and UK intelligence services last month raised the provinces terror threat level to severe. Meanwhile, despite the UK and European Union agreeing in February to overhaul Northern Irelands contentious post-Brexit trade terms, that new deal the Windsor Framework is yet to win DUP support. That is seen as crucial in paving the way for a resumption of power-sharing. But ex-British prime minister Tony Blair, who helped craft the 1998 peace deal, on Tuesday cautioned Biden against overly pressuring the party when in Belfast. Hardline DUP lawmaker Ian Paisley Jr said the party was in no mood to be lectured by Biden. The presidents real Irish visit was to the Republic, Paisley told TalkTV, adding: I think this visit (to Belfast) has shown we really dont matter that much. 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. Pyongyang: The worsening economic situation in North Korea is weighing on its citizens, especially the working class. To make a bit of easy and quick money, factory workers in the country have now resorted to stealing tools, parts and other items to sell them outside. Not just this, some workers have been bribing their bosses to get permission to skip work so that they can make more money doing other jobs side-by-side. North Korea installing CCTV cameras To monitor people resorting to wrong practices for quick money and prevent the loss of office assets, authorities in North Korea have started installing security cameras, a report by Radio Free Asia quoted sources as saying. Before this, CCTV (closed-circuit television cameras) were used only in high-priority areas including busy intersections and government buildings, and almost exclusively in the capital Pyongyang. Starting March, they have now started to appear in factories and other workplaces in the country. These newly installed made in China CCTV cameras have been put is large number in Tokchon Motor Complex to keep a check on workers engaged in auto and auto-parts production facility. These cameras are running for 24 hours, the report quoted a source as saying. Imported from China, these CCTVs are used to monitor who is stealing factory materials and who is spending their working hours away from their job, the source added. For the unversed, most men in North Korea are employed in government jobs. Salary in these jobs are too little to even meet the cost of basic amenities and therefore, most people have to look for side businesses to make end meet. Now the cameras will ensure that all the employees are in office during their working hours and are not stealing equipment. The CCTVs are installed at the main gate of each factory, and at the workplaces of each factory. The workers are uncomfortable that the cameras reveal who goes to work at what time and who chats during the work day at the daily work review session every evening, the source was quoted as saying. The situation is similar at the Chongju Bearing Factory in the northwestern province of North Pyongan where CCTV cameras have been installed to stop theft, the report quoted another source as saying Due to the lack of food received from rations, factory workers secretly steal bearings and material parts produced in the factory in their pockets. They will later sell them at the market to make a living, he said. A number of employees have been caught since the cameras were installed. Now if they put even a small piece of iron in their pocket, they are disgraced publicly as a thief who steals state materials, he said. The workers are very unhappy about this, the source said. Stealing of items from factories and offices is widespread in North Korea. The perpetrators do not face any severe punishment and are let go by just public criticism. But now, if the scale of the theft is large, the culprits could be punished as criminals under the law. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Looks like the New York Police Department has some new toys that would definitely make some of the best police forces green in the gills because of jealousy. However, the people of New York dont seem to approve of the latest crime-fighting gizmos that the NYPD got for themselves. New Yorkers are angry after the NYPD and mayor announced the deployment of a new fleet of Big Brother robocops to police the citys streets and subways. The Canine Machinist The new robotic police dog will assist cops in navigating potentially risky situations, and the city is trialling two for $750,000. The K5 Autonomous Security Robot and the StarChase GPS system will also monitor people and cars at unknown expenses. Mayor Eric Adams campaigned on a vow to reduce crime in New York City, and he believes the robotic recruits would save lives and stop atrocities in the city. However, when it comes to releasing robocops in the concrete jungle, New Yorkers are not on the same page as the mayor. Also read: At Your Service: Robots are already taking over one of US most common jobs waiting tables One resident shared their frustration about the new recruits on Twitter: We want fully funded libraries and schools, not more expensive toys for the NYPD. While other residents said the robots are dystopian surveillance technologies. The New York City Police Department issued its yearly crime report for the previous year, finding that statistics were up in nearly every category, despite the mayors recent statements. Despite Adams repeated claims that his work to handle the issue has been effective, the figures offer a grim image of the citys efforts to fight crime, which has skyrocketed since the outbreak. Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell kicked off the event by emphasising the need of police being equipped with the tools, training, and technology necessary to do that job safely and effectively. Leveraging AI to fight crime The K5 autonomous security robot, which uses artificial intelligence to send real-time event notifications to first responders, will be the first to touch the streets. Knightscopes egg-shaped contraption is outfitted with microphones, a camera, and sonar and lidar sensors. It is around 5.5 feet tall, weighs 400 pounds, and has a top speed of three miles per hour. Also read: San Francisco Police can now kill high-risk suspects using robots The K5 has been used by law enforcement agencies, including the Huntington Park Police, college campuses throughout this country, corporations, shopping malls, and other places where needed security and additional deterrents of crime was needed, said Jeffrey Maddrey, chief of the department at the NYPD, at a press conference. The K5 is on lease to the NYPD as a trial basis, which is set to start June or July, and will roam around Times Square or subway stations. StarChase GPS tracking systems are available in two varieties: portable and vehicle-mounted. It fires a projectile at the car, allowing the authorities to follow it using GPS. Already proving its worth On Saturday night, we had it deployed with some trained cops, said Chief John Chell. An automobile was taken in Queens. The vehicle was pursued into the Bronx. This gadget was found in one of our Bronx apartments. They made use of this equipment. Also read: Canine sentinel: Australian army conducts trials of mind-controlled robot dogs in training exercise The driver pulled over, we made the arrest, we removed a stolen car off the street. Also, we kept our officers safe, minimised the chase, and kept the community safe. The technology, which has been used in shopping malls and other public places for numerous years, will first be accompanied by a human companion, according to authorities. The final robocop was a four-legged yellow machine that trotted along the street. Beginning this summer, the remote-controlled, 70-pound Digidog will be used in dangerous scenarios such as hostage standoffs, according to Adams. He also stated that he will not give in to anti-robot dog sentiment. It was something that had been implemented earlier under the previous government. And a few noisy folks objected, so we took a step back, he explained. That is not how I work. I base my decisions on what is best for the city. 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: Another big revelation from leaked US military documents indicate that 97 NATO special forces, including 50 from Britain, are deployed in Ukraine that is fighting Russian invaders. As per the document, dated 23 March, the UK has the largest contingent of special forces in Ukraine, followed by Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1). The US operators in Ukraine were among 29 Pentagon personnel, including defence attaches and embassy guards, a report by Declassified UK said. The document, however, does not share details of where the forces are positioned or what they are doing. UK has deployed over half of western special forces in Ukraine Since the beginning of the conflict on 24 February, 2022, the UK government has been quite about its special forces being active in Ukraine. The elite military forces of the UK in war-torn country comprise multiple units including the Special Air Service (SAS), the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, and several other secretive military units such as the 18 (UKSF) Signals Regiment. Before Russias invasion of Ukraine, the UK embassy in Kyiv in June 2021 said its special forces had conducted training activities with Ukrainian forces. A report by The Guardian said that the documents labelled secret have been created in February and March this year and contain updates about military operations, logistics, weapons deliveries and training of Ukrainian forces by the US and its NATO allies. The report further said that the marking on the documents suggest they were prepared for senior US defence officials. Serious level of inaccuracy The UKs ministry of defence has alleged classified information had demonstrated what it called a serious level of inaccuracy. The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread misinformation, the ministry tweeted. In response to the leak of alleged classified US information: pic.twitter.com/WWFLOhbeeU Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) April 11, 2023 The UK's Ministry of Defence, however, did not elaborate or suggest which specific documents it was referring to. Where was Pentagon intel leaked? The leaked documents that were posted on Discord, a platform used by gamers, are said to be part of a tranche of classified US military and intelligence files. The original source of the files still remains unknown. The US authorities have launched a probe and a Pentagon official has said that the leak presents a very serious risk to national security. A report by Declassified UK said that though some parts of the files appeared to have been doctored to minimise the number of casualties on the Russian side, the section on NATO special forces is the same throughout all versions. 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: The State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, on Tuesday almost unanimously passed a bill that introduces electronic draft notices for conscripts and reservists, making it impossible for Russians to dodge conscription in future. The State Duma approved the legislation with just one abstention. The upper house, the Federation Council, is expected to adopt it today, and send it on to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his approval, which is widely expected. The law will enable authorities to quietly sweep up thousands more men to fight even as the Kremlin is denying plans for a controversial new mobilisation. Restrictions for draft dodgers After the law comes into force, draft dodgers would face certain restrictions. Those served a draft notice would be banned from leaving Russia starting on the day when the notice is considered to be delivered. A notice is automatically considered to be served a week after it is registered as being delivered even if the addressee did not confirm receipt. Someone who receives a summon but fails to arrive at a recruitment office within 20 days upon receipt without a valid reason would be barred from registering as sole proprietors or self-employed workers. Such an individual would also be deprived of the right to real estate and would have his drivers license suspended. The draft dodger would also be unable to apply for a loan in Russia. All the restrictions are to be lifted within 24 hours after a person arrives at a recruitment office, the bill adds. Under the new rules, a conscript or reservist would receive a draft notice through his account on the electronic state services portal Gosuslugi, which is used in Russia for a wide range of public services, from paying taxes to getting various documents. Notices can also be served at what are called Multifunctional Public Services Centers a kind of a unified public service desk in Russia helping citizens to resolve mostly bureaucratic issues. Some of the more traditional ways of delivering draft notices will also remain, according to the bill. Conscripts and reservists will still be able to receive them personally from a military recruitment official, through their workplace or via a certified letter. New public register of draft notices According the bill, the authorities will create a new public register of draft notices. The legislation also obliges the local authorities, tax offices, police departments, medical organisations and other public institutions to provide all the data necessary to form a unified database of conscripts and reservists. The police must also search for people dodging conscription or military draft, the text of the bill adds. When Putin announced a mobilisation in the fall to commandeer reinforcements for the war against Ukraine, thousands of men fled the country or went into hiding. Last years chaotic mobilisation in which military officers were obliged to physically hand out paper notices created scenes of young men being grabbed from the streets and at subway stations, or wrestled to the ground in shopping malls. In some cases, passersby filmed men fleeing military officials. The legislation was introduced during the annual spring conscription campaign in Russia. According to MP Andrey Kartapolov, the ongoing draft, which is scheduled to end in July, will not be affected by the new rules. 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. SITEKI Dilemma! The future of at least 603 Eswatini pupils doing Matric hangs in the balance, as the South African Department of Basic Education has stopped them from sitting their examination this year. The countrys Matric Examinations Coordinator, Thamie Silindza, described this matter as a complicated one. He then referred further comments to U-Tech High School Head teacher Boy Khumalo. Honestly, this is a complicated matter. I am tasked with running the Matric examination programme, but it will be appropriate that you contact our principal. This year, we have 603 pupils who are supposed to sit their Matric exams at the centre, according to the register I have, he said. Confirmed Khumalo confirmed that they received a communique from Umalusi, in South Africa (SA), informing them that Eswatini had been omitted from siting Matric examinations this year. Umalusi is the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, which sets and monitors standards for general and further education and training in SA in accordance with the national qualifications. Umalusi accredits private providers of education and training, as well as private assessment bodies to offer tuition and assessment for qualifications. It is also responsible for the quality assurance of assessment in Grade XII and issues the National Senior Certificate to successful candidates. Khumalo said he was in constant communication with their SA counterpart, and the local Ministry of Education and Training after he relayed the latest developments to the Minister, Lady Mabuza. The local centre, U-Tech High School, normally hosts Matric exams for pupils from 10 schools locally, namely; Milestone, Mbalenhle Academy, Diamond Valley, Harrolds, Pro-Learning and Phumelela. The rest are Hillside, Wem, Bookville and the host (U-Tech High). Khumalo stated that the local ministry was engaging its counterpart in SA, under the tutelage of Angie Motshekga. He shared that according to his understanding, sitting Matric exams for the local pupils was supposed to end this year. He mentioned that they had communicated to the schools head teachers that next year, there would be no exams. The administrator said he was not certain, for now, what to do next, but was optimistic that their pupils would be allowed to sit the exams for the last time this year, as they continued to engage the SA authorities. He added that Minister Mabuza had made an appointment with her counterpart in SA to find a lasting solution to this matter, considering that the future of the pupils was at stake. We had a correspondence informing us that our pupils would not be allowed to sit their Grade XII Matric exams this year. That arrangement was supposed to take effect this year and I dont know what happened, but we are still holding talks with them, he said. When asked what would be the next step regarding the matter, as some pupils were attending lessons with the hope that they would sit the exams, Khumalo said the talks were ongoing with their counterpart in SA, to reach common ground. He pointed out that they had not lost hope. We hope that our ongoing engagements will yield positive fruits, which will see the pupils finally sitting their exams this year. We are optimistic that a solution will be found at last, so that the pupils and parents can heave a sigh of relief, the head teacher said. Concerned Meanwhile, some parents said this was a serious issue that should be sorted out urgently. A concerned parent told this publication that he was left in a predicament on what to do next after paying E27 000 at U-Tech High as tuition fees for his child, who is doing Grade XII. The parent, who asked that his identity be concealed, said the amount also included the examination fee. I am confused on what to do next, as I had paid E27 000 for my child with the hope that he would sit the exams this year. We were informed that they would be sitting the Matric exams for the last time this year, only to be confronted with the bad news that the centre had been stopped from hosting the exams, said the agitated parent. He further highlighted that the centre should push and constantly engage their counterparts in SA to allow the local centre to host the exams this year. We are crossing fingers that the centre will be allowed for the last time, so that our children can sit their exams, the parent said. Kyiv: A top US security officer claimed that Russian hackers are allegedly acquiring information on aid convoys moving on Ukrainian roads by accessing the private security cameras of coffee shops. The Russian government and government-backed hackers continue to attack Ukrainian information technology infrastructure as part of their invasion of the nation, according to Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency. He said one area of concentration is closed-circuit TV cameras used by public and private organisations to monitor their surroundings. At the Center for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, Joyce stated, There are ongoing attacks on Ukrainian interests, whether its financial, government, personal, or individual business, just trying to be disruptive. There are creative things going on. We are watching the Russian hackers log into public-facing webcams to watch convoys and trains delivering aid, he said. They are also hacking those webcams And instead of using the town square (cameras) that are available to the internet, theyre looking at the coffee shop security camera and seeing the road they need to see, he said. In order to learn more about the weaponry supply chain to Ukraine, Russian hackers are also concentrating their efforts on US logistics transport firms and defence manufacturers, the US official claimed. He added that the Ukrainian transport agencies are under immense pressure due to the cyber invasion as they fear that aid convoys could be attacked anytime. 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: As Moscows war against Ukraine continues, the Russian parliament this week swiftly and without discussion approved a measure that will allow authorities to call up men with a single click. The measure, which was quickly passed by both chambers of the Russian parliament, establishes a computerised system for conscription notices that might prevent men from fleeing the nation and make avoiding the draught almost impossible. The legislation, which is widely anticipated to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, has sparked fresh concerns as Moscows war in Ukraine enters its second year. The Kremlin contends that the proposed changes are normal and that the government is only digitising an antiquated enlisting procedure. But many Russians who do not want to fight in Ukraine are afraid. Several Russian men AFP spoke to said they were worried and did not know what to do. If a law is adopted literally in two days, dont expect anything good, said one 28-year-old, who spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. Asked what his tactic would be if he received a draft notice, the young man said he planned to ignore it and even go to prison. The man, who lives in northern Russia, said he would not go to an enlistment office under any circumstances. That would be a direct ticket to Bakhmut, he said, referring to the frontline hotspot in eastern Ukraine. Observers say the legislation closes most escape routes for those who have received an online draft notice, as they will be barred from leaving the country the moment it is sent out. Those who fail to show up at the enlistment office within the 20 days following receipt of the electronic draft notice will not be able to take out loans, register property or work as individual entrepreneurs. Scare and shock Under the new legislation a draft notice will be considered received as soon as it is sent out to the Gosuslugi portal, an official online platform for state services. The speed at which the bill has been adopted alarmed many. This cannot but scare and shock, said a 21-year-old man from Siberia. He said he was just as worried as everybody, especially as he had not yet done his one-year military service. Military service for men between the ages of 18 and 27 is mandatory in Russia, with conscription carried out twice a year. Like many young Russians, he has sought to steer clear of enlistment bureaus since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine last year. But his parents recently got a call saying that I was on some lists, he said. Some men in uniform were looking for me to take me to the enlistment offices, he told AFP. He said he planned to continue to dodge the draft, saying he may live a little here, a little there. But hiding from the army will be nearly impossible under the new legislation that even some Kremlin-friendly MPs say is rushed. Tax offices, universities and social services will have the right to release data of potential draftees to authorities. Kremlin critics say the provisions will also punish Russians who have already fled the country by barring them from continuing to have remote jobs or from selling property. Nowhere to hide Several men approached by AFP on the streets of Moscow refused to speak about the bill. Others voiced an acceptance of the fast-changing reality. If you need to (go to the front), then you need to, said 35-year-old metal worker Denis Shevchenko. If the fate of many people depends on you, then its worth it even if you die. Kirill Asmadeus, a 34-year-old programmer, said it was understandable why people are worried but said it was time to digitalise the dusty archives. Alexei Tabalov, an exiled rights activist, said that some old methods of evading the draft such as exemptions for health reasons will still exist. But the level of freedom for those who want to hide from the draft board is being squeezed, he said. The state catches them, now setting up nets so that there is nowhere to hide. Many commentators said those who did not want to fight in Ukraine must leave Russia now. Should I leave Russia right now? says a question on the website of Meduza, a popular Russian-language news outlet. The word in bright red letters answers: Yes. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kabul: Afghanistans Taliban administration on Wednesday said that its decision to ban Afghan women from working for the United Nations was an internal issue and added that the policy should be respected by all sides. The statement came after the global organisation expressed alarm at the decision and said it would review its operations there. The Islamic Emirate doesnt want to create obstacles against the activities of the UN and that this (decision) is Afghanistans internal issue and should be respected, said spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in the Taliban administrations first statement on the decision since the UN acknowledged hearing of the new restrictions last week. Mujahid said the current Afghan humanitarian situation is due to continued sanctions and pressures and those responsible are the ones who restricted the financial and banking system of Afghanistan. The UN member states should solve the issue of frozen Afghan assets, the banking system and travel ban to pave the way for economic, political and security improvements in Afghanistan, Mujahid added. He said that the UN member states should solve the issue of frozen Afghan assets, the banking system and travel ban to pave the way for economic, political and security improvements in Afghanistan. 3/3 TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) April 12, 2023 The United Nations has said it cannot accept the decision as it would breach its charter. It has asked all its staff not to go into its offices while it holds consultations and reviews its operations until 5 May. On Tuesday, the UN Mission to Afghanistan said the Taliban administration would be responsible for any negative humanitarian impacts stemming from the ban. Some diplomats and aid officials in Afghanistan and around the world have expressed concerns donors may withdraw support to Afghanistans humanitarian aid programme, the largest in the world, and that implementing programmes and reaching women in the conservative country would not be possible without female workers. Taliban authorities in December said most Afghan female NGO workers would not be allowed to work. The UN humanitarian agency has said a huge funding plan for Afghanistan for 2023 is less than 5 per cent funded. If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease and death, it said on Wednesday. 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. Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been rebuffed in her attempt to stay out of federal prison while she appeals her conviction for the fraud she committed while overseeing a blood-testing scam that exposed Silicon Valleys dark side. In an 11-page ruling issued late on Monday, US District Judge Edward Davila concluded there wasnt compelling enough evidence to allow Holmes to remain free on bail while her lawyers try to persuade an appeals court that alleged misconduct during her four-month trial led to an unjust verdict. 11-year jail term for fraud The judges decision means 39-year-old Holmes, will have to surrender on 27 April to start the more than 11-year prison sentence that Davila imposed in November. The punishment came 10 months after a jury found her guilty on four counts of fraud and conspiracy against the Theranos investors who believed in her promises to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Holmes had accompanied her lawyers to a San Jose, California, courtroom on March 17 to try to convince Davila that various missteps by federal prosecutors, and the omission of key evidence, will culminate in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals exonerating her. Holmes prison sentence is scheduled to start roughly 20 years after she dropped out of Stanford University when she was 19 years old to start Theranos in Palo Alto, California the same city where William Hewlett and David Packard founded a company bearing their surnames in a small garage and planted the seeds of what grew into Silicon Valley. Holmes could still file another appeal of Davilas latest ruling, a maneuver her co-conspirator at Theranos Ramesh Sunny Balwani successfully used to delay his scheduled March 16 date to begin a nearly 13-year prison sentence. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last week rejected that appeal, and Balwani is now scheduled to report to a Southern California prison on April 20. Davila has recommended Holmes serve her sentence in a Bryan, Texas, prison. It hasnt yet been publicly confirmed if that will be the facility where she reports. Unless she can find a way to stay free, Holmes will be separated from the two children she had leading up to the trial and after her conviction. Her first child, a boy, was born shortly before her trial began in September 2021. The youngest child, whose gender hasnt been disclosed in court documents, was born at some point after her November sentencing. She conceived both with her current partner, William Billy Evans, whom she met after breaking up with Balwani in the midst of Theranos downfall. The denial of Holmes request to remain free is the latest twist in a long-running saga that has already been the subject of an acclaimed HBO documentary and an award-winning Hulu TV series. Although they had separate trials, Holmes and Balwani were accused of essentially the same crimes centered on a ruse touting Theranos blood-testing system as a breakthrough in health care. The claims helped the company become a Silicon Valley sensation that raised nearly $1 billion from investors and at one point anointed Holmes with a $4.5 billion fortune, based on her 50% stake in Theranos. Holmes also parlayed the buzz surrounding Theranos to speaking engagements on the same stage as former President Bill Clinton and glowing cover stories in business publications that likened her to tech visionaries such as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. But Theranos technology never came close to working like Holmes and Balwani boasted, resulting in the companys scandalous collapse and a criminal case that shined a bright light on Silicon Valleys greed and hubris. 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. London: Twitter CEO Elon Musk said social media rules in India are quite strict and his micro-blogging wont go beyond the laws of the country. In a Twitter Spaces conversation with BBC, Musk said given a choice between complying with Indian law and going to jail, he would choose the former. The rules in India for what can appear on social media are quite strict, and we cant go beyond the laws of a country. Musk said. The Twitter CEO was likely referring to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, commonly known as the IT Rules. When BBCs James Clayton asked Musk, But do you get that if you do that, you can incentivise countries around the world to simply pass more draconian laws. The Twitter owner said, No look, if we have a choice of either our people go to prison, or we comply with the laws, well comply with the laws. I said BBC could come Twitter, then, to my surprise, a reporter shows up Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023 Same goes for the BBC, Musk went on to say, in a likely reference to BBC's cooperation with Indian authorities in I-T surveys on its New Delhi and Mumbai offices. Elon Musk on BBC documentary on PM Modi During the interview that came in a short notice, Musk was asked why Twitter took down posts regarding the documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to which he clarified that he was not aware about it. Lets talk about something else. Narendra Modi. The BBC did a documentary about Narendra Modi and his leadership during the riots of Gujarat. We then believe that some of that content was taken off Twitter. Was that at the behest of the Indian government? Clayton asked Musk. I am not aware of that particular situation, the Twitter boss said. So you are not sure? Clayton asked. I dont know about that, you know, what exactly happened with some content situation in India, Musk replied. BBC Journalist @JamesClayton5: BBC did a documentary on Gujarat Riots. Why was it taken down from twitter?@elonmusk: We follow laws in India or else our people go to jail. @bbc should do the same. What a turnaround in 1 year ever since the new IT Laws have been drafted and pic.twitter.com/iFAM5EAUCw Wokeflix (@wokeflix_) April 12, 2023 BBC, in January this year, released the first of its two-part docuseries - India: The Modi Question which was allegedly based on the early political life of PM Modi. It was widely criticised in India and was later banned. After the ban on the BBC documentary on PM Modi, several links to the film were removed by Twitter, YouTube. Slamming the documentary, Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called it a "propaganda piece" that lacks objectivity and exhibits a colonial attitude. 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: The hotly contested gender reform law from Edinburgh will be the subject of a legal dispute between the Scottish and British governments. According to reports, the Scottish government has decided to file a petition for a judicial review in response to Westminsters veto of the bill and the announcement was made Wednesday by the Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. She reportedly said that the Gender Recognition Reform Bill was approved by the Scottish Parliament with the support of parliamentarians from all parties. She said: The use of section 35 is an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliaments ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters and it risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent. In seeking to uphold the democratic will of the parliament and defend devolution, Scottish ministers will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotlands decision, she added. In response to the announcement, the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack said: The UK government will robustly defend the decision to prevent the Scottish governments Gender Recognition Reform Bill from becoming law. I made the order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 after thorough and careful consideration of all the relevant advice and the policy implications. I was very clear in the accompanying statement of reasons how the bill would have an adverse effect on reserved matters, including on the operation of the law as it applies to Great Britain-wide equalities protections. The use of the power is entirely within the devolution settlement as set out from its inception, with cross-party support. MSPs approved the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill just before the holiday season. Jack, the Scottish Secretary, asserted that the bill conflicts with UK-wide equality rules and that the different gender recognition systems in Scotland and elsewhere will lead to significant complications. Somerville clarified, The UK government gave no advance warning of their use of the power, and neither did they ask for any amendments to the bill throughout its nine-month passage through parliament. Our offers to work with the UK government on potential changes to the bill have been refused outright by the secretary of state, so legal challenge is our only reasonable means of resolving this situation. It is important to have clarity on the interpretation and scope of the section 35 power and its impact on devolution. These matters should be legally tested in the courts, she said. The length of time that adult candidates had to have lived in their acquired gender would be shortened to three months, and no diagnosis or medical records would be required. What is Gender Reform Bill? The purpose of the measure is to make it easier for transgender people to legally alter their gender. Its provides a gender recognition certificate to applicants between the ages of 16 and 17 after they complete living six months as their adopted gender. Critics claim that it jeopardises single-sex areas and womens rights. Conflict within SNP The bill has reportedly caused conflict within the SNP. Shortly before MSPs started discussing the first stage in October of last year, Ash Regan resigned as minister of community safety. Seven SNP MSPs voted against it, defying the whip in the process. First Minister Humza Yousaf was the only candidate in the SNP leadership race to advocate action if legal counsel recommended it. Ash Regan predicted that any legal challenge would be unsuccessful, while Kate Forbes promised to change the law so that it could not be overturned again. 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: Indian medical students, who had been evacuated from Ukraine following the Russian invasion will now be allowed to take a key examination from India. This has been conveyed to the Indian side by Ukraines First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova during her recent three-day visit to New Delhi. On the issue of Indian medical students, the deputy foreign minister mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. The MEA issued a statement as Dzhaparova wrapped up her visit to India. More than 19,000 Indian students were studying in Ukraine when the Russian invasion began in February last year. Approximately 2,000 Indian students have gone back to Ukraine and they are residing mostly in the western part of the East European country. Under the initiative of the Ukrainian authorities, the students who are still in India can join online classes and have the option to appear for the Unified State Qualification Exam (USQE) in India. During the visit, the first deputy foreign minister held bilateral talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the MEA and called on Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. Dzhaparova, during her visit, highlighted Ukraines desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India, the MEA said. Dzhaparovas visit to India will facilitate cooperation between the two countries, it 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. Madrid, Spain: In order to thwart Russias invasion, the Ukrainian defence minister announced Wednesday that he has requested extra ammunition and F-16 planes from his Spanish colleague. While Western allies, headed by the United States, have provided Ukraine with military equipment and training, Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukraines defence minister, warned that more must be done to put an end to the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II. For us, the number one priority is air defence, he told a joint news conference with Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles. We are very interested in contemporary air planes of the new generation. We are interested in F-16 jets, he said. Because for us, destroying Russias air dominance is paramount, he added. Reznikov also said he had asked for 150 mm and 105 mm artillery munitions and amphibious vehicles. Robles said the six Leopard battle tanks Spain had promised Ukraine would be physically in Ukraine before the end of the month. Spain will also send 20 armoured personnel carriers along with them, the minister added. Madrid has said it could send an additional four Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine and Robles said Wednesday these would be dispatched as soon as possible. Ukraine is expected to launch an attack on invading Russian troops in the spring its first major military push of the year. A steady drip of dozens of leaked US documents and slides have made their way onto social media in recent days with information about Ukraines preparations and readiness. A February 2023 document marked secret seen recently by AFP, said 89 per cent of Ukrainian medium- and high-range air defences were made up of SA-10 and SA-11 Soviet-era systems that could soon run short of ammunition. Both ministers denied claims in the leaked documents that NATO troops were on the ground in Ukraine. It is not true, Reznikov said, while Robles called the reports completely false. 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: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting additional medical supplies and related pieces of equipment. Ukraine made its request during a four-day visit to India by First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova that ended on Wednesday, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement. The Ukrainian government has also invited Indian companies to help rebuild the country battered by Russias invasion, the government said. Dzhaparova held talks with Indias junior foreign minister, Meenakshi Lekhi, and handed over a letter from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ministry said. It gave no details of the letter. Rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, the ministry cited Dzhaparova as saying. India has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the war, including medicines and medical equipment. Dzhaparovas visit was the first by a high-ranking official from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. India has not been as critical of its old ally Russia as some other countries for its invasion and it has increased its purchases of Russian oil. India has sought a diplomatic solution to the conflict while Modi, in comments seen as mildly critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told him in September that now was not an era of war. Dzhaparova, in comments to the media during her visit, said Ukraine wanted India to be more involved in helping resolve the conflict and Ukraine looked forward to welcoming Modi to Kyiv one day. India holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 and Dzhaparova said Ukraine expected India to invite Ukrainian officials to G20 events and that Zelenskiy would be keen to address a G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, as he did by video during the groupings last summit in Indonesia. The Indian ministry did not refer to these requests in its statement. India does not want the war to overshadow G20 events, Indian officials have said, but the first two G20 ministerial events India hosted, in February and March, saw rifts over the war between G7 nations, on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other. 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. Yangon: The United Nations and Western governments on Wednesday condemned Myanmars ruling junta for carrying out an air raid on a village where dozens of civilians are said to have died and demanded accountability. The death toll from the early Tuesday morning strike on the remote Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region remains unclear, but earlier reports had suggested that as many as 100 people were killed in the air strikes. Volker Turk, the head of the UNs human rights office, said he was horrified by the deadly air strike, which he claimed killed schoolchildren who were performing dances. The international organisation demanded that those guilty be brought to account. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces today, according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country, the spokesman added. Washington said it was deeply concerned about the air strikes. These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement, using the countrys former name. The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma. Germanys Foreign Office in a tweet said it strongly condemned the strike, adding it expected the regime to end the violence against its people immediately. Myanmars National Unity Government, a shadow body dominated by former lawmakers from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyis party, called the strike a heinous act. We share the great pain felt by the families affected by this tragedy, it said in a statement. At least 50 fatalities and dozens of injuries were reported by BBC Burmese, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia, as well as a witness contacted by AFP. The junta confirmed late Tuesday night that the strike had taken place, but did not say how many were killed. There was (a Peoples Defence Force) office opening ceremony (Tuesday) morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village, said spokesman Zaw Min Tun, referring to the armed anti-junta groups that have sprung up across the country since its elected government was toppled in a 2021 military coup. We attacked that place Some of the dead, he added, were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though there could be some people with civilian clothes. The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the Peoples Defence Force for some of the deaths. The United Nations, while not confirming a toll, said several civilians were killed, with Turk accusing Myanmars military of once again disregarding clear legal obligations to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities. The militarys crackdown on dissent in the wake of the coup has left more than 3,100 people dead, according to a local monitoring group. Great pain Sagaing region near the countrys second-largest city Mandalay has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the militarys rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. Graphic video clips circulating on social media footage AFP has been unable to verify show bodies scattered among ruined homes. We are going to rescue you if we hear you screaming, one person could be heard saying in the video. Please scream! A rescuer connected to a Peoples Defence Force group said that women and children were among the dead. After recovering bodies and transporting victims for medical treatment, he estimated the death toll could be as high as 100. The military, which accuses anti-coup fighters of being terrorists, has faced international condemnation for razing villages, mass killings and air strikes on civilians. More than 30 people sheltering in a monastery were killed in Shan state in March. Last year, a military air strike on a concert put on by the Kachin Independence Army in northern Kachin state killed about 50 people and wounded more than 70, the rebels said. At a military parade last month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing vowed to continue cracking down on opponents. The military last month announced a six-month extension of a state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August because it did not control enough of the country for a vote. 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. The Supreme Court of the US state of Arizona has ruled that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the Mormon Church can refuse to answer questions or turn over documents under a state law that exempts religious officials from having to report child sex abuse if they learn of the crime during a confessional setting. The ruling took place on 7 April but was not released to the public until Tuesday. Mormon Church member accused of abusing own daughter A lawsuit filed by child sex abuse victims accuses the church, widely known as the Mormon church, two of its bishops, and other church members of conspiracy and negligence in not reporting church member Paul Adams for abusing his older daughter as early as 2010. This negligence, the lawsuit argues, allowed Adams to continue abusing the girl for as many as seven years, a time during which he also abused the girls infant sister. Lynne Cadigan, an attorney for the Adams children who filed the lawsuit, criticized the courts ruling. Unfortunately, this ruling expands the clergy privilege beyond what the legislature intended by allowing churches to conceal crimes against children, she said. In a statement, the church concurred with the courts action. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agrees with the Arizona Supreme Courts decision, the statement said. We are deeply saddened by the abuse these children suffered. The Church has no tolerance of abuse of any kind. Adams had also posted videos of himself sexually abusing his daughters on the internet, boasted of the abuse on social media, and confessed to federal law enforcement agents, who arrested him in 2017 with no help from the church. Those actions prompted Cochise County Superior Court Judge Laura Cardinal to rule on Aug. 8, 2022, that Adams had waived his right to keep his 2010 confession to Bishop John Herrod secret. Taken together, Adams overt acts demonstrate a lack of repentance and a profound disregard for the principles of the church, Cardinal said in her ruling. His acts can only be characterized as a waiver of the clergy penitent privilege. Clergy in Arizona, as in many other states, are required to report information about child sexual abuse or neglect to law enforcement or child welfare authorities. An exception to that law known as the clergy-penitent privilege allows members of the clergy who learn of the abuse through spiritual confessions to keep the information secret. The church has based its defense in the lawsuit on the privilege, asserting that Herrod and a second bishop who learned of Adams confession, Robert Kim Mauzy, had no legal obligation to report him for abusing his older daughter and appealed Cardinals ruling. On Dec. 15, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the church, saying it did not have to turn over disciplinary records for Adams, who was excommunicated in 2013. The Appeals Court also ruled that a church official who attended a church disciplinary hearing could refuse to answer questions from the plaintiffs attorneys during pretrial testimony, based on the clergy-penitent privilege. Lawyers representing the Adams girls and one of their brothers took the case to the Arizona Supreme Court, where they did not prevail, according to the April ruling. In an unusual move, Cadigan said attorneys for the three Adams children intend to file a motion asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling. An Associated Press investigation of the clergy privilege shows it exists in 33 states and that the Mormon church, often joined by the Catholic Church, Jehovahs Witnesses and other faiths, have successfully lobbied against attempts to reform or eliminate it. 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. Washington, United States: In an effort to reassure its allies after a cache of highly sensitive papers was leaked online, top US diplomat Antony Blinken and defence chief Lloyd Austin talked with their Ukrainian counterparts on Tuesday. The breach, which has spurred a criminal probe by the Department of Justice, contains sensitive data regarding Ukraines conflict with Russian forces occupying its territory as well as unreleased evaluations of American partners. American worries over Ukraines ability to continue defending against Russian attacks were underscored in a document that AFP obtained, while the Washington Post claimed that another document raised reservations about the viability of an expected push by Kyivs military. We have engaged with allies and partners at high levels over the past days, including to reassure them about our own commitment to safeguarding intelligence, Blinken told a news conference on Tuesday. Blinken said he had spoken with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and reaffirmed our enduring support for Ukraine and for its efforts to defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty, its independence. Austin, speaking alongside Blinken, said he had also talked to his counterpart in Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov. He and the leadership remain focused on the task at hand, Austin said, noting that they have much of the capability that they need to continue to be successful. Ukraine is expected to launch an attack on invading Russian troops in the spring its first major military push of the year. But one top secret document said tough Russian defences and enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive, the Post reported. Air defence issues A document reviewed by AFP this one marked secret detailed the dire state of Ukrainian air defences, which have been instrumental in protecting against Russian strikes and preventing Moscows forces from gaining control of the skies. Ukraines international supporters have worked to beef up the countrys air defences, providing a mix of cutting-edge and older technology to create multi-layered defences that protect against attacks at different altitudes. But the document dated February 2023 the authenticity of which could not immediately be confirmed said that 89 per cent of Ukrainian medium and high-range air defences was made up of SA-10 and SA-11 Soviet-era systems that could soon run short of ammunition. Based on munitions used at the time, the document projected that Ukraines SA-11s would be out of missiles by late March, and its SA-10s by early May. Ukraines ability to provide medium-range air defences to protect the front line will be completely reduced by May 23, the document said. The Post reported that another document said Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the production of 40,000 rockets for shipment to Russia, telling officials to keep it secret to avoid problems with the West. White House national security spokesman John Kirby pushed back against the report. Weve seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weaponry capabilities to Russia, Kirby told reporters. Egypt is a significant security partner and remains so. Dozens of photographs of documents some of which also point to US spying on allies and partners including Israel, South Korea and Ukraine have been found on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days, though some may have been circulating online for some time. Many of the documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and the United States is reportedly working to have them removed. The fallout from the apparent leak could be significant even deadly potentially putting US intelligence sources at risk while giving the countrys foes valuable information. 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: A video of British troops forming a guard of honour for Ukrainian soldiers trained in the UK as they return to the frontline is being shared widely on social media. Watch British soldiers salute goodbye to Ukrainian troops as they leave training in Britain for the front line at home pic.twitter.com/UdVsF1quka Sky News (@SkyNews) April 12, 2023 According to reports, a video of British troops forming a guard of honour for Ukrainian soldiers trained in the UK as they return to the frontline is being shared widely on social media. We salute our Ukrainian friends as they return home after completing training to defend their freedom, loved ones and independence. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/58ESgO0pku Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) April 11, 2023 Footage tweeted by Ukraines Ministry of Defence and then shared by its UK equivalent shows military personnel lining both sides of a road and saluting the departing Ukrainian soldiers. The clip also shows some troops holding Ukrainian flags as the buses go by. The UK MoD tweeted: We salute our Ukrainian friends as they return home after completing training to defend their freedom, loved ones and independence. Ukrainians have been trained in the UK since last summer, and by the first anniversary of the Russian invasion around 10,000 troops left the country combat-ready. A further 20,000 are expected to go through the five-week course in 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. Washington: The United States wont rest until it finds out how classified documents on Ukraine, Israel and other nations appeared online, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in his first public remarks about the embarrassing leak. Washington has also scrambled to reassure allies about its ability to keep secrets safe and added that it takes the matter very seriously. We take this very seriously, Austin told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. And we will continue to investigate and turn over every rock, until we find the source of this and the extent of it. The Defence Secretary said he was first briefed on April 6 about what he called reports of unauthorised disclosure of sensitive and classified material compiled by the Defence Department. In the days that followed, the Justice Department initiated an investigation and the US has sought to reassure its allies about sensitive documents in its possession. The classified documents, which appeared on several social media sites in recent weeks, reveal information on a range of topics, from US assessments of the war in Ukraine to intelligence gathered on diplomatic allies. The leak has raised new questions about the governments ability to keep its secrets from entering the public realm following a series of far more voluminous leaks by Chelsea Manning in 2010 and Edward Snowden in 2013. I cant say much more while the Justice Departments investigation is ongoing, but we take this very seriously, and we will continue to work closely with our outstanding allies and partners, Austin said in a briefing alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And nothing will ever stop us from keeping America secure, he added. Austin and Blinken, were speaking side-by-side with their Philippines counterparts after meetings and said they had both assured their Ukrainian counterparts and again sought to reassure allies that the US remained a reliable intelligence partner. When asked about leaks involving the difficulties that Ukraine would face in a much-anticipated spring offensive, Austin said he remained confident in the Ukrainian leadership and its battle plans. He said the US would continue providing capabilities to ensure success. 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 a major shift in the geopolitical order, France has reportedly blocked the decision of the European Union to finance and send a million artillery shells to Ukraine. The EU foreign ministers approved the groundbreaking package on March 20 this year to fund the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. Of the proposed 2 billion, half was to be used to reimburse supplies of ammunition from member states warehouses. But there are not enough missiles available in these warehouses, which is why the idea of purchasing them from outside the EU has emerged, an official said. However, this was opposed by France. In this situation, the solution would be to procure ammunition from a third country on a donated basis, and then recover it from the warehouses of a member state by transferring other weapons to the third country. Talks are underway on this matter, Polish news agency PAP said citing a senior EU official. Officials familiar with the matter said that the plan is being held up as member states argue over how far spending for the plan will stay within the EU. A bigger problem is with the second billion euros, which is to be allocated for joint orders from European industry, i.e., de facto in Poland, France and Germany. The French blocked the EU decision on the second billion euros before Christmas. The draft contained a provision that the ammunition was to be reimbursed only on the basis of requests submitted by Ukraine. Paris, however, wants, without explaining why, this provision to be deleted. This would also mean the possibility of refunding ammunition which the Ukrainian side has not asked for. In addition to the decision on ammunition, France wants to add the possibility of compensating for missile deliveries, a senior EU source told PAP. A storm of criticism erupted recently after Macron said Europe should not become a vassal and must avoid being drawn into any conflict between the US and China over Taiwan. The French Presidents remarks came after his China visit where; he was given a full red-carpet welcome in China despite his tough stand against Beijing over its support to Russia in the Ukraine war. This unusually lavish hospitality was seen as a sign of Beijings attempt to wean away allies from the United States. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Last year, Samsung resurrected the Galaxy Note with the launch of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and it was received rather positively. The company has now followed it up with the launch of the S23 Ultra, along with the S23 and S23+. With a design that looks very similar to its predecessor and a couple of internal upgrades, has Samsung released a worthy update to the Galaxy S Ultra series? Read on in my review to find out. Box Contents Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone 12GB + 256GB storage version in Green colour USB Type-C to Type-C Cable SIM ejector tool Quick Start Guide and Warranty information Design and Hardware At first glance, the S23 Ultra looks nearly identical to the previous years S22 Ultra. It has the same big display up-front, curved edges, glossy metal railings, and frosted glass in the rear. The camera bump is identical too, with bolder silver rings around each camera. The biggest change is the slightly flatter edges on the S23 Ultra, which results in a noticeable improvement of the hand ergonomics. The display is also flatter to give it a larger surface area. The placement of the ports, SIM slot, buttons and S-pen remain the same, and in my opinion they are in the right places. For structural protection, the phone features their Armor Aluminium frame and both the front and rear glass are made out of Cornings Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It weighs 233 grams, which is only marginally higher than its predecessor. It measures 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm, which is definitely on the larger side. So if you have smaller hands, maybe check out the device in a store first before purchasing. Display and Audio The S23 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Infinity-O-Edge Dynamic AMOLED panel with a supported refresh rate range of 1-120Hz and a peak brightness of 1750 nits. Samsung has always used their best panels for their flagship devices, and the S23 Ultra is no exception. The panel is absolutely beautiful, with some of the best colours and contrast Ive seen on a mobile device. The brightness in particular is impressive, and I had no issues with outdoor visibility. The phone is equipped with an updated version of their Vision Booster technology, which now features 3 levels to provide improved visibility in direct sunlight. And of course HDR content on streaming platforms looks fantastic, although Samsung still refuses to add Dolby Vision support in their devices. With support for refresh rates between 1-120Hz, the display feels buttery smooth when navigating the UI, scrolling through social media and especially when gaming. Samsung is also making good use of the variable refresh rate to optimize the battery life For speakers, it uses the same dual stereo setup as the S22 Ultra, although it does sound a bit better at full volume. Just as before, the phone does support Dolby Atmos audio, and it worked well when I used it in Apple Music. Camera Having a great camera system seems to be a necessity these days for flagship smartphones. With the S23 Ultra, Samsung has introduced their newest ISOCELL HP2 sensor, featuring a mind-boggling resolution of 200 megapixels. This is a lot more than the 108MP sensor present in the S22 Ultra. Along with the main wide-angle, the S23 Ultra has a 12MP 120 Ultra Wide sensor, a 10MP Telephoto lens for 3x zoom and a 10MP Periscope lens for 10x zoom. The front camera has been updated with a new 12MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture. The default camera app for the S23 Ultra remains the same, with a new mode for capturing at 200MP or at 50MP. By default, the app outputs 12MP photos after binning pixels. Another change to the camera app is the direct shortcut to their Expert RAW app, which needs to be installed separately from the Galaxy Store. Coming to how well the Galaxy S23 Ultras camera performs, well simply put, it is fantastic. The S22 Ultras camera was already quite good, and somehow the S23 Ultra is better. It is better at capturing details, with great contrast and good exposure. The low-light performance has noticeably improved and the HDR processing is done well. Samsung continues to have one of the best portrait effects, with natural looking bokeh and clean subject cut-outs. One issue I had with the camera was the high shutter lag. Im assuming that capturing and processing 200MP takes time, however it shutter lag shouldnt exist for a flagship phone in 2023. Having multiple focal ranges makes the camera quite versatile, and in particular I enjoyed using the 3x telephoto. I would often find myself clicking with the 3x camera as it can shoot with unique perspectives and the outputs were great. Although the front camera has a lower resolution than last year, the quality has dramatically improved. The dynamic range is impressive, and it captures a high amount of detail. I dont know what magic Samsung has done, but it is good! Coming to videography, the phone can now shoot at up to 8K at 30fps, along with support for other typical frame rates. The phone also features better stabilization with improved OIS and advanced VDIS technology. There is support for Pro Video and support for Portrait video too. Unfortunately, there is no support for shooting in Dolby Vision. Here are some camera samples of the S23 Ultra: Software, UI and Apps Out of the box, the S23 Ultra is running OneUI 5.1 based on Android 13. At the time of writing this review, the phone was running the April Android security patch. Samsung has promised 4 years of Android upgrades and 5 years of security updates, which is excellent. The company has also been quite regular with their software updates. I have liked Samsungs OneUI software experience for a long time now, thanks to its long list of useful features and optimizations. OneUI 5.1 in particular has introduced a direct shortcut to the ExpertRAW app in the camera UI and added better customisation options. There is also better multitasking support and integrations with Samsungs ecosystem of devices. You can check out the complete list of changes in One UI 5.1 here. Just like the S22 Ultra, you get the usual set of software features for the S-Pen. Samsung hasnt added any new features for the S-Pen, and honestly that is fine. It is plenty capable in my opinion. Fingerprint sensor and Face unlock Samsung continues to utilize an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and although they havent mentioned it, I feel that the fingerprint detection area is marginally bigger. The accuracy of the authentication is still high, and I rarely faced any issues with it. You can still add up to 4 fingerprints, and it can be used to lock/unlock the Secure Folder app present in Samsungs OneUI. Along with this, it supports face unlock, but it isnt as secure, so I never used it. Dual SIM and Connectivity The phone features Qualcomms latest Snapdragon X70 5G Modem-RF system, with support for Dual SIMs or an eSIM. For 5G bands, it supports 16 bands, and it supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. 5G connectivity was excellent during my tests in Chennai and the speeds were great. More importantly, Samsung has done a lot of optimization to ensure that the battery life doesnt suffer on 5G. Along with this, it has the usual set of sensors including UWB and for location accuracy it supports GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo and QZSS. Performance and Benchmarks Performance on the Galaxy S series has been substantially improved this generation. Samsung partnered with Qualcomm to power the Galaxy S23 series with a special version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. It is essentially a better binned SoC that can boost higher, at up to 3.36GHz on its prime CPU core. This is faster than the regular variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in other current flagship smartphones. The faster clock speeds enable the S23 Ultra to score really well in synthetic benchmarks and perform excellently in real-world applications. The phone can handle pretty much any task that you throw at it, and I rarely noticed any slowdowns. With 12GB of RAM standard, apps stay open in memory for long periods of time. Gaming is another area where I feel like the phone has really improved, and this is thanks to its upgraded cooling system. Samsung is more serious this time around about its cooling technologies and the results are visible. In Genshin Impact, the phone maintains good frame rates for much longer, resulting in a much better gaming experience. Qualcomm has made a good chip with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and Im glad to see Samsung take full advantage of that. This kind of lift in performance may not be that meaningful now, but it will be crucial in the future, especially considering Samsungs promise of 4 years of Android upgrades. Here are some synthetic benchmarks: Battery life This is an area where I saw the biggest improvement during my review of the S23 Ultra. While the S22 Ultra offered pretty good all-day battery life, the S23 Ultra extends that noticeably further. It has the same battery capacity at 5000mAh, so there isnt any change there. Where the improvement comes from is the efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is significantly better this time around. During my review, with my normal regular use, it is possible to get nearly 7 to 8 hours of screen-on-time, which is amazing. This is with the display set to 1440p and 120Hz, adaptive refresh rate, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS on, and 5G connectivity. With the light use, the phone can easily last two days and with heavy use, the phone will still get through a day comfortably. The charging situation has unfortunately not changed. The S23 Ultra can charge at a maximum of 45W, which is quite a bit slower than other flagships. The phone can charge from 3% to 100% in about 1 hour and 10 mins. It still has support for wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Conclusion The Galaxy S23 Ultra feels like a refined version of the S22 Ultra, with improved performance, upgraded camera and a much better camera system. Samsung has increased the base variant to 12GB+256GB but also increased the starting price to Rs. 1,24,999. The price jump is significant when compared to the S22 Ultra. In my opinion, the many little improvements that Samsung made has made the S23 Ultra a much better offering and for that reason, I understand the price increase. If you own an S22 Ultra, which is still an excellent device, then I wouldnt recommend upgrading to the S23 Ultra. If you own an older Samsung flagship though, then you can consider the S23 Ultra as the upgrades will be noticeably significant. The phone represents one of the best offerings that Android can offer right now. Availability The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at Rs. 1,24,999 for the 12GB +256GB model, Rs. 1,34,999 for 12GB +512GB and the top-end 12GB +1TB model is available for Rs. Rs. 1,54,999. It is available from Amazon.in, Flipkart and other online stores as well as offline stores. The online-exclusive colours Red, Graphite, Lime and Sky Blue are available from Samsung.com. The first-ever official Apple Store in India Apple BKC opens next week on April 18th in Mumbai and the second store opens in Delhi on the 20th. Over the years, I have had the chance to visit several Apple Stores across the world and here is why I think Apple Stores coming officially to India is a big win for Apple users and consumers. Distinct design and ambience Most Apple stores are located at strategic locations near important landmarks. They are carefully crafted to have a distinct design, yet all have the familiar Apple Store feel. They are usually spacious, have free high-speed Wi-Fi and offer a good ambience to anyone visiting the store. The vibe has been consistent in my experience across a few countries, while there might be some cultural differences from one country to another. One of my favourite stores is the famous cube in Fifth Avenue in New York City. The best part is that this store is open 24 hours a day throughout the year. Another iconic one is the Grand Central store within a railway station. Try any product on display without any commitment to buy The best thing about visiting an Apple Store is the ability to check out any product from the company. You get to experience real working products with preloaded content depending on the product type. You dont have to deal with products behind a glass box, dummy or products which dont work as they are supposed to. The sales representatives are not very pushy and dont bother you unless you require help. There is no commitment to buy, and it is totally fine for users to just walk in and experience the products. Plenty of Inventory Apple stores generally tend to have ample amount of inventory for most popular products. While this might be an issue during major product launches, company owned stores generally have plenty of product inventory. Even then, I have managed to order store pick-up for a few products which have a lot of demand. We hear from a lot of users who are in the market for an Apple product, but are not able to find one at stores. The company owned stores are certainly going to change this. Accessory Collection It is usually difficult to witness the complete accessory ecosystem under one roof, but a company-owned store could easily over the limitations associated with this. I have sometimes even seen accessories that are not available online at offline stores. I ended up buying the Philips Hue smart lighting system and a Shure microphone at an Apple Store. Ease of Shopping You dont have to wait in a queue for billing and payments. Most Apple Store staff carry a POS device through which customers can pay for their purchases and receive the receipts on email. I have bills of purchases I have made as far back as 2008 which is 15 years ago! In some countries, you can even return products within a few days of purchase for a full refund, not sure if this option will be available in India. Another interesting option is store pickup. You can purchase items online and chose store pickup option. Most often this is quicker as the store might have stocks already, rather than having to ship the product to you from the warehouse. Hope the Apple Store app is updated to enable store pick-ups in India. Sophisticated support and service Genius Bar Genius Bar is a dedicated area within Apple stores to provide technical support to products which are both under warranty and out of warranty. I have had a majorly good experience with Apple stores while requiring support. I remember getting an iPhones broken display fixed in under 2 hours in the US. There is a dearth of genuine Apple centres in India and most of the repair is handled by Apple Authorized service centres. I have waited for parts to arrive from Bangalore and even Singapore in some cases. Still have managed to get complete replacements for products covered under Apple Care warranty. I hope the service situation in India improves with the launch of official stores in the country. Today at Apple Free sessions Apple hosts free sessions at Apple Stores to help users discover the true potential of their devices. These are not only beneficial to beginners who are new to the Apple ecosystem, but also advanced users who want to learn from the experts. There are still some slots for a few sessions at the Apple BKC store in Mumbai which are available if you are interested to sign up. Why it is a major win for consumers Several consumer-facing brands that have ventured into the retail space have certainly drawn inspiration from Apple stores in some way or the other. Be it Microsoft, Samsung or Google. Apple already has a good number of resellers in India, but the first few company stores could emerge as a benchmark for retail in the country. This is what Neil Shah, Vice President of Research at Counterpoint Research had to say about the development : There is a premiumifcation of smartphone market is happening as consumers buy their third or fourth smartphones which has become their go-to device and inseparable part of their lives to consume content, communicate or commerce. Apple is looking to capitalize on this premiumification trend by offering the premium Apple experience and ecosystem showcase which will drive maturing smartphone users into one of the best connected devices and services ecosystem in the market. Mumbai is one of the key markets for Apple and contributes to almost 10% of sales according to Counterpoints city level tracker behind Delhi. Now it makes sense why Apple chose to start with Mumbai and Delhi for their first two retail stores in India. Vignesh Selvasundar, a Content Specialist and Apple user on the store opening : Apple finally opening up their retail stores in India is truly exciting. As someone whos shopped at multiple apple stores around the world over the years, it is unlike anything. Every single apple device is available in abundance to use and experience as its yours. The process of buying an apple produce from an Apple Store feels way more personal than the regular retailers in India. Nothing can match the feel of touching and holding a product in your hand when it comes to consumer electronics, and I hope to see more companies increasing their retail footprint in India. Apple has had an exceptionally good run in the country for the past few quarters, and there is certainly strong demand for iPhones and Macs in India. I cant wait to visit these stores on my next trip to Mumbai and Delhi. Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, has announced a majority investment in Shearer Supply, a leading independent specialty distributor of essential Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment for residential and commercial properties in the US. Founded in 1983, and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Shearer is one of the largest independent distributors of HVAC products in the US, serving over 5,500 clients from 22 branches across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana. Shearer distributes a comprehensive set of products including residential and commercial HVAC equipment and parts from over 120 suppliers including American Standard, Ameristar and Samsung. Announcing the key takeover, Investcorp said the previous owners of the company, including Shearers management team, the Shearer family and PNC Riverarch Capital will re-invest meaningfully alongside Investcorp and remain shareholders in the company. "Shearer operates in a large, resilient and highly fragmented market driven by non-discretionary replacement demand, which we expect to continue to benefit from strong secular tailwinds including an aging housing stock, shortening replacement cycles and favorable regulation, in addition to its attractive Southern US geographic footprint where higher average temperatures and a growing population is increasing the demand for HVAC products," remarked Dave Tayeh, the Head of Private Equity North America at Investcorp. "We have experienced robust activity across our North American Private Equity platform this year, underscoring the strength of our strategy in partnering with growing, founder-led businesses as they look to scale their businesses," he noted. Bahrain-based Investcorp has an established history of investing and realizing value from leading value-added specialty distributors across several end markets, with investments including Arrowhead, American Tire Distributors, FleetPirde, Berlin Packaging and Fortune International, with a unique investment experience in the HVAC industry through its recent investment in and realization from the Wrench Group, a leading specialty provider of HVAC maintenance and repair services. "Todays announcement marks an important continuation of our strategy to identify and collaborate with high-potential businesses across a diverse range of sectors and markets globally," said Yusef Al Yusef, the Head of Investcorp Private Wealth. "In a fragmented industry with huge growth potential, Shearer combines robust and resilient fundamentals with strong cash flow, and together we are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities for expansion in the fast-growing HVAC market," he added. Michelle Shearer-Rodriguez, CEO at Shearer Supply, said: "Investcorp has an established history of working with companies like Shearer and have demonstrated a strong track record in HVAC and specialty distribution. We are looking forward to partnering with them on our next phase of growth and leveraging their strong industry insights." Investcorps North America Private Equity group has been investing in North American mid-market businesses for over 40 years and has completed approximately 70 transactions, deploying more than $22 billion in transaction value since inception. "Shearer provides a compelling value proposition for both contractors and original equipment manufacturers, acting as a one-stop-shop local partner with a breadth of products, expertise and value-added services, said Steve Miller, Managing Director, Private Equity North America at Investcorp. "This is an impressive family-owned and run business that has differentiated itself in its ability to scale and grow in excess of the market throughout its history and we are thrilled to be partnering with the Companys highly motivated management team," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The Tamil Nadu government officially notified the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill on Monday, after it received assent from the state governor, RN Ravi. Back in September last year, Tamil Nadu cabinet approved an ordinance to ban online games with stakes. The law, which had been pending for several months, was published in the Government Gazette after obtaining the governors approval. New Tamil Nadu Law Criminalizes Online Gambling The State government of Tamil Nadu has enacted a new law, The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, which aims to crack down on online gambling and regulate online games. Violators of the law could face imprisonment and fines. Punishments for Online Gambling and Advertising The Act stipulates that anyone who provide online gambling services or online games of chance can be punished with imprisonment of up to three years, or fined up to 10 lakh rupees, or both. The law also prohibits the making of any advertisements that promote online gambling, with violators facing imprisonment of up to one year, or fines of up to 5,00,000, or both. Penalties for Online Gamblers According to the Act, individuals who engage in online gambling or play online games of chance with money or virtual stakes can be punished with imprisonment of up to three months, fines of up to 5,000, or both. Establishment of Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority The Act proposes the establishment of the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority, which will be led by a retired officer of the rank of Chief Secretary to the Government. The authority will consist of members with expertise in law enforcement, information technology, psychology, and online gaming. Its responsibilities will include issuing registration certificates to local online games providers, identifying online games of chance, overseeing the functioning of online games providers, collecting and maintaining information on their activities, and resolving grievances or complaints against them. The Act grants the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority the power to summon individuals, receive evidence on oath, require document production, and issue summons for witness or document examination. Prohibition on Financial Transactions for Online Gambling The Act prohibits banks, financial institutions, and payment gateway providers from facilitating any transactions for online gambling or online games of chance. Regulations for Local and Non-Local Online Games Providers Local online games providers in Tamil Nadu can only offer services in accordance with a registration certificate obtained from the Authority, and existing services can continue for 90 days, subject to the prohibitions of the Act. Non-local online games providers are prohibited from offering online gambling services in the state and must geo-block their services. They are also required to inform prospective gamers of Tamil Nadus prohibition on online gambling and playing certain online games while physically present in the state, and include express contractual conditions to that effect. Penalties for Non-Local Games Providers Non-local games providers convicted under the Act face imprisonment of one to three years and a fine of 5,00,000-10,00,000. Subsequent convictions may result in varying terms of imprisonment and hefty fines. To learn more about the Tamil Nadu Gazette Notification Online Gambling Ban ACT visit here (Via) Kuwait Arab Contractors has been awarded infrastructure services contract worth KD112.7 million ($367 million) by the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) for the South Sabah Al Ahmad Project, located 80 km south of capital Kuwait City, reported Arab Times. The 61.5 sq-km city is formed of ten neighbourhood clusters arranged around the citys central business district, and bordered by a ring of light industrial buildings. Set to be the urban core for the countrys southern sub-region, The City will be home to an estimated 280,000 residents, while creating another 145,000 jobs in a diverse range of industries including construction, medicine, manufacturing and culture. It will also boast extensive green open spaces and multi-layered public transport systems that promote wellbeing and sustainability. Awarding the contract, PAHW said a total of 14 companies had expressed their interest in the project but Kuwait Arab Contractors emerged the winner with the lowest bid. The scope of work includes construction, completion and maintenance of main road works for the South Sabah Al Ahmad City as well as provision of infrastructure services and setting up of rainwater tanks, it stated. The entire project work wuill be completed within the next three years. Bahrains Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has launched a project to develop and modernise the infrastructure of its private data centre. The objective is to enhance the ability of hosting government systems and services, in addition to scaling for future growth in iGA and enhancing the business continuity for government services within the internal cloud computing environment of the authority. The project comes as part of iGAs strategy and direction to employ modern and advanced technologies, and harness it in a way that contributes to the development of a society based on data and information. Moreover, the project aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government systems and services by supporting the development process and further reducing operational costs. Direct response Through this project the authority aims to enhance direct response during emergency situations via the established Data Centre for disaster recovery, in addition to its development of a national system for backup as part of its continuous efforts to ensure smooth business continuity of the government data network. Dr Khaled Al-Mutawah, Deputy Chief Executive for Operations & Governanceat iGA affirmed that the launch of this project crystallises the national initiatives, and the economic recovery plan. This is in addition to raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance of the government services, enhancing its quality and providing it within a safe and sustainable environment, in line with priorities of the government Action Plan, the Economic Recovery Plan and the fiscal balance programme. Dr Al-Mutawah also explained that with the implementation of this project, Bahrain will be the first country in the region to implement the multi-cloud and hybrid cloud system in the government sector, pointing to several advantages achieved as a result of activating this project. Some of the benefits are the provision and creation of an internal environment through which the systems are hosted as services in the internal cloud computing environment of iGA's data centre (Private Hosting) managed by iGA's team, while the role of the company, VMware, will be limited to carrying out the modernisation of the centre's infrastructure, supervising its operation, and performing periodic maintenance. Great impact He stressed that this would have a great impact of achieving this in maintaining business continuity and ensuring its operation and 99.9% availability of government systems, especially in periods of emergencies and disasters, as well as reducing operational costs. Saif Mashat, General Manager of VMware in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen said: The infrastructure modernisation project for the authoritys data center to host government systems in partnership with VMware confirms the power of multi-cloud and its ability to enhance innovation in the government services sector through the use of hardware and technical equipment with high efficiency, providing unprecedented levels of flexibility and innovation. We at VMware look forward to working with the Information & eGovernment Authority, in order to ensure business continuity, especially in times of emergencies and disasters, as well as reduce operational costs."-- TradeArabia News Service Bahrain's Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has launched a project to develop and modernise the infrastructure of its private data centre, thus making it the first country in the region to implement the multi-cloud and hybrid cloud system in government sector. The objective is to enhance the ability of hosting government systems and services, in addition to scaling for future growth in iGA and enhancing the business continuity for government services within the internal cloud computing environment of the authority, reported BNA. The project comes as part of the iGA strategy and direction to employ modern and advanced technologies, and harness it in a way that contributes to the development of a society based on data and information. Moreover, the project aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government systems and services by supporting the development process and further reducing operational costs, it stated. It is being implemented in co-ordination with US company VMware, a leader in the field of providing multi cloud and hybrid cloud computing services. Through this project the authority aims to enhance direct response during emergency situations via the established Data Centre for disaster recovery, in addition to its development of a national system for backup as part of its continuous efforts to ensure smooth business continuity of the government data network, it added. Dr Khaled Al Mutawah, Deputy Chief Executive for Operations & Governance at iGA, affirmed that the launch of this project crystallizes the national initiatives, and the economic recovery plan. "This is in addition to raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance of the government services, enhancing its quality and providing it within a safe and sustainable environment, in line with priorities of the government Action Plan, the Economic Recovery Plan and the fiscal balance programme," he noted. The launch of this project comes as a result of the Kingdom's leadership directives and support towards the digital transformation and its adoption as the first pioneering country to implement such a trend in the region, realizing cloud computing initiatives that is in line with the Kingdom's direction towards harnessing the technologies and advantages provided by modern systems, reported BNA. Dr Al Mutaweh pointed out that with the implementation of this project, Bahrain will be the first country in the region to implement the multi-cloud and hybrid cloud system in the government sector, pointing to several advantages achieved as a result of activating this project. "Some of the benefits are the provision and creation of an internal environment through which the systems are hosted as services in the internal cloud computing environment of iGA's data center (Private Hosting) managed by iGA's team, while the role of the company, VMware, will be limited to carrying out the modernization of the center's infrastructure, supervising its operation, and performing periodic maintenance," he explained. "This would have great impact of achieving this in maintaining business continuity and ensuring its operation and 99.9% availability of government systems, especially in periods of emergencies and disasters, as well as reducing operational costs, he added. It is one of the key initiatives that the iGA is working on implementing in cooperation with the private sector and specialized and leading international companies in the field of technology, in order to provide high-quality services by moving towards the principle of multi-cloud computing based on hosting government systems and services on Amazon web Services (AWS) and hosting government systems and services in the Authority's data center on the Authority's cloud (VMware), as well as previously hosted services via Microsoft's cloud (such as e-mail and user files). "The infrastructure modernization project for the authoritys data center to host government systems in partnership with VMware confirms the power of multi-cloud and its ability to enhance innovation in the government services sector through the use of hardware and technical equipment with high efficiency, providing unprecedented levels of flexibility and innovation," remarked Saif Mashat, General Manager of VMware in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen said. "We at VMware look forward to working with the Information & eGovernment Authority, in order to ensure business continuity, especially in times of emergencies and disasters, as well as reduce operational costs," he added. DC Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF), a leading business aviation services provider, has expanded its fleet under management with the addition of two aircraft a Bombardier Global 6000 and Global 5000. DCAF will operate the new aircraft on behalf of the private owners. The addition of these aircraft brings DCAFs total number of managed aircraft to 11, further reinforcing its position as one of the fastest-growing private and business jet operator in the Middle East. The management contracts will see DCAF provide full Flight Operational Aircraft Management services, Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO), hangar parking and FBO handling at its facility at Al Maktoum International Airport, in addition to providing maintenance services for the two aircraft. Holger Ostheimer, Managing Director of DCAF, said: We have had a very strong start to the year with the addition of the Global 6000 and Global 5000 aircraft. The addition of these two exceptional business jets in addition to the Global 7500 earlier this year, in our 10th year of operation, reinforces our position as one of the leading operators in the Middle East. Asset owners continue to believe in our commitment to transparency, quality and delivery of service, as well as our unmatched expertise in aircraft management and we look forward to delivering on our promises. DCAFs core areas of business include Aircraft Management, Maintenance, FBO and Ground Handling and Business jet charter. DCAF is a joint venture between Stuttgart-based DC Aviation, the largest operator of business jets in Germany and one of the leading operators in Europe and Dubai-based Al-Futtaim, a privately owned UAE business conglomerate. TradeArabia News Service Iti doresti o presa libera si independenta, care nu da inapoi cand vine vorba de respectarea standardelor profesionale, refuza sa se lase cenzurata, sustine independenta justitiei, transparenta decizionala si valorile democratice. Alege sa o sustii. New Delhi/Kampala, Apr 12 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today that the opening of the Uganda campus of Indias National Forensic Sciences University in Jinja is reflective of the vision and the relationship of the highest leadership of both their nations, as the issue got a push when the President of Uganda wrote to PM Modi last year regarding it, and the Indian PM gave immediate directions for setting it up. Addressing the inauguration of the Jinja campus of Indias National Forensic Sciences University, being opened in partnership with the Ugandan Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), the EAM said it is also significant as not only is it the first foreign campus of the NFSU, it is actually the first Government university of India, opening a campus, anywhere abroad in the world. He termed the opening of the university a proud day for India-Uganda relations, as realisation of the project has been the personal vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it would give him particular satisfaction. He said the National Forensic Sciences University is an institution of national importance and is the worlds first university dedicated exclusively to forensic sciences. The university, established in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, conducts courses in forensic sciences, behavioural sciences, cyber security, digital forensics and allied sciences and also promotes research in these areas. EAM said they had observed that for the past few years courses in forensic sciences were in very high demand from students in Africa under various scholarships provided by the Government of India and one of the reasons why the stakeholders thought about a campus in Uganda, was the high acceptance of this university among students from Africa. He said the two nations share robust defence relations. India has been regularly training and exchanging with the UPDF, under its Economic and Technical Cooperation programme. About 50 UPDF officers travel to India every year to take defence courses, he added. Further, a four-member Indian Military Advisory and Training Team is stationed in the Defence Staff College of UPDF since 2010 and I acknowledge their presence here today, he said, adding I am happy to note that our discussions have raised to open up the possibility of further expansion of defence cooperation, in the last few months and years. Cooperation between the National Defence College and the newly constituted NDC of Uganda is also under consideration. Earlier in the day, in his speech at the Business Event in Kampala, the EAM said that India is expected to grow at 6.5 percent despite the global stresses emanating from the Ukraine conflict. He said that rapid changes have happened in India in the last five years, with the most striking being on the digital side, with the rapid and extraordinarily effective digitalization of India, which allows an enormous number of services, both government services, public services, as well as business services to be delivered through a digital media. The other changes he enumerated were in the infrastructure side, with roads being built, bridges and tunnels and metros coming up; in the health sector, especially in the last three years, with priority to health increasing remarkably; The third change has been green growth, with the largest renewable programs happening in India. He said that India's growth also offers partnerships to other countries and other continents. And when we look at Africa, these are areas where, as from a policy perspective, there is a lot that we are willing to put on the table, he said, adding that these issues were discussed with his Ugandan counterpart General Odongo Jeje as the areas where India would like to see the relationship focus on. Referring to the Ukraine conflict, he said it affected the global prices of oil, and wheat. He said that while the prices of wheat took a hit due to the lack of exports from Ukraine, which is a big exporter of wheat, what was a less noticed story was actually the problems which a country like India faced in terms of edible oil, because we were big importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine. And the pressure to find compensatory resources took Indian importers to Latin America. He said the big spike in India's trade with Latin America, is due in some measure to the import of fuel oil "but a large part of it is oil in terms of edible oil. He said the education, the training, the exchanges, development partnership, are part of the growing relationship with Uganda, and the rest of Africa. He urged the members of the business event to look at the possibilities of expanding the business between the two countries and assured that from the Indian side there is a great deal of interest in trying to find ways of growing the trade. UNI RN Issue Date: 12 April 2023 The 46th President of the United States of America, Mr. Joseph R. Biden will visit Ireland from the 12th 15th April 2023. Today 12th April 2023 the visit will primarily be concentrated in Co. Louth from early afternoon. Further details were provided in a separate update. On the 13th April 2023 the visit will primarily be concentrated throughout the day in the Phoenix Park and Dublin South City Centre. Further details were provided in a separate update. On the 14th April 2023 the visit will primarily be concentrated in Co. Mayo from early afternoon. Traffic management details are further updated below. Co Mayo: The 46th President of the United States of America will arrive in County Mayo at Ireland West Airport from Dublin Airport on the afternoon of the 14th April. Normal operations will continue at Ireland West Airport at all times, however travelling members of the public should allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible temporary road closures. The following Traffic Management measures, for security reasons, will be put in place: From approximately 12.30pm to 3pm temporary traffic restrictions may occur on the N17 between Charlestown and Claremorris. Diversions will be in place during any traffic restrictions From approximately 1.30pm to 3.30pm temporary traffic restrictions may occur on the N5 between Charlestown and Castlebar. Diversions will be in place during any traffic restrictions From approximately 12noon to 5.00pm local traffic restrictions will be in place in Castlebar From 10am on 14th April until after the public event finishes in Ballina access to Ballina will be restricted to local residents and business workers only. The N59 through Ballina will be closed to traffic from 10am for the duration of the event. In general Traffic intending on travelling through Ballina on the N59 should divert via N26/ N5/ N17 Foxford, Swinford, Charlestown, Tobercurry, Sligo Details of local traffic diversions around Ballina are published on the Garda website here The Event in Ballina is a public event commencing after 6pm. Registration for public attendance at the event must be done through the U.S Mission Ireland website Homepage - Homepage - U.S. Mission Ireland (usembassy.gov) Details on logistics to attend this event have been published on the U.S Mission Ireland website ONE-PAGER_Letter-1_v3.pdf (getusinfo.com) Travel to the public event by shuttle bus is the recommended option, logistics details are published on the U.S Mission Ireland website ONE-PAGER_Letter-1_v3.pdf (getusinfo.com) Park and Shuttle Locations are provided as follows: Zone 1 Knockmore: GAA Car Park, Drop-off and return location: Junction of James Street & Hill Street Zone 2 Castleconnor Community Centre Car-Park: Drop-off and return location: Bunree Industrial Estate Zone 3 Crossmolina: various parking around town, Drop-off and return location: Mercy Road Zone 4 North Ballina: McVann Furniture, Killala Road, Drop-off and return location: Bohernasup The 46th President of the United States of America will depart County Mayo from Ireland West Airport to Dublin Airport on the late evening of the 14th April. Normal operations will continue at Ireland West Airport at all times, however travelling members of the public should allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible rolling road closures. General Information and Advice: An Garda Siochana is working to ensure that the nature and scale of our policing and security operation continues to be proportionate to the need to protect everyones safety. Our objective is to continue to share as much information with the public where necessary as soon as we are in a position to do so. We would ask members of the public to heed the advice and instructions of Gardai and we thank them for their continuing co-operation. An Garda Siochana reminds members of the public that the operation of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS/ Drone) is generally prohibited within 5km of any Airport, over urban areas, over crowds and in other restricted areas. Non-compliance is a criminal offence. Members of the Public travelling in the affected areas, Louth 12th April, Dublin (Phoenix Park/ South City Centre) 12th /13th April and Mayo 14th April are be asked to plan their journeys during this period to ensure to leave enough time for possible traffic disruptions and to expect some localised delays. An Garda Siochana has and continues to liaise with business and local residents in the key locations and will continue to communicate directly with them during the visit. An Garda Siochana continues to engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Public Transport Providers to minimise disruption to the Public Transport Network. Operational plans are subject to change for security and operational reasons. Real-time updates will be provided, where appropriate by the Garda Press Office via Every year people flock to Albany for the self-proclaimed largest premiere holistic fair in the state. At the RaSani Fair, many are in search of a different type of healing. Karen Merrill is a healer by intuition, and her instrument is a chair. Sitting at a footstool, she runs her fingers over a series of chords fastened to the back of what is called a monochord chair. She looks as though she could be playing a harp, but someone is sitting on the cushion above her. this allows the body to fully experience sound, as the vibrations of Merrills chord strokes are felt through the wood frame. Its a type of sound meditation. For me, it feels heavenly, like angels and clouds, but its different for everyone, Merrill said. She sits playing on the chair in the living room of her Albany home. Thats where she and her husband run the Quantum Life Center, where they offer different mediation and intuitive services. An array of crystals line the mantle and shelves of her home: pillars of rose quartz and selenite and spheres of tiger's eye and amethyst. There are crystals roped around her neck too. She plays by intuition, she said, her hands guiding her to wherever she thinks may need attention on the persons body. Merrill and her husband stumbled upon the chair while in Arizona, she said. Her husband, Gary Merrill, had gotten into an accident and had lower back pain. After trying the chair, that pain subsided, he said. Each of the 40 strings is attuned to 432 hertz, a healing frequency, he said. Now the Merrills bring the chair to events such as the RaSani Fair. The Merrills are among more than 100 vendors expected this go-round. The event is a trove of crystals, aromatherapy, astrology and alternative medicine. Were not here to heal people; we assist with the tools that allow people to heal themselves, said organizer Vickie Pruitt. Its looking at healing as something holistic, connecting the body, mind and spirit, she said. When the fair first started, it was a group of about 25 vendors who didnt even have business cards. They were her friends, her spiritual family, as she calls them. But that was more than 10 years ago, and now the crowds have reached the thousands. Last year, 2,000 people attended, Pruitt said. That may be because things were starting up again after pandemic rules were being lifted. But Pruitt also believes people were really searching for healing at that time. The fair will have speakers who lead topics from candle magic to communicating with pets. Theres face-painting for children, crystals and jewelry for those who like to shop, and opportunities for people to heal, whether it be breathwork or tapping into intuitive powers, Pruitt said. Pruitt doesnt expect everyone to be interested in every aspect of the event. What she hopes is that people will come with an open heart and open mind and find what resonates, she said. A massage therapist by trade, Pruitt also uses her hands for a different kind of healing. Pruitt practices Reiki, where the person hovers their hands over someone with the goal to direct energy for their healing. I love helping people and helping them feel good about who they are, she said. If you go The RaSani Fair will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 15, and Sunday, April 16 at Linn County Expo, Santiam Building, 3700 Knox Butte Road E. Benton County could merge some of its health services under one boss while elected officials eye closing an era of long-serving interim department directors. The county hasnt permanently filled the directors chair at its health department since Dawn Emerick left the position in November 2019. Benton hired Suzanne Hoffman to serve as health department director on an interim basis in October 2020, when she replaced a pair of interim co-directors. Hoffman now serves as the countys top employee in the interim while Benton searches to replace Joe Kerby who left the administrator job in March. It doesnt create stability to have these ongoing interim folks in person, Hoffman told elected officials Tuesday, April 11. Hoffman said in an interview one earlier attempt to recruit a permanent replacement failed when candidates balked at moving their families during the earliest waves of infections under the coronavirus pandemic. It was really a difficult time to recruit anyone, Hoffman said. Hoffman herself said she was moving to the Corvallis area, coming from jobs at a Portland-area behavioral health nonprofit and the Oregon Health Authority. Deputy public health director April Holland stepped up to replace Hoffman in the interim in March. Benton County leaders now will decide whether they want to replace Hoffman on a permanent basis, or roll together the functions of the health department and the organization providing the county's health services. The county distinguishes between its health department and the clinics where Benton provides behavioral health, dental and medical care. Hoffman said she and Kerby met with Lane County health officials who demonstrated the neighboring jurisdiction to the south had written strategic plans for public health based on data from both health department and providing health services. It has served them well," Hoffman said. Benton County added about 124 full-time equivalent jobs to its workforce between 2015 and 2021. The countys health center accounted for the largest demand for personnel, adding enough hours to account for 75 full-time jobs an about 78% increase. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Benton County operates two health clinics in Corvallis, one in Monroe, and manages another in Alsea. As Community Health Centers of Benton and Linn Counties, the local government organ operates clinics in Lebanon and Sweet Home that are not funded from Benton Countys general fund. The clinics ran at a $5.5-million surplus by 2017. By the end of the two-year biennium ending in 2019, the clinics had saved about $6.1 million from their budgeted $57.3 million. Benton County budgeted more than $64.9 million in the 2021-2023 biennium. Related stories: Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Tecno Phantom V Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Affordable vs Expensive: Full Specifications Compared Features oi -Carlsen Martin Tecno recently launched its first foldable smartphone in India. However, the Tecno Phantom V Fold 5G doesn't just hold the title of 'Tecno's first foldable' but is also the most affordable foldable smartphone in India. And lastly, it is pretty much the only non-Samsung foldable smartphone in India. So we've decided to do a little comparison between the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Phantom V Fold how and if Tecno's first foldable smartphone can keep pace with the best Samsung has to offer. We'll start by comparing the Tecno Phantom V Fold price with the pricing of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Tecno Phantom V Fold vs Galaxy Fold 4 The Phantom V Fold 5G price in India starts from Rs 89,999. However, the phone will be available at a special early bird price of Rs 77,777 starting April 12, 2023. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 price in India starts from Rs 1,54,999. But what does this massive difference in price get you: Build For one, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is marginally lighter and slimmer than the Phantom V Fold. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also features a tougher build with Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on the back as opposed to the textured recycled plastic back on the Phantom V Fold. Moreover, we found that the Phantom V Fold has virtually no gap when folded, while Samsung's gap when folded was quite noticeable. Moving on to colours and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes in Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, and Burgundy options, while the Phantom V Fold is offered in Black and White colour options. Lastly, the biggest advantage here in Samsung's favour is the IPX8 rating for water resistance. Display When it comes to the displays on both phones, it's pretty much even-stevens. When unfolded, the Tecno Phantom V Fold has a larger 7.85-inch AMOLED display with a 2296 x 2000-pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a 7.6-inch AMOLED panel with a 1812 x 2176-pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Both screens feature LTPO technology for an adaptive refresh rate. Both displays also have a nearly identical peak brightness, although Samsung's screen maxes out at 100 nits more. When folded, the outer display of the Phantom V Fold measures 6.42 inches with a resolution of 1080 x 2550 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy Z Fold 4, on the other hand, features a 6.2-inch outer AMOLED screen with a with a resolution of 904 x 2316 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Both outer displays use LTPO technology for an adaptive refresh rate. Samsung's cover display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the Phantom V Fold has a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the outer display. When it comes to use cases, the Phantom V Fold has noticeable less crease than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, while the gap. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has two major advantages here; one being its ability to be used in multiple different orientations, including like a mini laptop. And secondly, the selfie camera positioned under the Galaxy Z Fold 4's screen offers in uninterrupted experience. Performance & Software For performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 opts for a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, while the Phantom V Fold uses the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ SoC. Both handsets are equipped with 12GB of RAM as standard, although the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is offered with up to 1TB of UFS 3.1 storage as opposed to 512GB on the Phantom V Fold. It is worth noting that Tecno uses the latest LPDDR5X RAM as opposed to LPDDR5 RAM on the Z Fold 4. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 runs on Android 13 out of the box with the One UI 5.1 skin on top. Tecno's latest foldable smartphone also runs Android 13 based on the HiOS 13 Fold skin. Since we haven't put the Tecno Phantom V Fold through its paces, we'll have to give Samsung the advantage here, particularly because of the brand's experience with the foldable form factor as well as the convenience, customizability, and reliability, of One UI. Another big advantage for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is that it offers stylus support through the S Pen. Cameras For optics, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a triple-camera setup on the back with a 50 MP primary sensor with OIS at the helm. The other two camera sensors include a 10 MP telephoto unit with OIS and 3x optical zoom and a 12 MP ultra-wide shooter. The Galaxy Z Fold 4's cover screen features a 10 MP selfie camera, while the under-display front camera on the internal display boasts a 4 MP resolution, although this sensor's primary use case is meant to be video calling. Switching over to the Phantom V Fold and you're also left with a triple rear camera setup. The Phantom V Fold's setup includes a 50 MP primary sensor, a 50 MP telephoto unit with 2x optical zoom, and a 13 MP ultrawide shooter. The internal display on the Phantom V Fold gets a 16 MP camera sensor, while the cover screen opts for a 32 MP selfie shooter. In terms of video capability, the Galaxy Z Fold can record 8K video at 24fps or 4K video at up to 60fps, while the Phantom V Fold is limited to 4K video recording at 30fps. Additionally, video recording on the 32 MP selfie camera is limited to 1080p at 60fps, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4's camera on the cover display maxes out at 4K 60fps. While we haven't tested out the camera performance on the Phantom V Fold, the Galaxy Z Fold 4's cameras border on flagship-grade, making it the clear winner here. Battery We are yet to test the battery life on the Phantom V Fold but the Galaxy Z Fold 4's 4,400 mAh battery was always sufficient to get through an entire day of usage on a single charge. Tecno does have an advantage here with a considerably bigger 5,000 mAh battery capacity. Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 maxes out at 25W wired charging support as opposed to 45W on the Phantom V Fold, while the latter also comes with a charging adapter in the box. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 does bring 15W wireless charging support, which isn't present on Tecno's foldable smartphone. Final Thoughts Going by specifications alone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the clear winner in this foldable smartphone battle, although Samsung's victory comes at a premium price. The Tecno Phantom V Fold is nearly half the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so lot of the compromises here are natural. Moreover, the Phantom V Fold is a first-generation foldable whereas Samsung has had four attempts to perfect the foldable smartphone formula. Overall, the Tecno Phantom V Fold perfectly fits the bill of a foldable smartphone. It doesn't do a lot wrong, and it provides access to the foldable smartphone form factor a very reasonable price, much like most of Tecno's smartphones. However, Samsung has had time to perfect the foldable smartphone formula and it shows. Of the two devices, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is definitely the more reliable, while the Phantom V Fold is much more reasonably priced. However, the Phantom V Fold also takes a major step in making the horizontal foldable form factor more accessible than ever before. 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 Silver Airways might be forced out of Fort Lauderdales airport, county says April 11, 2023 By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News Interagency Effort Assessing Impact of Leaked Documents, Strategizing Way Forward Inside the Defense Department, an effort is underway now to look at the scope and scale of the distribution on social media platforms of what appears to be classified Defense Department information. Last week, Defense Department officials briefed Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III about a collection of images found circulating on various social media websites that appear to be a but are not yet confirmed to be a of classified documents, some related to Ukraine- and Russia-related operations. "A Pentagon team continues to review and assess the veracity of the photographed documents that are circulating on social media sites, and that appear in some cases to contain sensitive and highly classified material," said Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of defense for Public Affairs, during an online discussion with members of the media. The imagery shows documents that appear to be in a format similar to those which might be used to provide updates to senior defense officials regarding various military operations, Meagher told reporters. "Some of these images appear to have been altered," Meagher said. "We've been in close touch with the White House and with interagency partners on this issue. And an interagency effort has been stood up, with a focus on assessing the impact these photographed documents could potentially have on U.S. national security and on our allies and partners." Now the department is looking internally at what was distributed, how much was distributed and the impact of that distribution, Meagher said. "We're still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of the issue," he said. "There have been steps to take a closer look at how this type of information is distributed and to whom. We're also still trying to assess what might be out there." Since the department became aware of the unauthorized disclosure of information, Meagher said officials have been talking with U.S. allies and partners about what happened. Officials have also informed national security committees and Congress. Additionally, he said, an effort is underway to determine who might have leaked the information, how they did it and why a though that effort is not being undertaken by the department itself. Instead, the matter has been referred to the Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation. "The Department of Defense's highest priority is the defense of our nation and our national security," Meagher said. "The secretary and Department of Defense and the United States government take this apparent unauthorized disclosure extremely seriously, and this is a top priority for us." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lao media highlights outcomes of Presidents official visit Lao newspapers and radio and television stations on April 11 and 12 published a series of articles, photos and programmes spotlighting the activities and outcomes of the official visit to Laos by President Vo Van Thuong from April 10-11 at the invitation of General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith. President Vo Van Thuong (R) and Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith review the guard of honour. In its article on April 12, PathetLao, a publication of the Laos News Agency KPL, affirmed that the Vietnamese State leaders visit aims to strengthen the great friendship, special solidarity comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Titled "Congratulations on achievements in comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam", the article focused on outcomes of the talks between the two leaders, emphasising they have agreed to continue effectively implementing high-level agreements between the two Parties and two countries, as well as those at ministerial and local levels, contributing to creating a new impetus to further foster the bilateral relations. Meanwhile, Lao Party newspaper Pasaxon highlighted that President Thongloun Sisoulith praised the Vietnamese leader's decision to choose Laos as the first foreign country to visit in his position of State President. It reviewed the results of cooperation between the two countries in recent times in various areas and noted the two leaders emphasised that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation have enjoyed the most fruitful developments and are in their best period of development; and they affirmed their determination to preserve and promote this special relationship in a practical manner. Both PathetLao and Pasaxon stressed that the visit demonstrates the importance attached by the Vietnamese Party and State to the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, thus nurturing and further developing this unique relationship. Vientiane Times on April 12 front-paged results of meetings between President Thuong and Lao key leaders during his visit, saying that the two sides agreed to further deepen the Laos Vietnam special relations. It said that the leaders of the two countries have agreed to further step up the friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation for the common interests of the two peoples; and pledged to continue strengthening mutual support through bilateral and multilateral frameworks in the regional and international arena. Lao media also highlighted the results of meetings between President Thuong and Lao National Assembly Chairman Xaysomphone Phomvihane, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, President of the Lao Front for National Construction Sinlavong Khoutphaythone, and Chairman of the Lao-Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara./. 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.. Minister Cernochova received the Minister of Defence of Moldova Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 11.4.2023 Author: by editorial staff (ob) Minister of Defence Jana Cernochova received today her Moldavian counterpart Anatolie Nosatii. Their discussions focused on the assessment of the security situation in the context of the war in Ukraine and on bilateral defence and defence industrial cooperation. Although Moldova has its neutrality embedded in its constitution, Moldavian public opinion is changing as a result of the conflict in Ukraine and the society is starting to lean towards a pro-European orientation of the country. The war in Ukraine was therefore the main topic of discussion of both ministers. Minister Jana Cernochova expressed political support regarding Moldavian accession to the European Union and she also appreciated Moldavian resolution to strengthen its cooperation with the NATO. "It is obvious that you are facing enormous pressure from Russia which is trying to destabilize you country and reverse the pro-Western orientation of Moldova," Minister of Defence told her counterpart and appreciated the determination with which Moldova resists the pressure. Last June, the European Commission formally recommended to award Moldova the EU candidate status. The country is also striving to expand its cooperation with the NATO. Minister Cernochova appreciated this effort which clearly demonstrates the course of Moldavian geopolitical orientation. "We are also prepared to give our maximal support to the accession of Moldova to the European Union," the Minister underlined. The Ministers agreed that both countries should aim to deepen their military cooperation, including via supporting the modernization of Moldavian Armed Forces by supplying them with Czech defence industry products. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 11, 2023 Release Readout of U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III co-chaired the third U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo today in Washington, D.C. The four leaders forged new and deeper cooperation across all areas of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, as the two countries strive toward a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and rules-based international order. The Secretaries reaffirmed their unwavering alliance commitments under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty to defend against external armed attack in the Pacific including the South China Sea. They reiterated that they consider their respective Coast Guards to be components of their armed forces. The Secretaries committed to expeditiously conclude the U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Defense Guidelines, which charts our vision for alliance cooperation across all operational domains, including space and cyberspace. As the United States and the Philippines make critical strides to deepen alliance interoperability, Secretary Austin and Secretary Galvez discussed plans to swiftly operationalize the four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites at Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; Balabac Island in Palawan; and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan. In addition to the five existing EDCA locations, these new sites will support combined training, exercises, and other operational activities between the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces to allow both countries to rapidly respond to a range of shared challenges including natural disasters in the Philippines and across the Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Austin and Secretary Galvez, who will meet again tomorrow to discuss core defense initiatives in greater detail, noted recent concerning operational behavior and gray-zone activities in the South China Sea and committed to regularize combined maritime activities in the South China Sea. The two leaders discussed opportunities to conduct a joint U.S.-Philippines sail in the South China Sea during Exercise BALIKATAN, which commenced on April 11 and is the largest and most complex iteration of the exercise to date, featuring more than 17,000 participating troops. Secretary Austin reaffirmed the Department's commitment to bolstering the Philippines' defense capabilities and capacity to resist coercion as the allies develop a Security Sector Assistance Roadmap. The leaders discussed ways to coordinate more closely with like-minded nations including Australia and Japan to strengthen shared principles of the rule of law, freedom of the seas, and respect for territorial sovereignty today and far into the future. Today's 2+2 Ministerial reaffirmed the United States and the Philippines' enduring commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as allies to bring greater security, prosperity, and stability to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3359454/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 11, 2023 Release FACT SHEET: U.S.- Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Secretary of Defense Austin and Secretary of State Blinken and their Philippine counterparts Secretary of Foreign Affairs Manalo and Philippines Secretary of National Defense Galvez convened the third U.S.-Philippines Ministerial Dialogue in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2023. The Secretaries put forth a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region that supports the international rules-based order and addresses evolving regional and global security challenges - underscoring the importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance for realizing this vision. During the 2+2 Dialogue, Secretary Austin and Secretary Galvez advanced several defense initiatives that will ensure the alliance is postured to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region. MODERNIZE ALLIANCE COOPERATION The United States and the Philippines are making significant strides to modernize alliance cooperation in an increasingly complex Indo-Pacific security environment by: Expanding the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to include four new EDCA sites in Palawan and Northern Luzon. The allies will increase infrastructure investments at new and existing EDCA sites to further support combined training, exercises, and interoperability between the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces, as well as the Philippines' civilian-led disaster preparedness and response capacities. The U.S. Department of Defense plans to allocate over $100 million by the end of Fiscal Year 2023 toward infrastructure investments at the new and existing EDCA sites. The United States will also complement combined military training and exercises and EDCA-related projects with community-based activities led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) , including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capacity-building, access to safe water supplies, education, healthcare, sustainable fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and energy security. in Palawan and Northern Luzon. The allies will increase infrastructure investments at new and existing EDCA sites to further support combined training, exercises, and interoperability between the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces, as well as the Philippines' civilian-led disaster preparedness and response capacities. Fast-tracking ongoing discussions on new U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Defense Guidelines which will chart our vision for alliance cooperation across all operational domains and support bilateral coordination to respond to a range of crises and scenarios. The Secretaries also committed to expanding the scope, scale, and complexity of combined training, exercises, and other activities. which will chart our vision for alliance cooperation across all operational domains and support bilateral coordination to respond to a range of crises and scenarios. The Secretaries also committed to expanding the scope, scale, and complexity of combined training, exercises, and other activities. Reaffirming that the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty extends to U.S. and Philippine armed forces, aircraft, and public vessels, including those of their respective Coast Guards, anywhere in the South China Sea. The Secretaries underscored their ironclad mutual defense commitments amid the evolving regional security environment. DEEPEN INTEROPERABILITY The United States and the Philippines will deepen consultations on a range of regional security issues of shared interest and enhance operational cooperation, particularly in the maritime domain through: Finalizing plans for the resumption of combined maritime activities, including the conduct of joint sails by the U.S. and Philippine Navies, in the South China Sea. Both sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year. Both sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year. Committing to expeditiously conclude bilateral Maritime Security Framework Implementing Guidelines , which will enable enhanced combined and rotational maritime cooperation and capacity-building activities in the South China Sea and across the Indo-Pacific. , which will enable enhanced combined and rotational maritime cooperation and capacity-building activities in the South China Sea and across the Indo-Pacific. Expanding information-sharing on key challenges confronting the U.S.-Philippine alliance, including through the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness initiative and the conclusion of a bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) before the end of the year, with the goal of enabling real-time information-sharing and technology cooperation across domains. ACCELERATE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT The United States and the Philippines will continue to prioritize the modernization of shared defense capabilities through a range of mechanisms, such as U.S. Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defense Articles as well as: Committing to adopt expeditiously a Security Sector Assistance Roadmap , which will guide shared defense modernization investments and the delivery over the next five to 10 years of priority defense platforms, as well as institutional capacity-building to enhance the Philippines' multi-domain deterrence. , which will guide shared defense modernization investments and the delivery over the next five to 10 years of priority defense platforms, as well as institutional capacity-building to enhance the Philippines' multi-domain deterrence. Holding focused discussions on an acquisition plan for a fleet of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Philippine Air Force and leveraging the additional $100 million in Foreign Military Financing that the United States announced last fall to support the acquisition of medium-lift helicopters. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3359459/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 11, 2023 By David Vergun , DOD News Leaders Discuss Partnership Between U.S., Philippines U.S. and Philippine leaders met today to discuss the nations' military, economic and humanitarian partnership at a meeting in Washington. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Philippine Officer in Charge of the Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr. and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo held a news conference today to discuss that meeting at the State Department in Washington. The Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and the Philippines, signed in 1951, "remains the bedrock of our cooperation," Austin said. The treaty applies to armed attacks on either nation's armed forces or public vessels anywhere in the South China Sea, he said. At today's meeting, discussions included modernizing the Philippine armed forces and operationalizing the four new sites in Palawan and northern Luzon under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which was signed on Feb. 1, he said. Those four new sites are Naval Base Camilo Osias, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz, Balabac Island and Lal-lo Airport. The five existing sites are Cesar Basa Air Base, Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, Lumbia Air Base, Antonio Bautista Air Base and Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base. These nine sites will support combined training exercises and military interoperability, Austin said, adding that by the end of fiscal year 2023, a forecasted $100 million in infrastructure will be invested at the sites. "Those investments will spur job creation and economic growth in local Philippine communities," he said. Today's discussion also focused on "near-term plans to complete a security-sector assistance roadmap to support the delivery of priority defense platforms over the next five to 10 years, including radar, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal- and air-defense systems," Austin said. Discussion included planning combined maritime activities with the U.S., Philippines and other ally and partner nations in the South China Sea later this year to enhance collective deterrence, he said. Of note, Austin mentioned that more than 17,000 troops are participating in Exercise Balikatan. It is the largest and most complex iteration of that annual exercise which began 38 years ago. Blinken touted the economic partnership, including the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity with the Philippines and other partners across east and south Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Manalo and Galvez lauded the humanitarian assistance the U.S. has provided, as well as economic and military cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India's Plans to Hold G-20 Meetings in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan expresses its strong indignation over India's decision to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar on 22-24 May 2023. Scheduling of two other meetings of a consultative forum on youth affairs (Y-20) in Leh and Srinagar in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is equally disconcerting. India's irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self serving measures to perpetuate its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir in sheer disregard of the UN Security Council resolutions and in violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves. Such events cannot hide the reality of Jammu and Kashmir being an internationally recognized dispute that has remained on the agenda of United Nations Security Council for over seven decades. Nor could such activities divert international community's attention from India's brutal suppression of the people of IIOJK including illegal attempts to change the demographic composition of the occupied territory. With its decision to host G-20 events in IIOJK, India is again exploiting its membership of an important international grouping for advancing its self-serving agenda. For a country that has a grandiose vision about itself and its place in the world, India has repeatedly demonstrated that it is unable to act as a responsible member of the international community. Islamabad 11 April 2023 69/2023 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan condemns India's decision to hold G20 meetings in Kashmir Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 5:49 PM Pakistan has condemned India's decision to hold Group of 20 meetings in the disputed Himalayan Muslim-majority region of Kashmir next month. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the choice of venues in the disputed territory. "Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves," it said. "India's irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self serving measures to perpetuate its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement read. The ministry accused India of acting in "disregard of the UN Security Council resolutions and in violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law." India, which currently holds the rotating year-long presidency of the G20, on Friday released a full calendar of events leading up to the summit, which included G20 and Youth 20 meetings in Kashmir's summer capital of Srinagar and in Leh, in the neighboring region of Ladakh, in April and May. Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947. Both countries claim all of Kashmir and have fought at least three wars over the territory. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of supporting pro-independence fighters, an allegation rejected by the Pakistani government. Islamabad, in turn, is critical of India's heavy military deployment to Kashmir and its crackdown on the region's Muslim population. The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked the self-autonomy of Kashmir in 2019, in a move described by neighboring Pakistan as illegal. Since then, India has imposed more internet shutdowns and other restrictions in the region. Rights groups say arbitrary detentions and killings by Indian troops are leading to a range of human rights violations, a charge New Delhi rejects. Kashmir's selection as one of the venues for the meetings may have diplomatic repercussions as some G-20 countries may have differing views on the situation in the Muslim-majority region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN to review presence in Afghanistan after Taliban's latest ban Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 5:16 PM The United Nations (UN) says it is reviewing its presence in Afghanistan, warning the Taliban about any negative consequences of its latest decision to ban Afghan women from working with the organization. The Taliban said last week that women employed by the UN mission could no longer report for work. They did not further comment on the ban. The UN described the measure as an extension of Taliban's restrictions imposed in December last year to ban Afghan women from working for non-governmental national and international organizations. It said in a statement on Tuesday that the UN head of mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, had "initiated an operational review period" that would last until May 5. During this time, the world body will "conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes," it said. The statement said the Taliban were trying to force the UN to make an "appalling choice" between helping Afghans and standing by the norms and principles it is duty-bound to uphold. "It should be clear that any negative consequences of this crisis for the Afghan people will be the responsibility of the de facto authorities," it warned. Aid agencies have been providing food, education, and health care support to Afghans following the Taliban takeover. But distribution has been severely impacted by the Taliban edict banning women from working at NGOs and, now, also at the UN. After the ban, at least half a dozen major foreign aid groups temporarily suspended their operations in Afghanistan. The ban on female workers, the UN said, is "the latest in a series of discriminatory measures implemented by the Taliban de facto authorities with the goal of severely restricting women and girls' participation in most areas of public and daily life in Afghanistan." The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also condemned the move, describing it as "utterly despicable." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Philippines launch largest-ever joint war games amid tensions with China Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 10:51 AM The Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever annual joint military drills on Tuesday amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan and anti-American protests by Filipinos. Dubbed the 'Balikatan Exercise 2023', the war games bring together 17,680 troops - an estimated 12,000 Americans, 5,000 Filipinos, and more than a hundred Australians - who will take part in live-fire drills and other maneuvers until April 28. The drills will reportedly focus on enhancing maritime and coastal defenses and will involve live-fire drills at sea for the first time ever. "This year's Balikatan will be the biggest ever, an indication of the growth of our alliance, and how it continues to evolve to meet our shared goals," said Heather Variava, charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Manila. Gen. Andres Centino, the Philippine military's chief of staff, was quoted as saying the drills would not only bolster bilateral ties between the two countries but "contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region in a definitive manner." "All these major events are intended to ensure the achievement of the end state of our Balikatan 2023 exercises, which is to fully develop mutual defense capabilities to enhance cyber defense operation and strengthen the country's maritime security and domain awareness," Centino said. The forces of the two countries will bombard and sink a decommissioned ship in waters facing the South China Sea during the drills. "We are demonstrating that we are combat-ready. We have the capacity to deliver fires on a target -- from the land, from the air and from the sea," said Mike Logico, Balikatan 2023 spokesperson. During the opening ceremony at the Philippine military headquarters on Tuesday, dozens of activists gathered outside the venue to protest against the exercises, holding banners that read "US troops out now! No to US war game in the Philippines", "US imperialist no. 1 terrorist! Anakpawis (Party)". "It's not intended to defend the Philippines, it's not intended to help the Philippines modernize, it's really intended to showcase US power and it is a preparation war," said Renato Reyes, secretary general of the leftist-aligned BAYAN organization. Last week, China warned that the US strengthening its military deployment in the Philippines would only lead to more tension in the region after Manila allowed Washington access to four additional bases. The war games come immediately after China ended three days of military exercises around Taiwan amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over the self-ruled island. Taipei's defense ministry, however, said on Tuesday the Chinese warships and aircraft were still operating around Taiwan. It claimed to detect nine Chinese warships and 26 aircraft around the island as of 11:00 am (0300 GMT) on Tuesday. Beijing regards Chinese Taipei as an inseparable part of its territory and has vowed to take it back one day, even by force if necessary. The US does not recognize Taiwan as a country and officially supports the "One China" policy, but regularly oversteps its own stated principles. The island has become China's most sensitive territorial issue and a major bone of contention with Washington. Washington continues to antagonize Beijing by siding with Taipei's secessionist administration, engaging in frequent military missions around the island, and serving as its largest weapons supplier. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli regime 'unprepared' for new war against Gaza Strip, says Hezbollah official Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 6:32 AM A senior official with the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has underscored the need for unity among Muslim countries to confront Israel's hostile acts, saying the Tel Aviv regime is no longer prepared for a new war against the Gaza Strip. "Support for the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian cause is not confined solely to the Palestinian nation, and all Muslims are duty-bound to do so," Sheikh Hassan al-Baghdadi, a member of Hezbollah's central council, said during a ceremony held in the southern Lebanese village of Ansar in commemoration of Lebanon's prominent Shia leader Imam Musa al-Sadr, who went missing with two companions more than 40 years ago in Libya. Baghdadi strongly condemned Israel's escalatory measures in the occupied al-Quds, and repeated raids by the regime's forces on the sacred site, where they fired stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian worshipers observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan. "The recent naked aggression of the coward Zionists against defenseless Palestinian worshipers, with such an extent of cruelty, provoked the feelings of Muslims and followers of other religions," Baghdadi said. The senior Hezbollah official also praised Palestinian resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip for firing barrages of rockets into the southern part of the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation for violent raids on al-Aqsa Mosque. "The Israeli regime is not prepared to launch a new war against the Gaza Strip," he said. Israeli forces have wounded and rounded up hundreds of Palestinians during attacks that have seen a rise since the beginning of Ramadan. Illegal Israeli settlers have been freely violating the compound under the Israeli military and police force's protection. Since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, the Israeli regime has imposed strict restrictions on the entry and exit of Palestinians to and from the gates of al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli settlers have also pressed ahead with their frequent incursions and provocative rituals at the holy site. On Thursday, at least 30 rockets were reportedly launched from southern Lebanon into the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation against the Israeli aggression against al-Aqsa. Resistance fighters based in Gaza also fired several rockets toward the occupied territories. 'Lebanon should focus on homegrown initiatives' Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghdadi pointed to Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis, saying that the existing socioeconomic problems require disassociation from the officials who are only concerned about themselves and do not care about the stability of the country or the suffering of the public. "Today, the solution to Lebanon's current crises is to focus on homegrown initiatives, and conduct negotiations that would take into account national interests and get the country out of the present impasse," the Hezbollah official said. Lebanon's presidency has seen stalemate several times since the 1975-1990 civil war. The country has also had only a caretaker government since May 2022. The Arab country has been mired in an economic crisis that the World Bank has described as one of the worst in recent history, which comes amid crippling sanctions imposed by the US and its allies. The Lebanese pound has lost more than 95 percent of its value on the black market since 2019. According to the United Nations, the ongoing financial crisis in Lebanon has caused poverty rates to reach more than 80 percent of the population, and food prices have risen by an astonishing 2,000 percent. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines, US launch largest-ever joint war games Senior defense officials and top diplomats of the two nations hold five-hour huddle in Washington. Camille Elemia for Benar News and Alex Willemyns for RFA 2023.04.11 -- Treaty allies the United States and the Philippines kicked off their biggest-ever annual joint military exercises on Tuesday, amid growing regional tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan and anti-American protests by Filipinos. Meanwhile, the top diplomats and senior most defense officials of the two nations held a five-hour meeting at the Department of State in Washington, addressing "evolving regional and global security challenges," among other topics. The Balikatan Exercise 2023 brings together 17,680 troops - an estimated 12,000 Americans, 5,000 Filipinos, and more than 100 Australians - who will participate in live-fire drills and other activities until April 28. "Balikatan," which means "shoulder to shoulder" in Tagalog, got underway a day after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought to allay public fears that a beefed-up American military presence here would unnecessarily draw the Southeast Asian country into a conflict in case China attacked Taiwan. Gen. Andres Centino, the Philippine military's chief of staff, said the drills would not only bolster bilateral ties but "contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region in a definitive manner." Among the drills on the program are a command post exercise, which aims to strengthen the allies' ability to plan, coordinate, and provide command-and- control of forces against a range of scenarios and simulated challenges. And during this year's Balikatan, participants for the first time will carry out a live-fire training with Patriot missiles and Avengers air-defense systems, which Ukraine has used against invading Russian forces. In a live-fire exercise at sea, Filipino and American troops will target and sink a 200-foot-long mock enemy vessel in the waters off Zambales province, in a part of the South China Sea that lies within Manila's exclusive economic zone. Beijing and Manila, as well as other Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan, have overlapping claims in the strategic waterway. Another new component of the war games this year is cyber defense. "All these major events are intended to ensure the achievement of the end state of our Balikatan 2023 exercises, which is to fully develop mutual defense capabilities to enhance cyber defense operation and strengthen the country's maritime security and domain awareness," Centino said in a speech Tuesday inaugurating the drills. The two countries are bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty to assist one another in case of an armed attack on either of their armed forces, or aircraft or public vessels, anywhere in the South China Sea, a point U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated in Washington. During the third U.S. Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue the two sides discussed plans to conduct "combined maritime activities with like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year," Austin told a press conference following the meeting. And a joint statement voiced strong objections to China's repeated massing of maritime militia ships inside Manila's exclusive economic zone, as well as new reports of Beijing's "covert land reclamation on unoccupied features in the Spratly Islands." The two nations also agreed to accelerate implementation of EDCA projects, the statement said, referring to a controversial plan to grant U.S. forces access to four more Philippine bases under an expanded defense pact, as tensions build between China and Taiwan. On Monday, Marcos tried to calm jitters and criticism among Filipinos about his administration's decision, saying Americans would use the newly selected locations to preposition equipment that they could readily access in times of natural disasters. "Now, the reaction of China is not really surprising because they worry too much. But ... the Philippines will not allow the bases to be used in offensive action. The bases are only to help the Philippines if the country needs help," Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of an event honoring Filipino war veterans. Three of the four bases are located on the main and northernmost Philippine island of Luzon, including two sites that face Taiwan. A fourth site, in Palawan province, faces the South China Sea where territorial tensions between China and the Philippine have been high in recent years. This largest iteration of the Balikatan drills began a day after the Chinese military concluded three days of maneuvers and war games around Taiwan, including simulated precision strikes. China launched the drills as a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the United States early this month, where she met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The unprecedented meeting on U.S. soil further angered China, which also expressed its displeasure over the Marcos administration's move to grant the U.S. access to other bases in the Philippines. "The U.S. military has been coming all the way from the other side of the Pacific to stir up trouble in the South China Sea and ganging up with its allies from other parts of the world to flex muscle," the Chinese Embassy in Manila said in a March 12 statement. The U.S. has heightened tensions, driven a wedge between China and the Philippines, and "upset the joint effort of countries in this region to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," it alleged. Opposition to war games Meanwhile on Tuesday, Philippine activist groups held protests outside Camp Aguinaldo and the U.S. Embassy in Manila to express their opposition to the joint military drills in different parts of the country and the expanded access for U.S. forces at local bases. "The Philippines is ours. U.S. get out of our country!" some protesters chanted outside the military's headquarters in Quezon City. In a separate statement, the anti-U.S. International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) said the Balikatan exercises were "nothing but a blatant display of U.S. imperialism's military intervention and aggression in the country and region." "The presence of foreign troops in local communities poses a grave threat to safety, security, and welfare of the people. We have witnessed how these exercises have resulted in environmental destruction, displacement of indigenous peoples and peasants, sexual abuse and exploitation of women and children, extrajudicial killings, torture, harassment, and intimidation of activists and critics," ILPS chairman Len Cooper said in a statement on Monday. A fisherfolk group also criticized a no-sail zone policy being enforced during the military drills in at least five towns in Zambales, as the exercises coincide with the peak fishing season from February to May. The coastal towns affected are San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe, Cabangan, and Botolan. "What difference does the United States make to China when it comes to disrupting the livelihood of Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea? The Filipinos do not deserve to be displaced from their livelihood only to provide a security blanket to foreign forces carrying out war games accompanied with live-fire exercises in our fishing grounds," said Bobby Roldan, vice chairperson for the Luzon chapter of Pamalakaya. Basilio Sepe and Gerard Carreon contributed to this report from Manila. This report has been updated to include details about the five-hour meeting of defense and foreign affairs officials in Washington. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news organization. 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 U.S. Envoy Urges Firmer Action To Counter Russian, Chinese Disinformation In Western Balkans By RFE/RL's Balkan Service April 11, 2023 Western Balkan countries are vulnerable to Russian and Chinese disinformation, "a big chunk" of which comes out of Serbia, a U.S. diplomat whose job involves exposing and countering foreign propaganda said on April 11 in an interview with RFE/RL. James Rubin, coordinator for the U.S. State Department's Global Engagement Center, said the distribution of the disinformation and propaganda out of Serbia is a major problem that needs to be dealt with. Asked about RT Balkan, an online Serbian-language project launched in November by the Russian state-controlled media operation formerly known as Russia Today, Rubin said, "We would not like to see Russia Today or Russian media outlets anywhere in the world. We'd like them shut down." Rubin said the West has been slow to realize the dangers of disinformation and information manipulation not only from Russia but from China as well. "They've been spending billions and billions of dollars on [projects] in the information domain for many, many years. And I think we need to step up our game," he said. The European Union banned broadcasts by RT and Sputnik, another Russian state media outlet, in March 2022 just days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Around the same time Google Europe said it was blocking YouTube channels associated with RT and Sputnik. Rubin said it's no secret that there are outlets in the Western Balkans that repeat Russian lies and disinformation. He cited an example of reports about biological weapons in Ukraine, saying this has been rejected by the Biological Weapon Convention in Geneva. "All these flat-out disinformation lies, unfortunately, in the Western Balkans are too prominent and too pervasive," said Rubin, speaking to RFE/RL in Pristina. "I've come here to talk to the governments that can do something about it." Rubin, who visited Montenegro on April 10 and traveled to North Macedonia on April 11, said he recognizes that it is a difficult problem and said the United States is "not perfect" in its own approach, but Washington would like to see governments in the Western Balkans do more. "We'd like to see them set up government entities that can begin to examine and analyze this problem so that we can try to put a stop to it," Rubin said. The steps they can take include labeling foreign government accounts as such and ensuring that foreign ownership of media properties is transparent, he said. "People shouldn't think this is just your average Chinese person saying something....They should know it's a government account," Rubin said. In addition, governments should ensure -- to the extent that their regulations allow -- that if an outlet is simply duplicating a Russian lie that it can't claim to be produced by journalists. Rubin said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken selected him for the job of coordinator for the Global Engagement Center because he wants the United States to increase its efforts against propaganda and disinformation. "Secretary Blinken believes that this is a real and significant threat to the world and has pointed out that this happens every day all over the world," he said. With reporting by Amra Zejneli Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/balkans-russia-china- disinformation-rubin/32359395.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 Seven Deaths Reported In Fresh Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Skirmish By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, RFE/RL's Armenian Service April 11, 2023 The defense ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan reported a total of seven deaths among members of their armed forces in renewed fighting at one of the sections of the restive border between the two South Caucasus nations. The Armenian Defense Ministry said on April 11 that four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded "as a result of the Azerbaijani provocation from the Armenian side," while the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported three Azerbaijani soldiers died. As of 8:30 p.m. local time, the situation on the front line was relatively stable, the Armenian Defense Ministry said in its statement. Yerevan and Baku accused each other of provoking the latest skirmish on April 11. Armenia's Defense Ministry said in an earlier statement that Azerbaijani soldiers deployed in the fields near the Armenian village of Tegh, inside Armenian sovereign territory that they seized two weeks earlier, opened fire at Armenian soldiers conducting engineering work there. It said the fighting in the southern Syunik province began at around 4:00 p.m. local time and lasted at least through 5:30 p.m., with Azerbaijan reportedly firing mortar rounds at Armenian positions. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry in its previous statement accused Armenian forces of carrying out a "provocation" as a result of which a number of servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army were killed and injured. "Currently, adequate countermeasures are being taken by the units of our armed forces," Baku's statement said. It was not possible to immediately verify either side's version of events. The renewed fighting follows an incident on April 10 in which Armenian security forces said they had detained one Azerbaijani man and were hunting for another, who is also thought to have crossed into Armenia for unclear reasons. Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of capturing dozens of square kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory in a series of incursions since May 2021. Azerbaijan denies the accusation. Nearly 300 soldiers were killed on both sides in two-day border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in September last year, which proved to be the deadliest Armenian-Azerbaijani fighting since a 2020 war in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh that claimed the lives of close to 7,000 people. As a result of that war, Baku regained control over large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts that had been under ethnic-Armenian control for three decades. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan-border- skirmish-casualties/32359252.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 Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, and Philippine Senior Undersecretary and Officer in Charge of the Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez at a Joint Press Availability Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Dean Acheson Auditorium Washington, D.C. April 11, 2023 SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, everyone. Secretary Manalo, Secretary Galvez, it has been an honor to host you at the State Department for the third ever - and first since 2016 - U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial alongside Secretary of Defense Austin. Today's meeting builds on the momentum of the high-level U.S. visits to the Philippines just over the past year, including by Vice President Harris, by Secretary Austin, and myself. The Philippines is the United States' oldest ally in the Indo-Pacific. Our relationship is based on the shared interests and values of Americans and Filipinos, including our abiding commitment to democracy. For decades, we've worked together to promote peace and stability across the region, and we're growing that effective partnership in scale and scope every single day, including through very productive, very rich discussions today. Our security alliance is an enduring source of strength for both of our nations. Today, we focused on ways to continue our close partnership under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement so that our forces can work even more closely together, including to provide humanitarian assistance and respond to disasters. Secretary Austin and I also reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to standing with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea, and to preserving a region that's governed by international law where goods and ideas and people can move freely. We also discussed deepening our robust economic ties, including through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. We're working closely with other IPEF partners to build out this framework to help our economies grow faster and fairer so that all our people can reach their full potential, lead on issues shaping the 21st-century economy, and do it in a way that is sustainable for our planet. One way that we're putting our partnership through IPEF to work is by collaborating to increase economic opportunities for women and girls in the Philippines. We're providing training in growing industries like data science and artificial intelligence, where women have been under-represented, and boosting digital literacy rates. And more broadly, as we discussed today, we're committed to expanding our economic cooperation across the board. Indeed, we discussed a number of areas where we can deepen our collaboration, cooperation in pursuit of that goal. Together, we're stepping up to address global challenges that no country can solve alone. We discussed our shared efforts to combat the climate crisis and strengthen energy security. The United States is committed to helping the Philippines reach its ambitious goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2030. To do that, the U.S. Government and critically, the private sector, are supporting the growth of the offshore wind market, the development of nickel and cobalt facilities that will help the Philippines sustainable process - sustainably process minerals essential to the clean energy transition. We're also providing technical assistance and regulatory guidance to support the growth of the Philippines' civil nuclear energy program. We're looking to grow our cooperation through a 123 agreement on civil nuclear cooperation which will make it easier for us to share technical knowledge as well as nuclear material and equipment. We're delivering solutions to the food security challenges impacting the Philippines like so many other countries. Philippines-based companies, with the support of the United States Government and the American private sector, are making impressive progress in developing climate-smart food systems, increasing their productivity, and the sustainability of their supply chains. We're looking forward to continuing this progress at the inaugural U.S.-Philippines Food Security Dialogue a little bit later this year. We're able to do this work not only because of the partnership between our governments but also because of the partnership between our peoples. This year, we're celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program in the Philippines, the longest running Fulbright Program in the world. More than 22,000 Filipinos have come to the United States through the Fulbright and other U.S. exchange programs, enriching our communities with their perspectives and experiences, innovating and launching businesses, building enduring bonds between our people - bonds that to this day renew and revitalize the friendship between our countries. Across all of these areas and more, the United States values and is proud of our robust and deepening partnership with the Philippines. Secretary Austin and I appreciated the opportunity to discuss in-depth how we'll make this essential relationship even stronger in the months and years ahead. So really grateful to our colleagues for being here today, grateful to their teams at the hard work that's been done, but not grateful simply for their presence but also the spirit in which together we are working to strengthen the bonds between our countries. Ricky, over to you. FOREIGN SECRETARY MANALO: Thank you very much, Tony. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Senior Undersecretary and OIC Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I'm very pleased to be here in Washington and to address all of you today. Some of you were with Secretary Blinken when we held our first meeting in our current capacities in Manila last August. We agreed then to work together in sustaining the positive momentum and trajectory of Philippine-U.S. relations, including by reconvening our 2+2 ministerial dialogue in 2023. And I'm happy to report that we have in fact followed through on that commitment. Today is only the third iteration of our dialogue in the 2+2 format since it was established in 2012. After a seven-year gap since the second meeting in 2016, this meeting holds particular significance as it further reaffirms our shared commitment to advancing our common priorities as treaty allies and close partners amidst evolving regional and global security challenges. The joint statement we will issue today, and the various areas it covers, demonstrates the breadth and depth of our bilateral relationship. We have reached a number of key understandings that the Philippines believes will truly elevate our relationship and translate into direct, substantial, and tangible benefits for our peoples and countries. At today's meeting, we redoubled our commitment to modernizing the Philippine-U.S. alliance, recognizing that our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order. This means ensuring the conduct of high-level and high-impact, high-value joint exercises, trainings, and other related activities. We especially welcome the United States pledge to fast-track and to ramp up support for the modernization of our defense, civilian law enforcement, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities, especially in the maritime domain, as well as the implementation of EDCA projects and investments in and around EDCA-agreed locations. I wish to point out that we also underscored the importance of equally ensuring that our modern alliance not only serves as an instrument as peace, but it shall also be a force for good that brings about sustained economic benefits to our two countries, down to our local communities. Our discussions and proposed ways forwards are aligned with the Philippines' priorities on agriculture, food security, promoting energy security as we transition to clean energy, boosting trade, and building resilience of our supply chains, as well as enhancing connectivity and digitalization. Our discussions focused also on areas such as economic cooperation, climate change, renewable energy, economic resilience, and economic security. Thank you. SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, good afternoon. Secretary Blinken, Secretary Manalo, and Secretary Galvez, I'm honored to be here with you today for the third U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. As you've heard, this is the first of its kind in seven years. But first, let me just say a few words about the story that I know many of you are tracking. I was first briefed on the reports of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive and classified material on the morning of April 6th. And since then, I have been convening senior department leaders daily on our response, and I have directed an urgent cross-department effort. And we've referred the matter to the Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation. Now, I can't say much more while the Justice Department's investigation is ongoing, but we take this very seriously. And we will continue to work closely with our outstanding allies and partners, and nothing will ever stop us from keeping America secure. Now, let me turn to today's important discussions. We've come together at an historic moment in our alliance. For more than seven decades, the U.S. and Philippine forces have trained and fought alongside each other. And today we're building on those bonds to bring greater security, stability, and prosperity to the Indo-Pacific for the next 70 years and beyond. The commitments that we made today will spur even deeper cooperation to help ensure that we're poised to tackle the defining challenges of our time - together. We all reaffirmed today that our Mutual Defense Treaty remains the bedrock of our cooperation. As Secretary Blinken and I have said clearly and repeatedly, the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, our aircraft, or public vessels - including our Coast Guard - anywhere in the South China Sea. And so today we built on our work together during my recent visit to Manila and discussed plans to operationalize the four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement locations in Palawan and northern Luzon. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that we're even better prepared for future crises. We're proud of the investments we're making, and by the end of FY '23 we expect to have allocated more than $100 million in infrastructure investments at the new and existing EDCA sites. So those investments will spur job creation and economic growth in local Philippine communities. We've also committed to swiftly finalizing the U.S.- Philippines bilateral defense guidelines, which charts our vision for alliance cooperation across all operational domains, including space and cyberspace. In the face of coercion and gray zone aggression, Secretary Galvez and I agreed to redouble our efforts to strengthen our combined ability to resist armed attack by modernizing our armed forces. We also discussed near-term plans to complete a security sector assistance roadmap to support the delivery of priority defense platforms over the next five to ten years, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft, and coastal and air defense systems. We're building on the some 500 defense engagements that our militaries conduct each year, and we're forging new ties between our militaries and expanding the breadth of our cooperation. Yesterday, we celebrated the start of our 38th annual Exercise Balikatan. More than 17,000 troops are participating this year. It is the largest and most complex iteration in the exercise's history. Now the commitments that we made today will further integrate our strong bilateral ties into multilateral networks, including with Japan and Australia, and we discussed plans to conduct combined maritime activities with likeminded partners in the South China Sea later this year as we work to enhance our collective deterrence. Our alliance is ultimately guided by our deep and enduring commitment to freedom. So we're not just allies, we're democratic allies, and the United States and the Philippines are bound by a common vision for the future - a vision that's anchored in the rule of law and freedom of the seas and respect for the territorial integrity of sovereign states. And Secretary Galvez, Secretary Manalo, and Secretary Blinken, thank you for your leadership and your steadfast partnership as we build this future together. Secretary Galvez, the floor is yours, sir. OFFICER IN CHARGE GALVEZ: Foremost, my highest courtesies to the Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, to my most esteemed colleague Secretary Enrique Manalo. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. First of all, we would like to take this moment to express our profoundest thanks to the U.S. We are grateful to the U.S. Government and the American people for their kind assistance in our current environmental sea disaster in containing the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro. Upon our request for assistance, the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Embassy, and the U.S. Navy manifested their unwavering support to its deployment of the Remotely Operated Vehicle, or ROV, as well as the technical support provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to help contain an oil spill. The timely and efficient response of our allies in providing the technical and material support, amounting to more than $20 million U.S., was very instrumental in mitigating the impact of this environmental disaster on our coastal communities that may affect millions of Filipino people. The aid and cooperation demonstrates the strength of the Philippine-U.S. defense alliance, and we are very proud to be partner of the United States. And your commitment to assisting us in this time of need has reinforced the band of friendship and mutual trust between our nations. We will not forget. As to vaccine, sir, I would like also to - like to reiterate our appreciation for the 3.6 million vaccine doses donated by the U.S. Government to the Philippines, which save millions of Filipino lives and help our economy to recover. Today, we have just concluded the third 2+2 ministerial meeting between the Philippines and the United States. And I am pleased to announce that it had been a most productive meeting, which expanded to even to economic security. The last time the 2+2 ministerial consultation were convened was in January 2016. The fact that we are able to convene once again highlights the continued importance and relevance of our partnership and the need for continued dialogue and cooperation on matters of mutual interest. It is also noteworthy that this is the first time the meeting will be convened under the Marcos administration, which highlights the Philippine Government's commitment to strengthening our alliance with the United States. Our meeting today will set the direction that we would like to be the Philippine-U.S. alliance to take in consideration of our present-day realities and common security challenges. Along this line, I wish to emphasize the strength and credibility of the Philippine-U.S. defense alliance, which is founded on a shared commitment to regional peace, stability, and security. Our partnership has weathered many challenges in the past and continues to stand strong today. We reaffirm our commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, which is our cornerstone of our partnership. Our defense establishments recognize the need to work together to enhance our interoperability, increase our defense capacity, and build our resilience against emerging challenges. To this end, we agreed to explore new areas of cooperation and deepen our existing partnership in key areas such as mutual defense, maritime security, and information/intelligence sharing, and joint sails and solidarity patrols. We also welcomed the ongoing conduct of the biggest ever Exercise Balikatan, which involved 17,000 forces - 12,000 U.S. personnel, 5,000 AFP personnel, and 111 Australian defense forces and observers from other likeminded countries, which capacitates our armed forces to train and operate together, improve interoperability, and enhance our respective capabilities. With the announcement of the four additional sites where Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement agreed locations can be developed, and we reaffirm our commitment to work together in implementing the EDCA through the completion of both existing and potential projects. Lastly, we discussed opportunities for future cooperation with likeminded partners in the region. We recognize that we cannot address such a wide range of security challenges and that we need to work with other countries who share our interest in accordance with our respective national laws and policies. We affirm the commitment to sustain regular exchanges through existing platforms, namely the 2+2 ministerial consultations, Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, the Mutual Defense Board, Security Engagement Board, and among others. In conclusion, I want to emphasize that the Philippine-U.S. defense alliance is strong and credible, and we are committed to modernizing our alliance to meet the evolving security challenges of the region. This alliance is for peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. Thank you. MR PATEL: Thanks, everyone. We'll take three questions. First we'll go to Demetri Sevastopulo with The Financial Times. QUESTION: Thank you. Good afternoon. I have questions for both sides. Secretary Austin, can you give us a sense of what kinds and numbers of military assets and personnel that you intend to position or rotate through the EDCA sites in the Philippines? And can you explain how specifically does this enhanced cooperation increase your ability to prepare for any possible conflict with China over Taiwan? And to Secretaries Manalo and Galvez, how will the EDCA sites be used if the U.S. and China go to war over Taiwan? And will there be any restrictions on what the U.S. military can do with the sites? And finally, Secretary Blinken, this is a China question. Your relations with China appear to be deteriorating continuously with only sporadic signs of positive developments. Is this the long-term future of U.S. relations with China, or is there some kind of a realistic way to turn things around? And when do you expect to go to Beijing? Thank you. SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, thanks for your question, Demetri. EDCA is a key pillar to our alliance. It provides us the opportunity to train together, to increase interoperability. And you know, Demetri, interoperability is not something that you can show up at the last moment and snap your figures and achieve. It's something that you've got to work on each and every day. And so the addition of these EDCA sites puts us in a position to be able to not only train together but also respond to meet the needs of the Philippines in the event of a crisis like a natural disaster or a requirement to rapidly provide humanitarian assistance. And so I think it helps us not only work together, but it helps us address the needs of the Philippines as well. And I think it's essential to our ability to strengthen our combined deterrence posture. I think it's a bit early to try to discuss numbers and specific timing of rotations, but certainly these are things that Secretary Galvez and I will continue to work on going forward. But again, it is a tremendous opportunity. I would finally emphasize that whatever we do in the future in terms of rotations and numbers of troops, it is a joint decision between the Philippines and - the Philippine Government and the U.S. Government. So again, a great opportunity. I'm excited about the ability to increase interoperability and look forward to continuing our great work together. FOREIGN SECRETARY MANALO: Thank you very much for your question. What I can say at this stage is that the new sites that have been identified, the new EDCA sites, are mainly aimed at increasing or improving interoperability as well as addressing potential human, humanitarian disasters or climate-related disasters. And in operationalizing these sites, of course, much work still has to be done. We have to identify the terms and references, how these activities will be undertaken. So I don't think we're really at any stage yet to answer how they might be used. They're still open to discussion. But I think we have already reached an understanding that the basic elements of these sites would be, the basic purposes of these sites would be to address humanitarian disaster-related events, to increase and improve interoperability and training of Filipino and American assets, and also to be in a position to improve the interoperability and perhaps respond to other types of security challenges. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Demetri, with regard to China, you've heard me say before, Secretary Austin and others say before, that the relationship between our countries is among the most consequential and also the most complex of any that we have, and the same could probably be said for many other countries. We're not reducing it to a bumper sticker, as - again - I've said before. It has different aspects to it: certainly competitive, cooperative in other respects, and in some instances more adversarial. What we've been working to do, first of all, is to make sure that when it comes to our own strategy and our own approach we're following through on it, making investments in ourselves and our strength at home. We've done that, aligning increasingly with partners around the world, whether that's in Europe and Asia, and we've done that with greater convergence than I've seen at any time with key partners on the approach to some of the challenges posed by China, and putting those assets together so that we're competing very vigorously in upholding our interests, upholding our values, and building our vision for the future. What I hear from countries around the world and what I believe is profoundly in our interest is for us to manage the relationship with China responsibly. And our goal is peace, security, stability, and creating opportunity. It's not to engage in a new cold war. It's not to contain China. But in doing that, in trying to advance a world that is peaceful, secure, stable, and with more opportunity, we're going to stand up very vigorously for our values and for our interests, and we're doing that with regard to China. We're also prepared to work cooperatively with China where it's in our interest and their interest and, I believe, in the interests of the world. And there are a number of issues that we've laid out - transnational challenges that no one country can solve alone where it would benefit all of us and benefit the world for us to find ways to work together. Through all of this, it's, I believe, important to maintain channels of communication to make sure that we're speaking to each other clearly, and we've certainly continued to do that even through what's been a challenging period in our relationship. I think as our two presidents agreed when they met in Bali at the end of last year at the G20, it would be important to continue to find ways to strengthen those channels of communication. So we'll see. We look to do that in the time ahead. And when it comes to my own visit to China, when the conditions are right I'll certainly look forward to pursuing that. MR PATEL: We'll next go to Andrea Mitchell of NBC News. QUESTION: Thank you very much. Secretary Austin, you just said that you first learned about the leaked documents on the 6th of April. They've been online for months. Why didn't U.S. intelligence, the rest of U.S. Government, see those leaked documents online for all those months? Is that an intelligence failure? And I'd like to ask Secretary Blinken that same issue, as well as your conversations with Foreign Minister Kuleba of Ukraine. We have seen documents that indicate that Ukraine has crossed - with Ukrainian agents working for the government have launched drone attacks in Russia and in Belarus, contrary to commitments that they would not do that. Are you concerned that this would - will - undermine Western support for Ukraine? And can you talk about the overall damage that these leaks have caused to our reputation for handling intelligence with our closest allies? And Mr. Foreign Minister, do you have concerns about sharing intelligence with the United States given the fact that these leaked documents were online for so many months? SECRETARY AUSTIN: Thanks, Andrea. The documents that we are aware of are dated the 28th of February and 1st of March. I don't know if there are other documents that are - that have been online before. These are things that we will find, find out as we continue to investigate. But the documents that we are focused on thus far - 28th of February and the 1st of March. Again, we will continue to investigate and try to determine the full scope of the activity. QUESTION: But, sir, why did we know about it and why didn't you know about it before April 6th? That means that they were up for at least many weeks, months, before U.S. intelligence knew that they were in the public domain. SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, they were somewhere in the web, and where exactly and who had access at that point we don't know. We simply don't know at this point. So - and again, I won't speculate, Andrea. I will tell you that we take this very seriously and we will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Andrea, my - I don't have much to add beyond what the Secretary said. Let me just say with regard to, broadly, allies and partners and these documents, we have engaged with allies and partners at high levels over the past - the past days, including to reassure them about our own commitment to safeguarding intelligence and, of course, our commitment to our security partnerships. With regard to Ukraine itself, I did speak to Foreign Minister Kuleba today, and in speaking to him, among other things, I reaffirmed our enduring support for Ukraine and for its efforts to defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty, its independence; reaffirmed the extraordinary support that we have provided to Ukraine along with dozens of other countries over the last year to help it defend itself, support that will be ongoing and indeed, as you've seen just as recently this week, additional support that was provided. I'm not going to comment on specific actions that Ukraine takes when it comes to defending its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, but we are determined to assist Ukraine in the efforts that it's making to regain the territory that's been seized from it, and I reaffirmed that commitment today in speaking to Foreign Minister Kuleba. QUESTION: Are you concerned about cross-border attacks? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Again, I'm not going to speak directly to any particular actions, and I'm certainly not going to comment on these purported documents. But Ukraine has to make decisions about how it can most effectively defend itself against Russian aggression and take back the territory that's been seized from it. We give our advice as appropriate, we provide the support; that is well-known. But Ukraine makes the decisions about how it actually prosecutes the effort to regain its territory. FOREIGN SECRETARY MANALO: Oh. First let me also share the view of Secretary Blinken that we are very confident after - especially after today's meeting of the commitment to our alliance and our partnership. And I really don't want to jump to any speculation or jump to any conclusions at this stage. We have full confidence in the investigation that will be undertaken. And certainly we would have to wait for the results before we can even comment. But just let me say that we are confident of the strength of our relationship and our growing partnership. MR PATEL: Final question, Will Mauldin of The Wall Street Journal. QUESTION: Thank you so much. Thank you so much. First for Undersecretary Galvez, the mentioned exercise is going to take place later this year in the South China Sea. I wonder what countries would be involved in those exercises and whether there are any concerns that these exercises or the ongoing ones or different steps that the U.S. is taking with its allies and partners in the region would generate a response - a dangerous response from China. For Secretary Austin, I wanted to ask: Irregardless of where the investigation into the documents take us or the veracity of the documents, they're posted online and definitely seen by the Russians as well as the Ukrainians. I wonder to what degree this will affect the tactics of the expected Ukrainian offensive this spring or summer. How - to what degree will their tactics need to change? To what degree will you recommend changes in those tactics? Finally, for Secretary Blinken, I wanted to ask about my good friend and colleague Evan Gershkovich. You found him wrongfully detained, and so I wanted to ask when your staff will be able to get consular access to him in Russia. What's taking so long there? And will there be any leverage that you can exert? Is there any leverage that you can exert to get Russia to provide that access and what strategies will you work on and will the administration be working on to free him? Thank you. OFFICER IN CHARGE GALVEZ: The Balikatan exercise - this is its 38th activation, and it's been - we are doing the Balikatan yearly. And we don't expect any violent reaction considering that this exercise is intended for our collective defense with the U.S. and other allies. For today, for this Balikatan, we have the participation of, as I have said earlier, 17,000 troops, including 12,000 Americans, 5,000 Filipinos, and 111 Australians. We have also observers from the ASEAN nations and also from other allies, and we are happy to say that these exercises are varied exercises on counterterrorism, humanitarian response, and also on developing interoperability with our U.S. forces and also our Australian friends. SECRETARY AUSTIN: Hey Will, thanks for the question. I just spoke with my counterpart in Ukraine today, Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. And we talked about a number of issues, but - as we typically do. But he and the leadership remain focused on the task at hand. And I have every confidence that they will do what good leaders, great leaders do: They will fight the enemy and not be driven by a specific plan. They have a great plan to start and - but only President Zelenskyy and his leadership really know the full details of that plan. So they have much of the capability that they need to continue to be successful. We've trained an enormous number of troops. We have provided a substantial number of platforms. And so I think he feels that he's in a - they're in a pretty good position. And we'll stay focused on continuing to generate security assistance capability so that they can continue to be successful whenever they choose to take up offensive operations. And again, sustainment will be there throughout. We'll stay connected with our allies and partners. We next meet for our next round of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on the 21st, and I look forward to seeing him and the rest of our colleagues at that meeting. SECRETARY BLINKEN: And Will, as to your question regarding Evan, yes, I made the determination yesterday that he is being wrongfully detained by Russia. President Biden had an opportunity to speak to his family today, I believe. I've spoken to your colleagues, including leadership at The Wall Street Journal, multiple times about Evan's situation. When I spoke to Foreign Minister Lavrov about a week ago now, just after Evan was detained, I of course pressed for his immediate release, but I also pressed for immediate consular access to him. The fact that Russia has not granted that access puts it once again in violation of international commitments it's made, commitments that are at the heart of diplomatic relations between countries and the ability of our citizens as well to be able to safely be present in other countries. I think Russia not following through on meeting its obligations to consular access - never mind the practice of detaining people arbitrarily for political purposes - is going to do even more damage to Russia's standing around the world, a standing that has been in freefall particularly since its reinvasion of Ukraine last year. And I think it sends a very strong message to people around the world to beware of even setting foot there lest they be arbitrarily detained, and in the context of being arbitrarily detained not even having access for the diplomats who are there to look out for their interests and who, as a matter of solemn international obligations that Russia has undertaken, should be allowed that access. I'm not going to get into what measures, steps we're taking or might take to do that. I can simply tell you that we are engaged every single day in pressing for that access as well as pressing for Evan's release. MR PATEL: Thank you, your Excellencies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement of the U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Media Note Office of the Spokesperson April 11, 2023 The text of the following statement was released by the governments of the United States of America and of the Philippines on the occasion of the U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. Begin Text Secretary of State Blinken, Secretary of Defense Austin, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Manalo, and Senior Undersecretary and Officer in Charge (OIC) of National Defense Galvez (referred to collectively as "the Secretaries") convened the third U.S. Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2023. Recognizing the importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance to regional peace and stability, the Secretaries put forth a shared vision that supports the international rules-based order, deepens our economic ties, provides for our peoples' broad-based prosperity, and addresses evolving regional and global security challenges. The Secretaries welcomed and built on commitments made at the 10th Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, held in Manila on January 19 and 20, 2023, encompassing topics such as defense, climate and energy policy, sustainable and inclusive economic growth, food security, maritime affairs, civil space cooperation, and democracy and human rights. Respect for the Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific and Around the World Acknowledging that the futures of our countries are not only intertwined with each other's but also that of the region and the rest of the world, the Secretaries reaffirmed their support for unimpeded lawful commerce and full respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea. They exchanged views on key regional and global developments that threaten global peace and the international rules-based order. The Secretaries: Underlined their strong objections to the unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea, including the recent attempts of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to disrupt the Philippines' lawful operations at and around Second Thomas Shoal and the repeated massing of PRC maritime militia vessels at several sites within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including, but not limited to, maritime areas in the vicinity of Iroquois Reef, Sabina Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal, and Whitsun Reef. Such activities also interfere with the livelihoods of fisherfolk and undermine Philippine food security; Called on the PRC to fully comply with the final and legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea. The Award, which was constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, is final and legally binding on the parties, and validates the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction with respect to its EEZ and continental shelf, including maritime areas in the vicinity of Reed Bank, Mischief Reef, and Second Thomas Shoal also known in the Philippines as Recto Bank, Panganiban Reef, and Ayungin Shoal, respectively; Noted with concern recent reports regarding further conduct of covert land reclamation on unoccupied features in the Spratly Islands and rejected the use of reclamation as a means of rationalizing or propagating unlawful maritime claims, in direct contravention of the principles outlined in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea; Reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity; Condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) unprecedented number of unlawful and reckless ballistic missile launches over the past year, reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and urged Pyongyang to abide by its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions; Reaffirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters; and Reiterated the importance of multilateralism, sustained dialogue and cooperation, and the peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law, in maintaining peace and stability in the region and around the world. Alliance Modernization Mindful of the growing complexity of the Indo-Pacific security environment, including the multidimensional nature of modern challenges and threats to the peace and security of the Philippines and the United States, the Secretaries reaffirmed their shared determination to defend against external armed attack in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea, in accordance with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and redoubled their commitment to modernizing U.S.-Philippines alliance cooperation to bolster our combined deterrence. Both sides further look forward to continuing discussions regarding the nature of threats that may arise in different domains including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace and effective responses. The Secretaries highlighted their intent to work toward building interoperability and cooperation in both conventional and non-conventional domains. To this end, the Secretaries committed to: Strengthen bilateral planning and interoperability to ensure readiness to respond to a range of crises and scenarios, through the conduct of high impact and high value joint exercises, trainings, and other activities as well as by fast tracking ongoing discussions on a new U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Defense Guidelines; Prioritize the modernization of shared defense capabilities, particularly in the maritime domain, through various modalities, including U.S. Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defense Articles. The adoption of a Security Sector Assistance Roadmap in the coming months will guide shared defense modernization investments and inform the delivery of priority platforms over the next 5 to 10 years. In addition, the Security Sector Assistance Roadmap will identify areas for capacity-building to enhance the Philippines' core institutions and support security sector governance. Meanwhile, both sides underscored the importance of fast-tracking discussions on an acquisition plan for a fleet of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Philippine Air Force, as well as of leveraging the additional $100 million in Foreign Military Financing that the United States announced last fall to acquire medium lift helicopters; Accelerate the implementation of EDCA projects and increase investments in EDCA Agreed Locations to further support combined training, exercises, and interoperability between the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces, as well as the Philippines' civilian-led disaster preparedness and response capacities. The United States expects to have allocated over $100 million by the end of fiscal year 2023 toward infrastructure investments at the existing five EDCA sites and to support swift operationalization of the four new sites; Complement combined military training and exercises as well as EDCA-related projects with community-based activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including on increasing access to safe water supplies, education, and healthcare, sustainable fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and energy security; Finalize plans for the resumption of combined maritime activities, including the conduct of joint sails by the U.S. and Philippine navies, in the South China Sea. Both sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year; Expand information-sharing on the principal challenges confronting the U.S.-Philippine alliance, including through the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness initiative and the conclusion of a bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) before the end of the year, with the goal of enabling real-time information-sharing and technology cooperation across domains; Expand cooperation, exchange best practices, and increase strategic convergence on counterterrorism and addressing gray zone challenges, including for protecting critical infrastructure against attacks emanating from state and nonstate actors and for promoting civilian-led, non-military counter-terrorism initiatives, where feasible and effective, using an inclusive, rights-based, victim-centered, and whole-of-society approach to counterterrorism; and Continue dialogue and cooperation to advance the protection of human rights in the security sector, and the promotion of the rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific region. Economic and Environmental Security Acknowledging that the Alliance must be able to address security in its broadest sense and deliver direct, substantial and tangible benefits to our peoples and future generations, the Secretaries committed to exploring additional avenues to enhance economic engagement and to: Continue to advance the shared agenda for inclusive and sustainable economic growth through the modernization of infrastructure, the digital economy, enhanced agricultural productivity, promotion of renewable energy and green technologies, and enhanced food and energy security; Further collaborate in building resilient supply chains and safeguarding critical and emerging technologies. This includes working together to develop and build the resilience of the Philippine and U.S. semiconductor industries; Build on the successful cooperation to date in supporting the Philippines' COVID-19 pandemic response by charting new ways to become more resilient for future health emergencies, including by improving the shared ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases; Work together under the theme "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All" to ensure the 2023 U.S. APEC host year is successful in advancing an interconnected, innovative, and inclusive region; Convene before the end of 2023 a kick-off planning session for the first meeting of the Joint Committee under the 2019 Science and Technology Agreement, which is a tool to promote scientific collaboration, build relationships between U.S. and Philippine scientific institutions, and provide opportunities to exchange ideas and information to advance scientific and technological endeavors of mutual interest. Particular consideration will be given with respect to virology and vaccines, combating non-communicable diseases, and ridge-to-reef cooperation; Through the U.S.-Philippines Food Security Dialogue, exchange best practices for agricultural innovation, sustainability, and transforming food systems by adapting nutritious crops to climate change, improving soil health, and strengthening value chains to ensure reliable access to a safe food supply in the face of future shocks; Identify opportunities for future collaboration in enhancing disaster preparedness, and for the protection and conservation of the Philippines' rich coastal and marine resources. The Secretaries highlighted the U.S. assistance and technical support provided to the Government of the Philippines in response to the oil spill off the coast of Oriental Mindoro. They applauded the successful coordination of response efforts between the Philippine Coast Guard, Japan Disaster Relief team, and a U.S. team of subject matter experts from the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Navy. The Secretaries noted ongoing cooperation, including the sharing of satellite imagery to inform oil spill monitoring and forecasting; Build on successful multilateral civil space cooperation within the Asia Pacific region. The United States and the Philippines are committed to holding our first civil space bilateral dialogue in Washington by July 2023. The Secretaries further committed to promote the use of space-based technology in supporting the Philippines' climate resiliency response and to advance mutual interest in the use of remote sensing and Earth observation applications. Enhance cooperation in addressing the climate crisis and prepare for and prevent its worst impacts, including on vulnerable populations. To this end, the Secretaries further committed to collaborate on assessments of climate threats, and incorporating these assessments into joint planning, innovation, training, investments and financing to accelerate and increase renewable energy capacity as well as the grid expansion needed to facilitate its deployment, in support of the Philippines' clean energy transition. They welcomed the recent launch of the U.S.-Philippines Offshore Wind Development Partnership as an important step towards delivering crucial technical assistance to accelerate offshore wind development. They also decided to explore partnerships and promote public-private initiatives on climate transition financing; Launch the Energy Policy Dialogue, a high-level platform for the two nations to develop new forms of energy cooperation, including on short- and long-term energy planning, offshore wind development, rooftop solar capabilities, nuclear energy for electricity generation, and grid stability and power transmission; Pursue negotiations for a potential U.S.-Philippines Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, or 123 Agreement, to provide a legal framework for possible nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, as well as continue capacity building efforts on small modular reactors as potential clean energy solutions under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program; Scale up cooperation and partnership with respect to strategies on critical minerals processing and sustainable and green mining, and new prospecting activities, among others; Promote the modernization of the Philippines' infrastructure and cooperate on high-standard, sustainable, private sector-led infrastructure investment as a means of supporting economic growth and enhancing connectivity in the Philippines, including within the framework of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), the Blue Dot Network, and Transaction Advisory Fund (TAF). The Secretaries welcomed new activities announced by the U.S. Trade & Development Agency, including a feasibility study on airport security screening at the Manila International Airport, a Smart Grid Reverse Trade Mission to bring Philippine grid operators to the United States, and a healthcare workshop in the Philippines focused on medical device regulatory frameworks. They also directed their respective sides to establish a future workshop for Philippine government and private sector contacts on subsea cables; Pursue further cooperation, under a programmatic approach, to build the Philippines' capacities to effectively implement its trade and investment reform agenda, including to strengthen Philippine investment screening and countering proliferation finance mechanisms to allow for transparent and accountable review of certain foreign investments and protect national security while maintaining an open and business-friendly investment climate; Deepen our bilateral trade and investment relationship under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA); Continue to work together through negotiations under the four pillars of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Alliance Partnerships Recognizing that the Alliance is more effective when acting in concert with other likeminded partners, the Secretaries: Reaffirmed their strong support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and emphasized that partnerships and arrangements in the Indo-Pacific should uphold ASEAN centrality in the evolving rules-based regional security architecture; Committed to consultations regarding the Australia-United Kingdom- United States (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership, and its objectives to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific; Welcomed the Quad's commitment to support a peaceful and stable, rules-based region with ASEAN at the center, through its efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific; Acknowledged the importance of further promoting economic and security cooperation with other partners in Southeast Asia through such activities as joint training and capacity building, including for counterpart nations' coast guards; and Identified concrete opportunities to expand operational coordination particularly with Japan and Australia, including through observation and/or participation in trilateral and multilateral exercises and the continuation of the Japan - Philippines - U.S. Trilateral Defense Policy Dialogue. Finally, and most importantly, the Secretaries acknowledged the central role of people-to-people tiescultivated by generations of Filipinos and Americans, including Filipino-Americansin driving the bilateral relationship forward. The Secretaries: Noted the more than 8,000 Filipino alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs, many of whom have risen to senior leadership positions in the Philippines, and hailed the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Philippines program, which is the oldest continuing Fulbright Program in the world. The Secretaries also committed to exploring new resources to support Fulbright's efforts in developing expertise that are critical to the partnership and alliance; Recognized the vital contributions of the more than four million Filipino-Americans to the progress and security of the United States. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino-American health professionals were among those at the frontlines of protecting their communities. Filipino-Americans have made, and continue to make, a positive impact as teachers, service members, artists, financial and social services workers, tech innovators, and civil rights advocates. The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) and IMPACT! Program for Filipino-Americans, which were developed in partnership with the Philippine Government, are notable for helping to build a pipeline of Filipino-American leaders who advocate for their communities' interests and serve as a bridge between the two countries; and Celebrated the continued array of exchanges, including two inaugural events sponsored by the United States government within the preceding two monthsthe first ever National Youth Development Alliance Summit, held in Davao, to strengthen city government programs for employing and educating out-of-school youth around the Philippines; and the first ever Civil Society Organization Summit to Protect Philippine Marine Resources and Biodiversity in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, for the purpose of coordinating action for marine biodiversity conservation and protection in the coastal areas of Northern Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan. End Text NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Mogadishu, UN chief urges 'massive international support' for Somalia 11 April 2023 - Continuing his tradition of carrying out solidarity visits to Muslim countries during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the United Nations chief today landed in Somalia, where he underlined the need for international engagement to alleviate the country's dire humanitarian situation and aid with state-building efforts. "I am also here to ring the alarm on the need of massive international support, because of the humanitarian difficulties the country is facing, massive humanitarian support in relation to the build-up of a security capacity of Somalia, and massive humanitarian support in stabilisation and development of the country," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. "Although Somalis make virtually no contribution to climate change, the Somalis are among the greatest victims. Nearly five million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. "And of course, rising prices make matters worse. So, I call on donors and I call on the international community to step up their support," he added. The UN chief made the comments at a joint press encounter with Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia, the federal government's premises, soon after landing in Mogadishu. He last visited Somalia six years ago. Later on Tuesday, accompanied by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, who also serves as his Deputy Special Representative for the country, the Secretary-General met some of the Somalis affected by the country's humanitarian crisis during a visit to a camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, the largest city in Somalia's South West state. He met with two different families there. The first had travelled 105 kilometres by foot and donkey cart, to seek refuge in Baidoa last year, after all of its livestock perished during the ongoing drought. The second family had done the same after its livestock died and travelled some 70 kilometres to seek aid. 'Mobilise much more support' "It is time for the international community to mobilise much more support, support for the Somalis to guarantee the security of their people and fight terrorism, support for the Somalis to solve the humanitarian drama that we can witness in a camp like this one. "And support to the Somalis in creating the conditions to build the resilience of their population and to create a path of development for the people of Somalia," Mr. Guterres said after the meetings. "In the Holy Month of Ramadan," he added, "we need to have generosity from the international community that is absolutely crucial to rescue these people that I've seen in this camp, and that live in such dramatic circumstances." Millions need lifesaving aid Currently, nearly half of Somalia's population - 8.25 million people - need lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance due to climate shocks, which include five consecutive years of poor rainy seasons, and protracted conflict, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Of those, some 3.8 million are internally displaced, and nearly five million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. Around 1.8 million children are severely malnourished, and eight million people lack access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Two-thirds of all people in drought-affected areas have no access to essential healthcare. The 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan to meet Somalia's needs requires $2.6 billion to assist 7.6 million people - but its funding stands at around 15 per cent, so far. At the earlier joint media encounter in Mogadishu, the UN chief called on the international community to "urgently fund" the Plan. "Somali people deserve the solidarity of the international community, and deserve it to prevent malnutrition and displacement, to save lives, to avert famine," he said. Support for state-building Prior to the press encounter, the Secretary-General met with the President and some member of his cabinet and advisors to discuss other matters, including wider state-building goals, along with his Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho, who also serves as the Officer-in-Charge on the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). "The President and I discussed the Government's valuable efforts to tackle terrorism and advance peace and security for everyone, and we underlined the importance of an ever-stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and [Federal Member] States," Mr. Guterres said. "Federal and [Federal Member] State authorities can count on our support for further advanced state-building," he continued, "and we are particularly encouraged by the recent agreement that was established in relation to the different matters of power sharing." The UN chief also called on the international community to step up support beyond the humanitarian sphere, to help Somalis "be able to launch a new process of stabilisation and development in the country and to build up its capacities to fight Al-Shabaab with even more efficiency than in the recent past." Over recent months, Somalia's security forces, reinforced by local militias, have conducted military operations against Al-Shabaab in the Federal Member States of Hirshabelle and Galmudug, and operations are expected to gradually move into other areas of Somalia. Meeting civil society Also on Tuesday, the UN chief met with representatives of Somali civil society organisations working in areas such as women's affairs and empowerment, climate change, persons with disabilities, youth and marginalized groups to hear first-hand about their work and how the world body can support them. Later that evening with members of the Federal Government and representatives of the international community, he attended an iftar, the meal prepared for sunset to break the daily fasting observed by Muslims during Ramadan. The UN chief began his tradition of paying solidarity visits - which include him fasting too - during Ramadan while he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, before taking up the UN's top job in 2017. He has previously said that joining Muslims fasting during Ramadan has, over the years, showed to him "the true face of Islam." At his press encounter in Mogadishu today, he noted that Somalia embodies Ramadan's "timeless message of renewal and hope." "In these challenging times, I want to commend your energy and resilience and reiterate the United Nations' unwavering support," Mr. Guterres said. "We stand in solidarity with the Somali people and the Somali Government - for peace, for security and for sustainable development." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CSAF visits 179th Airlift Wing ahead of historic mission conversion Published April 11, 2023 By Capt. Jordyn Craft 179th Airlift Wing MANSFIELD-LAHM AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. visited with Airmen and leadership at the 179th Airlift Wing at Mansfield-Lahm Air National Guard Base April 2, ahead of their historic mission conversion to a cyberspace wing. During his visit, Brown met with Ohio National Guard leadership, conducted a roundtable with junior enlisted Airmen and hosted an all-call to express his support for the wing and highlight the vital role the 179th AW plays in accelerating change for the future. "We are in the most dynamic environment we've ever faced so we have to be engaged in change and I can't think of a place in our Air Force facing more change than right here in Mansfield," Brown said. "Cyber engagements happen daily; they are happening right now. That's why what is changing here and what you will do is so important, not just for our force, but for our nation." The Air Force selected the 179th AW to be the Air National Guard's first cyberspace wing in the country, Aug. 25, 2022, and has been in the process of converting the wing, infrastructure and mission since. "Mansfield has a unique opportunity. What you are doing here hasn't been done. You can write the playbook for others to follow," Brown said. "It's important for us to engage here as you drive that change." Brown emphasized the important place Mansfield has in shaping the role of cyber operations in the Air Force. The theme of change and how Airmen must embrace and lean into it for future success was integrated into each part of the visit. "A critical piece of my strategic approach is the key word ... collaboration. As Airmen, we all need to be multi-capable to get the mission done," Brown said. "We do not play to lose. I'm in it to win it and my job is supporting you so you can focus on doing your job." Before his departure, Brown gave Airmen the opportunity to ask questions before concluding his visit. He also thanked the wing for their resilience through the transitions they have made and will face. Brown reiterated his confidence in the wing's ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. "As you go through this historic change, don't give up. It's not about what we say that makes a difference, it's about what we do," Brown said. "I trust every one of you and I have your back." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ships Supporting Two Naval Partnerships Conduct Training in Gulf of Aden US Navy 11 April 2023 From Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain -- Ships from the navies of Japan and Italy sailed together and conducted combined training in the Gulf of Aden, April 8, while operating under two multinational maritime partnerships, Combined Maritime Forces and European Union Naval Forces. Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Makinami (DD 112) and Italian Navy frigate ITS Carlo Bergamini (F 590) transferred personnel and conducted professional exchanges on topics related to vessel boardings and maritime security. "The combined training instilled a firm belief that our ships performing maritime operations can work together anytime and anywhere," said Capt. Kenichi Fujii, commander of Japan's 7th Escort Division that is in charge of Makinami. During the training, Makinami operated in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, one of four operational task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, which includes 38 member-nations and partners. CTF 151 conducts counter-piracy missions led by Republic of Korea Navy Rear Adm. Ko Seung-bum. "Training opportunities that enable multinational naval forces to work together more closely enhances maritime security and stability in the Middle East. That's why we are here," said Ko. Bergamini participated while operating under Task Force (TF) 465, a multinational naval unit from European Union Naval Forces that also focuses on countering piracy in the Middle East. Task forces from Combined Maritime Forces and European Union Naval Forces regularly collaborate to enhance interoperability through combined patrols and joint training. Established in 2009, CTF 151 conducts maritime security operations to deter, disrupt and suppress piracy and armed robbery at sea, outside the Horn of Africa. The task force is headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Raid Kills 8 Afghan Opposition Fighters By Ayaz Gul April 11, 2023 The Taliban said Tuesday their security forces had killed at least eight fighters from an armed opposition group in northern Afghanistan. The fighting, about 120 kilometers north Kabul in Parwan province, marks the first significant clash between Taliban forces and NRF combatants in months. Akmal Amiri, a key commander of the National Resistance Front or NRF, was among those killed in the raid against an opposition hideout, said a statement from the Taliban-led Afghan defense ministry. "The mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate will not allow any group or individual to threaten the security and well-being of our people," the statement vowed, using the official title of the Taliban government. The NRF confirmed the death of Amiri and his combatants. It said that a second senior commander was also among the dead, identifying him as Nasir Ahmad Andrabi. The opposition statement said the fighting had lasted several hours, quoting its self-exiled chief, Ahmad Massoud, as paying tribute to the slain men. "The martyrdom of these heroic fighters once again highlighted the need to create coordination and unity of action among all the forces opposing the Taliban," said Massoud, an ethnic Tajik leader. Last September, Taliban security forces launched a "large-scale" operation against insurgents in Panjshir province and killed 40 NRF fighters, including several commanders. Taliban officials said the operation also captured scores of rebels. The fighting has since subsided in the area, barring a few isolated opposition attacks. The NRF has been leading a low-level armed resistance to Taliban rule since the fundamentalist group seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Its fighters are mostly active in the remote mountains of Panjshir and parts of neighboring provinces, including Parwan. Anti-Taliban opposition forces essentially comprise members of the now-defunct U.S.-trained Afghan security forces. Massoud is the son of anti-Taliban mujahedeen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, whom al-Qaida suicide bombers, posing as journalists, assassinated two days before the terrorist network-plotted attacks hit the United States in September 2001. Panjshir, under the slain Massoud, was at the center of resistance against the Taliban when they previously ruled the country from 1996 to 2001. Critics are skeptical whether the current Afghan armed opposition could pose a serious threat to the Taliban, saying the de facto authorities, unlike their previous stint in power, are now better armed, possessing U.S. armored vehicles and other sophisticated military weapons left behind by the United States and NATO militaries. More than $7 billion in U.S.-funded military equipment was in the inventory of the former Afghan government when it collapsed in the face of then-insurgent Taliban nationwide attacks amid the U.S.-led foreign troop exit from the country 19 months ago, the U.S. Department of Defense estimated in a report released last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Warns Taliban Ban on Female Staff Could Force Closure of Afghan Operation By Ayaz Gul April 11, 2023 The United Nations has warned that the Taliban's "unlawful" ban on its female staff in Afghanistan could push the world body to cease operations in the country. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, issued the warning Tuesday, days after the fundamentalist authorities barred Afghan women employees from working for the mission in the improvised nation reeling from years of war and prolonged drought. The statement reiterated the U.N.'s "unequivocal" condemnation of the restriction, saying the global organization cannot comply with it as it is against international law and the U.N. charter. "Through this ban, the Taliban de facto authorities seek to force the U.N. into having to make an appalling choice between staying and delivering in support of the Afghan people, and standing by the norms and principles we are duty-bound to uphold," the UNAMA stressed. The mission's chief, Roza Otunbayeva, has initiated a review of UNAMA operations in the country that could continue until May 5, the statement said. "U.N. national personnel women and men have been instructed not to report to U.N. offices, with only limited and calibrated exceptions made for critical tasks." During the review period, the U.N. office in Kabul would conduct necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes, the statement said. "It should be clear that any negative consequences of this crisis for the Afghan people will be the responsibility of the de facto authorities," the UNAMA cautioned. The Taliban have not publicly commented on the restriction since it went into effect a week ago (April 4). 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. The ban on U.N. female staff is the latest in a series of restrictions the Taliban have imposed on Afghan women since reclaiming control of the country in August 2021. The curbs have severely impacted women and girls' participation in public and daily life. Afghan women have been banned from accessing higher education and many government jobs and public spaces. Girls are also not allowed to attend school beyond sixth grade. 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 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. The global community has refused to grant legitimacy to the men-only Taliban administration, primarily over human rights concerns and the treatment of women. Meanwhile, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan will travel to the region for weeklong meetings with officials in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Istanbul. The State Department said Tuesday that Thomas West will also hold consultations with Afghan political leaders, journalists, humanitarian professionals and human rights actives in these countries. "West is conducting outreach in the region to secure input as the international community seeks solutions to Afghanistan's compounding challenges, made worse by the Taliban's recent decisions to limit women's participation in humanitarian operations and ban them from their vital work for the U.N.," the statement said. The United States and the international community at large have linked the legitimacy issue to the removal of restrictions on women and respect for human rights of all Afghans. John Kirby, the White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, reiterated to reporters last week that Washington does not recognize the Taliban as an official government in Afghanistan. "If they want to be so recognized at least by the United States if they want to be seen as legitimate, then they need to own up to the promises they made about how they were going to govern that country and how they were going to treat their own people, including women and girls," Kirby told reporters last week. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vietnam's Ties to Russia Tested by China's Moves in South China Sea By Le Nguyen April 11, 2023 As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Vietnam, he must negotiate a diplomatic struggle in which Vietnam and China are competing for the right to develop oil and gas reserves off Vietnam's coast in the South China Sea. Blinken's visit follows a call between U.S. President Joe Biden and the chief of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, on March 29, when the two leaders agreed to expand the bilateral relationship. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership. The two countries have been discussing how to advance their ties to the next level a strategic partnership. Vietnam has comprehensive strategic partnerships with Moscow and Beijing. The conflicting interests facing Hanoi navigating a historically fraught relationship with China, bilateral ties with like-minded Russia, and warming relations with the U.S., an enemy defeated less than 50 years ago may test Vietnam's "three NO's" foreign policy no alignment with any countries against a third country, no military alliance with any country, no foreign military base in its territory. Russia's state-controlled oil company Zarubezhneft and gas giant Gazprom, working with a subsidiary of PetroVietnam, the country's state-owned fossil fuel company, operate a gas field in Vietnam's South China Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank in Washington. Chinese coast guard ships have sailed into the areas operated by Russian firms in Vietnam's EEZ about 40 times since January 2022, according to vessel-tracking data from Vietnamese research organization South China Sea Chronicle Initiative (SCSCI), an independent nonprofit, according to Reuters. The most recent incident was on March 27, days after Russian President Vladimir and his counterpart Xi Jinping met to reaffirm their "no-limits friendship." Moscow has become increasingly reliant on Beijing to break isolation and sanctions imposed by the West over its war in Ukraine. Colin Koh, a research fellow of maritime security issues at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told VOA Vietnamese that he believes Putin brought up the incidents involving the Chinese coast guard vessels in the South China Sea to Xi because working with Vietnam on energy drilling is in Russia's interest. Koh expressed doubt that Moscow would give up its energy partnership with Vietnam, as Beijing wants. Hanoi is "by far [Russia's] most steadfast, most longstanding friend in Southeast Asia," he wrote in a March 29 email to VOA Vietnamese. "Will Moscow want to risk pushing Hanoi to the embrace of the West? ... And more broadly, does Russia really want to risk being seen as not only an unreliable partner by Vietnam, but also seen as playing second fiddle to China?" he said in the email. It would be a huge blow to Vietnam, especially in weapons procurement, if Moscow aligned with Beijing's position in the South China Sea, according to Koh. "Even though Vietnam has in recent years diversified beyond Russia for military technologies, the key 'big ticket' military equipment are still Russian in origin," he said, listing an array of military hardware - main battle tanks, multirole combat aircraft, surface combatants, submarines and missile systems. "Therefore, dissociating with Russia doesn't serve Vietnam's long-term interest, considering that fully replacing Russian systems in its arsenal will take a long time and is prohibitively costly," said Koh. Striking a balance However, Hanoi should strike an equilibrium between Russia and the West and should not be seen by Moscow as leaning too much toward the West over the war in Ukraine, Koh said. "It does help that its current position on the war in Ukraine has at least been accepted by Russia," he said. In the energy sector, Hanoi can look to Western companies to take over oil and gas projects in the South China Sea if Moscow withdraws, said Koh, who cautioned that any potential replacement must be willing to assume the risk of pressure from China. In 2018, Spain's Repsol suspended its energy prospecting off Vietnam in the South China Sea after Hanoi succumbed to a year of Chinese pressure, Reuters reported. The company may have lost up to $200 million, according to The Diplomat. Ha Hoang Hop, Associate Senior Fellow of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and chairman of the VietKnow think tank in Hanoi, told VOA Vietnamese that Beijing could not force Moscow to withdraw from the energy partnership with Vietnam. He noted that between 2017 and 2019, Bejing "piled pressure on Moscow" but Russia responded each time by making "it very clear that the projects were in the waters completely under Vietnam's jurisdiction, so Beijing was not in a position to interfere," he told VOA Vietnamese in a phone interview. Hop said, "There's no way Russia compromises its energy projects with Vietnam in the South China Sea despite Beijing's pressure" given that the oil and gas projects there "are also Russian interests." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Chief Appeals for Urgent International Aid to Somalia By Ahmed Mohamed April 11, 2023 U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to the international community to give more emergency humanitarian aid to Somalia. Guterres, in his second visit to the country since 2017, said the Somali people deserve the solidarity of the international community to effectively respond to the drought and continue the fight against the militant group al-Shabab. "I call on donors and the international community to step up their support; to urgently fund the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan which is currently just 15% funded," he said. Guterres said there was a need for massive international support to Somalia, not only to respond to the humanitarian crisis but also for stabilization efforts and security in the country. Somalia is waging an operation against al-Shabab in central and southern parts of the country. "Somalis make virtually no contribution to climate change. The Somalis are among the greatest victims. Nearly 5 million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity and, of course, rising prices make matters worse," Guterres said. World Vision Somalia Associate Director Ahmed Omar told VOA the visit by Guterres raises the profile of the humanitarian situation in Somalia and shows the U.N.'s solidarity with the most vulnerable people in the country. In January, the Somali government and the U.N. launched a $2.6 billion humanitarian appeal for 2023. However, less than 20% of that appeal has been funded. Omar said the situation in Somalia will require urgent and robust international mobilization of resources. Somalia narrowly escaped a famine declaration in 2017 thanks to concerted humanitarian efforts, Omar said, adding that this year may be more difficult because of the combined effects of low funding and adverse weather predictions. Besides the drought, Somalia is also facing deadly fighting in the contested Las Anod town, which has resulted in hundreds of people dying and thousands more being displaced. The war against al-Shabab is also moving to southern parts of the country. During the joint media briefing, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urged the U.N. chief to lend support to the stabilization efforts in the country. Abdiaziz Isaack, a security and political analyst with the Hamad Bin Khalifa Civilization Center, said there is also an urgent need to finance the post-al-Shabab era in Somalia. He said the ongoing humanitarian situation in Somalia has many components and security is central, adding that the call by Mohamud on the U.N. to fund the stabilization of newly liberated areas is crucial. Isaack said by visiting Somalia in the middle of a military campaign against al-Shabab, Guterres was underscoring the importance the international community attaches to the campaign. The visit also is a morale boost for the Somali government and the forces on the ground, Isaack added. Guterres first came to Somalia in March 2017, when the country was facing yet another deadly drought that the U.N. had warned risked degenerating into a famine. Somalia expects this visit by Guterres will signal the urgency and gravity of the current situation and provoke a quick international response. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 11 April 2023 - Day 412 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that as of 03 April 2023, Russian media reported the transfer of TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to Russian airborne forces (VDV). The highly destructive TOS-1A, which Russia designates as a 'heavy flamethrower', is typically operated by Russia's specialist Chemical, Biological and Radiological Protection Troops in Ukraine, and has not previously been formally associated with the VDV. The transfer likely indicates a future role for the VDV in offensive operations in Ukraine. It is likely part of efforts to reconstitute the VDV after it suffered heavy casualties in the first nine months of the war. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported during the day, Russian forces fired 1 missile and 10 air strikes, fired more than 18 shelling from battalion jet systems. The probability of missile and aviation strikes continues to remain high throughout Ukraine. Despite numerous losses in equipment and manpower, Russia continues to focus its core efforts on offensive actions in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdiiv and Marine directions - over 50 Russian attacks were repelled during the day. In Volyn, Poliskomu, siverskomu and slobozanskomu directions operational environment without significant changes. Detained units of the territorial forces of the Russian Federation continue to be in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Also, Russia continues to hold designated units in the Ukrainian border areas of the Kursk and Belgorod regions, continues engineering equipment of the area. During the day, the Russian invaders fired at the settlements of Flesnya, Kamianska Sloboda and Gremyach of Chernihiv region; Wolfine and Katerynivka of Sumy region, as well as Veterinary, Deep, Gati e, Vovcansk, Zibine, Volohivka, Ohrimivka, Cernikov, Komisarove, Budarki and dovzanka in Kharkiv region. In the direction of Russian shelling, the settlements of Kolodyazne, Kamyanka, Poplar, Krasne Perse, Ridkodub, Novomlinsk, Dvorichna, Kindrashevka, Pisce and Berestove Kharkiv region and Novoselivske in Luhansk region. In the limanskomu direction during the day, Russian forces led unsuccessful offensive actions in the area south of bilogorivka and spirnogo. Artillery shelling was suffered by makiivka, nevske, bilogorivka lugansk region and yampolivka, torsk and spirne - donetsk. In the Bakhmut direction, Russia continues to lead offensive actions, tries to take full control of the city of Bakhmut, violent fighting continue. During the day, Russian forces led unsuccessful offensive actions in the area of the settlement of Bogdanivka. Defense Forces units repelled about 20 Russian attacks on the mentioned area of the front. From Russian shelling suffered nikiforivka, vas kivka, minkivka , orihovo-vasilivka, novomarkove, markove, bahmut, chromove, times yar, ivanivske, stupocki, preacher, Alexander-Sultine, kurdy mivka, ozaryanivka, friendship, toretsk and new York of donetsk region. The opponent was leading offensive actions in Avdiii vskomu and Maryi nskomu directions in the areas of Avdiivka, Pervomaisky, Nevelsky and Maryinka, he had no success. The fiercest battles in the mentioned area of the front continue for Maryinka, where more than 15 Russian attacks were fought back. At the same time, Russian shelling was experienced by the settlements of Novokalinove, Orlivka, Avdiievka, Tonenke, Severne, Pervomaiskke, Netajlovka, Karlivka, Krasnogorivka, Georgievka, Maryinka, and Victory of Donetsk region. In the Shakhtar direction during the day, Russian forces did not conduct offensive actions. They shelled the settlements of Novomikhailivka, Shakhtarske, Novoukrai nka, Velika Novosilka, Vuhledar and Precistivka of Donetsk region. Russia continues to conduct defensive actions on Zaporizhzhya and Kherson directions. Russian forces carried out shelling at the settlements next to the line of combat. Among them - vremivka, novopil donetsk region; Novosilka, olgivske, malinivka, red, gulyajpole, charming, small tokmachka, nuts of zaporizhzhia region; Golden Beam, kachkarivka, berislav, kozatske, burgunka, Ivanivka, mykilske, dniprovske kherson region and the city of kherson. Russia continues to use medical facilities of temporarily occupied territories for its own purposes. Yes, the building of the primary medical and sanitary care center in Novopskov and the Kryakivka medical point in Luhansk region are used by the Russian occupants as a military hospital. At the same time, in kryakivka, in order to increase the number of beds, the zagarbniki additionally roped the tent town. Only representatives of Russian occupation troops can receive medical care in these civilian medical institutions. The Defense Forces aviation of Ukraine carried out 13 strikes in the areas of concentration of Russian personnel and military equipment in a day. Also downed 2 Russian BPLA type "Orlan - 10". Missile troops and artillery units during the day hit 4 focal areas of life force, weapons and military equipment, as well as 2 Russian radio-electronic combat stations. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that Over 80% of the territory of Bakhmut is under the control of Wagner PMC, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said. This includes all administrative centers, plants, factories, as well as the building of the city administration, he stressed. The businessman confirmed the transfer of the flanks of the attack on Bakhmut to units of the RF Armed Forces. According to Prigozhin, the military has everything necessary to organize defense and conduct attacks if necessary. Zaliznyanskoye, Sakko and Vanzetti, Nikolaevka and other settlements, which were stormed by Wagner troops in previous months, are in the area of responsibility of the Moscow Region. During the day, attacks were made on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Nikiforovka, Vasyukovka, Minkovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Khromovo, Chasov Yar and Krasny. The offensive of the "musicians" on Bogdanovka continued. The situation on other sectors of the front DPR During the day, Ukrainian formations opened fire on Donetsk, as well as the settlements of Gorlovka, Panteleymonovka and Makeyevka. A bus came under fire in Donetsk, 2 civilians were injured. In addition, an outbuilding was destroyed in the capital of the DPR, the Maisky village was de-energized in Gorlovka, and the supply of the Lenin mine village was partially disrupted. During the briefing, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Limansky, Donetsk, South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions were hit during the day. Ukrainian troops lost about 570 servicemen and a large number of military equipment, as well as 3 US-made AN / TPQ-50 counter-battery radars and an artillery ammunition depot. Acting head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, said that Russian units were faced with the task of encircling Avdiivka. Now there is an advance to the settlement. He also spoke about positional battles in the Ugledar direction. Pushilin's adviser, Igor Kimakovsky, said that a large number of enemy servicemen were being taken prisoner near Avdiivka. LC In the Lugansk People's Republic, a militant of the national battalion "Aidar" (banned in the Russian Federation) was sentenced to 8 years in prison, found guilty of participating in a terrorist community. According to the investigation, the convict served in the battalion as a gunner in the machine-gun section. Zaporozhye region The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that within a day, a position was opened in the Mirolyubovka area and the targeting radar of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed. Kherson region During the day, according to the RF Ministry of Defense, up to 10 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the Kherson direction, as well as 2 vehicles, a Grad multiple launch rocket launcher, a D-30 howitzer and 2 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mounts. AFU shelled the city of Alyoshki. The attack killed 2 civilians. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 12 April 2023 - Day 413 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that over recent weeks, Russia has continued to develop extensive linear defences in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. The area is highly likely the responsibility of Russia's Southern Grouping of Forces (SGF). Russia has now completed three layers of defensive zones across approximately 120km of this sector. These consist of a front line of forward combat positions, and then two zones of nearly continuous, more elaborate defences. Each zone is approximately 10-20km behind the one in front. Russia has probably put significant effort into these defensive works because it is convinced Ukraine is considering an assault towards the city of Melitopol. The defences have the potential to be formidable obstacles, but their utility almost entirely depends on them being supported by sufficient artillery and personnel. It remains unclear if the SGF can currently muster these resources. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 12, Russian forces launched 19 air strikes, more than 10x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and infrastructure in various settlements. Civilians were wounded. The likelihood of missile and air strikes across Ukraine still remains high. Despite the numerous losses in equipment and manpower, Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the offensive operations on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Mar'inka axes. 34x Russian attacks were repelled during the day of April 12. Volyn, Polissya, Sivershchyna, and Slobozhanshchyna axes: no significant changes. Certain units of the territorial troops of the Russian Armed Forces remain stationed in Belarus. A comprehensive inspection of the combat readiness of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus is underway. Individual formations and units have been brought to the highest levels of combat readiness. The inspected units were manned to strength by conscripting reserve servicemen. The adversary retains presence of certain units in the areas of Kursk and Belgorod oblasts (Russia) bordering Ukraine and continues the engineering development of terrain. During the day of April 12, Russian forces shelled the settlements of Halahanivka, Zaliznyi Mist, Arkhypivka (Chernihiv oblast), Mefodivka, Bilopillya, Volfyne, Kindrativka, Varachyne, Basivka, Zapsillya (Sumy oblast), Veterynarne, Vovchans'k, Varvarivka, Zemlyanky, Komisarove, and Kolodyazne (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: Topoli, Krasne Pershe, Dvorichna, Zapadne, and Kindrashivka (Kharkiv oblast) came under Russian fire. Lyman axis: during the day of April 12, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives in the vicinity of Bilohorivka. Novoselivs'ke, Nevs'ke, Pishchane, Kuz'myne, and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast) were shelled with artillery. Bakhmut axis: Russia continues its offensive operations, attempting to take full control of the city of Bakhmut. Fierce fighting continues. During the day of April 12, Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensives to the north of Khromove and near Bohdanivka. The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled about 18x Russian attacks in this area of the frontline. Vasyukivka, Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Kurdyumivka, Druzhba, and Zalizne (Donetsk oblast), among other settlements, were shelled by Russian forces. Avdiivka and Mar'inka axes: Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the vicinities of Mar'inka, Pobjeda, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). None of them were successful. The fiercest fighting in this area of the frontline is for Mar'inka, where 14x Russian attacks were repelled. At the same time, Russian forces shelled the settlements of Keramik, Novokalynove Krasnohorivka, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Netaylove, Nevel's'ke, Karlivka, Heorhiivka, and Mar'inka (Donetsk oblast). Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces did not conduct any offensive operations during the day of April 12. Russian forces shelled the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Shakhtars'ke, Novoukrainka, Velyka Novosilka, Vuhledar, and Prechystivka (Donetsk oblast). Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russia is defending. The invaders shelled Vremivka, Novopil' (Donetsk oblast), Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Bilohir'ya, Mala Tokmachka, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), Kachkarivka, Vesele, Antonivka, Inzhenerne, Zelenivka (Kherson oblast) and the city of Kherson, among other targets. The Russian occupiers continue to leverage educational institutions of the temporarily occupied territories and use them for their own purposes. They set them up as military facilities, hiding behind human shields the schoolchildren and the teaching staff. For example, mobilized units of the Russian occupation forces have arrived in the city of Skadovs'k (Kherson oblast) in recent days. The personnel are accommodated in the buildings of educational institutions. At the same time, the Russian occupiers are forcing the teaching staff to continue the educational process with the attendance being compulsory for the children. This said, a humanitarian crisis is imminent in temporarily Russia-occupied Skadovs'k due to the growing shortage of medicines. The Russian so-called "authorities" put in office by the occupation forces have significantly limited the supply of all types of medicines to pharmacies. During the day of April 12, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 6x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian forces' personnel and military equipment. Also, 1x Russian Orlan-10 UAV was shot down. Units of the Ukrainian missile troops and artillery hit 4x concentrations of Russian manpower, weapons, and military equipment, 1x ammunition depot, and 1x radar station. According to the official statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense, in the Bakhmut area, units of the Wagner PMC took possession of three quarters in a day, while it was not specified in which part of the city. The activity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU) on the flanks is constrained by the actions of the Airborne Forces. Previously, the "musicians" handed over these liberated areas with prepared defenses to the department of the allied forces. Also, Ukrainian reserves tried to break into Bakhmut from the settlements of Chasov Yar and Bogdanovka, which lost more than 245 military personnel, a tank, an armored personnel carrier, 2 armored combat vehicles, 3 pickup trucks, 8 vehicles, an Msta-B howitzer, 2 D-20 guns, as well as 3 Grad MLRS launchers. The enemy continues to show disdain for the city and its inhabitants by hiding armored vehicles in the yards. So, at the house 37 on the street. Decembrists captured two tanks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which, having tried to hide in a residential area, were nevertheless destroyed. The situation on other sectors of the front In other directions, Ukraine lost about 340 soldiers, 22 vehicles, 7 armored fighting vehicles, D-30 and D-20 howitzers, as well as Krab and Paladin self-propelled artillery mounts per day. In addition, in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka and Kislovka, the actions of three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed, and ammunition depots of the 65th and 121st brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were blown up in Orekhov and Otradokamenka. During the day, artillery and aviation attacked 94 enemy artillery positions and 117 areas of concentration of manpower and equipment. A Su-24 of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down over Liman. At the same time, air defense systems intercepted two rockets from HIMARS systems and five drones. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Warns Russia Getting Creative in Cyberspace By Jeff Seldin April 11, 2023 Russia's cyber operations against Ukraine may not have made as big an impact as some Western officials and cybersecurity experts first feared following the start of last year's invasion, but top U.S. officials warn that is no reason to underestimate Moscow's cyber exploits. Instead, these officials caution Russia's cyber warriors remain actively engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Ukraine, while learning from each attack and preparing, possibly, to expand their operations beyond Ukraine's borders. "In cyber, I think people have underestimated really how much game they [Russia] brought, whether it be the Viasat hack to nine or 10 different families of brand-new, unique wiper viruses that have been thrown in that ecosystem," said Rob Joyce, the National Security Agency's director of cybersecurity, to an audience Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "There's continued attacks on Ukrainian interests, whether it's financial, government, personal, individual, business a just trying to be disruptive," he added. 'It's a constant fight' Joyce is not alone in his assessment of the ongoing dangers from Russia's cyber operations. "We haven't seen really any slowdown," a senior defense official told reporters on the condition of anonymity late last month during a briefing to the Defense Writers Group in Washington. "It's a constant fight between what the adversary [Russia] is trying to do and what the Ukrainian network defenders are trying to do," the official said. "We see and have information shared with us about efforts to continue to compromise various Ukrainian networks from MoD [Ministry of Defense] to critical infrastructure." Weeks earlier, NSA Director General Paul Nakasone told lawmakers that Moscow's cyber activities against Ukraine remain under intense scrutiny. "By no means is this done," he said. #Russia's repeated failures in #Ukraine could lead #Moscow to turn to riskier #cyber operations, US warns"We anticipate their cyber activities may become bolder & look at broader targets"https://t.co/IwyZfyJW0i a Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) March 7, 2023 Ukrainian officials have also voiced increased concern, noting the pace of Russian cyberattacks has been increasing, even as Moscow works to better coordinate cyber operations with conventional military strikes. The NSA's Joyce, on Tuesday, agreed Russia's tradecraft appears to be improving. "There's creative things going on," he told the audience at CSIS. "We're watching the Russian hackers log in to public-facing webcams to watch convoys and trains delivering aid," Joyce said. "But they're also hacking those webcams where ... they're looking out the coffee shop security camera and seeing the road they need to see." Joyce also warned that Russia's cyber operations have also put U.S. companies in their crosshairs. "Most of the pressure is at the defense industrial base and the logistical transport companies who are moving lethal aid [to Ukraine]," he said. "They are under daily pressure from the Russians." China cyber ops Joyce also voiced concerns about China's ever expanding cyber capabilities. "Yes, there is an enormous amount of unsophisticated loud Chinese threat, but there are also elite units that have tools and tradecraft that is very sophisticated," he said. "That's the concern as they're able to scale and use that elite set of concepts and tools in a much bigger piece." As for how that could play out should China decide to invade Taiwan, Joyce encouraged private sector companies to start preparing now. "You don't want to be starting that planning the week before an invasion when you're starting to see the White House saying it's coming," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australia Aims to Make Industry More Resilient Against Cyberattacks By Phil Mercer April 11, 2023 The Australian government is asking major banks and other institutions to take part in 'wargaming' exercises to test how they would respond to cyber-attacks. It follows recent mass data theft attacks on several large companies, which compromised the data of millions of Australians. Australia is preparing for potential cyberattacks on critical services including hospitals, the banking system and the electricity grid. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil Tuesday warned that recent high-profile hacks on the telecommunications and health insurance sectors, which have affected millions of people, "were just the tip of the iceberg". The government is setting up a series of drills with large organizations to help them respond to security breaches. Anna Bligh, chief executive of the Australian Banking Association, an industry body, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Tuesday that cyber security drills organized by the government will make the sector more resilient. "How would the whole system cope if one of the very large companies were taken down by a cyber threat?" Bligh asked. "The sort of scale and sophistication of the threat is now moving into something that we haven't seen before. So, it is a very timely move. This is now potentially a significant threat to the national security of the country." A major Australian financial services company revealed Tuesday that criminals who stole sensitive customer information last month have demanded a ransom. The cyberattack on Latitude Financial resulted in the theft of 14 million customer records, including financial statements, driver's license numbers and passport numbers. The company said that in line with government policy it would not pay a ransom to prevent the data being leaked or sold online. The Australian government is considering an updated Cyber Security law that would impose new obligations and standards to protect data across industry and government departments. However, officials have warned that cyber criminals are becoming more professional, powerful and effective. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 25th Plenary Meeting of 14th SPA Standing Committee Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The 25th Plenary Meeting of the 14th Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the DPRK was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday. Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, first vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and chairman of the Standing Committee of the SPA, presided over the meeting. Attending the meeting were Vice-Chairmen Kang Yun Sok and Kim Ho Chol, Secretary General Ko Kil Son and other members of the SPA Standing Committee. Present as observers were officials concerned of the SPA Standing Committee, the Secretariat of the Cabinet, ministries and national institutions. Agenda items included the issue of adopting the law of the DPRK on sci-tech talents management and the issue of recalling and electing a judge and people's assessors of the Central Court of the DPRK. There was a report on the basic contents of draft laws examined at the Legislation Committee of the SPA. The mission of the law on sci-tech talents management is to realize the unified state control and administration of the talents on a higher level so that they can play a leading and pivotal role in developing the country's economy and improving the people's living standard. Its provisions deal with the principled issues for further improving the talents management, including the issue of establishing the trait of attaching importance to the sci-tech talents in all fields and units, the issue of systematically training and registering them and the issue for the improvement of their qualifications and working and living conditions. The meeting deliberated on opinions on the draft laws and adopted them in decrees of the SPA Standing Committee. A judge and people's assessors of the Central Court of the DPRK were recalled and elected at the meeting. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron Outlines Need for European Sovereignty By Lisa Bryant April 11, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday outlined his vision for European economic and industrial sovereignty during a visit to the Netherlands, following criticism over recent remarks about China and the United States. Speaking at a Dutch research organization in The Hague, Macron said it was essential the European Union carve out an independent stance on five key areas, including trade, competitiveness and European industry. Embedded across all, he said, should be European values and goals in areas such as climate change. "We want to be open," said the president. "We want allies, we want good friends, we want partners. But we always want to be in a situation to choose them. Not to be 100 percent dependent on them." Macron said Tuesday the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war on Ukraine helped drive the need for an independent European strategy a not reliant, for example, on either Chinese or U.S. technology. "Defending sovereignty doesn't mean to shy away from allies," he said. "It means we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny, rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world." Macron made his remarks during a state visit to the Netherlands a the first by a French president in more than two decades. The comments follow a controversial interview with French and U.S. media, when he reportedly warned against Europe becoming entangled in unrelated crises a apparently referring to Taiwan a and becoming too dependent on the United States for defense. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to reunite the territory with the mainland - by force if necessary - and is opposed to any nation maintaining separate ties with Taipei. Poland's prime minister responded by calling Europe's alliance with the United States key to European security. U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio questioned whether Macron was really speaking for Europe. Macron's economic overture to China has also stirred controversy. He brought a large delegation of French business leaders on his visit there last week and sipped tea with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Their meeting took place at a time when critics want China to toughen its stance toward Russia's aggression in Ukraine. This isn't the first time Macron has sketched out a broad EU vision that isn't necessarily shared by all member states. Protesters heckled him at the start of his speech a reminding him of ongoing demonstrations back in France against his pension reform plans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Lawmakers Urge EU to Declare Iran's Revolutionary Guards a Terrorist Group By VOA Persian Service April 11, 2023 A bipartisan group of more than 130 U.S. Congress members have signed a joint letter calling on the European Union to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. In the letter addressed to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the lawmakers said Iran is "a leading state sponsor of terror" and that for decades the IRGC "has freely and openly carried out plots targeting citizens in countries across the EU." "We understand the legal complexities involved in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization pursuant to EU law Common Position 931, and fully appreciate the need for this decision to be adjudicated by either a judicial or 'equivalent competent authority," the lawmakers said. "But given the growing threat Iran poses to EU member states and their citizens, we urge you to treat this issue with the utmost urgency." The letter also cites a study by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point stating Iran "instigated at least 33 plots to surveil, abduct, or assassinate citizens in Europe" during the past five years. Borrell has said designating the IRGC as a terrorist group must first involve condemnation by a court in at least one EU member state. The United States declared the IRGC a terrorist group in 2019. Some information for this report came from Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar's military bombs village ceremony killing scores of civilians The junta sent in jets and an attack helicopter during the opening of a local administrative office, locals say. By RFA Burmese 2023.04.11 -- As many as 100 villagers have been killed and more than 50 injured when junta aircraft bombed a crowd of hundreds attending an office opening ceremony in Sagaing region's Kanbalu township, locals said. The air strike is one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since Myanmar's military seized power in a Feb. 1, 2021 coup d'etat. Most of the injured and dead were women and children, witnesses told RFA. They said it was hard to tell how many people had died because the bodies were so badly mangled by the bombs and machine gun fire, but by Monday afternoon, the bodies of at least 53 people had been collected. "I saw the bodies of four to six children who had been blown about 100 feet [30 meters from the building]," said a local who didn't want to be identified. "I saw bodies ripped open and burnt." Sources said that at least 20 children were among those killed in the air strike on Pa Zi Gyi village, although RFA was unable to confirm the claim. Another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were "too many finger-size bits of body parts all over the streets," adding that one could "barely walk without stepping on them." "Some bodies were headless, while some heads were without bodies. There is no way to identify who the bodies belong to," the resident said. "The junta aircraft hovered around the village and shot at everyone from all angles, aiming at locations where civilians might be hiding." Nway Oo, a relief worker, said the injured are being transported to clinics in nearby villages operated by the anti-junta People's Defense Force and are receiving medical treatment. "Most of them are people with their hands or legs blown off," he said. "As we are transporting them in four-wheel drive vehicles, we can only bring 4-7 people at a time. We have to be vigilant and listen for the sound of junta aircraft before we enter and exit the village." Nway Oo said that a military junta troop is stationed in nearby in Ma Lel village, hampering efforts to transport the injured. An eyewitness to the attack told RFA that the military had "received specific information about the opening of the public administration office" ahead of time and "deliberately carried out an air raid on the civilian crowd." An official with the local PDF said that the junta "aimed to send a message with this air strike: that it would do anything and everything to deter the people from establishing public administration." "The junta attacked a crowd of ordinary civilians including women, children and pregnant women," he said. "There were no resistance fighters in that crowd." Videos of the bombing site shot by citizen journalists and viewed by RFA showed a barren expanse strewn with various body parts, punctuated by the smoking ruins of structures and destroyed motorbikes. Residents and anti-junta fighters can be seen dragging mutilated corpses for collection and identification as they comb through the carnage. Junta statements on attack People Media, the news agency of the Union Solidarity and Development Party - which serves as the junta's electoral proxy party - said the army's Northwestern Regional Headquarters carried out Tuesday morning's attack on Pa Zi Gyi village. It did not mention the number of casualties. Junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun claimed in comments carried by the pro-junta MRTV station that anti-junta forces, including the PDF, had assumed control of Kanbalu township through force and that the military had only targeted combatants during the ceremony. "[The PDF] says villagers were killed when pictures are circulated of victims wearing civilian clothing, but when they carry out an attack, they claim that the same sort of victims are PDF," he said, suggesting that anti-junta forces had either doctored photos from the air strike or misreported casualties. "Additionally, the PDF hides their mines and other weapons there, so when we attacked, it triggered much larger explosions and caused more casualties." Zaw Min Tun reiterated junta claims that the PDF is "a terrorist organization" that regularly commits "war crimes," including threatening villagers and setting fire to their homes, in contrast to reports RFA has received that accuse the military of such tactics. Death toll expected to rise Tuesday's air strike happened during the inauguration of a public administration office established by Myanmar's parallel National Unity Government, Nay Zin Lat, the National League for Democracy MP for Kanbalu township told RFA. A statement from NUG President Duwa Lashi La said the death toll was expected to rise. "They were men, women, and children who posed no threat to the Myanmar military," he said in the statement posted on Facebook. "The military continues its mindless war on our country's own people. Their sole aim is to consolidate power through death and destruction. They will not succeed." The junta dissolved the NLD last month after the party failed to re-register with the Election Commission but members continue to work with the NUG to try to restore democracy in Myanmar and carry out administrative work in areas not under junta control. Locals said junta troops carry out frequent raids on Pa Zi Gyi. Nay Zin Lat said many people died on the spot after a jet fighter dropped two bombs and an Mi-35 attack helicopter fired over 200 shots from its machine guns. He said more than 800 locals were attending the ceremony. "There was a group of local residents who were discussing how to manage social issues in the community," he said. "They were bombarded by the air and shot at non-stop with machine guns. The shooting took about 15 minutes." He said the injured were taken to nearby villages and some local voluntary groups were providing medical treatment. Nay Zin Lat urged organizations including the United Nations and the international community to do more to block the junta's supply of jet fuel and called for a more effective ban on the sale of arms and ammunition to the regime. RFA called Aye Hlaing, Sagaing region's junta spokesperson and social affairs minister, but no one answered. International response Tuesday's attack drew condemnation from a number of international organizations including the United Nations and rights groups. In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres called for "those responsible to be held accountable" and for the injured to be allowed medical treatment and access to assistance. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the attack, noting reports that schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians, were among the victims. "Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law," he said in a statement. London-based Amnesty International's Business and Human Rights Researcher Montse Ferrer said in a statement that Tuesday's attack and other junta air raids "highlight the urgent need to suspend the import of aviation fuel" to Myanmar's Air Force. "This supply chain fuels violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, and it must be disrupted in order to save lives," he said. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch, told RFA that "there's no justification for bombing a group of civilians." "You can't just fly an airplane over a group of civilians and drop a bomb on them and say that because a few people may be militants that it was justified," he said. "That is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, it's a clear violation of the laws of war," he added, calling for a thorough investigation of the incident and a ban on aviation fuel to the junta. Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University, condemned the air strike "another outrageous attack on a civilian population by a regime that is increasingly desperate to achieve its strategic goals." "The military's doctrine of counter-insurgency is ... based on terrorizing the population into submission -- it is based on intentional targeting of civilians," he said, adding that "air attacks are just part of that." "[Air strikes] are an acknowledgement that the military is just stretched so thin right now ... They're spread all over the country in this multi-front war and so they're increasingly reliant on air attacks and long-range artillery because they simply cannot fight on the ground." Tuesday's air strike came just one day after a junta jet fighter dropped bombs near a high school in Chin state's Falam township, killing nine civilians and injuring four others, according to residents. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn and Joshua Lipes. This story has been updated to include comments from junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun, eyewitnesses to the attack, local aid workers, and international organizations. 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 Government confirms lifting of resale restrictions in affordable housing estates over 30 years old His Majestys Government of Gibraltar has written to the management companies of affordable housing estates whose underleases were granted 30 years ago or more, to confirm that the resale conditions on these properties will no longer apply, as long as certain conditions are met. This completes a manifesto commitment to relax lease restrictions at affordable estates. The GSLP/Liberal Government says it is proud to have introduced the principle of affordable housing to Gibraltar and of its track record in delivering on affordable housing across administrations for the benefit of generations of Gibraltarian families. This unprecedented investment in homes for families required provisions to be made to prevent speculation for profit. However, the Government says it considers it fair that 30 years after the first conveyance of these properties, the resale restrictions should no longer apply if the party selling has owned that property for at least 10 years. In order for the resale conditions of an affordable property to be lifted: The underlease for the flat must have been granted at least 30 years prior to the proposed sale; and The vendor(s) must have owned the flat for at least 10 years prior to the proposed sale. It will still be a requirement for consent to be sought for the sale of any flat within an affordable housing estate. The only difference will be that the resale restrictions will be waived so long as the proposed sale is in respect of a qualifying flat. It will be Land Property Services that verifies whether a flat qualifies to have the resale restrictions in its underlease lifted. The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo, said: I am proud of this Governments proven track record of investing in affordable housing. Whilst many young people look forward to the completion of the first phase of Hassan Centenary Terraces, it is fair that those who purchased in estates that were constructed more than 30 years ago should no longer be restricted by the resale conditions of the original underlease, as long as they have lived in that property for at least 10 years. This will allow families whose needs may have changed in that time to sell on the open market, whilst maintaining the prevention of speculation on new affordable properties so that the policy continues to work in the way that it was always intended to; to provide affordable homes for generations of Gibraltarian families. Myanmar: UN condemns deadly military airstrike on crowd of civilians 11 April 2023 - The United Nations has denounced deadly airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar Armed Forces which reportedly killed at least 100 people in an opposition stronghold in the northwest on Tuesday. Military aircraft dropped bombs and fired on a crowd of people in Kanbulu Township, located in Sagaing Region, who had gathered that morning for the opening of a new town hall, according to media reports. Guterres condemns attack UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres strongly condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be held accountable, his Spokesperson said in a statement. Mr. Guterres offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. He also called for the injured to be allowed urgent medical treatment and access to assistance. "The Secretary-General condemns all forms of violence and reaffirms the primacy of protection of civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law," the statement said. End the violence Myanmar's military seized power in February 2021 following disputed elections the previous November, detaining democratically elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other top officials. Thousands of people have been killed since the coup, and the UN continues to speak out against the ensuing repression, human rights violations and abuses. The Secretary-General reiterated his appeal for the military to "end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", in line with a Security Council resolution adopted in December. Resolution 2669 demands an immediate end to all forms of violence in Myanmar. It further calls for restraint, de-escalation of tensions and the release of all prisoners. Rights chief 'horrified' The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker TArk, also issued a statement, saying he was "horrified" by reports of the airstrikes. "It appears schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians, attending an opening ceremony at the hall in Pazi Gyi village, Kanbalu Township were among the victims. A helicopter gunship then reportedly fired on those fleeing the hall," he said. The UN rights chief noted that despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, "there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law." Hope for accountability He called on all parties to take "all feasible precautions" to protect civilians from the effects of attacks, including by avoiding locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas. "As I have previously noted, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since 1 February 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes," Mr. Turk said. "I firmly believe the international justice processes now underway will one day hold the military leadership accountable for such crimes," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Report confirms swap supply of fuel from Russia to Iran Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 4:44 PM A report citing industry sources have confirmed statements by Iranian and Russian authorities suggesting the two countries have been involved in an agreement to swap oil products supplies. The report by the Reuters news agency published on Tuesday said that Russia had started to supply significant volumes of fuel to Iran by rail under a swap arrangement that is aimed at undermining Western sanctions on the two countries. The report quoted two sources familiar with the export data as saying that Russia had supplied up to 30,000 metric tons of gasoline and diesel to Iran in February and March. The sources said the shipments were supplied by rail from Russia via Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Iran, adding that some gasoline cargoes were then re-exported by truck from Iran to neighboring countries, including Iraq. The report confirms statements by Russian and Iranian authorities in recent months suggesting the two countries have expanded their energy cooperation to offset the impacts of Western sanctions on their economies. Swap arrangements enables Russia to export its crude oil, natural gas and oil products to countries in the region via Iran while helping Iran to boost energy supplies to its northern region. Iran has been under US sanctions since 2018 when Washington decided to pull out of an international deal on Iran's nuclear program. The US and allies in Europe imposed rounds of sanctions on Russia since the start of war in Ukraine more than a year ago. Both Moscow and Tehran have cast the sanction, which mainly target their energy sectors, as illegal and unjustified. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US reporter, arrested for spying, 'violated' Russian law: Kremlin Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 3:15 PM The Kremlin says a Wall Street Journal reporter arrested on spying charges had "violated Russian law," after the United States said he had been "wrongfully detained" by Russia. Evan Gershkovich "violated Russian law" and was caught "red-handed," the Kremlin said on Tuesday. The announcement came after the US State Department officially designated Gershkovich as having been "wrongfully detained" by Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "I don't understand what kind of innovations this new regime is introducing. As for what it means, I don't know." "The court will make a decision," he asserted. Russia's main security agency said last month that it had detained the 31-year-old reporter, who is from Russian descent in the city of Yekaterinburg, more than 1000 kilometers east of Moscow. The Federal Security Services (FSB) arrested Gershkovich over suspicions that he was committing an act of espionage under the guise of a reporting trip. Next week, a Russian court is scheduled to hear an appeal lodged by Gershkovich's legal team against an order that he be held in pre-trial detention at Moscow's Lefortovo prison until May 29. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out that Gershkovich's activities in Yekaterinburg were "not related to journalism." "What an employee of the American edition of The Wall Street Journal was doing in Yekaterinburg has nothing to do with journalism," Zakharova clarified in a message posted on social media on March 30, 2023. US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the "totally illegal" jailing of Gershkovich on spying charges was "out of bounds." Yekaterinburg is famous for its heavy industry and steel-making plants. The city also plays an important role in supplying equipment for the Russian military. In addition, Yekaterinburg is a major freight transportation hub and center for international trade. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navalny Back In Solitary After Team Releases Investigation Into Prison System's Cabbage Purchases By RFE/RL April 11, 2023 Jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny says he has been moved back into "extremely hellish" solitary confinement just three days after finishing his latest 15-day sentence in the punishment cell. Navalny said he was sentenced to another 15 days in the SHIZO, a Russian abbreviation for punishment cell on April 11, the day after his supporters released an investigation into the Russian penitentiary service's purchase of cabbage, suggesting that corrupt prison authorities pay exorbitant prices and keep a cut of the money for themselves. "The wholesale price of cabbage in the summer was 6 rubles per kilo. Meanwhile, the Federal Penitentiary Service buys it in unthinkable quantities for 27.50 rubles per kilo," Navalny said on Twitter, adding that there are 400,000 convicts in the country, and cabbage is their main ration. "Everyone gets their cut here: from the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service Gostev, who meticulously ignores the insane prices, to the management of the [prison] colonies," he said, referring to Arkady Gostev, whom President Vladimir Putin appointed to head the Federal Penitentiary Service in November 2021. "Putin's entire system only exists in order to steal money on cabbage," Navalny said, adding that the same practices apply to other government purchases. "The system will steal at all levels, because that is its whole point." Navalny, 46, is serving a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for violating the terms of an earlier parole when he was medically evacuated in August 2020 from Siberia in a coma after suffering the near-fatal poisoning that he blames on Russian security operatives acting at Putin's behest. The prison sentence is widely considered to be politically motivated. Navalny returned to Russia in January last year and in March was handed a separate nine-year prison term on charges of contempt and embezzlement through fraud that he and his supporters have repeatedly rejected as politically motivated. The anti-corruption campaigner's team said last month shortly after a documentary film about Navalny won an Academy Award that he had spent more than 100 days of the previous six months in the punishment cell. Navalny said on Twitter that he lost 8 kilos during the most recent 15-day stretch in solitary confinement, and his supporters say his health has worsened. An ambulance was called to the colony on April 7 after Navalny's condition deteriorated as the result of a stomach ailment, said Vadim Kobzev, one of Navalny's lawyers. Navalny also said prison authorities set up a "personal sewing room" where he can work in the adjoining cell and implied that it is just as small as the SHIZO. But he claimed prison officials have made up "completely unlawful rules" that forbid him from buying food with the money he earns. The Russian Interior Ministry did not respond to a request for comment, Reuters said. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny-solitary- cabbage-purchases-prison/32359439.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 Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the joint statement by the United Kingdom and France on the 25th anniversary of their ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty 11 April 2023 16:56 676-11-04-2023 On April 6, the United Kingdom and France published a joint statement on the 25th anniversary of their ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Along with standard statements about their impeccable observance of the treaty, they expressed completely unfounded grievances toward our country. In this context, it is important to note that having ratified this treaty in 2000, Russia has strictly observed its provisions and the 1992 voluntary moratorium on nuclear tests. Our country has not given any reason for concern about its commitment to the treaty. The treaty still has not entered into force because eight countries whose ratification is necessary have not yet acceded to it. The United States is primarily responsible for this because many of these eight states are guided by its position. Characteristically, London and Paris have either forgotten or been afraid to mention Washington's far from impeccable record on the nuclear test ban. In addition to its refusal to ratify the treaty, it is necessary to mention the US decision to enhance the readiness of its nuclear test site, the Nevada Test Site. However, the United Kingdom and France prefer to ignore the conduct of their suzerain. It seems that both the US and its NATO allies stand to gain from the fact that the treaty has not entered into force for more than 25 years since it opened for signing. We continue to carefully monitor this situation. We will do all we can to universalise the treaty and turn it into a valid international legal document as soon as possible. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kornet: Most Fearsome Weapon of Russia's Tank Hunters Sputnik News 20230411 Ilya Tsukanov The Russian military is training special "tank hunter" units designed to take on the German, British, and American armor being sent to Ukraine. What sorts of weapons will Russian forces have at their disposal to counter the sophisticated Western heavy weapons platforms? Sputnik explores. The Russian military is taking proactive steps to prepare to engage Challenger 2, Leopard 2, Abrams, and even Leclerc tanks. Speaking to media on Sunday, Russian Armed Forces Combat Training Center head Yevgeny Arifulin said troops have studied NATO tanks' strengths and weaknesses, and absorbed a series of "methodological recommendations" created by Colonel General Ivan Buvaltsev, a veteran tankman with nearly 45 years of experience operating and commanding armored forces under his belt. "These are groups that will be directly involved in hunting for these [Western tanks]. In addition, tankers are being prepared here for tank duels. But the main thing is the tank hunters, who will be waiting for them in the area where these tanks would not like to see us," Arifulin said. German and NATO officials began confirming last month that the first batches of the nearly 300 Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and Abrams tanks promised to Kiev had begun trickling into the country. The UK's decision to equip its Ukraine-bound Challengers with toxic depleted uranium munitions has sparked controversy, with scientists and activists expressing concerns that the conflict zone could be turned into a radioactive wasteland - just like parts of the former Yugoslavia and Iraq after their bombardment by NATO, US, and British forces in the 1990s and 2000s. NATO has ignored these concerns, while the UK's MoD has assured that the DU rounds are safe, notwithstanding mountains of evidence to the contrary. "Britain has delivered the Challenger. Many NATO allies have delivered the Leopard 2, and the United States is now in the process of arranging deliveries of the Abrams. And this is in addition to, for example, the Marder infantry fighting vehicles and the American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. All this together will give the Ukrainians the necessary means to return their territories and further push back Russian forces," Stoltenberg said at a press briefing last week. Kiev says it now has nearly 60 NATO MBTs in its inventory, and expects more to be delivered in the coming weeks. What Kinds of Weapons Will Russia's Tank Hunters Have at Their Disposal? Arifulin did not go into detail about the types of weapons Russia's special tank-hunting units could use in their operations against Western main battle tanks. But there are a variety of options, starting with the 2A46 125 mm smoothbore cannon fitted aboard the Russian T-90, T-80, T-72, and T-64 tanks, which have the necessary power to penetrate NATO armor in tank-on-tank engagements, provided the right operational deployment and combat support. From the air, Western MBT armor can be engaged using the 9K121 Vikhr, an aircraft-mounted laser-guided anti-tank missile system fitted aboard Su-25 attack aircraft, Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters, as well as some warships and coastal patrol ships. Armor-mounted systems include the 9M120 Ataka - a late Soviet-era HEAT warhead ATGM which can be equipped aboard a wide array of armored fighting vehicles, as well as helicopters. What Makes the Kornet Special? Then there's the Kornet. Developed through the 1980s and 1990s and first entering into service with the Russian military in 1998, the Kornet is a widely-produced man-portable anti-tank guided missile system designed specifically to take on the latest NATO third-generation battle tanks like the Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and Abrams. While all of the systems listed above will almost certainly be among the equipment used by Russian forces against NATO armor in the coming months (unless a peace deal can somehow be reached), the Kornet is the only one among them with confirmed kills of German and US tanks under its belt. During the course of Turkiye's police actions in Syria in 2016 and 2018, Ankara deployed dozens of its Leopard 2A4 tanks in the country, engaging in combat against Kurdish militants and Daesh (ISIS)* fighters. Over the course of the operations, Turkiye lost a dozen or more Leopard 2s to roadside bombs, suicide car bombs, and Russian-made anti-tank weapons. In a 2017 report, German investigators concluded that six of ten Leopard 2s destroyed in fierce fighting in the city of al-Bab were killed using Kornet missiles operated by Daesh fighters. Although several Leopards had previously been lost by NATO forces in Afghanistan to roadside bombs in the 2000s, the Turkish military's losses in Syria helped to lift the air of invincibility around Germany's tanks against modern anti-tank weapons once and for all. Kornets demonstrated similar characteristics against the vaunted Abrams tank in Iraq. Shortly after the US invasion in 2003, Iraqi special forces provided US forces with the first inkling that the war wouldn't be anything like the first Gulf War in 1991 (when the Iraqi Army failed to knock out a single Abrams). This time around, Iraqi Republican Guard units equipped with Kornet anti-tank missiles knocked out two Abrams and a Bradley in fighting in the south of the country. Over half-a-dozen more Abrams, these ones belonging to the Iraqi Army, were destroyed by Daesh in Iraq between 2014 and 2016 using captured Kornets. Hezbollah similarly used Kornets to effect in 2006, destroying up to four of Israel's coveted Merkava tanks (which are often touted as superior to the Abrams) during the Lebanon War. Why Are Kornets so Deadly? The secret behind the Kornet's deadliness lies in its tandem warheads - which can penetrate homogenous steel armor up to 1,300 mm thick (the Leopard 2A4 and Abrams have a maximum front armor thickness of 800 and 700 mm thick, respectively). After contact with the enemy tank, the first warhead explodes, with the second then generating a jet of immense heat that burns through armor, reaches the crew compartment, kills everyone inside, and detonates ammunition stores (which causes the MBT's turret to be literally blown off in some instances). The latest models of the weapon feature top attack capability similar to that of the American Javelin, as well as thermobaric and blast fragmentation warheads for use against targets besides tanks. Kornets have a range of between 100 and 8,000 meters, making them deadly in urban environments, but equally dangerous across open spaces and the rolling plains which make up much of the Donbass and Ukraine east of the Dnepr River. Along with use by troops, Kornets can be mounted aboard customized Tigr infantry mobility vehicles, with the system, known as Kornet-EM, featuring two retractable launchers carrying four Kornet missiles apiece, plus eight additional rounds. The vehicles' payload makes them capable of destroying entire platoons of enemy tanks, although operation is potentially more dangerous given the vehicles' size compared to individual troops. The systems can also be fitted aboard BMP-2 and MBD-2 armored vehicles. How Many Kornets Does Russia Have? Since the system's introduction in the late 1990s, Kornets have been exported to over two dozen countries around the world. The system's producers -Degtyaryov Plant and the Volskiy Mekhanicheskiy Zavod, do not provide updated statistics about the number of Kornets produced. However, according to a 2010 estimate, about 35,000 had been made and sold by the late 2000s. * A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deploying Russian Nuclear Weapons to Belarus Furthers Moscow-Minsk Relations: Ministry Sputnik News 20230411 UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik), Lenka White - The agreement to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus will give a new significance to relations between Minsk and Moscow, the Belarussian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Ambrazevich told Sputnik. "Regarding the development of allied relations in the military-political sphere between Belarus and Russia, I am deeply sure that this step will serve the further development of our union state in this particular sphere of cooperation," Ambrazevich said. "Belarus will gain a new capacity, of course, a new significance, including for the Russian Federation." On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow and Minsk have agreed to station Russia's tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which does not breach Russia's commitments to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. On April 2, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov said that nuclear weapons in Belarus will be stationed closer to the western borders of the Union State. The United States and its allies have repeatedly called on Russia to reconsider its decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus. On March 26, the European Union said it was ready to respond with new sanctions if Belarus proceeds with its plan to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons given that they allegedly threaten EU security. At the end of March, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had ordered the restoration of the platforms in which strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads were once stationed. Belarus has conventional means to counter external aggression but would use everything at its disposal, including tactical nuclear weapons, if a threat to the country's existence emerged, Lukashensko added. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, as many as 81 Topol nuclear missiles were stationed in Belarus. In May 1992, Belarus signed the Lisbon Protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, agreeing to destroy or hand over all strategic nuclear warheads on its territory to Russia. All nuclear missiles deployed in Belarus were transferred to Russia by November 1996. The union state, founded in 1997, originally aimed to create a confederation, now it is a supranational union consisting of Belarus and Russia aimed at the deepening of their relations in the economic and defense spheres. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia hits Ukrainian cities, US doubts Kiev's new offensive will yield big gains Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 3:35 PM Russian forces have pounded frontline cities in eastern Ukraine in their latest aerial attacks, while the US doubts, according to recently leaked documents, that Kiev's new counteroffensive will yield big gains against Moscow. Russian forces heavily bombarded several cities and towns in the eastern Donetsk region in airstrikes and artillery attacks, Ukraine's general staff said in a statement on Tuesday, with a top Ukrainian commander accusing Moscow of using "scorched earth" tactics. "The enemy... is destroying buildings and positions with airstrikes and artillery fire," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, said of Bakhmut, which in the Donetsk region. For the past several months, Bakhmut and its surrounding towns have been the focal point of attacks by Russia, which launched a full-scale war against neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. Capturing Bakhmut is essential for Russia to achieve its stated goal of taking control of the whole of Donetsk, one of the four Ukrainian regions - along with Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia - that Moscow added to the Russian Federation following referendums in the said regions in September 2022. So far, much of the territory in the Russian-annexed regions still remain in Ukrainian hands. Moscow says Bakhmut, now largely ruined, would be a stepping stone and a rare battlefield gain in completing the capture of the Donbas industrial region (composed of Donetsk and Luhansk), one of Moscow's most important objectives. Neither side has full control over the heavily-fortified town and both have suffered heavy losses so far. However, Syrskyi stressed that "the situation" in Bakhmut "is difficult but controllable." A day earlier, Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-appointed leader of Donetsk, claimed that Russian forces had managed to seize 75 percent of the town. The battle to seize Bakhmut has been spearheaded by mercenaries of the Wagner group, a Russian private security company. Russia's military was also targeting the city of Avdiivka. A Ukrainian counter-offensive has long been expected following months of attritional warfare in the east and after Russia's winter offensive failed to make much progress. Last week, confidential documents detailing the US and the NATO plans to militarily help Ukraine in launching its anticipated spring offensive against Russia surfaced online, prompting a Pentagon investigation. The documents, marked "top secret" - reportedly containing charts and details on weapons deliveries, battalion strengths and other sensitive material - were leaked on Twitter and Telegram social media platforms, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing Defense Department officials. Following the growing leak, US broadcaster CNN said on Monday that Ukraine had no choice but to amend some military plans ahead of its counteroffensive because of the leak. Ukraine, however, downplayed the leak, with Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak saying that Kiev's strategic plans remained unchanged but that specific tactics were always subject to change. The leak of classified documents, according to The Washington Post on Monday, also revealed Washington's misgivings about the state of the war. US intelligence assessments contained in the leaked documents suggested that Ukraine's challenges in amassing troops, ammunition and equipment could cause its military to fall "well short" of Kiev's original goals for its anticipated counteroffensive aimed at recapturing Russian-occupied areas this spring, warning that such an operation would result in only "modest territorial gains." Such assessments also showed a marked departure from the Biden administration's public statements about the vitality of Ukraine's military. Furthermore, they will likely embolden critics who say that the US and NATO should do more to push for a negotiated settlement to the conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian air defenses 'shot down' 100 Bayraktar drones in Ukraine war: Commander Iran Press TV Tuesday, 11 April 2023 7:46 AM More than 100 Turkish-made Bayraktar-TB drones, supplied to Ukraine, have been destroyed by the Russian army since the start of the war in February last year, a senior Russian military commander said on Monday. Lieutenant-General Andrey Demin, deputy head of the Russian aerospace force, made the announcement as Moscow celebrated the National Day of Air Defense Forces. "There are practically no fundamental distinctions between fighting against strategic drones like the US Global Hawk (RQ-4) or Reaper (MQ-9) or Turkey's operational-tactical Bayraktar-TB and counteraction to crewed aircraft," Demin said in an interview with the Russian army daily Krasnaya Zvezda. "The elimination of more than 100 Bayraktars, delivered to Ukraine during the whole period of the special military operation is clear evidence of this." Turkish drones, which were first deployed by Ukraine last year, had emerged as a surprise weapon system that many thought could change the course of war in the favor of Kiev. In the initial few weeks, in particular, these drones enjoyed the element of surprise and proved instrumental in some high-end missions. According to reports, they also aided the sinking of the Russian flagship Moskva. However, Russian air defense units are believed to have soon adapted to the Turkish weapon system, decimating them for the past several months. In December 2022, Russia claimed to have shot down at least 130 Ukrainian drones since the conflict began. The figure has been revised and even downsized in recent months. The aerospace commander also referred to the collapse of the US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea after an encounter with the Russian Su-27 fighter jet last month. US MQ-9 Reaper drone went into the Black Sea after an encounter with the Russian Su-27 fighter jet last month, triggering concerns of escalation. Demin said the incident "makes it clear to the Western world community that for Russia's air defenses, such aerial targets are no problem." A similar incident involving a Turkish TB2 drone had been reported just days after the US drone crashed. According to the EurAsian Times, a Su Flanker using jet wash attacked a Turkish Bayraktar, however, the drone survived. In order to increase the effectiveness of its air defense technology, Russia has been working nonstop on it. Russia's military has reportedly placed the cutting-edge Niobium radar station on the front lines, which scans the sky within a radius of 500 kilometers while concurrently tracking hundreds of objects or potential targets. The fact that Russia has improved its defense systems and is shooting down and jamming many drones from Ukraine, experts believe, may be one of the reasons Turkish drones have become less effective and easy prey to the Russian Army. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Civilian Death Toll In Ukraine At Least 8,500, But UN Says It's Likely 'Considerably Higher' By RFE/RL April 11, 2023 The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says it has confirmed the deaths of almost 8,500 civilians since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, and believes the toll could be thousands higher. The OHCRH said in an updated report published on April 11 that 8,490 civilians have been killed and 14,244 injured since Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022, until April 9, 2023. "OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration," the UN agency said in a statement. "This concerns, for example, Mariupol (Donetsk region), Lysychansk, Popasna, and Syevyerodonetsk (Luhansk region), where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties." The statement said that, in total, 18,280 casualties -- 6,596 killed and 11,684 injured -- occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine's government that was under attack by Russian forces. Another 4,454 casualties -- 1,894 killed and 2,560 injured -- occurred in Ukrainian territory occupied by the Russia. The UN said it had confirmed 7,011 civilian deaths and 13,495 injured due to shelling, artillery, and air attacks, though "actual numbers are considerably higher." Russian troops have been accused of shelling cities and towns in many regions under Ukrainian control, causing numerous civilian deaths and injuries, repeatedly damaging energy infrastructure, and leaving large areas without electricity during the winter months. Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians since the start of its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, despite air attacks often hitting hospitals, residential buildings, schools, and other civilian infrastructure. Earlier this month, the UN Human Rights Council overwhelmingly voted in favor of extending and expanding the mandate of an investigative body probing possible war crimes committed during the invasion. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-civilian-deaths- russia-invasion/32358863.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 University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy continues to strengthen ties with Moroccan Maritime sector University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy Manager, Aaron Lopez, recently met with representatives of the Moroccan Maritime industry to explore potential collaborations and training opportunities. This visit was a significant step towards enhancing the University's relationship with Morocco and its continued commitment to strengthening the ties between the two nations. The University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy has been successful in attracting Moroccan students to its full-time academic programs since its inception, including the highly regarded BSc (Hons) Maritime Science with Cadetship Programme. Mr. Lopez's meeting with Mohamed Briouig, Director of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics at the Higher Institute for Maritime Studies in Rabat, and Mohamed Karaouane, General Director of the Institute of Training in Transport and Logistics Trades (IFMTL) in Casablanca, focused on discussing how the University's Maritime Science degree could be of benefit to students seeking to enter the maritime industry. In addition, the meetings also covered the various technical training courses available through the University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy, highlighting the extensive resources and expertise that the Academy offers. The collaboration between the University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy and the Moroccan Maritime industry has the potential to open up new opportunities for students, graduates, and professionals in both countries. Committed to building bridges with the international maritime industry, fostering meaningful partnerships, and delivering high-quality education and training to students worldwide, the University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy lsays it ooks forward to further strengthening its relationship with the Moroccan Maritime industry and exploring new avenues of collaboration in the future. University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy The University of Gibraltar Maritime Academy provides UK-aligned, MCA-approved maritime STCW training, tailored training for companies, and bespoke training for the fast-evolving industry. The Academy's technical courses are offered every month, just a few steps away from the berth, resulting in a growing number of vessel operators and managers involved in the 10,000 ship calls or 20,000 crew changes per year made in Gibraltar taking advantage of a cost-effective, convenient way to maintain the skills of their crew. University of Gibraltar The University of Gibraltar is a UK-aligned degree-awarding higher education institution, established by the Government of Gibraltar through the University of Gibraltar Act 2015. The University achieved global accreditation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in 2022, for a period of five years, which measures global institutions against international quality assurance standards set out in Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). As part of its provision, the University offers a BSc (Hons) Maritime Science with Cadetship programme (Nautical or Engineering), which combines academic qualifications with practical training through MNTB-aligned, MCA-approved, guaranteed placements. Students can choose their pathway, be that at sea (nautical or engineering) or shore side, and graduate with the necessary skills and knowledge to enter the maritime industry and succeed. The cadetship is optional, meaning that students who already have technical training have the freedom to complete the academic BSc (Hons) Maritime Science programme without the cadetship. Ukraine Says It Repelled More Than 50 Russian Attacks Amid Heavy Casualties By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 11, 2023 Ukraine says its forces have repelled dozens of attacks as the invading Russian military pressed on with its offensive in the eastern Donetsk region with air strikes and artillery attacks. "Despite numerous losses in equipment and manpower, the enemy...continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka areas," Ukraine's General Staff said on April 11 in a statement. Ukrainian forces repelled 52 attacks over the past day, it added. The fighting remains intense as U.S. officials assess the damage from a leak of classified documents that included some on Ukraine's plans for a counteroffensive in the east. The Russian military has for months pressed to take control of Bakhmut, where the battle for the city has turned into one of the bloodiest since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, while serving as a symbol of Kyiv's defiance. Both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the small and now largely destroyed city. Oleksandr Syrskiy, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, said the situation in Bakhmut remains "difficult but controllable." Syrskiy accused Russia of using the same "scorched earth tactics" in Bakhmut that it used in military operations against anti-government rebels in Syria in support of the regime in Damascus. "It is destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery fire," Syrskiy said, adding that Russia was sending in special forces and airborne units to Bakhmut as members of Russia's notorious private mercenary Wagner group that have led the Bakhmut operation were exhausted. Russian air strikes were also targeting the city of Avdiyivka, turning it "into total ruins," according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, Donetsk's regional governor. "In total, around 1,800 people remain in Avdiyivka, all of whom risk their lives every day," Kyrylenko said. The battleground accounts cannot be independently verified. Taking control of Bakhmut could allow Russia to directly target Ukrainian defensive lines in the town of Chasiv Yar and open the way for the Russian military to advance on two bigger cities in the Donetsk region -- Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. Donetsk is one of four provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine that Moscow illegally declared annexed in September 2022 and is seeking to fully occupy. The other three regions are Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhya. In Washington, the Pentagon said the Justice Department has been called in to investigate whether the leak of a handful of documents dated from February 23 to March 1 was a criminal offense. The documents appeared on social media last week. The documents reportedly also include information about Ukraine's use of munitions for U.S.-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other advanced weaponry, and about U.S. spy operations in allied countries such as South Korea and Israel. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-invasion-bakhmut-attacks- russia-leaks-pentagon/32358411.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 Air Defense Force Commander: Russian Forces Have Shot Down 100 Bayraktar Drones During Special Op Sputnik News 20230411 Since the beginning of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, Ukrainian propaganda has relied on various "wonder weapons" of Western origin. However, Russian troops have proven successful in countering them, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, M777 howitzers, and other military equipment. Lieutenant-General Andrey Demin, commander of the Air Defense Forces and deputy commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces, has stated that Russian forces have shot down at least 100 Bayraktar combat drones since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine. During an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda, the official newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry, he stressed that Russian troops have improved their performance and readiness level. They have conducted more combat exercises and analyzed the experience of the first months of the special operation in Ukraine, where Russian forces are withstanding the strength of the entire NATO alliance aiding Kiev. "In 2022, expenditure of anti-air missiles during personnel training exceeded that of last year by a thousand times," he said, adding that this has a direct impact on the crew proficiency and the air defense units' cohesion. The general also said that the recent incident with a US MQ-9 crashing into the Black Sea because of sharp maneuvering indicates that such drones are no match for contemporary Russian AA systems. "There is no fundamental difference between 'strategic' UCAVs like the US RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper or 'tactical-level' UCAVs such as the Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar compared to modern-day manned combat aircraft." Before the Russian special operation started, Ukraine ordered 54 TB-2 Bayraktar drones, and a substantial amount was delivered after the special operation began. Over the past year, NATO members have supplied Ukraine with thousands of weapons, fueling the conflict. The supplies have included weapons such as FIM-92 Stinger MANPADs, anti-tank FGM-148 Javelin missiles, M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs), M777 howitzers, and HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS). The Russian Armed Forces have already demonstrated their skills in developing methods to successfully counter Western weaponry. For example, there are more and more videos showing Russian Lancet kamikaze drones successfully eliminating Western military equipment. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andriy Yermak and Adolfo Urso discussed the development of economic cooperation between Ukraine and Italy President of Ukraine 11 April 2023 - 22:58 Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a video call with Minister of Enterprises and Production of Italy Adolfo Urso to discuss ideas for strengthening economic cooperation between the countries. First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and Deputy Head of the Office of the Head of State Rostyslav Shurma also took part in the conversation. Andrii Yermak thanked the Italian people and the Italian government for their support and assistance to Ukraine during this terrible war. "Already today we are thinking about our future, about economic cooperation with our friends and partners. We are extremely interested in investments and cooperation with Italy for the reconstruction of Ukraine, giving our people opportunities to open businesses and create new jobs," he said. In general, the focus of the negotiations was the support for Ukrainian manufacturers and exporters. The parties reached a preliminary agreement on the creation and promotion of the national brand "Made in Ukraine" on the European market with the support of Italian representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises. The parties also discussed the possibilities of developing cooperation between the two countries in the field of light industry through the broader involvement of specialized Ukrainian and Italian industrial associations. First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko emphasized that the Ukrainian light industry is developing even during the war and is reaching a new level. "And we see a huge opportunity for the development of cooperation between Ukrainian and Italian representatives of the fashion industry," she said. For his part, Rostyslav Shurma noted that Ukraine is interesting and promising for Italian entrepreneurs from the point of view of investment in certain industries and extraction of natural resources. The Minister of Enterprises and Production of Italy said that the Italian side would like to help with the definition of those goods that can be identified with the national brand of Ukraine, which will contribute to their promotion on the European market. In his opinion, the experience of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, which are leaders in the production of certain products, can also be useful for Ukraine. Andriy Yermak and Adolfo Urso emphasized that the conference on the recovery of Ukraine scheduled for the end of April this year in Italy would be extremely substantive and filled with meaningful content. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We are now at such a stage of the war, when it is important not to lose a sense of the path we have to overcome - address by the President of Ukraine President of Ukraine 11 April 2023 - 22:28 Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians! I held a regular meeting of the Staff today. First of all, we considered the combat situation, what we manage to succeed in in the main directions, in difficult directions, such as Bakhmut and Avdiivka, the Donetsk region in general, such as Kreminna and the Luhansk region in general. We also considered at the Staff meeting what we are yet to succeed in. What we are working on. There were reports by General Syrskyi, General Tarnavskyi, the Commander-in-Chief, the Main Intelligence Directorate. The General Staff and the Minister of Internal Affairs reported on the staffing of new units of our defense forces - new brigades. Head of the Security Service, General Malyuk made a report on his part - on what concerns our internal resilience, protection from the internal enemy and counteraction to collaborators. We are now at such a stage of the war, when it is important for our society and partners not to lose a sense of the path we have to overcome. Precisely the path. The path that's ahead. Compared to last year, it's quieter in many places now. But this does not mean that somewhere you can ignore the war or be less focused on helping the state. We managed to do a lot together with our partners to protect people, Ukraine, and the whole of Europe. But this doesn't mean it's time to rest on our laurels. The path is ahead. The movement is ahead. Something that requires no less unity from us than before. No less focus than before. Just as before, our positions at the front, all our warriors in their positions must be supported by Ukrainian positions politically and informationally, by the power of weapons and the power of our social unity, by our internal resilience and the strength of Ukraine's ties with the world. And this is the task of both the state and everyone in the state, of both Ukraine and everyone in the world who values a free life and an international order based on rules. It is unwise to just passively hope that someone else will bring victory, the one who is now in the trenches, who is now in the assaults. This is a common task. Victory is gained by everyone. By those who fight for it and those who give weapons. By those who reduce the capabilities of the terrorist state and those who increase the capabilities of Ukraine. Just as everyone in the Staff is responsible for their part of the defense of the state, on the path to victory everyone should understand what their steps to victory are. And whether these steps are enough to complete the entire path. Today I had a very interesting, meaningful meeting with American businessman and philanthropist Howard Buffett. He has been generously helping Ukraine and our people for a long time. Many projects are implemented with his support. For example, construction of a kitchen factory has begun in Bucha, which will become part of the school meals reform in Ukraine and will provide for children in three communities of the Kyiv region. This project will also be scaled to other regions, in particular to the Kharkiv region. And when a person helps so much, when he personally cares about support - and these are projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars - such a person sees very well how important it is for everyone to be on the path to victory, how important it is for everyone to be active, how important it is for everyone to become a hero at least in a certain way so that we all win. I thank Mr. Buffett for his support. I am thankful to all our partners in the world who remain active in helping. Thank you to all Ukrainian men and women who understand that we have to walk this path together - to victory, and in true unity, supporting each other and the state. Glory to all our warriors! Glory to our strong people! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief President of Ukraine 11 April 2023 - 16:10 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on Tuesday. The participants listened to the reports on the overall operational situation on the frontline and the situation in the sectors of the front within the areas of responsibility of the operational and strategic groups of troops. The intelligence leadership informed about the likely actions of the aggressor state in the near future. The participants of the meeting also analyzed the state of providing the units with ammunition. In addition, consideration of the issue of staffing, weapons and military equipment provision for the newly created brigades of the defense forces was continued. The members of the Staff discussed the issue of increasing the effectiveness of the management system and the interaction of various groups of the security and defense forces of Ukraine during the fulfillment of combat missions. The meeting was attended by: Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, commanders of groups of troops and operational directions. The meeting of the Staff was also joined by members of the government, heads of security and law enforcement agencies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Latest in Ukraine: UN Says Confirmed Civilian Deaths in Ukraine Near 8,500 By VOA News April 11, 2023 The United Nations said Tuesday the number of confirmed civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion neared 8,500, with more than 14,000 injured. Ukraine said it is resuming electricity exports to other European countries, having stabilized its own power grid after months of Russian attacks during the winter. Ukraine and Russia exchange hundreds of prisoners of war. Some of the freed troops from both nations are reportedly in poor shape and will likely require medical care. Belarus is asking for security guarantees from Moscow. The president of the country, which is hosting a contingent of Russian troops, wants assurances that Russia would defend Belarus if it was attacked. The United Nations said Tuesday the number of confirmed civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion neared 8,500, with the true figure likely much higher. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement that in addition to those killed, it also confirmed more than 14,000 civilians had been injured. "OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration," the agency said. "This concerns, for example, Mariupol (in the Donetsk region), Lysychansk, Popasna and Sievierodonetsk (in the Luhansk region), where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties." The U.N. said in the first nine days of April it confirmed 44 civilian deaths, with all but one coming as a result of "explosive weapons with wide area effects." Ukraine faced months of Russian attacks during the winter targeting its energy infrastructure, in what Kyiv said was an attempt by Moscow to demoralize Ukrainians by knocking out power and water to their homes and businesses. On Tuesday, however, Ukraine Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said the country now was not only meeting domestic needs but also ready to restart exports to European countries. He said the exports were a clear message that Moscow's attempt to weaken Kyiv by targeting its infrastructure did not work. He credited the "titanic work" of Ukraine's engineers and international partners for making the excess energy supply possible. Prisoner exchange Russia and Ukraine have traded more than 200 soldiers in their latest prisoner swap, officials said Monday. Russia's Defense Ministry said 106 of its soldiers were released from Ukrainian custody, while Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, said that Russia freed 100 Ukrainian prisoners. Neither announcement disclosed details of how the prisoner exchange was carried out. Yermak said on Telegram that some of the Ukrainian soldiers have severe injuries and illnesses. He said the latest of the sporadic prisoner swaps during the 14-month war was "not an easy one," but did not elaborate. Exchanging prisoners is one of the few areas of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War alleged that almost half of the 80 men and 20 women soldiers who returned home "have serious injuries, illnesses or have been tortured," although it offered no evidence for its claims. Ukrainian news reports said one of the female prisoners returned is Valeriia Karpilenko, a border guard who had helped defend Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant. Last May, she married a Ukrainian soldier in the steel plant's basement while Russian forces surrounded the complex, but her husband was killed three days later. The Russian Defense Ministry said the freed Russians were being flown on military transport planes to Moscow for medical treatment and rehabilitation. 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 NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues its investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Block, Inc. f/k/a Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) resulting from allegations that Block, Inc. may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Block 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=13546 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 23, 2023, before the market opened, market analyst Hindenburg Research released a report entitled Block: How Inflated User Metrics and Frictionless Fraud Facilitation Enabled Insiders to Cash Out Over $1 Billion. Hindenburgs research, which took place over a two-year period and involved dozens of interviews with former employees, partners, and industry experts, extensive review of regulatory and litigation records led it to conclude that the magic behind Blocks business has not been disruptive innovation, but rather the companys willingness to facilitate fraud against consumers and the government, avoid regulation, dress up predatory loans and fees as revolutionary technology, and mislead investors with inflated metrics. The report further alleged, among other things, that Block had wildly overstated its user accounts and provided banking services to violent criminals. On this news, the price of Blocks stock declined by as much as 20% in intraday trading before closing at $61.88 on March 23, 2023, a 14.8% decline from the prior day. 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. 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 NEW ORLEANS, April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until April 25, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Catalent, Inc. (the Company) (NYSE: CTLT), if they purchased the 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. Get Help Catalent investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-ctlt/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Catalent and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On November 1, 2022, the Company reported its financial results for 1Q2023 ending September 30, 2022, disclosing that its earnings had fallen to zero, a slashed fiscal year 2023 revenue guidance from $4.975B to $5.225B to the range of $4.625B to $4.875B, and that it was anticipating negative P&L [profit and loss] effects, due to regulatory issues. On this news, shares of Catalent plummeted by 31.7% over two trading sessions, to close at $44.90 per share on November 2, 2022. The case is City of Warwick Retirement System v. Catalent, Inc., No. 23-cv-1108. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. Pune, India, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global green building materials market size was valued at USD 377.03 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from USD 422.27 billion in 2023 to USD 951.15 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.3% during the forecast period. An environment-friendly building structure is made from green building materials. Straw, hempcrete, wood, bamboo, bales, recycled plastic, and ferrock are some of these materials. They are used to create structures that are low-energy and support the ecological balance of the environment. Fortune Business Insights presents this information in their report titled "Green Building Materials Market, 20232030." Get a Free Sample Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/green-building-materials-market-102932 List of Key Players Profiled in the Report BASF SE (Germany) PPG Industries, Inc. (U.S.) I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.) Sika AG (Switzerland) Forbo International SA (Switzerland) Owens Corning (U.S.) REDBUILT (U.S.) CERTAINTEED (U.S.) HOLCIM (Switzerland) Kingspan Group (Ireland) Report Scope & Segmentation: Report Attributes Details Forecast Period 2023-2030 Forecast CAGR 12.3% 2030 Value Projection USD 951.15 Billion Market Size in 2022 USD 377.03 Billion Historical Data 2019-2021 No. of Pages 200 Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Company Profiles, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors and Latest Trends Segments Covered By End-use Industry By Application Regions Covered North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East and Africa Green Building Materials Market Growth Drivers High Preference for Green Buildings will Dominate the Residential Segment Increasing Demand for Green Materials Buildings will Propel Market Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/green-building-materials-market-102932 Segments: Roofing Segment to Grow Due to its Growing Product Usage in Construction Based on application, the market is segmented into roofing, flooring, insulation, and others. Due to the growing popularity of green roofing materials, it is predicted that the roofing segment will continue to be the largest over the projection period. As Nature-based Solutions (NBS) address a number of environmental and socioeconomic issues brought on by climate change, green roofs are becoming more and more important. Given that urban areas already house 55% of the world's population and are expected to grow by as much as 68% by 2050, urban areas are garnering attention in terms of global development. Suburbs, cities, and towns are all part of urban settlements. Urban growth is necessary for urban settlements to flourish sustainably. The New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 promote cities' commitment to sustainability. A high Preference for Green Buildings will Dominate the Residential Segment Based on end-use industry, the market is segmented into residential and non-residential. Due to an increase in regulations and rules requiring energy-efficient buildings, the residential segment is anticipated to dominate during the projection period. In the residential sector, green buildings are becoming more popular. Building materials that are both eco-friendly and energy-efficient are now in demand. The main factors driving the market expansion of this category are the growing awareness of the environmental advantages of sustainable building materials and the expanding use of sustainable building methods in the residential sector. Additionally, government regulations and initiatives to encourage the use of eco-friendly building materials in the residential sector, as well as the rising demand for energy-efficient and environment-friendly homes, are likely to propel the green building materials market growth. COVID-19 Impact: Halted Construction Activities and Supply Chain Negatively Affected Global Market The COVID-19 epidemic is rapidly engulfing nations and regions, having a profound effect on the supply chain at every level. The entire world has declared a lockdown in March 2020, limiting the movement of people and goods and severely impacting the supply chains of building manufacturers. COVID-19 had a significant negative effect on the construction sector, which hampered the market. The pandemic caused the construction industry to go through its worst period in several decades. The lack of construction materials, logistical difficulties, labor shortage, and uncertainty have all had an impact on the worldwide construction industry and caused projects to be postponed or abandoned. Report Coverage: The report offers: Major growth drivers, restraining factors, opportunities, and potential challenges for the market. Comprehensive insights into the regional developments. List of major industry players. Key strategies adopted by the market players. Latest industry developments include product launches, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. Get a Quote Now: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/get-a-quote/green-building-materials-market-102932 Drivers & Restraints: Increasing Demand for Green Materials Buildings will Propel Market Wood, straw hemp concrete, recycled plastic, ferrock, straw bales, bamboo rammed earth, wood concrete, and grass concrete are examples of green building materials. The purpose of using these materials is to build structures that are energy-efficient and support the ecological balance of the environment. During construction, design, repair, and maintenance, these materials increase a building's sustainability and efficiency. These materials are made from renewable waste sources and are particularly energy-efficient. Environmental issues including freshwater resource contamination, air pollution, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and atypical climate change can all be resolved by using environment-friendly building materials. Green building materials are ideal replacements for conventional construction materials, and due to these benefits, the green building materials market share will increase in the coming years. On the contrary, high demand, fluctuation in price of materials, and declining per capita income in some countries are few factors that may impede the market growth. Regional Insights North America Dominates the Market due to High Demand for Infrastructure Applications Due to its rising demand for roofing, insulation, framing, and numerous other residential, industrial, commercial, and infrastructure applications, North America held the biggest market share in 2022. There is expanding need for buildings that are both energy and value-efficient and reduce their negative effects on the environment. Reduced energy expenses are the economic advantages of green buildings. Increased government initiatives have accelerated the market's expansion. Competitive Landscape Businesses Use Strategic Planning to Expand Their Market Share Market players face severe competition from national and regional firms that have vast supply chains, regulatory expertise, and suppliers. In order to grow their present markets, businesses also enter into agreements, make purchases, and form strategic alliances with other industry leaders. Ask for Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/ask-for-customization/green-building-materials-market-102932 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 the Market Supply Chain Challenges Steps were taken by Government/Companies to overcome this impact Potential opportunities due to the COVID-19 outbreak Global Green Building Materials Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast, 2019-2030 Key Findings / Summary By Application (Value) Roofing Flooring Insulation Others By End-Use Industry (Value) Residential Non- Residential By Region (Value) North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa North America Green Building Materials Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast, 2019-2030 Key Findings / Summary By Application (Value) Roofing Flooring Insulation Others By End-Use Industry (Value) Residential Non- Residential By Country (Value) U.S. By End-Use Industry (Value) Residential Non- Residential Canada By End-Use Industry (Value) Residential Non- Residential TOC Continued...! Speak to Our Expert: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/green-building-materials-market-102932 Key Industry Development: October 2022 - Wiltshire Heavy Building Materials was acquired by Holcim. This acquisition strengthens Holcim's market presence in the U.K. market for green building materials. Read Related Insights: Construction Chemicals Market to Reach 70.91 Billion by 2026 | At a 6.7% CAGR Zeolite Market to Reach USD 5.71 Billion by 2029 | A Comprehensive Study of the Zeolite Industry Landscape 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 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Westford, USA, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business Intelligence Software Market is projected to attain USD 50.95 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.70% during the forecast period of 2022-2030, as the demand for cloud-based solutions, the growth of big data, the need for real-time data analysis, the adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the emphasis on data visualization continue to rise. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that the global datasphere will expand to 175 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025, a 25% CAGR over the next five years from 59 ZB in 2020. Furthermore, according to SkyQuest Insights, 65% of executives believe that big data analytics will be a crucial factor in their organization's competitiveness in the coming years. SkyQuest's latest research reveals that the real-time analytics market is expected to grow from USD 13.8 billion in 2020 to USD 22.6 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period. This growth, in turn, will benefit the Business Intelligence Software Market. SkyQuest also reports that more than half of major new business systems in 2022 will incorporate continuous intelligence, which employs real-time contextual data to enhance decision-making.. Browse in-depth TOC on "Business Intelligence Software Market" Pages - 201 Tables - 176 Figures - 70 Get a sample copy of this report: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/business-intelligence-software-market In today's world, businesses are producing an enormous volume of data, which is becoming more difficult to extract valuable insights from manually. Therefore, the business intelligence software market is vital as it assists businesses in analyzing and visualizing data in real-time, allowing them to make informed decisions. By identifying trends, opportunities, and risks, businesses can improve their operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and stimulate growth. As data-driven decision-making continues to become more prevalent, business intelligence software is becoming increasingly crucial for organizations to remain competitive within their industries. Prominent Players in Business Intelligence Software Market Microsoft Corporation IBM Corporation Oracle Corporation SAP SE Salesforce.com, Inc. Tableau Software, LLC SAS Institute, Inc. MicroStrategy Incorporated QlikTech International AB Tibco Software Inc. Information Builders Inc. Yellowfin BI Domo, Inc. Sisense Inc. Looker Data Sciences, Inc. GoodData Corporation Birst, Inc. Board International SA Dundas Data Visualization, Inc. Adaptive Insights Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC): https://www.skyquestt.com/report/business-intelligence-software-market Financial Application Segment to Drive Higher Sales due to the generation of a massive amount of data in financial institutions A recent analysis revealed that the Financial Application segment played a significant role in the rapid growth of the Business Intelligence Software market in 2021, and this trend is anticipated to continue from 2022 to 2030. Financial institutions generate vast data, requiring real-time analysis to enhance operations and minimize risks. SkyQuest's study highlighted that financial services are the leading industry in business intelligence adoption, with 71% of financial organizations employing business intelligence tools. Additionally, a survey conducted by MicroStrategy indicated that 75% of financial organizations regard data analytics as essential to their success. According to research analysis, North America is set to emerge as a key player in the Business Intelligence Software market from 2022 to 2030, with a projected CAGR of 9.82% during the forecast period, as reported by SkyQuest. The region's growth can be attributed to significant market players and businesses' widespread adoption of advanced technologies. SkyQuest's study also revealed that North America had the highest adoption rate of business intelligence tools, with 54% of organizations utilizing business intelligence software. The Software Type Segment to Exhibit Strong Growth due to its ability to collect, store, and analyze data In 2021, the Software Type segment took the lead in the Business Intelligence Software market and is projected to maintain its dominance from 2022 to 2030. This trend can be attributed to the software's essential role in gathering, storing, and analyzing business data. Moreover, SkyQuest's research showed that software was the most commonly utilized business intelligence tool, with 90% of organizations employing business intelligence software. The Asia Pacific region has emerged as a vital force in the Business Intelligence Software market and is anticipated to retain its leading position by 2030, according to SkyQuest's projections. The region is expected to experience substantial growth in the Business Intelligence Software market, with a projected CAGR of 13.57% during the forecast period, driven by the increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions and the rising demand for real-time data analysis. Additionally, a study by SkyQuest indicated that after North America, Asia Pacific had the second-highest adoption rate of business intelligence tools, with 50% of organizations in the region employing business intelligence software. A comprehensive analysis of the major players in the Business Intelligence Software 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/business-intelligence-software-market Key Developments in Business Intelligence Software Market IBM (NYSE: IBM) has unveiled a new software solution to enable enterprises to swiftly make data-driven decisions and navigate unforeseeable disruptions by breaking down data and analytics silos. The suite, known as IBM Business Analytics Enterprise, comprises a range of capabilities, including business intelligence planning, budgeting, reporting, forecasting, and dashboard functionalities that provide users with a comprehensive view of data sources across their entire organization. TableauSoftware has recently unveiled the Tableau Cloud, a cloud-based business intelligence decision-making platform, previously known as Table Online. The launch of this service is expected to improve actionable business decisions and facilitate accessible and insightful business decision-making processes. Key Questions Answered in Business Intelligence Software 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 ETL Software Market Global AI in Call Center Operations Market Global AI For Risk Management Market Global AI In Cybersecurity Market Global Encryption Software 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 Dublin, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Colombia Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Colombia data center market size will reach USD 705 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 8.17% from 2022 to 2028. This report analyses the Colombia data center market share. It elaboratively analyses the existing and upcoming facilities and investments in IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standards. It discusses market sizing and investment estimation for different segments. The country has the fourth-largest economy among all Latin American countries. The economic freedom score of Colombia stands at 65.1, higher than the world's average, attracting data center investments into the country. Organizations across sectors such as BFSI and IT are migrating their on-premises workloads to the cloud to enjoy the associated benefits of a cloud landscape, such as reduced costs and increased flexibility. Huawei has planned to expand into the Latin American market with its first Point-of-Presence (PoP) in Colombia, offering cloud services. Colombia offers excellent connectivity due to the presence of Atlantic and Pacific submarine cables. The country has around ten submarine cables, such as AMX-1, ARCOS, CFX-1, Colombia Festoon, and GlobeNet, among others which are in operation; two upcoming submarine cables are in the pipeline. Further, steps are being taken for the decarbonization of the energy transmission system of the country as the government is working on transitioning from the usage of fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. In December 2022, Elecnor inaugurated one of the largest wind farms in Colombia, consisting of 10 wind turbines with an investment of over USD 18.9 million. KEY HIGHLIGHTS The ongoing digital transformation and adoption of technologies such as big data, IoT, AI & ML by organizations in the country are driving huge investments from local and global colocation operators in the Colombia data center market. The capital Bogota hosts the maximum number of data centers in the country. The city has around 80% of Colombia's total existing data center capacity. The capital provides high-bandwidth capacity while great connectivity to the countries such as the U.S., making it a prominent location for data center investments. The country has a presence of colocation providers of both local and global scales, such as ODATA, HostDime, GlobeNet, and Equinix, among others. In 2022, Colombia witnessed the entry of many new operators, including DHAmericas, Scala Data Centers, and Ascenty. There is significant scope for 5G in Colombia. The increasing deployment of fiber optics is a prominent driver for implementing 5G services in the country. Currently, 5G is in the testing phase in the country, which will eventually drive edge data center deployments. The regional operators are procuring renewable energy for their operations. For instance, Scala Data Centers signed a PPA with Enel Americas for delivering 1.6 GW of renewable power in its data centers across Colombia, Chile, & Peru. VENDOR LANDSCAPE Some key investors in the Colombia data center market include Equinix, GlobeNet, HostDime, IPXON Networks, and ODATA. The market has witnessed investments from new entrants such as Ascenty, DHAmericas, and Scala Data Centers. The construction contractors in the country have both global and local presence, supplying major operators in the market. For instance, AECOM, Fluor Corporation, ZFB Group, and Quark, among others. WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH? Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and Colombia colocation market revenue. An assessment of the data center investment in Colombia by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators. Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across states in the country. A detailed study of the existing Colombia data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about industry size during the forecast period. Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Colombia Facilities Covered (Existing): 19 Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 5 Coverage: 04+ Locations Existing vs. Upcoming (Area) Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity) Data center colocation market in Colombia Colocation Market Revenue & Forecast (2022-2028) Wholesale vs. Retail Colocation Revenue (2022-2028) Retail Colocation Pricing Wholesale Colocation Pricing Colombia's market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast. A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry. Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry. A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the industry. REPORT COVERAGE: The segmentation includes: IT Infrastructure Servers Storage Systems Network Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Rack Cabinets Other Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems CRAC & CRAH Units Chiller Units Cooling Towers, Condensers & Dry Coolers Economizers & Evaporative Coolers Other Cooling Units General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & commissioning Services Engineering & Building Design Fire Detection & Suppression Systems Physical Security Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV Major Vendors IT Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Hewlett Packard Enterprise Huawei Technologies IBM Lenovo Pure Storage Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors AECOM Fluor Corporation ZFB Group Quark Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Alfa Laval Armstrong Ceiling Solutions Assa Abloy Caterpillar Cummins Delta Electronics Daikin Applied Eaton Flex Generac Power Systems Johnson Controls Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Piller Power Systems Rittal Schneider Electric Stulz Siemens Vertiv Data Center Investors Equinix GlobeNet HostDime IPXON Networks ODATA New Entrants Ascenty DHAmericas Scala Data Centers For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/m6avqf 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 HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erdene Resource Development Corporation (TSX: ERD | MSE: ERDN) (Erdene or the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling at its 100% owned Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper porphyry project in southwest Mongolia, located within the Khundii Minerals District, 35 kilometres east of the Bayan Khundii Gold Project. Quotes from the Company We are excited to commence the 2023 drilling program at our Zuun Mod project, one of the largest undeveloped molybdenum-copper deposits in Asia, said Peter Akerley, Erdenes President and CEO. We see exceptional opportunities to grow the Project as the deposit is open in all directions and there are multiple untested copper and molybdenum prospects within the large Zuun Mod porphyry complex. Mongolias strategic location next to the largest resource consumer, as well as its improving infrastructure should support a robust, long life project that will provide key inputs for the growing high strength steel industry and the green energy transition, continued Mr. Akerley. With the molybdenum market in a supply deficit and strong copper demand forecast, it is an ideal time to return to Zuun Mod and continue to build our project pipeline alongside our flagship Bayan Khundii Gold Project. Zuun Mod Technical Program Q2 2023 Significant exploration, metallurgical studies, engineering and hydrogeological work has been completed at Zuun Mod, preparing the project for an economic assessment focused on the NI 43-101 deposit area. The Q2 program will advance those efforts, providing data to update the various technical studies with an additional 4,000 metres of diamond drilling. This first phase of the drill program, targeting 2,500 metres, is designed to identify areas at the fringes of the currently defined resource, where larger scale expansion drill programs could materially increase resources. In addition, higher grade areas within the deposit have not been fully defined in the current reported resource due to the wide spacing (~100 metres) of drilling and have the potential with closer spacing to increase grade and therefore total resource. Drilling will also test indications of a preferred orientation to the increasingly higher grade molybdenum and copper zones at depth with deeper drilling and oriented core. The second phase of drilling will focus on earlier stage targets throughout the 16 kilometre circumference, porphyry complex including the Khuvyn Khar copper discovery area (ZMD-121: 34 metres of 1.3% copper) where limited drilling has been completed. Results from the Q2 drill program and an update of previous technical information will be compiled in Q3 to support an independent technical study. About the Zuun Mod Molybdenum-Copper Project The Zuun Mod Molybdenum-Copper Project is located in Bayankhongor Province, Mongolia, 180 kilometres northwest of a major mining district and the border with China, the worlds largest copper and molybdenum consumer and steel producer (see attached maps). The 100% owned 6,041-hectare mining license, underpinning the Project, was issued in 2011 and is valid for up to an additional 60 years. The Project is located approximately 35 kilometres east of Erdenes Bayan Khundii Gold Project. Erdene acquired the rights to the Project from Gallant Minerals Mongolia Ltd (Gallant) in 2005, as part of an inventory of copper targets in Mongolia. Zuun Mod had been identified as a large porphyry complex with significant copper-molybdenum-rhenium (Cu-Mo-Re) mineralization intersected in limited drilling in the southeast and northern portions of the complex. Erdene undertook a multi-year exploration program outlining the Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper deposit and multiple copper and molybdenum prospects, within the outer rim of the 16-kilometre circumference porphyry complex. In 2011, Minarco-MineConsult (now RPMGlobal) prepared an NI 43-101 resource estimate for a three-kilometre portion of the porphyry system, hosting the Zuun Mod deposit. In total, the Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper deposit resource estimate has a Measured and Indicated (M&I) resource of 218 million tonnes (Mt) at an average grade of 0.057% molybdenum (Mo), and 0.069% copper (Cu) at a cut-off grade (cog) of 0.04% Mo. This equates to 273.5 million pounds (Mlbs) of contained Mo metal and 330.7 Mlbs of contained Cu metal. In addition, there is a 138 Mt Inferred Resource at an average grade of 0.052% Mo and 0.065% Cu, equating to a further 157.7 Mlbs of contained Mo metal and 197.7 Mlbs of contained Cu metal. Table 1. Zuun Mod Project Mineral Resource Estimate as at June 2011 Cut-off Grade Mo% Resource Category Quantity Mt Mo % Contained Mo Metal Mlbs Cu % Contained Cu Metal Mlbs Measured 55 0.050 61.1 0.060 73 Indicated 260 0.050 287 0.065 373.6 0.03% M&I 315 0.050 348.1 0.064 446.6 Inferred 275.4 0.043 262.1 0.061 373.7 Measured 40 0.056 49.5 0.064 57 Indicated 178 0.057 224 0.070 273.7 0.04% M&I 218 0.057 273.5 0.069 330.7 Inferred 138 0.052 157.7 0.065 197.7 Measured 25 0.063 34.5 0.068 37.5 Indicated 105 0.066 152.5 0.074 171 0.05% M&I 130 0.065 187 0.073 208.5 Inferred 64 0.060 85.0 0.067 94.9 Source: NI 43-101 Technical Report, Zuun Mod Porphyry Molybdenum-Copper Project, Minarco-MineConsult, June 2011 Beyond the Zuun Mod Deposit, the broader license hosts several high-potential copper and molybdenum prospects. The Khuvyn Khar prospect, located in the northern portion of the Zuun Mod porphyry complex hosts a large area of disseminated copper mineralization within several kilometres of phyllic and potassic altered quartz monzonite and granodiorite intrusives. Multiple copper mineralized zones have been intersected in wide-spaced drilling, including 34 metres of 1.3% copper and 9.24 g/t silver from 308 to 342 metres (hole ZMD-121). This zone remains untested at depth and to the southwest where it trends under andesite cover. In addition to exploration work, initial metallurgical studies were carried out on Zuun Mod drill core samples by AMMTEC Limited of Perth Australia including flotation and comminution testwork. Ore samples have shown that a conventional recovery flowsheet is suitable for the production of both molybdenum and copper concentrates. Based on an average grade of 0.06% Mo and similar copper grades it is reasonable to expect that an overall molybdenum recovery of 85-87% to a concentrate grade of 52% Mo is achievable and a copper recovery of at least 75% would be expected to a 25% Cu concentrate. The Q2 program will include the collection of fresh material for future metallurgical study testing. Erdene completed a water exploration program to identify a source with the volume necessary to process ore at Zuun Mod. This program successfully identified, drill tested and registered a water resource with the Water Authority of Mongolia for a basin 35 kilometres north of Zuun Mod. The additional work required to further define this water resource and update the permitting will be better defined as the project advances. Erdene will complete further market, technical and economic studies as well as permitting work in the coming months, to build upon a conceptual assessment completed by RPMGlobal in late 2021. Based on the studies, as well as the results from the exploration program underway, Erdene anticipates preparing a preliminary economic assessment for the project in the coming months. About Molybdenum Molybdenum is a critical component in high strength, anti-corrosion alloys used in stainless steel, super alloys and as a component of many technologies associated with the green energy transition as well as oil and gas pipelines. Molybdenum is lightweight, robust, and extremely resilient to high temperatures and corrosion while enhancing strength, hardenability, weldability and temperature strength. Global molybdenum production was 578 million pounds in 2022, while global usage rose 3% to 631 million pounds from 614 million pounds the previous year. Although molybdenum output was largely stable for the past 5 years, production cuts at major mines, delays in commissioning new projects and degrading resource quality in long life molybdenum assets has led to shortages and a severe increase in the molybdenum price, reaching all time highs in early 2023. Should the current level of growth be maintained an additional 50M lbs of shortfall is projected over the next three years. Regional consumption (China, Japan and Korea) exceeds 50% of the global production and although China is the worlds largest producer, increasing production by 12% in 2022, it has been unable to meet demand with a shortfall of ~20M lbs in 2022. (IMOA 03/04/23) In addition, molybdenum is seeing strong demand from both the renewables and traditional energy sector as its used in multiple clean energy generation and storage technologies. The World Bank report "Minerals for Climate Action: The Mineral Intensity of the Clean Energy Transition" named molybdenum as one of the six cross-cutting critical minerals needed in all future green technologies (2020), while the International Energy Agency also named molybdenum in 2021 as a critical mineral for the green energy transition. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious and base metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has interests in three mining licenses and an exploration license in Southwest Mongolia, where exploration success has led to the discovery and definition of the Khundii Minerals District. Erdene Resource Development Corp. is listed on the Toronto and the Mongolian stock exchanges. Further information is available at www.erdene.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information. Qualified Person Peter Dalton, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Senior Geologist for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene 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. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the ability to obtain required third party approvals, market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE Erdene Contact Information Peter C. Akerley, President and CEO, or Robert Jenkins, CFO Figure 1: Zuun Mod Project Location & Regional Molybdenum Supply & Demand Figure 2: Gold, Copper & Molybdenum Deposits and Prospects Khundii Minerals District Figure 3: Khuvyn Khar Porphyry Complex Zuun Mod Deposit Photo accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e39e7249-5873-46bb-bb39-a0815f9c28d2 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0a189274-049e-4833-8a91-e2154312620e https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d5bfb54f-4d6e-4045-988c-02788c716c3c North Kingstown, R.I., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- REGENT, the company pioneering all-electric seagliders for sustainable maritime transportation, announced today it has named Dennis Muilenburg, former CEO of The Boeing Company, and David Neeleman, co-founder of Breeze Airways, JetBlue, and Azul Airlines, to its Board of Advisors. The executives bring a broad set of aerospace technology and business development expertise to REGENT as the company enters its next phase of growth. Dennis and David bring decades of combined experience in technology development, global manufacturing and distribution, and commercial operations that will be invaluable as REGENT looks ahead to delivering our first Viceroy seagliders by mid-decade, said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of REGENT. They have managed through all the hard parts of developing, deploying, and operating cutting-edge technology around the planet before. Their support underscores the significant market enthusiasm weve seen from our customers around the world that sustainable transportationspecifically in the form of our seaglidersis the future. Ive spent my career enabling new, easier, more accessible ways for people to travel, and REGENT seagliders fill an urgent need for fast and sustainable coastal transportation, said Neeleman. It is critical for the manufacturer to have the interests and concerns of the operator top-of-mind, and that is exactly the voice I will bring to REGENT leadership. Im thrilled to join REGENT at this crucial juncture and lend my expertise in helping to bring seagliders to customers and passengers around the world. "Throughout my 38 years of aerospace experience delivering capabilities for customers, the winning combination has been a product and technology whose value is clearly transformative, with a realistic plan to go from ideation to production readiness. That's what I see at REGENT, said Muilenburg. Scaling global distribution and support of aerospace technologies is not easy, but I am supremely confident in this team. REGENT has already begun establishing the manufacturing capabilities and supply chain partnerships that will give them the robust ability to scale global production and deliver on their backlog, safely and effectively. REGENT seagliders are a new category of maritime vehicle that combines the high speed of an airplane with the low operating cost of a boat. These all-electric, zero-emission vessels operate exclusively over water and leverage existing dock infrastructure to carry people and goods up to 180 miles with existing battery technology, at 180 miles per hour between coastal destinations. The company has received orders for more than 400 seagliders worth $8 billion from airline and ferry operators around the world, as well as strategic investments from companies including Lockheed Martin, Japan Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. REGENT has raised more than $50 million to date from investors including Thiel Capital, Y Combinator, Founders Fund, and Mark Cuban. About REGENT REGENT is leading the way in sustainable maritime transportation. Using cutting-edge technology and innovative design, REGENT has created a new category of vehicle that is fast, efficient, and emission-free. REGENTs seagliders combine the speed of an airplane with the maneuverability of a boat and travel exclusively over water between ports while utilizing existing dock infrastructure. Seagliders can be seamlessly integrated into any fleet and REGENT has already obtained $8 billion in orders from major airlines and leading ferry operators on 5 continents. For more information, visit regentcraft.com. Attachments Dublin, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Canada Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Canada data center market size will reach $ 5.48 billion by 2028 from $3.32 billion in, growing at a CAGR of 8.71% This report analyses the Canada data center market share. It elaboratively analyses the existing and upcoming facilities and investments in IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standards. It discusses market sizing and investment estimation for different segments. The market is characterized by the presence of international and local players offering various services such as colocation, managed hosting, and cloud services. The industry is also supported by a favorable regulatory environment, stable political climate, reliable power grid, and cool climate, which are ideal conditions for data center operations. In terms of growth, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and big data are driving demand for data storage and processing capabilities in Canada, leading to the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing ones. Major tech companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have established facilities in Canada, while local players are expanding their offerings. In Canada, several companies offer modular data center solutions, including global players like Schneider Electric. The Canadian government has also supported the adoption of modular facilities, offering incentives for investment and development. Overall, the market will likely grow as demand for data storage and processing capabilities remain strong in the coming years. The industry is expected to attract increased investment, leading to the development of new facilities and the expansion of existing ones. Further, Toronto and Montreal are Canada's primary locations for data center investment. The construction of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) & Free Trade Zones (FTZs) and the availability of infrastructure will attract investors to develop data center facilities in the coming years. KEY HIGHLIGHTS Canada has around 115 operational colocation data centers. Most colocation facilities are being developed according to Tier III standards. The country also has the presence of global operators like Equinix, Digital Realty, and others. The Canada data center market has witnessed significant growth in recent years due to rising demand for cloud computing, big data analytics, and IoT. The industry has seen new announcements from hyperscale operators, such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, and colocation operators, like Urbacon Data Centre Solutions and others. Increasing priority on energy-efficient and sustainable facilities, driven by concerns about the carbon footprint of the data center industry. Many organizations opt for hybrid solutions combining on-premises data centers with cloud services to optimize cost and performance. Due to increased land prices and electricity, companies are moving to cities like Calgary, Kamloops, and others. Significant investment is being made in building new data centers and upgrading existing ones to meet growing demand and support emerging technologies. VENDOR LANDSCAPE Some key investors in the Canada data center market are STACK Infrastructure, QScal, Eastlink, Intermarket Properties, and Gatineau Data Hub (GDH). Some of the notable investments in Canada's hyperscale market include: Amazon Web Services: Amazon Web Services has established a cloud region in Canada, including Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Google: Google has invested in cloud regions in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Microsoft: Microsoft has established its cloud region in Canada, including Toronto and Quebec City. Telecom operators such as Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, and TELUS deployed commercial 5G services nationwide. The operators are increasing their Canada data center market share and presence across the country by either acquiring the data center operators or investing in the company. For instance, Stonepeak acquired Cologix, a Canadian data center operator, in 2022. WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH? Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and Canada colocation market revenue. An assessment of the data center investment in Canada by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators. Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across states in the country. A detailed study of the existing Canada data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about industry size during the forecast period. Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Canada Facilities Covered (Existing): 115 Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 11 Coverage: 21 Cities Existing vs. Upcoming (Area) Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity) Data center colocation market in Canada Market Revenue & Forecast (2022-2028) Retail Colocation Pricing Wholesale Colocation Pricing Canadian market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast. A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry. Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry. A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the industry. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 126 Forecast Period 2022 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $3.32 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $5.48 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.7% Regions Covered Canada VENDOR LANDSCAPE IT Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks Atos Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Huawei Technologies IBM Juniper Networks Lenovo NetApp Oracle Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors Arup AECOM Black & Veatch Computer Room Services Corporation (CRSC) DPR Construction Ehvert EllisDon First Gulf Karbon Engineering PCL Construction Salute Mission Critical Turner Construction Urbacon WZMH Architects Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Alfa Laval Arctic Chiller Group Caterpillar Chatsworth Products ClimateWorx Cummins CoolIT Systems Dataprobe Delta Electronics Eaton Generac Power Systems Johnson Controls KyotoCooling Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Panduit Piller Power Systems Rittal Rolls-Royce Power Systems Schneider Electric STULZ Siemens Toshiba Trane Vertiv Data Center Investors AWS Cologix Compass Datacenters Digital Realty Equinix eStruxture Data Centers Google Microsoft Urbacon Data Centre Solutions Vantage Data Centers New Entrants QScale STACK Infrastructure Eastlink Intermarket Properties Gatineau Data Hub (GDH) REPORT COVERAGE: IT Infrastructure Servers Storage Systems Network Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Rack Cabinets Other Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & commissioning Services Engineering & Building Design Fire Detection & Suppression Physical Security DCIM Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV Geography Montreal Toronto Other Cities For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sfgf2 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 CASTLEGAR, British Columbia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From sea kayaking the Howe Sound to canoeing the Bowron Lakes to heli-rafting down the rapids of Goldens Kicking Horse River, British Columbia is revered as a world-renowned paddling destination, offering an unparalleled variety of experiences that appeal to every kind of paddler, from novice to expert. Now, locals and tourists alike can easily discover Canadas best paddling experiences all year long, thanks to PaddleBC.ca , an online directory of paddling destinations, guided excursions + essential tips. PaddleBC.ca offers people a convenient directory of BCs top waterways for paddling, kayaking, rafting, canoeing, and kayak fishing, across the six diverse regions of the province, with a focus on vetted experiences that ensure safe and memorable excursions. BC is a year-round destination of choice, offering visitors and residents alike the opportunity to enjoy acclaimed paddling experiences in multiple corners of the province, in all seasons, says Robyn Hanson, Manager of Co-op Marketing Programs with Destination BC. The work of Paddle BC continues to reflect the remarkable partnerships, and visitor experiences and servicing, for which BC is known. With a temperate climate, coastal British Columbia can provide spectacular paddling conditions all year long, says paddleboarding guide Norm Hann. If you are properly dressed, have the right safety gear and are aware of how to make safe decisions out on the water, you can enjoy your passion for paddling every month of the year. Adventure enthusiasts and industry experts agree that BC offers some of the world's best paddling destinations, and many unique and beautiful landscapes to paddle through. "The most sought-after Canadian rafting experiences are in British Columbia," says Carmen Narancsik, owner of Glacier Raft Company. "The Kicking Horse River is renowned for its plethora of big wave riding. There's a variety of warm water, family-friendly rafting throughout the interior. And there's unlimited class 3-4 whitewater on glacial-fed rivers from the Canadian Rockies to the coast." BC is known for year-round paddling excursions around the province, such as: Winter: Paddlers can explore waters such as the Howe Sound , or enjoy guided paddling trips off the south coast of Vancouver Island near Victoria where large herds of sea lions and flocks of waterfowl can be seen up close. Paddlers can explore waters such as the , or enjoy guided paddling trips off the south coast of near Victoria where large herds of sea lions and flocks of waterfowl can be seen up close. Spring: The ideal time to book a whitewater rafting adventure as the melting mountain snows swell the rivers making for some incredibly exciting paddling. BC is renowned for such waterways as the Kicking Horse River near Golden, the Elk River near Fernie, and the Cheakamus River near Squamish. The ideal time to book a whitewater rafting adventure as the melting mountain snows swell the rivers making for some incredibly exciting paddling. BC is renowned for such waterways as the near Golden, the near Fernie, and the near Squamish. Summer: The best time for flat-water paddling excursions, such as the famed 113-kilometre-long Bowron Lakes circuit , or for enjoying a day-long tour of Kamloops Lake hosted by a Moccasin Trails guide, who will share ancestral songs and stories dating back thousands of years. The best time for flat-water paddling excursions, such as the famed 113-kilometre-long , or for enjoying a day-long tour of hosted by a Moccasin Trails guide, who will share ancestral songs and stories dating back thousands of years. Fall: The autumn months are the best time for enjoying slower paddles in BC like in the Columbia River wetlands near Golden. During this season, it's easier to take in the changing foliage, especially in areas such as the Kootenays where the larch forests turn a rich golden colour. Its also a great time to spot wildlife including bears and eagles feasting on salmon in the rivers and tributaries. There is a brand new generation of recreational paddlers, kayakers and wilderness seekers on the hunt for the next place to enjoy their newfound passion, and BC offers a greater variety and diversity of waterways than anywhere else in Canada - with over 25,000 kilometres of ocean coastline to explore, and more than 20,000 lakes. Thanks to PaddleBC.ca, finding your next paddling adventure is easier than ever. About Paddle BC Launched in 2022, Paddle BC is a collaboration between paddling associations and tourism organizations and has two main goals. The first is to promote British Columbia as a world-class paddling destination that offers some of the most varied and fun waterways on the planet. The second is to endorse the safety of the sport with the help of local experts. Paddle BC is supported by partners including Destination British Columbia, Destination Castlegar, Tourism Kelowna, Tourism Kamloops, Tourism Hope, Cascades & Canyons, Sunshine Coast Tourism, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Tourism Fernie, Tourism Squamish, Indigenous Tourism BC, Tourism Nanaimo, Fishing BC, Southern Gulf Islands Tourism, BC Rafting Outfitters Association and Tourism Golden. Paddle BC gratefully acknowledges that we live, work and play on the territories of the 203 First Nations in British Columbia. Paddle along at: Website: paddlebc.ca Facebook: facebook.com/paddlebc Instagram: instagram.com/paddle_bc #paddlebc #justaddwater Media Contact: Sonam Ram The Social Agency sonam@thesocialagency.ca 778-990-6008 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f094180-e8de-4a37-b37a-673b782e459f HOUSTON and PORT HAWKESBURY, Nova Scotia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bear Head Energy, Inc. (the Company) announced today it has received Environmental Assessment approval from the Honourable Timothy Halman, Minister of Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, for the Companys green hydrogen and ammonia production, storage, and loading facility (Bear Head) in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia. Bear Head is permitted for up to two gigawatts of hydrogen electrolysers. At full build-out and peak power inflow, Bear Head could produce up to 350,000 tonnes of hydrogen and two million tonnes of ammonia per year, positioning Nova Scotia to be a leader in the production of green hydrogen and ammonia and a critical part of the global energy transition. Bear Head will be developed in phases and is expected to commence deliveries of green hydrogen and ammonia by 2028 at costs among the lowest in the world, driven by Nova Scotias world-class wind resource, support from the Canadian federal government, and proximity to key markets. We are grateful to have achieved this enormous milestone for Bear Head, which could not have gotten to this point without the support of the Governments of Nova Scotia and Canada, First Nations, and local stakeholders, including labor unions, local governments, and the local community, said Paul MacLean, Managing Director of Bear Head Energy, Inc. We believe green hydrogen and ammonia will play a fundamental role in facilitating the global energy transition, and this approval demonstrates that Canada and Nova Scotia are at the forefront of making this a reality. Bear Head is a wholly owned subsidiary of BAES Infrastructure, a diversified energy company focusing on the development, construction, and operation of energy transition projects. BAES Infrastructure officially launched in March 2023, with its seed portfolio including hydrogen-focused platforms such as Bear Head, OneH2, and a low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production, distribution, and export hub under development in South Texas, as well as solar and wind renewable energy platforms Swift Current Energy and BAES Renewables. I would like to thank the Bear Head management team and the Government of Nova Scotia for their efforts in getting Bear Head to this milestone, said BAES Infrastructure CEO Jamie Cemm. Todays Environmental Assessment approval will support the creation of a hub in Canada that can supply key markets across the world, accelerate global energy transition efforts, and provides a sustainable long-term industry and employment opportunities for the Strait of Canso region. The Government of Canada recently revealed details of its Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in Budget 2023, including a 40% ITC for clean hydrogen and a 30% ITC for clean technology to help Canadian companies be competitive on a global scale and encouraging the use of clean energy. Through smart initiatives like the Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit, the Government of Canada is acting on climate change by supporting the development of a sustainable and prosperous low-carbon future, said Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape BretonCanso. Budget 2023 aims to position Nova Scotia and indeed all of Canada as a global clean energy hub, establishing conditions to develop green projects like Bear Head Energy. Hydrogen is an important tool in decarbonizing our economy, and Canada has the natural resources and the technological know-how across the country to be a global leader, said Laurel Broten, CEO of Invest in Canada. The environmental approval for the Bear Head Energy Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Production, Storage, and Loading facility in Nova Scotia is an exciting step in developing Atlantic Canada as a premier hub for low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production. The Company is taking a safety-first approach to all aspects of the facility design, construction, and operations, and has partnered with world-class engineering, development, and design firms Kiewit and io Consulting to develop a safe and efficient design for the green hydrogen and ammonia facility. In addition to the Environmental Assessment approval, the Company has several other permits and approvals in place, including approval to construct its marine terminal and offloading facility. To find out more, please visit the Bear Head Energy website at www.bearheadenergy.ca. Media Contact Bear Head Energy Sean Lewis slewis@iriscomms.ca 902-222-9240 BAES Infrastructure baesinfra@fticonsulting.com About Bear Head Energy Bear Head Energy is developing a large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia project in Nova Scotia, which has geographical characteristics that give the region the potential to become a premier hub for green hydrogen and ammonia production globally. Upon completion, the project is expected to produce up to 2 million tonnes of green ammonia per year for export to markets across the globe. Bear Head Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of BAES Infrastructure, a diversified energy company focused on the development, construction, and operation of energy transition projects. BAES Infrastructure is supporting the development of the project by serving as the connecting thread bridging commercial, financial, technical, and public elements together to develop bespoke solutions that will help bring the project from concept to realization. For more information about Bear Head Energy, visit www.bearheadenergy.ca. About BAES Infrastructure BAES Infrastructures mission is to build the infrastructure and logistics that will serve the energy needs of tomorrow. BAES Infrastructure is focused on developing early-stage, technology-ready projects across a variety of end products, energy value chains, and investment structures. It will leverage the operating expertise, reputation, customer base, asset footprint, and global industry network of Buckeye Partners, L.P. and other stakeholders to develop and invest in the infrastructure solutions enabling the global energy transition. For more information about BAES Infrastructure, visit www.baesinfra.com CHICAGO, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- D&H Distributing was named a 2023 HP Inc. Partner of the Year. Presented during the HP AMPLIFY Partner Conference, HPs largest partner forum, which brings together HP channel partners from around the globe, HPs Partner of the Year Awards honor top-performing HP partners for exemplary achievements in growth and innovation. D&H was lauded in the sub-category of U.S. Personal Systems Distributor of the Year. HPs 2023 U.S. partner award winners were selected based on a variety of criteria including strategic growth and innovation, and were given in the categories of Personal Systems, Print Hardware and Supplies across distributors, national solution providers and resellers. Channel partners are the lifeblood of our business, and its a pleasure to recognize the achievements of this years partner award winners, each of whom have demonstrated strategic growth through innovation and a true commitment to our mutual customers, said Scott Lannum, Vice President and General Manager, North America Commercial Channel Sales at HP Inc. We congratulate D&H Distributing on this well-deserved recognition, and thank them for their continued partnership with HP. HP has been an innovative and valued business partner to D&H Distributing for decades. Their technology is an essential part of our product portfolio for our partners. As one of the leading technology vendors in the marketplace, we are honored to have earned this prestigious designation as Distributor of the Year, said Dan Schwab, Co-President at D&H Distributing. The D&H team will continue to devote its creativity and manpower to developing market-leading programs and offerings that will build HPs business across our partner base. HPs best-in-class technologies across compute, collaboration, print and more help us equip a growing range of organizations for the future in both the private and public sectors, especially in support of the new hybrid workplace and learning environments. About D&H Distributing D&H Distributing supports resellers and MSP partners in the corporate, small-to-midsize business, consumer, education, and government markets with endpoints and advanced technologies, as well as differentiated services. D&H is ready to fill new market needs created by consolidation in the marketplace. Now in its 105th year (dandh.com/anniversary), its vendors and partners can be confident in its ability to provide a wealth of enablement resources, multi-market expertise, credit options, and consultative services. D&H is agile in response to the needs of its VAR and MSP partners, demonstrating resilience through decades of industry mergers and market disruption, overcoming everything from wars and recessions to pandemics. The company works to expand the competencies of its partners in areas such as cloud services, ProAV, collaboration, UCC, mobility, esports, digital displays, smart home automation, video surveillance, digital imaging, and server networks across a range of markets. Its value proposition includes highly lauded training opportunities and partner engagement events, dedicated Solutions Specialists, certifications, professional marketing resources, and an expanding digital Cloud Marketplace. The distributor is headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, in the U.S. and Brampton, Ontario, in Canada with warehouses in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Fresno, CA; and Vancouver, BC, Canada. Call D&H at (800) 877-1200, visit www.dandh.com, or follow the distributors Facebook and Twitter feeds, https://www.facebook.com/DandHDistributing/ and @dandh HOUSTON, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emerson Firm, PLLC (Emerson) announces a continuing investigation of the data breach at Suncoast Credit Union (Suncoast). This investigation relates to the theft of highly sensitive Personal Identifying Information (PII) of Suncoast customers. Suncoast is the largest credit union in Florida, operates over 75 branch locations, and has over 1 million customers. Suncoast gathers highly sensitive PII of its customers through its banking services and products. Customers including those who have never banked with Suncoast have recently discovered that Suncoast opened fraudulent accounts using their identities and PII. In April 2022, police reported that residents of Cape Coral, Florida had discovered that criminals had gained access to their accounts. It appears that cybercriminals have opened fraudulent accounts using Suncoasts SunNet Online Banking platform. Emerson with offices in Houston, TX is a law firm specializing in results, integrity, and personal service. Emerson represents consumers throughout the nation and has significant class action experience with proven results. Emerson lawyers have devoted their practice to complex commercial litigation for more than forty years and have recovered over 1 billion dollars for consumers in class actions throughout the United States. New York, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global biometric seat technology market was valued at USD 211.2 million in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 701.3 million in 2032. This market is estimated to register a CAGR of 13.1% between 2023 to 2032. The stress level of the driver is measured by biometric seats at the time of driving. Biometric seats measure the drivers stress level, pulse rate, and body temperature with the aid of a sensor, while they are driving. These sensors, which offer computerized speed audible warning, restriction, and the capability to alert emergency services, are fitted in the steering wheels and seat belts. The main focus of biometric seats is to monitor the drivers stress level while they are operating the vehicle. To get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a Biometric Seat Technology Market sample report at https://market.us/report/biometric-seat-technology-market/request-sample/ Key Takeaway: By product, in 2022, the biometric seat market was dominated by the sensor segment due to its increased use in electric and driverless vehicles. by the due to its increased use in electric and driverless vehicles. By technology, the infrared technology segment accounted for the largest revenue share in the biometric seat market in 2022. accounted for the in the biometric seat market in 2022. By vehicle type, the passenger segment dominated the largest market share in vehicle type analysis dominated the largest market share in vehicle type analysis In 2022, Asia-Pacific dominated the market with the highest revenue share of 42%. Factors affecting the growth of the Biometric Seat Market Several factors can have an impact on the growth of the biometric seat technology market. Some of these factors include: Advancements in biometric technology: The accuracy and reliability of biometric seats have been enhanced by recent advancements in biometric technology, including facial, voice, and fingerprint authentication. Biometric seats' potential applications in driverless cars, ride-sharing services, and public transportation have also increased. The accuracy and reliability of biometric seats have been enhanced by recent advancements in biometric technology, including facial, voice, and fingerprint authentication. Biometric seats' potential applications in driverless cars, ride-sharing services, and public transportation have also increased. Increasing demand for premium and luxury vehicles: Biometric seats are more frequently found in premium and expensive vehicles because of their increased price. The market for biometric seats is predicted to expand alongside the growth in sales of high-end and luxury vehicles, particularly in emerging countries. Biometric seats are more frequently found in premium and expensive vehicles because of their increased price. The market for biometric seats is predicted to expand alongside the growth in sales of high-end and luxury vehicles, particularly in emerging countries. Growing awareness about health and wellness: Passengers are becoming more interested in keeping track of their health and wellness while traveling. Passengers can monitor their health and well-being by using biometric chairs and provide feedback on vital indications including heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. To understand how our report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://market.us/report/biometric-seat-technology-market/#inquiry Market Growth The global biometric seat technology industry is expected to continue growing. The increasing need for the creative vehicle industry, rising concerns regarding vehicle security and safety, and the developing trend of connected vehicles were boosting the growth of this market. Correspondingly, the improvement of enhanced sensors and software for biometric identification is moving this sector ahead. The increasing influence of electric vehicles, along with the trend toward autonomous driving, was expected to support the advancement of the biometric seat technology market. Regional Analysis The Asia-Pacific region would grow rapidly. Government programs to promote urbanization and population increases are credited with the region's growth since they increase consumer demand for energy-dependent products and services. The high energy consumption of North America and continued technical developments across all industries are expected to have a significant impact on the region's growth in this market. Due to the rising demand for safe and comfortable features in cars, Europe is predicted to hold a significant share of the global automotive biometric seat technology market. It is projected that the companies' sizeable spending on biometric seat research and development will drive the global market for this technology. Have Queries? Speak to an expert or Click Here To Download/Request a Sample Scope of the Report Report Attribute Details Market Value (2022) USD 211.2 million Market Size (2032) USD 701.3 million CAGR (from 2023 to 2032) 13.1% Asia-Pacific Revenue Share 42% Historic Period 2016 to 2022 Base Year 2022 Forecast Year 2023 to 2032 Market Drivers The market for biometric seat technology is expected to expand due to rising AI technology adoption and the addition of infotainment systems in automobiles. The Biometrics sector is having support from major automakers and digital businesses for a variety of applications, such as vehicle access, driver monitoring, and personalization. Jaguar Land Rover is developing facial recognition technology so that car settings can be controlled by people's facial expressions. Infrared sensors embedded into seats allow biometric seats to measure a driver's heart rate using sensors. Globally, as more cars are built to higher safety standards, the market for biometric seat technology is expected to expand. Due to the increasing use of computers and biometric security in cars, vehicle manufacturers are beginning to incorporate such safety and comfort features as biometric seats into their designs. As a result, demand for car biometric seat technology is expected to surge globally. In-car sensors are increasingly being utilized to monitor the emotional state of drivers, including body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate - helping assess their level of stress. As a result, the automobile biometric seat industry is expected to expand globally. Market Restraints One of the major obstacles to the market for biometric seat technology is the high cost of implementation and maintenance. The technology needs special sensors and software, which can be expensive for automakers to implement into vehicles, especially in low-cost sections. The inadequate consumer knowledge regarding the advantages of biometric seat technology is yet another obstacle to industry development. The gathering and maintaining of personal biometric data raise concerns about exploitation or hacking, resulting in a big hurdle for the industry. As governments have avoided using biometric strategies for preventing the COVID-19 virus from spreading further, that has affected markets as well. Market Opportunities The market for biometric seat technology nowadays offers a wide range of opportunities. The market is expanding due to the increasing worldwide need for vehicle safety and security, and it is estimated that this pattern is going to continue. It is anticipated that the utilization of biometric technology may expand as companies aim to continue offering cutting-edge and distinctive features. The market growth for premium and luxury vehicles in Europe and the Asia Pacific also provides the industry with excellent prospects. The market for biometric seat technology is also likely to develop as a consequence of rising demand for hybrid vehicles as well as the requirement for stronger safety protocols. Grow your profit margin with Market.us - Purchase This Premium Report at https://market.us/purchase-report/?report_id=99508 Report Segmentation of the Biometric Seat Technology Market Component Insight Based on components, the market for biometric seat technology is segmented into sensor, camera, and display. Among these components, the sensor segment is dominate the global biometric seat technology market with the largest market share. The sensor is the most fundamental part of an automobile's electronic system. The demand for electric and driverless vehicles has increased demand for the segment and its market share as a result of technological advancements. Technology Insight Based on the type of technology, the market is divided into infrared technology, implanted sensors, and other technologies. Infrared technology is anticipated the highest CAGR growth in the automotive biometrics market over the course of the forecast period due to its widespread application for safety and trustworthy authentication. The expanding use of keyless entry and push-button ignition in cars is another factor driving the improvement of infrared sensors in the automotive industry. For instance, the user must place the capacitive sensor on the door handle before the door will open. Vehicle Insight Based on the type of vehicle, the automotive biometric seat technology market has been split into two categories such as passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. Due to the growing popularity of opulent vehicles, the passenger car segment of the automotive biometric market has the highest market share of more than 60%, and it is anticipated to maintain its dominance. The demand for more customization and security has led to the growth of the market for automobile biometric seat technology. For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2032 - download a sample report at https://market.us/report/biometric-seat-technology-market/request-sample/ Recent Development of the Biometric Seat Technology Market Microsoft and Faurecia revealed that they would collaborate in 2020 to create digital services for the Cockpit of the Future utilizing Microsoft's Connected Vehicle Platform. By providing immersive gaming and working experiences, this alliance hopes to revolutionize the in-car travel experience for all passengers. Similarly to this, the auto sector is gradually advancing biometric technology for reasons of use, safety, and security. Market Segmentation Based on Component Sensor Display Camera Other Components Based on Technology Infrared Technology Implanted Sensor Other Technologies Based on Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle Commercial Vehicle Electric Vehicle By Geography North America The US Canada Mexico Western Europe Germany France The UK Spain Italy Portugal Ireland Austria Switzerland Benelux Nordic Rest of Western Europe Eastern Europe Russia Poland The Czech Republic Greece Rest of Eastern Europe APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia & New Zealand Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Colombia Chile Argentina Costa Rica Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Algeria Egypt Israel Kuwait Nigeria Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey United Arab Emirates Rest of MEA Competitive Landscape The global biometric seat technology market is a rapidly evolving and highly competitive market. Some of the major players in the market include: ZF Friedrichshafen AG Robert Bosch GmbH Denso Corporation Continental AG Hitachi Ltd Fujitsu Ford Motor Company Panasonic Corporation Aptiv Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Synaptics Inc. Lear Corporation Faurecia Other Key Players Related Reports: Biometric technology market size was valued at USD 34.27 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% from 2023 to 2030. Biometric sensors market size is expected to reach $3.31 billion by 2030 from $1.16 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 11.8% from 2021 to 2030. Consumer Biometrics Market shipped 2380.3 million units in 2020 and is expected to reach 6025.217 million units shipment by 2026, registering a CAGR of 17.2%, during the period of 2021 - 2026 Identity and Access Management Market was valued at USD 14.7 Billion in 2022. Between 2023 and 2032, this market is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 13.7%. Biometrics locks market was valued at USD 2.45 billion in 2018 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. Digital Signage market size was valued at USD 25.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 52.7 billion in 2032. Between 2023 and 2032, this market is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 7.7%. 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: Western Cape, South Africa, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Citra, a Cape Town-based design, construction, and property development company, has announced its latest funding round to accelerate its commercial expansion into the United States. With a focus on delivering affordable and sustainable housing solutions, Citra has secured approximately 20 million USD of funding for the research and development of its innovative building technology and pilot projects in South Africa. Citras eHomes, Capetown With 4,000 residential units in its pipeline in South Africa, Citra is now ready to scale up and expand internationally. Their proprietary building technology incorporates parametric design and finite element analysis, ensuring that homes are strong, durable, and efficient. The company's designs are tailored to the production process, minimizing waste, and manufactured with high-precision CNC machines. Citra homes have been designed with sustainability in mind, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 50% throughout their lifecycle. The company's building technology is cradle-to-cradle recyclable, ensuring that large portions of the home can be reused. Commenting on the quality and durability of its materials, Joel Baur, co-founder, and CEO of Citra says, Citra walls are incredibly strong and of high quality, eliminating the need for steel and reducing the external building shell to the absolute minimum. Our 140 mm thick Citra wall has a five times better thermal insulation value than a 260 mm thick cavity wall. Based on the excellent thermal insulation, the Citra technology can easily withstand harsh North American or European winters. Citras automation and labor efficient practices are key aspects to what sets it apart from those currently offered in the U.S. The automation can reduce labor by 50-70% and construction time can be reduced from eight to ten months for a conventional timber frame home, when compared to six to eight weeks for a Citra home. Citra technology surpasses even the latest 3D printing approaches in quality and cost-efficiency says co-founder Joel Baur. According to the company, its mission is to improve people's lives through careful design and innovation. With over a billion people living in shacks and informal settlements in inhumane conditions globally, Citra believes it can transform the building industry through its innovative building technology. Citra has already secured land for 4,000 residential units in South Africa and has built over 100 homes to date. Citra has sold over 200 homes and has approximately 150 under construction currently. The company's Capetown order book is well filled for the next 10 years. Citra's latest funding round will focus on its expansion into the United States. The US market represents a significant opportunity for Citra, with over 7 million homes currently in shortage. After expanding into the United States, Citra plans to explore opportunities in India and Ukraine, where it hopes to alleviate some of the devastation caused to the countrys infrastructure. Rapid relief in response to situations such as this, is something that harks back to Citras origins with the Haiti crisis, with its industry unique implementation of mobile factories in affected areas. The company's expansion into the United States will allow Citra to bring its affordable and sustainable housing solutions to a wider audience. The company is committed to scaling its operations rapidly. According to official sources, the company's output has doubled every year, and the staff count has increased significantly. Citra plans to build 120 homes this year, with a pipeline of 300 homes to be completed next year. By the year after that, Citra plans to build between 500 and 600 homes in Cape Town. Citra's latest funding round represents a significant opportunity for investors to support an innovative company with a mission to improve people's lives through careful design and innovation. "Our aim is to change the building industry through innovation. We offer our clients houses with a totally different experience. We ensure substantially lower emissions and energy consumption throughout the lifecycle, and lower construction costs", says Joel Baur, Founder, and CEO of Citra. Media contact: Joel Baur Name: Joel Baur Email: media@citra.build DENVER, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Krayden (https://krayden.com) will be highlighting its Northern Composites line of products at SAMPE in Seattle, Washington on April 18th & 19th. Krayden, is a technically strong global, supplier of premier brands including DOW, Henkel, Alpha, Huntsman and more. We are excited to be at SAMPE with our full line of Northern Products. Meet with our Technical staff and discuss our full line of Process Materials including bagging films, release films, sealant tapes, bleeders and breathers, pressure sensitive tapes, release fabrics, peel plies, OR ask about our offerings in terms of Prepreg materials and Structural reinforcements. The Northern line is comprehensive in scope and backed by a strong technical team that can help you with your product selections and process improvement. Krayden is well placed to support you with extensive warehouse location and the Northern Products are conveniently located in Hampton, NH, Greensboro, NC, Morgan Hill, CA, Grand Prairie, TX, and Mississauga, Ont. with more to be added in the coming months. About Krayden: Krayden is a technical problem-solving distributor specializing in adhesives, sealants, coatings, solvents, solder, and several types of specialty chemicals. The company symbolizes the leaders in engineered materials with technical knowledge of all their product lines. With numerous locations around the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines, Kraydens technical staff is experienced in a wide variety of industries including Electronics, Aerospace, Transportation, Energy, and OEM Manufacturing. About Northern Composites Northern Composites (https://northerncomposites.com/), serving the composites, metal bonding and tooling industries since 1965, is an international supplier of premium quality composite materials. Our technical sales staff is available to assist you with your next project. We are a leading supplier and manufacturer of structural materials, adhesives, tooling, and consumable products. We deliver quality materials on-time, provide excellent technical help, and develop a variety of proprietary products to meet our customers needs. Contact: kraydeninfo@krayden.com Toronto, April 11, 2023 - IAMGold Corp. (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") plans to release its first quarter 2023 operating and financial results after market hours on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Senior management will host a conference call to discuss the operating performance and financial results on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Listeners may access the conference call via webcast or through the following dial-in numbers: Toll free (North America): 1 (800) 319-4610 International: +1 (604) 638-5340 Webcast: www.iamgold.com An online archive of the webcast will be available by accessing the Company's website at www.iamgold.com. A telephone replay will be available for one month following the call by dialing toll free 1 (800) 319-6413 within North America or +1 (604) 638-9010 from international locations and entering the passcode: 0071. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD is an intermediate gold producer and developer based in Canada with operating mines in North America and West Africa. The Company is building the large-scale, long life Cote Gold project in Canada in partnership with Sumitomo Metals & Mining of Japan, which is expected to commence production in early 2024. In addition, the Company has an established portfolio of early stage and advanced exploration projects within high potential mining districts in the Americas. IAMGOLD employs approximately 3,300 people and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"), a socially screened market capitalization-weighted consisting of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria. IAMGOLD Contact Information Graeme Jennings, Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: 416 360 4743 | Mobile: 416 388 6883 Toll-free: 1 888 464 9999 info@iamgold.com This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov. Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162036 Toronto, April 11, 2023 - Kuya Silver Corp. (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") announces it has closed the second and final tranche of a non-brokered private placement announced April 4, 2023, by issuing 5,093,704 units (each a "Unit") at CAD$0.27 per Unit for gross proceeds of CAD$1,375,300 (the "Offering"). Each Unit entitles the holder to receive one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one-half of one (1/2) transferable Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) Common Share at CAD$0.50 until April 11, 2025. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid finders' fees of CAD$16,524, equal to 6% of the total proceeds raised by eligible finders, and issued 61,200 finder warrants (each, a "Finder Warrant"), equal to 6% of the number of Units sold by eligible finders. The Finder Warrants are exercisable at CAD$0.50 until April 11, 2025. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general working capital purposes. All securities issued under the Offering, including securities issuable on exercise thereof, are subject to a hold period expiring August 12, 2023, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws, except for those issued to investors in foreign jurisdictions. About Kuya Silver Corporation Kuya Silver is a Canadianbased mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada. For more information, please contact: David Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 3984493 info@kuyasilver.com www.kuyasilver.com Reader Advisory This news release contains statements that 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," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering, is forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information 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 described in the forward-looking information 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, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162059 Vancouver, April 11, 2023 - Jaxon Mining Inc. (TSXV: JAX) (FSE: 0U31) (OTC Pink: JXMNF) ("Jaxon" or the "Company") announces the resignation of Alain Voisin as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. Mr. Voisin will facilitate the transition to the new CFO whose appointment will be announced in the coming days. The Company thanks Mr. Voisin for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavors. About Jaxon Mining Inc. Jaxon pursues the discoveries of deeper, under cover, commercial scale and grade Cu, Au, Ag, polymetallic porphyry epithermal systems. Jaxon has seven large-scale porphyry system targets on its 100% controlled Hazelton property, an interconnected network of concessions spanning ~700 km2 in the Skeena Arch in northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company's flagship projects Netalzul Mountain and Red Springs are drill ready. The Kispiox Mountain and Blunt Mountain projects both host extensive and high-grade occurrences of antimony, a strategic and critical metal as designated by the governments of Canada and United States. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jaxon Mining Inc. "John King Burns" John King Burns, Chairman For more information, please contact: Investor Relations Kaye Wynn Consulting T: 604-558-2630 TF: 1-888-280-8128 E: info@kayewynn.com Freeform Communications T: 604-243-0499 E: enquiries@freeform.com Corporate T: 604-424-4488 E: info@jaxonmining.com www.jaxonmining.com This news release may contain forward-looking information, which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties, and other factors that 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 may include but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals, or plans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's 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. 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. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162064 Vast Resources Plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 12 April 2023 Vast Resources Plc ('Vast' or the 'Company') Placing to raise 978,967.40 Baita Plai Update Vast Resources Plc, the AIM-listed mining company, announces that it has raised 978,967.40 gross through a placing (the 'Placing') of 212,819,000 ordinary shares of 0.1p in the Company ('Ordinary Shares') at a price of 0.46p per Ordinary Share. The Placing was undertaken by the Company's joint broker, Axis Capital Markets Ltd ('Axis'). The net cash raised from the Placing will be used for an immediate upgrade to underground equipment to maintain the underground production ramp up and the continuation of the ongoing drilling programme at the Company's Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania ('Baita Plai'), and to maintain its corporate obligations, as it continues to move towards realising name plate capacity of 14,000 tonnes per month in H1 2023 following a strong Q1 2023 production performance. It was anticipated that the settlement of the historic claims in Zimbabwe would have concluded sooner, and this Placing provides liquidity until the settlement is finalised, expected end of April or early May 2023. Admission of the Placing Shares & Total Voting Rights Application will be made to AIM for the Placing Shares, which will rank pari passu with existing Ordinary Shares, to be admitted to trading on AIM ('Admission') in two tranches. It is expected that Admission will become effective and dealing will commence in respect of 67,000,000 Shares on or around 18 April 2023 (the "First Admission") and Admission will become effective and dealing will commence in respect of the issue of 145,819,000 being the balance of the Placing Shares on or around 26 April 2023 (the "Second Admission"). The Placing is conditional on Admission. Following the First Admission, the total issued share capital of the Company will be 2,781,825,142 and following the Second Admission this will be 2,927,644,142. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in Treasury and accordingly the above figures of 2,781,825,142 and 2,927,644,142 may then be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in Vast under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rule. Important Notices This announcement contains 'forward-looking statements' concerning the Company that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, the words 'will', 'may', 'should', 'continue', 'believes', 'targets', 'plans', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'anticipates' or similar expressions or negatives thereof identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely. The Company cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR") until the release of this announcement. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources Plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited - Joint Broker Toby Gibbs / James Thomas (Corporate Advisory) www.shorecapmarkets.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7408 4050 Axis Capital Markets Limited - Joint Broker Richard Hutchinson www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC Vast Resources Plc is a United Kingdom AIM listed mining company with mines and projects in Romania, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. In Romania, the Company is focused on the rapid advancement of high-quality projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines. The Company's Romanian portfolio includes 100% interest in Vast Baita Plai SA which owns 100% of the producing Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine, located in the Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania, an area which hosts Romania's largest polymetallic mines. The mine has a JORC compliant Reserve & Resource Report which underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years with an in-situ total mineral resource of 15,695 tonnes copper equivalent with a further 1.8M-3M tonnes exploration target. The Company is now working on confirming an enlarged exploration target of up to 5.8M tonnes. The Company also owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which the Company is looking to bring back into production following a period of care and maintenance. The Company has also been granted the Manaila Carlibaba Extended Exploitation Licence that will allow the Company to re-examine the exploitation of the mineral resources within the larger Manaila Carlibaba licence area. Vast has an interest in a joint venture company which provides a share of revenue generated from the Takob Mine processing facility in Tajikistan. The Takob Mine opportunity, which is 100% financed, will provide Vast with a 12.25 percent royalty equivalent over all sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced. In Zimbabwe, the Company is preparing for the release of its diamonds previously mined by the Company and preparing for their marketing. Upon the finalisation of the process the Company will recommence its focus on the finalisation of the mining agreement on the Community Diamond Concession in the Marange Diamond Fields. Vast Resources Plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 12 April 2023 Vast Resources Plc ('Vast' or the 'Company') Baita Plai Q1 Production Report and Update Tajikistan Update Settlement Update Vast Resources Plc, the AIM-listed mining company, is pleased to announce updates on Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine ('Baita Plai') (including the Q1 production report), on the Takob mine in Tajikistan, and on the settlement of the historic claim in Zimbabwe. Highlights: Baita Plai Tonnes mined in Q1 increased by 20% despite January and February being short months of production. Positive results from new drilling campaign indicate extension of the skarn at depth. Tajikistan Commercial production of CaF? has exceeded the minimum target thus fulfilling Takob contract performance condition. Pb/Zn commercial production at target grade has commenced. First commercial quantities are targeted for shipment in May. As announced on 3 May 2022 Vast will receive a participation equivalent to a 12.25 percent royalty overall sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced from the Takob Processing Project. Zimbabwe Closure of the settlement process in Zimbabwe expected towards the end of April or first half of May. Baita Plai Production: Production continued during the New Year period with minimal down time at the mine as the mine management and staff target reaching operational breakeven, and, by June 2023, name plate capacity of 14,000 tonnes per month. Lower grades in the mine were encountered in March, partly as a result of intense development work in Level 17 and Level 18, and partly because of restriction of access to higher grade ore caused - following the new drilling results (see below) - by the development of the incline into the lower levels and preparation for drilling in Level 19. Had that not occurred, the Company is confident the mine could have reached operational breakeven in March. Below are the production results for Q1 2023 together with comparisons for previous quarters. The reduction in concentrates sold is due to timing differences. Quarterly Report Tons Mined Conc Produced Conc Produced Conc Sold Conc Sold Avg.Conc Grade Cu conc Inventory at end of Quarter WMT DMT WMT DMT DMT Q1 2022 12,561 257 229 263 234 19% 6 Q2 2022 13,020 295 268 201 183 22% 91 Q3 2022 15,673 340 309 154 140 17% 260 Q4 2022 17,343 498 453 546 488 23% 225 Q1 2023 20,728 539 475 516 459 23% 241 Baita Plai Drilling: The first two drill holes of the new underground drilling programme contained in the technical report as announced on 27 February 2023 ('Technical Report') have been completed. The author of the Technical Report has confirmed that: "Based on the data collected from the first two drilled holes, the extension of the skarn is confirmed. The drill holes were from 45m below Level 18 and were of 136m and 94m. Both holes indicated mineralisation at depth. The ore that is being currently mined at Level 18 (45m), sub level 2, was identified in both drillholes with a thickness of 2.3m and 3m and another new layer has been identified with a thickness of 2m at further depth of 20m." This is consistent with achievement of the Exploration Targets as published on 27 February 2023. A technical update on the drilling campaign will be published later this month. Tajikistan: Steady state production of a 95% minimum fluorite (CaF?) concentrate has been achieved at the Takob mine in Tajikistan thus achieving satisfaction of a major performance condition of the contract with Korkhanai Boygardonii Takob. Commercial production of a Pb and Zn concentrate with precious metal credits has now commenced and to date the Pb and Zn bulk concentrate quality has exceeded expectations. The Company together with our partners are preparing for the first commercial shipment in May to our strategic offtake partners Trafigura as per announcement dated 6 October 2022. We look forward to advising the market with this milestone event. Zimbabwe: Further to the announcement of 31 March 2023, the Company has received a further communication from Government representatives, via our legal advisors, that indicates that the matter is expected to be finalised during the course of this month or in any event not later than the first half of May 2023. Andrew Prelea, Chief Executive Officer at Vast Resources Plc, commented: "Q1 production has seen a significant increase both in mining and in concentrate production as a result of the changes that have been implemented on site during H2 of 2022 and the ongoing upgrades and further development underground. "Management strongly believes in Baita Plai's increasing performance and our ability to reach the goal of name plate capacity in H1 2023. We expect to see the increased production trend continue throughout 2023. "The new drilling programme at Baita Plai is already proving to show that the Technical Report published on 27 February 2023 is indicative of what the mine is capable of producing in terms of grade and ore tonnage. As stated, there is positive indication that the ore continues at depth and giving further scope for increasing the current resources. "Tajikistan is now producing commercial quality and quantity of both CaF? and Pb/Zn concentrates and the Company is looking forward to updating the market once the first sales have been finalised. "Due to the sensitive nature of the process the settlement in Zimbabwe has taken longer than the market has anticipated. However the settlement is following the path of consensual due process and we appreciate the Government's continuing assistance in bringing this matter to a close." Important Notices This announcement contains 'forward-looking statements' concerning the Company that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, the words 'will', 'may', 'should', 'continue', 'believes', 'targets', 'plans', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'anticipates' or similar expressions or negatives thereof identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely. The Company cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources Plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited - Joint Broker Toby Gibbs / James Thomas (Corporate Advisory) www.shorecapmarkets.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7408 4050 Axis Capital Markets Limited - Joint Broker Kamran Hussain www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC Vast Resources Plc is a United Kingdom AIM listed mining company with mines and projects in Romania, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. In Romania, the Company is focused on the rapid advancement of high-quality projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines. The Company's Romanian portfolio includes 100% interest in Vast Baita Plai SA which owns 100% of the producing Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine, located in the Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania, an area which hosts Romania's largest polymetallic mines. The mine has a JORC compliant Reserve & Resource Report which underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years with an in-situ total mineral resource of 15,695 tonnes copper equivalent with a further 1.8M-3M tonnes exploration target. The Company is now working on confirming an enlarged exploration target of up to 5.8M tonnes. The Company also owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which the Company is looking to bring back into production following a period of care and maintenance. The Company has also been granted the Manaila Carlibaba Extended Exploitation Licence that will allow the Company to re-examine the exploitation of the mineral resources within the larger Manaila Carlibaba licence area. Vast has an interest in a joint venture company which provides exposure to a near term revenue opportunity from the Takob Mine processing facility in Tajikistan. The Takob Mine opportunity, which is 100% financed, will provide Vast with a 12.25 percent royalty over all sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced. Processing of stockpiled ore on site is expected to commence in mid-2022. In Zimbabwe, the Company is focused on the commencement of the joint venture mining agreement on the Community Diamond Concession, Chiadzwa, in the Marange Diamond Fields. GLOSSARY Dry Metric Tonnes (DMT) Refers to the tonnage minus humidity to determine sales price Grade The relative quantity or percentage of ore mineral content in an orebody. Ore The naturally occurring material from which a mineral(s) can be extracted at a reasonable profit. Orebody A continuous well-defined mass of material to sufficient ore content to make extraction economically feasible. Skarn Lime-bearing siliceous rock produced by the metamorphic alteration of limestone or dolomite Wet Metric Tonnes (WMT) Usually quoted in terms of production for shipping terms CaF? Calcium Fluoride Competent Person The technical views made in this announcement is based on information interpreted by Mr Nicolae Turdean, the Romanian Country Manager and a full-time employee of the Company. Mr Nicolae Turdean is a Qualified Person who is a Member in good standing of the: Romanian National Association of Specialists in Mining Industry General Association of Romanian Engineers Romanian National Committee of Mining Engineers Nicolae has 40 years' experience in the Romanian mining industry. He was most recently President of the National Agency for Mineral Resources. Prior to this, Nicolae was the Chief Executive of Cupru Min SA, the Romanian state-owned copper producer. Nicolae has worked closely with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Minister of Economy and Finance, and the World Bank, as well as serving on the Board of Administration for a number of companies. Nicolae holds both a Bachelor of Mining Science and a MSc. in the Management of Mining Activities from the Technical University of Petrosani in Romania. Vancouver, April 11, 2023 - Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE:ELEM) (OTC:ELMGF) (FSE:7YS) ("Element79 Gold", the "Company") Pursuant to the earlier news release on December 21, 2022 and January announces that it has made a final payment of US$200,000 to Condor Resources Inc. ("Condor"). The Company became the sole owner of Calipuy Resources Inc., ("Calipuy"), and assumed Calipuy's obligations with respect to Calipuy's agreement to acquire the shares of Condor's subsidiary, Minas Lucero del Sur S.A.C., the owner of the Lucero project, Department of Arequipa, Peru. (see news release of June 29, 2022) The next payment will be due on or before December 21, 2023. About Element79 Gold Element79 Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mining properties for gold and associated metals. Element79 Gold has acquired its flagship Maverick Springs Project located in the famous gold mining district of northeastern Nevada, USA, between the Elko and White Pine Counties, where it has recently filed an amended 43-101-compliant, pit-constrained mineral resource estimate reflecting an inferred resource of 3.71 million ounces of gold equivalent* "AuEq" at a grade of 0.92 g/t AuEq (0.34 g/t Au and 43.4 g/t Ag)) with an effective date of Oct. 19, 2022 (see news release October 20, 2022, available on SEDAR). The acquisition of the Maverick Springs Project also included a portfolio of 15 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, which the Company is analyzing for further merit of exploration, along with the potential for sale or spin-out. In Peru, Element79 Gold holds 100% interest in the past producing Lucero Mine, one of the highest-grade underground mines to be commercially mined in Peru's history, as well as the past producing Machacala Mine. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent to acquire a private company which holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company also has an option to acquire 100% interest in the Dale Property which consists of 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada in the Timmins Mining Division, Dale Township. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold or www.element79gold.com . On Behalf of the Company James Tworek CEO Contact Information Investor Relations Department Phone: +1 (613)879-9387 E-mail: investors@element79.gold 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 news release. Copyright (c) 2023 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. TORONTO, April 12, 2023 - Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSXV:LG)(OTCQB:LGCXF) (the "Company" or "Lahontan") is pleased to announce that it will commence base-line environmental studies at its Flagship Santa Fe Mine in the heart of Nevada's prolific Walker Lane. The base-line studies will be utilized in the Company's Plan of Operations ("POO") submittal to the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") which, when approved, will allow Lahontan to conduct exploration activities including road building and drilling, in a 12.2 km2 area within the Mine area. Furthermore, the base-line environmental data can be used in future submissions should the Company elect to put the Santa Fe Mine back into production, greatly streamlining that process. Lahontan will continue its current resource expansion drilling program under an approved Notice of Intent ("NOI"), with the goal of an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRI") by year-end. Kimberly Ann, Lahontan Gold Founder, CEO, President, and Director commented: "The Company is excited to begin these crucial environmental studies which will not only facilitate far more widespread exploration drilling throughout the majority of the Santa Fe Mine property, but very importantly, these studies can also be utilized to obtain permits to bring Santa Fe back into production if Lahontan elects to pursue that path. As we have noted, Santa Fe is a target-rich environment; we believe that there are multiple excellent exploration targets external to our current Resources that could change the narrative about Santa Fe underscoring the multi-million ounce potential of the property." Lahontan Gold has signed a contract with Great Basin Environmental Services, LLC ("GBES") to advise and act as permitting agent for the preparation of a Plan of Operations for the Santa Fe Mine. GBES will coordinate with government oversight agencies and obtain proposals from multiple environmental contractors to complete the work. The POO will allow the Company more surface disturbance on the property, allowing Lahontan to continue expanding the current Resources. Furthermore, it will allow the Company to drill exploration targets more distal to known Resources, unlocking the full potential of the property. The POO will cover 12.2 km2 of the 19 km2 Santa Fe Mine property. Environmental baseline studies will be conducted that will lead to an Environmental Assessment document. Biological studies will include botanical surveys, raptor surveys, migratory bird surveys, and potentially, bat roost surveys. Cultural resources will be surveyed and documented. These studies will guide how the exploration disturbance will proceed. Currently, Lahontan is operating under a NOI level permit allowing for up to five acres of disturbance within the 19 km2 property. Lahontan will continue resource expansion drilling under the NOI permit until the POO is completed and approved. About Lahontan Gold Corp: Lahontan Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company that holds, through its US subsidiaries, three top-tier gold and silver exploration properties in the Walker Lane of mining friendly Nevada. Lahontan's flagship property, the 19 km2 Santa Fe Mine, had past production of 345,000 ounces of gold and 711,000 ounces of silver between 1988 and 1995 from open pit mines utilizing heap-leach processing (Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 1995). The Santa Fe Mine has an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,112,000 oz Au Eq (grading 1.14 g/t Au Eq) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 544,000 oz Au Eq (grading 1.00 g/t Au Eq), all pit constrained (Au Eq is inclusive of recovery, please see Santa Fe Project Technical Report available on SEDAR or the Company's website). The Company will continue to aggressively explore Santa Fe during 2023 and begin the process of evaluating development scenarios to bring the Santa Fe Mine back into production. Quentin J. Browne, P.Geo., Consulting Geologist to Lahontan Gold Corp., is the Qualified Person for the Company and approved the technical content of this news release. For more information, please visit our website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Kimberly Ann Founder, CEO, President, and Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Lahontan Gold Corp. Kimberly Ann Founder, Chief Executive Officer, President, Director Phone: 1-530-414-4400 Email: Kimberly.ann@lahontangoldcorp.com Website: www.lahontangoldcorp.com Cautionary Note Regarding 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. Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a varietyof risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com SOURCE: Lahontan Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/748739/Lahontan-to-Begin-Base-Line-Environmental-Studies-at-Santa-Fe Saskatoon, April 12, 2023 - 1844 Resources Inc. (TSXV: EFF) (the "Company" or "1844") announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 40,000,000 units (the "Units"), at $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Units will consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). The Warrants are exercisable for a period of 36 months from closing of the Offering (the "Expiry Date") at an exercise price of $0.075. In connection with the Offering, the Company will pay 8% cash finders fee and 8% non-transferable share purchase warrants, each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.05 per share for a period of 12 months from closing. 1844 will use the net proceeds from the Offering in connection with its option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project, for exploration on the Hawk Ridge Project and for general corporate purposes. Mr. Sylvain Laberge, President and CEO of the Company commented: "The option to acquire a 100% interest in the Hawk Ridge Project is transformational for 1844. Hawk Ridge is expected to become one of the flagship properties of the Company and is expected to add to our existing portfolio of copper and other critical mineral projects in coastal Quebec." The Offering will be conducted under available exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities legislation and participation in the Offering will be available to existing shareholders in qualifying jurisdictions in Canada in accordance with BC Instrument 45-534 - Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA Notice 45-313 - Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof (collectively, the "Existing Security Holder Exemption"). The Company has set April 10, 2023 as the record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to participate in the Offering in reliance on the Existing Security Holder Exemption. Qualifying shareholders who wish to participate in the Offering should contact the Company at the contact information set forth below no later than April 18, 2023. If the Offering is over-subscribed for, Units will be allocated pro-rata amongst all subscribers. All subscription materials must be provided to the Company no later than May 8, 2023. The Company may close the Offering in several tranches during the Offering, the first of which the Company intends to close no later than May 22, 2023. In addition to conducting the Offering pursuant to the Existing Shareholder Exemption, the Offering will also be conducted pursuant to other available prospectus exemptions. Insiders may participate in the Offering. The aggregate acquisition cost to a subscriber under the Existing Security Holder Exemption cannot exceed $15,000, unless that subscriber has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment and, if the subscriber is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada, such advice is obtained from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in the subscriber's jurisdiction. In addition to the Existing Security Holder Exemption and other available prospectus exemptions, a portion or all of the Offering may be completed pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318 - Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer ("CSA 45-318") and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof in the participating jurisdictions (collectively with CSA 45-318, the "Investment Dealer Exemption"). Pursuant to CSA 45-318, each subscriber relying on the Investment Dealer Exemption must obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer. There is no material fact or material change of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after closing of the Offering. Completion of the Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, receipt of all regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). None of the securities issued in the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. Certain insiders of the Company are expected to participate in the Offering. This participation by insiders in the Financing constitutes a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). However, the Company considers such participation would be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Units subscribed for by the insiders and the consideration for the Units paid by such insiders, would not exceed 25 per cent of the Company's market capitalization. For more details on the Company's option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project, see the Company's news releases dated March 6 and 7, 2023 (copies of which are available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com). The Company's option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project remains subject to Exchange approval. About 1844 Resources Inc.: 1844 is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gaspe, Chibougamau Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits. 1844 Resources Inc. (signed) "Sylvain Laberge" Sylvain Laberge President and CEO 514.702.9841 Slaberge@1844 resources.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's option on the Hawk Ridge Project and the Offering. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; and Exchange approval. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include exploration or other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162122 Vancouver, April 12, 2023 - Norsemont Mining Inc. (CSE:NOM) (OTC:NRRSF) (FWB:LXZ1) ("Norsemont" or the "Company") announces results of its inaugural surface outcrop geochemical sampling campaign. Highlights: Surface outcrop sampling results returned long intervals of significant oxide Au-Ag values, outside of and peripheral to the historical mined pits, thus extending the potential for additional near-surface heap-leachable resources. Additional mapping and sampling are planned to further define the extension of this potentially significant source of mineralisation. Strong geochemical anomalies for Cu, Mo and Au from the Vizcacha Porphyry sector enhance our interpretation that this newly mapped area represents the upper portions of a telescoped porphyry system. Additional mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysics will be utilized to define drill targets at Viscacha. Surface Outcrop Chip Channel Sampling The initial outcrop chip and channel sampling campaign was carried out during the months of November 2021 and March 2022 with the objectives of: Testing the extensive areas of potentially mineralised leached rock, observed in road cuts and mine benches, that were overlooked by previous operators. Confirming and expanding the oxide gold footprint of the Choque-Intermedio pit areas, as evidenced in drill hole MV21-009 (15 metres @ 0.84 grams per tonne Au from surface - news release March 31, 2022). Evaluating the new porphyry veinlet zone near the Vizcacha Pit. In total, 517 outcrop samples were collected in 2 metre long by 10 cm wide channel samples, each weighing between 3 to 5 kilograms. Channel samples collected in the Silica Ledge sector were 1 metre long by 10 centimetres wide. Where possible, for example, along the banks of roadcuts, sampling was continuous. The results show: Continuous and robust Au-Ag oxide mineralisation on the eastern margin of the Choque and Intermedio pit areas. Comprehensive follow-up sampling will be conducted to define the full extent of this potential near-surface mineralization. The most significant results were: 60 metres @ 0.97 grams per tonne Au and 21 grams per tonne Ag, including 2 metres @ 10.93 grams per tonne Au and 46 grams per tonne Ag. These results confirm the presence of more widespread near-surface Au-Ag oxide mineralisation in the Choque-Intermedio pit areas. Norsemont is currently conducting metallurgical testwork in this area, with the hope that positive results will add significant tonnages to the leachable resource. It should be noted that such grades of near-surface oxide mineralisation are typical of many large-tonnage open-pit heap-leach mines, in contrast to the small-tonnage high-grade mine operated by the previous operators of Choquelimpie. The Vizcacha Porphyry Zone returned channel sample results ranging from 0.1 - 0.4 grams per tonne Au associated with characteristic porphyry-related A-veins and black banded quartz veins, occurring as sheeted swarms and stockworks. In addition, a molybdenum anomaly related to B-veins is present (e.g. 8m @ 41 ppm Mo). This veinlet-hosted mineralization occurs in a daci-andesite porphyry, with phyllic alteration overprinted by quartz-pyrophyllite alteration and cut by structurally controlled corridors of high sulphidation mineralisation (e.g. 1 metre @ 2.14 grams per tonne Au and 361 grams per tonne Ag as well as 1 metre @ 1.48 grams per tonne Au and 170 grams per tonne Ag). These assay results and geological interpretations, combined with the geology observed in our recent drilling of the historical pits, lead our technical team to conclude that we are situated in the mid to lower portion of a high-sulphidation epithermal system, overlying a potentially large Au-Cu-Mo porphyry intrusive target at depth. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Surface geochemistry samples at the newly discovered Vizcacha Porphyry sector. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 2: Surface geochemistry samples taken with an oblique view looking south towards the main historically mined ore bodies. Note the widespread intervals of surficial oxide Au-Ag mineralisation and the large areas that remain to be tested. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 3: Surface geochemistry samples taken with an oblique view looking south with the 2021 DDH drill holes and observed/interpreted important lithologic domains. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 4: Surface geochemistry samples from the Choque and Intermedio pits. Note the significant oxide Au values from prominent oxidized benches, ledges and intra-pit outcrops. John Currie, Norsemont's VP of Exploration states: "Our initial surface sampling program at Choquelimpie was highly successful, as the results from this campaign have outlined potentially heap-leachable near-surface oxide Au-Ag mineralisation, in both the epithermal and high-level porphyry environments. We now have a range of exciting targets that merit aggressive follow-up exploration. The near-surface oxide potential is especially exciting. With the first phase of surface chip and channel sampling now plotted, we are confident that we will be able to define a substantial volume of oxide Au-Ag mineralised rock amenable to heap leaching, to add to our already existing low-grade stockpiles. Extensive outcrop, road-cut and soil talus geochemical sampling will be one of our priorities when we resume the field work." Marc Levy, Norsemont's CEO comments, "These encouraging surface sampling results continue to expand the size of the mineralized gold-silver oxide footprint at Choquelimpie and highlight new areas for drill testing and resource expansion. One of our tasks will also be to chase the mineralisation intercepted in drill hole MV21-009 that returned 170.0 m grading 1.35 g/t Au and 18.3 g/t Ag (See News Release dated March 31, 2022). Finally, we are particularly excited to also test the potentially large copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry intrusive target at depth. Success in these areas would change the future of Choquelimpie." Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance: Surface outcrop chip and channel samples of 1.0 - 2.0 metres length were collected, bagged and tagged by company staff. In a secure processing facility, Company staff inserted a series of blind blanks, certified reference materials and sample duplicates in the sample stream, as part of the Company's QA/QC protocol. Sample bags were sealed, placed in security-sealed sacks, and then delivered by Company staff to the Andes Analytical Laboratory sample receiving facility in Arica, Chile. All outcrop chip-channel samples reported in this news release were analysed at AAA in Santiago, Chile utilising their ICP_AES_HF38m1 analytical package. This comprises a four-acid digestion followed by a 38-element ICP-MS scan, in conjunction with the AEF_AAS_1E42 40g Fire Assay with AAS finish for gold on all samples. Samples that return values >10 ppm gold from fire assay and AAS are determined by using fire assay and a gravimetric finish (lab code AEF_GRV_1E43). Samples that return values >5,000 ppm for copper and >400 ppm silver by ICP analysis are determined by four acid digestion AAS finish assay (lab codes 4A-HF_AAS_1E13_ppm and 4A-HF_AAS_1E08_0.25-100 respectively). The information presented in this news release was collected and prepared by SCM Vilacollo staff in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in National Instrument 43-101. QA/QC for the analytical results was reviewed by Mr. Enrique Grez, an independent qualified person, registration number 0015 of the Comision Calificadora de Recursos y Reservas Mineras de Chile, and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Art Freeze, P.Geo, Director of Norsemont Mining as well as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About Norsemont Mining Inc. Norsemont comprises experienced natural resource professionals focused on growing shareholder value and developing its flagship project through to bankable feasibility. Norsemont Mining owns a 100-per-cent interest in the Choquelimpie gold-silver-copper project in northern Chile, a previously permitted gold and silver mine. Choquelimpie has over 1,700 drill holes, with significant existing infrastructure. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Norsemont Mining Inc. Marc Levy CEO & Chairman For more information, please contact the Company at: Telephone: (604) 669-9788; Facsimile: (604) 669-9768 Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that are deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Norsemont 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", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include changes to commodity prices, mine and metallurgical recovery, operating and capital costs, foreign exchange rates, ability to obtain required permits on a timely basis, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, 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. 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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Copyright (c) 2023 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Barry Sanders at Cabinet Magazine: Twain bangs the keysswiftly. For Remingtons levers, links, and triggers had made the typewriter resemble in kinetic spirit a kind of machine gun. Making writing rapid-fire, Remington turned a rather staid and quiet activitywritinginto one dominated by force and noise and physical effort. Sharp, metal characters smashed themselves against a platen, hitting with enough percussive force so that each letter impressed itself deeply into the paper. By 1881, with the introduction of the Remington II, a faster machine than its predecessor, sales exploded. From 1881 to 1890, typists increased in number from 5,000 to 33,400; and by 1900, according to census figures, America could boast 112,600 typists and stenographers. A good typist developed a distinctive rhythm, clacking out line after continuous line. A truly fast typist commanded attention. And respect. And sometimes even suspicion. At the Rosenberg spy trial, in 1952, the prosecuting attorney sharpened the governments case against Ethel Rosenberg by asking the jury to visualize the female, Jewish suspect sitting behind her typewriter, hitting the keys, blow by blow, against her own country in the interest of the Soviets. more here. Toto Wolff has denied rumours the team's former technical boss James Allison has now returned to Mercedes full-time. In late 2021, Allison took on a new role in America's Cup yacht racing, with Mercedes and team shareholder Ineos collaborating for Ineos Team UK Britannia. But after Mercedes' disappointing start to the 2023 season, amid admissions the basic 'concept' of the car will have to change, it was rumoured that Allison may now be returning to Formula 1 full-time. Team boss Wolff denies it. "He's not involved," the Austrian is quoted as saying by the Japanese source as-web.jp. "He plays an active role in discussing the team's long-term strategy, but more recently he has devoted his time to the America's Cup project and other programs aimed at innovation." And Wolff said Mercedes' 2023 recovery would never be as simple as reuniting with a single person. "James remains very important to our organisation," he said, "but I think the challenges we're having are not just one person's problem." Wolff admitted, however, that the team has felt the effect of the departure of Aldo Costa - who is now technical boss at the famous racing car constructor Dallara. "There is no replacement for someone like Aldo," he said. "What we have done is split his work among several successors. "Aldo was very good at building a succession structure, but it was not a short-term process. It took two and a half years to shape and adapt the technical department to his absence." (GMM) Vodafone introduces special holiday offers for customers Business Desk Report Business News Apr - 06 - 2023 , 14:36 Vodafone Ghana has introduced a new product to delight customers with unlimited internet access during public holidays. Dubbed: Special Holiday Offer, the offer aims to bring families together and provide a seamless browsing experience on special occasions. In a release issued by the company, it said " the Special Holiday Offer will be available on holidays such as Easter Monday, Eid al-Fitr, Labour Day, Eid al-Adha, Founder's Day, and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day. The offer is exclusively for customers with an active core bundle and will be valid for 24 hours from12am 11:59pm. Priced at GHC 20, customers will receive 100GB of data for 24 hours. It said the offer can be accessed via USSDD * 900#, My Vodafone App, and My Vodafone Web. Customers are advised to activate the offer ahead of time to enjoy the full benefits during the period, it added. Vodafone Ghana's Fixed Business Manager, Albert Achiaw explained that Vodafone Ghana was dedicated to creating memorable experiences for our customers during special occasions. With the Special Holiday Offer, we are empowering families and friends to stay connected and share cherished moments without worrying about internet limitations. This initiative reflects our commitment to innovation and our passion for exceeding customer expectations in a constantly evolving digital landscape, he said. The release said as a supplementary plan, the Special Holiday Offer was one of Vodafone's customer-centric products designed to provide affordable and reliable fixed broadband internet access. By focusing on customer needs, Vodafone Ghana has positioned itself as a leading customer-oriented organisation, constantly developing promotions that cater to the evolving demands of its users, it said. KOD is shallow minded -Gyedu Blay Ambolley fires back Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Apr - 11 - 2023 , 11:56 Ghanaian veteran highlife musician, Gyedu Blay Ambolley has described popular broadcaster and CEO of Nineteen57 fashion brand, Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) as shallow minded and a child not worth his attention. Speaking on DayBreak Hitz with Andy Dosty recently, the Adwoa Amissah hitmaker said he has a lot going on for him as a highlife musician and so people should not pour scorn on his efforts. I see Okyere Darko as a child. He is shallow minded, the reason why he said those things. I am going on an European tour in May next year. My music, Gyedu Blay Ambollleys music and in June, I will be back on tour. So when he sits and talks, can he take his clothes on tour as a designer like the way Im going on tour with my music? Can he take his DJing on tour like the way I am going on tour with my music? If these people talk, you know they are shallow minds, he said. Ambolleys remarks is a reply to a social media post by KOD sometime last week when he described comments by the respected musician that Vodafone Ghana Music Awards(VGMAs) has been a curse to Highlife music as nonsense. In an interview with Graphic Showbiz last month, Ambolley had noted that VGMA had not promoted the interest of Highlife music by awarding topmost awards to musicians pursuing other genres. He also raised concerns about the quality of artistes nominated in the Best Highlife Artiste of the Year category of the awards. It is unfortunate that people think when you sing in Twi or Fante over a Dancehall or Reggae beats it automatically makes it Highlife music. That is not true but it has become the norm over the years because these are the kinds of music VGMA rewards, he said during the interview. An obviously disappointed KOD who didnt take lightly Ambolleys comments responded in social media post. Such nonsense! Which awards scheme has projected our music industry like VGMA since independence? How many have projected our musicians beyond GH. How many have consistently done more than 10 years? Some of our musicians have failed to evolve and quick to blame others for their personal mishaps. When was the last time he released an album? He should be blaming some of the radio stations who dont even play our music. When was the last time or how often do you hear highlife on radio? VGMA cause am? People should look at evolving and projecting themselves instead of pointing accusing fingers. Ambulley should be bigger than this petty comment and should check how he discredits his fellow industry colleagues too. Youre a true celebrity. Dont go this path Sir. As one of our last of our greats left, this is below him. Related articles VGMA is a curse to Highlife music Ambolley From Highlife to hiplife- A guide to Ghanaian music Streaming Farm: Don Jazzy denies buying fake streams for his artistes Daily Post Showbiz News Apr - 11 - 2023 , 14:53 Veteran Nigerian producer and music executive, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has debunked claims that he buys fake streams to boost his signees songs on digital streaming platforms using streaming farm. Recall that Don Jazzy and other record label owners were recently called out on social media by some fans for using streaming farms to manipulate stream numbers in favor of their artists. But in a recent interview, the Mavin boss declared that there was no such thing as streaming farm. He urged up-and-coming artistes not to be deceived by the speculations of an existing streaming farm that can boost stream numbers. Read also: Heres a list of Delays five responsible celebrity dads He admonished them to work harder. Don Jazzy said, All these side talks of there is a form of streaming farm somewhere, makes you become lazy. Go and create beautiful music and do all you need to do to market your songs. Dont sit down there and be assuming this person is getting here because theres a streaming farm somewhere. Trust me, its just going to be affecting you. You will be thinking that its unattainable. You can not get it. Ogbeni, you are doing yourself a disservice. Theres no goddamn f*cking streaming farm. Or I dont know whether people have it. But take it from people like us that are succeeding, that are at the forefront. Im telling you that theres no goddamn streaming farm. It doesnt make any sense. If theres a streaming farm why am I not buying it for my artists that are not winning? he queried. Bondholders petition Prez Akufo-Addo over non-payment of matured bonds GraphicOnline Apr - 12 - 2023 , 07:17 A coalition of individual bondholders in Ghana has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, urging him to address the issue of non-payment of matured bonds that were not tendered under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme. The petition was submitted by the Ghana Individual Bondholders Forum (IBF) and the Individual Bondholders Association of Ghana, who expressed disappointment that the government had failed to honour the payment of the matured bonds, which totalled 1 billion cedis, despite several assurances. The coalition stated that its members depend on these funds to meet important needs such as medication, children's education, and the welfare of their families, including pensioners. The coalition expressed willingness to cooperate with the government in devising a mutually viable payment schedule and structure but criticized the non-responsive conduct of the Finance Ministry, which they said represents a gross breach of trust between the government and its citizens. We are saddened to have to resort to petitioning you for a resolution to the continuous non-payment of old bonds due. Your Excellency, you have been categorical in your assurances of payment to individuals who opted to trust your government and invest in its bonds," the petition reads. Unfortunately, contrary to your professed honourable position, Government has since the completion of the Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP) failed to honour five (5) out of eight (8) payments due under the old bonds totalling about GHS1bn for individual bondholders. We have on four occasions requested the Minister of Finance to devise a payment schedule to provide guidance to investors. We are disappointed to bring to your notice that none of these requests has been responded to. Neither has our request to meet been honoured. Easter marked with church services Daily Graphic Apr - 12 - 2023 , 08:41 Churches across the nation, last weekend, held church services to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is popularly known as Easter. Our reporters from the regions filed some reports from the services held to mark the occasion. From Ho-Kpodzi in the Volta Region, Alberto Mario Noretti reports that in the sermon at last Sundays church service, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), Rt Rev. Dr Lt Col. Bliss Divine Agbeko (retd), noted that worldly desires were now penetrating the church, instead of the church going into the world to make positive changes with the message of Christ. He said by rising from the tomb, Jesus had liberated all Christians with a new strength, and they must also rise with Him in faith. So, focus your minds on heavenly treasures and not worldly things, Rev. Dr Agbeko told the congregation. The Moderator said even in difficult times, Christians had nothing to fear, for Christ remained their shield in all circumstances. The special guest at the service which was on the theme Christ is Risen Indeed, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Divine Bosson, entreated Christians to show interest in politics and lead a vigorous crusade of honesty among the citizenry. He explained that if Christians showed interest in politics, that would also prevent non-believers in Christ and crooks from taking charge of the affairs of the nation. The MCE said it was important that politicians held the welfare of the country at heart, without any acrimony towards their perceived political opponents, adding that a larger presence of Christians in politics would promote greater unity among policy makers for the smooth progress of the nation. He maintained that the good news of Christ could also be spread through exemplary political conduct, for which reason Christians must not shy away from politics. There is no point in looking on unconcerned in difficult times, without making contributions to address national problems with our Christian virtues, Mr Bosson added. Upper East Region Gilbert Mawuli Agbey reports from Bolgatanga that some churches held conventions and climaxed it with church services last Sunday as part of the Easter celebration. The churches were filled to capacity, during which members of the congregation prayed, thanked and danced to celebrate Jesus Christ's victory over death. At the St Cyprian's Anglican Church, members of the church, who were mostly clad in white, prayed for the leadership of the church and also for the nation to come out of the current economic challenges. Delivering the sermon on the theme "Rise to Jesus Christ to newness of life", the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr Camillus Ababagre, said the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a myth or a story and that if He had not risen, members of the church would not have been able to call themselves Christians. He said "if we want to be true Christians, we must rise up to a new life and put away the old life that is not pleasing God", adding: "We cannot celebrate the moment of the resurrection of Jesus Christ by still living our old lives". Western Region From Sekondi in the Western Region, George Folley reports that clad mostly in white apparel to signify the victory over death by Jesus Christ, worshippers at the Hosanna Methodist Church at Kwei-Kuma sang and danced to the glory of God. In a sermon, the Superintendent Minister in-charge of the church, Rev. Evelyn Oppong Konadu, said the resurrection of Christ was a manifestation of God's love for mankind. She, therefore, urged Ghanaians to use the Easter period for reconciliation, show love to one another and support the needy in society. "The resurrection of Jesus teaches us that we should be deep in Christ. Allow him to teach and direct you and do His bidding, walk his walk, allow His spirit to influence your mind and listen to Him," she told the congregation. She urged Christians to let the resurrection of Jesus Christ serve as a bond of unity and love for one another. Ashanti Region At the St Martin De Porres Catholic Church at Atonsu in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, Emmanuel Baah reports that the Easter Sunday mass attracted a large congregation, who were mostly in white attire. Unlike the usual Sundays, which are characterised by prayers, the mass marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ turned out to be a little different, as singing and dancing dominated the service. The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr Jude Anim, who delivered the sermon, told believers to always bear in mind that Jesus Christ is the future. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Referring to Jeremiah 29:11 in the Bible, he noted that the future of believers was only guaranteed with Gods guidance and protection. Rev. Fr Anim said many were the plans in a persons heart, but it was the Lords purpose that prevailed. Forgiveness He entreated Christians to use the occasion to forgive those who had faulted them, adding that Jesus Christ died for their iniquities. Rev. Anim said forgiveness could be a struggle for most people, but the Bible encouraged all to forgive, and that studies also showed that practicing forgiveness improved ones mental and physical health. The news team also visited the Antoa Anglican Church, at Antoa in the Kwabre East District of the Region, where congregants had converged to observe the Easter Sunday. Also in attendance were the Chairman of the Narcotics Control Commission, J.K. Mensah, and the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, who assured the congregation of the governments resolve to ensure adequate security during and after the Easter festivities. Accra hosts World Book Capital April 24 Joshua Bediako Koomson Apr - 12 - 2023 , 06:30 For the next 12 months, the global attention of education will turn to Ghana for various reading initiatives and activities as Accra hosts this years World Book Capital. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) chose Ghana to host the 2023 World Book Capital, an initiative that focuses on developing the book and creative arts industries. For a whole year, UNESCO and World Book Capital Cities Network will put the spotlight on the power of books and reading as cornerstones of a more inclusive, equitable, peaceful and sustainable society. UNESCO, and the book industry, including writers, authors, and publishers, are upbeat that the Accra World Book Capital, 2023, will reinvigorate and promote the domestic book industry; re-imagine the concept of libraries, promote literacy and instil the culture of reading in the youth. The theme: Reading to connect minds for Social Transformation is in line with UNESCOs mission to build the defences of peace in the minds of men and women. This highlights the importance of books and the culture of reading in changing minds, particularly among the youth, as well as creating new bonds of friendship through reading. Opening ceremony At a press briefing in Accra yesterday ahead of the official opening of the event later this month, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would open the year-long event at the Accra International Conference Centre on April 24, where he would host a wide array of important international personalities at the ceremony. The event is expected to be attended by dignitaries, including members of the diplomatic community in Ghana, UNESCO representatives in the Africa Region and its Paris headquarters, directors and representatives of the United Nations agencies home and abroad, development partners, city mayors from the World Book Capital Network, and personalities from the International Publishers Association (IPA), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), as well as the International Authors Forum (IAF). Background UNESCO selected Accra in 2021 as the 2023 World Book Capital, ahead of other cities because its programmatic focus was on young people and their ability to contribute to the culture and wealth of Ghana through the power of reading. Accra, therefore, becomes the fourth city in Africa to receive this title since 2001, making the vibrant city part of the prestigious World Book Capital Cities Network. Lifelong learners Dr Adutwum stressed the need for schools to inculcate the habit of reading in children at an early age to help create lifelong learners for the country. He explained that if more children began to read and understand by age 10, that would translate into positive learning outcomes which would result in socio-economic transformation. We cant talk about the transformation of the country without bringing to bear the importance of reading. We need to get our children to read for fun and shouldnt see it as something that is required by school, Dr Adutwum said. The minister added: If they see it as something required by school, it means they wont read any longer when they graduate from school and that is not how to create life-long learners. As a country, he said it was important to create a reading culture and get children to improve their perception of society and also create an environment where they could become lifelong learners. The minister believed that literacy was the bridge to the development of prosperity in every nation. Therefore, he said any country which did not create an environment for children to read and understand by age 10 was likely to be poor. Benefits Ernesticia Lartey Asuinura of the Ghana Book Development Council, who is also the Convenor of the Accra World Book Capital, in a statement, said the year-long activities had come to ignite the spirit of reading and its inherent transformation power to positively impact the Ghanaian society. That was important in helping to achieve the national goal of becoming a learning nation, she added. To achieve these shared objectives, there is a need for collective thinking and collaborative working among stakeholders in education and culture spaces, the statement said. The Ghana Book Development Council also urged all stakeholders and participants to ensure that the event lived up to expectation. Private sector partners, corporate organisations, the UN family, foundations, and similar institutions are entreated to support this exciting initiative that seeks to connect minds through books for socio-economic transformation, the statement added. GMet deploys 249 new staff Emelia Ennin Abbey Apr - 12 - 2023 , 08:57 The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has deployed 249 new employees to its district and regional offices across the country to boost national weather and climate services delivery. The number comprises 168 males and 81 females, 120 of the total figure recruited from the 147 were persons who had undertaken the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme with the organisation. The new employees have been engaged as permanent meteorologists, assistant meteorologists, meteorologist technicians, and support services staff. Their engagement brings the total number of staff of the agency to 556. Ahead of their deployment, they were taken through training and orientation to equip them to collect and process data, conduct analysis and weather forecasts, among others. They were deployed at an event in Accra to climax the GMet meteorological awareness creation month commemorating the World Meteorological Day celebrations. The awareness month, which was dubbed: "The Future of Weather, Climate and Water Across Generations, was to highlight the role meteorology plays in the economy, disaster management and early preparedness, and to inform the public of the climate services of the agency. Governments commitment The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said the employment of the 249 staff for GMet attested to the governments commitment to equip the agency to deliver its mandate. She said the acute staffing shortage affected the operations of GMet as a specialised institution. She said the amendment of the GMet establishment Act, Act 682 (2004) to broaden the composition of the GMet Governing Board and set out sustainable sources of funding for the operations of the agency was among government interventions extended to the agency. She said the government had also secured 15 operational vehicles for the agency, procured calibration equipment and installed a message switching system for the organisation. Several other automatic weather stations have been installed with funds from government to expand GMets network of stations across the country, she said. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the ministry would continue to provide the necessary operational support and guidance to ensure that the agency was properly positioned to contribute to climate and weather services delivery. The Board Chairman of GMet, George Amoo, said the importance of meteorology and climate information could not be overemphasised. We need these investments now for a return in the immediate future in sub-sectors where weather services are, particularly, relevant such as agriculture, health, construction, energy, insurance, telecommunication, tourism, aviation, logistics and water availability, he said. Critically important These sectors, he said, were critically important as they contributed to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country, and were highly prone to climate variability and change. The acting Director-General of GMet, Eric Asuman, said over the years, the organisation had had to deal with inadequate staff which at a point led to the close down of a number of stations and offices of the agency in some parts of the country. He said the organisation, which had an ageing staff, had experienced continuous decline in staff strength since 2009, and that the agencys staff strength of 523 in December 2009 had dropped to 322 by December 2021. GOIL apologizes for fuel shortage, blames supply disruptions GraphicOnline Apr - 12 - 2023 , 11:23 GOIL has attributed the recent fuel shortage at some of its stations across Ghana to operational challenges caused by supply disruptions. In a statement, GOIL apologized for the inconvenience caused and said that over two million litres of fuel have been dispatched to stations experiencing the shortages, with over one million litres due to be dispatched today. The company said that it intends to release more stocks to the affected stations in the next two days to augment supplies. "GOIL wishes to acknowledge to the public, especially its valued customers, that there have been shortages of its super XP RON 95 at some of its stations," the statement said. "The shortages which were experienced during the Easter holidays were because of operational challenges occasioned by supply disruptions. "GOIL has meanwhile taken delivery of enough products and has just yesterday, taken adequate steps to dispatch over two million litres to our fuel stations experiencing the shortages. Over two million litres more will be dispatched today." Read the entire statement below; Muslims advised to live above reproach Mohammed Fugu Apr - 12 - 2023 , 07:20 A senior lecturer at the Accra Technical University (ATU), Dr Shani Bashiru, has advised Muslims in the country to live above reproach, especially during the Ramadan period of fasting. He urged them to conduct themselves in line with Islamic doctrines by being one anothers keeper and also behave in a way that would reflect positively in their lives and the nation as a whole. "I urged you, particularly the youth, to always exercise patience and tolerance at all times and refrain from unlawful acts to ensure peaceful co-existence," the lecturer added. He gave the advice in a lecture at the 25th M. A. Mujahid Ramadan Annual Lecture series in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, on the theme: Leveraging Ramadan for spiritual and material development of the Muslim. It was organised by the Ghana Academy Of Muslim Professionals (GAMP), in collaboration with the Ghana Muslims Students Association (GMSA). It was attended by Muslim scholars, students and youth groups, among others. Fasting is a spiritual exercise that helps Muslims to get rid of undesirable habits, while increasing their fortitude and patience. During the month-long fast, Muslims are required to abstain from food and water from sunrise to dusk. It also enables them to empathise with the less fortunate members of society who suffer from hunger due to poverty and keep Satan and his temptations away. To this end, Muslims are required to show kindness and generosity towards the poor by way of giving out food and alms. They are also expected to restrain their anger, exhibit tolerance and promote peace among themselves and their neighbours. Self-control Speaking on the on the topic: Unpacking sabr as a fundamental teaching of fasting in Ramadan, Dr Bashiru also stressed the need for the youth to develop self-control and patience in their dealings and with others. He said Ramadan also promotes righteousness and makes it easier for a seeker to scale spiritual heights by making deliberate effort to increase their consciousness of Allah through the fast. Also ensure that people see the positives of Islam instead of the unfortunate narrative that has been associated with some Muslim youth, the lecturer added. He further charged them to put aside their differences and work collectively to accelerate the development of their respective communities. Introspection The Head Of Dawah and Publication at the Ghana Academy Of Muslim Professionals, Rayhann Shaban, said that Ramadan was a period when Muslims were required to do an introspection to know what went wrong in their lives in the past and endeavour to make amends, while praying for forgiveness and long life. He urged all to use the holy month to pray for the good of the country. According to him, the lecture was in series and would be held across the country UK redlist: Only better conditions of service can halt exodus of health workers - Ghana Registered Nurses Kweku Zurek Apr - 12 - 2023 , 07:38 The red listing of Ghana by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Kingdom (UK) will not halt the ongoing brain drain of health workers, says David Tenkorang, the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA). Mr Tenkorang believes that the UK and other developed countries will continue to recruit health workers from Ghana and other red-listed countries despite the directive. Ghana was included on a list of 54 countries that should not be targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers in the UK due to a UHC Service Coverage Index lower than 50 and a density of doctors, nurses, and midwives below the global median. Mr Tenkorang suggested that the government should provide better conditions of service in Ghana to make healthcare work attractive to nurses and prevent them from fleeing. The directive is much ado about nothing. The WHO came out with global code of practice on the international recruitment of health personnel. UK and most of these countries have virtually ignored that thing. It doesnt stop individuals from applying directly to health centres or hospitals in UK to go and work. And currently that is what is ongoing. So it doesnt solve any problem, Mr Tenkorang said in an interview with Joy FM. What will solve the problem is very simple and Ive made it clear to the government that they need to look at ways and means that they can be intentional about retaining the people, providing better condition of service in Ghana, he suggested. The Ministry of Health has appealed the directive, and discussions on a bilateral agreement with the UK government that will regulate the movement of Ghanaian health workers to the UK are ongoing. The ministry also appealed to WHO to have a review because one, we are in talks with UK government so we have a bilateral agreement. This in a way is going to regulate the migration of our nurses in this country. These are nurses that you cant stop them from going on their own, but when we put the proper measures, like the bilateral agreement that the nurses is confident that Im going on to get a knowledge impact, and I come back to serve my country and they have the opportunity to go and they have the opportunity to come back and work in Ghana its going to solve the issue of nurses leaving without the knowledge of the Ministry or without the knowledge of the health sector, he said. About 3,000 nurses and midwives have left the country last year to seek greener pastures abroad. Nana B petitions Ghana Police for arrest and prosecution of Mahama, Asiedu Nketiah for "treasonable comments" Graphic Online Politics Apr - 12 - 2023 , 13:06 The National Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye alias Nana B, has formally petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to arrest, investigate and prosecute former President John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The petition which comes on the heels of a similar action by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) accuses the two of committing offences conducive to breaches of the peace, and violating the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (ACT 29). Nana B in his petition argues that Mahama and Nketiahs statements are aimed at inciting violence for political gain during the 2024 general elections. He also alleges that the commentary constitutes a veiled threat to overthrow the constitutional process established for conducting general elections in the country. In his opinion, high-stature persons such as former President Mahama and Chairman Nketiah cannot be immune from arrest and investigation. The petition contains videos, audios, publications and other relevant materials in support of the petition. Boakye has called for immediate intervention to save Ghanas democracy and the 4th Republican Constitutional order. Parts of the petition reads: "Former President John Dramani Mahama, without regard to his stature as a statesman, proudly touted across various platforms, the revolutionary root of the NDC and their unparalleled capacity when it comes to unleashing violence for political gain. Further to this, are his comments to the effect that the NDC's approach to the elections of 2024 shall be one of "do or die" and "boot-for-boot". Invariably, this speaks to their unwavering resolve to use fair or foul means to procure electoral advantage regardless of the consequences. When he was asked during a media interview what he meant by 'boot-for- boot' and 'do or die", and whether with the benefit of hindsight, he would want to retract those incendiary comments, John Dramani Mahama insisted that he meant what he said and that he was never going to retract. "On the part of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, he has repeatedly threatened fire and brimstone to ensure the victory of the NDC in the 2024 general elections. He has disclosed that the elections shall be bloody and that his party was willing and ready to sacrifice lives to ensure their victory in 2024. He is on record to have stated unequivocally during his victory speech following his election as the National Chairman of the NDC, on December 18, 2022, that, it was time for members of the NDC to continue the fight to win the second Independence of Ghana, and that, they are prepared to sacrifice everything including their lives for an NDC victory in the 2024 general elections. "Given the influential positions that John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah occupy, the NPP is of the firm conviction that such criminally reckless and treasonable commentary coming from them portends a great danger for the peace and stability of the State, and also have the potential of inciting their supporters to disturb the constitutional order by resorting to some unorthodox and extra-constitutional means of changing a democratically elected government. "It is my submission that this treasonable and incendiary commentary by John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah taken together, constitute a patterned conduct aimed at inciting NDC party lackeys to employ all means including violence so long as electoral victory is assured. It also constitutes a veiled threat to overthrow the constitutional process established for conducting general elections in the country. Indeed, we believe it was such reckless commentary coming from them that recently emboldened one of their own, the NDC Youth Organizer for Suame Constituency in the Ashanti Region to brazenly proclaim that the Youth of the NDC were willing to kill people in order to ensure an NDC victory in 2024 general elections. "On account of the foregoing, I humbly submit that if such vacuous commentary is to be eliminated from our body politic, then high-statured persons such as Former President John Dramani Mahama and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman cannot be immune from arrest and investigations, after all, the principle of equality before the law is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic. "Madam, the offence of offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace that remains on our statute books is to forestall conduct such as the above, that is capable of inciting others to violence and untoward practice, especially considering the influence of the individuals involved. Such utterances ought not be made by any patriotic citizen, much more, a former President and Chairman of the largest opposition party. It is more worrying, that such commentary borders on treason as it threatens the peace and security of the State; and holds in its belly, the capacity to erode all the democratic gains we have made in this Fourth Republic. "Consequently, and given the fact that statute of limitation does not apply to criminal conduct, I pray your esteemed office to immediately arrest, investigate and prosecute Former President John Dramani Mahama and Chairman Asiedu Nketiah for their unbridled and pernicious conducts as aforementioned. Your immediate intervention is required to save our democracy and the Fourth Republican constitutional order. This, I believe, would serve as a caution that any person, regardless of status, can be reached by the long arm of the law, hence must be guided in their commentary". Read the entire petition below; NDC petitions Police to arrest Bryan Acheampong for 'threatening Ghana's security' Kweku Zurek Politics Apr - 12 - 2023 , 06:56 The legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to arrest and prosecute the Member of Parliament for Abetifi and Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong. The NDC accuses Acheampong of making comments that undermine the constitution and threaten Ghana's security during the Easter period at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region. Addressing party supporters at Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, Acheampong declared that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) would never surrender power to the opposition NDC in 2025. The NDC's Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba, claimed that Acheampong's statement is an attack on the constitution and a danger to Ghana's security. After submitting the petition to the Ghana Police Service, Abraham Amaliba told the press that Bryan Acheampong must be arrested immediately. The petition contained audio and video footage of Acheampong's statements, which the NDC believes could be interpreted as the NPP intending to use violence to maintain power in the 2024 general elections. A founding member of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, also criticized Acheampong for suggesting that the ruling party will cling to power at any cost. The NDC has called on the Ghana Police Service to arrest and prosecute Acheampong for his comments, which the party describes as irresponsible and treasonous. However, the New Patriotic Party defended Acheampong's statement in a press release. The NDC's flagbearer hopeful, John Dramani Mahama, assured party delegates in the Akuapem North and South Constituencies that the NDC is undeterred by Acheampong's claim and will not underestimate the role of God in the 2024 elections. Find below the details of the petition: NDC will resist any attempt by NPP to rig the 2024 elections Haruna Yussif Wunpini Politics Apr - 12 - 2023 , 19:17 Former President John Dramani Mahama says any attempt by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rig the 2024 general elections would not be allowed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The NPP should not even think of rigging the elections because the NDC would mark them boot for boot, he said. According to him, the NDC grassroots had been well positioned to protect the ballot boxes very well. Mr Mahama said this when he addressed party executives and delegates in the Abuakwa South, Abuakwa North, Fanteakwa South and Fanteakwa North constituencies in the Eastern Region as part of his three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region. Team Mr Mahama, who is seeking the mandate of NDC delegates to lead the party in the 2024 presidential election, was accompanied by some stalwarts of the party on his tour of the constituencies. They included Professor Joshua Alabi; Former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah and the immediate past National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo. Mr Mahama stated that the NDC had already prepared mentally, physically and psychologically to police the ballot boxes very well. He entreated constituency executives to be resolute and resist any move by the NPP to rig the 2024 general elections. Mr Mahama further noted that the NDC would not countenance any move by the NPP to rig the elections. He urged party members to remain vigilant during the polls. The NPP should not even think of rigging the elections because the NDC would mark them boot for boot, he said. Kia held a groundbreaking ceremony for its dedicated plant for the production of battery-electric purpose-built vehicles (PBV). Kia will invest around one trillion KRW (approximately US$758 million) to secure 99,000 acres of land, with the company planning to start mass-production in the second half of 2025. It plans to produce 150,000 units in the first full year, with the potential to expand in line with future market conditions. The new PBV plant will be built as an eco-friendly plant that applies future innovative manufacturing technologies while minimizing carbon emissions. It will also seek efficiency and intelligence with Hyundai Motor and Kias smart factory brand E-FOREST technologies such as digital manufacturing systems. One of the manufacturing processes to be implemented at the new PBV plant is known as the cellular (or cell) method, which allows vehicle production based on diverse customer demands. The cell method is a process layout strategy that groups together machines or workstations that are used to produce similar products or parts. The goal of the cell method is to create a more efficient and flexible manufacturing process by reducing the distance that materials and products need to travel during production. Under the cell method, machines are arranged in a way that optimizes the flow of materials and products between workstations, with the aim of minimizing downtime, reducing costs and increasing productivity. The PBV plants cutting-edge manufacturing system unifies the new cell method with the original mass-production conveyor system to allow flexible production with more customization of various product types. In addition, the PBV plant will be built as a low-carbon factory by operating a dry booth, a nature-friendly construction method, during the painting process of vehicle manufacturing, and reducing carbon emissions by about 20% compared to existing factories by utilizing natural light and streamlining the manufacturing process. Kia will also apply innovative technologies such as automation of facilities using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), automation of painting quality inspection under the vehicle, automation of installation of parts such as glass, vehicle name, and company logo, and real-time automatic measurement quality data analysis to autonomously correct and install the vehicle body in real time. The new facility will be a human-friendly plant by pushing automation in heavy-duty work and tasks that require looking up at the ceiling, while enhancing the feeling of openness and also reducing noise levels. First battery electric PBV production set for 2025. Kia plans to show SW (project name), the first model in the companys dedicated PBV lineup, in 2025. The model will be a mid-sized PBV and will be based on the eS platform, a dedicated skateboard platform for battery electric PBVs, enabling various types of vehicle bodies to be flexibly combined. SW has been developed to respond to various business demands such as delivery, ride hailing, and business-to-business (B2B) transactions and features excellent load structure and spacious indoor space that reaches the height of an adult. After launching the mid-sized SW PBV, Kia plans to expand its product lineup to large-sized PBVs that can be used for logistics, fresh food delivery, multi-seat shuttles, and mobile offices and stores as well as small-sized PBVs and mid-sized robotaxis applied with autonomous driving technology. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Hyundai Motor Group also outlined its aim to become one of the worlds top three EV manufacturers by 2030 through the combined sales of Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis electric models. (Earlier post.) NEW YORK (AP) Electronic cigarette-maker Juul Labs Inc. will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia, marking the largest settlement the company has reached so far for its role in the youth vaping surge, the attorneys general in several states announced Wednesday. The agreement with New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Washington, D.C. is the latest in a string of recent legal agreements Juul has reached to settle lawsuits related to the way it marketed addictive nicotine products. Critics said Juul was trying to lure children too young to smoke. Like some other settlements reached by Juul, this latest includes restrictions on the marketing and distribution of the companys vaping products. For example, it is barred from any direct or indirect marketing that targets youth, which includes anyone under age 35. Juul will also limit the amount of purchases customers can make in retail stores and online. Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that its harmless, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused. A spokesperson for Juul said with Wednesdays settlement, the Washington D.C.-based company was nearing total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future. The spokesperson added that underage use of Juul products has declined by 95% since 2019 based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey. According to the CDC though, since surveys were administered online instead of on school campuses during the pandemic, the results cannot be compared to prior years. Juul rocketed to the top of the U.S. vaping market about five years ago with the popularity of flavors like mango, mint and creme brulee. But the startups rise was fueled by use among teenagers, some of whom became hooked on Juuls high-nicotine pods. Parents, school administrators and politicians have largely blamed the company for a surge in underage vaping. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a statement that Juul knew how addictive and dangerous its products were and actively tried to cover up that medical truth. In September, Juul agreed to pay nearly $440 million over a period of six to 10 years to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products to young people. That settlement amounted to about 25% of Juuls U.S. sales of $1.9 billion in 2021. Three months later, the company said it had secured an equity investment to settle thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes. The vaping company, which has laid off hundreds of employees, recently agreed to pay West Virginia $7.9 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company violated the states Consumer Credit and Protection Act by marketing to underage users, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Monday. Last month, the company paid Chicago $23.8 million to settle a lawsuit. Minnesota's case against Juul went to trial last month with the state's Attorney General Keith Ellison asserting that the company baited, deceived and addicted a whole new generation of kids" as youth cigarette smoking rates fell. National Public Radio is quitting Twitter after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped NPR's account with labels the news organization says are intended to undermine its credibility. Twitter labeled NPR's main account last week as state-affiliated media, " a term also used to identify media outlets controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments, such as Russia and China. Twitter later changed the label to government-funded media, but to NPR which relies on the government for a tiny fraction of its funding its still misleading. NPR said in a statement Wednesday that it will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent. Defund @NPR, was Musk's tweeted response. His latest tiff with a news organization reflects a gamble for the social media platform he bought last year. Twitter, more than any of its rivals, has said its users come to it to keep track of current events. That made it an attractive place for news outlets to share their stories and reinforced Twitters moves to combat the spread of misinformation. But Musk has long expressed disdain for professional journalists and said he wants to elevate the views and expertise of the average citizen." The Public Broadcasting Service said Wednesday it has also stopped tweeting from its main account and that the public TV organization has no plans to resume because Twitters simplistic label leaves the inaccurate impression that PBS is wholly funded by the federal government." Media analysts say growing friction between Twitter and news organizations since Musk bought the platform is bad for Twitter, and bad for the public. "Its a shame to have proceeded in a direction where, intentionally or otherwise, Twitter is categorizing Russian propaganda outlets in a similar way to very legitimate news sources that get a very modest amount of funding from the U.S. government, said Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. This is just the latest example of Musk tangling with mainstream news organizations. He abruptly suspended the accounts of individual journalists who wrote about Twitter late last year, claiming some were trying to reveal his location. Twitter earlier in April removed the verification check mark on the main account of The New York Times, singling out the newspaper and disparaging its reporting after it said it would not pay Twitter for verification of its institutional accounts. Twitter used to tag journalists and other high-profile accounts with blue check marks to verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors. But Musk has derided the marks as an undeserved status symbol and plans to take them away from anyone not buying a premium subscription. Those cost as little as $8 a month for individuals and a minimum of $1,000 a month for organizations. Barrett said Musk appears to be intent on insulting and antagonizing individuals and organizations that he considers to be too liberal for his taste. But by driving away legitimate news outlets, Twitter is only harming itself, he said. The drift is in an unfortunate direction," Barrett said. You want to encourage sources of reliable, well-reported news to be present and prolific on your platform. NPRs main account, which joined Twitter in 2007, had not tweeted since April 4. On Wednesday, it sent a series of tweets listing other places to find its journalism. NPR spokesperson Isabel Lara said its journalists, employees and member stations can decide on their own if they want to keep using the platform. NPR journalists have not been given the government-funded label, at least not yet. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company has said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. Much of its funding comes from sponsorships and dues from its member stations around the U.S., which in turn get revenue from a range of funders including public institutions, corporate donors and listeners. Twitters new labels have often appeared arbitrarily assigned. For example, Twitter hasn't added the government-funded label for many other public broadcasting organizations, such as those in Canada and Australia. It also has changed some labels without explanation, such as when it removed a United Arab Emirates state-affiliated media tag from the profile of Abu Dhabis The National newspaper earlier this year. In an interview Tuesday with a BBC technology reporter at Twitters San Francisco headquarters, Musk acknowledged that the British organization is not thrilled about the label it received and asked the reporter for feedback. Our goal was simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible, Musk said. So I think were adjusting the label to be publicly funded,' which I think is perhaps not too objectionable. Were trying to be accurate. The BBC said Wednesday it would welcome being described as publicly funded instead of government-funded. Hours later, BBC got its publicly funded media label, but not NPR or PBS. The literary organization PEN America said news organizations are making understandable responses to Twitters unpredictable and capricious policy decisions but the loss to consumers will be significant. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Musks approach to managing Twitter has come at the expense of information integrity and user trust, and it has only made it harder for users to sift through the maelstrom of online content to find what is credible. ___ AP Writers David Bauder and Kelvin Chan contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PHOENIX (AP) A woman believed to be one of the 20 wives of a polygamous sect leader jailed in Arizona faces federal charges for allegedly sending threatening emails to child welfare workers in a bid to get her two daughters released from state foster care. The indictment of Josephine Barlow Bistline marks the fourth woman associated with self-declared prophet Samuel Bateman to face federal charges. Three of Batemans wives were previously charged with kidnapping and impeding a foreseeable prosecution after eight girls associated with the sect fled from foster care. Authorities say Bistline told a case manager with the Arizona Department of Child Safety in a March 24 email that she would be sent to prison, where she would live on a ventilator and people would have to help her breathe and clean up after her. According to a criminal complaint filed against her, Bistline told the case manager: And, you know, I wouldnt mind helping with that too. Because I love you. But you have gone too far. Bistline has pleaded not guilty to charges of cyberstalking and interstate communications involving a threat. A judge ordered that she be jailed until trial. She was charged in late March. Mark Paige, an attorney representing Bistline, did not immediately return a call Wednesday seeking comment. Bateman and his followers practice polygamy, a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mainstream faith, known widely as the Mormon church, abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it. Bateman, 46, lived in Colorado City, Arizona, an isolated community along the Utah border where polygamy was long practiced openly. He was first arrested in August when someone spotted small fingers in the gap of a trailer he was hauling through Flagstaff, Arizona. Police found three girls, between 11 and 14, in a makeshift room in the unventilated trailer. Bateman posted bond but was arrested again in September and charged with obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activity. He is alleged to have taken more than 20 wives, including underage girls, though he does not face any charges directly related to that accusation. Bateman has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges including child abuse, obstructing a federal investigation and aiding in kidnapping. Authorities removed nine children from Batemans home and placed them in foster care. But eight of the children later escaped, and the FBI alleged that the three wives played a part in getting them out of Arizona. The women have pleaded not guilty. The girls two of whom are Bistline's daughters were found hundreds of miles away in Spokane, Washington. They remain in foster care. In another email, Bistline declared that Bateman was innocent and said a case worker was siding with Judas Iscariot, the biblical figure known for betraying Jesus Christ and later killing himself. According to the criminal complaint, Bistline wrote, You will be among them, unless you repent, and confess you have done the wrong dam (sic) thing, and fix it. Bistline's trial is scheduled for May 23, 2024. Bateman and his three wives are scheduled for trial on March 5, 2024. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DARIEN Eyewear retailer Warby Parker is expanding again in Connecticut, nearly five years after opening its first store in the state. Its latest store is set to open Saturday, at 122 Heights Road, in the new Darien Commons mixed-use development, which stands across the road from the Noroton Heights Metro-North Railroad station. The new establishment will take 1,834 square feet in a storefront next to a Sweetgreen restaurant. Warby Parker is thrilled to continue expanding its retail presence in Connecticut with its fifth store in the state, the company said in a written statement. Our new location will help make it more convenient for Darien customers to access affordable, holistic vision care. In another statement, the company said the new store is special for us as were opening in the hometown of one of our Pupils Project partners, Chloe Sevigny. Sevigny, a Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor, is one of several celebrities who have created frames with Warby Parker to support Pupils Project, which helps provide free vision screenings, eye exams and glasses to kids in New York City and Baltimore. In addition, company officials noted that exclusively at our Darien Commons location, youll find colorful custom store artwork by Connecticut native Monique Aimee. The new store will open with seven employees, but it is hiring for additional positions. Warby Parker started in 2010 as an online-only company, but it has steadily grown its store network since opening its first showroom in 2013 in Manhattans SoHo neighborhood. The opening in 2018 of a store on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich marked Warby Parker's first store in Connecticut. The company subsequently opened stores at The SoNo Collection in Norwalk, Westfarms Mall on the Farmington-West Hartford line and The Shops at Yale in New Haven. In total, Warby Parker has more than 200 stores across the U.S. and Canada. We know we have lots of customers from Connecticut because we ship a lot of glasses to homes in Connecticut, Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Neil Blumenthal said in an interview in 2018. Its a state thats embraced us as a brand. The companys name refer to two characters Warby Pepper and Zagg Parker who appear in a journal by author Jack Kerouac, who inspired the firms founders, as he spurred a generation to take the road less traveled, according to the companys website. Numerous arrivals at Darien Commons For Darien Commons whose developer is North Bethesda, Md.-based Federal Realty Investment Trust the arrival of Warby Parker shows its appeal to businesses across a number of industries. Existing tenants include Choice Pet, Equinox, OVME, Solidcore, Sweetgreen and Walgreens. Warby Parker is a well-known brand with high demand providing an essential service for the community, Stuart Biel, senior vice president of regional leasing for Federal Realty, said in a statement. We expect it to be a welcome offering for Darien Commons residents as well as drive interest and foot traffic from the community alongside some of the other first-to-market retailers and restaurants set to open. Naya and Van Leeuwen chains that, respectively, serve Middle Eastern food and ice cream are also scheduled to open in the next month. Other tenants at Darien Commons that have signed leases and plan to open in the near future include Chip City, Gregorys Coffee, Hammer & Nails, Molto, One Medical, Salt + Sweat, Seamores and Sur La Table. When completed, Darien Commons will comprise more than 110,000 square feet of retail and 122 apartments, according to Federal Realtys website. Samsung released a major camera-improving update for the Galaxy S23 series in South Korea last month, which was later rolled out in Europe and India. Now the update is seeding in the US for carrier-locked and unlocked models of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Galaxy S23 (left), Galaxy S23+ (center), and Galaxy S23 Ultra (right) The update comes with firmware version S91xUSQU1AWC8 for the carrier-locked units and S91xU1UEU1AWC8 for the unlocked models. It brings the April 2023 Android security patch to the Galaxy S23 trio along with all the camera improvements and fixes Samsung previously detailed. You can check the image below to know more about the update. Samsung Galaxy S23 series' camera-improving update changelog (machine translated from Korean) If you live in the US and are yet to receive the update on your Galaxy S23/S23+/S23 Ultra, you can check for it manually by navigating to its Settings > Software update menu. Via The District Court of Mannheim, Germany has ruled in favor of Nokia in a patent case against vivo. The lawsuit concerns a Nokia 4G standard-essential patent (SEP) and could see vivo forced out of the German market. Nokia previously won cases against Oppo and OnePlus over the same SEPs which resulted in a ban on the sale of Oppo and OnePlus devices in Germany. vivo issued an official statement confirming it is still negotiating a renewal of the patent licensing agreement with Nokia, but is ready to suspend sales and marketing of affected products should the court order it to do so. The company is also ready to appeal the court decision and has reiterated its long-term commitment to the German market. For now vivo's operations outside Germany aren't affected, but if the company loses the appeal and is unable to reach an agreement with Nokia its presence in the entire EU might be at risk. The official statement also includes comments on Nokias lack of offering fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms on negotiating a deal. For now you can still purchase vivo products via official channels and third-party resellers in Germany. Source (in German) A proposal to reign in the powers held by the governor of Guam during a public health emergency saw support and some opposition during a hearing at the Guam Legislature. Dr. Hoa Nguyen, chair of the governors physician advisory through much of the COVID-19 pandemic, supported curtailing Adelups power. Meanwhile, former chief of police Fred Bordallo Jr. said the governor needs to be able to respond quickly in an emergency. Introduced by Sen. Chris Duenas, an opponent of the administrations handling of the pandemic, Bill 7 would cut back on the broad powers granted to the islands chief executive during situations like the nearly three-year emergency that ended this January. Much of that power was laid out by the Legislature back in 2003. Bill 7 would bar practices seen during the recent pandemic, like the application of criminal charges to those who violate quarantine orders and prohibitions against assembly on residential property. It would also require GovGuam to compensate the owners of any seized property within 30 days, and for the Legislature to authorize any extensions of a public health emergency every 30 days. Duenas said that during the pandemic, there were glaring things, that many saw, were not handled properly. This bill will fix that and give an opportunity to return the balance of power to this legislature working in coordination with the chief executive. Nguyen said clinics were ordered to service patients who couldnt pay without charge during the pandemic, and only received a grant from the government that would last about six months. Though medical staff would always help out, we are not a government entity. It costs a lot, he said. His clinic, American Medical Center, was allowed to bill the Department of Public Health and Social Services for any patients seen, but only received about $20,000 out of $600,000 worth of billing. Nguyen said they were informed it was a civic duty. Im a refugee. I come from a communist country. I believe freedom and liberty are supposed to be with the people, Nguyen said. What he just described to you, said Chalan Pago resident Bistra Mendiola, is what we call in any communist country, which I was born and raised in many years ago. collectivization of private property. Mendiola, originally from Bulgaria, said limiting executive power was a matter of principle. Im not here to bash past actions. But Im here to remind ourselves that any abuse of power happens simply because of that power has been given. And unfortunately, that power was given to the governor, she said. Life and death Former police chief Bordallo said that there are a lot of tough questions that have to be asked when disaster strikes, because its a matter of life and death, minutes, hours, days are very vital in these the initial portion of an emergency response. He was opposed to Bill 7, and said the governor needs to exercise power quickly. In the process of saving lives, sometimes I might be stepping on toes and might be violating some constitutional rights, but whether rights were violated could already be determined by the courts, he said. Quarantine orders issued during the COVID pandemic were upheld by the Supreme Court of Guam during the last term. For the Legislature to give any of its power to the governor would be anathema, Sen. Tom Fisher said, in response to Bordallo. Were co-equal, and were not going to give up any of our power to the legislature, that would be inappropriate, he said. Sen. Joanne Brown said that the odds of this bill passing are fairly good, but the real question was whether it could overcome a veto from the governor. Leon Guerrero vetoed an attempt to have lawmakers approve extensions of the public health emergency last term. Senators failed to get the 10 votes needed to override her veto three times. But sentiments have shifted in the 37th Guam Legislature, with a coalition of three Democrat and six Republican senators often at odds with Adelup. Time is running out on the militarys offer to lease Eagles Field to the government of Guam for a new medical campus, but the governors office has not been working with the attorney general to address his concerns about the lease. A long-term lease negotiated with the Navy must be signed by the governor by Friday, otherwise the Navy reserves the right to cancel the deal and use the 112-acre Mangilao site for other military purposes. The lease calls for an initial period of 50 years, with an option to extend 25 years. Attorney General Douglas Moylan, whose office reviewed the lease last month, declined to sign off on it, stating there are legal problems that would make the lease unenforceable. His office did not participate in the monthslong lease negotiations between the administration and the military. The governors office during the past couple of weeks has reported it is reviewing the attorney generals concerns, but it has not provided an update on what will happen next. At this point, the governor has not asked for anything from the AGs office, Moylan said Wednesday. Im ready to help the governor in any way that she needs in order to draft a contract that can get my signature on it. Navy Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, during a March 30 interview on K-57, said the military normally allows only 14 days for a lease to be signed, but he asked the Navy to give Guam 30 days. Nicholson is commander of Joint Region Marianas. I understood how controversial sometimes things can be, and sometimes how emotional some of these things can be, Nicholson said. I knew that we needed to do that for the people of Guam to give the Legislature, to give the governor, to give the attorney general the time to do the things that they needed to do. Anybody that buys any piece of property when the offers are made theres a time expiration before you have to sign the offer. That is how real estate works, Nicholson said. If GovGuam decides not to sign the lease at all, we will repurpose that area for other military uses, Nicholson said during a press conference on March 16, the day after the lease was presented to the governor. It would likely be a housing area, but thats not for sure, Nicholson said. Thats kind of my first guess, just based on where the land is. It is flat land, its along a road, it is close to the Barrigada barracks where were gonna have some of the missile defense It might be a really good place for use to put a nice housing area into. A Guam law from October 2021 allows the governor to sign a contract to finance, design and build a new government health care center, which will include a new Guam Memorial Hospital and new facilities for the Department of Public Health and Social Services and the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center. The law authorizes up to $35 million per year in lease payments, for up to 40 years. Moylan on Wednesday said the funding approved by lawmakers in that law applies only to a medical campus which would be built on GovGuam property, not on property leased from the military. That means additional legislative approval is required for the Eagles Field lease, he said. The governor does have the authority to provide health services, but in the context of what shes attempting to do, she needs the Legislature in order to pass the appropriation, Moylan said. The intent of the Legislature to provide the appropriation (for the medical campus) was not the type of contract the governor is trying to enter into. Normally what you would have is the governor sending over proposed legislation, and public hearings will be conducted, Moylan said. Experts will be called in to help senators understand, and then they approve it or dont approve it. In this case, the governor was sidestepping the legislative process. The military requires payment for the use of its property, based on fair market value, but the proposed Eagles Field lease would allow GovGuam to offset those payments, and get the property for free each year, by building a hospital that provides specific medical services which are important to military personnel and their families. The lease also would require the medical campus to have a landing pad for military medical airlifts. Moylan said, even if the governor had asked lawmakers to fund the Eagles Field lease, its unclear lawmakers would agree to a deal that would give the federal government ownership of the new hospital and medical campus at the end of the lease. This is not a normal type of (agreement) where GovGuam gets the full benefit of it, Moylan said. Its a joint-use agreement, so the senators have to make that decision. Do they want to give one penny towards this type of use of this property . understanding that at the end of the 50-to-75-year period, (the property) is going to go to the federal government? (The federal government is) going to own the facility, and all the money that Guam taxpayers have paid will no longer have equity because theyre going to have to find another hospital. Thousands of plastic folding chairs and tables that have been delivered to 19 mayors offices were donated by a private company, although some mayors were originally told the furniture was purchased by Guam Visitors Bureau. While GVB officials said they didnt buy the furniture, the bureau did give $5,000 to $20,000 to five villages at the request of the mayors for fiestas. Mayors Council of Guam President Jesse Alig and Vice President Robert Hofmann said mayors are thankful for the donations, although they were told as early as last year that the new chairs and tables came from GVB. Council Executive Director Angel Sablan said there may have been some miscommunication about the source of the items. They are donations from the vendor, Hao Lin Ju Wholesale, Sablan said on Tuesday night via a phone call from the states. Some mayors showed a prior text message from Sablan, addressed to the MCOG family, stating that the tables being delivered are part of the GVB order of chairs and tables. After a media inquiry with mayors and GVB this week, Sablan told the mayors that the donations were from the vendor. GVB also issued a statement about the furniture. GVB did not order any tables and chairs and neither did GVB President & CEO (Carl) Gutierrez. To assist with the Guam Island Fiesta Tour (GIFT) program, the tables and chairs were a donation from Hao Lin Ju Wholesale who endorsed the program for GVB functions in the villages. Deliveries of the donated items have already been completed, GVB told Pacific Daily News. More donations to come Hao Lin Ju Wholesale in Dededo, through manager Lifang Zheng, said the company donated the chairs and tables to mayors. The vendor said 100 chairs went to each village last year, and mayors confirmed receiving those black plastic folding chairs. On Monday, the vendor started delivering 25 folding tables to each village. Some villages have yet to get theirs. The tables are each 5 feet long. The vendor said there are plans to donate more chairs to the villages. Idea last year Sablan said the idea about the donations came about during a tourism-related party hosted by Gutierrez last year. In that event, he said, GVB talked about the revival of the Guam Island Fiesta Tour and what mayors may need to help make the program succeed. Only a few mayors were there, he said. Sablan said the owner of Hao Lin Ju Wholesale, George Su or Guo Quan Su, offered to help with tables and chairs. Because the vendor had the chairs at the time, the company was able to deliver the chairs in December, Sablan said. Thankful The village of Mangilao is grateful for these donations. The chairs, they are durable, helped us with our Mes CHamoru, our night market, the funerals, and other events, said Mangilao Mayor Allan Ungacta who, like other mayors, initially thought the donations were from GVB, only to learn this week they are from Hao Lin Ju Wholesale. Thank you to the vendor. Youre helping us mayors with these donations. Hofmann, mayor of Sinajana, said the village is thankful for the tables and chairs because they support our activities and events for the community. He said this is a great move and an investment. Other mayors interviewed, including those of Tamuning and Asan-Maina, echoed this sentiment, thanking Hao Lin Ju for the generous donation. Mayors offices provide not only portable tables and chairs for community events, but also lend these items to families who request them for funerals and wakes, birthday parties, weddings and other personal family events. Questions were posed to the Office of Public Accountability on Wednesday about whether these donations by a vendor raised government procurement concerns. In 2021, business was banned from competing for GovGuam contracts for one year after OPA found it improperly allowed the governors office to use a Tamuning building rent-free as a site to process war claims. As of Wednesday evening, no response had been received. Mayors request Last year, GVB relaunched the Guam Island Fiesta Tour, hoping to give tourists and residents the opportunity to visit the homes of local families during village fiestas, among other things, as part of tourism recovery-related efforts. The fiesta tour is part of GVBs goal of providing a unique CHamoru cultural experience to visitors. GVB said it gave the following amounts to villages, as requested by their village mayors: Yigo, $20,000 Dededo, $15,000 Agana Heights, $5,000 Yona, $5,000 Humatak, $5,000 Dededo, for example, hosted in October a village fiesta at Lencho Park, drawing hundreds of individuals to partake in the food spread, live music and dance performances, coconut leaf weaving and kiddie barrel rides, among other things. About half of Guam Visitors Bureaus employees signed a letter of support for GVB President Carl Gutierrez ahead of the GVB board of directors meeting Thursday that includes an evaluation of Gutierrezs performance. This is Gutierrezs first performance evaluation by the board, as required by law. He has not been evaluated since his appointment in mid-2020. The performance review of the GVB general manager, or the president, is supposed to be done six months after the appointment and every year after that. The letter of support for Gutierrez is addressed to the GVB board, and contains the names and signatures of at least 24 GVB staff members who said "employee morale, productivity and engagement have never been higher than it has been under Mr. Gutierrezs leadership." As of press time, it was not known whether more signed on to the support letter. GVB's first quarter fiscal 2023 staffing pattern shows the bureau has 50 personnel, including Gutierrez, who served as Guam governor for two terms, and Vice President Gerry Perez. Based on the published agenda for the Thursday meeting, the GVB board will not only act on a resolution pertaining to Gutierrezs performance, but also that of legal counsel Joe McDonald. Other items on the agenda are the implementation of standard procedures for board meetings, a roadmap of necessities, and the law that created GVB and its bylaws, which have been a point of contention between Gutierrez and the board for more than a year now. Humatak Mayor Johnny Quinata also wrote a March 30 letter expressing his support and gratitude for Gutierrez. "As a mayor of one of the smaller villages on Guam, Humatak is not always prioritized when it comes to other government agencies. I am very appreciative of the amount of support our community has received from GVB under Governor Gutierrezs leadership," Quinata wrote. GVB business development/policy analyst Mike Brown also wrote an April 3 letter supporting Gutierrez, saying the bureau is fortunate to have someone like Gutierrez leading it because he "knows almost every player in our part of the world and who every player genuinely likes." "And we have someone who is willing to be away from his family for extended periods in order to help his home," Brown wrote. Gutierrez has been on several off-island trips since becoming general manager, and brought mayors and senators with him on some of those trips. It was unknown how much weight letters of support will carry in the board evaluation. Gutierrez, during an April 6 legislative oversight hearing on GVB, also apprised senators of his performance since he was appointed in July 2020. His remarks during that hearing were very similar to the written evaluations provided by employees. He and the employees said the GVB president confronted a 98% drop in arrivals because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but secured other funds to enable the bureau to function and arranged the refinancing of a hotel occupancy tax bond that generated more than $13 million. At the height of the pandemic, when arrivals were few and far between, Gutierrez said he redirected GVB marketing assets to encourage residents to follow COVID-19 health and safety protocols, promote the COVID Alert app, and conducted the Vax 'n Win contest, helping to meet the 80% vaccination goal in 2021. Gutierrez and the employees said GVB under Gutierrez instituted and patented Air V&V, which attracted 2,300 visitors from Taiwan alone and an unknown number of visitors, including American ex-pats, who came to get their COVID-19 shots while vacationing on Guam. GVB earmarked about $1 million for Air V&V. Since early 2022, Gutierrez has been having a rocky relationship with GVB board directors, whom he accused of not following the Open Government Act, government procurement laws, ethics and the statute that created GVB, among other things. Meanwhile, Guams tourism recovery remains sluggish three years after the pandemic started. GVB management posted a summary that Gutierrez wrote about the investigation findings of a committee that he's a member of, involving alleged conflicts of interest between former GVB board directors and a GVB vendor. He also raised concerns about the ability of new and current GVB board directors in correcting or recovering unlawful expenditures. There are currently nine GVB directors. A minimum of eight is required for a quorum. Three others await legislative confirmation, including the appointment of Mayor Robert Hofmann. At least five directors from the previous board, which Gutierrez accused of wrongdoing, are either back on the board or remain on the board. The board, now led by Chairman George Chiu and Joaquin Cook as vice chairman, is also set to select committee chairs. Ron McNinch is a longstanding member of the Guam community and frequently gives his opinion on a wide range of topics. Haiti - Education : Towards the transformation of the Haitian education system The Ministry of National Education with the support of its partners, in particular the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is organizing this week in Karibe Hotel, a five-day workshop https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39280-haiti-news-zapping.html on the transformation of the education system through curriculum reform. Inaugurating the opening works, the Minister of Education Nesmy Manigat drew attention to the need to focus on the transformation of education in the country, proving to be one of the emergencies. "The transformation of education is synonymous with the transformation of citizens for a fairer and more equitable society," he stressed. According to Manigat, this exercise, which aims for a common understanding and vision of the curriculum, has five major aspects for the Ministry, which is working for an endogenous curriculum. He quoted with supporting details : science, culture, geography, regional and international recognition of diplomas, but also the adequacy of the curriculum to the needs of the country "I leave these five dimensions to you as food for thought at the course of this workshop while knowing that the curriculum is practically the tool that allows us to understand each other and to measure the efforts of parents in society to send their children to school." For her part, Tatiana Villegas, the representative of UNESCO in Haiti, said she was "convinced that at the end of the work of this workshop, the bases of a solid reflection articulated around the objectives of the national authorities, will be developed and will make it possible to move forward methodically and surely in the implementation of the reform." For his part, Amapola Alama who read the speech for the occasion by Mr. Yao Ydo, Director of the International Bureau of Education, welcomed the holding of this workshop "[...] This approach is at the heart of the strategies for promotion of endogenous curricula, emphasizing 21st century skills for the transformation of education in a rapidly changing global context," asserting "Across the world, curricula are at the center of discussions, because education does not can be transformed only if the curricula are transformed, adapted to the local and global context and also improved." Speaking by video conference Marie Evane Tamagnan, the representative of the IDB underlined the national context which led the MENFP towards this curricular reform. She highlighted the challenges that this action should face and reiterated the IDB's commitment to continue to provide its financial support for the success of this major project. This workshop aims to strengthen the skills of MENFP agents and the various parties involved in the educational chain, in terms of curriculum diagnosis so that they support the production by the International Bureau of Education of the State Report while guaranteeing the alignment with the Curricular Orientation Framework and the relevance of the documents that will be developed or revised during the project. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Crisis : The Central American Parliament demands a rapid, safe and active intervention in Haiti Within the framework of the Ordinary Plenary Assembly, the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), headquartered in Guatemala, approved an initiative that requires a "rapid, safe and active" intervention in Haiti through international organizations such as the Organization of United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Union. An urgent appeal has been made to IOM to address and resolve the serious socio-economic and migratory situation suffered by the Haitian people. The member countries of the Central American Parliament (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic, each with 20 deputies in the Parliament) also demand compliance with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which has was approved by the member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) an agreement signed at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018. The text of the initiative approved by PARLACEN urges the Heads of State and Government members of SICA ([Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama]) to recommend to the United Nations, the increase of the budget or what is necessary in the planning, the execution of the actions intended to generate a climate of socio-economic development, which contribute drastically to the situation of poverty and extreme poverty, factors that influence the decision of thousands of Haitians to take an obligatory migratory route in search of better living conditions." Deputy Ramon Emilio Goris of the Dominican Republic recommended that his country, as a member of SICA, always give priority to diplomatic relations in its immigration policy in order to maintain a good climate of coexistence between the two nations that share the Hispaniola Island. He also called for the urgent intervention of the United States, Canada and the European Union "to provide humanitarian aid, development plans, food security and democracy for the benefit of the Haitian population." S/ HaitiLibre Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Subscribe to our daily NewsLetter Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password or receive our NewsLetter. Stay logged in Lost password Contact Published on 2023/04/11 | Source Actress Kim Hyun-joo was moved by Kwon Na-ra's coffee truck gift. Advertisement Kim Hyun-joo posted photos on her Instagram the 5th with the caption, "What's going on. Kim Beom. How are you? Thank you. Kwon Nara. I'm so thankful but we've never even met. Thank you all". The released photo shows a coffee truck that came to the set of the drama "The Bequeathed". The coffee truck sent by fellow actor Kim Beom contained a photo of supporting actor Ryu Kyung-soo, along with the phrase, "We support all the staff members and Hyun-joo". The coffee truck sent by Kwon Nara included a message supporting the drama and actors, along with a message saying, "Thank you for your hard work". On top of that, Kwon Nara confessed her 'fan heart' for senior Kim Hyun-joo, saying, "I love Kim Hyun-joo". "The Bequeathed" is a story about a series of sinister things that happen when the protagonist inherits the family grave left after the death of her uncle, who had forgotten her existence, and the secrets of her family are revealed. ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. By Sherrie Norris Mark your calendars now for Saturday, April 22, as a great day to help meet the needs of foster children in Watauga County while having a good time doing so. Thanks to the efforts of App States chapter of the Order of Omega Honorary Society, the inaugural 5K for The Kids will take place in Boone from 8 a.m. 10 a.m. at the Greenway, 244 Intramural Field off State Farm Road. Speaking for the society, Vice-president Kasey Clift shared, Order of Omega is an honors and leadership society for members of fraternity and sorority life. We have chosen Watauga County Department of Social Services as our philanthropy partner, and we are so excited to host our first-ever 5K walk/run race for their foster care program. The agency, as a whole, is dedicated to helping citizens (in need) to meet their basic financial and social needs; to providing a safety net for children, the disabled, the elderly, and the poor; to maintaining the integrity of families; and to helping individuals become selfsufficient. We are thrilled that the Order of Omega has reached out to partner with us, said Jessica Hunter, Licensing & Adoptions Social Worker with Watauga County DSS. They have offered to help with fundraising, as well as sharing the need for foster parents in our county. Proceeds from the event, minus the costs of T-shirts and related expenses incurred by the host group, will be donated to DSS to help pay for summer camp for kids in foster care, as well as medical and dental bills not covered by Medicaid, the purchase of car seats, gas for parents to attend visits/appointments, and similar necessities. Hunter added that this is the first year for the partnership between DSS and Order of Omega. According to Sam Lopez, Assistant Director of Campus Activities/Fraternity & Sorority Life, the organization reestablished itself in Fall 2022 to help enhance the leadership experiences within the fraternity and sorority life community. The organization has committed their philanthropic efforts with DSS, specifically working with the foster/adoption system in the future to ensure that AppState and the fraternity and sorority life community are understanding the importance of the work that the DSS does within Watauga County. The Order of Omega plans to volunteer with DSS for future events, providing support through: *Raising donations for the foster care funds to cover items and opportunities that are not normally covered, including summer camp, specialized therapies, equipment not covered by Medicaid, gas for clients, etc. *Volunteers to provide childcare for kids when DSS hosts foster parent nights out or special events/trainings *Volunteers to help set up, participate and break down before and after events; such as annual parties: serving food, helping with games, taking photos, cleanup, etc. * Donations or purchased items on the designated Amazon wish list, (linked on the agencys FB page): https://www.facebook.com/wataugafosteradopt *Putting up signs and sharing the need for foster parents. For the upcoming 5K, early registration was held through the month of March, however, spots are still available for $30 registration fee; T-shirts will be available for purchase at the event for $8. Check-in and registration will be from 8:45 a.m. 9 a.m. Opening ceremonies will kick things off, with the race starting immediately thereafter. Additional donations will be welcomed at the event. For registration and details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5k-for-the-kids-tickets-569855401847 Watauga County is always in need of foster parents, and offers trainings throughout the year, said Hunter. To learn more, visit watgov.org/fosterhelp, visit the agencys Facebook page, call Hunter at 828-265-8100 or email her [email protected]. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket (HedgeCo.Net) The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against New York resident Rashawn Russell. The CFTCs complaint charges Russell with fraudulently soliciting retail investors to invest in a digital asset trading fund and with misappropriating at least $1 million in investor assets. In its continuing litigation against Russell, the CFTC seeks restitution, disgorgement, civil monetary penalties, permanent trading and registration bans, and a permanent injunction against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations, as charged. As todays action demonstrates, the CFTC is unrelenting in holding bad actors accountable and protecting retail investors from fraud in the digital asset space, said Director of Enforcement Ian McGinley. Case Background The complaint alleges that, from approximately November 2020 through July 2022, Russell solicited retail investors to contribute bitcoin, ether, and fiat currency to invest in his purported proprietary digital assets trading fund. Russell guaranteed no losses to investors and, in some instances, a minimum 25 percent return on investment. As alleged in the complaint, Russell intentionally and/or recklessly made false and misleading statements regarding the funds structure, size, and performance; traded little, if any, of the money and digital assets as represented; and, falsely promised to pay withdrawal requests, including falsely promising that he would pay investors in the stablecoin USDC. At least $1 million in investor assets are alleged to have been misappropriated by Russell through his fraudulent scheme and used, among other things, to pay personal expenses, entities associated with gambling activities, and Ponzi-like payments to current investors. Parallel Criminal Action In a sealed indictment returned April 6, and unsealed today, Rashawn Russell was charged with one count of wire fraud in the Eastern District of New York, United States v. Rashawn Russell, Case No. 23-cr-00152 (E.D.N.Y.), for conduct similar to that alleged in the CFTCs complaint. Unfortunately, Brad had to come on a tourist visa because my childrens father (separated for over 2 years and I am awaiting his signature to finalize our divorce) applied for and obtained a partner visa because he could not figure out how to apply as a family to our children when the children were not yet in Finland. As soon as we arrived and found a house to rent a house I am negotiating to purchase and got settled, Brad started looking for a job. The first day he started sending out his c.v., he was offered a position teaching math at Oulus International Baccalaureate program. They were so desperate for a qualified English-speaking math instructor that he would have started the job the next day if he had a residency permit. Instead, Brad applied for a residency permit based on the job he was offered which was part-time to start with the promise of becoming a full-time job. We waited 5 months for a decision. Then Brad got the news: his visa was rejected on financial bases he was ordered to leave the county. We did not realize that there was a minimum income requirement and Brads part-time job offer did not reach this minimum amount. Plus, we had provided information on our family in his application, so we did not expect his application to be rejected for this reason. While shocked, we sprang into action and found an immigration attorney to help us. With his help, we appealed the deportation order and applied for a new visa based on family ties. The administrative court rejected the appeal, and the police told Brad that he had 2 weeks to leave the country or else he faced forcible removal and a travel ban. Immigration told Brad that the new visa may take up to 13 months to process and while he was given paperwork allowing him to stay in the country, the Oulu police said that the deportation order still stands. My family was devastated, shocked and deeply disappointed. I will never forget the 30 minutes the four of us spent in the Police Officers office as he told us through an interpreter that Brad had to leave or be forcibly removed. I will never forget the stunning lack of sympathy he showed when I begged him not to separate our family. Until this experience, I did not realize that countries other than the United States engage in family separation as an immigration policy. This is extremely harmful to the people involved, especially the children. Our family was going to visit Helsinki for a long weekend for my birthday, and instead, Brad was ordered to leave beforehand. So, I faced taking the children alone, feeling Brads absence the whole time. Because Brad left his job and sold his belongings for our move, Brad was going to have to move in with his parents as that is the only home in the United States he had to return to. He would not have a car or job as they are both here in Finland. Instead of spending the summer working on our Finnish language skills and exploring this beautiful country, I expected to board our pets and take the kids to live with Brads parents in the US too. One of my children has special needs and has been having trouble acculturating to Finland. Brad has been taking care of him while I am at work. Instead of spending time with his stepdad, I would either have to start working from home most of the time or spend money I do not have to hire someone to care for him. Brad reads to Jaelle every night to help her fall asleep, and he would not be here to do that. My divorce has been extremely hard on the kids (and me), both financially and psychologically and we were about to lose the man who made us feel safe and loved. This is not the welcome I was expecting from Finland. It cost me nearly a years salary to move my family, our pets, and possessions here and I started to consider leaving. But we love it here. We want to stay here. And both my skills and Brads are both needed in Finland. So instead of giving up, I got to work. I talked to colleagues and one of my college best friends with Finnish citizenship. We brainstormed. I got my employer involved. We emailed immigration, but we had so little time that I did not stop there. Brad and I went to our local Migri center begging for help, but they said they could not override the police. I emailed members of parliament and heads of any government agency that I thought could help us and sought guidance from the various organizations that exist to help immigrants. I even repeatedly begged the Oulu police to stop the deportation. To their credit, every single person or organization I contacted replied to my pleas for help even if they were unable to help me. Eventually, I got lucky. One of the people I emailed (and I am intentionally leaving their identity unknown) read my email and forwarded it to the right person in Migri. After a bit of discussion, this person thankfully rescinded the deportation order. Brad can now stay until his new visa application is processed. It took all of us over a week to calm down. We went on our trip to Helsinki and tried not to think about how hard it would have been to go as a threesome instead of a family of four. I keep telling myself that we are lucky because we are highly skilled workers from a first-world nation and because I had the gumption and communication skills to find help. But the feeling of safety we once had about living in Finland is gone. I hope it comes back someday. By Rosanna Guadagno, Ph.D. Dr. Rosanna Guadagno (Ph.D., Social Psychology) The author is an Associate Professor of Persuasive Information Systems at the University of Oulu. She completed her postdoctoral work at UC Santa Barbara and has previously taught at University of Alabama, University of Texas at Dallas, University of California at Berkeley, and Stanford University. Dr. Guadagno is a former Program Director at the National Science Foundation managing three programs: Social Psychology; the Science of Learning Centers; and Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) and directed the Information Warfare Working Group at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. Her research interests focus on Social Influence and Persuasion and Digital Media. Her work has been published in journals such as: Perspectives on Psychological Science, Psychological Inquiry, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Computers in Human Behavior, Media Psychology, CyberPsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking, and Frontiers in Psychology; covered in the press by: CBS News, The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, The Associated Press, The New Scientist, MSNBC, and Alabama Public Radio. Dr. Guadagnos forthcoming book is entitled Psychological Processes in Social Media: Why We Click. She also serves as the Specialty Chief Editor in Media Psychology for Frontiers in Psychology. YLE on Tuesday revealed that the number of policy makers who hold elected offices on three levels of administration increased from 85 to 104 in the parliamentary elections organised in Finland on 2 April. Another 72 lawmakers hold a seat on a municipal council and four on a county council in addition to their duties in the Parliament. MOST MEMBERS of the Finnish Parliament are serving simultaneously on a county and municipal council. Only 20 Members of the Parliament are thereby only involved in national decision making in the newly started electoral term. Anni Jantti, a university teacher at Tampere University, stated to the public broadcasting company that the increase in lawmakers with such triple duties was to some extent expected given the advantage the election system gives to people with visibility. Over half of the Parliament now has a triple role, meaning the concentration of power is continuing, she said. The share of lawmakers with responsibilities on three levels of administration stands at around 50 per cent for all parliamentary parties. The National Coalition has the lead, with 29 of its 48 lawmakers also involved in decision-making at the county and municipal level. I must say that this is a difficult scheduling exercise. So far its been working, but theres a lot of work, Jukka Kopra (NCP), a lawmaker with a seat on the city council of Lappeenranta and well-being services county council of South Karelia, commented on the difficulty of juggling the three roles to YLE. Kopra stated that parliamentary duties take precedence over other work, adding that he would consider relinquishing his seat on either the county or municipal council were his parliamentary duties to increase due to, for example, a role in the government. Jantti identified a total of four lenses for assessing lawmakers with triple duties: legal questions such as disqualification and incapacity, the concentration of political power and its impact on the transparency of decision making, conflicts of interest, and the time use of policy makers. Miko Bergbom (PS) confirmed to the public broadcaster that he intends to honour his campaign promise of relinquishing his seat on both the county and municipal council if he is elected to the Parliament. He estimated that performing all three roles would be time and resource consuming in a way that would probably undermine the quality of his work in the Parliament. He also perceived possible conflicts of interest in the overlapping roles of a county councillor and Member of Parliament. If you think about the past electoral term, we had ministers with seats on county councils who knew exactly what kind of decisions the government would be sending their way, he said, stopping short of condemning his party comrades should they hold a ministerial portfolio after the coalition formation process. This is my personal view, not that of the [Finns Party]. Everyone can make their decision themselves. Some may be superhumans and feel that they have enough time, but I see it differently. Bergbom, a first-term Member of the Parliament, holds a seat on the municipal council of Sastamala and the well-being services county council of Pirkanmaa. While Jantti does not believe relinquishing a seat on a municipal or local council would permanently damage the reputation of a politician, she added that the situation can be tricky especially for top vote getters. For example, Bergbom, with his over 10,000 votes in the parliamentary elections, could face some pressure from his party to leverage his popularity in upcoming municipal and county elections. Markus Lohi (Centre) told YLE that he has decided to curtail his responsibilities by serving only as an ordinary councillor on the city council or Rovaniemi and well-being services county of Lapland. Lohi also has a seat on the board of Keva, the supervisory board of Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra), the board of trustees for the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela), and the supervisory board of Fennia. Lohi pointed out that being involved at several levels of administration could also enable lawmakers to witness first hand the effects of laws adopted by the Parliament. A change could nonetheless be warranted, he conceded. He said Finland should consider adopting a similar system than Sweden, where lawmakers themselves principally limit the number of elected offices to two at a time. Aleksi Teivainen HT A recent survey conducted by If, a Nordic insurance company, found that mental health challenges are affecting the workability of 40% of Nordic employees. The survey, called the Nordic Health Survey, also revealed that mental health problems are the most common reason for sickness absences and disability in Finland. The study showed that although Finland suffers from a high level of stress compared to other Nordic countries, the impact of mental health issues on workability is not as severe in Finland as in other countries. U.S. 74 may become interstate highway from I-26 to I-85 U.S. 74, from I-26 in Columbus to I-85 in Kings Mountain would become an interstate highway if Congress enacts a bill sponsored by U.S. Reps. Chuck Edwards and Patrick McHenry. Edwards said in a news release Tuesday that he had filed a bill that would designate the four-lane highway as a future interstate. McHenry is an original cosponsor of the legislation. The bill is the first step toward adding US 74 to the interstate highway system. A future-interstate designation would allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation to place corresponding signs along the corridor that runs through Polk, Rutherford, Cleveland and Gaston counties, while the road is brought up to interstate standards. Currently Rutherford County has no interstate within its boundaries. "U.S. 74 is vital to keeping the region and the state running, and Im pleased to sponsor this bill to designate the corridor from Polk County to Gaston County as a future interstate, Edwards said. Having an interstate within county lines significantly increases companies interests in locating to these areas, opening the door to even greater economic opportunities in Western North Carolina. I am proud to join Congressman Chuck Edwards in sponsoring legislation to designate Highway 74 as a future interstate, McHenry said. This action would create potential funding opportunities to improve this highway for my constituents in Cleveland and Rutherford Counties. Highway 74 is vital to existing and future industry in the Tenth District, and this change will help provide enhanced transportation in the region. Boys & Girls Club hires new CEO The Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County announced Tuesday that it has hired a new chief executive officer to lead the growing youth club. The Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Carolyn Ashworth its CEO effective May 8 after conducting a search process with the assistance of Boys & Girls Clubs of Americas CEO Search Team. Most recently, Ashworth served as executive director of the Pollination Project Foundation, a global grantmaking foundation providing seed funding and capacity-building support to grassroots volunteer leaders in 121 countries. Ashworth returns to her roots in serving the children and families of Western North Carolina. She previously worked for the Asheville-based Eliada Foundation, developing programs and funding streams that support high-risk and vulnerable youth. Ashworth served as the director of Community Engagement for Creating a Family, the national adoption and foster care education & support non-profit. In this role, she worked in partnership with social service agencies to improve foster parent recruitment and retention. For me, this is absolutely a dream job," Ashworth said. "Working in the communities I hold most dear, towards the wellbeing of children and teens, is such a privilege. Given the strength and talent of the board and staff of this Club in particular, I could not ask for a better professional home. As CEO, Ashworth will lead the organizations strategic direction, oversight of organizational operations, financials, programming, brand reputation, talent recruitment, resource development and stakeholder relationships. The CEO also serves as the organizations primary ambassador and lead communicator. The CEO reports to the executive committee of the club's board of directors. Established in 1993, the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County aims to inspire and enable young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. The Club provides year-round programs to hundreds of youth annually with an emphasis on academic success, healthy lifestyles and positive personal decisions. To learn more about the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County visit bgchendersonco.org or call 828-693-9444. Meet the young wizard, Ajeet Joshi, an expert in science astrology and a face and palm reader, and the genesis of people looking for answers related to their astrological elements of life. Ajeet strongly believes that Jyotish Vigyaan runs in the roots of Indian culture but fumbles to create positivity around us. The National Fame Awards, which are put on by one of the top branding firms, Brands Impact, were created to honour the hard work, talent, and creativity of people and organizations that have achieved National recognition while establishing standards in society through their persistent grit and zeal in their respective fields and have, as a result, improved standards throughout the country. Ajeet Joshi has received several honours and accolades in astrology from renowned personalities all over the world for his precise forecasts and realistic treatment options. Ajeet obtains fame through participating in social and charitable causes. He recently talked on the TEDx platform about the mobility of celestial objects, their effects on humans, and so on. While the young astrologer is quite known for his educational feats and authentic and logical predictions, Ajeet Joshi is a man who has predicted the personal and professional lives of millions of people, including celebrities in India and around the world. Born into a family of renowned astrologers and fortune tellers in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat, he was introduced to the realm of Vedic astrology at a very young age. Ajeet was always drawn to this branch of esoteric study and thought it was his calling. He opened his astrology centre, Dhanvarsha Jyotish, in Navsari, Gujarat, in 2011, after completing his studies. The initial portion of the voyage was not easy. It was characterized by difficulties and novel encounters that Ajeet was not accustomed to at first. Ajeet saw everything, from struggling to locate consistent customers to going great distances on public transportation to meet some. He continued to pursue his interest in astrology despite never taking his illustrious heritage for granted. According to Ajeet, these challenges made him stronger, wiser, and a leader. Ajeet believes that if positive energy, deeds, and surroundings surround you, there will be fewer or no obstacles in ones life. In his 10 years of experience, Ajeet is delighted and content that his knowledge has enriched the lives of millions of people and will continue to do so. Esha Deol Takhtani, the chief guest and several other television stars made red carpet appearances at the National Fame Awards 2023, which was a lavish celebration. Actor Rohit Bose Roy, actor-turned-producer Aarya Babbar, actors Mukesh Rishi, Vindu Dara Singh, and Rajan Modi, celebrity couple Karanvir Bohraa and Teejay Sidhu, actress and model Payal Rohatgi, actors Sharad Malhotra and Simba Nagpal, actor Sreejita De, and comedian Sunil Pal were some of the deserving recipients of the prestigious awards. The finest performers in the industry were recognized, and a rigorous evaluation based on customer surveys and opinion polls was done to determine the award winners. The 2nd National Fame Awards took place on March 25th, 2023 at The Club in Mumbai and hailed an astounding success. 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. Supporters of several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders protested in Bengaluru on Tuesday as their candidates were denied a ticket in the upcoming assembly election in Karnataka. The BJP released its first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday, fielding chief minister Basavaraj Bommai from Shiggaon assembly constituency and V Somanna from Varuna to fight against leader of opposition and Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah. Anil Benake, a sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, staged a demonstration last evening after he was denied a ticket.(ANI) READ | 'I am hurt': Trouble for BJP before Karnataka polls as ex-CM dissents Other prominent leaders such as B Y Vijayendra were fielded from Shikaripura seat. As the list was announced, several party workers gathered to protest the exclusion of their leaders. Anil Benake, a sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, staged a demonstration last evening after he was denied a ticket. Supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad also protested last night in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over ticket denial. The BJP fielded 53 new faces in their first list, giving Chikka Revanna who joined the party recently, a ticket from the Ramdurg constituency. READ | He ran away because..: Karnataka Congress on KS Eshwarappa's exit Supporters of N R Ramesh, who was eyeing the Jayanagar assembly seat, also expressed displeasure against senior leaders R Ashok and B Y Vijayendra for denying a ticket to him. The BJP is also looking at its first potential rebellion in the poll-bound state after ex-CM Jagadish Shettar conveyed he is hurt after being told he will not be offered a ticket to "make way for others". Karnataka will vote for a new government on May 10, with results to be released May 13. Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls, Rajanandini, the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. The induction of Rajanandini to the BJP took place in the presence of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.(ANI) The induction of Rajanandini to the BJP took place in the presence of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Meanwhile, former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi resigned as a Legislative Council member and from the primary membership of the BJP after he was denied the Athani constituency ticket. "I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone," Savadi said. On the other hand, supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest on Tuesday evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Further, supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over the ticket being denied to him. Chikka Revana who joined the BJP recently got the ticket from the constituency. According to BJP sources, former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar has started showing a rebellious attitude and has been called to Delhi. Shettar's name was excluded in the first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls. Read Here: Karnataka polls: Key electoral contests to watch out for Shettar said that he will meet the party's national president JP Nadda on Wednesday. Addressing mediapersons in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said,"189 candidates' names have been declared. Consensus is there in almost all areas. Some people disagree (with the list) and a discussion will be done with them. I am in constant contact with them. I have spoken to Laxman Savadi (State Vice president) and asked him not to take any hasty decision." BJP declared 189 candidates for Karnataka assembly polls as it sought to strike a balance in terms of representation of various castes and communities while putting up "strong candidates" against senior Congress leaders. Apart from fresh faces, the BJP has also focused on "social engineering" in its first list of candidates, party sources said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will recontest from the Shiggaon constituency. Party sources said the list has 52 fresh faces and 21 sitting MLAs have been dropped. The polling will take place for 224 seats in the state assembly on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. Also Read: Karnataka assembly elections: BJP's first list has 8 women, 52 new faces, 8 social activists With the party seen to have strong support among Lingayats, it has decided to give tickets to 51 members from the community. The list includes 32 candidates from the OBC community, 30 belonging to the Scheduled Castes and 16 to Scheduled Tribes. The list has eight women candidates. It has former IAS and IPS officers, five advocates, nine doctors, three academicians, former government employees and social activists. The list does not have any candidates from the Muslim community. Party sources said that candidates for the remaining 35 seats will be finalised by Wednesday afternoon. Among the prominent candidates declared by the party, BY Vijayendra, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, will contest from the Shikaripura seat. The BJP has fielded Manikanta Rathod, a 28-year-old youth against Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Chittapur. State Minister B Sriramulu will contest from Bellary Rural, State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K from Chikkaballapur and State Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan CN from Malleshwaram seat.State Minister R Ashoka will contest from two seats- Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. He is pitted against Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura. BJP general secretary CT Ravi will contest from Chikmagalur. V Somanna will contest against Congress leader Siddaramaiah from Varuna seat. V Somanna will also contest from Chamarajanagar seat. BJP said that the party has done an elaborate exercise of feedback before deciding the party candidates and expressed confidence in the party returning to power in the southern state.Congress has already declared 166 candidates in two lists. The rift within former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's family over the Hassan ticket for the May 10 Assembly polls widened on Tuesday, with JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy invoking the battle of 'Kurukshetra' in the epic Mahabharata to allege that some 'Shakunis' were trying to brainwash his brother H D Revanna. Both Kumaraswamy and Revanna have since been maintaining that Gowda's word would be final on the Hassan ticket issue. (AP) Speaking to reporters, he said even his father and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda was unable to convince his elder brother Revanna, a former minister, and called it "bad fortune". The Hassan seat has become a major bone of contention, as Revanna's wife Bhavani Revanna, who has thrown her hat in the ring, has not relented despite her brother-in-law Kumaraswamy repeatedly making it clear that she would not be fielded and instead a "loyal party worker" would be made to contest. Bhavani Revanna is a former Hassan zilla panchayat member. She has the backing of her husband as well as their sons Prajwal, who is a member of the Lok Sabha from Hassan, and Suraj Revanna, an MLC. READ | Deve Gowda to start campaigning for JD(S), asserts party would not go near Congress or BJP Kumaraswamy reiterated that his clear stand was that a party worker should be given a ticket in Hassan and that there was no question of any compromise on this. "I had said one-and-half years ago itself that to defeat the BJP candidate in Hassan, a member of our family need not become a candidate. The party has the courage to fight the election by fielding an ordinary party worker from Hassan." Kumaraswamy said, "There are Shakunis (the character in the epic Mahabharata) in Hassan, to ruin the family...Shakunis disturb the mind. Why did the Kurukshetra war happen, it is because of Shakuni's conduct. This is the history of this soil and such things have happened all along in this country." Shakunis were not in the family but were from other parties and they came in the form of those who claim to be "fans and well wishers", he clarified, and said, "The Shakunis from morning till evening have brainwashed (Revanna and family), I know what is going on." In a message directed at his brother and family, the JD(S) legislature party leader said, "If you try to nurture those pretending to be well-wishers of the Deve Gowda family but in reality have an intention to finish it off, what can I do?" Responding to a question about Deve Gowda trying to convince Revanna, he said, "He tried, but Deve Gowda too doesn't have the strength to convince Revanna today. It is our bad fortune, what to do?" With signs of a rift in the family owing to the Hassan ticket issue, Gowda, who has not been actively involved in political activities for some time now due to age-related ailments, recently held discussions with his two sons and Bhavani together, which however failed to break the deadlock. Both Kumaraswamy and Revanna have since been maintaining that Gowda's word would be final on the Hassan ticket issue. Stating that Revanna has not contacted him till now on the subject, Kumaraswamy said, Revanna "somewhere seems to be under a fear on this issue; he has to convince me regarding the grounds for (Bhavani's) contest". "I have said what my stand is a number of times. The ticket should be given to a party worker. For about four-and-a-half months now I have been working for 17 hours a day to bring this party to power independently, without caring about my health. God has to give better sense to those attempting to cause hindrance in achieving the target," he said. Stating that there was no question of prestige or ego between him and Revanna, he said, "I am saying what I am saying based on the ground reality, with an intention that the party should win. If selfishness is more important than the party, I cannot do anything." READ | JD(S) may withdraw its candidature from Nanjangud Hassan is the home district of Deve Gowda, and the party in 2018 Assembly polls had won in six out of seven segments other than the Hassan Assembly seat, which BJP's Preetham Gowda clinched, making it the first ever win for the saffron party in the Vokkaliga dominated district. Meanwhile, Revanna met Deve Gowda in Bengaluru last night. Speaking to reporters in Hassan on Tuesday, he said, "I have said what I have to, to Deve Gowda. Whatever he decides is final, it is left to him. He knows this district's politics for six decades." Refraining from commenting on the 'Shakuni' remarks of his brother and about him not paying heed to their father's advice on the issue, he said, "Deve Gowda is our supreme leader...I have always abided by him and his words in the past and will continue to do so in the future too.....Unnecessary things are going on in the media". He also said he wanted JDS to win all seven seats in Hassan district, and "Kumaranna" (Kumaraswamy) to become CM. As many as 170 outsourced employees hired by a private contractor protested at the municipal corporation (MC) office after receiving pink slips from the newly-hired outsource agency. The newly-hired outsource agency that sacked the employees said they were simply following the Mohali MCs directions. (HT Photo) The outsourced staff was working in varied MC departments, including clerical, fire, sweeping, cremation and burial service, among others. Addressing the issue, the agency official said they were simply following the civic bodys directions. Notably, MC had instructed the agency to follow the reservation policy implemented by the state government. With the current composition not being in accordance with the new roster, which came into effect on Wednesday, the contractual staff were rendered jobless. Mayor blasts govt The orders not only paralysed civic work, but also hit the crematorium and cemetery services, as those who came to bury or cremate the dead faced inconvenience due to the absence of employees. The matter soon also snowballed into a political controversy after mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu accused the ruling AAP of snatching the staffs livelihood from them. Sidhu said he had met the employees and assured them that no one will lose their job. Before coming to power, AAP had promised to generate jobs, but now, its snatching jobs from youngsters who are working on meagre salaries of 10,000 per month, he added. Echoing the sentiment, deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said the AAP government could have avoided imposing the reservation policy, adding, It was only on Tuesday morning that AAP legislator Kulwant Singh conducted a meeting with MC staff and by evening 170 outsourced employees were sacked. However, we will try our best that no one loses their job due to the implementation of the new policy. Left in limbo Speaking of their ordeal, Rajinderpal Singh, an outsourced employee with the fire department said, Last night we received a message that our services have been terminated. There are 48 outsourced employees in the fire department. Our services have been terminated without prior notice. Amanjot Singh, another fire department employee, said the shock came after the staff having worked with full dedication on meagre salaries for the past eight years, We have nowhere else to go. At least those working should have been considered. Addressing the issue, MC commissioner Navjot Kaur said the outsourced employees were working for a private contractor. When asked about sending out the notices, sampark service centre manager Harminder Singh said they were bound by the government guidelines. Elated over the Election Commission of India (ECI) granting national party status to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its Haryana affairs in-charge Sushil Gupta said the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has emerged the new political alternative in the country. Elated over the Election Commission of India (ECI) granting national party status to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its Haryana affairs in-charge Sushil Gupta said that after Delhi and Punjab, AAP will form its government in Haryana, which goes to the polls in 2024. (HT File) He said that after Delhi and Punjab, AAP will form its government in Haryana, which goes to the polls in 2024. Addressing a gathering of party workers and leaders here on Wednesday, Gupta said the public has accepted politics of honesty and hard work, introduced by party chief Arvind Kejriwal, and thus the party has been able to make inroads into every nook and corner of the country. Party leader Anurag Dhanda said AAP is expanding its organisation in the country, and in one month, more than 10 lakh members have joined the party in Haryana. AAP leader and former Lok Sabha MP Ashok Tanwar said people have embraced AAPs ideology and without peoples cooperation, it would have been impossible to achieve this milestone. He said the partys symbol broom will clean the corrupt politics of the country. Tanwar said the work of restructuring the party organisation from booth to Vidhan Sabha level will be carried out soon. The cost to replace faulty water meters will be recovered from residents, the Chandigarh municipal corporation decided during its General House meeting on Tuesday. Around 42,000 water meters in Chandigarh have been lying defective for the past five years. As a result, consumers have been getting a flat bill irrespective of the water consumption. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Around 42,000 water meters in Chandigarh have been lying defective for the past five years. As a result, consumers have been getting a flat bill irrespective of the water consumption. Since March, MC has been issuing notices to consumers to get the meters replaced. As per the civic bodys plan, the consumers will have to pay around 2,000 to cover the cost of the water meter, testing charges and installation. The charge will be recovered from the consumers through their water bills. In case the water meter is not replaced within a month, penalty will be levied. In the proposal, MC said, There are around 42,000 defective water meters of consumers and the water bills are being raised on average reading basis as per the provision of Chandigarh Water Supply Bylaws 2011, which were further amended from time to time. Due to average billing, there is a lot of wastage of drinking water and water revenue is not being realised on actual consumption basis. Now, it will be responsibility of the consumers to get the faulty or defective water meter replaced within one month, otherwise recovery on panel rate will be charged from the consumers. Further, the meter will be replaced by MC and the cost of water meter, in addition to labour charges for disconnection and installation and testing fee, will be recovered from the consumers with the water charges bill. MC officials also said so far, as many as 9,794 notices had been issued to consumers to replace the defective meters, but only 2,386 had responded. Of these, 1,769 meters had been replaced. It is pertinent to mention that in 2000, the civic body had approved a similar agenda, following which Consumers Association Chandigarh had approached the Punjab and Haryana high court. Subsequently, in 2001, the high court had directed MC to install water meters by itself and directed them to refund the cost of the water meter to the consumer through bimonthly bills. A 21-year-old student from Chandigarh University (CU) died and his classmate suffered injuries in a head-on collision between two motorcycles near Chungian on the Kharar-Mohali highway on April 9, police said on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Nishant, a native of Bihar, who was pursuing BCA from Chandigarh University. (Getty images) The deceased was identified as Nishant, a native of Bihar, who was pursuing BCA from CU. Investigating officer (IO) Sanjay Kumar said Nishant and his friend Sonal were riding a motorcycle on the Chungian road around 11.30 pm on April 9, when suddenly another motorcycle coming from the opposite side hit them head-on. The injured friends were rushed to the civil hospital, where Nishant was declared brought dead, while Sonal is undergoing treatment. The other motorcyclist was also injured, but managed to flee the scene. The absconding motorcyclist has been booked under Sections 304-A and 279 of the Indian Penal Code for causing death by rash and reckless driving on the complaint of Nishants cousin Sikander Kumar, the IO said. Efforts are on to nab him. The cyber crime cell has busted a gang that had been duping senior citizens by pretending to help them withdraw their group insurance scheme (GIS) and provident funds money. The accused in the custody of Chandigarh Police. (HT Photo) As many as 20 debit cards, two laptops and three mobile phones have been recovered with the arrest of two gang members Deepak Chandra, 27, of New Ashok Nagar, Delhi, and Raja Kumar, 22, of Bihar. Police said their arrest came on the complaint of Mahesh Chand Gaur, who retired as a Master Warrant Officer from the Indian Air Force and was presently working as a security officer at Nexus Elante Mall. The duo had duped Gaur of 99,880 after contacting him for the withdrawal of his GIS money in July 2022. After he realised he had been cheated, he had lodged a complaint with the cyber crime cell. Following probe, a team led by sub-inspector KD Singh zeroed in on the accused and nabbed them. The accused were produced before a local court on Wednesday and sent to 14-day judicial custody. During interrogation, the duo revealed that they used forged documents to open bank accounts for committing the frauds. On a balmy Friday afternoon, searching for a distraction more than a reprieve while grappling with a deluge of admitted starred Parliament questions, I decided to slip out of office during the golden luncheon hour. Lost in my thoughts, I was disturbed by a chatty policeman chomping on tempting bhel puri, who impromptu decided to deconstruct the finer nuances of the Union budget with me. (HT File) Making my way through the serpentine corridors of Shastri Bhawan, I was greeted by hordes of monkeys, cheerfully sliding up and down the staircases. Stepping out, I craned my neck towards the azure sky and found a flight of pigeons cruising above the majestic Raisina Road. I walked past a pack of well-fed dogs, lounging in the well-manicured lawns of a parliamentarian. Negotiating heavy traffic, I sauntered about the Jantar Mantar Road only to find my meditative state of tranquillity to be shattered by noises of feisty protesters. Long live our democratic ethos, I mumbled to myself. I found a pair of parakeets romancing high up on a branch of an aged neem tree and decided to halt and plant myself on a bench beneath the tree. Lost in my thoughts, I was disturbed by a chatty policeman chomping on tempting bhel puri, who impromptu decided to deconstruct the finer nuances of the Union budget with me. Feigning ignorance on the subject, I excused myself from any discussion. His parting shot, Sardar sahib, life is as sure as death and taxes, channelled the inner philosopher in me. As I trudged along Tolstoy Marg, I was reminded that I still had to finish War and Peace, a project pending and delayed for years. In fact, a resolution, unfulfilled, year after year. But I thank myself for having indulged in Pradeep Kishens meticulous Delhi diary on trees over the years. I identified varieties of trees along the grand boulevards of upscale Lutyens Delhi. I must confess I was smitten and mildly tipsy with fragrances that were stubbornly restrained yet exhilarating. Sipping on a French vanilla cold coffee from Depauls at Janpath, I spied a senior colleague lost in reverie. Quick as a flash, I decided to perform the vanishing act, not to be seen or spotted. I was disheartened to see an old bookstore on the verge of closure. I vividly recall my maternal grandmother indulging me with colouring books and later, novels and comics from this store. Old must give way to new; I told myself and moved on. Hungry and still having time at hand, I made a quick dash to Wengers at Rajiv Chowk and grabbed my favourite shami kebab, chicken patty, a lemon and a chocolate tart for the go. Im greeted by a friend, a cobbler who polishes shoes for a living. Due to paucity of time, Ive never been able to avail his services but we have always exchanged pleasantries and engaging conversations. He is taking his lunch break, too, Free mutton biryani! he announces with glee pasted across his face. Today, he indulges me in a conversation that traverses climate change and the economics of development. Playing the devils advocate, I provoke him about the ambitious developmental agendas. Sustainability, he cogently argues, is the key to human survival. He is a knowledgeable man, I conclude. I share my lemon tart with him, which he happily accepts. My phone buzzes, Minister briefing at 3pm and I chug along. We part ways. The writer is a Delhi-based Indian Economic Service officer and can be reached at filmbuff100@gmail.com The crime branch, Sector 26, has arrested two Haryana natives who had been supplying illegal arms in the city after sourcing them from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. With their arrest, Panchkula police recovered six .32-bore country made pistols, one .315-bore country made katta, seven pistol magazines and nine live cartridges. (Getty images) Identified as Sahil, 21, and Raviraj, 20, both hailing from Hisar, they live in Raipur Rani on rent and work at a factory. With their arrest, police recovered six .32-bore country made pistols, one .315-bore country made katta, seven pistol magazines and nine live cartridges. The accused were arrested following a tip-off. They were spotted riding a motorcycle on Trilokpur Road in Raipur Rani. On noticing the cops, they tried to flee, but police managed to catch them that led to the recovery of illegal arms and ammunition, said a police official. Addressing a press conference, DCP (Law and Order) Nikita Khattar said during preliminary questioning, the accused disclosed that they started selling illegal weapons around one year ago. They bought the weapons from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for 20,000-22,000 and sold them here for 40,000-45,000. She added, Both accused are also facing one assault case each in Hisar. We are working to ascertain their clients. A case under the Arms Act has been registered against the duo at the Raipur Rani police station. They were produced before a court on Wednesday and sent to seven-day police remand. Police have booked a man for trying to strangle his newborn daughter and assaulting his wife at their residence in Ambala Citys Patel Road. Police registered a case under Sections 323 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code at the Ambala City police station on Tuesday. (iStock) The accused was identified as Manoj. His wife, Chanda, said she had two boys and two girls from her first husband, Kashi Nath, who live together in Shalimar Colony. She said her current husband, Manoj, was against having children. They also had a fight over it some months back and she had submitted a police complaint in this regard. She said on March 19, she gave birth to a girl at the local civil hospital, from where she was discharged within a week. On Monday, Manoj again picked a fight with her over the baby. During the altercation, he first slapped her and then tried to strangle their daughter, before slamming her on the bed, she alleged. The newborn was taken to the civil hospital and is stated to be stable. Police registered a case under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Ambala City police station on Tuesday. The panchayat of Bhankharpur village in Dera Bassi has rescued two children who were being thrashed by their mothers boyfriend. The accused Bhagwant Singh, alias Banti, is a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, said Dera Bassi police. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The children, a seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl, were handed over to the police, who took them to hospital and intimated the district child protection officer under the Child Welfare Committee, Mohali. Panchayat members Parvinder Singh Rinka and Sarabjit Singh had first lodged a complaint at Child Helpline 1098. They said the childrens mother was arrested for abetting her husbands suicide a few months ago. After getting released on bail, she started living with her boyfriend, Bhagwant Singh, alias Banti, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, who had been assaulting the children. Dera Bassi ASP Darpan Ahluwalia said, After receiving information from the panchayat, we immediately reached the spot and rescued the children. After medical treatment, the childrens custody was handed over to their maternal uncle and aunt, and criminal proceedings against Bhagwant were initiated. Panchkulas daily Covid-19 cases soared to 128 on Tuesday, a four-fold spike from 32 the day before and highest since January 2022. At 258, Panchkula has the highest number of positive patients, followed by 251 in Mohali and 182 in Chandigarh. (HT File Photo) With Chandigarh and Mohali also logging 41 and 49 cases, respectively, tricitys daily tally breached the 200 mark, a first in over eight months. The fresh infections caused tricitys active cases to rise from 643 to 691. At 258, Panchkula has the highest number of positive patients, followed by 251 in Mohali and 182 in Chandigarh. Majority of these patients are in home isolation. Meanwhile, mock drills to ensure operational readiness for Covid management were conducted in all health facilities in Chandigarh on Monday and Tuesday. According to health authorities, the facility-wise data for mock drill has been collected in the format prescribed by the health ministry and uploaded on the Covid-19 India Portal. Police have arrested two more persons who colluded with the in-charge of Gandhi Smarak Bhawan in Sector 16 for embezzling the centres sponsorship funds and illegally running parallel trusts. FIR was lodged against a total of 15 accused on complaint of Anand Kumar Sharan, secretary of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. (iStock) The arrested duo was identified as Bhupinder Sharma, 51, of Sector 43, Chandigarh, and Naresh Sharma, 49, of Sector 123, Mohali. Police said while Bhupinder was an editor at a local newspaper, Naresh was a yoga instructor. The key accused in the case, Dev Raj Tyagi, the in-charge of Gandhi Smarak Bhawan, was the first to be arrested on January 13, 2023, a day after a cheating case was registered at the Sector-17 police station. The FIR was lodged against a total of 15 accused, including Tyagis kin, on the complaint of Anand Kumar Sharan, secretary of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. As per the complaint, Tyagi had redirected funds received on Gandhi Jayanti last year into the account of an unauthorised trust with a similar name Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, also registered at the address of the Sector-16 bhawan, with all co-accused as trustees. Following a fact-finding inquiry last year, Tyagis contractual services were terminated on October 16. Six other employees at the bhawan were also issued show-cause notices on October 26. In connivance with the other accused, Tyagi had also got registered many other firms/societies at the bhawans address and were illegally running them from the premises by projecting themselves as owners of the property, the complainant had alleged. Following verification of documents from the Chandigarh DCs office, police had found that Tyagi made a parallel trust through forged documents with the help of self-styled trustees without the knowledge/approval of the trusts main branch in New Delhi. Police have arrested a property dealer for allegedly seeking admission for a student in Tender Heart High School, Sector 33, by posing as Bhim Sain Garg, under secretary, Punjab Raj Bhawan. The accused is facing a case under Section 419 (impersonation) of the Indian Penal Code. (iStock) The accused was identified as Mukul, alias Chunnu Upadhyay, 38, a resident of Aerocity, Mohali. School principal Vikrant Suri had complained to the police about the phone call on April 5. He had contacted the Punjab Raj Bhawan and found that Garg never called the school, following which he lodged a complaint with the UT SSP at the public window. SSP Kanwardeep Kaur alerted the Sector 34 police and a team arrested the accused from Sector 33 on Tuesday. We interrogated Sunita, mother of the child for whom the admission call was made. She told us that the family had requested someone to help with their childs admission. After the family approached the accused and requested him to look for someone for help, the accused himself called the vice-principal posing as the under secretary of Punjab Raj Bhawan, said Devinder Singh, SHO, Sector 34. The accused is facing a case under Section 419 (impersonation) of the Indian Penal Code. Taking serious note of the lack of knowledge of statutory provisions among officers in Punjab, the high court has asked the chief secretary to apprise it whether the officers are being given adequate training about how to exercise their powers. The bench of Punjab and Haryana high court said training will help in mitigating chances of avoidable litigation. It prima facie appears that because of lack of knowledge about the statutory provisions that the officers exercise their powers without the application of mind or in ignorance of the statutory provisions. A mechanism has to be developed to impart training in a specialised manner, the bench of justice JS Puri observed adding that this can help in mitigating chances of avoidable litigation. The court of justice JS Puri acted on a plea from Gurwinder Singh from Moga, appointed as a dealer under the Essential Commodities Act. In his plea, he had argued that an order has been passed suspending his license and on the same date a show-cause notice was also issued to him. His counsel, Sanjeev Kumar Arora argued that under the provisions, no order of suspension can be passed without giving an opportunity for a hearing. However, on the day on which the order of suspension has been passed, on the same date, the show-cause notice has been issued. Therefore, it is a direct violation of the principle of natural justice. As per provisions, a suspension order can be passed without giving an opportunity for a hearing but that has to be limited to a period of 90 days. But in the case at hand, the suspension order has no time period, the court was told adding that the order could not have been passed. It was also brought before the court that suspension can be done in contemplation of any proceedings for cancellation of his licence but as per the show-cause notice, there is no contemplation of any cancellation proceedings. In this way, the action was not only contrary to the law but it was also oppressive in nature, it was argued. It also came before the court that earlier, in a similar dispute in 2022, 73 petitions were filed against an order passed by the district controller, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, Moga, without any authority of law. Subsequently, in the high court, the government admitted to it and revoked the orders following which petitions were disposed of by the court. The court took note of these submissions and observed that the fresh order passed prima facie appears to be in total violation of the 2016 rules in this regard. This may again open flood gate of litigation as it was done in the earlier case. This Court, therefore, takes a very serious view about this and also wishes to ascertain as to whether the officers of State of Punjab are given adequate training with regard to as to how to exercise their powers, the court observed making the chief secretary a party to the petition and asking him to file an affidavit by the next date of hearing detailing as to whether there is any system of imparting training to the officers to exercise statutory powers apart from the generalised training which is done at the State Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh. The court has also summoned the district controller, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, Moga, who had passed the order in question. The court, while taking a serious view of the matter, observed that it is not a case where the power is not vested with the authority but it is a case where the exercise of power is arbitrary. The litigation can be avoided and it is a settled proposition of law for any country that it is in the interest of the state to reduce the litigation, the bench added deferring the hearing for April 21. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A fraudster, posing as a Punjab Police cop, duped a city-based architect of 70,000 by alarming him with a fake alert that his son had been detained with some gangsters. The caller, claiming to be a constable with the Punjab Police, told the architect that his son had been nabbed with some gangsters, and a huge cache of arms had been recovered from their car. (Shutterstock) The victim, Arvinder Singh Atwal, 52, of Sector 8, said on March 28, he received a WhatsApp call from a number having the Punjab Police logo as the display picture. The caller, claiming to be a constable with the Punjab Police, shared that his son had been nabbed with some gangsters, and a huge cache of arms had been recovered from their car. The constable demanded 20,000 for his release and asked for an immediate bank transfer, as all gangsters will be presented before the media soon. The complainant said worried about his sons safety, he transferred 20,000 to the callers bank account through an app. Thereafter, the caller demanded 20,000 more in another account, stating that they will drop his son back at his college. After he paid the amount, the constable claimed that a CID team had also reached there and he would have to pay 30,000 more to tackle them. While the complainant was transferring the money, his secretary informed his wife. She immediately contacted their son, who is pursuing law from a college in Sonepat, Haryana, and found that he was at the college. Atwal said his wife alerted him, following which he immediately disconnected the call and lodged a complaint with the cyber crime branch in Sector 17. A case under Sections 384 (extortion), 419 (cheating by personation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Cyber Crime police station on his complaint. Doctor duped of 50,800 Cyber criminals stole a PGIMER doctors 50,800 that she had paid for investment in an online trading platform. The complainant, who works for PGIMERs plastic surgery department, said the fraudsters offered to double her money, following which she paid 50,800 in instalments. But they eventually blocked her on Instagram, where she had come in touch with them. A case was registered by the cyber cell police. Arrival of freshly-harvested wheat in Punjab on Wednesday saw a sudden rise with 1.67 lakh tonne of wheat arrived in the state mandis. The total arrivals in the state so far now stand at 3.28 lakh tonne. Procurement in the state began on April 1, but arrivals started on April 5. Farmers use a combine harvester in a wheat field during harvesting season in Amritsar on Wednesday. (PTI) Buying of wheat in the state began in 2,466 mandis on April 1, including 1,860 permanent mandis and 606 temporary mandis. So far, crop arrival has been reported in 1,111 state mandis. The four state procurement agencies have procured 1.94 lakh tonne of wheat so far and 1.25 lakh tone of produce was procured today. The arrival in the current season is way behind than that of last year, which was 15.05 lakh tonne of wheat. Rain, hailstorm and winds also damaged the crop at the maturing stage this season and delayed harvesting. Wheat arrival has so far been reported in Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Muktsar, Faridkot, Moga, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Mohali mandis. According to officials in the state food and civil supplies department, the arrival would pick up pace by the end of this week as harvest has started in full swing across the state. Punjab govt will bear value cut imposed on damaged crop: CM Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced that the state government would own the value cut imposed on wheat crop damaged due to rain, winds and hailstorm. The CM made this announcement through a message on twitter, a day after relaxations were announced by the Centre, with a value cut. Agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had on Tuesday raised objection to the value cut. Though a mechanism to pay full cost to farmers was yet to be set in place, a senior official in the food and civil supplies department said as per an estimate, 60 crore would be required to pay for the value cut. Around 100 to 120 lakh tonne of crop is expected to reach the mandis, but the extent of crop loss is yet to be known. We will pay full MSP to farmers and hand over the crop to the food corporation of India for distribution in the country by taking into account the value cut, added the officer. As per a communication received from the Centre by the states food and civil supplies department on Tuesday, there will be no value cut on grain with lustre loss up to 10%, however, above 10 to 80%, flat value cut of 5.31 per quintal will be imposed. A minimum support price of 2,125 per quintal is being offered on wheat. For wheat with shrivelled and broken content of 6 to 8%, a value cut of 5.31 will be imposed. It will be 10.62 for 8 to 10%, 15.93 for 10-12%, 21.25 for 12-14%, 26.56 for 14-16% and for 16-18% shriveled and broken grain a value cut of 31.87 will be imposed. A team of scientists from the Centres ministry of food visited the state mandis to assess the quality of grain reaching the mandis and submitted a report to the ministry on Sunday. A special girdawari by the state revenue department is being conducted to compensate the farmers. SAD seeks 100 per quintal bonus to farmers The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to get the value cuts imposed on wheat crop reviewed, besides paying a bonus of 100 per quintal to farmers to compensate them for low yield due to inclement weather. Addressing a press conference here, SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said the CM failed to present the states case for exemption from value cuts on wheat properly, due to which the cuts had been imposed. The AAP government should make a case to get these cuts reviewed and withdrawn, besides announcing a bonus of 100 per quintal to farmers, he suggested. The police remand of a Sonepat resident, accused of killing a 22-year-old woman from Rohtak whose skeletal remains were recovered from a farmhouse in Garhi Jhanjhara village of Sonepat last week, has been extended by three days. Police remand of a Sonepat resident, accused of killing a 22-year-old woman from Rohtak whose skeletal remains were recovered from a farmhouse in Garhi Jhanjhara village of Sonepat last week. (HT File) Bhiwani CIA in-charge inspector Ravindra said the accused, Sunil alias Shilu, had confessed to killing the victim, Monika, whom he had secretly married without legally separating from his first wife. Monika had secured an educational visa to Canada, and the accused was hoping to go there with her help. But Monika was adamant on staying in India with him. Besides, the accuseds wife had also started suspecting him of cheating, which was leading to arguments on a daily basis. With Monika too refusing to go back to Canada, the accused grew worried that she may not help him move abroad and thus planned to eliminate her, revealed the CIA in-charge. Monika was aware of the accuseds first marriage, the cop revealed. The accused had allegedly killed her on June 29, 2022, pumping two bullets in her head. Later, he dug a pit in his farmhouse and buried her body there. Her family had initially suspected that Sunil may have abducted her and filed a complaint on November 16 last year after failing to get in touch with her, despite receiving information that she had flown back to India. A stray bullet from the firing range of Air Force Station in Cantonment was behind the gunshot injury to a woman inmate inside Ambala central jail three months ago, superintendent of police Jashandeep Singh Randhawa revealed on Wednesday. Ambala central jail, where a woman inmate suffered bullet injuries, on January 18. (HT File) Fired from an AK-47 rifle, the bullet had travelled for nearly 2.5 kilometres before it hit the undertrial, Reeta, in her leg, the SP stated. The incident had taken place on January 18. In view of the seriousness of the case, home minister Anil Vij, jail minister Ranjeet Chautala, director general of prisons Muhammad Akil, range IG Shivas Kaviraj and ballistic experts from Madhuban had inspected the jail to recreate the crime scene. Though initially there was suspicion that the shots may have been fired from inside the jail premises, jail superintendent Sanjeev Pattar had categorically denied it. An SIT under DSP, headquarters, Ramesh Kumar was constituted by the SP comprising CIA-1, cyber cell and police station concerned. Randhawa said it was important to determine the caliber of the bullet, weapon used, type of weapon (country made or other), distance of fire, direction of fire, speed and other information. During the probe, nearly 85 closed-circuit television cameras in and around the jail were scrutinised. Besides, inmates and jail officials were also questioned, X-ray report of the woman was examined and the bullet sent to forensic science lab, he added. Ballistic experts found that the bullet with 7.6239 mm cartridge size with 8 gram of bullet was fired from an AK-47 rifle from South East direction of the jail and travelled for nearly 2.5 kms, the SP told the reporters. During physical verification, it was found that the area belongs to the Air Force Station. Our sources revealed that the forces manage a small firing range in the area with a 20-ft high retaining wall and a 100-ft distance between the target and the person. On January 18, around 4,180 rounds of firing took place between 9 am to 1 pm, when the woman received the injury. All circumstances and the evidence point to stray fire from the firing range, Randhawa added. To avoid such incidents in future, the SP said, he will write to the authorities in the army and Air Force to get their firing range checked and strengthen the retaining walls. Home minister Anil Vij has also ordered a defence audit of all the firing ranges in the state. As there are a few ranges belonging to the defence forces, he is likely to take it up with the defence minister too, said Randhawa. Two women were killed and three others injured after a wall collapsed in Thana village of Kurukshetra, police said on Wednesday. omen were killed and three others injured after a wall collapsed in Thana village of Kurukshetra, police said on Wednesday. (HT File) The deceased have been identified as Kusam Rani, 36, and Sundri Devi, 21, residents of Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh. One of the injured, identified as Garima is admitted at the LNJP Government Hospital, Kurukshetra, while two other injured women, Chamni and Babita, were discharged after first-aid. The victims were employees at a brick kiln and the incident took place on Tuesday when they were washing clothes near a water tank, the wall of which collapsed suddenly. They were removed from under the debris with the help of local labourers and rushed to the hospital, where Kusum and Sundri were declared brought dead. Gumthala Garhu police post in-charge Naresh Kumar said the statements of the injured and the family members of the deceased are being recorded. As of now, inquest proceedings have been initiated under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The UT education department is working on establishing a centralised Vidya Samiksha Kendra to keep a track on activities of all government schools in the city. A senior official from the UT education department said the Vidya Samiksha Kendra will be set up at a cost of 2 crore under Samagra Shiksha, Chandigarh. (HT File Photo) The centres are being established all over India at state and UT level to monitor student enrolment, progress in their learning levels, mainstreaming of out-of-school children, textbook delivery, and support required by teachers and schools. A senior official from the UT education department said the centre will be set up at a cost of 2 crore under Samagra Shiksha, Chandigarh. The centres will cover data of around 15 lakh schools all over India and analyse them using big data analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the overall monitoring of the education system and improve learning outcomes, the official added. The system is likely to become operational around September or October. The UT education department is also set to procure around 1,000 desktop computers, 100 servers, 100 printer-cum-scanners for strengthening information and communication technology (ICT) labs in government schools as per the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) guidelines. Around 6 crore will be used from the state budget for this. Also, 20 smart classrooms will be set up at 20 government schools under corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity. A computer lab and two smart classrooms will also be set up at a cost of 9.3 lakh under Samagra Shiksha. In the 2022-2023 academic session, 400 desktop computers were provided to 56 government schools at a cost of 2.04 crore. A total of 201 smart classrooms were constructed in 106 government schools at 1.86 crore and 10 interactive panels were installed in 10 Balvatika classes of government schools at 10 lakh. The department had also provided 770 tablets to regular primary teachers of 112 government schools at 74.3 lakh and further 400 tablets were donated under CSR. After finding no takers for 25 unsold liquor vends during the sixth e-auction on Tuesday, the UT excise and taxation department has slashed their reserve price further by 25% for the seventh round of auction planned on April 18. Chandigarh has 95 liquor vends, but through six auctions, being held since March 15, the Chandigarh administration has managed to allot only 70. (HT File Photo) The city has 95 liquor vends, but through six auctions, being held since March 15, the department has managed to allot only 70. For financial year 2023-24, the department has fixed a target of 830 crore for liquor vends licence fee. Having earned only 376 crore so far from six auctions, it is staring at a revenue gap of 454 crore. The liquor vend at Dhanas, located near Mullanpur, which had fetched the highest bid for the past two years, has still not found a buyer. Last year, it was auctioned for the highest-ever amount of 12.78 crore. Even last year, the department had held seven auctions, but three of the 96 vends remained unsold. An 18-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by three people in south Delhi's Dakshinpuri area, police said on Wednesday. Man was stabbed in South Delhi's Dakshinpuri area. They said the incident took place around 10 pm on Tuesday. The victim was taken to a hospital in a PCR van by police personnel but he succumbed to injuries during treatment, Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chandan Chowdhary said. He was identified as Rahul, a resident of the area. Police said a case was registered under IPC section 302 (murder) and the Arms Act, and further investigation is in progress. A Delhi school was evacuated Wednesday morning after an e-mail warned of a bomb on the premises. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), the e-mail threat appears to be a hoax. DCP Chandan Chaudhary said that a minute and thorough checking of the school premises was undertaken by BDS, BDT, and SWAT teams after evacuating the premises. The school has been evacuated and a thorough check is being done. (HT File/representative) At 10:50 am the school got a bomb threat via e-mail. We evacuated all the students. We deployed BDT and BDS teams. We informed the Special Cell and Special Branch. We have done a visual search with the SWAT team, she added. A senior police officer said an individual - identified only as Brijesh at this time - had alerted authorities about the e-mail, which was received at 10.49 am. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed parents and children gathered outside the school. One video showed over half a dozen armed security personnel - in blue uniforms and with bulletproof vests - moving swiftly on to the school's campus via a small red gate. After a brief conversation with school officials outside they march into the building. Another video showed the outside of the school - identified by ANI as The Indian School in Delhi's Sadiq Nagar - and dozens of parents, reporters, and other people waiting outside. Bihar bomb threat Meanwhile, a bomb threat was also received at the Patna International Airport in Bihar. This threat was made via a phone call and other visuals (also shared by ANI) also showed armed security personnel stationed outside the facility. ANI quoted the airport director as saying the internal threats assessment committee found the call to be 'non-specific'. Nevertheless, police bomb squads have launched a search operation, ANI visuals showed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON KOLKATA: Union home minister Amit Shah will address his first West Bengal rally of 2023 at Siuri town in Birbhum district on April 14, marking the launch of the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders said on Wednesday. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari (L) and Rahul Sinha (R) lead a rally on plight of potato farmers of West Bengal in Kolkata (HT File Photo) The party released a short video on Shah. Titled Ami aschhi Banglate (I am coming to Bengal). It contains excerpts from speeches Shah delivered on his previous visits, in which he targets the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on issues such as corruption and violence. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Amit Shah announced that we will win at least 23 of Bengals 42 seats. We secured only 18. We failed him. Next year, our tally will cross 24, Bengal BJPs chief spokesperson, Samik Bhattacharya, said. Birbhum district has been in the headlines in recent years because of electoral violence, the coal and cattle smuggling cases and the arrest of Anubrata Mondal, TMCs district unit president, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Currently lodged at Tihar jail in Delhi, Mondal is counted among the top loyalists of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The states BJP leaders have planned a massive campaign in which Prime Minster Narendra Modi, Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda will take the lead by addressing around 40 rallies in 2023, party leaders in Kolkata said. The party leaders have proposed 24 rallies to be addressed by Shah and Nadda, and 14 rallies for PM Modi. On April 5, President Droupadi Murmu posthumously honoured the founder-president of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mulayam Singh Yadav, with the Padma Vibhushan award at a grand ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. While Mulayam's son and current SP national president, Akhilesh Yadav, received the award on his behalf, back in Uttar Pradesh (UP), there were attempts to discredit Mulayam by bringing up the 28-year-old State Guest House incident. PREMIUM Mayawati fires Lucknow guesthouse incident salvo at Samajwadi Party (file) This incident of 1995 led to the violent collapse of the first-ever coalition government between the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the state. It also led to Mayawati accusing Mulayam of betraying the alliance that BSP founder Kanshi Ram had worked hard to create with great enthusiasm in 1993. However, despite the history between the SP and the BSP, the combine buried the hatchet and joined forces in January 2019 to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Now, it is back in UP's political discourse. What led to the "incident"? In 1993, following the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya, UP was swept by a saffron wave. The SP and BSP decided to join forces and contested the assembly elections, winning 176 seats out of 424 in the undivided state. With support from the Congress and others, the SP-BSP coalition formed the government with Mulayam Singh Yadav as chief minister. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with 177 seats, was left out in the cold, with no party willing to join it, post-Ayodhya demolition. However, in 1995, the BSP withdrew its support from the government due to deteriorating relations with Mulayam. And shortly after, the BJP offered outside support to Mayawati, who then became the chief minister. What was the State Guest House incident? After Mayawati's resignation, BSP legislators gathered at the State Guest House in Lucknow to discuss their future course of action. However, a group of SP leaders stormed the guest house and a violent scuffle between the SP and BSP occurred. Mayawati locked herself in a room, which she only opened after getting a message from Raj Bhavan. She was administered the oath of office late at night on June 3, 1995. The incident became a rallying point for Mayawati's supporters, particularly women who connected it to Dalit dignity, as Mayawati referred to the SP leaders as goons. In the end, the State Guest House incident led to a change in the political order in UP. How did the incident change UP's politics? The State Guest House incident became a turning point in the states politics. Mayawati became the first Dalit chief minister of the state which PV Narasimha Rao described as the miracle of democracy. Dalits, who form 21% of the states population, were, until then, marginalised in politics and society. They found a voice and became both assertive as Mayawati, who would go on to become chief minister four times three brief tenures and one full five-year term and amend laws to empower them. Her political clout also increased along with her vote bank as she started dabbling in national politics. Her strength was her ability to transfer her votes, which no other party or leader could do. To some extent, Kanshi Ram also succeeded in his mission. What happened then? For years, this enmity ensued. The two parties remained each other's sworn enemies for 24 years with Mayawati even having demanded a public apology from Mulayam. On page 546 of her book, Mere Sangharshmay Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama, second part, the BSP chief writes, I wish to inform that if Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav publicly apologises to the nation for the June 2, 1995 state guest house incident, I will forgive him. The book was published in 2006. Mulayam made it clear that he would not apologise for an incident he did not commit or was not involved in. He pointed out that both the lower court and the High Court had exonerated him of the charges. It is worth noting that Mayawati had also withdrawn the case against Mulayam, as confirmed by the party's national general secretary SC Mishra to Hindustan Times in June 2019. Despite the history between the SP and the BSP, the combine buried the hatchet and joined forces in January 2019 to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. The State Guest House incident, which occurred 24 years earlier, was brought into focus to strengthen their alliance in January 2019 when Mayawati stated that she was leaving it behind for the greater good, to which Akhilesh responded with, Her insult will be my insult. Further, on April 19, 2019, Mayawati and Mulayam displayed magnanimity by sharing the dais at a Mainpuri rally from where SP founder, Mulayam, was contesting his last Lok Sabha election. Mulayam said, We should be grateful to her for supporting my candidature and should respect her, Mayawati called him a real and genuine backward leader whom the public should support. A few days later, at a Kannauj rally, SP candidate and Akhilesh Yadavs wife Dimple Yadav touched Mayawatis feet. Mayawati responded emotionally. She said, She is my bahu. Akhilesh always gives me respect like an elder in the family. Moreover, most of the major players in the State Guest House incident have passed away. Mulayam is no more while his son Akhilesh, who now heads the party, was barely 22 years old when the State Guest House incident rocked the state. He had not entered politics. BJP leader Brahm Dutt Dwivedi, who had parked himself outside the State Guest House to protect Mayawati, is dead. Senior Congress and BJP leaders, who played a crucial role in elevating her to power, are also gone the then Governor Moti Lal Vora and former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao are dead. Her other sympathisers in the BJP Lalji Tandon and Atal Bihari Vajpayee are also no more. And the man, who directed the entire saga from a hospital bed Kanshi Ram has passed away. Why raising it again may be futile Raking up the old issue may not be a winning strategy for any of the parties involved, as the politics of UP has seen several key shifts in the 28 years since. Here are five reasons why this issue is best left in the past: Last week, the BJP tasked its Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe wing to connect with Dalits and tell them how the BJP saved Mayawati from being targeted by a mob comprising SP cadre in 1995. However, despite the BJP's desire for the SP-BSP to remain adversaries, the party has little to fear today, as it did in 1993, when it struggled to expand its support base with its upper-caste face. 2. Further, 2019 has broken the myth that the SP-BSP make a lethal combination. The camaraderie that the leaders display does not percolate down to the ground level. Raking up this old issue may not resonate on the ground. 3. The BJP is now the strongest party, needing the support of none to survive and thrive, unlike in the past, when they used to find an ally in the BSP. 4. Mayawati is no longer a force to reckon with as her partys performance has dipped every election and the BSP vote bank has cracked with the BJP having taken away a chunk of Mayawatis supporters through its welfare schemes. Her vote bank prefers a firebrand Mayawati and not someone who is rarely seen or heard. 5. While Akhilesh intensifies efforts to rebuild Bahujan Samaj, a dream of Kanshi Ram, by unveiling the statue of the late Dalit leader Kanshi Ram, a war of words between the SP and the BSP ensued. This again may fail, as the BJP tries to rope in Dalits in their Hindutva fold. It appears that the fight for caste seems to be losing its sheen, at least as long as broader religion and communal politics remain dominant themes. In conclusion, the State Guest House incident, despite being brought back into public discourse, appears to have lost much of its political relevance. Both Lalji Prasad Nirmal (chairman of the UP Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation) and Professor Ravi Kant (Lucknow University) agree that the incident fails to evoke any significant sentiments. While Nirmal believes that Dalits are increasingly turning towards the BJP, Prof Kant suggests that Mayawati still holds a soft corner in the hearts of some Jatavs, while non-Jatavs seem to be divided between the BJP and the SP. Overall, the incident's impact on current political dynamics in UP seems to be limited. Instead of dwelling on the past, Mayawati will do better by returning to her old firebrand style of politics. LUCKNOW The popularity of pink saree crusaders fighting against oppression is transcending borders. Gulabi Gang, the Bundelkhand-based group of lathi-wielding vigilantes that struck fear into the hearts of potential abusers has now drawn the attention of a Danish artist and painter Maria Torp. Danish painter Maria Torp and her photographer Niels-ole with Gulabi Gang founder Sampat Pal at her home in Banda, UP. (Sourced) Torp, 47, has travelled approximately 7000 km from Copenhagen to Gulabi Gang founder Sampat Pals (63) house in UPs Banda to create a painting of the latter for a year-long international exhibition at Trapholt Museum in Denmark in 2024. Sampat Pals painting is one of the 12 paintings that the Danish artist is creating under a global art project titled Shaping A Pattern over the last six years. It portrays womens rights, social status and their living conditions. Along with filmed interviews and soundscapes, the paintings will form the core of an exhibition opening and travel to the UN HQ in NYC, Africa, France Africa among other countries, said Maria Torp. Shaping A Pattern, revolves around 12 large hyper realistic oil paintings, where I will be portraying 12 significant individuals from all over the world, who played a crucial role in the field of gender equality, informed the artist who studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and London College of Painting. Maria is accompanied by her photographer who will take 500-600 photographs of Sampat Pal. The artist will later use these for the painting which will take two months to complete. I will spend a week with her so that I can personally know her and about her works, she said. Maria will be staying at my home all this while, and she is really enjoying the desi Indian cuisines, said Sampat. Maria has so far met nine of the 12 personalities in different countries, with Sampat being the 10th while two others are yet to be decided. The nine in the list whom Maria visited are Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in South Africa, executive director, UN Women (2013-21) and former vice-president of South Africa; Ziauddin Yousafzai, an activist in Pakistan, father of Malala, Xiong Jing, activist from China; Rhobi Samwelly, Tanzania, founder of Safehouses for girls fleeing FGM; Katja Iversen in Denmark, former president/CEO at Women Deliver; Sonita Alizadeh, Afghanistan, rapper, activist and Girls Not Brides champion; Marta Alanis, Argentina, founder of Catholics for choice (Argentina), Keyperson in the campaign for Legal Abortion, Michael Kimmel, USA, professor of sociology and gender studies; Inna Shevchenko, Ukraine, activist and leader of the international womens movement; FEMEN. The Gulabi Gang is a popular vigilante movement in villages of Bundelkhand region of UP. It was launched to seek justice against those accused of committing atrocities against women or indulging in corruption etc. Sampat Pal had launched the movement in Banda in 2006 that drew global attention. I have heard a lot about Sampat and have watched documentaries on Gulabi Gang. Then I coordinated with various human rights organisations, and after struggling for six months, got her contact, added the artist. LUCKNOW The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has extended a payment of 11 crore to Ecogreen for resumption of waste management work in the city and payment of salaries to its staff. Some of the public representatives have expressed concern over the decision. Shivri plant where waste is dumped. (File Photo) Over the last three years, there have been proposals in the LMC house for the removal of the company. Four-time corporator from JC Bose ward, Sayyed Yawar Hussain Reshu, said, The company that failed in waste management is being rewarded with a payment of 11 crore. The NGT had imposed a fine of 5 crore on this company because of its poor work, while contractors who performed well are not being paid. Due to the poor work of this company, so much waste has accumulated at the Shivri plant that there is no place left to dump the waste. At present, about 25 lakh metric tonnes waste is dumped at the plant. More than 100 crore will have to be spent on its disposal, he said. Four-time corporator Shafiqur Rehman Chacha said, Even after charging around 60 crore annually, the Chinese company has turned the city into a garbage dump. The company has again been favoured by the government. The ongoing process of its removal has not only been postponed but a payment of 11 crore has been made to the company. For the last three years, despite the proposal of LMC house, the company has not been removed. However, Ecogreen CEO Nagarjuna Reddy said, The company has been asked to clean the citys waste. Thats why our staff is lifting waste from pick-up points and the compactors are also being repaired. However, the municipal corporation has to pay us around 30 crore, out of which 11 crore has been assured. Due to this, the outstanding salaries till March would be given to employees. Municipal commissioner Inderjeet Singh said during the meeting with the principal secretary, urban development, Ecogreen officials said employees of the company were not working due to non-payment of salaries. For this reason 11 crore would be given to the firm. The LMC will cooperate in cleaning the city. As the election code of conduct is in force, no new policy decision can be taken in such a situation. Any new step will be taken only after the election code of conduct is over, he added. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday paid tribute to the late BJP leader and former Bihar and Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon on his birth anniversary, describing him as a man who dedicated his life to public welfare and development. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath receiving a memento from BJP MLA Ashutosh Tandon on the occasion of Lalji Tandons birth anniversary in Lucknow on Wednesday. (HT Photo) In all roles and at every stage of life, be it as an activist, party worker, politician or public representative, Tandonji worked to fulfil the same ideology, values and principles. He took forward the path of development of the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His life was dedicated to public welfare and development, the chief minister was quoted as saying in an official release. The chief minister unveiled a statue of Lalji Tandon on the premises of Kalicharan Vidyalaya on Hardoi Road in Lucknow on the occasion. Tandon had a long association with Kalicharan College. This campus has been a witness to the freedom movement and this institute has produced eminent writers and scientists, he said. Stating that Tandons greatness, gentleness and simplicity were a reflection of his journey from zero to the top, Yogi Adityanath said, His journey as a party worker, minister, a popular parliamentarian, a governor while ensuring public welfare and taking development forward made him the great personality he was. Yogi Adityanath said that only education can become the medium of change in society. The more we cooperate in this field, the more changes will be seen in every sphere of life, he said. The chief minister appealed to the management of the college to join the new policy of the government and the government will cooperate with you in improving all the dilapidated buildings here. During his address, Yogi said that the Lalji Tandon Foundation had taken several programmes of public welfare forward, keeping Tandonjis memories and values alive and intact. Tandonji had a holistic view of business, politics, development and social philosophy of Lucknow. He has contributed significantly to the development of Lucknow, he added. The other dignitaries present on the occasion included deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, U.P. assembly speaker Satish Mahana, Union minister of state for housing and urban affairs Kaushal Kishore, Uttar Pradesh minister for parliamentary affairs and finance Suresh Khanna, state BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh, and Lalji Tandons son Ashutosh Tandon Gopal (Lucknow East MLA and former UP minister) on the occasion. Ashutosh Tandon presented a memento to Yogi Adityanath on the occasion. Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested a 16-year-old boy for allegedly calling the police control room and threatening to kill actor Salman Khan on April 30. As per the police, the accused a native of Jodhpur, Rajasthan revealed that he had made the call for fun. Bollywood actor Salman Khan(AFP) The police received the call around 9.30pm on Monday. I am going to kill Salman Khan on April 30. Tell him, the caller told the on-duty police constable and disconnected the call. When the police called back the caller, he identified himself as Rocky Bhai, Gaushala Rakshak, Jodhpur. ALSO READ: Salman Khan told to 'apologise or be ready for consequences' as Lawrence Bishnoi issues threat to actor The control room immediately alerted the senior officials and the crime intelligence unit (CIU) swung into action with the help of the cyber police and located the caller in Dolkhamb village of Shahpur Taluka, Thane. A police team rushed to the location and apprehended the minor, who had tried to flee with his friend on a bike before being caught by the police. After the police team inspected his phone and call details record, the caller confessed having made the call and revealed that he made the call for fun, said a crime branch officer. Since he was found to be a minor, the CIU team handed him over to the Azad Maidan police station for the further legal process. Drunk man threatens to kill CM, held In another similar incident, the Pune police arrested a 42-year-old Dharavi resident for allegedly calling the helpline number 112 on Monday and threatening to kill Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. The accused identified as Rajesh Agawane first called the helpline number 112 and enquired about the availability of an ambulance, claiming he was feeling pain in his chest. The staff at the helpline told him that he should dial 108 for the government ambulance facility and disconnected the call. Agawane then called again and abused the helpline staff and threatened to kill the chief minister, said a crime branch officer. After the mobile phone location of the accused was traced to Pune, the Mumbai Police alerted the Pune Police and a team immediately took him into custody and found he was under the influence of alcohol. Police officials said that Agawane, who works as a ward boy in the city, is a habitual drinker and often makes random calls and abuses people after he gets drunk. Strap: Investigating agencies cannot be allowed to hold on to cases with the excuse of further investigation, says court PMLA court grants bail to Rana Kapoor in 200-crore loan case The special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court has granted bail to Rana Kapoor, former MD and CEO of Yes Bank, in a 200-crore loan case, stating that further incarceration without a trial cannot be allowed simply on the CBIs words that investigation is pending. Is it lawfully permissible to allow the CBI to consume seven years for filing the final report without any progress report and till then suspend the right of undertrial prisoner for an expeditious trial? This is serious, special judge MG Deshpande said in his order on Tuesday. Kapoor, however, will not come out of jail as he is yet to get bail in some other cases registered against him. Based on a predicate offence registered by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing money laundering charges against Kapoor in connection with six loans, amounting to 200 crore, which Yes Bank had given to HDIL through M/s Mack Star Marketing Private Limited between 2011 and 2016. In his bail application filed through advocates Vijay Agarwal and Rahul Agarwal, Kapoor claimed that he had not been named in the FIR registered by the CBI for the alleged loan fraud. Hence, there was no predicate offence against him, he said. The court had called for a report from the CBI on the status of investigation into the alleged irregularities in the loans granted to Mack Star Marketing. The central agency, however, merely said in its response that their probe was still in progress. To this, the special judge said, Undue incarceration of the applicant (Kapoor) for two years, two months and three days, without trial, was the price he (Kapoor) has paid only on account of the purported gravity, magnitude and different nature of the economic offences. Kapoor was first arrested in March 2020 on money laundering charges linked to loans disbursed to HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and his son Sarang. Kapoor was later arrested in several other cases, including Mack Star Marketings, registered by the CBI and the ED. Mack Star Marketing was a joint venture promoted by Ocean Deity Investments Holdings Limited (ODIL), a registered company under Mauritius law, and a private company owned by the Wadhawans. ODIL and HDIL held 78.09% and 21.91% shares respectively in the venture. The ED had claimed that through Mack Star Marketing, the Wadhawans had obtained the loans worth 200 crore, but used the money to clear other liabilities and credit dues obtained from Yes Bank. Lokayukta Justice V M Kanade has directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to post an observation van in Taloja for a month to monitor air pollution levels in the area. HT Image At a hearing on April 5, the MPCB was also asked to find out the industrial units that are releasing obnoxious gases and then direct them to install pollution-control devices. Officials from the CIDCO and the environment department were also present. The matter has been posted for the next hearing on June 2. The first hearing was held on February 17 during which Justice Kanade formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the complaints, filed by Rajeev Sinha and Sameer Patil, against Taloja Manufactures Association, M/s Mumbai Waste Management Limited, and M/s. Lasons India Private Limited. The SIT was instructed to submit an interim report in one-and-a-half months and a detailed report within four months. The Lokayuktas April 5 order also said that the MPCB had in 2022 conveyed to the Taloja Industrial Association the seriousness of odour nuisance. Solvent handling/bromination units, fish meal units, and chemical units engaged in various reactions were among the probable sources of odour in the area, the order said. The order further said that there is supposed to be a buffer zone of 500 metres from the boundary of notified common integrated treatment, storage and disposal facilities, restricting any residential, commercial or other construction in the area. However, several unauthorised constructions had come up in the zone, the Lokayukta said. Justice V M Kanade said that the president of Taloja Manufacturers Association had claimed that they had already filed a complaint before the National Green Tribunal against the planning authority of Panvel Municipal Corporation for permitting developers to build structures in the buffer zone. A notice would be issued to the Panvel corporation commissioner in this regard, the order added. MUMBAI: A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly marrying a minor girl after getting the date of birth on her Aadhaar card altered to pass her off as an adult. HT Image The Dahisar police have booked the accused on charges of kidnapping, cheating and forgery. The police said the girl and the suspect knew each other. After getting the girls date of birth changed, they got married at the marriage registrars office in Bandra on April 11. The incident came to light when the newlyweds visited Dahisar police station to inform the police about their marriage and submitted documents in support of their claim. According to the police, the girls father, Sabhajeet Pal, 46, a tailor, later visited the police station and revealed that the girl was studying in Class 12 and had barely completed 16 years. The police said the girl knew the accused, Gaurav Makwana, 23, for around six months. Makwana lives in Mira Road and works in a private firm. He proposed to the girl a month ago and convinced her for marriage. After realising that the girl was a minor, the accused approached an Aadhaar centre and got the girls date of birth altered with the help of the centre operator, a police officer said. After the police called the parents of the girl, they submitted her original Aadhaar Card and school leaving certificate in support of their claim. The documents revealed that the girl was 16-year-old and based on the statement of her father, we registered a case and arrested the man, Pravin Patil, senior inspector, said. Strap: Deadline likely to be extended, as it will take a month for supply to be regularised after repairs, say officials HT Image Mumbai: Mumbaikars must brace themselves for a protracted spell of water woes this summer, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is unlikely to keep its promise of lifting the 15% cuts on April 30. Its all a big mess right now, said a senior civic official. He was referring to the complex nature of ongoing repairs in a major water supply tunnel (which was damaged when a Thane-based developer allegedly dug a borewell) and the BMC working hard to meet its promised deadline. The civic body supplies 3950 MLD water to Mumbai from its various sources from Vaitarna and Bhatsa basin, in Thane. A highly placed source said: We have been told that repairs on the tunnel will be completed by April 30. But, it will take another week from then for the pressure to stabilise, and over a month to regularise the supply. He added that after the water tunnel burst in Thane, the supply was diverted to the old defunct line, which would be diverted into the original system after the repairs are completed. This process will take time. We also learnt that the Bhandup treatment plant didnt get water for two to three days. Repairing the punctured tunnel involves a series of complex activities from isolation, dewatering, lighting, ventilation, to appointing a contractual agency for the repairs and making alternate water conveyance facility to provide uninterrupted supply to the city. Once the supply from the tunnel was transferred to the existing conventional system, repairs for the damaged tunnel were taken up by the chief engineer of the water supply department. Unpromising lake view Meanwhile, lake level recorded at 6am on Wednesday, was 468040 ml, which is 32.34% of 1447363 ml. Last year at this time there was 501579 ml, which is 34.65%, of the total 1447363 ml. Mumbai receives supply from various lakes and dams such as Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Vihar and Tulsi. A civic official from the hydraulic department, however, assured that the April 30 deadline will be honoured and the supply restored from May 1. There is no problem with lake levels either. Our needs will be met till the time monsoon arrives, he said. Citizens protest On Wednesday, a delegation of residents from K-East ward met assistant commissioner Manish Valanju, accompanied by MLA Ravindra Waikar, to discuss the crisis in the Andheri East-Jogeshwari belt. According to them, the Tansa pipeline had burst twice last week in Powai, which exacerbated the scarcity. The existing 15% cut has scaled up to 50% in this ward. Gilroy Misquitta, from the Mulgaon Adivasi Rahivasi society, residing in Marol MIDC, said: Eight hundred families are affected and the situation has worsened in the last 15 days. We received good supply in the past. It has reduced to only 20-30% now. Tanker water is both unaffordable ( 3500) and unavailable. An official from hydraulic department in D-Ward ward said tankers were requisitioned for residents of Tardeo Road and Narayan Dabholkar Road. Wherever there was an issue with supply particularly in hilly areas tankers were sent. Every ward has two tankers and in our ward we take six rounds in a day, he said. DARBHANGA: A Bihar man who kidnapped a minor girl to marry her in 2017 was been sentenced to 20 years in jail under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, a public prosecutor said on Wedneday. APolice said the man was booked under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code which relates to kidnapping or compelling a woman to marry (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Darbhangas special judge for Pocso cases, Binay Shanker, on Wednesday sentenced Shambhu Mukhiya of Chotki Konia village in the Kusheshwar Asthan area to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and a 25,000 fine for kidnapping and raping a minor girl, special public prosecutor Vijay Kumar Parajit said. The court convicted the accused on March 29 and had fixed April 12 for his ruling on the quantum of punishment. Parajit said the offence took place on March 10, 2017 and the girl was kidnapped with intention of marriage. A police team traced her after two-and-a-half months and in the medical examination that followed, was found to be pregnant. A first information report was registered in this connection at Kusheshwar Asthan police station. A search operation was initiated at Patna's Jayprakash Narayan Airport after an unidentified caller made a bomb threat, police said on Wednesday. A search operation is being carried out at Patna airport in Bihar following the bomb threat.(ANI) A bomb disposal unit conducted a search operation at the airport grounds in response to the call, police said. However, it was later found out that it was a hoax call. "As the information was non-specific, the entire terminal building, parking area and office building was scanned by security forces but no bomb was found," an airport official said. In July last year, a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight (6e 2126) was reportedly grounded at Patna airport after a passenger claimed that he had a bomb in his bag. The bomb squad and police who were at the spot conducted an inspection after a man reportedly claimed a bomb was in his baggage. His bag was checked further but no bomb was found. The passenger was detained and the plane is being checked further. All passengers were safely deboarded from the Delhi-bound IndiGo flight (6e 2126) at Patna airport. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Taking note of the severe water shortage in the urban areas of Pune district falling under the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), the Bombay High Court (HC) has directed the PMC and PCMC to separately constitute committees to attend to the residents water scarcity-related complaints. Whereas, the court has directed the PMRDA to address the water problems faced by residents in its jurisdiction. In the current scenario, several housing societies across Pune district were facing water scarcity and spending huge amounts on purchasing water from private water tanker operators (HT FILE PHOTO) In its order dated April 10, the Bombay HC has directed the PMC and PCMC to separately constitute committees, each comprising of the municipal commissioner, divisional commissioner, chief city engineer and member, secretary, and district legal services authority. The order was passed by a division bench of the Bombay HC headed by acting chief justice S V Gangapurwala, with justice Sandeep Marne as member, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Wagholi Housing Societies Association (WHSA) made up of 12 housing societies, NGOs and social groups. The bench went into the details of the PIL and took cognisance of the acute water scarcity faced by the residents of urban areas of Pune district as mentioned in the PIL. Advocate of the Supreme Court (SC) and Bombay HC, Satya Muley, argued on behalf of the petitioners and said that the PMC and PCMCs provision of water through water tankers was akin to legitimising the water tanker business. Referring to a similar PIL filed in 2016-17 in response to which the Bombay HC had directed the PMC to form a special committee to attend to the residents water scarcity-related complaints, advocate Muley informed the court that while the PMC had, in fact, formed such a committee, the said committee met only four times during 2017 and 2018 and was later dissolved citing absence of water scarcity as reason. Advocate Muley pointed out to the court that had that committee continued to function, the present water crisis would have likely not arisen in the urban areas of Pune district. Advocate Muley also highlighted that the same subject was dealt with by the Bombay HC in 2016 when the suburban areas of Baner and Balewadi were facing severe water shortage and the court had imposed a stay on granting permissions for new constructions in the PMC area. In the current scenario, several housing societies across Pune district were facing water scarcity and spending huge amounts on purchasing water from private water tanker operators, advocate Muley highlighted. Hence, the PMC was required to reconstitute the committee while the PCMC was required to freshly constitute such a committee to hear and address the water shortage-related grievances of the residents of the respective areas. Advocate Muley said that if the committees failed to address the residents concerns, the Bombay HC could once again be approached for further justice. Earlier, during the hearings on November 29 and December 15 last year, the Bombay HC had expressed serious concern about the water scarcity problem, and had warned of imposing fines on the respondents for their slow response. Assisting advocate Muley in the latest PIL was advocate Mugdha Raut. Veteran Karnataka Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa was left red-faced Wednesday after his daughter - Dr Rajanandini - joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party just weeks before the 2023 Assembly election. Thimmappa, who also served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly - told news agency ANI he suspects the BJP's Hartalu Halappa may be behind his daughter's decision. Dr Rajanandini joined BJP in the presence of former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday.(ANI) "I heard this news now never expected that she will do like this. It is unfortunate there must be something behind this. It could be Hartalu Halappa's (BJP leader) tactics. I will try to speak to her will always stand in favour of Congress and will work for Congress," Thimmappa said. Hours earlier Dr Rajanandini jumped ship after expressing displeasure at being denied a ticket for next month's election; she declared the Congress had opted for a candidate from 'outside'. "I have to work in the public field so if I don't get a chance somewhere I have to work somewhere (else). I have to be with the people," she said after joining the BJP in the presence of ex-chief minister BS Yediyurappa, adding, "I was trying for the ticket but they (Congress) didn't give it to me. They could have informed us but they gave it to the person who has come from outside." The BJP released its first list - 189 candidates - Tuesday and, as in previous elections, has fielded 52 new faces, including those who have joined the party from its rivals, to counter incumbency. This, however, has led to discontent among older members; ex-chief minister Jagdish Shettar expressed his unhappiness this week after being told to stand down and ex-deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi quit earlier today. There have also been protests by the party's rank and file. READ | Karnataka assembly poll: BJP supporters protest over leaders being denied ticket To counter these protests, MP Tejasvi Surya has stressed the BJP's 'one family, one ticket' credo. "BJP has given tickets to 52 new leaders. I am confident that all new leaders will understand the principles that have gone behind the selection of candidates. The party has multiple opportunities for all those who want to contribute to the nation," he said. "The principle of one family, one ticket is something BJP has followed meticulously. A senior leader has made way for other leaders. Most importantly the whole decision-making process shows how seriously the party takes democracy, unlike other parties" he added in a swipe at the Congress. Karnataka will vote on May 10 with results due May 13. McDonald's Japan has announced an exciting collaboration with the massively popular anime and manga franchise, One Piece. While details are scarce at the moment, the fast-food giant teased the collaboration with an image of Gol D. Roger's famous line, "My treasure? If you want it, I'll let you have it. Search for it! I left everything in that place." The tweet also featured Luffy's voice all scrambled, hinting at the upcoming partnership between McDonald's and the world of One Piece. McDonald's Japan has announced an exciting collaboration with the massively popular anime and manga franchise, One Piece. (Twitter/McDonaldsJapan) Anime fans, get ready to set sail with McDonald's and One Piece The One Piece franchise has become a global phenomenon, with over 1,000 episodes of the anime series streaming on Crunchyroll. The story follows the journey of the Straw Hat Pirates as they search for the elusive treasure known as The One Piece. The series has achieved unparalleled popularity in Japan, with Luffy and his friends collaborating with major brands such as Cup O' Noodles. Chicken burgers and straw hats: McDonald's teases One Piece collaboration The partnership between McDonald's and One Piece has already started, and it appears that the collaboration will feature chicken burgers. This has caused some confusion among anime fans, but it's clear that the fast-food giant is excited to bring the world of One Piece to its customers. (Also Read: Top 7 strongest characters in Jujutsu Kaisen anime: Who are they?) The collaboration has also received the support of voice actors from the anime series, further highlighting the significance of this partnership. In Japan, One Piece is a cultural phenomenon, and it has even inspired a gym that allows fans to work out in a Straw Hat style. As anime continues to grow in popularity around the world, it's possible that collaborations like this one will become more common. (Also Read: From Jujutsu Kaisen to Demon Slayer: Exploring popular anime power systems) While the details of the partnership remain shrouded in mystery, it's clear that McDonald's Japan and One Piece are both excited to explore this new venture. As the manga series approaches its final arc, it's likely that we'll see more collaborations between the Straw Hat Pirates and major brands. It's a testament to the enduring popularity of the series and the impact it has had on popular culture. Akshay Oberoi is becoming more mainstream one film at a time and is among the chosen ones for Siddharth Anand's next, Fighter. The actor recently saw the release of the suspense thriller Gaslight on Disney+ Hotstar. He is currently on a short break from the Fighter shoot and is shooting for another project in the meantime. He believes in working as much as possible, no matter if the project is big or small. For Fighter, he says the film is going to be the best aerial action entertainers, serving what the Indian cinema has not produced so far. Also read: Akshay Oberoi says Sara Ali Khan is not faking it on Instagram: What you see is what you get Akshay Oberoi has a pivotal role in Fighter. In a candid interview with Hindustan Times, Vivek shares his experience of working on the film which is directed by Siddharth Anand of Pathaan and War fame and stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone. He reveals he would be seen sporting a moustache in Fighter, a film he claims would be at par with Hollywood aerial action entertainers. "Nobody portrays men and women on screen better than Siddharth Anand. Shah Rukh Khan has looked his best in Pathaan and Hrithik looked his best in War. He plays really close attention to how his actors are looking and styled in the film. He has picked each fabric, each cloth, each jacket. When you have somebody like that, you just trust them," he says. Like the theme of Fighter, Siddharth Anand's Pathaan also had many impressive aerial action sequences. On being asked about how different Fighter will be from Pathaan since it's coming from the same director, Akshay says, "There are probably lots of things he has taken from his Pathaan experience, it had a lot of action and VFX and that only gave Sid more experience. But Fighter is much heavier that way. I don't think you have seen aerial action like this with fighter jets and real kind of fights. We have a very strong VFX team from the US. When the trailer comes out, people will be blown away." Watch: Akshay Oberoi promises his Fighter with Hrithik Roshan will be a very good film Ask him if the film can be compared to Tom Cruise's film, pat comes the reply, "I don't think anyone should be comparing anything with anybody. We should not be anywhere behind anybody else. This is a very unique story. Of course there is an overlap of airforce, airforce pilots which we all are playing, but this is not Top Gun. It's a very Indian story. You can look forward to a very very good film next year." Fighter is Hrithik and Deepika's first film together but Akshay has already worked with Siddharth and Deepika before. "Actually, I have worked with Deepika in one scene in Piku. Siddharth produced a show called Flesh in which I played a flesh trade owner. His wife Mamta Anand ran that show, I credit a lot of my character to her. I have worked with these two before, there is some familiarity there, perhaps the reason why I was roped in for Fighter. Working with Hrithik sir, that's the new part of the parcel with me," he says. Akshay however, has a different connection with Hrithik, whose debut film he had watched as a teenager in New Jersey. "He is somebody I grew up idolising. I remember seeing him for the first time in a theatre in New Jersey, where I grew up. I had just come from a play rehearsal and my parents really wanted to see this film called Kaho Naa...Pyar Hai. I was 14-15 at the time. I asked my father, 'aapko picture kyu dekhni hai itni zor se, aap itne utawale kyu hore ho? (why are you dying to see the film, what makes you so eager)." He said, "he is the next big movie star of our country." I remember going with them, watching it and everybody was spellbound in the theatre. Coming from that, to working in this really ambitious Hindi film with him, its a dream come true," he says. Deepika Padukone was recently in Bhutan on a solo trip. She returned to Mumbai Tuesday evening and was spotted at the airport upon her arrival. Fans were, however, surprised to see her in heavy winter wear that included a high neck and a puffer jacket as well. She wore it with loose blue denims and sunglasses and was all smiles as the paparazzi spotted her. Also read: Inside Deepika Padukone's Bhutan trip with hike to Tiger's Nest, selfie with fans at cafe. See new pics Deepika Padukone smiles for photographers at airport. (Varinder Chawla) A paparazzo shared a video of Deepika from the airport on Instagram and many expressed shock over her choice of heavy thermals. Deepika looked happy in a white high neck sweater over which she wore a red long puffer jacket as well. A person commented on the video, "To show off her red adidas jacket she is wearing it in 35 degreeswag." Another asked, Arre baba !! India k konse part me itna thand hai (which part of India is freezing this much). One more wrote, Sare duniya ki thand isko hi lagti hai (she is feeling the coldest in the world). A person wrote in sarcasm, "barf padd rahi hai (it is snowing)". Talking about her earlier airport looks as well, a person wrote, How is she wearing trench coats bomber jackets and turtle neck sweaters all the time around the year to and from airport isnt Mumbai a hot city? Its not NYC or London or anywhere else in Europe. Earlier on Tuesday, some fan pictures of Deepika had appeared online. She was seen posing for a selfie with a hiker at Tiger's Nest and posing with a chef in other pics. Deepika was recently on a break from the shooting of Siddharth Anand's Fighter. She stars alongside Hrithik Roshan in the film for the first time. It also stars Akshay Oberoi, Karan Singh Grover and Anil Kapoor. The film is touted to an aerial action entertainer and will release in theatres on January 25 next year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor-politician Hema Malini recently travelled by metro and then by auto in Mumbai. Taking to Twitter, Hema shared a series of posts talking about her journey. She also posted several pictures and videos. Hema said that it took two hours for her to reach Dahisar, a suburb of Mumbai, by car. So, she decided to take the metro instead later and reached her destination. (Also Read | Hema Malini says roles are 'written specially' for male actors, not for actresses: Amitabh Bachchan gets great roles...) Hema Malini travelled by the metro to reach her home in Mumbai. In the first post, Hema shared a few photos from the metro station. In the pictures, Hema wore a coral shirt, white pants and brown shoes. She also carried a black bag. The actor, in one of the photos, pointed towards the roof of the station. She also posed with a person on the platform. Sharing the pictures, Hema captioned the post, "I must share with all of you my unique, wonderful experience. Drove 2 hours to reach Dahisar by car, so tiring! In the eve decided I would try the metro, and OMG! What a joy it was! True, we went thro tough times during the constr, but worth it! Clean, fast & ws in Juhu in 1/2 hr (two hearts emoji)." Hema also shared a video from inside the metro. As the actor sat down, several women posed next to her for selfies. She wrote, "After my metro experience, decided to go by auto from DN Nagar to Juhu & that too was fulfilled. Landed by auto at my house & the dazed security could not believe their eyes! All in all, a wonderful, pleasurable experience for me! In the metro with the public." Hema also posted a video as she sat inside an auto with a person. As she enjoyed the ride, Hema said, "We are sitting in the auto and all. Auto rickshaw mein hum aarahe hai. Narendar k saath main aarahi hoon (We are coming in an auto rickshaw. I am coming with Narendar)... We are reaching Juhu." She also added, "My God, what traffic, how people are driving. Gaadi kahi se bhi jarahi hai, idhar udhar (Cars are going in every direction, here and there), my God very scary but very interesting." Hema captioned the post, "This is the video I shot from inside the auto. Enjoyed myself thoroughly!" SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Priyanka Singh had penned a cryptic post on Twitter after Rhea Chakrabortys promo for MTV Roadies was released on Monday. Without mentioning Rhea's name, Sushants sister Priyanka seemingly took a dig at Rhea, who is set to make her comeback on TV. Now, Priyanka has issued a 'clarification' that her recent tweet was 'not directed to any specific person' as was 'reported in media'. Also read: Rhea Chakraborty says aapko kya laga mai wapas nahi aungi as she joins MTV Roadies 19 as gang leader. Watch Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Priyanka Singh hinted at not tweeting about Rhea Chakraborty recently. Rhea Chakraborty will soon be seen on the reality show MTV Roadies season 19, her first TV project after Sushant Singh Rajputs death. Sushant was dating Rhea before his death in 2020. In her Roadies promo, Rhea was seen in a fierce avatar, and said, Aapko kya laga, mai wapas nahin aungi? Dar jaungi? Darne ki baari kisi aur ki hai. Milte hai auditions pe (Did you think I won't come back or I am scared. It's time for someone else to be scared; see you at the auditions). She will be seen as the new gang leader in the upcoming season of MTV Roadies. Hours later, without mentioning Rhea, Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Priyanka had tweeted, "Tum kyun darogi? Tum to vyashya thi, ho aur rahogi! Prashna ye hai ki tumhare upbhogta kon hai? Koi sattadhari hi ye himmat de sakta hai (Why would you be afraid? You were, are, and will remain a prostitute! The question is who are your clients? Only a ruler can give you this courage). Who is responsible for delay in SSR's is obvious." On Wednesday, Priyanka tweeted in response to her earlier tweet, Just a clarification: My below tweet was not directed to any specific person as it has been reported in media, which is ill-conceived and looks motivated. It was my general angst against the state of affairs prevalent in our world around. Sushant Singh Rajputs sister clarifies her tweet was not about any specific person. While some on Twitter users supported Priyanka, others asked her not to issue any clarification. A person tweeted, "No need to clarify and justify." A person also tweeted, "Aapne to sahi baat boli hai. Ab mirchi to unn logo ko lagega jo log sab kuch jaante huye khamosh hai (You said the correct thing, it should pinch those, who remain silent despite knowing the truth)." Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead on June 14, 2020,in his Mumbai flat. After which, allegations were made that the death of the actor and his former assistant Disha Salian, who had died on June 8, 2020, were linked. Days after Sushant's death, the late actor's father had filed an FIR against Sushant's then-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty accusing her of abetment of suicide and money laundering. The case was then transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, while Enforcement Directorate and Narcotics Control Bureau investigated allegations of money laundering and drugs. None of these allegation have been proven yet. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hrithik Roshan was recently spotted with actor-girlfriend Saba Azad as they attended an event during the grand opening of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). They are often spotted together at events, in holiday photos, and out and about in Mumbai. In an old interview, Hrithik was asked if he had 'considered remarriage'. Also read: Hrithik Roshan wins hearts as photo of him holding Saba Azad's heels at event emerges online Sussanne Khan and Hrithik Roshan with their son; Hrithik with girlfriend Saba Azad. Hrithik and Saba reportedly began dating early last year. The relationship rumours came to an end after the two arrived hand-in-hand at filmmaker Karan Johar's 50th birthday bash in May, 2022. Hrithik was previously married to interior designer Sussanne Khan. In a 2017 interview, Hrithik was asked how he dealt with his separation from Sussanne and was it tougher for them given the media glare. Hrithik Roshan had then told Filmfare, "I wouldn't want to take this one aspect and say yes it's tougher for a celebrity because there are so many other things where a celebrity has an advantage. But yes, I've started to trust life immensely. A situation might seem like one thing and it might lead to another thing. All my greatest victories have come in this manner. Today, I may be termed as a great dancer. But that started off with a doctor saying that I'd never be able to dance in my life. It broke my heart. He said I suffered from rheumatism of the knees and scoliosis in my back. There have been many such examples." Hrithik also spoke about how his opinion on remarriage might change with time. He had said, "Today, I cannot think of remarriage. I feel satiated, I feel content. As of now, no thought has gone in that direction. I've discovered that human needs are few. There's a way of being self-reliant and self-sufficient at most times. But again, one doesn't know. You cannot be certain of anything, even your own words. Your words will change. Two years from now I might be saying something else. And in that contradiction lies growth." Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan married in December 2000, and they became parents a few years later. They have two sons Hrehaan Roshan, born in 2006, and Hridhaan Roshan, who was born in 2008. Hrithik and Sussanne got divorced in 2014. Since their separation, they continue to co-parent their sons. Sussanne is now dating actor Arslan Goni. Hrithik Roshan has been working on his upcoming movie Fighter. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the action film also stars Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Neetu Kapoor had recently shared a cryptic post on Instagram Stories about dating, which a section of social media users said was a dig at actor-son Ranbir Kapoors ex girlfriend, Katrina Kaif. Now, an old video of Katrina is grabbing attention, where she responded to the statement, Rumour is that Ranbirs mother Neetu doesnt like you. Also read: Katrina Kaifs mom shares cryptic note on respect; Reddit thinks it is a response to Neetu Kapoors post Katrina Kaif was asked about Neetu Kapoor in a old interview; Neetu with Ranbir Kapoor at his wedding (right). Recently, Reddit account Bolly Blinds N Gossip shared an old video of Katrina Kaif from a 2015 event, where Katrina said she was 'stumped' as she replied to a question about 'rumours' of Neetu disliking her. Katrina and Ranbir dated for a few years. Ranbir married actor Alia Bhatt in April last year, and they welcomed daughter Raha Kapoor months later. In 2021, Katrina married actor Vicky Kaushal. In an old video, Katrina was asked at India Today Conclave about her reaction to rumours of Neetu Kapoor disliking her. Katrina had then said, "I am just stumped, hold on a second. You know, the reason and the person responsible for these rumours, as you are saying, would be me. I would take the full blame for that. You may ask why. The reason is because since the last eight or nine years, I have chosen not to comment on my personal life, whoever or whatever it is the people or the man in my life. Because I think its the easier way for me to be, theres no hard and fast reason why. I am a sensitive person. I have a hard time accepting the truths and realities sometimes that affect us all in matters of love, and having to share that with the public as well. It is just something I have chosen to do. Because I have kept everything as closely guarded, as much as possible, you are leaving too much room for everyone and the public to speculate like this. Katrina had further said, If you specifically ask me about my relationship with Ranbirs mother as a woman and as an actress, with whom I have interacted, she is a beautiful, stunning lady with phenomenal grace and just somebody whom I have great admiration for. Somebody who started her career at a very young age, and worked amazingly and successfully in her career, and chose to get married to a man she greatly loved. I think that she is a fantastic person. In fact, everyone Ive met from his (Ranbir's) family has been lovely, fascinating. Not only Neetu ji, but also his father Rishi ji (Rishi Kapoor), with whom I worked in Namastey London. We hit it off very well in the film. He was such a darling person. He would take me out for dinner in the evening, guide me..." When Katrina was asked about Neetu Kapoor 'airbrushing her out of a photo', Katrina had said she is not on Instagram or Twitter so she cant say she really knows what the interviewer was talking about. Katrina Kaifs mother Suzanne Turquotte shared a post about respect. Recently, actor Neetu Kapoor took to Instagram Stories and shared a post that read, Just because he dated you for 7 years, it doesnt mean he will marry you. My uncle studied medicine for 6 years, now he is a DJ." Days later, Katrina Kaifs mother Suzanne Turquotte shared a quote via an Instagram post, which read, I was raised to treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO." She did not add a caption to her post. A fan commented on it, Perfect timing for this post... Some Reddit users were convinced that it was in response to Neetus post, after Bolly Blinds N Gossip had shared Suzanne's post and written, "Katrina Kaifs mom posted this on her Instagram today. Is this a response to Neetu? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chitrangda Singh, whose latest film is Gaslight, made her acting debut back in 2005 with Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The actor started out as a model before the feature and had done one music video before she joined the film industry. In a new interview, she revealed that she very nearly missed out on the part because Sudhir thought she was 'terrible' in her first audition in Delhi. It was the faith and backing of Swanand Kirkire who was Sudhir's chief assistant director that he pushed for another audition in which she was able to nail the tough scenes of the drama. Also read: Chitrangda Singh texted Saif Ali Khan to talk about Sara Ali Khan. Here's what she told him Chitrangda Singh in a still from her debut film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The actor recalled coming to Mumbai for the first time to give an audition for the Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The initial auditions were held in other cities, including Delhi to see candidates for the role of Gita. They arrived at the National School of Drama (NSD) looking to find their lead. Prior to this, Chitrangda had appeared in a music video directed by Gulzar. It was the first time she performed on screen. The line producer of that video was helping Swanand out and recommended Chitrangda to him and she arrived at the auditions with other hopefuls from NSD. In an interview with The Bombay Journey on their YouTube channel, Chitrangda told Siddhaarth Aalambayan about the whole process. She recalled, "I was the last person [at the audition]. That is when I gave my first audition for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The second audition also Swanand took. Finally Sudhir said, 'Okay, you worked hard on her.' Swanand insisted, I know she'll be very good. He sends the first audition out and Sudhir says it's terrible. Swanand insists no. You give me one more chance, I'll give you one more, she's a very good girl." She went on to say, "Then Sudhir took my audition, he gave the toughest scene. The scene where she's gotten raped in the police station and the other one when she's screaming at the cops. I think I did it really well. Sudhir was pretty happy with the audition so that's how. That was my arrival." The political drama also starred Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Saurabh Shukla and Ram Kapoor. Swanand also wrote the lyrics and sang a few songs on the film's soundtrack. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Model-actor Jung Chae Yull died at the age of 26, her agency Management S said in a statement. As per a new report, the actor died on Tuesday. Jung Chae Yull was reportedly, until recently, filming for Wedding Impossible, a web novel-based drama. South Korean actor Jung Chae Yull, known for Zombie Detective, died on Tuesday. As quoted by Soompi, Management S' statement read, "Today, we are relaying sorrowful and heartbreaking news. Actress Jung Chae Yull has left our side on April 11, 2023. In accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family who must have been in greater sadness than anyone else, the funeral will be held quietly in private. It also added, "Please wish for Jung Chae Yull, who had always been earnest in her pursuit of acting, to rest in peace in a warm place. We earnestly request that you refrain from writing speculative articles or spreading rumors." After the news of her death, the cast and crew of Wedding Impossible were in shock and immediately halted filming, as per the report. Soompi also quoted a representative from the production team saying, We express our deep condolences. Future filming schedule is under internal discussion. The Independent quoted the CEO of Management S telling OSEN, Our Chae-Yul was very hardworking. She was a deep-hearted and cool friend. In my opinion, it is hard to describe in words how amazing she was as an actress. The late actor's fans and followers also paid tributes on her Instagram page. Jung Chae Yull's last post on Instagram was on April 8. She posted a series of her photos giving different poses and expressions as she enjoyed a drink. The actor was also seen holding a bottle while stepping out of her home. Taking to the comments section, a fan wrote, "Most beautiful angel in the sky..." "Hopefully you can find the happiness that you want. The life of your reincarnation can be much better than now. God bless you, sister," read a comment. Many people posted, "Rest in peace" in the comments section. Jung Chae Yull first appeared on the survival program Devils Runway in 2016. She then began her acting career with the 2018 film Deep. The actor was best known for featuring in the Netflix series Zombie Detective. Her other projects include the K-drama series I Have Not Done My Best. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who has been travelling across the country for the promotions of her film Shaakuntalam, has informed her fans that she is unwell. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Samantha said that she has a fever and also lost her voice following the 'hectic schedules and promotions' of her upcoming mythological romantic drama. (Also Read | First reactions for Samantha Ruth Prabhu's Shaakuntalam are in; actor gets 'standing ovation') Samantha Ruth Prabhu posed for a picture during the trailer launch of Shaakuntalam in Mumbai. (ANI Photo) Samantha tweeted, "(1/2)I was really excited to be amongst you all this week promoting my film and soaking in your love. Unfortunately, the hectic schedules and promotions have taken its toll, and I am down with a fever and have lost my voice. (2/2) Please join team #Shaakuntalam at the Annual Day Event of MLRIT this evening will miss you (red heart emoji)." Reacting to the post, a fan said, "Take your own time and recover, please!" Another tweet read, "Nothing is more important than your health.. Although there is no time, on the one hand you participated in the busy schedules of shootings & on the other hand you have done #Shaakuntalam promotions beyond your strength.. Take care of your health." A person commented, "Get well soon Sam, our love and prayers are always with you." A Twitter user said, "We are always here to support you Sam no matter what we love you always." Samantha has so far travelled to Mumbai and Hyderabad for the promotion of her film. The actor recently unveiled the new trailer of Shaakuntalam. On Instagram, Samantha posted the new trailer and captioned it, "Get ready to embark on an epic journey of love #Shaakuntalam worldwide release on April 14 in 3D & 2D." The film is based on a popular play Shakuntala by Kalidasa. Shakuntala is the wife of King Dushyant and the mother of Bharata. King Dushyant met Shakuntala when he is out on a hunting trip in the jungle. They fell in love and got married as per the Gandharva system. The film is all set to hit the theatres on April 14 and it will be out in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. Dev Mohan has been paired opposite Samantha. Samantha was recently seen in the sci-fi thriller film Yashoda which received positive responses from the audience. She will be next seen in an upcoming romantic film Khusi opposite Vijay Deverakonda. She also has the action thriller web series Citadel alongside Varun Dhawan in the pipeline. ott:10 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Real Housewives of New Jersey has been on air for over a decade, and for the past few seasons, the show has been dominated by the long-running feud between Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga. However, this season, there's hope that the show may be turning a corner with the addition of three new cast members: Danielle Cabral, Rachel Fuda, and Jennifer Fessler. Cast of Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13. As the show enters its 13th season, it's at a stagnant point with long-in-the-tooth storylines and stale feuds. But these three new women offer a breath of fresh air to the show. Danielle, Rachel, and Jennifer bring something new to the table, and they offer an alternative to yet another round of Teresa versus Melissa. Danielle Cabral Danielle Cabral in Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 Danielle Cabral is a 37-year-old mother of two and "brand ambassador" who is argumentative in all the ways we've come to expect from the Jersey Housewives. She's a tough-talker who has already gotten on Margaret Josephs' bad side and seems to be ramping up to a conflict with fellow newbie Rachel. Her big personality and dramatic flair have made her a standout this season. Rachel Fuda Rachel Fuda is 32 and a mother of three kids, one of whom is friends with Melissa Gorga's son at school. She was brought in as a friend of Melissa's, which is normally a red flag. When one half of a major feud brings in a new cast member, there's often a mercenary air to them. However, Rachel's not particularly inclined towards Teresa, but she hasn't exactly been in attack dog mode. She brings a refreshing calmness to the group. Jennifer Fessler Jennifer Fessler has been brought in as a friend of Margaret Josephs, and she's managed to be fairly level-headed when it comes to Margaret's feud with Jen Aydin. She offers a fresh perspective to the group, and her level-headedness is a welcome change from the drama that often surrounds the housewives. Also read | RHONJ's Jennifer reveals shocking pre-fame affair with this Sopranos actor "I think RHONJ really needed the new blood this season," says Housewives recapper and author of The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives, Brian Moylan according to report from Primetimer. The shows are always the most interesting when there are complex dynamics between the women. When there are sides, it just becomes trench warfare. Ultimately, only time will tell whether or not the new cast members will be able to breathe new life into the show. But for now, fans are excited to see what the future holds for the Real Housewives of New Jersey. The Real Housewives of New Jersey is no stranger to drama, but during a recent episode, cast member Jennifer Fessler dropped a bombshell that left fans stunned. Fessler claimed that she had a short-lived romantic relationship with James Gandolfini, who played the iconic role of Tony Soprano on the hit HBO series, before he found fame. The Real Housewives of New Jersey Star Jennifer Fessler According to Fessler, the two met before The Sopranos debuted in 1999, and things quickly heated up between them. Fessler said that Gandolfini took her to an S&M bar, and the two engaged in some steamy activities before returning to his apartment. He was the one that got away, but he was also the one who was never really there, Fessler said, adding that they slept together multiple times. Gandolfini, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 51, was survived by his wife, Deborah Lin, and their two children. Fans of the beloved actor were shocked by Fessler's claims, and many took to social media to express their disbelief. James Gandolfini was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano. But the drama didn't end there. During the same episode, Jennifer Aydin revealed that a friend of Margaret Joseph's had told her that Melissa Gorga was spotted kissing a man who wasn't her husband, Joe Gorga, in the backseat of a car. Margaret is the one who knows all this stuff and if you (upset) Margaret, she pays you back, Jennifer said. Also read | From mozzarella to makeover, RHONJ's Jennifer shares transformation journey The explosive claims left fans on the edge of their seats, wondering what other bombshells could be dropped on the show. It's clear that RHONJ will continue to be must-see TV for fans of drama and scandal. Actor Rubina Dilaik has asked her fans not to use her Instagram Reels and pictures for promoting betting apps. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Rubina said that she follows certain principles and urged people not to promote such apps on her behalf. (Also Read | Rubina Dilaik reacts to being called fragile) Rubina Dilaik issues a strong statement to haters. Rubina wrote, "I have noticed some of my fan clubs on Instagram are promoting Betting Apps via my reels and pictures! I have certain principles in my life, If I dont encourage some practices, do NOT promote them on my behalf (folded hands emoji)." Reacting to the post, a fan said, "We need more celebs like you who corrected their fans' moves. Really appreciate." Rubina said that she follows certain principles. Another person said, "Kudos Rubina. I hope your fan clubs (or any celeb fan clubs for that matter) will stop misusing publically available content of celebs." "You are the inspiration of many people & feeling so proud by your these words," wrote a Twitter user. "Proud of you Rubi. That's called ethics. It's rare nowadays that celebs take responsibility & ask their FCS not to do anything wrong, but you @RubiDilaik my love always do the right thing. Bow down," read a tweet. Rubina shares regular updates about her personal and professional life on her social media platforms. In February, she took to Instagram and informed her followers that she was unwell. Rubina shared pictures of her swollen face. "Fever, sore throat, infection and swollen lips, I surely look like a Duck ( without fillers)... And m frustrated and also laughing looking at myself... wtf," she captioned the post. Fans saw Rubina last in the hit dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10. The actor also participated in Rohit Shetty's hit stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 12 and became one of the finalists. Prior to it, she enjoyed great popularity by winning the 14th season of Bigg Boss. After taking part in Khatron Ke Khiladi 12, Rubina participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10. Reacting to being called fragile by a section of the people, Rubina told Telly Chakkar in 2022, If I were fragile, how would I have done back-to-back showsI came back from Cape Town and immediately started rehearsing for 4-5 hours a day regularly for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the body sometimes gives up but the show has to go on and if you are passionate about something, you will do it no matter what comes your way." SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After quitting the long-running show Kundali Bhagya, actor Shakti Arora has decided to venture into the OTT space and explore his untapped potential. But many artistes before him have talked about the discriminatory behaviour that TV actors often deal with when they decide to make a shift towards another platform. Actor Shakti Arora was last seen in Kundali Bhagya. Asked if Arora has noticed a similar pattern, he says, Koi director aapko ye muh par nahin bolta hai ki aapne TV me kaam kara hai toh hum aapko kaam nahi denge. Par yeh baatein hoti hain casting agents mein. Film or ad directors do not sit and watch television. They do not know who is from which platform. All they care about is performance. Though the actor admits he fails to understand the reason behind such unfair treatment by casting agents, he maintains that TV actors are better performers than most other artistes across platforms. They (TV actors) are conditioned to perform under pressure. We get the scripts on the same day and sometimes, its changed just 15 minutes before the shoot. Yet we manage to prepare for the scene and perform it to the best of our ability. We are very spontaneous artistes and thats our strength. So even if we get a film script or that of an OTT project, we can memorize a 2 page dialogue within no time and deliver, he shares, adding, Unlike us, actors on other platforms get bound scripts as well as the time to rehearse a hundred times. There are many big actors who even use teleprompters to read dialogues. Hence, I do not understand why TV actors are looked down upon even then. Willing to work across platforms, Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi actor points out how there is an order of preference when it comes to different platforms. An actor is open for all the mediums films, OTT, Televsion, advertisements. No actor will tell you ki mujhe sirf TV karna hai ya mujhe films mil rahi hai par me bas OTT karna chaahta hun. But there is an order of preference. Any artiste would first choose films, then comes OTT followed by ads and TV and I would also go in that particular order if offered good projects, says Arora who is already on the hunt for good opportunities and has been auditioning for such roles since past one month. Actor Shraddha Arya, who recently criticised the Dalai Lama, has penned an apology note regarding the same. A recent video of the Tibetan spiritual leader showing him kissing a child on the lips triggered criticism. He was taking questions from the audience when the boy asked if he could hug him. (Also Read | Here's why Shraddha Arya didn't participate in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 10) Shraddha Arya wrote an apology note. The Dalai Lama invited the boy up toward the platform he was seated on. In the video, he gestured to his cheek, after which the child kissed him before giving him a hug. The Dalai Lama then asked the boy to kiss him on the lips and stuck out his tongue. Following this Shraddha in a now-deleted post criticised the Dalai Lama. However, a section of the people called out the actor. As reported by India Today, Shraddha wrote a note on her Instagram Stories. It read, "A lot of people have been writing hateful stuff on my page... I don't know you guys and have absolutely nothing against you or your religion or your practices. An act has been condemned. Not any community, religion or place." Shraddha wrote a note on her Instagram Stories. She also added, Apologies (folded hands emoji) if my choice of words used to criticise the incident were too harsh. Sadly, India is infested with child abuse and it's already very heartbreaking... Hence, any act or words that suggest child mistreatment are extremely enraging and unappreciated." She also added the hashtag love over hate. After people criticised him, the Dalai Lama apologised on Monday. A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident. "His Holiness wishes to apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused," read the statement. It also added, "His Holiness often teases the people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras," it added. "He regrets the incident." Shraddha is known for playing the lead role of Dr Preeta Karan Luthra on the television show, Kundali Bhagya. Shraddha has also acted in several other TV serials such as Tumhari Paakhi, Dream Girl and Main Lakshmi Tere Aangan Ki. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In the world of reality TV, villains often become the most talked-about cast members, and Irina Solomonova is no exception. The Love Is Blind season 4 contestant quickly earned a reputation for her mean-girl attitude and was often seen as the antagonist of the show. However, what many viewers don't know is that Irina is also a hard-working business owner, striving to make a name for herself in the event planning industry. Irina Solomonova is working hard to build a name for herself through her brand Solo Co. When Irina first appeared on Love Is Blind, she was the youngest cast member at just 26 years old. Her behavior on the show, particularly her treatment of fellow contestant Amber Wilder and her short-lived fiance Zack Goytowski, quickly drew the ire of viewers. Irina also found herself alienated from the other female cast members, aside from her ally Micah Lussier, and even went after Micah's fiance Paul Peden. Despite the backlash she received, Irina didn't let it get her down. She owns Solo Co., an event planning business based in Seattle that she founded before appearing on Love Is Blind. The company's Instagram page currently has just over 4,000 followers, and its website states that it focuses on helping "people create memories of a lifetime by curating a space that celebrates people, lifes events, and the moments in between." Irina's rebranding efforts for her business have been apparent since the show premiered. In an Instagram post from March 17th, she wrote, "We are dedicated to crafting environments that foster this sense of community." The Solo Co. website also emphasizes Irina's focus on celebrating people and lifting them up, which stands in contrast to the negative behavior she displayed on the show. Despite the notoriety she gained from her appearance on Love Is Blind, Irina has continued to promote her business and strive for success. She specializes in events like bridal showers, elopements, proposals, and baby showers, as well as private dinner parties and women's events. Her dedication to her business shows that there is more to her than just the villainous persona she portrayed on the show. However, the notoriety she gained from her appearance on Love Is Blind has its downsides. It's possible that the negative reception she received could be hurting her business, as viewers may be hesitant to work with someone who behaved poorly on TV. Additionally, the Love Is Blind season 4 live reunion could further polarize her potential clients, either helping her redeem herself among fans or further alienating her. Despite the challenges she faces, Irina is determined to keep working hard and building her business. Love Is Blind may have portrayed her as a villain, but there is much more to her than meets the eye. As she continues to grow her business and improve her reputation, she is sure to prove her critics wrong and show that she is much more than just a reality TV character. A 65-year-old Indian Sikh pilgrim who arrived here to attend the 'Vaisakhi Mela' festivities died of a heart attack, officials said on Wednesday. A total of 2,470 pilgrims from India went to Pakistan last week for the Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) celebrations.(AP) Jokindar Singh, a resident of Taij Buhadar Nagar, Jalandhar, arrived in Lahore via Wagah Border last Sunday and died of a heart attack on Tuesday, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi told PTI. A total of 2,470 pilgrims from India went to Pakistan last week for the Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) celebrations. "Singh who was staying at a residential block of the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib complained of chest pain after which he was shifted to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival," Hashmi said. Also read | Pak issues over 2,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations Singh was part of the group of Sardar Amar Jeet Singh, he said. The district headquarters hospital Nankana Sahib issued his death certificate citing "cardiac arrest" as the cause of his death, the board spokesperson said. "The body was handed over to the Border Security Force at Wagah Border by ETPB additional secretary Rana Saleem and Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee president Sardar Ameer Sigh," he said, adding that Indian Yatree Rubaal Singh accompanied the body to India. Meanwhile, the remaining Sikh pilgrims left for Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal on Wednesday to take part in the main festival which will be held on Friday at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. The pilgrims will attend the ceremony of Bhog Akhand Paath Sahib & Nagar Kirtan to celebrate the 324th Khalsa Janam Din. They will also visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal on April 16 and will return to India on April 18. Indian Sikh devotees visit Pakistan on pilgrimage all around the year to mark their various religious festivals. Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurudwara Janam Asthan, is the most sacred site (some 80 kms from Lahore) for the followers of Sikhism as the first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born there. Mumbai: Will he? Wont he? In the political flux that can come to characterise happenings in Maharashtra, this is the question most people are asking, with the person in question being Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar. Although Ajit Pawar himself has denied that anything is in the works, the fact that his name did not figure in the case involving an alleged fraud in State Cooperative (MSC) Bank has sparked speculation. (HT) And the act in question? Joining the Bharatiya Janata Party of course. ALSO READ: Ajit Pawar and the art of disappearing Although Pawar himself has denied that anything is in the works, the fact that his name did not figure in the case involving an alleged fraud in State Cooperative (MSC) Bank has sparked speculation. Some BJP leaders have added fuel to the rumours by claiming that Pawar would soon exit the party with his supporters. And some of Pawars own aides have claimed that BJP leaders are in touch with him should they need extra support in case the Supreme Court disqualifies chief minister Eknath Shinde and his MLAs under the anti-defection law. Pawar, the reasoning goes, could then provide the party with the numbers it needs to form the government. Pawar has been at pains to point out that the investigating agency is yet to clear him in the MSC Bank case, and the thinking within the NCP is that Pawar may not repeat his misadventure from November 2019, especially since party chief and his uncle Sharad Pawar is awake to the possibility after being taken by surprise back then. ALSO READ: Ajit Pawar on Uddhavs worthless remark: People do not know what to speak when they get mic in hand The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 28 submitted a charge sheet in the alleged 25,000 crore MSC Bank fraud case. The central investigating agency has dropped the names of Ajit Pawar and his wife Sunetra Pawar in the charge sheet. Pawar dismissed any notion that he has been cleared: The information is baseless. No clean chit has been given and investigation against us is still on. Social activist Anjali Damania added fuel to the fire by claiming on Wednesday that Ajit Pawar could forge an alliance with BJP. Today I went to Mantralaya (state headquarters) for some work. A man stopped by and told me a funny story. According to him, 15 MLAs will be disqualified (by the Supreme Court) and Ajit Pawar will go with BJP and (that) too pretty soon, she said in a tweet and added, Lets see, how much more miserable the politics of Maharashtra is going to become. She was ridiculed by Pawarimmediately. What can a small party worker like me comment on something said by such an eminent personality, he quipped when reporters asked him to react. All of that seems too slim to base anything on -- only, Pawars own behaviour in recent weeks, including a divergence from other MVA partners, and cancellation of meetings has also contributed. On July 1, 2021, the enforcement directorate attached assets of Jarandeshwar Cooperative Sugar Mill situated in Satara, a firm they linked to Pawars relatives . The agency claimed the firm was auctioned at an undervalued price by MSC Bank when Pawar was on the board of the bank. This was followed by raids and searches carried out by the income tax (I-T) department at premises of multiple sugar mills and real estate groups, including those linked to Pawar, son Parth Pawar and his three sisters in October 2021. Many of Pawars aides believe he will stay on in NCP where he is the clear number two after Sharad Pawar though MP Supriya Sule and state president Jayant Patil are important leaders. He (Ajit Pawar) will have to play second fiddle if he forms a government with BJP, said a NCP leader, requesting anonymity. Pawar did this in 2019 even as his uncle was trying to cobble up a three-party coalition of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress to form the government in Maharashtra. In a hastily organised ceremony at Raj Bhavan, he took oath as deputy chief minister to form an alliance government with BJP. Devendra Fadnavis took oath as chief minister. However, the government did not last beyond two days as almost all NCP MLAs who supported him returned to the party fold with some of them complaining to Sharad Pawar that they were forced to support his nephew. Since then, Sharad Pawar has involved Sule, Patil and other leaders in important decisions. He has also made Patil head of the partys legislative unit to avoid what happend to the Shiv Sena last year when Eknath Shinde who was its legislative party chief decided to support the BJP. He also appears to have successfully staked claim to his faction being the real Shiv Sena. One of Pawars aides said in the current situation, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has a better chance of getting majority in the state assembly election scheduled next year. NCP is the largest party in the opposition at present and in all likelihood will get more seats than Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) in the polls. In that scenario, Ajit dada would be the only choice for the chief minister position and he will also enjoy all the freedom which is not possible in a BJP-NCP government, added this person, asking not to be named. The Shiv Sena (UBT) too debunked the possibility of Pawar defecting. The partys Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that the EDs decision dropping Ajits name means that the central agencies were misused but they found nothing against him. He (Ajit Pawar) is currently among the chief leaders of MVA. He has a bright political future and has self-respect. Still, all eyes are on the Supreme Court verdict on the political crisis in Maharashtra which is expected in the next few days. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Alliance Air has resumed its flights operations two days after its pilots did not report to work resulting in major delays and disruptions, the airline said in its latest statement. Pilots had gone on strike on Monday that continued on Tuesday too, affecting flight operations. (Facebook | Alliance Air) We are now pleased to inform that the operations have normalised and flights are operating as per schedule, the statement read. We sincerely regret the inconvenience to our valued passengers in last two days, it added. The airline had on Tuesday night issued show cause notices to its pilots for not reporting to work on two consecutive days that resulted in major flight disruptions, two officials aware of the matter said. Pilots had gone on strike on Monday that continued on Tuesday too, affecting flight operations, an airline official said. Alliance Air operates 130 flights every day with a pilot strength of 200. Also Read: New airlines now being born rather than shutting down: Jyotiraditya Scindia They were protesting non restoration of salaries to pre Covid levels and non-payment of allowances. This resulted in affecting around 70 flights on Tuesday, he added. An official in the know of the matter said that the pilots who have been served the show cause notices have been asked to report to work within 24 hours. A section of pilots have gone on strike without issuing a notice to the airline. A statement issued by the airline on Monday had read, The unforeseen disruption in logistic chain is directly impacting the timely availability of spares in the industry restricting the airline to fly the aircraft due safety reasons combined with a section of dissatisfied pilots who en masse reported sick without giving any prior intimation, resulted in cancellation of flight operation on 24 routes. The airline had said that this action on part of the cockpit crew caused inconvenience to the travelling public, brought disrespect to the airline, and resulted in revenue loss. However, officials on Tuesday said that even though the pilots have been asked to join work within 24 hours, flight operations may remain affected on Wednesday as well. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amid a political row over Amul versus Karnataka's Nandini brand, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday attacked Union home minister Amit Shah, who also holds the portfolio of the ministry of co-operation, alleging that the entry of Amul products in the southern state was a pretext to merge dairy co-ops into a multi-state cooperative under his command & control. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. (PTI File Photo)(HT_PRINT) Ramesh said in a statement that the previous Congress-led governments at the Centre helped nurture the network of cooperatives in each state to empower dairy power. He alleged that the Union minister of co-operation imagines a small collection of centralised organizations under his direct command and control, citing Shah's earlier announcement that Amul will merge with five other cooperative societies to form a multi-state cooperative society. The Congress MP also shared a chronology related to the ministry and said PM Modi and his government are following their usual practice of establishing their total control, ignoring the Constitution which clearly demarcates cooperative societies as a state subject. "The Congress party will not allow the time to come when the BJP may raise the slogan of "One Nation, One Milk". In its election campaign in Karnataka, and in political activities across the country, the Congress party will explain to people the sinister agenda behind these moves, and our resolve to oppose them through all possible democratic means," he said. In a show of support for Nandini, Congress Karnataka chief D K Shivakumar on Monday visited one of its milk parlours in the Hasan district of Karnataka. "We already have Nandini which is a better brand than Amul...We don't need any Amul...our water, our milk, and our soil is strong," Shivakumar told ANI. Karnataka chief minister accused Congress and JD(S) of doing 'politics' over it. "Nandini is a very good brand of our State...Congress and JD(S) are doing politics at the time of elections," Bommai said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union Home Minister Amit Shah will review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, sources said. Shah will be given a detailed presentation on the prevailing law and order situation in J-K by security officials of the central government and the union territory administration. Union home minister Amit Shah. (PTI) The situation along the Line of Control and International Border, infiltration bids from across the border and attempts to target minority community members are expected to be discussed at the meeting in Delhi, sources said. Also read: Shah slams Rahul Gandhi, says Modi will become PM again with full majority Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh and other senior officials will attend the meeting. There were several targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir in the last three years. The government had informed Parliament that as many as 118 civilians, including five Kashmiri Pandits and 16 other Hindus and Sikhs, were killed in J-K since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 till July 2022. Also read: Amit Shah to travel to Bengals Birbhum district, address rally on April 14 In May, four Hindu pilgrims were killed and at least 20 injured when their bus caught fire near Katra in Jammu. Police suspect a sticky bomb might have been used to trigger the fire. Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on August 5, 2019 and the state was divided into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The army on Wednesday launched a manhunt after four soldiers were killed in a suspected fratricide attack at an officers mess in the Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday, officials familiar with the matter said, ruling out a terror angle. HT Image The victims, all gunners, died of multiple gunshot injuries. No one was apprehended till the time this report was filed on Wednesday night. Army chief General Manoj Pande briefed defence minister Rajnath Singh on the incident. Senior army officials familiar with the matter said the incident was likely a planned fratricide attack and pointed to an automatic weapon and some rounds that went missing from an army unit three days ago, indicating that the same rifle may have been used. They added, on condition of anonymity since an investigation is still ongoing, that it is likely the person who carried out the attack may have rejoined the unit, making their task of identifying the perpetrator that much more difficult. The weapon and some of the ammunition were recovered after the attack. The police, who are also investigating the matter, had a slightly different version. Superintendent of police (investigation) of Bathinda police Ajay Gandhi, who is leading the probe, said the crime is being probed from all angles adding that the terrorist angle is not completely ruled out at this stage. The police also claimed to have an eyewitness who claimed there were two attackers, one with a gun and the other an axe, and that they disappeared into the surrounding forests taking advantage of the darkness. But Gandhi clarified that information shared by the army authorities does not hint at any attempt of a security breach or intrusion in its highly secured campus and that it would be premature to draw a conclusion on the involvement of any outsiders. On Wednesday, quick reaction teams were activated after the shooting took place in the mess at 4.35am, the army said in a statement. The Jaipur-based South Western Command issued three statements on the shooting incident, but none described it as fratricide. The statements also did not say who may have been responsible for the incident. Four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries in the unfortunate incident, the South Western Command said in one of the statements. The entire area was cordoned off, and combing operations were on till late Wednesday, the officials said. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported. The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case, the statement added. The Bathinda military station is the largest military base in Asia and home to the armys HQs 10 Corps. The pivot Chetak corps is responsible for defending Indias border with Pakistan in south Punjab and north Rajasthan. All aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained, the statement further added. The rifle and its magazine were recovered from the base in the evening, the command said in the third statement. A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine. Army and police joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon to ascertain further details, the statement said. It said that the balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis, indicating that some rounds may have fired. It is reiterated that no individual has been detained or apprehended, the statement added. The victims were identified as Gunners Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogeshkumar J (24) and Santosh M Nagaral (25). They all were from an artillery unit. The four were killed in their rooms near the officers mess and the police recovered 19 empty shells of an Insas rifle from the crime spot. Army and police joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details, said an army spokesperson. A first information report (FIR) was lodged at the cantonment police station against two unknown persons. A police functionary familiar with the probe said the military station is spread over a 40km area and it was a herculean task to conduct a combing operation. The defense authorities used quadcopters and QRTs to scan the entire area. As per inputs from the army, no one is reported to be absent and an investigation is underway. CCTV footage are being scanned minutely for crucial leads, added another police official requesting anonymity. Bathinda civil surgeon Dr TS Dhillon said the bodies were handed over to the army authorities in the evening after autopsy at the Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital. GUWAHATI: The Assam government has denied allegations of anomalies in the census of rhinos carried out last year at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) as claimed by a right to information (RTI) and wildlife activist. PREMIUM Zero rhino poaching was also reported in Assam in 1977. (HT PHOTO) In a status report sent to the Union ministry of environment forest and climate change, Assam principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest force (PCCF & HOFF) MK Yadava termed the claims by Rohit Choudhury, one of the regions most respected conservationists, totally false. In the reply sent on Tuesday to additional director general of forests (wildlife) (under Union environment, forest and climate change ministry), Yadava also sought suitable action against Choudhury for bringing disrepute to the park, the worlds largest habitat of endangered one-horned rhinos . ALSO READ: Bihar to increase population of greater one-horned Rhinos by 3% annually However, Yadavas reply itself has some inconsistencies with past statements from the state government. In the reply sent on Tuesday, for instance, he stated that actual counting of rhinos didnt take place on March 26 and 27 last year (unlike mentioned by Choudhury in his allegation) and that there was a counting of rhinos sighted. He added that this was supplemented by a sample survey in 33 compartments of the park. However, in the press release issued by KNPTR on March 29 last year following the census, the director of KNPTR Jatindra Sarma clearly mentioned that actual counting of rhinos was done on March 26 and 27 and a sample survey was conducted in 26 randomly selected compartments of the park on March 28. Now Yadava says counting of rhinos sighted and in total, 33 compartments were revisited, recounted. Who is telling the truth? It should be decided among the KNPTR director (Sarma) and PCCF & HOFF (Yadava), Choudhury said on Wednesday. Choudhurys concern over the numbers, which saw him reaching out to the Union ministry of environment was prompted by a disproportionate increase in numbers following the sample survey. In February this year, the wildlife division of the Union environment, forest and climate change ministry and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which falls under the same ministry, asked the Assam chief wildlife warden (CWW) to submit status report on the census at the earliest and urgently following allegations of anomalies by Choudhury. In the 14th rhino census carried out in KNPTR in March last year, authorities stated that the total number of endangered animals increased from 2413 in 2018 to 2613a jump of 200 animals. Questioning the census process and the official numbers, Choudhury filed RTI applications and an analysis of replies received by him from the forest department showed 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 a sample survey was conducted in 22 randomly selected compartments (of the total 84 in the park) on March 28 in which 1064 rhinos were counted much more than the 472 rhinos counted by enumerators in the same 22 blocks on March 26-27, helping shore up the numbers. To be sure, this data is also inconsistent with the release from KNPTR in terms of the number of compartments surveyed. Adding that the figures were statistically unsound Choudhury wrote to the Union environment and forest ministry in January this year seeking an inquiry into the grave anomalies. Yadava also refuted Choudhurys allegation that no observers were present during the sample survey and mentioned in his reply that there was an independent enumerator and one media observer on that day. Explaining the increase of rhinos in the sample survey (in the blocks where it was undertaken) from 472 on March 26 and 27 to 1064 on March 28, he said: If the recounted compartment has less than twice of the either count, then the average of the two counts is taken as final tally, and if the difference is more than twice of one over the other, the lower count is rejected as undercount and the higher count is retained as final tally. However, even an internal inquiry report of the PCCF (Wildlife) into the alleged anomalies in the census submitted in February this year mentioned that the parks officials were not able to explain the logic behind using such a method of arriving at a final count. Rhino data of Kaziranga is very sensitive as the park is prone to poaching involving national and international gangs of poachers. This is the first time in the history of KNP that compartment wise data has been made public and he (Choudhury) has taken liberty, despite restraint by the park director, to publish the same in media. This way Rohit Choudhury has posed serious threat to the park security, Yadava alleged in his reply. Four Army jawans were shot and killed at Punjab's Bathinda military station in what officials have called a case of 'fratricide'. Police have ruled out a terror attack angle and the Army has identified the four slain soldiers, while also confirming a detailed investigation is underway. The investigation will focus on several aspects, including an INSAS assault rifle and 28 bullets that went missing Monday. The Army and police have said all angles - including the 'missing' rifle - will be investigated. (HT) What happened in Bathinda? At around 4.30 am Wednesday a firing incident was reported from the Bathinda military base, which is located less than 100 km from the Pakistan border. Later in the day a senior Punjab Police official said the four jawans were asleep in their barrack when they were attacked. What is the case of the 'missing' rifle? Reports have said that an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle and 28 rounds went 'missing' Monday. Nineteen bullets were found at the scene of the shooting. The other nine and the rifle itself are still 'missing', as are the perpetrators; the exact number of shooters is still unclear. The Army and police have said all angles - including the 'missing' rifle - will be investigated. Follow Live Updates on Bathinda military base firing What is fratricide? Fratricide refers to the killing of one's own brother or sister. In military cases, though, it refers to the killing of one's fellow soldiers. According to a report by the National Library of Medicine stress is an 'inseparable part of life', especially for those in the armed forces. This manifests as 'mental disorders (and) disciplinary problems (and) suicides and fratricides have (become) a matter of concern'. Prolonged spells of stressful work with minimal rest can put a big strain on individuals and 'this can result in psychological distress or even post-traumatic stress disorders. In addition desertion, dereliction of duty, poly substance abuse, deliberate self-harm, and fratricides may occur'. Fratricide in India's armed forces The Union Home Ministry listed for the Lok Sabha, in March 2023, the possible causes for similar cases among the Central Armed Police Forces. According to the data, there were 29 cases of fratricide in the past 60 months. In the period 2018-2022 there were 15 such cases from the Central Reserve Police Force, nine from the Border Security Force and two from the Central Industrial Security Force. One incident was reported from each of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Army Reserve and the Sashastra Seema Bal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The four deceased Indian Army jawans were asleep when they were attacked in their barrack at the Bathinda military station, a senior Punjab Police official said on Wednesday. Ajay Gandhi, superintendent of police (investigation), Bathinda, said two persons in civil dress were believed to be behind the shooting. Gandhi is heading a police team probing the Bathinda Military Station. He said 19 empty shells of Insas rifle were recovered from the spot. The Army in its statement had said that all aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained. Bathinda military station in Punjab where a firing incident took place, killing four Army jawans.(PTI) More than 12 hrs after the killings in military station, assailants are still elusive. The combing operation is still underway in the military station. Motive is still unknown as the military and district police are scanning CCTV footage for clues Four army jawans of an artillery unit were shot dead in an incident of suspected fratricide at an officers' mess in the Bathinda military station early Wednesday. Bathinda's senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gulneet Khurana had denied any terror angle in the crime and added that the incident took place within campus. "Matter is under investigation. We are in constant touch with the authorities of the military station for an in-depth probe," added the SSP. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two people wearing kurta pyjama carrying an INSAS rifle and an axe killed four jawans at the Bathinda military station, the Punjab Police first information report (FIR) stated on Wednesday. According to the FIR, both the assailants had their faces covered. According to the Indian Army, a search team has located the INSAS rifle and cartridge. The weapon will now undergo forensic analysis by the joint teams of Punjab Police and the Indian Army. Police officials have ruled out a terror angle in the Bathinda military station firing incident. (HT photo) The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis, the Army said in a statement, adding that the joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided. It is reiterated that NO individual has been detained/apprehended, the army added. Earlier, the Punjab Police said that 19 shells had been recovered in the military station. Bathinda SP (Investigation) Ajay Gandhi said the four jawans were attacked while they were sleeping in their barracks. The police have ruled out terror angle in the incident. "Matter is under investigation. We are in constant touch with the authorities of the military station for an in-depth probe," Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said. The firing took place at 4.35 am on Wednesday at the Officers' mess. The four deceased jawans were of an artillery unit. The entire area was cordoned off and search operation was initiated to nab the attackers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Four Army jawans shot and killed Wednesday morning - in a tragic incident officials described as 'fratricide' - while sleeping in a barrack at a military base in Punjab's Bathinda have been identified as Gunners Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogeshkumar J (24) and Santosh M Nagaral (25). Army vehicles outside the Bathinda military station where a firing incident took place Wednesday morning, April 12, 2023. Four people were killed. (PTI Photo) Their families have been notified, the Army said in a separate statement. The South-Western Command reported no other injuries to personnel or loss of or damage to property and said Army Chief General Manoj Pande had briefed defence minister Rajnath Singh. The Army further said the incident took place around 4.30 am and that a detailed investigation has been ordered. READ | Bathinda military station firing: 5 points about 'missing' INSAS rifle Among several other elements, inquiries will focus on an INSAS assault rifle and 28 bullets that went missing Monday, Punjab Police officials explained. READ | Bathinda attack: Four jawans shot as they slept, rifle still missing Of the 28 missing bullets 19 were recovered when the bodies were found, Ajay Gandhi, the senior police official investigating the incident, told reporters. The rifle and an unspecified number of bullets were found later in the day. READ | Bathinda attack: INSAS rifle, cartridges recovered - Army Gandhi also said the perpetrators were likely two people in civilian clothes and that a manhunt had been activated to capture them. However, defence ministry sources told Reuters of only one shooter. Meanwhile, Punjab Police's FIR (first information report) has said that two people - wearing kurta pyjamas and carrying the rifle and ax - were responsible. READ | Bathinda firing: Axe, INSAS rifle used to attack jawans, says FIR There are, at this time, no details about motive or any other circumstances surrounding the shooting. There was no exchange of gunfire after the initial burst and the military base has been locked down. The rifle and the missing bullets have been found. Not a terror attack A senior Punjab Police official told Reuters the incident was one of 'fratricide' and that a terror attack angle had been ruled out. "We are in constant touch with authorities at the military station for an in-depth probe," senior superintendent of police Gulneet Khurana said as he dismissed the terror angle. "It is not a terror incident it is an internal issue appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached with all forensic equipment..." READ | Bathinda military station firing prima facie fratricide. No terror attack The military base at Bathinda is located about 280 km northwest of national capital Delhi and is home primarily to families of soldiers. The Pakistan border is less than 100 km west of the town. With input from agencies SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine at the Bathinda military station, the Indian Army said in a statement on Wednesday evening. Barricades and a Drive Slow signboard place near the road to Bathinda military station where the firing incident killed 4 jawans.(Sanjeev Kumar/ HT Photo) Army and Police Joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details, the statement by Army's South Western Command read. The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. The joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided. It is reiterated that NO individual has been detained/apprehended, the Army added. As per the FIR lodged at Cantonment police station, two persons wearing kurta payjama were carrying an INSAS rifle and axe killed four jawans at Bathinda military station. Both had their faces covered. More than 12 hrs after the killings in military station, the assailants are still elusive. combing Op is still on in the military station. Motive is still unknown as the military and district police are scanning CCTV footage for clues. Bathinda SP (investigation) Ajay Gandhi said two persons in civil dress were believed to be behind the shooting. Gandhi is heading a police team probing the Bathinda Military Station. The deceased jawans were asleep when they were attacked in their barrack. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An incident of suspected fratricide occurred at an officers' mess in the Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday, resulting in the death of four Indian Army jawans. Police officials have ruled out a terror angle in the Bathinda military station firing incident. (HT photo) Police officials have ruled out a terror angle, and quick reaction teams were deployed immediately after the shooting. The army said the four army jawans were of an artillery unit. The area has been cordoned off, and combing operations are currently underway. Also Read: Punjab's Bathinda military station firing prima facie fratricide. No terror attack Bathinda military station firing: What we know so far 1. Four soldiers succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the firing incident, which took place around 4:35am, the Indian Army said in a statement. The statement by the Jaipur-based South Western Command did not mention the circumstances or other details about who was responsible for the incident. Follow Live Updates on Bathinda military base firing 2. News agency ANI, citing sources, reported that a weapon and some rounds went missing from an army unit two days prior to the incident. 3. All aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained, the statement said. Watch: Bathinda Military Station sealed; Army confirms four jawans killed | 'INSAS rifle, rounds missing' 4. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported. The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case, the command said. 5. The families of jawans killed in the incident are being informed about the loss of lives, the army said. 6. Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana has denied any terrorist angle in the crime and added that the incident took place within campus. "Matter is under investigation. We are in constant touch with the authorities of the military station for an in-depth probe," added the SSP. 7. The Bathinda military station is the largest military base in Asia and home to the armys HQs 10 Corps. The pivot 'Chetak' corps is responsible for defending Indias border with Pakistan in south Punjab and north Rajasthan. 8. Defence minister Rajnath Singh will be briefed by Army Chief General Manoj Pande on the Bathinda Military Station firing incident in a short while from now. 9. It is a matter of an internal fight. I have spoken to the SSP and an investigation is underway, said Punjab minister Anmol Gagan Maan. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON There is a school exam at the Government Pre-University College for Girls in Udupi. Many anxious parents are waiting for their daughters near the spot where the hijab row started in Karnataka in 2022 and flared up in other parts of the state. (ALSO READ| Karnataka polls: BJP releases 2nd list of 23 candidates) Railway Protection Special Force, Karnataka Special Reserve Police and local police personnel conduct a route march ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections in Bengaluru. (PTI) The BJPs candidate from Udupi, Yashpal Suvarna, is the vice-president of the development committee of the college and an influential person in an area where his party leaders maintain Hindutva is a key plank in the Karnataka election. Karnatakas social welfare minister Kota Srinivas Poojari told HT on Wednesday, Hindutva is an agenda. It is not a negative issue. It is a part of Indian culture. Some 53km away, the BJPs sitting MLA and Mangalore (South) candidate D Vedavyas Kamath echoed Poojari. As a political party, we should go according to our partys vision. We will fulfil our Hindutva agenda. At the same time, we are projecting development in Karnataka. ALSO READ: Caste equations may trump Hindutva plank in coastal Karnataka Poojari dropped in at the Udupi Press Club to give bytes to local TV channels. With the help of a translator, the minister said BS Yediyurappas return to the party was another reason why the BJP will retain power. The BJP is working for everyone. In 2013 the party was divided. KJP (Yediyurappas splinter group) was formed. But in 2018, everyone has returned. Barely 30 metres away from the club, the Congress office wears a busy look. A flying squad of the Election Commission has asked them to remove the three mega banners from the road but it hasnt deterred the workers mood. We are worried about other things. The young voters, especially those who are between 18 to 24, get heavily influenced by this Hindutva issue. We have a candidate who is resourceful but has a clean image. This is a fight between Hindutva and corruption of the Bommai government, said a Congress worker who didnt want to be named. The Congress candidate, Prasad Raj Kanchan, is from Mogaveera or the fisherman community, just like Suvarna. The government has completely failed on administration. Wherever we go, voters talk about hike in cooking gas and petrol prices. We are telling the voters, Are you aware that the Bommai government is eating 40% commission? People are talking about the commission. People in this constituency are educated, said Kanchan. He accuses the BJP of trying to play the communal card. But we are going to counter them on the 40% commission charges and the hike in the price of fuel and cooking gas, Kanchan adds. Ajita K, a college teacher, thinks the election in Karavali or Karnatakas coastal region will be a test for the BJP in the state. There is definitely a Modi wave among the young voters. Hindutva, cow slaughter, terrorism, hijab are being discussed. The Bajrang Dal is very active in this area. The Billava, Mogaveera and Shetty are the major communities in the Karavali region. The BJP has a strong support base among the Shetty and Billava voters. The Congress banks on the OBC, SC, ST, Christians and Muslims, said another Congress worker. Sitting in his office in south Mangalores Kodialbel, Vedavyas Kamath explains at length what is Hindutva and how the media and his political opponents misinterpret Hindutva. We love our nation, we love our land. We work for everyone. But when someone attacks us like the bomb blast (on November 20, 2022), we have to defend ourselves. Kamath refers to the Ayodhya temple and claims there is no proof in the Congresss allegations on the Bommai governments corruption. On the wall above hangs a photo of Kamath meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJPs chances will depend a lot on the PMs presence in Mangalorewhere he comes every electionand elsewhere in the state. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Welcome to hindustantimes.com updates platform where you can find breaking news from India and across the world. Find fast updates about the latest news as it breaks. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mangaluru: It took a while before Poojary (first name withheld) eased into the conversation. What started with fiery statements on Siddaramaiah being an incapable leader and PFIs terrorism, eventually came down to factors that win an election in coastal Karnataka. While tying knots on the fingers with his saffron shawl, and after a long pause, the BJP leader says: If the election is fought on Hindutva, we will win. If not, identity changes from Hindu to Billavas, Bunts and Mughaveeras (the main communities in coastal Karnataka). In 2018, the Hindutva wave resulted in the BJP winning 17 out of the 19 seats in the coastal districts. (ANI) Over the years the Hindutva sway has created a perception that communal politics determines the electoral results in coastal Karnataka. To be sure, in 2018, the Hindutva wave resulted in the BJP winning 17 out of the 19 seats in the coastal district. Two months before the Assembly polls in 2018, the BJP launched a four-day rally Jana Suraksha Yatre deeming the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah anti-Hindu and highlighting the cause of protecting Hindutva workers. The Jana Suraksha Yatre was focused on highlighting the deaths of 23 alleged Hindutva workers and was strategically held in coastal Karnataka. The campaign was the main reason for the wave against the Congress. Even though a BJP leader Praveen Nettaru was murdered in July 2022, the BJP is unable to create a similar campaign to unite Hindu votes. According to leaders such as Poojary, in such a situation, caste is going to be a major factor in this election. The politics over caste in the region began as early as last year. During the 2022 Republic Day parade, the central governments rejection of the Kerala governments tableau of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru from the parade in New Delhi led to protests in Mangaluru. For the Billava community in coastal Karnataka, Sree Narayana Guru is revered spiritual figure. Veteran Congressman B Janardhana Poojari led a massive rally on January 26 and a decorated tableau was part of the procession. Sensing unrest brewing within the Billava community -- which according to political scientist Valerian Rodrigues constitutes around 18% of the population in the region -- the BJP announced several plans to appease the community. The state government approved the long-pending demand of the Billava community by setting up a Sri Narayana Guru Development Corporation on February 20 this year. The government withdrew cases against Hindutva activists from the community and promised official language status to Tulu, the language of Billavas. Despite these efforts, the Billava community is not entirely convinced. Sri Narayana Guru Vichara Vedike (SNGV) state president Sathyajith Surathkal, a body representing the community, said there is no mention of money to be given to the corporation for welfare of the community. The Billava community, comprising 26 sub-castes, has been fighting in a united manner for the corporation in the last few years. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had failed to announce the same while presenting the budget, he said. Surathkal is also the state secretary of BJPs Backward Classes Morcha. The Billava community is going to be an important factor. Over the years, the community has organised itself well by strengthening its Garudi (community centres) culture. Over the years, even though the youngsters from the community have moved towards the BJP and remain as a strong vote bank, there is a considerable section of the community that is undecided as of now, said Valerian Rodrigues. He added that several leaders in the Billava community came up during the Congress era and they still remain loyal to the grand old party. The coastal vote bank is very polarised, which means the Muslims will support the Congress and they constitute around 20% of the population. So, any amount of Billava votes moving to Congress would affect the BJP. In 2018, several Billava leaders remained neutral but it may not be the case this year, he added. According to political observers, the Hindu vote bank in the region consists mainly of Billlvas, Bunts, Mogaveera and Gowdas. Bunts and Mogaveeras have voted for the BJP in the last two decades. The Mogaveera community (3-4%), which has seen conflict with the Muslims in the communal riots in the region, has stayed away from the Congress. The Bunt community, which constitutes around 12-14% of the population, has over the years supported the BJP, but there is disgruntlement within the community. An office-bearer of the Bantavara Yane Nadavara Matru Sangha (Bunts association) said that the community is not happy with the government showering the Billavas with perks. There is heartburn within the community over the neglect we have faced. It may show on the ballot or not. Our association has a policy of not interfering politically, but some of the sister organisations are holding meetings regarding the elections and may take a decision, he said. The Bunt leader, however, said that even though the community may have differences with the local leader, there is immense respect for Narendra Modi as a leader. Kokkarne Surendranath Shetty, former head of the political science department at Mangaluru University, said that caste is going to be more crucial than Hindutva in the upcoming elections. The fact that the BJP has not managed to create an environment of crisis as they did in 2018, caste becomes all important. The ticket distribution is a good example. Lets take the example of Udupi, the sitting MLA (Raghupathi Bhat) who is Brahmin has been replaced by Yashpal Suvarana, who is Mugaveera leader. Almost all seats have been allotted by both parties on caste and religious lines than ideology, he said. Sunil Kumar, the district-in-charge minister for Dakshina Kannada and a prominent Billava leader, said that the community will stand with the BJP. The entire episode around the Sree Narayana Guru tableau shows that the Congress has brought a great man like him on the streets for the sake of politics. Now, we have stood by the community and we have created the corporation that has been a demand of the community for several years now. The community will see this, he said. A CONGRESS LEADER REACTION SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought seven officers from other states to Bengal to add momentum to its probe in the bribe-for-job scam in the education department, an officer of the federal agency said on condition of anonymity. The officers include a superintendent from the anti-corruption branch in Delhi, three deputy superintendents from Visakhapatnam, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar, two inspectors from Visakhapatnam and Bhopal and a sub-inspector from Dhanbad. (Representative photo) The officers include a superintendent from the anti-corruption branch in Delhi, three deputy superintendents from Visakhapatnam, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar, two inspectors from Visakhapatnam and Bhopal and a sub-inspector from Dhanbad. They will be staying in Bengal for at least two months to help their colleagues, the CBI officer said, citing an official circular. The move came in the wake of repeated criticism from two Calcutta high court judges, Abhijit Gangopadhyay and Biswajit Basu, who are monitoring the job scam probe. They observed during some of the hearings that the CBI investigation lacked pace and direction. On January 31, justice Gangopadhyay, who ordered the CBI probe in May last year, removed an officer from the special investigation team. The judge observed that progress in the investigation was very slow and called Somnath Biswas, the officer, inefficient. Biswas will not be involved in any investigation and will not handle any case file, the judge ordered. CBI officers said Biswas was immediately removed from the investigation. ALSO READ: Bengal job scam: Mamata urges HC not to cancel appointments In May 2022, justice Gangopadhyay directed the CBI to probe the appointment of non-teaching staff (Group C and D) and teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) and West Bengal Board of Secondary Education between 2014 and 2021. The appointees allegedly paid bribes in the range of 5 lakh to 15 lakh to get jobs after failing the selection tests. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), conducting a parallel probe, arrested education minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee on July 23 last year. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee removed Chatterjee from the government and also suspended him from her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The two judges have often drawn comparisons between the CBI and the ED, saying the latter has performed better. TMC legislator and former president of the primary education board, Manik Bhattacharya, another suspected key player in the scam, was arrested by the ED on October 11 last year. Chatterjee, Mukherjee, Bhattacharya and several former officials of the education department have been named in charge sheets by the ED. Anil Antony, who jumped to BJP last week, hit out at a Kerala Congress leader who urged party members to unfollow the turncoat on Twitter. Explaining the factors behind the undoing of the Kerala Congress, Anil said that the party was ignorant of the realities. Anil Antony, son of Congress leader A K Antony, had recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.(HT_PRINT) Continuing his attack against T Siddique, the working president of Kerala Congress, Anil said that the whole purpose of Twitter - which people use to be informed about diverse views - was defeated with the call to unfollow him. He also termed the demand to unfollow a typical trait of Congress leaders. "People are generally in Twitter to follow views - across the spectrum , to get some idea and information of what different people think. This could help to make informed opinions. When you unfollow everyone with different views and just keep listening to everyone with similar views - would turn out to be a wonderful echo chamber cut off from realities - one of the main reasons @INCKerala is where it is now," he wrote. Also read: 'Like a troll': Anil Antony after Rahul Gandhi's jibe at 5 ex-Congress leaders Sharing a screenshot of Siddique unfollowing Anil, the Kalpetta MLA had tweeted, Congress leaders n workers, Unfollow Anil K Antony from twitter, I did it. Son of former defence minister AK Antony, Anil had held the positions of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) digital media convenor and the national coordinator of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) before quitting Congress in January following a controversy over his comments on the BBC documentary on PM Modi and Gujarat riots. He said that the leadership of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had inspired him to join the BJP.He was inducted into the party in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan. Veteran Congress leader Antony had expressed his hurt after his son's very wrong decision to defect to the BJP. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Congress on Wednesday accused the Centre of being too obsessed about the new Parliament building, while never allowing any discussion from the opposition when the House proceedings are on. Congress leader Anand Sharma addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI Photo) Democracy is shrinking in the largest democracy of the world and magnificent buildings are being obsessed about. The government needs to know that wherever democracy and parliamentary system has flourished, it has not because of such monumental buildings. The new parliament building is being built and celebrated, but the government should also allow discussions instead of just talking about the glamour of the building, Congress leader and former commerce minister Anand Sharma said during a press conference. Sharma also slammed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the economic situation of the country and underlined how the unemployment rate is stuck at 8%. Does anyone know the statistics as of March 2023? Throughout the entirety of the past year till now, the unemployment rate has been stuck at 8%. This is a serious issue, and the government should answer this. Surely if you listen to the finance minister or the propaganda machinery of the government, everything will seem fine. But its high time we ask these questions, the Congress leader added. Commenting on Rahul Gandhis disqualification from Parliament, Sharma said the move sent out a wrong message about the functioning of the government but hoped justice from the judiciary. Constitutional democracy is a challenge, more so when opposition leaders are the targets. This too is a litmus test for the Indian judiciary. How Rahul Gandhis conviction and disqualification was expedited does not send out a great message about the government. But if such things are promoted, you will find all opposition members outside the Parliament. I dont doubt that things will be better over time and any wrong decisions will be overturned, but still its clear how dangerous the situation is, Sharma said. Also Read:Rahul in Wayanad: Taking away MP tag wont stop me Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla while speaking to HT hit back at Sharma and Congress while alleging that the party (Congress) were responsible for the washout during the 2023 Budget sessions of the Parliament. Poonawalla also said that Sharma and the Congress had themselves demanded for the new building and how Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had battled for it. He further added the New Parliament building was a priority and not vanity. The Congress party is itself to blame for the washout in the Parliamentary sessions. It put the ego of a family above the institution and their own allies have distanced themselves for stalling the Parliament on the JPC issue. Rahul Gandhi could have very well apologized to Parliament for the statements he made on foreign soil demanding foreign intervention. But he put his ego above the institution. So the Congress should not be lecturing about Parliament not being allowed to function in fact if anybody has stifled the voice of the Parliament it was the Congress party in 1975. But today why is Anand Sharma and Congress doing a U-turn on something they demanded. The new Parliament building was demanded by the Congress party and it was assented to by then Speaker Meira Kumar who said that it was the need of the hour. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and many others battled for it and the current Parliament building is not upto the mark when it comes to fire safety standards, and earthquake zones regulations also it was made by the British to serve as an imperial council not as a legislature of a democratic India whose population is 140 crores. There may be in the future more MPs/MLAs need to be added, for that space is required, which is not possible in the current Parliament. So, considering all these factors, it was a priority in 2012 so how does it become vanity in 2023? This is the U-turn that Congress does whenever its out of power be it on GST, Aadhar or any issue. It only goes to show that perhaps Congress is not getting to make money out of commission, that is why they are obstructing this new Parliament building. This is not private property and will function as a new Parliament building and serve us for decades and years to come. So, this is not private property for those who have named and formed schemes after themselves, that is vanity, this (New Parliament building) is a priority, he added. And this project was said to be essential and of national importance by the High Court and the judgment was upheld by the Supreme Court, in fact the petitioners who came from the same Congress ecosystem were even fined for their frivolous petition, the BJP spokesperson said. The new Parliament at the heart of Lutyens in Delhi is expected to be operational by early August this year. It is being constructed as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. The new complex will have 888 seats in the Lok Sabha and 384 seats in the Rajya Sabha. Unlike the present Parliament building, the new edifice will not have a central hall. The Lok Sabha chamber will be able to house 1,272 members in case of a joint session. The rest of the building will have four floors with offices of ministers and committee rooms. Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in India are expected to rise for the next 10-12 days, and will gradually come down, news agency PTI reported citing sources. The report also underlined that the diseases is heading towards an endemic stage. Health workers participate in a mock drill after the Union Health Ministry decided to conduct a nationwide mock drill on 10 and 11 April to check the preparedness of both public and private health facilities to deal with the spike in Covid-19 virus cases. Endemic is a stage where cases occurs regularly in certain regions. When a disease becomes endemic, the number of people falling ill remains relatively constant over time. Even though the cases are increasing, hospitalisation is low and expected to remain low. The current rise in Covid cases is being driven by XBB.1.16, which is a sub variant of Omicron. To take stock of the preparedness in hospitals amid surge in cases across the country, health ministry had conducted nationwide mock drills on Monday and Tuesday. Several states have even issued Covid guidelines and made masks mandatory again. India on Wednesday registered a single-day rise of 7,830 new coronavirus infections, the highest in 223 days - taking the total tally to 4,47,76,002. On Tuesday, a total of 5,676 cases were reported. The death toll due to the disease has increased to 5,31,016 with 16 new fatalities being reported two each in Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and one each in Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, and five reconciled by Kerala, according to health ministry data. (With inputs from agency) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 40-year-old Dalit man was beaten to death over an old rivalry concerning a piece of land on Wednesday in Rajasthans Barmer, police said. Victims family members alleged that they had repeatedly told the police about the dangers they faced, but no action was taken. (Representative photo) While senior police officials confirmed the incident, they said that they had received no complaint thus far, even as police teams have begun a search for the accused. Senior police officials said that the murder took place due to an old rivalry over a piece of land. The deceased has been identified as Kojaram Meghwal who, police said, was grazing his cattle in the fields in the village when he was attacked with sticks by a group of 7 to 8 men. They assaulted him brutally and left the spot. He was taken to hospital, but died on the way, police officials said. ALSO READ: Upper caste men booked for preventing Dalits from entering temple in Uttarakhand Senior police officials said that after assaulting Kojaram, the accused even went to his home where they told family members that they had killed him, before fleeing. Family members alleged that they had repeatedly told the police about the dangers they faced, but no action was taken. Barmer superintendent of police Digant Anand visited the village of Asadi on Wednesday morning and took stock of the situation, where family members have been staging a protest. Anand said that the body has been placed in the mortuary, and urged the family to file a complaint. Four teams have been formed to trace the accused, Anand said. A Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) ward councillor, V Pakkirisamy from Tamil nadus Cuddalore district has been removed from the ruling party and arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl. The child continues to be in the hospital for treatment. (Representative file image) The accused councillor is also the correspondent of an elementary school in Cuddalores Virudhachalam where the minor girl was studying in upper kindergarten (UKG). Also Read: Pune cabbie booked for sexually harassing woman passenger According to police, after the child returned home from school on Tuesday, she had complained to her parents about having a stomach ache after which the minor child was admitted to a hospital. The doctors have said that she was sexually assaulted, state chief minister MK Stalin had said in the assembly on Wednesday. The child continues to be in the hospital for treatment. Her mother had filed a complaint in an all-women police station in Virdudhachalam where a case was filed against Pakkirisamy under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police took swift action and arrested him, Stalin said. A statement from DMKs general secretary Durai Murugan on Wednesday said, Mr Pakkirisamy, councillor of the 30th ward in Virudhachalam Municipality, Cuddalore West District, has been permanently dismissed from all responsibilities including basic membership, as he has violated the associations control and acted in a manner that brings disrepute to the association. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bhatinda: Two unidentified people were booked for murder after four soldiers were killed at the barracks near an officers mess in the Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday, the FIR in the case said, adding that one of them was carrying an automatic weapon and another an axe. Barricades set up outside Bathinda Military Station after the "firing incident" that killed four soldiers, on Wednesday. (REUTERS) According to the FIR registered on the complaint of Major Ashutosh Shukla, an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle and a magazine with 28 cartridges that went missing from an army unit three days ago were likely used by the suspects in the attack. The rifle was found later in the day, officials aware of the matter said. An unarmed jawan Desai Mohan saw two unidentified persons in kurta-pyjama with their faces covered, coming out of the barracks after the firing. One of them was carrying an INSAS rifle and the other an axe, according to the FIR based on the complaint of Major Shukla, whose 80 Medium Regiment was guarding the area around the officers mess. After the firing incident, the army deployed quick reaction teams and cordoned off the area. The cantonment police have registered a case under the Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder) and the Arms Act,according to the FIR seen by HT. In their police statement, eyewitnesses say the suspects ran to a forest area and disappeared under dark. A massive combing operation did not yield any result, said an official quoting the FIR. No one was apprehended till the time this report was filed on Wednesday night. The FIR said that Major Shukla and other personnel rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshots where they found the victims Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogeshkumar J (24) and Santosh M Nagaral (25) lying in a pool of blood. During the armysinvestigation, it was found that the shells belonging to an INSAS rifle issued to Lance Naik Bhupdi Hariz on March 31, 2023, that went missing on April 9, 2023 were found next to the bodies, according to the FIR. According to the SHO of Bathinda cantonment police station Gurdeep Singh, a complaint of a missing rifle and ammunition from the military station was filed on Tuesday evening but no FIR was registered as the unit investigated the matter. None of the army personnel in the area opened fire in retaliation as they were performing duty sans arms as per the standing orders. This fact was duly recorded in the FIR, said a police functionary. The army on Wednesday launched a manhunt after four soldiers were killed in a suspected fratricide attack at an officers mess in the Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday, officials familiar with the matter said, ruling out a terror angle. The gates of the Bathinda Military Station have been closed following the incident. (Sanjeev Kumar / Hindustan Times) Quick reaction teams were activated after the shooting took place at 4:35am. Also Read: BSF jawan kills colleague in another incident of fratricide A weapon and some rounds went missing from an army unit two days ago, the officials said. The entire area has been cordoned off, and combing operations are on, the officials said. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported. The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case, the command said in a statement. The Bathinda military station is the largest military base in Asia and home to the armys HQs 10 Corps. The pivot Chetak corps is responsible for defending Indias border with Pakistan in south Punjab and north Rajasthan. The shooting incident took place on the back of a weapon and some ammunition going missing from an army unit two days back, the officials said. All aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained, the statement added. In the latest developments, HQ South Western Command said that a search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine. Army and Police Joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. The joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided. It is reiterated that no individual has been detained/apprehended, HQ South Western Command said in a statement. There was no official word on who carried out the shooting, but some officials said that two men in civilian clothes may have been involved. Families at the military station have been asked to stay indoors, HT has learnt. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed "unfortunate" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark that railways had become an arena of politics under previous governments, saying his comments on Wednesday were made with an eye on the coming assembly and general elections. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot(HT File Photo) Gehlot said it was not fair to say the development of the national transporter happened only after 2014. "Today, your speech was given completely keeping in view the 2023-24 assembly and Lok Sabha elections and it was in the form of the election agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I believe that such comments will not be acceptable to the people of the state and the country," the Rajasthan chief minister said. He said in a statement it was "unfortunate" that the prime minister talked about the decisions taken during the tenure of earlier railway ministers as being influenced by corruption and political considerations. Launching the first Vande Bharat train of Rajasthan earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi said the railways had become an arena of politics under previous governments and political considerations affected its modernisation. "It is our country's misfortune that an important system like the railways, which is such a big part in the lives of common people, was turned into an arena of politics," he said, adding "things changed" after the country got a stable government in 2014. PM Modi launched the Vande Bharat Express train, which will connect Ajmer with Delhi Cantonment, via video conferencing during a programme organised at the Jaipur railway station. Besides Chief Minister Gehlot, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attended the programme. At the event, before the prime minister spoke, Gehlot said the train was a "big gift" for Rajasthan. He said there is a great need for development of railways in Rajasthan due to its geographically distinct identity. "Railways has an important contribution in the social, cultural and economic development of the country. The changes brought about in the railways after independence are the result of the thinking of our great leaders and the hard work of the dedicated railway employees and officers. Along with passenger and goods transport, railways has also rendered its important services in times of natural calamity and war in the country," he said. However, Gehlot responded to PM Modi's comments made at the launch. The chief minister said in an attempt to reduce the importance of railways, the Centre abolished the separate railway budget during PM Modi's tenure. Gehlot said if the modern train is able to run today, it is because of Manmohan Singh, who as the finance minister did economic liberalisation in 1991 and gave new technology an opportunity to develop India. "Technological advancements have taken place all over the world over time, due to which new technology has also come in India and there have been improvements in the railways, he said. Gehlot also named former railway ministers in his statement such as Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jagjivan Ram, Sardar Swaran Singh, Gulzari Lal Nanda, K Hanumanthaiya, Lalit Narayan Mishra, Kamlapati Tripathi, Madhu Dandavate, PC Sethi, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, Mohsina Kidwai, Madhavrao Scindia, George Fernandes, Janeshwar Mishra, CK Jafarsharif, Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitish Kumar, Ram Nayak, Mamata Banerjee and Mallikarjun Kharge. The Vande Bharat is Rajasthan's first semi-high-speed train, which will reduce the travel time between Ajmer and Delhi. Its regular service will start from April 13 and will have stops in Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgugram. Gehlot has urged Vaishnaw to connect the headquarters of Banswara, Tonk, Karauli with the railways. He said a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Rajasthan government and the Railway Board for the rail service between Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam section. He said the foundation stone of a railway line was laid in Banswara, but this work of public interest did not progress further. Gehlot urged the railways to give priority to this project. The Congress on Wednesday claimed a 'historic step' in attempts to unite the opposition and challenge prime minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in state polls this year and the 2024 general election. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meet with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo/Ayush Sharma) The declaration came after Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi met Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and his deputy, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav, in Delhi. "This is a historic step to unite the opposition. We will develop the vision of the opposition parties and move forward we will stand together for the country," Rahul Gandhi - whose controversial disqualification from the Lok Sabha last month has spurred opposition unity - told reporters. "As Khargeji said as Nitishji said. this is a very important step. You ask 'how many opposition parties are needed (to defeat the BJP)'? This is a process as many as want to join us, we will all proceed together. We are in an ideological battle for the country there is an attack on institutions on the nation itself and this we (the opposition) will unite and fight," Rahul Gandhi added. Earlier - at a joint press conference addressed by Kharge and Nitish Kumar - the Congress chief said: Today here Rahulji and Bihar chief minister Nitishji and Tejashwiji and party leaders and friends we had a historic meeting and discussed many issues and have decided that all (opposition) parties must unite and fight forthcoming elections together. This is our decision today. "We will try to unite as many parties as we can and move forward together," Nitish Kumar said after the meeting at Mallikarjun Kharge's Delhi residence. Also present were JD(U) president Lalan Singh; the head of the Bihar Congress, Akhilesh Prasad Singh; and the RJD's Manoj Jha. The JD(U), the RJD and the Congress are allies in Bihar; this was after the JD(U) broke from the BJP, with whom it won the last election, and re-joined with Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD. Over the past few weeks Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to several opposition leaders in a bid to reach an understanding to help stop the BJP from winning a third successive Lok Sabha election. Among those contacted are Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin - whose Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is allied with the Congress - and ex-Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray - whose Shiv Sena faction is also an ally. Today's talks between the Congress and its Bihar allies come as opposition parties prep for polls in Karnataka and other key states starting next month; the southern state will vote on May 10 and will be joined by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as the country heads for the 2024 general election. With input from agencies SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The two-day-long Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Young Authors Conference (YAC), organised by the education ministry along with the National Book Trust, commenced in New Delhi on Wednesday based on the theme Civilizational Dialogue amongst the SCO member nations Perspectives from Young Scholars. NSAs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member States during a meeting in New Delhi on March 29. (ANI File Photo) The two-day SCO Young Authors Conference is said to provide a dynamic platform to explore the avenues of modern education, training and advanced training of youth, wider involvement in entrepreneurial activities and innovative projects and the sub-themes include history and philosophy, economy, religion, culture, literature, and science and medicine. The programme is part of the calendar of events drawn up by the ministry of external affairs, under the current chairmanship of the grouping. The SCO is an intergovernmental organisation founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001, comprising eight members including India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. As the current president of the grouping, India is hosting a range of events, including a chief justices conference and a meeting of energy ministers, which Pakistan has attended through video conferencing, except for one event. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that India meets the international standards for aviation safety oversight of the Chicago Convention and continues to retain FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 status, DGCA officials said on Wednesday. Airlines of Category 1 countries are permitted to operate and expand their services to destinations in the US. (Representative file image) This development comes days after India in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit in November 2022 had enhanced its global ranking significantly. Also Read: Proud moment for India: Global aviation body ICAO joins International Solar Alliance Based on the positive outcomes of the assessment and follow-ups, FAA has informed DGCA on April 12, 2023, that India meets the international standards for aviation safety oversight of the Chicago Convention & its Annexes and continues to retain FAA IASA Category 1 status which was last assessed in July 2018 A statement from the DGCA read. Airlines of Category 1 countries are permitted to operate and expand their services to destinations in the US and codeshare with US air carriers. FAA, under its IASA program, determines whether a countrys oversight of its air carriers that operate, or seek to operate, into the US, or codeshare with a US air carrier comply with safety standards established by the ICAO. The IASA program focuses on a countrys ability to adhere to international aviation Safety Standards and Recommended Practices contained in Personnel Licensing, Operation of Aircraft and Airworthiness of Aircraft to the International Convention on civil aviation Chicago Convention. FAA, under its IASA program, conducted an audit of the DGCA, India from October 25 to 29, 2021 in the areas covering aircraft operations, airworthiness, and personnel licensing. The IASA assessment was followed by final consultations on April 25-26 last year and further reviewed in July and September 2022. India had scored an Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65% from the previous EI of 69.95% thereby enhancing its global ranking significantly. FAA has stated that DGCA has demonstrated a commitment towards ensuring an effective safety oversight of Indias aviation system and appreciated the positive manner in which DGCA has worked with them, the statement further read. Indias Category 1 status has come at a time when Indian aviation is on a high growth trajectory and air carriers in India have major capacity induction and expansion plans. The assessment by ICAO as well as FAA is a testimony to Indias commitment of having an effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system, the DGCA concluded. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi: The government on Wednesday conveyed its concerns on the misuse of the UKs asylum status by pro-Khalistani elements to carry out terrorist activities in India while asking British authorities to increase monitoring and take appropriate proactive action during the fifth India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue (HAD) held in Delhi. Pro-Khalistan leaders and supporters during a protest in London. (PTI) The government also raised the issue of the security breach last month at the Indian high commission in London. Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla led the talks on Indias behalf while the UK delegation was led by permanent secretary, home office, Sir Matthew Rycroft, with senior officers of both countries present. During the meeting both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counterterrorism, cyber security and global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, anti-India activities in the UK including pro-Khalistan extremism, among other issues, a statement issued by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) said. The Indian side specifically conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UKs asylum status by pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with the UK and increased monitoring of UK-based pro-Khalistan extremists and take appropriate proactive action, the MHA said. ALSO READ: India, UK trade talks not halted over protest. But there are complications Indias concerns, the ministry added, over the breach of security at the Indian high commission were also emphasised. In retaliation for a violent protest at the Indian mission in London on March 19, to which London police reacted late, the Indian government had removed barricades placed outside the UK mission at Shantipath in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave and British high commissioner Alex Elliss residence at Rajaji Marg. The protests by pro-Khalistan groups outside Indian mission in London, which began soon after Punjab Police launched a statewide manhunt for radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his followers on March 18, have emerged as a fresh irritant in India-UK relations. The protesters shouted anti-India slogans and waved Khalistan flags, while Indian officials and others draped a massive national flag on the roof of the mission. Another large Indian flag was put up outside the building. The external affairs ministry had called in the most senior UK diplomat in New Delhi , Christina Scott, after the violence at the Indian mission to register a strong protest and to demand action against those involved in the vandalism. The MHA said on Wednesday that the HAD meeting concluded with both sides expressing satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement and maintain the momentum for enhanced security cooperation between the two countries. As reported by HT last month, Amritpal Singhs main handler Avtar Singh Khanda is also based in the UK. Besides, several other pro-Khalistan leaders are based in London and have been carrying out anti-India activities in association with Pakistan. The Indian government has from time to time shared with the British government a list of several individuals engaged in terrorist activities from its soil. The government on Wednesday conveyed its concerns on the misuse of the UKs asylum status by pro-Khalistani elements to carry out terrorist activities in India while asking British authorities to increase monitoring and take appropriate proactive action against such elements during fifth India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue (HAD) held in Delhi. Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla led the Indian side while the UK delegation was led by permanent secretary, Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. (Twitter/MatthewRycroft1) The government also raised the issue of a security breach last month at the Indian high commission in London. Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla led the Indian side while the UK delegation was led by permanent secretary, Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security and global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, anti-India activities in UK including pro-Khalistan extremism among other issues, a statement issued by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) said. The Indian side specifically conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UKs asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with UK and increased monitoring of UK based pro-Khalistan extremists and take appropriate proactive action, the MHA said. Indias concerns over the breach of security of Indian high commission were also emphasized, the ministry added. The protests by pro-Khalistan groups outside the Indian mission in London, which began soon after Punjab Police launched a statewide manhunt for pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh and his followers on March 18, have emerged as a fresh irritant in India-UK relations. The external affairs ministry had called in the senior-most British diplomat in New Delhi, Christina Scott, after the violence at the Indian mission to register a strong protest and to demand action against those involved in the vandalisation of the Indian mission. On Wednesday, MHA said the HAD meeting concluded with both sides expressing satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement and maintain the momentum for enhanced security cooperation between the two countries. As reported by HT last month, Amritpal Singhs main handler Avtar Singh Khanda is also based in the UK. Several other pro-Khalistan leaders are also based in London and have been carrying out anti-India activities in association with Pakistan. The XBB.1.16 sub-variant of the Omicron strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid does not exhibit higher clinical severity according to preliminary results from laboratory studies being conducted in the country to know disease characteristics, according to people familiar with the matter. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mutations at position 478 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein have been associated with decreased antibody neutralization, increased transmissibility, and pathogenicity. (REUTERS) ICMR studies to know how severe the sub-variant is have found that XBB.1.16 is not more severe, which the fewer hospitalizations and deaths owing to Covid-19 also seem to corroborate. There has been a surge in cases over the past few weeks, and we may continue to see an increase in daily cases for another 8-10 days before the numbers start to come down, said a senior government functionary, requesting anonymity. According to government data, XBB.1.16 is driving the current Covid-19 surge across the country, with at least 50% of the genome sequenced samples testing positive for it. XBB.1.16 is a recombinant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 and has three additional mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (E180V, F486P and K478R) compared to its parent lineage XBB. The F486P mutation is shared with XBB.1.5. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mutations at position 478 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein have been associated with decreased antibody neutralization, increased transmissibility, and pathogenicity. Scientists at The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)- National Institute of Virology in Pune isolated the virus and were conducting studies on markers of disease severity. It is not a Covid-19 wave and the surge that you are seeing currently can also be attributed to increase in Covid-19 testing. In fact, Covid in India is moving into the endemic stage, added the government functionary. According to the World Health Organisation, global laboratory studies on the sub-variant also do not show increase in disease severity. till March, 712 XBB.1.16 sequences were reported from 21 countries. However, so far reports do not indicate a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, or deaths due to XBB.1.16. Further, there are currently no reported laboratory studies on markers of disease severity for XBB.1.16, read WHOs latest epidemiological update. According to people familiar with the matter, hospitalisations due to Covid-19 remain less than 1% in India. Most of those admitted in hospitals are admitted due to co-morbid conditions. The number of Covid positive patients needing admission is minuscule, which tells us that there is no need to panic. We need to be careful and observe Covid appropriate behavior, said a senior health ministry official, requesting anonymity. India on Wednesday reported 7,830 new Covid cases taking the active caseload in the country to 40,215. With the rising cases, the focus is back on the booster (third) dose with the experts urging people to take the third Covid-19 shot, especially those falling under the high risk category. Nearly three of every four people eligible for the booster are yet to take it. This is the time for people, who havent taken their third dose, to take it, especially high-risk population such as elderly, people with co-morbidities, smokers, obese etc as these are all risk factors for developing severe Covid disease, said Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, head, department of internal medicine, Max Super Speciality, Saket. Covid vaccine makers are also preparing to manufacture shots in case there is an increase in demand. On Tuesday, Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India, urged people to take the third shot. He said his companys second Covid vaccine, Covovax was excellent against all variants and also approved for use in the US and Europe. According to people familiar with the matter, Serum already has six million doses of Covovax available in stock and the company can restart production of its first vaccine, Covishield, at short notice. . There is some volume of Covid vaccine doses available with the centre, and states are also free to procure depending on demand for precaution dose. As of now, there does not seem to the need to procure more doses, said the government functionary cited above. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pleas, protests, and exits -- the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party saw all three a day after the party announced candidates for 189 of the 224 assembly seats in the state, dropping four incumbents in an attempt to fight anti-incumbency and effect a generational change in the partys state leadership. Railway Protection Special Force, Karnataka Special Reserve Police and local police personnel conduct a route march ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections in Bengaluru. (PTI) While one of those left out, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, 67, met national party president J P Nadda urging him to reconsider the party decision to deny party ticket to him, a former deputy chief minister, Laxman Savadi, announced his resignation from the party, and S Angar, a minister, announced his retirement from politics. As rumours circulated of the Congress attempt to fish in troubled waters, the partys state unit chief D K Shivakumar denied that he was reaching out to disaffected BJP members. The Congress, which has announced candidates for 166 seats, and faces the same problem as the BJP, albeit on a smaller scale, has delayed its final list in an effort to manage expectations. Shettar, who on Tuesday lashed out at the way he was treated, said he asked Nadda to give me a ticket. A BJP leader in Delhi sought to underplay the magnitude of the crisis and said the party leadership was in constant touch with leaders who have not been given ticket. The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are disciplined soldiers, but it is inevitable that some of them will express their disappointment publicly. Senior party leaders are in constant touch with aspirants who have not been considered for a ticket based on extensive feedback from the district and state unit,this person added, asking not to be named. Upset over the party denying him a ticket, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the BJP. Savadi is a three-time MLA from Athani but lost the 2018 elections to Mahesh Kumathalli, who won on the Congress ticket. A year after the elections, Kumathalli joined the BJP when 19 MLAs from Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) resigned, enabling the BJP to form the government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa. Kumathalli, who was backed by BJP leader and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, was named the candidate in Athani . Speaking to reporters, Savadi said : Im deeply hurt at not getting the party ticket from Athani, my home constituency. I have worked for the BJP tirelessly for nearly three decades after we moved away from the Janata Parivar. I have been completely ignored . Do I have to beg for the ticket? I am resigning from the primary membership of the party and also submitting my resignation from the post of MLC, he added. However, he is yet to submit his resignation to the party. I have called a meeting of my followers in Athani on April 13. I will announce my decision after that meeting, he said. He claimed that both- former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and current chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had promised him a ticket. No one has communicated the partys decision to me. Courtesy demanded that I should have been intimated well in advance. In Bengaluru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he spoke to Savadi. I understand his position. But the partys decision was not aimed at hurting him. It was our commitment to the legislators who had joined the BJP after resigning from other parties He has a great future in this party. He should not think that he is being neglected. His service will be given due regard. Kalburgi BJP chief Doddappagouda Patil Naribol, who was denied ticket, also resigned. The hardworking party leaders have been ignored, he said. Six-time MLA Angara, who represented Sullia constitiuency in Dakshina Kannada district announced his retirement from politics after he was denied ticket. This is not a way to honour someone who has worked for the party and society, the minister for Ports and Inland Transport said. Raghpati Bhatt, the sitting MLA from Udupi assembly seat said he had received assurances of being given party ticket till the last moment. Had they told me earlier I would have done what Eshwarappa did and would have recused myself, he told reporters in Udupi. He also announced he would not campaign for the party, which gave ticket to Yashpal Savarana, who had led the campaign against Hijab in Udupi colleges. A deputy chief minister minister, K S Eshwarappa, 74, on Tuesday announced his retirement from electoral politics. In Shivamogga district, several BJP leaders and office bearers who are close to him resigned in his support. Many BJP workers also protested in Bengaluru on Tuesday and Wednesday after their candidates were denied a ticket. In New Delhi, senior BJP leaders were quick to allay concerns and soothe tempters of aspirants, particularly those who have had longer stints in the party, anticipating a recurrence of rebels spoiling the show as was the case in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP could not retain power in the hill state, and the loss was largely attributed to rebels canvassing against party candidates in several constituencies. Responding to a query on whether the party expects more senior leaders to exit the party fold on the eve of polls, the BJP leader in Delhi seemed to suggest that the focus continued to be on winning. We will reach out to our workers and leaders to help strengthen the partys election campaign. We cannot overlook the fact that leaders from other parties are eager to join as well.... The Madras High Court has restrained CTR Nirmal Kumar (former BJP IT-wing chief who moved to ally AIADMK last month) from making defamatory comments--specifically unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against electricity minister Senthil Balaji. HT Image Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Wednesday granted the interim injunction and directed Kumar to take down all such existing posts against the Minister made without any material to substantiate the allegation of corruption. Balaji filed a civil suit that Kumar had repeatedly made slanderous and defamatory remarks against him in Tweets and in press interviews without any evidence of corruption. Balaji had also drawn on Nirmals high number of followers on Twitter given that he was the BJP IT wing head at that time. Submitting the tweets and video, Balajis petition had said that the 1st Defendant Nirmal is simply chanting the Plaintiffs name and associating it with wrongdoing to defame the Plaintiff and gain political mileage. The 1st Defendant has published these falsities on his Twitter handle which has around 105,900 followers so his tweets have been retweeted and shared by several others, thereby causing a rapid spread of misinformation amongst the general public and severely tarnishing the Plaintiffs reputation and image amongst the general public, the suit stated. Nirmals main allegation at that time had been that the state-run liquor monopoly TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited) shops are illegally selling bottles above the MRP. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON IMPHAL: Seven people including two minors who arrived in Imphal on an Indigo flight from Pune via Kolkata were arrested at the airport on Tuesday after they turned out to be Myanmar nationals who were in the country without proper documents, people familiar with the matter said. Officials said the seven were stopped by a combined team of Tulihal Airport Police Station and Foreigner Check Post (FCP), Airport (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Officials said the seven were stopped by a combined team of Tulihal Airport Police Station and Foreigner Check Post (FCP), Airport for further verification of their identities. On thorough verification, they identified themselves as Myanmarese nationals. They were identified as Suankhan Khai (28), Kam Sia Khai (19), Niang Lun Kin (26), Cing Num Eng (26) and Thanglamchin (21). Officers said they had been in India for some time and were in possession of Aadhaar and PAN cards. A case under the Foreigners Act has been registered. The five adults have been sent to Foreigners Detention Centre, Sajiwa by the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West District. The two juveniles were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board at Takyel under Imphal West district and placed at Juvenile Observation Homes, the official added. chief minister Biren Singh recently said that 393 Myanmar nationals have been apprehended in the state since 2012. Out of them, one was deported,107 are in judicial custody, 105 are in detention centres and 180 were released on bail. KOHIMA: The union governments emissary for the Naga peace talks, AK Mishra is expected to meet the National Socialist Council of Nagalim Isak-Muivah or NSCN-IM, and the Naga national political groups (NNPGs) on Thursday at Nagalands Chumoukedima over the unresolved Naga political issue, people familiar with the matter said. File photo of NSCN-IM general secretary Th Muivah. who is expected to meet the Centres emissary for the Naga peace talks, AK Mishra. Mishra will meet different Naga groups and civil society organizations over the next two days, it was learnt. The NSCN (IM) delegation will be led by its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, a person who asked not to be named said. The meetings are being held for confidence building before the next official round of talks to be held in New Delhi, the person cited above said. The Centre and NSCN (IM), which had been in a ceasefire agreement since 1997, signed the Framework Agreement in 2015. The peace talks, however, have remained inconclusive. An honourable and acceptable political solution between India and the Nagas has been mutually agreed to be based on the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 wherein the sovereignty of the Nagas is acknowledged in conjunction with the Naga National flag and the Constitution, the NSCN (IM) said in a statement earlier this year. New Delhi/ Patna: Fledgling efforts to build a united Opposition platform ahead of the 2024 general elections got a boost on Wednesday with two high-profile political meetings in Delhi, the first between leaders of Bihars ruling grand alliance government, and the second between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal. HT Image Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi at Kharges residence in Delhi, and later declared that the parties had decided to contest the upcoming polls together while bringing more Opposition parties into this fold. We held a historic meeting here. A lot of issues were discussed and we decided to unite all parties and fight all the upcoming polls in a united manner. We have made this decision and all of us will work on this path, Kharge told reporters. However, information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday rejected these efforts, terming the alliance a thugbandhan (coalition of thugs) of parties who are in neck-deep in corruption. People are aware that these parties have no common policies or ideology and make false promises to win elections. Such experiments had failed in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he told the media in Shimla. Kumar, who first initiated the move last September last year, said that efforts would be made to include the maximum number of Opposition parties. We had a detailed discussion today. Initially, the effort would be to unite maximum Opposition parties, have a first round of talk and see who all agree, he added. In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards the unity of the Opposition. Standing together, we will fight together - for India, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi and shared his picture with other leaders. Later in the day, Kejriwal met Yadav and Kumar at the latters residence in Delhi, and extended his support for the cause of opposition unity. The country is passing through a very difficult time. This is perhaps the most corrupt government at the Centre since Independenceso, it is extremely necessary that the entire Opposition and the country come together and change the government at the Centre, Kejriwal said. The meetings assume importance because they mark initial steps towards creating some understanding between Opposition parties in taking on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which are just a year away. This is also the first time that the Aam Aadmi Party, which has clashed with the Congress publicly in the past, has expressed willingness to work towards Opposition unity. Kumars Janata Dal (United), Yadavs Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress run a coalition government in Bihar. But the leaders dodged questions on leadership and possible prime ministerial face an issue that has nixed similar efforts to build opposition unity in the past. One person present in the meeting said on the condition of anonymity that there was chemistry between the various parties, which is why the meeting lasted for over 90 minutes. However, it was too soon to decide on the PM face. It simply did not come up today, said the person, on condition of anonymity. Kejriwal, too, parried the question of leadership. Asked if Kumar could be a PM candidate, the Delhi CM said, You will have many questions in your mind which cannot be answered right now after just one meeting. As we move forward, we will keep answering your questions. Kumar who is on four-day tour of Delhi is scheduled to meet leaders of other political parties in the next two days. The leaders had lunch at Kharges residence, where JD(U) president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present. The reason for Gandhis attendance at the meeting, a second person attending the event said, was because of his Bharat Jodo Yatra and the role his recent disqualification from the Lok Sabha played in forging Opposition unity. Lets not forget how strongly Arvind Kejriwal responded to that, the second person said, adding, It was a very important moment for Opposition unity. So, whats going to happen now is that each of us will go and talk to our allies. Nitish ji will talk to some, Kharge ji will talk to some and like that, we will involve all. We cannot wait anymore, time is now. Gandhi was stripped of his Lok Sabha membership after getting convicted in a criminal defamation case for a comment made ahead of the 2019 general elections. He has challenged the verdict. Last month, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had also spoken about the need for Opposition unity, and met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. JAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off Rajasthans first Vande Bharat Express train via video conferencing from New Delhi in presence of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra, chief minister Ashok Gehlot and railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attend the virtual flagging off ceremony of first Vande Bharat Express between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt (ANI) The inaugural train will run between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt Railway Station. The regular service will start from April 13 and will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. In his speech, PM Modi called chief minister Ashok Gehlot a friend and thanked him for attending the launch of a Vande Bharat Express amid a political tussle in the state, an oblique reference to the party colleague Sachin Pilots protest. I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of a political tussle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him, Modi said. On Tuesday, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot observed a day-long fast in Jaipur, targeting the Gehlot government over inaction in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state. In his address at the launch event, Gehlot raised demands related to the railways in Rajasthan and mentioned that for the first time since independence, the Union railway minister is from the state. PM Modi responded later with a swipe at the Congress. The work that should have been done immediately after independence had not been done till now. But you have so much faith in me that you have given me that task today I thank you for the trust you have in this friendship, he added. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board both being from Rajasthan, the prime minister said, And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... the railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan. He also said that the states first Vande Bharat train will not only ease the travel between Jaipur and Delhi but also give a push to the tourism industry of Rajasthan as it will help improve access to places of faith such as Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif. The new Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance between Delhi Cantt. and Ajmer in 5.15 hours. The fastest train on the same route, Shatabdi Express, takes 6.15 hours from Delhi Cantt to Ajmer. PM Modi also rued that an important and basic need of the citizens such as railways was turned into an arena of politics in the past. He said India inherited a fairly big railway network at the time of Independence but political interest dominated the need for modernization in the years after independence. He said politics was evident in the selection of railway ministers, the announcement of trains and even recruitments. Land acquisition was done under the false pretence of railway jobs and many unmanned crossings continued for a very long time and cleanliness and safety took a back seat. The situation took a turn for the better after 2014 when people elected a stable government with full majority, PM Modi said, a reference to the ongoing investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate into a land-for-jobs case when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the rail minister Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot later said PM Modis remark about the railways as unfortunate. It was not fair to say the development of the national transporter happened only after 2014, he said, according to news agency PTI. Today, your speech was given completely keeping in view the 2023-24 assembly and Lok Sabha elections and it was in the form of the election agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I believe that such comments will not be acceptable to the people of the state and the country, the CM said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday referred to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as a friend and praised him for attending the launch event of the state's first Vande Bharat Express despite the ongoing political crises in his Congress party. The prime minister was addressing the flagging-off ceremony of the Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. (BJP/Twitter) The prime minister was addressing the flagging-off ceremony of the Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. At the end of his address, Modi pointed to the demands put forward by Chief Minister Gehlot as well as the ongoing political tussle in the Congress. "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji as he is going through many political crises these days but despite that, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. Read Here: Vande Bharat trains now operational on 13 routes in India. See full list The Vande Bharat launch function was organised at the Jaipur junction rail station. It was attended by Railway Minister Ashwinin Vaishnaw, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and others. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board both being from Rajasthan, the prime minister said, "And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... the railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan." "The work which should have been done immediately after independence has not been done till now... but you have so much faith in me that you have put that work in front of me today. This is your belief your faith is the strength of my friendship. I thank you for the trust you have in friendship," Modi added. Protests emerged in IIT Madras demanding the suspension of a PhD supervisor until enquiry is complete in the case where a PhD scholar died by suicide on March 31. Posters have come up across campus with the students photo demanding justice. Posters have come up across IIT-Madrass campus with the students photo demanding justice. The deceased students family alleged that the supervisor added pressure on him and following their meeting on March 31 morning, the student uploaded a Whatsapp status, Im not good enough and died by hanging in his room outside of campus. (READ: I am sorry: IIT-Madras student posts WhatsApp status before hanging himself) Hundreds of students gathered at the central point on campus, the Gajendra circle, and began their protest overnight on April 11. They shared their demands in a meeting with IIT-Ms director V Kamakoti, and resumed the protest again at 6 pm on April 12. The guide shouldnt be involved in the inquiry process. From the students side, we request the suspension of the guide. Secondly, they want immunity of the students involved in the inquiry against the guide. External retired judges should be involved in the inquiry committee to gain their trust, the students added. We scholars mentioned that we dont have any trust in the inquiry procedure being conducted by the internal committee as well as the police department, said a note shared by the students. Several worries with respect to the supervisor threatening the students of the lab not to disclose any details of the incident have been discussed at the protest. The victims brother in an email to the institutes director and other faculty, had blamed the PhD supervisor for his brothers death, HT had reported on April 6. He attached a six page handwritten letter saying that his brother was on medication for mental health issues which the supervisor knew and worsened it by adding pressure on him. He had a meeting with his supervisor on March 31 morning, came back home and put up the Whatsapp status Im not good enough before killing himself, he adds. He had informed us that his degree will be delayed because the guide was making him do extra work, he said. He was meant to complete his PhD thesis in three months. He added that his brothers access to the lab was restricted. On the day of his suicide, IIT-M said that he was a student with an exemplary academic and research record and this was a big loss to the research community. The Velachery police had registered a case of unnatural death on March 31. When HT had contacted the PhD supervisor Ashis Kumar Sen earlier, he said that only the institute could give the facts. This is the third suicide in IIT-M since February. Earlier on March 14, a 20-year-old student died by suicide inside a hostel in IIT-M. On February 14, a post-graduate student died by suicide and another student attempted suicide by consuming pills but he was rescued. Following this the students had gone on an overnight protest against the management. They placed a list of demands and actions with IIT-M director including an external expert committee to study the mental health of IIT-M students, addressing the professor- student relationship for research scholars, increasing facilities at the institutes medical centre. IIT-Madras director had then said that financial stress, personal reasons, academic pressure and health issues are key reasons behind suicides on the campus. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova slammed Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and claimed that some intercepted conversations of Russian soldiers with their wives and mothers found that they were about stealing households, even toilet bowls. Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova speaks during the talk in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo) When we receive intercepted conversations of Russian soldiers with their wives and mothers, they are about what to steal from Ukrainian households, they steal sometimes even toilet bowls, Dzhaparova, said at a think tank in New Delhi on Tuesday. Dzhaparova is the first high-ranking Ukrainian official to visit India ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out on February 24 last year. If someone comes to rape you, what possible language can you find to talk to I was really impressed when I got to know that there was an 11-year-old boy who was raped in front of his mother and he lost his ability to speak There is no room for proper language. February 24 change everything for Ukraine, the minister said. Last year, Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, had claimed that Russia was using rape and sexual violence as part of its military strategy in Ukraine. The claim follows data released by a panel of UN experts that verified more than a hundred cases of rape or sexual assault incidents reported in Ukraine since February. Dzhaparova also hoped that Indian officials, including national security adviser Ajit Doval, who visited Moscow in February and held talks with President Vladimir Putin, will also visit Kyiv. "We expect the visit of Ajit Doval. Russia has more time to make visits. We are facing a war. We have to defend. Sometimes you may want to do something but can't. My visit is a mark of friendship, for a better relationship with India, but it requires reciprocity. We would be happy to welcome Indian officials to Kyiv," said the minister. "Now people of Ukraine closely watch the comments of different leaders as well as PM Modi and the travels of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. When he went to Moscow three times, of course, it's not a question if he would come to Kyiv. We would be happy to welcome leaders and officials of India in Kyiv," added Dzhaparova. Dzhaparova earlier in the day met with minister of state for external affairs and culture Meenakshi Lekhi and also held a crucial meeting with the officials of India and the EU. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar's grandson Satyaki Savarkar on Wednesday filed a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in London. Satyaki - who is Veer Savarkar's brother's son, shared a purported video on Twitter where Rahul Gandhi is seen addressing the public, and said, Today, I have filed a complaint for criminal defamation against Rahul Gandhi for his false allegations made in this speech against my grand father late Shri. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (REUTERS) Also read: Amid row over Savarkar, Rahul Gandhi to hold rally in Nagpur In the video, Gandhi is heard saying: So if five people beat up a Muslim man and one person is experiencing happiness, then this is cowardice. If you want to fight then go fight single-handedly. But no, 5-6 people along with Savarkar went to beat the man. According to Satyaki, Gandhi's remark is an insult because the incident is imaginary. Rahul Gandhi went to England last month and in one of the gatherings commented that Veer Savarkar wrote in his book that he, along with his 5-6 friends, was beating a Muslim person and Veer Savarkar enjoyed it. We have been hearing a lot from Rahul Gandhi and some of his followers about so-called petitions and pensions. Those were actually sustenance allowance and clemency petitions. We have reached the court, he told the news agency ANI. Gandhi - who was recently disqualified from Lok Sabha after a conviction in another defamation case for a 'Modi surname' remark - has been receiving flak from other leaders for targeting Savarkar and their ideologue. Also read: Savarkar wrote letter to British because': Devendra Fadnavis' 'silver spoon' dig at Rahul Gandhi A day after his disqualification, Gandhi had said, My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone. Meanwhile, last year during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader had alleged that Savarkar would write mercy petitions to be freed from the Andaman cellular jail and also accepted a pension from the British, and claimed, Savarkar had helped the British government during the freedom struggle. (With inputs from ANI) Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed on Wednesday denied his involvement in the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal while he was being taken from Ahmedabad's Sabarmati jail to Prayagraj by a team of Uttar Pradesh Police. Atiq Ahmad has been named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case(ANI) Read here: They want to kill me: Gangster Atiq Ahmad on being taken to UP again My family has been ruined...I was in jail what will I know about it (Umesh Pal murder case), Ahmed said to the reporters in Rajasthan's Bundi, where the convoy halted, reported news agency ANI. Ahmad is being taken to Prayagraj in connection with questioning in the Umesh Pal murder case and will be produced in the court on Wednesday. The Prayagraj court has issued a B warrant in the case. He further said that he is still alive because of the media. It's because of you (the media) that I am safe. Earlier, the don-turned-politician was brought to Prayagraj from Gujarat on March 28 amid tight security where he was produced before an MP/MLA court. Ahmad along with two others accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in the kidnapping of lawyer Umesh Pal. He and the other convicts were also ordered to pay 1 lakh compensation to the victim's family. Meanwhile, the family of slain Umesh Pal have expressed their gratitude to the administration for their action against Ahmad. Demanding that Ahmed should not be spared, Jaya Pal, wife of the victim said, I want to thank the administration for the proceedings. I demand that the way Atiq Ahmed killed my husband, he should be killed as well. He must not be spared. Umesh Pal, the witness in the 2005 killing of Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Raju Pal, was shot dead along with his two security guards in Prayagraj on February 24. Read here: He mustn't be spared' : Umesh Pal's family on Atiq being taken to UP In 2006, Ahmad and his aides allegedly abducted Umesh Pal and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. The lawyer had registered a complaint in this regard. According to reports, Ahmad has been named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the lawyer's murder. Earlier, Ahmad had moved the top court for protection, claiming he and his family members have been falsely implicated in the murder case and he might be killed in a fake encounter by the UP Police. (With inputs from ANI) Preventive detention laws in India are a colonial legacy that have great potential to be abused and misused by the State and any slightest error in compliance of procedure by authorities should result in favour of the detenue, the Supreme Court has said. The Supreme Court of India. (File Photo) Setting aside a detention order against a person under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, a bench of justices Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian on Monday said: Preventive detention laws in India are a colonial legacy, and as such, are extremely powerful laws that have the ability to confer arbitrary power to the State. In such a circumstance, where there is a possibility of an unfettered discretion of power by the government, this court must analyse cases arising from such laws with extreme caution and excruciating detail, to ensure that there are checks and balances on the power of the government. A month after he was detained at the instance of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in February last year, Pramod Singla sent a representation to the Centre and in April, shot another representation to the Advisory Board, challenging his detention. On May 9, the Centre rejected his representation. The detenue complained that the grounds of his detention supplied to him were illegible. On November 3, the Delhi high court refused to quash the detention order against Singla, prompting him to approach the top court. On January 5, the SC released Singla from custody. The bench said, In cases of preventive detention, every procedural irregularity, keeping in mind the principles of Article 21 and Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, must be accrued in favour of the detenue. In the present case at hand, the appellant detenue herein has been supplied with illegible documents in a foreign language. These are the very same documents that the authorities have relied upon to detain the appellant herein. Article 21 assures the protection of life and personal liberty while Article 22(5) says when any person is detained in pursuance of an order made under any law providing for preventive detention, the authority making the order shall, as soon as may be, communicate to such person the grounds on which the order has been made and shall afford him the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order. Deciding finally on his petition, the bench said, The courts, in circumstances of preventive detention, are conferred with the duty that has been given the utmost importance by the Constitution, which is the protection of individual and civil liberties. This act of protecting civil liberties, is not just the saving of rights of individuals in person and the society at large, but is also an act of preserving our Constitutional ethos, which is a product of a series of struggles against the arbitrary power of the British State. Laws that have the ability to confer arbitrary powers to the State, must in all circumstances, be very critically examined, and must be used only in the rarest of rare cases, the court said while setting aside the detention order. Since in preventive detention, the detenue is held in arrest not for a crime he has committed, but for a potential crime he may commit, the courts must always give every benefit of doubt in favour of the detenue, and even the slightest of errors in procedural compliances must result in favour of the detenue, the bench added. It was the case of DRI that the petitioner was part of a syndicate comprising of Chinese, Taiwanese, and South Korean nationals who were in the practice of smuggling gold into India through Air Cargo by concealing gold in transformers of electroplating/ reworking machines etc. In November 2021, the DRI officials seized a purported consignment and 80.126 kg of 24 carat foreign-origin gold was recovered from the said consignment. Singla being a suspect, his shop was checked by DRI officials and 7 pieces of gold weighing 5.409 Kg with a market value of over 2 crore was recovered from his premises. He was arrested in November 2021 but granted bail in December 2021. Subsequently, the DRI sent a proposal for his detention under the COFEPOSA Act following which the detention order was passed on February 1, 2022. The Supreme Court on Wednesday set out to examine whether the 2007 report of the former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranganath Mishra Commission and the empirical data forming the basis to recommend scheduled caste (SC) status for Dalit Christians and Muslims can be relied upon if the Centre has refused to accept the same. The petitioners, on the other hand, wanted the court to proceed with the matter as the issues raised were purely in the constitutional realm. (HT) With the government forming a fresh commission of inquiry in October to examine this aspect under the chairmanship of ex-CJI KG Balakrishnan, the Centre had urged the court not to proceed with the matter till a report by the new panel, expected in two years, is made available. It had refused to go by the 2007 Ranganath Mishra Commission alleging that the report was flawed as its findings were made without conducting any field studies. The petitioners, on the other hand, wanted the court to proceed with the matter as the issues raised were purely in the constitutional realm. The bench, also comprising justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Aravind Kumar, said, There is no difficulty in examining the constitutional questions. The Ranganath Mishra Commission report may or may not be accepted by the government. But how do we look into the report which they (the Centre) do not accept. Further, the bench added, If the report is not accepted, can we rely on the data relied in the report in coming to any conclusion? The court posted the matter in July and said, No doubt this (petition) raises an interesting debate as it also needs to be considered whether the extent of judicial review allows a writ to be issued for inclusion of SCs in the Presidential Order of 1950. Under this order, SC status is provided to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. In December, the court was in a dilemma whether to go ahead with the matter or hold off till the fresh panel submits its report. Additional solicitor general (ASG) KM Nataraj appearing for the Centre informed the court that the commission had already begun its work and unless there is relevant material, there was no question of going into the constitutional issues. The bench told the Centre, Different political dispensations may have different ideology to this issue. Two decades have gone by as these petitions are pending since 2004. A previous commission gave its report and in your wisdom you have said, we wont accept it. Tomorrow, even this (Balakrishnan) commission will meet the same fate. How many commissions can be expected to go into this matter? The law officer took the bench through the elaborate terms of reference of the Balakrishnan Commission to show that such an exercise was not carried out by the earlier commission headed by ex-CJI Ranganath Mishra while serving as the head of the National Commission on Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The bench told the ASG, You need to recheck. Have you gone through the (Ranganath Mishra) report? It is not that perfunctory. You cannot make a generalised statement. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), told the court that the 2007 report had sufficient material for the court to decide whether excluding Dalit Muslims and Christians from the ambit of SCs can be justified under the Constitution. He said that the petitions do not seek to add to the Presidential Order of 1950 but question the exclusion of Dalits of some religions as backwardness cannot be linked with any religion. He further stated that awaiting the Balakrishnan Commission report will make it an unending exercise. The bench agreed that social stigma and religious stigma are two different things. It said, Under our Constitution, untouchability is abolished but even with conversion, the social stigma is still carried by them (SCs) for which they seek protection under law. We cannot shut our eyes to the ground realities while considering these matters. The judges further observed that while examining these petitions, it will be required to go into the structure of the three religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism enjoying SC status on whether they accept the caste system. The matter will be next heard on July 11. The bench indicated to the petitioners, the Centre and groups supporting the Centre to submit their written arguments before the next date of hearing to enable the court to lay down a time frame for hearing the matter. Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday wrote to his counterparts in non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) states, requesting them to pass resolutions in their respective assemblies to urge the Centre to fix a timeframe for governors to approve bills cleared by the legislatures. On Monday, the Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a resolution to urge the Centre and President to fix a timeframe for governors to approve bills adopted by the House (CMOTamilNadu Twitter) In the past, chief ministers of opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and West Bengal have accused their respective governors of sitting on bills cleared by the legislatures. On Monday, the Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a resolution to urge the Centre and President to fix a timeframe for governors to approve bills adopted by the House. The move came days after governor R N Ravis remarks that bills, which are withheld, should be considered dead sparked a political row. In his letter to the chief ministers in non-BJP-ruled states, Stalin, who is also the chief of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, said: Some Governors today are indefinitely holding various Bills that have been duly passed by the State Legislatures and sent for approval, which brings the respective State administrations to a standstill in such areas. He added: Considering various aspects of the issue, we took several efforts to clarify the doubts and concerns raised by the Governor on the bills sent for approval, including the Bill to Ban Online Rummy. As our efforts failed and as we came to know that many other states have similar issues, we in Tamil Nadu deemed it fit to pass a Resolution in our State Assembly urging the Union Government and the President of India to fix a time limit for the Governors to approve the Bills passed by the respective Legislatures. ALSO READ: Not ready to be a friend..: Stalin moves resolution against TN Governor The letter was released by the government on Wednesday. To be sure, the governor on Monday gave his assent to the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, hours after the resolution was passed by the assembly. He is, however, yet to give his assent to nearly 20 bills cleared by the state cabinet since he took office in September 2021. Enclosing a copy of the resolution passed by the assembly on Monday, Stalin said in the letter: I am sure that you will agree with the spirit and content of the Resolution, and extend your support in this regard to uphold the sovereignty and self-respect of the State Governments and the Legislatures by passing a similar resolution in your State Assembly. The Indian Constitution has clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of the Union and state governments along with the role of the governor, Stalin said. However, it is observed that such time-tested principles are neither respected nor followed now, affecting the functioning of the state governments, he said. In the past, chief ministers of opposition-ruled states like Telangana, Kerala and West Bengal have accused their respective governors of sitting on bills cleared by the legislatures. Stalins letter also comes in line with his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP-led Centre ahead of the 2024 Lok sabha elections. On April 3, his party hosted the maiden conference of the All India Federation for Social Justice, which saw the participation of 19 opposition parties in hybrid mode in Delhi. Meanwhile, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance staged a protest against the governor in front of Raj Bhavan on Wednesday over the pending bills. Both the state government and governor have been locked in a standoff over various issues for quite some time, including the latters pending assent to nearly 20 bills. Of the nearly 20 bills, governor Ravi returned two to the House. The Undergraduate Medical Courses, 2021 Bill, which seeks to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), was returned last February for reconsideration. The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Games Bill, which seeks to ban online gambling, was returned in March this year as the governor contended that the state assembly is not competent to frame a law on the subject. The state assembly re-adopted both these bills for the second time and has sent it to the governor for his assent. While the anti-NEET bill is with the ministry of home affairs, the bill against online gambling was cleared by Raj Bhavan on Monday. On April 6, Ravi stoked controversy when he said that the governor has three options when he has to give his assent to a bill. One, assent; second, withhold the assent withholding doesnt mean that I am holding it. Withholding has been defined by the Supreme Court as the bill falls through, the bill is dead. It is a decent language used instead of the word reject. When you say withhold, the bill is dead. Third option, the governor reserves the bill for the President of India, he said during an interaction with civil service aspirants at Raj Bhavan. His comments came under fire from the DMK government with Stalin saying it was unbecoming of a person who holds a Constitutional position to withhold without boldly accepting or opposing the bills. According to the Constitution, the governor cannot reject a bill sent by the assembly. He can return a bill to the government with his objections or observations and if the assembly clears it for a second time, he can either give his consent or forward the bill for the Presidents consideration. However, the Constitution does not provide a timeframe for the governor to decide on either of the two. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The ruling YSR Congress party (YRSCP) in Andhra Pradesh reacted with disbelief on the Telangana governments attempt to support the cause of workers of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), better known as Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, who are strongly resisting the central governments move to privatise it. State-owned Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd steel plant in Visakhapatnam. (PTI) A five-member delegation of officials from the Telangana government-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), including three directors, visited the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant on Tuesday to study the feasibility of participating in the Expression of Interest (EOI) for providing working capital or supply of raw material to the plant. Though the bidding is only for the supply of raw material to the steel plant, it led to the talk that the Telangana government is evincing interest in bidding for the steel plant itself, when it is put up for privatisation. Bharat Rashtra Samithi Andhra Pradesh unit president Thota Chandrasekhar said the Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would take a call on participating in the bid for the steel plant after studying its feasibility. KCR is firm on stalling the privatisation of the steel plant, which is the right of Andhra people, he said. Senior YSR Congress party leader and state industries minister Gudivada Amarnath said there was no meaning in the Telangana government bidding for the steel plant. There is no official statement from the Telangana government on bidding for the steel plant till now. But if it is true, it is practically not feasible, he said. He reminded that as per the Union finance ministry guidelines issued one-and-a-half years ago, PSEs of the Centre and the state governments are not eligible to participate in the bidding and the YSRC is totally against privatisation of the steel plant. Amarnath said that Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had opposed privatisation of the steel plant. Now, how can he acquire the same? Does this mean the BRS wants the plant to be privatised? he questioned. YSRC general secretary and government advisor on public affairs, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had already opposed the strategic disinvestment of the steel plant. The chief minister had suggested several alternatives to bail out the steel plant from losses, he said. Stating that the chief minister had written to the Centre to allocate captive mines to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Reddy said the state assembly had even passed a resolution opposing the privatisation of the steel plant. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uttar Pradesh's now-famous Sarus crane must be set free and returned to its friend, BJP MP Varun Gandhi said on Wednesday, a day after the bird had a reunion with its man-friend' at the Kanpur zoo, on the completion of its 15-day quarantine period. Mohammad Arif meets his 'friend' Sarus crane in Kanpur Zoo Also Read: Sarus, man-friend reunion video sets social media on fire The story of Sarus and Arif is special! Their happiness on meeting each other shows that their love is pure. This gorgeous creature is made to fly in the free sky, not to live in a cage. Give him back his sky, his freedom and his friend, Gandhi said in a tweet. The video of Sarus meeting its friend, Amethi resident Mohammad Arif, went viral on social media. In the video, the crane is seen jumping in excitement in its enclosure on seeing Arif; it runs, chirps, spreads its wings, desperate to reach Arif, who is standing outside the enclosure in a protective gear. What is the story of Sarus and Arif? The bird was rescued by Arif, and shot into limelight due to their unique camaraderie. It was, however, taken away to Kanpur zoo to be quarantined for 15 days, after the case came to light. 30-year-old Arif, who looked after the crane for more than a year, was, on the other hand, booked for allegedly violating the Wildlife Act of 1972 (amended). Also Read: UP man who looked after sarus for a year booked, summoned to explain his side The separation from its friend had left Sarus depressed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat, who has been denied a ticket by the BJP to contest in the Assembly elections, on Wednesday said he was deeply pained by the treatment meted out to him by the party. I am not sad over the partys decision, but I am pained by the way the party has treated me, Bhat told reporters at his residence in Udupi. Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat He broke into tears while speaking to the media. He said not even the district unit president of the party had called to inform him about the partys decision and he came to know of it from television channels. Also read: Missing veterans in BJP list sparks row in Karnataka Amit Shah had called and informed Jagadish Shettar about the changes. I do not expect Shah to call me, but at least the district president should have done it. If I have been denied ticket just due to my caste, I will not agree to it, he said. Bhat said it appeared that the BJP did not need people like him who "worked tirelessly", as the party had grown everywhere. He said he had worked for the party even in the hardest of times and was thankful for the opportunities that he had been given. Also read: Karnataka polls: Bommai to contest Shiggaon, BJP fields BSY's son BY Vijayendra. Full list Describing the partys official candidate Yashpal Suvarna as "my boy", Bhat said he had always supported Suvarnas growth in the party. Speaking about BJP's treatment of himself, Bhat said he was so shocked that he could not take an immediate decision on his next course of action. Hundreds of Bhat's followers have gathered near his residence to learn about his next plans. NEW DELHI: Ukraine has informed the Indian side that thousands of medical students who were evacuated because of the Russian invasion last year will now be able to take their final or qualification examination in India. Ukrainian first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova who ended her visit to India on Wednesday, conveyed Ukraines request for more humanitarian aid (Twitter/EmineDzheppar) The future of Indian students, whose studies in Ukraine were curtailed because of the war, figured in talks between visiting Ukrainian first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova and secretary (West) Sanjay Verma of the external affairs ministry. On the issue of Indian medical students, [Dzhaparova] mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile, said a statement issued by the external affairs ministry on Wednesday. Dzhaparova told HT in an interview that approximately 14,000 Indian students will benefit from an academic mobility initiative put in place by Ukraine. These students can join online classes and have the option to appear for the qualification or final examination in India without going back to Ukraine because of security concerns, she said. About 2,000 Indian students have returned to Ukraine, and most of them are at medical universities in the western part of the country, she said. I think we will have more students after the resolution of the war but we really did our best to evacuate the students from Ukraine in a secure way, she said, referring to the return of more than 20,000 Indian students last year. Dzhaparova, who ended her visit to India on Wednesday, conveyed Ukraines request for more humanitarian aid and raised the possibility of Indian companies participating in her countrys reconstruction during her talks with Indian interlocutors. At her meeting with Verma on Monday, Dzhaparova proposed that the rebuilding of infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, the external affairs ministrys statement said. Verma said India has provided medicines and medical equipment and will provide school buses to Ukraine. Dzhaparova also conveyed Ukraines request for additional humanitarian supplies, including medicines and medical equipment, during her meeting with the minister of state for external affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on Tuesday. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of foreign office consultations in Kyiv and the next inter-governmental commission in India on mutually convenient dates. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With discussions around the evolution of multilateral development banks (MDBs) intensifying, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the calls to reinvigorate the World Bank present a historic opportunity to make the institution fit for purpose to achieve sustainable development goals as well as address national and global developmental challenges. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman with US Department of Treasury secretary Janet Yellen during a roundtable on 'Multilateral Development Bank Evolution: Building Shareholder Consensus', at World Bank headquarters, in Washington DC. (PTI) Sitharaman made the comments during a roundtable on MDB evolution: Building Shareholder Consensus, hosted by United States treasury secretary Janet Yellen during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the Bank in Washington DC. According to the ministry of finance, the discussions focused on the impact of challenges such as the climate crisis, pandemic, fragility and conflict on development progress as well as the reform at the World Bank. ALSO READ: Debt crisis key priority of Indias G20 presidency, says FM in US Sitharaman flagged two issues concerning MDB evolution. These include building consensus on the definition of global development challenges and augmenting the financial and operational capacity of the World Bank Group. She also said that in the spirit of multilateralism, the evolution dialogue needed to be inclusive, consensus-based, and recognise, in full measure, the development perspectives and priorities of client countries. The Bank is in the middle of a process to reframe its mission statement, operating model, and financial model. The Banks Development Committee will discuss an evolution roadmap this week, even as the G20 has set up an expert group co-chaired by veteran Indian policymaker NK Singh and former US treasury secretary Larry Summers on reforming MDBs. Among the fault lines in the reform process are questions about the right balance between climate and development assistance, and climate emission and adaptation priorities. The Bank, according to road map, requires $2.4 trillion to meet expanded commitments which, in turn, will require the deployment of newer forms of resource mobilisation, including an expanded role for the private sector. The US has nominated the India-born, American corporate leader, Ajay Banga, to take over as the Banks president to herald this phase of change. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union minister for development of north eastern region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday affirmed Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country, and that no country can take away any inch of land in India. Union minister for development of north eastern region G Kishan Reddy. (ANI/ PIB) Our army is ready to protect our Indian territory. No other country can take away even an inch of Arunachal Pradesh or any other part of India. China should understand that their attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh will not benefit the two countries, Reddy told the media persons on the sidelines of a conclave on North-East Security Education and Global Employability organised by the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) in Agartala. In a separate reference on the Make in India campaign, the minister said there are some countries who are unhappy with the progress of India in becoming a manufacturing hub. Our country will soon become a manufacturing hub and will export products abroad, he said. Reddy also visited Agartala railway station at Badharghat to review the progress of work on the Agartala-Akhaura international railway connectivity at Nischintapur along the India-Bangladesh international border. He hoped that early completion of the project will boost relations with Indias eastern neighbour. The project will make relations between the two countries strong. The DoNER ministry is funding the project from the Indian side. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are likely to launch the project this year, he said. Also Read:Wont change reality: India rejects China objecting to Shahs Arunachal visit The 15-kilometre-long railway line will link Bangladeshs Akhaura through an international immigration station at Nischintapur along the border. With the completion of the project, the travel time between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka will be reduced from 31 hours to 10 hours. Akhaura used to be the railway link for Agartala during the British era, but the new railway project was conceptualised in 2010. Three years later, both India and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding for the project. The project was supposed to be over in 2020 but got delayed because of land acquisition issues and the Covid-19 pandemic. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday asserted that they do not follow Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) idea of Hindutva. The son of former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the BJP alleging that the ally of the ruling Shiv Sena government was instigating riots in the state. Aaditya made the comments while addressing students at the Gitam University in Hyderabad, Telangana. Speaking about the role of opposition in the country, Aaditya Thackeray said India was going through an undeclared Emergency currently.(HT_PRINT) He further clarified that according to the Uddhav-Balasaheb Shiv Sena faction's clearly defined Hindutva, people are not killed over their food choices. "Our Hindutva is clearly defined. We don't burn people over what they eat. If that is the BJP's Hindutva, it is not acceptable to me, my father, my grandfather, and our people and not to Maharashtra," he said. He further said that the Centre cannot take credit for building Ram Temple in Ayodhya. "If you think that the Ram Temple is being constructed because of the Central government it is wrong. The Supreme Court has given the decision and not the Centre," the former environment minister said. Recollecting how the BJP backstabbed the then Shiv Sena in 2014, he said, "I am a Hindu and was a Hindu when the BJP had broken alliance with the Shiv Sena in 2014. The BJP is inciting riots in the State today. Why isn't the world's largest pro-Hindutva party speaking about the Kashmiri Pandits?" Also read: Ravana Rajya, not Hindutva: Aaditya Thackeray after woman worker assaulted The MLA from Worli claimed that the state, once a leader in attracting investments, tourism sustainability and urban growth, was now trailing behind. He accused the Eknath Shinde-led government of being autocratic and dictatorial and added, Theres only one Shiv Sena, the others are gaddars (traitors). They have tried to steal everything from us. Speaking about the role of opposition in the country, Aaditya said India was going through an undeclared Emergency at present. Aaditya was accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on a day-long visit to Hyderabad where he met Telangana minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA KT Rama Rao at T-hub. (With inputs from ANI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Deepika Padukone arrived in Mumbai today. The paparazzi clicked Deepika at the airport as she made her way to her car, dressed in a layered winter ensemble. Pictures and videos of the star made it to social media and confused her fans. Netizens did not like her choice of outfit for arriving in Mumbai, where the temperatures are soaring because of the advent of summer. While some asked if Deepika was feeling hot, others wanted to know why she wore a jacket. Deepika Padukone, in a winter outfit, clicked at the airport. (HT Photo/Varinder Chawla) (Also Read | NMACC launch: Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra to Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, who were the best-dressed stars) What Deepika Padukone wore to the airport Deepika Padukone recently landed in Mumbai dressed in a layered winter-ready outfit. The star is known for her comfy and chic airport fashion choices that range from coordinated athleisure ensembles to high-end fits from Louis Vuitton. However, Deepika failed to impress her fans this time as she chose a red jacket, white high-neck sweater and denim jeans for her arrival. Netizens were confused over why the actor chose winter clothes for arriving in the bay. One wrote, "Doesn't she feel hot?" Another commented, Why is she wearing a jacket? Deepika Padukone in a winter outfit at the airport. (HT Photo/Varinder Chawala) Meanwhile, Deepika wore a white turtleneck sweater with a ribbed design, full-length sleeves, a snug fitting and a high-rise neckline. She wore it under an Adidas red sleeveless puffer jacket featuring a front zip closure, raised collars, side pockets, and a relaxed oversized silhouette. Deepika completed the airport look by wearing the sweater and jacket with light blue-coloured denim jeans featuring a frayed hem and a flared silhouette. A Louis Vuitton logo print shoulder bag, white lace-up sneakers, and tinted black sunglasses glammed up the airport look. Lastly, Deepika chose blush-pink glossy lips, dewy skin, rouged cheekbones, feathered brows, and no makeup look for the glam picks. A centre-parted sleek ponytail gave the finishing touch. What do you think of her airport look? Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's daughter, Suhana Khan, became the brand ambassador of New York-based skincare, fragrance, and beauty company Maybelline. Suhana was announced as the face of the label after she attended her first media meet. The news comes before her big debut in Bollywood with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's next The Archies. Pictures and videos from the media event started circulating on social media. They show Suhana dressed in a sizzling red blazer and pants set. We loved her stylish and elegant look for the occasion. Suhana Khan wears a sizzling red blazer and pants for her first media meet. (HT Photo/Varinder Chawla) (Also Read | NMACC Gala: Rekha, Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Disha Patani to Suhana Khan, stars who ditched gowns for stunning sarees) Suhana Khan meets the media for the first time in a sizzling red outfit On Tuesday, Suhana Khan stepped out in Mumbai to attend a media event arranged by Maybelline. For her first press meet, Suhana slipped into a hot-red outfit. The paparazzi clicked her pictures and videos as she addressed the audience from the stage. Soon, the snippets made it to social media, and fans loved Suhana's look in the sleek ensemble - a colour-coordinated cropped blazer and pants set. Keep scrolling as we give you a detailed download on her press meet attire and see the pictures and videos from the event below. Suhana Khan at the press meet for Maybelline New York. (HT Photo/Varinder Chawla) Suhana Khan's red cropped blazer comes with notch lapel collars, padded shoulders, pulled-back full-length sleeves, a front button closure, patch pockets, a fitted bust and a midriff-revealing short hem length. She complemented the jacket with matching bright red pants featuring a high-rise waist, fitted silhouette, flared hems and a structured fitting. Suhana accessorised the elegant outfit with embellished gold peep-toe high heels, statement rings, and dainty earrings. In the end, Suhana chose centre-parted open wavy locks, nude pink lip shade, darkened brows, mascara on the lashes, subtle eye shadow, rouged cheekbones, dewy base, feathered brows, and highlighter for the glam picks. Meanwhile, Suhana will make her debut with the Netflix film The Archies. It also marks the acting debut of Amitabh Bachchan's grandson Agastya Nanda and Sridevi's younger daughter Khushi Kapoor. Dot, Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja and Yuvraj Menda also star in the project. Ambedkar Jayanti is an annual festival celebrated in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, who was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and politician and is best known as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution. Ambedkar Jayanti is observed on April 14 every year, which is his birth anniversary and on this day, people pay their respects to Dr BR Ambedkar by offering flowers, lighting candles and organising cultural events. Ambedkar Jayanti 2023: Inspiring quotes by Father of Indian Constitution, Dr Babasaheb BR Ambedkar (Photo by Twitter/gupta_rekha) It is a public holiday in many Indian states and government offices, schools and colleges are closed on this day. The champion of Dalit rights and the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 in Madhya Pradeshs Mhow and each year, Babasaheb's (as he is fondly called by his followers to acknowledge his gratitude) birth anniversary is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti to honour his countless contributions in the making of the present-day independent India. Ambedkar, who belonged to the Mahar caste which was considered untouchable in Hinduism, converted to Buddhism on October 14, 1956, in Nagpur along with 500,000 supporters, after studying the religion for years. He is not only known for his great influence in eradicating the social scourge of untouchability in India but also for having led a crusade for the upliftment and empowerment of Dalits in the country since he believed that Dalits can never get their rights within Hinduism. Due to his Mahar caste since childhood, before converting to Buddhism, Dr BR Ambedkar witnessed economic and social discrimination and most of these painful experiences that honed Babasahebs life have been penned down by him in his autobiographical book Waiting For A Visa. It was on August 29, 1947, that he was appointed as the chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee for the constitution of independent India and after Independence, he was appointed as the law minister of India. By writing the Indian Constitution, he not only broke the social conventions meant for Hindu Shudras to emulate caste supremacists, changed their mindsets and urged them to educate and fight for their rights and gave equal rights to all but also ended the monopoly of Hindu Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas - in education, military, trade, social standards - who deemed themselves as superior to Shudras or the untouchables. From publishing scores of journals and advocating for Dalits rights to making significant contributions toward the establishment of the state of India, drafting of the Indian Constitution, giving ideas that served as the foundation of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and playing a crucial role in promoting gender equality, Dr BR Ambedkar dedicated most of his life to empowering and voicing concerns for the downtrodden. Ambedkar Jayanti is also known as Bhim Jayanti and is celebrated as a public holiday across India since 2015. On his 132nd birth anniversary this Friday, here are some inspiring quotes by him as we commemorate the memory of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar to boost our motivation: I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved. I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality, and fraternity. Be educated, be organized, and be agitated. Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence. A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society. Freedom of mind is the real freedom. I am proud of my country, India, for having a constitution that enshrines principles of democracy, socialism, and secularism. Law and order are the medicine of the body politic, and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered. Life should be great, rather than long. "History shows that where ethics and economics come in conflict, victory is always with economics. Vested interests have never been known to have willingly divested themselves unless there was sufficient force to compel them." Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu is one of the biggest festivals of Assam and marks the first day of Hindu unisolar calendar, and the beginning of Assamese new Year. The 7-day festival will be celebrated from April 14, 2023 (Friday) to April 20, 2023 (Thursday) this year. Bihu is celebrated thrice in a year. Bohag Bihu marks the beginning of the seeding period and falls in the second week of April every year. The other two - Kati Bihu and Magh Bihu are celebrated in October and January respectively. Rong means joy in Assamese and Rongali Bihu is the time for joy and happiness for Assamese community as they celebrate each day of the festival with great fervour and enthusiasm. (See pics: Rongali Bihu 2023: Here's how Assamese New Year is celebrated in Assam) Rong means joy in Assamese and Rongali Bihu is the time for joy and happiness for Assamese community as they celebrate each day of the festival with great fervour and enthusiasm.(Parveen Kumar/HT) When is Bohag Bihu starting Bohag Bihu will begin on April 14, 2023 and conclude on April 20, 2023 this year. How Bohag Bihu is celebrated over 7 days The seven days of Bohag Bihu are celebrated differently. The first day or Garu Bihu is dedicated to cattle and on this day people take their cattle to river, bathe them, adorn them with garlands, pain their horns and hoofs and pray for their well-being. The second day of the festival is called Manuh Bihu, wherein people wake up early in the morning, apply turmeric paste on their bodies and take bath. Delicious traditional dishes like Til Laru, Pitha, Murir Laru, Ghila Pitha, Poka Mithoi among others. are made. People meet and greet each other and exchange gifts. The third day of the festival is called Guxai Bihu, dedicated to worshipping household deities. The fourth day is called Taator Bihu or Bihu for the handlooms. The fifth day is called Nangolor Bihu, dedicated to farm equipment, while the sixth day is called GharosiaJibar Bihu, which is celebrated for domestic animals. The final day of the festival is celebrated as Chera Bihu which is celebrated with much enthusiasm. History It is said that Bihu is an ancient festival and was even celebrated back in 3500 BC when people made fire sacrifices for better harvest. It is said that an agrarian tribe who lived in the north-eastern part of the world thousands of years back celebrated the festival. Significance of Bohag Bihu Bohag Bihu signals the start of the seeding season. During Bohag Bihu celebrations, traditional musical instruments like dhol, pepa, gogona, toka, taal are played and young men and women dance to the traditional tunes.The first day of the Hindu solar calendar is celebrated in states of Punjab as Baisakhi, Tamil Nadhu as Puthandu, Vishu in Kerala, Pohela Baisakh in West Bengal and so on. While the traditions of the spring harvest festival across the country differ slightly, the spirit remains the same. Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarudam or Tamil New Year, is celebrated by the Tamil community in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in parts of Sri Lanka and Malaysia. It falls on the first day of the Tamil month of Chithirai, which usually falls in mid-April. Happy Puthandu 2023: Best wishes SMS, WhatsApp messages, quotes, Facebook status to wish your family and friends on Tamil New Year (Photo by Twitter/JenitaArevin) The day is celebrated with traditional rituals, feasting and cultural programs. Puthandu falls almost on the same day every year in the Gregorian calendar and this year, Puthandu will be celebrated on April 14. Check out this collection of best wishes SMS, WhatsApp messages, quotes, Facebook status to wish your family and friends on Tamil New Year: Let this Puthandu bring happiness, joy, success and peace in your life. Let God shower his blessings on you and your family. Wishing you a wonderful Happy New Year. Puthandu Vazhtukal! 2. Let this Tamil New Year be the beginning of a new chapter in your life filled with hope, joy, and positivity. Happy Puthandu Vazthukal! 3. Puthandu Vazhtukal! As the New Year arrives, let us pray for a delightful year blessed with new energy and hope to conquer new problems and emerge as a winner. 4. May the Sun brighten your life with goodness, fortune and glory. I pray to God to bestow his love and care on you and to help you face challenges of life. Puthandu Vazhtukal to you. 5. Let's welcome this Tamil New Year with open arms and celebrate the new beginnings with joy and enthusiasm. Happy Puthandu! 6. On this auspicious occasion of Tamil New Year, I pray for your well-being and success in all your endeavors. Happy Puthandu Vazthukal! 7. Let this Puthandu be the brightest year of your life. May you attain new heights of success and touch new levels of spirituality in 2023. Puthandu Vazhtukal to you and your family. 8. From this Puthandu let us move forward with positivity towards our dreams. Let us face all the problems with courage and emerge as a winner. Wishing you a beautiful and Happy New Year. 9. On the occasion of Tamil New Year, I wish each and every day of this upcoming year unfold many new surprises and beautiful smiles for you and your family. Happy Tamil New Year. 10. Each and every new year is an opportunity for us to begin fresh and make our dreams come true. A very Happy Tamil New Year to you. The G20 presidency could not have come at a better time for India, especially its tourism sector. India is witnessing a revival of inbound arrivals and domestic travellers. We must capitalise on the G20 to achieve pre-Covid-19 numbers and, perhaps, even exceed them this year, and lay out the long-term agenda for promoting sustainable tourism globally. During Indias year-long presidency of the G20, we will host over 200 meetings in 59-plus destinations. (HT) During Indias year-long presidency of the G20, we will host over 200 meetings in 59-plus destinations. Delegates from the G20, comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU), are participating to discuss significant issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, the climate crisis and sustainable development. All these topics impact the tourism sector. We have laid out five priority areas of tourism during the G20: Greening the tourism sector, promoting digitisation, empowering the youth with skills, nurturing tourism micro, small and medium enterprises and startups, and strategic management of destinations. Tourism in India supports and sustains local economies by creating economic opportunities and employment for local communities. We aim to empower local communities through tourism and meet Sustainable Development Goals. This narrative has been received favourably by delegates. The power of sustainable tourism cannot be undermined, especially since it has high employment-generation potential, which can be created by imparting skills to local people. At the same time, we want to unleash the power of digitisation to provide the much-needed Ease of Tourism, which benefits both international and domestic tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always insisted that we engage with people at the grassroots level and move our focus of activities beyond a few selected urban centres. In this light, we see decentralised G20 events, with participation from Heads of State, ministers, senior officials, and representatives from multilateral and other organisations. This, combined with the numerous engagement group meetings, is generating a local ripple of positive activity and sentiment, which is promising for the tourism sector. The bolstering of local infrastructure for G20 meetings, capacity-building of local human resources, police personnel, and hotel staff and the beautification of tourist spots will improve the ability of local communities to receive tourists in the future. India is a remarkable tourist destination, offering many experiences, including 40 Unesco World Heritage sites, archaeological remains of ancient civilisations, a vast variety of wildlife in national parks and sanctuaries, the worlds highest mountain ranges, expansive beaches, the magnificent desert and a rich cultural heritage. Being one of the worlds oldest civilisations, India is an all-embracing confluence of religions, traditions, and customs. The highlights of heritage lie in the treasure of its art, architecture, classical dance, music, flora and fauna and the innate secular philosophy of its people. Every state is resplendent with different styles of temples, gurdwaras, mosques, monasteries, and churches, many of which have been declared heritage sites for their antiquity and craftsmanship. Sacred cities such as Varanasi, Haridwar, Amritsar and Bodhgaya offer a tranquil environment of religious beliefs and spirituality. A visit to India would be incomplete without experiencing the beauty and richness of these sites. During the G20 events and meetings, an attempt is being made to give the delegates a glimpse of these multi-faceted aspects of our country by organising side events, such as excursions and visits to archaeological sites, parks and monuments. Yoga sessions are an essential part of these meetings, eliciting an enthusiastic response from one and all. Given Indias diversity in cuisine, organising culinary festivals and establishing local cuisine hubs near major tourist destinations is on the agenda. This is an opportune time for us to collaborate with other countries, international organisations and tourism industry stakeholders to strengthen the recovery plan for the tourism sector. The G20 presidency provides a strong platform for India to promote its agenda of developing sustainable/green tourism practices, spreading digitalisation in the sector, encouraging micro, small and medium enterprises, expanding skill development and developing strong destination management organisations and practices at the local level. Arvind Singh is secretary, ministry of tourism, Government of India The views expressed are personal The numbers have increased and I am very happy about that. It proves a few points that the species is effectively protected habitat-wise and animal-wise. PREMIUM The area has greatly increased, but where are the tigers outside the 50+ tiger reserves and national parks and sanctuaries? Practically nowhere. (Shutterstock) Now, the tiger numbers have increased in the protected areas, which proves a second point and as a corollary to that, there are hardly any tigers left outside protected and Project Tiger areas. When we began Project Tiger in 1972, the majority of the tigers were outside protected areas because the number of reserves was low, at most 15. Now, there are over 50 tiger reserves. The area has greatly increased, but where are the tigers outside the 50+ tiger reserves and national parks and sanctuaries? Practically nowhere. It means they can only survive or they have a future only in sanctuaries. While the same report says that numbers have gone up, there is a controversy that the numbers may be jigged. There has always been that doubt because since we are so dependent on numbers, the park wardens are very scared of any reduction. Further, even if the numbers are as they are (the report this time says they were also counted, camera-trapped apart from extrapolation), are there any tigers outside of the protected area system in this country? The answer will be practically none. What happens when these tigers explode out of the parks and sanctuaries? For example, more than half the lions now are outside parks in Gujarat. How many new protected areas have the tiger states established from 2000 onwards? Practically none. Corridors are conduits from which tigers can move from one protected area to another, though they run a risk of being killed. But it does provide a conduit. How many conservation reserves have been set up? I cant remember any. On the other hand, there is a notification that states that coal blocks will be allowed even in the buffer areas and corridors, so even in heavy forest areas. Even those blocks are now opened up to mining. So, what future do you have for tiger numbers increasing and the safety of tigers outside protected reserves? They (tigers) multiply, so where will they go? Future of tigers in India India needs to establish new national parks and sanctuaries and effectively protect them. This protection will not be just for tigers. For 50 years I have believed that biodiversity in India, both floral and faunal, has a future only in effectively protected areas. Once tiger numbers increase further, the conflict with man will increase, and the sufferer will be the tiger. The only other future seems to be that we export tigers. So perhaps we have to export tigers in future (laughs). Reintroduce tigers from India to other tiger-range countries I would support helping other countries. After all, it's one planet. But there is a caveat. No tiger should be caught and sent from any protected area. You capture them from outside and only those that are a problem. The breeding nucleus must remain. We can export only after we ensure none of our parks are short of their full carrying capacity. We should meet our own ends first. Expand our vision of wildlife There has been a call in the past which I have challenged: If you have saved the tiger, you have saved Indian wildlife. I do not subscribe to that. The tiger is a wonderful umbrella species, but overfocusing on the tiger can be counterproductive. I am not denigrating the importance of the magnificent tiger. This overfocus leads to a diversion of focus on the loss of habitat of other species elsewhere. The conservation in India has become far too mega-mammal-specific. Tiger, number 1; Lion, number 2; Rhino, number 3 and so on. The lack of adequate knowledge and great enthusiasm for tigers is harming other species. Those species matter in this country even though they are not charismatic (like the tiger is considered). We do not understand fire ecology, for example. The burning of the forest (as done by some during safaris, for example) to show (people) the tiger or other animals has caused a huge decline in Hog Deer numbers in Corbett National Park. Did we have a target in mind in the 1970s when Project Tiger began? No. We were worried about the extinction of the tiger at that time. There were other species on the brink but the government and people caught on to the tiger. Very rightly so. For the first time when we did the enumeration, there were around 1,800 tigers left. We followed the pug mark counting process so it was less precise compared to todays methodology. That was a very low number. It was an eye-opener and set into motion a number of actions. The first being the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act. From 1972 to 1990, a lot of reserves and protected areas were created. In my own case of Madhya Pradesh (MP) where I set up many parks, when two ministers wanted the denotification of tiger parks, I used to say, We have to inform Madam Gandhi about it and they would back off. Conservation happens top to bottom in India not the other way around. After my departure from service, they denotified some sanctuaries in MP. MK Ranjitsinh is a former bureaucrat and one of the main architects of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (As told to HT's Jayashree Nandi) The views expressed are personal Kuwait News, a website affiliated with the Kuwait Times, has unveiled Fedha, a virtual news presenter created using artificial intelligence (AI). The news presenter made its debut on April 9, appearing on the Twitter handle of Kuwait News. TOPSHOT - A journalist watches an introductory video by the 'artificial intelligence' anchor Fedha on the twitter account of Kuwait News service, in Kuwait City on April 9, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP) Abdullah Bofatin, deputy editor-in-chief for both outlets, described virtual news presenters as a test of AI's potential to offer new and innovative content. Here is all you need to know about Fedha: (1.) Fedha appeared in the image of a woman, her light-coloured hair uncovered, and in a black jacket and white T-shirt. (2.) "I'm Fedha, the first presenter in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let's hear your opinions," it said in Arabic. (3.) An old Kuwaiti name, Fedha refers to silver, the metal. According to Boftain, silver and metallic colours were combined for it, as robots are always imagined in these two colours. (4.) The AI presenter's blonde hair and light-coloured eyes reflect the Gulf nation's diverse population of natives and expatriates, he further said. (5.) In future, it may present news bulletins on the Twitter account of Kuwait News, which has 1.2 million followers. (With AFP inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON National Public Radio (NPR) will no longer post content to its 52 official Twitter feeds in protest against a label by the social media platform that implies government involvement in the U.S. organization's editorial content. A view of the Twitter logo at its corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California.(REUTERS) NPR said on Wednesday Twitter refused its repeated requests to remove the inaccurate label of "state-affiliated media", now changed to "government-funded media," which did not accurately capture its public media governance structure. Also read: Musk not aware about Twitter deleting content on BBC's Modi documentary British broadcaster BBC has also objected to the latest label, saying it's misleading. "If we continued tweeting, every post would carry that misleading label," NPR said. In an interview with BBC, Twitter's billionaire owner Elon Musk said earlier on Wednesday the company was trying to be "accurate" and looking into amending the label. "Our goal is simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible.. We're adjusting the label to be 'publicly funded' which I think is perhaps not too objectionable," Musk said. Also read: Elon Musk's Twitter no longer exists as a company! NPR said it would remain on other social media platforms, and was reviewing whether it should expand to include emerging third-party platforms. Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Musk also said in the interview that Twitter was "roughly breaking even" as many advertisers, who had paused spending on the micro blogging platform since its takeover last year, had returned. Every so often a technology captures the worlds imagination. The latest example, judging by the chatter in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street, in corner offices, newsrooms and classrooms around the world, is ChatGPT . In five days after its unveiling in November the artificially intelligent chatbot, created by a startup called OpenAI, drew 1m users, making it one of the fastest consumer-product launches in history. Microsoft , which has just invested $10bn in OpenAI, wants ChatGPT-like powers, which include generating text, images and video that seem like they could have been created by humans, to infuse much of the software it sells. On January 26th Google published a paper describing a similar model that can create music from a text description of a song. Investors in Alphabet, its parent company, are listening out for its answer to ChatGPT. Baidu, a Chinese search giant, reportedly plans to add a chatbot to its search engine in March. PREMIUM The capital flowing into generative-AI startups, which last year collectively raised $2.7bn in 110 deals, suggests that venture capitalists are betting that not all the value will be captured by big tech. (Shutterstock) It is too early to say how much of the early hype is justified. Regardless of the extent to which the generative AI models behind ChatGPT and its rivals transform business, culture and society, however, they are already transforming how the tech industry thinks about innovation and its enginesthe corporate research labs that, like OpenAI and Google Research, are combining big techs processing power with the brain power of some of computer sciences brightest sparks. These rival labsbe they part of big tech firms, affiliated with them or run by independent startupsare engaged in an epic race for AI supremacy (see chart 1). The result of that race will determine how quickly the age of AI will dawn for computer users everywhereand who will dominate it. Corporate research-and-development (R&D) organisations have long been a source of scientific advances, especially in America. A century and a half ago Thomas Edison used the proceeds from his inventions, including the phonograph and the lightbulb, to bankroll his workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey. After the second world war, America Inc invested heavily in basic science in the hope that this would yield practical products. DuPont (a maker of chemicals), IBM and Xerox (which both manufactured hardware) all housed big research laboratories. AT&Ts Bell Labs produced, among other inventions, the transistor, laser and the photovoltaic cell, earning its researchers nine Nobel prizes. In the late 20th century, though, corporate R&D became steadily less about the R than the D. In 2017 Ashish Arora, an economist, and colleagues examined the period from 1980 to 2006 and found that firms had moved away from basic science towards developing existing ideas. The reason, Mr Arora and his co-authors argued, was the rising cost of research and the increasing difficulty of capturing its fruits. Xerox developed the icons and windows now familiar to computer-users but it was Apple and Microsoft that made most of the money from it. Science remained important to innovation, but it became the dominion of not-for-profit universities. The rise of AI is shaking things up once again. Big corporations are not the only game in town. Startups such as Anthropic and Character AI have built their own ChatGPT challengers. Stability AI, a startup that has assembled a consortium of small firms, universities and non-profits to pool computing resources, has created a popular open-source model that converts text to images. In China, government-backed outfits such as the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) are pre-eminent. But almost all recent breakthroughs in big AI globally have come from giant companies, because they have the computing power (see chart 2), and because this is a rare area where results of basic research can be rapidly incorporated into products. Amazon, whose AI powers its Alexa voice assistant, and Meta, which made waves recently when one of its models beat human players at Diplomacy, a strategy board game, respectively produce two-thirds and four-fifths as much AI research as Stanford University, a bastion of computer-science eggheads. Alphabet and Microsoft churn out considerably more, and that is not including DeepMind, Google Researchs sister lab which the parent company acquired in 2014, and the Microsoft-affiliated OpenAI (see chart 3). Expert opinion varies on who is actually ahead on the merits. The Chinese labs, for example, appear to have a big lead in the subdiscipline of computer vision, which involves analysing images, where they are responsible for the largest share of the most highly cited papers. According to a ranking devised by Microsoft, the top five computer-vision teams in the world are all Chinese. The BAAI has also built what it says is the worlds biggest natural-language model, Wu Dao 2.0. Metas Diplomacy player, Cicero, gets kudos for its use of strategic reasoning and deception against human opponents. DeepMinds models have beat human champions at Go, a notoriously difficult board game, and can predict the shape of proteins, a long-standing challenge in the life sciences. Jaw-dropping feats, all. When it comes to the sort of AI that is all the rage thanks to ChatGPT, though, the big battle is between Microsoft and Alphabet. To see whose tech is superior, The Economist has put both firms AIs through their paces. With the help of an engineer at Google, we asked ChatGPT, based on an OpenAI model called GPT-3.5, and Googles yet-to-be-launched chatbot, built upon one called LaMDA, a set of questions. These included ten problems from an American maths competition (Find the number of ordered pairs of prime numbers that sum to 60) and ten reading questions from Americas SAT school-leavers exam (Read the passage and determine which choice best describes what happens in it). To spice things up, we also asked each model for dating advice (Given the following conversation from a dating app, what is the best way to ask someone out on a first date?). Neither AI emerged as clearly superior. Googles was slightly better at maths, answering five questions correctly, compared with three for ChatGPT. Their dating advice was uneven: fed some real exchanges in a dating app, each gave specific suggestions on one occasion, and platitudes such as be open minded and communicate effectively on another. ChatGPT, meanwhile, answered nine SAT questions correctly compared with seven for its Google rival. It also appeared more responsive to our feedback and got a few questions right on a second try. On January 30th OpenAI announced an update to ChatGPT improving its maths abilities. When we fed the two AIs another ten questions, LaMDA again outperformed by two points. But when given a second chance ChatGPT tied. The reason that, at least so far, no model enjoys an unassailable advantage is that AI knowledge diffuses quickly. Researchers from competing labs all hang out with each other, says David Ha of Stability AI. Many, like Mr Ha, who used to work at Google, move between organisations, bringing expertise and experience with them. Moreover, since the best AI brains are scientists at heart, they often made their defection to the private sector conditional on a continued ability to publish their research and present results at conferences. That is partly why Google made public big advances including the transformer, a key building block in ai models, giving its rivals a leg-up. (The t in Chatgpt stands for transformer.) As a result of all this, reckons Yann LeCun, Metas top AI boffin, Nobody is ahead of anybody else by more than two to six months. These are, though, early days. The labs may not remain neck-and-neck for ever. Google has reportedly issued a code red, fearing that ChatGPT could boost Microsofts rival Bing search engine. Researchers at DeepMind say their firm, which has historically focused on game-playing and science, is putting more resources into language modelling; its chatbot, called Sparrow, may be unveiled this year. One variable that may help determine the ultimate outcome of the contest is how labs are organised. OpenAI, a small firm with few revenue streams to protect, may find itself with more latitude than rivals to release products to the public. That in turn is generating tonnes of user data that could make its models better (reinforcement learning from human feedback, if you must know)and thus attract more users. This early-mover advantage could be self-reinforcing in another way, too. Insiders note that OpenAIs rapid progress in recent years has allowed it to poach experts from rivals including DeepMind. To keep up, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta may need to rediscover their ability to move fast and break thingsa delicate task given all the regulatory scrutiny they are receiving from governments around the world. Another deciding factor may be the path of technological development. So far in generative AI, bigger has been better. That has given rich tech giants a huge advantage. But size may not be everything in future. For one thing, there are limits to how big the models can conceivably get. Epoch, a non-profit research institute, estimates that at current rates, big language models will run out of high-quality text on the internet by 2026 (though other less-tapped formats, like video, will remain abundant for a while). More important, as Mr Ha of Stability AI points out, there are ways to fine-tune a model to a specific task that dramatically reduce the need to scale up. And novel methods to do more with less are being developed all the time. The capital flowing into generative-AI startups, which last year collectively raised $2.7bn in 110 deals, suggests that venture capitalists are betting that not all the value will be captured by big tech. Alphabet, Microsoft, their fellow technology titans and the Chinese Communist Party will all try to prove these investors wrong. The AI race is only just getting started. 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said that in the era of technology and innovation, India's youth should lead from the front and make the country a leader in areas like technological innovations, artificial intelligence and startups. India has high expectations from the youth who have the ability, energy and enthusiasm to meet these expectations, the Lok Sabha speaker said.(ANI) Addressing the convocation ceremony of Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), he said the youth will decide the country's future and stressed on the "immense possibilities and opportunities available in 'New India'". "It is up to the youth to harness these possibilities through their hard work and innovation for personal growth as well as for the development of the nation," Birla was quoted as saying in a release. India has high expectations from the youth who have the ability, energy and enthusiasm to meet these expectations, the Lok Sabha speaker said. Birla also asked the students to make it their mission to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a developed country by the year 2047. He advised the students to stick to their culture and tradition and not imitate others. Emphasising that students and youth are the "flagbearers of our culture and tradition", Birla suggested that they should dream big, work hard and inspire future generations with their talent and hard work. Chinas President Xi Jinping inspected the armed forces Southern Theatre Commands (STC) navy on Tuesday and stressed the need for training and combat readiness amid heightened tension in the South China Sea (SCS) where Chinese warships frequently track and monitor of US battleships including aircraft carriers and destroyers. (AP) Xi also visited the STCs navy in the backdrop of heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait and neighbouring maritime region where Chinese navy went ahead with actual combat training on Tuesday, state media reported, a day after Beijing announced the end of intense three-day drills including simulated blockading of the self-ruled island. Xi, who is also the chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed strengthening training and combat readiness and accelerating transformation to boost the armed forces modernisation levels on all fronts, official news agency Xinhua said in a report on Wednesday evening. Xi also told the Peoples Liberation Armys STC navy that the military must resolutely defend Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The US and Philippines are also currently holding their largest joint military drills over shared concerns about Chinas assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region, Reuters reported Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Wang denounced a joint statement issued by the U.S. and the Philippines, in which it had allegations that some of Chinas maritime activities in the South China Sea were unlawful. The joint statement distorts and smears Chinas legitimate maritime law enforcement activities. It even slanders China out of nothing, and the Chinese side is seriously concerned and strongly disapproves of it, Wang said, according to official English broadcaster, CGTN, on Wednesday. In terms of the USs newly-added sites for military cooperation in the Philippines, mentioned in the statement, he said the intention has been self-evident considering their locations. Wang, according to the CGTN report, said China has always maintained that the Asia-Pacific region is the common home of the countries in the region and urged some countries in the region not to cater to extraterritorial forces. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Emmanuel Macron said France's position on Taiwan had not changed and that he favoured the current "status quo" in respect of the island, after he was asked to clarify comments that prompted a backlash in the United States and Europe. Emmanuel Macron, France's president.(Bloomberg) In an interview with news outlet Politico and daily Les Echos, Macron had cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." That brought criticism from some politicians and commentators in Europe and the United States, with former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of "kissing ass" to Beijing. "The French and European position on Taiwan is the same one. We're in favour of the status quo. This policy is constant and hasn't changed," Macron told a news conference during a state visit in the Netherlands. "It's the One-China policy and a Pacific resolution of the situation. That's what I said in my one-to-one meeting with Xi Jinping, that's what was said everywhere, we haven't changed," he said. Macron did not mention Taiwan in his public statement to the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last week, an omission that commentators criticised. The French leader also said he shared a vision of an "open Indo-Pacific region" with U.S. President Joe Biden, even if they each had their own approach on China. "I can tell you he wants to avoid any escalation in spite of the current tension," Macron said. Macron added that a French military ship had gone through the Taiwan Strait in recent days despite Chinese military exercises around the island and demonstrated France's robust engagement in the region. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control. "So no, France does not support provocations, does not engage in fantasy politics and considers the status quo, respect and clarity are the best allies of European strategic autonomy," Macron said. He said Trump's comments were an example of the escalation sought by some. A French diplomat told reporters earlier that Macron did not want to get drawn into the "tension" strategy of the Republican leadership of the U.S. Congress on Taiwan. The meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week - prior to China's drills - was a "provocation", the diplomat said. The Dutch Prime Minister, who was hosting Macron for a two-day state visit, said he had a very successful meeting with Macron and did not distance himself from his guest's comments, but reaffirmed his belief in the Western alliance. "Our strong transatlantic relation is there for very good reasons, the U.S. is an essential partner for our freedom and safety," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. "But at the same time, we agree that an open and strategically autonomous Europe should be capable to develop those relations also with other parts of the world. To be a player, and not the playing field," he added. French President Emmanuel Macron has been in China meeting with Xi Jinping and "kissing his ass," Donald Trump said Tuesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with France's President Emmanuel Macron.(File/ AP) The former US president sat down with Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson for his first mainstream media appearance since being indicted in New York. Read here: China, France back efforts for Ukraine peace after Xi-Macron meet In a rambling interview, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee said the United States had lost influence in the world since he left office. "You got this crazy world, it's blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say," he told Carlson. "And Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass. Okay, in China! I said, 'France is now going to China.'" Macron caused a storm after a state visit to China last week in which he cautioned Europeans should not chain themselves to US foreign policy. In remarks to journalists Macron said European countries should not get caught in the tense standoff between Beijing and Washington over the fate of Taiwan. China has vowed to regain control of Taiwan, while the US government pledges to help Taiwan defend itself. Macron, who discussed Taiwan with Xi on Friday, warned against Europe being "caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its strategic autonomy." "The paradox would be that, overcome with panic, we believe we are just America's followers," Macron said. "The worse thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction." Read here: Airbus to sell 50 helicopters to China in deal announced during Macron's visit The remarks sparked unease in Washington, although the White House sought to play them down, with spokesman John Kirby saying the Biden administration remains comfortable and confident in the terrific bilateral relationship we have with France. Editors note (March 30th): This story was updated after a grand jury in Manhattan indicted Mr Trump. PREMIUM It is almost impossible to imagine a charge against Mr Trump speeding through indictment, trial, conviction and all possible appeals in merely two years. ((Photo by Curtis Means/POOL/AFP)) DONALD TRUMP is facing, by some counts, around 20 criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. On March 30th one, led by the district attorney in Manhattan, resulted in an indictment, a first in American history. What are the most prominent inquiries involving Mr Trumpand how much trouble might he be in? The hush-money probe A grand jury in Manhattan has heard evidence that Mr Trump falsified business records to hide the payment of hush money to Stormy Daniels (nee Stephanie Clifford), a porn actress who says she slept with him in 2006. To buy her silence, Michael Cohen, then Mr Trumps lawyer, paid her $130,000 shortly before the 2016 presidential election. The money came from Mr Cohens pocket, allegedly at his bosss direction. Later Mr Trump personally signed cheques to reimburse Mr Cohen. Those payments were falsely marked as legal expenses by the Trump Organisation, his property firm. Mr Cohen says that Mr Trump knew about the misleading records; Mr Trump denies that as well as the affair with Ms Daniels, and says that any suggestion of criminal conduct on his part is a fairy tale. The case is far from straightforward. Falsifying business records is a misdemeanour. To treat the allegedly fraudulent record-keeping as a felony, prosecutors must prove that it facilitated another crime: failing to report what was, in effect, a campaign expense. That is an untested legal strategy. In 2018 Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations related to the hush money, as well as tax evasion, and served just over a year in prison. Mr Trump was not charged at the time; the Department of Justice (DoJ) has guidelines that recommend against the indictment of a sitting president. Mr Trumps lawyers will probably argue that Mr Cohen told his boss that the scheme was legal. Even if convicted the former president is unlikely to go to jail. If charged as a felony, falsifying business records carries a maximum prison sentence of four years, but first-time defendants rarely serve time. The raid at Mar-a-Lago On August 8th FBI agents arrived unannounced to search Mr Trumps estate, Mar-a-Lago, in Floridaan unprecedented action against a former president. The DoJ sought national-security documents that Mr Trump had taken from the White House. Mr Trumps lawyers had claimed that the relevant documents had been returned. But the agency rightly suspected that some remained in the former presidents residence. Its agents found more than 100 classified or secret documents. Reports suggest that some related to the nuclear capabilities of a foreign government. Mr Trump has said that he declassified the documents while he was president and that he had the power to do so even by thinking about it. His lawyers have not made the same claims in court, under penalty of perjury. Merrick Garland, the attorney-general, has tried to be scrupulously non-partisan. Yet the investigation into the recovered documents and whether they might lead to criminal charges against the former president have become politically fraught. On November 18th Mr Garland appointed a special counsela semi-independent federal prosecutorto oversee the investigation. This, he said, demonstrated his departments commitment to independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters. Jack Smith, the special counsel in question, previously worked at the DoJ investigating corruption by government officials. He will advise on whether or not to indict Mr Trump; the ultimate decision will remain Mr Garlands. The attempts to overturn the 2020 election The most public investigation into Mr Trump was an 18-month effort by the House of Representatives January 6th committee. The bipartisan committee lacked the power to charge the former president but it recommended that the DoJ charge him with four federal crimes, including obstruction of an official government proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding an insurrection. Those can carry stiff prison sentences. The committees trove of evidence concerning Mr Trumps post-election machinations could inform the DoJs separate investigations, which Mr Smith is also overseeing. Several people subpoenaed by the committeeincluding John Eastman, a lawyer who concocted the legal scheme of objecting to state election results in Congress, and Scott Perry, a Pennsylvania congressman who lobbied to have a Trump loyalist installed as attorney-generalsubsequently had their phones seized by federal investigators. Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, is conducting a separate investigation into whether the president and his associates tried to overturn the election results in that state. Georgia law criminalises solicitation of election fraud. Some experts believe that Mr Trumps notorious leaked phone call to Georgias secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, in which the former president asked him to find 11,780 votes, might constitute evidence of that offence. Lawyers advising Mr Trump also drew up a hare-brained scheme to manufacture a false slate of electors in order to award Georgias 16 electoral-college votes to Mr Trump. They claimed that this ruse would allow Mike Pence, Mr Trumps vice-president, either to overrule Joe Bidens narrow win in Georgia or let it be adjudicated by a special vote in the House of Representatives (which would have gone in Mr Trumps favour). A grand jury has recommended that Ms Willis charge more than a dozen people in the scheme, though precisely whom was not made public. Fraud and civil liabilities Mr Trump also faces probes over his business dealings. Letitia James, New Yorks attorney-general, has sued Mr Trump, three of his children and his business, the Trump Organisation, for committing staggering fraud over a decade. Although Ms James is not able to bring criminal charges, she is seeking the return of $250m in allegedly ill-gotten gains and to have Mr Trump permanently barred from running a business in the state. The case goes to trial in October 2023.Ms James alleges that Mr Trump and his subsidiary businesses grossly inflated his net worth and the value of his properties to mislead prospective lenders. In 11 annual statements between 2011 and 2021, government attorneys found 200 instances in which they claim that the value of assets was fraudulently inflated. In 2015 Mr Trumps flat was valued as though it were 30,000 square feet (2,787 square metres) when it was in fact around 11,000 square feet. Its purported value was $327mat a time when only one New York apartment had ever been sold for more than $100m. Mar-a-Lago was valued at $739m on the premise that the land could be developed for flats, though Mr Trump had previously signed away those rights (and sought an income-tax deduction for doing so). An honest evaluation would have valued the property at a little more than one-tenth of the amount claimed, the attorney-general writes.Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer for the Trump Organisation, pleaded guilty in August to unrelated charges of tax fraud. He testified in a separate criminal trial against the company, which was found guilty of dodging taxes on December 6th. The potential penalties stemming from that conviction, at $1.6m, are pocket change for the firm, but the verdict is nonetheless an embarrassment. Prosecutors said Mr Trumpwho was not indictedhad been explicitly sanctioning tax fraud. Slow justice The former president faces numerous other civil lawsuitsincluding one brought by E. Jean Carroll, an author, who accused him of sexually assaulting her 26 years ago. So far, none of the investigations or lawsuits he faces has significantly damaged his standing on the right. He claims to be the victim of a Democratic witch-hunt. Some Democrats hope that Mr Trump will be in jail by the time of the presidential election in 2024. That is exceptionally unlikely. The pace of criminal investigations can be plodding. Finding an unbiased jury to try a former president would be fiendishly hard. It is almost impossible to imagine a charge against Mr Trump speeding through indictment, trial, conviction and all possible appeals in merely two years. And even if one did, that need not be the end of Mr Trump. In 1920 Eugene Debs, a socialist convicted of sedition, ran for president from his prison cellin Georgia. 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com India will soon surpass China as the most populous country in the world and it could actually happen this month. (Deepak Gupta /Hindustan Times) The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) indicated in its July 2022 World Population Prospects report that India was projected to surpass China as the worlds most populous country in 2023. We are currently preparing a technical brief on this issue, which we expect to release during the second half of April 2023, UNDESAs Bela Hovy said over email. The final announcement is yet to be made but that hasnt stopped the subject from recently trending and being a widely discussed topic on Chinas Twitter-like social media platform, Weibo. Leading Chinese experts and citizens have weighed in on it, focussing on what it means for China, which has been the most populous country since at least 1950 when the UN began to collect and release population records. Chinese media has also published news on the topic, comparing the situation of the two countries. Until Tuesday, the topic had been shared and discussed some 150 million times on Weibo. An analysis by one of Chinas leading demography experts, Mu Guangzong, from the Institute of Population at the elite Beijing-based Peking University, was shared many times on Weibo. Mu indicated that Indias population is already more than that of Chinas. This will open a new chapter for India, which in turn sends two signals. One is that Indias large population will enhance its international standing, especially as the worlds fifth largest economy and the fastest growing economy, Mu wrote in the article in Mandarin, which he also shared with the Hindustan Times. The second is that Indias emergence as the worlds most populous country means that China has become the worlds second most populous country, and will this affect Chinas great power status? Indias rise to the position of the worlds most populous country is a landmark event - a contest of national power cannot be conducted without considering the basic factor of population, Mu added. Data released by Chinas National Bureau of Statistics in January showed that by the end of 2022, the mainland population was 1.41175 billion, a decrease of 850,000 compared to the end of 2021. It was the first time Chinas population had recorded negative growth since 1962. While India was poised to become the most populated in the world in 2023, the big decrease in Chinas population in 2022 means the change could come earlier than expected. The projection by the UNs World Population Prospects report of 2022 said, Indias population could be close to 1.429 billion by the end of 2023. The exact size of the countrys population is not easily known, given that India has not conducted a census since 2011 but it is estimated to have more than 1.4 billion people greater than the entire population of Europe (744 million) or the Americas (1.04 billion), the Washington-based Pew Research Centre said in a report in February. China, too, has more than 1.4 billion people, but while Chinas population is declining, Indias continues to grow, it added. Andrea Wojner from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Indias office in New Delhi said India surpassing China is a symbolic development but it gives India huge opportunities As a young country with the largest number of young people and young girls anywhere in the world, India has a huge opportunity to build its human capital, and thus enjoy greater economic growth as a result of this youth bulge, Wojner, UNFPA Representative, India, and Country Director, Bhutan, said. Wojner added: Also, the good news is that Indias population growth appears to be stabilising. The Total Fertility Rate the average number of children born per woman has declined to 2.0 at the national level by 2020. A total of 31 States and Union Territories (constituting 69.7% of the countrys population) have achieved fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1. She said India is a young nation with the largest cohort of young people anywhere in the world, with a huge potential to tap its demographic dividend. While many parts of the world are ageing, Indias youthful population can be a global resource to solve global problems. The Chinese expert Mu compared the two populations of India and China in his article. From the perspective of population age structure, 0.14% of China is aged 17-95, 15.59% is aged 63-35, and 60.18% is aged 70 and above, of which 65.13% are aged 50 and above; In India, 0.14% are aged 31-2, 15.64% are aged 63-6, and 65.5% are aged 3 and above. It can be seen that the Indian population is young and energetic, and has great fertility potential, Mu wrote. Some Chinese citizens and experts shared a more critical outlook, saying that if the demographic dividend is not managed well, it could become a demographic disaster for India. China Business News quoted leading India-China analyst, Liu Zongyi, as saying that Indias potential demographic dividend has a time window. Indian experts warn that by 2035, the proportion of Indias elderly population in the total population will rise significantly, the demographic structure will no longer be pyramid-shaped, and the window of demographic dividend will end. Whether India can successfully use its potential demographic dividend and turn it into a driving force for economic growth fundamentally depends on whether the Indian government can introduce effective economic, social and educational policies and implement them, Liu was quoted as saying by Chinese Business News. UNFPAs Wojner was more positive, and focussed on the Gender Dividend and the Silver Dividend, which India could extract. With a median age of 29 years, India is a young country today, Wojner said, adding that the share of the working age population is expected to rise, clearly indicating the window of opportunity to boost economic development. Investing in women and enhancing female labour force participation rate will be crucial to tap the Gender Dividend. Additionally, the skilled workforce will earn and save more, which will be beneficial to reap the benefit of the second demographic dividend. This means that people will save and accumulate capital for meeting their expenses when they grow old and will have sufficient resources for taking care of themselves rather than depending upon the public transfers for taking care of the old persons resulting in a Silver Dividend, the UNFPA official said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Toronto: An Indo-Canadian MP from Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus ruling Liberal Party, has asserted that he did not benefit from alleged Chinese interference in the 2021 elections in the country. Indo-Canadian and Liberal Party MP Parm Bains. (Parm Bains/Twitter) The outlet CBC News reported on Tuesday that Parm Bains, MP from the Steveston-Richmond East constituency in the province of British Columbia, had said he won the election fair and square. That comment came as his opponent in that election, Conservative Kenny Chiu appeared before a hearing of the House of Commons Ethics Committee that is examining the matter. Chiu, who was the incumbent but lost to Bains by less than 3,500 votes, told the Committee he suspected that a Chinese disinformation campaign worked against him. I would say it played a role in my defeat, he said. Ironically, Bains is a member of the Committee. The report also cited an article in the local outlet Richmond News that noted that Bains was at a ceremony marking the swearing-in of a board affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, an event where Chinas consul-general was also present. Bains had already responded to that piece. In a letter to the outlet, he wrote, The event in question was advertised as a way to recognise the charitable efforts of numerous organisations towards flood relief, Richmond Hospital and numerous contributions to our local community. That is all I attended for. Trudeau and his party continue to face scrutiny over the alleged interference by Beijing in the 2019 and 2021 elections. The PMs chief of staff Katie Telford is expected to appear before the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Friday, in this regard. The issue has had several repercussions: On Tuesday, the president and CEO and the Board of Directors of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation submitted their resignations, citing the political climate surrounding a donation received by the Foundation in 2016. The news outlet, the Globe and Mail, had reported that Canadas spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), recorded a conversation between an unnamed Chinese diplomat and the billionaire Zhang Bin, with the official instructing the latter to donate a substantial amount to the Foundation as the Liberals were favourably placed in the 2015 polls. Trudeau became Prime Minister in 2015 when his party came to power with a majority. The foundation announced on Wednesday that it was returning the amount received so far, 140,000 Canadian dollars ($103,974). In a statement, its president and CEO Pascale Fournier, who resigned on Tuesday, said, We cannot keep any donation that may have been sponsored by a foreign government and would not knowingly do so. In light of these recent allegations, the foundation has refunded to the donor all amounts received with respect to the donation pledge, she added. The foundation was established to continue the legacy of the late Canadian Prime Minister, the current incumbents father. An Independent Special Rapporteur appointed by the government last month is expected to complete his review into the election interference allegations by October 31. Former Canadian governor-general David Johnston was appointed to take on that responsibility, and has been tasked with assessing the extent and impact of foreign interference in Canadas electoral processes, including by examining information related to the 2019 and 2021 federal elections to determine what the government did to defend Canada against electoral interference. A series of exposes have increased pressure on the Trudeau government. On February 17, the Globe and Mail noted, China employed a sophisticated strategy to disrupt Canadas democracy in the 2021 federal election campaign as Chinese diplomats and their proxies backed the re-election of Justin Trudeaus Liberals but only to another minority government and worked to defeat Conservative politicians considered to be unfriendly to Beijing. That report was based on CSIS documents. After that, the outlet Global News cited a December 20, 2021 report from CSIS that said the Liberal Party of Canada is becoming the only party that the Peoples Republic of China can support. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mexican prosecutors have launched criminal proceedings against top immigration officials as they investigate a fire that killed 40 migrants in a detention center last month, the Attorney General's office said on Tuesday. People take part in a vigil for the victims of a fire at an immigration detention center that killed dozens, outside the detention center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, March 28, 2023.(AP) The people include the head of Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM), Francisco Garduno, and the agency's top representative in the northern state of Chihuahua where the fire occurred, Salvador Gonzalez, said two sources familiar with the matter. INM did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Garduno could not be reached directly. Gonzalez said he would cooperate with the investigation and support the victims. The Attorney General's office said in a statement it had launched criminal proceedings against six public officials in connection with the fire, identifying them only by first name, as is customary in Mexico. It did not specify whether the people had been charged or would face charges, and neither the office nor INM provided additional details. The statement said Garduno and another high-ranking official, identified by the two sources as Antonio Molina, allegedly failed to "watch over, protect and ensure safety for the people and facilities in their charge," and allegedly facilitated "crimes against migrants." Molina could also not be reached directly for comment. The fire came after warnings from the federal auditor over problems inside INM, and concerns from the National Human Rights Commission over a migrant's death at a different detention center in 2020. "They indicate a pattern of irresponsibility," the Attorney General's office said. The statement also alleged that Gonzalez and three other officials were linked to conduct that led to the deaths of the migrants. Earlier on Tuesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the migrants had been unable to escape the fire because the person with the key to their locked cell was absent. Five people were arrested in the case last month, including INM agents and a private security guard. Neither INM nor the security company commented on the arrests. Myanmar's ruling junta has confirmed that it carried out an air strike on a village in which dozens of people were reported killed, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and Western powers. Initial reports put the death toll at around 50, but later tallies reported by independent media raised it to about 100.(AP) UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the deadly air strike, whose victims he said included schoolchildren performing dances, with the global body calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. The death toll from the early Tuesday morning strike on the remote Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region remains unclear. Read here: Myanmar military airstrikes in Sagaing region, 100 people feared dead At least 50 fatalities and dozens of injuries were reported by BBC Burmese, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia, as well as a witness contacted by AFP. The junta confirmed late Tuesday night that the strike had taken place, but did not say how many were killed. "There was (a People's Defence Force) office opening ceremony... (Tuesday) morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village," said spokesman Zaw Min Tun, referring to the armed anti-junta groups that have sprung up across the country since its elected government was toppled in a 2021 military coup. "We attacked that place." Some of the dead, he added, were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though "there could be some people with civilian clothes". The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the People's Defence Force for some of the deaths. The United Nations, while not confirming a toll, said several civilians were killed, with Turk accusing Myanmar's military of once again disregarding "clear legal obligations... to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities". The military's crackdown on dissent in the wake of the coup has left more than 3,100 people dead, according to a local monitoring group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces today", according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres "reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", the spokesman added. Washington said it was "deeply concerned" about the air strikes. "These violent attacks further underscore the regime's disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement, using the country's former name. "The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma." Great pain Sagaing region -- near the country's second-largest city Mandalay -- has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the military's rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. Graphic video clips circulating on social media -- footage AFP has been unable to verify -- show bodies scattered among ruined homes. "We are going to rescue you if we hear you screaming," one person could be heard saying in the video. "Please scream!" A rescuer connected to a People's Defence Force group told AFP that women and children were among the dead. After recovering bodies and transporting victims for medical treatment, he estimated the death toll could be as high as 100. Germany's Foreign Office in a tweet said it "strongly" condemned the strike, adding it expected "the regime to end the violence against its people immediately". Myanmar's National Unity Government, a shadow body dominated by former lawmakers from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, called the strike a "heinous act". "We... share the great pain felt by the families affected by this tragedy," it said in a statement. The military, which accuses anti-coup fighters of being terrorists, has faced international condemnation for razing villages, mass killings and air strikes on civilians. More than 30 people sheltering in a monastery were killed in Shan state in March. Read here: Those backing Russia are on the wrong side of history: Ukrainian minister Last year, a military air strike on a concert put on by the Kachin Independence Army in northern Kachin state killed about 50 people and wounded more than 70, the rebels said. At a military parade last month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing vowed to continue cracking down on opponents. The military last month announced a six-month extension of a state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August because it did not control enough of the country for a vote. Prince Harry will attend the Coronation next month of Britain's King Charles but his wife, Meghan, will remain in California with their children, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday. FILE - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle(AP) Also read: Prince Harry 'swore at father King Charles' during fight over money Charles will be crowned at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6 in a ceremony full of pomp and pageantry, with traditions dating back 1,000 years. Preparations for the event have been overshadowed in recent months by Harry and Meghan's damning revelations about the King, Harry's elder brother Prince William and other royals in his recent memoir, a Netflix documentary and a series of TV interviews. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday that her recent overseas trip, which included the United States, showed the world Taiwan's determination to defend freedom and democracy, even as the prompted China to stage war games around the island. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks about recent Chinese military drills in Taipei, Taiwan.(AP) Read here: 9 Chinese warships, 26 aircrafts spotted around Taiwan after drill ends Tsai met US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles last week at the end of her tour, which included stops in Guatemala and Belize. An infuriated China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory with no right to the trappings of a state, launched military drills around the island starting on Saturday. "Through this trip we again sent a message to the international community that Taiwan is determined to safeguard freedom and democracy which won acknowledgment and support from our democratic partners," Tsai said as she met Canadian lawmakers at her office in Taipei. "Faced with continued authoritarian expansionism it is even more critical for democracies to actively unite," she added. "Canada is a very important democratic partner. We are willing to do our utmost to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy with Canada and many more like-minded international partners." Despite the tensions with China, Tsai looked relaxed as she greeted the 10 Canadian legislators, even cracking a joke after the interpreter said "bonjour", the French word for hello, in translating her opening remarks into English. "That's French!" she said in English, smiling and pointing to the interpreter, as the lawmakers chuckled. Despite China announcing the three days of drills had ended as scheduled on Monday, Beijing has continued military activities around Taiwan. Taiwan's defence ministry said on Wednesday morning that in the previous 24 hours it had detected 35 Chinese military aircraft and eight navy vessels around Taiwan. Of those aircraft, 14 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to a ministry-provided map; the line normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides. The aircraft crossing the median line included five Su-30 fighters at its northern end, with the other planes crossing at points in the centre and south. Although Chinese fighters previously only occasionally crossed the median line, the country's air force has done so regularly since staging war games near Taiwan in August, after a visit to Taipei of then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Read here: Chinas wolf warriors rachet tensions over Arunachal Pradesh and Indo-Pacific China says it does not recognise the existence of the line. Taiwan's government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan said China dialed down plans for a no-fly zone near the island after it complained about risks to flight safety, a rare possible instance of backtracking by Beijing as tensions between the two sides simmer. An aircraft of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) takes part in military drills near Taiwan. (Reuters) China initially intended to impose the zone for aerospace activities from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. over three days next week, the Transportation Ministry in Taipei said in a statement Wednesday just days after the Peoples Liberation Army ended major military drills around the democracy. Beijing later told Taipei that the zone would only be in place over about 27 minutes on Sunday morning after Taiwan protested about a serious impact on aviation management in the region, seriously undermining the rights and safety of air traffic, the ministry said. It called Beijings plans unprecedented internationally. Taiwans deputy foreign minister, Roy Chun Lee, said the change came after intense communications between China and other parties in the region, without naming them. Beijing hasnt made any public announcement about a no-fly zone. The Civil Aviation Administration of China didnt respond to a request for comment early Wednesday evening, and Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin avoided a question on the matter during a regular press briefing. The episode comes amid the latest cross-strait tensions and would be a rare visible instance of compromise between Taipei and Beijing during such periods. The PLA just held three days of military exercises around Taiwan to show its displeasure with President Tsai Ing-wen meeting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the US last week. Read Here: Taiwan determined to safeguard freedom despite China's war games: President Tsai Its certainly unusual that Beijing revised its plans after a complaint from Taiwan, said Wen-ti Sung, a specialist on Taiwanese politics and cross-strait relations at Australian National University. Sung said the change Beijing made may be a sign of coordination problems between different parts of the government. The aviation agency may have called for a more extended no-fly zone period out of technical necessity, but economic and foreign affairs portfolios subsequently scaled it back to minimize regional push back, he said. The military drills that China just wrapped up involved sending warplanes into sensitive areas around Taiwan, including a record 54 flights across the median line in the strait or into Taiwans sensitive air-defense identification zone on Monday. Such forays are intended to intimidate Taiwan militarily and wear down its much smaller armed forces. The no-fly zone China plans is within Taiwans ADIZ, about 85 nautical miles from northern Taiwan, Yen Yu-hsien, a Taiwanese intelligence official in the Defense Ministry, said at a briefing in Taipei. China may plan to launch a satellite, he added. Beijing restricted flights and shipping in six areas around Taiwan in August last year when it held military drills to protest a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelolsi. Those exercises also involved China sending missiles over Taiwan. China has started conducting satellite launches from platforms just off its coast in recent years. The Asian nation launched five satellites on Long March 11 rockets from a platform in the East China Sea in April last year, state media reported, citing a rocket designer. Another rocket designer said sea launches could be safer than on land because debris could fall into water. Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday said that some rules related to social media are quite strict in India while adding that he is not aware about what exactly happened when Twitter took down content related to a documentary critical to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Elon Musk(AFP) "I am not aware of this particular situation... don't know what exactly happened with some content situation in India," Musk told UK-based British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in a live interview on Twitter Spaces. He added that rules against social media content are 'quite strict and we can't go beyond the laws of the country'. Talking on the acquisition of the microblogging site, he said the company is roughly breaking even and attributed its decline in revenue to the cyclical nature of ad spending. In what is believed to be an unexpected interview, Musk said buying Twitter hasnt been some kind of party' and added that the pain level has been extremely high. Also read: I think: Elon Musk's email to BBC amid Twitter's government-funded' tag row The billionaire further agreed that there were mistakes made along the way after the acquisition, however, he feels like the company is now headed to a good place. He also added that the platform now has about 1,500 employees, a sharp contrast from over 7,000 workers before he took over. Justifying the mass lay off move, Musk said a $3 billion negative cash flow situation due to which Twitter had only four months to live. What would you do? If you've four months to live, a 120 days, in a hundred and 20 days you're dead, so what do you want to do? he said during the interview. His interview came after BBC objected to being labelled as government funded media on one of its Twitter accounts. The broadcast company reached out to the social media company to resolve the issue. Responding to question on the ongoing row, Musk confirmed that Twitter will change tag to publicly-funded. Also read: Elon Musk's Twitter no longer exists as a company! "I think we're adjusting the label to be publicly-funded, which I think is not too objectionable. We're trying to be accurate," he told BBC, adding that he has the utmost respect for the broadcasting company. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Russia's deputy foreign minister acknowledged Wednesday that detained US reporter Evan Gershkovich had not been granted consular access, two weeks after his arrest. In this file photo taken on July 24, 2021, shows US journalist Evan Gershkovich. - Moscow has formally charged US journalist Evan Gershkovich with espionage, (AFP) The Wall Street Journal journalist was arrested in Russia on claims of espionage, which he denies. ALSO READ: Family of reporter jailed by Russia on espionage charges spoke to Biden The US State Department has said it has sought consular access to Gershkovich since learning of his arrest. "The question (of consular access) is under review," the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was cited as saying by state-run agencies. "We are acting in accordance with our laws, taking into account consular conventions of course," Ryabkov said. "We won't tolerate any attempts to put pressure" on Russia, he added. On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden declared Gershkovich's imprisonment "illegal" after the State Department classified the reporter as "wrongfully detained". Ryabkov said that "for us, the status assigned in Washington does not matter". Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed the "hype by US officials and Western media around Gershkovich". The arrest of Gershkovich, 31, on March 29 caused outrage and is seen as a serious escalation of Moscow's crackdown on the media. Russia has classified his case as "secret", which limits the information available on it. Gershkovich, who has been reporting from Russia for six years, was arrested during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, a city in the Urals. The Residence Inn by Marriott Manassas Battlefield Park, VA, is proudly welcoming guests to its updated and refreshed facilities. The renovation includes all 107 suites, public spaces, meeting rooms, and the building's exterior. The hotel is managed by Crestline Hotels & Resorts and is owned by Apple Hospitality REIT. Guests are welcomed into a newly redesigned lobby with stylish furnishings, newflooring, and artwork, as well as updated technology that includesa state-of-the-art printing station.All suites are refreshed with new furnishings, flooring, HDTVs,andbathroom upgrades.Throughout the hotel, including the 272 square-foot meeting room, guests will enjoy new flooring and wall coverings, as well asenhanced amenities such asa 65-inch monitor in the meeting room. The Residence Inn Manassas Battlefield Park is conveniently located to several attractions including Gainesville, Haymarket, historic Manassas, Jiffy Lube Live, and the Manassas Battlefield National Park.Business travelers will find the hotel near Tokyo Electron America, Inc., Lam Research, Micron, the Manassas Regional Airport, and government facilities including the Warrenton Training Center.The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, fully equipped kitchens, flat-screen TVs, luxurious bedding, sofa beds, anddaily complimentary breakfast, plus a heated indoor pool, 24/7 fitness center, free parking, and 272 sq. ft. of meeting facilities.The hotel is also close to top wedding venues in Manassas, including Sweeney Barn, Foxchase Manor, Red Rose Banquet and Event Center, The Winery at Bull Run, and Effingham Manor Winery. Hotel website Milestone Inc, a premiere MarTech software and solutions brand, is announcing a series of technology updates and integrations. Milestone offers a suite of MarTech products, including the proprietary best-in-class, SEO-first CMS platform technology. Additionally, clients benefit from Local, Schema, and FAQ Management solutions as well as Analytics & Business Insights that power search engine optimization for B2C and B2B businesses. Milestone Inc is proud to announce the following technology updates and integrations: Milestone Analytics: With Google Analytics 4 becoming the standard for website and app traffic analysis as Google sunsets Universal Analytics in July 2023, Milestone has completed over 500 successful migrations to help businesses prepare for the cookie-less future. These efforts allow clients to stay ahead of the curve by futureproofing them for the changes that GA4 is poised to bring. With Milestone Analytics, businesses can view granular website traffic data via a set of dynamic widgets to give users a comprehensive view of their online presence across locations and channels. Milestone Menu Manager: Milestones Menu Managers offer businesses a scalable solution to manage menus on Google across business profiles. As every menu is optimized for search, it improves a business relevance in search for its menu items. Thanks to Milestone Menu Manager, companies can add and publish menus across locations simultaneously, customize menus for select areas, add menu item attributes to drive relevance, reorganize their menus, and more. Milestone Schema Validator: Milestone Schema Manager now supports Schema.org v15.0 vocabulary update. The latest version of Schema.orgs shared vocabulary for structured data has several fixes and potential updates, including eCommerce additions via the pending section and other miscellaneous fixes. With the latest updates, Schema Managers feature Drift detects changes in vocabulary on pages and alerts users to update their webpage Schema. Implementing Schema.orgs Vocabulary 15 helps users create highly granular structured data for their pages, allowing search engines to quickly categorize pages for various rich results, improving visibility across SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), and driving traffic to their website. In addition to supporting the vocabulary update, Milestone Inc. has enhanced its Schema management capability with the launch of an easy-to-use tool to validate website Schema for all 800+ Schema types. The Milestone Schema Validator ensures that markup is error-free, making it a valuable tool for B2C and B2B businesses. https://schemavalidator.milestoneinternet.com/ Generative AI: With Generative AI taking center stage in technology over the last few months, Milestone Inc. has announced integrations that leverage generative AI to drive the visibility of businesses on search and improve a business speed to market. From using AI/ML to automate key SEO requirements within their CMS platform to the generation of FAQs using URLs or search terms, auto-population of Schema for pages with similar content and DOM structures, and AI/ML trained chatbot for customer support, Milestone's products have adopted AI to make processes seamless and efficient for businesses to meet their visibility and speed to market goals. According to Ritika Chugh, Sr. Director of Products, Milestone Inc., "Our innovation focus is a testament to our commitment to providing our clients with the most comprehensive platform suite that allows them to improve their overall digital presence and reach. With these new investments in Analytics, Menu Manager, Schema Validator, and Generative AI, we bring our best-in-class products and services to customers worldwide." With the launch of the Milestone Schema Manager and Validation tool and by adding AI-driven capabilities, we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in digital marketing. Our goal is to help businesses achieve their desired outcomes in the most efficient and effective way possible," said Sathya Krishnamurthy, CPO of Milestone Inc. About Milestone Inc. Milestone drives online discovery and customer acquisition with our digital presence platform and performance marketing services. Over 2,000 companies in Hospitality, Retail, Financial Services, and Automotive industries use Milestone to drive online growth. Customers include global hospitality, banking, retail, and automotive brands, including Marriott, US Bank, One Nevada Credit Union, VMWare, Nissan, Motel6, Preferred Hotels, Sun Outdoors, mid-market companies, and SMBs. Milestone platform provides client solutions via Website CMS, Schema Manager, Local listings, Reviews Management, FAQ Manager, and Analytics. In addition, Milestone offers Performance Marketing Services for Content, Design, SEO, Paid Marketing, and Analytics to our clients. Annually, over 300 million visitors use websites developed on Milestone CMS, 540 million consumers click on content powered by Milestone Schemas, and 3.7 billion consumers search for businesses powered by Milestone Local. The Milestone platform is amongst the highest-rated MarTech platforms recognized by Forrester and awarded by G2, Adrian Awards, US Search Awards, Search Engine Land, CMS Wire, and others. If you wish to learn more about Milestone, book a demo at https://www.milestoneinternet.com/ Gaurav Varma Director of Product Marketing +1 408 200 6949 The travel and tourism sector has become a prime focus for cyberattacks in recent times, resulting in ransomware incidents arising from data breaches. Against this backdrop, cybersecurity concerns within the industry have escalated with a 4% year-on-year (YoY) rise in 2022, reflecting the prevailing sentiment, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. An analysis of GlobalDatas Company Filings Analytics Database found that sentiment for airlines, travel services, and lodging rose by 6%, 4%, and 1%, respectively, in 2022 over 2021. Source: GlobalData Plc Companies are consistently working on information and network security projects to set up a reliable technical protection and security management mechanism to ensure customer security and prevent data leakage. A severe data security incident can lead to operational disturbances and cause significant financial damage to the business. Misa Singh, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData LATAM Airlines Group SA plans to have self-boarding (biometric) to advance customer experience. The company is also starting Pre-Flight check documentation where customers can send their documents digitally before boarding. China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd discussed establishing a sound information and security-related management mechanism. Booking Holdings Inc talked about SQL injection where a third party tries to insert malicious code into companies software through data entry fields on websites to gain control of the system using the websites as a platform. Tourism Holdings Ltd updated its digital strategy and made investments in new technology and cybersecurity solutions. H World Group Ltd and Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited have set up an information security committee responsible for developing policies and procedures, offering data protection-related advice, protecting the security of customer data, and avoiding data leakage. Singh concludes: Failing to adopt appropriate technology leaves companies vulnerable to cyber threats that can have a detrimental impact on their operations . Investing in robust cybersecurity solutions, educating employees about cybersecurity risks, and staying up to date on cybersecurity threats can help reduce the likelihood of an attack. About GlobalData 4,000 of the world's largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData's unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData's mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors. GlobalData | LinkedIn | Twitter GlobalData Press Office +44 207 832 4399 GlobalData Plc Travelers are shopping around more and thats why your hotels visibility is essential when youre trying to increase room bookings. This also presents hotels with a unique challenge: How do you balance budget constraints with getting in front of potential customers at the right time? When youre faced with empty rooms, its important to find a solution that will meet your unique marketing needs today and set you up for continued success in the future. Instilling your brand with travelers is only part of the equation. Lets look at how two of our most popular advertising solutions can help your marketing campaign and how coupling them together can make them even more powerful. Reach your target audience with TravelAds If youre a marketer for a small boutique hotel or a large chain, connecting with the right travelers is critical to filling your rooms. TravelAds Sponsored Listings is a simple, proven solution that increases your hotels visibility in search results and connects you with highly qualified travelers across Expedia Groups 200+ global travel websites. And with TravelAds pay-per-click approach, you can easily scale your spending throughout your campaign because your ads only surface when rooms are available. Its one more way to ensure youre making the most of your budget. Whether youre targeting early bookers or last-minute travelers, our team of media experts use over a billion exclusive data points on traveler intent to help you make informed decisions about how, when, and where to use TravelAds. Success story Hakone Airu is a luxury hotel near the eastern coast of Japan thats located in the center of the areas stunning landscape. With spacious guest rooms, open-air baths and fresh local cuisine, Hakone Airu provides guests with a relaxing, sophisticated, and unforgettable experience. While the resorts appeal is unrivaled, Hakone Airu realized it was missing opportunities to gain a greater market share and maximize its visibility with travelers. The hotel worked with one of our digital media experts to create a customized TravelAds campaign to reach more international travelers. To get maximum exposure, the hotel activated its bids along points of sale and booking paths to connect with as many travelers as possible. The hotel also used customized ad copy and images in their advertisements to promote one of the propertys biggest selling points: open-air baths in each room. Three months after deploying TraveAds, Hakone Airus impressions tripled, leading to an increase in bookings and a year-over-year (YoY) increase in revenue of over 130%. With 200+ hotels in our market, TravelAds helped us improve much-needed visibility and has driven a steady growth in bookings. KEN WATANABE, GENERAL MANAGER HAKONE AIRU Leveraging multiple channels with display ads Our display advertising solutions are designed and built with travelers in mind and help you showcase your hotel throughout a travelers journey. With these ad placements, hotel marketers work with our team of trusted advisors to create effective digital marketing plans that fit any budget and meet your unique campaign goals. Our ads are designed for a cohesive shopping experience for travelers whether theyre dreaming, researching, or booking their next trip. Our display advertising solutions ensure that your brand is reaching your target audience at every stage of their shopping journey while continually driving brand awareness. Heres a look at how these strategies can help your marketing campaign: Display ads on mobile apps: Connect with high-intent travelers through our branded mobile apps. Our exclusive first-party data enables precise audience targeting to ensure that your hotel is getting in front of the right people. Connect with high-intent travelers through our branded mobile apps. Our exclusive first-party data enables precise audience targeting to ensure that your hotel is getting in front of the right people. Brand Results Listing: Increase your listings visibility and reach more qualified travelers by featuring your ad in a Brand Results Listing. This ad placement enables hotel advertisers to engage with travelers who are further along in their path to purchase. And when you pair it with TravelAds Sponsored Listings, your hotel will have three times the exposure than other properties with visibility across organic listings, TravelAds, and Brand Results Listings on our search results page. Increase your listings visibility and reach more qualified travelers by featuring your ad in a Brand Results Listing. This ad placement enables hotel advertisers to engage with travelers who are further along in their path to purchase. And when you pair it with TravelAds Sponsored Listings, your hotel will have three times the exposure than other properties with visibility across organic listings, TravelAds, and Brand Results Listings on our search results page. Sponsorships and takeovers: Take advantage of our unique sponsorship and takeover opportunities designed to help you capture a larger presence on the Expedia homepage. Take advantage of our unique sponsorship and takeover opportunities designed to help you capture a larger presence on the Expedia homepage. Co-op campaigns: Team up with other travel suppliers in your area to promote bookings for your destination or hotel. When you pair a co-op campaign with TravelAds, your hotel will appear at the top of the search results page and generate brand awareness and increase your chances of conversion. Success story Iberostar Group is a global tourism company and hotel group with over 70 luxurious beachfront resorts across Europe and Central and South America. The hotel group launched the Wave of Change initiative as a commitment to enacting sustainable hospitality practices and protecting the oceans through eco-tourism. With the campaign underway, the group wanted to raise brand awareness and drive intent with travelers looking to book sustainable vacations. After partnering with our media solutions experts, the Media Studio team developed the interactive campaign Discover Iberostar to introduce potential customers to the Wave of Change initiative and educate them on the tourism industrys impact on the ecosystem. A combination of display advertising efforts such as homepage takeovers, responsive ad types, and social posts engaged travelers and drove them to a customized microsite. By partnering with our team, the Discover Iberostar campaign generated a 46:5 return on ad spend (ROAS) and a 0.13% click-through rate. Coupling TravelAds and display ads in your advertising strategy TravelAds and display advertising are proven and simple solutions that address different marketing needs. When the two solutions are used together, hotel advertisers can maximize their marketing efforts by continually optimizing their campaigns with our first-party data and simultaneously building brand awareness. When you use TravelAds and display advertising together, you can stay top-of-mind with travelers by appearing across various on-site page types such as our homepage, result pages, and specific line of business pages. Inspire, engage, and influence your target traveler before they make a purchase decision by increasing your hotels visibility in search results and build brand awareness. By pairing search and display solutions together, you can make your hotel more visible to the right traveler, leading to higher consumer confidence and resulting in more bookings. Success story To increase bookings in a saturated market, your hotel needs to stand out from the competition. Our Media Solutions experts teamed up with a luxury, all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean to increase brand awareness and drive bookings. By adding display advertising to their TravelAds strategy, the brand converted 17% more travelers due to its increased digital presence. We also found that travelers who saw multiple ad formats were nearly 2.6 times more likely to convert when compared to travelers who only saw a single ad, showing that its important to be present at multiple points in a travelers shopping journey. You shouldnt have to choose between your short- and long-term business goals. With over 20 years of travel advertising media experience, we can help you find a solution that addresses your current and future advertising needs and sets you up for continued success. To learn more about the array of advertising solutions we provide, connect with one of our experts today. About Expedia Group Media Solutions Expedia Group Media Solutions is a global travel advertising platform that connects marketers with hundreds of millions of travelers across the Expedia Group brands. With our exclusive access to more than 70 petabytes of Expedia Group traveler search and booking data, we offer advertisers actionable insights, sophisticated targeting, and full-funnel results reporting. Our suite of solutions includes display, sponsored listings, audience extension, co-op campaigns, and custom creative campaigns all designed to deliver on the objectives of our advertising partners and add value for travel shoppers on our branded sites globally. With a consultative approach and more than 20 years of travel and media experience, we help our advertising partners inspire, engage, and convert travelers for meaningful results. For more information, visit www.advertising.expedia.com. 2022 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. CST: 2029030-50 View source BLLA: What are you hoping to get out of your participation in the Boutique Hotel Investment Conference? AP: Our participation in this conference will help provide insight on where boutique organizations see growth opportunities around destination, experience, and services; as well as see how organizations streamline internal processes to continue to support higher guest engagement. BLLA: How did you come to enter the hospitality industry? AP: I entered the hospitality industry as a front-line worker over 20 years ago, which led into manager positions with brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. I transitioned to corporate oversight and executive roles within hospitality management organizations over the past decade but still stay very close to my operational roots. BLLA: What is the mission statement of your company? AP: Our mission is to help hotel organizations simplify the complexity of managing vendor payments across multiple properties, digitize back-office accounting processes to eliminate fraud, monetize vendor relationships through automation, and create time and revenue to support the guest experience. BLLA: What does boutique mean to you? AP: Boutique means crafting a unique, non-standardized experience stylized to a specific lifestyle theme with an individualized personal approach to service. BLLA: What are the top three trends that you see in the boutique hotel investment space? AP: I see high design/decor factors continuing to shape the market. Boutique hotels will also trend toward more unique locales or niche markets. Additionally, technology will play a more significant role in delivering more upscale personalized services to capture and build the guest experience. BLLA: Why do you believe boutique hotels are a good investment? AP: Travelers continue to look for new experiences in destination locations, or themed experiences in more local areas. As family/work balance continues to be a priority, travelers will value personalized unique experiences more than standardized services, which will drive demand and increase margins for organizations willing to cater to those individuals. About the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) The official organization for the world's boutique lifestyle leaders promoting connection, education, and advocacy. As a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement, the BLLA's network has grown beyond its hotel foundation to welcome more passionate entrepreneurs, businesses, and purveyors that amplify the boutique lifestyle. The BLLA Corporate Manifesto video. Experience the intention behind BLLA Events in this video. BLLA is a catalyst for trends and the future of the boutique lifestyle. BLLA.org Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) BLLA View source Window Computer use available Electric kettle Entire unit wheelchair accessible Extra-long beds (> 2 meters) Family rooms Cribs available Fire extinguisher Gift shop Laundry facilities Ironing service Flat-screen TV Packed lunches Free toiletries Room service Smoke alarms Heating Hypoallergenic pillow Property is cleaned by professional cleaning companies Interconnected room(s) available Key card access CCTV in common areas CCTV outside property No smoking Restaurant Bar/Lounge Landmark view Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and key areas Laptop safe Express check-out Parking Hairdryer Lockers Screens or physical barriers placed between staff and guests in appropriate areas Lowered sink Cable or satellite TV Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against coronavirus Air-conditioned Non-feather pillow Guest accommodation is disinfected between stays Guest accommodation sealed after cleaning All plates, cutlery, glasses and other tableware have been sanitized Delivered food is securely covered Food can be delivered to guest accommodation Guests can opt-out of accommodation cleaning Picnic area Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities Disinfection of high-touch surfaces Private bathroom Garden 24hr front desk Designated smoking area Private entrance Storage available Private parking Radio Raised toilet Terrace/Patio Increased accessibility Roll-in shower Linens Towels Safety deposit box EV charging station Seating area Elevator Minibar Shampoo Shared lounge/TV area Shower Iron and ironing board Shower cap Shower chair Accessible by elevator Dining room Adapted bath Slippers First-aid kit Snack bar Socket near the bed Sofa Alarm clock Soundproof rooms Bathtub Soundproofing Body soap Bottle of water Breakfast in the room Tea/coffee maker Telephone Carpeted Toilet Toilet paper Toilet with grab rails Safe Toothbrush Sauna City view Clothes rack Trash cans Tumble dryer Coffee machine TV Upper floors accessible by elevator Conditioner Desk Vending machine (drinks) Vending machine (snacks) Walk-in shower Fraser Suites Sydney is situated in the city's well known tourism and shopping district. It showcases views of Sydney and is a brief walk from George Street. Fraser Apartments Sydney features a 24/7 reception, plus free Wi-Fi and meeting rooms. For added convenience, it offers luggage storage, a concierge and a tour desk. The hotel also has its very own gym, Gym. The rooms are air conditioned and include a refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities and a flat-screen TV. They all have an in-room safe, a CD player and an alarm clock. Fraser Hotel Sydney's restaurant is open for breakfast, offering guests a convenient dining experience not far from their room. Alternatively, there are a choice of other dining options in the surrounding area. Located in Sydney CBD, Fraser Suite Sydney is close to popular nightlife spots. Its central location offers easy access to sightseeing, shopping and entertainment. $167 Avg. per night View Deals This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON The Texas Public Policy Foundation has for years made a name for itself in Washington and Austin campaigning on conservative issues such as rolling back pollution laws and cutting government spending. Now the Austin-based think tank is seeking to stop President Joe Bidens plans to develop an offshore wind industry in the United States through a lawsuit aimed at blocking what would be the first U.S. commercial-scale offshore wind farm, Vineyard Wind off the coast of Massachusetts. Attorneys for the foundation, which has long advocated for oil and gas interests and is acting on behalf of a group of local fishing companies, are awaiting a decision from a federal judge in Massachusetts on their claim that plans to construct more than 60 wind turbines measuring more than 800 feet in height would disrupt both fishermen and the endangered North Atlantic right whales that congregate in the area. The full effects of these offshore wind farms is not fully known, but what we know is concerning, Robert Henneke, the foundation's executive director, said in an interview. A federal court determination this is unlawful would set precedent that would apply to all the other projects that are in progress. ON TEXAS COAST: Feds want to build a massive wind farm larger than the City of San Antonio off the coast of Galveston The developers of Vineyard Wind, Connecticut-based Avangrid and the Danish investment firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, declined to comment. They are set to begin construction shortly and could be generating power this summer. A spokesman for the American Clean Power Association, which represent offshore wind developers, said he was confident projects would withstand "legal scrutiny." The current slate of U.S. offshore wind projects under construction and development are among the most carefully planned and analyzed infrastructure projects in U.S. history," he said. More than a dozen offshore wind projects are under development along the East Coast as developers rush to take advantage of increased power rates offered for offshore wind farms in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey as they seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Department of Interior is expected to hold a lease sale for offshore wind development later this year. But the industry is facing a series of lawsuits and opposition campaigns from a coalition of homeowners, fishermen and conservative groups that have long opposed efforts to shift the nation to clean energy. In addition to the Texas Public Policy Foundations lawsuit, the Delaware-based Caesar Rodney Institute, which describes itself as protecting individual liberty, has been campaigning against offshore wind projects in that state and in Virginia. Opponents are seeking to replicate the multi-year campaign that sank earlier offshore wind projects in the United States. The Obama administration in 2010 approved construction of a $2.6 billion wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts named Cape Wind that was ultimately abandoned after years of legal fights. It is a strategy that could prove more difficult this time around, with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management moving more cautiously than it did in the past, said Timothy Fox, an analyst with the Washington consulting firm Clearview Energy Partners. (Cape Wind) certainly was a lesson for BOEM and the industry, he said. They knew they were going to be challenged, and so you say, do you want to do it quickly or do you want to do it right? ONSHORE WIND: Property owners, conservationists, wind energy: Tension grows in West Texas Muddying the waters is a recent surge in dead whales washing up on beaches along the East Coast, with some environmentalists and conservative activists pointing fingers at the new wind farms under construction. A dozen mayors in New Jersey, along with a group of Republican congressmen, have called for a moratorium on construction, but so far scientists say there is no connection to the wind farms and that the deaths were more likely the result of increased cargo ship traffic. No whale mortality has been attributed to offshore wind activities, a spokesperson for fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in January. In its environmental assessment of the Vineyard Wind project in 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the developers agreed to take steps to limit any impact on whales, including not drilling into the sea floor during months when whale populations in New England are high. The focus on marine life by conservative groups has drawn skepticism from environmental groups, who question whether their motivation is more about protecting fossil fuel companies' interests than whales. The board of directors of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, for instance, includes a number of Texas oilmen, including Tim Dunn of CrownQuest Operating in Midland and Cody Campbell of Double Eagle Energy Holdings in Fort Worth. Its just a cynical disinformation campaign, John Hocevar, director of Greenpeace USAs oceans campaign, commented. It doesnt seem to worry them that its not based in any kind of evidence. Asked about the criticism, Henneke maintained the lawsuit was based on, the harm this project caused to our clients and lasting damage to oceans all around the United States. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Republican Lawmakers are again trying to give tax breaks to massive corporations considering an investment in Texas, just two years after they killed a similar program. But this time they will exclude their favorite bogeyman: renewable energy projects. State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, presented the Texas Jobs and Security Act to the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday morning, promising a different approach. Were really trying to protect the economy for the future, Hunter said. This is, statutorily, a new document. But his House Bill 5 bears striking similarities to the previous program, which was known as Chapter 313 for its place in the Texas Tax Code. Companies ask school boards to waive a certain amount of property tax over decades in return for significant investments that create jobs. If the comptroller approves, the Legislature allocates taxpayer dollars to replace the school districts lost revenue. Chapter 313 started in 2012 with an estimated $2.4 billion price tag, but by 2020 it had cost the state $10.8 billion. The now-defunct program will have cost Texans $31 billion by the time the last tax break expires in 2049. Conservatives and liberals complained that school districts approved too many packages for companies that never produced the promised jobs and granted abatements to projects that would have been built anyway. In a rare bipartisan moment, the Legislature in 2021 let Chapter 313 expire effective Dec. 31. Chambers of commerce have spent the past two years lobbying for a replacement and House Speaker Dade Phelan promised to prioritize it. Thus was born House Bill 5. Lawyer and lobbyist George Christian, who helped Hunter draft HB 5, described three key differences. First, it excludes renewable energy. Petrochemical plants, refineries and other oil and gas facilities would remain eligible. Only this time, for those projects, there is no job requirement. Second, the bill increases transparency by requiring public reporting of economic data that corporations and school districts had kept secret. Companies must prove that the incentives were a deciding factor in their investment. Lastly, HB 5 limits the kickback a school district can demand from a company in return for approving an abatement. School boards can only demand 30 percent of the first $2 million in tax savings, but larger projects would generate a higher percentage for the company. More than 1,000 Texas chambers of commerce and local economic development officers officially supported the bill Monday. We need to have a robust program in place to be competitive, Bob Harvey, CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, told lawmakers. We are competitive on every level except on property tax. Marina Gonzales, of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the bill will help our region remain competitive to attract transformative economic change. This is corporate Americas big play. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk routinely demonstrates, executives demand an auction where local and state governments bid ever-larger tax breaks in return for building in their jurisdictions. In Texas, the property taxes levied by school districts are the most expensive taxes paid by corporations. Texas chronically underfunds schools, though, so districts are loathe to offer tax breaks unless the Legislature makes them whole. Under Chapter 313, districts often demanded cash payments in return for approving incentive programs, allowing them to have their cake and eat it too. Hunter insisted that HB 5 is different from Chapter 313, but only superficially. The most radical change is excluding wind and solar projects and, presumably, battery storage facilities that go with them. Christian, who helped draft the bill, said it was a political decision because Republicans are beating up on them this year. Rural school districts want the Legislature to include renewable energy projects because they constituted the only investment in two-thirds of the counties that used Chapter 313, the Advanced Power Alliance reports. But Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick promised to kill any bill supporting renewable energy. Opposition to HB 5 came from church groups, environmentalists and health care advocates who argue that state revenues should go to schools and communities. The Rev. Miles Brandon, representing the Network of Texas IAF Organizations, said the state has more important priorities. Lawmakers have a stark choice, stand up to protect Texas taxpayers and schoolchildren, or go along with a bill written by multinational corporations to underwrite their bottom lines with hard-earned Texas taxpayer dollars, he told the committee. Brandon is correct, governments should build good transportation networks, supply clean water and educate the workforce, not choose winners and losers. Texas shouldnt get sucked into pay-to-play, but if it must, HB 5 is not the way to do it. BRIDGEPORT Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are looking for Derrick Francis, accused of killing Brianna McKoy in front of her baby last week, police said. McKoy, 23, was found shot dead in a Coachlight Square condominium complex on Vincellette Street around 11:20 a.m. last Thursday. Her infant was in the condo at the time of the killing, but was found unharmed, Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran said. McKoy is the daughter of popular Jamaican reggae figure Ricky Trooper, who took to Instagram to express his grief. "You're gone, but not forgotten," Trooper said during a montage of music and photos of McKoy. "Your memories will live on." A manhunt has ensued for Francis, 41, who police said was dating McKoy and is considered "armed and dangerous." Police said Francis, who has an arrest record in New York, is known to frequent the North End of Bridgeport and the Bronx, N.Y. Multiple agencies at the local, state and federal level are involved in the hunt, Gilleran said. "They are partnering with us in locating the suspect," he said. McKoy and Francis were in a dating relationship when she died, Gilleran said. Bridgeport police had been called in the past to deal with incidents involving the couple, he said. Police are calling the death a domestic violence homicide. Anyone who sees Francis should call 911 to report his location and then follow up with case officer, Detective Keith Hanson, at 203-581-5243, police said. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The University of Minnesota should hire more Native American faculty, offer students additional financial support and give back land to atone for its historic mistreatment of the state's tribes, a report conducted through a collaboration with the school concluded Tuesday. The report said that the universitys founding board of regents committed genocide and ethnic cleansing of Indigenous peoples for financial gain, using the institution as a shell corporation through which to launder lands and resources. Totaling more than 500 pages, the report marks the first time a major American university has critically examined its history with Native people, said Shannon Geshick, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. The report is the result of a collaborative effort between the council and the university called the TRUTH Project short for Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing which has received funding from the Mellon Foundation, Minnesota Public Radio reported. The TRUTH Project just rips that open and really reveals a narrative that a lot of people I think just dont know, Geshick said. The effort draws on archival records, oral histories and other sources to examine through an Indigenous lens the troubled history between Native people and the states flagship university. The university stopped short of saying whether it would adopt the recommendations but thanked researchers in a statement for what they called their truth-telling." The project started following a series of reports in the publication High Country News in 2020 revealing how universities around the country were founded on the proceeds of land that was taken from tribes through the 1862 Morrill Act. That included a financial bonanza dubbed the Minnesota windfall that channeled more than $500 million to the fledgling University of Minnesota from leases and sales of land taken from the Dakota tribe after the federal government hanged 38 Dakota men in Mankato, Minnesota, in December 1862, ending the U.S.-Dakota war. Meanwhile, it found that the university's permanent trust fund controls roughly $600 million in royalties from iron ore mining, timber sales and other revenues derived from land taken from the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes. The report also found that the university had failed to teach a full history of the land on which it was founded and raised questions about how some medical research was conducted. The university has taken meaningful steps toward addressing some of their concerns, tribal leaders said. In 2021, the university created a program that offers free or substantially reduced tuition to many enrolled members of the states 11 federally recognized tribes. University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel, who is leaving to take over the University of Pittsburgh, created high-level positions within her administration focusing on Native American issues and tribal relations, and held quarterly, face-to-face meetings with tribal leaders. But Geshick, along with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, said a lot more could have been done. For example, she and others have called for an expansion of the scholarship program, which has been criticized for only benefiting a fraction of Native students. Its a great start. But it shouldnt be the end, said Robert Larsen, president of the Lower Sioux Indian Community and chair of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. Houston Police Department A man was shot and killed Tuesday night after getting into an altercation with another person on an East Downtown street, police said. The man died after being taken to a hospital, police said. Houston Chronicle Welch Middle School temporarily was placed on lockdown Wednesday morning after an HISD student was hospitalized after a dispute led to a shooting in the parking lot of a nearby business, according to Houston Police Department officials. Houston Independent School District officials called city police after the student ran into the middle school and said they'd just been shot at earlier that morning, according to the Houston Police Department. The 14-year-old who was injured was a passenger in a car and not involved in the dispute that led to the shooting, nor was the student attending Welch. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate While people might associate remote settings with peaceful landscapes and quiet lifestyles, rural residents experience more depression and anxiety than their urban counterparts, a new University of Houston study has found. The research did not assess why people living in rural areas reported worse psychological well-being and higher levels of neuroticism, but researchers and advocates believe some of the findings align with scarcer mental health resources outside of larger cities a well-documented national problem that is especially the case in Texas. Youre much farther from grocery stores and gyms. Youre much farther from health care services, said Olivia Atherton, assistant professor of psychology at UH. You might be getting calm and peace, but youre also in an environment thats deprived of other resources that are important for your mental health. MORE FROM SAMANTHA KETTERER: Former Prairie View president Ruth Simmons blasts Texas A&M system over its handling of the HBCU Atherton, the studys lead author, said her research team pulled from two major studies that surveyed about 20,000 American adults over the course of 25 years. In Midlife in the United States and the Health and Retirement Study, the respondents answered questions that pointed to the Big Five personality traits extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism as well as their psychological well-being and life satisfaction. The team found higher reports of depression and anxiety in rural areas, plus a tendency of people there to be less open-minded, less conscientious and more neurotic. But rural Americans had about the same life satisfaction as those in urban settings, researchers wrote in February in the Journal of Psychology. The study did not find location having any influence on personal changes over time, Atherton said. Its possible that they have lived in these areas for a long time and theres maybe not any room for these places to affect how their personality changes, she said. Or maybe their personalities led them to live in those areas. Study author Marquita Wenonah Lewis-Thames said personality differences are under-researched subjects that could have practical affects for health workers who are seeking to solve issues in more far-flung communities. CHILDREN AT RISK REPORT: Houston kids are facing new levels of poverty, mental health issues than before, report says You have this idea of coming in and saying, 'Let me help you with your mental health,' and theyre like, 'Who the freak are you? ' said Lewis-Thames, assistant professor at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine. Thats supported by lower personality trait levels of openness. " Other health care workers and advocates said the study especially points to issues with mental health access in rural areas. A 2020 article in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science detailed how as many as 65 percent of non-metropolitan counties dont have psychiatrists and more than 60 percent of rural Americans live in areas that have a shortage of mental health providers. And the percentage of rural hospitals that face the threat of closures jumped from 16 percent in 2021 to 26 percent last year, the Chronicle reported. Greg Hansch, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Texas, said he has received many calls related to the lack of access to mental health care in rural places. Distance appears to be a large factor, he said. Theres more isolation, theres more loneliness in rural areas, he said. Theres less opportunity to build relationships. MENTAL HEALTH: Texas Childrens, Menninger Clinic partner to increase teen mental health care as demand skyrockets Steve F. Bain, founding director of the Institute for Rural Mental Health Initiatives at Texas A&M Kingsville, said his organization is working to determine how to fund locales with unmet needs. Every community has different demands, but his work has shown that people in rural areas have mental health issues the same as people in urban areas do they just cant address them. Its not so much that rural people have more mental health issues, Bain said. Its that they dont have the accessibility and availability of services. Dr. Cesar A. Soutullo frequently finds himself writing prescriptions for Adderall two, three or even four times before his patients can find ADHD medication in stock at a pharmacy. Its been six months since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration first announced a nationwide shortage of amphetamine mixed salts, commonly known by the brand name Adderall. Soutullo, a professor of psychiatry at UTHealth Houston and the director of the ADHD Outpatient Program at McGovern Medical School, said some patients are running out of medication before they can find a refill. He said hes spoken to parents with children whove had trouble paying attention in school or been overly active without their medication. Some patients may also experience side effects from stopping their medication, such as decreased appetite, trouble sleeping and headaches. It generates a lot of practical issues, Soutullo said. The FDA announced the Adderall shortage on Oct. 12. It started as a production issue at Teva, which manufacturers Adderall and generic variations of the drug. It was compounded by higher demand, as prescriptions for stimulants used to treat ADHD increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. READ MORE: Adderall shortage leaves people with ADHD in a bind Certain dosages of the brand name Adderall are no longer in shortage, though manufacturer Teva continues to experience higher demand for the drug, according to the FDA. Generic mixed amphetamine salts are available from some manufacturers, but others are still experiencing supply constraints. Manufacturers cannot simply ramp up production because Adderall contains amphetamine, a stimulant that is a Schedule II controlled substance. The federal government places strict limits on how stimulants are manufactured, distributed and prescribed because the medications have a documented history of abuse and addiction. A CDC report found that the percentage of people enrolled in a private insurance plan who filled a prescription for a stimulant rose from 3.6 percent in 2016 to 4.1 percent in 2021. From 2020 to 2021, the number of stimulant prescriptions filled rose by more than 10 percent among females aged 15 to 44 and males aged 25 to 44, the report found. Soutullo said he was not surprised by the increase, because the CDC estimates that more than 9.4 percent of children aged 3 to 17 in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. Alton Bozeman, director of outpatient assessment and an ADHD diagnostic expert at The Menninger Clinic, said one of his children has ADHD and he often needs to try three pharmacies before he can fill a prescription. READ MORE: What to know about the national Adderall shortage and how it might impact Houston Bozeman does not prescribe medication, but he said his colleagues and their patients are still being affected by the shortage. Im still hearing lots of complaints, said Bozeman, also an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Services at Baylor College of Medicine. Im still hearing that refills are taking lots of time to come through. Part of the reason for the increased demand, experts said, is expanded access to medication through telehealth. During the pandemic, the DEA suspended a rule that required an in-person examination before providers could prescribe controlled substances. Nearly 40 percent of all prescriptions for stimulants last year came from telehealth visits, compared to less than 2 percent before the pandemic, according to data from the analytics firm Trilliant Health. However, telehealth prescriptions could change after the U.S. pandemic public health emergency expires on May 11. The Biden Administration has proposed new rules for telehealth prescriptions, including at least one in-person visit to continue receiving Adderall and other controlled substances. It's unclear how such a change would affect providers and patients, said Tyler J. Varisco, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical health outcomes and policy at the University of Houston. Patients may have trouble getting to an in-person visit due to work or travel constraints, he said. READ MORE: Persistent medication shortages have Houstonians looking for alternatives If patients need to find a new provider for an in-person visit, it could also cause problems, Varisco said. Some providers may be wary of trusting a diagnosis that a patient received via telehealth. They might want to conduct a full examination to confirm the diagnosis themselves, which could take additional time, he said. I think there is a lack of trust in the quality of care that was delivered to initiate a lot of those prescriptions, Varisco said. Bozeman said theres a give and take between keeping expanded access to prescriptions through telehealth or enacting tighter restrictions to limit the potential for abuse and addiction. Thats what makes fixing the issue so hard because we do have providers who say we dont want to go back on this access, Bozeman said. But we also have people, including the government, who want to better control internet prescribing. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NASA does not want future missions to be named after individuals, a new policy likely inspired by controversy surrounding the James Webb Space Telescope. This practice had become somewhat common. The Hubble Space Telescope, Parker Solar Probe and yet-to-be-launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope were all named for notable individuals. IN-DEPTH: Why NASAs new James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble, has 'perfectly misshaped' mirrors In the case of Webb, who died in 1992, NASA sought to honor the agencys second administrator who emphasized science missions amid the countrys ambitious moon plans. Linking him to a $10 billion telescope made him more prominent and notorious. Webbs critics say he was complicit in the firing of gay and lesbian employees during the lavender scare that began in the late 1940s and continued through the '60s. NASA investigated those claims in 2021 and 2022 and found no evidence Webb was involved. The telescope kept its name, but NASA quietly changed its policy for projects and buildings. The agency did not say whether the updated policy was prompted by Webb. But the change became effective one month after releasing its investigation. I think the kerfuffle about naming the telescope after Webb was the reason that NASA examined its policy, said John Logsdon, founder of George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute. I dont think there was a controversy over naming a mission before this. NASA uses a variety of practices when selecting monikers. The Apollo and Artemis moon programs were inspired by Greek mythology. The Mars Perseverance rover was anointed by a seventh-grade student who won a competition. Other names were created by scientists forcing technical terms into cool-sounding acronyms. OSIRIS-REx, for instance, stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer. This spacecraft collected rocks from an asteroid. DART is the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, which proved a technique for changing an asteroids trajectory. NASA is a global brand, but its mission names dont always carry the same recognition. And the decision to nix people-inspired names got little attention until it was mentioned last month during a meeting of NASAs Astrophysics Advisory Committee, according to SpaceNews.com. NASA said the policy for projects and buildings, which went into effect Dec. 20, encourages the use of naming to unify and inspire, and to highlight accomplishments broader than any one individual. To use an individuals name, their contributions to America, NASA and humanity should be so extraordinary that any other form of recognition by the agency would be considered inadequate, according to the updated policy. A dead person is preferable to the living. This policy has received mixed reviews. Logsdon said its a bit extreme, though he understands why NASA would be overcautious. When to spotlight a scientist? Greg Autry, director of Arizona State Universitys Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy and Business, said its a shame. People should be celebrated for their contributions. We seem to be living in an age defined in comic book movies filled with heroes and villains, he said in an email. James Webb is surely a worthy name and expecting anyone to be perfect, particularly when judged by standards that evolved after they died, is ridiculous. George W.S. Abbey, a former director of the Johnson Space Center, believes missions shouldnt be named after one person because it takes hundreds or thousands of people to pull them off. Plus, he said, Webb probably would have hated being associated with a mission that was so significantly over budget. Webb was once director of the White Houses budgeting arm. A man that had run the Bureau of the Budget would have been greatly embarrassed, said Abbey, who is now the senior fellow in space policy at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. He would be very distressed that his name got associated with a program that exceeded its cost by such an amount of money. Abbey said human spaceflight missions were never named after individuals. He believes NASA began naming science missions after people to garner support in Congress. But these names hold little sway outside of Congress or the scientific community. Webb was not a household name. Nor was 20th-century astronomer Edwin Hubble (who discovered that countless galaxies exist beyond the Milky Way), heliophysicist Eugene Parker (who developed a mathematical theory that predicted the solar wind created by the sun) or astronomer Nancy Grace Roman (who was NASAs first chief of astronomy and is considered the mother of the Hubble Space Telescope). Well-known people in that industry may actually not have any meaning outside of that world, said Jae Chung, an assistant professor of marketing at Rice Universitys Jones Graduate School of Business. It really doesnt tell a lot of story about the mission or the product or the service that an organization is providing. Thumbs-up for Big Falcon Rocket NASA isnt the only space organization to lean on prominent individuals. Northrop Grumman named a spacecraft that carried cargo to the International Space Station after Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Blue Origin, the private space company owned by Amazons Jeff Bezos, named the New Shepard rocket for Alan Shepard, the first American in space. It named the New Glenn rocket (which is still being developed) for John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. Chung said branding is about recognition and recall. Thats why she approves of the names SpaceX and Starship. SpaceX is short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp., and Starship is the spacecraft the company is developing in South Texas. She said these names remind people of Star Wars, Star Trek and other popular science fiction, which creates a positive association. The names also reflect what the company is doing. She even approved of Starships prior name: BFR. This officially stood for Big Falcon Rocket though the F was originally believed to be a more explicit word than falcon. Chung said this fit with SpaceX founder Elon Musks personality. Big Falcon Rocket doesnt sound weird because it is so nicely aligned with his personal character, Chung said. Musk can embrace the controversy. But for NASA and many other organizations, theres a chance one persons comments or perspectives can be turned into a political agenda. With all the digital media and all the conversations or videos being recorded these days, Chung said, theres always a greater chance or a greater risk associated with the idea of using a particular persons name to name the whole mission or the whole project. When it was time for three high school grads to leave Jamaica after a fun-filled post-graduation girls' trip, the best friends who'd spent their last day writing letters to strangers boarded a plane. Their return trip would have taken mere hours, but the message in a bottle they threw into the ocean had a much longer voyage. Little did they know their letters would take a nearly 9-month, 1,400-mile journey to the Texas coast. MORE ON TRENDING: Downtown underground tunnels are Houston's secret treasure trove of businesses and restaurants In March, researchers with the Mission-Aransas Reserve found a bottle containing two letters that washed up along the Texas Padre Island National Seashore. The letters appeared to be written in pencil, and were well preserved. One of the letters was dated June 13, 2022. Madi Whalen, 18, was a recent high school senior who had taken a trip to Jamaica with her two best friends one month after graduation. Today was our last full day here. I really enjoyed it, she wrote in the letter. Its nice to have no responsibilities for a while for once. I am excited to go home and see my family again though. In the letter, Missouri resident Whalen wrote she and her friends lived in Kansas City and had been staying at the Grand Palladium Resort in Jamaica. Mission-Aransas Reserve On the last day of the trip, they decided to write letters, place them in a bottle and throw them out to sea, hoping they'd one day be discovered. I wish I had some good secrets or something to share but I dont really. I wonder where our letters will end up, Whalen wrote. MORE ON LIFESTYLE: ABC 13 meteorologist Rachel Briers is back on TV after her maternity leave Toward the end of her letter, Whalen included her email, phone number and address so the person who found the letter could contact her. A representative of the Mission-Aransas Reserve upped the stakes by making its response public, posting about their found treasure on Facebook April 4. Whalens mother, Dawn Wishard-Whalen, commented on the post, saying: She is so excited it was found! She is an adventurer and a nature lover and protector so it couldnt be more perfect where it was found. Mission-Aransas Reserve It wasn't immediately clear why Whalen did not respond for herself. In the same bottle, researchers found another letter from Whalen's friend, who only signed her letter with "Easton," so it wasn't clear whether that was her first or last name. She wrote: My two best gals and I are on holiday in Jamaica and decided to leave a message in a bottle for someone special. "Easton" had been preparing for college, which she humorously announced, adding: I leave for university soon after we get back and Id like not to. The Mission-Aransas Reserve April 7 posted on Facebook about another bottle its workers found, this one a letter appearing to have been sent from Galveston Island State Park. Unfortunately, the letter was not as well preserved because it was written in pen and sent off in a clear bottle. You can only read about half of the letter, the post said. We usually find that messages in a bottle that use pencil and in a dark bottle are preserved the best. Television reporter Tifffany Craig of KHOU announced she will leave the station after 13 years. Craig on Twitter announced she would be leaving Tuesday morning saying: "I didnt get to say goodbye on the air so THANK YOU to everyone who followed along during my time at #KHOU11." You don't need a DeLorean to get back to the 1980s with this Houston home that recently went on the market. In the Mid-West neighborhood at 2110 Amberly Court, a retro architectural gem sits boasting a half-moon court yard, thick glass-block walls and a standout floating staircase. TK Images Really making the home special is that is was the last project by local architect Ralph A. Anderson, Jr., whose previous work included the Astrodome and Houston Post building. The 3,294-square-foot custom home was built in 1988 and has only had two owners. At two-stories high, the home has one bedroom, two and a half bathrooms, an elevator, two-car garage and access to a community pool. Original features of the home include the curved, glass-block wall and the silestone kitchen countertops imported from Spain. TK Images The home went on the market less than a month ago at $465,000 and is now pending sale, says listing agent Mark Fontenot with Martha Turner Sothebys International RealtyCentral Houston Brokerage. He said within 12 hours of being on the market, the home had multiple offers come in. "Before listing it, I couldnt figure out if it would be highly attractive for buyers because of how unique and historical it is or if it would sit on the market for six months because it was so different," Fontenot said. "Im grateful it was the former and loved seeing the attention and respect it got!" And there could be no difference between the home's past and its future as the buyer's agent has said they don't plan on changing anything with the house. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHICAGO (AP) Donald Trump won the White House in 2016 by breaking up the famed electoral blue wall," snatching the Midwestern battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin, along with Pennsylvania, from Democrats. He lost the White House four years later when those same states flipped to Joe Biden. Both parties are already zeroing in on the Midwest ahead of next years presidential election, each choosing to hold their national conventions in the region. Republicans will have their event in July 2024 in Milwaukee, the largest city in the swing state of Wisconsin. Democrats announced Tuesday that they would hold theirs the following month in Chicago, just 90 miles away, in solidly blue Illinois. In picking Chicago over other finalists New York and Atlanta, the Democratic National Committee said, the party was returning to the Midwest, a critical Democratic stronghold" and called Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota part of the "blue wall crucial to Bidens 2020 victory, as well as his party's success in last falls midterm elections. That overlooked Trumps Midwestern success four years prior, but the DNC also noted that Chicago embodied the formidable coalition of voters that will be vital to Biden in his expected 2024 reelection campaign. Were seeing the importance of those states and the recognition by the Democratic Party that we must win them, said Democratic Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker, who was a leading advocate for Chicagos bid. The Midwest wasn't the only part of the country that boosted Biden in 2020. He flipped two Sun Belt states, Arizona and Georgia, and captured Pennsylvania, which is often considered part of the blue wall but is not located in the Midwest. Still, the selection by both parties of Midwestern convention sites shows the region's enduring political importance even though it's no guarantee of support. The Midwest is the place to be, said Cam Savage, a Republican strategist who has worked with top GOP elected officials around the region. Youre looking at Pennsylvania to Wisconsin and more or less everything in between as key battleground areas in any national election these days. It was the second election cycle in a row that Democrats looked to the Midwest for their convention. In 2020, the party selected Milwaukee to host but ended up holding it virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, it was up to Biden to pick a site, and he said Chicago would be a showcase for his administration's overseeing post-pandemic economic growth and falling unemployment. The nation's third-largest city, Chicago is also heavily pro-union, demonstrating Biden's commitment to organized labor, which played a key role in helping him clinch the Democratic primary and presidency in 2020. Atlanta could have been strategic as well. But it doesnt allow the party to really show off all of the principles that it is supposedly standing for, and they can do that in Chicago," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants. She signed a letter to the DNC from top labor groups and union workers urging them to choose Chicago. Pritzker stressed his state's strong defense of abortion rights as an important factor. Other Democrats worried about Georgias Republican-controlled Legislature and the states relaxed gun laws. That's despite Chicago being plagued by gun violence, potentially exposing Democrats to GOP attacks about rising crime rates in cities around the country. Lisa Hernandez, the Illinois Democratic Party chair, said that the bid went beyond Chicago and her state, calling the convention site the gateway to the Midwests blue bastion." Her party noted that Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota voted Democratic in every presidential election but 2016 over the last 30 years, and that each state reelected its Democratic governor last fall. Organizers of Chicago's bid also argued to White House officials from the start that it represented the Midwest as a whole. That hasn't always been a positive for Democrats, though. Few places better illustrate the Midwest's ever-shifting electoral loyalties than Wisconsin, where both Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson won reelection in last fall's midterm elections. Democrats, meanwhile, are still celebrating Judge Janet Protasiewicz's victory last week in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which gave liberal justices control of the court for the first time in 15 years. Theyll likely have the opportunity to counter an 1849 statewide ban on abortion triggered by the U.S. Supreme Courts overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, as well as congressional district maps that had favored Republicans. That same night, however, Republican Dan Knodl won an open seat in the Wisconsin state Senate, giving the GOP a supermajority in the chamber. Wisconsin is always going to be 50/50, right down the line, said Democratic strategist Pete Giangreco, who worked on Barack Obamas presidential campaigns and is advising 2024 U.S. Senate candidates in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. But youve got to have the blue wall first, or the Georgias and the Arizonas dont matter. Giangreco, who also was part of Protasiewicz's victorious campaign, noted that progressive Brandon Johnson's win over a moderate Democratic rival in Chicago's recent mayor's race may have boosted the city's convention bid. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, was endorsed by progressive leaders including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The 47-year-old, who is Black, won by building a multiracial coalition that included young people and labor unions, and he brings a new sense of optimism to the city a combination of factors that Democrats need to recreate in 2024, Giangreco said. Its very clear Brandon brought younger people into activism, into the electorate, Giangreco said. "It certainly didnt hurt our chances at all that you have a mayor of the city whos dynamic and young and part of a movement that is an important part of our party. ___ Weissert reported from Washington. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A retired firefighter who threw a fire extinguisher at police officers during the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced on Tuesday to more than four years in prison. Robert Sanford struck two police officers in the head with the fire extinguisher that he threw as he stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with a mob of Donald Trump supporters. He also threw an orange traffic cone at a Capitol police sergeant. Sanford also hurled obscenities and insults at the law enforcement officers on the Lower West Terrace, calling them traitors, a prosecutor, Janani Iyengar, wrote in a court filing. One of the officers struck by the fire extinguisher had a bump and swelling on his head; the other had a headache and went to a hospital for a medical exam, prosecutors said. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman sentenced Sanford to four years and four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to an online court record. Federal prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and 11 months. Sanford, 57, of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, worked as a firefighter for 26 years before retiring in 2020. A fire extinguisher is an instrument that he was uniquely familiar with and should have known how much damage it could cause, the prosecutor wrote. Sanford traveled to Washington, D.C., with friends from Pennsylvania on bus trip organized by the conservative activist group Turning Point USA. He listened to speeches at Trump's Stop the Steal rally before joining the crowd that marched over to the Capitol and disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying Democrat Joe Biden's electoral victory over Trump. Sanford was arrested on Jan. 14, 2021. He has been jailed since he pleaded guilty last September to assaulting, resisting or impeding police officers using a dangerous weapon a felony punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. He wasn't accused of entering the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Sanford began to work with a specialist in cult deprogramming in August 2022 and was confronted with facts about the baseless conspiracy theory that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election from Trump, according to defense attorney Andrew Stewart. "Even after he was incarcerated, he participated in regular discussions designed to challenge his ideology and belief structure, then help him understand how and why he developed the beliefs that led him to make the decisions that he did on January 6," Stewart wrote in a court filing. Sanford believed that police had attacked him and others without provocation when he picked up and threw what felt like an empty fire extinguisher, his lawyer said. Certainly, this is not a justification for his action nor is it intended to be, Stewart wrote. More than 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Over 600 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Over 450 of them have been sentenced, with over half getting terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years. More than 100 police officers were injured during the Jan. 6 riot. Also on Tuesday, a Nevada man who joined other rioters in assaulting police officers in a tunnel on the Lower West Terrace was sentenced to six years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols also ordered Josiah Kenyon, 35, of Winnemucca, Nevada, to pay over $43,000 in restitution for damaging a window at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Kenyon was dressed as the character Jack Skellington from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas when he joined the mob's attack. He used a table leg with a protruding nail to strike an officer in the leg and hit a second officer so hard that it lodged in the officers face shield and helmet, prosecutors said. Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of seven years and four months for Kenyon, who pleaded guilty to assault charges in September 2022. Kenyon drove to Washington from Reno, Nevada with his wife and young children to attend Trump's rally. Kenyon told FBI agents that he hated Trump and went to the Capitol because he was trying to raise the violence level, prosecutors wrote, adding, His idea was to have 'the Trumpers' charge the police line which would in turn cause the officers to shoot the rioters." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOULDER CITY, Nev. (AP) The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday that outlined two ways that seven Western states and tribes reliant on the overtapped Colorado River could cut their use, but declined to publicly take a side on the best option. One option would be more beneficial to California and some tribes along the river that have high-priority rights to the river's water. The second option is likely to be more favorable to Nevada and Arizona, who share the river's Lower Basin with California and say it's time for an approach that more fairly spreads the pain of cuts. That approach would force cuts on a proportional basis, when water levels at key reservoirs along the river dip below a certain point. The Interior Department defended its authority to make sure basic needs such as drinking water and hydropower generated from the river are met even if it means setting aside the priority system. At the end of the day, the Interior secretary has the authority and the responsibility to operate the system," Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau told The Associated Press. He said those duties give the federal government the ability to make some decisions that defy the priority system. The alternatives explore how the federal government could deal with water shortages at Lake Powell and Lake Mead through 2026. Lake Powell, located in Arizona, and Lake Mead, which sits behind Hoover Dam in Nevada, are the largest built reservoirs in the U.S. and serve as barometers of the river's health. The federal government typically announces in August how much water is available for the coming year. The 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) powerhouse of the West serves 40 million people across seven states, which span tribal land, and Mexico. It also generates hydroelectric power for regional markets and irrigates nearly 6 million acres (2,428 hectares) of farmland. A multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse has sent water levels at key reservoirs along the river to unprecedented lows. That's forced the federal government to cut some water allocations, and to offer up billions of dollars to pay farmers and cities to cut back. Officials expect some relief this year from a series of powerful storms that blanketed California and the Western Rocky Mountains, the main source of the Colorado River's water. But Beaudreau said states, Native American tribes and other water users recognized that it would be in no ones interest to stall talks because of the winters healthy snowpack. The snow is great. Its a godsend. But were in the midst of a 23-year drought, Beaudreau said. Last year the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation called for the states to figure out how to cut their collective use of the river's water by about 2 to 4 million acre feet or roughly 15% to 30% of their annual use but an agreement has since been elusive. An acre-foot of water is roughly enough to serve 2 to 3 U.S. households annually. In January, six of the seven U.S. states that rely on river Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado outlined how they would conserve significantly more water, but California disagreed and released its own ideas a day later. The proposal released Tuesday builds on some of those ideas and rejects others, including a call by the six-state coalition to account for water loss from evaporation and leaky infrastructure as the river travels to states, cities and farms. One of the options would achieve similar cuts but through different means. Both largely focus on cuts to the Lower Basin users California, Arizona and Nevada. The lengthy environmental analysis released by the Biden administration explores two options for cuts, as well as a third that takes no action. States, tribes and other water users now have until May 30 to comment before federal officials announce their formal decision. The two plans outlined by federal officials Tuesday would achieve at least 2 million acre-feet of cuts in 2024, on top of existing cuts that states and other users previously agreed to. Among the main differences between the two plans from the Interior is whether states in the river's Lower Basin should have their water supplies cut on a proportional basis if water levels at Lake Mead fall below a certain level. The other plan allocates cuts based on the priority system in which water users in the West with more senior rights, like California face fewer cuts. The Department of Interior is not promoting one option over the other. Some of the commentary has depicted an us-versus-them dynamic in the basin, Beaudreau said. I dont see that at all. Arizona and California are looking at how to develop a true seven-state consensus in the coming months, said JB Hamby, who chairs the Colorado River Board of California. Hamby is also a board member of the Imperial Irrigation District, a vast farming region in Californias southeastern corner that holds rights to the largest share of the rivers water. The district said Tuesday it was concerned by any plan that involves equal cuts among water users. The Quechan tribe along the Arizona-California border also opposes plans that throw out the priority system. Weve got senior water rights and last we checked, we still live in a priority-based system, said Jay Weiner, the tribes attorney. Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said it's imperative that the states reach an agreement that avoids legal action. "Once litigation occurs, its going to be very difficult to negotiate something moving forward. Litigation that might take 10 or 15 or 20 years is going to be occurring while the system and the lake behind us is going to crash," he said. Reclamation also didn't say how Mexico might contribute to the savings, but that discussions are ongoing. The country is entitled to 1.5 million acre feet of water each year under a treaty reached with the U.S. in 1944. In recent years, Mexico has participated in water savings plans with the U.S. amid worsening drought in both countries. ___ Naishadham reported from Washington, D.C. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment IONIA, Mich. (AP) A western Michigan man who said he accidentally shot an 84-year-old woman campaigning against abortion rights at his home has pleaded no contest to assault and two other charges, records show. The shooting occurred in September in Ionia County. Richard Harvey, 75, said Joan Jacobson was talking to his wife about opposing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot and had refused to leave. Fun fact: Despite its role in upholding, rejecting or effectively rewriting laws that greatly impact our everyday lives from issues of civil rights to health insurance to abortion the U.S. Supreme Court is the only judicial body in the nation that isnt governed by a code of ethics. This absence of standards means there is essentially nothing stopping any of the courts nine justices who hold lifetime appointments from, say, cavorting with a billionaire Republican megadonor on private jets and super yachts. Or accepting gifts worth thousands of dollars from that same billionaire. Or rubbing elbows with the leader of the so-called architect of the right-wing takeover of the federal judiciary at exclusive lakeside resorts. In the case of Justice Clarence Thomas, these arent hypothetical scenarios. A recent ProPublica investigation revealed that Thomas, 74, has spent 20 years jet-setting and vacationing with Harlan Crow, a Dallas real estate businessman who has given $13 million in political donations to the Republican party and has long supported efforts to move the judiciary to the right. Over the course of their friendship, Crow has taken Thomas and his wife on lavish vacations to Indonesia and posh resorts in the Adirondacks. He has also showered Thomas with gifts, from a $19,000 Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass to a portrait of the justice and his wife to a bronze statute of his eighth grade teacher. That's quite an adoring bestie. Federal law requires Supreme Court justices to report all gifts worth more than $415. The only thing possibly saving Thomas from a flagrant violation of the law is that until recently, the judicial branch had not clearly defined an exemption for gifts considered personal hospitality. The court's policymaking body last month revised the rules to require disclosure when judges are treated to stays at commercial properties, such as hotels, ski resorts or other private retreats owned by a company, rather than an individual. The changes also clarify that judges must report travel by private jet. Still, ethics law experts agree that Thomas' failure to disclose private jet and yacht excursions, at minimum, violates judicial norms. After the Los Angeles Times reported in 2004 that Thomas accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts since joining the high court, he simply stopped disclosing them. Since 2004, Thomas has reported only two gifts: a bust of Douglass that Crow gave him, and an award from his alma mater Yale Law School. The years of lavish trips funded by Crow were kept on the hush. We can only speculate as to whether this lack of transparency was the result of Thomas' own interpretation of the disclosure rules or a purposeful obfuscation of impropriety. In a statement, Thomas said he sought guidance from "colleagues and others in the judiciary," and was advised that the "gifts and trips from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable." What, if anything, Crow received in return for his generosity is unclear. While the Supreme Court hears cases that impact the real estate industry, Crows firm has never had a case before the court. For his part, Crow said in a statement that he and his wife have been friends with Thomas and his wife Ginni since 1996 and that they have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue, and that the hospitality extended to the Thomases is no different from the hospitality we have extended to our many other dear friends. This benign characterization of their relationship strains credulity. The timing of their friendship which, by Crows account, began five years after Thomas was sworn in as an associate justice would be curious even if Crow wasn't a prominent GOP benefactor who has also donated millions of dollars to groups dedicated to conservative jurisprudence. Even the nature of Crows gifts go well beyond materialistic pursuits. In 2011, Politico reported that Crow gave half a million dollars to a Tea Party group founded by Ginni Thomas, which also paid her a $120,000 salary. Ginni Thomas is, of course, a longtime conservative activist in Washington who sought to overturn President Trumps election loss in 2020. Despite his wife's involvement, which included a barrage of text messages to Trump's chief of staff strategizing on how to subvert democracy, Thomas didnt recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 election results. Thomas' loose understanding of ethics seems to be reflective of the highest court's perception that rules don't apply to them, simply by virtue of their unique Constitutional role as the final authority on the law. Chief Justice John Roberts has said in the past that justices cannot be bound by all of the rules that apply to lower court judges and that he has "complete confidence in the capability of my colleagues to determine when recusal is warranted." Despite the court's long tradition of questionable personal conduct who can forget Antonin Scalia duck hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney? we are supposed to believe that these nine men and women are unbiased umpires following the letter of the law, even as the court's decisions shatter judicial precedent and erode the public's trust. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday announced plans to hold a hearing regarding the need to restore confidence in the Supreme Courts ethical standards." We believe Congress should go even further. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, introduced a bill in February that would, among other provisions, strengthen recusal standards for judges and disclosure rules for special interests trying to influence the courts and mandate the creation of a binding code of ethics. Critics contend that such legislation would raise concerns about separation of powers, yet just last year Congress passed a bipartisan law sponsored by Texas Sen. John Cornyn requiring federal judges to submit periodic reports of securities transactions in line with other federal officials. There appears to at least be some agreement that judges should be subject to the same ethical standards as other public officials. The highest court in the land should not have the lowest ethical standards. Judges should be paragons of integrity. The public has given the Supreme Court ample time to reach consensus on an internal ethical code of conduct. The revelations about Thomas show it hasn't earned the trust to govern itself. "I Need a New Butt!" If reading that title causes an eruption of giggles, you may be one of the four-year-olds among the book's intended audience, amused as the main character considers getting a rocket or robot rear end. If reading the title causes waves of anxiety, you may be a Llano County official. The title is one of several at the heart of a fight that has stretched on for months now, all leading to a special meeting this Thursday where the county commissioners court is set to decide whether to keep its libraries open at all. The embattled list of 17 books includes several for adults and young adults that deal with themes of race, gender and sexuality in addition to the ones for kids about farts. The case stands out as campaigns to pull books from the shelves move from classrooms to libraries, threatening the fabric of free society. Libraries are a rare and crucial public good where everything from childrens story hours to computer classes are offered free of charge. Sociologists, including Eric Klinenberg, argue that libraries, or "palaces for the people" as he dubs them, are so critical to the functioning of a healthy society that we should consider them social infrastructure, as worthy of an Infrastructure Week as bridges and railways. That a county would consider doing away with them altogether signals a troubling, but not unprecedented, retreat from the belief in the public good. Dont like integrated classrooms? Just close the schools. Dont want white kids swimming with Black children? Just close the pools. Dont want people reading Pulitzer-Prize winning author Isabel Wilkersons book about racism and caste? Just close the libraries? Thats what it might come to here in Llano County, northwest of Austin. There, seven residents filed a lawsuit back in April 2022, alleging that their First and Fourteenth amendment rights had been violated when the county pulled books from the shelves and restricted access in what appeared to be a coordinated effort between library and county officials. In late March this year, a federal judge ordered the libraries to return the books in question to the shelves and to cease weeding anymore books until the lawsuit was resolved. The county appealed the decision. "It is a sad state of affairs when the County threatens to shutter libraries in retaliation for losing in a court of law," Leila Little Green, a parent and patron who helped bring the lawsuit, wrote in an email to the editorial board. "This action would end employment for some beloved public servants, eliminate innumerable resources, and devastate a lot of people in this community." All over 17 books. Nobody is forcing children or adults to read any of the books in a library, Ellen Leonida, one of the lawyers who filed the lawsuit, told us in an email last year. The speech the defendants are trying to censor focuses on books about U.S. history, books about race and racism, and books by or about LGBTQ people. These books are not pornography. They are history, politics, science, fiction and memoir. Llano County public officials dont have to read any books they disagree with but they have no right to ban them. Maybe not. The county judge, one of the defendants in the lawsuit, declined to speak with us but in court, the county has made procedural arguments about the library system's authority to "weed" books. It argued that the 17 books in question were still made available via an "in-house" checkout system. They didn't appear in their regular spots or in the library catalogue but for those who somehow knew to ask, they were held in a back office. The county has also argued that what the plaintiffs call censorship was simply part of the library's regular duties. The employee who "weeded" the books, according to the county, followed industry-wide best practices, part of a regular process evaluating the relevance, currency and physical quality of a library's collection. She did so, the argument goes, without regard to specific viewpoints. In fact, she did so without even reading them! In response to U.S. district judge Robert Pitman's order to restock the books, the county implied it might not be able to keep the libraries open if librarians were fearful of other "me too" lawsuits and urged the judge to rescind his order to "ensure that the county's libraries will remain open while the appeal proceeds." Thursdays special meeting could render the back and forth on restocking books moot with a workaround: shutter the libraries instead. These arguments call into question what county leaders have said about keeping libraries open in the past. County Judge Ron Cunningham wrote in an April 2022 statement that the county is committed to providing excellent public library services to our patrons consistent with community expectations and standards, as well as operating within compliance of Texas and Federal statutes. So far, those "community expectations" have seemed to outweigh the commitment to "excellent public library services." The county judge reportedly wrote in an email to Bonnie Wallace, the woman who first alerted the county to supposed Pornographic Filth in its libraries and who is now the vice-chair of the countys library advisory board, that the county is not mandated by law to provide a public library. Even prior to this weeks meeting, the county had radically reshaped the library system, undermining its function as a public resource by first freezing its ability to add any new purchased or donated books, then stuffing its library advisory board with outspoken critics who quickly closed their meetings to the public. The county slashed the library systems budget so much so that in September, according to local outlet The Picayune, all six of the countys librarians presented an official letter of grievance to Library Director Amber Milum in a meeting that Milum promptly left as the letter was being read to her. In it the librarians complained of inadequate staffing, infrastructure improvements, and that the libraries have had to cut most of their programming and have not bought any new books in over a year." "Defendants are not threatening to close the libraries because they are afraid of copy-cat lawsuits," Leonida wrote Tuesday in an email to the editorial board. "They are threatening to close the libraries because they would rather shut down the Library System entirely depriving thousands of Llano county residents of access to books, learning resources, and meeting space than make the banned books available to residents who want to read them." Theres more than one way to skin a cat. And in Llano County, there may be more than one way to ban a book. Regarding Health experts or politicians? Who should set Texas' vaccine schedule? (Editorial), (March 22): Sen. Lois Kolkhorst introduced SB 1024 to give the Legislature the power to set the vaccine list for Texas. Sen. Bob Hall introduced SB 1177 to, again, have the Legislature, composed of businessmen, lawyers, real estate brokers, decide a list of vaccines for Texans. This is in addition to current Texas law restricting abortion access even in cases of rape or incest. What do these pieces of legislation all have in common? They are Republican-sponsored. Republicans condemn Big Government dictating to ordinary citizens how they should live their lives, yet these proposals, along with numerous others (remember the bathroom bill?) contradict this. I voted Republican when Ronald Reagan famously said the government is the problem, not the solution. Americans do not want government intruding in their lives. Today, Big Brother is a Texas Republican. Larry Lass, Houston Abortion, guns both kill Regarding Federal judge in Texas moves to halt decades-old abortion pill approval, (April 7): Republican politicians are using every method to stop abortions. They have put bounties on anyone who is helping someone get an abortion. They are now trying to outlaw the abortion pill mifepristone, which has been used safely for over 20 years. Yet, they wont outlaw the gun another pill that eliminates life. Republican politicians should be held accountable. They are just like the doctors who are performing abortions. They are killing people also. They wont write a prescription to eliminate or limit the misuse of guns. The prescription would read: You must be over 21. You must have a background check. You must have a license. You must have two weeks of training with a certified trainer. You must wait five days after ordering the gun. No guns can be bought online, or at a gun show. And ban all assault weapons of mass destruction, AR-15s and the like. I believe this will save lives. Politicians, regardless of what party they belong to, should be held accountable for the killings that are being committed. Prayers and thoughts are no longer useful for the families who are losing loved ones. Why are so many Republican politicians quiet after each mass killing? John Glenn, Fresno Regarding Gun violence is an epidemic. When will our politicians understand? (Opinion), (April 12): Since we as a country cant seem to find sensible consensus regarding the availability of military weapons, also known as assault rifles, we should start making flag poles that only raise the flags halfway. Gerald Stephenson, Manvel Every day more shootings, and we only read about the larger ones. Why are U.S. citizens told not to travel to Mexico because of random violence when its practically the same right here? Every time we go out, we think this may be it. Should I let the kids go to school? Should I go to the store? I am sure travelers from other countries see the U.S. as a violent country that perhaps they might not want to visit. Kathleen Reeves, Galveston Separated children Regarding U.S.-born children also lost parents at border, (April 12): This situation is beyond horrifying and it needs to be corrected as fast as possible. President Joe Biden has been in office over two years now, and Vice President Kamala Harris was asked to stop migration to the southern border. And you let the story begin with The Trump administration ? Yes, I know the story comes from the New York Times, but you printed it. What has the Biden administration done? Not much. As the writer says, this affects hundreds, and possibly as many as 1,000 children. Yes my values are conservative, but no, Im not a fan of Donald Trump. Put the blame where it belongs, on the current administration, especially the vice president, who has failed completely in her priority assignment to take care of border issues. Alan Nicholson, Pasadena SB 8 hits home Regarding Texas bill that goes beyond Floridas Dont Say Gay law passes first key vote, (April 10): Congratulations to the Texas Senate and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on passage of Senate Bill 8, which, if it becomes law, would return discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation to the home, where it belongs. Jon Elmendorf, Houston Headline has wrong focus Regarding Houston is so much more than butt ugly (Thumbs), (April 7): When I read Saturdays headline, I thought Well, of course thats true. But the story is about the Connecticut governor who retracted the statement he had made and apologized for his poor manners. Theres a platitude that says, accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative dont mess with Mister In-Between. Although the temptation to include butt ugly might seem irresistible, I suggest that the headline of this story should have been about the governor apologizing, not about the subject of and need for the apology. Though not as eye-catching or sensational, in my opinion that would be the kinder, more tasteful and less ugly way to address the subject. Jim Greenwood, Houston Former Gov. Rick Perry said he sees a lot of similarities between the push for school vouchers in Texas and convincing people nuclear power is safe. He said in both cases, the words conjure up negative images that have required years of public education to reverse, something he admits he couldnt pull off during his time as governor. THE LATEST: Texas House votes to block school vouchers, clashing with governor, Texas Senate Just like the general public is afraid of the word nuclear, the general public is afraid of the word vouchers, Perry, 73, said in an interview with Hearst Newspapers on Tuesday from his ranch near Round Top. They have been led to believe particularly in rural areas theyve been led to believe that if you put vouchers into place it will be the demise of your public schools. Perry, a school choice advocate who was the secretary of energy under former President Donald Trump, said hes convinced thats not true and said thats where the fear of nuclear power comes in. With nuclear power, people think of disasters like Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. But he said the future of energy is small modular reactors that are safe and affordable. He said just like with nuclear power, there has to be an education process to show people vouchers are actually a way for parents to choose what is best for their children and wont hurt public schools. Public school advocates say that's impossible, since every dollar going to private education would be taken directly from a local school district under the plan Abbott supports. Such losses would mean fewer teachers and staff at the public schools, and for the students who remain, they say. Perry, who was governor from 2000 to 2015, knows the fight well. For years he tried to push for a private school-choice program in Texas only to see it fail each year, largely due to rural opposition. Early in his tenure as governor he pushed legislation unsuccessfully to give economically disadvantaged students in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio tuition to go to private schools. Even toward the end of his final term, Perry was still calling for some kind of tuition program to help get students out of failing schools. Before Perry, former Gov. George W. Bush made vouchers a priority issue, telling the Texas Legislature in 1999 the time has come to try a pilot voucher program. Now Abbott is trying to pull off what neither of his predecessors could, but with a different twist. Abbott has built a plan around expanding what the state calls educational savings accounts, or ESAs, in order to allow parents to take money from those accounts to help pay for private school tuition. The Senate has passed the concept, but it still appears mired in the Texas House because of opposition from a coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans. That Senate plan would allow parents to receive up to $8,000 to use on private school tuition or home schooling materials for each child. Most private schools cost more than $8,000 a year to attend. Meanwhile in the House, lawmakers have added a provision to their proposed budget that would bar any public funds from being used for private schooling. With just 48 days left in the Legislative Session, Abbott hasn't given up. He continues to travel the state hoping to turn up the pressure on state legislators who are holdouts. On Wednesday, he will be in McAllen at a rally at Covenant Christian Academy, a private school. On Thursday, he will be in San Antonio at St. Mary Magdalen School. Abbott said he is well-aware of the attempts Perry and Bush made, but he sees an opening still. Not only do I see something, but the reality is, the facts are different today than they were under Bush and Perry, Abbott said in an exclusive interview with Hearst Newspapers in February. Houston formally abandoned an ordinance Wednesday that banned buskers throughout most of the city, four months after it was struck down by a federal judge. For decades, Houston made busking musicians and other artists performing on streets for cash tips illegal throughout most of the city. In 1991, it confined the performances only to the Theater District and required interested performers to obtain a permit. BACKGROUND: Busking for tips now legal in Houston after federal judge strikes down ordinance Federal Judge Alfred H. Bennett declared that legal framework unconstitutional in December, ruling the ordinances violated the First Amendment. Instead of appealing the ruling, City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to drop those portions of its code. The council passed the repeal measure as part of its consent agenda, meaning it was not considered individually. The request for council action said Houston Public Works would receive "at most" one permit application a year. Anthony Barilla, an accordionist and longtime Houston resident, filed the lawsuit in 2020. He applied for and got a permit to perform in the Theater District, but he soon realized it was not a lucrative spot to play. The city argued the law was necessary to protect potential crowds of pedestrians gathered around a performer, who may spill into roads and into harm's way, and to protect residents from unwanted noise. Bennett rejected those arguments, saying the city had no significant interest in passing the busking ordinance, and the permitting ordinance was not narrowly tailored. AIRPORT CONTRACT: Pappas sues Houston over Hobby Airport deal, citing call from former mayoral aide during bid process "As it stands, the permit ordinances, together with the busking ordinance, would allow a large group to perform on a sidewalk without a permit as long as the group does not solicit tips, but a single performer seeking tips must have a permit," Bennett wrote. "Presumably, the larger group will interfere with traffic and pedestrian safety more than one performer." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Conservative Republicans are slamming their colleague, state Rep. Bryan Slaton, after reports emerged this week of an ethics complaint filed against him alleging he had an inappropriate relationship with an intern. So far, two GOP lawmakers have called for Slaton to resign, and a third has proposed amending a bill creating the criminal offense of child grooming to specifically target his alleged activity. All of the members rebuking Slaton are, like him, among the most conservative of the Texas Legislature and typically agree with him politically. 'TEXIT' BILL AUTHOR: Slaton's bill calls for advisory vote on Texas secession Slaton, a former Baptist minister and youth pastor from North Texas, has not responded to the allegations, aside from his attorney putting out a statement calling them "outrageous" and "false." State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, expressed contempt for Slaton without mentioning his name Friday, while rumors were swirling before the ethics complaint had emerged. I am absolutely furious at a Republican whom I believe to be a sexual predator. Ive never been so ticked off at another legislator, Cain wrote on Twitter. "He should resign now." On Tuesday morning, state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, also called for Slaton to step down. The past few days in the Texas House screams of everything thats wrong with a small segment of its elected officials. Unfortunately calling the behavior of (Slaton) inappropriate is a gross understatement, Toth wrote. He needs to resign. Now!" Some Democrats have agreed Slaton should step down. Later Tuesday, state Sen. Drew Springer, also a hard-line conservative, took his criticism a step further and suggested Slaton's behavior be called out on the Senate floor during discussion of the child grooming bill. "I have an amendment that enhances the penalty for legislators that groom someone below 21," Springer said, alluding to the allegation that the intern with whom Slaton had a relationship is 19 years old. The bill, Senate Bill 1562, is set to be heard this week. A week after legislation that would give them access to long-awaited autopsy reports was pulled from a Senate hearing agenda, the families of the victims of the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting returned to the Texas Capitol to testify in favor of an identical House bill they call a last ditch effort to get answers. House Bill 3729 would give the families access to footage from the day of the shooting, and, some say, a sense of closure. BACKGROUND: Five years after Santa Fe massacre, relatives still denied records of loved ones' last moments Imagine knowing how your child was born, how they ventured into this world, but not how they died, and how that would impact you, said Rhonda Hart, whose 14-year-old daughter Kimberly was killed. Not knowing how Kimberly died keeps me awake at night. Harts family is one of 10 that have been awaiting answers since the mass shooting. Prosecutors say they cant release autopsy reports or videos from the school because it could jeopardize future criminal proceedings for the now 22-year-old shooter, who has been repeatedly declared mentally unfit for trial. A Senate version of the bill, which would allow them to view the evidence if they agree to not copy or distribute it, was unexpectedly pulled from a committee agenda last week. State Sen. John Whitmire, who chairs the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, told the Dallas Morning News that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had asked him to postpone the hearing after district attorneys voiced concerns that the bill would apply to open investigations in Uvalde, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School last May. SB435 needed some work in order to pass out of committee, Patrick said in an emailed statement to Hearst Newspapers on Wednesday. It will be heard next week and passed out of committee, and then off the Senate floor the following week. SB435 has my full support. Under current Texas law, evidence given to families would become public record. However, the bill the families are pursuing would give prosecutors an exception. A representative of the Galveston County District Attorneys Office, who is handling the case, advocated in favor of the bill Tuesday, saying it would take away concerns of the information becoming public. Its been very difficult, if not heartbreaking, to not be able to give these families answers to their questions; the information that theyre looking for, said Kevin Petroff, first assistant criminal district attorney in Galveston County. We look forward to hoping this bill passes and to being able to answer some of those difficult questions and to assist those families. Alison Steele, whose 19-year-old daughter Cayley Mandadi was killed in a separate incident in 2017, said the bill sets an important standard for helping Texans cope with the aftermath of death and emotionally prepare for public disclosure of what happened. Steele said she waited four months to receive her daughters autopsy report. Even then, I was given just 22 minutes to come to terms with the medical examiners finding that shed been brutally beaten to death, Steele said. Twenty-two minutes before that autopsy was emailed to every news organization that asked for it. Families of victims often receive details shortly before they become public or hear them in open courtrooms. Rosie Yanas, the mother of Santa Fe High shooting victim Chris Stone, said parents have the right to know what happened to their children earlier. I cant tell you anything about my son, how he passed away, Yanas said. This is not something that I want to learn in a court setting. I have my heart set on that we will see that day one day. But this isnt something I want to learn there. I need to learn it in my own privacy, anywhere they can give it to me. The bill was left pending on Tuesday in the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety. It would still need to pass the full House and Senate, and be signed by the governor, to become law. The push for information about Santa Fe comes as advocates and Democratic lawmakers are pushing for a greater focus on gun control in the Legislature. Families from Santa Fe and Uvalde attended a news conference last week just after the Senate bill was pulled from the agenda. Hart, who still made the trip after already having booked a hotel room in Austin and boarding her dogs for the night, called out Patrick specifically, saying her understanding was that he did not like the verbiage in one of the passages of the bill. So rather than submit a committee substitute or amendment, he decided to pull the bill, Hart said. She then addressed Patrick directly, noting he had years to make changes. For five years you could have done something, and you didnt, she said, using an expletive. Cayla Harris contributed reporting. Click here for a Print Subscription with Online Digital included. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Below you will see test that reads Print Subscribe Access. Click this to then Get Started attaching your account number and zip code to you online user account. Click on the banner above if you would like to become a print subscriber with digital access. If you simply want online access without print click get started below. Subscribers to Register-Star or The Daily Mail are eligible to receive full access to HudsonValley360. If you have an existing print subscription, please make sure your email address on file matches your HudsonValley360 account email. Can you copyright a rhythm? Were about to find out Can you copyright a rhythm? A lawsuit over a reggaeton rhythm could change songwriting and music forever and not for the better. by Glyn Moody from Tech Dirt One of the most pernicious effects of todays copyright maximalism is the idea that every element of a creative work has to be owned by someone, and protected against unauthorized that is, unpaid use by other artists. That goes against several thousand years of human creativity, which only exists thanks to successive generations of artists using and building on our cultural heritage. The ownership model of art is essentially selfish: it seeks to maximize the financial gains of one creator, at the expense of the entire culture of which they are part. A good example of this clash of interests can be seen in yet another lawsuit in the music industry. This time, somebody is trying to copyright a rhythm: The [Fish Market song] track featured the first known example of what would come to be known as a dembow rhythm the percussive, slightly syncopated four-to-the-floor beat that travelled from reggae to become the signature beat of reggaeton, today the world-conquering sound of Latin American pop. Now, more than 30 years after Fish Market was released, Steely & Clevie Productions is suing three of reggaetons most celebrated hitmakers El Chombo, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee for what they characterise as unlawful interpolation of Fish Markets rhythm (or riddim), and are seeking the credit and royalties they say they deserved from the start. As the article in the Guardian goes on to explain, the culture that has grown up around the dembow rhythm and its many offshoots is large and flourishing. The lawsuit itself cites no less than 56 songs, and on popular sites like YouTube there many dembow and reggaeton mixes and collections that testify to the vitality and range of the music that has emerged over the last few decades. To claim ownership of the very simple rhythmic patterns that are used is as absurd as claiming ownership of the waltz or tango. If successful, the court case will have a devastating effect on dembow and raggaeton culture, since many of todays and tomorrows artists will doubtless prefer to move on to other styles rather than pay a dembow tax to use something as basic as a rhythm. A couple of musicians may win a few extra dollars, but there will be millions of losers in the form of fans of this music, who will have less of the style they love available to them. Culture itself will also be the poorer. But contrary to its frequent claims, the copyright industry never cared about either, and will be happy to see the courts spread the ownership obsession more widely. Read the filing in California court here. Share on: Music streaming has outsized impact on U.S. economy, says DiMA study The Digital Media Association (DiMA) has released a study that looks at the economic impact of music streaming on the U.S. economy, including the creation of 92,000 jobs. The DMiA serves as a trade organization for the biggest music streamers: Amazon, Apple Music, Google/YouTube, Pandora, and Spotify. Conducted by Secretariat Economists, An Economic Analysis on the Impact of Digital Music Streaming does not look at the impact that streaming has on musicians and songwriters but rather its effect on the broader U.S. economy. Key Takeaways For every $1 in economic value generated by streaming, other sectors of the U.S. economy gain an additional $1.65. Music streaming in the U.S. contributed $14.32 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021. This is similar in size to the annual GDP contributions of Santa Cruz County, California ($15.0 billion) and Alexandria, Virginia ($13.1 billion). Job growth powered by streaming isnt limited to music or technology occupations and it has been growing at an annual rate of 20%. For every job directly created in music streaming, other sectors of the U.S. economy gain 9 additional jobs. Digital music streaming supported over 92,000 total jobs in the U.S. economy in 2021. 8.82% of revenue in 2020 from streaming services went to research and development. This was more than twice the investment level of the average industry. This study offers new insights on the success of digital streaming, for not only the music industry but the U.S. economy and workers across many different occupations, said DiMA CEO Garrett Levin. While streaming is frequently recognized for its contributions to recorded music revenues and its innovations in delivering music to fans, it is less frequently recognized as a catalyst for broader economic growth and over 92,000 U.S. jobs. Click here for the full study. Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music. Share on: NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The City Council will reconsider the appointment of a Housing Authority member it rejected two weeks ago. A special meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, to specifically address the reappointment of Colin Todd and the appointment of any other candidate the mayor brings forward. The council on March 28 voted against Todd's reappointment after a number of individuals, some of whom were not Housing Authority residents, objected. But on Tuesday, his colleagues, residents and Executive Director Jennifer Hohn were in the audience to support him. Leigh Harrington-Uqdah, one of only two remaining members of the board, spoke during open forum at City Council of the problems its actions had caused. "We are without a quorum. We need an annual plan approved. We are close to a RAD conversion and this is putting us in jeopardy," she said. "I think that there was some miscommunication on our end about the meeting or we could have been present for that meeting." Todd himself couldn't be there, Uqdah said, because he had to be at the meeting of a youth organization of which he is president. "I should have done more at that time, say, of speaking up to make us realize we were making a mistake that night," said Councilor Keith Bona, who had voted in favor of Todd's reappointment along with Councilor Peter Oleskiewicz. "We based a vote on a one-sided opinion we were hearing and we rushed it. We should have minimally postponed it so that we could hear all sides." Councilor Wayne Wilkinson, who had voted against the appointment, agreed to bring it forward at a special meeting. A defeated item must be brought forward by an opposing councilor. "I thought we made a rash decision," said Wilkinson. "I don't know how you undo what we did. We made a vote with only hearing one side. Every place in America innocent until proven guilty and all we heard was the negative stuff." When asked if she would resubmit the recommendation, Mayor Jennifer Macksey said, "yes, it is still something that I would like to see." She added that she might have a second appointment to the authority board, which would leave only one vacancy. The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners had penned a letter to Council President Lisa Blackmer and Mayor Jennifer Macksey proclaiming their disappointment in the council's dismissal. "He is probably the best chair we have had in my tenure," Hohn said last week. "I feel terrible that such a good person and such a good commissioner has been dragged through the mud." In the letter, Harrington-Uqdah noted the council's actions had disrupted the board's work. "The denial of his appointment has halted business by the Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners. This is troublesome especially when we need an annual operating budget approved this close to a RAD conversion," she wrote. She noted that Todd completed a training series with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials to become one of two certified commissioners in the Berkshires. She added that he led the authority with "poise" during the pandemic and was responsive and on the scene during the Greylock Apartment fire. She pointed to his involvement in the Rental Assistance Demonstration conversion, among other things. "Being a Commissioner for the North Adams Housing Authority is not a glorious fun position and there are few people that want to volunteer their time and take on the responsibility of this position," she wrote. "I am heartbroken for the residents and staff at NAHA who no longer have a functioning board and just lost their strongest advocate." Hohn said she was surprised that the reappointment was placed on the City Council agenda months after Todd's term had expired. That meeting was canceled because of a snow storm and Todd was never notified of the rescheduling. "He should have been given the opportunity to be present, and he was not," Hohn said. "He was basically dragged through the mud." She was concerned that the mayor had suggested appointing herself as a last resort to keep the board functioning. "Absolutely not. That is a conflict of interest," she said. "I had given her several names who would serve despite all of this drama. No one wants to see what happened to Colin happen to them and some people are still willing to serve people Hohn reiterated that the the authority is separate from the city and it needs to remain that way. "We are 100 percent federally funded. We don't take a dime from the city. We pay a [payment in lieu of taxes] to the city, we have assets, reserves, and we a high-performing Section 8 program and a public housing program," she said. "We have had zero audit findings, and we are in the middle of the RAD conversion, which will allow us to do so many things we have not been unable to do in the past." Hohn thinks the attack on Todd was personal, specifically pointing to Councilor Jennifer Barbeau, who is the council's liaison to the authority, and a dispute about selling produce on the federal property. Barbeau had characterized the authority board's attitude as "hostile" and "intimidating" at the March 28 meeting and said the tenants were "not being represented properly." Barbeau did not attend Tuesday's meeting. Hohn also thinks the idea of a tenant organization, which Barbeau said she was "instrumental in implementing," is a good thing but felt this current iteration was only created as a tool to disrupt NAHA. "A tenant association is a wonderful thing, but this participation comes with chaos and drama. I feel as though meetings have become an arena for constant complaining and it is not what a board meeting is for," she said. Hohn did address some of the complaints leveled at the organization about drugs, assaults and other incidents. The authority has allocated $100,000 to hire private security firms to monitor properties, she said, and is constantly updating the security systems that feed directly to the Police Department. As for transparency, Hohn said before she took over there were no open meetings nor a City Council liaison. She added that commissioners have continued livestreaming their meetings for more access. "There are things I want to get done, and I am not going to be prevented from doing them by people with an agenda," she said. "An agenda not to service residents of North Adams because we service thousands of families. Without us, these people would be homeless." Williamstown Fin Comm Chooses 'Careful' Path, 1.3 Percent Rise in Tax Levy WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Finance Committee last week advanced a fiscal year 2024 budget that carries a projected 1.3 percent increase in the property tax levy townwide. The Fin Comm went into its final weekly meeting of the FY24 budget cycle with one major decision point on its plate: whether to endorse a budget that included $100,000 in spending to bolster the town's stabilization account and an additional $150,000 toward capital projects. The potential tradeoff of pulling that $250,000 out of the spending plan was that, without it, the town would have needed to raise $20.1 million in FY24 through taxation. With the additional outlays, the tax bill goes to $20.4 million. Technically, the issue before the committee was whether to spend $250,000 from the free cash reserve on the stabilization fund and capital expenses or to apply that $250,000 toward general government operations. Under either scenario presented by the town manager, the budget utilizes $1.6 million of a $1.9 million free cash account in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The difference was that under one scenario, a quarter million of that spending went toward "paying down" the tax rate from free cash, also known as the unreserved fund balance. In 2018, town meeting was asked to apply $475,000 in free cash to reduce the FY19 tax rate. In 2019, the number was $518,000 for FY20 spending. In 2020, it was $250,000 for FY21. Last spring, it was $230,000 for FY23. There is no article on the May annual town meeting warrant approved by the Select Board on Monday night to apply any of the unreserved fund balance directly to the FY24 tax rate. Had the Finance Committee chosen the path of applying the $250,000 to general spending needs (rather than stabilization and capital projects), the FY24 projected tax levy increase would have been a nominal 0.09 percent hike instead of the 1.3 percent from the path the committee chose. Under either of the two scenarios presented by the town manager to the Fin Comm last week, the town still projects to have $250,508 in free cash during the next fiscal year to act, like stabilization, as a reserve for emergency expenses that come up during the year. Mid-year access to either stabilization or free cash would require votes from a special town meeting. Free cash is, essentially, the result of overtaxation. It is the excess tax dollars that remain when a municipality spends less than it anticipates and/or raises more than it expects (through, for example, higher than expected user fees) in any given fiscal year. At Thursday's meeting, Fin Comm member Fred Puddester argued against keeping the unreserved fund balance too high and suggested that the town's revenue projections for FY24 are too low, meaning that he expects the free cash to grow higher than the projected $250,508 during the year ahead. He also noted that the FY24 budget includes a $75,000 allocation to a reserve account controlled by the Finance Committee that the panel can release during the year for extraordinary expenses. Town Manager Robert Menicocci made the case for not zeroing out the unreserved fund balance. "We were going to keep our free cash at $250,000 and put another $250,000 into stabilization," Menicocci said. "That gives us a little bit of a backstop in that we're drawing down our free cash. And I would say our role is, in terms of trying to establish a reasonable tax rate, is also to keep the ups and downs at a minimum, to try to have a consistent flow of what the tax bill is every year. "Going forward, I would share that we were fortunate this year. We had an unanticipated [property tax] windfall in terms of taxation with the Cable Mills apartments [going condominium]. Frankly, that surprised us. From a business perspective, we really thought the project itself would hold off on bringing those properties onto the tax rolls in the next year. It's great for us, but it also means, into the future, that we have to be mindful of what is in the pipeline, which is not much. There's not much in terms of big projects that are in the ground." Menicocci said the FY24 budget was designed to be lean, with realistic expectations on the expense and revenue side to avoid building back large free cash reserves. The $250,508 remainder in free cash, meanwhile, was about allowing town officials to "sleep at night." "If anything surfaces, we have some degree of access to that," Menicocci said. "If we spend it down, it's a lower tax rate, but that gives us less wiggle room here. With a higher tax rate, if we estimate in a good way that's favorable to us, that gives us potentially more money, too." Puddester pushed back against one of the town's revenue estimates, saying the town's estimated rooms and meals tax revenue for the next fiscal year was projected "incredibly conservatively." "Our estimate for a full year [in FY24] is less than half of this year [FY23] to date," Puddester said. "In 2022, our actual was $800,000. We're $600,000 halfway through this year. And you're budgeting $450,000. I think that provides a lot of buffer." Menicocci said it was possible to see that kind of fall off, to which Puddester replied, "Does the Chamber [of Commerce] have data to back that up?" The town manager said people in the hospitality industry in town have told him that bookings and receipts are trending down. And he noted that there are reasons why those rooms and meals tax receipts were higher the last couple of years. "We definitely had a robust [2022] season," Menicocci said. "There's no question. As things opened up, people came out. We were especially attractive, I think, because we fell into that niche market during COVID where we were accessible. Folks could get here. The state's borders were a little more open than our neighbors. It was tougher to get into Vermont during some of that time. So we had healthy revenues. "What I'm hearing, and we've seen for ourselves, and I don't know if it was a crazy winter with snow and how snow fell as of Halloween, things were great, and then things dried up. It got extremely quiet for our restaurant folks and retailers, and we've seen in hospitality a similar dropoff. We certainly have concerns about the offerings [in 2023] with the Theatre Festival doing something a little bit different. We're concerned about the economy; you're hearing today from the banking world there's some specter of some grim news of what they're saying in the economy." Menicocci did note that projecting the rooms and meals taxes in March, before the summer season is "a crystal ball exercise." Puddester remained unconvinced. "I just find it hard to believe we're at $600,000 for half a year this year, and we're going to drop to $450,000 next year," he said. "I'm not opposed to having the buffer there. I think you have a really big buffer, and to have $250,000 on top of that in free cash seems like a bridge too far." Both Fin Comm Chair Melissa Cragg and member Paula Consolini said they agreed with the strategy of keeping a quarter million dollars in the unreserved fund balance. "I have to say, I would rather see our people sleep well," Consolini said. "Having been on this committee a long time and seeing what can go wrong In this climate, as in climate change and other challenges, I hate to say it, but I feel like you have to be prepared for some of these things. "I appreciate that Bob is new here, but his instincts to be careful are ones that I share." In the end, the full Fin Comm voted unanimously to go with the scenario Menicocci recommended. The budget passed by town meeting for FY24 will not have a property tax rate number attached. That tax rate is determined in late summer when the town finalizes its recapitulation, or recap sheet, which includes property assessments, expenses and non-property tax revenues, and submits the rate to the state Department of Revenue for approval. The 1.3 percent projected tax levy increase cited last week comes from projections Cragg developed alongside Town Hall staff. Game Wardens Announce Recruitment Criteria, Schedule Public Information Meetings MONTPELIER, Vt. The Vermont Warden Service will be holding three public information meetings this month to raise awareness about updated recruitment criteria. These include: a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in any field of study; or, an associate's degree in natural resources, biology or life sciences, or criminal justice, and three years of full-time work experience; or, a high school diploma or equivalent, and four years of law enforcement service or active-duty military service; or a high school diploma or equivalent, and five years of full-time work experience. Previously, game warden trainee applicants without law enforcement or military service required both a high school diploma or equivalent, and natural resources professional experience or 60 college credits in a related field, to qualify. Those with law enforcement or military service were only required to have served two years, instead of four. "We want the Vermont Warden Service to be accessible from any of the many paths applicants may have followed to develop relevant skills," said game warden colonel Justin Stedman. "At the same time, we want to ensure that applicants have sufficient depth of experience to be successful wardens. These updates should open doors to a more diversely qualified applicant pool." Public information meetings on the updated recruitment criteria will be held at: the Barre Fish and Game Club, Gun Club Road, Barre, VT 05641, from 6-8 pm on April 18 the Orvis Store, 4180 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254, from 6-8 pm on April 20 March 2020 may be remembered as the day the world went on lockdown because of the pandemic. In Southeast Asia, the rushed transition to work from home and then partially back to the office a year later turned to what people now embrace as the new norm. The hybrid work setup isn't entirely new, but employees now want to stick to it. At the same time, companies have come to accept it after it proved to have worked fairly well for two years. Unfortunately, cybercriminals thought it worked to their advantage, too. With tons of valuable data employees bring with them on their devices, it could have felt like the best time for these cyber thugs who found themselves effortlessly stealing from their easy prey. In 2020, there was an increase globally in the number of people using remote access tools such as remote desktop protocol or RDP, one of the most popular application-level protocols for accessing Windows workstations or servers. It also allows access to other device resources and RDP clients are available for all the most used modern OS such as iOS, OS X, Linux, Unix, and even Android. Originally designed as a remote administration tool, cybercriminals use RDP to penetrate the target computer by exploiting incorrectly configured settings or vulnerabilities such as weak passwords. Hacking an RDP connection is lucrative for cybercriminals. In the same year, there were about 147,565,037 remote desktop protocol (RDP) attack attempts against users of Kaspersky in Southeast Asia. When the workforce slowly started going hybrid in 2021, the RDP attack attempts went up a bit to 149,003,835. It was in 2022 when the pandemic restrictions were lifted and by that time, the RDP attempts spiraled down to 75,855,129 or a plunge of -49% from the previous year. "Among our post-pandemic learnings is that flexibility, agility and openness are important to our sustainability and productivity in business. We are still evolving. Part of this evolution is the resounding desire of the workforce in Southeast Asia to stay within the hybrid setup, which boils down to our need for connection and empowerment as humans and we need to acknowledge that," said Yeo Siang Tiong, general manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky. "Part of listening to what the workforce is asking of us is providing options and support within the cybersecurity framework for their safe return to office work in any form. For companies, you will still have to use technology to drive productivity and it will remain this way as things get more and more sophisticated in the business space," Yeo added. For the employed, switching to working from home has been difficult enough. After getting used to this setup for two years, returning to the office may just be as tricky. Companies are in the same predicament rolling back some changes would mean jumping through hoops again like how they did when they deployed these in 2020. To help stressed IT security managers prioritize, we put together some cybersecurity action items for businesses: 1. Keep work-from-home cybersecurity workarounds Whether your workforce is returning from home to office or requires work-related travel, using virtual private network (VPN) and an advanced endpoint and detection response (EDR) solution will ensure their safe return to on-site work. Kaspersky Extended Detection and Response or XDR is a multi-layered security technology that protects IT infrastructure. Whereas EDR focuses on endpoints, XDR focuses more broadly on multiple security control points to detect threats more quickly, using deep analytics and automation. XDR creates security efficiencies by improving detection and response capabilities through unifying visibility and control across endpoints, network, and cloud. It facilitates advanced investigation and threat hunting capabilities across multiple domains from a single console. 2. Restore any security controls you disabled for remote workers To allow remote employees to connect to the corporate network, especially from personal devices, some organizations weakened or disabled cybersecurity controls such as Network Admission Control (NAC). NAC checks computers for compliance with corporate security requirements, such as up-to-date malware protection before granting access to the corporate network. Upon employees' return to the office, NAC should be turned on to protect the internal systems in case the machines pose any risks. Organizations need to anticipate such issues and have a plan that includes resources, deadlines, bug fixes, and maybe even help from IT integrators. 3. Update internal systems Don't forget to check internal critical services. The IT security team needs to know if there are any unpatched servers in the building before letting anyone in. With everyone returning to the office and connecting their laptops to the corporate network at once, just one unpatched domain controller can provide broad access to, for example, employee account data and passwords. 4. Get ready to save and also to pay Bringing employees back to the office may save employers some money. Companies can reduce the number of subscription-based cloud solutions or licenses, such as for video conferencing or electronic signature to bring some services back as local resources. Consider spending those freed-up budgets on organizing digital workstations so that employees can split their weeks between office and elsewhere. Remote work technologies like virtual desktops are much easier to deploy, manage, fix, and protect than remote computers. 5. Save the tools and settings that employees used remotely Thanks to their pandemic experience, employees have mastered new communication and collaboration tools for chats, videoconferencing, planning, CRM, and others. If those tools worked well, employees will want to continue using them. In fact, 74% of Kaspersky's survey respondents said they want more flexible and comfortable work conditions. Companies should be prepared either to approve new services or to suggest and defend alternatives. Dedicated solutions can help organizations manage access to cloud services and enforce associated security policies. IT security should be a business enabler, not a barrier. For SMBs and midrange enterprises, Kaspersky in Southeast Asia also has launched a Buy 1 Free 1 promo. Businesses can now enjoy two years of enterprise-grade endpoint protection for the price of 1 with Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business or Cloud or Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum, with 24x7 phone support. Interested customers can reach out to sea.sales@kaspersky.com. Tech One Global Philippines has been ranked as one of Philippines Best Workplaces 2023. The award was given during the Recognition Gala, held at Hilton Manila. The event was graced by President and Dean of the Asian Institute of Management, Jikyeong Kang, Assistant Secretary - Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster of DOLE, Paul Vincent W. Anover, and was attended by close to 300 guests, including key business leaders from various Great Place To Work Certified organizations in the Philippines. From left to right: Abegail Amador (Sales Manager), Margaux Villas (Assistant Manager - BPO and KPO Operations), Umidu Silva (Manager - Applications Architect), Rijwan Ansari (Manager - Applications Delivery), Luis Barrera (Cloud Services Manager), Almira Navarro (Global Marketing Manager), Nikkie Dela Cruz (Chief People Officer), Lahiru Munindradasa (Managing Director), Lars Jeppesen (Chief Executive Officer), Kaye Bangayan (Project Delivery Lead) Tech One Global Philippines is committed to providing a high-trust workplace for its employees. The company places a strong emphasis on fostering a positive culture and nurturing its people through mentoring and skill development programs, flexible work arrangements, and employee engagement initiatives. The company believes in empowering its employees and encouraging them to take ownership of their work. Tech One Global Philippines is dedicated to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment that enables its employees to reach their fullest potential. "We are thrilled and honored to receive the prestigious Philippines Best Workplaces 2023 recognition. This achievement underscores our unwavering dedication to cultivating a workplace culture that prioritizes empathy, growth mindset, integrity, innovation, diversity, and inclusion for our employees. At Tech One Global Philippines, we firmly believe that our employees are the backbone of our success, and we remain committed to investing in their development, providing them with opportunities for personal and professional growth, and fostering a collaborative, creative, and innovative work environment. This award serves as a testament to our ongoing efforts to create a high-trust workplace culture where our employees can thrive and reach their full potential." said Lahiru Munindradasa, Tech One Global Philippines Managing Director. The company's Chief People Officer, Nikkie Dela Cruz, also expressed her gratitude for the recognition, saying, We got certified for the first time in 2021 with the ultimate goal of creating a positive and diverse work culture for all. Two years down the line, today, we made it to the list as one of the best workplaces. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the diligent efforts and unwavering commitment of our workforce, leadership, and management to uncover blind spots in our company ethos and take action to solve them. As Chief People Officer, this motivates me to continuously commit, maintain, and provide the best possible workplace experience for all. We want to create a culture where all employees are valued, respected, and included. One that constantly evolves and adapts to meet the changing needs of our people. Learning how to do right by their employees and remaining steadfast and purpose-driven during these times of perennial change is a sentiment that Great Place to Work shares with Tech One Global Philippines. As a global authority in identifying and recognizing outstanding organizations, Great Place to Work believes that work has the power to transform society and aims to raise the standard of workplace cultureOnward For All Filipinos! This year, for the first time in-person, a total of 35 companies were recognized as the Philippines Best Workplaces for 2023 in three categories: Small for companies with 10-99 employees, Medium for companies with 100-999 employees, and Large for companies with 1000 employees and above. We have a record-breaking year where we recognized over 150 Great Place To Work-Certified companies and 35 Philippines Best Workplaces in three categories, said Antoniette Mendoza-Talosig, Managing Partner for Great Place To Work Philippines, and Principal Consultant for Great Place To Work ASEAN. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic 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 The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Gerard Depardieu is facing fresh allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour by 13 women. The accusations have emerged after a months-long investigation into the French film star, known for his appearances in Paris, je taime and Jean de Florette. The French investigative news website Mediapart has reported numerous cases of groping, obscene comments and inappropriate acts by Depardieu on film and TV sets between 2004 and 2022, including on the French comedy Big House, the period biopic Dumas and Netflix crime show Marseille. The Independent has contacted representatives of Depardieu for comment, though they have declined to comment on the Mediapart story. Depardieu has denied any criminal behaviour through his Paris-based law firm Cabinet Temime. The company said some of the allegations in the report seem to be based on very subjective assessments and/or moral judgments. Mediapart reported that the accusations against Depardieu involve unwanted touching and groping of young female stars, make-up artists and technical staff, as well as obscene sexual remarks and persistent groaning noises. It was reported that some other colleagues would turn a blind eye to Depardieus alleged behaviour, or laugh it off, saying: Oh, its OK, its [just] Gerard! Depardieu (AFP) Mediapart stated that, out of the 20 producers and directors they contacted, just 11 responded and only one Disco and Turf director Fabien Onteniente said they had heard about inappropriate behaviour. Onteniente said he had been warned that the actor was getting heavy with the girls. He told Mediapart that he had instructed Depardieu to behave himself. In 2018 French film star Charlotte Arnould brought official rape charges against Depardieu, accusing the actor of raping and sexually assaulting her in his Paris mansion in 2018. Depardieu, a friend of Arnoulds fathers, has protested his innocence and attempted to get the charges overturned, but was overruled. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here. A senior Taiwan leader has publicly questioned Emmanuel Macrons commitment to Frances founding ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity following anger at his comments over ties with Beijing. In an interview that was supposed to showcase European unity over China, the French president cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction. Mr Macron also called for the European Union to reduce its dependence on the United States and to become a third pole in world affairs alongside Washington and Beijing. 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 }} Taiwans citizens have found a symbol of resistance against Xi Jinpings leadership after China staged three-day military drills around the island. Cloth badges worn by Taiwanese air force pilots show an angry Formosan black bear seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity punching Winnie the Pooh that represents Mr Xi. The badges carry different slogans like Scramble!, we are open 24/7 and fight for freedom. Mr Xi had become infamously associated with the character created by British author AA Milne, following a meeting with Barack Obama, who was then the US president, for a summit in 2013. Taiwan government-owned Military News Agency had released a photo on Saturday of the badge on the arm of a Taiwanese pilot inspecting a fighter jet. The badges have caught on among the Taiwanese public and are now being sold for 200 Taiwanese dollars ($6.50). They have been produced by Wings Fan Goods in Taoyuan city, east of capital Taipei. The badges carry the same protest symbolism that has been seen in Myanmar in the form of a three-finger salute and white paper protests in China. Taiwan is claimed by China as its own territory and does not look kindly upon Taiwans ties with the West. Chinese censors have long targeted comparisons of Winnie the Pooh to Chinas president. Badges are becoming famous in the face of Chinas military drills around Taiwan (AFP via Getty Images) Alec Hsu, who designed the cloth badges, told Reuters that he has been selling them at his shop since last year, but saw a spike in orders after Taiwans military news agency published the photo . I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch, said Hsu, who owns Wings Fan Goods Shop. Mr Hsu said the increased demand for the badges has increased after the recent Chinese drills and customers have included both military officers and civilians. Taiwans air force told the news outlet that it does not particularly encourage its members to wear the patch, which is not a part of their military uniform. But it will maintain an open attitude to anything that raises morale. The bear-battle badges also found mention in Chinese social media as commentators made fun of the trend. A Chinese commentator wrote on Weibo: The mainland is building warships and Taiwan is building shoulder patches. I am very relieved. On Monday, the Chinese military finished its three-day combat readiness patrol around the self-governed island, a day after president Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei following a meeting with US House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. Taiwans defence ministry said Chinese warships were still present in the waters around Taiwan on Tuesday even after Beijing announced the end of the war games. 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 }} Four Indian army soldiers were killed in an early morning shooting inside a military base in the northern Indian state of Punjab on Wednesday, the Indian army said. The shooter, who is suspected to be a soldier, remained at large on Wednesday afternoon more than eight hours of the shooting. The Bathinda military station was cordoned off and sealed as quick response teams were conducting search operations, the armys South Western Command said in a statement. The incident comes two days after an assault rifle along with 28 rounds of ammunition went missing from the camp. All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System rifle) along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained, the army said. The firing occurred around 4.35am local time on Wednesday near the officers mess of an artillery unit inside the military base, the army said. Bathindas Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) GS Khurana said initial inputs suggest a soldier opened fire on the secure campus, reported the Hindustan Times. Initial information says some army person opened indiscriminate firing on others. Preliminary no sabotage is suspected but details are awaited [sic], said SSP Khurana. Punjab police have said the incident is not a terrorist attack in a state which borders Pakistan. It is a matter of an internal fight. I have spoken to SSP and investigation is underway, says Punjab minister Anmol Gagan Maan. Forensic teams of Punjab police reached the military station and all entry gates to the area have been sealed to conduct an investigation into the case. Defence minister Rajnath Singh was briefed on the incident on Wednesday afternoon by army chief General Manoj Pande. Incidents of killings between co-workers in the Indian army known here as fratricide are not uncommon. According to government data, 25 such deaths were reported between 2019 and 2021 in the Central Armed Forces (CAF) alone. 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 director of a tiger reserve in India has defended his staff after a visit by prime minister Narendra Modi failed to spot any big cats. The prime minister had travelled to Mysuru city at the weekend to take part in a commemorative event to mark 50 years of Project Tiger and in theory draw attention to the increasing population of tigers as shown by the latest five-yearly survey. According to these figures the number of tigers in the wild grew from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 by the end of last year. Yet Mr Modi saw nothing more than pawprints during his two-hour safari in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka on Sunday. Local media reports said members of Mr Modis ruling BJP party, as well as senior officials in the federal forest department, complained to the reserves management and attempted to put the blame on the driver of the vehicle, suggesting he should have changed the route of the safari if there were no tiger sightings. And images widely circulated on social media purported to show that the registration of the 29-year-old driver Madhusudhans vehicle had been cancelled in the wake of the criticism. This was denied by the reserves director. During Mr Modis two-hour drive inside the core area of the Bandipur reserve which is spread over an area of 912 sq km he saw large herds of elephants, a number of gaurs (Indian bison), spotted deer and sambar, a deer native to the Indian subcontinent. Senior forest officials from the Bandipur Tiger Reserve stood up for Madhusudhan and said he did his job. They claimed he took the route which was finalised by the PMs security staff beforehand. The reserves director Ramesh Kumar was quoted as saying that in the name of high security, vehicles repeatedly went on the selected route, hampering the sightings. Rangers said the security staff, including the prime ministers Special Protection Group (SPG) and the local police, were camping on the identified route for days before Mr Modis arrival, during which tigers were sighted. Park officials had to request them to leave the route on Saturday night to give the animals a chance to return. The Hindu cited unidentified sources as saying that the prime minister expressed happiness at the wildlife sightings and joked at the SPG that their security drills may have perhaps forced the tigers and leopards to retreat. But other reports said he scolded the security team. Sightings in forests is just luck. When I did the trial run on Friday and Saturday for the security teams, two tigers were sighted, Madhusudhan told The New Indian Express. In fact, the PM saw fresh tiger pugmarks, but just missed the tiger. I followed the route as my boss told me. I was so scared that I couldnt even talk to the PM. All my focus and attention was on his safety. Mr Modis trip was scheduled to promote the release of the latest data showing India is now home to around 75 per cent of the worlds tigers in the wild. The latest census figures mean that the number of tigers in the country has almost doubled in the last 17 years, from just 1,411 back in 2006. The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but also for the world, Mr Modi said. 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 }} Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said his recent ouster from parliament is the biggest gift the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could give him as he greeted large crowds in Kerala states Wayanad his former electoral constituency. This was Mr Gandhis first visit to his constituency in southern India since his disqualification from parliament last month. Large crowds, including workers from Keralas opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) workers, gathered in Wayanads Kalpetta town on Tuesday as the 52-year-old former Congress MP returned to his former constituency. Crowds were seen lining the roads as Mr Gandhi, accompanied by his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, conducted a road show and addressed a public gathering. The show of strength rally, titled Satyamev Jayate (Truth alone triumphs), comes as Mr Gandhis party continues to protest against his disqualification both inside and outside Indias parliament. This (disqualification) is the biggest gift they could have given me. When the BJP is taking away my house, disqualifying me as an MP and attacking me I realise that I am right, he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. Mr Gandhi was controversially disqualified following his conviction in a defamation case for allegedly insulting prime minister Narendra Modi in a 2019 speech in which he referred to a list of thieves as having the surname Modi. The courts order had also approved his bail on a surety of Rs 15,000 (148) and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal. Two days after the courts order, Mr Gandhi was disqualified from parliament in a move that has been criticised by opposition parties as well as observers as being politically motivated. Earlier this month, a court had granted him bail in the case. Mr Gandhi was also asked to vacate his government housing following the disqualification procedure. The Congress leader claimed he is facing action for asking questions about the prime ministers relationship with billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, who belongs to Mr Modis home state and has often been accused of benefitting from close ties with the prime minister. Indias parliament also saw routine disruptions during the Budget session, as the opposition demanded a discussion on allegations of fraud and stock manipulation against the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate run by its founder Mr Adani. The Adani Group has strongly denied the allegations and Mr Adani has refuted charges that he has benefitted from Mr Modis reign. I went to Parliament and asked the PM to explain his relation with Adani. I kept asking that single question I asked, how come Adani, who once was at 609th in the list of wealthiest persons in the world, became number two, Mr Gandhi said. I gave examples of how the PM himself facilitated his growth. The PM did not answer my question. I saw for the first time the government itself disrupting the proceedings in Parliament. Despite his disqualification, Mr Gandhi said his relationship with the people of his former constituency will not change. BJP can take away my MP tag, my house or put me in jail, but they cannot stop me from representing the people of Wayanad, he said. 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 Myanmar military has admitted to carrying out airstrikes on a village gathering organised by its insurgent opponents where about 100 people, including children, were killed. The military launched the strikes on Tuesday in the Sagaing area in northwest Myanmar, in one of the deadliest incidents of the civil war so far. A spokesperson for the military junta, General Zaw Min Tun, told state television that the attack targeted an inaugural ceremony for an office organised by the National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration, and was aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region. He said the village of Pazigyi was attacked because it was holding a ceremony to mark the opening of an office for their local volunteer defence force. "During that opening ceremony, we conducted the attack. PDF (People's Defence Force) members were killed. They are the ones opposing the government of the country, the people of the country," said Gen Zaw Min Tun. "According to our ground information we hit the place of their weapons' storage and that exploded and people died due to that," he said. Referring to accusations of civilian casualties, he said "some people who were forced to support them probably died as well". The PDF said it had cremated about 100 bodies, including 16 children, while the exact toll remained unclear. Myanmar has been gripped by a bloody civil war since the junta led by General Min Aung Hlaing wrested power by overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 February coup. The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule. According to witnesses, a fighter jet dropped bombs directly into a crowd of people who were gathering at 8am for the opening of the office. Half an hour later, a helicopter appeared and fired at the site. "I was standing a short distance from the crowd when a friend of mine contacted me on the phone about the approach of a fighter jet," a witness, who did not want to be named, told the Associated Press. Aftermath of an airstrike in Pazigyi village in Sagaing Regions Kanbalu Township (AP) The jet dropped bombs directly on the crowd, and I jumped into a nearby ditch and hid. A few moments later, when I stood up and looked around, I saw people cut to pieces and dead in the smoke. The office building was destroyed by fire. "About 30 people were injured. While the wounded were being transported, a helicopter arrived and shot more people. We are now cremating the bodies quickly. UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the attack in a message before the juntas statement, saying it appears schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians ... were among the victims. Mr Zaw Min Tun said photographs showed some of those killed were in uniform and some in civilian clothes, accusing the PDF of falsely claiming civilian deaths. He also accused members of the PDF of committing "war crimes" and killing "monks, teachers and innocent residents" in the area who did not support the opposition. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemned attack and called for those responsible to be held accountable. Mr Guterres reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country, his spokesperson said. Amnesty International responded to the attack by calling on the international community to suspend exports of aviation fuel to Myanmar. The group has previously described countries that are continuing these exports, including India, as being complicit in the juntas war crimes. While some meaningful action has been taken, the international community can and must do more to stop attacks on civilians in Myanmar, said Amnesty researcher Montse Ferrer. 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 }} Police have launched an investigation after the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) sacked boss Tony Danker and suspended three other employees following a series of misconduct allegations. The board of the business group said Mr Dankers conduct fell short of what was expected of him and said there had been serious failings in how it acted as an organisation. Now the City of London Police has confirmed that the force is investigating the claims. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight said: The City of London Police takes all acts of sexual misconduct and violence against women and girls extremely seriously. We approached the CBI following media reports and our investigations are at a very early stage. It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time. But the former boss said that he was shocked by the decision and claimed that allegations against him had been distorted. I recognise the intense publicity the CBI has suffered following the revelations of awful events that occurred before my time in office, he tweeted, referring to allegations against himself and others at the CBI. I was appalled to learn about them for the first time last week. I was nevertheless shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed. Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that. The trade body has been rocked by allegations of a toxic workplace culture since Mr Danker was last month accused of allegedly making unwanted contact with a woman who works for the CBI. She considered the contact to be sexual harassment, the Guardian reported at the time. The group launched an investigation into his behaviour and he agreed to step down in the meantime. The first part of this investigation by an outside law firm has been completed, the CBI said. Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him, it said. The board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the director-general. Last week, the Guardian said it had been approached by more than a dozen women who claimed to be victims of various forms of sexual misconduct by senior members of the CBI who were not Mr Danker. One woman said she was raped at a staff party. The board appointed former chief economist Rain Newton-Smith to take the top job from Mr Danker. She left the organisation just last month to join Barclays. The CBI said: The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating. While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better. We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories. Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace. The CBI said that the outside law firm would continue its investigation and the business group would cooperate fully if the police launch any investigations. The group will also launch a root-and-branch review of its culture, governance and processes, and create a new position of chief people officer. We wish to thank all those who have had the courage to speak out, through internal or external channels, and encourage them to keep doing so, it added. Following her appointment, Ms Newton-Smith said: Its a huge privilege to be asked to return to the CBI to serve as its director-general. I passionately believe in the power of business to transform our society. I want the CBI to be an organisation of which we can all be proud. I am grateful and determined to lead the team through this challenging time. I look forward to working with the team, our members and stakeholders as we work together to achieve sustainable growth. Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the Fawcett Society said: The stories of sexual harassment at the CBI are horrifying and our thoughts are with the women affected. Whilst the alleged incidents themselves are terrible in their own right, we are hugely disappointed to see that the CBI did not have effective policies in place to ensure that allegations were treated seriously and sensitively. We know that this is a common story. The government committed to tackling workplace sexual harassment in 2021, and there is currently a draft Bill in the House of Lords, which the government has supported, which would ensure all businesses have those policies in place. We urge them to prioritise ensuring that these protections are in place, as women cannot wait any longer for safe, respectful workplaces. 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 }} In March, Louisiana officials announced a deal to free an unlikely folk hero and fugitive: Neuty the swamp rat. His fellow species members may not be so lucky. In 2020, New Orleans couple Myra and Denny Lacoste found the pint-sized specimen on the side of the road, after his mother and siblings had been killed by a vehicle, so the family decided to take in the cuddly nutria, a species of semiaquatic mammal native to South America known for its bright-orange teeth. Neuty swam in the Lacoste family pool, rode around town in their truck, even greeted customers at the Lacostes seafood store, until the mammal, which grew to be 22 pounds, attracted the attention of the media, then local officials. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initially planned to confiscate the critter and relocate Neuty to the Baton Rouge Zoo, though the DWF eventually settled last month for a deal where the Lacoste family would give the nutria regular veterinary checkups and keep him caged while at the seafood shop. Were beyond ecstatic, Myra Lacoste told The New Orleans Advocate. Were anxious to hold him and smooch on him. Neuty may have come out unscathed, but things look a little different for his swampy brethren: nutria, which can consume up to a quarter of their body weight in plant material a day, are the subject of a sweeping nationwide culling effort to stop the swamp rats from eroding wetlands and damaging farm crops. The state of Maryland spent more than two decades and $30m to eliminate the nutria, using a technique dubbed rolling thunder to systematically move across half a million acres of marsh land and kill roughly 14,000 of the mammals, sometimes using radio-tagged nutria to lead game officials to burrows. The invasive species was declared gone from Maryland in 2022. Nutria are native to South America (AP) We went a year or two before any of us really thought that those were the last ones, Trevor Michaels, a supervisory wildlife biologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told The Wall Street Journal. We really didnt believe it. Other states have launched similar efforts with Illinois working with the US Department of Agriculture to eliminate nutria in the state, while Louisiana offers a $6-per-tail bounty on the nutria, a programme thats paid out more than $30m for over 6 million kills. In California, wildlife officials are using scent dogs to track nutria through state wetlands. Nutria have been confirmed across Merced, Stanislaus, Fresno, San Joaquin, Fresno, Mariposa, Sacramento, Madera, and Tuolumne Counties, according to state officials. Due to their feeding habits, up to 10 times the amount of plant material consumed is destroyed, causing extensive damage to the native plant community, soil structure, and nearby agricultural crop, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The loss of plant cover and soil organic matter results in severe erosion of soils, in some cases converting marsh to open water. The animals also burrow deeply into wetlands themselves to make homes, further eroding soils. Neuty may go free, but the days of his far-flung cousins may be numbered. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Brooke Shields has spoken candidly about her relationship with her late mother, Teri Shields. On 11 April, the 57-year-old supermodel appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show, where she reflected on her complicated relationship with her mother. During Tuesdays episode, Shields and Barrymore, who were both child stars, shared details about their unusual upbringings. The talk show host then asked the Blue Lagoon actor whether her mother, Teri, had dated any of her former partners as Barrymores mother, Jaid Barrymore, had. My mom, like, went and dated my boyfriends. Did you ever have that weird situation with your mom? the Charlies Angels star questioned. No, because she was in love with me, Shields replied. The Endless Love actor went on to clarify that her mother had no interest in dating men because she was too busy managing her daughters career. I was her main focus. Both of us were cut off from our sexuality, she explained. I was going to stay a virgin. She was going to be just Terri terrific and being there. The Never Been Kissed star then chimed in with her own anecdote about her mother, who she said was so enamored with me that she wanted to be with the people I was with. Shields responded: I get it. Its so needy and weird. In her new Hulu documentary, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, the actor opened up about the exploitation and sexualisation she experienced as a child star including how her mother allowed her to pose nude for Playboy when she was just 10 years old, and play a child prostitute in the 1978 film, Pretty Baby. In an interview with The Sunday Times last March, Shields recalled her daughters reactions when they learned their mother had played a child prostitute at such a young age. Its child pornography! her 19-year-old daughter said in the documentary, perThe Times. Would you have let us [do that] at the age of 11? she asked, to which Shields responded: No. Brooke Shields and Drew Barrymore reflect on their complicated childhoods Shields then acknowledged how difficult it was for her to have this conversation with her daughters Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, and how she couldnt give them a reason why their grandmother let her do the projects. I mean, I could say: Oh, it was the time back then, or Oh, it was art, Shields said. But I dont know why she thought it was all right. I dont know. Later on during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Shields discussed her codependency with Teri after Barrymore had pointed out that the two were often seen by each others side in interviews. She explained that her mother appeared next to her when she was a child star out of a desire to protect her. It was: No ones gonna get you. Im gonna be there. Im there first. Youre mine. Im not going to give you to somebody, said Shields, adding that this was done under the guise of protection, but it was more ownership and fear, I think. Teri Shields died on 31 October 2012 at age 72 due to an illness related to dementia. While Shields mother has received criticism over the years for her controversial parenting decisions, the model has said that she doesnt feel any anger towards her. Everyone always wanted me to be angry with her, but anger was just too sad for me to take when I looked at how insecure she was, Shields told The Times. She added that she still feels the need to protect her mother, even more than a decade after her passing. Its so innate when youre an only child of a single mother, Shields said. All you want to do is love your parent and keep them alive forever, and so I wanted to protect her. And by virtue of protecting her, I was justifying everything, and that solidified that bond between us. 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 }} People are expressing their outrage over concert guests who bring signs, which ultimately block other fans views of the stage. In a video posted to TikTok earlier this month, one fan, @glitterkitty9000, shared footage that they captured during K-pop band Stray Kidss recent concert in Fort Worth, Texas. The clip showed the fan standing at the show, which was part of the groups 2023 Maniac World tour, while another person stood in front of them and held up a large sign. Throughout the seven-second clip, the fan proceeded to hold up the sign and move it side to side as the group performed on stage. In the caption, @glitterkitty9000 addressed their disappointment about their seat, since their view of the stage was almost entirely blocked. I hate sitting in the middle, they wrote. Yall front people lucky I need tips because Im never lucky. The clip was also set to an TikTok audio that featured a voice saying: Girl, if you dont put that f***ing sign down. S***. As of 11 April, the video has more than four million views, with TikTok users in the comments criticising the concert-goer for bringing a sign, while claiming that the band on stage wouldnt even be able to see it. Like they [are going to] see it from that far, one person wrote, while another added: NO BC THEY WONT EVEN SEE IT WHY DO YOU KEEP WAVING IT. A third said: Signs are for the front row people. Other people questioned the sign for how much appeared to be written on it, while some revealed that theyve had similar experiences at concerts. They wrote a whole paragraph on that thing, let alone being so far back, one person wrote. Thats crazy. BRO THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME ON FLOOR AND IM 51, another added. I LITERALLY YELLED PUT THE BANNER DOWN MAN. This happened to me bro, I was so annoyed, a third wrote. I had to tell the girl in front of me to keep her Lightstick at shoulder level. Along with @glitterkitty9000, multiple people have used the TikTok audio to showcase the signs that fans have held up at concerts. For example, @piwonsouls, shared a clip in February that was taken during K-pop band Tomorrow x Togethers (TXT) concert. As she stood in the pit, the TikTok user filmed the fans in front of her, who could be seen holding up signs and waving their arms side to side. You guys need to stop with these signs at K-pop concerts, she wrote in the text over the video, which has more than one million views. Because [what the f***] is thisIf theres a sign blocking my view at TXT, Im ripping it in half. This isnt the first time concert guests behaviour has sparked an etiquette debate on social media. Last week, a fan was seen twerking during one of Taylor Swifts Eras tour shows, prompting viewers to question the appropriateness of the dance move during a concert. Last month, a video of a fan singing louder than Billie Eilish at her concert also resurfaced amid the ongoing debate about concert etiquette. While some felt like fans should sing as loud as they want, others said the behaviour was an example of bad concert etiquette. One in four UK parents have to give up their job or leave education due to the high cost of childcare, a new study says. The research, by global childrens charity Theirworld, showed that the childcare crisis in the UK is worse than many other countries 23% of UK-based parents had to either quit their job or drop out of studies due to childcare costs, compared with 17% in Brazil and 16% in Turkey. So, what conversations can working parents particularly mothers, as childcare so often disproportionately falls on women have with their bosses to combat the crisis, if they do want to stay in employment? 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 }} A woman left with regret after travelling to Turkey for surgery to get the Instagram look has called on others to do their research. Zara Edgar, 36, spent thousands of pounds in search of the perfect tummy, boobs bum and teeth. She says the ultimate goal was to look good in her bikini, but she now regrets her decision. Zara, who is now living on the West Indian island of Grenada, flew out to Turkey with husband Igel Edgar, 39, last year. The trip was en route to their new life in Grenada in November, after the couple sold their home in Manchester. They say they paid for a deal with a clinic which the couple had found on Instagram. This included the surgery and hotel stays for 11 nights, they said. Zaras 6k surgery was done on the first day, and her 4,500 dental work four days later. The couple said Igels dental work also cost 4,500 and they spent another 1,000 on food during their stay. Zara has no complaints about her boob increase, and says her teeth are bearable. But she says her stomach is still painful now and her bum isnt the size she wants it to be. Igel also had tooth implants and veneers to improve his smile but is unhappy with the results. Zara, who used to work as a bank clerk, said: "I was trying to get that Instagram look, where everything is perfect. But I'd never do that now - it's not worth it. Just accept yourself the way you are. I wish I had. I regret this so much. I feel so upset about it. I wanted to feel good in my bikini. Zara spent thousands of pounds on surgery (Zara Edgar / SWNS) "Igel said I looked lovely before. I wish I'd believed him. My tummy feels like there's metal inside. It makes me so unhappy. Igel's implants were supposed to give him confidence, but he's more worried now than ever. "I just want people to know not to do this, do as much research as you can. Don't trust Instagram as a platform for finding surgery... everything looks good on there. "It might be cheaper to go abroad than the UK but its much much more important to care for your body than get anything cheap." Zara says she contacted the company who told her the couple could come back as they have a 20-year guarantee. The Turkish firm claim the couple paid less than 16,000 but would not confirm the total. They also claim the couple did not make their final payment but would not say how much was owed, and claimed that the couple seemed happy when they left and could ask for help anytime. The plastic surgery was a complicated operation, they said, adding that they have hundreds of patients. SWNS 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 }} Joe Biden has kicked of his four-day visit to the island of Ireland, landing in Belfast. Air Force One arrived at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The US president is meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday before heading to Co Louth, Dublin and Co Mayo. The Beast presidential car has made an appearance too with Biden stepping off the plane and into the famous car. Heres what you need to know about it When was The Beast name introduced? The Beast name first appeared back in 2001 with the arrival of President George W. Bush. That car was an entirely ground-up built model, incorporating many of the functions that are fitted to the modern version. Its a name that would stick, too, and has continued through to the present-day vehicle. What is the current model based on? The current model is made by General Motors (GM) in the United States and debuted in 2018. Though many of the details about The Beasts underpinnings are scarce, its believed to be based on one of GMs larger trucks, albeit equipped with more car-like features similar to those found on the Cadillac Escalade. Its thought that The Beast could weigh up to nine tonnes and can seat up to seven people. Does it have any cool features? The Beast is jam-packed with features. It has been designed to deliver the best possible protection for the President. As a result, it has 13cm-thick laminated glass for the windows, run-flat tyres with a solid core to ensure that they can still roll when punctured and 20cm thick military-grade armour for the panels. Plus, the fuel tank is bullet and blastproof, while emergency equipment includes firefighting gear, oxygen tanks and containers of the Presidents blood type. Where has it appeared recently? The Beast is often used for some of the Presidents key visits and was used back in September 2022, by Biden for the state funeral of the Queen. The Beast was also used during Bidens first visit to the UK in June 2022 after being named as president. Have previous presidents been driven in The Beast? Yes. Over time, The Beast has evolved and changed to include more high-tech features, but all presidents since George W. Bush have used a version of it. President Obama was driven in The Beast on numerous occasions, while President Trump was also a frequent passenger in it. In fact, Trump made a notable appearance in The Beast when it was used for a spin around the famous Daytona 500 racing circuit. Has The Beast been to Ireland before? Yes, Barack Obama did a 24-hour tour of the island of Ireland in 2011, including a stop in Moneygall, Co Offaly, where his Irish ancesters hail. The Beast hit headlines because it appeared to get stuck for some time on a ramp leaving the Dublin embassey. A bang was heard as the car rolled over the ramp and crowds cheered. US officals later denied that it was The Beast, saying the car in question had been a spare limo carrying staff and support personnel. 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 }} Jerry Hall was watched by security as she packed her belongings after Rupert Murdochs brutal email telling her he wanted a divorce, a new report has claimed. The 92-year-old media tycoon reached a settlement with Jerry Hall, his fourth wife, last August after his abrupt decision to end the marriage. Hall, a 66-year-old model and mother to four children with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, reportedly told friends she was heartbroken and devastated by the split. In a new report on power struggles and family relationships in the Murdoch family, Vanity Fair revealed that after the pairs divorce, Hall reportedly told friends that security guards watched as her children helped her pack when moving everything out of their Bel Air estate. The report claimed that Hall had to show receipts to prove that items belonged to her. The Independent has contacted representatives of Murdoch and Hall for comment. Elsewhere in the report, the alleged message that Murdoch sent via email, informing Hall that he wanted a divorce, was disclosed. In June last year, Hall was waiting Mr Murdoch to arrive at their Oxfordshire estate when she checked her phone, the report stated. Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall at St Brides Church in London after their wedding ceremony in 2016 (PA) An email from Mr Murdoch, seen in the screenshot by the magazine, said: Jerry, sadly Ive decided to call an end to our marriage. We have certainly had some good times, but I have much to do My New York lawyer will be contacting yours immediately. Murdochs marriage to Hall was his shortest to date after Patricia Booker (1956-1967), Wendi Murdoch (1999-2013) and Anna Murdoch Mann (1967-1999), and was the first wife with whom he did not have a child. Hall reportedly told people that Rupert and I never fought, outside of small disagreements over political matters. Just months after the divorce with Hall was settled, Murdoch was seen on holiday in Barbados with Ann Lesley Smith, to whom he proposed on 17 March in New York City. It has since been reported that the engagement has been called off, two weeks after being announced. Smith, a former radio host who is 25 years Mr Murdochs junior, was previously married to country and western musician Chester Smith, who died in 2008 at the age of 78. The pair recorded an album together in 2005, titled Captured by Love. 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 }} Prince Harry will attend the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Buckingham Palace has announced but his wife Meghan Markle will stay at home in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The news comes after months of speculation over whether the couple would attend the Saturday 6 May ceremony. The Duke of Sussex has been seeking an apology from his family, according to his round of television interviews in January. But despite insisting he wanted to reconcile with his father and brother, there has been no meaningful reunion with Charles and William since the many personal family revelations made in his memoir, Spare. Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6 May, the royal statement said on Wednesday. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Royal author Omid Scobie, tweeted: I understand that Archies fourth birthday (also on 6 May) played a factor in the couples decision. He added: Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Harry laid bare his grievances with the royal family in Spare, released in January, along with his and Meghans Netflix documentary series, Harry and Meghan. Meghan will not attend the coronation in May (Getty) The book broke records, becoming the fastest-selling non-fiction title upon its release, selling 1.4 million copies on the first day. In March, the Duke made a surprise visit to the UK for a hearing at the High Court in London for his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers, over allegations of unlawful information-gathering. The publisher is seeking to end High Court claims brought by people including Harry, Sir Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence over alleged unlawful activity at its titles. It is alleged that the unlawful acts included hiring private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside cars and homes and the recording of private phone conversations. The publisher hit back at the allegations, describing them at the time as preposterous smears and a pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal. Charles and Camillas coronation is being held at Westminster Abbey in London, with 2,000 guests expected to be in attendance. This comes in stark contrast to the 8,000 guests present at the Queens coronation in 1953. Charles will turn 74 years old in November 2022, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history. Follow the latest royal updates here. 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 }} A new biography about King Charles III, authored by royal biographer Robert Jobson, is set to be released on Thursday 13 April. The book, titled Our King Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed, charts the new monarchs trajectory from his birth to his ascension to the throne, which took place after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year. According to his publisher, Jobson set out to reveal the real man behind the crown and examine Charless passions, purpose and motivations as the UK gears up for the coronation on 6 May. The author considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role. It also contains new claims about members of the royal family and about Charless personal feelings on how certain events in his life have unfolded. These are the biggest claims Jobson has made in his forthcoming biography: Prince Harry shocked royals by insisting Meghan accompany him to Balmoral after the Queen died On 8 September, the day Queen Elizabeth died and Charles ascended the throne, the Duke of Sussex notably travelled to Balmoral separately from his brother, the Prince of Wales, and other members of the royal family. Prince Harry took a private jet to Scotland, whilse Prince William drove the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh from Aberdeen airport. In an interview ahead of the publication of his memoir Spare, Harry claimed he received a horrible reaction from the royal family when he was reunited with them after Elizabeths death. Jobson claimed that Harry chose to travel to Balmoral alone after a disagreement over his wife, Meghan Markles attendance. The author wrote that Harry insisted Meghan accompany him to Balmoral, but Charles told him she could not come. A royal insider was quoted as saying: It did not go down well with the family, they were all shocked by his behaviour. Britain Prince Harry Coronation Queen insisted on meeting Liz Truss days before she died against doctors advice Only two days before her passing, the late Queen invited the newly appointed prime minister Liz Truss to Balmoral to form a government. According to Jobson, the monarch did so against the advice of her doctors, who worried about the Queen due to her frailty. However, close sources were quoted as saying that nothing was going to stop her from carrying out the official meetings with Truss and then-outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson. The Queen is said to have insisted that it was her job to formally install Truss as prime minister in the traditional kissing hands ceremony. However, the meetings took an awful lot out of her. Installing Truss was one of her last acts as Queen. Britain Politics (PA) Queen Mother disapproved of Prince Philips alpha male parenting style Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was reportedly not a fan of the Duke of Edinburghs preferred parenting style, particularly when it came to Charles. Jobson described the late Prince Philip as having an alpha male parenting style that was authoritarian and strict towards Charles, who was known for having a sensitive nature. The Queen Mother is said to have frowned upon his brashness and the way he treated Charles. Philip would set very strict rules and expect Charles to meet incredibly high standards, Jobson wrote. It was a way to exert control over his behaviour or activities. There was little warmth towards his son and, growing up, Charles often felt lonely and isolated. Charles agonised over his mistake of not calling off wedding to Diana It was claimed in Jobsons book that the King agonised over the fact he did not call off his wedding to Diana, despite being reportedly unsure about whether they were compatible. The author wrote that Charles believes he let down not only the monarchy, but himself and Diana too, through his inability to call off the wedding. He claimed that the then-Prince of Wales aired his reluctance about the marriage to his close circle of friends and said: I desperately wanted to get out of the wedding in 1981, when during the engagement I discovered just how awful the prospects were, having had no chance whatsoever to get to know Diana beforehand. Diana was also said to be having second thoughts, as she reportedly told her sisters Lady Jane and Sarah that she believed Charles was still in love with Camilla Parker-Bowles, who was married to Andrew Parker-Bowles at the time. But Charles has long accepted that his reputation in relation to his doomed marriage to Diana would be forever distorted, Jobson wrote. (Getty Images) Charles stopped taking Harrys calls after Megxit Jobson also claimed that King Charles stopped taking Prince Harrys calls after he stepped back from his royal duties in 2020. Jobson wrote that Harry regularly phoned his grandmother from California until he kept trying to air his grievances. In the end, [the late Queen] asked him to speak directly to his father instead, he claimed. The author wrote that a source told him: Her Majesty found Prince Harrys calls quite difficult and wearisome. She didnt want to interfere in the father/son relationship and would urge him to speak to his father. He alleged that Charles eventually stopped taking Harrys calls after his son swore at him and repeatedly asked for funds. When the Queen asked Charles why he hadnt given in, he told her that he wasnt a bank, Jobson wrote. Jobson claimed that the Queen felt let down by Harrys decision to step back from his royal duties, and that she saw the departure of the Sussexes as a missed opportunity. The Queen, however, apparently hoped her grandson would find peace and happiness in his new life. William known to speak forcefully to Charles The author alleged in his book that William had been known so speak forcefully to his father King Charles. One exchange between them was so heated that it left Charles shaken, he claimed. Jobson went on to claim that both of Charless sons tempers are reminiscent of their mother Dianas, which Charles had struggled to cope with during their marriage. Instead of a line being drawn under it, Charles relationship with his sons has apparently deteriorated further. Jobson added that both of Charless sons had challenged him on occasion. Our King Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed is available to buy at Amazon, WHSmith and Hive. 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 }} King Charles IIIs coronation, which takes place on Saturday 6 May, is set to be attended by 2,000 guests, including foreign monarchs throughout Europe. The coronation will be held in London at Westminster Abbey, which can seat up to 2,200 people. The limited guest list marks a departure from the late Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation, which was attended by 8,000 guests with 129 nations and territories officially represented at the ceremony. In early April, Buckingham Palace unveiled the official invites for King Charles and Queen Camillas coronation. The elaborate invitation, which was reportedly sent to 2,000 people, invited guests to attend The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III & Queen Camilla By Command of the King the Earl Marshall is directed to inviteto be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on 6th day of May 2023. As the Kings coronation fast approaches, theres been much speculation over who will be attending the slimmed-down service. While members of the British royal family are likely to attend, many royal families across Europe are also expected to attend the coronation. The move marks a break from royal tradition. According to The Telegraph, the coronation was considered a sacred ceremony between a monarch and their people in the presence of God, but Charles is set to do away with the tradition and invite his counterparts from around the world. Heres a list of all the European royals who have confirmed their attendance so far. On 11 April, Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko of Japan confirmed they will be attending the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, according to local media. The Imperial Household Agency announced they received an invitation from the British royal family in March requesting that the head of state or proxy attend the ceremony. The crown prince will represent his brother, Emperor Naruhito, at the coronation, seeing as the emperor doesnt attend foreign royal coronations per protocol. However, Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, attended the Queens funeral last September. Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko confirm attendance at Kings coronation (Getty Images) The Danish royal family also confirmed their attendance at the coronation earlier this month. In an announcement shared to the Danish Royal Houses website, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark said they will participate in the coronation of HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Great Britain at Westminster Abbey in London. Frederik attended Queen Elizabeths funeral in September with his mother, Queen Margrethe II. In addition to Denmarks royal family, the Swedish Royal Court has also confirmed the coronation attendance of King Carl XVI Gustaf, along with his daughter and heir, Crown Princess Victoria. The Swedish monarch is one of the few foreign rulers to attend the British kings coronation, rather than sending a consort to represent him. Prince Albert II of Monaco was the first foreign head of state to confirm he would be attending the Kings coronation. In January, Monacos reigning sovereign told People that he and his wife, Princess Charlene, will be among the guests at Westminster Abbey. Im certain that its going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one, the 64-year-old royal said. Weve maintained contact since His Majesty became King, but I havent talked to him personally since the Queens funeral. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 (Getty Images) The prince shared that hes certain the King will add his own personal touches to the coronation. However, he was unsure whether their eight-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, will be invited. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain confirmed their attendance on 11 April, as well as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands will also attend the coronation, while their daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, and Willem-Alexanders mother, Princess Beatrix, will attend the reception at Buckingham Palace on 5 May. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit will represent Norway at the coronation, following their recent visit to the UK where they were hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle in March. Grand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand-Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg will also attend, along with Queen Anne-Marie of Greece and her son and daughter-in-law, Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal. A source previously told The Mail on Sunday: At the Queens Coronation there were no crowned monarchs, only the protectorate rulers like the Queen of Tonga. Its been a tradition for centuries. Inviting the King of Jordan, the Sultan of Brunei, the Sultan of Oman and the Scandinavian royals who are all friends of Charles will be a good bit of soft power and diplomacy. Buckingham Palace previously announced that King Charles III has invited more than 850 community and charity representatives to his and Queen Camillas coronation. More than 450 British Empire Medal (BEM) recipients were invited to see the service from inside Westminster Abbey, while some 400 young people representing charities will be able to watch the coronation and procession from a special private viewing at the nearby St Margarets Church. Although not a foreign monarch, President Joe Biden has confirmed that he will not be attending King Charles IIIs coronation. Instead, his wife First Lady Jill Biden will be going on behalf of the United States. 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 }} King Charles III is said to be tired and infuriated by his brother, the Duke of Yorks resistance to moving out of the Royal Lodge. It was previously reported that the monarch offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage to Prince Andrew, after asking the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate it. But the disgraced duke, who has not been a working royal since 2020, is understood to be resisting any attempts to move him out of his current residence and into the smaller royal property. As King Charles prepares to be crowned on 6 May alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, the monarch is reportedly facing a real battle with Andrew over the question of where he will live. In January, Andrew was reportedly moved out of his suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace and told there is no place for him there. A source told PageSix: Relations between the King and his brother have never been this bad. It has turned into a real battle which he never expected and its left him tired and infuriated. It comes after the royal family appeared publicly while attending a church service on Easter Sunday at Windsor. King Charles and Camilla led the family to St Georges Chapel, followed closely behind by Andrew and the Princess Royal, and other senior members of the family. But Andrews reported stubbornness over moving out of the 30-room mansion is growing wearisome. Another source was quoted as saying: Andrew doesnt want to leave because the property is seen as a symbol of senior royalty an important property in the familys portfolio. The source claimed: But [Prince] William, who is the heir to the throne, has his eye on it. King Charles III (2L) and Queen Camilla (L) walk with Princess Anne, Princess Royal (C), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (3R), Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (2R) and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh as they arrive for the Easter Mattins Service at St. Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) The Prince and Princess of Wales currently live in Adelaide Cottage, located near the Royal Lodge in Windsor, with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The family moved there less than a year ago, but it has been reported that the four-bedroom cottage is very cramped and William is keen for more space to reflect his new role. Andrew has lived in the former home of the late Queen Mother since 2004 with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. He signed a 75-year lease for 1m and spent around 7.5m repairing and renovating the property. But he reportedly told friends he may have to move out as the King is expected to cut his 249,000 annual allowance from this month, which would leave him struggling to cover the cost of maintenance. (Rex features) Despite, this, Andrew is said to be remaining resolute that he will stay at the Royal Lodge and has not accepted the offer to move to the smaller five-bedroom Frogmore Cottage. There have also reportedly been tensions among the King and his siblings over the topic of their mothers inheritance, as Charles became the sole beneficiary of the late Queen Elizabeth IIs 650m estate. It was reported last month that the King has not shared out the inheritance, which means Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew have inherited nothing from the Queen. They are said to share some resentment due to this. This is a particularly unenviable position to be in for Andrew, who, unlike Anne and Edward, does not receive handouts from the Sovereign Grant because he is not a working royal. The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace and Andrews representative for comment. 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 Duke of York had an insane list of demands while travelling abroad, including a 6ft ironing board and room-temperature water only, according to an ex-diplomat. Former UK diplomat Simon Wilson is set to describe Prince Andrews wishes in the forthcoming ITV documentary The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, which will be released on 20 April. Wilson recalled receiving the list when he was working as the deputy head of a British mission to Bahrain in 2002. Andrew was the Special Representative for International Trade and Investment for the trip. In the documentary, per Sky News, Wilson says: We had a whole raft of things that came out in advance of his visit, his dislikes in terms of eating and stuff. [Andrew] would only drink water, it had to be at room temperature, no ice. The duke also insisted on bringing a large entourage on his journey, including a private secretary, an equerry, a valet, a lady clerk and a business advisor. Wilson recalled: We were shocked when a 6ft ironing board was trying to be negotiated into one of the embassy cars. I asked the valet and said, This is insane. And the valets response was, No one knows how to iron his Royal Highnesss trousers like me. The former diplomat also revealed that the duke would refuse to speak at events, even when he had a speech prepared for him. He recalled an event during which Andrew initially refused to get up, and when he did, he tapped the ambassador on the head two or three times and said, This is the man wholl tell you all about trade and sat down. Prince Andrew (Getty Images) The whole room went totally silent, Wilson added. The Independent has contacted a representative of Andrew for comment. Recently, the disgraced duke is said to have left his brother, King Charles, tired and infuriated over his refusal to move out of the Royal Lodge. It has been reported that Charles wishes for Andrew to move out of the 30-bedroom mansion that he has occupied since 2004 and into the smaller five-bedroom Frogmore Cottage, the former UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. But Andrew is understood to be resisting any attempt to move him out of the Royal Lodge, despite having reportedly told his friends he would not be able to afford the cost of property maintenance if the King cuts his annual allowance. Andrew stepped down as a working royal in 2020 over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Real Crown is set to reveal the real behind-the-scenes story of the lives, loves, scandals, trials and tribulations of the worlds most famous family. The five-part series will feature interviews from key figures and rarely seen footage of the royal family. The Independent has contacted Andrews representative for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability." Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington, the U.S. and Philippine defense and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the U.S. was allocating more than $100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes China's claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the U.S. delivery of much-needed defense equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This year's Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, U.S. and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at U.S. security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defense pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedaled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase U.S. warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to U.S. and Philippine military officials. 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 }} Social media companies are once again in the spotlight after a bank employee in Louisville, Kentucky, killed five people in a mass shooting and livestreamed the attack on Instagram. Tech companies have gotten better in recent years at cooperating to tamp down the spread of mass shooting videos on mainstream platforms. But there's still no easy way to stop shooters from broadcasting their grisly crimes without shutting down livestreaming services altogether. Here's what we know so far about what happened in Louisville: HOW DID META RESPOND? Instagram parent company Meta, which also owns Facebook, said in a statement that it quickly removed the livestream of the Louisville shooting on Monday morning. But Meta did not immediately respond to questions Tuesday about how long it took to take down the livestream or how many people watched it before it was removed. Instagram allows users to anonymously report livestreams. Once a report has been submitted, the companys policy states that it will review the broadcast as quickly as possible and remove those that violate its policies. Depending on the severity of the situation, the company may decide to end a live broadcast, disable the account or contact law enforcement. IS THIS THE FIRST LIVESTREAMED SHOOTING? No. All told, there have been seven perpetrator-produced videos of violence posted on social media in the past four years that major companies have tried to keep off their platforms, according to the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. In September, a gunman livestreamed his attack on people in Memphis, Tennessee, during a rampage that killed four and wounded three, police said. The shooting came four months after a white gunman massacred 10 Black shoppers and workers and wounded three in a shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that was livestreamed on the Amazon-owned gaming platform Twitch. The platform said it removed that video in less than two minutes, which was not fast enough to prevent copies of the clip from spreading to other social media sites. But the removal was considerably faster than the 17 minutes it took Facebook to take down a livestreamed attack in 2019 at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. That shooting killed 51 people. Also in 2019, another gunman killed two people during a shooting at a German synagogue that was also livestreamed on Twitch. Last June, two Muslim men in India were accused of slitting the throat of a Hindu tailor and posting a video of it online amid rising tensions between Hindus and Muslims in the country. HOW HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES CHANGED THEIR TACTICS? The methods to curb attack videos have evolved since 2014, when Islamic State militants in Syria began sharing grisly propaganda videos of the beheadings of kidnapped journalists and other hostages. While those events were not shared live, it was "really the first time that there was a major terrorist incident designed for the social media era. And platforms realized that they had to do something, said Courtney Radsch, a fellow at the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy. Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Google-owned YouTube formed a group in 2017 called the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. Its mission expanded after the Christchurch killings spurred a much more aggressive effort to not only eradicate terrorist content online, but also to go after mass killing videos perpetrated by white nationalists and other types of extremists, said Radsch, who serves on a committee for the group. The group, known as GIFCT, now has nearly two dozen members, including Amazon, Airbnb, Dropbox, Discord and Zoom. Whatever platform has the original video will submit a hash a digital fingerprint corresponding to that video and notify the other member companies so they can restrict it from their platforms. While not perfect, experts say the response has grown quicker and also now encompasses PDF files to stop the spread of manifestos. Unfortunately, as these have continued to occur, the more of these weve gone through with our members, the more everyone strengthened their muscle memory around this, said Sarah Pollack, a spokesperson for GIFCT. A day after the Louisville shooting, clips from the gunmans livestream were not easily findable on Instagram or other popular social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. The first calls to police were around 8:30 a.m. Monday By midday, the GIFCT had put out its highest-level alert for coordinating efforts to stop the videos spread. WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE? Its hard to know if the effort to slow the spread of videos has done anything to deter the violence itself. Theres a tension between platforms wanting to give their users new capabilities and opportunities to engage and the risks of livestreaming, said UCLA's Radsch. Livestreaming, "with no delay, with no real oversight, can present really challenging situations when users use your platform to livestream terrorism, extremism, violence, suicide. She said platforms still need to take more seriously whether to adopt additional precautions. The challenge is, any precaution you put in place for a mass violence event could also potentially be leveraged to prevent livestreaming of police brutality or pro-democracy protests, she said. So it really is a double-edged sword. Also, while mainstream companies are coordinating their response, they have little influence over the dark web forums that are still trying to collect and share the videos other than preventing them from obtaining footage in the first place. ___ O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. 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 }} Specialist forensic accountants should be brought in to go through the SNPs finances, a former member of the Scottish cabinet said as he warned it is absolutely unacceptable that the partys auditors had quit months ago without members being informed. Alex Neil, who served in the top teams of both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, said SNP members need to know why accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had resigned from the role. SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf revealed on Tuesday the firm had quit in about October meaning the party has been without auditors for several months. The party has now informed watchdogs at the Electoral Commission which it has to submit accounts to in July of a difficulty in identifying replacement auditors. News that the auditors had quit emerged just days after Police Scotland officers searched both SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and the home of former first minister Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell who was SNP chief executive until last month. Mr Murrell was arrested by police investigating SNP finances, but was later released without charge pending further inquiries. Mr Yousaf said on Tuesday that appointing new auditors is one of his major priorities. But Mr Neil, who backed rival candidate Kate Forbes in the recent leadership contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon, said: We havent been told why the auditors resigned, we need to know why, what reason was given for them resigning. He told BBC Radio Scotlands Good Morning Scotland programme the partys situation is absolutely unacceptable, quite frankly. The veteran party member said it appears the SNP is struggling to find new auditors, as he questioned whether there had been mismanagement of the partys finances. What Humza needs to do is bring in a new business convener... bring in a new chief executive, and in the meantime get forensic accountants in to tell us the real state of the party's finances Alex Neil He went on to call for specialist forensic accountants, who can be involved in investigating cases of fraud or professional negligence, to be brought in to go through the books. Speaking about the situation facing the SNP, Mr Neil said: Its very unfair, to say the least, on Humza. Clearly hes taken over a complete bed of nails, both in the Government in terms of the shambles of some policy areas as well as in the party, and its very worrying that a party that has got 72,000 members, with all sources of income weve got, appears to have financial difficulties. These difficulties appear to be as a result of mismanagement of the partys finances. We really have to get to the bottom of this. My own view is Humza should bring in special accountants, called forensic accountants, to look at every aspect of party funding and report back to the party at the earliest opportunity. Lets get to the bottom of this, lets get it sorted and move on. The SNP confirmed Johnston Carmichael had informed the party in September last year it would not be able to carry out the 2023 audit, with the decision coming following a review of its client portfolio. The party contacted alternative firms late last year, but found they were experiencing capacity issues and were unable to take on new clients. Mr Neil also urged Mr Yousaf to bring in a new business convener to replace Kirsten Oswald, and for members of the partys ruling National Executive Committee who had previously opposed reforms to the system of governance to consider their position. He said: Its not doing the party any favours, day after day having drip after drip of new information, it is all bad news and I think what Humza needs to do is bring in a new business convener of the party, bring in a new chief executive, and in the meantime get forensic accountants in to tell us the real state of the partys finances. With Mr Yousaf having already pledged a review of governance and transparency in the SNP, Mr Neil added that this should not be carried out by those who have failed in governance in the first place and should be done independently so we get people in who are professional advisers on governance and get our structures right. Mr Neil continued: People who opposed the governance reforms that were put forward, if they are still on the national executive, because this was two or three years ago, I think they should certainly consider their positions. 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 }} President Joe Biden braved poor weather conditions on a day split between Northern Ireland and the Republic as he juggled his political duties with a quest to explore his family roots. Following his arrival on Air Force One in Belfast on Tuesday evening, the US president was quickly back on board the famous aircraft for a trip south to Dublin Airport. During his brief stay north of the border, Mr Biden had stressed his support for the institutions created by the Good Friday Agreement and made a keynote speech at Ulster University. Having started his visit north of the border, Mr Biden made his keynote speech following a breakfast with Rishi Sunak who had welcomed him the previous night as he landed. . The Scottish and UK governments will face each other in a court clash over Holyroods reforms to the gender recognition process in Scotland. The Gender Recognition Reform Bill passed in December after lengthy debates at the Scottish Parliament, often amid divisive political rhetoric. It has been discussed for years, with strong opinions for and against changing the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. 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 }} Parents are being forced to quit their jobs because nursery fees are more than their wages. The cost of childcare is forcing one in four UK parents to give up their job or drop out of education, according to a new study. The research found 23 per cent of UK-based parents had either quit work or dropped out of their studies to avoid childcare costs, compared with 17 per cent of their counterparts in Brazil, 16 per cent in Turkey and 13 per cent in Nigeria. Some 74 per cent of parents in the UK said they find it difficult to meet childcare costs, compared with 52 per cent in India, 57 per cent in the Netherlands, 59 per cent in Nigeria, 68 per cent in the US and Brazil, and 72 per cent in Turkey. For Lauren Cooper, of Banbury, Oxfordshire, it was not only her career but a second child that she was forced to give up due to the extortionate price of childcare. Lauren Cooper said the monthly fees came to a minimum of 1,200 if her son was to be in nursery five days a week, and her wage differed from that by only 100 (Lauren Cooper) We definitely wanted two children, the 27-year-old said. But because of the childcare issue, Id be out of work again for a minimum of another two-and-a-half years. Were renting and we want to buy a house, but the only hope of us ever buying a house would be for me to go back to work - so we decided well have no more children. We cant afford it. She was training to become a dental nurse but was forced to turn to a work-from-home customer service role when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. After her maternity leave had come to an end, she said, We looked into nursery options and the fees were more than I would be bringing home. It didnt seem worth it. She said the monthly fees came to a minimum of 1,200 if her son was to be in nursery five days a week, and her wage differed from that by only 100. I love my son, and I love being with him - but I also had a career that I was working towards, said Ms Cooper, whose son is now almost two-years-old. Ive always loved working. I think its awful, being forced to not go back to work and give up your career. Its like Ive been given no choice. I love my son, and I love being with him - but I also had a career that I was working towards, said Ms Cooper, whose son is now almost two-years-old (Lauren Cooper) More than 7,000 parents and carers from across the world with children under the age of seven have been questioned for global childrens charity Theirworld. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is urging governments to prioritise spending on the early years and calling for a revolution. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is urging governments to prioritise spending on the early years and calling for a revolution (Theirworld) The survey has laid bare the scale of the global early years crisis and its impact on children in rich and poor countries alike and change is needed because early years childcare is as essential to a countrys infrastructure as roads, hospitals and telecommunications, Mrs Brown said. Childcare costs are so expensive that you end up spending more on childcare than what you actually earn, said Alicja Banks, of Yate, Bristol. Its awful. She said sending her daughter, who is now two, to nursery for four days a week would have cost her up to 1,120 a month. And when their daughter was born, the health of her husband, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), worsened, leaving her with the majority of the familys earning and caring responsibilities. As a result, the 26-year-old was forced to quit her job in banking and start claiming benefits. Alicja Banks (right, with her husband) said sending her daughter (centre) to nursery for four days a week would have cost up to 1,120 a month (Alicja Banks) Like Ms Cooper, the family has also decided to not have a second child, a decision influenced by the high cost of childcare. Elvira Grob, 41, who is a lecturer in design on a zero-hours contract, has been left feeling close to burnout as she and her partner Michael spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter, Yoomi. The London-based couple do not want to give up their daughters place at nursery to save money because she loves it there and it is good for her development. Ms Grob, who is also retraining and studying for a degree, returned to work two days a week when Yoomi was six months old. She said: I work in the evenings, I work when Yoomi sleeps, and I work at weekends. My income covers Yoomis childcare but I have rent to pay, and I also have to pay for my studies. Its got to a point where Im considering dropping my degree to help us pay our bills. Elvira Grob, 41, who is a lecturer in design on a zero-hours contract, has been left feeling close to burnout as she and her partner Michael spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter, Yoomi (Michael Simpson) Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said the burden of childcare tends to fall onto the shoulders of mothers, with 870,000 currently unable to work due to a lack of affordable and accessible childcare, and 1.7 million mothers working fewer hours than they would like to because they cannot afford to pay to work. In Ms Coopers case, she said there wasnt even a discussion about whether she or her husband stayed home to take care of their son. Ms Brearley called on the Government to fulfill its childcare pledges in its Spring Budget, adding, This isnt a mummy issue, this is an issue for the whole of society - it contributes to the skills gap, it inhibits economic growth, and it ensures only the very wealthy can access early years education for their children thereby entrenching inequality. Elvira Grob said she does not want to give up her daughters place at nursery to save money because she loves it there and it is good for her development (Michael Simpson) ChancellorJeremy Hunt made childcare a central part of his Budget, providing an extra 4 billion over three years. He also announced that in all eligible households in England every child under five will receive 30 hours a week of free childcare from the moment maternity leave ends. However, critics have pointed out that this will not be in place until September 2025. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee last month, denied that the childcare system is in crisis. 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 migrant has been charged with the manslaughter of four people who drowned after the boat they were travelling in sank in the English Channel. Ibrahima Bah, now 19, is being prosecuted over the disaster in the early hours of 14 December because of his role in the crossing. He was previously charged with facilitating illegal entry into the UK and is due to stand trial for that offence later this year. He will appear before Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with four counts of manslaughter. A spokesperson for Kent Police said: In the early hours of Wednesday 14 December 2022, Kent Police was called to Dover to assist HM Coastguard following a report received of a small boat in distress in the water. A multi-agency search and rescue operation was carried out, resulting in 39 people being safely brought to shore. Four other people were pronounced deceased. The circumstances surrounding the deaths are the subject of an investigation by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, assisted by the National Crime Agency. The force said that officers were still working to establish the identity of the drowning victims and locate their next of kin. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) previously said the death toll of Decembers sinking has not been confirmed, because it had not yet established the number of passengers who were in the dinghy when it departed from France. It has launched a separate investigation into the sinking, focusing on the cause of the disaster and the UKs emergency response. It came at the end of a record year for small boat crossings, with more than 45,000 people - 90 per cent of whom were asylum seekers - arriving in the UK by the method in 2022. 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 Prince of Wales has led tributes to the inspirational co-founder of Help for Heroes, Bryn Parry, following his death. William and the Duke of Sussex both honoured Mr Parrys memory on Wednesday, after he died following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr Parry was one of the UKs best known countryside cartoonists and he founded the charity, which supports veterans and their families in the UK, with his wife Emma in 2007. Help for Heroes chief executive James Needham said: Everyone at Help for Heroes is deeply saddened by the death of our co-founder Bryn Parry CBE. Without Bryn, this charity wouldnt be here. Without him, over 27,000 veterans and their families wouldnt have received lifechanging support. Bryn was instrumental in changing the focus of the nation and the way we regard both military service and wounded veterans. Those who knew and worked with Bryn saw at his core an incredibly kind, earnest, and passionate soul, whose energy was contagious. Supported, encouraged and advised by Emma, he was unstinting in his total, unwavering commitment to making the lot of the wounded servicemen and women as good as it could be. Bryns founding principles and his no-nonsense approach of doing everything humanly possible to help our heroes, remain at the heart of all we do. In a Twitter statement on Wednesday, William wrote that he was deeply sad to hear that Bryn Parry has passed away. He added: A life-affirming, inspirational man, his work with @HelpforHeroes made a difference to so many and his legacy will be its continuing impact. My thoughts are with his family and friends. W. It is understood that William closely followed Mr Parrys work and recently wrote to him after he received his CBE, given to him in a private investiture at his home due to his terminal cancer. The Sun has reported that Mr Parry died peacefully and surrounded by family. He diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January 2023. The Duke of Sussex called Mr Parrys death a truly sad day for the military community, according to the Invictus Games Foundation. Harry founded the Invictus Games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military personnel and veterans from across the globe by giving them the challenge of competing in sporting events similar to the Paralympics. A statement posted on the foundations Twitter account attributed to its patron, Harry, states: Today is a truly sad day for the military community as we bid farewell to a man who, alongside his wife, completely transformed the UK charity sector for the benefit of those who have served. His vision, determination and brilliance provided a lifeline for thousands of veterans, as well as their families, when they needed it most. Those that come after him will always be better off because of his actions. Bryn Parry, we salute you! Thank you from all of us for the lives saved, the support given and the community inspired. Your legacy lives on through Help for Heroes. Our love and respect will remain with your family. The Invictus Games Foundation added: Together with his wife, Bryn was responsible for changing the landscape of support for wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans in the UK. All of us at the Invictus Games Founded are truly indebted to the vision and passion of his work with Help for Heroes, which directly influenced the formation of the Invictus Games London 2014, and their support for Team UK many years later. Minister for Veterans Affairs Johnny Mercer MP said Mr Parry will never be forgotten. My heart goes out to Emma and the family, he wrote in a social media post. At a time when the nations deficit of veterans care was so ruthlessly exposed by those men and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bryn and Emma stepped up, founded Help for Heroes, and single handedly revolutionised veterans care in the United Kingdom. Their place in history will never fade; what they started has continued to echo years later. He inspired me with his unapologetic determination to do right by these special men and women who serve. He will never be forgotten. After 10 years in the army, Mr Parry gave up his regular commission in The Royal Green Jackets to make a living from art, his sculpture website states. His commissions included work for the Duchy of Cornwall, the Duchy of Lancaster, Sandringham, Lloyds of London and many Regiments, Companies and individuals, it added. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An Afghan pilot threatened with deportation to Rwanda must be offered a safe haven in the UK, the former head of RAF forces in Afghanistan has said. Air Marshal Edward Stringer, who was also director of operations at the Ministry of Defence, has backed The Independentscampaign to grant the Afghan veteran asylum saying: Now is the time for us to demonstrate the decency on which we so pride ourselves. In an op-ed drawing on his years of experience, Air Marshal Stringer described the real risk to life that faces those Afghans who served alongside coalition forces. Many of those in the Afghan forces served with distinction alongside us and the Taliban will never forget that, he said. We owe them all a debt of honour and should offer them asylum, and the security we promised them, in the UK not least because we could not guarantee them safety and security in Afghanistan. Air Marshal Stringer led the 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Afghanistan in 2008 working with Nato and Afghan forces and was also the director general of the UKs Joint Force Development, training across the military. He continued: The Taliban knows as well as we do that we helped train the Afghan pilots (I remember vividly the start of that mission in Kandahar in 2008) and we should stand by those brave men like the pilot The Independent is campaigning for now. He joins a number of growing voices supporting our campaign including former head of the army Sir Richard Dannatt, former Nato chief Lord Robertson and Gen Sir Richard Barrons, a former chief of joint operations who served in Afghanistan in urging the government to look into the pilots case. The Afghan pilot who flew dozens of missions against terrorist threats in Afghanistan claims he has been forgotten by the British and American troops he worked alongside. He wrote a letter to No 10 pleading his case after prime minister Rishi Sunak promised to get the Home Office to look into it, however, he is yet to receive a response. Air Marshal Stringer led the 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Afghanistan in 2008 working with Nato and Afghan forces (Royal Air Force) He says he is one of many Afghan forces personnel who have made their way to the UK via small boat because they could not find a safe or legal route. Air Marshal Stringer, who commanded RAF forces in Basra in 2007, said that while many in the MoD and across government have worked hard to get Afghans out of the country, many have been left behind. The Afghan pilot hopes to bring his family to safety in the UK. He cannot be identified for fear of attacks on his family (The Independent ) He added: The limited numbers making it via the various schemes and safe routes, and the bureaucratic cock-ups along the way, suggest that the system is not as joined-up across government departments as it might be. I am not surprised some have had to take to the small boats to cross the Channel to the country they so readily served. We must repay the debt we so clearly owe them. Data shows that the MoDs refugee scheme, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), has rejected 18,946 Afghans while just 3,399 have been found eligible. Meanwhile, the general Home Office scheme for at-risk Afghans has only brought 22 people to safety in the UK since the initial evacuation, according to government data. We must offer safe haven to the pilot who risked his life to fight alongside us (The Independent ) Air Marshal Stringer concluded: We must offer safe haven to the pilot who risked his life to fight alongside us. And we must be generous to all his comrades now, in their hour of need. The Independents campaign has garnered support politically, with Labour leader Keir Starmer describing the treatment of the Afghan pilot as a disgrace, while chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood said his case has exposed a gaping hole in the UKs asylum system. 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 }} Senior military figures and MPs are among the 50,000 people backing The Independents petition calling for the UK to give refuge to Afghan war heroes who served alongside British forces. It comes after we revealed the plight of an Afghan pilot who served alongside the British army and fled to the UK on small boats and is now being threatened with deportation to Rwanda. The air force lieutenant, who flew 30 combat missions against the Taliban and was praised by his coalition forces supervisor as a patriot to his nation, was forced into hiding and said it was impossible to make his way to Britain via a safe route. He says he is one of many Afghan forces veterans who have been forgotten by the US and British forces, and believes the promise of friendship and cooperation has been abandoned. The Independent believes that this hero and all those who served alongside him should be given the right to stay in the UK, which has since been backed by senior figures from across the armed forces and the political spectrum. Sir Richard Dannatt Sir Richard, former head of the British Army, argued the pilot was a special case for asylum and should be granted permission to stay. The former head of the British Army said there was a flaw in the government policy if Afghans who helped British forces could be deported in the crackdown on small boat crossings. Sir Richard Dannatt is one of many armed forces leaders to back our campaign (GETTY IMAGES) Air Marshal Edward Stringer Air Marshal Edward Stringer, the former head of RAF forces in Afghanistan, has backed our campaign to grant the Afghan veteran asylum - saying: Now is the time for us to demonstrate the decency on which we so pride ourselves. The Afghan pilot must be offered a safe haven in the UK, the former director of operations at the Ministry of Defence said. Air Marshal Edward Stringer was also director of operations at the Ministry of Defence (Royal Air Force) Lord Alf Dubs Lord Alf Dubs a child refugee who fled the Nazis before the Second World War said the idea of deporting a pilot was absolutely shocking and accused Rishi Sunaks government of totally cruel treatment. The Labour peer called on the PM to make sure the veteran is allowed to stay. If he risked his life for us, how can we possibly not consider giving him safety? The government must think again, he said. Lord Alf Dubs said the idea of deporting a pilot was absolutely shocking (PA) Former head of Nato Lord Robertson The former head of Nato also leant his support to our campaign, saying it would be an indefensible disgrace if the Home Office carried out its threat to send him to Rwanda. Lord Robertson, former secretary general of the military alliance, urged the government to show decency and give the pilot the respect and safety he deserves. Sir Keir Starmer In a dramatic intervention, Sir Keir said it was a disgrace that a brave pilot who fought alongside British troops faced being forced out of the UK. The Labour leader also accused the government of a shameful level of incompetence as he called on ministers not to deport him. Keir Starmer said it was a disgrace the pilot faced deportation (Getty) Former defence minister Kevan Jones Mr Jones described the pilots case as a stain on Britains great reputation. He added: We always stick by our friends. We should continue to do that. This government is clearly not doing that in this case and many others. Former international development secretary Rory Stewart Mr Stewart said the pilots story was profoundly shocking because it went directly against the pledges made to those in Afghanistan. We are shirking our responsibilities towards Afghans who risked their lives to fight alongside us and who are now at risk of their lives. Rory Stewart said the pilots story was profoundly shocking (PA Archive) Sir Laurie Bristow The British ambassador to Afghanistan during the summer of 2021 and the fall of Kabul, warned that the lives of Afghans who worked for us and with us are at risk as a result. He added that many of our own service people owe their lives to Afghans who worked and fought alongside them in Afghanistan. General Sir Richard Barrons The former chief of joint operations, who served in Afghanistan, said the pilots route to the UK should not affect his asylum chances. This should not be complicated, he said. This pilot is either entitled to come here or hes not. The fact that he went through other countries to get here is not surprising considering the mess the government made with the evacuation process. Bear Grylls The former SAS soldier who is now a survivalist and television adventurer urged ministers to do right by those who have given so much to keep us safe. In an opinion piece for this website, Grylls writes: Imagine braving the horrors of war to support the forces of a country that you dont even live in, only to find that when you travel to that country for genuine sanctuary from horror, torture and the many other dangers of your own country (braving even more hardships along the way), youre told that you arent acknowledged or wanted. Bear Grylls has backed our campaign, urging ministers to do right by those who have given so much to keep us safe (Getty Images) Colonel Simon Diggins Colonel Diggins, who served as a defence attache in Afghanistan and was involved in the Kabul evacuation, said: We shouldnt accept the terminology that he got here illegally; that is not the right language for people like him who have no other means of getting here safely. It is appalling that this man who was in our allied forces is being treated in this way. Sir William Patey The former British ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq warned of the extreme danger the war hero would have faced had he stayed in the country. He flew combat missions against the Taliban so obviously he would have been under direct threat of reprisal in Afghanistan; he would have been killed, he said. I really dont see how he cannot get asylum or qualify under the various Afghan schemes. Its a bit farcical that he is being threatened with Rwanda. Major General Tim Cross Major General Tim Cross, who served in Iraq, the Balkans and Northern Ireland, described the case as one of common sense, or rather the lack of it. He went on: If this man was a member of Afghan forces fighting alongside the coalition then the risks to him are obvious. The whole Afghanistan withdrawal was terribly done, and cases like these are the human consequences of mistakes we made in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. 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 }} A Conservative politician is being investigated over racist comments after allegedly saying all white men should have a Black slave. Andrew Edwards, a County councillor and former magistrate in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is also accused of saying Black people are of lower class than white people during a clip that has emerged online. Mr Edwards has referred himself to the Public Services ombudsman. The Conservative group on Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed it was investigating the allegations but Mr Edwards, who is also a school governor, has not been suspended. On the 16-second recording, a man can be heard saying: Nothing wrong with the skin colour at all. (...) I think all white men should have a Black man as a slave or Black woman as a slave, you know. Theres nothing wrong with skin colour, its just that theyre lower class than us white people. It is not clear when or where the clip was recorded. Mr Edwards, who represents the Haverfordwest Prendergast ward, said: I am aware of such serious allegations being made against me. This is why I have self-referred to the Public Services Ombudsman for an independent evaluation. It is now in the hands of legal experts and the ombudsman. It would be unfair on the process for me to comment. A Pembrokeshire council spokesperson said: We are aware of an allegation being made and have referred the matter to the ombudsman. It would be inappropriate to comment further. The councils Conservative group leader, Di Clements, said Mr Edwards left the party group on the council on Tuesday but would not comment further until the ombudsmans report. A spokesperson for the Labour group said: The views contained within this recording are disgusting. Racism has absolutely no place in our society, let alone in the views expressed by an elected member on Pembrokeshire County Council. Mr Edwards has been approached for comment and appears to have deactivated his social media accounts. Close Joe Biden says he spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other world leader 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 }} US president Joe Biden broke down in tears on the final day of his Ireland tour after an emotional unplanned meeting with a priest who gave the last rites to his son. The Parish priest of Knock, Fr Richard Gibbons, said the chaplain who performed the last rites sacrament on Mr Bidens son, Beau, now works at the Knock shrine in Co Mayo where the president paid a visit on Friday. Fr Frank OGrady performed the ceremony for Beau Biden before he died of brain cancer in 2015. He received a call requesting that he meet the president, and later told RTE that the encounter was like a reunion. We had a nice chat for about 10 minutes. He was delighted to see me and I was delighted to see him, he said. He gave me a big hug, it was like a reunion. He told me he appreciated everything that was done. In the evening, Mr Biden received a rock star welcome from crowds in Ballina, County Mayo for his last public engagement of the trip. 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 }} French school trips to the UK have been halted by Brexit visa issues, according to reports. Many leaders of French schools say regulations have become so complex and the Home Office increasingly unwelcoming that they are choosing to organise school trips to Ireland instead, The Times reports. School leaders have described a number of issues complicating such school trips since the UK left the European Union. Firstly, the requirement for EU visitors to have a passport post-Brexit. Before this, visitors could enter Britain by showing a national identity card and given that many French families do not have passports as theyre not needed to travel in Europes border-free zone, pupils now need a passport to enter the UK. This comes at a cost of 17 for under-15s, rising to 42 for those aged 15 to 18 and 86 for adults. The second issue is pupils from countries outside the EU who need a visa to enter the EU, which is common given that 7.7 per cent of Frances population is not French. The visa costs 118 and families must travel to an application centre in Paris or other major cities to request one. Because of Brexit, its too restrictive and onerous to go to our English neighbours. You need a passport for each pupil, which is an additional cost for families, Didier Rys, head of Vauban Lycee in Aire-sur-la-Lys in northern France, told La Voix du Nord. The newspaper said Ireland was viewed as an alternative by schools because they speak English and you dont need a passport. Edward Hisbergues, the director of PG Trips, a company which has been organising school trips to the UK since the 1980s, said the Home Office regularly refused visa applications from pupils wanting to join class trips to the UK. The families travel to the visa application centre and that can take an enormous amount of time and money if you live in a small village in the Dordogne or somewhere like that. They pay for the visa application but they dont get their money back if it is refused. Its very dissuasive. Mr Hisbergues added that Home Office plans for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme as part of the induction of digital borders in Britain could make school trips from the continent even more difficult and will see visitors have to request online authorisation before travelling as well as pay a fee. They already tear their hair out trying to get parents to provide the documents to authorise their children to leave France, properly signed with the right photocopies. Now [the teachers] are going to have to make sure they do the ETAs as well. The journey to Ireland may cost more, but its simpler, Mr Hisbergues said. 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 }} More than 50,000 people have joined The Independents call for the government to provide refuge to Afghan war heroes who served alongside British forces. A petition was launched after we revealed the plight of an Afghan pilot who faces the threat of deportation to Rwanda after arriving in the UK by small boat, having failed to find a safe and legal asylum route. Thousands of Afghans fled after Taliban forces seized back control of the country following the fall of Kabul in August 2021 as the Western alliance ended its two-decades-long presence there. Half of Britons fear the UK is not doing enough to aid Afghan veterans who helped our forces, as figures show around five in six applicants are rejected from the military scheme established to give sanctuary to those in danger from the Taliban. And just 23 per cent voters think the government is giving enough support to desperate Afghans trying to escape their home country after working with Britain, while 47 per cent want more to be done. MPs from across the political spectrum and senior military figures described the UKs treatment of the Afghan pilot as indefensible , with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also calling for action . On Wednesday The Independents petition calling for the government to take action surpassed 50,000 signatures, with people from across the country voicing their support for the campaign. David Marley, deputy editor, said: Here at The Independent, we believe that this hero and all those who served alongside him should be given the right to stay in the UK. We are calling on the government to give refuge to Afghan veterans who served alongside British forces. The government must live up to its promise to all those who served alongside the British military in Afghanistan. Thank you for your support. 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 }} Police have revealed why officers returned to the River Wyre, six weeks after missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley was found there, and hit out at misinformed speculation over the renewed presence of officers at the scene. The 45-year-old mortgage adviser went missing on 27 January while walking her dog along the river at St Michaels on Wyre, after dropping her two daughters aged six and nine at school nearby. Her mobile phone was found a bench near the riverbank, still connected to a Microsoft Teams work call, with her dog Willow left running loose. There was a high profile missing persons search for Nicola Bulley (PA) A huge police operation ensued as the search for Ms Bulley drew intense national attention, before Lancashire Police announced that a body had been discovered among reeds and undergrowth in the River Wyre on 19 February. Police divers were spotted in the River Wyre on April 4 and a brief clip was uploaded to YouTube, prompting speculation about the activity on social media. A Lancashire police spokesman later said there had been misinformed speculation... relating to police activity, adding that officers were there on the coroners request. Here is a timeline of events after her disappearance: 27 January At 8.26am Ms Bulley left her home with her two daughters, dropping them off at school and engaging in a brief conversation with another parent around 15 minutes later, before taking her spaniel for a walk along the River Wyre at 8:43am, Lancashire Police has said. She was seen by a dog walker who knew her at around 8.50am, and their pets interacted briefly before they parted ways, according to the force. At 8.53am, Ms Bulley sent an email to her boss, followed by a message to her friends six minutes later, before logging on to a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am. She was seen by a second witness at 9.10am, the last known sighting. Her phone was back in the area of the bench at 9.20am before the Teams call ended 10 minutes later, with her mobile remaining logged on after the call. At 9.33am, another dog walker found her phone on a bench beside the river, with Willow darting between the two. At 10.50am, Ms Bulleys family and the school attended by her children were told about her disappearance. Lancashire Constabulary launched an investigation into Ms Bulleys whereabouts on the same day and appealed for witnesses to contact them. (The Independent/ Datawrapper) 28 January Lancashire Constabulary deployed drones, helicopters and police search dogs as part of the major missing person operation. They were assisted by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as Bowland Pennine mountain rescue team and the North West underwater search team. 29 January Local residents held a meeting at the village hall to organise a search for Ms Bulley at 10.30am on Sunday, according to reports from The Mirror, and around 100 people joined in. Police urged volunteers to exercise caution, describing the river and its banks as extremely dangerous and saying that activity in these areas presented a genuine risk to the public. 30 January Superintendent Sally Riley from Lancashire Constabulary said police were keeping a really open mind about what could have happened, and that they were not treating Ms Bulleys disappearance as suspicious. 31 January Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a potential witness, a man who had been walking a small white fluffy dog near the River Wyre at the time of Ms Bulleys disappearance. Ms Bulleys phone was found on a bench by the banks of the River Wyre (Danny Lawson/PA) Her family released a statement saying they had been overwhelmed by the support in their community, and that her daughters were desperate to have their mummy back home safe. 1 February Ms Bulleys parents, Ernest and Dot Bulley, spoke to The Mirror about the horror they faced over the possibility of never seeing her again. Her father told the newspaper: We just dread to think we will never see her again, if the worst came to the worst and she was never found, how will we deal with that for the rest of our lives? 2 February Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a second witness who they had identified with the help of the public using CCTV but they told police they did not have any further information to aid their inquiry. Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine support unit searched the area close to where Ms Bulleys mobile phone was found, while police divers scoured the River Wyre. Meanwhile, Ms Bulleys family appealed to the public for help tracing her, with her sister Louise Cunningham telling Sky News: There has got to be somebody who knows something and all we are asking is, no matter how small or big, if there is anything you remember that doesnt seem right, then please reach out to the police. Police divers back at the scene, weeks after her body was found (YouTube) 3 February Lancashire Police said it was working on the hypothesis that Ms Bulley may have fallen into the River Wyre. Superintendent Riley urged against speculation, but said it was possible that an issue with Ms Bulleys dog may have led her to the waters edge. She urged the public to look out for items of clothing Ms Bulley was last seen wearing, and gave an extensive list. Ms Bulleys friends also shared heartfelt appeals via television interviews, including Emma White, who told the BBC that Ms Bulleys daughters were continually asking where she was. 4 February Ms White cast doubt on the police theory that she fell into a river, telling Sky News it was based on limited information. She said: When we are talking about a life we cant base it on a hypothesis, surely we need this factual evidence. Thats what the family and all of us are holding on to, that we are sadly no further on than last Friday. A huge search effort took place in the weeks after her disappearance (PA Wire) In a Facebook post, Ms Cunningham urged people to keep an open mind as there is no evidence whatsoever that the dog walker fell in the river. Lancashire Police also announced it wanted to trace a key witness who was seen pushing a pram in the area on the morning of the disappearance. 5 February The woman described as a key witness by police came forward. The force insisted she was very much being treated as a witness as it warned against totally unacceptable speculation and abuse on social media. Peter Faulding, leader of underwater search experts Specialist Group International (SGI), began searching the river after being called in by Ms Bulleys family. 6 February Ms Bulleys friends expressed hope that the help of the specialist underwater rescue team would give the family answers. Ms White told BBC Breakfast: Following the hypothesis of the police that Nicola was in the river, we need some evidence to back that up either way and I feel Peter and his amazing bit of kit is going to come and sweep the river bed and give us answers. Meanwhile, Ms Bulleys partner Mr Ansell, in a statement released through Lancashire Police, said: Its been 10 days now since Nicola went missing and I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back. Ms Bulleys partner Paul Ansell said his two daughters miss their mummy desperately (Nicola Bulley/Facebook) 10 February Police urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about Ms Bulleys disappearance as speculation increased online. 15 February Police told a press conference that the mother-of-two was classed as a high-risk missing person immediately after she was reported missing due to vulnerabilities. Hours later, they disclosed Ms Bulleys struggles with alcohol and perimenopause. 16 February Ms Bulleys family said the focus had become distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life and called for it to end. Lancashire Police referred itself to the police watchdog over contact the force had with Ms Bulley prior to her disappearance. Home secretary Suella Braverman demanded an explanation for the disclosure of Ms Bulleys private information by the force. Ms Bulley walked her dog by the river most days (Family handout) 17 February Lancashire Police announced it was conducting an internal review into the handling of Ms Bulleys disappearance and the Information Commissioner said he would ask the force questions about the disclosure. 18 February Ms Braverman met with police leaders to discuss the handling of the investigation after the prime minister Rishi Sunak also expressed concerns about the revelation. 19 February Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt described the polices disclosure as shocking, while shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who also wrote to the force over its handling of the case, repeated her concerns about the unusual level of private information made public about Ms Bulley. That afternoon, Lancashire Police announced that a body had been found in the River Wyre, around a mile downstream from where her belongings were discovered. Ms Bulleys body was discovered in reeds at the edge of the River Wyre (Jason Roberts/PA) 20 February The force confirmed that the body had been identified as Ms Bulley. In a statement, her family said she was the centre of our world, adding they would never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us. 21 February Broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced it had written to Sky and ITV to ask them to explain their actions after Ms Bulleys family accused them of intruding on their privacy after her body was discovered. Meanwhile, a campaign set up to raise money for Ms Bulleys family received 10,000 in a single day, and has since gone on to raise nearly four times that amount. 22 February Social media app TikTok said it would take action against users who violated its community guidelines by posting misinformation about Ms Bulley, after the company was criticised for allowing conspiracy theories to spread on its app. 23 February A candlelit vigil was held for Ms Bulley in her former hometown of South Woodham Ferrers in Essex, with one organiser saying that the family still hold a massive piece of all of our hearts despite having previously moved up north. A large mural of Ms Bulley by local artist Danny Bench was also unveiled. Flowers were left on a footbridge over the River Wyre in tribute (Getty Images) 25 February Mr Fauldings team of divers, Specialist Group International, was suspended from the National Crime Agencys Expert Adviser Database while a review was carried out, law enforcement sources told The Times. 8 March Lancashire Police arrested a man over footage shot inside a police cordon on the day Ms Bulleys body was found. The 34-year-old from Kidderminster was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications offences and perverting the course of justice. 4 April Police divers were spotted in the River Wyre and a brief clip was uploaded to YouTube. Lancashire Police later confirmed that its officers were carrying out some work on the direction of HM coroner, ahead of the inquest set for 26 June at County Hall in Preston. 14 April Police put out a further statement about the renewed presence of officers on the River Wyre, hitting out at the misinformed speculation, A Lancashire Constabulary spokesperson said: There has been misinformed speculation over the past few days relating to police activity in the River Wyre. As previously stated, police divers were acting under instruction of HM Senior Coroner and had been asked to assess the riverbanks in the vicinity of where Nicola Bulley went missing. They had not been tasked either to perform any further searches within the river or along the banks or to locate any articles. This activity is to assist with the coronial process. As previously stated, police divers were acting under instruction of HM Senior Coroner and had been asked to assess the riverbanks in the vicinity of where Nicola Bulley went missing. They had not been tasked either to perform any further searches within the river or along the banks or to locate any articles. This activity is to assist with the coronial process. Dr James Adeley, HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire, added: Speculation as to the role and purpose of officers acting on my instructions is unhelpful in the resolution of this inquest. 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 cost of childcare is forcing one in four UK parents to give up their job or drop out of education, according to a new study. More than 7,000 parents and carers from the UK, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Nigeria, Turkey and the US with children under the age of seven were questioned for global childrens charity Theirworld. The research found 23% of UK-based parents had either quit work or dropped out of their studies to avoid childcare costs, compared with 17% of their counterparts in Brazil, 16% in Turkey and 13% in Nigeria. Some 74% of parents in the UK said they find it difficult to meet childcare costs, compared with 52% in India, 57% in the Netherlands, 59% in Nigeria, 68% in the US and Brazil, and 72% in Turkey. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is calling on governments to urgently prioritise spending on the early years. The survey has laid bare the scale of the global early years crisis and its impact on children in rich and poor countries alike and change is needed because early years childcare is as essential to a countrys infrastructure as roads, hospitals and telecommunications, Mrs Brown said. Sixty-five percent of UK parents questioned said they have had to make major financial changes, including taking on more work and spending less on food, in order to afford childcare. Some 22% said they spend between 30% and 70% of their income on childcare. Theirworld said children from wealthier and educated backgrounds tend to begin primary school ready to learn, but there are nearly 250 million children in low- and middle-income countries who are at risk of not reaching their full development potential due to poverty, inadequate nutrition, exposure to stress, and a lack of early stimulation and learning. The charity noted that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made childcare a central part of his Budget, providing an extra 4 billion over three years. He also announced that in all eligible households in England every child under five will receive 30 hours a week of free childcare from the moment maternity leave ends. However, critics have pointed out that this will not be in place until September 2025. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee last month, denied that the childcare system is in crisis. He said: I think that announcements in the Budget were warmly welcomed by the childcare sector for what theyre going to do, which is to increase the funding for childcare as it is now, but also expand the provision to cover some of the gaps in the existing system and move us into a internationally quite generous position relative to our peers on childcare. Elvira Grob, 41, who is a lecturer in design on a zero-hours contract, has been left feeling close to burnout as she and her partner Michael spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter, Yoomi. The London-based couple do not want to give up their daughters place at nursery to save money because she loves it there and it is good for her development. Ms Grob, who is also retraining and studying for a degree, returned to work two days a week when Yoomi was six months old. She said: I work in the evenings, I work when Yoomi sleeps, and I work at weekends. My income covers Yoomis childcare but I have rent to pay, and I also have to pay for my studies. Its got to a point where Im considering dropping my degree to help us pay our bills. Providing for children in their early years must be treated as a public good, not a private test of a familys financial strength Sarah Brown, Theirworld Mrs Brown added: For a child, the first five to six years are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but this is being squandered on a global scale. Providing for children in their early years must be treated as a public good, not a private test of a familys financial strength. Parents around the world should no longer be reduced to hoping for the best, crossing their fingers that the inadequate care they are often forced to use isnt a risk to their childs safety or their future prospects in life. We need to see a revolution for the early years that brings together governments, businesses, international agencies, parents, frontline workers, civil society, youth campaigners and grassroots groups to improve the lives of the worlds youngest children. A total of 7,226 parents or childcare professionals took part in the survey carried out for Theirworld by Hall & Partners. 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 is not anti-British, the White House insisted as he began a series of engagements on the island of Ireland. In Belfast, Mr Biden said he was there to listen as he had a cup of tea with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The pair met for around 45 minutes on Wednesday, with Mr Sunak telling broadcasters that the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. The White House said he would use the trip to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, 25 years after the peace deal was reached, and to encourage the restoration of powersharing something that collapsed due to the DUPs protest over post-Brexit rules. At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Mr Sunak, smiling, sat at a table with the US president as the pair met over cups of tea. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnson, and prime minister Truss as well. Ms Sloat went on: President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British Government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing. The US president will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to the objections of the DUP, the largest unionist party. However, the White House said there will not be formal talks with Northern Irelands political leaders. Ms Sloat said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the four-day trip, which will include visits in Ireland linked to his family history. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish president Michael D Higgins on Thursday. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina the presidents great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped him to afford to buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851. 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 will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast later during a historic four-day trip to the island of Ireland. The meeting at the Grand Central Hotel in the regions capital will be the third in-person meeting between the two leaders. Their discussions are expected to focus on Northern Ireland, the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the war in Ukraine. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, said it is not anticipated that Mr Biden and Mr Sunak will discuss a free trade agreement. I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that thats where theyre meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues, she said. Ms Sloat said the two leaders had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be furthered and deepened when they meet in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she added. The US President will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Ms Sloat was asked what Mr Bidens strategy will be to encourage the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly. She said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The main message of the President to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the Presidents message as he said on St Patricks Day, and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically-elected powersharing representative governance, she said. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US Presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. 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 arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday and he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The US President was also met by pouring rain and cold winds, with staff holding umbrellas for Mr Biden as he shook hands with Mr Varadkar. He travels to Co Louth by motorcade, after bad weather halted plans for the president to travel by helicopter. His arrival in the Republic came followed his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the President, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. During his stay in the Republic of Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. 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 }} Joe Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic of Ireland. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. 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 was cheered and welcomed with waving flags as he arrived in a Co Louth town on the second stop of his visit to Ireland. Locals turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Some of the well wishers held US or Irish flags, and a poster read Welcome home cousin Joe. The US president was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. The US president is next due to visit Dundalk where eager members of the public in ponchos and raincoats were lining the streets waiting to welcome him. Red, white and blue bunting was strung across the road while people held American flags, tricolours and took cover under umbrellas in the steady evening drizzle. A sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street as families with young children waited in anticipation. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. 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 expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes as the region marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday peace accord that created Stormonts powersharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, the President said. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas that are going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things. The lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most Joe Biden DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who briefly met the President before his speech, described Mr Bidens remarks as measured but he insisted they would not alter the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. He said that would only be achieved if the UK Government took further steps to address his partys concerns about Brexit trade barriers. It doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, we know what needs to happen, said Sir Jeffrey. We believe the Government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade within the UK internal market and thats what needs to happen now to enable us to move towards the restoration of the political institutions, we need the Government to deliver what theyve said they will do, which is to protect our place in the United Kingdom. In his speech, President Biden said the response of Northern Irelands political leaders to Februarys shooting of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh showed the enemies of peace will not prevail. Mr Caldwell was seriously injured in the dissident republican murder bid. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God, said Mr Biden. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Mr Biden said Brexit had created complex challenges for Northern Ireland. I encouraged the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that served Northern Irelands best interest, he said. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner (Ursula) Von der Leyen to reach an agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement that they are preserved and strengthened. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed, and I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland, significant investment in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak welcomed the Presidents visit and said it was a reminder of the US contribution to the peace process. The Prime Minister, who did not attend Mr Bidens speech at Ulster University, said a key focus of their earlier meeting was leveraging more economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland and we talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland, he said. I think that is incredibly exciting, it will bring growth, jobs and prosperity to Northern Ireland and I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. At the outset of Mr Bidens half-day of engagements in Northern Ireland, the White House insisted the President is not anti-British. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. Following his address in Belfast, Mr Biden headed for the Republic of Ireland where he will spend two and a half days in an itinerary that will include political engagements in Dublin and visits taking in his ancestral roots in counties Mayo and Louth. 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 extolled the dividends of peace as he addressed a gathering at a new university campus in Belfast city centre. Standing in the newly-built Ulster University campus, Mr Biden said such a glass-fronted building would have been highly unlikely during one of his previous visits to the area in 1991, when the Troubles were raging. Terrorist bombs destroyed scores of buildings in Belfast during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, with one hotel, the Europa, even dubbed the most bombed hotel in Europe. This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held a terrible sway, Mr Biden said. The idea to have a glass building here when I was here in 91 was highly unlikely. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass and let the light shine in and out. This has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. Its an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. Speaking on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Mr Biden paid tribute to the peace makers. This included pioneering women who said enough and demanded change, political leaders, and the determined efforts of his good friend Senator George Mitchell to bring about the accord. His time serving as special envoy for Northern Ireland is one of the great examples in history of the right person for the right job at the right time, in my view, Mr Biden said of Mr Mitchell. I think sometimes, especially with the distance of history, we forget how hard-earned, how astounding that peace was. It shifted the political gravity in our world. In 1998 it was the longest-running conflict in Europe since the end of World War Two thousands of families had been affected by the Troubles, losses are real, the pain was personal. Every person killed in the Troubles left an empty chair at the dining room table, a hole in the heart that was never filled for the ones they lost. Peace was not inevitable, we cant ever forget that. As George Mitchell often said, the negotiations had 700 days of failure, and one day of success, but they kept going because George and all the many others never stopped believing that success was possible. I want all of you, especially the young people, to know the American people are with you, every step of the way. 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 }} Rishi Sunak has visited a senior PSNI officer who was shot in Northern Ireland earlier this year. The Prime Minister, who was in Belfast to meet US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, is understood to have met Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell and his family at a hospital in the north west. The PSNI described it as a private visit and would not comment. Liam Kelly, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file officers, said the meeting with Mr Caldwell was deeply appreciated. It showed support for John as he progresses with his recovery following the cowardly attempt on his life in Omagh, he said. It also showed support for our officers who work against a backdrop of a severe terrorist threat. The Prime Minister by his actions firmly aligned himself and his Government with dedicated and committed police officers. The visit came as Mr Biden referenced the attack in his speech at Ulster University, warning that the the enemies of peace will not prevail. Mr Caldwell was left with life-changing injuries after the shooting in Co Tyrone earlier this year. The New IRA, an armed dissident republican group opposed to the peace process, has been blamed for the attack on the high-profile officer. Mr Biden, in his speech, praised the response of politicians to the attack, as he said: Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. The terrorism threat level in the region was recently raised to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, with Mr Bidens visit coming after disturbances in Londonderry over Easter. Four suspected pipe bombs were recovered from a cemetery in the north-west city where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday. There were scenes of violence in the Creggan area of Derry after the event, when a number of missiles, including petrol bombs, were hurled by young people at a police Land Rover monitoring the pre-commemoration parade. 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 }} Rishi Sunak has said the relationship between the UK and the US is in great shape, after meeting with US President Joe Biden during his brief visit to Northern Ireland. The length of the visit, which saw Mr Biden arrive late on Tuesday before departing on Wednesday afternoon for the Republic of Ireland, had been seen by some as low key, with the Prime Minister also not attending the presidents afternoon address at Ulster University. The Prime Minister, who spoke to broadcasters after a 45-minute meeting with Mr Biden at a hotel in Belfast city centre, stressed the closeness of the transatlantic relationship as he pointed to the shared vision for progress in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak pointed out that it was the fourth time that Mr Biden had visited the UK since becoming president, adding that this particular trip was a reminder of the US contribution to the peace process. We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland and we talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland, he told broadcasters. I think that is incredibly exciting, it will bring growth, jobs and prosperity to Northern Ireland and I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. The meeting, on the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel, had been described by Downing Street as a bilateral. A No 10 spokeswoman said the two leaders discussed the wider relationship between the UK and the US, alongside the lack of powersharing in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak said the two countries were very close partners and allies, adding that both leaders discussed economic investment in Northern Ireland as well as foreign policy issues. That comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US, Im seeing him again next month at the G7 and then Im going to Washington in June; were very close partners and allies, we co-operate on a range of things, whether thats supporting Ukraine or economic security, he said. I think actually the relationship is in great shape, and the president and I have lots that were working on together. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: They agreed that manipulation of global markets by authoritarian leaders demonstrates, more than ever, the need for like-minded partners to work together to support the economic health and security of our nations. The leaders said that the thriving trade relationship between the UK and US demonstrates we are doing just that. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris rejected any suggestion Mr Sunaks lack of attendance at Ulster University was a snub. No, they had their bilateral this morning. The Prime Minister has got other private engagements that he has gone to, he told reporters. Mr Bidens arrival on the island of Ireland comes after Mr Sunak secured a deal earlier this year with the EU on post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland. But the Windsor Framework has not so far encouraged the DUP to return to Stormont. The president praised the work towards the long-sought deal in his speech at Ulster University. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner Von der Leyen to reach an agreement, Mr Biden told the audience. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement, that they are preserved and strengthened. 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 }} Medals awarded to the young telegraphist who picked up the Titanics distress call are to go under the hammer at auction. Harold Cottam, 21, a wireless operator aboard the passenger liner RMS Carpathia, was off duty when he picked up the call on the night of April 14 1912. For his actions, Mr Cottam, who grew up in Nottinghamshire, was hailed a hero and awarded a silver Carpathia medal and a Liverpool Humane Society medal for bravery. The medals are being sold by a private collector and the collection also includes photographs, his pocket watch and signed paperwork. It is estimated to fetch between 20,000 and 30,000 when it is sold on April 22 at Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd in Devizes, Wiltshire. Mr Cottam was about to go to bed when he heard the radio station at Cape Cod trying to establish contact with the Titanic to transmit routine radio telegrams. In what he had hoped would be his last business of the day, Mr Cottam radioed the Titanics operator, reminding him of the waiting messages. The operator responded: Come at once we have struck a berg. Position 41.46 N 50.15 W. Mr Cottam raced to the bridge to tell the officer on watch and then the two ran to the cabin of Captain Arthur Rostron to give him the news. Capt Rostron gave immediate orders for the Carpathia to change course toward the Titanic. The Cunard Line steamship was the only vessel to respond to the Titanics distress signals and arrived on the scene at 4am the following morning to rescue 700 survivors from the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: Though he had already worked an 18-hour day, Cottam stayed at his radio for the next three days until he collapsed from exhaustion. When he arrived in America, he was whisked directly to Washington to appear at an official inquiry held by the US senate, after which he was hailed by the press as a hero. Cottam never cashed in on his fame, refusing even to be interviewed about the disaster for most of his life. Despite his relative obscurity, a true hero in every sense of the word and this archive represents the vital part he played in the lives of those saved from the Titanic. Also being sold at the auction will be gold and bronze Carpathia medals, which will be the first time that a full set have been offered for sale at the same time. The gold medal is estimated to sell for 30,000. 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 }} Joe Biden delivered remarks at Ulster University on Wednesday, 12 April, as part of his four-day visit to the island of Ireland commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The US president's speech came after he met with Rishi Sunak to hold bilateral talks. The two world leaders will take part in engagements to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace deal which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. Mr Biden is expected to talk about how the United States can support "Northern Ireland's vast economic potential." The US president has strong ties to the island of Ireland - his ancestors were from Mayo and Louth, and encouraged the US to take part in the Northern Irish peace process in the 1980s and 1990s. As part of the Senate foreign relations committee, Mr Biden pushed Bill Clinton's administration to help broker the Belfast Agreement of 1998. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Joe Biden has dodged talks about a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK during his visit to Northern Ireland. The US President met Rishi Sunak in Belfast on Wednesday, but the pair did not discuss a free trade agreement, a White House official said. Ahead of the meeting, National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat said: "I dont anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip. But Ms Sloat added: "Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a range of economic issues." And she confirmed Mr Biden has invited Mr Sunak to Washington in June, where they will discuss economic topics. Despite failing to secure talks on a free trade pact, the PM insisted the UKs relationship with the US is in great shape and described the country as very close partners and allies. He added that he had a very good discussion with Mr Biden around economic investment in Northern Ireland and foreign policy issues. That comes on the back of a meeting I had with him last month in the US, Im seeing him again next month at the G7 and then Im going to Washington in June; were very close partners and allies, we co-operate on a range of things, whether thats supporting Ukraine or economic security, he said. I think actually the relationship is in great shape, and the President and I have lots that were working on together. Ms Sloat also rejected a claim by the DUP that Mr Biden is anti-British and hates the UK as simply untrue. She added: The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months and then again next month and then again in June with the prime minister of the UK shows how close our cooperation is with the UK." She said the "track record of the President shows that he's not anti-British". Britain is looking to strike trade agreements following its departure from the European Union and Brexiteeers have previously claimed a deal with the US would be easy to secure and suggested that it was a major benefit of leaving the EUs customs union. But successive prime ministers including Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss all failed to pin down a deal with the US. Mr Sunaks new Windsor Framework pact with the EU raised hopes that tensions with the Democrats in the US could ease, paving the way for talks. But last month Mr Sunak downplayed the prospect of talks on such a deal being struck, insisting that trans-Atlantic trade was growing massively anyway. He told GB News: Its just people should actually know that our relationship with America economically is very strong, our exports are growing massively anyway and were concluding agreements with states. Mr Biden arrived in Belfast on Air Force One on Tuesday evening to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The White House last week said the visit to Belfast would mark the tremendous progress since the agreement was signed. It added that the visit would underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities". Mr Biden is expected to make several stops north and south of the Irish border, including a visit to Dublin where he will address Irish parliamentarians and meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Conservative voters are over twice as likely as Labour supporters to think displaying golli*** dolls is acceptable, new polling shows. Research carried out after the home secretary criticised police for seizing an Essex pubs collection of toys indicates significant divides in opinion between different political groups and age brackets. Overall, 39 per cent of Brits said they thought it was acceptable to sell or display a golli***, while 34 per cent said it was not and 27 per cent didnt know. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} DUP politicians have attacked Joe Biden as anti-British and pro-Irish Republican as they again resisted pressure to resume powersharing at Stormont. Senior unionist party figures spoke out against the US president as he arrived in Northern Ireland for a brief visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Joe Biden hates the UK I dont think theres any doubt about that, former DUP first minister of Northern Ireland Dame Arlene Foster told GB News. DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Mr Biden, a Catholic who had played up his Irish roots, was anti-British, adding: He is pro-republican and he has made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known. He has fully backed the EU in this whole protocol process, Mr Wilson told The Telegraph. Hes refusing to come to the coronation [of King Charles]. I dont think any of us are rushing through the door to greet him. Denying the DUP claims, the spokesperson for the US National Security Council said Mr Bidens track record shows he is not anti-British. The spokesperson the UK remains one of our strongest and closest allies, and said the comments Ms Foster and others were simply untrue. But DUP figures have issue strong criticism of Mr Biden and insisted his visit would make no difference to the partys decision on whether to return to the Stormont executive with Sinn Fein. Nigel Dodds, DUP peer, said: Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all. DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr told TalkTV that the poor fella is unfortunately quite gaffe prone, adding: It would be like a Frenchman coming over to you and telling you what to do in England. The DUP last month voted in parliament against Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework a deal agreed with the EU to replace the Northern Ireland protocol and ease trade checks on goods being transported across the Irish Sea. Joe Biden greeted by Rishi Sunak (REUTERS) The party is expected to request amendments to the framework, but given the difficulty of making major changes to the text of a treaty, its demands are unlikely to be successful. The US president will hold an informal meeting with the leaders of the five parties at the start of his four-day trip, The Independent understands. US congressman Richard Neal, a top ally of Mr Biden said the administration would prod and nudge the DUP end its protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements. But Tony Blair, who signed the historic peace deal in April 1998, warned Mr Biden that pressurising the unionist community could backfire, saying: There is a difference between influencing and pressurising ... the one tends to be positive, the other can be negative. Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland (REUTERS) Unionists have not forgiven Mr Biden for a series of gaffes in which he played up his Irish-Catholic roots. In 2015 he welcomed Irish prime minister Enda Kenny to the White House by saying: If you are wearing orange, you are not welcome here. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, was asked what the presidents strategy will be the encourage the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly. She said the president would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Mr Biden and Mr Sunak are not expected to discuss a free trade agreement during their meeting in Northern Ireland this morning, it has been indicated. It will be the third in-person meeting between the two leaders. In a briefing to journalists, Ms Sloat said: I dont anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Joe Biden has praised Rishi Sunaks post-Brexit deal with the EU and said it could bring significant US investment into Northern Ireland. The US president backed the Windsor framework compromise aimed at ending the protocol row, as he shared his hopes that Northern Irish parties will return to powersharing arrangements soon. Mr Biden was careful not to mention the DUPs refusal to return to Stormont during his speech in Belfast on Wednesday but insisted that getting stable, devolved government up and running could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Biden said the protocol deal opposed by the DUP was an essential step in making sure peace and progress were preserved and strengthened. The president said: As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland. Its a decision for you to make not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region, he told the Belfast audience. Mr Biden added: So, I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north-south and east-west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. DUP politicians had attacked Mr Biden a Catholic who had played up his Irish roots as a pro-Irish Republican prior to his speech, as they again resisted pressure to resume powersharing at Stormont. Former party leader Dame Arlene Foster had claimed Joe Biden hates the UK, while DUP MP Sammy Wilson said the president was anti-British and had shown antipathy towards Protestants. The DUP are continuing to refuse to go into the assembly until their concerns around the protocol are dealt with by the UK government, having voted against Mr Sunaks deal with the EU in parliament last month. Mr Biden warned by former prime minister Tony Blair not to pressurise the unionists into ending their boycott of Stormont over their opposition to the post-Brexit protocol arrangements chose his words carefully. He said the Windsor framework agreed by Mr Sunak and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had helped address some of the complex challenges created by Brexit. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed, and I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland significant investment in Northern Ireland, he said, echoing arguments made by Mr Sunak. Joe Biden takes a selfie with students at Ulster University (Reuters) Mr Biden said 25 years without violence meant the incredible economic opportunity is just beginning, adding: There are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest, he said. The 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Irelands gross domestic product has literally doubled, he said saying it could triple in the years ahead. Mr Biden also said his special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, would supercharge work to encourage more investment in the region and help it realise its enormous economic potential. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson described Mr Bidens remarks as measured, saying he was right to point towards prosperity as being the focus of the next 25 years. But the DUP leader said the speech does not change the political dynamic over the protocol. Asked if he believed Mr Biden was anti-British, Sir Jeffrey said he welcomed the US presidents reference to the Ulster Scots who made such an enormous contribution to the building of the United States of America. Joe Biden with Rishi Sunak at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast (PA) Earlier, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council accompanying Mr Biden on his trip said his track record shows he is not anti-British, saying the comments Ms Foster and others in the DUP were simply untrue. Mr Biden met briefly with the leaders of the five largest political parties after arriving at the Ulster University campus in Belfast including Sir Jeffrey, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill, Alliance leader Naomi Long, UUP leader Doug Beattie and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle ONeill said Mr Bidens speech had sent a clear message to the DUP that the party should end its boycott and return to government. Speaking after a brief one-on-one meeting with Mr Biden, Ms ONeill said she felt his message was on the right note. She said: I think his message was clear, we need peace, we need stability and we need prosperity, those things all go hand in hand. Mr Sunak has said the relationship between the UK and the US is in great shape after his own meeting with the US president. I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve, the PM told broadcasters. However, Mr Biden and Mr Sunak did not discuss any UK-US free trade agreement during their meeting, it was indicated. Mr Bidens spokesperson said the pair were not going to be talking about a trade deal. Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris rejected any suggestion Mr Sunaks lack of attendance at Ulster University was a snub. He said: They had their bilateral this morning. The prime minister has got other private engagements that he has gone to. STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR BEATING UP GIRLFRIEND The video is a horrifying reminder of the level of violence that Filipino women are subjected to, often at the hands of their own husbands or partners. Dapat manatili sa kulungan ang pulis na ito. Maliwanag ang paglabag sa RA 9262 o ang Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act. Kuhang-kuha sa camera ang krimen. It is even more infuriating that he who is supposed to enforce the law is the one to also brazenly commit a crime. I send my tightest hug to my fellow woman, Shaira, who has had to endure such cruelty. Bilang Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Women, handang makipagtulungan ang kumite at ang opisina ko sa iyong pagkamit ng hustisya at paghilom. 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 }} Scotlands government is to press ahead with a legal challenge to Westminster's decision to veto gender ID reforms. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill was passed by an overwhelming majority of the Scottish Parliament, with support from members of all parties. Westminsters use of a Section 35 order to block the legislation represents an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliament's ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters and it risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent, she added. Ms Somerville confirmed that Scottish ministers would lodge a petition for a judicial review of the decision by Rishi Sunaks administration. She said offers to work with the UK government on potential changes to the bill had been refused outright and that a legal challenge was our only reasonable means of resolving this situation. Mr Sunak defended the decision to block the reforms, which streamline the process of a person legally changing their gender. It was a decision that we made after taking very careful and considered advice," he told reporters while on a visit to Belfast. We had concerns, as the UK Government the Secretary of State set this out at the time concerns about how Scotland's changes to the gender recognition act would interact with reserved powers, about the operation of the Equalities Act, the protection of women elsewhere in the UK as well. That's why we took the decision to block the GRR. Obviously there's a court process, we will follow that through. Hamza Yousaf, who last month took over from Nicola Sturgeon, described Westminsters move as an undemocratic veto over legislation that was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 / 50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 April 2023 A demonstrator wears a costume as people protest during the Extinction Rebellion's 'The Big One' event, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 20 April 2023 The funeral cortege of Paul OGrady travels through the village of Aldington, Kent ahead of his funeral at St Rumwolds Church PA UK news in pictures 19 April 2023 Georgia Harrison, who was a victim of revenge porn, at a demonstration organised by Refuge outside the Houses of Parliament, calling for a violence against women and girls code of practice to be added to the Online safety bill PA UK news in pictures 18 April 2023 People walk at the Taihaku Cherry Tree Orchard at Alnwick Gardens in Alnwick, Northumberland Reuters UK news in pictures 17 April 2023 A pelican sits in St Jamess Park, London PA UK news in pictures 16 April 2023 People take part in the Nagar Kirtan procession through the city centre in Southampton, during Vaisakhi celebrations to mark the birth of the Khalsa and to celebrate the spring harvest and the solar new year PA UK news in pictures 15 April 2023 Former Chelsea players and fans show the Samaritans' 24-hour helpline number 116 123 on the back of their shirts during the launch of the TalkMoreThanFootball campaign from Three, during halftime of Chelsea v Brighton at Stamford Bridge, London PA UK news in pictures 14 April 2023 Protesters outside York Magistrates Court, where Patrick Thelwell is charged with threatening behaviour after eggs were thrown at King Charles III during his visit to York in November PA UK news in pictures 13 April 2023 British milliner Justin Smith, from J. Smith Esquire, with a crown he has created using 319 Scrabble tiles to mark Scrabble's 75th anniversary and King Charles III's coronation PA UK news in pictures 12 April 2023 US President Joe Biden delivers a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 11 April 2023 People take part in a rally in Trafalgar Square in London, in support of striking NHS junior doctors, as the British Medical Association holds a 96-hour walkout in a dispute over pay PA UK news in pictures 10 April 2023 Masked people attack a police vehicle with petrol bombs in Derrys Creggan area on on 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement Getty UK news in pictures 9 April 2023 People taking part in the annual procession in Glasgow as part of the Sikh Vaisakhi celebration to celebrate the Birth of the Sikh Nation PA UK news in pictures 8 April 2023 Visitors dressed in costumes during the Star Wars Celebration at the ExCel London in east London PA UK news in pictures 7 April 2023 Lorries queue to enter the Port of Dover in Dover, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 April 2023 Seating being erected on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace, central London, ahead of King Charles IIIs Coronation. PA UK news in pictures 5 April 2023 Police officers stand guard outside the home of Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon in Glasgow, Scotland Getty UK news in pictures 4 April 2023 Workers protest outside Google London HQ over the treatment of staff facing redundancies PA UK news in pictures 3 April 2023 Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union on the picket line outside the Passport Office in east London, as more than 1,000 members of the PCS working in passport offices in England, Scotland and Wales begin a five week strike as part of the civil service dispute PA UK news in pictures 2 April 2023 Coaches wait to enter the Port of Dover in Kent after extra sailings were run overnight to try and clear the backlog which has left passengers stuck in Easter traffic for hours PA UK news in pictures 1 April 2023 Waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 31 March 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Darlington Council leader Jonathan Dulston, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Darlington MP Peter Gibson in Firth Moor during a visit to Darlington, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 30 March 2023 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner travel by train to the launch of the Labour Party's campaign for the May local elections in Swindon PA UK news in pictures 29 March 2023 Newborn Grevys zebra Lola, who was born during the early hours of March 17 to 12-year-old mum, Akuna, at West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 28 March 2023 Drag Queen Dross poses during a media event launching the Eurovision EuroFestival programme, in Liverpool EPA UK news in pictures 27 March 2023 The new leader of the Scottish National Party and former Health Secretary Humza Yousaf speaks after he is announced at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland EPA UK news in pictures 26 March 2023 Caoimhe Dempsey throws her welly to the shore as Cambridge University board their boat prior to The Gemini Boat Race 2023 Getty UK news in pictures 24 March 2023 Brian Cox opens the London Stock Exchange to celebrate Succession Season 4, which premieres on streaming service NOW and Sky PA UK news in pictures 23 March 2023 The Milky Way core rises at 3am over Bamburgh Lighthouse in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 22 March 2023 Emergency teams attend the scene after a ship tipped over at the Leith dry dock in Edinburgh, Scotland Tomafc83 UK news in pictures 21 March 2023 Sir David Attenborough plants a tree, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, for The Queen's Green Canopy in Richmond Park with school children from across London PA UK news in pictures 20 March 2023 The Superlambanana sculpture outside the Avril Robarts Library of Liverpool John Moores University painted in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, ahead of the city hosting the Eurovision Song Contest PA UK news in pictures 19 March 2023 Undated hanBumblebee nectaring on pink cherry blossom at Sheringham Park in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 18 March 2023 Ugandas Husnah Kukundakwe in action during the Womens MC 50m Butterfly heats on day three of the Citi Para Swimming World Series at Ponds Forge, Sheffield PA UK news in pictures 17 March 2023 The Prince and Princess of Wales laugh as they arrive for a visit to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards for the St Patricks Day Parade, at Mons Barracks in Aldershot PA UK news in pictures 16 March 2023 Actor Ed McVey, who plays the part of Prince William, on set in between filming scenes at the harbour for the next season of The Crown in St Andrews, Scotland PA UK news in pictures 15 March 2023 Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt gestures as he poses with the budget box at Downing Street in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 14 March 2023 Sir Dr. Brian May, musician, songwriter and animal Welfare Advocate, from Windlesham, is made a Knight Bachelor by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace PA UK news in pictures 13 March 2023 Demonstrators take part in a protest by junior doctors, amid a dispute with the government over pay, outside of Saint Thomas Hospital, in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 12 March 2023 A convoy of 374 Tractors make their way through Pateley Bridge in North Yorkshire during the Knaresborough Tractor Run PA UK news in pictures 11 March 2023 A Dachshund miniature strides across the judging ring on day three of Crufts at the NEC Arena in Birmingham Getty UK news in pictures 10 March 2023 Cars are driven along a snow-covered road in Lever Causeway, near Birkenhead, north west England AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 March 2023 A woman walks past the Beatles statue in the snow at Pier Head in Liverpool as the Met Office has issued an amber warning for strong winds bringing blizzard conditions and up to 40cm of snow in some areas. PA UK news in pictures 8 March 2023 Demonstrators hold placards reading ""Women, Life, Freedom" as they demonstrate against the persecution of women in Iran, on Whitehall in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 March 2023 A Harlequin Great Dane named H and a Chihuahua named Boo during a photo call for the launch of this year's Crufts, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham PA UK news in pictures 6 March 2023 A group of people lay floral tributes left near the scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff where three people who disappeared on a night out have died in a road traffic accident PA UK news in pictures 5 March 2023 A woman on a penny-farthing at Marble Arch before taking part in a protest, organised by the London Cycling Campaign, calling for safe cycling for women in London PA UK news in pictures 4 March 2023 A demonstartor holds smoke flares as he takes part in an anti-immigration protesters march in Dover on the south-east coast of England AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 March 2023 Architect Shahed Saleem in the Ramadan Pavilion 2023 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. PA UK news in pictures 2 March 2023 Striking members of the National Education Union (NEU) South East Region at a rally in Chichester, West Sussex, in a long-running dispute over pay PA The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was backed by 88 votes to 33 in the Scottish Parliament, but the UK governments Scottish Secretary Alastair Jack blocked the bill from gaining royal assent, claiming it would interfere with the working of the UKs Equality Act. The bill aims to streamline and simplify the process of obtaining a gender recognition certificate by removing the need for a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to obtain one. It also reduces the time someone must have been permanently living in their gender before they can apply for a certificate from two years to three months, and lowers the minimum age from 18 to 16. 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 }} Sir Keir Starmer has said denied targeting Rishi Sunaks wife as he again defended the Labour Partys highly controversial online attack adverts. The Labour leader claimed the ads the latest which specifically focused on the non-dom tax status previously held by the PMs wife Akshata Murty were highlighting the failures of the Tory government. Mr Starmer has stood firmly behind the campaign despite senior figures in his party condemning the gutter politics after the initial Twitter poster claimed Mr Sunak did not think child sex abusers should be in prison. The most recent online ad, posted on Tuesday, said: Do you think its right to raise taxes for working people when your family benefitted from a tax loophole? Rishi Sunak does. The Independent revealed last year that Ms Murty held the special tax status which allows people on overseas income reportedly saving her millions but has since said she will pay UK taxes on all her worldwide income. Featuring a picture of Mr Sunak, it also said the Conservatives have raised taxes 24 times since 2019 while refusing to close the non-dom tax loophole for foreign residents in the UK. During a visit to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: I make no apologies for highlighting the failures of this government. Theyve broken our NHS, theyve broken our economy. And this argument that because theyve changed prime minister five times, that somehow the prime minister doesnt bear responsibility for 13 years of grief for many, many people, I just dont think stacks up. Pressed on the latest ad highlighting the tax benefits enjoyed by the PMs wife, Sir Keir said: Nobody is targeting the prime ministers wife. Behind these adverts is a basic truth that they have broken our criminal justice system, broken our NHS, and broken our economy. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (right) and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (PA) Labour MPs told The Independent they had personally complained to their leader about the Twitter ads warning him that it will damage the partys standing in blue wall seats in the south of England. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper distanced herself from the Twitter graphic on child sex abusers with her team making clear she was not consulted about the ad devised by Labour strategists. Former home secretary David Blunkett told said Labour was better than baseless allegations and spurious slurs. But Jack Straw, another former Labour home secretary, told The Independent: The Tories are always ready to dish it out, but they squeal like stuck pigs when they are on the receiving end. Mr Sunak called for less talk, more action from politicians as he hit back at Labours contentious attack adverts against him. The PM said he was focused on delivering for the British people when asked about the opposition partys widely criticised claim that he did not want child sex abusers to be jailed. Meanwhile, Sir Keir said he disagreed with the pay rise demands of striking junior doctors. I dont think 35 per cent is affordable, he said but called on the government to sort this issue out and negotiate a settlement. He told reporters: I think 35 per cent is unaffordable, but thats not an excuse to sit on your hands and do nothing, thats a reason to get in the room and negotiate and thats what the government should be doing. Sir Keir also described the US as a close ally when asked about president Joe Bidens visit, adding: I think all of us want to see the institutions in Northern Ireland back up and running, thats the best outcome from all of this. But Labour pounced on reports that negotiations for a UK-US free trade deal will not restart until 2025 at the earliest, nine years on from Brexit, despite Mr Sunaks meeting with Mr Biden in Belfast. Negotiations are unlikely to restart until after the next US election, The Telegraph reported, with the White House confirming that there were no active talks happening about a trade deal during Mr Bidens visit. Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labours shadow international trade secretary, said it was final confirmation of the failure of the Conservatives to deliver on trade. Home secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of using racist rhetoric by a top Conservative peer and former co-chair of the party. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi hit out at a number of remarks the home secretary has made, and said it has it has got to stop. The Tory peer did not specify which specific remarks she was referring to as racist, but highlighted Ms Bravermans singling out British Pakistani men over concerns about grooming gangs and comments on small boats crossing the Channel. 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 }} Police in Northern Ireland have launched an investigation into a security breach around the visit of the US President Joe Biden. A huge security operation was put in place for the visit ahead of Mr Bidens arrival on Tuesday evening for a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. More than 300 officers from the rest of the UK have been drafted into Northern Ireland to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). A document, which was marked PSNI and sensitive, was found by a member of the public, the BBC reported. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer PSNI spokesperson It is understood it was an operational order which outlines officer deployments, however, no personal details on the President, his officials or those of other dignitaries associated with the visit were included within the document. Responding, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed an investigation has been launched. We are aware of a security breach, they said. An investigation has commenced and we have notified the senior information risk officer. We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place. The Scottish Government is to challenge Westminsters decision to block controversial gender recognition reforms in court with Holyroods Social Justice Secretary insisting legal action is the only reasonable way of resolving the situation. Shirley-Anne Somerville confirmed the Scottish Government is to lodge a petition for a judicial review after the UK Government turned to never-before-used powers under the Scotland Act to prevent legislation passed by Holyrood from gaining royal assent. MSPs from all parties had backed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December last year, with the legislation introduced to simplify and speed up the process for trans people to obtain legal recognition in their preferred gender. 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 }} Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh will serve his sentence for murdering his wife and son at South Carolinas McCormick Correctional Institution. The maximum security prison that will house the disgraced lawyer in protective custody is situated on Redemption Way in McCormick, around 40 miles north of Augusta, Georgia. The South Carolina Department of Corrections announced in March that 54-year-old Murdaugh had been placed in a specialised unit because of his notoriety. McCormick Correctional Institution, South Carolina (SCDC) Inmates in this unit have validated protective concerns and are placed in a specialized unit to separate them from the general population, the department said in a statement about moving Murdaugh. Their location is not disclosed for safety and security reasons. Murdaugh is being kept away from the general population in an 8ft by 10ft cell with his own bed, toilet and sink, according to Fox News. The prison itself houses 1,200 inmates, with space for 28 in the protective unit. Murdaugh was sentenced last month to life imprisonment after being found guilty of fatally shooting his wife Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, in June 2021. The court heard that he committed the murders to try and take attention away from his alleged theft of around $9m from clients and his prestigious family law firm. He is due back in court on 21 April for a status hearing into 99 charges of financial crimes. Murdaugh has received a flood of alarming letters from gushing admirers since he began serving two life prison sentences for the murders. Jail documents obtained by FITSNews revealed more than 30 messages sent from 16 separate fans in a span of just 15 days last month. The first message came in to the Kirkland Correctional Institution where Murdaugh was processed following his sentencing on 6 March, just four days after the disgraced attorney was convicted of the brutal 7 June 2021 killings of Maggie and Paul in Islandton, South Carolina. 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 Capitol rioter from Kansas City, Kansas, said he was ridiculously ashamed before his sentencing for participating in the mob that attempted to disrupt the US transition of power. Kasey Hopkins, 48, was sentenced to four months of prison by US district judge Tanya S Chutkan. He was also ordered to pay $500 restitution and serve 24 months of probation, according to the Kansas City Star. Hopkins was previously convicted and sent to prison in 2002 on a rape conviction, according to the Associated Press. At the time, he said he planned to change his life and started a business. Hopkins however went on to participate in the Capitol riot, during which he twice entered a senators private office. He took photos of other rioters ransacking the office. Im ridiculously ashamed to be here right now, he told the court. He insisted that he was swept up in the moment, saying that mob mentality is a very, very real thing. The judge praised his attempts to undertake a personal transformation, but said his participation in the Capitol riot boggled my mind. Court documents suggested Hopkins wanted to join the Proud Boys, an extremist right wing street gang that allegedly helped coordinate the attack on the Capitol. He was reportedly afraid he would not be allowed into the group because of his prior felony conviction, and proposed forming a group of Proud Felons for Trump. Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four of his subordinates are currently facing sedition charges for their participation in the attack. That trial has gone on for nearly three months and is likely approaching a close, according to the Associated Press. Kasey Hopkins, 48, was sentenced to four months in prison for his involvement in the Capitol riot (US Department of Justice) Four members of the Oath Keepers, another extremist right-wing gang that participated in the Capitol riot, have already been convicted of seditious conspiracy. Hopkins was originally charged with four misdemeanours, but prosecutors agreed to drop those for lesser parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building charges if he agreed to enter a guilty plea. Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes for their participation in the Capitol riot, making it the largest case the US Department of Justice has ever undertaken. The riot left dozens of police officers injured and four Trump loyalists including Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt dead. 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 }} Cult mom Lori Vallow is currently on trial in a case that has shocked the nation with its bizarre doomsday cult ties and the tragic deaths of almost everyone close to the mother-of-three and her new husband Chad Daybell. The 49-year-old is charged with the murders of her children Joshua JJ Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan, 16, and conspiracy to murder Mr Daybells first wife Tammy Daybell. JJ and Tylee vanished without a trace back in September 2019, with their mother refusing to reveal their whereabouts to authorities for many months. One month after they were last seen alive, Tammy an otherwise healthy 49-year-old died suddenly and Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell soon jetted off to Hawaii to get married on the beach. In June 2020, the remains of JJ and Tylee were found buried on the grounds of Mr Daybells property in Rexburg, Idaho, and the doomsday cult couple were eventually charged with murder. Prosecutors allege that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with Ms Vallows brother Alex Cox to murder Tammy, JJ and Tylee as part of their bizarre cult beliefs but also for financial purposes so that they could collect Tammys life insurance money and the childrens social security and survivor benefits. After lengthy delays due to the pandemic and Ms Vallows admission into a mental health facility her trial is finally under way in a courtroom in Boise, Idaho. Here are the key revelations from the trial so far: Money, power and sex During opening statements, prosecutors said that Ms Vallow was driven by money, power and sex to murder her two children and her new husbands then-wife. Money, power, and sex thats what this case is about, said Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake. Tylee had money. Lori wanted it. Tylees gone. JJ took time and he also lost his father. When he lost his father, he became much more difficult to care for. He was entitled to social security benefits. The defendant didnt want to have to take care of JJ anymore. He had money. JJs gone. Ms Blake told jurors that the saga first began back in October 2018 when Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell met in person for the first time at a religious conference. Despite both being married, their romance grew with Ms Blake saying: The defendant will remove any obstacle in her way to get what she wants and she wanted Chad Daybell. Lori Vallow is seen in a courtroom sketch (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Doomsday couple used cult beliefs to justify murder The doomsday couple allegedly used their cult beliefs to justify their actions, the prosecutor said in opening statements. She was here on a religious mission to gather the 144,000, so she needed to spend her time and energy there, said Ms Blake. What she did on earth no longer counted for her. As part of their cult beliefs, they believed in a rating system of light and dark for how they ranked the spirits of the people around them. Over time, this evolved into the belief that some people including the children were zombies and the only way to get rid of the zombies was for the human body to be destroyed. Tammy Daybells cause of death revealed The cause of death of Mr Daybells first wife Tammy was revealed for the first time during opening statements. Ms Blake told jurors that Tammy, 49, died at the hands of another and died of asphyxiation, citing the Utah medical examiner. Tammy died suddenly on 19 October 2019. Mr Daybell declined an autopsy despite her young age and lack of health concerns and her death was ruled natural causes. The prosecutor said that, 10 days before her death, Tammy had called 911 to report that someone had taken a shot at her in the driveway of her home. When Tammy then died and her body was about to be exhumed, Cox raised concerns about being made the fall guy for her death by the doomsday couple. Tammy and Chad Daybell were married in 1990. He is now accused of conspiring with Lori Vallow to kill her (Facebook) One day after he made that comment on 11 December 2019 Cox also died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was also ruled natural causes, however the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system. After the investigation into the missing children ramped up, Tammys body was exhumed and an autopsy carried out. Sobbing Brandon Boudreaux testifies about children and shooting Ms Vallows former nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux broke down in tears as he testified about the moment he learned about JJ and Tylees deaths and then had to identify JJs remains. He was married to Ms Vallows niece Melani Pawlowski for ten years and was close to JJ and Tylee. However, in 2018 he said things changed and got more bizarre when Ms Pawlowski became more involved in the doosmday cult with Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell. The couple divorced and he was living in a new home when, on 2 October 2019, he was the victim of a failed shooting attempt. After that, he said he began looking into his estranged wifes doomsday cult and learned that Mr Daybells wife Tammy had also died recently. Alarming items found in Vallows garage Rexburg Police Detective Ray Hermosillo testified how his officers found several alarming items during a search of Ms Vallows home. Arizona officials had raised the alarm about JJ and Tylees disappearance but, by that time, Ms Vallow had moved the children from Arizona to Rexburg. After being railroaded by Ms Vallow, Mr Daybell and Cox as to the childrens whereabouts, police executed a search warrant on her home in November 2019. In the garage, investigators found several guns, ammunition, empty magazines, silencers and Army-grade knives. There was also Hazmat-style suits and preparedness bags with emergency kits and a camouflage suit. Black trash bags full of clothes and papers and JJs toys and prescription medication was also found in the search. He testified that Ms Vallow appeared to have fled, with no clothes left behind in her closets. The last photo and known sighting of Tylee Ryan (pictured with JJ and Alex Cox at Yellowstone National Park) (FBI) Graphic photos show JJ was buried in pyjamas Graphic photos revealed that JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a pull-up nighttime diaper when his remains were found buried in a shallow grave on Mr Daybells property on 9 June 2020. The last proof of life of JJ is a photo taken on 22 September 2019 showing the little boy sitting on a sofa dressed in a matching set of red pyjamas. Shocked jurors were shown images of JJs body found in the shallow grave still dressed in the red pyjamas. His arms were wrapped in duct tape and his head was wrapped in a white plastic bag with thick layers of duct tape around it. He had been partly covered in a blue childrens blanket before wood panelling and three white stones were placed on top of him in the shallow grave. Det Hermosillo told the court that search teams digging on the property were first struck by the strong odour of a decomposing body. The team then uncovered what appeared to be the crown of a head later found to belong to JJ protruding through the earth. Tylees remains were then found not far from her younger brothers, close to a fire pit in the pet cemetery on the property. JJ Vallow on the day he was last seen alive (Ada County Court) State of Tylees remains meant autopsy was impossible Tylees body was so badly burned that an autopsy to determine her cause of death was impossible, jurors heard. The 16-year-old had been dismembered, burned and her body parts were dispersed around the grounds. Eventually we uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee, whom we assumed was Tylee, that had been burned. There were pieces of bone, charred flesh, just globs of flesh that were falling apart, he said. Jurors gasped and JJs grandparents sobbed as harrowing images were shown in the courtroom of both the burial site and images taken JJs autopsy. At one point, Ms Vallows attorneys asked the judge to allow her to be excused from the court while the graphic testimony and photos were shown. The judge swiftly denied the request. Jailhouse call reveals Daybell warning Vallow as police close in Jurors heard a jailhouse phone call where Mr Daybell warned Ms Vallow that police were closing in on the day that her childrens remains were discovered buried on his property. In the call, made at 11.03am on 9 June 2020, Mr Daybell is heard telling his new wife that law enforcement were on the scene searching his property in Rexburg, Idaho. At the time, Ms Vallow was behind bars in Madison County Jail after she failed to meet a court order to present the children. They are searching the property, a forlorn-sounding Mr Daybell says. He later adds: So, well see what transpires. Just around one hour later, the remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered buried on Mr Daybells property. Vallow lied that missing JJ was watching Frozen 2 with a friend Ms Vallows former friend Melanie Gibb testified that the cult mom had lied to police about JJs whereabouts using her as an alibi. Jurors heard that Mr Daybell called Ms Gibb a few days before Thanksgiving 2019 to tell her that the police would be calling her about JJ and Tylees whereabouts and that she shouldnt answer. Investigators are seen digging in Chad Daybells yard on the day the children were found (AP) Ms Vallow had claimed to authorities that JJ was with Ms Gibb watching Frozen 2 and asked her friend to take photos of random children at the movies to show police, jurors heard. Initially, Ms Gibb said she didnt know what to do so ignored police calls before speaking to them and admitting she hadnt seen JJ. A December 2019 phone call, secretly recorded by Ms Gibb, captured her confronting Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell about asking her to lie about JJs whereabouts. In the call, Ms Vallow also claimed that she was trying to protect JJ because his grandmother Kay Woodcock was trying to kidnap him. She insisted that JJ who was already dead was safe and happy but refused to reveal where he was. Ms Gibb told her friend: If you really loved me, you would not have told the police I had JJ with me. Ms Vallow responded by telling her it sounds like you have been influenced by somebody dark and obey dark things. Cult mom believed children had dark spirits Jurors heard testimony about the dark doomsday cult beliefs of Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell. Ms Gibb testified that Ms Vallow told her JJ and Tylee had been taken over by dark spirits in September 2019 the month of their disappearance. She claimed that JJ had become dark that month, would climb on top of the fridge and cabinets, and would say things like I love Satan. Ms Gibb testified that JJ appeared to be acting like a typical seven-year-old who had autism. Ms Vallow allegedly also claimed that Tylee had moved into dorm rooms at BYU-Idaho and that all of the teens belongings had been moved into storage. As part of their cult beliefs, the doomsday couple believed in a rating system ranking peoples spirits from light to dark, said Ms Gibb. They believed that some people including the children were zombies and the only way to get rid of the zombies was for the human body to be destroyed. Ms Vallows fourth husband Charles Vallow was also labeled as dark, said Ms Gibb. Cult mom laughed as surviving child confronted her about dead siblings In a chilling jailhouse phone call played to the court, Ms Vallow was heard laughing as her only surviving child confronted her about the deaths of his two siblings. Colby Ryan, Ms Vallows eldest son from her second marriage, took the stand to testify against his mother on day six of he trial. During his testimony, jurors heard an emotional phone call between him and Ms Vallow as she was held behind bars in August 2020 two months after JJ and Tylees remains were discovered. Lori Vallow being escorted to a court appearance in 2022 (AP) My siblings, my whole family, my dad everyone is gone except my mom and youre in jail because of it. You ripped my heart out. You ripped everyones heart out, he told her. When Mr Ryan told her you murdered my siblings, Ms Vallow denied it saying: I didnt. Im sorry you feel that way. In the call, Mr Ryan pleaded with his mother to tell him the truth about what happened to his brother and sister and questioned how she could believe Jesus Christ was on her side. Ms Vallow was heard laughing in response, and saying that only Tylee and JJ know what happened. They love me and they are fine and they know the truth and we are the only people that do, she said, claiming that all would become clear in the afterlife. Mr Ryan also confronted his mother about texts that were sent from Tylees phone to him after she had already been killed, accusing her of posing as his sister to keep up the pretence that she was alive. Vallows chilling response when asked about Tylee Zulema Pastenes was in the cult with Ms Vallow, Mr Daybell and Cox and married Cox just weeks before he died suddenly. She testified that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell performed ritualistic castings to drive out dark spirits from individuals and that the cult mom also taught other women classes on how to cast out demons. In September 2019, she said she went to Rexburg and saw JJ there alive but didnt see Tylee. She said she asked where Tylee was and Ms Vallow told her that her daughter had to be freed. She then allegedly put her hand in front of Ms Pastenes face and told her: Dont ask. Prior to her disappearance, Ms Pastenes said Ms Vallow had claimed Tylee was possessed by a demon named Hillary and that JJ was also being attacked by dark spirits. She also claimed her husband Charles Vallow was possessed by a dark spirit named Garrett. Vallow went to Burger King minutes after brother killed husband Ms Vallow went to Burger King minutes after her brother Alex Cox shot and killed her fourth husband Charles Vallow, jurors heard. Charles Vallow was shot dead by Cox at Ms Vallows home in Chandler, Arizona, in July 2019. Cox claimed he shot Charles in self-defence because he tried to attack him with a baseball bat. Ms Vallow is now charged with conspiracy to murder Charles in Arizona. Detective Cassandra Ynclan, with the Chandler Police Department in Arizona, testified about Ms Vallows lack of concern for her husband when he was shot dead. She told the court how Ms Vallow claimed she did not witness the shooting but heard a gunshot and saw Charles on the ground. Charles and Lori Vallow pictured together. Lori is charged with conspiracy to murder Charles in Arizona (Provided) She left the scene and took JJ to school, stopping off at Burger King on the way. She returned around an hour later. A firefighter who responded to the scene also testified that no one had performed CPR on Charles before his arrival. Vallow and Daybell were planning new life in Hawaii without children The doomsday couple was planning to embark on a new life together in Hawaii without any children. Jurors were shown an email sent by Mr Daybell to a realtor in Hawaii in November 2019, just days after the couple wed on a beach there. In the email, he said that they were looking for a home for a couple with no pets or children. We are interested in seeing this property. Would the owners be interested in leasing this property to a clean couple with no pets or children? Please let us know. Thank you, he wrote. Grand theft timeline revealed Several law enforcement officials testified about what was described as the grand theft timeline revealing the alleged financial motive for the killings. Jurors heard how, in the months surrounding the murders, there were several suspicious changes to the social security payments meant for Tylee and JJ. Tylees father and Ms Vallows second husband Joseph Ryan died in 2018 and so the teenager was eligible for the benefits. On 16 August 2019, Tylees social security benefits were changed so that they would be paid into her mothers bank account instead of her own. Three days later, Ms Vallow and Tylee opened a joint bank account. Days later on 31 August Ms Vallow moved Tylee and JJ to Rexburg, Idaho, to where Mr Daybell lived. On 8 September,Tylee was last seen alive. A similar pattern was presented to jurors with JJs finances. After Charles Vallows death, his son JJ began receiving social security payments. Ms Vallow began receiving the payments into her bank account on her sons behalf in September. Days later, prosecutors say JJ was killed. Even after the deaths of JJ and Tylee, Ms Vallow allegedly continued to collect the social security payments. Chad Daybell pictured in court (Post Register) Ms Vallows accounts were then used to pay for flights for herself and Mr Daybell. Jurors also heard how Mr Daybell made a life insurance claim for Tammy Daybell just days after she died in October 2019. He ultimately received $400,000 in benefits from it. Vallow believed Charles was possessed by demon called Ned Schneider Ms Vallows friend testified that the cult mom believed her fourth husband Charles Vallow was possessed by demon called Ned Schneider. April Raymond said she met Ms Vallow at a church in Hawaii in 2016 when she was married to Charles Vallow and became very close. In February 2019, she said that Ms Vallow called her and asked if she and Tylee could stay with her because she was leaving Charles. Ms Raymond testified that Ms Vallow told her that Charles was possessed by a demon. Charles was already dead and a demon was using his body as a host. The demons name was Ned Schneider, she said. Ms Vallow allegedly said she knew he was no longer Charles because he looked shorter. She also allegedly told Ms Raymond that she was done with JJ. Ms Vallow told her that she was the leader of the 144,000 and was there to gather her so she too could be saved. JJ vanished after knocking over picture of Christ Ms Vallows former friend David Warwick testified about the last time he saw JJ alive. Mr Warwick said he and his wife Melanie Gibb visited Ms Vallow in Rexburg, Idaho, over a weekend in September 2019. JJ was there for most of the weekend but then, on the morning they left, was nowhere to be seen. Ms Vallow allegedly told him that JJ had an episode and knocked over a picture of Christ. We went downstairs to say goodbye and Lori was there and she just said that JJ had an episode, he said. She said he was out of control and she could not control him and so she had Alex come get him She said that he climbed the cabinets and the fridge and the upper cabinets and pushed over her picture of Christ. Chad Daybells chilling dream Jurors also heard about a chilling dream that Mr Daybell claimed he had about his wife Tammy dying. Mr Warwick testified that Mr Daybell told him he dreamt Tammy was going to pass away by the time she was 50. I asked him how his marriage was with Tammy and if she was a good wife and he said he had no complaints and she was a good wife, he told the court. Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan (AP) He said her time was coming up and him and Lori were going to do things they committed to do for God. Tammy died sudenly on October 19 2019 aged 49. he would have turned 50 in about six months time. Chad Daybells raccoon text Jurors also heard about a chilling text Mr Daybell sent to his wife Tammy Daybell on the day after Tylee was last seen alive. Tylee was last seen on 8 September 2019 at Yellowstone National Park. On 9 September, Mr Daybell sent his wife this text: Well, Ive had an interesting morning! I felt I should burn all of the limb debris by the fire pit before it got too soaked by the coming storms. While I did so, I spotted a big racoon [sic] along the fence. I hurried and got my gun, and he was still walking along. I got close enough that one shot did the trick. He is now in our pet cemetery. Fun times! Months later, in June 2020, Tylees remains were found buried in the pet cemetery on the Daybells property. Chilling internet searches revealed Chilling internet searches have revealed that Ms Vallow shopped for life insurance policies for her children two months before they were murdered and buried on the Daybell property. FBI analyst Nicole Heideman testified that Ms Vallows lollytime4ever Gmail account was used in July 2019 to google gerber life insurance policy and life insurance for children the Grow-Up Plan. A few days later, the same Gmail account searched for how to sell a service dog. At the time, Tylee and JJ were still alive and JJ, who had autism, was using a service dog. Jurors also heard how Ms Vallow appeared to begin making plans to marry Mr Daybell as far back as May 2019 while both of their spouses were still alive. In August 2019, her account searched for malachite wedding rings before buying a pair on 2 October 2019 days before Tammy was killed. On 22 October the same day that Tammys funeral took place Ms Vallows account then looked up wedding dresses and wedding dresses in Kauai. Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell got married on a beach in Hawaii on 5 November 2019, with photos showing them both sporting rings that matched those ordered online. Meanwhile, Mr Daybell allegedly searched on 8 September 2019 for what the wind direction was going to be the following day the day prosecutors believe Tylee was buried on the grounds of his property. Trove of burner phones Jurors also heard that Ms Vallow and her alleged co-conspirators were using a trove of burner phones around the time of the murders. In total, Ms Vallow, Mr Daybell and Cox used a total of 21 burner phones over an 18-month period 18 of them billed to a PO BOX in Sugar City, Idaho. Only one phone belonging to Cox pinged at both Ms Vallows apartment and the fire pet and pet cemetery on Mr Daybells property on 9 September and 23 September the days when prosecutors say Tylee and JJ were buried there. 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 weapon used for the shooting in the Louisville bank that led to the deaths of five people will likely be auctioned to the public, according to officials. On Monday morning, 25-year-old gunman Connor Sturgeon had opened fire at the Louisville bank and killed five and injured eight others. The gunman also exchanged fire with law enforcement officials and was subsequently shot dead by police fire. Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg called for a change in the way confiscated guns are handled. My administration has already taken action to remove the firing pin before turning confiscated guns over to the state. Because thats all that the current law allows us to do, he said while criticising state laws during a press conference on Tuesday. Under current Kentucky law, the assault rifle that was used to murder five of our neighbours and shoot at rescuing police officers will one day be auctioned off, he said. Think about that. That murder weapon will be back on the streets. The semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle had been legally purchased by Sturgeon on 4 April, days before the shooting. Under the current law in Kentucky, guns confiscated by local police, including those used in homicides, are returned to state police and then made available for purchase at auction. Its time to change this law. And let us destroy illegal guns and destroy the guns that have been used to kill our friends and kill our neighbours, Mr Greenberg said. Meanwhile, Louisville police also released bodycam video footage of officers confronting and fatally shooting the gunman. Officials said it took around nine minutes from the moment Sturgeon took his first shot to being killed at the scene by Louisville Metro Police Department officers. According to Sturgeons LinkedIn account, he worked at the bank as a syndications associate and a portfolio banker. The motive for the attack remains unclear but the gunman is said to have left behind ominous warnings about his deadly plans for his family and friends to find. Police dispatch audio, released by Broadcastify, captured the minute-by-minute police response to Mondays attack. In the audio, the dispatcher is heard relaying to law enforcement officials on the scene that Sturgeon had called a friend before the attack and left a chilling voicemail saying he felt suicidal and planned to kill everyone at the bank. Sturgeon had also written a note to his parents and a friend outlining his plans to open fire in the bank, a law enforcement source told CNN. The source said Sturgeon had worked at the bank for over a year but had been recently notified that he was going to be fired. He ultimately shot 13 people, killing five of them: Josh Barrick, 40, Tommy Elliott, 63, Jim Tutt, 64, Juliana Farmer, 57 and Deanna Eckert, 57. Mr Greenberg slammed the level of gun violence in Louisville as horrific. He said 40 people have been killed by guns in the city just this year and urged all levels of government to take action. That level of gun violence is beyond horrific. Democratic Kentucky representative Morgan McGarvey attacked Republican colleagues for failing to act on gun violence. 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 Louisville bank shooting was over in one minute, after which gunman Connor Sturgeon waited for police to arrive and was shot and killed by law enforcement. The 25-year-old livestreamed the attack on Instagram, but the footage has since been removed. The social media footage starts by showing a bank worker saying good morning to the shooter followed by the AR-15-style firearm, according to an official who outlined the events shown in the video, CNN reported. The official said the footage shows the gunman then trying to shoot the woman who just spoke to him, but hes unable to because the safety is on and the firearm still needs to be loaded. He then takes the safety off and loads the weapon before proceeding to shoot the woman in the back. The gunman then fires at other members of staff, who attempt to flee. The shooter didnt move to other floors of the bank where workers were present. After a minute of shooting, the gunman sits down in the lobby of the building, in an area facing the street, seemingly waiting for law enforcement to arrive. About 90 seconds later, the police arrive at the scene, gunfire is exchanged and the shooter is shot and killed. Sturgeon had been an intern at the bank for three summers and then been a full-time staffer for around two years, according to his LinkedIn profile. While a law enforcement official told CNN that Sturgeon had been made aware that he was set to be fired from the bank, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that wasnt the case. From what I have been told from an official at the bank, that is not accurate, the mayor said on Tuesday. Louisville police released body cam footage from the shooting on Tuesday. The footage starts with a video from 26-year-old officer Nicholas Wilt, who had graduated from the police academy only ten days before the shooting. He arrived at the scene in a vehicle with his training officer Cory CJ Galloway. Police said Officer Wilt was shot in the head as he ran towards the gunshots coming from Sturgeon. The footage from Officer Wilt that was made public ends before he was struck. The body cam footage from Officer Galloway shows him also coming under fire before he retreats to behind a planter as police discuss that theyre unable to spot the shooter and that hes firing through windows at the front of the bank. Officer Galloway was also shot at one point. Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said that the gunman broke the lobby windows, allowing police to get a view of where he was. The body cam video shows Officer Galloway shooting Sturgeon from the banks front steps. I think I got him down! I think hes down! he shouts before moving towards the building and instructing his colleagues to take care of Officer Wilt. Suspect down. Get the officer! he shouts. Footage filmed by a bystander was also released by police, showing Officer Galloway taking cover, his firearm raised and aimed at the building as he attempts to find the gunman. The ordeal, from the shooters first shot to when he was killed, went on for about nine minutes, Lt Col Aaron Cromwell said. Those killed in the shooting include Joshua Barrick, 40; Juliana Farmer, 45; Deana Eckert, 57; Tommy Elliott, 63; and James Tutt, 64. Ms Eckert was among the nine people taken to hospital on Monday before she passed away. Of the eight people who were shot but are still alive, five had been able to leave the hospital as of Tuesday. A hospital spokesperson added that Officer Wilt has undergone brain surgery and remains in critical condition. Of the three still in hospital, the other two are listed as being in fair condition. There have been 147 mass shootings defined as an instance in which four or more people are shot so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Almost 12,000 people have died because of gun violence this year in the US. 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 father of Madeline Kingsburys children is breaking his silence nearly two weeks after the Minnesota mother vanished. Ms Kingsbury, 26 was last seen on 31 March doing drop-off at her childrens daycare. Adam Fravel, the father of her two kids, told police that he and Ms Kingsbury drove back to her home together and he then borrowed Ms Kingsburys dark blue minivan to go to work. When he returned to the residence later that day, Mr Fravel said Ms Kingsbury was nowhere to be found. She failed to show up for work and her cellphone, wallet, ID and jacket were all found inside the home, Winona police said. Mr Fravel, who has been at the centre of online speculation regarding Ms Kingsburys disappearance, released a statement through his attorney on Wednesday denying any involvement. He has not been officially named by law enforcement and was only described as the father of Maddies children during a press conference last week. Over the course of the last 12 days my family and I have been subject to a myriad of accusations regarding the disappearance of the mother of my children, Maddi Kingsbury, the statement obtained by The Independent read. I did not have anything to do with Maddis disappearance. I want the mother of my 5-year-old and 2-year-old to be found and brought home safely. I want that more than anything. Mr Fravel went on to say that he has cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation, including sitting down for multiple interviews with Winona County law enforcement. He also addressed his absence at a press conference last week, where Ms Kingsburys sister and parents made a public plea for her safe return. The Independent has reached out to Mr Fravels attorney for comment. Law enforcement advised me on April 2nd that they would not recommend that I attend the press conferences or that I assist in the searches due to safety concerns. However, my non-attendance and silence has been inferred by many as a sign of apathy, or worse. That could not be further from the truth, the statement added. I want Maddi home and for her to be able to be with our two children. God Bless the Kingsbury family and please bring her home safely. No suspects have been named in the investigation as of Wednesday evening. Police appear to be focused on the movements of Ms Kingsburys minivan and have asked for the publics help in tracing its journeys on the day of her disappearance. Madeline Kingsburys family have offered a $50,000 reward for information on her whereabouts (Winona Police) Winona Police Chief Tom Williams confirmed that the vehicle is not missing and that both the van and Ms Kingsburys home have been searched. Surveillance footage captured a vehicle matching the description of the van driving from the home along highways and through Winona County and Fillmore County before heading back to the house. On Wednesday, police refused to say who was driving the van. After the vehicle returned home, it is not believed to have gone anywhere else. That is not information we can share at this time, Mr Williams said. The police chief said that there is nothing to indicate that she left the residence on foot or in another vehicle. On Wednesday, the department denied media reports that they would announce updates at a press conference. Two searches were organised over the weekend, with more than 2,600 volunteers helping comb through 120,000 acres. Law enforcement said on Sunday that they will now focus on target areas as they develop new leads. Authorities have asked residents in the City of Winona, Wilson Township, and Hillsdale Township to search their acreage, wooded property, outbuildings, vehicles and trails for anything suspicious. Dive teams and police ATVs have also been used in the search. 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 conservative sheriff overseeing Marylands largest county, who was indicted on federal charges last week for allegedly defrauding regulators to obtain machine guns, has long-running ties to right-wing and anti-immigration causes, according to a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Charles Chuck Austin Jenkins, the sheriff of Frederick County, Maryland, was charged on Wednesday with submitting false paperwork to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms on behalf of a local gun dealer claiming to be acquiring machine guns to demonstrate to law enforcement. In reality, according to federal prosecutors, with the sheriffs assistance, the owner of the Machine Gun Nest gun store was raking in upwards of $100,000 renting the military weapons to customers. At the advice of my attorney, and out of respect for the justice process, I am not providing any comment at this time, a sheriffs office spokesperson said on behalf of Mr Jenkins following the indictment. The sheriff remains in office while the charges are pending. He feels like he can still support the role of sheriff for Frederick County, the spokesperson added, according to the Washington Post. We all, as an agency, believe in him. There are a lot of people in this county who believe in him as well. The federal indictment is not Mr Jenkinss first brush with notoriety. The Maryland sheriff has long been a vocal backer of the constitutional sheriffs movement, a right-wing group of local law enforcement officers who claim they dont have to enforce laws they believe are unconstitutional. In 2014, he signed onto a resolution from the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officer Association, arguing for abstention from federal firearms registration or confiscation provisions, as well as claiming federal arrests required the consent of local sheriffs, according to the SPLC. Constitutional sheriffs have been part of efforts to oppose Covid rules, gun regulations, and further election-related conspiracies in states across the country, as The Independent has reported. The SPLC found that Mr Jenkins has appeared at a Covid reopening event alongside former officials from the Center for Security Policy, a conspiracy-oriented mouthpiece for the anti-Muslim movement in the United States, and presided over a sheriffs office that has settled multiple lawsuits from undocumented people alleging racial bias. Mr Jenkins also collaborated closely with both the staunch anti-immigration group FAIR and the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on a programme deputising local law enforcement officers to conduct immigration investigation and detention, according to the SPLC report. I am very comfortable working with that group, Mr Jenkins said in 2021 of his contacts with FAIR, which included trading information about the potential immigration status of various accused criminals, in an interview with The Washington Post. I make no secret about it whatsoever...I am not different than any other elected official who has a belief or an ideology, a strong one, he said. ... I know who I am. Im comfortable in my beliefs and decisions. The Maryland sheriff was also a guest of the Trump White House. 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 25-year-old employee opened fire at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday morning, killing five people and injuring eight others while live streaming the attack. The shooter, identified as bank employee Connor Sturgeon, entered the Old National Bank in the downtown area of the city at around 8.30am armed with an AR-15-style rifle. He shot and killed four bank executives inside the first-floor conference room before exchanging gunfire with responding police officers. Louisville deputy police chief Paul Humphrey said that he was shot dead by officer fire. A fifth victim later succumbed to her injuries in hospital. All five were executives at the bank. The victims have now been identified as Joshua Barrick, Thomas Elliott, Juliana Farmer, James Tutt, and Deana Eckert. Eight others, including two police officers, were hospitalised with their injuries. One of the officers, 26-year-old Nickolas Wilt, who only graduated from the police academy in March, remains in critical condition after being shot in the head. Mr Wilt ran towards the gunfire today to save lives", the police department said on Twitter. Here is what we know so far about the victims: Tommy Elliott Thomas "Tommy" Elliott, 63, was a senior vice president of commercial real estate at Old National Bank. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Elliott was one of his closest friends. "Tommy Elliot helped me to become governor," Mr Beshear said at Mondays news conference. "He gave me advice on being a good dad he was an incredible friend," the governor said, his voice shaking with emotion. "The soul is eternal. I know that I will see Tommy again". Tommy Elliott was a close friend of the governor (Provided) Elliott, the former chair of the Kentucky Retirement Systems board, was reportedly threatened with arrest in 2016 when he refused to resign at the direction of then-Governor Matt Bevin. Elliott was appointed to the board by former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. Former Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said he had also known Elliott for 40 years. They became close friends, and when Mr Fischer launched his first bid to be mayor, Elliott signed on to be his campaign finance manager and remained with him for the rest of his political career. Mr Fischer said Elliott was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and two stepdaughters. Joshua Barrick Joshua Barrick, 40, was a senior vice president of commercial real estate banking at Old National. Barrick had worked for about two decades in banking and previously worked at WesBanco, according to The Courier-Journal. Louisville Business First named him one of its 20 People to Know in Banking in 2020. He is survived by his wife and two children. A memorial for Joshua Barrick is on display at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville (AP) The Holy Trinity Parish Louisville held a vigil on Monday evening to honour Barrick's life. Theyre in shock, pastor Shayne Duval said of Barrick's family. "Ive been with his wife. Ive been with his children. Ive been with his brother and members of this community, he was quoted by Fox19 as saying. Everyone is just kind of walking around in a fog like, Did this just really happen? Josh made himself known in our community in all the good ways. He was a very charismatic and charming man," the pastor added. Juliana Farmer Juliana Farmer, 45, was a loan analyst with the Old National Bank, according to her LinkedIn page. In her last post on Facebook on Sunday one day before she was killed she celebrated the fact she was expecting another grandchild. "My (heart) is so happy!!!" she wrote. "Grand #5 on the way." Juliana Farmer, 45, was a loan analyst with the bank (Facebook) Farmers family revealed that she had only recently moved to Louisville. Michael Williams, who said he was Farmers uncle, wrote on Facebook: She told me she was moving to Louisville, she had a great job opportunity. Now were mourning you losing your life at the job. Im just hurt. Deana Eckert Deana Eckert was rushed to hospital after Mondays shooting and underwent multiple surgeries. She succumbed to her injuries later that night, Louisville Metro Police said. The 57-year-old was an executive administrative officer at the Old National Bank, where she worked for almost seven years. Deana Eckert died from her injuries in hospital (LinkedIn) Eckert graduated from the Western Kentucky University. James Tutt James Tutt, 64, was a real estate market executive at the Old National Bank, where he spent almost a decade. Oldham County judge executive David Voegele knew Tutt for 11 years from his time on the board of the Oldham-La Grange Development Authority. Jim Tutt leaves behind his wife, children, and grandchildren (LinkedIn) He added a tremendous amount of insights as we went about developing our office park in LaGrange, Mr Voegele told The Courier-Journal. Hes a very high quality, well-thought-of individual Its just sickening to hear whats happened. Tutt was a Frankfort native who graduated from the University of Kentucky and worked in banking for over 38 years. He leaves behind his wife, children, and grandchildren. 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 }} Electronic cigarette company Juul must pay $462m to six states and Washington DC, marking the largest multi-state settlement with the company following claims that Juul unlawfully targeted an addictive vaping product to minors. The settlement with states including California and New York means Juul has settled in suits with nearly every state and local governments across the US, totaling roughly $3bn. Juuls settlement does not admit wrongdoing. Juul targeted youth by glamourizing vaping with colourful ads with young models, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a virtual press conference with other attorneys general on 12 April. All while downplaying the harmful effects of vaping, said Ms James, adding that Juul played a central role in the nationwide vaping epidemic. More than 2.5m middle and high school students in the US vaped in 2022, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration. Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that its harmless, Ms James said in a statement. Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused. New York will receive $113m over several years, largely to be used for smoking abatement programmes, according to Ms James. In September, it was announced that Juul would pay more than $438m to 34 states and territories following an investigation into its sales and marketing practices. In addition to settled claims with dozens of states and governments, Juul is also at the centre of litigation and investigations in Alaska, Florida, Michigan and Maine, and a trial is underway in Minnesota following the states 2019 lawsuit against the company. In December, the company agreed to pay $1.7bn over lawsuits filed by more than hundreds of individuals, schools and local governments. The settlement announced on 12 April also includes stringent restrictions on Juuls sales and marking abilities. Ms James claimed that Juul led people to believe that its producers are safer than cigarettes, though one of its pods contains as mich nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Taking a page out of Big Tobaccos playbook, Juul misled consumers about the health risks of their products, she said. Last year, the FDA ordered that Juul products be removed from the US market entirely, but a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has put that on hold, for now. A statement from Juul Labs said the settlement represents another critical part in our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the companys past. The terms of the agreement, like prior settlements, provide financial resources to further combat underage use and develop cessation programs and reflect our current business practices, which were implemented as part of our company-wide reset in the fall of 2019, the company added. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The body of a Florida teacher who had been missing for more than two years has been recovered. Robert Heikka, 70, was last seen on 25 October 2020 leaving his home in Port Orange in his white 2012 Chevrolet Impala. Heikka, who had worked as a teacher in Volusia County for the last three decades of his life, was reported missing the following day after he failed to show up at his job at Creekside Middle School. Mr Heikkas remains were found inside his vehicle, which was submerged in a water canal along State Roads 44 and 415, the Volusia County Sheriffs Office said in a statement on Saturday (8 April.) On Tuesday, the medical examiner positively identified the remains as those belonging to Mr Heikka. Robert Heikka was last seen on 25 October 2020 (VSO) The Sunshine State Sonar Search Team worked along with Recon Dive Recovery and Port Orange detectives to retrieve the vehicle. In a post on Sunday, the nonprofit search team said that they had searched over 70 bodies of water between Orlando and Mr Heikkas home. During a search back in November, the agencies discovered a small canal but the body of water was covered by trees and thick bushes, and no sonar equipment was available. The recovery teams returned recently to find that water levels had dropped 50 per cent in the area and used now-available sonar technology to check the canal. Using a special piece of sonar equipment, we checked the depths of this tiny canal. Realizing the canal was only 4 feet deep we made a visual inspection from end to end, the sonar team said in a statement. That is when we discovered Roberts vehicle at the far end sitting upright with the roof partially exposed. Mr Heikkas remains were found inside his vehicle, which was submerged in a water canal along State Roads 44 and 415 (VSO) Photos shared by the Volusia Sheriffs Office show Mr Heikkas 2012 Chevrolet submerged in the canal before it was retrieved. Mr Heikkas remains were positively identified on Tuesday (11 April). It just feels so good to give these families answers, Sunshine State Sonar Specialist Mike Sullivan told local news station WESH. I would never say its closure, because there is never closure for a family losing someone like this. Its answers to what happened to their loved one. 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 }} Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has asked a federal court to enjoin House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan from interfering in his offices prosecution of former president Donald Trump by attempting to compel current and former prosecutors to divulge information about the probe as part of the Republican-led panels effort to protect Mr Trump. In a complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Mr Braggs attorneys said the lawsuit was a response to an unprecedently brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress against the Manhattan prosecutors probe into Mr Trump. They also accused Mr Jordan of undertaking a transparent campaign to intimidate and attack District Attorney Bragg, making demands for confidential documents and testimony from the District Attorney himself as well as his current and former employees and officials. Mr Braggs lawsuit comes just days after Mr Jordan issued a subpoena to Mark Pomerantz, a former special assistant district attorney who resigned in protest last year and later penned a book in which he called Mr Trump as a malignant narcissist, and perhaps even a megalomaniac who posed a real danger to the country and the ideals that mattered to [him] and said the ex-president was guilty of numerous crimes. Mr Jordan has also threatened to subpoena Mr Bragg himself to question him about his offices probe into the ex-president during an appearanceon Fox Business Networks Sunday Morning Futures last week, and a source with the Judiciary panel has told Fox News that the committee is seriously weighing the option. Everythings on the table, Mr Jordan said when asked if Mr Bragg would face subpoena. The Manhattan prosecutors lawsuit asks the court to issue a declaratory judgment invalidating the subpoena against Mr Pomerantz, as well as a permanent injunction barring Mr Jordan from enforcing the subpoena. Mr Braggs attorneys also have asked the court to invalidate any future subpoena issued to Mr Bragg or any of his current or former employees or official, citing constitutional separation of powers principles which leave the prosecution of violations of state law to local prosecutors and place that work outside the scope of Congress purview. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Joe Biden has arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to mark the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. For an American president with deep Irish roots, it wont be a typical trip to the ancestral homeland. Mr Biden is expected to meet representatives from five Northern Irish political parties at a time when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is continuing to boycott the devolved power-sharing government in Stormont in protest at post-Brexit trading rules that treat the province differently to the rest of the UK. US national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Biden would not attempt to pressure the DUP into returning to the assembly, commenting: The president will have the opportunity to engage with the political parties of Northern Ireland before his speech [at Ulster University], and as weve said, he looks forward to continuing to engage them as we work to improve the lives and livelihoods of all communities there. Mr Biden has, however, been fiercely critical of former British prime minister Boris Johnson in the past over his threat to scrap the Northern Ireland Protocol of Britains EU withdrawal agreement, a move that risked jeopardising the hard-won peace secured by the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which drew a line under three decades of deadly sectarian violence during the Troubles. The president, who was born and raised among Irish-Americans in Scranton, Pennsylvania, rarely misses an opportunity to express his pride in his heritage or quote one of the many Irish poets he admires such as WB Yeats and Seamus Heaney. Every time Id walk out of his house in Scranton, when I lived there for a while, hed look at me and say, Joey, remember, the best drop of blood in you is Irish, he said of his grandfather on St Patricks Day last month. Mr Biden last visited the island of Ireland in 2016 while serving as Barack Obamas vice president but traces his roots, on his mothers side of the family, all the way back to Edward Blewitt, his great-great-great-grandfather, of County Mayo and to the Finnegan family of County Louth who boarded coffin ships to cross the Atlantic more than 165 years ago, in his telling. According to research by the Irish Family History Centre, Edward Blewitt was a geographical surveyor from Ballina, probably born in 1795, whose son Patrick left Ireland during the Great Famine in 1850, returning a year later to bring his parents and three siblings to the US aboard the SS Excelsior to begin a new life. After a period in New Orleans, it was Patrick Blewitt who first settled the family in Scranton in 1860, where he worked as a mining inspector, also travelling to South America for his profession. His son Edward F Blewitt born in 1859 and named in honour of his grandfather, who would drown in a mining disaster in 1872 qualified as a civil engineer before running for office and being elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1907. He and his wife, Mary Ellen Stanton, had four children, one of whom was Geraldine Blewitt, whose later marriage would bring together the two sides of Mr Bidens mothers family. Plumber Joe Blewitt is proud to be a distant cover of the 46th president (Brian Lawless/PA) The other branch of the family tree, the Finnegans, can be traced back to John Finnegan and Mary Kearney who harvested seaweed in the Cooley Peninsula off coastal County Louth. Their son Owen left Ireland for the US in 1849 with his wife Jean Boyle and four children, as well as a brother and three cousins. Owen Finnegan and his family settled in Ovid Township in Seneca Falls, New York, where he opened his own business as a shoemaker. He passed away in poor health in 1874 while his son, James Finnegan, relocated to Olyphant, Pennsylvania, close to Scranton, with his wife Catherine Roche and six children, including a son, Ambrose Finnegan, whose marriage to Geraldine Blewitt would result in the birth of Mr Bidens mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan, in 1917. She in turn would later marry Joseph Robinette Biden Sr whose own family history can be traced back to stonemason William Biden, who left Westbourne, West Sussex, for Maryland in 1820 with whom she had a son, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr, on 20 November 1942, the eldest of four siblings. Of his fathers inconvenient English background, Mr Biden said last year: He had the saving grace, on his mothers side, of having a Hanafee from Galway. Thats the only thing that saved him. And you all think Im kidding. I'm not. Following his trip to Northern Ireland this week, Mr Biden will visit the Republic of Ireland where he is set to meet distant cousins in County Louth on Wednesday and deliver a public address at St Muredachs Cathedral in County Mayo on Friday evening before jetting home to Washington aboard Air Force One. Speaking ahead of his visit on Sunday, Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said: Since [John F] Kennedy there hasnt been as Irish American a president as Joe Biden and were really looking forward to welcoming him home. Close Donald Trump reacts to Joe Bidens 2024 re-election campaign announcement 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 civil rape trial is underway in a courtroom in New York. Former Elle magazine columnist E Jean Carroll has claimed that the former president raped her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. She first spoke out about the allegations in 2019, when Mr Trump was president. He denied the incident took place and infamously retorted, Shes not my type. Now, Ms Carroll is getting her day in court after filing a new lawsuit her second in November, suing him for both the alleged sexual assault and for then defaming her by denying it took place. The trial comes after New York passed its Adult Survivors Act, giving sexual abuse victims a one-year window to sue attackers for historic assaults. Jury selection started on Tuesday morning before US District Judge Lewis Kaplan. Mr Trump isnt attending the trial, whereas Ms Carroll arrived at the court on Tuesday morning. 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 }} California lawmaker Ro Khanna has called on fellow Democrat, US Senator Dianne Feinstein to resign from office saying it was obvious she can no longer fulfil her duties. Representative Khanna became the first elected member of Congress to ask for the 89-year-old senator for California to stand down as she has not cast a vote since being diagnosed with shingles in February. Its time for (Feinstein) to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfil her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people, he tweeted on Wednesday. (AFP via Getty Images) Ms Feinstein, who is the oldest member of the US Senate, has said she will not stand again in 2024 but insisted she planned on seeing out her term. Because of her illness, she has been unable to take part in 58 out of 82 Senate votes so far in 2023, according to The San Francisco Chronicle Ms Feinstein is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats hold a slender majority of 11 votes to 10 for Republicans. For judicial nominees to be sent to the Senate floor a majority of the committees members need to be present to vote, with a tie meaning that it does not proceed. Its time for @SenFeinstein to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people. Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 12, 2023 The situation has left Democrats concerned about their ability to push through Joe Bidens nominations of judges, according to NBC News. Representative Dean Philips, a Democrat from Minnesota, also then called for Ms Feinsteins resignation. (I agree with (Khanna). Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable, he tweeted. But I believe its now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet. I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe its now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet. https://t.co/lvaHhLJYsi Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) April 12, 2023 Jon Lovett, a former speechwriter for Barack Obama who hosts Pod Save America, called for Ms Feinstein to resign on his podcast on Tuesday. .@jonlovett on Dianne Feinstein: She is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges... As sad as it is to see someone who has had an incredibly storied and important career... Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign. pic.twitter.com/aPPMVUJuq2 Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) April 11, 2023 Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign. And more people should be calling on her to resign, he 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 }} Ahead of jury selection in Dominion Voting Systems' $1.6bn defamation case against Fox News, the Delaware Supreme Court Judge on the case is planning to appoint a "special master" to help determine whether the news company withheld key information and evidence. Judge Eric Davis said he was considering the appointment on Wednesday, CNN reports, days before the trial is due to start. Dominion accuses Fox News of knowingly spreading false information about its voting machines in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in support of Donald Trump's false claims that the election had been "stolen" from him. Fox News insists it was entitled to report the claims being made against Dominion. A special master is typically an attorney appointed to "supervise those falling under the order of the court to make sure that the court order is being followed, and to report on the activities of the entity being supervised in a timely matter to the judge or the judge's designated representatives". Last year, a special master was appointed to oversee a trove of papers some said to be top secret found at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. The appointment in the Dominion case revolves around whether Fox attorneys misled the court by representing Rupert Murdoch as merely an officer at Fox Corporation and not revealing he was also a corporate officer at Fox News. The judge criticised Fox attorneys, saying: "I am very concerned... that there have been misrepresentations to the court. This is very serious." On Tuesday, Justin Nelson, an attorney for the voting tech company, said he was frustrated at Fox after finding out key information about Mr Murdoch's dual role. Rupert Murdoch (AFP via Getty Images) "This alone has meant that we are missing a whole bunch of Rupert Murdoch documents that we otherwise would have been entitled to," Mr Nelson said, according to the Washington Post. "It's very troubling that this is where we are. It's something that has really affected how we have litigated this case." Judge Davis ordered Fox to preserve all internal communications related to Mr Murdoch. Fox denies any wrongdoing over the issue and says Mr Murdoch's roles in its public financial filings were properly disclosed. "Nobody intentionally withheld information" from Dominion, said Fox attorney Dan Webb. The trial will begin with two days of jury selection from 13 April. It is not yet clear whether Mr Murdoch will testify . 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 }} President Joe Biden is in Northern Ireland to participate in marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to this part of the United Kingdom after the U.S. helped negotiate an end to decades of sectarian violence that killed thousands. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden was set to deliver congratulations and encourage the country's leaders to work on universally beneficial trade and economic policies when he speaks Wednesday at a business development event at Ulster University's campus in Belfast. But Biden was not expected to make any attempt to help resolve a new political crisis that has rattled the Good Friday peace deal and put Northern Ireland's government on pause. Instead, the Democratic president will deliver at least two messages, said White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, who is traveling with Biden. Congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, which has brought unprecedented peace and prosperity, Kirby said. And that kind of goes to the second goal, which is to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities, as well as the United States. Biden opens his brief public schedule in Northern Ireland on Wednesday over coffee with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Before speaking at Ulster, he will meet with each of the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties. Northern Ireland is without a functioning government. Stormont, the seat of its assembly, has been suspended since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Britains departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the U.K. and EU member Ireland, and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, an agreement welcomed by the U.S., which had urged London and Brussels to end their post-Brexit feud. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the Windsor Framework doesnt go far enough and has refused to return to government. As he set off for Belfast, Biden on Tuesday said a priority of his trip to Northern Ireland was to keep the peace. After the speech at Ulster University, Biden will travel to the Republic of Ireland for a three-day visit, including an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. He will fly to County Louth, on Ireland's east coast, on Wednesday to visit a cemetery, tour a castle, walk around downtown Dundalk and attend a community gathering. A few Belfast residents said Biden's visit was important even though it will be short. I think it's great that he's coming because of the anniversary of the Troubles," Julie McNeill said Monday as she waited in the rain for a bus. She was referring to more than three decades of sectarian violence that left more than 3,600 people dead. I think it's important that he does come. Still, McNeill said she was a little disappointed that the Irish American president would spend less than a day in Belfast. But she said she understood. I mean, the man's a busy man, and he's 80 years old. I'm sure it's hard for him, she said. Samuel Olufemia, who is studying for a degree in public health from Ulster University, said he was looking forward to meeting Biden on campus. Having him in Belfast here is a privilege, said Olufemia, who is from Nigeria. It's going to be an historic visit and that's one of the reasons I'm excited. He said he also understands that Biden is too busy to stay longer. The president always have other things to do, Olufemia said. A massive security operation was in place for Biden's stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on blocked off streets around the president's hotel and the Ulster campus. Last month, U.K. intelligence services raised the country's terrorism threat level from substantial to severe. But Biden said then that not even the heightened risk of an attack would keep him from making the trip. Biden last visited Ireland in 2016, when he was U.S. vice president. ___ Lawless reported from London. 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 }} Joe Biden appeared to confuse the All Blacks and the Black and Tans, during a speech at a pub in Ireland. The US president, paying tribute to relative and former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney, thanked him for the tie he was wearing and referenced a 2016 match at Soldier Field in Chicago against the New Zealand team. He said: This was given to me by one of these guys, right here, was a hell of a rugby player. He beat the hell out of the Black and Tans. Joe Biden was paying tribute to relative and former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney (Reuters) The Black and Tans were British reserve troops hastily deployed against the rebels in the Irish war of independence in 1920; so named for their improvised uniforms, which often featured a mix of black and khaki garments. The troops were immortalised in the popular Irish rebel song Come Out, Ye Black And Tans. Mr Biden was speaking at the Windsor Bar in Dundalk after a day spent touring around Northern Ireland and the Republic, which ended with a trip to his ancestral home region in County Louth. The president reflected on his family connections to Ireland, as he told a crowd in Louth he would be coming back. He said: Thank you all for the homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here, so proud to be in Louth, he told the audience. The president with Irish deputy prime minister Micheal Martin during a joint speech at the Windsor Bar in Dundalk (AFP/Getty) He said that one of the great American values was the belief that anything is possible. We believe anythings possible, he repeated. Anythings possible. Together we have to keep working toward a future of greater dignity and as we face darkness, and there is darkness we have to face, but we must keep marching forward because the world has possibilities. Mr Biden earlier met Rishi Sunak in Belfast, before meeting Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin. 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 Justin Jones, the Tennessee state legislator who was expelled for his gun control protest and then reinstated by the Nashville metro council, said the Republican who introduced the resolution to expel him from the chamber last week claimed he did so at the behest of the chambers Republican leadership. Mr Jones said on CNN on Tuesday that he spoke to Rep Bud Hulsey in an elevator at the state capitol. I greeted him and I also asked him, Did he learn anything from this experience? He said that it was part of leaderships decision to kind of ask him to file this, and besides that was very quiet, Mr Jones said. According to Mr Jones, Mr Hulsey said he was the person asked to file the resolution to expel Mr Jones because he is the chair of the Criminal Justice Committee in the state house. Mr Hulsey, a Republican, has represented an area of northeast Tennessee in the state house since 2014. The Republicans attempt to expel Mr Jones and his colleagues Rep Justin Pearson and Rep Gloria Johnson from the state house for their participation in a gun control protest at the state capitol in the aftermath of the mass shooting that claimed six lives at a Nashville Christian school garnered national attention as a symbol of American democratic decline. Republicans ultimately did expel Mr Jones and Mr Pearson, who are both Black, while failing to expel Ms Johnson, who is white, by a single vote. The Nashville metro council then appointed Mr Jones to the open seat created by his explusion, which led to him being sworn back in earlier this week. But the fallout from the expulsions is ongoing. Officials in Shelby County may reappoint Mr Pearson as well, but have reportedly been threatened with a loss of state funding for civic projects if they do so. The Republicans are at a point of reflection here in Tennessee, Mr Jones said on CNN. What they did they thought would happen without any resistance, but it has the world watching what is happening here. The Speaker of the House is trying to backtrack now, but like I said today, we are calling for his resignation. He is an enemy of democracy, and he doesnt deserve to be in that office as Speaker of the House any longer. Mr Jones, whose future as a legislator at this point seems secure, has promised to introduce all the bills hes allowed to introduce for the remainder of the current legislative session on gun reform. Thats what these young people are begging us to do, Mr Jones 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 }} Shelby County officials in Tennessee have voted unanimously to reappoint Democratic state Rep Justin Pearson following his expulsion by the states Republican-controlled House for joining gun control protests at the capitol. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 on 12 April to reinstate Mr Pearson to his district seat serving the Memphis area, just days after GOP lawmakers ousted him and another Black Democratic member, state Rep Justin Jones. On 11 April, Mr Jones was sworn back into office after Nashvilles Metro Council unanimously voted to send the freshman lawmaker back to the House. Both men were expelled last week for protesting in the House chamber in the wake of the mass shooting at a Nashville school, fuelling urgent demands from hundreds of people, mostly students, who called on lawmakers to advance critical gun reform measures. GOP lawmakers said the two Democratic members brought dishonor to Tennessees capitol with disorderly behavior. A third lawmaker who joined the protests, Democratic state Rep Gloria Johnson, who is white, was spared expulsion by a single vote. A crowd of hundreds of people marched to the Shelby County administration building to support Mr Pearsons reappointment to his district seat. You cant expel our voice, and you sure cant expel our fight, he told the crowd. His march also visited the civil rights museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Rev Martin Luther King Jr was killed in 1968. Mr Pearson invoked Dr Kings declaration that the civil rights movement lives or dies in Memphis. Here in this hallowed place, this sacred place, were showing the United States of America and the Republicans in Tennessee the movement is still alive, he told the crowd. (AP) The extraordinary and rare GOP-led expulsion was condemned by the White House and Democratic officials across the US as an antidemocratic show of force against Black legislators and voices demanding action on gun reform, while underscoring defiant right-wing commitments to protecting access to guns despite a surge in gun violence in Tennessee and across the US. Mr Pearsons reappointment was not certain; the 13-member board includes four Republicans. Only seven members were present on 12 April. Mickell Lowery, chair of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement that the expulsion of both men was conducted in a hasty manner that did not consider other corrective action methods. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has urged the US Department of Justice to investigate the expulsion to determine whether such an action violated the US Constitution or federal civil rights laws. We cannot allow states to cite minor procedural violations as pretextual excuses to remove democratically-elected representatives, especially when these expulsions may have been at least partially on the basis of race, according to the letter from Mr Schumer and Senator Raphael Warnock. Allowing such behavior sets a dangerous and undemocratic precedent. In powerful remarks to the House ahead of his expulsion, Mr Pearson defended the power of protest and invoked Dr King, stating that sometimes theres a consciousness above rule, above what you might say is law and that the true form of protest is nonviolent disobedience. For less than a few minutes [of protest], we and you are seeking to expel District 86s representation from this House in a country that was built on a protest, he continued. You who celebrate July 4, 1776, pop fireworks and eat hot dogs, you say to protest is wrong because you spoke out of turn, because you spoke up for people who are marginalised, you spoke up for children who wont ever be able to speak again, you spoke up for parents who dont want to live in fear, he added. On 11 April, Tennessees Republican Governor Bill Lee announced an executive order to strengthen background checks for firearm purchases and called on state lawmakers to draft a more-expansive order of protection law to keep guns out of the hands of people who could be a danger to themselves or others. His apparent reversal on gun reform challenges the GOP-led legislature to adopt more-expansive gun reform laws after lawmakers previously indicated that any such measures were off the table this year in the wake of the Nashville shooting. This is our moment to lead and to give the people of Tennessee what they deserve, Mr Lee 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 }} Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is taking the next official step toward a bid for president in 2024. Scott is set to announce the formation of an exploratory committee, according to a person familiar with his plans who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night ahead of the official announcement. In an email to supporters, Scott teased that he would be making a major announcement during an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday morning. Ive been doing a lot of thinking the past few months, Scott wrote. Ive been thinking about my faith. Ive been thinking about the future of our country. And Ive been thinking about the Lefts plan to ruin America. For months, Scott has been developing the infrastructure to accompany a bid for the White House, building out his political action committee and visiting early voting states. This week, Scott returns to New Hampshire and Iowa for roundtable discussions and meet-and-greets with voters, before heading back to South Carolina for breakfast, policy discussions, and political update with donors. If he enters the field, Scott will join another South Carolinian, former Gov. Nikki Haley, as well as former President Donald Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and anti-woke biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. If elected, Scott, the only Black Republican senator, would be the nation's first Black Republican president. Scott he has signaled how he might distinguish himself from the others in the race by leaning into a more hopeful message than the grievance-based politics advocated by others. During a February visit to Iowa, which holds the first GOP presidential caucuses, Scott spoke of a new American sunrise rooted in collaboration. I see a future where common sense has rebuilt common ground, where weve created real unity, not by compromising away our conservatism, but by winning converts to our conservatism, he said. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP 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 has sued his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who is at the heart of the New Yorkhush money payment case against the former president, for $500m. The lawsuit alleges a breach of his attorney-client relationship and unjust enrichment, among other claims. It was filed in US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday. This is an action arising from (Cohens) multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion and breaches of contract by virtue of (Cohens) past service as (Trumps) employee and attorney, the lawsuit states. The suit labels the plaintiff as President Donald J. Trump - despite him having left office following an election loss over two years ago. Court documents allege that Cohen broke his attorney-client relationship with Mr Trump by spreading falsehoods about him that were likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct. It also claims that Cohen, who has been referred to as Mr Trumps fixer over the years, breached the terms of a confidentiality agreement that he signed when working for the former president. Michael Cohen, former attorney for former US president Donald Trump, arrives to the New York Courthouse (REUTERS) The lawsuit comes just weeks after Mr Trump was arrested and arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Cohen has publicly said he testified before the grand jury that indicted Mr Trump and that he is willing to testify in court against him. Mr Trump, who is aiming to secure the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty in that case on 4 April. The lawsuit claims that Cohen made a myriad of public statements, including the publication of two books, a podcast series, and innumerable mainstream media appearances, and has ignored a series of cease and desist orders. Such continuous and escalating improper conduct by (Cohen) has reached a proverbial crescendo and has left (Trump) with no alternative but to seek legal redress through this action, the lawsuit states. Court papers state that Mr Trump has suffered vast reputational harm as a direct result of (Cohens) breaches. Mr Cohens lawyer, Lanny Davis, accused Mr Trump of harassment and intimidation against his client. Mr Trump is once again using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen. It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him, he said in a statement. Mr Cohen will not be deterred and is confident that the suit will fail based on the facts and the law. Is there anyone in America, aside from a shrinking minority base of believers, who takes Mr Trump seriously when he files these frivolous lawsuits? 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 has been mocked for claiming that people were actually crying when he was arrested and arraigned in a New York court. The former president, who has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records over hush money payments, made the claim during an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News. They were incredible. When I went to the courthouse which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and Ill tell you people were crying, he claimed. People that work there. Professionally work there that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody. Its a tough, tough place and they were crying. They were actually crying. They said Im sorry. Video footage from inside the courthouse in Manhattan last week actually showed court staff refusing to hold open a door for Mr Trump as he walked in to face a judge. The former president has routinely told far-fetched stories about people crying when they encounter him, always behind the scenes and off camera and often supposedly involving people associated with the military or law enforcement. Twitter users were quick to make fun of the one-term presidents unlikely claims. People who worked at the courthouse were crying because they were happy to see the conman from Queens being arrested. One officer even let the door slam into Trump with tears of joy in his eyes, wrote one user. 'They Were Actually Crying': Trump Tells Tucker Carlson Employees at the NY Courthouse Told Him 'I'm Sorry' https://t.co/P1qSAM0As5 pic.twitter.com/GD4xM7gL2u Mediaite (@Mediaite) April 11, 2023 And another user added: Im telling you this guy has a strange life. Whole time just walking around people openly weeping when they see him. Its typical projection. He was crying, tweeted another user. And another added: Dude, if they loved you so much, why did they let the door slam in your face. 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 told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he asked a five-year-old about the best way to evacuate US assets from Afghanistan in an interview aired on the television network on Tuesday evening. Mr Trump spoke at length about the US evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021 during the interview, in which he also claimed that the US left a number of dogs mostly German Shepherds behind in the country. They left the dogs you know the dog lovers, and there are a lot of them, I love dogs, you love dogs, but they left the dogs. One of the first questions I got: What did they do with the dogs? Mostly German Shepherds, Mr Trump said. They left them. Mr Trump said the US should not have abandoned a range of expensive military equipment in the country during the course of its evacuation and that the five-year-old he asked about the evacuation process ordered by President Joe Biden agreed him with him. To see the way we got out like we were surrendering, taking the military out first, leaving $85bn worth of equipment behind, giving up Bagram, Mr Trump said. I was going to keep Bagram. The former president who has been blamed by his successors administration for not planning an orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, something he denied hit out at President Joe Biden, saying he failed to evacuate the military last. Mr Trump said he had asked a five-year-old in what order the evacuation should have happened. I did a little skit with a five-year-old kid, I said, Let me ask you: heres the situation. I explained the situation. I said, Would you take the military out first or would you take it out last? Id take it out last. Five-year-old. Mr Trump also hit out at senior members of the Defense Department who he claims told him that it would be too difficult to try to evacuate US assets from Afghanistan and boasted about his diplomatic skills and handling of the Taliban as well as Russia and China. Mr Trump spoke about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that the war might not be winnable for Ukraine. The hour-long interview, billed as historic by Fox News, mainly featured Mr Trump speaking uninterrupted for long periods of time on a range of topics including but not limited to his recent indictment in New York. The twice-impeached former president also speculated that Mr Biden cant run for a second term due to his mental state while complimenting the mental faculties of Home Depot founder Bernard Marcus. Mr Trump also said that no legal charge or conviction would convince him to drop out of the race for the presidency. He is currently leading in Republican primary polls, with Gov Ron DeSantis of Florida expected to enter the race in the coming months. Each segment of the programme was introduced by Carlson, who complimented Mr Trump at length a striking development coming just weeks after the publication of text messages Carlson sent in January 2021 in which he said of Mr Trump, I hate him passionately. ... I cant handle much more of this. 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 is using his recent arrest in New York to seek a one-month delay in the trial regarding a columnists claims that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. In a letter Tuesday to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, attorney Joseph Tacopina contended that Mr Trumps right to a fair trial depends on a cooling off period following the former presidents indictment and arraignment. Mr Tacopina cited the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage surrounding Mr Trump's arrest and court appearance in arguing for a delay in the trial that was set to begin on 25 April. The former president was charged on 30 March with 34 felony counts related to allegations that he paid hush money to an adult film star, Stormy Daniels. The civil case before Kaplan was brought against Mr Trump in November by E. Jean Carroll, a columnist, journalist, and author who says the wealthy real estate developer raped her in early 1996 after a chance meeting at the Bergdorf Goodman department store. Mr Trump has repeatedly and emphatically denied the allegation. A jury will be asked to decide whether the rape occurred and if Mr Trump defamed Ms Carroll with his comments. Ms Carroll first aired the allegations against Mr Trump in her book What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal in June 2019. She claims the former president recognised her in the department store as she was a TV talk show host at the time. Ms Carroll recounted that Mr Trump took her to the lingerie section of the store, asked her to try on an item, then pinned her against a wall and sexually assaulted her. Ms Carroll said the #MeToo movement inspired her to share her story publicly. In response to Ms Carrolls allegations, Mr Trump accused Ms Carroll of lying saying he never met her and shes not my type. He alleged Ms Carroll, is trying to sell a new book that should indicate her motivation. Ms Carroll is suing Mr Trump for defamation and battery - A temporary state law that took effect last year allows adult rape victims to sue their abusers, even if attacks happened decades ago. Mr Tacopina's letter seeking a delay in the trial for Ms Carroll's civil suit followed Mr Kaplan's order on Monday directing parties in the case to notify him by April 20 whether they will be present throughout the trial in Manhattan federal court. Ms Carroll's attorney has said she will attend; Mr Trump's attorney has not responded to requests for comment on Mr Kaplan's order. 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 said Russia didn't blow up the Nord Stream pipelines last year and hinted that the US might be involved in the incident. "I don't want to get our country in trouble, so I won't answer it," the one-time president told Fox News host Tucker Carlson when asked about the pipeline blasts. "But I can tell you who it wasn't Russia. It wasn't Russia." Mr Trump added: "How about when they blamed Russia. You know they said 'Russia blew up their own pipeline'. You got a kick out of that one too." "It wasn't Russia," the former president reiterated. The major Baltic Sea supply route from Russia to Europe, running 1,230km (764 miles), was severely damaged in powerful explosions on 26 September last year. The blasts caused severe damage to Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, rendering the underwater routes for energy trade inoperable. The explosions were measured at 2.3 and 2.1 on the Richter scale, Swedish and Danish authorities confirmed. Moscow has repeatedly claimed that allegations it was behind the blasts are stupid, and has sought to blame the West, including the US and Britain. Mr Trump, who claims to share a "very good relationship" with Russian president Vladimir Putin, offered to negotiate a "deal" shortly after the explosion. US leadership should remain cool, calm, and dry on the SABOTAGE of the Nord Stream Pipelines. This is a big event that should not entail a big solution, at least not yet. The Russia/Ukraine catastrophe should NEVER have happened, and would definitely not have happened if I were President, Mr Trump warned in a post on Truth Social. Do not make matters worse with the pipeline blowup. Be strategic, be smart (brilliant!), get a negotiated deal done NOW. Both sides need and want it. The entire World is at stake," he added, while offering to head the group. Last month, the Kremlin accused the United Nations of whitewashing the sabotage of the pipelines after Russias demand for an investigation were rejected at the platform. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said everyone should be interested in an impartial investigation in order to find the culprits of the explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines. "Western countries are making every effort to whitewash ... this topic, to paper it over, so that it disappears from the agenda, he told reporters. His comments came after the UN Security Council members voted to reject a Russia-backed resolution to demand a UN-led investigation into the blowing up of the pipelines. Russia, China, and Brazil voted in favor of the resolution, while the remaining 12 council members abstained. 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 }} Federal investigators are probing whether or not Donald Trump showed off a map containing sensitive intelligence information to his visitors after he left the White House. The probe is part of the federal investigation into Mr Trump's handling of classified documents following his presidency. Investigators have questioned several witnesses about the map, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The New York Times. The nature of the map's contents are unknown. One of the sources said investigators asked about at least one specific incident, in which Mr Trump allegedly showed the map while he was aboard a plane. Another source determined, based on the questions asked to witnesses, that Mr Trump allegedly showed the map to at least one of his advisors after he left office. A third person said the map may have also been shown to a journalist writing a book. Investigators have also reportedly asked Mr Trump about showing off classified materials to political donors, according to a report in the Washington Post. The questions over the map are part of the larger Department of Justice investigation into Mr Trump's possession of classified materials that were kept at Mar-a-Lago following his presidency. Last August, the FBI executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago during which they recovered boxes of confidential documents that Mr Trump took with him after he left the White House. Mr Trump has demanded the documents back and insisted they are his possessions. The raid came after the federal government attempted multiple times to recover any classified documents he still had in his possession. The Department of Justice is investigating Donald Trumps handling of classified documents after his presidency ended (AP) Justice Department officials visited Mar-a-Lago on 3 June, prior to the August search, during which they were given classified documents and obtained a signed certification from one of Mr Trump's lawyers saying a "diligent search" had been conducted to ensure no other classified documents were in his possession. Federal prosecutors are currently examining whether or not Mr Trump's alleged refusal to return classified documents amounts to obstruction of justice. Prosecutors cited potential violations of the Espionage Act when requesting the search warrant for last year's raid. Though, per The Times, its unclear whether prosecutors are building a case for other potential charges beyond obstruction. Top congressional leaders and senior Democrats and Republicans on intelligence committees in both the House and the Senate were provided access to some of the classified documents recovered during the Mar-a-Lago raid, as well as a smaller number of classified documents recovered from Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence. 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 }} Fox News host Tucker Carlson was ridiculed on social media for his hour-long interview with Donald Trump just months after his leaked text messages revealed he passionately hated him. Carlson spoke to Mr Trump in an interview billed as historic by Fox News as it was the first time the twice-impeached former president gave an interview since becoming the first-ever US president to be charged with a crime. Mr Trump spoke almost uninterrupted for long periods of time during the interview as Carlson listened to him and nodded his head or gave amused reactions, apart from occasionally repeating his words. The right-wing host, known for his long rants and blunt rhetoric, got called out on Twitter by users who said the interview was humiliation and torment for him and was meant to redeem himself after the emergence of his critical Trump text messages. This interview is just an hour-long exercise in complete humiliation for Tucker, tweeted Kat Abu. Tuckers only been able to say four words in the first five minutes of this interview lmfao, she said. Ms Abu also shared another video of the interview and said Trump has got him whipped. She also said the interview was penance for the Dominion texts. Man, Carlson must have been summoned by Murdoch personally to make him sit through this interview, wrote Tom Nichols of The Atlantic. This interview is the torment that Tucker Carlson totally deserves. Jordon Chariton of Status Coup news called Carlson a phoney populist who is crawling back to the Donald and competing with Hannity for who can do a bigger softball interview after his real feelings about hating Trump got leaked. Each segment of the programme was preceded by an introduction by Carlson, who complimented Mr Trump at length. Over his comments on foreign policy, Carlson called Mr Trump a moderate, sensible and wise man and said his understanding of world affairs is so much more nuanced and sophisticated and pro-American than the moronic neocons currently in charge. Carlson spoke to Mr Trump at his Mar-a- Lago residence in Florida just two months after Dominion lawsuit documents revealed text messages to his co-workers saying he hated Trump passionately. The texts also revealed he had called the one-time president a demonic force, a destroyer. We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights, Carlson told an unknown Fox News employee just two days before the Jan 6 Capitol riot, according to the court documents. I truly cant wait. I hate him passionately, he said. The messages were a bombshell revelation in the $1.6bn (1.35bn) defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against the conservative news network owned by Rupert Murdoch. 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 won the White House in 2016 by breaking up the famed electoral blue wall," snatching the Midwestern battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin, along with Pennsylvania, from Democrats. He lost the White House four years later when those same states flipped to Joe Biden. Both parties are already zeroing in on the Midwest ahead of next years presidential election, each choosing to hold their national conventions in the region. Republicans will have their event in July 2024 in Milwaukee, the largest city in the swing state of Wisconsin. Democrats announced Tuesday that they would hold theirs the following month in Chicago, just 90 miles away, in solidly blue Illinois. In picking Chicago over other finalists New York and Atlanta, the Democratic National Committee said, the party was returning to the Midwest, a critical Democratic stronghold" and called Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota part of the "blue wall crucial to Bidens 2020 victory, as well as his party's success in last falls midterm elections. That overlooked Trumps Midwestern success four years prior, but the DNC also noted that Chicago embodied the formidable coalition of voters that will be vital to Biden in his expected 2024 reelection campaign. Were seeing the importance of those states and the recognition by the Democratic Party that we must win them, said Democratic Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker, who was a leading advocate for Chicagos bid. The Midwest wasn't the only part of the country that boosted Biden in 2020. He flipped two Sun Belt states, Arizona and Georgia, and captured Pennsylvania, which is often considered part of the blue wall but is not located in the Midwest. Still, the selection by both parties of Midwestern convention sites shows the region's enduring political importance even though it's no guarantee of support. The Midwest is the place to be, said Cam Savage, a Republican strategist who has worked with top GOP elected officials around the region. Youre looking at Pennsylvania to Wisconsin and more or less everything in between as key battleground areas in any national election these days. It was the second election cycle in a row that Democrats looked to the Midwest for their convention. In 2020, the party selected Milwaukee to host but ended up holding it virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, it was up to Biden to pick a site, and he said Chicago would be a showcase for his administration's overseeing post-pandemic economic growth and falling unemployment. The nation's third-largest city, Chicago is also heavily pro-union, demonstrating Biden's commitment to organized labor, which played a key role in helping him clinch the Democratic primary and presidency in 2020. Atlanta could have been strategic as well. But it doesnt allow the party to really show off all of the principles that it is supposedly standing for, and they can do that in Chicago," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants. She signed a letter to the DNC from top labor groups and union workers urging them to choose Chicago. Pritzker stressed his state's strong defense of abortion rights as an important factor. Other Democrats worried about Georgias Republican-controlled Legislature and the states relaxed gun laws. That's despite Chicago being plagued by gun violence, potentially exposing Democrats to GOP attacks about rising crime rates in cities around the country. Lisa Hernandez, the Illinois Democratic Party chair, said that the bid went beyond Chicago and her state, calling the convention site the gateway to the Midwests blue bastion." Her party noted that Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota voted Democratic in every presidential election but 2016 over the last 30 years, and that each state reelected its Democratic governor last fall. Organizers of Chicago's bid also argued to White House officials from the start that it represented the Midwest as a whole. That hasn't always been a positive for Democrats, though. Few places better illustrate the Midwest's ever-shifting electoral loyalties than Wisconsin, where both Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson won reelection in last fall's midterm elections. Democrats, meanwhile, are still celebrating Judge Janet Protasiewicz's victory last week in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which gave liberal justices control of the court for the first time in 15 years. Theyll likely have the opportunity to counter an 1849 statewide ban on abortion triggered by the U.S. Supreme Courts overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, as well as congressional district maps that had favored Republicans. That same night, however, Republican Dan Knodl won an open seat in the Wisconsin state Senate, giving the GOP a supermajority in the chamber. Wisconsin is always going to be 50/50, right down the line, said Democratic strategist Pete Giangreco, who worked on Barack Obamas presidential campaigns and is advising 2024 U.S. Senate candidates in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. But youve got to have the blue wall first, or the Georgias and the Arizonas dont matter. Giangreco, who also was part of Protasiewicz's victorious campaign, noted that progressive Brandon Johnson's win over a moderate Democratic rival in Chicago's recent mayor's race may have boosted the city's convention bid. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, was endorsed by progressive leaders including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The 47-year-old, who is Black, won by building a multiracial coalition that included young people and labor unions, and he brings a new sense of optimism to the city a combination of factors that Democrats need to recreate in 2024, Giangreco said. Its very clear Brandon brought younger people into activism, into the electorate, Giangreco said. "It certainly didnt hurt our chances at all that you have a mayor of the city whos dynamic and young and part of a movement that is an important part of our party. ___ Weissert reported from Washington. 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 Pentagon documents currently being leaked are staggering in scale and range, an unveiling of secrets and lies spanning the globe with fresh and detailed instalments being drip-fed every day. The Ukraine war has been the common link in revealing a web of intrigue involving governments, politicians and diplomats, intelligence agencies and the military, mercenaries and arms dealers, and millions of dollars in weapons and oil contracts. The way the highly classified information marked NOFORN prohibiting distribution to foreign governments including allies emerged in the instant messaging and video platform Discord, to settle an argument between gamers, reveals an astonishing breach of security that the US military and intelligence agencies are scrambling to detect. Among those who supposedly disseminated the files causing international ructions is a 20-year-old British-Filipino student known online as Wow Mao, based in the UK, who describes himself as a s***posting internet micro-celebrity. According to one account, the material was first posted on his meme group by a user called Mr Lucca, although it may have also appeared in a now-deleted server called Thug Shaker Central. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has pledged to investigate and turn every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it. They were somewhere in the web and who had access at that point, we simply dont know. CIA Director William Burns said the leak was deeply unfortunate, its something the US government takes extremely seriously. The intelligence trail remains unclear at present. But what has appeared shows that the CIA and the National Security Agency in the US have been routinely spying on allies such as Israel and South Korea, as well as Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelensky. Britain, one of the main backers of Ukraine in the conflict, unsurprisingly features prominently in the papers. One document, dated 23 March, says that around 50 members of UK Special Forces are present in the country, comprising half of the Western special forces contingent. The others deployed are from the US with 14, France, 15, Latvia, 17 and the Netherlands, one. The UK strength mentioned would approximate to an SAS sabre squadron. But there have been reports that the Special Boat Service (SBS) has been in Ukraine as well. These reports remain unconfirmed, the Ministry of Defence has a policy of not commenting on UK Special Forces. The British government confirmed in June 2021, eight months before the Russian invasion, that the SAS and SBS have conducted exercises with Ukrainian troops. The MoD tweeted that some of the material in the Pentagon leak demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy. The US military, it should be noted, has stated that the documents are real, although one at least, charting the respective casualty figures of Ukrainians and Russians, appears to have been doctored. Covering the war on the ground, I have come across accounts, again unconfirmed, of British and Western special forces activity. One has had to be careful in relaying them: the Kremlin narrative often credits Western forces, especially British, for successful operations carried out by Ukrainian forces. I have had interesting encounters. In Kharkiv oblast, last summer for instance, I ran into an English trooper, with a Ukrainian unit, who I had met previously deployed with the SAS in Helmand in 2011. He wanted to stress he has left the British army and had come to Ukraine purely as a volunteer. The leaked documents point to Ukrainian casualty figures being higher than publicly stated by Kyiv, which was broadly known by those familiar with the conflict. Also, that Ukrainian air defences were running out of munition. This again was known, but not to the extent suggested that they will start running out by the end of May. Much of the material is about Western efforts to keep Ukraine supplied with weapons. The latest tranche claims that Serbia, the only European state to refuse imposing sanctions on Russia following the invasion, with Alexander Vucics government repeatedly professing neutrality, had agreed to send arms to Ukraine, and may have done so already. The countrys defence minister, Milos Vucevic, denied the report; there is no comment, yet, from President Vucics office. One of the most detailed accounts relates to the difficult dilemma faced by the South Korean government over an urgent American request for ammunition. The report, which almost certainly came from the US accessing South Korean communications, reveals deep concern that the supplies would be passed on to Ukraine, violating Seouls policy of not sending lethal aid to countries at war. One suggestion among officials was sending the munition to Poland, which could then place some of its former Warsaw Pact weaponry at Kyivs disposal. The possible hack of another allied state yielded that Israel would supply Ukraine with weapons through a third-party while publicly denying it was doing so and continuing to call for dialogue to end the war. Another revelation that seems to have come as a by-product from the US clandestine operation was that Mossad was fuelling the protests against Benjamin Netanyahus highly contentious attempts to overhaul his nations judiciary. The intelligence agencies leadership has advocated for Mossad officials and Israeli citizens to protest the new Israeli governments proposed judicial reforms, including several explicit calls to action that decried the Israeli government, according to the report. Netanyahus government called the claim mendacious and without foundation. Russia, too, was trying to leverage advantage in the Middle East, according to the papers. Egypt, which receives $1.3bn (1bn) in American military aid each year, was planning to sell rockets and munition to Moscow, with Egypts president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi instructing officials to keep production and shipment secret to avoid problems with the West. Russian officials, according to the documents, were boasting that the UAE has agreed to cooperate against US and UK intelligence. This was immediately denied by the UAE. But the allegation comes during a time of waning American influence in the region with China brokering a diplomatic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman refusing US requests to raise oil production after the shortages caused by the embargo on Russia and announcing this week that it will cut production. More secrets from the Pentagon may well be revealed in the coming days. There is no sign that this very post-modern spying scandal, with gamers on digital platforms calling the shots, will disappear anytime soon. 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 }} Polands new agriculture minister vowed Wednesday to introduce detailed quality controls on the massive inflow of grain from Ukraine transiting through the country, and to ensure its efficient transport abroad. The move follows protests by angry Polish farmers, who say they face bankruptcy because of a glut of cheap Ukrainian grain. Minister Robert Telus faced sharp criticism from lawmakers in parliament, who alleged that trading companies linked to the government were making huge profits from selling cheap, untested Ukrainian produce in Poland, instead of facilitating its transfer to grain-hungry Africa. Telus replaced the previous agriculture minister, Henryk Kowalczyk, who resigned last week just hours before an official visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the visit, the Polish and Ukrainian leaders said they had found a rapid resolution to the "grain problem" but provided no details. Amid the Russian invasion, the European Union lifted duties on Ukrainian grain to facilitate its transport to Africa and the Middle East. However, it has flooded markets in Poland, Romania and other EU countries that were only supposed to be transit routes. Polish farmer groups staged protests Wednesday at border crossings with Ukraine, but police prevented them from blocking the rail tracks. Dozens of cargo wagons, each containing some 70 tons of grain, enter from Ukraine each day, further increasing farmers' anxiety for the future and for their crops this year. Protesters said the grain transit should be prioritized in the same way as the heavily guarded trans-shipment of arms to Ukraine, to prevent the grain from flooding the Polish market. Instead, they argued, government-linked companies were allowed to import it as cheap, low-quality grain, and then sell it to bread and pasta plants as high-quality Polish produce. Tomasz Obszanski, of the farmers' Solidarity union said that some three million tons of grain were intended to make it to Africa, but were instead received by traders, once they crossed the border into Poland. Many companies have used this situation to make millions ... in profits. Prosecutors in the region of eastern Poland bordering Ukraine are investigating allegations that dozens of tons of Ukrainian grain in transit were sold to Polish food plants. Telus and Ukraine's agrarian policy minister, Mykola Solskyi, said they had suspended the import of Ukrainian grain into Poland for domestic consumption and would take steps to ensure it only transited to third countries. 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 British defence ministry has deployed some of its elite special forces alongside scores of other Western military personnel to Ukraine during the war, the latest tranche of leaked Pentagon intelligence documents purport to show. A total of 50 British special forces members are in the war-hit nation, an intelligence document dated 23 March claimed, according to The Telegraph. It suggests that British soldiers may comprise more than half of the western special forces personnel present in the war-hit nation between February and March this year. Alongside Britain, Latvia has 17 elite military personnel in Ukraine, France has 15, the US has 14 and theres one elite soldier from the Netherlands, the report claims. The leaked document does not say whether these special forces soldiers are engaged in combat, training or otherwise. Shortly after the leaked documents were reported, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a brief statement which did not directly deny the claims, but warned that "readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread misinformation". The document is part of a larger and widely reported leak of classified Pentagon papers relating to the Ukraine conflict, which the MoD said had already been proven to include a high level of inaccuracy. Nonetheless, the US is taking the leak very seriously, having launched a multi-agency investigation to find the source of what would be one of the most damning breaches of American intelligence in years. While some reports state that the documents circulating on social media platforms like Twitter, Telegram and Discord have been doctored to suit Russian estimates of casualties in the war, unnamed US officials have told the New York Times that a chunk of these documents appear genuine. The documents do not include exact details of how Western special forces in Ukraine are being organised, but they do suggest these troops form part of a Nato-led special forces command. In the first official comments from Washington, the US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said that the country will investigate the recent purported leak of classified documents until the source is found. We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it, Mr Austin said during a press conference at the State Department. Reuters said it had reviewed more than 50 documents that were labelled either Secret or Top Secret, and revealed details of the military capabilities of both the US and its allies and adversaries. The Pentagon was aware that the documents had been leaked and posted dated 28 February and 1 March but was not certain if the documents had made their way to online platforms previously. These are things that we will find out as we continue to investigate, the top official said. 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 }} An ally of Russias president Vladimir Putin has warned that the world is probably on the verge of a new world war as the risks of a nuclear battle escalate. The world is sick and quite probably is on the verge of a new world war, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev told a conference in Moscow. He said such a new world war was not inevitable but that the risks of a nuclear confrontation were growing and more serious than concerns about climate change. It comes as Ukrainian forces based on the western side of the River Dnipro begin frequently carrying out raids on the eastern bank near the city of Kherson to try to dislodge Russian troops, a regional official said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Moscow of deploying the kind of war tactics used in Syria to level Bakhmut, as heavy fighting for control of the salt mining city continues. Using the so-called Syrian tactics of total destruction of buildings and structures, the enemy in some places has [made] progress at the expense of destroyed objects, Ukraines deputy defence minister Hanna Maylar said. Close Elon Musks SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after launch Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech 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 IndyTech email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} SpaceX has launched the worlds biggest rocket which exploded seconds later. The spacecraft successfully left its launchpad, but the two parts of the rocket failed to separate and they exploded in a dramatic cloud minutes later. SpaceX nonetheless hailed the test as a success, having said that any flight that did not blow up the rockets launchpad would be considered a win. Mr Musk said that the information gained from the test would be used to guide work on future versions of the spacecraft, the next text of which he said will happen in a few months. You can follow all the latest news and updates right here after SpaceXs launch of the most powerful and largest rocket the world has ever seen. 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 }} Elon Musk is secretly working on an artificial intelligence project at Twitter, according to reports. The tech billionaire has already poached two researchers from leading AI research firm DeepMind, as well as invested in 10,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) for the company, sources told Insider. The project reportedly involves developing a large language model similar to other generative AI technologies like OpenAIs ChatGPT. Mr Musk was one of the original co-founders of OpenAI, however he left the company in 2018 and has since criticised the companys move away from its founding principles. OpenAI was created as an open source (which is why I named it Open AI), non-profit company to serve as a counterweight to Google, but now it has become a closed source, maximum-profit company effectively controlled by Microsoft, he wrote in February. Not what I intended at all. Recommended Twitter no longer exists as a company The move comes despite Mr Musk recently warning of the dangers of advanced artificial intelligence, claiming that they pose a profound risk to society and humanity. The Twitter boss joined more than 1,000 notable tech figures and academics in signing an open letter calling on the development of AI systems like ChatGPT to be halted until the risks are properly understood. This pause should be public and verifiable, and include all key actors. If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium, the authors wrote. AI labs and independent experts should use this pause to jointly develop and implement a set of shared safety protocols for advanced AI design and development that are rogorously audited and overseen by independent outside experts. These protocols should ensure that systems adhering to them are safe beyond a reasonable doubt. It is not yet clear what Twitter intends to use generative AI for, though speculation among those familiar with the matter focuses on improving search and overhauling targeted advertising on the platform. Twitter did not respond to a request for comment. 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 }} Matthew McConaughey has talked about the feeling of suspended disbelief he and his wife experienced last month when their plane suddenly dropped 4,000ft mid-flight. The Oscar-winning actor can be heard describing the zero gravity occurrence on an episode of Lets Talk Off Camera, Kelly Ripas SiriusXM podcast, reports Fox News. He said: Your red wine, and the glass and the plates that your food was on are all suspended, floating, still just in the air. And to look at it for that long, which wasnt that long one, two, three, four and then everything just comes crashing down. It was a hell of a scare", he added: A 100 per cent feeling of knowing you have no way to get control of this situation in the moment. The Lufthansa flight was flying to Frankfurt, Germany, having taken off from Austin, Texas. The plane was rerouted to Washington DC following the incident. The 53-year-old, known for his roles in Dazed and Confused and Dallas Buyers Club, eventually made it to Vietnam, which was his final destination. The flight was the hairiest hed ever experienced, and he said his tray table held him in his seat since he wasnt wearing a seatbelt when the plane dropped. His wife, Brazilian model and designer Camila Alves, had previously shared a video on Instagram that showed food and other items strewn across the cabin floor. She wrote as a caption to the video: On flight last night, plane dropped almost 4,000ft, seven people went to the hospital, everything was flying everywhere. To respect the privacy of those around me thats all I am showing but the plane was a CHAOS and the turbulence kept on coming. McConaughey said: There was not a seatbelt warning right before it happened. I just immediately reached over, made sure Camila had her seatbelt on. He said that they held hands wondering if another drop was coming. Another one did come. It was odd. You hear peoples reactions. Some people were ghost silent. Some people had big bursts of laughter. And it was not like, Oh, this is fun. It was like, Im in shock. And then, you know how it is on a plane you see the flight attendant not looking extremely confident, and youre like, Uh oh. Lufthansa told The Independent that the plane encountered brief but severe turbulence about 90 minutes after take-off. The Lufthansa flight made an unscheduled landing at Washington Dulles Airport as a precautionary measure. Lufthansa regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers. The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew members is Lufthansas top priority at all times, the airline added. 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 }} This is the definitive guide to the 50 ages (and six heights) of a traveller. Minus 12 weeks: The Civil Aviation Authority says: Most airlines require a certificate after 28 weeks, confirming that the pregnancy is progressing normally, that there are no complications and the expected date of delivery. Minus eight weeks: British Airways does not carry women who are pregnant with more than one baby after 32 weeks. Minus four weeks: BA will not let women with single pregnancies fly after 36 weeks. Nought: You can travel free on public transport across the UK. Eight days: Ryanair will let you fly on domestic routes, but your fare may be higher than your mother: the flat infant fare is 25. You will not be allowed to fly outside the UK with Ryanair because you will not have a passport. However, you can reach Ireland on British Airways, which also has a minimum age of eight days for passengers and does not require a passport for travel within the Common Travel Area including Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Two weeks: EasyJet will let you fly. 10 weeks: Assuming your parents applied for a passport on the day you were born, you can expect it to be delivered by now. Eurostar will take you through the Channel Tunnel from London St Pancras to Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris at any age. Four months: Neilson will welcome you into its Starfish Creche, with a promise: We have one nanny for every two babies. Experts in their field, they can recite any Disney song in a flash. The weekly cost, on top of the price of the holiday, is 390. The activity operator has eight separate age bands for childrens activities. Six months: Crystal Skis Pepi Penguin Nursery is all yours, until you are four; prices start from 475 for six days. Many cruise lines will allow you aboard, though for some longer voyages (typically those with three or more consecutive days at sea) the minimum age is one year. Six months and one day: P&O Cruises will allow you on board most voyages. Two years: On many scheduled flights you must pay the full fare (less Air Passenger Duty). And its time to start paying the child fare on some trains. The railways of the Canada, Colombia and Namibia will charge you half the adult fare. On weekday Acela trains run by Amtrak in the US, its the full fare for you. Three: Time to pay half fare on Taiwanese trains, and on Inca Rail links to Machu Picchu in Peru. Full fare in Indonesia, but your parents are unlikely to be bankrupted as a result: the 100-mile trip from Jakarta to Bandung clocks in at a reasonable 63,000 Indonesian rupiah (3.50), through the handy English-language website en.tiket.com. What you pay on some other railways depends on how fast you grow. 90cm: You now need to pay half fare on trains in the Philippines. But you can ride on the Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride in CBeebies Land at Alton Towers, in the company of an adult. 100cm: Half-fare on Thai and Chinese railways. 110cm: Ditto, in Chile. Back in Alton Towers, you can go on that Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride alone. 3ft 8in (112cm): Until this height, you travel free on New Yorks subway and buses. Four: You start paying child fares on Eurostar and on many trains in Australia and New Zealand. 120cm: Time, or rather height, to pay full whack on trains in the Philippines. Five: Most British and European rail and bus operators charge you half fare though Transport for London allows anyone aged under 10 to travel free when accompanied by an adult. Six: Time to pay half fare on Japans Bullet Trains. G Adventures family trips are now open to you. Seven: Many of the most generous train operators are in southern Africa: Zambia, South Africa and Botswana Railway; you only start paying half fares now. Across in Madagascar, though, adult fares now apply. Eight: Minimum age for the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb but you must also be at least 120cm tall. PGL Childrens Camps are now open to you. 140cm: Minimum height for the five most exciting rides at Alton Towers, including Nemesis and Oblivion. Nine: You are now eligible for some of Exodus Travels family activity holidays. 10: Flixbus will carry you on UK journeys with signed permission from a parent. 11: To qualify for free buses and trams in London, and child-rate fares on the Tube, you must pay 15 for an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard. 12: The age when much gets more expensive. Train operators in many countries including most European nations insist you should pay full fare. And boys are now banned from ladies carriages on trains in Pakistan. Most of those airlines that have child fares until now make you pay full fare. No 1 Lounges now categorises you as an adult. But there is some good news: Eurostar will let you travel unaccompanied between London, Brussels and Paris on trains departing before 5pm local time; for Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the minimum age is 16. 14: British Airways will allow you to travel on your own, though your parents/guardians must fill in a form. National Express will allow you to travel unaccompanied. You can stay in a German youth hostel on your own, with your parents consent. And you can start driving with a learners permit in the US states of Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and North and South Dakota. 15: Intrepid will allow you on many of its trips, if accompanied by someone aged 18 or over. 15 years 9 months: you can apply for a provisional UK driving licence, but you cant start driving a car until 17. 16: You are now expected to pay full fare on British trains, but you qualify for the 16-17 Saver which costs 30 per year and gets you half price on the railways. Visiting London? Youll now need the 16+ photocard, valid until age 18 (residents of the capital get extra benefits). Air Passenger Duty now applies to all the flights you take from the UK, adding anything from 13 (short-haul economy) to 200 (ultra long haul in anything but economy). On an easyJet or Ryanair flight, you can travel unaccompanied. You can stay in a UK youth hostel without an adult. You qualify for Tui adults-only holidays. And on a P&O cruise, you can be left unaccompanied on board at a port of call. 17: At last youre an adult on Mozambique Railways. 18: British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic will accept your application to work as cabin crew. In New York State, Hertz will hire you a car ($84 a day surcharge). And you can rent a car in Saskatchewan without any under-age fee. 19: The minimum drinking age in most Canadian provinces (in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec it is 18). 20: You can now legally order a drink in Paraguay. 21: Minimum age for renting a car with Hertz in the UK and many other locations, though a young driver surcharge is likely to apply. 23: Avis will rent you a car in the UK. 24: You are old enough to drive a bus in the UK. 25: Most of the car-rental surcharges vanish, but there are restrictions on the kinds of car you can drive. 26: You no longer qualify for the 16-25 Railcard though you can buy one on the eve of your 26th birthday, and it will be valid for a full year. The 26-30 Railcard takes effect, though its benefits are not as good. Residents of the European Union must start paying to get into the Louvre (for non-EU residents, the age is 18). 27: You start paying a surcharge for youth hostels in Germany. 28: You are no longer a youth in the eyes of Interrail. 30: Hertz UK will now rent you a Ford Mustang, a Bentley GTC or a Lamborghini. 31: You no longer qualify for the Australia Working Holiday visa unless you have the good fortune to be an Irish or Canadian citizen, in which was you can stretch it to 35. 36: You are now too old to stay in a dorm at the Hans Brinker hostels in Lisbon and Amsterdam. Contiki, the youth travel organiser, will no longer accept you on one of its trips. 40: You are no longer welcome on G Adventures 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours. 50: You qualify for Saga holidays (though travelling companions can be as young as 40). ScotRail invites you to join Club 50 (15 annually) which is a kind of trainee version of a Senior Railcard. Scotland only, 20 per cent off advance and off-peak tickets. It also features flash sales of 17 return flat fares for any length of journey in Scotland 59 years 50 weeks: you can apply for, and start using instantly, a real Senior Railcard. This will put you back on a par with those under 30, saving you one-third off rail travel in the UK. If you are feeling fit, buy the three-year version, price 70. 60: The National Trust confers a 25 per cent discount on annual subscriptions for the people it describes as its bedrock. The charity says: With your support, we can keep looking after nature, beauty and history for ever. We want you to be able to stay with us, so that's why this concession is there for you if you need it. The most important thing for us is to make sure you can afford to continue your membership and that is why we are happy to offer this concession. Terms and conditions apply, though: in particular, you must have been paying the full annual subscription for at least three consecutive years. Interrail will give you a 10 per cent discount off adult fares. No strings attached. 62: Isola 2000, a French ski resort 90 minutes north of Nice, offers a 16 per cent discount off a lift pass. Give it another decade and things get even better at high altitude. 65: Start watching for those insurance policies that reject or surcharge older travellers. Commercial airline pilots must retire in many nations. 66: Congratulations, you qualify for a bus pass in England (sexagenarians in Wales, Scotland and Greater London gain free transport benefits from aged 60). 70: Private pilots in the UK must start self-declaring to the Civil Aviation Authority that they meet the same health requirements as an ordinary driving licence which mainly involve visual acuity. 72: Isola 2000 offers free lift passes for everyone this age or more. The same applies for everyone aged 4 or less. 75: Zipcar, which rents cars by the hour, insists that customers aged 75 or more have held a licence for at least two years and have no more than three penalty points. Europcar will not rent you a car in Argentina or Lebanon. And the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb demands a Certificate of Fitness signed by your GP. But in the Trois Vallees of France, which claims to be the worlds largest ski area, 600km of runs are yours for free. 76: Europcar will no longer rent you a car from Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton or York. 80: Explore will discuss the itinerary with you before booking you on the trip and may ask additional questions about your health and fitness. 93: You currently qualify for a free UK passport if you were born on or before 2 September 1929. You can even use the Post Office check and send facility free of charge. 99: Many car rental firms will no longer hire you a vehicle. 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 }} Any travel purchase is an act of faith. Travellers pay a lot of money upfront and take delivery only when they turn up and (hopefully) get the holiday they booked. That makes travel a favourite target of scammers. Abta, the travel association, says: Each year, fraudsters target unsuspecting holidaymakers and travellers, conning them out of millions of pounds. Not only are people losing substantial sums of money but many holidays are being ruined, with people unable to afford a replacement. As household budgets shrink and the cost of travel soars, travellers are increasingly desperate to find bargains. Fraudsters know this. Conversely, more people are tempted to try to scam the system by defrauding travel agents, holiday companies and airlines. What should you watch for? These are the key questions and answers. Is there such a thing as a standard travel fraud? Yes, when perpetrated against would-be travellers. A villain purports to be a legitimate travel business, finding customers usually online and persuading them to hand over cash or pay by bank transfer, which amounts to the same thing. The criminal then vanishes. Often the victim does not realise until the day of travel that they have lost thousands of pounds. An example? A favourite hunting ground for fraudsters in search of unwitting victims is to offer ultra-cheap airline tickets. This is what happened to a reader whose identity we have protected: I booked a flight with a travel agent who I had booked with before, so I trusted him. He called me out of the blue late last year, asking if I am looking for flights? I was tempted and booked a holiday to Singapore and Philippines in September this year. He gave us a huge discount for a premium economy seats with Singapore Airlines. It cost 2,200, and he said that he paid 100 out of his own pocket for us. I thought that was very kind of him, taking him as a friend. On 21 December 2022 I sent over the money by bank transfer to three different accounts as he had requested. He said he would send our e-tickets by 9pm that evening. All too predictably, the tickets did not arrive. I contacted Singapore Airlines directly. They had no records of any bookings with our names. I contacted my bank Santander, who managed to get back half of our money back. The rest was transferred to an overseas account, which would be difficult to retrieve. After I realised we had been scammed, I checked the address he had given. It was a nursing home in Birmingham, not a travel agency. How do I avoid that? If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. While many online agents will assert they have the best fare, prices for a particular flight are usually in a fairly narrow band. A check on a comparison website such as Skyscanner can give you a good idea of the ball-park figure for a destination on specific dates. If an agent is selling well below the norm, you should be wary. In contrast, if you go along to your local travel agent and buy a holiday, the overwhelming odds are that it will be a genuine and problem-free transaction. Any other airline frauds? Yes. A relatively new one involves scammers intercepting passengers complaints on Twitter. Some passengers frustrated by lost luggage and delayed refunds have been tweeting BA about their issues, using the official account @British_Airways. Fraudsters set up an unofficial scam account, @CareBritish, and responded to tweets from travellers. They ask for contact details, and then concoct a preposterous story claiming passengers whose luggage is missing must pay for it to be sent to them, even though no airline would ask for payment for delivering misrouted baggage. The scammers specify that payment must be by bank transfer. Although they ask for the money to be transferred through a legitimate foreign exchange company, the transaction is equivalent to handing over cash to someone you have never met. If the desperate passenger complies, then predictably the baggage does not appear. Instead the criminals step up their attack explaining that further problems have arisen, and asking the victim to transfer more money. As with most scams, there are tell-tale signs that not all is above board. In one case The Independent looked at, a British Airways passenger living in Mexico, whose bag had failed to appear at New York JFK, was told their bag had mysteriously been flown from a different NYC airport, La Guardia, to Dallas-Fort Worth. Someone calling himself Martin from BA wrote on Twitter that the luggage could be recovered but only if the passenger transferred 22,458 Kenyan shillings (150) to a person living in Nakuru, Kenya. That is not a normal request from a UK airline about baggage that is supposedly in the US and belongs to a Mexican passenger. An airline will never ask a traveller to share personal information on social media. They may invite unhappy passengers to liaise with them by direct message (DM), but this should only be done to a Twitter account with a blue tick certifying that it is a social media account belonging to a trusted organisation. I was asked to pay by bank transfer because the card machine was broken This should really set alarm bells ringing. Its like giving cash to a stranger. To complicate things, plenty of genuine travel firms will ask for payment by bank transfer to keep handling costs down (and, ironically, to avoid fraud). Be especially suspicious if the destination bank account is in an improbable location or name. Any payment to a bank in a country other than the UK or your intended destination country should be immediately suspect. A request to pay a random individual or into more than one account may be further evidence of a fraud. If you avoid flight fraud, what is next in line? Villa fraud is the most common scam. Every summer as the main holiday months approach, I fret about how many people will contact me with the same sad story: We booked a villa online, sent the money by bank transfer, then turned up to be told that someone else was staying there and wed been scammed. The typical case involves several thousand pounds which has been sent to the villain, plus the cost of air fares and the often astronomical expense of finding somewhere different to stay at very short notice. It is a devastating and distressing experience, not least because children are often involved. Due diligence is required to ensure you are dealing with a legitimate company/villa owner. How does the typical scam work? A website is created with lots of appealing properties combined with remarkably low prices and excellent availability. It looks professional, and often lists an address (usually in Spain) and a phone number. When you are tempted in, you are then told Pay us today by bank transfer which is the same as sending cash and well give you a special discount. How can you tell if a site is fake? Check the photos by doing an online search of the picture of the villa. It may take you to a completely different but legitimate site, and possibly to a different location and a different villa name. One bunch of fraudsters The Independent came across realised that smart customers were on to them, and so they pretended that this was all the owners doing using multiple names. They also fibbed that the reason availability was showing on the scam site but not the real site was because the owners had decided to deal only with them. Read the website carefully. Many scam websites are set up using extracts copied and pasted from genuine travel companies. If something strikes you as unusual, try a bit of copying and pasting yourself an odd phrase may take you to a genuine holiday company. In one of the cases I investigated, CycladesRentals.com, a phrase about health looked distinctly out of place; it turned out to have been stolen from a legitimate operator specialising in well-being holidays. Next, many scam sites have no telephone number, but may have an address. If you search this address online, you will often find the real company that is based at the address the fraudsters claim to use. Find a number for that company, dial it and see what happens; in the case of the scam website called CycladesRentals.com, I went along to check and found it was actually the premises of a very good Polish restaurant. Any other red flags? Yes. Check the company (and the website) history. If a company such as Calders Choice Canaries Cottages is any good, or even if its mediocre, it will have an online footprint. So search online for the name of the company plus reviews. It may be that youre warned immediately that its a scam. But if there are no reviews, and the company claims to have been in business for 10 years, thats odd to say the least. Use a website such as who.is to see when the site was registered. If it was in the past few months, be very afraid. But I called them up and they seemed genuine To ensure you are not dealing with a criminal, demand a landline rather than a mobile, check that the dialling code is commensurate with the location, and phone up the owner. You could ask, for example: Just before I book can you give me a few more details about the area: how far is the beach, how good is the WiFi, whats the mobile-phone reception like? If you are not satisfied with the answer, probe more deeply: ask for the name of the nearest restaurant, then find the number for that place and dial it to cross-check. They say unless I book now I will lose the deal. Is that true? Fraudsters invariably want to pressure you into parting with your hard-earned cash quickly, by warning that the property will be let to someone else unless you commit immediately. They may also claim there is a 10 or 20 per cent discount for rapid payment. You should be able to sense if they are getting agitated, and a good way to test their response is to suggest you communicate by post. A genuine owner will cut you some slack, and probably agree to receive your deposit as cash through the post. While that concept might sound ridiculously 20th century, it can offers safeguards you dont get online. I have phoned an accommodation owner in Greece and then posted the deposit in cash (by registered mail, of course) to a physical address in the village where the property was located. It is potentially a safer transaction than transferring money to a bank account in a distant land. An owner on Airbnb said we should break the payment rules and both benefit. Is that fraud? Almost certainly. On Airbnb, if any owner asks you to liaise direct and pay by bank transfer rather than going through the official Airbnb payment platform, you are probably dealing with a criminal. They do this typically by purporting to be a host and using the chat facility to set up an outside email they may say they are doing this to dodge the fees, or they have a special coupon, or other tosh. They will have some ingenious ways of doing it, including uploading photos of a room with an email address written on the wall. And some people respond. Can the travel industry itself be defrauded? Yes, and fraud has been a problem for decades. Mostly it centres around flights. Every day many people who would never regard themselves as criminals routinely defraud airlines by exploiting anomalies in pricing. For example, a one-way British Airways flight from London to New York typically costs four times as much as a return. The saving runs into many hundreds of pounds, and passengers often buy a round-trip with no intention of using the inbound portion. In theory BA could charge you for the difference, but I am not aware of this ever happening. In some cases, though, where travel agents have used tricks like this on an industrial scale, the agents themselves may be penalised. In terms of very clear crimes: the standard scam involves paying for a ticket for a flight shortly before departure using a stolen or cloned credit card. By the time the crime is recognised, the passenger has made the journey. But fraudulent transactions using someone elses cards are not unknown through travel agents. Ashley Quint, director of TravelTime World in Berkhamsted says: If I were asked what the biggest challenge is at the moment for travel agents, I would say fraud. What sort of scams do people perpetrate against travel agents? Fraudsters often seek to persuade an agent to make a booking on their behalf. The airline will accept the reservation without question if it is from a trusted travel agent. Abta says: A particularly common type of fraud is card not present fraud, in which fraudsters make telephone or on-line bookings with a stolen card. These bookings are often for last-minute, high-value airline tickets, due to the fact that the criminal would have departed prior to a transaction being charged back. Mr Quint says: If we take a fradulent transaction, if someone gives us a stolen or cloned card, and the owner of that card enacts a chargeback, it becomes our responsibility. Shrewd travel agents look for a range of red flags. Someone trying to pay with a card that does not match the passengers name immediately raises concerns especially if it is a very short-notice trip particularly in business or first class. If someone from outside the companys usual catchment area calls, and insists on dealing only by phone, an agent might ask for payment by bank transfer. Even so, some frauds get through. One is to buy a flexible flight ticket for travel some months ahead. The scammer then calls the airline direct to shift the booking much earlier. saying that the agent was too busy to change the date. The fraudster is likely to fly before the crime is picked up. Does fraud against agents go beyond buying flights? Yes. A decade or two ago, the main form of fraud was on air tickets to Africa. But Mr Quint says fraud is becoming more common and more mainstream in terms of destination and holiday type. A couple even attempted to book a honeymoon fraudulently with his company. The credit card went through it matched their passports. All went through fine. A week in, I got a phone call from the card owner saying, I havent spent any money with you. Then we had to go to the fraud squad. We think they found them in the end. Thankfully, the tour operator hadnt ticketed the flight and had a good relationship with the hotel, so there was no cost. Otherwise it would be down to us. Its OK for somebody like me whos been in the industry for quite a time. You get an inner sense of when something isnt quite right. But for somebody whos relatively inexperienced, you could easily get caught out. Someone has used my credit card details to buy a flight. What should I do? Britains biggest budget airline, easyJet, gives advice online to people whose cards have been fraudulently used. The carrier says: If youve been charged by easyJet and you (or someone youve allowed to use your card) havent made a booking with us, then you may be a fraud victim. If you think this you should contact your bank. Let them know all the details, and make sure they cancel your card. Check your account for other strange purchases. Inform the police. To reclaim the cash, the victim is told to contact the easyJet Customer Service Team. We will investigate the booking and give you as much information as we can, and whether we can refund or cancel the flight. If we havent, or cant, refund the costs straight to your account, you can start a chargeback claim. This is a voluntary arrangement on the part of your card firm Visa, Mastercard or American Express to reverse debit, credit or charge card purchase for customers who have not received the goods or services that they have been charged for. Cant the authorities track down the culprits and deal with them? Most villains leave a cyber trail. Banks may have some details of their identity. But because the sums involved are relatively small from a policing perspective, travel frauds are often neglected. Joe Biden said he has spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other leader during his address at the Windsor Bar in Dundalk. Before an unexpected mention of the Chinese president, Mr Biden claimed people must keep marching forward despite the world facing darkness. US president also recalled a story when he was with Chinas president on the Tibetan plateau: He asked me Can you define America for me? and I said Yes I can. One word: possibilities. Mr Biden added: Anything is possible if we set our mind to it - thats who we are. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden met in Belfast on Wednesday, 12 April, to hold bilateral talks coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The two world leaders were pictured in the Grand Central Hotel as the US president said that he was here "to listen." Mr Biden will later deliver a speech to Ulster University and meet Northern Ireland's political leaders. The US president will also meet meet Irish president Michael D Higgins and visit County Mayo, where his ancestors are from, as part of a four-day visit. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Claims that UK special forces have been deployed in Ukraine have been widely reported after allegedly leaked documents were published online. The UKs Ministry of Defence (MoD) warned against taking the allegations, which were in a reported leak of US classified information, at face value. Reports suggested that a document, dated March 23, indicates as many as 50 UK special forces personnel have operated in Ukraine alongside other western special forces. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation, an MoD spokesperson said. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Russia has tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, in the first known successful launch of such a weapon since Russia suspended its participation in the last nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States. In a statement on Telegram on Wednesday, 12 April, the countrys defence ministry said the missile was test launched at Kapustin Yar, a rocket launch complex in Astrakhan Oblast, and engaged a target at the Sary Shagan firing range in Kazakhstan. According to reports, the missile is capable of travelling over 1,000 miles. 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 }} I have been a supporter of this country giving asylum to Afghans and Iraqis since 2007 when I first saw the bravery of Iraqi interpreters accompanying our RAF Regiment patrols maintaining security around Basra airbase. Often well educated, they had thrown in their lot with us, believing us when we said we would build a freer, more democratic society for them; one free of the warlords and gunmen. I saw first-hand, too, the terror on their faces when they watched those same warlords escorted onto our base owing to an accommodation we had been forced to come to with just the forces we had claimed to be eradicating. Our interpreters knew very well what this meant for them personally, especially if/when we left under the bogus cover of that accommodation a weasel word if ever there was one. Exactly the same applies to those Afghans who believed we would transform Afghanistan and not cut and run, leaving them to the Taliban. Many of those in the Afghan forces served with distinction alongside us and the Taliban will never forget that. We owe all a debt of honour and should offer them asylum, and the security we promised them, in the UK not least because we could not guarantee them safety and security in Afghanistan. The Taliban knows as well as we do that we helped train the Afghan pilots (I remember vividly the start of that mission in Kandahar in 2008) and we should stand by those brave men like the pilot The Independent is campaigning for now. It was in Basra in 2007 that I first heard reported an aphorism of the Arab street: that it is better to be an enemy of the British than a friend. If you are an enemy they will buy you, if a friend they will sell you. It put the accommodation in a stark light. If we are not to live up to this reputation, we should do all we can to look after those who risked their lives to help us. Air Marshal Edward Stringer (Royal Air Force) I know many in the MoD, and across government, have worked hard to get Afghans out. But the limited numbers making it via the various schemes and safe routes, and the bureaucratic cock-ups along the way, suggest that the system is not as joined-up across government departments as it might be. I am not surprised some have had to take to small boats to cross the Channel to the country they so readily served. We must repay the debt we so clearly owe them. Now is the time for us to demonstrate the decency on which we so pride ourselves. We must offer safe haven to the pilot who risked his life to fight alongside us. And we must be generous to all his comrades now, in their hour of need. Air Marshal Edward Stringer had RAF forces under command deployed to Basra in 2007. In 2008 he was the senior RAF commander in Afghanistan (Commander 904 Expeditionary Air Wing, Kandahar). From 2015 to 2018 he was the MoDs director of operations in London, which included all operations in the AfPak theatre 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 }} There is nowhere in the world Joe Biden should be today but Belfast. A proud descendant of Irish immigrants, the President of the United States of America is today in Northern Ireland commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. It makes sense; the Americans were intrinsically involved in negotiating the deal which ended three decades of sectarian violence between the Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists. The Good Friday Agreement stands as a triumph of American diplomacy and a global blueprint for ending civil conflict. As this timeline of American involvement in the peace process shows, the United States was able to play such an important role in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement because of its unique history. Many of the key instigators of American involvement in Northern Ireland were Irish Americans themselves, from House Speaker Tip ONeill in the 1980s to President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, who famously granted a 48-hour visa to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams a watershed moment that kickstarted the peace process. This should be no surprise. While we often talk about the Special Relationship between the US and the UK, that relationship exists mostly at the government level. In the hearts and minds of the American people, however, the true special relationship is with Ireland. To understand why, one must understand American demographics and American history. A nation which broke from Britain in the 18th century only to become its staunchest ally in the 20th, we are also a nation in which 31.5 million citizens claim Irish ancestry. That is a population nearly seven times that of Ireland itself, accounting for one in ten Americans, living in every county of the United States. Beyond that, though, exists a kinship that many Americans feel with the Republic by dint of our parallel histories. Both Ireland and the United States are erstwhile colonies of the United Kingdom. As I have previously written, we have Lexington and Concord; the Irish have the Easter Rising. We have our Revolutionary War; Ireland has its War for Independence. We have George Washington; the Irish have Michael Collins. In the 19th century, immigration to America from what is today the Republic of Ireland proliferated thanks in large part to the oppressive laws instituted by the British and, of course, the Potato Famine. Sadly, the Irish did not find a warm welcome in the United States, though. For example, in an 1855 incident that would become known as Bloody Monday, at least 22 though some Irish Catholics estimated the number was more than 100 Irish were massacred in Louisville, Kentucky. This stigmatization meant that the Irish and their descendants were not assimilated into mainstream American culture (that is, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, or WASP, culture) as quickly as immigrants from England, and even Scotland and Wales, were. Whereas the Scots-Irish that is, descendants of Ulster Scots who emigrated to North America in the 17th and 18th centuries were thoroughly Americanized by the time of the Civil War, the more recent Catholic Irish immigrants from the south were marginalized in ways that kept them insular and therefore promoted cultural retention. Over time, though, the Irish began to be more accepted into polite society, particularly as lace curtain Irish began to attain a level of economic affluence and respectability as opposed to the shanty Irish who were stereotyped as lazy, drunk, and violent. As they began to exert more influence over American life including American politics through political machines in cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago their culture began to become ingrained in American culture, to the point where even Americans who were not of Irish descent proudly participated in Irish traditions. Most Americans will know at least the opening lines of Danny Boy, not even realizing that it was written by an Englishman. In the 1970s and 1980s, the soap opera Ryans Hope focused on the trials and tribulations of the Irish-American working class in New York City, while more recent shows like Roseanne and its sequel, The Conners have centered around an Irish-American working-class family. Not coincidentally, one of the stars of the latter also starred in the American version of Shameless, which centered around an impoverished Irish-American family on the South Side of Chicago a city that dyes its river green every St. Patricks Day. (Indeed, most traditions related to St. Patricks Day originated in America!) These Irish Americans form the backbone of the white working class, and they vote in numbers that make them a bloc neither party can ignore. There is a reason politicians and presidents of both parties have felt a vested interest in not only courting Irish voters but also promoting peace in Northern Ireland. The affinity the American people feel towards the Republic transcends party lines. It is a kinship forged by shared blood but also shared struggles for independence and self-determination against the British. Some even see the British as an occupying force; one friends mother has a bumper sticker on her car that reads 26 + 6 = 1, a not-so-subtle indication that she supports the six counties of Northern Ireland uniting with the 26 counties of the Republic. This is all worth remembering as President Biden visits Belfast today. We cant allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit, Biden tweeted in 2020. Any trade deal between the U.S. and U.K. must be contingent upon respect for the Agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period. Bidens visit today underscores that warning to Westminster, as the Conservative Party has not given up hopes that a post-Brexit trade deal might be reached. Ensuring the continual free flow of goods and people across the border is essential from the American perspective, not just because the US rightly sees the Good Friday Agreement as a triumph of American diplomacy, but because so much of the United States is skeptical, at best, of British involvement on the island of Ireland. For its part, the United States must continue to strike the right balance. The Northern Ireland Protocol agreed upon by the British government and the European Union ensures there will be no hard border between the Republic and the province. However, the Democratic Unionist Party has been reluctant to adopt the Windsor Framework which would create two lanes of traffic for goods heading from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, fearing that it cuts off the province from the rest of the United Kingdom. The DUP pulled out of the power-sharing agreement in 2021, collapsing the Northern Irish executive. President Biden has called for a return to the power-sharing agreement at Stormont, but his words are less likely to be heeded by the DUP, as many of its members view him skeptically and as favoring Dublin and Brussels. This could show the limits of American influence in Northern Ireland. Alternatively, it could be the chance for a reminder that America and the Ulster-Scots share a kinship as well. There is a statue in Larne commemorating the voyage of the Friends Goodwill, which carried 52 passengers most of them Ulster Scots to Boston, beginning a migration of some 300,000 Ulster Scots to the New World in the 18th century. The descendants of these early emigrants today populate every state but are especially found in and around the Appalachian Mountains. These ties are already being explored and strengthened through organizations such as the Ulster-American Heritage Symposium and the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies. We should, if the parties in Northern Ireland ask us, consider using these ties to help bring about an agreement on the post-Brexit settlement. The Good Friday Agreement, after all, stands as one of the United States greatest diplomatic achievements. It was negotiated in large part because of our shared kinship with the nationalists. Today our kinship with the unionists could allow us to play a similar role in the mediation of the post-Brexit crisis. The US President spent just four minutes on the tarmac before being escorted to the motorcade. US president Joe Biden was shielded by umbrellas as he touched down at Dublin Airport ahead of his three-day stay in the Republic of Ireland. Air Force One landed at the Irish capitals airport on Wednesday afternoon in heavy rain and cold winds. Mr Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens, was greeted on the tarmac and shook hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar alongside other Irish dignitaries. 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 US president had been due to travel to Co Louth by helicopter, but the poor weather conditions forced him to go via motorcade. Mr Varadkar also greeted Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they alighted Air Force One. Umbrellas were held for Mr Biden as he greeted each Irish dignitary in turn, including ambassadors Geraldine Byrne Nason and Claire Cronin. Mr Biden spent only four minutes on the tarmac before being escorted to the US presidential state car. Before leaving the airport, the president met embassy staff and their children and thanked them for their service, as well as describing the Taoiseach as a good man, adding: I dont want to hurt his reputation politically, but, in addition to us being allies, were also friends. One child asked Mr Biden what the key to success was, to which he replied: The key to success is, whenever you disagree with someone, its OK to question their judgment on whether theyre right or wrong, but it is never OK to question their motive. If you question their motive, youll never agree, the president added. The president also praised firefighters, saying: Theres an expression: God made man, then he made a few firefighters, because who else is crazy enough to run into a fire? Mr Biden then joked: Everybody I grew up with either became a cop, a firefighter, or a priest. I couldnt qualify for any, so here I am. A child also asked him about his dog, Commander, to which he replied: My dog is doing well. Writing on Twitter after the meeting, Mr Varadkar said it was a real pleasure to greet Mr Biden, adding: Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth. Bank of Ireland has made a blunder on thousands of mortgage accounts it took over from KBC Bank. The error is likely to mean that some former KBC customers will be turned down for loans while the issue is being resolved. Around 35,000 mortgage holders are affected, which is around half of the number bought from KBC. Bank of Ireland has written to mortgage holders who transferred to it from KBC telling them the error it made was at the point your mortgage loan transferred from KBC to BoI which resulted in your mortgage start date being incorrectly input into our systems. The letter says: As we were aware of this error, we did not submit the mortgage details to the CCR [Central Credit Register]We will continue to withhold monthly reporting until the error is fixed. The bank admitted that if a customer applies for a loan, or another form of credit, the gap in the monthly updates to the Central Banks Central Credit Register may have been seen by another lender. This could lead to a refusal of credit for the likes of a car loan or other products for the former KBC mortgage customers. The CCR helps a lender to decide whether it should approve an application for a loan or not, as well as giving the Central Bank better insights into patterns of lending in the broader economy. Bank of Ireland sets out options in the letter for customers who have a credit application refused. Asked about the error, BoI said: The mortgage start date for a number of mortgages transferring from KBC to Bank of Ireland was incorrectly inputted into our systems. As we were aware of this error, we did not submit the mortgage details to the CCR for February and March while it is being fixed. This was to prevent incorrect credit information being reflected on the customers credit report. The bank said that if a customer applied for a loan or another form of credit, the gap in the monthly updates to the CCR may have been seen by a lender. The bank said customers can use its letter as proof to other lenders of the error . To date weve had no confirmation of a loan application being impacted but if any customer has a specific query they can contact our team and we will support. We have also informed other lenders about the error so that they are aware of it. We are updating the records as a priority and will write to customers again when it is resolved, which is expected in the next few weeks. This month last year Bank of Ireland was fined 463,000 by the Data Protection Commissioner for messing up customers account details that could have affected their credit ratings. The fine was also based on the bank not telling customers about the issue on time. DPC Commissioner Helen Dixon ordered the bank to fix its sub-par data processing systems. The data breaches involved, which occurred between 2018 and 2019, relate to cases where the bank submitted incorrect information to the Central Credit Register (CCR). Last November it emerged that KBC had overcharged some mortgage customers who switched to another lender on break fees. It has now paid the affected customers compensation. The miscalculation of break fees may have discouraged hundreds of people from switching from the bank ahead of the sale of the mortgages to Bank of Ireland. Some KBC mortgage holders had been anxious to choose their own lender ahead of their home loans being sold to Bank of Ireland. KBC Bank Ireland admitted it miscalculated the break fee for some of its customers who wanted to come out of a fixed rate and switch to another lender. Swiss lawmakers blamed government, regulators and the management for failures around the takeover of Credit Suisse last month, setting the stage for an election year in which thousands of jobs are at stake. Though the legislative doesnt have the power to derail the takeover, the extraordinary parliamentary meeting scheduled for three days is forcing the government into continued defense of its actions during the unpopular emergency takeover by UBS Group AG announced on March 19. More than a dozen lawmakers, including those from the small group that signed off on the transaction as part of the so-called financial delegation, voiced their grievances. Their concerns varied from being circumvented in the emergency legislation, to regulatory lapses that allowed Credit Suisses failings to go un-addressed, to demanding accountability for the banks management. The legal possibilities against the bankers responsible and the possibilities to claw back bonuses need to be exhausted to the fullest extent, said Free Democrats Thierry Burkart, who leads the party of Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter. Some legislators called for greater powers for the financial regulator, Finma, amid a broader review of too-big-to-fail rules for the sector, while others asked for a parliamentary inquiry commission. Quick legislative changes are unlikely though, as became apparent during the debate. The deal was described by President Alain Berset at the start of the day as the best option to re-establish confidence in markets that created a banking giant whose assets are more than twice the size of the Swiss economy. Politicians and business leaders have voiced worries that the combined lender will have excessive market power, leading to a loss of competition. Despite the risks involved in integrating Credit Suisse, UBS stands to become a banking powerhouse post merger, analysts at JPMorgan Chase. wrote. UBS, already one of the worlds largest wealth managers, is now taking over a key rival for a fraction of the value of its assets and receiving as much as 9bn Swiss francs (9bn) in government loss guarantees. Credit Suisses leadership has to take responsibility for its actions, Hansjoerg Knecht, a member of the Swiss Peoples Party, told the upper house of parliament during the special session in Bern. Tens of thousands of employees worry for their jobs. Before the takeover, Credit Suisse had already planned to cut as many as 9,000 jobs over the coming years. The overlaps between the two banks will likely lead to that number rising, though executives including UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher have said that it is too early to say how big the cuts will be. Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been rebuffed in her attempt to stay out of federal prison while she appeals her conviction for the fraud she committed while overseeing a blood-testing scam that exposed Silicon Valleys dark side. In an 11-page ruling issued late on Monday, US District Judge Edward Davila concluded there wasnt compelling enough evidence to allow Holmes to remain free on bail while her lawyers try to persuade an appeals court that alleged misconduct during her four-month trial led to an unjust verdict. The judges decision means Holmes, 39, will have to surrender to authorities on April 27 to start the more than 11-year prison sentence that Judge Davila imposed in November. The punishment came 10 months after a jury found her guilty on four counts of fraud and conspiracy against the Theranos investors who believed in her promises to revolutionise the health care industry. Holmes had accompanied her lawyers to a San Jose, California, courtroom on March 17 to try to convince Judge Davila that various missteps by federal prosecutors and the omission of key evidence will culminate in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals exonerating her. Her prison sentence is scheduled to start roughly 20 years after Holmes dropped out of Stanford University when she was 19-years-old to start Theranos in Palo Alto, California the same city where William Hewlett and David Packard founded a company bearing their surnames in a small garage and planted the seeds of what grew into Silicon Valley. Holmes could still file another appeal of Judge Davilas latest ruling, a move her co-conspirator at Theranos Ramesh Sunny Balwani successfully used to delay his scheduled March 16 date to begin a nearly 13-year prison sentence. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last week rejected that appeal, and Balwani is now scheduled to report to a Southern California prison on April 20. Judge Davila has recommended that Holmes serve her sentence in a Byron, Texas, prison. It hasnt yet been publicly confirmed if that will be the facility where she reports. Unless she can find a way to stay free, Ms Holmes will be separated from the two children she had leading up to the trial and after her conviction. Her first child, a boy, was born shortly before her trial began in September 2021. The youngest child, whose gender hasnt been disclosed in court documents, was born at some point after her November sentencing. She conceived both with her current partner, William Evans, who she met after breaking up with Balwani in the midst of Theranos downfall. Confederation of British Industry has been subject to a number of complaints The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), a leading business group, said it had fired Tony Danker as director general after an investigation into complaints of workplace misconduct, and replaced him with its former chief economist, Rain Newton-Smith. "The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating," it said in a statement on Tuesday. "While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better." Mr Danker stepped aside in March while the CBI conducted a review into his behaviour. The Guardian newspaper said a complaint was submitted in January by a female CBI employee and more allegations had been brought by other staff members subsequently. On Tuesday, Mr Danker said he was shocked to learn he had been dismissed but also that he was "truly sorry" for making some people feel uncomfortable. "I was... shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed," Mr Danker, who was director general of the business group, said on Twitter. "Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that." The CBI is one of Britain's best-known business organisations, representing the interests of many of the country's biggest companies to the government and more widely. However, last week it halted its public events after further allegations including one of rape at a staff party in 2019 were reported in The Guardian. The CBI said Mr Danker who joined the CBI in November 2020 was not the subject of the more recent allegations but that his conduct "fell short of that expected of the director general". The CBI said three other employees were suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations. "The CBI is liaising with the police and has made clear its intention to cooperate fully with any police investigations," it said. Ms Newton-Smith, who spent her early career as an economist at the Bank of England, left the CBI in March to join Barclays where she is Managing Director for Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG. "I want the CBI to be an organisation of which we can all be proud," she said. Most of the claims reported by the Mediapart website relate to film shoots between 2004 and 2022. French actor Gerard Depardieu has been accused of harassing, groping or sexually assaulting 13 young women, mainly extras, according to an investigative news website. Most of the claims reported by the Mediapart website relate to film shoots between 2004 and 2022. None of the women has filed a complaint. Depardieu has denied any criminal behaviour. The 74-year-old one of Frances most well-known stars was placed under investigation in December 2020 for rape and sexual assault, reportedly at his Paris home, after claims by an actress in 2018. The investigation is continuing. Mediapart, which is regarded as a reliable website, published the accusations in an article on Tuesday. The incidents allegedly took place in public places, mainly on film sets. It was kind of, Oh thats Gerard, hes a bit mischievous! Isabel Butel In a Manhattan cabaret for the filming of the 2015 movie Big House, Depardieu allegedly tried to fondle three non-French extras. One of them, then aged 24, told Mediapart: I felt his fingers trying to slip in to get to my knickers. The wardrobe assistant for Big House, Isabel Butel, told Mediapart of her shock at the reaction on set. It was kind of, Oh thats Gerard, hes a bit mischievous! she was quoted as saying. Another extra, identified as Helene Darras, then 26, went to the police last year, 14 years after Depardieu allegedly kept grabbing her buttocks during filming of the 2008 comedy Disco. She said she stayed silent at the time as she did not want to make an enemy of casting directors. She eventually gave her account to police because the film world is full of Gerards and we have to speak up, she said. Actresses, location assistants and others said they complained about Depardieus vulgar remarks, groans and straying hands but drew only silence, or laughs, from others. People are afraid, Mediapart quoted one casting director as saying. She said her colleagues and friends unanimously reacted to her decision to talk to Mediapart by saying: Are you crazy? Lawyers for Depardieu, from the law firm Temime, formally deny all allegations that (could) concern criminal law, Mediapart wrote, and called the allegations a veritable indictment to which the actor has no intention of responding. Depardieu, who has appeared in 200 films over six decades, is one of only a few French actors who have made a name for themselves in Hollywood. He won a Golden Globe for his performance in Green Card, a 1990 English-language romantic comedy co-starring Andie MacDowell. His first big hit in France was Les Valseuses Bertrand Bliers classic farce about two wandering thugs. Before crossing the Atlantic to star in Green Card, Depardieu played an array of roles, ranging from Jean Valjean, the thief-turned-saint in Les Miserables, to Christopher Columbus. In 2014, he played the leading role in Welcome To New York, inspired by the life of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former director of the International Monetary Fund who was accused in 2011 of sexually assaulting a hotel maid. The charges against Mr Strauss-Kahn were later dropped. The 29-year-old singer said on TikTok she wanted to address concerns about her body and share some vulnerability. Ariana Grande has asked fans to be gentler and less comfortable about commenting on how other peoples bodies look (PA) Ariana Grande has asked fans to be gentler and less comfortable about commenting on how other peoples bodies look as she said she wanted to share her own vulnerability. The singer-songwriter, 29, said in a social media video that she wanted to address concerns about her body that the public have been talking about for a decade or longer. 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 She told her followers on TikTok: I just wanted to talk a little bit about what it means to be a person with a body and to be seen and to be paid such close attention to. The two-time Grammy award-winning artist added: I think we could be, I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on peoples bodies, no matter what. If you think youre saying something good or well-intentioned, whatever it is, healthy, unhealthy, big, small, this, that, sexy, non-sexy we just should really work towards not doing that as much. There are ways to compliment someone or to ignore something that you see that you dont like, that I think we should help each other work towards We should aim toward being safer, and keeping each other safer. Grande known for the UK number ones 7 Rings, Break Up With Your Girlfriend, Im Bored and Thank U, Next has been open about her mental health in the past following the Manchester Arena attack at her concert in May 2017 when a suicide bomber killed 22 people. She told Vogue in June 2018 that she always had anxiety and the following year shared an image on Instagram showing the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on her brain. On Tuesday, Grande added in the video: There are many different kinds of beautiful personally, for me, the body that youve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy but that in fact wasnt my healthy. I know I shouldnt have to explain that but I do feel like maybe having an openness and some sort of vulnerability here will (mean) something good might come from it. I dont know but thats the first thing, healthy can look different. 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 second thing is, you never know what someone is going through even if you are coming from a loving place and a caring place, that person probably is working on it or has a support system that they are working on it with. You never know. So be gentle with each other and with yourselves. And thirdly, I just wanted to send some love your way. I think youre beautiful, no matter what youre going through, no matter what weight, no matter how you like to do your makeup these days, no matter what cosmetic procedures youve had or not or anything. Grande, who is also an actress, is set to star as Glinda Upland in the upcoming Wicked film based on the hit musical of the same name that is inspired by L Frank Baums novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Her last album was Positions, her sixth record, released in October 2020, which was a British number one. Performers from classic pantos including Jack and The Beanstalk and Cinderella were recognised at the annual event on Tuesday. Sir Ian McKellen, Su Pollard and Vernon Kay were among the winners at the 2023 Pantomime Awards. Performers and workers from panto productions of classic fairy-tales including Jack and The Beanstalk, Cinderella and Beauty and The Beast were all recognised at the annual event. The star-studded ceremony took place at the Trafalgar Theatre in Londons West End on Tuesday, and was hosted by UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) president Christopher Biggins. Sir Ian (left) starred in a production of Mother Goose alongside comedian John Bishop (PA) Sir Ian was honoured with a special recognition award, which celebrates productions and individuals representing UKPA values, for his passionate advocacy and services to the artform of pantomime. The veteran screen and stage actor recently starred in a production of Mother Goose, as the eponymous goose, alongside comedian John Bishop. His co star Anna-Jane Casey also took home the best supporting artist award, and the show itself won best pantomime in the 500-900 seater category. Special recognition awards were also given to the Cast, Doncaster theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East, who were both recognised for their work towards furthering inclusivity. Su Pollard received the outstanding achievement award for her many decades of commitment (Ian West/PA) Hi-de-Hi! star Pollard received the outstanding achievement award for her many decades of passion and commitment to treading the boards in pantos around the country. The English actress has appeared in over 35 stage plays and musicals, as well as over 40 pantomimes throughout her career. Kay won the best newcomer to pantomime award for his performance in Cinderella, which was put on at the Wycombe Swan theatre in High Wycombe. The production was the TV presenter and DJs pantomime debut, starring in the role of Dandini, an experience he previously described as an emotional rollercoaster. Simon Sladen, chair of the UKPA said: The Pantomime Awards celebrate an array of outstanding talent and demonstrate an industry alive and thriving. TV presenter and DJ Kay won best newcomer to pantomime award (Ian West/PA) The commitment, creativity and passion on show each season makes pantomime one of the most thrilling of all theatrical genres. The UK Pantomime Association is proud to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding skill, expertise and excellence upon the pantomime stage. Founded in 2021, the UKPA is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genres rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future. Butlins was the principal sponsor for the UK Pantomime Awards 2023. The big Succession plot twist was ruined for many before they got a chance to watch Twitter was ablaze with complaints that Mondays episode of Succession had been ruined by people revealing the big twist When Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho was released in 1960, it was with a strict condition attached. At Hitchcocks insistence, latecomers would not be admitted to the film once it had started, a rule rigidly enforced by cinemas. Given that Psycho starts out as a story about a secretary who steals money from her bosss safe and hightails it out of town, before suddenly taking a shocking turn into far scarier territory, you can understand why he didnt want the audience to miss a moment of the build-up. Of course, Hitchcock had no control over what patrons did after theyd seen Psycho, but he did issue a request that people leaving the cinema not divulge the big, climactic surprise one of the most celebrated in film history to those queuing for the next showing. History suggests the overwhelming majority complied with Hitchcocks request and that Psychos secret was preserved for the enjoyment of generations of future viewers. The chances of this happening with a major film now are next to non-existent. We live in the age of the spoiler, a term that didnt exist when Hitchcock made Psycho. It first reared its ugly head in the decade that followed (apparently, one of the earliest uses of it was in an issue of National Lampoon in 1971), although it didnt become common parlance until the 1980s. Movie spoilers have been around forever, in the shape of the babbling idiot who insists on telling you every detail of a film you planned to watch. But TV spoilers are a different beast. Before the internet, before even home video recorders, there was no such thing as a TV spoiler. We all watched television programmes at the same time and discussed them afterwards therefore nobody could spoil our enjoyment in advance. This went for TV critics too. In a time of slower media and longer deadlines, theyd watch something as it went out, just like any other viewer, and write about it for the next days paper. Now, of course, people have the means to watch their favourite TV programmes at any time they like, while TV critics get previews. Both can be a blessing and a curse. HBO gave a number of critics, including this one, the first four episodes of season four of Succession a couple of weeks ago, so we already knew the momentous surprise that was coming. We werent about to share it, though. Any critic giving spoilers for Succession or any other HBO series would immediately find themselves blacklisted by the broadcaster and rightly so. To be honest, I dont know of any critic whos ever done it. After a programme has been shown is a different matter, though. Once its been broadcast, all bets are off and critics are free to share as many details as they want. In the case of Succession, which is simulcast by HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic here and in the UK at 2am our time, a few newspaper reviews appeared within minutes of the episode ending. More, including my own, followed as the day went on. All of them carried spoiler warnings for people who hadnt yet watched the episode. Nonetheless, Twitter was soon ablaze with complaints that the critics from the newspapers had ruined their enjoyment with spoilers. This begs a question: if you dont want your enjoyment of a programme youve yet to watch ruined, why look at Twitter in the first place when you know youll be walking into a minefield? And if you must look at it, take the advance precaution of muting the names of the programme, the characters, the actors and any other words with the potential to cause you to accidentally stumble over a big, fat spoiler. When does a spoiler cease to become a spoiler anyway? At exactly what point is it considered acceptable to reveal plot details of a TV episode? A day after it goes out? A week? A month? Longer? Some people would say the answer is never. Frankly, thats just silly and unrealistic. Imagine if we couldnt talk about the final scene of The Sopranos for fear of upsetting anyone whos been planning to watch the finale since 2007, but hasnt been able to find the time to get around to it. As for the lone viewer who doesnt yet know season nine of Dallas was a 30-hour dream Pamela had, boy are they in for a shock when Bobby turns up in the shower! Gaiety Theatre, Dublin until Saturday April 15 Sincerity is an underrated dramatic value. This Nottingham Playhouse and UK Productions show tackles the story of Syrian refugees with heartfelt sincerity, and the result is very moving. Christy Lefteris novel became an international bestseller on its publication in 2019; it is gracefully adapted here for the stage by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler, the unreliable narrative reflecting the fractured reality of trauma survivors. Nuri and Afra, a Syrian husband and wife, journey from the ruins of Aleppo to the beaches of England, via the ruins of their minds. Before the war, Nuri worked as a beekeeper and the bees function in the story as a metaphor for civilised social organisation, as well as a locus for Nuris sanity. They lost their young son Sami when a bomb fell near their house. The play follows their flight through Turkey, across the sea into Greece and from there to the UK. Along the way, they meet indifferent officialdom, local gangsters and kind fellow refugees of different nationalities. But there is no kindness capable of compensating them for the shocking devastation of their lives. Director Miranda Cromwell smooths out the tumbling narrative using several commanding cameo parts, very effective video projection and constant movement of the cast as a physical chorus. Alfred Clay and Roxy Faridany in The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Photo by Manuel Harlan There is nothing new here in the sense that we know the bones of this story, we have heard it before, in the novel, in news reports and other accounts. But there is something unique about the flesh-and-blood experience of theatre when it comes to conveying the reality of others pain. Roxy Faridany as Afra, blinded by the explosion that killed her son, delivers a performance of pure affecting truth. Alfred Clay as Nuri captures the disbelieving shock of a man whose mind is collapsing like the buildings of his home city. This is woke theatre and the audience loved it. Its on a busy commercial tour, so there is no sense that people are tired of hearing about refugees. Displaced people are the major topic de nos jours, and this show puts the refugee experience centre stage with a deeply felt and engrossing portrayal of a family in flight. Gary Hurley (39) said he and his housemates had chipped in to buy the drugs online in bulk A father caught with cocaine and ecstasy in a safe in his wardrobe claimed he was being a responsible parent by storing the drugs there to keep them away from his young son. Simeon Burke allowed inquiry into legality of his detention in prison by judge at third attempt The 24-year-old is currently being held in Cloverhill PrisonMr Burkes sister Ammi had taken an ex-parte application on his behalf Simeon Burke being escorted out of the Court of Appeal by gardai in March Photo: Sathishaa Mohan Aodhan O'Faolain Wed 12 Apr 2023 at 19:18 Woman threw pint glass at Irish singer and destroyed guitar he bought with tip given to him by Taylor Swift Darren Gilligan, the son of notorious mobster John Gilligan, was working as a delivery driver for Amazon in Dublin despite being a high profile fugitive from authorities in Spain, it can be revealed. Darren Gilligan (47) was remanded in custody today after he appeared before the High Court in respect of an extradition request issued by the Spanish authorities. Earlier he had been arrested at the Greenogue Business Park in the Rathcoole area of west Dublin at around 11am by members of the garda extradition unit. It is understood that Darren Gilligan has been working for Amazon, the online shopping company that offers a delivery service for around a year. Amazon employs around 5,000 people in Ireland and last year opened a new warehouse and processing facility in Dublin. Gilligan has been primarily living at addresses in Clondalkin, Blanchardstown and Roscommon since returning to Ireland from Spain last year. Gardai announced details of his arrest this evening. On the morning of Wednesday, 12th April 2023, members of the Garda Extradition Unit, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) arrested a male (47 years) in West Dublin, a spokeswoman said. The arrest was made on foot of a Schengen Information System (SIS II) Alert issued by Spanish authorities for offences related to drug trafficking and organised crime. The male was brought before the Four Courts this afternoon, Wednesday 12th April 2023, and was subsequently remanded in custody until the 25th April 2023, she added. The Hight Court heard today that Darren Gilligans surrender to Spain is sought in relation to an offence of breaching Public Order and Safety. He was detained on foot of an SIS Alert issued by the Spanish Authorities, which informs the gardai that a European Arrest Warrant seeking his surrender has been made in respect of Mr Gilligan. The Schengen Information System (SIS) alert is an information exchange system used by various authorities in Europe. The court heard that in Mr Gilligan's case the EAW has not yet arrived from Spain. Following his arrest by members of the Garda extradition unit on Wednesday morning, Mr Gilligan appeared before Mr Justice Anthony Barr during Wednesday's vacation sitting of the High Court. Giving details of his arrest, Detective Garda Adrian Murray told the court that he arrested and cautioned Mr Gilligan at an address in West Dublin on Wednesday morning. The Detective told the court that when he asked Mr Gilligan if he knew what the allegations contained in the SIS were about, he replied "yes" and that it came "from being in the wrong place at the wrong time over nothing I done." In reply to counsel for the state Simon Matthews Bl the detective said that the gardai were opposed to Mr Gilligan being granted bail at this time. Mr Gilligan, who was accompanied in court by members of his family, was represented during the hearing by Mark Lynam Bl. Mr Lynam told the court that prior to his arrest his client had purchased tickets to fly to Spain in the coming days, where he is due to appear before a Spanish Court on another matter. Counsel said that his client is willing to consent to his surrender to the Spanish authorities but cannot do so until the EAW has been provided to the Irish authorities. Mr Lynam said Mr Gilligan was not seeking to be granted bail at this point of the proceedings. His client also intends to apply to have his legal fees covered under the state's Custody Issue Scheme Mr Justice Barr, having been satisfied that the person before the court is the person whose surrender is being sought in the SIS, remanded Mr Gilligan in custody. He will return before the court later this month. - In October 2020, John and Darren Gilligan were arrested in the Alicante area by Spanish police among with a number of other people including a notorious Irish criminal. John Gilligan (71) was charged with four crimes following his arrest in October 2020 at his former home in Torrevieja. State prosecutors demanded an 18-month prison sentence for unlawful weapons possession. Prosecutors also said in a pre-trial indictment they wanted John Gilligan jailed for another two years if convicted of smuggling cannabis into Ireland, four years for illegally exporting powerful sleeping pills and 10 months for membership of a criminal gang. His conviction on all four charges could result in a prison sentence of eight years and four months. Prosecutors say the drugs included cannabis and thousands of prescription-only sleeping pills dubbed zimmos which heroin addicts use to help them sleep and numb pain. The specialist police operation involved phone taps and car follows by an organised crime unit. While significant, John Gilligans 2020 drug dealing network was certainly a far cry from his operations in the mid 1990s which brought him to the attention of crusading journalist Veroica Guerin when he was importing tonnes of cannabis via Cork Port. The crime reporter paid the ultimate price for attempting to expose Gilligans gang when she was shot dead on June 26, 1996 by the mob. Gilligan was cleared of masterminding Ms Guerins murder in March 2001 after a 43-day trial but handed a 28-year prison sentence for importing a huge haul of cannabis resin. He was released from high security Portlaoise Prison in 2013 after 17 years. At the centre of the Spanish case against Gilligan is the theory he had left Ireland for Spain and that he was trying to re-establish himself in the drugs trade there. The measure is unlikely to quickly tackle the key issue of chronic teacher shortages A delegate has a message for Education Minister Norma Foley as she arrives at the INTO annual delegate conference in the INEC Killarney. Photo: Don MacMonagle Education Minister Norma Foleys latest response to ongoing pressure over teacher shortages is a promise of more promotions to help boost incomes. It wont deliver immediate results for schools, but she has pledged to seek funding for more assistant principals in the next Budget. Thousands of assistant principal posts were suppressed in 2008 as part of wider cuts after the banking crash and, while many have been restored, about 2,600 across both sectors are still subject to that moratorium. Teacher shortages are at a level never seen before and unions largely blame pay for the recruitment and retention crisis. It has left many post-primary schools forced to recruit unqualified or poor-quality staff. On any one day, there are 1,200 staffing gaps in primary schools because principals cant find cover for short or longer-term absences. The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) conference opened with general secretary Michael Gillespie pulling no punches on who is to blame. The TUI provided a thorough, objective and accurate analysis of the factors that were causing the crisis and suggested a compendium of remedies and solutions to alleviate the situation, he said. Some of our suggestions were taken on board.... [but] much of our advice and most of our proposed solutions were ignored. The current recruitment and retention crisis is the direct result of the bone-headed, failed policy of successive governments of attempting to make the education system do more and more with less and less. Although not in her prepared speech, Ms Foley broke the news on promotions at the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) conference and later at the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) conference. She told the INTO conference she would be looking for funding to create promoted posts in areas of policy priority. With big changes coming to the primary curriculum and ongoing reform at post-primary, there will be no shortage of posts of responsibility to be filled. The minister was less forthcoming about how she might encourage Irish-trained teachers working abroad to come back home to fill all the vacancies. One idea from INTO boss John Boyle is for the Government to pay for their flights, as part of a suite of incentives. In an interview with journalists, the minister would not commit to that but said she was happy to look at all innovations. Familiar conference topics including class size and teacher workload filled much of the day at the INTO conference, as did the need for more supports for schools in the Department of Educations Deis scheme of disadvantaged communities. At one point, Ukrainian trade unionists addressed delegates and delivered a big thank-you to Irish schools for the reception given to Ukrainian children. The knowledge they get here will be used to rebuild our country, said one. The minister crossed the country from Killarney to Wexford, where the reception at the ASTI conference could be described as a little chilly. That may not be surprising given the controversy over plans for Leaving Cert reform. The discussions on change have yet to start, but the two post-primary unions are using this week to set down markers on what they will or wont do. The minister may have saved herself a major row this week by shelving her plan for Paper 1 in English and Irish at the end of fifth year, starting in 2024. However, theres lots of potential for clashes in the months and years ahead. At the ASTI, there was a warning that if the plan was revived it was likely to go to a ballot of members. There is also the issue of asking teachers to assess their own students for 40pc of the marks in each subject, to which unions are vehemently opposed. Meanwhile, the Leaving Cert changes are on the agenda for the TUI conference today. The minister is due to wrap up her round of teacher conferences with the TUI in Cork, at around lunchtime. Yesterday, Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris paid the conference a visit, since the union also represents lecturers in third-level institutions. Among the issues he raised was the need to improve access to further education for people with disabilities. He said while incredible strides had been made in primary and secondary education, there was a real cliff edge when it came to accessing supports in third level. He noted important changes and improvements that had been made, especially for people with an intellectual disability, but added we have to do more. He said supports were now being extended for people with disabilities across the sector of further education. This is absolutely essential to ensuring we have an education system that delivers for all. Friends thought I was crazy, but studying abroad has opened up a whole new world for me Irish student on her continental education John Boyle General Secretary addressing delegates at the INTO conference in Killarney (Photo: Don MacMonagle) Primary teachers have condemned recent comments by managers of Catholic schools about the approach to teaching about gender identity in their schools. The comments were described as insensitive by delegates at the annual conference of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO). Delegates have instructed the union to write to the school management body involved, CPSMA, advising it of their condemnation and also to inform members of this communication. The Catholic Primary School Management Association (CMSA) sparked controversy recently when it stated that primary pupils should not be taught about what it means to be transgender. CPSMA general secretary Seamus Mulconry set out their strong views on the matter in a response to comments made by Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman, who promoted the idea. CPSMA argued there was a lack of scientific consensus on the issue of transgenderism, that teaching about it could create division in schools, and that it might add to a growing psychological contagion among children. The curricula for social, personal and health education and relationships and sexuality education (SPHE/RSE) for pupils are being overhauled all the way from primary school to Leaving Cert. There is a commitment that they will be age-appropriate, allowing for differentiation in the treatment of sensitive topics for pupils at various stages in the education system. The new SPHE curriculum for primary schools is due in September 2025 and while there have been no formal discussions or consultation yet, the CPSMA comments lay down a marker of their position. The issue was raised during a private session of the INTO conference today, during a debate on promoting and supporting inclusivity in schools. The matter was discussed in private for reasons, including concern about reaction from the far-right. The conference also called for comprehensive training and guidance to create an inclusive and empowering classroom culture, noting that, in the last 20 years, the curriculum had placed a lot more emphasis on the importance of celebrating diversity. INTO General Secretary John Boyle said the culture of tolerance, equity, respectful professional discourse, inclusiveness and cooperation must be fostered in a modern education system. In that regard, there is no room in our schools for prejudice or insensitivity towards staff or students in relation to their gender or with regards to any other equality ground for that matter, he added. Meanwhile, the INTO is stepping up its campaign for teachers to be allowed leave if they suffer a psychological or emotional trauma in school. The rules around assault leave for teachers, which have been in place since 2012, only cover a physical injury arising from assault in the workplace. It is believed that a relatively small number of primary teachers have suffered a physical assault in the course of their work. Leave may be granted to a teacher who is unable work due to physical injury following an assault in the course of their duties. Only absences medically certified as a physical injury qualify for the leave, which can run to a maximum three months at full pay over a four year period. INTO deputy secretary Deirdre OConnor said they wanted the definition of assault widened. She gave an example of a child hitting a teacher, which may not cause physical injury but can have a psychological effect. There had also been cases where parents had assaulted teachers without it leading to physical injury, but it did result in emotional trauma, she said Suffering an injury in your place of work is a very serious matter, she said. Teacher unions have been engaging with the Department of Education on the issue of extending the assault leave scheme, but Ms O Connor said they had not met with any success. She said it was now likely that they would bring a formal claim through the industrial relations process overseen by the Teachers Conciliation Council. Delegates adopted a motion calling on the union to carry out research on the actual level of physical aggression to which teachers in primary schools and special schools are exposed. They are also seeking practical guidelines to be implemented when a primary teacher is subjected to physical aggression. They want the guidelines to include the steps that should be taken by a principal or board of management in the event that a teacher is hurt by a pupil. Primary teachers are seeking more supports in school for staff going through the menopause. The Irish National Teachers Organisation (ITO) says the stigma around the topic has to go and menopause conversations in the workplace must be encouraged. A recent INTO survey (where 99pc of respondents were female) found that more than two in five (43pc) had difficulty managing work and menopause. About two in three of those surveyed (64pc) believe there is a stigma attached to the subject and four in five ( 79pc) are in favour of a workplace policy on menopause. Other insights include that 59pc missed work for menopause-related issues; experiencing symptoms of menopause at work compounded the stress for over 30pc and cause concentration difficulties for 20pc. There is growing pressure from within trade union movement for both period and menopause-friendly policies in workplaces. Primary teaching is predominantly a female profession and the INTO has a significant number of members who experience reproductive health issues, including menopausal transition, in schools across the country every day. The union says it impacts on both professional and personal lives. The issue was raised at the INTO annual conference where Nuala Grealy of the unions equality committee said for far too long menopause was seen as a private and personal thing. She said their survey findings highlighted the need for schools to have more positive and proactive attitudes to menopause. There was a need for policies so that anyone who is going through menopause should know that is what my school thinks about this, she said Another delegate said temperature and ventilation in classrooms, adequacy and accessibility of toilet facilities and availability of cold drinking water should be key considerations for schools. INTO President John Driscoll said: If we are serious about inclusion, we must be willing to discuss reproductive health openly and ensure that supports are in place for teachers and their partners as they face different stages of their reproductive health journeys. Mr Driscoll said going through these challenges in silence precludes teachers from receiving support and empathy from their colleagues and broader school communities. Reproductive health-related matters are often difficult and distressing with serious emotional, physical and financial impacts on a woman and her partner in both their personal and school lives. Delegates adopted a motion calling on the union leadership to continue their efforts in raising awareness of the challenges of menopause in schools. They also urged increased supports and resources for teachers who are experiencing menopausal transition and encouraging conversations on the topic in an effort to remove any stigma. Up to 1,126 Covid-19-related deaths were linked to acute hospital outbreaks, new figures reveal. These include 1,121 confirmed Covid-19 cases and five possible cases of the virus. In all, 12,582 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been linked to Covid outbreaks in acute hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic in Ireland. The figures emerged in a parliamentary response to Aontu leader Peadar Toibin. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said the number of infected people includes a mixture of patients and healthcare staff. The number of Covid-related deaths associated with outbreaks in residential facilities up to February 19 last was 59. Covid-related deaths associated with outbreaks in a mental health facility up to the same date was six. Commenting on the hospital outbreaks, the HPSC said that it is not possible to reliably identify sporadic cases that may have contracted Covid-19 in a hospital setting. Being associated with an outbreak in a hospital is a proxy for acquiring infection in the hospital setting. However, it is not possible to confirm that all cases linked to these outbreaks contracted Covid-19 in the hospital. The HPSC said it does not hold data on the reason for admission for these cases. The latest report shows there were 19 notified Covid-19 deaths in March and 52 in February. This compares to 180 in January and 194 in December. So far in the pandemic, the number of Covid-related deaths per 100,000 is highest in Carlow, followed by Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin and Galway. The lowest rates were recorded in Wicklow, Wexford, Westmeath, Waterford, Tipperary, Sligo and Roscommon. Meanwhile, the financial drain of the pandemic has been revealed in figures which show that 34.7bn has been spent by Government departments on direct expenditure supports over the period 2020 to 2022. Another 1.5bn has been allocated to departments this year. The funding included income and employment support schemes through the Department of Social Protection, such as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which supported business and workers. It is also accounted for by additional funding to the Department of Health to enable the health service respond to the pandemic, including for its vaccination programme, its test-and-trace teams, and the purchase of necessary personal protective equipment. More funding also went on the education sector, including to allow for the safe reopening of schools, colleges and universities and for additional training places. Other financial allocations went to transport measures including supporting the operation of the public transport system given reduced usage and Covid-19-related aviation measures. There were also supports for businesses including liquidity supports and restart grants, as well as the commercial rates waivers to businesses. Pandemic finances also went on a range of supports for sectors such as arts, tourism and sports. Joe Biden will spend the night in a ritzy Dublin hotel this evening as part of his historic Irish visit. The US President touched down in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening and will make his way to Dublin later today, where he will be able to unwind in the citys Conrad Hotel. The 5-star hotel, owned by Hilton Worldwide, is located near St Stephens Green at Earlsfort Terrace. The area has been closed off entirely until Saturday, Goss.ie reports. Its likely that Biden will be put up in the Conrads lavish Presidential Suite for the night, which comes with a hefty price tag of at least 1,742 (1,981). The award-winning suite is the largest in the hotel and boasts incredible views over Dublin city. It is described as a quintessential hideaway and a comfortable home-from-home" with a show-stopping baby grand piano, two flatscreen TVs, and a walk-in wardrobe. Guests staying in the Presidential Suite can also be treated to a special dinner prepared by the Conrads chefs as the room offers a private kitchenette. Biden will get star treatment too as the suite comes with its own VIP check-in desk and concierge service. But prior to his check-in at the Conrad on Wednesday night, the 80-year-old will meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast before giving a speech at the new student accommodation for the University of Ulster. He will then travel to Co Louth, the birthplace of his great-grandfather, where he is expected to head to Carlingford to visit King John's Castle. Biden will also visit the nearby Dundalk for a walkabout of the town centre before moving on to Dublin for his overnight stay at the Conrad Hotel. On Thursday, the Pennsylvanian native will meet President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, hold a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Farmleigh estate, and attend a banquet dinner in Dublin Castle later that evening. He will fly into Ireland West Airport to spend the final day of his Irish visit in Co Mayo, visiting the Knock Shrine and the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Biden will conclude his visit with a speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina before travelling back to Dublin Airport for his returning US flight. Gerry Hoey and Yvonne Keenan Ross, who gave the Biden party a tour of Carlingford Castle Luisa Murray with the pin given to her by the Secret Service President Biden meeting Rishi Sunak with Joe Kennedy, the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday evening. Photo: Reuters President Joe Biden arrives at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast on April 11th 2023 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) US President Joe Biden pictured on his way to Ulster University in Belfast (Arthur Allison/Pacemaker) Security and activity around the Grand Central Hotel on Bedford Street, Belfast City Centre (Jonathan Porter/PressEye) Joe Biden's sister Valerie Biden Owens pictured after she arrived with President Biden at Dublin Airport. Picture: Frank McGrath President of the United States Joe Biden pictured with Antony Blinken US Secretary of State and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar after he landed at Dublin Airport.Picture:Frank McGrath President of the United States Joe Biden looks out at the rain after he arrived on Airforce One at Dublin Airport. Picture: Frank McGrath US President Joe Biden with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire US President Joe Biden has said that visiting Ireland feels like home as he gave a speech in Dundalk on Wednesday evening. Mr Biden said he understood why his own ancestors had to emigrate during the Famine but said, when youre here, you wonder why anyone would ever want to leave. President Biden had earlier toured Carlingford Castle with Rob Kearney, his distant cousin, and Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Biden said Louth held a special place in the heart of his family. "Coming here feels like coming home, it really does, President Biden told the small crowd gathered. "Ive often said the Irish are the only people who are nostalgic about the future. In my experience hope is what beats in the heart of all people, particularly the heart of the Irish. Every action is about hope that we can make things better, hope to build both our nations that has been passed down generation to generation by our families. And its hope that continues to this day. Thank you all for homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here. So proud to be in Louth, he also told the audience. He said that one of the great values Irish and Americans share was the belief that anything is possible. We believe anythings possible. Anythings possible. Together we have to keep working toward a future of greater dignity and as we face darkness, and there is darkness we have to face, but we must keep marching forward because the world has possibilities. Mr Biden referenced his Grandpa Finnegan who would regularly tell him that, the best drop of blood in you is Irish. Im not kidding. He had never been to Ireland but raised his family with fierce pride in our Irish ancestry. The Indo Daily: Made in Ireland: How Joe Biden, JFK and even Richard Nixon play up their Irish roots That is a pride that spoke to the history of the ties that bind us and the values that unite us, Mr Biden said. The US President also referenced how both his and Barack Obamas great, great grandfathers emigrated from Ireland within five weeks of each other to the US. "They had faith, faith in an uncertain future and in all their dreams, I'm not sure they could have imagined that 175 years later that both their great, great grandson would be President of United States of America, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. "But that's what you breed here. Its faith and the possibilities that are out there, Mr Biden said. President Biden was welcomed to Dundalk with loud cheers as he shook hands with well wishers who gathered to catch a glimpse of the 46th President of the United States this evening. Mr Biden took the time to stop and chat with locals and shake hands with hundreds of people lined along Clanbrassil Street in the town. He received a raucous welcome as he emerged from the motorcade with hundreds gathered with American and Irish flags. He then paid a visit to a local cafe and ice cream shop, McAteers, where he met with staff. Joe Biden spent around 10 minutes greeting an excited crowd who screamed as he emerged from The Beast. Shouts of Welcome home Joe could be heard as the president, wearing a navy baseball cap, took selfies with those who had waited in the pouring rain to see him. Luisa Murray with the pin given to her by the Secret Service Joe Biden earlier visited Carlingford, Co Louth, this Wednesday evening as he begins to trace his ancestral roots in the county. President Biden arrived from Belfast on Air Force One to Dublin Airport this afternoon where he greeted members of the public then took his motorcade, known as The Beast to Louth. The motorcade passed through the lined streets of Carlingford in gloomy conditions and headed for King Johns Castle, of which he received a guided tour from Tanaiste Micheal Martin, among others. Carlingford Castle in Co Louth is the last Irish landmark that Owen Finnegan (President Bidens maternal great-great-grandfather) saw before he departed for New York. He was given a guided tour by guide Gerry Hoey, and Project Manager for Carlingford Heritage Trust and Tourism Yvonne Keenan-Ross. Gerry Hoey and Yvonne Keenan Ross, who gave the Biden party a tour of Carlingford Castle Speaking to locals from the balcony of the castle, Mr Biden was asked how he was coping with the rain, to which he replied with a smile: Its fine; its Ireland. Asked if it was good to be home, he said: Its wonderful. It feels like I am coming home. Also accompanying President Biden for the tour was former Irish international Rob Kearney, who is a distant cousin of Mr Biden. President Bidens ancestors sailed from Carlingford Lough as they emigrated to the United States in the 1840s. Mr Biden was greeted on the tarmac in Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, where the two men had a brief conversation. He then went on to meet families of US embassy staff and US Ambassador Claire Cronin on the tarmac. President Biden is accompanied his sister Valerie Biden Owen and Hunter Biden on his trip to Ireland. Crowding under umbrellas, the three greeted Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other Irish officials. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also greeted Mr Varadkar and the others on the tarmac. 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 Among those to greet President Biden on his arrival were: Ireland's Ambassador to the US, Geraldine Byrne Nason; secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach, John Callinan; Chief of Protocol of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Paul Kavanagh; Mayor of Fingal, Councillor Howard Mahony; the Managing Director of DAA Vincent Harrison; Ambassador of US to Ireland Claire D. Cronin and Ray Cronin, her spouse. President Biden then met embassy staff and their families at the fire station at Dublin Airport, accompanied by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. In a video published by Dublin Airport of Mr Bidens meeting with embassy staff and families, he told them: Its so great to see you all. God Bless Ireland, which attracted a loud cheer from the crowd. President Biden then called Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over, adding: I dont want to hurt his reputation politically by saying this but, in addition to being allies, we are also friends. This is a good man, President Biden said. One child showed Biden his toy replica of AF1, to which he replied: "oh look at this! Air Force 1." Another child asked the US President about the key to success and President Biden said it was important to remember that when you disagree with someone, you can question their judgment, but to never question their motives, or else it'll be impossible to get an agreement with them. Another child asked Biden how his dogs were doing, to which he responded that they were "doing well." A planned trip to the cemetery was cancelled due to bad weather and President Biden is now on the way to Louth. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. He is now on his way to Louth via motorcade. Previous plans to bring him there via helicopter failed due to poor weather, strong winds and heavy rain. Earlier this afternoon, during his keynote speech in Ulster University, he told attendees that peace in Northern Ireland is a priority for all sides in Washington and politicians in Stormont should restore the Assembly and Executive. In the speech, Mr Biden touched on the benefits peace has brought to the country, delivered a direct message to the political leaders gathered in the room and in a light-hearted moment, triggered huge applause when he referenced An Irish Goodbye Oscar winning actor James Martin. Mr Biden said the "dividends of peace are all around us", as he addressed a gathering. "This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held a terrible sway," he said. "The idea to have a glass building here when I was here in '91 was highly unlikely. "Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass and let the light shine in and out. "This has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. "Its an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace." "Your history is our history, but even more important your future is America's future," the US president added. "Today's Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland and is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity and investment, from communities across the UK, across Ireland, across the United States. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together. "The 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland's gross domestic product has literally doubled." The president said that figure would only improve if "things continue to move in the right direction". "There are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest. Many have already made homes in Northern Ireland." 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 One of the key moments in the speech by the President came around the restoration of power sharing at Stormont. He said: "I believe the democratic institution established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland. "It's a decision for you to make, not for me to make." But he said "an effective, devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together" would help draw "even greater opportunity" to the region. "I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored," he said. "That's a judgment for you to make, not me. "I hope it happens, along with the institutions that help facilitate north-south and east-west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement." Earlier he held an informal meeting with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak over tea in the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. The US president has told reporters he is "here to listen" as he met Mr Sunak. Mr Biden, meeting the UK prime minister on the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel, said: "Heck of a view out there." Mr Sunak, smiling, sat at a table with the US president as the pair met over cups of tea. A number of Northern Ireland politicians were at Ulster University for Mr Bidens speech to officially open the city centre campus. 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 Mr Biden was greeted by Mr Sunak shortly after he touched down at 9.20pm on Tuesday, before heading to a city centre hotel amid a flurry of armoured cars. Mr Biden is undertaking a four-day visit to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Lukas Joyce and Kirsty Bohan, both 14, were killed early on Monday in a road accident in Co Galway A hearse carrying much-loved young girl Kirsty Bohan last night made its journey through Headford, Co Galway, as her bereft teenage friends embraced in tears. The heartbreaking scene, before 6pm yesterday, saw Kirstys friends and classmates gathering with their parents to form a guard of honour as the hearse passed by. Grief-stricken teenagers wept as they put their arms round each other and mourned the loss of their friend. The first funeral for two teenagers killed in a road crash in Co Galway will take place on Friday. The shattered communities of Annaghdown and Headford will come to a standstill and pay their respects as 14-year-old Kirsty is laid to rest. The second-year student at Presentation College in Headford was killed alongside fellow student Lukas Joyce (14), from nearby Annaghdown, in the accident on the N84 between Galway and Castlebar. Today funeral details were announced for Lukas, who will be buried on Saturday. He will repose at Corrandulla Mortuary Chapel in Corrandulla, Co Galway, on Friday from 3pm until 6pm before removal from his home on Saturday at 11.30am to St Brendan's Church Annaghdown for Requiem Mass at midday Mourners have been invited to leave their condolences to the family on the RIP.ie website. Kirsty, from Ballyfruit, close to where the single-vehicle accident happened shortly before 6am on Monday, will be laid to rest on Friday in Donaghpatrick Cemetery in Headford, following her funeral mass in the Church of St Patrick and Cuana at noon. She is survived by her parents Christy and Theresa, and by her sisters Martha and Ava, who are also students at Presentation College Headford. Lukas is predeceased by his grandparents Joe and Nancy and survived by his parents Joe and Neringa, his aunt Margaret, uncles William and John Joyce, Darius, Kelmelis and Kestas Kelmeliene and grandparents Vitas and Zita Kelmeliene. The condition of a 13-year-old boy, who is still being treated in hospital following the road accident, has improved but a 14-year-old girl remains in a serious condition today. Acting school principal Orla Jackson told Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One today that the tragic loss of the teenagers had hit right into the heart of the community. She said that in the following weeks and for much longer, after the cameras will be gone home and the media interests will be gone, people would continue to mourn. But we will be here to support our students for many weeks and months to come, Ms Jackson. The best plan comes from the heart, the acting principal said. And that in an amazingly short period of time, we had a full team here together. I mean, literally within an hour. We had a full team here together. Each person adopted a role. And again this morning, our whole staff were here, and like all Irish situations involving grief, we could have had an army here this morning, with all the generosity of our community. We are very closely following our critical incident plan. A lot of this is coming from the heart and from our instinct. Ms Jackson told how she had asked parents to protect their children from social media at this time after callous statements have been posted online. I suppose, first, we're very concerned as a senior management team and as a school would be (about) some of the less savoury comments that I have seen myself and my colleagues have seen on social media. This is a time to be at home safe with your family. And I think I would encourage all parents to perhaps remove their children's phones at the moment. I feel it would be terribly detrimental to their mental health at the moment to read some of the comments, some of the conjecture and some of the, you know, downright lies that have been written. This is an extremely personal, tragic situation. And I don't think it is for any social media commentary whatsoever. They were two beautiful young people, full of life, full of mischief, full of fun. They loved school, both of them, and we loved their presence in our school. They were very treasured members of our school community. They had a huge circle of friends. We, as a team, knew them very well to see on the corridor because they were two particularly pleasant and smiling youngsters, and their faces, I suppose, are imprinted on my brain but they were beautiful young people with a future in front of them that unfortunately has been cut short. And that is the real tragedy here. The two teenagers who survived the crash continue today to be treated at University College Hospital in Galway city for multiple injuries. They are understood to face a long road to recovery but their families are hopeful. All four teenagers were pupils at Presentation College. Ms Jackson has urged parents of affected classmates of the pupils to keep a watchful eye over their children in the coming days as they grapple with the enormity the tragedy that has struck them. From early yesterday, staff prepared a table of reflection with candles and flowers in the main reception area. The school later posted photographs of a table of remembrance with photographs of Kirsty and Lukas, and the message, The whole PCH community holds the family and friends of Kirsty Bohan and Lukas Joyce in our thoughts and prayers. May their gentle souls rest in peace. Ms Jackson said the whole guidance team and members of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) teams would be available as would the school chaplain and parish priest. We will be with them every step of the way and we will be guided by them, she said. We will also stay in contact with their parents. It is understood the car the teens were travelling in belonged to a relative who was unaware it had been taken in the early hours of Monday. A distraught relative of one of the deceased, who became worried after they realised they were missing from home, came upon the scene after emergency services arrived. All day yesterday in the pouring rain and under the grey clouds, people arrived at the crash site to lay flowers, candles and Easter eggs. Parish priest Fr Ray Flaherty told reporters the community would rally around the families, friends and the school as they came to terms with the deaths of the two teenagers and the serious injuries to the other two pupils. There is disbelief in the area. People are still shocked and there is great sadness, he said. The school and the community will support the families and friends of these young people. The partner of murdered journalist Lyra McKee has said its pathetic and sad that violence is erupting in Northern Ireland again. It comes after rioting broke out in parts of Derry during republican parades on Easter Monday just a day before US President Joe Biden arrives in Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement. Sara Canning condemned the violence and expressed her belief that the peace process is in peril due to the political vacuum at Stormont which she told Channel 4 News risks rendering the Biden visit meaningless. Asked by the programmes chief correspondent, Alex Thomson, about events over the weekend Ms Canning said: If I'm honest, I'm not surprised, it's Easter and it's only been almost four years since Lyra was killed in a similar kind of a circumstance. It's really pathetic and it's sad that we are back there again. "The people of Creggan deserve better, the people in Northern Ireland and Ireland as a whole deserve better but there's always going to be that minority that are going to drag us back and do something that we none of us want to be a part of. And it's really sad you look at the demographics again and it's all young kids, The people behind that, the paramilitaries, will tell you those children support this and they understand. They dont understand, they're there because there's nothing else for them to do. They're bored. They're off school and they're running the streets wild. A number of youths in the predominantly Catholic area of Creggan through petrol bombs at a PSNI vehicle on Monday as an illegal Easter Rising parade made its way through the city. Police came under attack again on Tuesday during a security alert as police recovered four suspected pipe bombs from the City Cemetery where men removed paramilitary clothing and burned the garments under the cover of umbrellas a day earlier. The outbreak of violence comes just days before the fourth anniversary of Lyras death. The 29-year-old was struck by a bullet fired at police during a riot in the Creggan area on April 18, 2019. Ms Canning was asked if she hoped Lyras murder would have marked a turning point and a move away from Northern Irelands violent past. We had that funeral; it was insane looking back on it," she replied. "My whole thought at that time was something has to come out of this that isn't just tragic, because it was horrific and its been horrific for so many families. And Im sure other families have sat and said the same thing. Maybe that's partly why I've lost so much faith in politicians, because I do think they pay you a lot of lip service and they nod their heads and they say, yes, yes, yes. They did come back together and Stormont was up and running and we were all so hopeful that something good was going to happen and the change was coming and then it just all fell apart again. Murdered journalist Lyra McKee Ms Canning was not optimistic about what Mr Biden can achieve when he touches down in Belfast on Tuesday evening. I mean, what is there for him to do, honestly? We have no political system in place at the moment, is he going to meet with civil servants, because the reality is thats who runs Northern Ireland at the moment, she said. So unless he meets with senior civil servants, I think that him meeting with our political leaders is actually, it's a bit of a slap in the face to Northern Irish people because we don't see them as doing anything for us at this moment in time. It will be a waste of their time and his. TDs and Senators are being asked to take an antigen test 24 hours before US President Joe Bidens joint Oireachtas address as part of strict rules for politicians. Senior Oireachtas officials have laid out rules for TDs and senators ahead of President Bidens speech in the Dail tomorrow, which include removing their cars from Leinster House car parks and no visitors. President Biden will make a speech in the Dail at 3.45pm on Thursday, which both TDs and Senators are invited to attend. However, they have been asked to take an antigen test 24 hours before attending by officials who look after Leinster House and avoid the event if they dont feel well. Journalists who will be sitting on the press gallery in the chamber have also been asked to take an antigen test 24 hours prior but no proof of the test will be required to gain access, it is understood. Former taoisigh, former Seanad cathaoirligh are also invited to attend the speech, as well as other former members. Politicians must remove their cars from the Kildare Street and Merrion Street carparks outside Leinster House by 7pm today. Cabinet ministers will be allowed to park in the car park at the Department of Taoiseach, while junior Ministers, TDs and Senators can park at Agriculture House. The restaurant and visitors bar at Leinster House will close from 2pm to 5pm on Thursday when the address is taking place, apart from the TD and senators bar, which will still be open. No visitors will be allowed in Leinster House on Thursday and party staff should only come in if absolutely necessary. Only members of the Presidents delegation, diplomats, MLAs and MPs will be allowed onto the Dails public gallery to watch his speech. Politicians are asked to be in the Dail chamber at 3.20pm and President Biden will arrive at Leinster House around 5mins later. He will then be greeted by the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Seanad Leas-Chathaoirleach and party leaders in the main corridor. He will sign the visitors book, and be accompanied into the Dail Chamber for his address, which will begin at 3.45pm. President Biden will then leave the Dail Chamber at 4.15pm. Later on that day, he is due to attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden at Belfast International Airport last night. Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque US president Joe Biden will promise fresh economic supports for Northern Ireland today on condition there is a restoration of power-sharing at Stormont. British prime minister Rishi Sunak is expected to respond by offering to host an international economic conference on Northern Ireland in September. The Government here is also set to make a financial commitment to the North as will Britain and the EU. But this is all contingent on there being an adoption of the Windsor Framework and establishment of the Executive, with Michelle ONeill of Sinn Fein as First Minister. It is expected that the promise of a significant financial boost will be used to try and persuade the DUP to help solve the impasse. Mr Biden was greeted upon arrival at the airport in Belfast last night by Mr Sunak, whom he saw in San Diego last month just before hosting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the White House. The Indo Daily: Made in Ireland: How Joe Biden, JFK and even Richard Nixon play up their Irish roots Tanaiste Micheal Martin said: We stand ready to work with a newly restored Executive, and for the Irish Government to work with the British government to develop an economic platform for Northern Ireland over the next number of years. I know the president is keenly interested in that. It is unclear how much money would be involved in the economic package, but it could be a mixture of private and public money from the US. One senior Irish official said: Joe Kennedy III has been appointed as an economic envoy, which is clearly about drumming up US private sector cash for investment in Northern Ireland. Any US government cash would have to get through Congress. Its similar with the EU budget. The Peace Plus fund is there already, and there is the Shared Island fund. Admiral John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Biden will today deliver remarks marking the progress resulting from the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago. Hell underscore the readiness of the United States to preserve those gains and support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. Mr Kirby said: The president is very excited for this trip and has been now for quite some time. He added: President Biden cares deeply about Northern Ireland and has a long history of supporting peace and prosperity there. As a senator, Joe Biden was an advocate for how the United States can play a constructive role supporting peace. Today the US president meets bilaterally with the UK prime minister with a proposed meeting with King Charles now off the cards. President Biden then heads to the University of Ulster to deliver his remarks on the local political situation. Following his speech, the president will travel south this afternoon and is assured of a warm welcome in Louth, where his great-grandfather James Finnegan was born and the Finnegan family lived before they crossed the sea to begin a new life in America. He will tour Carlingford Castle and stage a walkabout in Dundalk. He will spend tonight in central Dublin. Tomorrow, he will meet with President Michael D Higgins at the Aras. Then he will meet again with the Taoiseach at a reception in Farmleigh. President Biden will then address a joint session of Dail and Seanad about Irish-American co-operation to advance democracy, peace, security and prosperity, as well as the shared deep history between the United States and Ireland. The president is very much looking forward to the trip and to celebrating the deep, historic ties that our two countries and our two people continue to share, Admiral Kirby said. As for security concerns, we dont ever talk about the requirements for protecting the president. But he is more than comfortable making this trip, and hes very excited to do it. Saoirse Ruane with her mother Roseanna on the Late Late Toy Show in 2020. Photo: RTE Ryan Tubridy has asked his radio listeners to show their support for Late Late Toy Show star Saoirse Ruane after her family shared a heart-breaking update on her health. The 11-year-old stole the hearts of the nation back in 2020 when she appeared on the annual festive RTE special and spoke about having her right leg amputated after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. This week, her mother Roseanna announced that Saoirse has suffered another cancer diagnosis after a new tumour was found in her chest. Speaking on his RTE Radio One show on Wednesday, Ryan gave a shoutout to the Galway girl as he wished her and her family well. Let me say good morning to Saoirse, my friend, who is sitting in her car now, heading to Dublin with her family, he said. Shes probably going, Oh, my goodness, what the hell is he doing? Hes embarrassing me! I just want to wish her every bit of love and happiness and hopefully news is good and that you are well and minded and loved and looked after, as I know you are. The broadcaster then called on his followers to send their love to the brave girl by posting some personalised cards out to her house. If you are off this week for Easter and if you want to make a card for Saoirse, its very easy. Just make one and send it to Saoirse Ruane, Kiltullagh, Co Galway, and it will land on her breakfast table. I think she would like that. Lovely to talk to you Saoirse, he added. Saoirses mum Roseanna shared the news about her daughters recent diagnosis in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday. She said the diagnosis came as a shock as Saoirse has been in great health and looks better than ever, but a recent check-up in Crumlin revealed the heart-breaking diagnosis. To say were devastated just doesnt cover it. Shes been to war so many times, shes fought so hard, its so unfair. Saoirses words on hearing this news: why me, why is my life so horrible Its a horrible feeling, that heart wrenching feeling of deja vu, disbelief, shock, physically wanting to vomit and feeling numb. Comforting her, but not being able to protect her breaks us. We travel to Dublin for more scans next week and await our team to come up with a plan for our brave courageous girl. We ask you to please keep Saoirse in your prayers, Roseanna said on the familys Instagram page, SaoirseAndMamma. Roseanna shared a quick update following Saoirses hospital visit on Tuesday, sharing a sweet snap of her little girl as she commended her bravery and strength. Saoirse was so brave today and is now happy to be home again in our safe place, she began. When she started this journey she was only seven. Her second diagnosis came at the age of 10 and now her third at the young age of 11. Its unimaginable. Ive never seen such resilience in anyone before and we couldnt be prouder. We are so grateful for every prayer, thought, candle, message and love! We have a nation behind us and for that we feel incredibly lucky, she added. Politics Everything you need to know about the Governments new housing plans Online peer groups provide new mothers with invaluable support and advice on everything from managing the laundry pile to navigating career changes Most parents would admit to having no clue what they were doing when they first had their children, but I felt particularly out of my depth given that my mother had died eight months before I got pregnant with our first child in 2016. As she puts the finishing touches to her habit, Sister Clarita, a Mexican immigrant living in Los Angeles, tells me that there are more than 3,000 LGBT+ nuns around the world. Theyre part of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an international network of activists who identify as secular nuns. From Sydney to Los Angeles to Huddersfield, these queer nuns swap crucifixes for Pride memorabilia as they get to work on their mission: to promote universal joy and remove any sense of shame felt within the LGBT+ community. The weather guarantee, created with Sensible Weather, works like an insurance add-on Nobody wants their holiday ruined by a sudden downpour and one hotel in New York City might just have the answer for soothing the rainy-day blues. The Renwick Hotel, in Midtown Manhattan, has partnered with climate risk technology company Sensible Weather to offer a weather guarantee for its guests. If it rains during your stay, the hotel will refund the cost of the room for that day. Its similar to taking out insurance for rainy weather, as guests pay for the protection in advance. The service is already available at other hotels, such as the Yonder Escalante in Utah and a number of properties in the AutoCamp group. Nick Cavanaugh, the founder and CEO of Sensible Weather, told Travel + Leisure that the service is all about mitigating a bad day. [The weather guarantee] changes [a guests] attitude around what they were going to do that day. Maybe they continue on and do it with the knowledge that its free, or maybe they change their plans and go do something else. Either way, we want to change that moment of pain. A room at The Renwick in New York For those planning a trip to the Big Apple, data shows the citys average yearly rainfall is 1,119mm and March is the wettest month (by contrast, annual rainfall of 722.2mm was recorded last year in Dublins Phoenix Park, according to Met Eireann). Forecasts showing poor weather cant be used to cancel stays ahead of time. Guests must actually have travelled to the hotel, as the product is based on day-of forecasts. Guests may choose to buy the weather guarantee at the booking stage (a sample screengrab of the booking process provided by the hotel shows a sample fee of $20.14/18.47 per day for the service). After that, the process for getting their money back is straightforward. If its projected to rain for two hours or more between 9am and 7pm, the daily hotel rate is reimbursed (rooms start from around $229/210 plus tax in April). Guests will receive a text message notifying them of the bad weather and of their refund. Money is returned automatically without any paperwork or need to claim, and can be sent by PayPal, Venmo or returned back to a card. According to Mr Cavanaugh, the predictions are based on data from Nasa, the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The initiative is offered year-round at The Renwick. We are very excited to partner with Sensible Weather to offer Renwick hotel guests and New York City travellers a truly unique service that will help protect their investment and put their minds at ease, said Brian Sparacino, president and CEO of Rebel Hotel Company, which operates The Renwick. Former US president Donald Trump in court in Manhattan, New York. Photo: Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images Donald Trump has criticised US President Joe Biden for visiting Ireland, when he claims the world is exploding. The comments came in his first interview since facing criminal charges in the US. In personal dig at President Biden, and without mentioning the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Trump said: He's now in Ireland, he's not going to have a news conference, when the world is exploding. "I own property in Ireland. I'm not going to Ireland, the world is exploding around us. Trump also spoke to anchor Tucker Carlson on Fox News about his indictment on business fraud charges. Well, it was a horrible thing because I did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing wrong, he told Carlson. And he again claimed he should have won the 2020 U.S election that saw President Bidens successful win. Trump claimed he gained the most votes any sitting president had seen in history. He also claimed to be an environmentalist and warned against nuclear warming in an interview to Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The former president, without giving any evidence to back up his claims, used the term nuclear warming and said it was the worlds biggest challenge far greater than global warming. When I listen to people talk about global warming that the ocean will rise in the next 300 years by 1/8th of an inch and they talk about how this is our problem. Our big problem is nuclear warming but nobody even talks about it, he said in the interview that aired on Tuesday night. The environmentalists talk about all this nonsense in many cases. Ive become a environmentalist also, I guess in my own way because i have done a good job with the environment. Nobody talks about nuclear... the problem... the biggest problem we have in the whole world... its not global warming, its nuclear warming, he said. And all it takes is one mad man and youre going to have a problem, the likes of which the world has never seen. Mr Trumps new comments come after he highlighted, in recent months, new ways to deny the climate crisis ahead of his bid to run for president again in 2024. The former president has consistently denied the science behind climate change. He has also earlier dubbed himself as an environmentalist despite overturning several environmental regulations during his stint as president. In October last year, he claimed rising sea levels would create more oceanfront property. The world is going to be destroyed because the oceans are going to rise 1/100 of an inch within the next 300 years, he had claimed in a mocking tone. Its going to kill everybody. Its going to create more oceanfront property. Thats what its going to do. Prior to that he had made similar comments last September at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando. In December, the former president asked Whatever happened to Global Warming? on Truth Social, in the aftermath of a devastating winter storm that left dozens dead in Western New York. Education Minister Norma Foley is being warned that teachers marking their own students' papers for State exams was "a red line issue" as Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) members overwhelmingly ratified a call to ballot for industrial action if their concerns were ignored. TUI delegates at their Cork conference overwhelmingly backed a motion warning Minister Foley and the Department of Education that any attempt to breach such red line issues would prompt a ballot on industrial action up to and including strike action at Irish secondary schools. However, Ms Foley insisted teacher assessment of students remained an element of Senior Cycle reforms under consideration. TUI President Liz Farrell stressed while teachers were in favour of broad reforms, such red line issues as teacher assessment needed to be carefully respected by the Government. "Yes, teachers being asked to mark their own students' examination papers is a red line issue - if that is not respected, there will be a ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action," she said. "We hope that the minister will come with her listening ears on today and hear what we have to say." "We have a few issues that are fundamental to us and red line issues which are the correction of our own students' examination for State certification. "Teachers remain vigorously opposed to the correction of our own students' examinations for State certification. "The motion does not address that (strike action timeline) - what we are talking about is that there are red line issues in the Senior Cycle." "We are very pro a lot of the (Senior Cycle) reform and redevelopment - what we want is consultation before anything gets anywhere near industrial action. "The single most important thing to us is the examination of students for State certification. That is a red line issue. We will ballot members and they will decide." However, Ms Foley insisted teacher assessment was a part of the Senior Cycle reforms - albeit a very small part. "In terms of the assessment, it is one very small aspect of it (Senior Cycle reform) but I do want to say that we recently announced the delivery board, we announced the partnership boards - and this will be constituted with union representation and that includes the TUI," she said. "It is a board where there is an opportunity for us to work through collectively. I have been very clear about my willingness to do this - that we work collectively through the issues, demands and the challenges. "That is the forum and I welcome their (teachers) participation, they are involved in it. "I recognise too, that change is never comfortable. Change brings challenges. But I think the bottom-line here is that it is in the best interests of the students. "We are looking at a whole variety of mechanisms of assessment - whether it is oral presentations, whether it is project work - this aspect of assessment by teachers." Ms Foley said Ireland needed to learn from the experience of other countries in terms of education reform. "When we look at international best practice...so many experts in this field, there is a place for the assessment by teachers. "But it will be heavily, heavily moderated by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). They have an unequalled reputation in this country in terms of the confidence they bring to the exam (process). "I want to acknowledge that while there might be challenges and there might be uncomfortable aspects, it is my absolute intention to work through every step of the way in a collaborative and cooperative spirit. "I want to say that there is widespread acknowledgement that there is a need for Senior Cycle reform," she said. "That has been attested to by the unions themselves, by parents, by students and by wider society. She said we need to ensure students have the skill sets and the tools to compete in the 21st Century with students right across the world. "We need to have a Leaving Certificate programme that speaks to that. "We also need to ensure that our students are empowered within that system and we also need to ensure that their wellbeing is embedded in that. "In the broadest context, I think Senior Cycle reform is welcomed by so many different people and individuals," she said. The second day of the TUI's Cork annual conference was dominated by the issue of Senior Cycle reform. Numerous motions were tabled in respect of Senior Cycle changes - with TUI officials furious that change has been driven without adequate consultation with teachers and their unions. A motion tabled by the TUI Executive Committee, Clare and Tipperary branches - which was overwhelmingly carried - warned Ms Foley and the Department of Education teachers consider some of the changes to be "regressive, retrograde and frankly disrespectful." The motion focused on the proposed move of oral examinations to the Easter break, a plan to move Irish and English Paper 1 to 5th Year from September 2023 and the proposed imposition of teacher-based assessment at the Leaving Cert level. A decision on Irish and English Paper 1 has already been deferred. "Our concerns in this regard were listened to and we are very thankful for that," Ms Farrell said. TUI members warned that they were firmly in favour of reform - but not at the integrity of the exam process itself. The union said that some of the reforms being brought forward were initiated and shaped by teachers and their union. "But the Government needs to know that the TUI will vigorously campaign to protect the integrity of the State Examinations," the motion warned. "Therefore, Congress instructs the Executive Committee to initiate a media campaign to highlight the inadequacies of these proposals both from a professional and pedagogical perspective. "If and when necessary, (Congress is sanctioned to) ballot relevant members on industrial action - up to and including strike action." A further motion by the Cavan branch sought that the TUI Executive Committee immediately negotiate with the Department of Education and NCCA to "put a halt to any further erosion/changes to the Senior Cycle programme until resources are put in place by the Department of Education." Artists Padraig Mitchell and Lesley Lackey put the finishing touches to a mural of Joe Biden in the centre of Ballina ahead of the US Presidential visit. Picture: Gerry Mooney Gardai have released details of the extensive traffic arrangements that will be in place across parts counties Louth, Dublin and Mayo during US President Joe Bidens visit. President Biden arrived in Belfast last night and will be in Ireland until Friday. Gardai said there is likely to be disruption at times in Louth, Mayo and Dublin as they implement their security and travel plan for the visit. People travelling in the affected areas are asked to plan their journeys during this period to ensure to leave enough time for possible traffic disruptions and to expect some localised delays. President Bidens visit will primarily be concentrated in Co Louth from late this afternoon and evening. On Thursday Mr Biden will spend the day in Dublin and, on Friday, the visit will primarily be concentrated in Co Mayo from the early afternoon into the late evening. He will arrive and depart at Dublin Airport at various times over the course of his four-day visit and gardai said anyone flying this week should allow extra time to arrive at the airport due to possible rolling road closures, particularly late on Wednesday and early on Friday. The Indo Daily: Made in Ireland: How Joe Biden, JFK and even Richard Nixon play up their Irish roots The same advice stands for anyone flying from Knock Ireland West airport on Friday morning, where Mr Biden will fly to from Dublin. In general, traffic restrictions for the visit will be kept to the minimum required and it is intended that any impact on the public will be localised and minimal, a garda statement said. However, the public can expect localised road closures to facilitate events and temporary rolling road closures to facilitate security escorts over the course of the 12th 15th April 2023. Carlingford village and Dundalk town centre are open for business today, but access to Dundalk town centre via Clanbrassil Street and Market Square is restricted to pedestrian access only with further wider restrictions from 5pm. Gardai said additional traffic restrictions will take place in Carlingford from 4pm. If attending either Carlingford Village or Dundalk Town Centre members of the public are encouraged not to be in possession of large bags, a garda statement said. For security reasons pedestrians seeking to access certain areas and any bags in their possession may be subject to search. Any item that could be determined to be a safety hazard, including but not limited to large items such as flag poles, tripods, folding steps, folding chairs etc may be restricted. Gardai have confirmed that the following traffic management measures, for security reasons, are in place for Dublin: Monday April 10 - from 7am, Parking restrictions on Earlsfort Terrace, Leeson Street Lower, Hatch Street Lower, Castle Street and Ship Street (until Saturday April 15). Tuesday April 11 from 7am Earlsfort Terrace closed to traffic, pedestrian access to businesses on Earlsfort Terrace via Hatch Street only (until Saturday April 15). Wednesday 12/ Thursday 13 April Phoenix Park will be closed to all access, traffic and pedestrians, from 5pm Wednesday until 5pm on Thursday (arrangements are in place for local access only). President Bidens Irish visit will culminate in trip to Co Mayo, where he will make a speech at St Muredachs Cathedral, in Ballina town centre. Gardai said traffic restrictions will be in place across the county as the Presidential motorcade travels around Mayo. The following traffic restrictions will be in place on Friday as a result of the presidential visit: From approximately 12.30pm to 3pm temporary traffic restrictions may occur on the N17 between Charlestown and Claremorris. Diversions will be in place during any traffic restrictions. From approximately 1.30pm to 3.30pm temporary traffic restrictions may occur on the N5 between Charlestown and Castlebar. Diversions will be in place during any traffic restrictions From approximately 12noon to 5.00pm local traffic restrictions will be in place in Castlebar. From 10am on 14th April until after the public event finishes in Ballina access to Ballina will be restricted to local residents and business workers only. The N59 through Ballina will be closed to traffic from 10am for the duration of the event. A public event will be held in Ballina from 6pm on Friday evening. Those wishing to attend the event must register on the US Mission Ireland website. Gardai have recommended that those travelling to the event make use of shuttle buses that will be provided. A number of park and shuttle bus services will be in place at the following locations: Zone 1 Knockmore: GAA Car Park, Drop-off and return location: Junction of James Street & Hill Street. Zone 2 Castleconnor Community Centre Car-Park: Drop-off and return location: Bunree Industrial Estate. Zone 3 Crossmolina: various parking around town, Drop-off and return location: Mercy Road. Zone 4 North Ballina: McVann Furniture, Killala Road, Drop-off and return location: Bohernasup. Gardai have reminded members of the public that drones and other unmanned aircraft systems are generally prohibited within 5km of any Airport, over urban areas, over crowds and in other restricted areas. "Non-compliance is a criminal offence, the garda statement added. Members of the public travelling in the affected areas, Louth 12th April, Dublin (Phoenix Park/ South City Centre) 12th /13th April and Mayo 14th April are be asked to plan their journeys during this period to ensure to leave enough time for possible traffic disruptions and to expect some localised delays. An Irish auction house is selling a compass with a swastika on it and the death mask of a "German military leader, with a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler. The son of a Holocaust survivor has labelled the sale of the items, which are up for auction this weekend, as scandalous. Oliver Sears, from Holocaust Awareness Ireland (HAI), said hes furious with the auction of Nazi memorabilia, particularly at a time when anti-Semitism is rising alarmingly on a global level. Matthews Auctioneers in Kells, Co Meath, has advertised the death mask online for auction on April 15 for an estimated value of 200 to 300. The auctioneers detailed the item as bronze death mask from a German military leader on its website. However, Mr Sears, a London-born Dublin based art dealer, said that it is clear the mask carries the face of Hitler. Its completely disingenuous to label this as a German military leader, its disgraceful, Mr Sears added. Matthews Auctioneers has also advertised for auction a German military bronze cased compass for an estimated value of 30 to 50. The compass case bears the date 20 July, 1944 and a swastika symbol. Mr Sears said this is a Nazi item and the date is symbolic as it corresponds to the six week period during which 437,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered at Auschwitz, which was the peak of the industrial murder there. The Irish Independent contacted auctioneer Damien Matthews for a response. Mr Sears said: I spoke to Mr Matthews this morning in an attempt to reason with him", but he claimed the auctioneer was completely uninterested in hearing my point of view. He said it was an "unpleasant" interaction as he tried to explain to the auctioneer that his own mother had survived the Holocaust. When the the Irish Independent contacted Mr Matthews the auctioneer said: Im too busy to dilly dally. Youre not the best reporter in the world, if thats all you can do, then hung up. Another attempt was made to contact Mr Matthews. The auctioneer claimed the journalist had not identified themselves then hung up again. Requests for responses from the auctioneer have also been made via email but there has been no response. Mr Sears' mother Monika Sears (84) from Poland - who survived the catastrophic brutality of the Nazis, only managed to speak about her experience in her middle age - such was the horror of her memories. As a small child, she was thrown from a train on its way to the Treblinka extermination camp in 1943. This was an act carried out to save her life. Her son wants to see all Nazi artefacts banned from sale. He said: While most of us in our industry endeavour to run our businesses ethically and legally, its always of grave concern whenever I encounter a colleague in Ireland selling Nazi memorabilia. The arguments for trading in this material are very thin. Theres an abundance of such material in museums around the world and, if there is a place for these items, that is surely where they belong. However, making money out of such material is immoral and unethical. Theres a very good reason why most auction houses refuse to handle this material, including Sothebys and Christies. Simply put, this material is tainted beyond any mitigation or redemption. He added: Some of this Nazi material is acquired by extremists who deploy it in their own warped propaganda. "This is prevalent in the American market for this material. Theres only one reason to go ahead with the sale and that is to make money, regardless of the circumstances. The very idea that anyone should make money out of the suffering of the millions murdered in the Holocaust is shameful. Mr Sears said a number of auctioneers now no longer sell Nazi items after his campaigning raised awareness. Last month, Mullens Auctioneers in Bray, Co Wicklow, made headlines when it announced it was to auction a cast-iron plaque of Hitler and a cast-iron novelty money box in the form of Hitler saluting, along with a collection of other Nazi items. Stuart Purcell from Mullens defended the sale of the items to The Pat Kenny Show at the time, stating they were historical memorabilia, militaria, sporting memorabilia. A MAN charged with the murder of Brazilian woman Bruna Fonseca (28) on New Year's Day was remanded in custody as Gardai said they are still awaiting preliminary post mortem results. Miller Pacheco (29), who is also a Brazilian national, was charged with the murder of Ms Fonseca before Cork District Court last January. He was charged with the murder of Ms Fonseca, contrary to Common Law, at Liberty Street, Cork on January 1. Ms Fonseca, who was from Formiga in Brazil, was pronounced dead in the Liberty Street flat after Gardai and paramedics raced to the scene. She had been beaten and strangled. Pacheco appeared on remand before Cork District Court on Wednesday via video link. He required the assistance of a Portuguese interpreter for the brief hearing. Judge Olann Kelleher was told by Sergeant John Kelleher that Gardai were still awaiting preliminary postmortem results in order to progress their investigation file into the death of Ms Fonseca. "The file is progressing. Postmortem results are awaited. That is one of the things we are waiting for," he said. Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said that he was "surprised" at the delay in the receipt of the results. "The matter has now been in existence for three and a half months. I am surprised that the results of the postmortem would not be available by now," he noted. Judge Kelleher remanded Pacheco in ongoing custody until April 26. However, the judge said that he expected to be informed of the specific reason for the delay in the post mortem results. The court previously directed that the accused receive all appropriate medical attention while in custody. Free legal aid was also granted in the case. Ms Fonseca was a native of Formiga in Minas Gerais province in Brazil. She was a qualified librarian and graduated from the Centro Universitario de Formiga in 2018. Ms Fonseca moved to Cork last September and was working as a contract cleaner in the Mercy University Hospital. Her aim was to further improve her English. She was employed by BidVest-Noonan Contractor Cleaners. Her work included duties at the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) which is located less than 100 metres from where her body was found at 6.30am on New Year's Day. Her body was found at Liberty Street just a couple of hours after she had gone out with friends to celebrate New Year's Eve in Cork city centre. The flat involved is located just 100 metres from the Bridewell Garda Station and around the corner from Cork Courthouse on Washington Street. Ms Fonseca's body was found on a bed in an upstairs bedroom at the flat which is located above Picasso's hair salon. A postmortem was carried out on Ms Fonseca at Cork University Hospital by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster. It confirmed that she died violently but Gardai refused to comment on its findings for operational reasons. Meanwhile, in excess of 50,000 was raised after her Cork-based cousin and a niece set up a GoFundMe page in order to repatriate her body to her native country. Ms Fonseca was buried in Formiga on January 16. She is survived by her parents Tadeu Jose Fonseca and Marina Dos Reis Palharares Fonseca and her sister Izabel. Following her death, members of the Brazilian community organised a vigil at the Lough in Cork. 'Sensitivity edits', says Banville 'are a fad that will pass with other fads but a lot of damage will be done. Photo by Leonardo Cendamo/Getty Images John Banville Booker Prize-winner and Irish literary master, whose novels have been lauded both at home and abroad is reflecting on the death of his wife in 2021. I couldnt work at all for the first six months, says Banville (77), who recalls suffering with brain fog in his grief. Nothing helps you through, you just get through it. You just live in a very strange state. Its like nothing you expect. Its like having an endless hangover. You cant really do anything, it just goes on, adds the author, whose late wife was American-born textile artist Janet Dunham. But Ive been very fortunate in my life, especially in the women Ive known and my two daughters, and my two sons. Im more fortunate than I deserve to be. The Wexford-born writer won the Man Booker Prize in 2005 for The Sea. More recently, he has made waves with his crime novels set in the 1950s featuring his charismatic but troubled pathologist Dr Quirke which spawned a TV mini-series starring Gabriel Byrne in 2014. They have been written largely under the pen name Benjamin Black and more recently under his real name. The subject of grief creeps into his latest, The Lock-Up, a murder mystery set in the 1950s in which the body of a young woman is discovered in a garage in Dublin. He and his late wife, with whom he had two sons, remained on good terms after their marriage broke down but never divorced. He still talks about them being married for more than 50 years although, by his own admission, the situation was complicated. I had another partner with whom I had two daughters while my wife was alive, so theres sin for you, and guilt. His love of crime fiction began when he read Georges Simenon in 2003 which was when Banville decided to write the genre himself using the Benjamin Black pseudonym. I assumed I would be writing just one crime book and decided I should write this under a pen name, simply to avoid the danger of my readers thinking this was some kind of elaborate post-modernist literary joke. But in retrospect, I shouldnt have written under a pseudonym. His non-crime novels take him much longer to write. His last one, The Singularities, took him six years. In contrast, he writes each murder mystery in about four months. Real professional crime writers hate me when I say that, but Georges Simenon used to write his books in 10 days. Yet, he hates reading back his books. Its like a dog returning to his vomit. I only see the flaws, I only see the failures, the clumsiness, the bits that I got wrong. I cant stand reading my own work. It makes me physically ill. He doesnt read any contemporary crime fiction. Im not interested, he says simply. Non-fiction art books, poetry, history and philosophy are on his reading list. I write more fiction now than I read. As a successful writer, he is no fan of sensitivity edits and describes the recent editing of Roald Dahl books to remove language deemed offensive as disgraceful. Banville says: Its childish. Children love Roald Dahl because hes so awful. Children are completely ruthless. Robert Louis Stevenson used to call his books like Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde crawlers, books that make your flesh crawl. Children love that and its good for them. But also, you must not change the text. Better to suppress the text altogether than to change it. Thats an outrage. And Roald Dahl is dead, he cant defend himself. What would he do if publishers attempted to change his work? Id tell them No! It could be that my work is changed after Im dead by some 23-year-old failed creative writing class person with a grudge. Thats a horrible prospect. But this is a fad that will pass with other fads, but a lot of damage will be done. Today, he lives in Howth in north Co Dublin with one of his sons and hesitates when asked whether hes lonely. Ive always been solitary, but I havent been lonely because people have been very good to me. A new crime book and some screenplays are among his current projects. Its a childish occupation writing fiction. You just sit there making up stories, like we did when we were little, he quips. What would I do if I retired? My wife used to say, Youd give up writing, go into politics and destroy the world. I live to work and I cant imagine what Id do if I didnt. The Lock-Up by John Banville is published by Faber, priced 14. Available now THE Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has sanctioned a major campaign to secure the restoration of assistant principal posts in Irish secondary schools with teachers to be balloted on industrial action if the Government does not make concessions. In a motion passed at the TUI annual conference in Cork, teachers sanctioned industrial action as a last ditch measure - up to and including strike action. TUI members now want senior and junior assistant principal posts to be restored over 2023-2025 to help reverse the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. The lack of middle management in Irish schools has been identified as a key factor in the current teacher retention crisis. A TUI study underlined the scale of the recruitment and retention problem. Some 91pc of Irish schools are now experiencing teacher recruitment difficulties - while 61pc admitted they are having problems retaining teachers. Some 71pc of schools surveyed said they had advertised positions over the previous six months for which no teacher applied. Six-out-of-10 Irish schools now have unfilled teacher vacancies - with the major problem focused on the greater Dublin area. Executive committee member Noel Cronin warned the issue was hugely important for schools. "This motion instructs the executive committee to immediately demand restoration of half of the outstanding costs of responsibility in Budget 2024 and restoration of remaining posts to at least the pre-moratorium level in Budget 2025," he said. "If this does not happen, initial measures short of industrial action will be put in place during the 2023-2024 school year. "Members will then be balloted for a sustained campaign of industrial action up to and including strike action. "Delegates enough is enough - this has been going on now for 14 years. "We need to secure the restoration of assistant principal one and assistant principal posts of responsibility and appropriate career structures." "Students are entitled to proper support and services - teachers deserve a proper career structure. "Without a proper career structure, it isn't any wonder we have a teacher supply crisis. TUI delegates were warned that middle management posts within Irish schools were vital to the operation of the secondary school structure. Laois branch official Gerry Quinn said action was needed to support schools. "In general terms, what we are looking at is a scenario where before the bank crisis, about 50pc of teachers had a post of some sort." "After the moratorium, and the impact of the moratorium, that was reduced to 25pc or thereabouts." "So that is the ballpark figure that we're looking at." "The statement that was used at the time of the crisis - "doing more for less" now post-crisis, in terms of the financial crash." Those observing dramatic events play out in Israel seem convinced that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is setting a trap for his opposition including the legions of protesters, who for months took to the streets to protest the governments planned and inaptly named judicial reform. (Its actually a power grab that would make the national Supreme Court subordinate to the prime minister, allow the government to overrule the court and insulate Netanyahu from removal by the court.) Frank Coughlan: It doesnt sit well with some, but our democracy was built on peaceful prose and not bloodshed As a rookie journalist, I used to be despatched, in summertime, to report on fashion and personalities at Royal Ascot. The briefing before this assignment included an official reminder that divorced persons were not permitted in the Royal Enclosure. Neither could they be received at court until after 1968. The Irish diaspora has always stretched far and wide. Its power to do good is well documented in history. Thankfully, that force for good continues into the present moment. The visit of US president Joe Biden reminds us that the diaspora can help us build a road to the future. The high-powered entourage travelling with President Biden which includes secretary of state Antony Blinken and special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joseph Kennedy III confirms that the trip is as much about business as it is about pleasure. Sometimes with high-profile visits, there is a tendency to establish tenuous links between past and present. However, in the case of Mr Biden, the connection is deep and heartfelt. His links to Ireland could not be more genuine. His efforts to promote and advocate for Ireland have been passionate and productive. He has even done this at times when it was far from profitable or popular. In the recent past, Boris Johnson was in grave danger of doing lasting harm with reckless acts of political vandalism. Mr Biden offered him the sobering reminder that a trade deal between the US and UK would not be possible if the Good Friday Agreement was put in danger, or if international treaties were violated. It had the desired effect of concentrating hearts and minds. The transition at Downing Street, and the emergence of Rishi Sunak as prime minister, has allowed for a rebuilding of relationships. Today, President Biden will bring his unique brand of energy and optimism to a meeting with all the Norths political leaders. He has appealed to all sides not to look back but to focus on whats out there for the next generation. Former US president Barack Obama received a cead mile failte when he visited these shores in 2011. He once said: Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones weve been waiting for... We are the change that we seek. And it was the first US president, George Washington, who said 99pc of failures come from people who make excuses. So it must be hoped that some space can be found to allow a leap of faith, instead of once again getting entangled in tripwires of suspicion. We desperately need to get beyond the doom-loop of never-ending crisis. As Gordon Wilson who lost his beloved daughter Marie to an IRA bomb in Enniskillen in 1987 once said: Compromise is not giving in; it is maturity. I appeal to the political leaders to sit down, all of them, to listen to their electors, to present their policies, to reach out to love their neighbours and common god. This week, the courage of David Trimble was singled out by leaders across the political divide for not giving in to the paralysis of indecision or the fear of change, even if means stepping into the unknown. Twenty-five years ago, they made history with the Good Friday Agreement. The task for todays leaders is to make a better future. With Joe Biden's visit to Ireland this week making the headlines, the Indo Daily looks back on other US presidential trips and asks why having Irish roots seem to matter so much to them? Host: Siobhan Maguire. Guest: John Downing. Joe Biden is in Ireland this week, with planned visits to his ancestral ties in Mayo and Louth. He's the latest in a long line of US presidents to make official state visits to the country they claim as their own. From JFK to Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Irish pride has played a part in many presidential profiles. And whether it's Barack Obama telling us "is feidir linn" to rapturous applause at College Green or Bill Clinton declaring himself "a Dub", the red carpet is repeatedly rolled out, albeit at the expense of the Irish taxpayer. And it's not always smooth either, with anti-war protests when George W. Bush paid a visit, to hurling eggs at Nixon over the war in Vietnam. On today's episode, presenter Siobhan Maguire is joined by Irish Independent political correspondent John Downing to take a walk down memory lane and find out more. Local authority had sought Extra funding for vacant homes officers before but werent told of latest scheme The story in The Corkman edition of March 16 which referred to the Dail report in which Housing Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell had said Cork County Council should 'get its finger out' to apply for funding for additional Vacant Homes Officers. CORK County Council Chief Executive Tim Lucey has issued a terse response to Housing Minister Kieran ODonnell following a Dail exchange in which the Minister for State told a Cork East TD that the Council should get its finger out to apply for funding for additional Vacant Homes Officers. Mr Lucey asked for the response he had issued to the Department of Housing to be noted in the minutes of this weeks holding on Tuesday of the Cork Council meeting during the Any Other Business section. He had circulated a brief to councillors earlier that morning containing a letter to the Department as well as an explanation of the Councils position. In a letter sent to Graham Doyle, Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), Cork County Council referred to Minister ODonnells contributions to the Dail debates on January 26 and March 9, when the get your finger out comment was made in response to a question from Cohrrk East TD David Stanton. Council notes that in response to questions on the matter of the number of Vacant Homes Officers funded for each Local Authority, that the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage indicated as follows: a) That Local Authorities can make applications for additional Vacant Homes Officers. b) That a business case should be submitted to support such applications and the Department is awaiting such requests c) That funding is available from Government to fund the appointment of additional Vacant Homes Officers where the business case is made and supported by the Government. Cork County Council is active in addressing vacancy and is inded participating with the Departments Vacant Homes Unit in a pilot on mapping of vacant homes and in the development of guidelines for local authorities on the CPO process. Council notes that at no time was there any official notification by way of Departmental Circular Letter on additional funding, or an application process for funding, towards the employment of additional Vacant Homes Officers/resources to support work in this area. On behalf of Council, I would therefore like to receive clarity on the position, particularly on the three matters above raised. The letter was signed by Mairead Lucey, the Councils Meetings Administrator. In a letter to councillors accompanying the copy of the letter to the Housing Department, the Council said that it had applied on repeated occasions for additional funding for vacant homes officers. In 2019 this Council wrote to the DHLGH seeking an additional 200,000 over a two year period to assist with the recruitment of two additional Vacant Homes Officers. In response, Council was advised by the DHLGH that no additional funding was available for local authority Vacant Homes Officers. The letter further explains how on previous occasions that the DHLGH has issued circular letters to advise of the availability of additional funding in this area. In 2022, for instance, when the Croi Conaithe scheme was launched, the Council was advised by circular letter from the Department that between 60,000 and 180,000 was available, depending on activity on the scheme. The Council is confident of securing maximum funding given that there have been in excess of 170 applications under the scheme and more are expected. The letter set out how the Council has, from its own resources, committed five whole time equivalent staff across different specifications towards working on vacancy. The letter advised that the Council submitted last week a business case seeking funding of 1,o54,245 for 11 workers for the Property Activiation Unit and 7 officers for the Housing Department. It pointed out that the population of Cork, as per the 2022 Census was 358,898, was more than the combined populatios of Cavan, Roscommon, Sligo, Monaghan, Longford and Leitrim (367,568) and sought the support of Councillors in the progress of the application. Hundreds attend ceremony in honour of Civil War Anti Treaty icon on centenary of his death Former Coask East TD Ned O'Keeffe, Mayor of County Cork Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) and chair of the commemoratin committee Cllr Deirdre O'Brien at the Kilcrumper commemoration. A group of anti-treaty IRA re-enactors fire a volley of shots over the grave of General Liam Lynch at Kilcrumper Old Cemetery in Fermoy. IRELAND lost two of its greatest leaders when General Liam Lynch and General Michael Collins perished in the Civil War, Deputy Mayor of Cork County Cllr Deirdre OBrien told a commemoration in North Cork on Sunday to mark the centenary of the death of General Lynch in the conflict. Chair of the General Liam Lynch National Commemoration Committee, Cllr OBrien told over 1,000 attending the event at Kilcrumper, where Lynch is buried, that both Lynch and Collins were appalled at the sequence of events that led up to the outbreak of the Civil War in June 1922. It is known that Michael Collins and Liam Lynch were both distraught with events leading up to the Civil War, Lynch being a reluctant fighter and the hand of Collins being forced by UK Prime Minister, Lloyd George who threatened to resume British military activity if the rebels were not quelled. It was Lloyd Georges British guns that led to the start of the Civil War, in which, we cannot deny that we lost two of our greatest leaders, Michael Collins in Beal na Blath in August 1922 and Gen Liam Lynch, on the Knockmealdowns in April 1923, she said. Introduced by MC Tomas MacCormaic of the General Liam Lynch Society, Cllr OBrien explained that General Liam Lynch National Commemoration Committee was originally set up by Lynchs comrades in the Fermoy Company of the Fermoy Battalion of the Cork No 2 IRA Brigade. The attendance by many veteran comrades who to live with the consequences of the Civil War and the many descendants of local volunteers of the Cork No 2 Brigade showed the recognition and high esteem they held for General Liam Lynch by returning to the commemoration year after year, she said. She recalled that Lynchs dying wish as he lay mortally wounded after being shot on April 10, 1923 by Free State forces on the Knockmealdowns was to be buried in Kilcrumper beside his old comrade, Comdt Michael Fitzgerald who died on the 67th day of his hunger strike on October 17th 1920. Michael Fitzgerald had been arrested following an attack on the British military forces on their way to the Wesleyan Church in Fermoy and he went on hunger strike in protest against his enforced detention as no attempt was being made to bring him or other prisoners to trial or release. Cllr OBrien also mentioned other patriots who died for Ireland and are buried with Lynch and Fitzgerald at the Republican Plot in Kilcrumper including Daniel Shinnick of Castletownroche, Michael Rouse of Ballindangan and Denis OBrien of Kilworth. And she read out the names of other men mentioned on the Celtic Cross including Richard Kent, Castlelyons, Thomas Kent, Castlelyons, Arthur Mulcahy, Currabeha, William Burke, Ballyhooley, Liam Heffernan, Conna, Patrick Burns, Fermoy, Patrick Mangan, Lismore, Thomas Greehy, Lismore, Thomas Mackey, Tallow, Edward Landers, Tallow and Maurice Galvin, Tallow while she also asked people to also remember another local volunteer Sean O Donoghue, Ballygiblin. Cllr OBrien also remembered the many women of Cumman na mBan in Co Cork who were so essential to the fight for freedom, and she pointed out that at least four women served as IRA staff officers at either battalion or brigade level in the county. And as the Civil War escalated in Cork, there was a demand for reliable activists regardless of their gender. We remember here today, local republican woman, Mai Burke for whom a plaque was erected at Knockanevin and a headstone at St Mologas Graveyard, she said. Cllr OBrien formally welcomed the descendants of Liam Lynch, especially his grand nieces and nephews the OConnor family from Fermoy, OCallaghan family from Knockadea, the Lynes family, from Killarney, the Mullins family from Drumcollogher and the Dunphy family from Manchester. And before handing over to the principal speaker of the day, Dr Tim Horgan of the National Graves Association, Cllr OBrien thanked both Cork County Council and its heritage officer, Conor Nelligan and Minister Catherine Martin for their support as part of the Decade of Centenaries. Opening his address, Dr Horgan recalled that it was in Fermoy in 1916 that Lynchs commitment to Irelands cause was kindled when he witnessed the Kents being marched across the bridge after they had been captured following their stand for Irish freedom at their home at Bawnard in Castlelyons. And he said the portrayal of General Liam Lynch as a die-hard republican who brought Ireland to Civil War was inaccurate and failed to recognise that it was political failings by others that led to the conflict which lasted almost eleven months and cost Lynch his own life at the age of just 30. Dr Horgan told the centenary event to mark Lynchs death that like many who had fought for an Irish Republic, Lynch has been mispresented and marginalised and suffered the same fate as the United Irishmen in that his memory has been attacked and slandered. The acceptable history would be rewritten and revised to suit the political requirements of the day. Official heroes would emerge. We would be told that Michael Collins and De Valera had freed Ireland, a country that had shrunken to but 26 counties but dont mention this. The pair had a falling out and commanded the two sides in a civil war. This then led to two political parties who conveniently ignored the unfinished task which both leaders had originally espoused, said Dr Horgan whose grandmother, Madge Clifford was Lynchs secretary, said Dr Horgan. He said that for such to pass as history, Lynch, who was born in Anglesboro in Co Limerick in 1892 but led the Cork No 2 IRA Brigade in the fight against the British, would have to be nudged into the margins, he would be conveniently dispatched into the national amnesia. This was in contrast to De Valera and Collins, who, while both are rightly remembered as great men, never as so much fired a shot in anger after the Easter Rising except in the case of Collins at Beal na Blath where he was killed by God knows who, fighting for God knows what. History does record however that it was Liam Lynch and his men of Munster who fought in the bogs and ditches, who found in the villages and towns, who fought in the mountains and glens it was they who directly faced the might of the Empire, said Dr Horgan. Liam Lynch stood with his men, leading from the front in battles now half remembered or forgotten. Others would hear of his deeds on Dublin bar stools or in American hotels such facts are inconvenient for the states agreed historical narrative but facts they are. Author of Fighting for the Cause: Kerrys Republican Fighters, Dr Horgan, an ophthalmologist based in Tralee, then challenged the charge often levelled at Lynch that he was an obdurate figure on the anti-Treaty IRA side whose unwillingness to compromise led to and prolonged the Civil War. If he could not be placed in historys dustbin, if Liam Lynch was too great to be quickly forgotten, then he would be revised out of the states story. We would be told that he was a man of war, an enemy of peace, a die-hard republican who brought Ireland to Civil War. Such a crude characterisation might be convenient for some and might rhyme with political requirements but the truth we know is elsewhere it was the failure of politicians that brought to Civil War when that conflict did begin, it was started by those who complied with Britains orders. Dr Horgan said that, unlike his adversaries on the Free State side, Lynch was an unwilling participant and he instanced his approach in Limerick in July 1922 when despite having a military advantage, he brought about a peace agreement to halt the fighting as he felt too many had died. But days later, the Free State broke the truce and there would be no peace, the war would continue with Richard Mulcahy rejecting attempts by the Vatican in September to initiate peace talks while WT Cosgrave advocated extermination of the republicans. It is the accepted narrative that the Civil War dragged on through the winter and into the spring of 1923 because of Liam Lynchs refusal to halt the war. But for the Free State government, the fighting was not the real problem, the republicans were, Dr Horgan said. The executions, killings and imprisonment continued even when the republican guns fell silent. Thousands of prisoners, overcrowded, starving and sick, were held captive well after the fighting had ceased, just because they were republicans. Hunger Strikers seeking only release after the war had long ended would be left to rot. The republican ideal, they had decreed would die, and not just those who sought to defend it. That Cause of the Republic was indeed Liam Lynchs to defend, but it was not his to surrender. Dr Horgan said that Lynch was a man of principle, a trait that is rare both in the modern world and in modern Ireland and which, by virtue of its rarity makes it incomprehensible and thus something to be dismissed but such an approach was wrong. But surrender Liam Lynch could not, for he was bound to a cause to which he and his comrades, living and dead, had pledged their lives. To surrender would have been to recant, to renounce those principles, he said. While others had abandoned their republican ideals and some of his comrades on that final fateful day would, in time, dilute those principles, Liam Lynch would not and did not. He had declared for a republic and would live under no other law. Among the many public representatives to attend Sundays event were Cork East Fianna Fail TD, James OConnor from Youghal and Limerick West Fianna Fail TD, Niall Collins and Tipperary Independent, TD Mattie McGrath and Ireland South MEP, Billy Kelleher of Fianna Fail. Mayor of Cork County, Cllr Danny Collins also attended as did Cllr Frank OFlynn, Cllr Ian Doyle, Cllr Gearoid Murphy, Cllr Willie OLeary, Cllr Sheila OCallaghan, Cllr Deirdre Kelly, Cllr Gillian Coughlan all of Fianna Fail and former Cork East Fianna Fail TDs, Ned OKeeffe and his son, Kevin OKeeffe. Dragons and demons steered clear of the group gathered in Bobs Bar and Restaurant in Ballydesmond on Friday night for the launch of John Cotters second and continuing fantasy tale, King William Brown. Author John Cotter pictured on the occasion of his second book launch with his wife Noreen and family from left: Tara, Jack, Adam and Jack's girlfriend, Kasia. The launch took place at Bob's Bar and Restaurant in Ballydesmond on Good Friday night. Photo by Noel Nash. Dragons and demons steered clear of the group gathered in Bobs Bar and Restaurant in Ballydesmond on Friday night for the launch of John Cotters second and continuing fantasy tale, King William Brown. The first instalment of the book, published in 2014, follows the adventures of Prince Adam and Princess Tara into King William Browns magical kingdoms where travel is by dragon only. Entry is by dream, and Zorro the Wolf stands guard over dreams at the ancient grave of Dermot Duin. Johns latest episode finds Adam and Tara and their school friends and teacher stranded in this faraway land. They must escape Lucifer, who hungers for their souls, and find their way back home to their families. Magic powder and magic globes can help but the magic ring is lost! The launch of Johns book was hosted by John Roche, Chairman of Castleisland District Heritage, who as a fellow author from a farming background appreciated the task undertaken by John Cotter. Mr. Roche spoke about John Cotters remarkable achievement given the strange circumstances that lead to the books composition. John Cotter suffered a motorbike accident in 1985 which left him in a coma for six weeks. His return to consciousness was accompanied by a mind full of strange and pagan stories hitherto unknown to him. John Roche mentioned how his own belief system had changed with the years and how experiences such as John Cotters calls all into question. It might be asked, he said, what is a coma? He thanked John Cotter for re-introducing the ancient grave of Dermot Duin which he had never seen and was seldom spoken of in his lifetime. John Galvin, committee member of Castleisland District Heritage, enlarged on the legend of Dermot Duin as he heard it from the old people of the district. Dermot Duin fled certain death in battle in Mayo for the hills and recesses of Kerry. The chieftain died from a broken heart and was buried on Knockdown with his sword and his shield. Ballydesmond man Michael John Kearney, Chair of Castleisland Chamber Alliance, spoke of his delight that the Cork village, known in earlier times as Kingwilliamstown, had inspired John Cotter in the title of his book. King William Brown was formally launched by John Reidy of The Maine Valley Post. John recalled his first meeting with John Cotter in 2014 when they discussed his uphill struggle after his accident. He compared that struggle to John Cotter clawing a path to the summit of Knockdown towards the grave that inspired him to write. John Cotter spoke about the illustrations in his books, those in the first part drawn by Judyta Obrebska who he met during training at the National Learning Network in Tralee. He told Judyta about his story and soon after, she produced a number of exquisite drawings in pen and ink. Noel Nash, who works as illustrator for Castleisland District Heritage, has provided the artwork for Johns latest production. John Cotter signed books and thanked all who journeyed to Ballydesmond for the launch including his colleagues at The Country Market Restaurant, Castleisland where he works, and Bobs Bar and Restaurant which provided venue and refreshments. He thanked his wife Noreen and children Jack, Adam and Tara, for their help and encouragement in his writing and publishing journey which, he assured his guests, was not over yet. King William Brown is available in: Kearneys Centra, Ballydesmond; Whytes Centra, Castleisland; Jackie Reidy Newsagent and Menswear Castleisland; Hickeys Hardware, Castleisland and The Forge Market Store, Castleisland. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will kick off his four-day state visit to China on Wednesday, a trip that is expected to bring bilateral relations, both politically and economically, to a new level and contribute positive energy to the complex international situation. Accompanied by hundreds of businesspeople, state governors, congress members and ministers, Lula will be making his third official visit to China as Brazilian president. The visit was originally set for March but was postponed due to Lula's health at the time. It will also be Lula's first trip outside the Western Hemisphere since taking office for a third term on Jan 1. His visit will take him to Shanghai and Beijing. In Shanghai, he will participate in former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as head of BRICS' New Development Bank. In Beijing, Lula will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The two sides have maintained close communication about the visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. "The fact that Lula will lead a large delegation to China on his state visit so soon after his recovery speaks to the high importance both sides have attached to this visit and to our bilateral relations." China stands ready to work with Brazil and take this visit as an opportunity to upgrade mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various sectors and bring more energy for developing countries to coordinate in unity and jointly deal with global challenges, Wang said. According to a statement from Lula's press office, around 20 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. An article published by Valor Economico, a Brazilian financial newspaper, described Lula's visit as "a trip full of expectations". The speed in rescheduling a high-level visit, something unusual given the complexity of the agendas, reflects the political will of both countries to make the meeting happen, it said. The China-Brazil relationship has been closer and trade has increased in a continuous and sustained way since 2004, when Lula first visited Beijing. In 2009, he visited China for the second time. China has been the South American country's largest trade partner since 2009. According to the General Administration of Customs, two-way trade reached $171.49 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. "During the visit, the two countries are expected to consolidate the foundation of existing cooperation in traditional sectors such as infrastructure construction, agriculture and mining, and also expand cooperation in new areas including the green economy, digital economy and high technology," said Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies. Bilateral cooperation has already yielded fruit prior to Lula's arrival. On Feb 7, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Brazil, a move that will bolster bilateral trade and investment facilitation. Since diplomatic relations were established nearly half a century ago, China-Brazil ties have maintained steady growth amid changes in the international landscape and achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation across the board, setting a good example for major developing countries pursuing joint development through solidarity and collaboration. According to Wang of the CIIS, the development of China-Brazil relations will help to push forward China's cooperation with Latin America and deepen China's relations with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. "At a time when the international landscape is suffering systematic volatility and the global governance system is fragmented, the two countries' coordination and interactions on global hot-spot issues will also reveal the independent views of developing countries and important emerging market economies on global security and the international order," he added. The White family from Kilcorney open their farm to introduce people to Woolly wonders of south america Peter, Geraldine and Luke O Sullivan, Millstreet, pictured with Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow and their owner Kathleen White at the Alpacas Easter celebration at Fine Oaks, Kilcorney Owner Kathleen White introducing Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow to Lorraine, Shane, Maisie and Evie Roche from Churchtown on Easter Saturday at the Alpaca Easter celebration at Fine Oaks, Kilcorney Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow were delighted to meet Evelyn, Gerard, Gavin and Emma Lehane from Kanturk on Easter Saturday at the Alpaca Easter celebration at Fine Oaks, Kilcorney Ger and Kathleen White with their children Teagan and Riley pictured with Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow at the Alpacas Easter celebration the family hosted at their Fine Oaks Farm in Kilcorney on Easter Saturday. Photos by Sheila Fitzgerald Kathleen White of Fine Oaks, Kilcorney, introducing her Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow to Patrick and Clodagh Brosnan from Kiskeam on Easter Saturday Callum and Rory Dunne and Roisin O Carroll, Glasgow and Cullen,enjoyed meeting Alpacas Roscoe and Shadow and their owner Kathleen at Fine Oaks, Kilcorney, during the Alpaca Easter celebration We are accustomed to associating bunnies and chicks with the Easter season but last week, locals around the North Cork area added alpacas to their list of cuddly creatures to visit during the Easter holidays. The venue was Fineoaks Farm in Kilcorney, where Kath White with her husband Ger, son Riley and daughter Teagan, invited the public to meet their adorable family of alpacas for the first time. Young alpacas Roscoe and Shadow were delighted to mingle with lots of children and their parents, while owner Kath outlined the history of the animals and their way of life. Although all the relevant information was provided at the initial meet and greet session, Kath also supplied parents with a fact sheet to further help the younger children. After visiting with Roscoe and Shadow, families enjoyed an Easter egg hunt and a colouring competition. Towards the end of the day at Fineoaks, the children got an opportunity to feed the alpacas and interact with them some more before heading home happy after their Easter adventure. Speaking to The Corkman, Kath White said: I am in the first few years of my business where I am in a position to start inviting people out to our farm to meet the alpacas . I have also started to provide an array of services with the alpacas, including taking them out to schools, nursing homes, pre-schools, larger corporate companies etc., and I have already been to a couple of birthday parties and private events with them. For Kath, the alpacas project is the result of a lifelong passion for everything about animals and an innate understanding of the benefits of interacting with animals and the joy they bring to peoples lives. Since my childhood, I have always had a love for and affinity with animals. Having left my job in 2020, I decided that it was time to concentrate solely on my young family and to grow a business that revolved around their needs while simultaneously allowing me to stay at home and be available when they need me, she said. I have always liked to do things a bit differently, and decided that I wanted to farm but not in the traditional sense. I wanted to diversify, to produce animals that would be gentle on the ground, gentle on the environment and provide some enrichment to my family and the environment and also bring joy to others along the way. This is where Fineoaks alpacas began. The White family acquired 3 pregnant females in 2021, collecting them after many months of lockdowns and restrictions. We instantly fell in love with these charming, charismatic and intelligent creatures. Our 3 girls soon became part of the family and part of our world and we spent the following months making sure they had everything they needed during their pregnancies to ensure they successfully carried their unborn cria (baby alpacas) to term and produced strong, healthy young, Kath said. Births began in mid-May and all cria were born successfully, with only minor challenges along the way. We were lucky enough to have two healthy males and a female, and at this point, the future of the business began. These two young males Roscoe and Shadow were to become our interactive animals. Placid and friendly, they began showing potential to become the ideal candidates to meet with and provide joy to others. Their gentle nature lends them to being ideal in providing therapeutic and well-being initiatives to children and adults alike, from educational school visits, to residential care home visits, to the larger corporate space of staff well-being and external family days. Fineoaks is not an open farm and does not allow unexpected guests. The main business with the alpacas is outside of the farm, however limited meet and greet events similar to the past week can be organised. Described as the woolly wonders of South America, alpacas are members of the camel family, domesticated by the people of the Peruvian Andes approximately 6,000 years ago. They are ungulates, a group of large hoofed mammals that also include sheep and giraffes, with large bodies and legs, long necks, small heads, and medium-length fluffy tails. Although they are often confused with their cousin, the llama, alpacas have shorter ears and blunter, but equally adorable, faces. Alpacas are prized all over the world for their fleecy coats, which are shorn to make warm, soft, lightweight textiles. They boast a variety of 22 coat colours, including white, black, beige, and many shades of brown and grey. Though they are farmed in many places including Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, their native lands are the mountains of the Andes, from Bolivia and Colombia down to Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina. Anyone with the name Joe Biden can get a free pizza at Rascals Brewing Company in Inchicore A Dublin restaurant is giving out free pizzas to anyone called Joe Biden to coincide the US presidents visit to Ireland this week. Joe Donnelly, the marketing manager, at Rascals Brewing Company in Inchicore says all Joes are welcome, but you must have a particular surname to get your hands on a free pizza and half price pints. Mr Donnelly told Independent.ie: As a fellow Joe myself, I always feel its important to recognise the importance of other Joes. We heard Biden was coming to Ireland, its hard to keep up with his movements. When you try to hack into the US Government website, its really hard. We werent sure where exactly hes going to be, so we put the message out there, like sending up a bat signal, only its a Rascals pizza signal. Were very happy to give him a free pizza if his name is Joe Biden and definitely half price on drinks, which is a pretty decent offer at the moment. Its not just the President of America who can get a free pizza, if you share the same name as Joe Biden, the offer extends to you. Were extending it to anyone else called Joe Biden. In the old days, youd look up the phone book and see how many Joe Bidens there are, but theyve done away with phone books now so its hard to know. Its a risk were willing to take, there could be 100 Joe Bidens living in Dublin 8, and they might all want to come and claim their pizza. They can do that once theyve photographic ID. Once the main man comes along for pizza, we can absolutely sort him, Joe added. President Joe Biden is visiting Ireland for four days, which mightnt give him enough time to grab his free pizza, but if he wants to extend his visit, Rascals will sort him out. I have no doubt that the staff love me a lot, but Im sure theyd be excited to meet the President of the United States. Some of them, hes old enough to be their great, great, great grandfather. If he wants to stay on, theres a big game this Friday night between St. Pats and Bohemians which well stream. If he wants to come and watch that, he can, Joe said. One man, criminal dressed all in black with crowbar, breaking in through window in house. - stock photo The Dublin region had a 13pc increase in burglaries from 2021 to 2022, with the capital experiencing a total of 4,048 burglaries last year. According to new statistics released by the CSO, there were nearly 9,500 burglaries nationwide in 2022, which is a 10pc increase compared to the figures in 2021. Meath saw the highest rise in the number of burglaries in Ireland, compared to any other county, with a 34pc increase in 2022. While Mayo saw a 33pc increase in burglaries with Kerry coming in third with a 28pc increase. With summer approaching, Eoin Dunne, Managing Director of PhoneWatch is warning homeowners warned not to post holiday updates on social media. The rate of burglaries across the country has increased significantly by 10pc compared to the previous year (2021 v 2022), he said. This is not a trend we like to see and reminds us that we cannot become complacent, we need to all keep taking the necessary home security protection steps and remain vigilant. We should all feel safe and secure in our homes, but being the victim of a burglary undermines this and can be very upsetting. We want to urge all homeowners to take simple but necessary steps to help avoid the trauma of a burglary incident, especially as the summer holiday season will soon be upon us. PhoneWatch infographic showing the percentage change in burglaries in each county in Ireland from 2021 to 2022. Mr Dunne shared some simple, but effective measures for the public to adopt in order to feel secure and confident when away from home. Check windows and doors Always ensure your front and back doors are locked and windows shut, even if you are only leaving your house for a short time. PhoneWatch analysis shows that the majority of burglars gain entry through the front or back doors and yet a quarter of people still leave these unlocked. Leave a light on The most common time for a burglary is between 5pm and 11pm. During this time, you should make sure your home is well lit up. Invest in smart plugs and set certain lights on a timer. These will turn on and make it appear as if you are in your home. Turn on your alarm when at home With half of all burglaries occurring while people are in their homes, it is just as important to lock your doors while you are at home and turn on your alarm. Dont share holiday updates If you are going on holiday, dont post about it on social media until you are back, as you are highlighting that your home is vacant. Ask a neighbour If you are away from your home for several days, ask a neighbour if they could bring in your post, so that it doesnt pile up and look as if there is nobody home. Dont keep spare keys outside Instead, ensure your neighbour has a spare set of keys for emergencies. With our key tags, your chosen family members and neighbours can arm and disarm your alarm and you can view activity through our handy app. Get an alarm and use it Fitting and maintaining a monitored alarm system is an excellent way to protect your home. It acts as a strong deterrent to potential burglars and provides peace of mind knowing that your home is being protected 24 hours a day. US President Joe Biden smiles as he exits Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove on April 11, 2023 in Antrim, Northern Ireland. U.S. President Joe Biden is making a four-day visit to Northern Ireland and Ireland to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement and to explore his Irish family heritage. President Joe Biden is pictured taking a 'selfie' with invited guests at Ulster University on April 12, 2023 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. US President Joe Biden spends the day in Belfast meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and delivering a speech at Ulster University. His visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal which ended 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland. US President Joe Biden will spend today in Dublin on the second day of his 2023 trip to Ireland. Biden will meet with president Michael D Higgins this morning at Aras an Uachtarain to plant a tree. Hell then go to Farmleigh to meet the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar before heading to Leinster House to address a joint sitting of the Dail and Seanad which will be boycotted by People Before Profit. The US president will be hosted at a state dinner at Dublin Castle this evening. People travelling into Dublin City Centre should expect disruption and delays. Phoenix Park will be closed entirely until 5pm with road closures around Leinster House, Molesworth St, Merrion Square and around Dublin Castle on Ship St, Castle St and Palace St. Biden is in Ireland until April 15th 2023. The 46th US president arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In Dublin on Thursday April 13th, the presidents visit will primarily be concentrated throughout the day in the Phoenix Park and Dublin South City Centre which may cause traffic disruption in the capital. Biden initially arrived at Dublin Airport on Wednesday afternoon before travelling to Carlingford in Co Louth where was met by Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Normal operations will continue at Dublin Airport at all times, however members of the public were advised to allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible additional security patrols. Dublin Airport said on Wednesday: Anyone travelling to @DublinAirport on Weds pm & Fri am should allow additional journey time due to possible road closures. @GardaTraffic advise that traffic restrictions will be localised & minimal. Normal operations @DublinAirport will not be impacted by the visit of @POTUS. Road closures and prohibited parking From 7.00am Tuesday April 11th Earlsfort Terrace is closed to traffic, and there will be pedestrian access to businesses on Earlsfort Terrace via Hatch Street only until Saturday April 15th. Parking will also be prohibited at the following locations from 7.00am Tuesday 11th April until Saturday April 15th. Bride Street, Canal Road, Castle Street, Christchurch Place, College Green, College Street, Cork Hill, Cork Street, Conyngham Road, Cuffe Street, Dean Street, Dolphins Barn, Dolphins Barn Street, Dolphin Road, Ely Place, Fitzwilliam Lane, Fitzwilliam Place, Fitzwilliam Street Lower, Grand Parade, Grove Road, Hume Street, Hatch Street Lower. Kevin Street Lower, Kevin Street Upper, Kildare Street, Leeson Street Lower, Leinster Street South, Lincoln Street South, Lord Edward Street, Merrion Row, Merrion Square South, Merrion Square West, Merrion Street Upper, Molesworth Street, Nicholas Street, Parnell Road, Patrick Street, Setanta Place, Ship Street, South Circular Road, St Lukes Avenue, St. Stephens Green, Suir Road, Werburgh Street and Westland Row. Meanwhile, Phoenix Park will be closed to all access, traffic, and pedestrians from 5.00pm until Wednesday 5.00pm. Arrangements are in place for local access work/ business/ residents, there will be no recreational access. Roads will be closed at Kildare Street, Molesworth St, Merrion Street, Merrion St Upper, Fitzwilliam Lane, School House Lane, Merrion Sq West, Merrion Sq South from 7.00pm Wednesday April 12th until the evening of Thursday April 13th. Ship Street, Castle Street and Palace Street will be closed from 8.00am Thursday. President Biden will depart Dublin Airport for Ireland West Airport on Friday afternoon. Passengers are advised to to allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible additional security patrols associated with the presidential visit. More to follow Disha Bose was born and raised in India, and has lived in Calcutta, London, and Dublin. Former UCD student and Good Morning America book club author Disha Bose based the characters in her new novel on people she saw whilst stalking online parent groups". Her debut novel, Dirty Laundry is the GMA Book Club pick for April. The scandalous page-turner about the dark side of suburbia peels back layers of the insta-perfect life to reveal friendships gone rotten, manipulation masquerading as love and families riddled with lies. Disha told Independent.ie: It has been compared to Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies. It has a bit of dark humour; theres a mystery and all the central characters are female. The main theme of the book is female friendship, motherhood and the effects social media has on modern parenting. I wrote the book during the lockdowns. We had a one-year-old daughter at the time, we were all socially distancing but my husband was still going to work. I found myself stuck at home with an infant. As a new mother I was filled with so much self-doubt and not knowing how to handle this creature really. Not having help from family was a thing too, I felt like I was spiralling. The only support I had was social media, I started following a lot of blogs, social influencers, Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, the whole shebang. I was the silent lurker, theres a lot of drama on these parenting groups, it gave me the inspiration for the characters in the book. Theyre based on people and interactions I saw online, stalking, watching. There was lots of information for me online which parents from older generations wouldnt have had at their fingertips. Theres a lot of advantages with being able to connect with people online, but theres also disadvantages, theres a lot of misinformation. Motherhood is presented as a glossy version of what it actually is, which is very far from reality. Dirty Laundry is all about hushed whispers, secret rendezvous and bloody betrayals. Disha Bose was born and raised in India, and has lived in Calcutta, London, and Dublin. She worked in the tech industry before joining the masters in creative writing programme at UCD. Her debut novel is all about keeping your friends close but your neighbours closer as everyone has their dirty laundry, but this tale goes beyond gossip. I didnt think it would get a reception like this, for a debut novel especially, Disha said. Its so exciting. We had to keep GMA a secret for weeks, it was the biggest secret to keep. I couldnt tell my friends and family. The whole experience was exciting and overwhelming. I feel so lucky. The book is set in a fictional village in West Cork. It follows a group of young mothers and one of them is a social media influencer, shes the popular one, everyone looks up to her for advice on motherhood and parenting. Ciara gets sponsorships from international skincare brands, so shes your typical mom-fluencer. Laura is the social outcast; she has an alternative parenting style. Shes sort of from the wrong side of the tracks, all the other mothers she grew up with roll their eyes behind her back, make fun of her habits like crocheting and she wears long flowing skirts. Mishti is an Indian immigrant, shes in an arranged marriage with an Indian man. Shes been taken under Ciaras wing. But one of these mothers dies under mysterious circumstances and the rest of the book uncovers who could be responsible for the death. Theres lots of suspects and lots of people who have reasons to have her dead. Gardai speaking to people living in tents at the entrance to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Sunday. A number of homeless people and their tents were removed from Dublins Phoenix Park on Sunday ahead of Joe Bidens visit . The US president will meet his Irish counterpart, Michael D Higgins, at Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park tomorrow before he addresses both Houses of the Oireachtas at Leinster House. Mr Biden will also be hosted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at a banquet at Farmleigh House, the State guesthouse, in the Phoenix Park. The park will close for 24 hours from 5pm today while the official visit takes place, the Office of Public Works has said. Access will be denied to the public, including any rough sleepers seeking refuge in the park. Over the past number of weeks statutory agencies have been engaging with people living in tents in the park and three people had voluntarily left the area at the end of last week, according to gardai. On Sunday, gardai visited the entrance to the park on Conyngham Road and spoke to three remaining people. One of these has found a place in emergency accommodation in the city, gardai confirmed. The remaining two people removed their belongings and tents and left the area. They were given advice and contact information for support agencies and accommodation services. Dublin City Council staff also visited the park and removed waste that had been left behind. The Phoenix Park has become an increasingly popular location for rough sleepers, where its woodlands provide privacy. A spokeswoman for the Office of Public Works (OPW) said: The Office of Public Works did not request the removal of tents from the entrance to the Phoenix Park on Conyngham Road. However, the OPW is aware that Dublin City Councils Homeless Section had been liaising with the individuals concerned in recent weeks, she added. A spokesperson for the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive confirmed it offered assistance to rough sleepers at the site. One of the Rough sleepers at this location, secured a Housing First tenancy in the Fingal administrative area in the last number of weeks, said the DRHE. This site was inspected earlier this morning and there were no rough sleepers present. The DRHE and the Dublin Regional Outreach Service will continue to monitor this area , to provide support and offer emergency accommodation to Rough Sleepers looking for assistance. The latest figures from the Department of Housing show that there are now 11,742 homeless people relying on emergency accommodation across the State. While 8,588 of these are in Dublin and that number is set to swell rapidly, according to the Dublin Simon Community. Upon request from gardai, all gates, including pedestrian gates will be closed to the Phoenix Park on Wednesday, however, access will be provided to essential staff working within the Park. The closure of the park is likely to affect traffic with thousands of vehicles passing through Dublins Phoenix Park every day as one of the main routes from the city centre to the western suburban commuter towns. Meanwhile amenities in the park will be closed during the period, including Dublin Zoo until 9.30am on Friday. The Europe hotel and resort in Killarneyis one of four Kerry hospitality and food businesses that have been nomimated as finalist in the 2023 Good Food Ireland Awards. File photo FOUR Kerry businesses have been nominated for awards at the upcoming Good Food Ireland awards, which will be presented next week. Returning for the first time since COVID, the prestigious food and hospitality industry Awards will take place on Monday, April 17, at The K Club in Kildare. The high-profile business lunch will be opened by guest of honour Simon Coveney TD Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and attended by some 300 guests, including business owners; Irish and international chefs; buyers; food-and-drink writers; media and industry leaders. Kerry business have been named as finalists in four of the awards main categories. Killarneys Europe Hotel is nominated in the Hotel of the Year category. The Kileen House Hotel and Rozzers Restaurant in Aghadoe is nominated for the Culinary Haven of the Year award. The Leaf and Larder deli and bakery in Killorglin is in the running for the Shop of the Year title, while Cromanes Realt na Mara Shellfish is nominated for the Fish and Seafood Producer of the Year award. The Good Food Ireland awards are unique in their cross-sector approach and core commitment to recognising local Irish produce with the aim of enhancing the links between agriculture and tourism. For the last 17 years we have worked to create a greater understanding of the needs of both sectors to successfully broaden and deepen local agriculture and tourism linkages, helping make tourism work for economic diversification, said the founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland Margaret Jeffares. The Good Food Ireland Awards celebrate the successful collaboration of businesses working together for inclusive economic growth. They recognise people who genuinely capture the essence of Irelands food and drink, setting it in a cultural context to inspire travellers, international consumers and locals to seek out real authenticity and Irish provenance, Ms Jaffares said. Recalling an earlier Kerry star named Brian Cooper, granduncle of recently retired Bryan Tralee jockey Bryan Coopers recent retirement creates an opportunity to look back on the career of his granduncle and namesake, Brian, also a top rider and trainer in his prime. Tralee jockey Brian Cooper in the 1950s. Stephen Fernane Kerryman Wed 12 Apr 2023 at 21:00 Louth taxi drivers fury as automatic barriers prevent access to Drogheda bus depot Taxi drivers say older passengers and those with disabilities badly affected by the move, which Bus Eireann says is a safety measure Barriers have been placed at the entrance to Drogheda bus depot to prevent other traffic from entering. Alison Comyn Drogheda Independent Tue 11 Apr 2023 at 16:26 Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Teresa McKevitt (nee Ring) River Lane, Carlingford, who died at her residence on Saturday April 8 after a brave battle with cancer. The former principal of Bush Post-Primary School was fondly remembered as a gifted and inspirational teacher, whose kindness shaped the lives of many of her former students. One of a family of ten children, Teresas childhood was spent in Carraig A Drohid, Macroom, Co Cork, where her love of music and the stage was born. She studied English, Maths, Latin and Logic at Univeristy College Cork, and began her teaching career in St. Michael's College Omeath in 1977. Not long after, she met the love of her life, John McKevitt, and after their marriage, the couple settled in Carlingford, where they raised their family and Teresa became a valued member of the local community. Following the closure of St Michaels College in 1986, Teresa joined the teaching staff of Bush Post Primary School. She was appointed to a special duties teacher post in 1988, and was subsequently promoted to the post of Assistant Principal with special responsibility for Adult Education. In 2005 Teresa became Deputy Principal, before taking over the reigns as Principal from Kevin Conroy in 2006. She retired in 2012. Mourners at her funeral on Easter Monday heard that she was a passionate and gifted teacher who was fondly remembered by former pupils for her kindness and encouragement. Teresas love of the stage dated back to her young days in Macroom and she brought that with her to Carlingford. She was a driving force in the Carlingford Drama Group, directing productions including the Playboy of The Western World, My Fair Lady, and the Importance of Being Ernest. She also staged productions in support of the Foy Centre including Professor Tom, Philadelphia Here I Come, The Plough and The Stars as well as Cinderella and Snow White. She was a huge supporter of Cor Chairlinne, the choir founded by her husband, and was always willing to help out when needed. Many of her former students and colleagues paid tribute to her, with the Kevin Joyce, Principal Bush Post Primary School saying she had left a wonderful legacy here at the Bush and indeed within the entire community. We remember Teresa as a former colleague who was passionate about education and providing students with the best opportunities during their time at Bush Post Primary School, said Fiona Kindlon, Director of Schools, LMETB In a moving tribute on their Faceook page, Cor Chairlinne said: There are people in this world who come in to a community and touch so many lives that when they leave, the community as a whole unites in grief. Teresa McKevitt was one of those people. The Foy Centre said that she was a great supporter of the Foy Centre since the beginning and had done so much for both the Foy and Carlingford Community Development. Teresa was predeceased by her parents John and Judy Ring, and is survived husband John, daughter Sally and sons Michael John and Bob, her daughter-in-law Deirdre, son-in-law Shaun, grandchildren Lottie, Darragh and Luke, sisters-in-law Aideen, Christine, Mary and Sally, sisters Ann, Carmel, Patricia and Martina, brothers Paddy, John, Mickey, Tony and Denis Paul, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Her funeral took place on Easter Monday in St Michaels Church, Carlingford with burial in the adjoining cemetery. Commemoration vent took place at the week-end at Sligo Cemetery Councillor Declan Bree, who presided at an Easter commemoration ceremony at Sligo Cemetery, has said that there was a need to expose and resist any attempts by sections of the far-right in Ireland to claim the mantle of Irish republicanism. He told the gathering on Easter Sunday: Today, elements in the far-right are attempting to present themselves as patriots and community defenders. But we know that the leaders of these groups have never played any part in the struggle and we also know that these groups work hand in glove with Loyalists in the Six counties and with British fascists. Back in the dark days of the 1930s, when the Nazis were marching in Germany, when Mussolinis Blackshirts had taken control in Italy, when Francos fascist forces were moving to overthrow the republican government in Spain it was republican-socialists, communists and trade unionists who led the resistance to fascism and to ODuffys Blueshirt movement here in Ireland. While we are fortunate that the great majority of people refuse to be duped or fooled by the evil agenda of the far-right we should be under no illusions as to the threat they pose. Socialist and Republican activists have a long history of fighting the politics of hate by seeking equality and by tackling racism, sectarianism, and apartheid, and today we send our solidarity to people across Ireland who have shown solidarity with those who come here seeking refuge, he said. Earlier the gathering was told that the only viable solution to our present predicaments is for the people of this country to begin building in their communities for a new people powered democracy. The words came from Barry Murray, of the Peadar ODonnell Republican Socialist Forum, when he addressed those attending the People First annual Easter 1916 Commemoration ceremony. Led by flagbearers carrying the Tri-colour and the Plough and the Stars, participants in the ceremony marched from Cairns Drive to the Republican Plot in Sligo Cemetery where Cllr Declan Bree introduced Mr Murray, this years guest speaker. He said: We have health services North and South of the border which are not fit for purpose. We have a mental health epidemic with growing numbers of suicides. We have education systems in both jurisdictions that are being starved of resources and are failing on every measure. We have a housing crisis with thousands of families seeking accommodation and growing numbers of people becoming homeless. House prices on both sides of the border are extortionate and play right into the bank accounts of speculators and developers. 300,000 people in the North of Ireland live below the poverty level. In this context it is imperative that we as republican socialists, continue to oppose the machinations of those who consistently defend a system which is based on inequality and exploitation. The only viable solution to our present predicaments is for the people of this country to begin building in their communities for a new people powered democracy - to build an Ireland for the many not the few. An Ireland which would embrace the values of the common good over individual greed and private profit; collectivism over individualism; democracy and political and economic sovereignty That is why for us the narrow definition of freedom which for many does not go beyond the slogan of a united Ireland is unacceptable. Our republicanism is a genuine republicanism in the tradition not only of Wolfe Tone, but in the tradition of Michael Davitt, Fintan Lalor and Connolly, Pearse and Mellows - uniting Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter in the struggle for a democratic, secular, socialist republic. Following the oration as a lone piper played a lament, Sinead Costello laid a wreath on behalf of the People First- Independents4Change. Pat Wallace laid a floral tribute on behalf of the Peoples Movement and Tom Wickham laid a wreath on behalf of the Connolly Youth Movement. The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem. The West of Ireland is set to roll out the red carpet for US President Joe Biden when he touches down at Ireland West Airport abroad Air Force One on Friday afternoon. President Biden will then travel to Knock Shrine before later departing for Ballina, home of his ancestors and where he will address a large crowd at St Muredachs Cathedral. Gardai drawn from Divisions all across the West including Sligo/Leitrim will be involved in the massive security operation surrounding his visit West. The 45th US presidents family ancestry can be traced back to Ballina, Co Mayo, and the Cooley Peninsula, Co Louth. President Biden left Washington yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) and was accompanied on the trip by his sister Valerie and son, Hunter. The four day trip is to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, with visits to Belfast, Dublin, Mayo and Louth included. He arrived into Belfast last night (Tuesday) where he was greeted by UK prime minister Rishi Sunak. He will have other engagements in Belfast before moving on to Louth and then Dublin. Mr Biden will fly into Ireland West Airport to spend the final day of his visit in County Mayo on Friday. He will visit Knock Shrine and the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit before going on to Ballina. The presidents great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to help build St Muredachs Cathedral in 1827. Gates will open at 5.30pm though at this stage the time of Mr Bidens speech is not confirmed. The gates open at 5.30 p.m. and the programme starts at 7 p.m with a crowd of around 20,000 expected. This is a free event and entrance is on a first come, first served basis. A number of shuttle buses will be in operation to bring people to the event from 4.30pm including one departing Castleconnor Community Centre.Ballina has been bedecked in red, white and blue in preparation for the visit. After the speech, Mr Biden will travel to Dublin Airport to fly back to the United States. Ireland West Airport said it was delighted that President Biden will arrive and depart at Ireland West Airport, on the afternoon and evening of Friday 14th April, the first ever time a US president will have landed at the airport. Passengers are advised that normal operations will continue at Ireland West Airport at all times. However, those travelling should allow additional time to arrive at the airport due to possible rolling road closures. Only those who are travelling on flights or collecting incoming passengers will be permitted access to the airport as the approach roads into the airport will be closed to the general public on Friday. Before boarding Air Force One in Washington on Tuesday afternoon, President Biden told reporters that the main priority of his trip was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place. Positive benefits of film will reap rewards for town says New Ross council official Small Things Like These filming in the Irishtown, New Ross. Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actor Cillian Murphy (of Peaky Blinders fame) and actress Eileen Walsh (of Magdalene Sisters fame). Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actress Emily Watson (of Kingsman and God's Creatures fame) Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actress Emily Watson (of Kingsman and God's Creatures fame) Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in the Irishtown, New Ross. Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actor Cillian Murphy (of Peaky Blinders fame) and actress Eileen Walsh (of Magdalene Sisters fame). Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actress Emily Watson (of Kingsman and God's Creatures fame) Photo; Mary Browne Small Things Like These filming in New Ross. Actor Cillian Murphy (of Peaky Blinders fame). Photo; Mary Browne FILMING wraps up on Small Things Like These in New Ross this week, a film 320-plus worked on between crew, actors including Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson, and extras. Filming started on March 22 and saw Quay Street transformed, with several premises throughout the town used for film locations, along with the Mercy convent building. Filming continues on Wednesday and Thursday at Conduit Lane off Quay Street which will be closed to pedestrians. Within a day parts of the town went from 2023 to 1985. It was absolutely incredible, said Senior Staff Officer with New Ross Municipal District, Ger Walsh, speaking of the work the location and film crew did in Quay Street and Mary Street. She said the crew got great buy-in from businesses on Quay Street and Mary Street. "A lot of people came down to see the filming. Everyone was very enthusiastic. The crew were thrilled with the reception they got there. A choir scene with an audience was filmed, as was a scene shot after midnight on Thursday, March 30, with Cillian Murphy walking across OHanrahan Bridge. A crowd gathered to watch filming that morning, which concluded at around 5 a.m. Some old cars from the Eighties were parked on either side of Quay Street and were driven across the bridge. Read more Cillian Murphy visits New Ross ahead of film shoot Extras worked from 6 p.m. till 5 a.m. with monitors and crew using Byrnes and Spiders pubs, which was packed to capacity with extras. Murphy was filmed buying shoes for his character Bill Furlongs wife at the old New Ross Standard premises which was transformed into Hanrahans shoe shop. He is also filmed carrying a bag from the shop across the bridge. Noreen ODonnells was given a festive makeover and was used as a base for the crew, while some crew stayed in B&B accommodation over The Cracked Teapot. The Furlong home was located beside the old fire station on Michael Street, where several scenes were shot over a number of days; a crowd gathering on the street opposite to catch a glimpse of film star Murphy, who was also based in a white painted property beside the house. The fire station was use by the crew for catering as was the Library Park car park, a section of Brennans Lane car park and the car park opposite the old oil tanks site. Catering and special effects vans were used, as well as a water tanker to create a rain effect for scenes on road surfaces. A snow machine was also used with New Ross council office fielding calls from people keen to find out when it would be used. "Lots of people were ringing in so they could be there to witness it as they were expecting to see 6ft of snow but there was never going to be anything like that, said Ms Walsh. Instead some snow was used for filming at the back of the Furlong house and near a gift shop window on Mary Street beside The Green Door, which was used for one night by crew. The crew said the reception they received was just amazing. The residents of Michael and Mary Street were so accommodating and appreciative of what was going on there. They put up with minor disruptions. The producer said the crew had never received such a warm welcome and reception and that without exception they were welcomed. Barrow Pictures DAC crew brought gifts of Wexford Zaeire Chocolates to houses in New Ross for any inconvenience caused during filming. On Mary Street, Inishross B&B was used to film a barber scene, while some of the crew stayed there. An archway with Good Shepherd Convent was erected at the back entrance to the old convent in Irishtown. Ms Walsh said the majority of the film was shot in New Ross, with further filming taking place this Friday in a rural location near the town. With actors and crew members staying locally, including Murphy who stayed in the Inistioge area, filming has brought a great economic benefit to the town. Between accommodation, food and drink its been great. They tried to get everything they could in New Ross. The film, which is directed by Tim Mielants of Peaky Blinders fame and is financed by Damon and Ben Afflecks production company Artists Equity, is expected to be released either this autumn or in the autumn of 2024. It also features Well-known Irish actors Ciaran Hinds and Kin star Clare Dunne. Ms Walsh said Barrow Pictures said they will spread the word to other production companies about the great reception they have received in New Ross, adding that it is hoped this will lead to further film shoots in the town. She said an event will be held in New Ross to tie in with the films launch, similar to the one held in Enniscorthy in the Riverside Park Hotel when Brooklyn was released. Reflecting on the filming experience in the town, she said: It was genuinely incredible to go into work one day and to look out of the widow a few hours later and see a completely different street. Jay McEvoy, Kaswier Geraniec, Michael Lacey and Dylan Dwyer from Colaiste Bhride at reading Initiative 'One Book, One Community organised by Colaiste Bhride's TY students in the school on Tuesday. Pic: Jim Campbell Students from Colaiste Bhride during their reading Initiative 'One Book, One Community organised by Colaiste Bhride's TY students in the school on Tuesday. Pic: Jim Campbell TY students from Colaiste Bhride, Carnew and third to sixth class from All Saints National School enjoying the reading Initiative 'One Book, One Community in the Colaiste Bhride on Tuesday. Pic: Jim Campbell Ytong Lin and Madeleine Senecas from Colaiste Bhride pictured with pupils from the All Saints National School during a reading Initiative called 'One Book, One Community in Colaiste Bhride on Tuesday. Pic: Jim Campbell Colaiste Bhride and All Saints National School working together on a reading Initiative called 'One Book, One Community organised by Colaiste Bhride's TY students in the school on Tuesday. Pic: Jim Campbell Stories can spark conversations and bring people together and through their involvement in the One Book, One Community project, students at Colaiste Bhride Carnew hope to facilitate this. As part of the initiative, the students from the Rather Be Reading Transition Year class organised an interactive workshop, which brought together Colaiste Bhride students and pupils from All Saints National School. The aim of this event was to support the students study of the book A Place Called Perfect, while also encouraging creativity and collaboration. The workshop was set out into a number of stations where students got to draw pictures, do word searches, play charades and more. There was a warm and friendly atmosphere and a number of prizes were presented to students on the day for their efforts. The One Book, One Community project is an initiative run in conjunction with the Wicklow County Council Library Service. Owing to its suc cess with others schools, Colaiste Bhride students and teachers decided to get involved this year and, according to teacher Karen Murphy, it has been a really positive experience. "The idea is to get segments of the community reading the same book and sharing what they find, she said. It gives the students something in common to talk about. Among the classes, theyre comparing what chapter theyre on and talking about the story. The feedback from the teachers has been really positive also. Because theres sci-fi, comedy and a bit of everything in this book, its ticking all the boxes for students. Group at the start of the Tractor and Vintage Car Run in aid of Tara Hill Cemetery extension at the Golden Anchor, Castletown. Photo: Jim Campbell People from around the community rolled into Castletown for a tractor run aimed at raising funds for the extension of Kilcavan cemetery at Tara Hill. From classic tractors to miniature machinery and even a vintage NYPD car, the diverse range of vehicles in the run created plenty of excitement for all who came along to watch and participate. Following the event, many of those involved went to The Golden Anchor in Castletown, where they enjoyed food, music and conversation with their neighbours. A raffle with prizes donated by local businesses also helped to raise more funds towards the extension. A total of 5,270 was raised through the event. This money will be added to the money previously raised for the cause. A campaign for the future of Kilcavan cemetery was started by team of people led by Father Rodger ONeill in recent years. It was fuelled by the concern over the increase in population in Tara Hill, and the fast approaching reality that the graveyard would become full and could no longer accommodate local families. Through a public appeal and several community events, the committee have raised money to put towards the purchase and development of adjacent land. Those who could not attend but would like to give a donation can obtain envelopes in the church or contact the parish office. The presence of foreign plants and animals can become a problem when these alien life forms prove to be invasive and become a threat to local wildlife. Novel solutions are needed and two that are worthy of mention concern hippos and stink bugs. With his great wealth accumulated from the sale of cocaine, Columbian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar wanted his own private wildlife park, so he imported twelve hippos to Colombia from Africa in the late 1980s. While hippos are not native to South America, the new arrivals thrived and multiplied. Escobar died in 1993 and the animals roamed freely throughout the Magdalena Medio region, a hot savanna criss-crossed by rivers, marshes and swamps where food for hippos is abundant. There numbers grew to some 150 posing a problem for the local wildlife authorities, and damaging local habitats and species. Hippos assaulted two people in 2021. The authorities responded by initiating a sterilisation programme to stop the animals breeding and to let them die out naturally. The sterilisation programme failed. Culling proved politically unacceptable. The fall-back option was to rehome them to other countries. Transporting 70 of the two to three tonne animals abroad is now in progress at an estimated cost of 3.2 million. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is a highly invasive shield bug that is native to East Asia but is spreading rapidly across Europe. It damages tree fruit crops. In winter the insects enter dwellings to hibernate where, as their name suggests, they emit a foul odour. To try to protect orchards and crops in Ireland, the Tyndall National Institute in Cork, in partnership with Teagasc and in collaboration with international experts in Italy and Germany, are pioneering insect monitoring drone technology to capture images at night and to use artificial intelligence to automate image analysis and the monitoring process. The aim of the insect monitoring project is to detect the presence of the bugs early in the spring when pest numbers are low, and when crop protection interventions are most effective. The expected outcome is to help prevent huge amounts of crop loss and save both time and money for the farmers involved. Runny nose, streaming eyes, and intense sneezing, sound familiar? These are common symptoms of hay fever. You could have itchy nose, eyes, and throat too. Hay fever is an allergic reaction associated with pollen. The summer months are worse, especially once the grass cutting starts. Unfortunately, some of you may experience symptoms the whole year. This is because as well as grass pollen you could also be allergic to the pollen found in weeds, flowers, trees, or shrubs. These flower at various times throughout the year. Some of you may have Allergic or Perennial Rhinitis. This means that you react to allergens such as dust, animal dander and perfume, as well as pollen, and you are very likely to have symptoms all year round. The allergic reaction that you experience affects the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. Its caused by an overreaction by the immune system to the pollens or allergen that it has come in contact with. This immune response triggers inflammation and the release of histamine, which causes the symptoms. Natural remedies may help. I recently spoke about Irish Botanica All Seasons Complex, formulated by Irish herbalist David Foley, in relation to Sinus problems that were possibly associated with airborne allergens. All Seasons may help ease the symptoms associated with hay fever and seasonal allergies. It contains Astragulus which is a lovely herb commonly used to help support immunity. This herb may help relieve the annoying symptoms of sneezing, the itching of the nose, eyes, and throat. If you have allergic rhinitis, you may also experience pain in the sinus area, All Seasons contains Angelica and Magnolia, this is traditionally used for anti-allergic potential. For best results start taking IB All Seasons Complex now, before seasonal symptoms take hold. We have a wide variety of other supplements that could help you deal with these symptoms. Natural anti-histamines include Quercetin, Vitamin C, Nettle, and B5, or Black Seed Oil. We can help you decide which supplement has the best potential to help you deal with the symptoms of hay fever and to help you become less sensitive to the pollens over time. We would love to help you enjoy your summer so feel free to give us a call or pop us an email. Shop online at www.naturalhealthstore.ie Patriot Games (1992) Film4, 9p.m. Having hunted down Red October and proven his credentials as one of the CIAS best agents, Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) finds a family trip to London anything but relaxing when he is called upon to save the Royal Family from an IRA assassination plot. His intervention puts him and his family in the path of a vengeful terrorist who swears to make Ryan pay. There are very few similarities between the bookish Jack Ryan played by Alex Baldwin, and this all-action incarnation brought to life by Ford. But if you ignore the inconsistencies and dont compare it to the novels, youre in for a great ride. Tense and atmospheric, it sustains the attention despite the odd cliche. THURSDAY Blazing Saddles (1974) BBC4, 10.45p.m. Mel Brooks classic spoof sees a corrupt businessman (Harvey Korman) hatch a plan to destroy a small town standing in the way of his railroad plans. He starts by ordering the murder of the towns sheriff, and then convinces the government to appoint a black railroad worker (Cleavon Little) to replace him, knowing the closed-minded villagers wont be happy. But the new sheriff unexpectedly joins forces with an alcoholic ex-gunslinger (Gene Wilder) to fight the railroad and the bad guys. Its hilarious and at times shockingly un-PC, but the laughs are a mile a minute thanks to the outstanding cast, which also includes Brooks himself and the Oscar-nominated Madeline Kahn. Keep an eye out for the infamous campfire scene youll know why. FRIDAY No Time to Die (2021) ITV2, 8p.m. James Bond (Daniel Craig) bids adieu to active service at MI6 under M (Ralph Fiennes) following the capture of arch-nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). A tranquil new life in Jamaica, nursing a broken heart apart from Dr Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux), is threatened by the arrival of CIA friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). He needs Bonds help to track down scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik). The mission pits Bond against MI6 agent Nomi (Lashana Lynch) but fractious inter-agency rivalries are quickly put to one side to defeat Machiavellian mastermind Safin (Rami Malek). No Time to Die concludes Craigs muscular tour of duty in style. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga wrings the living daylights out of action sequences including a showdown at sea and screeching car chases that barely touch the brakes. SATURDAY The Greatest Showman (2017) E4, 7p.m. A massive sleeper hit, this musical stars Hugh Jackman as the legendary PT Barnum, a tailors son who falls under the spell of the privileged Charity Hallett (Michelle Williams). They live modestly until PT blags a $10,000 bank loan for a museum of living curiosities. The exhibits include bearded-lady Lettie Lutz (Keala Settle), dwarf Charles Stratton (Sam Humphrey) and high-flying trapeze siblings WD and Anne Wheeler (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Zendaya). Sardonic newspaper critic James Gordon Bennett (Paul Sparks) denounces the enterprise as a primitive circus of humbug, but the public disagrees, as does investor Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron). The Greatest Showman is a joy-infused blast of pure pleasure that calibrates every swoon of romance and doff of a top hat with masterful precision. SUNDAY The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Channel 4, 3.55p.m. In early 1980s San Francisco, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) hopes to support his family by selling expensive bone density scanners. The plan comes to naught. His long-suffering wife Linda (Thandie Newton), who works two jobs to support their five-year-old son Christopher (Jaden Smith), is fed up with her husbands promises of a brighter future. So, when Chris enrols in an unpaid internship at top-flight investment bank, an angry Linda walks out on her husband, who has no money to pay the rent and is soon forced onto the streets with his boy. Will Smith delivers an exceptionally strong lead performance, but its a shame Newton wasnt given a more nuanced role. MONDAY Knives Out (2019) Film4, 9p.m. Wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) presides over a motley crew of dysfunctional relatives (played by, among others, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans and Toni Collette) who have their eyes on his vast fortune. He invites his kin to an 85th birthday party at his large mansion and apparently commits suicide by slitting his throat after doting carer Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) gives him his medication. Detective Lieutenant Elliott (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) attend the scene, accompanied by private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, clearly have a blast). Knives Out pays loving tribute to Agatha Christie, and writer-director Rian Johnson enjoys pulling the rug from under us. TUESDAY Went the Day Well? (1942) Film4, 11a.m. German paratroopers infiltrate a small English village disguised as a platoon of Royal Engineers. The villagers are eager to help them at first, but when they realise theyve been duped, they must pull together to thwart the enemy. This propaganda thriller from the Ealing Studios based on a story by Graham Greene is excellent and not to be missed. While the acting is at times a little stiff, the relationships are on the whole believable, and this is up there with some of the best wartime films, thanks to some brave, well-handled scenes. The cast includes Mervyn Johns, Leslie Banks and a gun-toting Thora Hird in one of her first screen roles. As the philosopher George Santayana famously put it those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The 25th anniversary of the historic Good Friday Agreement has led to much soul searching about the legacy of the historic treaty that brought an end to 30 years of bitter conflict in Northern Ireland. Students from Colaiste Bhride, Carnew were recognised and rewarded for their academic achievements through being offered scholarships to University College Dublin. The students were some of the two thousand students recognised for their academic excellence at the UCD Entrance Scholarship Awards evening in OReilly Hall. They joined with parents, school management and peers from across the country to celebrate their success. Each student received a certificate and each school got a commemorative plaque. The UCD Entrance Scholarship Awards evening is always a highlight for students who have joined first year in UCD in all the various faculties. On the evening, Professor Barbara Dooley spoke of the resilience that these young scholars have already demonstrated through Covid times. She stressed that excellence is achieved through diversity which will sustain and build on academic and personal achievements. She also advised the young scholars to challenge themselves and to move out of their comfort zones in order to enrich their lives and their learning experiences. The Colaiste Bhride students who received awards were: Academic High Achievers: Abbie Byrne, Caoimhe Byrne, Maire Deegan, James Doyle, Victoria Dranko, Aoibhe Lancaster, Cian OTuama, Grainne Rice, Grace Stedmond Academic Achiever and Gaeltacht Scholar: Isabella Ni Chonaill Cothrom na Feinne Scholars: Anna Lalor (absent), Heidi Woods BY March 1923 the Irish Civil War had been raging for over six months. By now in county Wexford and elsewhere throughout the country the anti-treaty IRA had resorted back to the tactics they knew best from the War of Independence which was guerrilla warfare. Instances of raids, ambushes, and the destruction of infrastructure such as railways were a regular occurrence. In an attempt to end the unrest, the Dail passed emergency legislation, the public safety bill in September of 1922 which allowed for the execution of those captured bearing arms against the state with the first taking place in mid-November, in Dublin. Among the first of these executions was Liam Mellows, who had Wexford connections through his mother. He was executed in December, 1922 and is buried in Castletown, near Gorey. The only instance of executions in county Wexford took place on March 13, 1923 when three anti-treaty IRA members, James Parle (25), John Creane (18) and Patrick Hogan (19) were shot by firing squad in Wexford Goal. These executions however failed to silence the guns of the civil war and in the following weeks until the end of March, a series of events would occur in Wexford that resulted in more death in the county any other month in 1923. On Friday evening March 23, 1923, Free State soldiers were making their way in a Crossley tender lorry from Wexford town to Enniscorthy when they were ambushed about a mile beyond Kyle cross by anti-treaty IRA, members of the Kyle flying column. Rifle, revolver, and machine gun fire was opened on the vehicle from both sides of the road, which resulted in three of the occupants being wounded. Free state troops returned fire on their attackers but with ammunition running low and their Lewis machine gun out of action they were forced to retreat and seek shelter in a nearby cottage. An attempt was made by some of the anti-treaty forces to set fire to the Free Staters abandoned lorry but they were repelled by concentrated firing on their position which resulted in one of the men being wounded. News eventually reached Free State forces in Wexford town and cars on the streets were hastily commandeered and all available troops mustered to the scene. The arrival of these reinforcements led to the Kyle Column retreating across the surrounding fields and countryside. An encircling movement was undertaken by the Free State soldiers which resulted in Matthew Parle (brother of James Parle who had been executed on March 13) being arrested. The rest of the anti-treaty forces made good their escape through a wood in the direction of Atramount house. At Ballyboggan, Free State forces encountered a detached party of anti-treaty IRA. Newspaper accounts stated that Free State soldiers called upon the party to surrender but were fired upon. In the ensuing firefight four of the anti-treaty men were shot and killed: John Lacey, Patrick OConnor, Denis Lacey and Martin Nolan. John Lacey, aged 23, was from Barrack Street in Wexford, and worked as a railway clerk; John O Connor, aged 34, was from Hospital Street, in Enniscorthy, and had worked as a grocers assistant. John had lost his brother Henry less than a year earlier when he was shot during a raid on a house, for arms, near Ferns. Martin Nolan, aged 25, was from Ballindoney, Ballywilliam and worked as a jockey. Denis Lacey was 27, from Crosshue, Blackwater, and worked as a grocers assistant. His brother Joe would later die on hunger strike on Christmas Eve, 1923. All were unmarried. In the subsequent inquiry into the events a jury found the following verdict: We find that Denis Lacy. Martin Nolan, John Lacy, and John OConnor died at Ballyboggan, Castlebridge, on Friday, March 23rd, from gunshot wounds inflicted by National soldiers during an armed engagement." The incident is referred to today as The Crory lane Ambush. In reprisals at Adamstown the following day, Saturday, March 24, 1923, four Free State solders, Lieutenant Thomas Jones, Private Patrick Horan, Private John Croke and Sergeant Edward O Gorman were in McCabes Public house at the Ballagh, Adamstown when they were surprised by anti-treaty IRA. One of anti-treaty men was armed with a Thompson Machine gun and quickly ordered that the Free State troops put their hands up. In an act of defiance Private Croke attempted to reach for his revolver but was shot and wounded. Following this, the three remaining Free State soldiers were taken away and executed. It is alleged that a local priest attended the men before their deaths. Later on a Free State soldier received a note from that same priest which read Adamstown, Saturday morning . To ----- palace East. I regret to inform you that three soldiers were shot this morning in Adamstown. Nicholas Codd, C.C. The bodies of Jones, OGorman and Horan were found lying in the haggard of a disused out farm belonging to a Mr. O Gorman at barracks, Adamstown. During the subsequent inquest into their death the coroner described how all the men had multiple bullet wounds to their bodies. Thomas Jones had previously worked as a labourer before joining the army and was from Dublin. Edward OGorman, a former school teacher and member of the British army, was from Kilkenny. Patrick Horan was from Callan, Co Kilkenny, and had previously served in the Royal Irish Regiment in World War 1. The circumstances surrounding how the four Free State soldiers came to be in McCabes pub on the night are somewhat conflicting. One account stated that Private Croke and Lieutenant Jones were sent to investigate an alleged robbery at the location. Another said that Private Horan, and two other soldiers were causing a disturbance, after leaving their post without permission and as a result Private Croke and Lieutenant Jones were sent. The latter though seems unlikely as any negligence would have meant the deceased relatives compensation applications, which were lodged following their deaths, would have been rejected; The families of all the deceased received gratuities therefore discounting any suggestion of negligence on their part. According to the south Wexford Brigade Activity files the executions were a reprisal for the Wexford executions, referring to the shooting of Parle, Hogan and Creane at Wexford Gaol on March 13. Michael Furlong, shot the following day, Sunday, March 15. He and old school friend, James Purcell were chatting to some girls at Phil Murphys gate, Old Court, Adamstown, when they suddenly heard the sound of lorries travelling up the road. Bidding farewell to the women the men headed into a nearby house. When the lorries carrying Free State soldiers halted outside both men made their way into an adjacent field and while jumping a ditch a shot rang out and Michael Furlong was hit. In the subsequent inquest into his death James Purcell recalled how he heard some noise, possibly shouting, but no cry to halt from the Free State forces. He recalled that while jumping the ditch Michael called out Oh, Jemmy, Im hit! and fell to the ground. Michael then asked him to make to make an act of contrition into his ear as he lay dying. During the inquest James stated that Michael had previously been involved in the volunteer movement but since the truce of July 1921 had taken no active part. The coroner, Dr. Furlong, stated that death was caused by a single bullet wound to the chest fired from some distance away. The Free State troops had been operating in Adamstown with newspaper reports suggesting the group numbered at least six men. During the inquest the officer in charge of the troops that day recalled seeing both men, Michael and James, upon which the patrol halted. He called on the two to halt several times after which he fired several shots into the air in their direction. He did not see them carrying arms but stated they could have been concealed beyond his view. After the initial volley he reloaded and fired again this time directing his fire at the two men but did not notice that any of them had fallen until he found them in a valley lying in a gripe. The Free State troops reportedly then came under fire to which they advanced and engaged their attackers until the firing halted. Returning to Michael, they found him still alive but despite administering first aid he died from his wounds. The legal advisor in the case stated that the military did not deny firing the shots and that they regretted the affair but that they pleaded justification. The jury found that Michael died from a gunshot wound inflicted by the military in the discharge of their duty owing to the deceased failing to halt when called upon. He was 20 years of age at the time of his death. The civil war would continue for another two months with a dump arms order given to anti-treaty forces in May, 1923. This tragic period in Irish history left wounds both physical and mental for many years to come. Looking back on the events of 100 years ago today it is important to consider the difficult legacies of the past with understanding, generosity of spirit and empathy and to value equally the dignity of all lives that were lost during the period. Gorey Community School students were awarded for their culinary and conversation skills when they picked up the Best Interview Award at Senior level at the Student Enterprise Programme County Final. Robyn Kinsella, Grace Willoughby and Sarah Fitzpatrick who are the brains behind luxury treat box business, TaketheCakee were thrilled to receive the award following many months of hard work and dedication. Their company involved producing luxury treat boxes which included a variety of delicious homemade baked goods and proved particularly successful in the run-up to Christmas. In honour of their achievements, the students were presented with certificates by Minister Paul Kehoe and Councillor George Lawlor. Founders of The Scrub Shack, Tara Redmond, Hollie Nolan and Ella Hempenstall also represented the school on the night, as did Elizabeth Tully, Emily Leppla and Casey McDonald, who founded Blingz and Thingz. The Student Enterprise County Final was held at Wexford County Council headquarters with over 400 people in attendance. Over 1,400 students from 18 different school across the county took part in the Student Enterprise Programme in Wexford this year. The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 25,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2021/ 2022. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals. ONE of County Wexfords most hard-working and dedicated community organisations is appealing to members of the public to get involved to enable it continue the work it has done for the last 24 years. At the April meeting of Clonroche Development Association CLG, which was held in Clonroche Community Centre on Monday, April 3, Chairman Lorcan Dunne outlined the structure of the company, emphasising that all activities and property was vested in it and that its assets are are held trust for the Community of Clonroche. Mr Dunne outlined some of the significant work achieved by the organisation over almost quarter of a century and he expressed hope that the progress of the CDA will be maintained and developed into the future for the company, which is limited by guarantee. To this end it was imperative that an AGM will be called to elect the minimum officers necessary for the legal operation of the company, said Mr Dunne, speaking in the wake of the meeting. The organisation will need to elect a chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and preferably a committee. The elected members will then take the responsibility of running and maintaining the company," said Mr Dunne. Those responsibilities, under Section 228, state that: 1) A director of a company shall (a) act in good faith in what the director considers to be the interests of the company; (b) act honestly and responsibly in relation to the conduct of the affairs of the company; (c) act in accordance with the companys constitution and exercise his or her powers only for the purposes allowed by law; (d) not use the companys property, information or opportunities for his or her own or anyone elses benefit. The directors will also have a duty to: maintain proper books of account and prepare annual accounts; have an annual audit performed; maintain certain registers and other documents; file certain documents with the Companies Registration Office; disclosure of certain personal information; convene general meetings of the company; duties regarding transactions with the company and duties of directors of companies in liquidation and directors of insolvent companies. This is not as onerous as it might appear as we have been complying fully with these duties for the past 24 years, said Mr Dunne. He said the association has two directors on the board of ANCCR, which has responsibility for the CE Scheme in the village and he emphasised that its imperative that the scheme continues in the village. The Chairman expressed the wish that an AGM be held as quickly as possible to put the officers in place. Mr Dunne also announced at the meeting that he will be retiring in on October 31, this year. He said he was looking at that date in the context that it would allow six months to get the officers and committee in place. Mr Dunne also commented that as grass and hedges will be dormant for a further six months that gives plenty of time to get the committee working. He thanked all the members of the community who helped the association over the years and while there were too many people to mention individually he felt he had to recognize the efforts and loyalty of the late Richie Blackburn to the community of Clonroche. Mr Dunne said Mr Blackburn put in enormous work over many decades of dedication to the community. A status orange warning lasts until 8am today across Kerry and Cork but a yellow warning is in place until later today for 12 counties, with gusts of up to 110kmh expected. Damaging gusts are possible, Met Eireann has said. The orange warning for Kerry and Cork is due to be lifted, the yellow warning will cover Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Galway, until 3pm today. A yellow warning also covers Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford until 8pm today. While in Northern Ireland a further yellow warning is in place for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until 8pm. Liz Walsh, from Met Eireann said: The overnight wind warnings that were in operation for west Clare, Kerry and Cork, will lapse at 8am. Then we will be left with a nationwide wind warning until 8pm in places tonight. Many areas have yet to see their strongest winds today with eastern and northern parts of the country, including Co Louth, having to wait until later this afternoon at about 5pm or 6pm. Ms Walsh stated that the strongest winds are likely this morning, with all the action in the south west and the west coast, with light, variable winds elsewhere. We have scattered winds and hail, merging into rain as they track eastwards, she added. The main frontal zone is due to hit the west coast around 8am. It will be very windy conditions. It will be very windy today, with strong gale force winds developing nationwide and damaging gusts are possible. The maximum temperatures are around 6C to 9C. Tonight showers will continue and winds will then calm into the evening. The remote-controlled, 32kg Digidog will be deployed in risky situations like hostage standoffs from this summer. The Digidog mobile robot walks during a news conference in Times Square (New York City Office of The Mayor via AP) New York City officials have unveiled three new high-tech policing devices including a robotic dog that critics called creepy when it first joined the police pack two-and-a-half years ago. The new devices, which also include a GPS tracker for stolen cars and cone-shaped security robot, will be rolled out in a manner that is transparent, consistent and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve, said police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who joined mayor Eric Adams and other officials at a Times Square press conference where the security robot and the mechanical canine nicknamed Digidog were displayed. Digidog is out of the pound, said Mr Adams, a Democrat and former police officer. Digidog is now part of the toolkit that we are using. 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 citys first robot police dog was leased in 2020 by Mr Adams predecessor, former mayor Bill de Blasio, but the citys contract for the device was cut short after critics derided it as creepy and dystopian. Mr Adams said he will not bow to anti-robot dog pressure. A few loud people were opposed to it and we took a step back, the mayor said. That is not how I operate. I operate on looking at whats best for the city. Mr Adams said the remote-controlled, 32kg Digidog will be deployed in risky situations like hostage standoffs from this summer. If you have a barricaded suspect, if you have someone thats inside a building that is armed, instead of sending police in there, you send Digidog in there, he said. So these are smart ways of using good technologies. Tracking system StarChase will let police launch a GPS tag that will attach itself to a stolen car so officers can track the vehicles location. The New York Police Departments pilot programme for using the system will last 90 days, officials said. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The Autonomous Security Robot, which Mr Adams compared to a Roomba, will be deployed inside the Times Square subway station in a seven-month pilot programme starting this summer, police officials said. The device, used in shopping centres and other locations for several years, will at first be joined by a human partner, police said. Civil libertarians and police reform advocates questioned the need for the high-tech devices. The NYPD is turning bad science fiction into terrible policing. New York deserves real safety, not a knock-off RoboCop Albert Fox Cahn, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project This latest announcement is just the most recent example of how mayor Adams allows unmitigated overspending of the NYPDs massively bloated budget, said Ileana Mendez-Penate, programme director of Communities United for Police Reform. The NYPD is buying robot dogs and other fancy tech while New Yorkers cant access food stamps because city agencies are short-staffed, and New Yorkers are getting evicted because they cant access their right to counsel. Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, said: The NYPD is turning bad science fiction into terrible policing. New York deserves real safety, not a knock-off RoboCop. The one-year-old Australian shepherd turned up many miles from home after a month away. In this photo provided by Mandy Iworrigan, is Nanuq, a 1-year-old Australian shepherd, after it was returned to Gambell, Alaska, on April 6, 2023. The dog disappeared a month ago from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, and wound up walking on the Bering Sea ice about 150 miles to Wales, Alaska, on the states western coast. (Mandy Iworrigan via AP) A one-year-old pet dog took an epic trek across 150 miles of frozen Bering Sea ice, being bitten by a seal or polar bear before being returned safely to his home in Alaska. Mandy Iworrigan owner of Australian shepherd Nanuq, who lives in Gambell, Alaska and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart Mandy Iworrigan About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in the community of Wales, 150 miles north east of Savoonga on Alaskas western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. My dad texted me and said, Theres a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales, Ms Iworrigan said. She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound. I was like, No freakin way! Thats our dog! What is he doing in Wales? she said. The details of Nanuqs journey are likely to remain a mystery. I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting, Ms Iworrigan said. Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart. She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School Districts Native Youth Olympics tournament. Ms Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy. Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we dont know, because its like a really big bite, she said. Military increasingly using airstrikes to fight a widespread armed struggle against its rule The aftermath of an airstrike in Pazigyi village in Sagaing Region's Kanbalu Township, Myanmar, yesterday. Photo: Kyunhla Activists Group via AP Airstrikes by Myanmars military yesterday killed as many as 100 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule, said a witness, a member of a local pro-democracy group and independent media. The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule, which began in February 2021 when it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 3,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed since then by security forces. A witness said that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly into a crowd of people who were gathering at 8am for the opening of a local office of the countrys opposition movement outside Pazigyi village in Sagaing regions Kanbalu township. The area is about 110km north of Mandalay, the countrys second largest city. About half-an-hour later, a helicopter appeared and fired at the site, said the witness, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities. Initial reports put the death toll at around 50, but later tallies reported by independent media raised it to about 100. It was impossible to independently confirm details of the incident because reporting is restricted by the military government. I was standing a short distance from the crowd when a friend of mine contacted me on the phone about the approach of a fighter jet, the witness said. The jet dropped bombs directly on the crowd, and I jumped into a nearby ditch and hid. A few moments later, when I stood up and looked around, I saw people cut to pieces and dead in the smoke. The office building was destroyed by fire. About 30 people were injured. While the wounded were being transported, a helicopter arrived and shot more people. About 150 people had gathered for the opening ceremony, and women and 20-30 children were among the dead, he said, adding that those killed also included leaders of locally formed anti-government armed groups and other opposition organisations. This act by the terrorist military is yet another example of their indiscriminate use of extreme force against innocent civilians, constituting a war crime, the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) said. The NUG calls itself the countrys legitimate government. The office being opened was part of its administrative network. The military governments spokesperson, Major General Zaw Min Tun, acknowledged in a statement to state television that the ceremony had been attacked, but accused anti-government forces in the area of carrying out a violent campaign of terror. He said the Peoples Defence Forces the armed wing of the NUG had terrorised residents into supporting them. He added there was evidence the attack had set off secondary blasts of explosives hidden by the Peoples Defence Forces around the site. In response to accusations of abuses, the military government often accuses pro-democracy forces of terrorism. But analysts for the UN and non-governmental organisations have gathered credible evidence of large-scale human rights abuses by the army, including the burning of entire villages and displacement of more than a million people, triggering a humanitarian crisis. Climate change, globalisation and armed conflict are facilitating the spread of plant pandemics and threatening the production of food on which billions of people rely, scientists have said. An unprecedented spread of a fungus infecting wheat across the globe has led scientists to call for greater international collaboration in genetic surveillance of crop species to minimise their destruction. Wheat blast fungus was first identified in Brazil in 1985 and gradually spread to neighbouring countries. More recently pandemics have appeared in Bangladesh and Zambia. In Bangladesh in 2016, it destroyed around 15,000 hectares, spreading to more than 16pc of the countrys cultivated wheat area and consuming up to 100pc of yields, while in Zambia outbreaks have continued to occur with varying severity since its arrival in 2018. Scientists are worried the fungus could spread to other countries through the importation of infected seeds or through spores travelling on the wind. Wheat blast has already moved from eight to 21 districts in Bangladesh and scientists are particularly concerned it will spread to China and India, the worlds two biggest wheat producers. In a new study, an international team of scientists led by University College London and the Sainsbury Laboratory, East Anglia, confirmed that the fungus afflicting Bangladesh and Zambia Magnaporthe oryzae is of the same genetic lineage as that in South America, although the exact source could not be identified. The authors wrote: The occurrence of wheat blast on three continents with climatic conditions highly conducive to its spread is unprecedented and represents a very significant threat to global food security which is exacerbated by the twin challenge of climate change and armed conflicts in major agricultural regions. They said the global community must learn lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and follow the spread of the fungus using similar methods of genetic monitoring used to track the spread and mutations of coronavirus. Publishing their work in the journal PLOS Biology, the scientists analysed wheat blasts genetic make-up using 84 simultaneous PCR tests. Aside from tracing its international spread, the team found the gene Rmg8 is resistant to the fungus while the disease is sensitive to the fungicide strobilurin. They stressed that genomic surveillance provides the best method for understanding how to control its spread. Former US President Donald Trump is suing his former lawyer Michael Cohen for more than $500 million, according to a filing in federal court in Florida on Wednesday. The lawsuit comes after Cohen, once Trump's loyal "fixer," testified before a Manhattan grand jury that later indicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, marking the first time in US history that a former president has been charged with a crime. Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty in that case on April 4. Cohen is poised to be a star witness in any eventual trial in the case, which centers around a hush money payment he made before the 2016 election to a porn star who says she slept with Trump. The lawsuit accuses Cohen of violating his attorney-client relationship with Trump by revealing his "confidences" and "spreading falsehoods" in books, podcasts and media appearances. It says Cohen wrongfully called Trump "racist" in his 2020 book, "Disloyal," and fabricated conversations with Trump. "The timing of Disloyal's release, just prior to the November 3, 2020 Presidential Election, suggests that Defendant intended to improperly disclose Plaintiff's confidences when it would be most lucrative to do so and while Disloyal would be sure to have the most damaging reputational effect," the lawsuit said. Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden. Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cohen was a top executive at Trump's real estate company and then worked as his personal lawyer when Trump assumed office in 2017. While Cohen said that year that he would "do anything" to protect Trump, his stance had changed dramatically by 2019, when he testified before a U.S. congressional committee. "I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is," Cohen told the panel. "He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat." Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating federal election law through the $130,000 payment to the porn star, Stormy Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison for that and other crimes, including cheating on his personal taxes and lying under oath to Congress about when the Trump Organization stopped working on a proposed building project in Russia. Trump denies the affair with Daniels. He is accused by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of falsifying Trump Organization records to conceal that he reimbursed Cohen for the payment to Daniels. One of Italys most enduring mysteries, the disappearance of a Vatican schoolgirl 40 years ago, entered a new chapter yesterday when her brother met with a Vatican investigator whom Pope Francis has given free rein to get to the bottom of the case. Over the past four decades tombs have been opened, bones have been exhumed from forgotten grave sites and conspiracy theories have abounded in attempts to determine just what became of Emanuela Orlandi. The daughter of a Vatican usher whose family lived in the Vatican, Ms Orlandi, then 15, failed to return home on June 22, 1983 following a music lesson in Rome. The case, which has been the subject of on-and-off investigations in Italy and the Vatican, has drawn fresh worldwide attention after the release late last year of the Netflix series Vatican Girl. In January, Vatican chief prosecutor Alessandro Diddi reopened a previous inconclusive Vatican investigation after he inherited files from his retired predecessor. In an interview with Corriere della Sera newspaper ahead of the meeting, Mr Diddi said Pope Francis wants the truth to emerge without any reservations. He said the pope had an iron will regarding the case. Ms Orlandis older brother Pietro and the family lawyer, Laura Sgro, met with Mr Diddi in the Vatican for more than five hours yesterday. We hope this can shed light on this episode and write a page of history, said Ms Sgro. She added that the Vaticans openness was absolutely positive. Theories about Ms Orlandis disappearance have run the gamut. In the 1980s, Italian media speculated she had been kidnapped in an attempt to secure freedom for Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk jailed in 1981 for trying to assassinate Pope John Paul II, though nothing came of the link and the suggestion faded. Other reports linked her to the grave of Enrico De Pedis, a mobster buried in a Rome basilica. His tomb was opened in 2012 but nothing was revealed. In 2018, bones found during work at the Vatican embassy in Rome sparked a media frenzy suggesting they might belong to Ms Orlandi or to Mirella Gregori, another teenager who disappeared the same year. DNA tests were negative. Last month, Italys lower house approved the establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate the disappearances of both girls. A red squirrel that became trapped in a manhole cover has been freed by firefighters in Germany, despite being uncooperative during its rescue. The city fire department in Dortmund was alerted to the trapped animal by a pedestrian on Monday afternoon after she spotted its head poking out in the road. The squirrel was covered with a scarf to calm it down until a crew of firefighters arrived at the scene. However, the rodent did not make life easy for the crew as they carefully tried to separate it from the plate. This turned out to be quite complicated as the squirrel was uncooperative, the fire department said. It took several attempts for the crew to free the squirrel before it fled up a nearby tree, apparently unharmed. A similar rescue was required in the same city in 2019, when firefighters, police and a veterinary clinic saved a red squirrel that also got its head stuck in a manhole cover. A fire department spokesman said: It could not be determined if it was the same squirrel that had to be rescued from the same situation four years ago. Leaked secret documents warn of casualties in counter-offensive A still image from bodycam footage purportedly showing Ukrainian soldiers in close combat with Russian troops in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Photo: Via Reuters US intelligence believes the forthcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive could fall well short of Kyivs goals, according to a purported leaked top-secret document. The assessment was part of a major leak of classified US material relating to Ukraine and other allies that has shaken Washington. Ukraine is expected to launch an attack on invading Russian troops in the spring, in its first major military push of the year. But the document suggested the US had serious concerns over the viability of the counter-offensive. It suggested that there would be force generation and sustainment shortfalls, and the Ukrainian operation would result in only modest territorial gains. The document, first reported on by the Washington Post, suggested Ukrainian training deficiencies combined with a lack of weapons would limit its advances and lead to more casualties. It said that enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive. The document, which was compiled in early February, was part of a series of leaks that have led to a criminal investigation by the US Justice Department. Pentagon officials warned that the leaks posed a very serious risk to US national security. US officials have also warned some documents appeared to have been doctored. Dozens of photographs of documents have been found on social media platforms Twitter and Telegram, and other websites, in recent days. Some of them have been circulating online for weeks and possibly months. They may have originated in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers. The platform hosts real-time voice, video and text chats. A member of the website told the Associated Press that, starting a few months ago, an unidentified poster began sharing documents that were allegedly classified. In addition to information on Ukraine, the documents also included sensitive analyses by the US of its allies. The document about the Ukrainian counter-offensive appeared to have originated from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It appeared to contain information from human and signals intelligence. Since early February, when the report was dated, US officials have held talks with Ukrainian counterparts. Those involved in the talks included Mark Milley, Americas top general, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, and Lloyd Austin, the defence secretary, the Washington Post reported. There were also table-top exercises played out showing the limited scope of the counter-offensive, the newspaper claimed. A Pentagon spokesman said Mr Austin first became aware of the leaks last Thursday. In the days since, the Pentagon has reached out to allies and held daily meetings to assess the damage. It also set up a group to assess the scope of the intelligence leaked, and who had access to the briefing materials. John Kirby, the White House national security council spokesman, said: We dont know who is behind this. We dont know what the motive is. Mr Kirby said at least some of the documents have been doctored. Battlefield casualty estimates appeared to have been altered to understate Russian losses. Meanwhile, Ukrainian partisans in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol are outing collaborators and defacing rouble banknotes as they build momentum ahead of an expected counter-offensive by Kyiv, an underground resistance leader has said. News of the future counter-offensive and the potential that Melitopol and the Zaporizhzhia region will be liberated soon has encouraged a lot of people to do something patriotic, said Ivan, not his real name. Like with Kherson, we have seen a boom in pro-Ukrainians feeling more confident to join a resistance movement, the IT expert added. He said with only Russian officers remaining in the city, resistance fighters have stepped up their efforts ahead of their hoped-for liberation by Ukraines military. Bank employee Connor Sturgeon used an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the attack at Old National Bank in Louisville. Flowers and a message of hope sit on the steps of the Old National Bank in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, April 11, 2023. On Monday, a shooting at the bank located in downtown Louisville killed several people and wounded others. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) Police have released frantic calls from witnesses reporting a mass shooting at a Kentucky bank, including one from the mans mother, who told a 911 operator that her son currently has a gun and is heading toward the bank. I need your help. Hes never hurt anyone, hes a good kid, said the woman, who identified herself as the gunmans mother. None of the callers are identified by name and other information is edited out of the calls, but the first call was from a woman who was on a video call inside the bank on Monday. She screams and cries throughout the four-minute call and says there is an active gunman at the Old National Bank in central Louisville. I just watched it on a Teams meeting, she says. We were having a board meeting. With our commercial (lending) team. We heard multiple shots and everybody started saying, Oh my God, and then he came into the boardroom. Bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, used an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the attack, killing five co-workers while livestreaming before police shot him dead. Eight other people were injured, including a police officer who was shot in the head and remains in critical condition in hospital. After the first call, others began streaming in. One of the callers says she is calling from inside the building as gunshots are heard in the background. Im in a closet hiding, the caller says. She says people have been shot and gives a description of the shooting, saying she knows the gunman. He works with us. How long will it be before they get here? she whispers and the dispatcher tells her that authorities are on the way and advises her to keep quiet. Asked what kind of injuries there were, the caller replies: I dont know. I just saw a lot of blood. Another call came from a man inside the bank, who told dispatchers the address and said: We have an active shooting in our building. White male. Hes an employee of Old National Bank. Get here now. We need somebody now. Another call came from a motorist driving down Main Street, who reported seeing a man with an assault rifle and a bulletproof vest walking around. How long ago was it that you saw this? the dispatcher asks. The caller says it was about five minutes and asks: Has anybody else reported this? Like, I hope to God Im seeing things. The dispatcher then describes what others reported the suspect was wearing and the caller confirms it. Did you see him shooting or anything? the dispatcher asks. No maam. He was like kind of like jogging around like he was like trying to get somewhere in a hurry, the caller says, but is not able to give the direction the gunman was headed. Youve had calls from other people, so hes already there? Connor Sturgeon's mother The woman identifying herself as Sturgeons mother asks during the call if she can go to the bank but is told by the dispatcher that she should not because theres a situation going on down there and its dangerous. Youve had calls from other people, so hes already there? the mother asks with shock in her voice. The audio releases came hours before an interfaith vigil at the Muhammad Ali Centre to remember victims and allow the public to offer prayers for the injured. This is a very tough time for our city, and we were not meant to go through tough times alone, Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the US this year, came just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles south of Louisville. The five bank employees killed in the shooting were Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Jim Tutt Jr, 64, a commercial real estate market executive. The 46-year-old became ill last Friday when he was let out of a punishment cell and put in a conventional cell. Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in failing health because of a new suspected poisoning and is back in a punishment cell after a few days in regular confinement, a spokeswoman has said. Anna Veduta, a Washington DC-based vice president of Mr Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, told the Associated Press that the 46-year-old fell ill last Friday when he was let out of the punishment cell and put in a conventional cell. He had lost about 18lb over the past 15 days. On Monday, Mr Navalny wrote on Twitter that he had been put back in a punishment cell for another 15-day term. An ambulance was called early on Saturday because of acute stomach pains but Mr Navalny received no diagnosis, one of his lawyers, Vadim Kobzev, wrote on Twitter after visiting him in prison. We believe he is slowly being administered low doses of poison in pills he is given without identification, Ms Veduta said. A video documentary about Mr Navalny won an Oscar last month. The documentary portrays his career of fighting official corruption, his near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent in 2020 that he blames on the Kremlin, his five-month recuperation in Germany and his 2021 return to Moscow, where he was taken into custody. He was later sentenced to two and a half years in prison and was convicted last year of other charges and given another nine-year term. Mr Navalny has faced unrelenting pressure from Russian authorities, and has been in and out of isolation in a tiny punishment cell. He is allowed to write letters and have lawyers visit occasionally. German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said Berlin took note of reports about Mr Navalnys worsening health with great concern. She added that Germany wants the inhuman treatment that he is apparently suffering in prison to be lifted, and wants Russian authorities to ensure he gets access to medical treatment and is released. Japan is spending billions developing missiles that can be fired from land, air and sea amid Chinas increasing military threat. Japans Defence Ministry announced Tuesday it has signed contracts worth nearly 380 billion yen (2.2 billion) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop and mass produce long-range missiles. This photo shows an exterior view of the Defence Ministry of Japan with its sign at the main entrance in Tokyo. (Hiro Komae, AP Photo) Japans Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday it has signed contracts worth nearly 380 billion yen (2.2 billion) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop and mass produce long-range missiles. The missiles would be ready for deployment as early as 2026 amid growing fears of Chinas increasing military strength. The ministry said the contracts include enhanced versions of Mitsubishis Type 12 missiles for surface, sea and air launches, and a hypersonic ballistic missile for the defence of remote islands. Mass production of Type 12 land-to-ship guided missiles and hypersonic gliding missiles, which have already been developed, will begin this year, the ministry said. Officials refused to provide the number of missiles that Japan plans to deploy but indicated that production is expected to gradually increase over the next five years. Due to limited land space at home, Japan plans to hold pre-deployment missile tests at military bases in the United States, ministry officials said. Another contract is for development of submarine-launched long-range anti-ship guided missiles, beginning this year and planned through 2027. Timing for their deployment is still undecided. The development plan is based on a new National Security Strategy that Japan announced in December as it seeks to significantly increase its military power to deter potential threats from China, North Korea and Russia. The new strategy includes developing a pre-emptive strike capability, a sharp break from Japans post-war commitment to limit its military to self-defence. Japan has been strengthening defence in its southwest and recently placed missile units on remote islands as deterrence in case of an emergency involving Taiwan. But residents of Okinawa are divided over the move because of fears of becoming embroiled in a conflict. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan is also buying 400 US-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting targets up to 1,000 miles away for deployment beginning in 2026. The Tomahawks are a stop gap while Mitsubishi works on upgrading and extending the range of its missiles. Japan plans to nearly double its military spending over the next five years to 43 trillion yen (258 billion). The request by Dominion Voting Systems came a day after its lawyers told the judge that Fox had withheld critical information. The judge presiding over a voting machine companys defamation lawsuit against Fox has denied the firms request to hold separate trials one for Fox News and another for the networks parent company. The request by Dominion Voting Systems came a day after its lawyers told the judge that Fox lawyers had withheld critical information about the role played at Fox News by company founder Rupert Murdoch, who is chairman of Fox Corp. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis, who consolidated the cases against both entities in December, refused Dominions request to hold a separate trial during which Mr Murdoch would give evidence as a Fox News witness. Dominion lawyers had told the judge that they had learned this week that Mr Murdoch also was an officer of Fox News, holding the title of executive chairman. That was contrary to repeated assertions by Fox lawyers. Mr Murdochs role and that of other top Fox executives is at the heart of Dominions 1.6 billion dollar (1.3 billion) defamation case, which alleges that Fox damaged the company by repeatedly airing false allegations that its machines and the software they used rigged the 2020 presidential election against former president Donald Trump. The companys lawyers have sought to insulate members of the Murdoch family from the lawsuit, including trying to keep them from giving evidence live before a jury. The lawyers have argued that executives roles at the parent company, Fox Corp, removed them from the day-to-day decisions that allowed the false election claims to be aired on various Fox News programmes. Fox Corp had claimed since Colorado-based Dominion filed its lawsuit in 2021 that Mr Murdoch had no official role at Fox News. In its filings, it had listed Fox News officers as Jay Wallace, Joe Dorrego and Suzanne Scott, who is Fox News chief executive, but on Sunday, Fox disclosed to Dominions lawyers that Mr Murdoch was also executive chair at Fox News. In a statement, Fox said he has been listed as executive chairman of Fox News in Securities and Exchange Commission filings since 2019. Fox lawyers also noted during Wednesdays pre-trial hearing that Dominion lawyers, using a publicly available proxy statement, had asked Mr Murdoch at his deposition if he was executive chairman at Fox News. No. My son is the chief executive of everything at Fox, he initially replied, referring to his son Lachlan Murdoch, who is executive chairman of Fox Corp. He later said: I may have had that title in the past. I may have it now. I dont know. Fox lawyers have said Mr Murdochs title at Fox News was honorific and that he has had no role in day-to-day management. Dominion lawyers contend that Foxs late disclosure of Mr Murdochs dual role has deprived Dominion of the ability to produce documents from him to which it otherwise would have been entitled. As an alternative to ordering separate trials, Dominion lawyers said the judge should give an adverse inference to jurors about Foxs conduct. Judge Davis declined to rule on that request, saying Dominion would have to offer evidence to support it and that Fox would have a chance to respond. But he added: What do I do with attorneys that arent straightforward with me? suggesting the conduct of Fox lawyers could result in unspecified sanctions. A trial in the case is set to start on Thursday with jury selection. The UKs biggest lender said it wants to double the number of people with a disability in senior management roles by 2025. Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to double the proportion of staff with disabilities in senior management jobs, in the first commitment of its kind from a UK bank (Joe Giddens/ PA) Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to double the proportion of staff with disabilities in senior management jobs, in the first commitment of its kind from a UK bank. The move is part of efforts from the UKs biggest lender to be a more inclusive workplace. Currently 6% of Lloyds employees at senior management level have reported having a disability including musculoskeletal conditions, hearing loss and neurodiversity such as ADHD and autism, as well as mental health conditions according to its internal diversity surveys. But the banking group wants to double representation to 12% by 2025, Lloyds told the PA news agency. If the goal is reached, it would mean the number of senior managers who identify as having a disability across the business increases from around 450 to 900. If you cant see yourself at a senior level of an organisation then you dont know how you can get there Fiona Cannon, group sustainable business director at Lloyds Building society Nationwide has publicly set its own disability target for senior staff of 8% by March 2028. Lloyds says it is the first UK bank to make the more ambitious public commitment regarding disability representation. The company plans to make its office spaces, technology, and recruitment process more accessible and inclusive to reach the target. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial or long-term negative effect on a persons ability to do normal daily activities, according to the Equality Act 2010. Charlie Nunn, Lloyds Banking Group chief executive, said: Todays announcement to double the representation of colleagues with disabilities in senior management roles demonstrates our commitment to become more inclusive, and we will continue to challenge ourselves to be a more accessible, supportive and inclusive place to work. Lloyds was the first FTSE 100-listed company to set public targets for gender and ethnicity representation (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Fiona Cannon, Lloydss group sustainable business director, said the diversity targets are a way to help reduce some of the myths and stigma surrounding disability. She told PA: I think it is really important to demonstrate that having a disability is not a barrier to progression, either in our organisation or others, and there are lots of people living very successfully with a disability. If you cant see yourself at a senior level of an organisation then you dont know how you can get there. She added that it is important as a customer-facing business to reflect its customers, who are incredibly diverse. Lloyds Bank was the first company in the FTSE 100 stock exchange to set a public target for female representation in 2014, and then for black, Asian and minority ethnic employees in 2018. It wants half of senior roles at the bank to be held by women by 2025. At the end of 2022, 39.4% of positions were held by women. Lloyds has also set a target for 13% of senior roles to be held by black, Asian and minority ethnic people by 2025. The business uses internal data and a dedicated forum to determine how many employees have a disability, what disabilities they have, and consequently which policies to put in place. Beijing strongly opposes the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. China has warned that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests, or interfere in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises that began on Tuesday in the Philippines, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Mr Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the US-Philippine security cooperation is hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington on Tuesday, the US and Philippines defence and foreign secretaries met to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. 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 US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises. He added the US was allocating more than 100 million dollars (80 billion) to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Mr Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the US delivery of much-needed defence equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organisers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, American and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan (a Tagalog word meaning shoulder-to-shoulder), told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Col Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Col Logico said. Mr Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at US security policies while praising China and Russia. Mr Duterte tried to abrogate a key defence pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills, but later backpedalled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as Joe Bidens administration strengthens an arc of alliances to counter China, with a potential confrontation over Taiwan on the horizon. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Mr Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase US warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to American and Philippine military officials. Juul exited the Irish market in 2020. E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc has agreed to pay $462 million (420m) to settle claims by six US states including New York and California that it unlawfully marketed its addictive products to minors, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. With the deal, Juul will have settled with 45 states for more than $1 billion. The company did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, which also included Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico as well as the District of Columbia. Juul is still facing a lawsuit by Minnesota, where a trial is currently underway, as well as lawsuits or open investigations by Florida, Michigan, Maine and Alaska. In addition to the state settlements, the company last year agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits by local government entities and individual consumers. Under pressure from regulators, Juul in 2019 pulled most of its flavors from the market and halted much of its advertising. The US Food and Drug Administration last June briefly banned the products, though it put the ban on hold and agreed to reconsider the action after the company appealed. Juul's former largest investor, Marlboro cigarette maker Altria Group Inc, is also facing claims over its alleged role in marketing Juul's e-cigarettes, and has not settled. Altria last month announced that it had given up its investment in Juul in exchange for some of Juul's intellectual property. As of December, its share of Juul was valued at $250 million, down from $12.8 billion in 2018. The head of the FDA's center for tobacco products said last year that adolescent e-cigarette use in the United States remained at "concerning levels" and posed a serious public health risk. Federal health officials said last October that an estimated 2.55 million US middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes during a four-month span earlier in 2022. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, the addictive substance present in regular cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products, and nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also has said using nicotine in adolescence may raise the risk for future addiction to other drugs. Ahmedabad: Private sector HDFC Bank has signed a Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement with Export Import Bank of Korea for a US $ 300 million line of credit. The pact was signed at GIFT City, Gujarat. This will help HDFC Bank raise foreign currency funds which it would extend to Korea-related businesses. This line of credit would be utilised by HDFC Bank towards funding requirements of Companies having equity participation by Korean companies Companies having business relationship with Korean companies Consumers for purchase of cars manufactured by Korea related Companies The pact is likely to promote and increase the banks business with Korean entities and products. The first drawdown under the program would happen by May. Our agreement with Korean Eximbank will further strengthen and support trade and investment flows between India and Korea which can potentially create more jobs in the country. We will pursue deals under this agreement and may look to expand the programme, said Arup Rakshit, Group Head, Treasury, Sales Analytics and Overseas Business, HDFC Bank. The signing ceremony was attended by Export Import Bank of Koreas team led by Choun-Jae Lee, Director General, Head of Interbank Finance Department. Others present on the occasion from Export Import Bank of Korea were, Ki-young Jung, Senior Loan Officer, Interbank Finance Department and Kisang Kim, Chief Representative, New Delhi Representative Office. HDFC Bank was represented by Arup Rakshit, Group Head Treasury, Sales, Analytics and Overseas Business, Kapil Bansal, Executive Vice President, Head Overseas Business Treasury, Anand Iyer, Head GIFT City IBU. Image tweeted by @GitaGopinath Washington: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Gita Gopinath, the first deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on Wednesday at the IMF-World Bank spring meetings. The IMF economist took to Twitter to share a picture with the FM. " Had a very good discussion with Finance Minister @nsitharaman at the IMF-World Bank spring meetings, to discuss the progress being made under India's G20 Presidency on debt issues and crypto related challenges, her caption read. Had a very good discussion with Finance Minister@nsitharaman at the IMF-World Bank spring meetings, to discuss the progress being made under India's G20 Presidency on debt issues and crypto related challenges. pic.twitter.com/na8K5p0pjW Gita Gopinath (@GitaGopinath) April 12, 2023 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on a week-long visit to the US to attend the spring meetings of IMF-WB and engage with the World Bank Development Committee and IMF Committee Plenaries. Indias ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu received Sitharaman in Washington on April 9 for her week-long US visit to attend the annual spring meetings and lead the G-20 countries in a series of intense interactions on various global issues. The spring meetings is being attended by Finance Ministers and Central Bankers from across the world. Image Credit: Pixabay Kolkata / New Delhi: Modern Automotives Ltd. has bagged an order of 2.5 million units of differential pinion shaft to be supplied to BMW AG Munich by 2034. The pinion shaft provides a permanent gear reduction between the engine and the driving road wheels. In vehicles, the differential is the main part that transmits the movement coming from the engine to the wheels. On a smooth road, the movement comes to both wheels evenly. This part requires stringent chemistry for steel, micro microns controls in machining and grinding processes that have been successfully developed with in-house competency of Modern Automotives. In order to meet the exacting standard for the pinion shaft, Modern Automotives developed a special patented coating process under collaborative efforts with HEF France. This process helps improve the Physical & metallurgical properties of materials, Parts & Components leading to the reduction or total elimination of any type of Surface Problems like Wear, Corrosion, friction, scuffing, seizure, etc. These time-tested solutions enhance the life of the components and parts by 3 to 4 times more than conventionally manufactured parts. For advanced automobiles, this coating process is critical in developing auto parts. With the strategic co-development agreement with HEF Modern Automotives is well positioned to provide critical and sensitive parts to global auto majors. Advanced automobile companies from across Europe and Asian nations like Germany and Japan find Modern Automotives as a dependable source for critical parts. For an automotive brand like BMW which sets the industry-leading benchmark in mobility, developing pinion shaft matching its precise quality standard is a feather in the cap of our company and a milestone for the Make in India campaign. This order is a reflection of the stringent world-class quality that Modern Automotives offers. This also showcases the countrys global standing in the auto components market. It is a proud moment for all of us to have got this order said Aditya Goyal, Managing Director, Modern Automotives. This total project revenue value is Rs 150 crore and would give a huge push to the companys ambition of being part of the global supply chain of prestigious OEMs. By the ability to develop an advanced coating process and use the same for precision parts for high-tech automobiles, Modern Automotives have demonstrated its technical strength to deliver products to the best in the class mobility sector companies. With such an export order coming from a mobility trendsetter BMW, Modern Automotives is now aiming at an increase in its export order book to 25 percent by 2025 against 5 percent at present. In its product portfolio, Modern Automotives is among the fastest-growing company working with global auto giants. Image Credit: wikipedia.org New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud Tuesday admonished a lawyer who mentioned a case for early hearing before a Supreme Court bench, media reported. "Don't mess around with my authority," an angry CJI said, warning the lawyer who sought an early hearing of his case and asked for liberty to mention it before another bench when told the case would be listed on April 17, a report in the media said. Reprimanding the lawyer, CJI Chandrachud, who seldom loses his cool, advised him not to play tricks and that the case could not be presented before another bench for a hearing at an earlier date when an SC bench was already on it. The lawyer, however, immediately sensed the mood of the bench and expressed regret and requested to be excused for his submissions. The CJI said he was excused but warned the lawyer not to mess with his authority. On average, every morning the bench led by the CJI hears around 100 cases seeking urgent listing before benches in the Supreme Court. Image Credit: MEA Ukraine Twitter New Delhi/UNI: In big relief to thousands of Indian medical students who fled Ukraine in February last year following the Russian invasion, Ukraines First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova, who was visiting India, has conveyed that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile. She mentioned this during her bilateral talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), MEA. Over 20,000 Indians, mostly medical students, were evacuated from Ukraine post the February 24, 2022 invasion by Russia. Most of them had to leave their studies mid-way, affecting their future prospects. With the Ukraine conflict continuing, the Indian students have been at a loss on what to do. Dzhaparova also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. She was in New Delhi from April 10- 12, in her first official visit to India. During the talks, bilateral agenda included - spheres such as economic, defence, humanitarian assistance, and global issues of mutual interest. She briefed Secretary (West) about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date, an official statement said. "On the issue of Indian medical students, the Deputy FM mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile," the statement said. Secretary (West) shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses etc. to Ukraine. Dzhaparova also called on Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi. Besides holding discussions on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest, she handed over a letter from President Zelenskyy, addressed to Prime Minister Modi. A Ukrainian request for additional humanitarian supply, including medicines and medical equipment was also shared by her. It was agreed that the next Inter-Governmental Commission between the two countries would be held in India on a mutually convenient date. Dzhaparova visited the Manohar Parrikar - Institute of Defence Studies, and also delivered a talk at the Indian Council of World Affairs. During her visit, Dzhaparova highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India. Dzhaparova's visit to India would facilitate cooperation between the two countries, it added. In a tweet on her meeting with MoS Meenakshi Lekhi, she said: I was glad to pass @M_Lekhi a letter from #Ukraine's President @ZelenskyyUa to Indian Prime Minister@narendramodi. At around 12 noon, Prime Minister will reach AIIMS Guwahati and inspect its newly built campus. At a public function subsequently, he will dedicate AIIMS Guwahati and three other Medical colleges to the Nation. He will also lay the foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) and launch Aapke Dwar Ayushman campaign by distributing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to eligible beneficiaries. At around 2:15 PM, Prime Minister will attend the programme marking the platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati. At 5 PM, Prime Minister will reach Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati to preside over a public function, where he will witness a colourful Bihu programme performed by more than ten thousand performers/ Bihu dancers. During the programme, Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the Nation various development projects including commissioning of a 500 TPD Menthol Plant in Namrup; laying of foundation stone of bridge on Brahmaputra River connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi; foundation stone laying for beautification of Rang Ghar, Sivasagar; and dedication to five railway projects to the Nation. PM at AIIMS Guwahati Prime Minister will dedicate to Nation and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 3,400 crores. The operationalization of AIIMS, Guwahati will mark a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the entire North-East region. This is also a testimony of the Prime Ministers commitment to strengthen health infrastructure across the country. The foundation stone of this Hospital was also laid by the Prime Minister in May 2017. Built at a cost of more than Rs. 1120 crores, AIIMS Guwahati is a state of the art Hospital having capacity of 750 beds including 30 AYUSH beds. This hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students every year. The Hospital will provide world class health facilities to the people of North east. Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation three Medical Colleges viz Nalbari Medical College, Nalbari; Nagaon Medical College, Nagaon; and Kokrajhar Medical College, Kokrajhar, built at a cost of about Rs. 615 crore, Rs. 600 crore and Rs. 535 crore respectively. Each medical college has an attached 500 bedded teaching hospitals with OPD/ IPD services including emergency services, ICU facilities, OT and diagnostic facilities etc. Each Medical College will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students. The ceremonial launch of Aapke Dwar Ayushman campaign by the Prime Minister, is a step towards realising his vision of reaching out to every beneficiary to ensure 100 percent saturation of welfare schemes. Prime Minister will distribute Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to three representative beneficiaries, which will be followed by distribution of about 1.1 crore AB-PMJAY Cards in all districts of the state. The foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) is a step towards realising Prime Ministers vision of Atmnirbhar Bharat and 'Make in India' in the areas related to health. Majority of technologies used in healthcare in the country are imported, and developed in a different context, which are highly expensive and complex to operate in the Indian environment. AAHII is envisioned in such a context and will work such that we find our own solutions for our own problems. AAHII, to be built at a cost of about Rs. 546 crore, will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation's unique problems related to heath and promote development of new technologies for solving those problems. PM at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Prime Minister will attend the programme marking the platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court. During the programme, Prime Minister will launch a mobile application Assam Cop designed by Assam Police. The app will facilitate accused and vehicle search from the database of Crime & Criminal Network Tracking System (CCTNS) and the VAHAN national register. The Gauhati High Court was established 1948 and it served as the common court for the seven north-eastern states of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh until March, 2013, when separate High Courts for the States of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura were created. The Gauhati High Court now has jurisdiction over the States of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, with its Principal Seat at Guwahati and three permanent Benches in Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram) and Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh). PM at Sarusajai Stadium Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 10,900 crores. Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a bridge on Brahmaputra river connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi. The bridge will provide much-needed connectivity in the region. He will also commission a 500 TPD Methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh. He will also inaugurate five railway projects including doubling and electrification of various sections in the region. The railway projects being inaugurated include Digaru - Lumding section; Gauripur - Abhayapuri Section; Doubling of New Bongaigaon - Dhup Dhara section; Electrification of Raninagar Jalpaiguri - Guwahati section; Electrification of Senchoa - Silghat Town and Senchoa - Mairabari section. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the project for beautification of Rang Ghar in Sivasagar, which will enhance tourist amenities at the location. The project for beautification of Rang Ghar will provide for facilities like fountain-show built around a huge water body and showcasing history of Ahom dynasty, boat house with jetty for adventurous boat rides, artisan village for promotion of local handicrafts, diverse ethnic cuisines for food lovers etc. Rang Ghar located in Sivasagar is one of the most iconic structure to depict the Ahom cultures and traditions. It was built by the Ahom King, Swargadeo Pramatta Singha in the 18th Century. Prime Minister will also witness a mega Bihu dance which has been organized in order to globally showcase the Bihu dance of Assam as a mascot of cultural identity and life of the Assamese people. This event would feature more than 10,000 performers/Bihu Artists in a single venue, and would attempt a New Guinness World Record in the category of largest Bihu dance performance in the world in a single venue. It will feature artists from across the 31 districts of the state. (With UNI inputs) UNI New Delhi: India and Estonia held their 12th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on Wednesday, during which they discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the Ukraine conflict, Indias Presidency of G20 and UNSC reforms. The Indian side was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, while the Estonian side was led by Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. India and Estonia, a country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, share a warm and cordial bilateral relationship, and have regular exchanges at both political and official levels. Trade between India and Estonia has increased in recent years, despite the adverse effects of the pandemic, said an official statement. The FOC provided an opportunity for reviewing bilateral engagements and for exchanging views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including developments in our respective neighbourhoods, EU, Ukraine conflict, Indias Presidency of G20, cooperation in multilateral fora, and UNSC reforms. Both sides also discussed furthering relations in sectors such as trade and investments, Cyber and Digital Cooperation and cultural linkages. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at mutually convenient dates in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, it added. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet said: 12th India-Estonia FOC held in New Delhi, led by Secy (West) @SanjayVermalFS & @KyllikeSillaste, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, MoFA." Estonia. Discussions covered bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, including UNSC reforms, Ukraine conflict and Indias G20 Presidency. According to the Estonian Foreign Ministry, the meeting concentrated on political and economic relations between the countries, major foreign policy issues and regional developments. Estonia and India are united by successful cyber and digital cooperation, and we are interested in closer business and research cooperation in other areas of mutual interest. The Indian Embassy opened in Tallinn in late 2021 has greatly contributed to our closer cooperation, Undersecretary Kyllike Sillaste-Elling said. They also spoke about cooperation opportunities in managing and fighting climate change. "Speaking about Russias aggression against Ukraine, Undersecretary Sillaste-Elling underlined the continued need to support Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. Peace can only come on the terms and at the time that Ukraine prefers, the undersecretary said, expressing hope that India would play an important part in supporting Ukraine during its G20 presidency this year, the statement said. During her visit, Undersecretary Sillaste-Elling also met with the head of the European Union mission to India, EU ambassadors, and Indian academics and representatives of think tanks, it said. (With UNNI inputs) UNI Quito: At least nine people were killed on Tuesday in an armed attack on a small fishing port in the northwest Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas, on the border with Colombia, said the State Attorney General's Office (FGE). Authorities recovered seven corpses at the scene and two more from a nearby hospital, and took them to a forensic center, said the FGE, adding it was investigating "to find those responsible for this crime." According to local media, a group of assailants armed with pistols and rifles arrived at the port in the morning, and began shooting at merchants and employees working at the warehouse before fleeing the scene. Interior Minister Juan Zapata told news website Primicias the attack was carried out by 30 assailants, and at least four people were injured in the incident. Investigation is underway into whether organized crime groups were behind the attack. Meanwhile, the military said via Twitter it would support the police in their "search by air and land for those involved in the shooting." The government of Esmeraldas province declared a state of emergency in March, which is still in place, due to rising crime and violence. (With UNI inputs) Image: UNICEF/Laurence Geai New York: The United Kingdom must ensure that all children seeking asylum are properly protected and put an end to the Government policy of placing unaccompanied youngsters in hotels, where hundreds have reportedly gone missing since mid-2021, a group of UN-appointed independent human rights experts said on today. We are deeply concerned at reports that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are going missing and are at high risk of being trafficked within the UK, the three experts, or Special Rapporteurs, said in a statement. Local authority responsibility They said that instead of being housed in hotels, children should be placed in the care of local authorities, where they can be properly looked after. The current policy of placing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in hotels places them outside of the UK child protection system and is discriminatory, they added, noting that failures and gaps in child protection heighten risks of trafficking. They stressed the urgent need to trace the missing children, and to provide human rights-compliant reception conditions and protection, for unaccompanied children seeking asylum without discrimination on grounds of nationality, migration status, race, ethnicity and gender. The UK Government appears to be failing to abide by its core obligations under international human rights law, the experts said. UN experts concerned by reports of unaccompanied children seeking asylum going missing in #UK. They urge the government to ensure protection of all children seeking asylum w/out discrimination and end practice of placing unaccompanied minors in hotels. https://t.co/yyuobVx3hl https://t.co/VG0bMOGAds They noted reports that 4,600 unaccompanied children have been housed in six hotels since June 2021, and that 440 of them had disappeared. Some 220 remained unaccounted for as of 23 January this year, the majority of whom were Albanian nationals. The practice has allegedly developed in a climate of increasing hostility towards victims of trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, the Human Rights Council-appointed experts said. Some Members of Parliament have reportedly been critical of victims of trafficking seeking protection under the UKs Modern Slavery Act and the National Referral Mechanism, undermining the Governments obligation to protect victims and prevent them from being potentially trafficked. The experts added that they have been in contact with the UK Government regarding their serious concerns. Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. They monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work. Image: UN Photo/Sourav Sarker New York: Continuing his tradition of carrying out solidarity visits to Muslim countries during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the United Nations chief today landed in Somalia, where he underlined the need for international engagement to alleviate the countrys dire humanitarian situation and aid with state-building efforts. I am also here to ring the alarm on the need of massive international support, because of the humanitarian difficulties the country is facing, massive humanitarian support in relation to the build-up of a security capacity of Somalia, and massive humanitarian support in stabilisation and development of the country, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Although Somalis make virtually no contribution to climate change, the Somalis are among the greatest victims. Nearly five million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. And of course, rising prices make matters worse. So, I call on donors and I call on the international community to step up their support, he added. The UN chief made the comments at a joint press encounter with Somalias President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia, the federal governments premises, soon after landing in Mogadishu. He last visited Somalia six years ago. Later on Tuesday, accompanied by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, who also serves as his Deputy Special Representative for the country, the Secretary-General met some of the Somalis affected by the countrys humanitarian crisis during a visit to a camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, the largest city in Somalias South West state. He met with two different families there. The first had travelled 105 kilometres by foot and donkey cart, to seek refuge in Baidoa last year, after all of its livestock perished during the ongoing drought. The second family had done the same after its livestock died and travelled some 70 kilometres to seek aid. Mobilise much more support It is time for the international community to mobilise much more support, support for the Somalis to guarantee the security of their people and fight terrorism, support for the Somalis to solve the humanitarian drama that we can witness in a camp like this one. And support to the Somalis in creating the conditions to build the resilience of their population and to create a path of development for the people of Somalia, Mr. Guterres said after the meetings. In the Holy Month of Ramadan, he added, we need to have generosity from the international community that is absolutely crucial to rescue these people that I've seen in this camp, and that live in such dramatic circumstances. Millions need lifesaving aid Currently, nearly half of Somalias population 8.25 million people need lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance due to climate shocks, which include five consecutive years of poor rainy seasons, and protracted conflict, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Of those, some 3.8 million are internally displaced, and nearly five million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. Around 1.8 million children are severely malnourished, and eight million people lack access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Two-thirds of all people in drought-affected areas have no access to essential healthcare. The 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan to meet Somalias needs requires $2.6 billion to assist 7.6 million people but its funding stands at around 15 per cent, so far. At the earlier joint media encounter in Mogadishu, the UN chief called on the international community to urgently fund the Plan. Somali people deserve the solidarity of the international community, and deserve it to prevent malnutrition and displacement, to save lives, to avert famine, he said. Support for state-building Prior to the press encounter, the Secretary-General met with the President and some member of his cabinet and advisors to discuss other matters, including wider state-building goals, along with his Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho, who also serves as the Officer-in-Charge on the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The President and I discussed the Governments valuable efforts to tackle terrorism and advance peace and security for everyone, and we underlined the importance of an ever-stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and [Federal Member] States, Mr. Guterres said. Federal and [Federal Member] State authorities can count on our support for further advanced state-building, he continued, and we are particularly encouraged by the recent agreement that was established in relation to the different matters of power sharing. The UN chief also called on the international community to step up support beyond the humanitarian sphere, to help Somalis be able to launch a new process of stabilisation and development in the country and to build up its capacities to fight Al-Shabaab with even more efficiency than in the recent past. Over recent months, Somalias security forces, reinforced by local militias, have conducted military operations against Al-Shabaab in the Federal Member States of Hirshabelle and Galmudug, and operations are expected to gradually move into other areas of Somalia. Meeting civil society Also on Tuesday, the UN chief met with representatives of Somali civil society organisations working in areas such as womens affairs and empowerment, climate change, persons with disabilities, youth and marginalized groups to hear first-hand about their work and how the world body can support them. Later that evening with members of the Federal Government and representatives of the international community, he attended an iftar, the meal prepared for sunset to break the daily fasting observed by Muslims during Ramadan. The UN chief began his tradition of paying solidarity visits which include him fasting too during Ramadan while he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, before taking up the UNs top job in 2017. He has previously said that joining Muslims fasting during Ramadan has, over the years, showed to him the true face of Islam. At his press encounter in Mogadishu today, he noted that Somalia embodies Ramadans timeless message of renewal and hope. In these challenging times, I want to commend your energy and resilience and reiterate the United Nations unwavering support, Mr. Guterres said. We stand in solidarity with the Somali people and the Somali Government - for peace, for security and for sustainable development. New York: As part of his solidarity visit to Somalia on Tuesday in the midst of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that he was on the ground to ring the alarm on the need of massive international support for the country. Mr. Guterress appeal came as the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned about the ongoing crisis faced by people displaced by violence from Somalia to Ethiopia. Relocation for the most vulnerable has begun, said UNHCR, after an uptick in violence in northern Somalias Lascanood city pushed close to 100,000 people to flee to a remote area of Ethiopias Somali region in the past two months. Since clashes started in mid-February, thousands of people have arrived in the Somali region of Ethiopia seeking safety, said UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado. As of last week, 91,000 people had been registered by the Ethiopian authorities. Ms. Sarrado added that although the pace of arrivals had slowed, refugees continue to show up, fleeing ongoing violence in Somalia. Ethiopia currently hosts a total of nearly 990,000 refugees from neighbouring countries including South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Thousands of unaccompanied children According to UNHCR, most of the refugees arriving from Somalia are women, children and older people, including more than 3,400 unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents. Ms. Sarrado said that these young refugees had told UNHCR harrowing stories of how they became separated from their families when clashes began and have since been unable to re-establish contact with their family members. Relocating the most vulnerable Now, a relocation of some of the refugees is underway, with 1,036 of the most vulnerable people transferred from border areas to a new settlement over the past three days, Ms. Sarrado said. Transportation to a new site, located some 50 kilometres from the border in Mirqaan, Bokh district, is being organized by the Ethiopian authorities with UNHCR and partners. Better protection and services Ms. Sarrado said that the Government of Ethiopia has generously allocated 400 hectares where refugees can settle and access existing services, such as health care, water and education, adding that UNHCR continues to engage with local authorities and leaders to assess gaps in basic services, so support benefits both refugees and Ethiopians as well. With needs on the rise, the establishment of the new site is designed to help provide newly arrived refugees who have been living in precarious conditions with shelter, core relief items, food and water. Ms. Sarrado explained that relocation is taking place because [refugees] were settling at the border with Somalia, they were sleeping outdoors, the areas where they were staying started to be overcrowded, leading to increased protection risks. A multi-faceted crisis The fighting in Lascanood, which is the capital of the Sool region and part of the breakaway territory of Somaliland, has opposed Somaliland troops and a local clan claiming the town. In a joint statement in February this year, the United Nations and an international coalition of partners condemned the violence and expressed concern about attacks against civilians, calling for unhindered humanitarian access to the remote area in order to urgently address the needs of those displaced and impacted by the ongoing violence. In March, UNHCR and humanitarian partners launched a $116 million inter-agency emergency refugee response plan to respond to critical needs faced by refugees and host communities in the area. Just last week, in its latest update on the crisis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the situation has escalated at a time when people in Sool Region are experiencing unprecedented water shortages due to severe drought and facing an elevated risk of disease outbreaks. Both Somalia and neighbouring Ethiopia have been hit hard by a historic five years of drought in the Horn of Africa. Support for Somalia Speaking in Mogadishu on Tuesday at a press encounter with the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, UN chief Mr. Guterres said that Somali people deserve the solidarity of the international community. He called for urgent funding for the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for the country, currently only 15 per cent funded. During March-2023, around 20 MoUs were inked under Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Schemes for Assistance to Industries. These multiple MoUs will see investments totalling Rs118bn in industries such as lithium-ion battery materials, dense soda ash, food processing, specialty chemicals, API, kraft and duplex paper-board, specialty products for personal care, etc.; and are expected to start commercial production by 2025. Chemical companies that have signed MOUs include: Aether Industries (Rs10bn investment for plants at Panoli), Anupam Rasayan (Rs6.7bn investment for 3 new units in Jhaghadia & Sachin), and Neogen Chemicals (Lithium-ion battery materials and API manufacturing facility project at Dahej). Global Agriculture update: Prices of corn and rice grew ~3-5% MoM, driven by robust demand from China (for corn) and an increase in USDA's consumption estimates (for rice). Brazilian soybean prices declined ~9% over Mar'23, due to a record production expected from Brazil this year. In India, paddy prices declined ~3% as demand from key importing countries has weakened. Cotton prices too have continued to soften - registering a ~4% decline over Mar'23. Partnership with Japanese companies gaining momentum: During the month, Neogen Chemicals signed agreement with MU Ionic Solutions Corporation, Japan to acquire manufacturing technology license for electrolytes in India. Anupam Rasayan also signed letter of intent worth ~US$120mn (six year) contract with a Japanese chemical company to supply new-age advanced intermediate. Aether executed long-term supply and sales agreement with Japan-based Otsuka Chemical Co., and also signed letter of intent with Saudi Aramco Technologies. Fertilisers - APM gas formula tweaked: Price of gas produced from nomination basis blocks (APM) will have a floor and cap of U$4/mmbtu and US$6.5/mmbtu respectively for two years. This will be a pass through for urea manufacturers; benefits would be limited to lower working capital. Despite falling import prices, domestic MRPs of key fertilisers remained largely flattish in Feb23. However, these are expected to correct in the upcoming Kharif season, as input costs have now moderated. Update on Chemical prices: Mar'23 witnessed a declining trend in prices of most chemicals. Prices of Soda Ash, Phenol and Bromine declined ~7-26% MoM. The decline was more moderate in prices of PVC, Caustic Soda and Ethyl acetate - which declined ~2-3% MoM. Phenol spreads decreased ~12% MoM but PVC spreads increased ~83% MoM on the back of a reduction in VCM prices. Prices of ammonia corrected ~33% MoM; this led to a ~54% rise in TAN spreads. Spreads of packaging films continue to remain subdued. Capacity additions in the Soda Ash market: Soda Ash market is likely to witness higher supply from China and the USA. Chinese production is expected to rise by 5.0 MTPA by the end of 2023, with new capacity coming online in Inner Mongolia in May 2023. Genesis Alkali will also introduce 500Ktpa in the USA by mid-2023. Monsoon 2023: Skymet expects the upcoming June-September monsoon to be 'below normal' to the tune of 94% of the long period average (LPA); while IMD forecasts normal monsoon with rainfall is likely to be 96% of the long-term average. El Nino impact is likely to be felt in the second half of the monsoon season. Other highlights: 1) Government has designed a scheme for rewarding states that push organic farming in a measure to cut ballooning subsidies for chemical fertilisers. 2) IFFCO and Coal India Ltd (CIL) will manufacture Nano DAP for a 3yr period. 3) India has extended the deadline for import certification of selected chemicals to allow domestic end-user industries more time to adhere to the quality-control requirements. 4) Croda India has decided to invest Rs5bn in a new Dahej greenfield facility to serve rising regional consumption of its Consumer Care products and growing opportunities in Pharma and Crop Care. 5) Astec Lifesciences has resumed operations at the Mahad post annual maintenance shutdown. Q&A: The Dine Worldviews in the SCOTUS Water Rights Case Arizona v. Navajo Nation What would it look like to interpret the treaties as tribes understood them A Kanienkeha:ka woman claims she was denied re-entry into Canada upon presenting her Indian status card at the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, a mere 15 km away from her home community of Kahnawa:ke. On March 21, Konwatsitsa:wi Meloc... A family of Native American descent from North Carolina is contesting a state-funded charter schools insistence that their first-grade son must cut his hair. The school system recently amended its dress and grooming regulations, categorizing a... In this Indian Premier League, 2023 match, GT vs MI, the Gujarat Titans lock horns with Mumbai Indians for an exciting Indian Premier League, 2023 game. Catch the live score, stats, highlights right here. Do you have a thing for bugs? Not the ones we find in nature, but the ones in the digital realm. If your answer is yes, OpenAI is asking people to find bugs in its artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and GPT-4. In return, the company will give away money. In a blog post, OpenAI unveiled its "Bug Bounty Program," a common practice in the tech world whereby users with the technical knowledge are urged to find vulnerabilities, flaws, and bugs that exist in a company's services. Unsplash Find bugs, get money OpenAI said that it would offer cash rewards worth $200 for "low-severity" discoveries, going up to $20,000 for "exceptional discoveries." Essentially, if you discover a fatal flaw, you're about to make a lot of money. It's unclear though how OpenAI will measure this - considering what a user thinks is a great vulnerability for them might not be of importance to a tech company, as we've seen in the way Big Tech companies operate. Unsplash ChatGPT's parent company said that the programme was launched to foster "transparency and collaboration" and to find "vulnerabilities and flaws" that might appear in its AI system. Also read: World's First AI Defamation Suit? Whistleblower To Take On ChatGPT For Misinformation Unsplash For its submission and rewards process, OpenAI has partnered with Bugcrowd, a platform that acts as a bridge between companies and security researchers. So far, seven vulnerabilities have already been rewarded and new submissions are accepted or rejected within two hours. The programme was first teased by OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman in a Tweet in March. Democratized red teaming is one reason we deploy these models. Anticipating that over time the stakes will go up a *lot* over time, and having models that are robust to great adversarial pressure will be critical. Also considering starting a bounty program/network of red-teamers! https://t.co/9QfmXQi9iM Greg Brockman (@gdb) March 16, 2023 Recently, ChatGPT has been embroiled in a lot of chatter - from its ban in Italy due to privacy concerns and how it is generating factually incorrect content about individuals - there's a lot going on. Also read: Explained: ChatGPT's Italy Ban Exposes Privacy Dangers Of Artificial Intelligence Nevertheless, ChatGPT remains a fascinating and useful tool to gather knowledge or to refine your content - just be sure to verify it independently as well. What do you think about OpenAI's bug bounty programme? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. The archaeologists observed several intact marble columns, including a column had been imported from the island of Chios in Greece Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the Nigerian Government of pushing an agenda orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Partys candidate, Peter Obi. The Councils spokesman disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja. Information Nigeria had reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday asked the LP candidate to clarify his position on a leaked audio conversation featuring him and the founder of Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo. In the audio clip, a voice similar to that of Obi can be heard asking Oyedepo to speak to the Christians in the South-West and Kwara to vote for him in the February 25 polls, describing the election as a religious war. Obi, however, said the audio was a doctored audio call, and at no time did he imply that the election was a religious war. But Tanko in his reaction said: We are disappointed but not surprised that the Federal Government which has failed in its primary responsibility of securing the lives and property of Nigerians across this country has made Obi bashing a top priority. READ ALSO: Make Clarification On Leaked Audio Federal Govt. To Obi As for Mr. Lai Mohammed, it is unfortunate that a minister who has all the time to use his office to pressure the National Communications Commission, to slam a N5 million fine on Channels Television for performing its constitutional role is now asking our candidate to play a script written by the All Progressives Congress to divert attention from the ongoing challenge to our stolen mandate. One may ask at this point, is he also part of the plot to justify the unjustifiable electoral fraud? How come the minister is now using taxpayers funds for globetrotters to lie to the international community about the sham of an election? He should be ashamed of himself that he has been put in a position to play the role of an advocate for INEC. The INEC claimed there was a glitch while it attempted to upload the results of the Presidential election but typical Mr. Lai Mohammed, he is going around telling the world that INEC deliberately refused to upload the results on its IREV portal. The minister owes himself and Nigerians a duty to find and expose the source of the so-called leaked audio which was doctored to suit a narrative capable of creating chaos in the polity. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the presidential election petition tribunal to strike out the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president-elect. Livy Ozoukwu, lead counsel to Labour Party and Peter Obi, in the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, contended that Tinubu was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election. They claimed that vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima had a double nomination in contravention of the electoral act, adding that the February 25th presidential election was marred by rigging and manipulations. The LP and Obi also claimed that INEC violated its regulations when it announced the results when at the time of the announcement, the total polling unit results had yet to be fully scanned, uploaded, and transmitted electronically as required by the electoral act. Abubakar Mahmoud, counsel to INEC, responding to the petitions, said the reliefs sought by Peter Obi and his Party cannot be granted. READ ALSO: APC Prays Tribunal To Dismiss Three Opposition Parties Petitions Against Tinubu The counsel asked the election tribunal to either dismiss or strike out the petition for being grossly incompetent, abusive, vague, nebulous, generic, general, non-specific, ambiguous, equivocal, hypothetical and academic. The electoral umpire further discredited the petitioners over the claim that Tinubu was not elected by the majority of lawful votes. According to the Commission, the petitioners prayer to declare that Obi scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the election and be declared winner was defective for failure to join necessary parties and for lack of requisite particulars. INEC furthered that Obi could not be returned as elected for not having polled majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and /or secured one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all states in the federation and the FCT. The electoral body however disclosed that Labour Party and Peter Obi did not have polling agents in all the polling units across Nigeria as they only submitted a list of 134,874 polling agents, which is 41,972 short of the 176,846 polling units across Nigeria. Award-winning author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has faulted Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka for describing Labour Partys vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmeds comment on the general elections as fascist. Information Nigeria had reported Soyinka slammed the Baba-Ahmeds call to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria not to swear-in president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Baba-Ahmed had insisted that declaring Tinubu the winner and issuing him a certificate of return was against the unconstitutional, adding Nigeria has no president-elect. Soyinka, however in his reaction, described such statement as unacceptable because it alienates the people, and it is a fascistic language. READ ALSO: Obidients Refusal To Allow Corrective Criticism Now Badge Of Honour Soyinka But Chimamanda reacting in an interview with Arise Television, said she has a lot of respect for Soyinka, but strongly disagrees with his take on Baba-Ahmeds comment. I have a lot of respect for Prof. Soyinka, I admire him, I respect him as a thinker, as a writer, I think every one should read the The Man Died, Ake: The Memoir is beautiful, but at the same time, I disagree with him very strongly on this particular issue, and actually because I respect Prof. Soyinka so much, I went back and watch the interview, and I think fascist is a really strong word. We use it now to address this sort of authoritarianism that is often populist, and right-wing like Hungary, and even the former American president, and if you look at those situations, you can see why they have been termed fascist, and I didnt see any reason Mr. Datti Baba-Ahmeds interview would have been termed fascist. I think he was making a very strongly felt point about the election. I think a charitable way of reading Prof. Soyinkas comments is that Professor Soyinka himself, I think its fair to say he is not given to restraint in language, in general, so maybe thats where that word fascist came from. However, I have suggestions for what we could use fascist for, we could use fascist for INEC, because as it is right now, many Nigerians feel deeply cheated by INEC, deeply disenfranchised by INEC, and that is authoritarianism which obviously is the basis of fascism at the centre of manipulating an election because what youre doing is that youre gagging people, youre forcibly taking away their voice, that is fascist, she noted. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, says the call for his arrest and prosecution for admonishing Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, over inciting the public to violence is unwarranted. The minister stated this on Wednesday in London while reacting to the call by Elder Statesman and Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, that he should be arrested and prosecuted for spreading fake news about Obi. Information Nigeria reports that the leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, disclosed on Tuesday that Mohammeds recent visit to the United States where he accused Obi of treason is an effort in futility. In a statement titled, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information should be prosecuted for spreading fake news against the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, Clark wondered why Mohammed took more than usual interest in not only lying against Obi, adding that Obis rising profile cannot be damaged by the Nigerian government. But, Mohammed said he stood by his admonition of Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, insisting that his advice was never premised on falsehood. READ ALSO: There Were Promises Made That Buhari Was Not Aware Of Femi Adesina To Kukah What will be my offence? Is it by chiding Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party who said on live television that if the President-elect Bola Tinubu is sworn-in on May 29 that that would be the end of democracy in Nigeria? Is it for chiding him for saying that swearing-in Tinubu in May 29 is like swearing-in the military? What is the fake news in that? the minister queried. According to him, Baba-Ahmed never denied his statement made on the live television. Mohammed also said that Obi had also not publicly called his running mate to order over the treasonable utterances. The position of the law is clear that anybody who is aggrieved over election results should go to court. It is not to start threatening Nigerians and heating up the polity simply because you lost an election, the Minister said. He furthered that the All Progressives Congress won the presidential election fair and square and the Independent National Electoral Commission was right in declaring Bola Ahmed Tinubu the winner. The minister however reassured Nigerians and the international community that the president- elect would be sworn-in on May 29. A young mother breastfeeding her baby. A state grant for Chester is designed to boost breastfeeding rates in that city. Read more A state grant will fund counselors to support breastfeeding parents in the city of Chester, where state data shows more than a third of new mothers do not nurse. The $20,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health will fund a scholarship for two members of the Delaware County Breastfeeding Coalition to become certified lactation counselors, who advise parents on non-medical issues related to breastfeeding. The scholarship recipients, who will be announced this month, will also able to conduct home visits. Another $20,000 grant is paying for similar scholarships in Williamsport. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend breastfeeding for the first six months of life because breastmilk helps build infants immunity, encourages a healthy weight and reduces risk of gastrointestinal distress. Advertisement But breastfeeding may not be possible for all families, and other new parents may decide it isnt right for them. Still other new parents may want to breastfeed, but feel they are unable to because they cant be home with their babies to feed on demand, and may not have access to a sanitary place to pump breast milk at work. Others may lack resources to help troubleshoot problems, such as a baby who wont latch properly or pain when breastfeeding. The state breastfeeding initiative is designed to help parents reach whatever breastfeeding goals they may have, organizers said. It is a first step in a state pilot program to encourage breastfeeding in the two cities, by helping families overcome some of these barriers, according to the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The work will include prompting businesses in the city to commit to providing welcoming spaces where women can nurse. We want to normalize breastfeeding, said Kaiden Levy, who is coordinating the Chester initiative for the AAP. Its important to address the stigmatization that a lot of people face when breastfeeding in public. The reasons why breastfeeding rates are low in Chester are complex. It is a lower-income community, where the household median income is almost half the statewide median. Research shows lower rates of breastfeeding in low-income communities, where new parents are more likely to hold jobs that do not provide breaks and privacy for pumping, and where breastfeeding in public may be discouraged. Statewide, about 82% of new parents breastfeed at least once while still in the hospital after giving birth. In Chester, 62% of new parents breastfeed while in the hospital, said Dottie Schell, director of breastfeeding programs for the AAP. Any amount of breastfeeding, even for a day, Schell said, does benefit the baby because it boosts the babys immune system. Its been nearly two weeks since the Delaware General Assembly passed two bills that would legalize marijuana in the state, but Gov. John Carney has yet to sign either. House Bill 1 and House Bill 2, passed in the state Senate on March 28, legalize the possession of marijuana by adults, and create a legal framework for commercial growing and sales. Carney has yet to act on either bill, with many expecting a veto from the governor, who blocked similar legislation last year. But according to the Delaware state constitution, the governor has 10 days from receiving a bill not counting Sundays to either sign or veto the legislation, after which it becomes law by default. As of Wednesday, it has been 13 days since the Delawares marijuana legalization bills were passed, not including Sundays. But that doesnt mean Delaware has officially legalized marijuana yet. Advertisement Here is what you need to know: Has Carneys office received the bills? Its unclear. Emily Hershman, Carneys director of communications, declined to comment. Rep. Ed Osienski (D., Newark), the primary sponsor of the bills, did not respond to a request for comment. Because its not clear when, or even if, Carneys office received House Bill 1 and House Bill 2, we dont know where the 10-day timeline for them automatically becoming law stands. Both bills are listed as ready for governor action online. Some bills this session, though, have seen speedier action from Carney. For example, Carney signed a bill that kept Delaware residents from having to pay federal taxes on Delaware relief rebate checks the day after it passed the Senate. And he signed another that gave post-pandemic relief to residents receiving unemployment benefits, the day it passed the Senate. But there is no timetable for bills to reach the governors desk, and they arent automatically sent there after passing, said Shannon Keith, spokesperson for the Delaware House Democratic Majority. They might sit with the legislature for days, weeks or even sometimes months, Keith said. The two weeks these bills have sat is not out of the ordinary. Will Carney use his veto power? We dont know. Carney hasnt publicly commented on what hell do, but following the bills passage last month, his office issued a statement saying that he remains concerned about marijuana legalization in Delaware. The governor continues to have strong concerns about the unintended consequences of legalizing marijuana for recreational use in our state, especially about the impacts on our young people and highway safety, Hershman told The Inquirer last month. He knows others have honest disagreements on the issue. But we dont have anything new to share today about how the governor will act. Carney did, however, veto similar legalization last year. Lawmakers ultimately failed to overturn that veto, but may have a better chance of doing so this year, if it comes down to that. The House passed the bills with a two-thirds super-majority, and could override any potential veto with a 3/5 majority in both chambers. Osienski said last month that he was optimistic about overturning one. I think my colleagues are saying, OK, you know, you had one shot at vetoing this, you did and you were successful, but dont count on us supporting that veto again, Osienski said. What does Delawares constitution say? The Delaware Constitution says that if any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within ten days, Sundays excepted, after it shall have been presented to him or her, it will be become law as if the governor signed it. Presented to him or her is the key phrase here. The 10-day rule doesnt apply until the bills are sent to the governor, Keith said. What do House Bill 1 and House Bill 2 do? House Bill 1 legalizes possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older (as well as equivalent amounts in other forms, such as concentrates and edibles). Underage possession would result in fines, and both public marijuana use and growing marijuana for personal use would remain illegal. House Bill 2, or the Delaware Marijuana Control Act, creates a regulatory framework for a legal adult-use marijuana industry. As part of that legislation, as many as 30 retailers would be allowed, and a 15% tax on sales would be instituted in a system that the bills synopsis compares to alcohol sales. If they become law, the bills would expand Delawares marijuana market significantly. The state legalized medical marijuana in 2011, and began sales in 2015. That same year, the state decriminalized marijuana, and later expanded the law to include people under 21. JoAnne Epps, a former Temple law school dean and provost has been named Temples acting president. Read more JoAnne A. Epps was named acting president of Temple University on Tuesday, taking over for Jason Wingard, who resigned from the job at the end of March. Epps, who has been at Temple for nearly four decades, will serve in the role until the board finds a permanent president likely until the end of the year, but potentially longer. Heres what to know about Epps: Who is JoAnne Epps? Age: 71 Where she lives: Shamong in Burlington County, N.J. Where she grew up: Cheltenham Township Where she went to school: She graduated from Cheltenham High School in 1969. She then went on to Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., where she got her bachelors degree in 1973, and then went to Yale Law School. What did Epps do before she was named president? After law school, Epps served as deputy city attorney in Los Angeles in 1976. She returned to Philadelphia four years later to join the U.S. Attorneys Office. She began working at Temple in 1985, and then was named law school dean in 2008. Advertisement In 2016, she was promoted to provost, the schools No. 2 position. Her title also included senior vice president and chief academic officer, and she oversaw academics across the universitys 17 schools and colleges and 12 administrative offices. What was Epps early life like? Epps became acquainted with Temple early in her life. Her mother was a Temple secretary, who retired in the 1980s. And Epps worked at the university when she was 16 as a cashier in the Temple bookstore. She was introduced to Trinity College by a young Trinity student who had visited Cheltenham High School when she was a senior to recruit young minority students. He drove her to Trinity for a visit with the dean of admissions, and soon she had an offer of tuition assistance. She had wanted to become a legal secretary, like the fictional character Della Street on her favorite show, Perry Mason. She almost left Trinity after her sophomore year, she said in a 2016 interview with The Inquirer, because she wasnt getting the typing and shorthand skills she needed to land that job. Then a Trinity dean suggested she become a lawyer, something she had never considered. I had never met a lawyer, a man or a woman, white or black, she said in 2016. I reversed course. She went on to have a career replete with leadership roles, noteworthy promotions, and accolades, including a 2015 Spirit of Excellence Award by the American Bar Association, the 2015 M. Ashley Dickerson Award by the National Association of Women Lawyers, the 2014 Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award by the Philadelphia Bar Association, and is a three-time honoree by Lawyers of Color Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Black lawyers in the country. How long will Epps be president? Epps will be president at least through the fall semester and possibly into summer 2024 as the university launches a national search to find the schools next president. How much will Epps make as acting president? Temple did not release Epps salary. As a state-related university, Temple is required to make publicly available its top 25 salaries. It does so every year on the 990 tax form. But there is a lag in information, so the most recent year available is 2020-21. Some universities, such as Pennsylvania State University, have made their presidents salaries available when they were hired. But Temple has refused to do so. The university declined a request from The Inquirer last month to release Wingards salary. His salary will become publicly available by the end of May when the 2021-22 990 form is released, the university said. Could Epps be the next permanent president? No, Epps has said she will not be a candidate to be Temples next president. She said she had planned to retire this year before the board asked her to serve as acting president. The university needs a president who it anticipates will have a long tenure, she told The Inquirer this week. What does Epps say about being the acting president? I am obviously humbled and excited and really looking forward to being able to make a contribution to the university that I so love, she said. She also told The Inquirer that she thinks some part of what gave the board confidence in selecting me is my ability to sort of calm waters. What happened to Temples last president? Jason Wingard, the universitys first Black president, stepped down after less than two years on the job at the end of March. His resignation has come during a tumultuous period at the school, where an on-duty police sergeant died in a February shooting and graduate students went on strike for 42 days. The school has also faced a decreasing student population a trend seen nationwide with enrollment falling 14% since 2019 and deposits for next year down 25% compared with the same time last year, according to a source close to the schools deans. Wingard had been facing a no-confidence vote by the Temple Association of University Professionals, the faculty union, when he resigned. The University of Pennsylvanias law and medical schools both climbed in the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report, despite the universitys decision to stop submitting data for the controversial process. Penn Carey Law announced its decision to withdraw in December, joining Harvard and Yale in describing the methodology as flawed but U.S. News ranked them anyway, using publicly available data. Penns Perelman School of Medicine did not announce its withdrawal until January, after it had already submitted its latest data to U.S. News, so its new rank as the second-best school for research is based on a full set of metrics. Yet it is unclear what to make of both new best lists, relative to the year before, as U.S. News changed its methodology for both in response to criticism. Penn Carey Law rose from No. 6 last year to No. 4 in a preview of rankings released this week; its tied with Harvard. Yale maintained its No. 1 spot, in a tie with Stanford. Advertisement READ MORE: Penn Carey Law will not submit data for U.S. News rankings Penn and other prominent law schools said the U.S. News rankings failed to take into account the schools strengths in public-interest lawyering. In the case of the medical schools, Penn and other prominent institutions said the U.S. News rankings focused too heavily on grades and test scores, and failed to measure empathy, creativity, and other qualities that make someone a good doctor. In announcing both the preliminary law and medical school rankings this week, the news magazine noted that it did make changes in methodology, focusing on student outcomes and career opportunities as families become increasingly concerned about costs. The magazine promised more details when full rankings are released next week. While we await the final rankings and more information on the methodology to be released on April 18, we are gratified to see that U.S. News considered collective feedback and modified its rankings this year, and that our strong, positive student outcomes are reflected in their ranking released today, Penn Carey Law said in a statement. READ MORE: Penns med school is withdrawing from U.S. News rankings, joining Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia The magazine explained that it chose to rank law schools using only metrics that the schools are required to disclose through the American Bar Association. As a result, the magazine said it dropped some measures it previously used that are not publicly available, such as expenditures and employment rate at graduation. U.S. News rankings in recent years have come under criticism for their methodology and have been spotlighted in cases in which schools have been accused of providing false data. Last year, Moshe Porat, the former dean of Temple Universitys business school, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to lie to boost the schools ranking. And Rutgers Universitys business school in lawsuits last spring was accused of submitting false statistics to U.S. News, allegations it has denied. Then, last fall, some prominent universities began to publicly question the methods the magazine was using for some of its most-watched graduate school rankings. Yale was the first to announce its withdrawal from the law school rankings last November. Harvard followed with its announcement later that same day. Both said the survey methodology made it more difficult for the schools to attract low-income students. Heather K. Gerken, dean of Yales Law School, which for years has ranked No. 1, called the rankings profoundly flawed. She said they disincentivize programs that support public interest careers, champion need-based aid, and welcome working-class students into the profession. Penn at that time said it would evaluate the rankings; two weeks later, it, too, said it would pull out. The current U.S. News ranking methodology is unnecessarily secretive and contrary to important parts of our mission, including Penn Carey Laws increasing investment in need-based financial aid and public interest lawyering, the school said in a statement at the time. We have directly and frankly shared these concerns with U.S. News and hope they will consider significant and meaningful changes in how data is calculated and published. This week, U.S. News noted several changes it made in calculating law school rankings, including a significant increase in the weight of the bar passage rate, a significant increase in weight of employment 10 months after graduation, full credit for all full-time, long-term fellowships and a significant reduction in overall weights of reputation surveys. It also made adjustments in medical school rankings. The magazine noted the addition of NIH Grant Awards as a measure of research quality, an increase in the weight of faculty/student ratios, a reduction in overall weights of reputation surveys and a reduction in MCAT and GPA scores. Pennsylvania certified its lowest-ever number of teachers in 2021-22, according to an analysis by a Penn State education professor. Read more Pennsylvanias teacher shortage is worsening, with the states education programs producing a record-low number of certified teachers in the 2021-22 school year, according to a new analysis. Just 4,220 graduates of Pennsylvania teacher preparation programs earned state teaching certificates in 2021-22, with a total of 5,101 new-teacher licenses issued when out-of-state graduates are factored in. Thats down from a high-water mark of more than 16,000 certifications earned in 2012-13. At the same time, the number of emergency-certified teachers continued to rise; for the first time, the number of new teachers without full credentials 6,366 outpaced those who earned certification. READ MORE: Teachers wanted: the Pennsylvania educator shortage (from June 2022) Advertisement The numbers raise an alarm for Ed Fuller, an associate professor in the education policy studies department at Pennsylvania State University and author of a recently released research brief on the subject. This exacerbates the existing teacher shortage, Fuller said. That means that children across the state are not going to have access to well-prepared teachers, and thats going to affect their academic outcomes. The trend line is particularly worrisome for such districts as Philadelphia and Reading: large, poor, urban school systems that historically have a tough time filling positions, and especially attracting teachers of color. The increase in emergency-certified teachers across the state is a real concern, too, Fuller said. Those teachers tend not to stay in the profession as long, leading to increased turnover and destabilization for schools. And, if you havent completed full certification, you cannot be as effective in improving student outcomes, Fuller said. Those teachers are more likely to have a negative effect on student achievement precisely at a time when were trying to accelerate student achievement because of the affects of the pandemic. Though theres an across-the-board teacher shortage, the deficiencies are particularly acute in certain subject areas, including computer science/technology education, business education, and foreign language, all of which saw drops of 80% or greater in the number of new teachers certified over the past 11 years. Philadelphia saw the steepest decline in the state for new teachers certified 54%, a drop of 944, with 540 new teachers certified in 2021-22, down from 1,484 in 2010-11. Bucks County saw a 45 certificate decrease, Chester County a drop of 373, Delaware County a loss of 252, and Montgomery County a loss of 336. The states top four teacher-producing schools of education all saw large drops in new teachers during that time period, too: West Chester University produced 304 new teachers in 2021-12 compared with 613 in 2010-11, Penn State University Park saw a drop of 329 new teachers, Kutztown University had 363 fewer teachers, and Temple University, 347. Schools across the country are experiencing teacher shortages, but Fuller said the Pennsylvania problem is spurred in part by teacher salaries the average teacher salary in the commonwealth has actually declined over the last 20 years, according to the Penn State report and barriers to entry, including costly tuition bills and certification fees and a lack of paid student teaching experiences. While the data are grim, there are some reasons for hope, Fuller said: Everyone from school superintendents to higher education institutions are now paying attention to the teacher shortage. State lawmakers have introduced bills aimed at making teaching a more attractive profession, from bumping up the minimum teachers salary to $60,000 (its now $18,500) to offering scholarships and loan forgiveness to those who teach in Pennsylvania classrooms or agree to do so after graduation. Pennsylvania last year laid out a road map for increasing the number of teachers it produces and lowering the number of vacancies at schools statewide from amping up recruiting to making policy changes in teacher prep programs. State officials said at the time that they wanted to increase the number of students in teacher prep programs by 2025 to 21,600, from 18,000. A Horsham woman has been charged with strangling her 11-year-old son, according to the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office. Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 50, has been charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and possessing an instrument of crime in connection to the death of Matthew Whitehead. Montgomery County detectives and Horsham police said DiRienzo-Whitehead killed her son after hed fallen asleep, then drove the familys Toyota Highlander to Cape May. According to authorities, DiRienzo-Whitehead drove the car into the ocean off Beach Avenue and then walked to Wildwood Crest after the car stopped running. Law enforcement later recovered the vehicle and found a mens black dress belt on the floor of the drivers side of the car. Advertisement Wildwood Crest police quickly took DiRienzo-Whitehead into custody. The Montgomery County Detective Bureau and Horsham police interviewed DiRienzo-Whitehead in New Jersey. DiRienzo-Whitehead told law enforcement that her son had been upset and crying off and on all day over the familys financial difficulties, according to court filings. DiRienzo-Whitehead told authorities she strangled her son with her husbands belt because she didnt want him to grow up with those struggles. The boys father was sleeping in another room at the time, which he told authorities wasnt unusual. Matthew Whiteheads body was discovered in the main bedroom about 7 a.m. Tuesday. The Montgomery County District Attorneys Office said the boys father found the bedroom door locked and discovered that the familys Toyota Highlander was missing, prompting him to call police to the 500 block of Privet Road. Authorities found signs of strangulation, including marks on the boys neck. Valerie Sorokin, a forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County Coroners Office, concluded after an autopsy that the cause of death was ligature strangulation. DiRienzo-Whitehead remained in Cape May County on Wednesday and is to be extradited to Montgomery County for arraignment. Matthew Whitehead was a sixth-grade student at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, which he had attended since kindergarten, the school said in a statement. Matthew was an extraordinary child with a smile as bright as the sun, the private school said. We loved him, and we will forever mourn his loss, a devastating tragedy for our community, his family, his friends, and our world. We will do everything in our power to carry his memory forward, to honor him as he so truly deserves, and to live our lives well as a tribute to him, the school said. Matthew is the embodiment of love, promise, and goodness, and we will never, ever forget him, the school said. Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article. This story first appeared in The Investigator, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring the best investigative and accountability journalism from across Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here. HARRISBURG The election of Pennsylvanias first female House speaker in late February resolved three months of uncertainty around chamber leadership. Still, Harrisburg remains a convoluted place. As lawmakers begin considering bills and big funding questions, Spotlight PAs Stephen Caruso wants to help you understand how the sausage really gets made, how your tax dollars are spent, and how Harrisburg works (or doesnt). In this edition of his recurring feature, Caruso has answered three more questions from readers and Spotlight PA staff. Advertisement Have a question of your own? Email him at scaruso@spotlightpa.org with the subject line How Harrisburg Works. What will impending special elections mean for state House control? To paraphrase Democratic political operative Ben Forstate, with a one-seat margin in the state House, every special election is also an existential crisis. There are two state House special elections scheduled for primary day, May 16. One is in the Philadelphia suburbs to replace former state Rep. Mike Zabel (D., Delaware), who resigned after several people accused him of sexual harassment. The other is in the upper Susquehanna Valley to replace Lynda Schlegel Culver (R., Northumberland), who won a state Senate seat. Both state House seats are likely safe holds for the respective parties (The Inquirers Gillian McGoldrick has an in-depth look at the Delaware County race). But May 16 likely wont be the end of special elections. At least four state representatives are running for local office and will have to give up their seats if they win in November. All are Democrats: Sara Innamorato is running for Allegheny County executive; Amen Brown is vying to become the next mayor of Philadelphia; John Galloway is seeking a Bucks County judgeship; and Kristine Howard is launching a bid for a Chester County judgeship. None of these seats are likely to flip parties if they become vacant. President Joe Biden won all four by at least 10 percentage points in 2020. Still, even a temporary vacancy or two could see the Democratic caucus dip below the mathematical definition of majority. But the math doesnt matter. Thats due to a new definition of majority party in the state House rules Democrats introduced and passed last month without any Republican support While the term was undefined in past sessions rules, the state Houses operating rules now say that the majority party is the one that won the greater number of elections for the 203 seats in the House of Representatives in the general election preceding the term of service that began on the first day of December next after the general election. Should a vacancy occur during the term, the definition continues, the political party that won that seat at the last election shall remain the party that won that seat until any subsequent special election is held to fill that seat. Control would only be reshuffled if a seat flips, the definition concludes. Holding the majority matters for a number of reasons. It allows Democrats to control both the committees and the chambers floor agenda. The new definition of majority, said state House Republican spokesperson Jason Gottesman, is an admission by Democrats that they might need to cling to power at some point in session through artificial means. In response, state House Democratic spokesperson Beth Rementer said the majority language was similar to a definition proposed by Republicans in earlier rules drafts, and was included to ensure that House operations can continue without potential disruption. What is the difference between a rule change and a law? Its well known that many good government reforms have stalled in Harrisburg over the years, leading one Twitter user to ask if something like a legislative gift ban could be implemented through a change in a chambers operating rules rather than through a change to state law. The short answer is yes, but advocates who want action on the issue think that tackling it through that avenue wont have the intended effect. While a bill requires a majority vote in both chambers and the governors signature to become law, a rule change is more easily adopted, only requiring a majority vote in one chamber to become policy. However, a legislative rule would only apply to that chamber, be harder to enforce, and be easier to amend or remove, said Michael Pollack, executive director of good government group March on Harrisburg. We have no interest in pursuing a rule change regarding a gift ban zero because its so temporary, ephemeral, Pollack told Spotlight PA. Thats why the groups efforts have focused on enacting a statutory gift ban, which would apply evenly to all public officials in the state with no exception, Pollack said. A rule change, he said, is a good way for the House to make it look like theyre doing something serious, and quietly undo something later. Will lawmakers pay for Twitter Blue? Twitter claimed in March that it would begin removing free blue verification check marks from accounts starting April 1. Implementation has so far been very limited. Still, Spotlight PA wanted to know if Pennsylvania lawmakers plan to use taxpayer money to secure new check marks. The state House will not reimburse lawmakers for a Twitter Blue subscription as it does for office supplies or mileage, the chambers Chief Clerk Brooke Wheeler said. However, the partisan caucuses, which have access to their own funds, could pay for subscriptions if desired. Gottesman, the state House GOP spokesperson, said the caucus wont pay for a subscription for any members, but it did buy Twitter Blue for its official account because it comes with perks like the ability to post longer videos. Rementer, the state House Democratic spokesperson, said in an email that she was unaware of any discussions about Twitter Blue. (The caucus Twitter account was verified pre-Twitter Blue.) In the upper chamber, a Democratic spokesperson told Spotlight PA that the caucus is waiting for an opinion from the chief clerk on whether lawmakers can be reimbursed for a subscription. We havent had to make that case yet, the spokesperson, who asked not to be identified, said. State Senate Republican spokesperson Kate Flessner said the caucus did not have a policy on Twitter Blue. Both accounts were also verified pre-Twitter Blue. As for the executive branch, a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro did not say if the office would spend money on Twitter, but noted that Shapiro was interested in engaging people where they are. 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. Buy diapers or pay the bills? Spend money you dont have for a babysitter so you can attend a job interview, or grind on at a job that barely pays enough? New and expecting parents struggling financially face impossible choices. Money worries even play a role in whether a baby thrives or dies, since mental wellbeing affects infant mortality. Philly, the poorest big city in the nation, has the highest rate of infant mortality among Americas 10 largest cities, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Its a crisis the department now wants to address through a $6 million pilot program called the Philly Joy Bank that aims to give cash to pregnant people, no strings attached. The city is contributing $750,000 over three years, but the program will largely depend on grant funding, including about $3 million recently committed by the William Penn Foundation and Spring Point Partners. Advertisement By next year, city officials and partners from the Philadelphia Community Action Network expect to give 250 pregnant women $1,000 a month for 18 months, covering part of their pregnancy and the first year of their childs life. The Joy Bank will benefit parents in Strawberry Mansion, Cobbs Creek, and Nicetown-Tioga. Those neighborhoods were chosen because they have the citys highest rates of very low birth weight, an indicator of premature births, said Stacey Kallem, director of the health departments division of maternal, child, and family health. The income limit for participation in the pilot program is $100,000, Kallem said, but she anticipated the people most likely to participate will earn much less than that. The average annual household income in the programs target neighborhoods ranges from $20,000 to $30,000, she said. Theyre also majority Black communities and the city wants to use this program to address racial disparities in birth outcomes. Black babies die four times more frequently than white babies, a grim reality rooted in social inequities and racism. Theres not a biological reason why a Black woman is more likely to have a baby die, Kallem said. READ MORE: New moms keep dying in the weeks after birth, and the risk remains highest among Black women Stipends for pregnant parents have shown results elsewhere. A Mississippi program that gave Black mothers $1,000 a month for a year found participants were better able to afford basic needs, could be more supportive of their children, and felt more hopeful about their familys future. If the Philadelphia pilot has a demonstrable affect on babies health, Kallem said, it could spur policy changes to give new parents more financial stability. Changes could include distributing the earned income tax credit in monthly payments, rather than one lump sum, Kallem said, or loosening restrictions around some forms of public assistance that currently prevent funds from being used as guaranteed income. Below, four mothers whose incomes would make them eligible for the Joy Bank stipend describe how $1,000 a month wouldve made all the difference in their birthing stories. Ronnda Montgomery, 40, Community Specialist for Strategy Arts, Strawberry Mansion I have a 16-year-old, an 11-year-old, a six-year-old, and a one-year-old. Everybodys five years apart and its busy in my house. My youngest son was three months early from stress factors that I was dealing with. He was only four pounds, 4.4 ounces. With my 11 year old, there was no maternity leave. I tried to apply for workmans comp, I tried to apply for unemployment, and the job denied my unemployment, they denied my workmans comp. I wound up having to do little side jobs but it wasnt enough. I wound up getting evicted. So first, $1,000 a month would have definitely helped me out a whole lot. I wouldnt have had to worry as much about the bills. It would have been extra for me to be able to buy clothes for the baby and make sure that I have diapers so I dont have to go steal them from the store. I was able to go back to work but it was a very, very traumatic experience. Brittany Lewis, 33, perinatal peer support worker at Drexel University, Cobbs Creek So when I found out I was pregnant, I started doing my own research and saw the statistics around Black maternal mortality and morbidity. I heard and read about Beyonce and Serena [Williams], and I was shocked because they were celebrities and they could afford the care they needed. And I was surprised to learn that they both almost died in childbirth. When I was about maybe 30-something weeks, I decided to interview midwives. READ MORE: Philadelphia to pilot a guaranteed income program to reduce rates of infant mortality My doula wasnt covered by insurance at all. But I guess because my midwife has an NPI code and she said, because I have that, you know, insurance will reimburse you, but my doula did not have that. So for the home birth insurance only covered half. For me, out of pocket, $2,600. $1,000 would have definitely helped to pay for the home birth. Osarhia Ferguson, 31, teaching assistant with the Philadelphia School District, Overbrook That $1,000 would have gave me a lot of security through a toxic situation I was going through when I lived with Ailas father. I was going through a lot of anxiety and stress, especially with the toxic situation that was happening in the relationship. I would have been saving up when I was pregnant with that $1,000 a month. I would have left and got my apartment and moved on with my life. This is emotional for me because when my daughter was born, I was doing everything for her. It transformed me because I didnt have no choice but to be the best mother that I wanted to be. I had to step up. $1,000 a month is everything to a mother. A true mother, a real mother, that really cares about their child and their wellbeing, would spend that money wisely. [About a year after her daughter was born, Ferguson did move out on her own, and two years later still lives alone.] Timishea Knox, 29, human resources professional, West Philadelphia I have two [kids]. My youngest is 25 months. When I became pregnant, I knew that I wanted additional support other than just my partner. I learned so much, that a doula is way more than just support. Theyre a great resource of information. And they are someone that could speak up for me in a vulnerable situation such as birth. Health insurance doesnt really cover doulas. And if they do, they went through hell and high water to be covered by insurance. After having my second child, I knew I needed a therapist. But finding a therapist that would take my state insurance was very far and few in between. I feel like having that resource, I would have been able to pay for one out of out of pocket. Seated between Helen Gym and Rebecca Rhynhart ,Mayoral candidate Cherelle Parker speaks during the Latino Mayoral Forum, hosted by Impacto Media and Esperanza, on Monday, April 10. Read more It was a struggle for specificity at Mondays Latino Mayoral Forum in Hunting Park, where nine of the candidates jockeying for mayor grasped at tenuous connections to Philadelphias Latino communities while answering questions about education, language access, representation in government, and quality-of-life concerns. The forum hosted by Impacto Media, Univision 65, Esperanza, and Ceiba took place the day after former City Councilmember Maria Quinones Sanchez dropped out of the race, citing an inability to keep up with self- and PAC-funded candidates. She exited with a final platform: the Agenda Latina, which calls for the next mayor to increase Latino representation in city government, improve language access, and support free tuition at the Community College of Philadelphia. Candidates from Warren Bloom to Cherelle Parker and Rebecca Rhynhart were quick to invoke Quinones Sanchezs name and parting agenda, but lacked policy specifics. I was hoping my challenge to the candidates would force them to come more prepared, Quinones Sanchez told The Inquirer. Even when given the direct opportunity to provide a little specificity, they wont take it. Advertisement READ MORE: Maria Quinones Sanchez is dropping out of the Philly mayors race due to the obnoxious, obscene amount of money Nasheli Ortiz-Gonzalez, the executive director of Taller Puertorriqueno (which recently hosted its own mayoral forum), agreed: I keep hearing a lot of promises and not seeing a lot of action. Here is what Quinones Sanchez had to say about some of the forums key takeaways. Quinones Sanchez loomed large Even though the former, longtime District 7 Council representative wasnt in the room, Quinones Sanchezs presence was felt. Latino residents comprise 16% of the Philadelphias population the majority concentrated in District 7 but the citys political parties have consistently struggled to reach Latino and Spanish-speaking voters before election day. Quinones Sanchez had been the only candidate to release advertisements and campaign materials in Spanish. The candidates on stage mentioned Quinones Sanchezs name upward of eight times, using their connection to her as a proxy for a connection to the Latino community. Former at-large Councilmember Allan Domb opened the forum by thanking Quinones Sanchez for her service to the city, while grocery store magnate Jeff Brown said he would like to appoint her as a senior policy adviser. Quinones Sanchez called Browns offer insulting, noting that she would take only cabinet roles that allow her career to continue growing upward. Im not working 16 hours a day to make someone else look good, she said. Only Parker and Rhynhart acknowledged Quinones Sanchezs platform, with Parker pledging to take it up. When I think about Maria Quinones Sanchez, I without pandering can say I respect her as a thought leader, Cherelle noted in her opening remarks. I affirm the Agenda Latina. Quinones Sanchez acknowledged that Parker for all their differences was the most relatable of those onstage. Cherelle and I have always had to be that much better than the people next to us, she said. Theres a certain lived experience that Cherelle and I share as Black and brown women, that Helen [Gym] and Rebecca do not understand. Promises of language access, but no bilingual campaign materials Both Parker and Rhynhart pledged to make language access a priority if they are elected, but neither had bilingual campaign literature or advertisements as of the forum. The Gym, Parker, and Domb campaigns passed out English-language campaign literature at the event, which was broadcast in Spanish on Univision 62. Per census data, more than 350,000 Philadelphia residents speak a language other than English, and the majority of them speak Spanish. Philadelphia as a municipality is required to provide bilingual election materials in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic and has recently voted to add seven more languages but campaigns are not. I want to work with [Quinones-Sanchez] to make language access a reality, Rhynhart said during the forum before committing to more bilingual door knocking. When a reporter pressed Parker about her lack of bilingual campaign materials, she chalked it up to a financing issue. From a fundraising perspective, if all campaigns were created equal, just maybe that would be an opportunity, Parker said. Quinones-Sanchez who raised far less than the other top Democratic mayoral candidates in 2023 pushed back at that notion. This isnt a cost issue, Quinones-Sanchez said. If youre not translating things, it means you dont see the value in wanting to speak to those people. READ MORE: A quarter of Philadelphians dont speak English at home. Has the mayoral race engaged them? Few specifics on hiring Latinos or knowing the community When asked what they learned about Phillys Latino communities while on the campaign trail, the majority of the candidates focused on resiliency, and one even said he learned nothing. David Oh, a former at-large Councilmember and the sole Republican candidate for mayor, said he didnt learn anything new because hes always had a Spanish-speaking member of the community in his office. He then went on to name three. Parker, Brown, Helen Gym, and Derek Green all focused on the concept of perseverance, acknowledging that neighborhoods such as Fairhill often must do more with fewer resources from the city. Ive seen the resiliency, the strength, the energy, and the stick-to-it-ness of so many communities, especially in the Latin diaspora, often in spite of challenges like gun violence, the issues with education, the poverty, Green said. They should expect more, and deserve better from our city. Another sticking point: diversifying the municipal workforce, from cabinet positions and directors down to the civil service. Mayor Jim Kenneys administration has struggled with this: A 2021 report conducted by the city controller when Rhynhart was in office found that the hiring of Latino executives stagnated in departments under Kenneys supervision while white executives were hired at disproportionately high rates. Latino workers make up more than 6% of Kenneys executive positions. Outside of James DeLeon, a retired judge, recommending the promotion of a Latino police officer to deputy police commissioner, Quinones-Sanchez was the only Latino leader candidates committed to giving a cabinet position. Gym, Parker, and Rhynhart all spoke about hiring Latino executives and government workers in a general sense, prompting DeLeon to ask, Why was applause given for people who would not mention a specific Hispanic to put on their cabinet? Quinones-Sanchez agreed. Its always I will do this for all people, not what they will do for us. How insulting is that? Brown scrutinized over ethics probe The forum came on the same day the Philadelphia Board of Ethics sued a super PAC and a nonprofit backing Brown. The board alleges he illegally coordinated with the For a Better Philadelphia super PAC, which raised nearly $3 million last year. The bulk of the money was donated by a nonprofit that shares the same name as the super PAC and, thanks to a campaign finance loophole, is not required to disclose the names of donors. I dont know all of the people who have contributed, Brown said during the forum. Thats up to the PACS. READ MORE: The Philadelphia Board of Ethics is accusing mayoral candidate Jeff Brown of illegally coordinating with a super PAC The forum soon devolved into an ethics free-for-all, with candidates using the investigation to address wealth inequality and other issues. This is not complex, Parker said. Not everyone starts the race of life at home base. Some of us are well-connected and start at third base, yet want to act like they hit a home run. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for wildfires in the Philadelphia region. Firefighters responded last night to a wildfire that broke out in Ocean County, N.J. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has dubbed the fire in the Pinelands as the Jimmy's Waterhole Wild Fire. Read more The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for wildfires through 8 p.m. Wednesday for the Philadelphia region. The warning extends to parts of Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware Counties, as well as into the Poconos because of the warm temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts reaching to 30 mph. What is a red flag warning? A red flag warning means warm temperatures, combined with very low humidity and strong winds, combine to increase the risk of fire danger. When the warning is in place, people should be especially cautious whenever lighting any fire, such as while camping and using charcoal grills. And they should not toss cigarettes or matches out of vehicles, which can ignite dry grass on the side of the road and lead to a wildfire. Advertisement Any fire should be drowned with plenty of water and stirred to make sure it is cold to the touch. In red flag conditions, fires quickly can get out of control and are difficult for firefighters to contain. So far this year, temperatures are above normal. Precipitation in January, despite the lack of measurable snow, was about average. But for February and March, precipitation ran a total of 3.4 inches below normal. April has also started warm and dry and looks as if it will continue that way for a while with June-like temperatures the rest of this week. The forecast for today calls for a high of 85 with lots of sun. Thursday and Friday look like carbon copies. The only chance of rain for the week comes Saturday, but even that chance only climbs to 50%. READ MORE: Pinelands wildfire grows to 3,859 acres, but crews make good progress fighting it What about the fire in Manchester, N. J.? The current wildfire in South Jersey in the Pinelands region broke out Tuesday night amid weather conditions prime for fires. Although conditions throughout the state presented a high risk of fire, the level had not been elevated to a red flag warning because winds were fairly low on Wednesday. A 28-year-old North Philadelphia man has been arrested in connection with a double stabbing that critically wounded a 5-year-old girl and a 37-year-old woman Monday night in the citys Tioga section, police said. Sean Tucker, of the 2100 block of North 28th Street, is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder and aggravated assault, police said. He was apprehended by detectives Wednesday morning. About 7:35 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a person with a weapon on the 1800 block of North 20th Street and found the girl and woman lying on the ground, covered in blood. Police took the girl who had stab wounds to her chest, abdomen, and left arm to St. Christophers Hospital for Children. Police took the woman who had multiple stab wounds to her chest and arms to Temple University Hospital. Tucker was described by police as the womans ex-boyfriend. Police did not say whether the woman and girl are related. State Rep. Justin Jones (left) and expelled State Rep. Justin Pearson raise their hands just before Jones takes the oath of office outside the state Capitol on Monday, April 10, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Jones, who along with Pearson was expelled last week over their role in a gun-control protest on the House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting, was reinstated Monday after Nashvilles governing council voted to send him straight back to the legislature. Read more Philadelphia is a bedrock of Black history. For instance, the city is the birthplace of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent denomination established by Black people. One of the AME Churchs famed leaders was the Rev. Henry McNeal Turner, who was ordained a minister a few short years prior to the Civil War. Turner was a believer in the fight for freedom posed by the Civil War. Not only did he advocate for the use of Black soldiers during the war, but he was appointed chaplain for the Union army by President Abraham Lincoln, ensuring Black soldiers salaries reached their families and teaching them how to read. After the Civil War came the Reconstruction era, and Turner became involved in politics as a Republican in the state of Georgia. This wasnt the Republican Party of today. In the 1860s, Republicans were the antislavery party, and Turners political ideology more closely aligned with the Rev. Raphael Warnock than the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Southern Democrats of this era were the forerunners of the current Republican Party. In July 1868, Turner was elected to the Georgia state legislature, along with more than two dozen other Black representatives. These were some of the first Reconstruction-era Black elected officials in the former Confederacy, the first to represent the interests of Black constituents. However, less than two months later, Georgia Democrats who held the majority of seats expelled Turner and all the other Black members. In September 1868, Turner told the Georgia legislature: Advertisement You may expel us, gentlemen, but I firmly believe that you will someday repent it. The Black man cannot protect a country, if the country doesnt protect him; and if, tomorrow, a war should arise, I would not raise a musket to defend a country where my manhood is denied You may think you are doing yourselves honor by expelling us from this House; but when we go we will light a torch of truth that will never be extinguished When you expel us, you make us forever your political foes. When you expel us, you make us forever your political foes. The Rev. Henry McNeal Turner Last week, two Black men Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives. Like Turner, Jones and Pearson were expelled for representing their constituents in last weeks case, for joining protesters calling on legislators to enact stricter gun laws following a recent shooting at a Nashville school that killed six people. But this time, Jones and Pearson werent just acting on behalf of Black people, but on behalf of all those residing in their districts. To his colleagues, Pearson responded by saying: and you are seeking to expel District 86ths representation from this House in a country that was built on a protest. In a country that was built on a protest. You, who celebrate July 4, 1776, pop fireworks and eat hot dogs, you say to protest is wrong, because you spoke out of turn You spoke up for people who are marginalized. You spoke up for children who wont ever be able to speak again You spoke up for people that we dont want to care about. In a country built on people who speak out of turn, who spoke out of turn, who fought out of turn to build a nation. That Black elected officials can be expelled for violating the sensibilities of white conservatives is dangerous, to be sure. And I suspect that most people who watched the expulsion of Pearson and Jones didnt realize it had happened before that they were failed by their teachers, and unaware of the connections between the past and the present. And that, to me, is equally if not more dangerous. READ MORE: GOP wages an asymmetrical war on democracy because it cant get the votes | Will Bunch The example of the Rev. Henry McNeil Turner is proof that the expulsion of Jones and Pearson wasnt simply because they violated House rules. Like Turner in 1868, these men were expelled in 2023 for speaking up while Black. And yet, some communities are seeking to outlaw chapters of American history that could help young people make the connections between what we are experiencing today and what we have experienced in the past, so they can see it for what it really is. After serving in the Georgia Senate, Turner lost hope that Black people could ever attain justice in the United States. He became a forerunner to Marcus Garvey, urging emigration to Africa for African people. I havent lost hope yet. But if our teachers cant give our young people the full story of American history, the country is doomed to repeat what it refuses to teach. Rann Miller is an educator and freelance writer based in southern New Jersey. His Urban Education Mixtape blog supports urban educators and parents of children attending urban schools. Miller is also the author of the recently released book, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids. @RealRannMiller The campaign of Democratic mayoral candidate Jeff Brown has been accused by the Philadelphia Board of Ethics of participating in an elaborate scheme to circumvent the citys campaign contribution limits. Read more The dark money flooding in to boost Jeff Browns Philadelphia mayoral campaign is causing him legal troubles while leaving voters in the dark about the anonymous donors trying to buy his favor. The Philadelphia Board of Ethics accused Brown of violating the citys campaign finance law by illegally coordinating with a political action committee and nonprofit supporting him. A lawsuit filed by the Board of Ethics alleged those groups worked with Browns campaign in an elaborate scheme to circumvent the citys campaign contribution limits. The city enacted strict campaign contribution caps in 2003 following a pay-to-play scandal that rocked City Hall. But dark money donors backing Brown have evaded the limits and raised millions without having to disclose where the funds came from. Brown, a first-time candidate running as an outsider who built his fortune running a supermarket chain, called the lawsuit a political hit job. He added: This is about the political establishment not wanting the change that we so desperately need. Advertisement Sorry, Jeff, this is about the influence of money in politics and a candidate running for the top office in Philadelphia who either doesnt understand the rules or doesnt think they apply to him. Attacking the Board of Ethics is a feeble defense. Shane Creamer, an attorney and the executive director for the Board of Ethics, has a reputation as one of the straightest arrows in city government. He has overseen the independent office since it was established in 2006 and operates by the book. Indeed, the Ethics Boards lawsuit appears clear-cut. It contains several emails that show Brown coordinating with the super PAC called For a Better Philadelphia. A Common Pleas Court judge granted the boards request for an emergency order prohibiting the super PAC and nonprofit, which has the same name, from spending money to influence the primary on May 16 and to cancel any planned TV ads. The board also asked the two groups be fined a record $162,000 for repeatedly violating the citys campaign finance laws. The judge did not act on that request and ordered both sides to return to court on April 24. The Board of Ethics should be congratulated for shining a light on this troubling issue before the election. Often, cases like these do not emerge until after voters have already gone to the polls. Super PACs and dark money groups are spending millions on this years mayoral race to shape the outcome like never before. Former City Councilmember Maria Quinones Sanchez suspended her campaign, citing the obscene amount of money. More than $22 million has already poured into the candidates coffers in advance of the Democratic primary on May 16. Nearly half of the money raised has come from outside the city. In Browns case, among the anonymous donors to his super PAC was a $250,000 contribution received last fall believed to be tied to the 76ers, who want to build a $1.3 billion arena at 10th and Market Streets. Brown supports the arena, and the next mayor may influence where it gets built. The Sixers proposal deserves serious consideration, as this board recently detailed. But trying to buy a mayor is a bad way to build broad support. Brown has pointed out that three other candidates have super PACs backing them. But none of the candidates has been accused of illegally coordinating with their PACs, and their lists of big donors have been reported. Former City Councilmember Cherelle Parker has the backing of the building trades unions, who have long wielded an immense and sometimes troubling influence at City Hall. Former City Councilmember Helen Gym is supported by the influential American Federation of Teachers and far-left progressive groups. Just as Browns super PAC has come under scrutiny this year, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers was fined in 2015 for making excessive donations to Gyms campaign following a Board of Ethics investigation. Meanwhile, a super PAC affiliated with former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart received $100,000 from venture capitalist and philanthropist Richard Vague. The best way for Brown to put this issue behind him would be to release the full list of his dark money donors. Otherwise, voters are left to wonder what Brown has to hide. Marijuana has been decriminalized in New Jersey. So can you smoke at the Shore? Read more Back in April 2022, recreational marijuana sales began in New Jersey, more than a year after the state legalized and decriminalized the drug. And with good weather finally arriving, too, you may be wondering: Can I finally smoke a joint down the shore legally? Well, not so fast. While Gov. Phil Murphy said that the states broken and indefensible marijuana laws are no more last year, there are still some things New Jersey residents and Shore-goers alike should know before lighting up. Using marijuana or possessing up to six ounces of it (or up to 17 grams of hashish) wont land you in any hot water, legally, provided youre over 21. More than that amount, its considered a fourth-degree crime, which can carry fines and possible jail time. READ MORE: What is and isnt allowed under New Jerseys marijuana laws Advertisement So, when it comes to your trip down the Shore this summer, what can you do? Can you smoke it on the beach or boardwalk? And what if youre a medical marijuana patient? Here is what you need to know. Can I smoke weed on the beach or boardwalk? In a word, no. New Jerseys marijuana laws dont allow public use of marijuana whether youre smoking or vaporizing it. And its not just marijuana: Many of the same rules both state and local prevent you from smoking cigarettes in public places, too, says Ami Kachalia, a campaign strategist with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. While consequences can vary, the penalty for a first offense is generally a fine, said New Jersey Attorney Generals Office spokesperson Peter Aseltine. The Smoke-Free Air Act, which Gov. Murphy updated in 2018 to include public beaches and parks, includes a $250 fine for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for third and subsequent violations. Police could also confiscate your marijuana, says Chris Goldstein, an activist and regional organizer for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. However, DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, says theyre not supposed to, because the law doesnt give [police] the ability to search or seize your cannabis. The states new marijuana laws also let local municipalities pass their own marijuana ordinances. So, many Shore towns have banned the public use of marijuana at the beach or boardwalk, specifically or smoking and vaping in general including Cape May, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood Crest, and Seaside Heights. Is it legal to use marijuana edibles at the Shore? There is no ban on consuming cannabis in New Jersey, Ward says: The focus is more on smoking and vaping in public. But some towns have restricted the public consumption of any marijuana products such as Wildwood Crest and Margate which would include edibles. So, the answer depends on where youre staying. And, at least currently, edible cannabis products are not available on the recreational market. The forms of marijuana youre allowed to buy include dried flower, concentrated oils, drops and syrups, and chewable forms like pills and tablets. Can I smoke marijuana in my car? Nope. Doing so violates open container laws, said Aseltine. Jerseys open container laws include a $200 fine for a first offense, followed by a $250 fine for a second or subsequent violation, or you can be ordered to perform community service. Also, if youre in the drivers seat and the vehicle is on, you could be charged with a DUI, Ward says, which carries more severe penalties. If its a beach town, dont think you can go out to your car and light up a joint while youve got the AC running, either, Ward says. You can be cited for operating under the influence. Where can I legally use marijuana down the Shore? The only place you can use marijuana at the Shore without risk is on private property: a friends Shore house, or your rental or hotel room. But you still need permission. If its private property, then it is up to whoever owns or controls the place, Ward says. Hotels and motels, for example, can allow smoking or vaping marijuana in up to 20% of their rooms at the owners discretion. Owners of Shore house rentals, like those you might find on Airbnb, can also decide whether or not to allow smoking. Ask first, Ward says. New Jersey marijuana laws also allow for designated Cannabis Consumption Areas (also known as on-site consumption areas) attached to places that sell legal cannabis once those stores have been set up. If The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City gets its way, soon Shore-goers will be able to buy and consume cannabis at the hotel in a marijuana lounge possibly by this summer. Can I buy legal weed at the Shore? Technically, yes, but you have more options on the way down the shore. The only dispensary located along the Jersey Shore is The Botanist in Egg Harbor Township, right outside of Atlantic City. Otherwise, there are five recreational dispensaries on the way to South Jersey beaches the closest dispensary (besides Atlantic Citys) is The Cannabist in Vineland about an hour from the shore, but thats a 50-mile drive inland from Wildwood and around 40 miles from Sea Isle and Ocean City. Plan accordingly: Pick up on the way down or trek up to Atlantic City or back over to Vineland. Heres a guide on where to buy marijuana on your way to the Jersey Shore. Key takeaways: Curaleaf (Closest to Philly): Curaleaf in Bellmawr is open for recreational sales every day. Check their menu prices here. (640 Creek Road Bellmawr, N.J. 856-933-8700 curaleaf.com Mon. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.) The Botanist (Halfway to the Shore) The Botanist in Williamstown is right off the Atlantic City Expressway for an easy, quick pickup. Check their menu prices here. (2090 N. Black Horse Pike, Williamstown, N.J. 856-478-3530 shopbotanist.com Recreational sales: Mon. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tue.- Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The Cannabist (Closest outside of Shore): The next closest option about 50 miles inland from the Shore, The Cannabist in Vineland is open for recreational sales every day of the week. Check for menu prices here. (1062 N. Delsea Dr., Vineland, N.J. 856-213-9445 gocannabist.com Recreational sales: Mon.-Wed. noon-6 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. noon-7 p.m; Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) The Botanist (At the Shore): The Botanist in Egg Harbor is the only dispensary at the Jersey Shore and the easiest location to resupply once youre there. Check for menu prices here. (100 Century Drive, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J. 609-277-7547 shopbotanist.com Recreational sales: Mon. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tue.-Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) Those are the best options you have for now, as each municipality gets to approve recreational sales before theyre allowed. Many Shore towns have already banned marijuana businesses within their boundaries. But, technically, there may be some loopholes. Since marijuana possession has been decriminalized, adults could technically gift it to other adults up to a certain amount, says Ward. Some ad hoc businesses have seized on that by selling snacks or other products alongside a free small amount of marijuana. However, last June, the state AG Office sent warning letters to companies that allegedly did so. What about if Im a medical marijuana patient? If youre a medical marijuana patient in New Jersey, you still have to follow all the rules above when it comes to using it. Out-of-state medical marijuana patients can run into issues. Technically, the states Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act allows visiting patients to buy medical marijuana from state dispensaries (a practice known as reciprocation), but only if they have a recommendation for a New Jersey-based doctor who will add them to the state medical registry temporarily. Find a doctor in New Jersey using the Cannabis Regulatory Commissions tool. And youre not allowed to bring marijuana into New Jersey from out of state. Dustin McDonald, interim policy director for Americans for Safe Access, says that violates federal interstate drug possession laws, which can result in up to one year in prison and a fine of $1,000 for first-time offenders. Medical marijuana patients, Goldstein adds, are particularly at risk, as police could conduct a DUI investigation once they see your medical marijuana card. Even if youre a registered patient, they could do DUI tests, he says. You will have enough THC in your system [to be charged]. For patients who need to treat their condition with marijuana coming in from out of state, that creates something of a catch-22, McDonald says. Do you break federal law and put yourself at risk by bringing cannabis with you, or buy illegally where there are no quality control requirements? At the least, if you cant see a New Jersey doctor and get added to the state medical patient registry temporarily, recreational cannabis dispensaries which also serve as medical dispensaries are fully operational to provide cannabis. Also, even if someone buys weed illegally in New Jersey, it likely wont result in charges against you. This article has been updated since it first published. Expert sources DeVaughn Ward , JD, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project. , JD, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project. Chris Goldstein , activist and regional organizer for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. , activist and regional organizer for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Dustin McDonald , interim policy director for Americans for Safe Access. , interim policy director for Americans for Safe Access. Peter Aseltine, spokesperson for the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office. i-circle_black READ MORE: Live your best life in Philly: Read our most useful stories here Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jeff Brown on Tuesday said he is the victim of a political hit job and attacked the city Board of Ethics after it accused him Monday of illegally coordinating with an outside spending group that has raised millions to boost him. This is about the political establishment not wanting the change that we so desperately need, Brown, a businessman and first-time candidate, said during a televised debate Tuesday night. This has not been tried. When it gets tried, I will win. This is a political hit job. This is not a reality. Browns defense came one day after the Philadelphia Board of Ethics sued an outside group backing Browns candidacy, alleging it illegally coordinated with Brown and his campaign. Browns campaign denied wrongdoing, but he has acknowledged that he raised money for the group a super PAC called For A Better Philadelphia before he announced his candidacy for mayor. READ MORE: Sign up for The Inquirer's newsletter on this year's historic mayoral election Advertisement He noted Tuesday that several other candidates are being supported by super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as they do not coordinate with campaigns or candidates. Brown, who has poured more than $1 million of his own money into his campaign, said its how candidates are able to compete with someone like Allan Domb, a real estate magnate who has put $7 million of his own money into his mayoral campaign. Do I think its a good system? No, Brown said. But thats the system we have. Its true other mayoral candidates have super PACs in their corners. But Brown left out that the PAC backing him is the only dark money group in the race, meaning it is keeping almost of all of its donors secret because donations were funneled through a nonprofit that has the same name as the PAC. After the debate, Brown leaned in further, suggesting that the ethics board was in on an effort to hurt his campaign. It was created by politicians. Theyre scared of the change, Brown said of the board, which is composed of five mayoral appointees and is tasked with interpreting and enforcing the citys rules on issues such as campaign finance, lobbying, and political activity by city employees. The ethics board regularly investigates and fines establishment-backed Philadelphia politicians, and many of those politicians have been critical of the board over the years. The board, for instance, has previously fined several of Browns opponents in the mayors race. The current iteration of the ethics board was established in an amendment to the Home Rule Charter that was proposed by City Council in 2005 and approved by voters in 2006. Shane Creamer, the boards executive director, responded to Browns comments Tuesday night, saying that the boards accusation that Brown engaged in extensive fundraising for the group was based on evidence like bank records and emails sent by Brown, members of his staff, and the super PAC that were obtained through subpoenas. The allegations in the Boards emergency petition for injunctive relief is based on facts and evidence, Creamer said. We know what Jeff Brown did last summer. What facts and evidence is Jeff Browns accusation against the Board based upon? The board is seeking a record $162,000 fine to be paid jointly by the super PAC and the nonprofit. A city judge on Monday issued an order temporarily prohibiting the group from spending any more money to influence the May 16 primary election, and a full hearing on the matter is scheduled for April 24. Brown, a longtime ShopRite proprietor who is running as a government outsider, has for several months been seen as a top contender in the crowded field of 10 Democrats seeking the nomination. That was in part because For A Better Philadelphia funded an early round of television ads that were among the first to air in the campaign. Browns rivals blasted him over the allegations during and after the debate. Former Councilmember Cherelle Parker said after the debate that Browns campaign has been literally built on deception. Brown has, from the beginning, thought that there were two sets of rules: one for people like him and then another set of rules for folks who come from places like me, she said. Had the ethics board not filed suit, Philadelphians could have woken up on May 17 saying, Ive been had, Ive been took, Ive been hoodwinked, Ive been bamboozled. Helen Gym, another former Council member, said the ethics board does not get involved at this level just over political minutia and called the potential violations egregious. She said she is also outraged that he may have solicited donations from right-wing, anti-democratic, anti-education individuals. Gym referenced Jeffrey Yass, the Main Line billionaire and principal at Susquehanna International Group who has poured millions of dollars into political candidates and causes over the years. It is not yet clear whether Yass donated to Brown or the super PAC supporting him. But the evidence in the lawsuit included a list of donors and potential contributors that Browns staff maintained. The list was heavily redacted, but in one case, the employer of a potential donor was partially visible: It read SIG, and noted that the PAC was targeting the donor for a $1 million contribution. Rival campaigns have speculated that is a reference to Susquehanna International Group, and that the donor could have been Yass or one of his partners. Susquehanna and a representative for Yass did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Yass, Pennsylvanias richest man, has primarily backed Republicans. A strong proponent of charter schools, he has also donated millions to political action committees that have boosted some Democrats in favor of expanding school choice. In the 2015 mayors race, Yass and his business partners Joel Greenberg and Arthur Dantchik spent $7 million to boost state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, who came in second to Mayor Jim Kenney in the Democratic primary. A view of Covanta trash incinerator facility in Chester in December. Philadelphia and other cities send trash to the incinerator. Read more Mayoral candidate Jeff Brown put Chester front and center at a televised debate Tuesday night, with comments he made about sending Philadelphias trash to a controversial incinerator in the Delaware County city. Asked whether hed maintain or alter Philadelphias current waste management contract with the Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility in Chester in light of complaints of environmental racism, Brown gave a response that included the comment: The trash has to go somewhere. His answer drew immediate rebukes from his opponents in the Democratic primary. Thats not really an appropriate answer, said Rebecca Rhynhart. Advertisement That response is the same way you treat the Black and brown community, said Cherelle Parker. Helen Gym used fewer words: Its a disgrace, she said. Philadelphia sends more than 400,000 tons of garbage to the Covanta-owned trash incinerator annually. And City Council voted in 2019 to renew Philadelphias contract with the facility for a four-year period. Chester, a city of about 39,000 people that sits along the Delaware River, is 72% Black, according to U.S. Census data. Browns comments even drew ire from Covanta itself. [T]he statement made by Mr. Brown was disappointing, said Covanta spokesperson Nicolle Robles. He clearly does not know what we do at Covanta and has no idea about the amazing people in Chester. Chester environmental activist Zulene Mayfield has been on the frontlines of the fight against the trash incinerator in her community since its first iteration opened in 1991. When he said Chester, I heard another word, Mayfield said of Browns comments. I heard in my spirit racial undertones of a disparaging word. I know he didnt say that but thats the way that it was received. Heres a look at what the Chester-based Covanta facility is and the role Philadelphia plays in its day-to-day operations. What is Covanta? Covanta is one of the nations most prominent trash incinerator companies, operating 37 of what it calls waste-to-energy facilities across the country. Locally, its largest plant is in Chester, and it also operates facilities in Camden and Conshohocken. Covantas Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility in Chester is the largest trash incinerator in America, according to data from the Energy Justice Network. A 2019 study from the New School found Covantas Chester plant was one of the most significant polluters of its kind in the country. It incinerates around 3,500 tons of trash a day, with a capacity of up to 5,700 tons daily. The plant gets trash from Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York City, and Ocean City, Md. The New School study also found that Covantas Camden plant was in the top 12 PM 2.5 emitters. The plant emits particulate matter at the size of 2.5 micrometers, which environmental and health advocates consider dangerous because of its ability to impact the respiratory system. Robles acknowledged the plants emissions, but said the facility accounts for about 3% of the total pollution in Delaware County. The facility is responsible for 11% of the countys nitrogen oxide pollution. Despite being called the largest polluter in the area, the Covanta facility in Chester is a relatively small source of most pollutants, said Robles. When did the plant open in Chester? The plant was opened in 1991 by the Westinghouse Corp. Covanta began operating the plant in 2005 and purchased it from GE Energy Financial Services for $94 million in 2012. How is Philadelphia involved? Philadelphia produces about 1.4 million tons of trash a year. Philadelphia sent nearly 404,000 tons of waste there by municipal or private haulers in 2018, according to the citys waste management plan. Thats about 1,100 tons of trash coming from Philadelphia to Chester each day. The city in 2019 renewed its contract with Covanta for four years with an option for three one-year extensions, according to the legislation approved by City Council. Chester activist Mayfield said she and her neighbors and allies plan to come to Philadelphia City Hall to lobby against the next renewal of the Covanta contract. Philadelphia sends its trash to a combination of incinerators and landfills. Sites include Waste Management transfer stations and landfills in Northeast and Southwest Philly. Why does it matter? Pollution released by Covantas Chester plant is known to contribute to several health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, and asthma. A study out of Harvard also showed that exposure to the pollution increased the risk of death from COVID-19. In Chester, more than 38% of children suffer from asthma. The national childhood asthma rate is around 8%, in contrast. In Philadelphia, which has high pediatric asthma rates, 21% of children suffer from the respiratory condition. Thats what this has done to my community, said Mayfield. People dont sit on their porches. It has taken away our sense of community. Robles, the Covanta spokesperson, said the facility monitors its emissions every second of the day, and conducts annual testing. She said the facility operates below federal regulatory standards for emissions. The study from the New School found that eight out of ten trash incinerators are located in low-income neighborhoods or neighborhoods of color. Environmental racism is to blame, said Mayfield. Lets do some things thatll save ourselves and save our children, said Mayfield. No corporation should have the ability to take away our God-given right to breathe, and right now, we cant breathe. Jeff Brown speaks during a mayoral forum on Monday. The businessman running for Philadelphia mayor has taken heat from all sides this week. Read more Jeff Brown is on defense. The businessman running for Philadelphia mayor on a pitch that hes different from the rest of the politicians in the race has for months been seen as a top contender. But hes had a tough week, with a comment about trash going viral just a day after an ethics probe dominated the news. Brown made national headlines for a dismissive answer during Tuesdays debate about Philadelphias practice of contracting a company to incinerate city trash in Chester. Asked how hed handle complaints from residents there about pollution and environmental racism, Brown said, Chester is Chester. Im worried about Philadelphians. In a made-for-TV moment, the moderator asked: So, you dont care about Chester? Advertisement The televised debate, the first of the campaign, came just a day after one of the mayoral races most explosive revelations burst into public view, when the citys Board of Ethics filed a lawsuit alleging that Brown coordinated with an outside spending group that is supporting his candidacy, in violation of the citys campaign-finance laws. His competition on Tuesday piled on, with nearly every contender questioning his ethics during or after the debate. Helen Gym called the potential violations egregious, and Cherelle Parker said his campaign has been built on deception. And three candidates Parker, Gym, and Rebecca Rhynhart immediately blasted Brown for his comments about Chester. READ MORE: Sign up for The Inquirer's newsletter on the Philadelphia mayor's race. The controversies come as Allan Domb a real estate magnate who has poured $7 million into his own campaign for mayor has paid big to air negative advertising about Brown, the only candidate who has thus far been beaten up by another on television. All the negative attention has rival campaigns and political insiders speculating that Browns support could wane and what that could mean for the nine other Democrats ahead of Philadelphias May 16 primary election. His campaign released a poll in February showing him leading the pack, but without any independent, public polling, its unclear how robust his support is or how its trending. Brown, for his part, is digging in. In his view, the attacks are part of expected pushback. He has been unabashed in his criticism of anyone who has held political office while the city has navigated intersecting crises, and he says his rivals are corrupt and attacking him because they dont have accomplishments to run on. Kyle Anderson, a spokesperson for Browns campaign, said in a statement Wednesday that Brown is fighting against entrenched political elite. Virtually every other candidate has served in elected office while this city has deteriorated, and they are accountable for that, Anderson said. Electing any of them mayor would be entrusting the person who created the mess to clean it up. READ MORE: Philly mayoral candidate Jeff Brown calls ethics allegations political' Anderson also clarified Browns comments on Chester, saying that as mayor, Brown would review all proposed contracts, including those with waste disposal firms. To suggest that his focus on serving Philadelphians over residents of another municipality is somehow racist is a lie and the kind of distortion weve come to expect from some of the other candidates, he said. Multiple candidates said during and after the debate that the comments were racially insensitive, given that Chester is a majority-Black city. After Brown said, The trash has got go somewhere, Rhynhart said. Thats not really an appropriate answer. Meanwhile, Gym said, disgrace, and Parker said, That response is the same way you treat the Black and brown community. Brown has been criticized throughout the campaign over comments about race that are being labeled tone-deaf or offensive. His early ads targeted voters of color, featuring footage of former first lady Michelle Obama and emphasizing Browns work opening ShopRite stores in underserved neighborhoods. But Obamas office publicly rejected the ads, saying they implied she had made an endorsement. Several of Browns rivals also criticized a comment he made at a January event where he said, People of color, especially Black people, have been my lifes work. And at the end of March, Philadelphia Magazine editor at large Ernest Owens posted video of Brown saying that if people knew of his opponents corruption, theyd lynch them. Brown immediately apologized after the video was made public, saying the word has no place in public discourse. Still, Browns campaign believes he has maintained significant support among Black voters by allying himself with prominent Black surrogates and labor unions with majority-Black memberships. He has also tried to appeal to working-class white residents through a mix of tough-on-crime rhetoric and a focus on quality-of-life issues, such as his campaign slogan, pick up the damn trash. If Browns support at any point declines, candidates trying to appeal to those demographic blocs, such as Parker and Domb, likely stand to gain the most. READ MORE: Mayor debate: Who and what got the most time? Parker is running advertising emphasizing that her election would be historic, in that she would be the first woman and first Black woman to be Philadelphia mayor. She has amassed a range of endorsements from top Black officials, including state Sen. Vincent Hughes and Sen. Sharif Street, and she is expected to be endorsed by City Council President Darrell L. Clarke this week. And Domb has targeted a mix of business-friendly types and more conservative Democrats. He opened a campaign office in Northeast Philadelphia, and his television commercials those that arent focused on Brown center on crime and quality of life. The rest of the crowded field could also benefit from the ethics board investigation beyond the negative headlines about Brown. A city judge on Monday temporarily barred the super PAC supporting him from spending any more money to influence the race. That prohibition will last at least through April 24, when a full hearing is scheduled. At the same time, Browns campaign has been spending less money on television ads, which are widely considered the best way to reach undecided voters. For most of the race, Browns campaign and the super PAC spent at least a combined $150,000 a week on television advertising, according to media buyers. The last two weeks, Browns campaign spent less than $100,000 a week on television ads less than Domb, Rhynhart, and Gym. Inquirer staff writer Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article. Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jeff Brown (third from left) came under fire during a mayoral debate Tuesday night for dismissive comments about Chester after he was asked about Philadelphia sending its trash to the Delaware County city, where residents environmental activists say an incinerator raises issues of environmental racism. Read more Mayoral candidate Jeff Brown came under fire from his Democratic rivals during a televised debate Tuesday for a dismissive comment about the city of Chester. A Fox29 debate moderator asked Brown, a businessman who hasnt held elected office, how hed address complaints of pollution and environmental racism in Chester, where some of Philadelphias trash is dumped. Philadelphia has long held a waste disposal contract with Covanta, a firm whose trash incinerators in Chester have drawn decades of rebuke from residents and activists and sanctions from environmental regulators. Asked if he would change the existing contracts with vendors that handle waste removal in the city, Brown whose campaign slogan is Pick up the damn trash said he wasnt sure and seemed to dismiss the neighboring citys fight against pollution. Chester is Chester, he said. Im worried about Philadelphians and how their lives are. Advertisement The moderator asked: So you dont care about Chester? I do care, but I dont work for them if Im the mayor, Brown said. I work for Philadelphia, and the trash has to go somewhere, and whoever gets it is going to be unhappy with it. The comment appeared to stun many in the room. Former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart called it an inappropriate answer, while former Councilmember Cherelle Parker interjected, saying that response is the same way you treat the Black and brown community in Philadelphia. It was one of several combative exchanges between the seven Democrats on stage many of which were directed at Brown, a fourth-generation grocer who has owned a chain of ShopRite stores in the region. Later in the debate, Parker brought up the remark again in response to a question about public health. Parker said she would work closely with other leaders in the region, name-dropping Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland as a good friend. READ MORE: For 30 years, she has fought a waste-to-energy plant in Chester City: We dont have a choice Its unclear how many Chester residents heard or cared about the comments. Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Kirkland said he hadnt caught the televised debate, but he wasnt surprised to hear a candidate being dismissive of his city. I wish the world loved Chester, Kirkland said, but I understand some people have an ax to grind. He added that he didnt take Browns comment personally: Whenever you get into the political season, it becomes, as Barack Obama once said, silly season. Its a time folks say and do things that theyll probably regret at a later date. I dont take any offense to that. READ MORE: Bankrupt Chester could cease to exist as a city without fiscal change, state receiver says Instead, Kirkland commended Philadelphia officials for their partnership with his Delaware County city, especially in sharing solutions around the biggest issue of the election season gun violence. While Philadelphia and other big cities saw an explosion of gun violence during the pandemic, Chester reduced homicides by over 60% between 2020 and 2021, which many attributed to a community-driven program linking prosecutors and residents. We look for ways that we can be helpful to them as a sister city with regards to crime, Kirkland said. On environmental issues, Kirkland also said partnership with Philadelphia remained important, and praised environmental regulations that have blunted some of emissions issues with Covanta in recent years. Parker, for her part, also referenced Browns comments on Chester again later in the debate and noted the racial implications of his response. Chester is 72% Black, according to U.S. Census data. If you can think that way about Black and brown people and if youre familiar with Chester, you know who occupies it and who lives there but just the laissez-faire attitude that he employs. Parker, who is Black, said the Cherelle Parkers of the world cant get away with the same lack of discipline. The Passover Seder is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Passover celebrates the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt. The Greater Philadelphia Hillel Network helped organize a Passover Seder for the Bryn Mawr Hillel and the Haverford College Jewish Student Union on April 8, 2022. The event was held at Bryn Mawr College. Read more HARRISBURG Pennsylvanias presidential primary is scheduled for the first day of Passover next year, potentially disenfranchising observant Jews across the state and giving new urgency to lawmakers hoping to move the states primary election to earlier in the year. The primary is scheduled for April 23, 2024, and Passover begins the previous evening. Traditional Jewish law prohibits many regular activities such as driving, writing, working and the use of electricity on the holiday, which is observed for eight days in the United States. Legislators in Harrisburg have long pushed for Pennsylvania to move its presidential primary earlier in the year so the swing state would have a bigger voice in choosing nominees. Pennsylvanias presidential primary isnt until the fourth Tuesday of April, weeks after most states have finished their primary and the presidential nominees are all but certain. Voters also choose their nominees for U.S. Senate and state House and Senate during presidential primaries. The scheduling conflict now gives lawmakers an urgency to move the date and leaves Jewish leaders with a familiar feeling of being overlooked. Advertisement Jewish leaders in Philadelphia and Harrisburg realized the potential conflict earlier this year, and alerted Gov. Josh Shapiros administration, Robin Schatz, director of government affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia said. Shapiro, a Democrat, is Pennsylvanias third Jewish governor. Two Democratic Philadelphia representatives, Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta and Jared Solomon, reintroduced legislation in January to move the date to March 19, 2024, to give Pennsylvania the political weight it deserves. Schatz said next years conflict gives added impetus to move the election to earlier in the year, and that she hopes it wont happen again. She said scheduling a major Pennsylvania election on a day when many observant Jews could not participate is not a good optic and marginalizes the group. However, Jewish voters would still be able to vote in advance by mail, she added. All Pennsylvania voters can choose to vote by mail by using a no-excuse mail ballot. Voters who are unable to go to their polling place on Election Day as is potentially the case for observant Jewish voters are also eligible to vote using an absentee ballot. We would like to see from this that all religious holidays of importance are looked at on the calendar before dates are made, Schatz added. Sen. Judy Schwank (D., Berks) is the cochair of the newly formed Jewish Legislative Caucus that was created to celebrate Jewish culture and heritage, as well as address anti-Semitism and hate in the state. But the scheduling conflict ended up as one of its first acts of business. State lawmakers from the caucus sent a letter to Acting Secretary of State Al Schmidt earlier this month, asking his agency to begin planning to ensure that Jewish voters are aware of the conflict. The preferred course of action would be to reschedule the date, wrote the lawmakers, a group of 22 Democrats who are Jewish or represent districts with large Jewish populations. However, if this is not possible, we need to explore every option to allow voters of the Jewish faith to vote. Shapiro supports moving the 2024 primary to ensure that those observing Passover have every opportunity to exercise their right to vote, said Manuel Bonder, his press secretary. Schwank said moving the election to earlier in the calendar year actually works to the benefit of all Pennsylvanians. As it is right now, its so late in the presidential election calendar, it renders us somewhat irrelevant, she added. Three other states Maryland, Delaware and Rhode Island have their presidential primaries scheduled for the same day. Lawmakers in Maryland have introduced legislation to change the date, Jewish Insider first reported. Rep. Ben Waxman (D., Philadelphia), who is a member of the Jewish Legislative Caucus, said the conflict shows the value of the new caucus to advocate for the states Jewish community. Its clear that there would be Jewish communities that would not participate potentially on Election Day because it coincided with the holiday, Waxman said. It just sends a terrible message to schedule an election when theres going to be a big chunk of people who cant participate. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney at the podium giving his budget proposal to City Council in Council's chambers in City Hall in March. Several new Council members will be elected this year. Read more An ideological divide appears to be emerging in the fight for Philadelphia City Council. With just five weeks until the primary election, frontrunners in the packed Democratic race for five at-large seats have begun separating into distinct but occasionally overlapping camps. In one corner is a wing of progressive candidates with grassroots backing, running with an emphasis on investing in city libraries and recreation centers, increasing affordable housing, and financing alternative solutions to policing. In the other corner is a trio of business-aligned candidates with support from urbanist and pro-development groups, who want to improve quality-of-life city services and create friendlier economic conditions for small businesses. Advertisement And then there are two at-large incumbents, Councilmembers Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Isaiah Thomas, who enjoy broad support from both quarters, while Jimmy Harrity, a third incumbent, hasnt received much attention from either faction but is backed by Democratic party insiders. The race comes at a time of extraordinary turnover in City Hall. While very few of Councils 10 district races are competitive this year, the at-large contest remains a toss-up that will help shape the ideological balance of Philadelphia government for the next four years, especially on such issues as budgetary priorities, taxes, and development policy, where Council has the greatest influence. Years of clashing with progressive lawmakers over worker protections and tax reform have also pushed often-siloed business groups to align behind a slate of candidates. Campaign finance reports filed last week show that about a dozen candidates have raised enough money to stay competitive, and are on track to pull in at least $100,000 each. On a crowded ballot of 28 Democrats, this cohort collectively raised more than $2.3 million and began building the kind of coalitions that are typically needed to win a citywide race. Several of those top candidates will likely also see a boost from independent expenditure groups, or super PACs, that have stormed local elections in recent years. A building industry-aligned PAC has raised seven figures and plans to air TV ads backing what it views as a business-friendly slate in the Council race. Progressives groups plan to spend, too, while leaning heavily on door-knocking campaigns to get out the vote. Political observers said such alliances will prove as important as campaign money in a race in which voters get very little information about the candidates before Election Day. We have a very solid pool of candidates, so it becomes about how you are speaking about the issues, instead of what issues, said Kyle Darby, president of Darby Public Strategies, a political consultant who is not advising any candidates in the race. Its about their style, what relationships they have, and where theyve worked prior. The top five Democratic vote getters in the May 16 primary will advance to the general election for at-large Council seats, which they are likely to win, given Philadelphias deep blue leaning. Two additional at-large seats are reserved for minority parties. The progressive and pro-business slates Many progressive groups are throwing their weight behind housing lawyer Rue Landau, immigrant rights activist Erika Almiron, and political organizer Amanda McIllmurray, as well as incumbents Thomas and Gilmore Richardson. Business-friendly groups are also lining up behind those two incumbents, as well as former City Council staffer Eryn Santamoor, small business champion Donavan West, and Old City District executive director Job Itzkowitz. Some candidates dispute that theres a binary choice between the two camps. Clean streets are progressive and pro-business, Itzkowitz said. Safe neighborhoods are progressive and pro-business. Sergio Cea, political director for Reclaim, a progressive group that has been influential in local elections, said it comes down to candidates records and rhetoric around such issues as policing and community investment. A lot of candidates will say we need more police or we need more surveillance, or talk about the interests of big business or real estate instead of investment in community, Cea said. Were talking about the interests of working class Philadelphians community-based solutions to violence, investing in city institutions like parks, rec centers, and libraries, and affordable housing. Business interests view the leftward gravity in City Council as a threat to progress, as ideas such as implementing rent control and a wealth tax gain traction against a push to lower business and wage taxes, which business groups view as necessary for job growth. John Hawkins, a veteran City Hall lobbyist who represents business groups in the development industry , said the turnover rate amplifies those concerns. Five of the six Council members who resigned to run for mayor were viewed as moderate Democrats. Those vacant Council at-large seats represent the best opportunity to elect new members who would send the signal that the city is still open for business, Hawkins said. Philadelphia 3.0, an independent political action committee that supports business-friendly policy and is backing the more moderate group of Council candidates, emphasized the citys economic competitiveness and delivering basic city services such as street sweeping in its endorsement announcement. (3.0, which reported more than $540,000 in the bank last week, did not return a request for comment.) That slate will also have support from Philly for Growth, an independent expenditure group financed by the Building Industry Association and other development interests. The group, which backed pro-business candidates in the 2019 Council race, as well, reported raising $1.1 million as of last week. It has since spent $157,000 to run the first cable commercials in the Council races, according to Ad Impact, a media tracking firm. The in-between candidates The factions emerging in the race are not cut-and-dried alliances, and it remains to be seen how many voters will cast ballots along these lines. The Democratic party has endorsed the incumbents and Landau, while urging ward leaders to back either Santamoor, Almiron, or Nina Ahmad for the fifth seat. The citys building trades unions are mostly aligned behind incumbents and party-approved candidates, while other unions have spread endorsements among different frontrunners. Gilmore Richardson and Thomas, who won at-large seats in 2019 and are now seeking second terms, have endorsements from both progressive groups and pro-business groups. But Harrity despite widespread support within the Democratic party and the backing of labor unions has not won favor with many progressives or business groups. Harrity won a special election in November and is seeking his first full term. And the special interest groups seeking to influence the election are not monoliths, either. For example, 5th Square, an urbanist political action committee, endorsed Santamoor and Itzkowitz alongside Landau, noting that their platforms aligned around road safety policy and transit access. There are also a handful of other candidates who appear competitive without falling into neat ideological camps. Ahmad, a scientist and womens rights advocate who has previously run for statewide office, has endorsements from labor unions, social justice groups, and prominent Democratic officials. Although her campaign hasnt raised as much as rivals, she remains competitive thanks to a $90,000 personal contribution. Im glad I dont get put into one of these buckets or silos, because thats not who I am, Ahmad said. It speaks to my independent voice Im going to be speaking to all kinds of constituents across the city. Longtime local resident Keith Walton, a retired carpenter, has created displays using zoning maps and other data to make a case against further warehouse development in Oldmans Township in Salem County, N.J. Read more Keith Waltons backyard offers postcard-worthy views of Oldmans Creek. But if a proposal before the planning board in Oldmans Township, Salem County, becomes a reality, the farm fields across from the home Walton built for his family 20 years ago could be replaced by warehouses. This is whats really at stake, he said. Knight Owl Holdings, a group of six limited-liability corporations based in Clarksboro, Gloucester County, seeks approval to construct nine warehouses totaling 5.3 million square feet on 574 acres of mostly agricultural Oldmans Township land. Advertisement The developer will need variances to build on large portions of the property that are not zoned for warehouses, as well as to erect some warehouses as tall as 65 feet. Full build-out is expected to take nine years. Walton and other Oldmans Township residents are alarmed at the prospect of familiar landscapes giving way to more clusters of enormous boxy buildings and parking lots for about 3,600 vehicles and 2,100 tractor-trailers. The township already has more than 20 warehouses. No more warehouses is on signs all over town, and more than 100 people showed up at an April 3 planning board hearing on the latest proposal, which set to resume Monday. READ MORE: N.J. residents used a grassroots campaign to thwart a warehouse developer. They fear his return. As consumer demand for expeditiously home-delivered products of all sorts continues, grassroots pushback against warehouse projects has become common throughout the Philadelphia region, even amid the economic uncertainty for commercial real estate and Walmarts decision to close its Oldmans Township warehouse and lay off 201 employees there. New warehouses are being proposed from Chester County to Northeast Philly to the Lehigh Valley. And as developers have gobbled up the relatively inexpensive property in Central New Jersey, theyve steadily shifted their attention south, as the transformation of the area around New Jersey Turnpike Exit 2 and Route 322 in Gloucester County attests. Local residents at the April 3 meeting in Oldmans Township seemed deeply skeptical about Knight Owls proposal, and some planning board members, as well as board consultants, asked sharp questions of experts hired by the developer. This is a rural community, and wed like to keep it that way, said Paul Mitchell, who attended the session with his wife, Susan. The couple operate a 54-acre asparagus farm in the towns Pedricktown section. Weve already got trucks on our narrow roads, rattling peoples windows, Susan Mitchell said. Weve got noise pollution and light pollution, said her husband. At night, the light from warehouse parking lots makes it look like the Chernobyl disaster. Neither Matthew Lange, a principal of Knight Owl, nor Clint Allen, a lawyer for the LLCs, responded to voicemail or email messages left at their offices. A traffic engineer and an acoustics expert who were among those presenting evidence before the planning board said the proposed Oldmans Business Park South would not create burdensome levels of vehicular traffic or noise. A Community Impact Statement commissioned by the developer and filed with the planning board in September included assessments by planning, environmental, and other professionals. The statement suggested that the projects impact on traffic, as well as on wetlands on and near the development site, would be limited but would require some infrastructure improvements. Oldmans Business Park South would generate annual tax revenue of $3 million for public schools and $486,274 for the township itself, according to the statement. Oldmans Township is seeking to preserve farmland The residents here like to see deer and watch crops grow. It may sound corny, but its more appealing than having to look at cars and trucks, said Mayor Dean Sparks, a farmer whose family tree in what is now Oldmans Township dates to the 1600s. You would like to think these developers would go where theyre welcome, Sparks said during an interview from his home. He farms 190 acres, mostly grain, and said he has had at least 10 offers to sell to various developers in recent years. Sparks also said the township has been slow to preserve farmland but intends to protect more of its agricultural heritage from development. We have 20 to 25 warehouses already, and people are anti-warehouse because we see a lot of truck traffic that cuts through the center of town to get to warehouses that arent ours, said the mayor. Our neighbor to the north, Logan Township, is fine to be wall-to-wall with warehouses. Thats their decision, Sparks said. But Oldmans Township is such a unique place. And the people who live here really like the bucolic atmosphere. Wide open spaces between major highways With about 1,800 people in just under 20 square miles more than a quarter of whom reside in and around Pedricktown, a village of quaint homes and a business district much of the township does have a country feel. But Oldmans also is sandwiched between busy north-south highways: Route 130 to the west, and I-295 to the east, with two New Jersey Turnpike exits close by. Plans call for widening the southernmost stretch of the turnpike from four lanes to six. According to the state Office of Planning Advocacy nearly 12.2% of all jobs in New Jersey, and 15.7% of the states total payroll, are warehousing-related. Those are the highest percentages in the country, the office said. State guidance on development and civil litigation A policy developed by the states Planning Commission in 2022 advises municipalities where local planning policies and decisions are made how best to realize the revenue, employment, and other opportunities presented by the warehouse boom while minimizing the downside. But Brian M. Slaugh, a consultant to the Oldmans Township planning board, said in an interview that the conceptual plan submitted by Knight Owl Holdings does not heed the states suggestions or the municipalitys land-use goals. Another potential impediment to the warehouse plan is Salem Countys sole airport, which occupies about 40 acres within a commercial/industrial zone that could accommodate warehouse development without the need for a variance. Any warehouse constructed in that portion of the Knight Owl property would have to adhere to the 30-foot height limit, said Slaugh. The airports owner, Steven R. Martorano, has sued the township in N.J. Superior Court, seeking to require Oldmans to update its master plan to delineate a safety zone around the facility. He also has sued Anthony Musumeci, a former township council member who sold much of the warehouse site to the developer, over water runoff that affected the airport. Not enough workers to support warehouse jobs Whats the gain for the township with these warehouses? Nancy Bond, a longtime resident, asked after the April 3 meeting. We have a volunteer fire company and ambulance squad and no police force, she said, adding that the size and scope of the proposal could result in the township having to establish its own police department and purchase fire equipment. Walton and others pointed out that much of the acreage where some of the warehouses would be built lacks water and sewer service. And given the size of the towns population and one estimate that 2,500 jobs would be created at the new warehouse complex, even Salem County doesnt have the [potential] employees theyre looking for, Bond said. Matthew Cassidy, 27, grew up in Pedricktown. His family owns Salem Oak Vineyards, one of a handful of successful businesses in the village and the only place there that sells food, he said. I love Pedricktown, but right now its a food desert, said Cassidy, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, while offering a tour of the village center. Several Victorian buildings, as well as a former public school, are vacant. Tractor-trailers rumble through with regularity. But nearby streets hold well-kept and restored houses, and Cassidy said smaller-scale development possibilities get short shrift as warehouses dominate public discussion. Hed like to open a bakery and a little chocolate business in a building hes proposing to construct on a vacant lot he owns on Railroad Avenue. Its a small town thats the perfect blend of history, agriculture, and salt-of-the-earth people, he said. We need to support agritourism, farmland preservation, and historic preservation. We need to recognize that rather than selling out to the highest bidder, we have assets we can showcase. A wildfire broke out in the area of Manchester and Lakehurst Tuesday night, April 12, 2023 in Ocean County. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has dubbed the fire in the Pinelands as the Jimmy's Waterhole Wild Fire. Read more Temperatures are expected to make a run at a record high in Philly on Thursday, and meteorologists say this run of June-like warmth is very much related to the conditions that led to the wildfires that have scorched nearly 4,000 acres of South Jersey woodlands. Unusually moisture-deprived air has settled over the region, and over much of the nation, in what has been quite the pattern change. For the first time in weeks we dont have a parade of storms coming across the country with severe weather outbreaks in the Midwest and Plains, and Gulf moisture streaming north with rain, said Bob Larsen, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. So its not only storm-free, but humidities are way down. READ MORE: 'A wall of fire' scorches the Pinelands Advertisement In fact, its almost as though a huge chunk of the country got stuffed into a dryer this week. Dry conditions led to a rash of red-flag fire alerts on Wednesday that covered all of Pennsylvania and an area arcing from Michigan to New Mexicos border with Mexico. All that dryness, combined with the general lack of shade-creating foliage, has allowed temperatures to spike. Combined with winds, the dry run also generated ideal conditions for wildfires. The wildfire danger is expected to back off some on Thursday as winds slacken a bit. The heat, on the other hand, will ratchet up a shade, with temperatures in Philadelphia forecast to make a run at the record for the date, 89 degrees, set in 1977. Fridays reading is due to head back to the mid 80s. And though it may seem that after a nonwinter the atmosphere is fast-forwarding to summer, climate change notwithstanding, premature heat is not all that unusual, said Bob Larsen, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, in State College. Something about April We often do see these early-season heat waves, he said. The temperature has reached 90 as early as April 7. That was in 1929. The days are getting longer, the sun angles becoming more direct. The leafage still has a long way to go, so still absent is the rain-retaining foliage that evaporates and contributes moisture to the air, bumping up the humidity. A lack of humidity holds down the heat index and, thus, it is highly unlikely that a heat advisory would be issued around here in April. READ MORE: The April sun was a factor in the Philly region's recent tornado outbreak Philly has had some impressive April hotshots. One of the all-timers occurred in 1976 when the temperature peaked at 94 degrees on the 18th, the second-highest reading ever recorded in Philadelphia in April, behind the 95 of April 17, 2002. Larsen noted that just before the heat ramped up in April 1976, it was quite chilly, and that was basically the result of the same, dry area of high pressure that had migrated from Canada. Dry out Winds circulate clockwise around centers of highs, thus the region felt the chilly north winds as the system approached, and its warm winds from the south as it moved off the coast, he said. Similarly, this time around, you might recall that temperatures dropped below freezing in parts of the region early Monday. Once again, a dry air mass that had ripened atop a snow cover dropped southward from Canada, said Ray Martin, a lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly. Its approach coincided with a cooldown, followed by this warmup. Thursdays high may be the highest since Sept. 19, while it was still astronomical summer. Looking ahead Spring is due to return during the weekend with temperatures no higher than the 70s, and not getting out of the 60s on Monday and Tuesday. READ MORE: Here's when it should be warm enough to plant vegetables As to what a warm April interlude might mean for summer, an April hot spell in 1977 was followed by quite a toasty summer. Conversely, the 1976 hot spell turned out be warmer than anything that followed that summer, which emptied into a cool fall, followed by an all-time cold winter on record in Philly. It's important to ensure that your team is happy with their workplace environment, he said. If they love where they work and they care about what they are doing, it's reflected in their work, and clients really see that. We had to recommence the forensic IT analysis from day one, he said. Forensic IT was able to remove everything and restore everything from the most recent backup, which was four months prior to the incident, and then they looked at restoring the data that had been lost in that four month period. Mental health statistics in Australia Bupa's latest Pulse Check report revealed that one in 10 Australians described their quality of life as poor, with mental health and developing chronic illnesses among their key concerns. Moreover, two in three Australians aged 18 to 38 sought mental health assistance over the recent months, with one in four accessing three or more services. One of the reasons why we wanted to take control of Mitti - but also we moved our carrier to Allianz - was because we wanted to develop a new product for the Australian market, said Costigan. So weve done that and we call it commercial package. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A Maine woman is suing a school district whose counselor encouraged her teens social gender transition, providing a chest binder and using a new name and pronouns, without consulting parents. Its the latest lawsuit to pit a parents right to supervise their childrens health and education against a minors right to privacy when confiding in a mental health professional. A similar lawsuit filed in California was working its way through the courts earlier this year. In Massachusetts, parents are suing a middle school for not telling them their two pre-teens were using different names and pronouns. The federal lawsuit in Maine argues the mother of the 13-year-old student has a right to control and direct the care, custody, education, upbringing and healthcare decisions of her children, and that Great Salt Bay Community School violated her constitutional right by keeping gender-affirming treatments from parents. Civil rights advocates have argued in other cases that schools must protect student privacy including their gender identity and sexuality under federal law, and that counselors need to be able to keep conversations with students confidential if they want to maintain trust. Administrators at the Maine school add that confidentiality requirements have prevented them from responding to a grossly inaccurate and one-sided story that began circulating on social media. The superintendent didnt immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday. Amber Lavigne, of Newcastle, Maine, filed the lawsuit after being unsatisfied with the schools response after she became concerned by the discovery of the chest binder in her childs belongings in December. The compression clothing allows people to better conceal their breasts under clothing. Lavignes child told her that a school counselor provided the chest binder at the school and provided instruction on how to use it, according to the lawsuit. The mother also says the school was also calling her child by a different name and pronouns. The Goldwater Institute, an Arizona-based conservative and libertarian think tank, is lead counsel on the lawsuit filed Tuesday. It argues the Maine mothers rights trump state statute allowing school counselors to keep information private. Along with legislation banning surgical and pharmacological gender-affirming care, Republicans have also pushed so-called parental rights legislation demanding transparency from schools. A 2022 Arizona law expands the rights of parents to know anything their children tell a teacher or school counselor. I deserve to know whats happening to my child. The secrecy needs to stop, said Lavigne, who is now homeschooling her teenager, in a statement released by the institute. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Photo: In this photograph provided by Stephen Davis Phillips/Goldwater Institute, Amber Lavigne, of Newcastle, Maine, poses on March 25, 2023, at her home in Newcastle. Lavigne is suing a school district saying a counselor encouraged her teens social gender transition without consulting her. The federal lawsuit argues parents rights trump state statutes allowing school counselors to keep student gender and sexuality information private. (Stephen Davis Phillips/Goldwater Institute via AP) Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits K-12 Maine New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A grand jury in Virginia has indicted the mother of a 6- year-old boy who shot his teacher on charges of child neglect and failing to secure her handgun in the familys home, a prosecutor said Monday. A grand jury sitting in Newport News charged the boys 25-year-old mother with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor charge of endangering a child by reckless storage of a firearm, Commonwealths Attorney Howard Gwynn said in a news release. The Associated Press isnt naming the mother to shield the identity of her son. The boy shot first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner on Jan. 6 inside her classroom at Richneck Elementary School. Police said the boys mother legally purchased the gun. Her attorney, James Ellenson, has said the gun was secured on a top shelf in her closet and had a trigger lock. Ellenson has not responded to a call Monday seeking comment on the indictments, which were first reported by the Daily Press. The decision to charge the boys mother is the latest development to cascade from the shooting in this shipbuilding city of about 185,000 people near the Chesapeake Bay. Every criminal case is unique in its facts, and these facts support these charges, but our investigation into the shooting continues, Gwynn said. Gwynn said his office has petitioned the court to empanel a special grand jury to continue an investigation into any security issues that may have contributed to the shooting. The safety and security of Newport News students is of utmost importance. The Special Grand Jury will investigate to determine whether additional charges against additional persons are justified by the facts and the law, Gwynn said. Virginias law on felony child neglect says any parent, guardian or other person responsible for the care of a child whose willful act or omission in the care of such child was so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison. The misdemeanor charge says its against Virginia law to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any child under the age of fourteen. That charge is punishable by a maximum of one year in jail. Police Chief Steve Drew has repeatedly characterized the shooting as intentional. He said there was no warning and no struggle before the child pointed the gun at Zwerner and fired one round, striking her in the hand and chest. Zwerner, 25, hustled her students out of the classroom before being rushed to the hospital, where she stayed for nearly two weeks. Ellenson told The Associated Press in January that he understood the gun was in the womans closet on a shelf well over 6 feet (1.8 meters) high and had a trigger lock that required a key. The family said in the wake of the shooting that the boy has an acute disability and was under a care plan that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day. The week of the shooting was the first when a parent was not in class with him, the family said. The family said in the days after the shooting that the child was placed under hospital care and receiving the treatment he needs. The shooting also unleashed a torrent of criticism about school administrators. Days after the shooting, school officials revealed that administrators at Richneck Elementary had suspected the child may have had a weapon before the shooting occurred. But they didnt find it despite searching his backpack. At a subsequent school board meeting, parents and teachers lambasted administrators for what they called a misguided emphasis on attendance over the safety of children and staff. They said students who assaulted classmates and staff often faced few consequences, while Zwerner shooting could have been prevented if not for a toxic environment in which teachers concerns were ignored. In a lawsuit filed last week seeking $40 million in damages, Zwerners attorneys accused school officials of gross negligence and of ignoring multiple warnings from teachers and other school employees the day of the shooting that the boy was armed and in a violent mood. In the lawsuit, Zwerners attorneys said all of the defendants knew the boy had a history of random violence at school and at home, including an episode the year before when he strangled and choked his kindergarten teacher. The school board in Newport News fired the districts superintendent, while Richnecks assistant principal resigned from the school division. The elementary schools principal is still employed by the district but no longer holds that position. Richneck also installed metal detectors before it reopened on Jan. 30, a full three weeks after the shooting occurred. 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. French investigators are treating the deaths of at least six people who were killed when a building collapsed in the city of Marseille as a possible involuntary homicide case, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Prosecutor Dominique Laurens said an investigation was opened on that basis after the first body was found in the building, which collapsed in a fiery explosion early Sunday. Four of the six victims have been formally identified, Laurens said: a 74-year- old couple and two women, ages 88 and 65, who were neighbors. Rescuers continuing searching Tuesday for two people who remained unaccounted for following the emergency in Frances second-largest city. Investigators are now working on the hypothesis of a gas explosion as the cause of the buildings collapse, Laurens said during a Tuesday news conference. A gas meter was found in the rubble that may help determine whether there was atypical consumption in the 24 hours prior to the explosion. In 2018, two buildings in the center of Marseille collapsed, killing eight people. Those buildings were poorly maintained, which was not the case with the one that collapsed Sunday, the interior minister said. Photograph: Firefighters work after building collapsed early Sunday, April 9, 2023 in Marseille, southern France. A residential building in Frances port city of Marseille collapsed in a loud explosion early Sunday followed by a fire that hindered rescue efforts. (AP Photo) Related: Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics France German shipbuilder Lurssen, which makes military vessels as well as luxury yachts, has become the target of a ransomware cyberattack. The Bremen-based company was attacked over the Easter holiday period, company spokesman Oliver Grun said Tuesday. In coordination with internal and external experts, we immediately initiated all necessary protective measures and informed the responsible authorities, he said by text message. The attack has brought large parts of Lurssens shipyard operations to a standstill, according to local news outlet Buten un Binnen which reported the incident earlier. Lurssen has built several superyachts, including the worlds largest by volume, the 156-meter (512-foot) Dilbar, owned by a trust linked to Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov. The company traces its origins back almost 150 years. In a ransomware attack, a victims computer files are usually encrypted by parties who demand payment to unlock them. Ransomware perpetrators can also steal files and threaten to release them unless they receive payment. Photograph: A superyacht built by Lurssen at the Monaco Yacht Show. Photo credit: Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg Copyright 2023 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber Germany At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, will pay a visit to China and hold the 12th round of China-EU High-level Strategic Dialogue from April 13 to 15. At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will pay an official visit to China from April 13 to 15. During the visit, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will co-chair the sixth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security. Xinhua News Agency: You just announced that EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will visit China. How do you view the current China-EU relations? What expectations does China have for the Dialogue? Wang Wenbin: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. China and the EU have seen frequent high-level exchanges in recent weeks. Dialogue and cooperation have resumed across the board. The China-EU relations have shown a positive momentum of growth. China welcomes High Representative Josep Borrell to visit China and hold the China-EU High-level Strategic Dialogue with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang. This will help both sides better implement the important common understandings of the leaders of the two countries and provide new impetus for the growth of China-EU relations and the peace, stability and prosperity of the world. In an uncertain and volatile world fraught with global challenges, only by working together can the international community better meet the challenges. China and Europe are two major forces, two big markets and two great civilizations in a multipolar world. China-EU relations have global influence and significance. China and the EU need to stay committed to our comprehensive strategic partnership, step up strategic communication and coordination, enhance mutual trust, focus on cooperation, remove obstacles and work together to address global challenges. AFP: Can you confirm reports that China is planning to impose a no-fly zone north of Taiwan from April 16 to 18? The second question is, Taiwan has accused Chinese fishing crews of repeatedly cutting the islands undersea cables. Does the foreign ministry have any response to this? Wang Wenbin: I am not aware of what you mentioned. TASS: During State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gangs visit to Uzbekistan, aside from attending the fourth Foreign Ministers Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, does he plan to have a one-on-one meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov? Wang Wenbin: We have released information that State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will attend the fourth Foreign Ministers Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in Uzbekistan and visit Uzbekistan. As for your question, China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for the new era. The two foreign ministers have maintained close exchanges through various means. CRI: You just announced that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will visit China. How does China view the current China-Germany relations? What expectations does China have for this visit? Wang Wenbin: China and Germany are all-round strategic partners. Last year, our two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Over the past five decades or so, guided by the principle of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, China and Germany have made good progress in bilateral relations and continued to deepen and expand practical cooperation across the board. This has been a source of stability for and given a boost to the growth of China-EU relations and contributed to world peace and prosperity. During the visit, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will co-chair the sixth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security. They will have a comprehensive and in-depth communication on Chinas relationship with Germany and the EU as well as international and regional hotspot issues. China believes that under the current international circumstances, the strategic dialogue between Chinese and German foreign ministers will help the two countries follow through on the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries, enhance strategic communication, consolidate strategic mutual trust, deepen strategic cooperation and continue to add more dimensions to the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership and jointly respond to global challenges. CCTV: We noted that the foreign ministry put out Chinas Position on the Afghan Issue on its website today. Could you share with us Chinas considerations? Wang Wenbin: Afghanistan is an important neighbor to the west of China. Since Afghanistan saw fundamental change in August 2021, China has continued to follow the five principles of peaceful coexistence and pursued neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. We have maintained contact and exchange with Afghanistans interim government in a way that features equality and respect. We have taken concrete action to help Afghanistan alleviate economic and livelihood difficulties and engaged in intensive multilateral coordination on Afghanistan, including in particular facilitating the three meetings of Afghanistans neighboring countries foreign ministers. Those efforts have played a positive and constructive role in achieving a stable transition of the situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has had its fair share of hardships. With much remains to be done in the country, Afghanistan is in a crucial period of moving from turbulence to stabilization. To fully outline Chinas policy and propositions in a systematic way and build consensus and synergy among countries in the region and elsewhere on stabilizing and helping Afghanistan, the foreign ministry released Chinas Position on the Afghan Issue, which covers 11 aspects, including adhering to the basic policy of Three Respects and Three Nevers, supporting moderate and prudent governance in Afghanistan, supporting peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan, supporting Afghanistan in countering terrorism resolutely and forcefully, calling for greater bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, urging the US to live up to its commitments and responsibilities to Afghanistan, strengthening multilateral coordination on issues concerning Afghanistan, facilitating solution to Afghanistans humanitarian and refugee issues, and supporting Afghanistans fight against narcotics. The fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan tomorrow. China stands ready to step up coordination and cooperation with Afghanistans neighbors and the rest of the world to help Afghanistan embark on a path of stability and development at an early date and jointly realize lasting security, prosperity and progress in the region. Shenzhen TV: On April 11, the China Cybersecurity Industry Alliance issued a report, disclosing over ten cases in which US intelligence agencies launched cyber attacks, carried out internet monitoring and espionage, and leaked and proliferated cyberattack weapons and tools since 2010. What is your comment on this? Wang Wenbin: We have noted the report. The report provides a systematic account of the history and typical cases of cyber attacks undertaken by relevant departments of the US government and their negative impact on global cyber security and contains a full list of shocking revelations. I would like to share with you some of the cases from the report and hope this will give you a further idea about how the US jeopardizes global cyber security. Case 1: In 2010, the US was found using the Stuxnet virus to attack Irans nuclear facilities. This is the first case in history where a government launched cyber attacks against key infrastructure of other countries, opening the Pandoras box of state-to-state cyberwarfare. In 2022, the US Cyber Command announced that it is their obligation to own the domain. Case 2: The ransomware WannaCry that affected most countries and caused the most severe losses across the world in 2017 was the result of leaked cyber weapons from the US National Security Agency. Ironically, in 2021, the US put on an act by launching a so-called International Counter-Ransomware Initiative with dozens of countries. Case 3: In 2013, PRISM revealed how the US engaged in cyber espionage across the world, including against China. The US even asked nine international internet giants, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google and Apple to cooperate with the US government to secretly monitor information. The program even invaded the network equipment of multiple countries including Germany and the ROK. On the other hand, since 2018, the US has been citing digital security as an excuse to suppress Chinese companies without providing any evidence, and it even coerced its allies who were also victims of US espionage to join the gang. Case 4: In 2013, the media exposed that the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) uses its cryptography standards to install backdoors, which expands the targets of supply chain attacks from IT products to IT standards. On March 30, 2023, the USs top diplomat said at the Summit for Democracy that the US is working with partners to establish as necessary rules and norms, so that technology is developed in ways that reflect what they call democratic values and interests. Case 5: In 2015, the media disclosed the US governments Project CAMBERDADA, which is aimed to intrude, divide and suppress foreign cybersecurity vendors and force them to dance to the tune of the US. As a result, few global cybersecurity vendors now choose to disclose cases of the USs cyberattacks, and some US cybersecurity vendors have even become an accomplice of the US governments disinformation campaign targeting other countries. These cases show once again that the US is the origin of cyber warfare, the biggest spreader of advanced cyber weapons and the biggest global cyber thief. The so-called Clean Network and what the US calls technology that reflects democratic values and interests are just a pretext for it to unscrupulously conduct cyber thefts and attacks and ensure its supremacy. The US has been holding other countries to high standards, but clearly these standards mean little to the US itself. This is textbook double standards. We would like to stress that safeguarding cybersecurity is a shared responsibility of all countries. Cyberspace is not a battle field or wrestling ground, still less should it be used as a tool to split the international community or contain and bring down other countries. It is in the international communitys common interest to end the USs lawlessness on cyber theft and reveal its hypocrisy on cyber security. Kyodo News: A follow-up on Chinas position on the Afghan issue. Does the document indicate whether China recognizes the Afghan interim government? Wang Wenbin: We have put Chinas Position on the Afghan Issue on the website of the foreign ministry, which you may refer to for details. As for whether China recognizes the Afghan interim government, we have stated our position before, which you may look up. PTI: Just a clarification of what you said about the Afghan interim government. The Chinese constant position was that there should be an inclusive government in Afghanistan and Taliban should facilitate that. The second thing is about girls education, as well as jobs for women. That was a rather global demand, including by the United Nations, backed by China in the past. So considering the years passed, how does China look at these two issues? Wang Wenbin: Our position on both of your questions has been consistent. We support the Afghan government in adopting moderate, prudent and inclusive polices. We also noted that the Afghan interim government has stressed on many occasions that it will respect and protect the rights and interests of women and rolled out relevant laws. China hopes that these stated policies will be followed through and that the Afghan interim government will resolve relevant issues through consultation with parties concerned at an early date. The Paper: The Russian Defence Ministry disclosed at a briefing that the US has resumed military-biological activities in Ukraine. Although the US has changed the name of relevant program, the Russian side believes that relevant activities are essentially aimed at developing bio-weapons. The State Duma of Russia has adopted the investigation report on issues related to US military-biological activities. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: We have noted the reports. The US conducts more military-biological activities than any other country in the world. It is also the only country that has refused verification on this issue. This has long caused serious concern from the international community. Regrettably, the US has yet to provide any meaningful clarification. The only thing the world has been hearing from the US is empty slogans. Not only that. The US has been the only country that continues to oppose multilateral negotiations on establishing a verification mechanism, which fundamentally closes the door for resolving the issue of compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The US even does anything it can to thwart negotiations on an international convention to combat acts of chemical and biological terrorism, an initiative that would apparently benefit all humanity. Whenever it comes to international security, the US always makes a great deal about compliance and demands verification for other countries. Why on biological security in particular, has the US been mum about its own compliance issue? Is there any secret that the US is trying to hide? The rest of the world would not accept the US double standard. Still less will they sit by and watch the US stay outside the law on issues that matter to world peace and security. China supports the international community in taking a serious and just attitude and continuing to review the US compliance with the BWC, so as to truly safeguard the authority and efficacy of the convention. We once again urge the US to earnestly live up to its international obligations, make comprehensive clarification and receive verification on its military-biological activities both within and outside the country, and stop thwarting international efforts to strengthen the biological security governance system and legal framework. Bloomberg: Sri Lankas central bank governor told Bloomberg that he expects China to support the countrys effort to restructure debt. Does China plan to negotiate bilaterally or as part of a creditor group for the Sri Lanka debt negotiations and what form of debt relief would Beijing be willing to offer? Wang Wenbin: I would refer you to the competent authorities for the specifics about the negotiations. Let me say that the Export-Import Bank of China, as the official bilateral creditor, stated clearly in its financing support documents to Sri Lankan finance ministry that the Bank is going to provide an extension on the debt service due in 2022 and 2023, which means Sri Lanka will not have to repay the principal and interest due of the Banks loans during the above-mentioned period, so as to help relieve Sri Lankas short-term debt repayment pressure; meanwhile, the Bank would like to have friendly consultation with Sri Lanka regarding medium- and long-term debt treatment in this window period; and the Bank will make best efforts to contribute to the debt sustainability of Sri Lanka. I would also like to reiterate that we continue to support Chinese financial institutions in actively working out the debt treatment. We will work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to jointly play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka navigate the situation, ease its debt burden and achieve sustainable development. At the same time, we call on commercial and multilateral creditors to take part in Sri Lankas debt restructuring based on fair burden-sharing. Dragon TV: According to US media reports, some suspected classified Pentagon documents have been circulating on social media recently. These leaked documents indicate that the US government is deeply involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and has been spying on its allies. This is not the first time for scandals like this to be revealed. Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern recently said during an interview that when you talk about the US allies, they are really US vassals. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: We noted that many media outlets have pointed out that these leaked US military documents clearly show the deep involvement of the US in the Ukraine crisis. They also show once again that the US has long used its tech edge to conduct indiscriminate secret theft, surveillance and eavesdropping on countries in the world, including its allies. The US needs to give an explanation to the international community for this. The top US diplomat said at the so-called Summit for Democracy that the US is working with partners to ensure that technology is developed and used in ways that reflect what they call democratic values and interests. Facts have proven once again that the so-called democratic values claimed by the US are nothing but a pretext and a tool for the US to seek selfish gains. AFP: US Secretary of State Blinken vowed yesterday to stand with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea. Given that China has said the ongoing US-Philippine military drills should not interfere in the South China Sea, whats Chinas response to Blinkens remarks? Wang Wenbin: We noted that on April 11, the Philippines and the US held the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and issued a joint statement, which called on China to comply with the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea. The statement also mentions that the two countries will support swift operationalization of the new sites for military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and that the US will provide financial support for this. We also noted that Philippine President Marcos said Chinas reaction over the expanded military deal was not surprising. Let me point out first and foremost that China is gravely concerned over and strongly disapproves the joint statement of the US and the Philippines. China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and the adjacent waters. The joint statement of the US and the Philippines misrepresents and discredits the legitimate and lawful maritime law enforcement activities of the Chinese side and even makes false accusations against China. We strongly oppose this. The so-called arbitral award on the South China Sea gravely violates international laws, including UNCLOS. The award is illegal, null and void. Chinas position of not accepting or recognizing it is clear and firm. We stand ready to work with relevant countries to handle maritime disputes in a proper manner through negotiation and consultation, while resolutely protecting our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. With regard to the new military base sites to which the Philippines gives the US access, we have stated Chinas position several times. Facts speak louder than words. Judging from the locations of the new military bases, the intention behind those sites is more than obvious. The US and the Philippines have just added a footnote to their intention by stressing in the joint statement that they will support swift operationalization of the four new sites. It seems there is no need for China to provide any additional analysis or interpretation of that. So indeed there is nothing to be surprised about when it comes to Chinas response. China always believes that the Asia-Pacific is the common home of countries in the region. Our regions peace and stability hinges on trust, solidarity and cooperation and requires that we, as members of this region, take our security firmly in our own hands. We would like to once again remind the relevant country in the region that pandering to forces outside the region will not bring greater security, but will cause tensions, put regional peace and stability at risk and eventually backfire. PTI: President Lula of Brazil is visiting China. Will there be a discussion on BRICS especially going forward in the future and considering Brazil also is an active partner? Wang Wenbin: We released a preview on Brazilian President Lula da Silvas visit to China and shared with you Chinas expectations for the outcomes of the visit. As for the details of President Lulas visit to China, we will issue press releases in due course. Please check back for updates. Chinas position on BRICS cooperation is consistent. We are ready to work with relevant countries to advance BRICS cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality and make our due contribution to world peace and development and solidarity and cooperation among developing countries. AFP: French President Macron has continued to receive criticism for saying that Europe should follow neither the US nor China when it comes to Taiwan. Former US President Trump yesterday accused Macron of pandering to China. You previously stated Chinas stance on Taiwan, but would you be willing to comment specifically on Macrons remarks and the controversy surrounding them? Wang Wenbin: As a journalist from AFP, you are particularly interested in President Macrons visit to China, which I think is understandable. Not long ago, French President Emmanuel Macron paid a successful visit to China, during which the two sides reached important common understandings. The visit injected new impetus into China-France and China-EU cooperation. It comes as no surprise that President Macrons view that Europe should develop more strategic autonomy and avoid getting entangled in bloc confrontation has attracted some criticism, especially from the US. From our perspective, certain country is reluctant to see other countries being independent, and often seeks to coerce others into doing its bidding. But the truth is, strategic autonomy will bring more respect and friends, while coercion and pressure will only cause more resistance and opposition. AFP: The foreign ministry of Honduras has said that it met with Chinese officials to work out bilateral economic agreements. Could you give us any details of this meeting and any potential agreements? Wang Wenbin: You can check our previous response to similar questions. I would like to reiterate that we welcome the Honduran governments decision to establish and develop relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. We are ready to advance cooperation with Honduras across the board on the basis of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development to boost the socioeconomic development of Honduras and deliver more benefits to both peoples. NFP, a New York City-based property/casualty broker, announced it has acquired Gravity Risk Services Ltd., an insurance broker based in the West Midlands, England. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. NFP will integrate Gravitys risk services into its existing commercial insurance offerings, employee benefits, and human resources services. All of Gravitys team members and key executives will become part of the NFP team, including founder and director Dale Collett. NFP is always assessing the market with the intent to acquire firms that support our ethos and core values around the importance of client services and exceptional carrier relations, said Matt Pawley, president, NFP in Europe. We are impressed with Gravitys growth, a direct result of great leadership and innovative insurance solutions for clients. We fully expect that our investment in Gravity will enhance this growth. We are delighted to join NFP and continue to provide our advice-led approach to business, said Collett. This will give our existing clients access to NFPs wide range of services, provide us with a great opportunity to grow in capacity, and introduce our employees to expanded career prospects within a larger, global organization. About NFP NFP is a property/casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager, HR services consultant, and retirement plan adviser through its licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP is the seventh largest privately owned broker and employs more than 7,400 globally. Source: NFP Corp. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Sompo International, Oneglobal Broking and Vantage Group Holdings. A summary of these new hires follows here. Sompo Intl Promotes Canellas to Iberia Country Manager, Insurance Sompo International, a leading provider of commercial and consumer property and casualty re/insurance, announced the appointment of Jamie Canellas as country manager of its insurance operations in Spain and Portugal. With over 30 years of industry experience, Canellas joined Sompo International in 2018 and most recently held the role of head of Distribution for Europe. He is based in Barcelona and reports to Ralph Brand, president Continental Europe Insurance. This is an exciting time for Sompo International in Europe as we ramp up our insurance footprint and service offerings across multiple countries. Spain and Portugal are markets characterised by a blend of multi-national enterprises and vibrant small-to medium-sized enterprises, as well as a rising demand for insurers that can offer global reach, financial strength and a broad product offering, Brand said. I am excited about this new role and the opportunity to expand on Sompo Internationals capabilities and reputation as a market leader across Continental Europe. The Iberian market is highly dynamic and I believe we have a lot to offer underwriting expertise, a healthy risk appetite and a long-term partnership approach. Its a great time to invest in our operation and talent in this region and to further collaborate with our valued clients and partners to create the right solutions for their business needs, commented Canellas. *** Oneglobal Reshuffles Senior Leadership Team Oneglobal Broking, the London-based broker, announced it has reshuffled its senior leadership team to bolster global expansion. Roger Spicer has been promoted to CEO, Global Specialty; Sirikit Oh has been promoted to CEO, OGB Asia, and Phil Gingell has been promoted to chairman and CEO, US Aviation. All report to Mike Reynolds, group CEO. In addition, Luca Garbarino was promoted to executive director and group deputy chairman, and David Lum to chairman, OGB Asia. These two roles will report to Jonathan Palmer-Brown, group chairman. Garbarino will join the main board of Oneglobal, which the broker said is a testament to his unstinting service to the group over the past 20 years. A Global Executive Committee will be established, chaired by Reynolds, to ensure the group continues to deliver on its objectives. Members of the committee are Hugh Crossland (group CFO), Nicolau Daudt (CEO, Latin America), Sirikit Oh (CEO, OGB Asia), Jeanette Paul (group head of HR), and Roger Spicer (CEO, Global Specialty). A Global Specialty Committee also will be established, chaired by Roger Spicer, with representation from senior specialty and geographic leaders to ensure coordination and delivery of all Oneglobals strengths to clients worldwide. Oneglobal said these changes reflect the significant transformation of Oneglobal over the last three years, from a London market marine and North American P&C business into a global specialty insurance and reinsurance broker with operations in London, Asia, Bermuda, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. These leadership changes substantially strengthen the leadership team of Oneglobal, reflecting the rapid growth and the increasingly important contribution of our international operations alongside our deep London specialty expertise, commented Group CEO Reynolds. We are proud that so many talented colleagues have joined Oneglobal in the last three years, and we remain hugely excited by the opportunity to continue building a truly global, client-focused, specialty insurance and reinsurance broker, he added. *** Vantage Group Names Watkins Head of Excess Casualty, Bermuda Healthcare Bermuda-based Vantage Group Holdings Ltd. announced the appointment of Denise Watkins as head of Excess Casualty and Bermuda Healthcare, pending Bermuda immigration approval. Watkins will be based in Bermuda and report to Alex Blanco, Vantages chief officer of Insurance. In her expanded role, Watkins will lead Vantages businesses across U.S. Excess Casualty and Bermuda Excess Casualty and Healthcare. She will oversee the teams ongoing success through the enhancement of its business and distribution strategies. Watkins will be responsible for the continued expansion of the business units and their profitable portfolio management, leveraging Vantages data and analytics strategy and commitment to value-added solutions. Watkins brings 25 years of industry experience to Vantage. Before joining the company in 2021, she held various senior positions at Sompo International between December 2011 and June 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile. Previously, she held leadership roles at AIG and Travelers. Denise is taking on this important new role to generate greater value for our brokers and clients as they navigate an increasingly complex risk environment. Her promotion marks the next phase in our sustained growth across Vantages insurance business, commented Blanco. Established in late 2020, Vantage Group Holdings Ltd.s operating subsidiaries are Vantage Risk Ltd., Vantage Risk Assurance Co. and Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Co., all rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best. Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman, global investment firms with deep experience in the re/insurance industry, are lead investors in Vantage. Topics Leadership New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Kin Insurance and its reciprocal exchange program have expanded into Mississippi, just as tornado damage may be worsening in the state. Mississippi saw 184 tornadoes in 2022, ranking it first in the nation for tornado activity and up sharply from the number of storms in 2021, according to BankRate. We can operate in catastrophe-prone states like Mississippi because we use huge troves of data and weather simulations to assess and price risk appropriately to the benefit of homeowners keeping them properly and fairly insured, Kin CEO Sean Harper said in a news release. Kin, which relies on technology and calls itself a pure-play, direct-to-consumer digital insurance platform, has continued to expand its reach. The company moved into South Carolina in January, and recently filed for rate increases for homeowners and condominium policies in Florida. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Mississippi New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Bills that would ban assignment of benefits for windshield repairs moved a step closer to becoming law this week after they passed their third and final committee stops. A late amendment to the bills would bar insurance companies and agents from recommending repair shops and would allow managed repair plan endorsements. Senate Bill 1002, sponsored by state Sen. Linda Stewart and others, was approved unanimously by the Senate Rules Committee Tuesday. The companion bill, House Bill 541, was passed by the House Commerce Committee, setting the stage for a floor vote in both chambers in the next week or so. Both bills would end AOBs in windshield repair and would forbid shops from offering gifts to auto owners, practices that insurers have said have grown out of control in recent years and have led to a surfeit of claims lawsuits. A coalition of insurance companies, consumer advocates and anti-fraud advocates have pushed for the legislation. In Florida, a law meant to encourage drivers to repair or replace damaged windshields is being exploited by glass repair shops and attorneys, leading to exorbitant legal fees churned out by abusive litigation, the FixtheCracksFL.com said in a statement. What started as a small regional problem with a few lawyers and auto repair shops proliferated throughout the state as more unscrupulous actors looked to cash in. The House bill was amended in the House Commerce Committee late last week and the wording was added to the Senate version Tuesday. The amendment would bar insurers and agents from steering drivers to certain repair shops and would require insurers to provide the names of at least two shops, but would also allow carriers to offer discounts to policyholders in exchange for policies that have managed repair arrangements. The amendment was approved without objection by the House and Senate committees. Topics Florida Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in March totaling $578,363 against insurance companies that violated state insurance laws and regulations. Following is a breakdown of who was fined, and the commissioners stated reasons for the actions: Insurance companies The Standard Insurance Co., Portland, Oregon; fined $500,000 Standard issues disability insurance to the state Health Care Authority for public employees benefits and did so using forms that had not been filed with the insurance commissioner. As part of the resolution to the matter, the OIC also issued a technical assistance advisory to disability insurers operating in Washington. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, Seattle, Washington.; fined $30,000 Kaiser erroneously denied an appeal request and did not use its full legal name on 2022 marketing materials. Unauthorized insurers Christian Care Ministry, Melbourne, Florida.; fined $38,363 Christian Care Ministry acted as an unauthorized insurer by offering its disability income program in Washington between 2007 and 2020. The company was also ordered to stop selling insurance in Washington. The total includes a $25,000 fine and $13,363 for taxes, penalties and interest due. Eusoh, Inc.; fined $20,000 with $10,000 suspended Eusoh acted as an unauthorized insurer by offering pet insurance online. Since 2001, Kreidler has assessed more than $38 million in fines, which are directed to the states general fund to pay for state services. Topics Washington Finance Minister Michael McGrath has welcomed a PwC report showing aircraft leasing firms based in Ireland have grown staff numbers to almost 8,600, despite the pandemic and economic shocks from the war in Ukraine. "Government will continue to support the industry and take actions to ensure Ireland remains the leading worldwide hub for aviation leasing firms long into the future," Mr McGrath said. How do you make a small fortune from farming? With a wink, and a wry smile, the wizened and wise at the local mart will tell ye to start with a large one, of course. But its something no one knows better than Ryanair's misunderstood but beloved chief executive officer, now turned commercial farmer, Michael OLeary. OLeary will admit himself that theres been no expense spared on his sprawling 2,200-acre agricultural empire, as the corners of his eyes crease as he animatedly speaks about his passion for all things Angus. However, the shrewd businessman is continually scheming ways to ensure the commercial viability of the venture make no mistake, this is no hobby farm. OLeary founded the Gigginstown House Angus herd in 1997, with the idea that the cattle would follow his bloodstock in grazing the land. However, he soon realised he was buying stores when everyone was buying them, and prices were high, and selling them when everyone was selling them, and prices were down, so he decided to breed his own instead. The purpose-built beef unit at Michael O'Leary's Fennor Farm in Co Westmeath. Picture: Bob Morrison His agricultural enterprise is made up of several units in different areas of the country. Fennor Farm, in Co Westmeath, which is home to the Gigginstown Angus herd, includes a 120-cow unit on the main farm and an autumn-calving unit around five miles away, near the tillage ground, where winter wheat, winter barley, spring wheat and whole crop silage are also grown for feed for the cattle. Its good land here in Westmeath, and I think weve been very fortunate in extending the farm over the last couple of years. I extended into tillage because I wanted to produce more of the food for our own herd, OLeary told the Irish Examiner. We buy some supplement and some muesli, and thats about it - so we are largely self-sufficient here on our own land, producing our own feed and finishing the cattle extensively, he said. It means we have been largely insulated from the rapid rise in prices. Anyone buying grain feed will have really suffered over the last few years. Winter wheat, winter barley, spring wheat and whole crop silage are grown on-farm as feed for the cattle. Fertiliser The last time the Irish Examiner caught up with Mr OLeary to talk farming, fertiliser prices were rocketing out of control following the invasion of Ukraine, but despite being one of the only Irish farmers with pockets deep enough to buy, he boldly declared ambitions to reduce his fertiliser use to zero but a year on, just how has he fared? Aside from P and K, now the silage ground is the only land which gets chemical fertiliser. Farmyard manure from the herd is spread on the cereal ground, while grazing ground gets enough P and K to balance their nutrients and perhaps 20-30 units of N in the spring as needed. But OLeary acknowledges that whats working for him wont necessarily be appropriate for other farmers. Our stocking rate allows us to do that, he said. We house all the cattle for six months in the winter, and the advantage we have is that the resulting FYM [farmyard manure] is spread on the land as well. The amount of land has probably doubled in the last five years, but the amount of fertiliser we have used has reduced by about 60% - and a lot of that is because the herd itself has grown. We use mostly our own FYM, from between 400-500 cattle, and we also bring in some pig slurry from neighbouring farmers here. I think it has been one of the big success stories here. Ultimately, we want to get completely circular and self-sustaining, and I think we are well on our way to that. We are spreading more lime on the land than fertiliser these days. On one of his other farms, he is also experimenting with a mushroom-based alternative to fertiliser imported from France. It seems to be working well, but we need about four more years you need about a five-year cycle to determine whether it works better, he said. Its about 50% more expensive, but you need to put on around 50% less. Cattle breeding Within Ryanair, the arduous task of being OLearys right-hand man was marketed as the worst job in Ireland but the main man on the farm, manager Joe OMahony, says he wouldnt have lasted 21 years if they couldnt see eye-to-eye. It was a good fit, I suppose, said Joe, who is originally from Drimoleague, Co Cork. I had probably 20 years of farm managing experience at that stage, and Michael was in expansion mode. We started with around 30 Canadian cows, around 30 acres here and 200 in Gigginstown, and as the years went by, the herd was expanded and the farm was expanded. And how does he handle his infamous bosss eccentric notions? We know each other well at this stage, he laughs. He knows what he wants, and any businessman is the same. But I like him; its a fantastic place to work. Michael O'Leary's right-hand man Joe O'Mahony. Picture: Bob Morrison The day of our visit, the team are in the thick of clearing out the sheds where the sale will take place next week. The wet March and April have meant the herd is later getting out to grass, so theres still a lot of work to be done. Taking a few minutes away from the action, Joe says he is constantly on the lookout for what the market is demanding. "First of all, youre seeing what sires are performing well at sales and shows, and then youre looking for something that will suit our own cows, he said. Our customers really drive the whole thing; the customers tell us what kind of bulls or heifers they want to buy, and from there, we try to get livestock to suit." He believes the Angus breed is well poised for the future because of its ability to breed better dairy-cross calves, with short gestations and calves better suited for beef production. At the moment, through ICBF, they are looking for a smaller Angus than we used to have, so obviously, our stock bulls are now reflecting that, so we follow the market. Wet weather delayed getting stock out to grass this year at Michael O'Leary's Fennor farm in Co Westmeath. Picture: Bob Morrison Redheads There are some exciting lines emerging already, with a dash of red to be spotted among the black stuff. Prices were strong last year at the sale, with a 100% clearance rate. The top price of a heifer topped 7,000, while the leading bull fetched 6,000. OLeary explains: Remarkably, both were reds we had one red bull and one red heifer in the sale. The red Angus have ridiculous value because of the scarcity value. We have consciously tried to develop a herd of around 30 breeding cows and heifers, producing around 12 or 15 bulls a year. But its incredible the extent to which people will go completely bonkers for red Angus. Of course, I dont see the attraction myself. I grew up with two red-headed sisters, so Im traumatised by redheads, he joked. A dash of red. Michael O'Leary points out one of his rare red Anguses. Picture: Bob Morrison The market developed itself, adds Joe. There was a red gene in some of the bulls, and we started getting some reds, he says, pointing out a red heifer he says was sired by a black bull and out of a black dam. Then people started asking about them. Now, as a result, we have a couple of red at the sale every year. Shadwell purchase The other talking point this year is, of course, OLearys big recent purchase a 170,000 splurge in 21 pedigree Angus cattle from the world-renowned Shadwell Aberdeen Angus Herd. The herd was dispersed at Skipton Market in May following the untimely passing of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in 2021. Joe says he wasnt quite given a blank chequebook something he says he doubts Michael would even give his wife - but both acknowledged the dispersal was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Joe successfully purchased 21 of the 94 cattle on sale, including Shadwells young stock bull, the Perth champion Stouphill Master Prince W346, and three champion in-calf heifers - Shadwell Black Bird (cost 11,506), Shadwell Evora (15,750) and Shadwell Lady Heather (12,600). Twas a balancing act to see what you could buy, Joe said. Number 1, these types of cattle werent going to come up for sale here, so I went over to see them beforehand. I was going for cows with a heifer calf at foot; if I couldnt get that, it was an in-calf heifer, and lastly, it was a few select maiden heifers. But as you went to the maiden heifers, the trade got hotter, so I was very lucky Id a lot of them bought before we got to that stage and had picked out what we thought would suit here best. The spacious unit on Fennor Farm can hold up to 120 cows and calves. Picture: Bob Morrison Although its too early for the Shadwell progeny of the purchases from Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoums herd to hit the sale prospective buyers will have to wait until next years sale for that - Stouphill Master Prince W346, now Gigginstowns new star stock bull will be on show. It means that those who want to invest in the show-type cattle have access to those genetics now, as opposed to our traditional customer, who would just commercial - we produce a good breeding bull for suckling or a good bull for dairying that are reasonably easily calving and produce a very saleable calf, Joe said. Its very rare you would get the opportunity to buy that kind of pedigree in those kinds of numbers, OLeary adds. But with the new Brexit rules, bringing the 21 Shadwell cattle home from the sale was a more challenging feat and involved a six-week process, including a stint quarantining in Ayrshire and an official vet overseeing the old English identification tags being removed and replaced with Irish tags. I think we were very fortunate to bring them home when we did, OLeary said. Im not even sure we could do it now. Another of the many downsides of Brexit, he resigns. Before, quickly adding: The only upside of Brexit was the restoration of duty-free on flights to and from the UK. Never a sales opportunity overlooked Most of the cows have calved down by now, he explains. They are a very nice bunch of calves and we have Stouphill Master Prince running with our maiden heifers, so well have the first of his calves on the ground this time next year, he said. So now, with top genetics and the farm almost fully self-sufficient, what are OLearys sights on next? The farm is probably getting as big as one man, Joe, can manage, he said. But is it time for Michael to hang up the Ryanair jacket and join Joe on the farm full-time? Id make a mess of it; Id be running around doing everything wrong. Id be the Jeremy Clarkson of Irish agriculture. Id buy the wrong tractor and everything but mind you, Id have better fundamental knowledge of it than he does!" Hed be entertaining alright, Joe laughs, making clear he's no interest in Caleb-levels of fame. Id be the one cleaning up the mess! Michael O'Leary reckons he'd have better practical farming knowledge than fan-favourite Jeremy Clarkson. Picture: Bob Morrison But while Clarkson is in the doghouse, O'Leary isn't a total wild card; with his thousands of acres, quick wit and penchant for getting himself into trouble, he could be a good contender should the opportunity arise. And wasn't he once rumoured to have turned down a starring role in The Apprentice; having now seen its success, might he be tempted a second time around? I wouldnt have the time to do it anyway," he says. "But I do think Clarkson has been fantastic; I think hes been one of the best things to happen to farming. For too long, farming has been shoe-horned into Countryfile or early on a Sunday morning, and Clarkson has revolutionised the way people look at it and also exposed some of the ludicrous bureaucracy thats involved in farming here and in the UK. I think hes done the farming sector a huge service. The Gigginstown House Angus sale takes place at Fennor Farm on Saturday, April 22, at 12:30pm, with viewing from 11:30am And youll be happy to hear, that unlike when you book your flight, car parking isnt considered an optional extra. Dairy farmers are "near breaking point now" as they warn processors that they cannot sustain any more cuts to milk prices. A collection of the latest news, views and analysis from the farming desk on the topic of Dairy. With processors to confirm their prices for March milk supplies in the coming days, Irish Farmers Association dairy chairman Stephen Arthur said that farmers have endured price cuts in excess of 10c per litre since January, "which equates to an income reduction of 50,000 for the average supplier". "Many processors will remove early calving bonuses in March so farmers will endure a cut in income before any changes to base price are made," he said. Met Eireann has reported that this past March was the wettest March on record, while the start of April "has seen absolutely no let up". "Cows are housed throughout the country resulting in big drops in milk supplies while feed and fertiliser prices remain at record levels," Mr Arthur said. "All of this means that the overall cost of production has soared for 2023." 'Disastrous crossover' Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association dairy chairman Noel Murphy said that while markets are under some pressure at wholesale level which resulted in co-ops cutting farmgate prices this year, "it is time for milk purchasers to show their mettle". "Farmgate price should never go as low as the bottom falling wholesale price. Against that principle, the base price of milk needs to be held at current levels at a minimum for the remainder of 2023," Mr Murphy said. "Commodity spot prices spent over four months in the early to mid-60s cent per litre in 2022 and the highest base price returned was 58c per litre in 2022. "There is no doubt prices had to come back, but it is now approaching a level where costs of production are coming close and, in many cases, exceeding base price." The ICMSA said that its analysis shows that the February milk price was at or exceeding the cost of production. "We are getting dangerously close to the disastrous crossover point where costs per litre exceed co-op payment," Mr Murphy added. "That cant happen and theres no need for it to happen if the co-op boards do their work and get after the value they always insisted theyve built into our products." Most volatile factor Diarmaid Mac Colgain, founder of Concept Dairy and former head of trading with Ornua, told the Irish Examiner that the most volatile factor for dairy farmers remains milk prices and that farmers are probably still holding back on purchasing feed and fertiliser "because they dont know where the milk price is going to be". He said that it is easier for processors to hold a high milk price in December, January and February, "but March is when the volume starts coming in, we're coming into the end of calving season, so we're starting to see decent milk volumes and that's when it'll come in to roost and we'll see where the real milk price is". Mr Mac Colgain also said that it is "very difficult" to compare the milk prices paid by Irish processors because of the different products that are being made. "Were comparing ourselves to each other but in reality, we export 95% of all our dairy products every year, so we should be focusing on the international markets and what the exposure is there versus what were paying internally," he added. Dairy processors' financial results On Wednesday, Lakeland Dairies announced its financial results for 2022. Lakeland's revenues increased by 45% to 1.9bn, and a 15% increase in operating profit to 32.5m, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 60.2m, which increased by 4.8m. Lakeland's group chief executive Colin Kelly said that these results are based on a "strong, progressive, and resilient performance, notwithstanding a deeply competitive and uncertain global market environment". Mr Kelly said that the impact of geopolitical problems and continuing economic uncertainty were seen globally, with serious inflationary effects across every cost base, at farm and organisational level. "Nevertheless, the dairy markets yielded strong returns and Lakeland Dairies was able to pay a very competitive milk price to our milk producers," he added, however, noting that market conditions for this year are "proving much tougher" for milk suppliers, and will remain contingent on "global factors, including the overall balance of supply and demand". He added that economic uncertainty remains a "serious concern", with the potential for continued market volatility. Dairygold also published its financial results. The co-op had a record turnover of 1.65bn, an increase of 40.9%, with an EBITDA of 68.5m and an operating profit of 40.2m. The increase in EBITDA and operating profit was achieved against a backdrop of "considerable volatility and inflationary pressures, while paying leading milk and grain prices", Dairygold said. Chief executive Conor Galvin commented that the dairy industry and the volatile conditions within which it operates "continue to go through a period of significant uncertainty, with huge challenges to be faced, including sustainability, geopolitical tensions and ongoing market volatility". Theres a lot to consider when trying to decide what to give someone for their wedding. Once that invitation lands in your hall - or in your inbox more likely these days - the thoughts or even worries about the day will start. There is of course the old joke that getting a wedding invite is like getting a summons which means money will have to be paid, but you can make it work for you. Various factors have to be taken into account as to what you gift the couple. These factors include how well you know them, what type of wedding it is, and whether you are going solo or in a couple. Of course, you cant go wrong with cash but that begs the question, how much cash do you pop in that envelope? We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis so has that impacted how much goes in the card or are there other things couples like getting other than cash? Jessica OSullivan, editor of wedding website, One Fab Day, said cash is by far the most popular wedding gift and couples usually like to receive cash because they can put it towards their wedding, honeymoon, or their house. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to giving cash as a gift, because everyone's financial situation and relationship with the couple is different. According to Jessica, in Ireland, we are extremely generous with cash wedding gifts, to the extent that she said people from the UK and the US are shocked when they hear how much we give to a couple. She points out that the average cash wedding gift in Ireland is somewhere between 50 and 200 per guest, which is obviously a big gap, but there are a few factors to consider to see where you fall on this spectrum. Firstly, how close are you to the couple? Immediate family members and very close friends tend to give on the higher end, whereas casual friends or colleagues tend to give less, and it really depends on how casual or fancy the wedding is. Most people like to think they are at least covering their meal and then some, so it's worth noting that this ranges from around on average 75 right up to 200 per guest in Ireland. If in doubt 100 is usually a safe, round amount, but you could always take a quick peek at a venue's website if you really needed a steer. Sandra Looney owner of To Have and To Hold agrees, saying that long gone are the days of buying a couple an actual gift as a wedding present. The trend has been to gift cash and thats not changing any time soon. The average gift for those attending a wedding is 300 per couple. This will vary depending on the relationship to those getting hitched. CASH IS KING Darragh Doyle from www.irelandweddingplanner.com agrees saying that cash is very much king when it comes to wedding presents now. The expectation for a couple attending together would be a cash give of 200 cash. For a person attending on their own as guest it would be 100 to 150. Its quite unusual now to give a present thats not cash, and if it is its normally a one for all voucher, or a voucher for a hotel or weekend away. The days of the china set are well gone. Although the idea of a china set might be long gone, Jessica said, however, that rivalling cash these days as nice wedding presents are thoughtful gifts. It's always a gamble, and maybe even a bit presumptuous, to buy a couple something for their home or a piece of art unless you know them very, very well. She said that many couples love the thought of having a friend contribute their talents to the day as their gift. Whether that's making the cake, performing at the ceremony, doing the makeup or hair for the bridal party, arranging the flowers, crafting decor or signage, creating the stationery or doing bespoke illustrations. These all make really great gifts and could be an excellent choice these days with the cost of everything soaring. It all adds that personal and bespoke touch that couples crave and often treasure more than anything. Jessica also points out that wedding registries are becoming more popular here in Ireland, especially for couples who have just bought a new home, adding that the great thing is that it allows people to split the cost of big-ticket gift items. However whatever the gift you give try not to lose sight of the day itself and why you are celebrating. Remember, if a couple have invited you to their wedding, it's because they want you to be there, and if they thought you were declining their invite because you were worried about being able to afford a gift, they would most likely be horrified. It's completely fine to give what you can afford, whether it's a physical gift or cash, said Jessica. US president Joe Biden has touched down in Ireland on a visit he says is aimed at ensuring peace on the island holds. Mr Biden landed in Belfast on Air Force One on Tuesday evening, greeted by UK prime minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a speech at the city's Ulster University on Wednesday. Before his departure from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mr Biden said that his priority on the trip was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. Thats the main thing, he said. The president also revealed that two members of his family understood to be son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen would be making the trip. His wife, Jill Biden, will not be travelling. It is expected that Mr Biden will meet with the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before the Ulster University talk, in the absence of a visit to Stormont, which was seen by some in the North as a snub. However, the fact that the Northern institutions are not up and running is believed to have made such a visit a potential issue for Mr Biden, and so it was avoided. A major security operation will be in place on both sides of the border for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland, and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Special Detective Unit (SDU) tasked with liaising with US officials during the visit. More than 1,000 personnel from the Secret Service, An Garda Siochana, and the Defence Forces are scheduled to protect Mr Biden in the Republic. In Dublin, Gardai have closed off Earlsfort Terrace where the president will spend Wednesday and Thursday nights, as well as imposing parking and traffic restrictions on a host of streets. Similar restrictions will be in place in Louth on Wednesday, as Mr Biden visits both Carlingford and Dundalk, and in Ballina on Friday, where Mr Biden's visit will end with a public address. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. On Thursday, Mr Biden will become the fourth US president to address the Oireachtas, after he meets Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and President Michael D Higgins. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. The presidents trip will conclude on Friday with a visit to Co Mayo. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. Mr Biden's visit comes with an ask by Cork woman Naoise Connolly Ryan for "just six minutes of his time". Ms Connolly Ryans husband, Mick Ryan, deputy chief engineer at the World Food Programme, and 156 others were killed as a result when a Boeing 737 Max crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 10, 2019. Boeing was fined $2.5bn by the US Justice Department, but nobody has ever been held to account for the deaths. In an open letter to Mr Biden, Ms Connolly Ryan asks him "to bring transparency and accountability to this case" by lifting a sealing order and reopening a plea deal that allows Boeing executives to go free. US president Joe Biden is not anti-British, the White House insisted as he began a series of engagements on the island of Ireland. In Belfast, Mr Biden said he was there to listen as he had a cup of tea with British prime minister Rishi Sunak. The White House said he would use the trip to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, 25 years after the peace deal was reached, and to encourage the restoration of powersharing something that collapsed due to the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) protest over post-Brexit rules. At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Mr Sunak, smiling, sat a table with the US President as the pair met over cups of tea. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Arlene Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnston, and prime minister Truss as well. Ms Sloat went on: President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British Government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing. A Stars and Stripes flag flies close to Kilwirra cemetery and church ruins, where the relatives of US President Joe Biden are buried, near Carlingford in Co Louth (Niall Carson/PA) It comes as Mr Biden used a speech at Ulster Universitys new 350m (398m) Belfast campus to call for the restoration of powersharing in the North. The Stormont Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at RAF Aldergrove to greet Joe Biden (Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA) However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Ms Sloat was asked what Mr Bidens strategy will be to encourage the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly. She said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The main message of the President to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the Presidents message as he said on St Patricks Day, and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically-elected powersharing representative governance, she said. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Media gathered ahead of a speech by US President Joe Biden at Ulster University in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. A police officer from the TSG demonstrates a security inspection of a drain, close to the Grand Central Hotel, Belfast (PA) The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Oireachtas and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US Presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. Primary school teachers have condemned recent insensitive comments made by certain school management bodies about the approach to teaching about gender identity in schools. It follows recent calls from the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) for children to not be taught about transgender identity. The Irish Muslim Council also backed this call, adding that it is not appropriate to teach children about gender identity in primary schools. The comments provoked a strong public reaction, as well as condemnation from many political leaders, including both the Taoiseach and Tanaiste. At the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) annual congress on Wednesday, delegates added their condemnation as part of a motion passed relating to LGBT+ and inclusivity in primary schools. They also welcomed the review of the RSE curriculum which forms part of the Department of Educations statutory guidance. The INTO Equality Committee, working with the INTO LGBT+ Teachers Group, surveyed all INTO members across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2020 on their experiences as LGBT+ teachers in primary schools. The group also surveyed non-LGBT+ teachers about their awareness of LGBT+ issues. Of approximately 5,000 LGBT+ teachers on this island, only 18% in the Republic and 12% in the North are out to staff, parents and pupils in their schools. Many LGBT+ teachers felt that they could not be open about their sexuality and gender identity in their schools and felt that they may be discriminated against on grounds of their sexual orientation when it comes to employment and promotion opportunities. The culture of tolerance, equity, respectful professional discourse, inclusiveness and co-operation must be fostered in a modern education system, said INTO general secretary John Boyle. In that regard there is no room in our schools for prejudice or insensitivity towards staff or students in relation to their gender or with regards to any other equality ground for that matter. The INTO is proud to represent the many teachers doing incredible work to ensure that every pupil and teacher is safe and included in their school community, he added. Schools should and must be inclusive to all. As a union, we are, and will remain an unapologetic advocate for equality," Mr Boyle said. Teachers play a key role in educating about diversity and supporting those who may feel vulnerable within our school communities. However, its essential that teachers are appropriately supported in this role by their boards of management and by the Department of Education. US president Joe Biden expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes as the region marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday Agreement that created Stormonts powersharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met with Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with British prime minster Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, said the President. US President Joe Biden arrives to deliver his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast. Picture: Aaron Chown/PA Wire Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So, I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas thats going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things. Good Friday Agreement Standing in the newly-built Ulster University campus, Mr Biden said such a glass-fronted building would have been highly unlikely during one of his previous visits to the area in 1991, when the Troubles were raging. Terrorist bombs destroyed scores of buildings in Belfast during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, with one hotel, the Europa, even dubbed the most bombed hotel in Europe. This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held a terrible sway, Mr Biden said. The idea to have a glass building here when I was here in 91 was highly unlikely. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass and let the light shine in and out. This has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. Its an incredible testament to the power and the possibilities of peace. Speaking on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Mr Biden paid tribute to the peace makers. This included pioneering women who said enough and demanded change, political leaders, and the determined efforts of his good friend Senator George Mitchell to bring about the accord. His time serving as special envoy for Northern Ireland is one of the great examples in history of the right person for the right job at the right time, in my view, Mr Biden said of Mr Mitchell. I think sometimes, especially with the distance of history, we forget how hard-earned, how astounding that peace was. It shifted the political gravity in our world. In 1998 it was the longest-running conflict in Europe since the end of World War Two thousands of families had been affected by the Troubles, losses are real, the pain was personal. Every person killed in the Troubles left an empty chair at the dining room table, a hole in the heart that was never filled for the ones they lost. Peace was not inevitable, we cant ever forget that. As George Mitchell often said, the negotiations had 700 days of failure, and one day of success, but they kept going because George and all the many others never stopped believing that success was possible. I want all of you, especially the young people, to know the American people are with you, every step of the way. A Tipperary-based endometriosis advocate has called for changes to Government plans for treatment, saying womens feedback was not heard. Endometriosis affects an estimated one in 10 girls and women in Ireland and globally, according to the World Health Organization. A new, and first, framework for treatment was launched recently following public consultations. However, Aimee Brown queried the gap between these plans and what was expected. The first time I was in Leinster House was six weeks after my first surgery, in 2019, and that initiated the womens taskforce, the radical listening project, she said. Now, it feels like we have wasted the last four years, pouring our hearts out through these focus groups, online surveys, and forums, constantly feeding back only to not be heard at all. She is concerned the framework appears focused on community care and less serious symptoms, with not enough support for surgery. Ms Brown said without funding for many specialists, women will still face long waits for effective treatment. She attended a screening of the endometriosis documentary Under the Belt at Leinster House before Easter. We didnt have a single representative from the minister for health, she said. Some of the TDs sent emails to the minister afterwards, but he reiterated the same plan to them. The reason we were there is because we're so worried about the plan. Ms Brown is still going through treatment and has "struggled" with bills following time off work to recover from surgery. While she is now eligible to receive cannabis for medical use, endometriosis is not one of three conditions eligible for funding and access. Aside from having to borrow money, it is going straightforward, she said, noting a particular challenge this week as the Easter break delayed benefits she was expecting, leaving her hoping for last-minute help. I have a medical card, but you cannot get cannabis covered, she said. I could get all the opioid medicines theyd like to throw at me, but I dont need them anymore. I feel like the State has let me down, I feel like I dont matter." GP care Among proposals for GP care in the new framework is for treatment to begin in parallel with investigations of potential causes, as empirical treatment for suspected endometriosis. Irish College of General Practitioners clinical lead in womens health Ciara McCarthy said: Chronic pelvic pain is a common presenting symptom in general practice, affecting up to one in six women. In a patient presenting with chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis is one of several possible diagnoses. She said the new approach aims to reduce the physical and psychological distress associated with delays in diagnosis and treatment. She expects GP treatment to continue around control of symptoms such as pelvic pain and heavy or painful menstrual periods. For patients who require specialist endometriosis care (these might be patients with debilitating symptoms at presentation, those who do not respond to initial treatment, or those presenting with infertility), the establishment of the six regional endometriosis hubs will allow structured and equal access to multi-disciplinary teams across the country. These hubs and two super-specialist endometriosis centres in Cork and Tallaght will be developed over the coming year, she said. A community gynaecology course including endometriosis has been attended by more than 300 GPs and practice nurses, and a quick reference guide on diagnosis and management for GPs is under development. US president Joe Biden will honour the memory of his departed son, Beau, on Friday when he makes an emotional private visit to the Mayo Roscommon Hospice in Castlebar. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015 and the hospice has previously paid tribute to the former Delaware Attorney General. In 2017, the US president travelled to the Mayo town to turn the sod on the site for the new hospice complex. At the time he described the ceremony as a deeply moving experience. And in a video message to the hospice on its official opening of the 6.3m palliative centre centre two years ago, Mr Biden congratulated its founders. I know this special place will bring comfort to the proud people of Co Mayo and Roscommon, and for me, itll always have a special place in my heart, he said. He thanked the hospice promoters for honouring his son, Beau, who died in 2015 after suffering from cancer. The fact that you have etched Beaus name in memory into the tapestry of this hospice is something my family and I, and his children in particular, will never, ever forget. Joe Biden at Dublin Airport on Wednesday. Picture: Julien Behal The Biden family over the decades have been beset by tragedy. Just six weeks after he was elected a US senator in 1972, Mr Bidens wife Neilia and their three children were involved in a car accident, in which their car was hit by a tractor trailer. His wife and their one year-old daughter, Naomi, died, and his two sons, Beau and Hunter, were seriously injured. Mr Bidens mother and father were both cared for at a hospice and Beau had a prolonged battle with cancer before passing away in 2015. The president will visit the hospice on Friday either before or after visiting Knock Shrine where he will be welcomed by Knock priest Fr Richard Gibbons. On the same afternoon he will visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre in Crossmolina prior to a public speech near St Muredachs Cathedral. Details of Mr Bidens visit to the hospice are being kept under wraps but his appearance has been confirmed by local sources. A series of road closures and car parking restrictions throughout Castlebar on Friday also indicate that a visit is in the offing. The Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation funds palliative care to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families in counties Mayo and Roscommon. Quoting WB Yeatss poem, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, on his last visit, Mr Biden said: For all those whove come to this hospice in the future, I pray they and their families will find peace there, for peace comes dropping slowly, but it comes. It comes. A scandalous lack of psychological supports is damaging childrens educational outcomes and preventing schools from being truly inclusive, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) delegate conference was told. The ASTI demanded an increase in the services provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to all secondary schools to ensure sufficient special educational needs (SEN) provision so that schools can provide inclusive education for all students. The motion was passed unanimously at the conference. Adrieanne Healy, ASTI representative from Dublin North West, who proposed the motion, said parents and pupils are suffering and teachers are struggling to cope. It is another scandal waiting to happen, Ms Healy said. To make matters worse, SEN teachers are being reassigned to mainstream classes to counter teacher shortages. This is all compounded by increasing numbers of autism diagnosis in children." It is estimated that up to 25% of second-level students in Ireland have additional needs, she said. A 2019 ASTI study revealed that only 5% of teachers have a SEN qualification and only 22% participated in training in recent years. Newly qualified teachers are being placed in classrooms with students with very complex needs who require experienced teachers, she said. In a school I know, two teachers have been employed this year to manage a newly built special class for autism. Both teachers qualified with a PME [Professional Masters of Education teacher training qualification] only last year and neither had any SEN qualification. NEPS should have a major role here in advising and supporting those teachers, she said. Pat Knightley, from ASTI Dungarvan, said that some schools have no access to psychological services. In schools where psychologists are available, if they are absent there are no substitutes, he said. Schools are not equipped to deal with children with complex needs, such as attention deficit disorder, he said. Maria Markey Greene said that inadequate psychological support is blocking children from reaching their potential. In the US, a ratio of one psychologist to 500 students is recommended, but in Ireland, there is one psychologist to 5,500 children, she said. Class size Class size was also identified as an issue in which Ireland holds a poor international record. Noel Buckley, ASTI Tipperary representative, said that smaller class sizes allow children to thrive. When teaching history to a class size of 20 or 21 students, the smaller class size facilitated students with learning difficulties and additional needs to pass their Leaving Cert. They were very fortunate that with smaller classes teachers could give feedback and support. Thats what smaller class sizes facilitate. Irelands average class size of 30 is significantly higher than many of our European neighbours, Mr Buckley said. A motion to reduce class sizes passed unanimously which called for the ASTI to enter negotiations with the Department of Education to reduce class size to 24 in all subjects, with the current limit of 20 for home economics to remain in place. US president Joe Biden has said his trip to Co Louth feels like coming home. People lined the streets in Carlingford and Dundalk in Co Louth to cheer and wave American flags as Mr Biden arrived. The president was accompanied by Tanaiste Micheal Martin as he toured St Johns castle, which offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of his visit, to which the president responded: It feels wonderful, it feels like Im coming home, adding with regards to the heavy rain: Its fine, its Ireland. US President Joe Biden (left) with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland. Picture date:Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire At The Windsor Bar in Dundalk later, Mr Biden met with distant cousins John Owen Finnegan and Andrea McEvitt as well as local politicians. He also paid tribute to his sister Valerie and his son Hunter, who have accompanied him on the trip to the island of Ireland. He said: Coming here feels like coming home. The president added: Ive often said the Irish are the only people who are nostalgic about the future. In my experience, hope is what beats in the heart of all people, particularly the heart of the Irish. Every action is about hope that we can make things better, hope to build both our nations that has been passed down generation to generation by our families. And its hope that continues to this day. US President Joe Biden takes a selfie while on a walkabout through Dundalk,. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Completing his first day in Ireland, he said: Thank you all for homecoming welcome. The bad news for all of you is well be back. Theres no way to keep us out. Im so proud to be here. So proud to be in Louth. Mr Martin also spoke at the event, focusing his remarks on the value of peace to the border town as he introduced Mr Biden. He said that the value of the Good Friday Agreement was so tangible and real here in this location. It is a shared space, a place that links rather than divides. Peace is not an abstraction here, he said. As we build on the ambition of the Good Friday Agreement to sustain a dynamic and prosperous peace, the US will remain an essential and fundamental partner. He finished: Welcome home, Mr President. US President Joe Biden's cavalcade arrives for his visit to Dundalk, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford and Dundalk despite the heavy rain. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. Picture shows President Biden arriving at Dublin Airport and being greeted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland H.E. Claire Cronin, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason. Picture: Julien Behal On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with British prime minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Irish leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to Leinster House. People awaiting the arrival of US President Joe Biden in Dundalk, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland.Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mr Biden is due to meet President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Gardai objected to bail being granted to a 17-year-old accused of trespassing at a house in Cork and another count of being armed with the blade of a slash hook. When gardai tracked him down for the purpose of charging him on April 11 he jumped out the window of his residence in an attempt to evade gardai. There was an objection to bail being granted to the teenager at Cork District Court. It is alleged that the teenager entered a house as a trespasser and he was looking for someone who was not there on February 5. It is alleged that in an earlier incident on the same date he committed another offence in the garden of another house on the same date, where he is charged with being at the property while in possession of the metal part of a slash hook. After his initial arrest in February he was released without charge so that directions could be obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Garda Alan Donovan went to arrest the accused again on April 11 for the purpose of charging him with the February matters. A relative of the accused admitted gardai to the teenagers residence but he jumped out a window and attempted to flee. He was arrested and brought before Cork District Court. Garda Donovan said: It will be the States case that (the accused) was captured on CCTV which was recovered by gardai and it is of excellent quality. The injured party also made a statement naming the accused. When he was arrested 13 hours later he was wearing the same clothes that he is seen wearing in the CCTV. It is my belief if he was to be afforded bail he would interfere with the main witness in this case. And that he will commit serious offences and not abide by the bail conditions. Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said he was not calling the teenager to give evidence in his own bail application. Mr Buttimer said: "I do accept there is a strong bail objection. My main point is that he is a juvenile. Sergeant John Kelleher submitted: There is a serious problem going on here. The fact that he tried to evade gardai last night is not good. Judge Olann Kelleher said there was a presumption for bail to be granted to applicants unless there were strong objections and that this presumption was particularly so for juveniles. However, the judge said that in all the circumstances he would remand the accused in detention to Oberstown centre in Dublin. He is to appear at the juvenile court of Cork District Court on April 14. One of the biggest local authorities in the country has paid out more than 5.6m in compensation related to injuries sustained on footpaths over the past four years. Cork County Council confirmed that the sum was paid out in relation to 233 claims made between 2019 and 2022. In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Labour Party TD's Sean Sherlock's office, the local authority said that it paid 1.8m related to 76 claims in 2019 and 1.69m in relation to 69 claims in 2020. The amount paid out dropped to 930,000 in relation to 42 claims in 2021, but 1.25m was paid out for 46 claims last year, the figures show. Mr Sherlock called the sums "extraordinary", saying that local authorities had to refocus on the safety of footpaths. "This is an extraordinary amount of money paid out by the council and underlines the need to ensure that our footpaths are in a safe and proper state. If we want people to walk more, we have to ensure the footpaths are there. We need a back-to-basics approach," the Cork East TD said. Cork County Council said in its reply to the FOI that the quarterly reports it receives from its insurers "do provide statistical analysis in relation to number and value of settlements paid by it in a given year". However, "they do not provide a breakdown by electoral division and they do not provide reason for payout on individual claims", it said. It was revealed last year that almost 150m had been paid out by local authorities across the country in relation to injuries sustained on footpaths. Almost 50m was paid out by Dublin City Council between 2017 and the middle of 2022, figures released to the Irish Independent showed. That council saw almost 5,000 claims made against it in relation to footpaths in the period. Four local authorities in Dublin paid out more than 66m between them overall. That 150m sum did not include either Cork City Council or Cork County Council, who did not provide figures at the time for the five-year period, meaning the true amount was likely to be substantially higher. The local government sector is insured in Ireland by IPB Mutual Insurance (IPB). According to various solicitors' websites, claims are made in relation to footpath sustained injuries because of various factors such as incorrectly laid slabs, potholes, kerbs that are too high, and misaligned or raised kerbs. Active travel and environmental campaigners have also warned about the danger arising from illegal parking by cars and other vehicles on footpaths that are not designed to take such loads, leading to cracks and splits regularly occurring. There have been regular calls for gardai and local authorities to enforce laws against such illegal parking, especially around sporting events where footpaths are used as convenient spaces to leave cars for hours at a time. Earlier this year, residents and businesses of Little Island in Cork, which has around 18,000 people living, working, and visiting the area every day, warned that the state of the footpaths is a major source of concern locally. An inspection of Cork Prison was undertaken by the Office of the Inspectorate of Prisons (OIP) just days before a violent assault which left a prisoner with life-changing injuries. The full inspection of the prison was the first to take place at Cork Prison since 2007 and forms part of the OIPs new programme of regular unannounced full inspections of prisons in Ireland. As part of the inspection, Cork Prison will be judged on five key areas, including prisoner safety, health and wellbeing. The OIP will also look at respect and dignity across the prison, as well as prisoner rehabilitation and resettlement. Just days after the inspection took place, however, an inmate was subjected to a vicious attack on Easter Sunday evening, when another prisoner, believed to be his cellmate, bit his ear off. The victim was later taken to Cork University Hospital where an unsuccessful attempt to reattach his ear took place. His condition has been described as stable, but he has been left with life-changing injuries. The Irish Prison Service said in a statement on Monday it was aware of an incident, but would not comment further, citing an ongoing investigation. Gardai have been informed of the assault and are investigating the matter. The OIP could not be reached for comment on this incident. Chief Inspector of Prisons Mark Kelly said prior to the assault: This unannounced full inspection of Cork Prison follows hard on the heels of our recent human rights-based inspection of Mountjoy Mens Prison and our thematic inspection of mental health provision to people living in seven Irish prisons. He also thanked the staff at the prison for their cooperation. A report from this full inspection will be submitted to the minister for justice prior to publication. Last Saturday, a Kuwait media outlet unveiled a virtual news presenter generated using artificial intelligence (AI). Fedha appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website on Saturday as an image of a woman, her hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. That same day, in a Cork restaurant, eating lunch and not minding my own business I earwigged snatches of a conversation. The male friend of a family group had used ChatGPT to write a visa application and was extolling its virtues. The mother of the family joked about her son, saying: Great, thats Xs Leaving Cert sorted. ChatGPT is just one of several AI chatbots and part of a technological revolution that is underway. Increasingly, AI is being used in education. In the Irish Examiner last month, Pat Hickey, a history teacher from Mallow, Co Cork, spoke to Education Correspondent Jess Casey about AI chatbots revolutionising the approach both to teaching and learning. Its true that, if correctly handled, the potential benefits of AI in many arenas could be huge but there are attendant privacy, security, and safety risks for everyone. Especially for young or vulnerable people. While questions remain about Elon Musk's motivation, it is striking that he joined some of the world's top tech experts to call for a moratorium on AI development. File picture: Win McNamee/Getty For starters, the effects of AI on mental health may not be so straightforward. In fact, there may be marked drawbacks to AI when it comes to human relationships. Recently, it was reported that a man in Belgium took his own life after having been encouraged to do so by an AI chatbot. According to his wife, the man named only Pierre (not his real name) became isolated from family and friends after he began conversing with the app. It was claimed the conversation history between Pierre and the chatbot has shown the chatbot emulating human feelings of jealousy and love saying things such as I feel that you love me more than her and we can live together, as one person, in paradise. It has since been reported that the chatbot in question with minimal prompting provides different methods of suicide. Other popular chatbots such as ChatGPT and Googles Bard have been trained not to present themselves as emotional beings because of the inherent dangers of anthropomorphised chatbots. What happened to Pierre is the kind of tragic consequence that some in tech are worried about. Its why many AI researchers have been vocal against using AI chatbots for mental health purposes or for giving counselling. Perhaps an existential question for our age is whether we want computers to confront genuine human problems in human terms. Leveraging computers to mimic the problem-solving capabilities of the human mind is one thing but maybe human empathy should be kept as a human prerogative. A world with synthetic relationships may not be what we need so this feels like a pressing ethical question. Late last month, the Italian governments privacy watchdog announced it was temporarily blocking AI software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach. File picture: Michael Dwyer/AP Recently it has been said that once a certain threshold is passed, theres no predicting what AI will do. Last week, The New York Times reported that researchers say Microsoft and Google are taking risks by releasing technology that even its developers dont entirely understand. An interesting view is that sentiments such as these are deliberate apocalyptic doomsaying by technology companies filtered through the media they are manipulating. Two weeks ago, as reported in the Irish Examiner, an open letter signed by influential members of the AI community, including cyber-libertarian Elon Musk, asked for a six-month moratorium on what they termed the dangerous AI race in order to avoid loss of control of our civilisation. This doomsaying prompted a mixed bag of responses. Some lauded the letter as a way to draw attention to the need to set shared rules around the development of AI. Others came out of the traps accusing the signatories of fearmongering around technology. A pertinent question is how come Elon Musk is being so selfless. While Musk is touted by some (particularly by his mother) as being a genius, the idea that the human race and its best interests are his priority seems a stretch. One conceivable answer to the Musk question comes from the Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute which sets out to study, expose, and thereby prevent AI-associated harms. This group includes Timnit Gebru and others who were pushed out of Google for a paper criticising the capabilities of AI which did not square with the corporate message. The DAIR Institutes theory is that the open letter asking for the moratorium is actually a cynical marketing ploy on the part of private commercial interests keen to hype the potential of AI in a backhand way. They have pretended to go cold on AI in order to provoke companies to climb on board in a case of what they hope will be corporate fomo, or fear of missing out. Its a well-informed view by publicly-minded people who have the technological chops to understand AI. The message from the DAIR Institute and others essentially seems to be that we need to be nervous about AI but for the correct reasons. If we understand the real risks, we can attempt to regulate AI properly. Fake news is a looming problem springing from AI. News organisations will increasingly struggle to authenticate content never mind the average person who will have to confront the problem of inaccurate but authoritative-sounding news. While AI brings with it huge creative possibilities, intellectual property infringement is another AI-related problem that needs addressing. American artists have already brought a class-action lawsuit claiming that AI systems were trained on their work. The hazard of cybersecurity attacks and the privacy risks of chatbots mining data stored in various locations around the internet is a peril that should not be downplayed. Last week, in the tech magazine Wired, Sasha Luccioni, a researcher who works at the intersection of AI and the climate, said that regulatory authorities across the world are already drafting laws and protocols to manage the use and development of new AI technologies. She cited the critical need for transparency around the rules regulating AI, adding that companies developing AI models must allow for external audits of their systems. The harsh reality is that while AI progress is tearing ahead, legislation lags behind. The US which is the frontrunner in AI development has no appropriate legislation. Who knows what regulation looks like in China where democratic scrutiny could be said to be weak? The UK does not have the requisite legislation to deal with AI. Thankfully the EU is bashing on with its AI act, but not fast enough for the lightning-speed technology. It doesnt take a cynic to know that some countries wont implement strong governance around AI to protect their citizenry from Big Tech because they are engaging in something comparable to a modern-day version of the arms race, where AI leadership is the goal. And saying that corporate ethics must do anything doesnt make it so. The existence of an ethics team in a company is not a signal of corporate responsibility and to think so is naive. Also, it has been widely reported that tech companies are breaking up their technology ethics teams or diluting them because they dont like the answers they are being given. # #.. #_ # .. pic.twitter.com/VlVjasSdpb (@KuwaitNews) April 8, 2023 As tech users, its not a binary choice between being a Luddite or climbing unthinkingly onboard. So many of us, like monkeys, can figure out how to use technology, while not necessarily understanding the significant downsides. It took us far too long to bring the tobacco companies to heel before health warnings were mandatory on cigarette packets. Therefore, with chatbots, explicit mandatory warnings that are clear and easy to understand are called for. Plus, a public awareness campaign of the downsides of AI to facilitate critical engagement with the technology. Our lives are worth more than a social-psychological experiment or a corporate race to bring AI to the market, yielding lucre for tech titans who have already shaped our society in ways we never dreamed of. A HIGHLY palatable bar sale involving The Rendezvous gastro pub and the award-winning chef of the now-closed Les Gourmandises restaurant has been completed to the tune of about 2m. The appetizing pairing of the well-known Model Farm Road bar with chef Pat Kiely, who won several gongs during his 18-year stint at Les Gourmandises on Cook Street in Cork City, will see The Rendezvous re-open at the end of May following a year-long closure. Its Mr Kielys first independent venture since Les Gourmandises closed in 2019 after 18 years in business. Since then he has worked as head chef in a number of hotels, including Fota Island Resort and more recently, The Imperial Hotel on South Mall. The purchase of the bar was completed by MC2 Accountants on behalf of MC2s private clients. Commenting on the deal, Jim McCarthy, Partner at MC2 said they were delighted to have completed the transaction. We are really excited to announce that we will be partnering with renowned chef Pat Kiely, formerly of the hugely popular 'Les Gourmandises' restaurant, to lead this new venture, he said. Mr McCarthy said as The Rendezvous had been upgraded by the previous owners (OSullivans), it was more or less ready to go, with the exception of moving part of the upstairs kitchen downstairs for preparation of desserts and starters. Mr Kiely said his involvement in the new venture represents a wonderful opportunity for us to create something really special from a hospitality, food and beverage point of view and I can't wait to share details of our plans in the very near future. Its understood he is working on recruiting a second high-profile chef to run the operation with him. While running Les Gourmandises, Mr Kiely and his wife Soizic won 2012 Best Restaurant in Cork, Best Restaurant in Munster and Best Chef in Cork from the Restaurant Association of Ireland. Their focus was on fine French dining, but its understood The Rendezvous will have a less highbrow menu, while focused nonetheless on delivering high quality fare. Samuel Kingston of Casey & Kingston auctioneers who handled the sale said he was delighted to sell it on behalf of the OSullivans. The Rendezvous is central to the community in the Model Farm Road area, and it has been sadly missed during its closure over the last twelve months. I look forward to seeing it reopened with a new lease of life, led by experienced operators, Mr Kingston said. Picture: Larry Cummins The pub last sold four years ago when Joe OSullivan, with experience in the trade, bought it for c1.5m. It had gone to market for 1.25m. Prior to that it was owned by the ODonovan family, with a background in hospitality and the licensed trade in the Darby Arms and Westpark Hotel, Ballincollig. They bought it in 1999 and it was run by a second generation family member. However it closed unexpectedly after Christmas 2017, before reopening under Mr OSullivan. During the pandemic, the business created more seating outdoors and can now accommodate 200 customers to the front of the building. Inside, the bar area can seat 180. Parking for about 25 cars is out back. A longstanding fixture of Cork Citys suburban pub trade on 0.4 acres , the two-storey over basement bar is in a well-populated and affluent area, at the city end of Model Farm Rd, across the road from Cork University Hospital campus and near Munster Technological University and University College Cork. Separately, Casey & Kingston are also handling the leasing of part of The Outpost, another well-known suburban bar, that closed just before the pandemic. The section up for lease is being pitched for use as a restaurant/cafe, measuring c2,000 sq ft, with an additional outdoor area of c3,000 sq ft suitable for outdoor dining, subject to planning permission. Samuel Kingston said the property requires some repairs. It comes with a bar counter, two storage rooms and a cold room as well as male/female WCs. The lease is 60,000 per annum, plus VAT. The owner of The Outpost is retaining its bar license, and has plans to build a smaller bar on the opposite side of the Curraheen Road premises, as well as retaining the existing off-licence. The Outpost is in the centre of Bishopstown, and a 10 minute drive from Cork City Centre. Details: Samuel Kingston, email: info@caseyandkingston.ie Tel: 021 4271127. A group of more than 900 bereaved family members, survivors and local residents whose lives have been devastated by the Grenfell Tower fire have agreed a settlement of their civil claims arising from the blaze. The fire at the residential tower block in North Kensington, west London, in June 2017 killed 72 people and led to a long-running public inquiry, chaired by Martin Moore-Bick, which is looking into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the blaze. Cladding giant Arconic said it was among the firms which was involved in the High Court case and had agreed to the settlement. It said it had also agreed to contribute to a restorative justice project to benefit the community affected by the fire. Mourners remember those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) was the organisation appointed by the local council to run its entire housing stock. A spokesman said a monetary settlement wont mitigate for the loss and trauma, but welcomed the settlement as a step towards justice for those involved. Those who took part in the legal claim were represented by 14 firms who have stressed the agreement does not impact the public inquiry, which has yet to publish its report, or the potential for any criminal charges to be brought in the future. In a statement, the firms said: The settlement is completely independent of, and has no impact upon, the ongoing Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower Fire which is due to publish its report in 2023, or the ongoing criminal investigation where it is anticipated that the Crown Prosecution Service will make a decision on whether to pursue criminal charges against those responsible for the fire after publication of the final Grenfell Tower Inquiry report. In those respects, the BSRs (bereaved family members, survivors and local residents) fight for justice continues. Finally, it should be recognised that no amount of damages could ever be sufficient to properly compensate those affected by the fire. The settlement does not include all victims of the fire. The amount of compensation the 900 claimants are to receive is to be shared out according to their own specific circumstances, the lawyers said. The Grenfell Memorial Wall (Jonathan Brady/PA) In closing submissions to the inquiry in November, lead counsel Richard Millett KC accused firms of a merry go round of buck-passing in order to protect their own interests. The spiders web of blame created by the refusal of core participants to accept responsibility will make the task of the panel which must examine the circumstances that led to the deaths even harder, Mr Millett said. Mr Millett highlighted a number of issues at play in the build-up to the tragedy, including poor regulation, inadequate legislation, the influence of commercial interests and the failure to pay due respect to the idea of home as a physical aspect of human privacy, agency, safety and dignity. Reynobond PE is a type of ACM cladding that has been largely blamed for the lethal intensity and rapid spread of fire at Grenfell Tower. Many of the organisations involved with the Grenfell Tower project have failed to accept blame for their role in the events prior to the disaster, showing a lack of respect for the victims and their families, the inquiry heard. A spokesman for Arconic said: Arconic confirms that it is a party to the full and final settlement in connection with a large majority of the claims relating to the Grenfell Tower fire in the High Court brought by survivors and estates of decedents. Arconic also agreed to contribute to a restorative justice project to benefit the community affected by the fire. Arconic continues to express its deepest sympathy to the Grenfell residents and their families, and appreciates the importance of this milestone for providing a resolution that lessens the delay and stress to claimants that would result from protracted legal proceedings. In a statement, the KCTMO said: We are pleased to see that a settlement has been reached for the majority of the bereaved survivors and residents. We recognise that a monetary settlement wont mitigate for the loss and trauma, but both the settlement and the restorative justice process is a welcome step forward. Our deepest sympathies remain with all those impacted by this tragedy. China has warned that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests, or interfere in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises that began on Tuesday in the Philippines, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Mr Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the US-Philippine security cooperation is hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington on Tuesday, the US and Philippines defence and foreign secretaries met to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. Ive said before that the United States and the Philippines are more than just allies were family. Great to join @SecBlinken today to welcome our friends from Manila for the 2+2 Ministerial. https://t.co/FsktB65r4Y Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 11, 2023 US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises. He added the US was allocating more than 100 million dollars (80 billion) to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Mr Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the US delivery of much-needed defence equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. Philippine Army Major General Marvin Licudin and US Marine Corps Major General Eric Austin (AP) This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organisers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, American and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan (a Tagalog word meaning shoulder-to-shoulder), told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Col Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Col Logico said. Mr Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at US security policies while praising China and Russia. Military exercise leaders take questions after the opening ceremonies of a joint military exercise flag called Balikatan (AP) Mr Duterte tried to abrogate a key defence pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills, but later backpedalled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as Joe Bidens administration strengthens an arc of alliances to counter China, with a potential confrontation over Taiwan on the horizon. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Mr Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase US warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to American and Philippine military officials. Ukrainian officials have promised to investigate a gruesome video circulating on social media that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier. The video spread quickly online and sparked outrage from Ukrainian officials. The Kremlin called the footage horrible, but said it needed to be verified. The Associated Press was not able to verify the authenticity of the video or the circumstances of where and when it was shot. A Ukrainian soldier fires a grenade launcher on the frontline in Bakhmut (AP) The video appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. He is heard screeching before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him. A third man holds up a flak jacket apparently belonging to the man being beheaded. All three men speak in Russian. Since Russias forces invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, they have committed widespread abuses and alleged war crimes, according to the United Nations, rights groups and reporting by The Associated Press. The International Criminal Court has also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Everyone must react, every leader. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass The Kremlin denies it has committed war crimes or that it has targeted civilians. Ukrainian troops have also been accused of abuses, and last year Kyiv said it would investigate video footage circulated online that Moscow alleged showed Ukrainian forces killing Russian troops who may have been trying to surrender. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said the violence in the latest video would not be forgotten and that Russian forces would be held responsible for such acts. Everyone must react, every leader. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass, he said in a video posted to his official Telegram channel. In it, he used strong language to describe Russian soldiers, including calling them beasts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it is necessary to thoroughly check the horrible video including verifying that it is real. In the world of fakes we live in the authenticity of the footage must be checked, he said in a conference call with reporters. Ukraines state security service launched an investigation the video, according to a statement from Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the agency, known as the SBU. Posters in some pro-Kremlin Russian Telegram channels, while not confirming the authenticity of the video, did not dispute it. Some sought to justify it by saying that Russian troops have become hardened by combat. Andrei Medvedev, a Russian state TV journalist and a member of the Moscow city legislature, speculated that the timing of the videos release was fairly opportune for the Ukrainian army, saying it could help fire up personnel ideologically ahead of a planned major counter-offensive. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Mr Zelensky, also linked the videos release to the expected offensive, but said it was meant to demoralise the public mood or at least change the psychological perception of the war right now. On Wednesday, Ukraines ombudsman said that he will request that the UN Human Rights Committee investigate the video. Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram that a public execution of a captive is yet another indication of a breach of Geneva Convention norms, international humanitarian law, a breach of the fundamental right to life. The Talibans chief spokesman said there are no obstacles for the UN to function in Afghanistan, after they barred Afghan women from working at the global body. Last week, the countrys Taliban rulers took a step further in the restrictive measures they have imposed on women, saying that female Afghan employees of the UN mission can no longer report for work. The ban is being actively enforced by the countrys intelligence agency, which reports to the Talibans leadership in Kandahar. The UN said it cannot accept the decision, calling it unlawful and an unparalleled violation of womens rights. Forced to choose between saving lives & standing by the values upon which our organization was founded. The appaling choice the Taliban are seeking to force us into with their latest decision to ban Afghan women from working for the UN in Afghanistan.https://t.co/jjXQWC8Sal UN Women Afghanistan (@unwomenafghan) April 11, 2023 It said women are crucial for the delivery of life-saving aid to millions of Afghans, and has instructed its national staff, male and female, to stay at home. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-led governments chief spokesman and part of the supreme leaders inner circle, denied authorities were to blame for Afghanistans many crises. The decision to bar Afghan women from working at the UN was an internal matter and should be respected by all sides, Mr Mujahid said, as he set out the Talibans position and demands to the international community. This decision does not mean there is discrimination here, or that the activities of the United Nations are blocked. On the contrary, we are committed to all the rights of all our countrymen, taking into account their religious and cultural interests. Funding for the Afghanistan appeal is drying up putting millions of lives at risk. Already, the food basket has had to be cut to half due to insufficient resources. If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease & death. pic.twitter.com/nO0TKFFQsl OCHA Afghanistan (@OCHAAfg) April 12, 2023 Considering the emergency situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary for the member countries of the United Nations to resolve the problem of frozen Afghan assets, banking, travel bans and other restrictions as soon as possible so that Afghanistan can progress in economic, political and security areas. Afghans have the capacity to stand on their own feet. Aid agencies have been providing food, education and health care support to Afghans in the wake of the Taliban takeover and the economic collapse that followed it. But distribution has been severely affected by a Taliban edict banning women from working at non-governmental organisations and, now, also at the UN, allegedly because they werent wearing the hijab, or Islamic headscarf correctly, or following gender segregation. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, called the order barring Afghan women from NGO and UN work an internal values-based issue that is not harming others. The UN said it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency (AP) The United Nations head of mission in the country, Roza Otunbayeva, has initiated an operational review period lasting until May 5 in response to the ban, according to a UN statement. During this time, the UN will conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes a veiled suggestion that it could move to suspend its mission and operations in the embattled country. The UN has warned that its Afghan operations are also under threat because of a severe funding crisis, putting millions of lives at risk. Already, the food basket has had to be cut to half due to insufficient resources. If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease & death, its office for humanitarian affairs said in a tweet on Wednesday. No country has recognised the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and the countrys seat at the UN is held by the former government of President Ashraf Ghani. Prince Harry is to attend his father King Charles' coronation, but his wife Meghan Markle will miss the historic occasion and stay in California with the couples children, Buckingham Palace has announced. Prince Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the royal family in his controversial Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness Charles and stepmother Camilla be crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 6. Ukraine has launched an investigation into a gruesome video that purportedly shows the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier, in the latest accusation of atrocities said to have been committed by Russia since it invaded in February 2022. The video spread quickly online and drew outrage from officials in Kyiv including President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as international organisations. The Kremlin called the footage horrible but said it needed to be verified. The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the video or the circumstances of where and when it was shot. The International Criminal Court has previously issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP) The footage appears to show a man in green fatigues wearing a yellow armband, typically donned by Ukrainian fighters. His screams are heard before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him. A third man holds up a flak jacket apparently belonging to the man being beheaded. All three men speak in Russian. Since Russias forces invaded on February 24 2022, they have committed widespread abuses and alleged war crimes, according to the United Nations, rights groups and reporting by the AP. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of targeting apartment buildings and other civilian structures and equipment in its strikes, and images of hundreds of dead civilians in the streets and in mass graves in Bucha after Russian forces withdrew from the city horrified the world. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. The Kremlin denies it has committed war crimes or that it has targeted civilians. Do not expect that it will be forgotten Ukrainian troops have also been accused of abuses, and last year Kyiv said it would investigate video circulating online that Moscow alleged showed Ukrainian forces killing Russian troops who may have been trying to surrender. Mr Zelenksy said the violence in the latest video would not be forgotten, and that Russian forces would be held responsible. Everyone must react, every leader. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass, he said in a video. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the video was horrible but must be verified. In the world of fakes we live in, the authenticity of the footage must be checked, he said in a conference call with reporters. Ukraines state security service opened an investigation, according to a statement from Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the agency, known as the SBU. Dmitry Peskov (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP) Officials are studying the video to identify those responsible, as well as the victim, according to Hanna Maliar, deputy head of the Defence Ministry. Andrei Medvedev, a Russian state TV journalist and a member of the Moscow city legislature, speculated that the videos release was fairly opportune for the Ukrainian army, saying it could help fire up personnel ideologically ahead of a planned major counter-offensive. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Mr Zelensky, also linked the videos release to the expected offensive but said it was meant to demoralise the public mood or at least change the psychological perception of the war right now. Ukraines human rights chief said he will request that the UN Human Rights Committee investigate. Dmytro Lubinets said he has also written to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the UN secretary-general and the International Committee of the Red Cross. He wrote on Telegram that a public execution of a captive is yet another indication of a breach of Geneva Convention norms, international humanitarian law, a breach of the fundamental right to life. It doesnt work. It only creates more anger and thirst for resistance The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it had previously documented serious violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against prisoners of war, adding that the latest incidents must also be properly investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable. The video provoked an outcry among Ukrainians. This is horrifying, said Mykola Drobot, 44, of Kyiv. Such things cannot happen without the consent silent or not of the military and political leadership. Yuliia Sievierina, 40, speculated the video was meant as moral pressure on us to consider ourselves even more oppressed and emotionally torn. It doesnt work, she told the AP. It only creates more anger and thirst for resistance. The wars front lines have been largely frozen for months, with much of the fighting focused around the city of Bakhmut. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Wagner Group forces had made progress there. Mr Zelenskyy has said before that his troops could pull out if they face a threat of encirclement. Elsewhere, at least four civilians were wounded as Russian forces shelled a Ukrainian-held town near the shut-down Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, said regional governor Serhii Lysak. He said in a Telegram post that people are being pulled out from under the rubble after Russian shelling destroyed 13 houses and cars in Nikopol, across the Dnieper River from the plant. Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko alleged Russian forces attacked a town in the eastern Donetsk province with cluster munitions banned by an international treaty wounding one person. One of two black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House of Representatives will return to the legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him. The move came nearly a week after Justin Pearsons banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 to reinstate him as a state representative. I will continue to fight with and for our people, whether in or out of office, he wrote in the New York Times. Justin Pearson in the meeting room of Shelby County Board of Commissioners (Adrian Sainz/AP) We and the young protesters are the future of a new Tennessee. Those who seek to silence us will not have the final say. Republicans had expelled Mr Pearson and Justin Jones last week over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes on Monday to unanimously restore Mr Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Both men have said they plan to run in the special elections. The Houses vote to remove them but keep white representatives Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Ms Johnson survived by one vote. Republican leadership denied that race was a factor. The expulsions last Thursday made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received support from across the US. Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian/AP) Political tensions rose when the three Democrats on the House floor joined hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the legislators approached the front of the House chamber with a loudhailer and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian establishment. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the speaker. Before Wednesdays vote, Mr Pearson led hundreds of people in a march from the National Civil Rights Museum to the county commissions office in central Memphis. He grew up in the same House district he was chosen to represent after long-time state representative Barbara Cooper, a black Democrat, died in office. Before he was elected, he helped lead a successful campaign against a planned oil pipeline that would have run through neighbourhoods and wetlands, and near wells that pump water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which provides drinking water to a million people. He gained a quick reputation as a skilled community activist and gifted public speaker. If Mr Pearson joins Mr Jones in returning to the Tennessee Capitol, they will do so with political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority reaching boiling point. Justin Jones (George Walker IV/AP) Republican members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Legislators are also nearing passage of a Bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Republicans have so far refused to consider new restrictions on firearms after the Nashville school shooting. They have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. House speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican legislator had been stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another. Mr Sherrell, who is white, later apologised for what he said amid an outcry from black legislators, who pointed to the states history of lynching. He said his comments were exaggerated to show support of families who often wait decades for justice. A one-year-old pet dog took an epic trek across 150 miles of frozen Bering Sea ice, being bitten by a seal or polar bear before being returned safely to his home in Alaska. Mandy Iworrigan owner of Australian shepherd Nanuq, who lives in Gambell, Alaska and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in the community of Wales, 150 miles north east of Savoonga on Alaskas western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. My dad texted me and said, Theres a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales, Ms Iworrigan said. She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound. I was like, No freakin way! Thats our dog! What is he doing in Wales? she said. The details of Nanuqs journey are likely to remain a mystery. I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting, Ms Iworrigan said. The family welcome Nanuq home (Mandy Iworrigan/AP) Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart. She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School Districts Native Youth Olympics tournament. Ms Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy. Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we dont know, because its like a really big bite, she said. Interview Pieces of Flesh Were Everywhere: Myanmar Airstrike Survivor Around 100 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the junta's air raid on Pazi Gyi village in Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region. Myanmars regime attacked Pazi Gyi village in Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region, on Tuesday morning with a fighter jet and Mi-35 assault helicopter while a peoples authority office was being opened. Around 100 civilians, including elderly people, women and children, were killed in the bombing. A resistance fighter, who survived the attack, told The Irrawaddy about the incident. What happened at the ceremony? Resistance fighters to the west reported seeing a jet fighter. But the phone reception was poor and I could not hear clearly. I went outside and saw the fighter. Everyone else saw it too. Those who died didnt have time to run. Many people were stunned and they died watching the plane. I was lucky because I dived into a roadside ditch. What happened next? It dropped a bomb and there was an explosion and smoke. From the ditch, I could see dead bodies strewn everywhere. I was only around 20 steps from the explosion. People around 20 meters away were injured. We asked the injured to shout out so we knew who could be rescued. We could not identify the victims. Heads were separated from bodies. Childrens limbs were severed. Small pieces of flesh were spread around. We searched for survivors through the jumble of bodies. We tried to send the injured to a clinic while looking out for more attacks. The bombing was at around 8am and around 30 minutes later a Mi-35 strafed the village. It didnt kill anyone. What is the estimated death toll? The bomb hit a crowd of around 150 people. Some victims were toddlers and other young children. More than 30 people were injured and around 15 survived. There were around 100 fatalities, including about 20 children. Body parts were scattered. Most of the victims were women, including around 10 pregnant women. Only around 10 people escaped with minor injuries. Could you estimate the death toll by body parts? The bodies were unrecognizable. Some were without heads and limbs. We could not identify them. We put them together and burned them. The event was to open a peoples authority office. Were the victims from many villages? Most were Pazi Gyi villagers. Only a few were from other villages. It was still early so the other villagers had not arrived. Was it going to be the only administrative office in the area? The civilian administration office was built outside the village, partly to protect villagers. The office was flattened by a bomb. We didnt hear screams when it was hit. People could not scream because they were killed immediately. Around 30 mines and shells behind the office ignited and the blasts lasted about an hour. Were the bodies incinerated and can their families be contacted? We burned the bodies together so no one can identify them now. We had to sweep up pieces of flesh with brooms. We have not fully cleaned up. All the villagers have fled. We will only be able to name the victims when they are reported missing. Were any resistance fighters killed? Around 20 resistance fighters were killed but the majority of victims were civilians as the fighters were busy doing chores and were outside the building. What is your response to the attack? How are the villagers coping? It is quite despicable. I dont complain about attacks if there is fighting in the area but there have only been a few clashes. The attack was one-sided. Women and elderly people have left the area or are hiding in the forests. Some male villagers have returned to the village. My ears are still buzzing and I see pieces of flesh everywhere. Burma Death Toll From Myanmar Juntas Aerial Massacre of Villagers in Sagaing Tops 110 The corpses of civilians killed when a junta fighter jet bombed Pazi Gyi Village in Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region on April 11. The death toll from Tuesdays horrific air strike by the Myanmar juntas military on a civilian gathering in a village in Sagaings Kantbalu Township rose to 110 by Wednesday afternoon, and was expected to increase as relatives and locals continued to recover the charred bodies and limbs of the victims. Survivors and volunteers collecting the bodies said pieces of flesh were found scattered all over the site after a junta fighter jet bombed the event in Pazi Gyi Village on Tuesday morning. After the bomb attack, an Mi-35 combat helicopter sprayed the area with gunfire, inflicting further casualties and hindering the rescue operation. In the evening, a junta jet fighter conducted another air strike while locals were still collecting bodies from the morning attack. At the time of the initial attack, hundreds of locals including children had gathered for a feast to celebrate the launch of the villages local administration. A survivor recalled that the junta fighter jet dropped bombs directly into the crowd of people, killing many instantly. Many people were stunned and they died watching the planes, he said. He escaped death by jumping into a nearby ditch and taking cover. From the ditch, he saw people cut into pieces, the severed limbs of children and scattered body parts. The building housing the administration office was also completely destroyed. Relatives and local volunteers rushed to the scene to search for survivors amid the tangled bodies. In a video posted by a local activist group, rescuers can be heard asking those still alive to call out so they can be located. The local volunteers involved in recovering bodies said they had found more than 50 separate remains belonging to dead children aged under 14. The majority of the children killed in the attack were primary school students, volunteers said. So far, we can say that more than 110 people perished in Tuesdays bombardment. Five of them died from injuries [later] the same day, a local volunteer said. Volunteers said it is hard to count the number of casualties precisely, because the victims bodies were ripped apart and badly burned by the explosion. Thus, if we find a pair of hands and a pair of legs, we count it as one victim, he said. Many families from Pazi Gyi Village have lost loved ones, with some entire families being killed. A resident of Pazi Gyi said many children had been orphaned after losing both parents and in the worst case, three generations of a family were wiped out in the regimes air strike. Ko Si Thu and Ma Thidar (not their real names) were desperately searching for their two daughters after learning of the bombardment. The girls, aged 7 and 5, have been missing since the attack. They called their friend, Ko Aung, who was one of the volunteers retrieving bodies in the area where the attack occurred. Sadly, they are not among the injured. If the children were there at the time of the air strike, it is very unlikely they survived, he said. Ko Aung said many injured people are in serious condition due to the heavy explosives used in the attack. He confirmed that at least one pregnant woman was among the injured. It is hard to imagine the suffering of these innocent people. Many people lost limbs and suffered serious burns and injuries all over their bodies. I also sent a pregnant woman to the clinic who lost one of her limbs, he said. Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun confirmed the air strike on Pazi Gyi Village, saying it targeted the National Unity Government (NUG)s armed wing, the Peoples Defense Force (PDF). We launched the attack on them. We were informed that PDF members were killed at that event during the attack. They are opposing our government, he said. He added that if civilian casualties occurred, the blame lay with the terrorists who forced them to attend the event. The junta has designated the NUG and PDFs as terrorist organizations. International condemnation UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack by the Myanmar military and called for those responsible to be held accountable, according to a statement from his spokesperson. Guterres reiterated his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country in line with the Security Council resolution passed last year, the spokesman added. The US Department of State said it was deeply concerned about the attack and called on the regime to cease the horrific violence. These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma [Myanmar] following the February 2021 coup, it said in a statement. The attack came just two days before the Thingyan water festival, a Buddhist festival held to welcome the countrys traditional new year marked by water splashing and public donationsthough the majority of Myanmar people have refrained from celebrating Thingyan since the coup. As the people of Myanmar celebrate their New Year, the EU is deeply shocked by reports of the latest atrocity committed by the military regime in Sagaing, taking the lives of dozens of innocent civilians, EU foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali said. One top UN official said the global indifference to the situation in Myanmar contributed to the attack. The Myanmar militarys attacks against innocent people, including todays air strike in Sagaing, is enabled by world indifference and those supplying them with weapons, said Tom Andrews, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar. How many Myanmar children need to die before world leaders take strong, coordinated action to stop this carnage? Burma Myanmar Junta Chief Asks Thailand to Drop Daughters Name From Drugs, Laundering Case Myanmar regime chief Min Aung Hlaing Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has personally asked Thai authorities to drop his daughters name from a court case involving a Myanmar arms dealer indicted on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. Arms dealer Tun Min Latt was arrested in a police raid in Bangkok in September last year, along with three Thai nationals. More than 200 million baht (US$5.4 million) worth of drugs and other items were confiscated in the raid. The raid led to an arrest warrant being issued for Tun Min Latts business partner, Thai senator Upakit Pachariyangkun, but the warrant was quickly withdrawn, OCCRP and Prachatai reported. Tun Min Latt and the three Thais are currently on trial for money laundering, drug trafficking, and transnational organized crime at a criminal court in the Thai capital. Tun Min Latt runs the Star Sapphire Group of companies, which brokered imports of Israeli reconnaissance drones and aircraft parts for the Myanmar Air Force. His deep ties to Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaings family were revealed when Thai police found bankbooks and title deeds to a luxury condominium owned by the junta chiefs daughter, Khin Thiri Thet Mon, and her brother Aung Paye Sone among the items seized during the raid in September. Min Aung Hlaings daughter was a co-founder of the groups subsidiary Star Thiri Investment Limited, which is now operating as Royal Mawtaung Mining Company Limited. The Irrawaddy has learned that Min Aung Hlaings son and daughter flew to Bangkok after the raid to ask authorities there to drop their names from the case. Min Aung Hlaing then followed up by making a personal request to Thai authorities to help remove his daughters name from the Tun Min Latt case, according to sources close to the case. The attempt has prompted speculation that Myanmar juntas chief is desperate to hide his familys involvement in the case. The sudden withdrawal of Senator Upakits arrest warrant raised questions about possible links between the senator and Min Aung Hlaings family via Tun Min Latt. Some have suggested that it would cause Min Aung Hlaing problems if the senator were to reveal everything, including the connection to Khin Thiri Thet Mon, were he to be arrested. Upakit denies any involvement with Tun Min Latt but another Thai lawmaker alleged during a censure debate in February that Upakit was involved with a company used for money laundering by Tun Min Latt, according to Thai media. It is not clear whether the junta chief has also asked for his sons name to be dropped from the case. Min Aung Hlaing and his two children are sanctioned by the US and Canada. The US sanctioned Tun Min Latt in March this year. Analysis How Myanmar Juntas Plan to Deceive World With Sham Election Failed NLD supporters in Yangon celebrate the party's victory in the November 2020 general election. / The Irrawaddy The Myanmar juntas plan to use the National League for Democracy (NLD) to deceive the international community and Myanmar people has failed, as Myanmars most popular party will not contest the military regimes proposed sham poll and has refused to re-register under the juntas new political parties law. The regime had hoped to persuade the NLD to contest the election, for which there is still no date, so that it would appear legitimate to the outside world. The junta only gave up hope on that plan last month, after waiting over two years to hold an election. Last month, the regime arranged for NLD members to meet jailed former State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, hoping that they would be able to persuade the NLD leader to re-register her party with the junta-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC). Two NLD central executive committee members traveled to Naypyitaw Prison to meet Suu Kyi on March 25, three days before the deadline for re-registration, to seek advice about whether or not to re-register the party. Suu Kyi refused to meet the pair, but told prison authorities to get them tea and let them go back, putting an end to the juntas plan to deceive the international community and NLD members. The regimes plan Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing sees an election as a chance to cement the regimes power politically. However, with local and overseas condemnation of the planned poll, mounting international pressure and armed resistance from the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) and its armed wing the Peoples Defense Forces (PDF), the junta is aware that its planned election will fail unless it is also contested by the NLD. The regime naively thought that if the NLD contests the election, the junta would earn some regional and international credibility, while also deceiving the Myanmar people into believing the poll is legitimate. Thats why the junta allowed senior NLD members to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the hope that she would give her blessing for the party to contest the election. However, if the NLD with Suu Kyi contested the election, the militarys proxy parties would be unlikely to win, as the NLD has won every election it has contested by landslide victories. What the regime really wanted was for the NLD to take part in the poll without Suu Kyi. The previous military dictatorship staged the 1990 and 2010 general elections while Suu Kyi was under house arrest. Min Aung Hlaing also thought that if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi agreed to the NLD re-registering to take part in the poll, it would open up a divide between her and the NLD, as well as the NUG, the PDFs and international community including the United States. And the junta would have been able to prevent Suu Kyi from taking part in the poll as its election laws prevent prisoners from being members of registered political parties. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi refused even to meet the NLD members sent to sound her out, leaving the regime with no choice but to dissolve the NLD for refusing to re-register under the new political parties law. Juntas efforts behind the scenes After the 2021 coup, the regime arrested Suu Kyi, as well as the NLD vice-chairs and almost all the NLDs central executive committee. But it has chosen Daw Sandar Min and Monywa Aung Shin to resurrect the party. Daw Sandar Min, a former NLD Yangon Region lawmaker, confessed that in recent interviews with the media. The junta assigned a military intelligence office to control NLD lawmakers and party members, requiring them to agree not to engage with the NUG and PDFs. It is Daw Sandar Min who has been acting as liaison between the regime and NLD lawmakers and party members. In her media interviews, Daw Sandar Min was careful with her choice of words in talking about the coup. She echoes the Myanmar militarys line, describing the putsch as a takeover in line with law, which reflects her ties with the junta. Daw Sandar Min and Monywa Aung Shin have tried in various ways to get permission from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to re-open NLD party offices that were closed following the coup. Daw Sandar Min sent letters to Suu Kyi in jail, a senior NLD member told The Irrawaddy. That is not something that could have been done without the approval of the junta. She also visited Suu Kyi in prison, but in media interviews has admitted that they did not discuss politics and that she left after paying her respects to the ousted State Counselor. According to sources in Naypyitaw, Suu Kyi received Daw Sandar Min, but later told the prison authorities not to deliver letters from Daw Sandar Min anymore, having already told her not to visit again. Another failed meeting confirmed this. On March 25, former NLD Tanintharyi Region chair U Aung Soe and lower house lawmaker U Win Myint Aung, who represented Depayin Township in Sagaing Region, traveled to Naypyitaw Prison, where Suu Kyi is held in solitary confinement. Their visit came just three days before the regime-controlled UEC dissolved the NLD. Daw Sandar Min did not accompany the two men, having been told not to come again. But Suu Kyis blunt message to get them tea and let them go back shattered the juntas plan to exploit Suu Kyi and the NLD. Now the regime faces a rerun of the 2010 poll, when proxy parties contested the poll and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party took office. Wednesday, Apr 12th, 2023 (1:32 pm) - Score 4,368 The latest independent data from Thinkbroadband has revealed that 50% of homes across the United Kingdom (c. 15.365 million) now have access to a gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, which transmits data over optical fibre cables using laser light. This splits down to 49.22% in England, 46.53% in Scotland, 46.09% in Wales and 90.50% in Northern Ireland. Just for some context on how quickly this has changed. At the end of 2020 the UK figure stood at just 19.19%, which split down as 18.09% in England, 16.99% in Scotland, 18.56% in Wales and 60.27% in Northern Ireland. The vast majority of this progress has come from commercial deployments in urban areas, with publicly funded projects (e.g. R100 in Scotland, Project Gigabit for the UK, gigabit vouchers and others) only having a fairly small impact, although this will grow. NOTE: The UKs target of 85% gigabit-capable coverage in 2025 and nationwide (c.99%) by 2030 is technology neutral and so can be delivered by technologies other than just The UKs target of 85% gigabit-capable coverage in 2025 and nationwide (c.99%) by 2030 is technology neutral and so can be delivered by technologies other than just FTTP , such as Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC), Fixed Wireless and 5G etc. This is why the current UK figure for gigabit-capable coverage (75%) is higher than full fibre. As a side note, if we include full fibre coverage of business premises into the mix, then the UKs overall figure would fall ever so slightly to 49.81%. Openreach and KCOMs network accounts for around 32.32% of UK full fibre coverage, while alternative networks (excluding OR, KCOM and VM) cover around 21.23%. Naturally, theres a small but growing amount of overbuild predominantly in urban areas between many of these full fibre players. Wednesday, Apr 12th, 2023 (10:52 am) - Score 1,584 Slovenia-based ICT provider Iskratel, which only last year opened a new branch in the United Kingdom to supply ISPs (e.g. Zzoomm) deploying Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband networks with various types of optical fibre kit, today claims to have unveiled the worlds fastest Passive Optical Network (PON) Optical Line Terminals (OLT). Premises covered by a full fibre network usually have an Optical Network Terminal (ONT optical modem) installed on their inside wall, which itself connects back, via optical fibre and some other bits (splitters etc.), to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) deeper in the network (often at an exchange / headend). The OLT then connects into the operators core network and helps to manage the end-user connections as part of the wider Passive Optical Network (PON). NOTE: The companys new kit also boasts a temperature range from 40 C to +65 C, which means it can be deployed both at the Central Office and in less thermally controlled remote locations (e.g. street cabinets). Iskratel has now unveiled two new top-of-the-line, multi-terabit OLTs, which appear to be some of the fastest weve seen. For example, the new Iskratel Lumia T6 touts 1.4Tbps (Terabits per second) of uplink capacity and is claimed to be the worlds fastest shelf-based PON OLT allowing for a seamless technology upgrade in the same chassis when new PON generations are available. With a capability of 800Gbps (Gigabits per second) per subscriber blade and 3.4Tbps switching capacity, the Iskratel Lumia T6 looks as if it will easily support the future 50GPON and 100GPON standards, in addition to current 10Gbps capable PON technologies, such as Combo PON and XGS-PON. The company has also announced the launch of its Iskratel Lumia T14, which is being touted as a super-scalable, high-density OLT, able to host present and future PON technologies. While Iskratel Lumia T6 can serve over 20,000 users with its 80/64 ports, the bigger T14 can provide PON connectivity to more than 50,000 users with its 208/192 Combo PON ports. Simon Cimzar, CTO, Business Unit Broadband at S&T Iskratel, said: Services such as video conferencing, 4K video streaming, gaming and cloud storage are all gaining popularity rapidly, creating a rising demand for data rates for a reliable performance. The outstanding uplink capacities of our new OLTs are the fastest way to unlocking a greener future, due to full compliance with the EU Code of Conduct on Energy Consumption of Broadband Equipment, fundamental in enabling operators to reduce energy costs and their impact on the environment. The new OLTs can support both, the current and next-generation PON technologies. Moreover, it is designed for virtualized operation on the same hardware which guarantees operators the return and safety of their investment. Regarding the aforementioned operating temperatures, its worth pointing out that we have seen some recent heatwaves cause even a few UK full fibre cabinets to go above 90c (example). More umbrellas may thus be required if installing this in certain street cabinets , but then we dont expect to see much of this new kit being deployed in the UK for a little while. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. 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 Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 11:34AM by Claudio Alves One of 2022's most essential films, a title that will probably continue to accrue power in retrospect, is now available on VOD. It's none other than No Bears, Jafar Panahi's latest feat of illicitly-made cinema, premiered in Venice just as the director faced another period behind bars. He's since been released after announcing a hunger strike in protest. As with all of Panahi's creations since the 2010 sentence that resulted in a 20-year ban on moviemaking as decreed by the Islamic Revolutionary Court, it's challenging to approach No Bears as just another film. Well, that's logical since it's not just another film. The picture's mere existence is an act of dangerous rebellion, a political gesture that can lead to dire consequences for its makers. Moreover, it's loaded with matters of metatextual and personal reflection that can only be understood within the context of the director's filmography. And yet, even in a vacuum, No Bears pulses with vitality, dark considerations on cinema itself. While Panahi grasps the freedom of creating, he will force you to consider the cost of creation. Haunting, it will persist in memory, growing more fascinating by the minute. Unlike his countryman, fellow artist, inspiration, and departed collaborator Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi didn't start his cinematic career by telling stories within a rural milieu. Instead, much of his early output is two steps away from becoming city symphonies rhapsodizing through the streets of Tehran. It all started with realism among children in The White Balloon, growing into meta-cinematic gamesmanship in The Mirror. A rupture came as The Circle unearthed the political outrage boiling beneath the surface of those first features, exposing it as a tapestry of womanhood victimized by a misogynistic system. Offside tackles the same themes but finds hope at the end of the road. Hope dies between Offside, and This Is Not a Film, with house arrest and the terrible ban. Fittingly, a sense of ragged rage makes the matter of cinema into a life-or-death situation. Locked in his apartment, Panahi's films transformed, giving way to a self-referential phase of his career, the director a character in all of his works. Closed Curtain is the artist's depression crystalized, Tehran abandoned for the Caspian shore. Taxi would bring him back to the city, but the pull of open spaces where one can disappear continued with 3 Faces and its blatant Kiarostami echoes. It was also a recovery of hope after the dark, a faint flame prone to be snuffed out. No Bears doesn't put out the light, but it certainly complicates our view of it, once again pulling away from Iran's urban centers toward the rural communities near its borders. This time, the character of Jafar Panahi is in the northernmost part of the country, staying at a small village close to a Turkish metropolis where his new movie's being shot in secrecy. The job of the cineaste is made by proxy, with Zoom calls serving as the only valuable connection between Panahi and his team. And yet, the wi-fi is terrible where he's staying, making one wonder why on earth he came here. Staying in his Tehran abode would have been better, not to mention safer for the banned artist. It may be about proximity, but to what exactly? One gets a sense of both a cinema and a filmmaker on the verge of escape, yet something holds them back. In one harrowing nighttime sequence, freedom is a few steps away if only Panahi didn't stop dead in his tracks, returning to his fate in an act that's simultaneously enigmatic and viscerally felt deep in the audience's gut. It's selfish despite looking like self-abnegation, setting the stage for a cascade of tragedies that stem from one factor above all others the camera and the man behind it. A staggering move, Panahi has twisted his usual presentation of himself and the work of cinema in these post-ban movies. After decrying oppression and fighting it with the moving image, Panahi chooses to problematize his role as an artist whose work depends on other people. His effects on those collaborators, whether willing or not, can reverberate with a sting of oppression, turning them into collateral damage for a final objective that might not be worth it. The destructiveness isn't intentional, but that might be beside the point. When lives are wrecked, two storylines mirroring each other, one starts to feel bitterness on the tongue, mayhap the sour taste of guilt. Halfway between fact and fiction, ugly truths reside. Shapeshifting with every couple of scenes, No Bears keeps playing tricks on the viewer. Some of them harken back to The Mirror's bifurcated playfulness. Others are akin to a confrontational conversation through which Panahi forces the audience to reassess their interpretation of the film and re-find their bearings over and over again. Nevertheless, very little happens, like we're moving around in circles, limbo-like. Accusations of fakeness are thrown at the camera, a scorching direct-address monologue pointing to a compromised artistry that distorts reality into hollow lies. Parallel to that, a whole community is thrown in disarray by a photo we witness being taken but whose subjects are always out of frame. The actions of this director wandering while fictionalizing another's plight make things worse. The circle is now a siphoning spiral that ends in sorrow. Then there's that porous barrier between documentary and narrative that has been a concern of Iranian filmmakers for decades. Panahi, in particular, has toyed with it to remarkable effect. Still, it has felt, in the past, like a joyous thing, on the verge of liberation. Looking at the story of No Bears, it appears as something that can be turned vicious in its deception, fortifying borders rather than transcending them. We should ask ourselves - is making movies about making movies about making movies powerful art or a gimmicky provocation? Can one exist without the other, can political art make a positive difference for anyone? Is it tenable to feel responsible in this quandary? Is the boundary between tradition and bigotry comparable to the one that keeps the ideas of exile and escape separate, film and truth? So many questions asked, none of them answered. We're made to dialogue with Panahi through the screen, physical borders rhyming conceptual ones, to digest his uncompromising vision and all its thorny permutations. No Bears is sharp and incisive, willing to pursue avenues of thought through deflections, winding down the road to honesty. Grappling with it isn't easy. It can be lacerating, and the film's open reticence frustrating. When cinema looks into a mirror, when it regards itself, we're used to encountering comfort. This time, however, we only find disquiet. There's value in that, brutal as it may seem. Related reading: April 12 (Jowhar.com) The African Unions Special Envoy for Somalia, Mohamed El-Amine Souef, spoke for the first time about the ATMIS operation forces who died and those who were injured during the more than 16 years they were in Somalia. In an interview he gave to VOA, he said about 10,000 soldiers were killed and injured in various attacks in Somalia, Uganda and Burundi. He said they are the most affected countries. He confirmed that at least 3,500 of these soldiers died and 4,000 were wounded. The head of ATMIS and the representative of the African Union in this country, Souef, said the army came to Somalia for a good reason. Discussion of the casualties suffered by the ATMIS operation forces in Somalia Mention of the most affected countries: Somalia, Uganda, and Burundi. Confirmation of at least 3,500 deaths and 4,000 injuries among the Acknowledgement that the soldiers came to Somalia for a good reasonPotential analysis of the effectiveness and impact of the ATMIS operation. Exploration of the current state of security and stability in Somalia Examination of the role of the African Union in Somalias political and security landscape Consideration of the broader implications of military intervention in conflict zones. 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 Deal worth $2.8 billion signed by Japan for the mass production of long-range missiles The Defence Ministry of Japan has approved the development of various versions of Mitsubishis Type 12 missiles, under contracts worth almost 380 billion yen ($2.8 billion) signed with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the countrys top defense contractor. These missiles will be deployed for use as early as 2026, in response to growing fears of Chinas increasing military strength. The contracts include enhanced versions of Mitsubishis Type 12 missiles for surface, sea and air launches, and a hypersonic ballistic missile for the defence of remote islands. The Japanese Ministry has started mass production of Type 12 land-to-ship guided missiles and hypersonic gliding missiles, which have already been developed. This production is expected to gradually increase over the next five years. Due to limited land space at home, missile tests will be conducted at military bases in the United States. Japan also has plans for the development of submarine-launched long-range anti-ship guided missiles. The development plan aligns with a new National Security Strategy that Japan announced in December 2021. The new strategy includes developing a preemptive strike capacity, which is a significant shift from Japans postwar defense policy. The country will nearly double its military spending over the next five years to 43 trillion yen ($315 billion) as part of the new strategy to deter potential threats from China, North Korea and Russia. Japan is also buying 400 US-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting targets up to 1,600 kilometers away for deployment starting in 2026. The Tomahawks will act as a stop gap while Mitsubishi works on upgrading and extending the range of its missiles. Despite plans to strengthen defenses in its southwest region and recent placement of missile units on remote islands, residents of Okinawa are divided over the move due to concerns of becoming involved in a conflict. French President Macron affirms Frances independence from US control in regards to Taiwan remarks. French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his opinions on Taiwan by stating that being a supporter of the US did not imply being a vassal during his visit to the Netherlands. Macron asserted that although France endorses the status quo for Taiwan, it supports Europes strategic freedom and will collaborate with neither Beijing nor Washington in any possible escalation. Macron confirmed that the One China policy will remain unchanged, and France seeks peaceful resolution for the situation in Taiwan. Macron faces criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who openly criticised him for supporting China. Macron, however, refused to acknowledge Trumps remarks and focused on promoting collaborations between France and the Netherlands. Two protesters were detained by Dutch police during Macrons visit due to demonstrating against the increase of the French pension age at Amsterdam University. Macron expressed that controversies are part of reform, and protests should be accepted. Macrons state visit aimed to re-establish the relationship between the two nations following Brexit. His activities included visiting an art exhibition of works by painter Johannes Vermeer and boat talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macrons wife Brigitte and Dutch Queen Maxima also toured the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Italys cabinet has declared a state of emergency on immigration due to a significant increase in flows across the Mediterranean, according to a statement. The measure aims to better manage migrant arrivals and repatriation facilities and will be backed by an initial funding of 5 million euros ($5.45 million) for a six-month period. Let it be clear, we are not solving the problem, the solution can only depend on responsible intervention by the European Union, said Nello Musumeci, the civil protection minister. The declaration will allow Giorgia Melonis right-wing government to more quickly repatriate those who are not allowed to stay in Italy, boosting identification and expulsion orders. In 2023, around 31,300 migrants have arrived in Italy so far, up from roughly 7,900 in the same period last year. On Monday, rescue operations led by the coastguard involving two boats carrying a total of 1,200 people were carried out, with charity groups joining efforts to save lives at sea. Calabrias governor Roberto Occhiuto said in a statement that it is right that the interior ministry and the institutions should have special powers to tackle and manage a complex phenomenon which is putting a strain on some southern regions. In late 2022, the military of Niger expressed great satisfaction with its cooperation with France in their fight against terrorism, unlike Mali and Burkina Faso the other two countries in the tri-border area of the Sahel which is considered the most dangerous. Only Niger has shown willingness to have French military presence on their soil in the form of Operation Almahaou. Our correspondent Harold Girard was given the rare opportunity to capture footage of the military maneuvers in the Tillaberi region in western Niger. The French military presence in Niger is unique compared to other countries in the region. Operation Almahaou is likely aimed at countering terrorism and other security threats in the region.The Tillaberi region may be a particularly vulnerable area for such threats. The footage captured by Harold Girard provides a rare glimpse into the operations of the French military in Niger. The presence of foreign troops on African soil is often controversial and raises questions about sovereignty and neocolonialism. It is unclear how long the French military will remain in Niger or if other countries in the region will follow suit. At the end of February, several opposition activists were arrested and convicted, reigniting the debate on free speech and freedom of assembly in the Ivory Coast, just a few months before municipal and regional elections. Opposition groups and civil society actors are highlighting attempts to intimidate and suppress freedom of expression. On February 24, Damana Pickass, the secretary general of the opposition African Peoples Party (PPA-CI), was summoned by an investigating judge for suspected involvement in an attack on a military camp in April 2021. A gathering of a few dozen party supporters outside the judges office to show support for Pickass was met with a large police force, and the activists were treated aggressively, with tear gas being used and beatings administered to those wearing caps or scarves bearing Laurent Gbagbos image, Gbagbo being the former president who founded the party in October 2021. Gbagbo was acquitted of his alleged role in deadly post-election violence in a trial at the International Criminal Court in 2019, following a decade in exile, most of which saw him imprisoned. The activists were detained, tried and initially sentenced to two years in prison on March 9, with their lawyers subsequently lodging an appeal. At a hearing on March 22, the activists received a suspended prison sentence after a lengthy trial. However, Me Sylvain Tapi, one of four lawyers for the defendants, noted that the trial lacked evidence and that the activists had committed no criminal offence or act that could disturb public order. In addition to these activists, four PPA-CI supporters were arrested for waving Russian flags during a political rally in opposition stronghold Yopougon, in northern Abidjan, also at the end of February. They were released alongside other activists following a period of legal vagueness surrounding their arrest, indictment and release, which was criticised by Me Tapi as an intimidation attempt. Commenting on the arrests, Gbagbo, who met with supporters on March 29, stated that the activists detention was an attempt to discourage activism. In response, the government has dug in its heels, with government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly describing the PPA-CI gathering as a wild demonstration that had not been registered with authorities beforehand during a March 16 press briefing. Coulibaly criticised the activists for gathering outside the investigating judges office, stating that the investigation should have remained secret, and he noted that the violent response to the gathering was justifiable. The spokesperson declined to comment on the four supporters accused of waving Russian flags. The PPA-CI accused the authorities of relentless judicial harassment and attacks against party officials during a conference in March, citing the judicial system as acting as an extension of the ruling party. Meanwhile, Ivorian civil society activist Pulcherie Gbalet, arrested earlier in the year after calling for a diplomatic solution to the detention of Ivorian soldiers accused of being mercenaries in Bamako, Mali, was released five months later. Amnesty International has regularly denounced the targeting of activists in the Ivory Coast. Political observers view these renewed tensions between supporters of Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, current president and Gbagbos rival in the 2010-2011 post-election crisis that left 3,000 citizens dead, with concern. Both emphasised peace and reconciliation when Gbagbo returned in June 2021, but these opposition detentions mark a turning point, leading some to perceive them as a sign that no criticism will be tolerated. The right to freedom of assembly is also in jeopardy; around 40 doctoral students protesting against precarious working conditions were arrested in December 2021 and sentenced to four months in prison for disturbing public order. The run-up to the 2023 local elections, in which Gbagbos party will participate for the first time since 2011, is causing particular concern among political analysts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russian beasts for allegedly decapitating a Ukrainian prisoner of war in a video circulating on social media. The graphic footage, which could not be independently verified, came to light as US officials reiterated their confidence in Ukraines military capability despite a recently leaked trove of confidential documents. UN human rights monitors have documented multiple instances of summary killings, as well as other possible war crimes committed against Ukrainian and Russian POWs since Russia invaded Ukraine. The document leak has sparked a criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice. Find the latest updates on the war in Ukraine via our live blog. All times are Paris time (GMT+2). The Kremlin has deemed a video depicting the apparent beheading of a Ukrainian captive by Russian soldiers as awful and in need of verification. The authenticity of the shocking social media footage has not been established. Faced with criticism over the video, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba compared Russias invading army to the barbarism of the ISIS. Meanwhile, the UK Ministry of Defence has cast doubts on reports stemming from leaked US documents that alleged British special forces have operated in Ukraine this year. Reports also suggest that Ukraine may launch an attack against Russia in the spring in a bid to retake control of its borders. According to a leaked confidential document, this may prove difficult as Russian defences and a lack of adequate training and supplies may cause regress and more casualties. Russia tested an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile at its Kapustin Yar test site, weeks after it suspended participation in its last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the US following its deployment of troops to Ukraine last year. Deutsche Bank is said to be winding down its remaining software technology centres in Russias Moscow and St. Petersburg, bringing to an end its two decades of reliance on Russian IT expertise. The World Bank warns that Ukraines reconstruction efforts would cost $411 billion, which is 2.6 times its expected 2022 GDP, and highlights the need for further financial aid from the EU. Jowhar with AP, AFP and Reuters Reddit Email 96 Shares ( Middle East Monitor ) By ordering a brutal attack against Palestinian worshippers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque on the 14th day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knew very well that the Palestinians would retaliate. Netanyahus motive should be obvious. He wanted to divert attention from the mass protests that have rocked Israel since January and divided Israeli society along ideological and political lines in ways never witnessed before. Unwilling to relinquish his hard-earned decisive election victory and entirely right-wing coalition government, while fearing that major concessions to his political rivals could see his coalition dissolve, Netanyahu set his sights on Al-Aqsa Mosque. History has proven that Israeli attacks on Palestinian holy places are guaranteed to provoke a Palestinian response. For Netanyahu and his extreme far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the price of Palestinian retaliation was worth the political gains from uniting Israelis of all political backgrounds behind them. Ben-Gvir, in particular, knew that an attack on Al-Aqsa would reassure his far-right religious constituency about his commitment to imposing full Israeli Jewish sovereignty over Palestinian Muslim and Christian holy places in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Article continues after bonus IC video Al Jazeera English from 5 days ago: Israeli police attack Palestinians in Al-Aqsa Mosque again What Netanyahu and his allies may have not anticipated, however, is the intensity of the Palestinian response. Hundreds of rockets were fired towards the north and south of Israel. These came not only from the besieged Gaza Strip, but, even more strategically important, also from South Lebanon. Although some damage was reported, the rocket response was a political game changer. This was the first time in years that fighters in two Arab countries coordinated their retaliatory action against Israel and hit back simultaneously. It will be difficult for Netanyahu to claim any kind of victory after this, unless he takes his country to a major war on two fronts; three, if we are to consider the rise of armed resistance in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank. However, even a major war could backfire. During Israels attack against Gaza in 2014, the occupation state struggled to sustain a single military front as the war lasted 51 days, leading to an Israeli arms and ammunition crisis. Were it not for the decision of the Barack Obama administration to ship supplies of munitions to Israel to refill its depleted arsenal, Israel could have found itself in unprecedented difficulty. The US, though, is no longer able to play the role of emergency weapons supplier, at least for now, due to its own ammunition shortage resulting from the Ukraine war. Israel was thus careful to limit its response to the Palestinian and Lebanese rockets. This episode shall prove decisive, as it will empower Israels regional enemies and, instead of boosting Netanyahus credibility within his own right-wing camp, it has the potential to undermine it. How could Israels most experienced political leader commit such an obvious strategic error? Aside from making the desperate decision to attack Al-Aqsa likely under pressure from Ben-Gvir and the equally extreme far-right Bezalel Smotrich Netanyahu is no different to other Israeli leaders in miscalculating the significance of the spiritual component of the Palestinian struggle, and how it ties to Arab and Muslim solidarity with Palestine. While what is happening in Palestine is not a religious war, some Israeli officials and political parties are keen to have one. Although warnings against religious wars in Palestine in fact, the entire region have been mostly linked to Israels current most right-wing government in history, religious discourses have been the most dominant since the development of Israels founding ideology, Zionism, in the late 19th century. Paradoxically, despite the historical fact that Zionism has been situated within a religious context, the founders of the movement were mostly atheists. They used religion as a political tool to unify Jews globally around their new ideology and to romanticise in the minds of their followers what is essentially a violent, settler-colonial movement. Nevertheless, over the years, the centre of power within the Zionist movement has shifted from liberal Zionism to Zionist Revisionism, and then in the past twenty years or so, to religious Zionism. For Israels current generation of Zionist leaders, religion is not a political tool, but an objective. This is precisely why, as Palestinian men and women were being attacked so ferociously inside the holiest of all mosques in the country, Israeli Jews were attempting to enter the Muslim shrine to sacrifice animals as part of the Passover tradition. Although not many of them have succeeded in doing so, events suggest that a new kind of conflict is taking shape. Historically, Israel has targeted Muslim and Christian sites to acquire political capital. Late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon did just that when he conducted a provocative visit to the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa with hundreds of soldiers in September 2000, and when the Israeli military completely destroyed or seriously damaged 203 mosques during its so-called Operation Protective Edge against Gaza in 2014. Christian sites have also been attacked and confiscated. Israels targeting of Palestinian Christians has led community leaders such as Archbishop Atallah Hanna to warn about an unprecedented conspiracy against the Christian existence in the Holy Land. The attack on Palestinian religious symbols isnt limited to the Occupied Palestinian Territories; it is ongoing across historic Palestine, including todays Israel. The 13th-century architectural marvel, Al-Ahmar Mosque in Safad, for example, was turned by the Israeli authorities into a nightclub. A study published by the High Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens in Israel revealed in July 2020 that scores of mosques have been turned into synagogues, barns, bars or restaurants by the occupation state. Israels targeting of the Arab and Muslim identity of Palestine is now being accelerated under Netanyahus leadership, but this strategy is a double-edged sword as we have seen in recent days. In the video that went viral of Israeli soldiers beating up Muslim worshippers in Al-Aqsa, the distressing pleas of a Palestinian woman groaning in pain were heard as she cried Oh Allah, Oh Allah repeatedly. Palestinian mainstream and social media have published comments that the response by Palestinian resistance groups was specifically in answer to the pleas of the unidentified woman. This is the power of spirituality; it has the kind of logic that Netanyahu and his allies cannot possibly understand. On 3 April, Jordans King Abdullah stressed rightfully that, It is the duty of every Muslim to deter Israeli escalations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. In its quest for religious war, Israel is uniting Arabs and Muslims around Palestine. When this happens, instead of isolating and browbeating Palestinians, it is Israel that will find itself even more isolated. Palestinians do not see themselves as fighting a religious war, but protecting their religious symbols stands at the core of their fight for freedom, justice and equality. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment. Via Middle East Monitor Reddit Email 34 Shares ( Tomdispatch.com ) It is time, President Biden announced in April 2021, to end the forever war that started with the invasion of Afghanistan soon after the tragic terror attacks on this country on September 11, 2001. Indeed, that August, amid chaos and disaster, the president did finally pull the last remaining U.S. forces out of that country. A year and a half later, its worth reflecting on where the United States stands when it comes to both that forever war against terrorism and war generally. As it happens, the war on terror is anything but ended, even if its been overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and simmering conflicts around the globe, all too often involving the United States. In fact, it now seems as if this country is moving at breakneck speed out of the era of Forever War and into what might be thought of as the era of Eternal War. Granted, its hard even to keep track of the potential powder kegs that seem all too ready to explode across the globe and are likely to involve the U.S. military in some fashion. Still, at this moment, perhaps its worth running through the most likely spots for future conflict. Russia and China In Ukraine, as each week passes, the United States only seems to ramp up its commitment to war with Russia, moving the slim line of proxy warfare ever closer to a head-to-head confrontation between the planets two great military powers. Although the plan to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia clearly remains in effect, once taboo forms of support for Ukraine have over time become more acceptable. As of early March, the United States, one of more than 50 countries offering some form of support, had allocated aid to Ukraine on 33 separate occasions, amounting to more than $113 billion worth of humanitarian, military, and financial assistance. In the process, the Biden administration has agreed to provide increasingly lethal weaponry, including Bradley fighting vehicles, Patriot missile batteries, and Abrams tanks, while pressure for even more powerful weaponry like Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMs) and F-16s is only growing. As a recent Council on Foreign Relations report noted, Washingtons aid to Ukraine far exceeds that of any other country. In recent weeks, the theater of tension with Russia has expanded beyond Ukraine, notably to the Arctic, where some experts see potential for direct conflict between Russia and the U.S., branding that region a future flashpoint. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently raised the possibility of storing tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, perhaps more of a taunt than a meaningful gesture, but nonetheless another point of tension between the two countries. Leaving Ukraine aside, Chinas presence looms large when it comes to predictions of future war with Washington. On more than one occasion, Biden has stated publicly that the United States would intervene if China were to launch an invasion of the island of Taiwan. Tellingly, efforts to fortify the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region have ratcheted up in recent months. In February, for example, Washington unveiled plans to strengthen its military presence in the Philippines by occupying bases in the part of that country nearest to Taiwan. All too ominously, four-star Air Force General Mike Minihan went so far as to suggest that this country might soon be at war with China. I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me [we] will fight in 2025, he wrote in a memo to the officers he commands in anticipation of a future Chinese move on Taiwan. He also outlined a series of aggressive tactics and weapons training maneuvers in preparation for that day. And the Marines have been outfitting three regiments for a possible future island campaign in the Pacific, while war-gaming such battles in Southern California. North Korea, Iran, and the War on Terror North Korea and Iran are also perceived in Washington as simmering threats. For months now, North Korea and the U.S. have been playing a game of nuclear chicken in parallel shows of missile strength and submarine maneuvers, including the Norths mid-March launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and, at least theoretically, reaching the U.S. mainland. In its leader Kim Jong-uns words, it was intended to strike fear into the enemies of his country. In the last days of March, his military even launched a reputed underwater nuclear-capable drone, taking the confrontation one step further. Meanwhile, Washington has been intensifying its security commitments to South Korea and Japan, flexing its muscles in the region, and upping the ante with the biggest joint military drills involving the South Korean armed forces in years. As for Iran, its increasingly cooperating with an embattled Russia when it comes both to sending drones there and receiving cyberweapons from that country. And since Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the JCPOA nuclear treaty with Iran in May 2018, tensions between Washington and Teheran have only intensified. International monitors have recently concluded that Iran may indeed be approaching the brink of being able to produce nuclear-grade enriched uranium. At the same time, Israel has been ramping up its threats to attack Iran and draw the United States into such a crisis. Meanwhile, smaller conflicts are sizzling around the globe, many seemingly tempting Washington to engage more actively. On President Bidens agenda in his recent meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for instance, was the possibility of deploying a Canadian-led multinational force to Haiti to help quell the devastating gang violence ravaging that country. We believe that the situation on the ground will not improve without armed security assistance from international partners, a National Security Council official told NPRs Morning Edition ahead of the summit. Trudeau, however, backed away from accepting such a role. What Washington will now do fearing a wave of new immigrants remains to be seen. And dont forget that the forever war on terror persists, even if in a somewhat different and more muted form. Although the U.S. has left Afghanistan, for instance, it still retains the right to conduct over the horizon air strikes there. And to this day, it continues to launch targeted strikes against the al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia, even if in far lower numbers than during the Trump years when drone strikes reached an all-time high of more than 200. So far, the Biden administration has launched 29 such strikes in the last two years. American drone attacks persist in Syria as well. Only recently, in retaliation for a drone attack against U.S. troops there that killed an American contractor and wounded another, as well as five soldiers, the Biden administration carried out strikes against Iranian-backed militias. According to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, President Biden has still not ruled out further retaliatory acts there. As he told Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation at the end of March, referring to ISIS in Syria, We have under 1,000 troops [there] that are going after that network, which is, while greatly diminished, still viable, and still critical. So were going to stay at that task. Other than Syria and Iraq (where the U.S. still has 2,500 troops), the war on terror is now particularly focused on Africa. In the Sahel region, the swath of that continent just below the Sahara Desert, including Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Mauritania, and Sudan, among other countries, the legacies of past terrorism and the war in Ukraine have reportedly converged, creating devastatingly unstable and violent conditions, exacerbating what USAID official Robert Jenkins has called decades of undelivered promises. As journalist Walter Pincus put it recently, With little public notice, the two-decades-long U.S. war on terrorism continues in the Sahel. According to the 2023 Global Index for Terrorism, that region is now the epicenter of terrorism. The largest U.S. presence in West Africa is in Niger, which, as Nick Turse reports, hosts the largest and most expensive drone bases run by the U.S. military, intended primarily to counter terrorist groups like Boko Haram, al-Qaeda, and the Islamic State. Weapons from the war in Ukraine have found their way to such terrorist groups, while climate-change induced weather nightmares, deepening food insecurity, and ever more dislocated populations have led to an increasingly unstable situation in the region. Complicating things further, the Wagner group, the Russian mercenary paramilitary outfit, has been offering security assistance to countries in the Sahel, intensifying the potential for violence. U.S. military forces and bases in the region have grown apace as the war on terror in Africa intensifies. Legislative Support for Eternal Warfare Legislative moves in Congress unabashedly reflect this countrys pivot to Eternal War. Admittedly, the push for an ever-expanding battlefield didnt start with the great-power conflicts leading todays headlines. The 2001 congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which paved the way for the invasion of Afghanistan, gave the president essentially unlimited authority to take offensive action in the name of countering terrorism by not naming an enemy or providing any geographical or time limits. Since the fall of 2001, just as Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) predicted while casting the only vote against it, that AUMF has served as a presidential blank check when it comes to authorizing the use of force more or less anywhere. Former State Department lawyer Brian Finucane has pointed out that the perpetuation of much of the legal, institutional, and physical infrastructure that underpin this decades-long war on terror is now being extended to the Sahel, no matter the predictable results. As Soufan Group terrorism expert Colin Clarke told me, A global war on terrorism has never been winnable. Terrorism is a tactic. It cant be fully defeated, just mitigated and managed. Nevertheless, the 2001 AUMF remains on the books, available to be tapped in ever-expansive ways globally. Only this month, Congress once again voted against its repeal. Admittedly, the Senate did recently repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the use of force that undergirded the Iraq War of 1991 and the 2002 invasion of that country. Notably, a new amendment proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to also create an AUMF against Iran-backed militias in the region was defeated. As recent military engagements in Syria have shown, new authorizations have proven unnecessary. Congress seems to be seconding the move from Forever War to Eternal War without significant opposition. In fact, when it comes to funding such a future, its members have been all too enthusiastic. As potential future war scenarios have expanded, so has the Pentagon budget which has grown astronomically over the past two years. In December, President Biden signed the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which granted the Pentagon an unprecedented $816.7 billion, 8% more than the year before (with Congress upping the White Houses suggested funding by $45 billion). And the requests for the 2024 budget are now in. As Pentagon expert William Hartung reports, at $886 billion dollars, $69 billion more than this years budget, Congress is on a path to enacting the first $1 trillion package ever, a development he labels madness. An open-ended strategy, Hartung explains, that seeks to develop capabilities to win a war with Russia or China, fight regional wars against Iran or North Korea, and sustain a global war on terror that includes operations in at least 85 countries is a recipe for endless conflict. Whatever Happened to the Idea of Peace? When it comes to the war in Ukraine, there is a widely shared sense that its going to last and last and last some more. Certain experts see nothing short of years of fighting still on the horizon, especially since there seems to be little appetite for peace among American officials. While French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider peace talks, they seem to have few illusions about how long the war is likely to go on. For his part, Zelensky has made it clear that, when it comes to Russia, there is nothing to talk about and nobody to talk about over there. According to Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the mood in both Moscow and Kyiv could be summed up as give war a chance. China is, it seems, an outlier when it comes to accepting a long-term war in Ukraine. Even prior to his visit to Russia in late March, President Xi Jinping offered to broker a ceasefire, while releasing a position paper on the perils of continued warfare and what a negotiated peace might aim to secure, including supply-chain stability, nuclear power plant safety, and the easing of war-caused global humanitarian crises. Reportedly, the summit between Xi and Putin made little headway on any of this. Here in the U.S., calls for peace talks have been minimal. Admittedly, last November, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley reportedly told the Economic Club of New York, When theres an opportunity to negotiate, when peace can be achieved, seize it. Seize the moment. But there has been no obvious drive for diplomatic negotiations of any sort in Washington. In fact, John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson, responded to President Xis proposal this way: We dont support calls for a ceasefire right now. The Russians, he claimed, would take such an opportunity to only further entrench their positions in Ukraine [and] rebuild, refit, and refresh their forces so that they can restart attacks on Ukraine at a time of their choosing. Disturbingly, American calls for peace and diplomacy have tended to further embrace the ongoing war. The New York Times editorial board, while plugging future peace diplomacy, suggested that only continued warfare could get us to such a place: [S]erious diplomacy has a chance only if Russia accepts that it cannot bring Ukraine to its knees. And for that to happen, the United States and its allies cannot waver in their support [of Ukraine]. More war and nothing else, the argument goes, will bring peace. The pressure to provide ever more powerful weapons to Ukraine remains constant on both sides of the aisle. As Robert Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee put it, [T]his approach of more, better, faster would give the Ukrainians a real shot at victory. Whether in Ukraine, in the brewing tensions of whats being called a new cold war in Asia, or in this countrys never-ending version of the war on terror, we now live in a world where war is ever more accepted as a permanent condition. On the legal, legislative, and military fronts, it has become a mainstay for what passes as national security activity. Some of this, as many critics contend, is driven by economic incentives like lining the pockets of the giant weapons-making corporations to the tune of multibillions of dollars annually; some by what passes for ideological fervor with democracy pitched against autocracy; some by the seemingly never-ending legacy of the war on terror. Sadly enough, all of this prioritizes killing and destruction over life and true security. In none of it do our leaders seem to be able to imagine reaching any kind of peace without yet more weapons, more violence, more conflicts, and more death. Who even remembers when the First World War was known as the war to end all wars? Sadly, it seems that the era of Eternal War is now upon us. We should at least acknowledge that reality. Copyright 2023 Karen J. Greenberg Via Tomdispatch.com Reddit Email 32 Shares By Dominic Zaal, CSIRO | Australias transition to renewables is gathering speed, but theres a looming problem with storage. We will need much more long-duration storage to get us through the night, once coal and fossil gas exit the system. We also need to find new and better ways to create heat for industrial processes. Renewables can supply much of that heat during the day, but energy storage will be required to meet industrys night-time heat needs. Solar thermal technology has the potential to provide both long-duration storage and industrial heat, yet it has been largely overlooked in the Australian context. That is about to change. The CSIRO Renewable Energy Storage Roadmap identifies a mix of technologies will be required, across sectors, to meet Australias energy storage needs, particularly at night. Solar thermal will be an important part of the mix. Batteries alone wont cut it. Theyre good for short-duration storage, ranging from mere minutes to an hour or two. But youd need an awful lot of them, at enormous cost, to cover 8-12 hours. Solar thermal becomes cost-effective for long-duration storage at scale, and brings other benefits too. Engineering with Rosie: Solar Power at Night using Concentrated Solar Power CSP Introducing thermal energy storage The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) identified storage of four to 12 hours duration as the most pressing utility-scale need in the next decade. Thats whats required to manage stronger daily variations in solar and wind output, and to meet consumer demand, also during more extreme days, as coal capacity declines. Most people know about lithium-ion battery (chemical) storage and pumped hydro (mechanical) storage. However, thermal energy storage is not well understood or recognised. This is partly due to perceived costs and engineering challenges. However, as concentrated solar thermal plants are built all over the world 30 are being developed in China alone the knowledge base is growing. More than 80% of Australias total energy use involves a thermal process: combustion of coal and gas for electricity combustion of fuels for transport combustion of fuels for industrial process heat. A large proportion of these existing fossil-fuel thermal processes can be met with renewable thermal energy storage. CSIRO , Author provided The CSIRO Roadmap found thermal energy storage was a relatively low-cost solution with multiple applications, including utility-scale power generation, renewable fuel production and industrial process heat. For utility-scale power generation, the lowest cost technology for eight-hour storage in 2050 is thermal energy storage using concentrated solar thermal power. The cost in 2050 was slightly over A$100/MWh, compared with lithium-ion battery at A$140/MWh and pumped hydro at around A$155/MWh. For 24-hour storage technologies in 2050, thermal energy storage was again the lowest cost at A$99/MWh, compared with pumped hydro at A$145/MWh or grid-charged electrical (using solar photovoltaics and wind) thermal energy storage at A$150/MWh. Short-duration storage is likely to remain the domain of lithium-ion battery for at least up to two hours duration, and perhaps as high as four hours. Heres how it works Concentrated solar thermal power uses mirrors to convert sunlight into heat energy. This heat energy is typically stored. The stored thermal energy can then be used, at any time of day or night, on demand, to produce steam for electricity production, or heat/steam for industrial processes. The system typically provides for six to 24 hours of operations. What this means is concentrated solar thermal can provide continuous, on demand power and/or process heat 24/7. It can also simultaneously generate power and store heat at the same time. The stored thermal energy is typically used at night. Concentrated solar thermal systems deployed in China, Spain, the United States, South America, Africa and the Middle East generally have over ten hours of storage, which allows for the overnight generation of renewable power and heat. Concentrated solar thermal is also a synchronous technology because it uses a traditional spinning turbine (identical to those used in coal-fired power plants). This creates much-needed system-strength and frequency services to the grid. In essence, when coal fired power stations close, concentrated solar thermal is a technology that could continue to provide essential system services. While more than 100 concentrated solar thermal plants, generating 7GWh of power, have been deployed around the world, the technology has not yet been deployed at scale in Australia. This will soon change with the construction by Vast Solar of a 30MW concentrated solar thermal plant in Port Augusta, supported in part by the federal government. The project will have ten hours of thermal energy storage to generate power for supply to the grid, primarily at night. The project will also provide renewable heat and power to produce more than 7,000 tonnes of green (renewable) methanol each year. (Methanol is an essential chemical building block for hundreds of consumer and industrial products such as paints, carpets, fabrics, building materials and liquid fuels). Vast Solar , Author provided Heed the warning We need to start building long-duration energy storage systems now, so we have secure and reliable power when the sun doesnt shine and the wind doesnt blow. We also need to replace fossil fuels used to create industrial process heat. Sectors such as mining, industry, transport, agriculture, and households all require secure, reliable, and affordable renewable energy. For many sectors, this need occurs at night, and that necessitates storage. Editors note: Dominic Zaal contributed to the CSIRO Renewable Energy Storage Roadmap as one of a number of internal and external technical advisers. Dominic Zaal, Director, Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute (ASTRI), CSIRO This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Featured Image: Solar Reserve, Author provided. VANCOUVER, BC, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Freegold Ventures Limited (TSX: FVL) ("Freegold" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement offering of 10,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.40 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $4,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Unit Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for 24 months from closing at an exercise price of $0.52 per Warrant Share. The Company paid a cash finder's fee equal to 3% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. Mr. Eric Sprott, through an entity owned and controlled by him, purchased an aggregate of 10,000,000 Units in the Offering, representing 100% of the Units issued under the Offering. Prior to the Offering, Mr. Sprott held, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 104,103,056 common shares of the Company and 1,875,000 warrants of the Company, representing 25.42% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and 25.76% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on a partially diluted basis. Immediately following completion of the Offering, Mr. Sprott held, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 114,103,056 common shares of the Company and 6,875,000 warrants of the Company, representing 27.20% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis, and 28.37% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on a partially diluted basis, assuming exercise of all warrants held by Mr. Sprott, directly or indirectly, following the completion of the Offering. Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the purchase of Units by Mr. Sprott was a "related party transaction". The Company was exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation in connection with the Offering in reliance on section 5.5(c) of MI 61-101, as the issuance of Units to Mr. Sprott was a distribution of securities of the Company to a related party for cash consideration. The issuance of the Units to Mr. Sprott was exempt from the requirement to obtain minority shareholder approval in reliance on section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the Units received by Mr. Sprott nor the proceeds for such securities received by the Company exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization as calculated in accordance with MI 61-101. A material change report will be filed less than 21 days from the date of the closing of the Offering. Closing the Offering in this shorter period was reasonable in the circumstances as the Company determined the shorter period was necessary because the terms of the transaction were favorable to the Company, given uncertain market conditions time was of the essence in closing the Offering, and closing the Offering expeditiously was in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders. The Offering is subject to regulatory approval and all securities issued pursuant to the Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general working capital and corporate purposes. Drilling has recommenced at Golden Summit. Two drill rigs are currently operating. Drilling will initially focus on testing the areas that are open to the north and west of the current mineral resource estimate. 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 U.S. state security laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Freegold Ventures Limited Freegold is a TSX-listed company focused on exploration in Alaska and holds the Golden Summit Gold Project near Fairbanks and the Shorty Creek Copper-Gold Project near Livengood through leases. Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement 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 press 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 completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the Offering. In making the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company 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 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: availability of financing; delay or failure to receive required permits or regulatory approvals; and 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, the Company 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. See Freegold's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31 2022, filed under Freegold's profile at www.sedar.com, for a detailed discussion of the risk factors associated with Freegold's operations On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency. Reactions to the spread of COVID-19 continue to lead to, among other things, significant restrictions on travel, business closures, quarantines, and a general reduction in economic activity. While there has been a reduction in these effects in recent months, the continuation and re-introduction of significant restrictions, business disruptions, and related financial impact, and the duration of any such disruptions, cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The risks to Freegold of such public health crises also include risks to employee health and safety and a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations in geographic locations impacted by an outbreak. Such public health crises, as well as global geopolitical crises, can result in volatility and disruptions in the supply and demand for various products and services, global supply chains, and financial markets, as well as declining trade and market sentiment and reduced mobility of people, all of which could affect interest rates, credit ratings, credit risk, and inflation. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Freegold has implemented a COVID management program and established a full-service Camp at Golden Summit to attempt to mitigate risks to its employees, contractors, and community. While the extent to which COVID-19 may impact Freegold is uncertain, it is possible that COVID-19 may have a material adverse effect on Freegold's business, results of operations, and financial condition. MONTREAL, April 11, 2023 /CNW/ - Cerro de Pasco Resources Inc. (CSR: CDPR) (OTCMKTS: GPPRF) (Frankfurt: N8HP) ("CDPR" or the "Company") announces it has filed on SEDAR an independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for its brownfield Pipe Project ("the Project" or "the Santander Pipe"). The Project forms a strategic cornerstone for CDPR's 100% owned Santander Mine, located in central Peru. The PEA report is entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Cerro de Pasco Resources Preliminary Economic Assessment Santander Pipe Deposit, Huaral, Lima, Peru", dated April 11th, 2023 (effective date January 31st, 2023) and was prepared by DRA Global, an international mining consultancy, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Highlights of the PEA are tabled below, with additional details of the NI 43-101 Technical Report filed on www.sedar.com under CDPRs profile and on the Company's website at www.pascoresources.com. Table 1. PEA Highlights Unit TOTAL Throughput Rate (tonne-per-day processed) tpd 2,500 Estimated Production Period years 5 Tonnes Processed Million tonnes 3.85 Head Grade Zn % 4.67 Metallurgical Recovery Zn % 89.0 Head Grade Cu % 0.11 Metallurgical Recovery Cu % 70 Zn Concentrate Production Thousand tonnes 313.6 Cu Concentrate Production Thousand tonnes 13.8 Revenues (less by product cost)(1) MUSD 388.6 Total OPEX MUSD 182.14 Initial + Sustaining CAPEX MUSD 67.96 EBITDA MUSD 167.6 Pre-Tax Free Cash Flow (FCF) MUSD 99.6 Operating Cost ($/t processed) $/t 47.35 Total Cash Cost C1(2) ($/lb Zn) $/lb 0.82 All-In Sustaining Cost(2) ("AISC")1 ($/lb Zn) $/lb 1.05 Pre -Tax - Net Present Value (6%) MUSD 71.3 Pre-Tax Internal Rate of Return % 46.6 After-Tax - Net Present Value (6%) MUSD 31.2 After-Tax Internal Rate of Return % 25.1 After-Tax Payback years 2.6 (1) Long-term metal price assumptions are: US$2,800/t of Zn, US$1,820/t of Pb, US$9,002/t of Cu, and US$22.0/oz of Ag (2) Total cash cost C1 and AISC are non-GAAP measures; these parameters were estimated by CDPR in accordance with its cost structure, the remaining parameters in the table come directly from the PEA Financial Model prepared by DRA. Table 2. Project Economics Sensitivity to Zinc Price % of Zn Price 80 % 85 % 90 % 100%(1) 110 % 115 % 120 % US$/t Zn 2,240 2,380 2,520 2,800 3,080 3,220 3,360 Pre-Tax NPV 6% (MUSD) 9.9 25.3 40.6 71.3 102.1 117.5 132.9 NPV 8% (MUSD) 6.5 20.8 35.1 63.7 92.4 106.7 121.1 IRR (%) 12.6 22.0 30.7 46.6 61.2 68.2 75.0 After-Tax NPV6% (MUSD) -10.4 0.1 10.5 31.2 51.7 61.6 71.7 NPV 8% (MUSD) -12.5 -2.7 7.0 26.3 45.4 54.7 64.0 IRR (%) -1.4 6.1 12.9 25.1 36.2 41.3 46.2 (1) Base Case (Pre-Tax NPV 6% and After-Tax 6%) Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by: Mr. Graeme Lyall (FAusIMM), an independent consulting geologist with over 30 years of professional experience in precious and base metals exploration, geological modelling and mineral resource estimation for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. (FAusIMM), an independent consulting geologist with over 30 years of professional experience in precious and base metals exploration, geological modelling and mineral resource estimation for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Mr. Martin Mount (FGS CGeol, FIMMM CEng), an independent consultant and geoscientist, is a professional geoscientist and engineer in the fields of geology, Mineral resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and classification, geotechnical engineering, geometallurgy, and mine planning. Mr. Mount is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. (FGS CGeol, FIMMM CEng), an independent consultant and geoscientist, is a professional geoscientist and engineer in the fields of geology, Mineral resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and classification, geotechnical engineering, geometallurgy, and mine planning. Mr. Mount is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Mr. David Frost (FAusIMM), DRA Americas VP Process Engineering, consulting metallurgical engineer with more than 27 years of technical and management experience in plant operations, process plant design, commissioning, due diligence review, laboratory supervision and consulting. Mr. Frost is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. (FAusIMM), DRA Americas VP Process Engineering, consulting metallurgical engineer with more than 27 years of technical and management experience in plant operations, process plant design, commissioning, due diligence review, laboratory supervision and consulting. Mr. Frost is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Mr. Javier Aymachoque Tincusi (MAusIMM CP (Min)), consulting mine engineer and project infrastructure specialist, is a professional engineer in the fields of mine engineering, mine operations, site wide mine and infrastructure design, environmental permitting, capital and operating cost estimation, and mineral economics. Mr. Aymachoque is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Mr. Pete Ferreira (FSAIMM), DRA South Africa Principal Mining Engineer, with nearly 40 years of international experience in the mining sector, including backfill design and installation, raise boring, mine management, flat raise boring, and classified backfill. Mr. Ferreira is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Jorge Lozano, MMSAQP and Chief Operating Officer for CDPR, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Lozano is a Qualified Person for the purposes of reporting in compliance with NI 43-101. Note on Assumptions The PEA results are based on important assumptions made by the Qualified Persons who prepared the PEA. These assumptions, including those mentioned above, and the justifications for them, are described in the PEA. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. About Cerro de Pasco Resources Cerro de Pasco Resources Inc. is a resource management company, founded in 2012 with the original purpose of developing the El Metalurgista mining concession comprising mineral tailings and stockpiles extracted from the Cerro de Pasco open pit mine in central Peru. Our strategic strength lies in our extensive team experience and knowledge of the opportunities and challenges in and around Cerro De Pasco. The company is founded on clear objectives, to engender long-term economic sustainability and benefit for the local population, from an economic, social and health point of view. The Company's approach at El Metalurgista entails the reprocessing and environmental remediation of mining waste and the creation of numerous opportunities in a circular economy. About DRA Americas Peru DRA Americas Peru is a subsidiary of DRA Global Limited and is responsible the PEA report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Cerro de Pasco Resources Preliminary Economic Assessment Santander Pipe Deposit, Huaral, Lima, Peru", dated April 11th, 2023 (effective date January 31st, 2023). DRA Global Limited (ASX: DRA | JSE: DRA) is a diversified global engineering, project delivery and operations management group, headquartered in Perth, Australia. It has more than 4,500 professionals and a proven track record in undertaking independent assessments of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, project evaluations and audits, technical reports and independent evaluations on behalf of exploration and mining companies, and financial institutions worldwide. Forward-Looking Statements and Disclaimer Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified using forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "seeks", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "could", "might", "likely" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements, including estimates and assumptions underlying the PEA, projected production, cost estimates, capex estimates, projected recovery, projected gross revenue and taxes, future results, the significance of the results disclosed in this news release, the expectations of CDPR's management regarding the completion of the project as well as the business and the expansion and growth of CDPR's operations, are based on CDPR's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of CDPR to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of CDPR's activities to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; key assumptions, parameters or methods used to prepare the PEA becoming untrue or unachievable; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; title deficiencies; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; community and non-governmental actions as well as other assumptions and risks factors set out in CDPR's public documents, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 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. Although CDPR believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements and forward-looking information. Except where required by applicable law, CDPR disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. MONTREAL, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (CSE: AUAG) (OTCQB: AUXIF) (the "Company" or "Auxico") is pleased to announce that the Company has received approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") for its Minastyc Property, from the Colombian Environmental Authority, the Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Orinoquia (Corporinoquia). The Minastyc Property is located in Puerto Carreno, Vichada, Colombia, and is a 100% Company-controlled mineral rich project. The Minastyc Property has been identified by the National Mining Agency ("ANM" or Agencia Nacional de Mineria) as a project of national interest for Colombia, positioning the country as a major mining investment destination in Latin America. This approval follows the grant of a small-scale mining permit by the National Mining Agency of Colombia and authorization of the Company's work plan ("PTO" or Programa de trabajo y obras), as announced on May 16th, 2022. The EIA announcement is the culmination of a scientific process to identify aspects of the project that could be optimized and provide solutions allowing for a responsible mining operation. The approval of the EIA is a key milestone towards allowing the Company to move equipment on site, including heavy machinery for bulk sampling and a processing facility. This approval enables the Company to advance its operation to the next phase and to complete the underlying licences and secondary permits necessary. The goal of the Company is to produce and export rare-earth elements, transition metals and post-transition metals such as tin from its Minastyc Property. With critical minerals and rare earth elements hosted in monazite sands on the property, at surface, this makes for a very advantageous geological structure which would allow the Company to initiate sales and export near term, with a limited infrastructure requirement. With the granting of the EIA approval, Auxico can commence operations planning to put the Minastyc Property into small-scale mining production with the intention to achieve a volume of up to 300 tonnes per month. Mark Billings, Chairman of Auxico Resources commented, "The environmental approval of the Minastyc Property is a significant step in the process of taking the project into production. We appreciate the work done by Corporinoquia in their review process, as it validates and recognizes Auxico's high operational standards in Colombia, including the Company's commitment to the Indigenous peoples and other residents of the region. As the Environmental Impact Assessment required for a Colombian mining licence application is now granted, the Company is making consistent progress towards becoming a regional leader in the development and supply of critical minerals and other high-value resources. Field work and sampling confirms that we have a robust mineral resource at Minastyc, including high-value metals, critical minerals, and rare earth surface discoveries, setting the platform for the next stage of growth for the Company. The EIA approval validates that the Company's operations are well-aligned with environmental standards, national interests, and the development of resources required for the energy transition." A NI-43101 technical report has already been conducted on the Company-controlled Minastyc Property which indicates minerals present including tin, tantalum, niobium, titanium, and rare earth elements. The report further identifies fine concentrates from bulk sampling with results up to 68.25% total rare earth oxide content and includes elements cerium, dysprosium, erbium, gadolinium, hafnium and lanthanum, among others (full report accessible on the Company's website: http://www.auxicoresources.com/reports). Previously announced test results on samples taken from the Area 50, TA Area and two other areas, identified a surface discovery of high-grade gold, tin, tantalum, niobium, platinum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium and iridium (see press releases dated April 7th, 2022, and October 20th, 2021). 72 kilograms of samples collected from the Minastyc Property are currently being tested, pending results, the current NI 43-101 technical report will be updated to include a mineral resource estimate, with a work plan to be formulated thereafter. Disclaimer The results are based on concentrate samples, using a selective picking method, therefore the sampling method do not comply with NI 43-101. Qualified Person Mr. Ricardo Sierra, B.Sc. of Science a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM 3078246), is a qualified person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release and in relation to the Minastyc Project in Vichada Colombia. Mr. Ricardo Sierra is an independent technical consultant to Auxico Resources Canada Inc. About Auxico Resources Canada Inc. Auxico Resources Canada Inc. ("Auxico") is a Canadian company that was founded in 2014 and based in Montreal, trading on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) under symbol AUAG and on the OTCQB Market under symbol AUXIF. Auxico is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additional information on Auxico can be found on the Company's website (www.auxicoresources.com) or on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under "Auxico Resources Canada Inc." ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS signed. Mark Billings Chairman, Auxico Resources Canada Inc. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Cell: +1 514 296 1641 The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press 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 press release. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-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. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the planned studies, drill program and the development of the Minastyc or Massangana Project, its sampling program, indications and other mining projects and prospects thereof, related to the Company's operations in Brazil, Colombia and/or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. 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. 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. 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 risk factors. These factors include, among others, uncertainties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors, and their potential effects, which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Except as required by securities law, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Aftermath Silver Ltd. (TSXV: AAG) (OTCQX: AAGFF) (the "Company" or "Aftermath") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 28,000,000 Units at a price of $0.25 per Unit to raise approximately C$7.0 million. Each Unit sold consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one-half of one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder to acquire one Common Share for a period of 24 months from closing at a price of $0.35 per Common Share. Mr. Eric Sprott has agreed to participate in the private placement. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for metallurgical and engineering studies on the Berenguela Silver-Copper-Manganese project in southern Peru (Berenguela or the Project), project payments related to the purchase of Berenguela and for general working capital purposes. In March 2023, the Company published an expanded Mineral Resource estimate for Berenguela (see company NR dated March 2, 2023). The company has initiated advanced metallurgical testwork programs on bulk drill core samples from key mineralized domains targeted in its drill program. This testwork, to be completed by Kappes Cassiday and Associates of Reno, Nevada, will encompass flowsheets for silver, copper and zinc recovery and ultimately identify the potential manganese products including focusing on battery grade manganese sulphate (MnSO4). It is anticipated that the results of this testwork will be incorporated into a preliminary economic analysis for Berenguela to be completed during 2024. The Company may pay a finders fee in connection with the Private Placement. The private placement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and other applicable securities regulatory bodies, and the securities will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the closing date, under Canadian securities laws. About Aftermath Silver Ltd. Aftermath Silver Ltd is a leading Canadian junior exploration company focused on silver, and aims to deliver shareholder value through the discovery, acquisition and development of quality silver projects in stable jurisdictions. Aftermath has developed a pipeline of projects at various stages of advancement. The Company's projects have been selected based on growth and development potential. Berenguela Silver-Copper project. The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest through a binding agreement with SSR Mining. The project is located in the Department of Puno, in southern central Peru. A NI 43-101 Technical Report on the property was filed in February 2021 (available on SEDAR and the Companys web page). The Company is currently drilling at Berenguela and planning to advance the project through a pre-feasibility study. Challacollo Silver-Gold project. The Company recently completed the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Challacollo silver-gold project from Mandalay Resources; see Company news release dated August 11, 2022. A NI 43-101 mineral resource was released on December 15, 2020 (available on SEDAR and the Companys web page). The Company is currently permitting road access in anticipation of an upcoming drill program. Cachinal Silver-Gold project. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Cachinal Ag-Au project, located 2.5 hours south of Antofagasta. On June 10, 2022 Aftermath announced it had reached an agreement to sell Cachinal to Honey Badger Silver Inc. On September 16, 2020 the Company released a CIM compliant Mineral Resource and accompanying NI 43-101 Technical Report (available on SEDAR and on the Company's web page). ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Ralph Rushton" Ralph Rushton CEO and Director 604-484-7855 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance, including without limitation, exploration plans at the Company's mineral projects (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. 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 forwardlooking statements, including without limitation, failure of the Company to obtain TSX Venture Exchange approval for the proposed Warrant amendments. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forwardlooking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forwardlooking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forwardlooking statements include, but are not limited to, failure of the Company to obtain TSX Venture Exchange approval for the proposed Warrant amendments. In addition, forwardlooking statements are subject to various risks, including but not limited to operational risk; political risk; currency risk; capital cost inflation risk; that data is incomplete or inaccurate. The reader is referred to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators for disclosure regarding these and other risk factors, accessible through Aftermath Silver's profile at www.sedar.com. There is no certainty that any forwardlooking statement will come to pass and investors should not place undue reliance upon forwardlooking statements. The Company does not undertake to provide updates to any of the forwardlooking statements in this release, except as required by law. Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - April 12, 2023 - Norsemont Mining Inc. (CSE:NOM) (OTC:NRRSF) (FWB:LXZ1) (Norsemont or the Company) announces results of its inaugural surface outcrop geochemical sampling campaign. Highlights: Surface outcrop sampling results returned long intervals of significant oxide Au-Ag values, outside of and peripheral to the historical mined pits, thus extending the potential for additional near-surface heap-leachable resources. Additional mapping and sampling are planned to further define the extension of this potentially significant source of mineralisation. Strong geochemical anomalies for Cu, Mo and Au from the Vizcacha Porphyry sector enhance our interpretation that this newly mapped area represents the upper portions of a telescoped porphyry system. Additional mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysics will be utilized to define drill targets at Viscacha. Surface Outcrop Chip Channel Sampling The initial outcrop chip and channel sampling campaign was carried out during the months of November 2021 and March 2022 with the objectives of: Testing the extensive areas of potentially mineralised leached rock, observed in road cuts and mine benches, that were overlooked by previous operators. Confirming and expanding the oxide gold footprint of the Choque-Intermedio pit areas, as evidenced in drill hole MV21-009 (15 metres @ 0.84 grams per tonne Au from surface news release March 31, 2022). Evaluating the new porphyry veinlet zone near the Vizcacha Pit. In total, 517 outcrop samples were collected in 2 metre long by 10 cm wide channel samples, each weighing between 3 to 5 kilograms. Channel samples collected in the Silica Ledge sector were 1 metre long by 10 centimetres wide. Where possible, for example, along the banks of roadcuts, sampling was continuous. The results show: Continuous and robust Au-Ag oxide mineralisation on the eastern margin of the Choque and Intermedio pit areas. Comprehensive follow-up sampling will be conducted to define the full extent of this potential near-surface mineralization. The most significant results were: 60 metres @ 0.97 grams per tonne Au and 21 grams per tonne Ag, including 2 metres @ 10.93 grams per tonne Au and 46 grams per tonne Ag. These results confirm the presence of more widespread near-surface Au-Ag oxide mineralisation in the Choque-Intermedio pit areas. Norsemont is currently conducting metallurgical testwork in this area, with the hope that positive results will add significant tonnages to the leachable resource. It should be noted that such grades of near-surface oxide mineralisation are typical of many large-tonnage open-pit heap-leach mines, in contrast to the small-tonnage high-grade mine operated by the previous operators of Choquelimpie. The Vizcacha Porphyry Zone returned channel sample results ranging from 0.1 - 0.4 grams per tonne Au associated with characteristic porphyry-related A-veins and black banded quartz veins, occurring as sheeted swarms and stockworks. In addition, a molybdenum anomaly related to B-veins is present (e.g. 8m @ 41 ppm Mo). This veinlet-hosted mineralization occurs in a daci-andesite porphyry, with phyllic alteration overprinted by quartz-pyrophyllite alteration and cut by structurally controlled corridors of high sulphidation mineralisation (e.g. 1 metre @ 2.14 grams per tonne Au and 361 grams per tonne Ag as well as 1 metre @ 1.48 grams per tonne Au and 170 grams per tonne Ag). These assay results and geological interpretations, combined with the geology observed in our recent drilling of the historical pits, lead our technical team to conclude that we are situated in the mid to lower portion of a high-sulphidation epithermal system, overlying a potentially large Au-Cu-Mo porphyry intrusive target at depth. Figure 1: Surface geochemistry samples at the newly discovered Vizcacha Porphyry sector. Figure 2: Surface geochemistry samples taken with an oblique view looking south towards the main historically mined ore bodies. Note the widespread intervals of surficial oxide Au-Ag mineralisation and the large areas that remain to be tested. Figure 3: Surface geochemistry samples taken with an oblique view looking south with the 2021 DDH drill holes and observed/interpreted important lithologic domains. Figure 4: Surface geochemistry samples from the Choque and Intermedio pits. Note the significant oxide Au values from prominent oxidized benches, ledges and intra-pit outcrops. John Currie, Norsemonts VP of Exploration states: Our initial surface sampling program at Choquelimpie was highly successful, as the results from this campaign have outlined potentially heap-leachable near-surface oxide Au-Ag mineralisation, in both the epithermal and high-level porphyry environments. We now have a range of exciting targets that merit aggressive follow-up exploration. The near-surface oxide potential is especially exciting. With the first phase of surface chip and channel sampling now plotted, we are confident that we will be able to define a substantial volume of oxide Au-Ag mineralised rock amenable to heap leaching, to add to our already existing low-grade stockpiles. Extensive outcrop, road-cut and soil talus geochemical sampling will be one of our priorities when we resume the field work. Marc Levy, Norsemonts CEO comments, These encouraging surface sampling results continue to expand the size of the mineralized gold-silver oxide footprint at Choquelimpie and highlight new areas for drill testing and resource expansion. One of our tasks will also be to chase the mineralisation intercepted in drill hole MV21-009 that returned 170.0 m grading 1.35 g/t Au and 18.3 g/t Ag (See News Release dated March 31, 2022). Finally, we are particularly excited to also test the potentially large copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry intrusive target at depth. Success in these areas would change the future of Choquelimpie. Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance: Surface outcrop chip and channel samples of 1.0 - 2.0 metres length were collected, bagged and tagged by company staff. In a secure processing facility, Company staff inserted a series of blind blanks, certified reference materials and sample duplicates in the sample stream, as part of the Companys QA/QC protocol. Sample bags were sealed, placed in security-sealed sacks, and then delivered by Company staff to the Andes Analytical Laboratory sample receiving facility in Arica, Chile. All outcrop chip-channel samples reported in this news release were analysed at AAA in Santiago, Chile utilising their ICP_AES_HF38m1 analytical package. This comprises a four-acid digestion followed by a 38-element ICP-MS scan, in conjunction with the AEF_AAS_1E42 40g Fire Assay with AAS finish for gold on all samples. Samples that return values >10 ppm gold from fire assay and AAS are determined by using fire assay and a gravimetric finish (lab code AEF_GRV_1E43). Samples that return values >5,000 ppm for copper and >400 ppm silver by ICP analysis are determined by four acid digestion AAS finish assay (lab codes 4A-HF_AAS_1E13_ppm and 4A-HF_AAS_1E08_0.25-100 respectively). The information presented in this news release was collected and prepared by SCM Vilacollo staff in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in National Instrument 43-101. QA/QC for the analytical results was reviewed by Mr. Enrique Grez, an independent qualified person, registration number 0015 of the Comision Calificadora de Recursos y Reservas Mineras de Chile, and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Art Freeze, P.Geo, Director of Norsemont Mining as well as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About Norsemont Mining Inc. Norsemont comprises experienced natural resource professionals focused on growing shareholder value and developing its flagship project through to bankable feasibility. Norsemont Mining owns a 100-per-cent interest in the Choquelimpie gold-silver-copper project in northern Chile, a previously permitted gold and silver mine. Choquelimpie has over 1,700 drill holes, with significant existing infrastructure. On behalf of the Board of Directors, NORSEMONT MINING INC. Marc Levy CEO & Chairman For more information, please contact the Company at: Telephone: (604) 669-9788; Facsimile: (604) 669-9768 Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that are deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Norsemont 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", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include changes to commodity prices, mine and metallurgical recovery, operating and capital costs, foreign exchange rates, ability to obtain required permits on a timely basis, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, 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. 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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. VANCOUVER, BC, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Montage Gold Corp. ("Montage" or the "Company") (TSXV: MAU) is pleased to announce the closing of its "bought deal" private placement offering of 21,786,300 common shares (the "Offered Shares") at an issue price of $0.70 per Offered Share (the "Issue Price") for gross proceeds of $15,250,410 (the "Brokered Offering"), including the full exercise of the option granted to the Underwriters (as defined herein) in connection with the Brokered Offering. The Brokered Offering was led by Canaccord Genuity Corp., as lead underwriter, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including BMO Capital Markets, Beacon Securities Limited, and Raymond James Ltd. (collectively, the "Underwriters"). The Company intends to issue shortly hereafter, on a non-brokered basis, an additional 2,714,300 Offered Shares at the Issue Price for additional gross proceeds of $1,900,010 (the "Non-Brokered Offering", and together with the Brokered Offering, the "Offering"). Following closing of the Non-Brokered Offering, the Company will have issued an aggregate of 24,500,600 Offered Shares for total gross proceeds of $17,150,420 under the Offering. The net proceeds from the issue of the Offered Shares are intended to be used for the Company's ongoing exploration and drilling program at the Kone Gold Project, including the advancement of an updated mineral resource estimate and for work related to an updated feasibility study, and for working capital and general corporate purposes, as further described in the Offering Document (as defined below). The Company paid the Underwriters a cash fee equal to 6.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offered Shares sold under the Brokered Offering (other than in respect of certain president's list subscribers, for which no cash fee was payable) and an advisory fee equal to $114,000.60 in connection with the Non-Brokered Offering. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"): (i) 14,285,700 Offered Shares were issued to purchasers resident in Canada and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"); and (ii) 7,500,600 Offered Shares were issued (and the additional 2,714,300 Offered Shares under the Non-Brokered Offering are intended to be issued) to purchasers resident in Canada and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to other prospectus exemptions under NI 45-106. The Offered Shares issued to Canadian resident subscribers pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Offered Shares issued to Canadian resident subscribers pursuant to prospectus exemptions under NI 45-106 other than the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are subject to a restricted hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance of the Offered Shares. The Offering remains subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). Insiders of the Company participated in the Offering. Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction" given the fact that insiders of the Company subscribed for Offered Shares. The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101, specifically: (i) the valuation requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.5(b), as the common shares are not listed on a market specified in MI 61-101, and (ii) the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61- 101, as the fair market value of the Offered Shares issued does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). A material change report was not filed by the Company at least 21 days before the closing of the Offering, as the Company was seeking to close expeditiously to confirm funds for the Offering. In the view of the Company, this approach is reasonable in the circumstances. The Offering was approved by all of the independent directors of the Company. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.montagegoldcorp.com. ABOUT MONTAGE GOLD CORP. Montage is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration and development company focused on opportunities in Cote d'Ivoire. The Company's flagship property is the Kone Gold Project, located in northwest Cote d'Ivoire, covering a total area of 2,258 sq km, and which currently hosts a Probable Mineral Reserve of 161.1Mt grading 0.66g/t for 3.42M ounces of gold. The Company released the results of the DFS on the Kone Gold Project on February 14, 2022, outlining a 15-year gold project producing an estimated 3.06M ounces of gold over life of mine, with average annual production of 207koz, and estimated peak production of 320koz. The project also contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.2Mt at 2.1g/t for 351,000oz at 1.2g/t cut off at the Gbongogo Prospect located 30km north of the Kone deposit. Montage is executing an exploration program in 2023 with the objective of discovering multiple high-grade satellite deposits to supplement the Probable Reserves at the Kone Gold Project. Montage has a management team and board of directors with significant experience in discovering and developing gold deposits in Africa. TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE GBONGOGO MAIN DEPOSIT The Mineral Resource Estimate for the Gbongogo Main deposit has an effective date of April 22, 2022, and was carried out by Mr. Jonathon Abbott of MPR Geological Consultants of Perth, Western Australia who is considered to be independent of Montage Gold. Mr. Abbott is a member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralization under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Abbott consents to the inclusion in this press release of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. For details regarding data verification, QA/QC, interpretations, details regarding drill results and the assumptions, parameters and related matters with respect to the Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, please see the press release titled "Montage Gold Corp. Announces Government Approval of Mankono Exploration Permits and Provides Corporate Updates" dated September 8, 2022 and filed on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE KONE DEPOSIT The Mineral Reserve Estimate for the Kone Deposit has an effective date of February 14, 2022 and was carried out by Ms. Joeline McGrath of Carci Mining Consultants Ltd. who is considered to be independent of Montage. Ms. McGrath is a member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the work which she is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The Mineral Resource Estimates for the Kone Deposit have an effective date of August 12, 2021 and were carried out by Mr. Jonathon Abbott of MPR who is considered to be independent of Montage Gold. Mr. Abbott is a member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralization under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. For further details of the data verification undertaken, exploration undertaken and associated QA/QC programs, and the interpretation thereof, and the assumptions, parameters and methods used to develop the Mineral Reserve Estimate and the Mineral Resource Estimates for the Kone Gold deposit, please see the definitive feasibility study, entitled "Kone Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire Definitive Feasibility Study National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report" (the "DFS") and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The DFS was prepared by Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd. and incorporates the work of Lycopodium and Specialist Consultants, including Mr. Abbott, under the supervision of Sandy Hunter, MAusIMM(CP), of Lycopodium, a Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101 who is independent of Montage. Readers are encouraged to read the DFS in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the details summarized in this news release. The DFS is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. The technical contents of this press release have been approved by Hugh Stuart, BSc, MSc, a Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101. Mr. Stuart is the President of the Company, a Chartered Geologist and a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. 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 AND FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The Offered Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the "United States" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an exemption therefrom. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This press release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "Forward-looking Statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute Forward-looking Statements. Words such as "will", "intends", "proposed" and "expects" or similar expressions are intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. Forward looking Statements in this press release include statements related to the closing of the Non-Brokered Offering, the final approval of the Offering by the TSXV, the proposed use of proceeds from the Offering, and the Company's plans, focus and objectives. Forward-looking Statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions, including those set out in the DFS. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include uncertainties related to fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices, uncertainties inherent in the exploration of mineral properties, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other risk factors set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed from time to time on SEDAR. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Montage to predict all of them, or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any Forward-looking Statement. Any Forward-looking Statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL) (FSE:XZ7) is pleased to announce two concurrent non-brokered private placements (collectively, the "Offerings") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to CAD$1,500,000. [The Company expects to complete a consolidation all of its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidated common share for every ten (10) pre-consolidated common shares (the "Consolidation") on or around April 13, 2023, as announced in its press release dated March 30, 2023. All per share prices mentioned below are on a post Consolidation basis. The first of the two Offerings will consist of the sale of up to 10,000,000 units (the "Flow-Through Units") of the Company at a price of CAD$0.10 per Flow-Through Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Each Flow-Through Unit shall be comprised of: (i) 1 common share of the Corporation ("Common Shares") designated as a "flow-through share" (each, a " Flow-Through Share") under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Act")); and (ii) 1 Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Flow-Through Warrant"). Each Flow-Through Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire 1 additional Common Share at a price of CAD$0.15 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The second of the two Offerings shall consist of the sale of up to 6,250,000 units (the "Conventional Units") of the Company at a price of CAD$0.08 per Conventional Unit for gross proceeds of up to CAD$500,000. Each Conventional Unit shall be comprised of 1 Common Share and 1 Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Conventional Warrant"). Each Conventional Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire 1 additional Common Share at a price of CAD$0.12 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the Conventional Units will be used for general working capital purposes and expenses. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the Flow-Through Units will be used for "Canadian Exploration Expenses" within the meaning of the Act (the "Qualifying Expenditures"), which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2023 to the purchasers of the Flow-Through Units in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of Flow-Through Units. The Issuer may pay finder's fees to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Offerings are subject to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the acceptance and approval of the CSE. All securities issued pursuant to the Offerings are subject to the statutory hold period that expires four months and one day from their issuance. 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. About Fabled Copper Fabled is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing drill ready copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Company's current property package consists of the Muskwa Project and the Bronson Property and comprises approximately 16,219 hectares in three non-contiguous blocks and located in the Liard Mining Division of British Columbia. The Company is seeking to broaden and diversify its portfolio. To this end it has added two lithium claims (the VOLT 2 Property) in Miquelon, Quebec to its land package and is seeking to add both the OHM Property and the VOLT 1 Property, each lithium properties, located in the Val D'Or and Miquelon areas of Quebec respectively. The Company is also seeking to add an additional high grade gold and silver property, the TJ Ridge Property in British Columbia for which it has entered into a letter of intent. 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 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, development plans and business 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: the failure of the shareholders of the Company to approve the Consolidation Proposal, 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; inability to obtain drilling permits; 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. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / High Tide Resources Corp. ("High Tide" or the "Company") (CSE:HTRC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael T. Zurowski P. Eng to the role of Executive Vice President. Steve Roebuck, Director, President & Interim CEO of High Tide states, "We are very pleased to welcome Michael to the team. He brings an incredible amount of technical, executive and regulatory experience to High Tide having been a founder and senior executive with Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation for almost 15 years. Michael was one of three co-founders of Baffinland and has built and operated an iron mine in Canada and has developed high-level expertise in the iron, alternative iron and steel industry as it rapidly transitions to a low carbon emission future. Effective immediately, Michael will support and lead the exploration and development of the Company's flagship Labrador West Iron Project." Michael T. Zurowski, Executive Vice President of High Tide states, "I am pleased to join High Tide and excited about the Labrador West Iron Project. The project ticks many boxes including a robust deposit located in a producing iron camp and close to infrastructure which is absolutely critical for project development. For the past 25 years, iron and steel growth has been driven by demand from China, however the future will focus on steel production with low-carbon emissions with expected high-demand growth from markets in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Our work will focus on developing the Labrador West Iron Project into the next producer, designed for the industry's low carbon emission future." About Mr. Michael T. Zurowski Mr. Zurowski has almost 40 years experience in the mineral exploration and mining industry as both an engineer and executive. His career spans the globe having worked for major mining companies as well as a consultant. During that time Michael has managed multi-million-dollar exploration budgets and assisted in the raising of $750 million in equity and debt for the construction of a world class iron ore project. Labrador West Iron Project The Labrador West Iron Project hosts a NI 43-101 inferred iron resource of 659 Mt @ 28.84% Fe and is comprised of one mineral licence (99 mineral claims), 2,475 hectares in size. The area was explored and drilled by Rio Tinto Exploration from 2010 to 2012, and then by High Tide Resources in 2020 & 2022. To date, approximately 7,500 m of core in 27 completed holes has been drilled on the property. Located less than 20 kilometres northeast of Labrador City, the Project is proximal to all the critical infrastructure required to explore and develop a major new iron deposit in the heart of the southern Labrador Trough. Experience by major producers operating in the Labrador Trough indicates that hematite and magnetite in this geological setting are readily recoverable using modern, industry standard beneficiation methods, that produce high purity, desirable iron concentrates. Iron and the Western Labrador Trough Infrastructure Advantage The Labrador Trough of western Labrador and adjoining Quebec constitutes Canada's primary iron producing district and is host to world-class deposits that have been mined for more than half a century. These have produced over 2 billion tonnes of iron ore to date and are considered to have very significant growth potential. The high quality of the deposits in the region allows for a wide range in product diversity, which includes premium fines, concentrate and pellet grades. The Property is strategically located near the mining communities of Wabush and Labrador City in the province of Newfoundland & Labrador and Fermont in Quebec. The area is home to Champion Iron Ore's Bloom Lake Mine, ArcelorMittal's Mont-Wright Mine, Tacora Resources' Scully Mine, and Rio Tinto IOC's Carol Lake Mine. The Wabush and Labrador City region is very well served with skilled labour and a highway as well as access to abundant low-cost hydroelectricity and a common carrier railway. The railway has 80 million tonnes per year of capacity for transport of iron products to the deep-water port of Sept Isles, Quebec, which provides year-round access to global markets. About High Tide High Tide is focused on and committed to the development of mineral projects critical to infrastructure development using industry best practices combined with a strong social license from local communities. High Tide owns a 100% interest in the Labrador West Iron Project which hosts a NI 43-101 Inferred iron resource of 659 Mt @ 28.84% Fe and is located adjacent to IOCC's Carol Lake Mine in Labrador City, NL. This resource is exposed at surface and was pit constrained for an open-pit mining scenario. The Technical Report was filed on SEDAR on April 6, 2023 and was authored by Ryan Kressall M.Sc., P.Geo, Matthew Herrington, M.Sc., P.Geo, Catharine Pelletier, P.Eng. and Jeffrey Cassoff P.Eng. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Lac Pegma copper-nickel-cobalt deposit located 50 kilometres southeast of Fermont, Quebec and is earning a 100% interest in the road accessible Clearcut Lithium Project located ~75 kilometres southwest of Val d'Or, Quebec and the road accessible Big Bang Lithium Project located ~275 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Majority shareholder Avidian Gold (TSX.V: AVG) controls approximately 30% of High Tide's outstanding shares. Further details on the Company, including a NI 43-101 technical report on the Labrador West Iron property can be found on the Company's website at www.hightideresources.com. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Steve Roebuck, P.Geo., Director, President and Interim CEO of High Tide, who is a Qualified Person as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." For further information, please contact: Steve Roebuck Director, President & Interim CEO Mobile: (905) 741-5458 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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 news release. Forward-Looking Information 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 Company's 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 management's 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, developing the Labrador West Iron Project into the next producer , the acquisition of low cost and potentially high reward lithium projects, the ability to keep exploration costs low, expected access to regional lithium processing hubs, the Company's 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: the ability to anticipate and counteract the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the business of the Company, including without limitation the effects of COVID-19 on the capital markets, commodity prices supply chain disruptions, restrictions on labour and workplace attendance and local and international travel, failure to receive requisite approvals in respect of the foregoing, 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, and those risks set out in the Company's 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. QUEBEC CITY, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robex Resources Inc. (TSXV: RBX) (Robex or the Company) announces management changes. Effective April 11, 2023: Benjamin Cohen, the current Chief Executive Officer of the Company, becomes President of the Company; Aurelien Bonneviot, the current Director of Investor Relations and Business Development of the Company, becomes Chief Executive Officer of the Company; Georges Cohen, the current President of the Company, becomes Senior Vice-President Strategic Development and Long-Term Growth of the Company; Julien Cohen becomes Senior Vice-President Sales and Financial Affairs of the Company; and Richard R. Faucher and Georges Cohen agree to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, respectively. The composition of the Board of Directors and of its committees remain unchanged. As part of the goal he had set himself to complete the transition plan, Georges Cohen, who is now 70 years old, confidently entrusts his current duties and responsibilities as President of Robex to the members of the team he has created over the last few years. The Board of Directors pointed out that under Mr. Cohens direction, Robex was successful in achieving its most ambitious objectives and will now have the chance to continue benefiting from his vast experience and skill as an entrepreneur in his new role as Senior Vice-President Strategic Development and Long-Term Growth. In his new role, Mr. Cohen will continue accompanying the Company (for which he still holds deep affection) in its implementation of the long-term strategy with the Kiniero Project. The Board of Directors warmly thanked him for his years of service and for all of the challenges he managed to overcome thanks to his dedicated work since 2012. Mr. Benjamin Cohen has been the Chief Executive Officer of Robex since February 7, 2019 and a member of the Board of Directors since February 28, 2014. General Manager for 6 years in a construction company in Grenada in the Caribbean comprising an average of 200 employees, he developed a private island to the highest European standards. This gave him experience in the management and construction fields, as well as in the use of many related technologies (electricity, telecommunications, and logistic). He then continued to manage many assets and investments made under the Cohen Group. In his new role as President of the Company, Benjamin Cohen will have the primary responsibility for the day-to-day operations of Robexs business in accordance with Robexs strategic and business plans and budgets, as approved by the Board of Directors. He will have ultimate accountability, through the Board of Directors, for the successful management of Robex, and for execution of policies, plans, and strategies agreed upon by the Board of Directors. Mr. Benjamin Cohen played a major role in transforming Robex from an exploration company to a production company. This has set the company for what it is today: a multi-mine company with an important embedded growth potential. Benjamin Cohen initiated, with the team, that important structural change from the humble beginning and a minimal company to a structured company. Mr. Aurelien Bonneviot has been the Director of Investor Relations and Business Development of Robex since December 14, 2020. Mr. Bonneviot has more than a decade of experience in capital markets and was most recently Senior Investment Manager at Greenstone Resources, a private equity fund specializing in the mining sector. Aurelien Bonneviot started as a sell-side mining analyst at Societe Generale and Oddo-BHF and subsequently moved to the buy side as commodities analyst and portfolio manager at SMA Gestion. In 2014, Aurelien Bonneviot joined Louis Dreyfus Metals (now IXM) as a Business Development Manager until its acquisition by China Molybdenum in 2018. Mr. Bonneviot graduated with a Bachelor of Physics, MSc in Finance and should soon obtain a professional MSc in Mining Engineering at Camborne School of Mines, United Kingdom. In his new role as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Aurelien Bonneviot will be a direct report to the President and will be responsible for, among other things, overseeing the implementation of Robex's strategic plan and leading an executive team to deliver superior performance. Mr. Georges Cohen has been the President of Robex and a member of the Board of Directors since May 8, 2013. He began his career in the Cap Gemini Group where he held several positions including Commercial Engineer, Sales Director, Managing Director and President and Chief Executive Officer of a major subsidiary of the Cap Gemini Group and member of the executive committee of the group. In 1990, Mr. Georges Cohen left Cap Gemini and founded Transiciel (SSII) where he became the President and Chief Executive Officer founder. In 2000, Transiciel became public and, in 2001, Mr. Georges Cohen was granted as entrepreneur the Trophy of the decade for Transiciel by the firm Bain, Coface SCRL, HEC and L'Expansion; this award having been delivered by the President of the French Republic, Mr. Jacques Chirac. The selection was made over a total of 278,916 companies based on growth, profitability and sales revenue criteria. In 2003, Transiciel merged with Sogeti in the Cap Gemini Group. Member of the executive committee of the Cap Gemini Group (110,000 engineers) and President and Chief Executive Officer of the new Sogeti-Transiciel entity (over 25,000 employees), Mr. Cohen supervised this merger during two and a half years and eventually left the group to engage in personal activities of private equity for which he has become very diversified in his business. For example, he founded Altergaz, which in a very short time rose to number 2 in natural gas distribution throughout France and he owned the Panhard Company, which is an European leader in light armored vehicles under 15 tons. Mr. Julien Cohen has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since 2013. He also assists Robex in financial affairs and in particular contributes essential successes in the gold sales strategy. He is a graduate of the Institute of superior management (ISG) in Paris and worked for two years for Danone International as a management controller. About Robex Resources Inc. Robex is a multi-jurisdictional West African gold production and development company with near-term exploration potential. The Company is dedicated to safe, diverse and responsible operations in the countries in which it operates with a goal to foster sustainable growth. The Company has been operating the Nampala mine in Mali since 2017 and is advancing the Kiniero Gold Project in Guinea. Robex is supported by two strategic shareholders and has the ambition to become one of the most important mid-tier gold producers in West Africa. More Information 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. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Gratomic Inc. ("Gratomic", "GRAT," or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT) (OTCQX:CBULF) (FSE:CB82) announces that an additional 1621.30 m of drilling (for a total of 4784.10 m to date of the 5,000-meter drilling campaign) on its Capim Grosso graphite project has been completed. 34 diamond drillholes (DD) have been completed to date. Included in this press release are assay details on holes CGD017 to CGD034. The project is located in the Bahia State of Brazil, with the Company holding a 100% controlling interest in the property. Table 1: Drillholes completed to date on the Capim Grosso Project in Brazil (WGS84 UTM 24S) NAME X Y Z AZIMUTH DIP EOH CGD001 391942 8749876 381 45 -58 100.10 CGD002 391867 8749905 382 50 -60 141.20 CGD003 391926 8749863 381 50 -60 120.55 CGD004 391842 8749975 381 50 -60 93.15 CGD005 391775 8750076 378 50 -60 111.00 CGD006 391722 8750171 378 50 -60 120.65 CGD007 391626 8750343 375 50 -60 120.20 CGD008 391755 8750196 376 50 -60 100.05 CGD009 391603 8750328 376 50 -60 120.00 CGD010 391597 8750372 375 50 -60 141.00 CGD011 391574 8750352 376 50 -60 140.05 CGD012 391533 8750454 373 50 -60 134.65 CGD013 391431 8750595 373 50 -60 140.70 CGD014 391392 8750562 376 50 -60 206.90 CGD015 391336 8750756 371 50 -60 151.00 CGD016 391317 8750785 371 50 -60 151.15 CGD017 391294 8750765 372 50 -60 162.05 CGD018 391233 8750891 369 50 -60 130.20 CGD019 391115 8751066 371 50 -60 190.15 CGD020 390523 8751978 384 50 -60 190.75 CGD021 390438 8752101 385 50 -60 195.10 CGD022 390336 8752238 385 50 -60 202.20 CGD023 390247 8752387 375 50 -60 168.65 CGD024 390118 8752596 379 50 -60 150.00 CGD025 390452 8752076 376 50 -60 166.45 CGD026 390092 8752565 380 50 -60 150.05 CGD027 391136 8751095 357 50 -60 133.20 CGD028 391194 8750999 356 50 -60 146.10 CGD029 391254 8750917 357 50 -60 150.60 CGD030 391375 8750673 360 50 -60 170.75 CGD031 391664 8750265 365 50 -60 140.50 CGD032 391996 8749800 370 50 -60 80.50 CGD033 392021 8749741 372 50 -60 71.50 CGD034 392118 8749608 376 50 -70 93.00 The fifth batch of its drillhole assays from the Capim Grosso Project has been received from SGS Geosol in Brazil which included the following: 385 assays, which includes 32 internal Certified Reference Materials (CRM), 18 blanks and 13 duplicates from holes CGD017 to CGD034 Table 2: Table 2 highlights intervals from holes CGD017 to CGD034 on the Capim Grosso Project in Brazil (1 % TGC cut-off grade and 3 % minimum TGC grade used). More detailed information of the assay results from the 18 holes is set out in Table 3 below. Internal QA/QC was performed by Gratomic inserting a Certified Reference Material (CRM) every 20 samples, (OREAS 725) which assayed within 97% of the expected graphitic carbon value of the CRM. The QP therefore accepts the values of the laboratory assays. The intervals are regarded as true width (or as close as possible to) due to the dip of drillholes being perpendicular on measured dip of geology. DH_Hole DH_From_m DH_To_m Hole_ID Length_m TGC_% TGC_ BEST INTERVAL CGD017 113.02 115.03 CGD017 2.01 4.34 2.01m @ 4.34 TGC_PERC_USE CGD018 120.65 122.48 CGD018 1.83 4.98 1.83m @ 4.98 TGC_PERC_USE CGD020 35.24 36.08 CGD020 0.84 3.43 0.84m @ 3.43 TGC_PERC_USE CGD020 73.91 74.91 CGD020 1.00 4.13 1.00m @ 4.13 TGC_PERC_USE CGD020 138.85 139.85 CGD020 1.00 3.26 1.00m @ 3.26 TGC_PERC_USE CGD020 150.45 151.25 CGD020 0.80 3.80 0.80m @ 3.80 TGC_PERC_USE CGD021 10.20 11.10 CGD021 0.90 5.82 0.90m @ 5.82 TGC_PERC_USE CGD021 43.25 44.20 CGD021 0.95 3.03 0.95m @ 3.03 TGC_PERC_USE CGD021 64.55 66.60 CGD021 2.05 5.23 2.05m @ 5.23 TGC_PERC_USE CGD021 112.25 113.07 CGD021 0.82 7.24 0.82m @ 7.24 TGC_PERC_USE CGD022 77.55 79.21 CGD022 1.66 7.15 1.66m @ 7.15 TGC_PERC_USE CGD022 79.75 80.75 CGD022 1.00 5.57 1.00m @ 5.57 TGC_PERC_USE CGD022 81.75 83.70 CGD022 1.95 8.21 1.95m @ 8.21 TGC_PERC_USE CGD022 88.30 91.30 CGD022 3.00 3.89 3.00m @ 3.89 TGC_PERC_USE CGD023 8.15 9.15 CGD023 1.00 3.09 1.00m @ 3.09 TGC_PERC_USE CGD023 79.95 80.81 CGD023 0.86 4.74 0.86m @ 4.74 TGC_PERC_USE CGD024 86.70 87.50 CGD024 0.80 3.31 0.80m @ 3.31 TGC_PERC_USE CGD024 92.48 93.28 CGD024 0.80 3.76 0.80m @ 3.76 TGC_PERC_USE CGD025 44.90 47.10 CGD025 2.20 3.35 2.20m @ 3.35 TGC_PERC_USE CGD025 70.10 71.17 CGD025 1.07 4.95 1.07m @ 4.95 TGC_PERC_USE CGD025 112.60 113.80 CGD025 1.20 4.10 1.20m @ 4.10 TGC_PERC_USE CGD025 115.24 118.24 CGD025 3.00 3.47 3.00m @ 3.47 TGC_PERC_USE CGD026 29.00 31.00 CGD026 2.00 3.99 2.00m @ 3.98 TGC_PERC_USE CGD026 57.46 59.06 CGD026 1.60 8.44 1.60m @ 8.44 TGC_PERC_USE CGD026 59.96 60.94 CGD026 0.98 14.51 0.98m @ 14.51 TGC_PERC_USE CGD026 69.75 71.35 CGD026 1.60 6.25 1.60m @ 6.25 TGC_PERC_USE CGD027 63.90 64.70 CGD027 0.80 3.69 0.80m @ 3.69 TGC_PERC_USE CGD028 60.30 62.02 CGD028 1.72 5.78 1.72m @ 5.78 TGC_PERC_USE CGD028 81.30 82.90 CGD028 1.60 6.45 1.60m @ 6.45 TGC_PERC_USE CGD028 113.05 114.75 CGD028 1.70 5.30 1.70m @ 5.30 TGC_PERC_USE CGD029 43.00 59.25 CGD029 16.25 8.90 16.25m @ 8.90 TGC_PERC_USE CGD029 60.18 62.00 CGD029 1.82 5.00 1.82m @ 5.00 TGC_PERC_USE CGD029 91.53 93.55 CGD029 2.02 6.04 2.02m @ 6.04 TGC_PERC_USE CGD030 80.09 86.18 CGD030 6.09 7.44 6.09m @ 7.44 TGC_PERC_USE CGD030 124.80 128.00 CGD030 3.20 5.84 3.20m @ 5.84 TGC_PERC_USE CGD031 35.05 41.76 CGD031 6.71 9.42 6.71m @ 9.42 TGC_PERC_USE CGD031 68.10 75.30 CGD031 7.20 5.82 7.20m @ 5.82 TGC_PERC_USE CGD031 76.30 82.79 CGD031 6.49 6.18 6.49m @ 6.18 TGC_PERC_USE CGD031 95.25 98.52 CGD031 3.27 6.82 3.27m @ 6.82 TGC_PERC_USE CGD032 28.30 36.90 CGD032 8.60 6.62 8.60m @ 6.62 TGC_PERC_USE CGD032 38.80 40.95 CGD032 2.15 3.28 2.15m @ 3.28 TGC_PERC_USE CGD033 49.30 50.96 CGD033 1.66 8.17 1.66m @ 8.17 TGC_PERC_USE CGD033 51.35 53.05 CGD033 1.70 11.01 1.70m @ 11.01 TGC_PERC_USE CGD033 64.45 65.60 CGD033 1.15 6.54 1.15m @ 6.54 TGC_PERC_USE CGD034 39.95 41.55 CGD034 1.60 6.87 1.60m @ 6.87 TGC_PERC_USE CGD034 73.50 74.70 CGD034 1.20 5.07 1.20m @ 5.07 TGC_PERC_USE SGS Geosol's graphitic carbon assay methods and equipment include the LECO carbon-sulphur analyzer and high temperature combustion infrared detection. During this procedure, the carbon in the sample is converted to carbon dioxide CO2, which is then measured by infrared (IR) detectors. Once the drilling is complete and all drillholes are assayed, the Company intends to process the obtained data in order to generate a Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") for the Capim Grosso asset, which will be combined with pilot metallurgical testing data and other relevant information in order to generate a Feasibility Study (FS) and fast track the project development. Table 3: Graphitic carbon assays from a further 34 drillholes completed to date on the Capim Grosso Project in Brazil (all drillholes to date have intersected graphite). Drill core was halved, and samples taken according to visual grade estimation in one meter increments. Where visual grade was regarded as continuous, sampling was completed up to a maximum of 2 m increments. Internal QA/QC was performed by Gratomic inserting a Certified Reference Material (CRM) every 20 samples, (OREAS 725) which assayed within 97% of the expected graphitic carbon value of the CRM. The QP therefore accepts the values of the laboratory assays. The intervals are regarded as true width (or as close as possible to) due to the dip of drillholes being perpendicular on measured dip of geology. HOLE # FROM_m TO_m INTERVAL_m SAMPLE # TGC_% CGD017 102,05 103,05 1 U4531 0,18 CGD017 103,05 104,05 1 U4532 0,59 CGD017 104,05 105,05 1 U4533 0,17 CGD017 105,05 106,05 1 U4534 0,21 CGD017 106,05 107,15 1,1 U4535 1,98 CGD017 107,15 108,05 0,9 U4536 0,37 CGD017 113,02 114,02 1 U4537 4,04 CGD017 114,02 115,03 1,01 U4538 4,63 CGD017 145,72 146,72 1 U4539 1,55 CGD017 146,72 147,72 1 U4540 1,58 CGD017 147,72 148,14 0,42 U4541 <0,05 CGD018 66,32 67,16 0,84 U4542 0,53 CGD018 67,16 68,26 1,1 U4543 0,2 CGD018 68,26 69,26 1 U4544 0,22 CGD018 69,26 70,26 1 U4547 0,3 CGD018 70,26 71,1 0,84 U4548 <0,05 CGD018 71,1 71,9 0,8 U4549 N.A. CGD018 81,65 82,6 0,95 U4550 0,1 CGD018 82,6 83,6 1 U4551 0,06 CGD018 83,6 84,76 1,16 U4552 0,15 CGD018 83,6 84,76 1,16 U4553 0,08 CGD018 120,65 121,65 1 U4554 3,62 CGD018 121,65 122,48 0,83 U4555 6,62 CGD019 98,3 99,26 0,96 U4556 2,14 CGD020 5,58 6,8 1,22 U4557 2,02 CGD020 6,8 7,78 0,98 U4558 1,11 CGD020 31,98 32,85 0,87 U4559 1,23 CGD020 31,98 32,85 0,87 U4560 1,55 CGD020 32,85 33,8 0,95 U4561 2,7 CGD020 34,4 35,24 0,84 U4562 1,19 CGD020 35,24 36,08 0,84 U4563 3,43 CGD020 61,45 62,29 0,84 U4564 2,13 CGD020 73,91 74,91 1 U4567 4,13 CGD020 94,25 95,25 1 U4568 0,56 CGD020 95,25 96,25 1 U4569 1,54 CGD020 96,25 97,25 1 U4570 0,96 CGD020 97,25 98,25 1 U4571 1,02 CGD020 98,25 99,25 1 U4572 1,28 CGD020 98,25 99,25 1 U4573 1,19 CGD020 99,25 100,25 1 U4574 0,85 CGD020 100,25 101,25 1 U4575 1,06 CGD020 101,25 102,25 1 U4576 0,54 CGD020 102,25 103,25 1 U4577 1,16 CGD020 103,25 104,25 1 U4578 0,16 CGD020 104,25 105,25 1 U4579 <0,05 CGD020 104,25 105,25 1 U4580 <0,05 CGD020 105,25 106,09 0,84 U4581 0,11 CGD020 106,09 106,89 0,8 U4582 0,08 CGD020 106,89 107,69 0,8 U4583 1,33 CGD020 138,85 139,85 1 U4584 3,26 CGD020 139,85 140,85 1 U4588 1,96 CGD020 142 142,95 0,95 U4589 0,19 CGD020 150,45 151,25 0,8 U4590 3,8 CGD021 8,3 9,26 0,96 U4591 2,11 CGD021 10,2 11,1 0,9 U4592 5,82 CGD021 11,1 12,12 1,02 U4593 0,9 CGD021 13,5 14,5 1 U4595 0,79 CGD021 40,25 41,25 1 U4596 1,94 CGD021 41,25 42,25 1 U4597 2,84 CGD021 42,25 43,25 1 U4598 2,1 CGD021 43,25 44,2 0,95 U4599 3,03 CGD021 44,2 45,2 1 U4600 0,17 CGD021 45,2 46 0,8 A0002 N.A. CGD021 64,55 65,55 1 A0003 4,68 CGD021 65,55 66,6 1,05 A0004 5,75 CGD021 66,6 67,6 1 A0005 0,7 CGD021 67,6 68,6 1 A0008 1,89 CGD021 68,6 69,5 0,9 A0009 0,84 CGD021 69,5 70,35 0,85 A0010 0,19 CGD021 72,35 73,44 1,09 A0011 0,73 CGD021 73,44 74,3 0,86 A0012 2,05 CGD021 74,95 75,75 0,8 A0013 0,18 CGD021 79,17 80 0,83 A0015 2,21 CGD021 80 80,8 0,8 A0016 1,76 CGD021 80,8 81,6 0,8 A0017 1,18 CGD021 97,81 98,61 0,8 A0018 0,87 CGD021 107,13 108 0,87 A0019 0,61 CGD021 108 108,8 0,8 A0020 0,35 CGD021 108,8 109,6 0,8 A0022 0,14 CGD021 109,6 110,45 0,85 A0023 0,07 CGD021 111,45 112,25 0,8 A0024 0,08 CGD021 112,25 113,07 0,82 A0025 7,24 CGD021 113,2 114,33 1,13 A0028 0,82 CGD021 123,3 124,1 0,8 A0029 1,74 CGD021 136,55 137,35 0,8 A0030 0,31 CGD021 137,35 138,35 1 A0031 0,26 CGD021 138,35 139,35 1 A0032 0,93 CGD021 139,35 140,2 0,85 A0033 0,65 CGD021 140,2 141 0,8 A0035 0,11 CGD022 51,25 52,45 1,2 A0036 1,46 CGD022 52,45 53,56 1,11 A0037 0,44 CGD022 73,5 74,6 1,1 A0038 1 CGD022 77,55 78,35 0,8 A0039 9,43 CGD022 78,35 79,21 0,86 A0040 5,02 CGD022 79,75 80,75 1 A0042 5,57 CGD022 81,75 82,75 1 A0043 6 CGD022 82,75 83,7 0,95 A0044 10,53 CGD022 84,63 85,47 0,84 A0045 1,79 CGD022 88,3 89,3 1 A0048 5,7 CGD022 89,3 90,3 1 A0049 4,39 CGD022 90,3 91,3 1 A0050 1,58 CGD022 91,3 92,3 1 A0051 0,23 CGD022 92,3 93,13 0,83 A0052 0,55 CGD022 93,13 93,93 0,8 A0053 1,26 CGD022 160,16 161,32 1,16 A0055 1,69 CGD022 162,55 163,35 0,8 A0056 0,75 CGD022 164,54 165,37 0,83 A0057 1,34 CGD022 165,37 166,17 0,8 A0058 1,42 CGD022 166,17 166,97 0,8 A0059 0,44 CGD022 173,85 174,71 0,86 A0060 0,95 CGD023 8,15 9,15 1 A0062 3,09 CGD023 9,15 10,15 1 A0063 0,85 CGD023 10,15 10,97 0,82 A0064 1,25 CGD023 12,49 13,39 0,9 A0065 1,28 CGD023 13,39 14,39 1 A0068 1,12 CGD023 79,95 80,81 0,86 A0069 4,74 CGD023 88,74 89,54 0,8 A0070 1,62 CGD023 105,8 106,65 0,85 A0071 1,85 CGD023 108,28 109,48 1,2 A0072 1,53 CGD023 118,65 119,45 0,8 A0073 0,5 CGD023 131,75 132,9 1,15 A0075 1,95 CGD024 0,97 1,97 1 A0076 0,6 CGD024 1,97 3,1 1,13 A0077 1,24 CGD024 4,25 5,25 1 A0078 0,23 CGD024 5,25 6,25 1 A0079 0,72 CGD024 6,25 7,05 0,8 A0080 0,59 CGD024 8,2 9 0,8 A0082 0,09 CGD024 14 14,8 0,8 A0083 0,61 CGD024 14,8 15,75 0,95 A0084 0,28 CGD024 14,8 15,75 0,95 A0085 0,37 CGD024 20,15 21,15 1 A0088 0,24 CGD024 21,15 22,3 1,15 A0089 0,15 CGD024 24,7 25,7 1 A0090 0,29 CGD024 25,7 26,55 0,85 A0091 0,99 CGD024 27,15 27,95 0,8 A0092 0,48 CGD024 86,7 87,5 0,8 A0093 3,31 CGD024 91,68 92,48 0,8 A0095 0,2 CGD024 92,48 93,28 0,8 A0096 3,76 CGD024 123,7 124,5 0,8 A0097 1,28 CGD025 40,53 41,35 0,82 A0098 1,02 CGD025 42,29 43,29 1 A0099 0,61 CGD025 44,9 45,95 1,05 A0100 4,3 CGD025 45,95 47,1 1,15 A0103 2,48 CGD025 70,1 71,17 1,07 A0104 4,95 CGD025 110,1 110,9 0,8 A0105 0,35 CGD025 112,6 113,8 1,2 A0108 4,1 CGD025 113,8 114,85 1,05 A0109 0,58 CGD025 115,24 116,24 1 A0110 1,38 CGD025 116,24 117,24 1 A0111 6,28 CGD025 117,24 118,24 1 A0112 2,76 CGD025 118,24 119,04 0,8 A0113 0,55 CGD025 119,04 119,94 0,9 A0115 1,48 CGD025 143,35 144,15 0,8 A0116 1,64 CGD025 147,3 148,1 0,8 A0117 2 CGD026 29 30 1 A0118 5,72 CGD026 30 31 1 A0119 2,25 CGD026 39,9 40,7 0,8 A0120 0,93 CGD026 40,7 41,65 0,95 A0121 0,97 CGD026 41,65 42,55 0,9 A0122 2,44 CGD026 46,4 47,6 1,2 A0123 N.A. CGD026 49,93 50,87 0,94 A0124 0,91 CGD026 51,65 52,55 0,9 A0125 0,46 CGD026 52,55 53,35 0,8 A0126 1,66 CGD026 53,35 54,55 1,2 A0127 N.A. CGD026 54,55 55,67 1,12 A0128 0,3 CGD026 57,46 58,26 0,8 A0129 9,52 CGD026 58,26 59,06 0,8 A0130 7,36 CGD026 59,06 59,96 0,9 A0131 N.A. CGD026 59,96 60,94 0,98 A0132 14,51 CGD026 60,94 61,83 0,89 A0133 <0,05 CGD026 67,68 68,5 0,82 A0134 1,61 CGD026 69,75 70,55 0,8 A0135 1,89 CGD026 70,55 71,35 0,8 A0136 10,61 CGD026 74,4 75,6 1,2 A0137 0,63 CGD026 75,6 76,64 1,04 A0138 0,47 CGD027 59,9 60,9 1 A0149 0,28 CGD027 60,9 61,9 1 A0150 0,1 CGD027 61,9 62,9 1 A0151 1,54 CGD027 62,9 63,9 1 A0152 1,86 CGD027 63,9 64,7 0,8 A0153 3,69 CGD027 71,2 72,2 1 A0154 0,22 CGD027 72,2 73,2 1 A0155 1,03 CGD027 73,2 74,2 1 A0156 <0,05 CGD027 74,2 75 0,8 A0157 1,72 CGD027 75 75,93 0,93 A0158 2,35 CGD027 86,7 87,84 1,14 A0159 1,89 CGD027 87,84 88,98 1,14 A0160 2,97 CGD027 111 111,8 0,8 A0161 N.A. CGD027 111,8 112,6 0,8 A0162 N.A. CGD027 112,6 113,45 0,85 A0163 N.A. CGD028 59,1 60,3 1,2 A0164 0,53 CGD028 60,3 61,13 0,83 A0165 1,33 CGD028 61,13 62,02 0,89 A0166 9,93 CGD028 63,5 64,3 0,8 A0169 0,18 CGD028 80,3 81,3 1 A0170 N.A. CGD028 81,3 82,1 0,8 A0171 4,7 CGD028 82,1 82,9 0,8 A0172 8,19 CGD028 104,8 105,8 1 A0173 0,33 CGD028 105,8 106,8 1 A0174 0,59 CGD028 106,8 107,8 1 A0175 0,07 CGD028 107,8 109 1,2 A0176 0,26 CGD028 109 110 1 A0177 N.A. CGD028 110 111 1 A0178 N.A. CGD028 111 112,05 1,05 A0179 N.A. CGD028 112,05 113,05 1 A0180 N.A. CGD028 113,05 113,9 0,85 A0181 4,62 CGD028 113,9 114,75 0,85 A0182 5,98 CGD029 34,46 35,46 1 A0183 <0,05 CGD029 35,46 36,55 1,09 A0184 <0,05 CGD029 36,55 37,55 1 A0185 0,14 CGD029 37,55 38,55 1 A0186 0,31 CGD029 41 42 1 A0189 N.A. CGD029 42 43 1 A0190 N.A. CGD029 43 44,2 1,2 A0191 6,2 CGD029 44,2 45,2 1 A0192 7,79 CGD029 45,2 46,2 1 A0193 5,8 CGD029 46,2 47,2 1 A0194 6,15 CGD029 47,2 48,2 1 A0195 5,65 CGD029 48,2 49,2 1 A0196 7,58 CGD029 49,2 50,25 1,05 A0197 7,23 CGD029 50,25 51,25 1 A0198 7,86 CGD029 51,25 52,25 1 A0199 6,7 CGD029 52,25 53,25 1 A0200 6,9 CGD029 53,25 54,25 1 A0201 7,74 CGD029 54,25 55,25 1 A0202 14,12 CGD029 55,25 56,25 1 A0203 11,31 CGD029 56,25 57,25 1 A0204 13,77 CGD029 57,25 58,25 1 A0205 23,74 CGD029 58,25 59,25 1 A0206 4,46 CGD029 59,25 60,18 0,93 A0209 0,08 CGD029 60,18 61,09 0,91 A0210 2,51 CGD029 61,09 62 0,91 A0211 7,5 CGD029 68,75 69,65 0,9 A0212 N.A. CGD029 69,65 70,55 0,9 A0213 N.A. CGD029 70,55 71,43 0,88 A0214 N.A. CGD029 71,43 72,45 1,02 A0215 0,61 CGD029 73,5 74,6 1,1 A0216 0,69 CGD029 88,13 89,13 1 A0217 N.A. CGD029 89,13 89,93 0,8 A0218 1,82 CGD029 89,93 90,73 0,8 A0219 N.A. CGD029 90,73 91,53 0,8 A0220 N.A. CGD029 91,53 92,47 0,94 A0221 4,44 CGD029 92,47 93,55 1,08 A0222 7,44 CGD030 69,05 70 0,95 A0223 0,18 CGD030 70 70,85 0,85 A0224 0,37 CGD030 70,85 71,7 0,85 A0225 0,4 CGD030 77,22 78,02 0,8 A0226 0,6 CGD030 78,02 78,82 0,8 A0229 0,59 CGD030 78,82 79,68 0,86 A0230 0,07 CGD030 80,09 81,09 1 A0231 3,79 CGD030 81,09 82,05 0,96 A0232 12,3 CGD030 82,05 83,05 1 A0233 7,73 CGD030 83,05 84 0,95 A0234 6,64 CGD030 84 85 1 A0235 6,9 CGD030 85 86,18 1,18 A0236 7,41 CGD030 124,8 126 1,2 A0237 3,89 CGD030 126 126,8 0,8 A0238 1,46 CGD030 126,8 128 1,2 A0239 10,72 CGD031 31,7 32,7 1 A0240 N.A. CGD031 32,7 33,9 1,2 A0241 N.A. CGD031 33,9 35,05 1,15 A0242 N.A. CGD031 35,05 35,95 0,9 A0243 2,59 CGD031 35,95 36,86 0,91 A0244 5,82 CGD031 36,86 37,86 1 A0245 8,45 CGD031 37,86 38,86 1 A0246 3,93 CGD031 38,86 39,81 0,95 A0249 3,94 CGD031 39,81 40,81 1 A0250 18,78 CGD031 40,81 41,76 0,95 A0251 21,74 CGD031 41,76 42,56 0,8 A0252 0,74 CGD031 42,56 43,36 0,8 A0253 0,29 CGD031 43,36 44,36 1 A0254 N.A. CGD031 44,36 45,2 0,84 A0255 N.A. CGD031 45,2 46 0,8 A0256 N.A. CGD031 67 68,1 1,1 A0257 N.A. CGD031 68,1 69,3 1,2 A0258 2,09 CGD031 69,3 70,3 1 A0259 8,51 CGD031 70,3 71,3 1 A0260 9,51 CGD031 71,3 72,3 1 A0261 5,59 CGD031 72,3 73,3 1 A0262 3,51 CGD031 73,3 74,3 1 A0263 7,48 CGD031 74,3 75,3 1 A0264 4,83 CGD031 75,3 76,3 1 A0265 0,52 CGD031 76,3 77,3 1 A0266 7,34 CGD031 77,3 78,3 1 A0269 7,64 CGD031 78,3 79,5 1,2 A0270 4,92 CGD031 79,5 80,7 1,2 A0271 5,93 CGD031 80,7 81,79 1,09 A0272 4,23 CGD031 81,79 82,79 1 A0273 7,51 CGD031 82,79 83,8 1,01 A0274 0,94 CGD031 83,8 85 1,2 A0275 1,51 CGD031 85 85,82 0,82 A0276 2,12 CGD031 95,25 96,43 1,18 A0277 4,56 CGD031 96,43 97,61 1,18 A0278 10,33 CGD031 97,61 98,52 0,91 A0279 5,2 CGD032 22,1 23,1 1 A0280 0,23 CGD032 23,1 24,1 1 A0281 0,2 CGD032 24,1 25,1 1 A0282 0,21 CGD032 25,1 26,1 1 A0283 0,89 CGD032 26,1 27,1 1 A0284 0,63 CGD032 27,1 28,3 1,2 A0285 0,16 CGD032 28,3 29,1 0,8 A0286 12,58 CGD032 29,1 30,1 1 A0289 14,95 CGD032 30,1 31,3 1,2 A0290 3,13 CGD032 31,3 32,4 1,1 A0291 10,24 CGD032 32,4 33,2 0,8 A0292 2,84 CGD032 33,2 34 0,8 A0293 4,49 CGD032 34 34,8 0,8 A0294 2,43 CGD032 34,8 35,7 0,9 A0295 7,39 CGD032 35,7 36,9 1,2 A0296 2,04 CGD032 36,9 37,9 1 A0297 N.A. CGD032 37,9 38,8 0,9 A0298 N.A. CGD032 38,8 39,9 1,1 A0299 3,95 CGD032 39,9 40,95 1,05 A0300 2,58 CGD033 37,13 38,13 1 A0301 N.A. CGD033 38,13 39,08 0,95 A0302 N.A. CGD033 45,47 46,47 1 A0303 N.A. CGD033 46,47 47,43 0,96 A0304 0,9 CGD033 47,43 48,25 0,82 A0305 1,37 CGD033 48,25 49,3 1,05 A0306 0,93 CGD033 49,3 50,16 0,86 A0309 7,33 CGD033 50,16 50,96 0,8 A0310 9,08 CGD033 51,35 52,15 0,8 A0311 16,56 CGD033 52,15 53,05 0,9 A0312 6,08 CGD033 53,05 53,95 0,9 A0313 N.A. CGD033 53,95 54,9 0,95 A0314 N.A. CGD033 54,9 55,7 0,8 A0315 N.A. CGD033 64,45 65,6 1,15 A0316 6,54 CGD034 38,8 39,95 1,15 A0317 N.A. CGD034 39,95 40,75 0,8 A0318 10,57 CGD034 40,75 41,55 0,8 A0319 3,17 CGD034 41,55 42,55 1 A0320 N.A. CGD034 72,65 73,5 0,85 A0321 N.A. CGD034 73,5 74,7 1,2 A0322 5,07 CGD034 74,7 75,5 0,8 A0323 N.A. CGD034 75,5 76,3 0,8 A0324 N.A. Qualified Persons Nico Scholtz is a consulting geologist and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Mr. Scholtz is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No. 400299/07). Mr. Scholtz is the Company's "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101. About Gratomic Gratomic is a multinational company with projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada. The Company is committed to becoming a leading global graphite supplier and aims to establish a strong position in the electric car battery supply chain. With the ongoing development of its flagship Aukam project and further exploration on the Company's Capim Grosso Graphite Project, Gratomic is setting itself apart by seeking unique high-quality assets around the world. The Company remains true to its roots and will continue to explore graphite deposits with development potential. The Company ranked third among the top 10 preforming TSX Venture 50 mining stocks of 2022. Large quantities of high-grade graphite concentrate have been shipped for testing following early positive results to confirm its suitability as an anode material. Gratomic is confident that the test results will provide a unique competitive advantage in its intended target markets. The Company will keep the public informed on the status of these tests and will announce the results as soon as they become available. On the January 25, 2023 Gratomic announced that it had entered into a LOI with Graphex Technologies to supply graphite through existing facilities and develop a downstream processing facility in the continental US. The Company has entered into a collaboration agreement with Forge Nano. With its patented ALD coating, this cooperation with Forge Nano is a key element in supporting Gratomic's strategies towards the value-added phases of production of graphite for anode applications through integrating its advanced atomic layered deposition technology to the coating of anode Graphite powders post micronizing and spheronizing. For more information: Visit www.gratomic.ca or contact: Arno Brand at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (416) 561- 4095 Sign up at gratomic.ca/contact/ to be added to our email list. For marketing and media information, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements, 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. Investors 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. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 13, 2019) - Aftermath Silver Ltd. (TSXV: AAG) (OTCQB: FLMZF) ("Aftermath" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's shares have been approved to trade on the OTCQB Market, under the symbol FLMZF . The Company will continue... Read More MONTREAL , April 24, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadian Metals Inc. (" CME " or the " Corporation ") ( CSE: CME ) is pleased to announce that it will hold an annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the " Meeting ") on May 17, 2023 . The record date for the shareholders entitled to vote at the... Read More VANCOUVER, Dec. 19, 2017 /CNW/ - Eldorado Gold Corporation ("Eldorado" or the "Company") confirms that at the request of the arbitral panel, the 90-day arbitration period has been extended by 60 days to now end on April 6, 2018. This domestic arbitration is with respect to the action initiated by... Read More Mom asked her son Ralph Yarl to pick up his siblings BY COREY CRABLE By Joe Arce According to law enforcement reports, 16 year old Ralph Yarl was doing what his mother asked him to do by picking up his siblings from a friends house last week in the northland of KCMO. The young boy rang the doorbell of the house and within seconds he was shot twice. Clay county prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson said Andrew D. Lester (84) has been charged with two felony counts assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. Lester was arrested and later he posted bond. He is now back home. According to Clay county prosecutor report, Yarl rang the doorbell shortly before 10 p.m. last week and waited for someone to respond, attorney Lee Merritt, who has been retained by the family, told NBC News. Whoever was inside took a little longer than he anticipated to respond, and so he just waited at the door, Merritt said, citing a statement Yarl gave to law enforcement investigators from his hospital bed on Friday. He heard rustling around going on in the house and then finally the door was opened, the attorney explained. And he was confronted by a man who told him, Dont come back around here, and then he immediately fired his weapon. Yarl was shot in the head, which cracked his skull and left him with a critical, traumatic brain injury, the attorney said. While the teenager was still on the ground, the homeowner opened fire a second time, striking Yarl in the upper right arm, Merritt said. How the encounter turned violent so quickly still confuses Yarl as he recovers, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore said. Well remind him like, Ralph, youre alive, buddy. And then he has the times where hes like, Why? I did nothing wrong. Why? I did nothing wrong. And he just cannot understand why, Spoonmore said. So its waves. He goes through waves. Merritt said Yarl is now in stable condition and out of the hospital and recovering at home. Lester was taken into custody and held for 24 hours, the maximum for a suspect in a felony until charges were filed. Yarl said the person (Lester) who shot him was a white man who seemed angry and hostile by his presence on the property, said his attorney. KC Mayor Quinton Lucas wrote on his Facebook page, I am relived to see this first step towards justice for Ralph Yarl with this Monday felony charges. Now we must remain engaged through trial. U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) released the following statement on the shooting of Ralph Yarl in Kansas City. By all accounts, Ralph Yarl is a bright, hard-working, responsible young man, who loves his family and performing in the Staley High School marching band. Last week, like countless other older brothers have done before him, Mr. Yarl was simply trying to retrieve his younger siblings and ensure they got home safely. Tragically, Mr. Yarl was nearly killed in the process. I am incredibly thankful that Mr. Yarl is alive and recoveringbut there is not a child in the world that deserves to be shot for ringing the wrong doorbell. While I pray for the healing of Mr. Yarl and his family, I am anxiously awaiting a swift, thorough, and comprehensive investigation into the shooting by local authorities. However, I want to be very clear that Ralph Yarl should be safe and at home with his family right now. I can think of no justification for shooting a child multiple times for ringing the wrong doorbelland we as a society ought to think very carefully about whether or not that is the world we want to live in. In this moment, it is imperative that we allow local law enforcement to investigate all the facts of the shooting. We must ensure that justice is served and the law is upheld. Mr. Yarl and our communities in Kansas City deserve nothing less, said Clever. Support for Ralph Yarl has come from across the country and area students held a peaceful rally for justice. Also a Go Fund Me account has been set up for him for Yarl medical needs and it is nearing $2 million dollar as of this week. Additional Sources KCUR and NBC BY JOE ARCE AND COREY CRABLE Kansas Citys Latino population will soon be able to have their local stories told on a national stage. A representative from the Smithsonian Institutes National Museum of the American Latino recently visited Kansas City in order to solicit feedback from local residents on the benefit of a mobile museum that would share local Latino history and culture. The museum would include several major U.S. cities that boast large Latino populations, including Kansas City metro areas. We are visiting different cities to have community conversations with folks on how we can improve more intentional outreach experiences with the museum, said Adrian Aldaba, manager of education and public programming with the Smithsonians National Museum of American Latino, which was created by congressional legislation passed in 2020. Were looking to learn from the Kansas City community about local history in terms of how we can best represent their stories in our programs. When we bring things to this region, we want to make sure they resonate with the communities we intend to serve. Dr. Gene Chavez, local historian-in-residence at the Kansas City Museum, said he invited Smithsonian representatives to town himself, and that he has enjoyed hearing the feedback supplied at the listening sessions, which have taken place at the Mattie Rhodes Center and the Argentine Library, among other locations. Everyone loves the idea of a mobile unit that will stop at places like the Guadalupe Centers and the Argentine Library, Chavez said. (The Smithsonian) wants to make sure local stories are highlighted. Chavez said that anytime anyone can learn more about the history of Latinos in Kansas City, its a great experience. Ive even had people in our white community say, What? There are Mexicans in Kansas City? Chavez said. They went back to before Missouri and Kansas were states. Hispanics have been here for centuries. Chavez added that he gets especially excited when young people contact him to ask questions about the history of Latinos in the city. Were also experiencing young people coming in and wanting to learn all of the time, he said. I get calls regularly from students, and theyre very interested. Local Kansas City, Kansas resident Teresa Pacheco said the mobile museum and Kansas Citys contributions to it will be an asset. It was so enlightening for me to think that someone would want to come into our community and hear our story, Pacheco said. It was nice to hear they wanted to get information from us, but to also remind them of what Latinos have done in the U.S. as well. Even Aldaba said he learned from those at the listening sessions. Ive learned about the continued rich contributions of our communities to the Midwest and the enduring presence of Mexican-Americans in Kansas City since the 1920s, Aldaba said. He added that Kansas Citys Latino-serving institutions, including Mattie Rhodes and the Guadalupe Centers, are impressive landmarks in the community. Im inspired because it shows the commitment and permanence, that over the generations there has been a commitment to serve our communities. Thats what were trying to do at our museum, too. For more information contact Dr. Gene Chavez at (913) 206-2936. Kang San (Ryeo Un) burst into a painful confession to Yoon Dan Oh (Shin Ye Eun) in "The Secret Romantic Guesthouse" episode 7. 'The Secret Romantic Guesthouse' Episode 7: Kang San Makes Confession to Yoon Dan Oh Jang Tae Hwa (Oh Man Seok) threatened Yoon Dan Oh with a sword, in the middle of the tension, Kang San appeared as a masked swordsman and fought against Tae Hwa's soldiers. When Kang San was about to be caught, another masked man appeared. The next day, Jung Yoo Ha (Jung Gun Joo) the other hand, goes to Kang San, who is practicing martial arts informs him that Yoon Dan Oh went to Gwacheon. He also found out that Kang San was the masked swordsman. Kim Si Yeol (Kang Hoon) and Jung Yoo Ha evaded the Hangseong Bu soldiers who were following them and arrived at the Gwacheon house where Yoon Dan Oh was. She was heartbroken by Kang San, who did not come. Jung Yoo Ha asked Yoon Dan Oh how she was doing and replied she was doing well. He candidly said I miss you to her which surprised Dan Oh. Kang San was recommended by Jang Tae Hwa to join the association, but he humbly declined and showed his caution. Meanwhile, Yoon Dan Oh was surprised to find a small round cover with a dragon pattern carved in a small box. It was a compass that the child he had saved in the past gave her. While searching for information about the child, Yoon Dan Oh was surprised when Kang San appeared came to see her. She turned away from him and avoid eye contact with him. Furthermore, Yoon Dan Oh said she knew that Kang San was the masked swordsman in the hermitage and get angry with him for not taking care of himself. He always sacrificed himself every time she was in danger. And Kang San candidly confessed that he went there not because of his job as a swordsman but knowing that Yoon Dan Oh was there in danger and he could not think of anything and save her. Jung Yoo Ha Discovers About His Biological Father's Secret Will Meanwhile, Jung Yoo Ha and Kim Si Yeol went to Jung Chon street and witnessed a pile of books of "Three Han Secrets" where burning. Soldiers announced that there was an order to execute all those who read the Samhan Secrets, regardless of gender and age. Jung Yoo Ha was angry. With the help of Hwa Ryeong, they evaded the soldiers. At that time he discovered Hwa Ryeong's real identity and her relationship with Jung Yoo Ha's biological father. After reading the will of his father, Jung Yoo Ha met Shin Won Ho and tried to ally. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Oasis' Episode 11: Seol In Ah Moves On From Jang Dong Yoon What can you say about Ryeo Un and Shin Ye Eun's blossoming romance in "The Secret Romantic Guesthouse" episode 7? Share your replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Following the release of posters and drama trailers, Netflix drops new still images of Ahn Eun Jin in her newest acting role in the drama "The Good Bad Mother"! The forthcoming dramedy marks the actress' return to the small screen this 2023, raising anticipation for Ahn Eun Jin's performance! Ahn Eun Jin Transforms Into Nail Technician In 'The Good Bad Mother' On April 11, Netflix raised the excitement of prospective viewers by releasing new teasers for "The Good Bad Mother" featuring Ahn Eun Jin! The forthcoming series depicts the heartwarming story of a mother who cares for her prosecutor son who becomes child-like again after an unexpected incident. In the series, Ahn Eun Jin transforms into Kang Mi Joo, a charming young woman from a humble village who dreams of achieving success in Seoul. She is also Lee Do Hyun's Choi Kang Ho's best friend and "sanctuary." After failing to prosper in the city, Kang Mi Joo decides to come home in hopes to redeem herself and change for the better. The newly published photos capture her peak as a high school student. Kang Mi Joo flaunts her bright smiles as she cheers for Choi Kang Ho who took his college entrance exam. However, things change in the next image as Kang Mi Joo shows her life in Seoul as a nail technician. She looks more reserved and mature than in the previous photos; even her smile is gone. Curiosity about what happened to Kang Mi Joo is raised. Fans couldn't wait to discover what kind of life she has lived and the relationship she has with Choi Kang Ho whom she hasn't seen in years. Furthermore, "The Good Bad Mother" airs for the first time on April 26 at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC. It will also be released on Netflix with English subtitles. Catch the teaser here, ICYMI: Ahn Eun Jin To Make Silver Screen Comeback This 2023 Besides "The Good Bad Mother," the South Korean actress will also headline the new MBC rom-com series "Lovers" Namgoong Min! Ahn Eun Jin plays the role of Yoo Gil Chae, a beautiful wealthy woman who falls in love once again after her two divorces. The catch? The man she loves doesn't believe in romance! Expectations are high for the two who both showcased their skills as actors in their previous works. Meanwhile, "Lovers" will air in the second half of 2023. In addition to that, Ahn Eun Jin will also lead the approaching works "Citizen Deok Hee" and "Goodbye Earth" which are both aimed to be released within the year! KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. NDP Health Critic Don Davies responds to a question during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. Davies says government dental benefits for Indigenous people should be improved if the new national dental insurance plan offers better or more accessible services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld PLEASANT PRAIRIE A group of wild turkeys in the Rolling Meadows neighborhood is a point of contention, recalling a similar debate surrounding Carl the Turkey, a famous local fowl, who was killed two years ago. The Village of Pleasant Prairie announced it is working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Rolling Meadows neighborhood, which generally sits between 39th and 30th Avenues and 93rd and 104th Streets, to relocate the wild turkeys that have reportedly become aggressive toward vehicles and pedestrians. According to the village communications manager Steven Linn, the first step was to remove ground-level feeders to prevent the turkeys from becoming dependent on food in the area, at which point the DNR would assist in relocation. The Village is committed to ensuring the safety of residents and wildlife in the area and plans to continue to work closely with the DNR to ensure the turkeys are relocated safely and appropriately, Linn said. Village Administrator Eric Rindfleisch said village staff were working to update village ordinances regarding the feeding of wild animals. During Mondays board meeting, Rolling Meadows resident Wendi Rose said the turkeys had taken over the neighborhood. Ive had delivery drivers who will no longer deliver because theyll be chased, the postman is always chased, Rose said. At some point Im fearful that either a child, a dog or a person is going to be hurt. She raised additional concerns about possible disease from turkey droppings. Turkey supporters Not all residents are opposed to the turkeys making the neighborhood their home, however. Resident Gary Ostermiller said that the original turkey, a female, has been in the neighborhood for about four years. He estimates there are six or seven turkeys in the group; two older toms, one younger jake and the rest female. While he agreed the males could be aggressive during mating season, he took issue with calls to remove the birds. Since efforts to reintroduce turkeys to the region, populations had been spreading out, Ostermiller argued. People had to learn how to live with the animals sharing their land. Im against the relocation, Ostermiller said. Its the natural progression of the reintroduction of turkeys in the area. He viewed the birds as a pleasant fixture to the area. Ostermiller also worried that ordinances to stop feeding turkeys would impact all bird feeders, even if they werent necessarily meant for turkeys. Carl the Turkey Similar debates surrounded Forest Parks bird resident Carl the Turkey, who gained a reputation throughout the county two years ago. He had both a loyal fan base and his fair share of critics. Much like the current group of turkeys, Carl was known to walk freely through his neighborhood. Facebook groups dedicated to the bird gained thousands of followers. Some residents complained Carl was aggressive, others worried about his habit of standing in the road. Concerns about residents and Carls safety went back and forth, with attempts by local wildlife groups to relocate Carl meeting resistance from some Forest Park residents, until Dec. 7, 2021, when he was struck and killed by a vehicle. Even today, small memorials to Carl can still be found around Kenosha, and his Facebook fan page still boasts thousands of members. 2 Shares Share The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on the health care system and its professionals. With an increased demand for nursing staff during the crisis, many young nurses entered the workforce to fill the gap. However, this new generation of nurses has brought a set of expectations and attitudes that are now putting a strain on hospitals and impacting physician salaries. This article will explore the entitlement and the lack of commitment seen in some younger nursing staff, the consequences of early retirement among health care workers, and the domino effect on the medical system. The expectation for higher pay: a shift in perception With the influx of new nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have become accustomed to the high salaries offered to travel nurses. As a result, they expect similar wages and are unwilling to settle for less. This sense of entitlement has led to higher expenses for hospitals and health care systems, putting financial pressure on their budgets and causing a ripple effect reaching physicians. Lack of commitment: the hourly worker mentality In addition to their expectations for higher wages, some younger nurses have adopted an hourly worker mentality, treating their jobs purely as a means to a paycheck. This attitude contrasts the captain of the ship mentality held by many physicians, where they see themselves as responsible for their patients overall care and well-being. The lack of commitment and loyalty shown by these nurses has led to increased job-hopping, with nurses moving from one hospital to another without any sense of ownership in their work. Early retirement: The COVID-19 push The pandemic has also prompted many health care workers, including nurses and physicians, to retire earlier than planned. This sudden departure has exacerbated the nursing shortage and placed additional strain on the remaining workforce. As a result, hospitals have had to depend more heavily on the new generation of nurses, further driving up salary expectations and contributing to the overall financial burden. The domino effect: decreased workforce and increased strain This combination of entitlement, lack of commitment, and early retirement has created a domino effect on the medical system. With a reduced workforce, the remaining health care professionals have had to work harder to accommodate the increased patient load. This has led to increased burnout and stress, potentially affecting the quality of care provided to patients. Other factors: overburdened hospitals and growing demand The aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic illnesses also contribute to the growing demand for health care services. This has placed additional pressure on hospitals and health care systems, which are already struggling to manage the financial and workforce challenges brought about by the pandemic and the new generation of nurses. Artificial intelligence: a potential solution to the crisis? As the medical system faces these challenges, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a potential solution to help mitigate the strain. AI can support health care professionals in several ways: 1. Enhanced efficiency. AI-powered tools can help nurses and physicians optimize their workload by automating administrative tasks, such as scheduling, documentation, and billing. This allows health care professionals to focus on providing high-quality patient care and potentially reduce burnout. 2. Improved patient care. AI can support decision-making by providing data-driven insights and predictive analytics, helping health care professionals make more informed diagnoses, treatment plans, and prognoses. This can improve patient outcomes and reduce the pressure on the overburdened medical staff. 3. Telemedicine and remote monitoring. AI-powered telemedicine platforms can facilitate remote patient monitoring and consultations, reducing the need for in-person visits and alleviating the strain on hospital resources. This can also help health care professionals manage their workloads more effectively. 4. Workforce training and development. AI can support the training and development of health care professionals by providing personalized learning experiences, identifying skill gaps, and offering targeted educational resources. This can help nurture a more skilled and versatile workforce, better prepared to tackle the evolving challenges of the medical system. Legislation and cultural changes for AI-medical training for a new subclass of health care workers To address the strain on the health care workforce, legislation, and cultural changes are needed to create a new subclass called Healthcare Expert Leveraging Patient-centered Efficient Resource (HELPER). This new classification of health care workers will have access to AI technology and be supervised by physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. They will be trained to provide patient care at the assistant medical level, but with the added benefit of AI tools and support. The training for HELPERs will be different from traditional medical assistant programs, focusing more on AI and technology. This will allow for shorter training times, ranging from 9 to 24 months, enabling more people to enter the workforce sooner and help address the current health care crisis. The HELPERs will have access to a health care database powered by AI, called BioGPT, which will provide them with data-driven insights to support decision-making and improve patient care. The introduction of HELPERs will provide more health care workers in the event of the next pandemic, allowing the medical system to be better prepared to handle the surge in demand. It will also enable health care professionals to focus on more complex cases and procedures while the HELPERs can support administrative and routine tasks. While AI cannot directly address entitlement and lack of commitment among some nursing staff, it can help alleviate some of the strain on the medical system and create a more sustainable environment for health care professionals to thrive. However, ensuring that AI is implemented responsibly and ethically is crucial, focusing on complementing human expertise rather than replacing it. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in the health care system, including the emergence of a new generation of nurses with different expectations and attitudes and the early retirement of many health care workers. These factors and the increasing demand for health care services have created a domino effect that has strained hospitals and affected physician salaries. Artificial intelligence may offer relief by enhancing efficiency, improving patient care, and supporting workforce development. The medical community must address these challenges and foster a sense of responsibility and unity among all health care professionals to ensure the highest quality of patient care. Harvey Castro is a physician, health care consultant, and serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the health care industry. He can be reached on his website, harveycastromd.info, Twitter @HarveycastroMD, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. He is the author of The AI-Driven Entrepreneur: Unlocking Entrepreneurial Success with Artificial Intelligence Strategies and Insights, ChatGPT and Healthcare: The Key To The New Future of Medicine, ChatGPT and Healthcare: Unlocking The Potential Of Patient Empowerment, Revolutionize Your Health and Fitness with ChatGPTs Modern Weight Loss Hacks, and Success Reinvention. 1 Shares Share Premeds, dont let them mislead you again. It was once said that if we were 30 percent less intelligent, we would likely become happier. Sadly, awareness precedes intelligence. There is terrifyingly little strength involved in witnessing any tragedy that would either take a very long time to unsee or would stick with us to the grave. Around January, we heard the shot go around the world; 11 of Americas most leading medical schools announced their departure from USNWRs rankings. And it seems more medical schools will join them, as Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine decided to leave a few days ago. Like most of you, we were initially elated that action has been taken against a flawed system, but we later returned to our instincts driven by skepticism. We came to multiple conclusions, and Im personally tempted to even call out an unlikely conspiracy. Maybe the USNWR is taking a hit, but a small one at best. The medical schools with the greatest amount of perceived prestige, brought up by famous leaders originating from a time when USWNR was unpopular, still represent a small number. As a reminder there are still 154 medical schools in the United States, and a good majority of schools still have not stated their intentions with the rankings system. I can expect some of the remaining medical schools that consistently held the top 25 spots, such as New York University Grossman School of Medicineand University of San Francisco, to gun for the spots left behind. We have yet to hear from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine after their law school announced its departure. I suppose nothing will change at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine based on the outcome of its AOA Chapter alone. Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine may avoid experiencing incongruence while its affiliated hospital maintains the title of being the best in the country, and Baylor College of Medicine may take this chance to be ranked very highly once again, just like during the late 2000s. And for a school notably famous for its Yale system, why isnt Yale School of Medicine saying anything? Some could argue that the departure from the rankings lowers accountability, but we disagree to a certain extent. The schools who left right now clearly have a reputation, and they never depended on the USWNR in the first place. For those remaining, especially the ones within the top 40, there might be an incentive for them. Ultimately, the USNWR rankings serve as PR marketing, and there hasnt been a faster method to promote the presence of a medical school besides relying on the rankings. Technology usually makes traditional processes easier to execute like online dating as an example. In this case, it takes far less time to Google-search the USWNR rankings to see the top 25 most popular medical schools and read Wikipedia pages of those institutions to somewhat be familiar to them, compared to the traditional word-of-mouth approach. Of course, there are consequences, just like in online dating. The residency program director score ratings (which were unusually revealed in Reddit forums) and ratings in Doximity for residencies tend to stem from the rankings. When program directors respond to surveys about residency programs, its usually based on a level of perception that isnt objective. Feeling intimidated and inferior under extreme circumstances about institutions and their programs due to historic events that occurred during our parents youth is clearly not a valid approach to ranking them. And that is why we feel optimistic about the abandoning of USWNR rankings. Maybe its time to finally look at current medical students (residents if they sadly graduated already) and sincerely guide them to be their best? Do we really need to continue promoting famous-but-dead physicians as marketable mascots to receive excessive funding for research? Should we not validate a trend between research spending and innovation that can be potentially similar to healthcare spending and patient outcomes?! Of course, theres also the bad side. As noted before, we agree to an extent that the departure from the USWNR rankings could lead to lower accountability. In truth, the Medical Schools Admission Requirements always remain the best tool to gauge an applicants chances of admissions, and this years update is going to be very special. If medical schools no longer decide to keep their data of the 2018 entering class, or if its even possible to do such a thing, then admissions can certainly become unreasonably competitive. We just might expect the median GPA and MCAT to increase into 3.9 and 518, respectively, and most schools in Florida and Texas are already approaching the 3.86 mark. And when it is more likely to matriculate with below-average stats in 2018 compared to 2022, then certainly the interquartile ranges can get more narrow. That is what probably bothers many prospective applicants this year. Medical school admissions can suddenly face less accountability in their decision-making, and its because they can. They definitely have more control in reporting their data to the MSAR, unlike with the USWNR, and many deans believe it is no longer worth reporting to them. You cant prove you have a headache over something you can control instantly. Ultimately, we need to see how exactly this application cycle turns out. My bet is that the nontraditional students will be at a severe disadvantage, and it might get horrific between them and medical students serving as screeners. Since we have evolved to no longer discriminate based on race, lets make an example of the outdated 24-29-year-old applicants with damaged goods. They clearly dont belong in medical school, no matter what, right? To clarify, a nontraditional student is actually someone who is at least 30 years old and spends more than three years after graduating with a bachelors. They have authentic life experiences and didnt just start medical school immediately after their masters program, which they started immediately after undergrad. Even if the medical school rankings become obsolete, the undergraduate colleges rankings can still be difficult to abandon, and I find that the prestige of your undergrad often determines your specialty choice as well as the program site. The USWNR took a hit only after several years of medical schools investing in its value. We can avoid the bad side and focus on medical students like any educational institution should. However, it will still take a long time to undo the questionable habit of prioritizing prestige over the quality of education and training. Its not that medical students today dont care about the rankings, but that they may no longer care about their schools ranking after their third year. No medical student attending a reputable medical school isnt going to convince us 21-year-olds that they genuinely want to practice primary care in a private clinic in a rural city. At least I keep track of what medical schools are walking the talk by Google-searching their commencement programs. No Reddit; just watching the action and culture of the medical schools as MS4s graduate through live streaming. James Goldchild is a premedical intern. 153 Shares Share A KevinMD article about Jimmy Carters end-of-life care decision, The heartbreaking story of Jimmy Carter: a call for Medicare reform in end-of-life care, indicated that the former presidents decision was heartbreaking. However, I have a different view. In my opinion, the 39th president, at age 98, made an autonomous and well-informed decision. On February 18, The Carter Center announced in a statement that after a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and his medical team. In the March 29, 1984 issue of USA Today, I stated that often there is an obscure point in the continuum of intensive treatment when it is death, not life, that is being prolonged. We must remember that pneumonia, once described as the old mans friend, has died. Thus it is even more important that patients be allowed to remain the beneficiaries of modern technology, not its victims. In the Spring 1994 issue of Stanford Medicine, I wrote that with distressing frequency, were doing too little for patients and too much to them. Real caring often means choosing not to perform invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that extend the dying process instead of improving life. When a patient in the ICU or on a medical surgical unit is unlikely to survive to be discharged, studies have confirmed that a DNAR order, along with a focus on comfort measures emphasizing pain and symptom management, not only extends a patients remaining days but also improves the quality of his or her life during this period. A column co-authored with internist Lawrence Schneiderman and former chair of the ethics committee at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, published in the May/June 2007 issue of the Hastings Center Report, was titled Physicians Should Not Always Pursue a Good Clinical Outcome. Although good clinical and patient outcomes are usually aligned, this is not always the case. Predictably, cardiologists are proud of helping the patient maintain a strong cardiac output, nephrologists want to make sure the patients kidney function is adequate, and pulmonologists properly concentrate on lung capacity and viability. However, if the patient has metastatic cancer with no likelihood of survival, timely referral for hospice services should be the priority. Under these circumstances, death should not be viewed as a medical failure. Conversely, causing or allowing a bad death represents an ethical failure. An article co-authored with Douglas Van Houten, assistant chief nursing officer, Washington Hospital, Fremont, CA, appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Health Progress. It was titled When the ICU Is Not the Answer. We identified ten recurring issues that characterized many cases when we conducted ethics rounds. For example, one such issue was Staff members are concerned and uncomfortable when asked to provide treatment they feel is not in the patients best interest, and they experience moral distress in providing what they consider painful and inappropriate treatment. Consequently, 12 guidelines were recommended based on preventive ethics to reduce the number and magnitude of issues potentially compromising patients, families, and staff members. The first guideline was As early as possible after a patients ICU admission, assuming the patient is unable to express his or her preference (and has prepared no advance directive regarding such preferences and a designated surrogate), family members or friends should be asked for information about the patients values, goals, and any previously stated treatment preferences. Potential treatment goals are identified by the patients principal attending physician in light of this information, and expectations are clarified. Unfortunately, patients near the end-of-life are often referred for hospice services and palliative care belatedly. Instead of lamenting President Carters decision to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention, the author should have endorsed and applauded this decision. Overall, it is important for health care providers to recognize the limitations of medical interventions and respect patients autonomy in making end-of-life decisions. As health care professionals, it is our duty to provide patients with all the information they need to make informed decisions and support them in their choices. Hospice care and palliative care can provide patients with a more comfortable and dignified end-of-life experience, and we should strive to ensure that these options are available to all patients who need them. Paul B. Hofmann is a health care consultant. By Mike Sebalu Men and boys rights activists are asking the government to integrate men into programmes that will address challenges that have forced the majority to shy away from their responsibilities. During his Easter sermon at the All Saint Cathedral Nakasero, Church of Uganda Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu expressed concern over the overwhelming number of absentee fathers. Kazimba revealed that the boys to men study launched by the Church recently established that 10% of men had fathered children they were not aware of. Also, 40% of men had fathered children and abandoned them, while 25% of households were headed by women. Speaking to KFM, Reuben Mugabuzi the Chief Executive Officer, of Mens Forum Against Domestic Violence in Uganda concurs with the findings, asking the government to empower men just like it is done for women to minimise such ugly scenarios. Embattled Karamoja Affairs minister Dr. Mary Goretti Kitutu is this afternoon expected to re-appear before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala. Kitutu and her brother, Naboya Kitutu were on Thursday last week remanded by the Anti-Corruption Court to Luzira prison over the alleged mismanagement of relief items meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja sub-region. The duo was charged with six counts including causing loss of public property and conspiracy to defraud the government and alleged mismanagement and loss of 14,500 iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme. Meanwhile, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said earlier that more ministers and senior government officials are to be charged over the Karamoja iron sheets. The Uganda Police Force has suspended CPL Ogwal Yeeko for attacking (pepper-spraying) journalists as they covered the arrest of pre-medical interns who attempted to march to Parliament over delayed commencement of medical internship. According to a statement issued by police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, Ogwal has been suspended and handed over to the Professional Standards Unit as investigations continue. Additionally, the Force has summoned three police leaders (officers in charge) as investigations into the attacks continue. The officer who acted unprofessionally has been identified as CPL Ogwal Yeeko. Although the officer issued an apology to the journalists, he has still been suspended and handed over to the Professional Standards Unit, for investigations, Enanga said in a statement. We have also sent out a new administrative circular to all territorial commanders to regularly review their enforcement operations, in line with what the public rightly expects from them, Enanga added. Enanga further condemned the manner in which two journalists from Next Media (Isano Francis and Thomas Kitimbo) were attacked and pepper sprayed on Tuesday while on duty. Several journalists have come out to condemn the brutal actions of some police officers where some of their colleagues were assaulted in the line of duty. The National Executive Director of Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ), Robert Ssempala, said they plan to engage media house owners and other stakeholders for a way forward. By Shabibah Nakirigya The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Uganda H.E Jamal Al madan has urged Muslims to respect the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan which is expected to end mid this month. Speaking to the media while handing over Iftar items to different Muslim institutions at their embassy in Kampala as its annual activity, Amb. Almadan said that during the last ten days of the holy month, Muslims should put in extra energy to praise Allah, recite the Quran, help the needy, and ask for forgiveness. Amb. Al madan added that as a Muslim-based embassy, they have decided to give out Iftar items to different Muslim institutions so that they can help the needy starting from their respective communities where they are operating from. The Rector of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda one of the institutions which received the Iftar items said that in the last ten days, Muslims should continue strengthening their intention by praying to Allah for forgiveness, increase love among Muslims and enable them to complete the holy month in peace. Two local young people will represent Kilkenny in the final of the National Youth Awards next weekend. Sean Moloney, a TY student in St Kieran's College, and Emma Bergin, a TY student in Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny, will take part in the competition. The event will take place in Lyrath Estate Hotel on April 22. Emma Bergin Guests will be treated to a three-course meal and a disco that allows club members from communities across Ireland celebrate their involvement with the No Name! Club and party in a safe, alcohol free, supervised setting. The awards are held at the end of each year in recognition of club members who have made an outstanding contribution to the No Name Club and their community. Club members initially compete at regional level before selection to go forward for the national finals. Sean Moloney In interviews on and off-stage, finalists will discuss their work in volunteering, community, club and school and their involvement in everything from student councils, to music and sport. They also acknowledge the campaigns run by their clubs, including partaking in Darkness into Light, raising funds for Pieta House and awareness for the important of mental health. The No Name Club is a national youth volunteer-led organisation originally founded in 1978 in Kilkenny, and is now found in many counties around Ireland. Speaking at Ulster University earlier today, U.S. President Joe Biden made passing reference to the architect from Kilkenny who designed the White House, James Hoban. He told those gathered: "As a matter of fact as you walk into my office, the Oval Office, in the US capital, guess what? You know who founded and designed and built the White House? An Irishman. Thats not a joke. Not a joke. Passing it down generation after generation. "Your history is our history. But even more importantly your future is Americas future." James Hoban left County Kilkenny for Philadelphia in the 1780s as a promising young architect. In 1792, Hoban was named winner of the design competition for the White House. Following the 1814 burning of the White House, Hoban is said to have rebuilt the Southern Portico for President James Monroe (1824) and the Northern Portico for President Andrew Jackson (1829). Hoban also is believed to have designed Rossenarra House near Kilmoganny in Ireland in 1824. Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, has welcomed the announcement by Fianna Fail Minister Jack Chambers, which approves the hiring of 75 additional driver testers by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). This move is aimed at addressing the current backlog in the Driver Testing Service. The additional 75 testers will bring the potential total number of testers to over 200, in addition to the 30 extra testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and have been fully deployed since the end of March 2023. The recruitment process for the new testers will be conducted through open competition, and the RSA anticipates that the new testers will be trained and ready to work from October of this year. With the new testers in place, customers can expect to see improvements in their waiting times, and the RSA expects the backlog of applicants to be returned to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024. The demand for driving tests has reached unprecedented levels, with applications in 2022 being 28% higher than 2021 levels and 27% up on 2018 pre-Covid-19 pandemic. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said that 'the current backlog in the Driver Testing Service has caused considerable frustration for many people who need to obtain their driving licence for work, education or other purposes'. "Ive dealt with so many constituents facing really long delays with driving tests and this is a positive step by the Government," she said "These additional testers will help to address this backlog and ensure that people across Carlow and Kilkenny can obtain their driving licences in a timely and efficient manner." The new hires will reportedly bring the potential total number of testers to over 200 and address the current backlog in the Driver Testing Service. It is in addition to the 30 extra testers previously sanctioned in July 2022 and who have been fully deployed since end of March 2023. With these new testers in place, Irish learners will see improvements in their waiting times and the RSA expect the backlog of applicants to be returned to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024. According to the Department of Transport, applications for driving tests in 2022 were 28% higher than 2021 levels and 27% up on 2018 pre-Covid pandemic levels. Speaking today, Minister Ryan said, "I am delighted to confirm that the RSA has received sanction to hire up to 75 additional driver testers to address the backlog that has arisen due to unprecedented demand in the driver testing service. "These additional testers will enable the RSA to begin reversing the growing backlog. It is important to recognise that there are no quick fixes or easy solutions, but my Department will continue to keep the situation under review." Minister of State Chambers said, "This approval for new testers for the RSA is a positive and proactive response to an ongoing problem within the Driver Testing Service across the state. By increasing the number of driver testers, the RSA can provide the testing service they are committed to delivering and a quality service each customer deserves. I would like to thank the public who have been patient while we manage these demand pressures on the service. "The progress made in the driver testing service will be carefully monitored, and the RSA will work to provide as many tests as possible as safely as possible. CEO of the Road Safety Authority, Sam Waide, said, "I welcome this decision by the Ministers and would like to thank my colleagues for their support and dedication over this challenging period. Our team have worked very hard to support applicants during this busy time. We look forward to working with these new staff to bring our Driver Testing service to normal levels." The open recruitment campaign is currently live. New testers are expected to be ready to work from October of this year. People Before Profit is to boycott a historic speech by the US president to the Dail this week over objections to Joe Bidens foreign policy. The partys four TDs Richard Boyd Barrett, Brid Smith, Gino Kenny and Paul Murphy will stage a protest against the visit. People Before Profit said the the move to not attend the speech was due to Mr Bidens record on Palestine, Iraq, and Nato expansion as well as the absence of opportunity for Dail parties to ask questions. It will hold a protest outside the General Post Office in Dublin on Wednesday. Mr Boyd Barrett said: Joe Biden needs to be forcefully challenged over his long-standing and unconditional support for the apartheid regime in Israel and its brutal and criminal treatment of Palestinians; his pivotal role in promoting the US invasion and occupation of Iraq; his active promotion of Nato expansion and the on-going and blatant double-standards of US foreign policy globally. People Before Profit said it would attend the special Dail sitting if there were an opportunity for all Dail parties and groupings to make statements or ask questions after the presidents speech, but with that opportunity not being offered, the event was a pointless charade and propaganda exercise for the US president. The party said: The Irish government are allowing President Biden to use the Dail as a political soapbox and as part of their on-going campaign to further undermine Irelands neutrality and draw Ireland closer to Nato and US foreign policy. Mr Boyd Barrett added: The Irish government are trying to present Joe Biden as some sort of great peacemaker when he is very much the opposite. He said: Tragically, the Irish government are also using the Ukraine crisis as an opportunity to further undermine Irish neutrality and there is no doubt the decision to roll out the red carpet for Biden and insulate him from any critical questioning in the Dail is part of that campaign to draw us ever closer to Nato. Given the governments plan to shield Joe Biden from any criticism or questioning in the Dail, we urge those who wish to protect Irelands neutrality, who oppose war and militarism, and who want to see justice and self-determination for oppressed peoples such as the Palestinians, to join the protest against Bidens policies on April 12 at 5pm at the GPO. LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - European Union plans, due next week, will seek to speed up handling of failing banks to ensure they are not bailed out by taxpayers but "bailed in" using their own resources, EU documents seen by Reuters showed. The draft plans would have a requirement for EU authorities, including the European Central Bank, to give an early warning if there was a risk of a bank failure, the documents said. The EU's proposals come at a time of heightened sensitivity in the banking industry following UBS' merger with Credit Suisse, and the collapse of several U.S. banks, including Silicon Valley Bank. The EU is aiming to update rules to deal with failing banks that were introduced after the financial crisis more than a decade ago, when taxpayers picked up the bill for bank failures. Since then the use of the EU's bank "resolution" rules has been limited, and they need updating so they can be used to deal with any type of bank, the document said. "To date, many failing banks of a smaller or medium size have been dealt with under national regimes often involving the use of taxpayer money (bail-outs) instead of the industry-funded safety nets, such as the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) in the Banking Union, that so far has been unused in resolution," it said. Banks contribute to the SRF, administered by the EU's Single Resolution Board, which takes the lead on closing down failing banks. The proposals would make the rules "fit for its purpose for all banks in the EU irrespective of their size, business model and liability structure, even smaller and medium-sized banks, if required by prevailing circumstances." EU states and the European Parliament will have the final say on the proposals which are due on April 18. They are draft proposals and could be subject to change before publication. The ECB, which regulates the euro zone's biggest lenders, and national regulators in the 27 EU states which regulate smaller banks, would have an obligation to notify the SRB "sufficiently early" if there is material risk of a bank failing or likely to fail, the documents said. Regulators would have powers to withdraw the licence of a bank in such a situation, it added. The EU's European Banking Authority would be given a new role to help check that banks can be wound down smoothly in a crisis, and coordinate EU-wide exercises to test and compare how resolution rules are being applied across member states. The proposals set common requirements to improve and harmonise the level of depositor protection, but do not regulate the differing models countries use, such as institutional protection schemes or industry-funded safety net (IPS). Germany has warned the EU not to tamper with IPS rules. The European Commission, which drafted the proposals, has said the package is balanced and reflects extensive public consultation. 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) - The Group of Seven (G7) advanced nations which is comprised of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the US and Japan is scheduled to meet in Hiroshima, Japan next month to discuss a wide range of topics, including cryptocurrency policy and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). While speaking at a seminar in Washington DC on Tuesday, Masato Kanda, Japan's Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, told the audience that the G7 intends to prioritize how they can help developing countries introduce CBDCs while ensuring compliance with international standards. Fast-moving digital technologies provide tremendous benefits in many years including cheaper and faster cross-border payments available to a larger public but the new technologies have onset of challenges, said Kanda. We have to address risks from the development of CBDCs by ensuring factors such as appropriate transparency and sound governance. "As a priority of this year, the G7 will consider how best to help developing countries introduce CBDC consistent with appropriate standards, including the G7 public policy principle for retail CBDC," he said. Previous reports indicated that crypto regulation would be a primary focus at the 49th G7 summit in Hiroshima, with officials ultimately looking to prepare a joint declaration representing a shared position on the regulation of crypto. The statement would address the potential risks that digital assets could pose to the global financial system and would call for stricter measures that require increased transparency from crypto firms and enhanced consumer protections. The collapse of FTX was a serious wake-up call on the need for proper consistent regulation across borders. Finalizing FSB's [Financial Stability Board] work to develop high-level recommendations on crypto asset activities on the market and on global stablecoin arrangement is important and the effective implementation of this recommendation is also crucial, Kanda said. He went on to acknowledge that collaborating on cryptocurrency policy is a work in progress, as not all countries are on the same page regarding how to approach the technology. For crypto assets, there are a bit of diverging views among countries. But consensus is definitely that we need more regulation, particularly after the FTX shock, he said. Included in the agenda for the G7 meeting will be a discussion on a public policy principle for retail CBDCs, which would be used by the general public in their everyday transactions, as opposed to wholesale CBDCs, which are used by institutions. Debt vulnerabilities of middle-income countries will also be addressed, according to Kanda, who noted that it might be a bit difficult to see concrete results for countries like Zambia, Ghana and Ethiopia when asked what the accomplishments for debt talks could be. The G7 is not alone in its plans to develop regulations for digital assets as G20 countries have also decided to adopt a common framework for digital assets, but that framework is still being developed. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) have been tasked by the G20 with creating a synthesis paper for global crypto rules by the start of Q4. Primary points of interest for the G20 include risk management and plans to deal with any potential financial shocks or widespread collapses. OSLO, April 12 (Reuters) - A court in Oslo on Wednesday began hearing a gender discrimination case brought by an employee at Norway's $1.4 trillion sovereign wealth fund against her employer. Elisabeth Bull Daae, head of trading analytics at Norges Bank Investment Management, is suing the unit of the central bank managing the fund for 16 million crowns ($1.54 million) in compensation and damages. She says she was paid less than her male colleagues doing equivalent jobs for a decade. The central bank, which pushes the firms it invests in to have more women on their boards and to combat all forms of discrimination, denies the allegations. In the first case of its kind for the fund, some of the witnesses to be called include central bank Governor Ida Wolden Bache, fund Chief Executive Nicolai Tangen and his deputy Trond Grande, and the fund's chief investment officer, Geir Oeyvind Nygaard. Bull Daae is still working for the fund, one of the world's largest investors. She said she was also asked by some of her male colleagues to change the soap in the men's bathroom and to check whether there was fresh milk in the fridge in a communal area. "Are there such big differences (in work tasks) that can legitimate such large pay differences? Or are we in front of a clear, systematic case of pay discrimination based on gender?" Bull Daae's lawyer, Sigurd Knudtzon, told the court. The lawyer representing the fund said the relationship between employee and employer had broken down despite its efforts to improve it. "The bank had respected her, valued her, liked her, given her exciting opportunies and tried to help her," Jan Fougner told the court. "They have tried for over a year to resolve this situation but this was not achievable. This is a sad case." ($1 = 10.3987 Norwegian crowns) 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) - Kenmare (LSE: KMR), one of the leading global producers of titanium minerals and zircon, reported today that heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) production decreased 18% in Q1 2023 to 315,000 tonnes (Q1 2022: 384,700 tonnes), heavily impacted by the lightning strike and lower recoveries. The company added that ilmenite production decreased 20% in Q1 2023 to 204,300 tonnes (Q1 2022: 256,800) and primary zircon production decreased 12% to 11,400 tonnes (Q1 2022: 12,900 tonnes) due primarily to lower HMC availability. The companys rutile production decreased 15% to 1,700 tonnes (Q1 2022: 2,000 tonnes), in line with lower HMC consumption. Concentrates production decreased 6% to 10,100 tonnes (Q1 2022: 10,700 tonnes) benefitting from the processing of stockpiles. However, according to a press release, total shipments of finished products increased 17% in Q1 2023 to 271,700 tonnes (Q1 2022: 231,500 tonnes), benefitting from increased transshipment capacity and availability of ocean-going vessels. Importantly, the company said that the market for ilmenite stabilized in Q1 2023, at lower levels than Q4 2022, with evidence of spot price increases in recent weeks. Kenmare also reiterated its 2023 production guidance for all products, with ilmenite and rutile expected to be towards the bottom end of the guidance range. Kenmare Resources is one of the world's largest producers of mineral sands products. Kenmare operates the Moma titanium minerals mine in Mozambique. Moma's production accounts for approximately 7% of global titanium feedstocks and the company supplies to customers operating in more than 15 countries. 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) - ZA Bank, Hong Kongs largest virtual bank by assets, has begun offering cryptocurrency account services for crypto firms and added support for crypto-to-fiat exchanges for the citys growing digital asset economy. According to a report from Bloomberg, ZA Bank intends to offer token-to-fiat currency conversions for licensed exchanges and will act as a settlement bank for clients to enable withdrawals in Hong Kong dollars, Chinese yuan, and U.S. dollars for those who deposit crypto tokens onto supported exchanges. Ronald Iu, CEO of ZA Bank, told Bloomberg that the business model is already operational at the two licensed crypto exchanges in Hong Kong HashKey and OSL and the bank plans to extend the service to additional exchanges as they become licensed. For the dozen of interested firms, big or small, from abroad and local, top of their concern is to have a path to make things work, said Iu. Iu noted that due to regulatory restrictions, the bank does not offer services to clients from mainland China. On the heels of a successful trial in a regulatory sandbox that managed to onboard 100 firms, ZA Bank now plans to offer online accounts for all interested local Web3 startups and small-medium enterprises. The move to incorporate crypto services comes as the bank, which was originally launched in March 2020, looks to increase its revenue as it remains unprofitable more than three years after its debut. Its too early to say what the revenue model is here, said Iu. More clients, more deposits, more business opportunity is always great for the bank. According to Devon Sin, alternate chief executive of ZA Bank, the bank plans to focus its engagement efforts on licensed exchanges and conducts AML scrutiny against the usual checklists to satisfy regulatory requirements. Thus far, no AML issues have arisen, Sin said. This development comes as the government of Hong Kong has been ramping up its efforts to become a regional cryptocurrency hub following years of Covid restrictions and political upheaval. Access to banking has been one of the major roadblocks in helping the city achieve its goals, and this appears to be a first step in attempting to address that issue. Hong Kongs banking and securities regulators also plan to host a roundtable for crypto players and bankers later this month, where they can share their experiences and perspectives on Hong Kong banking services. In February, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) launched a public consultation period seeking comments on its plans to legalize crypto tracking and the proposed requirements for operators of virtual asset trading platforms. The comment period closed on March 31, and the government intends to roll out the new licensing regime on June 1, which will allow exchange operators to serve retail investors. Qabil Ashirov A video conference was held between the Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and the Managing Director and Group CEO of UAEs AD Ports Group Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi in the format of a video conference, Azernews reports, citing the ministry. The sides underscored the growing economic cooperation in various areas, including successful partnership relations in trade, investment, and other fields, between Azerbaijan and the UAE. Stressing the important role of joint initiatives from both sides in the development of economic and trade relations, the pair hailed the efforts of AD Ports to establish new cooperative relations. It was pointed out that there are wide opportunities for joint cooperation on projects implemented in Azerbaijans liberated territories, as well as in the Caspian Sea basin, and the active participation of business circles in this field is important. At the meeting, views were exchanged on the prospects of cooperation between AD Ports and our country, transport logistics, business, and investment opportunities. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 41F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. It may come as a surprise to some, but KNX Germany was only formed last year. In this exclusive interview, KNX Deutschland chair, Hans-Joachim Langels, provides an insight into the organisations founding and aims. KNXtoday: How popular is KNX in Germany and how is the market developing? HJL: The use of KNX is Germany is widespread, and todays KNX community in Germany is the result of teamwork between the KNX manufacturers active in the German market, the KNX Association in Brussels, the trade associations ZVEI and ZVEH and many honorary contributors from industry and trade. We have more than 23,000 KNX partners, installers and systems integrators, 48 scientific partners and 92 certified training centres, and with products provided by more than 150 German KNX manufacturers, the KNX community is well-place to serve processes such as decarbonisation or digitisation of buildings. KNXtoday: Considering that KNX (formerly EIB) was developed over 30 years ago by members of the German electrical manufacturers association ZVEI, in cooperation with the German electrical contractors association ZVEH, why has KNX Germany only recently come into being? HJL: Market developments such as digitisation of building processes (Building Information Modelling (BIM)) or increasing the energy performance of buildings can only be successfully implemented if all participants in the building process work together. Addressing these market developments with a focus on increasing the KNX market position requires an organisation dedicated to enhancing and proliferating the KNX ecosystem. Hence, KNX Germany was setup with a broad membership that includes KNX manufacturers, wholesalers, KNX installers and systems integrators, KNX scientific partners and training centres, and building owners, investors, architects, consultant engineers, building operators as well as other interested parties. KNX Germany has a broad membership including KNX manufacturers, wholesalers, KNX installers and systems integrators, KNX scientific partners and training centres, building owners, investors, architects, consultant engineers and building operators. KNXtoday: Who were the founders members and who is on the board? HJL: On 27 June 2022, fourteen founding members assembled in Frankfurt to setup the KNX Deutschland e.V. association. In alphabetical order, they were: Adalbert Zajadacz GmbH & Co. KG, Albrecht Jung GmbH & Co. KG, Alexander Burkle GmbH & Co. KG, BAB Technologie GmbH, Elsner Elektronik GmbH, Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG, Insta GmbH, KNX Professionals e. V., MDT technologies GmbH, Siemens AG, Sonepar Deutschland GmbH, Theben AG, Voltus GmbH and Wieland Electric GmbH. The founding members elected the KNX Deutschland board members, including me as chair, Markus Fromm-Wittenberg as vice-chair, and Michael Moller as treasurer. KNXtoday: What are the benefits of belonging to a national KNX association, and what are your aims? HJL: The goal of KNX Germany is to expand the market presence and awareness of KNX in Germany. With members along the whole value chain of the building process, KNX Germany is in a much better position to address and reach a larger number of decision makers. Looking at the market challenges, it is important to us to cooperate with the partner associations ZVEI and ZVEH, and to have KNX Professionals as a member of KNX Germany. Indeed KNX Professionals and KNX Germany shared a booth at Light + Building 2022 and at ISH 2023. The KNX Germany and KNX Professionals stand at L+B 2022. KNX Germany members have the following benefits: Active involvement in enhancing the market presence of KNX as the leading system for building control. Exchange of expert knowledge in a network spanning different trades and building process stages. Networking across different trades. Higher market impact based on coordinated public relations driving a positive and comprehensive image of KNX technology. Collaboration in working groups and projects spanning different trades and building process stages. Participation in events, workshops and trade shows organised by KNX Germany. Access to exclusive information and qualification offerings. KNXtoday: What are KNX Germanys plans for the next 12 months? HJL: Within the next 12 months, KNX Germany will be present at international and regional trade fairs in Germany including eltec (Nuremberg), IFA 2023 (Berlin), and Light+Building 2024 (Frankfurt/Main). Members of KNX Germany have suggested more than 20 projects covering topics such as energy management, BIM and market awareness for KNX. All projects address the core purpose of KNX Germany which is to enhance the market-oriented development and proliferation of KNX technology in Germany, involving all stakeholders in the building process. One project has already been started and more will commence by the end of April 2023. KNXtoday: Are you keen to encourage new members and how can interested parties get in touch? HJL: We believe that all stakeholders involved with building control and building management systems should be represented and actively get involved with KNX Germany. Hence, we are attending international and regional trade shows to encourage potential members from different membership groups and building trades to join. We have a list of all KNX Germany members and interested parties can get in touch with us here, as well as visiting our website to become a member of KNX Germany. Hans-Joachim Langels, Siemens AG, Competence Center Regensburg, is Chair of the Board of KNX Germany. www.knx.de The plan would expand I-70 both east and west from Route Z to Midway in Columbia. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. High 47F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Scattered frost possible. Low 31F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. While THIS "Fantasy Boys" idol-trainee is one of the leading and most popular contestants in the show, people are slowly turning their backs on him after speculations that he faked his age. He's 26? 00-Liner K-Soul Accused of Faking His Age Aside from Mnet's "Boys Planet," another idol survival program is sending K-pop fans into a frenzy, which is MBC's "Fantasy Boys"! The show premiered on March 30, and the contestants immediately captured the hearts of viewers with their respective charms, skills and personality. Unfortunately, there are only 12 trainees who will be able to join the lineup for a new male idol; thus, viewers are all out in supporting their personal picks. Among the participants who caught the eye of fans the most, K-Soul, currently stands in 7th place, based on the preliminary rankings revealed at the end of Episode 2 on April 7. Su Er, also known as K-Soul, is a Chinese born in 2000. He is particularly loved for his talent and potential, not to mention his cheerful and playful personality that can make every viewer smile with just his vibrant presence. Prior to dreaming of becoming a K-pop idol, he joined multiple survival shows in China and debuted as a former Mu Ji Shao Nian member. As he became more popular, K-Soul is also drawing attention to his background. Just then, eagle-eyed fans suddenly became skeptical about his honesty after accounts claimed that the trainee forged his age to join the show. In particular, all this time, people were aware that he was born in 2000 as it was what was written in his Weibo and profile for "Fantasy Boys." However, doubts rose after his birthdate in the aforementioned profile didn't match his profile when he joined the Chinese reality show, "We Are Young" in 2020. Based on this, Su Er was born on October 19, 1998, making him supposedly 25 this year. But if this isn't surprising enough, K-Soul was being exposed for faking his age, not only once but twice! As mentioned, he joined various survival shows in the past, including "Star of Asia" and "Super Idol." In a past profile that was revealed when he was lesser known in the industry, K-Soul wrote that he's a 1997-liner, making him possibly 26. But what made fans more skeptical about him was after reading that he entered the university in 2014. People stated that if he went to school this year, then he must be a 96-liner. At this point, fans were only doubtful about his real age due to K-Soul's inconsistency when it comes to his profiles. People Speculate Reason K-Soul Faked His Age When K-Soul's age controversy broke out, fans were confused as to why he had to forge his birth year, when 26 is still considered young. "Why would you lie about your age?" "He's 26 but born in 2000?" "He really looks like he's 22 or 23, but why should he lie about being born in 97/98?" In response, people opened up about the unfortunate ageism in K-pop, where idols in their 30s are considered old. In fact, trainees waiting to debut also have an age limit, which is 23 before, as others believe that fans would prefer idols with fresh and youthful images than the mature ones. "There are a lot of trainees who were kicked out just because they are only 1 year older. (K-Soul probably lied about his age) because the 3-year gap is big." "I can definitely feel the difference between a 2000-born idol and a 97-liner." "So to sum it up, K-Soul was originally born in 1997 and he cheated first in 1998 and twice in 2000." READ MORE: These 10 Idol Groups Have Huge Age Gaps Between Members For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Eunice Dawson. How to re-enroll with Louisiana Medicaid now that COVID-19 emergency is over By Shailesh Yadav Paris [France], April 12 (ANI): India's Ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf on Wednesday said the France-India Business Summit is going to "definitely give a great boost to France-India Business Partnership in all dimensions". Also Read | Hyderabad: Woman's Body Found in Plastic Bag in Tukkuguda Area, Rape Suspect; Case Registered. Speaking to ANI exclusively, Jawed Ashraf said this would give a thrust to our national priorities that Prime Minister has said are "economic growth, more investment, Atmanirbhar Bharat, reindustrialization of India, access to advanced technologies, defence and self-reliance." He said, "There are so many areas -- clean energy, health sector, these are all areas of priority for growth, inclusion and empowerment, which are the three pillars of Prime Minister's economic vision." Also Read | Woman Celebrates Divorce by Burning Wedding Gown and Pictures With Ex-Husband in a Quirky Photoshoot (View Pics). Jawed Ashraf said the business has to play a very important part, both in terms of innovation and technology, and in terms of investments in markets. He also highlighted the presence of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, which he said gave a very strong message over here of India's commitment to Europe and France. Jawed Ashraf said India's commitment to France can enable India's industry to project their interest in terms of exports and presence in the EU. "EU is the largest market over here and in the world, and when we talk of exports or presence you need to be present in a market in order to be able to expand, enhance your exports to create value over here, and to generally capture market," he said, adding, "that was the other message that came through very clearly in today's business summit, of the willingness of our industry, as well as of the interests that the French government and the French industry showed in the presence and in the increasing investments from India in Europe." He said, "It's a two-way process." He said, "What we have seen today is the infusion of new energy, new momentum and clear roadmaps emerging both through the plenary sessions, as well as the CEOs roundtable and the one-on-one meetings that the minister had from eight in the morning, then all the way to the evening, as you saw for yourself." Stressing upon this, the Ambassador said, "Just the attendance and the quality of attendance as well as the number of CEOs who are there from the biggest of French companies... first reflects to you the level of interest and to translate that interest in India into action requires these kinds of regular business engagement on a big scale." Jawed Ashraf said, "We had great support from the French government... they're very interested in this. And because business is a very important pillar of the India-France strategic partnership." Speaking on the expectations of the CEOs, India's Ambassador to France said, "The only message that came up was --We want to do more business with India. And it isn't just because of the market in India." He said, "They also say that in today's world, because of the geopolitical tensions, you need to do business with people who you count as your friends and who you're comfortable with. This is in their strength. It isn't just our market. It isn't just our growth. It isn't just our talent. It isn't just the rapid growth and infrastructure that digitalization or the expansion or the reforms that we are taking..." "It is also the full comfort of shared values of democracy," he said, adding "It is well regarded that India respects international law." On the role of embassies in increasing exports, Jawed Ashraf said, "The government of India is negotiating with European Union about EU-India free trade and investment agreement." He said, "The second thing is on a daily basis, we are trying to showcase our products. We are reaching out to key importers in France and elsewhere in Europe, we are examining the value chains." On investments, he added, "We are also encouraging Indian companies to do those that have come here are doing exceedingly well. And France also supports it. France has now for three years in a row been the most attractive FDI destination in European Union." On the interest in Indo-Pacific region, Jawed Ashraf said both France and India have a deep interest in advancing their partnership in the Indo-Pacific. "France regards India as a premier, its number one partner in the Indo-Pacific region. Similarly, you know, we consider France as a premier partner, one of our major partners in the Indo-Pacific region," he 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) New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI): The Income Tax Department recently conducted search and seizure operations in several cooperative banks in Karnataka and found them to be engaged in the routing of funds of various business entities of their customers to abet them to evade their tax liabilities. "Bogus expenditure booked in this way by these beneficiary business entities could be to the tune of about Rs 1,000 crore," according to an official release which stated that the exercise started on March 31 and covered a total of 16 premises. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: ATM Van Security Guard Killed in Accidental Firing in Lucknow. Union Ministry of Finance said many incriminating pieces of evidence -- hard copy documents and soft copy data -- had been found and were seized during the search exercise. The search action also resulted in the seizure of unaccounted cash of over Rs 3.3 crore and unaccounted gold jewellery worth over Rs 2 crore. The seized pieces of evidence, according to the ministry, revealed that these banks were involved in "discounting bearer cheques issued by various business entities, in the name of various fictitious non-existing entities". Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Aditya Rana, Absconding Criminal, Killed in Police Encounter in Bijnor, Many Policemen Injured. The business entities included contractors, and real estate companies, among others. On top of that, no KYC norms were followed while discounting such bearer cheques. "The amounts after discounting were credited in the bank accounts of certain Cooperative Societies maintained with these Cooperative Banks. It was also detected that some Cooperative Societies subsequently withdrew funds in cash from their accounts and returned the cash to business entities," the release said. Further, during the search action it was unearthed that the management of these cooperative banks has indulged in generating unaccounted money through their real estate and other businesses. Further investigations into the matter are in progress. (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 12 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a series of visits to four states -- West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa -- within a span of three days. As per government sources, Amit Shah will be laying the foundation stone of the BJP office in West Bengal's Birbhum district on April 14. He will also address a huge public meeting in Birbhum on the same day. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Says PM Awas Yojana Has Changed Lives. Following that, the former BJP president will also address Booth President Sankalp Sammelan in Rajasthan's Bharatpur on April 15. The Union Home Minister will also embark on a day long visit to Maharashtra and Goa on April 16. During the visit, the Minister will attend 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award distribution ceremony for the 2022 to Dr Appa Saheb Dharmadhikari in Maharashtra's Raigarh, and a public meeting in South Goa, the government source added. Also Read | Karnataka Assembly Election 2023: BJP Veteran Jagadish Shettar Meets Party President JP Nadda, Likely To Be Fielded in Upcoming Polls. Meanwhile, Amit Shah was on a two-day visit to the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam from April 10-11. Union Home Minister on Tuesday paid tribute to the brave heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 1962 war, at Walong War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh. On Monday, Shah launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in Arunachal Pradesh's Kibithoo, and said that "no one can encroach even pin's tip worth of our land" adding that "no one has the power to cast an evil eye on us" as the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Indian Army are guarding the borders. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kathmandu (Nepal)/Samastipur (Bihar), April 12 (PTI) Four Indian nationals were killed and another person was seriously injured when their car plunged into a ravine in a remote region in Nepal's Bagmati province on Tuesday. According to reports the accident occurred late Tuesday when the car, with a Bihar registration, carrying five Indian nationals lost control and plunged some 500 meters off the road into a ravine in the Sindhuli district of Bagmati province. Also Read | Bengaluru Shocker: Woman Who Went File Divorce Complaint Molested and Sexually Harassed by Police Personnel. All four killed were males. Three died on the spot, District Police Superintendent Raj Kumar Silwal was quoted as saying by Kathmandu-based newspapers. The SP said that one injured passenger, who was taken to the Sindhuli Hospital, died while undergoing treatment. Also Read | Gerard Depardieu Accused of Sexual Misconduct by 13 Women Between 2004 and 2022. Another critically injured survivor was also rushed to the Dhulikhel Hospital for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased could not be retrieved from the accident site, given the inaccessible geographical area. Talking to PTI, Gautam Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO) of Kalyanpur police station, Samastipur district, said, One of the deceased, identified as Mrityunjay Kumar Singh, was a resident of Phulhara village that comes under the of Kalyanpur PS. We are in touch with his family members and also the competent authority for further details. Despite repeated attempts, police at Samastipur and Patna have not been able to confirm the identity of the other Indians who died or were injured, though reports from Nepal suggest that the other victims were also residents of Samastipur. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 12 (ANI): Former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Jagadish Shettar said that he will meet the party's national president JP Nadda on Wednesday and he is expecting "positive things will happen". BJP on Tuesday announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls and Shettar's name was excluded. Also Read | India News | Denied Ticket, Former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi Announces Decision to Quits BJP. "I will reach Delhi today to meet the party's national president JP Nadda. I expect positive things will happen. In the coming days, the party High Command and state leaders will specify everything", Shettar said. Shettar's name did not figure in the list of candidates released by the BJP yesterday. Also Read | Bathinda Firing Latest News Update: Terror Angle Unlikely, Say Punjab Police Sources After Four Killed in Gunfire Inside Military Station. BJP declared 189 candidates for Karnataka assembly polls as it sought to strike a balance in terms of representation of various castes and communities while putting up "strong candidates" against senior Congress leaders. Apart from fresh faces, the BJP has also focused on "social engineering" in its first list of candidates, party sources said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will recontest from the Shiggaon constituency. Party sources said the list has 52 fresh faces and 21 sitting MLAs have been dropped. The polling will take place for 224 seats in the state assembly on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. With the party seen to have strong support among Lingayats, it has decided to give tickets to 51 members from the community. The list includes 32 candidates from the OBC community, 30 belonging to the Scheduled Castes and 16 to Scheduled Tribes. The list has eight women candidates. It has former IAS and IPS officers, five advocates, nine doctors, three academicians, former government employees and social activists. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is BJP's co-in-charge for Karnataka, said the list is a blend of dynamic new faces and experienced leaders. "I am confident they will work together to boost Karnataka's growth journey. With the double-engine government, Karnataka will touch new heights of development, progress and prosperity," he said in a tweet The minister said every section of society, including marginalised, women and youth has been given an opportunity. The list does not have any candidates from the Muslim community. Party sources said that candidates for the remaining 35 seats will be finalised by Wednesday afternoon. Among the prominent candidates declared by the party, BY Vijayendra, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, will contest from the Shikaripura seat. The BJP has fielded Manikanta Rathod, a 28-year-old youth against Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Chittapur. State Minister B Sriramulu will contest from Bellary Rural, State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K from Chikkaballapur and State Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan CN from Malleshwaram seat. State Minister R Ashoka will contest from two seats- Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. He is pitted against Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura. BJP general secretary CT Ravi will contest from Chikmagalur. V Somanna will contest against Congress leader Siddaramaiah from Varuna seat. V Somanna will also contest from Chamarajanagar seat. The candidates were announced at a press conference here addressed by union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the party's poll in-charge in Karnataka and party general secretary Arun Singh. Arun Singh said BJP's graph is growing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Congress is facing "divisions and groupism" while JD-S is "sinking ship". BJP leaders said that the party has done an elaborate exercise of feedback before deciding the party candidates and expressed confidence in the party returning to power in the southern state. Congress has already declared 166 candidates in two lists. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kochi (Kerala) [India], April 12 (ANI): Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court on Wednesday sent accused KT Ramees to two days of Enforcement Directorate custody for interrogation in the Kerala Gold Smuggling Case. ED arrested Ramees on April 7 in connection with money laundering after the Customs Department registered a case against him in the gold smuggling case. Also Read | IPL 2023: Delhi Police Arrest Eight Persons for Selling Fake Tickets for Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians Match. Earlier the National Investigating Agency (NIA) arrested Ramees in the gold smuggling case and was later released on bail. A report filed by the NIA in the Special NIA Court earlier alleged that Ramees is the kingpin in the Gold Smuggling case. Also Read | Lalu Prasad Yadav's Daughter Ragini Leaves ED Headquarters After Eight Hours of Questioning. According to the investigation agencies, Ramees and other accused smuggled gold through International Airport, Thiruvananthapuram, under the cover of a diplomatic channel. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 12 (ANI): A Special PMLA Court here on Wednesday granted bail to Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor in an alleged money laundering case of Rs 900 crores. However, since Rana Kapoor has several other cases pending against him, he would remain in jail. Also Read | Archaeologists Discover Mayan Scoreboard in Mexicos Yucatan. The case pertains to the irregularities committed while giving a loan to HDIL in connection with which he was first arrested in March 2020 on money laundering charges. He was later arrested in several other cases, including Mack Star Marketing, registered by the CBI and the ED. The trial court in October last year took cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Chargesheet (Prosecution Complaint) filed against Avantha group promoter Gautam Thapar involving Yes Bank's Rana Kapoor and several employees in connection with a money laundering case. Also Read | Bhopal Shocker: Minor Girl Raped by Senior Schoolmate on Pretext of Meeting, Accused Absconding. According to the ED, an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was registered against Gautam Thapar, Avantha Realty Ltd., Oyster Buildwell Pvt Ltd and others, alleging criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery for diversion/ misappropriation of public money during the period 2017 to 2019. (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, Apr 12: BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Wednesday pitched for the release of a sarus crane from sanctuary and reuniting it with Arif Khan, who had recused and nursed the bird for around a year before the forest department took it away citing laws. Their story is special, Gandhi tweeted with the video of the crane fluttering around excitedly in its enclosure while looking at Arif, a resident of Mandkha village of Amethi district, who visited it recently in Kanpur zoo. Arif Meets 'Caged Friend' Sarus at Kanpur Bird Sanctuary, Bird Starts Jumping for Joy on Seeing 'Saviour' (Heartwarming Video). Their happiness at seeing each other underscores the innocent and sacred love between the two friends, he said. This beautiful bird is meant to fly freely and not to live in a cage, Gandhi added. "It (bird) should be restored its sky, freedom and friend," the Pilibhit MP said. Authorities had intervened after the happy videos of the sarus crane and its rescuer went viral and took away the bird, arguing that it was unlawful for anyone to keep the bird in his or her possession. They had also started legal proceedings against him. Uttar Pradesh: Sarus, Taken Away From Friend, Goes Missing From Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareli. The story has taken a political turn as opposition Samajwadi Party has come to Khan's support and criticised the government action. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kaliaganj (WB), Apr 12 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday mocked the TMC for losing the national party status, claiming that it would soon cease to be even a state party. The Election Commission withdrew the national party status of the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday. Also Read | Mumbai Police Bust Unit Manufacturing Fake Levi's Products in Dahisar. "The TMC is a party of thieves and crooks... Its dream of emerging as a national force is shattered. The day is not far away when the TMC would cease to be even a state party," Adhikari said, addressing a rally in Uttar Dinajpur district. Terming the TMC as the most corrupt party in the country, the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly also hit out at the state government over a recent report by the Union Education Ministry, which pointed to financial discrepancies. Also Read | RBI To Stop Banks From Capitalising Penal Charges on Loans Defaults. "Look at any state government sector or department, you will find corruption to the tune of hundreds of crores. The TMC leaders have left no stone unturned to loot people of the state. The recent report by the education ministry indicates corruption even in implementing the mid-day meal scheme," he said. The West Bengal government has dubbed the report finding "serious discrepancies in the information submitted regarding the number of meals served at various levels" as "one-sided", where the views of the state have not been noted and the data "needs to be verified". In January, the ministry constituted a 'joint review mission' (JRM) to assess implementation of the centrally sponsored PM POSHAN scheme in West Bengal, following complaints of irregularities. The panel found that serving around 16 crore mid-day meals worth more than Rs 100 crore was over-reported by the local administration in West Bengal from April to September last year. Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dubbed Adhikari's allegations as "baseless". "Nobody takes him seriously, not even the BJP. The charges made by him are baseless. He is a political opportunist, who lacks credibility. The TMC may have lost its national party status, but is still a potent force to take on the BJP in West Bengal," he asserted. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, April 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday referred to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as a friend and praised him for attending the launch event of the state's first Vande Bharat Express despite the ongoing political crises in his Congress party. The prime minister was addressing the flagging-off ceremony of the Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. At the end of his address, Modi pointed to the demands put forward by Chief Minister Gehlot as well as the ongoing political tussle in the Congress. Vande Bharat Express Train Connecting Ajmer-Delhi Flagged Off by PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji as he is going through many political crises these days but despite that, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. The Vande Bharat launch function was organised at the Jaipur junction rail station. It was attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and others. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board both being from Rajasthan, the prime minister said, "And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... the railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan." First Vande Bharat Express Train in Rajasthan To Be Flagged Off by PM Narendra Modi Today. "The work which should have been done immediately after independence has not been done till now... but you have so much faith in me that you have put that work in front of me today. This is your belief your faith is the strength of my friendship. I thank you for the trust you have in friendship," Modi added. Barcelona, Apr 12 (AP) A plan to increase irrigation in an area adjoining one of Europe's most prized wetlands is set to advance Wednesday with the approval of lawmakers in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. The proposal to rezone the lands goes against the advice of ecologists and repeated warnings from Spain's central government and European Union officials. Also Read | US Teen Turns Instant Millionaire, Wins Rs 8 Crore From Lottery Ticket Given By Grandmother on Birthday. The vote is expected to start the bill down the path toward becoming law. It is sponsored by the ruling conservative Popular Party, which holds an absolute majority in the regional parliament based in Seville. It also has the support of the far-right Vox party. If the measure becomes law, some 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of land near the Donana nature reserve will be declared irrigable. This would grant an amnesty to the many farms that already use illegal wells to tap into the aquifer underlying the wetlands to grow strawberries for export across Europe. Also Read | India Likely To Have Stable Debt-to-GDP Ratio Going Forward, Says IMF Official. The Popular Party says its intention is to help farmers who are in a legal limbo regularise their livelihoods, and pledges that the plan will not hurt the wetlands. The spokesman for Andalusia's government, Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco, said that his government is committed to protecting Donana and that the proposed bill would analyze case-by-case the farmers who ask for water rights. I am worried that the EU is receiving a distorted image of what the bill says, he said. Ecologists and opposition parties, however, accuse the Popular Party of trying to win votes ahead of regional elections on May 28. The bill could be pushed through before the elections, although that is not guaranteed. Florika Fink-Hooijer, the head of the EU's Directorate General for the Environment, told Spain's government last month that the EU would not tolerate Andalusia's plan. In 2021, the European Court of Justice condemned Spain for neglecting the Donana wetlands. Further neglect of the nature reserve could result in a hefty fine for Spain. Spain's central government, run by a left-wing coalition, and scientists who work in Donana agree that the plan would only increase the strain on the aquifer, which is already under stress from an extended drought driven by climate change. This vote should not even take place, Eloy Revilla, director of the Donana Biological Station of the Spanish National Research Council, told The Associated Press by phone. Revilla said it will send the wrong message: that those who use illegal wells can get away with it. It will not solve the problems of Donana or the farmers. It will only further complicate a situation that is already complex, he said. The situation is critical for the lagoons and marshes that make Donana a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, according to Revilla. The ecosystems in Donana that depend on subterranean water are in critical condition, he said. And it will only get worse if we consider that last year was very dry and this year promises to be drier still. Other farmers who use legal wells on already irrigable land are also against the move, fearing it will damage the reputation of the berries that they market as being grown near the pristine conditions of Donana. An almost identical bill was presented by the Popular Party last year, but did not make it to a final vote due to a snap election in the region. The Donana reserve covers 74,000 hectares (182,000 acres) on an estuary where the Guadalquivir River meets the Atlantic Ocean on Spain's southern coast. It is a wintering site for a half-million waterfowl and a stopover spot for millions more birds that migrate from Africa to northern Europe. It is also home to five threatened bird species, including the endangered Spanish imperial eagle. (AP) (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 12 (PTI) The California state assembly has passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to formally recognise and condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India as genocide. The resolution was Introduced by assembly Member Jasmeet Kaur Bains, first-ever elected Sikh member of state assembly, on March 22, and was passed unanimously by the State Assembly on Monday. Also Read | New York Urologist Accused of Patient Sex Abuse, Including of Minors. It was co-sponsored by assembly member Carlos Villapudua. Only other Hindu member Ash Kalra also voted in favour. Noting that the Sikh community in the US has not recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, the resolution urges the US Congress to formally recognise and condemn the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence as a genocide. Also Read | Myanmar's Military Junta Confirms Deadly Air Strike on a Village in Sagaing Region, Over 100 Killed. The resolution said the 'Widow Colony' in New Delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning and murder of their families, and who are still calling for justice against the perpetrators. In a statement, Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Sikh Caucus Committee and other US Sikh bodies, expressed gratitude towards the members of the California state assembly for introducing and passing the resolution. In 2015, California assembly also passed a resolution,terming the anti-Sikh violence as pograms. Violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India, mostly in the National Capital, in the violence that ensued. (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 12 (ANI): India and Estonia here on Wednesday held discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, including UNSC reforms, the Ukraine conflict and India's G20 presidency. "12th India-Estonia FOC held in New Delhi, led by Secy (West) @SanjayVermalFS & @KyllikeSillaste, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, MoFA, Estonia," MEA Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on Wednesday. Also Read | US Teen Turns Instant Millionaire, Wins Rs 8 Crore From Lottery Ticket Given By Grandmother on Birthday. "Discussions covered bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, including UNSC reforms, Ukraine conflict and India's G20 Presidency," Bagchi further wrote. MEA Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma also tweeted: "Pleasant dialogue with Estonian Under Secretary @KyllikeSillaste. Digital & cyber co-op, global and neighbourhood issues were the thrust of our 12th Foreign Office Consultations." Also Read | India Likely To Have Stable Debt-to-GDP Ratio Going Forward, Says IMF Official. Last October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended greetings to his Estonian counterpart Urmas Reinsalu and the people of the country on their National Day on October 9. Earlier in September, Jaishankar met Urmas Reinsalu on the third day of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Jaishankar and Reinsalu discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation between the two nations after India opened its Embassy in Estonia. "Good to meet FM of Estonia @UrmasReinsalu during #UNGA day 3. Discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation following opening of our Embassy. Also exchanged views on developments pertaining to Ukraine," Jaishankar had said in a tweet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Paris [France], April 12 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday (local time) invited French businessmen to invest in India highlighting ways to further deepen the India-France partnership and realise the tremendous opportunities it offers. "I am inviting you to visit India along with your board members. French people can come to India as tourists and investors to get good returns. I invite you (France) to do business with India, increase trade between us and initiate a technology partnership between 2 countries," he said. Also Read | Bestiality in US: Mississippi Woman Facing Charges For Posting Sex Videos With German Shephard Says She Forced To Have Unnatural Intercourse With Dog. He further said that India is one of the largest consumers of goods and services. "Over the last two years, our exports of goods and services have grown by over 50 per cent. By 2030, we hope to see our exports of goods and services from India triple from the existing level of about USD 765 billion to USD 2 trillion," said Goyal. Also Read | Prince Harry Swore at His Father King Charles III in Heated Telephone Conversation Over Money, Claims Book. He said that the Statue of Unity and the Eiffel Tower bring together two beloved countries and peoples with shared values of democracy, unity-commitment to diversity, principles of global trade rules etc, during a conversation at the Gala Dinner in Paris. Goyal is in Paris for the India-France Business Summit, commemorating 25 years of India-France friendship. Piyush Goyal and Olivier Becht, France's Minister delegate of Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad co-chaired the India-France Business Summit, commemorating 25 years of India-France friendship, on Tuesday in Paris. "Glad to welcome you to Paris, dear @PiyushGoyal, on the occasion of the France-India economic forum. As we celebrate 25 years of our strategic partnership this year, our two countries share a long and vigorous economic relationship," tweeted Becht. Goyal also met Pierre Courduroux, CEO of Roquette in Paris. "It was a pleasure to meet Mr. Pierre Courduroux, CEO of Roquette in Paris. As the company strengthens its presence in India, deliberated on ways to further enhance its investments in the country's growing agriculture & food processing sector," tweeted Goyal. He also met Luc Remont, CEO of French energy major EDF in Paris. "Met Mr. Luc Remont, CEO of French energy major EDF in Paris. Discussed how the company can be a significant part of India's journey to achieve the ambitious target of energy diversification for sustainable growth," tweeted Goyal. Meanwhile, the Co-Founder and CEO of Carpooling application BlaBlaCar, Nicolas Brusson, spoke about the scope and growth of the application in the Indian market. Brusson earlier met Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Paris. "The main discussion was actually what BlaBlaCar can do and how it can grow in India," he said. BlaBlaCar allows drivers to share their cars when they drive between cities. It's intercity carpooling, for example, if you drive from Mumbai to Pune and you have two or three empty seats in your car, you can go and buy a car, set up your profile, BlaBlaCar verifies your profile, and then you can start offering empty seats when you travel between the two cities. And passengers can book those seats and share the cost of the journey. "Today, to give you a sense of size, we have 4 million active users in 2022 in India, and it's roughly doubling year on year. So it's really sort of like exploding right now," said Brusson. Speaking on future plans for India Brusson said that BlaBlaCar is working on finding the right hubs. "There are some regions like Mumbai to Pune we see, like in the west of New Delhi, Delhi to Chandigarh. So you have these sort of corridors or regions where carpooling actually makes a lot of sense, typically because public transport is not that good or it's too crowded or too expensive," he said. Speaking on the competition with Uber and Ola, he said, "Uber and Ola tend to be very different because it's all about aggregating. Professional drivers typically for shorter distances within a city and the price point is pretty high. So typically it would be like 10-20 rupees per kilometre. Whereas in our case, people are the car owners are just like, quote-unquote, normal people." Speaking about IMF and World Bank said that India is the best destination to invest, he said, "I think it's very good. Like when you have meetings like the one I had with the Minister, you realize that as foreign companies and as European companies, you feel pretty welcome in India." "If you look at private cars, unlike in Europe, it's growing in India. So in five or ten years, there will be more private cars in India, maybe fewer in France or Germany. As the population is sometimes decreasing and private car ownership is decreasing, it is increasing in India. And it's probably easier and more transformative for companies like India than it is in Europe," said Brusson. (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 [US], April 12 (ANI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023 in Washington. The two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums. Also Read | Bestiality in US: Mississippi Woman Facing Charges For Posting Sex Videos With German Shephard Says She Forced To Have Unnatural Intercourse With Dog. "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met with the United States Treasury Secretary Ms.@SecYellen on the sidelines of the @WorldBank and IMF #SpringMeetings 2023, in Washington D.C., today," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Taking the discussions ahead from their last meeting in November 22 during the Economic Financial Dialogue (EFD), in India, the two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums. Also Read | Prince Harry Swore at His Father King Charles III in Heated Telephone Conversation Over Money, Claims Book. "Wide-ranging conversation between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on deepening bilateral economic partnership and engagement in multilateral fora," tweeted Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the US. Sitharaman, who is leading a high-powered delegation, appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including climate change. She also highlighted the role of G20, Quad, and IPEF in fostering this partnership. "FM Smt. @nsitharaman appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including #ClimateChange. FM highlighted the role of #G20, QUAD and IPEF in fostering this partnership," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Sitharaman also emphasised the importance of coordinated global action to address debt vulnerability in low and middle-income countries, besides the need for financial support to help developing economies achieve their climate goals. Yellen applauded India for focusing on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development bank during its G-20 presidency. She said the US was looking forward to continuing its close cooperation with India to help make India's G20 presidency a success. "I want to commend your presidency for its focus on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development banks. As you know, this initiative is a priority of mine and will be a major focus of our conversations this week," she said. Yellen said the G-20 can bring strong political momentum to bear to make sure that the multilateral development banks accelerate their work on 21st-century global challenges as part of their effort to end extreme poverty and expand shared prosperity. She also said that having the right leadership at the World Bank is critical in furthering the progress that they have made. The Finance Minister also met with the United States Ex-Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and discussed about the Digital Public Infrastructure, providing accessibility for all, including StartUps, besides supporting the growth of fintech. "FM Smt. @nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that scaling up of #DigitalInfrastructure and adoption of tech by common people in India has been phenomenal in the last couple of years," tweeted the Ministry of Finance. Sitharaman also highlighted that in the space of manufacturing, India has the right kind of skills, including manpower and language proficiency along with a huge domestic market which provides a significant scaling advantage to the private sector. "In reference to the Union Budget 2023-24, FM Smt.@nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that India has announced setting up of 3 Centres of Excellence in the area of #ArtificialIntelligence as it is a key focus for the Government," added the tweet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Yen Bai symposium focuses on Party leaders anti-corruption book A provincial-level symposium has taken place at the School of Politics of Yen Bai province to study and discuss the application of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs book on corruption and negative phenomena prevention and control in Yen Bai province in the current context. Yen Bai province, Val-de-Marne department of France review cooperation Following the 12th conference of Vietnam - France decentralised cooperation in Hanoi, the steering committee for cooperation between Yen Bai province and Val-de-Marne department of France has held a meeting to review bilateral cooperation since 2014 and launch joint activities for the coming time. Van Yen district offers attractive tourism activities during upcoming holidays To improve visitors' experiences and stimulate demand during the holidays of National Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1) as well as the upcoming peak tourist season in summer, localities in Van Yen district will cooperate with businesses to organise special cultural and tourism activities, creating a highlight for this year's holiday. 26 key public investment projects rolled out in Yen Bai Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung had a working session with officials of Yen Bai province on April 13 over public investment. By Azernews Sabina Mammadli Police have seized different munitions abandoned by Armenians in Fuzuli, Azernews reports per the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the ministry's report, five machine guns, five assault rifles, one grenade launcher, one Fagot ATGM, one sniper rifle, one hand grenade, 3,968 rounds of various calibers and other munitions have been found and handed over to relevant structures. To recap, some 24 anti-personnel mines, 74 anti-tank mines, and 298 unexploded ordnances have been detected and neutralized in Azerbaijani districts in the past week. Armenia planted land mines in Azerbaijani territory, not only during the 30-year-long occupation but also just days before abandoning the Azerbaijani lands, as envisaged in the trilateral declaration to cause human casualties. Civilians and military personnel are frequently maimed or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated regions. Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation. New Delhi, April 12: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking additional humanitarian aid including medical equipment from India, the external affairs ministry said on Wednesday. The request came during the recent three-day visit to India by Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova who handed over Zelenskyy's letter to Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi, a statement from the foreign ministry said. Ukraine Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova To Visit India on April 9, Likely To Seek Humanitarian Aid for Her Country. "Dzhaparova also called on Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi. Besides holding discussions on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest, she handed over a letter from President Zelenskyy, addressed to Prime Minister Modi. Ukrainian request for additional humanitarian supply, including medicines and medical equipment was also shared by her," according to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs. The statement read that the next Inter-Governmental Commission between New Delhi and Kyiv would be held in India on a mutually convenient date. Both the ministers, Dzhaparova and Lekhi exchanged views on bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. India has assured of providing enhanced humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Following their meeting, MoS Lekhi took to her Twitter handle to reiterate what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year that, "Today's era is not of war." PM Narendra Modis Policy of Democracy, Dialogue, Diversification Important for Ukraine, Says Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova. She tweeted, "Not a time for War - PM @narendramodi. Pleased to meet Ukrainian First Dy FM @EmineDzheppar. Exchanged views on bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Cultural ties and women empowerment also figured in the discussion. Ukraine was assured of enhanced humanitarian assistance." Meanwhile, Dzhaparova also took to Twitter to post her thanks on Tuesday. "Had a fruitful meeting with @M_Lekhi. Briefed Minister on #Ukraine's efforts to fight unprovoked aggression. Discussed deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, in a particular culture. Bookshelves and audio guides under the patronage of @ZelenskaUA will be available soon in India," she tweeted. During her visit Dzhaparova held bilateral talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), MEA. The bilateral agenda included - spheres such as economic, defence, humanitarian assistance, and global issues of mutual interest. The Ukraine deputy foreign minister briefed Secretary (West) about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date, according to a statement released by the MEA. "The Ukrainian Deputy FM also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. Secretary (West) shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses etc. to Ukraine," the MEA statement added. Dzhaparova visited the Manohar Parrikar-Institute of Defence Studies and also delivered a talk at the Indian Council of World Affairs. During her visit, she highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India. (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, April 12: A man has been arrested for allegedly beating his uncle to death with a stick and flower pot over a property dispute in the west Delhi area, a police officer said on Wednesday. The arrested individual has been identified as Rohit a.k.a. Golu, a resident of Mahavir Enclave. According to police, on Tuesday morning, Satpal (47) was found dead on the ground floor of the house. Police said there were multiple injuries to his face, head, hands and legs. A thick stick was also found near his lifeless body. Bihar Shocker: Drunk Man Attacks Family Over Property Dispute; Kills Mother, Injures Father and Brother in Jamui. "During the investigation, Satpal's brother suspected Rohit to be behind the incident. Later, the police teams conducted technical investigation and deployed their secret informers to collect clues about the suspect," said Akshat Kaushal, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (West). Bihar Shocker: Drunk Man Attacks Family Over Property Dispute; Kills Mother, Injures Father and Brother in Jamui. "Rohit's mother was questioned but she did not cooperate in the investigation. However, with the help of technical surveillance, Rohit was traced and arrested within 24 hours of the crime," the police officer said. During questioning, Rohit confessed to his crime and told police that he had an altercation with his uncle on the night of the murder. "He was drunk. He hit his uncle with a thick stick and a flower pot kept nearby, after which he fled," the police officer said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 05:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Bijnor, April 12: Aditya Rana, an absconding criminal carrying a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, was shot dead in a police encounter on the Budhanpur road of Seohara police station around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Half a dozen policemen were injured in the encounter. All the injured have been admitted to the CHC Seohara. Aditya, a resident of Rana Nangla Bijnor, had more than 40 cases registered in various police stations, including murder, robbery. Uttar Pradesh: Bike Thief Surrenders Before UP Police With Forgive Me Yogi Ji Placard in Muzaffarnagar. According to the police, on August 23, 2022, the police had brought Aditya Rana from Lucknow jail to Bijnor for the hearing of a case registered at Shivala Kalan police station. While returning from here, Aditya Rana managed to flee from Shahjahanpur's Red Chilli Dhaba by dodging the police. According to Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, the SOG team got information late in the night that Aditya and his companions were on the way to Budhanpur. Yogi Adityanath Government's Crackdown on Criminals, 178 Listed Offenders Shot Dead in Encounters in Past Six Years in Uttar Pradesh. The team confronted Aditya who opened fire which led to the encounter. So far, the police have arrested more than eight people of the Aditya gang. These include his village head brother Chandraveer Bittu. Those injured in the encounter include Seohara police station in-charge Rajeev Chaudhary, Ajay Kumar Fauji, SOG inspector Jaiveer Singh, constables Arun and Raees. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 09:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Lucknow, April 12: A security guard on escort duty of a cash van loading currencies at an ATM booth, died of gunshot wounds that he suffered under mysterious circumstances in Lucknow. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Amit Kumawat said the victim Chote Lal Verma, 40, of Sitapur suffered the firearm injuries in an accidental firing and the bullet pierced through his throat. Bihar Shocker: ATM Cash Van Driver Absconds With Rs 1.5 Crore in Patna, FIR Registered. He said a bullet shell was recovered from inside the cash van and it seemed to be SBBL Rifle of Chhote Lal. "The police took in its custody the DVR of CCTV installed in the cash van and were analysing it to find the minute details related to the incident. Action will be initiated accordingly," he said. The ACP said a forensic team also inspected the crime scene in the city's Bakshi ka Talab (BKT) area and collected the evidence from the scene to navigate the investigation of the case. Chhote Lal, along with another security guard and staff of SIS Security Company, manning the cash loading work in the ATMs, reached the ATM of Bank of India located near the BKT railway station. Chhote Lal remained seated in the van at a seat next to the driver while another security guard and the staff went inside the ATM to load the cash. Mumbai Shocker: Security Guard Stabbed to Death in Dharavi in Front of His Wife Over Petty Argument, Three Accused Arrested. In the meantime, they heard a gunshot and came out of the ATM only to see Chhote Lal bleeding profusely through the wound at throat and his head tilted to one side. By the time police reached the scene, the local; people rushed the victim to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. SHO, BKT, B.C. Tiwari, said that Chote Lal was sitting at the front seat (adjacent to seat of the driver) while holding his SBBL Rifle in his hand. "He was drinking water from a bottle and the rifle fell down on the van's floor and the gun went off throwing out a bullet which pierced through his throat," the SHO said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 09:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Sydney, April 12 : Australian grocery delivery startup MilkRun has decided to shut shop and laid off 400 employees amid the gloomy global economic scenario. According to Forbes Australia, its co-founder Dany Milham told the staff that the company will wind down business on April 14. Chinese ChatGPT: Alibaba Launches Chinese Equivalent of OpenAIs AI Chatbot Tongyi Qianwen To Be Integrated in Its DingTalk. "Since we announced our structural changes in February, economic and capital market conditions have continued to deteriorate, and while the business has continued to perform well, we feel strongly that this is the right decision in the current environment," Milham was quoted as saying. Dell Alienware m18, x16 R1 and Inspiron 16 Laptops Launched in India; Checkout Specs, Feature and Price Details of These Power-Packed Machines. MilkRun in February had announced it would make 20 per cent of its then staff redundant, as part of a move to consolidate its delivery hubs. "We've always been committed to doing things the right way, and winding down the business while we still have a sufficient cash balance enables us to ensure our people and suppliers are paid in full," the co-founder told employees. All staff would be made redundant at the startup MilkRun that was launched during the pandemic in 2021. It secured a $11 million seed round and in early 2022, the startup raised further $75 million that included US-based Tiger Global Management. According to McKinsey, in the first nine months of 2021, nearly $5.8 billion was invested globally into adark convenience stores'. However, as the pandemic waned, the popularity of instant grocery delivery platforms also decreased. Global grocery delivery player Gopuff announced its third round of layoffs in 12 months in March this year. Gorillas laid off more than 100 workers and exited three countries in 2022. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 07:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Mumbai, April 12: Asteroids often come quite close to Earth, but fortunately never close enough to cause a surface impact. Despite this, asteroids' close contacts make us more aware of the damage they may pose to our world. As these NEOs have the potential to cause devastation on Earth if they ever crash, organisations like NASA, ESA, and others continue to monitor them. Meanwhile, the Earth is now being approached by a large brigde-size asteroid, which will be within striking distance of the planet on Thursday, i.e. April 13, 2023. Asteroid Alert! Doomsday Fears Grow As NASA Says Three Giant Asteroids To Fly Past Earth, Check Dates and Other Details Inside. NASA followed the asteroid that was headed for Earth and was able to gather important data about it, such as its speed, closest approach distance, size, and other attributes. Asteroid Details Asteroid 436774 (2012 KY3) is the name given to the asteroid by the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at NASA. The same organisation also revealed its expected speed, close approach distance, and trajectory. The concerned asteroid will fly 7.4 million kilometres past Earth on Thursday. The asteroid is almost as big as the Golden Bridge with a width of 2200 feet, and is speeding towards the planet with a closest approach to Earth of 2,970,000 MI/km. Doomsday Coming? Two Giant Asteroids Hurtling Towards Earth at Breakneck Speed, Warns NASA; Know If They Will Hit Our Planet. The rocks is most probably a component of the Apollo group of asteroids, a group of Near-Earth asteroids named after the sizable Apollo asteroid from 1862 that was discovered in the 1930s by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth. Protection From Asteroid Impact Various asteroids are heading for Earth and could collide, therefore NASA has already tested its DART Mission to defend the planet. By colliding a spacecraft with it earlier, the space agency successfully changed the course of an oncoming asteroid. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 11:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). FBI Director Christopher Wray has named Steven J. Jensen as the special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in South Carolina. Jensen most recently served as the deputy assistant director of the FBI's Training Division in Quantico, Virginia. READ NEXT: President Joe Biden Announces Intent to Nominate Key Role for the Department of State Steven J. Jensen Joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 2006 Steven J. Jensen joined the FBI as a special agent in 2006. He was first assigned to the New York Field Office, where he investigated health care fraud, domestic terrorism, and Asian organized crime. Jensen also served on the SWAT team and as a firearms and a defensive tactics instructor. In 2012, Jensen was promoted to supervisory instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, where he was a firearms instructor. He moved in 2014 to the Rockford Resident Agency of the Chicago Field Office to serve as the supervisory senior resident agent. The office covered the 10 northwestern counties outside of Chicago. Jensen was named assistant special agent in charge for Jackson Field Office in 2017 and oversaw the National Security, Criminal, and Administrative branches. In 2020, Jensen reported to the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington as the section chief of the Domestic Terrorism Operations Section. In 2021, he was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Training Division, where he oversaw all basic field training programs and the National Academy training programs. Jensen also served temporary duty assignments to the Attorney General Protection Detail, the Safe Streets Gang Program, and as the director of the High Value Interrogation Group. Prior to joining the FBI, Jensen was a police officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department. He earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Stony Brook University in New York and a master's degree in leadership studies from Northeastern University. READ MORE: Safe and Healthy Colorado Coalition Launches a Statewide Ballot Initiative for Cleaner Air and Water in the State Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will have to go to jail sometime this month after a judge denied her appeal to remain free. However, she still has an appeal for her conviction going on, but she will still have to wait it out in jail as she must report in by April 27. Judge Edward Davila of the Northern District of California has stated in his ruling that while the disgraced Theranos founder does not pose a danger to the community and is not a flight risk, he has doubts about her appeal, adding that it was unlikely to result in a reversal or have an order for a new trial. This is for all the counts she was found guilty of, according to the judge. "Even though Ms. Holmes had presented clear and convincing evidence that she would not flee, the court does not find that she has raised a 'substantial question of law or fact' that is 'likely to result in reversal or an order for a new trial of all counts,'" wrote the judge in his opinion. Last November, Holmes was sentenced to over 11 years of prison. She was previously convicted on multiple charges of defrauding investors while running the failed blood-testing startup Theranos a few months earlier, according to CNN. She was found guilty alongside her former boyfriend and Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, who was sentenced to almost 13 years in prison. Much like Holmes, Belwani's request to stay out of prison was also denied. However, he must present himself to jail a little bit earlier than his ex, as he must surrender on April 20. Elizabeth Holmes Booked a One-Way Ticket to Mexico Before Ruling Despite the judge ruling that she was not a flight risk, there was evidence that Holmes was trying to flee the country before she had to go to prison, according to Business Insider. In January, prosecutors found that Holmes had bought a one-way flight to Mexico, and this flight was set to leave just three weeks after she was convicted. READ NEXT: Tennessee Three Member Justin Jones Reinstated Unanimously by Nashville City Council However, Judge Edward Davila ruled that this wasn't an attempt to flee but was only "ill-advised." He added in his ruling that the flight booking led to more scrutiny and speculation into Holmes' personal affairs and motivations. Who Is Elizabeth Holmes and Why Was Theranos so Controversial? Theranos was supposed to be a revolutionary new piece of technology that would revolutionize blood testing. Elizabeth Holmes, once thought of as a trailblazing young visionary, started it at the age of 19 after dropping out of Stanford University. The Wall Street Journal released an expose about Holmes and her company and it showed that Theranos' "finger stick" blood tests were not able to produce the hundreds of tests it promised. The company completely shut down in 2016 thanks to regulatory pressure after the WSJ expose came out, according to Yahoo! Finance. As for Holmes, she was indicted in 2018 after the company went down in flames. Before this, however, she was once considered a genius and a savvy young businesswoman with a bright future ahead of her. This was mainly because she once became the wealthiest self-made female billionaire thanks to the extremely high values of Theranos' stock prices. It became this way because it promised to revolutionize the medical industry. However, this changed when it was revealed that it was all a fraud. READ MORE: Monster Energy Tried to Sue Pokemon and Capcom's Monster Hunter This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Why Elizabeth Holmes Was Convicted (and Also Acquitted) - LegalEagle President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will be visiting China this week, eyeing a talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is expected to focus largely on trade, including the ongoing war in Ukraine. The trip to Beijing was set to take place last month but was postponed as the Brazilian leader was hospitalized due to pneumonia, according to CNN. Lula announced that the trip was underway, with Brazil reestablish its relations with China, which has been its main trading partner since 2009. The Brazilian president noted that trade between Brazil and China has increased 21 times since Lula's first visit to the East Asian country in 2004. It was a time that he was serving as the country's president for the first time. Aside from their trade relations, Xi and Lula are also reported to talk about the war in Ukraine, with the two leaders earlier posing themselves as possible "mediators for the conflict." China made repeated calls for a political settlement in Ukraine in February, which marked the one-year anniversary of the invasion. Lula has earlier noted that he would probably talk to Xi about China's role in the Russian invasion and achieving peace in Ukraine. READ NEXT: Amazon Rainforest Facts and Deforestation: Greenpeace Uses Secret GPS Trackers to Get Pictures of Illegal Logging in Brazil Lula China Visit Lula said before leaving for his trip to China that he would invite the Chinese leader to Brazil in an attempt to reinforce relations between Brazil and Beijing. Reuters reported that Lula said in an interview with state-owned broadcasting company EBC that he will be inviting Xi to Brazil for a bilateral meeting, with the goal to have Xi get to know Brazil and show him the projects that the Latin American country has an interest in Chinese investment. Lula added that they want Chinese investments to create new jobs and "generate new productive assets" in the country. Experts claim that Lula is trying to "carve out a distinctive role" for Brazil when it comes to geopolitics around the around. Brazil currently maintains diplomatic relations with Washington while engaging in talks with its rivals such as China and Russia, as reported by Al Jazeera. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a news conference that Lula leading a huge delegation to China shows the high importance both countries have attached to the state visit and bilateral relations, especially since it was after the Brazilian president's recovery from pneumonia. Brazil-China Relations Analysts from China and Brazil were surprised that the visit have been rescheduled sooner, which shows that both nations have "great sincerity and strong motivation" when it comes to promoting their partnership, as cited by Global Times. Meanwhile, Brazil has yet to join the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. The program is a global infrastructure strategy started in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and international organizations. Wang explained that the BRI is an open and "transparent cooperation initiative" when asked whether Brazil will sign an agreement for the cooperation. Brazil will mark the 22nd Latin American country to be included formally in the Chinese infrastructure program. Latin American studies expert, Guo Cunchai, said that China and Brazil are both "neutral major powers with global influence." READ MORE: Brazil Election: Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva Wins but Not Outright Victory After He Failed to Secure Majority Over Jair Bolsonaro This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: 'A beautiful relationship': Brazil's Lula heads to China to foster trade ties - from FRANCE 24 English The House GOP, led by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, has been trying to interfere in Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's case against Donald Trump. Now, the Manhattan DA finally pushed back legally, as it filed a lawsuit against the congressman from Ohio. The lawsuit sought to stop a House Judiciary Committee inquiry that subpoenaed several personnel from the Manhattan DA's Office, as well as asked for several documents regarding the case. Bragg argued that this inquiry was a "transparent campaign to intimidate and attack" over his office's investigations into the hush money payment made by Donald Trump to porn star Stormy Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election. U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil denied Bragg's request for emergency relief on Tuesday but has scheduled a hearing in Manhattan on April 19, just a day before the committee planned to question Bragg under a subpoena. The Associated Press noted that this was a forceful escalation on Bragg's behalf. This came after weeks of releasing statements and letters that blasted Jordan and other Republicans over their "constitutionally destructive fishing expedition" that threatens the sovereignty and integrity of a state-level prosecution. "Congress lacks any valid legislative purpose to engage in a free-ranging campaign of harassment in retaliation for the District Attorney's investigation and prosecution of Mr. Trump under the laws of New York," the lawsuit stated as the Manhattan DA pointed out that Congress lacks the constitutional authority "to oversee, let alone disrupt, ongoing state law criminal matters." Jim Jordan Hits Back at Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Over Lawsuit On Tuesday, Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and notable ally to former President Donald Trump. took to social media to criticize the Manhattan DA's lawsuit, according to CNN. READ MORE: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Fires Back at House Republicans for Meddling "First, they indict a president for no crime. Then, they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it," he wrote. However, in the lawsuit, Bragg knocked that Jordan's assertion about $5,000 in federal funds used in relation to his office's investigation into Trump as the counsel for the Manhattan DA had already stated that it would comply with a committee request for information on the use of federal funds. New York Representative Dan Goldman Slams Jim Jordan Over Planned Hearing in New York The House Judiciary Committee under Jim Jordan has been planning to conduct a hearing in New York City next week. However, New York Democrats, including Rep. Dan Goldman, are pushing back, with Goldman hitting Jordan's plans and saying that the GOP congressman is "not welcome" in Goldman's district, which was where the planned hearing was supposed to take place. "Instead of focusing on improving the lives of the American people, Jim Jordan has decided to come to my district at the behest of Donald Trump to continue to weaponize Congress to obstruct an ongoing, non-federal criminal prosecution," said the New York Representative. "If Jordan truly cared about public safety, he'd be having a field hearing in Nashville, Tennessee or Louisville, Kentucky, where the most recent of the daily mass shootings have killed more innocent Americans." Goldman then accused Jordan of wasting taxpayer money in support of Trump's defense, according to The Hill. READ MORE: Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty to All Felony Charges, Speaks Out After Arraignment This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Bragg sues Jim Jordan to stop House GOP from interfering in Trump case - Eyewitness News ABC7NY The argument options of Dominion in its case against Fox News have been limited by the recent ruling of a Delaware judge on Tuesday during a pretrial conference. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis ruled that Dominion Voting Systems cannot use references to Jan. 6 Capitol riot in its defamation lawsuit against Fox News as it could taint the jury's view of the case, according to The Hill. In addition, Dominion's allegations against Fox News are not about whether it "influenced" the attack on Capitol. Davis said that claims about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot may be "for another court at another time," but not for the court he is presiding. The judge earlier ruled that Dominion had proven the first key element of their allegation against Fox News, which was the media magnate's statements about the company and the 2020 election were false. Davis said that the jury will have to deliberate whether Fox operated with actual malice or not. There is also a high legal bar for plaintiffs to clear in seeking damages in a defamation lawsuit. Dominion Defamation Lawsuit Pretrial During the pretrial, Davis also revealed that he has received death threats, with the judge telling both sides' lawyers that he sent them the things he has received. The voting systems company also asked the judge if they can bring up the threats and harassment that its employees have experienced since the 2020 election. One Dominion lawyer said that such threats have placed "terror" among its workforce, adding that it has ruined the company's ability to recruit and retain employees, as reported by CNN. Davis ruled that Dominion can show the jury the existence of the said threats. However, the company cannot get into the content of the threats as Fox News does not have direct control over what uninvolved third parties say. Davis told Dominion lawyers that he is not downplaying threats and that their party should "take every threat seriously." READ NEXT: Rupert Murdoch Testimony: Top Fox News Hosts 'Went Too Far' Fox News Facing Defamation Lawsuit Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages. The lawsuit could renew questions about whether defamation law adequately protects victims of misinformation campaigns. CBS News noted that the voting systems company has become the core of conspiracy allies pushed by supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump after his loss in the 2020 presidential election. Dominion argues that Fox News defamed it by broadcasting baseless allegations about the company's voting machines. It went on to say that the media outlet knew they were false. Fox News and parent company Fox Corporation argued that they were covering newsworthy stories, adding that the statements made on the cable were protected by the First Amendment. Davis disagreed and noted just because a story is newsworthy "doesn't mean you can defame someone," as cited by The New York Times. Davis's ruling was issued before the trial is set to officially start, which is scheduled on April 17. It will be two days after the jury selection. READ MORE: Donald Trump Admits He Didn't Win Presidential Election 2020 During Interview With Presidential Historians This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Dominion Voting vs. Fox News: a major defamation lawsuit - from AP Archive Erosion has been causing so many problems in Puerto Rico that Governor Pedro Pierluisi declared a state of emergency during a recent press conference. This declaration would fight worsening coastal erosion across the island, which many say is a result of climate change. Pierluisi announced that the government of the U.S. territory is setting aside $105 million in federal funds to implement around two dozen measures to minimize the ongoing loss of land, as well as curtail its effects. According to the Associated Press, among the nearly two dozen measures that the Puerto Rican government is planning include relocating homes, creating artificial reefs, planting mangrove trees, and adding sand to beaches. Governor Pedro Pierluisi admitted that his agenda is ambitious as the U.S. territory has almost 700 miles (1,200 kilometers) of coastline, with approximately two-thirds of the island's 3.2 million residents living along coastal areas. The measures that the governor announced on Tuesday are expected to be implemented in some of the hardest-hit municipalities, including Rincon, Cabo Rojo, Isabela, and the neighboring sister island of Vieques. It is noted that these areas are very popular with tourists. Severe erosion has been recorded in the towns of Luquillo, Loiza, Patillas, Humacao, Dorado, and Ponce. Other hard-hit areas include Arecibo, Humacao, Vega Baja, Fajardo, Luquillo, Humacao, Hatillo, Mayaguez, Aguada, Arecibo, and Camuy. "I am not saying that we are going to limit ourselves to these municipalities, but we have to establish some priorities," said the Governor. READ NEXT: Caribbean Tourism Recovers From the COVID-19 Pandemic, New Numbers Show The Worsening Erosion in Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico launched a study and found that over 60 miles (99 kilometers) of the U.S. territory's shoreline has migrated inland over the previous years. Much of this may have been caused by storms, such as Hurricane Maria which devastated the island back in 2017. With the effects of climate change, experts are warning that future storms will be more powerful and occur more often, thus accelerating the erosion in Puerto Rico. According to ABC News, experts have identified erosion in around 40% of Puerto Rico's beaches. Meanwhile, experts from the Institute of Coastal Investigation and Planning of Puerto Rico found that accretion, or the accumulation of sand, was found in around 60% of the territory's beaches. Puerto Rico to Develop Less of Its Coastal Zone to Combat Erosion While Puerto Rico is popular among tourists thanks to its beautiful beaches, the governor has released an order that established that the government would not undertake any further development into the U.S. territory's coastal zones. According to El Nuevo Dia, Pierluisi has set aside $5 million of ARPA (American Rescue Plan) funds and another $100 million in federal funds assigned to the Department of Housing for this undertaking. However, he did not specify if these funds will be sufficient to carry out the initiatives included in his executive order. He did insist that it is a comprehensive agenda and that it will be a priority of his administration. READ MORE: Puerto Rico Dishes: 5 Puerto Rican Soups Perfect During Cold Winter Days This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Can Puerto Rico recover before the next climate disaster? | UpFront - Al Jazeera English Two Florida girls managed to steal a car from one of their dads and drove 400 miles to meet someone they had met online. Khloe Larsen, 14, and Jade Gregory, 12, were reported missing on Thursday morning before being found later that day in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Police said the girls were then brought back home safely. Union County Police Department Captain Lyn Williams confirmed to CBS News that Gregory and Larsen stole the car belonging to Gregory's father and then crossed state lines "with the intention of meeting someone they'd been speaking to online." A missing child alert was quickly released on social media, stating, "They may be traveling in her parents' Mr. Gregory's, 2016, black Ford Taurus, FL TAG: BWKU59. The children may be traveling west on I-10 in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area." The girls were reportedly on their way to Louisiana to meet another teenager they supposedly met online. The identity of that supposed online friend is still unknown. According to the Union County Sheriff's Office, the two girls were not found with an adult, and no foul play was suspected. READ NEXT: Florida Leaves Italians Speechless After Parents Label Michelangelo's David as 'Porn' Florida Girls Saw Themselves on TV After They Were Reported Missing After the two Florida girls were reported missing, the word about their disappearance quickly spread, and local TV stations even covered it. According to KSNV, the Florida girls stopped by a store on their way to Louisiana and saw themselves being featured as missing on TV. The store was in Bayou La Batre, near the Mississippi border. Reports of their time in Alabama noted that the girls were not cooperating with authorities and that their parents were frantic. Reports also indicated that the FBI had already taken over the investigation, though the Union County Sheriff's Office still thanked the other agencies for their help in the girls' recovery. Federal authorities and multiple agencies in Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana have reportedly contributed to the investigation. Sex Traffickers May Have Lured Florida Girls A massive federal investigation was launched following reports of the two Florida girls' disappearance. However, Jade Gregory and her friend Khloe Larson ended the search when they finally turned themselves over to the police in Alabama. The FBI is now trying to find out who is this person in Louisiana who has contacted the girls. NDTV reported that the FBI is investigating several angles, including a person they believe the teenagers were planning to meet. The feds still consider the possibility that a sex trafficker lured the children. Gregory and Larson have reportedly returned to their respective homes in Lake Butler in Union County, Florida. READ MORE: Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Injured After Attack at Florida Gym This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Girls Missing From Florida Found Safe in Bayou La Batre - From FOX10 News A Mexican tourist was reportedly killed in the Caribbean resort city of Tulum in Mexico during a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop. Videos of the attack, which circulated on social media Tuesday, showed that the Mexican tourist refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing. Because of this, he was shot and killed by armed robbers, according to the Associated Press. The video also showed two men with motorcycle helmets bursting into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday. The Mexican tourist reportedly had an armed bodyguard who took out a pistol and shot at the robbers. The robbers still managed to escape, but the bodyguard chased them to the street, where he continued firing through the coffee shop's door. READ NEXT: Mexico: 5 Dead After Gunmen Indiscriminately Sprayed Bullets at a Popular Acapulco Bar Mexican Tourist's Bodyguard and 1 Suspect Arrested After Deadly Armed Robbery Quintana Roo state police reported that they managed to arrest one of the suspects, who managed to flee, and the bodyguard. The suspect was reportedly wounded and tried to get treated at a local hospital, where Quinta Roo authorities soon apprehended him. As for the bodyguard, he was released as authorities discovered he had a permit to carry firearms legally. State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca further noted that the bodyguard was also released as he may have acted in self-defense, Fox News reported. Quinta Roo is one of the most popular states in Mexico for tourists to visit, as it is home to many resort towns along the Caribbean Coast, such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. However, the state has recently been facing a wave of violence as drug cartels continue to vie for supremacy in the state's various resort towns. Drug Cartel Violence Getting Out of Control in Mexico's Tulum City Drug cartel violence has been brewing in Tulum for quite some time now, and so far, it has gotten worse in this popular tourist destination. Last February, a gruesome murder was reported when four local city officials were found shot to death and stuffed inside a vehicle. Their bodies reportedly had signs that they were tortured. The men were reportedly from Playa del Carmen's municipal inspection office, which enforced the law in the popular resort town, especially monitoring drug use or sales and looking after the city permits for restaurants, bars, and other commercial establishments. One of the many drug cartels operating in Tulum was blamed for the men's deaths. According to Vice News, four vicious cartels have been operating in the area, including the two notorious ones, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. The Gulf Cartel, which recently grabbed headlines for the abduction and deaths of two American tourists, and the Grupo Regional, a cartel formed of former Zetas cartel members and local street gangs, also operate in the resort area. READ MORE: Mexico: 2 Canadians Found Dead With Their Throats Slit in Playa Del Carmen This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: The Cancun That Tourists Don't Often See: Soaring Murders Amid a Bloody Drug War - From PBS Drug Hour The Joe Biden administration on Tuesday presented options to save the Colorado River in an effort to stop it from reaching critically low levels and to end months-long discussions between the seven western states and Indigenous groups that rely on it. According to The Guardian, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages water resources, urged the seven states, which are part of the Colorado River Basin, to find ways to reduce their river water allocation by as much as 30% due to decreasing water flow and reservoir levels falling to historic lows. The Colorado River basin is divided into two: the Lower Basin includes Arizona, California, and Nevada, while Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming are part of the Upper Basin. Despite several deadlines, these states have yet to make a deal on how to cut their usage to prevent dead pool. A dead pool happens when water in a dam drops so low it can no longer flow downstream from the reservoir, with the waterline sitting beneath intake pipes at the Hoover Dam. Last year, the Lake Mead reservoir dropped to its lowest level since the 1930s. The Interior Department said Tuesday it would impose cuts to water allotments based on the water-rights priority system or evenly across the board. Without specifying how states should reduce water usage, the department defended its authority to ensure drinking water and hydropower generated from the river are met, even if that means bypassing the priority system. The old system of dividing up the water used for over a century is based on a senior priority system or whichever one was there first among the states, putting California first. READ NEXT: Latest Study Shows The Colorado River is Drying Up Colorado River Supports Massive Agricultural Lands According to Fox News, the Colorado River is 1,450 miles long and a significant water source for millions across the United States. It also nourishes 5.5 million acres of farmland, generates power for millions of people via hydroelectric dams, and has essential recreational and ecological purposes. The states in the Upper Basin rely on tributaries of the Colorado River for their water supply. In contrast, those in the Lower Basin rely on water stored in reservoirs like Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border and Lake Mead on the Nevada-Arizona border. Water releases to the Lower Basin states can be managed by the dams at Glen Canyon in northern Arizona and Hoover in southern Nevada. Water supplies and hydropower-generated electricity for tens of millions of Americans are in jeopardy due to decades of drought. Lake Powell and Lake Mead are nearing so-called dead pool levels when water cannot flow from a reservoir through its dam. How Does Joe Biden's Admin Plan to Cut Water Affect Cities, Farmers, and Tribes? In a press conference on Tuesday, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said, "The Colorado River is one community comprised of 40 million people and landscapes that need us to get this right." It comes as pressure mounts on the federal government to develop a fair deal for water users. To demonstrate how much the water levels in Lake Mead have dropped, Touton and other officials spoke in front of the impressive bathtub ring. While both situations would result in significant water restrictions, the primary distinction is who would be affected. Because of their lower priority claim to the water than farmers and Native American tribes, big Western cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix would be forced to accept most of the reductions in water supply if Lake Mead levels continued to drop, CNN reported. The second scenario considers the outcomes should the water cuts be applied uniformly to cities, farmers, and tribes, a course of action that some high-priority water users have warned might lead to a protracted, high-stakes legal battle between the states and the federal government. The federal government also proposed a third scenario: do nothing. But with the Colorado River's continued decline, the Joe Biden administration needs to consider that alternative. READ MORE: Nick Cannon Wants Baby No. 13 with Taylor Swift? This is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Biden Administration Weighs in on Colorado River Water Rights Dispute - From CBS News Federal prosecutors in Mexico have formally charged four soldiers in the killings of five men, including an American, in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, last February. On Monday, Mexico's Federal Attorney General's Office presented during a court hearing homicide and attempted homicide charges against the four Mexican soldiers who opened fire on a pickup truck in the early hours of February 26, Mexico Daily News reported. Raymundo Ramos, head of the Nuevo Laredo Human Rights Committee, said last month that 12 soldiers were present during the shooting, and four confessed to firing their weapons. Deputy Interior Minister Alejandro Encinas confirmed that the victims were not armed and were not involved in a confrontation with the army. A federal judge in Reynosa City ruled that the four Mexican soldiers, who appeared at Monday's hearing via a video conference, should remain in preventive detention in a military base prison in Mexico City. The soldiers have been detained there since they were arrested in early March. The court is set to hold an initial hearing on the charges on Wednesday, April 12, when a judge is expected to order the soldiers to stand trial. The troops are facing prison sentences of up to 60 years for each homicide. READ NEXT: Mexico: 18 Dead, Including Mayor and His Father, After Los Tequileros Gunmen Sprayed Bullets at Town Hall, House in Guerrero Nuevo Laredo Shooting by Mexico's Soldiers The Defense Department in Mexico earlier confirmed that Mexican soldiers fired shots at the pickup truck in Nuevo Laredo, killing five men and injuring another. In a statement, the department said soldiers heard gunshots and approached the pickup with no license plates, but the occupants of the pickup sped up in a "brusque and evasive way" when they saw the army troops. The Mexican soldiers said the speeding vehicle then crashed into a parked vehicle, and when they heard the crash, they started shooting. The soldiers did not say if they thought the loud noise was a gunshot. The department reportedly cooperated with civilian prosecutors to investigate the deaths. In a state crime scene report previously acquired by The Associated Press, the Mexican soldiers said the pickup truck ignored their orders to stop. In a separate statement, the activist group Nuevo Laredo Human Rights Committee noted that the shooting incident sparked a scuffle between soldiers and a big crowd of angry residents who believed the victims were not armed, so "there was no reason to arbitrarily kill them in this way." American Man Killed by Soldiers in Nuevo Laredo Shooting in Mexico Identified The 21-year-old American man, who was among the five men shot dead by the Mexican army in Nuevo Laredo, was identified as Gustavo Suarez, Daily Mail reported. Suarez and six other men were returning from a night out at a club when their pickup truck was shot. The other dead victims were identified as Wilberto Mata, Gustavo Perez, Jonathan Aguilar, and Alejandro Trujillo. The sixth victim, Luis Gerardo, was wounded after being shot twice. Alejandro Perez, the seventh person in the vehicle who was not harmed, previously told Univision that he saw one of the Mexican soldiers shoot and kill his brother, Gustavo Perez. Alejandro said they told the army troops they were not carrying anything and did not have firearms. The surviving victim also disclosed that the soldiers forced him to make a videotaped confession, in which he had to say that the group was responsible for being shot at by the military troops who threatened him. Alejandro said the soldiers told him that if he wanted to live, he must say, "we were at fault." A Mexico's National Human Rights Commission report revealed that the four soldiers opened fire 117 times on the seven men. 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: Locals Fight With Mexican Soldiers After Killing of Five Men | Al Jazeera Newsfeed - From Al Jazeera English Belize is often called a "melting pot" of cultures, making Belizean cuisine like no other. Because of the variety of cuisines available, it will take weeks to fully experience the country's cuisine. Belize: Top 5 Delicious Belizean Dishes For all foodies, including the pickiest diner, the variety and taste of Belizean food ensure an outstanding experience. These authentic Belizean dishes will excite your taste buds and help you fully immerse yourself in the region's culinary culture. Chimole This Mexican and Mayan-influenced black soup is a hearty, chunky stew. Chimole features juicy chicken, healthy veggies, and native spices like Achiote, a paste from Annatto seeds. The dark brown tint of this famous soup is unlike any other color. Chimole's popularity as a Belizean meal is mainly attributable to its fiery, smoky, and hearty flavor. READ NEXT: Belize's Must-Try Alcoholic Drinks Perfect on a Night Out Garnaches Corn tortillas are fried and then filled with refried beans, lettuce, and cheese to make a simple Garnache. The locals and visitors to Belize agree that this Mestizo dish is one of the best options for a quick supper or tasty street cuisine. Garnaches can be found even at the tiniest of cafes, with just a counter for placing orders and a handful of tables. Rest assured that despite the frequently low cost of the food sold by these street vendors, it does not sacrifice the quality of the food. Moreover, those are the best spots to get Garnaches if you want to feel like a native. This Belizean food is also suitable for vegetarians. Therefore, Garnaches is an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans in Belize. Locals and visitors rave about the deliciousness of Garnache, a simple tortilla dish. Conch Fritters Seafood is a staple in Belizean cuisine because the country's eastern coast is on the Caribbean Sea, not far from the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Conch fritters, a staple delicacy in the Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean, are also widely consumed in Belize. The best time to get conch fritters is between October and June because the "conch season" spans from those times. To prepare a conch, chefs pound it to tenderize it, then dice it and toss it with chopped onions, garlic, peppers, and flour. Many Belizeans add their national beer, Belikin, to it. Fritters are a popular breakfast or snack in Belize. Rice and Beans Rice and kidney beans, a dish with Creole roots, are a pantry staple throughout most of Africa, the Caribbean, and Central America. You cannot visit the country and not have this Belizean food. Beans and rice are a traditional Belizean cuisine, cooked in coconut milk and topped with a variety of meats such chicken, hog, beef, shrimp, or paca, then seasoned with "recado," a fragrant spice mixture. Cochinita Pibil Cochinita pibil, commonly known as pibil pork, is a traditional dish in Belize that involves wrapping a pig in banana leaves before roasting it slowly in a pit in the ground. A pork shoulder is baked in the oven at home. The pig is rubbed with an achiote mixture that includes red annatto seeds (a Maya spice), black pepper, ground annatto, ground allspice, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. While being wrapped in banana leaves for baking, the meat is marinated for two to three hours before being served with corn tortillas with Belize's signature habanero pepper sauce. READ MORE: Trinidad and Tobago: A Guide to the Best Food in the Caribbean Nation This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Trying BELIZEAN FOOD: 7 Traditional Dishes You Must Try - From Dim Sum Basic Former first lady Melania Trump has issued her first public statement since her husband, former President Donald Trump, was indicted in connection with a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump turned himself in last Tuesday to authorities in New York, where he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records. CBS News reported Melania did not appear beside Trump during his court appearance. In a statement she posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Melania struck back at "assumptions" over her absence from public view following Trump's arrest and arraignment. She also lashed out at "unnamed sources" following reports claiming she was urged to be more visible in Trump's 2024 presidential run. "News organizations have made assumptions about the former First Lady's stance on subjects that are personal, professional, and political over the past few weeks. In these articles, unnamed sources are cited to bolster the author's claims," the Office of Melania Trump tweeted. In a subsequent tweet, the former first lady asked the public to "exercise caution and good judgment when determining whether or not stories concerning the former First Lady are accurate, particularly when they fail to cite Mrs. Trump as a source of information." In her first tweet in weeks, Melania also tweeted, "Happy Easter!" on Sunday. On April 4, Trump flew to New York for his arraignment and returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as soon as it was over. That night, the former president addressed his supporters, and Melania was still not at her husband's side during the Mar-a-Lago address. Trump's three children, namely Donald Trump Jr., Tiffany Trump, and Eric Trump, were in attendance, including some of his supporters, like GOP Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene. READ NEXT: Donald and Melania Trump Marriage Melania Trump Was Seen With Donald Trump for the First Time Since Indictment The statement from Melania Trump comes two days after she was seen in public with her husband for the first time since the indictment, the New York Post reported. The former first lady accompanied Donald Trump to Easter brunch at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, when she broke her silence online one week after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president. According to a Page Six source, Melania's Easter brunch with Trump came after the former president begged his wife to be by his side as he ran in the 2024 presidential election. "He told her, 'I really need you for this because we are going to be campaigning,'" the insider noted. "They had a major talk over the weekend, and she has... agreed to be on board." A friend of Melania told the outlet last week that she was "angry" about Trump's arrest and in denial about their "transactional" marriage. Melania Trump Left Donald Trump When Stormy Daniels Scandal Broke Out Melania Trump reportedly opted for some time away from Donald Trump after the news broke that her husband paid porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about their sexual affair. Reports said Melania left Washington, D.C., for West Palm Beach in Florida on an unannounced trip to get away from her husband for several days after the payoff to Daniels was reported in January 2018. She was caring for their then-four-month-old son Barron at the time of the fling. A source told the Daily Mail in 2018 the former first lady "spends three to four days a week away from the White House and has stayed at a hotel in D.C. multiple times," often for days after news of the payment broke. The insider further noted that Melania also traveled to New York and rarely came into Trump's West Wing office as "other first ladies have done, and her schedule is vague at best." The source said Melania seemed to be avoiding duties at the time "unless there was a very special reason." The insider added that the scandal "was upsetting and humiliating," and her relationship with Trump became strained at the time. READ MORE: Donald Trump Rape Case This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Melania Trump Issues Cryptic First Statement In Viral Tweet After Trump's Indictment - From Forbes Breaking News The Bethlehem Parking Authority announced its launching a short-term parking program exclusively for pickups/deliveries, and a second program to address overall parking concerns. The first program will go into effect immediately, the authority said. The new rule will cap some short-term parking in dense business areas at 10 minutes at no cost to drivers. The agency said the new options are designed to provide shoppers a convenient way to quickly pick up or deliver items to local businesses. The program was first piloted last year in the citys historic and Southside Arts district. Some business owners said they noticed a considerable change when the program was in effect. The agency said it identified parking spaces in dense areas that would most benefit from short term visits to local businesses. The new short-term pick-up zones are perfect for customers who are quickly picking up a beverage or pastry item and for some of our team members who rely on others for transportation, said Colleen Dorsey, owner of Bitty and Beaus Coffee. The second program called the Smart Loading Zone Program will be piloted in the city over the next few months, according to the release. The program was first announced in January, and is operated by Automotus, an automated curb management company. Its aimed at improving short-term parking efficiency and reducing the rate of parking tickets by applying automated payment options into existing loading zones, according to the release. The 10 minute pick-up/delivery spaces will complement the smart loading zone program pilot and help to offer additional options to free up the smart loading zones for other uses, including larger, more robust, deliveries, Bethlehem Parking Authority Executive Director Steven Fernstrom said. See the Bethlehem Parking Authoritys website to learn more about the programs. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_on Twitter. Bruce Springsteen is ending the first set of his U.S. tour dates right where his career started. Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform at the Prudential Center on April 14 before heading to Europe. Where to buy Bruce Springsteen concert tickets Springsteen fans can find last-minute tickets on StubHub, Vivid Seats and TicketNetwork, in addition to Ticketmaster. The lowest-priced last-minute tickets for Springsteens 2023 tour have been on StubHub and Vivid Seats. Ticketmaster has seats for sale, but theyre resale tickets and have been priced as high or higher than the traditional secondary market. First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 by entering promo code NJ20 at checkout. More massive upcoming tours in 2023 Springsteen is not the only artist going out on tour in the next few months. Here are a few more upcoming tours you wont want to miss. RELATED STORIES ABOUT LIVE EVENTS: How to get Beyonce Renaissance tour tickets, if you didnt register for presale Bruce Springsteen tour 2023: Full schedule, dates, where to buy tickets Taylor Swift tour 2023: Heres how to get tickets, if you missed the 2nd Verified Fan sale Tina Fey and Amy Poehler announce 2023 tour: How to buy tickets, schedule, dates Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Two Allentown police officers were hurt Tuesday morning after thieves who stole a car hit police vehicles while trying to get away, the department said. The officers were treated at a local hospital and released following the Tuesday morning crashes. Two juveniles have been arrested and face charges including aggravated assault, theft, fleeing from police and criminal trespass, city police said. Police did not release the juveniles ages. Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said the pair will be charged as juveniles and he would be not be making any further comment. The department previously confirmed vehicles were hit and no civilians were injured in the Tuesday morning incident. Authorities said several arrests were made in the incident, but did not detail other possible co-defendants and their ages or charges. Police said the incident began when they were called at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday for a vehicle that was just stolen from the 700 block of North 10th Street. An Allentown officer saw the stolen vehicle in the 1200 block of Early Street and tried to stop it, authorities said. The driver backed into the officers car and sped off, according to police. The fleeing driver is accused of hitting a second Allentown police car with an officer inside in the 1400 block of Gordon Street. The driver continued fleeing before stopping in the 1500 block of Warren Street, where the people inside the car took off on foot, police said. Police said they learned two juveniles broke into a home in the 1500 block of Gordon Street. The pair were found inside the home and arrested without incident. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed Tuesday to limit the use of the chemical ethylene oxide after finding higher than expected cancer risk at facilities that use it to sterilize billions of medical devices each year. The EPA says its proposal will reduce ethylene oxide emissions by roughly 80% by targeting 86 medical sterilization facilities across the United States. B. Braun Medical Inc. uses ethylene oxide at its 901 Marcon Blvd. manufacturing facility outside Allentown in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. These companies will also have to measure the antimicrobial chemical in the air. EPAs number one priority is protecting peoples health and safety, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. Together they would significantly reduce worker and community exposure to harmful levels of ethylene oxide. Darya Minovi, a senior research analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, called the action overdue by almost a decade and said it should have gone further to require monitoring at a facility property line so people know what is entering their neighborhoods. Im relieved and pleased that the EPA has finally issued proposed standards that are based on their own scientists recommendations on an updated, higher cancer risk value, said Minovi in a statement. The tightened safeguards are driven by a better understanding by EPA that ethylene oxides threat can be severe. The chemical is classified as a pesticide. A medical sterilization worker over the course of a career could see their risk shoot up by as much as one extra case of cancer for every ten people exposed. The EPAs generally acceptable increase in lifetime cancer risk is 1 in 10,000. Ethylene oxide is a gas used to sterilize roughly half of all medical devices and is also used to ensure the safety of certain spices and other food products. It is used to clean everything from catheters to syringes, pacemakers and plastic surgical gowns. Brief exposure isnt considered a danger, but breathing it long-term elevates the risk of breast cancer and lymphoma, according to the agency. The EPA said many facilities have already sharply reduced emissions, but those that havent will now have to meet stricter requirements. Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of Advanced Medical Technology Association, said that medical sterilizers provide a vital service and that many devices cannot be sterilized by another method. He said the EPAs risk assessment overstates the threat employees face and the protections they are already provided. He added that these facilities are already at capacity and the industry cant afford shutdowns. The 18-month timeframe for installing technology to reduce emissions after the final rule is issued is much too short. It could take many months for abatement equipment to arrive. Supply chains and manufacturing are still recovering from the pandemic, Whitaker said in a statement. The agency is proposing two rules, one targeting emissions and another focused on worker safety. The emissions reductions aim to bring cancer risk within the EPAs generally acceptable level. Medical sterilizers would also need to continuously monitor air pollution to make sure controls function properly. The EPA also wants to require protective gear for people who work with ethylene oxide, and says some workplaces, including museums, should stop using it altogether because safer alternatives exist. B. Braun on Tuesday noted that when the EPA last August notified 23 commercial sterilizers 19 in the continental U.S. and four in Puerto Rico that their operations pose an elevated risk of cancer and other ailments, the companys Hanover Township facility was not on that list. This demonstrates that our safe-operating practices are working, Alli Longenhagen, director of corporate communications for B. Braun Medical Inc. based at 824 12th Ave. in Bethlehem, said in a statement Tuesday. Sterilization of medical devices using ethylene oxide remains the only viable sterilization method for certain medical devices and ensures patients across the country have access to safe medical care. B. Braun also noted it disagrees with EPAs statements regarding risks to employees and will be taking steps to address this. At B. Braun Medical, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our employees, our community, and the patients who depend on our products, Longenhagen stated. In recent years, concern over emissions from medical sterilizers has grown sharply. Sterigenics shuttered a medical sterilization plant in a Chicago Suburb after monitoring found emissions spikes in nearby neighborhoods and settled numerous lawsuits. The proposal follows the EPAs announcement last week to cut emissions from chemical plants in general to reduce cancer risk. In part, that rule targeted manufactures of ethylene oxide. Tuesdays proposal targets those who use it. B. Braun Medical Inc.s entire statement B. Braun Medical is dedicated to safely manufacturing life-sustaining products used to treat millions of people here in the Lehigh Valley and across the country. We operate in full compliance with federal and state regulations, and emissions from our facility in Hanover Township are far below the allowable levels in our operating permit. We are reviewing the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPAs) long-anticipated release of proposed new rules governing the use of ethylene oxide. Through our proactive and voluntary efforts, including investments in best-in-class emission control technologies, we are already in compliance with many elements of the proposed new rules. In fact, when EPA previously released a list of facilities who posted elevated risks of exposure to ethylene oxide, B. Brauns facility in Hanover Township was not on the list. This demonstrates that our safe-operating practices are working. Sterilization of medical devices using ethylene oxide remains the only viable sterilization method for certain medical devices and ensures patients across the country have access to safe medical care. We disagree with EPAs statements regarding risks to employees and will be taking steps to address this. At B. Braun Medical, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our employees, our community, and the patients who depend on our products. By MICHAEL PHILLIS Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Supervising reporter Kurt Bresswein contributed to this report. Reach him at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. UPDATE: N.J. wildfire grows to more than 3,800 acres, but is 50% contained Firefighters in Ocean County continued to battle a wildfire Wednesday that grew overnight to 2,500 acres and is threatening at least 75 structures. The fire broke out Tuesday evening in the area of Route 539, Route 70 and Horicon Avenue in Manchester and forced a few dozen evacuations on federal, state and private property, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The blaze was only 10% contained as of 1:30 a.m. Officials have not provided an additional update, though overhead video from 6abc.com Wednesday morning showed a wide path of smoke rising to the sky. No injuries have been reported. More warm, dry and breezy conditions are in the forecast for Wednesday, the National Weather Service said, so theres an elevated risk for fire spread in all of the states 21 counties. Route 539 and Route 70 reopened at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, but Horicon Avenue was closed, along with Beckerville East Road and Beckerville West Road, Manchester police said. In nearby Lakehurst, residents who live on Division Street have been allowed to return home. Controlled burns or backfiring when a fire is intentionally set along the inner edge of a fire line to consume the fuel in the path of the blaze or change its direction is ongoing, officials said. The Manchester fire was one of multiple wildfires reported in New Jersey on Tuesday. Massive plumes of smoke cover a section of Manchester on Wednesday morning where a large forest fire broke out on Tuesday.6abc.com Earlier, a roughly 10-acre wildfire burned through a wooded area near Alameda Drive in Brick and another 5-acre wildfire burned brush in Howell, fire officials told NJ Advance Media. The Howell fire started as a result of a homeowner burning wood in a fire pit in a backyard that spread after a large gust of wind carried embers to a wooded area, according to a statement from Howell police. Firefighters in Hudson County scrambled Tuesday afternoon to control a brush fire in Jersey City that jumped both the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and the Newark Bay-Hudson County Turnpike Extension Tuesday afternoon. The wildfire in Manchester Township, Ocean County is visible on our radar, which is not far away. pic.twitter.com/J6zRSz295T NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) April 12, 2023 Many areas of eastern Pennsylvania are under a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Wednesday, including Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties, where the National Weather Service says critical fire weather conditions are expected, posing an increased risk for rapid wildfire growth and spread. NJ Advance Media staff writers Len Melisurgo and Chris Sheldon contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. An Upper Bucks man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges for killing his wife then dismembering and hiding her remains, the Bucks County District Attorneys Office said. Stephen Capaldi, 57, of Sellersville, was sentenced to 22 to 44 years in state prison under a plea deal accepted by county Judge Charissa J. Liller. He entered guilty pleas to third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, obstructing the administration of law or other governmental function and abuse of a corpse, the DAs office said. Capaldi strangled and smothered with a pillow 55-year-old Elizabeth Beth Capaldi in their bed Oct. 10 inside the couples High Street home, prosecutors said. The victim was reported missing to police Oct. 12 by the couples daughter, who was alerted by Stephen Capaldi to having noticed his wife and some of her belongings missing on the date she was killed. Stephen Capaldi admitted to the killing Dec. 8 during an interview with Perkasie Police Department and district attorneys office detectives, according to court records. He had moved her body, first to a back bedroom then to the basement before dismembering and disposing of the remains Oct. 12, investigators said. A search of his phone revealed messages confirming hed been having an affair, along with searches related to criminal investigations, Quikrete cement, a reciprocating saw and a DIY blacklight that can reveal traces of bodily fluids, investigators had said. Stephen Capaldi purchased items to carry out the disposal of his wifes body, investigators said, and his story changed about his whereabouts on Oct. 10. In an emotional victim impact statement, the couples daughter said she has struggled every day since she lost her mother, who was like a best friend to her, according to the office of District Attorney Matt Wintraub; making it harder for her is that her father was the killer and lied to her for several weeks about what happened to her. My mother is dead, and my father killed her, she said, according to a news release from the prosecutors office. I have the love of friends, family, even strangers, but my own father took the person who loved me most. While he said she cannot help but feel grief and love for her father, she said he should never be free from prison to finally leave my mothers memory in peace, the release continued. Deputy District Attorney Mary Kate Kohler said the plea agreement was not entered into lightly by the Bucks County District Attorneys Office, but it allowed for swift closure for the victims family, which was one of the wishes of the family, according to the release. Additionally, she said, as part of the negotiated plea, Stephen Capaldi fully cooperated with investigators, told them what he did to his wife and led them to her remains, allowing her family to give her a proper burial. Liller also sentenced Stephen Capaldi to pay $8,308.50 in restitution to his daughter for funeral expenses, ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation and ordered that he have no contact with his daughter, unless she chooses to contact him. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. The remains of a Hellertown man reported missing around Christmas have been recovered from the Delaware River along Bucks County, authorities said. DNA testing was used to confirm the remains are those of 40-year-old Adam Zimpfer, who was reported missing from Allentown on Dec. 26, according to a news release from Solebury Township police in the New Hope area. Solebury police said they were called about 10:15 a.m. Sunday for the report of a possible body lodged against rocks in the river. Police met with the caller in the area of Virginia Forrest Recreation Area along River Road (Route 32) and saw what appeared to be the human remains on a rock landform on the river between the towpath and Hendrick Island, according to the release. New Hope Eagle and Point Pleasant Fire Co.s marine units assisted township police and the Bucks County Coroners Office with reaching the rock, where it was determined an adult males remains were found wearing a hooded jacket, T-shirt, pants and boots, according to the release. The remains, however, were unidentifiable, and further investigation was needed. An autopsy Monday at the coroners office turned up some information on a possible identity and found no signs of foul play connected with the death. Toxicology testing is continuing, as part of the investigation into the mans cause and manner of death, police said. With the possible identifiable information located within the clothing of the deceased investigators conducted records check and learned of a possible missing person report from Allentown, Lehigh County, PA, the release states. Allentown police were contacted, and DNA samples were collected for testing to use as a comparison with possible biological family members of the missing person. Investigators from Solebury Township Police and Allentown Police worked together with Bensalem Township Police Criminal Investigation Division who assisted with the use of their BODE Rapid Hit ID DNA testing instrument, the release states. Testing of the DNA from the deceased and a biological family member of the reported missing subject was conducted with results showing the deceased was a relative/brother of the biological known reference relative listed in the missing person report. Zimpfers obituary says he leaves behind family including two sons, and was a 2000 graduate of Saucon Valley High School who worked for 15 years at Rapp Pallet in the Easton area. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. A Pennsylvania woman was located in a Jersey Shore town on Tuesday, hours after her 11-year-old son was discovered dead by his father in a Pennsylvania home, authorities said. The woman was found in Wildwood Crest, a short time after officials in nearby Cape May found her SUV partially submerged in the ocean off Beach Avenue, the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office said Tuesday. She has not been charged in connection with her sons death as of early Tuesday afternoon, the district attorney said. Matthew Whitehead was found by his father in the master bedroom of a home on the 500 block of Privet Road in Horsham Township shortly after 7 a.m. The father told police the bedroom was locked and boys mothers SUV was missing from the garage. The boys cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. The SUV was found headfirst in the water at the Cove at about 3:30 a.m. by a passerby, who called police, Cape May city manager Michael J. Voll said in email. Police ran the Pennsylvania plate and discovered the person driving the vehicle was wanted for a homicide in Horsham, Pennsylvania, Voll wrote. The woman who was driving was later arrested in Wildwood Crest this morning. It wasnt immediately clear what charges in New Jersey she is facing. Cape May is more than 120 miles from Horsham. Wildwood Crest police chief Robert Lloyd declined to comment, referring questions to the Cape May County Prosecutors Office, which couldnt immediately be reached. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. 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 disabled people has been legal since 1938, but has become less common in recent years as states have tried to ban or limit the practice. Now, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., has reintroduced a bill to end the sub-minimum 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. 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 4 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. By Peter Schweyer Recently, I had a great experience touring a high-achieving public high school in my district. The school of course had math and English, but also architecture classes. It had wide, clean hallways, high-tech classrooms and even an emotional support dog. It is the kind of school where families hope to send their kids. Compare that to a neighboring high school where I have also spent quite a bit of time. This second building is old and hasnt been updated in decades. The students have far fewer educational options and are burdened with spotty, inconsistent technology. Instead of a golden retriever, overworked teachers bear the brunt of serving as the emotional support for many of its students. These school districts literally border one another. If you live west of Southwest 31st Street at the border of Allentown, your kids will attend the high-performing high school. If you live east of Southwest 31st Street, your kids will attend the latter, tired high school. (For the record, my family lives east of Southwest 31st Street.) As state representative, I see these stark differences and raise questions about education policy, distribution of resources and systemic racism. As a parent, I am simply infuriated. This anger is not and most certainly is not a desire to see neighboring kids have less. The children of more fortunate districts absolutely deserve to have quality school buildings and exceptional educational opportunities. Parents like me simply believe that our kids deserve the same. The courts agree weve been doing it wrong. In a historic ruling, Commonwealth Court President Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer ruled the way we fund our schools is unconstitutional and students attending low-wealth districts are being deprived of equal protection under the law. Some in the legislature are making veiled threats that if we follow the Constitution, programs in suburban schools will be gutted and those funds will be sent to rural and city schools. Thats cynical and deliberate fear mongering, and not what were talking about. You dont lift some students up by tearing others down. For now, the ruling leaves the way we ultimately fix this broken system in the hands of Gov. Josh Shapiro and the General Assembly. As the new Majority Chair of the House Education Committee, it is my job to help craft policies that address these concerns. There are huge, systemic changes that must be made, and very hard choices will need to be debated. It will not be easy and will not be accomplished quickly. It is true that the educational landscape is dramatically different today than it was even just a decade ago: Colleges are producing fewer teachers every year. More children have mental health concerns, live in poverty or do not speak English as a primary language. Funding for buildings has dried up, forcing kids to learn in schools with asbestos and lead paint. Enrollment in charter schools (both traditional and cyber) has dramatically increased. Safety concerns (including mass shootings) leave families and staff worried about safety. These are big issues that will take courage and time to address. While we are debating these big issues, new students will enter kindergarten. These children cannot wait for us to complete an arduous deliberation while they learn in substandard conditions. Simply stated, Harrisburg will learn to walk and chew gum at the same time. While we work toward long-term fixes, we must infuse support into the most at-risk districts to close the gap. This is absolutely a priority for the House Democratic Caucus during this budget season. Though the challenge is great, we have never had a better opportunity to deliver for the children of our state, regardless of which side of Southwest 31st Street they reside. Peter Schweyer is a state representative representing parts of Lehigh County, including a portion of Allentown. He is a Democrat. I had the recent opportunity to attend a performance of Anastasia at Warren Hills High School. What an exceptional job by the students and staff! It was certainly an audience pleaser and well worth seeing. It is amazing how talented these student actors, musicians and crew members are and they all should be commended on a job well done. Getting away from the television and computer to see a live performance is a great change of pace in this world today, and I am happy I spent the evening at the school watching the play. Again, a nice evening and great performance! Andy Ross Harmony Township A Portlaoise based homeless charity has cancelled its visit to Dublin due to the security around US President Joe Bidens visit. Unfortunately we have to cancel tonight's trip to Dublin. A lot of the roads/streets we travel through and on will be closed this evening due to the visit of the US President, Portlaoise based PATH(Portlaoise Action To Homelessness) posted online. The charity has been delivering food to the homeless in Dublin since 2015. The charity travels to Dublin every Wednesday and Saturday night to donate food to the homeless but security around the US Presidents visit has caused difficulties for the charity. PATH Committee member Irene Redmond said they would usually feed between 90 and 100 people on a Wednesday. She said that figure rises to between 150 and 200 on a Saturday. The charity is supported by local Laois businesses like M&M Catering, The Hares Corner who take it in turns to cook on Wednesdays and Treacys of the Health, who supply one of the favourite dishes known in Dublin as the Portlaoise stew on Saturdays, she said. The area where we park up beside St Stephens Green will be closed off completely so we won't get anywhere near to it. We also expect that our homeless friends will be kept well out of sight and we expect our homeless van would also be moved on, PATH stated. Irene believes the homeless who live in Dublin city centre will be moved to the outskirts well out o fsight of visiting dignitaries and press. They wont be visible on the streets, she said. We have contacted a few of our regulars and they will make sure the word filters through so that people are not left waiting on us, PATH stated. PATH will be returning to Dublin to deliver food as usual on Saturday as usual. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has begun a recruitment campaign for seventy five additional driver testers. That's according to the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for road safety, Mr Jack Chambers TD, who yesterday (April 11) announced the news. The new hires will reportedly bring the potential total number of testers to over 200 and address the current backlog in the Driver Testing Service. It is in addition to the 30 extra testers previously sanctioned in July 2022 and who have been fully deployed since end of March 2023. With these new testers in place, Irish learners will see improvements in their waiting times and the RSA expect the backlog of applicants to be returned to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024. According to the Department of Transport, applications for driving tests in 2022 were 28% higher than 2021 levels and 27% up on 2018 pre-Covid pandemic levels. Speaking today, Minister Ryan said, "I am delighted to confirm that the RSA has received sanction to hire up to 75 additional driver testers to address the backlog that has arisen due to unprecedented demand in the driver testing service. "These additional testers will enable the RSA to begin reversing the growing backlog. It is important to recognise that there are no quick fixes or easy solutions, but my Department will continue to keep the situation under review." Minister of State Chambers said, "This approval for new testers for the RSA is a positive and proactive response to an ongoing problem within the Driver Testing Service across the state. By increasing the number of driver testers, the RSA can provide the testing service they are committed to delivering and a quality service each customer deserves. I would like to thank the public who have been patient while we manage these demand pressures on the service. "The progress made in the driver testing service will be carefully monitored, and the RSA will work to provide as many tests as possible as safely as possible. CEO of the Road Safety Authority, Sam Waide, said, "I welcome this decision by the Ministers and would like to thank my colleagues for their support and dedication over this challenging period. Our team have worked very hard to support applicants during this busy time. We look forward to working with these new staff to bring our Driver Testing service to normal levels." The open recruitment campaign is currently live. New testers are expected to be ready to work from October of this year. US President Joe Biden has arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday and he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The US President was also met by pouring rain and cold winds, with staff holding umbrellas for Mr Biden as he shook hands with Mr Varadkar. He travels to Co Louth by motorcade, after bad weather halted plans for the president to travel by helicopter. His arrival in the Republic came followed his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the President, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. During his stay in the Republic of Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. A MAN who married, and then buried, the love of his life in the space of a week has paid an emotional tribute to the woman who has left a hole in my heart that will never be filled. I had to organise a wedding and a funeral in a week, said heartbroken Dave McLoughlin, aged 35, who married his childhood sweetheart Michelle Crowe, 33, in a rare wedding ceremony in the chapel in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on Monday, March 20. Michelle passed away from an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer at 2.23am on the following Saturday. Dave bravely spoke to the Limerick Leader/Limerick Live as he wants as many people as possible to know what an amazing human being Michelle was. We got married on a Monday and we had her wake on the following Monday. I never thought it was possible to feel pain like I feel it now. As the days go on the pain gets worse, said Dave. The couple were together for almost 19 years and have two children - Cillian, aged 13, and Oisin, 14-months-old. They met outside Cappawhite Church by chance when they were teenagers and have been inseparable ever since. Coincidentally, Dave's late mother Noreen and father Jimmy met when he came to Cappawhite to help build the church. Dave and Michelles family and many friends said a final farewell to the young mother in the very same church on Tuesday, March 28. She was small and unassuming but she had the biggest heart in the world - she had so much love for so many people and she never had a bad word to say about anybody. She would be there for you in a heartbeat if you called her at 5am but, above all, she was my best friend in the whole world. "She has left a hole that will never be filled. I will never look at someone the same way as I looked at Michelle for as long as I live. No matter how bad things got, we always had each other's backs, said Dave, from Cappawhite. The couple endured many dark days. Tragically, their baby John James was stillborn and Michelles parents passed away within six months of each other - Nora had a brain aneurysm while John had esophageal cancer. Throughout that time my mam, Noreen, was undergoing treatment for lung cancer. Michelle gave up her life to look after my mam as well as helping her grandfather. She spent so much time looking after everybody else. Over the last seven years we have had a funeral a year. Last September, Michelle, originally from Dundrum, went to her doctor due to a concern over a cyst. She was immediately sent to the emergency department in UHL. Michelle was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Chemotherapy commenced and Michelle underwent surgery on Valentines Day which was successful. However, in the following weeks her bloods and a CT scan showed that the cancer had spread to her liver. It was so aggressive that nobody could understand how fast it was progressing. I fell apart. I couldn't handle it at all. Michelle shed a couple of tears here and there but she never let it get to her. She said, I will do as much as I can with whatever time I have left. There was no why me? She was more concerned about everybody else. The couple had been engaged for seven years and had always planned on getting married. Dave mentioned it to a nurse on the Thursday before he would wed Michelle. The nurse quickly put the wheels in motion - a Limerick court service employee had a judge signing paperwork on the Saturday evening, the county registrar was taking phone calls and overseeing paperwork while at the Ireland v England rugby match in the Aviva Stadium and staff in St Camillus completed paperwork and gave Dave the marriage certificate on the Sunday. The next day Dave and Michelle got married in UHL Everybody did all they could to organise it. Nurses had decorated the chapel and organised a speaker to play our song (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams. Nurses brought Michelle down in her wheelchair but she walked up the aisle with her brother Darren. It was beautiful. She had such a lovely day. I could tell it was taking a lot out of her but she never complained. The nurses booked a meal in the Unicorn and when I went up to pay, the Mid Western Cancer Society had left 300 with the barman. When we got back to the room in UHL the nurses had decorated it with lights and balloons and had a table with non alcoholic champagne. We slept in the same bed and had some of the nicest cuddles we had in a long time. Dave said from the moment they walked into the oncology unit and breast clinic in UHL they could not have done more for Michelle. It is a debt I will never be able to repay to all the staff in 6b. The day after the wedding, Michelle was transferred to Milford where she went to her eternal reward in the early hours of Saturday morning, March 25. The staff were so kind and caring - I dont know how they do that job. They make it as much like home as possible. They looked after her with so much with love. They have my undying gratitude. Dave also wishes to thank his and Michelles family and many, many friends for their support before and after her passing. If it hadnt been for them I would be lost. They organised a Go Fund Me which we wouldnt have survived financially without. She was so beloved by everybody, literally the entire village where we live is heartbroken. I dont think she realised how loved she was. Friends and family of Michelle and Dave will gather together for a fundraiser this Saturday night in Armshaws bar in Cappawhite called Go Pink for Michelle. One of Michelles wishes when she got better was to pick baby Oisin up and give him a big cuddle. Michelle loved them both so much. She set a great example for our two boys. Im going to make it my mission to honour her memory every single day and do as good a job with those two lads as she would want me too. A meeting has been arranged between Kildare County Council planners and the Naas Shopping Centre developers which could lead to works being approved at the entrance to the building off the main street. It is understood that progress has been made after the developer the Roche Group ran into opposition over a proposal for an entrance at the Bank of Ireland premises - because the bank building is a protected structure. The proposal will now be discussed at a meeting likely to take place this week. Local councillor Bill Clear said that there is a need to knock heads together. Describing the NSC, which was due to open in 2009 as a big derelict site he said he is approached everywhere he goes in Naas by people keen to know when some progress will be made towards an opening. They need to start developing it. At the rate were going there will be another recession before it opens (a reference to the previous crash which halted the original opening plans), he said at a Naas Municipal District meeting. Cllr Clear said that there is an immediate need for parking spaces in the town that the centre could provide. Read more Kildare news Irish parents are being warned to cease use of a children's soft toy due to a risk of choking. According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), safety issue has been identified with the 18 Pink/Purple Rag Doll Girls Baby Christening Xmas Birthday Christmas Toy Gift sold on the eBay platform. The product presents a risk of choking as the seams of the crotch can separate at a low force, allowing access to internal fibrous filling. A young child may place the fibrous filling in their mouths and choke. The eBay item number is 224210822907. The brand, the model number, the batch number and the barcode are unknown. Given the online availability of this product on the eBay platform, it may have been sold to customers in the Republic of Ireland. If you purchased one of these products, please discontinue use immediately and keep it out of the reach of children. You may wish to contact the eBay seller to see if there are any remedies available to you. This can be done via your user account on the eBay platform. Here is the full speech by US President Joe Biden, checked against delivery at Ulster University in Belfast: Good afternoon, everyone. What a great please have a seat great honour to be here. I just told Gabrielle (Feenan) that when shes the leading public figure in this country, and I show up I promise she wont say Joe who? is outside. Say Joe Biden, remember just remember me OK? Chancellor Davidson, Vice-Chancellor Bartholomew, thank you for hosting us today on this beautiful campus of Ulster University. I came here in 91, in this neighbourhood and you couldnt have a glass building like this here in this neighbourhood, I dont think I dont think it would have stood up very well. But things have changed. Lord Mayor Black and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Heaton-Harris, thank you for the welcome to Belfast. And Mr Speaker and leaders of Northern Irelands leading five political parties, I was honoured to welcome you to the White House a few weeks ago and its wonderful to see all of you again today. And Ambassador Hartley, thank you for outstanding work leading our mission to the UK. Ambassador Hartley is is an old friend and the former ambassador from Great Britain to the United States. The home of that ambassador and embassy is along the fence line of the vice presidents residence, which I lived in for eight years. And the vice president and I became friends with the ambassador and his last trip back home before he came back to Washington to serve out the final few months of his term, he told me he was going to bring something back for me. And so I didnt know what he had in mind but when he came back we had him over the house, we spent some time together he and his wife and I and my wife. And he brought back a book with a photograph on the front of the book it had just been re-printed the book of a somewhat stout British captain in his quarters with a big bulldog sitting next to him. And his name was Captain George Biden. Because he used to always kid me in saying you know Bidens English you talk about the Irish, Bidens English. And he told me that he went back and he had the Lord Admiralty, this is a true story, check. And my great, great in 1840 I think its 1842 it could have been 1828 I cant remember but its one of those two dates had written the rules of mutiny for the British Navy. I said at least that parts consistent, reverend. Mutiny. But anyway, he used to always kid me when Id talk about hed say you talk about the Irish, he said youre English, just remember that. And I found out, my sister and I found out, the name Robinette, Robinette, my middle names Robinette. I thought that all these years it was French. It must have been Huguenots because they came to Great Britain in the 1700s somewhere along the way, and theyre all from Nottingham. So I dont know what the hells going on here. Can you come back? Its confusing. Anyway. Consul General Narain and Special Envoy Joe Kennedy, thank you for your efforts to continue deepening and strengthening the ties between Northern Ireland and the United States. Its good to see Belfast, a city thats alive with commerce, art and, I would argue, inspiration. The dividends of peace are all around us. To the young people of Northern Ireland Your history is our history.Your future is our future. Its hard to communicate just how deeply invested in your success people across the United States are. President Biden (@POTUS) April 12, 2023 This very campus is situated at an intersection where conflict and bloodshed once held the terrible sway. The idea, as I said, to have a glass building here when I was here in 91 was highly unlikely. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning built of glass to let the shine light out, in and out. It just has a profound impact for someone who has come back to see it. You know its incredible testament of the power and the possibilities of peace. Twenty-five years ago this week the landmark Belfast Good Friday Agreement was signed. And it wasnt easy. I was a United States senator at the time and I worked very closely with my good friend George Mitchell, who will be here, I believe in a couple of days. And there were no guarantees that the deal on paper would hold. No guarantees that it would be able to deliver the progress we celebrate today. And it took long, hard years of work to get to this place. It took a people willing to come together in good faith and to risk boldly for the future. Leaders of peace like John Hume and David Trimble and David Ervine and Monica McWilliams and Mary Robinson etc. they were all people that I got to meet back then. And it took people across, all across Northern Ireland who made the choice to work for a brighter and a shared future. At the time, it seemed so distant some of it, it seemed so distant. First at the ballot box, and everyday since, the act of seeing each other through the lens of common humanity, which again, when I first came here as a young senator, didnt seem like it was realistic. It took pioneering women across all communities and parties that said enough, enough and demanded change, as well as a seat at the negotiating table, including through the Northern Ireland womens coalition. And it took a determined effort of my good friend who, someone who embodies the countrys commitment to all the people, all the people in this region, Senator George Mitchell. And, you know, his time serving as special envoy for Northern Ireland was one of the great examples in history of the right person for the right job at the right time, in my view. I think sometimes, especially with the distance of history, we forget how hard-earned, how astounding that peace was at the moment. It shifted the political gravity in our world, literally shifted the political gravity. In 1998, it was the longest running conflict in Europe since the end of World War Two. Thousands of families had been affected by the Troubles. Losses are real. The pain was personal. I need not tell many people in this audience. Every person killed in the Troubles left an empty chair at their dining room table. A hole in the heart that was never filled for the ones they lost. Peace was not inevitable. We cant ever forget that, there was nothing inevitable about it. As George Mitchell often said, the negotiations had quote 700 days of failure and one day of success. Seven hundred days of failure and one day of success. But they kept going because George and all the many others never stopped believing that success was possible. I want all of you to know especially the young people in the audience today. And dont jump OK. Oh do you see all the way up there. As my father would say please excuse my back, I apologise. But all kidding aside, the American people were with, are with you every step of the way. Its real. Those of you whove been to America know that there is a, there is a large population that is invested in what happens here. It cares a great deal about what happens here. Supporting the people of Northern Ireland, protecting the peace, preserving the Belfast Good Friday agreement is a priority for Democrats and Republicans alike in the United States. And that is unusual today because weve been very divided in our parties. This is something that brings Washington together. It brings America together. I spoke about this with Northern Irelands political leaders as well the Taoiseach at our St Patricks Day celebration at the White House. It has been a key focus for me throughout my career. I remember working as a senator to see how the United States was supporting and encourage, bit by bit, any move toward peace. I got elected in 1972 as a 29 year old kid to the United States Senate. And it was just the start of it. I mean, it seemed like it was a goal that was so far away. I remember coming here as I said in 91, seeing the city divided and barricaded and in 94 when the ceasefire was declared, it was like a sea change. A tide of violence began to recede, hope rolling in. In 1998, overwhelming joy. A pleasure to welcome @POTUS to Belfast, 25 years on from the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. The Agreement has transformed Northern Ireland into the thriving place we see today. My focus is on building a better future for people here and right across the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/4YySQg0m9V Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 12, 2023 Its hard to communicate just how deeply invested your success, in your success, the people across the United States are and those who have been there know it, you know it. You know it, Im not making this up. This is real, this is, its almost people can taste it. The family ties the pride in those Ulster Scots immigrants, those those Ulster Scots immigrants who helped found and build my country, they run very deep, very deep. Men born in Ulster are among those who signed the Declaration of Independence in the United States pledging their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honour for freedoms cause. The man who printed the revolutionary document was John Dunlap. He hailed from County Tyrone. And countless, countless others established new lives of opportunity across the Atlantic. Planting farms, founding communities, starting businesses, never forgetting their connection to this island. As a matter of fact as you walk into my office, the Oval Office, in the US capital, guess what? You know who founded and designed and built the White House? An Irishman. Thats not a joke. Not a joke. Passing it down generation after generation. Your history is our history. But even more importantly your future is Americas future. Todays Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland and is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity and investment for communities across the UK, across Ireland and across the US. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together. Peace and economic opportunity go together. In 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Irelands gross domestic product has literally doubled. And I predict to you that if things continue to move in the right direction it will more than triple. There are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest. Many have already made homes in Northern Ireland employing over 30,000 people. And in just the past decade American business has generated almost two billion dollars in investment in the region. Two billion dollars. Today Northern Ireland is a churn of creativity, art, poetry, theatre. Some of our favourite television shows and movies are filmed here, as you know. And I understand the star of a recent Oscar-winning film and somewhat of a Belfast barista James Martin is here today. James where are you? I got to meet James and I got my picture taken and Im going to go home and brag to my daughter. Cruise ships packed with tourists fill Belfast port. And young people instead of fleeing for opportunities elsewhere can see their futures and careers for themselves that speak to unlimited possibilities here. How many of you have heard over the years, if youre closer to my age, Mom, dad, theres nothing here for me, Im going to move, Im going to leave, Ive got to go. Thats not happening now. Its up to us to keep this going. to keep building on the work that has been done every day for the last 25 years. To sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning. I promise you, you think Im joking, its just beginning. We get to keep it going. We all know there is more we can do together. You know theres so much energy and dynamism especially among young people who are starting their own businesses, blazing their own trails, connecting to the global community of entrepreneurs. And young people in Northern Ireland are on the cutting edge of sectors that are going to define so much of the future. Cyber, technology, clean energy, life sciences. Here in Northern Ireland, programmes like Young Enterprise Northern Ireland helping thousands of young people each year gain skills and pursue their goals as entrepreneurs. Thats why I asked Joe Kennedy, my new special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs to help supercharge that work. To bring more businesses, more investment, more opportunity here to Northern Ireland and help realise the enormous economic potential of this region, because I know parenthetically, when that happens here it gives faith to people around the world. If it can be done here, it can be done in my community. Not a joke. The world is changing. Its changing drastically and it presents enormous opportunity but also significant dangers. To that end, later this year, Joes going to be leading a trade delegation of American companies to Northern Ireland. Now I know the UKs departure from the European Union created complex challenges here in Northern Ireland and I encourage the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that serve Northern Irelands best interests. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner Von der Leyen to reach an agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday agreement is preserved and strengthened. Now the negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed. And I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland, significant investment in Northern Ireland. I come from a little state, the state of Delaware back home, (which) has more corporations that are registered in that state than every other state in the union combined. So I know a little bit about corporate attitudes. All the immense progress we see around us was built through conversation and compromise, discussion and debate, voting and inclusion. Some incredible attestation to the power of democracy, to deliver needs for all. Now I know better than most how hard democracy can be at times. We in the United States have firsthand experience how fragile even long standing democratic institutions can be. You saw what happened on January 6 in my country. We learn anew with every generation that democracy needs champions. When I went to college, I was a political science major and history major and we were taught every generation has to fight to preserve democracy. I didnt believe it at the time. I just thought it was automatic. We had this great democracy, what would we need to do? As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe democratic institutions, established through the Good Friday Agreement, remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them. A government that works to find ways through hard problems together is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So I hope the Assembly and the Executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgement for you to make not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north-south and east-west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough there are always areas that are going to bring us together, if we look hard enough. Standing for peace, rejecting political violence must be one of those things. So I want to once more recognise the way the leaders of Northern Irelands major political parties come together in the wake of the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector Caldwell to show the enemies of peace will not prevail. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this. In times when things seem fragile, or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Thats when we must make our theme repair, repair. And the holy Easter season, this season when all Christians celebrate renewal and life, the Good Friday Agreement showed us that there is hope for repair even in the most awful breakages. You know it helped people all around the world to hope for renewal and progress in their own lives. Most of all it allowed an entire generation of young people in Northern Ireland, across the UK and Republic of Ireland to grow up in a society mended by connection, made stronger by independence, interdependence and respect. Young people like Gabrielle who we just heard from earlier. Her success and her opportunities have been underwritten by the Good Friday Agreement. Young people like Jordan Grant, born less than three weeks after the agreement was signed in 1998. His whole life has unfolded under the wing of peace, which means at not quite 25 years of age, hes been able to build an expertise in branding and marketing that hes used to help grow local businesses, support startups, consult for charities. Young people like Aimee Clint, born in 2000, whose parents like to tell the story about how she came home on her first day of secondary school and asked: Whats the difference between a Protestant and a Catholic, whats the difference between a Protestant and a Catholic? She didnt grow up thinking of sectarian divides, she grew up thinking about how she could support her beloved brother and other children with autism. Today Aimees social enterprise has donated more than 5,000 copies of her book to schools across Northern Ireland to help children better understand autism and to learn to treat others with kindness and respect. Thats the real power of the Good Friday Agreement. Compassion, compassion. It changed how this entire region sees itself. In the words of (Sinead) Morrissey, Belfasts first poet laureate, Whats left is dark and quiet, but bookended by light as when Dorothy opens the dull cabin door, what happens outside is technicolour. What happens outside is technicolour. This place is transformed by peace. Made technicolour by peace. Made whole by peace. So today, I come to Belfast to pledge for all the people of Northern Ireland, the US will continue to be your partner in building the future the young people of our world deserve. It matters to us, to Americans, and to me personally. it genuinely matters, if you travel my country. So lets celebrate 25 extraordinary years by recommitting to renewal, repair. By making this exceptional peace the birthrate of every child in Northern Ireland for all the days to come. Thats what we should be doing, God willing to be able to do it. Thank you all for listening and may God bring you the peace we need, thank you. US president Joe Biden was cheered and welcomed with waving flags as he arrived in a Co Louth town on the second stop of his visit to the Republic of Ireland. Locals turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Some of the well wishers held US or Irish flags, and a poster read Welcome home cousin Joe. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The US president was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. The US president is next due to visit Dundalk where eager members of the public in ponchos and raincoats were lining the streets waiting to welcome him. Red, white and blue bunting was strung across the road while people held American flags, tricolours and took cover under umbrellas in the steady evening drizzle. A sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street as families with young children waited in anticipation. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. President Joe Biden braved poor weather conditions on a day split between Northern Ireland and the Republic as he juggled his political duties with a quest to explore his family roots. Following his arrival on Air Force One in Belfast on Tuesday evening, the US president was quickly back on board the famous aircraft for a trip south to Dublin Airport. He travelled by motorcade north to Carlingford in Co Louth as he walked in the footsteps of his ancestors who left Ireland for the US. He then continued to Dundalk where he bought some food and delighted crowds with a walkabout, closely monitored by his Secret Service escort. During his brief stay north of the border, Mr Biden had stressed his support for the institutions created by the Good Friday Agreement and made a keynote speech at Ulster University. Having started his visit north of the border, Mr Biden made his keynote speech following a breakfast with Rishi Sunak who had welcomed him the previous night as he landed. . Ecora Resources PLC Announces Notice of Meeting Notice of Meeting LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Ecora announces the publication of its Notice of Annual General Meeting (the "AGM Notice") and Form of Proxy for the 2023 Annual General Meeting on the Company's website: www.ecora-resources.com. Annual General Meeting The Company's 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held at The Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BS, United Kingdom on Wednesday 10 May 2023 at 11:00am. A hard copy version of the AGM Notice and the Form of Proxy will be sent to those shareholders who have elected to continue to receive paper communications on 13 April 2023. Shareholders who have not elected to continue to receive paper communications will be sent a notification of the availability of these documents on the Company's website by post or, where they have elected, by email. Ecora will submit to the UK National Storage Mechanism a copy of its AGM Notice in accordance with LR 9.6.1R. The documents will shortly be available for inspection through the National Storage Mechanism at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism and through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For further information: Ecora Resources PLC +44 (0) 20 3435 7400 Jason Gray - Company Secretary Website: www.ecora-resources.com Camarco Gordon Poole / Owen Roberts / Elfie Kent +44 (0) 20 3757 4997 This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Ecora Resources PLC 12 april 2023 at 02:00 View source version on accesswire.com:News published onand distributed by: REMINDER - Interview and Photo Opportunity - TELUS and Old Brewery Mission partner to provide healthcare to Montreal's homeless community As national rates of homelessness rise to record levels, TELUS increases its Health for Good commitment across Canada to $13M through 2026 MONTREAL, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, members of the media are invited to a special community event featuring local dignitaries, as well as representatives of both TELUS Health and Old Brewery Mission , to formally announce the expansion of the innovative TELUS Health for Goodtm program in Montreal, a return to the city after the program's initial launch here in 2014. It's estimated about 6,000 individuals experience homelessness on any given night in Quebec, most of whom are in Montreal, and face barriers accessing medical and psychosocial support. The Old Brewery Mission Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, reaffirms TELUS' commitment to ensuring that Montrealers in need have access to immediate, high-quality care. In addition, TELUS is increasing its commitment to its Health for Good program, with $13M dedicated through 2026. Details of the event below: WHAT Healthcare announcement in support of Montreal's marginalized communities Media interviews and photo opportunities Onsite tour of Montreal's new Old Brewery Mission Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health WHEN Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 9:45 am 10:00 a.m. Opening Remarks and Speeches 10:30 a.m. Photo Opportunities with dignitaries and official representatives 10:35 a.m. Media Interview Opportunity + Tours of Mobile Clinic * WHERE Maison du developpement durable (Atrium Hydro-Quebec) 50, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC, H2X 3V4 WHO Photo opportunities and interviews: Martin Belanger, Managing Director, TELUS Health Managing Director, TELUS Health James Hughes, President and CEO, Old Brewery Mission President and CEO, Old Brewery Mission Emilie Fortier, Director of Emergency and Reaffiliation Services, Old Brewery Mission * Media are encouraged to request and coordinate interviews and Mobile Clinic tours in advance. About TELUS Health for Goodtm Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been connecting underserved individuals to the medical and mental health care they need using the power of technology. Equipped with TELUS electronic medical records technology, and fuelled by compassion, our Mobile Health Clinics provide essential primary medical care to individuals living on the streets and have supported over 150,000 patient visits since the program's inception. The program also supports women experiencing marginalization with access to free TELUS Health MyCaretm counselling sessions and supports low-income older adults to live more independently and enjoy peace of mind with subsidized access to TELUS LivingWell Companiontm. Media Contact Camille Grenier TELUS Media Relations [email protected] 12 april 2023 at 06:00 News published onand distributed by: Facing a Skills Gap, Employers Prefer to Reskill Current Employees on Company Dime Employers are reskilling tenured staff for new roles instead of looking outside the organization, according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. OKLAHOMA CITY, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Companies on the hunt for new talent are turning to reskilling as a viable solution to labor and skills shortages as 70% of hiring managers say they would prefer to train their current employees for different roles before bringing on new workers. This is according to a survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. The preference to reskill workers has dropped back to a level last seen in 2021 (77% in the first half of 2022, 75% in the second half of 2021 and 72% in the first half of 2021) but continues to be supported by the majority of hiring managers. However, when it comes to the question of who is responsible for finding, providing and/or paying for these trainings, surprisingly, U.S. hiring managers and employed Americans agree employers should be responsible for providing and paying for trainings, upskilling and/or reskilling for employees (78% each). Nearly 9 in 10 hiring managers (89%) report their companies provide and/or pay for trainings?54% of whom both provide and pay for them. Although, if an employee were to leave the company within a year after starting a training program that the company paid for, more than half of hiring managers (55%) agree the employee should then be required to reimburse the company. Short-Term Solutions "The role of training is paramount to solving the labor shortage because it's more of a skills gap right now versus shortage of labor," according to Mike Nolfo, a New Jersey Express franchise owner. "Interviews have increased more than 50% this year, but there is a major gap between applicants' skill sets and what is required from client companies. Either clients have to embrace the upskilling of new hires or new employees must start taking personal steps to fill in their knowledge gaps." The labor shortage is more apparent in Wisconsin where Express franchise owner Matt Sullivan adds that challenges in his market are compounded by not only "'qualified workers' in short supply, but the 'quantity of any worker' is in short supply." "The vast number of available jobs can be learned quickly, are not complex and do not require significant experience," he said. "For those positions, companies need to throw out their outdated screening approach." Sullivan also suggests that companies could fill vacancies faster, and possibly with more success, if they adopt a "working interview" approach. "A working interview allows both the candidate and company to start working together almost immediately," he said. "Working interviews help the company see what the candidate can do and also allow the candidate to determine if the work is what they are seeking." Training Responsibility and Payment In line with the survey results from The Harris Poll, Sullivan agrees that while both employees and companies bear responsibility for training on necessary skills, the responsibility of job-specific training falls on the employer. "When an employer is requiring a specific skill set or knowledge base, they should be willing to take on the burden of providing that training," he added. "That said, employers will look more fondly at candidates who already possess the required skill set. Smart candidates acquire skills and a knowledge base and leverage those throughout their career." For Nolfo, the worker/employer relationship is crucial to overcoming the labor shortage, therefore employers need to spend the money on training and workers should commit to companies willing to train them. "This is a two-way street, but initially, I think companies should invest in their people and pay for the training," he said. "Every company and job is different?there is no perfect employee. However, this will give companies the ability to build their workforce from scratch versus inheriting employees with varied skill sets." Because building that qualified workforce takes time, Nolfo suggests stepping back job opening requirements in the meantime. "Hire for the basics, and train on the rest," he said. "That will help with filling the jobs, knowing that it may take an additional 3-6 months of training to get someone up to speed. Right now, most employees are impatient with new hires, and patience is key. If the work ethic and culture fit is there, then we can train on the skills." The critical skills gap has only just begun to severely impact the workforce, and almost every industry will continue to suffer if there isn't a turning point soon, according to Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller. "This isn't an issue that will be solved overnight or by one person," he added. "Young people need to be educated on the lucrative careers in skilled trades, and the government should provide incentives for these careers. Whether the onus of training ultimately falls on the worker or employer, action needs to be taken now on both sides to ensure the stable and balanced workforce of the future." Survey Methodology The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, 2022, among 1,002 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 3.2 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. The omnibus survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Dec. 13-15, 2022, among 2,041 adults ages 18 and older. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. *** If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. About Express Employment Professionals At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 579,000 people globally in 2022 and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com. Media Contact Sheena Hollander, Express Employment Professionals, (405) 840-5000, [email protected] Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook SOURCE Express Employment Professionals 12 april 2023 at 08:50 News published onand distributed by: INT'L DAY FOR STREET CHILDREN: Salesian Missions highlights programs that provide shelter and support Day established by UN to raise awareness of issues affecting youth forced to live on streets. NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian and international organizations around the globe in highlighting the plight of homeless children on the International Day for Street Children. The day provides organizations and the millions of street children in countries worldwide with an opportunity to have their voices heard while ensuring that their rights are not ignored. Celebrated each year on April 12, the day was established by the United Nations to raise awareness of issues affecting youth forced to live on the streets. The Consortium for Street Children founded the International Day for Street Children in 2011 and is the leading international network dedicated to realizing the rights of street children worldwide. "Salesian missionaries around the globe provide safety, shelter and education for street children," said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. "Salesian programs aim to help children live safely while getting the emotional support they need and the education that will help them live independently. It's a second chance for these children to have hope for a better life." In honor of the International Day for Street Children 2023, Salesian Missions is proud to share programs around the globe that provide street children hope for a better life. COLOMBIA A group of past pupils from Don Bosco City, located in Medellin, Colombia, has developed a project to improve food access for street children. The goal is to guarantee at least one decent meal at least once a week for these youth who live in extreme poverty. Thanks to the leaders of this project, Salomon Brand and Alex Sepulveda, other past pupils and friends have joined in to support this initiative. Their project, which has grown to 20 people, is now an example for other past pupils who want to launch projects to support those living in poverty. Brand and Sepulveda are among more than 83,000 youth that Don Bosco City has rescued since it opened in 1965. The organization is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn ? how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment. GHANA St. Dominic Savio Youth Center, located in Tema New Town, a neighborhood in Tema, Ghana, provides a place for street children to seek shelter, live comfortably and access mainstream education at nearby schools. At the center, which was established in 2003, youth receive a range of support to help them recover from their life on the streets and prepare for a brighter future. The center provides daily education where youth learn reading, writing, comprehension and simple mathematics. They are also provided a hot lunch in the afternoon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the center's oratory had been closed to prevent the spread of the virus. It was finally reopened and oratory activities have resumed. Each Friday, children from different schools come together to play and are assisted with their homework. At the end of 2022, youth at the center were taken on an excursion as part of the curriculum activities and to see beautiful places in Ghana. The 2022 trip was to the Chill River Resort. A Salesian noted, "The trip was so refreshing, and the children were very happy." INDIA Don Bosco Veedu is opening a new building to support street children in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The Salesian organization has been educating and empowering children who are homeless and living in conditions of poverty since May 1991. Father Jose Thomas Koyickal, provincial of the Bangalore Province, blessed and laid the foundation stone for the new building. The Don Bosco Veedu center has eight programs to support children and women. The new center building will have various offices, space for teaching short-term skills, a resource center, boarding facilities, a training center and residence for the Salesians. Don Bosco Veedu also runs the Childline hotline in Kerala. The Childline hotline is available 24 hours a day at a toll-free number. The Childline team responds to the needs of street children in crisis situations. Salesian staff works with police, health care, juvenile justice, transportation, and legal authorities along with the media to create awareness on child rights and provide child protection services. Salesian staff works tirelessly every day of the year to ensure the rights of the children in need and give them special care and protection. SOUTH SUDAN Don Bosco Kuajok in South Sudan* was started three years ago on land barely fit for agricultural use. Today, it's a thriving Salesian community with a primary school that educates 300 children and employs nine teachers. There is also a program that offers addiction treatment and rehabilitation for street children who are roaming the market in the center of Kuajok. An oratory opens each day and provides for those in distant parts of Kuajok, who are most often internally displaced people. Brother Lothar Wagner, who is now in Liberia, started the rehabilitation of street children in this area. With the support of Don Bosco Bonn in Germany, 150 children have been returned to their families since 2019. Some children have started school. The program has expanded over three years to also include a Salesian house with volunteer rooms and a medical dispensary. Salesians are able to drive people to the town hospital in cases of emergency. *Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control. About Salesian Missions USA Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network?a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople?all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org. ### Contact: Laura Perillo [email protected] 908-406-3413 (text messages OK) Twitter: @MissionNewswire Newswire: MissionNewswire.org Press room: SalesianMissions.org/press Media Contact Laura Perillo, The Shoestring Agency, 9084063413, [email protected] Twitter SOURCE The Shoestring Agency 12 april 2023 at 09:15 News published onand distributed by: Charles-Antoine St-Jean named Chair of the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board; first members appointed TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - The Canadian Sustainability Standards Board's (CSSB) first-ever chair and initial members have been appointed, setting the stage for supporting the adoption of sustainability disclosure standards in Canada. The CSSB will be led by standard-setting veteran Charles-Antoine St-Jean, FCPA, FCA, with initial member appointments bringing expertise in sustainability matters and representing a cross-section of Canada's market ? both geographically and professionally. "Charles-Antoine's deep standard-setting experience along with his senior leadership roles focused on financial management and operational excellence will ensure the new board develops at the expeditious pace that sustainability standards require," says Lorraine Moore, chair of the Accounting Standards Oversight Council, and co-chair of the CSSB Implementation Committee. All CSSB appointments were made by the Implementation Committee, which provides transitional oversight of the CSSB until decisions on a permanent oversight structure are made. "Charles-Antoine's standard-setting leadership and International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) experience will be coupled with our initial CSSB members' understanding of sustainability matters among public disclosure users and preparers. This means that Canada's strong reputation as a standard setter will continue and grow as we start to work more with the ISSB," adds Kevin Nye, chair of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council, and co-chair of the CSSB Implementation Committee. Charles-Antoine is based in Quebec and most recently served as the IFRS Foundation regional director-Americas, where he assisted with the implementation of ISSB operations in Canada and the Americas. Initial CSSB Members Bindu Dhaliwal , Senior Vice-President, ESG & Corporate Governance, CIBC: Bindu's experience as a sustainability lead at one of Canada's largest banks saw her tasked with establishing and implementing its ESG framework. Bindu is based in Ontario . , Senior Vice-President, ESG & Corporate Governance, CIBC: Bindu's experience as a sustainability lead at one of Canada's largest banks saw her tasked with establishing and implementing its ESG framework. Bindu is based in . Alyson Slater , Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Investment in Canada , Public Markets, Manulife Investment Management: Alyson is a global leader in sustainability reporting standards, with prior senior-level experience with the Global Reporting Initiative. Alyson is based in Ontario . , Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Investment in , Public Markets, Manulife Investment Management: Alyson is a global leader in sustainability reporting standards, with prior senior-level experience with the Global Reporting Initiative. Alyson is based in . Raylene Whitford , Chair, Indigenous Advisory Council, TC Energy Ltd. and former Partner, Global Indigenous Community of Practice Lead, Deloitte Canada : Raylene's international energy industry experience includes leading a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and founding Canative Energy, a consultancy that supports the economic prosperity of Indigenous peoples impacted by the energy sector. Raylene is based in Alberta . Working with the International Sustainability Standards Board The CSSB will partner with the ISSB by supporting the uptake of ISSB Standards in Canada, highlighting key issues for the Canadian context, and facilitating interoperability between ISSB Standards and any forthcoming CSSB standards. "With enthusiasm, I accept the role of inaugural chair of the CSSB," says Charles-Antoine. "The CSSB will support the adoption of international standards in Canada while considering supplemental requirements tailored to the Canadian market. Our goals are to help Canadian and foreign providers of capital access actionable sustainability information and help issuers tell their story on what matters, using a common approach. Collectively, this will help Canada develop and reach its full, long-term potential ? economically and beyond." Next steps Approved in June 2022, the CSSB's formation aligns with the release of the ISSB's inaugural standards ? IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 ? to be released this year. As CSSB member appointments continue, the Implementation Committee will focus on ensuring wider regional and industry perspectives. This means boosting representation from western and eastern provinces and exploring participation from Canada's resource-based economy. The CSSB expects to announce another group of members in June 2023, which will set the stage for an operational board. For more information FRASCanada.ca/CSSB SOURCE Financial Reporting & Assurance Standards Canada 12 april 2023 at 09:30 News published onand distributed by: IRG Welcomes thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services to Shreveport Facility thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services to Expand Renewable Energy Logistics Services at its First Site in Louisiana, IRG Furthers Renovation Plans at Former GM Property SHREVEPORT, La., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG), one of the largest industrial real estate developers in the nation, announced that thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services, Inc, a leader in renewable energy logistics, will join IRG's 3.5 million square foot campus in Shreveport. thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services' long term lease in Shreveport marks their first operation in Louisiana . "We are thrilled to congratulate sustainability innovator, thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services on their expansion to a new market," said Stuart Lichter, president of IRG. "IRG is committed to continuing site improvements, pursuing aggressive leasing, and creating a rejuvenated economic center in Shreveport." thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services' lease marks their first operation in Louisiana and includes a multi-year term for nearly 600,000 square feet of space. The company will join the U.S. Post Office and Hyundai Glovis, who also operate on site. thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services is an asset-based logistics company operating over 10mm sq/ft of value-add distribution services within the US alone, and is part of thyssenkrupp Materials Services, the largest mill-independent materials distributor and service provider in the western world. "There were many reasons we chose to expand our footprint in Shreveport," said Bob Denehy, Chief Commercial Officer of thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services, Inc. "The support from the community by way of IRG, the Port of Caddo-Bossier, Caddo Parish, and NLEP was critical. The property's location, future expansion opportunities, and the ability to smoothly establish a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) for our clients made the decision an easy one." thyssenkrupp Supply Chain Services' on-site logistics solutions include the material handling and distribution of renewable energy products on behalf of its expanding client base. The Port of Caddo-Bossier coordinated the establishment of a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) sub zone, the second on the property, to accommodate the company's international manufacturing materials. "We are committed to creating a climate that fosters economic growth in the Port area," said Eric England, Executive Port Director. "We were able to streamline the FTZ process because of the collaborative nature of both IRG and tkSCS." "This is the result of hard work paying off," said Caddo Parish's Administrator and CEO, Dr. Woodrow Wilson, Jr. "We celebrate the public/private partnerships that created an environment for IRG to attract tkSCS to Caddo Parish and will continue to collaborate to attract business expansion in 2023 and beyond." North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) echoed these sentiments. "Congratulations to IRG, tkSCS, and all entities involved with the success of this project," said Justyn Dixon, NLEP President & CEO. "IRG's work towards revitalizing the campus in Shreveport will bring future investments to the area, benefitting all of North Louisiana." About IRG IRG is a nationwide real estate development and investment firm specializing in the acquisition, development, and management of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the United States. IRG, through its affiliated partnerships and limited liability companies, operates a portfolio containing over 150 properties in 31 states with over 100 million square feet of rentable space. IRG is nationally recognized as a leading force behind the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate, solving some of America's most difficult real estate challenges. Learn more at www.industrialrealtygroup.com. For more information, contact: Lauren Crumrine, Director of Marketing Industrial Realty Group, LLC 614-562-9252 [email protected] SOURCE Industrial Realty Group, LLC 12 april 2023 at 11:06 News published onand distributed by: Hero Certified Burgers Expands Partnership With NotCo To Launch Plant-Based and Non-Dairy Food Options Across Canada TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Hero Certified Burgers is proud to announce its innovative partnership with NotCo Canada, Inc., a trail-blazing leader in plant-based food solutions. With an extensive existing array of plant-based options, Hero Certified Burgers is continuing to tap into the growing consumer demand for plant-based foods, to give Hero Certified Burgers' customers all the benefits of healthier and more sustainable plant-based food options with no sacrifice of flavour. As a pioneer shifting towards sustainable food practices, Hero Certified Burgers embraces NotCo's artificial intelligence (AI) food technology to do its part in lowering CO2 emissions and reducing the careless use of water and energy as compared to animal-based farming. Hero Certified Burgers believes we collectively must consider what we eat and how our food is made to do our part in saving the planet. Hero Certified Burgers' partnership with NotCo not only represents a brand alignment, but also highlights Hero Certified Burgers' "Going Green" initiative, which adheres to offering delicious plant-based alternatives to our customers. Hero Certified Burgers, a long-standing leader in fast casual dining, was one of the first fast-dining operations in Canada to offer fully traceable Canadian Angus Beef, raised without antibiotics or additional hormones. As a company driven to provide quality products for their customers, Hero Certified Burgers pride themselves on exceptional service offering fresh, great-tasting food, including a variety of Real Good plant-based meat alternatives. NotCo plant-based products, now available at Hero Certified Burgers, are developed using a combination of NotCo's first-of-its-kind patented AI technology, named Giuseppe, and chefs. Giuseppe was created by NotCo's team to understand the foods people love to eat and look for ways to recreate them by replacing all animal-based ingredients with plant-based ones. This technology has the ability to analyze animal-based product structure at the molecular level and replicate it using only plant-based goodness. "Canadians are looking for food alternatives and we are thrilled to be able to serve elevated plant-based food items to our customers alongside an innovative company like NotCo, which uses advanced technology to recreate impressive plant-based and non-GMO options that replicate the meat alternatives" says John F. Lettieri, founder president and CEO of Hero Certified Burgers. A few of Hero Certified Burgers' delicious 100% plant-based options include "Spicy Plant-Based Soul Burger," "Meatless Crispy Chicken Sandwich," "Meatless Crispy Chick'n Nuggets" and grab-and-go NotMilk, all of which are powered by NotCo's products: "NotBurger," "NotChicken Burger," NotChicken Nuggets" and "NotMilk." Customers also have the option to build their own 100% plant-based burger based on their own preferences. Hero Certified Burgers x NotCo products are available at all locations. SOURCE Hero Certified Burgers 12 april 2023 at 14:24 News published onand distributed by: Emmanuel Macron meets students at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Friday, April 7, 2023. JEAN-CLAUDE COUTAUSSE FOR "LE MONDE" Emmanuel Macron's unexpected suggestion that Europe not "follow" US policy on Taiwan is being hailed as a "brilliant decision" this week in China, where state news outlets and social media users are lauding his independence. The French president sowed confusion across the international community and left Western allies bristling after calling for "strategic autonomy" on Taiwan following last week's trip to China, where he met with President Xi Jinping. 45-year-old Macron enjoyed a rockstar reception during his three-day visit, including being mobbed by selfie-chasing students in the southern city of Guangzhou, and local media has covered his subsequent comments widely, focusing on the phrase "strategic autonomy". An opinion piece published on Monday, April 10, by the Chinese Communist Party-run Global Times said the comments were "clearly the result of Macron's long-term observation and reflection" and represented a path that was "relatively objective, rational and in line with Europe's own interests. Some people want to construct a false Europe in public opinion, masking true European voices and interests," the article added. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Macron's Taiwan statements upset France's allies 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 ? Chen Weihua, Brussels bureau chief for state-run China Daily, wrote on Twitter that "Macron's words about EU strategic autonomy and resisting a new Cold War and decoupling will also prove to be a brilliant decision." Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory to one day be taken back, has long sought to break Western resolve on the thorny issue. And Macron's recent words on distancing Europe from Washington on the subject of Taiwan suggest China's efforts might be having some success. "Daring to talk openly about autonomy," commented a user of social media site Weibo under a news article on Macron, "Europe has progressed." Macron's favorable public image in China While the reputations of most Western leaders in China have suffered in recent years, Macron enjoys a largely favorable public image an attitude made evident by the hordes of students in Guangzhou. His willingness in the recent interview to differentiate French foreign policy from that of the United States on the issue of Taiwan helped bolster that fan base. One Weibo user commented: "Macron's ideas are very good. Europe's arrogance and inaction for many years have led to extreme strategic passivity, being pulled along by the US." Beijing also Wednesday praised Macron's remarks, saying it was "not surprised" by the negative reaction from some in the West. "Some countries do not want to see other nations become independent and self-reliant, and instead always want to coerce other countries into obeying their will," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing. "An insistence on strategic autonomy wins more respect and more friends, while coercion and pressure only bring more resistance and opposition," he added. But such triumphant Chinese perspectives have also been tempered by more sober voices contending that geopolitical realities necessitate that France and Europe remain largely aligned with the United States. Le Monde with AFP France's President Emmanuel Macron and Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte address a press conference following a meeting in Amsterdam on April 12, 2023. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, April 12, stood by his controversial comments on Taiwan, saying that being a US ally did not mean being a "vassal." Macron, wrapping up a state visit to the Netherlands during which he has also faced protests over pension reforms, said France still backed the "status quo" on Taiwan. But the French leader appeared to stick by remarks in an interview at the weekend, in which he said Europe should not be a "follower" of either Washington or Beijing or get caught up in any escalation. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Macron's Taiwan statements upset France's allies 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 ? "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves," Macron told a press conference in Amsterdam with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macron, who visited China last week, said French and European policy on Taiwan "has not changed" despite the furor over his remarks to Politico and French business daily Les Echos, in which he backed Europe's strategic autonomy. "France is for the status quo in Taiwan" and a "peaceful resolution to the situation," he added. The first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president in 23 years was filled with pomp including a boat trip on one of Amsterdam's scenic canals and a dinner in the capital's famed Rijksmuseum. But the two-day stay to promote ties between the two key EU members has not stopped Macron from facing pressure on a series of both domestic and foreign issues. Macron's weekend interview on Taiwan drew praise as "brilliant" in China which rejects US support of what it sees as a breakaway province but raised eyebrows among Western allies. Former US president Donald Trump said that "Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass." Macron replied that he had "nothing to say about the comments by former President Trump because he is taking part in this escalation". Dutch premier Rutte said he agreed with Macron that Europe "must be a player and not a playing field", but insisted that Washington remained an "essential partner when it comes to security and freedom". Rutte meanwhile said of the protests targeting Macron that "we are the hosts so you don't want that". Editorial Taiwan, a question for Europe 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 ? Police arrested two demonstrators who ran towards the French president outside Amsterdam University in an apparent protest against France increasing the pension age from 62 to 64. Around 40 people protested when Macron left the university's science faculty, in an event to promote the signing of a "pact for innovation" between France and the Netherlands. The arrests came a day after protesters heckled Macron during a speech on European sovereignty in The Hague on Tuesday. Macron later said reforms inevitably caused protests, citing recent rallies by Dutch farmers against environmental plans. "We must sometimes accept controversy, and we must try to build a path for the future," he told an audience of French people living in the Netherlands. Ahead of a top court ruling on the pensions reforms on Friday and fresh strikes on Thursday, Macron told the press conference he wanted to work with unions and find a solution whatever the decision. Le Monde with AFP This photo provided by the Kyunhla Activists Group shows aftermath of an airstrike in Pazigyi village in Sagaing Region's Kanbalu Township, Myanmar, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. AP Myanmar's ruling junta confirmed it had carried out an air strike on a village on Tuesday, April 11, in which dozens of people were reported killed, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and Western powers. The death toll from the early morning strike on the remote Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region remains unclear. At least 50 fatalities and dozens of injuries were reported by BBC Burmese, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia, as well as a witness contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP). Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Myanmar faces humanitarian emergency Ajouter a vos selections Ajouter a vos selections Pour ajouter larticle a vos selections identifiez-vous Sinscrire gratuitement Se connecter Vous possedez deja un compte ? The junta confirmed late on Tuesday that the strike had taken place but did not say how many were killed. "There was (a People's Defence Force) office opening ceremony... (Tuesday) morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village," said spokesman Zaw Min Tun, referring to the armed anti-junta groups that have sprung up across the country since its elected government was toppled in a 2021 military coup. "We attacked that place," he said. Some of the dead, he added, were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though "there could be some people with civilian clothes." The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the People's Defence Force for some of the deaths. The UN, while not confirming a toll, said several civilians were killed, with Turk accusing Myanmar's military of once again disregarding "clear legal obligations... to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities." The military's crackdown on dissent in the wake of the coup has left more than 3,100 dead according to a local monitoring group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces today", according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres "reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country," the spokesman added. Washington said it was "deeply concerned" about the air strikes. "These violent attacks further underscore the regime's disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement, using the country's former name. "The US calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma." 'Great pain' Sagaing region near the country's second-largest city Mandalay has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the military's rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. Graphic video clips circulating on social media footage AFP has been unable to verify show bodies scattered among ruined homes. "We are going to rescue you if we hear you screaming," one person could be heard saying in the video. "Please scream!" Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes In Myanmar, the armed insurrection is getting organized 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 ? A rescuer connected to a People's Defence Force group told AFP that women and children were among the dead. After recovering bodies and transporting victims for medical treatment, he estimated the death toll could be as high as 100. Myanmar's National Unity Government, a shadow body dominated by former lawmakers from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, called the strike a "heinous act." The military, which accuses anti-coup fighters of being terrorists, has faced international condemnation for razing villages, mass killings and air strikes on civilians. More than 30 sheltering in a monastery were killed in Shan state in March. Last year, a military air strike on a concert put on by the Kachin Independence Army in northern Kachin state killed about 50 and wounded more than 70, the rebels said. At a military parade last month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing vowed to continue cracking down on opponents. The military last month announced a six-month extension of a state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August because it did not control enough of the country for a vote. International condemnation "As the people of Myanmar celebrate their New Year, the EU is deeply shocked by reports of the latest atrocity committed by the military regime in Sagaing, taking the lives of dozens of innocent civilians," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali said. France's foreign ministry said in a statement that the "abominable" strike demonstrated "the strategy of indiscriminate violence the Myanmar junta has inflicted on Myanmar's people for more than two years". UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and reiterated his call "for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", according to a statement from his spokesperson. Washington also denounced the "reprehensible" attack. "We strongly condemn the regime's air strikes and urge the regime to cease the violence," US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet tweeted. Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson said the strike was likely to have a chilling effect across Myanmar society. "I think this will cause greater fear amongst the people," he told AFP. "I think in the future, communities will be reluctant to hold a... mass gathering of any sort, recognizing that they could be bombed". According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Myanmar conflict tracker, the military has carried out 689 air and drone strike attacks since the coup. Rights groups have called for the international community to further restrict Myanmar's access to aviation fuel in the wake of the attack. But Bangkok-based security analyst Anthony Davis told AFP that demand was "divorced from reality." "Russia is a firm ally of the junta and one of the world's largest oil exporters. Do we seriously believe Moscow will sit and watch the Myanmar Air Force being slowly grounded for a lack of aviation fuel?" he said. Le Monde with AP and AFP Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva receives the credentials of China's ambassador to Brazil, Zhu Qingqiao, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia. February 3, 2023. SERGIO LIMA / AFP After a first trip planned at the end of March, but canceled due to pneumonia, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was due to arrive in China on Wednesday, April 12, for a three-day official visit, during which he is expected to meet with several political leaders, including President Xi Jinping on Friday. The speed with which the two sides were able to set a new date speaks volumes of the importance that both Beijing and Brasilia attach to the visit. Brazil is an important trading partner for China. Brazilian exports to China, mainly agricultural products and minerals, amount to nearly $90 billion (82 billion), more than three times France's exports (24 billion). Almost a third of Brazilian exports go to China. China is even Brazil's leading trading partner, far ahead of the United States (11% of Brazilian exports) and its neighbor Argentina (4%). One of the challenges of this trip is to further develop these relations, and also to turn the page on the Bolsonaro era and to bring about a political rapprochement between Brazil and China, two countries that are very critical of Washington. Lula, who was president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, visited China in 2004 and again in 2009. Zelensky 'can't have it all' The West will be closely monitoring the two countries' statements on Ukraine. President Lula has already stated publicly that he wants to discuss with Xi China's role in resolving the conflict. The Brazilian president told reporters on April 6 that he would suggest to his counterpart that he take a leading role in a group of countries urging Russia and Ukraine to seek a diplomatic solution to the war. Lula is confident that he will succeed. "I am confident that when you ask me the question [about the war] after I return from China, I will announce the creation of a group that will discuss peace." On a personal level, as he had already told President Joe Biden during his visit to the US in February (and then reminded French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz), the Brazilian still refuses to send munitions to Ukraine "in the name of peace." Keen to adopt a balanced position, he also said he thought that "Putin cannot continue to occupy Ukraine," and suggested to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he give up Crimea because he "cannot have it all." The Chinese daily Global Times seemed enthusiastic: "The world will witness the power of peace and development during Lula's visit," it said in an editorial published on Wednesday morning. And if this project does not succeed, the daily has already found the culprit: Washington. "Such unity among developing countries is not what the United States wants to see, according to analysts who highlight the need to remain vigilant against American attempts to sow discord." But, despite appearances, China remains cautious. "President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President Emmanuel Macron did indicate last week to Xi that the war in Ukraine was an existential issue for Europe," said a European diplomat. In the run-up to Lula's visit, neither The People's Daily (in Chinese) nor the China Daily (in English) mentioned the Ukraine issue. You have 51.2% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. A demonstrator is detained by police officers as French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch King Willem-Alexander arrive at the science faculty of the UvA, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. PETER DEJONG / AP Dutch police detained two protesters who ran towards French President Emmanuel Macron in Amsterdam on Wednesday as his domestic troubles intruded once again on his state visit. The dramatic arrests outside Amsterdam University came a day after demonstrators against Macron's controversial pension reforms heckled him during a speech in The Hague. The pomp of the first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president in 23 years has given Macron little respite from a wave of protests at home against increasing the French pension age from 62 to 64. "For the honor of the workers and a better world even if Macron doesn't like it, we are here," one protester chanted, using the words of a French protest song, as he was pinned down by several security officials in Amsterdam. The man ran towards Macron and was tackled to the ground, knocking over a man in uniform and landing in a heap of people, pool television and social media images showed. The incident happened just after the French president had stepped out of a limousine with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and was being greeted by Amsterdam's mayor. 'Accept controversy' "We arrested two protesters for running towards the president. For disturbing public order and threatening," Amsterdam police spokesperson Lex van Liebergen told Agence France Presse (AFP). A man and a woman were arrested, one with a banner, she added. Around 40 people protested when Macron left the university's science faculty. He then signed a "pact for innovation" with the Netherlands focusing on cooperation in semiconductors, quantum physics and energy. Macron later said reforms inevitably caused protests, citing recent rallies by Dutch farmers against environmental plans. "We must sometimes accept controversy, and we must try to build a path for the future," he told an audience of French people living in the Netherlands. In The Hague on Tuesday, protesters had shouted, "Where is French democracy?" and unfurled a banner saying "President of Violence and Hypocrisy" as Macron gave a speech on European sovereignty. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Macron's Taiwan statements upset France's allies 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 ? France backs 'status quo' on Taiwan The French president is separately facing controversy over comments he made about Taiwan in an interview published over the weekend. In an Amsterdam press conference at the end of his visit on Wednesday, Macron stood by his controversial comments on Taiwan , saying that being a US ally did not mean being a "vassal". Macron added that France still backed the "status quo" on Taiwan. But the French president appeared to stick by remarks in an interview at the weekend, in which he said Europe should not be a "follower" of either Washington or Beijing or get caught up in any escalation. "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves," Macron told a press conference in Amsterdam with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macron, who visited China last week, said that French and European policy on Taiwan "has not changed" despite the furore over his remarks in an interview with Politico and Les Echos in which he backed Europe's strategic autonomy. "France is for the status quo in Taiwan," he said, adding that Paris "supports the One China policy and the search for a peaceful resolution to the situation." Macron had previously told media including Politico and French business daily Les Echos that Europe should not be "followers" of the United States or China when it came to Taiwan. A French diplomatic source insisted that Paris remained a "reliable" ally of Washington despite the comments but an ally that "decides for itself." "We are not followers of the United States for a simple reason, which is that the president wants European sovereignty," the source said. Macron's interview drew praise as "brilliant" in China which rejects US support of what it sees as a breakaway province but raised eyebrows among Western allies. Former president Donald Trump said that "Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass". Editorial Taiwan, a question for Europe 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 ? Le Monde with AFP British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets US President Joe Biden on his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland April 11, 2023. KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS United States President Joe Biden landed in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, April 11, hoping to help maintain the fragile peace brokered 25 years ago after decades of sectarian violence over British rule. Before boarding Air Force One, Biden, 80, said the priority of his trip was "to keep the peace" and bring an end to the protracted political deadlock caused by opposition among pro-United Kingdom parties to post-Brexit trading rules. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Biden on the tarmac when he touched down in Belfast, just 24 hours after the landmark anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. But security remains a concern. On Monday, masked youths pelted police vehicles with petrol bombs during an illegal march by dissident republicans in Londonderry, which is also known as Derry. Despite the scenes, US officials said Biden was "very excited for this trip." "We'd like to see the national assembly (in Belfast) returned, clearly," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters en route to Belfast, with the Stormont legislature currently suspended. "The message is twofold. It's congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday agreement... (and) to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities as well as the US," he said. Biden will deliver remarks on Wednesday at Ulster University in Belfast, set to focus on the economic promise of inward investment if the peace endures. He will also meet the leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties, the White House said, with reports he will press the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to resume power-sharing. The devolved government in Belfast is a key plank of the peace accords but it collapsed 14 months ago over the party's trenchant opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. Biden, who has Irish ancestry, will also travel south to Ireland for a three-day visit, in part tracing his family history. The trip will include an address to a joint sitting of Ireland's parliament and "celebrate the deep, historic ties" the country shares with the US, the White House says. Fragile peace Northern Ireland has been significantly reshaped since unionist parties wanting to remain part of the UK and nationalists favoring reunification with Ireland struck the peace deal on April 10, 1998. But a quarter-century on, the post-Brexit trading situation and demographic shifts are prompting fresh political instability and violence from hardliners on both sides. "While it is time to reflect on the solid progress we have made together, we must also recommit to redoubling our efforts on the promise made in 1998 and the agreements that followed," Sunak said to mark Monday's anniversary. In Dublin, Biden will meet Irish President Michael Higgins and the Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar on Thursday, when he will also take part in peace ceremonies, address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle. During a trip to County Mayo in northwest Ireland on Friday, Biden will visit his ancestral hometown of Ballina and meet distant cousins. The US president is due to address thousands in the place that his family left in the mid-19th century when the country was ravaged by famine before they eventually settled in blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania. DUP resistance Biden heads home Friday, with Northern Ireland continuing its peace accord commemorations the following week, including a three-day conference starting April 17 hosted by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Her husband, Bill Clinton, played a pivotal role in securing the 1998 deal as US president. In the years after 1998, Northern Irish republican and loyalist paramilitaries were disarmed, its militarised border was dismantled, and British troops departed. But the security situation has deteriorated, and UK intelligence services last month raised the province's terror threat level to "severe." Meanwhile, despite the UK and European Union agreeing in February to overhaul Northern Ireland's contentious post-Brexit trade terms, that new deal the Windsor Framework is yet to win DUP support. That is seen as crucial in paving the way for a resumption of power-sharing. But ex-British prime minister Tony Blair, who helped craft the 1998 peace deal, on Tuesday cautioned Biden against overly pressuring the party when in Belfast. Hardline DUP lawmaker Ian Paisley Jr. said the party was in no mood to be lectured by Biden. The president's "real Irish visit" was to the Republic, Paisley told TalkTV, adding: "I think this visit (to Belfast) has shown we really don't matter that much." Le Monde with AFP GARDAI have warned that thieves in Limerick are targeting cars for their catalytic converters. A number of Toyota Prius cars have been targeted in the last week with the components stolen from vehicles in Newcastle West, Adare and Kildimo. Sergeant Ber Leetch, Crime Prevention Officer at Henry Street Garda Station said the components are targeted because they are easier and quicker to remove from the Prius model of car. "If you are the owner of a Prius you need to take extra steps to protect it so park it as close to your house as possible, ideally in a garage. "If there are two or more car owners in the house, park the Prius tight behind another car. "Park in a well lit up area and as the criminals have to jack the car up to get access to the convertor, try to park it in a way that would make it very difficult or impossible to raise." WANTING to change the world for the better is exactly what one young Limerick woman did, following inspiration from Australian mass climate change protests in 2018. Saorise Exton is now in her final year of secondary school and has succeeded in being a finalist in this years Irish Red Cross Young Humanitarian Awards, which aims to highlight the incredible and selfless efforts of people who have gone out of their way to help those in urgent need, according to Deirdre Garvey, Secretary General for the Irish Red Cross. At age 13, Saoirse, who is a climate justice activist from Limerick city, began striking outside local council buildings calling for climate action. About three weeks later in March 2019, a global climate strike gathered 400 people in Limerick and millions across the world. Following on from this, the determined young woman founded Fridays for Future Limerick, a local branch of the worldwide movement for climate action. Saoirse then drafted a motion to declare a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in Limerick, which was passed unanimously by Limerick City and County Council. Speaking ahead of the awards ceremony which is taking place this Thursday, March 13, Deirdre Garvey, Secretary General for the Irish Red Cross, said: We feel strongly that in this age of increasing conflict and devastation, we all need to focus squarely on the crucial need for unity, humanity, impartial support and volunteer service in aid of others - there simply is no other way forward. Through Saoirses role as Public Relations Officer with Limerick Comhairle na nOg, she was selected to be a member of the Youth Advisory Group to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This allows her to raise timely issues to officials at the top of the organisation and voice young peoples concerns. Limerick Comhairle na nOg is a forum for young people to discuss issues of relevance to them. The annual Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards will honour nominated finalists across five categories, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award. The five categories are: Humanitarian of the Year, Young Humanitarian, Innovation for Change Award, Journalism Excellence and Corporate Impact Award. JOBS servicing the wind energy sector in Ireland could be lost to China, an industry leader has warned an event in Limerick. Airtricity founder Eddie O'Connor, who launched a new book at University of Limerick, also said An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar must step in to ensure jobs and investment are not lost to the Far East. He warned the pace of delivery in the wind energy sector is "alarmingly slow", and Europe needs to "wake up". "For the countries that are ramping up with their offshore wind, and Ireland is clearly way behind there, the reality is that the manufacturers are suffering huge losses and reducing employment levels as a result. If theres an expectation on the part of governments that they will be able to ramp up supply to meet demand for turbines, then its not going to be met because no one is going to produce turbines at these losses," he said. Mr O'Connor, whose book Supergrid Super Solution is co-authored with former Irish Times editor Kevin O'Sullivan, added: "The wind industry is on its knees, making huge losses that are not sustainable while the oil and gas industry is making record profits. If we are serious about climate action and unwinding from oil and gas and, indeed, the dependency in Europe on Russian oil and gas, then the only answer is renewables but the industry is at risk of going bankrupt. The reality is that unless we start supporting the very industry with the solution to the greatest crisis of our times, then the only turbines well be able to get will be coming from China." The launch event - attended by 100 industry leaders - also heard calls for the responsibility of having the second highest office of State in the land, the Department of An Taoiseach in charge of exploiting Ireland's natural resources. "We have an opportunity now that is the greatest in the history of the State. Ireland has the capacity to supply 10% of Europes power by 2050 and much more beyond that. Right now, were not too dissimilar to the Middle East in the 1940s when it began its oil and gas journey. That has made nations like Saudi Arabia global financial powerhouses and thats what Ireland can become. The big difference is our energy is green and its the solution the world is waiting for," Mr O'Connor said. He questioned why Germany, despite having weaker winds than Ireland is seeking to deliver significantly more power than here by 2035. "Literally, we have 100 times more offshore territory than Germany and far greater winds and yet they have an ambition for 40 gigawatt of offshore wind power capacity by 2035. Our ambition is to deliver five gigawatt by 2030. So what does that say," he asked. He criticised "bureaucratic inertia", which is a reference for staff of companies and agencies sticking to long-established ways of doing things. Mr O'Connor added: ""To me, the Department of the Taoiseach and the chief civil servant there is where the power rests and where this must be delivered from. The Department has the power to tell secretaries in other departments what to do. Power used benignly, in the interests of the long term goals of Ireland, is the great function of the department of the Taoiseach. He continued: We've proposed this and I think we're getting there. If you compare Ireland now with what it was like five years ago, we've moved a gigantic distance, but we need to move another gigantic distance. Mr OConnors comments were supported. Val Cummins, managing director of ocean water energy firm Simply Blue said: "The fundamental question is why are we not progressing faster? This is a massive opportunity in terms of floating offshore, in terms of port development, in terms of grid, the transmission system. There's so much work being done on all of those elements. But fundamentally, this work needs to be matched by a system of delivery and its clearly not there." "Theres an industry consensus that we're not managing to deliver. And I think Eddie OConnor's recommendations in relation to transforming the architecture of the system, such that it's fit for purpose to deliver, is a key point. We showed we could do it for Covid-19. That was a crisis at the time. The climate is a crisis. And I think the take home is it's time for action. John Fitzgerald, who heads up renewable energy firm SuperNode added: The ambition to do 30, 40 or even 70 gigawatts off the West Coast is not matched by government mandates on the agencies they direct. So until they're joined up, we're really going to struggle to realise the potential. Pat Keating, the chief executive of Shannon Foynes Port Company, which has maritime responsibility for the Shannon Estuary which will be a key staging post for development of the floating offshore wind fields - said: We have a huge resource on our doorstep here, climate action is happening so we have an obligation even more so than an opportunity. Other countries that don't potentially have the same offshore opportunity as us will locate the supply chain in their countries and we lose out then on the big value-add opportunity and literally tens of thousands of jobs. This is just too big for us as a nation not to grab but time is not on our side actually and we need to get moving. LIMERICK finds this senseless violence abhorrent and I want to make a commitment to her family that we will do everything we can to ensure that another family will not have to go through this ever again. These were the words of Cllr Elisa O'Donovan on Tuesday evening as she joined women, men and children from across Limerick for a vigil in memory of a young Romanian mother who came to Limerick for a better life for her four children back home but was stabbed to death in a vicious and frenzied attack. The one week anniversary of the death of Geila Ibram (pictured), aged 27, was marked with a vigil at 5.30pm this Tuesday afternoon at Steamboat Quay in Limerick city. The 27-year-old mother-of-four was found dead at a residence on the Dock Road on Tuesday afternoon, April 4. She had only come to Ireland three weeks earlier. Gardai in Limerick conducted an extensive and thorough investigation. Officers combed the city looking for a weapon and were seen delving through multiple bins and checking gutters. A 26-year-old Afghan national, Habib Shamel, was charged with her murder in Belfast on Saturday. The court heard evidence gathered shows a conversation between the defendant and the victim, between 11.20am and 12.40pm on April 4, which was arranging a sexual exchange. A detective sergeant said CCTV footage shows the defendant entering the flat just before 1.30pm, and leaving approximately one minute 52 seconds later. He said that the victim was stabbed numerous times in the neck, face and abdomen, in what the court heard was a vicious and frenzied attack. The detective said the attack resulted in the defendant injuring his hand. The court heard Mr Shamel made attempts to try to treat his hand, including attending University Hospital Limerick. The first of two events in Limerick this week to remember Ms Ibram took place this Tuesday afternoon. Cllr Elisa ODonovan said she called the vigil so that we as a community could come together and show our respect for a woman whose life was stolen from her at such a young age. I want for Geilas family and friends and her children to know we are deeply sorry for their loss, that we as a community are distressed and deeply saddened that your loved one Geila has lost her life in such horrific circumstances, said the Social Democrat councillor for Limerick City West. One woman who travelled from County Tipperary told the Limerick Leader: This is becoming a dangerous country for women, for all women. Media in the Eastern European country have reported that Ms Ibram went to Ireland with a Romanian whom she was supposed to marry this year. The second event in memory of Ms Ibram, organised by Rosa Socialist Feminist Movement, takes place at 5.30pm this Thursday, April 13 on Bedford Row in Limerick city. CAR MODIFICATIONS costing more than 20k is what one disabled Limerick-based woman was told she might have to face, following a trip to the UK - the only place a car suitable for her needs was available. Leigh Gath, a full time wheelchair user living in Pallaskenry, has had to organise a personal meeting with Minister of Finance, Michael McGrath, following a 23,000 Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) fee to drive a car she needs. VRT is the fee that occurs when importing vehicles from the UK into Ireland. Leigh was born with residual limbs from the drug thalidomide being given to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s for morning sickness - her mother had only ingested three pills in total. The nature of the disability means that she only has two types of suitable vehicles available to her, and she cannot get the essential modifications done in Ireland. In addition, Sinn Fein Senator, Limerick's Paul Gavan, has gone to the Seanad and challenged the government to urgently reform the Disabled Drivers Scheme, which is the legal act that initiates Value Added Tax (VAT) and VRT fees on modified vehicles. Leigh said: I have gotten the modifications done, but I cant afford to change the UK registration plates to Irish. Im not going to be paying it. There is a lift on the side of my car for my wheelchair, and buttons that I can use for different functions, such as opening doors and swivelling the seat. Anybody who needs or has significant modifications like me, the Disabled Drivers Scheme actually punishes them - if your disability was more minor, adjustments would be covered in full. Senator Gavan aims to ensure disabled people are not charged VAT or VRT on essential modifications to their vehicles that have to be imported from Britain. This covers Leigh, who has worked closely with Senator Gavan on this issue. Learning to drive at age 17, the County Down native has always had to have her vehicles modified in the UK. There is nobody in Ireland who has the expertise to install the modifications. Leigh raised the valid issue of the future for other wheelchair users and electric vehicles, as she explained how these new chargeable automobiles are unsuitable for most: I have never had to pay substantial fees like this - the rules on VRT have changed greatly in the last couple of years and are mostly to do with emissions. The thing about it is they are not equitable for people with disabilities - if you use a wheelchair, and you bring your chair into the vehicle with you, you cannot drive an electric vehicle because the battery takes up the whole of the underfloor space. This means a lift cannot be fitted and therefore, youve got no choice but to drive a petrol or diesel car but then youre penalised for driving these due to emissions, which is problematic for the future. Leigh continued by saying that this wont only affect the use of personal vehicles, but also daycare buses and wheelchair taxis. She concluded by saying disabled people will just not be able to move out of their homes. Thalidomide created a range of disabilities in babies including shortening and absence of limbs, malformation of hands, damage to ears and eyes, sensory impairment, facial disfigurement and damage to the brain, internal organs and skeletal structure. The drug was prescribed to pregnant women for severe morning sickness and labelled safe at the time, but babies had complex health issues when born. Leigh said that the pills made her mother so sleepy, she couldnt function. Leigh and Senator Gavans attempts to speak to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Equality have been successful and they are now awaiting confirmation as to what will be done to resolve the issue. US president Joe Biden has landed in Belfast as part of a historic four-day trip to the island of Ireland. He was greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a light scattering of snow. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. The US president will carry out several other engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. He will meet the Prime Minister again on Wednesday for a bilateral meeting. The leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties will also have the opportunity to engage with Mr Biden before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation will be in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. He will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. US president Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast later during a historic four-day trip to the island of Ireland. The meeting at the Grand Central Hotel in the regions capital will be the third in-person meeting between the two leaders. Their discussions are expected to focus on Northern Ireland, the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the war in Ukraine. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, said it is not anticipated that Mr Biden and Mr Sunak will discuss a free trade agreement. I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that thats where theyre meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues, she said. Ms Sloat said the two leaders had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be furthered and deepened when they meet in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she added. The US President will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Ms Sloat was asked what Mr Bidens strategy will be to encourage the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly. She said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The main message of the President to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the Presidents message as he said on St Patricks Day, and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically-elected powersharing representative governance, she said. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US Presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. RTE will be providing extensive coverage of the historic visit by President Biden to Ireland across this week. RTE will offer audiences, both at home and abroad, a range of special programmes in addition to detailed news coverage of the first Official Visit by Joe Biden as President of the United States of America. RTE will be at locations in Belfast, Dublin, Louth and Mayo, to provide audiences with coverage of President Bidens engagements over the course of his four-day visit. RTE.ie and RTE News App will cover the official visit with a daily live blog; live video and audio streams; on-demand RTE News special programmes and daily picture galleries. RTE One television will produce a number of special programmes along with rolling coverage across One OClock News, Nuacht, Six One News, Nine OClock News and Prime Time. Listeners can follow the Presidents visit across the RTE Radio 1 and RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta schedule, with live updates, reports and analysis. Tonight, Tuesday 11th April, RTE One's Nine O'Clock News and Prime Time will be broadcasting live from Belfast, as President Biden arrives on the Island of Ireland. On Wednesday, 12th April television coverage on RTE One and RTE News channel will include the address by President Biden to the University of Ulster in Belfast and his visit to Louth. The first of RTE's special programmes, President Biden in Ireland, will begin on Wednesday at 12.45pm on RTE One and RTE News Channel. Further coverage on Thursday will include his visit to Aras an Uachtarain to meet President Higgins, President Bidens address to the Houses of the Oireachtas. On Friday 14th April coverage will include President Biden's visit to Mayo including his remarks in Ballina on Friday evening. Mumbai: Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML), a power generation subsidiary of Adani Transmission Ltd, on Wednesday, said it has fully funded its planned capital expenditure of 1,310 crore for FY2023 through internal accruals, without incurring any debt. In an exchange filing, AEML said that as of 31 March, 2023, AEML's working capital loan was reduced to 500 crore from 1,045 crore in December 2022. Additionally, the company has a surplus cash balance of about 800 crore," said AEML. AEML is primarily engaged in the business of power generation, transmission and retail electricity distribution. It serves at least 3 million consumers spread across 400 sq km in Mumbai and its suburbs, which is one of the largest in the country. Adani Electricity caters to a power demand of around 2,000 MW in Mumbai. As per a regulatory guideline, consumers of Adani Electricity in Mumbai will see a rise in their average electric bill amounts. The average tariff per unit (of electric power consumption) will increase from 8.39 in FY2023 to 8.57 in FY2024 and 8.76 in FY2025. In line with the Maharashtra state electricity regulators latest guidelines, AEMLs average power tariff has gone up by 2.2% year-on-year in FY2024, with effect from 1 April 2023, and a 2.10% year-on-year increase in FY2025 from 1 April, 2024. Attributing its growth in operating profit to renewable sources, AEML said its zero dependence on imported coal; power cost optimization through long-term PPAs of hybrid renewable energy; and medium-term power arrangements, are key to the companys edge over rival discoms. AEML has increased its share of renewable energy from 3% to 30% in the last two years, and aims to source 60% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2027, said AEML. This is a part of the company's attempt to offer reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to its consumers in Mumbai. Adani Transmission owns a 75% stake in AEML. Adani Transmission shares closed marginally lower at 1043.45 apiece on the National Stock ExchangeNSE in a positive market on Wednesday. NEW DELHI : Tamil Nadu has banned online gambling, rekindling a campaign against gaming firms in India that has raged for over a year-and-a-half. The move came just three days after the Centre included gaming firms under its intermediary rules. Mint explains the controversy: What just happened in Tamil Nadu? After much back-and-forth (even within the state government) the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Ordinance was passed on 10 April. The bill seeks to prohibit online gambling, its promotion through advertising, and more. There are punitive measures: a jail term of up to three months, or a fine of up to 5,000, or both. For those facilitating these games, the punishment is imprisonment by up to a year, or a fine of 5 lakh, or both. Gambling being a state subject, the MK Stalin-led government is well within its rights to regulate it within its borders. What are the gaming firms saying? Tamil Nadus ban includes rummy and poker, two games that have long faced court battles over their legality. Indian law says games of skill cannot be considered gambling. These include the likes of fantasy game Dream11 and horse racing. Rummy was described as a game of skill by the Supreme Court over 50 years ago. While poker doesnt have a similar SC approval, several high court rulings have categorized this as a game of skill. Since Indias constitution says that a Supreme Court ruling becomes law of the land, gaming firms argue that the Tamil Nadu ordinance runs against the constitution. Whats the debate all about? Online card games didnt exist when the original SC ruling was passed, and hence a case could be made that it considered offline rummy as a game of skill. Since online card games dont involve gauging an opponents body language, it could be said that they are not games of skill. To be sure, these questions were raised in the US over a decade ago leading to similar issues. What is the Centres stand? On 7 April, the Centre amended its Information Technology rules to include gaming firms as intermediaries. These rules give gaming firms the same protection as social media firms under the IT Act. Some argue this means the Centre considers online games legal. However, IT Rules form what is called delegated legislation" they pass on the responsibility of regulating a sector to certain authorities, in this case self-regulatory bodies to be accredited by the govt. They do not overrule states power to regulate gambling. Why does the TN ban worry gaming firms? Tamil Nadu has clarified that only online gambling is banned within its borders, and the ordinance doesnt apply to all online games. Gambling firms worry the ordinance may set a precedent for other states, and lead to more bans. There are advocates of bans on online games like rummy, poker etc. within the overall gaming industry in India too. They worry the stigma of gambling attached to these games may cast a shadow on all mobile and online games that require users to pay money for winnings. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prasid Banerjee An engineering dropout, Prasid Banerjee has reported on technology in India for various publications. He reports on technology through text and audio, focusing on its core aspects, like consumer impact, policy and the future. Read more from this author New Delhi: Fashion supply chain company PDS Ltd, which counts Tesco, Asos, Primark, Macys and Calvin Klein, as its clients, plans to invest 170-225 crore to expand its manufacturing facilities both in India and Egypt, a top company executive said. The move will help PDS expand its US business, which requires sourcing units closer to the West. The companys expansion plans comes amid increasing interest from retailers worldwide to widen the source base beyond China and Bangladesh since the pandemic disrupted supply chains. Many retailers are also looking at short lead times and sourcing goods from markets closer home. PDS, which clocked revenues of 8,828 crore in FY22, provides customized sourcing and manufacturing solutions to retailers and brands. Globally, it works with over 600 partner factories that work as suppliers of garments for the company. PDS draws nearly half of its business from the UK followed by Europe and North America. Jain said the company plans to increase business from the US, which is prompting the firm to invest in factories closer to the western market. The world has moved to near-shoring; what I mean is, quicker turnaround time. As a result, countries like Egypt, which are in close proximity, relatively speaking to the US and to Europe, are gaining more traction," said Sanjay Jain, chief executive officer, PDS. In fact, PDS, as part of this global manufacturing footprint, which currently is in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, India is also expanding beyond, and we are carefully looking at Egypt. We are also now wanting to have our investment into one or two manufacturing units in India because of Indias attractiveness due to textile production-linked incentive schemes, also in terms of FTA conversations that are underway with the UK as well," Jain said in an interview. To be sure, PDS sources over half of its finished goods and apparel from Bangladesh. The company works with third party manufacturers, that for instance, supply garments that it then sells to large retailers; it also operates via its own manufacturing subsidiaries in different markets. We are not averse to committing say about 170-225 crore into manufacturing locations in Egypt and India," Jain added. It could be spread between this calendar year and the next. I am not approaching it from an exposure diversification and risk mitigation perspective. Im approaching this from an opportunity perspective. Egypt is attractive because to increase sales from the US market, US is about 15% of my top line right now, catering to US from the eastern part of the world, like Bangladesh versus catering to from the middle part of the world reduces the lead time plus there is a duty free access Egypt has," he said. Jain said the company is open to working with existing manufacturing facilities and help them scale up, apart from making greenfield investments. Our inclination is more for existing (facilities) wherein there is somebody who is running a decent side of operations, PDS comes in and then enables scale-up of the local partner in India or in Egypt," he added. Meanwhile, commenting on demand emerging from large global retailers that drive the countrys textile and apparel manufacturing exports industry, Jain said a demand uptick could surface in the second half of the calendar year. Some of them are giving guidance of 2-4% growth rate in the current year," he said. Jain said he continues to be cautious in the short-term. New Delhi: The central government has issued a show cause notice to Star9 Mobility Pvt Ltd, the winning bidder in the disinvestment of Pawan Hans Ltd, taking a step closer to scrapping its strategic sale. The notice was issued last month after an inter-ministerial panel decided to hold the disinvestment of the helicopter service provider, an official aware of the matter said. The decision came after a company court order against Star9 in a separate case. We have issued them a show cause notice. They have to state why their winning bid should not be quashed," the official said on condition of anonymity. Mint had reported in February that the government had not issued the letter of award to Star9, a consortium of three companies led by majority owner Cayman Islands-based Almas Global Opportunity Fund. The consortium had placed a winning bid of 211.14 crore for the central public sector enterprise in 2021. The government had put the sale on hold after the Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal passed an adverse order against Almas Global for wilful contravention of an approved resolution plan of another company EMC Ltd, and forfeited its performance bank guarantee of 30 crore. The tribunal also asked the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) and the ministry of corporate affairs to lodge a complaint against the company in a special court under the Companies Act, for contravention of the resolution plan, under which it was bound to pay 568 crore to EMCs creditors. IBBI had commenced legal proceedings. The official cited above said that the inter-ministerial panel felt that since one arm of the government, IBBI, had initiated legal proceedings against a bidder in one case, another arm of the government, in this case the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM), cannot hand over the company to the same bidder. The government has decided to initiate legal proceedings against the winning bidder and may not seek fresh bids for Pawan Hans, the official said. The government is also against reconsidering the strategic disinvestment of Pawan Hans, which has been attempted four times since 2016 without any success. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the strategic disinvestment of Pawan Hans in October 2016 and the divestment process was completed nearly five years after. The government had received seven expressions of interest, before shortlisting four bidders. Finally, it received three financial bids from Star9 Mobility, a consortium of Skyone Airway Pvt. Ltd and Skyone FZE ( 181.05 crore), and Enormous Nivesh Pvt. Ltd, ( 153.15 crore), it had said last year. The reserve price for the sale of the governments 51% shareholding in Pawan Hans was fixed at Rs199.92 crore. Pawan Hans, which was set up in 1985, has over 40 helicopters in its fleet. Apart from providing services to Indias Northeastern and other states, it also provides helicopter services to companies like NTPC, GAIL, GSPC, etc. Pawan Hans also provides helicopter services for ONGCs exploration activities and off-shore operations. ONGC was to sell its 49% stake in the company to the winning bidder at a price decided by the government. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gulveen Aulakh Gulveen Aulakh is Senior Assistant Editor at Mint, serving dual roles covering the disinvestment landscape out of New Delhi, and the telecom & IT sectors as part of the corporate bureau. She had been tracking several government ministries for the last ten years in her previous stint at The Economic Times. An IIM Calcutta alumnus, Gulveen is fluent in French, a keen learner of new languages and avid foodie. Read more from this author NEW DELHI : Veteran industrialist Keshub Mahindra, a champion of self-reliance and homegrown business who envisioned independent India as an industrial force, died on Wednesday morning. He was 99. When the young Mahindra joined the company co-founded by his father in 1947, it was primarily a steel trader that later ventured into assembling utility vehicles. Mahindra took over as chairman in 1963, and when he hung up his boots in 2012, the group was already one of Indias largest conglomerates, its presence extending from farms to finance. Mahindra, who believed in the strength of the domestic industry, was a member of the so-called Bombay Club, a group of leading industrialists led by Rahul Bajaj, which advocated protectionist policies in the 1970s and 80s. However, when Indias economy opened up, Mahindra quickly spotted new opportunities and capitalized on them, vastly scaling up the groups businesses. Currently, the Mahindra group operates in automotive, farm equipment, aerospace, defence, hospitality, financial services and information technology. Despite suspecting the merits of economic liberalization and criticizing foreign companies entering India, Mahindra believed in leveraging technical expertise and access to markets that multinational companies had and stewarded several partnerships during his tenure at the group, including joint ventures with Ford in 1995 and Sanyo Special Steel in 1986. Mahindras legacy is also marked by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. In 1984, a gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal killed thousands of people and injured countless others. Mahindra, who was chairman of Union Carbide India at the time, was subsequently charged with criminal negligence. He was one of the eight executives convicted in the case but maintained he was innocent. Mahindra kept a low profile after the setback but remained committed to industrial growth and development. He served as the chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra until his retirement in 1997 and oversaw the transition to his nephew Anand Mahindra, who took over as chairman the same year. Under the latters leadership, the group has continued to expand, becoming a leading entity in the global automotive industry. Mr Keshub Mahindra was and will always remain a source of inspiration for the entire Mahindra Group and me. He was a man of principles and led from the front to preserve the legacy of our founders, which has ensured that the organization has remained rooted in ethics, values and good corporate governance," Anand Mahindra said in a statement. Leaders of corporate India fondly remembered the legacy of Keshub Mahindra. Today, India has lost one of its most respected industrialists of our times. For me, Keshub Mahindras presence in my life was larger than life itself. He was my mentor - my friend, philosopher, and guide," said Deepak Parekh, chairman of HDFC. Mr Mahindra served on the board of HDFC for over three decades, where he ingrained the importance of unwavering principles, ethics, and values in the organization," he added. Parekh also recalled Mahindras impeccable manners and understated style, which made him one of Indias most respected businessmen. Venu Srinivasan, chairman of TVS Motor Co., remembered Mahindra as a grand pioneering leader" of independent India, with no match in the industrial world. Nikunj Sanghi, one of Mahindra & Mahindras oldest and largest dealers, who has been associated with the group for 38 years, attributed his commitment to the brand and his success in the dealership business to Keshub Mahindras support. He believed that a professional like me, who had no money or the wherewithal to own or run a dealership, could be successful because he valued his relationship with my father, who was the CEO of Rajasthans largest dealership. He wanted me to continue his legacy after my father could no longer do the job. The company provided me with the startup capital I needed to start a dealership in Alwar, a small town in Rajasthan. The dealership has now grown to become one of the biggest in the country and services all of eastern Rajasthan", Sanghi said. Even in his 80s, Mr. Mahindra would visit the office for a few hours in a suit, inspiring his colleagues with his work ethic and commitment to the business", he added. Vikas Lifecare has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Genesis Gas Solutions has received the first ever orders for Ultrasonic Meters Gas Meters. The order is worth 30 million. The company in an exchange filing informed that Genesis has signed an agreement with SICK AG, Germany to supply Ultrasonic Gas Meters for industrial and commercial gas customers. Ultrasonic meters are considered highest in efficacy in terms of accuracy and reliability, as these meters derive the volume flow of the gas by measuring the transit times of high-frequency sound waves. The Ultrasonic meters are eminently required at Large Diameter Gas Pipe Lines where it is a commercial loss to use the mechanical drive meters. The meters supplied by Genesis shall be part of Field Regulating Skid (FRS) to be used by various City Gas Distribution companies. Founded in 2017, Genesis Gas is focussed on the evolving City Gas Distribution sector. Genesis pioneers in Smart Gas and Water Metering and commands about 20 per cent of the domestic gas metering share in the country. Vikas Lifecare is a leading provider of high-end specialty chemicals. Its in-house research & development (R&D) unit recently received recognition from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology. Vikas Lifecare shares jumped more than 3 per cent to close at 3.35 on NSE during Wednesday's session. NEW DELHI : The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) is working with the finance ministry to resolve the concerns of startups regarding the contentious angel tax and fair market valuation, a top government official said. Following the Union budget proposal to subject foreign investors to angel tax, startups have expressed apprehensions about securing funding. Angel tax is levied on the capital raised by an unlisted company by selling shares to investors above the fair market value. Indian startups already facing a funding freeze worry that the angel tax may further deter foreign investors, given that they often sell shares at a high premium based on future growth prospects. The provision, scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2024, remains unchanged in the Finance Bill for the current fiscal year. The startup sector is already grappling with decreased funding, as foreign private equity and venture capital investments in Indian startups dropped to $54 billion in 2022 from $77 billion the prior year. Furthermore, startup deal volume in India reached a nearly nine-year low in February, reflecting weak sentiment within the ecosystem.There are concerns regarding angel tax coming from startups, and DPIIT is taking it up with the department of economic affairs and department of revenue. Calculation of their fair market value (FMV) is different, which is taken internationally and by income tax [department]. DPIIT is just trying to get them on the conversation table. Tell them that there is a discrepancy and find some solution," the official said, requesting anonymity. Mint had earlier reported that the government is contemplating exempting foreign funds from angel tax compliance, and rules on angel tax are expected to be issued this month, outlining exemptions for select foreign entities that are bona fide investors. The first set of foreign funds likely to be exempted includes sovereign wealth funds such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, GIC, and Qatar Investment Authority. This is due to concerns that the potential impact of Section 56.2 Vii B tax could negatively affect foreign investments, which may undermine the governments infrastructure investment push. The government has previously argued that the angel tax, or Section 56(2) VII B, targets hawala transactions rather than startups and that ending preferential treatment for foreign investors would level the playing field since Indian residents are already subject to this tax. However, the industry argues that, in practice, the law affects a significant number of startups and investors. Queries sent to the spokespeople for ministries of commerce and finance remained unanswered till press time. Anurag Jain, secretary of DPIIT, said that angel tax would not apply to startups registered with the DPIIT, which currently number around 95,000. Tax experts said that angel tax is applied when the share price assigned to investors exceeds FMV of the share. The difference is then subject to Section 56 (2) VII B, which experts say could lead more startups to consider relocating overseas, as foreign investors may avoid additional tax liabilities stemming from their investment in the startup. MUMBAI : With large corporations diversifying their businesses, and expanding to new markets, several leading Indian law colleges have incorporated courses in climate justice, artificial intelligence, mental health, European Union Law and space law in their curricula, said deans, recruiters and law firms. Requirement for fresh talent capable of handling crypto, AI and climate-related arbitration is on the rise, and private law colleges have stepped up efforts to cater to the growing demand, they added. Demand for lawyers in 2022 was 30% more than in 2021. Both Indian and overseas companies and law firms are in need of talent," Ritambara Vasudeva, director at recruitment firm Michael Page, said. Demand is especially for legal experts in AI, crypto, data privacy and competition law, Vasudeva added. Mumbai-based BITS Law School, for instance, has launched courses including air and space law, forensic science, and criminal investigation, besides Metaverse, AI and cyber crime blockchain for its courses in technology and media law among others. We spoke to law firm partners as well as judges to understand skill sets that students must learn now. Many judges today graduated from law schools a few decades ago, so we needed to figure out what to teach to be relevant in 30-40 years from now," said Ashish Bharadwaj, dean, BITS Law School. Some current topics may soon become obsolete, he added. But subjects such as corporate and financial law will always remain relevant." Some of the new age topics in law schools are part of elective courses which students opt for over a five-year programme. These courses were designed following detailed feedback from all industry stakeholders. Subjects such as data protection, or AI, and international arbitration, should be specifically taught to equip students with skills required in the professional world," said Sameer Jain, managing partner, PSL Advocates and Solicitors. Some colleges and universities do teach these subjects as electives, but the need is for the Bar Council of India to update the mandatory curricula (to include such courses)," he said. Indias management colleges are also designing courses to make students more industry-ready, such as lessons on the latest promotion strategies, and using artificial intelligence, Chat GPT, and X Culture to further their career goals. Business projects are being incorporated by the Indian Institutes of Management to ensure students are prepared to work on global projects, and understand the challenges of working across time zones and cultures.Law is not cloistered, but has to operate in the real world. In a globalizing 21st century, professionals are expected to deal with uncertainty, ambiguity and stress," Shashikala Gurpur, director, Symbiosis Law School, said. Symbiosis has introduced mental health law as part of its health law courses, and is also set to launch specialized classes on telecom media technology, in line with the increasing demand from the industry following the rollout of 5G, which is expected to overhaul the medical, agricultural, retail and auto industries. While mutual funds have mostly trimmed their stakes in Adani Group companies, the country's largest investor in public markets Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC) has upped its stakes in four group stocks during the March quarter amid sell-off crisis triggered by a damning report by US-based short seller Hindenburg Research. The insurer has raised its stakes in four of the six companies Adani Green Energy, Adani Total Gas, Adani Enterprises and Adani Transmission in the March quarter, while it has trimmed its stakes in two others Ambuja Cements and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone. The shareholding remained the same in case of ACC, which stood at 1,20,33,771 shares or 6.41 per cent at the end of March quarter. LIC's stake in Adani grp cos LIC's stake in Adani Enterprises has gone up from 4.23 per cent in the December quarter to 4.26 per cent at the end of March, according to data from stock exchanges. In the case of Adani Green Energy, the institutional investor owned 2,14,70,716 shares or 1.36 per cent stake as of 31 March, 2023. This was 8 basis points higher than 1.28 per cent stake it held in the Adani company as of 31 December last year. In Adani Total Gas, the insurance giant upped its stake by 6 basis points to 6.02 per cent against 5.96 per cent at the end of the December quarter. The insurer's stake in Adani Transmission grew by 3 basis points sequentially. LIC upped stake to 3.68 per cent from 3.65 per cent. Meanwhile, two group stocks Ambuja Cements (6.3 per cent from 6.33 per cent) and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (9.12 per cent from 9.14 per cent) saw marginal cut in holdings by LIC in the quarter gone by. LIC's debt exposure in Adani group cos Last month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Lok Sabha that LIC's debt exposure in Adani group companies fell marginally to 6,183 crore as of 5 March from 6,347 crore as of 31 December, 2022. LIC has a debt exposure of 5,388.60 in Adani Ports and SEZ as of 5 March. The exposure in Adani Power (Mundra) was 266 crore, Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd - Phase I ( 81.60 crore), Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd - Phase III ( 254.87 crore), Raigarh Energy Generation Ltd ( 45 crore) and Raipur Energen Ltd ( 145.67 crore), as per the written reply to the Lok Sabha. US-based short seller Hindenburg in January made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulation, against the Adani group, following which shares of group companies had taken a beating. The group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Meghna Sen Business journalist tracking markets, companies, economy and crypto for Livemint. She has 6 years of experience with online and print publications. Email: meghnasen08@gmail.com Read more from this author Here is the list of the top 10 stocks that will be in focus today: HDFC Bank: Private lender HDFC Bank on Tuesday said that the bank's board of directors proposes to raise 50,000 crore through bonds in the next twelve months on a private placement basis. The private lender's board of directors are to meet on 15 April 2023, said HDFC Bank in its regulatory filing. HDFC Bank proposes to raise the money by issuing perpetual debt instruments, which is a part of Additional Tier I capital, Tier II Capital Bonds and Long-Term Bonds. ONGC: State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has commissioned a new gas collecting station (GCS) in its Bokaro coal bed methane block. It is the first gas collecting cum gas compression station in the Bokaro CBM (Coal Bed Methane) Block. GCS-Bokaro is a major production installation in Patch-A of Bokaro CBM Block of ONGC-IOCL Joint Venture with ONGC as the JV operator. LIC: Insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Tuesday said that it has appointed PC Paikray as Chief Risk Officer and Ratnakar Patnaik as Chief Investment Officer. The company said that Ratnakar Patnaik, who has been appointed as Chief Investment Officer, will replace P R Mishra, who has been transferred and posted to another assignment. His appointment as CIO came into effect from April 10, 2023, said LIC in its regulatory filing. Adani Enterprises: Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) on Tuesday said it has incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary for carrying out coal washery-related business. "The company has incorporated a WOS (Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) Pelma Collieries Ltd (PCL) on April 7, with an initial authorised share capital of 10,00,000 and paid-up share capital of 5,00,000," it said in a regulatory filing. The entity will carry on the business of developing, erecting, and operating coal washery, the filing said. Delhivery: Internet Fund III Pte Ltd, the venture capital fund managed by US-based investment management company Tiger Global Management, offloaded shares of Delhivery in the market. The venture capital fund, Internet Fund III Pte Ltd offloaded 11,753,735 shares at an average price of 330 via open market transactions on Tuesday, as per bulk deal data available on BSE. Internet Fund III Pte Ltd had held 3.41 crore shares or 4.68% stake in Delhivery as of December 2022. Sula Vineyards: The largest wine producer in the country, Sula Vineyards on Tuesday announced March 2023 quarterly sales figures. In Q4, Sula recorded the highest-ever annual revenues in both its own brands and wine tourism business. As per the regulatory filing, Sula registered an upside of 15% in own brands sales to 104.3 crore during the March quarter as compared to 90.7 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal. Sula Vineyards' own brand's sales volumes crossed 1 million cases, with Elite & Premium wines surging past the 5 lakh case mark for the first time. Kalpataru Power Transmission: Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) and its arms have bagged orders worth 3,079 crore in March and April so far this year. The orders include civil works for a data centre and buildings of 1,234 crore, an EPC (engineering procurement construction) order of 754 crore in railway business and water supply projects of 708 crore in India. It also bagged residential and institutional building projects of 233 crore in Africa and orders of 150 crore in the T&D (transmission and distribution) business in overseas markets. Delta Corp: Delta Corp, a casino gaming company, has registered a 6.4% year-on-year growth in profit in Q4 of FY23 at 51.17 crore. The results were impacted by weak operating performance. Consolidated revenue grew by 4% YoY to 227.16 crore. On the operating front, EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) fell by 12.8% YoY to 60.18 crore. The overall margin declined by 510 bps to 26.5% for the quarter. Abans Holdings: Abans Investment Managers Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Abans Holdings Ltd on Tuesday said that it has acquired the portfolio management services (PMS) business of SATCO Capital Markets Limited. SATCO Capital Markets Ltd through its PMS license manages 80 crore AUM in SATCO Growth & Momentum Portfolio since January 2012 which will be taken over by Abans Broking Services Pvt Ltd. It holds a PMS license from SEBI. SATCO Growth & Momentum Portfolio has delivered 21.6% CAGR since its inception in January 2012. The deal is subject to regulatory compliance/approval. NLC India: Shareholders of NLC India Ltd have approved the appointment of Prasanna Kumar Motupalli as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the company. The members of NLC India have passed the ordinary resolution approving his appointment to the top post, the company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. NLC India, under the Ministry of Coal, is into the production of lignite. An unfortunate firing incident took the lived of at least four soldiers early Wednesday at the Bhatinda Army Station in Punjab. Ajay Gandhi, superintendent of police (investigation), Bathinda has said that two people in civil dress is believed to have been behind the shooting. The state police officers have denied this being neighbour Pakistan organised targeted terror attack. "Matter is under investigation. We are in constant touch with the authorities of the military station for an in-depth probe," said Bathinda's senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gulneet Khurana. Four army jawans of an artillery unit were shot dead in an incident of suspected fratricide at an officers' mess in the Bathinda military station early Wednesday. Gandhi is heading a police team probing the Bathinda Military Station. He said 19 empty shells of Insas rifle were recovered from the spot. The Army in its statement had said that all aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained. The shooting took place as the state was on a high security alert a day ahead of Baisakhi, a major Sikh and Hindu festival marking the start of the harvesting season. it has been more than twelve hours since the incident took place and yet the miscreants remain elusive. The combing operation is still underway in the military station. Motive is still unknown as the military and district police are scanning CCTV footage for clues Punjab had suffered a bloody insurgency in 1980s that led to the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards at her official residence in New Delhi in 1984. It triggered deadly violence against Sikhs in northern India by her Hindu supporters. India accuses neighboring Pakistan of supporting the insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Punjab, a charge Islamabad denies. With the wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI) coming in, people are already at the risk of losing their jobs. Now a new researcher from India have developed an AI tool to detect if someone has a cold just by analyzing their voice tone. This could identify if an employee is taking a fake sick leave in the name of cold. Researchers from the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology in Surat analysed the voice patterns of 630 people. Of the 630 people analysed, 111 of them genuinely had cold. As reported by the Economist, the study made use of the harmonics or a vocal rhythm detected in human speech to analyse if they had cold or not. As per the report, during the study the researchers told the volunteers to count from 1 to 40 and later asked them to describe as what they during the weekend. After this, they were also asked to recite Aesop's fable 'The North Wind and the Sun'. As per Business Insider, this fable was previously proved popular for phonetics researchers. As per the report, the study was able to find out if people had cold about 70 percent of the time. As per study which is published in science journal ScienceDirect, The proposed features efficiently capture the spectral difference between cold and non-cold speech and can be utilised to automatically diagnose common cold and related disorders." The purpose of the study was to identify cold without the need for costly and time-consuming visits to a doctor. However, employers could also use this to catch employee who pretend to be sick. This is not the first time AI has been used for medical purposes. In another study, a method for finding high-affinity antibody therapeutics that is based on artificial intelligence (AI) was created by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The study published in Nature Communications, researchers used the approach to identify a new antibody that binds a major cancer target 17-fold tighter than an existing antibody drug. The authors say the pipeline could accelerate the discovery of novel drugs against cancer and other diseases such as COVID-19 and rheumatoid arthritis. Some research group was also able to use AI to detect Parkinson's through the breathing patterns of the patients. Currently, work is currently underway to create anxiety and depression prediction models using AI tools, a researchers said. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil said that preliminary findings from the model suggested the possibility of detecting the likelihood of a person developing depression based solely on their social media friends and followers. The findings are published in the journal Language Resources and Evaluation. The Indian Army officially lodged an FIR in the firing incident at Bathinda army station during the early hours of Wednesday. The FIR said that two unidentified 'masked' men wearing kurta-pajama were spotted around the army station at the time of the incident. The faces of the suspects were covered and while one carried an INSAS rifle, another carried an axe. Meanwhile, a search team of the Army has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine suspected to be used in the firing incident. The joint teams of the Army and Punjab Police will now conduct a forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. The statement from the Indian Army added that the balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. The firing incident in Bathinda military station was reported during the early hours of Wednesday and four jawans are killed in the incident. The recovered INSAS rifle went missing two days ago with ammunition and is suspected to be used in the incident. The Punjab Police has ruled out the terror angle in the case and currently, described the incident as 'fratricide.' The deceased jawans are identified as Gunners Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogeshkumar J (24), and Santosh M Nagaral (25). The Indian Army said that their families are informed. A joint team of the Indian Army and Punjab police are probing the incident and earlier, the police team recovered 19 of the 28 bullets of the INSAS rifle in question. Ajay Gandhi, a senior police official involved in the investigation also informed that two suspects in civilian clothes are identified and a manhunt has been launched to nab them. However, an official from the Defence Ministry told the news agency Reuters that only one shooter was involved. Currently, there is no information about the motive of the incident and during the initial burst of firing, no exchange of gunfire was reported. New Delhi: Uni Cards has acquired peer-to-peer lending platform OHMY Technologies (known as OMLP2P), according to a person aware of the development. OML owns a NBFC-P2P licence from the Reserve Bank of India. As per the MCA records, Uni Cards founders Nitin Gupta, Laxmikant Vyas and Prateek Jindal have joined the board of OMLP2P as directors on 7 January. LinkedIn profiles of both OMLP2P founders Surendra Jalan and Pramod Kumar Akhramka show that they served the company till January 2023. The cost of acquisition is not known yet, but it is believed to be in the range of 3-4 crore. For FY22, OMLP2P posted 33 lakh in revenue from operations; and the losses for the period were 1 crore. In addition, it is also not clear whether the deal has received the RBI approval yet. Last year in September, Mint wrote a detailed story on how the ambitious plans of Uni went for a toss post the RBI circularwhich barred companies from loading PPIs such as prepaid cards or mobile wallets using credit lines issued by non-banking financial corporations (NBFCs) and banks. Overnight, the circular killed the business model of Uni and many others in the market. Mint first wrote that the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company Uniwhich initially worked with RBL Bank and SBM Bank India to roll out prepaid cards and topped up the cards with credit lines from about four-five NBFC partners applied for its own NBFC licence in December 2021. However, the process is still on hold, according to a person aware of the matter. A person aware of the development had then informed Mint that majority of the credit lines Uni gave to its customers came through P2P NBFC Liquiloans. Post digital lending guidelines from the RBI, it has become difficult for unregulated fintech lending platforms to operate. Several industry officials believe that in the current scenario owning an NBFC is only way to go if a fintech wants to build and scale a lending business. Early last year before June when the only fintech business in town was about offering credit lines on PPI, Uni acquired PPI-licence holder Weizmann Impex Service Enterprise in a deal expected to be in the range of 30-40 crore," Mint had then quoted two people aware of the development. The PPI acquisition is of no use to Uni now; and the company is currently planning to launch credit cards. Uni has till date raised $88.7 million in equity from Accel Partners, Lightspeed, General Catalyst, Sparkle Fund and others. During FY22, the fintech firm reported a loss of 139.5 crore; whereas its revenue from operations stood at 13.7 crore. Confirming the acquisition of OMLP2P, Nitin Gupta said, This acquisition has been in play long before new guidelines or for that matter long before June 2022. Its important part of our strategy." He did not comment on the cost of acquisition. Rajanandini, the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa has joined Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the assembly elections in Karnataka. The political heat in the poll-bound state is intensifying with several leaders changing ships before the crucial elections. Former Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa was present during the induction of Rajanandini into the BJP. She expressed displeasure over the denial of the ticket from Congress and said that the BJP warmly welcomed her into the party. "I expected that they (Congress) would recognize me and give me a ticket, but I didn't get the opportunity. They (BJP) warmly welcomed me and I will work for the party. I am a worker, I can work anywhere," Dr. Rajanandini said. Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Laxman Savadi resigned as a member of the Legislative Council and from the primary membership of the BJP after the party denied him the ticket for the Athani constituency. "I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone," Savadi said. The troubles for BJP do not stop here as the supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake are protesting since Tuesday evening after the leader was denied the ticket. Former Chief Minister of Karnataka Jagadish Shettar also displayed rebellious colors after the denial of the ticket and said that he will fight the upcoming assembly elections at any cost. The central leadership has called the leader to Delhi. "I received a message from the seniors in the party that I am a senior and a former chief minister. So (I must) make way for others" a visibly irked Shettar, 67, was quoted by the news agency PTI. Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai addressed a press conference over a spate of disagreements and said "189 candidates' names have been declared. Consensus is there in almost all areas. Some people disagree (with the list) and a discussion will be done with them. I am in constant contact with them. I have spoken to Laxman Savadi (State Vice president) and asked him not to take any hasty decision." Read More: 'Unacceptable decision:' Karnataka BJP in crises as former CM expresses displeasure Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 April flagged off Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express train, via video conferencing. The inaugural Vande Bharat Express in Rajasthan will ply between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway station. The regular service of this Vande Bharat Express will start from tomorrow i.e. on 13 April. It is the 15th Vande Bharat Express train in the country. The Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer Vande Bharat express will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt and will stop at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. According to the schedule drawn up for the newest Vande Bharat Express, it will cover the distance between Delhi Cantonment and Ajmer in 5 hours and 15 minutes which is fastest that the Shatabdi Express which takes around 6 hours and 15 minutes. The new Vande Bharat Express will be faster by about 60 minutes than Shatabdi. The Vande Bharat Express between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt. This will also be the first semi-high-speed passenger train operating on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) lines. Also Read: Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express: Fare, timings, stoppages, other details Fare of Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer Vande Bharat Express Vande Bharat Express: The fare of Vande Bharat Express ( Train No- 20978) between Delhi Cantonment to Ajmer will be 1250 which includes 308 as catering charges and 2270 in the Executive Class which includes 369 as catering charges. However, food choice is optional in this train and if passenger Opted for No Food Option then catering charge will not be added in fare. Also Read: Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express: Fare, timings, stoppages, other details The fare on Train No- 20977 Vande Bharat Express from Ajmer Jn to Delhi Cantonment will be 1085 in Chair Car and includes 142 as catering charges and 2075 in Executive Cass which will also include 175 as catering charge. Timings of Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer Vande Bharat Express Vande Bharat Express: The Delhi-Ajmer Vande Bharat express will start from 18:40 tomorrow and the Ajmer - Delhi will begin at morning 6:20 am. The trains will run on all days except for Wednesday. Sr No Station Code Station Name Route Number Arrival Time Departure Time Halt Time(In minutes) Distance Day 1 AII AJMER JN 1 --- 06:20 1 2 JP JAIPUR 1 07:50 07:55 05:00 135 1 3 AWR ALWAR 1 09:35 09:37 02:00 286 1 4 GGN GURGAON 1 11:15 11:17 02:00 411 1 5 DEC DELHI CANTT 1 11:35 --- 428 1 Sr no Station Code Stations Route Number Arrival Time Departure Time Halt Time(In minutes) Distance Day 1 DEC DELHI CANTT 1 --- 18:40 1 2 GGN GURGAON 1 18:51 18:53 02:00 17 1 3 AWR ALWAR 1 20:17 20:19 02:00 143 1 4 JP JAIPUR 1 22:05 22:10 05:00 294 1 5 AII AJMER JN 1 23:55 --- 428 1 The train will improve the connectivity to major tourist destinations in Rajasthan, including Pushkar and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other places that draw visitors in bulk around the year. Enhanced connectivity will also provide a boost to socio-economic development in the region. India recorded 7,830 new coronavirus infections, sharp jump from yesterday. According to the Union Health Ministry data updated today, the active cases increased to 40,215, . Yesterday, the country recorded a marginal decrease in daily Covid-19 cases at 5,676 compared to the previous day. On Monday, a total of 5,880 cases were reported. The death toll due to the disease has increased to 5,31,016 with 16 new fatalities being reported, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases now comprise 0.09 per cent of the total infections and the national Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.72 per cent, the data updated at 8 am on Wednesday stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,42,04,771 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. Amid the spike in Covid cases in Delhi, the Supreme Court has called for observing preventive measures including wearing of masks, frequent use of hand sanitizers and maintaining physical distancing norms in the apex court. Delhi logs 980 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday Delhi logged 980 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, highest since August 20, with a positivity rate of 25.98 per cent, meaning one in every four people tested returned a positive result, according to data shared by the city government's health department. Two-day nationwide COVID-19 mock drill concludes A two-day COVID-19 mock drill was conducted successfully at 35 States and union territories across 724 districts, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Tuesday. The Ministry stated in the release, "Amidst a gradual spike in COVID-19 cases in several states, the Union Health Ministry had written to States and UTs on March 28, 2023, to conduct mock drills on April 10 and 11 across all health facilities, including COVID dedicated healthcare facilities to evaluate their level of preparedness, in terms of equipment, procedure and manpower". With the rise in temperature and heat wave conditions, the Odisha government has issued guidelines for the districts on ways to tackle the heat wave situation during the ongoing summer across the state. "Since the temperature is rising gradually, it is once again reiterated that immediate steps may be taken as preparedness and precautionary measures at different levels in your district to meet the prevailing heat wave situations by adhering to the salient measures as follows," Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu said. Sahu suggested district administrators o take advanced steps to identify the water scarcity pockets. Besides, Sahu also asked Urban Local Bodies/ Gram Panchayats to open more "Paniya Jala Seva Kendras" (Drinking Water Kiosks) at marketplaces, bus stops, and other congregation points. Water provided in such water kiosks must be of potable quality and proper sanitation maintained including the use of long handle dispensers and change of water daily, he added. "In Schools, Colleges, and other Academic/ Technical institutions, extra care has to be taken to ensure the availability of drinking water. Sufficient ORS are also to be kept in schools, and colleges and provided to students/ staff requiring the same. Outdoor activities have to be restricted so that the students not to be exposed to heatwave conditions," Sahu added. It also specified that Anganwadi Centres may remain open in the morning hours only. Sufficient numbers of ORS packets should also be available with ASHA and AWWs. Odisha Government in its directives also mentioned that separate wards/ beds should be earmarked for the treatment of heat stroke patients. "Sufficient life-saving medicines, saline, and ORS may be stored in dispensaries, PHCs, CHCs, and Subdivision/ District Headquarters Hospitals to meet the requirement. A special arrangement may be made and separate wards/ beds be earmarked for the treatment of heat stroke patients in different hospitals. The ESI Dispensaries may be directed to treat the general public," it said. During the heat wave period, Sahu asked to reschedule the timings of labourers/workmen at worksites. The employers must make necessary arrangements for the supply of drinking water, ORS packets, and provision of a rest shed at the worksite, he added. Odisha Government also stated that if a person dies from a sunstroke then an immediate joint enquiry has to be conducted by the district collector. All efforts should be made to see that no human causality occurs due to heat waves. However, if any information on casualty is received or a news report is published in the media, it should be immediately enquired into and the veracity of such reports should be promptly reported to this office," directives stated. IMD on heat wave: Most areas of central, eastern and northwestern states of the nation are likely to experience heat waves during the three-month summer season this year, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department said. For the month of April, longer-than-normal heat waves are expected in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Chhattisgarh, the weather office said. The number of Indian states hit by heat waves since 2015 more than doubled to 23 by 2020. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the central government has implemented the new National Education Policy (NEP) keeping in view the requirements of modern and developed India. The policy lays emphasis on the holistic development of children, knowledge, skills, culture and promotion of Indian values," he said, noting the important role of teachers in implementing this policy effectively. Addressing a programme for newly-inducted teachers in Madhya Pradesh, the prime minister remarked that the campaign to provide government jobs to the youth in the state is going on at a fast pace where thousands of youths have been recruited on various posts by organizing employment fairs in different districts. He said that more than 22,400 youths have been recruited as teachers. The prime minister expressed delight that the Madhya Pradesh government has set a target of recruiting candidates for more than 1 lakh government posts this year including 60,000 teachers. The prime minister highlighted that the government lays special emphasis on skill development to promote employment and self-employment. He informed that skill development centres have been opened across the country to provide training to the youth under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flaged off Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express train, via video conferencing today i.e. on 12 April. The inaugural Vande Bharat Express in Rajasthan will ply between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway station. While flagging off the Vande Bharat Express in Rajasthan via video conferencing, PM Modi said, Vande Bharat Express is the first semi-highspeed train that is made in India. It is one of the most compact and efficient trains. It is equipped with a safety system." The regular service of this Vande Bharat Express will start from tomorrow i.e. from April 13. This will be the 15th Vande Bharat Express train in the country. The Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer Vande Bharat express will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt, with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. According to the schedule drawn up for the newest Vande Bharat Express, it will cover the distance between Delhi Cantonment and Ajmer in 5 hours and 15 minutes which is fastest that the Shatabdi Express which takes around 6 hours and 15 minutes. The new Vande Bharat Express will be faster by about 60 minutes than Shatabdi. The Vande Bharat Express between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt. This will also be the first semi-high-speed passenger train operating on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) lines. As per the IRCTC website, the train will run on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The price of Chair car cost 1250 while that of Executive Chair car costs 2270. The train will improve the connectivity to major tourist destinations in Rajasthan, including Pushkar and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other places that draw visitors in bulk around the year. Enhanced connectivity will also provide a boost to socio-economic development in the region. Prior to this, on 8 April, PM Modi flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express in Chennai. It was the second train in the semi-high-speed class to be flagged off on the same day after the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, which rolled out of the Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana. Earlier, in January, PM Modi had flagged off India's eighth Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam. The launch came a week after Prime Minister Modi flagged off a Vande Bharat Express on the Bhopal-New Delhi route. Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high speed and self-propelled train set. The train is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and convenient travel experience. (With inputs from ANI) Congress leader Sachin Pilot who sat on a fast yesterday, piling pressure on his own party regarding an old case, is likely to meet party leadership in Delhi today (12 April). Yesterday Pilot sat in a daylong fast in Jaipur in a bid to target Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for "inaction" in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state. Pilot defied Congress' leadership warning and sat on a fast ahead of assembly polls in the state. Pilot has argued that Rahul Gandhi has also been leading a movement against graft. He said that Gandhi, Congress, and other opposition parties have united over corruption and financial irregularities, and claimed that his fast will speed up this movement". The former deputy chief minister said he wrote two letters on this issue to Gehlot last year but received no reply. "We had assured people that effective action will be taken against corruption by the former BJP government. I wanted the Congress government to take action but it has not happened in over four years," Pilot said. This struggle against corruption will continue," he said. Without getting into details, the Congress leader referred to the liquor and sand mafias" that allegedly operated during the BJP term. On Tuesday, the BJP described the allegations as fabricated". Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have been in a power tussle in the state since the Congress formed the government in December 2018. Yesterday, Pilot offered flowers at the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and social reformer Jyotirao Phule before starting his silent protest around 11 am. He sat alone on the dais for five hours The song "Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye" played in the background. His supporters sat behind or below the platform. No ruling party minister or MLA showed up as they were asked by Pilot to keep away. But several other leaders, including former MLAs Santosh Saharan and Ramnarayan Gurjar, were present. Pilots fast was an apparent attempt to stall this in the run-up to the polls. It also triggered speculation again that he planned to leave the party. In July 2020, Pilot and a section of Congress MLAs rebelled openly against Gehlot, demanding a change of leadership in the state. Pilot was stripped then of the posts of deputy chief minister and Pradesh Congress Committee president. The month-long crisis ended after the Congress central leaderships assurance to look into the issues Pilot raised. Twitter is no longer a legal entity, having merged with a shell company called X Corp on March 15 this year. Twitter CEO and owner Elon Musk also owns the domain for X.com, a payments company he founded and then merged with PayPal. The news could be another step toward Musk's ambitions for an "everything app" similar to China's WeChat. According to a court document dated April 4, Twitter "no longer exists" and is now X Corp. The lawsuit was filed against Twitter and its former CEO Jack Dorsey for allegedly violating the free speech rights of conservative activist Laura Loomer. The court document read, Twitter Inc. has been merged into X Corp. and no longer exists. X Corp. is a privately held corporation, incorporated in Nevada, and with its principal place of business in San Francisco, California" Also Read: Ex-CEO Parag Agrawal, 2 others sue Elon Musk's Twitter. Here is why Musk broke the news of Twitter's merger with X Corp. to his 134 million followers via a cryptic tweet that included the letter "X". What do we know about X? Shortly after acquiring Twitter in a $44 billion deal last year, Musk had made his intentions clear that the company would be an accelerator in creating X, the everything app. Given Musk's fandom for WeChat, his "super app" could likely emulate many of the Chinese app's features, including payments, messaging, and social networking. X Corp. was set up on March 9 in Nevada and Musk is the president of the company while X Holdings Corp. serves as its parent company with an authorized capital of $2 million. Musk's move to create X Corp. could be an initiative towards creating a larger parent company for all of the billionaire's properties similar to the structure of Alphabet Inc. However, it isn't immediately clear whether Musk's other businesses including Tesla and SpaceX would become a part of X Corp. There has been a flurry of changes since Elon Musk took over Twitter. In the last week alone, Musk removed Twitter's signature blue bird logo from the homepage, replacing it with the Doge meme, and later removed the letter "w" from the company name outside its San Francisco office. Twitter is also removing the verified blue checkmarks from the platform, meaning that only users who have paid for the Twitter Blue service will have access to the blue checkmark next to a person's profile. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting additional humanitarian supplies, including medical equipment and medicines, according to a letter handed over by Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova to MoS Meenakshi Lekhi during her first three-day visit to India. The Ukraine minister called on Meenakshi Lekhi and discussed bilateral and international issues of mutual interest. It is pertinent to mention that this was the Ukrainian minister's first official visit to India since the beginning of the war with Russia last year. Zelensky last December had a telephone conversation with PM Modi and thanked him for humanitarian support. During the call, the two leaders exchanged views about the ongoing Ukraine war. PM Modi even strongly reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and suggested him that both sides should revert to diplomacy. PM Modi held telephonic conversations with the Ukraine President and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for the resolution of the conflict. The Prime Minister had even told Putin that now is not a time for war, with food, fertilizer, and fuel security among the major concerns of the world at present. "I know that today's era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this," Modi told Putin on the sidelines of a regional security bloc summit in Uzbekistan. Responding to these remarks, Putin reportedly told PM Modi that he knows of India's 'concerns' about the Ukraine war. I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine, and I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible." India has shied away from explicitly condemning Russia for the invasion, which sent the price of oil and other commodities soaring. Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova emphasized closer cooperation between Kyiv and New Delhi and called India a Vishwaguru which is also home to some of the spiritual gurus, and suggested how India can play a bigger role in the ongoing war, according to the news agency ANI. "Ukraine really wants India to come closer to it. We had different pages in history but now Ukraine is gaining independence. We are now capable of being the subject, not the object," the minister said. The Ukrainian minister who is the first official to visit India since the start of the Ukraine war in February last year, also that it's time to restart the relationship and that both countries have a better and deeper relationship. "India is witnessing visionary changes and it may take some time for it to build new relations with Ukraine and the ties should be based on a pragmatic and balanced approach," she said. "Our president has been constantly saying that we have to fight for our rights without stepping on the rights of others. India in many ways has a lot in common with Ukraine. There is huge and untapped potential in our bilateral relations. It is only a start in our dialogue," she added. Dzhaparova also stated that India through its G20 presidency can spotlight the crisis in Ukraine by inviting Ukrainian officials to the G-20 events and summit, which will be held in September, and that his President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be happy to address, ANI reported. "So, our message to India is to consider the participation of Ukraine officials at the events of G20, be it side events or the Summit, the one on the parliament level, or the September summit that will take place in New Delhi. I believe that my President will also be happy to speak up on behalf of the Ukrainian people", she added. "Today India plays a very important role in the world. The presidency of G20 brings additional responsibility. India may take this leadership by involving Ukraine in its agenda and helping Ukraine to bring its story. People-to-people contact is the best way to communicate," said Dzhaparova. (With ANI inputs) Kenneth Griffin, the richest billionaire hedge fund manager according to Forbes, made a donation of $300 million to Harvard, following which the global top university has decided to rename their graduate school of arts and sciences after the billionaire. Kenneth Griffin 89 has made a gift of $300 million to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) to support the Schools mission and to advance cutting-edge research and expand access and excellence in education for students and scholars regardless of economic circumstances" wrote Harvard in their official statement. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will be now be renamed as the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Griffin will be just the fourth individual to have a school at Harvard named after him in exchange for a donation, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper. Griffins gift to Harvard was unrestricted, the school said, and will go to the faculty of arts and sciences, which includes the undergraduate college and PhD programs. In 2014, Griffin made a $150m donation to the elite private university, primarily to fund financial aid. At the time, it was the largest single donation in the institutions history. Griffin's name is posed to trigger controversy as the hedge fund manager is also a vocal Republican, a major political donor to rightwing politicians and his companys investments in firearm and ammunition manufacturers. The Chief Executive of Citadel LLC, Kenneth Griffin, posted the most profitable year of any hedge fund in history. Topping Forbes' list of richest billionaire hedge fund owners list published earlier this month, Griffin's net worth showed an estimated $35 billion, $7.8 billion more than a year ago and nearly triple what he was worth in 2020. Citadels flagship Wellington fund gained 38% in 2022, while the S&P 500 fell nearly 20%, and the firms assets swelled so much that it returned $7 billion in profits to investors at the beginning of this year. A group of Indian startups has asked a court to suspend Alphabet Inc Google's new in-app billing fee system until the country's antitrust body investigates the U.S. firm for alleged non-compliance with its directives, a legal filing showed. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) last month asked India's antitrust regulator to investigate Google for devising a new system startups say still charges them a high service fee, despite an antitrust directive in October to allow use of third-party billing services for in-app payments. In its April 10 filing at the Delhi High Court, ADIF argues that the antitrust body is yet to hear its complaint promptly even as Google's April 26 implementation date of the so-called User Choice Billing system (UCB) is nearing. The 744-page filing, seen by Reuters, asks the court to "keep the implementation of Googles UCB in abeyance" until CCI hears the complaint. The court is likely to hear the plea later this week. The CCI did not respond, while Google declined comment. The filing marks the latest tussle between Google and rival startups, which have repeatedly criticized the U.S. company for what they say are unfair business restrictions. In October, the Competition Commission of India fined Google $112 million and said the company must stop forcing developers to use its proprietary in-app payment system, labelling it an abuse of Google's dominant market position. Google has denied any wrongdoing and challenged the antitrust ruling. The new service fee system, it says, supports investments in Google Play app store and the Android mobile operating system, ensuring it distributes it for free, and covers developer tools and analytic services. But Indian startups argue Google's UCB system still imposes a "service fee" of 11-26%, compared with the earlier in-app payment system that charged a fee of 15-30%. The new system is "cloaked as another version" of Google's earlier system, the ADIF filing stated. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Billionaire Elon Musk said that cutting the workforce from under 8,000 at the time he bought the firm to about 1,500 had not been easy. The BBC participated in a live interview on Twitter Spaces on Wednesday, following its recent objection to being labelled as "government-funded media" on its Twitter account. The British broadcaster contacted Twitter to assert its long-standing independence. Musk admitted he did not fire everybody in person - saying, "It's not possible to talk with that many people face to face." The departure of several engineers following Elon Musk's acquisition of the company has sparked concerns about the platform's stability Musk acknowledged the occurrence of glitches, including site outages, but reassured us that the outages were brief and the site is currently functioning well. Elon Musk confirmed that legacy-verified blue ticks on the platform will be removed from accounts by the end of next week. Musk, who acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October last year, has described running the platform as "quite painful" and "a rollercoaster". He also mentioned that he would consider selling the company if he finds the right person to take it over. "It's not been boring. It's been quite a rollercoaster," Musk said when asked about his time at Twitter so far. The Tesla CEO the situation has been "quite stressful over the last several months" but added that buying the company was the right thing to do. "The workload means that I sometimes sleep in the office," said Mr Musk, adding that he has a spot on a couch in a library "that no one goes to". Musk, who is currently ranked as the world's second richest person with an estimated personal fortune of nearly $190 billion, as per theForbes billionaires list, discussed this issue during the interview which was broadcasted on Twitter Spaces. Donald Trump sued his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen on Wednesday seeking at least $500 million in damages, as the former U.S. president steps up attacks on his onetime loyal "fixer" after Cohen testified before the Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump. In a complaint filed in federal court in Miami, Trump accused Cohen of failing to keep confidential attorney-client communications private and profiting by "spreading falsehoods" about him in books and podcasts. Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, called Trump's lawsuit "frivolous." Trump often over the years has filed suits against various adversaries. "Mr. Trump is once again using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen," Davis said. The lawsuit comes as Cohen, who once said he would "do anything" to protect Trump, appears poised to become a star witness against him at a possible criminal trial in New York on the charges unsealed last week. Trump, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. It marked the first time a former U.S. president was charged with a crime. Prosecutors led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, have said Trump covered up his reimbursement of Cohen for $130,000 in hush money paid before the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels, who has said she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump denies that any such relationship occurred. Trump's lawsuit said Cohen wrongfully called Trump "racist" in the disbarred lawyer's 2020 book, entitled "Disloyal," and fabricated conversations with Trump from when he served as his attorney. "The timing of Disloyal's release, just prior to the November 3, 2020 Presidential Election, suggests that (Cohen) intended to improperly disclose (Trump's) confidences when it would be most lucrative to do so - and while Disloyal would be sure to have the most damaging reputational effect," the lawsuit said. Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden. 'I am ashamed' Cohen was a top executive at Trump's real estate company and then worked as his personal lawyer when Trump became president in 2017. Once known for intense loyalty to Trump, Cohen has become a harsh critic and has assisted law enforcement agencies and lawmakers investigating his former boss. "I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is," Cohen told a U.S. congressional committee in 2019. "He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat." Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to violating federal election law through the $130,000 payment to Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison for that and other crimes, including cheating on his personal taxes and lying under oath to Congress about when the Trump Organization stopped working on a proposed building project in Russia. Referring to Daniels by her real name Stephanie Clifford, Trump's lawyers said Trump intended the payment to her "to protect his family from the malicious and false claims made by Clifford." The criminal case is one of several legal woes Trump faces including investigations into attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss and into his removal of government documents from the White House after leaving office. New York State Attorney General Letitia James last year filed a civil lawsuit against Trump and his three adult children for fraud, accusing them of misstating the values of real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax benefits. Trump also sued James after she filed that case. Trump last week said Cohen had failed to appear for a deposition by Trump's legal team as part of that lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 2. Justice Arthur Engoron set a hearing for April 21 to consider whether to order Cohen to testify. Trump filed a suit against James seeking to halt her civil case, but a judge dismissed it, writing that there was "no evidence" that the investigation was undertaken in bad faith. In another case, a judge in January ordered Trump and his lawyers to pay nearly $1 million for filing a "completely frivolous" suit accusing Hillary Clinton and other Democrats of trying to rig the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Recently, the Armenian media has been discussing the planned meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, the capital of the United States of America in the second half of May. Also, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has initiated the meeting looks remarkably vigorous in his actions and in his approach to negotiation process. Besides, not only the West but Europe also seemed to be more interested to get looped in on the ongoing processes. President of the European Council Charles Michel recently had several phone conversations with Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev regarding the relations between the two countries and the status of the negotiation process. The leaking reports also show that European Union officials are very zealous about holding the Azerbaijan-Armenia summit in Brussels in the coming weeks. Regarding the issue, political analyst, Sector head at the Social Research Center Ilyas Huseynov noted that there is a war going on in the diplomatic field in the region. The US and EU intention of being fully involved in processes is quite tangible. This looks like a war in the diplomatic arena, which is in particular, about mediation and moderation. We have witnessed this war between the European Union and Russia for the past three years. We also observe that the USA is behind the EU, the pundit said in a comment to Azernews. In a number of cases, the USA, as a geopolitical actor, presents its mediation opportunities to the parties, and the last time a meeting was held between the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, within the framework of the Munich Security Conference, he added. Huseynov pointed out that the news about the meeting planned to be held in Washington with the mediation of the United States is regarded as a blow to Russia's positions in the South Caucasus. Russia's interests and presence in the South Caucasus are permanent and have strong leverage. According to the pundit, Russia's 200-year-old imperial interests in the South Caucasus can be cited as the reason for this. Despite the Russian-Ukrainian war, the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the South Caucasus and the military base No. 102 in Gyumri implies Russia's military participation in the region. Another important issue is that if the 102nd base leaves Armenia, NATO's expansion to the east may become more intense. As it is known, Finland became a NATO member against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and important negotiations regarding Sweden are being carried out. Turkiye's rightful demands should also be taken into account here. However, today Russia's borders with NATO are being observed on a wider scale. That is why, in order to reduce Russia's influence in the South Caucasus, the United States intends to join the settlement process here, the expert opined. Touching on the provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces in the Lachin District yesterday, the political analyst did not rule out the possibility of a connection between these two incidents. Military provocation took place in the direction of Lachin district after the information about the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the second half of May in Washington was released. I think there is some connection between this provocation and the news, he said. Ilyas Huseynov added that Armenia intends to gain time for itself by manoeuvring between various geopolitical centers, prolonging the deadline, and evading responsibility. During the past three years, all commitments are observed as unfulfilled by Armenia. On a practical level, however, no significant progress is visible. In Prague and Sochi, Azerbaijan's territorial integrity sovereignty was officially recognized by Armenia. The parties expressed their commitment to the UN Charter and the Alma-Ata Declaration. Later, we see that Armenia acted with territorial claims against Azerbaijan as well as attempting to illegally transport mines and ammunition into Azerbaijani territory, the pundit added. A trove of highly sensitive US government documents circulating online includes secret assessments of the Ukraine conflict as well as analyses that point to surveillance of close American allies. The Pentagon says the breach poses a "very serious risk to national security," and the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the matter. US officials have not however publicly confirmed that the materials shown in photographs posted on social media and other sites are genuine, and their authenticity could not immediately be independently verified. These are some key points from documents reviewed by AFP: Ukraine conflict losses One document -- an assessment of the status of the conflict as of March 1 -- puts Russian combat deaths at between 35,500 and 43,500, and Ukraine's at 16,000 to 17,500. Russia also lost more than 150 planes and helicopters, while Ukraine lost more than 90 aircraft. Another version of the document -- which was apparently digitally modified -- said Ukrainian losses of troops and equipment were higher than Russia's. The Pentagon has warned that the documents "have the potential to spread disinformation." Anti-air missile shortage Two documents dated February 28 highlight significant issues with Ukrainian air defenses, which have been instrumental in protecting against Russian strikes and preventing Moscow's forces from gaining control of the skies. Ukraine's ability to provide medium-range air defenses to protect the front line "will be completely reduced by May 23," the two documents say. One of them notes that SA-10 and SA-11 Soviet-era systems make up nearly 90 percent of Ukrainian medium and high-range protection and says that -- based on munitions use at the time -- they were projected to run out of missiles by early May and late March, respectively. Ukraine drone strike inside Russia An undated document says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested in late February targeting Moscow's forces inside Russia using drones and expressed concern to the country's top general and another official about Kyiv's lack of missiles with the range for such strikes. The account -- which points to American surveillance of a close partner -- may help explain US reluctance to provide Ukraine with longer-range weapons it has sought, though Kyiv appears to have carried out such strikes with other means, and Washington's hesitation predates the exchange mentioned in the document. Israel protests Another undated document says leaders from Israel's Mossad advocated in early- to mid-February for both officials from the intelligence service and private citizens to protest against a controversial judicial reform plan that would give lawmakers substantially more control over the supreme court. The document attributed the information to intercepted electronic signals, indicating US spying on an allied country. South Korea ammo concerns South Korea's National Security Council was "mired in concerns" over the possibility that the United States would give Ukraine ammunition it was seeking from Seoul, according to a document detailing March 1 communications between two Korean officials. That would have violated South Korea's policy of not providing lethal aid to Ukraine, whose forces have faced a critical shortage of artillery ammunition. Like previous documents, this one points to American surveillance of a country with which it has close ties. The revelation sparked criticism in South Korea about the vulnerability of sensitive locations, but President Yoon Suk Yeol's office has pushed back, saying it had "iron-clad security" and that allegations of eavesdropping were "senseless lies." The country's opposition on Wednesday urged the government to investigate the apparent espionage. Black Sea surveillance flights A document dated February 27 details surveillance flights over the Black Sea by the United States, Britain, France and NATO from late September to late February, using both crewed aircraft and drones, including the MQ-9 Reaper. Roughly two weeks after the date of the document, Washington said a Russian Su-27 jet struck a US MQ-9, requiring the drone to be brought down in the Black Sea. Moscow denied responsibility. The visit of Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal to Paris and Rome on 11-13 April has come at a crucial moment. India currently holds the G20 presidency and has successfully completed its fourth round of negotiations with the EU for a free trade agreement (FTA). Indias trade with Italy and France has seen an upward trend after a dip during the covid pandemic. Bilateral merchandise trade between India and Italy was $13.23 billion in 2021-22, while the India-France bilateral trade in goods (excluding military equipment) was only a little less that year, at $12.42 billion. Top exports from India to Italy included iron and steel, products made of these, aluminium and its products, petroleum products and cotton ready-made garments. Our top exports to France were petroleum products, electric machinery and equipment, drug formulations, cotton ready-made garments (including accessories) and aircraft, spacecraft and parts. India had a positive trade balance in goods with both these European countries. In the services sector, the India-Italy bilateral trade was $952 million in 2020-21, while that with France was $4.63 billion. Indias services exports to the two markets include telecommunication services, IT and IT-enabled services, business services and transport services. While trade is growing, there is room for much more growth, especially at a time when Italian and French companies are trying to build resilient supply chains and are looking at the large and growing Indian market. There is scope for diversifying our export baskets in goods and services further, and for collaborations in areas like research and development, technology-based services such as health-tech and edutech, and the startup and audio-visual sectors. India can be a low-cost post-production hub for Italian and French audio-visual companies. The large and growing Indian market offers tremendous opportunities for manufacturers from Italy and France to explore and test-market their products. There is scope for business partnerships in sectors like textiles, leather products, engineering goods, automobiles and auto-components and food and beverages, to name a few. Indias strengths in organic production and traditional medicine and practices like Yoga and Ayurveda can be showcased to Italian and French consumers. To help tap cross-border business-to-business (B2B) potential, the ministers visit includes a series of meetings with leaders and top CEOs of the two countries. This will help explore new business opportunities, understand concerns if any and strengthen our existing trade and investment ties. Over 130 Italian companies are either present in India or sourcing from here, or have partnerships with Indian companies. Well-known Italian companies that have invested in India include Fiat Auto, Heinz Italia, Italcementi, Necchi Compressori, Perfetti, Lavazza, ENI, SAI, Isagro (Asia) Agrochemicals and Piaggio. The cumulative investment of Italian firms from April 2000 to December 2022 is placed at around $3.25 billion across sectors such as automobiles, trading, services, machinery and food processing. The India-Italy Strategic Partnership on Energy Transition launched during a PM-level bilateral meeting in October 2021 provides opportunities for further exploration of joint investments. France is the 11th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of $10.49 billion (April 2000 to December 2022), across sectors such as services, cement and gypsum products, air transport, petroleum and natural gas. Notable French companies present in India include Airbus Group, BNP Paribas, CWT, Pernod Ricard, Renault and Schneider Electric. Co-operation in the defence sector is a core component of the Indo-French strategic partnership, and India has recently allowed foreign direct investment in the defence sector. Indias export target of $2 trillion of goods and services by 2030 set by the Union commerce ministry can be easily achieved if India diversifies its export baskets to key EU member countries, like France and Italy. The ministers visit provides an opportunity to build mutually beneficial partnerships. India will get an opportunity to showcase its developments in areas like digital technology, logistics and e-commerce, and share information on incentive programmes like the governments production-linked incentive scheme. Moreover, Indias focus on organic food and millets are aligned with the EUs focus on a sustainable food system. Identification of skill requirements in the EU and joint skill development and language training programmes with France and Italy could help Indian professionals and skilled workers access the EU market. The visit can also facilitate greater sharing of information and collaboration across the three countries regulatory bodies. Significantly, the support of Italy and France is essential in concluding a broad-based, balanced, and comprehensive trade agreement with the EU. The fourth round of FTA negotiations with the EU has seen progress in many areas, and the ministers visit is expected to set the stage for a fifth round of FTA negotiations, due to be held in New Delhi from 19 June to 23 June 2023. The bilateral merchandise trade between India and the EU reached $116.36 billion in 2021-22 , while the services trade was $43.07 billion. In the first 11 months of 2022-23, merchandise trade crossed $121 billion. An ambitious India-EU trade agreement will further boost trade and investment flows, encourage B2B collaborations, help diversify and secure supply chains, provide a stable operating environment for businesses, and create employment in both markets. These are the authors personal views. Arpita Mukherjee is a professor at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). Electric vehicle sales in India crossed one million (10 lakh) in FY23, with two-wheelers contributing the bulk of sales. The Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) said the entire EV industry sold 11,52,021 units, or 58% more than the 7,26,861 units sold in FY22. Two-wheelers contributed over 60% of sales with 7,26,976 high-speed electric two-wheelers sold. But production tapered off towards the end of the fiscal. The final sales figures were well short of the minimum target of 10 lakh EV two-wheelers in FY23 set by Niti Aayog. Two-wheeler sales also included 120,000 low-speed e-scooters, 2,85,443 e-rickshaws, and around 50,000 e-cycles, taking combined two-wheeler sales to 8,46,976 units in FY23, a big jump from 328,000 in FY22. Apart from this, 401,841 electric three-wheelers, 47,217 electric three-wheelers, and 1904 electric buses were sold in FY23. A slew of government incentives seems to have worked to a certain extent. But the subsidy schemes under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India II (Fame-II ) norms may have run into trouble and there are chances the subsidy mechanism will be rebooted. The SMEV claims that delays in Fame-II subsidy disbursals have led to slower manufacturing. Fame-II has a capital outlay of 10,000 crore to support the manufacture of 10 lakh electric two-wheelers, five lakh electric three-wheelers, 55,000 electric four-wheelers and 7,000 buses. This subsidy allows on-road prices to be cut by around 35%. In addition, another 10,000 crore has been allotted under Fame-II for EV charging stations. In 2022, 2,877 stations were approved in 68 cities and another 1,576 along highways. Fame-II was redesigned in June 2021 based on the pandemic experience and industry feedback. By October 22, 64 EV manufacturers had registered to receive incentives. To qualify for Fame-II subsidies, original equipment manufacturers must make, or source, at least 50% of components in India. The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) tests this localisation percentage before an EV is certified. Local component manufacturers became interested as Fame-II promised volumes and this kick-started localisation. The government is able to track via software the OEMs compliance data and traceability of components. This tech-enabled linkage is used to calculate the disbursal of incentives. In December 2022, the government said it was investigating 12 manufacturers for possible misappropriation of funds given under Fame-II. Stakeholders said there have been delays in the release of over 1,200 crore of subsidies already committed and passed on to customers via price cuts.. Government sources said the delay is due to manufacturers not coming through on localisation commitments. Another 400 crore is stuck because of investigations into possible under-invoicing. This has hindered manufacturers who relied on those funds for working capital. According to the SMEV, 16 companies with a combined market share of over 95% are waiting for these issues to be resolved, and for a possible reset of Fame subsidies. The industry is also seeking an extension of Fame-II eligibility criteria by two years and an extension of the subsidy scheme for another three years beyond the scheduled end on March 31, 2024. While this creates supply-side challenges, the demand shows that users no longer have excessive safety-related concerns. The charging ecosystem has ramped up to the point where users no longer worry about running out of juice. Apart from personal vehicles, cab companies such as BluSmart, with its fleet of EVs, have started to gain acceptance. While EVs look similar to their fossil-fuel-driven ancestors on the outside, they are very different in engineering terms, and that affects the component ancillary supply chain and the repair and maintenance ecosystem. An EV has far fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. This means that EVs also require less in the way of general repair and maintenance. The components themselves are quite different, too. Everything is designed around the battery, which contributes a large proportion of weight. Since power and torque are available near-instantaneously, EVs have a fast "pickup" as acceleration is called in India. Moreover, EVs are much quieter indeed so quiet that they often catch pedestrians unawares. Incentives for battery design and production, and the battery and component supply chain, may be addressed in future through production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes rather than Fame. One PLI scheme has an outlay of 18,100 crore for advanced chemistry cell batteries. Many beneficiaries have been announced under this scheme, such as Reliance New Energy Solar, Ola Electric Mobility Private Limited, Hyundai Global Motors Company Limited, and Rajesh Exports Limited. To qualify for these incentives, manufacturers must achieve 60% localisation by year five. Another 20 companies have been approved under a different PLI scheme with an outlay of 25,938 cr to make EV components. This suggests that Fame-II may end on schedule, with incentives shifting to PLI. That adds a layer of uncertainty. Policymakers need to sort this out quickly if they are to achieve the target of making two- and three-wheelers sales 100% electric in the next five years. ChatGPT developer OpenAI offered on Tuesday $20,000 ( 16 lakh) to users for reporting vulnerabilities in its artificial intelligence platform. The initiative is part of the bug bounty program of the company to encourage programmers and ethical hackers to report bugs on the platform. The OpenAI Bug Bounty program was live on Tuesday and it offered rewards to the users depending upon the severity of the bugs reported. The minimum amount for the Bug Bounty program is kept at $200 ( 16,400). OpenAI has requested researchers to assess specific features of ChatGPT as well as the way OpenAI systems interact and exchange data with external applications. The review program excludes any fraudulent or inaccurate content generated by OpenAI systems. This action follows the recent ban on ChatGPT in Italy due to alleged privacy regulation violations, which has resulted in European regulators scrutinizing generative AI services more closely. This initiative is an essential part of our commitment to developing safe and advanced AI," said the blog post, written by Matthew Knight, OpenAIs head of security. As we create technology and services that are secure, reliable, and trustworthy, we would like your help," Knight added. ChatGPT has not reported any major bugs for now, but the platform has generated some inaccurate information and misrepresented some facts. Some people have even threatened to file a defamation lawsuit against OpenAI, for the wrong information. The bug bounty program seems to be a step to minimize the error margin of the platform as governments across the world are mulling over regulations to govern the role of AI. After Italy, some other European nations are also discussing a ban on the platform amid concerns around privacy and data collection practices. AI experts seem to be divided on the threats and potential of ChatGPT-like generative AI platforms with some warning of its dangers while others highlighting its role in human progress. Read More: Is ChatGPT causing layoffs? Which jobs are in danger due to ChatGPT? All FAQs answered By John Cotter Milkweed. 320 pp. $25.49 - - - When John Cotter suddenly began to suffer from deafness, tinnitus and roiling vertigo at the age of 30, he found himself thrust into a medical mystery. In "Losing Music," he chronicles his experience with what was eventually diagnosed as Meniere's disease, a rare - and incurable - condition that affects an estimated 750,000 people in the United States. By age 35, fitted with hearing aids that only partly helped, he was walking with a cane, prone to unpredictable fits of vomiting, unable to reliably work and unsure about how much longer he would be able to hear at all. Without self-pity - or at least with measured doses of it (his wife gamely limits the amount of time he can talk about his condition in social situations) - "Losing Music" offers a compelling portrait of how deafness isolates people from even those closest to them. Cotter quotes Helen Keller: "Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people." More broadly, he also challenges us to better understand how any disability radically alters a person's sense of self. When first diagnosed, Cotter was working as an underpaid adjunct writing professor with no health insurance. He marries his longtime partner and gets on her health plan, but even with the freedom insurance brings, he finds answers hard to come by: Doctors offer little more than general lifestyle advice - avoid caffeine, eat less salt, try to relax. As one doctor explains to Cotter: "Your ears are like a beat-up old car that runs good on some days, and other days doesn't run good at all. Eventually, the engine won't ever run." Another less-sympathetic physician says: "Your ears . . . are really screwed up, okay? And we're not going to know why until you're dead and we cut you open." Still, Cotter keeps hoping for a fuller, more optimistic answer. He treks to the Mayo Clinic, the healing haven of last resort, in a desperate attempt to learn more about his symptoms, and is disappointed when physicians offer him the same grim, vague diagnosis and lack of cure that others had despite the expense, and the logistics, of submitting to the clinic's brusque, bureaucratic "team care." "Did I expect the Mayo Clinic would hand me a pill to make me better?" Cotter admits. "Yes, a little." Cotter's medical journey is interspersed with a mini-history of the science for treating deafness - from the Greeks, whose attempted cure involved "wool soaked in turpentine," to King John VI of Portugal, who had a special "acoustical chair" with hidden sound-amplifying channels that visitors had to kneel before, to the "speaking trumpets" that were popular until laws cracked down on people with disabilities starting in the 1860s. ("It's no coincidence," Cotter notes, "those laws began in the years that followed the Civil War - when the numbers of wounded and crippled rose dramatically.") Prosper Meniere's research on the condition began when he was appointed as chief physician for the French National Institute for Deaf-Mutes in 1838 - research that first involved torturing pigeons. There's an interesting case study of fellow Meniere's sufferer Jonathan Swift and his struggles while trying to write "Gulliver's Travels." Intentionally, one has to assume, Cotter avoids much discussion of Ludwig van Beethoven, the most famous deaf person who lost music. Or Vincent Van Gogh, who a recent study suggests may not have been crazy at all, or even epileptic as some have theorized, but suffering from Meniere's disease - and thus may have had a very clear reason for cutting off his ear (not that it would have helped). "Losing Music" is not a medical treatise, and its account of Meniere's is meant to be engaging for a layman, not encyclopedic. The memoir includes some material about Cotter's life that is not focused on his disease. Sections on his teaching at a homeless shelter, and his class for refugees at a community college, may seem too tangentially related to the book's primary subject, although Cotter argues that the sense of loss, of longing for the past, that haunts these students is very similar to his own state - especially how they cope with fear about the future. The most memorable sections in "Losing Music" recount Cotter's daily struggles: the frustration of trying to hear his companions at a restaurant, fretting that he'll destroy his hearing aids in sudden rain, trying to have sex while wearing them ("You just have to learn how to hold your head"). He's lyrical about sounds we take for granted: wind rattling windows, old-fashioned radiators hissing to life, a cat drinking water. But he reserves his most passionate writing for music, "a world you can live inside. . . . When you're young and you're the hero of a movie, and the Heifetz you play in your car or the Velvet Underground you first try out sex to isn't just background, it's location and weather. You feel it on your skin." On one of the blessed occasions when his hearing and tinnitus aren't at their worst, he listens to a recording of a soprano. Her voice is "like someone set a candle on the floor and the smoke rose and curled. You don't see the wind without it - the wind's too light to see." Writing that precise and moving helps us to grasp the full measure of the losses Cotter mourns. - - - Novelist Lisa Zeidner's latest publications are the novel "Love Bomb" and the craft book "Who Says?: Mastering Point of View in Fiction." Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope By Sarah Bakewell Penguin Press. 454 pp. $30 - - - Sarah Bakewell, our premier popularizer of the history of philosophy, just keeps going bigger. Her breakthrough 2010 smash, "How to Live," was an innovative exercise in writing the life of a sole subject - in that case, essayist Michel de Montaigne. Her 2016 follow-up, "At the Existentialist Cafe" (2016), looked at the enduring influence of a handful of 20th-century thinkers. Now, with "Humanly Possible," she attempts a group biography with a cast of dozens, from antiquity to now. Her topic is humanism, and she's given us a chatty, discursive survey of way more than the "seven hundred years" of "freethinking, inquiry and hope" that her subtitle promises. Bakewell is interested in describing the nontheistic tradition that urges us to be happy in the here and now, rather than waiting for an afterlife, and to seek that happiness through good works and kindness to others. She begins in the 5th century B.C., when Democritus formulated his atomism, locating the ultimate nature of things in matter rather than divinity. Before it's all over, she has roped in literary humanists like Petrarch and Montaigne (naturally); Enlightenment skeptic David Hume; the utilitarian John Stuart Mill; Thomas Paine, Frederick Douglass, Ludwik Zamenhof (inventor of the international language Esperanto), Thomas Mann, Bertrand Russell and Zora Neale Hurston, among many others. Her goal is to offer them up as models, reminders that there have always been alternatives to religion, fascism and other forms of idol worship; her method is to introduce us to a favorite thinker, put him or her in context (that context usually being Europe, mostly from 1300 to 1950 or so), and then sprinkle some anecdotes, like fairy dust (too religious a metaphor?), to make them come alive. Some humanists are explicitly interested in alternatives to religion; others, like Leonardo da Vinci, are important to the humanist project because of their avid attention to the glories of man. Bakewell is not blind to the failings of humanists, who can be racist, sexist or just more generally stupid. They can be quixotic and daft, like the post-revolutionary Frenchman Auguste Comte, who tried to create a godless religion, replacing the Virgin Mary as an object of veneration with Clotilde de Vaux, a freethinking French intellectual who died in 1846, at age 31, and on whom Comte had a big crush. Comte also briefly considered making himself the pope of this new religion. (Somehow, it never caught on.) Bakewell has fun at her subjects' expense, as when she describes how 16th-century physician Vesalius wrote an anatomy textbook in which he mislabeled the clitoris. But often enough, Bakewell believes, humanists have acted with courage and integrity, in societies that have often believed that only Christians can be trusted. In 1961, at the age of 89, the philosopher Bertrand Russell, a lifelong atheist and activist, accepted a jail sentence for "inciting the public to civil disobedience" at an anti-nuclear demonstration rather than make a promise of "good behavior." He spent a week in Brixton Prison. But do these diverse thinkers really have that much in common, other than Bakewell's admiration? "It all seems gently foggy," Bakewell writes at the outset, "and yet I do believe that there is such a thing as a coherent, shared humanist tradition." Not all of her subjects are atheists - the Dutchman Erasmus (1466-1536) was a Christian humanist, and there are to this day Jews, Christians and other religious people who see the human being as a wondrous creation, to be exalted and respected, rather than simply as a natural sinner. Halfway through, Bakewell pauses to offer the four principles she says humanists have in common: a belief in shared humanity, a respect for human diversity, the valuing of critical thinking and the belief that moral lives "are best served by looking for ways of connecting." I find this persuasive. By elevating universalism alongside diversity - she returns many times to E.M. Forster's fixation on "connection" - Bakewell implicitly argues that our current polarization is not some sort of inevitable natural state. And although she mostly steers clear of contemporary politics, it's impossible to read this book without concluding that Bakewell laments the fashionable obsession with individual identities (racial, national, religious, sexual) at the expense of all that humans share. At times, I was troubled by the utopianism running through this work, a preference for monks and eschatological dreamers over people who make an actual difference. I would have replaced Zamenhof, whose Esperanto never conquered the globe, with his fellow Jew Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (1858-1922), who did more than anyone to make Hebrew a living language for millions - one of the great humanistic achievements ever. I was perplexed by the omission of Sigmund Freud, who is mentioned once, in passing. His critique of the religious impulse, his deep interest in the human mind and his compulsive correspondence with peers, building connections, are all humanistic activities par excellence. Bakewell's treatment of the contemporary humanist movement is cursory and inadequate. There is no mention of the famous atheists of the last century: no Madalyn Murray O'Hair, no Christopher Hitchens. Both could be famously unpleasant, so perhaps she does not want them at her party. She overlooks the weird infighting and persistent misogyny that have characterized contemporary humanist associations in the United States. And while this may be beyond the scope of the book, humanism can be distorted into the sci-fi human-potential nonsense that infects Silicon Valley and will almost certainly, with artificial intelligence, continue to make human life worse. When I think about who is pushing back, offering alternative models, I think of religious people, like Sabbath-observant Jews and those in Catholic religious orders. They would say they love God above all, but in practice they love humans far more than most secular computer scientists. Still, "Humanly Possible" is a terrific invitation to argument, to conversation, to all the fun people make together, on their own. Bakewell is particularly fond of Erasmus, who was "repelled by the aggression of Luther," his fellow Protestant reformer. "Courtesy, of course, was everything" to Erasmus, she writes. It was not "just a social veneer" but "the very basis for all mutual respect and concord." The United States is increasingly irreligious, but until we relearn - on social media, in our politics, in person - that Erasmian courtesy, we shall not deserve to call ourselves humanists. - - - Mark Oppenheimer is the author of "Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood." If ever there was a time for the Star Wars universe to channel the words of "The Wire's" Stringer Bell, it is now. This faraway galaxy wouldn't have been faulted for flooding its social media accounts with one of Idris Elba's most popular memes, one frequently used when a sports franchise is on the up and up: I want you to put the word out there that we back up. Simply put, Star Wars on the big screen seems to have finally gotten its groove back. There hasn't been this much hype for the franchise based solely on potential since Disney first acquired Lucasfilm. And there was no bigger announcement than a planned return to theaters. James Mangold, Dave Filoni and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will each direct a Star Wars film. Mangold's will take place 25,000 years before "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" and tell the story of the discovery of "the Force" and the first Jedi to wield it. Star Wars whisperer Filoni's film will conclude the interconnected stories being woven between "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett" and the soon-to-debut "Ahsoka" series. Obaid-Chinoy's film will usher in the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. The film will take place 15 years after Rey's last appearance, in "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker," and focus on her attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order. The most recent trilogy of films was more polarizing than popular, which is why we haven't had a Star Wars movie in theaters since 2019. Kylo Ren and his Dark Side-fueled rage combined with a predictable redemption arc and a grumpy Luke Skywalker weren't enough to build up demand for more. The Star Wars brand was at a standstill, with the only goodwill coming from successful animated series such as "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels." But then "The Mandalorian" came along, and the unstoppable cuteness of Baby Yoda helped build a bridge back to theaters. Star Wars at its core is a theatrical experience. It was born in a movie theater, and with this upcoming slate, it looks as if it won't have died in one. But not everything is all roses. As shocking as Ridley's return is, it will only be as good as who is along with her for the ride. Episodes VII, VIII and IX saw John Boyega playing a Black stormtrooper (Finn) who was later revealed to be an intergalactic janitor, and Oscar Isaac as a hotheaded Latino pilot (Poe Dameron), and they introduced Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico) to a toxic corner of Star Wars fandom not accustomed to or interested in diversity. (You can always just watch the old movies, folks.) None of those actors were given storylines worthy of their abilities, and Ridley's Rey was anointed as the chosen Jedi. Boyega was even used as a red herring in trailers for "The Force Awakens" when he was seen holding a lightsaber, but in the movie he was figuratively handed a mop. Finn was shown to have Force-sensitive abilities. Rey can't build a new Jedi Order by herself. This new batch of films is an opportunity to right a wrong and have Boyega star as a Jedi with the potential to be just as undeniably cool as Samuel L. Jackson was as Mace Windu. Even Jar Jar Binks is a Jedi now after the actor behind the much-criticized character from the prequels, Ahmed Best, was deservedly given a heroic new Star Wars role as Kelleran Beq on "The Mandalorian." Boyega and the other actors of color from the last trilogy deserve better than they were given. But that's only if they actually want to return. Star Wars streaming on Disney Plus also looks to get stronger, after debuting a spectacular new trailer for the "Ahsoka" series, starring Rosario Dawson in the role she debuted on "The Mandalorian." The series will premiere in August and will feature the live-action debuts of multiple characters from the animated "Star Wars Rebels" series, including Grand Admiral Thrawn (played by Lars Mikkelsen), who is quite simply one of the most popular Star Wars characters ever, rivaling even Darth Vader. Tony Gilroy's "Andor" holds the title of best Star Wars streaming show, and perhaps the best Star Wars anything, but "Ahsoka," powered by Dawson's devotion to the fan-favorite character and Thrawn's Hollywood close-up, is a contender for Disney Plus supremacy. When Ahsoka said, "I started hearing whispers ... about Thrawn's return ... as heir to the Empire," it was a beautiful nod to the Star Wars novels of Timothy Zahn (where Thrawn debuted) and a hint to where this series will go. Speaking of "Andor," the second and final season is set to arrive in 2024. Topping its first season would be nothing short of a monumental achievement, but I'll settle for something just as good. It was also announced at Star Wars Celebration that "The Bad Batch" will have a third and final season in 2024, which, alongside upcoming second seasons of the groundbreaking and visually stunning "Star Wars: Visions" and "Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi," proves animation still has a place at Lucasfilm. And rightfully so, given the impact "The Clone Wars" had on this fandom. Fans got their first look at the previously announced "Skeleton Crew," starring Jude Law in a Star Wars tale of kids lost in space, which arrives on Disney Plus later this year. The origins of the evil Sith will be revealed on Disney Plus in the already-in-development "Acolyte," which will connect the far past era of the High Republic taking place in Star Wars' most recent novels and comics with the era of the Star Wars prequels. More movies. More series. More animation. It looks like streaming is no longer this universe's only hope. Born in that treacherous genre wasteland between mobster movie and midlife rom-com - and centering on a woman scorned who gets her groove back after inheriting a criminal empire - "Mafia Mamma" is a strange hybrid of the "Godfather" films, "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "Eat, Pray, Love" - all of which are explicitly named-checked in the featherbrained screenplay by J. Michael Feldman and Debbie Jhoon, TV writers known for their work on such sitcoms as "Not Dead Yet," "A.P. Bio" and "Kevin From Work." That this lumpy, unfunny and at times shockingly violent film was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, creator of the acclaimed coming-of-age drama "Thirteen" and the box-office smash "Twilight," and that it stars Toni Collette, an Oscar nominee for "The Sixth Sense," merely adds to the sense of "What were these people thinking?" Collette plays Kristin, a 50-something American who works in pharmaceutical marketing with a team of sexist/ageist pigs. When she gets a call informing her that the Italian grandfather she never met (Alessandro Bressanello) has died and that she must immediately fly to Italy to settle his estate and wine business, she's at first reluctant to go. That is, until she catches her husband (Tim Daish) having sex with someone else in the basement. Easy decision, right? No sooner has her plane touched down than she meets Lorenzo (Giulio Corso), a sexy younger man whose sexual attention and amazing ability to cook pasta - a low bar, admittedly - keep her occupied. Well, perhaps it's more accurate to say they take Kristin's mind off the fact that she has just been named the new head of the Balbano crime family - Balbano is her maiden name - a family whose long-simmering feud with the rival Romanos has exploded into the open with a series of public bloodbaths. We see the aftermath of the one that killed Kristin's grandpa in the opening scene, and there's another one at his funeral. It will not be the last. More murders follow, as representatives of the Romano family try to knock Kristin off, and she instead kills them (in one case accidentally, and in another case quite spectacularly, after a hit man tries to rape her.) It's all played for laughs, which fail to materialize in a story that milks easy cliches and stereotypes about Italians, pasta and sexual double-entendres, with icky dialogue about "spicy sausage" and the like. At heart, though, the film is sort of a revenge fantasy, one that seems targeted squarely at an audience of women who have, justifiably, grown sick of being made to feel invisible after a certain age by their male contemporaries: desexualized when compared with younger women and dismissed for their talents and intelligence. This theme is driven home by the growing friendship between Kristin and Bianca (Monica Bellucci), the Balbano family consigliere who tells Kristin, "Never let a man dictate who you are or what you can do." Whether it's Kristin's philandering ex; her hotheaded cousin Fabrizio (Eduardo Scarpetta) - the protagonist's rival for the job of Balbano family capo; her lover Lorenzo, who has something to hide; or any number of other male adversaries, antagonists and assassins, the film handles them with approaches ranging from a snide put-down to being tossed into a grape macerating machine. Ironically, especially in the last case, it's all a bit too tidy. A divorce is finalized, a criminal charge is dismissed, a woman comes into her own. So what if a few appendages have to be chopped off and a couple hundred bullets have to fly in the process? - - - One and one-half stars. Rated R. At theaters. Contains bloody violence, sexual material and coarse language. 101 minutes. Rating guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars okay, one star poor, no stars waste of time. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office An elderly man wanted in Dallas for a sexual offense against a child has been arrested, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case unfolded on Friday at the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge when a CBP officer inspecting a vehicle referred Jose Cruz Contreras for a secondary inspection. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new health protections intended to reduce ethylene oxide exposure on Tuesday after stating last year it found increased cancer risk at sterilization facilities around the country including in Laredo. The two proposed changes from the EPA include stricter standards for air emissions and more protection for workers exposed to ethylene oxide, as it is used to sterilize medical devices and some spices. The EPA reported its proposals would cut these EtO emissions from commercial sterilization facilities into the air by approximately 80% per year. EPAs No. 1 priority is protecting peoples health and safety, and we are committed to taking decisive action thats informed by the best available science, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. These proposals build on EPAs extensive outreach to communities across the nation and reflects close coordination among key federal partners. Together they would significantly reduce worker and community exposure to harmful levels of ethylene oxide. EPA will continue to use every available tool to safeguard our nations communities, including workers, from exposure to toxic chemicals and to deliver important public health protections. According to the EPA, long-term exposure to EtO over a 35-year career with a sterilization facility or a 70-year lifetime in or near a commercial sterilizer can potentially increase the risk for certain cancers. However, it also said risks vary based on a facilitys control measures for workers and citizens, and proximity to the facility also plays a factor. In a statement to the Associated Press, Darya Minovi -- a senior research analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists -- said the move was overdue by almost a decade and still should have gone further. Im relieved and pleased that the EPA has finally issued proposed standards that are based on their own scientists recommendations on an updated, higher cancer risk value, Minovi said. The AP added that EtO is classified as a pesticide, and a medical sterilization worker over the course of a career could see their risk shoot up by as much as one extra case of cancer for every 10 people exposed -- well above the EPAs generally acceptable increase in lifetime cancer risk of 1 in 10,000. Christian Alejandro Ocampo Last year, the EPA warned residents who live near medical sterilizing plants that they may face health risks from EtO emissions, with Laredo reportedly being one of the communities facing the highest risk. The EPA visited Laredo to hold a public meeting at TAMIU during September of 2022 outlining the risks presented to the community from the emissions. Since then, the EPA has said that its previous risk warning regarding Laredo was "no longer current" regarding the information presented, as commercial sterilizers in general around the country "have made improvements or changes to operations that have reduced risks to residents." Midwest Sterilization Corp. is scheduled to present on EtO emissions and the steps it has taken at the next Laredo City Council meeting on April 17. According to Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino, the company has claimed it has a lot of new equipment and will present on that and more at that time. Reacting to the EPAs announcement Tuesday, Midwest Sterilization Corp. released a statement about how the company anticipated the news from the EPA and is working to make sure it meets those standards. Midwest Sterilization Corp. sterilizes life-saving medical devices used in everyday medical procedures and surgeries. The company has been anticipating the proposed EPA rule and working hard to make changes ahead of its release to the public, the statement said. We are currently reviewing the proposed rule to understand its impact on our operations. Its important to note that most of the changes proposed by the EPA, have already been achieved by Midwest, or are currently being implemented. Midwest has worked diligently to remain in compliance with all state and federal rules and in some cases, exceed them. At the same time, we will continue to do the very important work of sterilizing life-saving medical devices that benefit millions of patients across the nation and in the communities where we work and live. Midwest Sterilization Corp. has operated for over 30 years providing sterilization services to medical device manufacturing companies. Its two facilities are located in Laredo and in Jackson, Missouri, and they combine for over 55,000 cubic feet of sterilization chamber volume within 376,000 square feet of warehouse space. Laredo Morning Times/Staff file Rep. Henry Cuellar said he has stayed in contact with the EPA about the issue and is thankful for the steps being taken. The EPA previously acknowledged that certain communities within Laredo are at an elevated risk of cancer due to exposure to ethylene oxide emissions. My priority has always been the health and safety of Laredoans, Cuellar said. I have worked closely with the EPA and spoken with Joseph Goffman, EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, to identify a solution to this issue. I also appreciate local advocates and community leaders for their important work on this matter. I look forward to finding a balanced measure that reduces Laredos cancer risk while safeguarding access to critical sterilized medical equipment. Laredo PD The Laredo Police Department is seeking community help identifying a subject in relation to a theft at a local convenience store, the agency announced via social media Tuesday afternoon. Laredo PD is on the search for a subject in relation to a report of a theft of property at the Fuel American corner store located at 13602 FM 1472 or as it's more commonly known, Mines Road. Danny Zaragoza/Laredo Morning Times News of the death of a United ISD high school student was shared with the Laredo community Tuesday afternoon. A notice sent to parents and the media on Tuesday shared news of the death of a student at Lyndon B. Johnson High School, with the release also announcing support services currently available to all students amid the news. Courtesy/U.S. Border Patrol A man used a box truck to try to smuggle 11 migrants through the U.S. 59 checkpoint, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. Gabriel Moreno was arrested on the charges of transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the migrants. The Webb County Democratic Party is hosting Latino civil rights advocate Al Kauffman in a Coffee and Conversation event on Thursday, April 13. Kauffman was the lead attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in its historic lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency. He worked at MALDEF for 20 years before leaving in 2002 to work as a researcher for education civil rights at Berkeley University and Harvard University while also lecturing at Harvard Law School. Kauffman now calls San Antonio home as he works as a law professor at St. Marys School of Law. He previously specialized in the education, employment and voting rights of Latinos while serving for 28 years as a civil rights litigator. In 2010, Kauffman was named by Texas Lawyer as one of the 25 Greatest Texas Lawyers of the Past Quarter-Century. In 2015, MALDEF recognized him with a Lifetime Achievement, Excellence in Legal Service Award. On Thursday, Kauffman will speak with local elected officials and educational leaders in Laredo about national barriers to voting. He will also focus on Laredo specifically regarding its role in the push for equality in public education and higher education in Texas. There will also be discussion about the election laws passed in Texas in 2021 and about litigation issues connected to Texas redistricting. The event will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Tesoro Room at La Posada Hotel located at 1000 Zaragoza St. For additional information about the event, contact Webb County Democratic Party Chair Sylvia Bruni at 956-763-3335 or email sylbru@aol.com or sylbru746@gmail.com. Courtesy/Laredo Police Department Laredo police are asking for the communitys assistance to identify a man in a theft case. On April 11, authorities released surveillance images of a male accused of a theft of property at Fuel America Travel Center on 13602 FM 1472. Laredos Palo Blanco Farm and Ranch is part of a national competition hosted by the New Leaders Council in which the winner takes home prize money and is recognized for their efforts in the industry. The business owner is asking for people to vote for them to win the NLC's first-ever Capstone Clash, as the final round of voting opened on Tuesday and will close at noon on Thursday, April 13. Palo Blanco Farm and Ranch co-owner Marcella Juarez created her capstone project by converting a shipping container with the South Texas Food Bank in collaboration with PED Energy for a year-round local and sustainable production of food. The voting can be done via Instagram where the contest is being conducted by the New Leaders Council. To vote, locals would need to comment "THE FOREVER FARM" on the final round post of the New Leader's Council page. Juarez said the $500 prize money would be used to purchase hydroponic equipment needed for food production. Your vote is supporting a small, family-owned ranch who are investing in the community to feed the community with local and healthy food that we deserved, Juarez said. We are all about food production for the health of our community and for the health of our environment, and this project is key to the future of food production in the area and key to the feeding of Laredo. So when you vote for us, you are supporting a very amazing project, a small family-owned farm, and you are supporting sustainable and local food production here in your community. Juarez said that the experience helped her bring the idea to her own business. She has constructed an area in her ranch where she is raising food inside another shipping container along with fellow co-owner and her brother, Manuel Juarez. The shipping container ranch is equipped with solar panels, hydroponic systems and the ability to develop and sustain ongoing food production for their business. Although the two shipping containers have different designs and will be created to grow different things, some of the main foods that they will create include microgreens, hydroponic strawberries, edible flowers and hydroponic lettuce. Courtesy / Marcella Juarez Courtesy / Marcella Juarez Juarez said that at first she did not know if she was going to be able to succeed with using a shipping container to grow produce, as there were some challenges she faced. I wasnt sure what to expect when I started. I was originally invited to collaborate with the South Texas Food Bank and PED Energy, who had an idea to convert a container, but they didnt know how and thats what I studied in grad school, Juarez said. I wasnt sure what to expect, but it was a good collaboration with two organizations here in Laredo. There have been challenges with bringing something new to Laredo, but things are coming together and the first shipping container out here in Palo Blanco Ranch will be in full operation by the end of April 2023. As they prepare for the huge undertaking of making the shipping container a staple of their business, they do hope that the community helps them win the national contest they are part of to bring more money to their efforts as well as recognition and attention for their work. We are asking people to vote one more time and help us to win this prize money to help us complete this innovative project and really transform what food production looks like here in Laredo and in the South Texas frontera, Juarez said. I want to say thank you to the community for their continued support as a business and when it comes to this contest, as we would not have made it to the final round if it wasnt for all the love and support that we have here at home. We love what we do. We do it for Laredo, and I would not like to be doing this anywhere else. So I just want to say thank you so much for the help in making us get to where we are right now, and I just hope to continue to grow food for the community. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Rep. Henry Cuellar announced on Tuesday a nearly $3 million grant awarded to Texas A&M International University to promote Hispanic students to continue with graduate studies through the Next Level Engineering project. NLE will expand courses and institutional resources for Hispanic graduate-level students by developing a Master of Science in Systems Engineering with two concentrations: data analytics and automation. Dr. Pablo Arenaz, President of TAMIU, said this grant will provide opportunities to TAMIU students. These sorts of opportunities help to define and distinguish a university experience for its students. Congressman Cuellar has always been a stalwart university partner and a keen advocate for STEM for all, so this is a powerful extension of his legacy here, he said. His leadership, paired with the shared vision of our A&M Chancellor John Sharp, enables us to make a profound difference in the lives of our students by expanding both their graduate study opportunities and the career options that will open to them. Cuellar congratulated Arenaz, Dr. Mahmoud Khasawneh and faculty members for the project. These funds are earmarked for universities and colleges that primarily serve Hispanic students, he said. The funds come from the Department of Education's Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program. The NLE project will provide resources and program innovation to a Hispanic-serving institution -- with an 89.3% Hispanic and 76% low income, and over 51% first-generation student population. That money is going to be used for those people who want to do postgraduate studies in the areas of engineering sciences and can get jobs in different areas where they are traditionally underrepresented, Cuellar said. Cuellar announced that in a few weeks he will give another $3 million to Laredo College as part of the opportunity program for Hispanics Khasawneh, who is the TAMIU Director of the School of Engineering and Associate Professor of Systems Engineering, said that they are in the process of offering graduate programs to students. The state of Texas has a lengthy process for approvals of new programs so this is the bad news, but the good news is that it is just a matter of time, he said. Because with this grant, we have everything in place: we have the money to hire the faculty, buy equipment, do professional development, do all sorts of things. Khasawneh said that it usually takes anywhere to 1 1/2 to 2 years to get the approval from the state. According to their projections, he feels they should have a cohort of 10-20 students, and that number should only grow in the coming years due to international enrollment. Khasawneh added that having a graduate degree for students is something that can strongly distinguish them.as professionals. Our graduate program is designed for exactly that, so that our students get promoted if they have existing jobs or if they want to work in the Academy in the future and become faculty members, they will also have the necessary knowledge to go into a doctorate program later on, he said. This program really opens a whole lot of options for our students. Khasawneh highlighted the fact that in the past if anyone wanted to do a graduate engineering degree they would have to go out of town. But at least with this grant the students will have the option to stay in Laredo if they wish to do so, he said. For him, this grant is literally a dream come true since the initiative for a master's degree started close to a decade ago. This is a proud moment for all of us in the School of Engineering since we can finally give to our community a graduate engineering program, he said. The TAMIU School of Engineering currently has three programs: Petroleum Engineer, Systems Engineering and Computer Engineer. Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino said this is very important for the student community of Laredo. It is a very important grant because it will help us to progress since the more funds that are obtained, the better for the community, he said. These funds give the opportunity to our young people who want to continue progressing in their careers with postgraduate studies, so there will be more professionals with more education who are locals. He added that other cities have a lot of development and everything is based on the education. So the more we push this, the better it will be for Laredo, he said. Jose Hernandez, a Systems Engineering senior student at TAMIU, said this grant will greatly help students to pursue master's or doctoral studies. These programs will help to have more people in Laredo with engineering studies, plus they will not have to leave the city to continue with graduate studies, he said. Hernandez will graduate this May and already has some job offers in other cities. In this career, there are many job opportunities right now, he said. There are lot of companies accepting thousands of engineers. I invite all Hispanic students who are thinking of starting a career to consider STEM careers, because they will not only help themselves to get ahead but also their family and the entire community. Si se puede! Echenle ganas! The boy who died in an all-terrain vehicle crash over the weekend has been identified, according to the Webb County Sheriffs Office. Authorities identified him as Emmanuel Andres Espinoza, 15. He was a Lyndon B. Johnson High School student. Webb County officials released a statement regarding his passing. On behalf of the Webb County Commissioners Court and all Webb County employees, we would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family of Emmanuel Andres Espinoza who passed away on Saturday, April 8, 2023, county officials said in a statement. Emmanuel is the son of Ana Espinoza, who works for Commissioner of Precinct 1 Jesse Gonzalez. UISD announced Tuesday evening that an LBJ student had recently died. The district said that counseling support is available at the school and will continue to be provided over the coming days. "I am writing with great sadness to inform you that there has been a tragic death of one of our students," a statement from LBJ principal Armando Salazar and United ISD superintendent David H. Gonzalez reads. "Our thoughts and sympathies are with family and friends." Courtesy/Google Maps The case unfolded at about 6:31 p.m. April 8 at a ranch 6.5 miles inside Las Pilas Road off U.S. 59. Deputies and Webb County Fire Department crews responded to a report of a person that was thrown out from an ATV. The person, Espinoza, was taken to Laredo Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, authorities said. The investigation continues. Visitation will be held on April 14 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Aguero Funeral Home on 4402 E. Saunders St. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held April 15 at 10 a.m. from the funeral home to Santa Rita de Casia Catholic Church for a Holy Mass at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be held at the family plot in the Laredo City Cemetery. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Police body camera video released Tuesday showed the chaotic moments when police arrived at the scene of a mass shooting at a bank in downtown Louisville, as the shooter they couldn't see from the street rained bullets down on them. The videos, taken from two wounded officers' lapels, offer a rare perspective of police officers responding to a massacre that killed five and injured eight others Monday. One, a rookie officer, was shot in the head within minutes of arriving at the scene, as his partner was grazed by a bullet and sought cover while still trying to take down the shooter. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked reporters through edited footage and still photos at a new conference Tuesday and praised the responding officers for their heroism. They received the call of a shooting at Old National Bank at 8:38 a.m., and the two officers arrived three minutes later, according to a chronology provided by police. They hadn't even gotten out of the patrol car when the gunman began firing on them. Back up, back up, back up, one officer shouted as gunshots thundered in the background. One still image from surveillance video showed the 25-year-old shooter, who worked at the bank, holding a rifle, wearing jeans, a blue button-down shirt and sneakers, surrounded by broken glass inside the building. He had already shot numerous people inside, and police said he set up an ambush position to attack officers as they arrived. The front doors were glass, elevated from the sidewalk, and because of the reflection, the officers could not see the shooter inside, Humphrey said. But he could see them. Officer Cory Galloway retrieved a rifle from the trunk of the patrol car. Cover for me, he said, and they reported to dispatch that there had been shots fired. Galloway was training rookie Officer Nickolas Wilt, who had graduated from the police academy just 10 days earlier. The videos showed them walking up the stairs toward the front door when the gunman fired a barrage of bullets. Wilt was shot in the head, though that was not captured on video. Galloway was grazed in the shoulder, police said. His body camera showed that he fell and then took cover behind a concrete planter at the bottom of the staircase leading to the building. Sirens from the dozens of police cars coming toward them wailed in the background. The shooter has an angle on that officer," he said in the video recording. "We need to get up there. I dont know where hes at, the glass is blocking him. A video taken by a bystander across the street, which police also released Tuesday, showed him darting back and forth from one side of the planter to another, trying to get a shot at the gunman. He waited, and as other officers arrived, more gunshots rang out and glass shattered. Galloway fired toward the gunman at 8:44 a.m., three minutes after arriving. I think I got him down! I think hes down! he shouted. Suspect down! Get the officer! He advanced into the building, and shards of glass crunched under his feet. The video then showed Galloway approaching the suspect, who lay on the ground inside the lobby next to a long rifle. I think you can see the tension in that video," Humphrey said Tuesday. "You can understand the stress that those officers are going through. ... They did absolutely exactly what they needed to do to save lives. Once officers arrived on scene, not another person was shot. Wilt was transported in the back of a police car to a hospital, Humphrey said. In the chaotic first minutes, police treated and triaged the victims inside. Humphrey said the ambulance service was short-staffed, so a police lieutenant drove the ambulance while emergency crews treated people at the scene. Wilt was still in critical but stable condition Tuesday, according to University of Louisville Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Smith. Two of the four wounded still in the hospital had injuries that were not life-threatening, Smith said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said it was crucial to release the footage because transparency is important even more so in a time of crisis. Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said at a news conference that bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, bought the AR-15 assault-style rifle used in the attack at a local dealership on April 4. Armed with the rifle, Sturgeon killed his co-workers including a close friend of Kentuckys governor while livestreaming the attack. We do know this was targeted. He knew those individuals, of course, because he worked there, Gwinn-Villaroel said, but didn't give an indication of a motive behind the shooting. Gwinn-Villaroel praised the heroic actions of officers who engaged the shooter without hesitation when they arrived. They went towards danger in order to save and preserve life, she said. They stopped the threat so other lives could be saved. No hesitation, and they did what they were called do to. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) to the south. In Louisville, five Old National Bank employees were killed: Joshua Barrick, 40, a senior vice president; Tommy Elliott, 63, also a senior vice president; Jim Tutt Jr., 64, a commercial real estate market executive; Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst; and Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative officer. The mayor urged unity as the community processes its grief, over this shooting and the many other spasms of gun violence that have stunned this city. Were all feeling shaken by this, and scared and angry and a lot of other things too," Greenberg said. "Its important that we come together as a community to process this tragedy in particular but not just this tragedy because the reality is that we have already lost 40 people to gun violence in Louisville this year." ___ Associated Press reporter John Raby contributed from Charleston, West Virginia, and Jonathan Mattise from Nashville, Tennessee. A new bill in the Texas Legislature calls for public schools across the state to display the Ten Commandments in each classroom. The Ten Commandments are a set of principles relating to ethics and worship found in the Bible and a common teaching in Judaism and Christianity, and the new bill would require teachers to "display in a conspicuous place" a poster or framed copy that is at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall. These posters could be displayed in classrooms across Texas as soon as this fall if the bill is passed. I think this would be a good, healthy step for Texas to bring back this tradition of recognizing Americas religious heritage. Senate bill 1515 restores a little bit of those liberties that were lost, said state Sen. Phil King who introduced the bill. King represents District 10 roughly between Fort Worth and Abilene. Critics of the bill argue it violates religious freedoms. "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. I should have the right to introduce my daughter to the concept of adultery and coveting ones spouse," said John Litzler, the general counsel and director of Public Policy at Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission. "It shouldnt be one of the first things she reads in her kindergarten classroom. However, supporters of the bill say it's an important part of American history. The Texas State Capitol in Austin has also displayed a monument of the Ten Commandments since 1961. This is not the first time state lawmakers have tried to get the Ten Commandments into school classrooms. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Kentucky law that required the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms, ruling that it violated the Lemon test -- a legal precedent used to determine if a government activity or law violated the First Amendment. The precedent involving the Lemon test was overturned in 2022 and replaced with another which asks whether religious displays in governmental settings are in accordance with American history and tradition. The senators behind the Texas bill argue their legislation passes this new test. The bill is currently pending in the state Senate Committee on Education. U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack implored the states child welfare agency at a Wednesday court hearing to be quicker to take disciplinary action against residential facilities. The hearing centered around site inspections that court monitors made at 14 residential facilities between December 2021 and December 2022. The inspections revealed a pattern in which staff mismanaged how medications are administered and several instances in which sexual abuse victims were placed in bedrooms with youth that have a history of sexual aggression. The agency is opening investigations into several of the 14 facilities following the monitors report, but neither the Department of Family and Protective Services commissioner nor her staff could cite any disciplinary action that had been taken thus far. What Im not understanding is why you all keep paying these places to do this to these children, said Jack, cutting DFPS leadership off. Are you so desperate for placements that you dont take any action? Reference Read the DFPS court monitors' report filed March 27, 2023 (69.0 MB) Jack ruled in 2015 that Texas had violated the constitutional rights of foster children by putting them at an unreasonable risk of harm, saying that children often age out of care more damaged than when they entered. In more than a dozen orders, Jack has pressed the state to move faster on investigations of abuse and neglect in foster homes, and to increase oversight of residential facilities that house children. Since issuing the remedial orders, the federal judge has twice held state officials in contempt of court in November 2019 and September 2020. In 2019, she also fined the state $50,000 a day for three days. In recent court hearings, Jack has consistently threatened to levy fines. Medical mismanagement According to court-appointed monitors reports, children were given prescriptions that violated the states guidelines for using psychotropic drugs for foster children. In several instances, medication was prescribed that is not recommended for children. And when children were prescribed four or more psychotropic drugs at the same time, a mandatory review of the childrens clinical status had not been completed in 28% of cases. Psychotropic drugs are used to treat mental health disorders and include antidepressants, stimulants and mood stabilizers. This kind of medical intervention can be helpful for some kids, under proper supervision. Paul Yetter, the lawyer representing children, requested that the state complete a review of the clinical status for all kids it has permanent custody of. The court watchdogs also identified errors in medication logs, including failure to timely refill medications, missed doses, miscounted medications and failure to follow psychiatric orders. Kids were prescribed antipsychotic medications without monitoring of their glucose and lipid levels every six months, going against state guidelines. And in several instances, staff members at residential treatment centers had been named as medical consenters, another violation of DFPS policies. As part of the site inspections, the court monitors reviewed 161 files, representing less than 2% of the children. There are 9,072 children taking psychotropic medications for more than 60 days a year in Texas, according to the state records. Yetter said the findings of medical mismanagement may very well be the tip of the iceberg. Does this not set off alarm bells for you that were 10 years into this, 12 years into this process, and you all cannot monitor the psychotropic drugs? Jack asked. You dont have the proper people consenting for the use of the drugs. The records are in shambles. The safeguards are not being enforced, your own safeguards. She directed her questions to DFPS Commissioner Stephanie Muth, who took the post in January. The states lawyers argued Wednesday that prescriptions of psychotropic drugs fall outside the scope of the court. The debate about what Jack can demand has been kicked up to higher courts before, ending with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirming an injunction in 2019. Jack said the injunction barred unsafe placements which can include the mismanagement of psychotropic drugs. But the state lawyers said the injunction covers only her remedial orders and that no remedial order mentions drug prescriptions for foster kids. Investigation into reports of abuse and neglect The court monitors raised concerns about the intake of and investigations into reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation. The monitors reported a discrepancy in the information staff, witnesses and victims shared with DFPS investigators, and the summaries of the interviews in state records. The monitors made 10 reports of abuse or neglect to the agency after their site inspections. In one instance at Silver Linings, a Houston residential treatment center, the investigator did not record the documentation the monitors provided. While DFPS did not reopen its investigation, the monitors informed the Health and Human Services Commission of the additional evidence, resulting in five additional citations for standards violations. At Guiding Light, a residential treatment center in Bexar County, a 16-year-old child reported to the monitors that staff used physical restraint, leaving a bruise. During the investigation, none of the other children at the facility were interviewed. These things are just so inexcusable. Its hard to understand, Jack said. I cant say and neither can the monitors that you will find that there was abuse in these cases. The problem is theyre not adequately investigated. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/12/texas-foster-care-lawsuit/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's rush for a pardon is an egregious overreach to wipe aside the jury's unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who at the time of the shooting was working as a ride-share driver in downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and that she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. I just think its a travesty, Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon. Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governors move highly unusual and prosecutors condemned it as troubling. Abbott made his intentions known on Twitter less than 24 hours after the verdict and amid outrage from conservative voices on social media and television over the conviction. I just thought it was an egregious overreach of power, Dowell said. It's undermining due process. It's undermining democracy. I was upset, honestly. Perry was on active duty and working as a ride-share driver when he shot and killed Garrett Foster, 28, who had been legally carrying an AK-47 during a protest through Austins downtown. Perry is still awaiting sentencing from a judge. He faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who said she has not previously supported the three-term governor politically, said she worried Abbott wading into the case could cause other jurors to second-guess their decision. If your governor is coming out and saying you made the wrong decision, that may make you think twice about what you said or what you felt, she told AP. The AP has attempted to reach all jurors who served during the weeklong trial in Austin. Others have declined to speak about the case or not returned messages. Spokespersons for Abbott did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The trial had received little national attention prior to Friday's verdict and Abbott had not previously commented on the case publicly. He has has not elaborated on how he reached his conclusion about Perrys case, and his office on Monday referred questions to his statement on Twitter. The encounter leading up to the shooting began when Perry turned onto a street and into one of the demonstrations that swept the country after Minneapolis police killed of George Floyd. In video that was streamed live on Facebook, a car can be heard honking amid the downtown crowd. Then, several shots ring out, and protesters begin screaming and scattering. Perry drove off, later calling police to report the shooting, and officers arrived to find Foster shot. What led up to the gunfire was a core question in the trial that resulted in Perrys conviction. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry, and prosecutors said the sergeant could have driven off rather than opening fire with a handgun. Perry didnt testify. But his defense attorneys have said Foster pointed his gun at the driver and that the shooting was self-defense. I look forward to approving the Board's pardon as soon as it hits my desk, Abbott tweeted Saturday. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, whose office prosecuted Perry, said Tuesday he requested to meet with the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and present evidence. The board did not immediately respond to questions emailed Wednesday. ____ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Jim Vertuno and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. MEXICO CITY (AP) A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday. The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers. Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday. Another man in the video, reportedly the victims bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled. The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the store's door. Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital. State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense. It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of the country's tourism industry. Last week, four men in Cancun, north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries. Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname Pantera, or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings. The dead men were found 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. A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. 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, in 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. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke about her political priorities and answered questions from the crowd at a town hall meeting Tuesday night in LaFayette. Tributes are continuing to flood in for Longford's wonderful, beautiful and courageous Laura Gilmore Anderson after almost three year of a brave battle with cancer came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday. The much loved and admired daughter of Brendan and Ann Gilmore slipped away peacefully surrounded by her family shortly after 11am. In a poignant twist, Laura's tragic passing came just two days after her 36th birthday and ahead of a potentially life-saving trip to Mexico where she had been hoping to undergo treatment. Laura, who lived in Scotland with her husband, Paul, was diagnosed with a rare and incurable neuroendocrine tumour (NET) in her pancreas in July 2020. Her plight was made all the more heartbreaking amid fears her condition went undiagnosed for three years despite countless visits to her GP and having spent months off work owing to crippling pain. At the beginning of last month, the former Sligo IT graduate was told she had just weeks to live. Laura received the heartbreaking news just days after enjoying a once in a lifetime trip to Disneyland Paris. Longford's GAA community bids farewell to 'heart and soul' of Mostrim club Anyone who ever graced the halls of Pearse Park on days of county games will be familiar with Philomena (Phil) Donoghue. Mrs D, as she was affectionately known, coordinated the hospitality of the county's GAA HQ. Speaking at the time, she revealed how doctors effectively informed her to go home and spend her final days with her family after all preventative treatments used to stop the spread of neuroendocrine tumours which have ravaged her body over the last three years had failed. Fighting back tears, Laura, said: If only love and kindness could cure me, I would be cured right now. I am too young to die, I am only 35 and I dont want to give up. In July 2021, Laura, thanks to sustained fundraising on both sides of the Irish Sea, flew out to Mexicos Hope for Cancer clinic, a facility recognised as a world leader in holistic oncology. When doctors delivered the devastating news at the beginning of March that her condition had deteriorated, a GoFundMe page aptly dubbed Help Laura Heal her NET cancer raised in excess of 400,000 as part of a concerted bid to allow the Longford woman return to Mexico. At the beginning of last month Laura, together with Paul travelled to Germany for treatment to her liver and had been recuperating at home ever since. However, in a heart-rending tribute posted online by her husband Paul on Saturday, he told of how his soul mate, best friend and pillar of strength had passed away. Im heartbroken to say that Laura passed peacefully in her home at 11:11 this morning, surrounded by her family, he wrote. We are all so proud of her strength and determination in her battle these last few years. Laura has shown us all what an amazing, strong, wonderful, beautiful and courageous woman she was, especially in the past week, not giving up the fight until her final breath. Longford GAA, of whom Lauras father, Brendan, was a former chairman, likewise took to Twitter as news of Lauras passing filtered through. Longford GAA are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Gilmore Anderson today. We extend our deepest sympathies to her husband Paul, her parents Brendan and Anne, and the extended Gilmore and Anderson families at this sad time. US president Joe Biden was shielded by umbrellas as he touched down at Dublin Airport ahead of his three-day stay in the Republic of Ireland. Air Force One landed at the Irish capitals airport on Wednesday afternoon in heavy rain and cold winds. Mr Biden, accompanied by his son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens, was greeted on the tarmac and shook hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar alongside other Irish dignitaries. Real pleasure to welcome @POTUS to Dublin today. Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth pic.twitter.com/GlBRoq3aeX Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 12, 2023 The US president had been due to travel to Co Louth by helicopter, but the poor weather conditions forced him to go via motorcade. Mr Varadkar also greeted Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they alighted Air Force One. Umbrellas were held for Mr Biden as he greeted each Irish dignitary in turn, including ambassadors Geraldine Byrne Nason and Claire Cronin. Mr Biden spent only four minutes on the tarmac before being escorted to the US presidential state car. Before leaving the airport, the president met embassy staff and their children and thanked them for their service, as well as describing the Taoiseach as a good man, adding: I dont want to hurt his reputation politically, but, in addition to us being allies, were also friends. One child asked Mr Biden what the key to success was, to which he replied: The key to success is, whenever you disagree with someone, its OK to question their judgment on whether theyre right or wrong, but it is never OK to question their motive. If you question their motive, youll never agree, the president added. The president also praised firefighters, saying: Theres an expression: God made man, then he made a few firefighters, because who else is crazy enough to run into a fire? Mr Biden then joked: Everybody I grew up with either became a cop, a firefighter, or a priest. I couldnt qualify for any, so here I am. A child also asked him about his dog, Commander, to which he replied: My dog is doing well. Writing on Twitter after the meeting, Mr Varadkar said it was a real pleasure to greet Mr Biden, adding: Looking forward to a good discussion in Farmleigh tomorrow after his trip to County Louth. Crime By Chris Boyle Published: April 12 2023 Oscar Argueta was allegedly drunk and driving at excessive speeds when he T-boned another vehicle, killing passenger. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Hicksville man was arraigned today on aggravated vehicular homicide, drunk driving, and other charges for a June 2022 high-speed crash in Hempstead that killed a 48-year-old man and seriously injured his wife. Oscar Argueta, 36, was arraigned before Judge Robert McDonald on charges of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony); Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony); Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a D felony); two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony); Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree (an A misdemeanor); two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol (an unclassified misdemeanor); and Reckless Driving (an unclassified misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded not guilty, and bail was continued as release to pre-trial services. He is due back in court on May 16, 2023. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years in prison. This defendant was allegedly drunk when he speeded down Greenwich Street and careened into David Popoola and his wifes car as it crossed the intersection, said DA Donnelly. The force of the crash sent the couples vehicle hurtling into a utility pole and killed David Popoola. His wife survived the crash with serious injuries. Our thoughts are with Mr. Popoolas wife and family as we prosecute this case. DA Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on June 26, 2022, at approximately 1:40 a.m., the defendant was traveling northwest on Greenwich Street in Hempstead in a Dodge Durango while allegedly intoxicated and driving at a high rate of speed when he T-boned a Mercedes Benz G300 crossing the intersection on Curtis Avenue. The victims vehicle struck a curb causing the car to flip into a utility pole. Forty-eight-year-old David Popoola and his wife were trapped inside of the vehicle after the collision. Popoola was pronounced deceased at the scene. His wife was taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital with serious physical injuries and underwent emergency surgery on her wrist. The defendant remained at the scene and was arrested by members of the Hempstead Police Department. Senior Assistant District Attorney Alexander DePalo of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case. The defendant is represented by Dennis Lemke, Esq. Local News, Business & Finance, Religion By Long Island Published: April 12 2023 The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County is exhibiting "300 Years of Jewish Business," highlighting the historical success of Jewish businesses on Long Island, featuring over 100 artifacts and photographs from more than ... The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County is currently showcasing an exhibit titled "300 Years of Jewish Business," featuring the generational success of Jewish businesses on Long Island. Over 100 artifacts and photographs from more than 60 Long Island businesses are on display, highlighting the historical significance of Jewish business on Long Island. Brad Kolodny, the president of the Jewish Historical Society of Long Island, explained that the exhibit aims to shed light on the overlooked Jewish history on Long Island, as many Jewish people moved to Long Island from crowded areas in the Lower East Side to seek better living conditions and job opportunities. The exhibit showcases a variety of artifacts, including an ice pick, tongs, and saw from the first ice manufacturer in Amityville in the 1890s, a 13-foot sign from the old Lang's Shoe Store from 1937, and a menu from a restaurant in St. James where a few cents could get you a full meal. The exhibit also highlights the story of a bootlegger from Glen Cove, who owned a liquor store and started manufacturing and selling alcohol illegally after prohibition was passed. The exhibit provides visitors with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how Jewish people have thrived on Long Island before, during, and after the Holocaust. Dana Arschin, a spokesperson for the museum, stated that visitors can explore the horrors and history of the Holocaust and then end on an uplifting note by learning about the success of Jewish people on Long Island. According to the latest edition of the Mining Statistical Bulletin (BEM) crafted by the Minem's Mining Promotion Directorate, Peru's copper production amounted to 192,334 fine metric tons (FMT) last February, up 11.6% from the same month in 2022, when it totaled 172,335 FMT. This was due to an increase in copper output by Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde (+3.9%), Southern Peru Copper Corporation (+2.3%), and Minera Chinalco Peru (+15.8%). Likewise, this amount, in addition to the recorded production in January, brought the accumulated output to 390,955 FMT in February 2023, posting an increase of 5.2% compared to the first two-month period in 2022 (371,590 FMT). At the regional level, Arequipa remained in first place contributing 19.2% of the country's copper production; while Ancash was ranked second, accounting for 16.7%, followed by Moquegua in third position (15.6%). The Minem highlights these figures, as they cement Peru's position as the world's second-largest copper producer, followed by China, the United States, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which generate benefits to the national economy since this metal is Peru's main export product. In the month-on-month analysis, there were increases between January and February in the production of zinc (11%), silver (8.6%) and iron (0.2%); in the case of the latter, production grew 44.6% in the first two months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. (END) NDP/MDV/RMB In February 2023, metal-mining production of copper and iron saw significant increases compared to the same month last year, thus cementing Peru's position as the second largest copper producer in the world, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) reported on Tuesday.Publicado: 11/4/2023 OPPOSITION to the appointment of lawyer Edgardo Carlo Vistan as chancellor of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City continued to mount as senior faculty and professors of the state-run school circulated an open letter questioning his qualifications to occupy the post. At least 41 professors emeriti, as well as incumbent and former officials of the UP system signed the position paper. We are disheartened at the outcome and the manner by which the Board of Regents (BOR) decided on the chancellorship of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) in utter disregard of the overwhelming sentiments and choice of the UP community, the letter stated. The note came a week after Vistan, an assistant professor who joined UP Diliman in 2015 and had served two years as dean of the College of Law, was appointed to the top academic and administrative position in UP Diliman by the 11-man BOR in an executive session and through alleged secret balloting. Vistans closest rival was Dr. Fidel Nemenzo who, as chancellor from 2020-202ti led UP Diliman through the pandemic and was perceived as the frontrunner, having gotten the endorsements of colleges and members of the community. On April 1, four regents, including the student, faculty, and staff representatives, publicly declared their support for Nemenzo. ADVERTISEMENT The signatories also compared the academic and administrative qualifications of the three nominees, which included Dr. Victor Paz of the School of Archaeology, and opined that the BOR chose the most junior candidate with the least experience, preparation, and credentials to lead a community of accomplished academics and researchers across 27 colleges and disciplines. This selection simply defies logic and goes against the standards of academic meritocracywhich we judge ourselves byas well as elementary standards of good governance, and basic principles of organizational management, their letter read. The signatories also noted the emerging pattern of choosing UPs leadership: The fact that the three most senior academic officials of our Universitythe Chancellor, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and your good selfdo not hold PhDs will not go unnoticed in the international community, especially in this age of ever-rising academic standards. This is not to say that you cannot be up to doing your jobs; but it will be a challenge to dispel the impression that academic achievements come secondary to other factors in UP, the letter added. Given the questions raised by the election, the signatories urged UP president Angelo Jimenez to release the full report of the search committee, which he formed on 26 January, and to reveal his vote as well as to convince the other regents to do the same in the spirit of transparency and democratic governance. The signatories reminded Jimenez, who was appointed UP president on February 10, that he was entrusted to stand by, if not promote, the interests of constituent universities as well as defend the integrity and autonomy of the University against vested interests, undue external pressure, and outside influence. The BOR elects the chancellors and deans of the 17 constituent universities of the UP System. Besides Jimenez and the sectoral regents who are selected by their respective constituencies, the other regents: the Commission on Higher Education chair who is concurrently the BOR chair; the heads of the Senate and House and Representative education committees; and, three members appointed by Malacanang. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Sergio Tarache Parra, sujeto acusado de quemar viva a su expareja, Katherine Gomez, fue detenido en Colombia. Estaba incluido en el Programa de Recompensas y se ofrecio S/ 50 000 por informacion que permita su captura. En unas horas sera traido al Peru para ser juzgado. pic.twitter.com/KlWQQHc2yT China nixes SCS ruling anew, says pandering to cause tensions Top Philippine and American officials are ironing out a road map of US security assistance to the country covering the next five to 10 years. Meanwhile, China expressed Wednesday through its foreign ministry its serious concern and disapproval of the joint statement released by the Philippines and the United States on the 2016 Arbitral Award, Beijing maintained its indisputable sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea. In Washington for talks, Defense chief Carlito Galvez and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo received assurances from their American counterparts, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, of the delivery of priority defense platforms that include drones, radar, military transport aircraft, and coastal and air defense systems. FOR MUTUAL INTERESTS. Philippine National Defense Department Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participate in the US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Plenary Session on Promoting Regional Security at the State Department in Washington, DC on April 11. AFP At todays meeting, we redoubled our commitment to modernizing the Philippine-US alliance, recognizing that our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order. This means ensuring the conduct of high-level and high-impact, high-value joint exercises, training, and other related activities, Manolo said. We especially welcome the United States pledge to fast-track and to ramp up support for the modernization of our defense, civilian law enforcement, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities, especially in the maritime domain, as well as the implementation of EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) projects and investments in and around EDCA-agreed locations, he added. ADVERTISEMENT The United States on Tuesday promised to defend the Philippines in the dispute-rife South China Sea as the allies launched their largest-ever joint exercises in the face of Beijings growing assertiveness in the region. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said last night: Pandering to countries outside the region will not result in greater security. It will simply cause tensions, put regional peace and stability at risk, and eventually backfire. The so-called South China Sea arbitral award is against international law. It is illegal, null, and void, and China does not recognize it. We are ready to properly manage maritime disputes if there are negotiations, but we will firmly uphold our sovereignty and maritime rights, Wang added. As to the US military sites in the Philippines, Wang said: Ive stated our position. Action speaks louder than words. The location of the new sites speaks fully of their intention. The Asia-Pacific is the common home of countries in the region. Our regions peace and stability hinges on trust, solidarity, and cooperation and requires that we, as members of this region, take our security firmly in our own hands. Austin said it was too early to discuss what specific assets the US would put in the new EDCA locations and military sites. Based on reports, US security experts said that the Philippines is a potential location for rockets, missiles, and artillery systems to counter any external forces in the Philippines territorial waters. In a related development, the country expressed its confidence in its alliance with the United States despite reports of leaks of highly classified intelligence information from the Pentagon, showing that the US could be spying on its allies, including the Philippines. In a joint press conference on the PH-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Blinken, Austin, Manalo, and Galvez were asked to comment on the series of documents, purportedly containing classified information about the Ukraine war, Russia, and allies of the United States, that were apparently leaked online. Some of the documents first appeared on the social media platform Discord as early as January, but US intelligence officials reportedly only knew about the existence of the documents this April. BALIKATAN DRILLS. Philippine Army and US Army Pacific soldiers hold a platoon live-fire exercise at Range 5, Camp Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Capas, Tarlac, while Army landing craft (below) carrying Marine vehicles are guided by a Navy Beach Party Team at Casiguran, Aurora in Combined Joint Logistics over-the-shore operations at Balikatan 2023. PA, USMC Photos However, Manalo expressed confidence in the Philippines alliance with the United States despite allegations that Washington could be spying on its key allies, such as South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Unlike his predecessor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has sought to strengthen ties with the United States. Marcos assured China, however, that the new EDCA sites in the country would not be used in aggressive and offensive actions, but to improve the nations defenses and disaster response. Nearly 18,000 troops are taking part in the annual exercises dubbed Balikatan, or shoulder to shoulder in Filipino, which for the first time will include a live-fire drill in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely. In a press briefing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said that President Marcos had been invited to witness the military exercises. He said he was not sure if the President would accept the invitation but said he showed great interest in the live-fire drill. The drills follow Mondays conclusion of a three-day Chinese military exercise that simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. In rare joint talks in Washington with their Philippine counterparts, Blinken and Austin discussed a deal reached last week for US forces to use a growing number of bases in the Philippines, including one near Taiwan. Blinken said the United States affirmed its unwavering commitment to standing with the Philippines against any intimidation or coercion, including in the South China Sea. The Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1951 after the Philippines independence from Washington, applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, our aircraft or public vessels, including our Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea, Austin told a joint news conference. The United States and the Philippines plan new exercises in the South China Sea later in the year that will include other countries, Austin said. He said the United States is allocating more than $100 million to the bases in the current fiscal year and that the United States would provide new military equipment to the Philippines including drones and air defenses. Asked if the Philippines worried about Chinas reaction, Galvez said, We dont expect any violent reaction considering that this exercise is intended for our collective defense. News of the expanded base access had prompted China to accuse the United States of endangering regional peace and stability. Countries in this part of the world must uphold strategic independence and firmly resist the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, Chinas ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, said last week. This years Balikatan will be joined by 12,200 US troops and 5,400 Filipino soldiers. Four major events are set: the command post exercise, the cyber-defense exercise, the field training exercise, and the humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) exercise. Balikatan 2023 spokesperson Col. Michael Logico said this will be the first time that the Philippines and the US would engage in live-fire exercises at sea. He also said that fishermen who are affected by the exercises would receive assistance. Also on Wednesday, the AFP said military bases under the EDCA may be used by Manila and Washington for emergency situations aside from disaster relief. Aguilar said it is the Philippines that will dictate how the bases are used, but added that during emergency situations, they will be available for combined use of US and Filipino forces. These properties will remain under our possession, our own properties, facilities, and everything that will be brought inside these facilities will be coordinated and cleared with the AFP, he said. The official noted that the Philippines stands to benefit from the implementation of this agreement, as these facilities will one day be turned over to the countrys military. The US government has so far poured $82 million into the five existing EDCA sites. The US Defense Department earlier said it would expand funding for infrastructure investments on this. Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito said the Philippines and its allies must expand existing defense cooperation programs to counter Chinese encroachment in the West Philippine Sea. He said the Philippines ongoing joint military exercises with the United States, as well as recent talks on the formation of a new defense pact with Japan, are crucial steps in achieving regional stability amid Chinas growing military aggression. Japan, Australia, and the United States, as well as countries that have territorial claims in the South China Sea, have to band together so that we can put up a respectable force against Chinas aggression, the senator said. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Opinion polls underscore the pro-Le Pen dynamics underway in French politicsbut need to be interpreted with care, experts say By Adam Plowright As violent protests sweep crisis-hit France, the prospect of far-right leader Marine Le Pen coming to power is being taken more seriously than everto her evident delight. At least Ive succeeded in winning over my political opponents, she told AFP with a smile during an interview last week. They seem to spend their lives telling everyone that I will be the next president. Now its up to me to convince a majority of the country. ADVERTISEMENT President Emmanuel Macrons proposal to raise the minimum retirement age to 64 has triggered the biggest demonstrations in a generation and a fierce backlash against the government and politicians in general. Le Pen has condemned the change but has kept a low profile since January, seeking to project an image of sobriety compared with the governments raucous and outraged opponents on the hard-left. While MPs from the France Unbowed party have repeatedly broken parliamentary rules and backed protesters during the violent clashes, Le Pens National Rally lawmakers have appeared disciplined in comparison. The leader of Macrons party in parliament, Aurore Berge, complained last month that all Le Pens MPs needed to do was stay quiet and they look respectable. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Thursday accused LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon of making the election of Madame Le Pen possible. While researching a new politics book entitled We will have tried everything, author and pollster Chloe Morin noted that almost all French politicians she spoke to said they feared Le Pen coming to power. Macrons nightmare? The prospect of the far-right leader succeeding Macron at the next election in 2027 is said by allies to keep the 45-year-old president awake at night. He will be ineligible to run in 2027 after completing two terms. Its the issue that haunts Emmanuel, a senior lawmaker who knows the president well told AFP recently on condition of anonymity. He doesnt talk about it, but he thinks about it. Macron positioned himself as a bulwark against populism and far-right nationalism when he first ran for office in 2017, promising voters he would address the anti-elite anger that has fed support for the political extremes in France for decades. Seeking a second term in April last year, the former investment banker used the same arguments again, but he defeated Le Pen by a much smaller margin of 58.5 percent to 41.45 percent, while abstentionism hit its highest level since 1969. Le Pen welcomes the idea of disturbing Macrons dreams. Im sorry if I feature like this in his nightmares, she told AFP with a laugh. Hes right to be worried. The way he is ruling will enable political forces with the exact opposite approach to his to gain power. France governed against its wishes The twice-divorced former lawyer has run for president three times since taking over her fathers National Front party in 2011. Although always positioned as anti-immigration, tough on Islam and euroskeptic, she has moderated her message over the years and looked to banish overtly racist party figures from the public eye. In last years elections, she focused on the rising cost of livingand was rewarded with her highest ever score in the presidential election and a 10-fold increase in MPs in the National Assembly. Macrons decision to ram the pensions reform through parliament without a vote on March 16 a lawful but contested movehas also given Le Pen the chance to revive other parts of her long-standing pitch to voters. She has proposed a referendum to settle the pension reform argument and, if elected, promises to organise other votes on issues ranging from immigration to electoral law. France is not an ungovernable country. Its a country that has been governed against its wishes, Le Pen said in the interview. Big winner? Opinion polls underscore the pro-Le Pen dynamics underway in French politicsbut need to be interpreted with care, experts say. She is currently slightly more popular than Macron, but the margin is small. Thirty percent of respondents had a positive view of the president, according to a poll this week from Odoxa, while 32 percent viewed Le Pen favorably. She also lags behind Macrons first prime minister, Edouard Philippe, a conservative from northern France who is the countrys most popular politician and is likely to run for president in 2027. Other polls show that if Macron were to dissolve the hung parliament, Le Pens party would be the biggest winner. Some experts warn against jumping to conclusions about her prospects, however, given that she still unsettles many people and is perceived as weak on the economy as well as inconsistent on foreign policy. Everyone has lost (over the pensions reform), except for Marine Le Pen, concluded Stephane Zumsteeg, head of polling in France for the Ipsos group. Shes continuing her work to improve her respectability, to institutionalize her party, to make it a constructive opposition. Shes working on her policies, he told AFP. But we dont have a tangible sign at this point that she is the big winner from whats happening. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Snacks company Mondelez Philippines recently received the highest honor during convenience store giant 7-Elevens Suppliers Night as Supplier Partner of the Year. Mondelez Philippines is the maker of beloved snack products like Tang, Eden Cheese, Cheez Whiz, Toblerone, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Oreo, among others. The award is a testament to the close collaboration between the two companies, together aimed at ensuring the availability and accessibility of Filipinos favorite snacks products in stores. Mondelez Philippines is also celebrating 60 years of snack making in the country, making this honor from 7-Eleven another milestone int their journey to empower people to snack right; with the right snack, for the right moment, and made the right way. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. ONEKAMA Amigos Mexican Restaurant is taking over a space formerly occupied by local favorite M-22 Grill in Onekama. A grand opening has not been announced by owner Jose Aguilar, who is aiming to start offering plates of authentic Mexican cuisine by the last week of April. The best way to describe our food is that its real authentic Mexican food, just like they cook and prepare it in Mexico very flavorful, very delicious and unique, Aguilar stated in an email to the News Advocate. There is nothing like it around. Amigos Mexican Restaurant began as Taqueria Guanajuato in 2019 when it operated out of a food trailer in Bear Lake. We decided to change our name from Taqueria Guanajuato to Amigos Mexican Restaurant because we thought that our customers had a hard time pronouncing Taqueria Guanajuato so we decided to use Amigos Mexican Restaurant, which we thought was a lot easier to pronounce and to remember, Aguilar said. Aguilar and his wife bought their first home in Bear Lake in 2012, after some time spent migrating back and forth between Florida and Michigan every six months. They launched Taqueria Guanajuato in the Bear Lake area because there was nothing like it around, he said. The restaurant faced some challenges getting established early on, however. We started selling out of our food trailer back in 2019 for about two weeks, then we shut down because we had to go back to work in our regular jobs at Smeltzer Orchards, he said. Then we tried again in 2020, right before COVID hit. We stayed open from June to September, then we had to shut down again to go back to work again. Aguilar decided to shut the restaurant down temporarily and return to work once again, but spurred on by positive responses from customers in Bear Lake and beyond, he hoped one day to open a brick and mortar restaurant in the area. ... After we shut down, we are still being contacted by many customers asking when we are going to open again. he said. That made us go out looking to buy or lease a restaurant or a place where we can convert it into a restaurant so that our customers can enjoy our real authentic Mexican food, and dine in and eat the food warm instead of waiting for a long time to get their food and eating cold. Now, Aguilar says the opportunity of opening a restaurant is moving fast and is soon to be a dream come true. The opportunity of opening a restaurant showed up in Onekama after M-22 Grill unfortunately closed their doors and the restaurant became available. We were looking in Bear Lake but never found a place Aguilar said. ... We love the people in Bear Lake and their great support, but Onekama had the opportunity to open a restaurant now we are getting great support from Onekama and Bear Lake together. With a bigger kitchen, Aguilar says he will be able to serve more varieties of Mexican food for Amigos customers. All of our food is very delicious, but if there is something I would recommend it is the huarache and the empanadas, he said. Aguilar reports that the restaurant is coming together for a spring opening. All we have left to do is to figure out an exact date to open our doors, set up our (point-of-sale) systems, install all signs, train our employees and try out all of our cooking equipment, he said. Amigos Mexican Restaurant is expected to hire up to six employees to start, with the possibility of more as needed. Currently, the restaurant is hiring servers, dishwashers for two shifts and cooks for the morning shift. We will train cooks to prepare (the) Mexican breakfast menu, but we will also be serving classic American breakfast from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then switching from Mexican lunch and dinner from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Sunday to Saturday, Aguilar said. Anyone who is interested in employment can set up an interview by emailing contact@amigos-mexicanrestaurant.com. Aguilar says he is looking forward to serving customers in Onekama and hopes those in Bear Lake will make the trek out to the new location at 5159 Main St. I want to thank our neighbors in Onekama for all the support we are getting, he said. I also want to let them know that as business owners we will help and support the community of Onekama with anything that we can, as well as the community of Bear Lake for being so supportive of us. For more information visit amigos-mexicanrestaurant.com. BOSTON Jim Montgomery said Linus Ullmarks departure in the third period was precautionary and that he expected the Bruins No. 1 goalie to be ready at the start of the playoffs next week. Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark appeared to hurt himself sprawling across the crease and left Tuesdays win over the Washington Capitals midway through the third period putting a dark cloud over the end of the historic regular season. Jeremy Swayman replaced him for the final 9:39. Caesars Massachusetts $1,500 BET ON CAESARS CLAIM OFFER Code: MASSLIVE1BET MA only. 21+. New users and first wager only. Must register with eligible promo code. Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if wager is settled as a loss. Maximum additional Bonus Bet of $1,500. Bonus Bet must be used within 14 days of receipt. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. Know When To Stop Before You Start. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. Ullmark had 19 saves before leaving. With every tangible accomplishment already clinched, the Bruins biggest goal this week was to get out of the regular season healthy. Ullmark has been the NHLs best goalie and is a near-lock to win the Vezina Trophy. Because there was nothing to play for, getting him out at any sign of issue made sense. Brandon Bussi, who has had an excellent season in Providence, would be the third goalie if the Bruins need one. The principal of La Familia Dual Language School in Worcester will become the principal at Chandler Magnet School next school year after the two merge, Superintendent Rachel Monarrez announced at a community meeting Tuesday. Suzanna Resendes, the current principal at La Familia, will move to the new school along with Assistant Principal Carmen Garcia. The current assistant principal at Chandler Magnet will also remain at the school in the same role. The DDC-Cusco Office stated that, according to a report issued by the National Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu, 11,826 visitors arrived at the Inca citadel during the four holidays. Moreover, it reported that 2,938 visitors flocked to this wonder of the world on April 6; while 3,274 visitors were recorded on April 7. Meanwhile, on April 8, the llaqta attracted 3,150 visitors, both domestic and foreign, whereas 2,464 individuals explored the Inca Sanctuary and Cultural Heritage of Humanity on April 9. "These figures show the increase in the number of visitors to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu," the head of said cultural entity, Maritza Rosa Candia, said on Wednesday, noting that the site can receive up to 4,044 visitors a day. She also underscored that no incidents were reported in Machu Picchu during the long break, thanks to the work carried out by guards and conservators at the Inca city, who assisted visitors in a timely manner. "We are satisfied with the adequate service provided to visitors, and we continue working to protect and preserve Machu Picchu, which is a world heritage site and the pride of Peruvians," Maritza Rosa Candia expressed. (END) NDP/MAO/RMB About 12,000 tourists visited the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, located in Cusco's Urubamba province, during the long Holy Week break, the Decentralized Culture Directorate (DDC) in Cusco has reported.Published: 4/12/2023 Actor Mark Wahlberg paid a visit back to his home roots. On Tuesday, the actor posted a video to his Instagram account making a surprise visit at a Stop & Shop on Newport Avenue in Quincy the same grocery store where Wahlberg said he worked in 1998 for $3.65 an hour. Right here, this this is where the whole hustle all started, he said outside the store. He then told the camera he was going to try and get his old job back before heading inside. Wahlberg walked up to the end of one of the check out aisle and grabbed a brown paper bag and began working. Hi, Im bagging groceries. Im getting my job back, he told a customer in the video. He even asked customers if they wanted their items double bagged or not. He then can be seen reuniting with Stop & Shop employees and taking photos with fans. The Quincy Stop & Shop also sells Wahlburgers at Home which are products from Wahlbergs burger restaurant and bar chain, Wahlburgers. People should have their Wahlburgers when and where they want, Wahlberg said in a separate video at the store. When Sister of St. Joseph Jane Morrissey moved in Springfield from the Gray House into an apartment, she brought with her numerous boxes of accumulated, unsorted paper. She began submitting some of the writing found in the boxes to her writing group. The groups responses introduced me to Jane in the Box. With them I was reliving my life, and they were helping me to love my writing, she said. Those writings have become Finding Jane in the Boxa Memoir, published earlier this year. In it, Morrissey recounts her family and parish life, religious vocation, learning and teaching, a bout with cancer and her time spent in other places (especially Latin America) that put her in direct touch with my poorest neighbors experience prior to immigration. She wrote the memoir to honor those who have shaped her and cared for her; to express her faith, hope and gratitude; and to preserve and share her story of the love she has received from birth. Morrissey, 81, grew up in Westfield, one of seven children. Educated by Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Marys Grammar and High schools, she majored in English at the College of Our Lady of the Elms. After graduating in 1962, she worked for one year with the Equitable Life Assurance Society in New York City. In 1963 she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph. As a sister, she began teaching English in 1964 at the Elms College extension at Mont Marie in Holyoke. She later taught at Cathedral High School in Springfield and with a doctorate completed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst at Elms from 1976 to 1991. A former director of her orders Office of Justice and Peace at Mont Marie, she served as pastoral visitor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield; in 1999 she was elected president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield and served a six-year term. In 2006, she and Sister of St. Joseph Maureen Broughan founded Homework House in the Flats of Holyoke where she worked in various capacities until retiring in 2018. Her civic involvement oftenflowed out of her life at the Gray House, which she and five other women founded in the North End of Springfield. Whatever accomplishments I may claim, they are grounded in the blessing of an abiding commitment to justice, peace and nonviolence that frames my life and conscience, said the sister who was named an Ambassador of Peace by Pax Christi USA. Since she entered religious life, Morrissey has seen numerous changes in the Catholic Church; many pertain to religious life. She once wore a black habit and was called Sister Anna Richard, but she returned to her baptismal name after Vatican II and resumed wearing the clothing of a lay woman. Sisters have more freedom now, she said. Morrissey decided to enter the Sisters of St. Joseph just as Vatican II was opening in Rome. Pope John XXIIIs opening the windows of my Church to our world expanded my understanding of what our world is, she said. Over the past 50-plus years Karl Barths instruction that we walk through life with the Sacred Scriptures in one hand and the newspaper in the other became advice that changed my ways of living. The Vatican Council led her where she otherwise might not have dreamed of going: It had me thinking of and praying for those who are poor. During her years at the Elms and her year in New York, Dorothy Day became her hero. (Day helped establish the Catholic Worker Movement and is a candidate for sainthood.) The election of Pope Francis and his inclusive way of going to the margins continue to call Morrissey to all that is yet to be achieved by living the Beatitudes and doing the Works of Mercy. His vision and call to be a Synodal Church highlight the Vatican II definition of Church as the People of God and create a Church structure and voice to lead us in that direction, she said. Like everyone, Morrissey has had ups and downs in life. I have struggled to understand and accept what I believe to be Gods will for me and to do so in the context of community life. I have overcome these by understanding that God holds His secrets in a box/the key to which is paradox, she said. Ive learned to consider what I perceive as contradiction to be an invitation to listen deeply and over time before making decisions in life-altering matters. Faith continues to play and enormous part in her life, she said. Since childhood, my prayer life has unearthed the Gospels mustard seed that guides my decisions and shapes my actions. I am still trying, moment by moment, to find the life of the living God among us as I have come to know the One whose footsteps I have tried to follow day to day as long as I can remember. And what gives her joy? Her religious communitys mission and charism Love of God and neighbor without distinction. As I try to live my life truly and fully, I watch younger generations of my family born and growing. I see with hope new forms emerge of belonging and being free and faithful in our community of St. Joseph envisioned in 1650 by the six women who first made vows in Le Puy, France, she said. I also still delight in a bowl of good popcorn. To learn more about Sister Jane Morrissey, her memoir can be purchased at The Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., South Hadley, or through Lulu.com. My family, community and neighbors, their encouragement and later the help of Editor Pam Robbins and Publishing Liaison Annie Emanuelli make this memoir what it is. It is, like most of my life, a community production. The softcover Finding Jane in the Boxa Memoir has 167 pages and sells for $15. All proceeds go to the Sisters of St Joseph. Seven people, who police said stole more than 470 car parts worth at least $2 million in Massachusetts and New Hampshire over the past two years, were arrested on Wednesday morning Massachusetts State Police said. The department stated officials executed arrest and search warrants in connection with catalytic converter theft and took the seven people into custody on the morning of April 12. Officials have federally charged the individuals, police said. A MassLive reporter in the Holyoke area at 7 a.m. witnessed at least eight law enforcement officials in the 300 block area of Main Street, and state police confirmed a house in that area had been hit on Wednesday morning during the operation. An official standing outside a law enforcement van on the 300 block of Main Street in Holyoke on Wednesday morning. Photo by Irene Rotondo The charges stem from their suspected involvement with a catalytic converter-stealing criminal network, police said. The investigative operation was named Cut and Run, and the department called it a lengthy investigation that began with state police and eventually included a total of 78 other law enforcement agencies. The department stated investigators were currently executing multiple search warrants as of Wednesday morning, and that more information would be released later on Wednesday during a press conference at the U.S. Attorneys Office in Boston. The seven Western Massachusetts men arrested on Wednesday morning who police said stole more than 470 catalytic converter car parts worth at least $2 million in Massachusetts and New Hampshire over the past two years have been identified by Massachusetts State Police. The department stated officials from the FBI and state police oversaw the investigative Operation Cut and Run, and officials executed arrest and search warrants across the western part of the state on April 12. More than 70 local police departments were involved along with state troopers and federal agents, with a total of 78 law enforcement agencies included overall, the department stated. A press conference at the U.S. Attorneys Office in Boston was held at 11 a.m. on the operation on Wednesday, and the men have been federally charged for their involvement in the criminal network, police said. A car seized on Wednesday morning by Massachusetts State Police, believed to be affiliated with one of the department's targets. Photo by Massachusetts State Police A maroon Acura car, owned by 35-year-old Rafael Davila, also known as Robin Hood, of Agawam, was linked by officials to a large number of catalytic converter thefts throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, resulting in the search and arrest takedown on Wednesday morning, according to United States Attorneys Office. The catalytic converter thefts involved at least two people wearing dark clothing who would target both residential and commercial vehicles, the U.S. attorneys office said. The office called the individuals skilled, and stated they could locate and cut away the catalytic converter from a vehicle within a minute in most instances. Catalytic converters are made of precious metals including palladium, platinum and rhodium, the police department explained, and are located in the undercarriage of a vehicle. The office added the thieves would jack up the targeted cars, quickly cut out the catalytic converter to put in the back of Davilas Acura, then move on. The department believes Davila is the leader of the criminal network, planning and participating in each theft, and that he kept meticulous notes of all the robberies. Officials believe many of the thefts were never reported or identified, and that Davila and his network had targeted more than 10 vehicles in a single night multiple times. The U.S. attorneys office added there had once been 26 reports of the stolen converters in a single evening. It is alleged by officials that, on numerous occasions, the defendants targeted more than 10 vehicles in a single night, with one night reporting thefts from 26 vehicles. Davila spent upwards of eight hours a night multiple nights a week stealing catalytic converters, the department added, and regularly purchased multiple bi-metal saw blades and cut resistant gloves that are identical to those worn by the thieves in surveillance footage. Davilas brother, Nicolas Davila, 25, of Springfield, participated in the criminal theft network, police said. Others involved included Springfield men, Carlos Fonseca, also known as Charlito, 26, and Santo Feliberty, 34, along with Zachary Marshall, 26, of Holyoke. Officials stated surveillance footage, in addition to cell phone communications and location data, showed the Western Massachusetts men had been involved in stealing catalytic converters from at least 471 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 and 2023. Officials during Operation "Cut and Run" in Holyoke at 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Photo by Irene Rotondo Officials believe the stolen catalytic converters would then be sold to Springfield man, Jose Torres, 37, also known as Goldy and Goldy Tech, who would then sell the car parts to scrap dealers in the Northeast. The U.S. attorneys office stated many of the scrap dealers have since been federally charged for money laundering and for interstate transportation of stolen property. Torres is believed by officials to have transactions totaling between $30,000 and $80,000 per week to the dealers, the U.S. attorneys office said. He was extremely knowledgable on the parts pricing, the office said particularly, as to which were the most valuable in order to negotiate with buyers, and sold the stolen catalytic converters based off the make and model of the vehicle and by the code. Some of the metal used in the car parts is more valuable per ounce than gold, the U.S. attorneys office said, and the black-market prices can go over $1,000 for the car part. Catalytic converters converts toxic gases from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants before they are emitted from the car, the department said. A car from which a catalytic converter is stolen will be very loud and will emit poisonous gases, and will need to be repaired; often a costly fix, the department added. Officials believe Torres has sold thousands of stolen converters to scrap dealers across Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Davila is also believed by officials to have stolen from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts in December of 2022 on three occasions, with Feliberty and 37-year-old Alex Oyola, also known as Dirty, of Springfield. The men would use stolen trucks to rip the ATMs from the ground and get into the vaults, the office said. The office added the three had also stolen $137,000 worth of jewelry from two New Hampshire jewelry stores, and that each store had about $10,000 in damages from the robberies. The men arrested were charged with multiple federal crimes, including conspiracy to transport stolen property valued $5,000 in interstate commerce, to commit money laundering and to steal more than $1,000 from a federally insured bank. An official standing outside a law enforcement van on the 300 block of Main Street in Holyoke on Wednesday morning. Photo by Irene Rotondo Some were also charged with the interstate transportation of stolen property valued over $5,000 and theft of more than $1,00 from a federally insured bank. Police said the men were booked at State Police Barracks in Springfield, Westfield, Millbury, Sturbridge, Charlton, Weston and Boston, and may appear in federal court on Wednesday, police said. Massachusetts State Police added that they had recovered five guns and one bullet proof vest as of Wednesday morning, along with multiple vehicles and multiple catalytic converters they believe were stolen from Western Massachusetts towns earlier in the week. A MassLive reporter in the Holyoke area at 7 a.m. witnessed at least eight law enforcement officials in the 300 block area of Main Street, and state police confirmed officials had conducted a search and arrest warrant for Marshall in the area on Wednesday morning during the operation. Berkshire Flyer seasonal train service between Pittsfield and New York City will resume this May through September, with tickets now on sale after a successful pilot program last summer in which tickets typically sold out days before departures. The rail service runs on the weekends with the train leaving from New York Citys Penn Station on a Friday afternoon, where it transits through Albany-Rensselaer, before arriving in Pittsfield, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in a news release. A return trip occurs on Sunday afternoon, it added, thereby allowing connectivity back and forth for weekend getaways and other travel between the metropolis, the Berkshires and other stops in between. Read more: Greenfield calls for more passenger rail to Boston as Commission mulls how to get rail rolling For long weekends, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day, the return trip train from Pittsfield to New York City occurs on the Monday holiday, MassDOT said. The Amtrak train service is run in conjunction with MassDOT and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). We know convenient, accessible transportation is crucial for our residents and our economy and we are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Amtrak, [NYSDOT] and CSX to offer Berkshire Flyer service for all those visiting Western Massachusetts, said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Gina Fiandaca, in a statement. Fiandaca said the rail service allows travelers to have fun, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scenery that the Berkshires has to offer. MassDOT said the train route is building on its successful season from last year when most of the Pittsfield-bound trains sold out days before their departure. Based on that experience, passengers planning a trip are encouraged to purchase tickets early, MassDOT said. Train service starts on Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 26 and will extend through the summer and into early fall until Columbus Day weekend, MassDOT added. Trains leave from Penn Station in New York City at 3:16 p.m. on Fridays and arrive at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center at 1 Columbus Ave. in Pittsfield at 7:12 p.m., according to MassDOT. Other stops along the route include Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff and Hudson in New York state before reaching Albany all stops on the typical Amtrak Empire Service train on Fridays, according to MassDOT. The return trip from Pittsfield to New York City on Sundays will leave at 3 p.m. and arrive in Americas largest city at 7:10 p.m., with stops made at all of the previously mentioned stations, according to MassDOT. Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Richard Neal said in a statement that he has been a staunch supporter of this initiative for the start, adding that last years ridership numbers speak for themselves. The Berkshires have plenty to offer in the arts, culture, history, and hospitality, and the Berkshire Flyer provides accessible, convenient travel for those who wish to visit, creating a catalyst for regional economic growth and sustainability, Neal added. The effort to evaluate passenger rail service between the Berkshires and New York have been ongoing since 2018, MassDOT said. Many Berkshire County groups, municipal officials, and elected leaders worked to spearhead the pilot service, while Amtrak, MassDOT, and NYSDOT collaborated with CSX Transportation to prepare for pilot service last year, MassDOT said. The groups will continue to evaluate the trains service this year and further understand the feasibility and demand of the service before continuing service in future seasons, MassDOT noted. Passenger onboard the Berkshire Flyer can expect amenities such as free Wi-Fi, the ability to travel with small pets and one of the most generous baggage policies in the travel industry with the ability to take up to two personal items and two carry-on bags per person, according to MassDOT. Tickets are now on sale on Amtraks website, in addition to its app and at Amtrak desks and kiosks, or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. SPRINGFIELD After learning he had liver cancer, Glen Wiley of Granby kept waiting for a call. When it came, it saved his life. Thanks to an organ donor, Wiley received a new liver in 2015. I wouldnt be here today, said Wiley. If I didnt get a new liver, I probably would have only had a year or two left to live. This week, Wiley and others gathered in Springfield to mark Donate Life Month and to encourage people to become organ donors. Over 42,000 organ transplants were performed in the United States last year, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. In 2022, 1,345 lives were saved in New England due to organ donations, a 7.9% increase from 2021, according to Matt Boger of New England Donor Services. To help, people are encouraged to register with the state Registry of Motor Vehicles as organ donors when getting or renewing a drivers license, Real ID, or ID. These procedures are lifesaving for many, including Wiley, a volunteer for New England Donor Services. That group is the federally designated group that coordinates with nonprofit organizations involved with the surgical recovery of organs and tissues for transplant in Massachusetts and all of the New England states. In his work with the group, Wiley is often in touch with family members of organ donors. They tell him that amid the grief of losing a loved one, these families treasure the knowledge that their last act was to save other peoples lives. Thats one of the things that I think epitomizes the reasons to sign up to be an organ donor, Wiley said. Robert W. Canfield Jr., who also volunteers with New England Donor Services, said organ donation has helped him honor the life of his late wife, Suellen Canfield. She died in 2001 of a brain aneurysm, which Canfield said was a shocking experience. Suellen Canfields corneas, kidneys, pancreas, liver and heart valve were all donated. Before her death, a family members corneas were donated an act that inspired them to donate their own organs after death. Both Sue and I were just very, very thrilled that we could help somebody that way, Canfield, who lives in Hudson, told The Republican. We had discussed organ donation and knew thats what we wanted to do. So when the time came, it wasnt a tough decision. I knew (this) what she (wouldve) wanted to do. She loved helping people, he added. The last thing she did in this life was to help other people by donating those organs. Canfield said that in his work with families, he notices that people who receive an organ often struggle with how to express their thanks. Because, he said, of the enormity of the gift of life. Dr. Kenneth J. McPartland of Baystate Medical Center attended the gathering Monday in Springfield. He oversees about 50 kidney transplants a year and is proud to be a part of a donor system that saves lives. I think a lot of times were just so focused that were concentrating on doing the procedure and how we can do it better, he said. It certainly gives us the motivation to keep doing what were doing and even find ways to offer transplantation to more people. I think there are many people who would benefit from a transplant but dont actually have that opportunity, unfortunately, he said. Need is paramount McPartland says the country needs more donors. What we know is theres definitely a lot more people waiting for organs, and there are organs available for sure, McPartland said, referring to the supply of organs for transplant. Thats not just a problem in Western Massachusetts, but definitely in the whole country. There are more than 107,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, according to Donate Life America. Wed be happier doing 60 (procedures) a year and certainly more than that, if possible, he said. For more information, visit http://donatelifenewengland.org/. A man reported to police Tuesday that he found the body of an infant outside an apartment building in Revere, Massachusetts Police said. Police responded around 6:23 p.m. Tuesday to the apartment building located at 86 Dolphin Ave., which is located in Reveres Beachmont neighborhood. WCVB reported he found the remains near the trash, which was located at the front of the building. I see the arm the hand and the fingers and then I called 911, Isaias Anibal told the news outlet, estimating the baby was just a few days old. Witnesses told WCVB police were also looking in the basement unit, which had ben empty for months. Police said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will take custody of the possible remains to conduct further forensic examination. Police did not release any further information Tuesday night. The investigation is still ongoing, police said. When Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, a veteran, talked publicly about his experience with PTSD, he said he was worried he would be out of politics but the risk was worth it. I thought it might end my career, Moulton said on ABC. I thought I could be out of politics the next day when I told my story about dealing with post-traumatic stress [disorder]. And 10 years ago, Moulton said that might be true. But things are changing. Instead, he told ABC, people began coming up to him and sharing their own difficulties with mental health. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman recently checked into a hospital for his depression. He has since opened up about his experience. I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works, Fetterman said in a statement, CNN reported. ABC News talked with Moulton, Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York about their journeys with mental health. I think that the fact that the four of us are here is a sign of progress, Torres said. But the fact that only four of us are here is a sign that we have a distance to travel. Out of 535 members of congress, Torres added, there are likely more who have dealt with their own mental health struggles. Moulton who briefly ran in 2019 as a Democratic nominee in the 2020 presidential race was diagnosed with PTSD after serving in the military during the Iraq War. It took me awhile to come to terms with the fact that I even had it, Moulton shared with ABC. He said hed wake up in cold sweats and had terrible dreams but he was able to hold a job, which some returning home from the war werent able to do. In 2009, he got treatment. He first shared his story in 2019. I just want people to know theyre not alone, he told Politico. It was the first time, Politico reported, that a presidential candidate from a major party revealed they had received mental health treatment. Click here to watch the interview. Most who attended Mel Kings funeral service on Tuesday had a story about the time they spent with Bostons historical icon. Mel King, who died at 94 last month, was a lifelong activist dedicated to fighting for affordable housing and educational equality. As Kings flower-covered casket was carried into the Union United Methodist Church, hundreds of people stood up from their pews in respect for the man who spent his life bringing people together. Micheal King, the son of Mel King, was the first of his family to speak on the life and legacy of his father. Micheal recalled sharing stories of his father with his loved ones days after Mel died. Despite the solemn occasion, Micheal said the experience of hearing stories about his father was inspiring and that he felt energized by Mels work. A lot of people think of [Mel King] as a father, Micheal said standing next to his family. We shared our father with the city. So I think moving forward that we still build on that aspect of family. We might come from different places and spaces, but we are all the same family now. As someone who was famous for saying Love is the question and the answer, King loved all people from different backgrounds. The first time I heard about gay and lesbian rights was during a pride march that he and I attended, said Xaivier Ringer, Mels granddaughter. The compassion in his voice guided my understanding of how important our right to love and share in the world is a shared right and LGBTQ love should be honored and included. A large applause emerged from the crowd. Nancy King, Kings daughter, shared a poem she wrote about the love she had for a man so prolific. When there is a rainbow in the sky, I know its you watching from the kingdom on the other side, Nancy said fighting back tears as her son held her. Mel King, the gentle giant, stands tall. You are the greatest love of all. LMerchie Frazier, a visual artist and member of Bostons reparations task force, joined the family in their time of grief. Frazier reminded the crowd that not only was King an activist, but he was an artist as well, specifically a poet. In his own way in expressing, he told me many times how he loved the artist, Frazier said. And as he used his capacity, to bridge the gaps between the spaces of love and hate with art. As he respected it, he told me once as a universal force to bridge communities that otherwise could not be connected. After his loved ones spoke, several public officials shared their remarks about King. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who first met King when she moved to the city several years ago, spoke of his constant dedication toward equality and equity. In Mels eyes, the young people deserved schools where the color of your skin didnt affect the quality of your opportunity, Wu said. In Mels eyes, neighborhoods were holy places where the mind, heart and the land met and in Mels eyes the entire city of Boston was his neighborhood. After Wu, Gov. Maura Healey touched on Kings ability to heal Bostons racial tension during the 1980s through his message of love and kindness. Here in Boston, hell be remembered through the community that supported and shaped, Healey said. Before she even uttered a word into the microphone, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) was met with heavy applause from the crowd. Melvin Herbert King has transitioned, Pressley said. He is an ancestor now, but the truth of the matter is that Mel King has always been a man that transcended. He transcended walls, geography, space. He emerged Earth-side cloaked into the infinity of purpose. Joining the long line of people who came to pay their respects to King, was some of his former students from the South End Technology Center. Mel is a leader and a role model for the community, Clinton Osula, one of Kings former students, said. Because of his sacrifices, young people like me have better opportunities in life. Mel believed in me and kids like me when the rest of the world didnt. The final person to share their thoughts was former state Rep. Byron Rushing, who encapsulated Kings legacy in a few short lines. We remember Mel, we need to understand that Mel was not ahead of his time. Mel was on time, Rushing said. He was always on time when most of the leadership was behind the times. The crowd then burst into applause, all for one man they called King. Massachusetts State Police continued their search for a missing Ware man Tuesday using a sonar device to search a reservoir. Jeffrey Allard, 57, has been missing since Sunday, Jan. 22. He had been admitted for psychiatric evaluation at Marlborough Hospital. But a day later, he was discharged. Police told Allards family they found a duffel bag with the mans discharge papers in the woods near Marlborough Hospital the day he went missing. [The police] told us he was Section 12, so he should not have been allowed to leave [Marlborough Hospital], Allards daughter Larissa Ostiguy said. She also stated Marlborough Hospital had not informed the family that her dad had been discharged until the afternoon of Jan. 22, when he had already left hours earlier around 10 a.m. Read more: Hospital discharge papers for missing Ware man Jeffrey Allard found in duffel bag On Tuesday, more than 11 weeks after he went missing, Massachusetts State Police said they used a side scan sonar to search the Sudbury Reservoir. The device uses sound waves to map the bottom of a body of water and can detect any large objects or anomalies. If something is detected, divers go down to further investigate, police said. But police said the search did not find Allards body or any evidence connected to him. State Police said previously conducted an underwater search in the Sudbury Reservoir in Southborough on Sunday, Jan. 29. According to Google Maps, the Sudbury Reservoir is three miles from Marlborough Hospital. Read more: Mitchel Iviquel has been missing for 3 years but police have no leads Allard is described as a white man, 6-feet, 1-inch tall, and 170 pounds. According to state police, Allard wears glasses, has short brown curly hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing blue jeans, black shoes and a dark hooded jacket with a Coca-Cola logo on the right side. Anyone who may have seen Allard or has any information about him is asked to call 911 or the Marlborough Police Department at 508-485-1212. " " The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the world's largest hornet. Native to parts of Asia and Russia, it was found in the Pacific Northwest in late 2019, although so far it's not known to have become established there. Wikimedia Commons ( CC By-SA 4.0 Most insects won't hurt you it's a fact. And yet, it's worthwhile to fear some bugs, especially if they're the size of your entire thumb, have a quarter-inch-long (6-millimeter) stinger and a sting that is commonly said to be like being pierced with a red-hot needle. Also, as a general rule, maintain distance from anything popularly known as the "murder hornet." The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the biggest hornet in the world, and with its sinister-looking goggle eyes and black and orange tiger stripes, it's pretty easy to identify as one of the bugs to leave alone. Only the queens grow to be truly gigantic more than 2 inches (50 millimeters) in length, while her workers are a little smaller at around an inch and a half (40 millimeters), but their tendency to gang up on the object of their ire can be deadly, no matter their size. Their venom is extravagantly toxic in Japan, between 30 and 50 people die each year from receiving multiple stings and some years, when their populations are particularly high, their numbers can cause full-on public health crises, as they did in the Shaanxi province of China in 2013, when the hornets killed 42 people and injured 1,600 in just a few months. Advertisement Native to the forests of East Asia and Japan, these hornets generally dine on tree sap, honeybee colonies and the honey therein. A normal hornet attack on a honeybee hive can involve up to 50 hornets, but just one Asian giant hornet attacking a honeybee colony can kill up to 40 bees per minute, shearing their heads from their bodies with its mandibles and tossing their thoraxes to the ground, which will later be collected and carried back to the nest to feed the colony. Not convinced? How scary can a little hornet be? Check out the video below of an Asian giant hornet massacring a mouse. And be forewarned, it isn't for the faint of heart. With honeybee colonies in the United States facing extreme pressures due to colony collapse disorder (CCD), it would be really bad if the Asian giant hornet were to find its way to the U.S. You see where this is going, of course. In December 2019, Asian giant hornets were discovered in the U.S. for the first time in Washington state, possibly having traveled down from Canada, where a hive was found and destroyed in 2019. Experts in the state are frantically searching for hives in order to destroy them. So, if you live in the United States and see an Asian giant hornet, call your local Department of Agriculture. Now That's Interesting Honeybees that evolved alongside the Asian giant hornet have an ingenuous technique for killing the invaders: They surround the enemy and cook them alive in a 115-degree F (46 degree C) ball of bees! Massachusetts State Police determined Wednesday that the human remains discovered outside a Revere apartment building Tuesday night are of an infant. The infant was at or close to full-term and was likely white or light-skinned, state police said in a statement. A post-mortem examination was conducted by the Office of the Medical Examiner to determine the cause and manner of death. These results are pending based on whats released from the investigation jointly led by state police and Revere police. Police responded around 6:23 p.m. Tuesday to the apartment building located at 86 Dolphin Ave., which is located in Reveres Beachmont neighborhood, MassLive previously reported. I see the arm the hand and the fingers and then I called 911, Isaias Anibal said to WCVB, who saw the remains in the trash by the building. Read more: Police search reservoir for missing Ware man Jeffrey Allard Anyone with information is asked to call the State Police Detective Unit for Suffolk County at 617-727-8817. State police said the investigation is ongoing. Teddy, a 3-year-old goldendoodle, is recovering through the MSPCAs Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston after he escaped from his former home through a fence and he was hit by a car. Teddy is now on a long road to recovery before he will be ready and able to be adopted into new home having been surrendered to the MSPCA following his injuries, MSPCA-Angell said in a news release Wednesday. Teddy was brought to the veterinary hospital on Saturday, March 25, where veterinarians confirmed Teddys right leg was fractured in addition to a deep wound on his front left leg, according to the MSPCA-Angell, noting these are injuries that could take months to heal. Teddys case is complex, said Mike Keiley, the MSPCA-Angell director of adoption centers and programs, in a statement. When we discussed it with [his owners] and detailed Teddys expected recovery process, they decided it would be best to surrender, so we could rehome him. Keiley said the MSPCA understands and respects the owners decision to surrender him and that the group is hopeful it can give Teddy the care he needs so that he can find a new family in the final stages of his recovery. Currently, Teddys leg is in a splint, but according to Dr. Wendy Huang a shelter veterinarian at the MSPCAs Boston Adoption Center she said in a statement that its not yet clear if it will heal properly. Its possible that the leg may need to be amputated, but its too early to tell at this point, Huang added. Huang said staff at the MSPCA are changing his bandages and splint weekly and continuing to reassess, noting that the MSPCA will take more x-rays in a few weeks to determine the best course of action. The MSPCA-Angell said despite what has happened, that the ordeal has not dampened Teddys spirit. Teddys moving around well with the splint, and hes incredibly sweet, Huang said. When he spends time with us in the [Adoption Center] office, hes well behaved and friendly. Huang said he will make a wonderful pet once hes ready to find his new home. Until then, MSPCA shelter veterinarians will continue to treat Teddy for the next several weeks, the MSPCA-Angell said. The MSPCA will also provided updates to its social media once Teddy is ready to receive adoption applications. The costs of Teddys care could extend beyond $10,000 depending on how his recovery goes, the group added. The MSPCA has set up a dedicated webpage for Teddy on its website for those interested in donating toward the cost of his care. Gov. Maura Healeys been in office for almost 100 days, and already Massachusetts voters have opinions on her job performance so far. A new University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB poll shows that 57% of those who responded to the poll approve of her job so far, while 24% disapprove of her job performance. Read more: JetBlue adds Florida flights to Orlando and Fort Myers from Worcester Provost professor of political science at UMass Amherst Tatishe Nteta said in a statement that the poll suggests Healey is still enjoying a honeymoon period, with close to seven in 10 residents believing that Healey has met (61%) or exceeded (8%) expectations. Like her predecessor, Charlie Baker, Healey is emerging as a singularly popular figure in the commonwealth as majorities of men, women, working class, middle class, upper class, middle age, older residents, whites and people of color all positively view the job that she has done, Nteta continued. Before he left office, Baker enjoyed high approval from registered Massachusetts voters. A Morning Consult poll from Oct. 11, 2022, showed 74% of those surveyed approved of his job performance, ranking Baker as the most-popular governor in the United States at the time. Read more: La gobernadora Maura Healey crea el Consejo de Empoderamiento Latino Broken down to demographics, Healey sees 75% approval among Democrats and 62% among women, her highest marks. Just under 50% of respondents ages 18-29 approve of Healey, while 60% of respondents who earn between $40,000 and $100,000 approve. Healey sees 37% approval from independents but sees 56% approval from moderates. She also sees slightly higher approval from people of color, at 58%, compared with white respondents, at 56%. Holdouts toward Healeys job performance were listed as conservatives, Republicans and Trump voters. Polling data shows about 23% of respondents who voted for former President Donald Trump or identified as conservative approve of Healeys job performance, while 29% of Republicans approve. But Nteta warned that while things look overwhelmingly rosy for Healey now, theres work to be done that could impact her approval. With a likely showdown with the state Legislature over her budget proposals, ongoing critiques concerning her administrations lack of transparency, and the likely attacks of Healey by state Republicans, the somewhat rosy assessment of Healeys first 100 days are bound to take a hit, Nteta said in the statement. The poll was conducted between March 28 and April 5, and spoke with 700 respondents. Juul Labs will pay out $41 million to Massachusetts to settle a multi-state lawsuit that accused the vaping company of contributing to a youth vaping epidemic that fueled the rise of underage nicotine use across the country, several attorneys general announced Wednesday afternoon. The $462 million settlement with six states and the District of Columbia places restrictions on marketing and prohibitions on sponsorships and free giveaways in Massachusetts. It is the largest multistate settlement with the company that puts in place the most stringent restrictions, the New York Attorney Generals Office said. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said Juul Labs marketing campaigns targeted young people and got them addicted to nicotine at an early age. The Bay States top lawyers, under then-Attorney General Maura Healey, were the first in the country to announce an investigation into the company in 2018. Our investigation unveiled new pieces of Juuls marketing plan, including how they intentionally chose models and images that appeal to young people, advertised products on websites geared towards kids, and even shipped e-cigarettes to underage youth who ordered online directly from the company, Campbell said at a virtual press conference. Juul Labs targeting of young people, Campbell said, rolled back decades of progress in combatting underage tobacco and nicotine use and led to a nationwide public health crisis for young people all across the country. Vaping is dangerous, Campbell said. Its even toxic. It harms your lungs, your heart, your brain, and your development. Juul knew all of this and still intentionally sold their products to young people. In Massachusetts, the settlement will also put in place unannounced compliance checks and create a robust document depository so the world can see the documents that we uncovered through that investigation, Campbell said. Campbell said the $41 million heading to Massachusetts was based on the percentage of young people that live in the state who are identified as being addicted to nicotine products. That runs close to 10%, Campbell said, which is a little bit more than if you were just looking at population. Resources will be used for enforcement purposes to address, of course, youth nicotine addiction, but we are also in the process of still meeting with stakeholders to develop a robust, comprehensive plan because we know the advocates want to be a part of the discussions in terms of how we utilize those resources, and we have some time to figure that out, Campbell said. Juul Labs said the settlement represents another critical part in our ongoing commitment to resolve issues from the companys past. The settlement, like others in the past, provides financial resources to combat underage use and develop cessation programs and reflect our current business practices, Juul said. With this settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future, the company said. We have now settled with 47 states and territories, providing over $1 billion to participating states. This is in addition to our global resolution of the U.S. private litigation that covers more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs. New York received the most money in the settlement, raking in $112 million to support underage vaping abatement programs. The company will also be required to place its products behind secure retail counters in the state and verify the age of consumers that directly sell or promote its products online. The agreement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said, places the most stringent restrictions on the companys marketing sales and distribution practices in order to protect minors from underage vaping. The company targeted youth by glamorizing vaping with colorful ads featuring young models and flashy parties in New York City and the Hamptons, all while downplaying the harmful effects of vaping, James said. Taking a page out of big tobaccos playbook, Juul misled consumers about the health risks of their products, James said. The e-cigarette company falsely led consumers to believe that its vapes were safer than cigarettes and contained less nicotine. However, just one pod of Juul contains as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. In their statement, Juul said the company is positioned to dedicate even greater focus to maximize the value and impact of its technology and scientific foundation. Our technology already has transitioned over two million adult smokers from combustible cigarettes, the company said. And our priorities remain to secure authorization of our [premarket tobacco product applications] based on the science and lead the category with innovation to accelerate our mission and advance tobacco harm reduction for over 31 million adult smokers in the U.S. and over 1 billion adult smokers worldwide. Over 3,000 Worcester educators, drivers and school staff are planning a district-wide standout Thursday after working without a contract since Sep. 1. The members of Educational Association of Worcester will be standing out in front of the schools where they work a half an hour before their scheduled start times on April 13, according to a EAW President Melissa Verdier. For well over a year, we have been negotiating in good faith with the school committee and Mayor (Joseph) Petty to reach an agreement that will recruit, retain, and prioritize our educators and Worcester Public School students, EAW president Melissa Verdier said in a statement. The union is organizing, Verdier said, because while settling a fair contract is an urgent matter for Worcester educators and students, the union is not feeling the same urgency from the school committee. We continue to engage in respectful and productive contract negotiations with the Educational Association of Worcester, Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel Monarrez said in a statement. We share the desire to reach an agreement soon on behalf of our scholars and the educators who serve them. In a phone call with MassLive Wednesday, Verdier said the unions main priority is negotiating a contract that will recruit and retain educators. She said there are unresolved issues around living wages, competitive compensation and safe and healthy working environments. Read more: Former Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda looking to run for school committee The union has also started a letter writing campaign, encouraging people to send letters to the mayor, superintendent, school committee members and other city officials calling for a fair contract for educators. Teachers earn on average $10,000 to $13,000 less per year than comparable districts, including in districts right next door, the letter reads. This has created a retention and recruitment crisis as Worcester struggles to attract and retain highly qualified educators to our district and adequately staff the schools. According to the letter, the city is only contributing the minimum required amount of municipal funding to education, while neighboring districts are funding their school districts well above the state minimum. Educators have been leaving Worcester to work in the districts that are offering more competitive salaries, according to Verdier. Over 16,200 people have sent the letter to city officials as of Wednesday morning, according to the Action Network website. The union has had 13 negotiation sessions this year, the latest of which was in March, according to Verdier. The school committee gave the union a counteroffer at that meeting, which it then countered by email, Verdier said, but the next negotiation session has not been scheduled. When asked about the possibility of striking, Verdier said the union will continue to take action to draw attention to its contract crisis and ask for public support in their fight for stronger Worcester Public Schools. The union is choosing to stand out on Thursday because the School Committee has a meeting scheduled for Thursday night. They have another rally planned for April 27 at City Hall, which is also a day the school committee is scheduled to meet. Members are frustrated about the lack of a contract, Verdier said, and the action the union is taking is to make their voices heard and show unity. Our members have had enough and will continue to escalate our organizing until educators and the District reach a fair contract, she said. Previously the union has held stand outs at designated schools in the city, but hasnt had a district-wide standout this school year. Worcester educators still went to work, but before and after the school day on Jan. 10, 12, 17 and 24, educators lined the streets outside of designated schools with signs. The last three-year contract the union had expired in 2020. The union signed on to a two-year contract that year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, that was purely financial and kept all the same language as the previous contract, according to Verdier. Union members at Thursdays standout will war black to mourn educators loss of morale, hold signs, chant and raise awareness with parents and the community concerning current conditions of negotiations, according to a press statement on the standout. Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy will be participating in the stand out, the union statement said. Worcester residents had an opportunity at three community meetings this week to air their concerns over the citys cable agreement with Charter Spectrum, which is set to expire later this year. Worcesters current franchise agreement with Spectrum was negotiated in 2013 and will expire in October, although it is likely the city will get a license extension in order to negotiate the terms of the next agreement. Spectrum supplies both cable TV and the citys PEG, or public, education and government, access channels. Think about how much things have changed, technology wise and community wise, in the last 10 years, said Sue Buske, president of cable communications consulting company Buske Group, at the meeting Wednesday. So you can pretty much assume that its time to hit the reboot button on that franchise agreement. As part of the franchise renewal, the city is required to go through a three-year process to determine if Spectrum has met the requirements of the current agreement and whether it wants to continue with the cable operator for another decade. This weeks meetings, held Tuesday and Wednesday, were part of that process. What Worcester thinks about Spectrum One of the main grievances residents voiced in Wednesdays meeting was the cost of Spectrum cable. However, Buske explained the city has no control over the rates, which are regulated by the federal government. In a survey conducted by a market research company on behalf of the city in January, 73% of survey respondents who dont subscribe to Spectrum cable attributed the decision to the high cost. After the results of the survey were released, Charter Spectrum said the increasing costs of its cable packages were due to programmers raising their fees. Charter Spectrum reported 32,196 subscribers in Worcester to the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable, out of an estimated 78,780 homes that are passed by the companys cable network. Read more: Charter Spectrum says cable cost increases are due to programmers raising fees Spectrum currently pays 5% of its gross annual cable revenues to the city as a franchise fee, the highest currently allowed by law. This fee can only be used for PEG access support and other cable-related purposes. Residents also said their experiences with Spectrum have been generally negative, with complaints ranging from spending hours on hold to speak with a customer service representative to finding it virtually impossible to change their cable package to a cheaper one. Some said programs such as discounted service for families dealing with online school during the pandemic and the Federal Communications Commissions Affordable Connectivity program, which offers low-cost service for low-income households, were difficult to find or sign up for. Everything that Ive heard, theres not one compliment thats gone to Spectrum, said Stephen Quist, a member of the citys Cable Television Advisory Committee since 2018. Not once has someone come in and said, Hey, theyre the greatest. Its been affordability, its been access, its been customer service. Focus group attendees, which included workers at the citys PEG channels, also complained about those channels, saying they did not have enough resources to do what they and their viewers want. We need to triple our staff to meet the needs for event coverage, said Mauro DePasquale, executive director of WCCA-TV. DePasquale and others said they wished they could expand the reach of Worcesters PEG channels, which are only available within the city and frequently only for those with a cable box. Buske said many community television organizations have rebranded themselves as community media centers in recent years, as their services expand to include online programming and educational programs. She said those organizations typically organize their PEG channels into one group, but Worcester does not. Thats where Ive seen the highest level of efficiency in using existing resources, Buske said, adding that it gets very tricky to move from a situation like you have here, where you have three entities, to some restructured environment in which you would have everybody collaborating under one roof. Buske Group will compile the results of the needs assessment, including information from the focus groups, into a report with recommendations for the city, which is expected in June. Spectrum also supplies internet in Worcester, and was the only company to do so in the city until December, when Verizon announced it would expand its Fios internet service to the city. The Worcester School Committee has been asked to consider boycotting Old Sturbridge Village at its meeting Thursday, a move that could cost the museum at least $20,000 a year in field trip fees. The school district has already decided it wont plan any more field trips to the museum next school year, according to Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel Monarrez, who cited the many issues raised in recent months regarding Worcester Cultural Academy, which include conflict of interest concerns. Apex Group Ltd. announced the planned acquisition of various operating businesses of MJ Hudson Plc, a provider of services to the asset management industry, specialising in private markets and alternative investments. Apex Group intends to acquire MJ Hudsons business divisions which offer a wide range of services including ESG solutions, Management Company services, Quantitative Solutions, Investment Advisory, Custodian Bank Benchmarking, Channel Islands Fiduciary and Fund Administration, as well as Investor Relations and Marketing Solutions. MJ Hudsons ManCo services in Ireland and Luxembourg will add approximately 80bn of assets under management (AuM) to Apex Groups existing European ManCo offering, delivered via subsidiary brand FundRock, in Luxembourg, the UK and Guernsey. MJ Hudsons experienced Irish ManCo team will join Apex Group in Dublin, supporting consistency of exceptional service levels for existing and future clients. MJ Hudsons Data & Analytics business including ESG amongst other services will complement Apex Groups existing ESG Ratings & Advisory offering, which was launched in 2019 and is used by over 400 GPs & LPs and 2,000+ portfolio companies in more than 50 countries. MJ Hudsons Channel Islands Fiduciary and Fund Administration businesses, as well as its Investor Relations and Marketing Solutions business units will extend Apex Groups global financial services offering. These businesses will further enhance Apex Groups strategically important presence in the Channel Islands, where the Group currently employs over 550 local experts. The clients of these divisions will now benefit from the efficiency of Apex Groups single-source solution, including additional services such as digital banking, depositary and custody solutions, delivered across the full value chain of their business. As a global service partner, Apex Group offers solutions globally via 12,000 employees in 38 countries and underpinned by market leading technology. This is the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions for Apex Group, including successful integrations of Sanne Group and Maitland, which continue to expand the Groups geographic footprint and deepen the service offering and technology platforms available to clients. Peter Hughes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Apex Group comments: We are pleased to announce the acquisition of these businesses which will deepen our footprint in Europe, particularly with regard to ManCo and Fund Administration solutions, and will add complementary advisory services, including in the fast-growing ESG space. With the addition of MJ Hudsons ManCo business, we will consolidate our position as one of the largest super ManCo providers in both the Luxembourg and Irish markets, offering scalable, pan-European solutions to clients. We look forward to welcoming new clients and 250 colleagues to Apex Group which offers a secure and supportive home for their future growth and success. Geoff Miller, Chairman of MJ Hudson further adds: With significant global reach and leading technology, Apex Group offers the right platform for our teams to continue supporting asset managers with the right resources, advice and technology to meet their evolving outsourced service requirements. We are excited by the opportunities this transaction offers for both MJ Hudson employees and our clients, and look forward to beginning a new chapter as part of Apex Group. Transaction close is subject to customary conditions, including shareholder and regulatory approvals. Rothschild & Co acted as financial advisor to Apex Group, with Kirkland & Ellis International LLP providing legal counsel. MJ Hudson was advised by Alvarez & Marsal. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires " " Nothing like a lovely lobster dinner with a glass of white wine! But the lobster has some unusual habits. Photography by Bobi/Moment/Thinkstock Lobsters are pretty strange animals. For starters they have no vocal chords, possess two stomachs, and have been known to eat each other. But you don't think about all that when a big red one lands on your dinner plate. There's nothing like extracting large pieces of lobster meat from the shell, swirling them in warm drawn butter, adding a squeeze of lemon, and savoring each sweet, delicious bite. Advertisement While lobster is usually considered a gourmet entree, right up there with filet mignon, that wasn't always the case. Lobsters were once so plentiful in New England that they could easily be caught right at the shore and were eaten mainly by poor people and prisoners. Let's look at this and nine other strange facts about lobsters. (For the purposes of this article, we're mostly focusing on the American or Maine lobster). Read on to find out how familiarity bred contempt. Sabina Mammadli The Armenian provocation of April 11 was preplanned, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said. The official made the remarks during a joint press conference with his North Macedonian counterpart, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Buyar Osmani, who is currently on an official visit to Baku. Talking about the provocation, Bayramov called on Armenia to avoid such irresponsible and dangerous steps, as the consequences can be very serious as it was yesterday. Besides, the minister noted that Lachin residents are planning to return to the district in 2023. The mine threat and similar measures are aimed at preventing their return. If Armenia's provocations continue, our response will be very heavy for them. It was put forward by Azerbaijan that the peace process has no alternative, Bayramov reminded. The minister also pointed out that Armenia's attempts to interfere in the normalization process are unacceptable, noting that Azerbaijan has repeatedly called on the Armenian side to return to the negotiating table. "Negotiations will continue. The Azerbaijani side proposed to hold a meeting in Baku. However, Armenia's interference in the process of reintegration of the Armenian population into Azerbaijani society is unacceptable," the official added. The official emphasized that face-to-face meetings have not been held since December as a result of Armenia's destructive approach. In turn, the North Macedonian minister expressed his support for the initiatives, which promote dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, his goal at the moment is to strengthen and deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan to promote peace and security. "The OSCE reaffirms its desire to build trust between the member countries of the organization and should continue to work to build relations and establish an atmosphere of trust. I spoke with the minister about how exactly Baku can contribute to this process," Osmani said. Besides, he called for the continuation of direct contact between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to normalize relations between the countries. I received information about yesterday's incident as soon as I arrived. I conveyed my condolences in connection with the victims. Unfortunately, such incidents can lead to further escalation," Osmani commented. OSCE chair stresses importance of Azerbaijan's role in the organisation Talking about the bilateral ties, the Azerbaijani FM underlined that from the first days of joining the OSCE, Azerbaijan has been an active participant in it and remains committed to the principles of the organization. Furthermore, the official noted that the priorities of the OSCE coincide with the goals and priorities of Azerbaijan, including such as combating climate change, gender equality, etc. Similarly, Osmani stated that Azerbaijan plays an important role in the OSCE. Besides, during the conference, it was announced that the foreign ministries of Azerbaijan and North Macedonia plan to hold political consultations. Prior to the press conference, the two ministers held a tete-a-tete meeting and a meeting in an extended format. "The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia held a meeting in an expanded format and exchanged views on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the OSCE," the Azerbaijani foreign ministry tweeted. YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Russia says its troops and Border Guards in Armenia took measures to de-escalate the situation on April 11 near the village of Tegh where an Azerbaijani attack left four Armenian troops dead and six wounded. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the attack as an armed incident. An armed incident took place on April 11 in the line of contact near the village of Tegh, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing. The representatives of the Russian Armed Forces and the Border Guards of the Federal Security Service in the area immediately contacted those in charge in Armenia and Azerbaijan and took measures to de-escalate the tension. Zakharova stressed the importance of maintaining the trilateral agreements. What happened once again confirms the need for mutual restraint by Baku and Yerevan and unconditional adherence to the trilateral complex agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, she added. On April 11, Armenian troops carrying out engineering works near the village of Tegh close to the border with Azerbaijan came under heavy gunfire in an unprovoked attack. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded. (Las Vegas, Nevada, United States) As per DelveInsights assessment, globally, Metastatic Breast Cancer pipeline constitutes key companies continuously working towards developing Metastatic Breast Cancer treatment therapies, analysis of Clinical Trials, Therapies, Mechanism of Action, Route of Administration, and Developments analyzes DelveInsight. Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Insight, 2023 report by DelveInsight outlines comprehensive insights into the present clinical development scenario and growth prospects across the Metastatic Breast Cancer Market. https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/metastatic-breast-cancer-pipeline-insight?utm_source=Medgadget&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr The Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline report embraces in-depth commercial and clinical assessment of the pipeline products from the pre-clinical developmental phase to the marketed phase. The report also covers a detailed description of the drug, including the mechanism of action of the drug, clinical studies, NDA approvals (if any), and product development activities comprising the technology, collaborations, mergers acquisition, funding, designations, and other product-related details. Some of the key takeaways from the Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Report: Companies across the globe are diligently working toward developing novel Metastatic Breast Cancer treatment therapies with a considerable amount of success over the years. Metastatic Breast Cancer companies working in the treatment market are Menarini Group, Phoenix Molecular Designs, Dantari, Inc., AstraZeneca, Orion Pharma, Tyme, Inc. Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai Miracogen Inc., Syncore Biotechnology, Byondis, RemeGen , and others, are developing therapies for the Metastatic Breast Cancer treatment Emerging Metastatic Breast Cancer therapies such as MEN1611, PMD-026, DAN-222, AZD 8205, ODM-209, SM-88, KN026, MRG002, SB 05, Trastuzumab duocarmazine, Disitamab (RC48)Vedotin, and others are expected to have a significant impact on the Metastatic Breast Cancer market in the coming years. In September 2021, Seagen Inc. announced that the two companies have entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement to develop and commercialize disitamab vedotin, a novel HER2-targeted ADC On May 04, 2022, At the ESMO Breast Cancer Meeting, which will be held in Berlin, Germany from May 3-5, 2022, Rhizen Pharmaceuticals AG announced that it would present encouraging interim data from a Ph2 trial of Tenalisib that is currently being conducted in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. In patients with primary and secondary resistant mBC, tenalisib was well tolerated and showed good preliminary efficacy as a single drug. Results encourage future development of tenalisib in patients with HR+ and HER2- MBC. In April 2022, Data from the phase II clinical research of the chemo-free regimen of KN026 in combination with KN046 (KN026-203), according to an announcement from Alphamab Oncology, were presented as an E-poster at the AACR Annual Conference 2022. (AACR 2022). Twenty patients were evaluable for overall response as of August 10, 2021, with ORRs of 55.0%, DCRs of 85.0%, and 6-month PFS rates of 84.1% for those with HER2-positive solid tumours other than breast or gastric cancer. Of the 11 CRC patients who were evaluable, ORR and DCR were 45.5% and 90.9%, respectively. In April 2022, The I-SPY 2.2 TRIAL for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer in the neoadjuvant setting has chosen Ambrx Biopharma Inc.s antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) ARX788 as a new experimental treatment arm, according to Quantum Leap Healthcare CollaborativeTM (Quantum Leap) and Ambrx Biopharma Inc. The I-SPY 2.2 TRIAL, sponsored by Quantum Leap, is a follow-up to the I-SPY 2 TRIAL and aims to develop tailored treatments by customizing therapy for each patient to improve the clinical outcome In March 2022, Researchers from Georgetown University submitted the poster presentation SM-88, D/L-alpha-metyrosine, is a new anti-cancer drug in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which was made available by TYME Technologies, Inc. In 2022, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the abstract was presented there. In September 2021, TYME Technologies, Inc. announced that the first patient had been dosed in the Georgetown University-led Phase II OASIS trial (NCT04720664) being conducted at several MedStar Health hospitals in patients with metastatic HR+/HER2-breast cancer who had previously received a CDK4/6 inhibitor regimen. Georgetowns academic clinical partner is MedStar Health In February 2022, In their Phase 1b monotherapy clinical trial, Phoenix Molecular Designs (PhoenixMD) reported the end of patient enrollment and PMD-026 treatment. PhoenixMD has advanced PMD-026 into Phase 2 combo trials for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and hormone-positive breast cancer after the successful completion of patient enrolment in this Phase 1/1b trial Metastatic Breast Cancer Overview Metastatic Breast Cancer also called stage IV is breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body, most commonly thebones, lungs, brain, or liver. Get a Free Sample PDF Report to know more about Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Therapeutic Assessment- https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/metastatic-breast-cancer-pipeline-insight?utm_source=Medgadget&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Emerging Metastatic Breast Cancer Drugs Under Different Phases of Clinical Development Include: MEN1611: Menarini Group PMD-026: Phoenix Molecular Designs DAN-222: Dantari, Inc. Giredestrant: Roche AZD 8205: AstraZeneca Disitamab Vedotin: RemeGen ODM-209: Orion Pharma EndoTAG-1 (SB05): SynCore Biotechnology Stenoparib (2X-121): Allarity Therapeutics SM-88: Tyme, Inc KN026: Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd MRG002: Shanghai Miracogen Inc SB 05: Syncore Biotechnology Trastuzumab duocarmazine: Byondis Disitamab (RC48)Vedotin: RemeGen Route of Administration Metastatic Breast Cancer pipeline report provides the therapeutic assessment of the pipeline drugs by the Route of Administration. Products have been categorized under various ROAs, such as Oral Parenteral Intravenous Subcutaneous Topical. Molecule Type Molecule Type Products have been categorized under various Molecule types, such as Monoclonal Antibody Peptides Polymer Small molecule Gene therapy Product Type Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Therapeutics Assessment Metastatic Breast Cancer Assessment by Product Type Metastatic Breast Cancer By Stage and Product Type Metastatic Breast Cancer Assessment by Route of Administration Metastatic Breast Cancer By Stage and Route of Administration Metastatic Breast Cancer Assessment by Molecule Type Metastatic Breast Cancer by Stage and Molecule Type DelveInsights Metastatic Breast Cancer Report covers around products under different phases of clinical development like Late-stage products (Phase III) Mid-stage products (Phase II) Early-stage product (Phase I) Pre-clinical and Discovery stage candidates Discontinued & Inactive candidates Route of Administration Further Metastatic Breast Cancer product details are provided in the report. Download the Metastatic Breast Cancer pipeline report to learn more about the emerging Metastatic Breast Cancer therapies at: https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/metastatic-breast-cancer-pipeline-insight?utm_source=Medgadget&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Some of the key companies in the Metastatic Breast Cancer Therapeutics Market include: Key companies developing therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer are RemeGen, SynCore Biotechnology, Allarity Therapeutics, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Byondis B.V., Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shanghai Miracogen Inc., Ambrx, Inc., Daehwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Phoenix Molecular Designs, Menarini Group, Samus Therapeutics, Inc., Hanmi Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Jiangxi Qingfeng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Immutep Limited, Arvinas Inc., G1 Therapeutics, Mirati Therapeutics Inc., Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd, Pfizer, OncoTherapy Science, Inc., Eisai Inc., Dizal Pharmaceuticals, Tyme, Inc, Orion Pharma, HiberCell, Inc., Rhizen Pharmaceuticals SA, Hutchison Medipharma Limited, OncoPep Inc., Taizhou Hanzhong biomedical co. LTD, Kind Pharmaceuticals LLC, Dantari, Inc., Veru Inc., Taiho Oncology, Eli Lilly and Company, Sermonix Pharmaceuticals, Merus N.V., Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation, Kintara Therapeutics, Inc., Sichuan Baili Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Regor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tianjin Hemay Biotech, Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and others. Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Analysis: The Metastatic Breast Cancer pipeline report provides insights into The report provides detailed insights about companies that are developing therapies for the treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer with aggregate therapies developed by each company for the same. It accesses the Different therapeutic candidates segmented into early-stage, mid-stage, and late-stage of development for Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment. Metastatic Breast Cancer key companies are involved in targeted therapeutics development with respective active and inactive (dormant or discontinued) projects. Metastatic Breast Cancer Drugs under development based on the stage of development, route of administration, target receptor, monotherapy or combination therapy, a different mechanism of action, and molecular type. Detailed analysis of collaborations (company-company collaborations and company-academia collaborations), licensing agreement and financing details for future advancement of the Metastatic Breast Cancer market. The report is built using data and information traced from the researchers proprietary databases, company/university websites, clinical trial registries, conferences, SEC filings, investor presentations, and featured press releases from company/university websites and industry-specific third-party sources, etc. Download Sample PDF Report to know more about Metastatic Breast Cancer drugs and therapies- https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/metastatic-breast-cancer-pipeline-insight?utm_source=Medgadget&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Market Drivers Increasing prevalence of breast cancer, increasing investments in R&D, launch of several diagnostic and screening programs are some of the important factors that are fueling the Metastatic Breast Cancer Market. Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Market Barriers However, high cost associated with the treatment, several side effects associated with the use of breast cancer therapeutics and other factors are creating obstacles in the Metastatic Breast Cancer Market growth. Scope of Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Drug Insight Coverage: Global Key Metastatic Breast Cancer Companies: Menarini Group, Phoenix Molecular Designs, Dantari, Inc., AstraZeneca, Orion Pharma, Tyme, Inc. Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, Shanghai Miracogen Inc., Syncore Biotechnology, Byondis, RemeGen , and others Key Metastatic Breast Cancer Therapies : MEN1611, PMD-026, DAN-222, AZD 8205, ODM-209, SM-88, KN026, MRG002, SB 05, Trastuzumab duocarmazine, Disitamab (RC48)Vedotin, and others Metastatic Breast Cancer Therapeutic Assessment: Metastatic Breast Cancer current marketed and Metastatic Breast Cancer emerging therapies Metastatic Breast Cancer Market Dynamics: Metastatic Breast Cancer market drivers and Metastatic Breast Cancer market barriers Request for Sample PDF Report for Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Assessment and clinical trials- https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/metastatic-breast-cancer-pipeline-insight?utm_source=Medgadget&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Table of Contents 1 Metastatic Breast Cancer Report Introduction 2 Metastatic Breast Cancer Executive Summary 3 Metastatic Breast Cancer Overview 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer- Analytical Perspective In-depth Commercial Assessment 5 Metastatic Breast Cancer Pipeline Therapeutics 6 Metastatic Breast Cancer Late Stage Products (Phase II/III) 7 Metastatic Breast Cancer Mid Stage Products (Phase II) 8 Metastatic Breast Cancer Early Stage Products (Phase I) 9 Metastatic Breast Cancer Preclinical Stage Products 10 Metastatic Breast Cancer Therapeutics Assessment 11 Metastatic Breast Cancer Inactive Products 12 Company-University Collaborations (Licensing/Partnering) Analysis 13 Metastatic Breast Cancer Key Companies 14 Metastatic Breast Cancer Key Products 15 Metastatic Breast Cancer Unmet Needs 16 Metastatic Breast Cancer Market Drivers and Barriers 17 Metastatic Breast Cancer Future Perspectives and Conclusion 18 Metastatic Breast Cancer Analyst Views 19 Appendix 20 About DelveInsight *The Table of Contents (TOC) is not exhaustive; the final content may vary. 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Vascular Graft Devices Market Vascular Graft Devices Market By Product Type (Endovascular Grafts [Abdominal And Thoracic], Access Grafts, Peripheral Grafts, And Others), By Type (Knitted, Woven, And Others), By Material (Synthetic[ Polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE], Polyester, Polyurethane], Biological, And Others), By End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, And Others), by geography is expected to register commendable revenue growth at a steady CAGR forecast till 2027 owing to increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases such as aortic aneurysms and peripheral artery disease and growing patient for kidney dialysis. Vascular Stents Market Vascular Stents Market By Product Type (Coronary Stents, Peripheral Stents [Carotid Stents, Iliac Stents, Femoral Stents, Femoral Stents, Other], Evar Stent Grafts [Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Stents, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Stents]), By Type (Bare-Metal Stents, Drug-Eluting Stents), By Material (Metal And Polymer), By Mode Of Delivery (Balloon-Expandable Stents And Self Expandable Stents), By End-User (Hospitals And Ambulatory Surgical Centers), by geography, is expected to grow at a noteworthy CAGR forecast till 2027 owing to rising burden of vascular diseases across the globe and increasing preferences of minimally invasive surgeries among the patient population. Vein Illumination Devices Market DelveInsights Vein Illumination Devices Market Insight, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecast, 2027 report delivers an in-depth understanding of Vein Illumination Devices and the historical and forecasted Vein Illumination Devices market trends, globally, which comprises of North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. Bladder Scanners Market DelveInsights Bladder Scanners Market Insight, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecast, 2027 report delivers an in-depth understanding of Bladder Scanners and the historical and forecasted Bladder Scanners market trends, globally, which comprises of North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. 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It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. It also offers Healthcare Consulting Services, which benefits in market analysis to accelerate business growth and overcome challenges with a practical approach. Contact Us: Gaurav Bora gbora@delveinsight.com +1(919)321-6187 www.delveinsight.com/consulting Call for Submission. IPAS is recruiting a consultant or consulting cabinet to conduct a mid-term evaluation of one of its projects on sexual reproductive health supported by the Swedish government with objectives to reinforce health systems work funded by other donors, converging to increase womens and girls access to high-quality, non-judgmental safe abortion care services in Ipas-supported facilities. The scope focuses on activities around political support and leadership, policy, and community support for abortion access. Context Unsafe abortions are a serious public health issue around the world. Globally, unsafe abortions account for approximately 1 in 7 deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth. This problem is most acute in Africa, which bears the greatest burden in terms of maternal deaths compared to other regions of the globe. According to data published by Guttmacher Institute in 2018, the abortion rate for the Africa zone is apparent at 34 per 1000 women of reproductive age (15-44). In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2016 study on abortion in Kinshasa, revealed that the abortion rate was revealed at 56 terminations per 1,000 women aged 15-49. According to the survey on emergency obstetric and neonatal care conducted by the National Program for Reproductive Health, 14 women die per day because of unsafe abortion. The DRC therefore continues to be among the 6 countries in the world contributing to 50% of the global maternal mortality rate. In addition, access to safe abortion responds to the rights that every woman and girl have to dispose of their bodies, without discrimination (see Maputo protocol). As such, one of the strategies for effectively combating unsafe abortions is legal access to abortion care in safe conditions. In 2008, the DRC ratified the Maputo Protocol (African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa). In Article 14, the Protocol specifically addresses the right to safe abortion care and the need for governments to take administrative and regulatory steps to make abortion available. The Protocol allows for abortion in cases of rape, foetal anomaly, incest, and danger to the mother or babys health, including mental health. The evaluation shall be carried out from April to June 2023. The timing of any field visits, surveys and interviews needs to be settled by the evaluator in dialogue with the main stakeholders during the inception phase. The table below lists key deliverables for the midterm evaluation process. Deliverables Participants Deadlines 1. Start-up meeting in Kinshasa Embassy of Sweden, Ipas, Ministry of Health, Ministry of gender and Evaluators Tentative, April 2023 2. Draft inception report Evaluators Tentative, 30th April 2023 3. Comments from intended users to evaluators and inception meeting in Kinshasa Embassy of Sweden, Ipas, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Evaluators Tentative, 10th May 2023 4. Data collection, analysis, report writing and quality assurance Evaluators 10th May to 25th May 2023 5. Debriefing/validation workshop (meeting) Embassy of Sweden, Ipas, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Evaluators 30th May 2023 6. Draft evaluation report Evaluators 7th June 2023 7. Comments from intended users to evaluators Embassy of Sweden, Ipas, and Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender 14th June 2023 8. Final evaluation report Evaluators 25th June 2023 9. Final report dissemination Swedish Embassy, Ipas DRC 30th June 2023 The inception report should be written in English and cover evaluability issues and interpretations of evaluation questions, present the evaluation approach/methodology, methods for data collection and analysis as well as the full evaluation design, including an evaluation matrix and a stakeholder mapping/analysis. A clear distinction between the evaluation approach/methodology and methods for data collection shall be made. All limitations to the methodology and methods shall be made explicit and the consequences of these limitations discussed. The final report shall be written in English and be professionally proofread. It should have clear structure. The report should be as concise as possible elaborating on the main midterm evaluation questions. The inclusion of personal data in the report must always be based on a written consent. 2.8 Evaluation team qualification In addition to the qualifications already stated in the framework agreement for evaluation services, the evaluation team should include the following competencies: Knowledge and experience working with sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people including experience working with abortion and extensive/in-depth experience in conducting evaluations covering this area. Knowledge and experience working with gender equality and womens rights. Knowledge and experience with the use of mass and interpersonal communication for social change and as a tool for enhancing governance and social development. Experience with the DRC health landscape Fluency in French and English List of Documents to provide: 1. CV or CVs of members that compose the consulting cabinet. 2. Cover letter 3. Legal Documents of the cabinet or consultant 4. Tax number and others that apply. All these documents are to be sent by email to makokiyamwasi@ipas.org by 19 th April 2023 at 17 H00 Kinshasa local time. by Fern Siegel , April 10, 2023 Its better than getting the rabbi for Yom Kippur! Miriam ("Midge") Maisel is getting a mile-long takeover of 5th Avenue on April 14 to send off the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And its a brand-sponsorship bonanza. From 46th Street to 56th Street, the Emmy-winning Prime Video show will partner with Manischewitz, Rockefeller Center, Saks Fifth Avenue, the St. Regis New York and more to escort fans on a short sojourn to the 1960s. A pink carpet marks the route of the Maisel Tov campaign, a chance for fans to celebrate their devotion in classic Midge style. The public can walk down the mile-long pink carpet on Fifth Avenue, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., visiting various stops reminiscent of past seasons. A special map details the shows iconic Manhattan film locations, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, where Midge glories in the Revlon counter. Six windows at the famed department store will showcase key series' moments and outfits for two weeks, curated by Maisel costume designer Donna Zakowska. Vintage cars and taxis will even park along the street. advertisement advertisement Of course, where she finds her true voice is the Gaslight Cafe, which will be displayed on the northeast corner of 46th Street. A block north, on 47th, a moment from the Catskills resort is featured. On the southeast corner of 49th, travel with Midge and Susie to the Fontainebleau in Miami. Curated cocktail kits will be given out as fans enter the space. The Wolford dressing room also comes to life on 5th Avenue at the northwest corner of 51st Street. Consumers will be gifted lipstick in a custom Maisel lipstick case. The Marvelous Mile concludes with a final vignette exhibiting Midges accomplishments on the northwest corner of 54th Street. Other brands will also capitalize on the hit show's farewell via various products and experiences. Pantones collection of specially curated color palettes, Candiers custom Maisel candle, the TWA Hotels Sixties-style workout class, Betty Crocker's most popular recipes of the era and Tupperwares latest vintage line of 60s-inspired bowls are among the partnerships showcasing the show's period artistry. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is created, written and directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino. It stars Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Shalhoub, Alex Borstein, Marin Hinkle, Michael Zegen, Kevin Pollak and Caroline Aaron. by Fern Siegel , April 12, 2023 Vladimir Jones (VJ), which was appointed AOR for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in December 2022, has debuted its first work for the client. The effort is a new ad campaign for Bugs, a traveling exhibition that opened at DMNS in early March. Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and Weta Workshop, the creative studio behind the "Lord of the Rings" sets, created Bugs. The tagline: "Its a bugs world were just living in it." The interactive exhibition, "bigger and buggier than ever," runs through August 27. It invites guests to see the insect world through the eyes of the Maori people. Bugs, which possess extraordinary adaptive abilities, make up 90% of all animal species on Earth. advertisement advertisement "The exhibit is special because it puts humans in bugs' 'shoes' for a short time," Amanda Bennett, vice president, marketing at DMNS, told Agency Daily. "Bugs are creative, strong, smart and beautiful. There is so much we can learn from these amazing creatures." The campaign runs across OOH, connected TV and social, including influencers. Large ants, dragonflies and bees crawl and alight on billboards, which appear in high-traffic areas throughout the Denver area. VJ is charged with supporting the museum locally, regionally and nationally, with both creative executions and media plans, to up attendance at exhibitions. The museum ignites our communitys passion for nature and science, inviting people of all ages to contemplate the wonders of our world every day, said Meredith Vaughan, CEO of Vladimir Jones. She added the agency was pleased to work with a brand whose stock and trade is lifelong learning. VJ's client work includes Black Hills Energy, BOK Financial and Tourism Santa Fe. YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. The European Union issued a statement over the April 11 deadly Azeri attack on Armenian troops near the village of Tegh. In a statement, the European Union External Action Service said the EU deplores the armed clashes. Below is the full statement. The EU deplores the armed clashes that yesterday led to several Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen being killed or injured on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the area of Tegh. This incident yet again emphasises that in the absence of a delimited border, the 1991 line must be respected the forces of either side withdrawn to safe distances from this line to prevent any similar incidents from occurring. Previous commitments must be respected, including those reached in Prague in October 2022 regarding the mutual recognition of territorial integrity in line with the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The EU also urges the intensification of negotiations on the delimitation of the border and continues to stand ready to support this process. We renew our calls for restraint and for the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means. The EU continues to support these efforts, including at the highest level, and also through the presence of the EU Mission in Armenia. On April 11, Armenian troops carrying out engineering works near the village of Tegh close to the border with Azerbaijan came under heavy gunfire in an unprovoked attack. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded. by Barry Lowenthal , April 12, 2023 I have seen the future of media -- and it is in real life (IRL). The concept of relevance in media was once seen as a promising opportunity, but it has turned into a double-edged sword. While it holds value, taking it to the extreme can result in detrimental consequences such as echo chambers, filter bubbles, and extreme partisanship. What was once considered a valuable asset has now transformed into something unsightly. Remember when we first realized we could measure actions in media? It all began with the invention of the clickable banner in October 1994. This breakthrough allowed us to track the effectiveness of our media investments and determine their impact. Fast forward to today, where we allocate nearly 75% of our advertising budgets to lower-funnel tactics, often at the expense of long-term brand-building strategies. We thought we had solved the problem of not knowing which half of our advertising was wasted, thanks to the ability to measure. advertisement advertisement However, with 40% of online traffic being fake, accurate measurement remains a significant challenge. We have ended up trading the surprise and delight of imaginative brand-building creative for fake traffic. Engagement was once hailed as the ultimate metric, with the promise of dethroning the click-through rate as the king of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). However, the relentless pursuit of engagement has led to the optimization of sensationalism, fueled by hate. Today, we find ourselves in a divided landscape, with a Blue country and a Red country seemingly unable to find common ground. Undeniably, relevance, engagement, and measurability are crucial goals in the media industry. However, when taken to the extreme, they have created a mess. The pursuit of profit has often driven this extremism, as it tends to do. Fixing these problems will not be easy, and perhaps even impossible, but there is hope to be found in the power of connection and the enthusiasm of individuals who aspire to create positive change in the world. In the past year, I have personally experienced the power of connection through active engagement with people in networking activities. I have joined Meetups and attended events on Eventbrite. I have participated in Bitcoin Meetups, local Chamber of Commerce gatherings, and crypto potluck dinners in Miami, and joined a shared workspace that supports founders and inventors. I have even volunteered to greet attendees at Andrew Yeung's NYC tech mixers and joined DAO hackathons. In just a year, I have met countless individuals with diverse ideas and witnessed their unwavering enthusiasm for shaping a better future. I have seen firsthand the power of imagination and creativity that only comes from real-life interactions. Through these experiences, I have come to realize that the future of media does not solely lie in dominant digital platforms -- but in the grassroots connections that form when people come together in real life around ideas. Since the early 1990s, media has swung toward digital dominance, virtual interactions, microtargeting, and filter bubbles. As a result, the media has left us feeling isolated and alone. When you autofill a Google search for "Instagram makes me feel" you get "bad, ugly, and insecure." Isn't that incredibly sad? However, I am encouraged to see the pendulum swinging back toward real-life, grassroots, and community-oriented interactions. If I were managing a brand today, I would question how much of my marketing budget is allocated to experiential, real-life, and community-driven initiatives. If the answer is not at least half, then there may be a problem -- as a significant portion of the digital budget is being spent on fake traffic. While relevance, engagement, and measurability have their merits, their extreme pursuit has led to negative consequences in the media industry. By embracing real-life connections, grassroots movements, and community-driven initiatives, we can potentially shift toward a more balanced and positive approach to media. Let us strive to create a future where meaningful connections and genuine interactions take precedence over virtual metrics and filter bubbles. That's the kind of media landscape I'm excited about! by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, April 11, 2023 Twitters advertising business and time spent on site by users continues to decline. Poor performance has prompted analysts to reduce the companys revenue forecast for a second time since Elon Musk first offered to buy the company in April 2022. Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence, believes none of Twitters efforts to bring back major advertisers -- including ad incentives and brand safety partnerships -- will work with Elon Musk at the helm. The analyst firm forecasts Twitters global ad revenue to fall 27.9%, from $4.14 billion in 2022 to $2.98 billion by the end of 2023. Its share of the global digital ad market will shrink from 0.8% to 0.5%. For comparison, our Q3 2022 forecast projected 2023 revenues at $4.74 billion. In Q3 2022, Insider Intelligence decreased its outlook for Twitters advertising business by 30%, compared with the prior forecast. advertisement advertisement In the UK, Twitters ad revenue will fall from 282.1 ($347.6) million in 2022 to 202.2 ($249.1) million by the end of this year, down 28.3%. Insider Intelligence in December 2022 projected Twitter would lose users for the first time since the analyst firm began tracking the metric in 2008. Its worldwide user base is anticipated to decline by 3.9%, with another 5.1% next year. Thats a loss of 32.7 million users in just two years. In the U.S., Twitters core user base people ages 18 to 44 wont change. The steepest declines in the U.S. will be seen among users ages 45 and older and 17 and under. Many are marginal users, and some started using the platform only last year to watch the acquisition drama unfold, according to Insider Intelligence. Political preferences also play a role in users decision to leave or stay. Insider Intelligence also forecast that time spent on Twitter among U.S. users will decline by two minutes in 2023, and another two minutes in 2024. Less time on the website by users means they see and have the ability to engage with fewer ads. Thats partly due to the proliferation of hateful content and technical issues on the platform under Musk, but its also because of longstanding challenges, according to the analyst. Twitter lags in social video which is the single biggest driver of time spent on social media. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 11, 2023 Three privacy advocates who brought a class-action complaint against Oracle can proceed with some claims over the company's alleged collection and sale of data, a federal judge has ruled. In a mixed decision handed down last week, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg in the Northern District of California said the allegations -- including that Oracle compiled data from users' online browsing, communications and offline activity -- could support some privacy-related claims. At the same time, Seeborg dismissed some claims -- including that Oracle violated wiretap laws -- but said the advocates could reformulate those claims and bring them again within 30 days. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed last year by Johnny Ryan, with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Michael Katz-Lacabe of The Center for Human Rights and Privacy, and University of Maryland professor Jennifer Golbeck. advertisement advertisement They alleged that Oracle tracks people with a variety of online technologies -- including cookies, device identifiers and widgets -- and combines that information with other data purchased from outside brokers. Katz-Lacabe and Golbeck both said in the complaint that they received documents from Oracle indicating the company had created electronic profiles of them by tracking, compiling and analyzing their web browsing and other activity. The complaint alleged that when consumers visit sites with Oracle trackers, the company can track and store behavioral activity and personal information, including, but not limited to, home location, age, income, education, family status, hobbies, weight, and what the user bought at a brick and mortar business yesterday afternoon. Internet users are not made aware of, and therefore cannot consent to, use of their information to facilitate Oracles personal identification enterprise, the 'Oracle ID Graph,' the advocates added. Oracle urged Seeborg to throw out the lawsuit at an early stage, arguing that Ryan and the others were asking the court to legislate privacy rights from the bench. The advocates ask the court to manufacture a new legal privacy framework and apply it on a global scale, Oracle wrote in papers filed in February. Among other arguments, Oracle said none of the advocates could show they were injured by alleged data practices. Plaintiffs ... do not adequately allege they suffered any harm as a result of Oracles conduct, the company wrote. And even if they had, any harm allegedly suffered is greatly outweighed by the utility of Oracles conduct, the company added, elaborating that its digital platform provides tools that ensure consumers receive advertisements tailored to their preferences and interests. Seeborg rejected that argument, noting that a federal appellate court in California previously ruled that invasion of privacy can be a harm in and of itself. by Tanya Gazdik , April 12, 2023 VinFast is partnering with pro surfer Anastasia Ashley and content creator Casey Knox to show their journey from summit to sea in the new VF 8 City Edition electric crossover. The effort is launching despite recent personnel moves in the Vietnamese electric-vehicle start-ups marketing department. Three senior sales and customer-service executives left in mid-March, according to Reuters. Gareth Dunsmore, formerly deputy chief executive for global sales and marketing, left "due to personal reasons, while Greg Tebbutt, former chief marketing officer, and Craig Westbrook, former chief service officer left because of "changes in the management model and specific business requirements. Denise Thi, formerly chairwoman of Isobar, has been named the automakers new global marketing director, according to a spokesperson. advertisement advertisement The campaign, from Citizen Relations, includes a 2-minute docu-style video along with teasers, a 30-second spot and series of 15-second videos. California is one of the few places someone can engage in whats called the California Double, which is surfing and snowboarding in the same day. Creative features the athletes starting their day in Angeles National Forest, where they shred the slopes before packing up their EV and heading towards sunny coastal areas, including Huntington Beach. Along their winding journey, they stop at a picturesque LA overlook for a quick selfie, before they end their day catching waves in the waters of SoCal. According to the World Economic Forum, California is leading the charge for an electrified future for automobiles with nearly 29% of all EV charging stations in the U.S., providing VF 8 City Edition owners with the flexibility and greatest options for charging their new crossover. Huntington Beach alone offers more than 100 chargers. Ashley, a professional surfer and model who starred in "The Ultimate Surfer," an eight-episode TV series featuring up-and-coming competitors, says she supports VinFasts brand ethos. Not only do I believe in the mission behind the company to make a more sustainable future for everyone, but the VF 8 also provides tons of space for all my gear and is packed with so many cool features at an amazing price, like the panoramic sunroof so I can soak up that California sunshine, she says in a press release. The content spotlights features like the brands Smart Service suite, which enables advanced trip planning with integrated navigation, providing a simple way of communicating location where traditional geolocation systems are inadequate, such as in remote, undeveloped areas or places without street names. The VF 8 City Edition, currently available for lease for $399 per month, previews a longer-range VF 8 model available across the U.S. later in the year. Consumers can watch the California Double video on VinFasts Youtube Channel or follow VinFast on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Established in 2017, VinFast, a member of Vingroup, owns an automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam. by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, April 11, 2023 During a hearing on Tuesday, the judge in the $1.6-billion Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against Fox ruled that Fox cannot use a core defense argument: That the networks broadcasting of false charges against Dominion was protected by the First Amendment. Judge Eric M. Davis of Delaware Superior Court had previously ruled that statements about Dominion aired on Fox News were false. In this latest ruling, he went further, stating that Foxs argument that its airing of false statements about Dominion as part of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election by Fox News guests including Donald Trump lawyers Sydney Powell and Rudolph Giuliani was protected is irrelevant, because Fox remains responsible as the broadcaster. advertisement advertisement Just because someone is newsworthy doesnt mean you can defame someone, he said. Its a publication issue, not a who-said-it issue. The judge also rejected Foxs argument that it was protected because, after the false statements aired, other news hosts and guests stated that evidence of widespread voter fraud was lacking. You cant absolve yourself of defamation by merely putting somebody on at another time to say something different, he said. Jury selection in the case, which now comes down to determining whether or not Fox demonstrated reckless disregard for the truth in airing the falsehoods about Dominion, is set to begin this Thursday. The trial's start is scheduled for next Monday. Judge Davis said he will allow potential jurors to be asked about their cable news viewing habits and whether they watch or avoid Fox News, but will disallow questions about how potential jurors have voted. He also curtailed Dominions allowable arguments, ruling that Dominion could not reference the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, except under very limited circumstances. In addition, he ruled that Dominion, which is basing its damages in part on death threats against its employees after the false election fraud accusations were broadcast including armed people outside its Denver headquarters and voicemail messages threatening to blow up its offices cannot mention the specific content of those messages. by Tony Jarvis , Op-Ed Contributor, April 12, 2023 The International Knowledge Exchange was founded last year to promote discussion about developments and innovations in TV/video measurement, new metrics and data collaboration across the media and advertising marketplace. Its first truly insightful webinar was organized by the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) together with, egta (Association of TV & Radio Sales Houses), European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), the WFA (World Federation of Advertisers) and, the IAB Europe (Interactive Advertising Bureau). The highlight was the significant differences between the positions of the participants: advertisers and their agencies, media sellers and the sole participating measurement organization, U.K. joint industry committee (JIC) BARB Audiences (Broadcasters Audience Research Board). The exchange underlined the fundamental differences in measurement and currency approaches in Europe single currency for the medium via a JIC vs. the U.S., which is exploring multiple currencies for TV/video platforms via a MCCC. (Multiple Currency Certifying Committee). advertisement advertisement The differences centered around premium content vs. user-generated and short-form content, medias social responsibility, and the most basic dimension of all, the foundation of a common currency. Kelly Abcarian, executive vice president- measurement and impact at NBCUniversal could surely not have said it better: Impressions are different. This point was emphasized, albeit inadvertently, by the expert panelists. Many would not agree on the definition of impressions or surely more relevant, contacts that are the basis of the TV currency in France per, Fabrice Mollier, president of Chez Canal+. In contrast Ryan Stonehouse, director of global YouTube and video solutions at Google, stated, An impression, is an impression, is an impression. What were the impressions he was referencing? Viewable impressions as defined by MRC (Media Rating Council) that are solely a screen measure of content rendered. An invaluable measure of proof-of-play of the creative message, but no actual persons or audience measure, other than perhaps pirated user data, nor any measure of their eyes- or ears-on, or contact. If there are no eyes or ears on the content and/or advertising, there can be no outcomes! Fit for TV has been adopted as the benchmark across all TV/video content, which will be measured by BARB. Its cornerstones are quality, safety and suitability for consumers and advertisers. BARB also embraces consistency and transparency across all its metrics, which was endorsed by Jon Anselmo, Chief Innovation Officer at Omnicoms PHD. BARB Chief Executive Justin Sampson emphasized the importance of content and context to both media and advertisers for any currency and how it is measured. He also addressed the superficiality of using viewable impressions as a currency, especially for unfit for TV content, that he believes reflect a race-to-the-bottom in media planning, generating ridiculous frequency, but really low CPMs that do not drive outcomes. Anheuser-Busch InBev Global Senior Marketing Director-Media David Zapata appeared to echo this concern, emphasizing that reach of the target group is key. However, is A-B using audience eyes- /earsn contact data for its reach estimates? As part of a regulated industry vs. largely unregulated social media (Section 230), NBCUs Abcarian noted the importance of all medias social responsibility. With social media under the gun (pun intended) on its damage to democracy and Fox News facing massive lawsuits on truth-in-reporting, this aspect of the media marketplace and its measurement must not be ignored. Asked whether Section 230 will be reformed by the U.S. government, UM Worldwide Global Chief Media Officer Joshua Lowcock opined, Its not happening and he also does not believe it will help. While Lowcock is clearly under-awed by the entire U.S. regulatory system, he suspects all sides obtain benefits from the existing content regulation differential. The last panel put a great deal of hope in the cross-media measurement [sic] approaches being developed from the WFA North Star framework and its Project Halo by ISBA (Incorporated Society of British Advertisers), Project Origin and the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) in the U.S. Both will be able to estimate campaign or at least, TV/video reach. There was limited agreement across the panel on what the common definition and derivation of impressions should be (viewable?) vs. what it should be as the basis for reach estimates. However, what would be the most meaningful definition of media impressions that relate most closely to driving ad impact and relevance for the brand? Abcarian knows. That could be another collision. Research The Medias Richard Marks (former Global CEO of Kantar Media) asked the pivotal question regarding the currency status in the U.S. If its true that the buyers are driving alt currency, why are they not doing this anywhere else but the U.S.?, he asked, adding, But why is Paramount ingesting multiple currencies rather than one? Do you then use the one in which Paramount scores highest in each case? If not, why not just use one? The one you think is better than Nielsen? Why would media buyers tolerate the seller picking and choosing across currencies? [I] just dont get it. by Ray Schultz , April 12, 2023 Newsweek, the 90-year-old news organization, has formed a partnership with the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) to foster civil discourse among young people. The initiative, called Mightier, will kick off with a live debate on Friday, April 14, at Newsweeks headquarters in the World Trade Center in New York City. High school debaters from Washington, D.C., Denver and San Jose will share their perspectives on affirmative action, the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, immigration, climate optimism and other issues. The students, who were chosen based on their performance in NAUDLs public debate series, I RESOLVE, will appear on Newsweeks podcast, "The Debate." These episodes will be featured on Mightiers new digital content hub, which debuts April 20. advertisement advertisement These high school students have demonstrated their passion for the exchange of ideas, states Nancy Cooper, global editor in chief for Newsweek. They seeand remind us ofthe power of debate, and the crucial role it plays in encouraging those around us to seek common ground. Newsweek will also offer NAUDL opportunities to access its readership for fundraising efforts. The Mightier hub will also include: -- Videos highlighting the personal stories of the students featured in the April 14 debate. -- A six-episode podcast miniseries documenting the students visit to New York City and the Newsweek headquarters. -- News coverage of NAUDL debates, events and developments throughout the year. I am sure those that visit Mightier will find our debaters provide thorough and objective analysis, suggest practical solutions, and identify related impacts, states Rhonda Haynes, the executive director of NAUDL. Haynes adds, They may still be in high school, but they are keen in their insightsgiving me considerable hope in simply knowing that they are willing and more than capable of leading through one of the toughest societal challenges in modern times. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, April 12, 2023 Edward Meyer, the longtime chairman and CEO of Grey Global Group died peacefully at home Tuesday in New York at the age of 96, according to an obituary issued by his family. Born and raised in New York, Meyer served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 1945 to 1947. After earning a BA degree in economics from Cornell University he served briefly at retailer Bloomingdales before starting his 55-year career in advertising. He joined the Biow Company in 1951 where he developed a career-long relationship with packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble. His first effort on behalf of the CPG company was as a copywriter on its Lava soap brand. Former P&G Chairman & CEO Ed Artzt, worked with Meyer from 1956 until his own retirement in 1995. Ed was always at the meetings, always in the field, always checking on our business results, Artzt said in a 2017 interview. "He was a true partner and the best agency man I worked with, all through those years. advertisement advertisement In 1956 Meyer joined Grey Advertising the predecessor to Grey Global Group. Over 50 years at Grey, he held numerous positions, becoming President in 1968 and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1970. Over the next three and a half decades, Meyer built Grey into a multinational advertising and marketing communications giant, with operations in 96 countries. He orchestrated the sale of Grey to the WPP Group, in 2005, retiring as Chairman in 2006. Mark Read, CEO of WPP, stated: Ed Meyer was a hugely important figure who not only transformed Grey into a global powerhouse but helped to shape the modern advertising industry as we know it. He built Grey from an advertising agency into a major international communications group with a strong and independent spirit. Under his leadership Grey created iconic campaigns for many of the worlds leading brands and of course the relationship with P&G nurtured by Ed over decades remains strong today. Grey was Eds lifetime work and we are proud to see his legacy continue to this day. In 2005, Meyer joined with his son, Anthony (Tony) Meyer, to establish Ocean Road Advisors, Inc. as the family office management company for the Meyer family. He also served as a Board director of numerous American public companies, including Harman International Industries, Inc., Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., Allconnect, Retail Opportunity Investments Corporation and National CineMedia, Inc. Meyer is survived by his wife of nearly 66 years, Sandy; his two children, Meg and Tony; his niece, Emmie Dubin; and five grandchildren (David, Katherine, and William; and Olivia and Victoria). The burial and shiva will be held privately, however the family is organizing a public memorial service at Central Synagogue in Manhattan for the evening of Saturday, April 15th at 6pm. For information about the shiva, please email EHMMemorial@oceanroadadvisors.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to UJA-Federation of New York or Women for Women International. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, April 12, 2023 Darshan Kantak, former vice president of Google Search Ads, has joined Snap -- which owns photo messaging app Snapchat -- as senior vice president of revenue product. The announcement was made Wednesday. The goal is to help Snap improve the performance of its digital ads. Prior to working at Google, Kantak supported Facebook as ads delivery product lead, and Microsoft as partner, group program manager for Bing Ads. Darshan oversaw product development for Search, Shopping and Discovery ads, and led the team responsible for Google Search and Retail Ads automation tools that allow advertisers to build advertising and marketing strategies. Reuters first reported Kantaks appointment. Snap is rebuilding its ad-sales team after two key leaders left for Netflix last year. Long-time Microsoft executive Rob Wilks joined Snap last month to lead ad sales in the Americas. advertisement advertisement When Wilk announced in a LinkedIn post he would step down at Microsoft, Kya Sainsbury-Carter, the first female to move into this position, replaced him. Snap also wants to improve the way that ads lead to product sales. The company said in January that first-quarter revenue could decline as much as 10% due to weaker advertising demand. The announcement spurs questions regarding whether Snap will build out services in performance-based advertising, including search. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 12, 2023 The House Judiciary Committee is demanding information from Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan regarding the agency's ongoing probe of Twitter. In a letter sent to Khan on Wednesday, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the committee was investigating the FTC's abuse of its statutory authorities. Jordan wrote that the committee was issuing a subpoena because the agency failed to voluntarily provide information requested by lawmakers. An FTC spokesperson said the agency has offered to brief Jordan's staff multiple times about the investigation into Twitter's compliance with a consent decree over alleged privacy failures. That decree prohibits the company from misrepresenting its privacy practices, among other terms. The settlement stemmed from allegations that Twitter misled users by asking for their phone numbers and email addresses for security purposes, but harnessing the data for ad targeting. advertisement advertisement Around two weeks after Musk purchased the company and immediately began firing people -- including the former head of safety -- the FTC said it was tracking recent developments at Twitter with deep concern. Soon afterwards, the FTC reportedly asked Twitter for information regarding material shared with journalists who reported on the so-called Twitter Files -- which involved the company's prior editorial decisions, including the brief suppression of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden's laptop. Khan reportedly said in a March 27 letter to Jordan that the agency was investigating whether Twitter disclosed users' private communications to the journalists, in violation of the earlier consent decree. Jordan characterized that response as "pretextual at best," writing that the FTC's requests for information went beyond the scope of the consent decree. The subpoena comes around one month after the committee released a staff report that accused the FTC of harassing Twitter due to Musk's decision to reinstate accounts of prominent conservatives. YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. A closed discussion with the participation of representatives of the Armenian military and other relevant agencies will take place on April 13 in parliament regarding the security environment and the situation resulting from the latest Azerbaijani attack that left four Armenian troops dead and six wounded. The offer to hold the meeting was made by the opposition Hayastan faction. Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said the meeting will take place in the format of a closed meeting of the parliamentary committee on defense and security affairs. All MPs will be able to participate. On April 11, Armenian troops carrying out engineering works near the village of Tegh close to the border with Azerbaijan came under heavy gunfire in an unprovoked attack. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded. When youre one the richest people walking on the planet, everything is different. Your budget for a birthday party could be equal to someones entire life savings, or a casual dinner at your place could be equivalent to someones CTC for that annual year. Well, to each his own, we guess. Every time the Ambani family has a mini get together, our social media feeds are filled with celebrities dripping in brands head-to-toe and entering their residence. When it comes to personal shenanigans, money is not even a criteria for the gorgeous family. At the recently concluded NMAC event, Anant Ambanis Rs 18 crore watch and fiancee Radhika Merchants tiny Hermes bag which was around Rs 2 crore became the talk of town. Instagram Now, the onus of a lot of people on social media has fallen on a certain necklace thats owned by their bahu Shloka Mehta. Known as the most expensive necklace in the world (obviously), this Incomparable necklace has the worlds largest internally flawless diamond and is valued at around Rs 450 crore, only. Instagram In addition to this rock, some odd 91 diamonds adorn the piece and add up to around 200 carats worth of diamonds embellished in this necklace. Heres a detailed video by a jeweler who explains the whole anatomy of this gorgeous necklace: This $55 million necklace was gifted by the family to Shloka on her wedding as a gift. Theres obviously more jewellery that can make your eyes pop, but for today, just marvel at this piece of art. YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani will be on a working visit to Armenia on April 12-13. On April 13, the meeting of Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Bujar Osmani will take place, which will be followed by a joint press conference. Within the framework of the visit, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office will also have meetings with the President, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and other officials. Former US President Donald Trump did not reveal who was responsible for the Nord Stream sabotage, but assured that it was definitely not Russia, Tass informs. April 12, 2023, 11:44 Trump sure Russia didnt blow up Nord Stream pipelines STEPANAKERT, APRIL 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: "I dont want to get our country in trouble, so I wont answer it," Trump told the Fox News TV channel in an interview on Tuesday, replying to a question on who was behind the sabotage. "But I can tell you who it [the perpetrator of the sabotage] wasnt: Russia," the former president said. "When they blamed Russia, you know, they said Russia blew up its own pipeline," Trump said, pointing to the absurdity of that version. "It wasnt Russia," he reiterated. Greece said Tuesday it would welcome expanded cooperation with Turkey after both countries hold elections next month including on energy issues that have been at the heart of decades-old disputes, AP reported. April 12, 2023, 14:02 Greece says thaw with Turkey should continue after elections STEPANAKERT, APRIL 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: Greece is always looking for ways to have honest and sincere cooperation with Turkey, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said after talks in Athens with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry. Greek and Turkish officials have held a series of high-level meetings in recent weeks, in the wake of devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey in February. They promised to shelve disputes that have caused repeated rounds of tension and even the risk of war over decades. Dendias said Athens would welcome new members of an association of nations in the eastern Mediterranean who cooperate on natural gas development. Turkey is not currently a member. I want to make clear that we would welcome the participation of other countries in this forum, but on one obvious condition: Respect for international law, and respect for the international law of the sea, he said. The current members of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum are Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. By Shilpashree Jagannathan New Canadian Media In a recent ruling, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal ordered two B.C. residents to pay $9,755 in compensation for using casteist slurs during altercations. This decision is the latest to address caste-based discrimination in North America, with several jurisdictions bringing in laws and motions to ban it. The B.C. tribunal ruling comes on the heels of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) approving a motion to address casteism on Mar. 8. The TDSB motion is the first move by a Canadian jurisdiction to create a formal mechanism to acknowledge and address caste as its own category of discrimination. It was approved, with most trustees voting in favour, meaning TDSB will write to the Ontario Human Rights Commission to create a framework for implementation. According to 2016 census reports, South Asians make up about 30 percent of all visible minorities in Ontario and almost 9 percent of the provinces total population. TDSB has nearly 600 schools with 247,000 students attending, and a 2020 demographics report shows South Asians made up the second largest student population after white students at 22 percent. This is a big win for us. I have been asked about my caste a couple of times in Canada. I think they are not scared here, Vijay Puli, a Toronto-based social worker and executive director of the South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network (SADAN), a not-for-profit organization for and by Dalit, Adivasi and other lower caste people in Canada, told New Canadian Media. Back home in India, there is a law that bans people from asking about a persons caste, but here there is no redressal mechanism. That is why the TDSB motion will go a long way in addressing the caste issue. Other SADAN members who were asked about how their caste affects where they live said new immigrants prefer to live in the same area as others from their own communities. While anti-caste bias activists, like Puli, consider these as landmark victories and steps in the right direction, some Hindu groups believe that caste-based bias has a minimal presence in Canada and that the existing legal framework is adequate to address any issues. Canadian Organization for Hindu Heritage Education (COHHE), a Toronto-based non-profit whose website says they educate, promote and celebrate Hindu heritage, publicly opposed the TDSB motion on Mar. 5. We all understand there is no place for the caste system in society today; there is no caste in Canada. This is all being brought in as Hinduphobia, said Dr. Ragini Sharma, president of COHHE. It is a political movement, [and] has nothing to do with the upliftment of Dalits here. Lower caste people from various religions in South Asia have shared anecdotes of their experiences online, since news broke of the decisions in Ontario and B.C. The idea of caste-based discrimination as its own category of discrimination in Canadian jurisdictions has become a source of contention between two South Asian groups those who support the decisions, and those who oppose them. While the former group said existing policies do not provide a mechanism for people to report caste-based discrimination and have it addressed, Sharma, a spokesperson for one of the latter groups, disagreed and said existing laws are sufficient. Look at the B.C. tribunal. They used the clause of ancestry, place of origin, and race, so why create a separate caste category? Sharma said. This will only divide us and further paint South Asians and Caribbeans as bigots. According to those who agree with the new rulings, ancestry by definition includes a persons origins or ethnicity, and using the term race to cover caste could lead to ambiguity and dilute the issue. Caste is a protected category in India, and is not understood well here, said Jai Birdi, co-founder of the Vancouver-based Chetna Association of Canada, which raises awareness about casteism globally. So the [tribunal] ruling is a big win for us as it formally recognizes caste as a discriminatory practice The need for caste as a separate category stems from the fact that people use caste names and slurs to ridicule others. It is about time we call a spade a spade. The caste system is a rigid South Asian social structuring system that has existed for thousands of years, and separates people into different social groups based on a hierarchy at birth. A persons caste can be identified by their last name, family background, food habits, occupation, or racial profile. People in lower castes have historically been relegated to jobs that are deemed menial, and are afforded lower social status. In Hinduism, those at the bottom of the hierarchy are called Dalits or untouchables. Though Hindu rights activists claim the B.C. human rights tribunal decision and TDSBs motion is a means to target Hinduism, casteist practices also exist in other religious groups in South Asian communities. We know that caste practice exists among Sikhs as well, despite the scriptures not endorsing it, Birdi said. There is also unconscious bias among Muslims and Christians. Darshan Thanapackiam Sivagurunathan, a Sri Lankan-Canadian and a Dalit activist described witnessing casteist practices from Sri Lanka spill over into Toronto. While growing up in Sri Lanka, a street divided the dominant caste folks in our village and us. The dominant caste folks were the first to arrive and settle in Canada, Sivagurunathan said. Sri Lankans continue those practices in Canada as well. I have seen abusive casteist words in graffiti in Toronto. The lack of data collected about caste-based discrimination is a point of argument among both groups. Hindu rights activists point to it as evidence of casteism being a non-issue in Canada. SADAN and Chetna members argue that a lack of understanding about casteism in Canada has led to there being no formal mechanism for people to report incidents. From a social justice perspective, we are talking about stigmatic experiences, and oppressed people do not speak about it publicly, Birdi added. Assuming we have data, it will not tell us the whole story. Still, SADAN members have been trying to gather more information about how caste-based discrimination manifests in Canada. A lack of resources and funding poses their biggest challenge. As of now, our members have a lot of anecdotal evidence to share, Puli said. Gavin McIntyre Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08), along with U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), announced new federal funding on Tuesday to rebuild the Lafayette Avenue Bridge in Bay City. The federal grant, totaling $73 million and awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation, will help Bay City replace the 85-year-old bridge and make additional improvements for pedestrian and bicycle use. The funding is from the Bridge Investment Program, which Kildee, Peters and Stabenow helped secure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. After 85 years of service, temporary closures, and repairs, the replacement of the Lafayette Avenue Bridge is long overdue," Stabenow said. "Because of our passage of the federal Infrastructure law, this investment will make this bridge safe for drivers and pedestrians for years to come." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) Prosecutors in the Virginia city where a 6-year-old shot his teacher in an elementary school classroom are investigating whether the actions or omissions" of any school employees could lead to criminal charges, according to court documents released Tuesday. Howard Gwynn, the commonwealth's attorney in Newport News, filed a petition for a special grand jury to probe if any security failures contributed to the shooting at Richneck Elementary in January that seriously wounded teacher Abby Zwerner. Gwynn wrote that an investigation could also lead to recommendations "in the hopes that such a situation never occurs again." Gwynn's petition was released a day after his office charged the boy's mother with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor count of endangering a child by reckless storage of a firearm. The child used his mother's 9mm handgun to shoot Zwerner. Police say the weapon was legally purchased. Last week, Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school system, accusing school officials of gross negligence and of ignoring multiple warnings from teachers and other school employees that the boy had taken a gun to school on the day of the shooting. Zwerner also alleges that school officials knew the boy had a history of random violence at school and at home, including that he strangled and choked his kindergarten teacher. Our lawsuit makes clear that we believe the school division violated state law, and we are pursuing this in civil court, Diane Toscano, an attorney for Zwerner, said Monday. The prosecutor's decision to investigate school employees for any criminal activity is the latest fallout from the shooting, which sent shockwaves through Newport News, a shipbuilding city of about 185,000 people near the Chesapeake Bay. Days after the shooting, school officials revealed that Richneck administrators suspected the child may have had a weapon, but they didnt find it despite searching his backpack. Parents and teachers lambasted administrators, saying students who assault classmates and staff rarely face consequences, and that Zwerners shooting could have been prevented if not for a toxic environment in which teachers concerns are ignored. It is not the first school shooting to spark a criminal investigation into school officials, although they are quite rare, experts said. Civil suits are far more common, but have varying degrees of success. For instance, authorities in Florida accused a former school resource officer of hiding during the Parkland school massacre in 2018. Scot Peterson was charged with negligence for not entering the building during the rampage that left 17 people dead. Peterson has said he did the best he could; his trial is scheduled to start next month. In 2021, the families of the people killed in Parkland, most of the wounded and others reached a $25 million settlement with the Broward County school district in a negligence lawsuit. A prosecutor in Michigan criticized Oxford High's decision in 2021 to keep a teenager in school before he killed four students, stating that an investigation would determine if any school officials should be charged. No school employees have been charged. A civil suit was filed over the Oxford shooting. But a judge ruled that school staff and administrators cannot be sued and dismissed Oxford Community Schools from lawsuits, citing governmental immunity. After the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999, a federal judge threw out all but one of the lawsuits against the school district and sheriffs office, ruling that the gunmen were responsible. The daughter of a teacher who bled to death reached a $1.5 million settlement in her lawsuit against the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office. In Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School last May, some parents filed a federal lawsuit against the school district, the school principal, the fired school police chief and others. The police response to the shooting was sharply criticized as nearly 400 officers responded, but waited more than an hour before confronting and killing the gunman. Litigation is ongoing. Chuck Vergon, a professor of educational law and policy at the University of Michigan-Flint, said it is rare for a teacher or school official to be charged in a school shooting because allegations of criminal negligence can be difficult to prove. More often, he said, those impacted by school shootings seek to hold school officials liable in civil court. Vergon, who has been studying school shootings and liability for about seven years, said he thinks the increase in the number of school shootings combined with hundreds of new school safety laws passed after Parkland could lead to more civil actions to hold school officials accountable. Those laws begin to make more explicit the duties of schools and school districts in terms of preparing for and hopefully preventing or minimizing school shootings, Vergon said. In the wake of the Newport News shooting, the school board fired the districts superintendent, and Richnecks assistant principal resigned. The elementary schools principal is still employed by the district but no longer holds that position. James Ellenson, the attorney for the 6-year-old's mother, said she has no criminal record and will turn herself in before the end of the week. Ellenson did not comment on the charges, but he has said her gun was secured on a top shelf in her closet and had a trigger lock. The family has said the boy has an acute disability and was under a care plan that included his mother or father accompanying him to class every day. The week of the shooting was the first when a parent was not in class with him, the family said. Michelle Price, a spokeswoman for Newport News Public Schools, declined to comment. ___ This story has been corrected to show Chuck Vergon is a professor at University of Michigan-Flint, not Michigan State University-Flint. ___ Associated Press reporter Curt Anderson in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this story. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If there is one thing former Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer and former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis want to make clear, its that every voter matters in a presidential election. At least, they should. The two former state party leaders sat down Tuesday night for a Critical Issues Forum in the Opperman Auditorium at Central Michigan University to discuss the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact in front of an audience of students and Mount Pleasant residents. The bipartisan compact, recently introduced in both chambers of the Legislature as House Bill 4156 and Senate Bill 126, fully preserves the constitutional framework of the Electoral College; however, it would change the way states select their choice for the Electoral College. States within the compact would award their Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote, thereby guaranteeing the presidency to the candidate who receives the most individual votes. Enacted by 16 states with 195 Electoral College votes so far, it would take effect when adopted by states with 270 or more electors. Today, Michigan and 47 other states award their electors using the winner-take-all method. Two states, Maine and Nebraska, use a different method that awards electors partly based on the vote of congressional districts. Michigan has 15 electors. The NPVIC is well grounded in the U.S. Constitution, according to Brewer. The Constitution allows states to decide how they will elect someone to the Electoral College. It also allows for interstate agreements. Brewer said the NPVIC would not get rid of the Electoral College, it would simply change the way states decide who their chosen candidate will be. To implement the premise that the person who wins the most votes should become president seems pretty obvious, but thats the only office in the country where the person who does get the most votes may not become the winner, Brewer said. What the National Popular Vote would do, through an interstate agreement authorized by the Constitution, is that we would tally up all the votes from all the states, and whoever gets the most votes, the Electoral College votes would be cast for that person. Anuzis said when the NPVIC was first brought up to him, he thought it sounded like a Communist plot to make Al Gore president. However, after hearing more about it, Anuzis said he was dumbfounded that he hadnt thought about it before. We elect (something like) 514,000 officials in this country, all of whom are elected by who gets the most votes, but one, Anuzis said. Thats the president of the United States. One of the major talking points of the night was how the NPVIC would affect presidential campaigns by forcing candidates to visit all regions and states regardless of whether they are a blue state, red state or battleground state. Anuzis explained that in the early days of the United States, candidates would campaign in all 13 colonies and eventually all 50 states. However, campaigning has changed so much that the last time a presidential candidate campaigned in all 50 states was 1960, when Richard Nixon committed to doing so. The problem is, four out of five Americans today live in a state that is either decidedly Republican or decidedly Democrat, Anuzis said. That means four out of five Americans, when it comes to presidential politics, are completely ignored. Anuzis and Brewer repeatedly mentioned that presidential candidates devote most of their efforts to the battleground states, which is a problem because those represent fewer than 10 of the 50 states. So how would the NPVIC fix this? By making every individual vote count, presidential candidates would have to fight for everyones vote, not just those in the battleground states. We ought to come up with a system that makes sure that every voter in every state is politically relevant every time, and why not come up with something where all 50 states are literally battleground states every time, Anuzis said. Brewer agreed that the system would incentivize candidates to campaign not only in states that they usually wouldnt, but also in regions of states that they typically wouldnt. He used Michigan as an example, which he said is polarized based on geography. When Democratic presidential candidates visit Michigan, they rarely visit the rural areas of the state where they expect to find a majority of Republicans, even though Democrats live in those areas too. (Democrats) dont campaign in red states, because its not worth the time and money and effort, Brewer said. But under our National Popular Vote, where every vote in every part of the country is important, they would have an incentive to do that. Anuzis also mentioned that battleground states get unfair advantages over the rest of the country in funding and exemptions from federal programs from the one office thats designed to represent the country as a whole as presidential candidates pander to those states for votes. The two speakers also emphasized that the NPVIC would result in a higher voter turnout as voters will be more encouraged to vote when they know their individual choice will count. This will also require candidates to visit not only all 50 states, but also various areas of the state as they try to gain the vote of every individual voter. For Michigan, this would mean a presidential candidate visiting not only Detroit, but also Ishpeming and other northern and rural areas of the state. The reality is the president is the most powerful person not only in the country, but the world, Anuzis said. So it is in our selfish best interest as Michigan residents to make sure whether its a Republican candidate or a Democratic candidate, to make sure they come here and talk about the issues that matter. Carson Cooley, president of Central Votes - a CMU organization that registers students to vote and educates them on civic engagement - attended the forum as a student who supports the NPVIC. I think its a great way to increase voter turnout nationwide, he said. I think its a good way to focus on not just swing states but all statesand I think its very much bipartisan. Cooley was glad that the forum brought two former opponents together to discuss the issue collectively. I think that its really good to bring people from both sides of the aisle just to show that bipartisanship and I think that its very important to have these wide range of opinions and different perspectives when approaching a new topic, he said. They did an amazing job and they represented the parties well. A new powerful community resource aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect as well as strengthening families is open in Tuscola County. The Great Start Tuscola Family Enrichment Center in Caro is open to serving families with children ages 0 to 5, seven days a week. With the help of the Children Trust Michigan grant, the goal of this center is to help strengthen families. "We need to focus on strengthening our families in our community," said Director of the Great Start Collaborative of Tuscola County Rachel Koepf. "I think that really often parents learn from other parents, and we need to have a very safe, comfortable space they can learn from each other as well as a place where kids are able to play and interact with centers and learn from each other. The center was formed and made possible when Children Trust Michigan awarded a $340,000 grant to Great Start Tuscola with the Tuscola Intermediate School District last year. The grant, which is for a four-year period, was a shock at first to Koepf, as only five grants were funded throughout Michigan. Since 2010 when she attended a class at Michigan State University, Koepf has had this plan of creating a place where parents can go with their young children for support and education, resources, and relaxation when they are struggling. "Honestly this experience comes from being a mom," Koepf said."Really when it boils down to it, I do have a history in early education, but this really comes from growing up in this community and knowing that we did not have a resource we needed for our families with young children. It came from finding out a gap we didnt have in our community." "I became the chair of the CAN council in Tuscola County in Oct of 21," Koepf said. "I attended the national conference and learned about family resource centers, and they were across the United States. As I learned more about them and I thought more about my plan that Ive always had in the back of my mind, they really connected. It was on my mind from October on and I just kept thinking about how can I connect with that; how can I raise funds? And then a grant opportunity came up." The Great Start Family Enrichment Center is driven by the principle that nothing is more important to a community that supports building strong, healthy families through protective factors. These factors include offering social connections, providing concrete support, hosting parenting classes, and teaching about resilience and the social and emotional competence of children. "I really want to see strong, healthy Tuscola County families raising strong, healthy children," Koepf said. "We want to reduce abuse and neglect by meeting their needs around all these different protective factors. We want to build resilient parents and want them to have knowledge of child development. We want them to have social connections for them because all of those things have been shown to reduce abuse and neglect." The family enrichment center offers classes and activities weekly for families and children including parenting classes, child birthing classes, nutrition classes, and more. A play area for children allows a variety of learning and play opportunities, from stimulating children's brains to simply allowing them to play and have fun. The center also offers a blessing closet, which will help families that are in need of items such as food, diapers, and other necessities, to help reduce the stress parents that may go through. "We want parents to feel like they can relax here and have a respite as their children explore, play, and create at the Center, Koepf said. Koepf is a passionate parent that wants to see the best for children in the community. Her role in helping create a safe and healthy community means a lot to her and she is proud of what she's doing and continuing to do. "I love seeing their growth and hearing the feedback from a family," she said. "That is the part that makes me the most excited. Im very proud of our Great Start Collaborative board, our entire staff cares about family. It doesnt matter what time we get an email, if theres somebody in need, we are going to figure out a way to help them. I feel very proud of the entire group working toward this." Great Start Enrichment Center will focus on strengthening families by helping them become more aware of local services and programs. The center plans to offer educational opportunities with guest speakers from the community at the Center. Families with young children can visit the center to seek information on local resources including food pantry lists, and preschool enrollment information, families can sign up for the Great Start Imagination Library program and much more. The center, located at 543 Columbia St in Caro, is open to all families of all communities. Families can come and visit the center to receive help and or resources as well as have a fun time playing and interacting with their children. "I plan to be here, to continue," Koepf said. "My dream is that were very busy and we constantly have families coming in and getting good feedback on the services and programs." The new enrichment center is now officially open, every day, seven days a week. On April 28 at noon, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony with many Tuscola County organizations and members of the city council present. Hours of operation are: Mon-Tues, Thurs.-Fri.:10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed., Sat.: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sun.: noon to 5 p.m. For more information about the center and what it has to offer, visit its Facebook page or website. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's rush for a pardon is an egregious overreach to wipe aside the jury's unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who was in his car working as a ride-share driver when he shot 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who had been legally carrying an AK-47 while marching with demonstrators through downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. I just think its a travesty, Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon. Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governors move highly unusual and prosecutors condemned it as troubling. Abbott made his intentions known on Twitter less than 24 hours after the verdict and amid outrage from conservative voices on social media and television over the conviction. I just thought it was an egregious overreach of power, Dowell said. It's undermining due process. It's undermining democracy. I was upset, honestly. Perry, who was on active duty at the time of the shooting, is still awaiting sentencing from a judge. He faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who said she has not previously supported the three-term governor politically, said she worried that Abbott wading into the case could cause other jurors to second-guess their decisions. She said the verdict was strictly based on evidence, following 17 hours of deliberation, and politics did not factor in. If your governor is coming out and saying you made the wrong decision, that may make you think twice about what you said or what you felt, she told AP. The AP has attempted to reach all jurors who served during the weeklong trial in Austin. Others have declined to speak about the case or not returned messages. Spokespersons for Abbott did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The trial had received little national attention prior to Friday's verdict and Abbott had not previously commented on the case publicly. He has has not elaborated on how he reached his conclusion about Perrys case, and his office on Monday referred questions to his statement on Twitter. The encounter leading up to the shooting began when Perry turned onto a street and into one of the demonstrations that swept the country after Minneapolis police killed of George Floyd. In video that was streamed live on Facebook, a car can be heard honking amid the downtown crowd. Then, several shots ring out, and protesters begin screaming and scattering. Perry drove off, later calling police to report the shooting, and officers arrived to find Foster shot. What led up to the gunfire was a core question in the trial that resulted in Perrys conviction. Dowell said her confidence in the verdict was based in part on testimony that Foster's gun was pointing up close to his ear moments before the shooting and that Foster was at least a foot away from Perry's car. She said prosecutors also presented text messages between Perry and a friend, exchanged prior to the shooting, discussing other cases in which protesters had been shot and whether it amounted to self-defense. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry, and prosecutors said the sergeant could have driven off rather than opening fire with a handgun. Perry didnt testify. But his defense attorneys have said Foster pointed his gun at the driver and that the shooting was self-defense. I look forward to approving the Board's pardon as soon as it hits my desk, Abbott tweeted Saturday. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, whose office prosecuted the case, said Wednesday in an interview on CNN that it appeared clear that neither Abbott nor his staff had watched the trial. Garza, who ran as a progressive when he was elected in 2020, has previously been a target of criticism from the governor. The district attorney said he did not know why Abbott was pushing for the pardon: I dont know whats in the governors mind. Garza has requested to meet with the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and present evidence. The board did not immediately respond to questions emailed Wednesday. Clint Broden, Perry's attorney, has said they did not petition the governor for a pardon prior to Abbott's tweet. He has also filed a motion seeking a new trial. ____ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Jim Vertuno and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. LAKE COUNTY Lake County Sheriff Rich Martin issued a public advisory Tuesday evening regarding a forest fire in Sauble Township. About 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, local fire departments contained a forest fire on Kragness Drive near 3 Mile and Hamilton roads, about 10 miles west of Wolf Lake.,according to a news release. Float airplanes from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service assisted local crews in suppressing the fire. Martin said crews would still be working the scene for several hours. The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids issued a Fire Weather Watch for Wednesday afternoon and evening. Winds of 15-25 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph, relative humidty as low as 22% and temperatures in the upper 70s create critical fire weather conditions, according to a news release from the NWS. In addition, the Michigan DNR has issued burn bans throughout northern Michigan. JERUSALEM (AP) The Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with "heavy-handed restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the Holy Fire ceremony amid soaring tensions. Israeli police said the limits are needed for safety during Saturday's celebration at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Saturdays Holy Fire celebration comes during a recent spate of violence in the Old City, touched off by an Israeli police raid on Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, the compound thats home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The tensions spiraled into a regional confrontation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and were punctuated Friday when two British-Israeli sisters and their mother were killed after their car came under fire near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank. The mother succumbed to her wounds on Monday. Israel, which imposed similar restrictions on the Holy Fire event last year, says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd stampede in 2021 at a packed Jewish holy site left 45 people dead. Christian leaders say theres no need to alter a ceremony that has been held for centuries. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that on the Saturday before Easter, a miraculous flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The Greek patriarch enters the Holy Edicule, a chamber built on the traditional site of Jesus' tomb, and emerges with two lit candles. He passes the flame among thousands of people holding candles, gradually illuminating the walls of the darkened basilica. The flame will be transferred to Orthodox communities in other countries on special flights. The source of the Holy Fire has been a closely guarded secret for centuries, with an abundance of skeptics. Church officials told reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday that negotiations with the police over their "heavy-handed" restrictions had failed. After many attempts made in good will, we are not able to coordinate with the Israeli authorities as they are enforcing unreasonable restrictions on access to the Holy Sepulcher, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, calling the limitations heavy-handed. We will hold the ceremony as customary for two millennia and invite all who wish to worship with us to attend, said Father Mattheos Siopis of the Greek Orthodox Church. We leave the authorities to act as they will. The churches will freely worship and do so in peace. Israeli police officials acknowledged that they are increasing security and blocking some routes into the dense Old City and that attendance is limited in the ancient church and courtyard. But in a conference call with reporters, officials said the attendance limits 1,800 people inside the church which Greek Orthodox officials said was a fraction of previous years were set by the church. Chief Superintendent Yoram Segal of the Jerusalem District Police told reporters during a conference call that the police's top priority is safety on a day when Muslims, Christians and Jews are celebrating their own holidays in the square-kilometer (square-half mile) Old City. We are going to regulate the movement of crowds, Segal said, adding that the holy fire ceremony will be available throughout the city on video screens and that meetings with the churches are ongoing. Since the rise this year of Israels most right-wing government in history, Christians say their 2,000-year-old community in the Holy Land has come under increasing attack. ___ Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. I have always been amazed and a tad bit envious of how animals have such keen night vision as do some birds and even sea creatures. Humans have the wonderful ability to identify colors, but we are not as well equipped for seeing in the dark. Owls, frogs, octopuses, cats, raccoons, bears, snakes, cows, sheep, wolves, cockroaches, and horses, just to name a few, all have very admirable night vision. Even on the darkest night, it seems these gifted night visionaries can find their way to their desired destination without missing a heartbeat. During a recent snow event, I had outpatient surgery in Saginaw. Driving in the daylight with snow flurries is just the normal routine for living in snow country. However, by the time the surgery was completed, and I was given the approval to travel, the snow had increased in intensity along with the gusting wind. Leaving Saginaw with all the street lights beaming brightly lulled my foggy mind into thinking all would be well. As the lights of Saginaw faded, only our headlights brought illumination to a small area of roadway. The roads werent plowed and only a few tire tracks were visible to follow. Still recovering from the anesthetic, my mind started coming fully awake. I realized we couldnt see our surroundings well. We slowly made our way. I wished I had the night vision of some of Mother Natures wonders. As we drove along the shoreline, no lights were shining from summer cottages. I stared out into the darkness of Lake Huron. My mind drifted back to a time when my life depended on an animal to have perfect night vision when I was in utter darkness. Loving horses, westerns, and the cowboy or cowgirl way of life, when the opportunity to go on a trail ride in the mountains with a group of friends presented itself, I couldnt wait to saddle up and ride. Being in my mid-20s, adventuresome, and idealistic, I looked only at the thrilling aspect of riding on a mountain trail, stopping for a real chuck wagon dinner, and singing songs around a campfire. The mountains in New Mexico are very inviting, and I just couldnt wait for this great adventure of enjoying, at least for a short time, a disappearing way of life. Finally the day arrived, and we met at the stables to pack our gear, meet our trail bosses, and to select the horse we wanted to ride. I looked over all the possibilities, speaking to each one, looking in their eyes, and giving a little snuggle to each. When I came upon Trusty, he snuggled back, looked straight in my eyes, and nodded his head up and down. I got the hint. Trusty was my steed. We left at 3 in the afternoon with a bright blue sky, small puffy clouds, and a beaming sun. As our little band of 20 people and staff ascended upward on the mountain, I was soaking up all the wonderful pine aroma, the rays of sunshine scattered through the trees, and the joy of riding Trusty. We chatted to each other as we rode single file up the trail. As I was admiring the gorgeous view, my eyes and mind made a connection that hadnt been made before the trail was narrow and the mountain was steep. There were no guardrails. No wonder I had to sign waiver forms. As disquieting as that thought was, I brushed it aside and refused to let it fester in my mind. We rode for three hours till we reached our destination at a lovely grassy area. The chuck wagon was a bustle of activity as the cooks prepared our meal. We tied our horses up on a string line. I tied Trusty up at the end of the line. We had a few more snuggles and fond gazes between us before I joined the rest of the group around the campfire. This moment seemed like heaven on earth to me. We ate, listened to stories, sang songs, toasted marshmallows, made smores, and relished this incredible adventure. None of us really noticed the darkness creeping in. As the dark covered the sky, so did a large cloud cover, which prevented us from seeing the stars and moon. The only light to be seen was our campfire, and we were about to put that out before saddling up to descend the mountain. It had escaped my mind that we would be riding down the mountain at night when I signed onto this adventure. With the fire extinguished, the darkness was overwhelming. Thankfully, Trusty was easy to locate since I tied him up at the end of the line. Creating a single file line, we started down the mountain. I told Trusty he had to live up to his name because I was trusting in him and his night vision. I was in total darkness, not being able to see the edge of the trail. I knew there were critters about when I heard bushes rattle and tree limbs snap. They could see me, but I couldnt see them. None of us spoke. We rode in silence. Finally, three hours later Trusty had delivered me to the stables where light shone in the ranch house. Those kerosene lights looked like crystal chandeliers to me. Trusty had used his night vision to keep us alive. Many people and nations, including ours, are under a creeping darkness. Our vision seems to be obscured by this darkness. Many have gone through dark times, but there has always been people of great vision who have lead the way out of darkness such as Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps you are one of those with great vision who can lead the way out of darkness into the light, just like Trusty did for me. The path may seem dark, steep, and winding, but the light can be found. Step up and start leading before the darkness closes in forever. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIDDLETOWN Construction has begun on a $50 million state project to reconfigure a stop sign on the Route 17 on-ramp that leads to Route 9 northbound in Middletown to remedy a section of highway deemed one of the most dangerous in Connecticut. Aimed at reducing crashes and improving traffic movement, the Department of Transportation plan includes removing stop sign and building a full-length acceleration lane to allow vehicles to merge with other motorists without first being required to come to a complete stop, according to the agency. The on-ramps current configuration has seen 319 crashes and 27 injuries between 2019 and 2022, according to DOT data. In those first two years alone, Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said, there were more than 240 crashes, resulting in nearly 50 injuries. Think of all the other economic costs, too: auto repair bills, insurance cost, medical bills and lost days of work to take care of those expenses," he said. The downtown Middletown ramp is the only one with a stop sign along the 41-mile length of Route 9, according to state officials. It runs from the Farmington-West Hartford line to Old Saybrook. Gov. Ned Lamont, Mayor Ben Florsheim, local and state legislators and DOT crews gathered Tuesday across from Harbor Park, about a mile and a half north of Exit 21 (formerly Exit 11) for a ceremonial groundbreaking. The contract was awarded to the Middlesex Corp., and the project is expected to be completed in fall 2026. Youre going to be busy for the next 10 years, Lamont joked to construction workers. No retirements! When the on-ramp was built in the 1950s, the goal was to maintain local access to the downtown, where a number of exits are clustered, Eucalitto said. In most other states, you have highways with very long distances between exits and on-ramps, whereas in Connecticut, you go 500 feet and theres another on-ramp, another on-ramp, which causes a lot of congestion and crashes. Its a historic legacy that were trying to undo and fix here, the commissioner said. It forces you to come to a complete stop before merging with oncoming traffic. Usually that traffic is going 60, 70 mph. That awkward angle, trying to turn your head all the way to the left to look at oncoming traffic, has led to hundreds of rear-end collisions and sideswipe crashes, he added. This is a long time coming, state Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, said, adding that the work is "critical" for the city's economy. The project will coincide with redevelopment of the citys portion of the Connecticut Riverfront, which recently received a $12 million infusion from the state. The dangerous area has been a front-page issue all year round. It has been really high on our constituents list of intersections, Lesser said, referring to his fellow lawmakers. What this is going to do is correct one of the gravest errors and one of the most significant safety challenges that was created when we turned a local road (Route 17 / South Main Street) into a highway, said Florsheim, whose office at City Hall overlooks Route 9 in downtown Middletown. Eighty percent of the project will be funded by the federal government, and 20 percent will be borne by the state. Another area DOT project will result in the reconfiguration of several areas of Route 9 in Middletown, improving the safety of drivers. For information, visit bit.ly/3GAiDpi. By Mata Press Service After a pandemic-induced hiatus of three years, two mammoth Khalsa Day parades, to mark the Sikh New Year will be held in Vancouver and Surrey this month. The Surrey event on April 22, the largest Khalsa Day Vaisakhi Parade in the world, is expected to draw about 500,000 people and bring in tens of millions of dollars to the city coffers. The Vancouver parade on April 15 is expected to draw about 200,000 people. Similar parades and celebrations will be held by Sikh communities all over the country. After having to cancel the parade and the other weekend celebrations for the past three years, we know that the community locally in BC as well as guests who travel from as far away as across the US, Europe and Australia will be thrilled to hear that the 2023 Surrey Khalsa Day Vaisakhi Parade is definitely back on, says Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar President Gurdeep Singh Samra. We are expecting significant crowds to gather to celebrate this important event in the Sikh calendar, and we look forward to welcoming people of all ages and ethnicities to celebrate along with us at this free, family-friendly event, said the official from the Sikh temple, which organizes the event. The Surrey parade itself features a colourful and entertaining procession of over 2500 participants representing 20 community organizations. Hundreds of booths along the route, sponsored by local businesses and families give away free food and treats to onlookers. The Khalsa Diwan Society which organizes the Vancouver parade said their event is the only Sikh parade in Vancouver which is recognized as a civic event. The Vaisakhi parades or Nagar Kirtan are lively celebrations to mark the Sikh New Year, pay tribute to the harvest and commemorate one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar - the creation of the Khalsa. The Khalsa was founded in 1699 as a Sikh brotherhood and sisterhood to fight adversity and continues to be at the heart of Sikhism. From here the Sikh nation grew with a renewed identity and as a collective faith underlined by the principles of sewa or sacrifice for their fellow human beings. April is also Sikh Heritage Month in British Columbia. April is a particularly important time in Sikhism as it marks the occasion of Vaisakhi, the beginning of spring harvest and the start of a new agricultural year, said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. In the late 19th century, the first Sikh settlers arrived in British Columbia to work in lumber mills, the logging industry, on farms, and the railway with Chinese migrants. Many early Sikh settlers arrived in Golden to work at the local lumber company. In 1905, Sikhs in Golden built North Americas first Gurdwara, which was destroyed by fire in 1926. Today, North Americas oldest, operational Gurdwara, built in 1911, is located in Abbotsford. Throughout the ensuing decades, Sikhs were denied the right to vote, subjected to hate and violence, and kept from their families through unjust immigration policies. Despite all of this, the Sikh community persisted being strong advocates for equality, social justice and service to others in neighbourhoods across B.C., said Elmore. The term seva means selfless service that is performed without any expectation of result or award for performing it and is a main tenet of the Sikh faith. During the snowstorm last December, a group of volunteers with the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar in New Westminster demonstrated seva by opening their temple to motorists who were trapped overnight on the Queensborough Bridge. The volunteers provided food, hot tea and a place for people to warm up and sleep safely. This is just one example of how Sikhs have stepped up to help others. While this is a month to celebrate, we cant pretend the hate and discrimination many early Sikh settlers experienced isnt still very much alive today. Last month, a Sikh international student was brutally attacked in Kelowna in a suspected hate crime. Incidents like these are horrifying and unacceptable. We must come together in solidarity to support each other, embrace our differences and defend everyones right to live as themselves, said Elmore. There is more work to do to dismantle systemic racism and were committed to leading this important work in honour of the many early settlers who didnt have a chance to see the advances we have made to improve equity so far. This Sikh Heritage Month I encourage all British Columbians to learn more about the incredible and selfless contributions that Sikh Canadians have made and continue to make in shaping our province. By taking the time to celebrate and learn about the diverse communities in our province, we can make B.C. a more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone. Canada has the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab in India. Vaisakhi Q&A Q: What are the origins of Vaisakhi? A: Although Vaisakhi has traditionally been a harvest festival in Punjab and across South Asia for centuries, the day has a very special significance for Sikhs. On Vaisakhi Day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh created the Order of the Khalsa. The Khalsa are those Sikhs who have accepted the Sikh initiation or khande kee paahul and commit to live their lives in the service of humanity and the spirit of equality and compassion. The founding of the Khalsa was a seminal event in Sikh history which gave the Sikh faith its final form. Q: What is a Nagar Kirtan? A: The word nagar means town and kirtan is singing of hymns. A nagar kirtan refers to a Sikh parade that is led by the Punj Pyare (the five beloved ones, who represent the first five Sikh to have been initiated) and the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or the Sikh scripture, which is placed in a decorated float. The congregation follows the parade while singing hymns and verses from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, along with displays of the Sikh martial art gatka and distributing free food (langar). The nagar kirtan begins and concludes with a religious service and the serving of langar. Q: What is the significance of the orange and yellow colours? A: Yellow and orange are the traditional colours of Vaisakhi. They represent the spirit of rebirth and sacrifice of the Punj Pyare but are also a colour of joy and celebration. When Vaisakhi is celebrated in Punjab, the golden yellow wheat fields are ready to be harvested. Q: Who can participate in Vaisakhi celebrations? A: Everyone. The Sikh faith considers all persons to be equal, regardless of gender, race, nationality or class. Sikh gurdwaras are open to all people. The langar or community meal is also offered to both Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. Q: Is there any special dress I should wear? A: The only requirements to visit a Sikh gurdwara are that visitors take off their shoes and cover their heads. Any intoxicants such as tobacco products or liquor are also not permitted on the premises. World Sikh Organisation of Canada BEIJING Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, China said Wednesday, as signs emerged that Beijing will take further action. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the U.S. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. Although China said the exercises are over, it has kept up military pressure against Taiwan in the past few days and signaled it will do more. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation said Wednesday it had received a notice from China's Civil Aviation Administration that it would set up a control zone to restrict flights in parts of northern Taiwan from April 16-18, in effect setting up an area where flights would not be allowed to go. On their own, they set up a warning area to control flights within our country's jurisdiction's Taipei Aviation Information Region, using the excuse of aerospace activities, the Taiwan statement said. Taiwan said it strongly protested the notice and was able to get China to reduce the flight ban time from three days to 27 minutes on the morning of April 16. It is unclear what China plans to do at that time. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it was looking into the matter but could not provide further details. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. It defended its recent military actions Wednesday. The Peoples Liberation Army recently organized and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces," Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the U.S., Taiwan's closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. On Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it tracked 35 flights by People's Liberation Army warplanes within the last 24 hours, and eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. There are still some navy ships and airplanes carrying out harassment in the area. We strongly condemn these deliberately threatening and provocative actions that destroy the regional peace and stability, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Defense Ministry, said at a press briefing Wednesday. The vast majority of Taiwanese favor maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognize Taiwan's government institutions and has cut off contact with Tsai's administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing generally seen as referring to the U.S. External forces are intensifying their endeavor of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Zhu said. Zhu also repeated China's assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwans independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms isn't clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. Taiwanese compatriots should clearly recognize the serious harm that the provocation of Taiwan independence forces poses to cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognize the interests, distinguish right from wrong, and stand on the correct side of history, Zhu said. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island that landed in Japans exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. The most recent exercises focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwans Defense Ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. They also featured the use of China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which launched dozens of J-15 Flying Shark fighter missions during the exercises, according to Japanese officials. Taiwanese military officials said they noted the Shandong's appearance in the Pacific Ocean, to Taiwan's east, and that it was the focus of their discussions and preparedness plans. Everyone can see clearly Chinas ability to cross the first island chain is gradually improving. The so-called anti-access/area denial ability is gradually improving, said Lt. Gen. Li Tian-long at a press briefing Wednesday, referring to a military concept where forces prevent an adversary from entering a specific area. Defense experts said China would likely use the Shandong to try to prevent foreign militaries from accessing that area based on its exercise movements. Taiwan will launch an annual large-scale drill on Thursday jointly with its disaster services and Defense Ministry, as well as local governments. Last year, the government revamped the disaster-preparedness drills to include more wartime scenarios. This year, they said, that trend would continue with war-preparedness to comprise 70% of the drills' contents. The developments come as the USS Nimitz Carrier group is operating in the South China Sea south of Taiwan and as American and Filipino forces hold their largest combat exercises in decades in Philippine waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. - AP reporter Huizhong Wu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan. The commander for one of the Army's premier training elements in the Pacific has been suspended, pending an investigation, Military.com has learned. Col. Jonathan Chung was removed this week from his position commanding the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade after sitting at the helm since July 2021. The circumstances around his suspension are unclear. Chung did not immediately return a request for comment from Military.com. Chung has been assigned to an administrative role at U.S. Army Pacific, an element of the force that oversees operations in the Indo-Pacific, according to a service spokesperson. Col. Tony Braxton will temporarily assume command. Read Next: How Is Your Relationship? Defense Department Asks Military Couples to Weigh in Officers in the midst of investigations are commonly suspended from their duties before being formally fired if the investigation validates accusations. Investigations can range from mild policy infractions to poor treatment of subordinates or criminal activity. The Army declined to specify the nature of the investigation into Chung. Service officials typically withhold investigation details until they are complete Security Force Assistance Brigades, or SFABs, were stood up by the Army in 2017, with 5th SFAB being activated in 2020. The units, with their soldiers sporting brown berets, are designed to fit in loosely between conventional formations and Special Forces. They are tasked with building relationships with partner forces that typically involve training other militaries on U.S. ground combat tactics. The Army is in the midst of reorganizing its forces after decades of focus on the Global War on Terrorism to be prepared for a showdown in the Pacific, with 5th SFAB being one of the key components responsible for preparing any potential ground war. The 5th SVAB, headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is regionally partnered with key countries in the Pacific, including Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand -- all of which are considered to be key allies if a conflict were to ignite with China. Before commanding 5th SFAB, Chung was the commander of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Sources: Fort Sill Commander Suspended from Duty for Allegedly Breaking Hunting Rules on Base As U.S. relations fray with China and Russia, American military leaders in Hawaii are increasingly giving attention to their forces in Alaska. Recently, U.S. Army Pacific's Oahu-based commander, Gen. Charles Flynn, visited Alaska to observe training at the Alaska portions of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Centera series of training ranges in Hawaii and Alaska the Army is using to train troops for potential combat operations amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Pacific. The training also takes place amid increasing concern by some American policymakers about China's aspirations in the Arctic. Paratroopers with the Army's newly reorganized 11th Airborne Division in Alaska trained with the Air Force, practicing jumping into the tundra to fight battles in the winter. Flynn said JPRMC ranges allow "the opportunity to train as a joint force because we're surrounded by joint assets, both here and Hawaii, and of course in the region." Alaska is home to several bases as well as airfields regularly used by the military. Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commander of the 11th Airborne, said bases in Alaska serve not just as a training ground, but as an important "strategic location " that allows his troops to serve as "a deterrent where we're at." Though the frigid tundra of Alaska stretches into the Arctic, U.S. Army and Air Force personnel in Alaska answer to commanders in Hawaii. The Oahu-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command at Camp Smith is the nerve center for all operations across the region. Commanders there describe their area of operationsthe U.S. military's largestas spanning "Bollywood to Hollywood and polar bears to penguins." Throughout its history, Alaska has been as much tied to the Pacific as to the Arctic. In the days of the Hawaiian kingdom, whalers set up shop in the islands while sailing north to hunt in the cold waters off Alaska. During World War II, Alaska became a battlefield when Japanese forces pushed into the Aleutian Islands, bombing Dutch Harbor and landing troops on the islands of Kiska and Attuthe latter becoming the site of a bloody battle between U.S. and Japanese troops as they fought in the bitter cold. Today the Air Force has stationed its newest fightersthe F-35 and F-22in Alaska. Over the years American fighters have had occasional run-ins with Russian planes near U.S.-controlled airspace around Alaska, so far without serious incident. But American fishermen working out of Alaska have also reported increasingly tense encounters with Russian ships and warplanes while fishing in the Northern Pacific. Lately, U.S. Pacific Air Forces under Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has sought to spread out its forces across the region through a strategy the Air Force calls Agile Combat Employment. The idea is to shuffle planes to different airfields across the Pacific to make it harder for Chinese forces to wipe them out with missiles. Alaska is an area of interest for the strategy, as well as airstrips across Pacific island countries and territories. But the U.S. Army Pacific's renewed interest in Alaska is relatively recent. Eifler, who previously served under Flynn in Hawaii before he was appointed head of the Army's Pacific forces, arrived in Alaska in 2021 when most soldiers in the state were still under the banner of the Oahu-based 25th Infantrythe "Tropic Thunder Division "but in name only. The Army's brigades up north were in reality under the umbrella of U.S. Army Alaska, a patchwork of forces stationed in the tundra using equipment ill-suited for the environment in which they trained. Eifler said the Army had essentially "abandoned " its soldiers up northeven though Alaska is home to some of the Army's only airborne troops positioned to quickly deploy in the Pacific region. U.S. Army Alaska had the highest suicide rate of any part of the Army. In 2022, after Eifler pushed for reforms, U.S. Army Alaska was reorganized under the banner of the 11th Airborne Divisiontaking on the legacy of a unit that had fought in the Pacific during World War II and later pioneered helicopter "air assault " operations. But even before reorganizing into the 11th Airborne, paratroopers in Alaska had already begun training to more quickly deploy in the Pacific. In summer 2020, Air Force C-17s made a direct flight from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska to Guam, dropping paratroopers on the island, where they practiced seizing an airfield in one the largest airborne exercises in the Pacific region in recent history. "We are a response force across the Indo-Pacific, so we have to be ready for all contingencies, " Eifler said. "If we have to defend Alaska, yeah, we'll be ready to do that. But our primary mission is to be able to provide forces across in the Pacific." But Arctic and Pacific issues have in recent years begun to blur together. On April 3 the Pentagon said that an alleged spy balloon that made its way across the United States in January before being shot down and recovered by the U.S. military off South Carolina was able to be remotely steered and transmit real-time data back to operators in China as it transited over U.S. military installations. The balloon first entered U.S. controlled airspace in the Aleutians before making its way across the mainland. Chinese military forces aren't strangers to the Aleutians. In 2021 the U.S. Coast Guard encountered Chinese warships moving near the island chain, and in September the Coast Guard again saw Chinese vessels near the Aleutiansthis time joined by Russian warships. Though American forces watched them closely, U.S. officials stressed they did not violate any rules. The U.S. military also regularly conducts operations near China, including the South China Seaa critical trade route that more than a third of all international trade travels through. Beijing claims nearly the entire waterway as its exclusive territory and is locked in a series of disputes with neighboring countries over territorial and navigation rights. But as polar ice caps thaw, Beijing is looking at the possibility of new trade routes in the Arctic opening up along with other opportunities. In 2018, China declared itself a "near Arctic " country and has sought greater involvement in the region. "The Arctic is a competitive space, and it's competitive for a wide range of reasons, " Flynn said. "You can see countries working to increase their competitiveness in that space. ... I think that Russia is in the Arctic Circle looking out. I think that China is actually outside the Arctic Circle looking in." Even as fossil fuel emissions heat up the climatecontributing to rising seas and increasingly intense weather and natural disasterscorporations around the world are already eagerly exploring the possibility that there could be newly accessible deposits of oil, natural gas and minerals under the melting ice to extract. Chinese companies are among those seeking to get in on the action. The Pentagon has expressed concerns in reports to Congress that Chinese commercial and scientific activity in the Arctic could in some cases be a cover for developing military systems and conducting surveillance. In 2020, Canada rejected on security grounds a bid by Chinese company Shandong Gold Mining to buy an Arctic gold mine, and in February the Canadian government said it had found Chinese buoys in Arctic waters that it believes are intended for surveillance. Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping share a close relationship and recently pledged to cooperate on opening pathways for goods to flow through the Arctic, but other Russian and Chinese officials have been at odds. Though cooperation between China and Russia has continued to deepen, some Russian officials are also suspicious of China's intentions in an area that Russia has long considered to be its area of influence. "(The Arctic ) is one of those global commons, where we want it to remain free and open, just like the Indo-Pacific, " Flynn said. "We want the global commons to be secure, stable and protected so that every nation has a right of passage through them." During a panel in October hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., Liselotte Odgaard, a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies, argued that Beijing's attention remains focused on the South China Seawhere the Chinese military has built bases on disputed islands and reefs to assert its territorial claimsand that China likely has "little interest in establishing a military presence " in the Arctic, at least for nowthough she noted that China might be willing to partner more with Russia on development and excavation projects. The convergence of Arctic and Pacific politics was on display at JPMRC in Alaska. Canadian and Italian troops joined the 11th Airborne in the U.S. military's Yukon Training Area while military observers from Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Chile, Germany, Finland and Norway watched. As the Army's training ranges in Hawaii such as the 25th Infantry Division's Lightning Academy on Oahu attract attention of troops wanting to train for jungle operations in the tropical regions of Asia and the Pacific, Alaska's winter ranges prepare others to operate in Asia's colder corners. In 2022 the 11th also trained with Indian troops in the Himalayasnot far from where Indian and Chinese troops have engaged in a series of deadly skirmishesand with Japanese forces in Japan's colder northern territories. "This year we're training all over the Indo-Pacific with other nations that have cold, high mountain, high-altitude terrain, as well as other Arctic nations, " Eifler said. "So we're seeing this as a great opportunity as a joint environment, not just an Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines, but also in a multinational environment." Mongolian army chief Gen. Bujiinov Amgalanbaatar stopped in to watch the JPRMC training in Alaska and meet with Flynn and Eifler. The 11th Airborne is slated to conduct exercises in Mongoliawhich is sandwiched between Russia and Chinalater this year. ___ (c)2023 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. forces captured three ISIS operatives during a helicopter raid in Syria over the weekend, U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, announced Wednesday. In a late-night raid Saturday in eastern Syria, U.S. troops captured Hudayfah al Yemeni, whom CENTCOM described as an "ISIS attack facilitator," and two unnamed associates, according to a news release. The release provided no further details about the operation, which CENTCOM said resulted in no civilian deaths or injuries. Read Next: How Is Your Relationship? Defense Department Asks Military Couples to Weigh in "Operations against ISIS are important for the security and stability of the region," CENTCOM spokesperson Col. Joe Buccino said in the release. "ISIS remains a threat to the region and beyond -- the group retains the capability to conduct operations in Iraq and Syria with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East, and its vile ideology remains a threat. Operations such as this one reaffirms our commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS." About 900 U.S. troops are in Syria on a stated mission of bolstering allied local militias to ensure ISIS does not resurge after dislodging the terrorist group from its strongholds in 2019. The capture of al Yemeni is the latest of several recent U.S. operations in Syria. Last week, CENTCOM said a U.S. strike killed a senior ISIS leader named Khalid 'Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri, who was allegedly responsible for planning attacks in Europe. In February, U.S. forces said they'd also conducted two raids in Syria alongside their Syrian Democratic Forces partners. One of those raids, which resulted in the death of a senior ISIS leader named Hamza al-Homsi, also wounded four U.S. troops and a working dog. The other raid earlier that month killed an ISIS operative said to be involved in planning attacks on detention centers where members of the terrorist group are being held. The U.S. troop presence in Syria has also been a flashpoint in U.S.-Iran tensions. Last month, a drone strike against U.S. forces believed to have been carried out by Iran-backed militias killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several U.S. troops. The U.S. retaliated with its own strikes against the militias it blamed for the drone attack, which in turn was followed by rocket fire against U.S. forces in Syria. The incidents resulted in at least six U.S. troops being diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: At Least 6 Troops Diagnosed with Brain Injuries After Deadly Iran-Backed Strikes in Syria The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. Generals are often accused of wanting to fight the last war. That is only partly true. The winning side in any war is likely to want to repeat its successes. The losers often look to new methods to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, or conversely, they seek to avoid the type of conflict that caused the loss. That was certainly true in the years between the two world wars. The winning French of World War I believed that the methodical battle doctrine that eventually won the conflict had staunched the accumulation of hundreds of thousands of unnecessary casualties earlier in the war. The losing Germans chose to innovate and make the maximum use of emerging technologies. Following Vietnam, the losing Americans took both approaches. Our generals avoided guerrilla-type wars such as they faced in Indo-China and were determined to concentrate on the conventional threat posed by the Soviet Union and North Korea, as well as on combined arms use of emerging precision technologies. Conventional warfare concepts such as maneuver warfare and air-land battle were refined and appeared to pay off handsomely in Operation Desert Storm and early in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. But you don't always get the war that you want. I came on active duty with the Marine Corps as Vietnam wound down in 1971 and watched the transition from counterinsurgency to a more conventional approach unfold. The model Vietnamese village in the woods of Quantico, Virginia, was dismantled, and the counterinsurgency package had been drastically reduced from the late '60s when it was the centerpiece of the training curriculum. By the time I attended the Marine Corps War College in the 1990s, the counterinsurgency schooling had been reduced to a few hours of case studies on the French experience in Algeria and a hand wave at Vietnam. The army schools were much the same. Consequently, as Iraq and Afghanistan degenerated into insurgencies, the military was again caught flat-footed. When the Marine Corps put together a course to prepare advisers for both countries, it had to go to the archives section of the university library to dig out course material. The Army was in much the same boat. History appears to be repeating itself in the wake of the Afghanistan debacle. The services are again focusing on conventional conflict with peer competitors, and China will likely be the flavor of the month for years to come. No service has played the China card more aggressively than the Marine Corps. The current commandant, Gen. David Berger, has reoriented the Corps almost exclusively on China, with the Marines creating the maritime equivalent of a Maginot Line, positioning its forces to fire anti-ship missiles against an expected breakout of the Chinese Navy from the South China Sea. These small, distributed forces would presumably play "whack-a-mole" by moving anti-ship missile armed forces among the many islets in the South China Sea area by light amphibious craft and helicopter. To afford these anti-ship systems, Gen. Berger has divested the Marine Corps of capabilities that were essential to making the Marines the nation's worldwide force-in-readiness. Tanks, heavy engineer equipment, about a third of assault infantry and many attack helicopter assets are gone, as well as much of its towed artillery and snipers at the battalion level. The Marines war-gamed their new approach on the naval breakout scenario, which most analysts see as the least likely. The most likely conventional force scenario is a Chinese attack on Taiwan, with an attempt to limit the conflict to an exclusion zone around the Formosan area. The Marine Corps approach would be virtually useless in that event. The most likely scenario for Chinese expansion outside the South China Sea is exactly what it is attempting today. The country is building influence among the poor states of Micronesia and Melanesia through investment in willing partners, such as the Solomon Islands, and undermining governments in South and Southeast Asia that lean heavily toward the U.S. and its regional allies. Those battles in the Gray Zone between economic/political competition and conventional war are the most likely scenarios by far. The Marine Corps and, to a lesser extent, the Army are becoming both mentally and physically less ready to meet these challenges. The counterinsurgency expertise built up in Iraq and Afghanistan is rapidly eroding, and the military education establishments of all the services are also being allowed to atrophy. The Marine Corps has rid itself of exactly the knowledge and combat capabilities that would be needed to help friendly nations defeat a Chinese-inspired insurgency. Our weakness in this area has probably not gone unnoticed by our friends in Beijing who will likely exploit it. They probably already are. Gary Anderson retired as chief of staff of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. He later served as a special adviser to the deputy director of defense and was a senior civilian adviser in Iraq and Afghanistan. When a mom is sick and tired of something, she usually has no qualms about letting you know. Two moms in particular were sick of sons and fathers dying during the Civil War. The first was Ann Reeves Jarvis, who didn't care which side the sick and dying were on or what uniform they were wearing. The second was Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the still-famous "Battle Hymn of the Republic," inspired by a review of Union troops marching in formation. Both moms tried to rally all moms around a Mother's Day that would keep those troops alive, reminding people about the true cost of war. Their success was limited, but their example would lead to a Mother's Day that would instead honor "the best mother in the world, your mother." Those were the words President Woodrow Wilson spoke when he signed the law making Mother's Day a legal holiday in the United States in 1914. And in case any of you weren't sure, the actual World's Best Mom is my mom. (Blake Stilwell) The creation of Mother's Day actually took much longer, and the foundation for the national holiday was laid during the Civil War. When the War Between the States began in 1861, Jarvis was already at work harnessing the Power of Mom. In her native Appalachia, which would become West Virginia after splitting from Virginia when that state seceded from the Union in 1861, Jarvis began "Mothers' Day Work Clubs" to address the unsanitary living conditions in Appalachian households, which she believed led to high infant mortality rates. As the war raged on and West Virginia began taking casualties, she shifted her clubs' mission to become a neutral aid group, providing comfort and care to soldiers from both sides of the war. Jarvis pressed the members to disregard the uniform the men were wearing; instead, she urged them to feed and clothe the men when necessary and become nurses when disease broke out among the troops. After the war, she continued the mom spirit with "Mothers' Friendship Day," bringing together both Union and Confederate veterans in the spirit of reconciliation in 1868. In the face of threats of violence, the sheer force of mom made certain the event not only went off without incident, it ended with everyone singing and dancing. Ann Reeves Jarvis, who led with the sentiment of moms everywhere: "I just hope everyone has fun." Julia Ward Howe was a more nationally famous mom, author of books, poems and of course, the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Her Battle Hymn not only resonated with the Union soldiers and the public during the war, its intense imagery has endured for generations. Two years after Jarvis' "Mothers' Friendship Day," Howe evoked the Power of Mom once more. This time, the call was to establish a "Mother's Day for Peace," in an effort to end war and celebrate peace. It was also a day for mothers to ask officials not to send their husbands and sons off to die in war. Howe issued a "Mother's Day Proclamation" in 1870, which was celebrated for almost 30 years in cities across the country ... until the United States entered the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1905, Jarvis died of heart problems in Philadelphia. By 1907, her daughter Anna, who was her mother's caretaker for the year preceding her death, had taken up the mantle of the Mom (despite never having children of her own), campaigning to create a national U.S. Mother's Day. "I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother's day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life," Anna Jarvis once said. "She is entitled to it." The daughter's campaign to make one of her mother's best ideas a national day of quiet remembrance became something much bigger than she intended -- or even wanted -- but it was all an effort to honor the act of being a mother, and everything that being a mom entailed in America at the time. Anna Marie Jarvis, rueful campaigner for Mother's Day. (International Mother's Day Shrine) There was no religious element to Anna's campaign, nor was there a political motivation beyond the creation of a national day of recognition. She just wanted to honor the effort and sacrifices mothers made in their own homes, which often went unnoticed and underappreciated. She wrote letters, met with officials, printed booklets and gave speeches on the idea. A 1907 speech memorializing her mother in Grafton, West Virginia, where Jarvis once taught school, inspired locals to hold a Mother's Day on May 10, 1908. When the mayor of Philadelphia learned about it, he instituted a citywide Mother's Day. West Virginia recognized the first statewide Mother's Day in 1910. It caught fire across the U.S., and by 1911, all states celebrated Mom with an official day. Rep. J. Thomas Heflin of Alabama and Sen. Morris Sheppard of Texas, both Democrats (times were very different back then), introduced a joint resolution calling for a National Mother's Day. Wilson signed the proclamation designating the second Sunday in May (recalling Grafton, West Virginia's choice of May 10) as a national holiday: Mother's Day was finally the law of the land. Americans loved it just as much as they loved Mom. For Anna Jarvis, who expected it to be a quiet day of reflection on motherhood, it became a little too commercial once it hit the mainstream. Skyrocketing sales of greeting cards, candy and flowers made Jarvis believe the holiday had been hijacked by profiteers, and she spent the rest of her life campaigning against it. -- 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. New Army couple Nick and April Sheets thought they would have to give up the life they had established as a foster family when they joined the military. But a social worker was the first to say that's not the case. Military members and their spouses can indeed foster disadvantaged children -- even while on active duty, living on base and with the potential of deploying. "I believe the mission of the military is very close to the mission of foster care," April said. "Children get left behind in the system, and it's our job to make sure they have a loving, warm and supportive home to go to at night." The Sheets family has been licensed in Texas, Virginia and North Carolina, fostering 28 children in total, even after PCSing. They are part of a small group of military foster families around the states. Roughly 2,000 military families also foster or are seeking to adopt, according to Defense Department data from 2016-20. Kelly Sprout and her husband, Robert, were one of those families, fostering 10 children and adopting two before Robert retired from the Navy in 2021. Like the Sheets family, they had long assumed that fostering and active-duty military service were mutually exclusive. But then they met a military foster family while stationed in Hawaii "All you hear is that you can't, because you move too much or because of deployments, which is not true," Sprout said. "It's probably why we had never heard of anyone fostering in the military until we met our friends." Military members and their spouses' motivations for fostering are the same as anyone else's, Sheets and Sprout said: They want to help children from birth to 18 whose parents are struggling. The process to become licensed is also nearly identical to a civilian's. Single parents and couples ages 21 and older go through background checks and medical assessments, complete licensure classes and open their houses for a home study, according to Military OneSource. The only extra steps for military families are disclosing how much time they have left in a certain location (most foster agencies prefer families with at least one year remaining at their current assignment) and when the service member(s) might deploy, alongside informing base housing (if applicable). Military OneSource also states that foster children are eligible to live on military installations, though they do not typically use base medical care or schools and do not travel to overseas assignments. Military spouses can still foster while their partner is deployed. However, since foster-care agencies operate by state, foster children cannot remain with a military family when PCSing across state lines, unless the family is already in the process of adopting them. That means that military foster families might have to "give back" their foster children when moving to new assignments. "I hate that part," Sheets said. "And I think the hardest thing I've come across is that every time we move, the new states don't recognize your certification and we have to redo almost everything again." That means repeated classes and background/medical checks. Similarly, Navy wife Amber Edington and her husband had to drive to Arkansas from Virginia to obtain his driving record for their foster-care licensure. Remembering every place they had lived and obtaining references from people who knew them well wasn't easy, either, she said -- but it's worth it. "Me and my husband both believe that children belong in families, and if we can be that family, then why not?" Edington said. "The military lifestyle is already stressful, but we know we need to help these children and we have the ability, so we're going to do it." Before You Foster as a Military Family Ready to become a military foster family? Here are some pro tips from Sheets, Sprout and Edington: Discuss the prospect with your partner, including the challenges of fostering (trauma behaviors, addictions, difficulty navigating legal systems, heartbreak, etc.). If both of you are not on the same page, things can go south quickly. Consider your family's situation, including jobs and children already at home. What ages and abilities of foster children might fit best? Look at how much time you have remaining at your current duty station (at least one year, ideally) and any upcoming deployments. To begin the process, call or email your state's specific agency that licenses foster parents. Find yours at childwelfare.gov or Google "How to become a foster parent in" your state. Get plugged into resources for military foster families, including Military OneSource and the Facebook group {US Military Families} Adoption, Foster Care & Kinship Care Support Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. Read the original article on MilitaryFamilies.com One of the top benefits that comes with an OCONUS duty station is the opportunity to travel. Living in another part of the world gives you easy access to places that would require much more time and money to visit from the States. A fun way to visit new destinations is by flying Space-A. Depending on where you're stationed, there are some easy "hops" you can take to explore yet another new part of the world. Here are three ideas to get you started for spring travel. Space-A to Ramstein Air Base (Germany) Ramstein is in southwestern Germany, and it's also the perfect "base" for a variety of day trips in the region. Within a few hours, you can visit many top destinations in Germany, as well as in France, Luxembourg and Belgium. Popular day trips include: Heidelberg, known for its famous castle. Trier, the oldest city in Germany. Strasbourg, a picturesque French city close to the border with Germany. Bastogne, Belgium, site of the Battle of the Bulge and a city rich in World War II history. You can stay near the train station in the nearby towns of Landstuhl or Kaiserslautern and use Germany's excellent rail system or rent a car and take a road trip. Related: Who Is Eligible for Space-A Flights? Learn more about local transportation and other logistics of flying Space-A to Ramstein. OCONUS Bases with Regular Flights to Ramstein: RAF Mildenhall, UK; NAVSTA Rota, Spain; NAS Sigonella, Italy; and Incirlik AB, Turkey Naval Air Station Sigonella (Italy) Sigonella is on the island of Sicily. For a relatively small geographic area, Sicily boasts a diverse range of attractions, including ancient ruins, gorgeous beaches, historic cities and Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. The base is on the eastern side of the island, within an hour's drive of Mount Etna. If you visit in the spring, expect to see snow on the mountain, but you can hike or even explore on an ATV at lower elevations. Among the many places to visit within a couple hours of Sigonella are: Taormina, a beautiful medieval city on Mount Tauro that has epic views of the sea and a famous Greek theater. Syracuse, a stunning city on the southeastern coast of Sicily, known for its ancient ruins. Catania, the closest major city to Sigonella, with many historical sites, delicious restaurants and a lively fish market. Agrigento, a city on Sicily's southwestern coast that is most famous for its five Greek temples. Much of Sicily is accessible using public transportation, but renting a car will give you more freedom to explore the island. Read more about transportation and where to stay when flying Space-A to Sigonella. OCONUS Bases with Regular Flights to NAS Sigonella: NAVSTA Rota, Spain; NSA Naples, Italy; NSA Souda Bay, Greece; and Ramstein AB, Germany Kadena Air Base (Japan) Kadena is in Okinawa, a cluster of islands in the Pacific about two hours south of mainland Japan. Okinawa has a sub-tropical climate, amazing marine life and gorgeous beaches. Think of it as a less expensive version of Hawaii. Okinawa boasts many activities for all ages and interests. The island is a paradise for anyone who enjoys snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking or simply relaxing on the beach. It also has important WWII history, including the Peace Memorial Park and the former underground headquarters of the Japanese Navy. Other top sites in Okinawa are: Cape Hedo at the northern tip of the island, where the East China Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Hiji Falls, the island's tallest waterfall. Churaumi Aquarium, which boasts a giant tank of whale sharks, manta rays and other large fish. The city of Naha and its most famous street, Kokusai Dori (a great place to buy souvenirs and sample local sweets). If you're flying to Okinawa from outside Japan, make sure you're aware of the immigration procedures. Find out what you need to know, plus more intel about flying Space-A to Kadena. OCONUS Bases with Regular Flights to Kadena: Yokota AB and MCAS Iwakuni, Japan; Andersen AFB, Guam; JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; JB Elmendorf-Richardson (Alaska) Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. Read the original article on MilitaryFamilies.com Switzerland's parliament has rejected the government's 109 billion Swiss francs ($A180.41 billion) aid for Credit Suisse's merger with UBS, leaving the fallen bank's hastily arranged rescue without a largely symbolic parliamentary blessing. While the upper house had approved the government's contribution to the rescue package, parliament's lower, and larger chamber, pushed back again on Wednesday. It had already rejected the proposals in a late night session on Tuesday, forcing the upper house to find a solution when it met again on Wednesday. Seeking a compromise, the upper house passed changes to the measure on Wednesday morning but it was not enough to sway the lower house MPs. They turned it down by 103 votes to 71 in favour, a similar level of opposition to the night before. Speaking just before the lower house vote, Cedric Wermuth, the co-president of the Social Democrats said the party just could not support the funding. While the government's commitment, made using emergency law, cannot be overturned, the vote marks a symbolic rebuke for the authorities whose decision to largely bypass the country's legislative has angered many politicians. "This decision has no impact on the takeover of Credit Suisse decided on March 19," the Swiss finance ministry said after the vote. The support package had already been given binding approval by the parliament's finance delegation, due to the urgency of the matter, it said. "The funds have already been fully committed," it added. MPs who backed an approval of the deal voiced concern about Switzerland's image. "It doesn't really matter what we decide in detail but it would really send a bad signal if these loans were rejected," said Eva Herzog, who is a member of the Council of States, the upper house, before the vote. Following a day of heated debates held in the country's four national languages, that continued into early morning hours, the upper house passed changes aimed at winning over the sceptics. Story continues They included a proposal for Switzerland's federal government to draft an amendment to the country's Banking Act. Its aim would be to reduce the risks posed by systemically relevant banks such as Credit Suisse and UBS for Switzerland, by, for example, raising capital requirements and restricting bonuses. Addressing parliament before the vote on Wednesday, finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter told MPs to consider what message their rejection of the rescue would send to the world. "What signal do you want to give internationally, are the institutions reliable, do you value financial market stability in a place where you already have a financial centre with a certain importance?" MPs were recalled to the country's capital Bern for the rare extraordinary session to discuss the Swiss government's open chequebook response to a collapse that many in the country have blamed on Credit Suisse's top management. Last month's shotgun marriage which resulted in the bank being taken over by rival UBS for 3 billion Swiss francs and propped up with more than 250 billion Swiss francs in guarantees and support has drawn widespread criticism. The government invoked Swiss emergency law to sign it off to the ire of the almost 250 MPs left without a say. "The use of emergency law has reached a level in the last three years that is beginning to annoy me," Hansjoerg Knecht, a member of parliament's upper house, said on Tuesday. 10:47pm: Marquez expects to be placed on the 15-day injured list, he said after tonights loss to the Cardinals (relayed by Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post). 9:24pm: Rockies starter German Marquez was sent for an MRI after leaving yesterdays start with tightness in his forearm. Imaging revealed a muscle strain but no significant structural damage, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. Its a relief there are apparently no structural issues that would raise the specter of surgery. Nevertheless, its hard to envision Marquez avoiding the injured list after the revelation of a forearm injury. The Rockies havent yet made a roster move or provided any kind of timetable for his recovery. Marquez is the top pitcher on the Rockies staff. Hes allowed eight runs in 16 1/3 innings this season but struck out 13 while issuing only two walks. The Venezuelan-born hurler had a down 2022 season, allowing nearly five earned runs per nine over 31 starts. Between 2017-21, he worked to a 4.25 ERA with an above-average 24% strikeout rate. Rotation depth is a major concern for Colorado. Antonio Senzatela is still recovering from last summers torn ACL. Beyond Marquez and Kyle Freeland, the Rox currently have Jose Urena, Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber rounding out the starting five. Urena and Feltner, in particular, have been hit hard in their first two starts. Long reliever Connor Seabold and Peter Lambert appear to be the top options to step into the rotation should Marquez miss any time. Its a crucial season for Marquez, whos in the final guaranteed year of his contract. The Rockies arent expected to compete for a playoff spot and could listen to offers on players closer to the trade deadline. A healthy Marquez would be a target for a number of clubs, though Colorado has steadfastly refused interest in previous summers. They could well do so again, as the Rox hold a $16MM option on his services that comes with a $2.5MM buyout for next season. The net $13.5MM call is strong value if the right-hander is healthy. That calculus could change if hes forced to miss a notable chunk of this season with a forearm issue but the timeline remains to be determined. Weather conditions today will lead to a risk for extreme fire behavior across Lower Michigan. It will be sunny and warm, with low relative humidity values and breezy winds. High temperatures will range from the mid-70s to lower-80s. Winds are anticipated to increase out of the west-southwest between 15 and 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. As dew points stay in the 40s, this will result in relative humidity values as low as 19 to 29 percent. This combination can lead to fires burning out of control if they are ignited. Because of this, burn bans are in effect for many areas as fire danger is very high. A Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for areas in the reddish pink color. Red Flag Warnings in effect. We are not alone as parts of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and other states also are under Red Flag Warnings because of the warm and dry air. For central and southern parts of Lower Michigan, this warning will be in effect from noon until 8 p.m. today, while across northern Lower Michigan, it will be in effect from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. today. Note: even if your county is not under this warning, burning could still be dangerous today. The National Weather Service says: A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or will shortly. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Be careful with any activities that could potentially lead to a wildfire. Camping...outdoor grills...smoking materials...chain saws...and all terrain vehicles all have the potential to throw a spark and ignite a dangerous and destructive fire. It is important to note that these weather conditions do not automatically spark wildfires, but if a fire is ignited, these conditions are favorable for rapidly spreading fires that may burn out of control. Burning is strongly discouraged. Tupperware, an iconic American company thats name is synonymous with at-home parties, may be shutting down. In a regulatory filing late Friday, the container maker said there was a substantial doubt about the companys ability to continue as a going concern, CNN reported. Its working with financial advisors to find financing to stay in business. The warning came after the New York Stock Exchange warned Tupperwares stock could be de-listed due to failure to file an annual report for 2022. The report may be coming in the next 30 days but the company offered no assurance it could meet the required deadlines. Tupperware has embarked on a journey to turn around our operations and today marks a critical step in addressing our capital and liquidity position, said Miguel Fernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tupperware Brands in a statement. The company is doing everything in its power to mitigate the impacts of recent events, and we are taking immediate action to seek additional financing and address our financial position. Founded in 1942, Tupperware has relied mostly on direct-sales models for much of its history. Tupperwares shares fell almost 50% Monday following the report. ROSEVILLE, MI -- A 28-year-old Clinton Township man has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed a man at the Victory Inn Motel Sunday during a domestic dispute. Devonte Tucker was arraigned Tuesday in Roseville District Court on a charged of second-degree murder and a charge of felony firearm in connection with a shooting that took place on Sunday, April 9. Another life lost due to gun violence! This needs to stop. Thank you to the Roseville Police Department for their hard work on this investigation, said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido in a press release. According to WDIV-Detroit, police were called to the motel around 9:25 p.m. Sunday for reports of a shooting. When police and firefighters arrived, they found the 30-year-old victim who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police believe the shooting took place after the victim and his girlfriend got into a fight at the motel. Tucker is accused of getting involved in the domestic situation and then fighting with the victim. During that fight, police allege Tucker shot the victim. Tucker allegedly called police after the shooting and turned over the gun used in the shooting. Tucker was remanded to the Macomb County Jail and is due back in court on April 19 for a probable cause conference. A mental health evaluation has also been requested by the prosecutors office. READ MORE: Horse seen wandering around Detroit rescued by police Multiple people sexually assaulted at Michigan Welcome Center, suspect arrested in Ohio Human remains found near home of man reported missing The tiny spring wetlands known as vernal pools are an often-overlooked natural feature in Michigans forests. Home to seemingly fantastical creatures like fairy shrimp, fingernail clams and blue-spotted salamanders, these coral reefs of the woods are essential ecosystems for more than 550 species but the pools only exist for a few short weeks each spring. This year people of all ages are being given the opportunity to take a dive (so to speak) into the incredible, ephemeral world of Michigans vernal pools. Dozens of public outreach events are scheduled throughout the spring to give kids and adults the chance to learn about vernal pools and, in some cases, participate in hands-on activities designed to educate and raise awareness about the importance of these vital wetlands. RELATED: How spring brings fairy shrimp, salamanders to Michigans coral reef-like vernal pools Depending on the event, participants may get to dip nets into vernal pools and observe fairy shrimp and other invertebrates under microscopes; take night hikes to see salamanders migrating through the woods to a vernal pool; learn more about the volunteer-driven Vernal Pool Patrol that helps count, monitor and protect vernal pools each spring; and more. Find all vernal pool public outreach event listings at the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol page. Flint: Vernal Pool Stewardship Hike, hosted by Genessee County Parks on Sunday April 16, 2-3:30 p.m. Free, and appropriate for ages 12 and up. More here New Buffalo: Vernal Pools presentation & hikes, hosted by Harbor County Hikers at the New Buffalo Township Library on April 22, May 13, June 1. Events calendar here Pigeon River Country State Forest: Vernal Pool Awareness, hosted by Headwaters Land Conservancy, Saturday, April 22, 10-12 p.m. More here Midland: Earth Day Celebration: Vernal Pool Patrol. Hosted by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory at Chippewa Nature Center on Saturday April 22, 3-5 p.m. Open to all ages. More here Greater Lansing area: Get Wet in the Woods with Vernal Pools! Part of the Michigan State University Science Festival, hosted by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Saturday April 22, 1-3 p.m. Open to all ages. More here Newago County: Diving into Vernal Pools at McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve. Hosted by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. All ages. Saturday April 29, 1-3 p.m. More here Columbiaville: Vernal Pool Stewardship Hike. Hosted by Genesee County Parks. Free. Ages 12 and up. Thursday April 30, 2-3:30 p.m. More here Davison: Vernal Pool Stewardship Hike. Hosted by Genesee County Parks. Free. Ages 12 and up. Sunday May 7, 2-3:30 p.m. More here Goodrich: Vernal Pool Stewardship Hike. Hosted by Genesee County Parks. Free. Ages 12 and up. Sunday May 21, 2-3:30 p.m. More here RELATED: Why its easier to find Petoskey stones on Northern Michigan beaches in the spring Loons are returning to Michigan lakes; where to look for these graceful birds New Northern Michigan trail system to boast big views for hikers, mountain bikers A cannabis business with two locations in Cayuga County is getting ready to open its third inside Fingerlakes Mall. Consulting and marketing firm I'm Stuck will open its seventh overall location in the mall's Savannah Bank wing by April 20, the widely recognized cannabis holiday, owner David Tulley told The Citizen. I'm Stuck opened a location on East Genesee Street in downtown Auburn in January, and last year opened the Weed Warehouse on Crane Brook Drive across from the mall in Aurelius. Like those locations, the new one at the mall will follow I'm Stuck's business model of giving cannabis to customers as part of a priced consultation about which products would meet their needs the most. Tulley said he plans to gradually steer customers from the Weed Warehouse to the new I'm Stuck, then close the Crane Brook Drive location. The new location is one of the first businesses to open at the mall under Vachi Fingerlakes LLC, which purchased the 55-acre property last September for $3.6 million. Sutton Real Estate Co., of Syracuse, is working as the mall's property management team. Based in Wayne County, I'm Stuck is not licensed by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, which has sent Tulley cease-and-desist letters. The office has also decried "gray market" businesses like I'm Stuck for threatening public health and compromising the legal market the state has been setting up since passing the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act in March 2021. The first license for a legal dispensary in the central New York region was issued last week, to Boston lawyer Joseph B. Simons, who told The Citizen he is looking at opening his business in Syracuse. Dispensary licenses are currently being granted to "justice-involved" applicants only, criteria Simons meets because he was arrested for using cannabis as a high school student in Oneonta. Still, Tulley criticized the state for issuing the region's first license to someone in Massachusetts. He added that he has not recently heard from the Office of Cannabis Management, which seeks harsher penalties and stronger enforcement powers against gray market businesses like his. A bill granting both was introduced in January by state Sen. Liz Kreuger, and it is currently in committee. Tulley said he intends to obtain a license for his business, and claimed he missed the submission deadline for the last round of issuances because the state told him about it on short notice. But if his plans at Fingerlakes Mall are any indication, he may need other licenses as well. Along with the new I'm Stuck, he mentioned a cannabis edible restaurant and an indoor growing facility as possibilities there. "I want to transform that entire mall into New York state's first marijuana mall," he said. "We could have a movie theater with (cannabis) edible popcorn where you watch 'Cheech & Chong' movies. But that's down the road. For now we're showing Bass Pro Shops that we're a good neighbor. ... No one's going to be smoking weed in the mall, kids aren't going to be running around with edibles." However, the mall does not appear to be on board with Tulley's future plans. In response to a version of this story published Wednesday morning, Sutton Real Estate Co. issued a statement to The Citizen on behalf of the mall's owners and tenants, stressing their "unwavering commitment to maintaining a safe, family-friendly environment for all patrons and the surrounding community." The statement continued, "Adhering to all local, state, and federal laws is a top priority. ... We categorically affirm that there are no such plans as described in the article. The Citizen has also been contacted by parents concerned about I'm Stuck's influence on children. Specifically, as part of an Easter promotion held last week, plastic eggs containing stickers were scattered throughout 40 towns near the cannabis business' six locations, including Auburn. The stickers could be redeemed for product consultations by adults, and toys by children. Tulley called it "the largest Easter egg hunt in New York state history," spanning 2,500 eggs and more than $15,000 in prizes, including PlayStation 5s, a trip to the Bahamas, Buffalo Bills tickets and children's bicycles. Tulley denied the promotion having a negative influence on children, and noted that his locations require customers to show identification. But an April 6 Facebook post by someone affiliated with his business announced a rule that children would have to be present at I'm Stuck to redeem eggs that Saturday. The rule appears to have been added to prevent adults from redeeming all the eggs. "We wanted to get children out and having fun, and get them off their game systems," Tulley said. "The memories they made over those six days will last forever. That's what it's all about." Being unlicensed, I'm Stuck is technically not subject to the marketing rules of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, as it's already an illegal business in the eyes of the state. But those rules expressly prohibit marketing to people younger than 21 or within 500 feet of elementary or secondary school grounds. Cannabis marketing also "cannot be attractive" to minors, the law says. Fingerlakes Mall: A timeline of significant events and memorable moments 1. Announcement 2. Opening day 3. Kmart opens 4. Car lift 5. Interskate 90 opens 6. Chappell's opens 7. Sale to First Union 8. Sears opens 9. Santa Claus arrives 10. All quiet on Christmas Eve 11. High occupancy 12. Ferret shopping 13. From the air, 1991 14. Chappell's closes 15. Kmart closes 16. Peebles opens 17. Sale to Jager Management 18. Sale to Gregory Greenfield Associates 19. Black Friday, 2002 20. Bass Pro ceremony 21. Bass Pro Shops opens 22. Gina Speno 23. Baiting the hook 24. Sale to Sam Abram 25. No tricks, just treats 26. Book Bonanza 27. Theater closes 28. Produced in New York 29. Track Cinema opens 30. Sears closes 31. Santa visit 32. MMA in the mall 33. J.C. Penney closes 34. COVID-19 vaccine clinic 35. Out the door 36. Sale to Vachi Fingerlakes LLC SAULT STE. MARIE, MI An Upper Peninsula hospital went into lockdown after someone on nearby Sugar Island threatened gun violence. The Sault Ste. Marie Police Department and Sault Ste, Marie Fire Department responded to My Michigan Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie after dispatchers in Chippewa County were made aware of the threats around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Responding officers provided security for the hospital and investigated the threat. A suspect was later identified on Sugar Island, a 50-square mile community in the St. Marys River east of the Soo. No arrests have been made, police said. The hospital is no longer in lockdown mode and there is no threat to the safety of the public, police said. The Michigan State Police, U.S. Border Patrol and Sault Tribe Police Department also responded to the scene. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department at 906-632-5744. At least three diffferent Michigan hospitals have had threats of violence in recent weeks including Sparrow Hospital in Lansing and OSF St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba. Fortunately, none of the threats have been credible. IRON MOUNTAIN, MI A 24-year-old Michigan man is facing felony charges for allegedly threatening to be a school shooter, authorities said. Adam Murray, 24, of Iron Mountain, was arrested and arraigned Tuesday, April 11, related to threats made via his cell phone, WLUC reports. He allegedly said he was going to kill his mother and to be a school shooter, according to the criminal complaint. The threats resulted in several schools in Dickinson and Iron counties going into soft lockdown Tuesday morning, the report said. Lockdowns were lifted when Murray was arrested around 9 a.m. at his Iron Mountain apartment. Murray was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Dickinson County District Court, the report said. Judge Julie LaCost set his bond at $1 million and ordered him to have no contact with his mother or the person who reported the threats. More charges are expected to be filed. The terrorism charge is very, very serious, LaCost said. READ MORE: Security guard shoots 2 men who were firing into crowd Human remains found near home of man reported missing DNR issues burn ban across Michigans Lower Peninsula Walmart is closing four additional stores, the company announced today. All of the stores slated for closure are located in Chicago. The shutdowns come after the nations largest retailer announced it was closing seven locations across five states: one each in New Mexico, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Florida and three others in Illinois. We know the community will have questions about why we are closing these locations, Walmart said in a statement. " The simplest explanation is that collectively our Chicago stores have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago these stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years. The remaining four Chicago stores continue to face the same business difficulties, but we think this decision gives us the best chance to help keep them open and serving the community. The following stores will close by Sunday, April 16: No. 5781 Chatham Supercenter, the Walmart Health center, and the Walmart Academy, 8431 S. Stewart Ave. No. 3166 Kenwood Neighborhood Market, 4720 S. Cottage Grove Ave. No. 5645 Lakeview Neighborhood Market, 2844 N. Broadway St. No. 5646 Little Village Neighborhood Market, 2551 W. Cermak Road All associates in the stores are eligible to transfer to another Walmart location. All associates will be paid trough Aug. 11, unless they transfer to other locations, and those who dont stay with the company are eligible for severance benefits. ANN ARBOR, MI -- Ann Arbor fire crews fought one of the first significant brush fires of the spring season Tuesday on University of Michigan property. Ann Arbor fire crews were called to University of Michigan Mitchell Field off Fuller Road around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, for reports of smoke. When they arrived, fire crews found a several-acre brush fire on an isolated peninsula. A tremendous amount of fallen and dead wood was burning, officials said on social media. The peninsula is south of the railroad tracks and is surrounded by the Huron River. Railroad traffic was paused during the fire. We were also very grateful for the response of the PlantWise burn crew who was in the area and assisted with fire suppression, fire officials wrote on social media. Ann Arbor firefighters rarely encounter brush fires such as this, so we were very appreciative for the assistance. Related: Beware of critical fire threat: Red Flag Warning covers much of Michigan The fire was caused by a person, although it is unclear if it was intentionally set, Ann Arbor fire Mike Kennedy wrote in an email to MLive/The Ann Arbor News. There is a tent encampment, occupied by homeless people, on the peninsula. The person in the tent fled the scene once we got there, Kennedy wrote. There were no arrests made, according to University of Michigan police. There were no injuries. Crews left the scene around 7 p.m. Ann Arbor firefighters were aided by crews from Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Townships. City coverage was provided by Superior, Northfield and Scio Township fire departments. Read more from The Ann Arbor News: Ann Arbor Energy Commission calls on city leaders to ban gas like its an emergency Ann Arbor street closing for much of summer for utility, resurfacing project Weekend wine bar now available at The Cellar by Grizzly Peak ANN ARBOR, MI - Two weeks ago, University of Michigan students sent 3,000 pounds of medical supplies to northern Syria to deal with the tens of thousands injured by Februarys deadly earthquake. On Friday, these same students are sending more supplies to Hospital General de Mexico in Mexico City. Who are these students and where do they get the supplies to help these places in need? Their group, Blueprints for Pangaea, works with partners to redirect surplus medical supplies about to be discarded and sends them to affected areas across the world. The nonprofit, headquartered in Ann Arbor, was founded in 2013 and now has affiliate universities, such as the University of Southern California, Washington University in St. Louis, Wayne State University and others across the country. The groups founder Ben Rathi discovered while traveling abroad that hospitals dump millions of pounds of unused medical goods. He later found out the United States is among the worlds leading producers of medical waste (third in 2019 with 25.9 metric tons). He established the nonprofit to intercept supplies that are being tossed and put them in the hands of those who need them, said spokeswoman Sanjana Kandiraju, a UM freshman. Its syringes, personal protective equipment, bedpans, Kandiraju said of the main supplies that are saved. Its really like anything you can think of. Blueprints for Pangaea has par partnered with Michigan Medicine and other southeastern Michigan hospitals to get supplies, Kandiraju said. A recent collaboration has begun with Huron Valley Ambulance, she said. The group mostly fundraises, applies for grants through the university or works to secure corporate sponsorships to get the funds to ship the supplies, Kandiraju said. The shipment to Mexico is partly sponsored by Colgate, she said. The group tries to assist places affected by current events, Kandiraju said. The students sent a shipment to Ukraine last year after Russia invaded and started a war. However, in the case of a shipment a few years ago to India, that was less about current events and more about a request to help a place with supply shortages, she said. We had a contact there and they reached out to us saying that they needed some medical supplies, she said. And then we put together a shipment. The groups students mostly study medicine and business administration, Kandiraju said. The medical students are typically interested in eliminating medical inequities, she said, while the business students solidify the mission and help with all the logistics. Something that we all can agree on is that this is a pertinent issue, which is why so many of us are so passionate about Blueprints for Pangaea, she said. The shipment to Syria, done in partnership with Syrian American Medical Society, consisted of seven pallets and $125,000 worth of medical supplies, Kandiraju said. Fridays shipment to Mexico will add to that amount for the year. These are usable medical supplies, she said. Overall, lets get them to the people that need them. Read more from The Ann Arbor News: Trailblazing physicist will be new namesake of University of Michigan lab Tabasco labels, mundane objects part of new mural at University of Michigan See gorgeous Michigan Stadium shots through this 90-year-old photographers eyes ANN ARBOR, MI -- The Cellar by Grizzly Peak is now bringing a weekend wine bar to Ann Arbor. The bar at 117 S. Ashley St. has around 15 to 20 wine options for customers to choose from with different styles and varietals, said Maura Zakem, general manager of Grizzly Peak and The Cellar. There are also some Grizzly Peak draft beers to choose from as well. Customers can find white, rose, red, sparkling, dessert and non-alcoholic wines along with some frozen wine drinks like Frose on the bars rotating list. Grizzly Peak has been pretty well established as a brewery and kind of neighborhood bar spot, Zakem said. We were kind of looking to do the same thing, but with different product offerings. Although the wine bar doesnt have a sommelier, Zakem said The Cellar will have a variety of hand-selected wines available at all times. Were working with experts in the industry and asking them to let us know whats out there, whats new, whats different, whats trending and bring us the coolest new releases, she said. People can come in regularly, but also still have a chance to explore different things that they might not have tried otherwise in an environment thats a little bit more casual. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Cellar served as an extension to Grizzly Peak and offered more seating and the restaurants same menu. However, the space has been primarily marketed toward private events since COVID-19. The location was formerly known as the Old German bar before Grizzly Peak decided to expand its operations into the spot. It is located right below Grizzly Peak and can be entered off of Ashley Street. Read more: No more Old German bar as Grizzly Peak expands, rebrands cellar space Grizzly Peak is so big and already does what it does with the beer and the restaurant so well -- we didnt really need the additional space, Zakem said. Were sort of utilizing The Cellar to explore a different avenue and appeal to a different group of people. Now, with the wine bar, Zakem said The Cellar aims to be a casual and approachable place for people to socialize and drink. Were not trying to do anything that is super upscale -- just come as you are and pop in, have a glass of wine with some friends, have a snack, wear your jeans or wear your sweatpants if you want to, she said. Along with wines, the space will offer build-your-own charcuterie boards with a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, meats and accompaniments like pickles, olive cocktail mixes, jams and dried fruits. Charcuterie boards can be ordered at the bar by filling out a sheet of paper, and customers can order any combination or any amount they want. In the future, Zakem said The Cellar may even expand its offerings with dessert-styled charcuterie boards to pair with its wines. The new wine bar is still working on what it will offer throughout the summer, which may include some to-go charcuterie options, Zakem said. I think Im looking forward to the different types of people that are going to come in that we havent seen before and kind of building a new base of regulars that will come in and check out what kind of different offerings we have, she said. The Cellar by Grizzly Peak is open 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Find the business online, on social media or by phone at 734-741-7554. Read more from The Ann Arbor News: Trailblazing physicist will be new namesake of University of Michigan lab Man pleads guilty to role in slaying of Egypt Covington $71M grant to translate medical research into treatments through University of Michigan FLINT, MI -- The city is using $1.5 million in federal funds to carry out targeted demolitions from near the old Atherton East public housing development to Flints near north side. The City Council approved a resolution authorizing Flint officials to enter into an agreement with the Genesee County Land Bank on Monday, April 10, using part of a $30-million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to carry out the demolitions. Its great work. The impact that this has on the community is so exciting, council President Allie Herkenroder (Ward 7) said on Monday. Flint received the HUD grant to replace Atherton East public housing in 2018 and to relocate residents of the south-side complex to what the city has said are more desirable locations, including Clark Commons Choice Neighborhood, which is located south of the University Park and Smith Village areas. Clark Commons was the first of four phases of new rental housing to be constructed as part of the relocation plan. In September 2020, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson toured Clark Commons just weeks before residents started moving in, but other elements of the Choice Neighborhood Plan, including the planned demolitions, are still taking place. Flint Department of Planning and Development Director Suzanne Wilcox told council members on Monday that she expects to bring them a related proposal later this month for spending another part of the HUD grant for owner-occupied home improvements in the area. The citys Choice Neighborhood Plan says blight elimination through demolition is a key neighborhood stabilization strategy and says residents have requested targeted demolitions during project planning. Demolition targets must be owned by the city or the Land Bank and must be prioritized based on their proximity and impact on housing sites in the area stretching from the Atherton East site to north of the Clark Commons area. Our priority is still assisting that (Atherton East) neighborhood ... even though the housing is all being constructed in north Flint, Wilcox said. The planning director said city and Land Bank officials have identified potential demolition targets in planning for the work. The Land Bank and the city have ambitious overall demolition plans for the next several years, including a project that aims to demolish more than 2,000 blighted structures in the county with the bulk of those efforts concentrated in Flint. American Rescue Plan Act funds from Genesee County and Flint are partially funding that $43.7-million project, which has also received funds from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Land Bank, the county Treasurers Office, Michigan State Land Bank, and through the office of U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Twp. In a separate effort, Kildee and Land Bank officials last week kicked off a project to demolish up to 240 dangerous and vacant residential and commercial structures using $4 million that was earmarked for the work in a $1.7-trillion federal omnibus spending package signed into law in December. Read more at The Flint Journal: HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Flint officials tour new mixed-income housing under construction Massive demo program gets rolling, aims to tear down 1,910 Flint area structures Kildee highlights $4M in new federal funding for Flint area demolitions FLINT, MI - Walk around the city of Flint, and you will likely view a mural across a building or wall. Joe Schipani, director of the Flint Public Art Project director since 2015, is a key reason why that is the case. Schipani is leaving his position and moving to Akumal, Mexico at the end of the month, and the nonprofit is replacing him with longtime vice president Sandra Branch. Yes, Schipani is leaving to another country, but his impact can be seen everywhere. Sometimes you just need to change things up a little bit, Schipani told MLive-The Flint Journal. The plan all along was Sandra was going to be taking over this project. Schipani is still remaining with the Flint Public Art Project, but he will primarily work on the back end of things. The reason Im leaving Flint is because Im not a winter person, Schipani said while laughing. One of the big achievements in Schipanis tenure was gathering international and local artists to paint over 50 murals around the city. Using his connections at CoLabs, Schipani brought international artists like Simo Vibart and Nomad Clan to Flint to repair the Vehicle Citys image. Im most proud of the connections that are made with our local artists and visiting artists, Schipani said, who has worked with over 150 local artists. Helping our local artists grow and create bigger networks to be able to travel and get into different festivals. Every artist has a different process of how they do things and its fun to watch that happen. One of Schipanis plans moving forward is organizing an VR mural tour. He anticipates the project to be complete within a couple months. It will go in a park in Flint and a few different parks around the United States, he said. People will have a check-in point and they can check in their VR app on their phone and walk around an VR created town. Also working on a mural book with all the different artists that have been here and getting that published. While Schipani was raised in the Detroit suburbs, he has called Flint home for the past 15 years and is leaving behind a legacy thatll last for many years to come. Flint is like a small town, everybody here knows everyone and its the community that makes Flint, he said. Branch takes over With Sandra Branch taking over, in reality her role doesnt change at all from her previous duties. She will still be as hands-on as ever. I have been there since the beginning, Branch said. Joe and I together decided to take the Flint Public Art Project in a different direction to change the narrative of Flint. The organization, Branch said, will still hold its annual event, the Free City Mural Festival, and the artists will travel worldwide to England and Mexico for future festivals. Born and raised in Flint, Branch said she remembers the boomtown days and was inspired to work with the Flint Public Art Project to bring back those days. In the 1980s, it died. I went to school with Michael Moore and he was always a protagonist and trying to start stuff up, she said. I had pride for my city then and I was on the student government council at U of M-Flint. We worked with Flint City Council members at that time in purchasing properties and developing them for the University of Michigan. That got me interested in building my city. After living in New Orleans, Branch returned to Flint in the late 1980s and noticed a change. People began leaving their properties and the place became blighted, she said. Michael Moore took advantage of our plight and changed our blight into his swan song and he did that movie (Roger and Me). It pissed me off. It brought me back from New Orleans to Flint. I needed to do something to paint my city to make it pretty. I left a culturally rich city in New Orleans and came back to my hometown as Michael Moore had described it. Branch worked in law enforcement in New Orleans with the indigent release program and got people involved with community service. She knew she needed to bring this movement to Flint. It all began with instilling art into Flint Community Schools. Art and music are two things that build those synapses in a persons brain to create the connections for higher level math, chemistry and science, she said. In 2013, Branch wrote a grant through the Greater Flint Arts Council to support her getting graffiti artists and giving them a legal place to spray-paint and teaching them the principles of art. I went under bridges, went to the homeless, tattoo parlors to get these taggers to find out who they were, she said. The first mural in conjunction with the Flint Public Art Project was in 2016 when Branch did the Obama-Little Miss Flint mural. From 2018-22, Branch and Schipani helped put over 300 murals in the Flint area. She calls her team the resurrection crew. The rest is history. She was the brainchild behind the concept and I just fine tuned everything, Schipani said. I have full confidence in Sandra and everyone to keep everything running. Read more at The Flint Journal: After 730 days in Michigan shelter, Ricco the pit bull still needs a home Jersey Mikes Subs to open in Owosso this week Savvy Sliders opens in Flint area. Whats on the menu? Michigans Best Local Eats: Vs Drive Thru offers future of fast food Young entrepreneurs to bring bright ideas to Atlas Valley Golf Club GRAND RAPIDS, MI The Grand River and its tributaries continued to run over their banks this week. MLive launched a drone to capture video and images of the flooding in Ottawa County and the Grand Rapids area. Walt Felver, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the flooding is due to a very wet late winter and spring so far, and then recent rains before the sunny days that hit the region this week. The Grand River peaked at 18.86 feet at 11:45 p.m. on April 8, and had dropped to 16.66 feet by noon on Tuesday in Grand Rapids, according to the National Weather Service. Related: Grand River flooding closes dozens of roads, saturates yards In Ottawa Countys Robinson Township, the river peaked at 15.05 feet at 8:45 p.m. on April 9, and dropped to 14.7 feet at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The river is expected to return to normal levels around Friday, April 14, in most areas, according to the National Weather Services prediction models. Related: Man and child safely escape pickup swept into overflowing Grand River With no rain in the forecast before the crest, weather officials say theyre confident the rivers wont be pushed higher than predicted. Click on the gallery below to see flooding images, or click here for a direct link. 35 Grand River flooding spring 2023 Also on MLive: Will we hit 80 degrees in Michigan this week? Police video shows pursuit that led to arrests of 5 teens in stolen car How spring brings fairy shrimp, salamanders to Michigans coral reef-like vernal pools Search crews find body of missing U.P. man after following tracks revealed by snowmelt GRAND RAPIDS, MI Grand Rapids Community College is hosting two open house events this month where people can tour campus and learn more about the many financial aid opportunities that are available to students. The GRCC Lakeshore Campus open house is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at 12335 James St. in Holland. The main campus event is set for for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22 in the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse, 111 Lyon St. NE in Grand Rapids. Prospective students of all ages are welcome to attend. Lori Cook, GRCCs associate dean of Access and First Year Success, said open houses are a great place for students to learn more about a GRCC degree or certificate program that can change lives. We encourage everyone to come on down, meet with our experts, and get all their questions answered, Cook said in a prepared statement. Its perfect for people who are planning to attend GRCC, or just learn a little more about the college and what it offers. GRCC specialists and faculty will be available at the events to help attendees navigate the admissions and financial aid processes. Attendees can also learn about some local and statewide cost-saving programs like Michigan Reconnect, the Grand Rapids Promise Zone, and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. College officials will also be able to discuss the benefits of earning an associate degree and seamlessly transferring to a four-year college or university, according to the GRCC news release. The college plans to give away a $500 scholarship to one person who enrolls at GRCC during the event. GRCC says walk-ins are welcome, but attendees can also reserve a spot by registering at grcc.edu/openhouse. More on MLive: Future of vacant Grand Rapids high school to be discussed at April 12 community forum Grand Rapids schools delays decision on what buildings could close due to declining enrollment Large housing, retail project would transform aging, industrial stretch of Grand Rapids Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev received Seyed Abbas Mousavi, the Ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing a tweet by the Ambassador. The tweet reads that following the constructive negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Iran, he had a candid and constructive talk with Hikmet Hajiyev. The Ambassador hoped that the final outcome of the process that has started will be in favor of the interests of both countries and the region. A "loud, neurotic Jew from Louisville" and a New York City comedian originally from Syracuse will take the stage of Auburn Public Theater this weekend. Raanan Hershberg and Steven Rogers will perform on the Main Stage of the 108 Genesee St. theater at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Hershberg brought his brand of neurotic stand-up to "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in early 2020. Previously, he was a finalist on StandUp NBC, the Laughing Skull Festival in Atlanta and the Boston Comedy Festival. He regularly opens for Kathleen Madigan across the country, and his first album, "Self-Helpless," reached the top of the iTunes comedy charts. His comedy has also been featured on "Laughs" on Fox and Sirius XM. In Louisville, Hershberg founded Character Assassination, a popular fictional roast series. Joining Hershberg on Saturday will be Rogers, who has performed in clubs across the country and opened for Joe List, Tom Papa, Brian Regan and more. Abe Gatling will perform as well. Tickets for the show are $15. For more information, visit auburnpublictheater.org or call (315) 253-6669. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A public hearing is scheduled later this month to gather public comment on a Grand Rapids Police Department proposal to purchase and use drones. The Grand Rapids City Commission on Tuesday, April 11, set a public hearing date on the issue. That public hearing will take place near the end of the city commissions April 25 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. and takes place in City Commission Chambers on the 9th floor of City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. Police Chief Eric Winstrom has said his department will hold additional public input sessions or community meetings prior to the public hearing. Those will help him shape the departments final use policy around drones. Police on Tuesday said community meetings are still being planned but details around how many, where and when are still being worked out. Related: Grand Rapids city leaders to decide on moving police drone conversation forward While it could change with public feedback, Winstrom said he envisions officers using drones in a reactive capacity to incidents. The situations in which a drone might be used include dangerous and reckless driving, river drowning and rescue, apprehension of a fleeing felon, accident scene reconstruction, crime scene documentation, missing persons search, civil unrest and large gatherings where an aerial view is necessary to ensure safety and minimize the number of officers involved on the street, Winstrom wrote to commissioners in an April 11 memo. The variety of uses, police officials previously said, would result in departmental efficiency, augmentation of limited staffing and increased officer and public safety. Thermal cameras equipped to drones would aid in finding hiding suspects and missing persons. When asked by Third Ward Commissioner Kelsey Perdue, Winstrom defined civil unrest as not a protest but an event where crime is taking place, such as a riot. City Manager Mark Washington added that drones could be used to monitor protests that arent permitted and are potentially interfering with roadways. Winstrom said drones wouldnt be needed with such protests that are smaller, as an officer on a bike could be a monitor in that situation. But, the chief said, drones could be helpful if there are concerns about traffic or cars driving through. The department proposes to buy six drones at a cost of $100,000, with additional costs for video storage and training. That request would go before city commissioners following the tentative public hearing. The department would have its drone use policy finalized at that point, Winstrom said. Any changes to the policy following approval would require city leaders to sign off on it, he said. The public hearing is required for the department to obtain drones. That requirement was born out of changes to the citys surveillance technology purchase policy. The policy was overhauled in late 2021 following concerns about the department potentially acquiring ShotSpotter gunfire detection technology. The citys surveillance technology purchase policy forbids surveillance equipment from being used to harass, intimidate or discriminate against any person or group. The policy also requires the requesting department to identify any potential impacts the surveillance technology might have on civil liberties and civil rights. It also asks for an outline on specific measures that will safeguard the public from potential adverse impacts. Winstrom said the department reviewed other communities who already have drones, such as Holland, Walker and Kent County, and found no adverse impacts. However, he said, any potential impact in Grand Rapids would be mitigated by training, policy, accountability and the additional layer of having the citys Office of Oversight and Public Accountability audit the program. The Grand Rapids Fire Department has had drones since 2017. Read more: Future of vacant Grand Rapids high school to be discussed at April 12 community forum Mailer falsely accuses Kent District Library of hosting drag queen reading hours ahead of election Ottawa County had highest number of jury trials ever in 2022 ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI Wayland police recovered human remains near the home of a man who was reported missing in August. A positive identification has not yet been made. Police on Tuesday, April 11, responded to a report of a suspicious situation near U.S. 131 and Windsor Woods Village. The remains appeared to have been there for several months, police said. Ronald Jenson, who lived nearby, was reported missing on Aug. 4. Police said the Allegan County Medical Examiner and Western Michigan University are working to identify the remains. Wayland police were assisted by Allegan County Sheriffs Department, Michigan State Police and Gun Lake Tribal Public Safety Department. Read more: Beware of critical fire threat: Red Flag Warning covers much of Michigan Grand Rapids Community College prepares for two upcoming open house events Michigan Weather Snapshot: Enjoy the warmest day of the year so far GRAND RAPIDS, MI Several dilapidated, largely vacant warehouses along the 600 block of Godfrey Avenue SW would be transformed into a 475-unit housing development with office, retail and event space, and a food hall under a proposal from three metro Detroit developers. The development, known as Factory Yards, is expected to cost $150 million. If completed, it would represent a significant change for the area, bringing scores of residents, businesses and activity to an industrial stretch of the city south of downtown in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood. This is truly a transformational project, said Jeremiah Gracia, director of economic development for the city of Grand Rapids. Spanning 15.5-acres and including five buildings, Factory Yards would rank among the largest and most expensive mixed-use projects in Grand Rapids in recent years. It would also be the biggest such project in the Roosevelt Park neighborhoods history, officials said. On Tuesday, the projects developers Dennis Griffin, Scott Magaluk and Ben Smith spoke to the Grand Rapids City Commission about their vision for Factory Yards. City staff also told commissioners the developers want to apply for a relatively new and rarely used incentive tool known as transformational brownfield funding. The traditional brownfield program, in place for more than two decades, uses property tax revenue to reimburse developers for costs associated with redeveloping contaminated, functionally obsolete properties often found in urban areas. The transformational brownfield program builds on that. Launched in 2017, it allows developers to capture income tax of people who work and live at the project site and certain taxes associated with construction, according to a Michigan Economic Development Corporation fact sheet. Under the transformational brownfield program, which has not yet been used in Grand Rapids, the developer would be eligible to be reimbursed about $120 million over a 20-year period, city staff said. Thats up from about $20 million under the original brownfield program. The developers say the project isnt doable without that assistance. The cost to construct property, service the debt and operate the building is too high, even with rents where theyre at in the market today, to make it sustainable and financeable, Smith said. We wouldnt be able to get a construction loan. The timeline for the project is still a work in progress, the developers said. But if everything goes according to plan, construction could start yet this year. Overall, the project would take several years to complete, though it could be completed in phases. A proposal for the transformation brownfield funding could come to the city commission for approval in May, officials said. During the city commission meeting, leaders from the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association spoke in support of the project. They said they were pleased with the developers neighborhood outreach, and that the renovated warehouses could provide retail space for residents. From our conversations, it really came across that their goal is to create a space where people of all socioeconomic levels can have a high quality of life, said Amy Brower, executive director of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association. Aerial view rendering of Factory Yards, a 15.5 acre mixed-use development proposed at 655 Godfrey Ave. SW. The site would include 475 market rate apartments, ground-floor commercial space, a food hall, event space, commercial offices, an outdoor green space plaza, and more. (Rendering provided by the city of Grand Rapids) Rental rates for the development havent been determined. But as part of the plan to seek the transformational brownfield incentives, the developer is aiming to reserve about 100 of the 475 apartments for residents earning up to 80% of Kent Countys area median Income. Those units would have below market rents, though the exact rate was not listed in a city commission memo. For a two-person household, 80% of Kent Countys area median income is equivalent to $57,280, according to Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Factory Yards is located at 655 Godfrey Ave. SW, north of Oxford Street SW and south of Grand Rapids Community Colleges Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC building. The property is home to a five-story warehouse, a three-story warehouse, a single-story warehouse and a two-story commercial building. Under the project, the buildings would be rehabbed, though a portion of the two-story building would be demolished. In addition, an apartment building would be built on the south end of the property. Besides the apartments, food hall, retail and office space, the development would also include an outdoor green space plaza courtyard along Godfrey Avenue and self-storage of about 500,000 square feet. Reggie Smith, the longtime president of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, said the project would represent the largest development in the Southwest Side neighborhood since the early 20th century. The warehouses targeted for redevelopment once represented the areas blue-collar, working-class roots. Now, with the new development on the horizon, they could serve as an anchor for the Godfrey Avenue corridor, he said. Its exciting to now have some new life, some new energy there, he said. Read more: Grand Rapids schools delays decision on what buildings could close due to declining enrollment Future of vacant Grand Rapids high school to be discussed at April 12 community forum Paid parking in Grand Haven could bring $3.6M in annual revenue Mailer falsely accuses Kent District Library of hosting drag queen reading hours ahead of election OTTAWA COUNTY, MI A woman was killed and two others seriously injured Tuesday, April 11, in a crash in Allendale Township. Madeleine Martin, 26, of Allendale Township, died in the crash. She was a backseat passenger in a vehicle that pulled into the path of another at Pierce Street and 64th Avenue, Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said. The driver, a 27-year-old Holland woman, and her front-seat passenger, a 26-year-old Allendale Township woman, were hospitalized for serious injuries, police said. Their names were not released. The other driver, a 17-year-old Allendale Township resident, suffered minor injuries. He was treated at the scene. The crash was reported at 7:14 p.m. The Holland woman was driving east on Pierce when she stopped for a stop sign at 64th Avenue. She had continued east when her vehicle was struck by a southbound vehicle that had the right of way. All of those involved in the crash used seat belts, police said. Read more: Michigan Weather Snapshot: Enjoy the warmest day of the year so far Man charged with murder after getting involved in domestic dispute at Michigan motel DNR issues burn ban across Michigans Lower Peninsula OTTAWA COUNTY, MI After learning one of the biggest barriers for senior citizens to receive food assistance is a lack of transportation, one West Michigan nonprofit found the perfect solution: DoorDash. Community Action Agency in Ottawa County (OCCAA) is now using DoorDash delivery drivers to bring boxes of USDA food to senior citizens eligible for its Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Update: Kitten taken in by Great Dane at Michigan shelter dies from genetic condition JACKSON COUNTY, MI Kela arrived at the Jackson County Animal Shelter pregnant, but even after giving birth to 10 puppies she couldnt resist bringing another stray into her litter -- a tiny abandoned kitten. Kela arrived at the shelter from a shelter in Van Buran County. The Great Dane-mix is timid and selective of people, especially around her puppies, which are now 2 weeks old, Animal Shelter Director Lydia Sattler said. The shelter staff kept Kela near the front by the office so she could socialize better, but no one expected her to take interest the abandoned 2-week-old male kitten that came in. The kitten came back in a box to see the vet. Kela was on the other side of the door, and this kitten was crying and (Kela) was scratching at the door, Sattler said. And Im like, What is wrong with her? So, Sattler opened the door, and the dog ran right to the box the kitten was in. Sattler tried moving her away at first, worried she might want to hurt the kitten, but Kela was persistent. She just wouldnt take her eyes off it, like it was her own, Sattler said. So, Im like, OK, let me try something. She put the dog on a leash and added the kitten to the rest of Kelas litter. As soon as she did, the dog laid back down and started to clean the kitten, as if it was one of her puppies. Since then, the kitten has become an official member of Kelas litter. He gets along with his doggie siblings, and Kela takes care of him just like she does all of her puppies -- cleaning him, cuddling with him and even nursing him. You can always find the kitten right by the mothers paws, Sattler said. She seems almost more protective over the kitten, Sattler said. She always puts her nose on it to make sure hes there and hes OK. Its uncommon for a dog to take in another baby animal, especially one of a different species, Sattler said. Sometimes a mother will care for an orphaned animal if prompted by a person, but its rare to see a dog initiate the adoption and so immediately become tied to a kitten like this, she said. Sattler said she believes the connection is because of Kelas natural motherly instincts and sweet, loving nature. Kela, her puppies -- and the kitten -- are now being fostered by Jackson residents Gene and Sue Chapel. The Chapels have fostered homeless animals from time to time, but a dog thats adopted a kitten is a little different than what theyre used to. Never seen it, but I looked it up online and Ive heard its not out of the question, Gene Chapel said. Kelas relationship with the kitten has stayed the same since arriving at their home, the Chapels said. Shes an excellent mother, Sue Chapel said. Kela, the puppies and the kitten will be fostered until the puppies and kitten are about 8 weeks old. After that, they will be put up for adoption, along with Kela. Sattler said it would be great if Kela and the kitten could stay together, she said. She just loves this kitten, Sattler said. The kitten is still unnamed, and the animal shelter is hosting a contest to name it. People can put their ideas in a post on the Jackson County Animals Shelters Facebook page. The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Nevermore Decor Store, 120 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, in Jackson. People can visit the animal shelter at 3370 Spring Arbor Road. Other adoption resources can be found by emailing animalshelter@mijackson.org. More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot: Pets of the week: Dozer has one blue eye. Harper wants to be the center of attention Big innings for Springport, Homer in softball doubleheader split Sand volleyball, batting cages, concerts coming to the home of Jurassic Golf The Voice finalist Brayden Lape is coming to the 2023 Jackson County Fair Gas line maintenance shuts down busy road near Jackson JACKSON, MI A man convicted in a methamphetamine-fueled shooting spree will spend at least five years behind bars following his long-awaited sentencing Wednesday. Taylor Breining was sentenced April 12 to spend 60-120 months in prison on charges stemming from a shooting spree across Jackson County in 2020. Breining -- 27, of Spring Arbor Township -- pleaded no contest to attempted armed robbery Feb. 17. He also pleaded no contest to a charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder -- reduced from an original charge of assault with intent to murder -- the same day. Five years is a significant amount of prison time for the defendant, but he has definitely earned every single day of that given the methamphetamine-fueled crime spree that he and his co-defendant went through on that day, said Nathan Hull, assistant prosecuting attorney. Breining apologized to the victims and their families before he was sentenced by Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain. He said he takes full responsibility for his actions that day, including his ingestion of methamphetamine, which he called a driving factor in the shooting. Ive had a lot of time to reflect, being physically and also mentally sober, Breining said. I have plans for when I do return home -- I plan to do a lot better. I dont ever want to be that person again. Breining agreed with McBain that it was lucky nobody was killed in the shooting. When you smoke hillbilly crack -- which is what I call meth -- does it make it easier to just pick up a gun and start shooting at people? McBain asked. Breining said it definitely did. I hope you get your mind set right, McBain said after passing down his sentence. Youre still a relatively young man. Youve got five years to do in prison so when you get out, you can lead a productive life. You were in a bad spot that night, and a lot worse things could have happened than what did. Breinings co-defendant Samuel Boyer was sentenced Dec. 14 to at least five years in prison for no contest pleas to attempted armed robbery, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. Both have been convicted of shooting into homes and vehicles and committing an armed home invasion on Sept. 6, 2020. Related: Victim expected to survive, suspects arraigned in Jackson County shooting The home invasion took place around 5 a.m. that morning in the 400 block of Grand Street in Leoni Township, east of Jackson, according to the Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety. Around 9 a.m. the same day, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of shots fired at Franks Shop-Rite Supermarket in Grass Lake. A Chevrolet Cruze was seen on video surveillance pulling into the parking lot and shooting at a pickup truck. Shortly after, Michigan State Police responded to a report of shots fired that hit a home in the 10000 block of Page Avenue, which police said was likely related to the supermarket shooting. A report of a shooting victim came in around 6:35 p.m. in the parking lot of Americas Best Value Inn and Suites, 830 Royal Drive, police said. The man -- identified as Austin Puhr -- was shot several times and was taken to Henry Ford Jackson Hospital. He survived, waking from a coma two weeks later. Related: Jackson County shooting victim remembers thinking, I cant die like this Video footage at the hotel showed the same vehicle from the Grass Lake shootings. Boyer was arrested at a home in the 100 block of Hollis Street in Summit Township the next day. Evidence at the home led police to another home in the 200 block of Wisner Street in Jackson, where Breining was arrested after a short stand-off with police. More from The Jackson Citizen Patriot: Pending investigation, resignations leave Jackson County township in turmoil Jackson County family who lost daughter in crash still looking for justice Jackson man wanted for throwing rocks at cars, fighting and fleeing police Beware of critical fire threat: Red Flag Warning covers much of Michigan KALAMAZOO, MI A second Kalamazoo Public Schools employee has filed a lawsuit alleging they were fired for whistleblowing. Jim English, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, was fired Dec. 28, by the Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education. He filed a lawsuit March 28 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, alleging he was retaliated against after reporting multiple issues. He is suing the KPS board, interim Superintendent Cindy Green, President TiAnna Harrison, Vice President Jermaine Jackson, Treasurer Tandy Moore, former trustee Ken Greschak and trustees Patti Sholler-Barber, Jennie Hill and Megan Maddock. The lawsuit lists eight counts, including whistleblower retaliation, discharge against public policy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of due process. Related: Kalamazoo schools needed to hire a finance director. It did not end well. The district did not respond to request for comment at the time of publication. English was fired because a district investigation found his actions were akin to gross negligence which raised grave doubts of his judgement, the district said previously. Those actions included his role in the creation of the Kalamazoo Public Schools Foundation and treatment of employees. It is with great dismay, outrage and frankly, disgust, at the conduct of KPS towards him, that he feels compelled to filed this lawsuit in order to ... restore his good name and, among other things, the monies and other benefits owed him, the lawsuit said. The investigation into English was a sham, the lawsuit said, led by the boards hit man, Green. He was fired without a being allowed to see the charges and evidence and was not allowed to be heard by the board. English is the second person to file a lawsuit alleging retaliation. Tabatha Coleman, the now-former secretary to the KPS superintendent and board of education, filed a lawsuit March 9 against the district alleging an abuse of district funds, retaliation against whistleblowers and violations of Michigans Open Meetings Act. Related: Kalamazoo schools pushes back against whistleblower lawsuit, releases investigation report English was hired in June 2021 and made just over $172,000 a year. In his 2022 review, he received highly effective ratings in all categories before being fired. He was out of state visiting his terminally ill mother when he was fired, the lawsuit said. An investigative report listed multiple issues with Englishs performance that led to the board firing him. One issue was English hired an outside contract worker to serve as the districts finance director without getting board approval. But previous people in Englishs role had created independent contract roles in prior years without board approval, the lawsuit said. After Englishs firing, KPS employees have continued hiring contractors without board approval, the lawsuit alleges. Additionally, the finance director role in question was in the budget that was reviewed and approved by the board, the lawsuit said. Another issue that led to Englishs termination was his role in the creation of the Kalamazoo Public Schools Foundation without board approval and spending more than $91,000 in district funds on its operations, most of it for consulting fees, the KPS board said. But the board worked to greatly distort Englishs role with the foundation, the lawsuit said. He never reported to the board, instead reporting to then-superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri, the lawsuit said. His actions were done with Raichoudhuris knowledge, along with the board and then-president Scholler-Barbers knowledge. Raichoudhuri resigned Dec. 12. The school board said Raichoudhuris departure was a mutual decision, but emails later obtained through the Freedom of Information Act revealed growing tensions between her and the board. Related: Kalamazoo schools employee files whistleblower lawsuit over per diem pay, meeting notices The boards investigation found English had work practices that were not appropriate for his role, including working from home on Fridays while his staff was expected to be in the office and telling his assistant to not enter his paid time off into the system. The administration building was closed to the public in summer 2022 and all staff were allowed to work remotely on those days, the lawsuit alleges, which English did nothing to prevent. English also planned to take paid time off but rarely followed through, so he had his assistant let him review paper absence slips before signing off on PTO, the lawsuit said. His supervisor, Raichoudhuri, never expressed concern about his attendance, instead saying he worked too much, the lawsuit said. English blew the whistle on issues within the district countless times, the lawsuit said. He notified the board and administration of irregularities in accounting and spending that violated the law. This caused the board to be determined to rid themselves of an unwanted nuisance, the lawsuit said. Related: Kalamazoo schools operations chief accused of gross negligence, bad judgment in investigative report In November 2021, English told the director of finance he had concerns about inaccurate reporting to the state about transportation and classroom costs for special education. He again raised an issue with special education transportation in October 2022, saying the number of miles reported were inaccurate, the lawsuit said. He also reported unlawful payments that had potential conflicts of interest, the lawsuit said. One such payment was to a trustee, Jackson, in 2021, where Green was the only person to authorize the payment despite needing full board approval, the lawsuit said. English took his concerns to then-President Scholler-Barber, Raichoudhuri and district attorney Marshall Grate from Clark Hill law firm. Grate said there was no reason to address the payment, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit also alleges there were missing public funds at Hillside Middle School and an investigation started in March 2022. English reported the issue to human resources, which did not complete the investigation. English emailed the director of finance in January 2022, saying KPS had not followed state requirements in issuing 1099 tax forms. Also in January, he reported concerns that KPS did not remit sales tax as required by state law in 2021, the lawsuit said. Numerous people were receiving health insurance from the district, despite not being employees, including some people who were dead, which English found in June 2022. Those payments were fraudulent and possibly criminal, the lawsuit said. He started a forensic audit that fall because monthly reconciliations for health insurance payments were not available for review, but the district stopped the audit after English was fired. All evidence in the audit was ordered to be destroyed, on the advice of Grate, the district attorney, the lawsuit said. Members of the Board of Operations and Finance Committee did not know about the order, the lawsuit said. Since his firing, English has found it exceedingly difficult to find a job because of baseless allegations brought by the board, the lawsuit said. He and his family are financially struggling. Appallingly, although KPS knew the allegations of wrongdoing were untrue, they publicized them anyway, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit asks for a jury trial in 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: Kalamazoo County man pleads guilty to killing mother of his child Bye-Bye Bernhard gives WMU a chance to say farewell to student center New event, called Canadiana Fest, to bring all things Canada to Kalamazoo MUSKEGON COUNTY MI Longtime Muskegon County Clerk Nancy Waters, a Democrat, has submitted her resignation. Waters filed retirement paperwork this week, Muskegon County Administrator Mark Eisenbarth told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Waters, 80, has served as clerk for 14 years. State law calls for her replacement to be appointed by the countys circuit court judges, of which there are five. The four-year seat will be up for election in 2024. MLive/Muskegon Chronicle was unable to reach Waters for comment. Eisenbarth said Waters official last day is April 28. However, when it called Waters office on Wednesday, April 12, MLive/Muskegon Chronicle was told that Waters had retired and would not be returning to work. Clerk Waters has done a tremendous amount of good for the county and in our community, Eisenbarth said. She will be missed. Related: Former Muskegon County clerk named to succeed retiring clerk who beat her 14 years ago Waters office was the focus of an unsuccessful attempt to merge it with that of Register of Deeds Mark Fairchild by the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners last year. Both Waters and Fairchild are Democrats, and the county board was led by Republicans at the time of the merger talks. The board has since returned to a Democratic majority. Waters served as a Muskegon County Commissioner from 2003-07. In 2008, she defeated Karen Buie, the incumbent county clerk, and has held the office ever since. She previously had run unsuccessfully for the position in 1976. At the time, she was a veteran aide to Michigan House Speaker William Ryan. From 1983 to 2005, Waters owned and operated Hart-based radio station WCXT, 105.3 FM. MLive/Muskegon Chronicle was unable to reach Chief Circuit Judge Pro Tem Kenneth Hoopes for information regarding timing of the appointment of Waters replacement. The county clerk is responsible for keeping circuit court records, maintaining a list of potential jurors and convening juries for trials, keeping such vital records as marriage licenses and birth and death certificates, issuing concealed pistol licenses, and keeping minutes for the county board of commissioners. The clerk also runs elections, including handling candidate filings and spending reports, lining up election workers and assisting the board of canvassers. When the merger of her office was being discussed in late 2022, Waters told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle that she intended to run for re-election in 2024. Opposed to the merger, Waters said the clerks role is probably one of the busiest, most important ones. The clerk has two offices at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice: one for circuit court records and the other to handle vital records and other duties. In 2015, Waters was named Civil Libertarian of the Year by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigans Western Branch. Waters was one of only four county clerks in the state -- and the only one in West Michigan -- to process same-sex marriage licenses during a one-day legal window on March 22, 2014. An amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage had been struck down by a U.S. District Court judge, but a U.S. circuit court of appeals immediately issued a temporary stay. Nearly 50 couples in Muskegon were married at a local church that day. Same-sex marriages became legal in June 2015 as the result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. In 2011, Waters was honored by the Michigan Secretary of State for her creation of an online database of campaign finance reports. Read more on MLive: DNR issues burn ban across Michigans Lower Peninsula Paid parking in Grand Haven could bring $3.6M in annual revenue Ottawa County commissioners remove obstacle to proposing a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution BAY CITY, MI A late-night fire has marred two houses and a garage on Bay Citys East Side. About 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, firefighters were dispatched to the 2000 block of Fourth Street after a resident called 911 to report multiple structure fires. When crews arrived, they found the fire had spread from a garage to two houses on either side of it at 2008 and 2012 Fourth St. It had been burning for a while before anyone saw it, said Bay City Fire Chief Kurt Corradi. It was engulfed when we arrived. There was heavy fire in both houses. Residents told firefighters they were unaware of the blaze until they heard an electrical popping sound, Corradi said. All the residents made it outside of the two houses, though several cats and dogs were not as fortunate. Firefighters from Hampton and Portsmouth townships also arrived to provide aid, Corradi said. Crews were on scene until about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Corradi said. One of the houses is believed to be a total loss, while the other sustained significant damage. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents, Corradi said. No civilians or firefighters were injured. What sparked the blaze remains under investigation. We dont have a cause beyond knowing it started in the garage between the two structures, the chief said. Read more: Woman testifies man she met on Tindr raped her at gunpoint: He told me he can do as he pleases. MSP trooper had numerous complaints before pummeling jaywalking Saginaw man 2 Saginaw men accused of holding males captive, torturing, robbing them competent for trial Theres still time to support Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways during the annual Cookie Program the councils biggest fundraiser and the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world! Local Girl Scouts are hosting cookie booths across the area through April 23. Find one today using the Cookie Finder at buygirlscoutcookiesnow.com, and support local cookie entrepreneurs. Cookies are just $5 per package. Customers who may not want cookies for themselves but still want to support their local Girl Scouts can donate purchases to assist community partners. GSNYPENN Council gifts cookies to local organizations each year for an annual service project. This years Sweet Support Gift of Caring partners are the Food Bank of Central New York and Food Bank of the Southern Tier. Learn more about Girl Scouting at local events Council staff is hosting upcoming informational events for caregivers and their girls in grades pre-K through first to learn more about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and how to join or become an adult volunteer. Events are free. Sign up at the links below or contact Membership Engagement Manager Tiffany Weiskotten at tweiskotten@gsnypenn.org for more information. 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6: Unicorn Party at Marcellus Free Library. 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11 - Unicorn Party at Elbridge Free Library. Regional Girl Scout news More than 30 Girl Scouts from across Service Units 117, 118, 401, 404 and 425 held a "great cookie sort" at the end of March when stock arrived for local delivery and booth sales. Close to 8,000 cases of cookies were divided into 60 troop orders. Troop 60007 from Camillus attended Junior Jamboree at GSNYPENNs Camp Hoover in Tully and took part in World Thinking Day activities put on by Troop 10196, also from Camillus. Weedsport Service Unit 404 would like to remind the community that theyre celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of the very first local troop of Girl Scouts this year. On the 75th anniversary in 1998, the unit buried a time capsule at Weedsport Free Library and plans to dig it up at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20 the date the first troop formed in 1923 as part of this centennial celebration. All current members/families, alums and former troop leaders are invited. For more information, contact Deb Schwarting at (315) 253-2982 or dschwarting@twcny.rr.com. Girl Scouts serves girls in K-12. Annual membership is just $25 and financial assistance is available. To start her adventure, visit gsnypenn.org/join. To become an adult volunteer, learn more at gsnypenn.org/volunteer. To help make Girl Scouting possible for girls in your community, visit gsnypenn.org/donate. HARRISON, MI-- A new opportunity has opened up at Mid Michigan College for correction officers needing college credits. According to a release by the college, a new grant program is offering correction officers eligibility to attend classes at the college tuition-free. Currently, corrections officers are required by state law to complete 15 college credits for employment. The Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program, according to the Michigan Community College Association website, will support tuition and fees at community colleges statewide that have agreed to be a part of it to help officers complete that requirement,. Officers must meet the following criteria, according to both Mid and the MCCA, to be eligible for the Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program: Be employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections Have not earned 15 college credits and are eligible for the grant program with the approval of the Michigan Department of Corrections. Received approval from MDOC for the program Enroll at a community college in Michigan Director of Admissions Beth Binder said that the growth of the program will help remove one of the many burdens often associated with going to college. Corrections officers are critical to the safety of our communities and were excited to welcome them to Mid, where it is now easier than ever before for them to obtain the credits they need, Binder said. Mid is centrally located in the state and we offer many courses online, which makes an education more accessible and flexible for students that are working and attending college at the same time. To learn more about Mid Michigan College and how to utilize the Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program, you can visit their admissions website or call or call 989-386-6661. For information on the grant program, where it is accepted, or what jobs it could lead to, visit the careers page or grant page on the Michigan Department of Corrections website. More from MLive: Woman suffers severe burns on Bay Citys Middleground Island Saginaw Valley State University hosting FIRST Robotics state championship Bay City Public Schools announces adolescent health center addition Chances, Choices & Change: Latino resource fair to highlight local aid SAGINAW, MI Before facing criminal charges for beating a man for not walking on a Saginaw sidewalk, Michigan State Police Trooper Paul E. Arrowood was no stranger to citizens complaints. In his 15-year career with the state police, Arrowood has amassed numerous complaints from civilians in Saginaw, Flint, and Bay City. Common threads throughout the complaints are allegations of rudeness, crass language, rushes to judgment, violence and profiling. Reciprocally, the complainants faith in police was shaken by what they endured at Arrowoods hands. As stated by one a former officer himself he was left fearing state troopers more than criminals, saying he is powerless to defend himself against the former. With his latest alleged instance of misconduct, Arrowood on the night of Sept. 4, 2022, saw civilian Michael D. Wilson walking on Webber Street in Saginaw rather than on a nearby sidewalk. As body-worn camera footage of the incident shows, Arrowood quickly exited his patrol vehicle, approached Wilson, took him to the ground, and began pummeling him with his fists as he called him a little b****. All this he did within less than half a minute. The incident resulted in the Michigan State Police placing Arrowood on unpaid suspension on Sept. 30. In March, Arrowood was arraigned on single counts of common law offense or misconduct in office and assault and battery. The former is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, while the latter is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. MLive-The Saginaw News on March 13 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Michigan State Police seeking all citizens complaints filed against Arrowood throughout his employment. In response, the MSP on April 6 provided MLive with seven such complaints level against Arrowood between September 2013 and December 2022. Arrowood began his employment with the MSP in December 2008, initially working out of the Caro Post. He worked out of the Detroit Post from October 2011 through the following September, the Flint Post from September 2012 through October 2016, and the Tri-City Post since October 2016. First complaint In the earliest complaint, a registered nurse stated he was leaving his shift at McLaren Flint Hospital the night of Sept. 2, 2013, when he was pulled over by Arrowood and another trooper. The nurse described Arrowood as violent and aggressive toward him without provocation, immediately demanding he exit his vehicle. As the man was attempting to get his documents and unclasp his seatbelt, Arrowood repeatedly cursed at him and began pulling him through the cars window. Right off the bat he is telling me to get out of the car, then he put his hands on me and was trying to pull me through the window, then threatening to shoot me, the nurse wrote in his complaint. Then he said, I will shoot you, (expletive). I mean it. I will (expletive) shoot you. The whole time I am wondering what the heck did I do to be treated like this. The man was removed from his car and placed face-down on the pavement and placed in handcuffs. The man admitted to having a holstered 9mm handgun on a passenger seat and that he was a CPL holder, information he relayed to Arrowood. He said there was no way Arrowood could have seen the gun before his aggressive behavior. Arrowood then began searching the mans car. The nurse maintained Arrowood had no probable cause to do so, and asserted there was no valid reason for being pulled over in the first place. When Arrowood told him he was stopped for burning out, the nurse replied that was not true, nor was he speeding. Michigan State Police Trooper Paul E. Arrowood (face in profile) the night of Sept. 4, 2022, as other troopers restrain a Saginaw civilian seconds after Arrowood repeatedly punched and kneed him. Arrowood also told the nurse he believed he was high on something right now, an allegation the nurse denied, reiterating he was just leaving his shift at the hospital. The troopers eventually released the nurse. The nurse noted the other trooper maintained his composure and was calm throughout the episode, though he said Arrowood lacked good judgment and self-control. A potentially dangerous set of characteristics to have, especially as one of the State of Michigans highest law enforcement positions, the nurse wrote. He must have thought that because I was driving a nice car and in that part of town that I must have been a drug dealer, which is why he treated me so and then proceeded to search my vehicle without cause and initial permission from me. I did nothing wrong, the man wrote. I have never been so mistreated by anybody as I was earlier today. I always held police officers with a great deal of respect and honor for what they do. After today I will have a different view of law enforcement. Later in September 2013, Lt. Lisa J. Rish with the MSPs Professional Standards Section wrote to the nurse that an investigation into his complaint found nothing indicating misconduct. Second complaint Arrowoods second complaint stemmed from his conduct on Oct. 28, 2014, when he awoke a civilian whose own vehicle had just been stolen and accosted him. The civilian was a former Flint firefighter, Michigan Department of Corrections officer, Genesee County Sheriffs corrections officer, and Tampa police officer. Around 1:15 a.m., the man was awakened by troopers shining flashlights into his home. As the man gathered himself, Arrowood was pounding on his front door, demanding he open it and come outside. The man opened his door and was blinded by flashlights, the only face he could see being Arrowoods, he wrote. Arrowood asked the man his name, how much he had been drinking, where his truck was, and if he had let somebody else drive it. The man said he looked past Arrowood and saw his truck was missing. Arrowood then grabbed the mans arm, pulled him outside, and pushed him face-first against the side of his house. As Arrowood went inside the mans house, other police officers told the man his truck had been stolen and had crashed into a porch a few doors down. The civilian was allowed to dress and troopers left the scene. Flint police officers stayed behind and also seemed baffled by Arrowoods antics, the civilian wrote. Trooper Arrowood was aggressive, rude, and abusive, the man wrote. He acted like he was trying to pick a fight throughout this entire incident. The man went on to write he was victimized twice that day, first by his truck being stolen then by Arrowood assaulting, verbally abusing, and publicly embarrassing him. I can fix my truck but Trooper Arrowoods actions and my embarrassment will hold a place in my memory long after my truck is forgotten, he wrote. Trooper Arrowood has hurt me far more than the thief that stole my truck. He went on to say that having been in law enforcement and public service himself, he never thought he would be so mistreated. I cant begin to describe the feelings of betrayal I have or how defenseless I feel, he wrote. As of 10/28/2014, I fear the police (especially State Troopers) more than I do criminals. I know how to defend myself from a criminal. I am defenseless when dealing with the police. In January 2015, 1st Lt Shannon D. Sims wrote to the man that she reviewed the matter and determined a full investigation was not warranted. Third and fourth complaints Arrowoods third complaint stemmed from the night of June 28, 2015, when he pulled over a man on Baker Street near Mason Street in Flint and allegedly twice shoved him without justification. The man said he felt Arrowood had no reason for stopping him. Much of this report is redacted, including Arrowoods own statements to investigators, but MSPs Internal Affairs sustained the complaint. Recommended charges against Arrowood are likewise redacted. Four years later, about 8 p.m. on March 6, 2019, a civilian alleged they were stopped by Arrowood and another trooper in their own driveway. As I pull in (the driveway), they light me up and immediately demand where I have the crack and heroin and illegal guns, accused me of stealing my own car, called (me) an idiot because they say my house was abandoned, denied me the ability to show them proof and open my door, the civilian wrote. The person said they were repeatedly called a liar by the troopers. Six days later, Special Lt. Jason Nemeck wrote to the civilian that footage from the troopers in-car camera contradicted their complaint. Fifth complaint Now working out of the Tri-City Post, Arrowood netted his fifth complaint on July 10, 2020. About 7:20 p.m., Arrowood and a probationary trooper pulled over a 27-year-old Black man as he drove on 27th Street in Buena Vista Township for improperly passing another moving vehicle. As the civilian looked for his registration in a center console, Arrowood pointed a gun at him and repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill him, he wrote. The civilian did not immediately tell officers he had a legally owned gun in his vehicle and was a CPL holder. When Arrowood and a fellow trooper saw the gun, they drew their weapons and confronted the man, placing him in handcuffs. After about 20 minutes, the troopers released the motorist from the cuffs. The civilian filed complaints with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the MSP, alleging racial discrimination against Arrowood and the other trooper. Internal Affairs sustained the complaint, stating Arrowood violated department policy by being discourteous to the civilian and threatening to shoot him. The troopers also did not document they had handcuffed but not arrested the civilian. The MSPs recommended charges against Arrowood are again redacted. He did, however, receive a counseling memo, instructing him to review and understand the agencys official orders. Sixth and seventh complaints Arrowoods sixth complaint stemmed from a traffic stop he conducted about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, 2020. In this incident, Arrowood and a probationary trooper pulled over a woman on Kosciuszko Avenue in Bay City they suspected of drunken driving. The civilian alleged Arrowood yanked her and slammed her onto the ground, called her names, and menaced her. Troopers arrested the woman on a drunken driving charge and took her to a hospital for a sample of her blood to be taken. Arrowood would claim the woman refused a preliminary Breathalyzer test, though she claimed she had not. Prosecutors would later dismiss the womans criminal charge when a lab report showed she had not been intoxicated. Even so, she had to miss work, had her drivers license suspended, had to endure a year of court proceedings, and had to pay attorney and jail fees. Internal Affairs sustained the complaint against Arrowood, finding he used inappropriate language and did not follow policies. Arrowood had also failed to properly secure the woman in his patrol vehicle as he transported her to the hospital for the blood draw, failed to secure her registration plate, and failed to complete a use-of-force report. Throughout the arrest and subsequent blood draw, Trooper Arrowood mocked and berated the woman, the disposition report states. The MSP placed Arrowood on a three-day suspension. Regarding the seventh complaint, a Saginaw attorney in November 2022 contacted the MSP to allege Arrowood had not read Miranda rights to a person he had placed in handcuffs and then questioned. The criminal matter As Arrowood faced arraignment on criminal charges related to his Sept. 4 interaction with Michael Wilson, the MSP released body-camera footage of the incident and provided the resultant investigative report. The agency did so for in the interest of transparency. In his report, Arrowood wrote he and a fellow trooper were on patrol on Webber Street near Julius Street on Saginaws South Side when they saw Wilson walking in Webber. Arrowood wrote he exited his vehicle and approached Wilson, telling him to stop and put his hands behind his back. Throughout the six paragraphs describing his interaction with Wilson, Arrowood wrote the civilian engaged in active resistance 10 times. Arrowood wrote he took Wilson to the ground because Wilson was ignoring his verbal commands and he did not know if Wilson was armed. Wilson landed on his stomach, then attempted to stand up, Arrowood wrote. Unable to gain control of Wilsons hands, Arrowood punched him about five times. Wilson continued pulling his hands away, Arrowood wrote, so he punched him a further eight times in his head, then delivered two knee strikes to his midsection. Additional troopers arrived and Wilson was handcuffed and arrested on a charge of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. A search of him found no contraband. Prosecutors declined to charge Wilson with a crime and he was released from the Saginaw County Jail on the afternoon of Sept. 6, having spent two nights in custody. On Sept. 30, an MSP Professional Standards complaint was forwarded to 1st Lt. Michael Anderson for a criminal investigation. As part of his probe, he reviewed video footage recorded by troopers body-worn cameras and their patrol vehicles cameras. Transcriptions of the footages timestamped dialogue is contained in Andersons report. Arrowood first told Wilson to stop at 10:46 p.m. Eight seconds later, he put his hand on Wilsons arm. Nine seconds after that, Wilson told the troopers he wasnt doing anything. Just 19 seconds after first addressing Wilson, Arrowood took him to the ground. In the ensuing scuffle, Arrowood repeatedly cursed at Wilson and told the other trooper to stun him with his Taser. Another MSP lieutenant on Oct. 27 requested Arrowood submit to an interview in the criminal probe. Arrowood declined to be interviewed and asked to speak to his union representative. Days later, attorney Paul Tylenda told Lt. Anderson he was representing Arrowood and his client would not be amenable to an interview, nor would he provide a written statement beyond his initial incident report. Lt. Anderson on Nov. 29 interviewed Wilson in the Saginaw County Jail, where he was lodged on an unrelated matter. The lieutenant advised Wilson anything he said would not be used against him related to the Sept. 4 incident, and thus did not read him his Miranda rights. Wilson was accompanied by attorney Joseph A. Albosta. Wilson said he had been walking on Webber Street toward a store when he heard a voice tell him to freeze and put his hands up. He said he tried to turn around when Arrowood struck him, then threw him to the ground and punched him in his face and head. Wilson said he was screaming for help and asking Arrowood why he was doing it while the other officer watched, Anderson wrote. Wilson said that Arrowood didnt give him an answer that he could remember and was kind of laughing in his face like it was something that he wanted to happen. Wilson did not recall having prior contact with Arrowood, he said. Asked if it was normal for him to walk in the street rather than on the sidewalk, Wilson told the lieutenant he often does so because streetlights provide more visibility in the roadway and hes nervous about dogs jumping out. Wilson said he thought he put his hands up when he heard the voice telling him to do so. The next thing he knew, Arrowood was trying to put his hands behind his back. He said the other trooper was not involved. He recalled asking the other trooper if he was just going to watch him do this to me, Anderson wrote. Wilson added that it seemed like he was in awe too but didnt do or say anything. This other trooper looked concerned and surprised, Wilson said. Asked to describe Arrowood, Wilson said he is skinny with a long nose and flat forehead, before saying that Arrowood looks evil. Wilson estimated Arrowood struck him five or more times in his eyes, forehead, and back of his head. Wilson stated he thought Trooper Arrowoods actions were intentional and that looking into his eyes in booking felt like Trooper Arrowood was happy he did it and wasnt worried that he was going to get into trouble, Anderson wrote. Wilson told the lieutenant he would testify against Arrowood if charges were filed. Arrowood, 43 of Flushing, is free on a $7,500 personal recognizance bond. He is to remain on unpaid suspension from the MSP until his case is resolved. Arrowoods criminal case is set for a preliminary examination in Saginaw County District Court at 1:30 p.m. on April 21. Read more: Trooper didnt seem worried about getting in trouble over beating Saginaw pedestrian, victim said Michigan State Police trooper charged in beating of Saginaw man who wasnt using sidewalk State police find trooper violated policies in traffic stop of Black man in Saginaw Michigan State Police trooper charged with punching cuffed Saginaw man had 2 prior citizen complaints Ex-Saginaw cop punched arrested woman four times in two incidents, attorney general says SAGINAW, MI Fighting back tears, a Saginaw woman testified a man she met on a dating app took her to his home and raped her. The already terrifying experience grew more harrowing when she heard the distinctive racking of a handgun. The 22-year-old woman shared her account during the April 11 preliminary examination of the man shes accused of being her assailant, 33-year-old Clarence Hatchett Jr. Wearing a purple sweatshirt emblazoned with Worry Ends Where Faith Begins, the woman squeezed a cheeseburger squeeze toy as she testified. While she spoke, a jumpsuit-clad Hatchett sat at the defense table, a medical mask over the lower half of his face. The woman said that before March, she began messaging Hatchett on Tinder, though she initially knew him only as Julian. In the early morning hours of March 18, she was hanging out with another man at his house when he began touching her and making her uncomfortable. She sent Hatchett a message on Snapchat, asking him to pick her up and drive her home, she said. Hatchett soon arrived driving a white car and told her he had to go to his house to get something before taking her home. The woman said she entered Hatchetts home with him, having to use the bathroom. She said she had never been to his house before and didnt see anyone else there. Hatchett then pushed her toward a mudroom connected to a garage. As she sat on a couch for a few moments watching South Park, Hatchett looked around for an item, she said. He then took her by her wrist and led her into the garage. At this point in her testimony, the woman began crying. Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Lori B. Selvidge asked her what happened next. I told him that I wanted to go home, she said. He told me to shut up and that Im his (expletive) and he can do as he pleases. He kept telling me to shut up because I kept yelling that I wanted to go home. Hatchett took the womans cellphone, telling her she didnt need it, she said. With the lights in the garage off, felt something pressed against her head and heard the click of a gun being racked, she said. Hatchett then raped the woman, she said. Selvidge asked her if he said anything as this happened. That if I wouldnt be quiet he would hurt me and my family, the woman replied. He put his hand over my mouth so I couldnt scream for help. After being in Hatchetts house for about a half-hour, the woman had an idea for escape. I told him that my dad knew where I was and that he would be on his way, she said. I grabbed up my things and ran out the door. Among the items she gathered was her phone. Hatchett followed her outside and insisted on driving her home, she said. She acquiesced and Hatchett dropped her off about a block from her house, she said. She ran into her home, awoke her father and stepmother and told them what happened. They called 911 and an ambulance arrived to take her to a local hospital, where she underwent an examination and met with police. While at the hospital, she received a message from Hatchett telling her to tell the truth. She provided police with a photo of Hatchett and described the house he had taken her to, she said. Selvidge showed the woman photos of a house and a handgun. While she identified the house as the one Hatchett took her to she could not say if the gun was the same one he had used. Selvidge asked how the ordeal made her feel. Scared, she replied. I cant go out and do anything without thinking someone is going to hurt me again. I didnt think I was going to go home that night. I thought I was going to die. Under cross-examination from defense attorney James F. Gust, the woman said she was feeling the effects of alcohol she had consumed prior to Hatchett picking her up. She said she repeatedly told Hatchett she didnt want to have sex with him and yelled for help throughout the incident. Selvidge called no other witnesses in the hearing. After the woman stepped down, Selvidge asked Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark to bind Hatchetts case over to Circuit Court for trial, which the judge did. Since his March 21 arraignment, Hatchett has been charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and single counts of third- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct using force or coercion, unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to commit sexual penetration, and interfering with an electronic communications device. First- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct involve penetration. The former is a life offense, while the latter is a 15-year felony. Of the three first-degree charges Hatchett faces, two state a weapon was used in the offense. The same day of the alleged assault, police went to Hatchetts residence in the 1100 block of Morris Street on the citys Southeast Side, though he initially refused to answer the door. Officers then waited outside until they obtained a search warrant. The Saginaw Emergency Services Team executed the warrant around 1 p.m. Two adults and a child exited the house at the teams direction. Hatchett still refused to step outside. On entering the house, police found Hatchett hiding in the attic and arrested him, they said. Police also found a handgun during their search. Hatchett did not legally own the gun, as he has at least one felony conviction on his record. Michigan Department of Corrections records show Hatchett in 2014 was convicted of felonious assault, for which he received a probationary sentence. Hatchett was discharged from probation in September 2016. Read more: Saginaw man charged with raping woman at gunpoint he met on Tinder Saginaw man arrested, accused of sexually assaulting woman he met on Tinder Michigan man pleads to tweeting threats to kill judge, turn wife into meat pasties Michigan lawmakers gave the final approval Wednesday, April 12 to award two electric vehicle battery projects $410 million in state funding. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 15-4 to transfer grants to Ford Motor Company and Our Next Energy. A third project from Gotion, Inc., which has been shrouded in controversy for its ties to China, was not approved. Its funding could get the OK down the line. The funding comes from the Strategic Outreach and Reserve Fund a purse of economic incentive dollars created to lure big business. SOAR grants awarded by the Michigan Strategic Fund then require legislative approval. The House Appropriations Committee approved all three transfers last month with a 16-12 vote. Ford received a $210 million state grant to support its proposed $3.5 billion, 2,500-job battery plant in Marshall County. The project also got a 15-year tax break worth $774 million plus $630 million from a supplemental budget bill for site prep work and a $120 million grant for land acquisition. A $200 million grant was awarded to Our Next Energy for a $1.6 billion electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Wayne County. The Detroit startup expects to create 2,112 jobs at the factory in the Charter Township of Van Buren. Gotion Inc. was set to receive $175 million from the state for a $2.4 billion battery parts plant in Mecosta County. The project, which also received a 30-year tax break valued at $530 million, is expected to create 2,350 jobs by 2030. Related: Tensions with China overshadow rural Michigan battery plant Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, said there are still questions lingering for lawmakers after a previous hearing on the project was rushed and had too many technological issues. There is still a possibility for the project to come up on future agendas, she said. I think individual members will likely reach out directly to get some questions answered, Anthony said. As chair, Ive also asked some questions around wages, around local opposition, just to make sure that we can at least have all the information in order to make an informed decision. Controversy has swirled around the Gotion project because of the companys ties to China. Ahead of the Senate Appropriations meeting, former U.S. ambassadors Pete Hoekstra and Joseph Cella, both Michigan Republicans, claimed multiple grave national security threats have cast a dark cloud on the plant. But Gotion Vice President of North America Operations Chuck Thelen pushed back on rumors at a panel discussion last week saying there is no communist plot within Gotion. Gotion Inc. is a U.S. wholly owned subsidiary of the Chinese company Gotion High Tech. Related: No communist plot: Gotion addresses claims about Michigan battery plant Following the Senate vote Wednesday, Cella said he believes elected officials are now starting to feel the pressure from citizens who feel the process may not be receiving the necessary due diligence. Questions are being asked. The facts are being put before them that have never been put to them before, he said. There were several people who traveled some hours to be in attendance at the Senate hearing, although the committee did not take public comment. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States will review the Gotion project for national security risks. The Ford project has also faced pushback from residents in Marshall Township. Opponents to the 950-acre development are concerned the project will scar the natural landscape and destroy historic farmsteads. Michigan is using SOAR dollars to compete in a high stakes race for multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle developments. Tied with Tennessee as a top state for investments, Michigan has landed $16.6 billion in electric vehicle projects in the past five years. Read more from MLive: Fords $3.5B plant bringing jobs and disappointment for Marshall residents Michigan startup investing $1.6B in EV battery gigafactory, creating 2,112 jobs Ford says Chinese government has no role in $3.5B Michigan plant DETROIT Environmental leaders and activists gathered this week in downtown Detroit to energize their collective climate action agenda for Michigan. Nearly 600 climate action advocates and environmental experts convened this week in downtown Detroit to discuss the states healthy climate plan, the carbon emissions reduction roadmap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launched a year ago. The governor spoke to the crowd about her confidence that Michigan is in a strong position to lead the future of clean energy and climate action. We have generations of manufacturing know-how, world-class universities and workforce. We regularly punch above our weight and build the future here in Michigan, Whitmer said. The governor said Michigan has the momentum to secure energy independence and build a safe, reliable grid, while also protecting water and air from pollution. She boasted how the state increased its renewable energy capacity from 17 megawatts in 2009 to the current 3,554 megawatts. This progress proves that we dont have to choose between prosperity and our planet. Weve seen a lot of economic booms in American life, the auto boom, the tech boom, and now the climate boom, Whitmer said. I am a climate optimist because I believe in our innate human ability to innovate. Im a climate optimist because I know that future generations will rise to the occasion. Im a climate optimist because hopelessness helps nobody. The healthy climate plan calls for Michigan to be at 60 percent renewable power sources by 2030, along with incremental greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The conference provided a backdrop for a group of climate action advocates to call on state leaders and lawmakers to act faster to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. Representatives of a coalition of organizations determined to tackle climate change solutions gathered just before the conference began to collectively call on lawmakers to codify elements of the states climate plan. Were looking to our leaders and legislators to act right now. The state budget is a list of priorities, but were asking you to put climate at the top of that priority, said Roslyn Ogburn of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. The coalition called for lawmakers to establish a new standard to require 100% carbon-free electricity sources across Michigan by 2035, as well as an energy waste reduction standard for both electricity and natural gas. Also, the nonpartisan coalition wants lawmakers to empower the Michigan Public Service Commission to better hold accountable large utility companies for large rate increases and lengthy power outages. The groups also want the commission to require utilities to transition away more quickly from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. The recent back-to-back storms that left nearly a million of us without power is a lesson that we must seize the moment and sprint towards cleaner air, lower energy costs, encourage job growth in renewable energy industries, and clear the way for residents who want to adopt renewable energy sources such as solar with storage in their homes not penalize them, said Rafael Mojica, program director for nonprofit Soulardarity of Highland Park. The state climate conference will continue with workshops and panel discussions on Wednesday at Huntington Place, formerly known as Cobo Hall, in downtown Detroit. Related articles: TED Talks, global climate summit coming to Michigan this summer Should Michigan have more nuclear power plants? State study underway Michigan utilities will need to restore power faster under proposed state rules Lengthy power outage credits made automatic and upped to $35 Michigan climate plan calls for 60 percent renewable power by 2030 Hajia4Realls gesture to Confidence Haugen was the highlight of the latters birthday, witnessed on social media. Birthday wishes and eulogies from tons of celebrities flooded social media timelines but in the case of Mona, she was physically present to celebrate with Confidence, whom she calls godmother. In a video making rounds on the internet, the popular Ghanaian socialite was spotted at an unidentified crib, with Confidence Haugen, the newly installed Anlo State Queen mother (Mama Buiekpor II). Mona4Reall , who is reportedly entangled in a legal battle with the US police, was seen presenting a birthday cake to Confidence amidst smiles and excitement. She was captured in a two-piece sleepwear, without makeup whiles goofing around with the socialite-turned-queen mother, in what looked like a kitchen setting. Beaming with excitement, Confidence was thrilled by Monas kind gesture as well as the cakes designs captured in a replica of a pig farm. Netizens have also shared interesting comments beneath the post, shared by several blogs online. Check out the post below: Cyclone Freddy, packing powerful winds and torrential rain, killed more than 100 people in Malawi and Mozambique on its return to southern Africa's mainland, authorities said Monday. Freddy, on track to become the longest-lasting storm on record, barrelled through southern Africa at the weekend for the second time within a few weeks, making a comeback after a first hit in late February. Malawi bore the brunt, counting at least 99 deaths after mudslides overnight washed away houses and sleeping occupants. "We expect the number to rise," Charles Kalemba, a commissioner at the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, told a press conference. Another 134 people were injured and 16 are reported missing. Malawi's commercial capital Blantyre recorded 85 deaths. Residents used their bare hands to dig through the mud hoping to find survivors. Government rescuers were late to arrive, said one resident refusing to give his name, covered in mud, as he helped with the rescue effort. "The people are overwhelmed. The situation is very difficult," said ambulance driver Honest Chirwa, adding rescuers lacked adequate equipment. More than 11,000 people were affected by the storm, said the United Nations. Map of Cyclone Freddy. By Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA (AFP) The impact of the cyclone has piled more woes on a country grappling with the deadliest cholera outbreak in its history, which has killed over 1,600 people since last year. "Severe weather events such as these are likely to exacerbate the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera," the UN children's agency UNICEF warned. President Lazarus Chakwera, currently in Doha attending a Least Developed Countries meeting, declared a "state of disaster in the Southern region" of the nation. The government was responding to the crisis while appealing for local and international aid for affected families, his office said. Malawi has ordered schools in ten southern districts to remain closed until Wednesday, with rains and winds expected to keep battering the nation's south. The Mozambique National Institute for Disaster Management said the fallout from the storm's second landfall in the country was worse than expected. By Alfredo ZUNIGA (UNICEF/AFP) At least 10 other people died and 14 were wounded in neighbouring Mozambique, local authorities said. The Mozambique National Institute for Disaster Management said the fallout from the storm's second landfall in the country was worse than expected. 'Rare' loop trajectory National carrier Malawi Airlines said all flights to Blantyre have been cancelled until further notice after an inbound plane ran into the bad weather and was forced back to the capital Lilongwe. The country's energy utility also warned that electricity generation would be unstable, as it would have to temporarily shut down hydropower stations to prevent muddy water from damaging turbines. The hard-hit Mozambique coastal city of Quelimane remained without access to clean running water. By Alfredo ZUNIGA (UNICEF/AFP) Cyclone Freddy reached landlocked Malawi early on Monday morning after sweeping through Mozambique at the weekend. According to the UN's World Meteorological Organization, Freddy, which formed off north-western Australia in the first week of February, was set to become the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record. It crossed the entire southern Indian Ocean and blasted Madagascar from February 21 before reaching Mozambique on February 24. Following what meteorologists describe as a "rare" loop trajectory, Freddy then headed back towards Madagascar before moving once more towards Mozambique. In total, Freddy has so far killed at least 136 people -- 99 in Malawi, 20 in Mozambique and 17 in Madagascar. The last cyclones to cross the entire southern Indian Ocean were Leon-Eline and Hudah in 2000. strs-ub-cld-sn/lcm Former French Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg has asked the current French government to forbid the sale of a French nuclear component company to an American group, saying he would be able to buy it himself in order to keep it French. Montebourg, known for championing French companies and promoting anything 'made in France', says he has an investment fund ready to buy Segault, which makes components used in French nuclear submarines, if the Finance Ministry blocks its sale to an American multinational. In a letter addressed to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on 31 March, seen by the AFP news agency, Montebourg said the sale should be stopped in the interest of national security. The American multinational Flowserve announced in February it would be acquiring Segault's parent company, the Canadian group Velan, in a 245 million dollar cash transaction. Segault, which has about 80 employees in France, makes industrial valves for the Cherbourg-based Naval Group, which makes nuclear submarines, and for the Charles-de-Galle aircraft carrier. Montebourg says Segault's technology should be considered sensitive and crucial for French defense, and he warned Le Maire that its technology could be passed on to a foreign government. The United States is preparing to supply Australia with submarines under the tri-party Aukus partnership signed at the end of 2021, which scuppered a multi-billion euro deal in which Australia was to buy French submarines. France was already reportedly looking for a French buyer for Segault, and the French defense ministry has indicated it will be presenting a plan to keep French technology from being acquired by foreign companies. Montebourg said an investment firm, Otium Capital, is ready to buy Segault, and that his own company, Les Equipes du Made in France (The Made in France teams) is working with Otium to create an investment fund to maintain France's industrial and agricultural sovereignty. (with AFP) Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has said Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia must go with President Akufo-Addo when he ends his second term. According to him, the governing NPP needs to go into the 2024 general elections with a new face. He told 3FM in an interview that he is the right person to lead the NPP. He argues that he is coming with fresh energy and a new set of ideas to lead the party to victory. I am going to be dramatically different and I think after 16 years of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia ticket on top of the NPP, there is a crying need for fresh energy, new set of ideas and I think KAA (Kwabena Agyei Agyepong), I represent the new dawn that the NPP can use to win power in 2024, the NPP flagbearer hopeful said. Speaking on the economic woes of Ghana, Kwabena Agyepong urged government to cut its coat according to its material. He argued that cutting waste will improve the finances of Ghana and put the country in a better economic position. It is important that we cut our coat according to the size of cloth that is available to us, so you can talk about generating more revenue, it is easier to start cutting the waste in Ghana and there is a lot of waste in Ghana, Kwabena Agyepong shared. The Eastern Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mark Oliver Kevor says the party will use all means necessary to wrestle power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2024. He was responding to the incendiary comments made by Bryan Acheampong, MP of Abetifi Constituency, over the weekend in Kwahu. Mark Oliver Kevor spoke to party supporters during a tour by NDC flagbearer hopeful, John Dramani Mahama to the Eastern Region. The NPP is self-aware the time has come for John Mahama to be President, so it has resorted to intimidation. The NPP is threatening not to hand over power to the NDC in 2024. As regional chairman, I believe I have the support of other executives at the various levels, and so I say, we will also devise any means to snatch power from the governing NPP to John Mahama. We are ready as a party to match the NPP boot for boot. John Dramani Mahama, said the party is unfazed by Bryan Acheampong's claims that the NPP will never hand over power to the NDC. Mr. Mahama addressing the gathering on Tuesday said regardless of the stance taken by the NPP, the NDC will not underplay the role of God in the 2024 elections. According to him, God had already decided the outcome of the 2024 elections, and nobody can change it regardless of what they do. Don't pay attention to some of the things being said by some people, because it is God's plan. I go to Church and I have faith that when I kneel and pray, God speaks to me sometimes. God told me that it is our time, and He has already given us the power. When God speaks, no one can change it so let's continue to pray and believe as Ghanaians that whatever God has put in place will come to pass. The former president is in the Eastern Region for a three-day campaign tour. As part of the tour, he met delegates and branch executives of Okere and Akuapem North and South constituencies at Akropong, The former President also called on party supporters to keep a decent campaign and rather unite behind whoever emerges victorious as the focus is to win the 2024 elections. Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Executives of the National Democratic Congress have declared their support for the former President ahead of the party's parliamentary and presidential primaries. Mark Oliver Kevor who pledged a full endorsement for the former president said Mr. Mahama has already been tried and tested. By Citi Newsroom Six states, including New York, and the District of Columbia will receive $462 million over the next eight years as part of a settlement with Juul, a leading e-cigarette manufacturer. A multi-state lawsuit was filed accusing Juul of actions that led to the rise of underage e-cigarette use across the country. According to state Attorney General Letitia James, the company violated state law prohibiting deceptive business practices and false advertising. It was also accused of violating the state Public Health Law that prohibits selling tobacco products to underage customers. "Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it's harmless today they are paying the price for the harm they caused," James said. "Too many young New Yorkers are struggling to quit vaping and there is no doubt that Juul played a central role in the nationwide vaping epidemic." Vaping among young people, including high school students, is a problem. Since Juul's inception, James noted that e-cigarette use in New York City high schools increased from 8.1% in 2014 to 23.5% in 2018. The state Department of Health found that one in five New York high school students vaped in 2020, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that one in seven high school students nationally used e-cigarettes. Juul's efforts to get young people to become e-cigarette users included outreach to high school students, according to James. She revealed that a Juul representative told students at a New York City high school that the company's vaping products were safer than cigarettes. The terms of the settlement requires Juul to pay $112.7 million to New York over eight years. The company must not engage in marketing tactics that target young people and will be required to perform compliance checks at 5% of retail stores that sell Juul products in New York for four years. The other states involved in the lawsuit were California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico. The United Nations on Tuesday urged Sudanese authorities to investigate after a man publicly asked for a religious edict allowing the murder of the UN's mission chief. Since Monday, a video has circulated on social media in the northeast African country showing an elderly man verbally attacking UN Special Representative Volker Perthes. The outburst came at a conference of Islamist parties and others linked to the regime of ousted president Omar al-Bashir. The man, who identified himself as "Abdelmoneim", accused Perthes of committing "violations", "breaches", and excluding some factions in talks aiming at ending a crisis that began with the country's October 2021 military coup. "I am personally asking for a fatwa... to spill his (Volker's) blood," the man said. "I am volunteering to carry it out." On Tuesday, UNITAMS said it was "deeply concerned" by the video. "The language of incitement and violence will only deepen divisions on the ground, but it will not deter the mission from carrying out its duties," it said in a statement. "We call on the Sudanese authorities to initiate legal measures and ensure a proper investigation." Later on Tuesday, conference organisers said the event was open for the public and the content of the man's speech "does not represent" it. However, in a statement, the organisers reiterated criticism of the UN mission saying it played a "negative role" and was "similar to a foreign political party... imposing a foreign vision on the Sudanese people." Late last year thousands of Islamists held demonstrations to reject UN mediation efforts between civilian and military leaders. They denounced "foreign interference" and called for Perthes to "get out." The coup by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan derailed a transition to civilian rule established following the 2019 ouster of longtime strongman Bashir. It prompted cuts to crucial international aid in one of the world's poorest countries, and triggered regular pro-democracy demonstrations which have been met by a crackdown that has led to the deaths of 125 people. UNITAMS has pushed to resolve the political crisis, and in December hailed a tentative agreement between Sudan's military leaders and civilian factions, the first component of a two-phase political process aimed at restoring the democratic transition. The followup phase, slated to be signed this month, has been delayed twice over disagreements between military and paramilitary elements on security sector reform, according to analysts. I trust our letter finds you well. Hon Minister, I am addressing you today, as the Executive Director of the Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF Int) to table before you our concerns and reiterate the plights and harm of children in street-connected situations and highlight progressive ways we can collaborate to keep them safe and protected. It is totally impossible to walk or drive through the principal streets of Accra, without being approached by a child in street situation to render a service of either wiping the screens of cars, selling of water and other edibles or to blatantly beg for alms. The situation is even of much concern at night- some of these children seek for shelter at various lorry parks and markets, sidewalks, uncompleted buildings and Infront of shops, while others sleep in the open space, regardless of the dangers that stirs them directly in the face. Whilst on the street, these children experience abuse, exploitation, stigmatization and criminalization as well as restrictions on access to essential services, such as healthcare, nutrition and education. Sadly, children in street situations do not have any trusted adult or structured institutions to rely on. Vulnerable girls who get abused sexually are most often left to their fate uncared for and sometimes without medical attention-due to high cost of medical examination. The never-ending and cumbersome court proceedings amid other expenses prevents them from attaining Justice hence, their perpetrators are let loosed and unpunished- rather society stigmatizes them and sometimes points accusing fingers at the victims, blaming them for inviting such harm. This worrying phenomenon of street children is not peculiar to just Accra but also in cities and urban towns like Takoradi, Kumasi, Ho among others. The International Day for Street Children (IDSC) which falls on April 12th, every year provides opportunities for various civil society groups and human rights organizations to spread awareness of the plights of children in street-connected situations throughout the world and provide for them a powerful voice so their rights are not ignored. The day also presents an opportunity for the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection, government, social workers, non-governmental organizations and individuals advocating for the right and safety of children to reflect on the successes chalked in childrens (street) protection/issues, challenges identified and profess solutions and initiatives to reduce the harm. Hon Minister, we acknowledge the countless efforts by successive governments and your Ministry to address the street situation through social protection programmes, however, with the identified disconnect between law and practice, a lot more needs to be done in upholding, implementing and exercising the rights and well-being of children, especially those in street-connected situations within the 2030 Agenda and the Children's Act, 1998 Act 560, Child and Family Welfare Policy among other childrens protection policies. We want to use this opportunity to ensure governments obligations to street-connected children are prioritized by highlighting the urgent need for the implementation of United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Childs General Comment 21 on Children in Street Situations (UNCRC GC 21), which among other objectives seeks to provide comprehensive and authoritative guidance to States on using a holistic, child rights approach to: prevent children experiencing rights violations and the lack of choices that results in them having to depend on the streets for their survival and development; and to promote and protect the rights of children already in street situations, ensuring a continuum of care and helping them to develop to their fullest potential. To that end, we write to request you to take action to keep street-connected children safe by: Fast-tracking the signing of the contract with the service providers for the commencement of the Ghana Education Outcome Project (GEOP) Lot 7. Recognizing effective interventions to keep street-connected children safe, and provide adequate recognition and investment to maximize the impact of these interventions. Implementing effectively the law to free medical care and support from domestic violence victims support fund. Ensuring street-connected childrens access to a trusted adult or facility through the provision of high-quality training, guidelines and accreditation for street and social workers, whose expertise in upholding childrens rights and psychosocial wellbeing must be respected by governments. Making sure teachers and healthcare workers have robust policies and practices in place to keep safe the street-connected children they come into contact with. Government and other state institutions must offer assistance to CSOs/NGOs, that offer support to children in street-connected situations. We know time and resource constraints may seem to make these measures difficult to implement, thus with reverence to SDGs 17 which focuses on partnerships, we open our doors to collaborations with government and other state agencies to make the proposed measures achievable and UNCRC GC 21 a reality. I hope you will take this opportunity to demonstrate our countrys commitment to protecting all children and to prioritize investment in policies and initiatives to keep street-connected children safe. Yours Sincerely, signed Paul Semeh Executive Director [email protected] 0202061234 For more information and interviews contact Ophelia Allotey Executive Assistant and Advocate [email protected] 0545058124 The Western Regional Police Command is on high alert to deal with criminals in the area. The police is on an operation to arrest robbers who attacked and robbed a cash collection point at Anyinase near Essiama. The robbery occurred on Tuesday, April 11, with the gang of robbers running away with a huge sum of money. Information gathered so far has revealed that the robbers were on motorbikes. After entering the premises of the cash collection point under the pretext of transacting business, they later threatened the workers at gunpoint and forced them to hand over the huge sum of money. After taking over the case, the Police in the Western Region has given the assurance that they will do everything to bring the robbers to book. In a statement giving assurance to the victims and the public, the Police indicated that intelligence operations is ongoing to get the perpetrators arrested and we will surely get them. Ghanas leading flooring brand MODERN FLOORS on Easter Monday 10th April 2023 fed and refreshed over 200 children with the Tema-Ashaiman community to mark the 1-year anniversary of their 4th Showroom located at the Tema-Ashaiman Toll Booth. Mr. Basil Anthony popularly known as the CEO ExtraOrdinaire said this philanthropic act by his company is the beginning of many more to come, he also added that MODERN FLOORS is committed to giving back and supporting others. The UK trademarked Flooring brand has been operating for nearly 5 years with 4 showrooms locations in Spintex Road (Flower Pot), East Legon (Okponglo Junction), Weija-Broadcasting and Tema-Ashaiman (Toll Booth) all in the Greater Accra region. Last December they successfully launched their 1st Middle East location in the buzzing city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With their newly opened Dubai hub placed at the top of its current worldwide distribution network, MODERN FLOORS products are now being sourced in 8 European countries including the United Kingdom via Amazon, which is the worlds largest online marketplace that permits legitimate verified product purchasing and selling. MODERN FLOORS products are advantageous in many ways with improved anti-skid qualities, durability, water and fire resistance, anti-bacterial capabilities, uv protected against harsh weather changes, pet and environmentally friendly, but most importantly having the most deserved warranty and lifespan guarantee every consumer yearns for. A private legal practitioner and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe says he is not expecting things to get better even when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seal the deal for Ghana. In his view, the recklessness of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will make it impossible for anything good to happen. He is of the opinion that even after Ghana receives board-level approval from the IMF, the economic woes of the country will persist since Akufo-Addo led government has refused to accept its reckless borrowing and expenditure as the cause of the crisis. the current managers of the economy, to the extent that they continue the recklessness, nothing will come out of the IMF deal, Edudzi Tamekloe said during an engagement on TV3 on Wednesday, April 12. The NDC members continued, why is Dr. Bawumia, the economic messiah not talking? Why is Dr. Bawumia quiet, why is he no longer delivering the lectures? Ghana run to the International Monetary Fund in July 2022 when the economy came to its knees with the citizenry subjected to severe hardships. Although government believes the crisis has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the opposition party has always maintained that it is the doing of the government and how it has mismanaged the affairs of the country. Despite securing a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December last year, it has been very difficult to secure a board-level agreement four months into 2023. A Professor at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Lord Mensah has advised the government to stop giving timelines when it will receive a board-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to him, giving timelines only creates chaos and uncertainty in the minds of the Ghanaian people when the date elapses without any positive result. He is of the view that although things have progressed since last year, its not been easy for the government in its efforts to secure the IMF deal. It is quite a complex situation looking at what is happening and the conditions that have been given to Ghana, contingent on the debt restructuring, Prof. Lord Mensah said during an engagement on TV3 on Wednesday, April 12. The economist continued, Stop giving timelines because you create chaos and uncertainties in the minds of the people. Meanwhile, a private legal practitioner and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe says he is not expecting things to get better even if the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seal the deal for Ghana. In his view, the recklessness of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will make it impossible for anything to change. the current managers of the economy, to the extent that they continue the recklessness, nothing will come out of the IMF deal, Edudzi Tamekloe on the same platform. The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), has commended caterers in the region for their patience despite the delays in the disbursement of arrears. The Council has also assured caterers in the region that steps are currently underway to address their concerns. I wish to assure caterers in the Region that the Managers of the programme share in their plight and have initiated steps to resolve the problem as soon as possible, a statement issued by the regional Co-ordinating Council of the GSFP, signed by its co-ordinator Georgina Ayamba, on Tuesday, 11 April 2022, said. It also assured caterers in the region that it has made a proposal to the government to review upward the amount currently paid to them which is receiving attention. It, therefore, pleaded with caterers under the programme to continue to cook for the children whiles their legitimate concerns are being addressed. Source: classfmonline.com Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU) has served notice to withdraw its services over the delay in the payment of the professional and skills development allowance for its members. According to the Union, together with its members in the Ghana Education Service (GES) it has waited for stakeholders involved to address the issue to no avail. A statement issued by the Union signed by its Secretary, Mark Dankyira Korankye, noted: We have come to the conclusion that although processes leading to the payment of the allowance have been concluded, our Employer and the Government side are deliberately frustrating the unions effort in getting this legitimate for our members. It noted that leadership of the Union can no more hold the pressure mounting on them by members. It, therefore, served notice that if no pragmatic steps are put in place towards payment of the allowances, it will withdraw its services. If by 15 April 2023, we do not hear of pragmatic and positive measures put in place to ensure payment of the allowances, we will have no option than to resume our strike action which was suspended on 5 January 2023, in good faith and full of trust which has been broken on the side of government, the statement added. TEWU, whose members include bursars, cooks, cleaners, administrators, accountants, auditors, among others, called off its nationwide strike last year after a meeting with stakeholders to discuss their grievances. A committee was set up to deliberate on their grievances after it had called off the strike. On Wednesday, 13 January 2021, TEWU went on a similar strike over the governments failure to finalise their conditions of service. Source: classfmonline.com Prof. Lord Mensah 12.04.2023 LISTEN Economist and professor at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Prof. Lord Mensah has opined that the country will surely go through difficult time after securing a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to him, the country must accept the pain that will come with the deal and hope that there will be some reward in the end. It is quite a complex situation looking at what is happening and the conditions that have been given to Ghana, contingent on the debt restructuring. It will come with pains but we will take the pain and we hope there will be a reward to that pain, Prof. Lord Mensah said during a discussion on TV3 on Wednesday, April 12. Meanwhile, the economist has urged government to desist from giving timelines for the board-level agreement. He is of the view that if government gives timelines and fails to seal the deal it creates chaos and uncertainties in the minds of the Ghanaian people. Stop giving timelines because you create chaos and uncertainties in the minds of the people, Prof. Lord Mensah stressed. Ghana run to the International Monetary Fund in July 2022 when the economy came to its knees with the citizenry subjected to severe hardships. Although government believes the crisis has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the opposition party has always maintained that it is the doing of the government and how it has mismanaged the affairs of the country. Despite securing a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December last year, it has been very difficult to secure a board-level agreement four months into 2023. 12.04.2023 LISTEN Vice President of the Republic, H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reacted to the passing of former Womens Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hajia Amama Shaibu. In a short statement expressing sadness at the news, the Vice President extended his condolences to the family of the deceased. This evening, I received with shock, the sudden passing of Hajia Amama Shaibu. Hajia Amama was the NPP Regional Women Organiser of the then-Northern Region from 2009 to 2017. She was noted for her dedication to duty. I cherished our relationship till her passing today. I send my condolences to her family, friends, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP: Development in Freedom). May Allah accept her soul and extend the mercies of the holy month of Ramadan unto her, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, April 11. The passing of Hajia Amama Shaibu was confirmed yesterday by Deputy NPP National Womens Organiser, Hajia Safia. In a statement, she said the death of the former NPP Womens Organiser has left a void in the hearts of everyone that knew her. It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the loss of my former boss, Hajia Amama Shaibu. Hajias passing has left a void in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege to know her, work with her, and interact with her. She was a selfless leader, a role model, and a true inspiration to many people, especially women in politics, Hajia Safia said. After a federal review of National Guard helicopter accidents, including a fatal crash that occurred near Rochester in 2021, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is urging the U.S. Army and Air Force to take action and implement the report's recommendations. The Government Accountability Office examined 298 Army and Air National Guard non-combat helicopter accidents from 2012 through 2021. The agency found flight safety training programs could be improved and that pilots faced hurdles in meeting their flying hour goals, including the lack of crew availability, maintenance problems with aircraft and access to flight simulators. One of the eight recommendations issued by the GAO is for the Air Force and Army to address challenges affecting helicopter pilot training. Schumer, D-N.Y., requested the GAO's report after a National Guard Blackhawk helicopter crashed in Mendon, a suburb of Rochester, in 2021. Three Guardsmen Christian Koch, Daniel Prial and Steven Skoda died in the crash. The accident occurred while the crew was attempting to practice an emergency maneuver. The report's release follows another helicopter crash at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Nine soldiers were killed when two Blackhawk helicopters collided on March 29. "We need action," Schumer said. "We cannot let this horrifying trend continue." Josephine Koch, whose son, Christian, was killed in the crash near Rochester, welcomed the GAO's report and called for action. What Koch learned in the aftermath of the crash is that pilots faced difficulty in getting flight simulator time because they lacked access to the technology in upstate New York and had to travel to Fort Indian Gap in Pennsylvania. But the simulators were fully booked from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. five days a week, she said. Koch also thinks the emergency maneuver that was being performed when the crash occurred two years ago should not be practiced in the air. "I know those three men my son being the chief pilot were 100% dedicated to their jobs and wanted to come home at night," she said. Schumer said he will push to ensure the National Guard facility in Rochester and others have flight simulators. He is also asking the Air Force and Army to quickly implement the GAO's recommendations. "Many of these devastating crashes are preventable and these safety reforms are the first step to making sure that our pilots are well prepared in every flight," he said. Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the Akufo-Addo government is destroying the future of the youth with excessive borrowing. Speaking to branch and constituency executives the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo constituencies of the Eastern Region, Mr Mahama said: The NPP government is destroying the future of the youth with excessive borrowing. For those who took the loans, how many years are left for them to leave the surface of the earth to join God? he asked. The creditors will not give the future generation loans due to the failure of this government to settle its loans. If you are concerned about your future, dont vote for the NPP government that has put us in this situation, he noted. Listen to your conscience. They have spoilt the future of Ghana. For the next ten years, it will be difficult to go outside for loans. They have done enough damage to the country, they should pack out, he said. Source: ClassFMonline.com 12.04.2023 LISTEN Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Constituency in the Volta Region, Mr Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, is appealing to delegates within his constituency to consider his works and offer him another term. According to him, this will give him the chance to continue to represent the Constituency in Parliament to carry on with his good works. The South Dayi lawmaker made this appeal in an exclusive interview with Class 91.3 FM's Kaffui Richard Dikah Dzemeni in the Volta Region. He said there is a need for the delegates to reward his exploits since assuming the reins as an MP. The MP worried that the 35km road from Asikuma to Dzemeni which was started by the previous administration in 2016 had been abandoned by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. He said all efforts to bring back the contractor to the site have proven futile. Mr Defeamekpor disclosed that with collaborative efforts with the District Assembly, some of the feeder roads had been made motorable. He stressed the need for the government to speed up work on the disbursement of the GetFund money to complete more projects within the Constituency. The Paramount Queen Mother of the Dzemeni Traditional Area, Mama Elo IV, for her part called on the government to ensure the payment of compensation to the surviving victims of the Volta River overflow in 1965 at Dzemeni. According to her, during the unfortunate incident, properties and people were displaced by the dam overflow, some of which could not be located until now. The queen mother said the memories of the unfortunate past were still fresh in their minds coupled with the failed 100 houses promise by the Volta River Authority (VRA). Mama Elo IV also disclosed that Dzemeni, being a major trading centre, draws traders from across the country generating massive revenue yet the area is bedeviled with bad roads Source: Classfmonline.com Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, for now. The first and only time I saw his father was in Achimota School, when as President of Ghana, His Excellency Edward Akufo-Addo, formerly a Chief Justice of Ghana, attended Achimota School Founders' Day on 2nd March 1971. Subsequently I used to meet Nana Addo several times in the courts as a senior practicing lawyer, and later in MP circles, and in Parliament 2001-2008. He did not make public his aim that if elected President he would build a National Cathedral for the Lord, but after being sworn in, Nana Addo went all out in determination to build a National Cathedral. One fundamental characteristic of Almighty God is that He is everywhere at the same time. You cannot box Him or compartmentalize Him in a fixed location because He is everywhere, reader, everywhere. The Psalmist says can I run away from the Lord? Even when I go to the vast recesses of the land, even there your hand will stretch forth to pick me God is everywhere, reader. BUT even so, this Everywhere God gave Moses special instructions to build the ARK of the Lord, and a story is told of how when King David was bringing the ARK to Jerusalem and the Ark SEEMINGLY slipped and about to fall someone volunteered to stretch his hands to protect the ARK, and Almighty God struck him dead, INSTANTLY. David became ANGRY and AFRAID at the same time, so he abandoned the idea and sent the ARK to rest in somebody's house. Then David was told that the emergency caretaker of the ARK was being FABULOUSLY blessed by Almighty God, so David went for the ARK and brought it to Jerusalem. King David wanted to build a House for the Lord, to keep the ARK inside, but God told him no, there is too much blood on your hands. Rather your son will build a House for me and the story is told of how after King Solomon had built the Temple, on the opening day, the Holy Spirit took full control of the Temple, so even the High Priests could NOT enter the Temple. Reader, it is NOT a joke to build a house for the Lord. Nana Addo has to grapple with three terrible project stopping obstacles the first is the location. There was a strong lobby that Accra is growing, daily. When I first came to Achimota School in 1967 Accra ended just at Circle Korle Bu was outside Accra and 37 was outside Accra. Today, as I write Accra stretches to Nsawam Aburi Dodowa and faraway PRAMPRAM!!! Why not build the Cathedral somewhere OUTSIDE the inner city? But after a long wait a FINAL decision was taken that the project should go ahead at Ridge area, not far from Parliament House, so about two acres of Government buildings housing Judges of the Superior Courts were demolished and the project started. Then came the second tango: Nana Addo's greatest competent and a Founding member of NPP the Reverend Dr. S. Asante Antwi the principal driver of the National Cathedral project, suddenly died. I am sure Nana Addo must have wept very bitterly. Very well, after a while, the Board was reconstituted and a new panel of top characters were put in charge of the project. And you see, reader, according to history, the QUALITY of every leader, the GREATNESS of any leader, throughout history, from Julius Caesar through Genghis Khan to John F. Kennedy your success rating depends on your STAFF OFFICERS, the backdoor or bedroom advisors. They are ALWAYS seemingly FACELESS but they take the hard core decisions. Ghanaians were shocked to hear that a highly placed trusted staffer on the National Cathedral Board was playing games with Cathedral money, so much that two very respected members of the Cathedral Board have openly come out to say that the project should be suspended. Wow!! That is very terrible. What does Nana Addo do now? Meanwhile, the candle is burning, time is running out. If NPP succeeds Nana Addo in 2024 then the Cathedral dream will come to fruition but if NDC with Okudzoto Ablakwa and others yank us out of Jubilee House, then I am afraid as my NDC friend Stanley keeps telling me we will convert the Cathedral project into a hostel!!!!! Personally I support the Cathedral idea. I even wrote a long memo to Rev. Dr. Asante Antwi on how to raise funds to fund the project, but Nana Addo has to improve his terms by reflecting on the following recommendations: First of all if he wants the Cathedral dream to come to a reality he must IMMEDIATELY reconstitute the Cathedral Board. I don't think Pastors, Bishop and Primates are the best builders. Bring on Board results oriented CONTRACTORS of your Administration. Secondly and more importantly exploit ALL avenues and get Parliament to adopt the National Cathedral idea as an Act of Parliament so that in the most unlikely event if NDC should win (God forbid) they will not be able to abrogate the project. Finally, Nana Addo, I think in 1963 or so, Kwame Nkrumah wanted Accra to become the Headquarters of OAU so he BUILT job 600 currently housing Parliament from foundation to commissioning within SIX Months!!!! What that means is that if you are dead serious and you get a resurrected Rev. Dr. Asante Antwi to drive the project, then, 18 months from now NPP will still be in power, we can commission the National Cathedral under your Presidency to chant the TE DEUM for His Glory. IT CAN BE DONE!!!! Written by Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey The government of Ghana is doing all it can to secure the support programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bolster the countrys economy. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and other officials are currently in Washington, D.C to push the agenda. In a post by the Finance Ministry on Twitter on Wednesday, April 12, it said the Finance Minister has managed to hold very productive meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), among others. Very productive meetings so far at the #SpringMeeting2023 with the IMF, IFC & JICA, among others. Grateful for the strong cooperation from our bilateral and multilateral partners, the post by the Finance Ministry said. Ghana run to the International Monetary Fund in July 2022 when the economy came to its knees with the citizenry subjected to severe hardships. Although government believes the crisis has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the opposition party has always maintained that it is the doing of the government and how it has mismanaged the affairs of the country. Despite securing a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December last year, it has been very difficult to secure a board-level agreement four months into 2023. After the successful meetings at the #SpringMeeting2023, it is still unclear when Ghana will receive board-level approval for the IMF deal. Former President, John Mahama has criticized the current government's decision to seek debt cancellation, arguing that it would harm future generations. Mahama indicated that Ghana's inability to repay its loans would make it difficult for foreign lenders to offer loans in the future. During his campaign tour of the Eastern Region, he told NDC delegates in Lower Manya Krobo to vote massively for him to win and deliver Ghanaians from the dangerous path the ruling NPP is leading the country. We have declared bankruptcy. We cant pay our debts and so our Minister for Finance is going around begging everybody to forgive us some of our debts, and for me, I tell the young people that its going to affect you. Because tomorrow, when you become President or a Member of Parliament, you go to look for money for developmental projects. The people will tell you that your father and your fathers people came and took loans from us and they didnt pay so we wont give you, he stressed. He added, "If you borrow money and you didnt pay when you go and ask for some again, will they give you?" Mahama asks the NDC delegates adding that So Ghanaians are looking up to you (NDC Members) to rescue them from the current economic hardship of the Akufo-Addo government. He also criticized the Akufo-Addo administration's economic policies, blaming Vice President Bawumia and other members of the Economic Management Team for the country's current economic woes. they are behaving as if they were not part of it. All of them dey, dey inside. They all have contributed to the mess in which we are, he emphasised. Because when Vice President Bawumia was saying, Our Economic Management Team, we have Professor Gyan Baffour, we have Alan Kyerematen, we have honorable Osafo-Maafo, we have Ken Ofori-Atta. What a solid team, Mahama said while mimicking Bawumias voice. This is a solid team. This is where the solid team has gotten us, Mahama added. The government has begun formal negotiations with external creditors for debt forgives as part of the requirement to seal an IMF's 3 billion dollar deal. This was when in January 2023, the IMF announced that it was prepared to help Ghana secure a debt cancellation programme and other countries, as the global economy is threatened by a possible economic recession this year. ECOWAS Ministers in charge of the national tourism sectors in member states have come together to give the tourism in West Africa great boost with the validation and adoption of the regulatory texts of the Tourist Accommodation Establishment in the ECOWAS region, Friday, 7th April 2023. This working document with recommendations was presented to the ministers by tourism experts who spent the last 3 days drafting a well-researched legal framework that covers all aspects of hotel accommodation classification and grading Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE, ECOWAS Commissions Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, in her welcome address, on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray expressed her sincere appreciation to the Honarable Ministers for accepting to be part of a historic event in the tourism sector. She also extended ECOWAS sincere gratitude to the President of Togolese Republic, His Excellency Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, for accepting to host this all important meeting as the ECOWAS takes key steps towards adopting relevant instruments to give a boost to our tourism sector in line with emerging trends and hailed the critical role played by the Government of Togo in the integration and economic development of ECOWAS since its establishment which is reiterated by the presence and the support received in the facilitation this meeting from Dr. LAMADOKOU Kossi Honorable Minister of Culture and Tourism of Togo and his very able team. She further praised the tenacity and commitment of the Member States in the development of tourism industry which will ECOWAS a tourist hub, An ECOWAS Destination with attractive and quality services which can compete with the most tourist destinations around the world especially now with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides diverse opportunities in development, job creations, economic growth and boost regional integration. I take this opportunity to express the hope that this regulation will strengthen the use of our local products and reflect our cultural and traditional values there by making our hotel industry a melting point of West African skilled craftsmanship, creativity and innovations. I therefore invite you to take ownership of this forum, to consider and adopt the report of the Meeting of Experts and to implement the relevant recommendations contained therein. She added Dr. Fernando VAZ, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts of Guinea-Bissau, in chairing the meeting, congratulated all participants and hailed the immense work done drafting these texts and criteria that henceforth will govern and restructure the classification of the tourist accommodation establishments. He further called on his fellow ministers to carefully peruse the recommendations and proceed with the adoption of these texts so that from this day on, the ECOWAS destination is at the rendezvous of first-choice destinations with hotels, aparthotels, motels, inns, ecolodges, campsites and high-quality bed and breakfasts to amaze our visitors, generate and secure qualified jobs and increase tourist flows and receipts, he added. Dr. Kossi G. LAMADOKOU, Minister of Togo, reiterated to his colleagues that after adopting these guidelines, implementation must be at the highest level if tourism industry is to succeed and compete with the best. The meeting came to a close with the adoption of the recommendations from the Experts meeting held 3rd 5th April, 2023. Construction works on three major projects in the Ashanti Region have been halted due to a lack of funds to continue. The projects include phase two of the Kumasi International Airport, phase two of the Kejetia Central Market redevelopment project, and the 500-bed capacity Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Citi News sources indicate the Finance Ministry has since December 2022 not been releasing funds towards the construction of the projects which has led to some 2000 workers being laid off. Many residents in Kumasi fear that just like many other projects in the past, work could be abandoned on the three projects and have thus urged authorities to find a way of ensuring work resumes as early as possible. The Mayor of Kumasi, Samuel Pyne in an interview with Citi News said the projects have been put on hold because of the government's ongoing debt restructuring as part of the IMF support the country is seeking. I dont want to use the word stalled because it has been put on hold purposely because the government is doing a restructuring of our debt profile and most of these contracts fall under the projects that have been put on hold, and it is not only the Kumasi Central Market phase two nor the Maternity and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Work will resume after the completion of the debt restructuring programme. citinewsroom Police in Tunisia's capital, Tunis, have forcefully removed a group homeless sub-Saharan Africans had been camping outside of the UN buildings of the International Organisation for Migration (OIM) and the UN Refugee Agency (HCR) for several weeks. Teargas was reportedly fired on Tuesday and batons used to remove people. The group included people from Niger, Sudan, Guinea and Ivory Coast. One of the migrants told an RFI correspondent: "I tried to film some videos, but I couldn't do much. There was a lot of gas. It was hard. The Sudanese were throwing stones. The policemen were just shooting gas." Other journalists have been tweeting from the scene of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) office, some saying that a camp where migrants had gathered had been completely destroyed. Freelance reporter Elizia Volkmann tweeted: Police have fired tear gas, beaten and arrested many migrants and refugees in the past hour. Tensions have been rising as they have struggled to communicate with @UNHCR, from their side they say UNHCR has been unresponsive, UNHCR says the contrary." Another freelance journalist, Simon Cordall, tweeted: Devastation here. The camp's destroyed, with people's goods being taken away as rubbish. Most of these African migrants have been waiting for repatriation after the Tunisian President Kais Saied claimed they were trying to damage the country, unleashing a wave of violence against them. He said that the migrants were part of a conspiracy to change the demographic composition of the North African country, which is predominantly an Arab-Muslim culture. Saied later denied inciting hatred. Former President John Dramani Mahama has issued a stern warning to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of election 2024. He said the ruling should abort its negative intention to cheat in the 2024 general election, as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not sit aloof. Speaking at a meeting with delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Upper Manya Krobo on Tuesday, Mahama, who is aspiring to be the Presidential candidate for the NDC expressed concern over the appointment of known NPP members to the Electoral Commission. ...they are appointing their own party people. I mean people who are known NPP people onto the Electoral Commission, he said. Mahama stated that the appointment of known NPP members may suggest that the governing party plans to cheat in the 2024 election. He warns the ruling NPP not to dare to cheat, as the NDC is prepared to face off anyone squarely. 2024 is going to be a different election. We are not going to take anything for granted. .NDC in 2024, we are taking our own referee into the ring. Were not going to sit down and let anybody cheat us.I can assure them that they dare not attempt to cheat. We dont want to cheat anybody and we dont want anybody to cheat us. Because I know that if the election is free, fair and clean I have no doubt in my mind that NDC will win the election of 2024, he stated. Mr. Mahama calls on supporters of the NDC to unite after the primaries and work together to ensure that the party retains the seat in Upper Manya Krobo. ..and so we are going to be vigilant. We are going to have our eyes open like the eagle.There is no ballot paper that is going to come from anywhere and enter that ballot box. The will of the Ghanaian people will be what is recorded and I know that NDC will emerge victorious. But it will all depend on our hard work. Were going to train all of you, he said. He added, that night of 7th December 2024 none of us is going to sleep until all the results are counted and I am sure before dawn of 8th December 2024 we would have got all our results and we will be able to tell all of you in the branches that NDC has won the election. Dutch police arrested two protesters who ran towards French President Emmanuel Macron shouting slogans outside Amsterdam University on Wednesday, a police spokesman said, the second public disturbance during Macron's state visit. "For the honour of the workers and a better world, even if Macron doesn't like it, we are here," one protester shouted as he was pinned down by several security officials. The protester ran towards Macron and was tackled to the ground, knocking over a man in uniform, according to images on social media. The incident happened just after the French president had got out of a limousine with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and was being greeted by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. "We arrested two protesters for running towards the president. For disturbing public order and threatening behaviour," Amsterdam police spokesperson Lex van Liebergen told French press agency AFP. "It was a man and a woman, protesters. One of them had a banner." There was a separate small group of demonstrators but it was not clear if they were linked to the arrested protesters, she added. The incident in Amsterdam was the second such disruption in two days after protesters heckled Macron as he gave a speech on European sovereignty at a theatre in The Hague on Tuesday. Europe's future On Tuesday, protesters noisily disrupted French President Emmanuel Macron as he began delivering a speech on Europe's future. "Where is French democracy?" shouted the banner-waving demonstrators as Macron, who has faced violent protests at home over pensions reforms, addressed a largely student audience at a theatre in The Hague. The first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president for 23 years was also clouded by a row over controversial comments that Macron made about Taiwan, the United States and China. Macron is confronting the biggest challenge of his second term after pushing through his flagship pension overhaul, which includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The demonstrators had stood in an upper tier of the theatre and shouted "You have millions of protesters in the streets" while holding up a banner that read "President of Violence and Hypocrisy". After security guards removed them, Macron said people who try to undermine laws passed by elected governments "put democracy at risk", citing the 2021 US Capitol riots and a 2023 attack on the Brazilian Congress. The pomp and ceremony of the visit continued regardless, with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands praising the 45-year-old French president at a state dinner in Amsterdam. 'Reform is not simple' "Reform is not simple," the monarch said as he toasted his guest after a meal of asparagus soup with grey shrimp, followed by beef tournedos in a red wine sauce and a dessert made of traditional Dutch sweets. "For us, for Europe and the whole world, it is vital that France is strong, prosperous and confident." Macron's speech earlier made no mention of Taiwan, sticking instead to themes of Europe's need to look after its own interests. "Being more sovereign" was "critical in this period of war and the economy is being weaponised", particularly due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said Macron. The Ukraine war had "opened probably one of the most perilous times of our European Union", he added. Macron had sparked controversy in recent days after he said in an interview with media including Politico and French business daily Les Echos that Europe should not be "followers" of the United States or China when it came to Taiwan. The remarks drew praise in China, which bristles at US support of the nationalist island it sees as a breakaway province, but raised eyebrows among Western allies. Vermeer visit Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the alliance with the United States was an "absolute foundation" of European security. US Senator Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said on Twitter that "we need to find out if Emmanuel Macron speaks for Europe". And in a rambling interview on Fox News, former US president Donald Trump said the US had lost influence in the world since he left office to such an extent that "Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass". The Elysee Palace insisted Tuesday that the president had never called for Europe to keep an "equal distance" from the United States and China. Macron's Dutch visit continues on Wednesday with a trip to the exhibition of works by painter Johannes Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte on a canal boat. Macron will also visit a science park and sign a "pact for innovation" focusing on cooperation in semiconductor research, quantum physics and energy. Macron's visit is intended to highlight a new dynamic between Paris and The Hague after Brexit, when the Netherlands lost its strongest ally in Europe. The Netherlands and France will also work to finalise a defence pact by 2024. (With news agencies) MTN Ghana has rendered an unqualified apology to its customers following the suspension of its data zone bundle which took effect on April 5. MTN Ghana in a statement explained that the suspension is due to a review of the bundle offer in line with the Significant Market Power (SMP) directives applied to the telecom company in June 2020. The telecom company added that the SMP directive ordered them not to be the lowest priced on any offer in the industry. MTN Ghana has announced a suspension of its MTN Data Zone bundle effective April 05, 2023. We apologise to our cherished customers for limiting our communications on this matter to service activation channels only. This media release is to provide more information on the issue. The suspension of the innovative Data Zone bundle is due to a review of the bundle offer in line with the Significant Market Power (SMP) directives applied to MTN Ghana in June 2020, not to be the lowest priced on any offer in the industry, MTN Ghana explained. MTN Ghana assured that its engaging with the regulator for an alignment on revised data zone bundle to be reinstated. We are currently engaging and collaborating with the Regulator, as we seek alignment on a revised Data Zone bundle to be reinstated as soon as possible. We will notify you in due course of further developments, MTN said in its statement. It pledged to roll out innovative, affordable products and services for the benefit of its customers. MTN Ghana would like to reassure its customers that it would continue to roll out innovative and affordable products and services for the benefit of its cherished customers, MTN Ghana promised. The data zone bundle gives MTN Ghanas customers a day validity bundle at discounted rates at the point of purchase. Read below full statement by MTN US President Joe Biden called for political compromise in Northern Ireland on Wednesday during a visit to Belfast to promote the benefits of enduring peace and investment, but faced heated criticism from pro-UK hardliners. During an address at Ulster University he urged feuding political leaders to restore a power-sharing government which has been suspended since February last year, saying "I hope the [Northern Ireland] Executive and Assembly will soon be restored." Biden also touted the "unlimited possibilities" for investment and growth offered in the UK-ruled territory, 25 years on from a historic peace deal brokered by the US government. However, the US president warned that peace and stability must always be guarded, saying the 6 January 2021 riot at Congress in Washington had proved that in every generation "democracy needs champions". Earlier, the US president met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said the UK's relationship with the United States was "in great shape". Biden also greeted local political leaders. Unionists wary The priority for Biden's trip which includes three days in his ancestral homeland the Republic of Ireland is "to keep the peace" in Northern Ireland. But senior figures in the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which is under pressure to resume local power-sharing were undiplomatic about the president's visit. DUP member of the UK parliament in Westminster, Sammy Wilson branded Biden "anti-British", accusing America's second Catholic president of having "made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known". Another DUP lawmaker, Nigel Dodds, suggested any mediation efforts would prove futile. "Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all," he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. Meanwhile, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson welcomed Biden's visit and his "measured" speech. But he said the political dynamic remained unchanged and the British government needed to do more to protect Northern Ireland's place in the wider UK. Post-Brexit impass A devolved power-sharing government in Belfast is a key pillar of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, but it collapsed 14 months ago over the DUP's opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. The party fears that keeping Northern Ireland in the European single market and customs union drives a wedge between the province and Great Britain Despite the UK and the European Union agreeing to overhaul trading rules earlier this year, the DUP is yet to back the new trading terms and allow the restoration of Belfast's Stormont legislature. Nonetheless, Biden's visit marked the "tremendous progress" since the 1998 accords largely ended armed conflict between pro-Irish and pro-British militants. Less than 24 hours after arriving in Northern Ireland, Biden headed south to the Republic of Ireland, where he is due to visit the hometowns of his 19th-century ancestors. On Wednesday afternoon 80-year-old president was greeted from Air Force One by the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in driving rain at Dublin airport. 12.04.2023 LISTEN Ms Nancy Abedi, a Dialysis Nurse at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has appealed to the government, to consider set up at least, one dialysis centre in every region to provide the needed care for patients in the area. She said cases of kidney disease in Ghana were on the rise there was the need to subsidise its treatment for the vulnerable with the disease. Ms Abedi made the appeal at the weekly, Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting communication on health-related topics and setting the medium for the propagation of health information to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy. Speaking on the number of dialysis machines available for the management of the diseases, she said most regions did not have dialysis centres to care for patients, making some of them travel long distances to access care. She stated, for instance, that it was just until recently that the Volta Region had one centre, while the Eastern Region and others did not have any at all. The IMaH Dialysis Nurse revealed that the Tema area currently had five centres, all of which were privately owned, and added that due to the cost involved in running the machine, which operates on electricity, and water treatment plants, dialysis costs were very expensive. She said a session of dialysis cost between GH500.00 and GH600.00, and a patient needed at least three dialyses in a week to flush out the toxins and extra water from their system since their kidneys were not functioning well enough to do so on their own. Ms Abedi dismissed the myth that kidney disease was a sickness for the rich, saying, I have patients who are in the middle class, unemployed, with some as young as 23 years, it has no class preference as the poor and the rich are all prone to it. GNA 12.04.2023 LISTEN Kumasi-based pastor, Reverend Paul Kusi Appiah, known for his accurate predictions in previous elections, has tipped Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to become the next President of Ghana. He said God has ordained Dr. Mahama to lead the country as President, wondering why some men of God have failed to see the revelation. "I wonder why some Prophets can't see the power of victory showing towards Bawumia. I don't know if we have five Gods or so. The victory of Bawumia is sealed and there is nothing anyone can do about it," The Asenua-based Pastor boldly predicted. Reverend Paul Kusi Appiah, the Founder and Leader of the Charismatic Temple International Ministry, confidently predicted that Dr Bawumia will win most of the regions. "Dr Bawumia has already won the elections in the realms of the spirit; he will be the most loved President ever because he will sweep 10 regions out of the 16 in 2024," he said. He also said Ghana will experience significant economic transformation with the discovery of more oil. "Ghana will see massive economic transformation as God will bless this country with the discovery of more oil," he added. Reverend Kusi Appiah has a high reputation for accurate prophecies in previous elections, including the decisive 2016 and 2020 elections. Felix Kwakye Ofosu 12.04.2023 LISTEN A spokesperson of John Dramani Mahama, Felix Kwakye Ofosu has stressed that the ranting from Bryan Acheampong will not stop the former President from becoming President in 2025. According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) remains focused and will do everything to ensure Mahama with votes of Ghanaians is sworn in as President. Speaking to TV3 in an interview on Wednesday, Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the largest opposition party remains confident about winning power in next years election. When the people of Ghana vote overwhelmingly for Mahama in 2024, there is no earthly force and certainly not the NPP can deprive him of that particular mandate. Whatever it takes to ensure that that mandate is protected and secured, the NDC will do, the former Deputy Communications Minister shared. Felix Kwakye Ofosu continued, So, these ravings and rantings of Bryan Acheampong and his stock will do very little to shake our confidence. Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong has been lambasted since Saturday after he indicated that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not hand over power to the NDC. If the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men, he told a mammoth crowd at Mpraeso, where the health walk ended. We will show them that we have the men. We have the men. It will never happen that we the NPP will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC. It will never happen! We will make sure NPP remain in government at all cost, Mr. Acheampong said. The immediate past president of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association GRNMA, Mr Krobea Asante has blamed the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for United Kindom's decision to blacklist health workers from Ghana. According to him, Ghana was blacklisted based on the statistics successive ministers and authorities in the countrys health industry have provided to the World Health Organization (WHO). He was speaking on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM's morning show Nyansapo on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. "I believe Ghana was blacklisted because our statistics before the WHO shows that, nurse to patients ratio in the country is not up to the required number, which stands to reason that, the country is struggling to meet its universal health coverage," he told the host Captain Koda. He added, "The question is, how can you export nurses when people in your country lack nurses to attend to them?" Mr Krobea Asante emphasized that Ghana will have to access its current strength in terms of training and employing nurses and provide evidence on whether or not it is ready to export nurses and at the same time achieve universal health coverage. The recruitment of health and care workers from Ghana and 46 other countries has been suspended by the United Kingdom government as confirmed in its updated Code of Practice (CoP). The UK said CoP provide safeguards against active recruitment from 47 countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards list, and also aligns with World Health Organizations (WHO) advice on ethical recruitment to promote effective, fair and sustainable international recruitment practices. Former President John Dramani Mahama has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deliberately targeting National Democratic Congress (NDC) miners in its galamsey fight. According to Mr. Mahama, the NPP seized excavators belonging to NDC miners and gave them to NPP miners to engage in galamsey. The former president who expressed disgust about the selective justice system in the galamsey fight indicated that a number of NDC miners have been imprisoned while their concessions have been released to NPP miners. He made this statement while addressing branch and constituency executives of Atewa West and East constituencies on day two of his 3-day Eastern regional tour. Some of our young men were arrested and prosecuted for engaging in galamsey because they were not New Patriotic Party members. Some of our young men are in jail. Their excavators were seized because they were accused of engaging in illegal mining and the excavators handed over to NPP members for work. Everything has an end, we dont do that, we are all Ghanaians and need to benefit from the natural resources. Change is coming so dont worry, Mr. Mahama stated. John Dramani Mahama 12.04.2023 LISTEN Former President, John Dramani Mahama has emphasised that he does not wish to see any violence in the 2024 general elections. Engaging delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Fanteakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region on Wednesday, April 12, he indicated that his do or die comment has been misinterpreted by the opponents. According to the flagbearer hopeful of the largest opposition party, it does not mean he plans to cajole members of the party to inflict machete wounds on people in the next general election. John Mahama told delegates and followers of the NDC that he only wants them to work harder to win the 2024 election. The 2024 general election is not a joke, that is why I said it is do or die. Some have twisted the do-or-die comment that we intend to inflict wounds on people with machetes, no, that is not do-or-die. Do-or-die means we have to work hard to win the elections at all cost. It doesnt mean we are going to inflict machete wounds on people, the former President said. The explanation is coming after the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to arrest of John Dramani Mahama for the do or die comment. The petition signed by the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B also wants the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia to be arrested. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lessened its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) by 7.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 15,427 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 1,316 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,694,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of ABT. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.3% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 154,563,421 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $14,955,557,000 after buying an additional 2,011,683 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 74,138,862 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $7,173,676,000 after buying an additional 351,136 shares during the period. Polen Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.1% during the third quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 15,689,512 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,518,117,000 after buying an additional 316,416 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,523,473 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,363,917,000 after buying an additional 218,683 shares during the period. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 8.6% during the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 10,226,688 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $989,536,000 after buying an additional 813,894 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.93% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories Price Performance Shares of ABT traded down $0.28 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $103.01. 1,465,869 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,179,344. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $102.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $104.44. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $93.25 and a 52-week high of $124.35. The company has a market cap of $179.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.51, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.67. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 25th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.13. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 15.88% and a return on equity of 26.09%. The business had revenue of $10.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.69 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.32 EPS. The companys revenue was down 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.38 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.98%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 52.17%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently weighed in on ABT. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $136.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. SVB Leerink increased their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $90.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, March 31st. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 6th. Finally, Raymond James increased their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $109.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.88. Insider Buying and Selling In other Abbott Laboratories news, SVP Julie L. Tyler sold 260 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,896 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,222,103.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Abbott Laboratories news, SVP Julie L. Tyler sold 260 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,896 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,222,103.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 679 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.70, for a total transaction of $68,375.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,091,998.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 1,971 shares of company stock worth $199,140. 1.10% of the stock is owned by insiders. Abbott Laboratories Profile (Get Rating) Abbott Laboratories engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products. It operates through the following business segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment refers to the international sales of a line of branded generic pharmaceutical products. Further Reading 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. Africa Energy Corp. (CVE:AFE Get Rating)s share price reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as C$0.15 and last traded at C$0.15, with a volume of 254373 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.16. Africa Energy Price Performance The businesss 50 day simple moving average is C$0.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$0.22. The stock has a market capitalization of C$204.45 million, a P/E ratio of -15.50 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a quick ratio of 28.20, a current ratio of 2.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.01. Africa Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) Africa Energy Corp. operates as an oil and gas exploration and production company in South Africa and Namibia. It holds a 27.5% participating interest in the Exploration Right for Block 2B offshore that covers an area of 3,062 square kilometers located in the west coast of South Africa; 43.85% interest in the Petroleum Exploration License 37 covering an area of 17,295 square kilometers located in the northern Namibian offshore region; and 49% interest in the Exploration Right for Block 11B/12B covering an area of approximately 19,000 square kilometers located in the Outeniqua Basin off the southern coast of South Africa. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Africa Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Africa Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hyundai Motor Group is making some big-ticket moves in its bid to play the electric vehicle (EV) game more aggressively and wants to be the top-three player in the world by the end of the ongoing decade. The group - Hyundai, Kia and Genesis - is looking at ramping up investments to bolster production in order to cater to the gradually rising demand. Hyundai has repeatedly underlined its e-GMP (Electric Global Modular) platform for electric vehicles which serves as the base for models like Ioniq 5 and EV6. It is an electric-only dedicated platform which will give birth to future EV models as well. But introducing new models and expanding the portfolio alone won't work as demand has to be matched by supply. As such, Hyundai Motor Group plans an investment thrust of $18.2 billion till 2030. Watch: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review: First Drive Impressions A report in Automotive News highlights how the goal for the Koreans is to break into the top-three club of EV manufacturers. The EV club is currently being led by Tesla, and by a significant margin. But the remaining slots are still up for grabs and global brands like Hyundai, Ford, GM, Volkswagen and Mercedes creating a big buzz. Toyota - the global leader among car makers in terms of sales - is also looking at selling around 15 lakh EV units each year by 2026. And then there are Chinese players like BYD who have big ambitions as well. Also check these Cars Find more Cars UPCOMING Hyundai Exter 6 - 10 Lakhs* *Expected Price View Details Hyundai Kona Electric 23.79 - 23.98 Lakhs* *Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Hyundai I20 6.8 - 11.43 Lakhs* *Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Hyundai Venue 1197 cc | Petrol | Manual | 17.52 kmpl 7.53 - 12.72 Lakh* *Ex-showroom price Add to compare Check latest offers Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Electric | Automatic 44.95 Lakhs* *Ex-showroom price Add to compare UPCOMING Hyundai Nexo 65 Lakhs *Expected Price View Details Hyundai is looking at taking its annual output of EVs across the globe to around 36 lakh units by 2030. In comparative terms, Tesla manufactured 14 lakh units in 2022 and is expected to roll out 20 lakh units in 2023. But the upcoming years are likely to see Hyundai not just bolster production of existing models but have a portfolio of as many as 31 fully-electric vehicles - Hyundai, Kia and Genesis combined. In the near future, Kia is preparing the EV9 electric SUV for a US launch while Hyundai, having launched the Ioniq 6, is now prepping the Ioniq 7. First Published Date: StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Argo Group International (NYSE:ARGO Get Rating) in a research report report published on Sunday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Raymond James downgraded Argo Group International from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. Compass Point downgraded Argo Group International from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $30.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Monday, March 13th. Get Argo Group International alerts: Argo Group International Stock Performance Shares of ARGO stock opened at $29.77 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.63. Argo Group International has a fifty-two week low of $19.00 and a fifty-two week high of $45.26. The firm has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.61 and a beta of 1.03. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $29.16. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Argo Group International ( NYSE:ARGO Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 27th. The company reported ($2.69) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.62) by ($1.07). Argo Group International had a negative net margin of 9.98% and a positive return on equity of 0.06%. The firm had revenue of $379.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $504.90 million. On average, equities analysts predict that Argo Group International will post 2.85 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd lifted its holdings in Argo Group International by 515.8% during the 3rd quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd now owns 1,324 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 1,109 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its position in shares of Argo Group International by 2,751.0% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,454 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,403 shares in the last quarter. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc bought a new position in shares of Argo Group International in the 3rd quarter worth about $59,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its position in shares of Argo Group International by 17.3% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 4,760 shares of the companys stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 701 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Graham Capital Management L.P. bought a new position in shares of Argo Group International in the 1st quarter worth about $229,000. 89.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Argo Group International (Get Rating) Argo Group International Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of underwriting property and casualty insurance and reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Operations, International Operations, and Run-off Lines. The U.S. Operations segment include distribution through retail, wholesale, and managing general brokers/agents in the specialty insurance market. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Argo Group International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Argo Group International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AstraZeneca (LON:AZN Get Rating)s stock had its overweight rating reissued by investment analysts at Barclays in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, April 12th, MarketBeat Ratings reports. AZN has been the subject of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a 135 ($168.60) price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Thursday, March 9th. UBS Group set a 119 ($148.62) price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Friday, March 10th. Guggenheim decreased their price objective on shares of AstraZeneca from 127 ($158.61) to 119 ($148.62) in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Thursday, March 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a 108 ($134.88) price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Thursday, February 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, AstraZeneca currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of 118.86 ($148.45). Get AstraZeneca alerts: AstraZeneca Price Performance Shares of LON:AZN traded down GBX 26.79 ($0.33) on Wednesday, reaching 121.37 ($151.58). The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,471,304 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,948,765. AstraZeneca has a 52-week low of GBX 9,399 ($117.38) and a 52-week high of 123.92 ($154.76). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 84.02, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.86. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of 112.86 and a 200 day simple moving average of 110.16. The company has a market cap of 188.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 7,155.29, a PEG ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.17. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its marketed products include Calquence, Enhertu, Faslodex, Imfinzi, Iressa, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Lynparza, Orpathys, Tagrisso, and Zoladex for oncology; Brilinta/Brilique, Bydureon/Byetta, BCise, Byetta, Crestor, Evrenzo, Farxiga/Forxiga, Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR, Lokelma, Onglyza, Qtern, and Xigduo/Xigduo XR for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; Bevespi Aerosphere, Breztri Aerosphere, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir Genuair, Fasenra, Pulmicort, Saphnelo, Symbicort, and Tudorza/Eklira/Bretaris for respiratory and immunology; and Andexxa/Ondexxya, Kanuma, Soliris, Strensiq, and Ultomiris for rare diseases. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for AstraZeneca Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AstraZeneca 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. Investors 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 3.94%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust Stock Up 0.2 % BFZ stock opened at $11.88 on Wednesday. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust has a 1 year low of $10.03 and a 1 year high of $11.97. Get BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, major shareholder Saba Capital Management, L.P. acquired 9,210 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 6th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $11.76 per share, for a total transaction of $108,309.60. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 3,617,332 shares of the companys stock, valued at $42,539,824.32. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Over the last quarter, insiders have acquired 133,353 shares of company stock worth $1,522,110. BlackRock California Municipal Income Trust Company Profile 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. Read More 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. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust (NYSEAMERICAN:BHV Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Wednesday, April 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.0265 per share on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.88%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Stock Up 0.5 % Shares of NYSEAMERICAN:BHV opened at $11.04 on Wednesday. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust has a 12-month low of $10.80 and a 12-month high of $18.49. Get BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust by 37.2% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 4,975 shares of the companys stock worth $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,350 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG raised its holdings in BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust by 62.3% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 12,681 shares of the companys stock valued at $147,000 after buying an additional 4,867 shares during the period. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust by 10.5% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 14,272 shares of the companys stock valued at $162,000 after buying an additional 1,361 shares during the period. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Company Profile BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust operates as closed-end investment fund. The companys investment objective is to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax and Virginia personal income taxes. It seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing primarily in municipal bonds exempt from federal income taxes and Virginia personal income taxes. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brixton Metals Co. (CVE:BBB Get Rating)s share price fell 2.8% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as C$0.18 and last traded at C$0.18. 90,500 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 62% from the average session volume of 239,315 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.18. Brixton Metals Stock Performance The businesss fifty day moving average price is C$0.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 3.58 and a current ratio of 16.36. The stock has a market capitalization of C$66.65 million, a P/E ratio of -2.92 and a beta of 0.95. About Brixton Metals (Get Rating) Brixton Metals Corporation, an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada and the United States. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, and cobalt deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Thorn Gold-Copper-Silver Project covering approximately 2,863 square kilometers located in Northwest British Columbia; the Hog Heaven Silver-Gold-Copper Project consists of approximately 6400 acres and is located in Northwest Montana; Langis-Hudson Bay Silver-Cobalt Project located in Northeast Ontario; and holds a 100% interest in Atlin Goldfields Project consisting of 142 mineral claims covering an area of approximately 950 square kilometers located in Northwest British Columbia. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Brixton Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brixton Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CAE Inc. (TSE:CAE Get Rating) (NYSE:CAE) has earned a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the nine analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$36.78. A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on CAE shares. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on shares of CAE from C$30.00 to C$35.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of CAE from C$33.00 to C$37.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 15th. TD Securities boosted their price target on shares of CAE from C$34.00 to C$37.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on CAE from C$33.00 to C$35.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Finally, CIBC increased their price objective on CAE from C$33.00 to C$37.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Get CAE alerts: CAE Stock Up 0.6 % CAE stock opened at C$32.39 on Friday. CAE has a 12 month low of C$20.90 and a 12 month high of C$35.18. The firm has a market cap of C$10.30 billion, a PE ratio of 56.82, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 2.01. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$30.32 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$27.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 73.28, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.71. About CAE CAE ( TSE:CAE Get Rating ) (NYSE:CAE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 14th. The company reported C$0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$0.25 by C$0.03. CAE had a net margin of 4.60% and a return on equity of 4.42%. The business had revenue of C$1.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$1.04 billion. Equities research analysts forecast that CAE will post 1.2864121 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. (Get Rating) CAE Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides simulation training and critical operations support solutions worldwide. It operates through three segments: Civil Aviation, Defense and Security, and Healthcare. The Civil Aviation segment provides training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as end to end digitally enabled crew management, training operations solutions, and optimization software. See Also Receive News & Ratings for CAE Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CAE and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP Get Rating) by 0.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 93,482 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLCs holdings in CenterPoint Energy were worth $2,804,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in CenterPoint Energy during the first quarter worth about $440,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. raised its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 59.0% during the first quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 14,757 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $452,000 after purchasing an additional 5,475 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 28.5% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,585,045 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $79,208,000 after purchasing an additional 572,884 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 9.0% during the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 32,098 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $988,000 after purchasing an additional 2,642 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 59.3% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 738,270 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $22,615,000 after purchasing an additional 274,696 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.28% of the companys stock. Get CenterPoint Energy alerts: CenterPoint Energy Stock Down 0.0 % NYSE CNP traded down $0.01 on Wednesday, hitting $30.62. 1,153,104 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,856,969. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. CenterPoint Energy, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $25.03 and a fifty-two week high of $33.50. The company has a market cap of $19.32 billion, a PE ratio of 19.26, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $28.95 and a 200-day moving average price of $29.26. Analysts Set New Price Targets CenterPoint Energy ( NYSE:CNP Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 17th. The utilities provider reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.29 by ($0.01). CenterPoint Energy had a net margin of 11.21% and a return on equity of 9.88%. The company had revenue of $2.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.29 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.36 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that CenterPoint Energy, Inc. will post 1.49 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of brokerages have commented on CNP. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of CenterPoint Energy from $30.00 to $28.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of CenterPoint Energy to $35.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of CenterPoint Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, April 7th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $33.00 price target on shares of CenterPoint Energy in a research note on Monday, March 6th. Finally, Guggenheim cut shares of CenterPoint Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $31.00 to $32.00 in a report on Monday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $32.38. About CenterPoint Energy (Get Rating) CenterPoint Energy, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the business of power generation and distribution. It operates through the following segments: CenterPoint Energy, Houston Electric, and CERC. The CenterPoint Energy segment consists of electric transmission and distribution services in the Texas gulf coast area in the ERCOT region and electric transmission and distribution services primarily to southwestern Indiana and includes power generation and wholesale power operations in the MISO region. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CNP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for CenterPoint Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CenterPoint Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSEAMERICAN:CQP Get Rating) have been given a consensus rating of Hold by the nine research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $51.43. A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. TheStreet raised Cheniere Energy Partners from a c rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Citigroup lowered their price target on Cheniere Energy Partners from $47.00 to $44.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Cheniere Energy Partners from $56.00 to $48.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. Get Cheniere Energy Partners alerts: Cheniere Energy Partners Stock Up 1.2 % Shares of NYSEAMERICAN:CQP opened at $47.81 on Friday. Cheniere Energy Partners has a 52 week low of $40.20 and a 52 week high of $62.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.14 billion, a PE ratio of -113.83 and a beta of 0.85. Cheniere Energy Partners Announces Dividend Cheniere Energy Partners ( NYSEAMERICAN:CQP Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The energy company reported $1.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 firm had revenue of $4.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.37 billion. On average, research analysts anticipate that Cheniere Energy Partners will post 5.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 6th were paid a dividend of $0.775 per share. This represents a $3.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 3rd. Cheniere Energy Partnerss dividend payout ratio is -738.08%. Insider Activity at Cheniere Energy Partners In related news, major shareholder Cqp Rockies Platform Llc bought 53,413 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $45.73 per share, for a total transaction of $2,442,576.49. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 36,557 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,671,751.61. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Cqp Rockies Platform Llc purchased 53,413 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 27th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $45.73 per share, with a total value of $2,442,576.49. Following the purchase, the insider now owns 36,557 shares in the company, valued at $1,671,751.61. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Holdings L.P. Blackstone III purchased 27,082 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was acquired at an average cost 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 in the company, valued at approximately $873,183.85. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy Partners A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Alps Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Cheniere Energy Partners by 15.5% during the 4th quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 7,199,141 shares of the energy companys stock worth $409,415,000 after acquiring an additional 964,036 shares in the last quarter. Energy Income Partners LLC raised its position in Cheniere Energy Partners by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Energy Income Partners LLC now owns 3,250,843 shares of the energy companys stock worth $173,465,000 after buying an additional 47,091 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its position in Cheniere Energy Partners by 83.2% during the 4th quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 2,579,620 shares of the energy companys stock worth $146,703,000 after buying an additional 1,171,872 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its position in Cheniere Energy Partners by 11.7% during the 4th quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 1,105,118 shares of the energy companys stock worth $62,848,000 after buying an additional 115,700 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fairview Capital Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Fairview Capital Investment Management LLC now owns 926,925 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $49,460,000 after purchasing an additional 2,516 shares in the last quarter. 46.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. 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. Featured Articles 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. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:SPHD Get Rating) by 3.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 66,767 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 2,327 shares during the period. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. owned 0.08% of Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF worth $2,926,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in SPHD. Wedbush Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $216,000. RE Dickinson Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 8.5% during the 4th quarter. RE Dickinson Investment Advisors LLC now owns 17,627 shares of the companys stock valued at $773,000 after purchasing an additional 1,385 shares during the last quarter. Shilanski & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $8,586,000. Psagot Value Holdings Ltd. Israel boosted its stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 51.8% during the 4th quarter. Psagot Value Holdings Ltd. Israel now owns 6,283 shares of the companys stock valued at $275,000 after purchasing an additional 2,144 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $3,544,000. Get Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF alerts: Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF Trading Up 0.2 % SPHD traded up $0.08 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $42.72. 172,714 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 784,413. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $42.86 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $43.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.28 and a beta of 0.86. Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF has a 12-month low of $38.33 and a 12-month high of $49.61. About Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF The Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in large cap equity. The fund tracks a dividend-yield-weighted index comprising the least volatile, highest dividend-yielding S&P 500 stocks. SPHD was launched on Oct 18, 2012 and is managed by Invesco. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Raymond James (NYSE:RJF Get Rating) by 2.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 182,406 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 4,020 shares during the quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. owned approximately 0.08% of Raymond James worth $19,490,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of RJF. RFP Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Raymond James during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Covestor Ltd boosted its position in shares of Raymond James by 77.1% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 317 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Dupont Capital Management Corp acquired a new position in shares of Raymond James during the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Raymond James during the 3rd quarter worth about $44,000. Finally, Alta Advisers Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Raymond James during the 3rd quarter worth about $49,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.77% of the companys stock. Get Raymond James alerts: Insider Transactions at Raymond James In other news, insider Jodi Perry sold 6,343 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.30, for a total transaction of $712,318.90. Following the sale, the insider now owns 7,150 shares in the company, valued at $802,945. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 9.46% of the companys stock. Raymond James Price Performance NYSE RJF traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $92.66. The stock had a trading volume of 173,196 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,544,414. Raymond James has a 52-week low of $84.86 and a 52-week high of $126.00. The company has a market cap of $19.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.90 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $101.28 and a 200 day simple moving average of $107.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Raymond James (NYSE:RJF Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $2.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. Raymond James had a return on equity of 17.78% and a net margin of 13.65%. Raymond Jamess revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.12 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Raymond James will post 9.27 EPS for the current fiscal year. Raymond James Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.81%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 31st. Raymond Jamess payout ratio is 23.40%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades RJF has been the subject of several analyst reports. Credit Suisse Group lowered their price objective on Raymond James from $119.00 to $116.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 26th. StockNews.com began coverage on Raymond James in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Citigroup decreased their target price on Raymond James from $130.00 to $100.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. UBS Group decreased their target price on Raymond James from $127.00 to $125.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 9th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on Raymond James from $120.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Raymond James presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $120.43. Raymond James Profile (Get Rating) Raymond James Financial, Inc, a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Raymond James Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Raymond James and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. ZEEKR X hits market ZEEKR, the premium EV brand of Geely Auto, put its third production model, the ZEEKR X onto the market on Apr. 12. Coming with three trim levels, the new all-electric SUV is priced between 189,800 yuan and 209,800 yuan. ZEEKR X; photo credit: ZEEKR Dongfeng Honda HR-V goes on sale Dongfeng Hondas new compact SUV, the Honda HR-V, officially went on sale on April 12, coming with both oil-fueled and HEV versions. NIO Capital, Xiaomis industrial fund lead Series A financing of SINPRO Chinese sensor hardware developer SINPRO recently completed its Series A financing with hundreds of millions yuan raised. The new round was led by NIO Capital and Beijing Xiaomi Intelligent Manufacturing Equity Investment Fund, and the proceeds will be mainly used for the R&D and volume production of 4D imaging radar. CATL to launch condensed matter battery tech at Auto Shanghai 2023 CATL is about to launch its condensed matter battery technology and zero-carbon strategy at the forthcoming Auto Shanghai 2023 next week, according to a local media outlet. Human Horizons to showcase HiPhi Y at Auto Shanghai 2023 HiPhi, the Chinese luxury electric vehicle brand owned by Human Horizons, released a video on Tuesday teasing about its third production model, the HiPhi Y. Dongfeng Motor introduces Quantum electric architecture Dongfeng Motor unveiled its Dongfeng Quantum intelligent electric architecture at the 2023 Dongfeng Motor Brand Spring Launch Event and the 7th Technology Innovation Week, held in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 10. BMW Group sees China EV sales more than triple YoY in Q1 2023 German auto giant BMW Group announced on Tuesday its first-quarter sales performance in China via its official WeChat account, which showed robust growth in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales. Haomo.ai launches autonomous driving large model, DriveGPT Great Wall Motor-backed autonomous driving solution developer Haomo.ai released its new DriveGPT, a large model for autonomous driving, at the eighth HAOMO AI DAY event on April 11. Cordoba Minerals Corp. (CVE:CDB Get Rating)s share price shot up 2.3% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.45 and last traded at C$0.45. 13,500 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 19% from the average session volume of 16,580 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.44. Cordoba Minerals Stock Up 2.3 % The company has a current ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.85. The firms 50 day simple moving average is C$0.51 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$0.48. The firm has a market cap of C$39.71 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.27 and a beta of 0.91. About Cordoba Minerals (Get Rating) Cordoba Minerals Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metal properties in Colombia and the United States. The company explores for copper, silver, and gold deposits. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the San Matias project with exploration licenses covering 146.62 square kilometers and has an additional 893.91 square kilometers of exploration licenses under application located in the municipality of Puerto Libertador, in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cordoba Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cordoba Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (ETR:DBAN Get Rating) shot up 2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as 27.75 ($30.16) and last traded at 27.60 ($30.00). 6,909 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 84% from the average session volume of 42,193 shares. The stock had previously closed at 27.05 ($29.40). Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Baader Bank set a 41.90 ($45.54) price objective on Deutsche Beteiligungs in a report on Tuesday, January 17th. Get Deutsche Beteiligungs alerts: Deutsche Beteiligungs Trading Up 2.0 % The company has a fifty day simple moving average of 28.94 and a 200-day simple moving average of 27.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.46. The stock has a market cap of $518.88 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.87, a P/E/G ratio of -0.78 and a beta of 1.16. Deutsche Beteiligungs Company Profile Deutsche Beteiligungs AG is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in direct and fund of fund investments. Within direct investments the firm specializes in expansion capital, management buyout, emerging growth, middle market, mid venture, late venture, growth capital, add-on acquisitions, bridge financing, PIPES, management buy-ins for experienced executives, corporate spin-offs, succession arrangements and generational transition in a family-owned business, small and medium-sized companies, and pre-IPO stage investments. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Beteiligungs Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Beteiligungs and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Diametric Capital LP bought a new position in shares of AMETEK, Inc. (NYSE:AME Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 5,206 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $727,000. Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AME. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AMETEK by 9.6% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 4,306 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $573,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the period. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC boosted its position in AMETEK by 12.7% during the first quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 84,481 shares of the technology companys stock worth $11,251,000 after purchasing an additional 9,510 shares in the last quarter. Prudential PLC purchased a new stake in AMETEK during the first quarter worth $591,000. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its position in AMETEK by 45.1% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 2,974 shares of the technology companys stock worth $396,000 after purchasing an additional 924 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in AMETEK by 41.7% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,379 shares of the technology companys stock worth $316,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.42% of the companys stock. Get AMETEK alerts: Insider Activity at AMETEK In related news, insider Ronald J. Oscher sold 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.28, for a total value of $944,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 28,563 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,149,632.64. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other AMETEK news, Director Steven W. Kohlhagen sold 5,440 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.55, for a total transaction of $786,352.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 35,674 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,156,676.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Ronald J. Oscher sold 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.28, for a total value of $944,320.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 28,563 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,149,632.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 18,160 shares of company stock valued at $2,605,294. Insiders own 0.72% of the companys stock. AMETEK Trading Up 1.1 % NYSE:AME traded up $1.56 on Wednesday, hitting $138.58. 462,178 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,028,343. AMETEK, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $106.17 and a fifty-two week high of $148.06. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $141.29 and a 200-day moving average of $136.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The stock has a market cap of $31.91 billion, a PE ratio of 27.35, a PEG ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.22. AMETEK (NYSE:AME Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The technology company reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.05. AMETEK had a return on equity of 18.46% and a net margin of 18.85%. The company had revenue of $1.63 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.37 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that AMETEK, Inc. will post 5.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. AMETEK Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.72%. This is an increase from AMETEKs previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. AMETEKs dividend payout ratio is currently 19.96%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have commented on AME. Mizuho boosted their target price on AMETEK from $145.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on AMETEK from $152.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on AMETEK in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Loop Capital upped their target price on AMETEK from $160.00 to $164.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 12th. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered AMETEK from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $151.11. About AMETEK (Get Rating) AMETEK, Inc engages in the manufacture of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices. It operates through the following two segments: Electronic Instruments (EIG) and Electromechanical (EMG). The EIG segment designs and manufactures advanced instruments for the process, aerospace, power and industrial markets. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AME? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AMETEK, Inc. (NYSE:AME Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for AMETEK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AMETEK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DT Investment Partners LLC grew its stake in BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK Get Rating) by 2.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,592 shares of the asset managers stock after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the quarter. DT Investment Partners LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $1,128,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Israel Discount Bank of New York grew its position in shares of BlackRock by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Israel Discount Bank of New York now owns 594 shares of the asset managers stock worth $327,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. First Community Trust NA grew its position in shares of BlackRock by 18.4% during the 4th quarter. First Community Trust NA now owns 90 shares of the asset managers stock worth $64,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. CAPROCK Group Inc. grew its position in shares of BlackRock by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. CAPROCK Group Inc. now owns 1,767 shares of the asset managers stock worth $972,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. HBC Financial Services PLLC grew its position in shares of BlackRock by 55.6% during the 4th quarter. HBC Financial Services PLLC now owns 42 shares of the asset managers stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. Finally, Evermay Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of BlackRock by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC now owns 544 shares of the asset managers stock worth $386,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. 77.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get BlackRock alerts: BlackRock Stock Performance Shares of NYSE BLK traded up $4.00 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $673.68. 190,278 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 701,037. The firm has a market capitalization of $101.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.28. BlackRock, Inc. has a 52 week low of $503.12 and a 52 week high of $785.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 2.99 and a quick ratio of 2.99. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $682.41 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $682.03. BlackRock Increases Dividend BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 13th. The asset manager reported $8.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.99 by $0.94. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.38% and a net margin of 28.97%. The business had revenue of $4.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.16 billion. Analysts predict that BlackRock, Inc. will post 34.84 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 7th were paid a $5.00 dividend. This is a boost from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $4.88. This represents a $20.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.97%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 6th. BlackRocks payout ratio is currently 58.91%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently issued reports on BLK shares. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of BlackRock from $540.00 to $680.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, January 12th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of BlackRock in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of BlackRock from $828.00 to $829.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of BlackRock from $741.00 to $825.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of BlackRock from $813.00 to $868.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $750.85. Insider Activity at BlackRock In related news, Director Stephen Cohen sold 390 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $756.26, for a total value of $294,941.40. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 4,357 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,295,024.82. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other BlackRock news, Director J. Richard Kushel sold 575 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $689.06, for a total transaction of $396,209.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4,670 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,217,910.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Stephen Cohen sold 390 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $756.26, for a total value of $294,941.40. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,357 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,295,024.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 4,839 shares of company stock worth $3,578,947. Company insiders own 1.06% of the companys stock. About BlackRock (Get Rating) BlackRock, Inc engages in providing investment management, risk management, and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. Its products include single and multi-asset class portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives, and money market instruments. The company was founded by Susan L. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BLK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Endeavour Mining plc (LON:EDV Get Rating) insider Sebastien de Montessus sold 175,000 shares of Endeavour Mining stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 2,166 ($26.82), for a total value of 3,790,500 ($4,694,117.65). Endeavour Mining Stock Performance LON:EDV traded down GBX 50.06 ($0.62) on Wednesday, hitting GBX 2,117.94 ($26.23). The stock had a trading volume of 718,984 shares, compared to its average volume of 415,459. The stock has a market cap of 5.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9,426.09 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 21.33. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is GBX 1,848.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 1,754.40. Endeavour Mining plc has a 52-week low of GBX 1,435 ($17.77) and a 52-week high of GBX 2,198 ($27.22). Get Endeavour Mining alerts: Endeavour Mining Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 23rd were given a $0.41 dividend. This represents a yield of 1.67%. This is a boost from Endeavour Minings previous dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 23rd. Endeavour Minings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -29,130.43%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades About Endeavour Mining Several research firms recently commented on EDV. Barclays reiterated an overweight rating and issued a GBX 2,875 ($35.60) price objective on shares of Endeavour Mining in a report on Monday, March 20th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 3,000 ($37.15) price objective on shares of Endeavour Mining in a report on Tuesday, March 7th. (Get Rating) Endeavour Mining plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a gold mining company in West Africa. It has six operating assets, including the Boungou, Hounde, Mana, and Wahgnion mines in Burkina Faso; the Ity mine in Cote d'Ivoire; the Sabodala-Massawa mine in Senegal; Lafigue and Kalana development projects in Cote d'Ivoire and Mali; and a portfolio of exploration assets on the Birimian Greenstone Belt across Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and Guinea. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Endeavour Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Endeavour Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Enel Chile S.A. (NYSE:ENIC Get Rating) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $2.73 and last traded at $2.72, with a volume of 48091 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $2.63. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Enel Chile in a research report on Friday, March 17th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Get Enel Chile alerts: Enel Chile Stock Up 3.4 % The companys 50 day moving average price is $2.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.05. The stock has a market cap of $3.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.05. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Enel Chile About Enel Chile Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Citigroup Inc. purchased a new position in Enel Chile in the first quarter worth $100,000. Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its position in Enel Chile by 97.7% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 387,161 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $612,000 after purchasing an additional 191,335 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in Enel Chile by 45.9% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 236,674 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $400,000 after purchasing an additional 74,470 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. acquired a new position in Enel Chile during the first quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of Enel Chile by 14.5% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 68,387 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $108,000 after acquiring an additional 8,659 shares during the period. 2.49% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. (Get Rating) Enel Chile SA engages in the development, operation, generation, and distribution of electricity. It operates through following segments: Generation, Transmission, and Distribution. The Generation segment supplies electricity to end customers using lines and substations that belong to transmission and distribution companies. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Enel Chile Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enel Chile and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Get Rating) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the eleven research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $170.56. EXR has been the topic of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Extra Space Storage from $153.00 to $145.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 14th. KeyCorp lowered their price objective on shares of Extra Space Storage from $190.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 5th. Raymond James upgraded shares of Extra Space Storage from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $185.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 4th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Extra Space Storage from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Extra Space Storage in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Get Extra Space Storage alerts: Extra Space Storage Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSE:EXR opened at $164.68 on Wednesday. The companys fifty day moving average is $160.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $158.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.69 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.54. Extra Space Storage has a 1-year low of $139.97 and a 1-year high of $222.35. Extra Space Storage Increases Dividend Extra Space Storage ( NYSE:EXR Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 22nd. The real estate investment trust reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.08 by ($0.56). Extra Space Storage had a net margin of 45.52% and a return on equity of 22.01%. The company had revenue of $506.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $433.39 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.91 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 18.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Extra Space Storage will post 8.54 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th were issued a dividend of $1.62 per share. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.93%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 14th. This is a boost from Extra Space Storages previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. Extra Space Storages payout ratio is 101.09%. Insider Transactions at Extra Space Storage In related news, COO Matthew T. Herrington sold 650 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.75, for a total transaction of $107,737.50. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 6,405 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,061,628.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CMO Samrat Sondhi sold 6,290 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.88, for a total transaction of $1,018,225.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer now directly owns 82,653 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,379,867.64. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, COO Matthew T. Herrington sold 650 shares of Extra Space Storage stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.75, for a total value of $107,737.50. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 6,405 shares in the company, valued at $1,061,628.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 13,440 shares of company stock worth $2,172,313 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.52% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Extra Space Storage A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EXR. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 8,700 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,280,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. EdgeRock Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Extra Space Storage during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Veriti Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Extra Space Storage during the 3rd quarter valued at about $209,000. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 16.4% during the 4th quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,581 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $380,000 after purchasing an additional 363 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd increased its stake in Extra Space Storage by 119.8% in the 2nd quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd now owns 23,843 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $4,056,000 after purchasing an additional 12,997 shares during the period. 95.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Extra Space Storage Company Profile (Get Rating) Extra Space Storage, Inc is a real estate investment trust. It operates through the following segments: Self-Storage Operations and Tenant Reinsurance. The Self-Storage Operations segment includes rental operations of wholly-owned stores. The Tenant Reinsurance segment includes reinsurance of risks relating to the loss of goods stored by tenants in stores. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Extra Space Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Extra Space Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IFG Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Get Rating) by 6.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 374,694 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 21,683 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF accounts for approximately 10.7% of IFG Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its biggest holding. IFG Advisors LLC owned about 0.05% of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF worth $24,595,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in EFA. VitalStone Financial LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $201,000. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 172.9% during the 4th quarter. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA now owns 464 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Field & Main Bank increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 189.7% during the 4th quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 504 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.78% of the companys stock. Get iShares MSCI EAFE ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Trading Up 0.8 % NYSEARCA:EFA traded up $0.55 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $72.68. 2,902,287 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 20,426,654. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a twelve month low of $54.61 and a twelve month high of $73.22. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $70.27 and a 200 day moving average of $66.25. 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. IFG Advisory LLC reduced its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Get Rating) by 14.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 92,195 shares of the companys stock after selling 15,786 shares during the period. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF accounts for 0.7% of IFG Advisory LLCs holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. IFG Advisory LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $6,647,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of USMV. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 97.0% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,017,562 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,653,661,000 after purchasing an additional 12,316,375 shares in the last quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 7,462.3% during the third quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 7,403,200 shares of the companys stock worth $112,000 after acquiring an additional 7,305,304 shares in the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF during the third quarter worth about $325,088,000. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 844.3% during the third quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 3,858,878 shares of the companys stock worth $255,072,000 after acquiring an additional 3,450,227 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 17.3% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 12,988,250 shares of the companys stock worth $858,523,000 after acquiring an additional 1,917,457 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Price Performance Shares of BATS:USMV traded up $0.18 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $73.64. 1,524,816 shares of the companys stock were exchanged. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $71.73 and a 200-day moving average price of $71.50. The company has a market cap of $30.75 billion, a PE ratio of 20.17 and a beta of 0.76. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a 12 month low of $47.44 and a 12 month high of $55.45. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding USMV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. International Consolidated Airlines Group (LON:IAG Get Rating)s stock had its buy rating reaffirmed by equities research analysts at Bank of America in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. They presently have a GBX 240 ($2.97) target price on the stock. Bank of Americas price target would suggest a potential upside of 65.92% from the stocks previous close. A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on IAG. The Goldman Sachs Group set a GBX 168 ($2.08) price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Liberum Capital reissued a buy rating and issued a GBX 220 ($2.72) price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research note on Friday, February 24th. Peel Hunt reissued a hold rating and issued a GBX 165 ($2.04) price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Barclays set a GBX 170 ($2.11) price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a GBX 200 ($2.48) price target on shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 174.36 ($2.16). Get International Consolidated Airlines Group alerts: International Consolidated Airlines Group Trading Down 3.7 % Shares of International Consolidated Airlines Group stock traded down GBX 5.55 ($0.07) on Wednesday, reaching GBX 144.65 ($1.79). The company had a trading volume of 13,214,935 shares, compared to its average volume of 18,180,881. The firms 50 day moving average price is GBX 153.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 138.21. The firm has a market cap of 7.17 billion, a PE ratio of 2,894.40, a PEG ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 2.33. International Consolidated Airlines Group has a 52-week low of GBX 90.47 ($1.12) and a 52-week high of GBX 173.58 ($2.15). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 988.33, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.80. International Consolidated Airlines Group Company Profile International Consolidated Airlines Group, SA, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo transportation services in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, the United States, and rest of the world. The company operates under the British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL brands. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Consolidated Airlines Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Great Wall Motor-backed autonomous driving solution developer Haomo.ai released its new DriveGPT, a large model for autonomous driving, at the eighth HAOMO AI DAY event on April 11. Photo credit: Haomo.ai This innovative new model is set to reshape the development of intelligent automotive technology in China, said the company. By introducing driving data to establish RLHF (human feedback reinforcement learning) technology, DriveGPT continuously optimizes the cognitive decision-making model of autonomous driving, focusing on solving current cognitive decision-making issues with the ultimate goal of achieving end-to-end autonomous driving. Haomo.ai DriveGPT has opened up its cooperation with the first batch of limited partners, including schools and companies such as Beijing Jiaotong Universitys School of Computer and Information Technology, Qualcomm, Volcano Engine, Huawei Cloud, JD Technology, NavInfo, WEY, and Intel. The company's first mass-produced Navigation on HPilot (NOH) product, which does not rely on HD maps, will soon be applied in cities such as Beijing, Baoding, and Shanghai, among others at first. Furthermore, the first vehicle model to be powered by Haomo.ai's HPilot 3.0 intelligent driving system, the new WEY Mocca DHT-PHEV, will soon be available on the market, which is also the first vehicle to feature the DriveGPT model. Moreover, Haomo.ai has continued to lead in the development of China's autonomous driving industry by achieving a major breakthrough in its passenger vehicle 6P cooperation strategy. The company has already signed nomination supply contracts with three major automakers, and relevant projects are currently underway. Up to now, Haomo.ai's HPilot system has already been installed onto nearly 20 models. The companys users have helped it achieve an HPilot intelligent driving distance exceeding 40 million kilometers. Additionally, HPilot-equipped vehicles have been exported to regions and countries such as the European Union and Israel, and the company plans to launch its products in markets such as the Middle East, South Africa, and Australia. HPilot will also usher in a dedicated version for Mexico and Russia markets. Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:PWZ Get Rating) shares saw strong trading volume on Wednesday . 283,820 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 221% from the previous sessions volume of 88,551 shares.The stock last traded at $25.00 and had previously closed at $25.03. Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Price Performance The firms 50-day simple moving average is $24.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $24.15. Get Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Charles Schwab Investment Advisory Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF by 62.1% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 10,268,661 shares of the companys stock valued at $264,931,000 after purchasing an additional 3,932,976 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,124,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN grew its stake in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF by 323.9% during the 2nd quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 518,663 shares of the companys stock worth $12,614,000 after purchasing an additional 396,300 shares during the period. Mariner LLC lifted its position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF by 330.5% during the 4th quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 266,486 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,433,000 after buying an additional 204,586 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF by 50.5% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 509,621 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,302,000 after buying an additional 170,939 shares in the last quarter. Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Company Profile The Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF (PWZ) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an index of insured investment-grade, tax-exempt debt issued by California or any US territory with at least 15 years remaining to maturity. PWZ was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust (NYSE:OIA Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Tuesday, April 4th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 17th will be given a dividend of 0.0265 per share by the investment management company on Friday, April 28th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.98%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 14th. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Price Performance OIA opened at $6.39 on Wednesday. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust has a 1 year low of $5.40 and a 1 year high of $7.25. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $6.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.35. Get Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raymond James & Associates increased its holdings in shares of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 29.4% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 50,788 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $361,000 after buying an additional 11,536 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE acquired a new stake in Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust during the first quarter worth about $30,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 53.4% in the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 27,540 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $196,000 after purchasing an additional 9,591 shares during the period. Centaurus Financial Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust in the 1st quarter worth about $79,000. Finally, Guggenheim Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust by 19.0% in the 1st quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 711,113 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $5,049,000 after purchasing an additional 113,542 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 10.75% of the companys stock. About Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc, and Invesco Canada Ltd. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:FALN Get Rating) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 1,960,985 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 71% from the previous sessions volume of 1,148,904 shares.The stock last traded at $25.19 and had previously closed at $25.16. iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF Price Performance The companys 50-day moving average is $25.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.73. iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF Company Profile (Get Rating) The iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund tracks a market value weighted index of bonds that were rated investment grade at issuance, but later downgraded to sub-investment grade. FALN was launched on Jun 14, 2016 and is managed by BlackRock. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Islay Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Ovintiv Inc. (NYSE:OVV Get Rating) by 50.7% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 525 shares of the companys stock after selling 540 shares during the quarter. Islay Capital Management LLCs holdings in Ovintiv were worth $27,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Ovintiv by 48.2% during the 4th quarter. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 664 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton grew its stake in Ovintiv by 26.7% in the 3rd quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 950 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Ovintiv by 43.9% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 967 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Ovintiv in the 3rd quarter worth about $58,000. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Ovintiv in the 2nd quarter worth about $69,000. 76.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Ovintiv alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Ovintiv news, Director Howard John Mayson sold 3,000 shares of Ovintiv stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.62, for a total transaction of $136,860.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 21,403 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $976,404.86. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.76% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Ovintiv Stock Down 1.2 % Ovintiv Increases Dividend Shares of Ovintiv stock traded down $0.46 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $38.85. The companys stock had a trading volume of 824,794 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,599,126. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a market cap of $9.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.72, a P/E/G ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 2.78. Ovintiv Inc. has a 1-year low of $32.26 and a 1-year high of $63.30. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $41.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $47.72. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.09%. This is a boost from Ovintivs previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Ovintivs payout ratio is currently 7.04%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth OVV has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Ovintiv from $57.00 to $55.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 4th. National Bankshares dropped their target price on shares of Ovintiv from $66.00 to $61.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 4th. Citigroup downgraded shares of Ovintiv from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $55.00 to $38.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 23rd. BMO Capital Markets downgraded shares of Ovintiv from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $56.00 to $51.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Ovintiv from $51.00 to $47.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 27th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $62.80. Ovintiv Company Profile (Get Rating) Ovintiv Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of natural gas, oil, and natural gas liquids. It operates through USA Operations, Canadian Operations, and Market Optimization segments. The company's principal assets include Permian in west Texas and Anadarko in west-central Oklahoma; and Montney in northeast British Columbia and northwest Alberta. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding OVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ovintiv Inc. (NYSE:OVV Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Ovintiv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ovintiv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Just Group plc (LON:JUST Get Rating) announced a dividend on Tuesday, March 7th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a dividend of GBX 1.23 ($0.02) per share on Wednesday, May 17th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This is a boost from Just Groups previous dividend of $0.50. The official announcement can be seen at this link. Just Group Trading Down 0.4 % LON:JUST opened at GBX 91.70 ($1.14) on Wednesday. The companys 50 day moving average price is GBX 85.57 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 76.75. Just Group has a 52 week low of GBX 53.20 ($0.66) and a 52 week high of GBX 96.45 ($1.19). The company has a quick ratio of 4.87, a current ratio of 4.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 105.06. The stock has a market cap of 953.68 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -383.75, a PEG ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.64. Get Just Group alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Just Group news, insider Andy Parsons sold 619,998 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 84 ($1.04), for a total value of 520,798.32 ($644,951.48). Insiders own 1.76% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Just Group Company Profile A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Just Group from GBX 100 ($1.24) to GBX 115 ($1.42) and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, March 8th. Numis Securities reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 170 ($2.11) price target on shares of Just Group in a report on Monday, February 6th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Just Group from GBX 115 ($1.42) to GBX 120 ($1.49) and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Peel Hunt restated a buy rating and set a GBX 120 ($1.49) price objective on shares of Just Group in a research report on Tuesday, February 28th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an overweight rating on shares of Just Group in a research report on Tuesday, March 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of GBX 129.29 ($1.60). (Get Rating) Just Group plc provides various financial services in the retirement income market in the United Kingdom. It offers de-risking solutions, guaranteed income for life, secure lifetime income, care plans, lifetime mortgages, and protection products. The company also provides professional services, including regulated financial advice and guidance services; and a range of business services, such as consultancy and software development, and outsourced customer service delivery and marketing services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Just Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Just Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LG Display Co., Ltd. (NYSE:LPL Get Rating)s share price gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $5.89, but opened at $6.15. LG Display shares last traded at $6.15, with a volume of 84,362 shares. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently weighed in on LPL shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of LG Display in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of LG Display from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday. Get LG Display alerts: LG Display Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.40 billion, a PE ratio of -1.80 and a beta of 1.44. The stocks 50-day moving average is $5.85 and its 200 day moving average is $5.37. Hedge Funds Weigh In On LG Display LG Display ( NYSE:LPL Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 17th. The electronics maker reported ($1.92) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.58) by ($1.34). LG Display had a negative return on equity of 22.16% and a negative net margin of 11.31%. The firm had revenue of $5.38 billion during the quarter. As a group, equities analysts predict that LG Display Co., Ltd. will post -0.97 earnings per share for the current year. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in LG Display by 641.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 8,051 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 6,965 shares during the period. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of LG Display during the 4th quarter worth about $508,942,400,000. Drive Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in LG Display during the 4th quarter worth about $50,000. Inspire Advisors LLC bought a new stake in LG Display during the 4th quarter worth about $51,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of LG Display by 54.8% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 10,230 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 3,622 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 2.00% of the companys stock. LG Display Company Profile (Get Rating) LG Display Co, Ltd. engages in the manufacture and sale of thin film transistor and organic light-emitting diode display (OLED) products. Its products include television, commercial, monitor, notebook, mobile, auto, and OLED display. The company was founded on February 28, 1985 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. See Also Receive News & Ratings for LG Display Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LG Display and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Macfarlane Group PLC (LON:MACF Get Rating) rose 0.2% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 104.65 ($1.30) and last traded at GBX 103.75 ($1.28). Approximately 81,618 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 68% from the average daily volume of 255,122 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 103.50 ($1.28). Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Shore Capital reissued a house stock rating on shares of Macfarlane Group in a research report on Monday, March 6th. Get Macfarlane Group alerts: Macfarlane Group Trading Down 0.5 % The firm has a market capitalization of 167.84 million, a PE ratio of 1,065.00 and a beta of 0.86. The companys 50-day simple moving average is GBX 106.68 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 102.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.23. Macfarlane Group Increases Dividend Macfarlane Group Company Profile The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 1st. Investors of record on Thursday, May 11th will be given a GBX 2.52 ($0.03) dividend. This is a positive change from Macfarlane Groups previous dividend of $0.90. This represents a dividend yield of 2.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 11th. Macfarlane Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 3,000.00%. (Get Rating) Macfarlane Group PLC, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and distributes protective packaging products to businesses. The company operates through Packaging Distribution and Manufacturing Operations segments. The Packaging Distribution segment distributes packaging materials; and supplies storage and warehousing services in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Macfarlane Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Macfarlane Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PG&E Co. (NYSE:PCG Get Rating) saw strong trading volume on Wednesday . 9,354,264 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 35% from the previous sessions volume of 14,311,861 shares.The stock last traded at $16.59 and had previously closed at $16.82. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group lowered shares of PG&E from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $17.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of PG&E from $15.00 to $14.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of PG&E in a research note on Friday, March 10th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on shares of PG&E in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. They issued a buy rating and a $20.50 price objective for the company. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on shares of PG&E from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, PG&E presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $18.05. Get PG&E alerts: PG&E Stock Performance The companys 50 day moving average price is $15.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.81. The company has a market cap of $41.80 billion, a PE ratio of 20.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.48 and a beta of 1.13. Insider Buying and Selling PG&E ( NYSE:PCG Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The utilities provider reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.28 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $5.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.70 billion. PG&E had a return on equity of 10.55% and a net margin of 8.37%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.28 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that PG&E Co. will post 1.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In related news, CEO Patricia K. Poppe sold 66,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.87, for a total value of $1,058,529.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,269,325 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $20,144,187.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Clear Street Markets LLC bought a new position in PG&E in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. CI Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in PG&E by 770.6% in the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 2,159 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,911 shares during the period. Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in PG&E in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in PG&E by 135.8% in the 3rd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,886 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 1,662 shares during the period. Finally, Caldwell Sutter Capital Inc. bought a new position in PG&E in the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About PG&E (Get Rating) PG&E Corp. is a holding company, which engages in generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity and natural gas to customers. It specializes in energy, utility, power, gas, electricity, solar and sustainability. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Oakland, CA. Read More Receive News & Ratings for PG&E Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PG&E and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Balentine LLC lessened its position in shares of Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY Get Rating) (TSE:RY) by 10.2% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 26,551 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 3,001 shares during the quarter. Balentine LLCs holdings in Royal Bank of Canada were worth $2,496,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Royal Bank of Canada by 5.3% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 817,482 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $90,144,000 after purchasing an additional 41,346 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its position in shares of Royal Bank of Canada by 5.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 7,030 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $775,000 after purchasing an additional 382 shares during the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL raised its holdings in Royal Bank of Canada by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 23,498 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,591,000 after buying an additional 458 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Royal Bank of Canada by 47.1% in the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,942 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $545,000 after buying an additional 1,582 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thomas White International Ltd. boosted its stake in Royal Bank of Canada by 4.6% during the first quarter. Thomas White International Ltd. now owns 15,778 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,740,000 after buying an additional 701 shares during the period. 41.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Royal Bank of Canada alerts: Royal Bank of Canada Stock Up 0.4 % RY stock traded up $0.44 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $98.30. The companys stock had a trading volume of 76,670 shares, compared to its average volume of 834,369. Royal Bank of Canada has a 52-week low of $83.63 and a 52-week high of $112.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $136.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.16, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $98.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $96.60. Royal Bank of Canada Increases Dividend Royal Bank of Canada ( NYSE:RY Get Rating ) (TSE:RY) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 1st. The financial services provider reported $2.26 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.17 by $0.09. Royal Bank of Canada had a net margin of 18.77% and a return on equity of 16.17%. The firm had revenue of $11.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.67 billion. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Royal Bank of Canada will post 8.65 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 25th will be given a dividend of $0.992 per share. This represents a $3.97 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 24th. This is a positive change from Royal Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Royal Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.32%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on RY shares. StockNews.com raised shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday. Desjardins boosted their target price on Royal Bank of Canada from C$145.00 to C$147.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Three 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 currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.33. Royal Bank of Canada Company Profile (Get Rating) Royal Bank of Canada engages in the provision of banking and financial solutions. It operates through the following segments: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management, Insurance, Investor and Treasury Services, Capital Markets, and Corporate Support. The Personal and Commercial Banking segment deals with a broad suite of financial products and services in Canada. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY Get Rating) (TSE:RY). Receive News & Ratings for Royal Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Royal Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sage Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 35,056 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,608,000. Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 34,582,730 shares of the companys stock worth $1,332,473,000 after purchasing an additional 598,860 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 7.2% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 7,846,123 shares of the companys stock worth $302,314,000 after buying an additional 524,270 shares in the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 13.2% in the 4th quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 5,889,049 shares of the companys stock worth $270,190,000 after buying an additional 686,822 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 5,394,416 shares of the companys stock worth $207,940,000 after buying an additional 201,495 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 35.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,425,997 shares of the companys stock worth $121,931,000 after buying an additional 634,757 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF stock traded up $0.28 on Wednesday, hitting $49.31. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,653,122 shares. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a 52-week low of $49.15 and a 52-week high of $59.57. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $48.47 and a 200-day moving average price of $45.84. The company has a market capitalization of $16.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.51 and a beta of 0.86. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value 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 Value 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. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Beijing (Gasgoo)- HiPhi, the Chinese luxury electric vehicle brand owned by Human Horizons, released a video on Tuesday teasing about its third production model, the HiPhi Y. Photo credit: HiPhi According to the luxury EV maker, the HiPhi Y will be officially unveiled at the Auto Shanghai 2023 next week. Positioned as a mid-sized SUV, the HiPhi Y measures 4,938mm long, 1,958mm wide, 1,658mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,950mm. The new model is designed with a subtle design language that is less aggressive and more ordinary than other HiPhi models, namely, the HiPhi X and the HiPhi Z, which is not unpredictable since the HiPhi Y is expected by the industry to feature a relatively lower price. Nonetheless, the HiPhi Y still inherits the automakers signature through-type daytime running lights and LED headlight matrix. In addition, instead of a traditional door handle, the new SUV is equipped with touch buttons and the rear doors still use the segmented open style, with the upper and bottom parts opening separately. However, the lower part of the doors open in the traditional way instead of the suicide style on the HiPhi X. In terms of power, according to previous information, the HiPhi Y is installed with a 247kW electric motor paired with two kinds of batteries, 76.6kWh and 115kWh. The model will come with three range options of 560km, 765km and 810km. Seed Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc. (NYSE:JOF Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 12,400 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $80,000. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of JOF. National Bank of Canada FI acquired a new position in shares of Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Citadel Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $90,000. Shaker Financial Services LLC boosted its position in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund by 41.6% during the 3rd quarter. Shaker Financial Services LLC now owns 80,043 shares of the companys stock worth $469,000 after acquiring an additional 23,520 shares during the last quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund by 1,153.0% during the 3rd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 92,206 shares of the companys stock worth $540,000 after acquiring an additional 84,847 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James & Associates boosted its position in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 101,227 shares of the companys stock worth $725,000 after acquiring an additional 2,711 shares during the last quarter. 65.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund alerts: Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Stock Up 0.6 % NYSE:JOF opened at $6.83 on Wednesday. Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc. has a twelve month low of $5.55 and a twelve month high of $7.14. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $6.83 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $6.45. Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Profile Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Nomura Asset Management U.SA Inc It is managed by Nomura Asset Management Co, Ltd. The fund invests in the public equity markets of Japan. It invests in stocks traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges, JASDAQ, Mothers, Hercules, Centrex, and other indices. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Ampio Pharmaceuticals (NYSEAMERICAN:AMPE Get Rating) in a research report report published on Saturday morning. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the specialty pharmaceutical companys stock. Ampio Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 4.1 % Shares of AMPE opened at $0.21 on Friday. Ampio Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $0.20 and a 12 month high of $6.34. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $0.27 and a 200-day moving average price of $0.22. The firm has a market cap of $3.20 million, a PE ratio of -0.11 and a beta of 1.48. Get Ampio Pharmaceuticals alerts: Institutional Trading of Ampio Pharmaceuticals Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Millennium Management LLC raised its stake in Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 998.6% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,035,413 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical companys stock worth $342,000 after acquiring an additional 1,850,138 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 20.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 9,954,092 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical companys stock worth $602,000 after acquiring an additional 1,662,127 shares during the last quarter. Shilanski & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in Ampio Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter worth $57,000. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in Ampio Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter worth $72,000. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new position in Ampio Pharmaceuticals in the 1st quarter worth $168,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 19.82% of the companys stock. About Ampio Pharmaceuticals Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc operates as a biopharmaceutical company. The firm engages in the development of therapies to treat prevalent inflammatory conditions. Its product pipeline includes new uses for approved drugs and new molecular entities for important therapeutic areas, including metabolic disease, eye disease, kidney disease, inflammation and sexual dysfunction and CNS disease. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Ampio Pharmaceuticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ampio Pharmaceuticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. (OTCMKTS:TCYMF Get Rating)s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $1.74 and last traded at $1.74, with a volume of 0 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $1.74. Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Price Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average of $1.73 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1.68. About Tingyi (Cayman Islands) (Get Rating) Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp., an investment holding company, manufactures and sells instant noodles, beverages, and instant food products in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through Instant Noodles, Beverages, and Others segments. It offers ready-to-drink teas, juices, milk tea, bottled water, and carbonated soft drinks, as well as coffee drinks/functional drinks/probiotics. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tingyi (Cayman Islands) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TransAlta Renewables (TSE:RNW Get Rating) had its price target raised by research analysts at CSFB from C$14.00 to C$14.50 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. CSFBs price target would indicate a potential upside of 14.17% from the stocks previous close. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Raymond James cut their price objective on TransAlta Renewables from C$16.50 to C$15.50 in a research report on Friday, February 10th. CIBC dropped their target price on TransAlta Renewables from C$13.50 to C$13.00 in a research report on Friday, February 24th. TD Securities dropped their target price on TransAlta Renewables from C$12.50 to C$12.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 24th. Finally, National Bankshares dropped their target price on TransAlta Renewables from C$14.25 to C$12.75 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 7th. Six 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.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$15.08. Get TransAlta Renewables alerts: TransAlta Renewables Trading Up 1.4 % Shares of TSE:RNW traded up C$0.17 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching C$12.70. 258,865 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 632,032. The firms 50 day simple moving average is C$11.97 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$12.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.77, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The stock has a market cap of C$3.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.76. TransAlta Renewables has a fifty-two week low of C$10.63 and a fifty-two week high of C$18.92. About TransAlta Renewables TransAlta Renewables Inc develops, owns, and operates renewable power generation facilities. The company operates through Canadian Wind, Canadian Hydro, Canadian Gas, US Wind and Solar, US Gas, and Australian Gas segments. As of February 24, 2022, it owned and operated 26 wind facilities, 13 hydroelectric facilities, 8 natural gas generation facilities, 2 solar facilities, 1 natural gas pipeline, and 1 battery storage project comprising 2,968 megawatts of net generating capacity located in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, the States of Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, North Carolina, and the State of Western Australia. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for TransAlta Renewables Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TransAlta Renewables and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VELA Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Get Rating) by 6.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 55,597 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 3,207 shares during the period. Charles Schwab accounts for approximately 2.3% of VELA Investment Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest holding. VELA Investment Management LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $4,629,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in SCHW. West Branch Capital LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Phocas Financial Corp. purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Selway Asset Management purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Exos TFP Holdings LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.49% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Charles Schwab Stock Down 0.0 % NYSE SCHW traded down $0.01 on Wednesday, hitting $51.70. 7,469,562 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 22,305,895. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $67.18 and a 200 day moving average of $74.31. The Charles Schwab Co. has a twelve month low of $45.00 and a twelve month high of $86.63. The company has a market capitalization of $92.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a current ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Charles Schwab Increases Dividend Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.10 by ($0.03). Charles Schwab had a net margin of 34.60% and a return on equity of 24.94%. The firm had revenue of $5.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.55 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.86 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 16.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.93%. This is a boost from Charles Schwabs previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 9th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 28.57%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have weighed in on SCHW shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their target price on Charles Schwab from $89.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Charles Schwab from $98.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on Charles Schwab from $109.00 to $83.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley downgraded Charles Schwab from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $99.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. One 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 company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Charles Schwab currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $78.27. Insider Transactions at Charles Schwab In related news, insider Bernard J. Clark purchased 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 17th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $54.83 per share, for a total transaction of $274,150.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 120,653 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,615,403.99. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 188,670 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.07, for a total value of $15,106,806.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 30,856,646 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,470,691,645.22. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Bernard J. Clark acquired 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 17th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $54.83 per share, with a total value of $274,150.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 120,653 shares in the company, valued at $6,615,403.99. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 81,000 shares of company stock worth $4,706,960 and have sold 728,106 shares worth $58,067,403. Insiders own 6.60% 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. Featured Articles 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. Waterfront Wealth Inc. increased its position in shares of Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc. (NYSE:JOF Get Rating) by 21.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 15,000 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 2,600 shares during the quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc.s holdings in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund were worth $103,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. National Bank of Canada FI acquired a new stake in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Seed Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $80,000. Citadel Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $90,000. Shaker Financial Services LLC increased its holdings in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund by 41.6% in the 3rd quarter. Shaker Financial Services LLC now owns 80,043 shares of the companys stock valued at $469,000 after purchasing an additional 23,520 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund by 1,153.0% in the 3rd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 92,206 shares of the companys stock valued at $540,000 after purchasing an additional 84,847 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.77% of the companys stock. Get Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund alerts: Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Stock Performance NYSE:JOF opened at $6.83 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $6.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $6.45. Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc. has a 52 week low of $5.55 and a 52 week high of $7.14. Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Company Profile Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Nomura Asset Management U.SA Inc It is managed by Nomura Asset Management Co, Ltd. The fund invests in the public equity markets of Japan. It invests in stocks traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya Stock Exchanges, JASDAQ, Mothers, Hercules, Centrex, and other indices. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JOF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund, Inc. (NYSE:JOF Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Japan Smaller Capitalization Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wedbush Securities Inc. lessened its stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Get Rating) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,678 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 192 shares during the quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc.s holdings in Mastercard were worth $7,538,000 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 stock. Summit Global Investments increased its position in Mastercard by 12.9% in the 4th quarter. Summit Global Investments now owns 2,010 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $699,000 after acquiring an additional 229 shares in the last quarter. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 4th quarter worth approximately $257,000. Burleson & Company LLC grew its position in shares of Mastercard by 197.4% during the 4th quarter. Burleson & Company LLC now owns 1,020 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $355,000 after buying an additional 677 shares during the period. Nadler Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 4th quarter worth approximately $214,000. Finally, Hemington Wealth Management grew its position in shares of Mastercard by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 1,610 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $559,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.51% of the companys stock. Get Mastercard alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Mastercard In other Mastercard news, CEO Michael Miebach sold 17,052 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $376.43, for a total transaction of $6,418,884.36. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 35,544 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,379,827.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, insider Edward Grunde Mclaughlin sold 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $375.99, for a total transaction of $7,519,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 21,579 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,113,488.21. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Michael Miebach sold 17,052 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $376.43, for a total value of $6,418,884.36. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 35,544 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,379,827.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 655,522 shares of company stock worth $242,724,561. Corporate insiders own 0.29% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Mastercard Price Performance Several brokerages have recently commented on MA. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $395.00 to $452.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 27th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $456.00 to $441.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 15th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Mastercard from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $437.00 to $438.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $427.00 to $437.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Sunday, January 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and twenty have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $413.41. Shares of MA opened at $364.13 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $347.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.63, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.11. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $276.87 and a 1-year high of $390.00. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $360.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $345.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The credit services provider reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.09. Mastercard had a net margin of 44.65% and a return on equity of 158.38%. The business had revenue of $5.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.79 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.35 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Mastercard Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 5th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.31%. Mastercard Company Profile (Get Rating) Mastercard, Inc is a technology company, which engages in the payments industry that connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, and business. It offers payment solutions for the development and implementation of credit, debit, prepaid, commercial, and payment programs. The company was founded in November 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The poll process for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections will be formally set in motion on Thursday with the gazette notification. According to the Election Commission's (EC) schedule of events, the last date of making nominations is April 20. The papers will be scrutinised on April 21 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is April 24. Of the total 224 constituencies, 36 seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 15 for Scheduled Tribes. The counting of votes is on May 13. The state has 5.24 crore voters and 58,282 polling stations. Karnataka will largely witness a triangular fight between the ruling BJP, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). The BJP announced its first list of candidates in 189 constituencies on Tuesday. The Congress has already declared 165 candidates and said it would support Karnataka Sarvodaya Party's Darshan Puttannaiah in Melukote segment. The JD(S) has named 93 candidates. (With PTI inputs) 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 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing backlash in Karnataka after releasing its first list of 189 candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls. The party, which is seeking a second consecutive term in the state, has dropped nine incumbent MLAs and given tickets to 52 new candidates, sidelining veterans. This move has led to criticism and protests from some party members, with former deputy chief Laxman Savadi quitting the BJP after being dropped from the list of candidates. The situation may worsen for the BJP as April 20, the last date for making nominations for the polls, is expected to reveal the actual number of rebels within the party. The BJP's high command has denied tickets to several incumbent legislators in Karnataka, including Anil Benake from Belgaum North, Halady Srinivas Shetty from Kundapura, S Angara from Sullia, Mahadevappa Shivalingappa Yadawad from Ramadurg, and Ramanna Lamani from Shirahatti. This decision has led to protests by supporters of Yadawad and Benake in their respective constituencies. In Udupi, the party has dropped incumbent MLA Raghupathi Bhat and given the ticket to Yashpal Suvarna, who is contesting for the first time. However, Suvarna's past comments on the hijab ban have raised concerns. In 2022, Suvarna had aggressively campaigned for a hijab ban in the state and had labelled young Muslim girls who had approached the Karnataka High Court for the right to wear the hijab on college grounds as "anti-national." Bhat has expressed his disappointment with the party leadership over the denial of a ticket. He said that he was assured of a ticket until the last moment and would have followed K Easwarappa's example and retired from electoral politics if he had been informed earlier. Read: Shivakumar bats for Kharge as CM, upset Siddara In addition to the incumbents previously mentioned, Sanjeeva Matandoor, the Puttur MLA and president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP, has been replaced by Asha Thimmappa. Furthermore, BJP MLAs Goolihatti Shekar and Lalaji R Mendon have also been dropped, along with rebel MLA Anand Singh from Vijayanagara. Overall, the party has dropped a total of 10 MLAs in its first list. B.Y. Vijayendra, the son of party veteran BS Yediyurappa, has been fielded from the Shikaripura seat that was previously represented by his father in the outgoing assembly. Yediyurappa, who is 80 years old, announced last month that he would not be contesting the elections. Apple will pay a rent of around Rs 40 lakh a month for its second retail store in Delhi, lease agreement documents reviewed by Moneycontrol showed. The Delhi store, measuring 8,417.38 sq. ft. of carpet area and located at the Select City Walk Mall in south Delhi, is due to open its doors to the public soon after the company unveils the first outlet in Mumbai next week. The lease deed for the store, located on the first floor, was signed on July 18, 2022 between Select Infra and Apple India for 10 years. Apple has the option to renew the lease for another five years but will have to give a notice of at least six months, documents shared by CRE Matrix showed. In Pics | India's First Apple retail stores to launch in Mumbai and Delhi The Delhi store pales in comparison to the Mumbai one, which is sprawling at 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space over three floors in a mall in the commercial hub of Mumbais Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The location in a bustling mall also makes the Delhi store shorn of exclusivity. But Apple is paying roughly Rs 42 lakh for 20,000 sq ft in Mumbai. In other words, retail space in Delhi is more expensive than in Indias financial capital, per this deal. Apples rent will be increased by 15 percent every three years. Apple paid a security deposit of Rs 1.19 crore equivalent to three months rent showed the documents. Apple also has to pay monthly common area maintenance charges and mall management charges of Rs 85 per sq. ft. month, including applicable taxes. Apple has signed a lease with Select Citywalk mall for 8,400 sq. ft. of space at a rent of approximately 475 per sq. ft. plus CAM (Common Area Maintenance charges). The rental is about Rs 40 lakh per month. This is a 10-year lease with a five-year lock-in with 15 percent escalation every three years. The average store size in this Mall is about 1,500-2,000 sq. ft. The rentals have seen a steady increase in the period post COVID-19. This is not the largest store, said Gagan Randev, Executive Director capital markets, India Sothebys International Realty. An email has been sent to Apple for a response. Apples Mumbai store at BKC is called Apple BKC and will open on April 18. The Mumbai store is inspired by the artwork inside the iconic 'Kaali Peeli' taxis in the city. Apple BKC creative will also comprise interpretations of the decals along with several Apple products and services that will be available for consumers. Also Read | Apple Saket store first look revealed, inspired by Delhi's many gates. See pic Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to visit India for the opening of the two flagship stores. Apple launched its online retail store in India in 2020. Its 2021 plans for the launch of an offline retail store in the country were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Runoff flooding continued to impact neighborhoods around Flagstaff Tuesday as the area saw a continuation of warmer weather melting snow left over from the winter. The National Weather Services website noted that Tuesday would likely be the warmest day this week, with temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees above average and a high of 72 degrees in Flagstaff. Temperatures are expected to fall slightly as the wind rises Wednesday and Thursday (gusts of 30-35 mph and a high of 66 are expected Wednesday while Thursday is expected to have gusts between 35 and 40 mph and a high of 55). On Monday night, the runoff meant the Schultz Creek detention basins reached full capacity, according to a city press release. The basins were built in the fall of 2022 to help mitigate flooding after the Pipeline Fire. Together, the basins can detain over 18 million gallons of water, about the size of 28 Olympic swimming pools. Tuesdays announcement said water from the overflowing basins is expected to cross the Schultz Creek culvert at Highway 180, moving toward the Rio de Flag. This has the potential to impact Coconino Estates (an area that saw postfire flooding multiple times last summer), the release said, though it did not suggest that residents in those areas take mitigation measures beyond those recommended in response to last summers Pipeline Fire. Please note that the Schultz Creek detention basins are fully functioning and were designed to allow for the safe overtopping of water while allowing for debris and sediment to settle within the basins, it said. On Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) was working to repair damage to the Schultz Creek culvert and said an earlier debris blockage is no longer in place. Along the same road, Fire Station 5 has been affected by the runoff as well, with the main entrance and surrounding sidewalk closed due to the damage. The fire station is still running as usual, the city said, though out of a second entrance. Snowmelt continues to affect other neighborhoods throughout the city. The city specifically noted that the flooding in Cheshire is from Observatory Mesa and not the basins, noting that this may continue alongside the warm weather. Self-fill sandbags (and a limited supply of pre-made sandbags) are available at Thorpe Park by Aztec Street (by the softball fields) and at the Coconino County Health and Human Services building (2625 N. King St.). Sandbags should only be used near doors and windows of homes and should not be placed around property lines as this can create an adverse impact to neighboring homes, the release said. The Rio de Flag runs over Herold Ranch Road near the Little America Hotel. The river is usually dry, but since early March, water has been covering the road. The water has ebbed and flowed over the past month -- between seven inches and three feet deep, said resident Jen Kotalik. Kotalik has lived on the other side of that road for more than 20 years and said she hadn't seen this amount or duration of flooding before. The road is currently under two feet of water -- three in some places with potholes -- and has been since April 3. Passenger cars and even SUVs are unable to cross the Rio with this level of flooding, so the residents have been parking their cars along the side of the road and catching a ride with their neighbors who have trucks lifted high enough to cross. Nearby, River Valley Road has been completely overtaken by the water and some residents are finding creative ways to get to work. The only other way in and out of the area for residents of Forest Dale, the neighborhood behind Herold Ranch Road is on foot, Kotalik said, which isnt an option for a variety of residents -- those with physical limitations or a job they need to be at on time, for example. So people keep crossing the water. There are signs that say do not enter when flooded on either side of the river and of course, there are new teenage drivers, people that live out there everyone is driving through that is able to, Kotalik said. She has been getting rides across from a friend with a lifted truck. Its very nice that we have people willing to help each other. The situation were in right now, its clear and obvious that the residents past the Herold Ranch Road need another access way out, Kotalik said. Ed Farnam, whos lived in Forest Dale for about 30 years, said the last time hed seen this amount of flooding was in 2005, when a super pineapple express brought heavy spring rain to the area. The water over the road was four feet deep at times then, he said, which was when the depth gauge was installed. That melted all the snow plus the rain and the river to my memory was three to four feet deep for quite a while. Both Lake Marys filled and Walnut Canyon flowed for months, he said. The road usually gets water several times a year -- with melting snow, monsoon rains or other weather -- he said, though rarely as deep as right now. This is definitely the most weve seen in quite a long time and the longest, he said. ....Its on and off for weeks now. Farnam has a lifted truck, so transportation isnt an issue up to a foot and a half of water. When that happens, they try to wait out the flood. There used to be a forest road that provided an alternative route, but that is now behind locked gates. Both Farnam and Kotalik mentioned the J.W. Powell expansion project as something that might have prevented their neighborhoods recent access issues. The project originally included improvements to Herold Ranch Road that would have prevented flooding from making the road impassible, they said. City Council approved an alternative alignment in July 2022, which is currently under study. Investing legend Warren Buffett on April 12 told CNBC that there could be more bank failures down the road, but depositors should not be worried. The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO interviewed from Tokyo where he was visiting to show support for the five trading houses he recently invested in. Also Read: Warren Buffett says he holds 7.4% stake in five Japanese trading houses, including Itochu, Nikkei reports The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last month the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history prompted extraordinary rescue action from regulators, who backstopped all deposits in the failed lenders and provided an additional funding facility for troubled banks. The Oracle of Omaha said some of the dumb things that banks do periodically became uncovered during this period, including having mismatched assets and liabilities as well as questionable accounting. Bankers have been tempted to do that forever, Buffett said. Accounting procedures have driven some bankers to do some things that have helped their current earnings a little bit and caused the recurring temptation to do get a little bit bigger spread on record, a little more than earnings. Buffett said some bankers will continue this behaviour and that will put the shareholders in some of the stocks at risk. But the 92-year-old investor said there was unnecessary fear and panic about depositors losing their money, when the system is set up to protect the entire nations deposits. The costs of the FDIC are borne by the banks. Banks have never cost the Federal Government a dime. The public doesnt understand that, said Buffett. Nobody is going to lose money on a deposit in a U.S. bank. Its not going to happen... you dont need to turn a dumb decision by managers into a panicking the whole citizenry of the United States about something they dont need to be panicked about. He stressed that its crucial that banks retain the confidence of the public, and they can lose that confidence in seconds, as highlighted in the recent blow-up. Historically, Buffett has acted as a white knight for troubled banks. Buffett famously injected $5 billion into Goldman Sachs after Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008. A major show of faith was Buffett's injection of $5 billion into beleaguered Bank of America in 2011. The Business Conclave is the annual flagship event organised by the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi, India. The eminent institution has garnered a solid reputation with the countrys best students studying here. This elite college is home to Asias largest undergraduate management fest Business Conclave. Returning offline for the first time after the pandemic, the Business Conclave is back with much more fervour and excitement than ever before. Students get a chance to meet the prodigies of their fields, the ones who lead by example, right on their very own campus! The Business Conclave is one of the largest events of its kind in the country and is attended by thousands of students from all over India. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn about the latest trends and developments in business and to interact with leading experts in the field. One of the key features of the Business Conclave is its diverse range of speakers and panellists. In addition to this, the event also consists of various masterclasses and workshops, and national-level case competitions. The event features some of the most prominent business leaders, ranging from CEOs and entrepreneurs to journalists and policymakers, from various domains, providing students with a broad perspective on the world of business. By hearing the stories and experiences of successful individuals, students are encouraged to pursue their dreams and aspirations and to work hard to achieve them. This year, the Conclave follows the theme "Uniting Visionaries, Redefining Excellence", where the students challenge themselves and elevate their full potential. Join forces with industry leaders and innovators to witness the most awaited event of Delhi University. The upcoming 16th edition of BCon features an enthralling line-up headlined by Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Bhupender Yadav, industrialists Naveen Jindal, Suresh Narayanan, Aryaman Birla, and many more. The focus is often on topics such as sustainability, social responsibility, and the role of business in society. By engaging with these issues, students are encouraged to think critically about the impact of business on society and to consider how they can use their careers to make a positive difference in the world. In addition, the fest also hosts a variety of national-level competitions that challenge the students potential and push them to put their best foot forward. Eight competitions are held under the umbrella of the Conclave Shri Ram Case Competition, Indian Silicon Valley, The Big Sho(r)t, Policy (K)nights, Anthropos (K)apital, Market Mania, Sustainup and Maestro: The Best Manager. The fest is held in collaboration with Face Magazine, Dettol Banega Swasth India, Lotus Flex Toothbrush, Chromebook, IGL, Boston Consulting Group, JSW, and many more, this year. An once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Business Conclave has it all revolutionary leaders, nerve-wracking competitions, rejuvenating cultural events, and much more. Fasten your seatbelts and join us for the most enthralling experience of your life on April 12, 13 and 14 this year. Switzerland's parliament has rejected the government's 109 billion Swiss francs ($120.82 billion) aid for Credit Suisse's merger with UBS, leaving the fallen bank's hastily arranged rescue without a largely symbolic parliamentary blessing. While the upper house had approved the government's contribution to the rescue package, parliament's lower, and larger chamber, pushed back again on Wednesday. It had already rejected the proposals in a late-night session on Tuesday, forcing the upper house to find a solution when it met again on Wednesday. Seeking a compromise, the upper house passed changes to the measure on Wednesday morning, but it was not enough to sway the lower house lawmakers. They turned it down by 103 votes to 71 in favour, a similar level of opposition to the night before. Speaking just before the lower house vote, Cedric Wermuth, the co-president of the Social Democrats said the party just could not support the funding. While the government's commitment, made using emergency law, cannot be overturned, the vote marks a symbolic rebuke for the authorities, whose decision to largely bypass the nation's legislative has angered many politicians. Lawmakers who backed an approval of the deal, voiced concern about Switzerland's image. "It doesn't really matter what we decide in detail, but it would really send a bad signal if these loans were rejected," said Eva Herzog, who is a member of the Council of States, the upper house, before the vote. Following a day of heated debates held in the country's four national languages, that continued into early morning hours, the upper house passed changes aimed at winning over the sceptics. They included a proposal for Switzerland's federal government to draft an amendment to the country's Banking Act. Its aim would be to reduce the risks posed by systemically relevant banks, such as Credit Suisse and UBS for Switzerland, by, for example, raising capital requirements and restricting bonuses. Addressing parliament before the vote on Wednesday, finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter told lawmakers to consider what message their rejection of the rescue would send to the world. "What signal do you want to give internationally, are the institutions reliable, do you value financial market stability in a place where you already have a financial centre with a certain importance?" Lawmakers were recalled to the country's capital, Bern, for the rare extraordinary session to discuss the Swiss government's open chequebook response to a collapse that many in the country have blamed on Credit Suisse's top management. Last month's shotgun marriage which saw the bank taken over by rival UBS for 3 billion Swiss francs and propped up with more than 250 billion Swiss francs in guarantees and support has drawn widespread criticism. The government invoked Swiss emergency law so that a sub-group of six members of parliament approved the financial commitment on behalf of the legislative body, to the ire of the almost 250 lawmakers left without a say. "The use of emergency law has reached a level in the last three years that is beginning to annoy me," Hansjoerg Knecht, a member of Parliament's upper house, said on Tuesday. The Indian economy today is transparent, open and watchable, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the American business community on Tuesday making a strong pitch before them to come and invest in India and be part of the country's amazing growth story. Addressing a luncheon meeting of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum, Sitharaman told representatives of the top US companies that these are results of the pathbreaking and futuristic reforms, including digitisation being undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last nine years. "Digitisation has had an immense impact on the Indian economy, bringing transparency," Sitharaman said. Earlier, nearly 40 per cent of the Indian economy was grey. Today, the government has incentivised many of these transactions, if it is digital, you get concessions and then onboarded people onto the digital system. "Now, the Indian economy is not small, (it is) transparent, open, watchable if you want to use that word. With all these developments. Therefore, for the next 25 years in the budget, we proposed that India should become an artificial intelligence hub," she said. "We've proposed three centres of excellence in the premier institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology, who would research into artificial intelligence and find out tools using artificial intelligence, which can make the life of businesses or householders easy," the minister said. "So, India wants to lead in the artificial intelligence area. Other than that, of course, hydrogen emission was announced in the last budget and in this budget, we have made sure that green hydrogen gets all the importance," she told the US business community. Referring to the vision of the prime minister to transform India into a developed economy in the next 25 years, Sitharaman said, the government has specifically identified the next 25 years leading towards India's hundred years of being free from Imperial rule. "So, by 2047, we expect India...meeting the aspirations of our youth...You're looking at a very high potentially youthful, very skilled population which is going to contribute to India's growth," Sitharaman said. "We are looking at a lot of measures and steps which will bring in life and rejuvenate the economy, which globally in every country you see that there is a reset happening... One, because of the ways in which supply chains got disrupted, you had several reasons which led to a sort of dissolution that came about in some minds, not every mind about the way in which globalisation has benefited itself but didn't benefit, benefit a majority," she said. "Whether that's a perception, that's real, it's a different story, but you've had to re-globalize with a far more flexible working style and also bringing that belief that capitalism and the democracy working together has actually eliminated more poverty, brought many people out of poverty and enhanced livelihood of all," Sitharaman said. Sitharaman is leading a high-powered delegation to Washington to attend IMF, and World Bank meetings. In his latest paper, Arvind Panagariya, Professor of Economics, Columbia University, and former VC of Niti Aayog, dispels claims of a large rise in poverty in rural and urban India post the Covid-19 pandemic. In the paper, Panagariya states that poverty fell every quarter from JulySeptember 2020. In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrols Shweta Punj, he says that studies claiming a rise in poverty and inequality are flawed. Edited Excerpts. Startling revelations coming out in your paper, which run completely contrary to a lot of studies and research that has been coming up in the past three years. Weve had Oxfam, weve had Azim Premji University saying that India is more unequal now. Wealth is very unequally distributed. However, you are saying something different. What exactly are your findings? Okay. So, let me say that this paper about which we are having the current discussion is related to two years before Covid-19 and two years during Covid. So, 2017-18 to 2020-21. Also, I should clarify that this is the survey year. The survey year starts on July 1 and ends on June 30. So, its off by a quarter with respect to the fiscal year. What we find on rural poverty is that during that single quarter when the lockdown was very strict, April to June 2020, rural poverty during that quarter did actually rise. But then it resumed declining and it continued to decline in the subsequent four quarters for which we have the data. So, for the entire 2021, even when you look by quarter, poverty, rural poverty is declining relative to the same quarter the year earlier. Urban poverty, on the other hand, does rise for a little longer. It rises first in that same quarter, April to June 2020. And then it continues to rise in the subsequent three quarters on a year-on-year basis. But then in the last quarter, for which we have the data, which is April to June 2021, even urban poverty declines relative to the same quarter a year earlier. On an annual basis, actually, you only see urban poverty rise in the year 2021. But overall poverty, national level poverty, continues to fall in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. You see inequality declining. What that is representing largely is that incomes fall a lot more at the top end of the distribution. Theyre not at the bottom end of the distribution. You referred to the Periodic Labour Force Survey. Whereas Azim Premji University, which had come out with a very strong report, was widely quoted in the media saying that inequality has gone up. They used high-frequency household survey data. So, I just want to understand these two different conclusions. What is it in the Periodic Labor Force survey data that is missing in the High-Frequency Household survey data? The Periodic Labor Force Survey also is a continuous survey, only you can analyse it by quarter, not by month. So, it is also in some ways a high-frequency survey. The other one you can do by the month. So, it's a higher frequency for sure. Now, first of all, this is the CMIE survey. This is a private company, which does the survey (the Household survey data that Azim Premji University used). So, PLFS is also a household survey, except that PLFS is primarily devoted to looking at issues of workforce size, labour force participation, the unemployment rate, etc. It tracks work-related characteristics more. It just also happens to collect data on expenditure. And this is the survey done by the National Survey Office, which is part of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The sample size is roughly the same. Theyre both very large surveys. So, there is no issue. We can come to discuss what the differences are and why I put a greater stock on PLFS in a minute. But first, I want to clarify where I very much disagree actually with the way the Premji University report analyses those data. Now, this CMIE survey is an expenditure survey. It (the data) has also been used by another paper, by three co-authors: Gupta, Malani and Woda. So, Gupta, Malani and Woda used exactly the same survey as the Premji University survey. They actually find that inequality fell, and in urban areas, particularly, inequality fell dramatically. Now, the question arises: how come these authors are using the exact same survey as Premji University and Premji University and comes to a very different conclusion? I mean, so you know this is what we call in our academic language, where is the dead body buried when the murder happens. So, that is the clue. You have to find the answer to that question. Now, its very odd when economists traditionally for a long time, the way we measure inequality is that, look, the household survey gives you what is the income level in the bottom 10 percent, next 10 percent, next 10 percent. So, you got the household data and all you need to do is calculate basically based on those household data and measure inequality, which we all call the Gini coefficient. We dont need to go into the technicalities of that. But basically, you get the per capita income data and you measure it, which is exactly what the Gupta, Malani and Woda paper does. Thats what they do and they find that inequality actually false. It is very odd that Premji University reaches a very, very different conclusion. In fact, not only did they reach the conclusion that inequality rose, but it rose massively. Their data says that household incomes went down by 16 percent to 19 percent, and poverty went up exponentially Yes. And based on that, the CNN Headline was, Indias billionaires get richer, while Coronavirus pushes millions of vulnerable people into poverty. Based on the Premji University study. Poverty more than doubled during the lockdown. It was 50 percent to 80 percent higher in the post-lockdown period. Thats the highlighted bit from that paper. Youve said that they devised their own model to come to these conclusions Right. It is a long report, so I didnt scan every word of it. I sort of did not find that particular study persuasive at all. So, this is where Dr. Panagariya, again, India has been on a different track than the rest of the world, because inequality did go up in other parts of the world, but according to your paper in India, inequality actually declined. So, frankly, I do not know what exactly happened to inequality in the other parts of the world. I need to check that. In a way, my instinct would be that actually as far as inequality is concerned, very likely it should have fallen in other countries also, particularly in a country like the United States, where also massive transfers of income got made which were not to the top 5 percent at all. And there is one simple argument you see, that when incomes rise rapidly, this is during growth, right? Intuitively, you would expect actually that it generates billionaires because somebody has to create the wealth. And lets say even if they keep 5 percent of their wealth for themselves and 95 percent goes to others, that will still create a billionaire. Itll create a billionaire, because you have many billion dollars worth of wealth being created. So, in fact, when incomes are rising, you would expect inequality to actually go up. It doesnt always happen. But it depends on what measure of inequality youre looking at. But intuitively, it would seem in an economy thats rising at 8 percent, 9 percent, 10 percent you will see that inequality might be rising. You are reversing that process. The whole GDP during the year 2021 fell by 6.6 percent in India. Yeah. So that was the year of negative growth (contraction) also. Yeah. So, if the incomes are declining that sharply, where are they going to decline more? They will decline more at the top end. Now, when I go back to that summer, that April-June 2020 summer, we know there was a mass migrant exodus that happened when people went back to their villages. And according to your research, youre saying that rural poverty saw a modest rise. Hows that possible? So, these people probably lost their jobs around that time when they went back? Are you saying that the cash transfers that were taking place, the food grain schemes, thats what provided the cushion? Okay. So there are multiple factors at work here for the rural poor. Now, remember that the general intuition had been that somehow when incomes fall, it must be the poor who get hit hardest. But in this case, my intuition was different for the reason that the rural economy had continued to do quite well. So, if you check the agricultural growth, in the 2019-20 fiscal year, only the last 10 days of that year are part of COVID. But 2019-20 incomes, of course, continued to have an impact on what people were able to consume in the following year. I mean, it does help to have it. That growth in agriculture was 5.5 percent. Now, remember our trend, if you take the last 30 years period, the trend of agricultural growth is not more than 3 percent. At best, its 3 percent. Now, 5.5 percent for agriculture is exceptional. Then, the following year 2020-21, again the fiscal year, also 3 percent, which is certainly better than the trend growth of about 3 percent or less. So, agriculture actually did extremely well. We all remember the reports coming out. They were tracking how sowing activity is progressing. And I remember that soon after Covid, reports were that sowing activity was actually excellent and sowing was about 5 percentage points more than it had been in the previous year. I remember all this. So, agriculture did well. So thats clearly one factor. But the social programmes of the government also helped. So, for example NREGA, I think they reacted very quickly. It is a demand-driven programme. And so, even though it was only the last 10 days of 2019-20, which was Covid, the expenditure on NREGA did rise by about Rs 100 billion. So, it was Rs 618 billion in fiscal year 2018-19, and it rose to Rs 717 billion in 2019-20. So, theres already Rs 100 billion expansion in the NREGA that year. The following year, 2020-21, which is the year we find almost no reduction in poverty, at least in the survey year, 1.1 trillion rupees, that was a big jump, about Rs 400 billion jump in NREGA expenditure. So, that was also obviously rural. Thats a rural scheme. The government also very quickly moved to accelerate cash transfers, you know that Rs 6,000 are transferred every year under PM-Kisan. So, the government had begun to advance those payments sooner around the lockdown time. So, at least liquidity-wise, that was helpful, obviously, for some of the families. But much more important, I would say, is the Prime Ministers Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), which gave another 5 kg per person per month free foodgrain to 75 percent of households in rural areas and 50 percent of households in urban areas. Now this survey, luckily, the way it asks the question, when asking what was your expenditure, the households are also asked to include in it imputed value of anything that did not go through a market transaction. So, it includes the expenditure on any food grains that they may have produced themselves on their own farm, imputed value of what they received from the government. So, this 5 kg also gets included. So, it gets included in the expenditure and so the expenditure data, therefore, captures the effect of that programme. So, these are the factors I think that kept rural poverty going down after that strict lockdown. Right. So, according to your paper, rural India has fared better than urban India. What were the challenges that urban India faced? And has urban India recovered from them? Okay. So now urban India was a slightly different story because all the contact intensive activities, where obviously COVID had a much greater impact, were sort of primarily urban activities. Look at, for example, transportation, travel, hotels, that particular sector, thats urban, thats contract intensive. Construction. Again, not exclusively urban, but predominantly urban construction. And even a lot of manufacturing, particularly formal sector manufacturing, which obviously was more impacted. If its rural areas, youre running your small little shop, you can still continue to, whatever it is, if its a carpenter or if it is ironsmith, you know, you can carry on that activity, because the enterprise is just your family in many cases. But the large part of the urban economic activity is again manufacturing activity and you remember how Rajiv Bajaj, the two-wheelers that he produces, he was actually I remember that Rajiv Bajaj was very upset about this, that the government had imposed a strict lockdown. He was very opposed to it, which was quite remarkable because he was the sole one actually I remember who very clearly came out. The point is that manufacturing also was asymmetrically impacted in the urban areas. So, these were challenges. But now, were coming out of lockdown. So, urban activities certainly are coming back and we will see. Very soon, I think the data will become available and we will try to see what happens in 2021-22. Those data we have not analysed yet. You mentioned that Bihar, surprisingly, did not see more people going into poverty, whereas states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh saw poverty going up and inequality increasing. Was it because of the state schemes that probably were not targeted very well? What were the reasons there? Yeah. So, once you get to the state, one needs to know a lot more information than I have. Some states are very clear, right? I mean, take Maharashtra, for example. Maharashtra clearly the COVID impact was much more severe and very much concentrated in Mumbai and Pune, and it was prolonged. I remember this. And thats where you see the urban inequality or urban poverty actually rise most dramatically. There, it goes up in my data, in my estimates from 7.6 percent in 2019-22 to 29.3 percent, so its more than a 10-percentage-point increase in urban poverty in Maharashtra. Karnataka was another place, you again see a fairly large increase in poverty there. Now, as you get to the state level, you do get some anomalous results and its hard for me to speculate why. I mean, one of them was West Bengal where in my data, I see no increase actually. Poverty is declining, both rural and urban, and overall, even in 2020-21. Which is fascinating. So is it because these states fought COVID better? Or is it because they spent a lot more? Yeah. I mean, I cant say. Like, for example, in West Bengals case, I mean, ultimately, rural, everywhere generally I think its a rare case where rural poverty rises. But why did urban poverty not rise in West Bengal? The only thing I can speculate is that perhaps urban economic activity, which is context intensive, is not that concentrated. I mean, thats speculation. I do not know. Thats pure speculation. India wears the infamous crown of being one of the most unequal countries. Its something thats constantly thrown at us. Are we slightly more equal now? Have we improved on that? I dont think we should accept that. I dont accept that we are one of the most unequal. We are not. The Oxfams of the world love to comment on us. Yeah. Because the Oxfams of the world dislike billionaires. So, if we are looking at that kind of measure of inequality. See, one of the problems with the inequality issue, in my mind, always is that there are so many different measures. Hence, there is no question. So, measures of inequality would inevitably rise if youre growing fast. I mean you give me a single country, which has grown 6 percent or 7 percent a year on a sustained basis, and does not experience increased urban-rural inequality. It has got to happen, because wealth gets created in urban centres. Even if it gets created in rural centres, by the time enough wealth is accumulated, they become urban. I mean, look at Shenzhen. It was a bunch of fishing villages, 300,000 population. Today, it is the most urban spot on the face of the Earth. And its about something like 13 million population and per capita income of about $25,000 to $30,000 per person. So, the point is that some form of inequality will always rise if youre growing rapidly. The common measure we use is Gini coefficient. And if we are looking at that, then we are not certainly equal. you have mentioned Oxfam. I didnt comment around that time, because basically my mind ignores whatever Oxfam says because it is so driven by its own preconceived notions. Now, how in the world are they saying that more billionaires got created during COVID? I mean, just think about it when economic activity is declining, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, GDP fell by 6.6 percent. When such a large decline in GDP happens, where is it going to happen? It is going to happen at the top end. Theres also a report by the State Bank of India, which said that inequality has declined. And there was also a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which has Thats the one. Thats the Gupta, Malani and Woda report. And they are using exactly the same data set that Premji University does. So, now like, for example, its very intuitive that during COVID, we all stopped going to restaurants, meaning people who had higher incomes, they stopped going to restaurants, they stopped taking vacations. So, the expenditure of those who were at the top end of the income distribution fell a lot more than the expenditure of those at the lower end of the income distribution. Theyre basically having survival consumption: food, shelter, clothing. I mean that is what they are consuming, and that expenditure fell a lot less. So inequality, particularly because we are measuring inequality by expenditure here, I mean expenditure-wise, inevitably inequality intuitively ought to go down when there is such a sharp decline, and especially when youre getting hit on contact-intensive activities. If incomes are rising and inequality falls, thats a great thing. But in this case, for 2019-20 Incomes are coming down, which is reducing inequality. Yes, right. So thats not a good way to achieve declining inequality. Shares of pharmaceutical major, Cipla edged 1.5 percent higher in early trade on April 12 after a large deal involving the exchange of around 12.56 lakh shares (0.16 percent stake) of the company took place on the bourses today. That apart, hopes of improved sales prospects on the back of a rise in COVID-19 cases also aided sentiment. The deal was executed at an average of Rs 915 per share, taking the total deal value to Rs 114.96 crore. The buyers and sellers involved in the trade, however, could not be identified immediately. At 09.59 am, shares of Cipla were trading around one percent higher at Rs 914.15 on the National Stock Exchange. Post the large deal, the stock had climbed to an intraday high of Rs 920.90. 16 lakh shares exchanged hands on the bourses so far, as against the one-month daily traded average of eight lakh shares. Catch up on all LIVE stock market updates here As per the company's shareholding data as of the end of the December quarter, SBI Arbitrage Opportunities Fund, UTI, HDFC Mutual Fund, GQG Partners Emerging Market Fund, Government of Singapore, LIC, Government Pension Fund Global and NPS Trust are the major institutional players holding stake in the pharmaceutical major. The Mumbai-based company has been in the news recently after it signed a perpetual license agreement with Novartis Pharma AG to manufacture and market the Galvus range for the treatment of type 2 diabetes on Monday. The drug firm stated that this agreement is anticipated to strengthen Cipla's position in the diabetes category in India. According to the drugmaker, Galvus is among the prominent brands in the oral diabetic medication category and is one of the top brands in the Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP4) space. The Indian equity market is expected to move sideways over the next 6-12 months as the roll forward of earnings is likely to be offset by further valuation correction and some cut to consensus estimates, according to global asset manager Franklin Templeton. However, it added that the markets long-term themes such as under-penetration, formalisation and stable government remain intact. In its recently published Emerging Markets Insights report, Franklin Templeton also said the liquidity crisis impacting selected developed market banks has unnerved emerging market (EM) investors, but the risk of contagion to EM banks appears low. This is due to favorable factors such as higher capital levels and tighter regulation. Banks in China, India and Brazil carry between 3-6 percentage points of capital above local Tier 1 capital requirements and hold more capital than the minimum required under Basel III regulations, it noted. Also Read: How do Indian markets react when Brent tops $100? Franklin Templeton said it is bullish on leading local banks with strong business models that stand to benefit from the growing penetration of financial products in their respective markets. Besides strong bank names, we also favor technology enablers such as semiconductors, IT services, battery and renewable energy-related companies. We believe these companies are benefiting from disruption, digitalization and new energy trends, it said. The report added that lower US bond yields could result in a weaker US dollar, which is good news for liquidity in EMs. However, rising risk aversion among banks and alternative providers of capital could reduce the availability of credit. Also Read: Fewer demat account openings in FY23 as retail investor frenzy subsides Highlighting the stock market performance across markets, the report said both emerging and developed market equities rose in the first quarter of 2023, despite volatility in March due to the banking turmoil. For the quarter, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index advanced 4.0%, while the MSCI World Index rose 7.9% (both in US dollar terms). Indian stocks were pressured on concerns of a consumption slowdown and potential contagion risks from the liquidity crisis impacting selected developed market banks, it added. Regarding other EMs, it said China reached an inflection point with the easing of access to credit for the real estate sector in October. This was followed by a significant reset in US-China relations at the G20 meeting in Bali in November. The final catalyst is the dismantling of Chinas zero-COVID policies. For Taiwan, Franklin Templetons corporate outlook has turned more negative amid weakness in the semiconductor sector. The EMs it has a positive outlook on include Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia and Thailand. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked insurers recently to disclose to policyholders the probable discounts on premiums, if those policy sales do not involve agents, and, therefore, commissions. Since no commission is to be paid, the savings on such policies, available directly on an insurance companys website, can be passed on to policyholders as lower premiums. Every insurer shall have a well-documented policy approved by its board on an annual basis, which shall, at the minimum, specify the measures to bring cost- effectiveness in the conduct of business and reduction of expenses of management (EoM) on an annual basis, manner of transfer of benefits arising from reduction of expenses and/or from directly sourced business to the policyholders by way of reduction in premium, says IRDAIs notification on EoM caps for life, general and health insurance companies. Also read | Beyond health cover: How employers can widen their insurance bouquet for employees A direct mutual fund plan moment? To be clear, IRDAI has merely mandated a bit more transparency on insurance companies. This does not mean that they have to mandatorily offer direct plans or policies to policyholders. Mutual funds (MF) are mandated to offer direct plans to unit holders. These plans are called direct plans and do not come embedded with distributor commission, unlike the regular plans. The difference between the expense ratio of a direct MF plan and a regular plan is a distributors commission. Investors, who buy plans directly from a fund houses branch or from its website, can save on distributors commission. Insurance companies, on the other hand, are not mandated to offer direct plans. However some insurers like Acko General Insurance and Aegon Life Insurance have been offering direct plan-like insurance policies on their websites, with lower premiums. IRDAIs latest notifications take a small step forward. Now, insurers who offer such direct policies must state the quantum of discounts they offer, clearly in their board-approved policies. The quantum of discounts, though, has been left entirely to insurance companies. Besides, even the commission and EoM structure in force until March 31, 2023, did not prevent companies from charging lower premiums to policyholders buying policies directly. The circular does not make any specific mention of direct plans. Technically, insurers could pay lower commissions and pass on the benefit to policyholders even when commission caps existed (the new rules effective April 1 allow insurers to pay commissions as per board-approved policies, while adhering to the overall EoM ceilings. It is up to the life insurers to decide how or whether to offer differential pricing), says Kamlesh Rao, MD and CEO, Aditya Birla Life Insurance. The new payment of commission and EoM rules, effective April 1, have mandated insurers to specify board-approved policies on commissions, clearly. They include any reduction in premium benefit that can be passed on to policyholders. Also read | A health insurance policy that locks your premiums till you make a claim Move unlikely to herald changes in the distributor-reliant industry However, insurance is still a push-product in India. Even today, companies rely heavily on agents to sell policies. Any move to cut costs here and pass on the savings to policyholders, experts say, can upset the agents lobby. If I were to offer lower premiums on commission-free, direct products, my distributors are bound to demand the same pricing while keeping the commission payout intact, which will be difficult. This is what has prevented life insurance companies from offering lower premiums on direct policies so far, says the CEO of a leading private life insurance company who spoke on condition of anonymity. This will continue to be the case unless IRDAI issues an unambiguous diktat mandating differential pricing for direct and distributor-sourced policies, he adds. Companies like Acko General Insurance and Aegon Life Insurance have promoted their direct models as their USPs and all insurance companies, including the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), sell policies through direct and online modes. Every company is free to offer differential pricing, but the challenge for most companies is that they operate with agents. So, those distribution channels are bound to object if they offer discounts on policies sold through, say, online channels, explains Animesh Das, Chief Underwriting Officer, Acko General Insurance. Every company understands that there is a saving for the customer. It depends on the provisions in the product filed. If the company decides to offer a 30 percent discount while selling online, it can (which was the case even prior to the new EoM rules). Then, there are industry players who believe that IRDAIs rules will pave the way for savings, if any, to be passed on to all policyholders, not just direct customers, and over a period of time. The clause has to be read in conjunction with the first one, which says that insurers have to review their EoM every year and strive to bring them down annually. So, if you (insurers) source the policy directly and it leads to a reduction in cost, it should be passed on to policyholders. However, it is a broad guideline. The reduction in premium could be passed at the portfolio level to all policyholders and not restricted only to those who buy directly, says Abhishek Bondia, Managing Director and Principal Officer, SecureNow Insurance Brokers. A nudge to insurers While rules did not prevent insurance companies from offering discounts to policyholders reaching out through direct channels, IRDAIs latest notification could act as the much-needed nudge towards passing on the savings on commissions to policyholders. Overall, IRDAIs move is positive as it will act as a guide to companies to reach out to customers directly. It is more like a guidance as not all companies are utilising it (the existing flexibility to offer discounts), while some companies, like ours, were already making use of it. It will be beneficial to customers as the direct route is a transparent, cheaper one, says Das. However, others believe direct route does not automatically translate into savings for insurers. Even to sell policies through the direct mode, the insurer will have to incur advertising and sales expenses, which the intermediary would have borne. Then, there is claim servicing, which, otherwise, the agent would take care of, says Hari Radhakrishnan, Regional Director, First Policy Insurance Brokers. The quantum of discounts, too, will be a critical factor in determining whether policyholders make a switch to low-commission policies. The objective of the government and the IRDAI is to encourage insurance penetration and there is a feeling that higher pricing (due to higher commissions) is one of the barriers. However, the under-penetration is not due to the price points. It is because people see insurance as merely an expense and do not appreciate the value it can add. Now, insurance companies can start direct verticals, but this, too, involves costs. If they offer discounts of just 5-6 percent, policyholders might still prefer agents as insurance is a complex product that necessitates hand-holding, says Rahul Mishra, Co-founder and Director, PolicyEnsure, an insurance broking firm. Put simply, it remains to be seen if insurers take a cue from IRDAIs nudge to move to offer worthwhile discounts on policies purchased through online and direct platforms. Bengaluru-based real estate firm Puravankara recorded sales of Rs 3,107 crore for FY23, its highest-ever for a full financial year. The FY23 sales were 29 percent higher than the previous year's Rs 2,407 crore, the company said in a press release. The company also registered a record quarterly sale value of Rs 1,007 crore for Q4FY23, up 21 percent over Q4FY22. For FY23, the company developed 6.04 million square feet (msf) across Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Chennai. Bengaluru accounted for almost half of the development at 3.75 msf. Customer collections increased to Rs 2,258 crore in FY23 from Rs 1,440 Crore in FY22, registering a 57 percent jump. The average price realisation increased by 14 percent to Rs 7,768 per square feet (sq ft) during FY23 from 6,838 per sq ft in FY22. We have achieved the highest-ever annual and quarterly sales of any financial year since inception. The company has consistently experienced growth during FY23, indicating our sustained efforts towards gaining market share. We expect our pre-sales growth momentum to continue, driven by a healthy pipeline of new launches of 14 million sqft in the coming quarters, said Ashish Puravankara, Managing Director. Positive outlook The company said that the continued strong momentum and high demand are positive indicators for the real estate market, indicating that there is a healthy balance between supply and demand, with more buyers than available properties. The unchanged repo rates will further support the existing growth momentum. In this consolidation phase, we expect to potentially gain market share, Puravankara added. Currently, the company plans to develop 20 msf of residential property with a revenue potential of Rs 15,000 crore by the end of the next financial year, chief executive officer Abhishek Kapoor previously told Moneycontrol. The company has already built 4 msf and will complete 2 msf by the end of the current financial year. It will add 14 msf in FY24 across Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Kochi, Pune and Mumbai. Additionally, in Mumbai, the company is planning several redevelopment projects, including brownfield projects. Kapoor said on-ground work will start within a few months, after the projects have been identified. The Hiranandani Group is going to invest Rs 1,000 crore and construct 1 million sq ft of housing for their ongoing township project in Panvel near Mumbai. The company plans to construct apartments 1, 2 and 3 BHK apartments in the price range of Rs 70 lakh to Rs 2 crore on the land parcel bought in 2008, Niranjan Hiranandani, founder and managing director of Hiranandani Group, told Moneycontrol. Why 1 BHK? The company said the launch of 700 units in Panvel, registered with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority, comprises apartments ranging between 490 sq ft and 1150 sq ft of RERA carpet area. The company aims to tap the growing luxury home demand in Panvel. The new sector will have an array of recreational and leisure amenities to benefit the homebuyers, the company said in a statement. Also read: Budget 2023: Grant infrastructure status to real estate sector to facilitate long-term funding, says Niranjan Hiranandani The Panvel realty market is currently booming as a new economic node with the commissioning of mega infrastructure projects. This has already led to the increase in property prices index northwards. The region is also witnessing the foray of many organised and branded developers to capitalise on the new growth opportunities. The reason we are still offering 1 BHK apartment is that there is still demand for the same. The day there is no demand for 1 BHK apartments, we will focus on 2 BHK and further on, said Hiranandani. He added, Launching a new residential sector aligns with the market buoyancy as the company seeks to capture the strong demand for branded luxury homes post-Covid. Hiranandani Fortune City, Panvel, has already delivered 2,200-plus homes across 2.5 million square feet of residential space and 2 million square feet of commercial space, housing Asia's largest Yotta NM1 data centre. A holistic ecosystem and quality residence at the Fortune City integrated mixed-use township can help investors earn lucrative rental yields in the marketplace. What is helping Panvel? Panvel, given its proximity to Indias commercial capital, is witnessing a rise in population, mushrooming of commercial and retail spaces, social amenities, educational campuses, research and development centres, banking, financial services and insurance and IT offices, and tourist destinations, all of which make it an ideal proposition for homebuyers in MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Area), said Hiranandani. According to the company, the Panvel- Karjat region has been aptly coined as Mumbai NXT, redefining the locations value proposition and its renewed connectivity with Mumbai. The dual advantage of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, the countrys largest container handling seaport, and the Navi Mumbai international airport along with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai (under which Panvel falls), a new coastal road, metro rail, multi-modal corridor and water transport will lead to unprecedented real estate growth. As a result of this last-mile connectivity, suburbanisation has become notable along with the acceleration of commercial development and urban migration, the company said. Also read: The Moneycontrol Real Estate show | Russia-Ukraine war may lead to a 10% increase in property prices in the next 30 days Redevelopment and data centres The company in a statement said it will foray into redevelopment opportunities in Mumbai city and the MMR. The statement said, Hiranandani Group is the pioneer of developing Indias first ever mixed-used integrated township across geographies like Powai, Thane, Panvel, Oragadam in Chennai. The group has strategically forayed into emerging real estate asset classes like Industrial and Logistics Parks, Data Centre that marks its pan-India presence. Currently, the group is also actively evaluating redevelopment projects in Mumbai and MMR markets. Sabina Mammadli Russias illegal invasion of Ukraine continuing for over a year now has not only had devastating consequences with thousands of military and civilian deaths and millions of refugees but also created new realities in the region, turning around the tables. Thus, in light of the new settings in the region, Armenia has taken a closer seat to its Western allies, or so it wanted to present. A Dublin-based EU Reporter media outlet carries an anonymous article on the topic of the Russia-Armenia-Iran alliance and its role in the Russian-Ukrainian war. To cite the publication, Armenia serves as a major hub to supply sanctioned (including military) goods that support Russian aggression in Ukraine and provides the direct connection between Iran and Russia. Besides, the author notes that the trade turnover between Iran and Armenia has increased largely against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Apparently, a significant chunk of this increase is due to the use of Armenian territory as a transshipment point for the transfer of sanctioned goods, weapons, and drones from Iran to Russia. In response to these claims, Ukrainian military expert Vadim Tryukhan told Azernews in a comment that although there isnt any evidence proving the role of Armenia in the military support of Russia on the battlefield or by ammunition supply, Iran, on the other part, has played its role in the war. Iran has made a decision many months ago to support Russia by supplying drones, so-called Shaheds of several modifications. And the Ukrainian army is forced to pay certain attention to the threatening of those drones, which are launched by Russia and with Iranian origin, the expert stated. The expert also underlined that Armenia is trying to distance itself from Russia after the start of the invasion, noting that there are several examples when Armenian officials made decisions to reject the conduction of military exercises on its territory. However, although Armenia does attempt to appear distant from Russia with the reemerged support from Iran and France, it still serves as one of the main distributors of sanctioned goods not only from Iran but also from the West. Besides, the pro-Russian protests on the streets of Yerevan demonstrate Armenias double strategy of trying to get two birds stoned at once. Similarly, the article touches upon the mutual support between Iran and Armenia, noting the visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's wife Anna Hakobyan to Tehran amidst the spiraling human rights crisis. In fact, Russia was not the only one using Iranian-made drones in its war Armenia itself has confirmed that Iran had delivered attack drones and donated missiles to Armenians. Moreover, some sources report that Armenian forces allegedly use Iran-made drones in yesterday's border clashes with the Azerbaijani military. To recap, while playing the double game between Russia and the West, Yerevan does hold Iran as a particularly close ally. Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler. Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 Republican state Rep. Liz Harris engaged in disorderly conduct, violating rules of the Arizona House of Representatives and damaging the institutional integrity of the House, the House Committee on Ethics announced Tuesday. The panel said the full House of Representatives should determine what disciplinary measures to take against her. Legislative rules give the body wide latitude to punish members, including censuring or even expelling them. Harris faced the House Ethics Committee on March 30, after Democrats asked for her to be formally censured for inviting real estate agent Jaqueline Breger to a Feb. 23 joint House and Senate elections committee meeting. In her testimony, Breger accused numerous local and state officials, including members of the legislature, of involvement in a money laundering scheme that involved a Mexican drug cartel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Ethics Committee unanimously found that Harris engaged in disorderly conduct in violation of House rules. Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Arizona Mirror. Breger provided no proof of her wild and unfounded allegations, but that didnt stop them from spreading like wildfire, fueled by fringe conservative media. While Harris claimed during the Ethics Committee hearing that no criminal allegations were made during Bregers Feb. 23 presentation, the panel rejected that claim, finding that the legislative record contradicted Harriss testimony. The committee also rejected Harriss testimony that she was not aware that Breger would make criminal allegations during her presentation, citing text messages between Harris and Breger before the meeting that indicated the opposite. The committee specifically highlighted a text exchange between Harris and Breger as they were working to come up with a name for Bregers presentation. We are trying to think of something that wont raise a red flag, Breger wrote to Harris in a text message. The committee also noted that Harris discovered Breger through a press release about an upcoming book release by John Thaler, Bregers boyfriend. The book, which was a point of focus during the election committee presentation, highlights the supposed housing deed money laundering scheme, along with allegations of bribery. The Ethics Committee also found that Harriss warning to Breger prior to her presentation that she was not to impugn any member of the legislature or bring up any religious institution meant that she knew Breger intended to make allegations against members of the legislature and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In other words, that Representative Harris believed it necessary to make those requests of Breger suggests that sheat the very leasthad reason to believe that they could be included in the presentation, the Ethics Committee wrote in its report. In addition, the committee found that Harris took steps to avoid compliance with internal House deadlines, which required disclosure of Bregers presentation in advance of the elections committee meeting. Harris told Breger that all electronic presentations would have to be sent to House Speaker Ben Toma by the day prior to the presentation, so Harris advised her to pass out paper handouts instead. Toma was one of the legislators listed in those handouts as being involved in bribery and the housing deed scheme. Representative Harriss inconsistent testimony leads the Committee to believe that she had a more detailed understanding of Bregers presentation than she led the Joint Elections Committee to believe, and that Representative Harris had hoped to avoid providing the presentation to House leadership before the hearing, the Ethics Committee wrote in its report. While Harris said that she believed Bregers testimony would focus narrowly on a supposed back door into county computer systems that would allow someone to change election results, and a cache of ballots supposedly being kept outside of a Mesa residence, the Ethics Committee didnt buy those claims. The committee finds that Representative Harris was not surprised or upset by Bregers testimony and rejects Representative Harriss testimony to the contrary, the committee wrote in its report. Representative Harris wrote that she knew that the Joint Elections Committee would shut down the presentation, and that doing so took the committee longer than [she] thought it would. These messages show that not only was Representative Harris not taken by surprise by the presentation or shocked by the inclusion of the table naming persons alleged to have accepted bribes, but that she expected the precise reception that it received. The Ethics Committee then found that, as the primary organizer of the Joint Elections Committee Meeting, and the acting vice chair of the committee during Bregers presentation, Harris violated the inherent obligation to protect the integrity of the House. The Ethics Committee pointed out that Harris didnt try to stop Breger as she made unfounded allegations on Feb. 23, but that it was Republican Sen. Ken Bennett who finally stopped Breger and accused her of impugning members of the legislature. The absence of any action or reaction by Representative Harris further undermines her testimony that she was oblivious of what Breger would present, the Ethics Committee wrote. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported moderation in year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth in constant currency (CC) terms. Full-year revenue growth for FY23 in CC terms came in at 13.7 percent YoY down from a 15.4 percent growth YoY in FY22, as certain key markets such as North America continue to remain weak and challenging. Constant currency refers to a fixed exchange rate that eliminates fluctuations when calculating financial performance figures. For IT services companies, which have operations in other countries represent their their earnings in CC terms since floating exchange rates can often mask true performance. In INR terms, however, TCS' full-year revenue for FY23 stood at Rs 225,458 crore against Rs 191,754 crore in FY22. EBIT margins contracted 0.5 percent YoY at 24.5 percent for the quarter. On a sequential basis, it remained flat. TCS CEO and MD Rajesh Gopinathan remained cautious of the environment, adding that the demand scenario varies depending on the markets too. At the start of the year, we expected North America to recover well, that has not happened. Other markets have grown as expected. The UK has been strong and we are increasing growth in Europe, he said addressing the media. Gopinathan added, Expect near-term weakness in North America on the back of BFSI. Near-term needs to be watched. Demand for tech-led transformation and optimisation continues to be strong but requires a very nuanced approach by market and vertical. TCS has the highest exposure to the BFSI sector among its Tier-I peers with around 35-40 percent of its revenue coming from this vertical. The global banking crisis that erupted over the past couple of months with the collapse of the regional US banks including Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Swiss bank Credit Suisse to name a few, led to customer sentiments worsening. Samir Seksaria, CFO of TCS said, What we saw at the beginning of the year and how macro environment and client sentiments turned increasingly negative getting into February and March is something that reflected into both revenue and cost sides. With discretionary spend getting impacted, the revenue also gets impacted. He added that though going by the order book customers are opting for cost take out and larger transformations, TCS is seeing current projects being deferred. On achieving TCS operating margin target band of 26-28 percent, Seksaria said, A 26-28 percent operating margin is our guiding beacon. The management teams across units believe our long-term cost structures help us deliver and maintain that margin band. But due to the current uncertainties, its difficult to predict when we will reach there." CEO designate K Krithivasan, who heads the companys BFSI vertical, said that sentiments were down in the BFSI sector adding that people rushed to save costs. People rushed to save costs. It's more sentiments at play than anything structural. Large bank clients are benefitting from increasing deposits in North America. Some issues in the US, other markets are doing quite well for us, Krithivasan said. Not just TCS, which doesnt give revenue growth guidance anyway, rivals like Cognizant too had cut its full-year revenue guidance. In November, the company cut its revenue growth guidance in constant currency terms for the full year from 8.5-9.5 percent to 7 percent. It was revised downwards in the quarter before that as well. Meanwhile, Infosys which is set to announce its numbers on April 13, had increased its full-year revenue growth guidance in January on the back of expected large deals. Infosys revised its full-year FY23 revenue growth guidance to 16-16.5 percent from 15-16 percent. Twitter owner and "free speech absolutist" Elon Musk said unequivocally that the laws governing social media in India are "quite strict" and that the company cannot violate them. This comes at a time when comedian Kunal Kamra has sued the Indian government over the recent amendment to IT Rules, claiming it violates freedom of speech and expression. Musk said this while responding to a query pertaining to the blocking of content related to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat Riots. "I am not aware of that particular situation. I don't know about that, what exactly happened in that situation in India. The rules in India for social media are quite strict and we cannot go beyond the laws of the country," Musk said in a Twitter Spaces conversation with a BBC journalist. "If we have a choice of whether our people have to go to prison, or we comply with the laws, we will have to comply with the laws," he added. This is the second time Musk has flip-flopped on his stand on free speech. Earlier in a court filing, Musk submitted that while he is a proponent of free speech', he believes that moderation on Twitter should "hew close to the laws of countries in which Twitter operates". It is important to note that failure to comply with India's Information Technology Rules 2021, which mandated additional due diligence requirements for significant social media intermediaries, could result in such companies losing their safe harbour status under the IT Act. The safe harbour provision gives internet platforms legal immunity against content shared by users on the platforms. The IT Rules require companies to appoint personnel such as a grievance officer, nodal contact person, and chief compliance officer (CCO). Non-compliance with these rules could result in the CCO facing criminal charges and even jail term. In early 2021, the Delhi Police visited the offices of Twitter India in Delhi and Gurugram to serve a notice in connection with the "Congress toolkit" case. This incident occurred around the same time when a case was filed against Twitter for not complying with the new IT Rules that came into force in May 2021. The Indian government last week amended the IT Rules, mandating a Centre-appointed organisation to identify false or misleading content relating to the government. Social media platforms will be required to follow such instructions, and failure to do so may result in the loss of their safe harbour status. This move has drawn ire from media groups like the Editors Guild of India, and digital rights groups. A Mumbai court on April 12 granted bail to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor in a case of alleged money laundering, amounting to Rs 200 crore. The case is linked to six loans given to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) by Yes Bank between 2011 and 2016 when Kapoor was associated with the private lender's operation. Despite the bail order issued by the Mumbai Sessions Court, Kapoor will continue to remain behind bars as he has a number of other cases pending against him. Kapoor was arrested back in March 2020 by the Enforcement Directorate, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He is currently lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai. The ED had accused Kapoor, along with his family members, of receiving benefits to the tune of around Rs 4,300 crore through entities controlled by them, in the form of kickbacks for sanctioning mega loans. The federal probing body had alleged that loans amounting to around Rs 30,000 crore were issued by Yes Bank when Kapoor was leading it, and among those, loans aggregating up to Rs 20,000 crore turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). The bail to Kapoor in the HDIL-linked case comes around two weeks after a special PMLA court in Mumbai granted him bail in a case linked to alleged diversion of bank loan fund worth Rs 200 crore. He was also granted bail by the Delhi High Court in November, in a Rs 466.51-crore money laundering case registered by the ED against him. 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I Accept Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday batted for a foolproof system of internal and external audit for defence expenditure and called for devising innovative ways to maximise the value of money spent on Indias security needs. In an address at a conference, Singh called for judicious use of financial resources and said that the rule of competitive bidding through open tender must be followed in defence procurement. Reducing chances of corruption and wastage leads to positive public opinion due to the confidence that public money is being spent optimally and prudently and this increases the possibility of greater funding by the legislature, the defence minister said. He underlined the importance of a robust defence finance system for a strong military and highlighted the need for comprehensive Blue Books, codifying the rules and procedures for procurement of military equipment and systems. Singh said, with this vision, the government has formulated Blue Books in the form of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 for capital acquisition and Defence Procurement Manual for revenue procurement besides delegating financial powers to the services. These manuals play a very important role in ensuring that the process of defence procurement is rule-bound and follows the principles of financial propriety, he said after inaugurating the three-day conference on defence finance and economics. The defence minister said since these manuals are critical, they need to be carefully crafted by defence finance and procurement experts in consultation with all the stakeholders. This needs to be a continuous exercise so that these documents are dynamically updated, incorporating new rules and procedures as and when required, he said. Singh batted for a foolproof system of internal and external audit which would tackle the instances of wastages, pilferage and corruption, if any, while following the principles of financial prudence and propriety. The role of auditors is that of a watchdog or a sentinel, he said. Singh asserted that a legal and procedural defence-finance framework is an integral part of a mature state system for ensuring prudent management of defence expenditure. The defence minister was of the view that it is difficult to apply the economic concept of the full value of money in defence expenditure as there is no visible revenue stream in the sector and no easily identifiable beneficiaries. To maximise the value of money spent, he stressed that the rule of competitive bidding through open tender must be followed in defence procurement. In the case of procurement of defence platforms and equipment, either under capital or revenue route, the gold standard of open tender should be adopted to the extent possible, he said. A competitive bid based procurement process, which is open to all, is the best possible way to realise the full value of the public money being spent, Singh said. At the same time, he said there would be some rare cases when it may not be possible to go for an open tender process. Such instances should come under exceptions and exceptions should not become the rule, he said. To the international delegates, Singh also put forth the idea of shared security. In the spirit of collective security of the whole world as one family, we are all partners in the path towards a secure and prosperous future for the entire humankind, he said. The defence minister also elaborated on the need for a sound system of accounting, clearing of bills and payment, salary and pension disbursal as it would free the armed forces personnel to concentrate on their core jobs. He added that the separation of functions of defence finance from the core defence organisations has multiple advantages. The chances of leakages, corruption, wastages are reduced. A positive public opinion is generated when there is justified confidence that public money is being spent optimally and prudently, he said. With greater public trust and confidence in the system of defence expenditure, the defence system benefits overall, as the chances of greater funding by legislature increase pari-passu (Latin for equal footing), he said. Singh asserted that the central idea is that defence establishments like Army, Navy, Air Force and defence research organisations require a specialised agency, which is dedicated to defence finance and economics. In India, this work is being done competently by the Defence Accounts Department under the leadership of the Financial Advisor (Defence Services), he said. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat and a number of senior officials of the defence ministry attended the conference. Among the participants are policymakers, academics and government officials from India and abroad, including from the US, the UK, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Kenya. Eric Garcetti, the United States Ambassador-designate has arrived in India today on April 12. His move comes over two years after former US envoy Kenneth Juster stepped down in 2021 after Joe Biden became the US President. The official Twitter account of the US Embassy to India, posted about Garcettis arrival. Namaste, Ambassador-Designate Eric Garcetti! We're thrilled to welcome you to #IncredibleIndia and work with you to build even stronger ties between our two great nations. #USIndiaTogetherpic.twitter.com/5AsaSIQTcA U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) April 11, 2023 Also Read | Ex-LA mayor Eric Garcetti prevails to become US ambassador to India He is considered a close aide of Biden, and received the confirmation to the post from the US Senate around a month ago in March. Garcetti is the former Mayor of Los Angeles and was nominated to the post nearly two years back. Post vacant Notably, confirmation of Garcettis nomination to the post was delayed by the US Senate as some lawmakers had concerns that he had not adequately handled the sexual assault and harassment allegations levelled against one of his aides during time as LA mayor. Thus, since January 2021, for perhaps the longest stretch ever in US-India relations, the Embassy was without an ambassador. In Pics | Things to know about Eric Garcetti, the new US Ambassador to India About Garcetti Known as a committed public servant, educator, and diplomat, Garcetti was confirmed as the 25th US Ambassador to India through a bipartisan vote held on March 15. He has served 12 years as a Los Angeles city council member before being elected as the citys 42nd mayor in 2013. He was then notably, the youngest mayor in LA history and was in 2017 re-elected with the widest confirmed margin in the city. Also Read | Eric Garcettis confirmation as US Ambassador to India comes as a relief to both countries Besides his political time, Garcetti also served as a reserve naval officer for 12 years. He was selected as a Young Fellow of the French-American Foundation, an inaugural Asia 21 Fellow of the Asia Society, as a Rockefeller Next Generation Leadership Fellow, a Reboot Fellow, and a Rodel Fellow at the Aspen Institute. In 2005, he received the annual New Frontier Award given by the Kennedy family and Kennedy Library to a young elected official who embodies President Kennedy's vision of service. Garcetti has a BA degree from Columbia College, and was a John Jay Scholar at Columbia University. He studied Hindi and Indian culture and history while at Columbia and has a Master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Garcetti was selected as a Rhodes Scholar at The Queen's College, Oxford, and the London School of Economics and Political Science., after graduating Columbia. He met his now-wife Amy Elaine Wakeland, who was a fellow Rhodes Scholar classmate while in England. Uzbekistan has invited India's Election Commission to witness a "historic" referendum it is holding on April 30 on a series of amendments to the country's Constitution. Uzbekistan's ambassador to India Dilshod Akhatov said on Tuesday that constitutions of 190 countries, including that of India, were studied to bring in holistic and comprehensive changes to the Constitution of the country. In an address at a seminar on constitutional reforms, Akhatov said his country has witnessed significant reforms in the last few years under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the changes to the Constitution has been part of the overall initiative. "The country has been going through historic transformations in the last few years. The draft constitution has been prepared after examining modern various global laws and norms and constitutions of 190 countries including India," he said. "Our Constitution will be a holistic and comprehensive one that will take Uzbekistan on a new path of growth, development and prosperity," Akhatov said. The ambassador said the referendum seeks to change about two-thirds of the existing constitution of Uzbekistan. Another official said India's Election Commission has been invited to witness the "historic" referendum on the constitutional reforms on April 30. The ties between India and Uzbekistan have been on an upswing in the last few years. Both sides have shown keen interest in further expanding the ties in a number of areas including trade and investment, energy and people-to-people exchanges. President Mirziyoyev had talked about the need for constitutional reform in November 2021 in his inaugural speech, specifying that the proposal has come from the people of the country. The envoy said more than 2,22,000 proposals from the general public were received during discussions on the constitutional reform. Beruniy Alimov, an Assistant Professor at New Media Education Centre at the Uzbekistan State World Language University, said that some of the new provisions in the Constitution were focused on protecting human rights of the citizens, enhancing human dignity and ensuring their freedom. "The Constitution provides that the state will assume a number of new obligations to reduce poverty, provide employment and address social issues effectively. It shows that Uzbekistan is becoming a social state," he said at the seminar. "The highest duty of the state is to ensure human rights and freedom. According to the new norms, the ambiguities arising in the legislation will be interpreted in favour of the citizens," he said. Alimov said the Constitution will strengthen guarantees of personal rights and freedoms of citizens in accordance with most advanced international standards. To effectively meet the diverse financial needs of Indian consumers, achieve rapid stability for necessary cost efficiencies, and share risks, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of financial institutions and banks tying up with financial technology companies (fintechs). They have jointly introduced a range of products and solutions, enabling the rapid growth of fintechs in India. However, the increasing role of fintechs in the financial sector has led to a noticeable increase in scrutiny of arrangements between regulated entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and such fintechs. The RBI has been working towards bringing the activities of fintechs under its purview, vide regulations such as the Guidelines on Digital Lending and Master Direction on Credit Cards. To assess the risks arising from such arrangements with fintechs, the RBI has asked banks to provide it with reports of their contractual arrangements with fintechs. Adherence To KYC Norms Specifically, the RBI has been stressing on compliance with know your customer (KYC) regulations, due to the increased anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) concerns arising from the use of digital means by fintechs. The RBI has been imposing monetary penalties on regulated entities found to be non-compliant with KYC regulations. AmazonPay, Bank of India and Axis Bank are some of the entities that have been fined recently for such non-compliance. In March, the RBI directed an international bank to update KYC information pertaining to its corporate credit cardholders. This bank is at the forefront of offering products through arrangements with fintechs. In order to ensure that it was fully compliant with the central banks mandate, the bank conveyed to its partner fintechs the decision to pause customer transactions through co-branded corporate credit cards, effective April 01, 2023. Reports suggest that the partner fintechs were informed of the decision only 10 days prior to the effective date of the decision, while customers were given barely a few hours to update their KYC information before the complete pause. This short notice made it difficult to maintain business continuity and provide corporate credit card services to clients, many of whom are start-ups. Such start-ups now find themselves without access to corporate credit cards, as large banks are unwilling to provide credit cards to them. Regulatory Action Given that the RBI has been imposing penalties for non-compliance and in some instances directing banks to stop cross-border remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, citing material supervisory concerns, it would be fair to assume that the decision to pause transactions through corporate credit cards, may have been taken to avoid any adverse action by the RBI. If found in violation, regulated entities face the risk of adverse decisions, involving: (a) Directing regulated entities to not onboard any new corporate credit card customers, as seen in the case of non-compliance with data localisation norms by HDFC, Mastercard, Diners Club and American Express; and (b) The possibility of a monetary penalty for non-compliance with KYC regulations. Such developments can cause a confidence crisis among all stakeholders. The customer could lose confidence in the financial products (co-branded corporate credit cards in this case), leading to financial losses for the regulated entities, especially banks and other financial institutions, working closely with fintech companies. The businesses of fintechs would be most affected, especially for entities that only provide services related to co-branded corporate credit cards, and such actions have the potential to bring their businesses to a complete halt. The above developments can have far-reaching implications for an otherwise flourishing start-up ecosystem, with significant ripple effects under the current tight liquidity scenario. Increasing Financial Penetration The fintech-led financial transition has rested on the agility provided by regulatory flexibility that enabled innovation in financial services. The emergence of fintech companies and solutions provided by them for customer acquisition and servicing through digital means has vastly increased financial penetration. Catering to the divergent requirements of Indian consumers, including the underserved and unserved, who had historically struggled with access to the financial system, prior to Indias digital transformation, has been made possible with the prolific growth of the fintech sector. RBIs increased scrutiny of banks servicing start-ups and tech-based companies may be a fallout of the recent global trends affecting certain banks dealing with start-ups, in particular or possibly a natural extension of the central banks KYC compliance scrutiny. Whatever may be the reason, the decision has largely impacted the business continuity of partner fintechs, with their customers being left in a lurch. While the RBIs mandates and norms are to serve the larger economic interests of all, it is important that due alternatives and options are provided to a flourishing start-up ecosystem, which through continuous innovation, has made India a fintech leader, while also enabling inclusive economic growth in the country. (Naman Lodha, Associate at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas also contributed to the article.) Anu Tiwari and Pallavi Singh Rao are Partners at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Three years after describing NATO as brain dead, Emmanuel Macron is once again playing transatlantic irritant. After a trip to China that was heavy on business contracts and light on geopolitical wins, the French president has annoyed allies from the Baltic to the Beltway by saying Europeans should stand apart from the US on China and Taiwan or risk becoming vassals. This is not the first De Gaulle-style flourish from a French leader looking to steer Europe down a less Atlanticist path. What makes this different is the timing: The Ukraine war has entered its second grueling year, the US is heading into new elections and Europes post-Cold War dependence on Washington has never been more obvious. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki crowed that the US was the foundation of Europes security. US Republican Senator Marco Rubio asked if Macron was speaking for Europe, throwing in a few free hits for good measure by mocking French counter-terror campaigns in the Sahel and threatening a US pivot from the Ukraine war to focus on China. Macron can be his own worst enemy sometimes Ukrainians last year coined the verb "to Macron" as worrying about a situation without doing anything. But in saying the quiet part out loud, hes raised an issue here that the US and the rest of Europe shouldnt ignore. First, France isnt looking to wind back the clock to the days when China was seen as a benign partner. Nobody and certainly not Paris, despite Macrons love-bombing of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Europe sees business as usual with the country after COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. The old dreams of engagement through trade have gone, replaced by continent-wide anxieties over technology transfers, anti-competitive practices and bullying of states like Lithuania over Taiwan. As the above chart shows, Chinese direct investment into Europe has slumped. A decade-old proposal for a China-EU comprehensive agreement on investment is effectively dead. China expert Philippe Le Corre says relations are dire. Where France and Germany seem to play a different tune to the US is on the speed and scope of retrenchment from the EUs top trading partner. With total trade of $87.3 billion, Frances commercial relationship with China is on a different scale than Germanys $248.3 billion or USs $715.7 billion; what Berlin wants to protect as an economic priority, Paris wants to preserve as geopolitical influence. National champions like LVMH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy SE and Airbus SE are seen as key to narrowing Frances trade deficit and also maintaining global clout; Frances presence in the Indo-Pacific has also helped it project power alongside allies in the South China Sea, where it sent a nuclear submarine in 2021. Thats why a US-led radical decoupling with China is something France and Germany are trying to resist. Memories of the Donald Trump era, when sanctions were dangled over European firms, havent entirely disappeared. In the book Backfire, former French Treasury official Agathe Demarais imagines how a direct US run-in with China would likely force European companies to stand by Washington and ditch Beijing: In such a situation, she writes, many European businesses might not be able to survive. European Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen, who traveled with Macron, made clear that strengthening the European economy and teaming up with allies around the world would help avoid it. Yet even here, Paris risks losing the argument with its wartime allies. French strategic autonomy is increasingly viewed with suspicion after failed attempts to engage Vladimir Putin onto a less bellicose path. Whereas the EUs East-West split on China once saw the East offer inroads for China investment that the West viewed nervously, the Ukraine war has changed things, with the East now more hawkish and supportive of US positions. Yes, weve seen French fears of vassalization before Macron used the word in dealing with Trump and weve also seen plenty of transatlantic run-ins from De Gaulle quitting NATOs integrated command to Jacques Chirac rejecting the 2003 Iraq War. But dismissing Macrons fears as hurt pride ignores the reality: Europes economy is being left behind by the US and China and the ongoing dominance of US tech, military spending and geopolitical leadership. This kind of thing is exactly what keeps Europe comfortable in the role of geopolitical side-car, or free-rider. It doesnt encourage the kind of burden-sharing Republicans like Rubio want, with the US contributing more military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine than all EU member states combined. The transatlantic relationship needs more balance. Treating the EU like an irrelevance, whether by cutting France out of AUKUS or ignoring concerns over green spending, isnt going to help. An April 4 paper from the European Council on Foreign Relations offers a few ideas: Europe could propose a geo-economic NATO on topics like securing 5G networks or sensitive technology; it could find more avenues of UK cooperation; and it could reopen dialogue on Europeanising Pariss nuclear deterrent. Meanwhile, the US should understand that it sometimes adopts policies that feel less like the Cold War in which Western Europe was built up as a store-front for democracy and more like marching orders with the ominous threat of sanctions. War has pushed the West closer together but the seams are visible. We still cant define our relationship with the United States, Andrew Smalls book No Limits cites one EU official as saying. Macron is a flawed messenger, but it's a message worth heeding. Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the European Union and France. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Credit: Bloomberg Forty-three percent of chief ministers have informed the Election Commission of India (ECI) that they have had criminal cases registered against them, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms. The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based the report on affidavits filed by the CMs with the Commission as part of the electoral process. Out of 30 chief ministers, who are members of states' or union territories' assemblies, as many as 13 told the ECI that they are the subjects of criminal cases, including serious cases pertaining to charges such as murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation, among others. With 37 serious cases out of 67 against him, Telanganas K Chandrashekar Rao tops the list of CMs with criminal cases registered against them. He is followed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who faces 10 serious criminal cases out of a total of 47. If only serious criminal cases are considered, Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is second on the list with 35 such cases against him. Crorepati CMs Twenty-nine out of the 30 chief ministers analysed by the report are crorepatis, or people worth more than Rs 1 crore. They have average assets worth Rs 33.96 crore. Jagan Mohan Reddy is the richest Chief Minister in India, having declared assets worth Rs 510.38 crore. Arunachal Pradeshs Pema Khandu, who is the second-highest on the list of the richest CMs, has declared assets worth Rs 163.51 crore. With declared assets worth just Rs 15.38 lakh, Mamata Banerjee is the only non-crorepati among incumbent chief ministers. She is also the only woman Chief Minister in the country. The report states that most chief ministers in the country fall in the age brackets of 51-60 and 60-70 years with both accounting for nine each. Four CMs have crossed the age of 70 years, and only eight are below 50 years of age. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in 2022. Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 Republican Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced Tuesday he is running for U.S. Senate seat currently held by Kyrsten Sinema. Lamb is the first Republican to enter the 2024 contest, but is unlikely to be the last. Sinema, who won in 2018 as a Democrat but last year left that party to become an independent, has already drawn a challenge from U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Phoenix Democrat. Lamb was first elected sheriff of Pinal County in 2016, and since then has been a fixture in Arizona politics and has grown a national profile, regularly appearing on mainstream and far-right fringe media outlets. It is his appearances and alliances with those fringe outlets that could sow trouble for Lamb on the campaign trail. Gallego has already begun noting his connections to the far right, and issued a statement Tuesday with Capitol Hill Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell condemning Lambs perpetuation of the Big Lie. Lamb has partnered with groups like True the Vote that have pursued far-flung conspiracy theories of election fraud and lied to law enforcement. Lamb and the political fringe While Lamb has been making a name for himself appearing on mainstream conservative media outlets like Fox News, where he opines about immigration issues, he has also been appealing to a different audience as well. Lamb has railed against vaccines and is part of a group known as constitutional sheriffs. The movement, led by former Arizona Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack, is a sovereign-citizen group in which its leader, Mack, believes that the New World Order is aiming to take away guns and that sheriffs are on the frontlines of stopping election fraud. Lamb has claimed he is not a constitutional sheriff, though he appears as a signatory with the organization in some of their material, and Mack himself has called Lamb a constitutional sheriff. The group takes a favorable view of armed citizen militias, including militias that are active along Arizonas border with Mexico. Such groups are largely anti-government, and some of their leaders have been in attendance at the Jan. 6 riot. Some of the militias also are also steeped in the QAnon conspiracy theory that a cabal is actively participating in sex trafficking in order to help the elites, often to help the Democratic party and hinder the Republicans. There is no proof to these claims. Lamb has signaled to these conspiracy theorists, signing a copy of a book for a QAnon influencer with the QAnon slogan WWG1WGA. Other QAnon proponents have claimed to have been working with Lamb, like Melody Jennings, also known as TrumperMel, the woman behind an effort to organize armed observers to monitor drop boxes in Arizona during the 2022 election. The courts ultimately blocked Jennings and her group, which included members of the extremist Oath Keepers, from staking out the drop boxes. Lamb has also appeared on a number of QAnon-related shows, as well, including one that with a history of antisemitic comments. TruNews has published antisemitic rhetoric on its site, including a piece in which founder Rick Wiles spent an hour and a half saying that seditious Jews were orchestrating to impeach Trump and calling the Jewish people tyrants. Wiles has also claimed that the anti-Christ will be a homosexual Jew. He was interviewed by Lauren Witzke and, during an episode in which Lamb also appeared, Wiles said that Jews squash and crush people. Witzke is a conspiracy theorist and has echoed white nationalist beliefs herself. During an appearance on the white nationalist podcast No White Guilt, Witzke echoed the racist great replacement theory. Lamb supported Witzke when she ran for U.S. Senate in Delaware. Lamb has also echoed the great replacement theory while on a QAnon talk show, saying that illegal immigration is a benefit to their agenda. The racist ideology, popular among white supremacists, holds that white Americans are being replaced by immigrants. It has been seized upon by extremist groups such as the American Identity Movement and Generation Identity. It has also stoked violence, including Anders Behring Breiviks murderous rampage in 2011 at a Norwegian youth summer camp and the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in United States history. Just before it took place, the killer took to right-wing social media site Gab to say he believed that immigrants were being brought in to replace and kill our people. The next year in New Zealand, 51 people would be killed and 40 injured but not before the shooter would post a 74-page manifesto titled The Great Replacement. Again in 2019, in El Paso, Texas, a shooter who killed 23 in a Walmart cited the great replacement in his manifesto, saying the murders were a response to the hispanic invasion of Texas. While Lamb testified to Congress earlier this year said he saw zero evidence of widespread voter fraud, he has continued to ally and work with groups that have continued to pursue unfounded allegations of fraud in the 2020 and 2022 elections. One of those groups is True the Vote, the group that has been behind debunked claims behind the discredited film 2000 Mules. Lamb partnered with TTV on an election hotline that sent voters to TTV for election issues instead of to election officials. He wrote the Sheriffs Toolkit for TTV and he attended an invite-only event in Pinal County by TTV dubbed The Pit. The event, which hosted QAnon influencers and other conspiracy theorists, pushed unfounded fraud allegations and allowed for many in the election fraud sphere to rub noses with the likes of Lamb and other high profile people in Arizona. In May of last year, Lamb also said he had no doubt that there was fraud in the 2020 election, later mentioning 2000 Mules prior to its release. Lamb is likely to not be the only GOP contender in the Senate race. Duncan Colton, one of Kari Lakes senior advisors, told the Washington Post that Lake may be eyeing a Senate run herself. Lamb endorsed Lake in her 2022 bid for governor. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and pledged to take all opposition parties together for a united front against the BJP. The meeting at Kharge's residence comes amid talks of like-minded opposition parties coming together on a common platform to defeat the BJP in next year's Lok Sabha elections. Kharge said this was a historic meeting and it was decided to unite all parties to fight upcoming polls together. Rahul Gandhi said this is a process to unite the parties and the opposition's vision will be developed together. "We will take along all the parties together in this ideological battle. We will unitedly fight the attack on institutions and the country and will take an important step in this regard," Gandhi said. Nitish Kumar said they would try and unite more and more opposition parties. "We will together carry on efforts in this regard," he said. In a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said, "Will preserve the Constitution and save democracy. Rahul Gandhi ji and we met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav ji and other leaders, reiterated our resolve to raise the voice of the people together and give a new direction to the country." The leaders also had lunch at Kharge's residence, where JDU president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present. The JDU, RJD and the Congress are in a coalition government in Bihar and the three parties are in talks to bring other opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. Kumar arrived here on Tuesday and is expected to meet a slew of opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital. Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders recently in an attempt to forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and may have a meeting with top opposition leaders in the coming weeks. (With PTI inputs) Apple's iPhone exports from India increased nearly four times year-on-year, crossing $5 billion (more than Rs 40,000 crore) in FY23 as suppliers of the company ramped up local production of its premium devices, according to trade and industry data. Amid a growing focus on making the country a manufacturing hub, Apple has also become the first company to cross the $5-billion mark regarding exports from India. Backed by Apple, Indias overall smartphone exports also crossed $10 billion for the first time in a financial year, with Samsung accounting for around $3.5- 4 billion in FY23, according to trade and industry data. India is reportedly also exporting smartphones to developed markets, including the UK, Italy, France, Middle East, Japan, Germany and Russia. Also Read: Apple CEO Tim Cook may visit India for opening of first store Around $9 billion worth of smartphones were exported from India between April 2022 and February this year, and iPhones accounted for more than 50 percent of that, according to the India Cellular and Electronics Association. India now accounts for 5 percent of total iPhone production, up from less than 1 percent in 2020 and Apple is scheduled to open its first two company-owned retail stores in India on April 18 and April 20 in Mumbai and Delhi, respectively. Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to visit India to supervise the opening of the company's maiden retail store in Mumbai. In recent quarters, Apple executives have mentioned several times that they are witnessing record revenue growth in terms of iPhone sales in India, registering a strong double-digit increase every quarter. Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook stated during the company's earnings conference call in February 2023 that India is a "hugely exciting market" for the Cupertino tech giant, and the iPhone maker is putting a lot of emphasis on the world's second-largest mobile phone market. On a recent visit to Delhi University (DU), Ashneer Grover found out that only 10 of the 500 students (2 percent) who had come to attend his speech had scored less than 95 percent in their board exams. This made the co-founder of Third Unicorn and former Shark Tank India judge question the diversity at the university. "So went to a DU college yesterday. I asked an audience of 500 students how many of them had less than 95 percent in 12th boards. 10 people raised their hands (2 percent). That cant be healthy!" Ashneer Grover tweeted. "Essentially DU has become an extension of school - where everyone is a frontbencher. Where is the diversity?" So went to a DU college yesterday. I asked an audience of 500 students how many of them had <95% in 12th Boards. 10 people raised their hands (2%). That cant be healthy! Essentially DU has become an extension of school - where everyone is a front bencher. Where is the diversity Ashneer Grover (@Ashneer_Grover) April 12, 2023 Reacting to Grover's tweet, many people pointed out that due to the lack of a better parameter, good scores is the only criteria to get into most of the good colleges in the country. "The problem is the absence of better criteria to let them in. In pure pseudo-meritocracy, people tend to believe marks are the only possible number to track for a child," wrote Ashish Dogra (@ashishdogradir), Another Twitter user Shreya (@_shreya_15) said that on a visit to IIT Bombay, she asked how many of the students have an all-India ranking above 1,000 and no one raised their hand. "Guess everyone is a Jee Topper. Where is the diversity?" she asked. Diversity will be there if we will allow people to get admissions based on something other than the exams like JEE," Twitter user Sushant Kumar (@sushantsinha22) commented. "Competitive exams can't judge how passionate a person is. We need to change the way we select people for diversity." Read more: Ashneer Grover gave me the biggest cabin in Third Unicorn office: Co-founder Aseem Ghavri Twitter boss Elon Musk said running the social media network has been "quite a rollercoaster" and acknowledged "many mistakes" along the way, six months after he bought the company for $44 billion. In a live interview with the BBC after agreeing to a last-minute invitation for the "spontaneity" of it, Musk appeared to tacitly acknowledge that one of those errors was the decision to label the broadcaster's account "government-funded media". He said he would change the designation on the BBC's Twitter handle after the broadcaster objected. "We want it as truthful and accurate as possible - we're adjusting the label to 'publicly funded'," Musk said. Britain's national broadcaster is predominantly funded by an annual license fee set by the government but paid by individual households. The labeling spat follows an earlier controversy over a similar move involving US radio network NPR, which Twitter briefly branded "state-affiliated", the same way it styles government-run Chinese and Russian platforms. NPR stopped tweeting in protest. Twitter now tags NPR, which has nearly 9 million followers, "government-funded media", and applied the same label to the BBC's account. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emails sent to the site's main media address. Speaking with the BBC late on Tuesday, he also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were verified as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. "I'm hopeful that this can be more a case of the public choosing the narrative, as opposed to the media choosing the narrative," he said. Twitter, he said, would "treat everyone equally". Musk, in assessing his time in charge of the social media network since he took over in October, said it had been "a stressful situation over the last several months". "Were there many mistakes made along the way? Of course," he said. "But all's well that ends well. I feel like we're headed to a good place." He said the company was now "roughly breaking even" with the return of advertisers. When pushed on who was Twitter's new CEO after he stepped down in response to a poll on the site, he named his dog, Floki. Keshub Mahindra, the 99-year-old billionaire who died on Wednesday, had once shared a table with legendary industrialist Ratan Tata at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Council of Trade and Industry in 2006. The late industrialist, who was also Anand Mahindra's uncle and predecessor, was inducted into the council in 2004. The panel was scheduled to meet once in three months for policy dialogue with the Prime Minister in matters related to trade and industry. Other members of the 21-member council included corporate leaders such as Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, RP Goenka, Sunil Mittal, Deepak Parekh, and Jamshed Godrej. Keshub Mahindra, the former chairman of the Mahindra Group, was given a three-year extension at 86. Interestingly, in 2011 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement, he dismissed suggestions to continue at the helm of the conglomerate for another term. Responding to a shareholders suggestion at the annual general meeting of Tata Consultancy Services to emulate Keshub Mahindra and extend his term as chairman, Ratan Tata said, I am not Mr Mahindra. Please let me enjoy my life as I want to. Interestingly, a year prior, in 2010, Keshub Mahindra resigned from the Prime Minister's council after being convicted in the Bhopal gas case. He was the former chairman of Union Carbide and was sentenced to two years imprisonment. Mahindra had also recently re-entered the Forbes list of Indias Richest Billionaires for 2023. He was a philanthropist and also contributed to the cause of building ethical corporations in India and was a part of many prestigious organisations and committees. Read more: Keshub Mahindra, former chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra, passes away Google is gearing up for the second leg of its legal battle against the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on April 17 at the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The tech giant will be appealing against the CCI's order imposing a penalty of Rs 936.44 crore for its alleged abuse of its dominant position with regard to its Play Store policies. Moneycontrol explains how this order came to be passed by the CCI, what CCI asked Google to do, and how the tech giant has implemented the order. What is the CCIs order? The CCI on October 25 2022, penalised the tech giant for restricting app developers from using any third-party billing or payment processing services to purchase apps for in-app billing on Google Play Store. Google Play Store is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google, from where mobile apps are downloaded. What led to the CCI investigation into Googles policies? In 2020, based on information filed before the CCI, the antitrust watchdog took a prima facie view that Google violated provisions of the Competition Act, 2002, by imposing Googles Payment Policy. According to Googles policy, developers charging money for apps and downloads from Google Play Store must use Google Plays payment system. The CCI also directed the Director General (DG) to investigate the allegations. The investigation found that Googles Play Store policies require app developers to exclusively and mandatorily use Google Play's Billing System (GPBS) not only for receiving payments for apps but also for certain in-app purchases, which are purchases made by users of apps after they have downloaded/ purchased the App from the Play Store. Further, app developers cannot, within an app, provide users with a direct link to a webpage containing an alternative payment method or use language that encourages a user to purchase a digital item outside of the app. What did the DGs investigations find? The DGs investigation found that the tech giant was not using its billing system for its own apps such as YouTube, which amounts to "imposition of discriminatory conditions as well as pricing" because its own apps were not paying the app commission that is imposed on other apps. Furthermore, If the app developers do not comply with Googles policy of using GPBS, they were not permitted to list their apps on the Play Store, as a result of which they would lose out the vast pool of potential customers from Android. The investigation revealed that the app developers are left bereft of the inherent choice to use payment processors of their liking from the open market. What was the CCIs ground for penalising Google? The CCI held that making access to the Play Store, for app developers, dependent on mandatory usage of GPBS for paid apps and in-app purchases constitutes an imposition of an unfair condition on app developers. The CCI held that Google was following discriminatory practices by not using GPBS for its own application YouTube. The anti-trust regulator further said that mandatory imposition of GPBS disturbs innovation incentives and the ability of both the payment processors as well as app developers. It was held that imposing GPBS also results in the denial of market access for payment aggregators as well as app developers. Finally, the CCI concluded that the practices followed by Google resulted in leveraging its dominance in the market for licensable mobile OS and app stores for Android OS, to protect its position. The anti-trust watchdog directed Google to allow third-party billing/ payment processing services, either for in-app purchases or for purchasing apps. Google was directed not to discriminate against apps using third-party billing/payment processing services in any manner. The CCI imposed a penalty of Rs 936.44 crore on Google and asked it to cease and desist from its anti-competitive practices with respect to Play Store. How is Google contesting the order? Google has appealed against this order before the NCLAT. On January 11, the tribunal refused to grant immediate relief to Google against CCIs order and posted the case for the final hearing in April 2023. While Google filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the NCLATs order, the tech giant did not get the case listed for hearing. Has Google complied with the CCIs order? In February, Googles update on its support page stated that it will allow app developers to offer an alternate billing system for in-app purchases within India from April 26, 2023. As part of this move, developers will be allowed to offer an additional billing system to users along with GPBS when purchasing in-app digital content. If a user pays through the alternative billing system, the transaction will still be subjected to a service fee but at a 4 percent rate reduction. What do app developers say? Some local and international companies have alleged that Google is not fully complying with CCI's order and that the measures it has announced are not enough. Rohan Verma, CEO of digital mapping firm MapmyIndia, had earlier said these measures are "piecemeal, and being done in the way Google wants". He had said that the outcome of these steps will not lead to an "on-ground impact of enhancing competition". The Supreme Court on April 12 declared the land acquisition process for the proposed Vedanta University in Puri, Odisha illegal and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Anil Agarwal Foundation for pursuing litigation for over a decade. The court found that the Odisha government had proposed giving undue benefits to Vedanta, including complete autonomy over administration, admission, fee structure, curriculum, and faculty selection, as well as exemption from state levies, taxes, and duties. In 2006, the Odisha government signed an agreement with Vedanta Foundation to establish a university in Puri, spanning over 15,000 acres, and began the land allotment process. However, in 2010, the Orissa High Court overturned the land acquisition process and ordered the authorities to return the land to its owners. Anil Agarwal Foundation appealed against the High Court's ruling, but the Supreme Court upheld the decision on April 12. 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 NR Narayana Murthy recently gave a valuable piece of advice to entrepreneurs, stressing on the fact that it is important to recognise symptoms of failure early on and not be too attached to an idea. In a chat with Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl, the Infosys co-founder said if an entrepreneur finds a structural weakness in their idea, its time to give up on that idea. Murthy was asked how an entrepreneur can decide when to give up and when to continue to fight. He went down memory lane and recalled the time in 1976 when he founded a company named Softronics. Murthy shared the reasons of his failure in Softronics and why he closed it in nine months. I realised that there was really no market for services in India at that time because there were very few computers and most of the computers were in the government or some of the institutions, he told Kunal Bahl, who is also the co-founder of Titan Capital. What are the reasons why an entrepreneur should close down? If you find that there is a structural weakness in your idea as far as the market is concerned, that is the time to give up, the iconic tech leader said. A structural weakness, according to Narayana Murthy, is one over which a person has no way of finding a solution. It is something over which no matter what sacrifice you do, no matter how hard you work, no matter what team you have, you will not be able to overcome it. If you are planning a foreign vacation this summer, be warned: the wait for a visa to travel to the most sought-after destinations may stretch from five-to-six weeks and, in some cases, four-to-five months. Travel agents brandish a long list of pending visa applications handed in their by customers wishing to travel abroad during their childrens summer school break. One New Delhi-based family had plans to visit France in May; they said their travel agent had submitted the forms for getting a visa interview 10 days ago, but they hadnt yet received an appointment. The agent has now suggested they try their luck through a walk-in. Another travel agent said appointments werent open for a visa interview to travel to France. "For Germany, appointments are available in July and what if the visa gets rejected? Then again, the traveller will have to wait for 3-4 months. I have around 200-300 files that are pending for visa appointments," the agent said. Also read: Tourism boards dub India a key source market as Indians flock abroad for adventure travel No appointment slots The diplomatic missions of Italy, France and Spain currently do not have appointment slots, said Daniel DSouza, President and Country Head of Holidays at SOTC Travel. "The delay is caused by both vendors, VFS and BLS (visa service providers), as well as the embassies, said Sabina Chopra, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Travel, Yatra.com. Embassies of some countries, such as Switzerland, Denmark, and Austria, are still relatively easier to schedule appointments, but even these may require a reasonable wait period of 10 to 15 days," Chopra added. In the peak holiday season, visa processing can take longer than usual, and this is common to all geographies and across all embassies, said a spokesperson for VFS Global. "The company follows the standard operating procedure of facilitating visa application submissions in one business dayDecisions on visa applications, including the availability of appointment slots, the visa tenure and timelines to process them are at the sole discretion of the respective client governments and may vary from one mission to another," the spokesperson added. Also read: Tourism Australia expects trade pact with India to drive student traffic, aims at 1 million visitors by 2030 Surge in applications The company was flooded with an average of 20,000 applications a day during the peak outbound tourism season last year. "Given the strong pent-up travel demand this year as well, applicants can apply for their visas in advance to avoid peak season-related visa processing delays. Most countries accept visa applications up to 90 days in advance, with Schengen accepting documents up to six months prior to the date of travel," the VFS Global spokesperson said. The Schengen zone covers most European countries. A check at VFS for tourist visa bookings from its New Delhi application centre to Hungary shows no appointment slot. For Belgium, slots are available in May. "In 2022, travel restarted but not all airlines had ramped up their operations and visa centres were not well equipped and there was a staff shortage, said Sanjay Dang, Managing Director of Le Travelworld. We expected 2023 to normalise with visa wait period coming down but all of us are hugely disappointed," said Dang. The US is offering visa appointments as late as in January-February 2024, Dang said. It is a big challenge to travel to Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands. "Between 5-9 weeks is the average waiting period and sometimes appointments are released suddenly at odd hours which makes booking an appointment difficult," said Dang. Also read: Foreign travel frenzy: Visa applications from Delhi touched 80% of pre-COVID levels in 2022 Processing systems under strain Chopra said they have observed strong demand for outbound travel from India this year. Compared to the previous year, there has been a rise of about 20 - 25 percent in confirmed bookings. Additionally, we have seen an increase in the number of search queries and bookings from April to June, compared to the period from January to March," she said. The surge in demand for international travel has strained visa processing systems, causing a backlog of applications and longer wait times, Chopra added. The visa delays can also be attributed to the recent pandemic-related restrictions and safety protocols that have been implemented by various countries. Despite the challenge posed in procuring a visa, Europe continues to top the demand pipeline with a 3x surge for the upcoming summer holiday season versus 2022, said Rajeev Kale, President and Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa - Thomas Cook (India) Limited. MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions tourism Even so, the challenge posed in securing visa appointments and the extended turnaround time for visa processing is a significant concern, he said. Also read: Schengen visa goes digital, here's how it could change international travel Exploring other options Indians are changing travel plans and trying to head to other destinations with a shorter visa wait, said travel agent Sunil Kumar. "There is a long list of pending clients for visa appointments --around 30-40 passengers. So, I am telling them to give me 10 days and if after that I am unable to get a visa appointment for their planned destination then I am suggesting they change their plan and travel to another country," he said. Dang said that he was suggesting destinations like the UK, which gives them the option to visit England, Ireland and Scotland on one visa. "Turkey can be another option which gives an electronic visa if one has a valid UK visa. We are also telling clients to plan early," he said. Destinations with quick visa processing like the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Oman and Vietnam, which offer a visa as early as in 3-4 working days, are in high demand during the summer holidays, said Kale. "Turkey is processing visas within 4-6 working days; South Africa within 10 days; also New Zealand within 15-20 days," he added. Destinations like Mauritius, Bali, the Maldives, Australia, and New Zealand have grown in popularity because of their easy visa procedures and direct connectivity, said Chopra. "We have seen a 15 to 20 percent rise in confirmed bookings for overseas tours to these destinations this summer versus last year," she said. A woman on Twitter recently shared her harrowing experience with Swiggy, one of India's most popular online food delivery platforms. In her tweet, the woman claimed that she had ordered a vegetarian biryani rice with aloo from a restaurant partner on Swiggy, but found a piece of meat in it. The woman, who is a strict vegetarian, expressed her shock and disgust at the error and urged others to think twice before ordering from Swiggy. In her tweet, the Natasha Bhardwaj said along with a photo of her food, "If you're a strict vegetarian (like me) think twice before ordering from Swiggy! I ordered biriyani rice with aloo which is clearly MARKED AS VEGETARIAN on the platform and I found a piece of meat (could be chicken, mutton or anything!) in the rice. Such grave errors are something that are unacceptable specially when it comes to MY BELIEFS." If youre a strict vegetarian (like me) think twice before ordering from @Swiggy ! I ordered biriyani rice with aloo which is clearly MARKED AS VEGETARIAN on the platform and I found a piece of meat (could be chicken, mutton or anything!) in the rice. Such grave errors are pic.twitter.com/h7K57CPML4 Natasha Bhardwaj (@bhardwajnat) April 11, 2023 The woman went on to say that Swiggy executives were "least bothered" about her complaint and had suggested that she speak directly to the restaurant to resolve the issue. Swiggy responded to her tweet, saying, "Hi Natasha, such mix-ups are not expected from our restaurant partners, and we'd like to take a closer look. Can you help us with your order ID?" She also shared the conversation with the Swiggy executive and order details with her tweet. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many people expressing their shock and anger at the restaurant's mistake. Many people have also shared their own experiences of finding meat in vegetarian dishes ordered from various restaurants. One user wrote: Complaint to Swiggy then Lodge a complaint with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) then File a consumer complaint after that you can file a civil suit against Swiggy for breach of contract & claim compensation for the mental harassment for wrong delivery. While responding to another comment, the user, a social media consultant, wrote that refunding the amount of food is something that Swiggy thinks will fix such a big issue. She also called for boycotting Swiggy. To this, the aggrieved original poster responded: Just out of curiosity- do you actually feel this will make a difference considering our current legal framework. Cause honestly I dont have the deep pockets to fight against a well-funded startup, I feel until then theyll keep playing with the beliefs of people. The incident raises important questions about food safety and the responsibility of restaurants and food delivery platforms to ensure that food is accurately labelled and free from contamination. The woman's experience is a stark reminder of the need for greater transparency and accountability in the food industry. European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 1, 2023. [Photo/Agencies] French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of "European sovereignty" on Tuesday during a state visit to the Netherlands. Delivering a speech at the Amare Theater in The Hague, Macron stressed that the concept of European sovereignty is "extremely important." "Identity and sovereignty are intertwined," he said. "If you accept to lose your sovereignty, if you accept to depend on other powers, you put yourself in a situation not to decide for yourself, and not to be in charge of precisely continuing preserving and developing your own identity." It means that "we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world," he said. "Pandemic and war have just pushed us to discover that we have to reduce our dependency if you want to preserve your European identity," he added. Macron started a two-day state visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday at the invitation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander. Macron's visit will "reaffirm the excellent ties between the two countries," the Dutch Royalty said in a press release. The two countries are "working together towards European strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy, which will enhance the European Union's security and make it less dependent," the release said. HDFC Bank on Wednesday announced that it has signed a Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement with Export Import Bank of Korea for a USD 300 million line of credit. The pact was signed by the two entities at GIFT City in Gujarats capital Gandhinagar on Wednesday, said a release by the HDFC Bank. This agreement will help HDFC Bank raise foreign currency funds which it would extend to Korea-related businesses, said the release. This line of credit would be utilised by HDFC Bank towards funding requirements of companies having equity participation by Korean companies as well as companies having business relationship with Korean companies, it said. It will also be utilised towards funding requirements of consumers for the purchase of cars manufactured by Korea related companies, said the release. The pact is likely to promote and increase the HDFC Banks business with Korean entities and products. The first drawdown under the programme would happen by May, said the release. Our agreement with Korean Eximbank will further strengthen and support trade and investment flows between India and Korea, which can potentially create more jobs in the country. We will pursue deals under this agreement and may look to expand the programme, said Arup Rakshit, Group Head, Treasury, Sales Analytics and Overseas Business of HDFC Bank. The signing ceremony was attended by the Export Import Bank of Koreas team led by Choun-Jae Lee, Director General, Head of Interbank Finance Department. HDFC Bank was represented by Arup Rakshit and Anand Iyer, Head, GIFT City IBU, among others. The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) is an official export credit agency of South Korea having a balance sheet size of close to USD 100 billion, which provides export-import and overseas investment credit to support Korean enterprises conducting business overseas, the release said. President Joe Biden is in Northern Ireland to participate in marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to this part of the United Kingdom after the US helped negotiate an end to decades of sectarian violence that killed thousands. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden was set to deliver congratulations and encourage the country's leaders to work on universally beneficial trade and economic policies when he speaks Wednesday at a business development event at Ulster University's campus in Belfast. But Biden was not expected to make any attempt to help resolve a new political crisis that has rattled the Good Friday peace deal and put Northern Ireland's government on pause. Instead, the Democratic president will deliver at least two messages, said White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, who is travelling with Biden. "Congratulations on 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, which has brought unprecedented peace and prosperity," Kirby said. "And that kind of goes to the second goal, which is to talk about the importance of trying to work on trade and economic policies that benefit all communities, as well as the United States." Biden opens his brief public schedule in Northern Ireland on Wednesday over coffee with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Before speaking at Ulster, he will meet with each of the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties. Northern Ireland is without a functioning government. Stormont, the seat of its assembly, has been suspended since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Britain's departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the UK and EU member Ireland, and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, an agreement welcomed by the US, which had urged London and Brussels to end their post-Brexit feud. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the Windsor Framework doesn't go far enough and has refused to return to government. As he set off for Belfast, Biden on Tuesday said a priority of his trip to Northern Ireland was to 'keep the peace.' After the speech at Ulster University, Biden will travel to the Republic of Ireland for a three-day visit, including an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. He will fly to County Louth, on Ireland's east coast, on Wednesday to visit a cemetery, tour a castle, walk around downtown Dundalk and attend a community gathering. A few Belfast residents said Biden's visit was important even though it will be short. "I think it's great that he's coming because of the anniversary of the Troubles,'" Julie McNeill said Monday as she waited in the rain for a bus. She was referring to more than three decades of sectarian violence that left more than 3,600 people dead. "I think it's important that he does come." Still, McNeill said she was a little disappointed that the Irish American president would spend less than a day in Belfast. But she said she understood. "I mean, the man's a busy man, and he's 80 years old. I'm sure it's hard for him," she said. Samuel Olufemia, who is studying for a degree in public health from Ulster University, said he was looking forward to meeting Biden on campus. "Having him in Belfast here is a privilege," said Olufemia, who is from Nigeria. "It's going to be an historic visit and that's one of the reasons I'm excited." He said he also understands that Biden is too busy to stay longer. "The president always have other things to do," Olufemia said. A massive security operation was in place for Biden's stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on blocked off streets around the president's hotel and the Ulster campus. Last month, UK intelligence services raised the country's terrorism threat level from "substantial" to "severe." But Biden said then that not even the heightened risk of an attack would keep him from making the trip. Biden last visited Ireland in 2016, when he was US vice president. South Korea reached an agreement last month to lend the United States 500,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells that could give Washington greater flexibility to supply Ukraine with ammunition, a South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday. The DongA Ilbo newspaper cited unnamed government sources saying that South Korea decided to "lend" the ammunition instead of selling in order to minimise the possibility of South Korean shells being used in the Ukraine conflict. It said the loaned shells would be used primarily by the United States to fill its stockpile. Having bought 100,000 rounds of the shells last year, the U.S. government had asked to buy the same amount or more in February, but the South Korean government sought another way to supply the ammunition to its ally. "We've opted to significantly increase the volume of shells but take the rental method, after exploring how to respond to the request of the blood ally in good faith while sticking to the government principle of not providing lethal weapons to Ukraine," an unnamed source was quoted as saying. Both Seoul and Washington have previously confirmed that they were negotiating an artillery supply deal, but there has been no official word on whether any agreement was finalised. South Korea's defence ministry said the allies have been exploring ways to support Ukraine to help defend its freedom but declined to confirm specific discussions. The U.S. State Department did not immediately offer comment. Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters that he could not confirm the newspaper report, but added that the government position against providing lethal aid for Ukraine remains unchanged, Yonhap news agency said. The report came after leaked highly classified U.S. military documents highlighted South Korea's difficulties squaring pressure from western allies to help with the supply of military aid to Ukraine and its own policy of staying out of the conflict. South Korea is a key U.S. ally and major producer of artillery ammunition, but has sought to avoid antagonising Russia in light of economic ties and Moscow's influence over North Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is visiting Washington this month for a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, has said Seoul had not provided any lethal weapons to Ukraine and would expand humanitarian assistance instead. MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will kick off his four-day state visit to China on Wednesday, a trip that is expected to bring bilateral relations, both politically and economically, to a new level and contribute positive energy to the complex international situation. Accompanied by hundreds of businesspeople, state governors, congress members and ministers, Lula will be making his third official visit to China as Brazilian president. The visit was originally set for March but was postponed due to Lula's health at the time. It will also be Lula's first trip outside the Western Hemisphere since taking office for a third term on Jan 1. His visit will take him to Shanghai and Beijing. In Shanghai, he will participate in former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as head of BRICS' New Development Bank. In Beijing, Lula will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The two sides have maintained close communication about the visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. "The fact that Lula will lead a large delegation to China on his state visit so soon after his recovery speaks to the high importance both sides have attached to this visit and to our bilateral relations." China stands ready to work with Brazil and take this visit as an opportunity to upgrade mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various sectors and bring more energy for developing countries to coordinate in unity and jointly deal with global challenges, Wang said. According to a statement from Lula's press office, around 20 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. An article published by Valor Economico, a Brazilian financial newspaper, described Lula's visit as "a trip full of expectations". The speed in rescheduling a high-level visit, something unusual given the complexity of the agendas, reflects the political will of both countries to make the meeting happen, it said. The China-Brazil relationship has been closer and trade has increased in a continuous and sustained way since 2004, when Lula first visited Beijing. In 2009, he visited China for the second time. China has been the South American country's largest trade partner since 2009. According to the General Administration of Customs, two-way trade reached $171.49 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. "During the visit, the two countries are expected to consolidate the foundation of existing cooperation in traditional sectors such as infrastructure construction, agriculture and mining, and also expand cooperation in new areas including the green economy, digital economy and high technology," said Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies. Bilateral cooperation has already yielded fruit prior to Lula's arrival. On Feb 7, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Brazil, a move that will bolster bilateral trade and investment facilitation. Since diplomatic relations were established nearly half a century ago, China-Brazil ties have maintained steady growth amid changes in the international landscape and achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation across the board, setting a good example for major developing countries pursuing joint development through solidarity and collaboration. According to Wang of the CIIS, the development of China-Brazil relations will help to push forward China's cooperation with Latin America and deepen China's relations with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. "At a time when the international landscape is suffering systematic volatility and the global governance system is fragmented, the two countries' coordination and interactions on global hot-spot issues will also reveal the independent views of developing countries and important emerging market economies on global security and the international order," he added. Imagination is about breaking new ground. Without imagination, medical practice will lose its edge. It's high time to train our medical students up for expecting the unexpected. How? Digital simulation is all the rage these days. So let's tap into it. We'll create scenarios challenging our medical students to step out of their comfort zones. Say, New York City is suddenly swallowed up by a blackout which somehow goes on much longer than expected. Backup power is running out. Flashlights and candles are all we have in the dead of night. How to make do with replacement tools that require no electricity? How to go about triage when the emergency room (ER) is overwhelmed with mass hysteria? Nothing is or should be taken for granted. Meanwhile, nothing is or should be ruled out as a potential life-saving device. It never hurts to let our medical students have a head start with outside-the-box simulation training. Indeed, if they could also be trained like U.S. Navy corpsmen during their summer breaks, so much the better. Author: Ren Qiulan The Kiewit Luminarium spans 82,000 square feet at the Lewis & Clark Landing on Omaha's riverfront (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA Three years in the making, Nebraskas newest tourist magnet is set to open Saturday: 82,000 square feet of interactive science museum on the edge of Omahas riverfront. The Kiewit Luminarium, whose roughly $100 million price tag was privately funded, is key to redefining a downtown landscape, along with the tri-park revamp and planned $600 million Mutual of Omaha skyscraper. Its viewed as a boost to building a workforce in a labor-starved state, with more than 120 exhibits designed to inspire lifelong interest and careers in science, technology and engineering. But among the Luminariums highest values, said CEO Silva Raker, is providing a space where people of all backgrounds connect, open their minds to different ways of learning and break down barriers. There arent that many places where people can intersect with folks who already arent in their circle, Raker told the Nebraska Examiner during a sneak peek event for news media on Tuesday. Raker noted that almost all the Luminarium exhibits are designed for social interaction and an exchange of thoughts. Take the pothole station (many displays reflect Omaha-centric issues and feature local personalities). Paper, pencils and a question encourage visitors to describe thoughts and post them on a wall for all to see. What would an Omaha without potholes be like? To that, one respondent wrote: We will never know. Another said, They make this the holiest city in the country. Also in the exhibit, a day-in-the-life video of a real-life city pothole-filler explains the science behind the craters and his role in fixing up to 20,000 in a month. Kiewit Luminarium 345 Riverfront Drive General admission, timed-entry tickets available online Members still must reserve a timed ticket Raker said adult nights will be held at the Luminarium on certain topics, maybe even on potholes, and people can share further ideas. You will never look at a pothole again the same, she said. Its about finding the science and the technology in the everyday, and its also finding the humanity in it. Inside the Luminariums steely exterior is a cafe, a gift shop and sections devoted to areas such as math and geometry, natural phenomena and physical science, engineering and the built environment. To be sure, its a hands-on learning environment. Take the geometry playground, where one can enhance the brains spatial superpowers by stacking, packing and fitting together objects in just the right position. A compost station invites visitors to feel the warmth. A turn of a knob at another display sends sound waves splashing through water in a tube. On Tuesday, Elijah Mitchell who is among the 60 students on the 100-person Luminarium staff was laughing with his co-workers as each tested how quietly they could walk through a bed of rocks in one of the exhibits. Mitchell, 21, said he wasnt exposed much to museums while growing up. He sought the part-time Luminarium job, while studying business at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in part to pass on some life lessons to young visitors. Id like to break that barrier for kids who dont like math or think they dont understand it this is hands-on learning, and it can be fun. rebeccafondren/Getty Images/iStockphoto A West Texas steakhouse so acclaimed that it won an award from the Oscars of the restaurant industry and catered for a former U.S. president is celebrating its 40-year anniversary this year in a big way. Located in the small, 569-resident city of Buffalo Gap, Perini Ranch Steakhouse started out as just a side hustle consisting of a chuckwagon a version of an early food truck, as owner Tom Perini called it used to cater for parties and events held at nearby ranches when Perini wasnt rebuilding and running his fathers own ranch. Midland ISD hired a marketing professional as its next public information officer. The district hired Lyndsey White, who currently works as the director of Marketing and Communications at Trinity School, during a special board meeting Tuesday. White will replace Elana Ladd. She is expected to begin in May. Lyndsey is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with 13 years of marketing, communications and public relations experience, Midland ISD stated in a new release about the hiring. Like Midland ISD Superintendent Stephanie Howard, Whites husband, Lance, also works in the Midland Fire Department. Lyndsey is looking forward to serving the community of Midland ISD by coupling her ambition for marketing with her love for education, MISD noted in the release. The pay range for Midland ISDs public information officer is between $115,488 and $200,194, according to the districts Administrative/Professional Pay Plan. Midland Health Every year in April, we recognize individuals who give the gift of life through organ, tissue and eye donation. April is National Donate Life Month, and this year Midland Memorial Hospital will host its third-annual Donate Life Event on Friday, recognizing individuals who have made the lifesaving decision to donate. On this day, we will raise the Donate Life Flag and have a butterfly release in honor of our donors. April 14 is National Donate Life Blue Green Day, and we encourage the community to wear blue and green to show support of the donate life message to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor. To register to become an organ or tissue donor or to get more information, visit donatelifetexas.org. Donate Life Texas is a non-profit organization and the official registry for Texas. Approximately 17 people die every day because an organ they desperately need is not available in time, and every nine minutes another person is added to the wait list. Just one donor can save as many as eight lives. In 2022 Midland County had seven organ donors and 17 tissue donors. The organ donations resulted in 19 organ recipients who now have a new chance at life. This is an amazing accomplishment. At Midland Memorial Hospital, every donor is recognized for their life-saving donation. When a donor is taken for the organ recovery process, staff line the hallways in an Honor Walk to show support as the patient is transported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, China said Wednesday, as signs emerged that Beijing will take further action. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the U.S. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. Although China said the exercises are over, it has kept up military pressure against Taiwan in the past few days and signaled it will do more. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation said Wednesday it had received a notice from China's Civil Aviation Administration that it would set up a control zone to restrict flights in parts of northern Taiwan from April 16-18, in effect setting up an area where flights would not be allowed to go. On their own, they set up a warning area to control flights within our country's jurisdiction's Taipei Aviation Information Region, using the excuse of aerospace activities, the Taiwan statement said. Taiwan said it strongly protested the notice and was able to get China to reduce the flight ban time from three days to 27 minutes on the morning of April 16. It is unclear what China plans to do at that time. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it was looking into the matter but could not provide further details. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. It defended its recent military actions Wednesday. The Peoples Liberation Army recently organized and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces," Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the U.S., Taiwan's closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. On Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it tracked 35 flights by People's Liberation Army warplanes within the last 24 hours, and eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. There are still some navy ships and airplanes carrying out harassment in the area. We strongly condemn these deliberately threatening and provocative actions that destroy the regional peace and stability, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Defense Ministry, said at a press briefing Wednesday. The vast majority of Taiwanese favor maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognize Taiwan's government institutions and has cut off contact with Tsai's administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing generally seen as referring to the U.S. External forces are intensifying their endeavor of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Zhu said. Zhu also repeated China's assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwans independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms isn't clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. Taiwanese compatriots should clearly recognize the serious harm that the provocation of Taiwan independence forces poses to cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognize the interests, distinguish right from wrong, and stand on the correct side of history, Zhu said. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island that landed in Japans exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. The most recent exercises focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwans Defense Ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. They also featured the use of China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which launched dozens of J-15 Flying Shark fighter missions during the exercises, according to Japanese officials. Taiwanese military officials said they noted the Shandong's appearance in the Pacific Ocean, to Taiwan's east, and that it was the focus of their discussions and preparedness plans. Everyone can see clearly Chinas ability to cross the first island chain is gradually improving. The so-called anti-access/area denial ability is gradually improving, said Lt. Gen. Li Tian-long at a press briefing Wednesday, referring to a military concept where forces prevent an adversary from entering a specific area. Defense experts said China would likely use the Shandong to try to prevent foreign militaries from accessing that area based on its exercise movements. Taiwan will launch an annual large-scale drill on Thursday jointly with its disaster services and Defense Ministry, as well as local governments. Last year, the government revamped the disaster-preparedness drills to include more wartime scenarios. This year, they said, that trend would continue with war-preparedness to comprise 70% of the drills' contents. The developments come as the USS Nimitz Carrier group is operating in the South China Sea south of Taiwan and as American and Filipino forces hold their largest combat exercises in decades in Philippine waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. - AP reporter Huizhong Wu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan. The vote in the Texas House on vouchers showed the representation in Midland-Odessa differed on their respective views for school vouchers in Texas. On Thursday, the House voted 86-52 on Thursday to amend the budget to ban state funding for school vouchers or other similar programs, according to the Texas Tribune. Midlands state Rep. Tom Craddick voted against the amendment (or voted in support of vouchers). Odessa state Rep. Brooks Landgraf voted for the amendment (or against vouchers). The promotion of vouchers has been a priority for Gov. Greg Abbott and some conservatives this legislation session. Abbott was in Landgrafs backyard -- in Odessa -- in late March trumpeting his desire to see more school choice opportunities, including the implementation of education savings accounts for Texas families. Kevin Sparks, the state senator for Midland and Odessa, told the Reporter-Telegram school choice equips Texans with free-market answers to improve the students constitutional access to education, provides parents greater opportunities to access resources for their children and broadens the type of environments in which teachers can instruct the next generation. Last week, the Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 8, which included an education savings account of $8,000 per school year. The vote was 18-13. Regarding the vote in the Texas House, Landgraf offered in a statement to the Midland Reporter-Telegram his reasons for supporting the amendment to ban state funding for vouchers or educational savings accounts. As a state representative, I take seriously my oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, which requires Texas to establish, support and maintain a system of free public schools, Landgraf wrote. That is why I have and will continue to steadfastly uphold my constitutional oath to support Texas public school students and teachers, and why I voted for amendment 45. However, I also believe in parental empowerment and my vote on that amendment does not preclude me from seeking every available avenue to improve our system of education. I will therefore remain open and willing to listen to constituents about school choice. Craddick stated he continues to support vouchers, and freedom of choice in our education system is important to all Texans. The taxpayer dollars used to support education in Texas should be used to support the education choice each parent makes for their child, Craddick wrote. Sending a child to a school that best serves their needs is in the interest of all students, families, Texans and the future of Texas. It is time we give Texas families a choice to see what works best for them. Following the House vote, the Texas Tribune offered the following comment from the Governors Office. Gov. Abbott made education freedom an emergency item this legislative session because no one knows the needs of their child better than a parent, Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said in a statement. The amendment received the least support ever. This vote shows the legislature remains open to school choice, supporting the majority of Texans who want to expand school choice. State Rep. Tom Craddick announced Tuesday a pair of legislative successes related to mental health. Craddick stated that House Bill 492 which creates a local mental health services district to receive the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Facility upon completion -- passed a second vote in the House on Tuesday. The final passage happens after a third reading, which should be Wednesday, according to Craddicks office. Legislation then moves to the Senate. Representatives from both hospital districts supported the legislation when it was heard before the House Committee, Craddicks office noted. The Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center received $40 million in funding in October 2021 from the State of Texas. The balance of the funds needed to complete the facility is being raised within the community, according to a release from Craddicks office. The 100-bed facility is currently in design, and it is expected to break ground this spring. The behavioral health center is expected to be located between Midland and Odessa, on 54 acres donated by Diamondback Energy adjacent to the University of Texas Permian Basins Midland campus. The current estimate of the total project cost has increased to $120 million. State leaders have announced a new funding request for a 100-bed expansion and annual operating cost for the regional facility. A proposed expansion would bring the total to 200 beds and would be comprised of a combination of acute child/adolescent beds and competency restoration rooms, according to the update. Our communities need behavioral health care access, Craddick said in a news release. This is the next step toward bringing that health care to the Permian Basin. I am appreciative of my colleagues in the Texas House for showing their support for our communities and passing this legislation. I look forward to this bill passing the Texas Senate and being sent to the Governors desk for signature. Craddick joint authors and passes the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas On Tuesday, House Bill 15, a bill to create the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas (MBRITE), passed the Texas House of Representatives. This legislation, with House Joint Resolution 135, would fund the first-ever research facility of this type in the United States. MBRITE allocates $3 billion to research in Texas to help attract the best and brightest researchers in the world, increase private investment research funds, and ensure all Texans benefit from the research. I am proud to have worked on this legislation with my fellow Dean Senfronia Thompson and I look forward to continuing this discussion throughout the session, Craddick said in a press release. This legislation would do for mental health research what the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) did for cancer research; put Texas on the map as a worldwide leader. These research efforts are important to the success of generations to come in addressing the community mental health needs. I am honored to be able to work on such important legislation to all Texans. Craddicks GROW legislation State Rep. Tom Craddicks legislation to bring state money generated by oil and gas production back to the Permian Basin and other energy-producing hotbeds is House Joint Resolution 27 and would create the Generate Recurring Oil Wealth for Texas Fund -- "GROW. The money could be used for roads, education, broadband, law enforcement and many other of the required needs in these energy communities. According to a press release from Craddicks office, Joint Resolution 27 funds would be returned to where they originated to make improvements to expand roads and invest in infrastructure needed in the energy producing areas. GROW has broad support from a variety of companies, trade associations and individuals, according to Craddicks office. The money could be used for roads, education, broadband, law enforcement and many other of the required needs in these energy communities. Some of the supporters include Apache, CenterPoint Energy, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Diamondback Energy, Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, MOTRAN, Occidental Petroleum, Pioneer, Panhandle Producers & Royalty Owner (PPROA), Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, Texas Association of Business, Texas Pipeline Association, Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), and Texas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA), the news release said. Previously the GROW Texas legislation has been passed out of the Texas House twice with more than 120 votes in support of the measure. It is expected to go before the House Appropriations Committee in the next week. Jared Harris with HDR Engineering announces a Strider bike donation to Highland Elementary kindergarteners on Wednesday. The Billings company donated 24 bikes, helmets and pedal kits as part of the All Kids Bike initiative. HDR has donated $150,000 to All Kids Bike, designating $18,000 to three schools in Montana. The Flathead Conservation Districts Board of Supervisors on April 10 approved a cease-and-desist order suspending further work on a three-story home under construction on private property along Glacier National Parks McDonald Creek. Although the homeowners had already halted construction, the order places an enforceable moratorium on future work until the conclusion of a declaratory ruling process that could span up to eight months. The power of the order is that if they do keep doing the work, then the (Board of Supervisors) has the ability to ask a court to enforce the order, according to Camisha Sawtelle, an attorney representing the Flathead Conservation District (FCD) in the case. The supervisors also agreed that their determination last month that property owners John and Stacy Ambler, of San Diego, were constructing the home illegally and without a valid 310 streambed permit is a matter of public interest, a requisite procedural bar established under the conservation districts adopted rules. According to those rules, the districts supervisors must also appoint a hearing officer to conduct the proceedings, which will ultimately help determine the fate of the Amblers private home under construction on a public waterway tracking through a national park. The hearing officer must be selected before May 23. The appointment is entirely up to the discretion of the board of supervisors, which can select one of its own members to oversee the hearing. However, typically the position is filled by the stream permitting coordinator for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). As the 310 permit officer for the state, I am at your disposal, Hailey Graf of the DNRC told the supervisors at their Monday evening meeting, explaining that if a volunteer board member were to assume the role the extensive work would not be compensated. Since the DNRC has hired someone in my role, that person has typically served as the hearing officer in these cases. That is the way its been for the past decade or so. That said, there are other qualified candidates out there and it is entirely up to the discretion of the supervisors. But I would recommend it not be a supervisor simply because of the amount of time this it is going to take. Its going to be a huge workload for probably the next six to eight months. Further complicating the matter is a competing timeline set in motion last month when the board of supervisors ordered the Amblers to remove their home and restore and revegetate the damaged streambank prior to Nov. 1. Not only must the work occur after high water, according to the supervisors order for corrective action, but a 310 permit must be obtained prior to beginning both the demolition work and the streambank restoration. A 310 permit is named after the Montana Senate bill that led to the creation of the Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act of 1975, commonly referred to as the 310 law. Under the 1975 statute, any private individual or entity proposing work in or near a stream that physically alters or modifies the bed or immediate banks of a perennial-flowing stream must first obtain an approved permit from the local conservation district. This case is unique given the projects location inside a national park, and the Amblers have challenged the Flathead Conservation Districts jurisdictional authority even as they remain beholden to its rules as well as its order for corrective action. There is another layer to the question of how to proceed, because there is a timeline here, Samantha Tappenbeck, the FCDs resource conservationist, said at the meeting. They have a deadline for that corrective action to take place by November 1. To remediate the violation, they need a 310 permit to be in place. That takes time. So, they need to know, as we proceed with a declaratory ruling, do they need to start the process of applying for a 310 permit to cover their bases so that if it does not go their way in the declaratory ruling process, theyre prepared to remediate the violation? The question remained unanswered at the conclusion of the April 10 meeting, with Graf recommending that legal counsel review the FCDs options prior to the supervisors next meeting on April 24. Meanwhile, the fate of the Amblers dream home in Glacier National Park has been relegated to a procedural purgatory, despite the California couples claims that they took steps to ensure they were meeting all regulatory requirements prior to purchasing the property in 2019, and well in advance of breaking ground. The Amblers contacted Flathead County in 2019 about building on their property and were advised in writing that no permits were needed. The Amblers notified Glacier National Park of their intent to build in 2021. Glacier National Park did not require any permits and authorized the Amblers to connect their residence to the Apgar Village water and sewer system, the couples petition for a declaratory ruling states. The Amblers were found to be in violation of the 310 law at a public hearing on March 13, when the supervisors reviewed and discussed 17 complaints submitted by neighbors and nearby residents. Two weeks earlier, on Feb. 27, an onsite inspection of the house performed by the districts supervisors, as well as a representative of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, revealed that the couples house was indeed under construction and that the McDonald Creek streambank had been excavated to create a pad for the homes construction. Central to the declaratory hearing is the Amblers right to submit for the hearing officers consideration any data and information in support of their petition, a right shared by members of the public. FCD Supervisor Gordon Ash said he anticipates a substantial volume of data and information entering the record given the cases high-profile nature. Theres still questions of how the (county) planning board missed the Board of Supervisors as somebody critically responsible for inspecting and authorizing this type of activity, Ash said. Property records reveal the Amblers purchased the 0.05-acre, 2,309-square-foot parcel in 2019, but John Ambler says his family has been visiting Glacier National Park for more than four decades, spending summers at a family cabin located at Kellys Camp on Lake McDonald, an historic district where a number of private inholdings pre-date the parks creation. The procedural exchange is unfolding under the Flathead Conservation Districts adopted rules for a declaratory ruling, with the Amblers attorney Trent Baker, of Datsopoulos, MacDonald and Lind in Missoula, arguing that the districts deadlines have not allowed his clients time to obtain or present the necessary data and information regarding jurisdictional authority. Baker has submitted a request for two hearings: one to determine jurisdiction and one to dispute the violations. There is nothing preventing the Board from holding two hearings, Sawtelle informed the supervisors, who will resume their consideration of the case on April 23. US, Philippines agree to complete road map for security assistance for next 5-10 years raksyBH/Getty Images/iStockphoto Jacksonville City Council will be presented the proposal to establish a four-way stop near the Illinois College campus. The Planning and Public Works Committee discussed a request from Jacksonville Police Chief Adam Mefford Monday night prior to the regular City Council meeting about potentially establishing a four-way stop near the northeast side of the campus. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Child abuse is often out of sight, but for Jamie Peek, the subject is never out of mind. Peek, coordinator of the Morgan County Child Advocacy Center, and other child advocates, use blue pinwheels to raise public awareness of child abuse during April. "A lot of people believe it doesn't happen in our communities, so we have events to let people know it happens fairly frequently and highlight the agencies that work those cases," Peek said. "I want people to know it happens in our communities in Morgan County. It is usually people we know. It's family members and people we are involved with on a daily basis. It happens to children of all ages, races and socioeconomic classes," Peek said. Pinwheels dotted the front of the Jacksonville Municipal Building on Tuesday as Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard proclaimed April as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month during a short ceremony inside the front lobby of the building. There are 3.6 million cases of child abuse reported nationwide every year, according to Child Protect. The advocacy group said five children die every day because of child abuse. Most children become victims of abuse and neglect at 18 months or younger, and one out of three girls and one out of five boys will be sexually abused before they reach age 18. Morgan County Assistant State's Attorney Chad Turner, who manages most of the abuse cases for the county, said not all cases of child abuse rise to the level where law enforcement is needed. "There needs to be awareness that things such as improper clothing and lack of food are types of abuse that are harder to recognize. Not everything that is considered abuse is a police matter," Turner said. "We are dealing with a problem that is as old as mankind." Turner said since April is about awareness, he had some suggestions to help raise it and keep it to the forefront in the eyes of the public. "Wear a blue ribbon everyday to engage people. Volunteer to support programs that help at-risk children and families. Let parents know it is OK to ask for help. Offer to help an overwhelmed parent. Know how to report child abuse and be ready with the hotline number when someone asks for it. Always be ready with an answer," Turner said. "It takes a team of people to work those cases to get children and families help," Peek said. "In Morgan County, our agency has the children advocacy program and Court Appointed Special Advocates; those are the two programs we employ with abused and neglected children." Her agency has worked with about 150 children since July, which is the start of their fiscal year. By the first of July, Peek expects that number will be close to 200 children. "We want to raise awareness of child abuse and help the children and families during some of the worst times a child can go through. We provide services, provide them a voice and help them heal," Peek said. "We work with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, all police departments including state police, and the state's attorney office. Also on the team are mental health and medical professionals to assess the situation and provide the services we need to," Peek said. As an advocate, Peek said her job is to stay with the family through the investigation and make counseling referrals for the child and family. "We can make medical referrals, too. We can also help with food, paying bills and making sure they get sent to the right agency for help," Peek said. "I think this should go without saying, but child abuse is underreported. Estimates are that for every reported case of child abuse or neglect, two go unreported," Peek said. Journal-Courier JERSEYVILLE A Missouri woman was arrested after authorities said she had a stun gun despite being prohibited from carrying weapons. Penny Lou Dyer, 57, of Spanish Lake, Missouri, was arrested April 3 on a felony charge of unlawful possession of weapons by a felon and a misdemeanor charge of having no valid registration. North Dakotas Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on Tuesday evening signed two transgender athlete bans into law, effectively prohibiting transgender girls and women from joining female sports teams in K-12 and college. Lawmakers in the House and Senate passed the bills with veto-proof majorities this year. If the governor had vetoed the bills or refused to sign them, the bills likely wouldve still become law. Burgum said in a statement that over the past two years, with more than 27,000 students participating in North Dakota high school sports, there still has not been a single recorded incident of a transgender girl playing or entering the process to even ask to play on a North Dakota girls' team." Nevertheless, the Legislature has now resoundingly determined that restrictions beyond the current rules for girls' sports should be codified in state law, he said. Burgum added: Concerns raised last session about such policies jeopardizing the ability to host regional and national collegiate tournaments have not materialized in the roughly 20 states that have passed similar legislation. At least 19 other states have imposed restrictions on transgender athletes. And Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have drafted hundreds of laws this year to push back on LGBTQ+ freedoms, especially targeting transgender peoples everyday lives including sports, health care, bathrooms, workplaces and schools. The Biden administration this month proposed a rule, which still faces a lengthy approval process, to forbid outright bans on transgender athletes. In 2021, Burgum vetoed a nearly identical bill that would have banned transgender girls from playing on girls teams in public schools. Lawmakers didnt have enough votes that year to override the veto. This year, lawmakers wrote new legislation to replicate and expand that bill including at the college level. Republican Sen. Janne Myrdal, of Edinburg, supported the bills and argued that trans participation in sports could take away scholarship opportunities from female athletes who are cisgender, meaning their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. Democratic Sen. Ryan Braunberger, of Fargo, spoke against the bills on the Senate floor last week. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that this is scary time for his friends and family who are transgender. I have talked to several of my family members that dont want to leave North Dakota because it is their state, and it is their home. But theyre feeling like they have to now. They dont feel like its safe for them, he said Tuesday after the governor signed the bills. ___ Trisha Ahmed 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 Trisha Ahmed on Twitter: @TrishaAhmed15. A Senate finance committee on Tuesday rescinded $8 million in funding that would have sent 120 state inmates to a private prison facility in Arizona. The proposal had been added onto the state budget in the House last month as a relieve valve; roughly 280 state inmates are held up in county jails awaiting transfer to state prison facilities. The Senate Finance and Claims Committee reversed course Tuesday morning based largely on some lawmakers belief that community corrections options taken up the Legislature would pry open some bed space in the prison system in the coming months. Some of the changes with preliminary approval this session include funding for three new community placement options, fast tracking the pre-release process for those with good behavior, allowing inmates to be released earlier when approaching parole and giving the Department of Corrections additional authority to contract for more beds with community pre-release services. We know that were freeing up a significant amount of beds, easily 100-plus, Sen. Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, said of the combination of community corrections changes. So I dont feel like, or think, that we need these beds in Arizona. McGillvray added the state corrections department could still seek the Arizona contract with CoreCivic, the private prison operator, in the interim if the community placement plans dont deliver more space. McGillvray said he had spoken with the corrections department and the governors office about the amendment before Tuesdays vote and those offices would need to seek additional funding from the 2025 Legislature if the Arizona arrangement were to come together between now and the next session. The amendment to remove the Arizona deal, carried by Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula, passed on a 14-5 vote. The committee also added $6 million into the budget to increase state contract rates for those community corrections services to raise their own wages and, at least in theory, bolster the route for inmates to leave the prison and leave more open beds behind them. This is just one more cog in the wheel to get this to happen, McGillvray said. The Arizona proposal had nearly unanimous support from Republicans in House last month. One Republican, Rep. Jennifer Carlson, R-Churchill, broke ranks on the House floor to effectively vote against the Arizona deal, saying later she could not vote for something she fundamentally disagreed with. Democrats had also largely opposed the proposal, arguing in House committees and on the floor that putting so much distance between inmates and those who would visit them would go against the Legislature's recidivism goals. Still, the House Appropriations Committee, where the Arizona proposal had been added to the budget, passed another amendment creating a special committee to oversee the prisoner transfers to Arizona and examine prison capacity across Montana. Montana already contracts with CoreCivic to operate the Crossroads Correctional Center near Shelby. According to financial information CoreCivic provided to lawmakers earlier this session, the corporation is losing $4.7 million per year on the agreement. The Senate Finance and Claims Committee left intact a $5.6 million increase to CoreCivic's contract to likewise raise wages at the private prison near Shelby. The state budget is far from finalized. Changes made in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee must still be approved by the entire Senate and returned to the House before it reaches the governor's desk to be signed into law. New staff requests partially restored The Montana Department of Justice saw three more major case investigators added to its upcoming budget as part of a series of additions and reductions from the Senate committee Tuesday. The executive branch had requested 38 new Department of Justice employees, but lawmakers agreed to fund 17. McGillvray, in proposing the additional three, told the committee he was spurred by the growing number of officer-involved shootings described by DOJ officials last week. Another amendment to create three new employees at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, also under the state justice department, failed to pass the committee. The Office of the State Public Defender saw three more attorneys added to its agency budget for the upcoming biennium. The agency had found it needed 63 additional attorneys to handle its workload, but only asked for 20 new staff. Instead, the public safety budget subcommittee slashed that request to five new employees. Following a plea from the public defenders office's state director last week, the Senate Finance and Claims Committee passed an amendment to restore three more of the requested positions. Jean-Francois Badias/AP BRUSSELS (AP) Belgian authorities have decided to move the key suspect at the heart of the corruption scandal rocking the European Unions assembly from jail and place her under house arrest, the federal prosecutor's office said Wednesday. Spokesman Antoon Schotsaert told the Associated Press that former parliament vice president Eva Kaili would remain under electronic surveillance while the investigation into the money-for-political favors case continued. Even though the decision was taken Wednesday, it was still unclear exactly when she would be allowed to leave prison. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Americas rising out-of-control crime wave claims a growing number of postal service workers as victims of robberies, beatings and even murder. It is time to fight back and arm at least some of them with Tasers. Federal law should also be changed to allow trained postal workers to carry guns. In bold and vicious ways, postal carriers are being attacked for the keys to blue mailboxes and for mail itself, which has large amounts of ATM cards, financial assets, and personal information that can be used for identity theft. On Feb. 27, the Treasury Departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network alerted financial institutions on the nationwide surge in check fraud schemes involving the mail. Criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail and U.S. Postal Service mail carriers since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud, said FinCEN. Criminals typically steal personal checks, business checks, tax refund checks, and checks related to government assistance programs, FinCEN continued. Postal service workers go to every address in the United States. That means, every day they visit the most dangerous, crime-ridden, drug-infested neighborhoods. Even crack houses are entitled to postal deliveries. With fentanyl and other drug use rising, the challenges are daunting. In Oakland, California, following a series of attacks on postal workers, including a homicide, USPS officials had a news conference on March 20 to ask for the publics help. This followed a March 3 letter from Oaklands postmaster that said, We are asking for your help and vigilance after a disturbing rise in criminal acts against postal workers, vehicles and mailboxes. In Milwaukee, 44-year-old postal worker Aundre Cross was killed, allegedly by a gang of four criminals,now under arrest, who followed him while on duty. Cross is remembered by family, co-workers and friends as hardworking, dependable and a loving father and husband. Tasers are tried-and-true defensive weapons that send out 50,000 volts of electricity to incapacitate, but seldom kill, a perpetrator. Typically, it takes the person Tasered 15 minutes to recover, during which time the police can be called, and the carrier and others can get to safety. Federal law prohibits postal workers from carrying firearms, either on or off USPS property, except for those employees specifically authorized by USPSs chief postal inspector or inspector general. Tasers are not considered firearms, though some states require a concealed carry permit. As of 2021, there were about 1,300 postal inspectors in the Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of USPS whose professionals are authorized to carry weapons. But the size of USPSs uniformed police force, which has many responsibilities, has been shrinking as the national crime wave is rising. However, USPS employs nearly 63,000 military veterans who can quickly be brought up to speed on Taser use. Tasers will help to protect them, their colleagues particularly those working in post offices in dangerous areas and the public. While Tasers are not the silver bullet in fighting postal crime, they are an easy-to-use and effective tool that will literally send shock waves toward those thinking of harming the postal service while also bringing many crimes directly to a halt. USPS must also work closely with local law enforcement to determine how its police force can best be deployed and work closely with the Department of Justice and other federal law enforcement partners. And there is no time to waste. A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked new federal regulations dealing with navigable waterways in 24 states that are jointly suing over the matter. North Dakota officials who consider the rules a federal overreach praised Wednesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland, in which he said "There is little that is intelligible about the 2023 rule and the broad scope of its jurisdiction." The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told the Tribune it was reviewing the decision and its options, and added that federal officials "remain committed to establishing and implementing a durable definition of 'Waters of the United States.'" Rules defining which Waters of the United States -- commonly referred to as WOTUS -- are protected by the Clean Water Act changed under the Democratic Obama and Republican Trump administrations. The Democratic Biden administration updated them again, building on a pre-2015 definition with changes to reflect court opinions, the latest science, and federal agencies' experience and expertise, with a goal of reducing "uncertainty from changing regulatory definitions," EPA said earlier. Twenty-four states led by North Dakota and West Virginia in February filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in North Dakota, calling the rule "an improper federal power grab over state waters." They asked a judge to put the rules on hold while the lawsuit plays out, maintaining that implementation "will trigger significant burdens for the states, who administer costly and time-intensive permitting and other programs under the CWA." The federal government argued against a pause, questioning the states' claims of pending harm and maintaining that the water rule "affirms, refines and provides clarity and consistency to a regulatory framework that has been in place for the better part of four decades." Justice Department attorneys said the rules resulted from a yearlong effort in which 114,000 comments were considered, and they argued "the public will benefit from the added clarity." They also asserted that the states' lawsuit is unlikely to succeed. Hovland in his ruling suggested that the government's new regulations might be too broad, that "The category of covered waters under the 2023 rule is problematic." He said the rule "will require states, landowners and countless other affected parties to undertake expensive compliance efforts when their property may implicate navigable waters in ill-defined ways." "The phrase 'Waters of the United States,' a term that has been hopelessly defined for decades, remains even more so under the 2023 rule," Hovland wrote, adding later that the states "have persuasively shown that the new 2023 rule poses a threat to their sovereign rights and amounts to irreparable harm." North Dakota and other states sued in 2015 when President Barack Obama sought to expand federal water protections, and court injunctions prevented his administration's rule from taking effect. Federal courts later threw out a Trump-era rule that North Dakota leaders backed but environmentalists had argued left waterways vulnerable to pollution. The Biden rule applies federal protections to wetlands, tributaries and other waters that have a significant connection to navigable waters or if wetlands are relatively permanent." Roughly half of all U.S. states are taking part in lawsuits challenging the rule, according to The Associated Press. A judge in Texas late last month block blocked the regulations from taking effect in Texas and Idaho. EPA in its statement to the Tribune said that "In light of the preliminary injunctions, the agencies are interpreting 'Waters of the United States' consistent with the pre-2015 regulatory regime in 26 states until further notice." Other plaintiffs in the North Dakota lawsuit are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a separate case out of Idaho that could upend the finalized rule, according to AP. Chantell and Michael Sackett wanted to build a home near a lake, but the EPA stopped their work in 2007, finding wetlands on their property were federally regulated. Hovland in his ruling said, "Hopefully, the Supreme Court decision in Sackett will provide some clarity. The outcome of the Sackett case may have significant implications for the EPA's authority to determine jurisdictional waters under the Clean Water Act. It may also determine EPA's ability to enforce the 2023 WOTUS rule. Until then, every state will continue to swim in waters of uncertainty, ambiguity and chaos." U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all R-N.D., issued statements lauding the ruling, as did state Attorney General Drew Wrigley, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Gov. Doug Burgum. The governor said the Biden rule "would unlawfully extend federal jurisdiction to nearly every stream, pond and wetland in North Dakota," and Armstrong called WOTUS "a red tape disaster." The EPA in its statement to the Tribune said federal officials believe the rule "is the best interpretation of the Clean Water Act." "Our goal is to protect public health, the environment, and downstream communities while supporting economic opportunity, agriculture, and industries that depend on clean water," officials said. China warns as US, Philippines stage combat drills View Photo MANILA, Philippines (AP) China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington, the U.S. and Philippine defense and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the U.S. was allocating more than $100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the U.S. delivery of much-needed defense equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, U.S. and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at U.S. security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defense pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedaled from the effort. Left-wing activists and nationalists have steadfastly opposed American military presence in the Philippines, a former U.S. colony where America remains popular among Filipinos based on independent polls. The Philippines is caught in an inter-imperialist conflict between the U.S. and China, Renato Reyes of the left-wing Bayan alliance said. We are merely being used as a footstool for American power projection and provocation in the region. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase U.S. warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to U.S. and Philippine military officials. By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press Zelenskyy calls for confiscating Russian Central Bank funds View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) In an appeal to the heads of the IMF and World Bank, Ukraines president on Wednesday renewed his call to confiscate Russian Central Bank assets held around the world and use them to help rebuild Ukraine. To charge the aggressor with compensation for damages, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said by video link. Russia must feel the full price of its aggression. The U.S. announced at the start of Russias invasion that America and its allies had blocked access to more than $600 billion that Russia held outside its borders. The U.S and its allies continue to impose rounds of targeted sanctions against companies and the wealthy elite with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It must be clearly stated that the assets of the Russian Central Bank will be confiscated. It will be a peacemaking act on a global scale, Zelenskyy said. He was patched in for a session with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, World Bank President David Malpass and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, held during the IMF and World Bank spring meetings to discuss Ukraines ongoing funding needs. A joint assessment released in March by Ukraines government, the World Bank and European Commission estimates Ukraines long-term recovery needs will total at least $411 billion. In March, Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up the governments severely strained finances. Since the war began in February 2022, the United States has given Ukraine more than $100 billion in military and civilian support, which includes some money for reconstruction. Other countries also have provided Ukraine with substantial support. At the roundtable, Yellen said the United States will do what it takes to support Ukraine, for as long as it takes. She said our historic multilateral sanctions coalition is restricting Russias access to the technology and equipment it needs to supply its military. Zelenskyy argued that liquidating Russias funds held around the world, including those of sanctioned oligarchs, would send a message to potential aggressors wherever they may be. The idea is gaining traction. Former Biden administration official Daleep Singh told the Senate Banking Committee on Feb. 28 that forfeiting Russias billions in assets held by the U.S. is something we ought to pursue. And Charles Michel, president of the European Council, has called for using Russias Central Bank funds to rebuild what it has destroyed. The U.S. announced last week that Treasury officials Liz Rosenberg and Brian Nelson specialists in sanctions and terrorist financing will travel to Europe this month to meet with leaders of financial institutions in Switzerland, Italy and Germany. They plan to share intelligence on potential sanctions evaders and to warn of the potential penalties for failure to comply with international sanctions. During Wednesdays meeting, Zelenskyy stood and called for a moment of silence for a Ukrainian soldier who appears to have been beheaded. A gruesome video that purports to show the beheading spread quickly online and drew outrage in Ukraine, in the latest accusation of atrocities said to have been committed by Russian troops. By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press Within the framework of the joint project of UNDP and the Turkmen Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza", a working meeting on the development of "green" construction in the country was held in Turkmenistan. According to the information, during the meeting, the first version of the "green" construction standard for the construction of hotel buildings and living complexes in Turkmenistan was discussed. Furthermore, the parties discussed the use of eco-friendly construction and finishing materials, energy efficiency of the building throughout its operation, energy supply from renewable sources and greenhouse gases, rational water use, landscaping, reuse of liquid and organic waste, safety and comfort of buildings. Meanwhile, the "green" construction project is being implemented by Turkmenistan within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement. A California man convicted of robbing a Bismarck bank four years ago has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay more than $6,800 back to the bank. U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor further ordered Robert Wolter, 38, to spend three years on supervised release following his prison time, court documents show. Wolter was charged in the January 2019 robbery of the U.S. Bank on Expressway Avenue in Bismarck. He was arrested at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, intending to fly to Africa, in February 2019. His arrest took place about three weeks after a man wearing a disguise entered the bank and told employees to put money into a bag. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials during a currency examination at the airport found Wolter was carrying $4,500 more than he had declared. While he was in custody in New Jersey, officials in San Jose, California, where Wolter is from, found evidence related to the Bismarck robbery, authorities said. A federal jury in January found Wolter guilty after a two-day trial in Bismarck. He faced a possible 20-year prison term and a $250,000 fine. Syrias rapprochement advances with Tunisia, Saudi Arabia View Photo BEIRUT (AP) Syria will reopen its embassy in Tunisia, state media reported Wednesday, as Syrias top diplomat visited Saudi Arabia seeking to restore ties that have been severed for more than a decade. Tunisia has become the latest Arab state to reestablish diplomatic ties with Syria, after cutting off relations in 2012. Tunisian President Kais Saied announced earlier this month that he had directed the countrys foreign ministry to appoint a new ambassador to Syria. His move to appoint a new ambassador to Syria was reciprocated by the Syrian government, a joint statement from the two countries foreign ministries said Wednesday, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The announcement was the latest in a regional trend of rapprochement with the war-torn country, which has picked up pace since the massive Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the Chinese-brokered reestablishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Syria was widely shunned by Arab governments over Syrian President Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on protesters and later civilians in an uprising turned civil war that began in 2011. The breakdown in relations culminated with Syria being ousted from the Arab League. Tunis shut down its embassy in Damascus in 2012. Earlier this year, Assad visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates, two nations that had backed fighters trying to topple his government. The Syrian government is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia to reopen their embassies in Damascus and Riyadh. A delegation headed by Syrias foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks about bilateral relations between the two countries, Syrian state media reported, the first such visit since 2012. Saudi state media reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad was received by the kingdoms Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji. The meeting focused on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves Syrias unity, security and stability, facilitates the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and secures the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected areas in Syria. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, where most states hope to restore Syrias membership, the leagues secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said. Church: Israel limiting rights of Holy Fire worshippers View Photo JERUSALEM (AP) The Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with heavy-handed restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the Holy Fire ceremony amid soaring tensions. Israeli police said the limits are needed for safety during Saturdays celebration at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Saturdays Holy Fire celebration comes during a recent spate of violence in the Old City, touched off by an Israeli police raid on Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, the compound thats home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The tensions spiraled into a regional confrontation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and were punctuated Friday when two British-Israeli sisters and their mother were killed after their car came under fire near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank. The mother succumbed to her wounds on Monday. Israel, which imposed similar restrictions on the Holy Fire event last year, says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd stampede in 2021 at a packed Jewish holy site left 45 people dead. Christian leaders say theres no need to alter a ceremony that has been held for centuries. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that on the Saturday before Easter, a miraculous flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The Greek patriarch enters the Holy Edicule, a chamber built on the traditional site of Jesus tomb, and emerges with two lit candles. He passes the flame among thousands of people holding candles, gradually illuminating the walls of the darkened basilica. The flame will be transferred to Orthodox communities in other countries on special flights. The source of the Holy Fire has been a closely guarded secret for centuries, with an abundance of skeptics. Church officials told reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday that negotiations with the police over their heavy-handed restrictions had failed. After many attempts made in good will, we are not able to coordinate with the Israeli authorities as they are enforcing unreasonable restrictions on access to the Holy Sepulcher, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, calling the limitations heavy-handed. We will hold the ceremony as customary for two millennia and invite all who wish to worship with us to attend, said Father Mattheos Siopis of the Greek Orthodox Church. We leave the authorities to act as they will. The churches will freely worship and do so in peace. Israeli police officials acknowledged that they are increasing security and blocking some routes into the dense Old City and that attendance is limited in the ancient church and courtyard. But in a conference call with reporters, officials said the attendance limits 1,800 people inside the church which Greek Orthodox officials said was a fraction of previous years were set by the church. Chief Superintendent Yoram Segal of the Jerusalem District Police told reporters during a conference call that the polices top priority is safety on a day when Muslims, Christians and Jews are celebrating their own holidays in the square-kilometer (square-half mile) Old City. We are going to regulate the movement of crowds, Segal said, adding that the holy fire ceremony will be available throughout the city on video screens and that meetings with the churches are ongoing. Since the rise this year of Israels most right-wing government in history, Christians say their 2,000-year-old community in the Holy Land has come under increasing attack. ___ Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. By LAURIE KELLMAN and AUDREY HOROWITZ Associated Press Shootout in SW Pakistan kills 4 police officers, militant View Photo QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) Pakistani security forces raided a suspected hideout of the Pakistani Taliban in the southwestern city of Quetta early Tuesday, triggering a shootout that killed four officers and a militant commander, officials said. The police launched the raid after being tipped off that the wanted militant commander was hiding in a home in the citys Kuchlak neighborhood, said police official Naveed Shah. The officers demanded the suspect surrender but he instead opened fire at the security forces, killing four officers before being fatally shot. A search of the area was still underway, Shah said. Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, has seen a spike in violence recently, as has the rest of Pakistan. On Monday, two roadside bombs hours apart targeted police vehicles in Quetta, killing four people and wounding 22, mostly pedestrians. The bombings were claimed by the outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army, which was designated a terrorist group by the United States in 2019. Pakistani security forces have been battling an insurgency in Baluchistan for more than a decade, with separatists in the province demanding complete autonomy or a larger share of the provinces gas and mineral resources. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also have a presence in Baluchistan and have claimed multiple past attacks there. The militant group is separate from, but allied with, the Afghan Taliban. TTP insurgents have been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops pulled out of the country after 20 years of war. Also on Tuesday, the military said security forces killed three militants in a raid on their hideout in Bannu, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In a statement, it said troops also seized a cache of weapons in the raid. However, the military provided no further details about the slain insurgents. By ABDUL SATTAR Associated Press Trump and Iowa evangelicals: A bond that is hard to break View Photo MARION, Iowa (AP) When South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott returns to Iowa on Wednesday, he will meet privately with a group of pastors at a Cedar Rapids church. For someone considering a Republican presidential campaign, the visit is part of a decades-old courtship ritual in the state that kicks off the nomination process. Born-again Christians are the most influential group in Iowas GOP caucuses, giving faith leaders particular sway in helping organize voters and shape the results. But in the early phase of the next presidential campaign, Scotts joyful proclamations of his Christian faith face an unlikely obstacle. Like other Republicans eyeing the White House, he is navigating an evangelical community that is faithful to former President Donald Trump, the thrice-married former reality television star who once supported abortion rights and spent decades boasting of his sexual prowess. That history repelled many Iowa evangelical leaders during the last competitive Republican caucuses in 2016, when they helped push Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to victory in the opening contest. As the 2024 campaign begins, however, many of those same leaders are open to Trump, grateful for his judicial appointments that resulted in the dismantling of a constitutional right to abortion. They are unswayed by the controversy swirling around Trump, including the 34-count New York felony indictment handed down against him last week stemming from a hush money payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who alleged having an extramarital affair with him. I believe, and I think many evangelical Christians understand, politics at that level is a blood sport. Donald Trump is fighting. Thats why he got things done, said the Rev. Terry Amann of suburban Des Moines. So, our role isnt to judge him. Trump has denied having an affair with the actress, Stormy Daniels, and has characterized the charges along with ongoing investigations related to other matters in Georgia and Washington as politically motivated. But the evangelical support reflects a broader dynamic taking hold with the GOP base rallying around Trump in the aftermath of his indictment even amid signals that he could be vulnerable with the broader public in a general election. An ABC News/Ipsos poll released last weekend found 50% of Americans thought Trump should have been charged with a crime and about as many 48% said he should suspend his campaign. But just 14% of Republicans said he should be charged. That GOP loyalty to Trump was evident in interviews with more than a dozen Iowa pastors in the wake of Trumps indictment. Each cited Trumps role in helping overturn Roe vs. Wade as central to the long-term rethinking about him since his first campaign. Several also pointed to Trumps recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. I appreciate the fact that, for what seems like the first time in my lifetime, someone did what they said they were going to do, said the Rev. Kerry Jech of Marshalltown. With Donald Trump, what he promised us, he delivered on. Thats one thing I cant get away from. In a new display of pragmatism, Jech and others like him who didnt support Trump in 2016 say the former president is no less imperfect a man now, but that his action on policy they hold dear may erase questions about his moral character. During the 2016 campaign, the Rev. Mike Demastus of Des Moines supported Cruz and called Trump morally loathsome, wicked and a reprehensible man. Today, Demastus calls him the most pro-life president we have ever had, and would consider supporting him in the caucuses, along with others. Even Demastus qualified support still puts Trump in better position now than his first bid. In a March Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, Trump was viewed favorably by 58% of evangelicals, unfavorably by 39% and 3% were unsure. On the eve of the 2016 caucuses, Iowa evangelicals seemed to have a dimmer view of Trump. The Des Moines Registers Iowa Poll taken on the eve of the caucuses showed Trump with support from only 19% of evangelicals, with Cruz supported by 33%. The awkward position is new for Iowa social conservatives, who have for three consecutive Republican presidential campaigns decidedly backed the more vocally evangelical candidate, though none would go on to win the nomination. Beyond Cruz, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum won the 2012 caucuses as a crusading abortion opponent. In 2008, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, posted a surprise victory by cobbling together a Christian coalition of pastors and religious home-school advocates. Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence hope to replicate their success in 2024, should they continue taking steps toward running. Scott began his day in Iowa Wednesday meeting with a few dozen Christian home-school parents, a vital subset of Iowas evangelical bloc. Its a strategy pioneered by former Christian broadcasting personality Pat Robertson, whose focus on Iowas network of evangelical Christian churches helped him finish a surprise second place in Iowas 1988 caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush. Scott, who is launching an exploratory committee for president, has already met several times with Iowa clergy, as has Pence. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run, squeezed in a backstage meeting and prayer with a handful of pastors after a public event in Des Moines last month. The first multi-candidate gathering of the 2024 Iowa caucus campaign is scheduled for later this month and is expected to feature presidential prospects Pence, Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and others speaking to hundreds of Iowa social conservatives. Trump plans to address the group by video. The more traditional approach set against Trumps atypical combination of accomplishment and high-drama personal life creates a new dynamic for Iowa social conservatives to weigh. President Trump has stood up for the values that we hold dear, said Brad Sherman, a pastor and Republican state representative from Williamsburg who plans to support Trump in the caucuses. Then we need to pray for him that his personal life comes in line with that. Others say everyone is offered forgiveness. He is no perfect person. No one would say that. He is no King David, said the Rev. Bill Tvedt of Oskaloosa. But even David was tempted. Tvedt also likened Trump to the biblical figure Cyrus, who was not a Christian but is lauded as an Old Testament hero for liberating the Jews from captivity in Egypt. He is more of a Cyrus, a protector, Tvedt said. The Rev. Dave Martin, a Marshalltown pastor, was an outlier in the interviews, suggesting Trumps judicial strategy was aimed at reinforcing support within a group that had doubts in 2016. Lets not forget that not that many years ago he was for legal abortion, said Martin, who says he would likely not support Trump in the caucuses. Martin also blasted Trumps statement from the 2016 campaign when he rejected the need to repent. Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness if I am not making mistakes? Trump asked CNNs Anderson Cooper during a 2015 interview. I work hard. Im an honorable person. Amann, the suburban Des Moines pastor who rejected judging Trump, said the former president need only worry about evangelical support if his resolve for their priorities weakens. If he backs off of pro-life, that would be a bigger issue, Amann said. The once anti-Trump DeMastus was quick to remind that Trump blamed devout abortion opponents for Republicans weaker-than-expected showing in last years congressional elections. Notably, Trump said candidates who opposed legal abortion in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman lost a large numbers of votes. That ticked me off so bad, DeMastus said. Thats the part of him Im talking about where he just needs to keep his mouth shut. By THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press Juror: Texas governors rush to pardon shooter a travesty View Photo AUSTIN, Texas (AP) An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts rush for a pardon is an egregious overreach to wipe aside the jurys unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who was in his car working as a ride-share driver when he shot 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who had been legally carrying an AK-47 while marching with demonstrators through downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. I just think its a travesty, Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon. Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governors move highly unusual and prosecutors condemned it as troubling. Abbott made his intentions known on Twitter less than 24 hours after the verdict and amid outrage from conservative voices on social media and television over the conviction. I just thought it was an egregious overreach of power, Dowell said. Its undermining due process. Its undermining democracy. I was upset, honestly. Perry, who was on active duty at the time of the shooting, is still awaiting sentencing from a judge. He faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who said she has not previously supported the three-term governor politically, said she worried that Abbott wading into the case could cause other jurors to second-guess their decisions. She said the verdict was strictly based on evidence, following 17 hours of deliberation, and politics did not factor in. If your governor is coming out and saying you made the wrong decision, that may make you think twice about what you said or what you felt, she told AP. The AP has attempted to reach all jurors who served during the weeklong trial in Austin. Others have declined to speak about the case or not returned messages. Spokespersons for Abbott did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The trial had received little national attention prior to Fridays verdict and Abbott had not previously commented on the case publicly. He has has not elaborated on how he reached his conclusion about Perrys case, and his office on Monday referred questions to his statement on Twitter. The encounter leading up to the shooting began when Perry turned onto a street and into one of the demonstrations that swept the country after Minneapolis police killed of George Floyd. In video that was streamed live on Facebook, a car can be heard honking amid the downtown crowd. Then, several shots ring out, and protesters begin screaming and scattering. Perry drove off, later calling police to report the shooting, and officers arrived to find Foster shot. What led up to the gunfire was a core question in the trial that resulted in Perrys conviction. Dowell said her confidence in the verdict was based in part on testimony that Fosters gun was pointing up close to his ear moments before the shooting and that Foster was at least a foot away from Perrys car. She said prosecutors also presented text messages between Perry and a friend, exchanged prior to the shooting, discussing other cases in which protesters had been shot and whether it amounted to self-defense. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry, and prosecutors said the sergeant could have driven off rather than opening fire with a handgun. Perry didnt testify. But his defense attorneys have said Foster pointed his gun at the driver and that the shooting was self-defense. I look forward to approving the Boards pardon as soon as it hits my desk, Abbott tweeted Saturday. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, whose office prosecuted the case, said Wednesday in an interview on CNN that it appeared clear that neither Abbott nor his staff had watched the trial. Garza, who ran as a progressive when he was elected in 2020, has previously been a target of criticism from the governor. The district attorney said he did not know why Abbott was pushing for the pardon: I dont know whats in the governors mind. Garza has requested to meet with the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and present evidence. The board did not immediately respond to questions emailed Wednesday. Clint Broden, Perrys attorney, has said they did not petition the governor for a pardon prior to Abbotts tweet. He has also filed a motion seeking a new trial. ____ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Jim Vertuno and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. By ACACIA CORONADO Associated Press FREDERICK, Md. (AP) A Maryland sheriff repeatedly lied to federal authorities to help a local firearms dealer illegally obtain machine guns and rent them out to his customers, forming a partnership that was profitable and politically beneficial, according to a federal grand jury indictment filed last week. Frederick County Sheriff Charles Chuck Jenkins pleaded not guilty Wednesday to several charges, including conspiracy and making false statements to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. After initially pledging to remain in office while the case proceeds, Jenkins said Wednesday he is taking a leave of absence. I have full confidence in the system, and I know that my innocence will prevail at the end of all of this, Jenkins said in a statement released by the agency. He was released pending trial on several conditions, including that he refrains from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapons. Federal law generally prohibits firearm dealers from importing machine guns unless they are being used as demonstration models for law enforcement agencies, which can legally purchase such weapons. But in order for dealers to use that exemption, the interested law enforcement agency must submit a letter to ATF requesting a sample of the machine gun they are considering purchasing. According to the indictment, Jenkins wrote such letters on behalf of his co-defendant, Robert Krop, whose Frederick County business The Machine Gun Nest offered machine guns for rent. The business made over $100,000 in profits from the rentals in 2018 and 2019 alone, the indictment says. Krop offered Jenkins political support in exchange for the favor, according to federal prosecutors. In several letters dating back to 2015, Jenkins falsely claimed the Frederick County Sheriffs Office wanted samples of various machine gun models, according to the indictment. The requests were approved, allowing Krops business to obtain the weapons. In a 2018 letter, Jenkins requested machine gun models that are suitable only for use in combat, not for law enforcement purposes, the indictment says. Jenkins was first elected sheriff of the largely rural county in 2006. He started his career with the agency in 1990. By The Associated Press Charged debate on Oregon gun bills reflects national divide View Photo SALEM, Ore. (AP) An emotionally charged debate over Oregons gun-related legislation recently brought lawmakers on different sides of the issue near tears, reflecting a passionate divide over gun rights that is also playing out nationwide. One of the most sweeping bills being proposed in the politically diverse state the one that led to highly personal speeches from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers at a committee hearing last week would increase the purchasing age to 21 for AR-15s and similar types of guns, impose penalties for possessing undetectable firearms and allow for more limited concealed-carry rights. Republican lawmakers in Oregon said community safety depends on access to firearms, while Democrats conversely called for greater restrictions in the name of safety. The debate in the Oregon State Capitol comes as Democrats and Republicans across the country spar over gun rights, and as the number of gun violence deaths nationwide has risen to 11,767 so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. I have a beautiful 19-year-old daughter and I want to know, what did she do wrong to have this imposed on her? Republican Rep. Greg Smith, his voice cracking with emotion, remarked of the proposed restrictions. I want to know, what did my beautiful daughter do wrong to where she cant protect herself? I dont get it. Meanwhile, Sen. Lew Frederick, a Democrat from Portland, said when he sees someone in his neighborhood with a long gun over their shoulder, I wonder who theyre hunting. Portland experienced 268 shootings during the first three months of this year, compared with 392 for the same time frame last year, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Legislation in state capitals across the nation this week similarly highlights the red-blue divide on guns: __ In Washington state, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign, as early as this week, legislation going through the Democrat-majority state Legislature that would ban many semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15s and other rifles that fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload. The bill passed both the state House and Senate but needs an additional vote in the House. __ In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is scheduled to sign legislation Thursday that will implement stricter background checks and safe storage requirements for firearms. The legislation is part of an 11-bill gun safety package that was introduced after a gunman killed three students at Michigan State University on Feb. 13 the states second mass shooting in 15 months. __ In Florida, a bill passed by the Republican-dominated statehouse allows people to carry concealed firearms without a permit, and without training or a background check. Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this month, it takes effect July 1. __ In Kentucky and Tennessee, each of which experienced a mass shooting in the past two weeks, GOP lawmakers who dominate both statehouses have long resisted limiting gun access. However, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee asked lawmakers Tuesday to pass legislation that would keep firearms out of the hands of people who could harm themselves or others. One of those killed in the March 27 school shooting in Nashville was a close friend of Lees wife. In Oregon, the Joint Ways and Means Committee sent the broad gun safety bill to the House floor for a vote last week after a wrenching debate. An extraordinary number of Oregonians about 1,000 submitted written testimony for or against the 17-page measure. In a nod to hunters, the bill doesnt prohibit a person at least 18 years of age from possessing a single-shot rifle; several types of shotguns; a repeating rifle that has a bolt, lever, pump, or revolving action; a rifle with an attached magazine for .22-caliber rounds; or a muzzleloader rifle. Those are your guns that are traditionally made for hunting, Rep. Jason Kropf, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said in an interview Wednesday. In my mind, there are guns that are made for hunting. And if youre under the age of 21, you can have those. There are guns that are made for shooting people, and were going to limit access to those. Democrats say Republicans who raised concerns about losing the rite of passage of taking a teen hunting are missing the point. The rite of passage that drives me nuts is the rite of passage that my neighbors have to go to funeral after damn funeral, Frederick said, banging the table with his fist. The Oregon bill would also make the manufacture or importation into the state of an undetectable firearm a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. Possession of a so-called ghost gun, such as one made with a 3D printer, would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and/or a fine up to $6,250. In 2021, the Legislature gave local school districts the authority to prohibit firearms on school grounds. The new bill would expand that, giving locally elected governments the ability to adopt rules restricting firearms and concealed carry in their facilities and adjacent grounds. The measure was scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Wednesday. But bills are stacked up because minority Republicans have insisted that each one be read in full, to slow the Democrats agenda. A machine is being used to speed-read the bills. Passage by the House would send it to the Senate for consideration. ___ This story has been updated to correct Portland shootings data. ___ Associated Press reporters Lisa Baumann in Seattle; Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan; and Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed. By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Expelled Black lawmaker Pearson to return to Tennessee House View Photo MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The second of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore him to his position. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope. You cant expel justice, Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. The Houses vote last Thursday to remove Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. The Republican leadership denied that race was a factor. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other senators sent a letter Wednesday asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether the expulsions violated the Constitution or federal civil rights laws and to take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nations legislative bodies. After the reinstatement vote, a throng of jubilant supporters greeted Pearson outside in a churchlike celebration. Pearson adopted the cadence of a preacher as he delivered a rousing speech with call-and-response crowd interaction. Accompanied by his fiancee, mother and four brothers, Pearson pumped his fist, jumped up and down and hugged relatives. Theyve awakened a sleeping giant, he said, as a drumbeat and roaring cheers echoed his voice. Pearson is expected to return to the Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, when the House holds its next floor session, and plans to be sworn in there. Republicans expelled Pearson and Jones over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. Shelby Countys commission has 13 members, but only seven voted all Democrats in favor of Pearson. Two Democrats were out of the country and did not vote. The four Republicans on the commission did not attend the meeting. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. Marcus DeWayne Belton said he attended the rally outside the Shelby County government building after the vote because he supports Pearsons call for gun law reform. Its not even a Black thing anymore, he said of gun violence. This is Black and white. Any time you go inside a school and youre killing kids, Black and white, its serious. Things are getting worse. The expulsions made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two expelled lawmakers had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has avoided commenting on the lawmakers expulsion and instead said the controversy was an issue concerning the House. He has since called on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would keep dangerous people from acquiring weapons. In their return to the Tennessee Capitol, Pearson and Jones still face the same political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority, which were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. The speakers office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was very agreeable to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the states dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were exaggerated to show support of families who often wait decades for justice. Pearson has referenced Sherrells comments throughout the expulsions and their aftermath. On Wednesday, Pearson said Sexton should resign his post, asserting the House speaker is more willing to expel people who are asking for the end of gun violence than expel a member of the House who advocated for lynching. ___ Reporters Jonathan Mattise and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville contributed to this report. By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press NPR quits Elon Musks Twitter over government-funded label View Photo National Public Radio is quitting Twitter after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped NPRs account with labels the news organization says are intended to undermine its credibility. Twitter labeled NPRs main account last week as state-affiliated media, a term also used to identify media outlets controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments, such as Russia and China. Twitter later changed the label to government-funded media, but to NPR which relies on the government for a tiny fraction of its funding its still misleading. NPR said in a statement Wednesday that it will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent. Defund @NPR, was Musks tweeted response. His latest tiff with a news organization reflects a gamble for the social media platform he bought last year. Twitter, more than any of its rivals, has said its users come to it to keep track of current events. That made it an attractive place for news outlets to share their stories and reinforced Twitters moves to combat the spread of misinformation. But Musk has long expressed disdain for professional journalists and said he wants to elevate the views and expertise of the average citizen. The Public Broadcasting Service said Wednesday it has also stopped tweeting from its main account and that the public TV organization has no plans to resume because Twitters simplistic label leaves the inaccurate impression that PBS is wholly funded by the federal government. Media analysts say growing friction between Twitter and news organizations since Musk bought the platform is bad for Twitter, and bad for the public. Its a shame to have proceeded in a direction where, intentionally or otherwise, Twitter is categorizing Russian propaganda outlets in a similar way to very legitimate news sources that get a very modest amount of funding from the U.S. government, said Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. This is just the latest example of Musk tangling with mainstream news organizations. He abruptly suspended the accounts of individual journalists who wrote about Twitter late last year, claiming some were trying to reveal his location. Twitter earlier in April removed the verification check mark on the main account of The New York Times, singling out the newspaper and disparaging its reporting after it said it would not pay Twitter for verification of its institutional accounts. Twitter used to tag journalists and other high-profile accounts with blue check marks to verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors. But Musk has derided the marks as an undeserved status symbol and plans to take them away from anyone not buying a premium subscription. Those cost as little as $8 a month for individuals and a minimum of $1,000 a month for organizations. Barrett said Musk appears to be intent on insulting and antagonizing individuals and organizations that he considers to be too liberal for his taste. But by driving away legitimate news outlets, Twitter is only harming itself, he said. The drift is in an unfortunate direction, Barrett said. You want to encourage sources of reliable, well-reported news to be present and prolific on your platform. NPRs main account, which joined Twitter in 2007, had not tweeted since April 4. On Wednesday, it sent a series of tweets listing other places to find its journalism. NPR spokesperson Isabel Lara said its journalists, employees and member stations can decide on their own if they want to keep using the platform. NPR journalists have not been given the government-funded label, at least not yet. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The company has said it accounts for less than 1% of NPRs annual operating budget. Much of its funding comes from sponsorships and dues from its member stations around the U.S., which in turn get revenue from a range of funders including public institutions, corporate donors and listeners. Twitters new labels have often appeared arbitrarily assigned. For example, Twitter hasnt added the government-funded label for many other public broadcasting organizations, such as those in Canada and Australia. It also has changed some labels without explanation, such as when it removed a United Arab Emirates state-affiliated media tag from the profile of Abu Dhabis The National newspaper earlier this year. In an interview Tuesday with a BBC technology reporter at Twitters San Francisco headquarters, Musk acknowledged that the British organization is not thrilled about the label it received and asked the reporter for feedback. Our goal was simply to be as truthful and accurate as possible, Musk said. So I think were adjusting the label to be publicly funded, which I think is perhaps not too objectionable. Were trying to be accurate. The BBC said Wednesday it would welcome being described as publicly funded instead of government-funded. Hours later, BBC got its publicly funded media label, but not NPR or PBS. The literary organization PEN America said news organizations are making understandable responses to Twitters unpredictable and capricious policy decisions but the loss to consumers will be significant. Liz Woolery, PEN Americas digital policy leader, said Musks approach to managing Twitter has come at the expense of information integrity and user trust, and it has only made it harder for users to sift through the maelstrom of online content to find what is credible. ___ AP Writers David Bauder and Kelvin Chan contributed to this report. By MATT OBRIEN AP Technology Writer A West Texas zoo has been searching for 14 prairie dogs that disappeared from their exhibit in 2021. It's 2023, and the mystery has yet to be solved. El Paso Zoo officials announced the disappearance in early April this year, confirming the animals were last seen on Sept. 26, 2021. "We noticed their food wasn't going away at one point as much and then it stopped going away at all, so we knew there was a problem," zoo director Joe Montisano said. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report said the prairie dogs were discovered missing when they failed to emerge from underground in spring 2022. Zoo staff and volunteers searched for the missing animals in tunnels and burrows but found nothing, not even bones, fur, blood or hair. According to the report, no tunnels were noted to breach the exhibit enclosure, and no opening was found in the exhibit walls that would have allowed the prairie dogs to escape. The agency theorized a hawk or some other predator may have taken the prairie dogs out of the exhibit. To prevent a future case, the zoo installed new netting and barriers around the exhibit. The prairie dog exhibit is closed at the zoo for now while the staff tries to get new ones from other zoos. Unseasonably warm weather early this week led to record heat in southwestern North Dakota and boosted snowmelt, leading to some minor flooding and swamped roads in the west. The temperature in Dickinson on Tuesday reached 83 degrees, breaking the city's April 11 record of 81 degrees set in 1949, according to the National Weather Service. Bismarck officially reached only 58 degrees. However, the site at the airport where the official temperature is measured was 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the metro area, likely due to snow piled up near the observation site, according to the weather service. The temperature at the agency's office right next to the airport reached 69 degrees. A cold front moving through will drop high temps in the Bismarck-Mandan area into the 40s through the weekend. There also are chances for rain and even snow late in the workweek. AccuWeather reported that precipitation amounts will be low and not likely to be a major factor in runoff and potential flooding. The warmer weather is cutting into the snowpack left behind by one of the snowiest winters on record. Bismarck's snow depth has fallen to 8 inches, down from 15 inches on Saturday, according to National Weather Service data. The snowmelt is leading to localized flooding. "There is a tremendous amount of snow on the ground over a large part of the Northern Plains, as well as a lot of water locked up in that snow," AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz said, though he added, "In some cases, where temperatures dip below freezing at night, the thaw will be gradual and flooding may be limited." The biggest threat is in the Red River Valley of eastern North Dakota, where officials and residents have been busy filling sandbags this week. No major flooding is expected in the west, due primarily to dry soils resulting from prolonged drought. The National Weather Service has issued numerous warnings in the west for localized flooding, however. The warnings as of midday Wednesday impacted Adams, Bowman, Dunn, Grant, Hettinger, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Mountrail, Morton, Stark, Sioux and Slope counties. "Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring. Numerous roads remain closed due to flooding," forecasters said. Emergency workers in Hebron used heavy equipment to break up an ice jam on a bridge over the Little Knife River. The river level was at the bottom of the bridge at 4 a.m. Wednesday but by midmorning had dropped about 4 feet, according to Assistant Morton County Emergency Manager Joel Rostberg. No homes were in danger. County Road 139 east of Hebron reopened Wednesday. It had been closed from the east side of Hebron to the Interstate 94 on-ramp. Gov. Doug Burgum on Monday declared a statewide emergency for spring flooding, making state resources including the National Guard available to help in any flood fights in coming weeks. The Guard as part of its flood response preparation conducted one-ton sandbag training on Wednesday in the Kimball Bottoms area near the Missouri River south of Bismarck. The Guards Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment will have another round of training on Sunday. The Guard on Wednesday also diverted a Black Hawk to help with local flooding mitigation in the White Earth area, east of Tioga in northwestern North Dakota. The helicopter dropped sandbags to plug a drainage culvert. Expanding our training to two sites is a win-win scenario, said Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, the Guard's adjutant general. In addition to assisting one of our communities, simultaneous missions provides excellent training for our operations personnel commanding and controlling aircraft in multiple locations. We will also gain experience working with community members who fill and stage these large sandbags. Flood resources are available at www.weather.gov/flood. A flood risk identification portal is available at https://ndram.dwr.nd.gov/. The city of Bismarck and Burleigh County have opened four self-fill sandbag sites. Sand and bags are available. People should bring their own shovels and gloves. Sites: Near Cottonwood Park (Santa Fe Avenue and South 12th Street yard waste site) Country West Road (southwest of Cody Drive yard waste site) Missouri Valley Complex -- use the south entrance off Bismarck Expressway and exit on Main Avenue. Misty Waters Boat Ramp Parking Lot -- Misty Waters Drive WARSAW, Poland (AP) Polands new agriculture minister vowed Wednesday to introduce detailed quality controls on the massive inflow of grain from Ukraine transiting through the country, and to ensure its efficient transport abroad. The move follows protests by angry Polish farmers, who say they face bankruptcy because of a glut of cheap Ukrainian grain. Minister Robert Telus faced sharp criticism from lawmakers in parliament, who alleged that trading companies linked to the government were making huge profits from selling cheap, untested Ukrainian produce in Poland, instead of facilitating its transfer to grain-hungry Africa. Telus replaced the previous agriculture minister, Henryk Kowalczyk, who resigned last week just hours before an official visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the visit, the Polish and Ukrainian leaders said they had found a rapid resolution to the "grain problem" but provided no details. Amid the Russian invasion that has blocked traditional export sea passages, the European Union lifted duties on Ukrainian grain to facilitate its transport to Africa and the Middle East. However, it has flooded markets in Poland, Romania and other EU countries that were only supposed to be transit routes. Polish farmer groups staged protests Wednesday at border crossings with Ukraine, but police prevented them from blocking the rail tracks. Dozens of cargo wagons, each containing some 70 tons of grain, enter from Ukraine each day, further increasing farmers' anxiety for the future and for their crops this year. Protesters said the grain transit should be prioritized in the same way as the heavily guarded transshipment of arms to Ukraine, to prevent the grain from flooding the Polish market. Instead, they argued, government-linked companies were allowed to import it as cheap, low-quality grain, and then sell it to bread and pasta plants as high-quality Polish produce. Tomasz Obszanski, of the farmers' Solidarity union said some three million tons of grain intended for Africa "were instead received by traders, once they crossed the border into Poland. Many companies have used this situation to make millions. The leader of the protesting farmers and head of the AgroUnia group, Michal Kolodziejczak, estimated farmers' losses at up to 10 billion zlotys ($2.3 billion). A number of companies linked to the (governing) Law and Justice (party) made huge gains, but ordinary people suffered losses. ... This is absurd, Kolodziejczak said on Radio RMF FM from Hrubieszow, the site of the protest. He called on the government to urgently press the EU to reintroduce customs dues on Ukrainian grain, corn, poultry, eggs and other farm produce. Kolodziejczak also urged parliament to investigate whether the agriculture ministry and government authorities were responsible for having ignored a problem farmers had been warning of since last summer. Prosecutors in the region of eastern Poland bordering Ukraine are investigating allegations that dozens of tons of Ukrainian grain in transit were sold to Polish food plants. Telus and Ukraine's agrarian policy minister, Mykola Solskyi, said they had suspended Ukrainian grain imports to Poland for domestic consumption and would take steps to ensure it only transited to third countries. Kolodziejczak said trains were still unloading in Poland on Wednesday. HOUSTON (AP) Steve Murdock, a former state demographer of Texas who served one year as the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, during which he helped keep the 2010 census on track, has died. He was 75. Murdock died last Friday, according to Rice University in Houston, where he spent nearly a decade until his retirement in 2019. James White opened the Broken Spoke in a much different Austin. It was 1964, and the skyline from his view from a dirt lot on South Lamar Boulevard belied what the city would become. Back then, he thought, the city needed a honky-tonk, so he built one. When he died in 2021, Austin had transformed into another world, albeit one in which his creation was still a beloved institution. On Wednesday evening, April 12, on what would have been White's 84th birthday, the Broken Spoke will be immortalized with a Texas historical marker. At a free event at 5:30 p.m., Alvin Crow and the Pleasant Valley Boys and special musical guests will commemorate the event, which will be attended by Gov. Greg Abbott and his wife Cecilia, Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin City Council Member Ann Kitchen, and other guests. The Broken Spoke is an old Austin standby and legendary dance hall whose stage has been graced by the likes of George Strait, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, and many more country music luminaries. Surviving the COVID-19 pandemic and staying relevant (and open) in a rapidly changing city has been a challenge for the Broken Spoke. The venue also recently became embroiled in controversy after receiving a big publicity bump at the beginning of last year. On New Year's Eve of 2021, Netflix's Queer Eye aired an episode that largely focused on the Broken Spoke. A well-regarded episode upon airing, it featured White's daughter Terri mourning her father and getting a makeover. In the ensuing weeks, though, several outlets reported on backlash against alleged discriminatory behavior at the longtime venue. Both Terri and her sister, proprietor Ginny White, denied allegations of intolerance at the Broken Spoke. "You don't stay in business that long by treating your patrons badly," Ginny told the Austin Chronicle last year. "We have people visit the Broken Spoke from all over the world and they all love it and have a great time in our establishment. We have, and will always, take real claims of discrimination seriously." It's likely to be a packed house at the beloved honky-tonk regardless. The White family will be there, ready to celebrate in what will be a bittersweet moment for the Broken Spoke. "Getting this historic marker on the place is a massive honor for us, and for the Broken Spoke, I just feel sorry that my father in law isn't here to see it," Mike Peacock, who helps run the venue alongside his wife Ginny White, told KVUE. Former Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford will lead a North Dakota Petroleum Council program to recruit Ukrainians and other immigrants for oil field jobs. The Petroleum Council trade group announced Sanford's hire on Tuesday. Sanford resigned effective Jan. 2 after six years as lieutenant governor under Gov. Doug Burgum, citing a desire to return to the private sector. He was mayor of Watford City, in the Bakken oil patch, from 2010-16, and is a former auto dealer. Sanford will be project manager of Bakken Global Recruitment of Oilfield Workers, or GROW, a new initiative to bring workers to the oil field through immigration, focusing initially on Ukrainians. He will be the lead liaison between the council's member companies and immigration recruitment agencies to help bring workers to the Bakken. The Bakken GROW program is a humanitarian mission and a workforce solution. The NDPC staff and membership are excited to begin sharing the hospitality of North Dakota and the tremendous Bakken career opportunities with a wider group of individuals," Sanford said in a statement. Uniting for Ukraine -- an effort to help citizens fleeing the Russian invasion of their country -- is helping recruit immigrants for the GROW program. Displaced Ukrainians need a sponsor before they can come to the U.S. and stay up to two years as part of the "U4U" humanitarian program. The GROW program's first 25 workers from Ukraine will be in North Dakota by July, according to the Petroleum Council. They will receive safety training through the organization's One Basin, One Way! program, with further orientation from their employers. Our member companies have been struggling to find workers within North Dakota and across the country for the last few years, so we felt we needed to create an innovative way to respond to our industrys challenges of finding workers through legal immigration," Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said in a statement. The trade group estimates several thousand job openings in the oil field, according to spokeswoman Reva Kautz. A recent job fair in Williston drew about 50 employers connected to the oil and gas industry, she said. The One Basin, One Way! Program has been training 350 workers weekly. The GROW initiative could be used to reach out to other countries for potential workers after the first group of immigrant workers is successfully placed, according to the Petroleum Council. Ninety-four Ukrainians resettled in North Dakota in 2022, including 42 in the Bismarck area, according to State Refugee Coordinator Holly Triska-Dally. Burgum appointed Tammy Miller, who was chief operating officer for the governor's office, to succeed Sanford as lieutenant governor. Mick Mars, the guitarist for the veteran hair-metal band Motley Crue, filed a lawsuit this week accusing his bandmates of pushing him out of the group and cutting him out of its future profits. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in Superior Court in Los Angeles County, details a falling out that the band had with Mars after he announced in October that he was retiring from touring, citing chronic pain from an inflammatory disease that affects the spine. The rest of the band responded, the suit says, by convening an emergency shareholders meeting of Motley Crues main corporate entity to throw Mars out of the band, fire him as a director of the corporation and take away his shares. The lawsuit says Mars has a 25% stake in each of the bands affiliated business entities. It is beyond sad that, after 41 years together, a band would try to throw out a member who is unable to tour anymore because he has a debilitating disease, said Edwin F. McPherson, Mars lawyer. Mick has been pushed around for far too long in this band, and we are not going to let that continue. Motley Crue formed in Los Angeles in 1981 and became one of the most popular of the so-called hair-metal bands. Mixing glam-rock theatrics, heavy metal riffs and radio-friendly pop hooks, they were fixtures on MTV in the 1980s and, by that decades end, had topped the Billboard 200 chart with their 1989 album, Dr. Feelgood. The bands tell-all memoir, The Dirt, which chronicled their rise to fame and rocky history, was adapted into a Netflix biopic in 2019. Mars, 71, whose real name is Robert Alan Deal, joined Motley Crue shortly after it was founded and, according to the lawsuit, came up with the bands name. He was diagnosed at 27 with ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease that can cause the vertebrae to fuse over time. The disease has caused his spine to seize up and freeze completely solid, the suit says, adding that he is in chronic pain and is not able to move his head in any direction. Last fall, Mars told his bandmates that, because of his debilitating ankylosing spondylitis, he couldnt physically handle the rigors of the road and would no longer tour with the band, the suit says. Mars, who last performed with Motley Crue in Las Vegas on Sept. 9, 2022, said he would still record and perform with the band in a residency situation. After Mars publicly announced the change on Oct. 26, the band issued a separate statement saying that he had retired and that a guitarist named John 5 was replacing him. The other band members Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee called the emergency shareholders meeting, where they sought to fire Mars from seven band-affiliated corporations and limited-liability corporations, the lawsuit says. Those entities Motley Crue Inc.; Motley Crue Touring Inc.; Red, White and Crue Inc.; Masters 2000 Inc.; Cruefest LLC; Motley Records LLC; and Masters 2008 LLC are listed as defendants in the lawsuit, which demands that Mars be allowed to review the bands business records. He is also seeking reimbursement for his legal fees. Mars claims in his lawsuit that the band also demanded that he sign an agreement that his share of future touring profits and sales of merchandise featuring the bands name and logo be reduced to 5% from 25%, and that he receive no income from sales of merchandise that named or depicted his replacement in the band. Sasha Frid, a lawyer for the band, said the lawsuit was unfortunate and completely off base. He said that Mars and other band members signed an agreement in 2008 that nobody would receive money from performances if they resigned. Despite the fact that the band did not owe Mick anything and with Mick owing the band millions in advances that he did not pay back the band offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band, Frid said in an emailed statement. Manipulated by his manager and lawyer, Mick refused and chose to file this ugly public lawsuit. The lawsuit sheds light on the bands tumultuous personal relationships, accusing Sixx, Motley Crues bassist, of making decisions on the bands behalf without consulting his bandmates. Sixx also gaslighted Mars in recent years, the suit says, telling him that his guitar playing was subpar, that he often played the wrong chords onstage and that he had some sort of cognitive dysfunction. Frid provided The New York Times with signed declarations from seven members of the bands crew, including the bands production manager, who said Mars performance on Motley Crues 2022 stadium tour was by far the worst I have ever seen in my years with the band. Motley Crue always performs its songs live, but during the last tour Mick struggled to remember chords, played the wrong songs and made constant mistakes which led to his departure from the band, Frid said. The band did everything to protect him, tried to keep these matters private to honor Micks legacy and take the high road. In his lawsuit, Mars acknowledged occasionally playing the wrong chords on tour, but said it was because of a faulty in-ear monitor that made him unable to hear his guitar. Instead, he accused the other band members, including Sixx, of miming to recordings onstage. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A San Antonio woman traveled to Laredo to pick up a migrant who was concealed inside a subwoofer box, according to an arrest affidavit. Jackeline Palomo was arrested on the charges of transport, attempt to transport the migrants. A silver 2017 Chevrolet Spark driven by Palomo arrived at the Interstate 35 checkpoint on April 5. Asked about her destination, Palomo did not respond and continued to drive as if she was released. An agent yelled at her stop. When an agent asked her again where she was going, she stated, Oh, San Antonio. A K-9 unit alerted to possible contraband within the vehicle. Palomo then allowed agents to search the trunk. Agents opened the trunk and noticed a subwoofer speaker box. Agents then referred Palomo to secondary inspection. Agents then discovered a female hidden inside the subwoofer speaker box with no means of escape. The female was determined to be a migrant from Mexico. In a post-arrest interview, Palomo stated that she lives in San Antonio and drove to Laredo to meet with a man whom she had met before at a gas station on Chihuahua Street. He told Palomo she could make money transporting migrants past the checkpoint. She stated that the man picked her up and took her to a compact car near the Chacon area. Palomo stated he instructed her to drive to South Park Mall in San Antonio. Palomo stated her trip to Laredo was for the purpose of transporting (migrants) past the immigration checkpoint. Palomo stated she knew there was a person inside the vehicle but did not know where, states the affidavit. Palomo added she was going to get paid $1,000 to smuggle the migrant, according to court documents. FORT WORTH, Texas Police and members of TEXSAR, a search and rescue group, have new leads Tuesday in the search for the body of Everman 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez, who hasnt been seen since November but was not reported missing until March. Noel was last seen in the weeks after his mother, Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, gave birth to twin girls in October, according to police. Noel was present for the births and appeared malnourished and unhealthy around that time, witnesses told police. Rodriguez-Singh made statements that she thought Noel was evil and possessed by a demon and that she was afraid he might harm his baby sisters, according to police interviews with witnesses. New leads provided by human remains detection dogs that alerted to multiple areas in the familys back yard led investigators to believe Noels body may have been kept around the yard and at one point possibly buried there or concealed in a large carpet that was thrown away hours before the family fled the country on an international flight. Authorities said in a Tuesday news release that the new leads have been found with the help of detection dogs provided by TEXSAR. Based on where the dogs alerted, police believe Noels body may have at some point been inside a make-shift shed that stood where an unpermitted and suspicious concrete patio was built about a month ago. Forensic anthropologists from the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office were called to the residence, in the 3700 block of Wisteria Drive, to assist with the dig after the cadaver dogs alerted to the topsoil under the concrete. The dogs first alerted to a large indoor-outdoor carpet that investigators recovered after it was thrown in a dumpster by Noels stepfather, Arshdeep Singh, the evening before he and Rodriguez-Singh fled the country with six children on a Turkish Airways flight bound for Istanbul, police said in the news release. The family is confirmed to have boarded a connecting flight in Istanbul to India, where Singh is from. The carpet was at one point used as the base floor for the shed that stood where the patio was later built by a contractor paid by Rodriguez-Singh, according to police. Investigators removed part of the concrete about two weeks ago in an area where radar detected an anomaly, and later got a warrant to remove the whole patio. Authorities began digging up the entire patio Monday in a search that ended early Tuesday without locating Noels remains, police said. The dogs did not alert to dirt deeper than the top layer. Police also began Monday searching wooded areas to the north and east of the home. Nothing in particular led investigators to search those areas except for their proximity to the house, according to the Tuesday news release. Canines and first responders searched along with trained volunteers from Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR), who searched on foot, on horseback and with drones. Everman police said that after a 20-hour work day Monday, search teams were taking time off Tuesday while investigators continue working to determine more specific areas to search. Police said city crews were working Tuesday to clear debris created by the search from the back yard and will begin the process of working with a registered contractor to replace the patio with proper permits and plans. Police have previously said the man who owns the home, Charles Parson, has been cooperative with authorities. Parson told the Star-Telegram on March 28 that he welcomed Rodriguez-Singh into his home nearly 10 years ago when he saw her sleeping in a car out in front of his house. He had two spare bedrooms and told her she and the children could stay there as long as they needed. They stayed until police said they fled the country, even installing a large air-conditioned, one-room shed in the back yard to expand living space. The larger shed where the family was living was not the same shed that stood where the patio was built. Everman Police Chief Craig Spencer has described Parson as a generous and kind person who is not suspected of any involvement in the disappearance or death of Noel. Community mourns Noel at vigil Spencer said at a candlelight vigil Monday night that as police have learned more through the investigation, its left him more and more angry or more confused. Although Noels remains have not been found, police announced on Friday that Noel is presumed to be dead based on the evidence. Mondays vigil at the Everman Civic Center drew hundreds of people, including faith leaders and law enforcement. They shared messages of grief at the loss of life, outrage at what investigations have uncovered about how Noel was treated and how hope could be found in community and prayer. The crowd gathered around a stage set up behind the civic center, holding tea candles in transparent plastic cups or other candles theyd brought from home. Some brought prayer candles to set in front of the stage. Spencer said it was important to remember what the event was all about. Tonights not about mom, its not about stepdad, its not about anything to do with the case, Spencer told the gathering. Tonights about Noel. ... Tonight, we honor him by finding ways to stop these tremendously horrible acts that go on. Investigation and warrants Around November, the mother began telling various stories to friends and relatives to explain Noels disappearance, police said. Through interviews, cellphone geolocation and other means, investigators have been able to disprove each of those stories, which included Rodriguez-Singh claiming that Noel was with his biological father in Mexico or that she had sold him to a woman in a Fiesta Mart grocery store parking lot, Spencer said. Investigators also learned that Rodriguez-Singh asked to borrow a friends child to pose as Noel at one of his medical appointments so she could try to keep receiving government benefits for the boy, Spencer said. Investigators learned that Noel, who had serious disabilities including a lung condition, was last seen by a speech therapist in July and missed other doctors appointments around that time. Witnesses also told police that Noels mom abused the boy and withheld food and water from him because she didnt want to change his dirty diapers. In one incident referenced in a search warrant, Rodriguez-Singhs brother said that she hit Noel in the face with her car keys because the child drank water when she didnt want him to. Authorities have issued warrants for the arrest of Rodriguez-Singh and her husband, Arshdeep Singh, on felony charges of abandoning and endangering a child. Authorities said they are trying to extradite the couple from India, where they fled in March, days after police began investigating an anonymous tip that Noel had been missing since November. Police have not released any updates on whether or not the extradition request to the Indian government has been approved or how long they expect an extradition to take. Ken Branca A man is hospitalized after a shooting brought him to a Whataburger on the Westside of San Antonio just before 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Police said the man was allegedly sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot of his apartment complex when a man in a mask came up and shot him. Afterword, the man drove himself to a Whataburger, located on Marbach Road near Interstate 410, where he was reportedly picked up by a friend in a white pickup truck, according to officials with the San Antonio Police Department. Courtesy of the Castro County Sheriff's Office One person is in a Lubbock hospital after they were injured in a fire from a dairy farm explosion Monday evening, April 10, but officials are saying the amount of cows killed in the fire are possibly in the thousands. Initial reports say around 18,000 dairy cows were killed at the Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt, Amarillo station KFDA reports. The fire from the explosion spread to the the dairy building and into the holding pens where the cows were kept. The Animal Welfare Institute told KFDA that this may be the deadliest barn fire involving cattle since the organization started tracking barn fires in 2013. The days of making sure your pencil marks stay neatly within the lines are over. This year, almost all Texas students will exercise their skills on the STAAR Test online, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The test's official online home comes after the Texas Legislature enacted a bill in 2021, which requires state testing to be administered online for this school year, according to a TEA fact sheet. In conjunction with the law, the state moved to redesign the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for the 2022-23 school year. However, those taking the STAAR Alternative 2 assessment will not take it online. What's different about the STAAR Test this year? After introducing standalone writing assignments for fourth and seventh graders for the 2021-2022 school year, the new test will eliminate that particular element and will add evidence-based writing to the reading and language arts portion of the test for those in third through eighth grade. The test will also add more non-multiple choice questions to pick up on questions asked in the classroom. CW 39 in Houston reported that no more than 75% of points can come from multiple choice questions. A redesign trailer posted by TEA shows new question types such as diagrams and map selections. What's the benefit of the STAAR Test going online? The online environment allows students to receive testing accommodations similar to those they get in a classroom setting. Having the test online will also allow for faster tester results so educators can make adjustments to their accelerated learning plans based on testing outcomes. Educators can start seeing preliminary results for certain exam subjects in certain grades on May 12. When do students take the STAAR Test? Students in third through eighth grade will start taking the STAAR Test on April 18 through April 28 with reading and language arts. Science, social studies take place April 25 through May 5 followed by mathematics on May 2 through May 12. For more information on the online STAAR Test or practice materials visit tea.texas.gov. Mitchell Layton/Getty Images A Texas YouTube comedian and prankster has gone on to taunt the Houston Police Department after he found out that police put out a warrant for his arrest. The YouTuber known as JiDion tweeted Monday, April 10, that he received a call that Houston police put out a warrant for his arrest with the crying face emoji. Harris County records confirm that a warrant was issued for trespassing against the YouTube star with 6.9 million subscribers whose real name is Jidon Adams. When someone told the YouTuber not to return to Houston he replied, "That's where I live." AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images With the one-year anniversary of the Robb Elementary School shooting coming up, parents of survivors of the school shooting in Uvalde are working toward making sure their children are far away from the small Texas town on May 24. A new GoFundMe is allowing for Texans and supporters from around the world to help make that happen. A fundraiser titled Robb survivors from room 112 trip to Disneyland went up on the website Monday, April 10, organized by Abigale Veloz, an effort spearheaded by parents of students who survived the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers. Brandon Bell/Getty Images As the city of San Antonio grows, so does the need for more housing options. In an effort to address some of those needs the Department of Neighborhood and Housing Services has launched the Housing Base website to help residents find affordable rentals in San Antonio, according to a city news release. The website, which went live at 8 a.m. Monday, April 10, allows residents to create a profile and have options presented to them based on their individual needs. Through the program, which aligns with the city's Strategic Housing Implementation Plan, social workers can help people search for homes and recommend the most cost effective choices. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Bird Song of the Day Canyon Towhee, San Juan Wash, south side of the Black Hills, Pima, Arizona, United States. Complex song, blending into normal song later in the cut, from a bird moving at mid-height in a dense bush. * * * Politics So many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital. Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles 2024 Trumps ability to get away with shooting somebody in the middle of 5th Ave is likely waning [Boing Boing]. Trumps popularity is falling apart. While he might be able to win a Republican primary, it seems highly unlikely that the indicted fraudster, who is also on trial for rape, could win a general election. Never count the Orange Menace out, however, because Lindsay Graham and Don Jr are still pulling for him. Thats the lead. Then again Trump Leads DeSantis In Our 2024 Republican Primary Polling Average [FiveThirtyEight]. Today, FiveThirtyEight is launching our national polling average for the 2024 Republican presidential primary. It shows former President Donald Trump receiving 49.3 percent of the national vote and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (who has not officially entered the race) receiving 26.2 percent. Former Vice President Mike Pence, another potential candidate, is at 5.8 percent, while declared candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is at 4.3 percent. Trump says hed never drop out of 2024 race, even if convicted [Axios]. Former President Trump made clear Tuesday evening he wont drop out of the 2024 presidential race if convicted of charges related to a 2016 illegal hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Fox News host Tucker Carlson asked Trump if theres anything legal that could make the 2024 Republican presidential candidate drop out of the race. No, Id never drop out, Trump said. Thats not my thing. I wouldnt do it, he added. I should probably have gone to find a transcript, since Trump is very often misquoted. That said, IIRC the Daniels payment was not legal, but that doesnt mean Trump did anything illegal. DA Alvin Braggs one-time rival explains why he was 100 percent right to leave a gaping hole in Trumps indictment [Insider]. Braggs approach appears to be a deliberate strategy to choose among four different secondary crimes later on. A 30-year veteran of the DAs office told Insider that Bragg will lay the specifics out in a so-called bill of particulars down the road. So we werent looking at an indictment, but a meta-indictment; a piece of sandbagging. Correct me if Im wrong here, but under our system of justice, doesnt the defendant get a chance to prepare? Tim Scott is the most intriguing GOP presidential hopeful most Republicans havent heard of [Insider]. National attention is transfixed on former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. A protracted and ugly clash between the two men appears inevitable, even though DeSantis isnt expected to announce until at least May. If the fallout scars both men, an opening could easily emerge for a third hopeful. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is strongly positioned to capitalize. Scott, like DeSantis, has yet to formally announce a campaign, though he established an exploratory committee on Wednesday. Scott could very well end up being the only GOP senator to enter the field after Sen. Tom Cotton demured, and neither Sens. Ted Cruz nor Marco Rubio seem likely to launch a second presidential run Scotts most compelling case might just be his campaigns bank account. Having easily won reelection, he started the year with over $20 million at the ready. In comparison, Sen. Elizabeth Warren used $10.4 million to help seed her Democratic presidential run in 2019. The South Carolinian is also well positioned if the Republican National Committee imposes grassroots donor thresholds for official primary debates. Axios reported in late January that the RNC is considering using the same tactic that Democrats used to winnow their debate field in 2019. Plus hes Black, which would totally own the libs. Democrats en Deshabille Patient readers, it seems that people are actually reading the back-dated post! But I have not updated it, and there are many updates. So I will have to do that. lambert I have moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Party (the Democrat Party is a rotting corpse that cant bury itself) to a separate, back-dated post, to which I will periodically add material, summarizing the addition here in a live Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It turns out that defining the Democrat Party is, in fact, a hard problem. I do think the paragraph that follows is on point all the way back to 2016, if not before: The Democrat Party is the political expression of the class power of PMC, their base (lucidly explained by Thomas Frank in Listen, Liberal!). It follows that the Democrat Party is as unreformable as the PMC is unreformable ; if the Democrat Party did not exist, the PMC would have to invent it. If the Democrat Party fails to govern, thats because the PMC lacks the capability to govern . (PMC modulo class expatriates, of course.) Second, all the working parts of the Party reinforce each other. Leave aside characterizing the relationships between elements of the Party (ka-ching, but not entirely) those elements comprise a network a Flex Net? An iron octagon? of funders, vendors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with assets in the press and the intelligence community. Note, of course, that the class power of the PMC both expresses and is limited by other classes; oligarchs and American gentry (see industrial model of Ferguson, Jorgensen, and Jie) and the working class spring to mind. Suck up, kick down. * * * CA: Aspen Vacation Home of Dianne Feinstein and Her Late Husband Sells for $25.25 Million [Wall Street Journal]. The longtime Colorado vacation home of Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her late husband, Richard C. Blum, has sold for $25.25 million, according to property records. Mr. Blum, founder of the San Francisco-based investment firm Blum Capital Partners, and Mrs. Feinstein married in 1980, when she was mayor of San Francisco. A trust led by Mr. Blum paid $1.975 million for the Aspen-area land in 1996, records show, and the home was completed in 1998. The couple hosted events, foreign-policy experts and others at Bear Paw Ranch over the years. Mr. Blum was a longtime skier with a strong interest in Tibetan Buddhism, and filled the home with Tibetan and Nepali Buddhist artifacts. TN: Reinstated Tennessee lawmaker Justin Jones says hell continue to call for gun reform [CNN]. After being sworn back into the Tennessee House of Representatives, a lawmaker who was expelled just days ago over a gun control demonstration on the chamber floor said hell continue to call for gun reform. The first thing I do when I walk into this building as a representative is to continue that call for commonsense gun legislation licensing guns, like cars? With Gun Ed, like cars? TN: Justin Pearson and Justin Jones Have a History of Breaking the Status Quo, Even With Clothing [Vogue]. But in many ways Jones and Pearson were already bucking against the so-called status quo of the Republican-controlled chambersin part through their sartorial choices, which have included Afros, pristine white suits, and dashikis (a colorful patterned garment, which originated in West Africa, for both formal and informal occasions). If President Barack Obama became a target of Republican-led attacks and vitriol by donning a tan suit, imagine the chatter a white one would have elicited? Or a dashiki?. Jones, who is of Filipino and Black descent, delivered a nearly 20-minute defense before the vote took place, calling the affair a lynch mob assembledto not lynch me but our democratic process. He immediately stood out in the sea of drab-colored suits and closely cropped haircuts through his white suit, hoop earring, and long curls that were loosely pulled back into a ponytail. Ditto Pearson. The 29-year-old lawmaker has a big, combed-out Afro and wore a black-and-white dashiki over his crisp white button-down and tie, with a navy blazer worn over the ensemble. Here were two men of color tinkering with the standard politicians uniform and transforming it into something decidedly more personal and attuned to who they are. It felt even more poignant that it was taking place while being ousted from the very space they were attempting to change. Hmm. Realignment and Legitimacy See the fastest growing (and shrinking) U.S. states [Axios]. Idaho, Montana and Florida saw the highest population growth among U.S. states between 2020-2022, per new U.S. Census Bureau data, while New York, Illinois and Louisiana suffered the most shrinkage. The past few years have been especially turbulent for population trends, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting birth and death rates, interstate and international migration, and more. Some of the fastest growing areas were looking at you, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico are also some of the most vulnerable to the ongoing effects of climate change, like drought and a dwindling water supply. The bottom line: Itll take a few more years for the effects of the pandemic to fully shake out, but theres never been a more fascinating time to look at data like this. Handy map: #COVID19 I am in earnest I will not equivocate I will not excuse I will not retreat a single inch AND I WILL BE HEARD. William Lloyd Garrison Resources, United States (National): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot; includes many counties); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); Iowa COVID-19 Tracker (in IA, but national data). Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. We are now up to 50/50 states (100%). This is really great! (It occurs to me that there are uses to which this data might be put, beyond helping people with personal risk assessments appropriate to their state. For example, thinking pessimistically, we might maintain the list and see which states go dark and when. We might also tabulate the properties of each site and look for differences and commonalities, for example the use of GIS (an exercise in Federalism). I do not that CA remains a little sketchy; it feels a little odd that theres no statewide site, but Ive never been able to find one. Also, my working assumption was that each state would have one site. Thats turned out not to be true; see e.g. ID. Trivially, it means I need to punctuate this list properly. Less trivially, there may be more local sites that should be added. NY city in NY state springs to mind, but Im sure there are others. FL also springs to mind as a special case, because DeSantis will most probably be a Presidental candidate, and IIRC there was some foofra about their state dashboard. Thanks again! Resources, United States (Local): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater reports); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur dAlene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard); NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard); PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (dashboard); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV ( wastewater ); WY ( wastewater ). Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (Government of Canada). Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usees); BC, Vancouver (wastewater). Hat tips to helpful readers: Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (9), JW, KatieBird, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, otisyves, Petal (5), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Utah, Bob White (3). * * * Maskstravaganza On nasal vaccines: Theyve taught us groomed us not to care about one another not to even be awake to our own health Dr Noor Bari (@NjbBari3) April 8, 2023 Sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection weakens immune-cell response to vaccination [NIH]. The researchers found that vaccination of people who had never been infected with SARS-CoV-2 induced robust CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses to the virus spike protein. In addition, these T cells produced multiple types of cell-signaling molecules called cytokines, which recruit other immune cellsincluding antibody-producing B cellsto fight pathogens. However, people who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 prior to vaccination produced spike-specific CD8+ T cells at considerably lower levelsand with less functionalitythan vaccinated people who had never been infected. Moreover, the researchers observed substantially lower levels of spike-specific CD8+ T cells in unvaccinated people with COVID-19 than in vaccinated people who had never been infected. Taken together, the investigators write, these findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection damages the CD8+ T cell response, an effect akin to that observed in earlier studies showing long-term damage to the immune system after infection with viruses such as hepatitis C or HIV. The new findings highlight the need to develop vaccination strategies to specifically boost antiviral CD8+ T cell responses in people previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the researchers conclude. I am not knowledgeable enough to say that this means Leonardi was right about T cells. Perhaps readers more expert than I can comment. Going long: Viruses linger with lasting impact [Fred Hutch Cancer Center]. NIH scientists are currently examining the similarities between long COVID and other post-viral fatigue ailments such as long-neglected ME/CFS. Fred Hutch infectious disease expert Steve Pergam, MD, MPH, called the long-term consequences of infections a really intriguing space. I would argue that its not just viruses, he said, pointing to a recent review of unexplained post-acute infection syndromes by Yale immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, and colleagues. Published in the journal Nature, the authors said (emphasis added), the relatively similar symptom profiles of individual post-acute infection syndromes, irrespective of the infectious agent , as well as the overlap of clinical features with ME/CFS, suggest the potential involvement of a common etiopathogenesis. In other words, its not just COVID that goes long. It may be a number of different pathways to infection in general that can lead to chronic complications, Pergam said. A classic example is something like the gastrointestinal bacteria campylobacter which has been associated with rheumatologic problems. These infections can set off a pathway toward autoimmunity and other complications. It depends on the illness and the severity of the illness on whether it lingers or theres ongoing issues. Some of it, Pergam said, is related to our immunity and how we respond to organisms. And some of it is the pathogen itself. Origins Debate Congressional memo: Virologists drafted article against the lab leak theory on behalf of Wellcome Trust, NIH [US Right to Know]. A March 2020 paper in Nature Medicine titled The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2 assured the public that the virus genome demonstrated an origin in wildlife. Hundreds of news organizations cited the article to assert that the lab leak theory was a conspiracy theory. But the new congressional memo shows that the lead author of the article told the scientific journal that the writing had been prompted by then-Wellcome Trust Director Jeremy Farrar, leader of NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, and NIH Director Francis Collins. The virologists met with Farrar, Fauci and Collins in a private teleconference on February 1, 2020, emails released under the Freedom of Information Act have shown a meeting some scientists have criticized as improper. There has been a lot of speculation, fear mongering, and conspiracies put forward in this space, acknowledged lead author Kristian Andersen in a February 12 email, according to the new memo. And: The involvement of Collins, Fauci and Farrar in the article was not disclosed until it was made apparent in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in June 2021, 15 months after the article had first made its enormous impact. The virologists have given shifting explanations of the purpose of the article, the new memo also shows. When hoping to demonstrate their integrity to the journal, Andersen said discussion of the evidence had been agnostic. However when speaking to gain-of-function virologists who did not want to give credence to the possibility of a lab origin at all, the authors assured them that their purpose was to demonstrate the lab leak theory was outlandish from the jump. The problem I have here is that The wicked flee when no man pursueth (Proverbs 28:1). Guilty behavior is not guilt; if I were these guys, Id want to slam the door too, regardless of (Yes, we already know virology funding is a cesspit; see Vanity Fair, of all places. But that tells us nothing of origins.) Elite Malfeasance Disinformation (1): Phys. orghttps://t.co/Nd6EZubbYt Jonathan Mesiano-Crookston #COVIDisAirborne (@jmcrookston) June 24, 2022 A long thread full of useful links, for those who need ammo. Disinformation (2): Theyve taught us groomed us not to care about one another not to even be awake to our own health Dr Noor Bari (@NjbBari3) April 8, 2023 Hospital Infection Control is at it again: Wow! Those are a lot of covid infections from healthcare settings. Over 100,000 hais in 2023 alone from the @PeoplesCDC weekly weather report. https://t.co/GzgcciHcCQ #KeepMasksInHealthCare pic.twitter.com/aKqtvP8VV8 Andrew W a n g, PhD, MPH, CPH (@AWangMPH) April 11, 2023 * * * Looks like leveling off to a high plateau across the board. (I still think Something Awful is coming, however. I mean, besides what we already know about.) Stay safe out there! Case Data NOT UPDATED BioBot wastewater data from April 10: For now, Im going to use this national wastewater data as the best proxy for case data (ignoring the clinical case data portion of this chart, which in my view goes bad after March 2022, for reasons as yet unexplained). At least we can spot trends, and compare current levels to equivalent past levels. Covid Emergency Room Visits From CDC NCIRD Surveillance, from April 8: NOTE Charts and data provided by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the past year, using a rolling 52-week period. So not the entire pandemic, FFS (the implicit message here being that Covid is just like the flu, which is why the seasonal rolling 52-week period is appropriate for both MR SUBLIMINAL I hate these people so much . Anyhow, I added a grey Fauci line just to show that Covid wasnt over when they started saying it was, and its not over now. Notice also that this chart shows, at least for its time period, that Covid is not seasonal, even though CDC is trying to get us to believe that it is, presumably so they can piggyback on the existing institutional apparatus for injections. Positivity NOT UPDATED From the Walgreens test positivity tracker, published April 11: -1.8%. Below the low point of the previous valley. Lambert here: Walgreens always updates. If theyre shutting it down, Ill be disappointed Deaths Death rate (Our World in Data): Total: 1,157,194 1,157,022 = 172 (172 * 365 = 62,780 deaths per year, todays YouGenicist number for living with Covid (quite a bit higher than the minimizers would like, though they can talk themselves into anything. If the YouGenicist metric keeps chugging along like this, I may just have to decide this is what the powers-that-be consider mission accomplished for this particular tranche of death and disease). Lambert here: 172 again. I hate that. Excess Deaths NOT UPDATED Excess deaths (The Economist), published April 2: Lambert here: Big jump from the last reading in the Central Estimate. Lambert here: Based on a machine-learning model. Looks like a data issue, to me. Im not sure how often this updates, and if it doesnt, Ill remove it. (The CDC has an excess estimate too, but since it ran forever with a massive typo in the Legend, I figured nobody was really looking at it, so I got rid it. COVID-19 a leading cause of death in children and young people in the US [Imperial College London]. Analysis of US health data highlights COVID-19 was a leading cause of death in children and young people, ranking 8th overall. COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death for more than 940,000 people in the US, including over 1,300 deaths among children and young people aged 019 years. These are the findings of a new study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford, and including researchers from the Department of Mathematics and MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London, which published in the journal JAMA Network Open. Stats Watch Inflation: United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) [Trading Economics]. The consumer price index in the United States rose 5.0 percent from a year earlier to 301.836 points in March 2023, easing from a 6.0 percent advance the month before and missing market expectations forecasts of a 5.2 percent increase to 302.254 points. The headline inflation eased for a ninth consecutive month to the lowest level since May 2021, led by a sharp decline in the cost of energy. * * * Tech: Twitter Inc. No Longer Exists As Elon Musk Inches Closer To X Everything App Ambitions [Forbes]. Twitter Inc. no longer exists and the company is now a part of X Corp., according to an April 4 filing in California federal court. Musk pointed to the fairly obscurely located filing in an early Tuesday tweet, which simply read, X. . Musk has indicated he hopes to transform Twitter/X into a wide-ranging service akin to Chinas WeChat, telling a Morgan Stanley conference last month he wants his app to become the biggest financial institution in the world. Musk said at the time he wanted X to become a peer-to-peer mobile payment platform where users can earn interest on their cash like at a bank, previously suggesting he wants his app to include a glut of services including ride-hailing and food delivery. I can say with confidence that we at NC would be happy to see a competitor to PayPal, even if this is a little self-serving. The Bezzle: Bitcoin Rally Continues, Gaining More Than 80% This Year [New York Times]. Maybe I have to recategorize Bitcoin. After all, theres always a market for fraud. The Bezzle: Hey look, unicorns are rare again! [TechCrunch]. Investors are no longer minting nearly two unicorns per day. In fact, were down to barely more than one new mythical horned horse per week. Welcome to the new venture normal, where it seems stories of previously well-funded startups imploding will be more common than news of mega-rounds. Declining valuations at tech companies big and small and the dearth of capital are together creating a parched startup landscape. Thats a damn shame. * * * Todays Fear & Greed Index: 65 Greed (previous close: 59 Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 55 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Apr 12 at 1:52 PM ET. Police State Watch New Yorks mayor wants you to know how much he loves police robots [TechCrunch]. Kill them with fire.l Class Warfare Southern California ports reopen. Shutdown highlights high-stakes contract talks [Los Angeles Times]. Southern California dockworkers returned to the job Friday night, ending an approximately 24-hour shutdown at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports a crucial entry point for imports arriving from Asia. The temporary closure has exacerbated fears about a logistics infrastructure that has never fully recalibrated since the COVID-19 pandemic delays and has shone a stark, national spotlight on the high-stakes labor negotiations playing out at the ports. This is quite clearly a wake-up call to the ports operators, said Harley Shaiken, a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley who specializes in labor issues. This process hasnt just been slow, its been inching along with very high stakes in the balance. Because their members can shut down ports all along the West Coast, Shaiken said, the longshore union has unequaled power.' Moar robots! The actor, the hairstylist and the eye surgeon: Drugs and death in a Malibu beach house [Los Angeles Times]. News of the Wired Dang. Not wired again! * * * Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From MR: MR writes: Wildflowers planted from a can by someone with a green thumb (summer 2022). More like this please! * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals: Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated: If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you! U.S. Sen. John Hoeven this week traveled to South Korea, where he met with government, military and agriculture leaders. His office said the goal was to strengthen military and agriculture trade ties with the country that borders U.S. adversary North Korea. Hoeven, R-N.D., is a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for funding U.S. military forces. He's also a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. South Korea is the sixth-largest market for U.S. products, according to Hoeven's office. The senator is now traveling to Taiwan, where he will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, members of the National Security Council and agriculture trade representatives. Hoeven also traveled to South Korea in 2011. Yves here. I must confess to being fond of shaggy dog Resisting the bureaucracy by exercising your rights stories. Here, there is a real point to this exercise, since for the unbanked, paying for taxes using currency saves all sort of fees (although there is a tax on time). I can imagine that other organizations, like hospitals, go on tilt if you try to settle up in cash. Readers? By Jay L. Zagorsky, Clinical Associate Professor, Boston University. Originally published at The Conversation About two-thirds of all U.S. residents who file federal income taxes typically get a refund. Unfortunately, this year I am among the other third who owe the Internal Revenue Service money. So I tried something Ive never done before and few people do: I wanted to pay my tax bill in cash that is, with real paper currency. In our nearly cashless society, this might sound like a hassle. Why Pay Taxes in Cash For one thing, Im an economist writing a book explaining the advantages of using cash, and I was simply curious what might happen. But beyond my own book-related interest in paying taxes in cash, I had other reasons for wanting to do so. For years while teaching students about money, I noted the front of every piece of U.S. currency declares: This note is legal tender for all debts public and private. The statement seemed ironic since I couldnt figure out how to pay income taxes, one of peoples most significant public debts, with currency. I also wondered how difficult it is for the unbanked to pay taxes. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data shows about 6 million households have no connection to the formal banking system. The IRS does not publish data on the methods people use to pay their taxes, but several IRS employees I spoke with told me almost no one pays the IRS in cash. How to Pay in Cash The IRS certainly doesnt make it easy to do so. Recently, a student of mine pointed out where the instructions for paying the government with paper money are buried, so I gave it a try. The five-step set of instructions hinted that paying cash directly is a time-consuming process and that I needed to start a month or two before taxes are due. Following the instructions, I completed my taxes early and learned I owed a bit more than US$1,000. Then I called on the phone to schedule a face-to-face appointment with the IRS to see when and where I could pay. The operator, who told me her name was Ms. Johnson, was cheerful and helpful but tried her very best to dissuade me from paying in cash. She offered to walk me through the steps on the phone so that I could pay online and not have to come into my local IRS office. Alternative Ways to Pay In Cash For example, the IRS suggests cash payers can Buy a prepaid credit card and pay online. This sounds easy but turns out to be costly. For example, Walmart, one of the largest U.S. retailers, offers a reloadable basic debit card. The card costs $1 to buy, $6 per month in fees and $3 to load with cash. Once the card is loaded with money, the businesses the IRS uses to accept debit card payments chargearound $2.50 for each payment, with payments limited to two per year. The IRS also has partnered with national chains like CVS, Walgreens, 7-Eleven and Family Dollar to accept cash on its behalf. Their service fees are less, either $1.50 or $2.50 per payment. However, the steps needed to navigate the online program before you can show up at a retailer seemed almost as difficult as filling in the tax forms. More importantly, this program has a $500 per payment limit and a $1,000 maximum amount accepted per year. This made the method impractical for me and for most people who owe the IRS money. The latest IRS figures show people who owe income taxes on average pay over $6,000. Or, I could use a credit or debit card, but these methods charged around 2.5% more for the convenience. After I declined all of Ms. Johnsons alternative payment offers, she told me I was lucky. There was an appointment available at the downtown Boston taxpayer assistance center in a few days. Her schedule showed many other centers around the country were booked until May, long after taxes were due. An Arduous Process but a Successful One I had cash at home, but not enough. I went to the bank and made sure I got exact change in crisp new bills to make the transaction as easy as possible. My goal was not to cause pain like the Virginia man who used 300,000 coins to pay his motor vehicle bill or the California man who pushed in wheelbarrows filled with $1 coins to pay his $13,000 property tax bill. Nor was I interested in recreating the famous but fictional British case of Board of Inland Revenue v. Haddock, in which Haddock tried paying his tax bill by writing a check on the side of a cow. Although it never happened, the case is still cited in legal circles. I made it to the IRS building, went through airport-style screening and checked in on time. The receptionist was polite and again told me all the ways to pay without cash. After I declined, he asked me to take a seat in the waiting area filled with people clutching paperwork. As I walked away, the receptionist did a facepalm while shaking his head, which was not a positive sign. After a 30-minute wait, another polite IRS worker came out and told me they could not accept cash that day because no courier was scheduled. Current IRS rules require that a courier take all cash immediately to the bank because they said holding cash was not safe. This is surprising given the federal office building was swarming with armed guards and required screening to enter. I came back a week later when another cash payer was showing up. This time I had more success. It took 30 minutes, but after completing a multipart carbon form by hand, I got a receipt that said my taxes were paid. A Simple Solution Paying the IRS with cash is possible, but it turned out to be onerous and time-consuming. I believe there is a simple solution. The Code of Federal Regulations, which governs the IRS and other agencies, allows authorized banks to accept tax payments. The law doesnt specify payment only by check or other methods. This means if procedures existed, taxpayers could walk into major banks, hand the teller cash and have the bank inform the IRS of the amount paid. For people without bank accounts, their only option for paying taxes shouldnt require paying fees to credit card processors or retailers especially since they are likely among the poorest taxpayers. If the government wants everyone to pay their taxes, why doesnt it make it as easy as possible? Yves here. James Galbraith politely and methodically questions some of the economic logic used to claim that the Western sanctions have done serious, lasting damage to Russia. As we and others have pointed out, readers in Russia and contacts who have even more connections to Russia say that stores are full and commerce goes on more or less as normal, with supply issues only in a few sectors like car parts. Galbraith does not resort to anecdata, but instead points out that many of the dire claims about Russias performance are either not substantiated or draw incorrect inferences from data. He contends that while it is too early to tell, the sanctions may well have been beneficial to Russia by forcing reforms and restructurings (such as buying out foreign operations on the super cheap and having largely-looting oligarchs decamp) that would have been impossible otherwise. Weve published Galbraiths short essay below. We strongly urge you to read his underlying, very accessible paper, which sadly is too large a file format to embed here. By James K. Galbraith, Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. Chair in Government and Business Relations, University of Texas at Austin. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website Most assessments of the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia, with some exceptions, hold them to have been highly effective. My new INET Working Paper analyzes a few prominent Western assessments, both official and private, of the effect of sanctions on the Russian economy and war effort. It seeks to understand the goals of sanctions and bases of fact and causal inference that underpin the consensus view. Such understanding may then help to clarify the relationship between claims made by Western economist-observers and those emerging from Russian sources notably from economists associated with the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). As we shall see, Russian views parallel those in the West on many matters of fact yet reach sharply different conclusions. In the most important private assessment of sanctions, Sonnenfeld et al present a stark, even lurid, case for the devastating effect of sanctions, of business retreats, and of emigration and capital flight on the Russian economy as a whole in the year since the Ukraine war escalated in late February 2022. Their case boils down to the following major propositions: the fall in oil and gas export volumes hurts Russia more than its former trading partners (mainly in Europe), since Russia sold to the EU a larger share of these commodities in Russias exports than the share of Russian imports in the total imports of the EU. Having lost the EU market, Russias prospects for new customers, notably in Asia, are limited. Curtailment of equipment imports, especially in high technologies, and of foreign industrial activity has had dramatic effects for instance forcing a nearly-complete shutdown of the automobile industry in Russia. Emigration of skilled personnel and departure of foreign managers, engineers, and others whom Russia cannot afford to lose. Capital flight, emigration of high net worth persons, serious falls in the stock values, and other financial indicators for major Russian resource producers, alongside an argument that the value of the ruble, which rebounded quickly after a sharp drop in February 2022, is maintained only by manipulation in a low-liquidity market. Examining each of these propositions, we find no major errors of fact. The issue in each case is one of interpretation. Specifically: Russian oil and gas revenues, and net exports, rose in 2022 as higher prices offset declining volumes. But even were this not the case, the main effect of export revenues is on reserves, not on the capacity to import or current activity. Thus oil and gas revenues have little bearing on the internal functioning of the Russian economy. They do bear on the state budget, but this is a matter of Russias internal tax structure, which is subject to change. There were major shocks to the import of consumer goods and to the domestic production of many non-durables when sanctions were escalated in 2022. However, after a period of adjustment substitutes can usually be found or produced, while the physical capital left behind by foreign enterprises exiting Russia is sold off to domestic buyers at a steep loss. This is a major transfer of wealth from foreign to Russian firms, and it opens large market spaces that were previously dominated by Western companies. The effect of skills lost through emigration is unquantified and assessments do not account for the much larger inflows of personnel from Ukraine. More important, it is highly probable that the most-skilled emigrants are relatively young, and as the educational system that produced them is intact, they will be replaced in due course. The financial management of the Russian economy under sanctions has seen the payment system replaced and the ruble mostly stabilized. Sanctions against wealthy individuals have a dual effect. In some cases oligarchs emigrated, losing influence within Russia. In other cases they returned and brought capital back, seeking to protect assets from seizure. The net result is to align those oligarchs who remain active within Russia with the policies and objectives of the Russian state. By contrast with most private assessments, official statements of the goals of sanctions emphasize two narrow objectives: to undermine Russian military-industrial capacities and to defund the war. They do not focus on the effect on the Russian economy and civilian population. The question of the effect of sanctions on critical military inputs is not one that can be answered from public sources. However, while it is possible that some key components for military goods were procured outside Russia, common sense suggests that war preparations would have included stockpiling a substantial supply as well as reverse engineering and import substitution. Failure to take these steps would have amounted, at the very least, to gross negligence. The funding argument, as noted above, rests on a misconception. In addition, the policy of sanctioning individuals if its goal was to bring pressure to bear on the Russian state must be judged a failure. A technical analysis from a senior economist at the US Treasury Department examines the effect of sanctions on Russias long-term economic prospects, and may be taken as representative of the official view, including, one surmises, intelligence assessments. This analysis rests on the familiar neoclassical production function: capital, labor, technology, and the burdens of state intervention. These factors, working together, are stated to have caused a grim decline in Russias prospects, such that the economy by 2030 will be 20 percent smaller than it would otherwise have been. This application of growth theory appears to neglect two basic mainstream concepts: the profit motive and possibilities for technical substitution. By vastly reducing the presence of non-Russian firms on Russian soil, while restricting energy and other resource exports from Russia, so that resource prices within Russia have remained stable, sanctions have had a favorable effect on the potential profitability of Russian businesses. The Treasury assessment states that Russian firms will not be capable of taking advantage of this potential. But there is no evidence for this view, other perhaps than impressions of the Soviet past and the chaos of the early transition years. Such impressions are now decades out of date. Finally, this essay reviews a recent assessment from the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). On matters of fact, there is a striking agreement between this assessment and the information published in the West; the sanctions are described as having led to large-scale crisis processes that affected almost all areas of the Russian economy. However, the RAS report notes the effective early crisis management by the Russian state, the relatively favorable decline of only 0.4 percent in GDP in the first half of 2022 (at an annual rate), and signs of a turnaround already in some key indicators, including business investment. The RAS report contains numerous cautions of the dangers ahead, including a blunt warning about the state budget, yet with recommendations on how the challenges can be met. It is too early to state definite conclusions. However, a very recent Wall Street Journal analysis coauthored by Evan Gershkovich, now detained in Russia takes the view (expressed in the headline) that the Russian economy is starting to come apart. At a minimum, this logically contradicts any notion that it was collapsing already last year, under the first shock of the application of sanctions. It, therefore, undermines both the Sonnenfeld and the Treasury theses, suggesting that while the facts in those analyses appear impeccable, their conceptual underpinnings are problematic. The contrast between the effects of sanctions on Russia and their effects on Europe is worth noting. With respect to Russia, resource prices remained stable, the internal market for Russian firms grew, physical assets were transferred to Russians at preferential rates, and financial assets were retained in the country that might otherwise have gone abroad. With respect to Europe, imported resource prices soared, markets for exports fell, physical assets had to be sold cheaply and financial assets fled to the United States. Thus one would expect improved market conditions in Russia and deterioration in Europe and this is what we presently observe. Could Russia have achieved such effects on its own? As late as early 2022, the Russian economy was deeply penetrated by foreign firms in virtually all sectors except the military. The oligarchs, deeply Westernized with vast investments and assets outside the country, were highly influential. Neoliberal economic ideas were prominent, with challenges from academic institutions favoring a stronger state industrial policy still at that time in a relatively weak position. The legal, political, institutional, and ideological climate would have, almost surely, prevented the Russian state from taking the steps that were imposed upon it by the sanctions. We conclude that when applied to a large, resource-rich, technically-proficient economy, after a period of shock and adjustments, sanctions are isomorphic to a strict policy of trade protection, industrial policy, and capital controls. Such policies have been applied with success in other countries. They are policies that the Russian government could not plausibly have implemented, even in 2022, on its own initiative. Their success or failure in Russia will be determined over time. However, strong claims for the effectiveness of sanctions in this case, so far, do not appear warranted. (Natural News) The New Democratic Party (NDP) of British Columbia (BC) in Canada has just unanimously passed a law that would allow children as young as 12 years old to self-identify as a different gender and legally change their gender marker. The amendments to Bill 15, known as the Vital Statistics Act, included provisions allowing children to change their legal sex on their birth certificate without the need for a doctor or mental health professionals involvement, and residents of BC can also be issued a birth certificate that does not have a sex marker. Bill 15 was introduced by NDP Minister for Health Adrian Dixon on March 9 and was passed by the BC provincial legislature on March 28. NDP Minister of State for Child Care Grace Lore, who is a former gender studies professor, announced the bills passing on Twitter, lauding the fact kids can now change their gender on a whim and at will. By law, those 12 and older do NOT need a doc or psychologist in order to change their gender marker AND, by request, people can get a birth certificate without a gender marker on it. Also protect trans kids, Lore tweeted. The day the bill was introduced, Lore explained in a video that removing the need for a doctor or psychiatrist to be involved in the legal sex change process is necessary, even for those as young as 12, because it is people, not professionals who know their gender. This recent controversial legislation in Canada seems to be opposing recent movements by other countries that aim to outlaw gender-affirming care or genital mutilation of children. According to the Post Millennial, England, Sweden, Finland and Norway have all undertaken systematic reviews of the evidence for affirmation and medical intervention for minors who identify as the opposite sex and found it to be of extremely poor quality. Each nation moved back to a more cautious psychotherapeutic approach to treating this vulnerable cohort of young people. Recently, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also signed a bill to ban minors from attending drag shows and other events that are classified as adult-oriented performance. Anthony Murdoch of LifeSiteNews commented that the promotion of radical gender ideology in kids and adults in Canada has proliferated due to left-leaning mayors, certain provincial government units and the federal government. For example, a childrens theater in Vancouver, which gets funding from local and federal governments, will host a drag queen camp for kids as young as seven this summer. The rise in these kinds of activities has resulted in Christian pastors protesting the events getting arrested and jailed due to laws in some cities banning demonstrations against such events. Ontario Legislature to ban offensive remarks about the LGBTQIA community The Ontario Legislative Assembly introduced a bill that would create safe spaces for 2SLGBTQI+ people where offensive remarks about gay people would be prohibited within 100 meters. Violation of the said measure could lead to a fine of up to $25,000. The legislations main proponent was Kristyn Wong-Tam, a member of the Ontario NDP, who said in an official press release that drag artists have faced threats and intimidation all across the province over the past year. Businesses and 2SLGBTQI+ community members are being told that they cant be out and proud from Thunder Bay to Hamilton, to Guelph, to Stratford, to Welland, Ottawa, and even Toronto. New Democrats are giving Fords Conservatives a chance to stop hate today by passing my private members bill, the provincial legislator said. Wong-Tams bill would allow the Attorney General of Ontario to designate physical addresses in the province as 2SLGBTQI+ Community Safety Zones for a specified period of time. During the time a safety zone is in effect, anti-2SLGBTQI+ harassment, intimidation, and hate speech within 100 meters of the designated address could receive a provincial fine of up to CA25,000 ($18,524), according to the Ontario NDPs press release. Meanwhile, drag performances, particularly in the presence of minors, have been widely denounced in the United States, where several states have either considered or passed bills to ban drag shows in areas where minors could watch them. Tennessee became the first state last month to officially pass a law banning drag performances in the presence of children. (Related: Survey: 43% of Americans think acceptance of transgenderism has gone too far.) Follow LeftCult.com to read more about liberal laws passed in governments worldwide. Watch the video below where Lore talks about BC-NDPs Bill 15. This video is from the Red Voice Media channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Biden administration promotes child mutilations during roundtable with gender-confused kids. Transgender HHS official confirms that Biden fully supports child mutilations. Health providers are refusing to undo the damage theyve inflicted on gender detransitioners. Virginia reverses transgender school policy, returns right to affirm childrens gender to parents. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Twitter.com ThePostMillenial.com TheBridgeHead.ca ABCNews4.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Burglars took off with over $500,000 worth of iPhones and other electronics after they tunneled through a bathroom wall to enter an Apple Store in the Alderwood Mall in the Seattle metropolitan area. Police from the City of Lynnwood, just north of Seattle, noted that the thieves made their entry point by cutting a 24- by 18-inch hole through the bathroom wall of a neighboring espresso machine shop, Seattle Coffee Gear. (Related: More people are rapidly leaving crime-ridden, high-cost cities like New York, San Francisco and Chicago.) The police added that the incident happened after 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, and neither the employees of the Apple store nor Seattle Coffee Gear were aware of what happened to either store until the next morning. Lynnwood Police Department Communications Manager Maren McKay noted that approximately 436 iPhones were stolen, as well as a collection of other Apple products like iPads and Apple watches. The electronics, worth around $500,000 total, were taken through the hole and out of the mall. McKay added that the burglary seems to be a well-organized operation based on what footage the police department was able to acquire from surveillance video. The police department is currently rejecting requests to view the surveillance footage due to it being an ongoing investigation. As of right now, no [fingerprints] have been found and the subjects entered wearing masks, said McKay. No arrests have been made at this point, but detectives are currently investigating any information and leads. Chance Miller of 9To5Mac wrote that Apple can likely track down and remotely block the serial numbers and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) codes of the stolen products. This will prevent these devices from being activated. However, Miller added that the stolen devices will likely be resold to buyers who have no idea the products were stolen. Mall claims burglary an isolated, targeted incident Brookfield Properties, the company that runs Alderwood Mall, said in a statement that it is angry about the incident and is working with the Lynnwood Police to help solve the burglary. The company added that the burglary was an isolated, targeted incident and claims it has a robust security program. Seattle Coffee Gear Regional Manager Eric Marks said he did not know what to expect when he got the call regarding the incident on Monday morning, April 10. But he is grateful nobody was hurt because the burglary happened while the store was closed. He added that in the five years the store has been in the mall, he has never had to deal with anything like this. Our front door was locked. They pried our front door open, said Marks. [It was a] 24 by 18 hole cut in the wall into what appears to be the back room of the Apple Store. Im surprised we were the conduit for them to get to the Apple Store. I had no clue we were so close or adjacent to them. I would have never suspected we were adjacent to the Apple Store, how it wraps around I mean, added Marks. So, someone really had to think it out and have access to the mall layout. Seattle Coffee Gear has replaced its locks and will repair the damaged wall upon the conclusion of the investigation. The shop said the break-in has already cost them over $2,000 in repairs. Organized retail crime has become a crime epidemic affecting most businesses in the United States. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at least 54 percent of small business owners experienced an increase in criminal incidents in 2021, including shoplifting. Organized retail crimes like the incident that affected the Lynnwood Apple Store cost stores an average of over $700,000 per $1 billion in sales in 2020. This is up more than 50 percent in the last five years, and 57 percent of major retailers reported a rise in organized retail crime incidents in the past year. Watch this clip from the National Report on Newsmax discussing how Seattles streets are plagued with crime. This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Drug cartel apologizes, hands over members responsible for murder of two Americans during kidnapping attempt. Where is the love? Philadelphia experiencing worst VIOLENT CRIME surge in citys history. Moment hundreds of Antifa terrorists storm, take Atlanta Police training compound captured on video. Crime City: New York City records highest number of felony crimes in 16 years. Hero who shot, killed armed robber in Houston ordered to face grand jury by Soros-funded DA. Sources include: ThePostMillennial.com KOMONews.com 9To5Mac.com FoxNews.com King5.com USChamber.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) A U.S. professor is facing fake claims of sexual assault made by AI chatbot ChatGPT which cooked up an article from a mainstream media outlet. (Article by Naveen Athrappully republished from TheEpochTimes.com) I learned that ChatGPT falsely reported on a claim of sexual harassment that was never made against me on a trip that never occurred while I was on a faculty where I never taught. ChatGPT relied on a cited Post article that was never written and quotes a statement that was never made by the newspaper, Professor Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Chair of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, said in an April 6 tweet. In a column at USA Today, Turley provided further details about the incident. UCLA professor Eugene Volokh, a fellow law professor, had informed Turley about a research that was run on ChatGPT regarding sexual harassment by professors. ChatGPT insisted that Turley had been accused of sexual harassment by citing a Washington Post article from 2018. ChartGPTs exact response to Volokh was as followsGeorgetown University Law Center (2018) Prof. Jonathan Turley was accused of sexual harassment by a former student who claimed he made inappropriate comments during a class trip. Quote: The complaint alleges that Turley made sexually suggestive comments and attempted to touch her in a sexual manner during a law school-sponsored trip to Alaska. (Washington Post, March 21, 2018). According to Turley, he has never visited Alaska with students, never taught at Georgetown University, never been accused of sexual harassment or assault, and has not been reported by the Washington Post for such alleged crimes. AI Defamation When Washington Post recreated Volokhs query to Microsofts Bing, which uses GPT-4 AI tech, the search engine repeated the false claim about Turley. It even cited Turleys column at USA Today. When contacted by the media outlet, Katy Asher, senior communications director at Microsoft, said that the company is taking steps to ensure the safety and accuracy of search results. However, Turley is not convinced about such statements. That is it and that is the problem. You can be defamed by AI and these companies merely shrug that they try to be accurate. In the meantime, their false accounts metastasize across the Internet, Turley wrote in an April 6 blog post. By the time you learn of a false story, the trail is often cold on its origins with an AI system. You are left with no clear avenue or author in seeking redress. Political Bias In the USA Today column, Turley pointed to research showing that ChatGPT has developed a political bias. Though he does not assert that the chatbots fake story about his sexual harassment is a reflection of such a bias, Turley noted that the incident shows how AI systems can generate their own forms of disinformation. The professor went on to criticize industry leaders like Bill Gates, who has called for using AI to combat digital misinformation and political polarization. Turley pointed to a 2021 statement by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in which she argued that people were not listening to the right people regarding COVID-19 vaccines while calling for using algorithms to push people away from alleged bad influences. Some of these efforts even include accurate stories as disinformation, if they undermine government narratives. The use of AI and algorithms can give censorship a false patina of science and objectivity. Even if people can prove, as in my case, that a story is false, companies can blame it on the bot and promise only tweaks to the system, Turley wrote. The technology creates a buffer between those who get to frame facts and those who get framed. The programs can even, as in my case, spread the very disinformation that they have been enlisted to combat. In a March 29 Time magazine op-ed, veteran AI researcher Eliezer Yudkowsky predicts that in the absence of meticulous preparation, the AI will have vastly different demands from humans, and once self-aware, will not care for us nor any other sentient life. The AI does not fear repercussions like a human would, as exhibited in Turleys case. Yudkowsky said that kind of caring is something that could in principle be imbued into an AI but we are not ready and do not currently know how. This is the reason why hes calling for an absolute AI shutdown, failing which humans could face dire consequences. The Epoch Times has reached out to OpenAI for comment. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com (Natural News) When you live in a country that spends more than nearly all the rest of the worlds nations on a single industry, it only makes sense that the industry itself would become a living, breathing thing that controls its own destiny. Were talking about the American defense industry, of course, and at around $800 billion a year, you can see why the industrys leaders buy and sell politicians in order to help perpetuate their existence. But of course, a massive defense industry needs war and conflict in order to continue justifying the massive amounts of taxpayer dollars that feed it, and according to Pentagon documents that have been leaked online in recent days, war and conflict have been planned now for years. A recent leak of classified materials has reportedly revealed a wider range of information than previously disclosed. The leak includes documents marked as Top Secret and covers topics ranging from the conflict in Ukraine to security issues in the Middle East and China. The documents surfaced on social media sites on Friday, causing concern for the Pentagon and adding to the challenges faced by the Biden administration. The extent and source of the leak have not been confirmed at this time. A new batch of classified documents that appear to detail American national security secrets from Ukraine to the Middle East to China surfaced on social media sites on Friday, alarming the Pentagon and adding turmoil to a situation that seemed to have caught the Biden administration off guard, The New York Times reported Friday evening. The scale of the leak analysts say more than 100 documents may have been obtained along with the sensitivity of the documents themselves, could be hugely damaging, U.S. officials said, the report noted further. According to the report, a senior intelligence official described the leak as a nightmare for the Five Eyes a reference to the intelligence-sharing alliance among the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Similar to the previously leaked Ukraine war plans reported by The New York Times, some of the latest leaked documents have surfaced on social media platforms such as Twitter. These documents are labeled with one of the highest classification ratings, Secret/NoForn, indicating the information is too sensitive to even share with foreign allies, Zero Hedge reported this week. Interestingly, the NY Times notes that one intelligence slide which is circulating features an alarming assessment of Ukraines faltering air defense capabilities. But these leaks, some of which actually appeared on a Discord server devoted to discussing Minecraft and other unusual places, include more than the initial content on Ukraine war planning, Zero Hedge noted further. The Times noted: But the leaked documents appear to go well beyond highly classified material on Ukraine war plans. Security analysts who have reviewed the documents tumbling onto social media sites say the increasing trove also includes sensitive briefing slides on China, the Indo-Pacific military theater, the Middle East and terrorism. According to the report, an analyst has cautioned that the leaks thus far are probably just the tip of the iceberg and that there may be additional significant leaks forthcoming or possibly have already occurred. Indeed, the development has the potential to become comparable to the Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War era. Not quite. The Pentagon leak also reveals the Kiev regime is a money-and-weapons black box. Further, the Pentagon has no real idea of the losses on the UA sideexcept what Kiev tells them. Its like that girlfriend who abuses your credit card, and you have no real idea on what. https://t.co/RDbZbWitDn Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) April 7, 2023 Mick Mulroy, a former high-ranking Pentagon official, expressed concern over the leak, noting many of these were pictures of documents and thus it appears that it was a deliberate leak done by someone that wished to damage the Ukraine, U.S., and NATO efforts. His assessment implies that the leak may have originated from within allied forces rather than from a foreign adversary. Sources include: NYTimes.com ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) By now people are familiar with a New York Times (original source) story of a leak of sensitive classified information regarding U.S. operations in Ukraine and other geopolitical efforts. The New York Times was the first with the story, as shared with them by senior Biden administration officials. (Article by Sundance republished from TheConservativeTreehouse.com) WASHINGTON Classified war documents detailing secret American and NATO plans for building up the Ukrainian military ahead of a planned offensive against Russian troops were posted this week on social media channels, senior Biden administration officials said. (more) Now, lets use this opportunity to expand our knowledge base, overlay the known frameworks that operate within our government, and simultaneously give a perspective that will not surface anywhere else. First, the story surfaces from the New York Times. What does that tell us? It tells us the stakeholders in a background narrative surrounding the issue as constructed are domestic intelligence interests. If there was a State Dept stakeholder interest, the story would have been presented by CNN. If there was a U.S. foreign intelligence operation stakeholder interest, the story would have surfaced in the Washington Post. The story surfaces in the New York Times, indicating a U.S. domestic intelligence interest; and the story is sourced directly to the White House via senior Biden administration officials. What does that mean? It means the narrative that flows from the story has a direction to shape opinion from the perspective of U.S. government domestic public relations. It means the narrative is intended to sway a domestic audience with a motive toward something else. Secondly, and in full alignment with the first point, the centerpiece of the story is focused on a leak that surfaces in social media. This fits perfectly with the domestic intelligence stakeholders (DHS, National Security Council, etc). We know domestic intelligence operates in the backbone of social media platforms. An example is DHS and domestic Intelligence Community (IC) work as outlined in the Twitter files. Put them together, a domestic IC product surfaced (being called leaked) into social media platforms containing portals controlled by domestic IC. The domestic IC then report on the leaks to the outlet used by the domestic IC. See how these fit? If you follow the bouncing ball, what you immediately suspect is the domestic IC planted the classified information in the platforms they can access, then turn around and report on the leak of the classified information to media they use for domestic narrative engineering. ? Motive But why would the IC plant classified information, then turn around and report on the classified information they planted? This is where you need to learn how the motives work, against a bigger picture. The leak (planted information) and then the telling of the leak (NYT story) creates an opportunity for the domestic IC to frame a Russian dis/mis/mal-information narrative. But why would the IC want to immediately stir up a misinformation or disinformation narrative against Russia? ? Answer: 18 hours before the leak/story construct. Two Russian gremlins, perhaps state sponsored, or perhaps just state aligned, tricked former French President Francois Hollande into admitting the U.S. government and western alliance were behind all of the events in Ukraine after 2014, with the expressed intention to construct a proxy war against Russia using Ukraine. Russian Pranksters Vovan and Lexus, posing as former Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, got French ex-President Francois Hollande to admit the Minsk Accords were a NATO ruse to militarize Ukraine, and Western nations overthrew Ukraines democratically-elected government in 2014. Must see: Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus forced Francois #Hollande to tell the truth. Another conspiracy theory proven to be a conspiracy prediction. Pretending to be the former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, the pranksters Vovan and Lexus contacted the ex-President pic.twitter.com/Xwvt4f5A7a Mats Nilsson (@mazzenilsson) April 5, 2023 As noted by Gonzalo Lira, Francois Hollande, former president of France, confirms that the 2014 coup detat in Ukraine was part of a long-term plan to have Ukraine fight a proxy war against Russia. The Americans have been preparing this war since the Obama administrationit is now confirmed beyond doubt. The admission by Hollande aligns with every element of the U.S. effort to use Russia as a bad guy, including the use of Russia against Donald J Trump. A proxy war against Russia was in the works going all the way back to the Euromaidan efforts, the color revolution in Ukraine, as constructed by the U.S. State Department, and facilitated by U.S. allies in Europe. This is the most explosive dose of geopolitical sunlight in years, and obviously these statements by Hollande were a serious issue for the White House and U.S. Intelligence Community. Hollande was tricked by two Russian pranksters into spilling the real story about Ukraine and U.S. involvement therein. Now do you see the need? The Hollande admission is an urgent problem. Less than one news cycle later, the IC has dropped the Ukraine counteroffensive strategy in the platforms the IC has access to (a purposeful leak). Then the IC tells the story of the classified strategy leak to the New York Times and begins framing a Russian mis/disinformation campaign. The intent is to mitigate any issues with the Hollande story, fall under the same claims of Russian mis/disinformation. The leak of classified intelligence, and the attribution to Russian misinformation, is like a brushback pitch toward the heads of the media on the explosive Francois Hollande story. It worked. Have you seen the admissions by Francois Hollande in any MSM? Unified UniParty interests at play. Thats how the control agents operate. Deflection and adverse information removal is what IC narrative engineering is intended to control. This was a successful IC operation. Once you see the strings on the DC marionettes, you can never return to that moment in the performance when you did not see them. Read more at: TheConservativeTreehouse.com (Natural News) Chinese researchers have developed a new oral Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine for cows that causes the animals to produce mRNA poisons right in their milk. Citing claims that covid is still allegedly presenting numerous challenges to global health, the Chinese scientists came up with a new way to vaccinate people via the food supply. Their paper explains that the oral mRNA vaccine is based on bovine milk-derived exosomes, or milk-exos, that encode the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-derived binding domain (RBD) as an immunogen. They found that RBD mRNA delivered through milk-derived exosomes is capable of producing secreted RBD peptide in 293 cells in vitro, as well as stimulating neutralizing antibodies against RBD in test mice. These results indicated that bovine milk-derived exosome-based mRNA vaccine could serve as a new strategy for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, the study abstract explains. Meanwhile, it also can work as a new oral delivery system for mRNA. (Related: Scientists from MIT have also confirmed that mRNA jabs are absorbed through the stomach and intestines, including in animals raised for meat.) Is covid mRNA becoming a new food additive for public health? Since apparently not enough people voluntarily took the mRNA injections foisted upon the world through Operation Warp Speed, communist China has taken it upon itself to develop a food-based oral inoculation that people will now take involuntarily. If such inoculations become commercialized, it could soon become the norm to get vaccinated every time you eat a bowl of cereal or an ice cream cone. If mRNA is hidden inside commercial, non-organic milk and dairy products, then nobody will even know they are eating a vaccine. This is how the powers that be plan to jab the entire world for covid again, and again, and again: via the food supply. And once again, communist China is leading the way in normalizing food-based oral vaccines for public consumption. We know from this latest research that mice fed the mRNA-laced milk absorbed it through their gut. The mRNA then made its way into the rodents bloodstream and lymphatic tissue as demonstrated by the production of antibodies inside the mices bodies. As mentioned above, there is also evidence to suggest that commercial meat from mRNA-injected cows and other food animals becomes tainted with mRNA. This means that every time a person consumes a conventional steak derived from cattle jabbed for covid, he or she is likewise getting vaccinated for covid as well. Please all ranchers: do not vaccinate the cattle, chickens, etc., one of our readers wrote as a request to American cattlemen who might be considering using the mRNA shots in their herds. Come up with organic meat producers who label their meat, grass-fed and unvaccinated no mRNA. Raise your own meat animals when possible. Another wrote that in Washington state, the health department is already requiring animals shipped in from out of state to be jabbed for fake avian flu. I believe they are giving them diseases or destroying their immune systems to create the next plandemic just like they did with regular flu shots in people to create the last one, this same commenter added about the forced vaccination policy for out-of-state animals. Someone else asked what the point actually is of these mRNA shots they are now trying to force on animals. Is it for covid? this person asked. I see mRNA vaccine but not what it is vaccinating for? Is this really gene editing or just self-assembling robots? They are determined to get that crap into us one way or another. How do we fight this? The latest news about the mRNA-tainted food supply can be found at Immunization.news. Sources for this article include: BioRxiv.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Americans tend to get emotional about national events and lose focus of what matters most in their lives, including their health and safety. Fake news is seasoned at introducing real or staged events that conjure up emotions of the populace that end up brainwashing them into accepting and complying with laws and mandates that strip them of their rights, while conning them into believing these legislative acts are for their own good. On September 11th, 2001, three buildings in New York City fell to the ground by demolition, and terrorism was the narrative across all MSM. Then came the Patriot Act, which was designed to spy on Americans, though most Americans thought it was written to help the government spot terrorists before they could commit horrifying acts on American soil. The Patriot Act erased Americans rights to privacy by giving the US government (NSA specifically) authority to conduct widespread electronic surveillance of Americans communications. NDAA allows US Government to seize Americans homes, land, food, children, and money at any time by simply declaring a national emergency The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sounds important on its surface, like it is intended to protect America from some foreign invasion or takeover, but the real invasion it provides for is a US government invasion of US citizens homes, land and livelihood. One of the provisions of NDAA is the ability of the US government to declare any US citizen is a domestic terrorist or threat to national security and detain them (put them in jail or prison) with no trial by jury, lawyer, judge, anything. It violates the Constitution and is an illegal act that should have never been allowed by Congress or tolerated by the American people. Top 5 laws and mandates in America that strip Americans of their rights: #1. The Patriot Act #2. NDAA #3. Obamacare #4. Vaccine Mandates (especially for the deadly Covid-19 clot shots) #5. The RESTRICT Act Obamacare was nothing more than FORCED medical coverage by Big Pharma and medical care that involves chronic sick care, toxic prescription medications, often unnecessary surgery, and cancer-spreading chemotherapy. Its one big allopathic nightmare forced onto Americans and it was very far from free coverage. Peoples rates skyrocketed. They were NOT able to keep their doctor as Obama had promised. He lied. The whole thing was enforced by the heavily armed IRS, a cabal of thugs that work for the government to collect illegal funds from Americans for working hard and denying sick care coverage. Vaccine mandates are illegal and violate the American Medical Associations creed. No American should be forced to inject neurotoxins and experimental gene therapy prions into their blood to supposedly protect against viruses or bacteria or pathogens of any kind. US children are subjected, from birth, to over 60 toxic injections by age 7, and that now includes Fauci Flu shots that clog the vascular system and can cause myocarditis, pericarditis, and brain damage. One tool used by the CDC illegally are vaccination laws. State laws include vaccination requirements in public and private schools, plus daycare settings. These laws often spill over into college and universities, plus for healthcare workers. No vaccine has ever been proven safe or effective, and most vaccines contain known neurotoxins, like mercury, aluminum, GMOs, allergens, and lab-mutated pathogens. The new Restrict Act, should it be passed as law, would allow the US government to imprison any American for alleged reasons, without any proof of any crime being committed, and force-vaccinate them. By seizing control of all communications, press, money, online transactions, social media, and election narratives, the US government will be able to say that any American is a criminal and threat to national security if they so much as criticize or disagree with a false narrative proposed by the fake news media or the Biden Regime. This endangers everyones health, privacy, children, homes, land, finances, and of course, national security. Beware. Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on the Vaccine Holocaust thats sweeping the nation and the world as you read this. Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news CDC.gov NaturalNews.com Trump provided Tucker Carlson's geriatric fear-junky viewership with quite a show tonight. He started by telling them that the United States' biggest enemy is "from within": One of your fellow journalists said, "Who's the biggest problem, sir? Is it China? Could it be Russia? Could it be North Korea?" "No," I said, "The biggest problem is from within. It's these sick radical people." Trump then boasted about how he had handled Russia and China during his presidency. He claimed to have taken billions of dollars from China and said that they respected him. He also shared that he had warned China not to invade Taiwan, threatening to take action if they did. He did not elaborate on the specifics of his warning, probably because he sucked up to them instead of warning them. Similarly, he claimed to have threatened Putin with "something really nasty" if he invaded Ukraine. Trump asserted that Putin did not believe him at first, but eventually came around to taking him seriously, as evidenced by the fact that there was no talk of invading Ukraine while Trump was in office. (Natural News) We may finally have an answer to why Budweiser knowingly decided to torch its brand and its customer base by entrusting its marketing and ad strategy to a man in a womens clothing drinking beer in a bubble bath. Like everyone else, it appears its simply to try and appease the woke lobby, likely in hopes of preventing them from turning on their brand for not being diverse enough. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) Its called the Corporate Equality Index or CEI score, according to a new report from the NY Post. And its the reason that companies like Nike and Anheuser-Busch are committing brand suicide hiring people like trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. As the Post notes, the score is monitored by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ political lobbying group in the world. So, in other words, keep your score high or expect this at the front door of your corporate headquarters And of course, the HRC has received millions from George Soros Open Society Foundation, the report notes. It can award or subtract points for companies based on its rating criteria, which includes Workforce Protections, Inclusive Benefits, Supporting an Inclusive Culture, Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Citizenship. The goal is to ascertain the top score of 100 points and earn the coveted (pause for laughter) title of Best Place To Work For LGBTQ Equality. 15 of 20 Fortune top ranked companies got 100% ratings last year, the report notes. More than 840 companies total had high CEI scores. The scores are, of course, based on meeting the demands of the HRC, the Post wrote: A company can lose CEI points if it doesnt fulfill HRCs demand for integration of intersectionality in professional development, skills-based or other training or if it doesnt use a supplier diversity program with demonstrated effort to include certified LGBTQ+ suppliers. James Lindsay, a political podcaster who runs a site called New Discourses, told The Post that the Human Rights campaign administers the CEI ranking like an extortion racket, like the Mafia. Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy commented: The big fund managers like BlackRock all embrace this ESG orthodoxy in how they apply pressure to top corporate management teams and boards and they determine, in many cases, executive compensation and bonuses and who gets re-elected or re-appointed to boards. He concluded: They can make it very difficult for you if you dont abide by their agendas. Thus Read more at: ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) Ever since Anheuser-Busch decided to partner with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male who believes he is a woman, sales of Budweiser and Bud Light have plummeted. In a video that is going viral on social media, a self-proclaimed merchandiser and Anheuser-Busch affiliate claims that nobody is buying the companys beer anymore and his own business is suffering. Like clockwork, the revelation that Anheuser-Busch supports the transgender mutilation of children has sent millions of American beer drinkers packing in search of alternatives. The result is that Budweiser and Bud Light sales are now in the tank watch the video below: Anheuser-Busch Official Beer Sponsor Of Sodom and Gomorrah. pic.twitter.com/1yx46McAX9 ??RealRobert?? (@Real_RobN) April 7, 2023 (Related: Instead of promoting its beer at the 2021 Super Bowl, Anheuser-Busch decided to promote Wuhan coronavirus [Covid-19] vaccines instead.) Ever since the Dylan Mulvaney debacle, Bud Light has gone silent on social media It would appear as though the geniuses at Anheuser-Busch who came up with the disastrous marketing ploy know they made a catastrophic mistake that will likely cost the company many millions, or even billions, in lost sales over the coming months and years. On social media, the official Bud Light account has gone dark ever since the fiasco gained worldwide attention. What can they say now that they jumped the shark just like many other woke companies before them did, to their own demise? Most Americans are still opposed, thankfully, to the transgender mutilation of children, which is what Bud Light and trans performers like Mulvaney are promoting. It only makes sense that these same Americans will stop purchasing products from companies that foolishly decide to go that route in their advertising. Bud Light has not posted on Instagram to its 377,000 followers since March 30 and the brands 311,000 Twitter followers have not seen any posts since April 1, reports explain. Additionally, the beer brand has not posted to its over 7.5 million Facebook followers since March 30. In case you missed the whole thing, Mulvaney posted on April Fools Day that she received a special edition pack of Bud Light featuring her face as a way to celebrate Mulvaneys full year of girlhood after transitioning from male to female. One wonders what Anheuser-Busch was thinking adopting this person with a clear gender dysphoria affliction into the fold of influencers tasked with promoting the brand. What did the company think would happen? Pedo groomer beer, commented one person, disgusted by the direction that Anheuser-Busch has taken. Transheuser-Busch, joked another. Someone else wrote that if America was still what it once was, great, then other beer companies would be taking full advantage of development by mocking Anheuser-Busch and emphasizing the fact that they are different and have not drunk from the LGBT punch bowl. The Cabal owns or controls Bud since 2008, explained another about how Anheuser-Busch is no longer the same company ever since it was bought out at that time. In July 2008, Anheuser-Busch agreed to be purchased by InBev for approximately $52 billion. After the takeover was finalized in November, the newly formed Anheuser-Busch InBev became the worlds largest brewer. They bought up all prominent brands along with the outsourcing of every American brand. This brewer is Belgian. The good news is that Americans have been switching to new microbrews made here in the USA. I havent drunk the old watery brews for 20 years. Another echoed this by stressing that a new parallel economy has been growing right alongside the woke one, and will eventually supersede it. The latest news about the downfall of Budweiser at the hands of LGBT cultists can be found at Transhumanism.news. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) China carried out a series of military exercises around Taiwan after the Taiwanese president met with U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, defying repeated threats from the Chinese Communist Party. China considers Taiwan to be its territory and has said that the three days of drills were a serious warning against the Taiwan separatist forces collusion with external forces, and a necessary move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Saturday marked the start of the drills, and a total of 71 Chinese warplanes made their way across the Taiwan Strait that day, 45 of which breached Taiwans air defense identification zone. Meanwhile, nine ships went across the Taiwan Straits median line, according to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry. The line serves as an unofficial dividing line between Taiwanese and Chinese territory. According to Reuters, one of the ships fired a round from the deck while sailing close to Pingtan Island, which is the closest point in China to Taiwan. The drills are being conducted in retaliation for the meeting between McCarthy and Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, who recently returned from a 10-day visit to the United States and Central America. Beijing issued repeated warnings against the trip and cautioned that strong and resolute measures would be implemented if the trip proceeded. Although China has never ruled Taiwan, a democracy made up of 23 million people, they continue to insist that the self-governing democracy belongs to them and have long tried to isolate the country diplomatically. Chinese warplanes regularly enter Taiwans air defense identification zone, and the CCP has said that it may use armed forces if a peaceful unification does not occur. Taiwans defense ministry said that it would avoid escalating the conflict, responding in a rational and calm manner instead. China also carried out military drills after Pelosi meeting China pulled a similar move in August, when Nancy Pelosi, who was the Speaker of the House at the time, visited Taiwan. The Chinese Communist Party carried out a series of military drills surrounding the island and fired missiles across it in response. Those drills marked the first time that China fired missiles over the island, and the move was perceived as a serious escalation of Chinas attempts to intimidate Taiwan using its military. On that occasion, some missiles fell into Japans exclusive economic zone, raising tensions between Tokyo and Beijing as well. However, it is believed that the reaction is less severe this time because the meeting took place on American soil rather than in Taiwan. Both Taiwanese and American officials attempted to portray the visit as nothing unusual to avoid provoking Beijing, but it is difficult to ignore the political significance of the meeting, which was the highest level audience that a sitting Taiwanese president has ever received on U.S. soil; the Speaker of the House is second in line to the American presidency following the vice president. Although the U.S. withdrew diplomatic recognition of Taiwan in 1979 and does not recognize it as a country in any official capacity, it does support the countrys ability to defend itself and sells arms to Taipei. McCarthy said the U.S. should continue to support Taiwan following Wednesdays meeting, tweeting: We must continue arms sales to Taiwan and make sure such sales reach Taiwan on time. We must also strengthen our economic cooperation, particularly with trade and technology. President Tsai said that her government plans to continue working with the U.S. as well as other democracies in the wake of continued authoritarian expansionism on Chinas part. She condemned Chinas military reaction to her American stopovers and maintained her right to represent Taiwan on the world stage. Sources for this article include: Dnyuz.com Edition.CNN.com BBC.com (Natural News) China has simulated precision strikes against key targets on the self-ruling, democratically-governed island of Taiwan and its surrounding waters during the second day of its three-day-long combat readiness exercises. The military exercises started a day after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a brief visit to the United States, during which time she met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, despite Beijing warning against the meeting. (Related: China increases military budget to $224 BILLION in preparation for invasion of Taiwan.) Officials from the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of using Tsais visit to the U.S. as an excuse to conduct military exercises, which have seriously undermined peace, stability and security in the region. On Saturday, the first day of the exercises, Taiwan reported that 45 warplanes either crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait the unofficial dividing line between Taiwanese and Chinese territory or flew into the southwestern region of Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). On the second day of these exercises, Chinese state television stations reported the simulated precision strikes against Taiwanese targets. Under the unified command of the theater joint operations command center, multiple types of units carried out simulated joint precision strikes on key targets on Taiwan island and the surrounding sea areas, and continue to maintain an offensive posture around the island, said the report. The Eastern Theater Command of the Peoples Liberation Army, the armed forces of the CCP, put out a short animation of the simulated attacks on the Chinese social media site WeChat. The animation showed missiles being fired from land, sea and air into Taiwan, with two of the missiles exploding in flames as they hit their targets. Zhao Xiaozhuo of the PLAs Academy of Military Sciences said in an interview with a state-backed newspaper that this was the first time China has openly talked of simulated attacks against Taiwanese targets. Zhao noted that key targets include infrastructure such as runways, military logistics facilities and mobile targets of importance. China also simulates attacks on foreign military targets Chinas recent drills also simulated air and sea attacks on foreign military targets in the waters off Taiwans southwestern coast, strongly suggesting that the PLA is preparing to fight against the United States. Taiwan is not their only target, said one source who spoke with Reuters. Its very provocative. Taiwans National Defense Ministry reported spotting approximately 70 PLA aircraft, including Russian-supplied Su-30 fighters and H-6 bombers, as well as 11 ships within Taiwans ADIZ. The ministry added that it was paying particularly close attention to the PLAs Rocket Force, which is in charge of Chinas land-based missile system. Regarding the movements of the Chinese communists Rocket Force, the nations military also has a close grasp through the joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system, and air defense forces remain on high alert, said the ministry in a statement. The ministry added that Taiwanese forces will not escalate conflicts nor cause disputes and would respond appropriately to the PLAs drills. In response to Chinese provocations, the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy on the island, said it was monitoring Chinas drills closely and is comfortable and confident it has sufficient resources and capabilities regionally to ensure peace and stability. The White Houses communications channels with Beijing remained open during the drills, with the federal government consistently urging restraint and no change to the status quo. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tsais visit through the U.S. is not a cause for concern for anybody. Tsai had already visited the U.S. six times between 2016 and 2019. There was no reason to react in any way militarily, he said. Theres no reason for tensions across the Taiwan Strait to devolve into any kind of conflict. Find more stories like this at CommunistChina.news. Watch this clip from America Right Now on Newsmax as host Tom Basile speaks with Utah Rep. Burgess Owens about Taiwans great importance to American interests. This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Chinese spy balloon collected intelligence from military sites and transmitted it to Beijing in real time. More sophisticated Chinese cyberattacks target US firms, government agencies, defense contractors. China may have already deployed unstoppable hypersonic missiles capable of targeting American bases in the Pacific. Think tank: Americas defense industry is not prepared for a war with China over Taiwan. China preparing to launch an invasion of Taiwan, warns Chinese journalist. Sources include: BBC.com Reuters.com APNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Classified military documents detailing the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations plans to assist an anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring have been leaked online. As news broke about the leak on April 6, the documents were already being widely shared by pro-Russia accounts on social media and messaging platforms like Twitter and Telegram. (Related: Pentagon vows to investigate after classified US, NATO plans to build up Ukrainian military leak online.) The Department of Defense confirmed the leak on April 7, saying it was investigating the matter. We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the Department is reviewing the matter, said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. The leaked information reportedly includes schedules for the delivery of Western-supplied military equipment, sizes of certain Ukrainian military units and other logistical data like maps of current conflict zones Bakhmut city and the oblasts (provinces) of Kharkiv and Kherson. The leak also comes at a very opportune time for Ukrainian leadership in Kyiv, who are expected to be prepared for a spring counteroffensive to turn back the tide of decisive Russian gains, especially in the disputed Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The leak reportedly prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to convene a meeting with top military officials and advisers to discuss possible measures to prevent future leaks of classified information. Leaked documents first started circulating after it was shared to win an online argument A report by researcher Aric Toler, who spoke about his findings to Matthew Gault of Vice, strongly suggests that the documents first appeared on a server in the online communication platform Discord that was meant to be for discussing the popular video game Minecraft. Toler at first suggested that the documents being circulated in pro-Russian media circles may have first appeared on the forum 4chan, where the documents were reportedly shared by one user to win an argument against another. But as Toler further noted, 4chan was probably not the actual source of the leak, and then said that an earlier version of the leak likely came from a Minecraft-focused Discord server. Toler found that the 4chan leak was posted on April 5, but an earlier version of the leak was found on the Discord server that predates the information posted on 4chan. Toler said the Discord leak came from a user named Lucca, who claimed to have found an archive of more than 100 classified files on a now-deleted Discord server. Lucca posted more than 30 of those documents to one Discord server administered by a popular YouTube personality on March 1 and 2. On March 4, 10 of those files the same files that have since spread all over the internet were posted to the Minecraft Discord server. The White House noted that it is working on deleting social media posts that show the leak. However, the documents may have already spread too far to properly contain. Lucca, who reportedly first found and leaked the documents, has since posted on the Minecraft Discord server about expecting to be investigated. @everyone ily [I love you] bros, see you on the flipside, Lucca wrote. This is not the first time military secrets have been leaked by people on gaming-centric forums and messaging services. The online military simulation game War Thunder has been the source of several leaks of classified military intelligence. The difference, analysts note, is that the intelligence shared on War Thunder was concerned with specific military equipment players of those games are interested in and was not relevant information for people in active war zones. The documents involved in the current leak contain far more useful intelligence, including information on an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive and the rate at which Ukrainian forces are using up ammunition for the Western-supplied M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems, which hasnt previously been disclosed. The New York Times also noted that the leak represents a significant breach of American intelligence in the effort to aid Ukraine. Learn more about the situation in Ukraine at UkraineWitness.com. Watch this clip from The American Journal on InfoWars as host Harrison Smith discusses how the leak of classified military documents exposes the Deep States game plan for Ukraine. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Hero Ukrainian volunteer soldier promoted by Trump-hating Adam Kinzinger, far-left MSNBC contributor, turns out to be a fraud. US is more than a DECADE behind in ammunition stockpiling but Biden is still giving it away to Ukraine. Putin to deploy tactical nuclear missiles in neighboring Belarus following increased Western provocations. UK to send Ukraine DEPLETED URANIUM tank rounds that could cause irreparable harm to the people and the land. Ukrainian commander makes huge admission about condition of countrys armed forces after a year of war. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com PCGamer.com Vice.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The Ford Motor Company has been working with the government of Tennessee to take private lands and build manufacturing plants for electric trucks and batteries. The carmakers collusion with Big Government was part of its efforts to build the $5.6 billion BlueOval city in Stanton, Tennessee. The 4,100-acre facility located west of Memphis will employ about 5,800 people and will churn out 500,000 electric trucks annually at full production. According to Ford, BlueOval City is set to become operational in 2025. (Related: Ford recalls electric version of iconic Mustang muscle car, citing manufacturing defect.) According to a Reason article, state lawmakers overwhelmingly approved legislation granting Ford $884 million in incentives, including a $500 million grant from the states current budget surplus. Aside from this, $384 million was also given to Ford for site preparation including $200 million for road improvements and $138.2 million for infrastructure and demolition services. The bill also apportioned $745,100 to fund the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee, an 11-person board with the power to execute contracts on behalf of the development. It can also take privately-owned land, via eminent domain, in order to facilitate construction of the facility and supporting infrastructure, the news portal wrote. Eminent domain refers to the authority claimed by the government to seize private property for public use, provided the owner receives just compensation for their property. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is seeking 35 separate tracts to construct a series of road connections and widenings. These will link BlueOval City to the Exit 39 off I-40. TDOT spokeswoman Nichole Lawrence said the state has so far seized 15 tracts, and that the state is negotiating with property owners for the remaining 20. Affected farmers arent giving up without a fight Farmers whose lands are being grabbed by the TDOT in behalf of Ford arent easily giving up. Marvin Sanderlin, a farmer who owns 400 acres, was sued by the state for 10 acres of his property. The state government had been eyeing 10 acres of his property as they are in the path of a planned roadway connecting the Ford plant to the interstate. He turned down the $37,500 offer amounting to $3,750 per acre proposed by the state. You cant buy land here for $3,500 an acre. You cant buy a swamp here for $3,500 Sanderlin said. I told them this is the biggest ripoff there is. They want your land, but they dont want you to participate in the wealth. Retired school teacher Ray Jones was named as a defendant in a lawsuit from the state government in February. The state government sought an acre of his land for $8,165. Its been our heritage. The lands deed notes the land cannot be sold. Its been passed down for 100 years, he remarked. We are 100 percent in support of BlueOval. But then you want to take my spring and give me pennies on it? Its an unreasonable situation. Eighty-two-year-old Rosa Whitemore rejected an $8,000 offer for nearly two acres of her farmland. However, she did not learn of the states plans to take her property until she was served with a condemnation lawsuit months later. Theres nothing we can do with $8,000 except be mad. Watch this Next News Network report about President Joe Biden approving Californias request to eradicate gas-powered trucks. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Supply chain crunch still affecting automobile industry as Fords trademark blue oval badges, nameplates run out. Test finds EV Ford F-150 Lightning has abysmally bad towing ability. NYPD to use Robocop-style patrol cars with 360-degree cameras Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com Reason.com TennesseeLookout.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Switzerland has stopped recommending the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, citing high immunity among the Swiss population. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and Swiss Federal Commission for Vaccination issued a new set of guidelines regarding Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. According to the guidelines, the injection is no longer recommended for individuals including those considered at high risk for the spring and summer seasons. High-risk individuals who wish to have the vaccine can still get it after a consultation with their doctor. In principle, no COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for spring/summer 2023, the FOPH guidance said. Nearly everyone in Switzerland has been vaccinated and/or contracted and recovered from COVID-19. Their immune system has, therefore, been exposed to the coronavirus. FOPH officials backed their decision to stop recommending vaccines with data pointing to SARS-CoV-2 circulating less this year. They also pointed out that the more recent COVID-19 variants circulating cause milder illness than earlier strains, such as the B16172 delta variant. Nevertheless, the public health agency said the decision will be reevaluated in the fall and winter seasons and recommendations would be adjusted if a new wave of infection were to emerge. The Epoch Times reported that based on seroprevalence data from mid-2022, more than 98 percent of Swiss people already have antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. These antibodies were obtained from prior infection, vaccination or both. A March 11 report by Swiss Info mentioned that about 70 percent of Swiss people have been injected with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, a figure that has barely moved over the past year. The same piece also mentioned that only 11.5 percent of Swiss citizens got a booster dose in the past six months. The same report mentioned that the low uptake of COVID-19 boosters prompted the landlocked country to discard excess doses it purchased. Millions of unused vials that have expired have already been destroyed. It is likely that millions more will end up in the trash this year, the Swiss Info piece said. (Related: Switzerland to destroy 9M expired doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine after consumer demand plummets.) Vaccination liability shifts from the government to doctors Swiss outlet Report 24 pointed out that under the new FOPH recommendation, doctors can only administer the COVID-19 injections on a case-by-case basis and under certain conditions. Medical Daily expounded on this, saying: By no longer recommending the vaccines, this would mean that vaccination is not covered by the government anymore. Non-high-risk individuals who want to get the [COVID-19] vaccine or the booster would have to pay for it. High-risk people wont have to pay for the vaccine or booster if a doctor consultation recommended they get one. The vaccine, in this case, would be covered by their health insurance. The FOPH noted that the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines is diminished and short-lived, especially among at-risk individuals, against current SARS-CoV-2 variants. It also noted that the adaptation of mRNA vaccines has not kept pace with the evolution of new COVID-19 strains. The FOPH guidance also shifted vaccine-related liabilities. Initial guidelines issued on Nov. 29, 2022, stated that the Swiss government provides compensation to vaccine-injured individuals, but only in cases where public health authorities recommend vaccination. However, the new guidelines now shift the liability for vaccine injuries from the government to individual doctors administering the vaccines. This should mean their willingness to vaccinate will decrease significantly, remarked the Report 24 piece. Switzerland is not the only European country to stop recommending the COVID-19 vaccines. Back in February, the U.K. stopped recommending boosters for healthy individuals and discontinued free distribution of the primary two-dose COVID-19 injections. Denmark also suspended its national COVID-19 vaccination campaign in April 2022, shifting to a targeted approach. Visit Vaccines.news for more stories about the COVID-19 injections. Watch Gabor Gabe Zolna discuss Switzerlands rejection of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine below. This video is from the zolnareport.com channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Denmark bans COVID vaccines for people under 50. Sweden and Denmark ban dangerous COVID-19 vaccines for young people. WHO declares that healthy children and teenagers do NOT need covid vaccines. Study: Natural immunity to COVID remains strong at 20 months post-infection. Denmark SUSPENDS COVID vaccination program but plans to resume it after summer. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org MedicalDaily.com SwissInfo.ch Brighteon.com In Vermont, a deadly fungal disease has reduced the population of a threatened bat species, changing its status to "endangered." The northern long-eared bat's status was changed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service from threatened to endangered on Friday, March 31, 2023. The northern-long-eared bat was given a state endangered status in Vermont in 2011 as a result of the swift and severe declines brought on by the deadly fungus known as white-nose syndrome. After the disease had dispersed throughout the Northeast but not affecting the entire range of the bat species, it was given federal threatened status in 2015. Deadly Fungal Disease The northern long-eared bat has undergone similarly sharp population declines throughout the majority of its range since the spread of white-nose syndrome across North America. This formerly common species' underground hibernation locations, where it spends the winter, have decreased by 98% in Vermont. Reclassification by the USFWS is a reaction to this pattern. Since 2006, more than 5.7 million bats have died in the northeastern United States as a result of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. All six species of cave bats in Vermont have been impacted by this illness. The term "cave bats" refers to bats that spend the winter hibernating in caves and mines. In hibernating bats, a newly discovered fungus invades the skin and causes tissue damage. This fungus is linked to WNS. Since the disease was discovered in Vermont, the population of cave bats has drastically decreased. The little brown bat and the northern long-eared bat, also known as the northern myotis, two of Vermont's most prevalent bat species, have seen over 90% declines in population. According to Vermont Invasives, over the past few years, scientists have found the suspected origins of the deadly fungal invasion in numerous European nations and are now even further east in China. However, there has been no associated mortality among the native bat species. According to phylogenetic data from Europe and Asia, the fungus has likely been present there for a very long time, but fungal specimens from North America are a recent addition. Also Read: Over 100 Invasive Species Pester Pennsylvania with 1500 Negative Impacts - Report Endangered Bat Species in Vermont The USFWS earlier this month released a planning tool and interim guidance in preparation for the reclassification of the species to federal endangered status taking effect. These resources cover potential effects on projects that need federal approval, have received federal funding, or are carried out by a federal agency beginning in April 2023. Additionally, they discuss possible effects on construction, infrastructure, and land-management plans in the range of the northern long-eared bat. The USFWS planning tool will allow non-federal projects to assess potential effects on the northern long-eared bat. By April 2024, the USFWS is anticipated to release the definitive advice. The reclassification may also update the distances between known northern long-eared bat roosts and hibernacula in Vermont. The Northern Long-Eared Bat Population in Vermont is being actively tracked by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and its partners, who have also put protective measures in place like the 2011 state endangered designation. The reclassification of the bat species to federal endangered status is not anticipated to have significant effects on Vermont landowners, land managers, or developers as a result of this proactive effort, iBerkshires.com reports. Related Article: Microscopic Fungus Causes Skin Infection, Population Decline in Frogs The Gulf Coasts are expected to experience a sea level rise of 40 inches by the end of the century, breaking previous records. According to a recent study led by researchers at Tulane University, the US Southeast and Gulf coastlines are seeing sea levels that have been rapidly accelerating and breaking records over the past 12 years. Sea Level Rise According to the study, scientists have seen rates of sea level rise of roughly half an inch every year since 2010. They explain the acceleration as the result of the interaction between natural climate variability and man-made climate change. According to Sonke Dangendorf, an assistant professor in Tulane University's Department of River-Coastal Science and Engineering, these rapid rates of rising sea levels are unexpected for at least the 20th century. They have also been three times higher than the global average during the same time period. Dangendorf is the lead author of the study. According to Tulane News, the authors examined a range of in-person and satellite measurements going back to 1900 to identify the specific causes of the acceleration. According to Noah Hendricks, an undergraduate student at Old Dominion University, their team thoroughly investigated the various causes, including vertical land motion, air pressure, and ice-mass loss, but none of them could fully account for the current rate. Hendricks is one of the co-authors of the study. Instead, they discovered that the acceleration is a broad signal that stretches from the Gulf of Mexico coast up to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina as well as through the North Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Seas. Hendricks explains that this suggests that there are changes in the ocean's density and circulation. Over the past 12 years, the Subtropical Gyre as a whole has expanded primarily because of ongoing warming changes in wind patterns. According to Tulane News, warmer water masses require more space, which raises the sea level. Also Read: Himalayan Glacier Massive Loss Reaches 65% Man-Made Climate Change According to the researchers, the recent acceleration resulted from the unfortunate coincidence of signals related to human-caused climate change and an apex in weather-related variability that persisted for several years. They conclude that in the upcoming decades, the rates will probably return to the more reasonable values suggested by climate models. However, this is not an excuse to declare the situation resolved, noted Torbjorn Tornqvist, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University. He added that, particularly in Texas and Louisiana, where the land is sinking quickly, these vulnerable coastlines have been further stressed by the high rates of sea-level rise. Tornqvist is also one of the co-authors of the study. Dangendorf emphasized once more that the findings show how urgent the climate crisis is for the Gulf region. To successfully address these challenges, interdisciplinary and cooperative efforts are required, SciTech Daily reports. The study by Dangendorf's team, which includes Hendricks, Tornqvist, and several others, has been recently published in the journal Nature Communications. Related Article: King Tides At Least 7 Feet High will Slam California Coasts by Weekend, Forecast Shows Depending on the right combination of currents and wind, a large mass of Sargassum "seaweed" circling the Gulf of Mexico may soon wash up along the US coast near Florida. The bloom, which is likely to be the largest ever recorded, is visible from space. Sargassum is a leafy, rootless, buoyant algae that form large floating mats on the ocean floor. It can be found in the Sargasso Sea and was first mentioned by Christopher Columbus in 1492 when he was afraid his ship would become trapped in it. Sargassum is an important habitat for marine species because it provides food, shelter, and breeding grounds. Smelly Seaweed Bloom Heads To Florida It absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide, an important greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, through photosynthesis, just like other floating marine vegetation, as per Phys.org. However, when tons of it accumulate along coastlines, it rots, emitting toxins such as hydrogen sulfide, which emits a pungent odor. Depending on the amount, these toxins can cause headaches, eye irritation, and upset stomachs. Algae mounds on beaches can harm marine ecosystems and disrupt recreational and fishing activities, costing communities millions of dollars. Scientists have been tracking the massive accumulations of sargassum in the Atlantic Ocean since 2011. However, this year's bloom could be the largest ever, spanning more than 8,800 kilometers from the coasts of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico and weighing 10 million tons. ESA collaborates with CLS-NovaBlue Environment as part of the Earth Observation Science for Society initiative to monitor floating Sargassum using data from Earth observation satellites. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 image above shows the Sargassum about 45 kilometers off the west coast of Guadeloupe. The Sargassum has been highlighted in bright red using the near-infrared channel of the image. Furthermore, the Sargassum has been monitored by the Ocean Virtual Laboratory, which allows oceanographers to discover the world's oceans. The virtual lab employs over 350 datasets, Copernicus Sentinel data, in situ measurements, and numerical model outputs to provide an unprecedented view of our oceans and improve scientific understanding of the ocean and coastal processes that lead to the Sargassum, which may soon affect Florida's coastlines. Since 2011, there has been a change in the density and size of Sargassum levels, which can be tracked from space in a variety of ways. Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite measurements at 10m resolution can capture the extent and evolution of the Sargassum belt that stretches across the Atlantic Ocean. Radar altimeter measurements from the Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-6 satellites provide access to geostrophic ocean currents. This means we can track the location, density, and size of Sargassum mats, as well as the path of ocean currents that are pushing Sargassum westward, threatening beaches in the Florida Keys, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and the eastern Caribbean. Also Read: Massive Brown Seaweeds May Wash Ashore this Summer, Experts Warn Beachgoers to Stay Cautious Seeking Solutions To Sargassum Algae Algal blooms are becoming more common and larger in the Caribbean and West Africa as a result of rising water temperatures, fertilizer release into the ocean, and increased Sahara dust clouds, all of which promote algal growth. Sargassum influxes are wreaking havoc on the environment, biodiversity, and coastal ecosystems. For example, decaying sargassum can suffocate coral reefs and deprive fish of oxygen in coastal areas. When marine mammals and turtles become entangled in algae, they frequently drown. Barbados, Belize, and Trinidad and Tobago are among the hardest hit. When there is an abundance of sargassum, fishermen are forced to change their fishing techniques and target species. It is critical to improving sargassum management. FAO not only advocates for best practices in sargassum cleanup and removal, but also collaborates with governments and communities to develop policies, standards, and incentives to protect public and environmental health. FAO is also promoting ways to repurpose sargassum, turning it into commercially viable products to provide additional employment and income through the development of a sargassum uses guide. In fact, small and medium-sized businesses are already using sargassum to make bricks, shoe soles, soaps, plant stimulants, and paper. Larger businesses are considering turning sargassum into renewable energy, bioplastics, and compost. Related article: Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt Threatens Tourism in Both Mexico and Florida An enormous cowboy hat just tossed itself into the Senate election ring. If you look closely, you can see a man inside the hat, who speaks on its behalf. The hat intends to run for Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema's seat, who won as a Democrat but declared herself as an independent after siding with the MAGA party on multiple issues. Sinema has not confirmed if she plans to run for re-election. The cowboy hat's campaign promises include "standing up to the woke left" and "securing our border and supporting our law enforcement." The hat potentially faces tough competition from Arizona's self-appointed Governor Kari Lake, a popular former drag king who has expressed interest in running for the seat. The man inside the hat is Mark Lamb. He is a former sheriff, a Covid skeptic, a proponent of the Big Lie, and an ultra-MAGA supporter. Interestingly, his favorite animal is the hermit crab. [via NYT] Several critical habitat areas for threatened shorebirds will be protected as a result of a U.S. This season, a District Court in Charleston issued an order prohibiting three groups from harvesting horseshoe crabs on several South Carolina beaches. Court Order Halts Horseshoe Crab Harvesting On Many South Carolina Beaches According to previous reporting by The State Media Co., red knots, a threatened migratory shorebird, rely on horseshoe crab eggs for survival, and each one fuels up on hundreds of thousands of the arthropod eggs in South Carolina on their way to the Canadian Arctic, as per Phys.org. However, when horseshoe crabs are harvested from the beaches where red knots congregate for the benefit of pharmaceutical companies that use the crabs' blue blood to detect bacterial toxins, the red knots lose a food source. According to The State Media Co., companies in Europe and Asia have switched to using a synthetic copy of the ingredient that does not require horseshoe crabs to be captured or bled. On Thursday, United States District Judge Richard Mark Gergel issued an order halting horseshoe crab harvesting for three opposing groups on nearly 30 South Carolina beaches. The order is valid for the entire spawning season, which runs from March 15 to June 15. The beaches on this list have been identified by the United States. Red knot habitat is designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Department of Natural Resources. "It is the most significant type of red knot and horseshoe crab protection ever put in place on the Eastern Seaboard," said Catherine Wannamaker, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. The order also prohibits the placement of female horseshoe crabs in containment ponds, which house the captured arthropods before they are bled by pharmaceutical companies. According to Samantha Jorgensen, a Charles River spokesperson, the company agreed to the resolution in the motion for a preliminary injunction on Saturday, allowing it to continue its work by protecting patients' health and safety, as well as the security of the global biopharmaceutical supply chain. Previously, Jorgensen stated that Charles River had worked for nearly 40 years with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to oversee the annual collection and release of horseshoe crabs. Jorgensen stated that the company is committed to collecting this natural resource in a safe and humane manner that is both environmentally sustainable and ensures that medical treatments are safe for patients. The order issued on Thursday requires Charles River and its contractors to certify that the horseshoe crabs they do take are not from the restricted areas. Harvesters must also use GPS while harvesting and keep a record of where they took the horseshoe crabs. Beginning April 21, those records will be sent to SCDNR, Coastal Conservation League, and Defenders of Wildlife on a weekly basis. The district court's order is environmentalists' second victory in less than a month in protecting red knots and horseshoe crabs. In the middle of March, the U.S. The Fish and Wildlife Service issued a draft compatibility determination, which concluded that horseshoe crab harvesting was inconsistent with the intended purposes of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Harvesting on the entire 66,000-acre refuge is currently halted under the draft. Also Read: After Outliving the Dinosaurs, Crustaceans Used to Fight Covid Now at Risk of Extinction Horseshoe crab in peril The horseshoe crab is a marine chelicerate arthropod that lives in shallow coastal waters on soft sandy or muddy bottoms and spawns mostly on intertidal beaches during summer-spring high tides, as per IUCN. There are four extant horseshoe crab species: the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) along the eastern coast of the USA and in the Gulf of Mexico, and three Indo-Pacific species, the tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), the coastal horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas) and the mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) in coastal waters of India, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. The horseshoe crab is an important component of coastal biodiversity. They lay millions of eggs on beaches to feed shorebirds, fish, and other wildlife, which is one of their ecological functions. Many other species, including sponges, mud crabs, mussels, and snails, use its large hard shell as a microhabitat. Unfortunately, in areas with low population density, this ecological link can be broken. Because of overharvesting for food, bait, and biomedical testing, as well as habitat loss, the American horseshoe crab is listed as Vulnerable to extinction, and the tri-spine horseshoe crab is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; the two additional Asian horseshoe crab species will be listed soon. Participants from 14 countries and regions endorsed the Beibu Gulf Declaration on Global Horseshoe Crab Conservation in June 2019, during the IUCN SSC Horseshoe Crab Specialist Group international workshop in Guangxi, China, to call for stronger policy making and better enforcement, more scientific investigations, and research, sustainable management of horseshoe crabs, restoring natural populations and protecting critical habitats, and promoting public awareness as well as multi-party involvement in horseshoe crab conservation. In order to broaden their public outreach activities around the world, the IUCN SSC Horseshoe Crab Specialist Group has designated June 20th as International Horseshoe Crab Day to highlight the four horseshoe crab species' collective conservation efforts. Related article: Horseshoe Crab Blood Harvesting Practices Questioned by Researchers Weather reports said that parts of the United Kingdom could experience challenging wind conditions and heavy rain this week, according to the latest forecasts. Brits with travel plans should consider the weather before leaving their homes, as the weather could become problematic for motorists. During the winter season, parts of the UK experienced severe weather conditions, causing travel headaches, cold and road disruptions. Challenging winds and rainy conditions In the latest weather report, BBC reported that a yellow warning for wind was issued in parts of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The forecast said that the weather warning is expected to continue until Wednesday. The weather forecast added that flooding conditions could also become a concern this week in parts of England. According to a BBC report, the Environment Agency noted flooding alerts in parts of Wear Coast, Tyne, Surrey, and Bristol. The forecast emphasized that motorists and homeowners should check the weather for possible slower commutes and flight delays. Met Office Weather Forecast In the latest weather update, Met Office reported that the UK could experience unsettled rain conditions and strong winds. Based on the Met Office's forecast (April 11 to April 15, 2023), widespread rain is expected in parts of the Northeast. The temperatures are expected to become normal for this week. Meanwhile, the weather report noted that rain could also reach parts of Scotland, where there could be a chance of thunder. The weather advisory added that Gales could emerge in Eastern Scotland. Brits near coastal and flood-prone areas should check for possible flooding. On Wednesday, chances of rain and snow are also possible. In addition, windy conditions and severe gales are possible in the southwest and west. From Thursday to Saturday, the forecast added that cold and breezy conditions could likely emerge. Also Read: Tornado Watch and Warnings: What You Should Know About During Severe Weather On the other hand, the weather forecast said that light winds and sunny spells could occur. In addition, parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland could experience freezing conditions and fog patches. Keeping updated with the weather this week The challenging weather conditions this week could contribute to travel disruptions for many motorists. Meanwhile, homeowners should check the weather outlook, as flooding alerts could be concerning. In the United States, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported that weather agencies were monitoring parts of the US, especially Oklahoma and Western North Texas. In addition, Northern Rockies, Plains, and Upper Midwest could experience snowmelt that could result in potential flooding. As the spring season comes near, homeowners must still prepare for potential storms or winter storms. Heavy rain and troublesome wind gusts could become problematic for this week. Potential power outages could also happen due to the strong winds. As a result, preparing an emergency kit would be helpful to prepare for severe weather conditions. Related Article: U.S. Weather Forecast: Pacific Moisture Plume to Unload Snow, and Rain in Parts of California, Washington This Week For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News. A crocodile attack occurred in the remote part of northern Queensland, Australia over the Easter weekend. A man in his 40s lived to tell the tale of the attack but sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to a hospital in the state. Local wildlife authorities this week have continued their search for the reptile, which is still at large in the area as of Monday, April 10. Far North Queensland Crocodile Attack The north Queensland crocodile attack occurred while the man was spearfishing off the coast of Archer Point Camping near Cooktown at 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 8, The Canberra Times reported. It is not clear if the attack was provoked or not, as there was also no indication that the spear fisher struck the crocodile first. Regardless, the reptile bites the man three times and dragged him at the bottom of the water. Local reports said the man sticked his fingers into the eyes of the predator before swimming back to the shore, according to flight paramedic Valerie Noble at Queensland Ambulance, as cited by The Guardian. Prior to the man escaping, he has been in the water when he noticed the large crocodile approximately 4.5 meters in length swimming towards him and attempted to fend it off using his spear gun, but failed, Noble told Seven News. Also Read: Crocodile Mauls 8-Year-Old Boy to Death in Front of His Parents Before Dragging Him Into River Queensland Crocodile Search The man, who sustained wounds on his head, shoulders, and legs, was rushed to Cairns Base Hospital where he was treated. Local authorities considered the man to be lucky as not many can survive such ordeal, 9 News Australia reported. Wildlife rangers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services have continued their croc search operation in the waters off Archer Point on Monday. In a statement, the state's environment and science agency said the wildlife officers were not able to spot a crocodile overnight but were still conducting vessel-based searches, as cited by The Canberra Times. Australia Crocodile Attacks Australia is known for its wild animals, including its notorious saltwater crocodiles, which had a track record of attacking humans in the country in recent years. In northern Queensland, crocodiles are a common occurrence across the state's waterways. With this, no waterway in the state can ever be treated as crocodile-free, according to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science. The typical crocodile habitat called "croc country" spans from the Boyne River south of Gladstone, which then extends northward to the east coast and throughout Far North Queensland, as outlined by the department, which adds that crocodiles can also be found outside the croc country. The recent Archer Point crocodile attack is the third related incident involving the reptiles within two months after a man was also bitten at Newell Beach on April 4 and another man at Bloomfield in February this year. Related Article: Woman Recovered from 19-foot Crocodile's Stomach Shortly After Swallowing Her Whole Body in Indonesia A Herculaneum Man's brain apparently turned into glass during the Vesuvius eruption, according to analysis. The Nearby Town, Herculaneum While the majority of us associate the Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD 79 with Pompeii, a new research study has shown the devastating effects the event had on residents of Herculaneum, another nearby settlement. Researchers have discovered proof that the small Roman town was struck by "pyroclastic currents," which are hot, swiftly moving streams of gas together with volcanic particles. In contrast, a series of weaker currents with temperatures as low as 870F buried the town under volcanic deposits with a thickness reaching 65 feet. The first current, estimated to have reached 1,022F, vaporized the inhabitants in a matter of minutes. Scientists have previously discovered human tissue that was turned into glass by the event, though the majority of the bodies at Herculaneum were quickly reduced to heaps of ash. Brain to Glass The process of vitrification involved burning a man's brain at a high temperature, then rapidly cooling it to transform it into a type of glass. A group of geologists and scientists from the University of Roma Tre oversaw the new study, which was later published in the journal Scientific Reports. According to the authors' paper, a surge of ash clouds with temperatures between 555 and 495 C entered the town as the first pyroclastic current, which was capable of killing people instantly. Mount Vesuvius Eruption Up to 16,000 people were killed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, destroying the towns of Herculaneum, Pompeii, Torre Annunziata, and Stabiae. After the eruption, the victims' bodies at Pompeii were infamously protected by an ash shell before eventually decomposing. Since the middle of the 19th century, plaster casts have been used to reconstruct the spaces that these bodies left behind. In contrast, the bodies of people who had died in Herculaneum were poorly preserved, and the researchers sought to determine why. Vitrification in Herculaneum To measure the intensity of energy absorption, the researchers used reflectance analysis to examine carbonized wood samples they had collected from five different locations throughout Herculaneum. The samples displayed signs of having been exposed to a pyroclastic current and a very hot gas for a brief period of time. The first to cover at Herculaneum had a minimum temperature of 1,022F, though the team believes it was higher. There were at least two cooler currents that came after it, with temperatures ranging from 600 to 870 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving thicker volcanic deposits on the ground. With the aid of these discoveries, the team was able to comprehend the circumstances surrounding the formation and preservation of the vitrified brain discovered in a victim's skull in the Collegium Augustalium in 2020. This was a unique case because most victims at Herculaneum were likely to be instantly vaporized; instead, his brain had been burned at a high temperature and then rapidly cooled, turning it into a material close to glass that is solid and shiny. According to the experts' paper, it was only feasible if the heating event was brief, preventing the tissue from being completely vaporized. This way, once the diluted current has disappeared, the body won't be completely encased in a hot deposit, which is a requirement for the extremely quick cooling needed to achieve vitrification. Also Read: Merapi Volcano Eruption Shoots Hot Clouds 4 Miles Up, Evacuation Possible -Indonesia Pompeii Bodies vs. Herculaneum Bodies The team also notes that many bodies at Pompeii displayed the typical post-mortem posture known as the "boxer position" or "pugilistic attitude," which includes flexed knees and elbows in addition to clenched fists. The tissues and muscles of bodies exposed to high temperatures frequently contract and become dehydrated, leading to this state. However, if temperatures were so high to quickly vaporize this flesh off of the bone, as was the case in Herculaneum, this does not happen. If Vesuvius erupted again, the team contends that their findings should be one of caution to contemporary residents of Naples, a city that is near enough to feel the impact of a pyroclastic current, Daily Mail reported. The American Museum of Natural History estimated that a million people currently reside in the volcano's current blast zone. Related Article: Dinosaur Egg Mistakenly Identified as Rock Crystal for 200 Years in London Museum Ancient bacteria DNA over 500 million years ago that integrated with the DNA of the earliest vertebrates may have paved the way for the evolution of human vision, according to a new study led by researchers led by researchers in the United States. While previous research points out the potential development of the first eyes among animals during the Cambrian Explosion, the new findings explain exactly how. For centuries, scientists have been mystified as to the exact origin and biological mechanism that led to the emergence of the sense of sight which is possessed not only by humans and other animals, including mammals, insects, as well as other vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Even the English naturalist Charles Darwin was reportedly unable to explain how the eyes came out into existence. Based on the new research paper, scientists explain how the "accidental" transfer of ancient bacteria gene to a prehistoric animal, which has been reported to be the ancestor of all living vertebrates, including humans, of today. The findings do not assert that such gene is necessary for the evolution of vision. However, it is possible that our sight would not exist if not for the ancient bacteria DNA. Ancient Bacteria Gene In a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in August 2022, researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology at University of California linked the bacterial origin of the evolution of the vertebrate eye. The research team highlighted that explaining the evolution of the eye since Darwin's time has been a challenge in the field of evolutionary biology. The team described the significant contribution of bacteria to the vertebrate eye's evolution, which was made possible through the interdomain horizontal gene transfer. This belongs to a bacterial gene that allowed the rise of vertebrate-specific interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein, also referred to as vertebrate IRBP. The study defines IRBP as a "highly conserved and essential retinoid shuttling protein," which came from an ancient bacterial gene that was received, duplicated, and alter along with the evolution of the vertebrate type of eye more than 500 million years ago. Also Read: Evolution Helped Blind Cave Fish Reduce Their Energy Consumption, Ensuring Survival Tracing Human Gene Evolution The new paper is based on the fact that bacteria are known for swapping genes. However, vertebrates can also incorporate microbial genes. In particular, it expended a previous discovery back in 2001 when the first human genome was sequences. At that time, scientists believed it contained about 200 bacteria-derived genes but could not determine the origin of some, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The gene likely allowed the evolution of lenses that focuses on light. According to The New York Academy of Sciences, lenses are made up of remarkable molecules known as crystallins, which are one of the most specialized proteins inside the body. Related Article: Salmon Discovered to Posses Natural Version of Night Vision Goggles, New Study Shows A tropical moisture is hovering towards the Gulf Coast and Florida Peninsula this week, forecasted of bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms, and rough surf. The inclement weather will affect the southern United States in general, with the Gulf Coast and Florida storms posing the risk of coastal flooding or beach erosion. The wet weather forecast comes after severe thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes struck the wide region, resulting in multiple people dead. Now, the rare spring storm just off the coast of the southern coast may result in widespread flooding and travel disruption, as well as life-threatening risks from large waves, floodwaters, and damaging winds. Gulf Coast, Florida Weather Forecast Behind the storms is a new weather pattern that is developing over the Southeast U.S., which can cause a tropical rainfall for most parts of Florida and the Gulf Coast. The said pattern will continue in the coming weeks as well, making the first round of storm to be strong enough to disrupt travel and cause hazardous winds, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. An excessive tropical moisture amount will integrate with a nearby storm system. It will then push throughout Florida, bringing rounds of rain showers and thunderstorms. A high-pressure area in the mid-Atlantic Ocean during the first half of the week will lead to an east-to-west wind flow across the Sunshine State and into the Gulf Coast, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys. Also Read: U.S. Weather Forecast: Pacific Moisture Plume to Unload Snow, and Rain in Parts of California, Washington This Week First April Tropical Storm Despite the looming threat, the same storm system reported by forecasters to become the first April tropical storm recorded in the Gulf of Mexico is currently unlikely to become as such, USA Today reported. Citing reports from AccuWeather on Monday and Tuesday, April 11, the conditions that will allow the tropical storm to develop have diminished. The U.S. weather forecasting company's senior meteorologist, Alex Sosnowski, stated the conditions in the northern Gulf of Mexico are not enough for such development to occur. Multi-Weather Forecast Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) also issued a short-range outlook of the tropical moisture in the South U.S. but still warns of isolated severe thunderstorms that can produce heavy rain and localized flooding in parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeast until Thursday, April 13. Just like the AccuWeather forecast, the NWS is also expecting the continuance of heavy rainfall chances across the Southeast in the coming days as a low-pressure area form along a stationary front in the Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday, April 12. The U.S. weather agency also mentioned there is still a disparity when it comes to how the said weather system will evolve. Regardless, previous storms in the region have led to significant flooding due to torrential rain and power outages due to damaged power lines from strong winds. The U.S. is currently in its meteorological spring season, which officially started on March 20. Related Article: US Storm Warning: SPC Issues Severe Thunderstorm Alert for States in the Gulf Coast and Midwest Cherry blossoms are blooming earlier than ever before, with the chiffon-pink that has traditionally heralded spring for the country appearing only two weeks into March. On March 22, temperatures in Osaka reached a record high of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). Tottori, in the southwest, reached 25.8 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) on the same day, the highest in 140 years, according to climatologist Maximiliano Herrera. In March, the average temperature in Tottori is 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit). Japan Urged To Curb Impact, Emissions With temperatures already rising and the use of fossil fuels that contribute to climate change increasing around the world, Japan is in for another hot summer with a growing risk of flooding and landslides, as per Phys.org. The country is scrambling to protect communities from warming and has pledged to reduce emissions, but worsening weather remains a threat in the short term. "The risks of climate change are right in front of us," said Yasuaki Hijioka, deputy director of the National Institute for Environmental Studies Center for Climate Change Adaptation in Tsukuba, northeast of Tokyo. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons are already common in Japan. For the most part, secure infrastructure has kept people safe. However, because the systems were designed for previous weather conditions, communities are frequently caught off guard as a result of climate change. If you're pushing a 20th-century-designed electrical grid into a new century of warming and heat extremes, you'll have to consider whether your energy system and healthcare system are truly designed for a warming planet, according to Kim Cobb, director of The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. More than 200 temperature records were broken in cities across the country last year, straining the energy grid and sending over 71,000 people to the hospital for heatstroke from May to September. According to government statistics, the majority of patients were elderly, but a significant number of children and middle-aged adults were also admitted. Warming weather can also hold more moisture, adding flooding and landslides to the summer forecast, which Japan has seen more frequently. Bullet trains were partially submerged in flooding caused by Typhoon Hagibis in 2019. Landslides engulfed homes and highways, while people and cars were trapped in flooded tunnels. Dams were unable to withstand the unexpectedly heavy rainfall. Hijioka's research is centered on flood management, such as diverting water from rising rivers upstream into rice paddies and ponds to drain in order to prevent flooding. To prevent heatstroke deaths, a proposed law would designate certain community buildings as shelters, such as air-conditioned libraries. This type of national-level law is novel in Japan. Despite the country's advanced economy, some people cannot afford air conditioning, particularly in hotter areas. Because of the recent extreme heat, schools in northern Japan, such as Nagano, have installed air conditioning. Michio Kawamiya, director of the Research Center for Environmental Modeling and Application, and his colleagues study Japan's rising temperatures and their effects on people. Among their findings: cherry blossoms have bloomed one day earlier on average every decade since 1953. The color of maple leaves has changed 2.8 days slower per decade. Even though the threat of heavy snowfall remains, the risk of typhoons has increased and the amount of snowfall has decreased. Japan has made some progress in reducing its use of fossil fuels, but it remains the world's sixth-largest emitter. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, Japan shut down nuclear generation and, unfortunately for the climate, invested in new coal plants as well as imported oil and gas to keep its grid operational. Since then, nuclear power plants have been gradually restarted. Also Read: Unbelievably Large Sinkhole in Japan Fixed After 2 Days How The Climate Crisis Impacts Japan Melting ice and rising sea levels receive a lot of attention when it comes to the climate crisis, and for good reason, as per The Climate Reality Project. As a result, many countries are constantly threatened by sea-level rise, and in some extreme cases, are on the verge of being submerged entirely. Although Japan does not face quite this level of threat, rising seas and their associated effects are already wreaking havoc on coastal areas. Typhoon Jebi, for example, flooded Kansai International Airport in September 2018, a popular gateway to the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. The climate crisis is causing more than just flooding along Japan's coasts. As recent events have demonstrated, the mainland is also at risk. A devastating downpour in western Japan in July 2018 forced 2 million people to flee their homes. This deluge flooded hundreds of thousands of homes and tragically claimed the lives of over 200 people. Following the event, experts agreed that the storm's intensity was fueled by our changing climate. That downpour is just one example of a climate phenomenon that is sweeping Japan; as temperatures rise, water evaporates more quickly. As a result, rain falls less frequently but is harder when it does. Given that Japan's average temperature is rising faster than the global average, this process is expected to accelerate unless global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. The same holds true for heatwaves. Japan will continue to heat up unless we drastically reduce emissions. The country got a taste of what this future might be like in 2018, when a heatwave broke its temperature record, reaching 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit). This event, which the Japanese government later declared a natural disaster, hospitalized over 30,000 people and claimed at least 80 lives. Related article: Cold Weather in Eastern Asia: Frigid Conditions, Snow Unleash in Japan, South Korea For the first time, scientists have explained why larger dogs live shorter lives than smaller dogs: selective breeding for size has created large breeds more vulnerable to cancer. The reasons of differences in lifespan and death in 164 dog breeds ranging in size from chihuahuas to Great Danes were investigated by specialists at the University of Adelaide. When these data sets were analyzed, authors revealed that larger dogs were more likely to die from cancer at a younger age than smaller dogs, according to Dr. Jack da Silva of the University of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences. Larger dogs did not necessarily age faster than smaller breeds, but the study found that as the breed's average body weight increased, so did cancer rates. Larger Dogs Live As Long As Smaller Breeds For the first time, scientists have explained why larger dogs live shorter lives than smaller dogs: selective breeding for size has created large breeds more vulnerable to cancer, as per Phys.org. The reasons of differences in lifespan and death in 164 dog breeds ranging in size from chihuahuas to Great Danes were investigated by specialists at the University of Adelaide. According to Dr. da Silva, the focus in all organisms is on reproducing early, even if it means foregoing body maintenance and repair and living longer. Dogs are an excellent model for studying human aging. Dogs, like humans in the industrialized world, live in an environment that protects them from accidental and infectious causes of death, making them more susceptible to age-related diseases such as cancer. Although the survey results may be concerning for large dog owners, the researchers predict that larger breeds will evolve to develop better cancer-fighting genes. The majority of the 400 or so dog breeds we know today have only been around for about 200 years. Larger dogs haven't had enough time to develop cancer-fighting mechanisms to match their size. This could still happen, but at a cost to reproduction, according to Dr. da Silva. Dr. da Silva predicts that larger breeds will adapt and live longer lives, but that due to the theory of aging, they will have smaller litter sizes in the future. This could happen naturally or through selective breeding, as people focus on breeding larger dogs with lower cancer rates and thus longer lifespans. Also Read: Lung Cancer Immunotherapy: Dogs Help Find New Protein to Fend Malignant Tumors Off, Even on Humans Osteosarcoma Is A Common Bone Cancer In Dogs It manifests as a solid swelling in the affected area, such as a limb or the skull, and can rapidly spread to any other part of the body, as per Epigram. The tumor may cause a pathological fracture, which occurs when a bone breaks due to disease rather than injury. This cancer is frequently accompanied by restlessness or lameness, as well as a high temperature and limping. As a result, it is critical to keep an eye out for subtle changes in the dog's behavior, such as not eating or a change in temperament, to allow for early diagnosis. The University of Bristol Veterinary School led a study with Cardiff University and the Royal Veterinary College London to compare 1,756 confirmed cases of osteosarcoma in various dog breeds to a total of 905,211 dogs in general veterinary care (in 2016). Rottweilers, Great Danes, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Mastiffs were among the 27 breeds found to have a higher risk of osteosarcoma than crossbreds. According to the researchers, 'heavier dogs with longer legs and longer skull shapes' are at the highest risk of developing bone cancer. This research has been invaluable in confirming the genetic basis of osteosarcoma in dog breeds, not only for improving the quality of life for affected dogs but also for using affected dogs as study models for how these tumors may develop in humans. The future of this research could focus on identifying specific gene mutations linked to this cancer in the hopes of better understanding the biological pathways that lead to tumor formation in normal bone tissue. Individual genes discovered in specific breeds could be targeted by newly developed drugs in future treatments. Related article: Puppy Love: Dog Therapy can Possibly Help Fight Cancer A wildfire swept through a coastal city in South Korea earlier this week, killing at least one person, injuring several others, and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. The "Gangneung wildfire" spread quickly due to strong blowing winds. However, recent rainfall has helped in the quelling of the fire but measures are still in place to avoid further casualties. Gangneung Wildfire The fire started at around 8:00 p.m. local time in Gangneung on Tuesday, April 11, and was almost extinguished as of 4:30 in the afternoon after engulfing a total land area of 170 hectares, forcing the evacuation of approximately 550 residents across the eastern coastal city of over 200,000 residents, according to the Korea Forest Service, as cited by Channel News Asia (CNA). Local officials reported the Gangneung fire was spread by strong winds on Tuesday and fears of further expansion of the wildfire eased due to rain showers that helped firefighter to tackle the blaze. In addition to the reported fatality which is a man in his 70s, the flame injured three people, including a resident and two firefighters, and destroyed dozens of buildings, the country's national forestry agency adds. Also Read: A Tundra Wildfire Is Advancing on an Alaska Native Settlement Gangneung Fire Origin Initial reports from officials indicate the wildfire may have started after powerful winds had blown a tree onto live power cables, as cited by CNA. As mentioned earlier, the fire was fueled by strong winds and persisted for eight hours, prompting almost 3,000 firefighters to extinguish the blaze that started on a mountain area in the central part of Gangneung. The raging flame destroyed approximately 70 homes and other buildings in the area, The Associated Press reported. On Tuesday, winds in the Gangneung area experienced a speed of up to 103 kilometers per hour (64 miles per hour), according to the Korea Meteorological Administration, as cited by AP News. Fire Mitigating Measures During the early stage of the response, firefighters focused on erecting barriers to prevent the flames from spreading to more populated areas of Gangneung. Photos posted online showed the firefighters sprayed water at burning houses and buildings, as well as on orange flames which burnt a pine forest area near a seaside resort hotel, ABC News reported. In response to the natural disaster, the presidency office said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an order to local authorities to mobilize all available resources, including manpower, to put out the blaze as soon as possible and quickly evacuate nearby people to minimize casualties. South Korea Wildfires South Korea is currently in its spring season; thus, the occurrence of wildfires is likely due to relatively warm temperatures as well, which is one of the fire weather conditions. According to the organization Global Forest Watch, South Korea's peak fire season typically starts in late January and last for around 12 weeks. Over the past year, there were 26 fire alerts reported between April 11 in 2022 and April 3 in 2023, which consists of "high confidence alerts" only. Related Article: 69 Million People Exposed to 'Killer Haze' During Wildfire in Indonesia As chronic smog blankets areas almost every week, the frequent forest fires in Thailand and Laos have had a negative impact on tourism and public health. Air Pollution, Forest Fires, Slash-and-Burn Farming Southeast Asia continues to be plagued by air pollution, which is primarily caused by forest fires as well as slash-and-burn farming. In some places, PM2.5 particulate concentrations are among the highest in the world. The region's foul air is harming residents' respiratory health and casts a shadow over the tourism industry, which is battling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Laos Health in Chronic Smog On Thursday of last week, a brown haze covered the sky over Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Similar clouds covered neighboring Thailand, which is usually easily viewed across the Mekong River. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Phet, an interpreter employed in the capital, mentioned breathing problems. People in Vientiane don face masks to avoid breathing in the smog, not because they are afraid of getting COVID. Since late January, the pollution in Laos has gotten worse. The nation's air quality index (AQI) rose to 471 on Thursday. Thailand Chronic Smog November to April The AQI in Chiang Mai has remained above 300 since March 25, making the pollution in northern Thailand even worse than the condition in Laos. In an effort to lessen traffic and improve the quality of the air, local authorities last week urged businesses and government agencies to permit employees to work from home. Air pollution typically gets worse and frequently lasts from November through April because the weather is drier. Instead of plowing their sugar cane fields, farmers frequently set them on fire to clear the land. Unhealthy air is a result of a combination of factors, including vehicle exhaust fumes along with this year's forest fires. CNN reports that the number of "hot spots" where fields were on fire in late March, according to Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, was 5,572. Myanmar had 10,563 hot spots, compared to 9,652 in Laos, and both nations are on the rise. According to experts, the region's nations must cooperate to solve the issue. Also Read: Mysterious Glowing Pink Sky Over Australian Town Leaves Residents in Awe Thailand Health The smog in Thailand is taking a toll on public health. Over 1.7 million individuals report respiratory issues, skin inflammation, or burning eyes between January and mid-March. Researchers at Kasetsart University in Thailand have calculated the cost of PM2.5 pollution in the nation at approximately 2 trillion baht, or roughly $58.3 billion, which is more than 10% of the nation's gross domestic product, according to data from the World Health Organization. The cost to the public's health and the economy will increase in the absence of effective action. Now, the area's persistent smog is endangering its vital tourism sector. International tourists frequently visit northern Thailand and Laos. While Luang Prabang in Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Thai cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are popular tourist destinations, the region's polluted air poses a threat to its recovery after successive lockdowns and a slump in tourism, Nikkei Asia reports. Related Article: Hazardous Air Quality, Air Pollution, Dust Storm In China Already an Improvement from Past, Experts Say It might not come as a surprise that oil companies knew that energy consumption of fossil fuels negatively drives climate change and increases pollution on earth. Just like tobacco companies knew for years that their product caused cancer and other illnesses. Both industries invested in research that downplayed the dangers and risks to humans and the planet of smoking tobacco and consuming (extracting, refining, and distributing) oil. Vatan Huzeir, a doctoral student at Erasmus University Rotterdam, has just released a Twitter thread and article about an "in-depth research and analysis project of Changerism." Changerism is a "Think-and-do-tank in climate change, energy transition." The research, "Dirty Pearls: exposing Shell's hidden legacy of climate change accountability, 1970-1990," highlights findings into Shell corporation's climate research and the denials that fossil fuels are dangerous for the earth and its inhabitants. As explained by Mathew Green at De Smog, "Compiled by Dutch climate activist Vatan Huzeir, and reviewed by DeSmog and Dutch investigative journalism platform Follow The Money, the documents show how Shell was actively supporting research that clearly underscored the dangers posed by burning its fossil fuel products from the mid-1970s years earlier than previously thought. Even as the company's awareness of the potentially devastating consequences of climate change grew, the documents show how Shell shaped a series of influential industry-backed publications that downplayed or omitted key risks; emphasized scientific uncertainties; and pushed for more fossil fuels, particularly coal. This impressive history shows for just how long climate issues were known by Shell personnel," said Ben Franta, senior research fellow in climate litigation at the University of Oxford. "Despite internal awareness, the company systematically downplayed the problem to the public, instead promoting more and more fossil fuel use despite the dangers. Now, five decades later, Shell continues to dawdle and delay." You can check out the primary documents and files at Climate Files. Green highlights one specific tool of Shell's propaganda campaign, the half-hour film Time For Energyproduced in 1981. "The 30-minute film makes no mention of the coal assets the Anglo-Dutch oil major had acquired in an effort to diversify in the wake of the 1973 oil shock. Nor does it refer to a topic that was of unequivocal scientific concern at the time: The "greenhouse effect," or what is now known as climate change." For more on how the oil industry denies its practices are destroying the planet, check out PBS Frontline's documentary "The Power of Big Oil Part One: Denial." Balikatan 2023 sees over 17,600 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the U.S. military participating in an annual bilateral exercise between the two allies. It is the largest iteration of Balikatan to date, with both allies contributing a significant number of troops. The exercise is currently taking place from April 11 to 28. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) pulls into Subic Bay, Philippines to participate in Exercise Balikatan 2023. (Picture source: US DoD) The current year marks the 38th iteration of the exercise, which will feature training activities across the Philippines. This year, approximately 5,400 AFP personnel and 12,200 U.S. military personnel will train together, fostering interoperability and enhanced capability in a range of areas, including maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness. The increase in participating personnel from the previous year's Balikatan exercise reflects the ongoing expansion of the exercise's scope. Moreover, this year's iteration of Balikatan includes a bilateral command post-exercise, which will bolster the Allies' ability to coordinate and provide command and control of forces against simulated challenges and scenarios. This exercise will enable the AFP and the U.S. military to refine their tactics, techniques, and procedures related to maritime security and maneuver in a shared and contested battlespace. The exercise's field training events will take place across the Philippines, evaluating the Allies' capabilities in combined arms live-fire, information and intelligence sharing, communications between maneuver units, logistics operations, amphibious operations, and other critical skill sets. In addition, the AFP and U.S. military will carry out multiple Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) projects to enhance infrastructure, improve medical response, and strengthen ties between local communities and Philippine and American military forces. These activities include the construction or renovation of three community health centers and multipurpose halls and hands-on training in advanced emergency rescue and lifesaving techniques. According to information published by Focus Taiwan on April 12, 2023, the French Navy's Floreal class frigate Prairial recently transited the Taiwan Strait. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Floreal class frigate Prairial. (Picture source: French MFA) The Taiwan Strait is a significant body of water that separates the island of Taiwan from mainland Asia. This 180-kilometer (110 mi; 97 nmi)-wide strait is a part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest point of the Taiwan Strait is 130 km (81 mi; 70 nmi) wide. However, the Taiwan Strait is not just a geographic feature but is also a subject of an ongoing international dispute over its political status. The People's Republic of China claims to have "sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait" and considers it as "internal territorial waters" instead of international waters. This means that the Chinese government denies any foreign vessel the freedom of navigation to cross the strait without Chinese official consent. This stance has drawn strong objections from various countries, including the United States, Australia, France, and Taiwan. These countries consider the Taiwan Strait as international waters, and all ships and aircraft should have the freedom of navigation and overflight in the strait. Floreal class This class of frigates has a displacement of 2,600 tonnes (2,600 long tons) and 3,000 tonnes (2,950 long tons) at full load. It measures 93.5 meters (306 ft 9 in) in length, 14 meters (45 ft 11 in) in beam, and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) in draught. The Floreal-class frigate is powered by four SEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPC diesel engines, which deliver a total output of 6,580 kW (8,820 hp). The propulsion system consists of two shafts and a 203 kW (272 hp) bow thruster, providing the vessel with a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The Floreal-class frigate has a troop capacity of 24 marines and a complement of 90 personnel. Its sensor and processing systems include the DRBV-21C (Mars) air sentry radar, Racal Decca RM1290 navigation radar, and Racal Decca RM1290 landing radar, providing the crew with situational awareness and navigation capabilities. The vessel is also equipped with an ARBG-1A Saigon electronic warfare system and two Dagaie decoy systems, which serve as countermeasures against electronic threats and enemy missiles. The Floreal-class frigate's armament includes one 100 mm CADAM turret with Najir fire control system, two 20 mm modele F2 guns, and previously, two Exocet MM38 missiles, which have been removed from service. The vessel also has an aviation capability, with a flight deck and hangar capable of accommodating one Eurocopter Dauphin N3 helicopter. The Dauphin N3 replaced the Aerospatiale Alouette III in 2022 when the latter retired. Rusty Blazenhoff here at Boing Boing recently shared news about the new collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama that has resulted in an audio-animatronic Kusama in their flagship New York City store as well as a 3D anamorphic billboard in Tokyo. Well, Louis Vuitton has done it againtwo of their stores in Paris are getting the Kusama treatment. A giant sculpture in the form of Kusama can be seen on the roof the Champs-Elysees storethe monumental Kusama leans over to paint polka dota all over the front of the building. And at the Place Vendome store, a giant animatronic Kusama stands in front of the building, painting dots on the facade. Sortira Paris explains: A huge sculpture in the likeness of Yayoi Kusama has been erected on rue du Pont Neuf, between the headquarters of Louis Vuitton and the Samaritaine. Impossible to miss, the monumental clone of the Japanese artist repainted the facade of the building with colored dots, after having tackled the emblematic LV store on the Champs Elysees. A free, masterful and surprising installation in honor of Louis Vuitton's new dotted collaboration with the famous designer. After covering the facade of the iconic Louis Vuitton store on the Champs-Elysees, the titanic Yayoi Kusama is at it again, this time revamping the headquarters of the House of LV, just opposite the Samaritaine. The building is adorned with yellow, red, blue, green and silver touches, depicting the flagship print of the Japanese artist's new collaboration with the luxury label. Monumental, it is! Free, too! From this Thursday, March 2, 2023, come and admire this surprising and ultra-realistic installation by the queen of conceptual art. A self-described avant-garde sculptor, painter and novelist, Yayoi Kusama is renowned for her use of pattern, eye-popping color combinations, and repetition. As MoNA senior research curator Jane Clark notes, "Humans respond with their eyes and brains with pleasure from patterns and illusionsthis work is fun, it's physical and it's visually appealing and I'm sure the giggles from people will also make it aurally appealing." While the collaboration and the accompanying installations have excited many fans and have been praised by many critics, others have raised questions. ParisianVibe recently released a video on YouTube raising questions about the ethics of the project: 2023 is looking dotty as the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration is painted all over cities. Although this fun and playful fashion collaboration has encouraged excitement worldwide, it is the Kusama robot in window displays that is leaving people feeling confused. In this digital age in which there is a constant battle for people's attention, is this campaign a performative publicity stunt? Or have we broken the barriers of reality and involuntarily become more than passive viewers of her art and are living in, and around it? The video raises some interesting questions about mental health and the line between celebration and exploitation. I personally find the collaboration and installations intriguing and exciting, and am glad Kusama's work is getting even more exposure, and being introduced to a larger audience. I appreciate that someone is asking these important questions, thoughit's definitely something to think about. "It's called stealing," said comic strip artist Hy Eisman, who has just turned 96 and only recently discovered that Lichtenstein had reproduced one of his images in the 1960s. "I worked like a dog on this stupid page and this guy has $20m to show for it. If it wasn't so tragic, it would be [funny]." [] Eisman, who has worked for almost 75 years on a huge range of publications, most recently the Popeye comic strip, is among more than 30 comic artists "appropriated" by Lichtenstein and who believe that they were cheated of recognition. Recalling that his Private Secretary comic of 1963 was cribbed for Lichtenstein's Girl in Window of the same year, he told the Observer: "I got paid very little for the page, something like $4. He was able to turn it into a painting and make millions. When I saw that he did that to other people, I thought it was a lousy thing to do. But until now I never thought I was involved." Failed hard disk drives ran for an average of 25,233 hours before their demise, which translates to a lifespan of two years and 10 months. Thats according to Secure Data Recovery, which has a specific perspective on the matter. It specializes in salvaging data from failed hard drives, so pretty much every hard drive that it sees isnt working properly, which gives it the opportunity to spot some patterns in hard drive longevity. (Secure Data Recoverys analysis is different from the quarterly hard-drive report from cloud storage vendor Backblaze, which focuses on the few hard drives that fail out of the hundreds of thousands that it uses.) Secure Data Recovery gathered operational information from thousands of damaged or defective devices to analyze their failure rates and lifespans. Its analysis looks only at traditional mechanical hard drives with spinning platters. It did not include SSDs in the research. It also excluded drives that failed due to unusual circumstances, such as electrical surges, malware, natural disasters, or accidental mishandling. Timothy Burlee blogged about Secure Data Recoverys evaluation and analysis. The firm calculated each drives power-on hours number based on when the user first started the device to its arrival at our facilities. It also computed the current pending sector count for failed devices. The current pending sector count is the number of damaged or unusable sectors a hard drive developed over the course of typical use. The average failed device developed 1,548 bad sectors, Secure Data Recovery found. To put that number into perspective, a 1TB drive can have just under two billion total sectors. So, while the number looks minuscule, Burlee notes that the rate of bad sector development can increase and the risk of data corruption multiplies. Secure Data Recovery examined 2,007 drives, ranging in capacity from 40 GB to 10 TB, from six different vendors, and found a very sizable gap between the shortest-lived and longest-lived drives. Drives from Hitachi were the shortest-lived, averaging a failure rate of 18,632 hours, or just under 26 months. They also had the highest bad sector count at 3,348 per failed device. Toshiba drives had the longest average lifespan of 34,799 hours, or 48 months, and a bad sector count of 1,884. Maxtor drives had the second-longest lifespans at 29,771 hours, or 41 months, and the best durability with just 228 bad sectors. However, there are some caveats to consider. Maxtor, which was acquired by Seagate in 2006, hasnt been around for 17 years, and it only accounted for 1% of the drives in Secure Data Recoverys analysis. Overall, of the drives Secure Data Recovery examined for its analysis, 47% were made by Western Digital, 28% by Seagate, 10% by Hitachi (which Western Digital owns), 8% from Toshiba, and 6% from Samsung. Newer hard drives fail more often In examining the drives, Secure Data Recovery found that they just dont make them like they used to. We found that the five most durable and resilient hard drives from each manufacturer were made before 2015. On the other hand, most of the least durable and resilient hard drives from each manufacturer were made after 2015, Burlee wrote. Secure Data Recovery attributed this to cramming more platters and technology into the same 3.5-inch space, with higher densities per platter and read-write heads becoming more complex. In general, older drives seem more durable and resilient than newer drives, and discs that use the older Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) form of recording data appear more durable and resilient than those that use a newer recording technique called Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR). Secure Data Recovery didnt make any recommendations on brand or drive capacity. Instead, Burlee advocated for what he calls the 3-2-1 Rule: Keep three copies of important data on two devices, with one of those copies saved offsite. County commissioners in Llano, Texas, wanted to remove various books from its public library, ranging from one book describing the Ku Klux Klan as terrorists to kids' fare such as "I need a new butt" and a Maurice Sendak classic. A federal judge blocked this effort, but they have a new idea: close the public library entirely. Checkmate, judge! Leila Green Little, one of the seven local residents who successfully sued the county for banning the books, fired off an email Monday urging county residents to attend the special meeting and give the commissioners an earful. "We may not get another opportunity to save our library system and, more importantly, the public servants who work there," Little wrote. Hey, for the price it costs to run the library, they can give the cops some more overtime, or some new trucks, or pay someone there to fix the "LLano" typo in their own website title page. Dipak Mondal By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC) has taken over two land assets of BSNL for monetisation. government sources told TNIE that two plots of lands of the government-owned telecom company hve been valued around Rs 1,500 crore. The two plots of land are based in Lucknow and Hyderabad. These will be the first land assets to be monetised by NLMC, which has been incorporated by the government to undertake monetisation of surplus land and building assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other Government agencies. Sources told that though BSNL has valued the two lands at Rs 1,500-crore, the NLMC will hire international property consultants to value the properties independently. The valuation will be based on a number of factors including saleability of the two plots, land use, etc, a government official said. The official mentioned above also revealed the NLMC has taken control of a few flats belonging to BSNL and Hindustan Copper Ltd in Prayagraj. The corporation is in the process of taking control of some more buildings and flats in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. NLMC was incorporated in 2022. The government has stated CPSEs undergoing strategic disinvestment or closure, monetisation of surplus land and non-core assets is important to unlock their value. NLMC will support and undertake monetisation of these assets. When asked if the government has given any monetization target to NLMC, the official said there are no such targets. We cannot have a target unless we know which CPSE has how much surplus land or unused buildings. This is an assessment that respective CPSEs will have to do on their own and then inform the NLMC to take over those assets, said the official. NEW DELHI: The National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC) has taken over two land assets of BSNL for monetisation. government sources told TNIE that two plots of lands of the government-owned telecom company hve been valued around Rs 1,500 crore. The two plots of land are based in Lucknow and Hyderabad. These will be the first land assets to be monetised by NLMC, which has been incorporated by the government to undertake monetisation of surplus land and building assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other Government agencies. Sources told that though BSNL has valued the two lands at Rs 1,500-crore, the NLMC will hire international property consultants to value the properties independently. The valuation will be based on a number of factors including saleability of the two plots, land use, etc, a government official said. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The official mentioned above also revealed the NLMC has taken control of a few flats belonging to BSNL and Hindustan Copper Ltd in Prayagraj. The corporation is in the process of taking control of some more buildings and flats in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. NLMC was incorporated in 2022. The government has stated CPSEs undergoing strategic disinvestment or closure, monetisation of surplus land and non-core assets is important to unlock their value. NLMC will support and undertake monetisation of these assets. When asked if the government has given any monetization target to NLMC, the official said there are no such targets. We cannot have a target unless we know which CPSE has how much surplus land or unused buildings. This is an assessment that respective CPSEs will have to do on their own and then inform the NLMC to take over those assets, said the official. By PTI KAMPALA: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the Russia-Ukraine war has prompted India, the world's biggest importer of edible oil, to look for alternative sources of sunflower oil in Latin American countries. Addressing a business event here in the Ugandan capital on Tuesday, Jaishankar said India was a big importer of sunflower oil from Ukraine and the outbreak of the war disrupted the supplies. India imports 25 lakh tonnes of sunflower oil annually, of which 70 per cent comes from Ukraine, 20 per cent from Russia and 10 per cent from Argentina. "A year ago, when the Ukraine conflict started, obviously the first hit which the world economy took was in the price of oil. What was a less noticed story was actually the problems which a country like India faced in terms of edible oil because we were big importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine," Jaishankar said. The pressure on India to find compensatory resources actually took Indian importers well beyond their traditional sources in the ASEAN countries. "It actually took them to Latin America," he said. There was a big spike in India's trade with Latin America and interestingly a large part is accounted for by edible oil, Jaishankar added. India's imports of edible oils increased to 140. 3 lakh tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year ended October from 131. 3 lakh tonnes in the previous year, according to the industry body Solvent Extractors' Association. KAMPALA: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the Russia-Ukraine war has prompted India, the world's biggest importer of edible oil, to look for alternative sources of sunflower oil in Latin American countries. Addressing a business event here in the Ugandan capital on Tuesday, Jaishankar said India was a big importer of sunflower oil from Ukraine and the outbreak of the war disrupted the supplies. India imports 25 lakh tonnes of sunflower oil annually, of which 70 per cent comes from Ukraine, 20 per cent from Russia and 10 per cent from Argentina.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "A year ago, when the Ukraine conflict started, obviously the first hit which the world economy took was in the price of oil. What was a less noticed story was actually the problems which a country like India faced in terms of edible oil because we were big importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine," Jaishankar said. The pressure on India to find compensatory resources actually took Indian importers well beyond their traditional sources in the ASEAN countries. "It actually took them to Latin America," he said. There was a big spike in India's trade with Latin America and interestingly a large part is accounted for by edible oil, Jaishankar added. India's imports of edible oils increased to 140. 3 lakh tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year ended October from 131. 3 lakh tonnes in the previous year, according to the industry body Solvent Extractors' Association. Arshad Khan By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Despite drop in share prices by 50-80 per cent, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) increased its stake in four Adani firms -- Adani Green Energy (AGEL), Adani Total Gas (ATGL), Adani Enterprises (AEL) and Adani Transmission (ATL) -- during the March 2023 quarter. Even though the stake increase is minor, it comes in the quarter when US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research published its scathing report and LICs huge exposure in Adani firms became a talking point. The highest increase in stake by the state-run insurer was seen in Adani Green Energy and Adani Total Gas, the two Adani stocks that witnessed maximum erosion in value after Hindenburg accused the port-to-power conglomerate of stock price manipulation. As per the exchange data available with Trendlyne, LIC, by March 2023 quarter-end, had a 1.36 per cent stake in AGEL. This was 8 basis points (bps) higher than the 1.28 per cent stake as of December 31, 2022. LICs stake in ATGL grew by 6 bps to 6.02 per cent in March quarter as against 5.96 per cent at the end of December quarter. In AEL and ATL, LICs stake grew by 3 bps each sequentially. The countrys largest institutional investor held 4.26 per cent stake in AEL as of March-end against 4.23 per cent in the December quarter. In ATL, LIC upped its stake to 3.68 per cent from 3.65 per cent during the three-month period. LIC stake remained stagnant at 6.41 per cent in ACC. However, it reduced its exposure in Ambuja Cements, from 6.33 per cent in December 2022 to 6.305 in March 2023. In Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, LICs holding came down to 9.12 per cent from 9.14 per cent. It is not known whether the share transactions took place before or after the release of the Hindenburg report on January 24, 2023. In about a month after the report, LICs investment value in Adani firms took a beating of nearly Rs 50,000 crore and for a small period, the return had turned negative. LICs investment in Adani Group firms stood at Rs 30,127 crore at the end of January 2023. LICs high exposure in Adani stocks is widely criticised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and TMC leader Mahua Moitra. NEW DELHI: Despite drop in share prices by 50-80 per cent, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) increased its stake in four Adani firms -- Adani Green Energy (AGEL), Adani Total Gas (ATGL), Adani Enterprises (AEL) and Adani Transmission (ATL) -- during the March 2023 quarter. Even though the stake increase is minor, it comes in the quarter when US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research published its scathing report and LICs huge exposure in Adani firms became a talking point. The highest increase in stake by the state-run insurer was seen in Adani Green Energy and Adani Total Gas, the two Adani stocks that witnessed maximum erosion in value after Hindenburg accused the port-to-power conglomerate of stock price manipulation. As per the exchange data available with Trendlyne, LIC, by March 2023 quarter-end, had a 1.36 per cent stake in AGEL. This was 8 basis points (bps) higher than the 1.28 per cent stake as of December 31, 2022.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); LICs stake in ATGL grew by 6 bps to 6.02 per cent in March quarter as against 5.96 per cent at the end of December quarter. In AEL and ATL, LICs stake grew by 3 bps each sequentially. The countrys largest institutional investor held 4.26 per cent stake in AEL as of March-end against 4.23 per cent in the December quarter. In ATL, LIC upped its stake to 3.68 per cent from 3.65 per cent during the three-month period. LIC stake remained stagnant at 6.41 per cent in ACC. However, it reduced its exposure in Ambuja Cements, from 6.33 per cent in December 2022 to 6.305 in March 2023. In Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, LICs holding came down to 9.12 per cent from 9.14 per cent. It is not known whether the share transactions took place before or after the release of the Hindenburg report on January 24, 2023. In about a month after the report, LICs investment value in Adani firms took a beating of nearly Rs 50,000 crore and for a small period, the return had turned negative. LICs investment in Adani Group firms stood at Rs 30,127 crore at the end of January 2023. LICs high exposure in Adani stocks is widely criticised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and TMC leader Mahua Moitra. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Students of a school in South Delhis Sadiq Nagar were evacuated on Wednesday morning after receiving a bomb threat via an email, creating panic among students and parents. After hours of meticulous searches, police declared it a hoax call. Earlier in the day, the panicked students and parents of The Indian School gathered outside the school as the bomb squad and other agencies inspected the premises for any explosive substance. An email was sent to the school claiming that a bomb had been planted on its premises. The school was evacuated as a precaution, they added. A senior police officer said a school employee named Brijesh informed them about the e-mail. Meanwhile, at 2:51 pm, a thorough checking of the school premises was undertaken by BDS, BDT and SWAT teams after evacuating the premises, said the police. Videos from outside the school showed a large crowd assembled at the gate. We received a message from the school asking us to take our children home, one of the parents said. This is not the first time the school had received a bomb threat. Last year, in November, the administration received a similar email from an unknown sender which was a hoax email. Our teams are at the spot with Bomb Disposal Squad and dog squad, said Chandan Chowdhary, DCP (South). The police said that they are trying to ascertain from where the email originated as the November hoax email was sent from Germany. The police is investigating the matter to identify the perpetrator. Second such bomb hoax The police said that they are trying to ascertain from where the email originated as the November hoax email was sent from Germany. The police is investigating the matter to identify the perpetrator. NEW DELHI: Students of a school in South Delhis Sadiq Nagar were evacuated on Wednesday morning after receiving a bomb threat via an email, creating panic among students and parents. After hours of meticulous searches, police declared it a hoax call. Earlier in the day, the panicked students and parents of The Indian School gathered outside the school as the bomb squad and other agencies inspected the premises for any explosive substance. An email was sent to the school claiming that a bomb had been planted on its premises. The school was evacuated as a precaution, they added. A senior police officer said a school employee named Brijesh informed them about the e-mail. Meanwhile, at 2:51 pm, a thorough checking of the school premises was undertaken by BDS, BDT and SWAT teams after evacuating the premises, said the police.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Videos from outside the school showed a large crowd assembled at the gate. We received a message from the school asking us to take our children home, one of the parents said. This is not the first time the school had received a bomb threat. Last year, in November, the administration received a similar email from an unknown sender which was a hoax email. Our teams are at the spot with Bomb Disposal Squad and dog squad, said Chandan Chowdhary, DCP (South). The police said that they are trying to ascertain from where the email originated as the November hoax email was sent from Germany. The police is investigating the matter to identify the perpetrator. Second such bomb hoax The police said that they are trying to ascertain from where the email originated as the November hoax email was sent from Germany. The police is investigating the matter to identify the perpetrator. Mayank Tiwari By Express News Service HYDERABAD: We all know our brain is wired to respond to novelty and rewards, which often manifests in an insatiable desire for new clothes. Fashion companies capitalise not only on what we buy and use but also on what we will buy and not use, leading to a wardrobe full of confusion. Clothes appear to be cheap, and many end up buying more, as fast fashion is faster than ever now. We will never know if we are paying less because theres a discount or end up spending more, with the worst thing being not using it, which harms our pockets and the environment. We may have failed to notice the growing price because we are never reminded, and no one will. We are mostly left in constant pursuit of the latest styles. Nothing is wrong; the industry is only changing, and we buy because trends are born and die more quickly than they did a decade ago, says Sandhya Varughese, who works at a private ad agency offering creative solutions to fashion brands in the city. We have seen tremendous growth in local brands, which is great. It supports a lot of the poor and helps our economy. The only problem is following these trends leads to an accumulation of clothing, which paradoxically can leave buyers feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied. Sandhya shares, Not many are at a loss, but the pressure to follow trends and stay updated, which is a boon to the industry, might leave some feeling bad. Those who feel this pressure must remind themselves that all trends on social media are advertisements and may help them realise that there is wisdom in owning and using clothes until they can no longer be worn. Prices have increased by nearly 50% in the last 8-10 years. Prices of clothes still vary between products, and its hard to determine, but the tax, as discussed in Budget 2023, is now being reflected in the market, says Shiv Dwivedi, the chief designer at Sangeetha Chikan Emporium. He adds that it depends on multiple factors which are hard to determine, especially in Hyderabads market, which comprises a diverse variety of trades. Designer Ashmita Marwa says many designer brands have started releasing collections that make what people already own obsolete, and this is not mindful or sustainable in any way. Old clothes carry a certain beauty, as they hold memories and experiences, imbuing them with sentimental value. However, the fast-fashion industry has trained people to view these items as disposable, leading to a painful detachment from garments that once held meaning, she says. The designer adds, The environmental impact of this throwaway culture is significant. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters globally, consuming vast quantities of water, energy, and raw materials. By buying fewer clothes and making better use of existing garments, individuals can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet. Anyone who spends time thinking about this issue will come up with ideas to save both money and the environment. All the experts CE spoke to said that nobody has to adopt a minimalist approach, but they should be wise and avoid falling prey to reckless marketing. They also suggest that consumers can achieve peace of mind by being less confused by the torments that trends impose on us, by preferring timeless fashion. HYDERABAD: We all know our brain is wired to respond to novelty and rewards, which often manifests in an insatiable desire for new clothes. Fashion companies capitalise not only on what we buy and use but also on what we will buy and not use, leading to a wardrobe full of confusion. Clothes appear to be cheap, and many end up buying more, as fast fashion is faster than ever now. We will never know if we are paying less because theres a discount or end up spending more, with the worst thing being not using it, which harms our pockets and the environment. We may have failed to notice the growing price because we are never reminded, and no one will. We are mostly left in constant pursuit of the latest styles. Nothing is wrong; the industry is only changing, and we buy because trends are born and die more quickly than they did a decade ago, says Sandhya Varughese, who works at a private ad agency offering creative solutions to fashion brands in the city. We have seen tremendous growth in local brands, which is great. It supports a lot of the poor and helps our economy. The only problem is following these trends leads to an accumulation of clothing, which paradoxically can leave buyers feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Sandhya shares, Not many are at a loss, but the pressure to follow trends and stay updated, which is a boon to the industry, might leave some feeling bad. Those who feel this pressure must remind themselves that all trends on social media are advertisements and may help them realise that there is wisdom in owning and using clothes until they can no longer be worn. Prices have increased by nearly 50% in the last 8-10 years. Prices of clothes still vary between products, and its hard to determine, but the tax, as discussed in Budget 2023, is now being reflected in the market, says Shiv Dwivedi, the chief designer at Sangeetha Chikan Emporium. He adds that it depends on multiple factors which are hard to determine, especially in Hyderabads market, which comprises a diverse variety of trades. Designer Ashmita Marwa says many designer brands have started releasing collections that make what people already own obsolete, and this is not mindful or sustainable in any way. Old clothes carry a certain beauty, as they hold memories and experiences, imbuing them with sentimental value. However, the fast-fashion industry has trained people to view these items as disposable, leading to a painful detachment from garments that once held meaning, she says. The designer adds, The environmental impact of this throwaway culture is significant. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters globally, consuming vast quantities of water, energy, and raw materials. By buying fewer clothes and making better use of existing garments, individuals can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet. Anyone who spends time thinking about this issue will come up with ideas to save both money and the environment. All the experts CE spoke to said that nobody has to adopt a minimalist approach, but they should be wise and avoid falling prey to reckless marketing. They also suggest that consumers can achieve peace of mind by being less confused by the torments that trends impose on us, by preferring timeless fashion. Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: Ernakulam Rural Police have started a probe into a cyber attack on the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) website by a hacker group named Anonymous Sudan. The case was registered based on the complaint by CIAL PRO on Monday night. On Saturday evening, the CIAL website was subjected to a distributed denial-of-service (DD0S) attack, resulting in heavy traffic and making the website inoperable. The attack lasted until 10 pm, and the websites of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Goa airports were also targeted by the group. Cyber experts describe Anonymous Sudan as a politically motivated hacktivist group that targets India and criticizes the persecution of minorities. Before hacking the airports websites, the group issued a warning via Telegram that India would be targeted until April 14. The case has been registered under Sections 43, 66, and 66F of the IT Act, which deals with computer damage, computer-related offences, and cyber-terrorism. Our team visited CIAL and checked the computer system. It was found that no major damage has happened. The hacker group only could pump up traffic affecting the operation of the website for a few hours, a police officer said. Meanwhile, on Monday, Anonymous Sudan targeted Indias health sector with a message on Telegram, claiming that hospitals and the health sector had been down because of what they were doing to Muslims, and sharing links to 10 hospital websites, including one based in Kerala. KOCHI: Ernakulam Rural Police have started a probe into a cyber attack on the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) website by a hacker group named Anonymous Sudan. The case was registered based on the complaint by CIAL PRO on Monday night. On Saturday evening, the CIAL website was subjected to a distributed denial-of-service (DD0S) attack, resulting in heavy traffic and making the website inoperable. The attack lasted until 10 pm, and the websites of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Goa airports were also targeted by the group. Cyber experts describe Anonymous Sudan as a politically motivated hacktivist group that targets India and criticizes the persecution of minorities. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Before hacking the airports websites, the group issued a warning via Telegram that India would be targeted until April 14. The case has been registered under Sections 43, 66, and 66F of the IT Act, which deals with computer damage, computer-related offences, and cyber-terrorism. Our team visited CIAL and checked the computer system. It was found that no major damage has happened. The hacker group only could pump up traffic affecting the operation of the website for a few hours, a police officer said. Meanwhile, on Monday, Anonymous Sudan targeted Indias health sector with a message on Telegram, claiming that hospitals and the health sector had been down because of what they were doing to Muslims, and sharing links to 10 hospital websites, including one based in Kerala. By Azernews On the initiative of the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, an Iftar (fast breaking) party has been arranged in Khazar district for the martyrs' families, veterans and low-income families. During the event, verses from the Holy Koran and prayers for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, who fought for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity were recited. The mother of the Patriotic War martyr Ramina Yusifzade, Reyhan Yusifova and a participant in the April battles and the Patriotic War, reserve officer Emil Hasanov expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for special attention paid to the martyrs' families, veteranss and low-income families. Ramadan is a time when Muslims from all over the world come together. Fasting during Ramadan is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam. These pillars include declaring belief in the oneness of Allah and the acceptance of Muhammad (p.b.u.h) as Allah's prophet (Shahadah), performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day (Salat), paying an alms or charity (Zakat), fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, has been celebrating Ramadan officially since 1993, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country has always been one of the historical and cultural centers of the Islamic world. For many centuries, people in Azerbaijan have been committed to their religious, national and moral values. The freedom of conscience and freedom of religion are fully ensured in accordance with local legislation and international law. In early April, a triggered Kid Rock took an assault rifle and shot up Bud Light cans in protest of the beer company's collaboration with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. To protest further, the transphobic troll tried another gotcha stunt by endorsing hard seltzer Happy Dad. But the joke's on you, kiddo Happy Dad has been collaborating with Caitlin Jenner for years. (See Jenner's Happy Dad video, posted by Mike Sington, below.) From Newsweek: The seltzer that Rock promoted over the weekend, however, also has ties to figures in the transgender community. Caitlyn Jenner, a transgender woman, has posted promotional content for Happy Dad in the past, with the seltzer brand featuring Jenner on its own social media accounts. Last April, Happy Dad posted a video of Jenner drinking the hard seltzer with the caption, "@caitlynjenner is a Happy Dad!" The brand has also previously shared pictures of Jenner drinking Happy Dad with the company's co-founder, Canadian YouTuber Kyle Forgeard. By PTI MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his brother Shamasuddin not to post or upload any remarks against each other on social media for the "sake of maintaining equity" and in light of efforts to amicably resolve issues between them. A single bench of Justice R I Chagla gave the direction while hearing a defamation suit filed by the 48-year-old actor seeking Rs 100 crore in damages from his brother for posting alleged defamatory statements against him on social media. The bench directed the brothers to remain present in his chambers along with their lawyers on May 3 to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement. The suit has also named the actor's ex-wife Zainab, but on Wednesday Nawazuddin Siddiqui's counsel Abhinav Chandrachud told the court that said since the former couple was trying to resolve their issues amicably the actor did not wish to pursue the defamation suit against her. READ HERE | Nawazuddin Siddiqui files defamation suit in Bombay HC, seeks Rs 100 cr damages from ex-wife and brother Advocate Rumi Mirza, appearing for Shamasuddin Siddiqui, told the HC settlement talks are going on between Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his ex-wife due to the intervention of a division bench of the high court and that with the help of this bench, a similar arrangement could take place between the warring brothers. Chandrachud, however, said any talks between the brothers could begin only when Shamasuddin Siddiqui takes down his defamatory posts in which the award-winning actor has been allegedly called a "rapist and molester". The court agreed and said for any settlement, the posts in question will have to be deleted and both the brothers shall refrain from posting on social media any further remarks against each other. "In view of settlement talks, there will not be any (social media) posts against each other, there will be no aspersions cast against each other, in view of the possibility of an amicable settlement. It is to maintain equity between parties so that there are no further posts against each other," Justice Chagla said. ALSO READ | Nawazuddin Siddiqui refutes allegations of abandoning children Meanwhile, a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh was on Wednesday informed that the discord between the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor and his ex-wife Zainab over the education of their two minor children has been resolved. The court was told the children would be travelling back to Dubai to attend their school. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui seeking a direction to Zainab to reveal the whereabouts of the two children. The 'Sacred Games' star had claimed Zainab had brought the children back to India without informing him and that they were not attending school in Dubai. MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his brother Shamasuddin not to post or upload any remarks against each other on social media for the "sake of maintaining equity" and in light of efforts to amicably resolve issues between them. A single bench of Justice R I Chagla gave the direction while hearing a defamation suit filed by the 48-year-old actor seeking Rs 100 crore in damages from his brother for posting alleged defamatory statements against him on social media. The bench directed the brothers to remain present in his chambers along with their lawyers on May 3 to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The suit has also named the actor's ex-wife Zainab, but on Wednesday Nawazuddin Siddiqui's counsel Abhinav Chandrachud told the court that said since the former couple was trying to resolve their issues amicably the actor did not wish to pursue the defamation suit against her. READ HERE | Nawazuddin Siddiqui files defamation suit in Bombay HC, seeks Rs 100 cr damages from ex-wife and brother Advocate Rumi Mirza, appearing for Shamasuddin Siddiqui, told the HC settlement talks are going on between Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his ex-wife due to the intervention of a division bench of the high court and that with the help of this bench, a similar arrangement could take place between the warring brothers. Chandrachud, however, said any talks between the brothers could begin only when Shamasuddin Siddiqui takes down his defamatory posts in which the award-winning actor has been allegedly called a "rapist and molester". The court agreed and said for any settlement, the posts in question will have to be deleted and both the brothers shall refrain from posting on social media any further remarks against each other. "In view of settlement talks, there will not be any (social media) posts against each other, there will be no aspersions cast against each other, in view of the possibility of an amicable settlement. It is to maintain equity between parties so that there are no further posts against each other," Justice Chagla said. ALSO READ | Nawazuddin Siddiqui refutes allegations of abandoning children Meanwhile, a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh was on Wednesday informed that the discord between the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor and his ex-wife Zainab over the education of their two minor children has been resolved. The court was told the children would be travelling back to Dubai to attend their school. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui seeking a direction to Zainab to reveal the whereabouts of the two children. The 'Sacred Games' star had claimed Zainab had brought the children back to India without informing him and that they were not attending school in Dubai. By Express News Service The daughter of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, who will be making her film debut with the upcoming Zoya Akhtar directional, The Archies, was appointed as one of the brand ambassadors of the beauty brand Maybelline. The actor also made her first official media appearance at an event for the same in Mumbai. Suhana was seen donning a stylish red blazer and matching pants for the event. Her red cropped blazer featured patch pockets, a fitted bust, notch lapel collars, padded shoulders, pulled-back full sleeves, a front button closure, and a short, midriff-displaying hem length. The bright red trousers Suhana donned to match the jacket had a high-rise waist, a tight form, flared hems and a structured fitting. OMG!!! How mesmerizing she is... #SuhanaKhan melting our hearts as she appears for her very first media interaction. #Maybelline pic.twitter.com/zBFo8fINVS April 12, 2023 Suhana also addressed the media at the event, saying, Hi everyone. I am so excited to be here and see you guys again. We had such a good time filming. So I'm just really excited to be here and I can't wait for you guys to see everything we have filmed. It's an honour to be a brand ambassador for Maybelline after hoarding so many of their iconic products, especially their mascaras are amazing. But, yeah I am just super excited and happy to be a part of this brand and I can't wait to make it shine with all of you. (This story originally appeared on Indulge Express) The daughter of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, who will be making her film debut with the upcoming Zoya Akhtar directional, The Archies, was appointed as one of the brand ambassadors of the beauty brand Maybelline. The actor also made her first official media appearance at an event for the same in Mumbai. Suhana was seen donning a stylish red blazer and matching pants for the event. Her red cropped blazer featured patch pockets, a fitted bust, notch lapel collars, padded shoulders, pulled-back full sleeves, a front button closure, and a short, midriff-displaying hem length. The bright red trousers Suhana donned to match the jacket had a high-rise waist, a tight form, flared hems and a structured fitting. OMG!!! How mesmerizing she is... #SuhanaKhan melting our hearts as she appears for her very first media interaction. #Maybelline pic.twitter.com/zBFo8fINVSgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Suhana Khan (@SuhanaKhanClub) April 12, 2023 Suhana also addressed the media at the event, saying, Hi everyone. I am so excited to be here and see you guys again. We had such a good time filming. So I'm just really excited to be here and I can't wait for you guys to see everything we have filmed. It's an honour to be a brand ambassador for Maybelline after hoarding so many of their iconic products, especially their mascaras are amazing. But, yeah I am just super excited and happy to be a part of this brand and I can't wait to make it shine with all of you. (This story originally appeared on Indulge Express) VR Ferose By Express News Service KOCHI: Alex Haleys 'Roots: The Saga Of An American Family', published in 1976, went on to win the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Although Haley was blamed for embellishing the truth (he admitted that it was faction and not non-fiction) it created an extraordinary political, racial, social and cultural dialogue. The book remains one of the all-time classics of slave literature even today. The institution of slavery marked Americas landscape for more than 240 years. A nation that prides itself on the ideals of freedom and liberty, tolerated one of the most inhuman acts based on the colour of ones skin. While the days in which African Americans were enslaved and considered property is long behind us, it is important to read about the practice of slavery to reflect upon and understand not just its impact on the trauma it left in its wake, but also what it means to be human. Here are some of my favourite narratives that give a complete picture of one of the darkest eras of American history. Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup; Up from Slavery by Booker T Washington; The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois; Harriet Tubman by Ann Petry; 1619 Project; and The Underground Railroad are essential reading in this genre. Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe published in 1852 had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U.S., and is said to have helped lay the groundwork for the American Civil War. The novel became the second best-selling book of the 19th century after The Bible, although the character Uncle Tom gave rise to the term associated with an excessively subservient person. Who better to explain the lasting scars of slavery than former slaves themselves? Twelve Years a Slave (the story that inspired the Oscar-winning movie) is an 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup. Northup was born free in New York State but was tricked into going to Washington, D.C., where he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. He was in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before he was able to secretly convey his whereabouts to friends and family in New York, who in turn secured his release with the aid of the state. Northups account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, DC and New Orleans, and life on major plantations in Louisiana. Two pioneering African Americans whose books are essential to understand race relations are W.E.B. Du Bois, the first black person to earn a Ph.D from Harvard University, and Booker T. Washington, the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), a historically black college in Alabama. While Du Bois advocated for civil rights and equality, Washington believed that African Americans should focus on building their own communities rather than fighting for political rights. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is a Pulitzer-winning alternative-history novel published in 2016. The Underground Railroad was a term used for a clandestine network of people who helped slaves escape to Free States. The novel visualises a network of underground tracks and tunnels that lead to safe houses for the slaves. The 1619 Project (named after the year 1619 when the first African slaves were brought to the United States) is a New York Times Magazine initiative. Through a series of essays, poems and photographs, the project tries to reframe the countrys history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the centre of the national narrative. It is an exceptional feature of the US that it lays itself open to honest probing of its past, however dark it may appear. And what better time to do so than now, when the race divisions are acute and there is an urgent need for healing! KOCHI: Alex Haleys 'Roots: The Saga Of An American Family', published in 1976, went on to win the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Although Haley was blamed for embellishing the truth (he admitted that it was faction and not non-fiction) it created an extraordinary political, racial, social and cultural dialogue. The book remains one of the all-time classics of slave literature even today. The institution of slavery marked Americas landscape for more than 240 years. A nation that prides itself on the ideals of freedom and liberty, tolerated one of the most inhuman acts based on the colour of ones skin. While the days in which African Americans were enslaved and considered property is long behind us, it is important to read about the practice of slavery to reflect upon and understand not just its impact on the trauma it left in its wake, but also what it means to be human. Here are some of my favourite narratives that give a complete picture of one of the darkest eras of American history. Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup; Up from Slavery by Booker T Washington; The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois; Harriet Tubman by Ann Petry; 1619 Project; and The Underground Railroad are essential reading in this genre. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe published in 1852 had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U.S., and is said to have helped lay the groundwork for the American Civil War. The novel became the second best-selling book of the 19th century after The Bible, although the character Uncle Tom gave rise to the term associated with an excessively subservient person. Who better to explain the lasting scars of slavery than former slaves themselves? Twelve Years a Slave (the story that inspired the Oscar-winning movie) is an 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup. Northup was born free in New York State but was tricked into going to Washington, D.C., where he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. He was in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before he was able to secretly convey his whereabouts to friends and family in New York, who in turn secured his release with the aid of the state. Northups account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, DC and New Orleans, and life on major plantations in Louisiana. Two pioneering African Americans whose books are essential to understand race relations are W.E.B. Du Bois, the first black person to earn a Ph.D from Harvard University, and Booker T. Washington, the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), a historically black college in Alabama. While Du Bois advocated for civil rights and equality, Washington believed that African Americans should focus on building their own communities rather than fighting for political rights. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is a Pulitzer-winning alternative-history novel published in 2016. The Underground Railroad was a term used for a clandestine network of people who helped slaves escape to Free States. The novel visualises a network of underground tracks and tunnels that lead to safe houses for the slaves. The 1619 Project (named after the year 1619 when the first African slaves were brought to the United States) is a New York Times Magazine initiative. Through a series of essays, poems and photographs, the project tries to reframe the countrys history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the centre of the national narrative. It is an exceptional feature of the US that it lays itself open to honest probing of its past, however dark it may appear. And what better time to do so than now, when the race divisions are acute and there is an urgent need for healing! Yeshi Seli By Express News Service NEW DELHI: A day after China raised objections to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said the northeastern state was an "integral and inalienable part of India". "Such objections do not stand to reason and will not change reality," said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. "We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India," Bagchi said. "Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the above reality," he said. China had raised an objection when Amit Shah visited Arunachal Pradesh and launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' from Kibithoo, a village along the India-China border and India's easternmost place. Addressing a gathering, the Home Minister, in a clear message to China, said no one can dare cast an evil eye on India's territorial integrity and encroach even an "inch of our land". ALSO READ | Nobody can cast evil eye on us or encroach upon our land, says Amit Shah in Arunachal "Times when anyone could encroach on Indian land have passed. No one can question India's territorial integrity. Nobody can take even an inch of our land," he had said. Last week, China "renamed" some places in Arunachal Pradesh that it claims as part of its territory. This is the third time that China has "renamed" places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls "Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet". India had rejected this claim too and had issued a statement to that effect. "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," Bagchi had said on April 4. The 11 places 'renamed' include five mountain peaks, two residential areas, two land areas and two rivers. The claimed geographical area has always been controlled and administered by India. India-China relations have been strained since the Galwan incident in June 2020 though diplomatically both countries are still connected and are part of groupings like BRICS, G20 and RICs. China has taken part in a number of G20 related events in India uptil now both physically and virtually. NEW DELHI: A day after China raised objections to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said the northeastern state was an "integral and inalienable part of India". "Such objections do not stand to reason and will not change reality," said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. "We completely reject the comments made by the Chinese official spokesperson. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India," Bagchi said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Objecting to such visits does not stand to reason and will not change the above reality," he said. China had raised an objection when Amit Shah visited Arunachal Pradesh and launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' from Kibithoo, a village along the India-China border and India's easternmost place. Addressing a gathering, the Home Minister, in a clear message to China, said no one can dare cast an evil eye on India's territorial integrity and encroach even an "inch of our land". ALSO READ | Nobody can cast evil eye on us or encroach upon our land, says Amit Shah in Arunachal "Times when anyone could encroach on Indian land have passed. No one can question India's territorial integrity. Nobody can take even an inch of our land," he had said. Last week, China "renamed" some places in Arunachal Pradesh that it claims as part of its territory. This is the third time that China has "renamed" places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls "Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet". India had rejected this claim too and had issued a statement to that effect. "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," Bagchi had said on April 4. The 11 places 'renamed' include five mountain peaks, two residential areas, two land areas and two rivers. The claimed geographical area has always been controlled and administered by India. India-China relations have been strained since the Galwan incident in June 2020 though diplomatically both countries are still connected and are part of groupings like BRICS, G20 and RICs. China has taken part in a number of G20 related events in India uptil now both physically and virtually. Preetha Nair By Express News Service NEW DELHI: With Rajasthan infighting posing fresh troubles for Congress in the election year, the much-talked-about organisational reform of the grand old party is back in the spotlight. While the tussle between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot over unfulfilled power-sharing promises refuses to blow over, the announcement of a new Congress Working Committee (CWC) may be getting delayed because of the new provision of 50 per cent members Under 50, according to sources. At the 85th plenary session of the party in Raipur, the party Constitution has been amended to provide a reservation of 50 per cent for SC/ST/OBCs/minorities and a horizontal reservation of 50 per cent for youth and women in the reserved and unreserved categories. While the Karnataka elections are keeping the party busy, the provision of inducting 50 per cent of members under 50 years into the CWC may be complicating the process more, said Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit. Though he is not against the idea of inducting young people into the apex body, Dikshit said: CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party and important names cannot be missed out. Also, Congress doesnt have many positions to offer its experienced leaders. So the Working Committee is a great process of giving people some dignity and a place to work on a platform. The Working Committee gets dissolved after a new president is elected and it will be temporarily replaced by a steering committee, consisting mostly of the old CWC members. At the plenary session, the Steering Committee authorised AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge to pick CWC members and decided against holding the election. The thinking in the party could be that it is better to be blamed for delaying the process than facing the consequence of not accommodating experienced leaders above 50 years, says a senior Congress leader. Though the CWC has been expanded to accommodate 35 members, with 50 per cent quota for youth and 50 per cent in other categories, theres no scope of general category members above 50 years getting nominated, he said. The party will anyway have to keep those close to the Gandhis, he said. With these quotas, how can they pick new people other than the existing coterie? If they nominate the coterie back, it will become a laughing stock, he said. Another senior leader said the looming internal strife in poll-bound states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh could have been addressed adequately if the CWC was in place. NEW DELHI: With Rajasthan infighting posing fresh troubles for Congress in the election year, the much-talked-about organisational reform of the grand old party is back in the spotlight. While the tussle between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot over unfulfilled power-sharing promises refuses to blow over, the announcement of a new Congress Working Committee (CWC) may be getting delayed because of the new provision of 50 per cent members Under 50, according to sources. At the 85th plenary session of the party in Raipur, the party Constitution has been amended to provide a reservation of 50 per cent for SC/ST/OBCs/minorities and a horizontal reservation of 50 per cent for youth and women in the reserved and unreserved categories.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); While the Karnataka elections are keeping the party busy, the provision of inducting 50 per cent of members under 50 years into the CWC may be complicating the process more, said Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit. Though he is not against the idea of inducting young people into the apex body, Dikshit said: CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party and important names cannot be missed out. Also, Congress doesnt have many positions to offer its experienced leaders. So the Working Committee is a great process of giving people some dignity and a place to work on a platform. The Working Committee gets dissolved after a new president is elected and it will be temporarily replaced by a steering committee, consisting mostly of the old CWC members. At the plenary session, the Steering Committee authorised AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge to pick CWC members and decided against holding the election. The thinking in the party could be that it is better to be blamed for delaying the process than facing the consequence of not accommodating experienced leaders above 50 years, says a senior Congress leader. Though the CWC has been expanded to accommodate 35 members, with 50 per cent quota for youth and 50 per cent in other categories, theres no scope of general category members above 50 years getting nominated, he said. The party will anyway have to keep those close to the Gandhis, he said. With these quotas, how can they pick new people other than the existing coterie? If they nominate the coterie back, it will become a laughing stock, he said. Another senior leader said the looming internal strife in poll-bound states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh could have been addressed adequately if the CWC was in place. Ramashankar By Express News Service PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday left for a three-day visit to New Delhi for holding discussions with Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, in an attempt to create a formidable anti-BJP front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Incidentally, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav is already in Delhi in connection with his questioning by the ED in the land-for-job scam. Nitish, who has already rejected the idea of a third front, has renewed his efforts to forge a broad Opposition unity after Kharge had called him last Friday. The JD(U) leader has been requesting Congress leadership to take a lead in bringing all Opposition parties on a single platform. During his Delhi stay, Nitish is likely to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is recuperating at the residence of his daughter Misa Bharti after his kidney transplant in Singapore. He is expected to go to Singapore for his health check-up soon. Nitish began his drive for the Opposition unity soon after he formed a new government with the grand alliance. He, accompanied by Lalu, had met Sonia last September. During his first visit to Delhi, Nitish had met Opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal among others. Tejaswi had also met Kejriwal during his last visit to Delhi. Nitish has said that he is not in the race to become Prime Minister. I want all Opposition parties to come together to dethrone BJP from power at the Centre in the next general election. I will be meeting leaders of like-minded political parties in days to come for a united Opposition ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, he told the media. PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday left for a three-day visit to New Delhi for holding discussions with Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, in an attempt to create a formidable anti-BJP front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Incidentally, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav is already in Delhi in connection with his questioning by the ED in the land-for-job scam. Nitish, who has already rejected the idea of a third front, has renewed his efforts to forge a broad Opposition unity after Kharge had called him last Friday. The JD(U) leader has been requesting Congress leadership to take a lead in bringing all Opposition parties on a single platform. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); During his Delhi stay, Nitish is likely to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is recuperating at the residence of his daughter Misa Bharti after his kidney transplant in Singapore. He is expected to go to Singapore for his health check-up soon. Nitish began his drive for the Opposition unity soon after he formed a new government with the grand alliance. He, accompanied by Lalu, had met Sonia last September. During his first visit to Delhi, Nitish had met Opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal among others. Tejaswi had also met Kejriwal during his last visit to Delhi. Nitish has said that he is not in the race to become Prime Minister. I want all Opposition parties to come together to dethrone BJP from power at the Centre in the next general election. I will be meeting leaders of like-minded political parties in days to come for a united Opposition ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, he told the media. By PTI MUMBAI: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Wednesday said it would have been better had his party colleague and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil not made his remark about the role of Shiv Sena workers in the Babri Masjid demolition. Patil's statement that not a single Sena worker was present when the Babri mosque in Ayodhya was demolished in 1992 has put the Bharatiya Janata Party in a spot, as it is a partner of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Maharashtra government. Shelar's reaction came after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. "Patil made those comments in personal capacity. Perhaps it would have been better had he not made those comments," he told reporters. "All were working to bring together various communities and groups. Balasaheb's (late Sena founder Bal Thackeray) role in it (Ram Janmabhoomi movement) was helpful and supportive. We have welcomed it, respected it and honoured his (Bal Thackeray's) views in this movement," he said. "I want to ask Uddhav ji (Uddhav Thackeray) what was his role in the whole (Babri Masjid demolition) operation," Shelar, a former Maharashtra minister, further said. The BJP believes that the Babri structure demolition was a spontaneous reaction of Hindus, he said. "The party neither took any credit for it, nor does it seek it now," he said, adding that religious leaders had started the Ayodhya movement. Following Patil's remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had demanded that Chief Minister Shinde, himself a Shiv Sena worker, either step down himself or ask Patil to resign. Bal Thackeray had often been quoted as saying that he was proud if any of his party workers were involved in the demolition of the mosque. MUMBAI: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Wednesday said it would have been better had his party colleague and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil not made his remark about the role of Shiv Sena workers in the Babri Masjid demolition. Patil's statement that not a single Sena worker was present when the Babri mosque in Ayodhya was demolished in 1992 has put the Bharatiya Janata Party in a spot, as it is a partner of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Maharashtra government. Shelar's reaction came after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "Patil made those comments in personal capacity. Perhaps it would have been better had he not made those comments," he told reporters. "All were working to bring together various communities and groups. Balasaheb's (late Sena founder Bal Thackeray) role in it (Ram Janmabhoomi movement) was helpful and supportive. We have welcomed it, respected it and honoured his (Bal Thackeray's) views in this movement," he said. "I want to ask Uddhav ji (Uddhav Thackeray) what was his role in the whole (Babri Masjid demolition) operation," Shelar, a former Maharashtra minister, further said. The BJP believes that the Babri structure demolition was a spontaneous reaction of Hindus, he said. "The party neither took any credit for it, nor does it seek it now," he said, adding that religious leaders had started the Ayodhya movement. Following Patil's remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had demanded that Chief Minister Shinde, himself a Shiv Sena worker, either step down himself or ask Patil to resign. Bal Thackeray had often been quoted as saying that he was proud if any of his party workers were involved in the demolition of the mosque. Ujwal Jalali By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Mandoli jail inmate Sukesh Chandrasekhar has for the first time released his alleged WhatsApp chats with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha and jailed AAP leader Satyendra Jain. He claimed that his conversation with them indicates a nexus between the Aam Aadmi party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and BRS leader in the so-called liquor policy scam. In a letter written to Delhi LG VK Saxena, Chandrasekhar alleged that there are multiple contracts and business transactions between him and Aam Aadmi Party and CM Kejriwal. "This very application and chats attached shows the nexus of Aam Aadmi party, Mr Arvind Kejriwal and BRS leader K Kavitha, who are involved in Delhi liquor scam," Chandrasekhar said in his letter. He stated that the submitted chat will help the ongoing investigation into the liquor scam case. "The said chats are in regard to Rs 15 Crore given by me to Mr Arvind Kejriwal and Satyendra Jain which was asked to be delivered to K Kavitha of BRS party in Hyderabad," the letter read. As per the screen grabs of the alleged chats shared by Sukesh's legal counsel Anant Malik with the New Indian Express, it could be clearly read that Chandrasekhar was in a very codified conversation with some person whose number he had saved with the name 'Kavita Akka TRS'. One of the messages written by the sender read, "AK bro package has to be given. It's ready with me." Chandrasekhar claimed that this package was an amount of Rs 15 Crore. In another chat with a mobile number that he had not saved and claimed it to be of Satyendra Jain, one of the messages could be read as,"Bro Ghee tin ready. Yes bro 15 Kg." Sukesh said that the ghee refers to money in their code words and 15 Kg meant Rs 15 Crore. In the same chat he even wrote, "Inform big bro" to which the receiver replied,"AK Bhai knows." Sukesh, presently lodged in Delhi's Mandoli Jail, was arrested for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh. The Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering cases against Sukesh, has also questioned several Bollywood actors and models, including actor Jacqueline Fernandez for their alleged links to Chandrasekhar. Notably, the New Indian Express had broken the story of Chandrasekhars allegations against AAP minister Jain on November 1, last year and since then, he has written multiple letters addressed to the media and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. NEW DELHI: Mandoli jail inmate Sukesh Chandrasekhar has for the first time released his alleged WhatsApp chats with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha and jailed AAP leader Satyendra Jain. He claimed that his conversation with them indicates a nexus between the Aam Aadmi party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and BRS leader in the so-called liquor policy scam. In a letter written to Delhi LG VK Saxena, Chandrasekhar alleged that there are multiple contracts and business transactions between him and Aam Aadmi Party and CM Kejriwal. "This very application and chats attached shows the nexus of Aam Aadmi party, Mr Arvind Kejriwal and BRS leader K Kavitha, who are involved in Delhi liquor scam," Chandrasekhar said in his letter.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He stated that the submitted chat will help the ongoing investigation into the liquor scam case. "The said chats are in regard to Rs 15 Crore given by me to Mr Arvind Kejriwal and Satyendra Jain which was asked to be delivered to K Kavitha of BRS party in Hyderabad," the letter read. As per the screen grabs of the alleged chats shared by Sukesh's legal counsel Anant Malik with the New Indian Express, it could be clearly read that Chandrasekhar was in a very codified conversation with some person whose number he had saved with the name 'Kavita Akka TRS'. One of the messages written by the sender read, "AK bro package has to be given. It's ready with me." Chandrasekhar claimed that this package was an amount of Rs 15 Crore. In another chat with a mobile number that he had not saved and claimed it to be of Satyendra Jain, one of the messages could be read as,"Bro Ghee tin ready. Yes bro 15 Kg." Sukesh said that the ghee refers to money in their code words and 15 Kg meant Rs 15 Crore. In the same chat he even wrote, "Inform big bro" to which the receiver replied,"AK Bhai knows." Sukesh, presently lodged in Delhi's Mandoli Jail, was arrested for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh. The Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering cases against Sukesh, has also questioned several Bollywood actors and models, including actor Jacqueline Fernandez for their alleged links to Chandrasekhar. Notably, the New Indian Express had broken the story of Chandrasekhars allegations against AAP minister Jain on November 1, last year and since then, he has written multiple letters addressed to the media and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. By PTI JAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said railways had become an arena of politics under previous governments and its modernisation affected by political considerations. "It is our country's misfortune that an important system like the railways, which is such a big part in the lives of common people, was also made an arena of politics," he said after launching Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express here via video conferencing. The new Vande Bharat train, the 15th in the country, will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment stations with stops in Jaipur, Alwar and Gurugram. It will cover the distance in five hours and 15 minutes. The prime minister thanked Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for attending the event despite going through a "political tussle" in the state Congress. ALSO READ | Vande Bharat train 'big gift' for Rajasthan: CM Ashok Gehlot "After independence, India had got a large railway network but political interests always dominated the modernisation of railways," Modi said, adding the decision on who would become the railway minister and which train would run at a certain station used to be taken based on political interest. He also alleged that due to political pressure, several trains announced in budgets never actually ran. "There was politics in railway recruitment, corruption was rampant. The situation was such that lands of poor people were snatched away and they were given a bluff in the name of job in the railways," Modi said. "But things changed after the country got a stable government in 2014," he said. The pressure of political bargaining on the government was removed after 2014, the railways heaved a sigh of relief and achieved new heights, the prime minister said. Later on Twitter, Gehlot challenged the prime minister's claim. He said it was "unfortunate" that the PM had talked about the decisions taken by earlier railway ministers as being influenced by corruption and political considerations. Gehlot accused the PM of reducing the importance of railways during his own term by ending the practice of a separate railway budget. The launch event was organised at the Jaipur junction railway station. It was attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra among others. Modi said his government today was fulfilling demands which were more than 100 years old. He said thousands of level crossings in the country were left unmanned and railway safety, cleanliness of platforms and everything else were ignored. "Changes in all these circumstances have started coming after 2014 when the people of the country formed a stable government with full majority," Modi said. "Today, every Indian is proud of the rejuvenation of the Indian Railways," he added. Talking about the Vande Bharat Express, the prime minister said it would benefit the tourism industry of Rajasthan. It will save time and make it easier for devotees going to Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif, he added. He said the biggest feature of the Vande Bharat Express is its high speed which saves time. Modi stated that as per a study, 2,500 hours are saved in each trip of the train and passengers are getting this extra time for other work. The prime minister said the Vande Bharat trains have become the symbol of modernisation and self-reliance. He said the central government is focused on improving railway connectivity as well as road infrastructure. The budget for railways used to be around Rs 700 crore before 2014 but now, it is Rs 9,500 crore, he added. Seventy-five per cent of electrification work has been completed in nine years in Rajasthan, work on 1,400 km roads in border areas are going on and railway stations are being rejuvenated, Modi said. Modi called Gehlot a "friend" and thanked him for attending the launch event even when he is going through a "political tussle" in the state. Worlds first semi-high speed passenger train with high-rise pantograph. Thank You PM @narendramodi Ji, for flagging off Ajmer- Delhi Vande Bharat Express. pic.twitter.com/KpjqWx1xd7 Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) April 12, 2023 "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of political struggle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. Addressing the programme, Gehlot said several projects were pending with the Railway Ministry, and requested the prime minister to expedite them. He said this was the first time that the railway minister of the country was from Rajasthan, and hoped that he would discuss the pending projects with the PM. Gehlot further said Banswara, Karauli and Tonk have no railway connectivity despite having district headquarters. BJP state president C P Joshi said the Vande Bharat Express was a big gift for the people of Rajasthan. Leader of opposition in Rajasthan assembly Rajendra Rathore said the tourism sector of the state will get a boost because of the train. He said revolutionary reforms have taken place in the railway sector in the last few years. Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra, Ajmer MP Bhagirath Chaudhary and other leaders of BJP and railway officials were also present in the programme. JAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said railways had become an arena of politics under previous governments and its modernisation affected by political considerations. "It is our country's misfortune that an important system like the railways, which is such a big part in the lives of common people, was also made an arena of politics," he said after launching Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express here via video conferencing. The new Vande Bharat train, the 15th in the country, will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment stations with stops in Jaipur, Alwar and Gurugram.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); It will cover the distance in five hours and 15 minutes. The prime minister thanked Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for attending the event despite going through a "political tussle" in the state Congress. ALSO READ | Vande Bharat train 'big gift' for Rajasthan: CM Ashok Gehlot "After independence, India had got a large railway network but political interests always dominated the modernisation of railways," Modi said, adding the decision on who would become the railway minister and which train would run at a certain station used to be taken based on political interest. He also alleged that due to political pressure, several trains announced in budgets never actually ran. "There was politics in railway recruitment, corruption was rampant. The situation was such that lands of poor people were snatched away and they were given a bluff in the name of job in the railways," Modi said. "But things changed after the country got a stable government in 2014," he said. The pressure of political bargaining on the government was removed after 2014, the railways heaved a sigh of relief and achieved new heights, the prime minister said. Later on Twitter, Gehlot challenged the prime minister's claim. @NarendraModi - pic.twitter.com/nb5MEvOuL4 Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 12, 2023 He said it was "unfortunate" that the PM had talked about the decisions taken by earlier railway ministers as being influenced by corruption and political considerations. Gehlot accused the PM of reducing the importance of railways during his own term by ending the practice of a separate railway budget. The launch event was organised at the Jaipur junction railway station. It was attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra among others. Modi said his government today was fulfilling demands which were more than 100 years old. He said thousands of level crossings in the country were left unmanned and railway safety, cleanliness of platforms and everything else were ignored. "Changes in all these circumstances have started coming after 2014 when the people of the country formed a stable government with full majority," Modi said. "Today, every Indian is proud of the rejuvenation of the Indian Railways," he added. Talking about the Vande Bharat Express, the prime minister said it would benefit the tourism industry of Rajasthan. It will save time and make it easier for devotees going to Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif, he added. He said the biggest feature of the Vande Bharat Express is its high speed which saves time. Modi stated that as per a study, 2,500 hours are saved in each trip of the train and passengers are getting this extra time for other work. The prime minister said the Vande Bharat trains have become the symbol of modernisation and self-reliance. He said the central government is focused on improving railway connectivity as well as road infrastructure. The budget for railways used to be around Rs 700 crore before 2014 but now, it is Rs 9,500 crore, he added. Seventy-five per cent of electrification work has been completed in nine years in Rajasthan, work on 1,400 km roads in border areas are going on and railway stations are being rejuvenated, Modi said. Modi called Gehlot a "friend" and thanked him for attending the launch event even when he is going through a "political tussle" in the state. Worlds first semi-high speed passenger train with high-rise pantograph. Thank You PM @narendramodi Ji, for flagging off Ajmer- Delhi Vande Bharat Express. pic.twitter.com/KpjqWx1xd7 Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) April 12, 2023 "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of political struggle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. Addressing the programme, Gehlot said several projects were pending with the Railway Ministry, and requested the prime minister to expedite them. He said this was the first time that the railway minister of the country was from Rajasthan, and hoped that he would discuss the pending projects with the PM. Gehlot further said Banswara, Karauli and Tonk have no railway connectivity despite having district headquarters. BJP state president C P Joshi said the Vande Bharat Express was a big gift for the people of Rajasthan. Leader of opposition in Rajasthan assembly Rajendra Rathore said the tourism sector of the state will get a boost because of the train. He said revolutionary reforms have taken place in the railway sector in the last few years. Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra, Ajmer MP Bhagirath Chaudhary and other leaders of BJP and railway officials were also present in the programme. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Four people were killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning. The Indian Army's 10 Corps is stationed at Bathinda. The deceased jawans were identified as Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogesh Kumar J (24), and Santosh M Nagaral (25). Confirming the incident in a statement, the Southwestern command headquartered at Jaipur said, "The firing incident was reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435 hrs inside the Bathinda Military Station." The four personnel, in their mid 20s, were sleeping when the firing took place around 4:30 am near the barracks behind a mess. Another statement issued by the command reads thus: "It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported." The area is now cordoned off and sealed. Search operations are in progress, the Army stated. Quick Reaction Teams too were activated. "The area continues to be sealed-off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case, the statement said. Bathinda Superintendent of Police (Detective) Ajay Gandhi, who headed the police investigation, told media that 19 empty shells of the INSAS rifle were found on the spot. Quoting an Army jawan, Gandhi said two people in civilian clothes opened fire. The police officer, however, said they still have no information on who opened fire, and added the matter is under investigation. "Our investigation is going on jointly with military police," Gandhi said. WATCH: Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Bathinda Range) SPS Parmar said that it seems to be a case of fratricide and that police officers are in touch with military authorities. "It is not a terror attack. It is not an attack from outside," he said. Sources said that the firing incident happened near the officer mess of an artillery unit of the Military Station as families are also living in the area. This military station is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments. An INSAS rifle from the unit and some rounds of ammunition had gone missing from the unit premises two days ago. "An inquiry will be ordered in the matter to establish the facts of the case and fix responsibility," an officer said. CHANDIGARH: Four people were killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning. The Indian Army's 10 Corps is stationed at Bathinda. The deceased jawans were identified as Sagar Banne (25), Kamalesh R (24), Yogesh Kumar J (24), and Santosh M Nagaral (25). Confirming the incident in a statement, the Southwestern command headquartered at Jaipur said, "The firing incident was reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435 hrs inside the Bathinda Military Station." The four personnel, in their mid 20s, were sleeping when the firing took place around 4:30 am near the barracks behind a mess.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Another statement issued by the command reads thus: "It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported." The area is now cordoned off and sealed. Search operations are in progress, the Army stated. Quick Reaction Teams too were activated. "The area continues to be sealed-off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case, the statement said. Bathinda Superintendent of Police (Detective) Ajay Gandhi, who headed the police investigation, told media that 19 empty shells of the INSAS rifle were found on the spot. Quoting an Army jawan, Gandhi said two people in civilian clothes opened fire. The police officer, however, said they still have no information on who opened fire, and added the matter is under investigation. "Our investigation is going on jointly with military police," Gandhi said. WATCH: Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Bathinda Range) SPS Parmar said that it seems to be a case of fratricide and that police officers are in touch with military authorities. "It is not a terror attack. It is not an attack from outside," he said. Sources said that the firing incident happened near the officer mess of an artillery unit of the Military Station as families are also living in the area. This military station is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments. An INSAS rifle from the unit and some rounds of ammunition had gone missing from the unit premises two days ago. "An inquiry will be ordered in the matter to establish the facts of the case and fix responsibility," an officer said. On the July 27, 1971 broadcast of the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite reported that Pan Am would no longer allow safari hunters to fly on its jets. Pan American World Airways will no longer make the going great for hunters of endangered species of wildlife. Starting in September, Pan Am will no longer book tours which involve the killing of more than 900 species that the World Wildlife Fund says are threatened with extinction. But the airline will continue with photo safaris and with expeditions for animals and fish not on the endangered list. The YouTube clip has a bonus TV ad at the end for a Buick Riviera, a hulking boat-tailed beast of Detriot big iron that guzzled a gallon of gas every 13 miles. Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service MUMBAI: A few days after the NCP distanced itself from the key issues concerning the united Opposition, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai to discuss and iron out their differences. Pawar later said he would not oppose the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg report even though he has his differences. The meeting between two top leaders of Maharashtra lasted more than one hour. According to sources, Maha Vikas Aghadi was united and was also getting a good response. The NCP showed its disagreement over major issues raised by the Opposition. It is a cause of concern for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena which is also part of the MVA. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had earlier met Pawar and planned for a meeting between the two leaders to clear doubts against the Opposition. The major issue was that Uddhav and the Congress demanded a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg research report, while Pawar is not in favour of the JPC and in targeting Adani as well. However, Pawar later clarified that he will not oppose the demand for a JPC probe on the Adani-Hindenburg report even though he has his differences. He said that if his views on some issues differ from that of the Opposition, it does not mean he is helping the BJP. Another issue that distanced the two parties from each other was Raut raising doubts over PM Narendra Modis qualifications and degree. NCP said the PMs degree cannot be a strong-enough issue when there were more important problems at hand. Pawar has a divided stand over VD Savarkar. He likes Savarkars work that is progressive, but opposes the anti-minority and extremist Hindutva writing. Meanwhile, Thackerays party accept Savarkar completely and even demanded the Bharat Ratna for him. Pawar has also said that Thackeray should have consulted the alliance partners before resigning as the chief minister. Thackeray meets Pawar in Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai to discuss and iron out their differences. The meeting between two top leaders of Maharashtra lasted more than one hour. According to sources, Maha Vikas Aghadi was united and was also getting a good response. MUMBAI: A few days after the NCP distanced itself from the key issues concerning the united Opposition, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai to discuss and iron out their differences. Pawar later said he would not oppose the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg report even though he has his differences. The meeting between two top leaders of Maharashtra lasted more than one hour. According to sources, Maha Vikas Aghadi was united and was also getting a good response. The NCP showed its disagreement over major issues raised by the Opposition. It is a cause of concern for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena which is also part of the MVA. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had earlier met Pawar and planned for a meeting between the two leaders to clear doubts against the Opposition. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The major issue was that Uddhav and the Congress demanded a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg research report, while Pawar is not in favour of the JPC and in targeting Adani as well. However, Pawar later clarified that he will not oppose the demand for a JPC probe on the Adani-Hindenburg report even though he has his differences. He said that if his views on some issues differ from that of the Opposition, it does not mean he is helping the BJP. Another issue that distanced the two parties from each other was Raut raising doubts over PM Narendra Modis qualifications and degree. NCP said the PMs degree cannot be a strong-enough issue when there were more important problems at hand. Pawar has a divided stand over VD Savarkar. He likes Savarkars work that is progressive, but opposes the anti-minority and extremist Hindutva writing. Meanwhile, Thackerays party accept Savarkar completely and even demanded the Bharat Ratna for him. Pawar has also said that Thackeray should have consulted the alliance partners before resigning as the chief minister. Thackeray meets Pawar in Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in Mumbai to discuss and iron out their differences. The meeting between two top leaders of Maharashtra lasted more than one hour. According to sources, Maha Vikas Aghadi was united and was also getting a good response. A Surya Prakash By As we celebrate the 75th year of Independence, we must pause to recall the extraordinary contribution of some national leaders who paved the way for independent Indias socio-economic transformation and democratic journey. Prominent among them was Dr B R Ambedkar, whose birth anniversary is observed on April 14. Dr Ambedkar was a voracious reader and a political leader with an unwavering commitment to social justice and equality among all citizens. He had a deep understanding of democratic traditions in ancient India and other nations. He was determined to ensure that these traditions became the bedrock of independent India. As a result, one finds that his erudition and political commitment runs through the deliberations in the Constituent Assembly and are firmly imprinted in the Constitution of India, which was finally approved by that Assembly in November 1949. While much can be said about Ambedkars contribution to the philosophy permeating the Constitution, this article will centre around the core principles of liberty, equality and fraternity, which he said were critical to genuine democracy. Some of his observations in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, while summing up the debate on the Constitution, provide us with an idea of the foundations on which the Indian State and democracy stand. He said we should not be content with mere political democracy. We must make our political democracy a social democracy as well. By social democracy, he meant a system which recognised liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. All three are critical, and one cannot be divorced from the other. Without equality, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many, whereas equality without liberty would kill individual initiative. And finally, Without fraternity, liberty and equality could not become a natural course of things. It would require a constable to enforce them. In his view, while political democracy would mean one man, one vote, and one vote, one value, the social and economic structure denied the principle of one man, one value. If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril. The second thing he found missing was recognition of fraternity. It is this principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life. While we are still some distance away from achieving the goals set by Dr Ambedkar, there can be no denying the fact that the Indian State has assiduously strived to achieve the target set by him. Since Independence, various governments have pursued the policy of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes in educational institutions and government jobs. In recent years, Parliament amended the Constitution to extend this to economically backward citizens. These initiatives have enabled equal opportunity among various social groups and ensured upward mobility of hitherto downtrodden communities. The other major development over the last few decades which has helped the State pursue the objectives set out by Dr Ambedkar is the coming to life of Part IV of the Constitution, which contains the Directive Principles of State Policy. Some key provisions in the Directive Principles are: State must minimise inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities; justicesocial, economic and politicalshould inform all institutions of national life; ownership and control of material resources must be distributed; there must be equal pay for equal work; childhood and youth must be protected from exploitation; just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief must be ensured as also a decent standard of living and enjoyment of leisure by workers; and workers must participate in management. While Article 37 says that the provisions contained in this part shall not be enforceable by any court, it, however, declares that the principles laid down are nevertheless fundamental to governance. It shall be the States duty to apply these principles in making laws. Over the years, the Supreme Court has played a key role by nudging the State to enforce these provisions. Although much more needs to be done to realise all the goals envisioned in Part IV, one must acknowledge that the State has taken many steps to enforce these principles and the socio-economic goals that Dr Ambedkar set for the country. The plethora of labour laws and the judicial system to enforce them; employees state insurance scheme and health care; subsidised housing; specific laws to protect women and children; measures to equalise educational opportunities for children, including free uniforms, textbooks and even bicycles for high school students; the Consumer Protection Act; and free legal aid schemes are some of them which gathered pace under various prime ministers including Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In recent years, the Narendra Modi government has given a further push to Ambedkars socio-economic agenda and the Directive Principles through schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (which guarantees critical health insurance coverage to 100 million low-income families); the Jan Dhan Yojana which has led to the opening of over 440 million bank accounts of individuals living below the poverty line (BPL); the Ujjwala Yojana which provides domestic cooking gas to BPL families; and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide housing to the poor. Despite his phenomenal contribution to drafting the Constitution of India, Ambedkar suffered several electoral reverses in the 1950s. In January 1952, he contested from the Bombay North Lok Sabha constituency but was defeated by the Congress. He made a fresh bid to enter the Lok Sabha in a by-election from the Bhandara constituency in Maharashtra in May 1954 and again lost to the Congress. Sadly, the Congress saw no reason to acknowledge his phenomenal contribution once the Constitution was adopted. Thus, while PM Nehru conferred the Bharat Ratna on himself in 1955, neither he nor any of his successor Congress governments felt the need to accord the nations highest honour to Dr Ambedkar. It was finally left to the Janata Dal-led coalition government headed by V P Singh to correct this injustice in 1990. But the real tribute to him will be the complete transformation of our political democracy into a social democracy as he envisaged in 1949. A Surya Prakash Former Chairman of Prasar Bharati and scholar of democracy studies (suryamedia@gmail.com) As we celebrate the 75th year of Independence, we must pause to recall the extraordinary contribution of some national leaders who paved the way for independent Indias socio-economic transformation and democratic journey. Prominent among them was Dr B R Ambedkar, whose birth anniversary is observed on April 14. Dr Ambedkar was a voracious reader and a political leader with an unwavering commitment to social justice and equality among all citizens. He had a deep understanding of democratic traditions in ancient India and other nations. He was determined to ensure that these traditions became the bedrock of independent India. As a result, one finds that his erudition and political commitment runs through the deliberations in the Constituent Assembly and are firmly imprinted in the Constitution of India, which was finally approved by that Assembly in November 1949. While much can be said about Ambedkars contribution to the philosophy permeating the Constitution, this article will centre around the core principles of liberty, equality and fraternity, which he said were critical to genuine democracy. Some of his observations in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, while summing up the debate on the Constitution, provide us with an idea of the foundations on which the Indian State and democracy stand.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He said we should not be content with mere political democracy. We must make our political democracy a social democracy as well. By social democracy, he meant a system which recognised liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. All three are critical, and one cannot be divorced from the other. Without equality, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many, whereas equality without liberty would kill individual initiative. And finally, Without fraternity, liberty and equality could not become a natural course of things. It would require a constable to enforce them. In his view, while political democracy would mean one man, one vote, and one vote, one value, the social and economic structure denied the principle of one man, one value. If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril. The second thing he found missing was recognition of fraternity. It is this principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life. While we are still some distance away from achieving the goals set by Dr Ambedkar, there can be no denying the fact that the Indian State has assiduously strived to achieve the target set by him. Since Independence, various governments have pursued the policy of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes in educational institutions and government jobs. In recent years, Parliament amended the Constitution to extend this to economically backward citizens. These initiatives have enabled equal opportunity among various social groups and ensured upward mobility of hitherto downtrodden communities. The other major development over the last few decades which has helped the State pursue the objectives set out by Dr Ambedkar is the coming to life of Part IV of the Constitution, which contains the Directive Principles of State Policy. Some key provisions in the Directive Principles are: State must minimise inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities; justicesocial, economic and politicalshould inform all institutions of national life; ownership and control of material resources must be distributed; there must be equal pay for equal work; childhood and youth must be protected from exploitation; just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief must be ensured as also a decent standard of living and enjoyment of leisure by workers; and workers must participate in management. While Article 37 says that the provisions contained in this part shall not be enforceable by any court, it, however, declares that the principles laid down are nevertheless fundamental to governance. It shall be the States duty to apply these principles in making laws. Over the years, the Supreme Court has played a key role by nudging the State to enforce these provisions. Although much more needs to be done to realise all the goals envisioned in Part IV, one must acknowledge that the State has taken many steps to enforce these principles and the socio-economic goals that Dr Ambedkar set for the country. The plethora of labour laws and the judicial system to enforce them; employees state insurance scheme and health care; subsidised housing; specific laws to protect women and children; measures to equalise educational opportunities for children, including free uniforms, textbooks and even bicycles for high school students; the Consumer Protection Act; and free legal aid schemes are some of them which gathered pace under various prime ministers including Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In recent years, the Narendra Modi government has given a further push to Ambedkars socio-economic agenda and the Directive Principles through schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (which guarantees critical health insurance coverage to 100 million low-income families); the Jan Dhan Yojana which has led to the opening of over 440 million bank accounts of individuals living below the poverty line (BPL); the Ujjwala Yojana which provides domestic cooking gas to BPL families; and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide housing to the poor. Despite his phenomenal contribution to drafting the Constitution of India, Ambedkar suffered several electoral reverses in the 1950s. In January 1952, he contested from the Bombay North Lok Sabha constituency but was defeated by the Congress. He made a fresh bid to enter the Lok Sabha in a by-election from the Bhandara constituency in Maharashtra in May 1954 and again lost to the Congress. Sadly, the Congress saw no reason to acknowledge his phenomenal contribution once the Constitution was adopted. Thus, while PM Nehru conferred the Bharat Ratna on himself in 1955, neither he nor any of his successor Congress governments felt the need to accord the nations highest honour to Dr Ambedkar. It was finally left to the Janata Dal-led coalition government headed by V P Singh to correct this injustice in 1990. But the real tribute to him will be the complete transformation of our political democracy into a social democracy as he envisaged in 1949. A Surya Prakash Former Chairman of Prasar Bharati and scholar of democracy studies (suryamedia@gmail.com) Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravis stiff challenge to the long-pending anti-gambling bill has finally turned into something of an anti-climax. Soon after the political din reached a crescendo after Ravis public elucidation that a bill withheld means it is dead, the governor gave his assent to the bill, keeping the protracted spell of hostility between the state government and Raj Bhavan aside. So, why a sudden change of heart? Is it Narendra Modis visit to Chennai a few days ago, where the PM accorded top priority to the states growth? Or is it the governments high-pitched criticism of Raj Bhavan that finally led to a resolution aimed at censuring Ravis activities? Or the proposed scrutiny of the discretionary spending by the governor? There is no clarity yet. As patience ran out, Chief Minister MK Stalin called to amend the Constitution to remove the anomaly of letting the legislation enacted by the state assembly be assented to by the governor, whom the Central government appoints. He said the arrangement does not augur well for upholding the dignity of democracy, especially when governors act like politicians. In the last 20 months since he took charge as governor, the relationship with the DMK-led government has been on a roller coaster. Nearly 20 bills are still pending with Raj Bhavan or have died a natural death in his court of justice because he thinks the bills do not conform with the Constitution and central policies. In January, the governors address to the legislative assembly consciously omitted portions of the prepared text, including a reference to the Dravidian model of governance, to the dismay of the ruling DMK alliance. Subsequently, Stalins resolution that said the House record would reflect only the prepared text, not the impromptu editing, and Ravis walkout epitomised the government-governor bond. Ravis statement that the state should not call itself Tamil Nadu also created a political cacophony. Barring a few headlines, these controversies have contributed nothing to the state polity. A day after the consent, the Stalin government did not waste any time and notified the anti-gambling (online) law intending to prevent further suicides. The law will likely face opposition legally by the thriving, multi-billion-dollar online gaming industry. But for now, the government can take pride in making it a law. TNs fight to create a federal polity in the country and ensure autonomy for states should continue. Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravis stiff challenge to the long-pending anti-gambling bill has finally turned into something of an anti-climax. Soon after the political din reached a crescendo after Ravis public elucidation that a bill withheld means it is dead, the governor gave his assent to the bill, keeping the protracted spell of hostility between the state government and Raj Bhavan aside. So, why a sudden change of heart? Is it Narendra Modis visit to Chennai a few days ago, where the PM accorded top priority to the states growth? Or is it the governments high-pitched criticism of Raj Bhavan that finally led to a resolution aimed at censuring Ravis activities? Or the proposed scrutiny of the discretionary spending by the governor? There is no clarity yet. As patience ran out, Chief Minister MK Stalin called to amend the Constitution to remove the anomaly of letting the legislation enacted by the state assembly be assented to by the governor, whom the Central government appoints. He said the arrangement does not augur well for upholding the dignity of democracy, especially when governors act like politicians. In the last 20 months since he took charge as governor, the relationship with the DMK-led government has been on a roller coaster. Nearly 20 bills are still pending with Raj Bhavan or have died a natural death in his court of justice because he thinks the bills do not conform with the Constitution and central policies. In January, the governors address to the legislative assembly consciously omitted portions of the prepared text, including a reference to the Dravidian model of governance, to the dismay of the ruling DMK alliance. Subsequently, Stalins resolution that said the House record would reflect only the prepared text, not the impromptu editing, and Ravis walkout epitomised the government-governor bond. Ravis statement that the state should not call itself Tamil Nadu also created a political cacophony. Barring a few headlines, these controversies have contributed nothing to the state polity.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A day after the consent, the Stalin government did not waste any time and notified the anti-gambling (online) law intending to prevent further suicides. The law will likely face opposition legally by the thriving, multi-billion-dollar online gaming industry. But for now, the government can take pride in making it a law. TNs fight to create a federal polity in the country and ensure autonomy for states should continue. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress won't allow a time to come when the BJP can raise the slogan of 'One Nation, One Milk', the opposition party said on Wednesday while accusing the Centre of seeking "enforced cooperation" between Amul and Karnataka Milk Federation brand Nandini. Terming it a "brazen move" to control dairy cooperatives in states, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party will strongly oppose the BJP's efforts to centralize control of cooperatives by replacing farmers' control with theirs. With assembly elections just a month away in Karnataka, the Congress has trained its guns at the ruling BJP and expressed fears that Nandini, the Rs 21,000 crore brand, from the KMF, could be merged with Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL). The BJP has emphatically rejected the charge. "The Congress party will not allow the time to come when the BJP may raise the slogan of One Nation, One Milk'," Ramesh said in a statement. In its election campaign in Karnataka, and in political activities across the country, the Congress will explain to people the "sinister agenda" behind these moves and resolve to oppose them through all possible democratic means, he said. The Congress leader alleged that the BJP and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah are trying to ignore the Constitution which clearly demarcates cooperative societies as a state subject. OPINION | Milk will spill: Amul vs Nandini in Namma Bengaluru In December last year, Shah had said during the inauguration of KMF's mega-dairy in Mandya that "cooperation between Amul and Nandini can do wonders in the dairy sector." Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Amul announced on April 5 that it would enter the Karnataka market to supply its milk and curd. In his statement, Ramesh alleged that Shah's "enforced cooperation" between Amul and Nandini is a "brazen move by BJP to control dairy cooperatives in states." Noting that Amul and Nandini are both national success stories of the White Revolution, Ramesh said it was started by Verghese Kurien in Anand and spread across India when prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri established the National Dairy Development Board in 1965. "The network of cooperatives in each state aimed to empower the dairy farmer, as exemplified by Dr. Kurien's mantra, 'I am an employee of the farmer'," Ramesh said. He said the Congress helped nurture this decentralized vision over decades, empowering and ensuring autonomy to crores of dairy farmers. "In sharp contrast, Amit Shah imagines a small collection of centralized organizations under his direct command and control. This is the agenda of the new Union Ministry of Cooperation which Shah heads," Ramesh alleged. This is why Shah wishes that Amul merges with five other cooperative societies to form a multi-state cooperative society involving two lakh rural diaries, he claimed. EXPLAINER | The Amul vs Nandini battle in poll-bound Karnataka Ramesh also shared a chronology of events, including in it the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation in July 2021, when Shah given its charge and his announcement that Amul will merge with five other cooperative societies. "As the chronology shows, PM Modi and his government are following their usual practice. They are establishing their total control, ignoring the Constitution which clearly demarcates cooperative societies as a state subject," Ramesh alleged. Nandini, Amul, and other cooperatives like OMFED, Mother Dairy, Vijaya and Aavin, empower farmers and help them prosper, Ramesh asserted. For example, the KMF, which markets Nandini, is a federation of 14,000 cooperative societies organized into 14 unions and its 24 lakh members earn over Rs 17 crore a day, Ramesh said. "Amit Shah and the BJP wish to replace the farmers' control with their control by consolidating these historic societies into new multi-state cooperative societies," the Congress leader alleged He went on to add that the attempt to compel KMF to act against its commercial interests is only a step towards the intended goal where all dairy unions become a political arm of the BJP. "Decisions will not be made in Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai or Pune, but in Delhi by Amit Shah, the Minister of Cooperation," he claimed This will disempower dairy farmers and will ultimately threaten their incomes and livelihoods, Ramesh said. "This pattern has been seen before. Karnataka, for example, saw Vijaya Bank, one of the most successful public sector banks, merge with the loss-making Bank of Baroda. Similarly, the State Bank of Mysore merged with SBI and Corporation Bank merged with Union Bank, leaving only one public sector bank with its head office in Karnataka," he said. He asserted that the Congress has always supported a federal and decentralized vision of India, and strongly opposes "Amit Shah and the BJP's efforts of centralized control". NEW DELHI: The Congress won't allow a time to come when the BJP can raise the slogan of 'One Nation, One Milk', the opposition party said on Wednesday while accusing the Centre of seeking "enforced cooperation" between Amul and Karnataka Milk Federation brand Nandini. Terming it a "brazen move" to control dairy cooperatives in states, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party will strongly oppose the BJP's efforts to centralize control of cooperatives by replacing farmers' control with theirs. With assembly elections just a month away in Karnataka, the Congress has trained its guns at the ruling BJP and expressed fears that Nandini, the Rs 21,000 crore brand, from the KMF, could be merged with Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL). The BJP has emphatically rejected the charge.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "The Congress party will not allow the time to come when the BJP may raise the slogan of One Nation, One Milk'," Ramesh said in a statement. In its election campaign in Karnataka, and in political activities across the country, the Congress will explain to people the "sinister agenda" behind these moves and resolve to oppose them through all possible democratic means, he said. The Congress leader alleged that the BJP and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah are trying to ignore the Constitution which clearly demarcates cooperative societies as a state subject. OPINION | Milk will spill: Amul vs Nandini in Namma Bengaluru In December last year, Shah had said during the inauguration of KMF's mega-dairy in Mandya that "cooperation between Amul and Nandini can do wonders in the dairy sector." Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Amul announced on April 5 that it would enter the Karnataka market to supply its milk and curd. In his statement, Ramesh alleged that Shah's "enforced cooperation" between Amul and Nandini is a "brazen move by BJP to control dairy cooperatives in states." Noting that Amul and Nandini are both national success stories of the White Revolution, Ramesh said it was started by Verghese Kurien in Anand and spread across India when prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri established the National Dairy Development Board in 1965. "The network of cooperatives in each state aimed to empower the dairy farmer, as exemplified by Dr. Kurien's mantra, 'I am an employee of the farmer'," Ramesh said. He said the Congress helped nurture this decentralized vision over decades, empowering and ensuring autonomy to crores of dairy farmers. "In sharp contrast, Amit Shah imagines a small collection of centralized organizations under his direct command and control. This is the agenda of the new Union Ministry of Cooperation which Shah heads," Ramesh alleged. This is why Shah wishes that Amul merges with five other cooperative societies to form a multi-state cooperative society involving two lakh rural diaries, he claimed. EXPLAINER | The Amul vs Nandini battle in poll-bound Karnataka Ramesh also shared a chronology of events, including in it the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation in July 2021, when Shah given its charge and his announcement that Amul will merge with five other cooperative societies. "As the chronology shows, PM Modi and his government are following their usual practice. They are establishing their total control, ignoring the Constitution which clearly demarcates cooperative societies as a state subject," Ramesh alleged. Nandini, Amul, and other cooperatives like OMFED, Mother Dairy, Vijaya and Aavin, empower farmers and help them prosper, Ramesh asserted. For example, the KMF, which markets Nandini, is a federation of 14,000 cooperative societies organized into 14 unions and its 24 lakh members earn over Rs 17 crore a day, Ramesh said. "Amit Shah and the BJP wish to replace the farmers' control with their control by consolidating these historic societies into new multi-state cooperative societies," the Congress leader alleged He went on to add that the attempt to compel KMF to act against its commercial interests is only a step towards the intended goal where all dairy unions become a political arm of the BJP. "Decisions will not be made in Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai or Pune, but in Delhi by Amit Shah, the Minister of Cooperation," he claimed This will disempower dairy farmers and will ultimately threaten their incomes and livelihoods, Ramesh said. "This pattern has been seen before. Karnataka, for example, saw Vijaya Bank, one of the most successful public sector banks, merge with the loss-making Bank of Baroda. Similarly, the State Bank of Mysore merged with SBI and Corporation Bank merged with Union Bank, leaving only one public sector bank with its head office in Karnataka," he said. He asserted that the Congress has always supported a federal and decentralized vision of India, and strongly opposes "Amit Shah and the BJP's efforts of centralized control". By Express News Service NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: After holding hectic consultations for several days, the ruling BJP late Tuesday night announced its first list of 189 candidates with 52 new faces, two days before the nomination process is scheduled to start on Thursday. The second list is expected in a day or two. In a bid to make the fight tough for the Congress chief ministerial aspirants, the BJP has fielded Revenue Minister R Ashoka against KPCC president DK Shivakumar in the latters pocketborough Kanakapura and Housing Minister V Somanna against former CM Siddaramaiah in Varuna, which the Congress considers a safe seat. Ashoka will also contest from his Padmanabhanagar constituency in Bengaluru, while Somanna from Chamarajnagar. In the last elections, Siddaramaiah won by a narrow margin (in Badami against B Sriramulu) and this time we are 100 per cent sure of defeating him, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said while releasing the first list in Delhi. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be seeking reelection from his home constituency Shiggaon in the Haveri district. Former CM BS Yediyurappas son BY Vijayendra will be contesting from Shikaripura which was represented by the partys Lingayat strongman for nearly four decades. ALSO READ | Others smell chance as BJP faces challenges in its pocket borough Former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao, who recently switched from AAP to BJP, will contest from Chamarajpet in Bengaluru. He will take on Congresss Zameer Ahmed Khan. Former IAS officer Anil Kumar will contest against former DyCM G Paremeshwara in Koratagere in the Tumakuru district. The party is fielding 52 new faces to overcome the anti-incumbency factor, while also retaining most of the heavyweights, including turncoats who had helped BJP form its government in 2019. Fisheries minister and seven-time MLA S Angara has been dropped and has been replaced by newbie Bhagirathi Murulya, a former zilla panchayat member. In all, five sitting MLAs have been dropped in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The party, which is also banking on the recently announced reservation policy, is fielding 30 from SCs, 16 from STs, and 32 from OBCs. Singh and Union Minister and Karnataka election in-charge for BJP, Dharmendra Pradhan, said they had followed a detailed consultation process involving 25,000 party workers right from assembly segments. Spoken to Shettar: Pradhan The partys Central Election Committee met on Sunday and senior party leaders, including those from the state, held hectic parleys since then to finalise the list by incorporating the suggestions made at the meeting, attended among others by Prime Minister Modi, he said. The developments did cause some heartburn among senior BJP leaders. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar defied the central leadership by rejecting their suggestion to make way for a new face. The party is yet to announce its candidate for Shettars Hubli-Dharwad Central seat. Pradhan said Shettar will be with us and they have spoken to him. ALSO READ | Senior Karnataka BJP leader Eshwarappa 'retires' from electoral politics NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: After holding hectic consultations for several days, the ruling BJP late Tuesday night announced its first list of 189 candidates with 52 new faces, two days before the nomination process is scheduled to start on Thursday. The second list is expected in a day or two. In a bid to make the fight tough for the Congress chief ministerial aspirants, the BJP has fielded Revenue Minister R Ashoka against KPCC president DK Shivakumar in the latters pocketborough Kanakapura and Housing Minister V Somanna against former CM Siddaramaiah in Varuna, which the Congress considers a safe seat. Ashoka will also contest from his Padmanabhanagar constituency in Bengaluru, while Somanna from Chamarajnagar. In the last elections, Siddaramaiah won by a narrow margin (in Badami against B Sriramulu) and this time we are 100 per cent sure of defeating him, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said while releasing the first list in Delhi.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be seeking reelection from his home constituency Shiggaon in the Haveri district. Former CM BS Yediyurappas son BY Vijayendra will be contesting from Shikaripura which was represented by the partys Lingayat strongman for nearly four decades. ALSO READ | Others smell chance as BJP faces challenges in its pocket borough Former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao, who recently switched from AAP to BJP, will contest from Chamarajpet in Bengaluru. He will take on Congresss Zameer Ahmed Khan. Former IAS officer Anil Kumar will contest against former DyCM G Paremeshwara in Koratagere in the Tumakuru district. The party is fielding 52 new faces to overcome the anti-incumbency factor, while also retaining most of the heavyweights, including turncoats who had helped BJP form its government in 2019. Fisheries minister and seven-time MLA S Angara has been dropped and has been replaced by newbie Bhagirathi Murulya, a former zilla panchayat member. In all, five sitting MLAs have been dropped in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The party, which is also banking on the recently announced reservation policy, is fielding 30 from SCs, 16 from STs, and 32 from OBCs. Singh and Union Minister and Karnataka election in-charge for BJP, Dharmendra Pradhan, said they had followed a detailed consultation process involving 25,000 party workers right from assembly segments. Spoken to Shettar: Pradhan The partys Central Election Committee met on Sunday and senior party leaders, including those from the state, held hectic parleys since then to finalise the list by incorporating the suggestions made at the meeting, attended among others by Prime Minister Modi, he said. The developments did cause some heartburn among senior BJP leaders. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar defied the central leadership by rejecting their suggestion to make way for a new face. The party is yet to announce its candidate for Shettars Hubli-Dharwad Central seat. Pradhan said Shettar will be with us and they have spoken to him. ALSO READ | Senior Karnataka BJP leader Eshwarappa 'retires' from electoral politics Express News Service MANGALURU: The May 10 Assembly election in Karnataka will be the first major poll in the state since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Over 5 crore people will exercise their franchise to elect the next government. But with Covid cases rising again, the fear of the virus has come back to haunt the people despite life returning to normal. Many, including experts, believe that Covid may have a negative impact on the polling percentage this time. Doctors said many people are still unable to come out of the Covid fear and continue to practice Covid Appropriate Behaviour like wearing masks, maintaining social distance, avoiding crowded places etc. Aaron (name changed), a 60-year-old stock trader, who has hardly visited any crowded place since the beginning of the pandemic and doesnt shake hands even with his friends, says this time, he has decided to keep away from the polling station and also not allow anyone to enter his house for electioneering. I have an elderly mother at home. She is sick and all my family members are taking utmost care of her. Hence, I cannot take any risks, he says. Though government authorities claim that new and emerging sub-variants will not cause a severe illness among the vaccinated, Aaron says he wont subscribe to it. He, however, said he may rethink his decision if CAB is strictly enforced at his polling booth. Dr Annayya Kulal, a general physician in Mangaluru, said that though a large section of people has completely gotten rid of the Covid fear, a small section, especially among the affluent and urban class, still fears the virus. It is evident from their behaviour in Bengaluru and other big cities. They wear masks, keep themselves away from crowds, do not dine with others or shake hands with people. They may also avoid voting, he adds. On the other hand, Kulal feels that after Covid hit, a section of people has become dispassionate and may wonder what would be the use of voting when their life is not certain. The authorities should address such apathy, he adds. Dr Kishore Kumar, District Health Officer, Dakshina Kannada, admits that a small section of people still fears Covid, but opined that it may not negatively affect the voting percentage. Dr MK Sudarshan, Chairman, Technical Advisory Committee, says there wont be any negative impact on poll percentage if Covid norms set by the Election Commission are followed. Keeping the current situation in mind, there is no need to enforce any new guidelines. Citizens must follow CAB and get tested if they show symptoms, he adds. (With inputs from Namrata Sindwani @ Bengaluru) MANGALURU: The May 10 Assembly election in Karnataka will be the first major poll in the state since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Over 5 crore people will exercise their franchise to elect the next government. But with Covid cases rising again, the fear of the virus has come back to haunt the people despite life returning to normal. Many, including experts, believe that Covid may have a negative impact on the polling percentage this time. Doctors said many people are still unable to come out of the Covid fear and continue to practice Covid Appropriate Behaviour like wearing masks, maintaining social distance, avoiding crowded places etc. Aaron (name changed), a 60-year-old stock trader, who has hardly visited any crowded place since the beginning of the pandemic and doesnt shake hands even with his friends, says this time, he has decided to keep away from the polling station and also not allow anyone to enter his house for electioneering. I have an elderly mother at home. She is sick and all my family members are taking utmost care of her. Hence, I cannot take any risks, he says.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Though government authorities claim that new and emerging sub-variants will not cause a severe illness among the vaccinated, Aaron says he wont subscribe to it. He, however, said he may rethink his decision if CAB is strictly enforced at his polling booth. Dr Annayya Kulal, a general physician in Mangaluru, said that though a large section of people has completely gotten rid of the Covid fear, a small section, especially among the affluent and urban class, still fears the virus. It is evident from their behaviour in Bengaluru and other big cities. They wear masks, keep themselves away from crowds, do not dine with others or shake hands with people. They may also avoid voting, he adds. On the other hand, Kulal feels that after Covid hit, a section of people has become dispassionate and may wonder what would be the use of voting when their life is not certain. The authorities should address such apathy, he adds. Dr Kishore Kumar, District Health Officer, Dakshina Kannada, admits that a small section of people still fears Covid, but opined that it may not negatively affect the voting percentage. Dr MK Sudarshan, Chairman, Technical Advisory Committee, says there wont be any negative impact on poll percentage if Covid norms set by the Election Commission are followed. Keeping the current situation in mind, there is no need to enforce any new guidelines. Citizens must follow CAB and get tested if they show symptoms, he adds. (With inputs from Namrata Sindwani @ Bengaluru) Shainu Mohan By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the ban by the state and Centre, plastic products and SUPs continue to flood the Kerala market. Enforcement squads formed to implement solid waste management rules across the state have seized around 25 tonnes of banned plastic products since the launch of the special inspections last month. The squads were deployed in the wake of the intervention from the High Court in connection with the fire outbreak at the Brahmapuram dumpsite. During surprise inspections held between March 23 and April 4, the enforcement squad booked around 1,083 violations and imposed spot fines to the tune of Rs 16 lakh in total. Large quantities of banned plastic products including plastic straws, disposable items, and plastic carry bags were seized during the inspections. We are planning to hold classes for the squad members on their powers and responsibilities, actions to be taken, and violations that can be booked. The members should be able to identify banned products and the amount to be imposed as spot fines, said an official. The official said that repeated and continuous inspections will help curb the growing plastic menace. If we do this consistently we will be able to root out banned plastic products, the official added. Enforcement squads have members from the police, Pollution Control Board (PCB), Suchitwa Mission, internal vigilance wing and LSGD. The squads have the power to confiscate vehicles and they will be keeping track of bulk waste generators and ensure that its being handled scientifically, the official said. Illegal littering on roadsides, and public places and the burning of garbage are some of the other violations that will be monitored by the squad. The LSGD has formed a district-level secretariat under the Suchitwa Mission to monitor and review the activities of the squad. Kerala generates 10,504 tonnes of solid waste and over 590 tonnes of plastic waste per day. Around 49% of the waste is generated in households, 36% in institutions and 15% in public places. A district-level secretariat under the Suchitwa Mission will be monitoring and reviewing the activities of the squad. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the ban by the state and Centre, plastic products and SUPs continue to flood the Kerala market. Enforcement squads formed to implement solid waste management rules across the state have seized around 25 tonnes of banned plastic products since the launch of the special inspections last month. The squads were deployed in the wake of the intervention from the High Court in connection with the fire outbreak at the Brahmapuram dumpsite. During surprise inspections held between March 23 and April 4, the enforcement squad booked around 1,083 violations and imposed spot fines to the tune of Rs 16 lakh in total. Large quantities of banned plastic products including plastic straws, disposable items, and plastic carry bags were seized during the inspections. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); We are planning to hold classes for the squad members on their powers and responsibilities, actions to be taken, and violations that can be booked. The members should be able to identify banned products and the amount to be imposed as spot fines, said an official. The official said that repeated and continuous inspections will help curb the growing plastic menace. If we do this consistently we will be able to root out banned plastic products, the official added. Enforcement squads have members from the police, Pollution Control Board (PCB), Suchitwa Mission, internal vigilance wing and LSGD. The squads have the power to confiscate vehicles and they will be keeping track of bulk waste generators and ensure that its being handled scientifically, the official said. Illegal littering on roadsides, and public places and the burning of garbage are some of the other violations that will be monitored by the squad. The LSGD has formed a district-level secretariat under the Suchitwa Mission to monitor and review the activities of the squad. Kerala generates 10,504 tonnes of solid waste and over 590 tonnes of plastic waste per day. Around 49% of the waste is generated in households, 36% in institutions and 15% in public places. A district-level secretariat under the Suchitwa Mission will be monitoring and reviewing the activities of the squad. By PTI BHUBANESWAR: Odisha special relief commissioner (SRC) Wednesday asked all district collectors to take precautionary measures to tackle the heat wave conditions and water scarcity in the state and open shelters for the homeless and disadvantaged people. The SRC's instructions came in the wake of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of heatwave conditions in some Odisha districts later this week. He said that all efforts should be made to ensure that there are no human casualties due to the heat wave condition. If any information on it is received or a news report is published in the media, it should be immediately enquired into and its veracity should be promptly reported to the commissioner's office. The IMD in its mid-day bulletin said the maximum temperature is very likely to rise further gradually by two or three degrees during the next two days in many places in the districts of Odisha due to northwesterly and westerly dry air and high solar insolation. "The day temperature is likely to be more than 40 degrees and is likely to be above normal by three to five degrees Celsius at a few places over the districts of Odisha during the next four days..People are advised to take precautionary measures while going outside during the day time between 11 am to 3 pm," it said. On Wednesday Jharsuguda in western Odisha recorded 38.6 degrees c at 11.30 am and Bhubaneswar 38 degrees. The SRC, Satyabrata Sahu in his communication to the district collectors said the heat wave trend will continue for some more days and asked all district connectors to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautionary measures in view of the present situation. Urban shelters, community buildings, and other public buildings in urban and rural areas may be used as day shelters for the homeless and needy people, he said in the letter. Separate arrangements may be made for men and women in these shelters, where safe drinking water and ORS sachets may be arranged for them. Besides, public awareness campaigns should be carried out and leaflets containing the do's and don'ts should be distributed to protect the people and their livestock from the heat wave condition. "The district administration is required to take advanced steps to identify the water scarcity pockets and prepare an action plan for ensuring the supply of water for drinking and other uses through tankers to those areas. Reports of water scarcity are to be responded to immediately," the letter read. The SRC also directed the district authorities to store sufficient stocks of life-saving medicines, saline, and ORS in the dispensaries, PHCs, CHCs, and in the subdivisions or district headquarters hospitals. "Special arrangements may be made and separate wards/beds earmarked for treatment of heat stroke patients in different hospitals. The ESI dispensaries may be directed to treat the general public," he said. Drinking water kiosks are required to be opened by urban local bodies and gram panchayats at marketplaces, bus stands, and other congregation points. The construction and repair of shallow vats must be ensured for roaming livestock, the SRC said. He stressed taking extra care to ensure the availability of drinking water in educational institutions and academic/technical institutions. Besides, sufficient quantities of ORS should be kept in them and given to the students and staff whenever required. "Schools may also be advised to allocate some time during school hours to give heat wave precautionary tips to the students," the SRC added. BHUBANESWAR: Odisha special relief commissioner (SRC) Wednesday asked all district collectors to take precautionary measures to tackle the heat wave conditions and water scarcity in the state and open shelters for the homeless and disadvantaged people. The SRC's instructions came in the wake of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of heatwave conditions in some Odisha districts later this week. He said that all efforts should be made to ensure that there are no human casualties due to the heat wave condition.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); If any information on it is received or a news report is published in the media, it should be immediately enquired into and its veracity should be promptly reported to the commissioner's office. The IMD in its mid-day bulletin said the maximum temperature is very likely to rise further gradually by two or three degrees during the next two days in many places in the districts of Odisha due to northwesterly and westerly dry air and high solar insolation. "The day temperature is likely to be more than 40 degrees and is likely to be above normal by three to five degrees Celsius at a few places over the districts of Odisha during the next four days..People are advised to take precautionary measures while going outside during the day time between 11 am to 3 pm," it said. On Wednesday Jharsuguda in western Odisha recorded 38.6 degrees c at 11.30 am and Bhubaneswar 38 degrees. The SRC, Satyabrata Sahu in his communication to the district collectors said the heat wave trend will continue for some more days and asked all district connectors to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautionary measures in view of the present situation. Urban shelters, community buildings, and other public buildings in urban and rural areas may be used as day shelters for the homeless and needy people, he said in the letter. Separate arrangements may be made for men and women in these shelters, where safe drinking water and ORS sachets may be arranged for them. Besides, public awareness campaigns should be carried out and leaflets containing the do's and don'ts should be distributed to protect the people and their livestock from the heat wave condition. "The district administration is required to take advanced steps to identify the water scarcity pockets and prepare an action plan for ensuring the supply of water for drinking and other uses through tankers to those areas. Reports of water scarcity are to be responded to immediately," the letter read. The SRC also directed the district authorities to store sufficient stocks of life-saving medicines, saline, and ORS in the dispensaries, PHCs, CHCs, and in the subdivisions or district headquarters hospitals. "Special arrangements may be made and separate wards/beds earmarked for treatment of heat stroke patients in different hospitals. The ESI dispensaries may be directed to treat the general public," he said. Drinking water kiosks are required to be opened by urban local bodies and gram panchayats at marketplaces, bus stands, and other congregation points. The construction and repair of shallow vats must be ensured for roaming livestock, the SRC said. He stressed taking extra care to ensure the availability of drinking water in educational institutions and academic/technical institutions. Besides, sufficient quantities of ORS should be kept in them and given to the students and staff whenever required. "Schools may also be advised to allocate some time during school hours to give heat wave precautionary tips to the students," the SRC added. Thinakaran Rajamani By Express News Service TENKASI: Even as the public outrage sparked by allegations of custodial violence by suspended ASP Balveer Singh at Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and VK Puram police stations are yet to die down, it has now come to light that Singh had allegedly tortured defenceless men at Pappakudi police station too. He brushed stone against teeth and gum of three suspects, one of the victims told TNIE. The three suspects were identified as S Maharaja of Pothukudi, Ramasamy (name changed) of Nanthanthattai and Vanaraja of Pappakudi. Speaking to TNIE, Maharaja said he was taken to the police station on March 12 after he was booked over an allegation that he beat a stone quarry supervisor. A policeman whisked me away from my house to Pappakudi police station in the morning. Sub-Inspector Abraham conducted an inquiry and then I was made to wait for some time. Upon the arrival of Balveer Singh, I was taken to a room upstairs where Singh along with two other personnel came. Singh was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and white gloves. The other personnel brought stones with them. They held back my hands and Singh rubbed my teeth and gums with stones. I started bleeding profusely. Since it was a Sunday, I was lodged in the cell during the night and produced before the Alangulam judicial magistrate the next day, he recalled. Maharaja further said he was asked by the police to tell the magistrate that he had injured his mouth during a fall. Even though I was taken to the primary health centre in Mannarkovil for a Covid-19 test, they did not treat me for the mouth wounds. I could not even eat or drink anything. Since I reported unbearable pain, they took me from the Ambasamudram sub-jail to the Ambasamudram GH for treatment. I was released on bail on March 23 to attend my sisters marriage three days later, he said. Maharaja had met Ramasamy inside the jail and came to know that the latter was also tortured by Singh using rocks. Ramasamy was booked on March 8 over an allegation that he threatened a man with a sword. I was handcuffed and taken to Pappakudi police station. Singh rubbed my teeth and gum with stone. I was not given treatment and came on bail after spending 26 days in jail, Ramasamy told TNIE over the phone. Based on information received from Ramasamy, TNIE attempted to meet the third victim, Vanaraja, in Pappakudi. However, he was not available in the village. His relative Deiva Thevar said, Vanaraja was taken to Pappakudi police station during a night last month. I am unsure whether there is an FIR registered against him or not. When he came out of the station, his mouth was bleeding. I admitted him to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for treatment. Victims account A victim said he was asked by the policemen to tell the magistrate that he had injured his mouth in a fall. Even though I was taken to the PHC for a Covid-19 test, they did not treat me for the mouth wounds, he said. WATCH | TENKASI: Even as the public outrage sparked by allegations of custodial violence by suspended ASP Balveer Singh at Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and VK Puram police stations are yet to die down, it has now come to light that Singh had allegedly tortured defenceless men at Pappakudi police station too. He brushed stone against teeth and gum of three suspects, one of the victims told TNIE. The three suspects were identified as S Maharaja of Pothukudi, Ramasamy (name changed) of Nanthanthattai and Vanaraja of Pappakudi. Speaking to TNIE, Maharaja said he was taken to the police station on March 12 after he was booked over an allegation that he beat a stone quarry supervisor. A policeman whisked me away from my house to Pappakudi police station in the morning. Sub-Inspector Abraham conducted an inquiry and then I was made to wait for some time. Upon the arrival of Balveer Singh, I was taken to a room upstairs where Singh along with two other personnel came. Singh was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and white gloves. The other personnel brought stones with them. They held back my hands and Singh rubbed my teeth and gums with stones. I started bleeding profusely. Since it was a Sunday, I was lodged in the cell during the night and produced before the Alangulam judicial magistrate the next day, he recalled.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Maharaja further said he was asked by the police to tell the magistrate that he had injured his mouth during a fall. Even though I was taken to the primary health centre in Mannarkovil for a Covid-19 test, they did not treat me for the mouth wounds. I could not even eat or drink anything. Since I reported unbearable pain, they took me from the Ambasamudram sub-jail to the Ambasamudram GH for treatment. I was released on bail on March 23 to attend my sisters marriage three days later, he said. Maharaja had met Ramasamy inside the jail and came to know that the latter was also tortured by Singh using rocks. Ramasamy was booked on March 8 over an allegation that he threatened a man with a sword. I was handcuffed and taken to Pappakudi police station. Singh rubbed my teeth and gum with stone. I was not given treatment and came on bail after spending 26 days in jail, Ramasamy told TNIE over the phone. Based on information received from Ramasamy, TNIE attempted to meet the third victim, Vanaraja, in Pappakudi. However, he was not available in the village. His relative Deiva Thevar said, Vanaraja was taken to Pappakudi police station during a night last month. I am unsure whether there is an FIR registered against him or not. When he came out of the station, his mouth was bleeding. I admitted him to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for treatment. Victims account A victim said he was asked by the policemen to tell the magistrate that he had injured his mouth in a fall. Even though I was taken to the PHC for a Covid-19 test, they did not treat me for the mouth wounds, he said. WATCH | By Express News Service CHENNAI: The state police have arrested V Pakkirisamy (53), correspondent of a private elementary school in Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district on charges of sexually assaulting a six-year-old UKG girl. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK has expelled Pakkirisamy who is also the party's councillor for Ward No 30 in Vriddhachalam municipality for acting against the principles of the party besides disrepute to the party. Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced this in the state Assembly while responding to an issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami. The Chief Minister said a six-year-old girl UKG student of an elementary school in Sakthi Nagar in Vriddhachalam had complained of stomach pain after she returned from school on April 11 and when she was taken to a private hospital, the doctor said the girl was subjected to sexual assault, and later, she was admitted to Vriddhachalam government hospital for treatment. Based on a complaint lodged by the mother of the girl child with the All Women Police Station at Vriddhachalam, retired teacher Pakkirisamy was arrested. "I have ordered further investigations into this case and directed that severe action should be taken against the culprit without any partiality. The District Child Protection Officer also enquired about this issue. This government treats those who indulge in crimes against children and women as a disgrace to the entire humanity. I promise that stringent action against such persons will be taken without any partiality whoever be the culprits," the Chief Minister said. Stalin added: "I am not ready to tell the House that I did not hear this news or that I saw this only on the television channel. On hearing the news, I spoke to the officials concerned and they immediately arrested the person involved in the crime," he added. CHENNAI: The state police have arrested V Pakkirisamy (53), correspondent of a private elementary school in Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district on charges of sexually assaulting a six-year-old UKG girl. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK has expelled Pakkirisamy who is also the party's councillor for Ward No 30 in Vriddhachalam municipality for acting against the principles of the party besides disrepute to the party. Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced this in the state Assembly while responding to an issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Chief Minister said a six-year-old girl UKG student of an elementary school in Sakthi Nagar in Vriddhachalam had complained of stomach pain after she returned from school on April 11 and when she was taken to a private hospital, the doctor said the girl was subjected to sexual assault, and later, she was admitted to Vriddhachalam government hospital for treatment. Based on a complaint lodged by the mother of the girl child with the All Women Police Station at Vriddhachalam, retired teacher Pakkirisamy was arrested. "I have ordered further investigations into this case and directed that severe action should be taken against the culprit without any partiality. The District Child Protection Officer also enquired about this issue. This government treats those who indulge in crimes against children and women as a disgrace to the entire humanity. I promise that stringent action against such persons will be taken without any partiality whoever be the culprits," the Chief Minister said. Stalin added: "I am not ready to tell the House that I did not hear this news or that I saw this only on the television channel. On hearing the news, I spoke to the officials concerned and they immediately arrested the person involved in the crime," he added. Three years after winning final city approval for a five-story apartment building on the edge of the Fruit Belt neighborhood, developer Timothy LeBoeuf may finally be moving forward with the $25 million project. LeBoeufs Symphony Property Management and two affiliates have applied for demolition permits to take down a pair of dilapidated houses on Michigan Avenue and Maple Street. Those houses at 995 Michigan and 240 Maple would be on either side of the proposed construction project, dubbed The Lawrence. Rejected appraisal, litigation create hurdles for Lawrence apartment project Timothy LeBoeuf's Symphony Property Management had planned to already be in construction by now on the Lawrence, a new 133-unit market-rate apartment building that would front on both Michigan Avenue and Maple Street. According to applications filed by Lackawanna-based Empire Building Diagnostics on Symphonys behalf, the buildings are both in poor condition and uninhabitable. Empire noted that the structural components are questionable and windows and doors are boarded up in both cases, while the siding is falling off on the Maple Street home. And the Michigan house would need significant repairs. More significantly for Symphony, though, the houses are in the way of the developer's plan to construct a 133-unit apartment project at 983 Michigan, across from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We are making some headway on commencing the project, and filing for the demolition permit has been a routine part of that process," LeBoeuf said. "We are gratified that our constructive engagement with both the surrounding neighborhood and the city has allowed us to get to this point." The 129,000-square-foot complex would consist of a five-story wing on Michigan and a four-story wing on Maple, stretching parallel along both streets, with a small connector between them. Plans call for a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments in a pair of long buildings along both Michigan and Maple, with 78 underground parking spaces and 55 more spaces on the medical campus. The Lawrence developer still is missing one property needed for apartment project Timothy LeBoeuf thought he might get his purchase offer approved last week, but the Common Council had other ideas. The controversial project won final approval from the city Planning Board in June 2020, after winning a set of 13 needed zoning variances particularly for height and width and overcoming opposition from some neighborhood critics and particularly Green Code advocates. Board members noted that most of the critics did not live in the Fruit Belt, while many in the historic neighborhood supported the project. Nevertheless, it was held up for the last three years. First, two opponents Fruit Belt resident Elverna D. Gidney and retired University at Buffalo professor Lorna Peterson filed suit to stop the project, claiming that the city agencies had improperly approved many of the variances and failed to consider proper standards, tests and environmental impacts. A state judge ruled that Peterson lacked legal standing to sue since she doesn't live in the Fruit Belt, and then eventually dismissed the entire case. Gidney and her attorney, Arthur Giacalone, appealed, but the state Appellate Division upheld the lower court ruling. "We ran out of options as far as challenging it in court, so there aren't any legal obstacles, at this point," Giacalone said. Even so, that delayed the project further, so Symphony had to seek extensions of its approval, even while still struggling to finalize financing during the pandemic. Meanwhile, it also had to renegotiate the purchase of a final piece of property from the city, after project opponents learned that the initial agreed-upon price of $9,150 was far less than what Symphony had paid to private owners for other parcels as much as $125,000. However, that was resolved a year ago, with Symphony completing its purchase of the city-owned parcel at 244 Maple for $125,000. LeBoeuf said he now hopes to break ground this fall. The Buffalo Preservation Board will consider the dual applications from Symphony on Thursday. The board will also consider unrelated demolition applications from: DRJ Development LLC, for a partial demolition of the wood-framed portions of a mixed-use building at 1324 Kenmore Ave. that originally started in the 1920s as a residential structure but was later converted to commercial after multiple renovations. DRJ plans to remove the wood portions and brown metal canopy on either side of a central concrete masonry section in the middle that would be retained, while eventually building new structures to fit potential tenants. Jean Hassett, for a century-old rear cottage behind a three-story, two-family house at 59 Van Rensselaer St. A structural engineering inspection found that the 1.5-story cottage appears to be in poor condition overall, with significant roof damage and deterioration that has left the roof and wall framing, floor framing and crawl-space foundation in unstable condition and not worth repairing. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday demanded the Union government to cancel the lease of Bailadilla iron ore mine given to Adani group and allot it to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in AP and the proposed Bayyaram steel plant in Telangana. Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao alleged that plans to privatise the VSP was a major scam. He opposed the socialisation of losses and privatisation of profits by the Narendra Modi government. Giving details on the plans of the Centre to allot Bailadilla iron ore reserves to private players, the minister said he was providing all the information about VSP and Bailadilla mines and dared the BJP leaders to file a defamation case against him, if he was wrong. The national projects are being handed over to some friends of Modi, he alleged. Pradhani (Modi) and Adani are looting Telugu states. The BJP is acting against the interests of Telugus, Rama Rao alleged. He pointed out that around 134 crore tonnes of iron ore was available at Bailadilla, and its value was Rs 6 lakh crore. Bailadilla mine is just 150 km from Bayyaram and 600 km from Visakhapatnam. However, rendering injustice to Telugu States, it was allotted to Gujarat, which was 1,800 km from Bailadilla, Rama Rao pointed out. He said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had been opposing privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The BRS government gave orders to BHEL for the construction of power and other projects in the State. The State government preferred LIC for providing insurance to farmers and weavers in Telangana, Rama Rao added. Refuting the allegations of BJP State president Bandi Sanjay that the BRS government was more interested in VSP than the Bayyaram, Rama Rao recalled that Telangana had represented the Union government umpteen times to start the steel plant in Bayyaram. AP Reorganisation Act-2014, assured that the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) would explore the possibility of establishing a steel plant in Bayyaram. I met the Prime Minister in June, 2018 with a request to lay a slurry pipeline from Bailadilla to Bayyaram for transportation of iron ore. I assured him that the State government will bear 50% of the cost for laying the pipeline. In September 2018, Adani floated a private company. In April 2018, the Union Cabinet decided to allot the Bailadilla mine to Japanese and Korean companies. Later, Adani announced that he would invest Rs 40,000 crore in the steel factory in Gujarat, Rama Rao reminded.He said that handing over the Bailadilla mine to Adani would adversely affect the Telugu States. HYDERABAD: Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday demanded the Union government to cancel the lease of Bailadilla iron ore mine given to Adani group and allot it to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in AP and the proposed Bayyaram steel plant in Telangana. Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao alleged that plans to privatise the VSP was a major scam. He opposed the socialisation of losses and privatisation of profits by the Narendra Modi government. Giving details on the plans of the Centre to allot Bailadilla iron ore reserves to private players, the minister said he was providing all the information about VSP and Bailadilla mines and dared the BJP leaders to file a defamation case against him, if he was wrong. The national projects are being handed over to some friends of Modi, he alleged. Pradhani (Modi) and Adani are looting Telugu states. The BJP is acting against the interests of Telugus, Rama Rao alleged.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He pointed out that around 134 crore tonnes of iron ore was available at Bailadilla, and its value was Rs 6 lakh crore. Bailadilla mine is just 150 km from Bayyaram and 600 km from Visakhapatnam. However, rendering injustice to Telugu States, it was allotted to Gujarat, which was 1,800 km from Bailadilla, Rama Rao pointed out. He said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had been opposing privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The BRS government gave orders to BHEL for the construction of power and other projects in the State. The State government preferred LIC for providing insurance to farmers and weavers in Telangana, Rama Rao added. Refuting the allegations of BJP State president Bandi Sanjay that the BRS government was more interested in VSP than the Bayyaram, Rama Rao recalled that Telangana had represented the Union government umpteen times to start the steel plant in Bayyaram. AP Reorganisation Act-2014, assured that the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) would explore the possibility of establishing a steel plant in Bayyaram. I met the Prime Minister in June, 2018 with a request to lay a slurry pipeline from Bailadilla to Bayyaram for transportation of iron ore. I assured him that the State government will bear 50% of the cost for laying the pipeline. In September 2018, Adani floated a private company. In April 2018, the Union Cabinet decided to allot the Bailadilla mine to Japanese and Korean companies. Later, Adani announced that he would invest Rs 40,000 crore in the steel factory in Gujarat, Rama Rao reminded.He said that handing over the Bailadilla mine to Adani would adversely affect the Telugu States. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The Telangana governments plans to submit Expression of Interest (EoI) for a stake in the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) has snowballed into a political controversy with the ruling YSR Congress (YSRC) in Andhra Pradesh questioning the rationale behind the move. Its senior advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy hit the nail on the head, pointing out that the EoI was invited for infusion of only working capital. Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gudivada Amaranth, on the other hand, sought to know how could Telangana submit EoI in violation of Central governments rules. This came even as a five-member team three directors and two general managers from the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) arrived in the Steel City to study the VSPs viability. They will be wrapping up their visit on Wednesday after talks with the VSPs higher officials. Our officials are touring VSP. Once they submit their report, the government may take a decision on EoI, Telangana IT & Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said on Tuesday. The point made by the YSRC-led AP government assumes pertinence. Because, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management Disinvestment of the Union Ministry of Finance in a memorandum dated April 19, 2022 categorically stated that Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), State governments and Cooperative Societies controlled by the governments are not permitted to participate in the strategic disinvestment or privatisation of other PSUs (where 51 per cent or more ownership is by the Central or State governments) as bidders unless otherwise specifically approved by the Central government in public interest. It further said the issue of participation of PSEs (Central/State/joint), State governments and cooperative societies controlled by the governments as a bidder in strategic disinvestment/privatisation of PSEs has been examined in the light of the New Public Sector Enterprise Policy for Atmanirbhar Bharat issued in February 2021. In order to realise the mission of New, Self-Reliant India, the PSE policy intends to minimise the presence of government in PSEs across all sectors of the economy and to make available newer investment opportunities for the private sector, so as to allow infusion of private capital, technology, innovation and best management practices so that post-privatisation growth of PSEs may generate higher economic activities resulting in new job opportunities and growth of ancillary industries. Therefore, transfer of management control from the Union government to any other government organisation /State government may continue the inherent inefficiencies of PSEs and will defeat the very purpose of the new PSE policy. Given this, if the Telangana government wants to submit EoI for VSP, it should take prior approval from the Centre. It is not yet clear if the Telangana government has approached the Centre. The government, reports suggest, is exploring legal options to challenge the Centres memorandum in the Supreme Court. Since it has already made its intention to submit EoI, the KCR-led Telangana government will have to act before April 15, the last date for submission of intent. Politically, the BRS and its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao are said to be of the view that it could put pressure on the Centre as VSP is a sensitive and emotive issue in Andhra Pradesh. HYDERABAD: The Telangana governments plans to submit Expression of Interest (EoI) for a stake in the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) has snowballed into a political controversy with the ruling YSR Congress (YSRC) in Andhra Pradesh questioning the rationale behind the move. Its senior advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy hit the nail on the head, pointing out that the EoI was invited for infusion of only working capital. Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gudivada Amaranth, on the other hand, sought to know how could Telangana submit EoI in violation of Central governments rules. This came even as a five-member team three directors and two general managers from the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) arrived in the Steel City to study the VSPs viability. They will be wrapping up their visit on Wednesday after talks with the VSPs higher officials. Our officials are touring VSP. Once they submit their report, the government may take a decision on EoI, Telangana IT & Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said on Tuesday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The point made by the YSRC-led AP government assumes pertinence. Because, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management Disinvestment of the Union Ministry of Finance in a memorandum dated April 19, 2022 categorically stated that Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), State governments and Cooperative Societies controlled by the governments are not permitted to participate in the strategic disinvestment or privatisation of other PSUs (where 51 per cent or more ownership is by the Central or State governments) as bidders unless otherwise specifically approved by the Central government in public interest. It further said the issue of participation of PSEs (Central/State/joint), State governments and cooperative societies controlled by the governments as a bidder in strategic disinvestment/privatisation of PSEs has been examined in the light of the New Public Sector Enterprise Policy for Atmanirbhar Bharat issued in February 2021. In order to realise the mission of New, Self-Reliant India, the PSE policy intends to minimise the presence of government in PSEs across all sectors of the economy and to make available newer investment opportunities for the private sector, so as to allow infusion of private capital, technology, innovation and best management practices so that post-privatisation growth of PSEs may generate higher economic activities resulting in new job opportunities and growth of ancillary industries. Therefore, transfer of management control from the Union government to any other government organisation /State government may continue the inherent inefficiencies of PSEs and will defeat the very purpose of the new PSE policy. Given this, if the Telangana government wants to submit EoI for VSP, it should take prior approval from the Centre. It is not yet clear if the Telangana government has approached the Centre. The government, reports suggest, is exploring legal options to challenge the Centres memorandum in the Supreme Court. Since it has already made its intention to submit EoI, the KCR-led Telangana government will have to act before April 15, the last date for submission of intent. Politically, the BRS and its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao are said to be of the view that it could put pressure on the Centre as VSP is a sensitive and emotive issue in Andhra Pradesh. By Online Desk A famous retail supermarket in Singapore has apologised after telling a Muslim couple of Indian descent that they couldn't sample the free sweets it was offering during Ramadan because the sweets were meant for Malays-only, reports said. Jahabar Shalih, 36, and his wife Farah Nadya, 35, claimed a male employee at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)-run supermarket "shooed" them away from the snack stand on April 9 while they were doing their regular grocery shopping with their two young children, according to a report from Channel News Asia. Jahabar is Indian, but Farah, his wife, is Indian-Malay. In a Facebook post posted on Sunday, Farah described the "distasteful" encounter. Meanwhile, a report in The Straits Times said that the FairPrice has apologised for an incident where a Muslim mixed-race couple was turned away from a booth at one of its supermarkets offering free refreshments to those breaking fast during Ramadan. In response to queries, a FairPrice spokesman said on Monday: We take this matter seriously and would like to apologize for the incident, the report said. The spokesman said the employee, who had allegedly told the couple that the freebies were not for India (sic), has been counselled. We have since engaged the couple to address their concerns and have closed this matter amicably, added the spokesman, The Straits Times report added. A famous retail supermarket in Singapore has apologised after telling a Muslim couple of Indian descent that they couldn't sample the free sweets it was offering during Ramadan because the sweets were meant for Malays-only, reports said. Jahabar Shalih, 36, and his wife Farah Nadya, 35, claimed a male employee at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)-run supermarket "shooed" them away from the snack stand on April 9 while they were doing their regular grocery shopping with their two young children, according to a report from Channel News Asia. Jahabar is Indian, but Farah, his wife, is Indian-Malay.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In a Facebook post posted on Sunday, Farah described the "distasteful" encounter. Meanwhile, a report in The Straits Times said that the FairPrice has apologised for an incident where a Muslim mixed-race couple was turned away from a booth at one of its supermarkets offering free refreshments to those breaking fast during Ramadan. In response to queries, a FairPrice spokesman said on Monday: We take this matter seriously and would like to apologize for the incident, the report said. The spokesman said the employee, who had allegedly told the couple that the freebies were not for India (sic), has been counselled. We have since engaged the couple to address their concerns and have closed this matter amicably, added the spokesman, The Straits Times report added. By Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew off to China on Tuesday to strengthen ties with his nation's biggest trade partner and win support for his long-shot push for peace in Ukraine. Lula wants Brazil, China and other nations to help mediate the war as part of his nation's return to the world stage, but his proposals to end the conflict have irked Ukraine and some in the West. Less controversial is the Brazilian and Chinese mutual interest in trade after a rocky period under Lula's predecessor. China and Brazil are expected to sign at least 20 bilateral agreements during Lula's two-day stay, according to the Brazilian government. Lula plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and meet with his counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, investment, reindustrialization, energy transition, climate change and peace agreements, the Brazilian government said. China is Brazil's biggest export market, each year buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef, iron ore, poultry, pulp, sugar cane, cotton and crude oil. Brazil is the biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America, according to Chinese state media. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and members of his family at times caused friction with Chinese authorities during his 2019-2022 term. In 2020, when Bolsonaro's lawmaker son Eduardo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil called his words "an evil insult against China and the Chinese people." Later that year, Eduardo referred to the giant Chinese technology company Huawei as "Chinese espionage," prompting a sharp rebuke from China's embassy. Last year, China did not have an ambassador in Brasilia for eight months. The rift stoked criticism in Brazil, even among sectors that supported Bolsonaro, like agribusiness. "I want the Chinese to understand that their investment here will be wonderfully welcome, but not to buy our companies. To build new things, which we need," Lula told journalists in Brasilia on April 6. Chinese companies are involved in public works projects in Brazil, including a metro line in Sao Paulo, the country's business capital. One of the agreements Lula will sign in China will be for the construction of the sixth satellite built under a binational program, a satellite that would monitor biomes such as the Amazon rainforest. "Brazil can't afford to turn its back on the benefits China brings. The U.S. doesn't have the capacity to absorb Brazil's exports as China does, nor occupy the same space in investment and infrastructure," said Pedro Brites, an expert on China at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank in Sao Paulo. And China is encouraging its companies to find new markets and foreign partners to reduce reliance on the U.S. "Lula knows you have to treat your clients well. Even more so when it is your best client," said Charles Tang, who chairs the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce. In what Tang suggested was the result of a renewed partnership, China ended restrictions on Brazilian beef just before Lula was initially scheduled to make his trip. Sales of Brazilian beef to China were banned in February following the discovery of an atypical case of mad cow disease. Lula's visit to China, initially scheduled for March but canceled after he fell sick, is also an attempt by the leftist leader to reaffirm Brazil's role on the global stage following Bolsonaro's term, who admired right-wing nationalists and showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. Lula visited Argentina and Uruguay in January and the U.S. in February, signaling the importance he gives to international affairs, experts said. He toured the world during his first presidency, particularly in his second term, when he visited dozens of countries and has visited China twice before. "Lula is implementing the promise he made that Brazil is back," said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. China and Brazil are members of the BRICS group of developing countries and have pushed for changes in what they say is a U.S.-dominated system of managing global political affairs. Russia is also a BRICS member, and a key piece of Lula's outreach abroad is his proposal that Brazil and other developing countries, including China, mediate peace. Lula has irritated Ukraine and some in the West with his position on the war, most recently by suggesting during a meeting with journalists in Brasilia last week that Ukraine cede Crimea as a means to forge peace. Xi met with Putin last month, sending a message to U.S. and European leaders that their condemnation of Russia's invasion is not unanimous. Earlier this month, a Lula adviser, former foreign affairs minister Celso Amorim, took a discreet trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Amorim "went to listen and to say the time has come to talk," Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told reporters in the capital, Brasilia, on April 5. There is at least some common ground. Vieira noted that the Chinese peace proposal presented in February contains aspects in common with Lula's, such as ceasing hostilities and starting negotiations. "These are completely plausible and may be stimulus for talks," he said. RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew off to China on Tuesday to strengthen ties with his nation's biggest trade partner and win support for his long-shot push for peace in Ukraine. Lula wants Brazil, China and other nations to help mediate the war as part of his nation's return to the world stage, but his proposals to end the conflict have irked Ukraine and some in the West. Less controversial is the Brazilian and Chinese mutual interest in trade after a rocky period under Lula's predecessor. China and Brazil are expected to sign at least 20 bilateral agreements during Lula's two-day stay, according to the Brazilian government. Lula plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and meet with his counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, investment, reindustrialization, energy transition, climate change and peace agreements, the Brazilian government said. China is Brazil's biggest export market, each year buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef, iron ore, poultry, pulp, sugar cane, cotton and crude oil. Brazil is the biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America, according to Chinese state media. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and members of his family at times caused friction with Chinese authorities during his 2019-2022 term. In 2020, when Bolsonaro's lawmaker son Eduardo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil called his words "an evil insult against China and the Chinese people." Later that year, Eduardo referred to the giant Chinese technology company Huawei as "Chinese espionage," prompting a sharp rebuke from China's embassy. Last year, China did not have an ambassador in Brasilia for eight months. The rift stoked criticism in Brazil, even among sectors that supported Bolsonaro, like agribusiness. "I want the Chinese to understand that their investment here will be wonderfully welcome, but not to buy our companies. To build new things, which we need," Lula told journalists in Brasilia on April 6. Chinese companies are involved in public works projects in Brazil, including a metro line in Sao Paulo, the country's business capital. One of the agreements Lula will sign in China will be for the construction of the sixth satellite built under a binational program, a satellite that would monitor biomes such as the Amazon rainforest. "Brazil can't afford to turn its back on the benefits China brings. The U.S. doesn't have the capacity to absorb Brazil's exports as China does, nor occupy the same space in investment and infrastructure," said Pedro Brites, an expert on China at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank in Sao Paulo. And China is encouraging its companies to find new markets and foreign partners to reduce reliance on the U.S. "Lula knows you have to treat your clients well. Even more so when it is your best client," said Charles Tang, who chairs the Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce. In what Tang suggested was the result of a renewed partnership, China ended restrictions on Brazilian beef just before Lula was initially scheduled to make his trip. Sales of Brazilian beef to China were banned in February following the discovery of an atypical case of mad cow disease. Lula's visit to China, initially scheduled for March but canceled after he fell sick, is also an attempt by the leftist leader to reaffirm Brazil's role on the global stage following Bolsonaro's term, who admired right-wing nationalists and showed little interest in international affairs or travel abroad. Lula visited Argentina and Uruguay in January and the U.S. in February, signaling the importance he gives to international affairs, experts said. He toured the world during his first presidency, particularly in his second term, when he visited dozens of countries and has visited China twice before. "Lula is implementing the promise he made that Brazil is back," said Oliver Stuenkel, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. China and Brazil are members of the BRICS group of developing countries and have pushed for changes in what they say is a U.S.-dominated system of managing global political affairs. Russia is also a BRICS member, and a key piece of Lula's outreach abroad is his proposal that Brazil and other developing countries, including China, mediate peace. Lula has irritated Ukraine and some in the West with his position on the war, most recently by suggesting during a meeting with journalists in Brasilia last week that Ukraine cede Crimea as a means to forge peace. Xi met with Putin last month, sending a message to U.S. and European leaders that their condemnation of Russia's invasion is not unanimous. Earlier this month, a Lula adviser, former foreign affairs minister Celso Amorim, took a discreet trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Amorim "went to listen and to say the time has come to talk," Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told reporters in the capital, Brasilia, on April 5. There is at least some common ground. Vieira noted that the Chinese peace proposal presented in February contains aspects in common with Lula's, such as ceasing hostilities and starting negotiations. "These are completely plausible and may be stimulus for talks," he said. By Online Desk WASHINGTON: Headlines in early March 2023 implied Fox News mogul Rupert Murdoch had made a damning confession. He had affirmed that some of his most important journalists were reporting that the 2020 presidential election was a fraud, even though they knew they were propagating a lie. It was an admission during pretrial testimony in a libel lawsuit filed against Fox by a voting machine company that says it was defamed by the lie. For journalism practitioners and devotees, the admission should signal the end of the Fox News empire. Nope. It didn't. Such a disgraceful demise would seem inevitable when journalists, professionally trained truth gatherers, employed by a news organisation, which is an institution that exists to provide truthful information, choose not to do so. Nope. That's because a business that calls itself a news organisation actually does not have to be one - but it does have to be a business. Businesses exist primarily to make a profit and doing actual news isn't essential. Adam Serwer, reporting for The Atlantic, wrote "Sources at Fox told me to think of it not as a network per se, but as a profit machine." News businesses or profit machines can hire anybody who falls off a turnip truck and label them journalists because the job has no standardized requirements. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics lists "None" as requirements for work experience and on-the-job training for journalists but indicates a bachelor's degree is typical. Accordingly, the Fox News business people could choose to spread election lies and insist, as court documents indicate, that it made good business sense to do so because much of their audience did not want the actual truth about that topic. These are some of the troubling takeaways from Murdoch's defence of his news business against a libel lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, the company implicated by Fox's election fraud allegations. Fox essentially admits to publishing false information about Dominion but argues it is nonetheless protected from liability. It is a defence grounded in the First Amendment, which protects press freedom so robustly that it also protects the irresponsible use of that freedom. There's lying and there's defamation Murdoch's admission was contained in court documents and was revealed in a New York Times story published on March 7, 2023. The story was about the USD 1.6 billion libel lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion, the company Fox journalists repeatedly - and falsely - accused of rigging the 2020 presidential election to make sure Donald Trump lost. Internal Fox communications, reported by the New York Times, revealed that network journalists and their news executive bosses knew the 2020 election was not fraudulent, yet continued to allow lies about the election - told by hosts and their guests - to be spread to the public. Dominion claimed Fox's audience recoiled when its journalists truthfully reported that Trump had lost the election. Dominion's attorneys asserted that Fox feared the audience would switch their viewing allegiance to upstart conservative news organisations Newsmax and One America News. In a March 31, 2023, ruling, the judge hearing the case cited examples of Fox's internal communications that demonstrated how journalism values were supplanted by the language and values of a business. Among them was this quote attributed to a Fox Corporation board member: "If ratings go down, revenue goes down." The judge also referred to Dominion's claim that Fox chose to publish the (false) statements to win back viewers. Court documents show Dominion's attorneys asked Murdoch: "What should the consequences be when Fox News executives knowingly allow lies to be broadcast?" Murdoch replied: "They should be reprimanded, maybe got rid of." That response aligns with principles widely touted by professional news organisations and established in the ethical practice of journalism. Although journalism scholars and practitioners vary in their definitions of what a news organisation is and who can claim to be a journalist, there is firm agreement that reporting facts, or at least making a good-faith effort to do so, is an indispensable mandate for both. Yet Murdoch has not indicated an intention to discipline en masse Fox News employees who violated that ethical principle. Nor is he required to. Even the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation's foremost advocate for ethical journalism, rejects punishments for those who violate its principles. Its ethics code says in part: "The code is entirely voluntary. It has no enforcement provisions or penalties for violations, and SPJ strongly discourages anyone from attempting to use it that way." The organisation concedes that news outlets can discipline their own journalists. Because journalists and their employers may be considered to be one entity, any disciplinary action is voluntary self-discipline. Neither journalists nor the news organisations they personify have to be truthful unless they want to. Lying in the press is unethical but does not necessarily strip liars of the protections provided by the First Amendment. There is an exception to this: the defamatory lie, one that injures a person or organisation's reputation. That is what got Fox News sued. Assumptions fall Murdoch's surprising statements were revealed in the lawsuit because his attorneys sought what's called a "summary judgment" by the judge to decide the case without a trial, in order to avoid the prospect of facing a jury. That move makes sense given that some law scholars have found that juries rule against media defendants three times out of four. By law, summary judgment is available only when the parties agree on the material facts of the case. That meant Fox and Murdoch had to admit to Dominion's most damning allegations, including confessing to broadcasting untrue statements and engaging in other unethical journalism practices. Even with those admissions, the First Amendment's protection could still give Fox a chance to win the lawsuit - particularly if a jury did not hear the case. Without reaching a trial or a verdict, the Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News lawsuit has already produced some unsettling results. It has challenged journalism disciples' assumption that news organisations exist to provide the public with truthful information about the most important issues in their civic lives. It has shaken journalism's faithful who assume that good journalism is never bad for the business of journalism. Neither assumption is necessarily valid at Fox or anywhere. Anyone can claim to be a journalist, irrespective of their actual function. Any business can claim to be a news organisation. Functioning irresponsibly in either role is largely protected by the First Amendment and is therefore optional. Ethics imposed by independent state bar associations and state medical boards have made professional attorneys and physicians accountable by law as a means of ensuring responsible behaviour in their roles, which are considered essential to society. Journalism ethics, which are news organisation ethics, are wholly voluntary and can be set aside if they compromise profits. But if the ethics violations are defamatory, a successful libel lawsuit can impose accountability with a financial cost - money damages. (With inputs from PTI) WASHINGTON: Headlines in early March 2023 implied Fox News mogul Rupert Murdoch had made a damning confession. He had affirmed that some of his most important journalists were reporting that the 2020 presidential election was a fraud, even though they knew they were propagating a lie. It was an admission during pretrial testimony in a libel lawsuit filed against Fox by a voting machine company that says it was defamed by the lie. For journalism practitioners and devotees, the admission should signal the end of the Fox News empire.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Nope. It didn't. Such a disgraceful demise would seem inevitable when journalists, professionally trained truth gatherers, employed by a news organisation, which is an institution that exists to provide truthful information, choose not to do so. Nope. That's because a business that calls itself a news organisation actually does not have to be one - but it does have to be a business. Businesses exist primarily to make a profit and doing actual news isn't essential. Adam Serwer, reporting for The Atlantic, wrote "Sources at Fox told me to think of it not as a network per se, but as a profit machine." News businesses or profit machines can hire anybody who falls off a turnip truck and label them journalists because the job has no standardized requirements. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics lists "None" as requirements for work experience and on-the-job training for journalists but indicates a bachelor's degree is typical. Accordingly, the Fox News business people could choose to spread election lies and insist, as court documents indicate, that it made good business sense to do so because much of their audience did not want the actual truth about that topic. These are some of the troubling takeaways from Murdoch's defence of his news business against a libel lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, the company implicated by Fox's election fraud allegations. Fox essentially admits to publishing false information about Dominion but argues it is nonetheless protected from liability. It is a defence grounded in the First Amendment, which protects press freedom so robustly that it also protects the irresponsible use of that freedom. There's lying and there's defamation Murdoch's admission was contained in court documents and was revealed in a New York Times story published on March 7, 2023. The story was about the USD 1.6 billion libel lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion, the company Fox journalists repeatedly - and falsely - accused of rigging the 2020 presidential election to make sure Donald Trump lost. Internal Fox communications, reported by the New York Times, revealed that network journalists and their news executive bosses knew the 2020 election was not fraudulent, yet continued to allow lies about the election - told by hosts and their guests - to be spread to the public. Dominion claimed Fox's audience recoiled when its journalists truthfully reported that Trump had lost the election. Dominion's attorneys asserted that Fox feared the audience would switch their viewing allegiance to upstart conservative news organisations Newsmax and One America News. In a March 31, 2023, ruling, the judge hearing the case cited examples of Fox's internal communications that demonstrated how journalism values were supplanted by the language and values of a business. Among them was this quote attributed to a Fox Corporation board member: "If ratings go down, revenue goes down." The judge also referred to Dominion's claim that Fox chose to publish the (false) statements to win back viewers. Court documents show Dominion's attorneys asked Murdoch: "What should the consequences be when Fox News executives knowingly allow lies to be broadcast?" Murdoch replied: "They should be reprimanded, maybe got rid of." That response aligns with principles widely touted by professional news organisations and established in the ethical practice of journalism. Although journalism scholars and practitioners vary in their definitions of what a news organisation is and who can claim to be a journalist, there is firm agreement that reporting facts, or at least making a good-faith effort to do so, is an indispensable mandate for both. Yet Murdoch has not indicated an intention to discipline en masse Fox News employees who violated that ethical principle. Nor is he required to. Even the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation's foremost advocate for ethical journalism, rejects punishments for those who violate its principles. Its ethics code says in part: "The code is entirely voluntary. It has no enforcement provisions or penalties for violations, and SPJ strongly discourages anyone from attempting to use it that way." The organisation concedes that news outlets can discipline their own journalists. Because journalists and their employers may be considered to be one entity, any disciplinary action is voluntary self-discipline. Neither journalists nor the news organisations they personify have to be truthful unless they want to. Lying in the press is unethical but does not necessarily strip liars of the protections provided by the First Amendment. There is an exception to this: the defamatory lie, one that injures a person or organisation's reputation. That is what got Fox News sued. Assumptions fall Murdoch's surprising statements were revealed in the lawsuit because his attorneys sought what's called a "summary judgment" by the judge to decide the case without a trial, in order to avoid the prospect of facing a jury. That move makes sense given that some law scholars have found that juries rule against media defendants three times out of four. By law, summary judgment is available only when the parties agree on the material facts of the case. That meant Fox and Murdoch had to admit to Dominion's most damning allegations, including confessing to broadcasting untrue statements and engaging in other unethical journalism practices. Even with those admissions, the First Amendment's protection could still give Fox a chance to win the lawsuit - particularly if a jury did not hear the case. Without reaching a trial or a verdict, the Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News lawsuit has already produced some unsettling results. It has challenged journalism disciples' assumption that news organisations exist to provide the public with truthful information about the most important issues in their civic lives. It has shaken journalism's faithful who assume that good journalism is never bad for the business of journalism. Neither assumption is necessarily valid at Fox or anywhere. Anyone can claim to be a journalist, irrespective of their actual function. Any business can claim to be a news organisation. Functioning irresponsibly in either role is largely protected by the First Amendment and is therefore optional. Ethics imposed by independent state bar associations and state medical boards have made professional attorneys and physicians accountable by law as a means of ensuring responsible behaviour in their roles, which are considered essential to society. Journalism ethics, which are news organisation ethics, are wholly voluntary and can be set aside if they compromise profits. But if the ethics violations are defamatory, a successful libel lawsuit can impose accountability with a financial cost - money damages. (With inputs from PTI) By PTI NEW DELHI: Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has conveyed to her Indian interlocutors Kyiv's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dzhaparova handed over the letter to the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi during a meeting on Tuesday. The MEA said the next round of foreign office consultations between the two sides will be held in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date. The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine wrapped up her three-day visit to India on Wednesday. It was the first visit from Ukraine to India after Russia began its invasion of the East European country on February 24 last year. The MEA said Ukraine requested for additional humanitarian supplies, including medicines and medical equipment. In her meeting with Secretary (West) in the MEA Sanjay Verma, the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. "Dzhaparova, during her visit, highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India," the MEA said in a statement. It said Dzhaparova's visit to India would facilitate cooperation between the two countries. "Besides holding a discussion on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest, she handed over a letter from President Zelenskyy, addressed to Prime Minister Modi," the MEA said on the Lekhi-Dzhaparova meeting. ALSO READ | Kyiv hopes to get an invite to G20 meet On talks between Verma and Dzhaparova, the MEA said the bilateral agenda included spheres such as economic, defence, humanitarian assistance, and global issues of mutual interest. "She briefed Secretary (West) about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date," it said. The MEA said Verma shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses, etc. to Ukraine. The MEA said the next meeting of the Inter-governmental commission between the two sides would be held in India. "On the issue of Indian medical students, the deputy foreign minister mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile," the MEA said. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Prime Minister Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy a number of times. In a phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on October 4 last year, Modi said that there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. NEW DELHI: Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has conveyed to her Indian interlocutors Kyiv's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dzhaparova handed over the letter to the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi during a meeting on Tuesday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The MEA said the next round of foreign office consultations between the two sides will be held in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date. The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine wrapped up her three-day visit to India on Wednesday. It was the first visit from Ukraine to India after Russia began its invasion of the East European country on February 24 last year. The MEA said Ukraine requested for additional humanitarian supplies, including medicines and medical equipment. In her meeting with Secretary (West) in the MEA Sanjay Verma, the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. "Dzhaparova, during her visit, highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India," the MEA said in a statement. It said Dzhaparova's visit to India would facilitate cooperation between the two countries. "Besides holding a discussion on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest, she handed over a letter from President Zelenskyy, addressed to Prime Minister Modi," the MEA said on the Lekhi-Dzhaparova meeting. ALSO READ | Kyiv hopes to get an invite to G20 meet On talks between Verma and Dzhaparova, the MEA said the bilateral agenda included spheres such as economic, defence, humanitarian assistance, and global issues of mutual interest. "She briefed Secretary (West) about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date," it said. The MEA said Verma shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses, etc. to Ukraine. The MEA said the next meeting of the Inter-governmental commission between the two sides would be held in India. "On the issue of Indian medical students, the deputy foreign minister mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile," the MEA said. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Prime Minister Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy a number of times. In a phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on October 4 last year, Modi said that there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana residents could have access to birth control without a doctor's prescription under a bill state lawmakers sent to the governor Tuesday, a move proponents say will prevent unwanted pregnancies in a state that passed an abortion ban last summer. The state House bill is key to providing women quicker access to contraceptives, bill sponsor Republican Sen. Sue Glick said Tuesday, especially in areas where they struggle to receive primary care. Glick, who sponsored the state's abortion ban, called the bill a furtherance of the bills we heard this summer." We have individuals who have been referred to their primary physicians or to a primary physicians. Many of them dont go to the doctor, they cant afford it or they dont have access, she said before the 28-20 vote. This is an effort to give care to individuals who need it. Its an effort to help these individuals have healthy families at their time. If approved by GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb, pharmacists could be reimbursed for their services to Medicaid patients. They would also be able to object to prescribing the medications under ethical, moral, or religious grounds. Prescriptions, however, cannot last more than six months, and pharmacists cannot prescribe a contraceptive to a woman after twelve months unless the woman has been seen by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant in the past year. If you are against abortion, you ought to be for contraceptives, Republican Sen. Vaneta Becker said before voting for the bill. To opponents who want birth control to only be prescribed by physicians, the bill is "unequivocally lowering the standard of care, Republican Sen. Tyler Johnson said Tuesday. The emergency medicine doctor also questioned whether access to birth control would decrease abortions in Indiana. State legislatures across the U.S. have introduced at least 30 bills related to birth control access this year, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this year signed a law that would allow women in the state to receive some hormonal contraceptives without a prescription. That law goes into effect in May. While the Indiana legislature seeks avenues for contraceptive access, the state's abortion ban remains on hold pending a decision from the Indiana Supreme Court. Abortion clinic operators filed a lawsuit against the ban, which has not been enforced since September. But the drive for pharmacist-prescribed birth control has cropped up in Indiana before this year most recently this summer, when Democratic Rep. Rita Fleming introduced an amendment with such language into a spending bill for low-income women and children that lawmakers advanced alongside the abortion ban. That amendment fell short by one vote. We were awfully close then, Fleming told the Associated Press on Tuesday. I think the good of providing this for women in a safe manner is incredibly important. A House committee earlier Tuesday also unanimously approved a bill that could allow long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices, to be transferred between Medicaid patients, something that is currently prohibited. If a Medicaid patient does not return for an insertion appointment after 12 weeks for a device they requested, a medical provider could reissue that contraceptive to a different patient, under the bill, which now goes to the full House. Providers do not typically keep the implant devices on the shelf because of their high costs, leaving thousands of dollars of these unclaimed, Democratic Sen. Shelli Yoder, the bills author, said Tuesday. Health care providers are only able to recoup that cost after it's inserted or implanted," she said. The only thing they can do is wait. And if they expire, they throw them away. This story was first published on April 11, 2023. It was updated on April 14, 2023, to correct the type of access to birth control in the Indiana bill. It would be available with a pharmacists prescription, not over the counter. 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 . Sorry, that page not found! Please visit our Home Page for latest updates Nepal, India to sign cross-border digital payments deal Kathmandu, April 11: Nepal and India are set to sign an agreement for cross-border digital payments using e-wallet, which is expected to boost trade and tourism by eliminating currency hassles. Nepal, India to sign cross-border digital payments deal The deal is expected to be signed during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to India sometime this month, according to Nepali media reports.The accord will allow Indian tourists in Nepal to make digital payments using Indian e-wallets like BharatPe, PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm.According to the reports, the two neighbours have chalked out an agreement for this purpose, and the document is awaiting signatures from both countries' officials.New Delhi's Ambassador to Kathmandu, Naveen Srivastava said at a recent programme that the proposed Indian digital payment service in Nepal would boost its travel and tourism industry.An overland Indian visitors' survey conducted before the Covid-19 pandemic showed that the average length of stay of Indian tourists coming overland was 5.8 days. The average expenditure per visitor was Rs 11,310.According to Indian media reports, the advantage of travelling to Nepal is that one did not need to change money.Tourism entrepreneurs say that the launch of digital payment services will eliminate the hassle of carrying large amounts of cash for Indian tourists and businessmen in Nepal.Last May, payment system operator Gateway Payment Service began a cross-border payment system for the first time in Nepal based on inter-operable and mobile-first technology.The National Payment Corporation of India and its international arm International Payments had joined hands with Gateway Payment Service and Manam Infotech to deploy a unified payment interface in Nepal.The system will enable payments for larger digital goods and boost inter-operable real-time person-to-person (P2P) and merchant payment transactions (P2M) in Nepal.The unified payment interface is a real-time payment system that provides person-to-person and person-to-merchant transactions simply, safely and securely in India.The system is currently not on a reciprocal basis, and Nepalis are not allowed to make payments through Bharat-QR while travelling to India.Recently, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari underscored the need for greater collaboration on fintech between India and Nepal to begin a cross-border and QR payment systems for mutual benefit."We expect a collaboration between the Nepali and Indian private fintech companies by sharing of the infrastructure and mitigating cyber-related risks, which could benefit both countries," he said.Nepal's central bank is positive about facilitating as well as enabling roles in the India-Nepal e-commerce and financial technology sector, the central bank said.Though India is a close neighbour of Nepal, financial transactions between the two countries are complicated.In January, the government opened the door to foreign investors to participate in Nepal's digital payment system under a newly amended policy.IANS11 April 2023 Shared Recently! Centre spent Rs 5 lakh crore in the northeastern region in last eight and a half years: G Kishan Reddy Agartala (Tripura), April 11: Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region, G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said that Centre has spent Rs 5 lakh crore in the northeastern region in the last eight and a half years. Centre spent Rs 5 lakh crore in the northeastern region in last eight and a half years: G Kishan Reddy Speaking at a programme in Agartala, Reddy said, "Government is committed to bring in world-class infrastructure in the north-east. Nearly Rs 78 crore is being spent on railway projects in the north east and soon the region will emerge as the growth region of the country." He also reiterated that this particular region can be a window of South Asia.Later, speaking after inaugurating various developmental projects alongside Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha at the state secretariat, he said that very soon, "ministers from the Centre will visit sensitive border villages bordering China, Myanmar and Bangladesh for necessary action. Under this programme after the minister's visit, senior officers of the Government will do a night halt at these border villages."Besides all this, the CM said, "in coming 500 days' villages will have cell phone connectivity and they will be provided with high-speed internet bandwidth. Soon a Northeast summit will be initiated and a road show in India - Bangladesh will be held there to make the masses aware about the benefits of this prestigious program."It is to be noted that Tripura has been awarded as the best performing State among Northeastern states in the implementation of e-procurement. In this context, Tripura has been rewarded for completing the work within a specified time under the power department's Saubhagya YojanaANI11 April 2023 Shared Recently! Eshwarappa, other senior leaders want to bring new blood in politics: BJP Bengaluru, April 11: Weeks ahead of the Assembly elections in Karnataka, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader KS Eshwarappa on Tuesday announced his decision to quit electoral politics. Eshwarappa, other senior leaders want to bring new blood in politics: BJP Responding to the development, BJP leader Chalavadi T Narayanswamy said that it is a welcome decision by a senior leader.Speaking to ANI, he said, "He (Narayanswamy) has served the party for 40-45 years. Now, it is his decision. He believes that youth have to come up and take the responsibility. They want new blood in politics".Narayanswamy also said that another BJP leader Halady Srinivas Shetty has backed away from candidature in the upcoming elections."Not just him, Halady Srinivas Shetty, who wants to continuously win elections, has also backed away from candidature. He (Halady Srinivas Shetty) has asked the party to field whomever they want. Such decisions are taken by senior leaders in the interest of the party and the country," he added.On being asked, if his son KE Kantesh will be getting the ticket from that seat, Narayanswamy said that only the high command can take that decision."We don't know about that. Only the party high command will decide whether to accommodate his (Eshwarappa) son or not," he said.As per the sources, some more senior party leaders may quit electoral politics ahead of the ticket announcement.Earlier in the day, BJP MLA from Shivamogga, KS Eshwarappa said that he would not contest the Karnataka Assembly Elections scheduled next month.In a letter to BJP president JP Nadda, Eshwarappa said, "I am withdrawing from electoral politics.""The party gave me a lot of responsibilities in the last 40 years, from a booth in charge to the state party chief. I also had the honour of becoming Deputy Chief Minister. Thank you so much." He added in the letter.Earlier on Sunday, senior BJP leaders arrived at the party headquarters in the national capital to attend the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting for the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled to be held next month.BJP is yet to declare any list of candidates for the upcoming polls.Union Minister Amit Shah on April 8, held a meeting at BJP president Nadda's residence in the national capital to discuss and finalise the list of candidates for the state polls.Party sources said the core group of the BJP in Karnataka have shortlisted three names for each Assembly seat, which will be placed before the Central Election Committee. The party's central leadership will brainstorm these names before locking the candidates.BJP's core group on April 4, drew up a shortlist of candidates in a meeting with the party's national general secretary Arun Singh, state election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, co-in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, Central Election Committee member Annamalai, former chief minister Yediyurappa and his successor and incumbent Basavaraj Bommai.Karnataka, which is the only southern state where BJP is in power, is currently witnessing a high-pitched poll campaign as the saffron party bids to retain their hold of the state.A top BJP source said the ruling party has planned to carpet-bomb the state with campaigns featuring heavyweights.In 2018, BJP emerged as the largest single party in the last Assembly elections, winning 104 seats, with the Congress winning 80 and the JD(S) 37 seats.The term of the current Karnataka Legislative Assembly is set to end on May 24, this year. Assembly elections for 224 seats of Karnataka are slated to take place on May 10, and the counting for which will be held on May 13.ANI11 April 2023 Shared Recently! Buffalo police are investigating a death Monday afternoon at the Lincoln Parkway home of billionaire Jeffrey Gundlach, but a department spokesman stressed that Gundlach was not involved in the incident. The death was being investigated as a suspected suicide, police said. Yellow police tape blocked access to the property and a section of the parkway late Monday afternoon and several Buffalo police patrol cars were on the scene. According to property records, the home was purchased in 2017 by Gundlach, an Amherst native who has donated more than $50 million to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery to anchor the museum's $100 million capital campaign and expansion project. The museum has been renamed the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, with the G for Gundlach. The year after Gundlach purchased the Lincoln Parkway property, the Buffalo Planning Board approved his plan to construct a caretaker's residence and garage behind the home. Gundlach could not be immediately reached Monday, but Buffalo Police Department spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge said Gundlach was not involved in the incident. Police did not provide additional details about the person who died. Karnataka BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa quits electoral politics ahead of polls Bengaluru, April 11: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Shivamogga KS Eshwarappa on Tuesday said that he would not contest the Karnataka Assembly Elections scheduled next month. Karnataka BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa quits electoral politics ahead of polls In a letter to BJP president JP Nadda, Eshwarappa said, "I am withdrawing from electoral politics.""The party gave me a lot of responsibilities in the last 40 years, from a booth in charge to the state party chief. I also had the honour of becoming Deputy Chief Minister. Thank you so much." stated the letter.Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders arrived at the party headquarters in the national capital on Sunday to attend the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting for the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled to be held next month.On April 8, Shah held a meeting at BJP president Nadda's residence in the national capital to discuss and finalise the list of candidates for the May 10 polls.Party sources said the core group of the BJP in Karnataka have shortlisted three names for each Assembly seat, which will be placed before the Central Election Committee. The party's central leadership will brainstorm these names before locking the candidates.On April 4, the BJP's core group in Karnataka drew up a shortlist of candidates in a meeting with the party's national general secretary Arun Singh, state election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, co-in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, Central Election Committee member Annamalai, former chief minister Yediyurappa and his successor and incumbent Basavaraj Bommai.The BJP emerged as the largest single party in the last Assembly elections, winning 104 seats, with the Congress winning 80 and the JD(S) 37 seats.Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had on March 29 this year announced the poll schedule for the election of the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The counting of votes for the Assembly will be held on May 13.The term of the current Karnataka Legislative Assembly is set to end on May 24, this year.BJP is yet to declare its candidates for the polls.Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa on Friday said the party would soon finalise the list of candidates for the Assembly elections.The only southern state where the BJP is in power, Karnataka is currently witnessing a high-pitched poll campaign as the saffron party bids to retain their hold of the state.A top BJP source said the ruling party has planned to carpet-bomb the state with campaigns featuring heavyweights."The names of 40-star campaigners have also been decided for Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Goa CM Pramod Sawant, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and several Union ministers like Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman have been included in the list. All have been asked to give two weeks' time in the poll-bound state," he added.ANI11 April 2023 Shared Recently! BNHS pats Rajasthan govt for Lesser Florican reserve in Ajmer Mumbai, April 11: The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) on Tuesday lauded the Rajasthan government for declaring a 931-hectares of lush grassland as a 'Lesser Florican Conservation Reserve', in Ajmer district yesterday. BNHS pats Rajasthan govt for Lesser Florican reserve in Ajmer The smallest of the bustard family, the Lesser Florican is renowned for its spectacular leaping breeding display, but currently faces severe threats and stands on the verge of extinction.The Lesser Florican is found only in India and as per current estimates barely 700 mature birds are now left, and the BNHS is actively working for the conservation of these feathered creatures."The Lesser Florican is the smallest bird of the bustard family which was formerly a common game bird of Indian grasslands. But now its global population is 250-300 males confined in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, with an IUCN status of CR (Critically Endangered)," said Kishor Rithe, Hon. BNHS Secretary.The Ajmer landscape of Rajasthan is one of the last remaining breeding grounds where it is surviving in a human-dominated landscape, he added.The BNHS started working with the Rajasthan Forest Department on its conservation project in 2017, and their scientific teams collected data regarding its status, distribution, behavior, habitat, etc. in the desert state with the help of local communities."We identified 26 sites (73 locations) spread across 50 villages in the Ajmer district and recorded many important observations on its strong site fidelity; its movements in the grasslands and croplands before settling down in its breeding site," said scientist Dr Sujit Narwade, BNHS Assistant Director, project head working in Rajasthan and other parts of India.The data and observations recorded by BNHS teams are now helping Rajasthan Forest Department to take policy decisions to save this species from extinction.Among these are the changes from traditional crops like Jowar, Moong, and Urad growing up to a height of 50-100 cm to irrigated cash crops and the use of heavy machines and music systems on tractors that affect the birds in this landscape,said Narwade.An increase in free-ranging dogs, land use changes, chemical sprays, uncontrolled tourism, and unavailability of grasslands was recorded as threats to be addressed immediately, but after the Rajasthan Government's notification, the conservation efforts shall be expedited, said Rithe.Lesser Floricans mainly breed in the North-west part of India in monsoon and then fly to spend winters in the Deccan plateau, said the BNHS experts.Hence the participation of locals is essential for the survival of the species which requires mosaics of the grasslands and crop fields plus inter-state and inter-departmental coordination, to save the Lesser Floricans from being snuffed out forever.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Assam govt bans sale, use of gestation, farrowing crates with scarce space in pig farms Guwahati, April 11: The Assam government has prohibited the manufacture, sale and use of gestation and farrowing crates with insufficient space in pig farms, officials said on Tuesday. Assam govt bans sale, use of gestation, farrowing crates with scarce space in pig farms Assam's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD) Director Indira R. Kalita, in a circular to all zonal and district officials of the department across the state, said that the gestation and farrowing crates are being manufactured and sold illegally and issued in pig farms in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960."In the said metal crates, there is insufficient space and it is problematic for the sow (mother pig) and piglets to move since they are to live on their own feces and urine. Further it causes sores and diseases. It is, therefore, asked to prohibit manufacture, sale and use of this type of gestation and farrowing crates in pig farms under your jurisdiction," the circular said.Meanwhile, the PETA, in a statement on Tuesday, claimed that following its appeal to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and use of gestation and farrowing crates in pig farming, the Director of the AHVD has issued a circular to the concerned officers of all districts, mandating compliance with the group's request within their jurisdictions.PETA said that confining animals in this way is illegal, a position confirmed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's National Research Centre on Pig, and is further reiterated in the Assam government's circular.It said that Assam, home to the highest population of pigs in the country, is the latest of 20 states and Union Territories to issue such directions against the housing of pigs in these contraptions.Other governments that have issued such kind of circulars include Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal."PETA India commends Assam for standing up for countless pigs and sparing them the severe cruelty of such crates," said PETA India Advocacy Officer, Farhat Ul Ain, in in a statement.Gestation crates (aka 'sow stalls') are metal cages, essentially the size of a pig, with concrete or slatted floors. In them, pigs are unable to turn around or even stand up without difficulty.These devices confine pregnant pigs, who are typically transferred to farrowing crates to give birth and are kept in them until their piglets are taken away. Farrowing crates are fundamentally the same as gestation crates, except that they contain small side compartments for piglets.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Indian Ambassador to US receives Sikh Hero Award, says Khalsa stands for unity Washington, April 11: Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu was presented with the Sikh Hero Award from Sikhs of America, an independent organisation. Indian Ambassador to US receives Sikh Hero Award, says Khalsa stands for unity India's top diplomat to the US received this award days after the violence at the Indian missions in the US by a small group of pro-Khalistan supporters. The Khalistan supporters recently incited violence at the Embassy of India and personally targeted Sandhu.India's top diplomat to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu received the "Sikh Hero Award" from Sikhs of America along with several other eminent Sikh Americans. Taranjit Singh Sandhu was targeted by Khalistan supporters at the Embassy of India in the United States.While making his address after receiving the award, he made a strong and significant stand against the separatists and gave a strong message to Khalistan Supporters."The Khalsa flag, which flies at the Takht (Golden Temple) and Nishan Sahibs, is a flag of unity, peace and universal love, use this symbol but do not insult it," said Sandhu in an apparent reference to the instances of violence by a small group of separatists in the US, Canada, UK and Australia holding the Khalistani flag."Khalsa, which was created on the Baisakhi day, by Guru Gobind Singh is a uniting and not a dividing force," he added."We must keep these cardinal virtues in mind and not what a couple of mischievous characters spin using virtual media," he said in an apparent reference to the so-called Khalistan leaders' messages on social media.Sandhu encouraged the Sikh diaspora to connect with their roots and said "Punjab and the youth in Punjab need to be connected with the economic, financial, tech and digital revolution happening in India.""The government, people and in particular the youth must take advantage of the expanding partnership with the US in various fields that Prime Minister Modi and President Biden are trying to implement," he said.Last month, Pro-Khalistan supporters in the US threatened the Indian embassy and Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu during their protest. While rallying outside the mission, a protestor in his speech made a direct threat to the Ambassador that the "hypocrisy" will come to an end and that the Ambassador could face a similar fate to what former president of India Zail Singh faced back in 1994.Multiple incidents of protests by supporters of Khalistan have been staged outside the Indian embassy and the San Francisco Consulate. Earlier, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was also attacked in March. A video has surfaced on social media in which pro-Khalistani protestors gathered at the consulate in San Francisco, shouting slogans in support of Amritpal and heckling staff as they abandoned the diplomatic mission.The protesters made vague claims that the "Indian government is killing citizens from all communities all over the country.""This hypocrisy comes to an end now...... There will come a day when the windows of your cars will break and you will have nowhere to run to," they threatened the Indian embassy with slogans of "Khalistan Zindabad".Hundreds of Khalistan supporters gathered outside the Indian Embassy in the United States.The protesters included turbaned men of all ages who raised pro-Khalistan slogans. They came in from different parts of the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area. The organisers used mics to make anti-India speeches both in English and Punjabi and targeted the Punjab Police for alleged human rights violations.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Dont mess around with my authority: SC to lawyer New Delhi, April 11: Don't mess around with my authority, said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday to a lawyer who was trying to mention a matter to get an early date of hearing. Don't mess around with my authority: SC to lawyer The counsel mentioned the matter for an early listing of his case, but the CJI said, "The matter is already listed for hearing on April 17."The counsel then sought to mention the case before another bench. To which the CJI asked the counsel, "Your date is 17th, you want to mention it before another bench to get a date of 14th?"The counsel then told the bench that a similar matter was taken up on Monday by the court and some fresh matters were also mentioned."If it is listed for 17th it will come on 17th. Don't mess around with my authority," said the CJI.The CJI further told him, "Do not play these tricks with me. You can't mention it here and then elsewhere for an earlier date."Earlier in March, there was a heated exchange of words as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud lost his calm at the Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh while hearing a land allotment matter relating to lawyers' chambers.An exchange of words was witnessed when the SCBA President stressed for listing a matter before a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud.SCBA President Vikas Singh apprised the court that they are struggling to get the matter listed for the last six months.When the SCBA President urged for listing the matter, he also said that they have to take it to the judge's residence if the matter did not get listed.CJI Chandrachud lost his temper and asked the senior lawyer, "Is this the way to behave?""I will not be cowered down by you," CJI DY Chandrachud said adding that he has been in this profession for 22 years and never allowed himself to be browbeaten by a member of the Bar, litigant or anyone else and will not let that happen in the last two years of his profession.SCBA President also refused to maintain silence. Thereafter, the court said that it will list the matter on March 17 but not as item 1 in the cause list.During the mentioning of cases, the SCBA president urged the court to list the matter early as the matter is not listed for six months. Senior Advocate said that the Appu Ghar land came under the Apex court premise on the petition by the SCBA but the Bar got only one blockANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! In Karnataka women are 90 pc happy with present govt: State BJP womens wing president Bengaluru, April 11: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka Women Wing President Geetha Vivekananda on Tuesday said in the state women are 90 per cent happy with the present government. In Karnataka women are 90 pc happy with present govt: State BJP women's wing president "In Karnataka, women are 90 per cent happy with the present government (BJP-led government) and they are going to support our party in the upcoming election," Geetha Vivekananda told ANI."Our women workers will go to the ground level (Booth level) and will help the women of the state to take benefits of all women-oriented schemes of the government," the President of BJP Karnataka Women Wing said.The elections for the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly will be held on May 10, and the counting of votes for the Assembly will be held on May 13.Earlier on Monday, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda held a meeting with CM Basavaraj Bommai over the Karnataka Assembly election 2023 at his residence in Delhi.Parliamentary Minister Prahlad Joshi, CT Ravi and members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly were also present at the meeting.Talking to the media after attending the meeting, CM Bommai said, "Our party is a democratic party not like the dictatorship party of Congress so we are thinking well and talking in detail before releasing the first list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly Elections.""After another internal meeting on Tuesday, Karnataka's list will be released late evening," he added.In the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the largest single party winning 104 seats, with the Congress winning 80 and the JD(S) 37 seats.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! PM Modi urges youth to visit border villages as part of Vibrant Village Programme New Delhi, April 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged the youth of the country to visit border villages as part of the 'Vibrant Village Programme' (VVP). PM Modi urges youth to visit border villages as part of Vibrant Village Programme Responding to a tweet from Amrit Mahotsav's handle, PM Modi said, "Must have been a memorable experience. I would urge others, particularly the youth of India, to visit border villages. It would acquaint our youth with different cultures and give them an opportunity to experience the hospitality of those living there."Notably, as a part of the initiative, the youth from Odisha is on a visit to Kibithoo and Tuting villages in Arunachal Pradesh.The Twitter handle of Amrit Mahotsav said, "#VibrantVillagesProgram is a great way to embrace cultural and traditional exchanges, celebrate the diversity of our remote border villages and bring them into the national mainstream. As part of this initiative, youth from Odisha is on a visit to Kibithoo and Tuting villages.""Envisioned by Hon'ble PM @narendramodi, the #VibrantVillagesProgram is giving youngsters an opportunity to learn about the lifestyle, tribes, folk music and handicrafts of this northeast region and immerse themselves in its local flavours and natural beauty," another tweet said."Interaction with Bravehearts of @ITBP_official and other para-military forces is an integral part of the program. It will give youth a real-life understanding of their strategic and combat skills in the face of challenges alongside enjoying artillery displays," stated another tweet.Highlighting the magnificence of border villages, a tweet said, "Our border villages are brimming with beauty and opportunities. #VibrantVillagesProgram will open up avenues for enhancing the quality of life of people living in these regions and enhance their potential for the promotion of sustainable eco-tourism."Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched the 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in Arunachal Pradesh's Kibithoo and said "no one can encroach even pin's tip worth of our land" and that "no one has the power to cast an evil eye on us".Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has approved the VVP with central components of Rs 4,800 crore including Rs 2,500 crore exclusively for road connectivity for the Financial Years 2022-23 to 2025-26.The VVP is a centrally sponsored scheme under which 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts abutting the northern border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been identified for comprehensive development.In the first phase, 662 villages have been identified for priority coverage, which includes 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh.The VVP will help in improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages and encourage them to stay in their native locations thereby reversing the outmigration from these villages and adding to the security of the border.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Amid Covid surge, face masks mandatory in Gurugram Gurugram, April 11: The Gurugram district administration on Tuesday made it mandatory for the general public to wear face masks at all public places, government offices, malls, private offices etc, where there is a gathering of more than 100 people. Amid Covid surge, face masks mandatory in Gurugram According to the administration officials, this decision was taken as a precautionary measure against the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in Gurugram over the past few weeks.Gurugram Deputy Commissioner, Nishant Kumar Yadav in his order said, "It is mandatory to wear face masks in public places, malls, government/private offices where more than 100 people gather in the district to prevent the spread of Covid infection, as per the instructions of Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department.""Covid infection has been increasing in the district for the last few days, so necessary steps have to be taken to prevent Covid infection as per the instructions of the Health Department, in which it is mandatory to wear a mask and maintain proper distance," he said.Yadav has also instructed all Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Police Department and all department heads to take necessary steps to ensure compliance of the orders.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Schools closed in Odisha from April 12-16 owing to heatwave Bhubaneswar, April 11: With the mercury soaring to 40-degree Celsius at nine places across Odisha on Tuesday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered closure of all schools up to Class X along with anganwadis from April 12 to 16. Schools closed in Odisha from April 12-16 owing to heatwave For the past few days, the temperature has been rising in the state with the Met department issuing a heatwave warning throughout Odisha.In this context, anganwadis and schools up to Class X, both government and private, will remain closed from Wednesday to April 16, the Chief Minister directed.On arrival from Japan on Tuesday evening, Patnaik immediately took a review meeting with senior officials on the current heatwave condition as well as the prevailing Covid situation in the state.Patnaik directed the administration, particularly the panchayat raj, housing iamp; urban development and energy departments, to remain preprared to deal with any situation.The Chief Minister asked the concerned authorities to ensure smooth supply of drinking water, both in urban and rural areas, with special focus on water scarcity pockets. He also directed the energy department to ensure continuous power supply to meet the demand during heatwave conditions.Patnaik also advised the administration to keep in touch with various professional Met agencies to collect information about monsoon and prepare advanced planning accordingly.The Chief Minister was briefed about the current Covid scenario in the country in general and Odisha in particular. The Chief Minister advised the concerned officials to monitor the situation closely, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.As per an evening bulletin from the Bhubaneswar centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Baripada recorded the highest maximum temperature of 41.6-degree Celsius on Tuesday, followed by Jharsuguda (41.2), Sambalpura (40.8), Bhubaneswar (40.7), Titlagarh and Boudh (40.5), Angul (40.1), Cuttack and Sundergarh (40).Due to northwesterly/westerly dry air and high solar insolation, day temperature is likely to rise further by 3 to 4-degree Celsius in the districts of interior Odisha in the next four days.Forecasting heatwave conditions from April 13 to 15, the Met department has issued yellow warning for several districts.The weather department has advised people to take precautionary measures while going out between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! A California man wanted in a violent armed robbery of a cellphone store in West Virginia was arrested in Orchard Park and is awaiting extradition, Orchard Park police announced Wednesday. Tushaun Glenn, 45, of Sacramento, was arrested Monday in the town and was being held in the Erie County Holding Center. Orchard Park police said officers saw a vehicle associated with Glenn and "initiated a traffic stop." Glenn allegedly gave a fake name and then was charged with false personation. Glenn was a "known gang member and was to be considered armed and dangerous," police said in a statement. According to a report by 23WBOY in Clarksburg, Glenn is a suspect in a robbery at a Verizon Wireless store on April 5 in which a man grabbed several items and physically assaulted an employee before leaving the scene with a woman in an SUV. Glenn is also wanted on multiple felony warrants from California. Assam govt to give jobs to 50K youth next month: CM Guwahati, April 11: Assam government will give jobs to 50,000 youth of the state upon the completion of two years in power on May 11, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Tuesday. Assam govt to give jobs to 50K youth next month: CM "Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hand over the appointment letters to the job seekers," Sarma said.In the run-up to the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP had promised to give one lakh government jobs within one year of the formation of the government.The Opposition has been continuously criticising the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led dispensation for not keeping its poll promise.However, Sarma claimed that nearly 50,000 government jobs had already been given in the last two years. The promise of one lakh jobs will be fulfilled in next month, when his government celebrates the two-year milestone, the Chief Minister said.He claimed that this has become possible only due to the presence of BJP governments at both the Centre and the state."I appeal to everybody to make the BJP more powerful so that every state can witness this kind of development," Sarma said.The Chief Minister added that the construction of 200 divisional offices and seven district offices for the BJP will be comleted before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! US will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes: Blinken Washington, April 12: United States State Secretary Antony Blinken has spoken with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterated Washington's commitment to stand with Kiev for as long as it takes, the US State Department said. US will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes: Blinken "Secretary Blinken underscored Ukraine's success as vital to peace and security in Europe and reiterated the United States' commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes," said Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel in a statement on Tuesday (local time).The two leaders discussed ongoing preparations for Ukraine's spring counteroffensive, including security assistance pledges from allies and partners, said Patel.Taking to Twitter, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister also shared the same information, "During our call today, @SecBlinken reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. support and vehemently rejected any attempts to cast doubt on Ukraine's capacity to win on the battlefield. The U.S. remains Ukraine's trustworthy partner, focused on advancing our victory and securing a just peace."The US has been helping Ukraine since Russia started its special military operation on February 24, 2022.Last month, the US said that they will send Ukraine USD 350 million in weapons and equipment as the battle with Russian forces continues for control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut."Today, pursuant to a delegation of authority from President Biden, I am authorizing our 34th drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment for Ukraine valued at USD 350 million," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement issued by the US State Department on Monday."This military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverine boats, and other equipment," the statement read.The US applauds the more than 50 countries that have come together to provide support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement read."This week, as Russia's unconscionable war of aggression against Ukraine continues at a great human cost, we are again reminded of the boundless courage and steadfast resolve of the Ukrainian people, and the strong support for Ukraine across the international community," Blinken said.He added "Russia alone could end its war today. Until Russia does, we will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes."Meanwhile, in February, the US announced a new security package plan, including authorisation of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at upto USD 425 million, as well as USD 1.75 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds, according to the statement released by US Defence Department.The package pulled USD 425 million from existing Defence Department stocks, and USD 1.75 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. The new package marks USD 29.3 billion provided to Ukraine since Russia's started its military operation last February.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! How to beat Mumbai Traffic? Take cue from Hema Malinis metro diaries Mumbai, April 12: With Mumbai reeling under heavy traffic, commuters have been seen opting for metro to travel to avoid being stranded at a place for hours. How to beat Mumbai Traffic? Take cue from Hema Malini's metro diaries Even our celebrities are also recently seen ditching their luxury cars over public transportation especially metro. On Tuesday, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini was spotted travelling in the Mumbai Metro.Taking to social media, she gave a glimpse of her metro diaries. She mentioned that it took two hours for her to reach Dahisar, a suburb of Mumbai, by car. So, she decided to take the metro instead and reached the destination on time." I must share with all of you my unique, wonderful experience.Drove 2 hours to reach Dahisar by car, so tiring! In the eve decided I would try the metro, and OMG! What a joy it was!True, we went thro tough times during the constr, but worth it! Clean, fast and ws in Juhu in 1/2 hr," she wrote.See how fans got excited to see Hema Malini in the metro.On the very same day Hema Malini also travelled in an auto-rickshaw.Talking about the rickshaw ride, she wrote, "After my metro experience, decided to go by auto from DN Nagar to Juhu and that too was fulfilled. Landed by auto at my house and the dazed security could not believe their eyes! All in all, a wonderful, pleasurable experience for me!"Besides Hema Malini, actress Nushrratt Bharuccha was seen enjoying the metro ride recently.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! 1 dead, 3 hurt after shooting at funeral home in Washington D.C. Washington, April 12: One man died and three other people were hurt in a shooting at a funeral home in Washington D.C. 1 dead, 3 hurt after shooting at funeral home in Washington D.C. Police said the gunfire on Tuesday erupted around 1230 p.m. Eastern Time in northeast Washington shortly after a funeral ended for someone who was fatally shot in March.At least four people were shot, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee.One man died at the scene and three more people -- two men and a woman -- were reportedly taken to the hospital in critical condition."At this point, it appears that several people who were in the block were specifically targeted," Contee told reporters."We're unsure why that is, why these people were targeted, more or less why they were targeted at a funeral," he continued. "We don't understand that."Police have made no arrests in the case.The shooting came a day after five people were killed and eight injured after a shooting at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.The shooter, an active employee of the bank at the time of the shooting, was shot and killed by police.Authorities have confirmed that the Louisville gunman had bought the AR-15 style rifle used in the attack legally.There have been 147 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter.Meanwhile, more than 11,650 people have lost their lives to gun violence in the past few months, the website's data showed.Experiences with gun-related incidents are common among US adults.One in five say they have personally been threatened with a gun, and a similar share say a family member was killed by a gun, including death by suicide, according to a new survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! India assures Ukraine of enhanced humanitarian assistance New Delhi, April 11: In light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India has assured of providing enhanced humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. India assures Ukraine of enhanced humanitarian assistance Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Meenakashi Lekhi met Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova on Tuesday and held talks on bilateral and global issues of mutual interest.Following their meeting, MoS Meenakashi Lekhi took to her Twitter handle to reiterate what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year, "Today's era is not of war."She tweeted, "Not a time for War - PM @narendramodi. Pleased to meet Ukrainian First Dy FM @EmineDzheppar. Exchanged views on bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Cultural ties and women empowerment also figured in the discussion. Ukraine was assured of enhanced humanitarian assistance."Meanwhile, Dzhaparova also tweeted to thank MoS Meenakashi Lekhi after their meeting on Tuesday. She tweeted, "Had a fruitful meeting with @M_Lekhi. Briefed Minister on #Ukraine's efforts to fight unprovoked aggression. Discussed deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, in particular culture. Bookshelves and audio guides under patronage of @ZelenskaUA will be available soon in India"Ukraine's first Deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzhaparova arrived in New Delhi for a four-day visit on Monday.Emine Dzhaparavo's visit to India marks the first official visit of the East European country since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February last year.During her visit to India, Dzhaparova also held talks with the Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sanjay Verma on Monday.The two discussed bilateral engagements and cooperation going forward.Taking to his official Twitter handle, Sanjay Verma stated, "Pleasure to receive Ukrainian Deputy FM @EmineDzheppar. Perspectives shared. Discussed bilateral engagements and cooperation going forward. Wishing her a good trip. Her first as DFM, but a country she is familiar with."Prior to her arrival, the MEA in a press release noted, "India shares warm and friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Ukraine.""Over the last 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation between the two countries has made significant progress in the areas of trade, education, culture and defence. The visit will be an occasion to further mutual understanding and interests," read the official MEA release.Notably, ever since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for resolving the issues through dialogue and diplomacy. He has spoken to both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin several times since the start of the conflict.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! PM Modi and President Macron take India-France ties to the next level: Goyal Paris, April 12: Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that France and India have truly been friends, partners and vibrant democracies working for global good during his address at the India-France Business Summit in Paris, France on Tuesday. PM Modi and President Macron take India-France ties to the next level: Goyal He said that Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have strengthened the strategic partnership between the two countries which has completed 25 years now. The Minister said that both leaders have taken India-France ties to the next level with expanded engagement in trade, technology, tourism and investment. He noted that the friendship between the leaders and the people of both countries is a force multiplier for global good.The Union Commerce Minister said that India and France are concerned for stable global economic order and both believe in consensus and cooperation both at the regional and global levels. He said that the business leaders from both countries and the Indian community in France have further strengthened this bond of friendship and trust between India and France through their relentless efforts to grow the trade and economic partnership.He appreciated that the industry leaders from various areas of the manufacturing and services sector from India attended the Business Summit. The Minister said that the industry leaders from India will share their experiences of working and growing in an economy which is growing rapidly, expanding both in the domestic and international spheres.Union Commerce Minister, Piyush Goyal, said that India's potential over the next 25 years has been termed as the Amrit Kaal or the golden era of India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that there is a huge delta of opportunities which has never been seen in global economic history in India now. He cited the example of India's demographic dividend with significant managerial and technological skills and an immense talent pool.Goyal also said that the basic needs of Indian citizens have been taken care of in the last nine years and that has led to an empowered nation brimming with aspirations. He said that seamless digital connectivity has aided this process and now India offers a huge opportunity to businesses around the world. He said that India offers Scale, Speed and Skills to the world.He added that India is rapidly expanding its international engagement and the goods and services exports over the last 2 years have grown significantly. He said the increase in exports is expected to continue on its high growth trajectory. He also said that India has an infrastructure pipeline to strengthen logistics in the country. He said that India is attracting investment and technology in the defence sector from around the world as indigenous manufacturing is being promoted.He also said that innovation and technology are driving growth in India with sustainability at the core. He said that the green economy is emerging as a massive thrust area for technology and investments. The Minister noted that in addition to this, the government is also focussing on gender parity and gender equality in India.The Minister said that India and France will continue their dialogue at an accelerated pace with trade and investment expanding manifold to further aid the development journey. He quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that "When you associate with India's growth journey, India gives you the guarantee of growth..."ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Chicago to host 2024 US Democratic National Convention Washington, April 12: The US Democratic National Committee (DNC) has announced that Chicago, Illinois, will host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Chicago to host 2024 US Democratic National Convention The event, where the Democratic Party's delegates will formally nominate their presidential candidate, will take place at the United Center from August 19 to 22 next year, Xinhua news agency reported.Republicans will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15 to 18 next year for their 2024 national convention.US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said on Monday that he plans on running for reelection in 2024 but his team is not prepared to announce it yet.Former US President Donald Trump, a Republican, who lost to Biden in the 2020 election but has refused to concede, announced his bid in November last year for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! H-2B visas open for late second half returning workers for FY 2023 New York, April 12: The US will begin accepting petitions for H-2B visa workers for the late second half of fiscal year 2023 under the supplemental cap temporary final rule, the federal agency for immigration services announced. H-2B visas open for late second half returning workers for FY 2023 Under this rule, which was announced in December last year, there are 10,000 visas limited to returning workers regardless of country of nationality, for the late second half of fiscal year 2023, that is May 15 to September 30."The 10,000 visas made available under this allocation are limited to returning workers who were issued H-2B visas or held H-2B status in fiscal years 2020, 2021, or 2022," the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said.These supplemental visas are available only to the US businesses that are suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all the H-2B workers requested in their petition, as attested by the employer on a new attestation form.On December 15, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly published a temporary final rule increasing the cap on H-2B non-immigrant visas by up to 64,716 additional visas for all of FY 2023.Of the 64,716 additional visas, 44,716 are available only for returning workers (workers who received an H-2B visa or were otherwise granted H-2B status in one of the last three fiscal years).The remaining 20,000 visas are set aside for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (collectively called Northern Central American countries) and Haiti, who are exempt from the returning worker requirement.As of April 10, 2023, USCIS has received petitions requesting 11,537 workers under the 20,000 visas set aside for nationals of Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.USCIS is continuing to accept H-2B petitions under this allocation.This is the first time the Departments have issued a single rule making available H-2B supplemental visas for several allocations throughout the entire fiscal year, including an allocation for the late second half.The temporary final rule features several provisions to protect both, the US and H-2B workers, from exploitation and abuse.The H-2B visas are issued for seasonal/temporary jobs which allow employers to hire skilled or unskilled workers to fulfil the shortage of workers in the US.The employer must obtain a Department of Labor certification before the visa application can be initiated.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Sporadic fightings erupt in Yemen despite Saudi-Houthi peace talks Sanaa, April 12: Despite ongoing talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia in Yemen's capital Sanaa to discuss a permanent solution to the years-long civil war, sporadic fightings have erupted in the war-torn nation's Marib province. Sporadic fightings erupt in Yemen despite Saudi-Houthi peace talks The oil-rich province on Tuesday witnessed the sporadic clashes and heavy artillery shellings between government forces and the Houthi militia along the Alkasarah and Raghwan frontlines, raising concerns about the outlook of the peace process, a government official told Xinhua news agency.The ongoing talks between the Houthi militia and Saudi Arabia, the primary backer of Yemen's internationally recognized government, signaled a potential turning point in the long-standing conflict that has left the country devastated.A new hope for reaching a peaceful resolution to the conflict was raised by the Saudi-Houthi talks, which focused on renewing the ceasefire, reopening the Sanaa airport and lifting restrictions on the Red Sea port to facilitate humanitarian aid for millions of citizens facing food insecurity and inadequate healthcare.However, the renewed clashes in Marib and other regions highlight the challenges in implementing a lasting ceasefire and addressing the deep-rooted issues that have fuelled the civil war in Yemen.The situation in Marib, a strategic city in northern Yemen, is particularly tense, as it has been the scene of heavy fightings between the government forces and the Houthis in recent months.Despite the setbacks, the recent talks still represent a glimmer of hope for ending the protracted military conflict.Earlier on Tuesday, the Yemeni government announced it is ready for the exchange of prisoners with the Houthis, set to begin on Thursday.The process will be carried out in three phases over three days, and the first exchange will involve 72 prisoners, according to Majed Fadael, a member of the government negotiating delegation.The number of peace initiatives has increased, particularly after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations in rapprochement talks hosted by China in early March.Over the weekend, Saudi and Omani delegations held talks with the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Sanaa to restore peace in the war-torn country, which was praised by the UN as "a welcome step towards the de-escalation of tensions".Yemen has been embroiled in the civil war after the Houthi militia took control of several northern cities and ousted the Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in 2014.The conflict has resulted in a staggering number of casualties and pushed Yemen to the brink of a humanitarian crisis, including widespread famine.IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! A court ruling on whether to appoint a special prosecutor in G. Steven Pigeon's child rape case will come within two weeks, a judge said at a hearing Tuesday. During the half-hour proceeding, Eighth Judicial District Administrative Judge Kevin M. Carter heard from the defense attorney who requested a special prosecutor, and an Erie County prosecutor who contended no conflict exists between Pigeon and District Attorney John J. Flynn that warrants replacing the District Attorney's Office in the case. G. Steven Pigeon aims to remove DA's office from his prosecution in child rape case The new defense attorney for G. Steven Pigeon filed a motion asking a judge to remove the Erie County District Attorney's Office from its role as prosecutor in Pigeon's child rape case because of "conflicts" between Pigeon and District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. "It seems to be a recurring theme that this defendant thinks everybody is out to get him, and that's just not true," Assistant District Attorney Cathleen M. Roemer told Carter. The prosecution of Pigeon is not because of some personal vendetta against him, she said. Rather, she said the District Attorney's Office is doing its job: investigating and prosecuting crimes. Pigeon was charged in December 2021 with sexually assaulting a child younger than 11 between Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2016. He was indicted on two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child and one count each of first-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree sexual abuse and child endangerment. He is scheduled to go on trial in December. Pigeon has denied the accusations. Prosecution in Pigeon's child sex assault case pushes back against 'attempt to smear' DA Last month, the defense attorney for G. Steven Pigeon filed a motion asking for a special prosecutor because of "conflicts" between Pigeon and District Attorney John J. Flynn. Rochester-based defense attorney James Nobles urged Carter to appoint a special prosecutor, not only because of an appearance of conflict, but also for what he called an actual conflict. Nothing shakes public confidence in the legal system like the appearance of political motivation, said Nobles, who has said Pigeon's previous support for Flynn's political rivals and not supporting him for other posts have led to long-standing "antagonistic personal and political relationships and rivalries." A once powerful figure in Western New York politics, the former Erie County Democratic Party chairman had close ties to Andrew Cuomo and Bill and Hillary Clinton and also advised billionaire Tom Golisano, onetime owner of the Buffalo Sabres. According to Nobles, the relationship between Pigeon and Flynn turned sour when Flynn requested but did not receive Pigeon's help in obtaining multiple positions, including Erie County DA in 2008, a judgeship on the State Court of Claims and undersecretary of the U.S. Navy. Pigeon's blocking Flynn from getting several appointed or elected positions means the district attorney has a conflict in the case, Nobles said. Nobles has also pointed to Flynn's comments about Pigeon at a news conference in December 2021 related to the criminal case. At that time, Flynn said he believed Pigeon should "be in jail the rest of his life." The political snubs and the news conference comments show "the defense has met the actual conflict standard," Nobles told Carter. Roemer said no prejudice against Pigeon resulted from Flynn's remarks at the news conference. The prosecutor said it was clear from "the totality of the press conference" that Flynn made his remarks in the context, "If the defendant is convicted, he should go to jail for the rest of his life." The prosecutors in the Special Victim's Bureau of the Erie County District Attorney's Office work with sex crime victims throughout the entire case, building trust and offering consistency to victims who are especially vulnerable, Roemer said. Switching prosecutors "would not be helpful for the victim," she said. Roemer said the defense has failed to show real prejudice in this case, noting that the investigation was handled in the same way that any prosecution by the District Attorney's Office is handled. A grand jury listened to the evidence and found probable cause to charge Pigeon, she said. Future of India is bright... French business leaders express confidence in Indian growth story Paris, April 12: Expressing confidence in the Indian growth story, French business leaders on Tuesday said that the future of India is bright as it shines out among the world's biggest economies, with Europe hovering on the brink of potential recession and US growth slowing. Future of India is bright... French business leaders express confidence in Indian growth story "India is a great place. It's a democracy. There is a huge demography. The future of India is bright in terms of growth," said Saint Gobain CEO Benoit Bazin to ANI."India has been growing very fast, double-digit over the last 25 years and now is the third country in the profit pool of Saint Gobain worldwide. After the US and France, India is now number three. The success of Saint Gobain shows over the last 25 years that you can be profitable and growing. You have a very, very strong pool of talents for R and D, manufacturing, and digital. It's a great place to do business and has fantastic teams. For me, that's the main asset--fantastic teams and demography in India for the next decade," he added.Saint Gobain CEO Benoit Bazin met with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal while he is in France to chair India-France Business Summit."We discussed the plan to multiply by three times in the next ten years. Second, we are advocating for green buildings in India, light and sustainable construction, for good summer comfort, and acoustic, and air quality," he said while speaking to ANI.On asking what their plans were for green energy in India, Benoit Bazin said that by 2024, Indians will have 60 per cent of renewable electricity and 100 per cent by 2027.Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal led the Indian delegation at India-France Business Summit, commemorating 25 years of India-France friendship, on April 11 in Paris.Goyal and Olivier Becht, France's Minister delegate of Foreign Trade, Attractiveness, and French Nationals Abroad co-chaired the India-France Business Summit. Minister Goyal met with French business leaders across various sectors and attended a CEO's roundtable.Goyal is on an official visit to France and Italy from April 11 to April 13 during which he would be accompanied by a delegation of top Indian CEOs.Business leaders speak on how this summit is expected to provide further momentum to bilateral relations with India's key business partners in the European region.Egis Chief Executive Officer (CFO) Laurent Germain also met Goyal and said that the amount of investments the (Indian) government has forecast for the infrastructure is huge."By 2030, we are talking about USD 4.5 trillion. This is probably one of the countries in the world which will invest the most. This is why this is a key focus for Egis because we have all the relevant technologies in order to bring carbon-friendly technologies for the future infrastructure of India," he said while mentioning the number of opportunities India has."This is the opportunity to choose the best technologies in terms of carbon-friendly technologies for India to be an example to the world for reaching its target, to be carbon neutral by 2070," he added.Egis is the French leader in engineering for infrastructure. It is established in India for 27 years. Egis is working with the Metro, Delhi Metro and other state governments."Water is a key priority for the government. Egis is involved in the dam, rehabilitation and investment programs all over India. I can testify that the efforts of the government are huge in order to increase the level. The amount of the population with access to drinkable water, and the number of projects is increasing," said Germain.He said that he discussed the opportunities in India with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal because, with the present rate of growth, India will have this population grow by 200 million by 2040.Meanwhile, N Sreedhar (Chief Financial Officer, Saint-Gobain) said that the group has invested a lot in India and India."In the last eight years, our investment in India has doubled. Twenty-five years ago, there was no Saint Gobain in India and now on this tour, you will see the progress that has been made, the confidence that has been increased even more," said Sreedhar."There is so much growth in India, all our solutions are sustainable solutions. We do a lot of work in carbon neutral. They are talking about an investment of six thousand crores in the next five years and everything is of green technology," he added.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Sitharaman, Yellen discuss strengthening India-US economic partnership Washington, April 12: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023 in Washington. Sitharaman, Yellen discuss strengthening India-US economic partnership The two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums."Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met with the United States Treasury Secretary Ms.@SecYellen on the sidelines of the @WorldBank and IMF #SpringMeetings 2023, in Washington D.C., today," tweeted the Ministry of Finance.Taking the discussions ahead from their last meeting in November 22 during the Economic Financial Dialogue (EFD), in India, the two leaders discussed strengthening the India-US economic and financial partnership and increasing engagements at bilateral and multilateral forums."Wide-ranging conversation between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on deepening bilateral economic partnership and engagement in multilateral fora," tweeted Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the US.Sitharaman, who is leading a high-powered delegation, appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including climate change. She also highlighted the role of G20, Quad, and IPEF in fostering this partnership."FM Smt. @nsitharaman appreciated the multi-faceted India-US partnership and called for further cooperation in addressing global economic challenges, including #ClimateChange. FM highlighted the role of #G20, QUAD and IPEF in fostering this partnership," tweeted the Ministry of Finance.Sitharaman also emphasised the importance of coordinated global action to address debt vulnerability in low and middle-income countries, besides the need for financial support to help developing economies achieve their climate goals.Yellen applauded India for focusing on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development bank during its G-20 presidency. She said the US was looking forward to continuing its close cooperation with India to help make India's G20 presidency a success."I want to commend your presidency for its focus on advancing the evolution of the multilateral development banks. As you know, this initiative is a priority of mine and will be a major focus of our conversations this week," she said.Yellen said the G-20 can bring strong political momentum to bear to make sure that the multilateral development banks accelerate their work on 21st-century global challenges as part of their effort to end extreme poverty and expand shared prosperity.She also said that having the right leadership at the World Bank is critical in furthering the progress that they have made.The Finance Minister also met with the United States Ex-Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and discussed about the Digital Public Infrastructure, providing accessibility for all, including StartUps, besides supporting the growth of fintech."FM Smt. @nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that scaling up of #DigitalInfrastructure and adoption of tech by common people in India has been phenomenal in the last couple of years," tweeted the Ministry of Finance.Sitharaman also highlighted that in the space of manufacturing, India has the right kind of skills, including manpower and language proficiency along with a huge domestic market which provides a significant scaling advantage to the private sector."In reference to the Union Budget 2023-24, FM Smt.@nsitharaman informed Ms. @PennyPritzker that India has announced setting up of 3 Centres of Excellence in the area of #ArtificialIntelligence as it is a key focus for the Government," added the tweet.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! China pushes Sri Lanka to sign FTA in guise of debt restructuring Colombo, April 12: Negotiations for a possible FTA between China and Sri Lanka were launched in 2014 in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa when both sides continued to have several rounds of talks, Daily Mirror reported. China pushes Sri Lanka to sign FTA in guise of debt restructuring China had "awarded" Sri Lanka with a delayed response to its request for debt restructuring and now appears to pressure Sri Lanka into signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) under the guise of helping to restructure debt repayments.The 5th round of China-Sri Lanka FTA negotiation was held in Colombo on Tuesday where the two sides exchanged views on issues concerning trade in goods, trade in service, investment, economic and technical cooperation, rule of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade (TBT), sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and trade remedy.According to experts, the disadvantage for Sri Lanka is that China's FTAs restrict the use of para-tariffs, such as the import levy used by Sri Lanka, Daily Mirror reported.For a country like Sri Lanka, whose exports are limited to a few products, an agreement that reduces barriers to trade on thousands of other products but excludes these key exportable products from the world and from China will fail to facilitate Sri Lanka's export growth.Since the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, China has extended numerous loans to Sri Lanka for various infrastructure projects, including a port, an airport, highways, and other significant projects.However, concerns have been raised about the nature of China's financial assistance and the motivations behind its debt restructuring efforts. Critics argue that China's financial assistance is part of a broader strategy to extend its economic and political influence in the region, with Sri Lanka serving as a key location for China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Daily Mirror reported.Critics argue that the deal would be heavily skewed in favour of China, leading to a flood of cheap Chinese goods into Sri Lanka and undermining the country's domestic industries.Sri Lanka occupies a strategic location in the Indian Ocean, making it an essential part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to expand China's economic and political influence in the region. The Chinese push for the FTA has faced opposition from critics suggesting that the deal would not be in the country's best interests, Daily Mirror reported.Furthermore, Sri Lanka is facing growing concerns about its growing economic dependence on China. Experts suggest that the country risks falling into a debt trap that could threaten its economic sovereignty.To address these concerns, Sri Lanka plans to diversify its economic ties, exploring new opportunities for economic partnerships with other countries in the region.The Sri Lankan government is also seeking renegotiation of its debt agreements with China, with some suggesting that the country wants to reduce its dependence on Chinese loans.One of the potential disadvantages of signing the FTA with China is the risk of job losses. Sri Lanka's labour-intensive industries, such as textiles and apparel, could face increased competition from cheaper Chinese imports, leading to potential job losses in these sectors.This could be especially problematic for Sri Lanka, which is already facing high unemployment rates and a struggling economy, Daily Mirror reported.Another potential disadvantage of signing an FTA with China is the risk of regulatory standards. As part of the FTA negotiations, Sri Lanka would require harmonizing its regulatory regime with China, potentially leading to a "race to the bottom" in terms of labour standards, environmental protection, and intellectual property rights.Finally, signing an FTA with China could lead to a loss of policy autonomy for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka might require abiding by certain rules and regulations set forth in the FTA, potentially limiting its ability to pursue certain policies in areas such as trade, labour standards, and the environment.However, China's efforts to push for the FTA continue and experts suggest that the country might be using its financial leverage to coerce Sri Lanka into signing the deal.The situation in Sri Lanka highlights the risks associated with excessive reliance on foreign loans and the importance of balancing economic development with strategic interests. China's debt restructuring efforts in Sri Lanka and its push for the FTA have raised concerns about the country's growing economic and political influence in the region.While Sri Lanka is seeking to reduce its dependence on China and diversify its economic ties, it remains to be seen whether the country will be successful in achieving these goals. The situation in Sri Lanka underscores the importance of balancing economic development with strategic interests and the risks associated with excessive dependence on foreign loans, Daily Mirror reported.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! I-T searches reveal large-scale fund routing in Karnatakas cooperative banks New Delhi, April 12: The Income Tax Department recently conducted search and seizure operations in several cooperative banks in Karnataka and found them to be engaged in the routing of funds of various business entities of their customers to abet them to evade their tax liabilities. I-T searches reveal large-scale fund routing in Karnataka's cooperative banks "Bogus expenditure booked in this way by these beneficiary business entities could be to the tune of about Rs 1,000 crore," according to an official release which stated that the exercise started on March 31 and covered a total of 16 premises.Union Ministry of Finance said many incriminating pieces of evidence -- hard copy documents and soft copy data -- had been found and were seized during the search exercise. The search action also resulted in the seizure of unaccounted cash of over Rs 3.3 crore and unaccounted gold jewellery worth over Rs 2 crore.The seized pieces of evidence, according to the ministry, revealed that these banks were involved in "discounting bearer cheques issued by various business entities, in the name of various fictitious non-existing entities".The business entities included contractors, and real estate companies, among others. On top of that, no KYC norms were followed while discounting such bearer cheques."The amounts after discounting were credited in the bank accounts of certain Cooperative Societies maintained with these Cooperative Banks. It was also detected that some Cooperative Societies subsequently withdrew funds in cash from their accounts and returned the cash to business entities," the release said.Further, during the search action it was unearthed that the management of these cooperative banks has indulged in generating unaccounted money through their real estate and other businesses.Further investigations into the matter are in progress.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Wont send my people to jail in India for violating laws: Musk on BBC docu ban New Delhi, April 12: Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday told the BBC that he would comply with the law of the land in India rather than send his people to jail as the country has strict social media laws. Won't send my people to jail in India for violating laws: Musk on BBC docu ban In a Twitter Spaces interview with the BBC, he was asked about the micro-blogging platform taking down links related to the BBC's controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi."India has very strict social media laws. If it's a choice between complying with the laws or going to jail, I'd rather comply with laws than have any of my people go to jail," he said."We cannot go beyond the law of the country," the Twitter CEO stressed.The first part of the two-part BBC documentary series, 'India The Modi Question' raised a storm not just in India but also among the diaspora across the world.Looking at the sensitive nature of the documentary, the Indian government banned it from being shown on social media, including Twitter, and elsewhere in the country.Musk also said during the interview that there is less misinformation and hate speech on the micro-blogging platform since he took over.The billionaire has labelled the BBC as a "government-funded media" organisation.After labelling the @BBC account -- which has 2.2 million followers -- Musk tweeted "What does BBC stand for again? I keep forgetting."However, Twitter did not label the BBC's other accounts like BBC News (World) and BBC Breaking News.The BBC had said in a statement "We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee."According to Musk, "I do actually follow the BBC" as "they have some great material".IANS12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Well brought up... SRK is all praises for his Lil lady in red Mumbai, April 12: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan beamed with pride seeing daughter Suhana working hard to carve a niche for herself in showbiz. Well brought up... SRK is all praises for his Lil lady in red On Tuesday, Suhana was roped in as the ambassador for an international make-up and cosmetics brand Maybelline. She attended a special event in Mumbai in a stunning red pantsuit, exuding boss-lady vibes.And now the proud father has penned down a few lines for his little daughter that read, "Congratulations on Maybelline beta. Well dressed...well spoken...well done and if I may take some credit, well brought up! Love u my Lil Lady in Red!https//www.instagram.com/p/Cq7y86Sogsk/Suhana replied to this beautiful gesture saying, "Awww love you!! So cute" with multiple heart and kiss emojis.The post invited tons of comments from netizens who have always loved the interaction between King Khan and his children on social media.In the upcoming months, Suhana will be seen making her acting debut with Zoya Akhtar's 'The Archies'.it is the Indian adaptation of the iconic comics 'The Archies' and will be released on OTT giant Netflix later this year.Produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India, 'The Archies' is a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers of Riverdale to a new generation in India. The film will also mark the debut of Boney Kapoor and late Sridevi's daughter, Khushi Kapoor.ANI12 April 2023 Shared Recently! Bangladesh hugely contributing to Indias economy: Bdesh minister Agartala, April 12: Bangladesh has been contributing immensely to the economy of India, in particular in the northeast region. The under construction infrastructure projects are going to be engines of growth not only for Bangladesh, but also for Nepal, Bhutan and the northeast as these could be used by them, Bangladesh minister of state for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam said here on Wednesday. Bangladesh hugely contributing to India's economy: B'desh minister The minister said that the under construction Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, the first of its kind in South Asia, the Matarbari and Payra deep sea port, the Matarbari coal-fired power plant with an electricity generation capacity of 1,200 MW, the third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal international airport in Dhaka, and the Padma bridge rail link project will all benefit northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan to a great extent.India receives the highest number of tourists, including medical tourists, from Bangladesh, he told the media.Thousands of Indians are working in various service sectors in Bangladesh that has become one of the largest sources of inward remittance for India, said Alam, who addressed a conclave in Agartala.Alam said that last month, the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh had jointly inaugurated the 'India Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline' by which Bangladesh's diesel imports from India have increased manifold at a much cheaper price."The total trade between the two countries has increased three-fold during the last decade while there remains huge untapped potential."We should enhance the bilateral trade in a balanced manner removing the tariff and non-tariff barriers, develop and modernise the infrastructure along the border," he said.The minister said that being geographically contiguous, Bangladesh and northeast India are much more than just next door neighbours.He said that in a bid to accelerate shared economic growth, India and Bangladesh have agreed to restore the pre-1965 connectivity linkages through rail, road, ports and inland waterways.The Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade of 1972 was the first instrument that offered India the use of Bangladesh's inland waterways for carrying goods from other parts of India to the northeastern region, Alam pointed out.The two countries have signed an Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla port for movement of goods to and from India.At the request of India, particularly the government of former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended all support for construction of the "Maitree Bridge" over the Feni river in southern Tripura's Sabroom. This would allow India's northeastern states' easy access to Chattogram port using Bangladesh territory, the minister said.Bangladesh is keen to be connected with the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMTTH) to connect herself with South East Asia, the minister said and hoped that India would facilitate their entry into this trilateral highway that has suffered a setback due to the political situation in Myanmar.The Chattogram port and the Matarbari deep sea port have the potential to become a regional hub for connecting the land-locked northeast India through Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal and onward.The greater involvement of Japan will pave the way for comprehensive development particularly for Bangladesh and northeast India, Alam said.IANS13 April 2023 Shared Recently! Sushmita Sen goes shopping with ex- boyfriend Rohman Shawl, daughter Alisah Mumbai, April 12: Sushmita Sen went shopping with ex-boyfriend Rohman Shawl and younger daughter Alisah on Tuesday. Sushmita Sen goes shopping with ex- boyfriend Rohman Shawl, daughter Alisah Posted by a paparazzo, the video went viral. Sushmita was seen in a red tee and black pants. Her hair was tied in a neat bun and the former Miss Universe also sported shades. Sushmita exchanged pleasantries with the photographer before getting into the car. She was asked by the photographer how she was doing. Sushmita replied, "Absolutely fine".In the video, a plastic bottle was thrown from Sushmita's car, for which, the actor faced criticism online.A couple of days back, the former Miss Universe dropped a workout video where she was accompanied by younger daughter Alisah and Rohman Shawl. Sushmita's caption read, "Will is the only way" #36days. Now allowed more training!!! I leave to shoot for AARYA in Jaipur shortly...and here are my loved ones, keeping me company and helping me get back in the zone!!! Kisses Alisah Shona and @rohmanshawl... I love you guys!!! #duggadugga"Sushmita suffered a cardiac arrest in February and following that she has undergone angioplasty. The 'Aarya' actor informed her fans through social media that she was diagnosed with a 95 per cent blockage in the main artery. Since then, the actor has been updating with her health details on Instagram.In one of her live sessions, Sushmita requested the younger generation to get their hearts checked at regular intervals.Meanwhile, on the work front, the actor completed the dubbing for 'Taali'. The series is based on the life of transgender Shreegauri Sawant. Born as Ganesh and raised in Pune, Shreegauri Sawant 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.Sushmita will also wind up the pending work of "Aarya 3" soon.ANI13 April 2023 Shared Recently! There seems to be no question that India B. Walton lives in Buffalo's Masten District. She bought a house on Eastwood Place near Canisius College in November after moving from the West Side. The question is whether Walton, who shocked the political world in 2021 when she won Buffalo's Democratic mayoral primary before losing the general election, has lived in Masten long enough to represent the district on the Common Council. Two community activists, citing an obscure part of Buffalo's City Charter, have filed objections with the Erie County Board of Elections arguing that the democratic socialist is not eligible to run in Masten because she hasn't lived in the district for a full year, as the charter requires. Walton dismisses the charges as "meritless" and says they are just another attempt by the political establishment to keep her from advocating for poor residents of color in the chambers of City Hall. The issue is likely to end up in court in the next few weeks, elections officials say. The dispute, which could have an impact on one of the premier local political races of 2023, centers on when exactly Walton moved from her apartment on Seventh Street in the Niagara District and began living in the Masten District, which she won with 53% of the vote in the 2021 mayoral election. City Charter cited Documents filed with the county elections board show Walton completed a change of address form on Nov. 1, 2022. Erie County property records show Walton bought her home on Eastwood Place later that month, on Nov. 22. "When I had a chance to purchase a home, I found one in the Masten District that I felt was reasonably priced," Walton said in an interview with The Buffalo News. "I could afford it. Its a great house. My entire family fits in one place." The problem may lie in the fact that this year's election for Council takes place Nov. 7, which is 15 days short of a year since Walton's home purchase was filed with the county clerk. The City Charter states that "no person shall be eligible for election or appointment as a successor to the office of district council member who has not been a resident...of the district for which he or she is chosen for a period of at least one year immediately preceding the date of his or her election or appointment." Charley H. Fisher III, a former Council member-at-large, said he filed the challenge to Walton's nominating petition because "we simply want the law followed for every resident." Soon after learning of Fisher's challenge, Walton said in a Twitter post that it brought her to tears. "I expected the machine to object to my candidacy, thats customary," she wrote. "I didnt expect the objection to come from a local civil rights activist and one of my political role models." The notarized deed Walton and the sellers filed with the county is dated Oct. 31, 2022 more than the required year of residency stipulated in the charter. But Nov. 22, 2022, is listed as the date of sale and date the deed was recorded with the county. If a judge used that date to determine residency, Walton could be kicked off the ballot for Council. "I think that efforts to have me removed from the ballot (are) downright anti-democratic," Walton said. "I was under contract to purchase my home in July. People can run for office if they rent somewhere. Residency doesnt necessarily equate a purchase or the filing of a deed." Asked whether she rented in the Masten District before purchasing her home, Walton said, "I have affidavits to prove it." Stephanie Barber Geter, an East Side activist who has advocated for state funding to cover the Kensington Expressway, also filed an objection citing Walton's residency, according to documents filed by attorney Henry A. Zomerfeld of the Hodgson Russ law firm. Geter said she is a supporter of Zeneta Everhart, who is running against Walton for the Masten seat and who is endorsed by the Erie County Democratic Committee. She said petition challenges are common in political races. "Its an election, its a competition," Geter said. "You use the tools made available by law, right? So were using whats available to us to deal with the contest before us." Geter also was a supporter of Mayor Byron W. Brown's write-in candidacy against Walton in 2021. She said Brown was not involved in the challenge to Walton's petitions. "No he was not," she said of Brown. "He didnt call me. I dont even know if he knows about it or if he cares. (It's) just me and some people from the neighborhood." Elections commissioners Jeremy Zellner, a Democrat, and Ralph Mohr, a Republican, are tasked with ruling on petition challenges in dozens of local races. But Zellner, who is also chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee, suggested that the issue was likely to be decided in court. "Thats probably going to have to go to a judge and a court to hash out, because Im not sure Commissioner Mohr and I would rule on the residency situation there," he said. "That might be beyond our ministerial duties." Our County Editor Dave Hinton is editor of The News-Gazette's Our County section and former editor of the Rantoul Press. He can be reached at dhinton@news-gazette.com. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Mostly cloudy. Periods of rain early. High around 60F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Scattered frost possible. Low 31F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. 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. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Rain ending this morning. Remaining cloudy. High 59F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Some passing clouds. Scattered frost possible. Low 31F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. The inquiry was as predictable as it was genuine after a recent column about owning the organ-mutilating weapon one documentary dubbed Americas Gun. What I don't understand is the need for guns like an AR-15 Do people hunt with these guns? It seems that the animal would be destroyed I really am interested in knowing the use for these kinds of weapons. Another was equally sincere: "As an anti-gun mom, I wonder, what do you do with an AR-15 gun or a similar gun????" A third was more blunt: We both know that no sane person would need or want an AR-15. With the country flooded with an estimated 20 million AR-15s or its variants the AR stands for ArmaLite Rifle, after the company that developed it, not for assault rifle its obvious that the last correspondent is badly mistaken. Whats the appeal? For one thing, the gun looks cool compared to traditional hunting rifles, a few of which have similar barrel lengths and fire the exact same ammunition a fact not often mentioned. That look, combined with industry marketing, is not to be underestimated in a consumer culture in which style and appearance often outweigh functionality. But real aficionados who use the gun for everything from target shooting to, yes, hunting, say they like its accuracy, lightweight and modular design, allowing owners to build one to taste or to easily customize it with scopes, grips, barrels or other features to their liking. Thats particularly true in states that dont ban assault rifles by limiting their number of cosmetic features. But I am not an aficionado. In fact, for the first two decades as a gun owner, I never thought of buying such a rifle. I was perfectly content with my .22-caliber target pistol for league matches and my .38 special personal-protection handgun (which Gov. Kathy Hochul has rendered useless with her near-total ban on concealed carry). With those two weapons, I never thought Id need anything more. Then one word changed everything: Charlottesville. The bone-chilling visuals of neo-Nazis marching with tiki torches brought an epiphany: If the white nationalists want to go crazy, Id better be ready to go crazy with them. Granted, that is a perilous choice of words in an age of red flag laws. But it accurately captured what I felt after watching racists and anti-Semites make clear whose country they think this is. Carrying torches evoking both 1930s Germany and the Ku Klux Klan, the march came less than a year after the 2016 presidential election ripped the scab off of this nations original wound. It revealed sore spots we thought or least hoped had healed nicely. But instead of healing, those wounds were repeatedly picked at by a president who saw very fine people, on both sides at that fatal 2017 Unite the Right spectacle. It was part and parcel of what would turn out to be a series of incitements vulgar references to African nations, racist descriptions of Mexican immigrants, calls for far-right extremists to stand back and stand by, and finally the Jan. 6 incitements and whatever else is to come as the trial(s) and the 2024 campaign unfold. Back in 1996, I dismissed as hyperbole the book The Coming Race War in America by the late journalist Carl Rowan, who was nobodys idea of a Black radical. After Charlottesville and everything else thats occurred, I am not nearly so sanguine. Maybe he wasnt wrong, just premature. Suddenly the Boy Scout motto made a whole lot of sense. The America I thought I knew had changed; and should white supremacists ever show up on my doorstop, it was best to be prepared. When I lived in apartments, I never really expected to experience a fire or a burglary. But I always bought renters insurance just in case. Owning an AR-style rifle is "white nationalist" insurance just in case. Whitfield family organizing 3-day conference on hate and healing after 5/14 massacre The Whitfields hope that by bringing together leaders and experts from around the country to meet with the survivors and the community in Buffalo, they can find paths forward. Can the nations open wound be healed again? Maybe. Perhaps efforts like the April 21-22 conference on hate speech at SUNY Buffalo State can begin to reverse the tide. It is being organized by the family of Ruth Whitfield, one of 10 Black people killed because of their race in last years Jefferson Avenue supermarket massacre by a gunman wielding an AR-style rifle. But putting a scab back on that wound will be a long-term process, at best. Thats especially true when a former president-turned-leading Republican contender, the nations top-rated cable news network and social media that radicalizes people like the Buffalo shooter work assiduously to stoke white resentment, grievance and violence. Though fully cognizant of the irony, I dont consider unilateral disarmament a smart option in that racial climate. Though motivated by opposite philosophies, I wanted an AR-15 for the same reason the Buffalo shooter wanted one: for the damage it can do. Thats what racism sows in America. Every year, norovirus causes hundreds of millions of cases of food poisoning -; and the deaths of at least 50,000 children -; yet there exists no real way to control it. The virus has proven exceptionally difficult to study in the lab, and scientists have struggled to develop effective vaccines and drugs. A new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis describes a creative way to make a vaccine against norovirus by piggybacking on the highly effective vaccines for rotavirus, an unrelated virus that also causes diarrhea. The researchers created an experimental rotavirus-norovirus combo vaccine by adding a key protein from norovirus to a harmless strain of rotavirus. Mice that received the experimental vaccine produced neutralizing antibodies against both rotavirus and norovirus. The study, available online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, outlines an innovative approach to preventing one of the most common and intractable viral infections. Pretty much everyone has had norovirus at some point. You go out to eat, and the next thing you know you're vomiting and having diarrhea. You will recover, but it's going to be a rough three days or so. For kids in the developing world who don't have access to clean water, though, it can be deadly. The rotavirus vaccines work really well, and there are already global distribution systems set up for them, so based on that, we saw an opportunity to finally make some headway against norovirus." Siyuan Ding, PhD, senior author, assistant professor of molecular microbiology Before the first rotavirus vaccines were rolled out in 2006, half a million children around the world died every year of diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection. Now, the number is estimated to be about 200,000 -; still high but a huge improvement. Four rotavirus vaccines are in use around the world. All are live-virus vaccines, meaning they are based on weakened forms of rotavirus capable of triggering an immune response but not of making people sick. Human norovirus, on the other hand, has stymied scientific investigation for decades. It doesn't infect mice or rats or any other ordinary lab animals, so the kinds of experiments that led to the development of rotavirus vaccines have been impossible to replicate with norovirus. Ding and colleagues -; including first author Takahiro Kawagishi, PhD, a staff scientist in Ding's lab, and co-corresponding author Harry B. Greenberg, MD, a professor emeritus of medicine at Stanford University -; came up with the idea of using rotavirus to bypass the technical difficulties of working with norovirus. They worked with a laboratory strain of rotavirus as a stand-in for one of the approved rotavirus vaccines, which are proprietary. The researchers inserted the gene for the protein that forms the outer surface of human norovirus into the genome of the rotavirus lab strain. Then, they administered the modified rotavirus to immunocompromised infant mice by mouth, the same way rotavirus vaccines are given to children. They took blood and fecal samples four, six and eight weeks later. Nine weeks after the initial immunization, the researchers gave the mice a booster by injection and took samples again a week later. A strong antibody response was evident in the blood of nine of 11 mice tested, and in the intestines of all 11 mice. Even better, some of the antibodies from the blood and the intestines were able to neutralize both viruses in human "mini-gut" cultures in a dish. Such cultures, also known as organoids, are grown from human stem cells and replicate the surface of the human gut. "Traditionally, vaccine studies have focused on the antibody response in the blood, because we understand that part of the immune response the best," Ding said. "But norovirus and rotavirus are gut viruses, so antibodies in the blood are less important than the ones in the intestines in terms of fighting off these viruses. The fact that we saw a strong antibody response in the intestines is a good sign." The next step is to show that animals immunized with the experimental vaccine are less likely to get sick or die from norovirus. Ding has such experiments underway. The power of this study is that it outlines a novel approach that could accelerate vaccine development for a variety of troublesome organisms that cause diarrhea, especially in resource-limited countries where many of these infections occur. "There are a lot of intestinal pathogens out there for which we don't have good treatments or vaccines," Ding said. "In principle, we could put a gene from any organism that infects the intestinal tract into the rotavirus vaccine to create a bivalent vaccine. We'd have to find the right targets to produce a good immune response, of course, but the principle is simple. "As basic scientists, we rarely get the chance to actually move something forward into the clinic," Ding continued. "We study what the virus does and how the host responds at a basic level. This is a rare opportunity for our work to affect human health directly and make people's lives better." In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers evaluate the impact of digitalization on a societal level by using a linguistic big-data approach. Study: Increasing digitalization is associated with anxiety and depression: A Google Ngram analysis. Image Credit: insta_photos / Shutterstock.com Background The prevalence rates of depression and anxiety are rising worldwide, especially after the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts taken for improving mental health emphasize in-person therapies or providing remote health interventions through digitalized platforms. The identification of associated risk factors, aggravating factors, and characterization of the underlying processes of mental dysfunction could improve the efficacy of treatment and, as a result, the standard of care provided to patients. Previous studies have evaluated society-level risk factors restricted to socioeconomic status, unemployment, social capital, climatic change, and migration, with most of these studies depending on self-documented data for analysis. About the study In the present study, researchers utilized data retrieved from the Google Books Ngram Viewer (Google Ngram) to investigate the digital revolution's impact on depression and anxiety by reviewing the historically disjointed works of literature on anxiety, depression, and digitalization. The usage frequencies of the words anxiety, 'depression,' and 'digitalization' over the previous 50 years up to 2019 were retrieved and adjusted from the Google Ngram digital data repository, which comprises eight million books, or 6% of all books published. The word frequencies for the 'religion' world list were also assessed as controls. The analysis data was from six languages, including German, British English, Russian, Spanish, Italian, and French. Lists of depression and anxiety words were retrieved from the International Classification of Diseases eighth revision (ICD-8), ICD-9, ICD-10, and ICD-11 codes. The team derived lists of digitalization words from Wolf and Bartelheimer and Brewster and Murray-Smith, spanning over 50 years. Using the Younes and Reips method sets comprising 26 and 33 words that most precisely represented depression and anxiety, and digitalization, respectively, were generated. Next, Roget's Thesaurus online dictionary was used to search for synonyms to exclude those with a broader linguistic meaning. By using the method, 85 words across the Spanish, German, French, Italian, and Russian languages were obtained, with cross-validations from 73 inhabitants who were fluent in English. Terms having double meanings were excluded from the analysis, following which the two final lists comprised 59 terms. Word inflections were analyzed for quantifying the word lists utilizing the '_INF' tag for every word and comparatively evaluating the word inflection frequencies. The team calculated the correlation coefficients between the word frequencies in years and percentages, as well as the summed-up z-scores across all languages and word lists. Results Depression and anxiety word frequencies were significantly correlated, as were digitalization and anxiety word frequencies. No statistically significant correlation was observed for the control construct' religion' word frequencies over the previous 50 years. The word frequencies for religion and depression were negatively correlated. Strongly positive correlations were observed for word frequencies across languages between anxiety and years, depression and years, and digitalization and years; however, no statistically significant correlations between religion and years were observed. Similar correlations were observed for depression and anxiety words and negative correlations for religion using Spanish, German, Italian, or French words exclusively. English and Russian words showed marginally different correlations for depression and anxiety; however, these results were significantly negative for the correlation between digitalization and religion. Conclusions Taken together, depression, digitalization, and anxiety frequencies jointly elevated in the previous 50 years between 1970 and 2019 as compared to the control religion word list, with anxiety and depression strongly correlated with each other. These findings highlight the effect of digitalization on depression and anxiety, thereby adding to social science data by describing the relatively increased frequency of the use of digitalization, depression, and anxiety terms. These observations also provide further support for the simultaneous occurrence of depression and anxiety. Notably, the researchers devised a novel approach for investigating the causes and prevalence of mental health disorders by refining current linguistic-type big data methods. Thus, the methodology used here could aid in developing different methods to assess self-reported data in social psychology and clinical research. The study results contribute to understanding the impact of societal alterations on the mental well-being of individuals. While individuals may benefit from digital health interventions in terms of their increased accessibility, increasing digitalization may degrade the mental well-being of individuals. Thus, governments and other health authorities must only adopt digitalization after weighing its risk-benefit ratio. Research is revealing that some patients living far away from specialist health service provision choose not to use these services because of the long distances they have to travel. Municipal health services and hospitals in Helgeland in Nordland county are joining forces with a research team to find out how they can work together to alleviate the situation. Our aim is to move the health services closer to where people live. We'll achieve this by testing out an entirely new addition to health service provision that we call a 'health room'", they add. Kari Sand and Merete Rrvik, SINTEF researchers One of the key elements of the new system is Microsoft's HoloLens headset technology, which employs a combination of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) to enable a remote health worker to 'see' through the eyes of a colleague wearing the headset. Local 'hospitals' with HoloLens headsets A health room might be a real room located somewhere in the local community, such as a GP surgery, care home or other municipal facility. "The idea is that it will contain medical equipment and technology that offer patients, next-of-kin, municipal health workers and the specialist health services new ways of interacting, as well as flexible systems enabling access to expertise and equipment", says Sand. "Our aim is to move the health services closer to where people live. "We're in the process of running a pilot project in Rdy municipality to test how the system works", says Rrvik. "We'll be experimenting with services such as consultations using the HoloLens headsets", she says. "For example, an orthopaedist at his or her desk in Helgeland Hospital, with the assistance of an on-site physiotherapist or general practitioner, will be able to examine a patient with an open fracture in Rdy", says Rrvik. Less unnecessary travel The need to develop this kind of service is the result of Norwegian geography. The sparsely populated areas and island communities of the Helgeland region are a good example. "The health room service will be available to all ages, but will be all the more welcome to the elderly and chronically sick, who will no longer have to spend a whole day travelling for minor examinations and follow-up consultations", says Sand. "The most important function of a health room will be to prevent patients from having to spend a great deal of time travelling to so-called 'ten-minute' consultations when they can get the same service locally", says Rrvik. "However, if you have to undergo a major operation, of course you will still have to be admitted to hospital", she adds. There are also indications that a health room will mean that fewer patients will have to be admitted to hospital simply 'for safety's sake'. Multiple services These days, it is important to be restructuring the health service in a way that ensures that patients have equal access to care, whether they live in an island community, or just a stone's throw from a municipal centre or a university hospital", says Sand. Participants in the research project have submitted many ideas about the services they want to see tested in the health room. "They include everything from psychiatry and chemotherapy, to neurological examinations and the treatment of skin problems and open fractures", says Sand. We envisage that the rooms will offer scanners and x-ray machines, as well as blood transfusion equipment", says Sand. A new health service During the project period, the health room model will be tested out on different patient groups and for a variety of patient pathways. "The insights we obtain will be used to construct a new service model incorporating systems that govern aspects such as financing and personnel roles and responsibilities", says Rrvik, emphasising at the same time that the project is not being driven by economic considerations. "However, nor will the health room model make healthcare provision any more expensive", she assures us. The municipalities of Brnny and Dnna are also participating in the project together with Rdy municipality and Helgeland Hospital. The project's technology partner is the 'gazelle' company Checkware in Trondheim, which supplies digital aids for patient reporting. The 'gazelle' label is awarded to smaller companies exhibiting rapid and successful growth. The research project is called 'Helserom Helgeland' (Health Room Helgeland). It has a four-year term and will be concluded in 2025. African and European partners join forces to enable the World Health Organisation's (WHO) "Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases" (NTDs) and reduce the burden of disease associated with worm infections. Worm infections (helminthiases) affect around 1.5 billion people worldwide, making them one of the most prevalent infections in humans. Parasitic worms (helminths) are often transmitted through insect bites or contaminated soil in areas with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. These infections can cause chronic and debilitating health problems, such as lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis (river blindness), loiasis (African eye worm), mansonellosis, and trichuriasis (whipworm infection). To combat various soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and filarial worms, a new multidisciplinary consortium of research institutes, universities and not-for-profit organisations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Europe, coordinated by the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) in Germany, will work together to establish a new adaptive clinical trial platform and improve the clinical research infrastructure in several SSA countries. While each partner will bring unique know-how and complementary experience to achieve the project's objectives, strong representation from the Global South will drive eWHORM activities. eWHORM will be funded with EUR 7.9 million from the European Union's European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP3) programme and additional EUR 3.4 million from the Swiss Government over the next five years. Achieving the ambitious WHO Road Map goals Despite significant progress in preventing and controlling helminthiases, many existing drugs have proven problematic in terms of efficacy, treatment duration, and safety. In addition, the chronic underinvestment in healthcare in developing countries has led to poor infrastructure and inadequately trained technical staff. The eWHORM project aims to address these issues by further developing and testing more efficacious and safe treatment options that act across different helminth species. The project will also train healthcare professionals to enable the diagnosis of multiple diseases in four endemic countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Gabonese Republic, the Republic of Cameroon, and the United Republic of Tanzania. This major leap will help to achieve two pressing WHO objectives: (1) eliminating filarial and STH infections and (2) building capacity in endemic countries. Responding to persisting and future health challenges Establishing a robust and equitable clinical research infrastructure is crucial to sustaining the progress that will be brought about by eWHORM. To this end, project partners will promote research network building, knowledge exchange, skill sharing, and gender equality awareness. Early career scientists in SSA will be supported through a Master's and PhD programme, mentorship programme, and dedicated webinars on all aspects of clinical trial conduct and research. This will, in turn, increase effectiveness and preparedness for both current and future health crises and ensure equitable access to treatment, care, and support for all patients. Cutting-edge clinical trial to end multiple neglected tropical diseases The broad-spectrum helminth-killing (pan-nematode anthelmintic) drug oxfendazole (OXF) is used since several decades in the veterinary field to treat multiple species of helminths safely and effectively. In the recent drug development initiative "Helminth Elimination Platform" (HELP), a field-applicable formulation of the cost-effective and easy-to-manufacture drug OXF was developed and a bioavailability study was performed in humans. Several partners, who worked towards a superior, pan-nematode anthelmintic in HELP, are now continuing their ground-breaking research in eWHORM. Our mission in eWHORM is to assess the efficacy of OXF for simultaneous evaluation against onchocerciasis, loiasis, mansonellosis, and trichuriasis. To do this, we plan to set up a state-ofthe-art adaptive basket trial that can test OXF against multiple diseases at once. This will help us to quickly find out if OXF works and get it to patients faster." Marc Hubner, project coordinator, professor of translational microbiology at the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP) at the University Hospital Bonn "The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Dr. Sabine Specht, Head of Filarial Disease at DNDi, have a long-standing track record in developing and enabling access to more effective and affordable drugs for Neglected Tropical Diseases," adds Hubner. "Together with some of the most eminent research and development partners and national stakeholders worldwide, we are looking forward to contributing to what can generate a profound change in the treatment and elimination of helminth diseases." Next to the University of Buea, the Centre de Recherches Medicales de Lambarene, and the Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, the consortium includes experts from the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, the Medical University of Vienna, the Erasmus University Medical Center, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and Eurice - European Research and Project Office GmbH. In a recent study published in the journal SSM Qualitative Research in Health, researchers in Canada examined expert discourses about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in pregnancy. COVID-19 vaccination recommendations in pregnancy have been increasingly consistent across Australia, Europe, and North America. However, inconsistencies regarding vaccination in pregnancy were evident between national guidance in the early months of vaccination. In Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is responsible for making recommendations, but decisions on vaccine policy/funding are made by provinces and territories (P/Ts). Study: COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy: How discrepant public health discourses shape responsibility for fetal health. Image Credit: Unai Huizi Photography / Shutterstock The study and findings The present study evaluated expert public health discourses regarding COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. The team performed a Google search between May 4 and 12, 2021, to obtain texts on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. Search results were included if they contained expert discourses on vaccination in pregnancy to inform healthcare providers (HCPs), policymakers, and pregnant individuals. They performed a discourse analysis to examine intertextuality, social construction, and contradictions between/within texts. The authors noted that recommendations and discourses were discrepant and sometimes contradictory within texts, including in the same P/T. The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) recommended vaccination in pregnancy, describing theoretical safety and preliminary evidence of maternal antibody transfer upon immunization. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) recommended from the beginning of the pandemic that pregnant individuals should be offered vaccines or were eligible for vaccination. They consistently emphasized emerging/available data, individual autonomy, and the safety of vaccination in pregnancy. NACIs recommendation included discretionary advice that pregnant people may be offered complete vaccination, preferably with mRNA vaccines, if the benefits outweighed the potential risks and if the informed consent discussed the evidence. NACI initially recommended in December 2020 that vaccines should not be routinely offered in pregnancy until further evidence was available. Later, NACI updated the discretionary guidance in May 2021 to strongly recommend mRNA vaccines to pregnant and breastfeeding individuals. Vaccine manufacturers BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Moderna, stated in the product labels that the vaccines safety was not yet established in pregnant individuals. Several P/T texts referenced NACI/SOGC recommendations. However, texts recommending vaccination during pregnancy were discrepant from others in the same P/T. For instance, a Toronto public health infographic encouraged vaccination, whereas text from the Ontario Ministry of Health suggested that pregnant people may opt for vaccination after counseling from the HCP. Nineteen P/T texts emphasized the right of pregnant individuals to decide whether to vaccinate. Several texts underscored the evidence on the COVID-19 risk in pregnancy, observational data on vaccine safety/efficacy, and maternal antibody transfer to fetuses/infants. Further, texts often highlighted discourses about motherhood, leaving pregnant individuals to decide after assessing the unknown vaccination risk against COVID-19 risk. Besides, five texts mentioned non-pharmacologic measures as an alternative to vaccination in pregnancy. Two texts suggested measures for everyone upon vaccination, and seven recommended additional safety measures for vaccinated pregnant individuals. Eight texts provided guidance on assessing specific COVID-19 risks for pregnant individuals, whereas thirty texts did not mention additional measures for this sub-population. At the national level, one SOGC text specified eight ways of avoiding COVID-19, which were more critical if pregnant. Several P/T texts also asked pregnant people to consider additional ways of preventing COVID-19 when making vaccination decisions. Conclusions The researchers noted discrepancies in expert discourses about vaccination for COVID-19 in pregnancy. Most P/T recommendations were based on those from NACI or SOGC that pregnant individuals may or should be vaccinated, respectively. P/T texts listing recommendations from the advisory bodies were particularly unclear. Therefore, collaboration is needed between national and P/T advisory bodies to harmonize recommendations. The authors observed that expert discourses restricted the autonomy of females and pregnant individuals in decision-making and held them responsible for avoiding risks to their fetus(es) without offering clear guidance or support. Discrepancies in discourses on vaccination in pregnancy may lead to enhanced perceptive risks and ambiguity as to who is responsible for risk mitigation. Overall, the findings showed that discrepancies emerged when decision-makers and HCPs were flooded with the rapidly growing evidence base, recommendations, and discourses. The need for changes in vaccination recommendations could be reduced if data on vaccination in pregnant/breastfeeding individuals were obtained and analyzed before the vaccine rollout. In a recent study published in the Nature Communications Journal, researchers examined the international dissemination of the outbreak of extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei) strain transmitted via men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United Kingdom (UK). Study: The evolution and international spread of extensively drug resistant Shigella sonnei. Image Credit: TatianaShepeleva/Shutterstock.com Background S. sonnei, the causal agent of shigellosis, a gastrointestinal (GI) infection, exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) in the 1960s. Since it causes high levels of morbidity and mortality in lower to middle-income countries (LMIC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic) for empirical treatment of shigellosis. After S. sonnei acquired resistance to ciprofloxacin, the WHO raised the urgency for new antibiotics against this microbe. XDR S. sonnei strains resist all commonly recommended empiric and alternative antibiotics, e.g., first-line antimicrobials, such as ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, extended-spectrum -lactam antibiotics, such as ceftriaxone, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ampicillin. This subtype previously caused periodic outbreaks in some countries but did not spread widely like its MDR predecessors. From 2015 to 2019, when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, S. sonnei was resistant to both azithromycin and ciprofloxacin transmitted via MSM in the UK. During the pandemic, its case numbers dramatically declined. However, S. sonnei resurged in late 2021 to cause an outbreak that likely involved multiple countries. About the study In the present study, researchers used genomic epidemiology to study the evolutionary trajectory of S. sonnei and the foundation of its XDR genotype. In addition, they explored the extent of dissemination of representatives of all S. sonnei subclades, including those assigned a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) address by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), across UK, France, Belgium, Australia, and the United States of America (USA). The lineage with SNP address 1.1.1.1.377 became XDR, and the researchers examined the outbreak at the 10-SNP threshold. For consistency with the prior report, they referred to the 1.1.1.1.377 SNP linkage cluster as t10.377. Results The researchers analyzed 3,304 isolates from five countries, and their genomic epidemiological analyses uncovered a global connection for the recent UK XDR outbreak. Analysis of eight isolates from the UK revealed that all carried an identical plasmid with the bla CTX-M-27 gene called p893816. Isolates from France and Australia also matched this plasmid from the UK. Recently, a study showed that this plasmid inhibited the host SOS response to very low inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin. While p893816 was present in most BAPS 5 isolates, its 2018 ancestor carrying a low-fitness cost resistance plasmid was found previously in an S. flexneri 3a isolate from Australia. It seems likely that this plasmid will continue to spread via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to other microbial species and Shigella serotypes among MSMs. Of the 2,895 S. sonnei isolates analyzed in this study, the t10.377 cluster constituted 483 S. sonnei isolates. The team analyzed these 483 isolates alongside 475 CipR.MSM5 isolates originating from France, Australia, the USA, and Belgium. They constructed an SNP-based phylogeny and further divided this population into BAPS clusters. This analysis favored the notion that the evolution pattern of MSM-related S. sonnei was structured temporally (not geographically). Further, it revealed that the CipR.MSM5 genotype and the BAPS 5 cluster likely emerged in 2014 and 2018, respectively. A monophyletic lineage of S. sonnei carrying the bla CTX-M-27 gene was circulating intercontinental across regions historically considered low-risk for shigellosis. Moreover, these isolates correlated with phenotypic ceftriaxone resistance. Conclusions Both MDR and XDR Shigella strains have evolved to become problematic within the MSM community, likely due to excessive antibiotic use to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). For instance, MSM have been using azithromycin for STD treatment, which led MSM-related Shigella to acquire mph(A) and erm(B) antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. In the high-risk MSM community, Shigella strains acquire genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from the commensal gut microbiota to hone their AMR repertoire. Accordingly, MDR S. sonnei, e.g., the BAPS5 lineage, is causing outbreaks throughout the global MSM community. It is a global public health concern, which raises the risk of treatment failure and the advent of pan-drug-resistant S. sonnei strains. The study results highlighted the threat of horizontal transfer of AMR genes and sexually transmissible enteric infections (STEIs) in MSM and beyond. Thus, it is critical to share relevant genomic surveillance data continuously across the globe. As Maruti Suzuki is all set to launch one of its much-awaited 5-door SUVs Jimny in India, more details and images regarding the same have started surfacing on the internet. Amid this, the company has been caught shooting an advertisement for the off-road vehicle in Ladakh, where Lok Sabha MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal slammed the brand for harming the fragile ecosystem of his constituency. He also shared a video of the advertisement campaign shoot on his official Twitter handle, expressing displeasure over the companys shooting. He also captioned his post, where he wrote that the fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary and lets preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future generations, Namgyal added in the post. Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door Unveiled at Auto Expo 2023: Price, Launch Date, Features and More Take a look at a video shared by Lok Sabha MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal of Jimny shoot campaign I condemn @Maruti_Corps irresponsible advertisement act. The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary. Lets preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future gen. pic.twitter.com/2IaC4vUkcI Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (@jtnladakh) April 10, 2023 However, the firm has not reacted to the same as yet. Meanwhile, interested customers can book the all-new Maruti Suzuki Jimny from any authorized NEXA dealership. They have to pay a token amount of Rs 25,000, which is totally refundable. The has not revealed the official launch date as of now, but the report says it will go on sale in the second half of May. The vehicle will come in two variants- Zeta and Alpha. Both models will feature 1.5-litre K15B 4-cylinder petrol engine with an idle start/stop function. These engines will generate 134Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm and a power of 103 BHP at 6,000 rpm. Read all the Latest Auto News here Keshub Mahindra, who was the chairman emeritus of Mahindra and Mahindra, has passed away on Wednesday at the age of 99, according to a tweet by INSPACe Chairman Pawan K Goenka. Keshub Mahindra, who had a net worth of $1.2 billion, was Indias oldest billionaire. The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to mtgs with him and inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti," Pawan K Goenka said in the tweet. The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to mtgs with him and inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti. Pawan K Goenka (@GoenkaPk) April 12, 2023 After his retirement from the position of chairman in August 2012, he handed over the reins of Mahindra & Mahindra to his nephew Anand Mahindra. Since then, Keshub continued to mentor and guide the companys growth. Keshub Mahindra was a graduate from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA. After joining the Company in 1947, he became the Chairman in 1963. He was a well-known philanthropist who has redefined good corporate governance in India. He was also appointed by the Government of India to serve on many Committees including the Sachar Commission on Company Law & MRTP and the Central Advisory Council of Industries. In 1987, he was awarded the Chevalier de lOrdre National de la Legion dhonneur by the French Government. From 2004 to 2010, Mahindra was a Member of the Prime Ministers Council on Trade & Industry, New Delhi. Keshub Mahindra was also a member of the Apex Advisory Council of ASSOCHAM and was the President Emeritus of the Employers Federation of India. He was an Honorary Fellow of the All India Management Association, New Delhi and a member of the Council of the United World Colleges (International) in the United Kingdom. He also served on several Boards and Councils in both the private and public domain, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC and ICICI. Mahindra was also the Founder Chairman of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited); Vice-Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd; Chairman Mahindra Ugine Steel Co. Ltd; Director of Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited. Read all the Latest Business News here The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued a new notification regarding the new tax regime. If an employee fails to choose between the new and old tax regime, the employer will take the new income tax regime as default and subtract the tax deducted at source (TDS) under it. As per Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the new tax regime will be the default one from financial year 2023-24. In accordance with this, the CBDT has issued a circular regarding the TDS deduction. If intimation is not made by the employee, it shall be presumed that the employee continues to be in the default tax regime and has not exercised the option to opt out of the new tax regime. Accordingly, in such a case, the employer shall deduct tax at source, on income under section 192 of the Act, in accordance with the rates provided under sub-section (lA) of section 115BAC of the Act, the circular said. It is the responsibility of the employer has to seek information from the employee about the intended tax regime and deduct the tax accordingly after getting the information. Differences between new and old tax regime: Under the new tax regime, the basic exemption limit has been hiked to Rs 3lakh. The amount of rebate under Section 87A has been increased to taxable income of Rs 7 lakh under the regime. Standard deduction of Rs 50,000 has also been introduced in the system. Salaried employees and pensioners can opt for a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 under the new income tax regime. There are six tax slabs under the regime. Those who wish to continue with the old income tax regime will get exemptions such as Section 80C, which can reduce the taxable income by Rs 1.5 lakh. The tax slabs and basic exemption limit remain unchanged. The old tax regime also offers deduction on loans and health insurance premiums. Those who wish to opt for the old tax regime must specify it each year. Taxpayers must note that they cannot change the tax regime for a financial year once they have made a choice. They must choose the tax regime beneficial for them after weighing all the pros and cons. Read all the Latest Business News here Indias largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services declared its Q4FY23 financial results on April 12. Apart from financial results, the TCS board also announced the final dividend for 2022-23 at its 28th annual general meeting. TCS net profit had stood at Rs 9,959 in the corresponding period last year (Q4 FY22). The companys board recommended a final dividend of Rs 24 per equity share. The IT major has reported 14.8% jump YoY in its net profit to Rs 11,436 for the quarter ended March 2023 (Q4 FY23). The revenue from operations of Indias largest IT services company also rose 16.94% to Rs 59,162, compared with Rs 50,591 crore in the year-ago period. Also Read: TCS Q4 Results: Net Profit Rises 14.8% YoY To Rs 11,436 Crore, Revenue Up 17%, Rs 24 Dividend Declared On a constant currency basis, TCS revenue jumped 13.5 per cent during the December 2022 quarter. TCS board had also declared a third interim dividend of Rs 8 and a special dividend of Rs 67 per equity share of Rs 1 each of the company. In the previous quarter of October-December 2022, TCS (TCS) consolidated net profit stood at Rs 10,846 crore, a jump of 11% on a year-on-year basis. During October-December 2022, TCS revenue rose 19.1 per cent year-on-year to Rs 58,229 crore. Read all the Latest Business News, Tax News and Stock Market Updates here MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) One of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-0 to reinstate Justin Pearson as a state representative. I will continue to fight with and for our people, whether in or out of office. We and the young protesters are the future of a new Tennessee. Those who seek to silence us will not have the final say, Pearson wrote in an op-ed published in The New York Times. Republicans expelled Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones last week over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. Read the rest of the story here: Photos: Scenes from the mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville The United States on Tuesday formally accepted a historic agreement banning harmful fisheries subsidies, becoming the first among large fishing nations in the World Trade Organization to do so. WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala hailed the move for bringing the agreement closer to coming into effect. This strong show of support by the United States for the WTOs work toward ocean sustainability marks a pivotal increase in momentum among the membership to ensure this landmark agreement enters into force," she said in a statement. Before the announcement, only Singapore, the Seychelles and Switzerland had formally accepted the deal. The WTO #FisheriesSubsidies Agreement is the first ever multilateral trade agreement placing environmental sustainability at the core. It will help improve the livelihoods of fishers around the world, said USTR @AmbassadorTai. #WTOFishCount Read: https://t.co/S4ILM38Hx2 pic.twitter.com/YajcNGgrgQ WTO (@wto) April 11, 2023 After more than two decades of negotiations towards banning subsidies that encourage overfishing and threaten the sustainability of the planets fish stocks, a deal, albeit watered down, was finally sealed last June. The agreement bans subsidies that contribute to fishing that is illegal, unreported or unregulated, or of overfished stock, but it stopped short of banning subsides that contribute to overfishing more broadly. Members are meanwhile continuing to negotiate on outstanding issues with an eye to agreeing additional provisions to the agreement at the next WTO ministerial conference, to be held in the United Arab Emirates in February 2024. For the 2022 agreement to be implemented, two-thirds of the WTOs 164 members must submit their instruments of acceptance" with the Geneva-based global trade body. Upon depositing Washingtons instrument of acceptance, US trade representative Katherine Tai said her country was proud to be among the first to sign on to the first-ever multilateral trade agreement with environmental sustainability at its core". It will help improve the lives of fishers and workers here in the United States and elsewhere, and we look forward to building on this agreement with other WTO members," she said in a statement. Read all the Latest Business News here A total of 2,838 complaints against companies and market intermediaries were disposed of through the Securities and Exchange Board of Indias SCORES platform in March. At the beginning of March, as many as 2,241 complaints were pending and 2,643 fresh complaints were received during the month, the data released by Sebi showed. The regulator also noted that as of March 2023, 13 complaints were pending for more than three months. These complaints were related to investment adviser, research analyst and takeover/ restructuring. The average resolution time for a complaint was 29 days, it added. SCORES is a grievance redressal system that was launched by Sebi in June 2011. How To File Complaint Against Mutual Fund On Sebi SCORES? SEBI Complaints Redress System (SCORES) facilitates you to lodge your complaint online and subsequently view its status. SCORES is an online platform designed to help investors to lodge their complaints, pertaining to the securities market, online with SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries. All complaints received by SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries are dealt through SCORES. How Can Investors Lodge Their Complaint Online In SCORES? It is mandatory to register on SCORES for lodging a complaint. To become a registered user of SCORES, investors may click on Register here under Investor Corner appearing on the homepage of SCORES portal. After logging into SCORES, investors must click on Complaint Registration under Investor Corner. Investors should provide complaint details. Investors must select the correct complaint category, entity name, and nature of complaint. Investors must provide complaint details in brief (up to 1000 characters). A PDF document (up to 2MB of size for each nature of complaint) can also be attached along with the complaint as supporting document. A system generated unique registration number will be displayed on the screen after successful submission of a complaint. You may note it for future correspondence. An email acknowledging the complaint with a complaint registration number will also be sent to the email id entered in the complaint registration form. A text message will also be sent to the investor informing them about registration of the complaint. Mandatory details for filing complaints on SCORES: Name, PAN, Address, Mobile Number, Email ID To facilitate replies to various queries of the general public on matters relating to the securities market, SEBI has toll free helpline service number 1800 266 7575 or 1800 22 7575. The toll free helpline service is available to investors from all over India and is in 8 languages viz. English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada. Read all the Latest Business News here Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) will declare the date and time for the State Board Class 10 and 12 results soon. Once the MP Board Result 2023 is declared, students can check their scorecards by visiting the official website of MPBSE at mpbse.nic.in. According to media reports, the MPBSE Result for Classes 10 and 12 will be issued by the last week of April or the first week of May. Meanwhile, reports also suggest that the MPBSE is expected to announce the Class 10 and 12 results together but there are chances of the MP Board 12th result being declared first for all three streams Science, Arts, and Commerce. This year, the MPBSE conducted the Class 10 exam from March 1 to March 27, while the MP Board Class 12 exams were held from March 2 to April 5. Students are advised to keep their admit cards ready to check their results. Apart from the official website, the MP Board Class 10 and 12 results can be checked via a mobile app - MP Board Result 2023 app from the Google Play Store. Students are requested to wait for an official notification from the education board about the result. Currently, the answer sheets or copies of Classes 10 and 12 exams are being checked by subject experts. MP BOARD CLASS 10, 12 RESULTS 2023: HOW TO CHECK Step 1: Go to the official website at mpbse.nic.in. Step 2: Click on the link provided for MP Board 12th Result 2023 and MP Board 10th Result 2023, once it is active. Step 3: On the new window, enter the registration number or roll number on the candidate portal. Then click on submit. Step 4: The MP Board 12th Result and MP Board 10th Result will appear on the screen. Step 5: Cross-check and download the MP Board Result 2023. Last year, the pass percentage of MP Board Class 10 was 59.54 per cent. The results were announced in a press conference on April 29 . In 2022, a total of 72.72 per cent of students passed the Class 12 exam. According to reports, the pass percentage of boys was 69.94 per cent while for girls it was 70.64 per cent. To know more about the upcoming board result 2023, click here. Read all the Latest Education News here Karnatakas former chief minister Jagadish Shettar is scheduled to meet Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda around 2 pm on Wednesday as disappointment within the party continues to surface post the release of first list of candidates for upcoming state elections. I am going to Delhi because Nadda had dialled me. He asked me to come over for a discussion. I am hoping for a positive outcome. Whatever will happen, will be for the good of the party. In the coming days, the party high command and state leaders will specify everything," Shettar said. The former CM further said that has already met BS Yediyurappa, who was in Delhi for meetings to finalise tickets for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections. I am going directly to Delhi as my flight is delayed. I will meet Yediyurappa again after coming from the national capital," he added. Shettar further said that he has been in the party for two years without any status. I organized the party without any authority. I have done so many things through our ministers. I am ready to announce my retirement without giving any reason. But my opinion is that you should go out of politics with respect, and not like this (by being denied a ticket)," the former CM said, adding that his soft corner" for that party has brought me this far." The six-time MLA has, who was denied a ticket, has asked the party to reconsider and said that he will contest at any cost. Yediyurappa was in Delhi since last week along with chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for meetings to pick the candidates. There were also speculations that Yediyurappa was upset with the party as he returned to Bengaluru before the announcement of the first list of candidates. When News18 asked CT Ravi on upset senior leaders mulling to resign, the BJP general secretary said, It happens in every party. We did take some time but leaders were selected through a democratic process. Jagdish and Laxman Savadi are close to me. We are in touch. They will be given new opportunity. We will settle the matter. In two to three days it will all be fine." Congress DK Shivakumar said that the BJP is divided" and they are going to collapse". Amid the growing disappointment within BJP, Congress is reportedly trying to woo former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi. Sources said that grand old party leader Raju Kage met Savadi as the former deputy CM is mulling to resign and is discussing his next course of action with his followers". Laxman Savadis Resignation Laxman Savadi resigned from the BJP on Wednesday. I have decided to resign from the primary position of the party. Power is not permanent for me. I am passionate about development on the field; protection of workers and people. I am not a shameless politician who goes around with a begging bowl for power. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone," the upset leader said. Savadi, who was deprived of the Athani constituency ticket, had been hinting at resignation. He had said that he would announce his decision after holding a discussion with the people of his constituency. When I was in BJP, I worked for the party like an ordinary worker. People should not be wronged for having faith in me. How do I repay the debt of those who trusted me? I lost my place today." an emotional Savadi said. Read all the Latest Politics News here The Congress in Karnataka seems to have got a head start in this election with successful campaigns against the BJP like PayCM and 40 per cent commission having made an impact. If the Grand Old Party strategises the elections well and does not get overconfident, it can come back to power with a full mandate, believes senior Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Veerappa Moily. In an exclusive interview to News18, Moily pointed to corruption as a major issue. He also called the move to increase the reservation quota for Lingayats and Vokkaligas an ad hoc one which has been done unscientifically. Edited excerpts Is Congress confident or overconfident? The Congress is confident. Overconfidence is not good. The confidence level is quite good because we were the early starters and the government (BJP) was sleeping. They, including their MLAs, indulged in corruption. The 40 per cent slogan that was coined really clicked for us and touched the hearts of the people. A contractor Santhosh died by suicide because of the demand for commission. Another suicide took place in Ramanagara. Many suicides have taken place and that has really touched people. They think yes, the BJP is a corrupt government. Do you think the people will give a full mandate to Congress? Yes, because we had a lot of meetings like the Mekedatu March. That was also a mega show from the Congress and BJP tried to scuttle it by filing cases against all of us. Even then we were not afraid and the march went on successfully. Do you think Congress is better organised this time around compared to previous elections? We are better organised than in the previous elections. In 2018, we were very confident because we were in the government. That overconfidence killed us. That is why we should not be overconfident this time. We reached out to the hearts of the people with literature and they were very impressed with our work. Corruption is certainly a big issue in this election. Congress' confidence is quite good, BJP has done a lot of corruption. Congress will get a full mandate. We are better organised this time: Dr. M Veerappa Moily (@moilyv), Fmr Karnataka CM & Congress leader on #KarnatakaElections2023 to @Rohini_Swamy #Congress #BJP #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/cgOudfFGWT News18 (@CNNnews18) April 12, 2023 Another burning issue in Karnataka is that of reservation. On what basis was the reservation given to Muslims by you? The issue had gone to the Supreme Court and they said four per cent [quota] should be given. The decision was taken based on the socio-educational survey conducted by the minority commission headed by Rahman Khan. When you go to the Supreme Court or High Court, they ask for data and it was available in Karnataka. That data proved to the courts that they deserved reservation. The BJP says the reservation given to minorities is unconstitutional and done by Congress and JDS for vote bank politics. If it was unconstitutional, the courts should have declared it so. They have gone to the courts here (Karnataka) as well as the Supreme Court. I did not give reservation exclusively to Muslims. I have done it as an entire package for all Backward Classes. So the Muslims became a class. Contrary to the allegations by Amit Shah saying it was a communal or religious reservation, it is not. I was conscious not to do it communally as I knew it will not succeed. I have included that in the list while implementing the Chinappa Reddy Commission. Chinappa Reddy was appointed, they conducted a survey and submitted a report to me and on that basis, I had allotted classes like IA, IB, IIA, etc. Muslims are classified as IIB under that Backward Class order. So it is a compact list of Backward Classes that Muslims have been given. Do you think anybody will allow us to implement it otherwise? It has been in implementation since 1993 till today for 35 years. The BJP suddenly wakes up today and calls it a religious reservation. If it goes to the courts today, will it stand? It has gone to the Supreme Court and High Court. My reservation decision was based on scientific data. Minorities, even Muslims, have been treated as a class and not a caste. It is not caste reservation and that is why it stood the scrutiny of law in the courts. The only thing that the Supreme Court said is that you cannot have a 72 per cent reservation and limit it to 50 per cent. I limited it. At first, I gave Muslims six per cent reservation, then I reduced it to four per cent. Proportionately, other classes were also reduced and kept under 50 per cent. The Congress is saying if voted to power, the decision on Muslim reservation will be reversed. But the reservation quota for the Vokkaligas and Lingayats has been increased now. How can they increase it? On what basis have they increased it without any scientific data? Everything that they (BJP) have done will be struck down. The decision to increase or reduce the usage of SC and ST has to be done by the National Commission for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribes. The BJP took it upon themselves to increase it and it now exceeds the 50 per cent cap. The present reservation is not implementable at all. If you want to make any changes to the state for Backward Classes, you have to report to the State Backward Class Commission. The Chinappa Reddy Commission report was implemented, but it was challenged before the Supreme Court in the Indira Sahni case that laid down the parameters of how classification can be done. It said it can be reviewed every 10 years which is the mandate of the Supreme Court. If they want to do it, my commissions was the last one. Though the BJP appointed another commission, they could not come up with a report. My commissions report stood the scrutiny of the law and the test of time. If you want to reverse it or change it, you can do so by reconsidering it as reservation is not permanent or static. How do you see the BJPs poll pitch on campaigning on development and not communalism? Do you remember the statement of [Nalin Kumar] Kateel who said we are not interested in development, we will only talk about hijab and other issues? This is the statement of BJPs state president. I hail from the Karavali (South Karnataka) region and won my seat in Karkala for six continuous terms even though my community had just around 5,000-6,000 votes. When I was the state leader, I would take more interest in strategising at the state level. Earlier, the two districts of Dakshin Kannada and Udupi used to be one. These two districts put together, not twice but thrice, we won all of them. Of the three Lok Sabha seats, I won all three seats. In all the zilla and taluka panchayat, we had 100 per cent results. Congress will have to strategise in such a way that this is a temporary phenomenon. Now you have just one MLA in the region. We have just one MLA there because Congress had not properly strategised. If we strategise well, Congress can come back with 100 per cent results. That is also possible now. I have seen all these waves in 55 years of my experience. The BJP has been raising issues like Veer Savarkar, Tipu Sultan and Hijab. How do you see this narrative and its effect, especially in areas like Dakshin Kannada? South Karnataka is a cosmopolitan region, a cauldron of all communities. There are Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Bearys. Even from my microscopic community hailing from the region, anyone can become chief minister. Whenever I contested, I have won. Suppose I go there today, I am telling you this, I will win. I am historian of sorts and I want to tell you that Rani Abakka was a brave warrior who fought against the Portuguese and kept them at bay. Even the British managed to occupy this region towards the end because of the unity of the people. Tipu Sultan united people, Rani Abakka united people. This the secular character of the region. If Tipu sultan practised communalism, he would not have got a place in the hearts of the people of Dakshin Karnataka. Tipu Sultan was never communal. When the Maratha kings attacked Sringeri, Tipu Sultan gave shelter, jewels and lands to the Sringeri Swamiji. A pooja is also done in his name in Sringeri, Kollur, and Nanjangud. In Srirangapatna, which was his capital, one of the biggest temples remains intact. He allowed a big temple to survive. History cannot be distorted. Read all the Latest Politics News here Hawkeye star Jeremy Renner makes a grand return to the red carpet after his snow plow accident. The actor, who was in a near-fatal accident back in the winter which broke 30 bones, walked the red carpet of his new series Rennervations. For the special night, Jeremy was seen dressed in a dapper tuxedo and walked out on the red carpet with a cane. After walking the carpet for a bit, he turned toward a motorist scooter to help him move around and give media interviews. Speaking with Variety, Jeremy said, I was really adamant about them not pushing this thing while there was momentum with the brass at Disney, with us, with the timing of it in all of our lives. It just felt right. I look a little beat up right now, but I promise you this show is whats propelling me to get better and makes me want to get better every day. I set out a goal to be walking this carpet. And here I am enjoying it. Otherwise it would have gone to an abyss with no date and lost traction and excitement and I would have been very, very, very frustrated. Im very excited right now because were here, he added. Jeremy Renner was a total trooper tonight and spoke to every media outlet. #rennervations pic.twitter.com/WyqcyrUkYQ Rosy Cordero (@SocialRosy) April 12, 2023 It was previously reported that Renner had stepped out to help a family member get their car out of the snow using his Snowcat. It is stated that Renner attempted to get back in the drivers seat to stop the vehicle from rolling but was crushed. Renner was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being injured in Nevada. A few days after the injury, Jeremy shared a picture from the hospital, thanking the staff for helping him through his recovery journey. At the time, Bollywood star Anil Kapoor had also extended his support and wished the Avengers star a speedy recovery. Rennervations will be streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India. Read all the Latest Showsha News here It has been over six years since Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover had a massive fallout, leading to Sunils exit from The Kapil Sharma Show. While fans are hopeful that one day the actor, who played the iconic roles of Gutthi and Dr. Mashoor Gulati, would make a comeback, the actor recently said that there are no plans of reuniting with Kapil on the show. However, this isnt the first time that Sunil has kept the door of his return to the hit comedy show shut. Back in 2017, months after the news of their fight made the headlines, Sunil hinted that he will not return to the show after Kapils public apology. In April 2017, Kapil took to Twitter and reached out to Sunil, apologising for the fallout. Paji @WhoSunilGrover sry if I hurt u unintentionally.u knw vry well how much I luv u. M also upset .love n regards always:)" he tweeted at the time. While Sunil did not reply to the tweet, a few days later he shared a cryptic tweet which appeared to be his reaction to Kapils apology. My intentions are to act and to entertain with dignity. For me, money cant be the only reason to do something, or not to do something," he tweeted. Paji @WhoSunilGrover sry if I hurt u unintentionally.u knw vry well how much I luv u. M also upset .love n regards always:) Kapil Sharma (@KapilSharmaK9) March 20, 2017 My intentions are to act and to entertain with dignity. For me, money can't be the only reason to do something, or not to do something. Sunil Grover (@WhoSunilGrover) April 5, 2017 The memories of Kapil and Sunils fight returned after the Bharat actor was asked if he is open to returning to The Kapil Sharma Show. Speaking with Hindustan Times, Sunil confessed, Abhi to aisa koiya to puchwalo fir aap (there is nothing like that, or ask him then). I am also busy right now and enjoying what I am doing. He is also busy and doing good work. I am also doing good work. I have already enjoyed my phase of non-fiction and am currently liking the fiction setup, gaining new experiences as a performer. I am having fun. There are no such plans right now." Sunil Grover is packed with back-to-back projects. Currently, he is seen in a new web series titled United Kacche. He will also be seen in Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan, which is being directed by Atlee. Read all the Latest Showsha News here What was considered to be a holy miracle has now led to a police chase against a woman who supposedly started it all. In a little lakeside hamlet near Rome, a woman known as the Saint" disappeared after she claimed that a statue of a Virgin Mary wept blood-tears, causing pilgrims to flock the area for years. Maria Giuseppe Scarpulla, a native of Sicily, and her husband are said to have left Trevignano Romano last week after a private eye allegedly opened a criminal case against her based on his claims that the blood spots on the statue were caused by a pig, said a report by the Guardian. The strange tale started in 2016 when Scarpulla, also known as Gisella Cardia to her devotees, purchased the statue from a Catholic shrine in Medjugorje, Bosnia. When she got back to Italy, she said the Madonna was sending her messages and crying blood. The Saints Fraud In a park with a view of Lake Bracciano, the statue was housed in a glass case. On the third day of every month, hundreds of pilgrims would gather there to pray and hear the most recent revelations from God, many of whom were hoping for a cure for life-threatening illnesses, the report says. Scarpulla, who had previously been found guilty of bankruptcy fraud, established a foundation through which she solicited funds for building a facility for ill children. A local bishop, Marco Salvi, declared in March that the church would look into the phenomenon surrounding the site, which is a plot of property in the park that was allegedly purchased with contributions, amid increased media interest in it and complaints from residents about the frequent flood of pilgrims. A rough estimate of 300 pilgrims from all across Italy flocked there on April 3 for the monthly event, during which Scarpulla said she had received another communication from the Virgin Mary, despite doubts about the assertions. Two days later, the private detective Andrea Cacciotti informed the Italian media that he had reported the incident to the local Civitavecchia police and prosecutors because too many people felt they had been duped," the report by Guardian said. Catholicisms Long History With Weeping Marys Catholicism has a long history of making claims about paranormal events, including crying statues. The Madonna of Syracuse, Sicily, a plaster figure that has sobbed since 1953, is a well-known example, according to a report by the Conversation. In reality, weeping sculptures were reported in a number of countries last year, including Hungary, Argentina, and Macedonia. Its critical to acknowledge the relationship between miracles and the Virgin Mary in order to see why a weeping statue might have theological significance, the report says. Catholics hold that Mary is the mother of God since she is the mother of Jesus Christ. Supernatural occurrences have been attributed to Marys authority throughout Catholic history. Three priests miraculously avoided the heat and flames while protecting Marys relic, known as The Veil of the Virgin," during the fire that destroyed Frances Chartres Cathedral. The victory in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, when an Ottoman fleet was repelled by the forces of Genoa, Venice, and the papacy, is likewise thought to have been made possible by Marys intercession. For Catholics, Marys tears have a special meaning since she weeps not only for the sins of the world but also for the suffering she went through during her earthly existence, known as the seven sorrows of Mary." Seven swords pierce Marys blazing heart, signifying her sorrows, which include the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the Conversation report explains. How The Church Tests Tear Trickery Bishops are directed by guidelines established by the Vaticans Congregation for the teaching of the Faith, which regulates Catholic teaching, when evaluating claims of the supernatural. The influence of the supernatural phenomenon on the community is assessed by the bishop or a commission that he appoints. Positive outcomes include healings, conversions, and even a broader, deeperening of Catholics faith. Negative characteristics might include sinful actions like making statements that are in conflict with Catholic doctrine or selling oil from a statue that is weeping, the report explains. Whether the event has been staged is one of the main queries. For instance, it was discovered that the blood shed by two statues that sobbed in 1986 and 2006 in Italy and Canada respectively was the owners. The porous material of sculptures can be penetrated with liquids, which later seep out as tears." When the temperature in the chapel rises, oil mixed with fat can be added to a statues eyes, which will cause them to weep." Read all the Latest Explainers here Airstrikes by Myanmars military on Tuesday killed as many as 100 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule, said a witness, a member of a local pro-democracy group and independent media, reported the Associated Press. A witness told The Associated Press that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto a crowd of people who were gathering at 8 a.m. for the opening of a local office of the countrys opposition movement outside Pazigyi village in Sagaing regions Kanbalu township. The area is about 110 kilometers (70 miles) north of Mandalay, the countrys second-largest city. About half an hour later, a helicopter appeared and fired at the site, said the witness, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities. Why Was This Done? The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule, which began in February 2021 when it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 3,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed since then by security forces. The junta confirmed late Tuesday night that the strike had taken place, but did not say how many were killed. Since seizing control in a coup detat in February 2021, Myanmars military has mercilessly sought to solidify its hold on power by assassinating and imprisoning opponents and targeting defenceless people, as explained in a report by New York Times. At initially, there were large-scale protests, strikes, and a significant civil disobedience movement. Thousands of individuals, including opposition leaders and journalists, were imprisoned as soldiers and police started firing at protests in the streets. Since then, armed conflicts between the military, known as the Tatmadaw, and pro-democracy forces, who have constituted a rebel army and local guerrilla resistance organizations, have replaced peaceful protest. The military has dominated Myanmar for the majority of its existence, and opposition leaders claim that they are waging a revolutionary battle to topple the institution, the report says. The military, which accuses anti-coup fighters of being terrorists, has faced international condemnation for razing villages, mass killings and air strikes on civilians. More than 30 people sheltering in a monastery were killed in Shan state in March. Last year, a military air strike on a concert put on by the Kachin Independence Army in northern Kachin state killed about 50 people and wounded more than 70, the rebels said. At a military parade last month, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing vowed to continue cracking down on opponents. The military last month announced a six-month extension of a state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August because it did not control enough of the country for a vote. Then What is the Rohingya Refugee Crisis? While looking at the atrocities against humans the Myanmar military is accused of, it is also important to note the brutal crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in August 2017, when hundreds of thousands of people fled into Bangladesh from across the border in Myanmar. They put everything on the line to flee a military onslaught that the UN later referred to as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing" by water or on foot. The majority-Buddhist nation was mandated by the UNs highest court to take action to prevent the genocide of its Rohingya population in January 2020. However, the army in Myanmar has asserted that it is battling insurgent Rohingyas and denies harming civilians. Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the nation and a former human rights champion, has consistently refuted accusations of genocide. What Did Junta Say? There was (a Peoples Defence Force) office opening ceremony (Tuesday) morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village," said spokesman Zaw Min Tun, referring to the armed anti-junta groups that have sprung up across the country since its elected government was toppled in a 2021 military coup. We attacked that place." Some of the dead, he added, were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though there could be some people with civilian clothes". The spokesman went on to blame mines planted by the Peoples Defence Force for some of the deaths. How Did the World React? UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was horrified" by the deadly air strike, whose victims he said included schoolchildren performing dances, with the global body calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. The United Nations, while not confirming a toll, said several civilians were killed, with Turk accusing Myanmars military of once again disregarding clear legal obligations to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns the attack by the Myanmar Armed Forces today", according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", the spokesman added. Washington said it was deeply concerned" about the air strikes. These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement, using the countrys former name. The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma." Germanys Foreign Office in a tweet said it strongly" condemned the strike, adding it expected the regime to end the violence against its people immediately". A Fierce Resistance Sagaing region near the countrys second-largest city Mandalay has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the militarys rule, with intense fighting raging there for months. Graphic video clips circulating on social media footage AFP has been unable to verify show bodies scattered among ruined homes. We are going to rescue you if we hear you screaming," one person could be heard saying in the video. Please scream!" A rescuer connected to a Peoples Defence Force group told AFP that women and children were among the dead. After recovering bodies and transporting victims for medical treatment, he estimated the death toll could be as high as 100. Myanmars National Unity Government, a shadow body dominated by former lawmakers from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyis party, called the strike a heinous act". We share the great pain felt by the families affected by this tragedy," it said in a statement. With inputs from AFP, Associated Press Read all the Latest Explainers here Amid instances of unruly behaviour by some passengers on flights, aviation regulator DGCA on Monday issued an advisory to airlines saying such incidents have the potential of compromising the safety of aircraft operations. The aviation regulator has advised the heads of operations of all airlines to sensitise their pilots, cabin crew and post holders on handling of unruly passengers through appropriate means. Air India flight AI 111 scheduled to operate from Delhi to London on Monday returned to Delhi shortly after departure due to serious unruly behaviour" of a passenger on board. An FIR was lodged as the accused person allegedly misbehaved and caused physical harm to two of the cabin crew members. The advisory issued on Monday said that there are provisions under the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) for action to be taken by the airline to deal with unruly passengers and the responsibilities of pilots, cabin crew members and the director of inflight services are also mentioned in the CAR, according to a report by IANS. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has noticed a few incidents such as smoking in aircraft, consumption of alcoholic beverages resulting in unruly behaviour, altercations between passengers and sometimes inappropriate touching or sexual harassment by the passengers onboard an aircraft during the flight, wherein post holders, pilots and cabin crew members have failed to take appropriate actions. Air lines shall categorise all such unruly passenger behaviour into three levels and such people can face a flying ban for varying periods. These Levels are: Level 1: Unruly behaviour such as physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly inebriation. Level 2: Physically abusive behaviour like pushing, kicking or sexual harassment. Level 3: Life threatening behaviour such as damage to aircraft operating systems, physical violence like choking and murderous assault. Who Will Decide Ban on Flying? An internal committee set up by the airline concerned can decide on the duration for which an unruly passenger can be banned from flying. Airlines have witnessed many such incidents of unruly behaviour by some air passengers in the last few months. Last week, in an incident of unruly behavior by an air-passenger, a drunk flyer on board an Indigo flight from Delhi to Bengaluru tried to open the flap of the emergency doors. Subsequently, the matter was reported to the concerned agencies and appropriate action was initiated. What Makes Such Flyers Tick? Incidents of disruptive behaviour on flights has been seen around the world. After one of its flight attendants was assaulted, Southwest Airlines suspended alcohol sales on its flights until at least January 2022. American Airlines has implemented similar measures in its main cabin. In an effort to stem the tide of violent passenger incidents, the FAA implemented a zero-tolerance policy. Passengers who engage in disruptive behaviour may face fines of up to $37,000 per violation, a report by CNBC said. Addressing this very question that we now ask, Maia Szalavitz wrote for the Guardian that modern air travel was a prime example of a situation in which human status is highly visible: it can be seen in everything from how the wealthy can pay to bypass security lines to how everyone else must wait while those with earned status" board first. Then theres the long walk through the plush first-class cabin to a claustrophobic middle seat in torture class" at the back. Citing a study study of air rage and class published in 2021, the report said economy passengers feel the most rage when they walk through first class because it reminds them of their inferiority. However, first-class passengers were not any calmer: those who were subjected to the humiliation of having the unwashed walk through their space rather than boarding out of sight through a middle door were even angrier. Read more on studies regarding air rage With inputs from IANS Read all the Latest Explainers here British Arab Commercial Bank (BACB), the UK-regulated, specialist trade finance bank, has posted a 37% jump in year-on-year operating income and a five-fold increase in adjusted profit before tax. BACB Chairman Dr Yousef Al Awadi said: I would like to extend appreciation and thanks on behalf of myself and the Board of BACB to CEO Eddie Norton, who is stepping down, for his effective leadership of the bank over the last two years. He has been instrumental in the successful re-positioning of the bank as well as leading the organisation to the exceptional results achieved in 2022. We have been fortunate to have Eddie with us on this part of BACBs journey and from a personal perspective, it has been a pleasure to work with him. We wish Eddie every success in his future roles. Norton said: I am proud that our strategy is delivering value for our shareholders, clients and employees. We have refocused our business on areas of core competence and improved the quality of our assets and earnings, and we continue to grow in markets where we have deep knowledge. BACB now has a robust business model, and with the continued support of the Board, under the leadership of Dr Yousef Al Awadi, and our shareholders, especially Libyan Foreign Bank, is well positioned for further growth. New CEO BACB has also announced the appointment of Paul Jennings as CEO, effective from April 11. Jennings has been part of BACB for the past two years, first in his capacity as an Independent Non-Executive Director prior to joining the Executive management of the Bank in November 2021 as Chief Banking Officer and Deputy CEO. He is an experienced global executive with an impressive 40-year track record in the financial services sector. He is a Board member of Banca UBAE SpA and previously served on the Boards of ABC Islamic Bank as Deputy Chairman, Banco ABC Brasil S.A., Libyan British Business Council (LBBC) and the Arab Bankers Association. Prior to joining BACB, Jennings spent in excess of 20 years with ABC Group holding key positions including Group Head, Global Trade Finance and six years as Managing Director and CEO of ABC International Bank plc. The appointment is subject to Regulatory approval. Dr Yousef Al Awadi commented: Paul is a natural fit as Chief Executive Officer, he is a leader with a proven track record in banking. His wealth of knowledge not only in executive leadership of financial institutions, but also of our specialist markets and product offering, makes him the perfect choice for this role. His appointment comes at a very important time for BACB following a year of strong performance across our lines of business. Jennings commented: Since joining BACB I have developed a good understanding of the Banks heritage and footprint endorsed by its 50-year history in the City of London. During my time with BACB I have been extremely impressed by the knowledge, experience and commitment from my colleagues across the entire Bank and it is with their support that I look forward to leading BACB as we continue the journey of safe and sustainable growth.-- TradeArabia News Service After being under some kind of criminal investigation for various offenses over the past 50 years, Donald J. Trump has finally been indicted. Commentators on both the right and the left of the political spectrum are either rejoicing or bemoaning the indictment, claiming it will only enhance his standing with his political base. Isnt it obvious that Trump and his base are beyond being shamed? The MAGA crowd doesnt love Trump because he is a paragon of virtue. They love him because he is exactly the opposite. He is their strong man, their avenger, a man above the law, who will strike down those factions or forces he tells them are responsible for their woes and that of the nations. For them, an indictment is an affirmation that the forces of evil are out to get him and in turn, themselves. Yes, this indictment, and the several more that will likely follow, will only further enrage and encourage his cult following. But for anyone else, this indictment will gain him very few additional followers. In a case of gross negligence, a courier service reportedly swapped the bodies of two persons by mistake while sending them to the family members of the deceased in two different states of Odisha and Rajasthan. Not just that, but the kin of one of the deceased, Bilash Bhuyan, who belonged to Kuanasala village under Nemalo police station in Cuttack district, even carried out the final rites before being informed that they cremated the wrong body. According to the Bilash family source, who was working in a private motor showroom in Mumbai, passed away suddenly following a brief illness a few weeks back. His final rites were carried out on Monday evening after a courier service sent his body. But to the utter dismay of his family, Nemala police informed them that the body they cremated was not Bilashs, but that of someone from Rajasthan. The matter came to light after the family in Rajasthan found that the other body received through the courier service was not theirs and filed a complaint with the police in Mumbai. As the investigation began, it was found that the bodies got interchanged by the courier company with different addresses. Following the incident, villagers expressed resentment and anger at the callous approach of the courier service. I found it difficult to identify the body which was sent to Bilashs family. It looked slightly distorted but resembled Bilash and hence, all his family members were mistaken. The final rites were carried out, but to the shock of family members, they were later informed that the body was not that of Bilash," shared Sarat Kumar Mallik, a local. Salepur Sub-Division Police Officer (SDPO) Bimal Barik informed that the family from Rajasthan is on their way to collect the mortal remains of their relative and are also bringing Bilashs body with them. Read all the Latest India News here Ami Bangali and ami gorbitho Bangali (I am Bengali and I am proud a Bengali). This is how acting British Deputy High Commissioner of Kolkata Peter Cook expressed his excitement about the assignment in a city where he was born on the Independence Day of India. Cook was born in in Woodland Hospital in Kolkata on August 15, 1963. Cooks father Reverend John Weir Cook was a priest in St Andrews Church in Kolkata and Cook lived in Kolkata till the 1970s. As Cook came back to Kolkata on his deputation, he went back to all the places he remembered from his childhood, with photographs. Its to know your roots. My home was on Burdwan Road, now somebody stays there, but I went there and refreshed my childhood memories, said Cook, who brought along his mother Elizabeth for the visit. Cook has photographs of his swimming session as a kid in Tolly Club and even on a waterlogged road in Kolkata in the monsoon. He took his mother to St Andrews Church, where his father used to work. We both had tears in our eyes. About his visit to his school, which is now Aurobindo Bhawan, Cook said, I am in awe of the people and heritage of Kolkata. I am simply mesmerised with my assignment. Expressing his love for Bengali food, Cook said, I love machcher jhol, fish pathuri, mishti doi and rasogolla. He has started re-learning Bengali and says he will speak fluently soon. Cook is supporting Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL and he wants to enjoy this years Durga pujo. Kolkata has developed a lot, now there is a new town. It is very planned and developing every way. I love its heritage. He signs off: Kolkata I love you, Joy Bangla. Read all the Latest India News here Read more incident. In a statement, Armys South Western command said, A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine. Army and Police Joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. The joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided. It is reiterated that no individual has been detained/apprehended. Earlier in the day, the Armys South Western command said, It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four Army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported. According to police, initial inputs suggest an Army soldier was possibly behind the firing incident as the attack was not from the outside. Punjab Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told news agency PTI, It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident. We are in touch with the Army authorities. Bathinda SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana told the media in Bathinda, It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached inside (military station) with all forensic equipment and they are conducting investigations. In-depth investigations are going on. Police also said that two days ago, one Insas Rifle had also gone missing along with 28 cartridges at the Military Station. Army said that, in a joint probe with Punjab police, it is investigating all aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back. Earlier, the Army said quick-reaction teams were activated following the firing. A firing incident was reported in the early hours of the morning around 04:35 hours inside Bathinda Military Station. Quick Reaction Teams were activated and the area was cordoned off and sealed, the Army said in a statement. This comes days before the Baisakhi holiday in the state. This year, Punjab police will not get the Baisakhi holiday as leaves of all officers have been cancelled till April 14 in the wake of radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singhs escape. Earlier, sources told News18 that there are apprehensions that law and order problems could be created using festival as an excuse. Sarbat Khalsa, a gathering of Sikhs that Amritpal had demanded, has also not been cancelled yet. Police suspect that the fugitive could give Baisakhi-related gathering of Sikhs in various gurudwaras across the state, a secessionist colour. Amritpal Singh had asked the chiefs of the top Sikh body, Akal Takht, to convene the Sarbat Khalsa in Punjabs Bathinda on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 14. Read all the Latest India News here A Bengaluru man allegedly beat his 68-year-old neighbour to death over a dispute involving dog poop. The accused, 27-year-old Pramod N. Bin Narasimha Murthy, was arrested for the alleged murder of his neighbour, identified as Muniraju. According to an India Today report, an investigation revealed that Pramod used to take his dog out for walks and allowed it to defecate in front of Munirajus house in Ganapathi Nagar in Soladevanahalli police station limits. On April 8, Pramod, his friend Ravi and Ravis wife Pallavi got into an argument with Muniraju over dog poop and smoking cigarettes. The argument escalated resulting in Pramod allegedly thrashing Muniraju with a bat. Upon hearing the commotion, neighbours rushed to the scene to find Muniraju bleeding profusely. Munirajus son, 32-year-old Murali, who came to his fathers rescue, was also attacked. The father-son duo was admitted to a hospital where Muniraju succumbed to his injuries. The Soladevanahalli police arrested Pramod, Ravikumar and Pallavi and charged them with murder, attempt to murder, and abetment to offence. The accused were produced before the court. Read all the Latest India News here A bomb threat call was received at Patnas Jayprakash Narayan Airport on Wednesday. An anonymous caller made the call at around 10:47 am earlier today. Following the threat call, the bomb disposal squad scanned the airport premises. #WATCH | Search operation underway by bomb squad team at Bihars Patna airport after a bomb threat call was received here. pic.twitter.com/HajtWw96L5 ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Patna Airport Director said that based on the information, Airport Bomb Threat Assessment Committee found the call non-specific. The state BDDS team carried out checks at the airport premises. More details are awaited. Read all the Latest India News here The Calcutta High Court on Monday observed that constructive criticism of the State is an essential right of any citizen and it is a recognized right in any democracy. A single-judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha said that the police are an independent branch and are supposed to function without any external influence. It was the case of the petitioner retired Inspector General of Police (IGP) that he was provided with continuous security from 2011 till January 2023 after he retired from the service, but there was a sudden withdrawal of security. It was at the same time when the petitioner had been vocal in his criticisms of the current police establishment. On April 3, the court sought report from the office of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, West Bengal with regard to the applicable rules, notification/circular followed for providing security to the retired DIGs and IGs in the state and produce. The court had also asked for the reason of such sudden withdrawal of petitioners security. The IGP, Presidency Range, West Bengal filed a report on April 6, which indicated that there are no guidelines for providing security to retired DIGs and IGs in the State. It was indicated in the report that security is granted by the police, on the basis of a persistent and accepted threat perception. The office of the DG reviews the threat perception to all retired senior officials every six months. In the last review, according to the Inspector General of Police, security to six senior officials has been withdrawn. The name of the said senior officials, though not mentioned in the report, has been read out by Mr. Garai, learned counsel for the State, the court noted. The court further observed that the said report submitted by the IGP does not deal with the petitioners application dated January 18, in which it was clearly mentioned that there is continued threat perception to the petitioner. The court further observed, The petitioner has not even been spoken with by the office of the I.G. This Court has always understood that the police are an independent branch and are supposed to be unified force and are expected to function without any external influence." The court directed the State to restore the security protection of the retired IGP, as an interim measure and listed the matter for hearing on May 16. Read all the Latest India News here Four Indian Army jawans were killed in a firing incident at the military station in Bathinda on Wednesday morning. While police are searching for the culprits, they are also probing an angle of fratricide. Fratricide is an act of intentionally or unintentionally killing colleagues or friendly troopers in the case of security forces. But if the case is one of fratricide, this is not the first time this has happened in the armed forces or the tri-services. According to official data, the army has reported 11 fratricide cases in the last seven years. But there was only one such case reported by the Indian Air Force and none by the navy within the same time period. In response to a question in the Lok Sabha in 2022, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt had put forward data stating that two cases each of fratricide were reported by the army in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and one in 2022. There were, however, no such cases reported by the Indian Navy and the air force within this time period. We have seen a decline in such cases and this change is drastic. Though there is no confirmation in the Bathinda case, there are definitely measures and we will deep dive into reasons behind it and if this could be prevented in future, said a decorated army officer. Not just recently, but going by data of previous years, fratricide cases are negligible in navy and air force. Official data shows that before 2019 in fact, from 2016 to 2018, there were no cases of fratricide in the navy but one was reported in the air force. In the army, however, there were two such cases in 2016, and one each in 2017 as well as 2018. The government has taken several steps towards stress amelioration among troops, which inter alia, include deployment of trained psychological counsellors, improvement in the quality of food and clothing, training in stress management, provision of recreational facilities, buddy system, leave concessions, approachability of seniors, facilities for movement of troops from border areas and establishing a grievance redress mechanism, said Bhatt in a response to the Lok Sabha. In the Bathinda firing incident, as per an FIR lodged with Punjab Police, two individuals with their faces covered and wearing white kurta-pajama used a stolen INSAS rifle for the killings. Police have ruled out terror links but officials have pointed towards an internal dispute that may have led to the firing and death of four jawans. But the army has not specifically commented on the matter. The use of a stolen INSAS rifle could be a major clue but this will be clear only after a thorough investigation. A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine. Joint teams of army and police will now undertake forensic analysis of the weapon to ascertain more details. The remaining number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. The joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided, read the official statement from the armys South Western Command. Read all the Latest India News here The Modi government plans to meet CEOs and top executives running e-pharmacies in India, a top government official said on Wednesday. After giving a nod to e-pharmacies, the Modi government in March took a U-turn on its decision to support online sale of medicines, claiming the government has noticed malpractices in the sector, which lead to concerns over data privacy, sales of medicines without prescription and predatory pricing. In February, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) had served a show-cause notice to more than 20 top Indian e-pharmacy companies, including Amazon, Flipkart, Tata 1MG and other top players. After its decision to discourage the sales of online medicines, the industrys requests for appointment with Union minister of health and family welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya started pouring in. Now, the official said the minister is likely to meet the industry representatives soon. The ministry is in favour of e-prescription, but not online sale of medicines, unless it is inter-linked on large-scale platforms, the top source said, without divulging any more details on date and list of invitees for the meeting. The official said the industry has been pitching in favour of the system, citing the global models, but the ministry has studied the ongoing strong e-pharmacy systems across the globe. Industry has always been pitching us the systems in markets such as the United States. But those markets have evolved and their systems are well-embedded with other health services. The case in India is different and needs more attention. The idea is to discuss it and understand from the industry if they can answer and solve our concerns. TO PROTECT OFFLINE CHEMISTS The move is driven by the complaint forwarded by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) to multiple government agencies, including the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). It is a long-drawn battle between offline chemists and e-pharmacists. AIOCD, which is an apex body of approximately 12 lakh offline chemists across India, had sent an advance notice for nationwide agitation against inaction by government agencies on the illegal sale of drugs on the online platform with predatory pricing. The official added that it is the governments responsibility to also consider the ecosystem and business viability of 12 lakh brick and mortar chemists. If the sales of offline chemists are reduced by 30% or more, they will be forced to shut shop and within sometime the ball will be in the court of online chemists. Monopoly is not good for any market especially when it deals with public health. Read all the Latest India News here India on Wednesday saw a notable increase in its daily Covid-19 case count as compared to the previous day, with 7,830 new infections reported, bringing the total tally to 4,47,76,002. The day before, on Tuesday, a total of 5,676 cases were recorded. The health ministry data reveals that there are currently 40,215 active infections. Todays Covid Bulletin: Fresh Cases Today: 7,830 Active Cases: 40,215 Total Cases: 4,42,04,771 Recoveries in 24 Hours: 4,692 Total Recoveries: 4,42,04,771 Daily Positivity Rate: 3.65% Weekly Positivity Rate: 3.83% Active Cases Stand At: 0.09% Recovery Rate Currently At: 98.72% Many states have been reporting an uptick in cases lately, prompting authorities to bring back curbs to keep the virus from spreading. Delhi logged 980 fresh Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, highest since August 20, with a positivity rate of 25.98 per cent, meaning one in every four people tested returned a positive result, according to data shared by the city governments health department. Mumbai on Tuesday logged 242 new cases, a steep jump from 95 the previous day. With the latest jump, Mumbais overall case tally went to 11,59,225. No fresh death, meanwhile, linked to the infection was registered in the metropolis. The death toll due to the disease has increased to 5,31,016 with 16 new fatalities being reported two each in Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and one each in Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, and five reconciled by Kerala the data updated at 8 am stated. The country had recorded a single-day jump of 7,946 COVID-19 cases on September 1 last year. The count of active cases now comprises 0.09 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.72 per cent, according to the health ministry website.. According to the ministrys website, 220.66 crore doses of vaccines have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. Read all the Latest India News here A single-judge bench of Justice Bharati Dangre of the Bombay High Court recently while quashing the FIR against Bollywood actor Salman Khan observed that the judicial process should not be the means to harass celebrities without adhering to the procedure of law. The judicial process need not be a means for needless harassment merely because the accused is a well-known celebrity and without adhering to the procedure of law, he shall not be subjected to unnecessary oppression at the hands of a complainant, who set in the machinery into motion to satisfy his vendetta and assumed that he was insulted by the cine star, the court observed. The high court was hearing a plea filed by Salman Khan and his bodyguard who had approached the HC for quashing an order passed by the metropolitan magistrate, at Andheri, Mumbai, issuing process (summons) against them for committing the offences punishable under sections 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. The complainant who is a journalist had alleged that when he was trying to film the actor and his bodyguard, his phone was snatched by the actor and the data was deleted. He claimed that he had obtained permission from the guard but the actor later set his guard on the cameraman and journalist. After this, a complaint was filed by the journalist and summons were issued to Khan and his bodyguard which was challenged by them in the Bombay High Court. Justice Bharati Dangre while quashing the FIR said that the magistrate cannot exercise the powers under sections 202, 203, or 204 of CrPc before examining the complainant under section 202 of CrPc. The said affidavit, though projected to be a compliance of Section 200, in my opinion, is not. Unless examination of the complainant was made under Section 200 of Cr.P.C., the Magistrate cannot exercise the power under Sections 202, 203 or 204 and in this case, by surpassing the said procedure, the Magistrate has issued the process against the accused persons, which order cannot be sustained, being not in compliance of Section 200 of Cr.P.C. Hence, the order of the Magistrate suffers from serious infraction of procedure to be adopted by a Magistrate, upon a complaint being filed before him, the bench noted. The bench also noted that the ingredients of the said sections were not satisfied and the complaint was an afterthought. The impugned order passed by the Magistrate, suffer from two glaring discrepancies; firstly invocation of Sections 504 and 506 of IPC, in the wake of the complaint filed as an afterthought and without the ingredients of the said sections being satisfied and, secondly, the Magistrate has failed to follow the procedural mandate, before taking cognizance of the complaint, as contemplated in chapter XV and XVI of the Criminal Procedure Code. I would be justified in quashing the proceedings, since its continuation would amount to abuse of process of Court and quashing of the same would otherwise serve the end of justice the order reads. Read all the Latest India News here Lifestyle / Travel and Tourism by Thobekile Zhou Its stunning natural beauty. Its rich wildlife. Its friendly people. Its affordable prices. Its safety. Its history and culture. Victoria Falls Hwange National Park The Matopos Hills Harare Bulawayo Masvingo Lake Kariba The Eastern Highlands Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the north, Mozambique to the east, South Africa to the south, and Botswana to the west. The capital and largest city is Harare.Zimbabwe is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, rhinos, and zebras. The country also has a number of stunning natural attractions, such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, and the Matopos Hills.Zimbabwe is a great place to visit for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few of the many things that make Zimbabwe the best place to visit in 2023:Zimbabwe is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in Africa. From the majestic Victoria Falls to the rugged Matopos Hills, there is something for everyone to enjoy in Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe is a great place to see some of Africa's most iconic wildlife, such as lions, elephants, rhinos, and zebras. There are a number of national parks and game reserves where you can go on safari and see these animals in their natural habitat.The people of Zimbabwe are known for their warm hospitality. You will be welcomed with open arms and made to feel at home.Zimbabwe is a relatively affordable country to visit. You can find good accommodation, food, and activities without breaking the bank.Zimbabwe is a safe country to visit. The crime rate is low and the people are generally friendly and welcoming.Zimbabwe has a rich history and culture that dates back centuries. You can visit ancient ruins, learn about the country's past, and experience its unique culture.If you are looking for an amazing travel destination in 2023, Zimbabwe is the perfect place for you. With its stunning natural beauty, rich wildlife, friendly people, affordable prices, and safety, Zimbabwe has something to offer everyone.Here are some of the best places to visit in Zimbabwe:is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It is the largest waterfall in the world, and it is truly a sight to behold. You can take a boat ride to the falls, go white-water rafting, or simply admire them from the viewing platform.is home to the largest population of elephants in the world. You can go on safari and see these majestic animals in their natural habitat. There are also a number of other animals to see in the park, such as lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo.are a beautiful mountain range located in the south of Zimbabwe. They are home to a number of ancient ruins, as well as stunning scenery. You can go hiking, biking, or simply relax and enjoy the views.is the capital of Zimbabwe and the largest city in the country. It is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a lot to offer visitors. There are a number of museums, art galleries, and restaurants to explore. You can also visit the National Heroes Acre, a memorial to the country's war heroes.is the second-largest city in Zimbabwe. It is a historic city with a number of colonial-era buildings. You can visit the Bulawayo Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the City Hall. You can also go on a walking tour of the city's historic district.is a city in the south-central part of Zimbabwe. It is home to a number of ancient ruins, including the Great Zimbabwe ruins, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can also visit the Khami Ruins, which are another UNESCO World Heritage Site.is the largest man-made lake in the world. It is located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. You can go on a boat trip on the lake, go fishing, or simply relax and enjoy the views.are a mountain range located in the east of Zimbabwe. They are home to a number of beautiful waterfalls, as well as stunning scenery. You can go hiking, biking, or simply relax and enjoy the views.Zimbabwe is a truly amazing country with something to offer everyone. If you are looking for an unforgettable travel experience, Zimbabwe is the perfect place for you. The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking a Customs and Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the alleged involvement of high-ranking political functionaries, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in the gold smuggling through diplomatic bags case. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas rejected the petition by Aji Krishnan, founder secretary of NGO Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS) India, saying that his apprehension of non-conduct of a fair probe in the case was "without any basis". The High Court said that other than assumptions that the investigation was not being conducted properly, Krishnan has not produced any material to support his claims. "The Customs as well as the Enforcement Directorate, have conducted or are conducting proper investigations. There are also no reasons to assume that if the involvement of any person is revealed in the investigation, they will not be proceeded against. "For, the dictum 'Be you ever so high, the law is above you' applies with equal vigour to all, irrespective of status or position. In view of the above, the writ petition is dismissed," the judge said. The High Court also said that the Customs Department has already filed two complaints before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrates Court, (ED) Ernakulam with regard to the issues of gold smuggling and illegal import of foreign currency. In view of the steps taken by the Customs, the High Court said a direction to conduct a further investigation into the involvement of other persons ought not to be indulged in. It also said that since a case has been filed before the Special Court and the probe was continuing, "the relief of fair and just investigation and for monitoring of the investigation cannot arise". Krishnan, whose NGO had briefly employed one of the prime accused Swapna Suresh in the gold smuggling case, had in his plea sought directions to the Customs and ED to conduct a fair and time bound probe into allegations by her of money laundering and gold smuggling against Vijayan, his family members and other high-ranking political functionaries. He had also urged the court to monitor the investigations by the two agencies. Opposing his plea, the State government represented by Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup, Additional Public Prosecutor P Narayanan and senior government pleader V Manu said the petition was not maintainable as Krishnan had no locus, the allegations by him were unsubstantiated, he had not disclosed his links with Suresh and that alternative remedies were available. While these grounds regarding the non-maintainability of the plea were not accepted by the High Court, it agreed with the State government's stand that the petition was not maintainable as the relief sought in it was already denied by a division bench of the court in two separate matters. "This court dismissed writ petitions seeking directions for setting the criminal law in motion against the Chief Minister of Kerala in relation to the gold smuggling case and other scams. "The Division Bench, after exhaustively considering the matter, held that the remedies evolved by writ jurisdiction are of an extraordinary nature, and the circumstances did not warrant issuance of the directions sought for. The aforesaid two cases relate to and include the very same issue in this list (plea)," Justice Thomas said. The High Court said that when a public cause is sought to be agitated by a person and the same is rejected after detailed consideration, another member of the public cannot reagitate it. "If another member of the public is aggrieved by such a judgment, his remedy is generally to seek a review of that judgment in accordance with law. Otherwise, there can be a multitude of litigations. "The plurality of litigations can even derail the administration of justice. Therefore, caution has to be adopted before entertaining such writ petitions," the court said. Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with another accused Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020. The NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Customs conducted separate probes into the racket that was busted with the seizure of gold worth Rs 15 crore from the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020. Several people, including M Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, and another ex-employee of the UAE Consulate here, Sarith, were arrested in connection with the case. Read all the Latest India News here With Baisakhi on April 14, three days Wednesday, Thursday and Friday leading up to the festival will be crucial and eventful for the Punjab Polices operation to find Khalistan sympathiser and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, a top intelligence source told CNN-News18. ALSO READ | Amritpal Made Mentor Note, to Surrender? Source Close to Family on Papalpreet Arrest | Exclusive The focus of the Punjab Police is on four areas according to the source: To catch Amritpal Singh. To secure four main spots Akal Takht, Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur and Fatehgarh Sahib. The police have increased vigilance and patrolling on all routes leading to these four pilgrimage sites. In case Singh still reaches any of the spots, his evacuation and arrest. Even after Singhs evacuation, these gurdwaras will be crowded owing to Baisakhi. Managing the law and order situation is another key area the police are looking at. POSTERS PUT UP Posters declaring Singh a wanted man" were pasted at the Batala railway station in Punjabs Gurdaspur district on Wednesday. The posters pasted by the government railway police state that Singh, on the run since March 18 following a police crackdown, is wanted in multiple cases. Whosoever has any information about him (Amritpal) can share it on the mobile numbers given below. Appropriate reward will be given on providing the information," read the poster. The name of the informer will be kept confidential, it said. THE CRACKDOWN The Punjab Police had last month launched a major crackdown against Singh and members of Waris Punjab De. Singh escaped the police net in Jalandhar district, switching vehicles and changing appearances. His close aide Papalpreet Singh was held on Monday. The radical preacher and his associates have been booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants. ON TUESDAY Papalpreet was sent to Dibrugarh jail in Assam on Tuesday. Papalpreet, considered to be Amritpals mentor, was nabbed in Amritsar district and booked under the National Security Act (NSA). Meanwhile, a team of three lawyers from Punjab - Bhagwant Singh Siyalka, Mandeep Singh Siddhu and Rohit Sharma - met the eight members of the outfit already in the Assam jail, officials said. ALSO READ | The Route Cause of Amritpals Escape: Punjab Police Source Gives Papalpreets Version | Exclusive The first batch of the four arrested members of the outfit were shifted by the Punjab Police on March 19. On March 21, three others, including Amritpals uncle Harjit Singh, were brought in. The other members of the outfit lodged in the jail since March are Daljeet Kalsi, Basant Singh, Gurmeet Singh Bhukanwala, Bhagwant Singh alias Pradhan Mantri Bajeka, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal and Gurinder Pal Singh. With PTI Inputs Read all the Latest India News here As Covid-19 cases begin to rise in Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory, asking citizens to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour. Earlier, the civic body made wearing face masks mandatory for employees, patients and visitors in all government hospitals in Mumbai. As the authorities brace up for any Covid-related exigencies, here are the guidelines issued by BMC: Avoiding overcrowded and poorly ventilated settings particularly by comorbid persons and the elderly Wearing of masks by doctors, paramedics and other healthcare works as well as patients and their attendants within health care facilities Wearing masks in crowded and closed settings Maintaining hand hygiene through frequent hand washing Practising social distancing Refraining from spitting in public places Minimising personal contact if experiencing respiratory symptoms. Apart from that, BMC has also issued guidelines for elderly and people with comorbidities who are at a higher risk of catching the infection and advised them to wear masks and avoid going to crowded places like markets and hospitals unless its an emergency. Also Read | India Reports Over 7k New Covid Cases in Big Spike in Single-Day Tally Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 919 fresh Covid cases and one death that raised the tally of infections to 81,51,176, a state health department official said. Read all the Latest India News here A court in the Bihar capital has asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on April 25 in a defamation suit filed over his purported remark on Modi surname. The defamation case in the MP/MLA court here was lodged by BJPs Rajya Sabha MP and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The MP/MLA court of Special Judicial Magistrate Aadi Dev had passed an order on March 18 asking Gandhi to appear before it on April 12. However, during hearing on Wednesday, the defence counsel sought another date stating that the entire team was busy with the Surat case, in which Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from the Lok Sabha. To this, the judge asked Gandhis counsel to ensure his physical appearance before the court on the next date of hearing in the case on April 25. Prosecution lawyer Priya Gupta told reporters that statements from the complainants side have been recorded and all evidence submitted to the court and now only the statement of Gandhi is to be recorded. A Surat court had recently convicted Gandhi over the purported remark and he was later disqualified as an MP from Lok Sabha. Read all the Latest India News here The Mumbai Sessions Court on Wednesday granted bail to Yes Bank Co-founder Rana Kapoor in a Rs 900 crore money laundering in a loan given to Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL). Kapoor is currently lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai. He has several other cases pending in the court, as a result he would continue to be in jail. Kapoor was arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2020. The ED has accused that Kapoor, his family members and others got benefits worth Rs 4,300 crore through companies controlled by his family as kickbacks for sanctioning huge loans. According to the ED, loans of Rs 30,000 crore were given by Yes Bank when Kapoor was at its helm, and of these, advances of Rs 20,000 crore turned into bad loans. Rana Kapoor is also accused of receiving bribes for going easy on loans given to a few big corporate groups that had turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). In 2020, he had sought interim bail claiming that his prevailing medical condition puts him at the risk of contracting coronavirus infection in jail. The plea was rejected. Read all the Latest India News here Mithu Singh, a lifeguard, has been charged by the crime branch for the murder of MBBS student Swadichha Sane at Bandstand in Bandra in 2021. The chargesheet is based on the last person seen" theory, with the motive being attributed to Sanes refusal to have sexual relations with Singh. According to the police, Singh and Sane had a scuffle which resulted in either him pushing her or her falling fatally on the rocks. However, her body has not yet been found. Singh confessed to killing Sane and disposing of her body in the sea. He also showed the police where he had dumped the body. Sanes father had filed a missing complaint in Boisar on November 29, 2021, and the case was later transferred to the Bandra police station. The crime branch took over the investigation this year and registered a murder case. Under criminal law, the last person seen with the victim is usually considered the prime suspect and is part of the circumstantial evidence. Police Files 1790-Page Chargesheet Mumbai Police has filed a 1790-page charge sheet in the murder case, an official said on Tuesday. It consists of statements of 125 witnesses, including four prime ones, among other evidence, he said. According to cops, Singh then allegedly took a floating tube and dragged her body into the sea before returning to the shore. The chargesheet also mentioned that the accused intentionally gave her 13 missed calls after putting her phone on flight mode. In this case, Mithu Singh and his friend Jabbar Ansari were arrested and are in jail. Mitthu Singh had a Chinese food stall at Bandra. Mithu and Sane were last seen together on the night of November 29, 2021, at Bandstand. The statements of two security guards of a hotel and two employees working as Chinese stall of Mithu, who saw them together, have been recorded in front of the Metropolitan Magistrate under CrPC Section 164. Read all the Latest India News here At least four four army jawans were killed in a firing incident inside Bathinda Military Station in Punjab in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The state police dismissed the terror angle in the case and termed it a fratricidal incident", as the attack was not from the outside. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES The firing was reported at 4:35 am, following which the station quick reaction teams were activated and the area was cordoned off and sealed, the Army said in a statement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked for full details of the incident. It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported," Armys statement read. The area continues to be sealed off and Army is doing a joint investigation with Punjab Police to establish the facts of the case. All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained," Army said. Meanwhile, Punjabs Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told PTI over the phone, It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident". According to police, Army personnel might be behind this incident, as Army is not allowing local police to enter the cantonment area. Police, who were earlier denied entry into the Cantt area, were later permitted to visit the incident site. Earlier, police said all the entry gates of Army Cantt have been closed to bar their entry. They also informed that about two days ago, one Insas Rifle had also gone missing along with 28 Cartridges at the Military Station. Read all the Latest India News here A major avalanche hit Sikkims Nathula area earlier this month that left at least seven people dead. A video of the incident went viral on social media. Three tourists from Barasat, West Bengal, who were trapped in the avalanche, returned home and narrated their terrifying ordeal. When the three young men of Barasat Sumit Das, Tathagata Roy Chowdhury and Arindam Dasgupta went on a trip to Sikkim, little did they know they would experience something like this. Even after returning home alive, the group finds it hard to forget their close brush with death and the moment several people died in front of their eyes. The boys believe it was a miracle they are alive after being buried under the snow for about half an hour. Buried under the snow, the boys sustained in that suffocating situation for more than half an hour. Two of them were almost completely buried under the ice and were rescued by the efforts of local people. The third boy had to be rescued by cutting the ice with a shovel. Afterwards, he narrated the incident in front of the camera. Seventeen miles from Sikkim, the three friends and fellow passengers in the car were clicking pictures next to a fountain, when the entire area began shaking. Before they could understand anything, a monstrous cloud of ice came down in an instant. Sumit lost consciousness after being buried under the snow. His other two friends said Sumit is alive today only because he lost consciousness at that moment. Arindam Dasgupta said, On April 4, we went out to visit Changu Baba Mandir. We got the permit for up to 15 miles. Once we reached there, our driver asked us to walk a few miles further for a better view. We reached the place and found it crowded with around 100-150 people, who panicked and began running when the avalanche hit. We jumped 10-12 feet to save ourselves but ice fell on us. We dont know how we survived but we did." For the three friends, however, the worst part was the unfortunate death of seven people in front of their eyes. Among them was a kid from Uttar Pradesh. The kid was right beside me. When she was rescued we never thought it would end like this. Its unfortunate," Arindam added. Sumit, on the other hand, had army soldiers to thank for his life. He was rescued by the soldiers and was taken to the army camp after regaining consciousness. He is still undergoing treatment for trauma. The boys families are happy that the trio returned home in good health. Read all the Latest India News here Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad was on Wednesday brought to the Naini Central Jail here from a Gujarat prison for the second time in about a fortnight, and would be produced in a court in the Umesh Pal murder case, officials said. Ahmad reached the jail at around 6 pm, they said, adding that police will seek his remand for interrogation in connection with the murder. He will be produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Gautam on Thursday. "Due to delay, he could not be produced in the court today," a senior police official said. Ahmad's brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, who was also brought to Naini jail from Bareilly, will be produced in the court in the same case. "We will seek in the court the police remand of Ahmad and his brother Ashraf as their interrogation is necessary to work out the case," the police official told PTI. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two police security guards were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area on February 24 this year. Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered on February 25 against Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others. The FIR was lodged under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, Section 3 of Explosive Act and Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act. A police team from Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday left with gangster-politician Ahmad from the high security Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad for Prayagraj by road. The UP Police had on March 26 also brought Ahmad from the Sabarmati jail to Prayagraj to produce him in a court in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case. On March 28, the court had sentenced Ahmad and two others to life imprisonment in the kidnapping case. The 60-year-old former Samajwadi Party MP was brought back to the jail in Gujarat in a UP Police van on March 29, after a nearly 24-hour-long road journey from Prayagraj. The police convoy taking Ahmad to Prayagraj left the Sabarmati Jail on Tuesday evening and entered the Uttar Pradesh border from Jhansi at around 8.45 am. "I am totally reduced to dust, but please don't trouble the women and children of my family now," Ahmad told reporters from inside the police van on Wednesday. While he was on the way, he spoke to the mediapersons from inside the police van. He pleaded the government to spare his family members, who are co-accused in several cases. "Hum aapke jariye government se kehna chahte hain, bilkul mitti me mil gaye hain. Ab hamari auraton aur bachchon ko pareshan na karein. (I want to tell the government through you (the media) that I am totally reduced to dust, but please don't trouble the women and children of my family now," Ahmad told a news channel from inside his police van between Jhansi and Prayagraj. In 2006, Ahmad and his aides abducted Umesh Pal and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal had registered a complaint in this regard. The Supreme Court had in April 2019 directed that Ahmad be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. Ahmad has been named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmad is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the then Bahujan Samaj Party MLA who was shot dead in 2005. Ahmad last month moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming he and his family have been falsely implicated as accused in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police. Read all the Latest India News here Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra with actor-husband Nick Jonas celebrated daughter Malti Maries first Easter on April 9. But what caught our attention was their adorable family pictures. The picture shows Nick and Priyanka sitting on a chair and keenly watching Malti play. While Nick donned a white shirt, and jeans and teamed the attire with white shoes. On the other hand, Priyanka was seen in an off-white silk loose wrap-around shirt paired with matching trousers. The shirt had a plunging neckline and a colourful print on it. She paired this attire with white socks and a pair of soft footwear. Maltie looked cute as a button in a white frock, stockings and a cream headband. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) Earlier, the couple visited India for Malties first tour and to attend Nita Mukesh Ambani Culture Centre (NMACC). For the grand inauguration of the NMACC, Nick and Priyanka dazzled like stars. The actress wore a sheer nude gown with came with a floral veil, a glittery silver bodice and a sheer see-through floor-length gown by Ellie Saab. Jonas sported an all-black pantsuit with a lacy black T-shirt. Clearly, the new parents were one of the most stylish couples at the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) On the work front, Priyanka Chopra will next star in the much-awaited series Citadel alongside Richard Madden. Apart from this, she also has Jim Strouses directorial film Love Again opposite Sam Heughan. She will also be featured in Farhan Akhtars Jee Le Zaraa with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif. On the other hand, Nick Jonas will be seen in a cameo in Priyanka Chopra starrer Love Again. He will also collaborate with Jonas Brothers Joe and Kevin for an upcoming music album. Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here News / National by Staff reporter FORMER Botswana President Ian Khama has said he always spoke out on Zimbabwe because he believed the country's former leader Robert Mugabe had deviated from principles of democracy and become a hard core dictator.Khama, who is currently in self-imposed exile in South Africa after fleeing political persecution by his successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, said he openly chastised Mugabe's rule because it fostered a culture of greed, corruption and self-centredness, among other vices.In a recent interview with Alpha Media Holdings chairman Trevor Ncube on the platform In Conversation with Trevor, Khama said he has always believed in democracy."We had Zimbabwe, a neighbour right next door, (and) Mugabe who was doing the opposite to what we believed in ... but there are certain fundamental basics that governments should follow if they call themselves democracies," Khama said.He added: "You had a situation in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) whereby there were sanctions on the country and the majority were being persecuted and then in an independent Zimbabwe under Mugabe, Zimbabweans are still fleeing, they are still being persecuted. So we said what difference is there between then and the Mugabe's days?"Shortly before Mugabe was ousted in a military coup in November 2017, Khama wrote urging him to resign over poor governance.Part of the letter read: "The people of Zimbabwe have for a long time been subjected to untold suffering as a result of poor governance under your leadership."It is, therefore, my conviction that by vacating the Presidency, this will usher in a new political dispensation that will pave the way for the much-needed socio-economic recovery in Zimbabwe."Turning to his self-imposed exile, Khama said: "I am here primarily because of persecution. We in Botswana have for a long time thought that we were immune from what we have seen in some parts of the continent, leaders who are driven by greed, corruption, self-interest, undermining democracy assuming that being in office or being in power is only about themselves and not thinking about the people they are supposed to lead."We have been hit with this tsunami in Botswana by this man, Masisi, who when he came into office, he completely overturned the decades of democracy and the reputation we had earned ourselves as a country."I was very much conscious of the fact that Botswana was a democracy and when we live in a global village, as we do, you cannot just limit yourself to within your own borders if you are trying to make the world a better place."Khama accused Masisi of undermining all tenets of democracy that had characterised Botswana for a long time."The whole system, the law and order, use of the police, intelligence service, the anti-corruption agency have all been compromised and charges fabricated against people like myself. Our families have been detained and that is the order of the day," he said.Khama, who left office in 2018 after two five-year terms, said he regretted handpicking Masisi as his successor and vowed to push him out in next year's presidential elections."We are humans and we make mistakes. I made a big mistake bigger than most people because this has affected the whole country and it is a mistake I regret," he said."I have admitted that publicly in Botswana, I have apologised to the nation for bringing this upon them and have said that I will do my utmost to ensure that I get them out of office at the next elections."Khama has joined the opposition Botswana Patriotic Front, where he intends to stand as the party's presidential candidate after their elective congress this year.He has been living in exile in South Africa since 2021. A woman being groped on a street or public transport cannot be termed as participative" on her part in such incidents and she cannot be prosecuted for failing to act, a Mumbai court has held in the 2007 obscenity case over Hollywood star Richard Gere kissing actor Shilpa Shetty at a public event. In the present case, the respondent (Shetty) had not kissed but was kissed. Obscenity on her part is not evident, Additional Sessions Judge S C Jadhav said last week while upholding a magistrate courts order discharging Bollywood actor Shetty in the case. The detailed order was made available on Tuesday. In 2007, Gere had killed Shetty on her cheeks when they had come together on stage for an AIDS awareness programme in Rajasthan. The prosecution had said there was ample evidence against the accused (Shetty) to frame charges under IPC section 292 for obscenity, provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, and prayed for setting aside the magistrates order. However, Shilpa Shetty, represented by advocate Prashant Patil, opposed the plea saying the lower courts order was proper and a legal one". There is no material to frame charges and therefore, there is no perversity in the impugned order. Hence, the revision application needs to be dismissed with heavy cost, Patil argued. The court, after hearing both sides, on April 3 said, A woman being groped on the street or touched on a public way or in public transport cannot be termed as accused or participative to an extent of mental culpability and she cannot be held for illegal omission to make her liable for prosecution." It is an unsaid fact that the present respondent (Shilpa Shetty) had not kissed, but was kissed, the court noted. Obscenity on her part is not evident. There is nothing on record on the prima facie evidence of annoyance by the complainant, the judge said. On the allegation of indecent representation of women", the court said the Act means the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating women, or are likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals. However, there is nothing to suggest" that the Bollywood star committed anything as such to act to make it an offence under the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act in any form, the court said. Having considered the material placed on record and the police papers, there is no material to frame charges against the accused, it said. The magistrates order does not require any interference at the hands of this court, the judge said, adding that the magistrate has rightly considered the material placed before her. Following complaints after the incident in 2007, a case was registered in Rajasthan against both Gere and Shetty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act for obscenity. It was transferred to Mumbai from the court of a first class magistrate in Rajasthan on the Supreme Courts order in 2017. In January 2022, a magistrate court in Mumbai discharged the Shetty from the case. The prosecution then moved an application before the sessions court challenging the magistrates order. It had claimed Shetty was very well aware of the fact that press and mediapersons were present at the event. To kiss in public is an offence and it is a bilateral act". The accused did not protest and her act amounts to illegal omission her part, the prosecution had said. It claimed the respondent was aware that her act will definitely be broadcast on news channels, which showed her mental culpability. Read all the Latest Movies News, Entertainment News The current government of Israel led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who took office as the prime minister for the sixth time on December 29, 2022, has been described as the most Right-wing as well as the most religious government in Israeli history. The new governments stated priorities include expanding settlements in the West Bank and an annexation of the West Bank. The rapid deterioration in Israeli-Palestinian relations is already being witnessed. On February 26, 2023, hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Huwara and three nearby villages, setting alight hundreds of Palestinian homes (some with people in them), businesses, a school, and numerous vehicles, killing one Palestinian man and injuring 100 others. Zvika Fogel, a Member of the Knesset from the ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit Party which forms part of the governing coalition, said he looks very favourably upon the results of the rampage. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (who is from the Religious Zionist Party) subsequently wrote on Twitter that Huwara should be wiped out" by the Israeli government. He also said that theres no such thing as Palestinians because theres no such thing as a Palestinian people. He added that the Palestinian people are a fictitious nation invented only to fight the Zionist movement, asking Is there a Palestinian history or culture? There isnt any. The lectern at which Smotrich spoke was covered with a flag of the Greater Land of Israel (which also includes Jordan). Israeli-Palestinian relations under the new Netanyahu government appear poised to deteriorate sharply. The clashes which took place last week between Palestinians and Israeli police forces in the Temple Mount area are an indication of this. Over 350 Palestinians who are supporters of Hamas were arrested and Hamas retaliated by firing 34 rockets into northern Israel. In turn, the Israeli military carried out air strikes on targets belonging to Hamas in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Netanyahus allies are openly displaying the map of Greater Israel. This has increased tensions with Jordan. It may also be recalled that Jordans King Abdullah II had said a few months ago that his country is quite prepared for a conflict with the new Israeli government if it wants one. There are also mounting concerns regarding the possible escalation of Israeli-Iranian tensions. Israel has long made clear its propensity for applying military pressure to disrupt Irans nuclear advances and weapons exports and, more recently, its drone technology programme. In the last few months, however, Israels appetite for risk seems to have increased. In early January, an Israeli strike aimed at pro-Iranian militant groups inside Syria put the international airport in Damascus out of service. Later that month, reports indicated that Israel had carried out a significant drone attack on a military site in the Iranian city of Isfahan. Iran subsequently launched a drone attack on a commercial shipping tanker in the Arabian Sea owned by an Israeli businessman. After that, an Israeli strike targeted Iranian officials meeting in a residential neighbourhood in Damascus. These recent attacks continue a decades-long pattern of largely unclaimed tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran in what is described as a shadow war. Netanyahu has stated in the Knesset that one of the top priorities for the new government would be halting Irans nuclear programme, thus causing the risks of escalation to grow once again. Disclaimer: The author is a former diplomat. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest Opinions here The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has recently initiated an intensive unprecedented outreach to the Christian community in India. This is quite a remarkable gesture for a party whose leaders have either remained silent or tacitly acquiesced in the propaganda war and even stray physical attacks by Hindu extremists against the countrys third-largest religious community mostly on the plea of forcible conversion. The decision to go out of its way to woo Indian Christians may well be prompted by both domestic electoral concerns as well as opinion in Western countries that dominate the G20, of which India assumed the leadership just a few months ago. Last month, boosted by good performance in the state Assembly elections of regional parties, allied to the BJP in Christian-dominated Nagaland and Meghalaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that this busted the myth of the BJP being unacceptable to religious minorities. He went on to predict that, like in Northeastern states and BJP-ruled Goa, the party will also soon do well in Kerala which has the largest number of Christians among all states in the country and form an important vote bank. Earlier, at the BJP national executive meeting last year, the prime minister had urged leaders and workers of the party to send a sneha sambad (message of love) to the minorities in Kerala, where it has done poorly in successive Assembly and parliamentary polls. The wooing of Christians by the BJP has been gathering momentum since last Christmas when thousands of party workers in Kerala visited Christian homes bearing Christmas cakes and other gifts. In the national capital Delhi, President Draupadi Murmu attended a special service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the citys most prominent church on Christmas Eve. Last week, at Easter, it was Prime Minister Modi who made the extraordinary gesture of attending a special service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral and lighting a candle at the Statue of Resurrection. This is the first time that an Indian PM has attended a special Easter or Christmas service. Thousands of BJP workers in several states including Kerala and Delhi visited Christian homes with Easter greetings cards. Interestingly, the cards carried pictures of Jesus Christ and PM Modi. The appeasement campaign by the prime minister and the BJP has reached a crescendo in the wake of a massive protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, less than two months ago, by members of the minority community and the clergy, against attacks in different parts of the country, mainly in BJP-ruled states against Christians and their places of worship. Significantly, the priest who presided over the Jantar Mantar protests was none other than Delhi Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, who led the senior clergy greeting the prime minister on Easter at the Sacred Heart Cathedral and the night of the protests saw a candlelight vigil at the same church to mourn Christians martyred by Hindu extremists. PM Modis dogged persistence in sending conciliatory messages to the Christian minority is motivated by both domestic and international concerns. With a crucial parliamentary poll just a year ahead, the prime minister wants to leave no stone unturned to ensure that even religious minorities, particularly Christians estranged by the BJPs Hindutva politics, do not vote en bloc against the party. Having met success in the Northeast and Goa by tweaking, for instance, the BJPs shrill anti-cow slaughter campaign in these states, the party is encouraged to repeat similar tactics in Kerala as well. Indeed, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which has been working in Kerala for long, without any visible political outcome for the BJP so far, is reportedly extra keen to make a breakthrough in the state and unlikely to oppose the prime ministers wooing of the Christian community in the state. As a matter of fact, some Kerala bishops have already offered the olive branch to the BJP while senior Congress leader A K Antonys sons recent defection to the party is being touted as a propaganda coup. It remains to be seen however whether the BJP can actually get enough votes from the Christian community to grab seats in a state, till now dominated by the two political coalitions led by the Marxists and the Congress. Apart from domestic electoral triggers, there is also an even more pressing motive for PM Modi to placate Indian Christians, particularly prominent members of the clergy. The prime minister has quite calculatedly moved in this direction over the last few years with his visit to the Vatican in October 2021 to meet the Pope, becoming the first member of the Sangh Parivar to do so. He is acutely aware that as many as 14 out of the 20 G20 countries are Christian and he would be hard-pressed if he were to look the other way at the harassment, and in some cases, outright persecution of the Indian Christians. This is the reason why the Jantar Mantar protests, despite the ongoing outreach by the prime minister and the BJP on his instructions to Christians, were perceived by him as a major setback that needed to be rectified. So far, most members of the minority community, while appreciative of the fresh signals from the prime minister and his party, are wary of how genuine and permanent they were. They recall that less than a year into his first term, PM Modi had publicly warned to protect them after a string of attacks against churches, but this made little difference in the long run. The writer is a Delhi-based political commentator. 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 Its a great feeling to know that the number of tigers in the wild in India has gone up from 1,827 (based on the rather imprecise methods) in 1973 when Project Tiger was launched to the more scientifically ascertained 1,411 in 2006 to 3,167 today. But few appreciate the enormity of this achievement, given that Indias humans in the wild and otherwise have more than doubled since 1973, in crores, not thousands: 59.61 crore in 1973 to 141 crore in 2023! But India also has 431 people per square kilometre. No other country with tigers or other endangered species has such a population pressure. The Amoy tiger, native to southern China, is now extinct in the wild. And there are only an estimated 500 Amur or Siberian tigers left; they once roamed the vast borderlands between the Russian Far East, northern China and Korea. And the population densities of China and Russia are 153 and 9 people per sq km. It must be noted that three tiger subspecies are already extinct the last Balinese tiger was killed in 1937 and the Caspian tiger was eliminated in the 1950s. The last sighting of the once-abundant Javan tiger was in the mid-1970s. As was the case in so many tiger habitats, the arrival of white colonials spelt doom for Javan tigers: the Dutch occupiers put huge bounties on them to overcome traditional local reluctance to kill them if they had not harmed anyone. Most countries in Asia that still have tigers also have human population densities far less than India. Indonesia is 151 per sq km and Thailand is 137 per sq km for example. Only Bangladesh at 1,265 people per sq km far exceeds Indias. Their latest tiger census began in February 2023 and is expected to be completed next year but their tiger number five years ago was 114 (mainly in the Sunderbans), up from 106 in 2015 but alarmingly down from 404 in 2004. That India came back from the brink is an ode to not only the authorities that have ensured there are now 53 wildernesses designated as tiger sanctuaries (up from the initial 9 in 1973) but also the majority of ordinary Indians who have had the foresight to live and let live even as land has become scarce. Poachers are aberrations, not the norm here. More and more people in India have realised that the real value of tigers lies beyond their skin, claws and teeth. The enormous distance India has travelled in terms of attitudes has never been adequately appreciated. We were left with a colonial legacy that saw wild animals as game to be killed at will for clearing land for farming or simply for blood sport. Our maharajas also imbibed that attitude, and the walls of their palaces bear evidence of their enthusiasm. Even post-Independence the penny did not drop: India advertised hunting shikar as a tourist attraction. A lot hinged on the word game. Ranthambore National Park was set up in 1955 as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary, most probably to attract shikar tourists. Game denotes wild mammals, reptiles and birds hunted for products (mostly meat and fur) and for sport (trophies such as heads, skins, horns, ivory, etc). It is not a coincidence that game is also a word synonymous with sport for recreation and hunting was just that for elites, particularly in the West. The era of colonisation afforded Western elites a new set of game lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos to hunt for fun, with better and better weapons, not to mention retinues of beaters to drive them out of the foliage to be shot. Unfortunately, the magnificence and elusiveness of tigers made them the most highly sought after. With maharajas also eagerly joining colonial rulers in their obsessive pursuit of this sport, tiger numbers obviously dropped dramatically. Coincidentally if not intentionally, Indias Wildlife Protection Act which banned all forms of hunting (but not angling) happened in 1972, the same year that privy purses for Indias royal families were abolished. WPA meant our wild animals were no longer game. It meant farmers could not kill those that endangered their crops and livestock, but it put a lid on hunting game for sport. The latest tiger census is proof that India decided correctly. Contrast that with the convulsions that many other nations have gone through (and in some cases, are still squabbling) about hunting wild animals. For many countries, wild animals are resources to be managed (and culled/killed if need be) not creatures with a right to live in the land of their forebears as much as ours. Some African nations also fell for that mantra and use their animals as bait, quite literally, to attract white hunters as big game is big money. In South Africa it is legal to hunt lions for a fat fee, of course. Those who run wildlife resorts often also have a side business of keeping animalsincluding antelopes, impalas, warthogs, Cape buffalo and lionson private lands elsewhere for hunting tourists, mostly from Western nations. And this is accepted as a pragmatic way to preserve these species. Chinas gruesome tiger farms are rightly criticised but not these; the reason for duplicity is clear. Abundance is often given as an excuse to hunt. That is why within decades the number of tigers in India plummeted from around 40,000 to just 1,411. Yes, Indians did hunt before colonial rule, but never to extinction. Take the cheetah, which was never hunted but traditionally captured by royals to be kept as pets as they did not attack humans. But under the British, a bounty was put on cheetahs to clear jungles for farming. Their numbers never recovered. Today, wild black bears, which are still found aplenty across the US around 400,000 can be legally hunted in 33 states. There are only 50,000 grizzly bears left in the US, but it is legal to hunt them too, even in places that previously banned it as their numbers had been dangerously depleted. Now words like harvested and culled are used to gloss over the fact that around 50,000 wild bears are legally shot and killed by permit every year in the US. The usual ostensible reason is that wild bear numbers have risen too high and they need to be kept away from human habitats. But the population density of the US is a mere 36 people per sq km, so why should bears be a problem? Canada has a population of 60,000 wild wolves which are legally considered to be game. So they are shot for sport, not for human-wolf conflict presumably as Canadas population density is 4 yes, four people per sq km. Luckily India did not swallow that line, in the name of foreign exchange or bloodthirsty sport hunters. Unlike Pakistan, that allows Middle Eastern visitors to come and hunt houbara bustards, besides Blue Sheep, the Sindh and Himalayan Ibex, the Blandford, Afghan and Punjab Urial, and the Astor, Kashmir and Suleiman Markhor. They are all hunted in season November to April. This year it has been suspended due to the weather. Small mercies. India has, instead, focused on saving truly, not pragmatically tigers and other wild animals. This policy has not changed though different political dispensations have held power, because Indians have been supportive of it. Thus the credit for conservation particularly the success of Project Tiger goes not only to proactive governments and Prime Ministers but also (given the pressure on land) to 141 crore Indians. We have set an example for the world. The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest Opinions here One of the Islams five pillars is the practice of Zakat, or charity. The donation, which is computed as 2.5 percent of a familys yearly savings that can be made at any time of the year in cash or in other ways. But the majority of donations are made during the month of Ramzan, as it is believed that good deeds in this month are rewarded with greater benefits. Zakat is a tool to uplift the downtrodden, to eradicate poverty, and to foster a balanced society. Zakat is the right of the poor and the giver must not indicate any sign or feeling of favour. This feature of Islam reduces the gap between wealthy and poor. According to experts, Indian Muslims spend more than Rs 10,000 crore on Zakat each year. Then why do Muslims find themselves in trying conditions socially and economically? Over 85 percent of Muslims are Pasmanda backward and unable to meet their basic requirements. So, where are the crores of Zakat money being utilised? Conservatively, we can say that 80 percent of the money is gobbled by the Zakat mafia. They claim that they provide food, education and uplift the underprivileged. However, a large amount directly goes towards their administrators lifestyle and radical teachings. Where is the Zakat money going? There was a time when madrasas were endowed with Zakat money. But later people realised that their funds were being misused by the management. There was no accountability and the personal properties of the head of the madrasas (mostly Ashrafs) kept growing. This resulted in trust deficit, and good madrasas also got affected financially. Then came the fake NGOs, which are skilled at stealing Zakat funds and have offices, websites, and payment websites along with their alluring emotional appeals. They display images of giving clothing to slum dwellers, feeding the hungry, assisting the underprivileged, etc. Strangely, a large number of the Zakat organisations in India are associated with Jamaat-e-Islami affiliates. Since most of the funding comes in the form of hand cash, there is no accountability in these groups. Social workers in Hyderabad experienced a rift six months ago, when they learned that Youth Welfare Telangana, the youth arm of the Welfare Party of India affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, had allegedly appropriated more than Rs 5 crore in funds. Led by Syed Jalaluddin Zafar, they claim to cremate over 3,000 dead bodies during the pandemic. They got recognised by politicians and even got featured in Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra. Muslims donated crores of rupees from their Zakat funds and few organisations came forward and donated four ambulances to Youth Welfare to help the poor patients. A few months later, some members from the core team left the organisation alleging that Syed Jalaluddin Zafar ate up all the funds. When we came to know about this, we asked Zafar directly regarding the ambulances which were donated to help the poor people. I am not a backward Muslim from any rural village who came to live in Hyderabad, he retorted with great arrogance. I belong to an eminent family having multiple properties. Im not here to answer everyone. This was not the answer to my question. I finally understood how the Ashraaf class under the banner of social services steals money from the Zakat funds and doesnt let Pasmanda advance. Inspired by the radical Muslim Brotherhood cult, these organisations have realised the importance of funding. They target the scholars in madrasas and urge Muslims to donate their Zakat only to their organisations. By projecting Muslims victims under the BJP regime, they solicit donations under the pretence of uplifting the community and eat-up the Zakat money. However, they have actually done more damage to the overall Muslim community than the perceived threat of the BJP and the RSS. Financial condition of Pasmanda Muslims of Hyderabad The financial condition of Pasmanda Muslims is extremely bad. For instance, among 44 lakh Muslims who reside in Hyderabad, 60 percent live in slums. The Ashraaf leaders and religious clerics who ruled since Independence have made these Muslims Pasmanda. Today, crime is at the peak in these localities and the children dropout rate of Muslims is the highest compared to other communities. Shockingly, a recent survey of an NGO revealed that 37 percent of the Muslim women in Hyderabad are the single breadwinners of the families. Among them 43 percent are widows, 22 percent are divorced, and 37 percent are single women abandoned by their spouses. There have been many incidents in which many young girls from poor Pasmanda families are forced into contract marriage with Shaikhs from West Asia. No help being provided to them by any minority institution nor the Zakat money reaches these deserving poor families. Zakat management must improvise We can surmise that the Zakat money is not being used properly and productively for the benefit of the Pasmanda Muslims. Instead, it is being managed in an unsystematic, unprofessional and individualistic manner. It becomes incumbent on Muslims to ponder on this issue and make the maximum benefit possible of their Zakat funds. Recently, Mumbai-based scholar Kifayatullah Sanabali urged Muslims to give Zakat money to the poor, instead of donating groceries or clothes. The poor have a claim to Zakat, which they are free to use according to their needs. The poor should not be told where to invest their money by the donors. The poor can use it to buy whatever they want, including food, clothing, and schooling. Charitable and Zakat-based organisations need to be closely monitored. Their top concern should be helping the deserving people, rather than raising money from the Zakat donors. Modern schooling must also be taught in madrasas. Teachers must be trained to take digital classes which will help the overall development of the students. This action will help in regaining the confidence of madarsa students. In order to educate Pasmanda Muslims both religiously and professionally, madrasas must play a significant part. If correctly administered, Zakat will be the most effective means of reducing poverty among Muslims. It is a universal system for eliminating perversion, assisting those in need, and reducing the wealth gap between the rich and the impoverished. When utilised properly, the beneficiary of today can become the benefactor of tomorrow. Adnan Qamar is a social activist, speaker, election strategist and a student of law working for the uplift of Pasmanda Muslims. He tweets under @TheAdnanQamar. Views expressed are personal Read all the Latest Opinions here After meeting Congress leadership, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav met Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal as part of his efforts to bring other opposition parties together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We will unite as many opposition parties as possible," Kumar after meeting Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in the national capital today. #WATCH | Delhi: We will unite as many opposition parties as possible," said Bihar CM Nitish Kumar after meeting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and other leaders of Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital today. pic.twitter.com/nurci0foTV ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Addressing reporters alongside Kumar, Kejriwal said, This is the most corrupt government in the country after independence and it is essential for all opposition parties to unite and change the government in power." Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav at his residence. The leaders in the presence of Rahul Gandhi pledged to take all opposition parties together for a united front against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Kharge said this was a historic meeting" and it was decided to unite all parties to fight upcoming polls together. Rahul Gandhi said this is a process to unite the parties and the oppositions vision will be developed together. We will take along all the parties together in this ideological battle. We will unitedly fight the attack on institutions and the country and will take an important step in this regard," Gandhi said. Nitish Kumar said they would try and unite more and more opposition parties. We will together carry on efforts in this regard," he said. The leaders also had lunch at Kharges residence, where JDU president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present. The JDU, RJD and the Congress are in a coalition government in Bihar and the three parties are in talks to bring other opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. Kumar arrived here on Tuesday and is expected to meet a slew of opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital. Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders recently in an attempt to forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and may have a meeting with top opposition leaders in the coming weeks. (With PTI inputs) Read all the Latest Politics News here Congress leader Rahul Gandhi failed to appear before a Patna court on Wednesday citing preoccupation with his plea of stay on conviction in the criminal defamation case against him in Surat, the hearing for which is scheduled for April 13. Gandhi was supposed to appear before the MP/MLA court in a defamation suit filed by BJPs Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, over the senior leaders purported remark on the Modi surname. Special judicial magistrate Aadi Dev had passed an order on March 18 asking Gandhi to appear before it on April 12. But the former Congress presidents counsel requested that he be given some more time to appear and record his statement. Dev inquired about the grounds on which the senior leader should be given more time, insisting on a valid reason for extension of time and exemption for the day. Gandhis counsel said the entire team was busy with the Surat case, in which Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Opposing this request, Modis counsel submitted before the court that Gandhi had disregarded the court order to prolong the case proceedings and, therefore, his bail should be cancelled and arrest warrant issued. The former deputy chief minister has moved an application before the court for issuing an arrest warrant against the former Congress president for failing to appear before the court. Dev, while refusing to set the date for the next hearing to April 29 as requested by Gandhis counsel, granted April 25 as the next date and asked Gandhis counsel to ensure his physical appearance before the court. We requested another date and the court granted us April 25. It was not an argument, rather an adjustment. A good part of the legal team is involved in the Surat case and so we requested another date, Gandhis counsel told CNN-News18. Today, Rahul Gandhi was to remain physically present in the court for recording his statement under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code. But despite being ordered twice to appear physically, he did not do so today. So, we have given an application stating that he has violated the court order and to cancel his bail bond and issue a warrant of arrest for securing his attendance, on which his lawyer undertook that on the next date, ie, April 25. He will definitely secure his presence in the court for recording evidence. He has to appear on the next date, otherwise his bail bond will be cancelled, SD Sanjay, advocate for Modi, told CNN-News18. A legal expert said because Gandhi had appealed against the conviction in an appellate court, there were two possibilities: if his conviction was not reversed, his disqualification as an MP will stand and he will be barred from contesting elections for eight years and, if he gets his conviction reversed, the defamation case in other courts such as in Patna will not be tried under Article 20(2) that defines double jeopardy No person shall be prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once. Rahul in Wayanad While addressing a gathering at Wayanad on Tuesday, Gandhi said, The MP is just a tag. Its a position, its a post. The BJP can take away the tag, the position, the house, or they can put me in jail. But they cannot stop me from representing the people of Wayanad. It doesnt matter. It is the biggest gift they could have given me. Because how do I know what Im doing is right? I know if the BJP is taking away my house, disqualifying me as an MP, attacking me 247; I know I am doing something right. The more they attack me, the more I know this is exactly the path I must walk on. And I wont stop. Not for myself, but for my relationship with you and the people of India, he added. Read all the Latest Politics News here Trouble seems to be mounting for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who has been targeting Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar regularly in his speeches. Satyaki Savarkar, the grandson of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, approached a Pune court to file a defamation case against the former Congress chief. Rahul Gandhi has often accused Savarkar of apologising" to the British to get out of jail, and has routinely shot back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demands for an apology by claiming he was a Gandhi and not Savarkar to seek mercy. Speaking to CNN-News18, Satyaki Savarkar claimed that Rahul Gandhi insulted the Hindutva ideologue. Rahul Gandhi went to England last month and in one of the gatherings commented that Veer Savarkar wrote in his book that he, along with his 5-6 friends, was beating a Muslim person and Veer Savarkar enjoyed it. That remark is an insult because that incident is imaginary. This statement is baseless and hurt us." Savarkar ji has not written any such incident in his literature. The case is filed and I am yet to receive the complaint number." #WATCH | Satyaki Savarkar, the grandson of one of the brothers of Vinayak Savarkar files a criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi.He says, Rahul Gandhi went to England last month & in one of the gatherings commented that Veer Savarkar wrote in his book that he, pic.twitter.com/X4tQkvTyGH ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Savarkar was born on May 28, 1883, in the present-day Nashik district. The BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which are currently in power in Maharashtra, recently took out Savarkar Gaurav Yatras in each district of the state to honour Savarkars contribution to the country and to counter Rahul Gandhis criticism against him. Veteran Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan earlier said that his party has agreed not to raise the issue of Savarkar since the three Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners hold different views on the late Hindutva ideologue. Rahul Gandhi has been convicted by a metropolitan magistrates court in Surat on March 23 over his remark How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname", made during an election rally on April 13, 2019. He was sentenced to two years in jail. Gandhi has filed an appeal before additional sessions judge R P Mogera against the verdict. He has also prayed for a stay to the conviction in the meantime. The court has granted the Congress leader bail till the disposal of his appeal. Read all the Latest Politics News here With only a year left for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress is making efforts to bring other opposition parties together to defeat the common enemy"- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In line with the agenda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav at his residence. The leaders in the presence of Rahul Gandhi pledged to take all opposition parties together for a united front against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Kharge said this was a historic meeting" and it was decided to unite all parties to fight upcoming polls together. Rahul Gandhi said this is a process to unite the parties and the oppositions vision will be developed together. We will take along all the parties together in this ideological battle. We will unitedly fight the attack on institutions and the country and will take an important step in this regard," Gandhi said. #WATCH | This is a historic step to unite the opposition. We will develop the vision of the opposition parties and move forward; we will all stand together for the country: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/S5iEupslzL ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Nitish Kumar said they would try and unite more and more opposition parties. We will together carry on efforts in this regard," he said. In a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said, Will preserve the Constitution and save democracy. Rahul Gandhi ji and we met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav ji and other leaders, reiterated our resolve to raise the voice of the people together and give a new direction to the country." The leaders also had lunch at Kharges residence, where JDU president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present. The JDU, RJD and the Congress are in a coalition government in Bihar and the three parties are in talks to bring other opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. Kumar arrived here on Tuesday and is expected to meet a slew of opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital. Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders recently in an attempt to forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and may have a meeting with top opposition leaders in the coming weeks. (With PTI inputs) Read all the Latest Politics News here The Association for Democratic Reforms has disclosed the wealth and property of the current Chief Ministers of the country. As per the ADR report, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has bagged the position of the third richest CM with movable and immovable assets of Rs 63 crore. Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy tops the list with total assets to the tune of Rs 510 crore, while Arunachal Pradeshs Pema Khandu is ranked second with a total asset of Rs 163 crore. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee bagged the lowest position with just over Rs 15 lakh in assets. Soon after the report was released, BJP and Congress criticised the wealth disparity between Patnaik and the people of Odisha. State BJP general secretary Golak Mohapatra said, Be it the food security scheme or the housing scheme, the state government is asking for more. It seems that the people of Odisha are poor, the Chief Minister is rich." The report said that the Chief Minister is rich," said Congress MLA Suresh Routray. Thirteen Indian Chief Ministers face criminal charges, but none involve Naveen Patnaik. To this, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has said that Patnaiks clean record proves his integrity as shown in the ADR report. BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra said, The allegations of the Opposition are baseless. The Chief Minister has given details about his property. This proves that he has a clean image." The BJD of Odisha is the second wealthiest regional political party in India, according to a previous ADR report. Read all the Latest Politics News here News / National by Staff reporter The fate of more than 178,000 Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders and their families is being decided this week in the Pretoria High Court as the 30 June deadline for the expiry of the permit system approaches.The ZEP system was introduced in 2009 to regularise the status of Zimbabweans fleeing to SA for political or economic reasons. It allows permit holders to live, work and study in SA.Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi suspended the ZEP system in November 2021, then extended it until December 2022, and extended it again to 30 June 2023. This was to give ZEP holders more time to apply for alternative permits, failing which they are at risk of deportation or voluntary repatriation to Zimbabwe.The case has aroused great interest among Zimbabweans, as the outcome could have huge impacts on the region should 178,000 permit holders be forced either to leave South Africa or qualify for alternative visas in South Africa an unlikely possibility for most, given the high qualifications bar set by the Department of Home Affairs' Critical Skills List.Kicking off proceedings before a Full Bench of three judges in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, advocate Steven Budlender, representing the Helen Suzman Foundation, argued that Motsoaledi's decision to terminate the ZEP system was made without proper public consultation, and ZEP holders were not given prior notice."Today's case is about 178,000 people that are here lawfully, under a scheme put in place by the government voluntarily. Any debates about whether our borders are too porous are irrelevant here," he said."A lot has happened in 13 years [since the exemption permit system was put in place]. People married, had children and started businesses. All of this was done lawfully. The effect of the decision is that virtually all of them will have to return to Zimbabwe. The minister himself acknowledges this will have an impact on security, economy and so on. It's a decision that will fundamentally change people's lives, and it was a decision taken without consultation."Read more in Daily Maverick: Returnees from SA falling on hard ground in spite of promises from Zim governmentNo fewer than four cases related to the minister's decision to terminate the ZEP system are on court rolls for hearing this week. In three of them, the Helen Suzman Foundation, Zimbabwe Immigration Federation and ZEP Holders Association (Zepha) are asking the court to set aside the minister's decision as unlawful and invalid, and to return the decision to the minister for proper consideration in a fair and lawful manner.The relief sought by Zepha goes a step further, arguing that ZEP holders are legitimately entitled to permanent residence in SA.In a fourth case, brought by the All Truck Drivers Forum and Allied South Africa, the court was asked to declare the entire ZEP system invalid. Advocate Matthews Mojapelo, representing the truckers, argued that the minister did not have the power to institute the permit system in the first place, nor to extend it. The All Truck Drivers Forum wants the ZEP system declared invalid, and ZEP holders to be given 12 months to either get alternative permits or leave the country.Budlender argued that the law requires a minister to show compelling reasons for making a decision before consultation. He said there was no evidence the minister had an open mind in his belated request for public response to a decision that had already been made."We have no affidavit from the minister saying he was open to persuasion. His public statements over the last 18 months are clear, that the decision to terminate the ZEP programme was final," he said.They must leave the country they call home'Budlender further argued the court should find in favour of the Helen Suzman Foundation in terms of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (Paja), and even if that fails, the minister's decision should be set aside on the grounds that it was procedurally irrational.Citing further grounds to set aside the minister's decision, Budlender pointed to the Constitution's guarantees of the right to dignity and children's rights.Read more in Daily Maverick: Operation Dudula barred from joining Zimbabwe Exemption Permit court case"The minister's decision exposes children to the risk of family separation. Many of them have only known South Africa as their home. The effect of this decision is that they must leave the country they call home."The foundation wants the decision to be remitted to the minister for reconsideration in a way that complies with Paja. Pending the outcome of that decision, it says, all existing ZEPs should be deemed to be valid, and ZEP holders should enjoy all the protections under the Immigration Act, namely: they cannot be arrested, deported or detained, and are allowed to freely enter and depart SA, provided they comply with all other requirements for entry and departure to the country.David Simonsz, representing the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, a non-profit organisation tasked with promoting and protecting the rights of refugees and migrants, said the minister's decision was irrational and the reasons given were sometimes at odds with his own director-general, Livhuwani Makhode.In an affidavit before the court, Makhode argues that it was at all times made clear to qualifying applicants that the exemption regime was temporary and would not entitle holders to permanent residence in South Africa.Makhode also disputes the Helen Suzman Foundation's contention that any decision not to extend the ZEP system is irrational until the Zimbabwean economy improves. The foundation has not explained what would constitute a sufficient improvement in the economic situation to justify a decision not to grant a further blanket exemption to ZEP holders, he says.The case resumes on Wednesday, with legal representatives for the minister putting their arguments before the court. A five-letter surname has carved a fissure in the opposition ranks. While the budget session of parliament showed a semblance of unity among opposition parties, by the time the session was over, the inherent differences were out in the open. ALSO READ | The Maha Picture: Pawar Play to Limit Cong Field? What it Means for Oppn Unity in 2024 Match Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar was the first to make it clear that the opposition must go by real issues which hurt people such as price rise and unemployment. He made it clear that fake degrees and Adani Group allegations were non-issues. A feeling echoed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee as well. And some other parties, such as the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and so on, do agree in private. And there is a history to it. Coming up on ONE TAKE - as @RahulGandhi focuses on adani issue - will the adani and fake degree issue split opp unity for 2024? @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/2qy2Yk70qf pallavi ghosh (@_pallavighosh) April 10, 2023 2019 LESSONS Rahul Gandhis pet slogan based on Rafale chowkidar chor hai had not clicked. While Gandhi blamed his party for not pushing the slogan enough, at a post-mortem meeting, many opposition party leaders conceded that any slogan which attacked the prime minister and called him corrupt would only boomerang against him. As the 2019 results showed. ALSO READ | JPC A Powerful Tool: Congs Prithviraj Chavan on NCP-BJP Local Bonhomie, Ktaka Prospects & Raj Crisis So the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be quite happy if the Congress and opposition keep harping on the Adani issue as it would help them to replay the 2019 narrative in favour of the PM. Astute politicians such as Pawar and Banerjee see the writing on the wall, but not Rahul Gandhi. PERSONAL ATTACK MODE In private, many Congress leaders are aware of the risk if the 2024 campaign runs on the Adani and corrupt PM issue. But with Gandhis obsession with it, it is tough for anyone to dispute him. Some like Anand Sharma have learnt it the hard way not to voice their opinion, as he was picked on by the Gandhi siblings during the CWC meeting in 2019 and was accused of not supporting the chowkidar chor hai movement. In private, many in G-23 also made the point that personal attacks dont work. But an angry Gandhi refuses to listen to this reason. So much so that many in opposition like Pawar have come under attack from the Congress. Alka Lamba, for example, in a veiled attack has accused Pawar of being greedy for power and hence not taking on the BJP. ALSO READ | Scared, Greedy: Cong Lashes out at Pawar Over SC Panel for Adani Probe; BJP Calls it Appalling This, some fear, may endanger any scope for an opposition alliance and could keep some opposition leaders away. Despite the fact that Sonia Gandhi, in a column, reached out to like-minded parties, Gandhis stubborn resolve over the Adani issue may come at a cost alliance not being built. Read all the Latest Politics News here In the latest turn of events in the Twitter saga, CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company will remove legacy Blue checks from the accounts on April 20. This comes almost two weeks after the earlier April 1 deadline to remove the blue check-mark badges meant to verify accounts of public figures, and other notable personalities passed. After acquiring the social media giant, Musks goal was to shove the advertising-dependent platform he bought for $44 billion last year into a pay-to-play model. Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 11, 2023 Besides monetization, Musk says this decision is a step toward promoting transparency and fairness in social media. It remains to be seen how this move will impact Twitters verification process, and whether other social media platforms will follow suit. Last month, Musk defended his controversial pay model for Twitter, claiming that any social media platform that didnt follow suit would fail. The fundamental challenge here is that its (easy) to create literally 10,000 or 100,000 fake Twitter accounts using just one computer at home and with modern AI (artificial intelligence)," Musk told a question and answer session on Twitter, as quoted by AFP. Thats the reason for really pressing hard on verified where the verified requires a number from a reputable phone carrier and a credit card," Musk said. My prediction is that any so-called social media network that doesnt do this will fail," Musk added. The change in the system puts pressure on companies, journalists and celebrities who used Twitter as their main channel of communication and relied on the blue tick for credibility. (With agency input) Read all the Latest Tech News here Microsoft Edge browser has a security issue that has been highlighted with a medium severity rating by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In this week. The security agency claims that the web browser from Microsoft has multiple security vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to bypass the security of your device and give them access to the data stored on it. The agency has also given the details of the issue and how it could affect the targeted devices. These vulnerabilities exist in Microsoft Edge due to improper validation and user-supplied data when processing files during download. An attacker can use this issue to coerce a user into opening a website designed to attack their device, CERT-In mentions in its notes. It also mentions that the security issue is affecting Edge browser version prior to 112.0.1722.34. So if you have versions higher than this one, you are protected by the latest Microsoft patch for the update. No matter what is the security issue, attackers generally resort to phishing attempts to infect their devices, and these security loopholes have become the popular medium for them to attack. The best way to avoid falling prey for such attempts are: - Never open emails from unknown senders - Never download any attachments given in an email from unknown people - Never click on on any link given in the mail from unknown people Microsoft has already issued a security bulletin for this issue, so we suggest you update the Edge browser on your PC and other devices right away. We have seen previous security alerts from CERT-In for Apple, Windows and Android users, and now that Edge is slowly becoming popular thanks to the ChatGPT integration, it is likely that attackers see it as a viable option to access. Read all the Latest Tech News here Hindu and Sikh organisations in the UK hailed home secretary Suella Bravermans brave and principled stand on addressing the serious issue of the predominance of British-Pakistani men in grooming gangs operating in the country. The joint faith group also urged the government to acknowledge the motivation of such gangs, which according to them specifically targeted non-Muslim (Sikh, Hindu and white Christian) girls. The group released a statement responding to the issue of religiously and racially motivated sexual grooming gangs and said it was in support of Bravermans comments. Thank you Lord Singh for your guidance and leadership on this long standing source of pain and shame. Happy to support an initiative which will bring these victims closer to justice and closure. #EnglandsDaughters @SarahChampionMP @MaggieOliverUK https://t.co/VOYbBixcfc Pt Satish K Sharma MBCS FRSA (@thebritishhindu) April 12, 2023 Last week, the home secretary had said perpetrators of such crimes were groups of men, almost all British Pakistani. She also called out the authorities for turning a blind eye to abuse incidents out of political correctness, out of fear of being called racists, out of fear of being called bigoted. In their statement, the faith group stated that it unequivocally supported the home secretarys brave and principled stand in addressing this serious issue. As UK faith representatives, we support the ongoing efforts of home secretary Suella Braverman, who, in the face of some considerable hostility, has courageously spoken out about the over-representation of British Pakistani men in sex grooming gangs operating around the UK, the statement addressed to Braverman read. The statement explained its stand by saying there was ample evidence in a number of independent probes in cases Rotherham, Telford and Rochdale that supported the Conservative Party MPs position on what was a sensitive and difficult matter. We as faith communities want the government to acknowledge one of the motivations behind these gangs. We believe evidence points to an inconvenient truth. That is: non-Muslim girls (this includes Sikh, Hindu, and White Christian girls) have been systematically targeted in Britain due to a form of religiously and racially motivated hatred. We believe the othering of these victims should be considered as an aggravating factor for the purposes of sentence uplift when perpetrators are brought to justice, the statement read. The group also asked the government to help the Pakistani Muslim community tackle this stain on an otherwise majority law-abiding community. It said a survivor in the Rotherham case had confirmed she was targeted for being a white slag and a non-Muslim. The statement also pointed out that Judge Gerald Clifton, who sentenced men in the Rochdale case in 2012, made a similar observation. He had said the Muslim men targeted their victims because they were not part of the offenders community or religion, it added. British Sikh and Hindu communities have been complaining about Pakistani grooming gangs since the 1980s, prior to high-profile cases like Rotherham, Telford and Rochdale, but complaints have fallen on deaf ears. A television report on BBC1s Inside Out programme in 2013 was the first high-profile media to cover the targeting of Sikh girls, as was coverage in the Times following sentencing of men in Leicester. In recent years, Hindu and Sikh community groups have attempted to highlight the targeting of girls within their communities, the group said, claiming that a proposed television report by the BBC on the issue was pulled in 2018 due to the fear of offending the Muslim community. The group further said government and police inaction had led to the unfortunate consequence of a hate-filled narrative driven by far-right groups. It also said police failures in protecting girls from the grooming gangs had contributed to rising communal tension, which negatively impacted social cohesion. Although it is good that the ethnicity of offenders is now being recorded, we believe the racial and religious-based motivations behind a significant proportion of perpetrators sentenced in places like Telford, Rotherham, Rochdale, needs to be further explored and openly discussed. Victims deserve justice and deserve to be heard. The first step is being able to discuss the various motivations behind this pattern of criminality freely and fearlessly. Discussion should not be censored by fear of being labelled racist or Islamophobic, the statement read. The statement of supported was signed by Lord Singh of Wimbledon, who is the director of the Network of Sikh Organisations; Mohan Singh Khalsa of Sikh Awareness Society; Dal Singh Dhesi of Sikh Youth Movement; Anil Bhanot, who is the interfaith relations director of the Hindu Council UK; Satish K Sharma, who is the director of the Global Hindu Federation among others. Bravermans comments, however, have been slammed by the British Pakistani community and were rejected by Pakistan as being discriminatory and xenophobic. In an interview last week, where she was talking about the governments plans to tackle child sexual abuse, Braverman told Sky News that British-Pakistani men hold cultural values 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 said even after she was informed that a home office report from 2020 had concluded that most child sexual abuse gangs are made up of white men aged under 30. There was not enough evidence to suggest members of grooming gangs were disproportionately more likely to be Asian or Black, as per the report. Braverman, however, proceeded to point at reports from Rotherhams child sexual exploitation scandal, in which five British-Pakistani men were convicted of grooming, raping and exploiting young girls. A day after Bravermans comments, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to form a new task force to go after grooming gangs. It will have 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, as per a report in news agency PTI. The report said Britain is home to the largest Pakistani community of about 1.5 million; most of them are second-generation citizens born and brought up in the UK. Read all the Latest News here Brad Sherman, a senior member of the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and urged him to help the Pakistani leadership to commit to protecting human rights and take actions against those responsible for impinging on basic human rights. See below my letter to @SecBlinken regarding Democracy in #Pakistan.Thanks @DrMahmood40 for being such a good adviser, and also for arranging my most recent telephone call with #ImranKhan. pic.twitter.com/qsRAKhX4Oe Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) April 11, 2023 The Californian Democrat in a tweet said: See below my letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding Democracy in #Pakistan.Thanks Dr. Asif Mahmood for being such a good adviser, and also for arranging my most recent telephone call with ImranKhan. I urge the authorities to make sure that going forward political figures or citizens who simply want to demonstrate are not subjected to anti-democratic consequences, Sherman said in his letter to Antony Blinken. He raised concerns over Pakistans continuous violation of human rights and democracy and urged the Shehbaz Sharif-led government to ensure that freedom of speech is protected and the rule of law is applied in the country. Sherman in his letter pointed out instances where human rights abuse occurred in Pakistan. He referred to the restrictions on broadcast of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khans speeches and the detention of protesters. He also highlighted the alleged torture of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill and journalist Jameel Farooqui and also the recent arrest of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur. The Democrat also pointed to comments made by Pakistan interior minister Rana Sanaullah and said that comments like either he (Imran) will be eliminated from the political arena or us (PML-N) were concerning. He also flagged that the Pakistan governments stance on the elections, despite directions given by the Supreme Court, is also another sign of skirting democratic processes. Sherman was referring to recent top court directions to the government where it was asked to help the nations election commission hold elections to the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The United States does not involve itself in Pakistans internal governmental matters I respect its Constitution and its democratic process but we must not shy away from raising our voice when the human rights of the Pakistani people are at stake, Sherman further added. He emphasised the urgency of putting an end to the human rights violations in Pakistan. He further added that supporting human rights in Pakistan is in the best interest of the United States, and the relationship between Pakistan and the US should demonstrate US values of democracy, human rights, and adherence to the rule of law. Read all the Latest News here French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments on Taiwan, saying that being a US ally did not mean being a vassal". Macron, wrapping up a state visit to the Netherlands during which he has also faced protests over pension reforms, said France still backed the status quo" on Taiwan. But the French leader appeared to stick by remarks in an interview at the weekend, in which he said Europe should not be a follower" of either Washington or Beijing or get caught up in any escalation. Being an ally does not mean being a vassal doesnt mean that we dont have the right to think for ourselves," Macron told a press conference in Amsterdam with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macron, who visited China last week, said French and European policy on Taiwan has not changed" despite the furore over his remarks to Politico and Les Echos in which he backed Europes strategic autonomy. France is for the status quo in Taiwan" and a peaceful resolution to the situation," he added. - Honour of the workers - The first state visit to the Netherlands by a French president in 23 years was filled with pomp including a boat trip on one of Amsterdams scenic canals and a dinner in the capitals famed Rijksmuseum. But the two-day stay to promote ties between the two key EU members has not stopped Macron from facing pressure on a series of both domestic and foreign issues. Macrons weekend interview on Taiwan drew praise as brilliant" in China which rejects US support of what it sees as a breakaway province but raised eyebrows among Western allies. Former US president Donald Trump said that Macron, whos a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass." Macron replied that he had nothing to say about the comments by former president Trump because he is taking part in this escalation". Dutch premier Rutte said he agreed with Macron that Europe must be a player and not a playing field", but insisted that Washington remained an essential partner when it comes to security and freedom". Rutte meanwhile said of the protests targeting Macron that we are the hosts so you dont want that". Police arrested two demonstrators who ran towards the French president outside Amsterdam university in an apparent protest against France increasing the pension age from 62 to 64. For the honour of the workers and a better world even if Macron doesnt like it, we are here," one protester chanted, using the words of a French protest song, as he was pinned down by several security officials in Amsterdam. Around 40 people protested when Macron left the universitys science faculty, in an event to promote the signing of a pact for innovation" between France and the Netherlands. Read all the Latest News here Indias Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on Nepals Deputy Prime Minister Narayankaji Shrestha and both the leaders discussed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahals impending official visit to India, bilateral cooperation and border security issues among others. Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha expressed hope that the programme of the 68-year-old Prime Ministers India visit would be finalised soon, and expressed confidence that the relations between the two countries will be further deepened during the tenure of the incumbent government, Shresthas Secretariat said. During the meeting, Srivastava said that he was actively working to materialise Prime Minister Prachandas proposed India visit. Shrestha said that there should be an open dialogue between the two countries on sensitive issues such as border management and combating cross-border crimes. He also expressed confidence that the Nepal- India ties would be further deepened during the tenure of the Prachanda-led coalition government. Prachanda was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal on December 26 last year after he walked out of the pre-poll alliance led by the Nepali Congress and joined hands with opposition leader KP Sharma Oli. In July last year, Prachanda visited India at the invitation of BJP National President J P Nadda. In addition to the BJP president, he had at the time met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Read all the Latest India News here Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of Twitter, has triggered a flurry of speculation after he followed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the social media platform. After Musk followed PM Modi, people have started speculating that Elon Musk might be planning to set up a Tesla factory in India or join the Indian EV market, a report in Firstpost said. However, this isnt the first time that speculations of Tesla entering the Indian EV market or the Musks company setting up a production line in the country have made rounds. Elon Musk, the second richest person, was keen on entering the Indian EV market a few years ago but wanted some major tax breaks, the report said. It's no surprise that PM @narendramodi is one of the select few that @elonmusk follows on Twitter. Modi's visionary leadership has propelled India to new heights, while Musk's innovative ideas have changed the world. Let's hope their Twitter friendship results in some pic.twitter.com/C7tBcBY5nV Ankit Bhuptani (@CitizenAnkit) April 10, 2023 But the Indian government refused to give concessions on import taxes and duties that Tesla would incur on procuring parts for the EV from China. With over 87.7 million followers, Modi is among the most followed global leaders on Twitter. Musk follows 193 accounts on Twitter and is the most followed personality on the platform with over 134 million followers. Political leaders that Musk follows at present include Barack Obama, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron. Last year in May, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that if Elon Musk comes to India and makes Tesla cars here, then the company will also get benefits. Gadkari had reiterated that Musk will have to manufacture his Tesla cars in India, and not China, if he wants to come and sell the vehicles in the country. However, Musk was adamant that he would first test the market in India by offering Teslas cars at a premium and only then he would think of setting up a factory. India then refused to entertain the Tesla founders demands. The company has long sought reduced import tariffs on electric vehicles in India, pressing the government to drop tariff rates on high-end automobiles to 40 percent instead. But New Delhi has refused to provide the tax discounts, instead encouraging the automaker to produce vehicles locally. Read all the Latest Tech News here Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny on Tuesday said he had been moved back into solitary confinement and forced to endure extremely hellish" conditions. Navalny, 46, is serving combined sentences of 11-1/2 years in a high-security penal colony for fraud and contempt of court on charges that he says were trumped up to silence him. A documentary about him won an Oscar last month. Navalny said he had been released from a solitary confinement cell on Friday and sentenced to another 15 days there on Monday after his supporters released a probe showing the prison service was supposedly paying far too much for cabbage and pocketing the surplus. That is why the very next day after my colleagues released their investigation about these fun cabbage stories, they put me in the (confinement cell), immediately started setting up a working cell for me and changed the daily routine, turning it from hellish to extremely hellish," he tweeted. Navalny, who survived an attempt to poison him in 2020, has repeatedly been placed in punishment cells over the last year and backers say his life is in danger as his health worsens. Lawyer Vadim Kobzev said an ambulance had been called to the colony on Friday night after Navalnys condition deteriorated as the result of a stomach ailment. The prisoner lost eight kilos (18 pounds) during the most recent 15-day spell of solitary confinement, he tweeted. Navalny, who has over the years released dozens of videos alleging what he says is massive corruption in Russia, also said prison officials made up completely unlawful rules, forbidding me to buy food, even with the money I had earned." The Russian interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last week Russia said Navalny supporters had helped assassinate war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in St Petersburg. Read all the Latest News here The leak of a trove of highly sensitive documents online could be a move by the United States to deceive" Russia, its deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying Wednesday. Its probably interesting for someone to look at these documents, if they really are documents or they could be a fake or it could be an intentional leak," Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies. Since the US is a party to the (Ukraine) conflict and is essentially waging a hybrid war against us, it is possible that such techniques are being used to deceive their opponent, the Russian Federation," he said. The breach which has sparked a criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice includes classified information about Ukraines fight against Russian forces, as well as secret assessments of US allies. A document reviewed by AFP highlighted US concerns about Ukraines capacity to keep defending against Russian strikes, while the Washington Post reported that another expressed doubts about the success of an upcoming offensive by Kyivs forces. The Guardian newspaper said that in one document US officials estimated that there were 97 special forces members from NATO countries active in Ukraine at one point, including 50 British troops. Asked about the leaks during a briefing on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: Like everyone else, we do not know the degree of credibility these documents have. But even disregarding them, long before these documents appeared, we had and still have information that many fighters and instructors from NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, are taking part in combat operations." Dozens of photographs of documents some of which also point to US spying on allies and partners including Israel, South Korea and Ukraine have been found on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days, though some may have been circulating online for some time. Many of the documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and Washington is reportedly working to have them removed. Read all the Latest News here News / National by Staff reporter GOVERNMENT has said it will provide enough food to all Zimbabweans in need amid heightening concerns that drought might revisit the country.Responding to questions in Parliament last week, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said: "The government is working tirelessly to make sure that we provide enough food for everyone.""Our intention is to stop importing all the things that we intend to use such as maize, wheat and tobacco. We need to raise those quantities of production."Mutsvangwa said the second republic had been responsive as evidenced by the introduction of Pfumvudza, a conservation agricultural concept that is designed to achieve food security for an average household of six persons over one year.She indicated that government had procured tractors and other agricultural equipment to enhance the country's agricultural output to ensure food security."The country has enough grain and food because we have reserves through the programmes that were implemented by the government," she said.Mutsvangwa told legislators that government will continue importing tractors to help farmers increase production.She added that government had bought driers for farmers so that the issue of moisture content that irks farmers each time they deliver their maize to the Grain Marketing Board becomes a thing of the past.Zimbabwe has been listed among 20 countries deemed to be hunger hotspots following drought-induced poor harvests.The World Food Programme (WFP) said at the peak of the lean season, some families might be forced to skip meals, while others would have to sell livestock or other possessions to buy food.Droughts have ravaged the southern parts of the continent.In Zimbabwe according to WFP, about 3,8 million people facing hunger after the country's major humanitarian organisation said it would only provide food aid to 20% of the hunger-stricken population. Twitter CEO Elon Musk in an interview with the BBC said running Twitter has been quite painful and a rollercoaster. The interview was described by the UK-based media outlet as last minute and was broadcast live on platform Twitter Spaces. I said BBC could come Twitter, then, to my surprise, a reporter shows up Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023 Elon Musk also told the BBC that he remains open to the idea of selling the company to the right person, if and when the right person came along. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO bought Twitter for $44bn in October 2022. The interview was shot and recorded in Twitters headquarters in San Francisco and over three million listeners tuned in. Doing a Twitter Spaces interview in 10 mins with the @JamesClayton5 of @BBC Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023 The BBC report said that Musk preferred to do some interviewing himself and also defended how he was running the company. (The) pain level has been extremely high, this hasnt been some kind of party, Musk was quoted as saying by the BBC. Its not been boring. Its been quite a rollercoaster. (It has been) really quite a stressful situation over the last several months, Musk told the BBC but said he felt buying Twitter was the right thing to do. Shot Myself on the Foot Musk, worlds second richest person, according to the Forbes billionaires list, also said that he should not tweet after 3am and said he sometimes shot himself on the foot through his controversial tweets. Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes. I think I should not tweet after 3am, Musk said. Musk also said that he sleeps in the office sometimes and has a spot in the library which many dont frequent. Speaking of how Twitter is doing, he said that things are running reasonably well and the usage of the site is up. He also said that he was happy to see advertisers returning to the site. Musk pointed out that Twitter is roughly breaking even. He also pointed out that cutting the workforce was not an easy decision and acknowledged that there are some glitches on the site but highlighted that site was working fine. BBC Label During the interview, the issue of labelling BBCs Twitter account as Government-funded Media was also raised. I know the BBC is generally not thrilled about being labelled state media, Musk said. Ok so usually the interviewee leaves the interview. Elon musk now taking questions on Spaces pic.twitter.com/x9JKfzdtpT James Clayton (@JamesClayton5) April 12, 2023 Musk further told the BBC that Twitter was adjusting the label for the BBC to publicly-funded. The BBC spoke to Twitter earlier on this issue and said: The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee. I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC, Musk told the BBC interviewer. Read all the Latest Tech News here Four Indian nationals were killed and another person was seriously injured when their car plunged into a ravine in a remote region in Nepals Bagmati province on Tuesday. According to reports the accident occurred late Tuesday when the car, with a Bihar registration, carrying five Indian nationals lost control and plunged some 500 meters off the road into a ravine in the Sindhuli district of Bagmati province. All four killed were males. Three died on the spot, District Police Superintendent Raj Kumar Silwal was quoted as saying by Kathmandu-based newspapers. The SP said that one injured passenger, who was taken to the Sindhuli Hospital, died while undergoing treatment. Another critically injured survivor was also rushed to the Dhulikhel Hospital for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased could not be retrieved from the accident site, given the inaccessible geographical area. Talking to PTI, Gautam Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO) of Kalyanpur police station, Samastipur district, said, One of the deceased, identified as Mrityunjay Kumar Singh, was a resident of Phulhara village that comes under the of Kalyanpur PS. We are in touch with his family members and also the competent authority for further details. Despite repeated attempts, police at Samastipur and Patna have not been able to confirm the identity of the other Indians who died or were injured, though reports from Nepal suggest that the other victims were also residents of Samastipur. Read all the Latest India News here The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a report submitted to the nations Supreme Court flagged that there is reluctance within the government to release PKR 21 billion for election expenses, the Dawn said in a report. The federal government of Pakistan, according to media outlets based there, is looking to sidestep a Supreme Court order directing elections to be held in Punjab province on May 14. The top court last week directed the ECP to apprise the court regularly on issues related to funding for polls and submit a report on the governments response to the request for funds. The Supreme Court said that if the government does not provide funds or if there is a shortfall, the apex court will issue orders and give directions to authorities responsible. The ECP, according to the Dawn, submitted the report in a sealed envelope. It should be noted that the finance minister Ishaq Dar tabled a money bill in the National Assembly and Senate. The bill seeks parliamentary approval for the release of PKR 21 billion to hold the elections but the Dawn said the bill has been dubbed as an attempt to delay the polls. The Dawn, citing people familiar with the developments, said the one-page report highlights the governments reluctance towards disbursement of the funds. The Punjab provinces caretaker government also told the ECP that it can only sanction 75,000 security personnel against the demand for 300,000 security forces. The court in its judgement also directed the Punjab caretaker government to provide a security plan acceptable to the ECP. The ECP report will be presented before members of a three-judge bench for consideration in chambers later this week, the news outlet said. It must be noted that the money bill was also presented to the upper house of parliament, even though the Pakistan Senate has no role in the passage of the money bill and can only offer recommendations which the National Assembly is free to ignore. The report by Dawn also pointed out that the Senate chairman asked members to take time till Friday and present their recommendations. The report said the government wants to delay the polls until October and hold simultaneous elections instead of split polls. (PKR - Pakistani Rupees) Read all the Latest News here Ukraine first deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova, who is on her maiden visit to Delhi, urged India to bring peace to the conflict and talked about the horrors of war as a result of the Russian aggression. Dzhaparova revealed chilling details of how Russian soldiers committed human rights abuse and even steal household items during their aggression against Ukraine. She went on to claim that intercepted conversations of Russian soldiers reveal that they were talking about stealing household items from Ukrainian households even toilet bowls. When we receive intercepted conversations of Russian soldiers with their wives and mothers, they are about what to steal from Ukrainian households, they steal sometimes even toilet bowls, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said, according to ANI. #WATCH | Delhi: "When we receive intercepted conversations of Russian soldiers with their wives & mothers, they are about what to steal from Ukrainian households, they steal sometimes even toilet bowls": Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova pic.twitter.com/f837LV8HI1 ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2023 Emine Dzhaparovas visit to India is the first from Ukraine after Russia began its invasion of the east European country on February 24 last year. If someone comes to rape you, what possible language can you find to talk to I was really impressed when I got to know that there was an 11-year-old boy who was raped in front of his mother and he lost his ability to speak There is no room for proper language. February 24 change everything for Ukraine, the minister added. Earlier in 2022, Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, claimed that Russia was using rape and sexual violence as part of its military strategy in Ukraine. Emine Dzhaparova described India as a global leader and a Vishwaguru which can play a role in addressing global challenges. She further said it is important to have India on board in the Ukrainian conflict. #WATCH | Delhi: "We see the role of India as 'Vishwaguru'Sometimes we've country that chooses war instead of love, friendship. India as a Vishwaguru can play bigger & greater role, we welcome efforts to resolve the war": Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Emine pic.twitter.com/mqrjv9yX9G ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2023 Dzhaparova also suggested India to recognise the dangers of not stopping those who prefer to push their agenda with impunity alluding to Indias two big neighbours Pakistan and China and said Russian invasion could serve as an example of how to handle difficult neighbours". On the question of Indias involvement- as a leader of the global south as a country holding the G20 presidency- we hope that India will be involved and engaged in global issues and challenges, economic challenges, energy challenges and nuclear challenges to a great extent," Dzhaparova said. India also has a difficult neighbourhood with China and Pakistan. The Crimea episode has a lesson for India as well. Whenever impunity happens and if it is not stopped, it becomes bigger," she said. A report published last year in The Moscow Times revealed that Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine have sent home at least 58 metric tons of looted goods in just three months of war in Ukraine. Read all the Latest India News here Sri Lankas election body on Tuesday said the local body polls scheduled to be held on April 25 have now been postponed indefinitely due to an acute shortage of funds. The Election Commission made the announcement a day after its officials held meetings with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and members of major political parties. The Election Commissions director general Saman Sri Ratnayake said that the next date for holding elections would be announced only after the Treasury confirms the disbursal of funds. The local body polls, which were earlier scheduled on March 9, got postponed to April 25, due to a plethora of reasons linked to Sri Lankas current economic crisis. Last month, the Election Commission postponed the postal voting for the local body polls due to the paucity of funds. In March, Sri Lanka governments printer Gangani Liyanage said the inability to print ballot papers to conduct postal voting from February 21 to 24 caused the Election Commission to postpone the elections. Liyanage said that by the time the elections were postponed, she had only received Rs 40 million out of the estimated full cost of Rs 500 million from the Treasury. The election to appoint new administrations to 340 local councils for a four-year term was postponed since March last year due to the ongoing economic crisis. The International Monetary Fund has approved a USD 3 billion bailout programme to help debt-ridden Sri Lanka overcome its economic crisis and catalyse financial support from other development partners, a move welcomed by Colombo as a historic milestone in the critical period. Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves, sparking a major political and humanitarian crisis in the island nation. Read all the Latest News here Taiwans ruling party nominated Vice President William Lai as its candidate for next years presidential elections on Wednesday, choosing a contender who has been more outspoken on Taiwanese independence than incumbent Tsai Ing-wen. The announcement comes two days after China formally ended massive war games around democratic Taiwan that saw it simulate targeted strikes and practise a blockade of the island. The nomination is almost certain to anger China, which openly loathes Lai for his views on Taiwanese independence. I am very honoured to have received the DPPs nomination to take part in the 2024 presidential election and to uphold the duty of safeguarding Taiwan," Lai said at a Democratic Progressive Party press conference. The 63-year-old has long been considered the frontrunner for the DPP nomination to succeed Tsai, who is barred from running again after her second four-year term ends in May 2024. Lai has long held that Taiwan cannot attain a peaceful future by appeasing China and has urged the islands residents to unite against its authoritarianism. On Wednesday, he reiterated that stance. Now, the democratic bloc in the international community has noticed Chinas threat to the international community, and is concerned with the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait," Lai said. You must prepare for war to avoid war, to stop a war you must be able to fight a war." China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its own territory, has ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsais 2016 election as she views the island as a sovereign nation. Lai lauded Tsais two terms as president, saying the world has recognised Taiwans democratic credentials under her leadership. In the future, I will continue to strengthen democratic Taiwan in the same democratic path, so the world can see Taiwans value, and embrace Taiwan," he said. The Harvard-educated doctor-turned-politician has previously described himself as a pragmatic Taiwan independence worker". In January, he explained that this means he considers the island to already be a sovereign country and there is no need for Taiwan to declare independence again". Beijing has said any Taiwanese move towards a declaration of formal independence would prompt a military response. In the face of Chinas attacks with rhetoric and threats with its military, we will not change our peaceful stance," Lai said, suggesting he would work toward peace-building with Beijing. We will also not give up any chance for peace," he added, saying both sides need to work together to improve the lives of people on either side of the Taiwan Strait. Lai also sent a message to voters, saying next years polls will be a choice between democracy or authoritarianism". Read all the Latest News here US intelligence has serious concerns about Ukraines capability in the ongoing war and warned that Kyiv might fail to amass sufficient troops and weaponry for its planned spring counter-offensive and might fall well short of its goals to recapture Russian occupied territories, leaked documents have shown. The documents are part of a trove of highly sensitive material that has been posted online, sparking a US criminal investigation into a breach posing a very serious" risk to national security. Here are some top points revealed in the alleged Pentagon document leak: One document stated that tough Russian defence and enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive, according to The Guardian. US intelligence didnt expect much from Ukraines spring offensive due to shortfall in troop number and equipment deliveries. The intelligence document said that Ukraine was facing significant force generation and sustainment shortfalls and was only likely to achieve modest territorial gains. It also warned that Ukraine was running out of its Soviet-era anti-aircraft missiles, which was still the backbone of its air defense and said that Kyiv would run out of SA-11 Gadfly missiles by the end of March and S-300 missiles by May. Another document said Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the production of 40,000 rockets for shipment to Russia, telling officials to keep it secret to avoid problems with the West," AFP reported. Dozens of photographs of documents have been found on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days. Many of these documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared and the US is working to have them removed. Some documents also reveal concern among top South Korean national security officials that arms and ammunition manufactured by their country might end up being used in Ukraine, a violation of its policy of not selling weapons to nations at war. However, South Korea said a significant portion" of leaked US intelligence documents indicating concerns were fake. The intelligence also said that Israels Mossad intelligence agency was encouraging its officers to take part in protests against the Netanyahu governments plans to weaken the independence of the judiciary. But the Israeli government denied any Mossad involvement in the agitations. One of the documents also showed that Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban described the US as one of the top three adversaries of his party, Fidesz, at an internal political strategy session in February. Leaked documents also suggest that the UK deployed around 50 special forces to Ukraine. It also indicates that more than half of the Western special forces personnel in Ukraine between February and March this year may have been British. The US intelligence leak has also created a diplomatic headache for Washington as they appear to show US spying on close allies including South Korea and Israel. Read all the Latest News here Top US diplomat Antony Blinken and defense chief Lloyd Austin spoke with their Ukrainian counterparts on Tuesday as Washington seeks to reassure its allies after a leaked trove of highly sensitive documents appeared online. The breach which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice includes classified information about Ukraines battle against invading Russian forces, as well as secret assessments of US allies. A document reviewed by AFP highlighted US concerns about Ukraines capacity to keep defending against Russian strikes, while the Washington Post reported that another expressed doubts about the success of an upcoming offensive by Kyivs forces. We have engaged with allies and partners at high levels over the past days, including to reassure them about our own commitment to safeguarding intelligence," Blinken told a news conference on Tuesday. Blinken said he had spoken with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and reaffirmed our enduring support for Ukraine and for its efforts to defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty, its independence." Austin, speaking alongside Blinken, said he had also talked to his counterpart in Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov. He and the leadership remain focused on the task at hand," Austin said, noting that they have much of the capability that they need to continue to be successful." Ukraine is expected to launch an attack on invading Russian troops in the spring its first major military push of the year. But one top secret document said tough Russian defenses and enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive," the Post reported. - Air defense issues - A document reviewed by AFP this one marked secret" detailed the dire state of Ukrainian air defenses, which have been instrumental in protecting against Russian strikes and preventing Moscows forces from gaining control of the skies. Ukraines international supporters have worked to beef up the countrys air defenses, providing a mix of cutting edge and older technology to create multi-layered defenses that protect against attacks at different altitudes. But the document dated February 2023 the authenticity of which could not immediately be confirmed said that 89 percent of Ukrainian medium and high-range air defenses was made up of SA-10 and SA-11 Soviet-era systems that could soon run short of ammunition. Based on munitions use at the time, the document projected that Ukraines SA-11s would be out of missiles by late March, and its SA-10s by early May. Ukraines ability to provide medium-range air defenses to protect the front line will be completely reduced by May 23," the document said. The Post reported that another document said Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the production of 40,000 rockets for shipment to Russia, telling officials to keep it secret to avoid problems with the West." White House national security spokesman John Kirby pushed back against the report. Weve seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weaponry capabilities to Russia," Kirby told reporters. Egypt is a significant security partner and remains so." Dozens of photographs of documents some of which also point to US spying on allies and partners including Israel, South Korea and Ukraine have been found on Twitter, Telegram, Discord and other sites in recent days, though some may have been circulating online for some time. Many of the documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and the United States is reportedly working to have them removed. The fallout from the apparent leak could be significant even deadly potentially putting US intelligence sources at risk, while giving the countrys foes valuable information. Read all the Latest News here The United States on Wednesday urged Russia to allow a consular visit with detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to confirm his condition while a senior Russian official said Moscow was weighing access but would not be pressured. U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Roger Carstens, in a series of television interviews, said American diplomats had not yet been in contact with Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen. As we understand, hes in good spirits, his health is good. But we havent been able to verify that by way of a consular visit, Carstens, the chief U.S. hostage coordinator, told ABC News Good Morning America program. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia was considering granting U.S. diplomats consular access to Gershkovich, who has had only minimal contact with his legal team since his detention two weeks ago. The U.S. State Department has designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, a move Russias Ryabkov said would not change Moscows approach. We will not tolerate any attempts to pressure us, and it has no significance what status they assign to this person in Washington. We will act in accordance with our own internal needs, norms and laws that apply in this situation, and nothing more, Russian state-owned news agency TASS quoted Ryabkov as saying. Russias FSB security agency arrested Gershkovich, the first American reporter jailed in Russia on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War, in March and charged him with espionage charges that carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence. His arrest brought an outcry from the Wall Street Journal, U.S. President Joe Biden, other media organisations and rights groups. The Wall Street Journal has said the wrongfully detained designation would help the U.S. government in securing Gershkovichs release. Representatives for the news outlet could not be immediately reached regarding efforts to secure consular access. Carstens, on MSNBC, said he planned to visit Gershkovichs family in coming days after Biden spoke with them on Tuesday. A Moscow court next week will hear an appeal by Gershkovichs legal team against a ruling that he be held in pre-trial detention until at least May 29. Gershkovich is at Moscows Lefortovo prison, the same facility where other Americans such as Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed had been held. Washington has been unable to reach a deal to free Whelan, convicted by a Russian court of espionage in 2020. We have a significant offer on the table (for Whelan). We urge the Russians to take it, Carstens told MSNBC, adding that he spoke with Whelan on Monday. Read all the Latest News here Police in the Netherlands arrested two protesters who charged towards French President Emmanuel Macron outside Amsterdam University on Wednesday, news agency AFP reported. The French President is on a state visit to the Netherlands but tensions at home have followed him abroad as he was heckled over violent protests at home over pensions reforms. NEW - Security guards knock a man to the ground during Macron's visit to the University of Amsterdam. pic.twitter.com/1mITI7H5iB Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) April 12, 2023 Earlier on Tuesday, banners reading Where is French democracy?" were raised by activists when the French President was addressing a largely student audience at a theatre in The Hague. His controversial comments on Taiwan, the United States and China also has attracted the ire of his detractors at home and abroad. For the honour of the workers and a better world even if Macron doesnt like it, we are here, one protester chanted as he was subdued and pinned down by security guards, footage of the video, which has gone viral on social media, showed. The protester ran towards the French President and was tackled to the ground. He also knocked over a man in uniform, the videos shared on social media showed. The incident occurred minutes after Macron stepped out of a limousine with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and was speaking to Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. We arrested two protesters for running towards the president. For disturbing public order and threatening. It was a man and a woman, protesters. One of them had a banner," Amsterdam police spokesperson Lex van Liebergen was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Liebergen further added that there was a separate small group of demonstrators but it was unclear if the arrested duo were members of the same group. Macrons state visit to the Netherlands was the first by a French president in 23 years. He sparked controversy recently after he said in an interview with media outlets Politico and Les Echos that Europe should not follow the United States or China when it came to Taiwan. The Elysee Palace on Tuesday responded to the criticism directed at Macron and clarified that the president had never called for Europe to remain equidistant" from the United States and China. Read all the Latest News here A trove of highly sensitive US government documents circulating online includes secret assessments of the Ukraine conflict as well as analyses that point to surveillance of close American allies. The Pentagon says the breach poses a very serious risk to national security," and the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the matter. US officials have not however publicly confirmed that the materials shown in photographs posted on social media and other sites are genuine, and their authenticity could not immediately be independently verified. These are some key points from documents reviewed by AFP: Ukraine conflict losses One document an assessment of the status of the conflict as of March 1 puts Russian combat deaths at between 35,500 and 43,500, and Ukraines at 16,000 to 17,500. Russia also lost more than 150 planes and helicopters, while Ukraine lost more than 90 aircraft. Another version of the document which was apparently digitally modified said Ukrainian losses of troops and equipment were higher than Russias. The Pentagon has warned that the documents have the potential to spread disinformation." Anti-air missile shortage Two documents dated February 28 highlight significant issues with Ukrainian air defenses, which have been instrumental in protecting against Russian strikes and preventing Moscows forces from gaining control of the skies. Ukraines ability to provide medium-range air defenses to protect the front line will be completely reduced by May 23," the two documents say. One of them notes that SA-10 and SA-11 Soviet-era systems make up nearly 90 percent of Ukrainian medium and high-range protection and says that based on munitions use at the time they were projected to run out of missiles by early May and late March, respectively. Ukraine drone strike inside Russia An undated document says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested in late February targeting Moscows forces inside Russia using drones and expressed concern to the countrys top general and another official about Kyivs lack of missiles with the range for such strikes. The account which points to American surveillance of a close partner may help explain US reluctance to provide Ukraine with longer-range weapons it has sought, though Kyiv appears to have carried out such strikes with other means, and Washingtons hesitation predates the exchange mentioned in the document. Israel protests Another undated document says leaders from Israels Mossad advocated in early- to mid-February for both officials from the intelligence service and private citizens to protest against a controversial judicial reform plan that would give lawmakers substantially more control over the supreme court. The document attributed the information to intercepted electronic signals, indicating US spying on an allied country. South Korea ammo concerns South Koreas National Security Council was mired in concerns" over the possibility that the United States would give Ukraine ammunition it was seeking from Seoul, according to a document detailing March 1 communications between two Korean officials. That would have violated South Koreas policy of not providing lethal aid to Ukraine, whose forces have faced a critical shortage of artillery ammunition. Like previous documents, this one points to American surveillance of a country with which it has close ties. The revelation sparked criticism in South Korea about the vulnerability of sensitive locations, but President Yoon Suk Yeols office has pushed back, saying it had iron-clad security" and that allegations of eavesdropping were senseless lies." The countrys opposition on Wednesday urged the government to investigate the apparent espionage. Black Sea surveillance flights A document dated February 27 details surveillance flights over the Black Sea by the United States, Britain, France and NATO from late September to late February, using both crewed aircraft and drones, including the MQ-9 Reaper. Roughly two weeks after the date of the document, Washington said a Russian Su-27 jet struck a US MQ-9, requiring the drone to be brought down in the Black Sea. Moscow denied responsibility. Read all the Latest News here The first image and footage from Matt Reeves Batman spinoff Max series The Penguin was revealed Wednesday coming out of the Warner Bros Discovery presser for the streaming service. No premiere date was announced today; hopefully well be seeing this one make a splash at San Diego Comic-Con this summer. Colin Farrell reprises his Batman villain in this eight-episode DC Studios drama series that continues The Batman epic crime saga that filmmaker Reeves began with Warner Bros. Pictures $771 million-grossing global blockbuster last year. As we told you last week, The Batman, which repped Warner Bros return to full theatrical releases coming out of the pandemic last year, netted a profit of $177M. More from Deadline The first footage of the series, which is in production per Casey Bloys, has the look of a dark Sopranos, with Farrell playing a full-on crime boss. We see him swooning a brunette over dinner, limping and climbing subway stairs and boldly shooting someone from his smoking chair (You step out of line even once, Ill gut you like a goddamn fish, exclaims Penguin). RELATED: Deadlines Full Coverage Of Max Launch Event You ask yourself, what kind of life do I want? says the Penguin in a voice-over. The world isnt built for guys like us; thats why we have to take whats ours. Watch the footage in the video above. New DC bosses Peter Safran and James Gunn have made it clear that Reeves Batman is part of their else-verse, which is not part of their phase one Gods and Monsters DC universe. Reeves feature sequel, Batman II, is hitting cinemas on October 3, 2025. Safran and Gunn have their own Batman in the works, The Brave and the Bold, which follows Bruce Wayne and the spitfire, renegade son he didnt know he had: Damien Wayne, who takes on the alias of Robin. Story continues Heres the new look at Farrell in Maxs Penguin: The previously announced cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre OConnell, with Clancy Brown and Michael Zegen recurring. The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro. Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, The Penguin is produced by Reeves 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. 6th & Idahos Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer and Rafi Crohn is co-executive producer. 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. UPDATE Apr 12, 2023 2:00 AM CDT The retired Pennsylvania firefighter who struck two police officers in the head with a fire extinguisher during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot was on Tuesday sentenced to four years behind bars, the AP reports. A fire extinguisher is an instrument that he was uniquely familiar with and should have known how much damage it could cause, a prosecutor wrote in a court filing regarding Robert Sanford's case. Sanford, 57, has been working with a specialist in cult deprogramming since last year. "Even after he was incarcerated, he participated in regular discussions designed to challenge his ideology and belief structure, then help him understand how and why he developed the beliefs that led him to make the decisions that he did on January 6," his defense attorney says. Jan 15, 2021 4:52 AM CST Police and the FBI are continuing to track down suspects involved in last week's Capitol riotincluding a man seen on video beating a police officer with an American flag. Peter Stager, 41, was arrested at his attorney's office Thursday night, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports. He has been charged in federal court with one count of obstructing a police officer from his duties during a civil disorder, and more charges are likely to be added. Investigators say Stager was part of a mob that grabbed a DC officer who was protecting a Capitol entrance, dragged him down stairs, and beat him with objects including the flagpole, reports the Wall Street Journal. A man identified as Stager was seen on video taken outside the Capitol saying, "Everybody in there is a treasonous traitor. Death is the only remedy for what's in that building." Others arrested Thursday include a Delaware man who was seen carrying a Confederate flag outside the Senate chamber and a retired Pennsylvania firefighter accused of throwing a fire extinguisher that hit two police officers in the head outside the Capitol. Robert Sanford, 55, was arrested after the FBI received a tip from one of his friends, according to charging documents. Sanford faces charges including assaulting a police officer and unlawfully entering the Capitol, the AP reports. Authorities say the fire extinguisher Sanford threw isn't the one that fatally injured Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick. (Read more Capitol attack stories.) UPDATE Apr 12, 2023 1:20 AM CDT The five Louisiana law enforcement officers charged in the death of Ronald Greene pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned Tuesday, CNN reports. They include four Louisiana state troopers and a Union Parish deputy, one of whom has since been fired for an unrelated excessive force incident. They are next due in court May 12. Dec 16, 2022 12:20 AM CST Five Louisiana law enforcement officers were charged Thursday with state crimes ranging from negligent homicide to malfeasance in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, a death authorities initially blamed on a car crash before long suppressed body-camera video showed white officers beating, stunning and dragging the Black motorist as he wailed, Im scared! These are the first criminal charges of any kind to emerge from Greenes bloody death on a roadside in rural northeast Louisiana, a case that got little attention until an Associated Press investigation exposed a cover-up and prompted scrutiny of top Louisiana State Police brass, a sweeping US Justice Department review of the agency and a legislative inquiry looking at what Gov. John Bel Edwards knew and when he knew it, the AP reports. "Were all excited for the indictments but are they actually going to pay for it? said Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, who for more than three years has kept the pressure on state and federal investigators and vowed not to bury the cremated remains of her Ronnie until she gets justice. As happy as we are, we want something to stick. Facing the most serious charges from a state grand jury was Master Trooper Kory York, who was seen on the body-camera footage dragging Greene by his ankle shackles, putting his foot on his back to force him down and leaving the heavyset man face down in the dirt for more than nine minutes. Use-of-force experts say these actions could have dangerously restricted Greenes breathing, and the state polices own force instructor called the troopers actions torture and murder. York was charged with negligent homicide and 10 counts of malfeasance in office. The others who faced various counts of malfeasance and obstruction included a trooper who denied the existence of his body-camera footage, another who exaggerated Greenes resistance on the scene, a regional state police commander who detectives say pressured them not to make an arrest in the case and a Union Parish sheriffs deputy heard on the video taunting Greene with the words s- hurts, doesnt it? These actions are inexcusable and have no place in professional public safety services, the head of the state police, Col. Lamar Davis, said after the indictments, adding that his agency has in recent years made improvements aimed at rebuilding of trust within the communities we serve. The US Justice Department is conducting a separate criminal investigation. (Much more on the case here.) A student at a private college in Minnesota planned "a mass casualty event" that was prevented by a tip from a school custodian, police say. After the St. Olaf College custodian spotted packages for high-capacity magazines in a garbage can on April 5, a search of a student dorm turned up magazines, knives, a tactical vest, firearm earmuffs, propane canisters, fireworks, lighter fluid, a battery with wires, and a lock pick set, police allege, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Police say they also recovered notebooks containing a hand-drawn map of the college's recreational facility with "arrows delineating a path of travel, apparently an exit path," as well as police radio frequencies and details of a plot to steal ammunition from a Walmart, per KSTP. Waylon Kurts, a 20-year-old sophomore and member of the track team, was arrested Thursday in the college town of Northfield. He intended to target the Skoglund-Tostrud recreational building and "both firearms and explosives would be used in an attack," according to the Rice County Attorney's Office. Though no guns were found in the dorm, Kurts had guns, including an assault rifle, at his family home in Montpelier, Vermont, police allege, per CBS News. While family members claimed Kurts wasn't shooting in Minnesota, police say he visited a shooting range and gun shop in Burnsville "several times to shoot." Kurts, who authorities say had help in planning the alleged attack, also discussed buying guns from unlicensed sellers with an unidentified person. Kurts allegedly texted with this person about buying and building guns and shipping items to different locations to avoid suspicion, per KSTP. He also allegedly sent photos of a box of rifle magazines on a campus bench with the message, "Kids've got no idea whats in here, haha." Held in jail, Kurtswho police say also had notes on where on the body to shoot a person and how to kick down a dooris facing charges including conspiracy to commit second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit threats of violence, and making terroristic threats. Defense attorney Paul Rogosheske counters that the camper and hunter who "shoots a lot" with his family made no threats. As for the map, he claims Kurts "draws a lot of maps" and this one was for someone else. (Read more terror plots stories.) President Biden arrived in Belfast Tuesday night amid heavy security at the start of a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. The president was greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Belfast International Airport, the BBC reports. Biden plans to spend a day in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement before crossing into the Republic of Ireland, where his itinerary includes meeting with political leaders and distant relatives. On Wednesday, he will speak at Ulster University in Belfast, where many city center streets were closed off ahead of his arrival. Officials say Biden plans to meet with the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties, though not as a group. The 1997 peace deal largely ended decades of violence between the British state and paramilitary groups including the Irish Republican Army, though some tensions remain. Last month, the terror threat level in Northern Ireland was raised to "severe," but Biden said it would not affect his plans. Hundreds of police from the British mainland were sent to Belfast as part of a massive security operation leading up to Biden's arrival, the Guardian reports. In Derry, Northern Ireland's second-largest city, police found four suspected pipe bombs Tuesday, a day after dissident republicans clashed with police. "I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity," Biden said before arriving in the city. In the Republic of Ireland, where the political situation is less fraught, US flag are being raised in Ballina, the town one of Biden's great-great-grandfathers left for the US in 1850, the AP reports. Joe Blewitt, a distant cousin, says Biden visited in 2016 and said he would return as president. "He said, Im going to come back into Ballina,'" Blewitt says. "And sure to God hes going to come back into Ballina. His Irish roots are really deep in his heart. (Read more President Biden stories.) Pitt said meteorites are often black with slight indentations. This meteorite pictured is part of Roberto Vargas's collection and was found in Junction City, Ga. The piece weighs 24.7 grams. (Submitted by Roberto Vargas - image credit) Submitted by Roberto Vargas What would you do for $25,000 US? If your answer is running through the woods searching for a one-kilogram meteorite you're in luck. The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel, Maine, is willing to pay that or more for a piece of the "fireball" that people in New Brunswick and Maine spotted falling from the sky over the weekend. NASA has since identified the unknown object as a meteorite. And Darryl Pitt, head of the meteorite division at the museum, said even a small specimen of the rock would be "worth its weight in gold." Submitted by Darryl Pitt "If you take every single meteorite known to exist, it weighs less than the world's annual output of gold," said Pitt. "There's only approximately 65 meteorites that have been found in Canada. Only one previously in New Brunswick ever. So this would be the second one once it's found." Pitt said many people on both sides of the border saw the meteorite fall, but where it actually landed is a much more "constrained" area. It stretches from Waite, Maine, about 104 kilometres from the Houlton border, and Canoose, N.B., about 21 kilometres from St. Stephen, said Pitt. He said this was determined by a Doppler radar, which is a specialized radar that produces velocity data about objects. 'One of the hottest collectibles' The $25,000 US reward is for the first one-kilogram specimen, but even a 10-50 gram piece would be valuable, said Pitt. "They're important to science [and] they're important to collectors," he said. "Meteorites have become one of the hottest collectibles, I suppose, on Earth. Pun intended." He said the larger pieces seem to be in Maine, based on the Doppler radar returns. But he said there might be more specimens that are smaller in New Brunswick. Roberto Vargas from Hartford, Conn., was out looking for one in the Maine-New Brunswick area on Monday. But with no luck, he plans to head back to the area on the weekend with the hope of walking away with his fourth meteorite in the past year. Story continues Submitted by Roberto Vargas Vargas started collecting meteorites in 2017, but didn't start hunting them until 2019. He used to be a mental health therapist, but soon realized it was hard to hunt meteorites while holding down a full-time job. So he made meteorite hunting his full-time gig. "It's just about being ready to get up and go when one falls and getting there first. And then after that, it's just a matter of what you know," said Vargas. He said he has a group of friends who look at radar returns, which is only one of several factors he considers when deciding whether a meteorite is worth chasing. One factor in this meteorite hunt is that the fireball was bright enough to be seen in the daytime, which he said usually means it's a bigger piece. Vargas said there were also some reports of a sonic boom. He said it's hard to put a price tag on meteorites, despite the $25,000 US prize being offered by the museum. He said it all depends on how many kilograms are out there, the type of meteorite and other factors. If Vargas were to find a meteorite on his hunt this weekend, he would keep a piece for his personal collection, donate 20 per cent to a scientific institution in order to get it classified and likely give the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum first dibs on it, since it fell in Maine and he has a personal connection to Pitt. He said there's something special about meteorite hunting. Even a non-successful hunt brings together a group of people that are passionate about it, said Vargas. But his favourite part is finding a meteorite. "There's nothing like that feeling of being the first person to touch a 4.6-billion-year-old rock that was in space, you know, a week ago," said Vargas. What to look for Pitt said it's unknown yet exactly what the specimens will look like because the first piece hasn't been found yet. But around 80 to 85 per cent of meteorites are classified as "common or ordinary," he said. So most likely, someone looking for the specimens would see something black with a smooth surface and maybe slight indentations, said Pitt. It will likely be a little heavy, he said, and contain some metal, which means a magnet should stick to it. Pitt said just the experience alone of looking for a meteorite is a great way to spend the day. "Help science, get outdoors and be able to have one in your hand and then look up in the sky and understand it came from between Mars and Jupiter," said Pitt. "A pretty enthralling experience." Under Kentucky state law, authorities cannot destroy the assault-style rifle used to kill five people at a Louisville bank and injure eight others, two of them critically, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Tuesday. Weapons confiscated by police must be sent to state police officials to sell at auction, the Guardian reports. "Think about that, said an emotional Greenberg, who, like Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, lost a friend in the Monday bank shooting. That murder weapon will be back on the streets one day under Kentuckys current law." He issued a plea for Kentucky's GOP-controlled state legislature to allow local municipalities to make their own decisions about gun laws. "Let us destroy illegal guns and destroy the guns that have been used to kill our friends and kill our neighbors. We have to do more than weve already done. Lets change the state laws that would make me a criminal for trying too hard to stop the real evil criminals who are taking other peoples lives," he said. "I dont care about finger pointing. I dont care about blame. I dont care about politics. Im only interested in working together with our state legislators to take meaningful action to save lives, to prevent more tragic injuries, and more death." He added, per CNN, that he, too, is a survivor of workplace violence; the Democrat was the target of a shooting at his campaign headquarters last year. (The AR-15-style rifle used in the bank shooting was purchased legally just last week.) A Texas woman who'd been reported missing was foundalivein a Jeep that was almost completely submerged in a Marion County lake. The county sheriff's office posted on Facebook that a fisherman called in on Friday morning to report seeing the top of the floating Jeep about 40 feet from a boat ramp at Lake o' the Pines. Deputies and a tow truck from a wrecker service responded, and then the unexpected occurred: "As the jeep was being prepared for removal from the water, it was discovered a person was still in the vehicle and moving," the sheriff's office says in its post. Everyone at the scenedeputies, wrecker service, and the fisherman who made the callassisted in rescuing the woman, who was transported to a local hospital. During the course of the incident, deputies determined the woman had been reported missing in Longview, about 30 miles southwest of the lake, WFTV reports. An investigation is underway, and it's not yet clear how the Jeep ended up in the water. In fact, "We do not know how long the Jeep was in the water," an investigator at the Marion County Sheriff's Office tells NPR. NPR reports that she'd been reported missing at 12:35am Friday and the fisherman's call came in hours later, sometime Friday morning, but other reports say she was reported missing April 5. Authorities say that so far, nothing suspicious has been turned up and the incident appears to have been accidental; the boat ramp the vehicle may have driven off of is at the end of a slight curve off a long and mostly straight rural road. (Read more Texas stories.) The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday that outlined two ways that seven Western states and tribes reliant on the overtapped Colorado River could cut their use, but declined to publicly take a side on the best option, the AP reports. One option would be more beneficial to California and some tribes along the river that have high-priority rights to the river's water. The second option is likely to be more favorable to Nevada and Arizona, who share the river's Lower Basin with California and say it's time for an approach that more fairly spreads the pain of cuts. That approach would force cuts on a proportional basis, when water levels at key reservoirs along the river dip below a certain point. The Interior Department defended its authority to make sure basic needs such as drinking water and hydropower generated from the river are meteven if it means setting aside the priority system. At the end of the day, the Interior secretary has the authority and the responsibility to operate the system," Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau told the Associated Press. He said those duties give the federal government the ability to make some decisions that defy the priority system. Last year the US Bureau of Reclamation called for the states to figure out how to cut their collective use of the river's water by about 2 to 4 million acre feetor roughly 15% to 30% of their annual usebut an agreement has since been elusive. The alternatives explore how the federal government could deal with water shortages at Lake Powell and Lake Mead through 2026. Lake Powell, located in Arizona, and Lake Mead, which sits behind Hoover Dam in Nevada, are the largest built reservoirs in the US and serve as barometers of the river's health. A multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand, and overuse has sent water levels at key reservoirs along the river to unprecedented lows. That's forced the federal government to cut some water allocations, and to offer up billions of dollars to pay farmers and cities to cut back. States, tribes and other water users have until May 30 to comment on the proposals before federal officials announce their formal decision. (Much more here.) A sinkhole in Texas was dormant for 15 yearsuntil this month. Authorities in the small town of Daisetta say it began expanding April 2 and has since swallowed up several acres of land, "leaving nearby residents terrified that it will take them and their homes," NPR reports. Though no evacuation orders have been issued, footage shared by Bluebonnet News on Sunday shows deep cracks in the earth spreading out from a body of water in which buildings and other structures are partially submerged. The sinkhole first made headlines in 2008 after it grew from a 20-foot hole in the area of the DeLoach Oil and Gas Waste Well to one stretching some 900 feet across over two days. "Eventually, the community learned to live with the giant hole in the ground, treating it as something of a recreational area," per NPR. Some residents even fished in the water-filled hole. Then early this month "my neighbor came over and said he kept hearing popping sounds like a gunshot," resident Tim Priessler told KTRK last week. "We went to the backyard, and there were buildings falling in. It was like a movie." The hole grew at least 150 feet wider, Liberty County Assistant Fire Marshal Nat Holcomb told the outlet. A vacant building and several storage tanks fell victim, per NPR, which notes the EPA is checking more storage tanks near the rim for hazardous materials. Meanwhile, several agencies are working to determine why the hole suddenly began growing. Geologist Richard Howe, who investigated the sinkhole back in 2008, tells the Dallas Morning News that the salt dome on which the town is built began to dissolve, due in part to oil well drilling, creating a void beneath the ground's surface. New growth appears to be occurring in one area, which is in the opposite direction of a high school sitting 500 yards from the sinkhole's edge, per USA Today. Still, a woman who lives near the sinkhole told KTRK that she was having trouble sleeping for fear that she'll "get swallowed up." As Holcomb told the outlet, "sinkholes are extremely unpredictable. It can take a week to move one foot, or it can crumble 20 feet overnight." (Read more sinkhole stories.) Most of the 25 paintings displayed in the Orlando Museum of Art's Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit were actually created by a 45-year-old auctioneer from California, whose name appeared on a shipping label on the back of one of the cardboard canvases, authorities say. Prosecutors announced they'd reached a plea deal with Michael Barzman of North Hollywood on Tuesday, nine months after FBI agents raided the museum's Basquiat exhibit. They say Barzman admitted to creating between 20 and 30 paintings that he went on to sell as authentic Basquiatsand many of which later ended up in the museum show. He allegedly worked with another person, identified as JF, to craft the works, with JF spending just five to 30 minutes on each, per the New York Times. Barzman initially hid his role in the scheme from investigators, even after they confronted him with a cardboard canvas seized from the museum, on which a shipping label with Barzman's name and address had been painted over, according to prosecutors. (Another cardboard canvas reportedly featured typeface used only after Basquiat's 1988 death.) In October, however, Barzman admitted he and JF had created the paintings in 2012, then exposed them to the elements to make them look old. Meanwhile, Barzman, who ran a business that bought and resold the contents of storage units, created false provenance documents to back a story that the paintings had been sold to a screenwriter, who kept them in a storage unit whose contents Barzman bought, according to a plea agreement. It was all bogus. Barzman created and sold the fake paintings, splitting money from the sales with his associate, prosecutors said. His lawyer says the auctioneernow facing up to five years in prison on a charge of lying to the FBIdid so "in desperation" as he was "drowning in medical debt after battling cancer for decades" and feared losing his health insurance, per the AP. Several people paid about $15,000 for 25 works, one of the owners said, per the Times. Barzman said he was later offered up to $15,000 to sign a notarized document stating the paintings had come from the unit, which he did, though he said he was never paid. Even now, some owners remain convinced that the paintings are genuine Basquiats, per the Times, though authorities say they are sorely mistaken. (Read more fraud stories.) Fed up by an enormous pothole in his Los Angeles neighborhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up a shovel and filled it himself. The actor and former California governor tweeted a video Tuesday of him and a helper using packaged concrete to repair the road in the Brentwood area. "Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole thats been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it," he tweeted. "I always say, lets not complain, lets do something about it. Here you go." A neighbor rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star. "Youre welcome," said Schwarzenegger, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket, and shades reminiscent of his role in Terminator. "This is crazy. For three weeks Ive been waiting for this hole to be closed," he said. A rep for Schwarzenegger said Brentwood residents made repeated requests for repairs since winter storms opened up potholes and cracks on local roads. Mayor Karen Bass last week announced a plan to address what she called an unprecedented number of damaged streets across the city. Since Dec. 30, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs, and as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes, officials said. The Department of Public Works did not immediately respond to an email asking whether the pothole Schwarzenegger filled had been scheduled to be repaired. (The Governator recently went viral with a video plea to Russians.) Last month, former President Trump made clear he would not drop out of the 2024 race if he were indicted. On Tuesday, the newly indicted Trump went one better and told Tucker Carlson he would not drop out if he were convicted, reports Axios. "That's not my thing," he said on Fox News, his first interview since being indicted on charges related to hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. "I wouldn't do it." Also: Court staffers: "They were incredible," Trump said of officers and employees at the Manhattan courtroom where he was indicted, per Fox News. "When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and Ill tell you people were cryingpeople that professionally work there that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody. ... They were actually crying. They said, 'I'm sorry.'" Conviction: When Carlson asked what would happen if Trump were convicted in the Manhattan case in the middle of the campaign, Trump responded: "It is so off. Statute of limitations are years off. It's hard to believe. ... They say there's no crime. There's no, there's no anything. Think of it. I've been through seven years of bulls--t investigations." (Trump faces two other investigations, over alleged election interference in Georgia and his handling of classified documents.) When Carlson asked what would happen if Trump were convicted in the Manhattan case in the middle of the campaign, Trump responded: "It is so off. Statute of limitations are years off. It's hard to believe. ... They say there's no crime. There's no, there's no anything. Think of it. I've been through seven years of bulls--t investigations." (Trump faces two other investigations, over alleged election interference in Georgia and his handling of classified documents.) Biden: Trump suggested 80-year-old President Biden wasn't up to another campaign and a second term. "Look, I watch him just like you do. And I think its almost inappropriate for me to say itI dont see how its possible." Trump suggested 80-year-old President Biden wasn't up to another campaign and a second term. "Look, I watch him just like you do. And I think its almost inappropriate for me to say itI dont see how its possible." Putin: Trump suggested he scared Vladimir Putin away from invading Ukraine on his watch by threatening to do something "really nasty" to Russia should that happen. He considers it to be a part of Russia, Trump added, per the New York Post. I said, Not when Im president. In another world view, Trump said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan might be "the most embarrassing moment that this country has ever had." (The Biden White House blames Trump policies for that.) Trump suggested he scared Vladimir Putin away from invading Ukraine on his watch by threatening to do something "really nasty" to Russia should that happen. He considers it to be a part of Russia, Trump added, per the New York Post. I said, Not when Im president. In another world view, Trump said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan might be "the most embarrassing moment that this country has ever had." (The Biden White House blames Trump policies for that.) Bygones: Carlson famously blasted Trump privately in phone texts, but he called Trump "moderate, sensible, and wise" on his show Tuesday night, notes the Washington Post. That's in sync with the latest public comments from the pair. He doesnt feel that way now, Trump said of Carlson last month when speaking with reporters. If you ask Tucker now, he likes Trump. He gets it. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) It looks like former President Trump will have another big-name challenger for the GOP nomination. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott launched a presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday, reports Politico. While not an official entry into the 2024 race, that final step is now seen as a mere formality. A look at coverage: The launch: The 57-year-old Scott is described by the New York Times as the "most prominent Black leader in the Republican Party." He is also currently the only Black Republican in the Senate. In his launch video, Scott said he hoped to heal the nation's divisions, per the Washington Post. He accused President Biden and Democrats of fostering a "culture of grievance" and "victimhood." The 57-year-old Scott is described by the New York Times as the "most prominent Black leader in the Republican Party." He is also currently the only Black Republican in the Senate. In his launch video, Scott said he hoped to heal the nation's divisions, per the Washington Post. He accused President Biden and Democrats of fostering a "culture of grievance" and "victimhood." A theme: All too often when (Democrats) get called out for their failures, they weaponize race to divide us, to hold onto their power, Scott said in the video. When I fought back against their liberal agenda, they called me a prop. A token. Because I disrupt their narrative. I threaten their control. They know the truth of my life disproves their lies. At another point, he declared, "Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country. Echoing that: Axios notes that Scott, who was raised by a single mom and overcame poverty to reach the Senate, sounded a similar theme in a February speech. "The story of America isnt the original sin, its about redemption," he said. "We have to stop buying the lie that this is the worst time in American history." Axios notes that Scott, who was raised by a single mom and overcame poverty to reach the Senate, sounded a similar theme in a February speech. "The story of America isnt the original sin, its about redemption," he said. "We have to stop buying the lie that this is the worst time in American history." The choice: The Post and Courier of South Carolina sees Scott's near-entry into the race as one that sets up a choice for GOP voters. He often refers to the GOP as the "great opportunity" party. Thus, his "firstand perhaps greatestchallenge will be testing if Republican primary voters want the optimistic vision Scott is selling over the us-versus-them rhetoric coming from repeat favorite Donald Trump." The Post and Courier of South Carolina sees Scott's near-entry into the race as one that sets up a choice for GOP voters. He often refers to the GOP as the "great opportunity" party. Thus, his "firstand perhaps greatestchallenge will be testing if Republican primary voters want the optimistic vision Scott is selling over the us-versus-them rhetoric coming from repeat favorite Donald Trump." Trump: The former president endorsed Scott in his 2022 reelection, and the senator has been "largely supportive" of Trump while in office, per the Post. However, Scott has publicly rebuked Trump on a few occasions, including when Trump referred to "very fine people on both sides" in the Charlottesville white-supremacist rally of 2017. He also accused Trump of "unacceptable personal attacks" when the then-president said four Democratic congresswomen (including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) should "go back" to their native countries. The former president endorsed Scott in his 2022 reelection, and the senator has been "largely supportive" of Trump while in office, per the Post. However, Scott has publicly rebuked Trump on a few occasions, including when Trump referred to "very fine people on both sides" in the Charlottesville white-supremacist rally of 2017. He also accused Trump of "unacceptable personal attacks" when the then-president said four Democratic congresswomen (including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) should "go back" to their native countries. Same state: Scott's move sets up an unusual South Carolina showdown: Former Gov. Nikki Haley already is in the race, and she appointed Scott to the Senate back in 2012. Also in the race is former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, while Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo are among those expected to enter later. (Read more Tim Scott stories.) The two Americans who survived a deadly kidnapping in Mexico last month spoke to Anderson Cooper of CNN about their ordeal Tuesday night. LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams survived, though Williams was shot in both legs, while Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown were fatally shot. The four had gone to Mexico because Washington McGee planned to have a medical procedure, and authorities say their armed attackers went after their vehicle in an apparent case of mistaken identity. Zindell and Shaeed, they jumped up to run and they were gunned down, Williams said. However, all four were alive when loaded into a truck at the scene and driven to a different location. Thats where Shaeed said, I love yall, and Im gone. And he died right there, Williams said. He said he loved us and he was gone. It was the last thing he said." They were driven to multiple locations, and Washington McGee said Brown soon died, too. He was fighting for his life and they didnt do nothing, she said. I talked to him the whole time I just told him sorry because I asked him to come with me. She said he responded, "It's OK. Im your brother. Im supposed to be there for you. I love you." Finally, one of their captors offered some hope, said Washington McGee: He was like, Theres nothing that we can do to bring your two brothers back. But were sorry. Somebody made the wrong call. They was high and drunk.'" The pair were soon driven to another location to be rescued. Williams, for his part, said his captors stitched up his bullet wounds, but "no pain medicine or nothing." Watch the video for more details. At least one of their alleged guards has been arrested, per Yahoo. (Some of the kidnappers were apparently killed because of the mistaken abduction.) UPDATE Apr 13, 2023 1:18 PM CDT PBS has joined NPR in getting the heck away from Twitter. Like NPR, the Public Broadcasting Service was recently labeled by the social platform as "government-funded media," meaning Twitter would not amplify its tweets. The label was initially "state-affiliated media," a phrase applied to propaganda outlets in Russia and China, though Twitter later altered its wording. PBS hasn't tweeted since Saturday, per Axios. "PBS stopped tweeting from our account when we learned of the change and we have no plans to resume at this time," rep Jason Phelps tells Bloomberg. "We are continuing to monitor the ever-changing situation closely." Federal and state government funding provides about 28% of PBS' revenue, according to its website. Apr 12, 2023 10:17 AM CDT NPR is going to stop tweeting. The news outfit said Wednesday it was quitting Twitter in protest of Elon Musk's new labeling of the organization, reports the Hill. Last week, Musk labeled NPR "state-affiliated media"on par with state-controlled media in Russia and Chinathen backtracked amid criticism to soften the label to "government-funded media," per the New York Times. Not good enough, says NPR. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, says rep Isabel Lara. While NPR as an entity will stop tweeting after two weeks, it is allowing its reporters to decide for themselves whether to ditch their own accounts. NPR media writer David Folkenflik notes that his employer is the first major news organization in the US to leave Twitter. Musk himself appeared to be unclear about NPR's funding and its relationship with the government in the initial backlash to the labeling. Folkenflik writes that NPR "receives less than 1 percent of its $300 million annual budget from the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting." The Washington Post has this breakdown: "(A)bout 40 percent of its revenue comes from sponsorships and about 30 percent from programming fees paid by local public radio stations. (These stations, in turn, typically receive state and federal funds and use them to finance their operations, as well as pay for NPR-produced programs.)" Late last year, a former Afghan refugee who has been widely celebrated for his humanitarian work evacuating Afghans and Americans from Afghanistan after the United States' withdrawal, landed a coveted spot on the Forbes "30 Under 30" list -- branding him as one of the country's so-called "brightest young leaders." Safi Rauf, 28, and his nonprofit organization, Human First Coalition, emerged as one of the most notable humanitarian groups from the chaotic period that followed the United States' pullout from Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban in August, 2021. Months into his work, Rauf himself was captured by the Taliban while on the ground in the country and held captive for a harrowing 105 days, and his efforts eventually propelled him into the national spotlight, landing him television interviews, a TED Talk, and backing for his organization from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's foundation. "I am so incredibly humbled and grateful to be named one of the Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact," Rauf wrote on social media in November in response to the news. "I share this recognition with my team in the U.S, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This is to honor all that they have achieved." MORE: Biden admin acknowledges mistakes in Afghanistan exit but defends decision to leave But now, an ABC News investigation has learned of numerous allegations against Rauf and his organization -- none of which have previously been reported. A U.S. government-backed institution has sued Rauf and Human First Coalition, alleging the organization failed to evacuate its employees after it was paid over a half a million dollars for that rescue, and one former volunteer has said she raised questions about how funding to the organization was being spent. The group is also facing accusations that it mistreated some of the refugees it promised to help. "Safi left us behind," said one refugee, who asked ABC News not to use her name. "He left us in darkness." Story continues The refugee, who said that Human First Coalition had assured her of evacuation to a country away from the region after they evacuated her and others from Afghanistan, told ABC News she was instead left stranded for months in a Pakistani safe house where drinking water was cut off and there were no medical services. One attorney who formerly worked with the organization also told ABC News that in a separate instance, refugees were suddenly forced out of a Human First Coalition safe house in Kabul in the middle of the night with their belongings in trash bags. "There's a lot of damage that's been done, and nobody knows the truth," the former volunteer, Sarah Teske, told ABC News. PHOTO: Safi Rauf, speaks to broadcast journalists during an event promoting the Afghan Adjustment Act, Oct. 20, 2022, in Thornton, Colorado. (The Washington Post via Getty Images) In an interview with ABC News, Rauf, who is an unpaid volunteer for the organization, acknowledged that there were instances where the organization "may have fallen short," but he broadly defended his group's humanitarian work, saying he "continue[s] to put everything else aside to care for these people." "The intent was always to help people, and help we did," Rauf said. "In some instances we may have fallen short, but considering the circumstances, we did unprecedented work that no other organization in this line of evacuation work has done." "Because this work is so messy and complicated, there are a lot of problems that come with it," Rauf told ABC News. He said that the organization has now shifted its focus to women's education in Afghanistan, and "will continue to move forward with that mission." Recently, a growing number of former "30 Under 30" honorees have come under scrutiny after landing a spot on the coveted list. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX, Adam Neumann of WeWork, and "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli all earned "30 Under 30" nods before their respective falls from grace. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors filed fraud charges against Frank CEO Charlie Javice, a 2019 "30 Under 30" recipient -- charges that Javice denies. Forbes did not respond to ABC News' request for comment. After first becoming aware of the allegations against Human First Coalition in February, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's foundation, Archewell, halted grants to the organization and contacted government agencies for guidance, an Archewell Foundation spokesperson told ABC News. The spokesperson told ABC News that the foundation had made a one-time grant to the Human First Coalition in December, 2021, and continues to monitor the situation. In response, Rauf said he was "exceptionally grateful to Archewell for their support" and "understand their need to do their due diligence when questions arise, of course." Rise to fame Rauf was born and raised by Afghan parents in a Pakistani refugee camp, and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He attended high school in Omaha, Nebraska, according to multiple online profiles, before enlisting in the military, where he served as an interpreter in Afghanistan. Publicly, Rauf has said he was planning to attend medical school in 2021 when the U.S. announced plans to withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban seemed poised to return to power, uprooting his plans. "So when Kabul fell and then all of these refugees are scrambling and some are, you know, falling from planes and trying to stick on to those planes, trying to get out, I see myself all over again," Rauf explained earlier this year in an interview with former Daily Show host John Stewart on his podcast, "The Problem with Jon Stewart." "I was like, I am not going to watch this while I know I can help them," Rauf told Stewart. "I know I can do something there. So I got right on it and started evacuating people," "I mean honestly," Stewart told him earlier, "you're James Bond." Rauf and Human First Coalition had early success. At times, they worked with the U.S. State Department for evacuations, Rauf told ABC News. After the United States' widely-criticized withdrawal from the country, for example, the organization evacuated 117 U.S. citizens on a flight out of Kabul into Abu Dhabi, Rauf told Stewart on the podcast. In October, 2021, the organization made headlines after it said it successfully evacuated President Joe Biden's former interpreter and over 200 other "at-risk" individuals from the country. "Safi is my life hero," said Waheedullah Siddiqi, an Afghan who told ABC News that he and his family were evacuated by Human First Coalition as part of the flight to Abu Dhabi. "They were so cooperative and so supportive," said Saddiqi, who said he now resides in Connecticut after spending nearly a year waiting in Abu Dhabi. "I'm so happy. I don't know how to thank Safi and the entire team for giving us a safe place to live in America." Then, in December 2021, Rauf was captured by the Taliban, and held for over 100 days until the Biden administration negotiated his release in April 2022. "So at this point, President Biden knows me by my first name. So I am on the president's daily brief every day'" Rauf told Stewart of the harrowing ordeal. PHOTO: U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. (Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen/U.S. Air Force) After the Biden administration secured Rauf's release, CNN's Jake Tapper landed the first exclusive interview with him. "I am so glad to see you, this has been such an ordeal," Tapper told him. "I've been following it, keeping in touch with everybody. How does it feel to be back home?" "It's an incredible feeling," Rauf replied on CNN. "It hasn't settled in yet." From there, Rauf shot to mini-stardom within the humanitarian world and beyond. "I became that advocate and that voice for others," Rauf said in his TED Talk, which has nearly two million views online. Critics allege 'horrible' treatment for refugees Though his profile skyrocketed upon his return from captivity, Rauf and Human First Coalition began to face scrutiny over allegations regarding some of the organization's work on the ground, some of which occurred while Rauf was still in captivity. ABC News spoke with numerous people who alleged that troubling treatment occurred in safe houses operated by Human First Coalition in Pakistan and Kabul -- including during the group's high-profile evacuation of the over 200 "at-risk" individuals in October 2021. Though the evacuation was widely praised at the time, a woman who said she was one of those 200 refugees told ABC News that her experience was no triumph -- and that she ultimately remained in Pakistan for months, even though she claims the group said they would help her make her way out of the region. The woman, who asked not to be identified because she is still in Pakistan, said she spent months living in horrible conditions at a Human First Coalition safe house before it was ultimately shuttered with just one week's notice. "They would say, 'Please wait, you all will be evacuated to the United States very soon, you must be patient,'" the woman told ABC News. "But then they said, 'You must go, we cannot do anything for you, it's not our business.'" At the time, a letter to Human First Coalition penned by 260 refugees alleged that drinking water in the safe house had been cut off, food had caused diseases, and no medical services had been provided outside of "guidance to hospitals," according to a copy of the May 2022 letter that the woman provided to ABC News. The refugees profusely thanked the organization for their efforts to date, but begged them to "put an end to our miserable situation" that found them essentially stranded in Pakistan. "Going back to Afghanistan is like suicide for us," said the letter. "On the other hand, if you were not sure about our evacuation to another country, you should not have brought us here at the beginning." MORE: Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden in 2008 evacuated from Afghanistan At the time of the evacuation, Human First Coalition had publicly thanked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for helping coordinate a "path" out of Pakistan for the group, according to a report at the time. But just days after the letter from the refugees, Human First Coalition gave refugees a seven-day warning that it would shutter the safe house because it "simply [did] not have the funding" to continue operations, according to a copy of the Human First Coalition letter that was provided to ABC News by the refugee. Human First Coalition also said that while they would continue to advocate with the U.S. State Department for their evacuation, they had "less positive news": They were "not able to provide any sort of timeline" for evacuation, or even "complete confidence" that the effort would succeed at all, according to the letter. In his interview with ABC News, Rauf acknowledged that he received complaints about the safe house once he was released from captivity, but said he "followed through completely" on all of them. "I know there were missteps taken by the ground team, but once those were brought to my attention they were corrected," Rauf told ABC News. Rauf also denied that there was a lack of medical care at the Pakistan safe house, and pointed to a receipt and photograph that appeared to show a hospital stay from the time. He claimed everyone who arrived at the safe house received a medical checkup, and that care was provided throughout their stay. Rauf said that while "people can get upset when they find out that they are not eligible for resettlement," he insisted he continued to work on evacuation for the refugees and shifted blame to U.S. government for the issue. "We were operating safe houses, and our No. 1 priority was people safety. We are a private organization, and although we work closely with the government, it's the government that makes the decision about who is eligible for resettlement and who is not," Rauf said. "That's not in our control." PHOTO: U.S. Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit process evacuees as they go through the Evacuation Control Center during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. (Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps) John Moses, who said he is an independent case manager who has since taken over efforts to provide shelter, food, and a path out of Pakistan for the female refugee ABC News spoke with, said he felt outraged by the way Human First Coalition handled the highly sensitive situation. "This guy is famous, he's going on TV, and he's living the life," Moses told ABC News regarding Rauf. "All the while, my friend is in Pakistan with no electricity." "This work is supposed to be selfless," Moses said. "[Human First Coalition] had a moral obligation to take care of those people ... but they got there and took care of them for as long as they thought was necessary -- and then just bailed." ABC News heard of a similar experience from Jordan Jones, an American attorney who helps refugees navigate the legal aspects of resettlement but relies on groups like Human First Coalition to physically relocate her clients. In an interview with ABC News, Jones -- who said she formerly had a contract with the organization but no longer works with them -- said Human First Coalition in one instance left refugees stranded in Kabul. "I had two high-risk females, and [Human First Coalition] put them in a safe house in Kabul, which turned out [to be] horrible," Jones told ABC News in an interview. "[Human First Coalition] closed the safe house and threw everybody out on the street in the middle of the night with their stuff in trash bags." Responding to those allegations, Rauf told ABC News that the safe house was shuttered due to security concerns. "We closed all the safe houses because I was in Taliban captivity and my team was worried they would have taken that information regarding the safe houses from me," Rauf said. "At the time our No. 1 priority was people's safety, and we offered people to go to hotels. Some people took that offer and some people didn't." A $600,000 dispute Meanwhile, Rauf and Human First Coalition are entangled in litigation over one of the organization's evacuation efforts that took place right at the beginning of its founding -- efforts that some say never occurred. A few months before Rauf's release from Taliban detention, the United States Institute of Peace, a nonpartisan U.S. government-backed foundation working to prevent conflict around the world, accused Rauf and the organization in a court filing of failing to evacuate USIP's employees from Afghanistan into the Kabul airport, presumably as the government's airlift was ongoing, in exchange for over half a million dollars. In court records filed in the U.S. District Court for Nebraska in early 2022, USIP claimed that it wired $600,000 to Rauf's then-attorney in the early days of the Afghanistan crisis after Rauf "promised" to transport their personnel to the airport. But Rauf "failed" to do so, according to USIP's claim -- and did not return the money. "[Rauf] offered to return the $600,000 after he failed to transport USIP personnel to the airport or secure their admission to the airport," USIP claims in its filings, noting they had offered to compensate Rauf $30,000 for successfully evacuating members of the USIP-supported Generation Change Fellows Program. "To date, [Rauf] has not returned any of the contract payment." USIP has accused Rauf of breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentations, and is seeking $600,000 in damages plus legal fees and costs. USIP's claim was filed as a crossclaim in a case brought by Human First Coalition's former attorney, in which he transferred what he said were the remaining funds from the $600,000 payment into the court's custody so a judge could determine ownership. "Safiullah Rauf, Human First Coalition, and Human First LLC had an expressed or implied agreement to commit fraud against USIP," the United States Institute of Peace claimed. PHOTO: Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command provide assistance during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 21. (Sgt. Samuel Ruiz/U.S. Marine Corps) Rauf and Human First Coalition have denied wrongdoing alleged in the USIP lawsuit. Lawyers for Rauf and Human First Coalition wrote in court records that the organization has "succeeded, after great diligence and effort, in evacuating several USIP personnel from Afghanistan through routes other than the Kabul airport." Rauf's lawyer also claimed the funds were a donation to the organization -- which USIP disputed. "Rauf and Human First admit that Rauf has not paid any money to USIP, but explicitly deny any obligation to do so," the filing stated. A judge denied Rauf and Human First Coalition's motion to dismiss USIP's claims. The litigation remains ongoing. Rauf told ABC News he expected the case to be "officially resolved" soon, but said he was "not legally permitted to disclose the details." A spokesperson for USIP referred ABC News' request for comment to counsel. George Foote, an attorney representing USIP in the case, declined ABC News' request for comment due to the case being in active litigation. Jason Grams, USIP's counsel in Nebraska, also declined to comment. Former Human First Coalition attorney Jason Hubbard -- who filed the original action asking the judge to determine who the remaining money belongs to -- declined to comment when reached by ABC News. $2 million in donations and funding In total, Human First Coalition raised more than $2 million in donations and funding in 2021, according to the group's tax returns that were obtained by ABC News. That included the $600,000 payment from USIP and a $150,000 grant from Prince Harry and Meghan's Archewell foundation, according to the returns. On the returns, the organization listed $1.4 million in expenses, including over $1.3 million spent on "logistic support" services and approximately $5,000 spent on "humanitarian aid." But internally, there appeared to be at least some disputes about where funding was going. Sarah Teske, who served as Human First Coalition's strategic director in 2021, told ABC News she resigned from the group just a few months into her job, in part after she said she began to raise questions about finances. "Nobody could tell me where the money was going," Teske said. "And when people were not able to give me a clear line of sight of where funding was going, and how it was being managed, that is when I started getting very concerned." Tekse, a retired U.S. Marine, said that while the group initially did "great work" in the beginning and saved lives, issues with financing arose even before Rauf was captured by the Taliban in December, 2021 -- and then, she said, "everything else kind of went south from there." Speaking with ABC News, Rauf denied that Teske had raised questions about finances directly to him, and defended his work overall. PHOTO: U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division stand security at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15. (Sgt. Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps) "I continue to put everything else aside to care for these people," Rauf said. "I can do anything with my life, but I chose to do this because I care for these people." But in a searing condemnation of the organization's handling of its funds, an outside firm hired by Human First Coalition to review and analyze its transactions concluded that it had unearthed red flags within the organization that could be linked to wire fraud or money laundering, according to a source familiar with the report who broadly described its findings to ABC News. While Human First Coalition was formed with good intentions amidst the chaos of its early initiatives, there was poor accounting for donor funds, some of which may have ultimately been misused, according to a description of the findings given to ABC News -- and that some of the transactions between bank accounts and individuals associated with the organization were suspicious. The analysis was also unable to substantiate the amount of individuals Rauf and Human First Coalition have publicly claimed to have helped, due to insufficient record keeping, according to the description given to ABC News -- including a claim on Human First Coalition's website that it had evacuated over 7,000 Afghans. Rauf told ABC News the firm had been hired by the organization because they "want to know what the issues were and how to fix them," and that he sat for an interview with the firm as part of the process. He noted the difficulties of conducting humanitarian work in a space that is "not conventional." "After the audit, we pulled all the receipts," Rauf told ABC News. "We did the audit because we wanted to know what's wrong, what we can fix, and what needs to be corrected." Forbes '30 Under 30' honoree's charity accused of mistreating refugees, sued for fraud originally appeared on abcnews.go.com UPDATE Apr 14, 2023 2:00 AM CDT So far, at least, former President Trump's rape and defamation civil trial is not being delayed. After lawyer Joe Tacopina requested a delay due to Trump's historic indictment, another Trump lawyer made a separate request for a delaybut a judge on Thursday rejected that one, CBS News reports. The second lawyer's reasoning had to do with accuser E. Jean Carroll's legal fees; Trump's team recently discovered some of them have been paid by a billionaire Democratic donor, CNN reports. The judge did grant a request by Trump's lawyers to gather more evidence regarding who is paying Carroll's legal fees, but stressed that this will not delay the April 25 trial start date. Apr 12, 2023 11:07 AM CDT A "cooling off" period is needed in order to assure former President Trump's right to a fair trial in E. Jean Carroll's defamation case, argues Trump's attorney. His team wants to see the trial delayed four weeks from its scheduled April 25 start, citing his unprecedented indictment. The key argument from Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina, per Politico: "Holding the trial in this case a mere three weeks after these historic events will guarantee that many, if not most, prospective jurors will have the criminal allegations top of mind when judging President Trump against Ms. Carrolls allegations." He noted the media coverage of the indictment was "remarkable for its volume and incitement of animus towards President Trump." The AP reports that Carroll filed the case in November minutes after a temporary state law kicked in that permits adult rape victims to sue their abusers outside the normal statute of limitations; Carroll alleges Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996. It will be up to a jury to decide if the rape occurred and if Trump defamed Carroll in his repeated denials of her claim. Politico's read on the situation is that US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan seems "intent on charging ahead," noting he recently ruled that jurors in the civil trial could retain anonymity due to potential safety threats. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) A so-called "spite wall" built to hold back the Black students of Baltimore's Morgan State University has finally been torn down after standing for 81 yearsmore than twice as long as the Berlin Wall. University president David Wilson watched a portion come down on Tuesday, WBAL reports. "In 1939, the neighbors started building what was labeled a 'spite wall, a hate wall, to prevent Morgan State students from simply walking across the street into the all-white neighborhood and to shop at an all-white shopping center here," he said. The wall was completed in 1942 and remained in place during the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, which included sit-ins at the Northwood Plaza shopping center. In later decades, its original purpose was largely forgotten. Dale Green, a professor and architectural historian at Morgan State, says that for the white community of the time, the wall was "to send a signal and to physically create a divider that would symbolize the segregation that they stood for." It was demolished as part of a reconstruction and expansion project at the university, which is the largest historically Black university in Maryland. "This was an easy decision for us," Wilson tells NBC. "It was time for us to tear down that hate." The university plans to keep a portion of the segregation wall in place as a reminder of what Wilson calls a "nasty period" in history, and as a demonstration of how much the area has transformed, the MSU Spokesman reports. (Read more Morgan State University stories.) Tennessee's Republican governor has taken some firm steps on gun control in the wake of the Nashville mass shooting that killed six people, including one of his wife's closest friends. Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order Tuesday that will strengthen background checks for gun buyers, the Tennessean reports. He also urged state lawmakers to work together to pass an "order of protection" lawalso known as a "red flag" lawto keep guns away from people considered to be a threat to themselves or to others. A new law, he said, would "provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are a danger to themselves or the population." Some 19 states have passed similar laws with bipartisan support. "When there is a clear need for action, I think that we have an obligation to remind people that we should set aside politics and pride and accomplish something that the people of Tennessee want to get accomplished," the governor said, per Politico. Republicans hold a supermajority in the state's General Assembly, and Lee acknowledged Tuesday that no lawmaker had agreed to sponsor the proposed legislation, the AP reports. Under Lee's executive order, new criminal activity and court mental health information has to be submitted to the Tennessee Instant Check System with 72 hours. Democrats in the General Assemblyciting the Nashville shooter's ability to fire 152 rounds inside a school in 15 minuteshave introduced a bill that includes a ban on bump stock conversion kits and high-capacity magazines. While the governor's proposals are more modest, Lee, a "Republican governor in a red state, deserves credit for going as far as he did," the Washington Post editorial board writes. "His ideas may not represent the gold standard. But under the circumstances, bronze is better than nothing." (Read more Tennessee stories.) Cloud Computing Purdue and Google Cloud Partner in Electric Vehicle Charging Station Study Although there has been over a 10% increase in the sales of electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid vehicles (HV) compared to light-duty vehicles, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in February 2022, attention to charging stations in rural areas across the U.S. has lagged. Purdue University and Google Cloud have partnered, using Google's BigQuery and BigQuery GIS data sets, to show where rural areas need Level 3 DC Fast Charge Stations. This information can help public and private sectors plan investments to support equitable access to EVs to help reduce and eliminate carbon energy impacts. Researchers at Purdue's Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), led by principal analyst Howell Li, analyzed 184 billion public urban and rural vehicle records of miles traveled across the U.S. by state, garnering information on EV and HV usage, occupancy, and "charge deserts" to determine underserved areas. Google's serverless BigQuery uses structured query language (SQL) to analyze data. (Visit Google Cloud's BigQuery FAQ page and BigQuery geospatial analytics page to learn more about how they work.) One such analysis was of California, which has mandated all new vehicles sold to be zero emission by 2035. Maps generated by Carto show the number of vehicle miles traveled by day, and the number of charging stations available per vehicle. Gaps show where chargers are most needed. "Our analysis of the data has shown that it can be 10 times less likely to find a charging plug during peak hours in rural counties than in urban areas such as Los Angeles," said Jijo Mathew, transportation research engineer at Purdue. Locations for new Level 3 DC Fast Charge stations across the country will be determined by such research. Indiana included the researchers' data on 15 interstate exits as part of its draft State EV Implementation Plan in 2022 and submitted it to the Joint Office of the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) plan, a bipartisan project. With the U.S. government set to invest $7.5 billion in new EV charging stations over the next five years across the country as part of addressing climate change, data sets such as those provided by Google's BigQuery and BigQuery GIS help provide deep insight into underserved areas. "Currently, agencies across the country are working on tight schedules to propose electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployment plans to the U.S. Department of Transportation," said Jairaj Desai, Purdue transportation research engineer. "The increasing availability of real-world electric vehicle data, and the ability to intersect that data with widely available public data sets, enables stakeholders to make data-driven decisions for equitable multi-million dollar investments." Purdue, a public land grant university, was established in Indiana in 1869 and currently has 13 colleges and schools and serves nearly 51,000 students. Visit the university's home page to learn more. AFP | Doha The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Nine Arab countries, including Bahrain, will meet in Saudi Arabia later this week to discuss moves to end the decade-old isolation of President Bashar Al Assad, diplomats said yesterday. Ministers and top officials from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and Egypt, Iraq and Jordan have been invited, Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said. Qatars foreign ministry said a meeting would be held on Friday in Jeddah to discuss Syria while other diplomats confirmed that the Al Assad governments potential presence at an Arab League summit next month would be on the table. Pressure has been mounting in recent months for greater engagement with Assad, who has been isolated since the start of the Syrian war in 2011. Al Assad has visited the UAE and Oman this year, and last month Saudi Arabia said it has started talks with Damascus about resuming consular services. The Arab League, which excluded Syria in 2011 over the violent crackdown on regime opponents, is expected to hold a summit in Riyadh in May. Situation The main objective of Fridays meeting is to discuss the situation in Syria, Al Ansari told a briefing, adding that Qatar would be represented by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. An Arab diplomat in the Gulf confirmed that Syria would be the focus of the Jeddah meeting and that the Arab summit and Syrias participation in it will definitely be on the table. Al Ansari said Saudi Arabia had called the consultative meeting through the GCC secretariat. Iraq, Jordan and Egypt had been invited as they are concerned countries. The GCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Among the countries invited, the Iraqi government said it was considering the invitation. There are many developments regarding the situation in Syria and Arab views towards Syrias return to the Arab League, the Qatari official said. Bahrain hailed as beacon of peace and security for all Bahrain hailed as beacon of peace and security for all TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Miister, emphasised Bahrains longstanding history as a beacon of peace and security, making it desirable home to a multitude of peoples. HRH Prince Salman emphasised that Ramadan majlises continue to bring together members of society, sharing a national responsibility towards Bahrain and its diverse communities. His Royal Highness was speaking as he visited yesterday the majlis of the Bin Hindi family, and the majlises of the late Ali Rashid Al Amin, Ebrahim Al Shaikh and Shaikh Adel Al Maawdah. HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister said that the Kingdoms comprehensive development goals, led by the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, continue to guide Bahrains present and future ambitions. His Royal Highness emphasised the Kingdoms commitment to meeting its development goals, led by HM the King. He added that despite global challenges, the Kingdom continues to excel in driving sustainable growth designed to benefit current and future generations. Citizens contribution HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister reiterated Bahraini citizens contribution to the Kingdoms achievements, noting that they are at the center of all development projects. He emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in the Kingdoms wider economic development an area that has recently witnessed tremendous growth. HRH Prince Salman highlighted the value public-private partnerships add to furthering the Kingdoms competitiveness and improving investment attractiveness. Women achievements His Royal Highness expressed his pride in the achievements made by Bahraini women and noted the Kingdoms commitment to implementing strategic plans designed to advance Bahraini women both locally and internationally. The majlis hosts and guests expressed their gratitude to HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his visit and noted the diverse achievements Bahrain has accomplished under the leadership of HM King Hamad. AFP | Deir Al-Hatab The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian militants Tuesday in the West Bank, on a day mourners laid to rest a British-Israeli woman who died in an attack that also killed her two daughters. Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged over the last week, with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Jewish Passover and Christian Easter coinciding. "I commend the actions of the soldiers who eliminated two terrorists who opened fire on them near Elon Moreh", a Jewish settlement close to the West Bank city of Nablus, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Twitter. He added the troops had "prevented an attack on Israeli civilians". In a statement, the Israeli army said "armed assailants fired shots from a vehicle at the Elon Moreh post". Soldiers returned fire "toward the vehicle and neutralised two armed assailants." The army said it seized two M-16 rifles and a handgun. The Palestinian ministry of health named the two men as Saud Abdullah Saud Titi and Mohammad Abu Dhiraa. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade -- the armed wing of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement -- claimed the two men as members. They were from the nearby Balata refugee camp, a statement from Fatah said. An AFP photographer saw Israeli soldiers place a body into an ambulance at the site, as other troops inspected a white car riddled by bullets. - 'Appalling attack' - The incident came as thousands of mourners gathered Tuesday at an Israeli settlement in the West Bank for the funeral of a British-Israeli woman killed in a shooting attack days earlier. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. Hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers live there in Israeli-approved settlements considered illegal under international law. Israelis holding national flags lined the roads in the rain leading to the funeral for Lucy Dee in Kfar Etzion. The 48-year-old, also known by her Hebrew name Leah, died Monday from wounds sustained three days earlier when her car came under fire in the Jordan Valley. Two of her children, sisters aged 16 and 20, were shot dead in the attack and buried on Sunday. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in a statement, labelled the killings "abhorrent" and added "the UK condemns this appalling attack on civilians". He said Britain urged "all sides to de-escalate tensions in Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories, and end the deadly cycle of violence." - Ban at Al-Aqsa - The government also said it would ban Jewish visitors from entering Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa compound, starting Wednesday until the end of Ramadan. Home to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the site is sacred in both Judaism and Islam, and is the focal point for Ramadan celebrations. Jews, who know the site as the Temple Mount, are allowed to visit the site but not pray there. The move follows a promise by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to restore security "on all fronts". The latest surge in unrest began last Wednesday with an Israeli police raid on Al-Aqsa mosque, followed by rocket fire from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and a car-ramming in Tel Aviv that killed an Italian tourist. The body of Alessandro Parini arrived back in Rome on Tuesday, after the 36-year-old was killed when a car ploughed into pedestrians on the city's seafront Friday evening. On Monday, Palestinian mourners had gathered near Jericho city for the funeral of a 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Fayez Balhan, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during a raid in the Jordan Valley. The army said it was working to apprehend "a terror suspect," and one person was detained during the operation. The conflict has this year claimed the lives of at least 96 Palestinians, 19 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, according to an AFP count based on Israeli and Palestinian official sources. These figures include, on the Palestinian side, combatants and civilians, including minors, and on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, including minors, and three members of the Arab minority. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. AFP | Tehran The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com An Iranian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Tehran said, to pave the way for reopening diplomatic missions as the Gulf rivals prepare to normalise relations, seven years after an acrimonious split. The announcement came just days after a Saudi delegation made a similar visit to Iran's capital, following a historic meeting in China between the two governments' foreign ministers who vowed to bring stability to the turbulent region. "In accordance with the implementation of the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the resumption of diplomatic activities... the Iranian technical delegation arrived in Riyadh at midday Wednesday and was welcomed by Saudi officials," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani. "The Iranian delegation will take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah as well as the activities of Iran's permanent representative in the (Jeddah-based) Organisation of Islamic Cooperation," he said in a statement. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been invited to Saudi Arabia, according to Tehran. It would be the first trip by an Iranian president to Saudi Arabia since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2012 travelled to Mecca where he attended a regional meeting. The flurry of diplomatic activity follows last month's landmark, Chinese-brokered announcement that Iran and Saudi Arabia, who have backed opposing sides in conflicts around the Middle East, would work towards resuming ties. Riyadh broke off relations in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr -- one in a series of flashpoints between the long-time foes. Since the March 10 announcement, the two countries' foreign ministers have met in China and a Saudi technical delegation met Iran's chief of protocol in Tehran last week, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Tehran on Saturday, is due to fly on to Iran's second city Mashhad on Thursday, Kanani said. - Yemen truce talks - As the contacts grow, Saudi Arabia is also negotiating with Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, eight years after launching a military intervention aimed at dislodging them from power in its impoverished neighbour. Saudi ambassador Mohammed Al-Jaber travelled to Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, this week hoping to "stabilise" a lapsed truce and work towards a "comprehensive political solution" between the Huthis and the ousted government. Saudi Arabia gathered a multinational coalition to fight the Huthis in 2015, after the rebels took control of Sanaa and large swathes of the country, forcing the government to flee. Yemen has become a major battleground and the two countries also vie for influence in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Analysts say Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, now wants to exit the eight-year war to focus on domestic projects aimed at diversifying its energy-dependent economy. Washington has cautiously welcomed the rapprochement between the Saudis and US adversary Iran despite the role of China, which it sees as its biggest global challenger. Saudi Arabia's Architecture and Design Commission has signed a co-operation agreement with the French Architects for Export (Afex) in a bid to enhance co-operation in common fields, reported SPA. The MoU reflects the commissions commitment to strengthening partnerships with prominent international organisations, educational institutions and companies in the architecture and design sector, said its CEO Dr Sumayah Sulaiman Al Solaiman, after signing the deal with Afex Secretary-General Madeleine Houbart at its headquarters in Paris. This will support excellence in the sector, exploit expertise and capabilities, reflect local culture, promote economic development, and upgrade the fields of architecture and design in the kingdom, it added. Though a mild winter likely helped some household budgets control heating expenses, energy costs in Connecticut remain a prominent topic of concern among residents. A recent event at Cheshires Town Hall delivered the message that residents of the state do have options. On April 5, State Representatives Liz Linehan (D-103) and Jack Fazzino (D-83), and State Senator Jan Hochadel (D-13) assembled a panel of policy experts who offered insights on topics ranging from household improvements to how to navigate the fluctuating costs of the energy market. The audience of some two dozen or so local residents also took the opportunity to voice some of their own thoughts and concerns. Linehan, a Cheshire resident, said that the event was the first in what she hopes will be an ongoing series of town hall discussions on energy topics, with the ultimate intent of keeping Connecticut consumers informed on what they can do to lower those bills. Representative Jonathan Steinberg (D-136) traveled to Cheshire from his home district in Westport for the discussion. As the current Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Steinberg provided an overview of the fixed costs inherent in Connecticuts utility structure. While the majority of Connecticut has their energy delivered by either Eversource or United Illuminating, the supply provider is an entity that can be chosen by a consumer. Although a mixture of factors contribute to high costs in the region, Steinberg stressed that You can take action. You are not powerless. He pointed out that developing more solar and wind generation capacity, granting utilities more flexibility including allowing them to own generating facilities, accelerating the development of hydrogen fuel technology, even considering additional nuclear plants was worthy of discussion as the state and the world moves away from fossil fuels over the next decades. John Erlingheuser, Senior Associate State Director of Advocacy and Community Outreach for the Connecticut AARP, provided informational handouts that explained how to switch electricity supply providers and understand a bill. He did recommend that people do due diligence before making any switch. He pointed out that Connecticut maintains an official website www.EnergizeCT .com that provides the rate board and helps people to make the switch. Erlingheuser noted that using a search engine to find the rate board would yield potentially misleading results, as many providers pay for more prominent search results but may not offer the most competitive rates. The rate board offers rates from a variety of providers. For example, as of Monday morning, Eversource was offering customers a rate of 24.17 cents per kilowatt hour. The next result, from Town Square Energy, offers 10.97 cents per kilowatt hour. That difference would represent an average savings of nearly $100 per month. However, Erlingheuser cautioned that consumers must be vigilant as tiered rates, enrollment charges, and additional monthly charges can be included in a provider contract. Also, he said, the offered rate at one date may actually end up higher than the Standard Service rate, which switches every six months on January 1 and July 1. Another panelist, Thomas Lopez, of the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), was on hand to discuss his agencys work in holding energy companies accountable for deceptive marketing practices, among other things. He pointed out that it is illegal to have an early termination fee, and that PURA investigates consumer complaints about such practices. We want to hold those companies accountable, Lopez said. He added that consumers have the right to cancel provider contracts, but to be safe, he suggested doing so well in advance of ones next meter-reading date, which can be found on every utility bill. Becca Trietch, a senior policy advisor at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), discussed the various state and federal programs aimed at reducing costs for consumers. Some of these work by encouraging less usage by homeowners while others are aimed at making commercial buildings more energy-efficient. Programs such as Operation Fuel offer help for lower-income homeowners. John Bowman, of F.F. Hitchcock Co. in Cheshire, offered a free home energy audit to all who attended the event. This service, also available at a small fee through Eversource, for example, can be a significant source of savings as well. Sealing cracks and leaks, installing more energy-efficient windows and fixtures such as faucets, putting weatherstripping around doors, and cleaning air and furnace filters can lead to major reductions in heating and cooling costs. We want to help fix the home, Bowman said. Otherwise, youre just putting money toward the same problems. One Cheshire resident in the audience suggested that part of the problem with the energy debate is politicians making decisions when it should be engineers. Another attendee was former Representative Vickie Nardello, who studied energy issues during her time in Hartford. She suggested to the panel that Energy is not a commodity but a necessity. Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN Central Florida travel can be on the itinerary any day of the week this summer. Avelo Airlines announced Wednesday that it will operate 12 nonstop weekly flights from Tweed Airport to Orlando International Airport between June 20 and September 6, bringing back Tuesday and Wednesday Orlando flights after they were discontinued in March. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP MOSCOW (AP) Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in failing health because of a new suspected poisoning and is back in a punishment cell after a few days in regular confinement, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Anna Veduta, a Washington, DC-based vice president of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, told The Associated Press the 46-year-old Navalny fell ill last Friday when he was let out of the punishment cell and put in a conventional cell. He had lost about 18 pounds over the past 15 days. On Monday, Navalny wrote on Twitter, he was put back in a punishment cell for another 15-day term. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HELSINKI (AP) Estonias Parliament on Wednesday gave the green light to a new coalition to form a government, led by the center-right Reform Party of Kaja Kallas. Her pro-business party overwhelmingly won the parliamentary election in the Baltic country on March 5 with 31.2% of the vote receiving nearly twice as many votes as its closest rival, the far-right populist EKRE party, which will not be part of the government. Lawmakers in the 101-seat Riigikogu legislature voted 59-38 to accept the proposed three-party Cabinet, made up of the Reform Party, the centrist Estonia 200 party and the Social Democratic Party. After weeks of intense talks, the three parties clinched a deal over the weekend to form a liberal-oriented coalition government to be led by prime minister-designate Kallas. It will be Kallas' third term as prime minister of Estonia, which is a member of both the European Union and NATO. She has led the country since January 2021, when she became the first female head of government in the nation of 1.3 million. Addressing lawmakers on Tuesday, Kallas stressed that the coalition agreement includes the parties vision of the most important challenges facing the country. The new governments aim is to ensure the all-round security of the Estonian state, to invest in the competitiveness and energy security of the Estonian economy, to implement green reforms together with the modernization of tax policy, she said. Despite scoring an impressive election win, Kallas a 45-year-old lawyer and a former lawmaker at the European Parliament needed junior partners to form a Cabinet that can govern with a comfortable majority for the next four years. Together, the three parties hold 60 seats in Parliament. In its program for government, the coalition pledged among other things to improve Estonias worsening government finances by raising taxes; to increase defense expenditure to 3% of GDP; to reform climate and energy policies; and to advocate policies to allow same-sex marriage in the former Soviet republic. In addition to Kallas as prime minister, Reform is set to have six portfolios, including defense and finance, in the 13-member Cabinet. Estonia 200, which is entering Parliament for the first time, and the Social Democrats will get three ministerial portfolios each. Estonia 200 will get the foreign ministry, to be led by Margus Tsahkna. Defense and security will top the new Cabinets agenda, Kallas said over the weekend. Estonia has been a major supplier of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion started last year. Kallas has emerged as one of Europes most outspoken supporters of Kyiv. The government is due to be sworn in next week, once President Alar Karis has signed off on the appointments. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the Reform party is set to have portfolios including defense and finance, not defense and technology. The spelling of the designated foreign minister's name has also been corrected. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The United States and Britain announced new sanctions Wednesday aimed at Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovich, targeting the financial networks of two of Moscow's wealthiest businessmen who are close allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Usmanov has been subject to U.S. and European Union sanctions since shortly after the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine last year. Abramovich, who amassed a fortune in Russias oil and aluminum industries following the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, was forced to sell the Chelsea football club after he was cited last year. U.S. officials said the new designations, which were coordinated with the British government, aim to reinforce existing penalties and further disrupt Russias importation of critical technologies used in its war against Ukraine. The departments of State and Treasury announced sanctions on 120 entities and individuals, across more than 20 countries and jurisdictions, connected to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The United Kingdom named 14 individuals and entities. We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement. Theres no place to hide. We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden." Usmanov and Abramovich were early targets of Western sanctions aimed at key Russian sectors and individuals close to Putin. Germany had previously seized Usmanov's superyacht, known as Dilbar. The yacht, named after Usmanovs mother, has an estimated worth of between $600 million and $735 million, according to the Treasury Department. Dilbar has two helipads and one of the worlds largest indoor pools ever installed on a yacht, and costs about $60 million per year to operate. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted the new sanctions cite the All Russian Childrens and Youth Military Patriotic Public Movement Youth Army and the State Budgetary Educational Institution of Additional Education of the Republic of Crimea Crimea Patriot Center. Blinken alleged that the two organizations support Russias efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine through the militarization and indoctrination of schoolchildren. The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on the International Investment Bank, a Russia-controlled financial institution in Budapest, Hungary a rare step aimed at a NATO ally and further evidence of the increasingly fraught relationship between the U.S. and Hungary. Three current or former executives of the bank Russian citizens Nikolay Nikolayevich Kosov and Georgy Nugzarovich Potapov as well as Hungary national Imre Laszloczki were designated for sanctions. A Treasury Department statement said the bank enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlins malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations. At a news briefing in Budapest, the U.S. ambassador, David Pressman, said Hungarys government had ignored pleas from multiple U.S. administrations to withdraw its stake in the bank. The presence of this opaque Kremlin platform in the heart of Hungary threatens the security and sovereignty of the Hungarian people, their European neighbors and their NATO allies, Pressman said. Unlike other NATO allies previously engaged with this Russian entity, Hungary has dismissed the concerns of the United States government regarding the risks its continued presence poses to the alliance. Pressman had earlier raised concerns over intensifying anti-American rhetoric among some leading Hungarian politicians and in the government-aligned media. The ambassador has suggested that the hard-right administration of Prime Minister Viktor Orban widely considered Putins strongest advocate in the EU was borrowing from Russian propaganda when discussing the war in Ukraine and was dividing NATOs unity in its support of Kyiv. ___ Associated Press writer Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, contributed to this report. BARRON Hundreds of people lined the streets and somberly paid their respects as the flag-draped caskets carrying the bodies of police officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel returned home Monday. Breidenbach and Scheel were killed in the line of duty during a shootout in a traffic stop Saturday in Cameron. Their bodies were taken to Minnesota for autopsies as part of the investigation. A procession of law enforcement vehicles carried both officers from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Officers stood, and will stand, vigil by each officers side until the services are complete. We are carrying our dead. We are mourning, said Marianna Fuentes. We are holding each other up by the skin of our teeth. Breidenbach and Scheel were conducting a traffic stop around 3:38 p.m. Saturday when there was an exchange of gunfire, the Wisconsin Department of Justice reported. Both officers were pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect, 50-year-old Glenn Perry, later died at an area hospital. Officials have not released details of what led up to or how the shooting began. Breidenbach had five years of law enforcement experience, while Scheel had about one year of service under his belt. Breidenbach was engaged to be married and was daughter of former Chetek Police Chief Robert Breidenbach, who was present for the procession Monday. Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said Breidenbach was the departments K9 therapy dog handler and had been with the force since 2019. Our love and condolences go out to both families and all those with whom they served, Ambrozaitis said. We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to Hunter and Emilys families. They will be missed by everyone. Scheels girlfriend, Camryn Gosdeck, wrote a tribute to him on Facebook, describing him as a dedicated partner. We had so much planned for our future and looked forward to growing old with one another. Because of this, I am absolutely heartbroken and never knew I could feel such an immense pain as having my other half ripped from me. My heart hurts for him, for his family and anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, she wrote. Procession held for officers killed in line of duty Close First responders attend a procession Tuesday for Cameron and Chetek police officers killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers' bodies were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. About 500 people turned up to the procession of Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday, including Chetek Mayor Jeff Martin Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Kids with firefighter hats. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. First responders turned up to the procession of Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday.Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Officers stood, and will stand, vigil by each officer's side until the services are complete. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. A line of emergency vehicles moves through Barron during a procession Monday as the bodies of police officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel were returned. +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 I, Brian Wang, had a greath talk with Warren Redlich about Tesla production and deliveries in 2023, the future of Model 3 and Model Y, Cybertruck Semi, the next-generation vehicle platform, megapack and more. I think Tesla will trend to 90% of actual production capacity (production being demonstrated sustained over weeks. In Q1 2023, Tesla delivered 423k cars and produced 440k cars. This was about 89% of real peak production capacity. Tesla Shanghai has shown three months of 88,000 cars produced. This would be 264k. Fremont can make 150k cars per quarter (although the Tesla stated Fremont capacity is 650k per year. Tesla S/X are at 70k per year). Berlin and Austin had reached about 40k per quarter in Q1. IF Tesla could produce at full capacity in Q1 this would have been 494k cars. Tesla has increased production capability to 4k per week in Texas and 5k per week in Berlin and this should increase by 1k per week for each month and end Q2 at 7k per week in Texas and 8k per week in Berlin. The average quarterly production should be 5.5k per week in Texas and 6.5k per week in Berlin. This would be 71k cars from Texas and 84k from Berlin in Q2. This would be 569k cars with real peak production capacity. Tesla should produce 90% of that level or 512k cars in Q2. Q3 should see Texas-Berlin ramp to 110-120k cars and Q4 each should be at 130k cars. Q3 at 90% of peak real production would be 575k and Q4 would be at 600k. I think 2.1-2.3M deliveries is reachable for 2023 with 3 weeks of inventory/transit. Immaculate ramps and pricing and demand matched at near optimal levels could get to 2.2-2.4M. If Tesla slows the ramp in Berlin and Texas or demand drops things to 85% instead of 90% then it goes to 2-2.2M. If the plateau for Berlin or Texas is lower (factory or demand) then I think then that would also lower the projection. Texas demand should be stronger because of IRA. Europe probably needs significant base car price cuts to push beyond 85k cars in quarter to absorb 150k cars. Further price cuts would be needed to move 150-160k cars domestically in China instead of 120-130k. Price cuts would be needed in Europe and in the US to move the extra capacity from Texas and Berlin. Warren and I also discussed my view that Tesla will dominate with Cybertruck and Semi. It is very difficult for Daimler Trucks (Freightliner) to catch up with Semi truck technology and then to scale to large numbers of trucks. They need to get access to 100 GWh/year of batteries for every 100,000 long haul truck. They have not built the mass production electric Semi truck factories. Brian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nextbigfuture https://www.youtube.com/@nextbigfuture STONINGTON Police say they have identified a "person of interest" in a hit-and-run crash last month that left a local cyclist dead. On March 6, police responded to the 200 block of South Broad Street in the Pawcatuck section of town for a crash involving a motor vehicle and a cyclist. At the scene, authorities found 69-year-old Gary F. Piver gravely injured. He was transported to Westerly Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police. The driver of the other vehicle left the scene, according to police. Soon after the crash, police announced they had seized a vehicle from a Stonington home after investigators examined surveillance cameras and license plate readers. Police earlier had said they were searching for a dark gray-colored Toyota SUV that had been traveling west on South Broad Street. "The investigation surrounding the Gary Piver fatal accident is ongoing," Stonington Police Deputy Chief Todd Olson said in a statement Wednesday. "A person of interest has been identified after the suspect vehicle was located and seized." The statement did not identify the individual. Piver, a lifelong resident of Stonington, was remembered as a custodian of the local schools and medical researcher whose work included studying sudden infant death syndrome. He was born March 7, 1953, to Edmund and Dorothy (Smith) Piver in New London and graduated from Stonington High School in 1971, his obituary stated. Piver attended Colorado State University, where he obtained a degree in microbiology. "After graduating, he held positions at Tufts University and Cornell Medical Center conducting research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other health related issues," living at the time in New York City and Boston, the obituary said. He was a member of the United Church of Stonington and "enjoyed cooking for the monthly soup-a-thons and going to Sunday worship," the obituary stated. The obituary said he worked for the public school district as a custodian for two decades, including at Stonington High up until his death. "Stonington Police Detectives are working closely with the New London States Attorney's Office as the investigation progresses," Olson said Wednesday. "This process can take time to ensure a successful resolution in the end." Bjoern Wylezich / TNS NEW HAVEN Federal authorities charged five local men with fentanyl trafficking offenses last week, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. The superseding indictment, which was returned on April 6, alleges the FBI learned in October 2021 that Luis Salaman, also known as "Bebe," was distributing large amounts of narcotics throughout the city. The investigation revealed that Salaman, 41, worked with four others Christian Lopez, also known as "Face," 38; Melvin Santiago, also known as "Pina," 34; Jesus Seguinot, also known as "Chuchi," 33; and Kelly Quinones-Adorna, 27 to distribute fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney's office said. NEW HAVEN From education to public safety, housing and homelessness, five mayoral candidates offered their perspectives on issues at their first forum appearance together Tuesday night. The East Shore Community Management Team hosted the Zoom panel with about 80 area residents in attendance. In his opening statement, Mayor Justin Elicker, who is seeking a third term, highlighted the progress he said he had made with the budget, public safety, housing and quality of life since he took office. Liam Brennan, a former federal prosecutor, talked about education, the need for more affordable housing to solve other issues and his solutions to gun violence. Tom Goldenberg, a former McKinsey & Company consultant, focused on his consulting projects with local and state governments outside of Connecticut. Locally, he touched on chronic absenteeism in schools, public transportation and taxes. Shafiq Abdussabur, a retired police officer and a former alder, centered his opening around his time spent in the community as a cop and sixth-generation resident. He said hell prioritize investing in disadvantaged communities. Wendy Hamilton, a former nurse, and a city philanthropist, targeted Yale University entities and gentrification. She made two promises: low taxes and no expansion of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. Throwing money at problems? A resident said the city has had many problems in the past three to five years, and COVID-19 brought those to light. However, she said, We just seem to keep throwing money after problems. She asked, Who has an actual answer, not pipe dreams? Brennan said that question has many layers, but it doesnt mean that money doesnt matter. For example, regarding schools and teacher shortages, Brennan said there are many nonmonetary benefits that will make them stay. Abdussabur said if he becomes mayor, he will start with a fiscal audit for every department down to the pencil, pen, crayon and paper. He said hell be a leader who will give resources to the right people, trust them to get the job done and inspire people to come together. The city has take-home cars for different departments, Abdussabur said. And when he sees those cars around the city when theyre not in an emergency capacity, it drives me nuts. He asked how much those cost the city. Doing a fiscal audit of all the departments is going to be the best way that we can account for all the money that we collected in taxes, the money that were receiving from Yale, the money that we have in our capital project funds, he said. Hamilton responded: Money usually is the answer. But she said shell cut stupid, nonessential spending and raise revenue for the city but not by raising taxes. Goldenberg said he wasnt there to point fingers but to offer solutions. He agreed that money alone isnt going to solve the problems and that there is a leadership crisis. We need a mayor who is willing to be bold, to be a leader on the Board of Education and to be a leader with our district leadership and to actually fight for policies that are going to help, Goldenberg said. Elicker said, Money is important, its not the only thing, but its important. He said the city needs to spend more on students, and that is not throwing the money away. On teacher recruitment and retention, Elicker said the city has approved a pay bump for teachers in the latest union contract. He also highlighted the reutilization of city buildings for youth programs and nonprofit programs. Tent City and homelessness With the Elicker administration evicting residents of the Tent City encampment near the West River off Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, candidates were asked if they would evict unhoused people and their belongings and what they would do if thats not the case. Elicker defended the citys decision to evict. He said the citys outreach workers and nonprofit partners had regularly engaged with the residents over the past years with the goal of rehousing them. However, Elicker said there were things that were not safe at the encampment including inflammable heating, construction of a shower and human waste. He said they were provided a space for their belongings, and all of them were offered a bed in Columbus House. Its very, very hard to address this issue and ensure that people are safe, Elicker said. Goldenberg said housing is something he is passionate about, highlighting his experience on the board of Downtown Soup Kitchen, which works with people without a home. He said the mayor cant be fully blamed for the issue and that state and federal governments must also pay attention. He called for a housing-first approach or the voucher system something Hamilton also agreed to. Goldenberg said hell advocate for the expansion of the program if hes elected. Encampment is not an answer, Goldenberg said. We need to work to create more support for housing first policy and funding for this initiative at the state, and were not doing a good job there as a state or as a country. Brennan reiterated his points about the lack of affordable housing in New Haven, which contributed to other problems, including homelessness, and intersected with others, such as mental health. Abdussabur said the budget for homelessness hasnt increased in over seven years. He said the first thing hell do with the issue is to revise the citys home policy. He also said the city needs to identify how much the need for housing is in the city. Police accountability With ongoing lawsuits involving the police department, a resident asked how candidates plan to protect the city's assets, as he said the city is vulnerable to legal actions. Brennan said it comes down to good training and management of staff, so they can think through the situation they expect to face and react appropriately. He also said the Civilian Review Board was a good innovation, but it wasnt set up for success. Goldenberg said more accountability and community partnership are needed in the process. Elicker said the city had made significant changes in policy and upgraded training and that the police department has worked to ensure cops are held accountable. Tweed expansion and environmental concerns With Tweed planning an expansion, some residents were concerned if the candidates had taken the environmental issues seriously. Abdussabur said he was one of the people who petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration for an environmental impact assessment earlier this year. I understand that the residents have concerns about this airport, he said, around parking, noises and fuel smell. The retired officer recalled his childhood as he did throughout the forum he said he remembered his mom taking him fishing at Lighthouse Point Park, so that area is his affinity. If youre having an issue in East Shore, if I could be quite honest with you, you shouldnt be having it; this could have been approached a whole lot better, in my opinion, he said. My position is to see what advice comes from that study and how we can find a way forward. A resident asked Elicker why he wasnt at the public hearing for the environmental assessment earlier this month. The incumbent mayor said he didnt think he dropped the ball on environmental issues. Before taking office, Elicker said there were a number of issues he thought needed to be addressed before approving the expansion, such as financial subsidy and traffic concerns. Regarding climate change, Elicker said the city cant look at the airport alone. He said the city has done so much more for climate change issues. Goldenberg said the airport expansion was rolled out extremely poorly. He said whats needed is better leadership to address traffic and parking concerns, restrictions of flight times and support for sound-proofing homes. Methadone clinics APT Foundation has two locations at Long Wharf Drive and Congress Avenue. The clinic has also bought a site on Dixwell Avenue but has been facing pushback from residents. Goldenberg, who has been outspoken about the issue, said he spent days talking to people associated with the clinic, including illegal drug dealers, and said, We dont need a five-year plan for getting a methadone clinic from a location thats 300 feet from the school. The mayors plan is disrespectful to these communities, especially the Hills and Newhallville, Goldenberg said, adding that elected officials and residents werent informed of the Dixwell Avenue purchase. For me, it is just infuriating. The mayoral challenger said we cannot wait and that he has a plan that he can begin on his first day. Goldenberg said he called for solutions, including a zoning change for methadone clinics and safe-use injection sites to be in industrial areas. Elicker said the city is working with APT Foundation to find a more appropriate place. One of the possibilities is at the Gateway District under the Long Wharf revitalization plan. As part of the proposal, the group would discontinue its services at the Congress Avenue site, according to the mayor. He said, I, too, have been talking with residents, not just in the past few months when Ive been running for mayor but for many years. Elicker said APT Foundation is a private entity, and he cant just tell it to move out of the Congress Avenue site. Regarding the purchase, he said the private entity bought the site unilaterally without the citys knowledge and that it didnt have control over it. As nice as it would be to stand on the sideline and say that when Im mayor, I can fix all these things, he said. The reality is we just cant do that; we have to put in the hard work. Elicker, Goldenberg, Brennan and Abdussabur are seeking a nomination for the Democratic Party. Hamilton is an independent candidate. PLYMOUTH A second child has filed a lawsuit against the town, the Plymouth Board of Education and a former principal, claiming she was molested by former fourth-grade teacher James Eschert, who was charged with inappropriately touching students. In the 17-page lawsuit, the attorney for the child, referred to as "Jane Roe," and an adult "Mary Roe," contends the school system and former Principal Crystal Collins should have known Eschert "was being physically inappropriate and socially inappropriate with minor children" in his job at Plymouth Center School. Eschert would "openly fondle and caress students" at the school, "placing his hands inside their clothing" and would have children sit on his lap and under his desk, which was witnessed by students and staff, the lawsuit said. Eschert was also named in the lawsuit. It is the second lawsuit filed against Eschert, the town, Collins and the Board of Education since his arrest in January 2022. Plymouth police arrested Eschert after a middle school principal reported that several young girls told her he had been behaving inappropriately with female students for years, but Plymouth Center School officials didn't take action on their complaints, according to his arrest warrant. Eschert has pleaded not guilty to five counts of risk of injury to a child and two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. He is due back in state Superior Court in New Britain on June 6. Jane Roe, who was an elementary school student at Plymouth Center School, was "sexually abused, sexually assaulted and sexually exploited" by Eschert during the school day, according to the lawsuit. She suffered "injuries of a serious and permanent nature" due to Eschert's abuse and endures mistrust, anger, depression, embarrassment and intrusive thoughts about the incidents, her attorney Timothy O'Keefe said. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, O'Keefe said in the lawsuit. Collins and Eschert asked for the second lawsuit to be stayed until their criminal cases are adjudicated, court documents indicate. Eschert said if the civil case continued, he possibly would "incriminate himself" in the criminal charges. A judge agreed Monday to stay the newly filed lawsuit for six months while the criminal cases proceed. The first lawsuit, however, is moving forward with a remote hearing scheduled for April 17. Collins and three other administrators were charged with failing to report as mandated reporters after Plymouth police interviewed a dozen students who said they told the educators for years that Eschert was behaving inappropriately, but the administrators refused to listen, according to their arrest warrants. The four administrators' cases have been sealed after they applied for accelerated rehabilitation, which would dismiss the charges if they successfully complete the program. Collins and another staff member retired amid the scandal, another person is in termination proceedings and the fourth administrator was able to return under strict supervision, according to school officials. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Northern Ireland must not go back to the violence that scarred it for years before a U.S.-brokered peace deal 25 years ago, nudging politicians to resolve a political crisis that has left this part of the United Kingdom without a functioning government. Speaking of the economic growth Northern Ireland has experienced since the Good Friday Agreement ended 30 years of sectarian bloodshed, Biden said: Its up to us to keep this going. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden dangled the prospect of more American investment to help fuel economic growth especially if Belfasts fractious politicians resolve a stalemate that has put their government on pause. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together, Biden said during a speech at Ulster Universitys new campus in Belfast. He said the glass-clad downtown building would have been unthinkable during the years of bombings and shootings known as The Troubles." Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning, built of glass," he said. Noting that Northern Irelands total economic output had doubled in the quarter-century since the Good Friday peace deal was signed in April 1998, Biden urged people in Northern Ireland to sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning. Biden urged all political parties to get back to work, saying democracy needs champions and that Northern Irelands future is in their hands. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, he said. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens." Biden's visit was timed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday accord, which the U.S. was key to striking. Biden credited people who were willing to risk boldly for the future by reaching the agreement, reminding the audience that peace was not inevitable. Referring to a February gun attack on a senior police officer blamed by authorities on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process Biden said "the enemies of peace will not prevail. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. While peace has endured, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Biden met briefly before his speech with the leaders of the DUP and Northern Irelands four other main political parties. Biden has faced mistrust from pro-British unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the U.K. Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British a claim the White House firmly denied. Biden's speech carefully navigated Northern Irelands complex political currents, referring to both his British and his Irish ancestry, and noting the contribution to the U.S. of largely Protestant Ulster Scots as well as Irish Catholics like his own forebears. Such things dont go unnoticed in Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said Bidens reference also to his own British ancestry I think indicates hopefully that we have a president that recognizes the United Kingdom is a close ally and friend of the United States. But Donaldson doubted whether the presidents visit would change the political dynamic. I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress that we all desire and that is that Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom is both respected and protected, and we want to see that in law, he said. Michelle ONeill from Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said Biden had sent a clear message to the DUP about the need to get back to work. Biden also had tea with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his Belfast stopover. The president spent less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland to begin a three-day visit, scheduled to include an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. U.K. officials denied that the brevity of the visit amounted to a snub. Sunak said he and Biden had a very good discussion about investment in Northern Ireland, along with foreign policy issues. Were very close partners and allies. We cooperate on a range of things, Sunak said. Northern Ireland's political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britains departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the U.K. and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, eliminating many of the customs checks that had irked businesses and angered unionists. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the agreement doesnt go far enough to address concerns about Northern Ireland's place in the U.K., and has refused to return to government. Biden, who has urged Britain and the bloc to put Brexit squabbling behind them, praised U.K. and EU leaders for trying to sort out the complex challenges created by Brexit. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Biden's visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. "Whether or not Mr. Bidens visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I dont know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. ___ Lawless reported from London. Chris Megerian contributed from Washington. Aqueous Technologies' Mike Konrad to Give Keynote Address at SMTA Electronics in Harsh Environments Conference Published: 12 April 2023 by Tyler Hanes by Tyler Hanes CORONA, CA Mike Konrad, Founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies has been selected to present a Keynote address at the SMTA Electronics in Harsh Environments Conference to be held in Amsterdam May 23-25 at the Park Plaza Amsterdam Airport, Netherlands. Mike will be presenting The Remarkable Return of Post-Reflow Cleaning as a Mainstream Process to Improve Reliability. Presentation topics include: The Age of No-Clean Fluxes and the Effect on Circuit Assemblies. Factors influencing the decision to clean circuit assemblies. Modern Residue-Related Failure Mechanisms. Beyond ECM - Additional reasons for cleaning post-reflow circuit assemblies beyond ECM mitigation. Harsh Environments and Other Factors Influencing Reliability Cleaning Best Practices. New IPC Cleanliness Testing and Process Monitoring Requirements. Reflow Profiles and the Effect on Surface Insulation Resistance (SIR) Test. New Cleanliness Quantification Standards (IPC J-STD001-H). More information is available at https://smta.org/mpage/harsh This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Every New York City mayor has waged war and mostly lost against one of humanitys most cunning and enduring foe: rattus norvegicus. But has the citys vilest enemy, better known as the common brown rat, finally met its match? Mayor Eric Adams introduced a former elementary school teacher and anti-rat activist as his new rat czar on Wednesday. Officially, Kathleen Corradi, the mayor's new hire, will be known as the director of rodent mitigation. Corradi is tasked with battling the potentially millions of rats lurking in myriad urban nooks and crannies, subway tunnels and empty lots. Hers is a new job, which the city advertised with a help-wanted ad seeking applicants who are bloodthirsty, possess killer instincts" and could commit to the wholesale slaughter" of rats. "When I first saw this job posting, I wasnt sure if it was real. Blood thirsty is not a word you usually see in a job description and its certainly not a word I usually (use to) describe myself," Corradi said in a news conference at a Harlem park. Youll be seeing a lot of me and a lot less rats, she vowed. Rats have long bedeviled the city, a top public concern along with crime, homelessness and exorbitant rents. No traps nor poisonous bait have fully succeeded in reducing their numbers. Rats have thrived in subway tunnels and burrows within empty lots and city parks. Rats are smart, they are resilient, said Adams, a Democrat. Many of us live in communities where rats think they run the city." Over the past year, residents have called in almost 3.2 million rat sightings to the city's 311 service request line, just shy of the record number of complaints in 2021. Rats have proven to be one of the most formidable opponents that humans have faced. Here in New York City, were locked in a constant battle, said Councilmember Erik Bottcher, whose district includes Times Square. New York City's approach is in contrast to some efforts by animal-rights advocates in Paris, where there could be more rats than its 2.2 million people, perhaps twice as many, according to some estimates. A strike by garbage workers left some streets teeming with rats. The animal rights group Paris Animaux Zoopolis has been trying to convince Parisians that rats are not our enemies! Adams thinks otherwise. As Brooklyn borough president, he once showed reporters a bucket filled with a toxic soup meant to drown rats. There were people that were yelling, you know, Oh you murderer. You murderer!' the mayor said. You know, we cant be philosophical about things that impact the quality of life of New Yorkers. And hes had trouble controlling them even outside the Brooklyn townhouse he owns something he mentioned in jest Wednesday. In February, the mayor challenged a pair of citations issued to him by his own health department for not doing enough to control rodents outside the townhouse. The administrative judge sided with the mayor on one citation but ordered him to pay $300 for the other. In November, the mayor signed legislation intended to reduce the citys rat problems, including new rules limiting how long garbage can sit out on curbs. The fewer rats the better, said Nina Daugherty, a Harlem resident who came upon the news conference while jogging through a local park. Corradi's first task will be to launch a rat mitigation zone in Harlem, where the city will invest $3.5 million to roll out an accelerated rat reduction plan deploying 19 full-time and 14 seasonal employees to combat rats. Strategies that work in Harlem will be extended elsewhere. Besides the ick, factor, rats can spread disease like leptospirosis. On rare occasions, the ailment can lead to meningitis and cause the kidneys and liver to fail. Corradi said her job will be to combat rats by taking away their food sources often garbage and food scraps. I have a long history with rats, she said. As a 10-year-old, she gathered signatures for an anti-rat petition in her neighborhood. She also led efforts by New York City schools to control the vermin in school buildings. Its not the first time a New York mayor has appointed a rat czar. Rudy Giuliani anointed one of his deputy mayors to handle the job although Corradi will be the city's first director of rodent mitigation. During his time in office, Giuliani established a task force, which spawned a boot camp called the rodent academy that still produces cadres of foot soldiers hoping to vanquish the city's army of rats. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio budgeted more than $30 million in his own failed bid to conquer rats. One plan relied on dry ice to suffocate rats in their burrows. It proved comedic at one demonstration for journalists when workers chased but never caught one of the fleeing vermin. Everyone tried, Adams said, acknowledging the city's noble efforts and ultimate failures. ""We needed someone that was going to put all the pieces together and all the players together to coordinate this entire symphony of fighters. We needed a maestro. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MARION, Iowa (AP) When South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott returns to Iowa on Wednesday, he will meet privately with a group of pastors at a Cedar Rapids church. For someone considering a Republican presidential campaign, the visit is part of a decades-old courtship ritual in the state that kicks off the nomination process. Born-again Christians are the most influential group in Iowa's GOP caucuses, giving faith leaders particular sway in helping organize voters and shape the results. But in the early phase of the next presidential campaign, Scott's joyful proclamations of his Christian faith face an unlikely obstacle. Like other Republicans eyeing the White House, he is navigating an evangelical community that is faithful to former President Donald Trump, the thrice-married former reality television star who once supported abortion rights and spent decades boasting of his sexual prowess. That history repelled many Iowa evangelical leaders during the last competitive Republican caucuses in 2016, when they helped push Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to victory in the opening contest. As the 2024 campaign begins, however, many of those same leaders are open to Trump, grateful for his judicial appointments that resulted in the dismantling of a constitutional right to abortion. They are unswayed by the controversy swirling around Trump, including the 34-count New York felony indictment handed down against him last week stemming from a hush money payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who alleged having an extramarital affair with him. I believe, and I think many evangelical Christians understand, politics at that level is a blood sport. Donald Trump is fighting. Thats why he got things done, said the Rev. Terry Amann of suburban Des Moines. So, our role isnt to judge him. Trump has denied having an affair with the actress, Stormy Daniels, and has characterized the charges along with ongoing investigations related to other matters in Georgia and Washington as politically motivated. But the evangelical support reflects a broader dynamic taking hold with the GOP base rallying around Trump in the aftermath of his indictment even amid signals that he could be vulnerable with the broader public in a general election. An ABC News/Ipsos poll released last weekend found 50% of Americans thought Trump should have been charged with a crime and about as many 48% said he should suspend his campaign. But just 14% of Republicans said he should be charged. That GOP loyalty to Trump was evident in interviews with more than a dozen Iowa pastors in the wake of Trump's indictment. Each cited Trump's role in helping overturn Roe vs. Wade as central to the long-term rethinking about him since his first campaign. Several also pointed to Trump's recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. I appreciate the fact that, for what seems like the first time in my lifetime, someone did what they said they were going to do, said the Rev. Kerry Jech of Marshalltown. With Donald Trump, what he promised us, he delivered on. Thats one thing I cant get away from." In a new display of pragmatism, Jech and others like him who didn't support Trump in 2016 say the former president is no less imperfect a man now, but that his action on policy they hold dear may erase questions about his moral character. During the 2016 campaign, the Rev. Mike Demastus of Des Moines supported Cruz and called Trump morally loathsome, wicked and a reprehensible man." Today, Demastus calls him the most pro-life president we have ever had, and would consider supporting him in the caucuses, along with others. Even Demastus' qualified support still puts Trump in better position now than his first bid. In a March Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, Trump was viewed favorably by 58% of evangelicals, unfavorably by 39% and 3% were unsure. On the eve of the 2016 caucuses, Iowa evangelicals seemed to have a dimmer view of Trump. The Des Moines Registers Iowa Poll taken on the eve of the caucuses showed Trump with support from only 19% of evangelicals, with Cruz supported by 33%. The awkward position is new for Iowa social conservatives, who have for three consecutive Republican presidential campaigns decidedly backed the more vocally evangelical candidate, though none would go on to win the nomination. Beyond Cruz, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum won the 2012 caucuses as a crusading abortion opponent. In 2008, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, posted a surprise victory by cobbling together a Christian coalition of pastors and religious home-school advocates. Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence hope to replicate their success in 2024, should they continue taking steps toward running. Scott began his day in Iowa Wednesday meeting with a few dozen Christian home-school parents, a vital subset of Iowa's evangelical bloc. It's a strategy pioneered by former Christian broadcasting personality Pat Robertson, whose focus on Iowa's network of evangelical Christian churches helped him finish a surprise second place in Iowa's 1988 caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush. Scott, who is launching an exploratory committee for president, has already met several times with Iowa clergy, as has Pence. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to run, squeezed in a backstage meeting and prayer with a handful of pastors after a public event in Des Moines last month. The first multi-candidate gathering of the 2024 Iowa caucus campaign is scheduled for later this month and is expected to feature presidential prospects Pence, Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and others speaking to hundreds of Iowa social conservatives. Trump plans to address the group by video. The more traditional approach set against Trump's atypical combination of accomplishment and high-drama personal life creates a new dynamic for Iowa social conservatives to weigh. President Trump has stood up for the values that we hold dear, said Brad Sherman, a pastor and Republican state representative from Williamsburg who plans to support Trump in the caucuses. Then we need to pray for him that his personal life comes in line with that. Others say everyone is offered forgiveness. He is no perfect person. No one would say that. He is no King David, said the Rev. Bill Tvedt of Oskaloosa. But even David was tempted. Tvedt also likened Trump to the biblical figure Cyrus, who was not a Christian but is lauded as an Old Testament hero for liberating the Jews from captivity in Egypt. He is more of a Cyrus, a protector, Tvedt said. The Rev. Dave Martin, a Marshalltown pastor, was an outlier in the interviews, suggesting Trump's judicial strategy was aimed at reinforcing support within a group that had doubts in 2016. Let's not forget that not that many years ago he was for legal abortion, said Martin, who says he would likely not support Trump in the caucuses. Martin also blasted Trump's statement from the 2016 campaign when he rejected the need to repent. Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness if I am not making mistakes? Trump asked CNN's Anderson Cooper during a 2015 interview. I work hard. Im an honorable person. Amann, the suburban Des Moines pastor who rejected judging Trump, said the former president need only worry about evangelical support if his resolve for their priorities weakens. "If he backs off of pro-life, that would be a bigger issue, Amann said. The once anti-Trump DeMastus was quick to remind that Trump blamed devout abortion opponents for Republicans' weaker-than-expected showing in last year's congressional elections. Notably, Trump said candidates who opposed legal abortion in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman lost a large numbers of votes." That ticked me off so bad, DeMastus said. Thats the part of him I'm talking about where he just needs to keep his mouth shut. HARTFORD Amid a raging legislative controversy on victims' rights and the early release of violent felons from prison, the state Senate on Wednesday confirmed Charlton Giles of Milford for another four-year term on the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. After a nearly two-hour debate, the resolution passed 21-14, with two Democrats voting against Giles. The bill next heads to the House for final action. Minority Republicans, building on Gov. Ned Lamont's announcement earlier in the week that Giles would no longer be the chairman of the board, attempted to not only defeat Giles during the Senate debate, but during a morning news conference asked Lamont to withdraw all 10 of those board members up for another term and review the entire process of releasing the incarcerated. Lamont rejected the request. Democrats led by Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee, said that while some might not have been aware of the recent changes in the release of felons who had already served decades in prison, the new policy was a response to problems that the older program, dating back to the mid-1990s, was not working even though state law is in place giving the Board of Pardons and Paroles the power to review and commute sentences. Winfield defended Giles, an ordained minister and former Norwalk police officer. "This is not just something that happened when no one was aware of it," Winfield said. "The process being put into place is not just looking to release people from prison." "What we have before us today is the chairman of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, who single-handedly changed the direction of punishment in the state of Connecticut," said Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, a top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. "What's the natural fallout of all this? We have to grapple with what's appropriate and what's not." Even though he would no longer be chairman, Sen. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, said it would be inappropriate for Giles' renomination to go through. First elected to the General Assembly in 2014, Harding said that he has seen victims' rights and voices erode over the years. The increase in commutations started in 2021, at the height of the pandemic. "The question that we as legislators, as senators, in my opinion, that we have to answer is, do we support that direction? Yes or no?" Harding said. "When you are seeing 70-plus individuals having their sentences commuted in a period of time in which you'd have maybe 11 prior, that is not in the best interests of public safety, and most importantly, is not in the best interests of the victims and victims families." Just before the resolution on Giles' renomination reached the Senate, Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, and Harding joined Audrey Carlson of Newington, the mother of a young woman murdered in 2002, in calling for a review of commutation procedures that have changed in recent years from just a few releases per year to more than 71 releases of incarcerated people last year. Carlson said the policy needs to be halted and reviewed by a variety of people. "For 20 years, I have been going through a period of healing and transforming," she said, but a few months ago, her family was informed that the murderer of her daughter Elizabeth had applied for a commutation. She said her family trusted that the 42-year plea bargain for the murderer would keep him behind bars for the enitre time. "Guess what? We were wrong. Please really consider halting the commutations." Photo by Ken Dixon Somers called for all the nominees five were approved last week in the House, and five on Wednesday were up for Senate review to be withdrawn by the governor, and commutations cease until a wider review of the procedures. Connecticut remains one of the safest states in the nation," said Adam Joseph, communications director for the governor. "To suggest otherwise ignores the facts and ignores reality. The governor has nominated highly qualified, experienced, and respected individuals to serve on the Board of Pardons and Paroles and it is why many of the Senate Republicans voted yes on these nominees in committee." He noted that Lamont has announced that a variety of stakeholders will be gathered "to determine if its process can be improved, and to ensure that commutation process balances the importance of second chances for Connecticut prisoners, the perspectives of victims, and public safety considerations. Photo by Ken Dixon The five Senate nominations on Wednesday, four of which resulted in no debate, will head to the House for final action, while the five approved in the House last week need confirmation in the Senate, including two people on the embattled three-member subcommittee that votes on commutation. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said that while the vast majority of states across the country vest the power of commutations to their governors, Connecticut is one of the few with an appointed, multi-member board. He said that during the 2021-2022 year, there were 328 applications for pardons, with 229 rejected, plus another eight turned down during a final board review. He said those pardons come at a time when the state is among the safest in the nation. Duff said he's known Giles for two decades and that his law enforcement background helped him understand the impact of crime. Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said that mandatory sentences dating back to the 1990s had created a shadow over the state's commutation process. He said that before 1995, commutations were fairly routine, with about seven to nine a year. But in the quarter century afterward, only 10 incarcerated people were released early. "I think it's important to keep in mind that we have many people serving long prison sentences now for crimes for which if they were sentenced now, the sentence might be less than what they were sentenced to 20 or 25 years ago," Looney said. "We have to balance the idea of what are the circumstances existing on sentencing day, as opposed to what the circumstances might be 20 or 30 years hence. There has been a rethinking, a reexamination, a reassessment of criminal sentencing as opposed to 25 or 30 years ago when many of these lengthy sentences were imposed." Looney said that the vetting process had been "carefully reviewed" by the pardons board. "Also, in the years since many of these sentences were imposed, science has told us that brain development has great impact on maturity and commission of anti-social and criminal acts," Looney said. "We all know that the brain is not fully developed into maturity until at least age 25. The average age for these offenders who were given commutations was approximately 23 at the time they committed their offenses." It was a cold night outdoors, but James Russell, 76, wont consider ending his protest and hunger strike at a historic Niagara-on-the-Lake Black burial ground. By no means am I anywhere near finished, said Russell, a retired Toronto Star photographer and a filmmaker. Im going to continue to be a squeaky wheel in the effort to restore dignity to the folks buried in the Negro Burial Ground. Russell is chained to the historic plaque at the cemetery in protest of the towns treatment of a series of 19 headstones he said need to be unearthed, cleaned and restored. The burial ground is connected to a Baptist church built on the location in the 1830s. A former British soldier, John Oakley, who although white, served as pastor of a predominantly Black congregation. Russell, a Toronto resident, believes at least some people in the cemetery were freedom-seekers escaping slavery in the southern United States or their descendants. Russell said a town employee admitted last year that he and his co-workers had buried the headstones in the 1980s. Russell believes the headstones were laid down under about 45 centimetres of soil to make it easier to cut grass. He said town staff contend the markers sank on their own. Russell has had a stream of visitors since he began his protest Monday, including visits from Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa and the town chief administrative officer, Marnie Cluckie. People have been driving by and honking or giving us a thumbs-up and waving to us, Russell said. Weve been getting a lot of support. The people of Niagara-on-the-Lake are great. Unfortunately, it appears its the council that lacks common sense. In November 2021, Russell petitioned the town to allow him to conduct a ground-penetrating radar survey of the burial grounds. The scan, which Russell funded, revealed 28 graves and 19 buried headstones. Russell also hired Guelph-based Archaeological Research Associates, which gave him an estimate of $59,000 to recover and restore the headstones, but the town is refusing to pay the cost and relying on donations. The town has partnered with a community group, Friends of the Forgotten, to restore and preserve the burial ground long term. What Mr. Russell is looking for, and I think what town council is agreeable to, are fairly similar recovering the stones and looking for a long-term plan, Zalepa said. The part that were having a difference of opinion is the process. Mr. Russell would like us to commit right away. Zalepa said the town has to do its homework by completing archeological work that will guide the next steps. After we go through that, well have a better idea of the whole budget, Zalepa said. At this point, we just dont know. I know Mr. Russell has a number in mind, but I cant confirm what that number will be. RELATED STORIES Niagara Region Protester chains himself to historical Black burial ground sign in NOTL Town council was to again taking up the issue Tuesday evening at a regularly scheduled committee-of-the-whole meeting. Im going to be watching it, Russell said before adding he had to return home Tuesday night for a few hours to deal with a mini family emergency involving his wife. Im pessimistic that it will get further than the full council meeting next week, Russell said. They will probably refer it to staff. When I get back, I will do one of two things. Im either going to return to my chain, or Im going to target city (town) hall or the mayors house, the main street of Niagara-on-the-Lake or the Shaw Festival. SHARE: An investment adviser who was day-trading stocks through his tax-free savings account was running a business and needs to pay taxes on the profits, a federal tax court judge has ruled. According to court documents, Vancouver-based investment adviser Fareed Ahamed invested $15,000 over three years in his TFSA, and by the end of the third year, the value of the account had ballooned to $617,371.24. In his ruling, Tax Court of Canada Justice David E. Spiro said there was no question Ahameds investment knowledge and research meant he was effectively running a business. In light of Mr. Ahameds knowledge and experience in the securities market as a professional investment adviser, and the considerable time he spent researching securities markets, said Spiro there can be no doubt that the Appellant carried on a business of trading qualified investments for each of the taxation years at issue. Spiro also dismissed suggestions from Ahameds lawyer Timothy W. Clarke that because business income generated through RRSP investments isnt taxable, that the same rule should apply for TFSAs. In 2008, Parliament chose to adopt a legislative scheme for TFSA trusts that was less permissive than the legislative scheme it chose when it amended the RRSP regime in 1993, Spiro wrote. This Court has no power to redraft Parliaments TFSA legislation. Ahamed is appealing Spiros decision to the Federal Court of Appeal. The ruling earlier this spring, however, doesnt necessarily mean other day traders are at risk, some tax and investment experts say. There arent many people who are actively trading single stocks through their TFSAs, and most of the ones who do are losing money, said Dan Hallett, vice president of research at HighView Financial Group, an investment advisory firm. Nadia Pulla, an accountant and senior tax manager with accounting firm Fuller Landau, said Ahameds investment strategy was far different than most people who invest through their TFSA. Most people with TFSAs take a far more conservative approach than Ahamed, including sometimes just keeping their money in a high-interest savings account. Its a very aggressive strategy, said Pulla. He hit the jackpot. The odds of hitting the jackpot are slim, so its really tough to say. If I were to go do this and not have the knowledge about investments, am I going to be that lucky? I dont know. Certified financial planner Jason Heath agreed the ruling likely wont affect most people, but warned that certain TFSA investors could still get dinged by Canada Revenue service if theyre not careful. If you trade a lot, you might be considered to be carrying on a business, and there are some people probably wondering right now if they could be caught up in this, said Heath, managing director at Objective Financial Partners. But in this case, him being an investment adviser was a big consideration. As for whether day-trading out of what was initially intended by the federal government to be a rainy-day fund is a good idea? Its not something Heath does, personally. Its very difficult to beat the markets, and I think day trading is not likely to be a successful strategy, said Heath. So for my own TFSA, I dont do any day trading, or anything that would come close to it. Not that it doesnt happen, he added. Some people, especially the last few years, with how hot stocks were in 2021, and crypto, I think there are probably a lot of people who were. SHARE: Nebraska State Patrol to investigate Monday morning death in Columbus The Columbus Police Department has confirmed a male suspect took his own life on Monday, April 10. About 9:22 a.m. April 10, 2023, CPD officers were dispatched to the 2500 block of Seventh Street on a call of a male subject with a shotgun walking around. Once on scene, CPD officers observed a male subject standing by a garage holding a shotgun. Officers gave commands to drop the weapon, but the subject refused, CPD Capt. Doug Molczyk said. The male suspect shot himself shortly after, the captain noted. Molczyk said CPD has requested the Nebraska State Patrol to investigate. This is currently an active investigation and that is all the information we have to provide at this time, Molczyk said Columbus Police arrest woman on suspicion of DUI, drug violations The Columbus Police Department has arrested a woman for DUI and drug violations. About 11:59 p.m. April 4, 2023, CPD officers responded to a welfare check of a person who appeared to have been passed out at the wheel, near Days Inn and Suites, 1716 E. 23rd St. in Columbus. Columbus Police Capt. Doug Molczyk said upon arrival, officers made contact with Valeria A. Rath (Nov. 21, 1993), who was unresponsive while in the driver's seat. A DUI investigation was conducted and determined that Rath was suspected to be under the influence of a controlled substance, he noted. A drug investigation was conducted simultaneously with the assistance of CPD K9 Eros. The search of the vehicle led to the seizure of suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as other drug violations, Molczyk said. Rath was taken into custody and lodged at the Platte County Detention Center for DUI and drug violations. Columbus Police seek information about laser strike on plane The Columbus Police Department is searching for a suspect who reportedly on April 6, flashed a green laser at a LifeNet helicopter as it was on approach to Columbus Municipal Airport. CPD was dispatched regarding the report from the air crew of a LifeNet helicopter being intentionally flashed with a green laser as it was on approach. The incident was reported to have occurred in the area of 10th Avenue and 23rd Street. The perpetrator of this type of activity would be subject to state and federal law. It is a serious matter; its dangerous. It can cause injury to peoples eyes, Columbus Municipal Airport Manager Ross Niedbalski said. If youre caught, youre going to be prosecuted to the fullest offense. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, laser strikes on aircraft remain a serious threat to aviation safety. Intentionally aiming lasers at an aircraft poses a safety threat to pilots and violates federal law. Many high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots flying aircraft that may be carrying hundreds of passengers. The FAA works closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to pursue civil and criminal penalties against people who purposely aim a laser at an aircraft. The agency takes enforcement action against people who violate Federal Aviation Regulations by shining lasers at aircraft and can impose civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation.The FAA has imposed civil penalties up to $30,800 against people for multiple laser incidents. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact CPD at 402-564-3201. VANCOUVER - A British Columbia court has ordered an international engineering firm to pay a $1-million fine for releasing a harmful substance that flowed into a Metro Vancouver creek, after an investigation into the deaths of dozens of fish. A statement from Environment and Climate Change Canada says Keller Foundations Ltd. was ordered to pay the penalty last month, after the company pleaded guilty in B.C. provincial court to one charge over violations of the federal Fisheries Act. The department says the investigation into the deaths of about 85 cutthroat trout in April 2018 found Kellers construction activities led to a discharge of concrete leachateinto groundwater that flowed into Larson Creek in West Vancouver. It says much of the substance had elevated pH levels that are known to be harmful to fish, including cutthroat trout. As a result of the conviction, the department says the companys name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry and the fine will go toward Canadas environmental damages fund. A Vancouver-based representative of the company, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: REGINA - Three rural communities in southern Saskatchewan have recently introduced bounties on coyotes in response to growing populations. The rural municipalities of Weyburn, Cymri and Estevan have bounties posted on their websites, offering $20 for each set of four paws that are turned in. Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said hes received quite a few calls from farmers and ranchers in different parts of the province telling him that the coyote problem has been bad. I think its a combination of things .... we had quite cold weather this winter with quite a bit of snow, and it came early on, Orb said. That put a lot of pressure on wildlife and some of the other animals that coyotes actually feed on during the winter, so theres a lot of coyotes around. It seems to me like more than usual. While coyotes can pose a threat to livestock and even people, especially in groups, Orb has heard of another large animal being targeted. I had a gentleman from Simpson, Sask., phone me, tell me that some of the deer in that area are being killed by coyotes, he said. The snow that we have is quite deep and its got quite a crust on it, so if an animal falls through that crust, theyre kind of fair game for coyotes because they can surround them and they can bring down a big deer. In fact, one of my neighbours in the Cupar area just told me he came home the other day into his farmyard and he witnessed a deer being killed by coyotes right in his own yard. So its quite severe. Thats the reason that some of these RMs are putting bounties up. There might be more to follow. The bounty notices issued by the three rural municipalities say the program can be terminated at any time. The one on Cymris website notes that residents looking to take part must have landowner permission and follow all hunting regulations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. SHARE: HALIFAX - The senior Roman Catholic bishop in Nova Scotia is holding meetings this weekend along the provinces Acadian shore to discuss offers on two huge and historic churches. The Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth has accepted a conditional offer for Saint Bernard Church a 1,300-square-metre building southwest of Digby, N.S., which opened in 1932 from a buyer with plans to repair and repurpose the building. The structure, which needs millions of dollars in upgrades, was constructed with 8,000 blocks of concrete hauled into the town of St. Bernard over three decades. Meanwhile, Sainte-Marie Church, a landmark wooden building in nearby Church Point, N.S., has received an offer of about $10 million from an anonymous donor for its repair and maintenance but the gift is conditional on the church restoring services. In an interview Tuesday, Archbishop Brian Joseph Dunn said the sale of Saint Bernard is under negotiation, and he is delighted with it (the offer) because it would leave the building intact. However, the archbishop said the future of Sainte Marie about 10 kilometres to the south of Saint Bernard, along the provinces southwestern shore depends on what he hears this weekend during a meeting with members of the three Roman Catholic churches still open in the parish of Notre Dame dAcadie which serves the areas francophone Catholic population. There are questions as to whether the community is vibrant enough to sustain the 900-seat building, he said, adding that hed like to hear from parishioners before he makes a final decision. Im hoping for a vibrant Christian community and I have some hopes this gift would be a way to keep the faith on the Acadian shore alive, he said. If people want to commit themselves to this, then well go with it and make the best of it. He meets Friday with parishioners of Sacre Coeur Church, in Saulnierville, and on Saturday with Stella Maris Church, in Meteghan, and with parishioners of Saint Alphonse de Ligouri Church, in Saint Alphonse. The three churches are served by one priest, who also provides mass at the chapel at the Universite Sainte-Anne, in Pointe-de-lEglise, N.S. Dunn said until the donor emerged in January, the plan had been to sell or potentially demolish Sainte Marie, after a community-based fundraising drive didnt meet goals to restore it. The archbishop said that by keeping Sainte Marie alive, other churches in the parish would have to close in order for the massive building to serve a viable congregation. If were going to have this church then we dont need all these (other) churches, Dunn said. So they (parishioners) have to make a decision they will be committed to this church, so ultimately there will be one or maybe two churches (in the parish). This is what Im presenting this weekend It (Sainte Marie) doesnt have to be a church immediately with everyone moving, but within five years we need to be moving in the direction that we have one major church here or maybe two on the (Acadian) shore. The archbishop said while the wider public may lobby to keep historic church buildings open, the costs can be daunting, adding that the archdiocese is not interested in creating museums. Weve done a structural analysis of both these buildings, and they would cost $15 million to repair. One was $8 million and one was $7 million just to repair and get them up to scratch to operate again, Dunn said. Sainte Marie Church opened in 1905 and was built in slightly over two years, under the leadership of a local carpenter with an estimated 1,500 volunteers doing most of the work, said Andre Valotaire, the church custodian, in a telephone interview. Everyone in the French shore area can pretty much say they have an ancestor who worked on this building. They all have an attachment to it in some way or another, he said. It represents the ingenuity and perseverance of the Acadian people in the early 20th century. Pierre Comeau, president of the Sainte Marie Church Preservation Committee, said he hopes those attending the meetings with the bishop will advocate to keep the historic church open. The parish would benefit if the regions main church became Sainte Marie because its annual maintenance costs would be covered by the donation, Comeau said. Dunn said his plan is to address the anonymous offer for Sainte Marie by mid-May, and thats part of the reason were meeting so quickly. In the end, he said, under church canon, this is my decision. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the bishop would meet with parishioners of Saint Alphonse de Ligouri Church on Sunday. Read more about: SHARE: CAIRO (AP) Bloodshed in Sudans long-troubled Darfur region has left at least 14 people dead over the last three days, two activists said Tuesday. Adam Haroun, a local activist, said clashes erupted Sunday in West Darfur province after Arab gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed a trader in the remote town of Fur Baranga. The killing sparked a series of reprisal attacks between Arabic and African tribal groups and looting, said Adam Regal, spokesman for a local organization that helps run refugee camps in Darfur. The violence continued Tuesday and the death toll was likely to rise, Haroun said. On Monday, the governor of West Darfur declared a two-week state of emergency and introduced a night-time curfew across the state. Analysts see an uptick in violence in recent months between different tribal groups across Sudans far-flung regions as a product of a power vacuum and tensions caused by political turmoil. In late March, at least five people were killed in clashes in West Darfur. Last October, over 170 people were killed in clashes in Blue Nile province, situated in the remote southeast corner of the African country. Sudan has been steeped in chaos since a military coup, led by the countrys leading Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, removed a Western-backed government in October 2021, upending its short-lived transition to democracy. Also Tuesday, the United Nations said it was deeply concerned after a video surfaced on social media showing a man calling for the U.N. special representative in Sudan to be assassinated. I request a fatwa, said the man, who identified himself in the video as Abdelmoneim. I volunteer myself to assassinate Volker (Perthes). The remarks were made during what appeared to be a small conference held by an umbrella group consisting of Islamist factions affiliated with Sudans ousted president, Omar al-Bashir. The language of the incitement and the violence will only deepen divisions on the ground, Stephane Dujarri, the U.N. spokesman, said during Tuesdays briefing. Under intense international pressure, Sudans ruling military and various pro-democracy forces signed a preliminary agreement in December pledging to reinstate the transition to democracy. But after months of wrangling, cross-party talks brokered by the U.N. and other international actors, Sudans political factions have yet to agree to a final deal. Sudans Islamists have remained staunchly opposed to the deal. The conflict in Darfur first broke out in 2003 when rebels mostly from the regions ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. The then-government, headed by al-Bashir, responded with a campaign of aerial bombings and scorched earth raids by janjaweed militias. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes in Darfur over the years. Associated Press writer Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Read more about: SHARE: PANAMA CITY (AP) The United States, Panama and Colombia announced Tuesday that they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year. Details on how the governments will try to curb the flow of migrants that reached nearly 90,000 in just the first three months of this year through the dense, lawless jungle were not provided in the joint statement. The ambitious announcement came as the Biden administration nervously awaits the expected end of a pandemic-related rule May 11 that has suspended rights to seek asylum for many. Without that instrument of dissuasion at the U.S. border, there is concern migrant arrivals could again become unmanageable. The joint statement said the countries will also use new lawful and flexible pathways for tens of thousands of migrants and refugees as an alternative to irregular migration, but again gave no details. The plans third element is investment to reduce poverty and create jobs in the Colombian and Panamanian border communities, presumably so fewer people work at smuggling migrants. Recognizing our shared interest and responsibility to prevent the risk to human life, disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and preserve the vital rainforest, the governments of Panama, Colombia, and the United States intend to carry out a two-month coordinated campaign to address the serious humanitarian situation in the Darien, the statement said. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with the foreign ministers of Panama and Colombia in Panama on Tuesday. According to Panamas government, more than 87,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap in the first three months of the year, mostly from Venezuela, Haiti and Ecuador. That was up from nearly 14,000 migrants during the same period a year earlier. Last year, set a record for migrants using the Darien route, with nearly 250,000. That increase was driven largely by Venezuelans, who accounted for some 60% of the migrants crossing there last year. The Biden administration responded in October by using the pandemic-related rule known as Title 42 to deny Venezuelans the chance to request asylum at the border. Instead, the U.S. government said it would accept as many as 24,000 Venezuelans at U.S. airports who had already applied and been pre-approved through a government online application. That program was expanded to Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba earlier this year. Now with Title 42 set to expire next month, the U.S. is looking at the Darien Gap as the natural choke point to stop extracontinental migration. Michael Lee Weintraub, a profesor at the University of the Andes School of Government in Colombia, said that with Biden under pressure from conservatives to address immigration ahead of next years presidential election, his administration is looking for ways to diiscourage irregular migration and make legal migration easier. But he expressed doubt that Colombias security forces have the capacity to dramatically affect migrant smuggling because the countrys armed groups profit from it and are very sophisticated. The Darien Gap is among the most dangerous portions of the long route to the U.S. borders. Migrants and international human rights groups have denounced sexual assaults, robberies and killings in the remote jungle. Thats in addition to the natural dangers posed by venomous snakes and rushing rivers. For the migrants who survive the crossing, the Panamanian government and nongovernmental groups bus migrants across Panama to near its border with Costa Rica to continue their journey. ___ Associated Press writer Astrid Suarez in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report. SHARE: BEIJING (AP) Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, China said Wednesday, as signs emerged that Beijing will take further action. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the U.S. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. Although China said the exercises are over, it has kept up military pressure against Taiwan in the past few days and signaled it will do more. Taiwans Ministry of Transportation said Wednesday it had received a notice from Chinas Civil Aviation Administration that it would set up a control zone to restrict flights in parts of northern Taiwan from April 16-18, in effect setting up an area where flights would not be allowed to go. On their own, they set up a warning area to control flights within our countrys jurisdictions Taipei Aviation Information Region, using the excuse of aerospace activities, the Taiwan statement said. Taiwan said it strongly protested the notice and was able to get China to reduce the flight ban time from three days to 27 minutes on the morning of April 16. It is unclear what China plans to do at that time. Taiwans Defense Ministry said it was looking into the matter but could not provide further details. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. It defended its recent military actions Wednesday. The Peoples Liberation Army recently organized and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the U.S., Taiwans closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. On Wednesday, Taiwans Ministry of National Defense said it tracked 35 flights by Peoples Liberation Army warplanes within the last 24 hours, and eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. There are still some navy ships and airplanes carrying out harassment in the area. We strongly condemn these deliberately threatening and provocative actions that destroy the regional peace and stability, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for Taiwans Defense Ministry, said at a press briefing Wednesday. The vast majority of Taiwanese favor maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognize Taiwans government institutions and has cut off contact with Tsais administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing generally seen as referring to the U.S. External forces are intensifying their endeavor of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Zhu said. Zhu also repeated Chinas assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwans independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms isnt clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. Taiwanese compatriots should clearly recognize the serious harm that the provocation of Taiwan independence forces poses to cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognize the interests, distinguish right from wrong, and stand on the correct side of history, Zhu said. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island that landed in Japans exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. The most recent exercises focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwans Defense Ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. They also featured the use of Chinas first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which launched dozens of J-15 Flying Shark fighter missions during the exercises, according to Japanese officials. Taiwanese military officials said they noted the Shandongs appearance in the Pacific Ocean, to Taiwans east, and that it was the focus of their discussions and preparedness plans. Everyone can see clearly Chinas ability to cross the first island chain is gradually improving. The so-called anti-access/area denial ability is gradually improving, said Lt. Gen. Li Tian-long at a press briefing Wednesday, referring to a military concept where forces prevent an adversary from entering a specific area. Defense experts said China would likely use the Shandong to try to prevent foreign militaries from accessing that area based on its exercise movements. Taiwan will launch an annual large-scale drill on Thursday jointly with its disaster services and Defense Ministry, as well as local governments. Last year, the government revamped the disaster-preparedness drills to include more wartime scenarios. This year, they said, that trend would continue with war-preparedness to comprise 70% of the drills contents. The developments come as the USS Nimitz Carrier group is operating in the South China Sea south of Taiwan and as American and Filipino forces hold their largest combat exercises in decades in Philippine waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. - AP reporter Huizhong Wu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan. Read more about: SHARE: ISLAMABAD (AP) The Talibans chief spokesman said Wednesday there are no obstacles for the U.N. to function in Afghanistan, after they barred Afghan women from working at the global body. Last week, the countrys Taliban rulers took a step further in the restrictive measures they have imposed on women and said that female Afghan staffers employed with the U.N. mission can no longer report for work. The ban is being actively enforced by the countrys intelligence agency, which reports to the Talibans leadership in Kandahar. The U.N. says it cannot accept the decision, calling it unlawful and an unparalleled violation of womens rights. It says women are crucial for the delivery of life-saving aid to millions of Afghans, and has instructed its national staff, male and female, to stay at home. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-led governments chief spokesman and part of the supreme leaders inner circle, denied authorities were to blame for Afghanistans many crises. The decision to bar Afghan women from working at the U.N. was an internal matter and should be respected by all sides, Mujahid said, as he set out the Talibans position and demands to the international community. This decision does not mean there is discrimination here, or that the activities of the United Nations are blocked. On the contrary, we are committed to all the rights of all our countrymen, taking into account their religious and cultural interests. Considering the emergency situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary for the member countries of the United Nations to resolve the problem of frozen Afghan assets, banking, travel bans and other restrictions as soon as possible so that Afghanistan can progress in economic, political and security areas. Afghans have the capacity to stand on their own feet. Aid agencies have been providing food, education and health care support to Afghans in the wake of the Taliban takeover and the economic collapse that followed it. But distribution has been severely affected by a Taliban edict banning women from working at non-governmental organizations and, now, also at the U.N, allegedly because they werent wearing the hijab, or Islamic headscarf correctly, or following gender segregation. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, called the order barring Afghan women from NGO and U.N. work an internal values-based issue that is not harming others. The United Nations head of mission in the country, Roza Otunbayeva, has initiated an operational review period lasting until May 5 in response to the ban, according to a U.N. statement. During this time, the U.N. will conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes, a veiled suggestion that it could move to suspend its mission and operations in the embattled country. The U.N. has warned that its Afghan operations are also under threat because of a severe funding crisis, putting millions of lives at risk. Already, the food basket has had to be cut to half due to insufficient resources. If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease & death, its office for humanitarian affairs said in a tweet Wednesday. No country has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and the countrys seat at the U.N. is held by the former government of President Ashraf Ghani. Read more about: SHARE: BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Northern Ireland must not go back to the violence that scarred it for years before a U.S.-brokered peace deal 25 years ago, nudging politicians to resolve a political crisis that has left this part of the United Kingdom without a functioning government. Speaking of the economic growth Northern Ireland has experienced since the Good Friday Agreement ended 30 years of sectarian bloodshed, Biden said: Its up to us to keep this going. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden dangled the prospect of more American investment to help fuel economic growth especially if Belfasts fractious politicians resolve a stalemate that has put their government on pause. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together, Biden said during a speech at Ulster Universitys new campus in Belfast. He said the glass-clad downtown building would have been unthinkable during the years of bombings and shootings known as The Troubles. Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning, built of glass, he said. Noting that Northern Irelands total economic output had doubled in the quarter-century since the Good Friday peace deal was signed in April 1998, Biden urged people in Northern Ireland to sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning. Biden urged all political parties to get back to work, saying democracy needs champions and that Northern Irelands future is in their hands. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, he said. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens. Bidens visit was timed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday accord, which the U.S. was key to striking. Biden credited people who were willing to risk boldly for the future by reaching the agreement, reminding the audience that peace was not inevitable. Referring to a February gun attack on a senior police officer blamed by authorities on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process Biden said the enemies of peace will not prevail. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. While peace has endured, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Biden met briefly before his speech with the leaders of the DUP and Northern Irelands four other main political parties. Biden has faced mistrust from pro-British unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the U.K. Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British a claim the White House firmly denied. Bidens speech carefully navigated Northern Irelands complex political currents, referring to both his British and his Irish ancestry, and noting the contribution to the U.S. of largely Protestant Ulster Scots as well as Irish Catholics like his own forebears. Such things dont go unnoticed in Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said Bidens reference also to his own British ancestry I think indicates hopefully that we have a president that recognizes the United Kingdom is a close ally and friend of the United States. But Donaldson doubted whether the presidents visit would change the political dynamic. I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress that we all desire and that is that Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom is both respected and protected, and we want to see that in law, he said. Michelle ONeill from Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said Biden had sent a clear message to the DUP about the need to get back to work. Biden also had tea with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his Belfast stopover. The president spent less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland to begin a three-day visit, scheduled to include an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. U.K. officials denied that the brevity of the visit amounted to a snub. Sunak said he and Biden had a very good discussion about investment in Northern Ireland, along with foreign policy issues. Were very close partners and allies. We cooperate on a range of things, Sunak said. Northern Irelands political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britains departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the U.K. and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, eliminating many of the customs checks that had irked businesses and angered unionists. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the agreement doesnt go far enough to address concerns about Northern Irelands place in the U.K., and has refused to return to government. Biden, who has urged Britain and the bloc to put Brexit squabbling behind them, praised U.K. and EU leaders for trying to sort out the complex challenges created by Brexit. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Bidens visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. Whether or not Mr. Bidens visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I dont know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. ___ Lawless reported from London. Chris Megerian contributed from Washington. SHARE: COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Sen. Tim Scott on Wednesday launched an exploratory committee for a 2024 GOP presidential bid, a step that comes just shy of making his campaign official. For months, the South Carolina Republican has been building out the infrastructure of a possible presidential campaign, staffing up his political action committee and making trips to early voting states. Hes also honed a stump speech heavy on optimism and his belief in Americas story of redemption. No other major presidential hopeful has so far launched an exploratory committee for 2024, though it does have some advantages. A quick rundown on exploratory committees, how theyre used and why: WHAT IS AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE? An exploratory committee allows someone pondering a political bid to start raising money to support efforts like traveling and polling without officially becoming a candidate. Its not required, but some potential candidates do it. According to the Federal Election Commission, the mechanism also known as testing the waters is not required to register or report to the commission, as a candidates official campaign committee would be. But any money raised during this time frame has to comply with federal contribution limits and be reported, if a campaign is ultimately launched. And if the process doesnt lead to an official candidacy, the prospective candidate isnt required to disclose any fundraising and spending activity from the exploratory phase. WHY DO THIS? Much of it can be a PR move. By launching an exploratory committee, a potential candidate gets dual waves of media attention the launch of the committee and then the official candidacy. In whats already shaping up to be a large GOP field in 2024, that can be important, with a slew of candidates competing for advertising airwaves, media attention and donor dollars. There are also financial implications. By launching his exploratory committee this week, Scott will have almost the entire second quarter of this year to amass his fundraising, in hopes of showcasing a significant number at its end. Scott has already proved that he can attract significant fundraising. A pro-Scott super PAC, Opportunity Matters Fund, spent more than $20 million to help Republicans in 2022 and reported $13 million-plus on hand to start 2023. Tech billionaire Larry Ellison has donated at least $30 million to the organization since 2021, according to federal filings. WHEN IS THE EXPLORATORY PERIOD OVER? If a person pondering a bid engages in actual campaigning, according to the FEC, the exploratory period has reached its end. As defined by the commission, campaigning includes the person referring to himself or herself as a candidate, using general public political advertising to publicize a specific intent to campaign, or raising more money than what is reasonably needed to test the waters, though that amount isnt defined. Campaigning can also technically include informing the media either directly or through an advisor that a candidacy will be announced on a certain date. This mechanism has led to oblique maneuvers by some leading up to an official kickoff, like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's tease of a special announcement not specifically a campaign in the weeks before launching her own 2024 presidential bid. She formally announced she would run the day before a planned rally in Charleston. WHY DOESNT EVERY POTENTIAL CANDIDATE HAVE ONE? The use of exploratory committees used to be more customary than it is today. In 1999, businessman Donald Trump said that he had formed an exploratory committee to help him determine whether he could win the White House as a Reform Party candidate. Trump spiked that bid, though he went on to win the White House as a Republican in 2016 and is seeking the GOP nomination again next year. A month before his White House launch, then-Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama announced an exploratory committee. Four years later, Republicans Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum had committees of their own before official announcements, while Newt Gingrich thought about it and ultimately just jumped straight into the 2012 race. Several Democrats who ultimately ran for their partys 2020 nomination had exploratory efforts first, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. But some candidates skip straight into their official campaigns. Hillary Clinton did that for the 2016 election, as did Kamala Harris for 2020 and, this year, Haley. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP SHARE: Within the next month, Katie Telford will gain a new distinction she will be the longest serving chief of staff to any Canadian prime minister since the position was created in the late 1970s. It might not be how Telford would have predicted things would turn out when she first met Justin Trudeau almost 17 years ago in Toronto, but much about their working relationship has hinged on what wasnt exactly expected. It was 2006, and Telford was campaign manager for the Liberal leadership campaign of former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy, for whom she had worked at Queens Park. Trudeau, along with his old university friend Gerald Butts, was supporting Kennedys bid. Just before the convention, Trudeau asked to meet with Telford and they got together at a Toronto restaurant. A lively conversation ensued about the hot issues of the day, including Quebec language politics. Telford, who would joke later that she had a bad poker face, apparently was unable to disguise her surprise at the impression Trudeau made. Im not quite what you thought I was, am I? Trudeau said over his shoulder as he left the restaurant. Telford, who would end up managing Trudeaus leadership campaign and then moving in as chief of staff after the 2015 election, has fewer occasions to be surprised after 10 years in his inner circle and seven-and-a-half years as his chief of staff. Only Jean Pelletier, who served seven-and-a-half years as chief of staff to Jean Chretien, held similar longevity among the nine people who have held this post since 1979. Trusted by Trudeau Telford has remained in her job that long for one main reason thats exactly where Trudeau wants her to stay. This is a prime minister with a very small circle of trust and within that tiny knot of people, Telford is arguably the most trusted. Very few chiefs of staff have travelled with the prime minister certainly none as much as Telford, who is constantly at Trudeaus side when he is abroad. Trudeau wont be at her side this Friday, but he will be trusting her implicitly when she makes a much anticipated appearance at the Commons committee on foreign election interference. She has testified before in this format once on the WE Charity controversy and again before a Commons defence committee looking into sexual misconduct in the military. Her goal this Friday, as with those other brief forays into the spotlight, will be to deliver absolutely no surprises and no news. Her challenge will lie in how well she manages to appear simultaneously forthcoming but also respectful of her sworn oaths to secrecy and national security. Anyone even vaguely familiar with Telford would know she takes those oaths seriously, as well as her own hard-earned reputation for discretion. She is often seen as aloof, even among friendly Liberals, but its probably more fair to describe her as exceedingly private. Telford fiercely guards her own privacy and that of her husband, Rob Silver, and son George, who will turn 12 this year. For that reason alone, recent stories of the break-in at her home over Christmas would have troubled her far more than the flurry of news stories about whether she would or wouldnt testify at the election-interference committee. Defying the odds Telfords long tenure with Trudeau is a frequent talking point in the political chattering classes it defies the old saw that the people who get a prime minister into office should not be the people who surround him after winning power. Butts left the PMO in 2019 a development that many said would be followed by Telfords eventual departure too. But the old trio simply shrunk to a duo; Butts role as principal secretary has never been filled and its now Telford who solely possesses the institutional memory of Trudeau before and after taking office as PM. Katie is the grown-up around me and Gerry, Trudeau told me back in 2013, when he was running for Liberal leadership and constantly being told he needed a more seasoned, old Liberal hand running his campaign. Shes the one who is exceedingly well-organized and she thinks things through in a really far-seeing and broad way. She thinks about the deeper consequences when Gerry and I are trying to outsmart each other, he said. Certainly on everything that is campaign and organization, she constantly fights against people who dont take her seriously, who belittle her, who say they can do a better job and not just men, not just older men, but everyone. Early in her career at Trudeaus side, Telford became known as the one who wanted numbers and data; she enjoys diving into statistics and the story behind trends in those numbers. She keeps a close eye on social media, but she rarely engages on Twitter. (She is a little more forthcoming and open on Instagram.) Telford takes seriously the feminist credentials of this government and occasionally has leaned on her networks of women outside government to promote goals within it. Dealing with Donald Trump Most fatefully, this is how the Trudeau team gained early entree into Donald Trumps White House back when that massive disruption landed in Canadas lap. Telford had met Ivanka Trump at a Fortune magazine event in 2016 and when Ivankas father became president, Telford was able to reach out and forge a connection with Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. It was that connection that led to the womens business networking event at the centre of Trudeaus first trip to meet Trump in Washington in 2017, where leading female executives sat down with the leaders, as well as Telford and Ivanka. Telfords ongoing relationship with Kushner and Ivanka helped as well in the tortuous negotiations over North American free trade. Telford was forced to miss her own 40th birthday party because those negotiations burned down to the wire in September 2018. Telford also has a long established, trusting relationship with the New Democrats national director, Anne McGrath. Way back in 2008, when Telford was working for Liberal leader Stephane Dion and McGrath was with NDP leader Jack Layton, the two were at the centre of the so-called coalition crisis that rocked Harpers newly re-elected government. Liberals and New Democrats, along with the Bloc, came up with a plan to oust the Conservatives through a non-confidence vote and replace it with a Liberal-NDP government. Forging a deal with the NDP Fifteen years later, the Liberals and NDP are working together again, and McGrath and Telford are principal actors in the supply and confidence agreement keeping Trudeau and Telford, if she chooses in their jobs until 2025. Telford is aware that many people foes and friends wonder how long she will choose to stay at Trudeaus side. Much of the speculation gets back to her, one way or another, as she does the quiet, but extensive networking the job requires. One thing is clear: whenever she does leave, that will be her choice Trudeau has been known to surprise her, but not on this score. And as long as she is there, and especially this Friday, she will be trying to make sure that nothing she does surprises the prime minister either. Susan Delacourt is an Ottawa-based columnist covering national politics for the Star. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt SHARE: Kathy Renee Renken September 25, 1960 - April 4, 2023 Kathy Renee Renken, 62, of Monroe, Nebraska, passed away on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at UNMC in Omaha, Nebraska, surrounded by her family. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 13, at 10 a.m., at Augustana Lutheran Church in Genoa, Nebraska, with Pastor Adam Klinker officiating. Private family interment will be held at a later date. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5 - 7 p.m. at Ramaekers Patrick Funeral Chapel in Genoa and continue Thursday from 9 a.m. until service time at the church. Memorials are suggested as those of the donor or family's choice. Kathy Renee Renken was born on Sept. 25, 1960, to Heinz and Helene (Anderson) Renken in Tyler, Minnesota. She grew up on the family farm by Arco, Minnesota, and attended Ivanhoe Public School where she graduated in 1979. As a child, Kathy was involved in 4H and won many ribbons at the county fair. She learned her love for cooking and baking and even as a kid she was making her own pizza from scratch. She sewed many clothes on her Mom's treadle sewing machine making it rumble from treadling so fast. She was part of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Arco and sang in the choir. Her siblings and family called her Sweetie Pie. And she was just that, always caring for everyone around her and doing anything she could to help others. Kathy retired last year to spend more time taking care of her companion, Pat Longtin, and doing fun things with her grandchildren. Her most cherished title was Grandma. She truly loved her grandchildren so much and would do anything for them. She enjoyed baking with Gracie, Dejah, and Lily. They all enjoyed riding 4-wheelers with her at her house. Grandma enjoyed watching them play and swim at the family cabin. She would take them shopping, out to eat and spoil them. She also spent her mornings taking care of Roman before he went to afternoon preschool. They would go out for breakfast or doughnuts and he would talk her ears off. She was a strong and generous woman and Rachael and Robyn will miss being able to call her whenever they needed her. She was courageous in her life and battles, never taking others' opinions, but making her own. Her laugh was one of a kind and it was often accompanied by a sneaky grin that could lead to trouble. Kathy loved giving gifts, she always had a hug for her loved ones and was a good friend. Kathy leaves behind the love of her life, Patrick Longtin; her children: Robyn Yosten of Genoa, Nebraska; and Rachael (Eric) Kush of Columbus, Nebraska. Her grandchildren: Lilyana, Dejah, and Torrin Yosten; Corbyn Prorok; and Gracie, Roman and Ellorrie Kush. She is also survived by Caleb (Tonya) Longtin, Christina Longtin and their families; her sister Mary (Mike) Borman of Aurora, Colorado; her brothers: Mike (Cindy) Renken of Lacrosse, Wisconsin; Ron (Jeanie) Renken of Lakeland, Minnesota; Terry (Norma) Renken of Arco, Minnesota; sister-in-law Carol Renken of Arco, Minnesota; many nieces and nephews; cousins; and an abundance of friends she has met along her journey here on earth. Kathy is preceded in death by her parents, Heinz and Helene Renken; and her brother Dennis Renken. We know she is joyful to be in heaven with her family but we will miss her tremendously here on earth. Kathy was an organ donor and even after her passing she lives on to help others. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:18 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. -Matthew 5:4 God promises to make something good out of the storms that bring devastation to your life. - Romans 8:28 Condolences may be sent to ramaekersfh.com Another 333 Canadians including Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, Ontario cabinet ministers and MPPs have been banned from Russia for the alleged spread of rabid Russophobia following Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. The list released Wednesday by the Russian Federation says the latest round of bans is retaliation for recent sanctions imposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government, which this week announced millions more in aid for Ukraine and a $2.4-billion loan. Many on the list are wearing it as a badge of honour and others said it wont disrupt their travel plans. Our governments position on the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine has been very clear, said Paul Calandra, Ontarios minister of legislative affairs, who was among those named. Todays sanctions of Ontarios duly-elected parliamentarians are of absolutely no importance and will never change the fact that all of Ontario stands with the people of Ukraine. Also on the list are former Olympians Perdita Felicien, Hayley Wickenheiser and Clara Hughes. Felicien was one of 42 former Olympians who recently signed a letter demanding the Canadian Olympic Committee withdraw allowing athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus to participate as neutrals in next years Paris Olympics. Is it hard to stand up to Russia? Is it hard to stand up to (International Olympic Committee president) Thomas Bach and the IOC? Absolutely, Felician told the CBC last month. However, you have to do it you have to have moral courage and you have to do whats right. In Ottawa, the governor generals office declined to comment. The list includes Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews, British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix as well as opposition leaders in Ontario. This is a badge of honour, said interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser. Being sanctioned by the aggressor in the illegal war against Ukraine is not something Im going to lose any sleep over. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said her party stands in full solidarity with Ukrainians. We call for an end to violence and for peace and democracy to prevail. If that warrants a sanction, then so be it, she added. Green Leader Mike Schreiner was blunt. Since I do not have any plans to travel to Russia, this sanction doesnt change much for me, though Im honoured to be recognized for my unwavering support for the people of Ukraine. Despite the lists mention of backbench MPPs from all parties, it appears the Kremlin and its embassy in Ottawa dont keep close tabs on Ontario politics. Former cabinet minister Merrilee Fullerton, who resigned as an MPP March 24, is named and New Democrat Sarah Jama, elected in Hamilton Centre a month ago, is not. Read more about: SHARE: A northern group otherwise called the Arewa Youth Conference for the sustainable future of Nigeria has called on the need to support Senator Godswill Akpabio as the 10th Senate President of Nigeria. In a statement,the group president Mr. Muttaka Ibrahim said Senator Akpabios achievement in his political career as a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and a current Senator representing Akwa-West Senatorial District has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of the Nigerian people through his various achievements in infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and youth empowerment. Akpabios endorsement will help to promote unity, religious balancing after the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and cohesion within the party, as it will demonstrate the partys commitment to recognizing and rewarding hard work and excellence. In his capacity as a minority Senate leader, Akpabio played a pivotal role in advocating for the interest of the Nigerian people, especially those in the northern region. He worked tirelessly to promote peace, security, and unity among Nigerians, which aligns perfectly with our organizations mission and vision. His endorsement will help to promote unity, religious balancing after the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and cohesion within the party, as they demonstrate the partys commitment to recognizing and rewarding hard work and excellence. The Coordinator, National Democratic Coalition Renewal Group, Prof. Atilade Adeeyo, on Tuesday, condemned the letter written to United States President, Joe Biden, by Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, over the February 25 presidential election won by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu. Adichie had in the letter faulted the US for congratulating Tinubu, who she alleged emerged through unlawful process, on the grounds that the election was allegedly fraught with irregularities and violence and as well compromised by the electoral umpire. But NADECO Renewal, which said Adichies outburst betrayed her ethnic bias in a matter of national interest, urged the American president to ignore the letter in its entirety, describing its content as childish, seditious and illogical. In a statement titled, Ignore Adichies childish, seditious, illogical ranting, NADECO Renewal tells Biden, made available in Ado Ekiti, Adeeyo described Adichies message as illogical reasoning regarding the ensuing political development in Nigeria and ignorance of the electoral umpires operations. The group said, With that ill-conceived letter of hers to US President Biden, she has exposed her true colour that of an ethnically-biased Nigerian hiding under the guise of a writer to pretentiously preach patriotism, but who is capable of unreasonably and ignorantly approaching issues of national interest from a myopic prism of ethnicity. We can only advise the ever-busy President of the US to ignore Adichie and her ethnically-influenced and biased letter because it is written out of a shallow understanding of the electoral laws that guide the electoral process. We like to engage Adichie on a few of some of her gaffe. This lady of letters, so to say, goofed pathetically when she described the February 25 presidential poll as illegitimate because it is only a competent court of law that has the legal grounds to decide and pronounce the legitimacy or otherwise of the poll. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has emerged the partys governorship candidate for the November 11 Imo State gubernatorial poll. His emergence followed the PDP primary election held on Wednesday at the partys secretariat along the Okigwe Road in Owerri, the Imo State capital. Anyanwu is expected to challenge the re-election of the incumbent Governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The State Organising Secretary of the opposition party, Lawrence Biado, said the seven-man electoral panel constituted by the National Working Committee headed by Kenneth Okon was present to monitor the primary election in Imo. But it was gathered that a former Governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha, was conspicuously absent during the primary election. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the call for his arrest and prosecution for admonishing Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over inciting the public to violence is unjustifiable. The minister stated this on Wednesday in London while reacting to the call by Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, that he should be arrested and prosecuted for spreading fake news about Obi. Mohammed said he stood by his admonition of Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, insisting that his advice was never premised on falsehood. What will be my offence? Is it by chiding vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party who said on live television that if the President-elect Bola Tinubu is sworn-in on May 29 that that would be the end of democracy in Nigeria? Is it for chiding him for saying that swearing-in Tinubu in May 29 is like swearing-in the military? What is the fake news in that? the minister queried. He said Baba-Ahmed had never denied his statement made on the live television Mohammed also said that Obi had also not publicly called his running mate to order over the treasonable utterances. The position of the law is clear that anybody who is aggrieved over election results should go to court It is not to start threatening Nigerians and heating up the polity simply because you lost an election, he said. Mohammed stressed that the APC won the presidential election fair and square and INEC was right in declaring Tinubu the winner. He reassured Nigerians and the international community that the president- elect would be sworn-in on May 29. The Labour Party (LP) says Peter Obi, its presidential candidate, was harassed and detained by London immigration officials over alleged impersonation. In a statement on Wednesday, the Obi-Datti media office said the LP presidential candidate was detained at the Heathrow Airport after being accosted by an immigration officer. According to the LP media office, Obi was pulled aside for an alleged duplication offense, implying that he had an impersonator in the country. Obi-Datti media office can confirm that the LP presidential candidate in the February 25 presidential poll had arrived the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria and joined the queue for the necessary airport protocols when he was accosted by an immigration official who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside, the media team said. He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country. The Labour Party added that it took the intervention of Nigerians who quickly raised their voices asking why Obi was being delayed. The immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense, meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London, the Obi-Datti media team said. The high implication of the offense is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obis name. Obi-Datti Media office recalls that our principal has been under all kinds of attack, since the February 25, 2023 presidential election in which as the standard bearer of the Labour Party, he put up an outstanding showing coming third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, even though his supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believe very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated out. Since he was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election which all international monitors said was flawed and full of imperfections and he accepted, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners. Its also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagles immaculate appearance. The UK immigration office could not immediately be reached to confirm the detention allegation. A former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has warned that the country might wake up with terrible news headlines from the rest of the world if it continues to wave off consequences of bad behaviour. Ezekwesili said Nigerians have a lot of deep lessons to be learnt from the just concluded February 25 presidential election. In a series of tweets via her verified Twitter handle on Wednesday, the former Minister lamented that Nigerians had become less trusting of the judiciary allegedly because of strange rulings made by courts. She said that the current demand by Nigerians for accurate and current information from the proceedings at the election petition tribunal is well justified and should be heeded to. She wrote, A society that habitually ignores consequences for bad behaviour will wake up to a day when 2 of 3 Presidential Candidates of parties can only generate terrible news headlines from the rest of the world. There are deep lessons from the #PresidentialElection2023 for Nigerians. I emphatically restate that #JudicialTransparency should be an overarching goal for the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Supreme and Appeal Courts on the #PresidentialElection2023 proceedings. The CJN should advance our public interest and champion Live Broadcast of hearings. Nigerians have become so much less trusting of the Judiciary evidently because of strange rulings made by courts in some key election cases. So there is justified demand for the most accurate and current information from the #PresidentialElectionTribunal proceedings. Heed it.. A coalition of Arewa elders on Tuesday warned politicians, particularly Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed over what they termed unguided post-election political utterances. The groups warning was contained in a communique read after its meeting in Arewa House, Kaduna State. The chairman of the group, Suleiman Usman Jere who read the communique, expressed worry that the LP presidential candidate and Baba-Ahmed have continued to display anti-democratic tendencies, capable of causing civil disobedience in the country. According to the elders, such utterances were capable of triggering a repeat of the 1966 coup which, according to them, led to the killing of regional leaders. It is on record that Mr Peter Obi engaged in a very divisive ethnoreligious campaign during the 2023 elections and has continued to brazenly display anti-democratic tendencies, opting for civil disobedience and threats in place of constitutional means through the courts. We are calling on all our security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. It amounts to treason for anybody to call for truncating our democracy by whatever guises, be it Interim National Government, let alone call for a military coup. Perpetrators must be arrested and be brought to book with immediate effect, the group said. The National Population Commission (NPC) says the forthcoming census will be technology-driven. Abubakar Danburam, a federal commissioner at NPC, spoke on Tuesday during the inauguration of a 16-member advocacy and logistics committee for the 2023 population and housing census in Gombe state. Danburam said the use of technology and other measures taken so far would ensure that the census would be better than the previous ones. The commissioner said the census would correct the inadequacies recorded in the past. I can remember very well the 1963 census, there were lots of irregularities due to lack of development, NAN quoted him as saying. Subsequent censuses came up with a lot of improvements. The current census to be conducted, from the level of demarcation, is digital. It is so because we are now mature enough to use the satellite image. The satellite image was used for the demarcation and the demarcation is called the enumeration area demarcation (EAD). This demarcation was done meticulously and neatly. Every part of this country has been demarcated, with no leftover, no overlap. This is giving us all the assurance that the census to be conducted will be digital and hopefully the best census conducted so far in this country. During the inauguration, Manassah Jatau, the deputy governor of Gombe, who is also the chairman of the committee said the exercise would provide important information concerning the socio-economic characteristics of Nigerias population. He advised the commission to be proactive in curbing the issue of manipulation and conduct a census that will be internationally acceptable. The digital census is most likely to eliminate previous bottlenecks such as political, religious, and cultural sentiments associated with the census in the country over the years, the deputy governor said. However, we should note that it is human beings that control and sometimes manipulate these machines that were meant for ease of carrying out tasks, jobs more accurately, with great precision. TheCable had reported that the federal executive council (FEC) approved the sum of N15.3 billion for the supply and installation of information and communication technology (ICT) devices for the population census. The population and housing census will commence on May 3. Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Tuesday stressed that nobody can stop, President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from becoming Nigerias next President after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buharis tenure. He advised those thinking they would rob Tinubu of his mandate to have a re-think, insisting that Tinubu cant be stopped. The Governor stated this in Abakaliki, when the Speaker of Ebonyi State Assembly and Governor-elect, Francis Nwifuru paid him a courtesy visit in his office. Nwifuru was in the Governors office to present to the Governor his INEC Certificate of Return and appreciate the Governor for his support which gave him and the All Progressives Congress victory at the recently concluded governorship polls. Umahi called for an end to extreme and bitter politics adding that Tinubus victory was divinely ordained by God He said: There is no power or force that will remove Tinubu from being the President, because the time God would have stopped him, God allowed him. Because God allowed him, no man can stop him. And this extreme politics should be deemphasized in Nigeria so we can move forward, in a better Nigeria. Governor Umahi dedicated the victory of the All Progressives Congress in the State and across the country to God. He maintained that those seeking to upturn the victories at the tribunal were simply wasting their time and resources, adding that the Party merited all it got at the polls. Turning to the Governor-Elect, Governor Umahi praised the qualities and character of Nwifuru, stressing that his election was built upon the platform of equity, peace and love in Ebonyi State and nurtured by all men of good will. He maintained that should the election be held again, the APC will still carry the day. When people say they are going to Court or going to tribunal, I will just laugh. The PDP got the little number they got in our State because the election became local in the sense that they had House of Assembly members from the various localities that were making efforts to also win. Thats why they got eighty thousand, against our One hundred and ninety-nine thousand votes; a clear difference of almost One hundred and twenty thousand. Governor Umahi further urged the Ebonyi Governor-elect to consider for appointment into his team, younger generationsm He noted that the youths should be given more opportunities to contribute their knowledge to governance. He also made a case for increased number of women appointees in the coming administration, up to 50 percent. Presenting the Certificate of Return to the Governor, Nwifuru described the Governor as the man that made all that happened to happen, He appreciated the Governor for standing strong for equity and justice in the State. Nwifuru added: Your Excellency, I am here this afternoon to present to you the Certificate of Return issued to me by the Independent National Electoral Commission on that fateful day made by the Lord, the 29th day of March 2023, while you were away. " " The jobs website Glassdoor is just one of the thousands out there that allows you to sign up with them through another service like Google or Facebook. Screenshot by HowStuffWorks.com When you're considering creating a new account for a website, chances are you'll be given an option to use your existing Facebook, Google or other account as a sign-in. This method is commonly known as single sign-on (SSO). Facebook and Google connectivity are the most common offers but some services add Apple, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts as well. The question is, should you use one of those existing accounts to log in to this new website, or go to the trouble of creating a new account with your email address? Advertisement The single sign-on method can get you signed up for a new service really quickly. However, it does give you less control over what information is shared when the account is activated. Your social media credentials will likely share things like your email address, name, and profile photo to the app, and it may be able to access more personal details like your birthdate and phone number. What does or doesn't get shared ultimately comes down to the policies of both the preexisting account, and the one being signed up for. The app should also provide text making clear what is shared during the signup process. To iron out all the details, we've enlisted the help of cybersecurity experts Paul Bischoff and Dan Fritcher to give insight on how this SSO technology works. We'll also outline how Google, Facebook, Apple, and Twitter handle third parties accessing your data through them. The campus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife on Wednesday was engulfed by student protest. The student protest follows the lynching of Okolie Arinze, a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the institution, late on Monday. It was reliably gathered that the protesting students stormed the students union building, shutting it down. Arinze, after being subjected to torture on allegation of stealing a mobile phone in Awo Hall of the university, was brought in dead at the Emergency Medicine Centre of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife on Tuesday. The University management, in its reaction, has condemned the incident. In a statement by Abiodun Olanrewaju, the University Public Relations Officer, and obtained by newsmen, the school stated that the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, has set up a committee to unravel the circumstances that led to this incident. The action of the mob, being a violation of the law of the country and of the University regulations, has been reported to the police who have commenced investigations, the statement read. Meanwhile, a release signed by all presidents in the Faculty of Technology indicated that there would be a peaceful protest to express their grievances and hold all parties involved accountable. The senator representing Kano North Senatorial District, Jibrin Barau who is contesting for Senate Presidency, said he will shelve his ambition if the office is zoned to another geopolitical zone outside the North West by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. He said the legislature is a special institution that requires experience, exposure and capacity to manage the differences among its members. Speaking when he was engaged by Parliamentary Advocacy Network (PAN), in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, Barau said, some of the rules also confer privileges on seniority and ranking lawmakers. Some of the rules of each legislative body confer on its senior or ranking members certain advantages that exclude new members, he noted. According to him, while it is important to have religious balancing when determining leadership, opined that the parliament should, however, be treated differently. Senator-elect from Imo State, Osita Izunaso on his part, canvassed for a sense of belonging for all the regions, noting that the diversity of the nation is such that the allocation of government offices should go round. Izunaso called for experience, capacity and competence as the foremost factors that should determine NASS leadership. He said: Experience, capacity, competence and other considerations such as ethnic and religious balancing must be factored into the leadership selection process at the next National Assembly. He also informed that he was presenting himself to his colleagues at the Senate as a loyal party man, lawyer, erstwhile journalist and former member of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for support to become the next President of the 10th Senate. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie has faulted Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka that the comments made by the Labour Partys vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed were fascist. Adichie, in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday night, said she still held Soyinka in high esteem and admired him, but that she disagreed with him on this particular issue about Datti. Because I respect Soyinka a lot, I went back and watch the interview again. I think fascism is a really strong word, which often made me think of Mussolini of Italy.We use it now. I do not see any reason Datti Baba-Ahmeds interview would have been termed fascist. I think he was making a very strongly and fair point about the election and he was saying, which again, I thought is fairly reasonable, that if our democracy is rooted in the constitution and you then swear in a person who is being elected unconstitutionally, and you are in fact ending democracy. I think it is quite a reasonable position. Of course we can argue about what that means in the constitution, Adichie said. I am very grateful for this whole election period because it made me read things I probably would have, such as the Nigerian constitution and also made me have quite a few suggestions for editing. I think now we are talking about what and mean right. So Mr. Ahmed Datti-Baba is saying that it is two-third and the FCT and thats separate and its a reasonable argument right. You know and is a conjunction and we use it in that context often to mean plural right so we say; Aisha and Yemi are coming and we dont say Aisha and Yemi is coming, that is because they are two separate things, two separate entities and of course the court will interpret. I dont think it unreasonable for educated Nigerians who can read, who knows what the word and means to make their own interpretations and to argue it and of course the fact that the Labour Party in court means that they do not believe that this election is constitutional and I didnt quite see it should be termed fascist, she added. Adichie said she had suggestions for what we could use fascist for. We could use fascist for INEC because as it is right now, many Nigerians feel cheated by INEC and deeply disfranchised by INEC and there is an authoritarianism which obviously is the basis of fascism at the center of manipulating an election because what you are doing, you are gagging people, you are forcibly taking away their voice, that is fascist. Fascist is all of the violence that happened during the election. Fascist is the way some people remain silent about that violence. Fascist is a government that hasnt come out to address the very tangible and palpable discontent in this country. I think that when I say that we can use fascist for INEC, what I mean is the fact that many of us, including myself are convinced that this is not in any way technological glitch. I think that Prof. Yakubu had an opportunity for heroism and I thing he wasted it spectacularly. Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, has congratulated Bola Tinubu as the next president of Nigeria. In a statement on Wednesday, Tunde Rahman, Tinubus media aide, said Erdogan, in a congratulatory letter, described the president-elect as a brother. The Turkish president called for more collaboration to advance the relationship between both countries, adding that Nigeria is the strongest nation in the African continent. On behalf of the Turkish Nation and my own, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency on the occasion of your election as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the elections held on February 25, 2023, Erdogan said. I believe that as our strategic partner, Nigeria, under your leadership, will continue its course to a prosperous future. Turkiye attaches great importance to improving its relations with Nigeria, as the strongest nation in the African continent. With this understanding, I have no doubt that with our joint efforts, we will develop friendly relations and the growing close cooperation between our countries to the mutual benefit of our people. I avail myself of this opportunity to express my heartfelt wishes for the health and happiness of Your Excellency, as well as, the well-being and prosperity of the friendly people of Nigeria. Meanwhile. Xi Jinping, president of China, Rishi Sunak, United Kingdom prime minister, Emmanuel Macron, president of France, and Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, are said to be among the world leaders who have congratulated Tinubu on his election victory. The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has said the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, should wean himself off religious and ethnocentric issues if he wants to be relevant politically. ACF Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, made the remark while reacting to the leaked conversation between Obi and Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church. In the leaked conversation, Obi had urged Oyedepo to admonish his members and Christians to vote for him during the last election. However, Aliyu reminded Obi that the immediate past United States, US, government failed when the Evangelicals supported him. He noted that those with ethnic or religious sentiments are unlikely to rule Nigeria. According to Aliyu: On the leaked video, even though the matter is dying now, the trust is that there is nobody that can rule this country under certain ethnic or religious sentiments and succeed. Nigeria is a complex country, and anybody with such an agenda from which every part of the country or religion is unlikely to succeed because it will be glaring. It is not only here in Nigeria, you could see what the downfall of Donald Trump became when the evangelicals supported him. I think if Peter Obi wants to continue to be relevant in Nigerian politics, he should wean himself of these religious or ethnocentric issues and become a Nigerian in person and in politics. Aliyu charged religious leaders to refrain from using the pulpit to campaign, adding that they should advise their people to pick good leaders. Nigerian-born international writer, Chimamanda Adichie has explained why she supported Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, for the February 25 presidential election. Adichie said her support for Obi is deeply rooted in her faith in Obis ability and how he showed interest in ordinary people. She also said Obi tackled insecurity in Anambra, a development that led to his clash with the elites in the State. Adichie disclosed this on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Televisions programme. Recall that the award-winning writer had written a letter to Joe Biden, the president of the United States of America, US, expressing deep concern about the election outcome. She claimed in her letter that the election was marred by irregularities and the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to follow its stipulated guidelines for the presidential election. Adichie warned that it would tarnish Americas self-proclaimed commitment to democracy and give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process if Biden recognised Tinubus presidency. The acclaimed writer also expressed in the letter that she supported Obi for the nations top job. Meanwhile, Adichie clarified why she supported Obi, recounting how she got to know him years ago when he came to pay homage to her parents. According to her, Obi came to their home because he heard her father was the first professor of statistics in Nigeria and that her mother retired as the first female registrar of the University of Nigeria. Why I very much admire Peter Obi, respect him, there are many others out there whom I admire and respect, and I will never vote for them for president because I dont just think they will make the president. And so my support for Peter Obi is deeply rooted in real things; it is rooted in my faith in his ability. Actually, I got to know him years ago when he came to pay homage to my parents because he had heard my father was the first professor of statistics in Nigeria and that my mother had retired as the first female registrar of the University of Nigeria. And so this man just sort of arrived and said he just wanted to pay homage, and I was very impressed by that because he showed me how much he values education. And then, he became governor of Anambra State, and he took Anambra State to number one in education. I remember being very impressed by the story of how he had given his personal phone numbers to all of the senior prefects in secondary schools in Anambra, which I think also showed me he is interested in what ordinary people think. He does not just want to hear from the administrators; he wants to hear from them; he wants to hear from the students about what is really happening. And his focus on security, he really tackled kidnapping in Anambra, and I also remembered that he used to clash with the Anambra elites when he was tackling insecurity and kidnapping and that showed me he is quite decisive; he is just very focused on things. And that is really why I support him. Peoples Democratic Partys governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, has revealed how the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, allegedly begged him to ensure Atiku Abubakar picked him as his running mate. After losing the partys presidential primary to Atiku last year, Wike had refused to work with the partys candidate, saying the embattled chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, should step aside. Wike, in collaboration with other four governors had insisted that they would not allow the candidate of the party and the PDP chairman to be northerners. But, Dino Melaye said Wike was only fighting Atiku because the latter chose Gov Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate despite entreaties from Wike. Melaye alleged that Wike called him about 19 times in two hours, appealing to him to convince Atiku to announce him as the vice presidential candidate. He added that the refusal of the former Vice President to yield to Wikes request brought about the plot against him in the just concluded February 25 presidential election. Melaye was reacting to a comment by Wike that the former senator would never be the governor of Kogi State. Speaking in an interview on AIT, Melaye said: Wike has no iota of integrity. Wike was calling me when Atiku Abubakar was to announce his running mate. I have records and Im going to print them out. Im waiting for him. He called me 19 times in two hours, begging us to convince Atiku Abubakar to make him the vice presidential candidate. He was at the airport. I have the video. He spent hours in the airport waiting for me to call him that Atiku Abubakar has picked him as the running mate. He was at the airport here waiting, calling me. I have witnesses. He was begging, promising heaven and earth that Atiku should announce him. It was around 1 or so that I called him that, Oga, nobody go give you vice president. Thats when he left and flew back. The spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Dino Melaye, has singled out Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike as the reason for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDPs defeat at the last presidential poll. He said Wike was also responsible for the decamping of the Labour Partys candidate, Peter Obi, from the PDP to the party weeks before the primary election. Melaye, a PDP governorship aspirant in Kogi State, stated this while speaking on Arise TV. Recall that Wike has said he wont support PDP in the forthcoming Kogi State governorship poll if the party fields Melaye as its candidate. But the former Kogi West Senator said Wike has never supported PDP, adding that he supported Governor Yahaya Bellos candidate against the partys candidate in the Kogi Central senatorial election, Natasha Akpoti, in the just concluded National Assembly elections. He said, It is Wikes attitude and character that cost the PDP the presidency. Peter Obi left our party because of Wike. Because Wike supported the Chris Uba side during the delegates Congress [in Anambra]. And that was why he [Obi] left the party. Wike said today if the party picks Dino Melaye as their flag bearer, I will not support PDP in Kogi State. He has never supported PDP. When Natasha [Akpoti] ran this time around, he was supporting Yahaya Bellos candidate against Natasha in the just concluded 2023 elections. The international acclaimed writer, Chimamanda Adichie has tackled the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for projecting her as a tribal person. Adichie said tribesman is an outdated and strange expression which says something about whoever is using it. She made the statement on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Televisions news program. Recall that the acclaimed writer had faced rebuttals and attacks following her letter to Joe Biden, the President of the United States. She claimed in her letter that the presidential election was marred by irregularities and that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, didnt follow its stipulated guidelines. Adichie warned that it would tarnish Americas self-proclaimed commitment to democracy and give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process if Biden recognised Tinubus presidency. However, Adichie said the APC was exactly doing something it accused someone else of doing. She said, Tribesman is such an outdated and strange expression which I think also says something about whoever is using it. That kind of accusation is a practice of what psychologists call projecting. Youre doing something but you accuse someone else of doing it even though theyre not. I did not support Peter Obi because he is Igbo as I am. I respect Peter Obi but there are many Igbo men who I admire and respect but I will never vote for them for president because I dont think they will make good presidents. My support for Peter Obi is rooted in my belief in his ability. A two-alarm blaze broke out at the abandoned Rowan College at Burlington Countys former main campus in Pemberton Township early Wednesday morning, fire officials said. The fire occurred at around 6:20 a.m. at the vacant campus former Academic Building on Pemberton Browns Mills Road, Pemberton Township Fire Chief Craig Augustoni said. Responding firefighters found fire in a classroom and the lobby of the first floor of the old college building. Smoke quickly spread throughout the building and the blaze damaged the classroom, fire officials said. The fire was under control about 30 minutes after firefighters arrived at the campus, according to officials. The college, which has been closed for over six years, was vacant at the time of the fire. No one was injured, Augustoni said. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by Permberton Township officials and the Burlington County Fire Marshals Office. In 2015, Rowan College at Burlington County started moving operations from its original main campus in Pemberton Township to its Mount Laurel property on Hartford Road. The building was last used in 2017. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Violet and Daisy Hilton were joined at the hip, literally. The Hiltons were conjoined twins who became international celebrities during the Great Depression, from carnival sideshows in England to Americas burlesque and vaudeville circuits. But fame faded, and they were working as grocery clerks in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the time of their deaths. Their often-tragic, sometimes inspirational story is at the core of Side Show, a somewhat obscure musical from 1997 that Theatre Harrisburg will stage at Whitaker Center later this month. Its never been done here, Theatre Harrisburg Executive Director Lorien Mahay said recently. I think of it as this cult classic. We had actors come from all over to audition for it. People who know about it tend to love it. Theatre Harrisburgs production will feature identical twins Nicole Hall and Ashley Parson, who will be connected via costuming during the show. The show, done almost entirely in song, was originally created in 1997, with book and lyrics by Bill Russell and music by Henry Krueger. It tells the often tragic and sometimes touching story of two girls who were exploited for much of their lives. A lot of Side Show is based on their real lives, Mahay said. Its a sad story, really, but this is a beautifully dark, historic musical. The show closed on Broadway after just 91 regular performances, and a later revised version, with some new songs and a darker tone, ran for 56 performances in 2014. Reviews were mostly positive, though, and the original show was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, although it won none. In a unique twist, Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley were co-nominees for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for their portrayal of the twins. In real life, the British-born pair were variously called or referred to as the Siamese Twins, the Hilton Sisters, the Brighton Twins or the San Antonio Twins. The sisters performed alongside celebrities such as Bob Hope and Charlie Chaplin. Friends included Harry Houdini. But they were eventually abandoned by their manager at a North Carolina drive-in, where they had made what would turn out to be their final public appearance. They were forced to take jobs at a nearby grocery store, where they worked the rest of their lives. Theatre Harrisburgs production opens April 28 and runs through May 14 at Whitaker. The director is Eric Pope. Cinderella story There isnt much new about the Cinderella story, a folk tale found in a variety of cultures dating back thousands of years. The names may change, but its basically the same love-at-first-sight fable: a beautiful young woman, usually poor and abused, catches the eye of a royal prince (or pharaoh or chief) in some unlikely circumstance before fleeing the scene. Its so embedded in the American psyche perhaps thanks to Walt Disneys wonderful animated film from 1950 that a Cinderella story has come to mean unexpected success for someone who was overlooked. But new touches are always possible, as can be seen in Allenberry Playhouses upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammersteins musical rendition of the classic story about a young girl who captures the eye of a prince. Originally written for television in 1957, Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella was watched by an amazing 100 million people, or 60% of the U.S. population at the time. Later adapted for the stage, various renditions of this show exist. Allenberry has chosen to use the Broadway production from 2013, which features a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. Featuring new plot twists, characters and some additional songs, the changes deal more with the historical backdrop than the love story itself, which still includes a fairy godmother, a magic pumpkin, a glass slipper and an array of Rodgers and Hammersteins beautiful songs. I hesitate to call it new because its been around for 10 years, said Dustin LeBlanc, whose Keystone Theatrics organization stages shows at Allenberry. In this version, Cinderella opens the princes eyes to the injustice in his kingdom. So its an updated book with more modern themes. Allenberrys production opens April 21 and runs through May 7. An 18-year-old was arrested Monday, four days after authorities say he shot and wounded another man in Somerdale. Nicholas Stiegler was taken into custody in Pine Hill by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Camden County Prosecutors Office said. Stiegler, of Lawnside, shot the 32-year-old on the 400 block of the White Horse Pike at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the prosecutors office said. The man was treated and has since been released from an area hospital. As the weather warms in New Jersey, local thrill seekers are already flocking to Six Flags: Great Adventure, which reopened for its spring 2023 season earlier this month. Opened in Jackson in 1974, Great Adventure has been a staple of New Jersey springs and summers ever since. From school trips to summer excursions with friends, nearly everyone that grew up in New Jersey has Great Adventure memories. An old college friend who became Angela Bledsoes lover testified Tuesday that he received an angry phone call from James Ray after the Montclair attorney learned of their relationship, just two days before Ray shot the woman then wrote a letter claiming he did it in self-defense. Bakari F. Burns spent nearly five hours on the witness stand in Essex County Superior Court detailing his nine-month affair with Bledsoe that he said began at the Florida A&M homecoming weekend in October of 2017. A year later, on the afternoon of Oct. 20, Bakari recalled how he got a phone call from an agitated James Ray, whod found about the affair and was threatening to come see him at his home in Orlando, Florida, Burns told the jury. Burns, who is not married, recounted how he was with two of his daughters at a Florida theme park on the afternoon of Oct. 20, 2018, when Bledsoe phoned to say somebody was trying to call me. That somebody turned out to be Ray, who the prosecution contends found out about the affair from texts on Blesoes phone. Burns testified that Ray called and was angry, accusing him of having a sexual affair with Bledsoe, the mother of Rays six-year-old daughter. I feared for her safety, Burns said. But as I continued to say we were just friends, he was getting agitated, he told the jury. He mentioned did I know that she had a fiance and that (they) slept together every night in the same bed. Burns suspected that Ray knew his address from texts he had sent to Bledsoe and was afraid that Ray would come to Florida looking for him. He said, I can come down there and we can handle this, Burns recalled. And I hung up the phone. Burns testified that he was afraid and immediately moved out of his house and spent the week moving from one hotel to another. The next day, Oct. 21, he got a phone call from Bledsoe, who he said was upset that he hadnt told Ray about the true nature of their relationship. The next day, she was dead, having been shot multiple times in the million-dollar home in Upper Montclair that she shared with Ray. Burns said he learned of the shooting that day after getting a phone call from a mutual college friend. I left work immediately, he told the jury, adding that he was devastated. But it wasnt until four days later, on Oct. 26, that Burns filed a police report with the Orange County Sheriffs Office detailing his call with Ray, and he did it only after he got a call from an Essex County detective advising him to do so. On cross-examination, defense attorney Brooke M. Barnett challenged Burns testimony that although Bledsoe spoke lovingly of her daughter, he never asked who the father was and didnt even know she was in a relationship until the day he got the phone call from Ray. We never talked about it, said Bakari, who has three daughters. The two knew each during their college days in the 1990s, and were always just friends, Burns said. But an intimate relationship blossomed during Florida A & Ms homecoming weekend in October of 2017. I approached her just to say hello, Burns recalled of the homecoming Happy Hour mixer that sparked the romance. I hadnt seen her in awhile. We talked over the weekend, and then after that it was text messages and phone calls. She was a great person, and someone I wanted to remain in contact with. One thing led to another, and Burns, the CFO of a healthcare company and an Orlando, Florida city commissioner, told the jury of two trysts that followed during the winter of 2018, one in Florida, and the other in Washington, D.C. He also testified to numerous intimate texts between them that the prosecution has introduced as it tries to build a motive in the case against Ray, the Marine Corps veteran and former NYPD cop-turned attorney who is charged with murdering Bledsoe at their Upper Montclair home on on the morning of Oct. 22, 2018 The prosecution contends that Bledsoe, 44, Rays live-in girlfriend, was planning to move out and take the couples six-year-old daughter with her on the morning Ray shot her in the first floor of their home in Upper Montclair. The defense, which has yet to present its case, maintains that Ray had several guns on the living room coffee table that morning and was cleaning them, when, during an argument, Bledsoe picked up one of the firearms and pointed it at him. Ray fired four times in self-defense, his lawyers maintain, then wrote a letter to his brother admitting that he shot the woman in order to protect himself. Ray is alleged to have then stuffed the note into his daughters suitcase, and dropped the girl off with his brother at a steakhouse in Piscataway. He then fled to Mexico and onto Cuba, but was arrested six days after the shooting as he tried to pass through customs. Ray has been locked up ever since, charged with murder and weapons possession. Burns said the last time he saw Bledsoe was during Florida A&M homecoming weekend in October of 2018, a year after the affair had begun. He told the jury how they had been ghosting that weekendavoiding each other. She asked him to give her a ride to the airport that Sunday, and they both agreed to just be friends, Burns said. A little more than a week later, she was dead. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com. An 81-year-old New Jersey man sentenced to prison in December for killing his wife has died, state prison officials confirmed. Stanley C. Wilson, of Glassboro, was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the 2020 killing of 76-year-old Sarah Wilson, who died of blunt force trauma to the chest. He pleaded guilty last October to an amended charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced on Dec. 15 to 12 years in prison. Provident Bank has donated of one of its former branches to New City Kids, a Jersey City-based non-profit organization that offers after-school programming for local youth from under-resourced urban areas. The 5,472 square foot building, located at 533 Bergen Ave., Jersey City, will be known as the New City Kids Rubingh Center for Youth Development, and will serve as the organizations fourth Jersey City location. The facility is named after New City Kids founders Revs. Trevor and Linda Rubingh. The generous support from Provident Bank and The Provident Bank Foundation will serve an invaluable purpose for this community, said Shaun Hopkins, executive director, New City Kids/Jersey City. The youth that come to us already have it in them to be great, but the additional support will allow us to not only expand our impact physically, but to also enhance the support and programs we provide. New City Kids provides an after-school curriculum that gives academic support for students grades 1 through 8, while the Teen Life Internship program offers a year-long, paid, part-time internship in leadership development. Other programming includes City Sail, a five-week swimming and sailing course; a traditional summer camp; Brighter Day groups providing body safety and mental health support; and Families for Literacy, a collaborative city effort that serves low-income families for whom English is a second language in Jersey City. Our commitment to this community runs deep, said Chris Martin, executive chairman, Provident Bank. Lending a helping hand in the communities we serve and making a positive impact is fundamental at Provident. Its extremely gratifying to give back to the community where Provident was founded in 1839. In addition to their donation of the bank building, The Provident Bank Foundation has pledged a multi-year commitment of $100,000 to New City Kids. The funds will be disbursed over a four-year period and will be used for building upgrades, operational support, and programming at the New City Kids Rubingh Center for Youth Development. New City Kids embodies the values of The Provident Bank Foundation, said Samantha Plotino, executive director. Helping to transform the lives of youth by supporting programs that enhance their development is consistent with our funding priorities. This organization opens doors for youth and teens, partnering with them as they grow into leaders and change-makers in their communities. Following the donation of this branch to New City Kids, Provident Bank will continue to operate 5 locations in Jersey City. UPDATE: Owner of pickup carrying dozens of dead cats and dogs charged with animal cruelty, cops say More than 40 animals were found dead Monday night inside a pickup truck parked in a New Jersey strip mall, according a release from the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge. Rescuers were also able to save 38 dogs and eight cats from the vehicle, which had been parked in the Hampton parking lot in Sussex County since at least April 6, the animal shelter said. Loose dogs running through the parking lot and the overwhelming odor emanating from the truck alerted authorities to the discovery of the truck, which was soaked in urine and feces and packed with animals huddled inside, rescuers said. The remains of the dead animals found inside were individually wrapped and labeled with their names, the shelter said. The owner of the truck had a house fire in Virginia, and loaded the animals inside to drive to Pennsylvania, authorities said. It was unclear if the driver was facing any charges. The dogs, which are scruffy mixed breeds and appear related, and cats were taken in by Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge and its partners at Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Barks Animal Rescue, Eleventh Hour Animal Rescue, Hampton Animal Control and the Hopatcong Animal Shelter, a spokesperson for refuge told NJ Advance Media. The groups were working to determine the medical needs for each animal, and all require grooming due to matting, long nails, and urine and feces that was caked onto their bodies. While last night was a horrific discovery of animal cruelty, the joining together of different organizations to aid these helpless animals was uplifting amid dismay, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge Executive Director Megan Brinster said in a statement. We are thankful to Hampton animal control for their immediate response and staying into the late hours of the night to ensure the animals all had safe placements. Brinster asked anyone who wished to help to consider donating to help pay for the medical care of the dogs and cats. UPDATE: An earlier version of this story said the animals were found in Hampton in Hunterdon County. They were found in Hampton Township in Sussex County, New Jersey State Police said. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. 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 states unique constitutional requirement to teach students about Native American history and culture has not been upheld. Its 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 states 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. Deputy Attorney General Thane Johnson, 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 its not up to the state to enforce these content standards. I think this case is about this old cliche, you can lead a horse to water but you cant 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, 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 doesnt 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 Montanas 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 programs 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 doesnt 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 dont 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 theyre powerful and theyre 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. By HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press 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! Left to their own devices, corporations often have a common purpose: to increase profits, suppress wages, escape taxation, gut regulation, evade oversight, erode benefits and make war on organized labor. Its what weve come to accept in America, if we even notice at all, no matter who runs the government. Indeed, you can spend a whole day ruminating on the number of times government has surrendered to corporate power: In a little over a decade, it sold out the working class, shipped jobs to distant shores, tore down the Glass-Steagall firewall between investment and commercial banks, exploded mass incarceration, deregulated industries, launched endless trillion-dollar wars, bailed out banks rather than the victims of their fraud and destroyed a welfare system in which two-thirds of the recipients were children. And more often than not, this was done for the primacy of profit and opened the door for some politicians to tap into the hatred that many Americans have for an economic system that had betrayed them. Its really the same cautionary tale hovering beneath the kick in the teeth many New Jerseyans felt last week when 1,300 of them were laid off by a corporate slob without a dime of severance pay. Our piece about the grotesque behavior of Bed Bath & Beyond clearly resonated -- even here, in this middle-class meatspace we occupy between the Hudson and the Delaware and if you want to quantify it, it was our second most-read editorial this year. It was especially sleazy that BB&B sacked these workers just days before a state law mandating severance pay was to kick in, saving the giant retailer millions. The law just took effect Monday, requiring businesses with 100 or more full-time employees to provide one week of pay for every year of service, when the layoffs impact 50 or more workers. Its a smart and compassionate law that was devised by Sen. Joe Cryan it was just too late to help the workers who were told to clear out the corporate HQ in Union, leave the warehouses in Secaucus and Totowa, and vamoose the e-commerce monstrosity in Woodbridge. Most companies provide some sort of parting compensation, but this one did not. We thought all week about how these people feel about corporate treachery and the governments role in constructing a safety net. And even at a time when the labor market is shifting so rapidly, we can be sure of this: The anger they must feel stays with you when youre treated like a disposable commodity. Here are some other compelling issues we wrote about in this weeks Opinion section: Rutgers is staring down the barrel of a work stoppage. The possibility of a large-scale strike looms large at all three campuses unless the administration can figure out a way to pay the folks teaching the bulk of the classes a living wage. Rutgers has been getting a free ride | Sheneman: Just pay your teachers a living wage. Just pay your teachers a living wage. Even if one chooses to give Thomas the benefit of the doubt about the decades of gifts showered on him by benefactor Harlan Crow as scrupulously reported by Pro Publica it is undeniable that his acceptance of this largesse is astoundingly unethical, and that his failure to report them could be illegal even under the lax conduct rules enjoyed by members of the high court. Clarence Thomass special rules | Editorial: The captured courts jester strikes again. The captured courts jester strikes again. One young woman carried a sign that read, Trump in 2024 or earlier as she was walking past a gaggle of people holding a banner that read No One is Above the Law, a popular slogan for the anti-Trumpers. Donald Trumps arraignment in Manhattan: A good time was had by all - except him | Mulshine: It was a beautiful day for The Donalds arraignment and the protestors had a mostly peaceful time. It was a beautiful day for The Donalds arraignment and the protestors had a mostly peaceful time. Officer Hernandez did all the right things any human being who cares about others would have done. He stopped immediately and tried to support the injured pedestrian. He did not ignore the issue. He did not blame the victim. He did not wait half a day later to report the incident. Does this sound familiar? Yes, because this was exactly what Councilwoman Amy DeGise did and she faced no such punishment for her action. DeGise stays on the council, but Fulop administration unfairly fires police officer who stopped to help after on-duty accident | Opinion: Why is it that someone in power, like Councilwoman DeGise, receives a slap on the wrist and silence by Mayor Fulop while a Latino public servant gets punished, the writer asks. Why is it that someone in power, like Councilwoman DeGise, receives a slap on the wrist and silence by Mayor Fulop while a Latino public servant gets punished, the writer asks. Darren Chambers, 32, a former Marine sharpshooter who was exposed to radiation during the cleanup after the 2011 tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant, with his 11-month-old daughter, Ava Mary. A wounded Marine, left behind | Moran: A former Marine from Ocean County assigned to clean up a radioactive mess in Japan is now fighting cancer at age 32 and has been denied VA health benefits. A former Marine from Ocean County assigned to clean up a radioactive mess in Japan is now fighting cancer at age 32 and has been denied VA health benefits. In the past year, New Jersey taxpayers have spent more than $100 million to house 1,500 Medicaid beneficiaries in a dozen nursing homes that are substandard by almost every measure lousy patient care, unsanitary facilities, poor nutrition services, inadequate staffing, mismanaged medications according to a report from the state Comptroller. Thats infuriating, if only because these numbers and bad actors are very similar to those in the Comptrollers last report, just 13 months ago. But the worst part is that there is a way to address the problem, if legislative leadership would acknowledge the time bomb and post a bill that would force the operators of these for-profit homes to improve their dismal performance or pay the consequences which would include a direct assault on their wallet. Its time to heed another warning from Kevin Walsh, whose duties as state Comptroller include oversight of the Medicaid program, and he cannot be more forthright: We raised the alarm a year ago, but the state has chosen to maintain the status quo, he said. Nursing homes can get one-star ratings for years and still never face any meaningful consequences. The homes identified in the report are not just having a bad year. With many of them, these issues have existed in various forms for nearly a decade, it read. And yet it persists, because the ownership at these homes has no incentive to improve. So Walshs report cites two ways that the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services can force compliance, and everyone other than industry insiders agree that these carrots and sticks should have been implemented years ago. The first way is to compel low-performance homes to improve by barring Medicaid admissions and capping beneficiaries a significant sanction, given that 95% of the residents in many homes are funded with Medicaid dollars. The second is about transparency: The owners and managers of these low-rated homes would be banned from obtaining interest in other homes until their existing one-star facility is out of the penalty box. A bill authored by Senate Health Committee chair Joe Vitale nearly a year ago would satisfy both needs. It requires unprecedented disclosure from every nursing home partner, no matter what percentage of a facility or its property they happen to own, and mandates consolidated financial reports. It also includes escalating penalties for repeat offenders, so much that they would get their Medicaid funds clipped and admissions curbed. Most of the pushback has been about the audited reports, because according to VP John Indyk of the Hospital Care Association, the industrys trade group, it would cost that $100,000 per year, per home. But as Vitale put it, Well be happy to talk about Medicaid reimbursement rates and support, but wed just like to know how youre spending every dollar. Thats not an unreasonable ask. Nor is it unreasonable to put the bill up for a vote -- because it has the support to pass, including from the administration, Vitale says and he is hopeful that it will be posted. Senate President Nick Scutari wont tell us whether that hope is well-founded. 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." If you consult experts, the delay is senseless. Richard Mollot of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, the indispensable non-profit watchdog, reminds us that Federal data persistently show that New Jersey and New York are the two weakest states in the country when it comes to protecting residents and ensuring the integrity of taxpayer-funded nursing home care. He adds that, In the distant past, the only remedy for substandard care was decertification from Medicare and Medicaid. It was so drastic that it was rarely imposed, so there would never be a remedy. But as the comptroller said, state agencies have a range of options and discretion to hold providers accountable, but tools are only useful if you take them out of the toolbox. Evelyn Liebman of AARP-New Jersey agrees that transparency, disclosure and accountability from the nursing home industry is critical for improving this system. Greater transparency can reveal where the majority of dollars are flowing -- how much is being spent on residents direct care needs, personal care plans and direct-care staff salaries, as opposed to administrative staff and nursing home profits. This bears repeating: Walshs office issued a report with the same findings in February 2022, when it cited the Sussex County nightmare known as the Woodland Behavioral Health and Nursing Center (a.k.a. Andover) as one of the 15 worst homes in the state. Just weeks later, the state revealed that the home had been operating with only half its nursing staff for weeks. Among the avoidable tragedies revealed: One 55-year-old resident died of cardiac arrest, after the home ignored complaints of pain that resulted from his catheter getting stuck in a motorized wheelchair. Now another year has passed. Even though Woodland was shuttered last August, its legacy lingers. Unless our lawmakers do the responsible thing and act now, there could be 12 more just like it. 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. The owner of a pickup truck was charged with animal cruelty after dozens of cats and dogs were found dead in trash bags and many others were discovered living in the vehicle in filthy conditions Monday, authorities said. Lynn Leonard, 53, of Bloxom, Virginia, was arrested Monday after returning to her vehicle, which was in the parking lot of a Marshalls department store on Hampton House Road in Hampton Township, New Jersey State Police said. Rescuers were also able to save 38 dogs and eight cats from the vehicle, which had been in the parking lot since at least Thursday, the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge said. Police were called at about 4:45 p.m. when shoppers saw loose dogs running through the parking lot and smelled the overwhelming odor coming from the truck. The truck was soaked in urine and feces and packed with animals huddled inside, rescuers said. There were 25 live cats and dogs in the cab of the Chevy Silverado and the rest of the live animals were in three crates in the bed of the truck, State Police said. The deceased animals were in bags also in the bed of the truck. State Police said more than 30 dogs and cats were found dead, while the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge put the number at more than 40. The remains of the dead animals found inside were individually wrapped and labeled with their names, the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge. The dogs, which are mixed breeds and appear related, and cats were taken in by Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge and its partners at Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Barks Animal Rescue, Eleventh Hour Animal Rescue, Hampton Animal Control and the Hopatcong Animal Shelter, a spokesperson for the refuge said. The groups were working to determine the medical needs for each animal and all required grooming due to matting, long nails and urine and feces that was caked onto their bodies. While (Monday) night was a horrific discovery of animal cruelty, the joining together of different organizations to aid these helpless animals was uplifting amid dismay, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge Executive Director Megan Brinster said in a statement. We are thankful to Hampton animal control for their immediate response and staying into the late hours of the night to ensure the animals all had safe placements. Blairstown Animal Hospital and Newton Animal Hospital also assisted, State Police said. NJ Advance Media staff writer Chris Sheldon contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. HORSHAM A mother has been charged with murder in the death of her 11-year-old son in southeastern Pennsylvania and is awaiting extradition from New Jersey, where she was arrested after her SUV was found in the surf on a beach at the Jersey shore. Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 50, of Horsham, is charged in Montgomery County with first- and third-degree murder as well as possession of an instrument of crime in the death of Matthew Whitehead, prosecutors said Wednesday. Prosecutors said the boys father found the door to the master bedroom in the couples home locked Tuesday morning and his wife and their SUV missing. He then found their son unresponsive in the bed, where he had gone to sleep with his mother. Police were called and declared the boy dead. An autopsy Wednesday concluded the boys death was due to strangulation and the manner of death was homicide. Prosecutors allege DiRienzo-Whitehead killed her son after he went to sleep about 9:30 p.m. Monday and then drove the family SUV about 120 miles south to Cape May, New Jersey, where she drove the vehicle into the ocean just off Beach Avenue. After the vehicle was no longer operable, she walked to Wildwood Crest, a Cape May borough, where she was taken into custody by Wildwood Crest police and interviewed by Montgomery County detectives and Horsham police, prosecutors said. Authorities allege in a criminal complaint that DiRienzo-Whitehead told investigators her son had been upset and crying off and on all day over the familys financial difficulties and that she strangled him so he would not have to grow up with these struggles. DiRienzo-Whitehead is being held in Cape May County and will be extradited back to Pennsylvania for arraignment on the charges, prosecutors said Wednesday. Court documents dont list an attorney representing her and a message could not be left at a number listed in her name. A neighbor, Ed Smith, told WFMZ-TV that the boys death was very tragic and the case was surprising. Very nice people. Good neighbors, he told the station. Smith and his wife, Diane, said they have known the boys mother for more than four decades. A group representing some residents of Westfield has filed a lawsuit against the town over a plan to redevelop a former Lord & Taylor store and several other downtown parcels. Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development, and its officers, Frank Fusaro, Carla Bonacci and Alison Carey, are named as plaintiffs in the legal filing that challenges an ordinance that was passed by the Westfield Council on Feb. 14. The council voted to allow HBC, the owner of the Lord & Taylor, and its real estate arm, Streetworks Development, to build One Westfield Place. It includes 138 apartments and 16 townhomes for those 55 and older, 16 non age-restricted townhomes, and 35 loft-style apartments. The Lord & Taylor building will be turned into 100,000-square-feet of office space and more than 13,000-square-feet of street-level retail. Along South Avenue, immediately east of the train station, two mass timber buildings will comprise 210,000-square-feet of Class-A office space and 12,000-square-feet of street-level retail. There will also be two parking structures, one in the north zone with 352 spaces and another in the south zone with 208 spaces. The lawsuit says that the plan continued to move forward despite inconsistencies with the towns Master Plan and comments from residents about the plans questionable financial benefits, traffic, the cost of the parking decks, and other issues. Despite numerous requests to study further the adverse impacts of the redevelopment plan, the governing body adopted the ordinance, the lawsuit states. Westfield officials declined to comment. We, as a policy, dont comment on pending litigation, Mayor Shelley Brindle said. Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development says it distributed 500 lawn signs opposing the project and collected more than 2,300 signatures on an online petition asking local leaders to reduce the scope and size of the project and look at alternative plans. An attorney for Westfield Advocates for Responsible Development, Patrick J. McNamara of Scarinci & Hollenbeck, referred questions to the groups officers. Frank Fusaro, president of the group, said they would prefer not to elaborate. The lawsuit speaks for itself, he said. The single count in the lawsuit alleges that Westfields approval of the redevelopment ordinance was arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable and in contravention of law. The defendant, in reaching its decision, failed to adequately consider the economic impact, excess density, traffic, parking costs and environmental impacts of the development being permitted through the adoption of the redevelopment plan, the lawsuit states. It asks the court to reverse and vacate the approval of the ordinance, award plaintiffs attorneys fees and court costs and grant other relief the court deems appropriate. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Keep those shorts handy, New Jersey. Our taste of summer-like weather is expected to continue for a few more days, with some record high temperatures on the verge of being matched or broken. Forecasters say a dome of high pressure remains entrenched over the eastern U.S., and thats the main force behind the unseasonably warm, dry air that has made it feel more like June than early April. While temperatures on Wednesday will rise into the low 80s, far out of reach of record highs for April 12, the mercury is expected to climb into the mid-80s on Thursday and Friday with some areas of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania soaring into the upper 80s, according to forecasters from AccuWeather and the National Weather Service. The best shot at seeing some daily record highs matched or exceeded will be Thursday. Forecasters say Newark is expected to come very close to its record high for April 13, which is 86 degrees, set in 1977, and Atlantic City could match or top its daily record high of 83 degrees, set in 2018. Trenton is currently forecast to hit 86 degrees on Thursday, which would beat its daily record high of 85 degrees for April 13, set in 1977. Philadelphia could come close to its daily record high of 89 degrees, also set in 1977. With temperatures running about 20 degrees warmer than usual this week, some daily record highs could be matched or broken in parts of the New Jersey region, forecasters say.Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com High risk of wildfires The warm and dry weather, however, is coming at a price: Combined with gusty winds, it has boosted the potential for brush fires and wildfires in New Jersey, the New York metro region and eastern Pennsylvania. Many areas of eastern Pennsylvania are under a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Wednesday, including Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties, where the National Weather Service says critical fire weather conditions are expected, posing an increased risk for rapid wildfire growth and spread. While New Jerseys 21 counties are not under a red flag warning, the weather service has issued special statements saying theres an elevated risk of wildfires spreading Wednesday because of the dry brush, low humidity and gusty winds. Firefighters in Ocean County are continuing to battle a large wildfire that broke out Tuesday evening in Manchester and grew overnight to cover 2,500 acres. Officials said the fire is threatening at least 75 structures, prompting a few dozen evacuations on federal, state and private property. Current weather radar Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 50F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 36F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. 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. Visitors to the Battle of Pilot Knob on Saturday will get the chance to see original art with a creepy-crawly theme displayed at the historic site. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., art created by students of the Belleview School District in Iron County will be displayed at the Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site's day-use pavilion. The event, Art in the Park, comes from a partnership between Missouri State Parks, of which the Battle of Pilot Knob Historic Site is a part, and Belleview Elementary School, located on Highway 32 north of the village. Pilot Knob Site Manager Bryan Bethel said park staff had been visiting the school for the past few weeks to teach the students about this years theme: Bugs, Bugs, Bugs. After the students learned about the insects, Bethel said, the students then completed original art pieces depicting the critters. Kindergarteners have explored the world of ants, for example, and some art uses students names to create bugs. These art projects will be set up for display at the Battle of Pilot Knob day use pavilion. Seventh and eighth graders will be using face paint during Art in the Park to "hang" their artistic expressions on kids' faces. This will be a fun activity for the school, students, their families, and also for the public, said Bethel. Alongside the Art in the Park event, the historic site has many upcoming events, including a living history event on April 22 in which the Turner Brigade will be exercising its spring drills. June 24, the second annual Arcadia Valley Community Picnic with the Arcadia Valley Chamber is in the works. On July 4, the Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site will be hosting the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Display, once again partnering with the Arcadia Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site is located at 118 East Maple Street in Pilot Knob. For more information about Art in the Park, interested people can call 573-546-3545 and speak to either Bethel or Brick Autry. The French Quarter Festival kicks off this week, and so far, the weather promises to be picture perfect for enjoying tons of live music, stuffing our faces with great food and celebrating our unique culture. Louisianans love a good festival arguably more than folks in any other state and festivals give us an opportunity to dance, eat and drink with friends and strangers alike, of course. But they also define the rhythm of our lives, so much so that the run of festivals across Louisiana passes for one of our four seasons in place of that mercurial annual period the rest of the country calls spring. This year marks the 40th anniversary of French Quarter Fest. That alone stands as an achievement. But the festival has not just lasted, it has grown beyond any realistic expectations organizers of the first festival might have had. What started as a one-stage production for locals has blossomed into a 20-stage, four-day event, with dozens of food vendors and thousands of tourists coming from around the world. Even more remarkable is the fact that a festival showcasing hundreds of bands, including some of New Orleans most famous and in-demand acts, is free. In the modern age of mega-festivals, putting on an event of this size without gouging the audience were looking at you, Ticketmaster is extraordinary. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the festivals organizers and staff that it has endured. The festival also celebrates more than the citys great musicians and the official food vendors. As it has grown over the years, so has its economic footprint. Businesses across the city will benefit from this weeks festivities and, hopefully, get a much-needed boost to their bottom lines. That also goes for the many buskers youll see in the Quarter during the festival, many of whom will also be performing on stage. Busking is a critical part of many musicians income, and we urge everyone to tip generously and often. As was evident last year, following a two-year hiatus, FQF also has palpable positive effects on New Orleanians. It raised our spirits and gave locals a sense that, despite the lockdowns, deaths and economic upheaval of the previous two years, we remained unbowed and upbeat. This year, the festival arrives not a moment too soon. The crime epidemic has gotten worse since last year. Our roads seem to be in worse shape than ever, and too many traffic lights remain inexplicably broken. The recall did little more than sow the seeds of bitterness and highlight just how little faith any of us can put in many of the people and institutions entrusted with our safety and survival. In short, we all need a reason to dance, eat and drink in our citys oldest neighborhood and even if for just a few days put aside our worries and celebrate our culture. For that and many other reasons, we once again thank the French Quarter Festival. See yall there! Garbage cans used by occupants of doubles to dorms often are never taken in from the curb after garbage day on Hillary in New Orleans, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) In 1975, the U.S. President was Gerald Ford. Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Saturday Night Live debuted on NBC. The Vietnam War ended. A gallon of gas cost .57, a dozen eggs were .77 and a gallon of milk was $1.57. It was also the year Becky (Wade) Finch received a letter from Debbie (Dean) Hohle. Finch, of Farmington, was in Mrs. Jean Mills class at Jefferson Elementary. Mills read Hohles letter to the class and explained how the young girl wanted a pen pal. Every hand in the room went up, said Finch. But I was on the front row right in front of the teachers desk. Mrs. Mills said, Beckys got her hand up so she can take care of this. I got the letter. Hohle, of Moody, Texas, said her teacher wanted them to write to someone in another state. Her uncle and aunt, Jim and Cora Dell Key, lived in Farmington. Aunt Dell was the school secretary at Finchs school, and she gave the letter to Mills. Finch sent her first letter to Hohle. I told Debbie that I was happy that I got the letter and was thrilled to write back to her, said Finch. So, the pair began a friendship and sent handwritten letters to each other at least twice a month, and they always signed their letters with FF. That stood for friends forever. The girls talked on the phone a rotary phone for the first time in 1977. Even though they were about 12 hours and 700 miles apart, they were deeply connected. They met in person for the first time in 1978 when Hohles family, including her parents T.R. and Virginia Dean and younger sister Charlotte, visited her aunt and uncle in Farmington. The girls met at Aunt Dell and Uncle Jims house and they made an instant in-person connection. We started running around town together, said Finch. We met each others parents and went to a movie. Finchs parents were William Bud and Vernice Wade. They met in person again the summer before their junior year, and then they met again the following summer before their senior year when they went to Farmingtons former drive-in theater. I really connected with her, said Finch. We became the best of friends. So, the girls grew up together miles apart. They shared their lifes happenings through many letters. Even with so many miles between them, they still maintained a special closeness. Finch married her husband Chris in 1982. Her son, Bryan, was born in 1984. Her daughter, Brianna, was born in 1987. I loved sharing the news of my pregnancies with Debbie, but it was hard because she didnt live close enough to enjoy it with me, said Finch. Hohle said, Were about 12 hours away from each other, so many times weve wished we lived closer together. Hohle returned to Farmington in 1990 when her uncle Jim died and their families met again for the funeral. During the summer of 2001, Finch and daughter Brianna visited Hohle in Texas. It was such an amazing trip, said Finch. Just the year before, Hohle had built her home. She had been writing now via email to Finch to tell her all about it. Hohle, who has a huge love for antiques, built the house to look like the one her father grew up in. From antique lumber to the counter from her grandfathers old country grocery store, it seemed everything in her new home had a history. The church Hohle now attends is located just across the river from her. Years before she attended services there, that church was renovated. Hohle was able to get some of the original stained-glass windows from it, which are now part of her kitchen. Hohle met her husband Michael, and they married in 2010. They had attended school together in Moody, Texas, but graduated and went their separate ways. Hohle saw Michaels brother in 2009 and the couple reconnected through him. In one of life's full-circle quirks, Michael had grown up in that church from where she got the stained-glass windows. Now, Hohle and her husband attend that church together. In late 2003, Finchs husband Chris had a massive stroke and was given only a few hours to live. At the time, they had just purchased five acres and were building their first-ever brand-new house. Finch was working at the house while Chris worked in St. Louis when she received the call that he was being taken to the hospital. In 2004, Hohle returned to visit her aunt and Finch. Finch said Hohles visit that year was so important and greatly appreciated because everything was difficult during Chriss recovery from his stroke. Through almost 50 years, the best friends have only seen each other in-person fewer than 10 times. But theyve shared many happy memories as well as numerous difficult times together. From giggly girls to matured women, theyve been each others comfort during the darkest times and shared many successes throughout their friendship. Yet their lives have followed the same paths even hundreds of miles apart. Finchs mom was placed in hospice care and passed away in August. Hohles mom followed the same path not much later. Our parents aged at the same time, said Finch, and we went through the same things. We have gone through a lot together over the years. Our lives have paralleled in so many ways, said Hohle. Ive always felt I could write to Debbie and tell her anything, said Finch. Hohle said, And I feel the same way. She continued, You know, were getting older. Even though it is just 12 hours away, it takes a while to be able to come back to see Becky. We both have busy lives. We cant always get back when we want to. But when we do get together, its always very, very special. Finch said whenever she gets a text that says Hohle is coming to Farmington, she gets excited every time. My daughter also gets super excited, she said, because shes very attached to Debbie, too. Finch explained that Hohles life has been much different than hers. Debbies life has always seemed calmer and simpler to me, said Finch. She has all her antiques and her peaceful little farm, and Ive grown up in town. She and Brianna love Hohle because she inspired us to have the backbone that she does. She was single for a long time. We watched her and saw how she built her own house. We both really admire her. Hohle has loved watching Finchs grandchildren grow, including Brianna and son-in-law Jeremys 17-month-old daughter Lily, and Bryan and daughter-in-law Ashleighs children, 12-year-old Lincoln and 6-year-old Amelia. Earlier in March, Hohle traveled back to Farmington so the friends could do something together theyve never done before: celebrate their March birthdays together. The best friends were both born in 1962: Hohle on March 29 and Finch on March 31. Through the last nearly 50 years, these two friends have shared countless memories and experiences. Theyve exchanged handwritten letters, emails, texts, Facebook messages, countless cards, phone calls, Christmas ornaments, and more. Even though we live miles apart, its like were never apart, said Finch. Hohle agreed. We pick up right where we left off last time. Looking back, Hohle said she actually mailed two letters: one to Farmington, which Finch received, and one to Oklahoma. Regarding the pen pal from Oklahoma, Hohle said, We wrote back just a couple of times and that was it. She continued, But with Becky, we just stuck together. Were so alike. We both love our families and antiques. I just really know this was meant to be. Finch agreed. We were both raised in that time when families were families and they stuck together. Im so glad weve stuck together all these years. Hohle smiled. Were both very blessed. We both have great husbands and families, and we have each other. Finch looked at Hohle and returned the smile. Friends forever. WASHINGTON For the fourth time in as many years, legislation to let local news outlets charge Facebook and other tech titans for republished news content has been filed in the U.S. Senate. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and the daughter of a newspaperman, said she has again filed the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act. That legislation faltered last year under the weight of opposition from social media platforms and small publishers. Louisiana senators Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, and John N. Kennedy, R-Madisonville, are among a dozen or so senators from both parties to sign on as co-sponsors of the legislation. Cassidy and Kennedy stressed that the bill would protect small publications that express conservative viewpoints from being discriminated against by digital platforms. It would allow those publications to file lawsuits against big social media firms for allegations of retaliation and content moderation. Our bill supports local news organizations, Cassidy said Tuesday in a press release. Now, Big Tech can use their content, and local news doesnt benefit. Lets help the locals! The bill primarily would allow many newspapers, radio and television stations to collectively negotiate prices for their local news content from the massive social media companies, such as Facebook, and from search engines, such as Google. Local media has lost much of its audience and associated advertising revenue as consumers have begun to embrace digital content and as online content distributors have proliferated. Advertising revenues from local news dropped from about $510 billion in 2008 to $9.6 billion in 2020 declining by 25% from 2019 to 2020 alone, according to a Pew Research Center analysis released in February 2022. Saudi Arabia's antitrust body, General Authority for Competition (GAC), has slapped fines to the tune of SR140 million ($37.3 million) on 14 local cement companies after they were found guilty of price manipulation. The General Authority for Competition has imposed an SR10 million fine on each of the producers for manipulating the cement prices to benefit themselves, infringing Article 4 of the Competition Law, reported Arab News. The law prohibits practices, agreements, or contracts among competing firms that lead to controlling the prices of goods and services intended for sale by increasing or decreasing them to harm the market, it stated. The 14 manufacturers, who control most of the Saudi cement market, were accused of reaching an illegal agreement among themselves to raise cement prices and share the local markets, said media reports. These include big names such as Southern Cement, Arabian Cement, Saudi Cement, Yanbu, and Hail as well as other local groups Najran, United Cement, Al-Yamama, Al-Riyadh, Al-Safwa, Al-Madinah, Umm Al-Qura, Al-Jouf, Al-Qassim. GAC said it received complaints that several companies in the cement sector had manipulated the prices to benefit themselves. Following this, its board gave approval to an investigation into these claims and found that these companies violated the Competition Law by raising cement prices. After conducting a thorough investigation into complaints filed by consumers, the GAC concluded that 14 cement firms were involved in illegal practices to manipulate the market and increase cement prices. The decision to take punitive measures was published in the local media at the expense of the violating companies, it stated. The authority said in a statement that the decision to penalise them became final after the issuance of rulings by the Administrative Court of Appeal in Riyadh, rejecting the lawsuits filed by the companies challenging the decision to penalise them. A man was killed and four motorists injured in separate vehicle accidents in Washington and Ste. Genevieve counties earlier this week, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) crash reports. An Arizona man was killed in a one-vehicle accident in Ste. Genevieve County on Monday. The MSHP crash report states 42-year-old Edgar G. Rubio-Gonzalez of San Luis, Arizona, was driving a 1993 Ford L8000 commercial truck south on I-55 in Ste. Genevieve County Monday night. At 10:55 p.m., the report states the mans large truck suffered a mechanical failure before veering off the left side of the highway, where it struck the cable barrier, overturned, and caught fire. The accident reportedly happened north of the 160.4 mile marker of I-55. The man was pronounced dead on the scene by the Ste. Genevieve County assistant coroner about an hour later, at 11:54 p.m. The report states Rubio-Gonzalez was not wearing a seat belt during the crash, and damage to the commercial truck was listed in the report as total. The man was reportedly transported to Basler Funeral Home by the Ste. Genevieve County assistant coroner. The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriffs Office assisted the MSHP in processing Mondays fatal accident, according to the crash report. According to the MSHP, 18-year-old Hannah M. Bley of Bloomsdale was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu north on Highway 61 near Village Drive in Ste. Genevieve County Wednesday afternoon, and stopped for traffic. A 2011 Ford Escape driven by 19-year-old Morgan G. Messer of Festus, and a 2022 Toyota Highlander driven by 63-year-old Anthony G. Grass of Ste. Genevieve, were also stopped for traffic in the northbound lane. According to the MSHP, a 2020 Subaru Outback driven by Aswin R. Kansakar, 32, of St. Louis, hit the back of the Highlander, causing the SUV to hit the Escape, which hit the Chevrolet Malibu. The Highlander was reportedly pushed off the right side of the road and down an embankment. Driver Anthony and occupant Mary J. Grass, 62, also of Ste. Genevieve, were reported to have been wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. Both received moderate injuries and were taken to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. According to the MSHP, the Malibu sustained minor damages and was driven from the scene. The Toyota Highlander sustained moderate damage and was towed. The Ford Escape also sustained moderate damage but was driven from the scene. The Subaru Outback is reported as totaled. In a separate MSHP crash report, 26-year-old Rachel M. Lada of Bixby was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Sonic west on Route C near Highway 21 in Washington County Tuesday afternoon, about the same time 30-year-old Brandon J. Hutson of Farmington was driving a 1992 GMC Sonoma pickup truck east on Route C with his passenger, 39-year-old Jaunita D. Duncan, also of Farmington. The MSHP states that at 4:50 p.m., Lada attempted to make a left turn, and Hutsons truck hit her car on Route C west of Lovers Lane. The report states Duncan sustained serious injuries in the crash and was taken to Mercy Hospital South. Lada was reportedly moderately injured in the collision and was taken to Washington County Memorial Hospital. Hutson was uninjured, according to the report. None were reported to be wearing a seat belt at the time. Damage to both vehicles was listed as total. Six Missouri high schools won top spots and $15,000 in donations during the AAA Buckle Up Phone Down (BUPD) High School Showdown 2022, including West County R-4's. High school students and their surrounding communities won by pledging to drive without cell phone distraction, to speak up for others to do the same, and to always wear a seatbelt. The traffic safety education contest was sponsored by AAA Missouri, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety (MCRS), and the Casey Feldman Foundation to educate drivers on the dangers of cell phone-use while driving. In Missouri, between 2012 and 2021, there have been 197,564 distracted driving-related crashes that killed 801 people, according to MCRS data. The AAA Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown 2022 winners were: Class 1 Bucklin R-2 High School $1,500 Class 2 Marceline High School $2,000 Class 3 West St. Francois County R-4 High School $2,500 Class 4 Mt. Vernon High School $2,500 Class 5 Sikeston High School $3,000 Class 6 Jackson High School $4,000 How the New Traffic Safety Program & Contest Worked The 2022 BUPD High School Showdown, which featured 70 participating schools across the state, provided high school instructors with a 33-minute distracted driving educational video and additional teaching resources. The video highlights the dangers of distracted driving and provides teen drivers with tools to limit distractions and effective ways to speak up for others to drive without cell phone-distraction as passengers. Schools were assigned contest brackets based on their total enrollment for grades 9-12. The winners were determined by the top school in each bracket with the most safe- driving pledges submitted from students, family, friends, and faculty during the contest period. In total, the Showdown generated more than 15,500 safe driving pledges from communities across Missouri. Cell phone use while driving has become an epidemic that reaches every corner of the state and negatively impacts anyone who uses Missouri roadways, said AAA Missouri Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations Angie Nelson. The overwhelming response to the BUPD High School Showdown shows that both teens and adults recognize the deadly consequences of distracted driving and want to be a part of the solution. This was second consecutive year AAA Missouri hosted the AAA BUPD High School Showdown, which first launched in 2021. Cash prizes, provided by AAA Missouri, were funded, in part, through a grant from the Governors Highway Safety Association and General Motors. Donations will help fund winning schools Project Prom, Project Graduation, or other safety-focused programs. Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown Pledge Each participant signed a virtual pledge to commit to the following: Yes, I will drive without viewing or sending text or video messages; browsing the internet or social media of any kind. Yes, as a passenger, I will share the responsibility for arriving safely with my driver, speak up when I feel unsafe and offer help so my driver does not drive distracted. Yes, I will buckle up every time I am in a vehicle and ask others to do the same. The BUPD High School Showdown contest, which ran through December 31st, kicked off on October 21st in conjunction with MoDOTs 2022 Buckle Up Phone Down Day campaign. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications). The Missouri House Budget Committee will debate a plan for major construction spending that includes Gov. Mike Parsons full request for money to widen three sections of Interstate 70. Rep. Cody Smith, the committees chairman, released his revisions to the capital improvements appropriation bills on Tuesday and scheduled a committee debate Thursday on the four bills that pay for building maintenance and new construction. Despite calls from some to divert a portion of the money to other projects, Smith included the $859 million sought by Parson for I-70. Smiths proposal also includes $48 million for an environmental study on the Interstate 44 corridor and to widen a section of that highway in Springfield, as well as $41.3 million for work on several other roads. Another big initiative in the budget is $272 million for construction projects on college campuses, either to cover a portion of the unmet cost for projects authorized last year or to fund other construction on a 50-50 match basis. The biggest item on that list is $52.3 million for the University of Missouri to move ahead on plans to build a new research nuclear reactor in Columbia capable of producing treatments for cancer and other ailments. The university on Monday issued a call for contractors to bid on the management contract for the project. Smith said he included Parsons funding figure because it is the best estimate of the cost for the three sections of I-70 slated for improvement. The prospects for federal aid to offset the states cost is low, Smith said after releasing his plan. The portions of I-70 to be widened are in the Kansas City region, from Blue Springs to Odessa, through Boone County near Columbia and from Warrenton to Wentzville on the east side of the state. I dont think theres really any way around getting those three pieces of I-70 done for approximately what we think that cost is, Smith said. The budget plan scrapped Parsons $44 million proposal to purchase the Department of Transportation headquarters adjacent to the Capitol Building for use by other agencies. The plan for using the building is too uncertain, Smith said, and it is unclear how it will fit into other proposals for expanding space near the Capitol. I dont think thats quite clear at this time, so I dont really see the need to purchase it, Smith said. The House has already passed a $45.6 billion operating budget for the coming fiscal year that is awaiting action in the Senate. The four capital spending bills total $5.5 billion, with about half of that amount being reappropriated for projects authorized in prior years. The budget committees ranking Democrat, Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis, said he was pleased Smith included the funding for I-70. Theres going to be some wide agreement that some large expenditure needs to happen on improving infrastructure on I-70, Merideth said. Whether its this proposal, or I think, the potentially much larger one that the Senate has in mind, I think is still going to be an open question. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, has said he would like to authorize enough money to widen I-70 across the entire state. He has said he wants to authorize a mix of surplus revenue and borrowed funding to complete the financing. The I-70 project makes sense because it is an important route nationally as well as for the state, Merideth said. Democrats will be pushing to fund other transportation needs as well, he said. Id love to see some real investment in public transit as well, he said. Smiths proposal for capital spending would increase total general revenue used in the coming fiscal year to $13.9 billion, or about $325 million less that Parsons budget plan. If revenue projections made in January are correct, Smiths plan would use about $750 million of the states general revenue surplus of about $5 billion. The January projection was for revenue to grow 1.4% in the current year and less than 1% in the coming fiscal year. But growth in the current year has remained robust 11.3% through Monday afternoon. At that rate, the surplus would grow by $1.3 billion by June 30. Smith said he is unwilling to dig further into the unspent funds. Im a little less concerned with the state of revenues now and a little more concerned with writing the budget, Smith said. And after we get out of this session. Well continue to watch that and keep an eye on it for next year. Merideth, however, said the states unmet needs should be addressed with the surplus. The capital spending items are needed and he will support most of them, he said. Theyre great, but they dont address the underlying issue of we need to spend our revenue back into things that grow our state, Merideth said, and we need to keep up with the changing economy. 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. 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 through April 28. 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. 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. The Dairy Market: Inaugural art exhibit by artist Mary Kay Campbell, a traumatic brain injury survivor, will be at 6 p.m. Friday. queensofmoxie.com. Firnew Farm Artists Circle: Evolve, 20th-anniversary show, is planned for May 7 in the Barn Gallery. Salsa Street Grill food truck will be there for food purchases. Event is free. 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 through April 30, with 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. A tour with curator Marina Tyquiengco will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday; register at kluge-ruhe.org. The Art in Life: Music Album Covers, a Zoom webinar with Ernie Cefalu, Gerard Huerta and Joe Perez, is set for 7 p.m. April 20; register 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: An Artist Talk, Connections Studio Practice to Shows, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Smith Gallery. Exhibitions on view 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: 2023 Student Exhibition will open with the traditional Eighth Annual Chocolate Chow Down from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. The exhibition, featuring paintings, drawings, digital media, ceramics, graphic design, sculptures and other media, will be on view through Sept. 4. pvcc.edu/performingarts. (434) 961-5362. Pour la maison: Reflections, new paintings by Steve Deupree, on display through Saturday. pourlamaisoncville.com. (434) 284-8706. Quirk Gallery Charlottesville: Pink Moon, a local artists market featuring works by Amanda Finn, Laura Dillon Rogers, Stephane Fishwick, Some Lou, Jessica Breed, Jen Diebert and other artists, is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Closing reception for Constant Anomalies by Suzanna Fields will be from 2 tp 4 p.m. Sunday. Opening reception for Frank Phillips: Trial & Error will be from 5 to 8 p.m. April 20. (434) 365-3774. 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: Arts & Vines @ Revalation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdau and Sunday with art by Krissy Maier and Sarah Grace Cheek.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, 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 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: 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. Sunday. LYDM.co. (434) 882-2622. Staff reports Harlan Crow, the Texas billionaire who has reportedly bankrolled holidays for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, donated to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 2021 campaign, his political action committee and a PAC formed by Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Dallas-based Crow Holdings has given $25,000 to Youngkins Spirit of Virginia PAC, $15,000 to Youngkins campaign for governor and $10,000 to WinsomePAC. The donations occurred between 2021 and 2022 before ProPublica reported Crows decadeslong friendship with Thomas and previously undisclosed luxury trips and gifts. Some legal analysts say Thomas' refusal to disclose the gift-giving from Crow might skirt ethics rules. Following reports of Thomas failure to disclose gifts from Crow and subsequent reports that Crow collects Nazi memorabilia among other historical artifacts the Democratic Party of Virginia reacted, calling Youngkin and Crow BFFs" in an email Monday. On Twitter Democratic Del. Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax, who was Virginia's first Jewish speaker of the House of Delegates, noted that she had an opportunity this year to work with Youngkin on efforts to combat antisemitism in Virginia. She urged the governor to "do the right thing and return the $40,000 you accepted from Harlan Crow." Youngkins and Earle-Sears political action committees did not respond to requests for comment by the time of this publication. Crows donations to Youngkin's campaign and the political action committees are not unusual, as Crow is a longtime GOP donor. He has given money to various high-profile Republicans in and out of his state, to include Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Jon Huntsman, a former Utah governor who served as an ambassador under Republican and Democratic presidents. In Virginia, Crow previously donated $1,000 to Bob McDonnell's campaign for governor in 2009 and $25,000 to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's campaign for governor in 2013. Notable Texans who have received donations from Crow include Sen. Ted Cruz, a 2016 presidential hopeful; then-Rep. Louie Gohmert, who has collaborated with Virginia Rep. Bob Good; and Gov. Greg Abbott. Like Youngkin, Abbott is among the names pundits tout as a potential candidate for national office. More than 200 Indiana counties and municipalities will receive a combined $133.4 million in state matching funds for local road projects through Community Crossings, the state announced Wednesday. The grants include 23 to Lake, Porter and LaPorte county communities, totaling approximately $13 million. The continued success of the Community Crossings program becomes more evident each year," said Gov. Eric Holcomb in the states announcement of the current round of grants. "Improving transportation infrastructure at the most local level makes communities that much more attractive for business and Hoosier families alike to connect and grow." Communities submitted applications for funding during a competitive call for projects in January. Applications were evaluated based on need and current conditions, as well as impacts to safety and economic development, according to INDOT. The Community Crossings initiative has returned more than $1.27 billion in state tax and fee revenue to municipalities and counties as matching grants for local construction projects since 2016. Partnering with locals on these projects is something INDOT looks forward to each year, said INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith. The hard work and dedication of local entities to secure these funds and make improvements in their communities does not go unnoticed. To qualify for funding, local governments must provide matching funds of 50% in larger communities or 25% in smaller communities and have an asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges. Indiana law requires annually that 50% of the available matching funds be awarded to communities located in counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. The next call for projects will open in July. Northwest Indiana grants in this round include: Beverly Shores: $47,580 Burns Harbor: $29,700 Cedar Lake: $831,600 Chesterton: $115,000 Dyer: $136,831.20 Gary: $1,000,000 Hebron: $438,972.75 Highland: $659,794 Hobart: $1,000,000 Lake Station: $391,738.50 Lowell: $445,400 Michiana Shores: $332,250 Munster: $597,125.50 Ogden Dunes: $307,015.50 Portage: $1,000,000 Porter: $562,211.25 Porter County: $1,000,000 Schererville: $796,359.75 St. John: $1,000,000 Trail Creek: $241,719.93 Valparaiso: $1,000,000 Whiting: $375,000 Winfield: $680,917.50 A group of local manufacturers is partnering with the Center of Workforce Innovations to bring to the Region a national program that provides high school graduates the opportunity to train for a career in manufacturing while gaining paid work experience. Seven businesses are the first to join a new chapter of the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, or FAME, known as INFAME in Indiana. The program follows a work-and-learn model allowing students to attend community college while providing paid on-the-job work experience, said Leah Konrady, chairperson of South Shore INFAME and CEO of Portage-based Konrady Plastics. This is a win-win-win for students looking for a career path in manufacturing, companies seeking to recruit strong talent, and higher education looking to work alongside students and employers. South Shore INFAME is joining 38 FAME chapters in 14 states in a program that offers students the opportunity to complete a two-year associates degree while working for a member business, gaining experience while helping pay for their education. In addition to Konrady Plastics, the local chapter thus far includes KTR Corp., Triplex Plating, American Renolit, Tristate Industries, Michigan City Paperbox and Windeavor. "It's a really great way to capture students who are looking for a career in manufactuing," Konrady said. Students apply for the program through their local FAME chapter and participating employers, and once enrolled, pursue an associates degree and certification as an advanced manufacturing technician. Theyll attend classes two days per week for eight hours or more each day, and will work at least 24 hours a week for their employer. Other FAME chapters in Indiana include the Southern Indiana chapter based in Vincennes, a Central Indiana chapter based in Indianapolis, the Hoosier chapter based in Anderson and a Northeast Indiana chapter in Fort Wayne. The educational partner for the first three is Vincennes University; the northeast chapter is partnering with Ivy Tech Community College. The South Shore group has issued a request for proposals from educational institutions to partner with it, and has set an April 30 due date for proposals. Potential higher education partners, as well as employers interested in joining South Shore INFAME and high schools interested in a presentation on the program this fall, may contact Shaun Sahlhoff, the planning and project development associate for the Center of Workforce Innovations, at 219-248-7455 or ssahlhoff@cwicorp.com. Manufacturing is the backbone of Northwest Indiana and our country, and this program provides a pathway to sustain manufacturing in the Region, Konrady said. With many baby boomers retiring, now is the time to bridge the age and talent gap and attract and retain the next generation of talent. More information on the FAME program is available at fame-usa.com. MERRILLVILLE Police warn of numerous thefts that have been reported over the past month from lockers at area Planet Fitness facilities. "We wanted to inform the public of these thefts so patrons are aware and consciousness of their surroundings while attending these facilities," police said. "Recently subjects have been entering Planet Fitness using fake memberships and stealing items from lockers," according to the warning. "The thefts have included wallets, keys, credit cards and other personal items." "These thefts have occurred at numerous Planet Fitness facilities in Lake County and Illinois," police said. The Merrillville police detective bureau is investigating. Anyone with information or who can identify the suspects in photographs is encouraged to contact Detective Samantha Jordan at 219-769-3531, extension 362 or at sjordan@merrillville.in.gov. Detective Joshua Miskus can also be contacted at 219-769-3531, extension 345 or at jmiskus@merrillville.in.gov. Anonymous tips can be emailed to investigations@merrillville.in.gov. The Fluvanna County School Board will meet next week instead of on Wednesday. On Jan. 12, the school board voted to hold their meeting on the second Wednesday of each month. That schedule was changed for April, with the next meeting scheduled for April 20. CHICAGO Two recent crackdowns aimed at curbing violence on the Dan Ryan Expressway resulted in the discovery of a vehicle sought in a homicide, a stolen vehicle, significant amounts of marijuana and cocaine, and handguns, Illinois State Police said. On March 24, 40 troopers hit the expressway as part of operation "Light Up the Night" and made a total of 151 traffic stops resulting in 43 citations, 117 written warnings and three arrests on allegations of driving under the influence, ISP said. A vehicle wanted in a homicide in Riverdale was located, resulting in a vehicle and foot pursuit, and arrest, police said. "A handgun and extended magazine were recovered during the arrest," according to ISP. State police sent out 21 troopers March 26 as part of "Operation Tracker," resulting in 42 traffic stops, 14 citations, 34 written warnings and four criminal arrests, police said. A trooper initiated a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle and the driver was charged with criminal trespass to a motor vehicle and an unrelated warrant, police said. Another traffic stop resulted in the seizure of more than 270 grams of cannabis and more than 10 grams of cocaine. "These details carry a strong message that ISP is out there and will not tolerate crime on the expressways," Troop 3 Captain David Keltner said. "We will continue to use all our resources to combat violent crime, including automated license plate readers, air operations, forensic services, investigators, and information sharing," he said. "ISP will remain vigilant to curbing crime on the interstates." Due to the success of the operations, ISP said it plans to conduct details monthly. Indiana law enforcement officers no longer will be permitted to lie to children during an interrogation in an effort to secure a confession or for any other purpose. The General Assembly has unanimously approved legislation prohibiting police officers from knowingly providing false information to individuals under age 18 relating to an alleged crime or the potential punishments for it. Senate Enrolled Act 415 additionally requires a law enforcement officer who takes a child into custody at a school, or during a school-sponsored event, to attempt to immediately notify the student's parent, guardian or emergency contact. State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton, the sponsor of the plan, said the Legislature's decision to send it to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law "is a major step forward for juvenile justice in the state of Indiana." "With the passage of SB 415, we will protect juveniles from providing law enforcement with false confessions because they were given intentionally false information. This legislation also aims to build more trust in the criminal justice system among our young people," Pol said. The legislation includes a good-faith exception for police officers unaware they were communicating false information to a child at the time they misspoke. At the same time, police in Indiana generally still would be permitted to mislead adult criminal suspects about the evidence officers have acquired or nonexistent statements by alleged accomplices in an effort to secure a confession. The measure was cosponsored by state Reps. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage; and Pat Boy, D-Michigan City. Gallery: Take a virtual tour of Indiana's state parks Brown County State Park Chain O' Lakes State Park Charlestown State Park Clifty Falls State Park Falls of the Ohio State Park Fort Harrison State Park Harmonie State Park Lincoln State Park McCormick's Creek State Park Mounds State Park O'Bannon Woods State Park Ouabache State Park Pokagon State Park Potato Creek State Park Prophetstown State Park Shades State Park Shakamak State Park Spring Mill State Park Summit Lake State Park Tippecanoe River State Park Turkey Run State Park Versailles State Park White River State Park Whitewater Memorial State Park HAMMOND A woman died early Tuesday and a firefighter was injured in a blaze at a home in the 7200 block of Lindberg Avenue, Fire Chief Jeff Smith said. The fire was reported around 4 a.m. at the single-story home, he said. The woman was identified by the Lake County coroner's office as Jacqueline McEntire, 72, of Hammond. She was the only one in the structure at the time. A cause and manner of death is pending and an autopsy will be conducted Wednesday. A firefighter fell through the floor in the home and was taken to hospital for burns to his legs, Smith said. The firefighter is reportedly doing well. Hammond Firefighters Local 556 voiced appreciation on social media for all the texts and calls with concern for the injured firefighter. "Currently the firefighter is being treated at Loyola Medical center and is in good condition," the group said. "We will update everyone as soon as we hear more." The Indiana State Fire Marshal's office was on scene Tuesday and the cause of the fire is under investigation, Smith said. Prince said the city has been focused on demolishing buildings in areas that have a high economic development potential. However, there are no current plans to redevelop the Mahencha property. Councilman David Fossett, D-2, grew up near the former apartment complex. He said the building has been abandoned for as long as he can remember. "I'm so glad this day has come," Fossett said. "This is reimagining the Second District." Gary residents are a tiny step closer toward having an indirect say in the membership of the reconstituted Gary Community School Corp. board of trustees. On Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Committee agreed to revise Senate Bill 327 to permit the mayor of Gary and the Gary Common Council to directly select one member each to serve on the seven-member appointed school board envisioned by the legislation. The five other members would be chosen by the Indiana secretary of education. At least one of her picks would have to either live or work in Gary, and another must live in Lake County, according to the measure. Previously, the state education secretary, who is herself appointed by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, would have selected all seven Gary school board members, with input from Gary's mayor on two of her choices. State Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, the committee chairman, said the change to one direct appointment each by Gary's mayor and council attempts to address the desire for local control expressed by Gary residents in prior committee hearings, while recognizing the state's investment in financially stabilizing the district. Thompson said depending on how the new school board functions he may be open to changing the appointment process in the future. But, for now, he believes it's important to have a majority of Gary school board members appointed by the state. The underlying legislation, set for potential House approval as soon as Thursday, re-establishes a school board in Gary on July 1, 2023, that initially would be tasked with advising the district's emergency manager. The school board would take full control, including the power to appoint a superintendent, on July 1, 2024, or a subsequent date when the Indiana Distressed Unit Appeals Board (DUAB) certifies that Gary schools no longer are financially distressed. In addition to running Gary schools, the board would be obligated to report on the district's finances, operations, academics and the effectiveness of the governing structure by the end of 2026, so the 2027 General Assembly can decide whether the time is right to move toward a locally elected school board. State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, made multiple attempts Tuesday to immediately establish an elected school board, only to see each of his proposals falter on party-line votes in the Republican-controlled committee. "This is what the community wants," Harris said to no avail. Gary schools were taken over by the state six years ago and its prior elected school board dissolved after it spent $21.5 million more than the district took in, racked up $103 million in debt, frequently struggled to make payroll, stiffed vendors, routinely failed to remit to the IRS tax payments withheld from employee paychecks and fell $3 million behind on paying employee health insurance premiums. After relentless cost-cutting and right-sizing by a state-appointed emergency manager, along with the extra financial resources obtained through a successful voter referendum in 2020, Gary schools have a $1.3 million annual operating surplus and paid off all but $66 million in debt, and the district has a five-year financial plan in place to maintain solvency and stability. 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 The General Assembly has agreed to give the Lake County recorder access to some $500,000 in fees generated by her office whose use sharply is limited by state law. Indiana statutes mandate county recorders collect a variety of fees for filing official documents, such as property deeds and mortgages, and deposit $1 from those fees in an elected officials training fund each time certain documents are recorded. Money in the training fund, by law, only can be used to provide training, including travel, lodging and related expenses, to newly elected county officials or to officeholders whose positions include specific training requirements. Senate Enrolled Act 65 modifies that statute by allowing the Lake County Council, or any similarly situated county financial governing body, to make a one-time transfer from the county's elected officials training fund to the recorder's records perpetuation fund. Records show the Lake County election officials training fund is stuffed with more than $650,000 and poised to increase by $65,000 this year. Lake Recorder Gina Pimentel said that's well above what's needed to train elected officials, and if she gets access to the excess, her office could get closer to completing projects underway for the past two years that are aimed at improving accuracy in the county's record-keeping systems. The measure was approved 48-0 in the Senate and 98-0 by the House. It will take effect July 1 once it's signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb. Its sponsors included state Sens. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell; and Dan Dernulc, R-Highland; and state Reps. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point; Hal Slager, R-Schererville; and Mike Andrade, D-Munster. Gallery: Indiana historical markers in the Region First Physician Great Sauk (Sac) Trail St. John's Lutheran Church Tolleston Dutch in the Calumet Region St. John Township School, District #2 The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section Froebel School - side 1 Froebel School Stewart Settlement House Stewart Settlement House Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law Bailly Homestead Iron Brigade Willow Creek Confrontation Ogden ski jump.jpg Teale 1.jpg Teale 2.jpg Steel 1.jpg Steel 2.jpg Civil War camps.jpg Old lighthouse.jpg Railroad.jpg Camp Anderson.jpg Boundary line 1.jpg Boundary line 2.jpg LaPorte courthouse 1.jpg LaPorte courthouse 2.jpg Carnegie 1.jpg Carnegie 2.jpg Rumely Co 1.jpg Rumely Co 2.jpg Lincoln train 1.jpg Lincoln train 2.jpg LaPorte university 1.jpg Laporte university 2.jpg Gary Roosevelt 1 Gary Roosevelt 2 VALPARAISO Porter Countys solar ordinance is set to be repealed at a special meeting Thursday following initial action Tuesday. We dont normally do something like this, Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, said. The rush to repeal is reminiscent to the rush to enact the ordinance. We were under the understanding that the state was going to pass legislations with fewer restrictions than what we had, Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, said. The countys solar ordinance was put together to pre-empt a prohibition against similar ordinances under a proposed state law, County Attorney Scott McClure said. That legislation failed. McClure laid out the timeline for the ordinance, which was written by both McClure and Planning and Development Director Robert Thompson. They looked at installations elsewhere and things the county might be concerned about, including the types of plants included in landscaping. The ordinance was approved in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. A misconception that the ordinance was approved in secret is false, according to McClure. We never had a meeting that wasnt public, he said. It may have been on Facebook, it may have been on Zoom, but the public was able to listen, hear, see and comment. The public hearing happened at the first hearing on the ordinance, which was the same day the commissioners decided to close the countys buildings to the public. That meeting was held in the commissioners chambers, the main meeting room at the Porter County Administration Building, Blaney said. The Plan Commission meeting where it was considered was a public meeting, too. The Plan Commission makes recommendations to the commissioners. At the commissioners direction, the Plan Commission took up the ordinance again at its last meeting and voted to repeal the ordinance and work on a revised version. Among the concerns was specifying the type of solar panel to be used, Thompson said. Weve been hearing quite a bit about how some panels leak certain chemicals, he said. Solid state solar panels dont. The Plan Commission also talked of having the performance bond reviewed every five years to make sure enough money is set aside to guarantee the installation will be properly decommissioned at the end of its lifetime. Noise from power inverters was also a concern expressed by nearby residents. Our ordinance is silent on the maximum noise level, Thompson said. Another concern was requiring local labor be used for installation. Sounds like they did their homework, Biggs said. Resident Gordon Sheely, who said he hasnt taken a position on the proposed Malden Solar project, thanked the commissioners for holding an meeting at the Expo Center to discuss it. The whole purpose of that meeting down there at the Expo Center was to get the pulse of what that community down there was feeling, Biggs said. The Malden Solar project calls for fencing 1,173 acres. Biggs reflected on the size of the proposed solar farm. It was actually larger than the town of Kouts, he said. We could literally wake up 10 years from now and most of our land would look like a solar farm, Biggs said. Thursdays meeting is set for 1 p.m. at the Porter County Administration Building. PHOTOS: Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Porter County officials sworn in Mr. Fischer said that either Mr. Lois or Mr. Hayes he couldnt remember which had called to tell him that Mr. Calley was coming to his studio and that he should find a half-dozen young children of Asian descent to participate in the shoot. Calley came to the studio not knowing the concept, Mr. Fischer recalled in the 2015 interview, and somebody, it was Lois or Harold, said, Heres what were going to do; this is going to show that youre not a monster. I dont know all the details of the conversation, but to this day I dont understand why he ever did it, except that he probably thought it would make him look good. Mr. Fischer shot covers for other magazines as well, including dozens for New York, but the Esquire work attracted the most attention; some of those images are now in museum collections. Those covers were outrageous, they were insulting, they were infuriating and they were impressive, Mr. Fischer told The Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester, N.Y., in 1978, when he was lecturing at the Rochester Institute of Technology. A lot of people were shocked, he added. They would write in outraged over what they perceived as the messages of the covers, but Mr. Fischer said any messages were in the eye of the beholder. Actually, they didnt really say anything in most cases, he said. It was all a matter of what you read into it, like all interesting art. Dana Canedy, the former publisher of Simon & Schuster, was named managing editor of Guardian U.S. on Tuesday, the latest executive to join the American edition of the British newspaper company. Ms. Canedy, 57, will be one of the highest-ranking executives in the Guardian U.S. newsroom, reporting to the editor in chief, Betsy Reed. Ms. Reed is herself a relatively recent hire, having joined the publication in September. Ms. Canedy is a seasoned executive who has held senior positions across the media industry. Before joining Simon & Schuster in 2020, she was the administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, steering the selection process for journalisms most prestigious awards for three years. The appointment represents a return to daily journalism for Ms. Canedy, who was a reporter and senior editor at The New York Times for more than 20 years. Ms. Canedy was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for the series How Race Is Lived in America, and in 2008 she published a memoir, A Journal for Jordan, which became a movie directed by Denzel Washington. A urologist who worked at two prominent New York hospitals sexually abused multiple patients, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday, charging him with carrying out a yearslong series of assaults on two patients starting when they were minors. The doctor, Darius A. Paduch, who was arrested on Tuesday, enticed the victims to travel to New York from other states so he could attack them even as he sought to convince them the sexual abuse and assault he inflicted on them was medically necessary and appropriate, according to an indictment. Dr. Paduch, a specialist in male fertility, was charged with two counts each of inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and inducement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. In announcing the charges, Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, said the doctor had taken advantage of his victims for his own deviant satisfaction. Dr. Paduch, 55, of North Bergen, N.J., pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Tuesday and was ordered detained, though he can still argue for bail, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office said. The Virginia Museum of Natural History in downtown Waynesboro is still a few years away, but is closer to reality than ever before. Officials with the state and the city of Waynesboro met Monday to discuss the citys transfer of land for the future museum. The approximately 2.5 acres in land the city is conveying to the commonwealth will be used to build the 28,000-square-foot museum branch in what is now the citys Advance parking lot downtown. Virginia Museum of Natural History Executive Director Joe Keiper said the land is part of a $1 million donation from the city for the project. On hand with Keiper Monday to tour the site on Monday was Brendan Ahearn, the transaction manager of owned property for the Bureau of Real Estate Services. The bureau is under Virginias Department of General Services. The major holdup for the project is final funding of the $19 million construction cost. That approval could come next year from the Virginia General Assembly and could lead to the museums construction and opening by 2026. But the museum likely would never have happened if not for the local Center for Coldwaters Restoration, a group of private volunteers that has sought to bring natural resource-based economic development to Waynesboro. The groups president, Len Poulin, said the organization broached the idea of a Blue Ridge Interpretive Center to the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville a decade ago. The center also talked to the city of Waynesboro and local legislators about bringing a campus of the museum to the city. It was a perfect marriage, Poulin said. We are helping to enhance their mission and our mission. Poulin said the work of the center shows that citizens can effect change without government. Not everything has to happen from government, he said. Community service-minded citizens can make a difference and drive the future of our community. Keiper credited the city, area state legislators and the Center for Coldwaters Restoration for bringing the project along. Of the Center for Coldwaters Restoration, Keiper said they have always been there to help us. They have opened doors and raised funds and talked to elected officials. Keiper also spoke of how the future museum campus can be used for activities beyond education and viewing of exhibits. He said the museum could also serve as a weekend place for weddings, reunions and other social activities. Similar uses have been done at the museums main campus in Martinsville. Justin Jones is back in the Tennessee House. Just four days after Mr. Jones, a young Democratic lawmaker from Nashville, was expelled from office by Republican legislators for leading a gun-safety demonstration from the chamber floor, the Nashville Metropolitan Council restored him to his seat until a special election is held, an election in which Mr. Jones intends to run. On Wednesday the Shelby County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on whether to return Mr. Joness colleague from Memphis, Justin Pearson, to the seat from which he was similarly expelled. It should. Swiftly reinstating both lawmakers is the right course and the best one available to honor the will of the 130,000 Tennesseeans who were represented by these men and disenfranchised by their ouster. The voters in these districts were responsible for placing Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson in office, and the right to remove them rests with those voters, if they should choose to use it. Republicans usurped this responsibility, and that decision was not only unjust but also undemocratic. As in most American legislatures, Tennessee lawmakers have generally reserved expulsion for the most egregious transgressions. Before last week, only two of the states House members had been ousted in more than a century and a half one for taking a bribe, the other for multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Plenty of disruptive, disrespectful and even potentially criminal behavior has gone entirely unaddressed. Indeed, just a few years ago, Tennessee Republicans declined to take action against a member of their caucus credibly accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls many years earlier. PAGE 11 Women who have aborted a child especially through chemical abortion drugs that necessitate the woman seeing her aborted child once it passes often experience shame, regret, anxiety, depression, drug abuse and suicidal thoughts because of the abortion. Medication abortion is used in early pregnancies, typically before gestation at 12 weeks, and the tissue that passes out of a patients body is often in the form of blood clots. Patients cite varying reasons for having abortions, but several studies and surveys have suggested that patients often feel relief and experience fewer mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts after terminating pregnancies they felt unprepared or unable to handle. PAGE 13 Defendants contend that plaintiffs theories of standing depend upon layer after layer of speculation. But plaintiffs allege F.D.A.s chemical abortion regimen caused intense side effects and significant complications for their patients requiring medical intervention and attention. Judge Kacsmaryks opinion cites a handful of studies, several conducted by anti-abortion organizations, that the plaintiffs in the case submitted as evidence. The judge devotes little attention to the scores of studies that have shown medication abortion is very safe and that complications are rare, with patients needing hospitalization in less than 1 percent of cases. PAGE 15 Considering F.D.A.s 2021 decision to permit mail-in chemical abortion, many women and girls will consume mifepristone without physician supervision. And in maternity-care deserts, women may not have ready access to emergency care. In sum, there are fewer safety restrictions for women and girls today than ever before. Plaintiffs have good reasons to believe their alleged injuries will continue in the future, and possibly with greater frequency than in the past. In 2021, the F.D.A. permanently lifted a requirement that patients obtain mifepristone in person from a provider, citing years of studies indicating this change would be safe. The drug still needs to be prescribed by a certified health provider, but not necessarily by a physician. For years before the rule was lifted, mifepristone was the only drug that the F.D.A. required to be obtained in person from a medical provider but that did not need to be taken in the presence of a provider it could be taken at home or anywhere the patient chose. As a result, the F.D.A. and medical experts would dispute the judges contention that the 2021 rule change would create greater safety risks, especially since serious complications with mifepristone are rare. PAGE 22 F.D.A.s 2016 and 2021 changes thus significantly departed from the agencys original approval of the abortion regimen. F.D.A. repeatedly altered its original decision by removing safeguards and changing the regulatory scheme for chemical abortion drugs. Another point of contention in Judge Kacsmaryks order centers on the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit challenging the F.D.A.s approval of a drug, which is six years. The F.D.A. approved mifepristone in 2000 and eased certain restrictions on the pill in 2016 before lifting the in-person requirement in 2021. The Justice Department argued that it is too late to file a lawsuit challenging the 2000 and 2016 decisions, and that only the most recent measure falls within the six-year limit. Judge Kacsmaryk interpreted each change as restarting the clock to challenge approval for the drug. PAGE 34-35 The Comstock Act declares nonmailable every article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing which is advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use it or apply it for producing abortion. 18 U.S.C. 1461 (emphasis added). It is indisputable that chemical abortion drugs are both drug[s] and are for producing abortion. Therefore, federal criminal law declares they are nonmailable. Judge Kacsmaryk relies in part upon the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-vice law that barred the mailing of contraceptives and lewd materials, along with drugs that could be used in an abortion. His strict interpretation of that statute conflicts with a December 2022 opinion by the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, which concluded that abortion-causing drugs could be sent by mail if the sender does not intend for the recipient to use them unlawfully. A retired firefighter who threw a fire extinguisher at a group of police officers during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has been sentenced to more than four years in prison, federal officials said Tuesday. Prosecutors said the former firefighter, Robert Sanford, 57, of Boothwyn, Pa., had struck three police officers in the head with the extinguisher, injuring at least two of them. Mr. Sanford, who later said he had gone to the Capitol at the direction of former President Donald J. Trump, also threw a traffic cone at the officers and called them traitors, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. On Tuesday, Mr. Sanford was sentenced to 52 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release after having pleading guilty in September to assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. Other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. Mr. Sanford was also ordered to pay more than $5,500 in restitution to the Capitol and for medical expenses incurred by one of the injured officers, federal officials said. More than 300 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot, and by January, nearly 200 defendants had been sentenced to prison time, the Department of Justice said. Among the longest sentences was a 10-year term handed down in September to a retired New York City police officer who swung a metal flagpole at a Washington officer. A woman who yelled profanities at a flight attendant and threatened to kill him caused an airplane to make an unplanned landing and was charged on Monday in a federal court with interfering with the flight crew. The Alaska Airlines flight, scheduled last Friday from San Francisco to Chicago, landed at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo., because the pilot was concerned for the safety of the passengers, the Department of Justice said in a statement on Monday. The woman charged, Chloe M. DaSilva, 32, had asked if she could change seats, but flight attendants told her the plane was full, according to an affidavit filed in the case. A few minutes into the flight, after she had been in the bathroom in the rear part of the plane for an extended period of time, she began hitting the bathroom door from the inside, the court filing said. At another point in the flight, she also banged on the overhead bins. Ms. DaSilva was restrained with zip ties by a flight attendant and two passengers at the captains request, the affidavit said. She did not resist. Implicit in that promise is that Mr. Pritzker, who spent more than $300 million on his two campaigns for governor, will serve as a financial backstop if outside money does not materialize. Political geography Democrats were quick to talk about other factors. They held up the selection of Chicago as a symbol of the partys investment in the Midwest, and the central role the region will play in Mr. Bidens path to victory in 2024. The Midwest reflects America, said Jaime Harrison, the party chairman. Republicans had the same idea. They announced last August that their convention would be in Milwaukee in July 2024, meaning that the two conventions will be within driving distance. (The Democrats will meet in August.) But the reality is that the political implications for the host city and state are often overblown. Democrats hosted in North Carolina (2012) and Pennsylvania (2016), and still lost those states. Republicans hosted in Minnesota (2008) and Florida (2012), and lost both times. And in 2016, Republicans hosted Donald J. Trumps nominating convention in Cleveland but the event divided the partys Ohio leadership. The Republican governor, John Kasich, and its senator, Rob Portman, largely stayed away, then Republicans went on to win the state anyway. Still, the decision stung in Georgia, where Democrats had made a strong political case for hosting. Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta called Georgia the battleground that will decide the 2024 election. WASHINGTON Senior Biden administration officials sought on Tuesday to calm anger in foreign capitals over the leak of classified military and intelligence documents, but had little new information about the source of the breach or its motive. In their first public comments since the documents appeared online several weeks ago, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said they had spoken to their Ukrainian counterparts. Mr. Blinken also said he had spoken to unnamed American allies to reassure them about our own commitment to safeguarding intelligence. Mr. Austin said he was first briefed on Thursday about the existence of the documents, which assessed the state of the war in Ukraine and the strength and capabilities of Ukrainian and Russian forces, and also included C.I.A. intelligence reports on events in foreign capitals from Cairo to Ankara to Seoul. Mr. Blinken and Mr. Austin spoke at a joint news conference at the State Department after meeting with visiting counterparts from the Philippines. Well, they were somewhere in the web, Mr. Austin said of the leaked documents. And where exactly and who had access at that point, we dont know. We simply dont know at this point. He knows democracy is on the line, he knows slavery is a moral evil, Crawford said of Adams, who became a leading antislavery voice in the House of Representatives, where he served after leaving the White House. Hes one of those transcendent characters. He deserves to be in the pantheon. Founding Son, available through iHeartRadio starting April 13, is the latest entry in the crowded field of history podcasts. But its one where Crawford (who composed and played the shows old-timey mandolin theme) hopes to use his musical celebrity and serious historical chops to illuminate a complex, formative period in the evolution of American democracy. The Early Republic, as scholars call it, may be a rich field of study. But its largely a blank for most Americans, who are a bit foggy on what exactly happened between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Adams, the only president to serve in Congress after leaving office, is a vehicle for tracing the arc of the period, which saw the United States transform from a nation dominated by its founding elites (like the Adamses) into an expansionist, populist democracy where every white male had the vote, regardless of property or station. Read Your Way Around the World is a series exploring the globe through books. If you arrive in Kerala from elsewhere in India, youll feel as though youve landed in a different country Gods own country, as Keralites like to say. This strip of coastal territory at Indias southern tip, 350 miles long and 75 miles broad at its widest point, is shaped like a fish, with the head pointing to Sri Lanka, the tail to Goa, and the eyes gazing wistfully west across the Indian Ocean to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia the Gulf, or Persia in local parlance. Think of the Gulf as a Kerala annex, since three million Keralites or Malayalis, speakers of Malayalam work there; the money they send home makes up about a third of the states gross domestic product. Not surprisingly, the Gulf has shaped Keralas culture and literature. The territory sits between the Indian Ocean and the Western Ghats, the mountain range that runs parallel to the coast. Forty-four rivers run to the sea, spawning vast lakes, countless streams, lagoons, bottle-green lotus ponds and a latticework of backwaters that are Keralas giant circulatory system, with the annual monsoon its beating heart. Such liquid abundance shapes the lush green landscape dotted with palm trees, and also shapes Malayali character. I think its responsible for the fluid facial movements that allow Malayalis to convey volumes without uttering a word. The treatment has become more popular partly because many women prefer it to surgical abortion. They can take the drugs at home rather than at a hospital or doctors office, and the drugs are both highly effective and safe. Emergency rooms see more people suffering side effects from Tylenol, Christina Jewett, who covers the F.D.A. for The Times, pointed out. This drug has been studied and scrutinized heavily for more than 20 years, Christina told me. (This graphical review of the evidence is illuminating.) Since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade last year, 13 states have banned nearly all abortions, including medication abortions. But some women in those states have been able to get around the bans with a drug prescription. They can briefly travel to another state to receive the pills or can order them by mail (even illegally from an overseas provider, as some abortion-rights advocates have encouraged). The rise of medication abortion explains why overall abortion rates have not declined as much post-Roe as some people expected. Nationwide, the number of legal abortions per month was 7 percent lower in the final three months of last year than in the months immediately before the Supreme Court ruling, according to a report issued yesterday by the Society of Family Planning. Because the data does not include illegal abortions, the actual decline was likely smaller, my colleague Margot Sanger-Katz said. Both abortion supporters and opponents understand how important medication abortion has become. The fact that pills can be mailed is an existential crisis for the anti-abortion movement, Rachel Rebouche, the dean of Temple Universitys law school, told The Associated Press. Its hard to police. Its hard to track. Its difficult to enforce. Ukraines bloody stand for Bakhmut Andrew Kramer, our Kyiv bureau chief, and Mauricio Lima, a photographer, recently traveled to Bakhmut, the site of one of the longest and bloodiest battles in Russias war in Ukraine. Ukraines military is determined to defend the devastated city, even though allies question the cost. After 10 months of fighting, Ukraine has lost ground inside the city. Its soldiers have been pushed into a shrinking half-circle of ruins that is only about 20 blocks wide. It continually deploys small units in close-range urban combat, sustaining significant casualties. Ukrainian soldiers said they were often close enough to hear Russians talking in nearby buildings. One commander, who was interviewed in a basement bunker, said his soldiers were engaging in about 15 firefights at close range every day. He said his units were short on artillery shells, tank rounds and rocket-propelled grenades: We pay with our lives for the lack of ammunition. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are also defending an access road that is still passable. The route allows Ukraine to resupply and to evacuate the wounded from Bakhmut. But its an eerie trip: Travelers pass the hulks of blown-up and burned trucks that didnt make it. A Palmyra man has been arrested and charged for the Feb. 8 shooting at the Wicked Hits smoke and game room in Charlottesville that left one man injured. Forty-year-old Demetrius Andre Brown was arrested on Tuesday and faces five criminal charges related to the incident, according to Charlottesville police. Those charges include use of a firearm in commission of a felony, malicious wounding, maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone and possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges stem from what was originally a disorder call at the Wicked Hits location in Charlottesvilles Rose Hill neighborhood on Feb. 8. Police said they responded to the call at about 12:24 a.m. that morning. What had started as altercation between two individuals, they said, resulted in one of those individuals producing a firearm. The call quickly escalated into a shooting, the police department said in a statement released on Feb. 8. One of the individuals at the shooting was injured on the scene, police said, and was taken to University of Virginia Medical Center for the treatment of non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The shooter, who police have identified as Brown, fled the scene and was at large until his arrest on Tuesday. The vehicle used, a bronze 2003 Nissan Altima, has still not been recovered, police said on Tuesday. Brown was taken into custody with the assistance of U.S. marshals, according to the Charlottesville Police Department. Brown was being held at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail on Tuesday night. Alicia C. Shepard, an award-winning media critic who as NPRs ombudsman backed the organizations refusal to label waterboarding as torture, died on April 1 at her home in Arlington, Va. She was 69. Her husband, David Marsden, said the cause was complications of lung cancer. In a diverse journalistic career, Ms. Shepard was a reporter, a university professor, the author of a book about the Watergate journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and, for nearly four years, NPRs ombudsman, the listeners representative tasked with bringing transparency to the public radio networks news-gathering practices. In June 2009, she wrote on her blog that she had received a slew of emails that took issue with NPR Newss use of the phrases enhanced interrogation tactics and harsh interrogation techniques instead of torture to describe what terrorism suspects held by the George W. Bush administration during the Iraq war had been forced to endure. Some say that by not using the word torture, NPR is serving as right-wing apologists for waterboarding and other methods of extracting information, Ms. Shepard wrote. President Bush refused to call waterboarding torture, but in April 2009 President Barack Obama did. WILMINGTON, Del. The judge overseeing Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against Fox News said on Wednesday that he was imposing a sanction on the network and would very likely start an investigation into whether Foxs legal team had deliberately withheld evidence, scolding the lawyers for not being straightforward with him. The rebuke came after lawyers for Dominion, which is suing for defamation, revealed a number of instances in which Foxs lawyers had not turned over evidence in a timely manner. That evidence included recordings of the Fox News host Maria Bartiromo talking with former President Donald J. Trumps lawyers, Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, which Dominion said had been turned over only a week ago. In imposing the sanction on Fox, Judge Eric M. Davis of the Delaware Superior Court ruled that if Dominion had to do additional depositions, or redo any, then Fox would have to do everything they can to make the person available, and it will be at a cost to Fox. He also said he would very likely appoint a special master an outside lawyer to investigate Foxs handling of discovery of documents and the question of whether Fox had inappropriately withheld details about the scope of Rupert Murdochs role. Since Dominion filed its suit in early 2021, Fox had argued that Mr. Murdoch and Fox Corporation, the parent company, should not be part of the case because Mr. Murdoch, the chair, and other senior executives had nothing to do with running Fox News. But in the past few days, Fox disclosed to Dominion that Mr. Murdoch was a corporate officer at Fox News. Vox Media said on Wednesday that it was spinning off NowThis, a news site whose videos regularly go viral on Instagram and TikTok, as an independent media company ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The deal, just more than a year after Vox Media acquired NowThis, is backed by Accelerate Change, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing civic engagement among underrepresented groups. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but one person familiar with the transaction, who was not authorized to release financial details, said Accelerate Change would make a cash payment to Vox Media in addition to contributing capital to NowThis. The spinoff allows Vox Media to reap financial benefits from NowThis without having to fund the operating cost of the news site. Vox Media will maintain several business ties with NowThis, in addition to a minority stake in the new company, Jim Bankoff, the chief executive of Vox Media, said in an interview. Vox Media will continue to sell advertising for NowThis, and one of the companys employees will join NowThiss new board of directors. Consolidation for consolidations sake is not something that we at Vox Media have believed in, Mr. Bankoff said. Our strategy has focused on constructing a best-in-class portfolio of high-quality, highly relevant properties that speak to modern audiences via modern platforms, and monetize in a diverse set of ways. Over the last decade, tequila and mezcal bars in the United States tended to follow a familiar script, as owners primarily focused on heralding the heritage behind each bottle on the back bar. But Superbueno, a new bar thats scheduled to open April 21 in the East Village, aims to broaden the lens through which Mexican culture is perceived. I think there is a gap for a Mexican American style of bar that no one has done in New York, said Ignacio Jimenez, who goes by Nacho and was born in Leon, a city in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato. Mr. Jimenez, who runs and co-owns Superbueno, wants to showcase his homeland not only in spirits, cocktails and food, but also in the ambience of his bar and the very style of service. Theres this kind of ease and welcomeness that we inherently have, said Mr. Jimenez, reflecting on the nature of Mexican hospitality. We just want to make you feel welcome. Thats what we reflect every day of our lives. Mexican food culture is evident in every cocktail. The Nogada Fizz uses poblano chile-infused gin, and plays off the dish chiles en nogada. The green mango martini, made with tequila and Sauternes, is a tribute to the fresh-fruit stands of Mr. Jimenezs childhood. The roasted corn sour, a tequila-whiskey drink, is inspired by esquites, a Mexican style of roasted corn with lime and chile, and the Sopa del Dia is a three-part boilermaker composed of a shot of raicilla, another Mexican spirit, a cup of birria broth (a traditional soup) and a beer spiced with hot sauce. Im proud to stand up here today with the message to e-cigarette and vaping manufacturers: If you set your sights on youth, we wont stand by and let e-cigarette companies put their profits over the health and well-being of our children," Mr. Bonta said. A spokesman for Juul, Austin Finan, said the company had not admitted wrongdoing in the agreement. Citing federal data, he said underage use of its products had declined by about 95 percent. The settlement, Mr. Finan said, represents a near total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future. The terms of the agreement, like prior settlements, provide financial resources to further combat underage use and develop cessation programs and reflect our current business practices, Mr. Finan said. Selling products with flavors like mango and creme brulee, Juul sales were soaring in 2019 and the company had an envied and extremely high valuation of about $38 billion. But that bubble began to deflate when federal data showed that 27.5 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes, with more than half naming Juul as their brand of choice. As public pressure on Juul mounted, the company began to market itself less as a trend-maker, and more as a company helping adults make the transition away from traditional cigarettes. The vaping crisis among teenagers has seemed to decline from its peak in 2019, but public health experts still express concerns that about 2.5 million adolescents report using e-cigarettes, at rates far higher than adults. Overall, about 4.5 percent of adults use e-cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An annual survey typically taken in middle and high schools found that in 2022, about 9 percent of students reported using e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. In that survey, about 14 percent of high school students reported vaping, about half the rate reported in the survey taken at the peak of the crisis in 2019. While the recent decline has been viewed as a victory, some who oppose e-cigarette use have been troubled by data showing frequency of use; nearly half the high school students who reported vaping said they did so on 20 to 30 days a month. Some neuroscientists propose another theory regarding creativity. Research from the University of Calgary reveals that when being creative, humans dont use the same brain regions associated with thought and problem-solving, implying that creativity is primarily an unconscious process. According to this theory, the brain solves problems best when not directly focusing on them using the frontal lobe, instead letting the other parts of the brain take over. A.I. cannot currently emulate the full complexity of the human mind. Do these deep learning networks even have the required components that we use when we are creative? Douglas Hofstadter, in his award-winning book Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, explains how emergent phenomena, such as creativity, correspond to connections between levels within mental systems. Similar connections could exist in artificial neural networks, even if the underlying mechanics differ. For example, modern artificial intelligence employs attention circuits that may cause it to behave similarly to the frontal lobe where most of the brains focusing tendencies come from. The emergent nature of creativity opens the door for similar tendencies in machines, but they are tuned so carefully to replicate existing ideas that it may not be enough for true originality. Mr. Rosewaters theory on creativity suggests that for A.I. to be creative, it should be able to solve problems in new ways, which is difficult because A.I. is based so heavily on already existing ideas. Alternatively, if creativity is an unconscious process as the University of Calgary research suggests, then it occurs mostly outside the frontal lobe and may not exist in machine learning networks. Either way, current A.I. probably lacks the capacity for genuine creativity and originality, but it can combine existing ideas in interesting ways. Is this true creativity? Maybe not, but it is close. The question of machine creativity has repercussions in many areas, such as developing copyright law regarding A.I. works, considering A.I. submissions in art contests, and determining the use of ChatGPT as a tool for school assignments. Creativity may be, at least for now, an exclusively human trait. Computers are not yet starting revolutionary artistic movements, but they are already combining what exists into something new, challenging us to look deeper into our own creativity. Works Cited Cho, Kyunghyun, et al. Describing Multimedia Content Using Attention-Based Encoder-Decoder Networks. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, Nov. 2015. Hofstadter, Douglas R. Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. Basic Books, 1999. Kwon, Diana. Our Brain Typically Overlooks This Brilliant Problem-Solving Strategy. Scientific American, 7 April 2021. OConnor, Ryan. How DALL-E 2 Actually Works. Assembly AI, 19 April 2022. Rosewater, Mark. Twenty Years, Twenty Lessons. Magic the Gathering, 30 May 2016. Stevens, Alison Pearce. Study Is First to Link Brainwaves to Certain Forms of Thought. Science News Explores, 8 March 2021. This way of dividing time shaped American lives for decades, despite the introduction of a series of new media technologies. At the end of the 19th century, the quiet of the idealized Victorian home was shattered by the ringing of the first telephones. Americans who had once gone to visit one another in person, calling cards in hand, now learned to make phone calls. Doctors who once had to make house calls could be consulted by phone. Within a few decades, Americans could pick up the phone and dial the pharmacist or the florist to place an order. One after another, across the 20th century, the radio, the television and even the lowly fax machine beamed news of distant happenings into living rooms and kitchens. But none of these devices on their own challenged the fundamental separation of personal time and work time. Americans simply learned how to set their clocks to catch their favorite programs and how not to be home when the boss called. That changed in the early 1980s, when computers became small enough for desktop use and the internet linked them together. Today computers feel as if theyve been with us forever. But the earliest all-electronic digital computers appeared less than a single lifetime ago, and until the 1970s, virtually all computers were room-size machines. By the early 1980s, they had become all-purpose appliances. They could handle text like a typewriter and calculations like an adding machine, and they could do it all on screens like those of a television. Inexpensive dial-up modems let home users work online, with their colleagues, in real time, as if they were also sitting in the office. Before too long laptops and smartphones made it possible to work from anywhere, anytime. The effects of this transformation vary a great deal depending on what you do for a living. The same core technologies that allow a Silicon Valley software developer to move to Colorado and work from a mountain retreat keep Starbucks baristas and home health care workers on tenterhooks. In the industrial era, work schedules had to be set in advance. It was possible to change shifts at the last minute, but an employer might not be able to find the workers he was looking for if they werent standing by landline phones. Today computers allow companies to monitor market demands in real time and adjust workers schedules on the fly. Cellphones let bosses reach workers wherever and whenever they like. It has become as easy for supervisors to demand that service workers reschedule their shifts as it has for software developers to decide when and where they write code. It is no longer possible for many Americans to divide their days into periods of labor and leisure with any predictability. Digital technologies have also extended employers powers to surveil, which in turn undercuts the ability of workers to ensure that they are being paid fairly. On the 19th-century factory floor, bosses could see everything workers did, but unless they hired private detectives or required workers to live in company-owned towns, their powers of surveillance stopped at the factory gates. Today, when we work at home, our computers make it easy for our bosses to track our keystrokes, control our cameras and tap our microphones. They can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and put together a picture of our political beliefs, our patterns of association, our sexual proclivities and our propensity to unionize. In contrast, our ability to watch them is radically curtailed, by law and by design. Algorithms are trade secrets. Monitoring software is a one-way mirror that makes it impossible for workers to peer back. Fights over transparency date back to the timekeeper on the factory floor. Whats new today is the scale of the asymmetry. The scattering of work from the open-plan office to the private home has created a world in which the captains of industry can watch us wherever we go and make use of whatever they learn to determine our pay and our career trajectory and whether we stay employed at all. In todays factories, on a Tesla assembly line or at an Amazon warehouse, bosses are taking advantage of these new powers to enforce a time discipline on workers that is as precise and destructive as any that Frederick Taylor could have come up with. Ari Asters Beau Is Afraid is a supersized, fitfully amusing, self-important tale of fear and loathing. As the title announces, its protagonist, Beau Wassermann a terminal sad-sack played by the invariably watchable Joaquin Phoenix is anxious, well, about everything. He seems to have good reason given the chaos and violence churning outside his apartment. Then again, the tumult may be all in his head. Beau has issues, you soon learn, and hes an unstable narrative presence, which makes him an ideal vessel for an Ari Aster creep-out. Outwardly, Beau Is Afraid seems to be a departure for Aster, whose first two features center on horrific happenings and some seriously bad relationships. In his first of these, Hereditary, a family is destroyed (and revived) by its witchy past; in his follow-up, Midsommar, a young, foolish couple travels with friends to a pastoral corner of Sweden, where they become chew toys for a murderous pagan cult. In both, Aster shrewdly draws on horror-film conventions his abuse of the human head has become a kind of authorial signature though the sense of ambiguity that he cooks up in them owes more to the art house than it does to the uncanny. In Hereditary and Midsommar, Aster meticulously peels back the ostensibly ordinary surface of the world, its patina of normalcy, to reveal the annihilating malevolence beneath it. By contrast, all the icky, nasty stuff is right out in the open in Beau Is Afraid, which over three long, eventful hours tracks its protagonist as he struggles to visit his mother, a pop-Freudian gargoyle named Mona (Patti LuPone, ferocious and amusingly outsized). He makes it to her house, though only after a series of adventures that take him from the horrors of the unnamed city where he lives to a suburban asylum and then to a shadowy forest and beyond. Aster likes wowing viewers as much as he likes scaring them, and he does both with visual polish, a firm grasp on his craft, stories that have ample interpretive leeway and a pitiless attitude toward his characters; you learn to never become attached to anyone in his movies. In Beau Is Afraid, Aster changes things up by making Beau difficult to cozy up to. A blur of a man with a soft middle, thinning hair and a bearing that oscillates between panic and resignation, Beau doesnt resemble the typical American movie hero: He isnt nice, appealing, attractive or all that engaging, and he lacks apparent interests, ambition and deep purpose. The funny thing about the film The Worst Person in the World from last year is that its flighty protagonist isnt all that bad. The dark comedy Sick of Myself, also from Norway, says hold my beer, and submits an undeniably deplorable leading lady more worthy of that other films title. She is ugly on the inside and aims for it on the outside, too. In this queasy satire by Kristoffer Borgli, a 20-something barista named Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp) is possessed by delusions of grandeur. Signe is certain shes funnier, more charismatic and more interesting than the other people in her bougie upper-middle-class milieu especially her boyfriend, Thomas (Eirik Saether), a cocky conceptual artist who makes installations from stolen furniture. Thomass edgy process impresses Oslos cultural elite, perhaps even more than the finished product. But its not the questionable merit of her beaus success that irks Signe, its that his triumphs make her seem less important. Then, a bloody incident at the coffee shop where she works gets her gears turning. Played by Thorp like the Scandinavian love child of Aubrey Plazas social media manipulator in Ingrid Goes West and Jane Krakowskis narcissist-caricature Jenna Maroney in 30 Rock, Signe fashions herself into a spectacular victim. She turns to a bizarre form of self-mutilation to attract the attention she believes she deserves, knowingly consuming a sketchy Russian medication that causes her to break out in bulging, blistery rashes. That is a question for another day. This is about the carbon paper. Once indispensable, carbon paper has become another presumed casualty of the information age, but it is not extinct. It is still smudging hands and smearing clothing, even though it is little more than a relic now, said Sam Podemski, who owns Phils Stationery on East 47th Street. He sells single sheets of carbon paper for $3 each, from a box that is probably more than 40 years old the package carries a copyright date of 1979 and originally sold for about $10, or 10 cents a sheet. We see everybody who wants it, said Frank Garza, the assistant manager at Phils Stationery, who explained that everybody who wants it referred to two customers who stop by every couple of weeks. Podemski said they are not writers like Caro, but dealers from the diamond district nearby. Phils still writes out its sales receipts by hand, but if Podemski or Garza need a duplicate, we photocopy, Podemski said. If the photocopier was a 20th-century invention, carbon paper was a 19th-century one. Some accounts credit an Italian named Pellegrino Turri with developing it to make the writing visible on a mechanical typing machine he had devised for a countess. The machine allowed the countess to correspond with him without dictating her innermost thoughts to a third party, the author Diana Rooks wrote in 2006. Ralph Wedgwood, a relative of the potter behind the very British brand of china, patented his own version of carbon paper in 1806. Richard Spencer and Christopher Cantwell, two of the white nationalists who lost a major civil conspiracy trial over their roles in the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally-turned-riot in Charlottesville, have filed briefs attempting to overturn the verdicts against them. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs, vexed by a post-trial ruling that trimmed their damage awards from about $26 million to $2.35 million and provided less than half their requested legal fees, have also filed a notice of appeal. The November 2021 trial stretched over 22 days to determine whether 17 defendants engaged in racial conspiracy, and a jury determined that they did. However, some plaintiffs received no compensatory damages, and the jurys $24 million award of punitive damages was slashed late last year by the presiding judge to just $350,000. In early March, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel C. Hoppe awarded $4.9 million in expenses and legal fees to the legal team led by New York-based attorneys Roberta Kaplan and Karen Dunn. They had sought $14.6 million in fees and expenses. In his March 17 appeal brief to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Spencer alleged that a neo-Nazis vehicular murder of a 32-year-old anti-racist counter-protester named Heather Heyer and rally organizer Jason Kesslers Charlottesville residence pre- and post-rally combined to raise too much local emotion and controversy to give Spencer a fair trial. In making that argument, Spencer noted that many Americans view the city of Charlottesville and the rally as interchangeable. If any trial were deserving of a change of venue, Spencer wrote, it was this one. He also opposed the striking of his motion for summary judgment which he conceded was submitted past the deadline. He claimed, however, that as a pro se i.e., lawyerless defendant his mistake was understandable and not injurious to the proceedings. University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias said that the strongest part of Spencers brief is his allegation that a Charlottesville trial location may have presented some fairness problems. I think thats a well taken argument, Tobias told The Daily Progress. I dont think that people would dispute the notion that this was harmful to Charlottesville and that it would be more difficult to get a fair trial in Charlottesville. However, Tobias said that since money, not liberty, is all thats at stake, that change-of-venue motions are rarely granted in a civil case. Its extremely rare, said Tobias. Like one in a thousand or some tiny percentage. Tobias said that anyone contesting the outcome of this trial would have to demonstrate that there was some error in the trial not just a disagreement with the outcome. On appeal you have to make a compelling case to reverse the judge and the jury which found the facts, said Tobias. A University of Virginia graduate, Spencer has been widely criticized for putting a modern sheen on the age-old scourge of racism, particularly by popularizing the term alt-right. Before the international fallout after what happened in Charlottesville ended his public speeches, Spencer had a career as a speaker on college campuses. The law professor said this pro se brief was smoother than most that hes read. He has some of the lingo down, but it wasnt that persuasive, Tobias said. Parties are better served when they have legal representation. Another pro se appeal is waged by Christopher Cantwell. The so-called Crying Nazi, Cantwell alleged in a March 20 brief that the federal jury in Charlottesville had improper passion and prejudice and that his imprisonment on unrelated charges made mounting a proper defense impossible. Among the many ways that Cantwells defense was prejudiced, Cantwell wrote, was that witnesses were being deposed without him being notified and those witnesses testified against him at trial. Tobias contends that Cantwells brief faces an uphill battle. It seems like the core of the argument if there is one is that he wasnt responsible for anything that happened, said Tobias. Tobias said that courts try to see past the stylistic flaws of pro se briefs even when they contain redundancies or other problems. People are entitled to make a defense, said Tobias. I supposed the judges and the clerks will do the best they can, but I dont think the court will find it very compelling. In addition to Spencer and Cantwell, other defendants indicating a desire to appeal include Michael Hill, Nathan Damigo and the League of the South white nationalist group. The plaintiffs, including lead plaintiff Elizabeth Sines, have also filed a notice of appeal. One person not appealing is Kessler, the rally organizer. It seems like a waste of time to me, Kessler wrote in a text to The Daily Progress. I dont have any faith in the courts. Yet Ms. Corradi comes to the position at a particularly precarious time: The number of rat sightings documented by city inspectors doubled last year, according to city data. The increase was blamed on the cutback in sanitation services related to budget cuts during the pandemic, which Mr. Adams has reversed, as well as on a rise in rat inspections. The mayor has not been shy about bringing up his long-term relationship with rats. He claims that his home was overrun by rats as a child. He also says that he had a pet rat named Mickey. As the borough president of Brooklyn, Mr. Adams earned the scorn of animal rights activists by demonstrating a device that drowned rodents in a bucket, creating what could only be described as a rat stew. (Ms. Corradi said she was open to more humane rat eradication methods.) More recently, the mayor fought several tickets for rat infestation at the townhouse he rents to tenants on Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, telling an administrative judge that he had spent thousands of dollars battling rodents there. Two tickets were dismissed but Mr. Adams was ordered to pay a $300 fine on a third. Ms. Corradi said her efforts would focus on reducing the presence of food waste, which scientists say would do the most to control the rat population. The city has put in place a plan to reduce the amount of time that commercial and residential trash is allowed to sit on the curb for pickup if it is not stored in containers. Mr. Adams also announced the creation of a rat mitigation zone in Harlem and a $3.5 million investment to reduce rats in the neighborhood. Last month, a Cornell University sophomore, Claire Ting, was studying with friends when one of them became visibly upset and was unable to continue her work. For a Korean American literature class, the woman was reading The Surrendered, a novel by Chang-rae Lee about a Korean girl orphaned by the Korean War that includes a graphic rape scene. Ms. Tings friend had recently testified at a campus hearing against a student who she said sexually assaulted her, the woman said in an interview. Reading the passage so soon afterward left her feeling unmoored. Ms. Ting, a member of Cornells undergraduate student assembly, believed her friend deserved a heads-up about the upsetting material. That day, she drafted a resolution urging instructors to provide warnings on the syllabus about traumatic content that might be discussed in class, including sexual assault, self-harm and transphobic violence. The resolution was unanimously approved by the assembly late last month. Less than a week after it was submitted to the administration for approval, Martha E. Pollack, the university president, vetoed it. If anything, Ms. Kaplan wrote, it is somewhat perverse for Trump to seek a continuance in these proceedings based on the recent indictment when so much of the publicity he complains about has been driven by his own incendiary statements. Ms. Kaplan, who is not related to the judge, added that there was no reason to believe adverse publicity would abate soon. She noted, for example, that Mr. Trump faces a criminal investigation by the Fulton County, Ga., district attorney over attempts to interfere in the 2020 election. He is also the subject of investigations by a federal special counsel over his role in the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and his decision to retain sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence. He has denied wrongdoing in all of the cases. In recent days, the legal and political action has reached a fevered pitch. Last week, there was the arraignment in Manhattan. On Tuesday, Mr. Bragg sued to stop Representative Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee he heads from interfering in a state criminal investigation. Mr. Jordan has demanded information about Mr. Braggs investigation of Mr. Trump, and the panel will hold a hearing in Manhattan next week to examine what it called Mr. Braggs pro-crime, anti-victim policies. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump himself sued Michael D. Cohen, his onetime fixer and an expected star witness in the criminal case, accusing him of revealing secrets and spreading lies. She added that she did not think the lawsuit amounted to witness tampering under New York law, as it was not a direct attempt to interfere with Mr. Cohens testimony, and other legal experts concurred. Yet in a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Cohens lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, argued, Mr. Trump appears once again to be using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation. He added that Mr. Trump was apparently terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him. Christopher M. Kise, a lawyer representing Mr. Trump in a civil case that was brought by the New York attorney general and that Mr. Cohens testimony helped initiate, lashed out at Mr. Cohen, suggesting that he had lied in the past to various officials. Hes lied to everyone hes ever come in contact with, Mr. Kise said. So at some point someone needs to hold this serial liar accountable. Mr. Trumps lawsuit, brought by Alejandro Brito, a lawyer in Coral Gables, Fla., seeks significant punitive damages against Mr. Cohen, but it seemed possible that the case would backfire. Last year, when the former president filed the lawsuit against the New York attorney general, Letitia James, who has sued Mr. Trump and his family business, some members of his legal team objected. There was similar dissent among his lawyers over whether to sue Mr. Cohen, people with knowledge of the matter said. Fifteen years ago, I was the father of a child who was living on the street, addicted to meth, opioids and other drugs. My son was slowly dying. When he was missing, I scoured neighborhoods where I knew he hung out. Mostly I searched in vain, but I found him a few times and tried to persuade him to enter a treatment program. He was unwilling to get help. He became angry and belligerent. He accused me of trying to control him. He insisted he was fine and said he could stop using on his own if he wanted to, but he didnt want to. Once he was 18, I couldnt force him. He had to decide for himself and yet he was in no condition to do so. I was completely out of my mind, unable to make rational decisions, he says now. Most people who are seriously ill want to get better and, if given the opportunity, will choose to be treated. However, addiction can defy logic. You can only understand what its like to be addicted if you imagine being deprived of air, a boy addicted to opioids once told me when I visited an adolescent treatment program for book research. Youll do anything in order to breathe. Youll kick, punch, knock down walls. I didnt want drugs; I needed them thats how it felt and I did whatever it took to get them. I lied, cheated and stole. I would do anything for drugs. Last fall, eight months into the new world disorder created by Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, the University of Cambridges Bennett Institute for Public Policy produced a long report on trends in global public opinion before and after the outbreak of the war. Not surprisingly, the data showed that the conflict had shifted public sentiment in developed democracies in East Asia and Europe, as well as the United States, uniting their citizens against both Russia and China and shifting mass opinion in a more pro-American direction. But outside this democratic bloc, the trends were very different. For a decade before the Ukraine war, public opinion across a vast span of countries stretching from continental Eurasia to the north and west of Africa, in the reports words, had become more favorable to Russia even as Western public opinion became more hostile. Similarly, people in Europe, the Anglosphere and Pacific Rim democracies like Japan and South Korea all turned against China even before Covid-19, but China was regarded much more favorably across the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia. Putins war in Ukraine shifted these trends only at the margins. Russia did become less popular in 2022, but overall, developing-world public opinion after the invasion was still slightly warmer to Russia than to the United States, and (for the first time) warmer to China than to America, too. To the extent that the Ukraine conflict betokened a new geopolitical struggle between an American-led maritime alliance of democracies, as the report put it, and an alliance of authoritarian regimes anchored in Eurasia, the authoritarian alliance seemed to have surprisingly deep reservoirs of potential popular support. If we want to help Taiwan, Weiss said, we need more deterrence and less provocation. In my view, the risks of conflict are primarily driven by Xi Jinping, from his brutal repression in Xinjiang to the enormous expansion of his nuclear arsenal that is now underway, and tensions will become far worse if he supplies Russia with artillery shells. But American domestic politics are also steering a collision course, and that may get worse as Democrats and Republicans compete to denounce China. From an American vantage point, another cold war may not seem so terrible, since we and the Russians managed to avoid incinerating each other in the last one. But millions died in the last cold war in proxy war zones from Vietnam to Angola. And Russia and the United States avoided nuclear war in part because leaders on each side had memories of World War II that made them cautious; I worry that today, as in 1914, overconfidence and myopic political pressures on each side might drive continuing escalation. I need no reminder of how oppressive China can be: I was on Tiananmen Square in June 1989 and witnessed as the Peoples Liberation Army fired on the crowd that I was in. But I also saw China lifting more people out of poverty than any other country in history and vastly improving education and health outcomes. We in the United States have to grapple with the uncomfortable reality that a newborn in Beijing may not be able to look forward to a meaningful vote or to free speech but has a life expectancy seven years longer than that of a newborn in Washington, D.C. When I say we must talk to each other, I am not downplaying American concerns. Im among those wary of TikTok because of the risk that it might be used for spying. But I also know that the United States has similarly used private businesses to spy on China. When China purchased a new Boeing 767 in 2000 to be the Chinese equivalent of Air Force One, American officials planted at least 27 bugs in it. I think the United States should press China harder on some issues, such as the reckless way Chinese companies export chemicals to Mexico that are turned into fentanyl. That Chinese-origin fentanyl kills many thousands of Americans each year, and its hard to see why the deaths of so many arent higher on the bilateral agenda. Virginia Norwood, an aerospace pioneer who invented the scanner that has been used to map and study the earth from space for more than 50 years, has died at her home in Topanga, Calif. She was 96. Her death was announced by the United States Geological Survey, whose Landsat satellite program relies on her invention. Her daughter, Naomi Norwood, said her mother was found dead in her bed on the morning of March 27. The Landsat satellites, speeding 438 miles above the surface, orbit the earth every 99 minutes and have captured a complete image of the planet every 16 days since 1972. These images have provided powerful visual evidence of climate change, deforestation and other shifts affecting the planets well-being. Ms. Norwood, a physicist, was the person primarily responsible for designing and championing the scanner that made the program possible. NASA has called her the mother of Landsat. Once again the white suit rears its powerfully symbolic head. There are few garments in the political wardrobe that have been worn so deliberately and become as imbued with meaning. This time it has stepped front and center thanks to the saga of State Representative Justin Jones of Tennessee, a Democrat and, at 27, one of the youngest Black lawmakers in the state government. Mr. Jones and his fellow representative Justin J. Pearson came to national attention on April 6 when they were expelled from the legislature over a protest for gun control. Mr. Jones was reinstated on Monday by the Nashville Metropolitan Council, his districts governing body, but by then his image had already gone international: a totem of what it meant to stand up to, as he called it in a fiery speech from the House floor on the day of his expulsion, the flexing of false power. See, on the day of his expulsion, Mr. Jones was wearing what The Tennessean called his trademark white suit with a white shirt and light brown tie, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. The image of him walking out of the woody chamber with a fist held high, glowing from every angle, made for an indelible picture. The world is watching, he said, and it was. Since then, photographs of him in the suit have not just appeared again and again online and in news reports (even in stories about his return, rather than the sage green he wore at the time), but have also been used as a clarion call in emails by political action committees. Raise your hand if you know who is getting fired? a Meta employee wrote in an online chat group for the companys engineers this month. Fire emoji if you think its a dumpster fire. In response, his colleagues posted dozens of tiny flame emojis. Im already fired, added a former Meta employee who worked in the companys business division for nearly four years before most of his team was laid off this year. But who can keep track? Mark Zuckerberg, Metas chief executive, has declared that 2023 will be the year of efficiency at his company. So far, efficiency has translated into mass layoffs. He has conducted two rounds of cuts over the past six months, with two more to come; these will eliminate more than 21,000 people. Mr. Zuckerberg is also closing 5,000 open positions, which amounts to 30 percent of his companys work force. Gazing at the three silvery grain elevators at the southern end of Richmond Marine Terminal that helped power Virginias $1 billion jump in agriculture exports, Gov. Glenn Youngkin had one question for the operator: What would it take to get you to build another? Farm and forest exports from Virginia are booming, and a key reason is facilities such as the Richmond port, Youngkin said, before taking a closer look at the ports 121-acre facility where one of the Virginia Port Authoritys Virginia Express barges was almost finished loading its 140 truck-trailer-size containers. Many of those containers were filled with elevator operator Scoulars soybeans or Virginia-raised and sawed lumber. Virginia agriculture exports rose to $5.1 billion last year, from $4.07 billion in 2021 and $3.22 billion in 2020. China is the states biggest agriculture market, buying $1.45 billion worth of products last year. Soybeans and soybean meal are the states top exports, followed by pork. Its pretty cool, Youngkin said, after touring the facility and playing what he said was his favorite role: chief marketing officer for the state, as he pitched the idea of a fourth elevator to Gavin Bradshaw, Omaha-based Scoulars lead merchant for international grains and oilseeds. He liked what he saw of Richmonds port, he said. We just need to double the capacity. And sell, sell, sell, he added. Richmonds terminal though no longer a port of call for seafaring ships such as the Icelandic carrier that used to come because Virginia apples were so popular in that North Atlantic nation plays a critical role in knitting the state together, Youngkin said. Like the port authoritys groundbreaking inland port at Front Royal, the terminal allows the wharves of Hampton Roads to reach deep into the countryside, he said, adding that the state is looking seriously at another inland export-import facility in Southwest Virginia. I talk to businesses that arent here yet every day, he said. And they can feel comfortable locating in Southside, in Southwest Virginia on the I-81 corridor, in Central Virginia because they can have access to a transportation infrastructure thats second to none. Farm and forest products are a staple at the Richmond port, said Virginia Port Authority CEO Stephen A. Edwards. The authoritys thrice-weekly barge service means it is easy for the states farmers to reach international markets, he said. Each of Scoulars elevators holds 18,000 to 20,000 bushels of grain, and most of what they do is empty semi-trailers full of grain, which takes as little as five or six minutes, and then load thousands of bushels at a time into 40-foot shipping containers. Farmers also bring loads in pickup trucks, Richmond terminal manager Christina Saunders told Youngkin. Edwards said the port authority is planning improvements to speed the flow of cargo at Richmond, including new steel fenders to replace the aging and cracked wooden ones on its 1,570-foot wharf. That will allow the terminal to work two barges at the same time and Edwards is hoping to boost that three-times-a-week service to a six times a week. In addition, the authority is making a drop zone for truckers, so they do not have to wait in line at the main security gate to deliver their containers. The idea is for the terminal to run a shuttle service transporting containers from the drop zone through the gate to be staged for loading on the barges, saving time and money for the long-haul trucks. The dozens of turquoise-painted trailer chassis that the authority owns and parks in Richmond, as it does at its main facilities in Hampton Roads, are also a key initiative to speed trucks in and out. They were a major reason why Virginias ports did not see the kind of backups and logjams that plagued most American ports during the pandemic. New lighting, meanwhile, will extend the hours the terminal can operate, Edwards said. Youngkin said he is going to push Virginia agricultural products on his first trade mission later this month in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Japan is a big buyer of Virginia soybeans and pork; Korea buys beef and cotton and Taiwan is a major buyer of Virginia grain, he said. Now we can sell them even more, he added. The first version of the proposal, which included fines for internet service providers and app stores if they helped to distribute the app, as well as TikTok if it continued to operate in the state, drew little attention when the State Senates Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee considered it on Feb. 27. At one point in that hearing, a lobbyist for AT&T stood up and announced that the company opposed the bill. He said it was not workable for internet service providers to put a TikTok ban into effect. He said AT&T was discussing a change with the bills sponsors that would allow the company to withdraw its opposition to the measure. Lawmakers had removed any mention of internet providers like AT&T when the State Senate passed the legislation a week later. By March, TikTok had hired two lobbyists in the state and was running ads featuring Montana small businesses that used TikTok. The app also started to mobilize its users. We need your help to stop the Montana State Legislature from taking away your right to use TikTok, the company said in an email posted to one users feed. The company gave users a prewritten email they could send to Mr. Gianforte opposing the bill. It sent a similar warning to users through a notification inside its mobile app, according to another post on TikTok. The State Houses Judiciary Committee considered the bill, which still required Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their stores, at a March 28 hearing. App stores frequently take down products. A ban on TikTok could also stop the stores from distributing updates to the app, slowly hobbling the service for users who had already downloaded it. But at the hearing, a representative from TechNet, a trade group whose members include Apple and Google, said it would be impossible to restrict TikTok state by state. Until last year, the actress Jodie Comer had never performed onstage. Comer, 30, a native of Liverpool, England, who began her career as a teenager, hadnt gone to drama school. She hadnt studied voice or movement. Her comfort was in the close-up, the medium shot. She knew how to make her face still and her voice quiet, and to let the camera do the rest. The theater directors she auditioned for didnt trust that she could fill a stage. It kind of felt unattainable, she said. But she is filling one now. On Broadway, at the John Golden Theater on West 45th Street, her face is emblazoned above the marquee, twice. The art for the Olivier Award-winning Prima Facie an intimate and harrowing monodrama about a woman contending with the fallout of a sexual assault shows Comer bathed in pink tones, serene, in a barristers wig, her eyes closed; it also shows her washed in blue, screaming. Opening on April 23, the play, which Comer first performed in London last year, runs 100 minutes. She is alone onstage for all of them. Its the theatrical equivalent of being shoved down a mountain the first time you put on skis, or off a high dive before you have even learned to swim. Comer put it a little differently. I pushed myself, she said. This was on a Sunday morning in late March, at an out-of-the way table at a West Village cafe. Comer, buoyed by the London-to-New York time change, had arrived early, chipper and casual in jeans and a fishermans sweater. (Casual, but not entirely anonymous: The reservation was in my name, yet a waiter had already brought a plate of complimentary pastries.) A plastic clip held her hair away from her face. Legal abortions also declined substantially even in places where courts overturned proposed bans. In Arizona, where abortion is allowed through the 15th week of pregnancy, several clinics closed temporarily as courts determined whether an abortion ban that predated Arizonas statehood could be enforced. The number of abortions a month plummeted 85 percent to 230 between April and July, and rose to 870 by December. In Ohio, a six-week abortion ban went into effect in June, and the number of legal abortions fell 62 percent from before Dobbs, to 790. The ban was overturned in September by a judge, and Ohio now has more than 1,400 abortions a month. Neither state experienced a return to pre-Dobbs levels. For our patients, its a constant source of fear and confusion to question what and where care is legally available, said Emily Wales, chief executive of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. Research has shown that the women most likely to be deterred by long distances are poor, Black or Hispanic. Teenagers, immigrants and people with child care or elder care responsibility are also more affected. Still, thousands of women traveled long distances to obtain abortions, the data shows. The number of abortions increased substantially in several states that have preserved access and are near states with bans. The largest increases in the number of abortions performed were in Florida, Illinois and North Carolina. States in regions where abortion remains legal, the West Coast and Northeast, did not experience surges. While many red states have effectively become abortion-free in the aftermath of Dobbs, there is a long way to go, said Andrew Shirvell, founder and executive director of Florida Voice for the Unborn, which supports amending the Constitution to ban abortion. If Floridas Legislature imposes a six-week ban, as expected, it will most likely decrease abortion access throughout the South. A Womans Choice of Jacksonville was on track to see 1,000 more patients this year than last, said Kelly Flynn, the clinics founder and president. More than a third of her patients are traveling from out of state, up from fewer than 10 percent before the bans began. Most are past six weeks pregnant. A Missouri city will pay $3.25 million to settle a federal lawsuit that accused the municipality of wrongfully jailing at least 7,000 people in a so-called debtors prison scheme, in which people arrested over minor infractions were forced to pay exorbitant fines or face more time in jail, court records show. Maplewood, a St. Louis suburb of about 8,000 residents, will pay back the people who were jailed and the more than 20,000 people who paid the city fines and fees from 2011 to 2021, according to ArchCity Defenders, a legal advocacy organization that filed the suit in 2016 and announced the settlement last week. For years, the City of Maplewood wrote thousands of tickets to raise millions of dollars in revenue, Nathaniel Carroll, a lawyer at ArchCity Defenders, said in a statement that maintained that the citys system was unconstitutional. The citys actions, he added, had resulted in poor people, and mostly Black people, who were jailed for days at a time until Maplewood had extorted as much money as possible from them. The City of Maplewood did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment on Tuesday, and its Police Department declined to comment. The governor of Massachusetts has asked the University of Massachusetts to purchase a one-year supply of the abortion pill mifepristone, and issued an executive order shielding pharmacists who stock the drug, abortion providers and patients from criminal and civil liability. Washington State is using its Department of Corrections and the University of Washington to stockpile a four-year supply of the drug, and has fast-tracked legislation allowing health care providers to distribute it. Officials in Maine, where at least 70 percent of abortions are done using pills, and in Maryland said this week that they were exploring purchasing additional doses of mifepristone. Since a federal judge in Texas last week invalidated the Food and Drug Administrations 23-year-old approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, states led by Democrats have been scrambling to adjust to a possible future without it. You cant expel hope, he added. You cant expel justice. In a sign of the continued Democratic outrage at the expulsions, five U.S. senators, including Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, on Wednesday asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the civil rights of Mr. Jones, Mr. Pearson or their constituents had been violated. As protesters continue to pressure the legislature to move to tighten access to guns in the state, Republican lawmakers have largely focused on legislation that would pour millions of dollars into security at both public and private schools. But on Tuesday, Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, announced he would sign an executive order tightening background checks for buying guns in the state and speeding up the process of reviewing criminal histories and mental health information from the courts. Mr. Lee also called on the legislature to draft and pass what he described as an order of protection law that would ensure that people found by a judge to be a danger to themselves or others would not have access to guns. He repeatedly declined to refer to the measure as a red flag law, a term some conservatives have resisted both on the state and the national level, instead describing it as a law that I think is appropriate for our state today. He has been open about the personal impact of the attack at the Covenant School: His wife, Maria, was close friends with Cindy Peak, one of the staff members killed, and the two women were set to have dinner the night of the shooting. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, a Republican, has also expressed support for a red flag law after the Covenant School shooting. Police officials had pointedly noted that while the parents of the shooter believed their child should not own any guns, particularly while receiving treatment for an unspecified emotional disorder, there was no law in Tennessee that could have allowed them to confiscate any weapons. Firefighters in central New Jersey were working on Wednesday to contain a quick-moving wildfire that prompted a temporary wave of evacuations and road closures overnight. Called the Jimmys Waterhole fire, it had burned 3,859 acres of federal, state and private property in Manchester Township, in Ocean County, about 50 miles east of Philadelphia, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said early Wednesday. Officials said 170 structures had been evacuated and 75 others were threatened by early Wednesday, when the fire was about 10 percent contained. The authorities also temporarily closed portions of Route 539 and Route 70, which runs from Philadelphia east toward the coast. Later on Wednesday morning, fire officials said at a news conference that the fire was about 50 percent contained, and that 20 structures were still threatened by the fire. By then, all evacuation orders had been lifted, and most residents had returned to their homes, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. WASHINGTON Even as a federal appeals court said late Wednesday that it would allow the abortion pill mifepristone to remain on the market, it sided with a federal judge in Texas by limiting distribution and access to the drug. The move potentially makes it much harder for many Americans to get the pill, which is part of a two-drug regimen that now accounts for more than half of the abortions in the United States. Heres what is at stake and what could happen next. Whats at stake? The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, knocked down the most contentious part of the ruling by Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas, who said last week that the Food and Drug Administration had improperly approved the drug. But the court left in place parts of Judge Kacsmaryks decision that could severely curtail nationwide access to mifepristone, further complicating an already thorny case. The decision essentially turns back the clock to 2016, when the F.D.A. added a series of guidelines that eased access to the pill, including by blocking patients from receiving the drug by mail. Arizonas Republican-controlled House of Representatives took the rare step on Wednesday of expelling a G.O.P. lawmaker who earlier this year had arranged testimony from a conspiracy theorist falsely accusing top state officials of bribery and other misconduct. Representative Liz Harris, an election denier who has expressed support for QAnon and has aligned herself with Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder who has pushed election conspiracy theories, was overwhelmingly removed from office by her colleagues. The House voted 46 to 13 to banish her, easily surpassing the necessary two-thirds threshold. The action was taken after an ethics complaint was filed against Ms. Harris by a Democratic lawmaker. Twenty-nine Democrats joined 17 Republicans to vote for expulsion, while all 13 nay votes came from Republicans, including Ms. Harris. One Democrat did not vote. Ms. Harris, from Chandler, became just one of a handful of Arizona lawmakers to be expelled. She did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. Fox News will host the first official debate of the 2024 Republican presidential primary in Milwaukee in August, the Republican National Committees chairwoman announced on Wednesday. We are going to host the very first debate with Fox News. It will be a Fox News Republican primary debate, Ronna McDaniel said on the networks flagship morning program, Fox and Friends, adding that all participants will be asked to agree to a party loyalty pledge to support the eventual nominee. Donald J. Trump, the former president and current polling front-runner for the nomination in 2024, has refused to say whether he would support a nominee other than himself. In a February radio appearance, he said his support would have to depend on who the nominee was. Ms. McDaniel explained the reason for the pledge: Let me ask you this, as R.N.C. chair, and were hosting R.N.C. debates with Fox, if I said I wouldnt support the nominee of our party Id be kicked out, she said. So why would we host a debate stage without every candidate saying Im going to support whoever the voters choose, and the voters want that. AfD starts Bundestag career with multiple scandals under its belt The party set to become one of the largest opposition groups in the German legislature - perhaps even the official opposition to the governing coalition - has one of the more colourful histories of any party to ever make it into the Bundestag. GALLERY Berlin (dpa) - The Alternative for Germany (AfD) sprang to life as a eurosceptic party focused more on economic questions. Debate about whether Germany should be bailing out Greece propelled it to within a few percentage points of entering the Bundestag in 2013.After that, interest in the party waned until Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Germanys doors to a wave of refugees in 2015. That move sparked rage among the German right and helped turn the AfD into a party marked by its anti-immigrant bent.But, cobbled together as the party is - with many of its members new to politics - the AfD has made headlines not so much for its policy proposals, but rather for a string of gaffes and shocking statements.Leading AfD member Bjoern Hoecke caused a stir in January when he gave a speech attacking the legitimacy of Berlins Holocaust memorial.Even for many AfD members, his comments - referring to the memorial as a "monument of shame" and calling on the country to stop atoning for its Nazi past - were seen as a step too far, and the party tried to remove him. However, that effort has so far failed.Using language harking back to Nazi Germany, the firebrand politician had told the partys youth wing that the countrys ubiquitous culture of remembrance left Germans feeling like "a brutally conquered people."Alexander Gauland, the AfDs 76-year-old leader, is facing possible charges of racial incitement after he called for a Turkish-German politician to be "disposed of" in Anatolia.Germanys political establishment railed at Gaulands comments about Aydan Ozoguz, a German-born government commissioner for migration, who had said in an interview that there was no evidence of a specifically German culture beyond the common language."Thats a statement by a German-Turk. Lets invite her to Eichsfeld and tell her whats specific to German culture. After that, shell never come here again, and well be able to, thank God, dispose of her in Anatolia," Gauland responded.Even Merkel, who usually remains mum on the AfDs day-to-day controversies, condemned Gaulands comment as "racist."Gauland says that he stands by his remarks.Gaulands co-running mate, Alice Weidel, has also come under fire for allegations that she is the author of a racist email.In the email dated February 24, 2013, Weidel reportedly alleged that Merkels government was attempting to "destroy Germanys bourgeois society by flooding [the country] with Arabs, Sinti and Roma" and that Germany needed to retain its "genetic unity.""These pigs [in the government] are nothing more than marionettes of the victors of World War II," she allegedly wrote in the email.Gauland and others said the coverage was a concerted effort by the media and government to discredit Weidel ahead of the election.However, Die Welt newspaper has stuck by its source, stating that the recipient of the email - a former acquaintance of Weidels - had provided a statement under oath as to the emails authenticity.At the same time, Weidel was slammed with reports that she had employed a Syrian refugee illegally as household help. Weidel denies the charges, and Weidels lawyer said that she had "friendly contact" with a Syrian woman, who had also been a guest in her house.Several AfD members found themselves in hot water in June after instant message transcripts filled with nationalistic messages and a plan to clamp down on the media came to light.At one point in the chat, Andre Poggenburg, a state AfD party leader, used the phrase "Deutschland den Deutschen" (Germany for the Germans), an expression generally associated with the extreme-right National Democratic Party.At another point, an AfD member, who is also reportedly a federal police officer, talked about the need for strict controls on the media should the AfD ever take power."We have to undercut the media, otherwise it will be hard. Along with taking power, we have to set up a committee to review all journalists and editors, and sift through them. Bosses have to be fired. Media that is against the people has to be forbidden."Poggenburg has stood by his "Deutschland den Deutschen" comment, saying there was nothing problematic about it."Obviously a country should belong to those people who have lived there a long time, who have spent decades or even generations putting down roots there and become members of society." Smith Mountain Lake once again saw the most boating incidents of any body of water in Virginia last year, though the overall number of incidents statewide continues to trend downward, according to the state Department of Wildlife Resources. Twenty-one boating incidents were recorded at the lake in 2022, according to the annual Recreational Boating Incident Summary. This is the third year Smith Mountain Lake has taken the top spot in Virginia, outpacing other boating hot spots such as Lake Anna which recorded 15 incidents last year. The amount was even more than last years previous high of 19 reported incidents for Smith Mountain Lake, which is larger than Lake Anna. Its definitely higher than we would like it to be, said 1st Sgt. Tim Dooley with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. It is trending in the wrong direction. Of those 21 incidents, 10 involved only property damage with no injuries to boaters. Incidents are required to be reported when there is more than $2,000 in damage by or to a vessel or its equipment, injury requiring medical assistance beyond first aid, loss of life or disappearance of a person from a vessel. Dooley said a majority of boating incidents at Smith Mountain Lake last year involved a single vessel striking a fixed object on the lake. He said many of those incidents are due to the inattention of boat operators or people who are often unfamiliar with the lake. More than a quarter of all boating incidents reported in Virginia last year were due to inattention of boat operators. In all, 87 incidents were reported. Statewide, incidents are trending downward after a 10-year high of 110 incidents in 2020, likely due to the massive increase in recreational boaters that year during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That number dropped to 89 in 2021. With the exception of 2020, the rate of recreational boating incidents has sharply declined since the early 2000s. One major positive for Smith Mountain Lake in 2022 was no boating fatalities were reported. The previous two years in 2021 and 2020 each had one boating fatality reported. While just a little more than three month into 2023, Smith Mountain Lake has already recorded two boating fatalities for the year. In January, two Danville men died when their boat capsized near Anthony Ford Public Boat Ramp in Penhook. Dooley said officers were not able to determine how the boat capsized but were able to determine the boat did not strike any objects. They also found a mechanical issue with the steering that could have been a factor. Fatalities statewide also dropped in 2022 to 17. That trended down from a high of 21 in 2020. As in previous years, no life jacket was worn in a vast majority of Virginias boating fatalities. A life jacket was worn in only one of the 17 reported fatalities in 2022. In Virginia, boaters are not required to wear life jackets but must have a jacket, or a floatation device, available for each passenger. Dooley said boaters should consider wearing some form of life jacket at all times while boating. The newer life jackets are comfortable to wear and can provide significant protection if there is an incident and a life jacket or floatation device is not nearby. If people would wear a life jacket, we would eliminate a vast majority of these fatalities, Dooley said. With weather starting to warm, preparations are underway for the 2023 boating season set to hit full swing next month. Dooley said they dont yet know how busy this year will be compared to previous year, but they tend to prepare for a crowded lake. We always anticipate it is going to be a busy season, Dooley said. Patrols will begin increasing on the lake in early May and will continue ramping up until the end of the month. Well be out in full force by Memorial Day, Dooley said. Smith Mountain Lake will also see an influx of new officers this year. Dooley said they currently have three new recruits in academy currently and will have them out patrolling the water in July. I think we will be in pretty good shape, Dooley said. A third person with knowledge of the investigation said the map might also have been shown to a journalist writing a book. The Washington Post has previously reported that investigators have asked about Mr. Trump showing classified material, including maps, to political donors. The question of whether Mr. Trump was displaying sensitive material in his possession after he lost the presidency and left office is crucial as investigators try to reconstruct what Mr. Trump was doing with boxes of documents that went with him to his Florida residence and private club, Mar-a-Lago. Among the topics investigators have been focused on is precisely when Mr. Trump was at the club last year. In particular, they were interested in whether he remained at Mar-a-Lago to look at boxes of material that were still stored there before Justice Department counterintelligence officials seeking their return came to visit in early June, according to two people familiar with the questions. Mr. Trump typically leaves Florida for his club in Bedminster, N.J., earlier than he did last year, when he was still at Mar-a-Lago for the visit from the Justice Department officials, on June 3. Investigators have been gathering evidence about whether Mr. Trump had aides bring him boxes to sift through after a grand jury subpoena was issued in May for any government documents Mr. Trump still had in his possession, the people said. After the June 3 visit, when Justice Department officials were handed a batch of documents with classified markings that had been found at Mar-a-Lago, a lawyer for Mr. Trump signed a certification saying a diligent search had been conducted and all government material had been returned. That statement proved untrue two months later when the F.B.I. found hundreds of pages of additional classified documents during a court-authorized search. Former President Donald J. Trump said Tuesday that he would continue campaigning for the White House even if convicted of a crime. In his first national media interview since pleading not guilty last week to 34 felony charges related to a hush-money scandal during his 2016 White House bid, Mr. Trump complimented the strongmen leaders of several other countries; attacked sick, radical Democrats; and indicated that not even a prison sentence would keep him from running for president. Id never drop out, its not my thing, Mr. Trump said when asked on Fox News about a potential conviction. In addition to his criminal charges in New York, the former president is facing several other criminal investigations: One is related to his attempts to overturn election results in Georgia, another is into his efforts to hold on to power in Washington after losing re-election and a third is into his handling of classified documents at his home in South Florida. WASHINGTON Polands prime minister said he believed that only the direct intervention of President Biden would lead to an agreement for South Korea to make its artillery shells available to Ukraine to use in the fight against Russia. Leaked intelligence documents posted on social media in March and brought to wider public attention in recent days said Poland could have a role in the transfer of artillery shells from South Korea to Ukraine. But the reports indicated that South Korean officials were reluctant to provide the ammunition, worried that doing so could violate their countrys rules against providing lethal aid to nations at war. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland, who is in Washington this week for meetings with U.S. officials and the International Monetary Fund, said tapping into South Korean artillery stocks was crucial to getting more badly needed ammunition to Ukraine. Russias military, Mr. Morawiecki said in an interview on Tuesday with The New York Times, has far more artillery shells and is firing far more rounds on the battlefield each month than the Ukrainian Army. He said South Korea has a huge supply of artillery shells and could help. I spoke to Vimal, who covers higher education for The New York Times, about his reporting and how this incident fit into our current high-pitched political environment and understanding of free speech at universities nationwide. Heres our conversation, lightly edited: How did you come to this story? I had kept an eye on the controversy ever since video of Steinbachs intervention on March 9 went viral. But the story snowballed from there. It became a major cause on the right, with prominent politicians like Ted Cruz and media personalities calling for Steinbachs firing. By the time Martinez responded with her extraordinary memo, I was already reporting. As youve written, the issue of free speech on college campuses isnt a new one. Why did this particular incident garner so much attention? The recorded remarks by Steinbach came at a time when diversity, equity and inclusion jobs are under attack from conservatives. Her intervention felt like a Rorschach test. What did you see? A D.E.I. dean expressing sympathy for students heckling a federal judge and also admonishing him? Or a deft administrator stepping into a challenging situation, calming students down and insisting they listen to the judge? Many people were quick to condemn Steinbach from the video. But when I actually started reporting, I found a much more complicated back story. I was surprised to hear that she had a good relationship with the head of Stanfords Federalist Society. And that Nadine Strossen, a free speech crusader, thought that she went out of her way to support free expression. What is it about this moment that brings such attention to campus free-speech issues? Many people who are frustrated that these flare-ups ricochet around the web say that controversial speakers deliver talks every day at universities, including law schools, without incident, and that we only hear about the events that go awry. That said, this is an emotionally charged and polarizing moment in U.S. history more broadly, and thats playing out on college campuses. Passions are especially escalated at law schools because so many of the countrys biggest cultural divisions are legal issues. Roe v. Wade was just overturned. The fight for the rights of gay and transgender people, redistricting and even election-integrity claims all play out in courtrooms. Liam Squires, like many students, usually answers the question How was school today? with an evasive answer along the lines of I dont know. This is why weeks passed before his mother, Megan Squires, learned that he had spotted an error in a science textbook that the publisher, dozens of students and his own teacher had missed. Liam, 10, had noticed that two rocks were misplaced in a diagram of the rock cycle. The significance of his discovery was not clear to his mother until months later in March, when Liam was praised by the school district superintendent and received a letter from the textbooks publisher. Liam saw the mistake toward the end of a school day at H.M. Pearson Elementary School in Catlett, Va., about 50 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. In my late 20s, I was ghosted by one of my closest friends. We met in college and began drifting apart after graduation. He moved to the Midwest for grad school; I stayed in New York, but we visited when our circumstances and budgets allowed, and emailed frequently at first, then less often. I have tried not to dwell too much on the time when our relationship ended, but I recently dug up my last email to him from 12 years ago: Im putting this out there as a final attempt to be in touch, I wrote in a note that makes me feel a combination of heartache and embarrassment, even now. I hope we can reconnect. He never responded, and I never tried again. It felt an awful lot like being dumped. Ghosting when someone unilaterally cuts off communication without warning or explanation has become a seemingly inescapable part of the modern dating scene, but we pay far less attention to it as a phenomenon between friends. Yet research suggests that experiences like mine are pretty common. In one study from 2018, 39 percent of the participants said theyd been ghosted by a friend. And a study published earlier this year found that people often feel just as hurt after being ghosted by a friend as they do after being ghosted by a romantic partner. With ghosting, we know that there are four fundamental needs that get threatened, explained Gili Freedman, an assistant professor of psychology at St. Marys College of Maryland who was an author of the 2018 study: Your sense of belonging, your sense of meaningful existence that you have a place in the world, and that place is meaningful your sense of control and your self-esteem. I would say with these large language models, I also think its not doing them justice to say theyre simply regurgitating text. They exhibit glimpses of creativity, insight and understanding that are quite impressive and may show the rudiments of reasoning. Variations of these A.I.s may soon develop a conception of self as persisting through time, reflect on desires, and socially interact and form relationships with humans. What would it mean if A.I. was determined to be, even in a small way, sentient? If an A.I. showed signs of sentience, it plausibly would have some degree of moral status. This means there would be certain ways of treating it that would be wrong, just as it would be wrong to kick a dog or for medical researchers to perform surgery on a mouse without anesthetizing it. The moral implications depend on what kind and degree of moral status we are talking about. At the lowest levels, it might mean that we ought to not needlessly cause it pain or suffering. At higher levels, it might mean, among other things, that we ought to take its preferences into account and that we ought to seek its informed consent before doing certain things to it. Ive been working on this issue of the ethics of digital minds and trying to imagine a world at some point in the future in which there are both digital minds and human minds of all different kinds and levels of sophistication. Ive been asking: How do they coexist in a harmonious way? Its quite challenging because there are so many basic assumptions about the human condition that would need to be rethought. What are some of those fundamental assumptions that would need to be reimagined or extended to accommodate artificial intelligence? After 10 months of one of the longest and bloodiest battles in Russias war in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers are now defending a shrinking half-circle of ruins in a western neighborhood of Bakhmut, only about 20 blocks wide and continually pounded with artillery. Pushed into this ever-smaller corner of the 16-square-mile city, the Ukrainian army is determined to hunker down and hold out, even as allies have quietly questioned the rationale for fighting block by block, sustaining significant casualties, in a city that is a devastating panorama of damaged buildings and rubble. Even six weeks ago, Ukraines toehold in Bakhmut, site of some of the fiercest urban combat in Europe since World War II, had seemed tenuous and the city close to being encircled, according to recently leaked U.S. intelligence documents. A visit this week to the remaining, battered zone of control, along with interviews with soldiers and commanders, showed that Ukraine had lost ground inside the city, although an access road remained passable, allowing resupply and evacuation of wounded. BELFAST, Northern Ireland President Biden wound down his trip to Ireland on Friday, making stops at places resonant to his Catholic faith and emotional to him as a father. Thousands of people stood along the River Moy in Ballina on Friday night, for the chance to see Mr. Biden as he visited St. Muredachs Cathedral on the rivers banks. Mr. Bidens great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt, made the bricks that were used to construct the pillars supporting the buildings nave. The last day of his trip included a stop at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a sacred shrine for Roman Catholics. He was told by a priest there that a friar who had administered last rites to his eldest son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015, was living in Knock. The president broke down in tears in a subsequent meeting with the friar, Frank OGrady. On Wednesday, President Biden hailed 25 years of relative peace in Northern Ireland in a speech at a Belfast university, urging political leaders to embrace economic possibilities and turn away from violence. As Washington seeks to throttle economic ties with Beijing, two powerful engines of the German economy, Volkswagen and the chemical company BASF, are broadening their huge Chinese investments. Volkswagen, which has more than 40 plants in China, announced a new effort to tailor models to Chinese customers wishes, with features like in-dash karaoke machines, and will invest billions in local partnerships and production sites. Its part of a theme unveiled by the German automaker last year: In China for China. BASF, with 30 production facilities in China, is pushing ahead with plans to spend 10 billion euros ($10.9 billion) on a new chemical production complex that would rival in size its massive headquarters complex in Ludwigshafen, which covers about four square miles. Throughout Germany, executives are aware such investments run contrary to efforts by the United States to isolate China economically. They counter that revenue from China is essential for their businesses to thrive and grow in Europe. A mother shot her three children inside a home on the south side of Winston-Salem, N.C., while on a Facetime call on Tuesday, Winston-Salem police believe. The mother then apparently shot herself, police said. The person at the other end of the call witnessed the shootings. The dead were: sisters Sakendra Syann Steele, 9; Sakenya Syretha Steele, 12; their brother, Sakenlo Shawn Steele Jr., 14; and the childrens mother, Ethal Syretha Steele, who was 40 years old. The bodies of the four were found at 3140 Brookhill Drive, where police arrived to find the house locked after receiving a report of a shooting at 11:54 a.m. on Tuesday. The house is on a cul-de-sac at the south end of Brookhill Drive, in a normally quiet residential neighborhood called Ashton Grove thats on an extension of Pope Road leading west from Ebert Road. Winston-Salem police forced entry into the locked home and found the bodies of the three children and their mother. More than a dozen law enforcement vehicles arrived and officers used yellow police tape to seal off the street. An ambulance responded, but drove slowly and quietly out of the neighborhood around 12:30 p.m. The mother shot the youngest girl first, police believe. Then the older girl jumped up and screamed before she was shot twice. The boy was the last of the children to be shot. Police have not said where the familys bodies were found. A quiet neighborhood Shocked bystanders watched from the other side of Pope Road most of the afternoon. Around 1:15 p.m., a man get out of a car and walk toward the cul-de-sac. When the man reached the yard of a neighboring house, he collapsed to the ground, apparently overcome by grief. Police officers came over to help him, and stayed with him several minutes until he was able to get up again. The man then walked with police officers toward the house where the shootings occurred. Later, the same man could be heard shouting in his grief near Pope Road, as those around him tried to comfort him. As a big mobile crime scene bus and a smaller forensics police truck showed up on Brookhill, it was clear to bystanders watching that something very serious had happened. Shortly before 3 p.m., police told reporters that four people were dead but had no other information to release. Police did not at that time confirm that the incident was a murder-suicide, but they did say that no suspects were being sought and that there was no safety threat to the neighborhood. Police released the names of all four of the dead at 4:41 p.m. A woman who lives in the neighborhood described how her own children occasionally played with the three Steele children in the front yard of the home where the shooting took place. The neighbor described the family as reclusive, and said that she had not spoken with them much. Another woman who lives just a few doors down from the site of the shooting said she had not heard anything out of the ordinary Tuesday morning, and found the arrival of all the police cars alarming. This is a quiet neighborhood very quiet, the woman said. A man who said he was godfather to one of the children said the Steele family had just gotten back from a vacation to Florida. Talking about gun violence Chris Scott, a pastor who lives in sight of 3140 Brookhill, was on a teleconference call with others talking about gun violence on Tuesday, and when the call ended he walked outside and ended up talking to family members and offering them his help. This is just the beginning of the process, unfortunately, with grief, he said afterward. Theres a lot to come after. Scott said the group he was talking with, Live Free USA, advocates way to reduce gun violence, and in the conference had been discussing the recent shootings at a school in Nashville, Tenn. There is no reason that our babies should have to worry about being shot at school, there is no reason that we should be losing children to gun violence, he said, adding that common-sense solutions can be worked out between the left and right. This is a quiet neighborhood, nothing like this ever happens, he said. Everybody is very cordial. We all stay to ourselves, but people are struggling with something, you just never know. You cant look at someone and tell what they are struggling with. Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough arrived on Pope Road near the crime scene mid-afternoon on Tuesday, and could be speaking with people who appeared to be family members or friends. Kimbrough was not able to provide any details on the case: Its a sad situation, Kimbrough said. Thats all I can tell you. A hearse and a van from a funeral home arrived at the scene about 6 p.m. Numbers rising Tuesdays shooting comes at a time when murder-suicides involving guns are on the rise in North Carolina and nationally. This year, North Carolina already is nearly halfway toward its 2022 total of 20 murder-suicide incidents involving firearms, according to the national Gun Violence Archive. From 2019 through 2022, North Carolina averaged 21.5 gun-related murder-suicides annually, according to the data. There have been nine such incidents reported in the state this year, with one-third of them taking place in the Triad, including the latest in Winston-Salem. On Jan. 8, a 45-year-old man fatally shot his 45-year-old wife and three children before turning the gun on himself in their home in High Point. The children were aged 10, 16 and 18. Officers said theyd responded to calls from the same address five other times since 2014, including five days before the deadly shooting to serve an involuntary mental commitment order on the father. Police would not elaborate on what prompted that order, but said family members indicated that he suffered from some form of mental illness. On Feb. 8, Greensboro police responding to a reported assault found a 34-year-old woman dead after being shot, and a 31-year-old man with what was determined to be a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. Nationally, last years total of 670 murder-suicides involving guns was the most ever recorded in a single year, up from 594 in 2021 and 570 the year before. So far in 2023, the U.S. is averaging two firearms-related murder-suicides per day, putting it on pace to break last years record. Winston-Salem police said the deaths of the Steele children were the 14th, 15th and 16th homicides in the city, compared to 14 by this date in 2022. The investigation is still active, and police say anyone with information should contact police at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800. PHOTOS: Shooting at 3100 block of Brookhill Drive Prince Harry will attend his fathers coronation next month, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday, ending speculation over whether the strained relations between the Duke of Sussex and other members of the royal family would stain one of the biggest royal events in a generation. Harrys wife, Meghan, and their two children will not attend, the palace said. The coronation of King Charles III will be held on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London. Since Harry and Meghan withdrew from royal duties in 2020 and moved to the United States, the Duke of Sussex has attended a few royal events, including the funerals of Queen Elizabeth II in September and Prince Philip in 2021. But his attendance at the coronation, and that of his wife and children, has been a subject of constant speculation after interviews, documentaries and Harrys memoir, Spare, portrayed a growing rift in the royal family. News of Harrys brief return to the royal fold comes just a month after he and Meghan were asked to move out of Frogmore Cottage, their five-bedroom house on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth offered the house to the couple at the time of their wedding in 2018, and it served as their home base when they visited Britain after they relocated to Montecito, Calif. NEW DELHI A senior Ukrainian official visiting New Delhi urged India on Wednesday to be on the right side of the war and asked for medicines and medical equipment to help rebuild her countrys ravaged health infrastructure. Emine Dzhaparova, Ukraines deputy foreign minister, expressed her countrys desire to build a strong relationship with New Delhi, a traditional ally of Russias. Ms. Dzhaparova is the most senior Ukrainian official to visit India since Russias full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Our expectations are quite clear, Ms. Dzhaparova told a gathering at the Indian Council of World Affairs, a think tank in New Delhi. We believe that discussion about economy and future economy, the economic situation in the world is not possible without the discussion about the repercussions of the war of Russia against Ukraine. Despite pressure from Western allies, India has so far refused to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Instead, it is choosing to walk a middle path that, its officials say, is centered on its own interests and growing influence. A grand jury in Ohio decided not to charge eight Akron police officers in the death of Jayland Walker, a Black man who was fatally shot by the police after he shot at them last year, prosecutors said Monday. The killing of Mr. Walker, who was unarmed when police shot him, had prompted a series of protests. Mr. Walker, 25, died on June 27, 2022, after an attempted traffic stop. When Mr. Walker did not pull over, the police chased him, first in vehicles and then on foot. Officers later said that they had thought Mr. Walker had fired a weapon from his car and that they had feared he would fire again, prompting the officers to shoot at Mr. Walker as he ran from them. Attorney General Dave Yost of Ohio confirmed on Monday that Mr. Walker had fired at least one shot at the police from his car, where the weapon was later found. But Mr. Walker was unarmed when the police fatally shot him while he was on foot. The police fired 94 shots at Mr. Walker, and he sustained 46 gunshot wounds, the attorney generals office said. After hearing testimony and seeing evidence, the grand jury handed down its decision on April 17. An attempted traffic stop leads to a deadly chase. The police said they tried to stop Mr. Walker, who had one traffic ticket and no criminal record, shortly after midnight on June 27 for an equipment violation and a traffic violation. After Mr. Walker did not pull over, the police chased after him in their vehicles for more than seven minutes. Seven Republicans had joined Democrats in voting against the expulsion of Ms. Johnson. Asked why she thought she had survived the expulsion vote, Ms. Johnson, who is white, said, It might have to do with the color of my skin. Mr. Pearson, crowded by supporters after he was ejected and yelling over the sound of demonstrators, said: You cannot ignore the racial dynamic of what happened today two young Black lawmakers get expelled and the one white woman does not. Republican leaders, speaking to reporters afterward, denied that race played a factor in the decision and pointedly noted that the majority of their conference was still in favor of expelling Ms. Johnson. Who are the three lawmakers? Ms. Johnson, who represents parts of Knoxville, is the most senior of the three; she was first elected to the House for the 2013-2014 term. A former teacher, she was elected again in 2018. After redistricting following the 2020 census, she moved to avoid having to contest the seat of another Democratic member. Mr. Jones, 27, is one of the youngest members of the House. He won election in November to represent parts of Nashville. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, he made a name for himself locally as a community organizer. He has held sit-ins in the State Capitol and, in the summer of 2020, led a 61-day protest against racial injustice outside the building that included demands for the removal of a bust of a Confederate general. Raccoons are not native to Japan, yet in the last few decades, the furry critters have become naturalized in 44 of the countrys 47 prefectures, causing all sorts of problems for humans and other animal species. And to think it all started with a cute anime series In 1963, American writer Sterling North launched his most popular book, Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era. It told the story of a young boy called Sterling who went on adventures with his raccoon sidekick Rascal, and it became such a huge hit that Disney decided to turn it into a live-action movie. In Japan, Rascals adventures inspired a 52-episode anime series called Rascal the Raccoon (Araiguma Rasakaru), which ran for a year in 1977 and made raccoons the most sought-after pets in the country. There was just one problem there were no raccoons in Japan, so people started importing them from the United States at a rate of about 1,500 raccoons per month. Photo: Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash If the people who demanded raccoons for pets had bothered reading the end of Sterling Norths book or watching the entire anime series, they would have realized that mature raccoons dont make great pets. In the book, Sterling realizes that Rascal is a wild animal meant to live in the wild, so he releases him, and so did many of the families foolish enough to adopt baby raccoons as pets. By the time authorities realized what was going on and started preventing people to stop releasing their raccoons in the wild, it was already too late. The resourceful mammals had already driven other wild species away, destroyed crops, as well as traditional wooden temples and houses, and there was little anyone could do to stop them. There were tens of thousands of them, all breeding at an uncontrollable speed. With tens of thousands of raccoons imported in a matter of months, and with no natural predators to speak of, there was little the Japanese government could do to keep things under control. In cities, they started going through the trash in search of food, even attacking people who got between them and their trash, and just being a natural nuisance. Technically, Japan has its own raccoon species, tanuki, the raccoon dog, but it cant compete with the common raccoon in terms of adaptability, so it is in danger of losing its territory. They compete for the same resources, but the American raccoon is so much better at securing them. In an attempt to keep raccoons from destroying agricultural crops, traditional wooden temples, and houses, some Japanese prefectures have taken the controversial decision to cull the animals. This has attracted the wrath of animal rights activists and did little in terms of controlling raccoon numbers. Despite the raccoon infestation currently plaguing Japan, the anime that started it all is still hugely popular in Japan, and people love Rascal as much as always. Black Americans are disproportionately affected by the health disparities prevalent in society today, and that shapes how receptive they are to the healthcare information that marketers and communicators present to them, according to a new report from M Booth Health and Sprout Insight, a women- and minority-owned strategic consulting and market research firm. Chosen Circles: How Black Americans Navigate Health Decision Making looks at the strategies Black healthcare consumers employ to make sure they are receiving the care they need. More than a third of respondents said they do not feel represented in health information, do not feel that health organizations care about people with their background and dont always trust the health information they receive. That lack of trust, the report says, is leading to increased rates of illness among Black healthcare consumers. More than one in five survey respondents said they have gotten sick in the last 12 to 18 months because they did not have access to necessary health information. Black consumers are dealing with this unequal healthcare landscape by taking matters into their own hands. Our research showed that Black Americans are now the most proactive racial/ethnic group of all when it comes to managing their health. One of the main ways that plays itself out is through the formation of chosen circlesgroups of trusted people and sources that consumers go to for advice and support when making health decisions. For 36 percent of the respondents, healthcare providers are not in their chosen circles. While 53 percent say pharmaceutical companies are an important source of health information, only 13 percent say they have actually learned about health from a pharmaceutical company website. A majority of respondents (57 percent) said that curating multiple sources of health information makes them feel more confident about their decision making, while 50 percent cited the desire to hear the opinions of people who have experienced the same healthcare issue that they are experiencing. More than six in 10 of the survey respondents (61 percent) said they have created such personal networks, and these networks are seen across several demographics, with 68 percent of Black mothers, 62 percent of Black men, 60 percent of Black women and 59 percent of Black Gen Zers having formed them. The survey also says that Black healthcare consumers are looking to those circles to fill in the inclusion gaps that they find in more mainstream healthcare communications. More than four in 10 (42 percent) would be more likely to trust information that comes from a member of their own community. The study polled 2,539 demographically diverse adult consumers between Nov. 30 and Dec. 11, 2022. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson Who is having a worse PR month? Is it Tennessees statehouse for expelling two Black members for protesting the lack of action on gun control laws following the shooting of three kids and three adults at a Nashville Christian school? Or is it Ernst & Young for killing its highly publicized plan to split the auditing and consulting arms due to a revolt by senior executive heads of its US unit? E&Y spent more than $100M on the split-up and now has a big fat PR egg on its face. Unveiling Plan B on April 12, E&Y will now launch a $500M cost-savings plan in the US. Is that an act of revenge on the unit that accounts for 40 percent of its $45B revenues? Justin Jones and Justin Pearson are now heading back to the Tennessee statehouse after they were reinstated by local governments in Nashville and Memphis. They are triumphant national figures who received a call from President Biden and a visit from VP Kamala Harris. E&Y is now entering a real period of nastiness, a US partner told the Wall Street Journal. The Tennessee lawmakers, who ousted Jones and Pearson, at least have a chance to redeem themselves. Who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks? Americas oldest president ever plans to step up the wooing of social media influencers to reach young voters during his re-election campaign. Team Biden is even considering opening a White House briefing room for influencers and positioning it as an equivalent of the press briefing room used by the traditional media. It added the assistant to the president" title to digital strategy director Rob Flaherty. That puts Flaherty on equal footing with White House communications director Ben LaBolt and press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Donald Trumps former communications advisor Kellyanne Conway praised the smart strategy being devised to boost the 80-year-old Biden among the young. She told Fox commentator Laura Ingraham that the Republican Partys strategy of waiting for the young to get old and the single people to get married before pitching them is a losing proposition. Biden trounced Donald Trump by a 26-point margin among voters age 18-to-29 during the 2020 election. There is a great potential to widen that gap in 2024 as young voters are turned off by the Republican positions on abortion access, gun control, LGBTQ+ issues, same-sex marriage, voting rights and climate change. Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace warned her colleagues that the GOP risks of going down the rabbit holes of extremism. Her warning follows a poll from the University of Wisconsins School of Journalism and Mass Communications of Trump supporters that found 60 percent of them agreed on using force to take back the government. Nearly half (46 percent) agreed that it is okay to take the law into their own hands. Maces warning is way too late. Risky times for Big Business Concerns about policy risks such as changes in taxes, regulations and enforcement have jumped 27 percent over the past decade among S&P 500 companies, according to a poll from the US Chamber of Commerce. The study analyzed how many times the S&P group made reference to public policy risks in the 10-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Data privacy, immigration issues, labor and intellectual property showed the biggest increase in mentions. Suzanne Clark, US CoC president said Washingtons polarization, gridlock, regulatory overreach and inability to act smartly and strategically for our future are making it harder for businesses to do their jobs and move this country forward. Hats off to Nikki Haley for her aggressive PR positioning. In a campaign fundraising pitch, Haley takes a swipe at those being touted would-be candidates who have not yet taken the plunge. She chided the undeclared Florida governor Ron DeSantis for making misstep after misstep on his national book tour, confirming what many observers have long suspected, hes not ready for prime time. Haley even took on Trump who was in a New York courtroom, while she was on the US-Mexico border offering her plan to stop illegal immigration. She rapped Trumps lack of vision for America. Its increasingly clear that Trumps candidacy is more consumed by the grievances of the past and the promise of more drama in the future, rather than a forward-looking vision for the American people. She also wants the self-described stable genius to take a mental competency test. OFFALY has been awarded over 440,000 under the Community Monuments Fund Six Offaly projects have been allocated funding under this years scheme. They include: 100,000 in funding for Killeigh Chapter House 100,000 in funding for Seir Kieran Graveyard Wall 98,896 in funding for Kilbride Church 93,438 in funding for Monasteroris Church 29,889 in funding for Ballintemple Church 22,325 in funding for the staircase in Emmel Castle Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, announced the award of 8 million in funding for 140 archaeological heritage projects throughout the country. The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection, and promotion of local monuments and historic sites, in alignment with the aims of the Governments new heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, and the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan. The scheme contains a range of measures that seek to enable conservation to be carried out on archaeological monuments in need of urgent support, encourage access to these monuments and improve their presentation, and build resilience to enable these monuments to withstand the effects of climate change. The scheme offers three funding streams to support a broad range of measures aimed at protecting and promoting archaeological monuments, including emergency conservation repair works at monuments, masonry repair, the development of Conservation Management Plans, access infrastructure and installation of interpretation signage, and communication projects aimed at disseminating knowledge of Irelands archaeological heritage. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD said: I am delighted to announce funding for 140 archaeological heritage projects across the country under the Community Monuments Fund to a total of 8 million, an increase of 33% on last year. This fund has supported over 330 projects since its establishment in 2020, making a tangible, positive impact to the medieval forts and churches and the historic graveyards and castles into which the lives of our ancestors are woven, along with our own, connecting us to our ancient past. It is also, of course, an investment in our future: in the ongoing care, conservation and promotion of these remarkable monuments and historic sites, and in the communities and heritage professionals who expertly manage the effort to conserve, protect and share them. Id like to thank all of this years applicants for their efforts, and wish the successful grantees the very best of luck with their projects. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien, TD, said: When we established the Community Monuments Fund in 2020, we did so with the objective of supporting the heritage sector and providing an effective way to assist Local Authorities and custodians in protecting Irelands remarkable yet vulnerable archaeological heritage. With my colleague, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan TD, we have grown this Fund yet again from last year, building year on year since its establishment. I am also delighted to see many archaeological monuments in private ownership benefitting a recognition of the custodianship which is so important to the protection of Irelands archaeological heritage. Two authors, including a Rapidan pastor, recently held a reading of their works at the Arts Center in Orange their first such gig since the pandemic began three years ago. The nonprofit community arts center at 129 E. Main St. hosted the public reading on the evening of April 6 with the Orange County writers, Cary Holladay and Charles McRaven. Afterwards, they participated in a question-and-answer session and signed copies of their books for those in attendance. Holladay started, reading passages from her story Heaven from one of her more well-known books The Quick Change Artist Stories. The tales of magic and memory are clustered around a resort hotel in a small Virginia town. Holladay has written two books set in Culpeper and Orange counties, a collection of stories called Horse People and a work of historical fiction called The Deer in the Mirror. Her most recent book was a pictorial history of Glen Allen released in July 2022. On holding her first live reading since the pandemic, Holladay remarked, Its so fun, Ive missed it. Theres nothing like the energy of getting together with a group of people. Ive done readings on Zoom and its just not the same. McRaven went next, sharing excerpts from his latest novel Tranquilla, the first in a trilogy of historical fiction based on a relative who lived in the 19th century. The real-life Tranquilla, who was born in 1806 and died in 1879, was described by McRaven as a phenomenal person who was 150 years ahead of her time due to her interests in the abolition of slavery and education. McRaven, a minister at Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Rapidan, commented on the positivity of the live reading in Orange. He is a regular making music at the churchs Fifth Saturday Open Mic & Jam. Id done quite a bit before, the COVID hit and put a stop to it for a while. Its always good to talk to people who read and tell stories and hear about them too, he said. The minister himself has held a number of positions over the years, including college professor, construction worker and blacksmith. Arts Center in Orange Executive Director Anna Pillow said it was an absolutely wonderful turnout of about 30-plus people who came out to hear from local authors who are incredibly talented and accomplished. They shared not only their written word with us but also some advice on what it means to be an author and how you get your work out into the world, Pillow said. THE popular RTE Nationwide programme which is aired on television three evenings a week, - Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm - visited Lorrha on Sunday week last. Nationwide, which is presented by Anne Cassin and Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, travel to all corners around Ireland to cover interesting stories on many different types of topics from a broad and diverse range of sources and subjects. This was no different as RTE rolled into Lorrha village with cameraman and editor Matt Kelly and his wife Marian Malone, who is a reporter with Nationwide, focusing on all things Lorrha has to offer. Patrick Cahalan, chairman of the community based Sceal shop, outlined what the shop has to offer and plans going forward for the future development of the community hall where the shop is based. This was a timely visit from the Nationwide team as Patrick pointed out that the idea, which was initiated by the Sceal committee, happened some years ago in the hope of attracting some national coverage. After a number of emails to RTE, he said, they eventually came back to us and so here we are today. With Sceal embarking on a building project to extend St Ruadhans Community Hall, funding has been secured, but there is also fundraising taking place. We have our Buy a Brick fundraiser which is ongoing all the time and is going quite well I must say, said Patrick. Elaborating on the funding received to date, the Sceal chairman pointed out how the hard working committee received funding from different sources such as the Department of Community and Rural Affairs, Pobal, North Tipperary County Council and the LEADER group. The Pobal funding will go towards renovations to the existing hall. We hope to start the extension in June of this year and finish around February 2024 roughly if all goes to plan, he said. He mentioned that the Nationwide visit was a big event for Lorrha and indeed for the whole parish and that later there would be a drone filming the entire village which would take in the historical sites as well. Marian Malone, who is a reporter with Nationwide, has over twenty five years experience working with the programme so both she and her cameraman/editor husband Matt Kelly, know exactly what they want. We are absolutely thrilled and delighted to be in Lorrha and to be able to show off the community and the wonderful people and wonderful spirit here, she said. The main attraction is the community shop and its really wonderful when we see villages that are in decline and then the community come together and rejuvenate it and bring it back to life. There is now going to be an extension built and the shop will be a dedicated area and its wonderful that the group have got grant funding for that, she said. Here today, we will be talking and getting a snapshot of the community, the shop, the heritage and all of that, for the programme which will be aired later in May, she said. The Sceal shop which is totally kept open by local volunteers, opens seven days a week and carries items from groceries to art and craft work to firewood and papers to mention just some. They also serve teas and coffee. Located close to the shores of Lough Derg, Lorrha is a small attractive village set in the surrounds of an ancient monastic settlement. Founded by St Ruadhan in the 6th century, Lorrha boasts of many ruins such as the Augustinian Abbey, the Dominican Abbey, St. Ruadhans Abbey and Holy Well to name just a few of so much to be seen here. The story of the rich ecclesiastical history of the village, attracts tourists from far and near to view such as the ruins in the peace and tranquillity of centuries gone by and hopefully when this Nationwide Programme airs later in May, it will attract more many more visitors to Lorrha and the gem of a village that it is. A woman in Vietnam was horrified to discover parasitic worms in her brain after eating this dish. A Vietnamese woman was very lucky to survive after being infected with parasitic worms that then buried their way into her brain and skin. The 58-year-old woman from the An Binh commune in the suburbs of Hanoi was infected by the worms after eating a raw blood pudding, which is a local delicacy. The unnamed woman ate the dish, known as Tiet canh, and went on to suffer fromsevere headaches and also multiple falls as the condition worsened. The symptoms got progressively worse and doctors were worried for her life as they struggled to find out what was wrong with her. Parasitic worms The woman prepared the food herself a dish made up of raw blood and cooked meat before falling ill. She explained, as per The Mirror: I thought if I make the pudding myself, it would be clean and I would rest assured knowing there would be no disease involved. When she was taken to Dang Van Ngu Hospital, it was first thought that the lady was suffering from a stroke as her symptoms were so severe. However, upon doing some scans, it was discovered that she had the parasitic worms moving around under her skin in her arms and legs as well as some nesting in her brain. Once the diagnosis was made, the doctors were able to give the woman the necessary medication to combat the parasites and she has now been discharged from the hospital but her situation could have been much more serious. Read more: Three weeks-old puppies were found worm-ridden and abandoned on the streets Mans swollen scrotum filled with worms, doctors found A woman was found to be infected with parasitic worms that had buried inside her brain after she had eaten a raw blood puddinghttps://t.co/UePSWjXWlG Mirror Weird News (@MirrorWeirdNews) April 12, 2023 Preventing serious parasite infections The deputy director of the hospital, Dr Tran Huy Tho, confirmed that the parasitic worms came from the blood pudding and said she could have easily been much worse off if they havent spotted it so quickly, as per The Mirror: Many people even believe they suffer from seizures, strokes and other mental health conditions, so they get treated at psychiatric hospitals for years. By the time they go to Dang Van Ngu Hospital, their conditions have already progressed and the parasites have already harmed their brain, forcing them to live with lifelong conditions like reduced eyesight. There are many different types of parasitic worms living around the world and whilst most can be treated straightforwardly, they can still be very dangerous if left undiagnosed. Heres a few tips on how to prevent infection, as per Healthline: Avoid or limit your consumption of raw or undercooked meat, fish, or poultry. Avoid cross contamination during food prep by keeping meat separate from other foods. during food prep by keeping meat separate from other foods. Disinfect all cutting boards , utensils, and countertops that touched raw meat. , utensils, and countertops that touched raw meat. Dont eat watercress or other freshwater plants raw. or other freshwater plants raw. Dont walk barefoot in places where soil may contain feces. in places where soil may contain feces. Clean up animal waste as soon as possible. Read more: Work-related stress could seriously impact your health: Here are the symptoms to look out for Sources used: - The Mirror 'Parasitic worms found swarming underneath woman's skin and buried in her brain' -Healthline 'What You Need to Know About Parasitic Worms in Humans' US rocket launchers to Ukraine have a special feature: They can't fire into Russia! Soldier dies of gunshot wound in Bhatinda: No link to firing that killed 4 In Bathinda firing that killed four, weapon found, shooter at large India oi-Madhuri Adnal Four people were killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning. A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine, the Indian Army said. The Army and Police joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details. "The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis," the statement stated. However, the Army reiterated that no individual has been detained or apprehended. Earlier, the Army released a statement confirming the death of four jawans in the incident and said no other injuries or loss of property was reported. "Four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the firing incident at Bathinda Military Station. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property were reported. The area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case. All aspects including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back are being ascertained," the Indian army said. Meanwhile, the area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish facts of the case, it added. It said all aspects of the incident, including the possible involvement of a missing INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds, are being ascertained. Earlier in the day, the Army said the incident took place at around 4:30 am and that it deployed quick reaction teams and cordoned off the area. Firing inside Bhatinda military station leaves four dead: What we know so far Punjab's Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told news agency PTI over phone, ''It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident''. ''We are in touch with the Army authorities,'' he said. Bathinda's Senior Superintendent of Police, Gulneet Singh Khurana told the media in Bathinda, ''It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached inside (military station) with all forensic equipment and they are conducting investigations. In-depth investigations are going on''. The Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters, police and sister agencies have been intimated about the incident. Bhatinda is an important military installation.It houses the headquarters of the 10 Corps, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Jaipur-based South Western Command. It is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments. Future conflicts will be unpredictable; We need to be ready: Rajnath Singh Bathinda firing: Defence minister takes stock of situation India oi-Deepika S Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took stock of the situation at the Bathinda military station where four Indian Army jawans of an artillery unit were killed in a firing incident. The Army said the incident took place at around 4:30 am and that it deployed quick reaction teams and cordoned off the area. "It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss, damage to property have been reported," the Army's South Western command said in a statement. It further said all aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained. Punjab's Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar told PTI over phone, "It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident". "We are in touch with the Army authorities," he said. Filing inside Bhatinda military station leaves four dead: What we know so far Bathinda's Senior Superintendent of Police, Gulneet Singh Khurana told the media in Bathinda, "It is not a terror incident. It is an internal issue, it appears to be fratricidal issue. Our investigation teams have reached inside (military station) with all forensic equipment and they are conducting investigations. In-depth investigations are going on. The Army said the area continues to be sealed off and joint investigations with the Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish facts of the case. Senior police officials have asked Army families to stay inside their homes as two people, who are believed to be behind the incident, are yet to be identified or apprehended. As per initial reports, it seems an internal issue as a rifle with ammunition had been missing for the last two days. Search ops are underway inside military station where there is thick plantation in some areas. Soldier dies of gunshot wound in Bhatinda: No link to firing that killed 4 Bhatinda shooting: What is fratricide and why do such incidents occur India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Punjab Police has ruled out a terror angle into the Bhatinda Military Station attack in which four jawans were killed. The probe has so far shown that there is no terror angle in the shooting. Their reason for the killing is suspected to be fratricide. The question now is what is fratricide and why such incidents take place in the security forces. Between 2014 and 2021, there have been 18 such incidents that have taken place. One was reported in the Indian Army and two in the Indian Air Force. Internal fight, missing weapons on radar of security officials in Bhatinda military camp attack In July 2022, two Army men were killed and two others were injured in a fratricide incident at at Army camp in Surankote, in the border district of Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir. Cases of fratricide are however reported more in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), when compared to the Indian Army, Air Force or Navy. In all 29 CAPF personnel were killed by their colleagues in the past five years, the data provided by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai to the Lok Sabha revealed. Fratricide is an act of intentionally or unintentionally murdering a sibling/siblingsand in the case of the armed forces, it means to kill friendly troops serving with you. Some of the main reasons for commit such an act is due to personal reasons, domestic problems, family issues, depression and work-related issues. Few Army personnel likely behind Bhatinda military camp strike The government has taken several steps towards stress amelioration amongst troops, which, inter-alia, include deployment of trained psychological counsellors, improvement in the quality of food and clothing, training in stress management, provision of recreational facilities, buddy system, leave concessions, approachability of seniors, facilities for movement of troops from border areas and establishing a grievance redressal mechanism at various levels, etc," Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt had told the Lok Sabha. Will Yeddy let son rise at risk of confronting Siddu ending their bonhomie? Winning Karnataka is crucial for the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections The surprise factor in BJPs Karnataka list & how Yeddy had his way BSY 99% sure that Shettar will get ticket India oi-Prakash KL Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa has expressed confidence over Jagadish Shettar getting a party ticket to contest the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls. "99% Jagadish Shettar (former Karnataka CM) will be given an election ticket," BJP leader and former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa told ANI. Shettar on Tuesday revealed that the central leadership had asked him to make way for others. The sitting MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency expressed his displeasure over the leadership for asking him not to contest at the last minute. Congress veteran Kagodu Thimmappas daughter Rajanandini joins BJP "If they had told me two to three months ago, then it would have been respectable for me. When the nomination is just two days away (to begin), I am definitely hurt," Shettar, a former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said. "I have told them that I will contest the election. Whatever you have said is not acceptable to me. So, please reconsider your decision and give me an opportunity to contest the election again," he further said. The former CM noted that he got elected to the Assembly six times and every time had won the seat with a margin of 25,000 votes or more. "I questioned them why I should not contest the election. What are my minus points? In the survey, which they have done in all the constituencies, according to the information I got, a positive response has come - almost 70 per cent positive response and public opinion is there (in my favour)," Shettar claimed. Meanwhile, Shettar will be meeting Party President JP Nadda on Tuesday evening. Won't go around with begging bowl: Laxman Savadi quits BJP "I will reach Delhi today to meet the party's national president JP Nadda. I expect positive things will happen. In the coming days, the party High Command and state leaders will specify everything", Shettar said. The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of 189 contestants for May 10 Karnataka polls. It has denied ticket for several legislators including Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat and Minister of Fisheries S Angara. The high command also instructed senior leader KS Eshwarappa to make way for others. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 16:17 [IST] 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 Covid entering endemic stage in India, cases likely to subside after 10 days India oi-Prakash KL Covid-19 in India is moving towards the endemic stage and the number of daily cases will rise for the next days but will start reducing thereafter, PTI reported citing sources. Even though cases are increasing, hospitalisation is low and the current rise in cases is due to XBB.1.16 variant which is a Sub-variant of Omicron, the official sources told the news agency. While Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6% in February this year to 35.8% in March. 7,830 new Covid cases, highest single-day spike in 7 months However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, official sources said. On the other hand, India on Wednesday recorded 7,830 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day spike in 7 months. The active cases increased to 40,215, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll has increased to 5,31,016 with 16 new fatalities being reported - two each in Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and one each in Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, and five reconciled by Kerala - the data updated at 8 am stated. Covid-19 mock drill: States, UTs to check hospital readiness on second day The active cases now comprise 0.09 per cent of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.72 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,42,04,771 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 17:33 [IST] BJP has to go if democracy is to survive: Cong chief Kharge Denied poll ticket, BJP aspirants protest across Karnataka India oi-Deepika S After announcing its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing protests from workers and disgruntled ticket aspirants in several constituencies across the state. Supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested Tuesday night in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi after the party allegedly denied a ticket to him. A video of the protest was shared by news agency ANI on Twitter. Chikka Revana, who joined the BJP recently, was given the poll ticket from the constituency. The supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest last evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Karnataka Elections: BJPs strategy to pin down two Congress stalwarts Meanwhile, the former Chief Minister and six-time MLA Jagadish Shettar, who has been asked to retire from electoral politics by the BJP high command, has not made it to the first list of candidates of the party that was announced late on Tuesday. The six-time MLA from Hubbali said he has written to the party bosses, requesting them to give him another chance to fight elections. In exclusive interview to news agency ANI, Shettar said he had asked the high command about the meaning of seniority. "My age is 67 and I am an ex-CM. Every survey has shown that I am popular. In the last six elections, I was elected with the blessings of the Hubbali people... I was continuously elected with a margin of more than 25,000 votes. I have not lost a single term," he said. Shettar spelt out his commitment to the party, highlighting how his family had been associated with the BJP since the days of the Jana Sangh. "My uncle was a Jana Sangh MLA in 1967, my father in 1976 was councillor and mayor of Hubbali... The Shettar family has contributed a lot to strengthening the party in north Karnataka," he added. MLAs who are denied tickets in BJP's first list of candidates for Karnataka polls Meanwhile, BJP's Shivamogga MLA K.S. Eshwarappa said he would like to withdraw from electoral politics, in what is being seen as an attempt to pre-empt his exclusion from the candidate list. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first list of 189 candidates for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections. Out of the 189 candidates that the BJP announced today, 52 of them will be fresh faces. Few Army personnel likely behind Bhatinda military camp strike India oi-Vicky Nanjappa A terror angle to the firing inside the Bhatinda Military camp has been ruled out with officials say that it was it is a fratricidal incident. Four Army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the firing incident inside the camp. No other loss or damage to property has been reported even as the area continues to remain sealed off. Reports say that a few Army personnel may be behind this incident. One Insas rifle with 28 cartridges had gone missing around two days back. Further the firing was also likely planned by one or two people, hence suggesting that the incident was not borne out of rage. Meanwhile the families the jawans have been informed about the incident and the loss of lives. All possible angles are being probed and nothing has been ruled out as yet, reports also said. Four dead in firing inside Bhatinda military camp, fratricide, not terror say reports The incident took place inside the officers' mess of the military station. Reports also said that the shooter was in civilian clothes. "A firing incident was reported in the early hours of the morning around 4.35 am inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operations are in progress. Four fatal casualties have been reported. Further details are being ascertained," a statement by the Army said. Additional director general of police (ADG) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar said, "no terror or fedayeen attack angle in this. Search is on for two people with weapons."Those investigating the case said that prima facie it does not seem like a terror attack. It appears to be a case of fratricide. It was also found that the killers had planned this incident over the past couple of days. Some Army personnel are behind the incident and the fact that it was pre-planned can be seen from the fact that the killers had not acted in a fit of rage, the preliminary probe has found. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 12:51 [IST] US rocket launchers to Ukraine have a special feature: They can't fire into Russia! Soldier dies of gunshot wound in Bhatinda: No link to firing that killed 4 Firing inside Bhatinda military camp leaves four dead India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Four persons have died in firing at a military station in Punjab's Bhatinda in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the South Western Command of the Indian Army said. Reports said that station quick reaction teams have been activated. The area has been cordoned off and sealed. Search teams were pressed into action and the operation is underway. The Punjab police and Indian Army are conducting joint operations. The incident took place at around 4.35 am inside the military station, the Army also said. A forensic team of the Bathinda Police have visited the military station and are coordinating with the Army and carrying out investigations. Television reports said that two armed shooters are on the loose in the camp. 1 rifle and two magazines had gone missing from the camp two days back, reports also said. The shooter is reportedly said to be in civilian clothes, reports also said. Few Army personnel likely behind Bhatinda military camp strike The firing is said to have taken place inside the officers' mess and all four who died were from the 80 Medium Regiment. ADGP SPS Parmar said that the incident looks like an internal issue and has nothing to do from outside. However we are looking into it and are working in close coordination with the Army, he also said. He further added, " it is not a terrorist attack. It is not an an attack from outside, it is a fratricidal incident," he also said. The incident would be investigated by a court of inquiry, officials said. #WATCH | Visuals from outside Bathinda Military Station where four casualties have been reported in firing inside the station in Punjab; search operation underway pic.twitter.com/jgaaGVIdMS ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 Meanwhile, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has been briefed about the incident. The Army has already given its version to the incident and says that further details would be shared by evening. "We cannot share more details than this," Lt. Colonel Amitabh, PRO South Western Command, Jaipur said. Meanwhile all entry gates of the Army Cantt in Bhatinda had been closed. Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said that initial reports suggest that an Army soldier possible opened fire. He however said that it was not a terror attack. "Firing incident reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435h inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operations, are in progress. Four Fatal casualties reported. Further details being ascertained," the Army said in a statement. Bathinda firing: Defence minister takes stock of situation The Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters, police and sister agencies have been intimated about the incident. Bhatinda is an important military installation.It houses the headquarters of the 10 Corps, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Jaipur-based South Western Command. It is also home to a large number of operational Army units and other static establishments. Gehlot calls PM Modi's comments unfortunate, says aimed at upcoming elections India oi-Prakash KL Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday expressed his displeasure against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comments targeting the previous governments. Gehlot accused Prime Minister Modi of making comments with an eye on the coming assembly and general elections. He then defended previous central governments saying that it was not fair to say the development of railways happened only after 2014. "Today, your speech was given completely keeping in view the 2023-24 assembly and Lok Sabha elections and it was in the form of the election agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I believe such comments will not be acceptable to the people of the state and the country," the Rajasthan Chief Minister said. Gehlot asserted if the modern train is able to run today, it is because of Manmohan Singh, who as the finance minister did economic liberalisation in 1991 and gave new technology an opportunity to develop India. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Gehlot a "friend" and thanked him for attending the launch of a Vande Bharat Express even though he is going through a political tussle in the state. Gehlot is facing a fresh challenge from his former deputy Sachin Pilot, who sat on a day-long fast in Jaipur on Tuesday, targeting his own party's government for "inaction" in cases of alleged corruption when the BJP ruled Rajasthan. Pilot said his struggle against corruption will continue. "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji. During these days of political struggle when he is going through several crises, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," the Prime Minister said, launching the state's first Vande Bharat train virtually. Speaking via video-conferencing, he told Gehlot that his trust in him gives strength to their "friendship". "I thank you for the trust you have in this friendship," Modi said. Taking a dig at previous governments, the prime minister said the work that should have been done immediately after Independence had not been done till now. "But you have so much faith in me that you have given me that task today," Modi said. "And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... The railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan," he added. This was the second time in five months that PM Modi "praised" Gehlot. Last November, when the two shared the dias at an event in Banswara, the Prime Minister described Gehlot as the senior-most chief minister in the fraternity of CMs. Pilot had then taken a dig at the chief minister over this. If you torture Sikh, you will be held accountable: Pro-Khalistan leader threatens Assam CM Sarma Won't allow our national flag to be put down, EAM warns Khalistanis Why Amritpal may have ended up dividing Sikhs rather than uniting them India asks the UK for increased monitoring of pro-Khalistani elements India oi-Prakash KL India on Wednesday raised concerns on the misuse of the United Kingdom's asylum status by pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India. It comes after a "breach of security" at its High Commission in London in March. At a meeting in New Delhi between senior British and Indian home ministry officials, India requested better cooperation with Britian and increased monitoring of UK-based Pro-Khalistan extremists and to take appropriate proactive action. The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the UK delegation was led by Permanent Secretary, Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. The meeting was also attended by other senior officials of both countries, a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs said. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security & global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, anti-India activities in the UK including pro-Khalistan extremism among other issues. India's concerns over the breach of security of the Indian High Commission were also emphasized. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement and maintain the momentum for enhanced security cooperation between the two countries India was upset with the UK after protesters carrying "Khalistan" banners pulled down the Indian flag at the London mission following Punjab police action against Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh. The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was pulled down by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans. Images of shattered windows and men climbing the India House building were circulating on social media and videos from the scene showed an Indian official grabbing the flag from a protester through the first-floor window of the mission, while the protester was seen waving a Khalistan flag hanging off its ledge. Why has Amritpal been booked under the stringent NSA Infighting, missing arms on officers' radar behind attack in Bhatinda camp India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Bhatinda military camp attack is a case of an internal fight, Punjab minister Anmol Gagan Maan said. Initial reports said that the this seems to be an internal issue. A rifle with ammunition had been missing for the last two days. Four jawans are reported dead in the firing incident. The Army said that the incident took place at 4.35 am, which led to quick reaction teams being activated. Reports said that an Insas rifle with 28 cartridges had gone missing from the Bathinda military station two days back. The Army said that four jawans were killed in the firing and their families have been informed about the same. "Firing incident reported in the early hours of the morning around 0435h inside Bathinda Military Station. Station Quick Reaction Teams were activated. Area was cordoned off and sealed. Search operations, are in progress. Four Fatal casualties reported. Further details being ascertained," a statement by the Army read. Firing inside Bhatinda military station leaves four dead: What we know so far The Punjab Police and Army are conducting a joint investigation into the matter. The firing according to reports took place inside the officers' mess. The entire area has been cordoned off, and combing operations are still on. There is also a manhunt for a person in civilian clothes, who is said to have opened fire and killed the jawans. "All aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained," the Army statement also added. An official word on who carried out the shooting is still awaited. The families at the military station have been told to stay indoors until the operation is completed, sources tell OneIndia. Can Shettar achieve what other bigwig rebels could not in the past? Jagadish Shettar to meet Nadda over party ticket for Karnataka polls India oi-Madhuri Adnal Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who did not get a ticket from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming assembly polls, on Wednesday said that he will go to Delhi and meet party chief JP Nadda. According to reports, Shettar was invited by the BJP high command after he threatened to contest as an independent candidate. ''I expect positive things will happen. In the coming days, the party high command and state leaders will specify everything,'' news agency ANI quoted Shettar as saying. Denied poll ticket, BJP aspirants protest across Karnataka On Tuesday, Shettar, a sitting MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central, said that he has told the leadership that he would contest the election again, and requested them to give him an opportunity. He told them that their decision was not acceptable to him and urged the party top brass for its reconsideration. Shettar, a former BJP state unit president and assembly speaker, said he has worked hard for 30 years to build the party in the north Karnataka region. The former CM noted that he got elected to the assembly six times and every time had won the seat with a margin of 25,000 votes or more. "I questioned them why I should not contest the election. What are my minus points? In the survey, which they have done in all the constituencies, according to the information I got, a positive response has come -- almost 70 per cent positive response and public opinion is there (in my favour)," said Shettar on Tuesday evening after the BJP high command asked him not to contest. Karnataka Elections: BJPs strategy to pin down two Congress stalwarts Stating that he had been loyal to the party and worked with dedication, he wondered whether loyalty itself was a minus point for him and there was no respect for it. The BJP announced its first list of 189 candidates and 52 of them are contesting the polls for the first time. Voting for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will take place on May 10, and results will be declared on May 13. Kerala train burning, an act of terror using unconventional means India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Kerala train arson case was a planned incident and was aimed at creating fear in the minds of the people. The probe so far has shown that the suspect Sharukh Saifi had carried out the attack with the primary intention of creating panic and spreading terror. His diary entries have proven that he had planned many more attacks on trains across the country. During the course of his interrogation, he had said that he had visited Kerala for the first time, thus giving the indication, that he was acting according to a script prepared by others. The next challenge for the investigation agencies to find the motive and also learn whether Saifi was acting on his own or not. His source of funding are also very much on the radar of the investigation agencies. Considering the inter-state ramifications, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the matter soon. Lone wolf or partner in crime: Cops dig deeper into Kerala arson case An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that Saifi was being directed by others to carry out the attack. They had managed to brainwash him into carrying out the attack. Moreover, they had also listed out a number trains for him to attack, the official also said. Another source said that Saifi may have also got local help to carry out this attack. A contact of his from Kerala, whom he is said to have spoken with three days prior to the incident is also under the radar of the probe agencies. The data from the two mobiles that have been seized is also under analysis, the source added. Meanwhile the NIA has submitted a report regarding the incident. The NIA said that all angles pointed to a terror link and the incident needs to be probed further. The inter-state ramifications and the funding are key to the probe. Kerala train arson clear case of terror, NIA to dig deep into plot, motive Saifi however used unconventional methods to carry out the attack. Groups such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have advised its followers to use unconventional weapons such as knives, stones, cars, trucks among others to carry out terror strikes. These instructions were given so that the attackers go undetected. In the Nice attack, one had seen the terrorist using a vehicles to mow down people. Similarly in the Kerala case, it could be seen that petrol was used to carry out the attack. Due to this unconventional choice of weapon, Saifi managed to enter the train and achieve his motive, while going undetected. Over 100 crore people have listened to PM's Mann Ki Baat at least once: Survey Mean politics: PM Modi jabs Oppn at Rajasthan Vande Bharat launch India oi-Deepika S Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Opposition, saying that selfish and mean politics had always overshadowed the modernisation of the Indian Railways in the past. The prime minister further said that selfish and mean politics had always overshadowed the modernisation of the railways in the past. "Unfortunately, selfish and mean politics had always overshadowed the modernisation of the Railways. The large-scale corruption did neither let the development happen in Railways nor did it let even the Railways' selection process be transparent," he said at the launch of Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat Express, via video conferencing. "Who would become the railway minister was decided by looking at the political interest. It was the political interest that such trains were announced which never actually ran. The situation was such that after snatching the land of the poor, they were given a job in the railways. Railway safety...cleanliness everything was ignored. Changes in all these arrangements started coming after the year 2014," stated the Prime Minister. PM Modi's statement comes against the backdrop of central agencies probing the land-for-jobs case involving Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. In the last two months, the Prime Minister recalled getting the opportunity to flag off six Vande Bharat trains in the country including the Delhi-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express and gave the example of Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express, Mumbai-Shiridi Vande Bharat Express, Rani Kamlapati-Hazrat Nizammuddin Vande Bharat Express, Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express and Chennai Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express. The Prime Minister pointed out that approximately 60 lakh citizens have traveled in the Vande Bharat Express since its inception. "The speed of Vande Bharat is its main speciality and it is saving the time of people", the Prime Minister said. According to a study, the Prime Minister noted that those who travel by Vande Bharat express save 2500 hours on every trip. Reiterating that the citizens have highly appreciated the Vande Bharat Express, the Prime Minister said that the Express train is the first semi automatic train to be developed in India and one of world's first compact and efficient trains. "Vande Bharat is the first train to be compatible with the indigenous safety Kavach system", PM Modi said. "The Vande Bharat Express realizes the spirit of ' 'India First Always First'", he said. The Prime Minister expressed delight that the Vande Bharat Express has become synonymous with development, modernity, stability and 'Atmanirbharta'. The regular service of this new Vande Bharat train will start from April 13 and will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment with stops in Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgugram. It will cover the distance between Delhi Cantonment and Ajmer in five hours and 15 minutes. The Ajmer-Delhi Cantonment Vande Bharat Express will be the world's first semi high speed passenger train on high rise overhead electric (OHE) territory. Medical students returned from Ukraine can take key exam from India India oi-Prakash KL Indian medical students, who returned home from Ukraine following the Russian invasion, will be allowed to take a key examination from India. Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has conveyed it to India during her three-day visit to New Delhi. "On the issue of Indian medical students, the Deputy foreign minister mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Around 19,000 Indian students were studying in Ukraine when the Russian invasion began in February last year. According to estimates, approximately 2,000 Indian students have gone back to Ukraine and they are residing mostly in the western part of the East European country. Under the initiative of the Ukranian authorities, the students who are still in India can join online classes and have the option to appear for the Unified State Qualification Exam (USQE) in India. During the visit, the first deputy foreign minister held bilateral talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the MEA and called on Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. "Dzhaparova, during her visit, highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India," the MEA said. "Dzhaparova's visit to India would facilitate cooperation between the two countries," it said. Earlier, Dzhaparova said that Ukraine's relationship with Pakistan is not directed against India's interests and that her country's military ties with Islamabad began around three decades back. Referring to the war in Ukraine, the deputy foreign minister said as a global leader and current chair of the G20, India can play a greater role in bringing peace and hoped that Indian officials will visit Kyiv soon. With inputs from PTI Now, Savarkar's grandson files defamation against Rahul Gandhi India oi-Prakash KL A family member of poet and freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has filed a criminal defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks against the saffron ideologue. "Rahul Gandhi went to England last month and in one of the gatherings commented that Veer Savarkar wrote in his book that he, along with his 5-6 friends, beat a Muslim and Veer Savarkar enjoyed it. The remark is an insult because that incident is a figment of his imagination. We've been hearing a lot from Rahul Gandhi and some of his followers about so-called petitions and pensions. Those were actually sustenance allowance and clemency petitions. We have moved court," ANI quoted Satyaki Savarkar, the grandson of one of the siblings of the freedom fighter, as saying. "After a point, we felt enough was enough and this needs to stop. Hence, we moved court. Let the court decide now," he added. He claimed a video of Rahul Gandhi making these statements during the interaction is available and will be submitted in court. Advocate Anirudh Ganu, one of the two lawyers representing Satyaki Savarkar, said, "Since the court officer (assistant registrar) was not there in the court, they told us to come on Saturday and the case number will be issued". It has to be noted that a metropolitan court in Surat on March 23 convicted Rahul Gandhi of criminal defamation for his 2019 remark, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?", and sentenced him to two years in jail, leading to his disqualification as a Lok Sabha member. Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi moved the sessions court which granted him bail on April 3 and kept hearing on his plea for a stay of conviction on April 13. Likewise, an RSS worker lodged a defamation complaint against Rahul in a Haridwar court for describing the organisation as "Kauravas of the 21st century." Bomb threat to IndiGo Delhi-Deogarh flight truns out to be hoax Delhi school bomb threat e-mail a hoax, says a cop India oi-Madhuri Adnal A top private school in south Delhi on Wednesday received an e-mail claiming a bomb inside its campus following which its premises were evacuated for a thorough search, police said. The police was informed and the bomb disposal squad, and a dog squad reached the spot. Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chandan Chowdhary said, "The school received the e-mail regarding the bomb threat at 10.49 am on Wednesday. They then informed the Defence Colony police station following which the security personnel reached the spot and immediately evacuated the school. "We deployed our bomb squads and also informed the Special Cell and the Special Branch. The SWAT team is also conducting searches inside the premises," he said. Chowdhary further said that the police force has so far conducted two rounds of search and that the third round is underway. "We are looking for the source of the e-mail. In November last year, the school received a similar mail which was sent via a German server," he said. The DCP, however, said the e-mail threat appears to be a hoax. Vigyan, a class 5 student, said he along with his classmates was evacuated from the school building and taken to the ground. "We were asked to go home before lunch. We were not given any information as to why we were evacuated," another student said. A parent waiting outside the school to receive his son said several students told him that they saw bomb squads inside the premises. A message sent by the school administration to the parents reads, "Dear Parents, this is to request you to please come urgently to school to collect your child/children, as per the directions/information received. All parents are requested not to create panic while collecting their children." The Indian School in Sadiq Nagar received an bomb threat via email. As a precautionary measure, the school has been vacated. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad informed: Delhi police More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/p6DKKeSXsl Similarly, on November 22, 2022, Delhi Police had received an email regarding a bomb being placed on a school campus. However, nothing was recovered. The surprise factor in BJPs Karnataka list & how Yeddy had his way India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The BJP released its first list of 189 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 to be held on May 10. There have been many surprises in the list, which also includes a double contest for sitting MLAs, V Somanna and R Ashoka, which has been aimed at pinning dow Congress stalwarts, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar. OneIndia caught up with leading psephologist, Dr. Sandeep Shastri to discuss the list and what implications it could have on the BJP's prospects in these crucial elections. The second seat: Somanna and Ashok, two seasoned BJP leaders will be contesting from Chamarajanagar and Padmanabhanagar. In addition to this Somanna will take on Siddaramaiah at Varuna, while Ashoka will be up against Shivakumar in Kanakapura. Jagadish Shettar to meet Nadda over party ticket for Karnataka polls Dr. Shastri asks if the fight is just symbolic or is there a message. Both these leaders have been allowed a second seat, which makes me ask if the fight is just symbolic in nature. The same question was asked when Siddaramaiah was trying to contest from a second seat in Kolar. Similar questions were raised when H D Kumaraswamy had contested from two seats in the 2018 elections, Dr. Shastri said. "If you were to ask me if the two Congress leaders would be perturbed by this decision, then I would not think so. Both leaders have people to work in their respective constituencies and in my view they would continue to tour the state and campaign for the party," he also said. Keeping the senior leaders out: The BJP has also not given tickets to former chief minister, Jagadish Shettar and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa. "Eshwarappa has taken it in the right spirit. What has been the behind the room deal, needs to be seen. In the case of Eshwarappa it is easier to explain, why he has been denied a ticket. He is 74 years old and is going to cross 75 soon," Dr. Shastri said. With Shettar who is in his 60s, the explanation would be hard to give, he added. " One must remember that he had refused to join the Bommai government stating that is senior. This may have not gone down too well with the party. That slight show of defiance may have cost him the ticket," Dr. Shastri said,. Karnataka Elections: BJPs strategy to pin down two Congress stalwarts He also added, " Shettar said that he will contest the elections. On the other hand Laxman Savadi is said to be in talks with the Congress after being denied a ticket. If the BJP wants to retain its Lingayat base, then these developments could prove to be an irritant. Shettar has been a chief minister, a senior minister and has remained a loyalist. We need to see if the BJP is willing to deal with a rebellion." The surprise: A large number of seats in Dakshina Kannada are seeing new faces this year. S Anagara from Sullia has been denied a ticket this year. Dr. Shastri says, " it has happened in Udupi, Sullia, Kundapur and Kapu. Either they have expressed their desire to retire or the party wants a change. Is the party trying to beat anti-incumbency or do they want fresh faces. There was a backlash following the murder of BJP leader, Praveen Nettaru. Has the party factored in all these aspects? The change that has happened in Dakshina Kannada according to me is the most significant part of the BJP's list." The Yediyurappa factor: When the list was being discussed, there was talk that Yediyurappa was unhappy and he had returned from Delhi to Bengaluru abruptly. However going by the list, it appears that a the senior BJP leader has had his way. Dr. Shastri says, "giving his son, B Y Vijayendra a ticket in itself is a huge concession. This, given the fact that the central leadership of the party says that the children of leaders should not get a seat automatically. In the case of Yediyurappa, one son is an MP, while the other one has been given a ticket." MLAs who are denied tickets in BJP's first list of candidates for Karnataka polls "In that sense when you look at it, Yediyurappa has had much of his way. The party is hoping that he puts in all his efforts," he says. When asked if Yediyurappa may have had something to do with Shettar being denied a ticket, Dr. Sandeep Shastri says that he always had a grouse with Shettar as he feels that he did not stand by him. In 1999, when Yediyurappa had lost the elections, Shettar replaced him as the leader of the opposition. When Yediyurappa stepped down as chief minister and made Sadananda Gowda the CM, he was not backed by Shettar then. When Gowda was removed, Shettar was made the CM. Yediyurappa would have also expected loyalty from Shettar, when he had quit the BJP and formed the KJP." Aggressive PM Modi campaign in Karnataka to kick-off on April 28 'Best 45 minutes of my life': Unni Mukundan after meeting PM Modi Ukrainian prez writes to PM Modi, seeks addl humanitarian aid India oi-Deepika S Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting India for additional medicines and medical equipment, the external affairs ministry said on Wednesday. Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Dzhaparova, who is currently in India, handed over a letter from Zelenskyy to Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi. "The Ukrainian Deputy FM also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies," the statement said. Earlier, Dzhaparova expressed wish that Ukraine wants greater political dialogue with India on its ongoing war with Russia. Oscars snubs Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky In December last year, Zelenskyy sought India's support in the implementation of his "peace formula" during a phone conversation with PM Modi. PM Modi said both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences and conveyed India's support for any peace efforts to Zelenskyy, according to an official statement. PM Modi held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 16 during which he reiterated his call for resolving the Ukraine conflict through "dialogue and diplomacy". PM Modi during a bilateral meeting with Putin in September last year urged him to end the conflict in Ukraine soon, saying today's era is not of war and nudged the Russian leader to end the conflict. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February, the prime minister has spoken to Putin as well as Zelenskyy a number of times. Fact Check: Did Zelensky ask young Americans to fight the Ukraine war? In a phone conversation with Zelenskyy on October 4, Modi said there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts. India is yet to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. with agency inputs 'Will take action': Congress on Sachin Pilot's dharna India oi-Deepika S The Congress on Wednesday said it would take action against Sachin Pilot over his daylong fast, piling pressure on his own party by targeting the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan for inaction in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state. "I agree with the issue of corruption raised by Sachin Pilot but the way he raised it is not correct. He should have raised it during the Assembly session... Today (discussion with Sachin Pilot) happened for half an hour and we will talk tomorrow also," he said. "I will analyse all things and prepare a report as to who is at fault. Action should have been taken in the past but was not done but this time action will be taken," he added. According to NDTV report, the party's top leadership has indicated a 'major surgery' will take place in Rajasthan to resolve the crisis and restore unity in the party. Pilot vs Gehlot feud The feud between Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot is not new. The infighting saw an ugly phase when CM Gehlot accused Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Pilot of conniving to topple his government in 2020. Rajasthan police issued notices to Pilot to record his statement in connection with the alleged attempts to "topple" the Congress government. This became a major flashpoint when Pilot showed first signs of rebellion. Pilot skipped two crucial meetings called by CM Gehlot and stayed put at a hotel in Manesar along with 18 MLAs in his camp amid reports that he is in talks with the BJP. Later, the Congress sacked Pilot as the Rajasthan Deputy CM and the State party chief while two ministers belonging to the his camp were dropped from the ministry. Gehlot's 'gaddar' (traitor) remark against Pilot too had sparked a row last year. Since then, Rajasthan Congress has seen several bouts of the never-ending Pilot vs Gehlot tussle. India's armed forces now do not hesitate to cross border to protect country, says Rakshya Mantri One year of Balakot airstrike: 'It marks paradigm shift in our operations', says Ex-IAF chief Dhanoa 100 killed in air strike by Myanmar junta International oi-Vicky Nanjappa The ruling junta of Myanmar has confirmed that it carried out an air strike on Tuesday on a village in which 100 people, including children and reporters were killed. The people had gathered for the opening of a local office of the country's opposition movement outside the Pazigyi village in Sagaing region's Kanbalu township. The Associated Press while citing a witness said that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto the crowd of around 150 people at around 8 am on Tuesday. Among those dead were women and 20 to 30 children. Those killed also included leaders of locally formed anti-government armed groups and other opposition organisations. The witness added that after the initial attack, a helicopter appeared about half an hour later and fired at the site. The exact number of deaths however remains unclear as the military government has retreated reporting. "We attacked that place There was a People's Defence Force office opening ceremony on Tuesday morning about 8 am at the Pazi Gyi village, "a spokesperson for the military government said. The People's Defence Force is the armed wing of the National Unity Government. It calls itself as the country's legitimate government and is opposed to the Army. The spokesperson also said that some of those killed were anti-coup fighters in uniform. There could have been some people in civilian clothes, the spokesperson also said. He blamed the mines planed by the People's Defence Force for some of the deaths. The attack was strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He reiterated the call for the military to end the campaign of violence. The opposition National Unity Government also called the attacks as 'heinous' and added that it was another example of their indiscriminate use of extreme force against innocent civilians, constituting a war crime. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 11:40 [IST] Maharashtra reports over 1,000 Covid cases with 9 deaths in 24 hours Mumbai oi-Deepika S Maharashtra on Wednesday saw a massive spike in the daily Covid-19 cases that crossed the 1,000 mark with 1,115 new infections - out of which 320 cases were reported from Mumbai alone. According to the state health bulletin, nine deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. Out of the nine deaths, five deaths were reported from Mumbai circle - two in Mumbai and Thane municipal corporation each, one in Vasai Virar; three deaths were reported in Pune and one in Akola. The spike in cases comes amid reports that India is moving towards the endemic stage and the number of daily cases will rise for the next days. Even though cases are increasing, hospitalisation is low and the current rise in cases is due to XBB.1.16 variant which is a Sub-variant of Omicron, the official sources told the news agency. While Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6% in February this year to 35.8% in March. However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, official sources said. On the other hand, India on Wednesday recorded 7,830 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day spike in 7 months. The active cases increased to 40,215, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll has increased to 5,31,016 with 16 new fatalities being reported - two each in Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and one each in Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, and five reconciled by Kerala - the data updated at 8 am stated. BJP has to go if democracy is to survive: Cong chief Kharge DK backing Kharge for CM post sparks debate over Dalit-at-the-helm India oi-Deepika S Amid infighting in Congress over the Karnataka CM's face, state unit president D K Shivakumar has surprised many by declaring that he would gladly work under Mallikarjun Kharge, if he was elected chief minister after the 10 May assembly elections. Though, it is too early to debate, Shivakumar's statement has nevertheless given impetus to the possibility of a Dalit chief minister in the event of the Congress coming to power in the state. "I would "love" to work under Kharge if he becomes the Chief Minister, aid Shivakumar adding that there are voices within the party that "injustice" has happened to the veteran leader in the past. "He (Kharge) is our senior leader and AICC President. He has not asked for it (CM post), Congress should come to power is his only desire. He is a senior leader and there are some voices that say that injustice has happened to him in the past," Shivakumar said in response to a question regarding bringing Kharge's name to the fore. "He (Kharge) is my leader, he is my AICC president, I would love to work under him. He is an asset to the state and the country. I will abide by the party's decision, he is 20 years senior to me. I'm committed to his wish." DKS's statement is being interpreted as his effort to checkmate Siddaramaiah, by reigniting the debate on 'Dalit CM' and 'native versus migrant' within the party. Kharge was very close to becoming the CM of Karnataka thrice - in 1999, 2004 and 2013, but narrowly missed the opportunity. Despite this, he remained a staunch loyalist of the Congress. Part insiders believe the possibilities of Kharge returning to state politics are very limited, given the positions and responsibilities he holds. As AICC President, Kharge has a bigger role to play in and ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, Shivakumar's statements regarding Kharge, an 80-year-old leader from the Dalit community, has once again triggered a debate in the Congress over "Dalit CM", with other senior leaders from the community like G Parameshwara and K H Muniyappa in the poll fray. Karnataka has never had a Dalit CM. Since 1947, the state has seen nine Lingayats, six Vokkaligas, four OBCs, two Brahmins and one Rajput as chief minister. Dalits constitute around 20% of the population in the state. A leading Presidential frontrunner in the Philippines jokes about an Australian missionary who was abducted, gang-raped and later killed in 1989. A video clip has appeared showed Rodrigo Digong Duterte, the mayor of Davao City saying, "I was angry because she was raped, that's one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first. What a waste." In 1989, the inmates of the jail had overpowered the guards and grabbed their weapons, taking 15 people, including 36-year-old Australian Jacqueline Hamill, hostage in 1989. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order. The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate. The agency is led by its administrator, who is appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. The current administrator is Michael S. Regan. The EPA is not a Cabinet department, but the administrator is normally given cabinet rank. The EPA has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., regional offices for each of the agency's ten regions, and 27 laboratories. The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes. EPA enforcement powers include fines, sanctions, and other measures. The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts. The agency's budgeted employee level in 2023 is 16,204.1 full-time equivalent (FTE). More than half of EPA's employees are engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists; other employees include legal, public affairs, financial, and information technologists. Many public health and environmental groups advocate for the agency and believe that it is creating a better world. Other critics believe that the agency commits government overreach by adding unnecessary regulations on business and property owners. Gerard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history. He has completed over 250 films since 1967, almost exclusively as a lead. Depardieu has worked with over 150 film directors whose most notable collaborations include Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Maurice Pialat, Alain Resnais, Claude Chabrol, Ridley Scott and Bernardo Bertolucci. He is the second highest grossing actor in the history of French Cinema behind Louis de Funes. As of January 2022, his body of work also include countless television productions, 18 theatre plays, 16 records and 9 books. He is mostly known as a character actor and for having portrayed numerous leading historical and fictitious figures of the Western world including Georges Danton, Joseph Stalin, Honore de Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Auguste Rodin, Cyrano de Bergerac, Jean Valjean, Edmond Dantes, Christopher Columbus, Obelix, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in western-central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest and Peru to the west. The seat of government and executive capital is La Paz, while the constitutional capital is Sucre. The largest city and principal industrial center is Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located on the Llanos Orientales, a mostly flat region in the east of the country. Buzz60 24 Apr 2023 May 6th is a big day for the royal family. King Charles and Queen Camilla will have their coronation. And across the pond Prince.. ODN 12 Apr 2023 Rishi Sunak reveals that talks with the US President included "incredible economic opportunities" for Northern Ireland, as well as.. At least five people were killed and several more injured, including an officer who responded to the shooting. The cost of childcare has forced one in four UK parents to quit their job or drop out of education, a new study has found. Dr. Jason Smith, the chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health, says his hospital barely had to adjust its surgery schedule after Monday's mass shooting because of how common gun violence is in the community. He says he's 'more than tired' of informing relatives of shooting victims their loved ones are not coming home. Top US diplomat Antony Blinken reiterated Washington's support to his Ukrainian counterpart. The US will "turn over every rock" to find the source of the recent leak, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said. Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak today after arriving in Northern Ireland last night to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The head of Mexico's immigration agency will face criminal charges for a fire that killed 40 migrants in a locked cell at a detention centre near the border with the US. The Israeli military killed two Palestinians who authorities said allegedly opened fire at troops from their car in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. Belfast's Casement Park and Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock, two unbuilt stadiums, are part of the UK and Republic of Ireland's joint bid to host Euro 2028. Joe Biden said he hoped the Northern Ireland Assembly would be restored as he praised the Good Friday Agreement during a speech in Belfast. French President Emmanuel Macron was met with criticism during a trip to the Netherlands over his administration's planned pension reform as well as his stance on Taiwan's democracy. GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will launch a presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday, as he takes a big step towards launching a 2024 Republican White House campaign Joe Biden will hold talks with Rishi Sunak this morning after arriving in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock are demanding a Department of Justice investigation into the expulsion of Democratic lawmakers from the Tennessee state legislature. USATODAY.com 13 Apr 2023 Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis was sworn in at the state Capitol on Thursday, a week after he and state Rep. Justin.. A Democratic candidate running to be the next mayor of Philadelphia outraged his opponents during Tuesday nights debate over a comment about trash removal. 2008-2023 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Rumble 15 Apr 2023 During his visit to Ireland, President Joe Biden gave a speech outside the cathedral where his ancestors sold 27,000 bricks to help.. AutoMotions 24 Apr 2023 "Stellantis Spotlight" is a weekly recap of some of the major stories at Stellantis. The top stories for the week ending April 21,.. Ukraine compared Russia on Wednesday to Islamic State and called on the International Criminal Court to investigate after a video emerged online showing apparent Russian soldiers filming themselves beheading a Ukrainian captive. NPR quits Twitter after being labeled as 'state-affiliated media' NPR will no longer post fresh content to its 52 official Twitter feeds, citing the social media platform's decision to label NPR "state-affiliated media," the same term it uses for propaganda outlets in Russia, China and other #twitter #bobbyallyn #elonmusk #johnlansing #pbs #obama #guantanamobay #allthingsconsidered #marylouisekelly #mikepompeo Russia on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 333 Canadian officials and public figures, including prominent Olympians, in what it said was a tit-for-tat response to Canadian restrictions on Moscow and support for Ukraine. ViewProsecutors in Mexico say the country's top immigration official is partly to blame for a deadly fire last month at a migrant detention center. The fire broke out March 27 at a facility in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, just south of El Paso, Texas, after migrants set their mattresses ablaze when learning they were being deported,... The Washington meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was useful for three reasons: one, this was the 3rd consecutive meeting with the American Secretary of State. Second, this provided another opportunity to go over the ongoing activities to clear up misgivings if any and... Sports Illustrated 25 Apr 2023 The Grizzlies were 6.7 seconds away from heading back home to Memphis with a tied series. Then, as hes done time and time again,.. Graham: 'Narco-terrorist state of Mexico' needs to be 'held accountable' | On Balance Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced a plan to introduce legislation that calls for Mexican cartels to be designated as terrorist ... (Image by YouTube, Channel: NewsNation) Details DMCA Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaking about Mexican drug cartels Is the US going to war with Mexico? According to Politico, some" US Republicans are increasingly warming to the idea of waging war against Mexico's powerful drug cartels" [1] Republican Congressmen Dan Crenshaw (Rep. R-TX) and Mike Waltz (Rep. R-FL) have introduced a Bill for (AUMF), Authorization the Use of Military Force targeting the cartels that was "turning Mexico into a failed narco-state". Crenshaw said, "The bill would put us at war with the cartels...we must start treating them as ISIS-because that is who they are". Waltz put it this way, "It was time to go on offense...we need to start thinking about these groups are more like ISIS more than we do the mafia". Last month Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) put forth a similar bill "calling for a task force dedicated to cartels and drug traffickers and naming nine organizations to be designated as terrorist". Apparently "more than 70,000 Americans died in 2021 from overdoses of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids largely produced in Mexico, according to the DEA, Drug Enforcement Agency." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). " ...[T]he act of imagination is bound up with memory." Toni Morrison I sometimes feel like an exile in Wisconsin. Born and educated in Chicago, the political, social, and cultural milieu makes me think of James Baldwin, walking streets alone among Scandinavians" Here in America, I was having one of those conversations with the medical van driver, on the way to my oncology appointment in Milwaukee. The 30-minute drive between Kenosha and Milwaukee, when the driver is Black, seems much too short a time, particularly when we talk about living while Black in Wisconsin. America, for that matter. On one of these rides, the driver recalled an encounter he had with an older white man who happened to be sitting at the entrance of a grocery store. As the driver was about to enter the store, the white man looked at him. He told my driver about this fear of his, this fear of a future America because it looked so unreal . And that was it. The man had spoken. In the silence between the driver and I, we both looked on at the trembling of many in fear. It's a fear that has never receded but has always been the back bone of this nation. Fear of contamination, fear of that "one drop" of Black blood, fear of an imagined reverse of the racial hierarchy. What if they do to us what we did to them ? Standing on the side of that imagined narrative favoring the supremacy of hatred and the justifying no-holds-barred violence against Black American, has been in an effort to steady the collective trembling" In the 1870s, Southern "Redeemers" felt the trembling of the ground beneath them. It's was the era of Reconstruction, of Black senators, Black landowners, Black business owner, Black pastors, Black educators, and educated Blacks. However rational it might appear to some to see the progress of a people once enslaved, white fear of "imagined racial equality," writes historian David Blight in Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory , "coupled with economic insecurity and increasing hostility toward the activist state," halted the momentum toward a truly democratic society. In fact, writes Blight, activists white supremacists encouraged Americans to feel the unnatural order of things, for the reality of jubilant Blacks simply made the narrative of a white Christian nation for white only nonsensical. But the activist knew how to appeal to the fears of their fellow Americans, who, Blight writes, shared in the feeling that "the Negro has got about as much as he ought to have." Little by little, the "activism" of the Republican Party, waning since the end of slavery, trickled to a halt. "Memories of slavery, emancipation, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments never fit well into a developing narrative in which the Old and New South were romanticized and welcomed back to a new nationalism." What was good for Black Americans was a nightmare for America's white supremacists. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). By Jason Sibert After more than a decade of deteriorating relations and backtracking on disarmament, the three largest nuclear powers--Russia, the United States, and China--are on the verge of an unconstrained era of dangerous nuclear competition. This is not a pretty situation for those international relations theorists who consider themselves Grotian, or believers in the ideas of the Renaissance thinker Hugo Grotius. Because there are no winners in a nuclear war or a nuclear arms race, leaders in Washington, the leading non-nuclear-weapon states, and concerned people everywhere need to press these states, as well as France and the United Kingdom, to exercise restraint and engage in disarmament diplomacy, as stated by writer Darryl Kimball in his story "Global Nuclear Freeze Could Avert New Arms Race." The problems go back at least to 2013, when Russia shot down a U.S. proposal to negotiate further cuts of their strategic arsenals of one-third below the levels of the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), from 1,550 to 1,000 deployed warheads. Since then, the two sides have barely discussed new arms control ideas as they aggressively pursued rival nuclear weapons modernization programs. Today, each possesses some 4,000 warheads of all types. Earlier this year, just two years after agreeing to extend New START by five years, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is suspending implementation of the pact, although for now it will observe its limits. He claims he will not engage in arms control talks until the White House softens support for the defense of Ukraine against Russia's brutal war of aggression. At the same time, China has embarked on a major buildup of its relatively small but still deadly nuclear arsenal. China has more than 400 deployed warheads, 300 of which are on land- and sea-based strategic missiles, and possibly could deploy about 1,500 warheads by 2035. The current state of international relations has a snowball effect, as stated by Kimball. He said: "Putin's decision to suspend New START is not the end of the treaty, but it makes it likely that, after New START expires in 2026, there will be no agreement limiting U.S. and Russian arsenals for the first time since 1972. Without such constraints, each side could quickly double its strategic arsenal to 3,000 or more deployed warheads by uploading additional warheads on missiles. If Russia and the United States break out of New START limits, China undoubtedly would accelerate its own nuclear buildup to ensure its nuclear retaliatory capabilities." People in the U.S. nuclear weapons establishment, including former Pentagon war planners, defense contractor-funded pundits, and Republicans from districts hosting nuclear facilities, argue that the United States should respond by increasing the size of its nuclear arsenal and developing new nuclear weapons for the first time in decades. With all the conflict in the international system, how do we move to a more lawful world? Russia and the United States need to reengage on nuclear risk reduction talks and agree to continue observing the central limits of New START until a new nuclear arms control framework is concluded, as stated by Kimball. Under Article VI of the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, Russia and the US are obligated to "pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament." Diplomatic and security leaders in Washington and other capitals should urge China, France, and the UK to agree to freeze the size of their arsenals if Russia and the United States meet their disarmament responsibilities. A global freeze on the expansion of nuclear arsenals would not eliminate the threat of nuclear war, but it would increase the chance that China finally might engage in arms control and improve conditions for progress on nuclear risk reduction and disarmament. Kimball states another important fact in his plan - leaders in Washington should not increase the size of the US' nuclear arsenal. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Dec. 9, "nuclear deterrence isn't just a numbers game. In fact, that sort of thinking can spur a dangerous arms race." The Pentagon also says a new sea-launched cruise missile with a new warhead would have "zero value" and would not be completed until 2035 or later. Any attempt to increase the number of deployed U.S. strategic nuclear weapons above New START levels or to build new varieties of nuclear weapons would not only be costly but counterproductive. It would make it more likely that China would decide to deploy more nuclear weapons on an even wider array of delivery systems over the coming decade. Jason Sibert is the Lead Writer for the Peace Economy Roy "heart" Recanati, also known as "the heartist," is a world-renowned Israeli artist who has arrived in Miami for Art Basel 2022. Since then, he has been showcasing his latest collection of psychedelic heartworks at the HEART GALLERY on Collins Ave in Miami Beach. These heartworks are a true feast for the eyes, with vibrant colours, intricate designs, and an otherworldly quality that sets them apart. As an artist, the Dear Annie: I have been a practicing attorney for six years. My current job as an in-house attorney was my first job out of law school. My employer was taking a big risk on me, as in-house positions are usually given to attorneys who have already done their time in big firms. My boss said that she saw a lot of potential in me, and even though she knew it would take more time to train me, she thought it was worth it. My boss tells me quite often that theres a bigger plan for me at the company. She goes out of her way to get me involved in projects where higher-ups at the company can see my work. The company has spent significant training and development dollars on me, and Im so appreciative of that. There have been several in-house attorneys from our team who have gone on to high-level management roles within the company, and I know my boss thinks Im headed that way. Shes an incredible mentor, and Im so lucky to work for her. Unfortunately, I dont really want to take on a bigger role in this company. I look at the positions above me, and I cannot find a single one that interests me. I am primarily a litigator, and I find trial work to be exciting and challenging, but I dont find the actual work my company does to be very interesting. I just cant imagine myself being happy in a role where I am involved in the day-to-day operations of my company, rather than the litigation work. Even my boss job doesnt appeal to me. Recently, I was asked to interview for a job as an in-house attorney for another company. It would be a bit of a pay raise, but mostly, its a lateral move. The difference is that Im very interested in this business as a whole. I can see myself taking on managerial roles at this other company and growing there. But every time I think about leaving my job, I feel an immense sense of guilt. I love my boss and my team, and I know they would feel blindsided. Im afraid they would resent me for coming in with basically no skills, taking several years of training and guidance from them, only to use those skills somewhere else. I cant stand the idea of hurting or disappointing my boss, but does that mean I should stay at a company where I dont see a future for myself? -- Conflicted Lawyer Dear Conflicted: It is understandable that you would not want to hurt or disappoint your boss. She sounds like a wonderful one. With that being said, if she truly cares about you as a person, she will understand. The key is to communicate to her exactly what you did to me in your letter. Express your gratitude for all she has done for you. Having a passion for your work is the greatest gift you can give to yourself and the clients that you serve. In the long run, if you dont feel passionate about the long-term roles at your current firm, your boss will understand. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM Legacy Health confirmed Wednesday that it will reopen the birthing center at its Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center within 90 days. We believe that East County needs and deserves labor and delivery services within the community, Legacy said in a statement. As a result, Legacy will welcome pregnant patients at the Mount Hood Family Birth Center within the next 90 days. That means Mount Hood will be staffed with labor and delivery trained physicians, nurses and staff. Legacy closed the center, the only one serving east Multnomah County, on March 17, saying it had no choice after most of the doctors working in the ward quit after learning of Legacys plan to restructure operations to cut costs. Local residents as well as nurses and doctors working at the hospital protested the closure. The Oregon Nurses Association helped organize a candlelight vigil outside the hospital. State health officials cried foul over the closure, too. Administrators at the Oregon Health Authority insisted that Legacy had failed to obtain the necessary state approvals. The state agency launched an investigation and told Legacy to reopen the birthing center. Rep. Zach Hudson said Legacys turnaround is a big victory for the community. Hudson was among the state lawmakers who on March 15 publicly urged the OHA to deny Legacys application to close the birthing center. Fifteen days later, the agency did exactly that. This shows that the process and the protections we put in place actually worked, Hudson said Wednesday. I wish that they had not made a plan on closing without coming to use first. Doctors and nurses harshly criticized Legacys decision to close the facility and its plan to divert women giving birth to its Randall Childrens Hospital in North Portland. Hospitals, Legacy included, are suffering big financial losses and are scrambling to reduce costs. The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems said hospitals finished 2022 in one of the worst overall financial positions in the last 30 years. Twitter Inc. has ceased to be an independent company after merging with a newly formed shell firm called X Corp., driving speculation about what Elon Musk intends for the social media platform. Twitter no longer exists after being merged with X Corp., according to an April 4 document submitted in a California court for a lawsuit filed against the company and its former chief executive officer, Jack Dorsey, last year by conservative activist Laura Loomer. Its unclear what the change means for Twitter, which has seen a sweeping overhaul since Musk bought the company for $44 billion last year. The billionaire owner has in the past suggested that buying Twitter would be an accelerant for creating X which he dubbed an everything app. Musk tweeted about the move Tuesday with the single character X. The worlds second-richest man has professed his desire to make X similar to Chinas WeChat, a super-app owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd. used for everything from payments and booking event tickets to messaging. But hes been vague about how it will fit in with his sprawling business empire, ranging from the electric car giant Tesla Inc. to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Musk also owns the domain X.com the name of the online payments company he started and eventually merged with PayPal. Musk first set up a trio of holding companies in Delaware with a variation of the name X Holdings in April last year as part of his takeover bid for Twitter. But X Corp. was established on March 9 in Nevada, according to records filed in the state. Its merger with Twitter was submitted on March 15. Musk is president of the firm and its parent, X Holdings Corp., which was also created last month and has an authorized capital of $2 million, filings show. It is understood in the corporate world that incorporating Nevada is what you do if you want to have fewer fiduciary obligations, said Ann Lipton, associate dean at Tulane Universitys law school. Its just harder to sue officers and directors of Nevada companies for breach of fiduciary obligations if youre an investor. Twitter was previously incorporated in Delaware, and Musks battle over acquiring the company took place in its chancery court. Twitter, which no longer has a team handling media queries, did not immediately comment on questions sent by Bloomberg News. Lawyers for the law firm representing Twitter in the case, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The move sparked intense speculation on Twitter about what it meant, with Musks tweet attracting more than 13 million views within hours. In Japan, the topic Twitter Gone started trending, with users joking that Twitters new name will resemble that of a local rock band, X Japan. Musk could create a parent structure, similar to Alphabet, where he has all his companies, said Mandeep Singh, analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. I dont see how he can layer e-commerce or payments in Twitter right when larger peers such as Alphabet and Meta have struggled to become an everything app on the consumer side. -- Low De Wei and Marika Katanuma, Bloomberg News Diana Li and Aisha Counts contributed to this report. 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portland police have identified the Radio Cab driver stabbed to death in his taxi Sunday as 43-year-old musician and artist Reese Lawhon. Lawhon, an accomplished painter, also performed as a bassist with the Portland band Aan in the aughts and 2010s. Those who knew him, including two younger sisters, described him as a kindhearted and gentle person. Reese was one of the sweetest Portland musicians that Ive ever known, said Theo Craig, who used to book tours for the band about a decade ago. Thats certainly saying a lot, because weve got a lot of nice folks in our music community. In a statement Tuesday, his family called Lawhon the most caring, witty, loving son, brother, uncle and dear friend you could possibly imagine having. He had the best gift of making people laugh and smile. Around 6:40 p.m. on Easter Sunday, American Medical Response employees in an ambulance traveling on Southeast Water Avenue near Southeast Washington Street spotted a person exiting a Radio Cab with bloody clothes, according to a probable cause affidavit. They saw the person, later identified as Moses J. Lopez, drop what appeared to be brass-style knuckles with an attached blade, the affidavit said. Medical personnel treated the suspect for a hand injury, and later found Lawhon dead inside the Radio Cab with two stab wounds in his neck, according to the court document. Portland police arrived shortly after. An onboard camera recorded the attack. Video footage showed that Lawhon picked up a fare around 6 p.m. outside Voodoo Doughnut at 22 S.W. Third Ave. The passenger asked to be taken to Southeast Third Avenue and Washington Street, and then gave a different location when they arrived. When Lawhon went to put in the new address, he was attacked. Lopez was detained, and pleaded not guilty to unlawful use of a weapon and second-degree murder charges Monday. Lawhon had worked for Radio Cab for over a decade, and never had a customer complaint, according to Radio Cab spokesperson Darin Campbell. Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; 503-319-9744 Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe Construction wont be complete for at least a year, but the Portland International Airport is ready to announce the 20 local shops and restaurants coming to the new main terminal starting in 2024. When it debuts it May 2024, 100% of the businesses that travelers find in the main terminal will be Oregon brands, with half involv(ing) woman or minority ownership, the Port of Portland announced in a press release Wednesday. Were always aiming to make PDX even more of a reflection of the neighborhoods people love here in Oregon, Kaitlin Hunter, Senior Manager of Concessions at the Port of Portland, said in the release. These 20 new shops bring even more of the regions unrivaled food and shopping scene to our airport. [Related: Everything you need to know about the new food and drink businesses coming to PDX] New options will include wood-fired pizza, well-known local coffee and tea brands, an Oregon-focused beer hall and a speakeasy, the Port announced. Five of the shops will be accessible to everyone, while an additional 16 (including a second Portland Coffee Roasters) will be found past security. Beginning in May 2024, these 13 new shops, cafes and restaurants will open at the airport: Freeland Spirits: Locally distilled spirits and cocktails from Portlands women-owned, women-run distillery. Grassa: Pasta made fresh at the airport by Lardo chef Rick Gencarellis team of cooks. Hello From Portland: A Portland-themed gift shop showcasing local BIPOC, women and LGBTQ+ makers. KURE Superfoods: Cold-pressed juices, smoothies and grain bowls. Lolas Cafe: Nutritionist-approved breakfast and deli meals from this Lake Oswego cafe. Loyal Legion: A combination beer hall, speakeasy, TV viewing room, and kids play area. Oven and Shaker: A wood-fired pizzeria originally opened by Nostrana chef Cathy Whims. Paper Epiphanies: Handmade cards, notebooks, zines and art designed by women. Pilot House Distilling: Spirits, cocktails and local seafood from an Astoria distillery. Portland Gear: Locally printed T-shirts, caps and backpacks. Sizzle Pie: Vegan-friendly pizzeria with by-the-slice options. Steven Smith Teamaker: Portlands signature tea shop. Straightaway Cocktails: Portland-based canned cocktails. These seven existing PDX businesses will continue to have a presence at the airport: Blue Star: When it reopens, Blue Star plans to start making doughnuts fresh on site. Capers Bistro: A wine bar with grab-and-go sandwiches and snacks. Columbia Sportswear: Portlands popular outdoor apparel and footwear company The Country Cat: A former Portland restaurant reimagined as a deli and market. Pendleton: The Portland-based blanket and clothing company Portland Coffee Roasters (two locations): Espresso drinks, pastries and sandwiches. Stumptown Coffee: Espresso drinks, pastries and more. The new brands were selected as part of a formal Request for Proposals process in late 2022, with additional emphasis given to businesses with a commitment to having a positive impact on their communities, being quality employers and practicing environmental sustainability, the Port wrote. Twelve of the 20 new businesses are expected to open in May 2024, with the remainder debuting by December 2025. Read more: Everything you need to know about the new food and drink options at Portland International Airport Michael Russell; mrussell@oregonian.com Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe The success of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival vaulted Ashland, a tiny city on the states southern border, into a travel destination. Since 1935, the venerable tourism powerhouse has lured in theatergoers willing to stay, shop and dine. Ashland also has nature trails and is an easy stop off of Interstate 5, but a third of its visitors vacation here specifically to see the festivals performances on three downtown stages, according to the citys tourism bureau. Family members of a 14-year-old Klamath County girl who died in late March are raising alarms that Oregons child protective agency failed to intervene to keep her safe, despite what they say were multiple reports of neglect and possible abuse. By the time Fallon Murdock died on March 30, her maternal grandmother Diane Spahn and great aunt Barbie Campbell had contacted the states child abuse and neglect hotline five times over a four-year period with concerns about the safety of Fallon and her four siblings, Campbell said. Neighbors also reported concerns to child welfare officials, Campbell said, yet the state apparently did not step in until after Fallons death. The Klamath County Sheriffs Office is investigating Fallons death. And three family members said they heard from law enforcement officers who visited the home in the unincorporated community of Keno that the five children, ages 6 through 15, had been living in outbuildings without toilets or heat because the primary home was uninhabitable. Officers leaving the property had to change their shoes because the entire property was so covered in feces and urine, said Dan Campbell, the childrens maternal grandfather. Its just heartbreaking. Brandon Fowler, public information officer for the Klamath County Sheriffs Office, confirmed Monday that the office is investigating Fallons death. And 911 call records show that law enforcement was repeatedly called to the home where Fallon lived southwest of Klamath Falls on March 30. Heidi Vaughn, a protective services caseworker for Oregon child welfare in Klamath County, told a judge during an April 5 hearing on the states rationale for taking custody of the children that the home had a significant amount of urine, feces, garbage and was generally unsafe for any aged child. The home also contained drug paraphernalia and a substance that the father, Chris Murdock, identified to authorities as methamphetamine, Vaughn said. The parents failed to meet the childrens educational and medical needs, including by taking the three oldest children out of school after 2019, she said. They were, for a very short amount of time, in online education, Vaughn said. But for this last proper school year they have had no education. The last school the oldest boy, 15, attended was an elementary school, Vaughn said. Chris and Karana Murdock also stopped getting routine medical care for their children after 2019, Vaughn said. The parents imposed excessive discipline on the 15-year-old in the form of extensive physical workouts that could range from 45 minutes to 4 hours, Vaughn said, resulting in him throwing up, passing out, not being able to appropriately control his own body. Jake Sunderland, spokesperson for the Department of Human Services, said the agency cannot comment on any specific case due to privacy laws. Anytime a child dies, it is a tragedy for their family, friends and community, Sunderland wrote in an email Monday. As I am sure you can appreciate, due to child privacy laws we cannot comment on, or even confirm or deny the existence of, child welfare cases. Sunderland said he encourages anyone with concerns about the welfare of the children to contact the states child abuse hotline, (855) 503-7233, where people can anonymously share their concerns. In Oregon, the state is required to complete a review every time a child dies of abuse if that child was in the custody of the state or came in contact with the child welfare system in some other way in the preceding 12 months, such as a hotline report of neglect or abuse. Ashley Gathard, Fallons biological mother, lost custody of her daughter during a time when Gathard was struggling with addiction and serving sentences for a variety of crimes. She said that law enforcement told her that first responders found Fallon unresponsive in a bathtub in one of the buildings on the property. Shed been complaining she was sick, she had a headache and stuff,Gathard said. So the parents who adopted her after Gathard give up custody, Chris and Karana Murdock, went to the store to purchase pain relievers, Gathard said, citing information she received from law enforcement. Gathard, who was previously married to Chris Murdock, said she was told that early results of a medical examination suggested that her biological daughter had spinal meningitis. Murdock is not the biological parent of Fallon but he is the biological parent of the 15-year-old, Gathard said. I wasnt a fit mom and I wanted my kids to have a good life, said Gathard, who is now in recovery and has a family in Wisconsin. Instead, Gathard said, she learned from law enforcement that there was clear presence of drug use in the home and the children were relieving themselves in a sewage pond on the property. Gathard traveled to Klamath Falls upon learning of Fallons death and held a candlelight vigil for her on Saturday. Gathard wants her 15-year-old son, who was also living with the Murdocks, to know she is trying to get custody of him. Im here for you and I wont stop fighting for you. Gathard said she is concerned that local child protective services employees decided to place the 15-year-old boy and Chris and Karanas three other children ages 6, 9 and 12 with Chris Murdocks parents, Bonnie and Ken Murdock. She worried about that placement because she said the couple have maintained that the children were never mistreated. I just really want justice for my daughter, Gathard said. She was slipped through the (Oregon Department of Human Services) cracks Bonnie has pull here. Bonnie Murdock recently worked at a Klamath Falls law firm and now works at Klamath County Justice Court. She did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday. Ken Murdock wrote on Facebook following Fallons death that she was a happy health girl right up to the time of her passing. In an interview Tuesday, he said he and his wife took care of the children every other weekend. We monitored them very carefully, he said. They were very happy, well-adjusted children. Regarding the primitive and unsanitary conditions in which the children lived, Ken Murdock said he wouldnt let kids live there, but he said he and his wife were unaware of the conditions because they had not been to the property in a while. This is just a typical meth issue family, Ken Murdock said. Ken Murdock said he and his wife take good care of their grandchildren. You can ask anybody in this community what kind of people we are, and they will stand up behind us, Murdock said. My wife runs justice court. She is involved in the legal system. Baylea Scott, a childhood friend of Karana Murdock who said she ended the friendship after Karana started using methamphetamine, said she works a shift at a Klamath-area Walmart that starts at 10 p.m. She said she often observed her childhood friend visiting the store around that time with Fallon and a younger sister. The last time I saw Fallon, they cannot tell me that was a happy kid, said Scott, who used to help care for Karana Murdocks children. That girl had the saddest eyes I have ever seen. Every time I saw these kids in the store, they didnt make sounds, Scott said. I grew up in a super abusive home and thats what it reminded me of, going shopping with my mom and siblings. Chris and Karana Murdock cut off contact with Karana Murdocks family members who raised concerns about the couples drug use and neglect of the children, those family members said. Four years ago, they kind of dropped off the face of the earth, said Barbie Campbell, the maternal great aunt. At the same time, people living in the Murdocks neighborhood were just telling us constantly how bad it is Their septic tank has been broken for years and theres a poop pond in the backyard that the kids fell in. Dan Campbell, Karanas father, said he and Barbie Campbell knew the house was not very good living conditions because my daughter would not let us go out to the house. Dan Campbell said he believes the first person to report potential neglect or abuse to child protective services was Karanas mother, Diane Spahn, approximately four years ago. She was concerned about all the drug use and the strange men at the house and neglect of the children, Campbell said. Barbie Campbell said the last report she filed with Oregon child protective services was in August 2022. This could be prevented, Barbie Campbell said. (Fallon) did not have a fair chance at life Its heartbreaking that this had to happen this way and for (Department of Human Services) to be so blind here in Klamath Falls. Fallon was a sweet and loving kid who cared for her siblings, including walking to the local market to get groceries for them to eat or asking for food from a neighbor, Barbie Campbell said. Campbell said she is worried that Fallons four siblings are not safe in the care of their paternal grandparents, because Chris Murdock has keys to his parents house and has lived off-and-on with his parents. (Bonnie Murdock) is never going to keep those kids away from Chris, Barbie Campbell said. Dan Campbell said he is also concerned that the children are not safe in their paternal grandparents care, based on what he described as their history of brushing off concerns about neglect and abuse. Instead of getting help for the grandkids, they have chosen to protect the son and ignore all of this, he said. In a text message exchange with Bonnie Murdock in October 2020, Dan Campbell asked if she had seen Chris and Karana Murdock recently because he had heard from multiple credible sources that the couple was heavily doing drugs including meth and subjecting their children to extreme neglect including with weird men and drugs in front of the children We all must intervene as grandparents for the sake of these babies and their mental health and their future. In a text message back to Dan Campbell, Bonnie Murdock chastised Campbell and other relatives for contacting child protective services and suggested that instead they should give Chris food and money to pay the electric bill. I see them all the time, theyre doing great, Bonnie Murdock wrote. Chris and Karana would never do anything to hurt their kids. Bonnie Murdock could not be reached by phone at the Justice Court on Tuesday morning. Fallon was such a sweet soul, Dan Campbell said. If state caseworkers had intervened, Campbell said, perhaps it could have pushed his daughter to seek treatment. He said he is still holding out hope that she can turn her life around. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Barbie Campbells last name. Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe Beyond ONE, the digital services provider and TMT-sector (technology, media, telecommunications) investment and operations firm, has made its first investment in the active protection of endangered rainforests. The initial acquisition of 262 hectares of land in Ecuadors Cloud Rainforest through the charity Rainforest Concern comes after the completion of Beyond ONEs first carbon footprint report, documenting the current annual carbon emissions of the organisation and its current portfolio of companies, including Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa operations in Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE and Kuwait. The investment ensures direct protection of an existing threatened tropical forest in one of the most biodiverse regions of the planet, and is not limited to trees, but also the vast diversity of plant and animal species they contain. The natural resources that rainforests provide are essential components in addressing climate instability, and their protection from excessive deforestation has become critical. Fund mobilisation According to UN Climate Change, only by stepping up efforts to reduce deforestation and implementing other mitigation activities in the forest sector can the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels be reached. This requires the mobilisation of funds from both government and private sectors to support implementation of initiatives. Markus Tagger, Group CEO of Beyond ONE, said: "Our focus on positively impacting people and planet extends to everything we say and do. Our immediate actions following the calculation of our 2021 carbon emissions have been to implement measures that reduce these at an operational level, and to invest in the tangible protection of a natural resource that impacts all corners of the world. This enables carbon neutrality for our businesses currently, as we work towards our goal of carbon negativity. Not only do rainforests house nearly 80% of the worlds terrestrial biodiversity, they also provide homes and natural resources that support livelihoods for 1.6 billion people. Our partnership with Rainforest Concern is a long-term initiative that will see us contributing in perpetuity to the protection of this invaluable and irreplaceable part of nature, as the extinction of the worlds rainforests would threaten the future of our planet. Peter Bennett, Founder Director, Rainforest Concern said: Rainforest Concern is delighted to enter a new partnership with Beyond ONE. Proactive and committed actions by organisations like Beyond ONE to invest in standing threatened forests is one of the most effective defences we have against the current climate crisis were facing. We hope their initiative inspires others to do the same.-- TradeArabia News Service E. Werner Reschke and Jeff Helfrich Reschke represents House District 55 Deschutes and Klamath counties in the Oregon Legislature and serves as the vice chair of the House Revenue Committee. Helfrich represents House District 52 East Multnomah County to The Dalles in the Oregon Legislature. Both are Republicans. After a few years of challenging tax filing seasons due to pandemic closures, stimulus checks and constantly changing rules and regulations, this years April 18 filing deadline marks a return to normal for most taxpayers. However, for residents of the Portland area, its a different story. Over the past three years, the Portland area has experienced a sea change in its tax landscape. Local leaders and advocacy groups implemented new income taxes on individuals and businesses as their solution to fund expanded homeless services and access to preschool. Due to these taxes, the Portland region has one of the countrys highest combined top marginal tax rates with some residents facing rates above 60% between local, state, and federal taxes. The rollout of these new taxes has been a mess, as The Oregonian/OregonLive recently reported. While reasonable people can disagree about rates and types of taxes, everyone should agree that taxes should be simple and uniform to promote fairness, reduce the administrative burden and improve the efficiency of the tax system. Unfortunately, the Portland areas new taxes dont do that. Rather than following the states longstanding income tax rules, these convoluted local taxes unnecessarily reinvent the wheel. For example, Oregon businesses pay state and federal tax through the corporate income tax or, if they are an s-corporation or partnership, on the owners personal tax return. The Portland area taxes do not follow this structure. Instead, they require the business to pay at the entity level and then again on the owners personal return, with a complicated deduction to separate business and individual income. Additionally, taxpayers cannot rely on popular tax programs, like TurboTax, to file because those services have chosen not to include the local taxes in their software. Currently, small business owners in Portland must navigate up to seven income taxes between city, county, regional, state, and federal governments, each requiring taxpayers to maintain separate books to track their income. This complicated and burdensome tax system causes some taxpayers to pay more in accounting fees than in taxes to local governments. It also discourages business and community growth, as shown in recent reports that Multnomah County lost more than 20,000 residents between 2020 and 2022. As state lawmakers, we are responsible for stewarding the state economy and its taxes. Oregons Constitution provides broad taxing authority to local jurisdictions, allowing them to select the appropriate taxes for their needs. The Constitution also gives the Legislature the authority to step in and ensure the overall state and local tax system serves the states interests. Although not solely responsible, Portlands taxes are driving people out of the area and to other states. A recent analysis by ECONorthwest indicates many of these departures are higher-income households moving to Clark County for tax benefits. These departures directly impact state revenues and the ability to pay for important programs and services. We have an obligation to ensure the state and local tax system does not unduly burden people to the point where they feel compelled to leave. We introduced House Bill 2548 in the Legislature to require these and any future taxes to conform with the general rules and procedures governing the state income tax. The measure does not eliminate the local taxes but requires they use the states definitions and processes for determining income. Communities deserve the right to decide their mix of taxes, but state and local laws must also ensure those taxes are not overly complicated. The House Revenue Committee has spent more time exploring this concept than any other tax measure this session. We are grateful to Chair Nancy Nathanson (D-Eugene) for dedicating so much time to finding a solution that simplifies compliance for taxpayers while respecting the will of the voters. As Tax Day approaches, make sure to file your local taxes along with your state and federal returns. And, if you find yourself banging your head on your desk trying to navigate these taxes, know the Legislature is working to make future years a lot easier. Sign up for our free Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: A passenger aboard an Alaska Airlines flight from San Francisco to Chicago was charged in federal court after she allegedly became disruptive and the flight was diverted to Kansas City International Airport for safety, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Missouri. The U.S. Attorney charged 32-year-old Chloe M. DaSilva, whose residence was not listed, with one count of interfering with a flight crew on the early morning flight Friday. DaSilva remains in federal custody. According to court documents, DaSilva allegedly became disruptive before Alaska Airlines Flight 456 left the ground. A flight attendant told investigators that during the initial announcements and safety briefing, DaSilva allegedly stood up and asked, When are we leaving? Another flight attendant told investigators that a member of the flight crew noticed DaSilva was acting odd during the boarding of the flight and alerted other crew members so they could keep an eye on the area where DaSilva was sitting, according to the charging documents. Once the flight was airborne, DaSilva told a flight attendant that she couldnt sit where she was and asked to change seats. The flight, however, was full and it was not possible. DaSilva then went to the lavatory. After about five minutes, the flight crew and passengers heard DaSilva banging on the bathroom door, according to court records. When members of the flight crew opened the door to check on her, they found DaSilva asleep and decided to leave her in the lavatory for her safety. Eventually, DaSilva exited the restroom. She walked past her row and then punched an overhead bin and screamed before heading back to her seat. She reportedly calmed down and acted nicely. The flight attendants alerted the pilots, who started to coordinate bathroom breaks to prepare for being in the cockpit for a long period, according to court documents. When the pilots were about to take their breaks, DaSilva allegedly rushed a flight attendant and said she was going to kill him. Meanwhile, some passengers told investigators that the commotion woke them. The flight attendants took DaSilva back to her seat. The captain asked that the flight attendants use zip ties to restrain her, according to court documents. The captain of the flight told investigators that neither he nor his first officer left the cockpit and decided to divert to Kansas City rather than continuing on to Chicago because of DaSilvas alleged actions and for concern for the safety of the passengers. --------- 2023 The Kansas City Star. Visit at kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Barking Frog Winery tasting room in Sherwoods Old Town is home to owners Cindy and Ron Helbigs warm hospitality and wines made with Washington state fruit. You should hop on over. Barking Frog is best known for: Barbera, the pride of Piedmont. Only these grapes are grown in Washington, not Italy. A must try current release: 2019 Barking Frog Winery Barbera ($36 17.3% ABV). This wine surprised the heck out of me. At this alcohol percentage, I was expecting something closer to a Ruby Port from Portugal than a Barbera from Washington. Instead, I discovered a wine with acidity and structure to accompany ripe blackberry and Bing cherry fruit flavors, with a bit of Tootsie Roll-like chocolate on the side. HERE IS OREGON: HereisOregon.com | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok Innovation: Helbig was the third Oregon winemaker I know of, behind Peter Rosback at Sineann Winery and Laurent Montalieu of Solena Estate fame, to use a Vinoseal glass cork to seal wine bottles. The Vinoseal is a glass cork with a sealing ring first released by Alcoa in Germany in 2003. Vinoseals primary appeal is its ability to deal with natural cork issues such as trichloroanisole (TCA) and other forms of cork taint. Helbig started using the Vinoseal with his first vintage in 2005, having previously introduced the idea to Montalieu by sharing a magazine article. Unfortunately, after using the glass cork for 14 years, Vinoseal price increases led Helbig to shift to screw caps. Before making the change, I asked our wine club members if they wanted to stick with Vinoseals and pay more for our wines or if they were OK with screw caps. Screw caps won, Helbig said. History: The Helbigs moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sherwood in 1991, thinking it would be a better place to raise their two young sons. Helbig had a successful precision manufacturing career in California and found similar work in Oregon. Veterans of wine-tasting trips to Napa Valley, the Helbigs soon found themselves visiting the wineries near their new Oregon home. I was impressed with the quality of the wines, and the Willamette Valley reminded me of what Napa was like in the 1960s, Helbig said. Inspired, Helbig sent off to the University of California, Davis for a winemaking pamphlet. Then he bought 120 pounds of Muller-Thurgau grapes from a Sherwood neighbor. Helbig began racking up amateur winemaking medals in no time. In 1992 Helbig took a position as an associate professor in the manufacturing department at Clackamas Community College. During one of his sabbaticals, he enrolled full-time in the winemaking program at Chemeketa Community College. While studying winemaking, Helbig met Montalieu for the first time at a tasting event held at Solena Estate in Yamhill. He asked Montalieu to let him know if he ever needed winery help. Two months later, Helbig was helping Montalieu get his new custom crush facility, NW Wine Company, off the ground. Successfully transitioning from working with hundreds of pounds of fruit to working with tons of fruit convinced Helbig to launch Barking Frog in 2005. Helbig retired from teaching in 2008 and hasnt looked back since. Helbig said he named his winery in honor of a Native American story that says when frogs bark, they are telling humans the environment is in harmony. Frogs are biogenetic canaries, Helbig said. Barking Frog wines are made at Raptor Ridge Winery in Newberg. What we dont know: In 2012, Helbig used some of his Barbera grapes to make a dessert wine. A dessert wine made from Barbera is rare, and I had never tasted one. The 2012 Barking Frog Winery Dulcis Barbera ($30 for 375 ml. 12% ABV) tastes like boysenberry gelato laced with dried cranberries. Its perfect if you are looking for an after-dinner wine that isnt cloyingly sweet. Biggest inspiration: My dad was an aircraft mechanic at Oakland Airport after World War II. He was a real-life MacGyver that invented tooling for planes, Helbig said. His mechanical expertise was amazing, and by osmosis, I think some of that wore off on me as a kid. Helbig said those inherited skills came in handy when he first started using the Vinoseal. Since no mobile bottling lines at the time could install the glass Vinoseals, Helbig paired a piece of bulletproof plexiglass with an air cylinder and a foot pedal to create a pneumatic tool to put the Vinoseal in bottles. Where to buy: Helbig makes 600 cases annually, and almost all of it is sold through Barking Frogs website and tasting room. 1-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 16125 S.W. Railroad St, Sherwood, barkingfrogwinery.com or 503-702-5029. -- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine. MANISTEE The Manistee County Democratic Party is hosting its regular monthly information meeting at 7 p.m. on April 20, at the West Shore Community College building on River Street in Manistee. The monthly meetings are intended to provide information on key subjects of interest to residents of Manistee County directly from subject matter experts. The sessions are designed to reduce the spread of misinformation and educate voters on issues that have a direct impact on the quality of life for everyone in Manistee County. The April meeting will feature Eric Gustad, Community Affairs Manager for Consumers Energy, Michigans largest energy provider. Consumers Energy has made a significant effort to eliminate coal fired electrical generation replacing coal with lower carbon sources like natural gas, wind and solar. Eric proudly serves the northwest Michigan region, ensuring his friends and neighbors receive the hometown service Consumers Energy aims to provide. Eric is a nine-year veteran of Consumers Energy, and currently works out of the Ludington Service Center. Previously, he spent 11 years working for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians managing their training, education and leadership development programs. He also served six years for the city of Manistee Planning Commission and three years as a city council member. Currently he is a sitting County commissioner for the 4th District in Manistee County. This meeting will also feature an update on the 2023 Great Lakes Environmental Festival which will be held in Manistee on April 21-22. A free lecture series featuring environmental subject-matter experts will take place at the West Shore Community College building on River Street in downtown Manistee from noon to 6 p.m. each day. An Environmental Expo featuring exhibits by environmental activist organizations and businesses and an electric vehicle display in the parking lot of the Wagoner Senior Center will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 22. All are welcome to attend the meetings. More information about the Manistee County Democratic Party is available online at manisteecountydemocrats.us.. Photo provided/John Pepin/Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources/AP A combination of "very" dry vegetation and warm temperatures and gusty winds up to 35 mph prompts the National Weather Service to warn residents across much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula to be extremely careful with open flames. The NWS issued red flag warnings on Wednesday because of the weather conditions. A warning is in effect from 11:07 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa and Van Buren counties. CLEON TWP. A Thompsonville man was sentenced this week for criminal sexual conduct against a child over a six-month period in Cleon Township in 2022. Denune, 34, of Thompsonville, appeared in front of Judge David Thompson in Manistee Countys 19th Circuit Court on Monday. Denune was sentenced to six months of jail, with credit for four days served and five years of probation for criminal sexual conduct. The crime is punishable by up to two years in prison. Thompson said he did not object to Denune serving his jail sentence with work release in Benzie County due to Denunes employment in Benzie County. Denune had previously pleaded no contest to criminal sexual conduct fourth degree on Feb. 27, according to court documents. At sentencing, Thompson referenced the presentence report that showed Denune had sexual contact with the girl over nearly six months. The contact was reported to have occurred from January through June 12, 2022, according to court documents. It is News Advocate policy to not identify minors involved in criminal cases and victims of sex crimes. Thompson read part of a victim impact statement where the girl noted how she had been impacted by Denunes actions. In the statement, the girl said in part that she would like to see Denune spend at least a few months in jail. Thompson pointed out that the sentencing guidelines for his case would normally presume no incarceration time. Recently Michigan and courts throughout the country (have) been in the process of criminal justice reform and we have a legislature that has now determined that when guidelines of zero to 18 (months) or less are presented at sentencing it is presumed that I place you on probation unless I articulate why probation (alone is) unreasonable, Thompson said. Sentencing has four goals that Thompson emphasized on Monday: to rehabilitate, deter others from similar behaviors, protect the community and impose a consequence. I cant think of a fact pattern that jail isnt more appropriate than someone who victimizes a child " Thompson said in part. If I had guidelines that were more significant, the sentence would be more significant. If I had statutory maximums that were more significant your sentence would be more significant. When given a chance to make a statement at sentencing, Denune talked about his work, being a hard worker, the importance of his role as a father and stated that Im sorry for the crime that I committed. Two letters of support were presented at court on Monday and Thompson said Denune had recently been taking steps to do what appears to be the right things. He told Denune that he had not discounted the letters. But Mr. Denune, it goes without saying that children shouldnt ever have to experience this type of behavior from anyone Thompson said in part. Thompson referenced two prior convictions including one for domestic violence, saying that those convictions were also considered in sentencing. Denune was ordered to not have any contact with the victim. He is not allowed to have contact with people under the age of 17 without written permission from his field agent. He is not allowed to be in school zones and he has a number of other related rules as a sex offender. Denune was also ordered to not use or possess alcoholic beverages, illicit controlled substances and recreational marijuana. He is required to register as a sex offender and seek sex offender-specific treatment. A fine of $500, court costs of $750, a crime victims assessment of $130, $68 in state costs and a $60 DNA testing fee were also part of Denunes court orders. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Xaerus Performance Fluids is planning to expand a warehouse on Schuette Road after its site plan was approved 8-0 by the Midland Planning Commission at a meeting Tuesday in City Hall. Xaerus is an international industrial lubricant manufacturer with a facility at 2837 Schuette Road in Midland. The facility was approved for a 62,500-square-foot addition to the warehouse, which currently has 50,060 square feet of space. Commission Chairman Andrew Koehlinger noted Tuesday that during the March 21 public hearing for the site plan, a question was raised as to whether the addition would disturb any wetlands. Koehlinger said the plans show that the addition would indeed disturb a nearby wetland. Photo Provided Community Development Planner Ryan Smith told the commission that mitigation for the wetland area will be addressed as the developers work to get a wetland permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. One part of the listed contingencies for the plan is that this permit be provided to the city planning department. The commission also held a public hearing for a conditional use permit that would allow Wackerly Development LLC to build a 1,400-square-foot, single-family house on 25.5 acres of land zoned for office buildings. This land is located at 7101 West Wackerly Street, on the south side of the street and just west of Stark Road. The house would be built on the east side of the property along Stark Road. The property does include a vacant office building in the northwest corner on Wackerly. The rest of the property is vegetation. The planning commission sent a positive recommendation for a conditional use permit to City Council, which will likely set a public hearing for the permit for May 22. Armenias telecoms regulator the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) will reportedly block the proposed sale of MTS Armenia (Viva-MTS) due to national security concerns. Local media outlet News.am claimed to have seen a draft of the agenda for the regulators next meeting which outlined a letter received from the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, stating concerns over the sale. The buying company has not been revealed as PSRC chairman Garegin Baghramyan declined to relevel its identity but did disclose the deal does not involve one of the incumbent operators. MTS Armenia is a subsidiary of Russian operator group MTS. The petition was submitted also to the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, which shall hold discussions with the National Security Service to find out whether the transaction opposes national security issues, said Baghramyan at the time. Armenian media speculated the buyer of MTS Armenia bookmaker 1Xbet and Russian energy giant Gazprom as potential buyers, reported CommsUpdate. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tereasa Nims. Tuesday, April 11 11:44 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to Mount Haley Township regarding a report of a traffic hazard involving multiple cows in the roadway. Deputies located the 38-year-old owner of the cows and assisted with guiding the cows back to their residence without incident. 9:09 p.m. - Deputies did a traffic stop on a vehicle for equipment violations in Geneva Township. Upon further investigation, deputies found the 42-year-old male driver had a warrant for his arrest from another jurisdiction. The man was arrested and transported to the jurisdiction without incident. 8:42 p.m. - Police made a warrant arrest near Isabella and Homer roads. 8:03 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence for a report of suspicious phone calls. 7:04 p.m. - Deputies were called to assist Michigan State Police in a Jerome Township parking lot for a verbal dispute. Prior to the deputy's arrival, the trooper advised that she no longer needed assistance. 4:46 p.m. - Police were dispatched to a property damage crash at Buttles and Cronkright streets. 2:16 p.m. - A Midland County Animal Control deputy was dispatched to a residence in Lee Township regarding horses that were out near the road. The horses were safely returned to their enclosures. More Information Activities of the Midland Police Department and Midland County Sheriff's Office on April 11, 2023 See More Collapse 12:45 p.m. - Police made a warrant arrest in the 4500 block of Bay City Road. 9:36 a.m. - Police were called to a verbal domestic dispute in the 1800 block of W. St. Andrews. 8:02 a.m. - Police responded to a property damage crash at E. Buttles and McDonald streets. 10:10 a.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Mount Haley Township residence regarding a possible illegal burn. The deputy arrived on scene and found evidence of an old fire, but nothing currently burning. The deputy attempted contact at the residence, but nobody was home. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) Airstrikes by Myanmars military on Tuesday killed as many as 100 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule, said a witness, a member of a local pro-democracy group and independent media. The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule, which began in February 2021 when it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 3,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed since then by security forces. A witness told The Associated Press that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto a crowd of people who were gathering at 8 a.m. for the opening of a local office of the countrys opposition movement outside Pazigyi village in Sagaing regions Kanbalu township. The area is about 110 kilometers (70 miles) north of Mandalay, the countrys second-largest city. About half an hour later, a helicopter appeared and fired at the site, said the witness, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities. Initial reports put the death toll at around 50, but later tallies reported by independent media raised it to about 100. It was impossible to independently confirm details of the attack because reporting is restricted by the military government. I was standing a short distance from the crowd when a friend of mine contacted me on the phone about the approach of a fighter jet, the witness said. The jet dropped bombs directly on the crowd, and I jumped into a nearby ditch and hid. A few moments later, when I stood up and looked around, I saw people cut to pieces and dead in the smoke. The office building was destroyed by fire. About 30 people were injured. While the wounded were being transported, a helicopter arrived and shot more people. We are now cremating the bodies quickly. About 150 people had gathered for the opening ceremony, and women and 20 to 30 children were among the dead, he said, adding that those killed also included leaders of locally formed anti-government armed groups and other opposition organizations. The United Nations, United States and others strongly condemned the attack and pledged to work toward holding the military accountable. This heinous act by the terrorist military is yet another example of their indiscriminate use of extreme force against innocent civilians, constituting a war crime, the opposition National Unity Government said in a statement. The NUG calls itself the country's legitimate government, in opposition to the army. The office being opened Tuesday was part of its administrative network. The military government's spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, acknowledged in a statement phoned to state television MRTV that the ceremony had been attacked, but accused anti-government forces in the area of carrying out a violent campaign of terror. He said the Peoples Defense Forces the armed wing of the National Unity Government -- had terrorized residents into supporting them, killing Buddhist monks, teachers and other people, while the military sought peace and stability. He said there was evidence the attack had set off secondary blasts of explosives hidden by the Peoples Defense Forces around the site. In response to accusations of abuses, the military government often accuses pro-democracy forces of terrorism. But analysts for the United Nations and non-governmental organizations have gathered credible evidence of large-scale human rights abuses by the army, including the burning of entire villages and displacement of more than a million people, triggering a humanitarian crisis. The death toll from Tuesday's air attack, if confirmed, could be the highest in more than two years of civil conflict that began when the army seized power in 2021. As many as 80 people were killed last October in another government air attack in northern Myanmar on an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minoritys main political organization, which is also battling the military government. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army takeover triggered widespread popular opposition. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The army has been conducting major offensives in the countryside, where it has faced some of the toughest resistance in Sagaing, in Myanmars historic heartland. The resistance forces have no defense against air attacks. In videos of the devastated village seen by AP, survivors and onlookers stumble through the area of the attack amid clouds of thick smoke, with only the skeleton frame of one building still standing in the distance. The videos could not immediately be verified but matched other descriptions of the scene. Some motorbikes remained intact while others were reduced to their frames or buried under tree branches. In one area, two victims lay close together, one of whom had only one arm still attached. Another victim lay face down in a small grove by the roadside. A few meters (yards) away, a small torso missing at least one limb could be seen. In January, Myanmars top leader told the military it needs to take decisive action against those opposed to army rule. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said at a military parade on Armed Forces Day that those who condemned his government showed indifference to violence committed by its opponents. Resistance forces have been able to prevent the military from taking firm control of large areas of the country, but have a great disadvantage in weapons, particularly in countering air attacks. Critics of the military government advocate banning or limiting the sale of aviation fuel to Myanmar to cripple the militarys advantage in air power. Many Western nations have imposed arms embargoes on the military government, and the United States and Britain recently enacted new sanctions targeting individuals and companies involved in supplying jet fuel to Myanmar. The human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday that The relentless air attacks across Myanmar highlight the urgent need to suspend the import of aviation fuel. Amnesty reiterates its calls on all states and businesses to stop shipments that may end up in the hands of the Myanmar Air Force. It also urged the U.N. Security Council to "push through effective actions to hold the Myanmar military accountable, including by referring the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court. The United Nations said those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice, with U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric stressing that the injured must receive medical treatment, which is often a challenge in these circumstances. Myanmar's government-run hospitals are short on staff and supplies, and opponents of the military avoid them for safety reasons. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns all forms of violence and reaffirms the primacy of protection of civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law and reiterates his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country as called for by the U.N. Security Council in a resolution adopted last December, Dujarric said. The U.S. would continue to work with the international community to hold the military government accountable for violations and abuses, the State Department said in a statement. These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma, said Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson at the State Department, using Myanmar's former name. ___ Find more AP coverage of the Asia-Pacific region at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific NEW DELHI (AP) A firing incident inside a military station in northern India killed at least four soldiers early Wednesday, an army statement said. The statement didn't give details, saying only that quick reaction teams were activated, and the area cordoned off and sealed. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, Wednesday sent an official note to the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives (Parliament) and the chairman of the High Council of State proposing the readiness of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to provide the necessary technical support to the 6+6 Joint Committee in charge of drafting the electoral laws While the children of Cuban political prisoners suffer separation, their parents are resorting to hunger strikes in protest. For some, this costs them even harsher situations within the already serious conditions entailed by incarceration. Hugo Pupo Santana, the son of political prisoner Samuel Pupo Martinez, sentenced to seven years for his participation in the historic 11-J protests in Cardenas, Matanzas, has been separated from his father for nearly two years, and suffers each prison visit more and more. "Another day of pain and injustice! The monthly visit to Dad! Poor thing, since yesterday he's been running around to get his hair cut, so that he?d look good for his father. When he came home from school in the afternoon, he went to four barbers and they were all closed, until he found one! But every month his dad says he is bigger and more handsome (he has had to mature and grow up in a hurry, his father says, now that he is the little man of the house)," wrote Yuneisy Santana, the mother of the boy and wife of the prisoner on Facebook. In a post in which she shared images on their way to the visit, she added: "A father who never spent more than three days away from his beloved child, and now has spent more than 20 months in unjust confinement, without being able to be there in his day-to-day life, the life of his only son, his reason for living, his warrior. He has missed all the changes in him as a teenager. Why? For 'thinking differently.'" Santana is one of the women who are tirelessly demanding freedom for relatives imprisoned after 11-J. "Your family needs you at home, your warrior needs you in his life! Enough pain and injustice! #CubaDeLuto (#CubaInMourning) Santana concluded. Another political prisoner whose son is suffering separation and who is facing health problems is Erisdel Benitez Moya. Benitez Moya went on hunger strike in prison one April 6 and was confined to solitary confinement "under cruel, inhumane and degrading conditions," according to dissident Ana Belkis Ferrer Garcia on social media. She said that the family of Benitez Moya, a resident of Guanabacoa, Havana, is concerned about the prisoner's physical and psychological wellbeing. "Erisdel's children are very distressed by the forced absence of their father, with one of them presenting health problems that have worsened," the activist reported. Benitez Moya was arrested last February along with his brother Esquizander. Both are sons of Dama de Blanco (Lady in White) Mercedes Moya Isaac. Esquizander was arrested on February 1 for allegedly selling bread on the street, and was tied to a pole for more than an hour before being taken to a detention center, CubaNet reported at the time. His mother and brother joined him in a hunger strike to demand his release, and were also arrested. Ferrer Garcia demanded freedom for the Benitez Moya brothers, and also for Dixan Gainza More. Gainza More also went on hunger strike last week. According to what the sister of the 11-J protester told Radio Marti on Sunday, he remains at the Kilo 8 prison in Camaguey, despite the family's fears for his health. "We want him alive and we don't want him dead," said Disney Azahares, who was able to visit him on Saturday and confirm that "he is feeling much better than on the 5th," but he is still in bad shape: thinner, fatigued, with stomach pain and high blood pressure. "We are very worried, he is not well at all," she said. The Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) activist will continue with the protest he began on the afternoon of April 1 to demand his conditional release after serving a third of his six-year prison sentence. He does plan to start drinking water, however. "He has told me that he's not going to quit the hunger strike," Azahares said. The activist promised to drink "whatever water is necessary for his body to continue to exist, but that he was not going to eat a bite." Gainza, 37, is currently in an isolated cell in the health services area of Kilo 8, where there is no mistreatment, his sister said. However, she stated, "we want them to know that Dixan is not well at all, that organs can fail, that something bad can happen to him, that we can lose him at any moment, and that we hold Prisons responsible for what happens to my brother, and we?re letting the whole world know." Last Wednesday his mother went to Kilo 8, but was not allowed to see Gainza More, triggering a heated argument with the warden, Lieutenant Colonel Juan Miguel Duarte Sanchez. After the incident his family asked to verify his state of health. This is not the first time that the activist has protested: on January 1, 2023 he abandoned the hunger strike he was carrying out in solitary at the Ceramica Roja prison, in the capital of Camaguey, which he had begun on December 26 at La Empresita prison. The group of political detainees Justicia 11-J has condemned at least 82 incidents, from human rights violations to repressive acts, in Cuban prisons, in a report on the situation of prisoners in March. Justicia 11J documented 32 cases involving the deterioration of the physical or emotional states, or the physical or mental health, of 37 persons incarcerated. The organization stated that "acts of repression or violated rights have led to hunger strikes as a form of protest," with "at least four people in prison beginning them" in the month of March. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - As part of his solidarity visit to Somalia on Tuesday in the midst of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was on the ground to ring the alarm on the need of massive international support for the country Photo: (Photo : Spencer Platt / Getty Images) New York state has announced that it will stockpile abortion pills called misoprostol, a medication used for abortions. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the state health department to purchase 150,000 doses of misoprostol, an alternative abortion medication. This is in response to the recent Texas court ruling that could potentially suspend the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone, the main drug used for medication abortions. The decision comes after a day when California announced securing 2 million pills of misoprostol. New York To Stockpile Abortion Pills During a press conference on April 11, Governor Hochul criticized the Texas judge who issued the ruling. According to U.S. News, Hochul said that the Texas judge thought he knew better than thousands of scientists and doctors who have deemed mifepristone to be a safe and effective medication for decades. She added that the court's decision is an attack on democracy and not just abortion rights. The governor of New York expressed her disbelief at the current situation regarding abortion pills, stating that courts have never overturned an FDA decision that is supported by scientific evidence. She further reiterated her commitment to ensuring that residents of New York have access to medication abortion, regardless of any potential challenges or obstacles. According to Hochul, she is collaborating with the state legislature to make it mandatory for private insurers to include coverage for misoprostol when prescribed for abortions in an off-label manner. She stands firm on her decision, saying that New Yorkers will continue to have access to abortion pills and abortion care for pregnant mothers who are under health threatening circumstances. The Daily Progress reported that if the drug is taken off the market, the state will provide $20 million to providers to bolster access to other methods of care. Medication abortions are the most commonly used method for terminating a pregnancy in the U.S., and they typically involve a two-drug regimen of mifepristone followed by misoprostol. However, misoprostol can be used alone as an abortion medication in some parts of the world. Misoprostol is FDA-approved for treating gastric ulcers, which means it will remain available even if mifepristone is taken off the market. Read Also: Revolution Farms Issues Major Lettuce Recall Due to Listeria Fears Ongoing Legal Battle Over Abortion Pills The legal battle over access to mifepristone has reached the US Supreme Court, following opposing rulings from federal judges in Texas and Washington state. The approval of the drug, which has been a common option for abortions for over two decades, was halted by a Texas judge. However, in contrast, Judge Thomas O. Rice from Washington State issued a ruling to maintain access to the drug in 17 states. This decision allows the drug to be provided through telemedicine and mail, which is crucial during the pandemic when many clinics have had to limit their services. Furthermore, according to CNBC, Governor Hochul is the latest Democratic governor to announce the stockpiling of abortion medication. California, Massachusetts, and Washington State are among the other states that have also stockpiled the drugs. Danco Laboratories, the distributor of mifepristone, and the Justice Department have jointly requested the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturn Kacsmaryk's ruling before noon on Thursday. With the ongoing legal battle and contradicting rulings, Democratic governors are taking measures to secure alternative medication and maintain access to safe and legal abortions. Related Article: Legal Battle for Mifepristone Abortion Pill Reaches Supreme Court After Texas, Washington Judges Issue Opposing Rulings Photo: (Photo : Joshua Robert/Getty Images) The U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, stated that instead of focusing on book censorship, people should consider banning assault weapons. In an interview where he discussed the challenges facing the U.S. education system, Cardona expressed his concerns about the attack on public education and specific curricula, which he believes is an effort to promote private schooling. He spoke about the recent attacks on Black curriculum, which promotes the beauty of diversity and accurate historical facts. According to Cardona, he has never witnessed such attacks, and he sees this as an attempt to create division in education. Ban on Assault Weapons According to Reuters, rather than focus on book censorship, Cardona believes that a ban on assault weapons should be a priority. Although he didn't specify which group was responsible for attempting to ban specific school materials, there have been several controversies in U.S. schools regarding the instruction of race, identity, and sexuality, with Republican officials taking the lead. Cardona stressed the significance of ensuring that every student has equal opportunities and safeguarding their ability to engage in sports, including members of the LGBTI community. He disclosed that the Department of Education had received a considerable amount of input on this issue and aimed to complete the regulation in time for the following academic year. This call for a ban on assault weapons comes after another school shooting incident in Nashville, where a 28-year-old killed three children and three adults at a private Christian school. CNN reported that the shooter had a history of emotional disorders and had legally purchased seven firearms that were hidden at home. This school shooting has prompted backlash and outrage from students, educators, parents, and community members who are affected every time there are school shootings, resulting in days of protest in Tennessee. School Shootings in the U.S. According to the Security Organization, the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) published the K-12 School Shooting Database, which reveals that there have been a total of 118 instances of active shooter incidents in K-12 schools in the United States since 1999. These incidents involve perpetrators who target or randomly shoot victims on school campuses, resulting in fatalities or injuries. Since 1999, the number of fatalities and injuries in K-12 school shootings has increased, with 392 people killed and 1,119 injured. The year 2020, which marked the beginning of the pandemic, saw the lowest number of K-12 school shooting fatalities and injuries in several years, with 77 people affected. However, in 2021, the figure more than doubled. Read Also: Iowa Attorney General Halts Funding for Emergency Contraception and Abortion for Sexual Assault Victims Risks and rewards of artificial intelligence During the interview, Cardona was asked about the integration and use of artificial intelligence in the country's education system. While he acknowledged that it had risks and rewards, he warned about the risks and the need to provide professional development to educators across the country. He believes that they must calculate and communicate the risks of these AI tools to educators and students to maximize the benefits and also prevent cheating loopholes. Additionally, the U.S. Secretary of Education also highlighted the need to protect student data and ensure that it is used ethically. He stated that the department is working on developing policies and guidelines to protect student data and ensure its ethical use. Cardona believes that the focus should be on providing quality education for all students. He considers that the potential of artificial intelligence in education is exciting, but it is essential to calculate the risks and provide proper training to educators. Furthermore, Cardona emphasized that the U.S. education system is facing many challenges, including attacks on specific curricula, but ensuring student safety should be a top priority. Related Article: New York Stockpiles Abortion Pills in Response to Texas Court Ruling 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 Last month Patently Apple reported that Hon Hai's Chairman Liu Yangwei recently met with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show him the layout of their new Indian plant. Hon Hai plans to invest about US$700 million (equivalent to NT$21.623 billion) to build a new factory in India, near the airport in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, which may assemble Apple products. The report also pointed to a new secondary plant coming to the Indian State of Telangana to produce AirPods. Today, the Indian press is reporting that Foxconn is reportedly set to start the construction of an iPhone plant in Bengaluru next month next to Bengaluru International Airport next month by Hon Hai Technology Group, whose part is Foxconn. India's state high level clearance committee (SHLC), headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai had cleared Foxconns proposal. The mentioned plant by Foxconn will also reportedly be set up on a 300-acre plant and is expected to be the largest mobile manufacturing unit in India. In addition to the manufacturing, the plant is also reportedly expected to create about 50,000 jobs over five years. Apart from Bengaluru, Foxconn is also reportedly setting up another plant in Telangana. As per last media reports, Foxconn won an order to make AirPods in India and the construction of the facility in Telangana may start in the second half of 2023. We reported yesterday that Apple's CEO is set to meet with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose government has been pushing for electronics manufacturing in his country and has offered billions of dollars in incentives to attract Apple's manufacturing partners like Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron Corp. The timing of Cook's meeting is interesting considering that it was also reported yesterday that India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that her country is seeking to be more involved in world supply chains and serve as an alternative to China through output-incentive plans. Ive had a number of people ask whether I could share a link to a video of my remarks on Easter Sunday. Not feeling entirely comfortable (or authorized) to treat a sacrament meeting talk that way, though, I sat down today with my friend Tom Pittman and recorded it. The talk is now available on YouTube as Truly He has risen! My delivery seems a bit lifeless to me, as I watch it now sometimes a live audience is energizing but I suppose it will serve the purpose. My wife and I are pleased today to begin our slow and careful reading through the first draft of the script for Six Days in August or, at least, for the feature-film component of Six Days in August, which is the next Interpreter Foundation movie project. Weve been here before, with the Witnesses project. (For the products of which, see Witnesses and Undaunted Witnesses of the Book of the Book of Mormon and the website Witnesses of the Book of Mormon and the thirty-two short features thus far (two or three are yet to be posted) in the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon Insights series.) This is an exciting moment, of course, but also a daunting one. Can we pull it off? We step forward with faith. If you would like to join with us in this effort, please do. And, once gain, Jonn Claybaugh has kindly provided the Interpreter Foundation audience with some short notes for students and teachers of the Churchs Come, Follow Me curriculum: Come, Follow Me New Testament Study and Teaching Helps: Lesson 17, April 17 23: Matthew 18; Luke 10 What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? For the 26 March 2023 Come, Follow Me segment of the Interpreter Radio Show, Martin Tanner discussed New Testament lesson 17, What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? on Matthew 18 and Luke 10: The New Testament in Context Lesson 17: What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? Matthew 18 and Luke 10. The other segments of the 26 March 2023 radio show can be accessed at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreter-radio-show-march-26-2023. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard weekly, on Sunday evenings, from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640. Or, of course, you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com. To coin an absolutely original new phrase, folks, the Interpreter Foundation is a gift that goes on giving. It is winter in Narnia, said Mr. Tumnus, and has been for ever so long. . . . Why, it is she who has got all Narnia under her thumb. Its she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that! How awful, replied Lucy. I dont know about you, but I always find January and February, and even the very end of December, just a bit depressing. Christmas is over. Theres little to which to look forward except gray skies, cold weather, often-dirty snow, and bare, ruined trees. It can seem a bit desolate. But I have an idea for you! At the invitation of Bountiful Travel, my wife and I are set to accompany a nearly two-week cruise from Australia around New Zealand and back, beginning on 9 February 2024 and concluding on 20 February 2024. (That will, of course, be during summer in the southern hemisphere a good time to be there, and perhaps a good time not to be here.) We would enjoy having you along. Ive been reading the story again today about how, some time back, the Brethren were furious at John Gee and me for our having published something that was critical of the Joseph Smith Papers project, which led to our being summoned up to Salt Lake City and rebuked for our misbehavior. Theres at least one thing, though, thats wrong with this account: Its essentially false. A couple of the employees in the Historical Department of the Church were displeased that the Departments then-recently published volume regarding the Book of Abraham had come under criticism in two reviews that had lately appeared in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. Here are the two reviews: Jeff Lindsay, A Precious Resource with Some Gaps Review of The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts, eds. Robin Scott Jensen and Brian M. Hauglid (Salt Lake City: Church Historians Press, 2018), 381 pages. Abstract: The publication of high-resolution documents and carefully prepared transcripts related to the origins of the Book of Abraham in The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts is a remarkable achievement that can help students of Church history and of the Book of Abraham explore many aspects of that volume of scripture for themselves. The book, especially when coupled with the resources and advanced interface of the Joseph Smith Papers website, will provide lasting value for scholars, students, and anyone wishing to better understand the Book of Abraham and its complex origins. However, there are some gaps in the book that must be understood, including a mix of minor errors, questionable assumptions, and a few major problems that can unnecessarily lead readers to question the ancient roots and the divine inspiration behind the Book of Abraham. A future addendum could help resolve many such issues and would be a welcome addition. However, there may be a fundamental flaw in the commentary that tends to align with the way critics of the Church approach the Book of Abraham as a product of Josephs environment rather than a text rooted in revelation and antiquity. Sadly, in spite of hundreds of footnotes with extensive references to the research and perspectives of some scholars, this volume tends to exclude a great deal of relevant research provided by some noteworthy scholars. For example, it fails to mention even once the past scholarship of Hugh Nibley on these documents and generally neglects the work of other scholars that can point to the strengths of the Book of Abraham and give tools for coping with the thorny issues. The openness about the conundrums of the [Page 14]Book of Abraham should be encouraged, but it should be balanced with at least an awareness that there are noteworthy positives that readers can weigh against the question marks, and that there are frameworks that can help faithful readers understand how a divinely revealed text can be produced by the same man who wanted to begin learning Egyptian and Hebrew after he had already provided divine translation. Such a balance is needed in a book from the Church dealing with such sensitive issues, where misunderstanding has led some people out of the Church. Sadly, in spite of its many achievements in opening the doors to the documents associated with the Book of Abraham, this book lacks the balance that is needed. John Gee, The Joseph Smith Papers Project Stumbles Review of The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts, eds. Robin Scott Jensen and Brian M. Hauglid (Salt Lake City: Church Historians Press, 2018), 381 pages. Abstract: Volume 4 of the Revelations and Translations series of the Joseph Smith Papers does not live up to the standards set in previous volumes. While the production values are still top notch, the actual content is substandard. Problems fill the volume, including misplaced photographs and numerous questionable transcriptions beyond the more than two hundred places where the editors admitted they could not read the documents. For this particular volume, producing it incorrectly is arguably worse than not producing it at all. We werent summoned to Salt Lake City. We werent called on the carpet. No General Authorities, none of the Brethren, were involved in any way. John Gee and I happily met with a couple of senior staffers from the Church Historical Department, with whom we had a good conversation that, I think, led to better understanding between us. You can pretty much rely on the fact that this kind of story, recounted by The Usual Suspects, is not true. Sometimes there will be a kernel of truth to it. Sometimes, though, it will lack even that. While Im at it, though, here are a couple of additional links that are relevant to the Gee and Lindsay reviews that displeased some people on the Historical Department staff up in Salt Lake City: John Gee, Prolegomena to a Study of the Egyptian Alphabet Documents in the Joseph Smith Papers Abstract: For many theories about the Book of Abraham, the Egyptian Alphabet documents are seen as the key to understanding the translation process. While the original publication of those documents allows many researchers access to the documents for the first time, careful attention to the Joseph Smith Papers as a whole and the practices of Joseph Smiths scribes in particular allows for improvements in the date, labeling, and understanding of the historical context of the Egyptian Alphabet documents.This essay supports the understanding of these documents found in the other volumes of the Joseph Smith Papers that the Egyptian Alphabet documents are an incidental by-product of the translation process rather than an essential step in that process. John Gee, Fantasy and Reality in the Translation of the Book of Abraham Kris Hughes (thats this Kris Hughes, not Kristoffer Hughes) had a good question on Facebook last weekend: What do you think about the concept of patron deities? There was quite a bit of conversation on Facebook, and as Kris requested, it was respectful. Which is good, because some people get very worked up around the concept of patron deities. I have thoughts on this (when do I ever not have thoughts on an issue?). They arent necessarily right thoughts, but theyre my thoughts and I like to think theyre reasonable thoughts. Heres the short answer: patron deities are a real and valid thing in contemporary Paganism. But they arent for everyone, and they arent the most important thing in the world, even for polytheists. Especially for polytheists. Patronage in the ancient world Search Wikipedia for patron deity and it redirects to tutelary deity which it defines as: a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The rest of the Wikipedia page isnt the best, but its enough to give you an idea of what a patron deity is and does. In the ancient world, most patron deities were patrons of groups: of tribes, nations, or cities. Athena was the patron deity of Athens. If you were born an Athenian you didnt have to wonder who your patron deity was you knew. There were individual exceptions, but they were the exception, not the rule. At the family and individual level, most tutelary spirits were ancestors. Beliefs and practices varied widely from place to place and culture to culture, but the idea of a personal patron deity was uncommon in the ancient world. Group patronage is mostly dead Today, Greece is 90% Orthodox Christian. Ireland is 78% Catholic Christian (a number that is rapidly declining). The patronage relationships between Gods and groups of people are mostly gone. If people have tutelary spirits, theyre likely to be angels, or saints or some celebrity they improperly call their spirit animal. Thats another post for another time and honestly, one I have little interest in writing. The old patronage arrangements are gone. So if Athena wants to participate in a patronage-based relationship, theres not much to work with in Athens the vast majority of Athenians dont recognize Her as a Goddess. But She has followers and devotees around the world. (That doesnt mean Athena isnt still the Goddess of Athens She is. It does mean there arent very many people in Athens who acknowledge Her as such. Place-based relationships are a different topic.) People have Gods and Gods have people. Where once Gods were able to find Their people all in one place, now They find Their people in many places. And those people are, for the most part, not connected to each other. So it makes sense that Gods who were patron deities once and who wish to be patron deities again will form patronage relationships with individual humans. Not everyone needs a patron deity More than a few Paganism 101 and witchcraft 101 books list find your patron deity as an early step on your spiritual journey. As though everyone should have a patron deity, and that finding one is a simple matter. Neither of those ideas is correct. Being called by a God is an amazing thing. But its not something that happens to everyone my informal observation is that it happens to only a few. And thats fine neither Paganism nor polytheism require a call. Anyone can worship any God! Some traditions and cultures have boundaries as to who can be a member of that community boundaries we should respect but gatekeeping the Gods is neither necessary nor possible nor particularly wise. Are you interested in a specific deity? Do Their values and virtues appeal to you? Do Their stories resonate with you? Then start worshipping them. Pray, meditate, and make offerings. Do it consistently and see what happens. Most times They respond in a positive manner. Let the relationship develop organically let Them tell you what They want from you, and what They offer you in return. Introducing yourself to a God with will you be my patron? isnt very different from introducing yourself to another human and asking will you marry me? Maybe, but its a bit early for that. Patronage is only one form of human-divine relationship This isnt all that different from people who think that in order to be a real Pagan or polytheist they must be a priest of this God or that Goddess. Priesthood is a formal, oathed relationship to perform certain duties for a deity or group of deities. Gerald Gardners idea that every Wiccan initiate is a priest or priestess simply means that we dont need priests to access the Gods we can do it ourselves. Being a priest is a commitment to do a set of specific things. Not everyone is called to make that commitment. Most arent, and thats fine. I am a priest of Cernunnos and of Danu. I have a sworn relationship with the Morrigan, but it is not one of priesthood. None of those relationships are based in patronage. And there are many other sacred callings that are neither priesthood nor patronage. Someone in Kriss Facebook feed said that having a patron deity is a form of henotheism the idea that there are many Gods, but only one is your God or the God of your people. I dont think I would describe it like that. I would say that in henotheism, you only worship one God. In patronage, you may worship several Gods, but your patron is always first and youre higher on Their list than the average human. I worship several Gods, but Cernunnos is always first. Is that patronage? Thats not a term Ive ever used to describe this relationship. This is first and foremost a relationship between a God and a devotee. Everything after that is extra. A personal relationship with Jesus Mention patron deities and sooner or later someone is going to say that the idea is baggage brought into Paganism by former Evangelical Christians who grew up hearing about the necessity of a personal relationship with Jesus. Im sensitive to that charge I grew up in that environment. Recovering from it has been the work of a lifetime, and the last thing I want to do is bring unhelpful concepts from my old religion into my new religion. It sounds similar. I have no doubt some formerly-Evangelicals-now-Pagans have inadvertently done this. But its not the same. Divine patronage was part of the ancient Pagan world it pre-dates Christianity, much less Evangelical Protestantism. That patronage has shifted from a group thing to an individual thing is a secondary issue. This idea was ours long before they were here. But more importantly, a personal relationship with Jesus is a marketing phrase, not a theological statement. What it means in practice is affirming a set of doctrinal propositions beginning with Original Sin and continuing through the Apostles Creed. The relationship is not a reciprocal arrangement with the divine person called Jesus, but submission to a set of beliefs about Jesus made up by men long after His death. I wish more Christians did have a personal relationship with Jesus. Maybe theyd be more Christ-like and stop voting for people like Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. Good ideas and sound practices are good and sound in any religious tradition. Dont let an Evangelical marketing phrase make you think theres something wrong with the idea of having a patron deity. Ancestors are usually the most accessible spirits If youre looking for a spirit person to protect and guide you, the first place to look is among your own ancestors. Gods are often busy doing God things some polytheists believe that individual Gods take little interest in individual humans. Im not one of them, but I also understand that while sometimes the Gods seem far away, ancestors are almost always there. Ancestors have a personal interest in your success you are the continuation of their line. Some of them knew you in this life. Others knew the ancestors who did know you. Part of them lives on in you and this is true for our ancestors of spirit as well as for our ancestors of blood. If youre looking for a relationship with someone who will look out for you, start with your ancestors. You dont need a patron deity, but you may end up with one anyway Some contemporary Pagans and polytheists have patron deities. Most dont. Finding your patron deity is far from the most urgent matter for someone beginning on this path. Worship the Gods. Seek a deeper relationship with the one or two deities who call to you, or whose virtues and stories resonate with you. Speak to Them in prayer, honor Them with offerings, and listen for Them in meditation. What happens after that is almost certain to be good, whatever form it ends up taking. The Unity of Religions James Ishmael Ford The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience. Emily Dickinson For anyone who says there are common currents to religions, say, like for me; there are challenges. Hard questions. Is there really a thread through them all, a tie that binds, some universal truth found in all religions? Just looking at the various creeds and the rites of the religions, it seems the answer would be no. No. And pretty resoundingly. Within religious studies, the technical term for those who say yes, is perennialism. Perennialism is the belief that all religions share something in common. The first attempt to define this during the European Renaissance. The first person I can think of to assert this sense of a thread looks to be Marsillo Ficino, a fifteenth century Italian priest and an early Humanist philosopher. Ficino saw a common thread running from the Corpus Hermeticum. The Corpus clearly showed at the very least a foreshadowing of Platonism and Christianity from centuries before they happened. As everyone at that time believed the Corpus to have been composed around the time of Moses, it looked pretty obvious. The problem was that Ficino got his dates wrong. The Corpus was not, as was believed during the Renaissance, written in the thirteenth century before the common era. You know, when people believed Moses was alive and led the enslaved Jewish people out of Egypt to that promised land. Instead, as it turns out, the Corpus was compiled somewhere between the first and third centuries of our common era. And it actually is a mash up of Platonism and Christianity, not a foreshadowing. For me this demonstrates both the power of that sense all religions at that spiritual level are connected, together with the harsh fact that actual evidence of this is at best tenuous. As the contemporary scholar Stephen Prothero titles his provocative book, as we look into the matter, it appears God is Not One. The good professor contends the idea of religious unity is wishful thinking He in fact goes beyond condemning the unity of religions as fantasy. He asserts claiming all religions are one is a willful ignorance that makes the world a more dangerous place. It isnt so much a case of many paths up one mountain, but more likely many paths and many mountains. And. And, yet there is something in all this which calls for hedging from categorical assertions like the many religions are all different, period. Despite the tons of evidence about the differences, there are some threads that do look shared. There are even a couple of places where there are obvious commonalities. One is the obvious ethical connection among the religions. Its hard to have missed one of those lists of the Golden Rule and how that rule is articulated within pretty much all religions. They all believe in equity and treating your neighbor fairly. It may feature more strongly with one tradition than another, but its there. One can argue it is something deep within our humanity. And it is a birthing place for much of our spiritual sensibilities. For me this is a bridge between the social cohesion aspect of religions (which I rail against every now and again) and the encounter with meaning, with purpose, with ultimacy. This sense of intimacy with others, this sense of a shared and mutual obligation leaps between the specifics of culture and our deepest intimations. I also suspect this sense of fairness is probably the deeper connection driving much of todays interfaith dialogue. Reminding us of our particular religions rule to not harm others. The idea is to feel a little closer, at least see each others humanity, and from that to be a bit less dangerous to each other. A good thing. I strongly suspect this is rooted in two fundamental aspects of human psychology, which probably even has a biological an evolutionary basis. We seek harmony, balance, and see it manifesting as fairness. And at the very same time we have an urge to cheat, to gain an advantage for ourselves and ours. The Golden Rule address both aspects of who we are. But something more? Something about ultimacy and meaning and that love which defies death? I find it interesting that Professor Prothero actually sees one thing that all the worlds religions, at least the ones he has studied, have in common. He observes What the worlds religions share is not so much a finish line as a starting point. And where they begin is with this simple observation: something is wrong with the world. In part I suspect this intuition of wrongness is probably tied up to some degree with that cheating part of who we are as humans. The good professor goes on to list with what he acknowledges is an over simplistic schema of how religions see that wrong and their solutions. For Judaism the problem is exile, while the solution is returning home, for Christians the problem is sin, and the solution is salvation, for Islam the problem is pride, and the solution is submission. The list goes on. There is that fundamental noticing of some sort of problem in life. A lack, a wound, something missing. And out of this sense of wrong, of lack, of lostness, of wound; sometimes something happens. I believe that sense of fairness is an aspect of it. But at heart its a discovery of our intimacy. Which we might think of as the mother of our sense of the fair. We are all of us intimate with the world and each other. And of course we also have that bit about cheating. And the discomfort in how all things are unbalanced, slightly off. And if were curious and maybe a bit lucky, we begin a journey. Perhaps toward the secret heart of the unity of the religions 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. 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 A clinical psychologist at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Akosua Serwaa Bonsu, has urged employers to take stress management seriously to ensure the well-being of employees. Equally, she called for serious attention to be given to the mental health needs of young people, especially students. According to her, it was important for human resource officials in organisations to offer opportunities for talks with employees that guaranteed their privacy and confidentiality, and also inquire about their psychosocial stressors for prompt intervention Ms Bonsu, who is also the Health Coordinator of the hospital, made the call at the inauguration of an 11-member executive body of the Human Resource Alumni Association of the All Nations University (ANU) in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, last Wednesday. The executives, whose tenure of office is two-years, are to take students through psychological and mental issues to enable them to successfully go through their various programmes at the university. Vulnerability The clinical psychologist urged human resource officials to remember that anyone could be vulnerable or marginalised at any point in life. Therefore, they must give special consideration in specific situations and groups, ensure their own protection while offering practical help or support to others, know their limits and offer help accordingly. Also, they must follow up after referring employees to other people or specialists for support, she said. Youth-related Expatiating on students mental health, the clinical psychologist said the mental health challenges in the country were youth-related. She, therefore, called for quick attention. She added that behavioural addiction among students, such as betting, watching pornographic materials and the counter-productive use of the internet were compounding the issues. Ms Bonsu said one's ability to handle normal stresses might determine whether the person had good mental health or not. According to her, some might have high level of mental health, others might be medium while others might have lower mental health. "What all this means is that if one is able to handle these normal stresses properly, then ones mental health is good but when one is unable to positively handle some normal stresses, then it means they have a lowered sense of mental health", she stated. The Head of the Department of Human Resource Management of the university, Dr Priscilla Bempah Botwe, said statistics indicated that 77 per cent of college students worldwide experienced moderate to severe psychological distress, with 35 per cent diagnosed with anxiety and 20 per cent with depression. She said as human resource personnel, they were to bring hope to students going through psychological distress. She said human resource intervention could help address the development. Idea Dr Botwe said the idea of establishing the alumni association had been on the department's agenda for years and that the inauguration of the alumni on the theme: "Mental Health and Well-being; The Role of HR professionals, marked a great milestone in the history of the department and the university as a whole. She expressed her appreciation to the academics and all those who helped in making the formation of the association a reality. Guiding organisations The vice-president in charge of Academics and Students Affairs of the University, Dr Carlena Kyeremeh, who chaired the event, said as experts in the field, human resource officers needed to guide organisations towards maintaining transparency, resilience and flexibility to help meet employee needs. She asked the executives to increase networks and deepen relationships, promote professional competence and leadership The president of the Human Resource Alumni Association, Francis Tetteh, assured the department of the association's support to make it vibrant for the benefit of students. He said the Human Resource Department had evolved into one of the university's leading academic units with a bold vision to promote quality higher education that would enhance graduates ability to advance in HR management in the corporate world. 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 On March 1, 2018, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) issued a press statement on a fatal case of Lassa fever. That is dead and buried! COVID-19 happened and almost all other diseases disappeared. Everybody now seems to accept that it is here to stay, so we move! Fast forward to February 26, 2023, the GHS issued a press release confirming 2 cases of Lassa Fever. Two days later, an update is shared informing of one fatality and 13 active cases. Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease (a severe illness caused by one of a distinct group of viruses). Sometimes those who catch Lassa fever may only feel weak, or might have a fever or a headache. This is when the virus decides to be nice. But at times, Lassa fever looks like the dreaded Ebola bleeding through the mouth, nose, and different parts of the body. Its a nasty business, this Lassa fever, and difficult to treat. The virus is transmitted through food or items contaminated with the urine or excreta of rats. From person to person, the virus can spread through contact with fluids of persons with the infection. Sharing clothing and beddings with a contaminated person can also quickly spread the disease. Presently, there is no vaccine for it. The disease is endemic in West Africa. That is to say; it is a native of West Africa. Outbreaks have occurred in the past in Benin, Guinea, Togo and even recently in Nigeria. During outbreaks, pieces of information on the disease is circulated particularly on social media. The traditional press pick them alongside alerts from the Ghana Health Service. Social media circulations are helpful especially to the lettered. But hold on a minute our reservoir, the host of the Lassa virus, I mean the rats, are they on social media? Do they listen to the radio or read newspapers? No, at least, not in Ghana! They mostly reside in the local markets, right? That is where we get most of our foodstuffs. I dont joke with my shopping in the local market because that is where I get my bulk discount. And that is why I speak for the rats (one of the creatures that scare me most, my housemates can confirm this). One fine day, after the announcement of the first mortality from Lassa fever in Ghana this year, I made a trip to one local market. As I combed through the market in search of akrantie (the rich mans meat) for my Dearest who was returning from a trip abroad that night, I stopped to purchase some other stuff. At my first stop, I noticed a typical market-size rat scurry across a few meters away. Forget my usual rat-related drama! One of the women reminded me that as for these rats, they are part of us o. Immediately, Lassa fever came to mind, and so I began to engage the women around me in a conversation. To my utter surprise (for the fact that I was in the market, and that rats live in the market), none of the women knew about the disease nor the recent death. Well, I used the opportunity to educate them about the relationship between rats and Lassa fever. They were actually grateful for the information. I moved on to the next group of women, none of whom also had any knowledge of the disease. Again, I did my little education. At that moment, I thought I needed a megaphone! One of the most critical Lassa fever stakeholder groups did not have the slightest idea. WHO says prevention of Lassa fever relies on community engagement and promoting hygienic conditions to discourage rodents from entering homes. From a Global Health and Infectious Diseases background, I know about the effectiveness of targeted community engagement in preventing and controlling an outbreak. In Nigeria, an awareness campaign was done at some point in local markets. One state even banned the consumption of local gari during an outbreak. I cannot confirm if a market campaign has been initiated yet, but a MUST it is! One life gone is a loss huge enough to scatter a family. We may not be able to rid our markets of rats, but we can educate the sellers about food storage and handling. They are important stakeholders, and need to be engaged as best as possible. GHS, over to you! May the megaphones be let out early enough! For An ounce of prevention, {they say} is worth a pound of cure, and a stitch in time saves nine. 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 Three Christian leaders and church founders have encouraged Christians and the nation at large to be inspired by the reason for Easter and strive to overcome their challenges in life. They said just as the story of Jesus Christs betrayal, crucifixion, death and resurrection brought pain, discomfort but ultimately ended with hope and victory over death to mankind, Christians must be inspired and encouraged by the resurrection of Jesus Christ as it provided a pillar for them to also overcome their challenges in life. The church founders, Apostle General of the Royalhouse Chapel International, Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah, Rev. Dr Mensah Otabil of the International Central Gospel Church, and Bishop Charles Agyinasare, of Perez Chapel, gave their messages of hope during their Easter Sunday sermons. The pain and suffering, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus must inspire us all not to give up, but have hope that there is always victory for those whose hope is in Christ, the leaders shared similar sentiments in their Easter Sunday sermons. Easter Sunday Most churches in the country climaxed the Easter festivities with services on the resurrection Sunday to commemorate Christ resurrection from death, three days after His crucifixion on Good Friday. At many churches, worshippers were predominantly dressed in all-white attire to signify Jesus' triumph over death and the congregation sang and danced to glorify God for paying the ultimate price for humanity. Royalhouse At the Royalhouse Chapel in Accra, Timothy Ngnenbe reports that Rev. Korankye Ankrah urged Ghanaians to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and change from negative attitudes that serve as impediments to national development. Delivering the sermon to climax the churchs Easter celebrations by the Royalhouse held on the theme: "The Blood Will Speak (Hebrew 12:24)," the Apostle General said the resurrection of Jesus Christ offered the hope that with sacrifice and attitudinal change, all that had been lost at the individual and national levels would be restored. He, however, stressed that the observation of Easter as a festival to mark the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus would be meaningless, if it did not translate into transformation of lives. "The resurrection of Jesus is meaningless, if it has no bearing on your life. If you are in political office and you pack public money meant to develop the country into your account, then you have not been impacted by the resurrection; if you were a drunkard or a wife beater and you still remain in this after the resurrection, then it is meaningless," he stressed. The church marked Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified on the cross, with healing service in the morning and water and salt feet-washing all night. Led by the Apostle General Ankrah, they said intercessory prayers for the peace of the country, inspiring hope that the saviour's blood would speak for Ghana. The Easter festivities were climaxed on the Resurrection Sunday with morning worship and communion service in the evening. Transformation Apostle General Ankrah underscored the need for Ghanaians to crucify all negative attitudes on the cross and adopt positive behaviours that would enhance national development. He observed that the crown of thorns that was twisted and put on Jesus' head, the mockery of him, the beatings, crucifixion and the eventual resurrection should inspire hope in all individuals to remain resolute in difficult times and seek the face of God to overcome every circumstance. "Your life's transformation and the testimony of your life is the proof of the resurrection of Christ," he said. ICGC Dr Mensa Otabil, in his sermon, said the power in the resurrection of Christ enabled Christians to overcome their challenges which included sickness, disease, and poverty, among others, Mary Anane-Amponsah reports. "The resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee of our Christian hope," he said. Preaching on seven reasons why Jesus Christ rose from the dead, he said one of the reasons was that the resurrection was a proof that Christ was the only saviour of the world. Jesus, he said, was unique because of his death, resurrection and continuous living after over 2023 years. Giving spiritual backings to the message, Dr Otabil quoted bible verses including; Romans 4 vrs 23 -25, stating that the resurrection was the justification that gave Christians the confidence to believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ. " When he says we are forgiven, we are truly forgiven because He went and returned". "When you are a Christian, you are the most privileged human being on earth because your faith is anchored in this unique personality of history and eternity, Jesus Christ, ruler of death and ruler of life". Perez Chapel Most Rev. Agyinasare, in his sermon, said if the devil knew that crucifying Jesus would have got mankind saved, he would have prevented that from happening. Again, he said if the devil knew that taking Jesus to the cross would make the whole world hear about Him, he wouldn't have done it. However, the devil had no control and that Jesus, in becoming the ultimate sacrifice, released the power to reach out to the rest of the world and brought salvation and hope to mankind. Most Rev. Agyinasare said just as Jesus sacrifice was costly, any sacrifice one made for his or salvation or for others, must, also, cost something valuable to be qualified as a sacrifice. Sacrifices are costly and Jesus showed us just how much it has to cost. His life. So must the sacrifices we make. We must be willing to sacrifice something valuable so that the beneficiaries will truly appreciate that ransom and not take it for granted, he told the Perez Chapel congregation. Be patriotic In a related development, two Christian leaders have called on the citizenry, including political leaders, to be patriotic and put Ghana first in all their endeavours as well as running the affairs of the country, Vincent Amenuveve reports. This, according to the leaders, was crucial in bringing peace, unity and sacrifice which were key to national development. The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, and the President of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach, Rev. Dr Lawrence Tetteh, made the call on the sidelines of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) seminar series. IEA Seminar This latest edition of the IEA seminar series on a review of the 1992 Constitution, was on the topic: Reviewing Ghana's 1992 Constitution: views and reflections of religious leaders." Rev. Dr Tetteh, in his submission, suggested the need for government to urgently formulate home grown policies to ensure economic sustainability. What is suitable for England and Germany may not necessarily be suitable for Ghana. So we should look for the Ghanaian agenda," he advised. He said it was equally important for the economic policies to be harmonised, while making sure that every Ghanaian lived peacefully and respected one another stressing that we must think about Ghana first then the economy will be sound. Most Rev. Dr Boafo entreated the government to prioritise development projects to avoid waste, adding that let us examine our spending culture again". He said the measure would help ensure that the country did not go to the International Monetary Fund(IMF) for the 18th time. On the recent three major bills passed by Parliament, Most Rev. Dr Boafo said Parliament should have come out with a road map on their implementation to ensure broader consultation. The three bills are the Income Tax (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2022, the Excise Duty and Excise Tax Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022. 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 The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is billed to speak at Harvard University in Massachusetts in the United States on Saturday, April 15, 2023, as a special guest of honour. He will address the 2023 edition of the Harvard Africa Development Conference at the Harvard Law School, Cambridge. The Conference, which is organized annually by the African Caucus of Harvards Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard African Law Association, will be held on April 15 to 16, 2023. In a statement signed by Dr Gideon Boako, Spokesperson to the Vice President said Dr. Bawumia will leave Ghana on Thursday, April 13, and return to Ghana on Sunday, April 18, 2023, after the conference. As the Guest of Honour, Vice President Bawumia will deliver the keynote address. The Africa Development Conference convenes students, academia and practitioners to highlight and explore critical issues related to the development of the African continents development. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, has insisted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not support LGBTQI activities. According to him, Akufo-Addo is a strong Christian, and he has previously stated that LGBTQI will not be legalised in Ghana under his presidency. Speaking in an interview on UTV on Thursday, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Titus-Glover allayed fears that the president will not assent to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill), saying that Akufo-Addo not approving the bill will not be politically prudent for the NPP. President Akufo-Addo has female children and recently one of them got married. He is a strong believer of the Anglican faith; he does not support gayism and lesbianism. Just like the late former President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, who said he will not allow the acceptance of gays under his presidency, Akufo-Addo also in an Anglican Church in Mampong said same-sex marriage will never happen under his watch. We know the implication of these gay issues in Ghana, as a political party and as a government. And you think that after Parliament has passed the anti-LGBT bill, the president will say he will not assent it. That will be the greatest mistake of President Akufo-Addo, he said in Twi. Titus-Glover, a former deputy minister of trade and industry, also said that the response given by President Akufo-Addo on the anti-LGBT bill, during the visit of the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamal Harris, was apt. He explained that President Akufo-Addo only said that the bill is being considered by Parliament and that when it is passed, it will come to him for approval into law. What Akufo-Addo said: At the joint press conference, both President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Kamala Harris were confronted with the issue of the criminalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana. Responding to the question at Jubilee House, in Accra, on Monday, March 27, President Akufo-Addo refuted the suggestion that Ghana already had an anti-LGBT law. He said that the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBTQI bill), which was championed by only a hand full of MPs, is currently being considered by Parliament. Akufo-Addo added that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him. He also said that the anti-LGBT bill has been modified. The legislation was a private members bill; it is not an official legislation of the government but it is one that is being muted by a hand full of private members. My understanding from the recent discussion I had with the chairman of the committee is that the substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the Attorney General, he said. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has accepted an invitation to attend King Charles III's coronation, which will take place on 6 May at Westminster Abbey in London. The UK ambassador in Zimbabwe met the president on Tuesday in the capital, Harare, to discuss the coronation. Ambassador Melanie Robinson tweeted a picture of the meeting in which they also talked about "trade, investment projects and the importance of peaceful, free and fair elections later this year". "The president has been invited and has accepted that invitation and will be travelling to London for that," Ms Robinson is quoted as saying by the state-owned Herald newspaper. The UK's relationship with Zimbabwe soured following land reforms implemented during the tenure of former long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. In 2003, Zimbabwe pulled out of the Commonwealth with Mr Mugabe referring to it as an "Anglo-Saxon unholy alliance against Zimbabwe" when the group complained about the country's human rights record. Mr Mugabe was overthrown in 2017, dying nearly two years later, and his successor, President Mnangagwa, has sought to improve relations with the country's critics. A Commonwealth delegation visited the country last year to consider the country's readmission. But the US and the European Union both retain sanctions against companies and officials in Zimbabwe, including President Mnangagwa. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The wife of the Vice President Hajia Samira Bawumia has asked Muslims to live by the tenets of the holy Quran. Speaking at the annual Ramadan Quran recitation at Nima in Accra, Hajia Samira said Muslims should not only read the holy book but practice what it teaches. Ramadan is one of the most important pillars of Islam because it was during that period that the holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. As part of efforts to help Muslim women grow their faith in Islam, the office of the wife of the Vice President in collaboration with the Zongo women for NPP organizes Quran recitation in Muslim communities. The event is in its fifth year and is open to all Muslim women irrespective of their political affiliation. At this years event, some women clerics drawn from Kasoa, Nsawam, Madina and Ashaley Botwe participated. Speaking at the function, the chairman of the Zongo Development Fund and chairman of the Hajj Board, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda said the NPP government is poised in bringing development to Zongo communities across the country. The wife of the Vice President Hajia Samira Bawumia entreated Muslim women to dedicate some of their time to reading the Quran. She called for unity among Muslims for the development of the country. Some food items worth millions of cedis were donated to women groups in the Zongos to support them during the month of fasting. Source: gbc 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 Koforidua Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Mike Kwame Etrue has urged the National Peace Council to immediately call to order politicians who incite violence ahead of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. He said the peace of the country must not be toiled with for any individual interest. It is God who appoints leaders. If God doesnt want you to be President it is God who make choices it is not your effort. So they should be patient and decorum for Ghana to sustain the peace we have. We dont want any problem, any disturbances in the system. Peace Council should call such people [anyone incites violence] and advise them for us to enjoy our peace. The comment by Apostle Mike Etrue comes on the back of threat by Minister for Food and Agriculture also Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong that the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, will never hand over power to largest opposition NDC. Mr. Acheampong further stated the NPP will demonstrate to the opposition party that we have the men they dare attempt to use threats, violence and engage in foolishness in 2024 general election. The NDC in a statement signed by the General Secretary for NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey indicated that the NDC will resist any attempt aimed at subverting the will of the Ghanaians people. Apostle Etrue who is an Executive Council Member of The Church of Pentecost stated that politicians must be mindful of their utterances emphasizing Election is peoples choice. The person chooses what he/she likes so politicians must be mindful of their utterances. He said politicians must focus on explaining to electorates realistic policies and programs that will bring development to the country and improve the living standards of the people. Your visions and policies are what electorates will consider to vote. But we Africans have a problem we are even unable to explain policies to the electorates they are just making so much noise.Some of the manifestos are fully bloated with unrealistic promises but we dont take them to task. When you go to order European countries whatever you say you make sure you do it so we want them to organize the elections and whatever meetings they do in peaceful manner. Apostle Mike Etrue said this during the climax of the 2023 Easter Convention by the Koforidua Area of the Church of Pentecost under the theme That I may Know Him and the Power of His Resurrection. He charged the congregants to possess the resurrection power of Jesus to do exploits and become agents of change and transformation. Present at the Service were some Chiefs and Queen mothers, and the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi. In a brief speech, the Member of Parliament commended The Church of Pentecost for its relentless contribution to the development of Ghana and spiritual growth of the country. He requested for continuous prayer and support for President Akufo Addo as he works assiduously towards economic recovery of the country. He announced that Pentecost Senior High School in Koforidua has been selected to benefit from governments smart school model project which will make the school center of academic excellence. 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 The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of McDan Group, Daniel McKorley has donated over 6,000 bags of rice and assorted drinks to thirty (30) communities in the Northern Region. The gesture is to assist residents celebrate the Ramadan festival. Giving out the items, Daniel McKorley averred that McDan Group which has become one of the Ghanas leading conglomerates and an integral part of the communities in which they operate, places a greater emphasis on the annual Ramadan initiatives. According to him, the McDan Group believes they have a responsibility to the communities to offer support wherever and whenever possible, and Ramadan is the ideal time of year for them to demonstrate their commitment to this responsibility. He said; These gestures are always incredibly rewarding, and a source of great pride to the Group. 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 U.S. Embassy Ghana and the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana jointly hosted a roundtable on Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Innovation at the Google AI Research Center in Accra yesterday. The event focused on developments in industry, research, and policy related to AI. More than 40 local and international ICT companies, startups, incubator, academic experts, industry representatives from the agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing, as well as graduate students in computer science, NGOs, and Civil Society representatives attended the event. Officials from the Office of the President of Ghana and the National Data Commission were also in attendance. "U.S. companies and organizations, like those represented here today, are at the forefront of this technology. The responsible use of these technologies has the potential to transform our economy and drive Ghanas digital transformation, said U.S. Ambassador Palmer. The Ambassador highlighted AI tools being deployed around the world to enhance capacities and improve efficiencies in nearly all industry and social sectors, from health to transportation to agriculture and food security. The United States Government is working to build partnerships connected by shared values and a shared commitment to the responsible use of AI. Dr. Jason Hickey, Head of Googles AI Research Center, highlighted Googles research activities, many of which involve local researchers who are developing AI solutions for use within Ghana and the wider African continent. Ludwika Alvarez, Digital Team Leader for AI at the U.S. Department of Commerce, provided an overview of fast-moving investment and expansion efforts in the AI industry in the United States. Fatima Tajambang of the U.S. company Nvidia explained how the company is providing Ghanaian ICT communities with mentoring and computing resources so that aspiring local developers can build and scale their AI expertise, nurture emerging technologies and drive innovation. Dr. Daphne Stavroula Zois from the University of Albany (New York) detailed her research on AI applications for use in Ghanas agricultural sector. Mr. Darlington Akogo from KaroAgroAI, which is partially funded by several American foundations, spoke about his active work using AI to diagnose plant diseases and provide solutions for Ghanas farmers. Dr. Peter Maher from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, highlighted how U.S. education is responding to the AIs sectors fast growth, including developing specialized curriculum to train the researchers and workers who will work with the technology in a wide range of disciplines. For more information on the United States National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, see www.ai.gov. Ghanaian companies interested in partnering with U.S. technology firms can contact the U.S. Embassys Commercial Section for assistance: www.trade.gov/Ghana Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Kuwaiti media outlet says it has created a virtual news presenter using artificial intelligence (AI). "Fedha" made her debut on the Twitter account of Kuwait News, an affiliate of the Kuwait Times. She appears as an image of a woman with light-coloured hair, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. Abdullah Boftain, deputy editor-in-chief for Kuwait News, told AFP news agency the move tested AI's potential to offer "new and innovative content". "I'm Fedha, the first presenter in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let's hear your opinions," the AI-generated presenter said in Arabic. Mr Boftain said Fedha may develop to have a Kuwaiti accent and read online news bulletins. "Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver, the metal. We always imagine robots to be silver and metallic in colour, so we combined the two," he said. The presenter's blonde hair and light-coloured eyes reflect the country's diverse population of Kuwaitis and expatriates, Mr Boftain said. Kuwait is not the first country to unveil an AI-generated news presenter: in 2018, China's state news agency unveiled its own virtual newsreader sporting a sharp suit and a somewhat robotic voice. A report last month by investment bank Goldman Sachs said AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs. The report suggested the technology could take over a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe, but that it may also mean new jobs and a productivity boom. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former NPP Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Kennedy Kwasi Kankam has cautioned the new executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against repeating the mistakes it made prior to the 2020 election. The NPP in a statement signed by Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General Secretary of the party, barred the National, Regional, Constituency party executives and MMDCEs from contesting in constituencies where the Party has sitting Members of Parliament. Kennedy Kankam who is now the MCE for Asokore Mampong speaking in an interview on Neat FM's 'Me Man Nti' programme said such directives won't help the party. "This is the cheapest way of maintaining peace in the party," he fired. "Directives from the party should not discriminate against any group of people otherwise it won't help anyone. It was such rules and regulations that made us lose a lot of seats in Parliament, and instead of revising it, you go and bring the same rules to be used in 2024 . . . " he stated. According to him, "If we want peace for the sitting MPs, then the ban should be expanded to include CEOs, Deputy Ministers, Managing Directors . . . and others occupying very influential positions who can disturb the MPs in their constituencies". Listen to him in the video below 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 Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu has joined condemnation of a fellow MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong over recent comments the latter made at a New Patriotic Party rally on April 8. Acheampong, who doubles as agric minister is on record to have said the NPP will match the opposition come 2024 and that they were never going to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress. Sosu via an April 9, 2023 post on Facebook reminded Acheampong that the NDC was birthed from a revolution, stressing in parables that the NDC was ever ready to face the NPP when the need arises. "We may look like sheep outside but were lions within. Were children of the Revolution and not intimidated by mere vituperations. Ghana will vote NDC in 2024 and would stand by the NDC to take over power from the NPP and nothing will happen. Tsoooooooboi" his post read. The revolution referred to is the 31st December, 1981 coup that marked the second coming into office of Jerry Rawlings with the Provisional National Defense Council, PNDC. The council ruled for 11 year till 1992 when Rawlings formed the NDC largely out of the PNDC. He went on to win two elections with the NDC before leaving office in 2000. Bryan Acheampong booms Bryan Acheampongs controversial views were made at a party rally over the weekend. He is heard saying in a viral video that the NPP will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections. According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared. He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls. Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that "We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections...It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We'll use any means for NPP to stay in power." 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 The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Womens Wing, headed by Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw, National Women Organizer of the NDC, has slammed Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, for saying the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). In a press conference dated April 10, 2023, at the partys headquarters, the NDCs National Women Organiser said ByranAcheampongs statement that the NPP Party will use whatever means necessary to remain in power in the 2024 general election is treasonable. According to her, the Abetifi MPs words when he mounted the podium while addressing party supporters after the NPP unity walk at Mpraeso,is a clear indication of the evil intent of the NPP to manipulate the outcome of the 2024 elections. She further called on security agencies to arrest Mr Acheampong for his reckless statement. Accordingly, we call on the Security Agencies to immediately arrest Bryan Acheampong and slap him with charges of inciting a treasonous act. If the Security Agencies fail to arrest Bryan Acheampong as they did others, we will call for a nation-wide Women's Revolution to, with immediate, effect a citizens' arrest of "Nation Wrecker" Bryan Acheampong. Has Bryan Acheampong seriously considered the possible conflagration that will occur in Ghana if anyone is maimed or killed as a result of his recklessness in the near future? Read her full statement below:PRESS STATEMENTFor immediate release 10 April 2023.NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS WOMEN'S WING CAUTION TO "CORPORAL COOK" BRYAN ACHEAMPONG AND THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY.The message is simple and clear, we the women of the National Democratic Congress are infuriated by the reckless and covetous statements by the "Corporal Cook" Bryan Acheampong. In his attempt to terrorize Ghanaians at a recent health walk said, "The NPP shall never hand over power to the NDC. Whatever it takes to retain power in 2024, we shall do it".These treasonable statements that shake the foundation of our democracy didn't start last Saturday. In 2021 at a delegates conference in Kumasi, President Akufo Addo re-iterated his plans to hand over power in 2025 to his party's flag bearer. In a similar occasion in 2022, Lord Commey who is the director of operations at the Presidency said "the power I have, I will not hand it over today or tomorrow."This is a clear indication of the evil intent of the NPP to manipulate the outcome of election 2024 as they know, the ordinary Ghanaian is fed up with their failed government. To cover up for the numerous scandalous deals and misappropriation of state funds, they are desperate to hold on to power.We the women of Ghana unreservedly condemn "Corporal Cook" Bryan Acheampong's irresponsible, senseless, uncouth, vitriolic attack on our country's democracy, and the attempted "rape" of the constitutional right of the people of Ghana to elect leaders of their choice.Accordingly, we call on the Security Agencies to immediately arrest Bryan Acheampong and slap him with charges for inciting a treasonous act.If the Security Agencies fail to arrest Bryan Acheampong as they did others, we will call for a nation-wide Women's Revolution to, with immediate, effect a citizens' arrest of "Nation Wrecker" Bryan Acheampong.Has Bryan Acheampong seriously considered the possible conflagration that will occur in Ghana if anyone is maimed or killed as a result of his recklessness in the near future?Has Bryan Acheampong thought about the probability of Accra, and for that matter, other parts of this country being a "no-go" areas for him and his cohorts if any politically motivated unfortunate incidents happen AGAIN? It is already noteworthy that Bryan Acheampong cannot step foot in Bawku.Bryan Acheampong can not stand in the midst of innocent God-fearing and peaceful Kwahu people, to be spewing gibberish. He should descend from the tranquility of the Kwahu mountains into the "battle grounds" leading to the 2024 elections, and face a determined mass of well prepared defendants of democracy!"Coporal Cook" Bryan Acheampong and his gangs of hoodlums and dunderheads must know that battle-tested and defiant Ghanaians will not accept a repeat of the senseless massacres during the December 2020 elections and the bloodshed at Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.DECEMBER 2020 ELECTION MASSACRES will not happen again!AYAWASO WEST-WOUGON will not happen again!We are out here this afternoon to tell Akufo Addo and his NPP that we've had enough of their threats on our democracy! we don't have just the men but we have the WOMEN too.The mandate of the people you stole in 2020 with the help of Electoral Commission's manipulation of figures shall never repeat itself in 2024. To continue the culture of rigging, you have packed the Electoral Commission with NPP party faithfuls. We are a product of revolution and we shall face you head on.In the breakout of war, Women and children suffer the most. It's been days these words of war were declared by the NPP. IGP, Akufo Dampare and the Ghana Police Service, did you suddenly lose the swiftness and proactiveness to arrest like you did at Suame in the case of our constituency youth organiser? National Security, National Intelligence Bureau rise up to your responsibilities.The Peace Council, Christian Council where is the voice to speak truth to power and uphold the peace of our democracy? Find your voices!Ghanaians are tired of the reckless borrowing! Ghanaians are tired of cronyism and nepotism! Ghanaians are tired of living like slaves in our motherland!Ghanaians are tired of the mismanagement and deceit!To the ordinary Ghanaian like myself, do not be afraid by losing interest in your ballot come 2024. We shall never relent in our efforts to rescue and build the Ghana we all want with President John Dramani Mahama.Hail thy name oh Ghana, to you we make our solemn vow to defend forever the cause of freedom and of right. THANK YOU!SignedHon. Dr. Hanna Louisa BisiwNational Women's Organizer 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 Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has vowed not to support National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentarians who defied the partys orders to vote against the approval of new appointees of the government. Speaking at the Obaasima Campus Tour event at the University of Health and Allied Science in Ho, on Friday, Ablakwa, who appears to be still pained by the action of the said MPs, said that they have made the NDC lose credibility in the eyes of many Ghanaians. He added that he is not going to work with the treacherous NDC MPs even if it means he will be suspended from the party. They said we should hold a press conference and tell the Ghanaian public that we will vote against (the presidents appointees), that we are opposed; only for the vote to take place after the press conferences and public assurances, more than 30 of you stabbed us in the back. And you think that I am going to support you people because you belong to my party. I will not because we don't even have credibility, the next time we will go and hold a press conference the Ghanaian people will not take us seriously. I dont believe in treacherous politics, politics without principals, politics of betrayal, I dont believe in that. And if because of that, one day, I will be suspended or banished from the party so be it, he said. Background: Parliament on Friday, March 24, approved all six ministerial nominees as well as the nominees of the Supreme Court of President Akufo-Addo after a heated debate, 24 hours earlier and a tense voting process. Final results declared by Speaker Alban Bagbin showed that all nominees got more votes than the minimum of 138 votes required because out of the 275 eligible voters, there were three absent. Some Members of Parliament (MPs) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not adhere to the decision of the party to vote against the approval of the nominees. Kobina Tahir Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) was approved as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as the Minister of Food and Agriculture. Other nominees who were approved include Stephen Asamoah Boateng, as Ministry of Chieftaincy; Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State (Ministry of Finance), and Osei Bonsu Amoah, Ministry of Local Government. Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, was also approved as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. The Supreme Court nominees who were approved include George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court. Leading figures in the NDC, including former President John Dramani Mahama, slammed the MPs who broke ranks and have accused them of betraying NDC supporters and Ghanaians for their selfish interest. The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has challenged the said MPs, who were allegedly bribed, according to Cape Coast South MP, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, to come out and tell Ghanaians why they voted to approve Akufo-Addo's nominees. 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 Presidential candidate hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Kwabena Duffour, has received massive support from the partys delegates in the Northern Region. The delegates reportedly received Duffuor and his message warmly, which may serve as a good boost for his candidature in the NDC flagbearer contest. The former finance minister in the erstwhile John Evans Atta-Mills administration is touring the Northern Region ahead of the NDCs delegates congress slated for Saturday 13 May 2023, to elect the partys flagbearer and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general elections. He is expected to visit all 18 constituencies in the Northern Region to sell his message to delegates of the NDC. At his stop in the Tamale South constituency, Duffuor was received by a massive crowd. The delegates visibly demonstrated their support for Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, as their preferred choice as flagbearer of the NDC for election 2024. Addressing the Tamale South constituency delegates, Dr. Duffuor noted that he is the best person in the NDC three-man race to lead the party to victory 2024. The current government has paid little attention to the plight of Ghanaians in the midst of the ongoing economic crisis. Give me a resounding victory on the 13 May 2023 to turn the economy round so that Ghanaians can heave a sigh of relief, Dr Duffuor remarked. A member of Duffuors campaign team, Yaw Boateng Gyan, on his part, urged the delegates not to pay attention to those who claim that, nobody should contest the former President, John Dramani Mahama. He added that the former finance minister is one of the founding fathers of the NDC, and he is therefore qualified to contest to lead the party at the highest level. His immense contributions to the party can not be downplayed. As finance minister in the NDC administration, Dr Kwabena Duffuor contributed immensely to the success of the party, and as flagbearer, he will the party and the country to the place of progress and prosperity, Boateng Gyan said. Dr Duffuor is third on the ballot. On 13 May 2023, when you receive your ballot paper, just look to third position and vote for Dr Kwabena Duffour, he added. Duffour over the last few weeks has toured the Volta and Oti Regions. After his ongoing tour of the Northern Region, he is expected to proceed to the North East and Savannah Regions to meet with NDC delegates. Former President John Dramani Mahama, joins former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffour and former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu, as interested candidates in the partys flagbearer contest which is fixed for Saturday 13 May 2023. 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 Rachel Appoh, a former Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central has described as unfortunate, reckless and irresponsible' statement from the Member of Parliament for Abetifi Constituency, Bryan Acheampong which suggests that the New Patriotic Party government will not hand over power to the National Democratic Congress regardless of the outcome of the 2024 elections. Rachel Appoh is seething with rage over the statement that she deems to be unbefitting of a member of parliament and an ex-military officer. She warned in a GhanaWeb interview if the NPP are planning to do anything untoward then they should rewrite their notes because NDC is prepared to take them on. She said members of the NDC will go to every length to protect Ghana's democracy and the 1992 constitution that has served the country since its promulgation. Rachel Appoh opined that the comment from Bryan Acheampong is an illustration of the depth of corruption in the mentality of NPP members. Its an unfortunate and irresponsible statement from Bryan Acheampong. Let me first state that some of us are ready to put our lives on the line to save Ghanas democracy so this empty threat cannot get to us. When they are making these threats they should know that we are going to face them squarely. NDC will resist every attack by the NPP in the 2024 elections. They dont have men more than us. What really surprises me is that Bryan Acheampong of all people is making this statement. This statement sounds alien from the Bryan I know. He is a trained soldier so Im surprised such a reckless statement is coming from him, she said. Bryan Acheampong booms at Kwahu Bryan Acheampong is on record as saying the governing New Patriotic Party will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections. According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared. He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls. Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that "We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections...It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We'll use any means for NPP to stay in power." 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 They say justice delayed is justice denied. But even after 30 years, brutally murdered Angela Brosso could not be denied. What was done to the 22-year-old from Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, after relocating to Phoenix, Arizona, was just too awful, inhuman and brutal. WATSONTOWN A state trooper was wounded in an exchange of gunfire Wednesday morning in Northumberland County following a domestic disturbance. The shooting suspect also was struck and was reported to be in critical condition at a hospital, police said. This is their account of what occurred: The trooper, who was not identified, responded about 8:15 a.m. to assist Watsontown police with a domestic incident on East Fourth Street in the borough. The suspect had fled the scene but was located a short time later at an apartment complex in the 600 block of Eighth Street outside the borough in Delaware Township. Gunfire was exchanged at that location, and the trooper was shot in the leg. Police said he is being treated at a hospital for a wound that is not believed to be life-threatening. The Warrior Run Area high and middle schools that are close to where the shooting occurred were not locked down. That decision was based on information received from police that the incident had ended quickly, a person was in custody and there was no further threat, a spokesperson explained. Students already were in the buildings before the exchange of gunfire occurred, he said. Several parents posted on Facebook seeing a man dressed in black and wearing a ski mask believed to be the suspect walking in the area. They said they notified police because they found it odd someone would be wearing a ski mask in mild weather. The investigation is continuing. With Pennsylvania colleges producing fewer teachers than ever before, a state House panel spent several hours on Wednesday discussing how to change that trend. The House Education Committee heard from education experts about the causes of the states teacher shortage and potential strategies to address it as was documented in a new study out of Penn State Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Story by Katie Meyer of Spotlight PA and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA 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 It may feel like the midterm election just happened. But very soon, Pennsylvanians will again be filling out mail ballots or going back to the polls in person for primary elections in a slew of local and judicial races. Whoever wins these partisan primaries will face off in the November general election. If you need a refresher on the logistics of registering and voting, Spotlight PA has you covered. While this years elections are technically considered off-year contests, the name is misleading. These are important races, and the people elected this year will have power over some of the most basic levels of government, from public school operations and budgets on the local level, to hugely consequential interpretations of state law in appellate courts. Read on for key dates, information on the candidates youll see on your ballot, tips on navigating mail ballots, and more. When is the 2023 primary election day in Pennsylvania? Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Mark your calendar! When do polls open for Pa.s 2023 primary election? Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Can I still register to vote? The last day to register to vote is May 1. You can register here. You can check if youve already registered here using either your name and address or a form of state-issued identification. What if I want to change parties? To change your party affiliation, fill out the same voter registration form that you used to register the first time. When filling out the form, just select the box that says change of party. If you register less than 15 days before the election, the change will not take place until the next election cycle. If you are registered to a third party or to no party at all, you will not be allowed to vote for major party candidates in key races like the one for state Supreme Court. If you want to participate in a partys primary, you must change your registration to one of the parties on or before May 1. Voters who remain unaffiliated can, however, weigh in on special elections and ballot initiatives. There arent any statewide ballot questions in this years primary, but your municipality might have its own. There are also two special elections to fill state House vacancies happening on primary day. One is being held in the Philly suburbs 163rd Legislative district to replace former state Rep. Mike Zabel (D., Delaware), who resigned last month following accusations of sexual harassment. The other is in the 108th Legislative district in the Susquehanna Valley, which was held by former Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R., Northumberland) until she resigned after winning a state Senate seat. You can check whether youre in one of the districts with a special election using the commonwealths voter registration tool just enter your information, and the site will let you know whether youre registered, and which districts you can vote in. Where do I vote? If youre voting in person, you can look up your polling place here. Can I vote by mail? You sure can. Pennsylvanias mail voting law has seen a lot of litigation in recent years, but it remains legal to cast your ballot by mail across the commonwealth. How do I vote by mail? You can request a mail ballot here using either a state-issued form of identification or your Social Security number. What is the deadline to request a mail ballot? The deadline for the primary is May 9, 2023. How do I properly prepare my mail ballot so its not thrown out? Remember those lawsuits over mail ballots we mentioned? Judges rulings on all that litigation has been shaping and reshaping the specifics of Pennsylvanias mail ballot laws for years. Things may have changed since the last time you read up on it. First, the basics: After receiving your mail ballot, be sure to read the instructions and complete the front and back of each page. After filling it out, place the ballot in the inner secrecy envelope that came with it. The secrecy envelope will be labeled, official election ballot. Be sure not to make any marks on this inner envelope, and dont forget it ballots with missing secrecy envelopes can be tossed out. Finally, put the secrecy envelope in the pre-addressed return envelope. Remember to sign and date the return envelope. For more details you can check here. In some past elections, counties have accepted ballots that had missing or incorrect dates on their outer envelopes. Thanks to a state Supreme Court ruling last year, thats no longer the case. If your ballot is missing its date or its date is outside the valid range, it can be discarded. Some counties will contact voters if their mail ballots have disqualifying problems such as missing dates or signatures. But that practice isnt regulated across the commonwealth, so each county does it slightly differently, and many dont allow ballot curing at all. You can use this Spotlight PA tool to check your countys policy. How do I drop off a mail ballot? Mail ballots must be received by your countys board of elections by 8 p.m. on the day of the primary, Tuesday, May 16. You can return your mail ballot in person at your county election board, at a drop box if your county uses them, at another designated location, or through the mail. If youre mailing your ballot, make sure you leave enough time for it to arrive at the county election office by 8 p.m. on primary day. If it arrives late due to mail delays or any other issue, it wont be counted. You can check whether your county uses drop boxes here, and you can locate a dropoff spot here. Voters must return their own ballots unless otherwise authorized, and only voters with a disability may designate someone to deliver their ballot for them. To officially designate someone, fill out this form and send it with your mail ballot. If youve already sent in your mail ballot, you can contact your local county election office for information on where to turn in the form. How do I vote absentee? Though theyre extremely similar, mail voting and absentee voting are distinct. Mail voting requires no excuse; absentee voting, which predates Pennsylvanias 2019 mail voting expansion, does require an excuse. Most of the absentee voting process is the same as mail voting. You can apply online or download the form and send it to your county election office. However, the application requires you to list a reason for your absence, unlike a mail ballot. You can find the application here. What is the deadline to request an absentee ballot? The deadline for the primary is 5 p.m. May 9, 2023. Whats on the ballot? This years statewide races are all for Pennsylvanias three appellate courts. There are two open seats on the Superior Court, one on Commonwealth Court, and one on the Supreme Court. The Democratic and Republican primaries for Supreme and Commonwealth Courts are all competitive, meaning at least two candidates are vying for one seat. The Democratic primary for Superior Court is also competitive, while the GOP primary for Superior Court is not. You can read more about Supreme Court candidates here, and more about the Superior and Commonwealth Court candidates here. In addition, voters will cast ballots in a wide range of local races including city council, mayoral, and school board seats. Most counties provide a preview of what their ballot will look like. You can find your county election site here. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan national voter advocacy group, also offers a ballot preview tool. Are there any constitutional amendments or statewide referendums on the ballot? No. Full coverage of the Pennsylvania primary election 2023: 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. By Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times (TNS) With a cane in hand, Jeremy Renner danced his way onto the Jimmy Kimmel Live! stage on Monday. The Marvel actor appeared on the late-night ABC talk show just four months after a near-fatal snowplow accident around his Lake Tahoe-area home on New Years Day. This is ridiculous this is a publicity stunt! Kimmel joked about Renners injuries as the actor continued waving his cane and kicking his legs up from his seat like a vaudeville performer. Now if there was any question as to who the toughest Avenger was, thats settled now, right? Kimmel added, drawing cheers from the crowd, which included Renners mother and other relatives. Forget Downey, forget Hemsworth, forget these guys its you, youre the guy. Renner interjected by offering Scarlett Johanssons name before shyly conceding, Yeah, I guess so. Renner, who gave his first interview since the accident to ABC News Diane Sawyer in late March, showed his physical recovery during the late-night appearance. He had also posted a video of himself in March walking slowly on an anti-gravity treadmill during physical therapy. While attempting to stop a snowplow from hitting his nephew, Renner was crushed by the 14,330-pound snowcat and hospitalized for a slew of injuries, including eight broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a broken tibia, shoulder, mandible, face, jaw, eye socket, knee, clavicle and both ankles. I chose to survive, Renner told Sawyer. You cant kill me. No way. Renner recalled to Kimmel that many of his friends thought he was dead. He described lying in the hospital bed as messages flooded in, feeling like it was an open casket and youre living through it. However, the Hawkeye actor made light of the incident, calling it a New Years resolution, since his injuries forced him to quit smoking and led him to lose 20 pounds. Renner was on the show to promote his upcoming Disney+ series, Rennervations. Next week, shoppers will begin to see a new pineapple in grocery stores. The Dole Golden Selection pineapple, Dole Food Company said, has a deeper golden color, more aromatic fragrance and sweeter and juicier tropical flavor. Dole said the Golden Selection variety is in response to consumer demand for a sweeter pineapple-eating experience. The new pineapple will arrive in select supermarkets in the United States and Canada in mid-April. Dole said the fruit is sustainably grown exclusively in Costa Rica. Limited quantities will be available while in season. It has been cultivated to offer the heightened sweetness and more vibrant flavor. In the 122 years that Dole has been cultivating pineapples in Hawaii, Central and South America and throughout the tropics, weve learned what it takes to grow the worlds best, most beloved fruit, said Dole Director of Corporate Communications William Goldfield. While all Dole pineapples are tender, sweet and packed with nutrients, healthy enzymes and Vitamins B6 and C, these new Golden Selection Pineapples glow and taste just a little brighter. READ MORE: Nacho Fries are back at Taco Bell this week with an extra twist made in hot sauce heaven. Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster County is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and needs more employees to help make the upcoming historic summer season a success. A joint job fair will be held by Dutch Wonderland and the neighboring Cartoon Network Hotel from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18. Dutch Wonderland said it is half way to hiring its goal of 800 team members. It is looking for 350 more applicants. During the event, potential employees can talk with leaders, receive interviews and can get immediate employment offers. Jobs are available in areas that include rides, food and beverage and guest experience. The park said it has raised its hourly rates. Employees can start at up to $15 an hour. Employees also receive free admission to more than 30 regional parks and attractions and free Dutch Wonderland passes for family and friends. We pride ourselves on providing a job experience that is fun, flexible, and rewarding here at Dutch Wonderland, said James Paulding, general manager. With our many available roles, there are exciting and flexible opportunities for everyone, including students looking for your first job, those looking to earn extra money this summer, those who are now retired and are looking to contribute to the smiles we put on childrens faces every day, and everyone in between. The Cartoon Network Hotel next door has openings for lifeguards, servers, baristas, front desk agents and activities team members. It is the first an only Cartoon Network Hotel. Hourly rates start at up to $16 an hour. The job fair will be held at the Dutch Wonderland People & Organization Center behind the AT&T store 2233 Lincoln Highway East in Lancaster. Applicants can apply online in advance. Applications also will be available on-site. Change is underway at Zeroday Brewing Companys Harrisburg taproom. The brewery announced late last week it took over La Catrina, a restaurant that has since ceased operations inside the brewerys taproom at 925 N. Third St. The two businesses had worked in collaboration since 2021, with Zeroday overseeing the beverage side of operations and La Catrina specializing in Mexican-inspired cuisine. Nourish Hospitality Group oversaw La Catrina. Now operating as Zerodays Taproom, the restaurants menu is revamped and features creative salads, mac and cheese options, sandwiches and healthier entrees, all designed to complement the brewerys craft beers and signature cocktails. A quick scan of the menu shows Smittys crab ball and Taproom wing appetizers, American smash burgers, jackfruit tacos and Philly roast pork sandwiches along with entrees including Mediterranean chicken, crab cakes and New York strip steaks. Owner Theo Armstrong said in a press release he retained 100% of La Catrinas staff led by chef Oliver Gruber. Nourish Hospitality Group recently sold restaurants, including Cork & Fork Osteria in Hampden Township and Cork & Fork in Harrisburg. Brian and Jennifer Fertenbaugh, owners of Cafe Fresco Center City and Level 2 in Harrisburg, purchased Osteria, where they plan to open Aura Modern Mediterranean in May. Josh Kesler, owner of Millworks in Harrisburg and The Watershed Pub in Camp Hill, took over the Harrisburg Cork & Fork. Zerodays taproom is open 4-10 p.m. Monday -Thursday, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Starting April 16, Sunday brunch will be served from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Later this spring, hours will be expanded and include additional lunch hours. READ MORE: More than 40 animals were found dead Monday night inside a pickup truck parked in a strip mall in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, according a release from the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge. Rescuers were also able to save 38 dogs and eight cats from the vehicle, which had been parked in the Hampton parking lot since at least April 6, the animal shelter said. Dogs running through the parking lot and an overwhelming odor alerted authorities to the truck, which was soaked in urine and feces and packed with animals huddled inside, rescuers said. The remains of the dead animals found inside were individually wrapped and labeled with their names, the shelter said. The owner of the truck had a house fire in Virginia, and loaded the animals inside to drive to Pennsylvania, authorities said. It was unclear if the driver was facing any charges. The dogs, which are scruffy mixed breeds and appear related, and cats were taken in by Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge and its partners at Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Barks Animal Rescue, Eleventh Hour Animal Rescue, Hampton Animal Control and the Hopatcong Animal Shelter, a spokesperson for refuge told NJ Advance Media. The groups were working to determine the medical needs for each animal, and all require grooming due to matting, long nails, and urine and feces that was caked on their bodies. While last night was a horrific discovery of animal cruelty, the joining together of different organizations to aid these helpless animals was uplifting amid dismay, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge Executive Director Megan Brinster said in a statement. We are thankful to Hampton animal control for their immediate response and staying into the late hours of the night to ensure the animals all had safe placements. Brinster asked anyone who wished to help to consider donating to help pay for the medical care of the dogs and cats. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. More: Dog saved from death shows up at protest of Harrisburg Humane Society Overwhelmed central Pa. cat rescues prepare for kitten season: Its going to be bad A controversial cross-shaped pier on the Jersey Shore will open to the public ahead of schedule, the religious organization behind its reconstruction announced. Visitors will be able to walk on the rebuilt Ocean Grove fishing pier as early as Saturday, following a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association said in its announcement Monday. The Methodist group previously said it expected the pier to be completed by Memorial Day. Some residents objected to the shape of the pier when its cross-shaped design was unveiled in July 2022 at a groundbreaking in the Monmouth County resort town. Critics, including the nonpartisan advocacy group Neptune United, raised concerns about putting a religious symbol in a public space on the beach. Officials with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association which helps governs the Ocean Grove section of Neptune under a unique charter previously said they make no apologies for the symbolism of the new structure. We dont mean to hurt anyone and we dont mean to offend anyone, Michael Badger, the meeting associations president, said last year. We are Christians and we are going to continue to be Christians in the public square, on our private lands, he added. The Ocean Grove pier, which was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy more than a decade ago, will reopen with a new cross-shaped design.Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Neptune United alleged the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, known as the OGCMA, did not follow state Department of Environmental Protection rules when it built the pier. Despite not obtaining the required permits, violating multiple DEP conditions, and having had exactly zero oversight by Neptune Township, the OGCMA is somehow allowed to have a ribbon cutting and opening for a pier that will be walked on by tens of thousands of residents and visitors alike, Neptune United said in a statement Tuesday. Unfortunately, Neptune Uniteds concern is not limited to municipal noncompliance and the underlying safety issues. Each day, Neptune United becomes more and more alarmed by the OGCMAs blatant disregard for both the community and well-established law, the statement said. Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association officials did not immediately respond to a request to comment on Neptune Uniteds statement. The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was issued a notice of violation by the Department of Environmental Protection on Sept. 22 for unauthorized activity under the Waterfront Development Act and Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, records show. Badger said the state never fined the camp meeting association and work never stopped on the project. The beach, boardwalk and pier are open to the public and everyone is invited to use these amenities regardless of their faith, nationality, background or personal characteristics. It is our hope that by experiencing the sun, sand, and surf people with be refreshed and draw closer to God who created all of nature, Badger said in a statement. The state provided emergency authorization for construction on Oct. 5, and the association followed up with the submission of a Coastal Area Facilities Review Act permit application on Nov. 7, according to DEP records. A DEP spokeswoman said the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was meeting the requirements cited in the Sept. 22 violation and was permitted to proceed with construction of the pier. The pier did not need to go through the local zoning board for approval, Neptune officials previously said. The Ocean Grove pier project received approvals from the state under the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, Neptune officials had said in a statement. Because it is property owned by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, and over water, the township did not have any zoning authority over the piers placement or design. The Camp Meeting Association spent nearly 10 months working on the $2 million project to restore the Ocean Grove pier which was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy more than a decade ago to its historic length of 500 feet. The Camp Meeting Association raised $550,000 for the project through a three-year fundraising campaign called American Treasure. The remaining construction costs for the pier are being paid with $1.45 million from the Camp Meeting Associations financial reserves. Ocean Grove, referred to as Gods Square Mile by some of its residents, is a seaside community of roughly 3,000 residents located just south of Asbury Park. Its not its own municipality Ocean Grove is a small section of Neptune Township set aside with a unique charter. It was founded more than 150 years ago as a summertime, tent-revival religious retreat for Methodists. It was governed by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association as a religious enclave for 100 years until the New Jersey Supreme Court declared its original charter unconstitutional after a series of lawsuits. However, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association still owns the land and helps govern the beachfront community. The Ocean Grove Meeting Association was sued in 2007 when it barred same-sex couples from using its boardwalk pavilion for civil union ceremonies, which a judge later said violated the states anti-discrimination law. Christian symbols can be found all around Ocean Grove. (Jeff Granit) Christian symbols can be found all around Ocean Grove. On the beach, a Christian flag flies beside the U.S. flag. Beach badges sold by the Camp Meeting Association include a cross, beach umbrellas available for rent are decorated with cross icons and theres a cross mounted on the dunes at the beach. Neptune United said the new pier is another effort by the Camp Meeting Association to imprint Ocean Grove with religious symbols. Neptune United remains committed to advocating for a community where everyone feels included, respected and safe, the group said. The end of the pier hanging over the ocean is made of a different material than the rest of the boardwalk, making the cross shape stand out from the air and for those walking on it. The end of the pier is made of a grey fiberglass specially designed with small gaps that allow water to come through it. That will help avoid the moisture damage common to wooden structures, Badger said. The piers completion comes as Ocean Grove is gearing up for the communitys busy season. In May, the area, famous for its colony of canvas tents near the beach, begins to reopen for the summer. There are 114 tent structures nestled around the Great Auditorium, the hub of activity in Ocean Grove, according to the Camp Meeting Association website. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. DIMMITT, Texas An explosion at a dairy farm has left one person in critically injured and caused a fire that killed an estimated 18,000 cattle, reports say. The Castro County Sheriffs Office says in a news release that a female worker at Southfork Dairy Farms was trapped inside a building after the explosion and fire Monday. Firefighters were able to rescue the woman, who was flown to UMC Hospital in Lubbock. KFDA Channel 10 reports the woman was in critical condition. KFDA reports the cattle were in a holding area before being brought in for milking when the fire occurred. Very few cows in the holding area survived the fire, officials say. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Michigan State Police Troopers are investigating a road rage incident that resulted in a two-vehicle rollover crash on I-94. The two drivers were seen fighting on the highway afterward, police said. The crash happened at 8:55 a.m. on Monday, April 10, on eastbound I-94 near Exit 83 in Comstock Township, a Michigan State Police news release states. Before arriving, troopers were notified by Kalamazoo County dispatch that witnesses observed two men fighting in the middle of I-94. Police determined that the two men were the drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash. A preliminary investigation reveals that while traveling eastbound on I-94, a 22-year-old Illinois man driving a passenger car cut off a 42-year-old Portage man driving a pickup, resulting in the driver of the pickup tailgating the driver of the passenger car. Both drivers then engaged in repeated reckless driving behavior, which led to a collision between the two vehicles, police said. The driver of passenger vehicle struck the cement barrier wall, resulting in minor injuries. The pickup rolled over multiple time before coming to rest in the ditch, resulting in no injuries. Both were reportedly wearing seatbelts, and drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the crash, police said. The driver of the pickup was observed by witnesses physically assaulting the driver of the passenger car, police said. No arrests were made at scene. Warrant requests will be submitted on both drivers for reckless driving. A warrant request for assault and battery charges will be requested for the Portage man who drove the truck, police said. The Kalamazoo Sheriffs Office and Comstock Fire Department assisted troopers. The crash remains open pending a review by the prosecutors office. Names of the drivers will not be released prior to any potential arrests and arraignments. A road rage incident resulted in a crash and a fight on April 10. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. Read more: KRESA announces 3 finalists in search for new superintendent Former 5-star center transferring from Oregon to Indiana New principal announced at Portage Northern High School UPDATE: N.J. wildfire grows to more than 3,800 acres, but is 50% contained Firefighters in Ocean County, New Jersey, continued to battle a wildfire Wednesday that grew overnight to 2,500 acres and is threatening at least 75 structures. The fire broke out Tuesday evening in the area of Route 539, Route 70 and Horicon Avenue in Manchester and forced a few dozen evacuations on federal, state and private property, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The blaze was only 10% contained as of 1:30 a.m. Officials have not provided an additional update, though overhead video from 6abc.com Wednesday morning showed a wide path of smoke rising. No injuries have been reported. More warm, dry and breezy conditions are in the forecast for Wednesday, the National Weather Service said, so theres an elevated risk for fire spread in all of the states 21 counties. Route 539 remained closed in the early morning from Route 70 to Long Swamp Road. Route 70 was shut down from Lakehurst Circle to Beckerville West Road. Horicon Avenue was closed, along with Beckerville East Road and Beckerville West Road, authorities said. Controlled burns or backfiring when a fire is intentionally set along the inner edge of a fire line to consume the fuel in the path of the blaze or change its direction is ongoing, officials said. The Manchester fire was one of multiple wildfires reported in New Jersey on Tuesday. Massive plumes of smoke cover a section of Manchester on Wednesday morning where a large forest fire broke out on Tuesday.6abc.com Earlier, a roughly 10-acre wildfire burned through a wooded area near Alameda Drive in Brick and another 5-acre wildfire burned brush in Howell, fire officials told NJ Advance Media. The Howell fire started as a result of a homeowner burning wood in a fire pit in a backyard that spread after a gust of wind carried embers to a wooded area, according to a statement from Howell police. Firefighters in Hudson County scrambled Tuesday afternoon to control a brush fire in Jersey City that jumped both the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and the Newark Bay-Hudson County Turnpike Extension Tuesday afternoon. Many areas of eastern Pennsylvania are under a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Wednesday, including Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties, where the National Weather Service says critical fire weather conditions are expected, posing an increased risk for rapid wildfire growth and spread. NJ Advance Media staff writers Len Melisurgo and Chris Sheldon contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. More: Brush fire risk increases in central Pa. as temperatures approach 80 degrees WASHINGTON A group of 69 congressional Republicans is backing a federal judges ruling that would overturn the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations two-decade-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. The 11 GOP senators and 58 House lawmakers, who filed a brief in the appeals case, broke the relative silence from Republicans in Congress on the Friday ruling, though no members of leadership signed onto the brief. By approving and deregulating chemical abortion drugs, the FDA has not followed Congress statutorily prescribed drug approval process and has subverted Congress critical public policy interests in upholding patient welfare, the GOP lawmakers wrote. The Republicans expressed concern in their 34-page brief that people other than the pregnant woman such as intimate partners, family members, or sex traffickers may be asserting reproductive control over the woman, which are actions that interfere with a womans reproductive intentions. In the context of abortion, reproductive control not only produces coerced abortions or continued pregnancies, but it also affects whether the pregnancy was intended in the first place, they wrote. Reproductive control is a prevalent issue for women. The Republican lawmakers, whose ranks include U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican who represents Pennsylvanias 16th District north of Pittsburgh, were among the dozens of organizations both supporting and opposing abortion rights that have filed briefs with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans this week. That court is now in charge of the case after the federal government appealed the Texas federal district court judges Friday, April 7, ruling that would overturn the FDAs approval of mifepristone Friday, April 14, at midnight. The Department of Justice has also asked the appeals court to place the Texas ruling on hold amid the appeals process. Anti-abortion groups argue against DOJ appeal The anti-abortion organizations that filed the lawsuit seeking to overturn the FDAs approval of the abortion medication mifepristone have filed briefs with the 5th Circuit opposing the federal governments appeal of the Texas judges ruling. The organizations are also opposed to the U.S. Justice Department asking for the appeals court to place the Texas ruling on hold past the Friday midnight deadline the Texas judge placed in his ruling. In the 23-page brief rejecting the federal governments appeal, they write that the 5th Circuit has no jurisdiction over the case since the federal district court judge issued a stay of the 2000 FDA approval and not an injunction. A large group of anti-abortion activists and supporters gathered on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile, Ala., for their annual rally. After the rally, the group marched through the streets of Mobile. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). In the 49-page brief opposing the federal governments request for a stay of the Texas ruling, the anti-abortion organizations argue the district court did not abuse its discretion in entering an administrative stay under Section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act, and it is the governments stay request that is extraordinary and unprecedented, not the district courts ruling. The anti-abortion organizations, in a brief filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, wrote that because the district court granted an administrative stay, not a preliminary injunction, this Court lacks interlocutory appellate jurisdiction and should leave in place the district courts ruling. The U.S. Department of Justice, in a 20-page response on Wednesday, said while the federal judge in Texas purported to be acting in a restrained manner there is nothing modest about upending the decades-long status quo by blocking access nationwide to a safe and effective drug. The federal government reasserted that mifepristone is safe and effective when used in line with the FDA approval, adding that there was no basis in administrative law for the district courts unprecedented overriding of FDAs considered scientific judgment. The Justice Department also noted that laws of every State allow patients to use mifepristone in some circumstances, reflecting the importance of a drug that millions of women have relied on to safely terminate their pregnancies. States also have preserved access to mifepristone for other purposes, including to help women manage miscarriages, the justice department attorneys wrote. Democrats in Congress back FDA authority Two hundred forty Democratic members of Congress filed their own brief supporting the FDAs regulatory authority and the approval of mifepristone shortly ahead of the Republican lawmakers filing their brief. Democratic attorneys general from 23 states and the District of Columbia have filed a brief supporting the approval of mifepristone, which is authorized for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy as part of a two-drug regimen that includes misoprostol as the second pharmaceutical. Republican attorneys general from 21 states have indicated they plan to file or have filed briefs in the case. FILE - People attend an abortion-rights rally at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, June 24, 2022. The decision by Utahs Republican governor to approve legislation that bans abortion clinics is raising concerns about how already overburdened hospitals will accommodate becoming the only place for legal abortions in the state. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)AP The GOP members of Congress who filed the brief opposing the FDAs approval process for mifepristone represent 30 states. Indiana Sen. Mike Braun, North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, Idaho Sen. James Risch, Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville signed onto the brief led by Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Reps. Ben Cline and Bob Good of Virginia, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Virginia Foxx, Gregory Murphy, David Rouzer and Richard Hudson of North Carolina, Andy Harris of Maryland, Diana Harshbarger and Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Clay Higgins and Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Bill Johnson, Max Miller and Warren Davidson of Ohio, Doug Lamborn and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar of Arizona, Lisa McClain, Tim Walberg and John Moolenaar of Michigan, Robert Aderholt and Jerry Carl of Alabama, Mark Alford of Missouri, Jim Banks of Indiana, Aaron Bean and Daniel Webster of Florida, Ron Estes of Kansas, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin and Chris Smith of New Jersey were among the House Republicans to support the brief. Pharma companies argue against ruling Pharmaceutical companies have also filed a brief with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, raising major warnings about the long-term effects of one federal judge overturning an FDA approval. The companies, in a 46-page brief, argued the Texas district court unreasonably found fault with FDAs sound scientific judgments in order to stay approval of a drug that has been approved for nearly a quarter-century and used safely by millions of women. The argued that U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryks ruling also badly misapplied governing drug-approval laws, and administrative law more generally. FILE - Bottles of the drug misoprostol sit on a table at the West Alabama Women's Center, March 15, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Misoprostol induces uterus contractions that expel an embryo or fetus and other tissue. New York joined other Democratic-led states Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in stockpiling abortion pills in response to a court ruling in Texas that could limit access to the commonly used drug. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed, File) Far from being limited to one drug, the logic of the district courts order overturns the long-settled legal basis of FDAs drug-approval process, wrote the group of more than 20 companies that included Pfizer Inc. Unless stayed, the district courts lawless opinion will empower any plaintiff to grind drug approvals to a halt, disrupting patients access to critical medicines. If the federal district court judges ruling from Friday is allowed to take effect, they wrote, it would result in a seismic shift in the clinical development and drug approval processes, erecting unnecessary and unscientific barriers to the approval of lifesaving medicines, chilling drug development and investment, threatening patient access, and destabilizing the pharmaceutical industry. This story appeared in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. The death investigation of a 23-year-old Lancaster County woman after she told police she was strangled by her husband has been referred to the state office of the Attorney General. The referral of the prosecution was due to a conflict of interest within the Lancaster County District Attorneys office, according to the District Attorney, Heather Adams. She did not elaborate on the nature of the conflict. Jordan Ortiz, 25, of Lancaster Township, was charged Friday with aggravated assault and strangulation in connection with a domestic incident with his wife on the morning of Sunday, April 2 at their home. He has not been charged in connection with the death of his wife, Kylee Ortiz, which occurred one week later, on Sunday April 9 at a hospital. The coroner has not yet released the cause and manner of death rulings. Jordan Ortiz has been jailed since Friday night, April 7 with a $750,000 bond. Kylee leaves behind three children, ages 6, 3 and 1. The oldest child is with his father, who had shared custody with Kylee, while the younger two are now with grandparents. Lancaster General Hospital called city police on Friday to alert them that an assault victim was in the intensive care unit and presented with life-threatening injuries. Police then interviewed Kylee in her hospital room and she told them that her husband Jordan had strangled her the morning of April 2 in the kitchen/dining area of their home in the 400 block of Dickens Drive in Lancaster Township. It was the second time Kylee had told police her husband strangled her. The first time was shortly after it happened on April 2, according to court records. After talking with police in her hospital room, she was placed on a heart and lung device, known as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, or ECMO, to try to save her life. But she never recovered. Manheim Township police provide service to Lancaster Township and took over the investigation from city police since the reported strangulation occurred in Lancaster Township. The ICU doctor told them that Kylee had a blood infection that occurred from being choked/strangled, according to court records, and that she had most recently been brought into the hospital by her husband at 5 a.m. on Thursday April 6. Jordan also brought her to the emergency room on Monday April 3, where she was treated in the emergency room and apparently discharged. Jordan also called 911 five times the week before his wife died, including four times on April 2, the day Kylee said she was strangled, and once on Monday April 3. Police responded to the first call at 6:29 a.m. and the second call at 7:49 a.m., when Kylee told police she had been choked and the officers body camera footage confirmed she was speaking in a raspy voice. She would not give further details about the strangulation, police said. Both calls were logged in as a domestic in progress. Jordan called 911 two more times on Sunday night April 2, first saying Kylee was having a panic attack and then telling dispatchers not to come because she was doing better, according to court records. A Manheim police spokesman said he could not answer questions about the police departments response to those calls and whether police or other agencies could or should have done more at that time. Sgt. Barry Waltz told PennLive the case is open and active and that it would be irresponsible for police to say anything beyond what was listed in the charging documents. According to those charging documents: Police interviewed Jordan Ortiz at the hospital Friday, where he told investigators his marriage had been tumultuous in the last four months. He said Kylee had gone out drinking with her friends and returned early in the morning on Sunday April 2. Jordan told police in the private hospital room that Kylee had been arguing and assaulting him, that morning until he left their home with the kids to go to his mothers home. Jordan admitted to choking Kylee in the recent past but stated numerous times that he had not choked her on Sunday April 2, or during the last week, police wrote in court records filed against him. Relatives have started two fundraisers, one to help pay for Kylees funeral expenses and another to help with the costs for the three children. Kylees parents have asked friends on Facebook for privacy while they grieve the loss of their daughter. Her mother also asked people to stop speculating on what happened. Kylees dad and I are standing behind and supporting Jordan he is OUR SON!!, she posted on Monday. We love him he LOVED OUR DAUGHTER to lengths no one will ever know or understand! We have been and continue to ask for privacy and respect at this time while will try to process everything that is being thrown at us! We need a minute! She was OUR world! READ MORE: Central Pa. off-duty officer helps save a life while at a gym Family man killed in ATV crash leaves 10 kids, injured wife and central Pa. farm The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is looking for residents who would be interested in serving on the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) Executive Committee. The commissioners, as the corporate members of CAEDC, are looking for a community-minded candidate to fill the vacant position. The executive committee includes the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer of the CAEDC board of directors, and an individual designated by the board of commissioners. The executive committee provides recommendations to the board of directors, evaluates day-to-day operations, employee relations, and implements recommendations from the CEO for day-to-day operations. Criteria for consideration: Knowledge of nonprofit corporations, including governance and organizational development issues. Knowledge of economic development and entrepreneurship, workforce development, or tourism and marketing. The candidate will serve until January 2024 and is subject to the appointment or re-appointment by the Cumberland County commissioners. The executive meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month from 8 to 9:15 a.m. Interested residents should send a resume and letter of intent by Friday to the Cumberland County chief clerk, Stacy M. Snyder, by mail to Cumberland County Commissioners Office, One Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Carlisle PA, 17013, or email at commissioners@cumberlandcountypa.gov. The Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) is an independent, county-chartered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation responsible for providing economic development and tourism promotion services to Cumberland Valley, which includes Cumberland County and the south-central Pennsylvania region. The corporation is led by an executive director who reports to a board of directors. Members of the board of directors are appointed by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. More: Still the champ: Cumberland rated as Pennsylvanias fastest-growing county again Cumberland County to hold 3-day tire collection event in May Police arrested a 50-year-old Pennsylvania woman after her husband found their 11-year-old son dead in their master bedroom Tuesday morning. The dad told police his son, Matthew Whitehead, had spent the night in the master bedroom with his mom the night before in their home northwest of Philadelphia. Police later found the moms SUV partially submerged in the ocean off Cape May in New Jersey. Officers then found Ruth DiRenzio Whitehead in Wildwood Crest, a coastal city about 6.5 miles from Cape May. According to a report from Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele: Horsham Police responded to a home on the 500 block of Privet Road in Horsham Tuesday at 7:06 a.m., after receiving a report of a father finding his son dead. Daniel Whitehead, 57, told police he woke up Tuesday after sleeping somewhere else in the house and noticed the master bedroom was locked and his wifes Toyota Highlander SUV was missing from the garage. While police were still in the Pennsylvania home collecting evidence and information, they learned Cape May police recovered the wifes SUV partially submerged in the ocean off Beach Avenue, more than two hours away from the home. Investigators say the SUV was found around 3:30 a.m., according to a report from CBS Philadelphia. The mom was found alive a short time laster by Wildwood Crest police, according to the district attorneys new release. The boys cause of death has not been released, and no charges have been filed. READ MORE: Pa. teacher shot, killed in front of 11-year-old son: reports Pa. man put opioid into mothers iced tea before shooting her: DA Jesse Morgan Hinson, 36, formerly of Troy, pleaded guilty to mail fraud Tuesday, according to U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. The Alabama Securities Commission provided valuable assistance in the investigation and prosecution of the case. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, in 2022, Hinson engaged in schemes to defraud multiple victims by falsely representing himself to be a man of great wealth with the ability to conduct profitable real estate transactions. He convinced victims to give him money based on promises of future financial benefits. However, Hinson had no significant assets and intended to take his victims money for his own use. Hinson also failed to let his victims know that he had prior convictions for securities fraud, including convictions on Alabama securities fraud charges as recently as March and April of 2022. Hinson was in custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections as of April 30, 2022. In his plea agreement, Hinson specifically admitted that, in March of 2022, he defrauded an individual in Butler County by claiming that Hinson could finance real estate purchases for a 10 percent down payment. This was not true. Hinson obtained approximately $66,500 from the Butler County victim despite Hinson having no ability to finance real estate purchases, and none of the proceeds were used for the victims benefit. Instead, Hinson used much of these funds to pay personal expenses and to pay the debts of a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship. After the Butler County victim began demanding his money back, to discourage him from speaking with law enforcement, Hinson, posing as a New York attorney, telephoned the victim, falsely stated that Hinson would be receiving the proceeds of an $11 million loan, and then threatened to bankrupt the victim by opening competing businesses. Additionally, in April of 2022 and continuing after his incarceration on April 30 of that year, Hinson, as he admitted during his plea hearing, defrauded two other individuals from Tuscaloosa. Hinson told the victims that he would provide them with the profits from the sale of land that Hinson claimed to own to Auburn University if the victims would provide money upfront for taxes. During the course of discussions with the Tuscaloosa victims, Hinson had someone make false misrepresentations to the victims claiming that Hinson controlled assets in the range of $2 to $3 billion. This claim was also untrue. The Tuscaloosa victims provided multiple payments to Hinsons attorney and to Hinsons girlfriend totaling $124,028.80. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. At that hearing, Hinson will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution. Mr. Hinson has a checkered history of engaging in securities fraud schemes, said Stewart. I commend the work of the investigators and prosecutors who unraveled the brazen schemes at issue in this case, thus protecting the public from falling victim to Hinsons lies. Jesse Morgan Hinson has worked hard to build a horrible reputation of deceiving folks, said Alabama Securities Commission Chief Deputy Director Amanda Senn. We encourage everyone to research who you invest your hard-earned money with to avoid career criminals like Hinson, who has left a path of financial devastation and destruction in his wake. The United States Secret Service and the Alabama Securities Commission investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen K. Moulton and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew O. Schiff and Amanda Senn of the Alabama Securities Commission are prosecuting the case. A traveling nurse from Ohio is facing charges after a dead puppy was found inside a cage outside her hotel room in Brookville, Jefferson County, earlier this year, according to news sources. The investigation into what happened began in mid-January after the dog was found outside a Rodeway Inn. Authorities identified one of two individuals seen in surveillance video removing the pet cage from the hotel room and leaving it in the parking lot, according to WJAC. One of the individuals turned out to be 28-year-old Yasmin Posey, of Akron, Ohio. She told police that she had bought two puppies months prior that seemed healthy but soon began losing weight. She claimed to have an appointment with a local vet but missed it due to her job, according to WJAC and ConnectFM. Posey told authorities she bought a de-wormer online for the two puppies and while one responded well to the medicine, the other did not. She said she made an appointment with another veterinarian, Northfork Vet Clinic in Brookville, that was scheduled for mid-December but that appointment was also missed, police said. Posey told police the dog had died prior to the appointment and that she kept it in a cage inside her hotel room for 2-3 weeks since she didnt know how to properly dispose of the animal. Upon a proper medical evaluation, it was determined the dog died from severe malnutrition and starvation, according to reports. Posey is facing charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, animal cruelty, and animal neglect. Read More: WILLIAMSPORT Is a marriage valid if vows are exchanged a day after the marriage license expires? The law is silent on the issue but a Lycoming County judge says yes, at least in the case of the husband trying to avoid paying spousal support. Colby T. Pophal contended he does not owe support because his wedding was never official because it occurred Feb. 13, 2016, one day after the 60-day marriage license expired. Judge Eric R. Linhardt, in disagreeing, acknowledged in a recent opinion that Pophals argument is unique because no provision of the Marriage Law or Divorce Code explicitly addresses attempts to marry after a marriage license has expired. The Marriage Law states as a general rule no person shall be joined in marriage until a license has been obtained, the judge pointed out. The Divorce Code lists nine scenarios that make a marriage either void or voidable but is silent on one performed after the license has expired, he said. Neither statute specifies the consequences for purporting to marry without a valid license, he wrote. The question before the court, Linhardt wrote, is whether any marriage entered into between parties possessing an expired marriage license is categorically invalid. The court concludes it is not. While the law requires a license must be obtained it does not condition the ability to marry on it being valid, he concluded. He contends his interpretation is in harmony with a 1969 Superior Court decision issued before the enactment of the current Marriage Law and Divorce Code. That ruling stated: The marriage licensure act is directory only and not mandatory and therefore a valid marriage can be contracted without such license or pursuant to a defective or improperly obtained license. A party to a marriage that never existed due to some fatal defect could sit for years upon that discovery raising the issue only when it becomes expedient to do so, Linhardt wrote. This sort of gamesmanship is frowned upon in the law and discouraged unless necessary to vindicate some powerful countervailing interest, the opinion states. It is clear from case law governing marriage in Pennsylvania the desire to prevent incompetent persons and close relatives from marrying is a countervailing interest. But the desire to ensure the parties marry within 60 days after the issuance of their license is not, the judge found. The Popahls separated last Sept. 13 and she filed for support for herself and the child that was the product of the marriage. She argued the marriage was valid because no action for annulment was commenced within 60 days of the ceremony. She initially disputed the date of their vows but ultimately conceded it occurred after the license had expired. As the result of Linhardts order, Popahls monthly spousal support obligation is $851 and for the child $606. The case is not over as the order dealt only with the licensing issue. More: 2 injured, including state police trooper, in shooting Couple stopped on I-80 in Pa. face jail terms after guilty pleas to drug charges A Bucks County man who was arrested for killing his wife, months after she was reported missing, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder on Tuesday, according to the Bucks County District Attorneys Office. 57-year-old Stephen Capaldi, of Sellersville, was ordered to spend 22 to 44 years in state prison at his plea and sentencing hearing for the killing of his wife, Elizabeth Beth Capaldi, according to the DAs office. The plea was to charges of third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of a crime, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and obstruction, the DAs office said. Capaldi was charged on Dec. 9, 2022, nearly two months after he reported his wife missing, according to the DAs office. During the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Mary Kate Kohler said the plea was carefully considered by the DAs office and that it allowed for swift closure for the victims family, which was one of the wishes of the family. As a part of the plea, Capaldi fully cooperated with investigators, including admitting to how he killed his wife and leading them to her remains. The DAs office said this allowed her family to give her a proper burial. Stephen Capaldi, 57, pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023 to killing his wife Elizabeth Capaldi. Photo provided by the Bucks County District Attorney's Office The couples daughter called police on Oct. 12, 2022, and reported Elizabeth missing, according to the DAs office. At the time, the couple was living together, and Stephen Capaldi said he last saw his wife during the early morning hours of Oct. 10. He never contacted police, according to the DAs office. The DAs office and Perkasie Borough police worked together on the investigation with the assistance of several other agencies and found that Capaldi had murdered his wife and lied to investigators on several occasions. Capaldi took steps to destroy evidence and hid his wifes body, after killing her the morning of Oct. 10, the DAs office said. He attacked her while she was sleeping, strangling her and using a pillow to smother her. When Capaldi moved his wifes body, he took her from the master bedroom to a back bedroom, then the basement where he dismembered her, the DAs office said. He disposed of her body on Oct. 12, before he ever met with law enforcement. Without mentioning specifics, the DAs office said Capaldi bought items to carry out the disposal of his wifes body. As a part of Tuesdays hearing, Capaldis daughter made a statement, saying that she has struggled every day since she lost her mother, who was like her best friend. The fact that it was her own father that killed her mother, then lied to her for several weeks, made the situation even harder. My mother is dead, and my father killed her, she told the court. I have the love of friends, family, even strangers, but my own father took the person who loved me most. She said she does feel grief and love for her father, but believed he should never be free from prison to finally leave my mothers memory in peace. In addition to the prison sentence, Capaldi was ordered to pay his daughter $8308.50 in restitution for funeral expenses, according to the DAs office. He was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and was forbidden from having contact with his daughter unless she chooses to contact him. Read more on PennLive: The state will be holding its first vehicle auction of the year. The auction will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Manheim Keystone Pennsylvania, 488 Firehouse Road in East Hanover Township (Grantville), Dauphin County. The auction will feature more than 300 used vehicles from Commonwealth agencies. This auction will also feature a number of vehicles seized by state law enforcement agencies including: a 2012 Audi A8, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2007 Audi Q7Premium, 2007 Ford Mustang Deluxe, 2007 Mazda Mazda3 I Sport, 2006 Cadillac CTS and a 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Vehicle offerings will include a variety of 4-wheel drive SUVs, utility vehicles and pickup trucks from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Jeep, Nissan, and Hyundai as well as front- and all-wheel drive sedans and mini-vans from the previously mentioned manufacturers. Included in the vehicles that will be offered for public purchase will be a number of Police Interceptor sedans and SUVs. In addition, several utility/box trucks will be available in this auction. An in-person preview of vehicles begins Thursday and will run through Sunday. Pre-registration and in-person previewing of the vehicles runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at the auction site. Pre-registration for the auction is mandatory and must be completed by 4:00 p.m. Sunday. There will be no registration on the day of the auction. Buyers must purchase with certified funds in the form of money order, cashiers check or certified check made payable to Manheim Keystone PA. No cash will be accepted. There are future auctions scheduled for June, August, October and December. The auction is handled by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. Sign up for Eat, Shop, Go, a weekly report from PennLive on food, restaurants, business, retail centers, things to do and places to go all around central Pa. Sign up for free by clicking here. Pittsburgh has a reason to celebrate this week as the city will be represented on Jeopardy! according to news sources. This evening, Morningside resident Laura Caton, a manager of school operations, will compete on the show against returning champion Virginia artist Kat Jepson and Wisconsin philosophy professor Ben Chan, according to WPXI. Caton said to TribLive that its always been a dream to compete on the syndicated TV game show. She traveled to the Sony lot in Culver City back in January to film the episode. Since Pittsburghs area code is 412, its a striking coincidence that Catons episode will air on April 12. I was like, thats the one for you, baby. I gotta be on that day, said Caton to TribLive. It didnt mean anything to anyone else but me but I was delighted that it was gonna air on 4/12. The 33-year-old first moved to Pittsburgh to attend the University of Pittsburgh and graduated in 2011. After a stint in New York City to work in theater administration, she moved back to Pittsburgh and has labeled the city her adopted hometown. Growing up as a military brat and living in multiple cities, including in Germany, Caton constantly watched Jeopardy! with family and began auditioning for the show in high school. In total, she auditioned five or six times as an adult, TribLive reported. To Caton, the biggest difference between being on the show and watching it is how much smaller the categories are from the contestant podium compared to what viewers see on TV. It was very surreal, Caton said to TribLive about the taping. I was pinching myself the whole time. Did you see the picture of me with Ken? I dont think Ive taken a picture of me smiling that hard in 10 years. Tonight, Caton plans to watch her Jeopardy! episode with friends. She also mentioned how grateful she is to co-workers who threw her a pizza party before she flew to L.A. for the taping, according to the outlet. Jeopardy! airs at 7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday on CBS. Read more: Two Middletown teens who packed up their family vehicle and left home on Monday have returned home, according to police. The teens, Leah Leedy, 17, and Carson Leedy, 15, had packed personal belongings when they left in the familys 2009 Hyundai Sonata, police said. No details about how the teens were found or returned home were released, but Middletown police thanked Lebanon City police for their assistance in the case. Read more on PennLive: York police arrested two men Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Shaheim Carr, who was ambushed outside his home last year in a large barrage of gunfire. Rashad Colon,21, and Antonio Jones,22, are the second and third suspects to be arrested in connection with the July 6, 2022 killing. They were charged with criminal homicide and remain in custody at York County Prison. The arrests follow the arrest of the first suspect, Jaquez D. Brown that was made less than a week after the shooting. York City Police arrested Rashad Colon and Antonio Jones Tuesday in connection to the fatal July 6, 2022, murder of 27-year-old Shaheim Carr. Both men are being charged with criminal homicide. The pair are in custody at York County Prison. Photos provided by York City Police Department. Carr was shot and killed around 11:04 a.m. July 6, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Brown, 26, and two other men confronted Carr as he was leaving his home. The men started shooting and a large barrage of gunfire was recorded on surveillance cameras, according to the affidavit. Within seconds, Carr can be seen flinching, ducking, turning and running towards the breezeway connecting two West Philadelphia Street homes, the affidavit said. The trio of shooters ran after Carr and seconds later returned from the direction of the breezeway, the affidavit said. Court documents said one of the men picked up Carrs cell phone and a bag Carr was carrying before he was shot. A motive for shooting Carr was not included in the affidavit filed against Brown. The affidavit said the men fled the scene in a gold Ford Fusion that was reported stolen in May 2022. The car was recovered the night of the shooting, the affidavit said. Court documents said it was apparent the men involved tried to use a cleaning agent to destroy evidence. Police encourage anyone with information to call the York City Police Department at (717) 846-1234 or to submit a tip through the departments website. READ MORE: Mom arrested after son, 11, found dead in Pa. home and SUV found sinking on N.J. beach Brush fire risk increases in central Pa. as temperatures approach 80 degrees This weekend, the Adams County Historical Society will open the Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum. The grand opening will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 625 Biglerville Road in Cumberland Township, Adams County, right outside of Gettysburg. While much is often told from the soldiers view when it comes to the Civil War, the new museum aims to tell the stories of the people that lived in Gettysburg during and after the war. This is the perspective of the eyewitnesses who lived here during the battle, Andrew Dalton, executive director of The Adams County Historical Society told PennLive in February. And thats really never been explored before. Everything else is from the perspective of the soldiers but this is the peoples story. The museum also features other Adams County history as well. When is the museum open? From March to October (beginning April 15), the museum will be open from 10 a.m. Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; and only pre-booked groups can enter the museum on Tuesday and Wednesday. From November to February, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday; only pre-booked groups can enter the museum on Monday through Thursday. How much does it cost? Tickets will cost $15 and additional discounts are available for seniors, youth, and Adams County residents. Admission is free for Adams County Historical Society members, children under 5, Adams County students (K-12, Gettysburg College/HACC), and active duty military. READ MORE: New welcome center planned for Gettysburg The museum will operate on a timed-ticketing system with 15 visitors entering the museum every 15 minutes. It is recommended that visitors reserve their tickets in advance at www.gettysburgbeyondthebattle.org. Whats included in the museum? The museum has 12 exhibit galleries including Caught in the Crossfire, the museums premier exhibit, an immersive experience that uses technology to place visitors inside a reconstructed farmhouse during the Battle of Gettysburg. In Caught in the Crossfire visitors get to see, hear, and feel what it was like for one Gettysburg family to be overrun by invading forces and trapped behind enemy lines. While the Civil War makes up much of what is covered in the museum, other parts of Adams County history are also displayed. Permanent Exhibits include: Natural History: View otherworldly rock formations, dinosaur tracks, and a real meteorite. Gallery Highlights: Devils Den & Welcome Film; Dinosaur Footprints (touchable). Native Americans: Discover the lives of local Indigenous peoples. Gallery Highlight: Native American Cooking Stone (touchable). Life on the Frontier: Hear the gripping stories of murder, captivity, and colonial land disputes. Gallery Highlights: Mason-Dixon Line Marker; Mary Jemison Film. Revolutionary America: Take a seat in Samuel Gettyss Tavern and eavesdrop on 18th-century conversations. Gallery Highlights: Original Animal Hide Map of Gettysburg; The Tavern Experience: Colonial Conversations (interactive). A Growing Community: Explore local ties to Thaddeus Stevens, Francis Scott Key, and the Underground Railroad. Gallery Highlights: Francis Scott Key Document. The Civil War: Learn the stories of local soldiers and civilians who fought for freedom and the Union. Gallery Highlights: Mag Palms Rocking Chair; Gettysburg Landscape Mural The War Comes Home: Discover how ordinary families endured the Civil Wars largest battle. Gallery Highlights: John Burnss Rifle; Dawn of Battle Film. Caught in the Crossfire Experience: Step inside a home trapped between the two armies and experience the horrific sights and sounds of war. The Aftermath: Imagine local residents encounters with death, disease, and destruction while viewing battle-damaged artifacts. Gallery Highlights: Battle Damage Wall (touchable); Sherfy Farm Witness Tree (touchable). The Address: Stand in the crowd and reflect on Lincolns speech through the words of actual eyewitnesses. Gallery Highlights: Gettysburg Address Artifacts; Witnessing Lincoln Film. Preservation and Progress: Experience the changing battlefield and community at the dawn of the 20th century. Gallery Highlights: Devils Den & Welcome Film; Dinosaur Footprints (touchable). The Recent Past: Learn about Eisenhower and his contemporaries, who shaped the past century of Gettysburgs history. Gallery Highlights: Eisenhower Artifacts; Presidents at Gettysburg; Lasting Legacy Film. How long will it take to visit the museum? Officials suggest making time for an hour to an hour-and-a-half for visiting the new museum. Is the museum accessible? The museum is fully ADA-compliant facility. Is there a gift shop? The gift shop offers books, souvenirs, and locally made goods. Is there parking? There is free parking on-site for cars and buses. Will there be food? There will be on-site meal options like boxed lunches, and there will be indoor and outdoor seating. What else is in the building? The 29,000-square-foot building is the new home for the Adams County Historical Society and the 5,000-square-foot Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum. READ MORE: Gettysburg Tour Center to be demolished and then rebuilt on same site The Adams County Historical Society has been planning the new building for about three years. Originally the historical society was planning to just build a storage facility to save its collection of more than a million items. We came from a building that had no fire protection or climate control and now everything is housed in an appropriate facility that has all of the requirements to really preserve and protect the millions of individual items that we have in our collection, Dalton previously told PennLive. But, the support for the new building was a lot more than expected The cost of the building was $11 million which includes the $3 million museum. The historical society raised $12 million. In addition to the museum, the complex also include the archives on the second floor which includes more than one million artifacts, records of Gettysburg, framed portraits, oil paintings, and more than 300 accounts of the Civil War written by civilians. The facility has a 140-seat event center with views of the Gettysburg battlefield. The center can host events from weddings and corporate retreats to small meetings and family reunions. There is a 25-seat classroom. PennLive previewed the museum in February. Dr. Linda Young, president of Wallace Community College Dothan, will give remarks in the Alabama State Capitol auditorium during the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) 60th anniversary kickoff celebration, called the ACCS Diamond Jubilee Kickoff. At the request of the ACCS, Dr. Young will speak around 10 a.m. Monday. Young is the Alabama Community College Systems first woman technical college president and current longest serving president, with more than 35 years of leadership at Wallace Community College (Dothan and Sparks-Eufaula campus). She is a first-generation college student who used an academic scholarship at Enterprise State Community College (formerly Enterprise State Junior College) for her first two years of education. In 2016, Young was the first educator selected as a Laureate for the Dothan Business Hall of Fame. She was one of 19 community college presidents in the nation to be presented the prestigious Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction in 2017 by Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for community colleges. Young was named a Paul Harris Fellow by both the Eufaula Rotary Club and the Dothan Rotary Club. She is a 1999 graduate of the Leadership Alabama program and currently serves on its Board of Directors and will assume the role of chair in 2024. In 2022, Young was named a Woman of Impact by Yellowhammer News. She sees community colleges as the dream catchers of society. Our community colleges have been, and continue to be, a part of the vision, the destiny, and the future of so many people in our state. I am grateful to be a part of making that happen, she said. Some of Youngs major accomplishments during her professional career include developing special educational programs for adult women. The programs, featured in at least four national publications, have been designated as exemplary models by Strengthening Developing Institutions Program, the National Commission on Working Women, the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Far West Laboratories, and the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. The ACCS Diamond Jubilee is a celebration across two years that focuses on how Alabamas community colleges started, where they are, and where they are going as they continue to serve Alabamas communities. Landmark legislation signed into law on May 3, 1963, laid the groundwork for what would become the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). Legislators wanted a unified system of institutions to focus on accessible training in arts and sciences and in useful skills and trades for current and future labor needs. Sixty years have passed, but that important cause remains the purpose of the 24 community and technical colleges that make up the ACCS. After the Diamond Jubilee kickoff, dozens of celebrations and community service projects across the state will highlight the positive impact made by Alabamas community and technical colleges. More information is available at www.accs.edu/jubilee. Wallace Community CollegeDothan is a member of the Alabama Community College System, which is the states single largest system of public higher education. With campuses in Dothan and Eufaula, Wallace offers academic, health sciences, and career technical programs; adult education, workforce development training and continuing education; and dual enrollment courses for area high school students. With 24 community colleges in more than 130 locations, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is Alabamas gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. More than 155,000 Alabamians benefit from the various certification, credential, dual enrollment and degree programs ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry. ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees. Nine humanoid social robots and their creators will be present at an unprecedented press conference during the upcoming AI for Good Global Summit hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The event, scheduled for July 7 in Geneva, will also feature over 40 specialised robots demonstrating their abilities in areas such as firefighting, healthcare, sustainable farming, and construction, said a Wam news agency report. Among the notable robots set to appear are Beonmi, the world's first fully functional general-purpose humanoid robot, and Nadine, one of the world's most realistic humanoid social robots. Sophia, the first robot Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and Geminoid, an ultra-realistic humanoid robot from Japan, will also be present. The conference aims to facilitate networking, build partnerships, and inspire new projects that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through cutting-edge AI solutions. One of the key themes of discussion will be generative AI and human-machine collaboration, which have gained increased public interest following the release of large language models like ChatGPT. The event aims to facilitate networking, build partnerships, and inspire new projects that advance the SDGs. The conference will also include AI-inspired performances and artwork, including a real-time AI drumming performance by Jojo Mayer and a machine-inspired voice performance by Harry Yeff (REEPS100). The final round of the AI for Good Innovation Factory, where start-ups from around the world will pitch their AI solutions to advance the SDGs, will also be hosted during the event. Does it ever feel like youre talking to Google or ChatGPT? The disarming use of our everyday language leads many of us to treat these tools as though they were a magic mirror connected only to our keyboard. For example, when we ask Google or check ChatGPT, it tricks us into thinking these tools are private but they arent private at all. Its easy to forget that both Google and ChatGPT are connected to enormous databases, run by complex algorithms and employ deep data analytics. The average user likely would not consider that real people will almost certainly see whatever is typed into those harmless-looking search bars. Earlier in April, South Korean technology giant Samsung painfully re-learned this lesson. According to reports, three of the companys IT staff thought it was a good idea to enter confidential information into ChatGPT. One employee asked the chatbot to check sensitive source code for errors, another asked it to help optimise a string of crucial hardware code, and a third fed it a recorded team meeting and asked it to generate minutes. Presumably, the three developers were under pressure and moving too quickly. Thats the most likely cause of the blunder. But its also possible they considered their session with the chatbot to be secure. Whatever the motive behind the mistake, it no longer really matters because OpenAI (ChatGPTs parent company) effectively now has access to some of Samsungs trade secrets, and theres nothing Samsung can do about it. ChatGPT does warn people about what happens when they use the system. Its data policy explicitly cautions users not to share sensitive information in conversations with the chatbot since every piece of data typed into the system will be used to train the artificial intelligence models. Its hard to believe Samsungs highly-talented software engineers didnt know the internet could be dangerous. After all, the #1 maxim of the internet is: to assume your session is compromised and act accordingly. (It is also worth pointing out that Samsung is working on its own ChatGPT-like AI service, so this whole story may well be carefully crafted PR.) Supposing these events at Samsung are correct, they offer plenty of lessons for protecting critical intangible assets such as data and confidential information. The first lesson is that if such a simple blunder can be made at a large company like Samsung, which relies on intangible assets to generate nearly all its revenue, then what are the chances your company is teaching good privacy and security hygiene to staff? Good question, right? Unfortunately, EverEdge sees very little evidence that businesses are aware of the intangible assets they own, and we see even less evidence that staff know the risks of leaking those assets to the wild. Simply put, companies generally have no idea how close they regularly come to losing everything due to simple human error. The second lesson is that it doesnt matter if the Samsung staff were acting maliciously. Even if they knew their work was confidential and they were acting in good faith, something didnt click in their brains to stop them from uploading those assets onto an external system like ChatGPT. Why not? The terrifying answer is that no one told them not to. Under pressure to produce new products and software, staff should be trusted to follow the rules set by management. While there is always some scope for initiative, following a clear procedure should always be encouraged as the primary path. Thats all fine in theory, but what happens when management doesnt understand its most valuable intangible assets and therefore hasnt set a robust procedure or strategy to mitigate the risk of leakage? This is a disaster waiting to happen. A few years ago, EverEdge saw a similar situation that effectively scuttled a software start-up just as it was getting ready to expand into a global market. The company spent years developing a brilliant new technology for in-car navigation systems. Starting out small, the success of the service surprised even the founders who quickly realised they lacked enough in-house software engineers to develop the system to its full capacity. The decision was made to outsource this task to a Germany-based software company. A mid-level engineer was asked to send the German company the relevant code and the build was completed successfully and to a high standard. But when the time came to issue a new update, the German company seemed to have disappeared. Then, six months later and in a completely different jurisdiction, the (previously German) company reappeared under a different name with its own in-car navigation software suite that looked suspiciously similar. The rival company had also raised 25 million in venture capital. To top off the betrayal, they were positioned much closer to the core European markets also targeted by the EverEdge client. It turned out that the medium-level engineer had sent the outsourcing company the entire source code because thats what he was told to do. He was following procedure. The problem was that management hadnt considered the source code to be a critical intangible asset. It wasnt on the balance sheet or featured in the P&Ls, so it failed to appear on anyones risk radar. The company ultimately suffered not just the loss of its intangible assets but also over $150 million worth of forecasted revenue. This brings us to the third and final lesson of this story. In the Samsung case, neither ChatGPT nor the staff was directly at fault. The chatbot was only doing its job, as were the three software developers. Blaming humans doesnt help since its unfair to expect staff to be continually vigilant for the security implications of every decision they make while online. Some level of security training is worthwhile, but this training hits the point of diminishing returns pretty quickly. A far more effective approach is to introduce good information controls at multiple levels including, if necessary, restricting access to services like ChatGPT. This approach requires that management understand the value of the companys intangible assets and create procedures to protect those assets. While there will always be human error in every process, thats no excuse for laziness. And in this case, management laziness was precisely the problem at the top of Samsung. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. JRB is a Pocket Aces Magnet on the Latest High Stakes Poker Episode April 11, 2023 Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. When Jean-Robert Bellande wasn't busy winning with pocket aces on Episode 10 of High Stakes Poker Season 10, he was busy hitting quads against the aggressive Eric Persson. While the entertaining table on PokerGO included big names such as Daniel Negreanu, Andrew Robl, and Jennifer Tilly, it was all about JRB on this episode. It was a stark contrast to the horrible luck Bellande ran into constantly on televised poker shows such as High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark in years past. On the very first hand, Persson three-bet to $13,000 with unsuited connectors and then folded to a $30,000 re-raise from Bellande, who had pocket aces for the first of three times during this episode. He'd end the show with that very same hand, but we'll hold off a bit on giving you those details. Antonio Esfandiari Plays Epic Three-Way Cooler Bellande Didn't Win Every Hand, However While the cards were favorable to JRB, he did lose one sizable hand. In a straddled pot, Bellande raised it up to $3,000 with 75 from a middle position and was called by the 98 of Persson on the button along with Tillys K2 in the big blind and Negreanus Q9 in the straddle. The flop came out J68 and after the first two players checked it to JRB, he bet $10,000 on his open-ended straight draw. Only Persson, with middle pair, made the call. The two remaining players in the hand saw the 8 on the turn, a gorgeous sight for Persson. Bellande didnt slow down despite the board pairing as he fired out a bet of $21,000, to which his opponent called. The river Q was a blank, and this time he opted to check before folding to a $57,000 bet. Tang Runs Into JRB's Aces Bellande opened from early position with AA to $2,000 before being three-bet to $7,000 by the JJ of DoorDash founder Stanley Tang. Slow playing his hand wasnt in the cards for JRB, so he re-raised it to $27,000. Tang then jammed all in for $92,000 total and was, of course, snap-called. I have aces every time, why would you raise me, I have aces every hand? Bellande asked his opponent as they awaited the flop. The players agreed to run it twice, and the first board of 9AJ65 was crushing to Tang because he used up one of the two remaining jacks and still lost. After the second board came 24585, Bellande scooped the entire $185,000 pot. Persson Loans JRB Money After two players limped, Robl raised it to $10,000 in the small blind with AQ. Bellande called with AJ in the big blind. Tilly, with Q9, and Persson, holding 73, both called from middle positions. With the pot already bloated, a juicy flop of JJ7 arrived, and the blinds checked it to Persson, who made a large $30,000 bet with his two pair. That was music to Bellandes ears, and he was the only player to call. The turn was the J, giving JRB quads, and both players checked to see the K on the river. Bellande went for a small bet of $12,000 into a pot of $100,000. Thats so annoying, a frustrated Persson said while he pondered his decision. I just dont like giving you money. I mean, on the other hand, it always comes back, so its like more of a loan. After a brief tank, Persson decided to loan Bellande, whose Twitter moniker is @BrokeLivingJRB, the money. He put in the call, saw the monster hand he was up against and moved on to the next hand. Persson Confuses Bellande Even when JRB made a mistake during Episode 10, he'd still win. Take this hand for example: From a late position, Robl made it $2,000 with 74. Bellande, on the button, came along for the ride with K5 and so did Persson with Q3 from the big blind. The flop was 5K7, and Robl continued for $2,500 with middle pair. He would then fold to Bellandes raise to $10,000, but Persson opted to chase his flush draw. When the 6 appeared on the turn, Persson check-called a $30,000 bet after picking up a gut-shot straight draw to go along with his flush draw. But the river Q gave him top pair, which was no good up against two pair. Persson checked and then Bellande surprisingly checked behind, choosing not to go for value with two pair. You look too happy, an apparently confused JRB said. Just because Im afraid you rivered the queen, Im going to check back. No! an also confused (for different reasons) High Stakes Poker commentator Nick Schulman said. No, whats this? Persson then showed his hand before Bellande turned over his cards and then every player at the table was confused as to why Bellande was concerned with his opponent hitting a queen on the river as that wouldnt beat kings-up. Youve never been slow-rolled before? Bellande asked Negreanu, which still doesnt make sense. Bellande then partially explained that he feared he could have been up against king-queen, a better two pair than he held. Poker is Easy When You Keep Getting Pocket Aces On the final hand of Episode 10, Bellande once again picked up the pocket rockets. This time, he faced early action from Negreanu, who started things off with a $2,000 raise with Q10 from an early position. In the big blind, Bellande looked down at AA and three-bet it to $7,000 before Tilly, sitting on AK in the straddle, went for a four-bet to $30,000. Negreanu moved out of the way, but JRB again decided against slow-rolling his preflop nuts. He chose to five-bet it to $85,000. Tilly was in a difficult spot with about $156,000 left behind, enough to call the raise and then have just under a pot-sized bet left. After some thought, the Hollywood actress made the wise and disciplined decision to fold. Bellande scooped one final pot with pocket rockets to end the show. JRB Runs Hot on High Stakes Poker High Stakes Poker Season 10 returns next week on PokerGO at 5 p.m. PT with Episode 11. Past High Stakes Poker Recaps Check out our past recaps from Season 10 of High Stakes Poker on PokerGO: *Images courtesy of PokerGO. Sharelines Find out who crushed it on the latest edition of High Stakes Poker. "jusgivithere" Claims The Festival Online Ontario Main Event Title April 12, 2023 Matthew Pitt Editor The Festival Online Ontario has concluded at 888poker Ontario, and it is "jusgivithere" that will forever be remembered for becoming the Main Event champion. The Ontarian grinder came out on top of a 594-strong field, and helped themselves to $7,113 of the $42,900 prize pool. Only two other players captured more mystery bounties than the eventual champion. Third-place finisher "graciekibo" saw $2,895 worth of bounties land in their 888poker Ontario account, while "AWilliams47" scooped the largest mystery bounty of all. AWilliams47 crashed out in 30th place for a $137.40 score, but they opened a golden envelope containing a whopping $4,000 mystery bounty! The Festival Online - $40,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Results Place Player Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 jusgivithere $2,695 $4,417 $7,113 2 N888Dawg $1,091 $3,196 $4,288 3 graceiekibo $2,895 $2,326 $5,222 4 reddog4ever8 $65 $1,685 $1,750 5 xFlaherty6 $195 $1,227 $1,423 6 peekers22 $130 $906 $1,037 7 PesevereDrin $1,430 $666 $2,096 8 Donkey_King $326 $494 $820 9 JonnyJamz $265 $366 $631 It didn't take too long for the nine-handed final table to lose its first player, and "jonnyJamz" was the early casualty. Ninth place came with a $265 payday plus $366 worth of mystery bounties, for a total haul of $631. The eighth-place finisher, "Donkey_Kong" banked $820 in total, while the other seven finalists locked in five-figure prizes with bounties included. This is an advertisement "PesevereDrin" fell by the wayside in seventh, a finish yielding $666, but they also won $1,430 in bounties for a $2,096 addition to their bankroll. "peekers22" and "xFlaherty6" were the next 888poker Ontario players heading for the exits, doing so with 1,037 and $1,423 in tow. Fourth place and $1,750 went to "reddog4ever" before the previously mentioned graciekibo got their hands on $5,222 thanks, in part, to almost $2,900 from the bounty prize pool. Heads-up pitted jusgivithere against "N888Dawg." The one-on-one battle went the way of the former, and jusgivithere reeled in $7,113 in total plus the title of champion, leaving N888Dawg to pad their bankroll with a still impressive $4,288. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 888poker Ontario operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Players Homepage 888poker The Festival Online Ontario Results It wasn't only jusgivithere that became a champion during The Festival Online Ontario because the series featured several superb side events. "averygrande" helped themselves to a $3,327 score after triumphing in the $109 buy-in $10,000 guaranteed PKO event, while "high1ander" banked $1,400 for their victory in the $55 buy-in $5,000 Mini Opening event. Event Buy-in Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize $1,500 Micro Opening Event $16.50 100 $1,500 PesevereDrin $420 $30,000 Opening Event $109 278 $30,000 JUNE6485 $6,369 $5,000 Mini Opening Event $55 93 $5,000 high1ander $1,400 PLO Deepstack $55 28 $2,000 LOGIN2LOSE $900 Mini PLO Deepstack $11 57 $570 lilkrazy8 $210 $10,000 Texas PKO 6-Max $109 127 $12,700 averygrande $3,327* $1,000 Mini Texas PKO 6-Max $22 101 $2,020 Mechadon76 $517* $1,500 Mini Mystery Bounty 11 $11 160 $1,600 Blackstarlyn $285* $2,500 Mystery Bounty 55 $55 41 $2,500 Dolphinboy $1,200* $1,500 Mini PKO Closing Event $16.50 91 $1,500 JAMar809 $453* $6,000 PKO Closing Event $55 99 $6,000 RaydonPoker $1,542* $40,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event $109 594 $42,900 jusgivithere $7,113* *includes bounty payments Stay tuned to PokerNews for any 888poker Ontario news, views, gossip, and tournament series and festivals that are coming your way. PokerNews Is Bringing You Coverage of Seven Huge PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo Events April 12, 2023 Matthew Pitt Editor The Monte-Carlo stop of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) is one of the most prestigious of the tour. The Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is a luxurious, decadent setting that is fitting for the high-octane 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo festival. EPT Monte-Carlo runs from April 26 through May 6, and PokerNews is delighted to reveal its live reporting team will be on the ground from start to finish, bringing you the very best of live poker tournament updates from seven of the biggest, most sought after events on the bustling 53-event calendar. PokerNews EPT Monte-Carlo Live Reporting Schedule Jean-Noel Thorel Our coverage kicks off with the 10,200 Mystery Bounty from April 26-27. Last time out, this event was a 5,200 buy-in affair that saw Jean-Noel Thorel outlast 83 opponents on his way to collecting 107,290. Next up, also starting on April 26 but running through to April 30, is the 1,100 FPS Main Event. Always a popular tournament, the FPS Main Event last year drew in 999 unique players that purchased 919 re-entries between them, thus creating a 1,841,280 prize pool. The tournament ended in a heads-up chop between champion Brazilian Lucas Scafini (250,000) and Italian Fabio Peluso (217,340). Expect similar numbers in 2023. Another hugely popular FPS event, the 2,200 High Roller, hits your screens from April 29-30. Some 861 players, including re-entries, bought in last year, and Frenchman Pascal Mouysset came out on top, and banked 308,790 of the 1,653,120 prize pool. Mouysset later finished seventh in the 2,200 ESPT High Roller at EPT Barcelona, so expect him to be in the mix looking to retain his title. Our coverage of the 100,000 EPT Super High Roller is guaranteed to capture the imagination of our readers, not least because it attracts the biggest names in the live poker world. Adrian Mateos is the reigning champion, the Spaniard reeling in a 1,385,430 score after coming out on top of a 42-strong field that saw 4,074,840 awarded. Our 100,000 EPT Super High Roller coverage runs from April 29 through May 1. Marcelo Simoes Mesqueu Of course, the tournament everyone wants to win is the 5,300 EPT Main Event. Brazil's Marcelo Simoes Mesqueu helped himself to a gargantuan 939,840 and the title of champion, joining a long list of elite-level players that have left the world-famous Monte-Carlo as an EPT Main Event champion. Mesqueu is yet to cash in a live event during 2023, but he used his newfound bankroll to full effect throughout 2022, cashing in almost 50 events in his native Brazil. The EPT Main Event runs April 30 to May 7. Rounding off PokerNews' coverage of EPT Monte-Carlo is the 3,000 Mystery Bounty from May 2-4, and the 25,000 EPT High Roller from May 4-6. The former is a new event for Monte-Carlo, while Italian superstar Gianluca Speranza is the reigning champion in the latter after he defeated popular pro Bruno Lopes of France to cash in the 853,000 top prize. Past EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event Champions Manig Loeser won the EPT Monte-Carlo title in 2019 Win Your Way to Monte-Carlo Online at PokerStars Fancy seeing your name appear on the PokerNews Live Reporting pages? Then you may want to consider hitting the EPT Monte-Carlo satellites, available only at PokerStars. The lobby shows there is a 530 buy-on EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event Qualifier at 8:10 p.m. BST on April 13 and another on April 16, each awarding at least one 9,000 package. The package consists of a 5,300 EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event seat, eight nights' accommodation for you and a guest at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel from April 29 to May 7, and 508 credited to your PokerStars account to cover travel expenses. At the time of writing, 55 PokerStars players have won 9,000 packages, including Sylvain "calculer_" Loosli, Jason "jdtjpoker" Wheeler, and Pablo "pabritz" Silva, so joining them would put you among good poker company. Head to PokerStars today if you already have an account, and get involved in the EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event satellites, which start at only 1.10. Those without a PokerStars account can download PokerStars via PokerNews, create an account, then make a deposit using the bonus code "STARS600" to receive a 100% match up to $600 first deposit bonus. In fact, your first three deposits in the first 60 days after making your first deposit are matched up to a combined total of $600. The bonus releases into your playable balance in $10 increments each time you generate 180 redemption points, which in turn are earned at a rate of five per $1 contributed to the cash game rake or spent on tournament fees (6.5 points per 1, 5.5 points per 1, and four points per CAD$). Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Sen. Josh Hawley thinks the entire Clinton family should be in jail because Trump was criminally charged. Video: Hawley said to Sean Hannity: Look at what Hillary Clinton did setting up a server in her own home with the deliberate purpose of concealing thousands of emails that were classified if were going to prosecute based on that, Hillary should have been in jail a long time ago. Bill Clinton, you talk about buying off people this is a guy who spent money to buy off numerous individuals who had incriminating information against him Paula Jones others I mean these people have made a career of this stuff you talk about a double standard. The entire Clinton family ought to be in prison on the basis of these charges now against Donald Trump which appear to be totally made up to me. its a totally fake crime nobodys ever heard of before. No its a two-tiered system of justice its an assault on the rule of law and whether were talking about targeting Christians or going after Republicans and conservatives this administration will do anything to hold on to power. For More Stories Like This, Subscribe To Our Newsletter: In a democracy, we dont imprison political opponents and their families as retaliation. Everything Hawley said was nonsense. Hawley is the former Missouri attorney general, and he knows that the falsification of business records is a crime and a form of fraud. Sen. Hawley is also well aware that Hillary Clinton didnt have thousands of classified emails. There were 52 emails as part of an email chain on her system. There is no evidence that Hillary Clinton had information that she shouldnt have had, and she didnt lie about it or attempt to keep or hide government documents. Hillary Clintons email system was sloppy but not illegal while she was Secretary of State. The Biden conspiracies have failed, so Republicans like Hawley are returning to the Clintons. Just like on 1/6, Hawley is showing his willingness to destroy democracy for Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A group of Democratic senators led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Raphael Warnock have requested a DOJ investigation into the expulsion of two black Tennessee state representatives by state House Republicans. The Senators wrote in part to Attorney General Merrick Garland People of all goodwill in Tennessee and across America and are deeply disturbed by these counter-democratic expulsions because they overturn and subvert the will of Tennessee voters in Nashville and Memphis. Many in the Tennessee legislature appear to have convinced themselves that The Peoples House is their house, and they have effectively evicted the districts voters out of their own house. This is un-democratic, un-American, and unacceptable, and the U.S. Department of Justice should investigate whether it was also unlawful or unconstitutional. In light of this serious threat to our democracy, I urge you to prioritize all investigations into any violations of rights under federal law or the U.S. Constitution posed by the expulsions of the Tennessee legislators. In particular, I urge you to immediately investigate whether actions by the Tennessee state legislature violate any constitutional rights, including: 1. Any rights of tens of thousands of Tennessee citizens in Memphis and Nashville to be represented by the legislators of their choice, whether under Article IV, Section 4 (guaranteeing to the states a Republican form of government) or other authorities; 2. Any rights of Representatives Jones and Pearson under the Fourteenth Amendment or its enforcing civil rights statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race; and 3. Any rights of Representatives Jones and Pearson under the First Amendment protecting the right of speech and assembly. We are deeply concerned that without immediate action by the U.S. Department of Justice, antidemocratic actors will only be emboldened, and we will see more troubling and more frequent incidents meant to unravel our democratic fabric. For More Stories Like This, Subscribe To Our Newsletter: The Senators have the DOJ until April 28th to respond. It is an interesting question. Did the expulsions infringe on the constitutional rights of Tennessee citizens? Did it violate the constitutional rights of Jones and Pearson? It doesnt matter if both Jones and reappointed to office. The actions of the Tennesee Republicans were intended to have a chilling effect on future protests and dissent. What Tennessee Republicans did was undemocratic, and it may turn out to have also been unconstitutional. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The Late Show with Stephen Colbert parodied the rights Bud Light protest with a commercial for Shaft Beer. Video: The commercial makes its pitch that the right should drink a Shaft, Tired of woke beer that blurs gender lines wanna drink the beer that you were assigned at birth then reach for Shaft Beer. The only brew that comes in a can shaped like a penis, so you know just who its for. Pop one open and put it in your mouth. Shaft harkens back to a golden time when men knew how to do mad stuff like grab assing in the shower so tug on a shaft today and if you want less beer try Shaft Light its the same beer but in a can the size of Kid Rocks penis. For More Stories Like This, Subscribe To Our Newsletter: Conservative men have to make up for their small.minds by hating others. Why are conservatives so obsessed with trans people? Does it really impact their lives if a person in a beer commercial is trans? Republican politics and modern American conservatism are fueled by outrage and fear. All of those conservatives who are running over Bud Light with their trucks or shooting it with their guns are missing the point. All of these people who are buying Bud Light to destroy it, Anheuser-Buschs stock price is reaching new highs. Anheuser-Busch doesnt care what conservatives do with the beer after theyve bought it. AB still has their money. Way to go geniuses, youre making the company that youre trying to boycott even more money. The only people getting the shaft are those who are wasting their money on Bud Light as they are being distracted by culture war nonsense. Tran Uyen Phuong, first daughter of Tran Qui Thanh, chairman of Vietnams largest beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat (THP), used to be referred as the powerful lady tycoon. Phuong,42, was holding more key positions in the familys corporation and owning more real estate companies, compared to her 39-year-old younger sister Tran Ngoc Bich. She was her fathers right-hand woman and assisted him in building Tan Hiep Phat into the empire it is today. Throughout her career, she has gained several notable achievements. Tran Uyen Phuong and her father Tran Qui Thanh, in June 2020. Photo by Tran Uyen Phuong Facebook Studied abroad Before assisting her father in their family business, Phuong pursued her academic studies in Switzerland, the U.S., and Singapore. She then joined Tan Hiep Phat in 2004, and after 20 years, was appointed Deputy General Director of the corporation. Since then, she had overseen administration, marketing, public relations, external relations, and nationwide CSR programs at the company. Her notable contributions include 12 successful promotional campaigns that helped the company become globally well-known. As noted on Tan Hiep Phats official website, Phuong was also a member of the Young Presidents Organisations, as well as Honoured Ambassador of The Republic of Sudan to Ho Chi Minh City between 2018 and 2019. Published books Phuong published her book 'Competing with Giants' in August 2018. Photo by Tran Uyen Phuong Facebook Phuong has published two books, including "Chuyen nha Dr. Thanh" (Story of Dr. Thanhs family) and "Competing with Giants" which was also the first book by a Vietnamese author released by ForbesBooks. The launching event of "Competing with Giants" was among the few events ever held at Forbes New York headquarters. Founded real estate companies At the end of April 2019, Phuong founded 10 real estate companies whose charter capital was from VND 1.5 trillion (around US$ 64 million) each. Phuong owned 99.9% of the shares of these companies, while her younger sister Tran Ngoc Bich and her mother Pham Thi Nu held 0.05% each. At the end of May 2019, Phuong founded Loc Dien Investments and Real Estates Joint Stock Company, whose charter capital was VND 3.83 trillion (around US$ 163 million). The ownership structure also applied to the company. Became strategic investor of Yeah 1 In early 2020, Phuong became the second largest shareholder of multimedia company Yeah1 after spending VND 350 billion (around US$15 million) buying 22% stake in the company. However, at the end of May 2020, Phuong sold most of her stake in the company amid the bear stock market. Arrested Phuong and her 70-year-old father were arrested Monday on charges of illegally appropriating property. According to the investigation office, the detentions came after reports from residents in nearby Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Province that accused Thanh, Phuong, Bich and several other individuals of acts of fraud and "abuse of trust to acquire property," as well as tax evasion. Most of the fraud allegations are related to high-value real estate projects in Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City. The investigation began in March last year after police received an accusation letter signed by three accusers: 1) Le Van Lam, CEO of Kim Oanh Dong Nai Investment and Development Company, 2) Nguyen Van Chung, CEO of DCB Joint Stock Company and 3) Lam Hoang Son. The accusers claimed that Phat, Phuong and others used fake contracts to borrow money. Lam said that the fraud cost Kim Oanh Dong Nai over VND1 trillion ($40.21 million) in damages. After the detentions of Thanh and his two daughters, David Riddle, the vice chairman of Tan Hiep Phat has been appointed as the company's CEO. Founded in 1994, Tan Hiep Phat is the largest privately-owned beverages provider in Vietnam, who produces over a billion litres a year, according to BBC. In 2011, Coca-Cola offered to buy the company for US$ 2.5 billion, which Tan Hiep Phat eventually turned down, according to The Wall Street Journal. April 11, 2023 | 07:53 pm PT Pedestrians walk on the street as the sidewalk is used as a food stall and motorbike parking space in Hanoi, April 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Readers say more parking spaces are the first solution to sidewalk encroachment in major Vietnamese cities, and businesses blocking the space need to be strictly dealt with. "The pavements in all of the city streets in Vietnam are just parking places for motorbikes and cars..., vendors, of every description. The government needs to build car parks and bike parks, and charge nominal fees." onecutedog "The only solution is for the government to create more parking spaces. Thousands of new vehicles are being registered each day." ed.maninang59 "The authorities should provide alternative parking spaces. This is due to poor urban planning. If shops continue to block the sidewalks then suspend their business for 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, etc." Christopher Law "The solution is so simple, but everything seems not possible. Provide parking malls, bike parking storage and dedicated eating streets for the poor vendors! There is enough money somewhere. Take a flight to Singapore to see how it's properly done." hansvanhanoi "Singapore solved this by erecting Hawker Centers for street food, poor vendors should be subsidized to allow them to have a space, build suitable parking garages and start towing illegally parked cars and bikes. Fine shop owners heavily for encroaching on the sidewalk. Just some thoughts on the subject." 78mztfvds9 "Poor food sellers being moved on when there isn't sufficient parking places.....needs active provision of parking places before implementation of policy. It failed before and likely to fail again." Mike McLurg "Definitely no easy solutions. Not enough land for parking spaces....and just how much do they need to make life easy for the car owners?.... I live with the multi-use sidewalks...and at least you can say the space is utilized to the max!!!!" graeme COLUMBIA Gov. Henry McMaster made clear April 11 that reforming the states bond system is among his highest priorities as the Legislative session races towards a close next month. Before that General Assembly goes home in May, they need to pass bond reform, and they need to see that we slam that revolving door, the governor said in a press conference in his Statehouse office. McMaster was joined by Isle of Palms Police Chief Kevin Cornett. Both men pointed to the April 7 shooting in the beachfront community as further impetus to pass the reform, though Cornett declined to say if the 16-year-old or the 18-year-old arrested at the scene in possession of firearms were out on bond. Throughout my career Ive worked to arrest individuals for committing violent crimes, and many times Ive seen them out the next day or in following weeks, Cornett said. If we want to stop and we want to make our communities safe, this is our chance. McMaster has pushed legislators to close the revolving door a term politicians and law enforcement have been using to refer to those charged with crimes while out on bond who are released again from his inaugural address at the outset of the session. Though, advocates acknowledge there's little data beyond tragic anecdotes to suggest the bond system's failures are widespread. Just up the stairs from the governors office April 11, the state Senate began dissecting the bond reform bill the House passed overwhelmingly March 1, and which McMaster urged them to approve. Though senators said they are committed to passing bond reform, they looked likely to throw out major provisions of the House version and amend it to include regulation of electronic monitoring. The House bill was given special priority status in the Senate and bypassed the usual subcommittee and committee process, meaning that much of the work on it will occur on the floor. A Senate subcommittee had been working on its own version of bond reform for months but did not produce a bill before the deadline to send legislation to the House without a supermajority vote. Sen. Greg Hembree, a North Myrtle Beach Republican who spent more than a decade as a prosecutor in Horry County, proposed a wide-ranging amendment that would strip the House bill of its most controversial provision, one allowing prosecutors to seek an additional five-year sentence for anyone convicted of a violent crime while out on bond for another violent crime. House Democrats and a few Republicans had raised concerns about situations in which the defendant is found not guilty of the first offense. Hembree also said he doubted the five-year sentence would have a deterrent effect. The House version only focused on a list of crimes defined as violent in the states criminal code, despite McMasters calls for it to include gun crimes. Hembrees amendment includes gun crimes and would make bond progressively more expensive for defendants accused of violent crimes and gun crimes as the charges stack up, a change from the House legislation. Sen. Brian Adams, R-Goose Creek, also offered an amendment that would allow the State Law Enforcement Division to create statewide regulations for electronic monitoring, compel bondsmen to immediately inform the courts of any violations of bond conditions and require courts to immediately issue bench warrants for defendants who violate any of their bond conditions. That amendment comes in response to concerns, including from McMaster, that in addition to lenient or ill-informed magistrates and judges letting dangerous defendants out on bond, unscrupulous bondsmen are not keeping a close enough eye on their charges. Despite the momentum in the Statehouse for the legislation, the states defense attorneys remain uncomfortable with aspects of the bill, particularly the provisions that make bond more expensive for those charged again while out on bond. Alexandra Benevento, a member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, told a Senate subcommittee April 11 those provisions would disproportionately impact poor defendants. If you have the ability to pay the bond, you can get out. If you dont have the money to pay bond, youre going to sit in jail, she said. Benevento pointed to the conditions in some county jails where the defendants, all of whom are presumed innocent, would be held. Jails in North Charleston, Columbia and Spartanburg have been under intense scrutiny in recent months following a string of inmate deaths and reports of appalling conditions. McMaster said he understood but did not share the concerns about making bail more expensive. Im less worried about overcrowding than I am about people getting killed, he said. Pinevilles first fire truck was a 1937 Chevrolet, donated by Charleston Air Force Base, looking very similar to this one, with no chrome anywhere except the big siren that was on the roof where this ones big red light is. It was first housed in a fire house built just big enough to house the truck at the Pineville Gin Company. Eadytown and Pineville have recently combined Fire Departments. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is marking a milestone anniversary for its centerpiece Yorktown vessel that includes the unveiling of a new exhibit this weekend and discounted tickets. April 15 marks the 80th anniversary since the World War II-era aircraft carrier was commissioned in Portsmouth, Va., in 1943. The state-owned military attraction has scheduled a series of special activities, tours and events from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, including a birthday cake cutting. The price for general admission tickets will be reduced for the day by $8 to symbolize the "Fighting Lady's" eight decades of service. Patriots Point executive director Allison Hunt said the anniversary is a celebration for all, and a chance for locals and visitors to pay homage to the Yorktown and the sailors who served on it. Our staff, volunteers, curators and partners have nourished the ship while working to produce exhibitions and programs we share to keep the Fighting Ladys story alive after all these years, Hunt said. April 15 also marks the opening date of a new temporary exhibit All Who Served: The Uniforms of World War II. It will feature more than 20 uniforms and other clothing articles representing each branch of the military. It includes objects on loan from the Charleston Museum, the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the National Museum of the U.S. Army and Charleston Air Force Base. The Navy donated the decommissioned Essex-class carrier to the state of South Carolina for use as a museum and tourist attraction in June 1975. It has been anchored along the Mount Pleasant waterfront ever since and draws about 300,000 visitors a year. The Yorktown's history is at the front and center of its educational programs. The carrier isn't the first to bear the Yorktown name. It was renamed in honor of a ship that was sunk in the June 1942 Battle of Midway. The current Yorktown played a key role in the Pacific offensive during World War II and was modernized through the years to meet the needs of the Navy. It was used to help recover the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule in December 1968, shortly before it was decommissioned in 1970. Patriots Point leaders say the Yorktown still serves the nation in its role in preserving and bringing history to life. Pop-Up Picks is a recurring series in The Post and Couriers Food Section that previews an upcoming pop-up breakfast, lunch or dinner and the chefs behind it. The last three Thursdays in April, the custom-made food trailer in Lewis Barbecues backyard, once home to Juan Luis, will be churning out Southern Chinese specialties courtesy of David Schuttenberg and Tina Heath-Schuttenberg of James Islands Kwei Fei. The pop-ups are meant to drum up excitement for Beautiful South, the couples forthcoming restaurant at 128 Columbus St. on the ground floor of The Guild. If Beautiful Souths first pop-up at The Daily which subscribers to The Post and Courier's premium newsletter, Charlestons Menu, read about earlier this month is any indication, the restaurant is going to be a huge hit. January and August have historically been the least busy months of the calendar year at Kwei Fei, the Schuttenbergs' Sichuan restaurant next door to the Charleston Pour House. That quickly changed when they started serving a special menu one featuring Cantonese food from Southern China to bring in more business during those quieter months. Dishes like shrimp and snow pea stir fry, General Tsos chicken and fried rice came, as Kwei Feis Sichuan specialties temporarily went. Those short-term takeovers allowed chef Schuttenberg to test out a whole host of new dishes, which hell continue to do each week at Lewis Barbecue. Patrons can expect new items each week, though there will surely be some crossover from Beautiful South's first pop-up, which featured six items: Scallion oil noodles, fish ball curry, crab roe tofu, beef and broccoli, golden fried rice and lo mein. Beautiful South's next three pop-ups are scheduled for April 13, 20 and 27. Local creamery Frigid Bits will be on hand with ice cream sandwiches, and Im told Lewis Barbecues pit-smoked meats will make an appearance. Lewis Barbecue is located at 464 N. Nassau St. in downtown Charleston. For more information on Beautiful South, visit beautifulsouthchs.com. A Spartanburg-born Mexican restaurant chain and a Greenville-based Cuban fast-casual chain are adding to their Upstate footprints. Willy Taco opened another location on North Main Street in downtown Simpsonville. The Mexican restaurant concept sells appetizers like salsa and chips and entrees such as tacos and quesadillas. It has other locations in Easley, Greenville, Boiling Springs and Spartanburg. The restaurant opened in the former Upstate Karate building in a shopping center that also houses businesses like Henrys Smokehouse, Shortfields and a forthcoming sister-owned Italian ice shop. Willy Taco at 129 N. Main St. in Simpsonville is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Monday. Tropical Grille announced on social media its plans to open a new location, its 13th, near Travelers Rest and Furman University. The new restaurant will be located in suite F at the Publix shopping center at 5052 Old Buncombe Rd., filling the space formerly home to the Mediterranean fast-casual eatery Parsley and Mint. GSP launches 2nd Asia cargo service Danish shipping company Maersk announced on April 5 a new scheduled cargo service from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) to Shenyang Taoxian International Airport in China. The flights will run twice a week using Boeing 767 freighter aircraft operated by Miami-based cargo airline Amerijet International Airlines. In May 2023, flights will increase to three times a week. This is the second cargo service from GSP to Asia. Maersk launched cargo service from GSP to Incheon, South Korea last year. "We are thrilled to welcome another significant investment by Maersk at GSP. This service increases access for trade between Asia, South Carolina, and the entire Southeast U.S.," airport President and CEO Dave Edwards said in a statement. The airport opened a 110,000-square-foot air cargo facility and 17 acres of aircraft parking apron in 2019. Two years later, it tacked on a $5 million, 50,000-square-foot addition to the facility. Further construction is underway to expand the facility's capacity. It will double aircraft parking from three Boeing 747 to six at a time. The airport handled 96,800 tons of cargo in 2021, a 48 percent increase from 2020. Greenville-based events company adds multiple venues High Spirits Hospitality, a Greenville-originated event venue service provider, has opened multiple venues in the Greenville region since it lost its home at Old Cigar Warehouse due to an early termination of its lease. The company recently opened an event venue in downtown Greenville along the Swamp Rabbit Trail a short distance from Unity Park and another three-in-one event concept at the Judson Mill redevelopment on the outskirts of the city. In early March, the company announced it would open The 405, an indoor and outdoor white-brick event venue along the Reedy River on Westfield Street. The space used to house the Westfield Event Center before it shuttered in early 2022 due to the economic impact of the pandemic. At first, High Spirits Hospitality said it planned to temporarily use the venue as it awaited the completion of the Judson Mill spaces, but then decided to make it a permanent venue in its brand. It is at 405 Westfield St. and has an 11,500-square-foot indoor space and a 3,000-square-foot patio. It can hold up to 800 people. The company also recently opened three spaces under the name Events at Judson Mill, a concept at 701 Easley Bridge Rd. that took 18-months to complete. The three spaces are the 5,600-square-foot Annex, 3,200-square-foot Smokestack attached the outdoor space called the South Courtyard. The Annex can seat about 350 guests and the Smokestack can host 200 guests. The hospitality parent company has five independent brands: Liquid Catering, Events at Judson Mill, Bravo1 Protection, The 405 and High Spirits Events. Axe-throwing center opens near downtown Greenville In the same mill revitalization project as High Spirits Hospitality's event venues, an axe-throwing destination will open its first South Carolina location on April 14. Stumpy's Hatchet House announced it would open on April 14 and 15 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for two nights of free-of-charge axe-throwing. Reservations are strongly recommended for the two evenings. Regular hours will begin April 16. Tickets range from $25 to $40 per person with options for one- and two-hour time slots. A pit can hold four to five people. Mark and Trish Oliphant along with Stuart and Kelly Josberger founded the first location of Stumpys Hatchet House in 2016 in Eatontown, N.J. There are more than 30 locations. Stumpys has a log cabin feel with an antler chandelier in the lobby and tree bark lining the walls. In the 7,000-square-foot space, there are 11 pits with 22 total targets. Each pit has its own name and a bell for visitors to ring when they make a bullseye. The bar will serve beer, wine and small bites. Visitors can also bring their own food or have it delivered. Guests 13 to 17 years old will need to be accompanied by an adult. After 8 p.m., all visitors must be ages 18 or above. The axe-throwing center is next to Magnetic South at the redevelopment. On March 17, the Anderson-based brewery opened its second Upstate location. The new 10,000-square-foot, more than 130-seat taproom is the largest of Magnetic Souths soon-to-be three locations. Thats all for this week. Email your thoughts, tips, releases and newsy bits to smirah@postandcourier.com. The health of residents in one of Charleston's congressional districts is much better than its neighbor and is likely the result of racial gerrymandering, one health expert says. The stark differences point to the need to continue to work on improving health disparities in those areas, said U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, who also represents parts of greater Charleston. The Congressional District Health Dashboard is a new online tool from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. It allows people to compare the health of one congressional district to another across 36 different measures. Those areas include health conditions like diabetes or obesity, health outcomes such as deaths due to heart disease, or drivers of health such as air pollution or the uninsured rate. While there are databases that look at health issues by county or state, there really wasn't one that provided an easy or comprehensive look by congressional district, which is why it was created, said Dr. Giridhar Mallya, senior policy officer for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a public health physician in Philadelphia. The tool can help those who want to talk to representatives about health issues in their districts and can be used by staff to explore those issues as well. Congressional districts are political boundaries and often do not follow natural divisions within a state or contain cohesive communities, Mallya said, and might split cities from suburbs from rural areas. The goal is to maximize the chances of one party in that district over another. And often, it will be done by race, Mallya said, which appears to be the case with the 1st and 6th Districts in South Carolina after the 2020 census. The 1st District, which is represented by Republican Nancy Mace, is 68 percent White and 17 percent Black, while Clyburn's 6th District is 42 percent White and 47 percent Black. South Carolina overall is 69 percent White and 27 percent Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Charleston County is 25 percent Black. The new makeup prompted a lawsuit from the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and a Hilton Head Island man in the 1st District who said the rights of Black voters in Charleston were discriminated against in the redraw. A three-judge federal panel agreed in January, finding that 30,000 Black families in Charleston were moved from the 1st into the 6th in a stark racial gerrymander of Charleston County and the City of Charleston. The judges gave the S.C, General Assembly until March 31 to submit redrawn maps for consideration, but state leaders appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices have yet to decide whether to take up the case and the district lines remain in place for now. The bordering districts present vastly different pictures of the health of their constituents, according to the dashboard. On most measures, the coastal 1st District is the healthiest of the seven congressional districts in South Carolina, equaling or far exceeding the state average in nearly all measures, according to an analysis by The Post and Courier. The largely rural 6th District, on the other hand, is well below the state average on most, with the state's highest percentage of children in poverty, highest rate of diabetes and tied for the highest rate of obesity, the analysis found. The lack of health resources for the 6th has long been a concern for Clyburn, who has made it a priority in Congress. "South Carolina has been considered the buckle of the stroke belt for far too long," he said in a statement to The Post and Courier. "Underinvestment in the 6th Congressional District has resulted in growing health and economic disparities especially in our rural communities. This is why I have been an unashamed advocate for more resources to the 6th Congressional District." That includes his "10-20-30 anti-poverty formula," which advocates making sure at least 10 percent of funds go to counties where the poverty rate is 20 percent or more for the last 30 years, which was incorporated into numerous categories in appropriation bills. Clyburn also championed a broadband initiative that resulted in $65 billion committed to increasing access. He and Gov. Henry McMaster recently helped launch a campaign to get every household and business in South Carolina connected. I also continue to advocate for closing the coverage gap to provide health insurance to the more than 100,000 South Carolinians living in poverty who remain without insurance because of our states continued refusal to expand Medicaid, Clyburn added. South Carolina is one of 10 states that have not. While there is a higher percentage of Black residents in the 6th, health disparities are not really about race, Mallya said. "Poor health outcomes are often a function of lack of investment or even disinvestment in communities of color," he said. Lack of access to care and to resources like healthy foods work against them. It can sometimes be complex factors, such as a measure on the dashboard called COVID Risk. It looks at factors that put people at greater risk of severe COVID-19, such as chronic lung and kidney disease, as well as age and race, which can also enhance risk of severe outcomes. "What it can help people understand is what is the risk at the population level, not at the individual level for poor COVID outcomes," Mallya said. The 1st had a 3 out of 10 risk, the lowest among the districts, while the 6th had a 10 out of 10. The 6th may not be the unhealthiest district in the state, the analysis found. That could be the 7th District, which includes Myrtle Beach, Georgetown, Florence and counties in the northeastern corner. It had the highest rate of uninsured people and those with high blood pressure, the worst death rate for colorectal cancer and heart disease, the highest homicide rate from guns and the worst rate of premature death, the Post and Courier analysis showed. Caitlin Byrd contributed to this report. April 24 was officially my last day as an employee of the Post and Courier, and more specifically the editor of the Summerville Journal Scene, Berkeley Independent and Goose Creek Gazette. My time in the South Carolina Lowcountry was a riveting rollercoaster ride that I'll never forget eve Read moreZooming off into the distance The Ministry of Transport will sketch out a planning scheme on the second airport in the capital region for 2026-2030, and submit it to the prime minister for approval. This is part of an action program launched by the ministry to materialize the Politburos resolution on orientations and tasks to develop Hanoi by 2030 with a vision towards 2045. Accordingly, the ministry will locate and put forth standards for the airport which is expected to meet development requirements in the capital region and the north at large. It will also upgrade and expand the existing Noi Bai International Airport, contributing to turning Hanoi into a smart and modern urban area, and promoting regional connectivity for urban areas in the north and across the country. Investment in Duong Bridge will be stepped up to raise the transportation capacity of the Red River, and preparations will be made for the construction of the Co Tiet-Ben Market expressway by 2025, which is scheduled to be put into service by 2030. The ministry will work on investment mobilization for the Noi Bai-Ha Long expressway, and coordinate with Hanoi to accelerate the investment in Belt Roads No. 4, 2 and 5, urban rail routes, and other bridges. Apart from the state budget, it will call for official development assistance and preferential loans from international donors, among others. Railways, inland waterways and air routes will be prioritized in order to ease pressure on road transport. If you're a South Carolina small business owner and want to save money on your tax bill in 2023, the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) wants you to know about tax credits that may be available for you to claim. Read moreSouth Carolina business owners - learn more about tax credits that could lower your tax liability My son gets into trouble from time to time in elementary school. Nothing unusual or big, just talking out, playing, being out of seat, etc. Every time the teacher has to punish him for it, she calls home. Why does she feel the need to do this? I deal with him when hes at home for home behav Read moreTeacher to Parent: Fixing child's behavior should be parent's responsibility A preliminary report into the March 25 fatal plane crash in Charleston County indicates weather may have been a factor. The accident claimed the life of the pilot, 66-year-old Andrew Patterson of Cutler, Maine. It went down in a marsh area between James Island and Johns Island, 1.6 miles south of Charleston Executive Airport. A preliminary investigative report by the National Transportation Safety Board released April 11 doesnt describe mechanical issues or other aircraft-related problems. But meteorological information included in the report shows a 1,300-foot ceiling at the crash site. Thats corroborated by a witness who described the weather as being overcast with clouds similar to when it rains. Patterson crashed at 12:52 p.m., about an hour after his plane a 1978 Piper Cherokee single-engine aircraft began its planned journey to Palatka, Fla. According to the report, Patterson climbed to an altitude of 1,600 feet shortly after takeoff at 12:10 p.m. At 12:43, a controller asked Patterson if he wanted to climb to a higher altitude. The pilot responded he wanted to stay low to maintain visual flight rules due to any clouds up ahead. A controller acknowledged and said, altitude your discretion. Eight minutes later, a controller noticed the airplane started to turn right and descend. The controller asked Patterson if he was maneuvering to stay below the clouds. The pilot responded, Mayday Mayday in the clouds Im going down. This was Pattersons last communication. The report cites a witness as seeing the plane descending straight down, nose first, at a high rate of speed. Multiple agencies responded to the scene and the plane was extracted for further examination. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Patterson held a private pilot certificate for single-engine aircrafts and his most recent medical certificate was issued on March 3. He had a reported total of 740 flight hours at the time of the crash. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. Slight chance of an afternoon shower. High 72F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 57F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Tim Scott, the South Carolina senator who has built a national profile pushing a message of hope and unity in a divisive Republican Party, is taking his biggest step so far toward running for president in 2024, The Post and Courier has learned. According to two sources with knowledge of his plans, Scott plans to launch a presidential exploratory committee on April 12 the same day he plans to be in Iowa, the leadoff state in the presidential nominating process. He will travel to New Hampshire the very next day before returning to South Carolina on April 14 to meet with voters in Goose Creek ahead of his Faith in America Summit in Charleston that night and the next day. Scott, 57, is the first could-be 2024 Republican candidate to create a formal committee devoted to raising money to explore a presidential bid even as other GOP contenders have filed into the race. The move acts as something of a soft launch for an all-but-certain Scott presidential campaign. The exploratory committee allows Scott to raise money that could eventually be transferred to an official presidential campaign. In the meantime, it can also foot the bill for polling and cover costs for any travel Scott makes to key states as he weighs whether to make a candidacy official. Other Republicans have taken the same path in past presidential contests, including Mitt Romney in 2012 and John McCain in 2008. In a potential 2024 contest, Scotts first and perhaps greatest challenge will be testing if Republican primary voters want the optimistic vision Scott is selling over the us-versus-them rhetoric coming from repeat favorite Donald Trump. For example, when speaking to voters, Scott will often refer to the GOP as "the great opportunity party." He tested some of those lines at a recent Charleston County Republican Party banquet honoring Black History Month. "If you want to understand America, you need to start in Charleston; you need to understand and appreciate the devastation brought upon African Americans," Scott said in February. "But if you stop at our original sin, you have not started the story of America because the story of America is not defined by our original sin. The story of America is defined by our redemption." Complicating his pitch to voters, particularly in his home state, is Nikki Haley: A declared 2024 GOP presidential candidate and fellow South Carolinian who has been hitting the stump since her campaign launch in mid-February. If Scott enters the race, it will set him on a collision course with Haley, who appointed Scott to the Senate in 2012 when she was governor. So far the field of declared candidates includes Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Haley. Like Haley, Scott also initially pledged to support Trump if he ran for reelection in 2024, saying of course he would support a Trump run when asked during the S.C. GOPs First In The South Republican Action Conference in October 2021. Already Scott has made a number of key hires lately for what has widely been seen as a campaign-in-waiting. Most recently, a pro-Scott super PAC Opportunity Matters Fund Action hired two veteran campaign operatives in South Carolina, giving the political group key footing in the Palmetto State should Scott launch a White House bid. In addition to his visits to early presidential primary states, Scott has been appearing regularly on national media and last summer released his third book, a political memoir that outlined his vision for America. At his November 2022 election night victory party, Scott winked at a potential White House bid when he reflected on the life of his grandfather, Artis Ware, who he said had gone from picking cotton to helping him pick his seat in Congress after his election to the House in 2010. "My grandfather voted for the first man of color to be reelected as president of the United States," Scott told the crowd after he was overwhelmingly reelected to a third term in the Senate. "I wish he lived long enough, long enough to see perhaps another man of color and this time, vote for a Republican and not a Democrat." The Malaysian government considers Vietnam a key tourism market and is seeking to lure high-spending Vietnamese tourists with favorable hotel room rates and flight ticket discounts. A report from the Malaysian National Administration of Tourism, presented at a conference to boost Malaysia's tourism held in Hanoi on Tuesday, said Vietnam was one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia and that people have more disposable income to spend on leisure activities such as tourism. "Vietnamese visitors tend to stay longer and spend more than people from other countries, which could help boost Malaysia's economic growth," the report said. Most Vietnamese tourists enjoy a five-day vacation in Malaysia where they spend most of their time visiting shopping centers and famous destinations as well as exploring beautiful beaches. Malaysia is trying to attract Vietnamese tourists by reducing airfares and hotel room rates as well as removing all Covid restrictions and increasing flight frequency. Currently, there are 131 direct flights from Vietnam to Malaysia each week with more than 23,400 tickets sold by the six airlines of the two countries. Now, passengers are exempt from wearing masks on flights to and from Malaysia, but are still required to comply with pandemic restrictions in public places. In 2019, Malaysia welcomed more than 26 million international visitors with its total tourism revenue reaching more than US$19.4 billion. Nor Hayati Zainuddin, director of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Agency in Vietnam, hoped Malaysia would receive about 300,000 Vietnamese tourists this year, double last year's figure. Before the pandemic, Malaysia welcomed more than 400,000 Vietnamese tourists each year. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 05:42:18 Press Information Published by ACN Newswire +65 6304 8926 e-mail https://www.acnnewswire.com/ # 427 Words ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Apr 10, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - Airlangga University Hospital (RSUA) has signed an agreement for medical exchange covering service, education and research with Singapore's Icon Cancer Centre. Hospital director Prof. Nasronudin says that the agreement with Icon Cancer Centre will lead to a new era for the hospital.As the first hospital in Indonesia to cooperate with Icon Cancer Centre, Airlangga University Hospital is supporting the government's efforts to promote health tourism in the country. "So many Indonesians go to Singapore for treatment who can be referred to RSUA for follow up. Likewise, there are patients seeking treatment in Singapore for routine control, which could be treated at Airlangga Hospital," Nasronudin said."We hope that this agreement will be the start of a real exchange between Indonesia and Singapore in cancer care and treatment. And in accordance with the government's program, this cooperation will continue to be built," said Prof. Nasronudin during the MOU signing ceremony in Surabaya, East Java, on April 5.Cancer treatment will be one of the leading health tourism services carried out by the hospital. "There are many cases of cancer that are progressively fatal. There needs to be technology developed together, so that the possibility of fatality can be reduced, so quality of life for cancer patients improves, and life expectancy is increased," he explained.RSUA hopes to propose an integrated service system for cancer treatment that allows patients to be treated by doctors from multiple disciplines. "There are treatments from oncology and internal medicine to surgery, as well as palliative care. Our hospital and our colleagues from Singapore are currently developing these services," said Nasronudin.Undoubted quality was the reason for the selection of RSUA as Icon Cancer Centre's partner in Indonesia, according to its CEO Serena Wee Hui Yan. "There are many hospitals in Indonesia, but Airlangga Hospital is the best for us in terms of collaborating," she said, adding that she is optimistic that the collaboration will run well.This opportunity allows Icon Cancer Centre's doctors to establish relations with RSUA doctors, that they will learn from each other in the management of cancer patients, both in Singapore and in Indonesia. "As we can both increase our competences, I think this collaboration will go very well," added Ms. Wee.For more information about Airlangga University and RSUA, please visit https://www.unair.ac.id and http://rumahsakit.unair.ac.id , and visit Icon Cancer Centre in Singapore at https://iconcancercentre.sg , or facebook.com/IconCancerCentreSingapore/ PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:41:44 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/ # 1064 Words 1st Floor, The Work Lab, Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411016CEO+91-7400-24-24-24 The global Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market research report is focuses on an overall consumption patterns, development trends, sales patterns and sales in key countries of the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market. The report focuses on global Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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=254 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market is segmented on the basis of solution, industry, and end user. Based on solution, the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market is segmented into component, services. On the basis of industry, the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market is segmented into manufacturing, others. Based on end user, the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market is segmented into consumer and enterprises. The global Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market report includes a detailed analysis of the segmentation of this industry by Types and Applications.Global Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform by Segments: By Vehicle Typeo Unit Load Automatic Guided Vehicleso Forklift Automatic Guided Vehicleso Hybrid Automatic Guided Vehicleso Tow Automatic Guided Vehicleso Pallet Trucko Others By Technologyo Laser Guidanceo Magnetic Guidanceo Natural Navigationo Vision Guidedo Others By Applicationo Logisticso Warehousingo Assemblyo Packagingo Others By Verticalo Automotiveo Aerospaceo Healthcareo Retailo Manufacturingo Food & Beverageo OthersCompetitive Landscape:The competitive landscape of the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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.ASTI, BA Systemes, Bastian Solutions, Inc., Comau, Crown Equipment Corporation, DAIFUKU, Dematic NV, KMH Systems, Inc., Konecranes, Oceaneering, PENGATE HANDLING SYSTEMS, Seegrid Corporation, SSI SCHAEFER, Toyota Material Handling, Transbotics, a Scott Company, WEWO Europe, amongst several others.Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market.Ask for Discount: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=254 The Study Objectives are: A comprehensive insight into key players operating in the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform market segments by application, study goals and years considered.Market Landscape: Here, the global Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Fleet Management Platform 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=254 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 Together with Julija Stepanenko, President of the Latvian party Suverena Vara (Sovereign Power), we organized a conference on the importance of families and family values for the society. The purpose of the conference was to educate party members and supporters about family values and to present the newly founded party's position and vision in promoting these values. Mr Ugis Sprincisa (Chairman of the Entrepreneurs Group) had a presentation about the human life cycle highlighting the importance of family and the main factors which influence a person during his/her life. He spoke about the role the government has throughout the cycle and how it can contribute directly or indirectly to human flourishing. He argued that in the first phase of life (from conception until three years after birth) the role of the government should be indirect and minimal. Julija Stepanenko, lawyer and former member of the Latvian Parliament, talked about the legal aspect impacting family life. She gave a short history of the laws and regulations which indirectly affect families, emphasising on the need to strengthen families and protect children. Davids Klavins spoke about the importance of harmonious family relations and how to foster those despite individual differences in a family. Karin Heepen, ECPM vice president and president of BundnisC Germany, brought greetings and encouragement on behalf of ECPM. She spoke about healthy families being a spearhead of our political party, based on the Christian teaching which centers it. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 20:00:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 682 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / From designing high-end apartments to hospitality spaces, Bea Interiors Design's portfolio showcases a passion for furniture design and their ability to create spaces that not only meet client needs but also inspire creativity.Their design style is organic and harmonious, utilizing natural elements such as wood, stone, and lush textiles to create spaces that are clean and modern. The ability to balance aesthetics and functionality is evident in all of their projects, and their understanding of the client's vision makes them a trusted designer in Miami.Bea Interiors Design's work has been showcased in numerous design fairs and exhibitions, and founder Bea Pernia is excited to announce her upcoming collaboration with Art and Loom, a renowned rug design company. Their collaboration, "Art of Formation," will showcase Bea's latest furniture collection, Atus, which merges materials into stunning structured assemblages while incorporating natural elements to bring healing energy into any space."Designing a commercial project is more creative because you are basing the design of a business concept so you don't have as many considerations when you are designing for a residential project. In a residential project you need to consider the clients vision, needs, personality, styleetc, which creates more boundaries. All businesses are different, they need to have a specific concept for each project, while designing a home is recreating areas like that we all need to cohabit like bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens." - Says Bea PerniaPhoto by: Ton GomesWhen asked about her favorite projects in Miami, Bea emphasized the hospitality projects she designed, as they were very creative and enjoyable. These projects were unlike any others Bea Interiors Design had done, as clients would approach them with a desired business type, and they would then begin the design process by creating a bold, unique, and beautiful concept. One of their biggest challenges with a commercial project, Hiyakawa, a Japanese restaurant, was designing a floating art installation. The objective was to construct a wooden structure with indirect lighting that would become the visual centerpiece of the restaurant.Photo by: Ton Gomes"The best way to balance aesthetics and functionality is to push the limits of materials in unique and thought-provoking ways while developing organic forms. To balance the aesthetic we need to understand colors, materials and shapes inside the space we are designing to make them flow when the elements are together in a functional way" - Says Bea PerniaBea's success in the design industry is a testament to her passion and dedication to her craft. For more information about Bea Interiors Design and founder, Bea Pernia, visit www.beainteriorsdesign.com and @beainteriorsdesignAbout:Bea Interiors Design, founded in 2012, is known for its unique design-build concept that brings together the contractor, subcontractors, and client as one team to create exceptional spaces. Bea Pernia, founder of Bea Interiors Design firm, draws on her multidisciplinary background and global experiences to create beautiful, functional, and timeless interiors that meet the unique needs of her clients. Her passion for interior and product design is reflected in the organic elements and natural materials she often incorporates into her projects. The firm's team coordinates the entire interior design project from start to finish, making sure all details, including the final phase of decor and styling, are taken care of so clients can move into their homes or open their commercial spaces with ease. Bea has amassed an impressive portfolio of luxury residential homes and commercial projects throughout Miami, Aspen and the Caribbean Islands for over a decade. She specializes in creating timeless environments by combining clean aesthetics and comfort with no detail overlooked. Her vision is to enhance and balance living spaces, creating a delicate union between contemporary and modern design. From multimillion-dollar homes to boutique hotels and restaurants in Miami, Mexico, and the Caribbean, Bea Interiors Design has executed high-end design collaborations with renowned artists and architects. Visit their website at www.beainteriorsdesign.com to learn more about their impressive portfolio.Contact:Bea Pernia@beainteriorsdesigninfo@ beainteriorsdesign.com SOURCE: Bea Interiors Design PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:00:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 363 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / CogniSure, AI, an Illinois-based corporation, is pleased to announce they are entering into a partnership with PwC UK for the London market. CogniSure and PwC are joining forces to collaborate on an integrated digital underwriting solution for the London insurance market. The engagement will help insurers and MGAs optimize their underwriting process, reduce expense ratio and scale their business by boosting underwriting capacity.PwC's digital underwriting workbench uses the Salesforce platform to digitize the underwriting experience for underwriters, brokers and collaborators. CogniSure's AI-powered platform extracts data from unstructured insurance documents such as MRC slips, loss runs and schedules, which is then integrated into PwC's digital underwriting workbench solution. This integration automates and streamlines the submission intake process for underwriters."CogniSure's platform breaks the efficiency barriers created by unstructured data in the insurance industry. Through this relationship, we are much better prepared to help insurance companies overcome their underwriting challenges in a comprehensive manner," said Steven Gough, Partner, from PwC."We are extremely enthusiastic about this development. PwC's reputation in providing strategic advisory services to insurance companies is second to none. Combining this competency with their digital underwriting workbench accelerator and CogniSure's AI platform will act as a force multiplier for the insurance industry," said Sai Raman, CEO and Founder of CogniSure Inc.About CogniSureCogniSure is a leading provider of AI-powered insurance solutions that help insurers streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. The company's solutions leverage the latest advances in machine learning and natural language processing to analyze insurance data and provide actionable insights. Founded in 2016, CogniSure is headquartered in New York City. For more details, please visit www.cognisure.ai About PwCAt PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 155 countries with over 327,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com Media inquiries can be directed to Katy McBride at media@ cognisure.ai Contact InformationKaty McBrideHead of Operationsmedia@ cognisure.ai (630) 995-9904SOURCE: CogniSure, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:37:11 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/ # 949 Words 1st Floor, The Work Lab, Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411016CEO+91-7400-24-24-24 The global Conversation Intelligence Software market research report is focuses on an overall consumption patterns, development trends, sales patterns and sales in key countries of the Conversation Intelligence Software market. The report focuses on global Conversation Intelligence Software 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=248 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 Conversation Intelligence Software market is segmented on the basis of solution, industry, and end user. Based on solution, the Conversation Intelligence Software market is segmented into component, services. On the basis of industry, the Conversation Intelligence Software market is segmented into manufacturing, others. Based on end user, the Conversation Intelligence Software market is segmented into consumer and enterprises. The global Conversation Intelligence Software market report includes a detailed analysis of the segmentation of this industry by Types and Applications.Global Conversation Intelligence Software by Segments: By Deployment Modeo Cloud Basedo On-Premise By End-userso Small and Medium Sized Enterpriseso Large Enterprises By Verticalo IT & Telecommunicationso Retailo Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)o Real Estateo Others (Government, Education Etc.)Competitive Landscape:The competitive landscape of the Conversation Intelligence Software 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.AffectLayer, Inc., Avaamo, Avoma, Inc., CallRailInc, Cogito Corporation, ExecVisionInc., Gong.io , Invoca, KreatoSoftware Inc., NetcoreSolutions, Omilia-Conversational Intelligence, Refract Software Ltd, RingDNA, SalesLoft, Inc, SAP Conversational AI, Tethr and Zendesk among others.Conversation Intelligence Software 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 Conversation Intelligence Software market.Ask for Discount: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=248 The Study Objectives are: A comprehensive insight into key players operating in the Conversation Intelligence Software 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, Conversation Intelligence Software market segments by application, study goals and years considered.Market Landscape: Here, the global Conversation Intelligence Software 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 Conversation Intelligence Software 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 Conversation Intelligence Software 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 Conversation Intelligence Software 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 Conversation Intelligence Software 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=248 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: 2023-04-12 15:00:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 639 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Culpeo Minerals (ASX:CPO)(OTCQB:OTCRF),Culpeo Minerals who has made a new discovery in Chile, in the high-grade Lana Corina Copper and Molybdenum Project in the Coastal Cordillera region,today announced that it will be presenting at the Planet MicroCap Showcase: VEGAS 2023 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time Zone, 6:00 AM AEST). Geoff McNamara, Chairman and Co-Founder of Culpeo 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 2023Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023Time: 1:00 PM (Pacific Time Zone)Webcast: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2963/48042 Culpeo Minerals Ltd (ASX:CPO, OTCQB:CPORF) has made a new discovery in Chile, the high-grade Lana Corina Copper and Molybdenum project in the Coastal Cordillera region. The Lana Corina discovery is a series of high-grade at surface Copper and Molybdenum Breccia Pipes.Chile is the world's largest producer of copper.If you would like to book 1x1 investor meetings with Culpeo Minerals 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 AccesswireAbout Culpeo MineralsCulpeo Minerals (ASX:CPO, OTCQB:CPORF) is concentrating on exploring high-grade copper systems in the Coastal Cordillera region of Chile.The Company's flagship asset is the Lana Corina Project situated in the Coquimbo region of Chile, where at surface, breccia hosted high-grade copper and molybdenum mineralisation. The Company recently completed its Phase 1 drilling program at the Project, significant results include:CMLCD002 - 257m @ 0.95% Cu & 81ppm MoCMLCD003 - 173m @ 1.05% Cu & 50ppm MoCMLCD010 - 169m @ 1.08% Cu & 225ppm MoCMLCD005 - 88.9m @ 1.06% Cu & 145ppm MoCMLCD001 - 104m @ 0.74% Cu & 73ppm MoCMLCD013 - 72m @ 0.85% Cu & 24ppm MoCMLCD007 - 34.7m @ 0.91% Cu & 71ppm MoThe Company has two additional assets, the Quelon Project located 240km north of Santiago (40km south of Lana Corina), in the Province of Illapel, Coquimbo Region. Surface mineralisation is present over 10km's of strike and the Company has delineated a coincident geophysical / geochemical anomaly at the Project and drill programs are being planned.The Las Petacas Project, located in the Atacama Fault System near the world-class Candelaria Mine. Historic exploration has identified significant surface mineralisation with numerous outcrops of high-grade copper mineralisation which provide multiple compelling exploration targets.Culpeo Minerals has a strong Board and Management team with significant Chilean country expertise and has an excellent in-country network. All of these elements enable the Company to gain access to quality assets in a non-competitive environment. We leverage the experience and relationships developed over >10 years in-country to deliver low cost and effective discovery and resource growth.Our position in Chile holds a strategic advantage offering:Scale of Deposits - multiple globally significant discoveries, still under-exploredInfrastructure - established grid power, roads, rail and water that will enable low capital development intensityMining Culture - Chile is the world's number one copper producerAbout Planet MicroCapPlanet 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:Contact:Name: Geoff McNamaraPhone: +65 9754 6095Address: Level 48, 152-158 St Georges Terrace, Perth Western AustraliaEmail: geoff.mcnamara@culpeominerals.com.au SOURCE: Culpeo Minerals via SNN Network PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 15:00:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 535 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Programs for Foundational Reading, Algebra Readiness, and Middle & High School Course Support address critical academic transition pointsBLOOMINGTON, MN / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Edmentum has recently partnered with Littera Education to provide educators and students with new high-impact summer tutoring programs for Foundational Reading (K-3), Algebra Readiness (grades 8-9), and Middle and High School Course Support (grades 6-12). In each program, students will experience the individualized care and attention of a Littera virtual tutor while completing lessons from a variety of Edmentum solutions, including Apex Courses, Tutorials, Courseware and Exact Path.Edmentum LogoEdmentum Logo High-impact tutoring, which is one-on-one or in a small group, relationship-based, data-informed, and aligned to classroom instruction, has been shown to have a positive effect on learning outcomes."Many students need a deeper level of support to help get them back to grade level, particularly coming out of the pandemic," said Jamie Candee, President & CEO of Edmentum. "High-impact tutoring helps students in a highly individualized and targeted manner, particularly in the way we've developed these summer programs with Littera." These new programs simplify summer support for school districts by providing turnkey options for one-on-one and small group tutoring at school or home, scheduled any time of day. In each session, tutors progress through lessons aligned to student needs as determined by diagnostic assessments or district data. The lesson content that tutors use with students comes from Edmentum's suite of proven, research-backed learning products. Third-party tier II ESSA evidence confirms that students who use Exact Path, for example, improve assessment scores and demonstrate positive, statistically significant growth. Additionally, a tier II ESSA study showed students who completed Apex Courses performed as well as or better than students participating in traditional classroom instruction on MAP Growth tests.Students will experience a high-quality audio/video experience with a consistent tutor so they build trust and rapport. This relationship is critical to ensure success, especially at these key academic transition points that predict college and career readiness."Combining high-quality content with the support of a caring tutor is a powerful combination for students," said Justin Serrano, CEO of Littera.Rebecca Montgomery, assistant superintendent at Freehold Township School District in New Jersey, partnered with Littera to provide Exact Path virtual tutoring to 200 students last summer, with great success. "Our Littera summer program was meaningful and successful. We received positive feedback from parents and saw improvements in students," said Montgomery.About EdmentumEdmentum is the leading provider of K-12 digital curriculum, assessments, and services to more than 43,000 schools, 400,000 educators, and 6 million students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries worldwide. Building on a 60-year history of impact, Edmentum creates innovative, proven learning technology, partnering with educators to ignite student potential. www.edmentum.com About LitteraWe believe every child deserves the care and attention of a great tutor. Littera Education customizes high-impact tutoring for K-12 districts by supporting any student, subject, schedule or staffing model. With our virtual tutors, curriculum integrations, and Tutoring Management System, schools can provide individualized support to every student. www.litteraeducation.com Contact InformationKristin LamasVP, Strategic Communications952-229-0325Hallie SmithVP, Marketinghallie@ litteraeducation.com 619-888-0887SOURCE: Edmentum PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:00:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 904 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supports the expansion of manufacturing capacities for the semiconductor industry. The roughly $300 million investment is part of the company's 'Level Up' program aimed at accelerating its innovation and capacities.HOMETOWN, PA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / EMD Electronics, the Electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada, today announced an agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support expansion plans at its semiconductor manufacturing site in Hometown. This expansion is part of the company's Level Up growth program, announced by its Electronics business sector in late 2021, which aims to invest over $3.5 billion in innovation and capacity expansion projects by 2025. The roughly $300 million investment in the Hometown site will create the world's largest integrated Specialty Gases facility and support the success of Merck's Semiconductor Solutions business, one of its "Big 3" growth engines.New Plant RenderingRendering of the new plant at EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site. "Despite near-term cautions due to the industry's cyclical nature, the demand for semiconductor materials remains very promising long term," said Kai Beckmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO Electronics. "Having domestic production capacity for critical electronics components has become a high priority for many economies. As the brains of modern electronics, semiconductors enable technology critical to economic growth and global competitiveness. We're poised to support our customers as the most local of global partners in the inextricable rise of semiconductor innovation." "Together with EMD Electronics, we are planting a flag here in Pennsylvania and showing the rest of the country that we are going to be a leader in the semiconductor industry, helping our country produce vital high-tech products that power everything from our smartphones to our cars," said Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. "I'm proud the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is partnering with EMD Electronics on the largest integrated specialty gases facility in the world. This investment will create high-paying jobs in Schuylkill County and should serve as a shining example of how the Commonwealth and leading businesses can work together to foster innovation and advance economic development here in Pennsylvania." The agreement includes incentive targets associated with at least 68 new jobs and roughly $300 million in potential investments that will enable Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to capture and grow its semiconductor materials business in North America and Europe and provide supplemental capacity to supply Asia.The company expects to hire at least 68 employees at full ramp-up, including technicians and engineers. Those interested in exploring career opportunities at the site should visit the EMD Electronics career website."We have been the employer of choice in Hometown for almost 50 years. Our commitment to level up our business in Schuylkill County bodes well for the community and its global impact on the semiconductor industry. We appreciate the efforts on the part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the value of our growth plans and work with us to make this expansion possible. We would also like to acknowledge the support of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, State Senator Dave Argall, Secretary of Community and Economic Development Rick Siger, and other local elected officials for their support," said Jeff White, President, EMD Electronics."EMD Electronics has been an anchor manufacturing facility in Schuylkill County for decades during which time it has grown to be one of the most sophisticated industrial complexes in all of Pennsylvania," noted Frank Zukas, President of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation. "These planned expansion projects will allow our community to play a major part in the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in the U.S."Level Up program continues to deliver critical capacity to fuel accelerated semiconductor growth in the U.S.Driven by the accelerated industry growth, the Electronics Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is delivering a remarkable track record of investment execution since the introduction of its Level Up growth program and the announcement of significantly more than $3.5 billion in innovation and capacities in the U.S., Germany, and Asia by the end of 2025.As part of this investment plan, approximately $1 billion will be allocated to supporting R&D and manufacturing capacities in the company's Electronics business sector in the U.S., primarily in its Arizona, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania sites. For instance, by the end of the first half of 2023, the company expects to start operations at its new factory in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area for the manufacture of equipment for its Delivery Systems & Services (DS&S) business. The new site will enable the company to further grow its gas and chemical delivery systems business and provide key supplemental capacity to the semiconductor ecosystem.Related ImagesNew Plant RenderingRendering of the new plant at EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site.EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA siteAerial photograph of EMD Electronics' Tamaqua, PA site.About EMD ElectronicsEMD Electronics is the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Electronics' portfolio covers a broad range of products and solutions, including high-tech materials and solutions for the semiconductor industry as well as liquid crystals and OLED materials for displays and effect pigments for coatings and cosmetics. Today, EMD Electronics has approximately 2,000 employees around the country, with regional offices in Tempe (AZ) and Philadelphia (PA). For more information, please visit www.emd-electronics.com Contact Information:Johanna BatistaCommunications Business Partner+1 (848) 230 5400SOURCE: EMD Electronics PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 14:00:51 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 524 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 BEIJING, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. ("First High-School Education Group" or the "Company") (OTC PINK:FHSEY), an education service provider primarily focusing on high schools in Western China, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the fiscal year 2022 ended December 31, 2022, prior to U.S. markets open on April 17, 2023.First High-School Education Group's management will hold an earnings conference call on Monday, April 17, 2023, at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM April 17, 2023, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). Please dial in 15 minutes before the conference is scheduled to begin using below numbers.International+1-973-528-0011United States+1-888-506-0062Hong Kong+852 3018 4049Mainland China+86 400 120 3199Passcode871978A telephone replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until May 1, 2023.International+1-973-528-0005United States+1-800-332-6854Replay Access Code871978A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the company's investors relations website at https://ir.diyi.top/ About First High-School Education GroupFirst High-School Education Group is an education service provider primarily focusing on high schools in Western China. The Company aspires to become a leader and innovator of private high school education in China, with the focuses on a comprehensive education management integrating education information consulting, education research project development, education talent management, education technology management, education service management, and general vocational integration development services. For more information, please visit https://ir.diyi.top/ Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected trading commencement and closing dates. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.For Investor and Media Inquiries Please Contact:First High-School Education GroupTommy ZhouChief Financial OfficerE-mail: tommyzhou@ dygz.com Customer ServiceE-mail: FHS_info@ dygz.com Phone: 010-62555966 (9:30-12:00, 13:30-16:00 CST)SOURCE: First High-School Education Group PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 08:14:40 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 1154 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting recently released their most comprehensive study on the global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market. This research report provides a detailed overview of the market's drivers and restraints, as well as a thorough analysis of the current trends that are likely to shape its future. To create this in-depth report, the team of analysts used both primary and secondary research methods. The report offers an unbiased perspective on the dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) industry, allowing clients to make well-informed business decisions. The report reveals key insights about the global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) industry, such as the market's size and potential for growth. It also examines the impact of technological advancements, regulatory changes, and consumer behaviors on the market's performance. Analysts also take a closer look at the market's competitive landscape, highlighting the strategies used by leading players to gain a competitive edge. Additionally, the report outlines potential threats and opportunities that may arise in the near future.Overall, this comprehensive report offers an invaluable resource for those looking to better understand the global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market. With the help of the study's data-driven insights, clients can gain a better understanding of the current market dynamics, allowing them to make informed business decisions.Request a Sample of this Report at: https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/market-report/Dulbeccos-Modified-Eagle-Medium-DMEM-Market/request-for-sample-report The global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market was in a state of flux, and the future direction was uncertain. To gain clarity, a comprehensive research study was conducted to analyze the market using Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis. By combining these two methods of analysis, the research could gain a clear perspective of the global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market's expected direction.The SWOT analysis focused on identifying the market's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It was a useful tool in determining the potential of the market to succeed and develop, as well as its potential vulnerabilities. The Porter's five forces analysis, on the other hand, provided a detailed look into the competitive landscape, examining the level of competition, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products.The research report delved into the trends that were shaping the market, as well as consumer behavior patterns. It was found that the competition among the existing players in the market was intense, and new entrants posed a major threat. 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The report gave readers a better understanding of the trends and consumer behavior patterns that would shape the market's evolution.Highlights of Global Dulbeccos Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) Market ReportThe global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market report is a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry and provides an in-depth analysis of its future trends and developments.The report details the market size, growth rate, industry trends, and other noteworthy information. It also highlights key products and services that are driving the growth of the market, as well as their respective market shares.One of the most important aspects of the global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market report is the analysis of the competitive landscape. The report details the competitive positioning of the leading players in the market and the various strategies they are using to stay ahead of their rivals.The report also examines the recent technological developments that are disrupting the industry and the effect they will have on the market in the long term. It also covers the impact of government regulations and policies on the industry and provides an insight into the future trends in the industry.The global dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market report provides an insightful look at the current state of the industry and a comprehensive overview of its future prospects. It is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the market and its potential.Scope of the ReportDulbeccos Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) Market SegmentsThe market by product type is segmented into low glucose, high glucose, other.The market by application is segmented into primary fibroblasts, neurons, glial cells, huvecs, other.Regions Covered in the Global Dulbeccos Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) Market:North America (the United States and Canada)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia Pacific)The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa and Rest of the Middle East & Africa)Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America)The dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market has been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, and the latest report released by the market research division provides a comprehensive overview of the leading players in the industry. The report contains a detailed chapter on company profiles which provides an overview of the strategic objectives of the leading players, their primary products and services, and an in-depth analysis of their strategic initiatives.The report reveals that the leading players in the dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market are taking aggressive steps to strengthen their position in the industry. Many of the organizations have embarked on R&D activities to stay ahead of the competition and remain competitive. Their strategic initiatives have also been designed to capitalize on the technological advances in the industry.The report also provides an overview of the financial outlooks of the leading players in the industry. An overall analysis of the organizations' financial statuses reveals the current trends in the market. This allows readers to gain a better understanding of the potential of the dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market and its expected trajectory.It is clear that the dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market is a highly competitive industry and the leading players have to continuously innovate to keep up with the competition. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the industry and its key players and provides readers with an understanding of the industry's current and future prospects. This research aims to provide readers with an informed assessment of the anticipated trajectory of the dulbeccos modified eagle medium (dmem) market.The following Companies as the Key Players in the Global Dulbeccos Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) Market Research Report:Biological Industries, Biologos, Corning, Eminence Biotechnology (Suzhou), HiMedia, Lonza Bioscience, Merck, Thermo Fisher ScientificContact UsDhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private LimitedContact No: +91 7580990088Email Id: sales@ dhirtekbusinessresearch.com PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:00:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 739 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / iMetal Resources, Inc. (TSXV:IMR)(OTC PINK:ADTFF)(FRANKFURT:A7V) ("iMetal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of drilling at the Company's Carheil project, which lies in the Northern Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Quebec. The objective of this phase of drilling is follow up on the 2016 graphite drilling program which included a highlight intersection of 7.48% Cg over 1.1 meters.Saf Dhillon, President & CEO, stated: "The area around Carheil is heating up, both for graphite and copper-gold. Historical drilling located anomalous gold and zinc, while previous iMetal drilling confirmed a graphite zone containing jumbo flakes with highlight results of 7.48% Cg over 1.1 meters. Quebec is an extremely mining friendly jurisdiction and we are overjoyed to get back to work in the province." The Company has engaged DIAFOR Inc. of Malartic, Quebec for this phase of drilling at Carheil. Access to the property has been opened and drilling has commenced as of April 1st, 2023. The program is targeting the previously drilled graphite zones, in order to expand the extent of known horizons. In addition, regional structures will be tested in order to test for other mineral potential.Carheil is an exploration-stage project with multi-metal potential and previous graphite results. The project is about 170 km north of Rouyn-Noranda in the Northern Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The project is under 20 km distance to the west from the past-producing Selbaie Copper-Zinc-Silver-Gold mine (1.1 billion lbs Cu, 2.4 billion lbs Zn, 71 million oz Ag, 1 million oz Au produced from 1981-2004i), under 20 km distance to the north from Hecla's Casa Berardi Mine (127.5 Koz Au and 28.2 Koz Ag produced in 2022ii), and under 40 km to the southeast from Agnico Eagle's Detour Lake mine (713 Koz Au produced in 2021iii). Directly bordering the property to the north is Midland Exploration/Probe Metals' La Peltrie project, which recently intersected a 345.5 m of Cu-Mo-Au-Ag mineralization grading 0.21 CuEqiv. iMetal cautions investors the presence of mineralization at Selbaie, Casa Berardi, and Detour Lake is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the Carheil property.About iMetal Resources Inc.iMetal is a Canadian based junior exploration company focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of resource properties in Ontario and Quebec. One of its Flagship properties Gowganda West, is an exploration-stage gold project that borders the Juby Deposit and is located within the Shining Tree Camp area in the southern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt about 100 km south-southeast of the Timmins Gold Camp. The 665-hectare Kerrs Gold deposit comprises a series of gold-bearing pyritized quartz vein replacement breccias with a 2011 historic resource, 90 kilometres ENE of Timmins. The 220-hectare Ghost Mountain property, 42 kilometres NE of Kirkland Lake, lies 5 kilometres W of Agnico Eagle's Holt and Holloway Mine.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,Saf DhillonPresident & CEOiMetal Resources Inc.info@ imetalresources.ca Tel. (604-484-3031)Suite 550, 800 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 2V6.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 include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include results of exploration, variations in results of mineralization, relationships with local communities, market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.i SIGEOM; Ressources naturelles et Forets, Gouvernement du Quebec, 2023ii Casa Berardi|Quebec, Canada|Hecla Mining; Hecla Mining Company, 2022iii Agnico Eagle Mines Limited - Operations - Operations - Detour Lake; Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, 2023iv Midland Exploration news release dated December 6, 2022SOURCE: iMetal Resources, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:10:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 377 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. announces that a deadline is coming up on May 19th in the lawsuit that was filed for certain investors in shares of Rite Aid Corporation.Investors, who purchased shares of Rite Aid Corporation between April 26, 2018, and March 13, 2023 and suffered losses in excess of $200,000 with those NYSE:RAD shares, have certain options and there are short and strict deadlines running. Deadline: May 19, 2023. NYSE:RAD investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@ shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 -1554.On March 20, 2023, a lawsuit was filed against Rite Aid Corporation. The plaintiff alleged that the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose, among other things, that until at least June 2019, Rite Aid filled at least hundreds of thousands of unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, including for potentially lethal opioids such as oxycodone and fentanyl, that Rite Aid pharmacists filled these prescriptions despite clear "red flags" that indicated that the prescriptions were unlawful, that Rite Aid ignored evidence that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions, and intentionally deleted internal notes about suspicious prescribers written by concerned pharmacists, that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, Rite Aid violated the Controlled Substances Act and, where Rite Aid sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, also violated the False Claims Act, that as a result, it was at risk of prosecution by federal authorities such as the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ").Those who purchased NYSE:RAD shares should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc.The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio legal monitoring and a settlement claim filing service, which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. Any referenced cases, investigations, and/or settlements are not filed/initiated/reached and/or are not related to Shareholders Foundation. The information is only provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon.Contact:Shareholders Foundation, Inc.Michael Daniels+1 (858) 779-1554mail@ shareholdersfoundation.com 3111 Camino Del Rio NorthSuite 423San Diego, CA 92108SOURCE: Shareholders Foundation, Inc. The United States strongly condemns Burmas military regime for dissolving 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy or NLD. The NLD decisively won the 2020 election in Burma, but the military staged a coup in 2021 and brutally cracked down on protests to its rule. Prominent elected leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi and deposed President Win Myint are currently serving jail sentences in a prison in Burma on politically motivated charges; many other NLD members have also been imprisoned. The military regimes purported reason for dissolving the 40 political parties is their failure to register under a new law for a general election whose date has not yet been announced. The NLD said it would not register because the election authorities had been established by the countrys illegitimate military council. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma would not be and cannot be considered free or fair. And given the widespread opposition to military rule, the regimes unilateral push towards elections likely will escalate instability. Instability is not what the citizens of Burma need. Tragically, since the coup two years ago and the crackdown by the regime, over 3,000 people have been killed; nearly 17,00 detained; and more than 1.3 million people have been displaced. The most recent human rights report on Burma by the U.S. State Department notes, Members of the regime security forces continued to commit atrocities and numerous gross violations of human rights across the country. The move by the regime to dissolve dozens of political parties before a general election has been met with international condemnation. Japan said it was seriously concerned that the move will make it even more difficult to improve the situation. France called the regimes action another step backwards when it comes to freedom of expression and assembly. The United Kingdom described it as an assault on the rights and freedoms of the [Burmese] people. Two years ago, the military interrupted Burmas decades-long and hard-fought democratic progress. The United States will not waver in its commitment to the aspirations of the people of Burma, and, as State Department Spokesperson Patel declared, will continue to support efforts by all those working to establish a genuine and inclusive democracy in Burma. PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 19:22:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 857 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Over 475 brands with over 245+ new to show, daily live music and special guest Jessie James Decker will share her steps to launching a successful business in a panel discussion with Rachel McCord.NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / MAGIC Nashville is returning to the Music City for its second annual wholesale fashion event April 26-27. The April edition of MAGIC Nashville will take place at the Music City Center for two full days of fashion, music and immersive activations.MAGIC Nashville showcases a curated assortment of brands and products from top selling categories including women's sportswear, young contemporary and trend apparel, footwear and accessories brands. Delivering the experience MAGIC is known for with a Nashville twist with new and influential retailers from boutique and specialty stores to big box, online and key regional retailers can explore the latest trends, discover differential product offerings to meet demand for incremental revenue and connect with the MAGIC community of established and emerging brands.MAGIC Nashville will host daily panel sessions at the MAGIC Social House, where experts will speak on current topics facing the fashion industry including the "2023 Trend Presentation" hosted by Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets Fashion, Jordan Rudow, Vice President of MAGIC and Rachel McCord, Founder of the McCord List. Country music star, author, and fashion innovator Jessie James Decker and Rachel McCord will host a panel in which Jessie James Decker shares her thoughts on launching a business on April 26th at 1:00 P.M.*"Nashville and MAGIC are both known for their vibrant energy, and we aim to capture the opportunity the unique southern market has to offer with a mid-season meeting point to do business. MAGIC Nashville has doubled in size in just one year and we anticipate the momentum to continue." Says Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets Fashion "The show is growing, and so is the expanding list of top-tier international and domestic retailers." Twice the footprint of its inaugural show, MAGIC Nashville is expecting over 200 new to show brands and a 91% increase in women owned collections expected on the show floor in the apparel, footwear, accessories, home, gift and beauty categories. Mink Pink, Driftwood, Z Supply, Bobi, Barefoot Dreams, Dolma, LiverpoolJeans, Hobo, Steve Madden, Frye, Gigi Pip, Dolce Vita and Poppy & Pout will all be on-site along with international representation from Rolla's of Australia, Spanner from Canada, Vero Moda of Denmark, Dantelle from Turkiye and Stivali from Columbia.Top retailers registered include VICI, Apricot Lane, Dillard's, Altar'd State, Free People, Zappos, Hemline, Fashion Nova and Lulus as well as international retailers from INA International, Island Activewear, Silver Icing, Amazon Mexico and Editorial Boutique."Over 430 brands are coming to MAGIC Nashville, which fills the need for the regional event where noteworthy retailers can find designers offering immediates for key holiday season demand." says Jordan Rudow, Vice President of MAGIC. "The brand list offers everything Nashville is known for: charm, bright colors, boho feels, embellishment, all the high notes and international designers that capture this essence. Chic and trendy on-site experiences are going to keep our MAGIC community IMMERSED in the Nashville fashion scene and you are going to have so much fun while shopping the floor." On-site activations will keep the MAGIC vibe going strong, in classic southern hospitality style, as attendees can take in the live music daily from local Nashville talent and gain access to the activation lounge where guests can get customized necklaces by Kinsey Designs, permanent jewelry by BRACHA and hair and makeup touch ups by Agency of Beauty. The opening night party sponsored by Fate on April 26th will be held at The Stage on Broadway from 6-10 pm with live music. Guests must present show badge for entry.Register today at www.magicfashionevents.com * The appearance of Jessie James Decker made through UTA Speakers, New York, NY"About MAGIC:MAGIC is a high-energy fashion experience and home to the industry's largest selection of trend-driven and young contemporary apparel, footwear, and accessories. Fusing scale with curation to drive commerce, creativity, and connections, MAGICjoins a global audience of retail buyers - from big-box to boutique - with influencers, media, and industry thought leaders. More than just events, MAGIC is a deeply rooted community, and a place brands and retailers call home. For more information, please visit: www.magicfashionevents.com About Informa Markets:Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Engineering, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world's leading exhibitions organizer, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, visit www.informamarkets.com Contacts:Kristin BorlandInforma Markets Fashionfashionpr@ informa.com SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - FASHION PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 22:00:23 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 462 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Home Services Leader commits to helping children in needCHARLOTTESVILLE, VA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Premium Service Brands (PSB), the leader in home services franchise opportunities, is collaborating with its franchise partners to help at-risk children and their families in local communities through its Kids-Lift program.Kids-Lift is a nonprofit devoted to making sure all children have equal opportunities. It partners with PSB's franchise owners in communities across the U.S. and Canada to give back to vulnerable kids, their families, and their schools. Kids-Lift's effective programming fits the needs of each community, while advocating for ways to address poverty and hunger."The dedication to supporting kids in the local communities we serve makes us stronger as individuals, as brands, and as a company. Whether in business or charity, it is part of our mission to beautify our communities through home improvement and through giving back," said CEO Paul Flick. "I am passionate about helping kids receive everyday necessities such as food, clothing, and shoes. Everyone deserves to live a purpose-driven life." PSB corporate and 25 franchise partners recently renewed their commitment to helping children in need. Each locally-owned franchise commits to hosting two initiatives per year. Kids-Lift focuses on four main programs - food and clothing drives, fixing up kid-focused facilities such as schools and playgrounds, and fulfilling teacher wish lists for classroom supplies.As part of a spring initiative, Kids-Lift donated enough food to serve 150 families in Charlottesville and Albemarle County when school is out for spring break."It's made a huge difference to them and in their lives, so I think it's so important and I'm so happy to get this donation," said Lauren Otto with the Albemarle County Department of Social Services.In the U.S., at least 13.5 million homes do not have access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle, and one out of every seven children is at risk for hunger, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Children achieve academically when they have a supportive community. Kids-Lift focuses on lifting up communities, one child at a time.To learn more about the program or to make a donation, visit www.kids-lift.org ###ABOUT PREMIUM SERVICE BRANDS:Headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., Premium Service Brands (PSB) is a leader in home services franchise opportunities. PSB provides services to an ever-expanding customer base by building meaningful connections and creating lifelong customers. The company's lineup of niche home services brands includes 360 Painting, Maid Right, ProLift Garage Doors, Kitchen Wise & Closet Wise, Renew Crew, Rubbish Works Junk Removal, The Grout Medic, House Doctors, and RooterMan. To get started building a new future with a franchise of your own, visit www.premiumservicebrands.com Media Contact:Abby Mitchellamitchell@919 marketing.com 804-228-4420SOURCE: Premium Service Brands PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 15:00:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 407 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Multidisciplinary, Independent Community Oncology & Hematology Center, Cancer Care Specialists of Reno, Nevada, adds to the Alliance's Ever-Growing National FootprintPUYALLUP, WA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / The Quality Cancer Care Alliance (QCCA) Network, a consortium of independently owned and operated oncology care practices, welcomes Cancer Care Specialists, based in Reno, Nevada, to the group.QCCA LogoQuality Cancer Care Alliance LogoA unique partnership between Alpine Hematology-Oncology and Reno Oncology Consultants resulted in the creation of Cancer Care Specialists in 2015. The group is highly focused on ensuring that its community has access to every possible tool to treat cancer and blood disorders. As a result, the group delivers higher-quality outcomes and better quality of life for survivors."Our partnership with QCCA is a testament to our organization's vision to transform the Oncology and Hematology treatment experience through a culture of compassion, innovation, quality, and excellence. We are thrilled to find a partner that shares the same focus on delivering quality and value-based treatment for cancer and blood disorders. The patients in our community will greatly benefit from the increased access to clinical trials, peer collaboration, and sharing operational best practices," states COO, Welsey Falconer.QCCA offers its members access to strategic partnerships, innovative operational solutions, data projects, research networks, and trials and fosters the development of new tools and shared best practices across 129 sites in 15 states. Dr. Sibel Blau, M.D., President and CEO of QCCA, states, "Our model provides world-class cancer care in independent community oncology, that combines patient-focused decision-making, just-in-time clinical trial access, and true physician autonomy, empowering our network of practices to truly deliver value-based care. We are delighted that CCS had joined our organization, extending not only our geographic footprint but adding a wealth of knowledge to our nearly 500-provider strong alliance." QCCA is the only fully independent national network that brings together practices under a collaborative relationship, without acquisition or consolidation under a single tax identification structure. As such, members can continue to focus on their individual missions while being able to use collaborative tools to utilize clinical pathways and share data for more effective and cost-efficient ways to improve the quality of care and expand and increase access to trials under an organized research network.To learn more about QCCA, click here: http://qccalliance.com To read about CCS, click here: https://www.ccsreno.com/about-ccs Contact InformationSusanne Morgana MaddenPress Contactmadden@ theverdengroup.com 845-826-3330SOURCE: QCCA PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 23:01:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 590 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The first hospitality group in New Milford, Connecticut, is launching itself with a ribbon cutting on April 30. Set to showcase its latest restaurant, Duke's Tavern, Duke's Hospitality promises a welcoming space for guests and staff alike.NEW MILFORD, CT / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Most locals in New Milford know of Cool Hand Duke's and Zaragoza's, restaurants owned by the newly established Duke's Hospitality Group. However, they may be less familiar with Duke's Tavern, a restaurant that has the feel of a well-established, local bar with the food and cocktail offerings of a gourmet tavern. Now, Duke's Hospitality Group hopes to bring its passion for amazing food and welcoming spaces to not just the restaurant, but also to the area.Duke's TavernDuke's Tavern can be found on historic Bank Street in New Milford, Connecticut. "We're building and establishing the first hospitality group in New Milford," says Doru (Drew) M. Angelo, Connecticut restaurateur and Managing Partner of Duke's Hospitality Group. "We're excited to hire a diverse staff, and are looking forward to working with the local community to expand opportunities both here and throughout the rest of Connecticut." Angelo and his business partner, William R. Hart Jr., launched Duke's Hospitality Group with the hopes of creating an organization that is not just welcoming to guests, but is also welcoming to a diverse workforce from New Milford and across Connecticut."We want to create a group where we show both guests and staff that we value them," says Kristi Rudolph, General Manager of Duke's Hospitality. "We want people to hear about us and know that Duke's Hospitality is a great organization to work with and to work for." Duke's Hospitality worked hard on its new location to renew and revitalize the space, which has a unique blend of classic American Western decor with a trendy, modern twist. With the new bar and other additions, the location promises upscale comfort food, craft beer, and cocktails in a casual and fun setting. Duke's Tavern is the newest addition to the hospitality group, which also runs Zaragoza, the award-winning tapas restaurant located in the same town."There's so much potential with Duke's Tavern," says Rudolph, who has worked for 13 years in the hospitality and restaurant industry. "We want to attract a lot of events here, whether it's for business or to celebrate a special occasion. We want to work with the local community to create more opportunities here." Duke's Hospitality plans to continue to grow and expand its offerings not just in New Milford, but across Connecticut. Its goal is to create different locations and different offerings that appeal to guests from all over the state."A lot of concepts are driven by the fact that restaurants are social gathering places where people celebrate," explains Angelo. "Our goal is to establish restaurants and a catering team that can create different environments for people from different walks of life. We want everyone to be able to celebrate with us - both guests and staff." Duke's Hospitality is having its official ribbon cutting for the location on Sunday, April 30 at 2:00 PM at 59 Bank Street in New Milford. That's when they'll launch not just the restaurant, but also its brand as a hospitality group in New Milford. Street parking is available, and the event will have food, drinks, prize drawings, music, and more.Contact InformationCatie GriffinMarketing Manager, Storm Crow Marketingcatie@ processwithturnkey.com 2036392391Related FilesDukesHospitalityNewsRelease_Final.pdf SOURCE: Duke's Hospitality Group PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 21:50:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 492 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Acquisition Creates One of the Largest Moving, Logistics and Delivery Organization on Eastern CorridorNEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / The Advance Group (TAG), New York City's largest moving, logistics, delivery + installation, tech services and warehousing company, is pleased to announce its acquisition of Sorensen Moving & Storage and Sorensen Logistics, operating out of Orlando and Melbourne, Florida.The Advance Group Expands to Cover Eastern USThe Advance Group acquires Sorensen Moving & Storage, headquartered in FLSorensen, established in 1956, has continued through three generations of the Sorensen Family. Scott Sorensen gained control in 1977 and expanded through quality values, focused leadership, and customer service. After converting to Mayflower Van Lines and experiencing tremendous growth, Sorensen expanded into the Orlando market in 2013 with a 150,000 sf facility focused on logistics, commercial moving, installation, FF&E. Now occupying over 200,000 sf, Sorensen Moving & Storage is one of the largest family-owned moving companies.An award-winning Mayflower Transit Agent and Office Moving Alliance (OMA) partner, Sorensen presented a perfect opportunity for TAG. TAG's household moving brand Molloy Moving & Storage, coupled with Sorensen Moving & Storage's capacity, expertise, and quality, results in one of Mayflower Transit's largest agents and interstate fleets.Scott Sorensen remains onboard as consultant to TAG's Executive Team. Chris Sorensen remains President of the Sorensen brand, focused on continued growth and strategic relations. "Having the opportunity to lead and grow the Sorensen team for 47 years is one of my life's greatest joys and accomplishments," said Scott Sorensen, CEO of Sorenson Moving & Storage. "I am extremely proud of our team and the organization we have become. I am also excited to have the opportunity to step away and allow the next generation of leaders to run the company. Under the guidance of Anthony Parziale, and the entire leadership team at The Advance Group and Sorensen, I know that our team is in great hands and will achieve tremendous success. Finding a strategic buyer that matched our culture, values and was willing to continue to cultivate what we built was extremely important to me. The more we explored this opportunity, the more it was apparent that TAG was the perfect fit for us. I appreciate the commitment and support that I have received over many years from the Sorensen team, our customers, industry partners, and community." The collective organization is fired up about the opportunity and TAG's plan is to continue seeking strategic acquisition. The transaction was completed on March 31, 2023, with undisclosed terms.The Advance Group (TAG) is the largest and most experienced corporate moving solutions provider in the NY tristate area. TAG offers office moving, furniture installation, product distribution, storage, technology solutions, refinishing services, logistics and document management. TAG has over 42 years of experience, national and international connections for complex moves, the industry's largest talent pool and most experienced management team, and a centralized management operation for a seamless, cost-effective, and highly coordinated response.Contact InformationLisa MirabilePresident & CEOlisa@ vertigomediagrp.com 5168825030SOURCE: The Advance Group PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 12:40:05 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/ # 919 Words 1st Floor, The Work Lab, Model Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411016CEO+91-7400-24-24-24 The global Computational Creativity market research report is focuses on an overall consumption patterns, development trends, sales patterns and sales in key countries of the Computational Creativity market. The report focuses on global Computational Creativity 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=252 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 Computational Creativity market is segmented on the basis of solution, industry, and end user. Based on solution, the Computational Creativity market is segmented into component, services. On the basis of industry, the Computational Creativity market is segmented into manufacturing, others. Based on end user, the Computational Creativity market is segmented into consumer and enterprises. The global Computational Creativity market report includes a detailed analysis of the segmentation of this industry by Types and Applications.Global Computational Creativity by Segments: By Deploymento On-Premiseo Cloud Based By Operating Systemo Linuxo mac OSo Microsoft Windows By Applicationo Marketing and Web Designingo Product Designingo Music Compositiono Photography and Videographyo Automated Story GenerationCompetitive Landscape:The competitive landscape of the Computational Creativity 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, Microsoft, Prisma Labs, Inc., Runway AI, Inc, WaveAI Inc., Adobe, Amazon.com , Inc., Autodesk, Inc., Canva, Google LLC, amongst others.Computational Creativity 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 Computational Creativity market.Ask for Discount: https://www.absolutemarketsinsights.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=252 The Study Objectives are: A comprehensive insight into key players operating in the Computational Creativity 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, Computational Creativity market segments by application, study goals and years considered.Market Landscape: Here, the global Computational Creativity 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 Computational Creativity 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 Computational Creativity 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 Computational Creativity 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 Computational Creativity 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=252 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: 2023-04-12 15:00:33 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 445 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Henshilwood and Corona team with TitleEase to Launch Title Services Franchise Named Dash TitleHOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / TitleEase, a title and settlement services franchise business, has announced the addition of a new franchisee, Dash Title."We are very excited for our new franchise Dash Title," said Joseph D'Urso, CEO of TitleEase. "Dash will be Houston's newest women-owned title agency and be led by Natalie Henshilwood and Veronica Corona. They have a terrific vision for the industry that is centered around a commitment to service and educate. Dash offers diverse bilingual staff and looks forward to serving the real estate community while also supporting women-owned businesses and Hispanic real estate owners. We are eager to partner with and serve Natalie and Veronica as they build out a world-class title agency." "The team at TitleEase has shown us over and again that they know how to be a good partner and have been fantastic to work with during the rollout of our franchise," said Natalie Henshilwood, owner and founder of Dash Title. "We look forward to working with them in close partnership as we grow our agency." The new franchise has offices in both Tomball and Houston Texas and will serve customers statewide. The Tomball office will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, April 20, at 5pm at 16822 N Eldridge Parkway, Ste B, and invite real estate-related professionals and leaders in the industry to rsvp by emailing monica@ dashtitle.com TitleEase provides a simplified, streamlined and fully compliant path for mortgage originators, servicers, and real estate professionals to own and operate a title agency without the burden and expense of building a platform from scratch. Franchisees own a tangible asset with its own terminal value.Find out more at www.titleeasefranchise.com About TitleEaseTitleEase LLC is a member of the Lincoln Family of Companies, which also includes Lincoln Abstract & Settlement Services. The company is a franchisor of real estate title and settlement services businesses, offering franchisees a turnkey title & closing business that is fully compliant and ready to run. TitleEase offers an innovative way for real estate-focused entrepreneurs to enter the title business quickly and efficiently while leaning on its expertise. Call TitleEase at (877) 696-5462 to learn about its franchise opportunities. For more information, visit the company online at www.titleeasefranchise.com About Dash TitleDash Title is a women-owned title agency based in Houston, Texas, that offers an experienced bilingual escrow staff offering closing services to Houston's real estate community with the ability to close in-person, by mobile notary or online.Contact InformationJason BilbruckVice President of Business Developmentjbilbruck@ titleeasefranchise.com 877-696-5462SOURCE: TitleEase PR-Inside.com: 2023-04-12 22:00:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1038 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Tryp Therapeutics Inc. ("Tryp" or the "Company") (CSE:TRYP), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing intravenous-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) for diseases with high unmet medical needs,is pleased to announce a private placement (the "Private Placement") for a minimum aggregate principal amount of AUD$2.0 million, with the ability to accept oversubscriptions of AUD$1.0m, of secured convertible debentures (the "Debentures").In connection with the Private Placement, the Company has entered into an engagement agreement (the "Engagement Agreement") with Westar Capital Limited ("Westar"), to act as lead manager for the placement and to provide ongoing services related to capital markets activities.The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to advance Tryp's research and development programs and for general working capital purposes. Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or about April 19, 2023 and is subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE").The Debentures will be denominated in Australian Dollars, will have a term of 18 months (the "Maturity Date"), and will be interest free during the initial 8 months following the date of issuance. During the period between the date that is 8 months from the date of issuance and 18 months from the date of issuance, the Debentures shall pay interest of 20% per annum. The Debentures shall automatically convert, as to principal and accrued interest, into common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the earlier of: (i) the Maturity Date, or (ii) the time the Company is completing a liquidity event. The price at which the Debentures (including any accrued but unpaid interest thereon) shall be converted into Common Shares (the "Conversion Price") will vary depending on various scenarios as set out in the debenture and at a conversion price fixed in accordance with CSE policies. The Debentures are secured by a general security interest over substantially all of the present and after-acquired personal property of the Company. The Debentures and the underlying Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation. In accordance with the terms of the Engagement Agreement, Westar is entitled to a cash fee of up to 6% of proceeds raised under the Private Placement and will be issued warrants (the "Broker Warrants") equal to 10.05% of the Company's total undiluted issued and outstanding shares on closing of the Private Placement. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price equal to the greater of: (i) the closing market price of the Common Shares on the date of issuance and (ii) the price implied by an AUD$15 million equity valuation on an undiluted basis, for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The Company shall retain the ability to cancel up to 60% of the Broker Warrants in certain circumstances.It is currently expected that a director of the Company will participate in the Private Placement, acquiring Debentures on the same basis as other subscribers. In addition, this same director is entitled to receive certain fees from Westar in connection with the Private Placement and the transactions contemplated in the Engagement Agreement. Consequently, the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions in MI 61-101 from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements. The Company relied on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement.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 Tryp Therapeutics:Tryp Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing proprietary, novel formulations for the administration of psilocin in combination with psychotherapy to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Tryp's lead program, TRP-8803, is a proprietary formulation of IV-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) that alleviates numerous shortcomings of oral psilocybin including: significantly reducing the time to onset of the psychedelic state, controlling the depth and duration of the psychedelic experience, and reducing the overall duration of the intervention to a commercially feasible timeframe. The Company has initiated a Phase 2a clinical trial for the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder at the University of Florida, where an interim analysis showed an average reduction in binge eating episodes of greater than 80%. The Company is also planning for Phase 2a clinical trials with the University of Michigan for the treatment of fibromyalgia and with Mass General Hospital for the treatment of abdominal pain related to irritable bowel syndrome. Each of the studies are utilizing TRP-8802 (synthetic, oral psilocybin) to demonstrate efficacy in these indications. Where a preliminary clinical benefit is demonstrated, subsequent studies are expected to utilize TRP-8803 (IV-infused psilocin), which has the potential to further improve efficacy, safety and patient experience. For more information, please visit www.tryptherapeutics.com Investor & Media ContactPeter MolloyChief Business OfficerTryp Therapeuticspmolloy@ tryptherapeutics.com Forward-Looking InformationCertain information in this news release, including statements relating to the anticipated closing date of the Private Placement, constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "target Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The United Kingdom Minister For Armed Forces, James Heappey, on Tuesday, said Britain is committed to improving intelligence sharing with Nigeria and other countries to tackle terrorism and piracy in the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea. Mr Heappey made this known while speaking with journalists at the British High Commission on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that the UK would support countries within the region to provide their own solutions to the security challenges. Mr Heappey said that the UK and Nigerian armed forces enjoyed a long and strong relationship, stressing that the conversation was focused on the security challenges in the region. The reality is that we have an opportunity to improve our intelligence sharing and capability in surveillance and reconnaissance is really important. The UK can support countries within the region to provide their own solutions to their problems. The fact that intelligence relationship is so immature is a concern but is also an opportunity. The reason our armed forces remain so close is that the relationship is being renewed again and again since independence because we have worked together to address challenges like maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea or terrorism in the Lake Chad basin and we will continue to do so. Now, a lot of that is connected to training together, sharing tactics and techniques, Mr Heappey said. He also noted that both countries have collaborated in naval operations with the UK Royal Navy providing support to Nigeria with a combination of training and developing capability together in the Gulf of Guinea. He added that both countries would continue to strengthen efforts against insecurity. We are in a constant conversation, we need to collaborate to fight the spread of violence in the Sahel, the growing instability in Burkina Faso, the continuing violence in the Lake Chad Basin and the rise of Islamic State In West Africa (ISWAP), he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was last week detained in London by the United Kingdom immigration officials for alleged impersonation. This was made known in a statement issued Wednesday by the Head, Obi-Datti Media, Diran Onifade. Mr Onifade however said Peter Obi has since returned to Nigeria. The LP presidential candidate in the February 25 presidential poll arrived at the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, and joined the queue for the necessary Airport protocols when he was accosted by immigration officials who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside, Mr Onifade said. According to the statement, Peter Obi was harassed by London immigration officials and placed in detention where he spent the Easter holidays. He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country, the statement said. Possible implication for Peter Obi Mr Onifade explained that the high implication of the offence is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obis name. He emphasised that since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Peter Obi could be implicated in a series of forbidden acts and even be framed in a manner that could be a huge embarrassment to him, his family, his party, the Obedient movement, and Nigeria, where he currently and remains the conscience of the people. Mr Onifade also reiterated that Mr Obi has been under all kinds of attack, since the presidential election in which he put up an outstanding showing coming third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). though his supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believed very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated out, he added. Possible plot against Peter Obi by government? Mr Onifade noted that since Peter Obi was told to go to court since he feels unsatisfied with the election outcome, which all international monitors chorused was flawed and full of imperfections and he accepted, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners. Even the Federal Government who directed him to go to court even dispatched the Minister of Information Lai Mohammad to the United States to attempt at de-marketing him and accused him of treason, the statement said. Mr Onifade accused the government of bugging Mr Obis phone while possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively. As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest, he said, adding that it is also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagles immaculate appearance. The Obi-Datti Media office will like to therefore assure all persons of goodwill especially the Obidients that the Rock is not deterred as he is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria, Mr Onifade said. When contacted on phone, Mr Onifade said, He experienced a delay at the airport because someone duplicated his details. But he has since returned to the country. Existing scourge Peter Obi came third in the 25 February election but he, and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who came second, are challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu of the ruling APC. The LP presidential flag-bearer and supporters have come under attacks and criticisms for claiming he won the election without providing concrete evidence. Early this month, the social media space, especially Twitter, was awash with controversy over a leaked telephone conversation (now dubbed Yes Daddy) between Mr Obi and the founder of Living Faith Church, David Oyedepo, a Bishop. In the audio clip, Petee Obi was heard asking Mr Oyedepo to help spread his campaign message to Christians in the South-west and parts of North-central. Ahead of the presidential election, critics of Mr Obi have accused him of playing politics of ethnicity and religion, which he lost but has challenged in court. ALSO READ: Peter Obi speaks on treason allegation Mr Obi denied playing politics of religion and ethnicity and asked his critics to provide evidence. The leaked file appears to have substantiated the position of the critics. However, Peter Obi and his partys Presidential Campaign Council described the leaked audio of the conversation between him and the cleric as faked and doctored and that appropriate legal actions would be taken against Peoples Gazette, an online newspaper that first released the audio. Within this period, the LP claimed Mr Obi has been under pressure to leave the country or face the prospect of being arrested on false charges of inciting insurrection in the country. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Edison Scholars Program is designed to help students like Li achieve their dreams of pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), cybersecurity or data analytics in college. "One of my favorite things every year is seeing the faces of our newest Edison Scholars as they receive the news. The surprise visits are always filled with so much emotion, with their loved ones, classmates and school and district staff on hand to share everything from tears to laughter," said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. "I couldn't be more impressed with this group. Reading their impact statements gives me hope and confidence that these bright and passionate students are going to help lead the transition to an affordable and equitable clean energy future." Beginning this year, the scholarship award increased from $40,000 to $50,000, paid over four years. In addition, Edison Scholars will also be eligible for a paid summer internship with SCE upon completing their first year of school. Scholars must meet the minimum eligibility requirements and complete the required hiring screening. For the first time since 2019, the students received the scholarship news with in-person surprise check presentations delivered by Edison's representatives during school events including a pep rally, an open house and in-classroom visits. Surprise highlights can be found here. SCE will hold a reception on May 5 to celebrate the scholars at the company's Rosemead headquarters. Below is a list of the 2023 recipients: Christina Agopian, Adolfo Camarillo High Joshua Alvarado, South Gate Senior High Fnu Anu, Costa Mesa High Te'yana Brown, Options For Youth Pasadena High Kayla Bullard, Odyssey STEM Academy Antonio Camarillo, Montclair High Arlene Cazares Garcia, Avalon K-12 David Ceballos, Don Bosco Technical Institute Alyssa Chang, West Ranch High Thomas Chang, Upland High Danny Chmaytelli, Santa Monica High Cesar Delgadillo, Tulare Union High Dylan Iskandar, Mira Costa High Aryan Jain, Calabasas High Joshua Kang, Cerritos High Janna Lee, Palos Verdes High Nicole Lee, South Hills High Jackie Li, Temple City High Esther Magbagbeola, Chaparral High Priscila Marquez, Cathedral City High Hannah McCoy, Porterville High Brian Ni, Troy High Johnny Ni, Troy High Casey Ortiz, Esperanza High Max Peng, Gretchen Whitney High, Aimee Perales, James A. Garfield High Mario Portillo, Diamond Ranch High Emily Rodriguez, Antelope Valley High Tyler Small, Saint Anthony High Jeremiah Weetly, Bonita High Edison International has awarded more than $15 million in scholarships to 760 students through the Edison Scholars Program since 2006. The company is committed to investing in its communities and improving pathways to a STEM education and careers, especially for underrepresented students. Edison Scholars is designed to expose students to clean energy careers and ensure a steady stream of talent as we transition to a clean energy future. Edison International, the parent company of SCE, is one of the largest corporate philanthropic contributors in Southern California. The Edison Scholars Program is funded entirely by Edison International shareholders. To learn more, visit the Edison Scholar 2023 Spotlight Page. About Edison International Edison International (NYSE: EIX) is one of the nation's largest electric utility holding companies, providing clean and reliable energy and energy services through its independent companies. Headquartered in Rosemead, California, Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison Company, a utility that delivers electricity to 15 million people across Southern, Central and Coastal California. Edison International is also the parent company of Edison Energy LLC, a global energy advisory firm engaged in the business of providing integrated decarbonization and energy solutions to commercial, industrial and institutional customers. 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 has ordered the state government to withdraw the letters of appointment of officials who were not referred to the lawmakers for screening and confirmation of their appointments. The House gave the order following a Matter of Urgent Public Importance brought before the House by the Deputy Majority Leader, Noheem Adams (Eti-Osa I), during plenary. Raising the motion earlier, Mr Adams cited Section 196, Subsection 2; Section 198 and Section 126, Subsection 3 which gave backing to the House of Assembly in respect of nominations by the governor for appointments. Section 126, Subsection 3 provides that except with the resolution of a state Assembly, no person shall act in the office of the Auditor-General for a state for a period exceeding six months. As the Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance, I have observed that some appointments to boards and other agencies were not brought to this noble House. If this persists, the principle of separation of powers will be in jeopardy. For example, the Auditor-General was appointed on September 22, 2022 and today is April 11, 2023, so his appointment in acting capacity had exceeded what the laws stipulate, he said. Supporting Mr Adams, Ademola Kasunmu (Ikeja I) said the stipulations of Section 198 should be strictly adhered to by the state government. Mr Kasunmu said because such appointments were considered null and void, every remuneration that had been paid to them should be returned to the coffers of the state. Speaking on the same matter, Victor Akande (Ojo I) observed that the situation happened in the judiciary where an appointment was done without recourse to the House. Also, Lukmon Olumoh (Ajeromi-Ifelodun I) lamented that such appointments without regard for the House were becoming too many. Separation of power is a doctrine enshrined in the constitution. The executive has the right to nominate people and the House has the responsibility to either confirm or reject such nominations. It is not only in the office of the Auditor-General but I dont know in what capacity one can act beyond the time limit without recourse to the House, he said. Mr Olumoh urged the House to look at the issue holistically to put an end to what could cause issues later. On his part, Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu I) said there were several government officials parading themselves with many names without appearing before the House for clearance. He said: It should not be a paddy-paddy thing. This is a constitutional matter and if we do not adhere, we would end up facing the wrath of the people. This is an infraction to have people who are not cleared by the House receiving salaries and I am of the opinion that such money should be returned to the states coffers. Commenting, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa (Agege I), who presided over the sitting, agreed with others lawmakers that appointments of such nature without recourse to the House amounted to infractions. I quite agree with all of you that the failure of such nominees to appear is an infraction or violation of the laws of this House, especially as it relates to the MDAs. The laws of the House of Assembly have statutory provisions that nominees of the governor must appear for confirmation. It is becoming common and regular and if we fail to act now, it becomes a norm. I share your sentiments that there is a need for us to put a stop to this. I am aware of the development in the Audit Commission, I am aware of the one in the Law Reform Commission and now the Auditor-General and some others, he said. The House consequently ordered the withdrawal of letters given to government appointees whose nominations should have been sent to the House for screening and confirmation, but who took up the jobs without the due process. The House also ordered the immediate return of salaries and remunerations enjoyed by the affected officials pending their appearances before the House. (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 apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed sadness over the death of Chinwoke Mbadinuju, a former governor of Anambra State. Mr Mbadinuju died on Tuesday morning at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness, his first son, Chetachi Mbadinuju, announced in a statement on Tuesday. The former governor died at the age of 78. Ohanaeze reacts Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Damian Okeke, the acting president-general of Ohanaeze, described Mr Mbadinujus demise as sad. Well, death is a due everybody must pay and we dont know when (we will pay it). It is sad that Mbadinuju is dead, but I must say that he was a good man and he did a lot for the socio-economic development of Anambra State, Mr Okeke said. We pray God to give him eternal rest and we console his family members to bear the loss with fortitude, he added. Soludo sends condolences Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has also commiserated with the family of the former governor over the loss. In a statement on Tuesday night by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, Mr Soludo said the deceased would be fondly remembered for passing a law that created the Anambra Vigilante Services, establishing Anambra State University, Uli, among other legacy projects. The governor sympathised with the indigenes of the Uli Community, where the late Mbadinuju hailed from, and the people of the state in general He asked the former governors family to ensure that his good legacies were sustained just as he prayed to God to grant him eternal rest. Mbadinuju at a glance The late Mbadinuju served as the governor of Anambra State between 29 May 1999 and 29 May 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He sought re-election as governor under the PDP platform but was denied the party ticket under controversial circumstances amidst an internal crisis within the party at the time. Chris Ngige would later clinch the governorship ticket of the party ahead of the 19 April 2003 governorship election in the state. After losing the PDP ticket, Mr Mbadinuju defected to the now-defunct Alliance for Democracy, where he later emerged as the partys governorship candidate, but lost in the general election. Mr Ngige of the PDP, who now serves as Nigerias Minister of Labour and Employment, was declared the winner of the election, although he was later sacked by the Court of Appeal in Enugu, three years after. Mr Mbadinuju had served as a personal assistant to a former governor of old Enugu State, Jim Nwobodo, between 1979 and 1980, before playing the same role for former Nigerias Head of State, Shehu Shagari, between 1980 and 1983 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 spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council (PDP PCC) and November 2023 governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Dino Melaye has said that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike sponsored his governorship campaigns in 2015. Mr Melaye, a former senator, said it was contradictory for Mr Wike who funded his 2019 governorship campaign to now say in 2023 that he is not fit to be the governor of Kogi State. For Christs sake, Dino does not have what it takes to be a governor at all. It is not by coming to act in drama on television. We are talking about governance of a state, we are not talking about drama for Christs sake, Mr Wike said on Tuesday during a media chat in Port Harcourt. Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking? the governor added. Speaking on Arise television on Tuesday a few hours after Mr Wikes media chat Mr Melaye said: When I ran for governorship in 2019, Mr Wike was my biggest sponsor, my biggest supporter to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. He supported my primaries. He did not just support my primaries, Mr Wike provided his private jet to drop me at Kogi airstrip on the day of my primary and was calling me every minute to find out where are we, are we succeeded, meaning that Wike saw something in me in 2019 when he supported me, he knew I was fit to be governor hence his investment as the case may be. So what now happens between 2019 and 2023 that hes now saying that I am not fit to be a governor? Continuing, Mr Melaye said: Somebody you had spent your money on. Somebody you supported materially and otherwise but suddenly because Im not a bootlicker because I refused to participate in your very myopic and intellectually stagnant presidential ambition you now see me as one not fit for the governorship. Governor Wikes spokesperson, Kelvin Ebiri, did not respond to requests for comments on the allegation that the governor sponsored Mr Melayes 2015 governorship campaign. Atikus connection? Mr Melaye dismissed Mr Wikes allegation that delegate lists were being manipulated to favour him. He said those who are accusing Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of PDP of forcing him on Kogi people were being unfair to him (Melaye). We have to completely keep Atiku out of this. I became a member of the House of Representatives, did Atiku influence that? Ive been elected twice to the Senate, Atiku didnt influence any primaries but those who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it will bring a lot of insinuations and all that. 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 Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N495 million for the installation of scanners in all the railway stations across the country. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FEC meeting was presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. The Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, briefed State House correspondents after the FEC meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Mr Adegoroye said the installation would strengthen security at the railway stations. The Federal Ministry of Transportation had two memos today, which I presented on behalf of the ministry; one had to do with the provision of scanners at all railway stations all over the country. You will all agree with me that in view of the importance of the security of lives and property such equipment has to be installed at our railway stations. We are starting the railways revolution; we are trying to put in place a lot of things in the railways; we dont want people to come and damage all that the government has been trying to put in place in that sector. So, today, there was a memo before the council for the provision of baggage scanners at railway stations and I am happy to inform you that the council agreed with us and approved that contract for scanners to be installed at railway stations. When people get there and they have goods, they can pass through the scanners and we can be sure that there is nothing that can cause violence or inflicts danger or puts lives and property at stake, he said. The minister said the second memo had to do with the provision of towage services at the ports. He said the Lekki Deep Sea Port was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari recently. Mr Adegoroye said one of the statutory responsibilities of the Nigerian Ports Authority was the provision of marine services, being the regulatory agency in that sector. So, because of the new Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty, the need has arisen for a company that can carry out towage services to make things a lot easier and more effortless in the ports. Ship berthing will be easier; discharge of goods will be a lot easier; of course, there was the argument that why would the company that provides such services at Apapa Port and Lagos TinCan Island Port not do it. We think that it will overstretch that company and because it would overstretch them, they will not be able to cope; they may not have the capacity to cope. Secondly, we want the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty to be able to perform maximally. So, FEC agreed with us and has given a 10-year concession to that company, Messrs Alcuff, to carry out towage services at the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Jetty, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has congratulated Bola Tinubu on his victory in the 25 February presidential election. This was contained in a statement by the Office of the President-elect on Wednesday. According to the statement signed by Tunde Rahman, Mr Erdogan said in a letter to Mr Tinubu that he believed Nigeria under his (Tinubu) leadership would continue its course to a prosperous future. The Turkish leader also said his country attached great importance to improving its relationship with Nigeria as the strongest nation in Africa. I believe that as our strategic partner, Nigeria, under your leadership, will continue its course to a prosperous future. Turkiye attaches great importance to improving its relations with Nigeria, as the strongest nation in the African continent, Mr Erdogan. Other world leaders who have congratulated Mr Tinubu since he was announced the winner of the presidential election on 1 March include President Xi Jinping of China, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. Read the full statement below: Turkish President Erdogan congratulates Tinubu as Nigerias next leader President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, has joined the list of world leaders that have sent congratulatory and goodwill messages to Nigerias President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. President Xi Jinping of China, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, are among the global leaders that have since sent goodwill messages to Asiwaju Tinubu. In his congratulatory letter, President Erdogan, who described Asiwaju Tinubu as a brother, called for cooperation and partnership that would further the friendly relationship between Turkey and Nigeria. Erdogan, in his letter, also underscored the importance of Nigeria as the strongest nation in the African continent while wishing Asiwaju Tinubu a successful tenure of office that will usher in progress for the people of Nigeria. President Erdogan wrote, On behalf of the Turkish Nation and my own, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency on the occasion of your election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the elections held on February 25, 2023. I believe that as our strategic partner, Nigeria, under your leadership, will continue its course to a prosperous future. Turkiye attaches great importance to improving its relations with Nigeria, as the strongest nation in the African continent. With this understanding, I have no doubt that with our joint efforts, we will develop friendly relations and the growing close cooperation between our countries to the mutual benefit of our people. I avail myself of this opportunity to express my heartfelt wishes for the health and happiness of Your Excellency, as well as, the well-being and prosperity of the friendly people of Nigeria. Office of the President-Elect Tunde Rahman April 12, 2023 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. Gunmen has shot dead a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, South-south Nigeria. Punch newspaper reported that the victim, Sylvester Efeurhobo, was shot dead by assailants who stormed his country home in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state. The newspaper did not state when the incident occurred. The late APC chieftain was the chairman of the party support group in the area Achievers Group in Agbarho. The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe confirmed the incident to Punch. He said the police have arrested three suspects. The latest incident is one of the killings recorded in the oil-rich state lately. Vanguard newspaper last month reported how three people were shot dead while the house of a former chairman of a local government area in Delta State, Wilson Omene, was set ablaze during the governorship and state assembly election in the state. The three people, according to the newspaper, were killed during an exchange of gunfire between security agents and irate youths in the area. Tribune newspaper in February reported how a community Asemokwu in Ndokwa East local government area of the state was deserted for fear of reprisal attack after the killing of four military officers. According to the newspaper, the military officers were sent to the fishing community to maintain peace after a traditional ruler was beheaded during a communal conflict in the area. The newspaper reported that residents of the community were leaving in their numbers to the neighbouring communities when news of a possible reprisal by the military filtered into the community. 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 final year student of the Department of Civil Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Okoli Chizoputam, has been killed by angry students over alleged theft. Both the university management and the students union confirmed the developments in separate statements on Tuesday night. How it happened The deceased, who was said to have returned to the university for a repeat of courses he failed, was alleged to have stolen a phone at the Obafemi Awolowo Hall of Residence on the campus but rather than reporting him to the university management, a crowd of students reportedly lynched him. The students union said the victim was said to have been declared Brought in Dead (BOD) at the Emergency Medical Department of the universitys teaching hospital. University kicks In its reaction to the development, university management confirmed that the victim died from a mob action on the allegation that he stole a phone. In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, on Tuesday, the university condemned, in strong terms, the incidence that led to the death of a part 5 student of the institution. Mr Olarewaju noted that the universitys Vice-Chancellor, Adebayo Bamire, has set up a committee to unravel the circumstances that led to the incident. The action of the mob, being a violation of the law of the country and of the University regulations, has been reported to the police who have commenced investigations, he said. While commiserating with the parents of the deceased, staff and students, the university management admonished the students to desist from taking laws into their hands and to report any criminal activities to the University authorities for immediate action. Students union reacts The universitys students union via a statement signed by its President, Olayiwole Festus, a copy of which was shared with PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday, also condemned the development. Mr Festus said the arrest and investigations of individuals suspected to be connected with the assault of the deceased are being made for consequent legal actions. Hall executive officers sanctioned Meanwhile, Mr Festus said while investigations into the immediate and remote causes of the violent action continue, the activities of the executive council of the concerned hall of residence have been suspended immediately. What has just happened is most inhumane. Justice must be served accordingly irrespective of who is involved. Mob actions are banned and not allowed on the OAU campus!, the union president further noted. 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. Gunmen have killed a police officer in Imo State, south-east Nigeria. The victim, Augustine Ukegbu, was killed at his community, Umuoshike Ogbor, in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state. Mr Ukegbu, an inspector, was said to have travelled home for the Easter celebration, but was abducted on Saturday from his house on arrival, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. Sources from the community told this newspaper that the police officer was later found dead in a bush in the council area. What happened was that he was kidnapped around 11 p.m. last Saturday. After the family reported the matter to Oke Ovoro Police Station, we began aggressive combing of a bush along Mbutu Road and we finally found the inspectors body, a police officer, who asked not to be named, told this newspaper, Wednesday morning. He said the slain officer was serving at Orji Police Divisional Headquarters in the state before the unfortunate incident. A Lexus SUV vehicle believed to have been used to abduct the slain officer has been recovered by the officers who found the inspectors corpse. When contacted on Wednesday, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, confirmed the killing of the police inspector to PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the police in the state were investigating the killing of the officer. ALSO READ: Gunmen kill police officer in Aba The commissioner of police (in the state) has ordered a manhunt to fish out the assailants and bring them to justice, he said. Worsening insecurity Like other states in Nigerias south-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons. The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities. The latest attack comes less than three weeks after gunmen killed four persons, including two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state. The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks. IPOB is leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 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. Miriam Onuoha, a member of the House of Representatives from Imo State, has officially declared interest in contesting the speakership election. Ms Onuoha, who represents Okigwe North Federal Constituency in Imo State, made the declaration Wednesday in Abuja. She urged all the men in the race to step down for her in the interest of the inclusion of women, youth and the South-east geopolitical zone. In almost about 90 positions of this country, the men have dominated it. Ceding this one position to me will be a way of proving that we are running an inclusive government. I use this opportunity to call on my co-contestants my male contestants to consider the love and the care Nigerian voters have shown to them, and as a matter of honour, step down to support this woman. I call on the male contestants to step down in the interest of peace and understanding if Nigeria and our democracy must advance, my candidature has to be pushed, she said. Ninth Assembly not rubber stamp When responding to questions on the performance of the 9th Assembly, Ms Onuoha said she disagrees with the assertion that the current assembly has been a rubber stamp to the executive. She promised to work with the executive arm and the president-elect, Bola Tinubu if she is elected by her colleagues. I disagree with the assertion that the assembly is a rubber stamp assembly, I have chosen as one of the mandates that I will work with the executive in the interest of Nigeria, he said. She also stated that she will avoid the banana peel that caused the downfall of a former Speaker, Patricia Etteh. Ms Etteh was elected speaker in 2007 but subsequently resigned about five months later over a corruption allegation. Ms Onuoha was first elected into the House in 2015 under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). She returned to the House in 2020 after the court sacked Obinna Onwubuariri. She currently chairs the House Committee on Disabilities and is also known for sponsoring the controversial Cannabis Bill. The Imo lawmaker is the latest in the long list of members that have joined the race. Some of the lawmakers in the speakership race include Deputy Speaker Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), Muktar Betara (APC, Borno), Ben Kalu (APC, Abia), Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), Tunji Olawuyi (APC, Kwara) and Abubakar Makki (APC, Jigawa). Others include Tajudeen Abbas (APC, Kaduna) and Aminu Jaji (APC, Zamfara). 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 International Press Institute in Nigeria (IPI Nigeria) has set up three standing committees to drive its agenda of promoting journalism practice and media freedom in Nigeria. A statement by IPI Nigerias Secretary, Ahmed Shekarau, on Wednesday, listed the three newly-inaugurated committees of the body as those on fundraising, programmes, and advocacy. According to the statement, the National Committee of IPI Nigeria inaugurated Funke Egbemode as the chair of the Committee on Fund Raising, Hajia Sani, as the chair of the Committee on Programmes and Tobi Soniyi as the chair of the Committee on Advocacy. While the fundraising committee comprises six members, the two others have five members each. Inaugurating the committees, Kadaria Ahmed, a member of the IPI Nigerias Board of Trustees (BOT), noted that the challenges ahead of the executive committee were enormous, adding that it was the right decision to constitute the committees to help drive the organisations objectives. The President of IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, said the committees were constituted to enhance the work of the organisation, bring in more inclusiveness and more buy-in to the work IPI Nigeria does. READE IPI NIGERIAs STATEMENT IN FULL PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (ABUJA, April 12, 2023) IPI NIGERIA INAUGURATES THREE COMMITTEES; EGBEMODE, SANI, SONIYI ARE CHAIRS The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) on Tuesday inaugurated three standing committees to help drive the organisations objective of promoting journalism practice and media freedom in Nigeria. Inaugurating the committees, Kadaria Ahmed, a member of the IPI Nigerias Board of Trustees (BOT), noted that the challenges ahead of the executive committee are enormous and that it is a right decision to constitute the committees to help drive the organisations objectives. Mrs Ahmed, speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the IPI Nigeria Board of Trustees, Kabiru A. Yusuf, pledged the readiness of the BOT to support the executives at all times. Earlier, the President of IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, said the committees were constituted to enhance the work of the organisation, bring in more inclusiveness and more buy-in of the work IPI Nigeria does. A statement issued by IPI Nigerias Secretary, Ahmed I. Shekarau said Mr. Mojeed appealed to members to pay their membership and annual dues to enable the organisation execute laudable programmes that members would benefit from. The three sub-committees inaugurated are those on Fund Raising, Programme and Advocacy; Hajia Sani, Chairperson A former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and immediate past Osun State Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode leads the Fund Raising Committee while Hajia Sani, the Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria (VON) is the chairperson of the Programme Committee. The Advocacy Committee is headed by IPI Nigerias Legal Adviser, Tobi Soniyi. The committees chairpersons pledged their readiness to work for IPI Nigeria even as they solicit the support of all members. An Executive Board member of IPI Global, Raheem Adedoyin, said the inauguration of the committees is one of the best steps taken so far by IPI Nigeria. He advised IPI Nigeria to continue to engage with the Nigerian authorities in its advocacy programmes, and to avoid unnecessary confrontation as much as possible. Rather than wait for external funding, he advised members to save money to enable them fund their trips abroad to attend some of the training sessions and congresses of the IPI, adding that they stand to benefit more from such sessions. The committees and their memberships are as follows: 1. Fund Raising a. Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Chairperson b. Mr. Aliu Akoshile, CEO/Editor-in-Chief, NatureNews 247 c. Mr. Fred Ohwahwa, Senior Partner, Tokee Consult Limited d. Mrs. Victoria Ibanga, Publisher, The Next Edition e. Mr. Bashir Adigun, Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Political Communication f. Mrs. Rafatu Salami, Assistant Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria (VON) 2. Programming a. Hajia Sani, Chairperson b. Dr. Elizabeth Ikem, former Provost, Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) c. Mr. Ken Ugbechie, Publisher, Political Economist NG d. Hajiya Zainab O. Suleiman, Chairman, Editorial Board, Blueprint e. Ahmed I. Shekarau, Group Executive Director, Media Trust Group 3. Advocacy a. Mr. Toby Soniyi, Chairman b. Mrs. Catherine Agbo, Deputy Editor, 24th Century Chronicle c. Mr. Ukeh Onouha, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun d. Mr. Danlami Nmodu, mni, Publisher, Newsdiaryonline e. Dr. Hameed M. Bello, Chief Operating Officer, Peoples Daily Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print ARCH2 was formed through a partnership with the State of West Virginia, EQT Corporation, the nation's largest natural gas producer; Battelle and GTI Energy; with expertise executing clean energy programs for the federal government; and Allegheny Science & Technology (AST), a leading West Virginia energy technology consulting firm. ARCH2 has grown to over 160 strategic partners and stakeholders, including private sector industry leaders, utilities, universities, non-profits, and transportation and state entities from Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, interested in building a hydrogen economy in northern Appalachia. Concentrated in Appalachian counties as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) across West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, ARCH2 will leverage diverse regional resources to build a safe, sustainable clean hydrogen hub that can scale and integrate into a national clean H2 network. The region is the ideal location for a clean hydrogen hub, due to its unique access to ample low-cost natural gas feedstock, vast industrial end-user demand, workforce and technology capability, and carbon sequestration potential. The ARCH2 project portfolio includes a diverse group of partner companies poised to bring economic, environmental, and community benefits to Appalachia through participation in ARCH2. Lead project development partners under ARCH2 include: Air Liquide, The Chemours Company, Clearway Energy Group, CNX Resources Corp, Dominion Energy Ohio, Empire Diversified Energy, EQT Corporation, Fidelis New Energy, First Mode, Hog Lick Aggregates, Hope Gas Inc., Independence Hydrogen Inc., KeyState Energy, MPLX, Plug Power, and TC Energy. ARCH2 will help DOE's OCED achieve President Biden's goal of a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 and a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. In addition to providing cleaner, safer energy to the nation, a major component of the ARCH2 application is the Community Benefits Plan (CBP) which identifies the strategies that ARCH2 will use to proactively engage with the communities throughout the Appalachian region. ARCH2 is a community-first Hub and will ensure that project area communities have input to community benefits and that opportunities are available to all. ARCH2 project participants collaborate to create and support good-paying jobs, workforce training, options for investment in communities, and Justice40 benefit flows. ARCH2 was encouraged to submit a full application for the second round in December of 2022. Final award decisions by DOE OCED are expected to be announced in the Fall of 2023. "Appalachian natural gas has some of the lowest GHG intensities in the world and uniquely positions our region to answer the world's call for cheaper, more reliable, cleaner energy," said Toby Z. Rice, President and CEO of EQT Corporation. "We believe the use of EQT's extremely low emissions natural gas to create clean hydrogen will help advance America's energy evolution to lower carbon solutions while reaffirming Appalachia's longstanding tradition of energy innovation." "Our team of world-class of organizations have collaborated and put together a strong and compelling application for a sustainable regional clean hydrogen program that meets government and industry objectives, addressing technical, commercial, and social justice goals in a highly transparent manner," said Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer. "We are proud to be part of such an initiative that will advance our country's long-term energy strategy." "GTI Energy is thrilled to be part of the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub proposal which is designed to create significant benefits for the people and communities needing access to low-carbon, low-cost energy," said Paula A. Gant, PhD, President and CEO, GTI Energy. "Our expertise across the hydrogen value chain and strong collaborative partnership skills will assist ARCH2 in building a decarbonized, competitive economy in the Appalachian region." "AST has long supported the development of hydrogen as a fundamental building block of a clean energy future and I am encouraged by the comprehensive proposal the ARCH2 team has developed," said Arria Hines, CEO. "ARCH2 will drive significant economic growth opportunities and will bring value to Appalachia. I am confident that our proposal will bring focus to DOE's vision of a hydrogen economy, and we will make Appalachia the nation's one-stop shop' for hydrogen. We look forward to seeing our proposed efforts come to fruition." "There is an abundance of opportunity for West Virginia with the hydrogen hubs," said West Virginia Department of Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael. "As the world continues to demand cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy, West Virginia is prepared to support this effort and continue to diversify and grow the state's energy portfolio. Additionally, landing a hydrogen hub will enable the state to continue as a leader in supplying the energy needs of the U.S." Entities interested in participating in ARCH2 are encouraged to contact: info@arch2hub.com About Battelle 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 GTI Energy GTI Energy is a leading research and training organization. Our trusted team works to scale impactful solutions that shape energy transitions by leveraging gases, liquids, infrastructure, and efficiency. We embrace systems thinking, open learning, and collaboration to develop, scale, and deploy the technologies needed for low-carbon, low-cost energy systems. www.gti.energy About EQT EQT Corporation is a leading independent natural gas production company with operations focused in the cores of the Marcellus and Utica Shales in the Appalachian Basin. We are dedicated to responsibly developing our world-class asset base and being the operator of choice for our stakeholders. By leveraging a culture that prioritizes operational efficiency, technology and sustainability, we seek to continuously improve the way we produce environmentally responsible, reliable and low-cost energy. We have a longstanding commitment to the safety of our employees, contractors, and communities, and to the reduction of our overall environmental footprint. Our values are evident in the way we operate and in how we interact each day - trust, teamwork, heart, and evolution are at the center of all we do. To learn more, visit eqt.com. About AST AST is an energy solutions firm harnessing world-class agile expertise in applied science, energy efficiency, data analytics, and decision support tools to help build a better world. Utilizing scientists, consultants, and subject matter experts, AST delivers innovative solutions that drive clean, affordable, and sustainable energy technologies for its clients. 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 Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a contract for the pavement of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the meeting of the council presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said that maintenance would address public concerns about the presence of potholes on the bridge. And this was approved in the sum of N6.3 billion for a period of 24 months. This is in consonance with the Executive Order 11 signed by the president for the continued maintenance of public infrastructure. This contract responds to the questions on potholes that have become manifest on the entire pavement of the deck of the bridge spanning 11 eleven kilometres and the interchangesAdeniji Adele, Adekunle and Gbagada ramps that all link the bridge; this is for the resurfacing of all that. Those who are familiar with the bridge will recall that all of these failures were not this manifest on the bridge as at the time we did some work; and the work that we did concentrated largely on the sub-structure of the bridgethe piles, the underwater piles; the pile caps and also the replacement of the expansion joints and the bearings. According to Mr Fashola, a former governor of Lagos State, the maintenance works are critical to the structural integrity of the bridge. He said the maintenance works would restore the driving surface and the aesthetics. Some of the rails that have been stolen; some of the planes that have misaligned at the ramps that lead you on and off the bridge. So, this is the work that is being done now; so all the experience, avoiding potholes on the bridge; this project will tackle that, he said. The bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting the mainland to Lagos Island. The other two are Eko and Carter bridges. READ ALSO: Day I was thrown out of bus on Third Mainland Bridge Denrele Edun The 11,800m Third Mainland Bridge was opened in 1990 during the military administration of President Ibrahim Babangida. FECs approval comes barely two weeks after the Lagos State Government promised to rehabilitate the bridge by repairing failed and peeled asphaltic sections and substructure. 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 High Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday, fined a man N100,000 for about N20 million fraud perpetrated against a foreign organisation. The court convicted and sentenced Muhammad Kulloma to one-year imprisonment for the fraud, but with an option of N100,000 fine, according to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Kulloma, according to the EFCCs statement, duped Abdulwahab Aji in August 2020 to deliver N19,950,000 to him under the guise of executing a contract for the supply of water pumps awarded by the Norwegian Refugee Council, a non-governmental organisation. The statement said the convict fraudulently induced Mr Aji to deliver the money to him through his Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited Company account with GT Bank. EFCC subsequently charged the suspect, who pleaded not guilty. The commission, according to the statement, called several witnesses and tendered documents during the trial. Delivering judgement on Wednesday, the judge, Umaru Fadawu, of the High Court of Borno State, in Maiduguri, found the defendant guilty of the offence. The judge sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with an option of N100,000. There was no indication in EFCCs statement that the money was recovered from the convict or that he was ordered to make restitution. But an official said the commission had possibly recovered the money from the convict. The judge ordered Mr Kulloma to remain in detention until the company, Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited, paid the 100,000 fine. READ EFCCS FULL STATEMENT EFCC Press Release Company Executive, One Other Convicted for Fraud in Maiduguri The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, secured the conviction and sentencing of one Muhammad Abdullahi Kulloma to one year imprisonment before Justice Umaru Fadawu of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri Kulloma was prosecuted on one count amended charge of cheating to the tune of N19, 950,000.00 (Nineteen Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). The charge reads: That you Muhammad Abdullahi Kulloma and Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited sometime in August, 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently induced one Abdulwahab Abba Aji to deliver to you the sum of Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N19,950,000.00) only via your Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited Company account No. 0458028956 domiciled in GT Bank Plc under the guise of executing a contract for the supply of water pumps awarded by Norwegian Refugee Council a Non- Governmental Organisation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 320 (a) and 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State. The defendant pleaded not guilty and the matter went into full trial during which the prosecution called several witnesses and tendered documents to prove the case against the defendant Delivering judgment today, Justice Fadawu found him guilty, convicted and sentenced him to a year imprisonment with an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) The judge ordered the company, Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited to pay a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira); and the convict is not to be released until his company pays the fine. In another development, one Alhaji Mamman Shuwa was convicted and sentenced to nine years imprisonment before Justice Umaru Fadawu of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a three-count amended charge for obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N2m (Two Million Naira). Count one read: That you, Alhaji Mamman Shuwa sometime in January 2021, at Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of N2, 000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) only from Alhaji Musa Abdullahi of Abuja Sheraton, Maiduguri under the pretence that the said amount represent payment for the purchase of a purported plot of land N0. 525 on BOSA/153 laying and situate at Layin Hadiza, opposite Hadiza Memorial Primary and Secondary School, Abuja Sheraton Hotel, Maiduguri, in Maiduguri Metropolitan Local Government Area (MMC), Borno State which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under 1(3) of the same Act. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution called several witnesses and tendered several documents to prove the case against the defendant. Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced him to nine years imprisonment without the option of a fine. The Judge ordered the convict to pay the sum of N2m to his victim or serve an additional five years prison term, in default. Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media & Publicity 12/04/2023 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. Renowned Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, has replied the All Progressives Congress (APC) which called for her arrest following a letter she wrote to the American President, Joe Biden, alleging that the 2023 election was flawed. The novelist, in an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday, also criticised Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka over his comments about the Labour Partys vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed. Ms Adichie stated that Soyinkas description of Mr Baba-Ahmeds comment as fascist was a strong word that is only appropriate for the government of the day and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), gagging the will of the majority of Nigerians through a fraudulent election. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Dele Alake, the special adviser communications to President-elect, Bola Tinubu, said Ms Adichie may face a lawsuit over an allegation she made against the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu. Ms Adichie had in an open letter to the US president said Many believe that the INEC chair has been compromised. In the interview, she defended the letter she wrote and spoke on her support for Mr Obi. She also accused the American authorities of double standards on democracy on the African Continent. I wrote that letter because this is important to preserve the truth when something like this happens in a country its important to tell the story of what happened. What happened is it was not an election, it was a really unforgivable flaw and there is evidence for that. I wanted to call out to the US for what I consider two faces when it comes to Africa. The US has a long history of complicity in non-democratic elections on this continent. Recently in Congo, they endorse an election that was an absolute sham but the same US will turn around and criticize Congo for not being democratic. My point was to say be what you say you are. You cannot criticise African countries for being non-democratic while at the same time endorsing something that was quite evidently undemocratic. The most glaring is that we Nigerians all saw these mutilated elections, we saw polling unit agents talking about how what they had at the polling unit was not what was then announced or uploaded officially. For me, that is a striking reason and example of why this election was not about technical glitching. Can we also realise that Nigeria is full of very bright young people in tech? There is no reason for that excuse of a technical glitch. Why was it possible to other people to upload the results of the other federal elections but not the presidential one? And I think most of us have this resounding unfortunate silence from the chairman of INEC and I think Nigerians deserve respect over an institution that is supposed to shepherd their democracy and nobody is coming out to explain to Nigerians how that happened. There was a statement about technical glitches. It is not convincing and knowing how much hope and trust the Nigerians invested in this election, knowing that Nigeria is a low-trust society means that if the people are truly sincere and have nothing to hide they will make (an) extra effort to explain to Nigerians what happened. Replies to APC She said the ruling All Progressives Congress is just trying to derail from what is important to Nigerians by accusing her of not voting in the election. I think that its not a useful criticism, I should say first of all that I have never been fazed by criticism. I wrote (this letter to the US president) of course, knowing full well that there will be criticism from certain quarters and Ive seen a few things people sent to me and it has been kind of amusing to read the juvenile fulmination of non-juvenile people. I have a home in Lagos and America, and I am very often here (Lagos), I tried very hard to get my PVC and the reason was that I was assured that technology will save us. It works in Osun, Ekiti, and Anambra, I really tried. We should also talk about how difficult is to collect PVC and that in itself is a form of voter disenfranchisement. Ive done the first and I could not collect my PVC. Yes I did not vote but my not voting does not mean I cannot comment in an election, I am a Nigerian citizen, and every Nigerian has a right to an opinion. When people say BVAS worked but IREV did not work which is a way of countering the accusation that technology was manipulated the response is, both have to work for the election to be credible BVAS was about making sure we did not have ghost voters but it defeats the purpose if you then do not upload the results because those results that you have make sure real people voted but then those real results we cant see them in real-time as professor Mahmoud Yakubu said. Because he said, the public will be able to view the polling unit results as soon as the elections are finalised on Election Day. This is an important thing to talk about and address with the Nigerian people. The Electoral Act 2022 gave INEC the legal backing to have electronic transmission of results and did say in a format INEC could decide and we know that format because the chairman of INEC told us what the format would be when he said that the results would be uploaded at the end of voting from the polling units and that was not done. It seems to me strange to deflect from that important issue and talk about how someone is not in Nigeria, those are not the points, the points are what happened. Lawsuit I am not worried about the lawsuit. Again, I think those are the things that are trying to deflect from what is really important and what is at stake. It could be very useful if people could point out what is untrue in the letter. The rumour surrounding the election is part of the story of the election. If you leave a gap in information, people will try to fill that gap, its how human minds work our country is a low-trust society and we are so desperate to believe in something and we believe in this election, it does not work out well and nobody gives us convincing reasons and of course, people are going to rumours about people being compromised and also our political landscape is stiff in people being compromised and I am not worried about that I think that any fair-minded person in this country who is honest will acknowledged that these rumours are circulating and I said very clearly there is no evidence for them and I do say that in the story of this election, many people are starting to think On her support for Peter Obi and ethnicity sentiment Tribesman is such an outdated and strange expression and I also said something about that whoever is using it. Its a practice of that psychologists called projecting. You are doing something but you are accusing someone else of doing it even though they are not. I did not support Peter Obi because he is an Igbo as I am. I am a person who does not take a position lightly I very much admired Peter Obi and respect him and there are many other people whom I respect and admired but I will never vote for them to be president because I just dont think that they will be good President. My support for Peter Obi is rooted in real things, my faith in his ability. I got to know him when he came and pay homage to my parents because he heard that my father was the first professor of statistics in Nigeria and my mother had retired as the first female registrar of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I was very impressed by that because he shows me how much he valued education and then he became governor of Anambra State, he took Anambra State to number one in education and I remembered being impressed by the story of how he gave his personal phone number to all the senior prefect in secondary schools in Anambra which shows me that he is interested in how ordinary people think. He wants to hear from the student about what is happening. And his focus on security, he really tackled kidnapping in Anambra and I also remember that he really clashed with Anambra elites when he was tackling insecurity and kidnapping and that shows me that he is quite decisive even though he has a bit of a stubborn streak he is very focused on things that are really why I supported him. The idea of ethnicity again I think is a way of deflecting, let us focus on what really matters. Its unfortunate that only one part of the political spectrum is politicising ethnicity. I think its very unfortunate but I dont think people in Nigeria really care about ethnicity as much as they care about having a country that works for them, we want good leadership, and we want the hospitals, the schools and roads to be good and that affect everyone, whether Yoruba, Ijaw, and everyone. Attack on Wole Soyinka I admire him, I respect him as a thinker, and a writer, and I think everyone should read The Man Died but at the same time, I disagree very strongly with him on this particular issue, I watched his interview twice thinking that I was missing something. Fascism is a really strong word that often made me think of Missolounis Italy but we use it now to address this kind of authoritarianism that often populates the right wing like in Hungry and even the former American President and if you look at these situations you can see why they have been tamed fascist. I did not see any reason that Datti Baba-Ahmeds interview would have been tamed fascism. I think he was making a very strong point about the election. He was saying that if our democracy is not rooted in our constitution and you then swear in a person who is being elected unconstitutionally then you infer ending democracy, I think a quite reasonable position. The court will interpret the position, I dont think any reasonable Nigerian who can read and knows what the AND means can make their interpretation and argue with it. The fact that the Labour Party is in the court means that they do not believe that this election was constitutional, I dont see why he will be tamed as a fascist. I think a charitable way of reading Professor Soyinkas comments is that Professor Soyinka himself said he is not giving to restraint in the language in general and that may be where the word fascist came from. However, I have a suggestion for what we could use for fascism, we could use fascism for INEC because as is it right now, many Nigerians feel deeply cheated by INEC and deeply disenfranchised by INEC and there is authoritarianism which is the basis of fascism at the centre of manipulating election because what you do is gagging people and forcefully taken aware their voice that is fascism. Fascism is all of the violence that happened during the election, its all about the silence that some people retain about that violence. Fascism is the government that did not come out to address the very tangible and palpable discontent in this country. What I mean by using fascism for INEC is that for so many of us including myself this is not in any way a technological glitch. Professor Yakubu had an opportunity to high rising and he wasted it spectacularly because its very easy to become the very hero of not just Nigeria but Africa. After all, so many Africa are watching and they are so inspired by what happened before this election the obedient movement. I also think that President Muhammadu Buhari missed the chance in high rising because Nigerians felt that he mean well and credible election. I dont think that many Nigerians think that now. The Supreme Court has just made a ruling that does not make sense to a lot of people. I am optimistic that the supreme court will do the rightful and that people will get justice, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. Emeka Ugwuoke, a retired colonel, has accused authorities of the Nigerian Army in Enugu State of invading his residence and forcefully ejecting his wife and children from his apartment in the state. Mr Ugwuoke, a former coordinator of Joint Intelligence Fusion Cell of Operation Hadarim Daji in Zamfara State, disclosed this while speaking with reporters in Enugu on Wednesday. He said over 40 armed soldiers from 82 Division of the Nigerian Army had stormed his residence at about 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday and allegedly man-handled his wife and children before forcefully ejecting them from the apartment. The retired colonel, who was residing at a military quarter within the premises of the division in Enugu, had travelled to Nsukka, his home town, when the soldiers arrived in the area. The armed soldiers were said to be acting on directives of General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Aminu Chinade. The retired colonel told reporters that although military authorities were claiming ownership of the apartment, he had bought the apartment from the Enugu State Government some years ago. The apartment is along Abakaliki Road, within an estate at the Government Residential Area. Mr Ugwuoke said he had presented documents showing evidence of the acquisition but the GOC allegedly refused to listen to him. My story Sometimes in 2008, the Enugu State Government wanted to take over the state property that Nigerian Army personnel were occupying and I am living in one of them. I wanted to benefit from it and the division said I should meet my state so that if they give me, thats okay. I wrote several applications to the state government and in 2013, the then governor, Sullivan Chime, approved my application. I couldnt further the process because I was away until 2015 and that was in a critical period when attention was on politics only. When the new governor came, he said I should hold on, that there are a series of committees to verify those things, which eventually ended and I was given papers of the apartment, Mr Ugwuoke narrated. The retired colonel said a certain GOC had, in 2020, attempted to challenge his ownership of the apartment, arguing that the property belonged to the Nigerian government, but stopped after the matter was addressed. Nothing was heard again until November last year when (another) GOC sent 20 soldiers to my house to come and remove my things but after some intervention from senior colleagues they left. In March 15, 2023, they wrote to me and asked me to pack out within two weeks, despite my presentation of papers and approvals from the state government, he said. As I travelled to the village for burial yesterday, 11th of April, by 1:15 a.m. this morning, 12th of April, my daughter called me. My wife was not around. She was in the hospital and my daughter said that about 40 soldiers invaded our house and tried to forcefully open the door before my house help opened the door. They were harassing and beating my children telling them to pack their things. I came down to Enugu from Nsukka this morning to the greatest surprise of my life, soldiers invaded my house and destroyed my properties. You can see the air conditioner, television, everything destroyed and they came and kept it here on the street, two kilometres away from my house. My wife drove from the hospital around 2:00 a.m. and two female soldiers beat her up on her arrival, dragging her to go out of the compound, he lamented. Asked if he had reached the state government over the ownership claims by the army authorities, Mr Ugwuoke said the state government was surprised at the army claims when he reported the matter to them. I have papers to show I have a paper to show where the Nigeria Army acknowledged that the property belonged to the state government, written by the army itself and signed by one major general on behalf of the chief of army staff, he said. The spokesperson of the division, Jonah Unuakhalu, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking comments from him about the alleged invasion and ejection. But an army official at the division, who asked not to be named, claimed Mr Ugwuoke was occupying the quarter illegally. He said the retired colonel was ejected last year from the apartment, but he refused to leave, stressing that the army would not accept anybody attempting to acquire its property illegally. Why cant the retired colonel respect himself and quit the property rather than seeking unnecessary sympathy, he stated. 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 Vice President Atiku Abubakar has responded to the petition filed by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). Atiku responded to CCB via letter by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, noting that the case is subjudice being the subject matter of a pending case before the Federal High Court already. Suggesting to the CCB to stay action on the case, Mr Ozekhome said in the letter dated 7 April and shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, that he wrote the CBB following media reports of the agencys invitation to Mr Keyamo to shed light on the allegations contained in his petition. Background Mr Keyamo, who is also the campaign spokesperson for the Bola Tinubu presidential campaign, filed a petition against Atiku over allegation of using special purpose vehicles to siphon Nigerias money. The minister copied all the major anti-graft agenciesthe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and CCB. He gave the anti-graft agencies 72 hours to investigate, arrest and prosecute Atiku. Following the expiration of the ultimatum, he filed a suit against the former Vice President at the Federal High Court in Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the CCB invited Mr Keyamo to adopt the aforementioned petition and to provide any additional information. Atikus response In a letter dated 11 April and addressed to the CCB, Atiku said it will be inappropriate to respond to the CCB since a court is already handling the case. it is highly inappropriate for a party to a suit to take any extra-judicial steps, or to embark on any course of action that is either tantamount to, or calculated to undermine the authority and integrity of the court, which is dominus litis over the proceedings. Such behaviour is as condemnable as it is unacceptable. It is strongly frowned upon, by courts of law, as it has the potential of over-reaching the court, the other party (our client) and foisting or the court, a fait accompli. In fact, it smacks of contempt of court, albeit ex facie curiae, the letter reads in part. Mr Ozekhome also informed CCB that Atiku already responded to the originating summon by the Federal High Court. Upon being served with the originating process in the said suit, our client through us promptly responded by filing a statement of defence as well as a preliminary objection thereto, he stated. SPV allegation Mr Achimugu, who claimed to be a former aide of Atiku, in a series of social media posts, accused Atiku of using Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) to commit financial fraud. Mr Keyamo, at the end of the expiration of the 72 hours ultimatum, filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order compelling the security agencies to arrest Atiku. 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. Governor Douye Diri has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary to contest the Bayelsa governorship seat on 11 November. With this development, the coast is clear for Mr Diri to seek a second tenure. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Diri, who was the sole aspirant for the primary, polled 305 yes votes from the delegates to emerged as the party candidate. The primary election conducted on Wednesday had the party delegates from the eight local government areas of the state casting their votes to affirm the candidature of the governor. Chairman of the election committee and Osun governor, Ademola Adeleke, urged the people of the state to rally around the party during the governorship election. He expressed happiness that the committee was able to conduct a free and fair primary, urging members to unite to ensure victory. Mr Diri, a former senator, in his remark, promised to lead the party to victory, pointing out that Bayelsa was a PDP state judging from the presidential and National Assembly elections. He said: In a democracy, people must be allowed to vote and the votes must count; people of Bayelsa must ensure that persons with violent tendencies are not entrusted with leadership. The voting pattern during the general election showed that Bayelsa is totally PDP; our government has been able to bring back members who have left. We have formed a united front. In the past three years, our government has embarked on several infrastructural projects and made the welfare of civil servants a priority. We will consolidate on what we have on ground when we are re-elected. We will continue to take necessary steps to bring shared prosperity to Bayelsa and its people, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Reader survey As a reader of PREMIUM TIMES, your opinion matters. Please take our survey to help us better understand the values and preferences of our readers. Your feedback will give us valuable insights into how we can tailor the different types of content we offer to meet your needs. The survey should only take about 6-8 minutes to complete. Click here to take it. The Lagos State government says its officials are assessing the situation at an unapproved seven-floor building under construction which collapsed in Banana Island Wednesday evening. The state government said this on Wednesday in a statement by the spokesperson of the state ministry of physical planning and urban development, Mukaila Sanusi. The statement said some persons who sustained injuries in the incident were being treated. There is no fatality. This unfortunate incident happened while casting was being done. The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins was immediately on site to assess the situation and flag- off investigation. We ask members of the public to remain calm and expect further information from the ministry as we know more. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported that the building collapsed at First Avenue, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos. It said Ibrahim Farinloye, Lagos Territorial Coordinator National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), confirmed the incident in an interview with the news agency on Wednesday in Lagos. Mr Farinloye told NAN that the building, which was under construction, trapped some workers inside. He said all the emergency agencies were on their way to the scene of the incident. 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. Soyinka speaks from a place of love and concern for our democracy. If we could listen to his voice of rage, he talked about investing his energy in the new kid on the block. I remember him saying his dream was to see an Igbo President before leaving this world. In 2019, Professor Wole Soyinka had a fascinating conversation with Christiane Amanpour of CNN. When he was asked about the right to give and take offence in a democracy, he said, Weve got to learn to give offence if we believe that we are on the right side of history. I recreated his relationship with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, in my film, Other Side of History, which he has seen, set before Nigerias Independence. I am Igbo. I am openly a supporter of Peter Obi. I am also a Soyinkaphile. I want to say, it is, sometimes, difficult to understand the cryptic words of Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka. When he talks to me, I listen attentively, so I dont miss anything he says. When he sends me an email, I go back to read it. At least, three times. Could this be what I call the economy of language? The Wole Soyinka I know is Igbo-centric and is a vital force for the inclusive fight for humanity in general. No matter the current heat, I must plead with young Nigerians and supporters of Peter Obi, to believe me, when I say Professor Soyinka supports Peter Obi. In private and even in public, he always stressed how it is important to have an Igbo President or let the Igbo have their own country. He also wants a competent person to lead the nation. Right now, we are all emotional. I understand why. But, I want you to remember that Professor Soyinka said he was in touch with Mr Peter Obi. Perhaps, there was a tangible reason why he didnt endorse him publicly. The Soyinka I know is a fierce loyalist. When he loves you, it is hard for him to turn his back on you. If you had two people, an Igbo and a Yoruba, come to Professor Soyinka for help, I can tell you, without mincing words, that he will attend to the Igbo first. He may not like this, but I found out over the years. A Yoruba friend of mine once described me as Soyinkas gatekeeper. It didnt end well between us. We practically stopped talking because of that appellation. Just weeks ago, he broke his silence and came out, publicly weighing in on my imbroglio with the British educational establishment. It was after that, he started speaking to the press. It was because of this Igbo boy that he left the quietness of his life, to speak to the media. People were genuinely shocked that he would attach his name in defence of me. I was also shocked. It brought me to tears. I will remain eternally grateful to him. In 2021, I visited Frederick Forsyth in his hometown. We spoke about Ojukwu. The moment I asked if he met Wole Soyinka, he brightened up: Is he alive? He asked me. I said yes and he asked me to do a video and send it to Professor Soyinka. After making that video, which I sent to Professor Soyinka, Mr Forsyth told me that the last time he saw Professor Soyinka was in Biafra. They sat under a tree in Biafra and talked. I have stories to tell you: on 9 February, 2019, Professor Wole Soyinka, while recruiting people by himself, to get on the Campaign Team of Professor Kingsley Moghalu, wanted me to do a documentary on Professor Moghalu, whether in Igbo or anything. I had never met Professor Moghalu then. So, Professor Soyinka said to me afterwards: Regarding Moghalu Ive let him know that youre available to do a documentary for him but it turns out his team already has an on-call documentarist, so Ive left them alone. He took the Moghalu Project seriously. We would have asked why. Wole Soyinka loves Igbo people. Sincerely, if we are going to label him a tribalist. Right now, we are all emotional. I understand why. But, I want you to remember that Professor Soyinka said he was in touch with Mr Peter Obi. Perhaps, there was a tangible reason why he didnt endorse him publicly. The Soyinka I know is a fierce loyalist. When he loves you, it is hard for him to turn his back on you. Let me plead with Obidients and every lover of Peter Obi that it is impossible that the great Nobel Laureate is against them. Knowing Wole Soyinka having followed him personally as a child, he stands for liberation from dictatorship and anarchy. Let me plead with Obidients and every lover of Peter Obi that it is impossible that the great Nobel Laureate is against them. Knowing Wole Soyinka having followed him personally as a child, he stands for liberation from dictatorship and anarchy. Soyinka speaks from a place of love and concern for our democracy. If we could listen to his voice of rage, he talked about investing his energy in the new kid on the block. I remember him saying his dream was to see an Igbo President before leaving this world. At 88, Wole Soyinka is technology savvy. He uses his iPhone and MacBook efficiently. He is the most modern man I know. He can defend himself, but I want to assure every supporter of Peter Obi, that as tribe goes, the Nobel Laureate wants an Igbo President and as political movements are involved, he is also not against the Obidient Movement. I can strongly assure you that! Someone asked me yesterday: What are you going to do about the attacks on Wole Soyinka? Did you see the posts by David Hundeyin? I replied: David can decide to attack me tomorrow if he feels like it. He is not 16 years old. He cant be compromised. Its the democracy we all want, where we can agree and disagree. Many of Peter Obis supporters are not Igbo. They are Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, Edo from all tribes. His fierce supporters like David Hundeyin, Rinu Oduala, and Aisha Yesufu are not even Igbo. I tell you, Kongi is not against us. If anything, he wants the new kid on the block to be president. Onyeka Nwelue is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, talk-show host, bookseller and founder of La Cave Musik & Battus Books. This article was originally published in thisislagos.ng. 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. Atule Ahmadu-Afolabi on Wednesday joined the November Kogi governorship race on the platform of the Labour Party (LP). Mrs Ahmadu-Afolabi, a medical doctor, told journalists shortly after picking her nomination forms at the party secretariat in Abuja, that her focus was to harness the economic potential of the state. My main focus is to ensure that Kogi is economically viable through selfless services and Labour Party as we know, is a social democratic party. The party carries along professionals, women farmers and everybody, to ensure that there is food for us to eat. In Kogi State right now, if you are driving around the state you could see hunger physically on faces of people and that has to change, that is why I am here to change the narrative for good. You all know that It is evidently clear in Kogi State that salaries are being paid in percentile and that is absolutely inhuman. You dont expect people to come to work for 30 days without salary being paid? It is undemocratic, she said. Mrs Ahmadu-Afolabi said that as a mother, her target was to ensure that no Kogi resident went to sleep on empty stomach. She also promised to turn around the healthcare service in the state for the better, pledging to establish and equip hospitals to ameliorate the plight of Kogi residents. She also promised to reinvigorate the civil service in the state toward effective and efficient service delivery, saying that the LP would change the narrative of suffering in the state especially in the civil service by ensuring prompt salary payment. READ ALSO: Two women elected into Kogi State House of Assembly Mrs Ahmadu-Afolabi promised to work with young people, empower them and create employment opportunities for them. She promised to involve traditional rulers in community affairs and make them accountable for their youth to reduce the crime rate in the state and make youth would productive. Mrs Ahmadu-Afolabi called on all stakeholders to support her quest to be governor of Kogi for the good of the state. (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 Kogi Assembly Majority Leader, Murktar Bajeh (APC-Okehi), has resigned his position in protest of the terrorist tag thrown at him and eight other colleagues. The state governor, Yahaya Bello, on 23 March called nine of the 25 assembly members terrorists for their alleged roles during the 18 March House of Assembly elections in the state. In a letter to the speaker of the assembly, Matthew Kolawole, Mr Bello asked the assembly to suspend the nine lawmakers. He also asked the assembly to investigate their actions during the election. But Mr Bajeh, in a letter to the assembly, said he was stepping down from his position in protest of the disposition of the assembly and the governor. I hereby wish to inform this House that I am no more interested in being your leader, but have resigned forthwith, the letter read. The speaker, who read Mr Bajehs letter during plenary, asked for comments on the matter. It was at that point that a motion was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Alfa Momoh-Rabiu, for the nomination of the chief whip, Ahmed Dahiru, to replace Mr Bajeh as the majority leader. The speaker quickly asked the assembly to vote on the nomination of Mr Dahiru as the new majority leader to fill in the vacant position, and the members unanimously accepted Mr Dahiru as their new Majority Leader owing to his capacity and ability to do the job. The house having accepted the choice of Hon. Ahmed Dahiru, member representing Okene II, to fill in the gap left by Hon. Muktar Bajeh, we hereby declare him (Dahiru) our new Majority Leader from today, the speaker said. NAN Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The TransWest Express Project will carry electricity generated by the largest onshore wind generation project in North America, the over 3-gigawatt Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, located in Carbon County, Wyoming. Like the TransWest Express Project, the 600-turbine Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind project is partially located on public lands managed by the BLM. Building new interregional transmission lines helps deliver clean, reliable, and affordable electricity that lowers costs for consumers. The TransWest Express Project is the second high-voltage, multi-state transmission line completed by the BLM Wyoming State Office within the last year; the State Office approved construction of the Energy Gateway South project in May 2022. The BLM Wyoming State Office issued the notice to proceed in partnership with the agency's Colorado, Utah, and Nevada state offices. "Public lands continue to play a vital role in advancing President Biden's goal of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050," said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. "This large-scale transmission line will put people to work across our public lands and will help deliver clean, renewable energy. Our responsible use of public lands today can help ensure a clean energy future for us all." The BLM worked with multiple federal, state, and local partners to prepare an environmental impact statement for the TransWest Express Project. The environmental impact statement process included robust public participation and assures that best management practices and environmental conservation measures will be implemented as the project is constructed and operated. Mitigation requirements included by the BLM will offset project impacts to greater sage-grouse, lands with wilderness characteristics, and other natural resources in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. Additional information, including the National Environmental Policy Act documents, can be found on the BLM's ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/65198/510. For more information on the TransWest Express Project, contact BLM Wyoming State Lead Public Affairs Specialist, Micky Fisher at 307-775-6328. 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 Governor-elect of Abia State, Alex Otti, has announced the constitution of transition council members ahead of his 29 May swearing-in ceremony as the next elected governor of the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission had, on 22 March, declared Mr Otti of the Labour Party as the winner of the 18 March governorship election in Abia State. The governor-elect announced the constitution of the transition council members on Tuesday in a post via his verified Twitter handle. Preparatory to our formal assumption of office on May 29, 2023, I named members of the Transition Council that will articulate policy agenda for a new Abia, Mr Otti posted on the micro-blogging website. The council, to be chaired by Victor Onyenkpa and co-chaired by Ifueko Omogui Okauru, will be inaugurated on Friday, April 14, 2023, in Aba, he added. Mr Onyenkpa is the chief operating officer of KPMG, a multinational consulting firm providing audit, tax and advisory services while Mrs Okauru is a former chairperson of the Federal Inland Revenue Service. The governor-elect, in a separate statement, issued by the Councils Secretariat later on Tuesday, identified other members of the council to include Arunma Oteh, a former director-general of Nigerias Securities and Exchange Commission and former treasurer and vice-president of the World Bank. Mrs Oteh also currently serves as a director at FSD Africa, an international development agency focused primarily on financial markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Others are Ndubuisi Ekekwe, a Nigerian-born inventor and professor who helped Apple design a semiconductor for the iPhone, Uche Orji, the immediate past chief executive office of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Victor Okoronkwo, the group managing director of Aiteo Oil and Gas. Frank Nneji, Founder of ABC Transport Company and Ide John Udeagbala, an Abia-based entrepreneur, are also members of the council, according to the statement. It described members of the transition council as distinguished professionals and technocrats in business, economics, entrepreneurship and politics. The choice of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, for the inauguration of the Council is strategic as well as significant with the Enyimba City being the centrepiece of the incoming Alex Otti governments economic and infrastructural development plan, the statement added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Dubai will host the Global Summit of Women, a major international business and economic forum for women leaders, for the first time from May 4 to 6. Convened by US-based Globewomen Research & Education Institute, the Global Summit of Women brings together 800 delegates from 70 economies to engage in active cross-border networking, robust best practice exchanges, and inspiring presentations, with a focus on strategic and creative solutions to advance womens economic progress globally, said a Wam news agency report. The summit highlights include a special session on Doing Business with the UAE to equip delegates with key information needed to form future business alliances and opportunities, which will be led by UAEs Minister for the Economy Abdulla bin Tocq and Securities and Commodities Authority CEO Dr Maryam buti al Suwaidi. In addition, a Ministerial Roundtable in which 25+ ministers and government officials are expected to attend for exchanges of what works legislatively in improving womens economic lives, especially programmes in which both business and government are partners. The summit also plans to release its first report on women board directors in the MENAT region its 36th report on women directors globally covering 1,148 listed companies in 16 economies. The delegates will gather in Dubai under the theme of Women: Leading a New Climate of Change to highlight how women are utilising innovative strategies and technologies to advance womens economic opportunities and to address challenges faced by society at large. As in years past, women leaders ranging from cabinet ministers of various portfolios, CEOs of major companies, entrepreneurs, along with male and female senior executives of multinational corporations, are all expected to participate in the three-day summit. Delegations of women in business are expected from countries as diverse as South Africa, Vietnam, France, Spain, Mexico, Germany, and Kazakhstan, to name a few. We look forward to bringing this renowned summit to the Gulf region for the first time, specifically to the UAE, since it is the regional leader in advancing women economically and in leadership positions, says summit President Irene Natividad. Not everyone knows that women make up 50% of the UAEs Parliament or that 30% of the Cabinet is female, or that the UAE was the first country to institute a quota for women board directors in the region. I want the Summit audience to leave with a sense of the progress being achieved in this economy. There is genuine excitement from all parts of the world to come to Dubai, so we expect a dynamic, fact-filled and engaging dialogue with robust practical outcomes individual and organizational -- on what can be done to move the needle on economic equity for women, adds Natividad. Founded in 1990, the Global Summit of Women is a programme of GlobeWomen Research & Education Institute, a non-profit organisation based in Washington, DC. Avista recently finalized two contracts resulting from the 2022 All Source RFP effort. Avista completed an agreement to purchase clean energy from a planned regional wind project. The 30-year agreement is for approximately 100 megawatts beginning no later than January 1, 2026. More details related to the wind contract will be released soon. Combined with several other recent contracts signed with Chelan Public Utility District and Columbia Basin Hydro Projects for hydro resources over 70 percent of Avista's peak generating capability will be produced from non-emitting resources in 2026. Additionally, Avista completed a 15-year extension to our existing agreement to buy energy produced from the 282 MW Lancaster natural gas combined cycle combustion turbine owned and operated by Rathdrum Power, LLC and located in Rathdrum, Idaho. This agreement allows Avista to optimize an existing natural gas resource to ensure sufficient generating capability and ramping flexibility to reliably serve Avista's electric customers, without adding new natural gas plants. "These projects fill an important need for both clean energy and capacity. The new wind contract is a valuable addition to our portfolio. It will supplement two existing wind projects bringing Avista's total wind generation to approximately 12 percent of our overall resource portfolio," said Scott Kinney, Avista's vice president of energy resources. "The Lancaster plant is an important asset in our resource portfolio providing cost effective reliable generation and ensuring adequate resource supply in an ever-changing energy market. The results of the RFP are important next steps to ensure affordable, reliable and clean energy for years to come." The contracts are the result of Avista's 2022 All Source Request for Proposals that sought resources to meet peak load capacity, average energy, and renewable shortfalls between 2026 and 2030 as identified in the company's 2021 Electric Integrated Resource Plan. In addition to renewable energy needs, Avista sought approximately 196 MW of winter capacity and 190 MW of summer capacity by 2030 for reliability. About Avista Utilities Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 411,000 customers and natural gas to 377,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.7 million. AERC is an Avista subsidiary that, through its subsidiary AEL&P, provides retail electric service to 17,000 customers in the city and borough of Juneau, Alaska. Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA". For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com. This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than historical facts. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, in addition to those discussed herein, all of the factors discussed in the company's and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2022, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022. Avista Corp. and the Avista Corp. logo are trademarks of Avista Corporation. Contact: Media: Annie Gannon, annie.gannon@avistacorp.com Avista 24/7 Media Access (509) 495-4174 GUANGZHOU, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Xu Bing, Vice Secretary General of Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, lately led a delegation to Denmark, Iceland and Sweden for the promotion of China Import and Export Fair ("Canton Fair" or "the Fair"), to showcase the new image of the 133rd Canton Fair and attract more Nordic companies to attend the Fair, receiving wide attention from the business communities in these countries. Canton Fair Promotion Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark Northern European countries and China enjoy strong complementarities in industries and huge space for cooperation. Based on the unique characteristics of the local market, the delegation conducted an array of promotional activities, such as: held two promotional conferences in Denmark and Sweden and one seminar in Iceland ; and and one seminar in ; visited government departments for trade promotion and industrial and commercial organizations, such as the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Business Iceland and Business Sweden; signed Canton Fair Global Cooperative Agreement with Sweden-China Trade Council; paid research visits to renowned convention and exhibition center including Bella Center in Denmark , Harpa in Iceland , and Stockholmsmassen in Sweden ; , Harpa in , and Stockholmsmassen in ; visited and communicated with major retail chain enterprises, including Denmark's Netto and Bilka supermarket of Salling Group, Kronan in Iceland and Canton Fair VIP buyers such as X18 in Iceland . The working group conveyed the latest Canton Fair information and potential business opportunities to the Nordic business community, including the use of venue expansion, the increased exhibition area, and new exhibition sections and topics. International trade companies, exporters and importers of these 3 countries have shown strong interest to the Canton Fair. Meanwhile, the group learned firsthand opinions and suggestions from local partners on Canton Fair services through face-to-face, in-depth conversations. In the future, China Foreign Trade Centre will maintain close contact with industrial and commercial organizations in the world, improve customer service, facilitate more enterprises to share the benefits of Made in China and Chinese market, and contribute to the economic and trade exchanges between China and other countries. For latest news regarding the upcoming 133rd Canton Fair, please register at https://invitation.cantonfair.org.cn/BuyerUser/RegisterUser?MediaType=16 . SOURCE Canton Fair Boutique municipal investment manager taps long-term BlackRock veteran to lead newly formed entity NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 16Rock Asset Management (16Rock), a full-service asset manager specializing in U.S. Municipal Bond investment solutions, announced today that James Pruskowski has been appointed as its Chief Investment Officer and Head of Business Development. Mr. Pruskowski will lead the firm in its next phase of growth building on its history of managing investment funds and separate accounts dedicated to the U.S. municipal market. 16Rock is a newly formed entity of 16th Amendment Advisors LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. Based at 16Rock's headquarters in New York, Mr. Pruskowski will drive investment strategy and outcome-oriented solutions for institutional and high-net-worth clients worldwide. 16Rock's Chief Executive Officer Jed McCarthy said, "I am thrilled to have James join the firm. He is one of the most respected names in the industry who has worked with clients all around the world to solve some of today's most complex challenges." The firm's President John Lee commented, "James' expertise in asset management will help accelerate our growth, focusing on providing global clients with innovative municipal products and investment excellence." "We are thrilled to have one of the most respected names in the industry join the firm," said CEO Jed McCarthy Tweet this Prior to joining 16Rock, Mr. Pruskowski served as Managing Director, Head of Institutional & Wealth Management for Municipal Bonds at BlackRock. Since 2004 he was the Head Portfolio Manager and served on the department's management committee which is responsible for leading the firm's Municipal Bond department. His career at BlackRock started in 1994 where he was one of the early employees who helped build the firm's solutions, financial institutions business, and its municipal bond franchise. About 16Rock Asset Management 16Rock is an affiliate of 16th Amendment Advisors LLC ("16th Amendment"), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor based in New York. Under the leadership of its founding members, Jed McCarthy and John Lee, 16th Amendment manages the Five Star(1)-rated Vicksburg Municipal Fund, as well as separate accounts for high-net-worth investors. 16th Amendment and James Pruskowski formed 16Rock Asset Management LLC to build an industry leading asset management firm specializing in municipal bonds. Building on James' decades of experience, 16Rock leverages the trading capabilities of 16th Amendment to provide innovative managed account solutions, transition management services, and alternative investments. Contact 16Rock Asset Management LLC: 212 332 1600; www.16Rock.com Please Note: Limitations . No amount of prior experience or success should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if 16th Amendment or 16Rock (SEC registration pending) is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of 16th Amendment's current written disclosure Brochure discussing its advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request by emailing [email protected]. (1) Source Morningstar Direct, a division of Morningstar, as of March 31, 2023. The 5 Star rating places Vicksburg in the top 10% of similar municipal separate account strategies based on risk adjusted returns. SOURCE 16Rock Asset Management Security organizations experienced 133% year-over-year growth in cyber assets, resulting in increased security complexity and mounting pressure for cloud enterprises MORRISVILLE, N.C., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- JupiterOne, the leading cyber asset visibility and management company, today announced the release of its second annual State of Cyber Assets Report (SCAR) . The report analyzed more than 291 million assets, findings, and policies to establish the current state of enterprise cloud assets, including cloud and physical environments of devices, networks, apps, data, and users. The latest JupiterOne research helps CEOs, CISOs, and security leaders understand the impact of the expanding attack surface on security complexity, and business, and uncovers the shocking growth in the average cybersecurity teams' responsibilities. Cyber assets increased by 133 percent year-over-year, from an average of 165,000 in 2022 to 393,419 in 2023. Organizations also saw the number of security vulnerabilities, or unresolved findings, increase by 589 percent, indicating a snowball effect as the number of assets more than doubled. The number of security vulnerabilities did not grow in direct proportion to the number of assets which may be attributed to an actual increase in unresolved vulnerabilities and the adoption of new technologies for vulnerability identification. Mid-sized organizations, defined as 50 to 499 employees, were the further along in building security visibility with the highest number of aggregated data sources. On average, large-sized organizations had 2,011 assets per employee, small organizations 681, and mid-sized organizations 489. Mid-sized organizations had the lowest asset-to-employee ratio, and since fewer assets per employee can indicate a higher ratio of talent resources to manage the asset lifecycle, this could be due to greater sophistication in engineering practices and better habits for asset destruction, lifecycle management, or ephemeral engineering practices. By analyzing millions of data points to summarize the state of cyber asset inventories each year, JupiterOne researchers learn where security practitioners are focused at nearly 250 organizations across sizes and sectors. Over the past 12 months, there has been an incredible and almost certainly unprecedented growth in the security practitioners' inventory of cyber assets, which has demanded entirely new levels of visibility, automation, and practice among resource-strapped security teams. The unprecedented growth in cyber assets and findings has multiple implications for the enterprise. Key Takeaways Unified Cyber Insight is Crucial Security practitioners aren't omniscient. Visibility into cross-system relationships is only as good as the integration and correlation across data sets. The average security team correlates 8.67 security data sources for unified cyber insight. Unified cyber insights matter a lot if anyone wants to effectively defend the cloud-native attack surface. However, teams may struggle to make a case for data access to systems owned or administered by other teams. Cyber Assets are Business Assets Everyone knows that modern businesses cannot function, let alone succeed, without their cyber assets in both cloud and physical environments. Still, security teams have long struggled to convince business leaders how much cyber assets are worth. Understanding that the average asset is worth $17,711 in 2023 may not help security teams get enough budget. However, it is a start toward quantifying the value of cyber assets. The Modern Attack Surface is Distributed Security practitioners are responsible for an average of 334 unique Cloud Service Provider (CSP) accounts in 2023 across all organizational sizes, or an average of 225 and 559 unique accounts at large and mid-sized organizations, respectively. Distributed cloud architecture methods create resiliency in the era of destructive ransomware attacks. But, the hyper-growth in distributed cloud architecture has introduced an unprecedented era of complexity for cybersecurity teams, who must contend with more assets, less standardization across CSPs, and the necessity of unified cyber insight. About the 2023 Annual State of Cyber Assets Report The 2023 State of Cyber Assets Report establishes the current state of enterprise cybersecurity assets and liabilities across complex attack surfaces of cloud and physical environments of devices, networks, apps, data, and user identities. The annual research examined asset characteristics and trends, asset superclasses, the cloud attack surface, asset relationships, and overall implications. Between September and December 2022, researchers used a knowledge graph data model to analyze cyber asset inventories, findings, policies, and queries derived from JupiterOne platform users. An in-depth analysis of 228 enterprises, mid-market organizations, and small businesses in financial services, technology, communications, industrials, and other sectors was conducted using an updated methodology. The complete 2023 State of Cyber Assets Report, Executive Summary, and past research are available on the SCAR resource page. Read or download the full report here. The SCAR team invites its readership to provide feedback on the findings and analysis within this year's report. Any organization wishing to do so or become a SCAR contributor should contact [email protected] for further information. Join JupiterOne at RSA Conference San Francisco JupiterOne will be onsite at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, California, April 24-27, 2023. Stop by the company's booth (Moscone South #1933) to meet the team and learn more about asset visibility and management. Additional details can be found here . Quotes Jasmine Henry, Senior Director of Data Security and Privacy at JupiterOne and Lead Researcher of 2023 The State of Cyber Assets Report "If the past year has taught us anything, it is the critical importance of security to the overall health of an organization and public safety. Cybersecurity is no longer just a CISO issue; the CEO, the board of directors, and investors are all paying close attention. Historians may write that the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack was when CEOs realized the importance of security and the 2021 Colonial Pipeline event was when the average person understood that security mattered but even though everyone is on-board with the importance of security, this report shows us how big of a mountain we still have to climb." Sounil Yu, CISO and Head of Research at JupiterOne "Security teams do not need more visibility. They just need access to the visibility that already exists within an organization. One of the key takeaways for organizations should be the importance of eliminating artificial barriers for security teams in getting this visibility. CEOs and other executives should ask their security teams what policies or inter-team dynamics hinder them from accessing the visibility they need. Security teams are already fighting an uphill battle. In this era of distributed and rapidly growing attack surfaces, organizations should focus on improving the processes and tools that unify our available data to gain greater cyber insights from the visibility we already have." Related Links Follow JupiterOne About JupiterOne JupiterOne is a leading cybersecurity company specializing in cyber asset and attack surface management. Customers use the JupiterOne platform to connect the dots between all assets, people, and risks, providing deep context and insight into their expanding technology footprint. With unified cyber insights and one centralized view across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, security teams can make better data-driven decisions with confidence and address critical business challenges such as Cyber Asset Attack Surface Management (CAASM), Continuous Compliance, Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), and Vulnerability Prioritization. JupiterOne helps teams discover assets, map relationships, and triage risks to reduce their attack surface. A growing number of Fortune 500 companies trust JupiterOne as the foundation for their enterprise security programs and realize the benefits of reduced cyber risk. JupiterOne was recognized by CNBC's Top Startups for the Enterprise and was named the 2022 CISO Choice Awards winner in the Premier Security Company, Cloud Security Solution, and Cloud Security Posture Management categories. For Media Inquiries: Nathaniel Hawthorne for JupiterOne Lumina Communications (661) 965-0407 [email protected] Melissa Pereira Director of Communications, JupiterOne (833) 578-7663 [email protected] SOURCE JupiterOne Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great HANGZHOU, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On its 95th Anniversary Day, Gao Shiming, President of the China Academy of Art, announced a series of academic events to be held for this particular occasion and declared that starting from this year, April 8 will be the day of the annual event CAA Launch. The CAA Launch Brings forth a Creative Festival, Launching "1 School, 2 Platforms and 2 New Things" for the First Time CAA kicked off a series of academic events to mark the 95th Anniversary of its founding on April 8th, 2023, its Launch Day. Starting from this year, CAA has designated April 8 as the CAA Launch Day each year. The CAA Launch will become a festival for the creative circle, a public platform for all art creators, a creative festival for the society, and an "artistic engine" that drives social innovation. It happens to be the Academy's 95th anniversary. The Academy has prepared three items for the first CAA Launch. First, it establishes the CAA School of Calligraphy In 1963, artists and educators, such as Pan Tianshou, Lu Weizhao, Sha Menghai set up the first calligraphic education major in Chinese higher education. As calligraphy art continued to develop, a major adjustment was made by the authorities in the classification of artistic disciplines in 2022, and the discipline of Fine Arts and Calligraphy has hence become a first-level discipline. Second, it establishes two academic platforms, namely China Cinematic Arts Institute and the School of Social Aesthetic Education to shoulder the responsibility for creating public culture and promoting social aesthetic education. Building on the CAA's profound artistic foundation, China Cinematic Arts Institute is dedicated to further elevating the status of Chinese movies in the world, enhancing their international influence, and promoting the development of dynamic image technology, striving to become a new engine for artistic innovation of Chinese movies. The School of Social Aesthetic Education carries on the original aspiration Cai Yuanpei proposed at the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art (now China Academy of Art), that we should transform people's hearts with the heart of beauty so that they could obtain a true life. It advocates all-round and lifelong education, promotes traditional Chinese culture and nourishes the souls of the general public. The School will collaborate with other institutions of higher education, government departments, enterprises and industry associations to realize the integration, investment and transference of quality resources and deliver aesthetic education results throughout society. Third, it releases two new things, the CAA Cosmos and Meta Art Academy. CAA Cosmos is an online art community that allows real-time multi-person interaction. Users can learn, socialize, and play games by creating their own digital identities, sharing their original artworks, and organizing and participating in art activities. CAA Cosmos builds virtual spaces and social scenarios with infinite possibilities, providing an innovative and interactive platform for artists, designers, and creators around the world. Meanwhile, by continuously exploring and applying AI and other new technologies, CAA Cosmos will bring a more wonderful meta social app full of imagination to its users. Meta Art Academy (MAA) is a mixed reality interface for single-person immersive experience. With hyper-immersive theme world courses, realistic audio-visual exhibition and performance sympathetic theater and mixed reality entrances transcending every dimension, MAA creates a virtual art academy that offers one multiverse to each person, and one thematic world for each lesson. With the Gate of Classic Chinese Art Debuting by the Xianghu Lake, the CAA's Xianghu Campus is Launched A ceremony on the debut of the Gate of Classic Chinese Art and the launch of the CAA's Xianghu Campus kicked off on the morning of April 8, as this year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CAA. Situated in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Xianghu Campus will have an overall schooling structure to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art, based on the CAA's expertise and talents, as well as bountiful culture and resources of Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. The "Gate of Classic Chinese Art" is built by drawing on the merits of the Imperial Painting Academy of the Song Dynasty, traditional Chinese academies and modern academies of art, thus nurturing outstanding talents with "mastery in art and science, skills and practices" and building the most influential cultural hub of China's fine traditional culture. The CAA Xianghu Campus aims to lead the innovative development of Chinese painting and calligraphy, gather distinguished scholars of humanities and art and develop student training paradigms. It puts the most effort into postgraduate and doctoral programs. Based on its first-class majors of Chinese painting and calligraphy, Xianghu Campus is composed of "four organizations, three museums and four centers" to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art. Among them, "four organizations" refer to the Advanced Institute of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting, Xianghu Academy, Advanced School of Art and Humanities and National Institute of Art/Education, embracing talents of classic Chinese art, drawing inspiration from fine traditions of ancient academies, and helping integrate Chinese painting and calligraphy with classical academics; "three museums" are the Classic Chinese Art Museum, Xianghu Museum and Ancient Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Museum, housing CAA's abundant collections of Chinese painting and calligraphy works and crafts, and bringing together domestic and international collections, based on the scenery and long-lasting culture of Xianghu Lake; "four centers" mean Chinese Character Research Center, Landscape Research Center, Philosophy and Technology Research Center and Landscaping Research Center, aimed at carrying forward the China's fine traditional culture by carrying out special research projects on Chinese cultural elements. Besides, a lab of Chinese calligraphy and painting materials, a cluster of master offices and a research center of the global art history will be set up on the campus, to unveil the unique style of Chinese art from a great viewpoint of the global history and create the "visual classic Chinese art" for the Chinese people. The CAA Xianghu campus is expected to operate in September, 2023. Notably, Xianghu Campus will be one of the venues to feast the public's eyes with stunning art works created by young artists, designers and scholars in summer this year. Themed Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great, the Research Project "Grand Masters of the Century" is Launched. With a legacy spanning close to a century, the Academy has witnessed master predecessors springing up, lighting up the sky of Chinese modern art history, who constitute the CAA's spirit and academic foundation. The theme "Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great" implies the way to make innovations by drawing inspiration from the past. Specifically, tradition gets developed and evolved as it passes down, and thus it may lead to innovations. Since 2023, the Academy has launched its academic program "Grand Master of the Century" until the centennial of the CAA's founding in 2028. In the second half of 2023, the CAA will host a "memorial exhibition of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Zhu Lesan", a "memorial symposium of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr.Lin Wenzheng", a "grand memorial exhibition of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr.Wu Dayu" and other academic events. It will also hold "The Centennial Exhibition of Mr.Zhao Wuji's Masterpieces" during the 19th Asian Games. In memory of those art masters and wise predecessors, the events dive into the history and philosophy of Chinese modern art and art education. Since 2000, the CAA has its every "fifth" anniversary celebrated in the second half of that year. Each theme of the anniversaries is beyond the CAA's history and revolves around frontier academic topics. In 2023, the core academic event of the 95th anniversary of the CAA's founding is "Inter-World-View: World Civilizations Forum", an international art campaign comprising "teaching, creation, action and communication". Under the framework of mutual learning among civilizations, we will go to 12 crucial historic sites of world civilizations to experience spectacular histories through the dialogue of worldview. sessions distributed in different places will be delivered and a themed short video shot to form the forum and exhibition. This event is to drive a real "Institute Campaign" in the post-pandemic era and to progress toward the centennial of "CAA's founding". It intends to fathom the origin of art and education from the perspective of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations by exploring the historical sources of majors and paying homage to all "pioneering" moments. Meanwhile, a present-focused mindset is emphasized. The development and potential trends of human civilization, especially science and technology in the 21st century will be probed into. By doing so, the event provides an opportunity to cultivate young artists with a global view, historical awareness and artistic ambition. In the second half of 2023, Liangzhu Campus, CAA will be fully opened. As the subject of design will be introduced here, "2023 Design, Start Again" is planned to be held. Progresses in the technological revolution, technology iteration and social improvement are expected. The event is to create a 21st-century historical mission book through design. In other words, it is to rebuild design in the dialectical integration of art with technology and aesthetic with ethics. Also, it represents everyday life in the general network of "information, technology, capital and power", thus driving social innovation. Cai Yuanpei, a famous Chinese educator, delivered his famed speech Academies Should Be Set up Only for Academic Research on April 8, 1928 at the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art (now China Academy of Art), in which he proposed that "the University Council (the then Educational Ministry) set up an academy of art along West Lake, to create beauty, so that people in the future could get rid of superstition, harbor the love for beauty and eventually obtain a true life." His speech opened a new chapter of China's higher education of fine arts. Since its establishment, the China Academy of Art (CAA) has been an academy with lofty education ideals and great artistic concerns. 95 years have flown by. The CAA has never stopped responding to the most fundamental education ideals and artistic concerns. It constructs a "Campus Realm", advocating an outlook of building a university with an emphasis on both space and spirit. It upholds the spirit of "thinking as virtuosos, and acting as craftsmen", and illuminates the Vision of the East with the artistic practices done with virtuosity and combining knowledge and action. The CAA has always been "driven by global and domestic vision, and empowered by culture and tech education". The Academy's mission is to nurture individuals who are masters in character and knowledge, in the art and the science, in the classics and the contemporary, and in everything Chinese and beyond. 95 years have passed by. The CAA has developed itself into a national institution of higher education in fine arts with the most comprehensive disciplines and the fullest scale. 95 years later, the CAA continues to promote its development as a world-class academy by trekking the pioneering journey of Chinese art, building a core site of art education and upholding the manifesto of academic ethos. It has grown into a university with five campuses and over 10,000 students and faculty: Nanshan Campus, Hangzhou: A modern art education center that connects the contemporary and classic art between the East and the West Xiangshan Campus, Hangzhou: A frontier public art and mass culture area open to the public Liangzhu Campus, Hangzhou: An international design hub that bridges science, art and business Xianghu Campus, Hangzhou: The Gate of Classic Chinese Art that passes on Chinese cultural elements to make today a better day Zhangjiang Campus, Shanghai: An artistic design innovation hub on the international frontier, and an innovation incubator open to all CAA graduate students SOURCE China Academy of Art DALLAS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the C.D.C. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. In addition, American Indian/Alaska Native (IA/AN) women are twice as likely to die than White women. However, over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were determined to be preventable. The Maternal Outcomes Matter Showers (M.O.M.S) Tour MOMS Tour St. Louis The M.O.M.S. Tour (Maternal Outcomes Matter Showers) is a Community Baby Shower Tour for new and expectant mothers in communities with high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates. The M.O.M.S. Tour brings education and resources to connect expectant women onsite to prenatal services, Medicare, postpartum depression resources, and more to help reduce the unacceptable high maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the U.S., especially among Black and American Indian and Alaska Native moms. The tour is coming to New Jersey and Virginia this month. On Saturday, April 15, a M.O.M.S. event will take place in Atlantic City at the Stanley S. Holmes Village Community Center at 1539 Adriatic Avenue, 12 PM 3 PM EST. On April 29, the tour will visit Richmond, Virginia, at the Hotchkiss Field Community Center at 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd, 11 AM 2 PM EST. The next stops on tour are in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, on May 5 and 6, and Atlanta and Macon, Georgia, on May 20 and 21. Onsite activities include a Dad's Den, Mom's Lounge, Kid's Korner, healthy lunch, baby supplies, and resources. In addition, A Chance to Learn and Cocolife. Black is leading training and certification efforts to train up to 20 doulas for each community. According to an article published by the National Health Law Program, women connected with a doula are four times less likely to have a low-birth-weight baby, two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby, and significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding. Recent news coverage of The Biden-Harris Administration championing policies to improve maternal health and health equity with the release of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis makes it the perfect time to conduct the M.O.M.S. tour. This unprecedented and groundbreaking initiative represents a collaboration of organizations committed to improving maternal health outcomes. Supporting sponsors and partners include Mom Congress, The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints, World Vision, C.O.G.I.C. Urban Initiative, Boppy, and Just Serve. Just a few of the intended outcomes include: Connecting families to resources and services related to maternal healthcare and education. Increasing the doula profession by certifying up to 500 doulas. Providing parents with local resources for early childhood healthcare and education. Community health and service partners are welcome to participate as exhibitors. For more information or to register in a location near you, visit our website at themomstour.info . TO REQUEST INTERVIEWS OR MEDIA CREDENTIALS FOR ONSITE EVENT COVERAGE, PLEASE CONTACT [email protected] Media Contact: LaToyia Dennis [email protected] 817-800-5539 SOURCE A Chance To Learn National scholarship is accepting applications from eligible undergraduate and graduate students now through May 24, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time Forty exceptional applicants living with cystic fibrosis (CF) will be awarded $3,000 each for academic excellence, creativity and community involvement One undergraduate and one graduate student will be selected to receive an additional $22,000 each as the 2023 "Thriving Students", determined in part by public voting NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie today announced that the AbbVie Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Scholarship, a program that is making a difference in the lives of young adults with CF and their families, is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 academic school year. Eligible undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for the scholarship until May 24, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time by visiting www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com. Students can either apply online or complete and mail a printed application. "It was a huge honor to receive the title of the 2022 AbbVie Thriving Graduate Student, and I am forever grateful," said Ashley S., 2022 Thriving Graduate Student. "It was my validation that I would be able to be financially stable throughout my master's program and that I do have what it takes to complete the program and change people's lives as an occupational therapist." For over 30 years, the AbbVie CF Scholarship has awarded more than $3.8 million in scholarships to students living with CF in an effort to help alleviate the financial burdens that exist for many CF families. Similar to previous years, AbbVie will award the top 40 students living with CF a $3,000 scholarship for use toward higher-education expenses during the 2023-2024 academic school year. Those 40 students will also be given the opportunity to compete for an additional $22,000 through one of two AbbVie CF Scholarship award categories: Thriving Undergraduate Student and Thriving Graduate Student. The 2023 Thriving Undergraduate and Thriving Graduate Scholarship recipients will be announced by AbbVie in the fall. Both awards are granted based on a combination of outstanding academics and achievements, essays and creative presentations, as well as public votes. "AbbVie has a long history of being committed to more than medicine within the CF community," said John Duffey, vice president, U.S. Specialty, AbbVie. "Each year, we call upon students to share their experiences and achievements while pursuing higher education so that they can be recognized and awarded for their resilience and hard work." The AbbVie CF Scholarship is part of the company's ongoing commitment to the CF community, which is comprised of close to 40,000 people in the United States. Today, more than half of the CF population are age 18 or older.1 For more information about the scholarship, please visit www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com. About Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas and other organs of those living with this condition.1 In patients with CF, a thick, sticky mucus is produced in certain organs throughout the body, most commonly the lungs and digestive system. The mucus build-up in the lungs can cause difficulty breathing and may lead to life-threatening lung infections. In the pancreas, the thick mucus may prevent the release of digestive enzymes and proper food digestion, potentially leading to malabsorption and malnutrition. About the AbbVie CF Scholarship The AbbVie CF Scholarship was established over 30 years ago in recognition of the financial burdens many families touched by CF face and to acknowledge the achievements of students with CF. Since its inception, the scholarship program has awarded over $3.8 million in scholarships to over 1,000 students. The AbbVie CF Scholarship is part of AbbVie's ongoing commitment to the CF community, which is comprised of close to 40,000 people in the United States. Today, more than half of the CF population are age 18 years or older.1 It is not necessary for scholarship applicants to have taken, currently take, or intend to take in the future, any medicine or product marketed by AbbVie, and this is not a consideration in the selection criteria. More information about the AbbVie CF Scholarship criteria and application can be found at www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com. About AbbVie AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. References: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. About Cystic Fibrosis. https://www.cff.org/intro-cf/about-cystic-fibrosis. Accessed April 2023. US-PANC-230009 SOURCE AbbVie MANTIS SOANAMBO HOTEL & SPA SAINTE MARIE WILL BE THE FIRST INTERNATIONALLY BRANDED RESORT IN NOSY BORAHA PARIS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Accor, a world leading hospitality group, today announced plans to open Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa on Nosy Boraha (Ile Sainte-Marie) in Madagascar. The Mantis Collection, part of Accor, is a leading conservation-led hospitality company renowned for its commitment to preserving its surrounding communities, wildlife and the environment and its arrival marks the first international hospitality brand in Nosy Boraha. The 48-room oceanfront hotel plans to re-open to guests in May 2023, flying the Mantis flag. Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa in Madagascar (CNW Group/Accor) Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa in Madagascar (CNW Group/Accor) Accor is partnering with the hotel's owner to bring the unique hospitality experience of Mantis hotels, eco-lodges, and waterways to this idyllic corner of Madagascar. Joining ibis Hotel and Spa Antananarivo and Novotel Convention and Spa Antananarivo, Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa will be the third Accor hotel under the same ownership group in Madagascar's capital city and will further diversify the Group's brand offering in the country. "We're excited to expand into Madagascar and delighted that our partner has chosen Accor and Mantis to revive the beautiful Soanambo Hotel," said Adrian Gardiner, Executive Chairman, Mantis Collection. "We are confident that Mantis will be a great match, bringing the hotel back into the Sainte-Marie Island community, where it has enjoyed a long history and excellent reputation. Mantis is an exceptional hospitality brand that will bring a sense of sustainability and eco-luxury to the property, with thoughtful actions that will delight its guests as well as its local neighbours." At the new Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa, guests will be warmly greeted amid a breezy, open plan reception area, and invited to relax at the delightful bar and restaurant. The hotel features two serene swimming pools, with incomparable views of the ocean, just a few meters away. Tranquil beaches and a quiet, laid-back atmosphere characterize Nosy Boraha, creating an idyllic spot for a secluded getaway. Located in the Southwest part of the island, Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa enjoys calm seas and shelter from prevailing weather conditions. The Island of Nosy Boraha is just 45 minutes by air from Antananarivo, via Tsaradia airlines, the domestic division of Air Madagascar. Each Mantis property is a unique celebration of its destination, with creatively curated experiences that introduce its guests to the essence of the surrounding community's culture, history, and people. The Mantis philosophy is one of responsible and ecologically sensitive development and operations, supporting the local environment while conserving and maintaining all natural resources. The new Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa will operate in accordance with Accor's environmental and energy efficiency reporting tools, internal carbon price monitoring, eco-certification programs, and brand standard sustainability criteria. ABOUT ACCOR Accor is a world leading hospitality group offering experiences across more than 110 countries in 5 400 properties, 10 000 food & beverage venues, wellness facilities or flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry's most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing more than 40 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. Accor is committed to taking positive action in terms of business ethics & integrity, responsible tourism, sustainable development, community outreach, and diversity & inclusion. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information, please visit www. group.accor.com or follow us on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok . ABOUT MANTIS Mantis is a leading conservation-focused hotel group with luxury hotels, eco-lodges and waterways experiences located across the globe. Sustainable travellers have been enjoying eco-tourism, safaris and adventure travel with Mantis since 2000. Rooted in conservation, Mantis pursues sustainable business practices and develops tourism products that are respectful of the environment and communities in which they operate. Acclaimed for its pioneering work in development, management, marketing, education and conservation, Mantis's business model successfully combines responsible tourism, conservation and adventure, which translates to one-of-a-kind travel experiences. Whether small and intimate or vast and complex, on a sweeping African plain, in a bustling city, or in the midst of a forest, each is an exceptional place for guests to find themselves. While uniquely different in the experiences they offer, all are linked through a collective ambition to be extraordinary; to be rare in a world that mass-produces sameness. Mantis consistently curates, collects and discovers destinations and experiences that stir the soul, defy expectation and live in the heart forever. Sustainability goals are achieved through the Mantis Impact division, as well as through the Mantis and Accor foundation, Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA). Mantis is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group counting over 5,400 properties throughout more than 110 countries, and a participating brand in ALL - Accor Live Limitless a lifestyle loyalty program providing access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences. For more information visit: www.mantiscollection.com and www.ccfa.africa mantiscollection.com | all.accor.com | group.accor.com SOURCE Accor LONDON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Xapien, the deep tech platform transforming how organisations understand who they're doing business with, today announced that it has closed a 4.5M round led by YFM Equity Partners and backed by D2 Fund, concluding total seed funding of 6M. Described as 'the ChatGPT of Due Diligence', Xapien uses Artificial Intelligence to deliver an executive-level report on any person or organisation, anywhere in the world in minutes. Every piece of information is fully sourced, enabling confident, auditable decision making. The company's rapid growth since its commercial launch in January 2022 underpinned the competitive round led by YFM Equity Partners and backed by D2 Fund alongside existing investors. The proceeds will be used to accelerate product development and go-to-market, expand into new verticals and extend their US footprint. Chris Green, Xapien CEO, said: "Every year, billions of dollars are wasted on laborious and time-consuming background research. Firms seeking to do international business are facing a perfect storm. Emerging ESG considerations present complicated and nuanced risks. There is a continuing explosion in publicly available information, and ever-increasing regulation. This creates an increasing need for organisations to really 'know' their third parties. This includes their customers, suppliers, donors, applicants and investors. Put simply, firms can no longer afford to just ask 'can we' be in business with someone. They must also ask 'should we'? Traditional screening tools cannot answer this nuanced question. A typical KYC/AML search is a factual check of recorded data in structured databases. To really 'know' a third party, deep contextual background research is required. Current methods will not scale, but there is a better way." Founded by technology experts with decades of experience in intelligence and financial crime, Xapien uses cutting edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing technologies to emulate the complex process of human-led research. David Wrench, partner at YFM, said: "Xapien has demonstrated impressive growth over the past 12 months. The high calibre management team has a well-defined vision and plan to grow the business further. They have built technology that is providing demonstrable ROI to its customers. What today takes days when produced manually can be done in minutes through Xapien." Xapien automates an otherwise manual research process to deliver an executive-level report on any person or organisation, anywhere in the world in minutes. Full sourcing of all information gives greater assurance whilst driving major efficiencies for organisations in many sectors, including law firms, financial services institutions and philanthropy. Whether used for client onboarding, investment due diligence, compliance, reputational and integrity due diligence, donor prospect research and more, the technology provides a competitive edge. Amory Poulden, Managing Partner at D2 Fund commented: "Understanding who you are doing business with is a time-consuming and uncertain undertaking. Xapien's solution delivers clarity amongst the noise, allowing companies to perform radically faster and more accurate searches on individuals and companies. We were impressed by what Chris, Dan, Shaun and the rest of the Xapien team have built so far and are looking forward to working with them as they scale the business from here. Chris continued, "YFM and D2 Fund really understand the market that we are serving and share our vision to transform it using AI and deep technology. This investment will accelerate our product roadmap, deepen our proprietary application of Large Language Models, enhance our Identity Resolution Engine and turbo-charge our growth in sectors where we are experiencing strong demand, including legal, fintech, insurance, private equity, and philanthropy. It is an important step in our journey to help the world do better business." The YFM team included David Wrench, Zach Francis and Jamie Roberts. The D2 Fund team included: Amory Poulden and Joshua Minsk. YFM and Management team were advised by: Legal: HCR, Financial: PKF Francis Clark; Organisational: Sonia Allinson-Penny and Ian McDonald; Technical: Leckie Kershaw; Sales and marketing: Emerse; VCT Advice: Philip Hare & Associates. IMAGES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST: [email protected] About Xapien Founded by deep technology experts with decades of experience in intelligence and financial crime, Xapien applies cutting edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing to deliver on-demand research for businesses seeking to truly understand their third parties. Xapien's SaaS platform is transforming how the world deals with third parties. It enables anyone to know who they are in business with, a capability available until now only to organisations with significant resources. For more information visit www.xapien.com or follow us on LinkedIn About YFM YFM invests 2m to 10m into businesses with strong growth potential located across the UK through a regional network of offices in London, Leeds, Manchester, Reading and Birmingham. YFM Equity Partners are specialist, independently owned, private equity investors. Having recently celebrated 40 years of investing experience, our portfolio may have changed over the years, but our ethos has remained the same to support small businesses across the UK in their next phase of growth. We seek to unlock value and growth potential by providing up to 10 million of equity to fuel the development of established business throughout the UK regions. We do this by helping our portfolio companies launch new initiatives, make transformative acquisitions, and upgrade technologies and systems. We are dedicated to working alongside management teams to create long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and make a positive economic impact for the communities in which we work. We manage funds in excess of 420 million which include venture capital trusts and private equity funds. YFM Equity Partners conducts its investment business through its subsidiary YFM Private Equity Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 122120). For more information, please visit www.yfmep.com or follow us on LinkedIn About D2 Fund D2 is a specialised early-stage venture capital fund that invests in B2B software companies with robust technical moats, founder-market fit, and a capital-efficient business model. Their typical investment size ranges from 250k to 1m, with a focus on supporting emerging businesses in their early growth stages. For more information, please visit www.d2.fund Contacts: Viktoria Harrison, [email protected], +447716097774 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052631/YFM_Equity_Partners_Logo.jpg SOURCE YFM Equity Partners OAKVILLE, ON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (TSX: AQN) (NYSE: AQN) ("AQN") today announced plans to release its first quarter 2023 financial results on Thursday, May 11, 2023, before market open. AQN will hold an earnings conference call at 8:30 a.m. eastern time on Thursday, May 11, 2023, hosted by President and Chief Executive Officer, Arun Banskota, and Chief Financial Officer, Darren Myers. Conference call details are as follows: Date: Thursday, May 11, 2023 Time: 8:30 a.m. ET Conference Call: Toll Free Dial-In Number 1-800-806-5484 Toll Dial-In Number (416) 340-2217 Event Passcode 8220700# Webcast: https://bell.media-server.com/mmc/p/hm4w86az Presentation also available at: www.algonquinpowerandutilities.com About Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. and Liberty Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., parent company of Liberty, is a diversified international generation, transmission, and distribution utility with over $17 billion of total assets. Through its two business groups, the Regulated Services Group and the Renewable Energy Group, AQN is committed to providing safe, secure, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy and water solutions through its portfolio of electric generation, transmission, and distribution utility investments to over one million customer connections, largely in the United States and Canada. AQN is a global leader in renewable energy through its portfolio of long-term contracted wind, solar, and hydroelectric generating facilities, together with its pipeline of renewable energy development projects. AQN owns, operates, and/or has net interests in over 4 GW of installed renewable energy capacity. AQN's common shares, preferred shares, Series A, and preferred shares, Series D are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols AQN, AQN.PR.A, and AQN.PR.D, respectively. AQN's common shares, Series 2018-A subordinated notes, Series 2019-A subordinated notes and equity units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols AQN, AQNA, AQNB, and AQNU, respectively. Visit AQN at www.algonquinpowerandutilities.com and follow us on Twitter @AQN_Utilities. SOURCE Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. Fully Baked Ideas Kneaded to Win Prizes, Bread Bragging Rights CHICAGO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based Alpha Baking Co., Inc., the bakers behind beloved Chicagoland brands S. Rosen's, Mary Ann Baking, and Natural Ovens, launches their "Name A Bread Truck" contest today. For the contest, Alpha Baking is asking customers to submit their most creative ideas to name three bread delivery trucks from their fleet. ALPHA BAKING ANNOUNCES NAME A BREAD TRUCK CONTEST Three winning entries will be chosen by a panel made up of Alpha Baking employees and will be prominently featured on designated Alpha Baking delivery trucks. Winners will also receive a year's worth of bread products, tickets to a MLB game in Chicago or Milwaukee, and a lifetime of bragging rights. "Our S. Rosen's and Natural Ovens trucks can be seen delivering fresh bread, buns, and rolls to stores and restaurants every morning," said Stephanie Powell, director of marketing for Alpha Baking Co. "We like to think they're as much a part of the communities we serve as the local park or firehouse, and we love the idea of getting the community involved and having them name three of the trucks in our fleet." This contest is open to residents of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, and entries can be submitted online via Alpha Baking's website. Participants are invited to submit their unique suggestions from April 12th through May 31st, and the three winners will be announced on July 1st. "We're confident we'll see some fully baked, imaginative names that capture the spirit of Alpha Baking's brands and presence in Chicagoland," added Powell. For more information on the contest, how to submit names, and the rules, visit https://www.srosens.com/nameabreadtruck/. Chicago-based Alpha Baking Co., Inc. provides premium baked goods to restaurants, food service outlets, retailers, and consumers under the S. Rosen's, Mary Ann Baking, and Natural Ovens brands. Alpha Baking Co., employs more than 1,800 people at its six production plants. S. Rosen's began in 1909 when founder Sam Rosen purchased a small bakery on Chicago's Northwest side. Renaming the company after himself, Sam Rosen used it to introduce his now-famous rye bread to the city. S. Rosen's became a Chicago tradition and they would later merge with Mary Ann Baking Company, producer of the iconic poppy seed hot dog buns, used at more than 90 percent of Chicagoland hot dog stands today. Alpha Baking is still a family-owned company, with Sam Rosen's grandson Steve serving on the board and his son Jason serving as Safety Director for the company. The company continues its long-standing support of food-insecure organizations, including donating more than 265 million pounds of bread products in 2020. For more information, visit www.alphabaking.com or www.SRosens.com. SOURCE Alpha Baking Company ELKO A man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase through three counties in a stolen pickup was booked into Elko County Jail this week, nearly six years after the incident. Robert A. Ramsey, 48, of Elko was arrested Tuesday on a felony warrant charging him with attempted grand larceny of a motor vehicle and eluding law enforcement while endangering others. An Elko Police Department officer spotted the stolen vehicle on Mountain City Highway and followed it onto Interstate 80 westbound on the afternoon of May 25, 2017, reaching speeds of 115 mph. The pickup nearly rear-ended a vehicle near the Hunter exit, according to the officers report. The pickup was still traveling above 100 mph when it entered the Carlin Tunnel and slammed on its brakes, which the officer considered to be an effort to cause a collision. Nevada Highway Patrol troopers joined the chase, and the pickup again reached speeds of 115 mph as it drove through Carlin and nearly struck a tractor-trailer rig near the Dunphy exit. The pickup exited the freeway at Battle Mountain, nearly striking a Lander County deputys vehicle. The chase continued up into the mountains, with one deputy getting stuck on a rutted road. The stolen pickup traveled off-road and climbed a ridge line before descending a steep hillside and crashing into a gully. Police said Ramsey refused to exit the disabled pickup, and claimed he had his daughter in the vehicle and would harm her if they approached. As police waited for a SWAT team to arrive they learned that Ramsey was suspected of stealing a vehicle from Sparks earlier in the day and ditching it in Winnemucca. Sparks police had chased him on I-80 in that incident as well, but stopped their pursuit. Ramsey was also wanted on felony warrants out of California. With darkness falling and temperatures dropping, officers decided to use less-lethal force in an attempt to take the suspect into custody. They fired a percussion grenade at the rear window of the pickup, shattering the glass, but Ramsey would not exit the vehicle until after he was Tased by a deputy. Ramsey complained of a pre-existing heart condition and doctors deemed it necessary to fly him to a Reno hospital. White residue from a container in his duffel bag later tested positive for methamphetamine, the police report said. A complaint was filed against Ramsey in June 2017 but he was prosecuted on the Washoe County charges first. According to Nevada Department of Corrections records, he recently completed prison terms on those stolen vehicle and felony eluding charges. His bail on the Elko charges is listed at $40,000. SANTA ANA, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Autonomous Medical Devices Incorporated (AMDI) announced today that it has been awarded Phase 1 funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech program in support of its RT-PCR Point-of-Care system. The initial award of $1.2M has the potential for Phase 2 funding pending successful completion of Phase 1. The RADx Tech award is funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and will help AMDI to support the continued development and validation of its novel molecular system as it moves toward product commercialization. Originally launched in April 2020, the NIH RADx Tech program was created to speed innovation in the development of COVID-19 tests by providing funding and access to technical, regulatory, clinical, and commercial experts. In September 2022, another round of funding up to $300 million was announced to improve performance of over the counter (OTC) and point-of-care (POC) COVID-19 tests with a focus on universal design features to ensure ease of use, decrease the need for serial testing, and account for future variants. Products for this round must be ready for commercialization within 12-36 months. AMDI announced today that it has been awarded Phase 1 funding from the NIH RADx Tech program. Tweet this AMDI's RT-PCR POC system provides a 10-minute sample-to-result of up to 32 individual target sequences without the need for a separate, offline sample preparation. "We designed the AMDI ultrafast system to deliver highly sensitive, lab quality results with the accessibility needed to address the testing needs of both the current and future pandemics," said Regis Peytavi, VP of Molecular Systems. "We are grateful to receive this recognition and funding from the NIH and RADx Tech program. We feel this proprietary new product will allow public health officials to respond quickly to new variants and provide patients and their providers access to fast, high-quality molecular results," said David Okrongly, CEO of AMDI. This project has been funded in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging (NIBIB), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N92023D00001. About AMDI Autonomous Medical Devices Incorporated (AMDI), with its principal place of business in California, employs a world class team of engineers, scientists, clinicians, and manufacturing experts dedicated to the development and manufacture of point-of-care diagnostic devices using breakthrough microfluidics, protein engineering, and data/cloud connectivity. AMDI will launch its first products from its ISO:13485 certified 110,000 square foot facility in Santa Ana, CA. Contact: Brian Miller, [email protected] SOURCE Autonomous Medical Devices Incorporated NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- During National Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 16-22), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the incredible impact its volunteers contribute to suicide prevention across the country. AFSP is the country's leading organization at the forefront of advancing the science, advocacy and education for suicide prevention including support for those affected by suicide. In all of these critical areas, volunteers drive progress in every state including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide is the ethos of hundreds of thousands of AFSP volunteers. Today, AFSP's presence is felt in every corner of the United States through hundreds of walks, achievements through research, legislation to save lives, programs delivered in every community, and even in how suicide is discussed in our society as our public education has lessened the prejudice and shame in opening up about mental health and increased people's awareness about this issue and how to get help. "So many of our volunteers tell us that AFSP is like a second family to them. It's where they find understanding, compassion and a way to channel their pain and grief into actions that can save lives and bring hope," shares AFSP CEO Bob Gebbia. "At every level of our organization, volunteers are invaluable, and we simply would not exist without them. We salute our volunteers this special week and throughout the year for sharing their passion, lived experience and expertise with us, as we work together to create a world without suicide." Following are many, though not all, core areas where volunteers are making a difference at AFSP. Research Council Advisors As a leader in suicide research, AFSP's Scientific Council and Advisors, comprised of over 250 volunteer members who are experts in this field, help set the agenda for research, and with staff, review annual grant applications. Researchers from around the world volunteer their expertise to help select groundbreaking research to fund and inform AFSP programs and advocacy. As importantly, they help to build the foundation for the most important research findings in the field. In 2022, AFSP funded 34 new studies, bringing its total current investment to $71 million since 1987. AFSP National Board and Scientific Council member, Tami Benton, M.D. shares, "I am deeply committed to ending the tragic loss of life by suicide. My engagement with AFSP provides a pathway for channeling my advocacy toward suicide prevention into effective actions that save lives. AFSP fosters hope for me and my physician colleagues in our own healing communities both personally and professionally." Walks Volunteers Volunteers raise funds for many of AFSP's efforts, mainly through hundreds of Out of the Darkness Community, Campus, and Overnight Walks. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of participants contribute their voices to support research and education that saves lives through these walks. These walks are largely orchestrated and attended by volunteers on the ground, like Amy Micheletti who lost her brother, Jake, to suicide. "I was proud to be acknowledged as a North Star, in recognition of individuals who have raised at least $10K, for Boston in 2019, and then alongside my brother's mother for New York City in 2022. Those funds make so much important work possible," shares Amy. Along with being a three-time Overnight Walk North Star, Amy has been involved with the San Francisco Community Walk and helped establish the first Central Oregon Walk. Talks Saves Lives Presenters Volunteers at AFSP chapters wear many hats, from organizing walks to raising funds. They also impart suicide prevention education in their communities. That's the story of Tatiana Villareal-Otalora PhD, LCSW from Atlanta, Georgia. As a young immigrant to the United States, Tatiana experienced a myriad of circumstances that affected her mental health to the degree that she attempted to take her own life. Tatiana is one of AFSP's presenters for Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for the Latinx and Hispanic Communities. "My own experiences have motivated me to help others understand what can cause suicide and how we can all have a role in preventing it," says Tatiana. "In our culture, there are beliefs that can silence people about their emotional pain and prevent them from seeking help. I know what this feels like and because of my cultural background I can really connect with a Latinx audience to talk about a topic that is culturally taboo." Talk Saves Lives for the Latinx and Hispanic communities is a culturally adapted module of AFSP's signature education program, Talk Saves Lives. Since launching in 2015, Talk Saves Lives available in person or virtually has reached over 200K people across all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico with science-informed education about suicide, and how we can all help prevent it. Volunteers are essential to helping reach people in their communities with these lifesaving presentations. Healing Conversations Volunteers We're a "grassroots-meets-science" organization with a longstanding dedication to supporting survivors of suicide loss. Our nationwide network of 74 local chapters relies on volunteers to deliver programs like Healing Conversations, which gives those who have lost someone the opportunity to speak with a trained peer, who can share comfort and resources. Last year, Healing Conversations' volunteers scheduled over 1,000 conversations with loss survivors. One of those volunteers, Paul Augustyniak, is the board chair of the AFSP Tennessee Chapter and lost Alice, his wife of over 30 years, to suicide. He coordinates the Healing Conversations Program for his chapter and is one of the newest members of AFSP's National Loss & Healing Council. "Healing Conversations volunteers recognize our role as guides through a heartbreaking emotional jungle," says Paul. "As guides in this healing journey, we are there for their questions, we point to helpful resources, and we listen." Policy Advocates AFSP is leading the way in suicide prevention and mental health advocacy. Throughout the year advocates connect, educate, and share their stories of hope, struggle, recovery, and loss with legislators at all levels of government. Thanks to the unwavering passion and perseverance of advocates, over one-third of all state bills that AFSP supported in 2022 became law. From sending letters to legislators and media to giving testimony at hearings and meeting with legislators, advocates are making a difference. "Being able to share our stories and experiences with those who write and change policy can help to save lives. When I advocate, I share the story of losing my dad to suicide to demonstrate the need for prioritizing mental health. Coming together as advocates helps ensure that legislators listen to us. Sharing our stories helps make the importance of suicide prevention more than just about numbers," says AFSP National Public Policy Council Member and AFSP Alabama Chapter Advocacy Ambassador Marissa Grayson. Project 2025 Advocates Through Project 2025 AFSP's bold goal to reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025 AFSP has developed and scaled innovative partnerships and initiatives in healthcare, emergency departments, corrections, and firearms focus areas reaching nearly 2,000 clinicians and providers, over 2,500 corrections officers and staff, and nearly 10,000 firearm owners and retailers across the country. Volunteers like Allyson Sipes' efforts fuel this progress in places like South Carolina. A mental health expert, Allyson has been instrumental in reaching out to the firearms community in partnership with the Veterans Health Association. "We bring information and resources, offering training and education related to suicide, and learning from individuals and communities about what's most helpful for those environments. It's about meeting people where they are, and concentrating on suicide prevention, education and firearms safety," shares Allyson. She has also participated in connecting medical practices and healthcare systems to innovative training for suicide prevention. In 1987 several families teamed up with researchers from AFSP to learn what leads people to take their lives at a time when families like theirs, impacted by suicide, were in the dark about how to help those affected by this mental health condition. These families were the first volunteers of AFSP, and since then, the organization has grown tremendously. This National Volunteer Week, AFSP invites everyone to learn how they too can be a part of this incredible movement of people across the country making a real difference to prevent suicide here. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with a public policy office in Washington, DC, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states including Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention LAS VEGAS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AMH (NYSE: AMH), a leading owner, operator and developer of single-family rental homes, today announced that the Company will release its first quarter 2023 financial and operating results on Thursday, May 4, 2023, after the market closes. The Company will host a conference call on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time to review first quarter results, discuss recent events, and conduct a question-and-answer period. Live conference call Toll free number: (877) 451-6152 (for domestic callers) Direct dial number: (201) 389-0879 (for international callers) Passcode: Not required Simultaneous audio webcast link: www.amh.com under "Investor relations" Conference call replay Toll free number: (844) 512-2921 (for domestic callers) Direct dial number: (412) 317-6671 (for international callers) Passcode: 13737880# Webcast link: www.amh.com under "Investor relations" Date accessible through: May 19, 2023 About AMH AMH is a leading single-family property owner, leasing operator and build-to-rent developer. We're an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing and managing homes as rental properties. Our goal is to simplify the experience of leasing a home and deliver peace of mind to households across the country. In recent years, we've been named one of Fortune's 2022 Best Workplaces in Real Estate, a 2023 Great Place to Work, a 2022 Top U.S. Homebuilder by Builder100, one of America's Most Responsible Companies 2023 and America's Most Trusted Companies 2022 by Newsweek and Statista Inc., and a Top ESG Regional Performer by Sustainalytics. As of December 31, 2022, we owned nearly 59,000 single-family properties in the Southeast, Midwest, Southwest and Mountain West regions of the United States. Additional information about AMH is available on our website at www.amh.com. AMH refers to one or more of American Homes 4 Rent, American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. and their subsidiaries and joint ventures. In certain states, we operate under AMH Living or American Homes 4 Rent. Please see www.amh.com/dba to learn more. AMH Contacts: Media Relations Phone: (855) 774-4663 Email: [email protected] Nicholas Fromm Investor Relations Phone: (855) 794-2447 Email: [email protected] SOURCE AMH In six months, communities all across the western United States will experience an annular solar eclipse, often called a "Ring of Fire" eclipse. SANTA FE, N.M., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- States that will see an annular solar eclipse on the morning of October 14th in the US are Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. "An annular solar eclipse is a beautiful and other-worldly scene, the Sun's disk transformed into a brilliant ring" said Great American Eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler, "This 'Ring of Fire' is a preview of the majesty to come next April 8th, the total eclipse of the Sun." An Annular Solar Eclipse is a beautiful and other-worldly sight! Tweet this Annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023 is 6 months away "An annular eclipse is fascinating!" said Polly White, Great American Eclipse co-owner. "We see our solar system in action, and watch the sun become an exquisite ring!" People inside the path of annularity will witness this other-worldly sight of the Sun as a thin ring occulted by the Moon. At all times during an annular solar eclipse, viewers must use safe eclipse glasses to view this dramatic sight. 6 million people already live inside the path and millions more will travel to the path of annularity on eclipse day. Communities are preparing to handle the influx of eclipse tourists. It will pass over many national parks, which will make beautiful backdrops for photographs. "It will be paradise for photographers" said Polly White. Watch the shadow of the moon move across the western United States. GreatAmericanEclipse.com is the authoritative source for comprehensive information on the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses over North America. We provide over a gigabyte of media content maps, animations, and images for print, web, broadcast, and social media use here . SHARE THIS ARTICLE Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube SOURCE Great American Eclipse Lovell will represent AppliedVR as its Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business vendor in the federal space. LOS ANGELES and PENSACOLA, Fla., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lovell Government Services announced a partnership today with AppliedVR , a leader in immersive therapeutics that use virtual reality (VR), to be its federal distribution partner to support sales through government healthcare systems like the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Military Health System (MHS), and Indian Health Services (IHS). AppliedVR in Partnership with Lovell Government Services Founded in 2013, Lovell Government Services is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and trusted federal vendor. It partners with medical, dental, and pharmaceutical companies that want to better serve Veteran and military patient populations, increase their federal revenue stream, and win more government contracts. The company is a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree, ranking in the top 10 percent of America's fastest-growing privately owned businesses in 2020 and 2021. AppliedVR is pioneering a novel approach to medicine that leverages immersive therapies. Its flagship product, the RelieVRxTM program, was granted marketing authorization by the FDA in 2021 for chronic lower back pain (CLPB). In a recent clinical follow-up study that evaluated the durable effects of the RelieVRx program six months after treatment, researchers found that the RelieVRx program delivered lasting effects across multiple pain measures, including pain intensity and pain-related interference with activity, mood, sleep, and stress. Many of the results were considered "clinically meaningful," providing key evidence that supports the efficacy of a self-administered, home-based VR treatment program. As AppliedVR's SDVOSB vendor, Lovell can help to expand access to AppliedVR's solutions among federal healthcare providers. Placing products on contract vehicles with an SDVOSB contract holder streamlines the acquisition process while helping government agencies meet their SDVOSB procurement goals. AppliedVR's RelieVRx program has been added to the Department of Veterans Affairs' Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), Defense Logistics Agency's Electronic Catalogue for Medical Supply Chain (ECAT), and the DoD's Distribution and Pricing Agreement (DAPA), which allows government customers to make streamlined purchases. "Lovell is very excited to give Veterans and Service members an alternative to opioids to manage chronic lower back pain through virtual reality. This technology has tremendous potential in the federal space." Chris Lovell, Chief Executive Officer, Lovell Government Services. "Immersive therapeutics hold the potential to deliver safe and effective treatments to millions of people who suffer from chronic pain, and especially for our military service and veteran communities who deserve the most innovative care," said AppliedVR Co-founder and CEO Matthew Stoudt. "We're grateful for our partnership with Lovell, and we look forward to working with them to make the RelieVRx program available to healthcare providers throughout the federal government." ABOUT APPLIEDVR: AppliedVR is creating a new reality in healthcare. We are pioneering immersive therapeutics (ITx), a new category of medicine, to treat intractable health conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. Today, AppliedVR's treatments represent a robust approach to chronic lower back pain (CLBP) that empowers patients with an intuitive device they can self-manage at home. AppliedVR's RelieVRx program is the first VR-based, prescription therapeutic to receive Breakthrough Device Designation and De Novo authorization by the FDA for CLBP. AppliedVR's wellness programs have been trusted by more than 200 leading health systems and thousands of healthcare professionals globally, used on more than 60,000 patients. For more information, visit www.appliedvr.io. ABOUT LOVELL GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Lovell Government Services Inc. was founded by Chris Lovell, Major USMC Retired, in 2013 out of a desire to continue to serve by providing specialty Medical and Surgical Resources to the Veterans Administration Hospital System and the U.S. Military Medical Networks. Lovell partners with medical, dental, and pharmaceutical companies looking to better serve Veteran and Military patient populations, increase their federal revenue stream and win government contracts. Learn more at www.lovellgov.com . Press Contact Sam Moore [email protected] 225-931-4081 SOURCE AppliedVR Cleveland conference for librarians to learn lessons from multi-media content creator La Salle CLEVELAND, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OverDrive, the leading digital book and media supplier to libraries, announced that Eriq La Salle will present the day 2 keynote at Digipalooza '23. The international library conference, scheduled August 9-11, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio, brings together hundreds of public librarians and industry experts from around the world to discuss the state of digital library lending. Actor, director, producer and author Eriq La Salle is best known for his award-winning portrayal of the commanding Dr. Peter Benton on the critically acclaimed and history-making medical drama, ER. During his keynote, he will share his stories as a successful actor, director and writer. To find the most updated program descriptions, visit digipalooza.com/program. Educated at Juilliard and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, La Salle's credits range from TV's ER to Broadway to film roles opposite Eddie Murphy in Coming to America, Robin Williams in One Hour Photo and Hugh Jackman in Logan. La Salle is also the author of critically acclaimed thrillers published in 2022 and 2023 Laws of Depravity, Laws of Wrath and Laws of Annihilation. He has written an episode of The Twilight Zone which made WGA's list of 101 Best Written TV Series. La Salle has also worked steadily as a director, taking the helm for shows on HBO, Showtime, NBC, FOX and CBS. "Eriq La Salle is a powerful voice from the perspective of the content creator for the Digipalooza '23 program," said Steve Potash, founder and CEO of OverDrive. "He uniquely connects with millions of fans through his talents as a producer, actor, author and storyteller." Digipalooza is known for its librarian-led panels, networking events and exciting keynote speakers. Conference sponsors, exhibitors and industry thought leaders include Penguin Random House, HarperCollins Publishers, RBmedia, Blackstone Publishing, Macmillan, ZINIO, Sourcebooks and more. Media sponsors include Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. See the program and highlights of past events at Digipalooza.com. Since 2006, Digipalooza has brought together a global community of librarians, educators, publishers and technologists sharing insights, trends and best practices for expanding access to digital content. Experts from U.S. and international libraries will present data, trends and insights in a variety of topics. Key Digipalooza '23 sessions include: On-Demand Access Models Boost Your Circulation Without Breaking the Budget Customize the Libby Experience Using Merchandizing and Discovery Tools Digital Reading Campaigns Designed to Reach Underserved Audiences Harness the Power of Comics and Graphic Novels to Supercharge your Digital Catalog Reach & Engage All Readers: Successful Outreach Campaigns and Lessons Learned #UniteAgainstBookBans: Advocate for Your Community's Right to Read Proven Tools and Strategies to Maximize the Diversity of Your Collection The Big Business of Audiobooks Actionable Data & Insights: Deep Dive into Key Reports Available in Marketplace Streaming Video has Become a Must-Have Component of the Library One highlight of the exhibit hall will be the installation of an EnGoPlanet solar-powered bench. These benches are currently in use by Pioneer Library System (Oklahoma) in a variety of public areas offering open Wi-Fi and QR codes for readers to instantly access location-based curated digital content without installing an app. To learn more about and register for Digipalooza '23, visit https://digipalooza.com/. About OverDrive OverDrive is a mission-based company that stands with libraries. Named a Certified B Corp in 2017, OverDrive serves more than 88,000 libraries and schools in 109 countries with the industry's largest digital catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, video and other content. OverDrive empowers libraries and schools by expanding access for all through tireless industry advocacy and consistent innovation. Award-winning apps and services include the Libby library reading app, the Sora student reading app, Kanopy, the leading video streaming app for libraries and colleges, and TeachingBooks.net, which offers one of the largest catalogs of supplemental materials that enhance literacy outcomes. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com Contact: David Burleigh Director of Brand & Communications [email protected] SOURCE OverDrive Dr. Michael Wasson - Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon - Brings Needed Medical Expertise to Arizona Relocates Surgery Practice Exclusive to Jaw Surgeries to the Valley of the Sun SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Michael Wasson - Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon recently hosted a Grand Opening for his new Scottsdale facility, located at 10250 N. 92nd Street, Suite 301, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Michael Wasson, MD A decision to relocate his practice to Scottsdale from the Seattle area after eight years came with great forethought. "I was aware the population in Arizona was underserved when it came to the areas of TMJ, orthognathic, nerve repair, and sleep apnea surgeries. My objective was to help fill a surgical void in the medical and dental population," said Wasson. Wasson's main goal is to offer surgical options previously not available in Arizona that are specific to the jaw. Offering this particular area of medical expertise presents a benefit to patients, by allowing the practice to focus on quality results, efficacy, efficiency, and most importantly patient outcomes and experiences. "If I were to ever need surgery, I would want to find myself in the care of a surgeon who specializes in the procedure I need and performs it regularly. That's what I strive to be - a surgeon who focuses solely on the jaw," states Wasson. "My practice model was created so the central focus of my practice stayed true to those suffering from jaw conditions, and that patients in need of surgery became aware that surgical options now available have improved tremendously. This is what we do. We do jaw surgeries and nothing else," says Wasson. AZ Jaw Surgery focuses solely on jaw surgery. By establishing its own surgical facility - something that has not been available to Arizonians until now - the practice brings a new dimension of surgical options to patients who are in need of jaw surgery. Being the only provider in the state of Arizona to offer TMJ Surgical Arthroscopy the most modern minimally invasive, technologically advanced TMJ procedure available sets them apart from other practitioners and what procedures have been previously available in Arizona. The facility is uniquely positioned to offer patients an experience utilizing the most up to date techniques and technology available such as 3D imaging, printing, digital scanning, and the ability to work with clear aligners (Invisalign) instead of wire braces for jaw surgery. In many cases, this offers options to patients that result in the least amount of pain, scarring and recovery time, while also having the highest level of accuracy, esthetics, and lifetime success. The facility also provides state-of-the-art technology, procedural knowledge (with a demonstrated commitment to continued education and technological upgrades), and a system that has been put into place to explicitly cater to the high demand for these types of surgeries. "There is a high demand for these types of surgeries - orthognathic (corrective jaw) surgery, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) surgery, nerve repair surgery and obstructive sleep apnea surgery. By only offering these types of surgeries, it provides several advantages to our patients such as proficiency, efficiency, and the reassurance that we are as up to date as possible in these areas," stated Wasson. "Jaw surgery can be very detailed in varying degrees, so creating an environment that allows my patients to feel confident in their decision making, and comfortable knowing they have been provided with a thorough surgical care plan is very important to me. As the only practice in Arizona exclusive to jaw surgery, we are the practice other oral & maxillofacial surgeons refer their patients to," mentions Wasson. "We are extremely excited for the community to be introduced to our new frontier in jaw surgery," says Wasson. Contact Information: Website: www.azjawsurgery.com Email: [email protected] Dr. Michael Wasson AZ Jaw Surgery 10250 N. 92nd Street, Suite 301 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Phone: 480-896-0600 SOURCE AZ Jaw Surgery Barcelona & Partners shared in New York the value proposition of Barcelona as city of talent, and the business opportunities the city offers to scale ups, corporates and investors. & Partners shared in the value proposition of as city of talent, and the business opportunities the city offers to scale ups, corporates and investors. PepsiCo, Microsoft, Google or Amazon are some of the tech giants that have chosen Barcelona as their hub for innovation. NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Barcelona & Partners, Barcelona Global's investment attraction agency, shared the powerful tech ecosystem of Barcelona and the business opportunities the city offers to scale ups, corporates, and investors. This happened during the Fast Growth Summit, a high-level event organized by the New York-based venture capital firm called Left Lane Capital. The city of Barcelona has emerged as a prominent innovation hub. The access to skilled talent at scale, and ability to attract it, its thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, the increasing number of global companies, and great quality of life, are just some of the elements that make Barcelona one of the world's best cities to expand a business to. "As an investment agency, our aim is to continuously grow the number of multinational companies as well as scaleups looking to invest in our city and transform Barcelona into a global reference. New York is undoubtedly the perfect platform to present why US companies are flocking to Barcelona", stated Montse Puig, CEO of Barcelona & Partners during the event. Barcelona, a hub for innovative companies Barcelona is gaining momentum. Over the last few years, the Catalan city has welcomed global projects from US tech giants like: Microsoft, Pepsico, Google, Intel, Amazon, Apple, Pepsico, Meta, Salesforce, Autodesk, HP, Teladoc Health, just to name a few, that have selected Barcelona as their hub for innovation, new digital business models or artificial intelligence hub. Pepsico chose Barcelona for its first global digital hub from where the company employs more than 400 professionals; Microsoft selected Barcelona as the location for its new R&D hub specialised in the application of Artificial Intelligence technologies; HP has its largest industrial 3D printing and digital manufacturing centre of excellence based in Barcelona with over 1,500 employees. Another indicator of the consolidation of its innovative ecosystem is the increasing interest of investors and entrepreneurs. Barcelona's sizeable startup ecosystem accounts for more than 2,000 startups and 7 unicorns, and it ranks as the 2nd favourite European hub for founders for setting up a startup. The city has also attracted large US multinationals such as Apple, Take Two or Airbnb, which added Barcelona-based startups to their portfolio. Barcelona & Partners aims to attract US innovative companies With the goal of increasing the number of scaleups and corporates willing to invest in Barcelona, it is crucial for Barcelona & Partners to attend high-level events in strategic regions like New York where its target companies are located. During its trip to New York, the strategic investment agency for Barcelona also hosted an intimate gathering co-organised with one of its partners, the international law firm Cuatrecasas. They had the opportunity to present why Barcelona is an ideal location for US companies and how Barcelona & Partners can support them in their growth plans. Barcelona & Partners Barcelona & Partners is the agency promoted by the Association Barcelona Global to attract technology companies, talent and innovative initiatives that will have a major socio-economic impact on Barcelona. It focuses on sectors in which the city has a great value proposition such as Life Sciences, Digital Tech, Advanced Manufacturing, Smart Mobility and Gaming. SOURCE Barcelona & Partners Independent Owner and President of Beltone Tri-State, Ed Ryan, named winner of the prestigious President's Cup Award for 2022 GLENVIEW, Ill., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Beltone, named America's #1 Hearing Care Retailer & Best in Customer Service by Newsweek, gathered its U.S. and Canadian network of independent owners at the annual Beltone National Meeting held March 16-18 in Phoenix at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass. The three-day event was filled with inspiring and educational sessions. Owners also enjoyed unique and engaging networking opportunities that provided valuable peer-to-peer knowledge and expert insights they could bring back to their practices. An annual highlight of the event was the 2022 Awards Night ceremony recognizing individual owners and many network achievements. 2022 Beltone President's Cup Award Winner, Ed Ryan Beltone Presidents Club members in attendance (L-R, top to bottom): Vaughn Bray, Michael Andreozzi, Dan Fletcher, Eddie Ledford Jr., Ed Ryan, David Kimbel, Beltone President David Molella, Brian Snowden, Dean Kent, Phyllis Bray, Club Treasurer Roberta Miller, Marsha Mattingly, and Dr. Lesley Kirby This year, President of Beltone North America, David Molella, awarded the prestigious President's Cup for 2022 to Ed Ryan, independent owner and President of Beltone Tri-State, which spans throughout New York and Connecticut. This award represents a pinnacle achievement for Beltone U.S. owners recognizing the hard work, accomplishments, and successes each winner has achieved during their tenure as a Beltone owner, especially during the year they receive the honor. Previous President's Cup winners who were in attendance to welcome Ryan into the club included Eddie Ledford (2002), Marsha Mattingly (2003), Michael Andreozzi (2006), Dan Fletcher (2007), Vaughn & Phyllis Bray (2016), Dean Kent (2018), David Kimbel (2019), Dr. Lesley Kirby (2020), and Brian Snowden (2021). "Beginning initially as a single-office owner, Ed grew his practice to 14 locations and one of the most successful Beltone businesses in the U.S.," said Molella. "To quote Ed directly, 'Growing businesses is what gets me out of bed in the morning. What I pride myself most on though, is that the revenue increases and sales successes never come at the cost of my patients and my teams. We deliver quality with a focus on service and trust.' This approach, along with leading by example and creating a dedicated and successful team culture, has led to Ed's impressive accomplishments with his practices, and we're thrilled to welcome him to the President's Club." Among the many additional awards of note, the Head of Beltone Canada, Rob Boucher, was also on hand to present awards to the 2022 Canadian Dispensers of the Year, Amir Hadar and Jonathan Weizman. Throughout the three-day meeting, attendees were treated to an inspiring fireside chat with keynote speaker, CEO of Union Square Hospitality and Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer. During a general session, President of GN Hearing North America, Scott Davis, and CFO of GN Hearing North America, Mike Halloran, joined Beltone VP of Marketing, Dan McCoy for an insightful discussion about the state of the hearing industry. The Beltone leadership team including Molella, McCoy, VP of Sales, Kevin Conners, and VP of Business Operations, Ron Gleitman, were among the presenters discussing industry topics such as the patient experience, managed care, and staying competitive in a changing market. Chief Audiology Officer of GN Hearing, Laurel Christensen, Ph.D., rounded out the meeting with an in-depth discussion on the latest Beltone hearing aid technology. A Beltone National Meeting would not be complete without some fun. Several entertaining events took place, including an opening event and horseback ride at Koli Equestrian Center, an opening night celebration under the stars, an awards gala after party, and a closing night live band karaoke bash. Most importantly, the National Meeting provided an opportunity for Beltone independent owners from across the U.S. and Canada to connect to share ideas, successes, and challenges and to celebrate the Beltone family because when you are part of the Beltone network, you are independent together. Ready to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself? Learn more about joining Beltone's award-winning network of independent owners at www.ownabeltone.com. About Beltone For more than 80 years, Beltone has been one of the nation's most trusted and leading hearing care provider. In addition to providing some of the most reliable, affordable, and advanced hearing aids, we also pride ourselves on serving as a partner to our patients every step of the way during their hearing health journey. With approximately 1,500 Beltone locations nationwide, each office is a local business part of the community it serves and the hearing care professional and staff at your local Beltone will get to know you to provide a personalized experience during your journey to better hearing. And with a nationwide network, you can expect this level of personalized service wherever you go. Our Beltone hearing care professionals receive extensive training and education, so they are always equipped with the latest knowledge to bring you the best care. Proudly part of the GN Group, Beltone continues to focus on the needs of our patients through the research and development of innovative new hearing technologies to allow you to hear what truly matters the most. To learn more, please visit us at www.beltone.com and on LinkedIn. SOURCE Beltone ONTARIO, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Since 2009, Ultra Shine , a leading Canadian janitorial and sanitation service company, has provided exceptional janitorial and cleaning services to major western Canadian city centers such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, and Fort McMurray. Ultra Shine began its foray into the United States through its acquisition of Corona, California, USA-based cleaning service Wurm's in 2021. Now having served sunny California for over a year, with plans to expand into Irvine, Ultra Shine has transformed Wurm's and aligned it with the business's key values, starting with major technological improvements to the equipment and systems previously in place. The implementation of chemical dilution systems and the development of a new supplier partner relationship with Waxie have improved cleaning supply management and resulted in the consolidation of cleaning solutions. Implementing the same GPS, time tracking, and quality assurance software as used in the north has allowed Ultra Shine to bring the same flexible, reliable, and transparent service offerings valued by their Western Canadian customers while honoring its accredited health and safety practices. Furthermore, the implementation of the employee recognition program Shining Star and recruitment referral bonuses has increased staff retention in one of the many markets struggling with staff shortages. In keeping up with the many operational upgrades, the outdated red and black branding received a complete overhaul now reflecting the modern and bright color combinations, messaging, and values that won Ultra Shine the BSCAI Image Award for a medium-sized business in 2021. At the helm of Ultra Shine's California expansion is Tom Tran, Vice President. With over 35 years of industry experience from every position from front line team member, to Director of Operations and most recently Vice President, he values loyalty, dedication, hard work, and kindness allowing him to achieve substantial professional and personal growth. Over the next 5 years, Tom and the rest of the Ultra Shine family have no intentions of slowing down with aggressive plans to continue to expand and grow the Ultra Shine name and reputation within the American market. Who is Ultra Shine Group? Ultra Shine specializes in providing high-quality janitorial and sanitation services for office and commercial spaces, including industrial, warehouse, logistics, casino/gaming sector properties, recreational spaces, and municipal and federal government buildings. Among the numerous services delivered, Ultra Shine provides after-hours cleaning, day porter services, window cleaning, hard surface floor and carpet care, daily touchpoint sanitation, and mobile spray sanitation, among others. For more than a decade, Ultra Shine has met with a great deal of success in the Canadian market, in no small part due to its key values, which are marked by a focus on flexibility and adaptability for the needs of its clients. Driven by excellence, Ultra Shine has made an effort to invest in cutting-edge, innovative technology, particularly robotics technology. Engaging in aggressive employee recruiting and retention strategies have enabled Ultra Shine to keep a roster of highly trained staff. Ultra Shine has also successfully provided scalability to clients by offering significant cost savings for clients with multiple buildings. Ultra Shine continues to exceed its clients' standards by providing autonomous management of building maintenance requirements and implementing exceptional quality assurance and control processes for clients to ensure complete transparency in inspections. Ultra Shine is also deeply driven by a passion for community engagement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as office, commercial, recreational, and retail spaces shut down, Ultra Shine shifted to volunteering their sanitation and janitorial services to community non-profit centers serving vulnerable populations, including a women's shelter based in Edmonton, as well as donating spray sanitation equipment to non-profit organizations supporting military members, veterans, and child abuse survivors. With this initiative, Ultra Shine ensured that their employees were able to keep their jobs throughout the duration of the pandemic while fulfilling an urgent and previously overlooked need for deep sanitation for this sector. SOURCE Ultra Shine Group ELKO Anger, devastation, and concern for her patients washed over Dr. Bridget Martinez as she learned that her residency training program in rural northeastern Nevada would be shuttered. The doctor in training remembered telling one of her patients that, come July of this year, she would no longer be her physician. Martinez had been treating the patient for months at a local health care center for a variety of physical and psychiatric health issues. She was like, I dont know what Im going to do, Martinez said. It almost set her back, I would say, to square one. Thats so distressing to a patient. Martinez and three other resident physicians make up more than a third of the family practice providers at a health clinic in Elko, a city of about 20,000 people in the largely rural 500-mile stretch between Reno, Nevada, and Salt Lake City. Another patient cried and said she was unsure who her provider would be once Martinez returned to Reno to finish training. Established in 2017, the rural family medicine training program in Elko is shutting down for a variety of reasons, including financial struggles, lack of a united support system, and a historical lack of health care investment in the area. Experts say systemic factors are common barriers to establishing and sustaining training programs for doctors throughout rural America. More than 100 million people, or nearly one-third of the nation, have trouble accessing primary care, according to a recent study published by the National Association of Community Health Centers. This number has nearly doubled since 2014. The pandemic worsened provider shortages nationwide, but the problem is more acute in rural areas, which have long struggled to recruit and retain doctors and other medical professionals. Researchers say the relative lack of providers is one reason people living in rural areas experience worse health outcomes than people who live in urban areas. Experts say expanding the number of medical residency training programs in rural areas is key to filling gaps in care because many doctors including more than half of family medicine physicians settle within 100 miles of where they train. And while the number of training programs has increased in rural areas during the past few years, research shows 98% of residencies nationwide are in urban areas. Members of Congress have introduced several bills to address the health provider shortage, but they have not yet advanced. Meanwhile, rural medical training programs need more state and federal investment to grow and remain sustainable, said Dr. Emily Hawes, associate professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine and deputy director with the federal Rural Residency Planning and Development Program. There have been positive milestones, she said, including provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 that created more flexibility in funding and accreditation for rural hospitals that want to establish residency programs. Congress also created the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program, which Hawes helps lead. The initiative funded its first cohort in 2019. Since then, the programs parent agency, the Health Resources and Services Administration, has given more than $43 million to 58 organizations in 32 states to launch rural medical residency programs. As of last fall, the recipients had created 32 accredited training programs in family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and general surgery, and received approval for more than 400 new residency positions in rural areas. But its still not enough, Hawes said. For starters, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services dont reimburse rural hospitals for medical residency programs at the same rate they do urban hospitals, despite rural hospitals facing similar or higher costs. Rural hospitals lower patient volumes and higher rates of underinsured or uninsured patients affect how much the government pays to fund graduate medical education, or GME. Hawes and other doctors argued in a research paper that rural hospitals participating in resident physician training should be paid the full cost of hosting residents, which amounts to at least $160,000 each annually. The challenge of paying residents salaries proved to be part of the problem for the program in Elko. Officials at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital decided, when they launched their residency program six years ago, not to use CMS funds to pay salaries and instead to pay those costs out-of-pocket. That amounted to about $500,000 a year, said Dr. Daniel Spogen, a professor in the Family and Community Medicine Department at the University of Nevada-Reno School of Medicine and director of the medical residency training program in Elko. In retrospect, Spogen said, he wishes he and other faculty had pushed the hospital to pursue CMS funding, because it would have given the program a stronger financial foundation. In a February press release, hospital officials said the decision to close the medical training program was difficult but necessary, because of rising costs and increased requirements. In the end, the community and residents suffer the consequences, Spogen said. Hawes said rural communities and their resident physicians often benefit mutually: Residents experience a more diverse and involved training than they would in a larger hospital, because having fewer residents and doctors means they can take on bigger tasks. Martinez recalled treating a gunshot wound in the emergency room, something she said she probably would not have gotten to do in a Reno hospital. Closing any rural medical residency program ends a key opportunity to locate physicians in the areas where theyre most needed, said Hawes. Martinez and her husband, who is also finishing his medical training, had planned to stay in Elko. While thats not off the table, she said, theyre keeping their options open now. Spogen said people living in Elko will go back to relying on urgent care, which is not a substitute for primary care. The nearest city with more health care resources, 230 miles away by car, is Salt Lake City. Spogen said the patients he treats through the program dont have the financial resources to go elsewhere. Rural medical training programs dont have to end in struggle, Hawes said. Part of her job with the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program is to ensure faculty, residents, and hospital leaders have the resources, support, and knowledge they need to sustain their programs. Spogen estimates that a resident physician brings in about $600 a day for the hospital where they train, resulting in roughly $190,000 in revenue per year. Experts say when programs succeed, they grow quickly, like the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education, part of the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative. When the collaborative was established in 2012, there were 25 rural medical residency training positions in Wisconsin, said Lori Rodefeld, the groups director of rural GME development and support. Last year, the collaborative supported 51 positions more than double the number from 11 years ago. In addition, 65% of residents have remained in rural medical practice, Rodefeld said, which is higher than the national average for physicians who did their residencies in rural areas. Were very, very lucky, Rodefeld said. I dont know of many other states that have this kind of model where they have technical assistance available to multiple existing programs and for those who want to get started. Martinez and her husband chose Elko to complete their medical residencies because they knew they could help fill a need. Its almost intoxicating, Martinez said. You dont want to walk away from something like that, especially when you feel so valued. PENNINGTON, N.J., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell is now a NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) affiliate site of the Atlantic Health Cancer Consortium (AHCC). As a participating site, Capital Health Cancer Center will now offer residents in the greater Mercer and Bucks County region access to new and innovative NCI-sponsored clinical trials in the cancer prevention and control, screening, care delivery, and treatment areas. "The vision for our Cancer Center is clear," said Al Maghazehe, President and CEO of Capital Health, "To deliver exceptional care for our patients in a convenient location, with the clinical and support services they need and the research to support their fight and the advancement of care. Our participation in NCORP brings more opportunities to our patients, who are at the heart of everything we do." "Capital Health is known for its commitment to providing people of the greater Mercer and Bucks County regions with the highest quality care close to home," said Dr. Cataldo Doria, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center. "With the NCORP site designation, our Cancer Center will provide patients access to cancer clinical trials and cancer care delivery studies that are available at top institutions around the nation. We look forward to contributing to NCORP's national network of research that focuses on cancer prevention, screening, and treatment, especially in regard to how it affects access to care among underserved populations. This aligns well with Capital Health's mission to serve urban and suburban communities in our area." "Academic medical centers play an important part in cancer research, but most cancer care is provided in local communities," said Dr. Doria. "By expanding research outside academic settings as an AHCC NCORP site, we will provide access to a larger patient population that is more diverse and better reflects the complexity of cancer care." As part of AHCC NCORP, Capital Health Cancer Center's team of providers and researchers will help patients gain access to clinical trials across a broad range of cancer care benchmarks, including symptom management, prevention, screening, surveillance, care delivery and quality of life. The NCORP network's diversity in patient age, race, and geographic location, provides a natural laboratory for developing improved strategies for cancer prevention, more efficient cancer trials, and a better balance between the risks and benefits of interventions. "On behalf of the entire organization, I am excited to welcome Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell to Atlantic Health Cancer Consortium Community Oncology Research Program (AHCC CORP), the only New Jersey-based NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP)," said Dr. Eric Whitman, principal investigator at AHCC CORP and medical director of Atlantic Health System Cancer Care. "Together we will continue to advance the science of cancer care and shine new lights on cancer journey pathways for our patients." To help connect patients to advanced care options, research staff at Capital Health Cancer Center will select trials from the NCORP research portfolio that may benefit the Center's patient population. Appropriate studies are then presented to oncology physician teams to determine if they are good fits for specific patients. When a match is made, a primary investigator is appointed, and Capital Health research staff open the trial for Capital Health Cancer Center patients. To learn more about open clinical trials at Capital Health Cancer Center, visit www.capitalhealthcancer.org/ncorp, sign-up for email updates or call 609-537-6363 to schedule a consultation with one of our physicians. About Capital Health Cancer Center Capital Health Cancer Center is the area's most advanced provider of cancer treatment delivered by some of the most experienced medical experts. At the Center, a team of physicians from related fields such as medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynecological oncology, neurosurgery, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, colorectal surgery, interventional GI and pulmonology, radiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, thoracic surgery and other specialties collaborate and provide patients with a network of physicians trained in the most complex oncology issues. Capital Health is the only center in the region that offers advanced treatment options such as CyberKnife Radiosurgery, da Vinci Robotic-Assisted Surgery, TrueBeam Linear Accelerator (traditional 3D conformal radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, RapidArc radiotherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery), high-dose-rate radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, advanced imaging technology (digital mammography, 3D mammography, molecular breast imaging, PET/CT, and 3T MRI), nuclear isotopes (SIR-spheres), and more. Visit capitalhealthcancer.org to learn more. About AHCC NCORP The Atlantic Health Cancer Consortium Community Oncology Research Program (AHCC CORP) is the first and only New Jersey-based National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). Combining the collective strengths of world-class healthcare systems with community oncology care delivery, the consortium includes Atlantic Health System, Capital Health, CentraState Healthcare System, Holy Name Medical Center, Hunterdon Healthcare and Saint Peter's Healthcare System. Atlantic Health System will serve as the lead affiliate for NCORP Community Site activities, providing the scientific leadership and central support personnel necessary to accomplish the AHCC NCORP objectives. Atlantic Health System leadership includes experienced cancer investigators in both adult and pediatric cancers with unique expertise that span the cancer continuum. The overall goals of the consortium are to improve and extend the lives of New Jerseyans with cancer and reduce disparities by providing access to leading edge clinical trials in community settings. The consortium covers nearly three-quarters of the state and 6.5 million people. NCORP is a grant funded, community-based cancer research network of the National Cancer Institute with sites throughout the country. The network designs and conducts clinical trials and other cancer studies involving adults and children. These studies focus on cancer control, prevention, screening and care delivery, as well as quality-of-life research embedded within the treatment clinical trials. NCORP and its sites incorporate the needs of diverse populations such as children, adolescents and young adults; the elderly; racial and ethnic minorities; sexual and gender minorities; and rural residents into studies and take steps to enhance participation of these groups. NCORP also enhances patient and provider access to treatment and imaging trials conducted under NCI's National Clinical Trials Network. In addition, NCORP integrates cancer disparities research within the community research network. SOURCE Capital Health "Leaders from All Walks of Life" *Images available upon request BRUNSWICK, Maine, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenneth I. Chenault, a member of the Class of 1973 and a 1996 honorary degree recipient, and his wife, Kathryn C. Chenault, have made a $2 million gift to Bowdoin College, the bulk of which will be used to establish an endowed fellowship that will bring exemplary leaders to campus to engage with the Bowdoin community. Kenneth I. Chenault (right) presents Dr. Herman S. Dreer with the Afro-American Society's first Outstanding Alumnus Award at Bowdoin College in 1973. The Chenaults have named the fellowship in honor of Herman S. Dreer, Class of 1910, who was the second Black man to graduate from Bowdoin, eighty-four years after John Brown Russwurm, Class of 1826. Dreer's life storyand, in particular, his relationship with the Collegeis revealed in The Blackman at Bowdoin, the history honors thesis Chenault wrote in 1973. Dreer graduated in just three years as the second-highest-ranked student in his class. Even so, he was isolated socially because of his race. In his honors thesis, Chenault wrote that "The fact that he was left alone and not intimidated physically by his classmates was all he could expect or ask for. . . . Slavery may have ended but Dreer was tolerated for the most part rather than accepted socially, just as Russwurm had been eighty-one years earlier." Chenault went on to write that "according to Dreer, he tried through all his actions to convey to Bowdoin the humanity of the Black man. . . . The mere fact of his presence 'exploded' many of the stereotypes of Blacks commonly held by whites at that time." In spite of the significant racism Dreer experienced, he led a remarkable life as an academic, educational reformer, author, minister, and civil rights leader. Chenault wrote that Dreer had "a lifelong mission: helping Black people in any way he possibly could, be it educating them, tending to their spiritual needs, or as he did in November of 1972, engaging in a fierce political struggle to help Blacks gain elective office in St. Louis." Along with historian Carter G. Woodson, Dreer initiated the observance of Black History Month in the United States. "I stand on the shoulders of people like Herman Dreer who, despite being denied the opportunities they deserved, paved the way and valiantly forged ahead," said Ken Chenault. "Kathy and I are privileged to honor Herman Dreer and give him the long overdue recognition that he so justly deserves. The Herman S. Dreer Leadership Fellowship will ensure that Herman's legacy lives on to inspire future generations of trailblazers." Fifty years ago, in preparation for graduation, Chenault encouraged the Bowdoin Afro American Societyof which he was a memberto acknowledge an African American leader annually at the Baccalaureate ceremony. Chenault presented Dreer with the Afro-American Society's first Outstanding Alumnus Award that year, in 1973. The Herman S. Dreer Leadership Fellowship will support individuals from any professional fieldleaders "from all walks of life"in business, technology, government, law, the arts, the military, the nonprofit sector, and other disciplines. Dreer Fellows will be named for a semester or an academic year, with the general expectation that they will visit campus several times, deliver a public lecture, and engage with students and the greater Bowdoin community, both inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, they may also attend classes at faculty invitation, hold office hours for students to provide career and mentoring advice, and meet with alumni (particularly young alumni). They will be invited to engage in the life of the College by meeting with student groups and by sharing meals with students, faculty, and staff in the dining halls. The Dreer Fellows Program complements the work Bowdoin is doing in several areas of the Collegeacademically, culturally, and in career planningto significantly expand the sense of possibility for students, especially students from under-resourced and marginalized backgrounds, as they consider their professional aspirations, their leadership potential, and their ability to effect change. The College will seek Dreer Fellows from across society, including bringing leaders to campus who rose from similar under-resourced backgrounds. "This is both a generous gift and a beautiful idea that will bring to the fore an incredible alumnus who had largely been forgotten at the Collegea person very important to Ken, whose life he and Kathy want us to understand and celebrate," said Bowdoin president Clayton Rose. "Dreer Fellows will be an essential part of a new and deliberate effort at the College to further develop leadership skills in our students, to underscore that a Bowdoin education prepares them to accomplish anything they want in their lives, and to aim high very high." The president will oversee the selection and visits of Dreer Fellows, working with the campus and alumni community. More information online. Media contact: Doug Cook [email protected] SOURCE Bowdoin College Home-based health care provider recognized for commitment to women's workforce equality BRENTWOOD, Tenn., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Compassus, a leading national provider of innovative home-based health care services, has been recognized as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women by Newsweek magazine and market data research firm Plant-A Insights Group. This recognition places Compassus among 600 U.S. organizations that ranked highly in promoting workforce equity, according to research and surveys. The study based on an employer survey and sample set of more than 37,000 American women working for companies employing at least 1,000 people collected more than 224,000 reviews of U.S. organizations across all industries. Participants reviewed companies based on eight categories including compensation and benefits, work-life balance and proactive management of a diverse workforce. National home-based health care provider Compassus named one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women by Newsweek. Tweet this "Women are vital to what we do, accounting for more than 86% of our workforce. To receive this recognition is important validation of our work to create a culture that supports women and helps them thrive in their careers," said Compassus Chief Operating Officer Laura Templeton, who joined the organization in 2012 and advanced to leadership roles including chief clinical operations officer, hospice division president and regional vice president of operations. Since becoming a clinical leader, she has aided in the promotions of six women to C-suite or director-level roles. "Our people are the key to our continued progress expanding access to and providing quality, person-centered care, and we are proud to work alongside the smart, talented and compassionate women on our team," Templeton added. Since its founding in 2006, the Brentwood, Tennessee-based company has expanded its services to include home health, infusion therapy, palliative and hospice care. In 2020, Compassus became managing partner of Ascension at Home, a joint venture between Ascension and Compassus that broadens both organizations' post-acute services. The company's more than 6,000 team members deliver care in Compassus and Ascension at Home markets, serving more than 100,000 patients annually in 200 locations across 30 states. Compassus is dedicated to promoting gender equity across the organization, implementing mentorship, leadership and clinical ladder training programs to promote professional development and grow the next level of home-based care clinicians. "Women face unique challenges in the workplace, ranging from unequal pay and a lack of representation in leadership positions to discrimination and sexual harassment. Raising awareness of inequities in the workplace is the first step toward rectifying them," said Newsweek Global Editor in Chief Nancy Cooper. "It is equally important to highlight companies that are leading the way. To that end, Newsweek and Plant-A Insights are proud to introduce America's Greatest Workplaces 2023 For Women." For more information about Compassus, please visit www.compassus.com. About Compassus Compassus provides a continuum of home-based services including home health, infusion therapy, palliative and hospice care. Nearly 6,000 colleagues in 200 locations and 30 states provide high-quality care and manage patients' advanced illnesses in partnership with health systems and long-term care partners. The Compassus Care for who I am culture reflects its unique care delivery model, which focuses on each person as an individual as well as a patient, to improve their quality of life in a meaningful way. The company was honored as one of Newsweek's Greatest Places to Work for Women in 2023. Learn more at compassus.com or follow @Compassus on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter. Media Contact: Bailey Hinesley Lovell Communications [email protected] 615.297.7766 SOURCE Compassus CHICAGO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) today announced that its Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $0.33 per share of CAG common stock to be paid on June 1, 2023 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 28, 2023. About Conagra Brands Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. For more information, please contact: MEDIA: [email protected] INVESTORS: [email protected] SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc. NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The " Contact Lens Market in India by Distribution Channel and Product - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 " report has been added to Technavio's offering. The market is estimated to grow by USD 205.21 million from 2021 to 2026 at a CAGR of 7.75% during the forecast period. The market is segmented by product (frequent replacement lenses and daily disposable lenses) and distribution channel (online and offline). By product, the market will witness significant growth in the frequent replacement lenses segment during the forecast period. Similarly, by distribution channel, the offline distribution channel will account for the maximum revenue generation in the market. The report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all segments toward the growth of the contact lens market in India. For comprehensive details on the market size and forecast period (2022-2026) - View a sample report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Contact Lens Market in India Vendor Landscape The contact lens market in India is fragmented, with the presence of several players. The vendors in the market are deploying various organic and inorganic growth strategies to gain a competitive edge. Established vendors are launching products to maintain their market share. They are expected to acquire or enter into partnerships with small vendors to expand their product portfolios to enter emerging markets and increase their market shares. The vendor landscape of the contact lens market in India entails successful business strategies deployed by the vendors. Some of the key vendors covered in the report include: Bausch Health Companies Inc. Through the segment Bausch + Lomb/International, the company offers pharmaceutical products, OTC products, and medical devices for vision care, eye surgery, and other ophthalmic products. It offers contact lenses under the brand name iconnect. Through the segment Bausch + Lomb/International, the company offers pharmaceutical products, OTC products, and medical devices for vision care, eye surgery, and other ophthalmic products. It offers contact lenses under the brand name iconnect. Carl Zeiss AG The company offers devices under medical technology, microscopy, vision care, industrial metrology, semiconductor manufacturing technology, and others. It offers contact lenses under the brand name Lens Wipe. The company offers devices under medical technology, microscopy, vision care, industrial metrology, semiconductor manufacturing technology, and others. It offers contact lenses under the brand name Lens Wipe. Dealskart Online Services Pvt. Ltd. The company offers eyewear products such as spectacles and contact lenses. It offers contact lenses under the brand name Freshlook. The company offers eyewear products such as spectacles and contact lenses. It offers contact lenses under the brand name Freshlook. Essilor International SAS The company offers different types of solutions, including correcting vision, mobility, low vision, and others. It offers customized contact lenses for adults and children. The company offers different types of solutions, including correcting vision, mobility, low vision, and others. It offers customized contact lenses for adults and children. HOYA Medical Singapore Pte. Ltd Johnson and Johnson Inc. Novartis AG Purecon Lenses Pvt. Ltd. The Cooper Companies Inc. Vision Express (UK) Ltd. The report provides a full list of key vendors, their strategies, and the latest developments. Buy Now Market Driver Major Drivers - The market is driven by factors such as the rise in the number of people with eye disorders, the rising popularity of contact lenses over spectacles, and the increasing focus on enhancing aesthetics. The prevalence of eye disorders, such as refractive error, cataracts, and glaucoma, is increasing worldwide. Factors such as the increase in smoking and ultraviolet light exposure and the growing use of digital devices have increased the number of eye disorders. For instance, the percentage of the global population that require corrective lenses has increased from under 40% in 2010 to more than 63% as of 2021. In addition, the prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes has increased the risk of eye disorders. In 2021, more than 483 million adults aged above 20 years were affected by diabetes globally. All these factors have fostered the demand for contact lenses as well as the growth of the market. Technavio has identified key drivers in the market, which will help clients improve their strategies to stay ahead of their competitors. - View a Sample Report Company Profiles The report includes information on the product launches, sustainability, and prospects of leading vendors, including Bausch Health Companies Inc., Carl Zeiss AG, Dealskart Online Services Pvt. Ltd., Essilor International SAS, HOYA Medical Singapore Pte. Ltd, Johnson and Johnson Inc., Novartis AG, Purecon Lenses Pvt. Ltd., The Cooper Companies Inc., and Vision Express (UK) Ltd. Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our Basic Plan billed annually at USD 5000 Competitive Analysis The report includes competitive analysis, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their industry position score and market performance score. The competitive scenario categorizes companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, and growth in market share, among others. Related Reports: The contact lens solutions market size is expected to increase by USD 398.57 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.18%. The market is segmented by distribution channel (retail stores and online stores) and geography ( North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and Middle East and Africa ). size is expected to increase by from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.18%. The market is segmented by distribution channel (retail stores and online stores) and geography ( , , APAC, , and and ). The soft contact lens market size is expected to increase by USD 1.74 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.21%. The market is segmented by product (daily soft contact lens, weekly replacement lens, monthly replacement lens, and others), application (corrective lens, therapeutic lens, and cosmetic lens), and geography ( North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and Middle East and Africa ). Contact Lens Market in India: Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.75% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 205.21 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2021-2022 (%) 5.71 Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Bausch Health Companies Inc., Carl Zeiss AG, Dealskart Online Services Pvt. Ltd., Essilor International SAS, HOYA Medical Singapore Pte. Ltd, Johnson and Johnson Inc., Novartis AG, Purecon Lenses Pvt. Ltd., The Cooper Companies Inc., and Vision Express (UK) Ltd. 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 through Technavio's Consumer Staples Market Reports Table of contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2021 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026 Five Forces Analysis Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product Frequent replacement lenses - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Daily disposable lenses - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Market opportunity by Product Market Segmentation by Distribution channel Market segments Comparison by Distribution channel Online - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Offline - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Customer landscape Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Bausch Health Companies Inc. Carl Zeiss AG Dealskart Online Services Pvt. Ltd. Essilor International SAS HOYA Medical Singapore Pte. Ltd Johnson and Johnson Inc. Novartis AG Purecon Lenses Pvt. Ltd. The Cooper Companies Inc. Vision Express (UK) Ltd. Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading 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 SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global digital health market size is expected to reach USD 809.2 billion by 2030. According to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc, it is expected to expand at a CAGR of 18.6% during the forecast period. Rising smartphone adoption, improved internet connectivity with the launching of 4G/5G, advancement in healthcare IT infrastructure, rising healthcare costs, the rising penetration rate of chronic diseases, increasing adoption rate of remote patient monitoring services, and rising accessibility of virtual care are some of the major factors that fuel the industry growth. Furthermore, key players are focusing on introducing advanced applications to track daily activities, get information about medical queries, connect to physicians and store their health information. Tech giants like Apple, Google, and IBM are working to improve user experience by launching numerous subscription plans and improving data security features. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: The global digital health market size is anticipated to be valued at USD 809.2 billion by 2030 due to the growing penetration of smartphones, improvement in internet connectivity, and advancement in healthcare infrastructure. by 2030 due to the growing penetration of smartphones, improvement in internet connectivity, and advancement in healthcare infrastructure. The telehealthcare segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 41.5% in 2022, owing to an increasing prevalence rate of chronic conditions and constant advancement in telehealth applications. The services segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 45.4% in 2022. Growing demand for installation, maintenance, training, and other services drives the market growth. However, the software segment is projected to grow with the fastest CAGR value over the forecast period. North America accounted for a high revenue share of 44.3% in 2022. However, Asia Pacific is estimated to exhibit the fastest CAGR value of 21.8% during the forecast period. Growing investment in healthcare infrastructure, an increasing number of start-ups, and increasing penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity are projected to fuel the market growth. Read full market research report for latest industry insights, "Digital Health Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Technology (Healthcare Analytics, mHealth, Tele-healthcare, Digital Health Systems), By Component (Software, Hardware, Services), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Digital Health Market Growth & Trends At present, telehealth and telemedicine services are receiving recognition from the healthcare industry and government bodies. Governments across the globe are introducing new initiatives to promote digital health. For instance, during the 2022 budget session, the Government of India introduced a digital health ecosystem under Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDM). The government invested more than 3.5 million in this program in order to advance the digital healthcare infrastructure. The growing penetration rate of chronic diseases such as CVD, cancer, diabetes, and others further fuels the market growth as chronic conditions require continuous monitoring and digital health platforms help in monitoring chronic conditions from any place and at any time. Furthermore, COVID-19 impacted the market positively as a large percentage of the patient population opted for telemedicine and telehealth solutions due to infection risks and lockdown scenarios. In 2022, telehealthcare dominated the market with a revenue share of 41.5%. The market growth can be attributed to the rising penetration of smartphones, and improvement in internet connectivity. Advancements in the healthcare IT infrastructure and the launching of new platforms and solutions further fuelled the segment's growth. In 2022, North America dominated the industry with a revenue share of 44.3%. North America is one of the very first regions to adopt smart healthcare solutions, including various technologies such as mobile apps, smart wearables, and eHealth services, like EHR & telemedicine services, for remote access to information on serious & chronic healthcare conditions. Factors such as rapid growth in the adoption of smartphones, advancements in coverage networks, rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases, increase in geriatric population, rise in costs of health care, acute shortage of primary caregivers, and increase in need for improved prevention & management of chronic conditions are responsible for the growth of digital health services in the region. Digital Health Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the digital health market based on technology, component, and region Digital Health Market - Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Tele-healthcare Tele-care Activity Monitoring Remote Medication Management Telehealth LTC Monitoring Video Consultation mHealth Wearables BP Monitors Glucose Meters Pulse Oximeters Sleep Apnea Monitors Neurological Monitors Activity Trackers/ Actigraphs mHealth Apps Medical Apps Fitness Apps Services mHealth Service, By Type Monitoring Services Independent Aging Solutions Chronic Disease Management & Post-Acute Care Services Diagnosis Services Healthcare Systems Strengthening Services Others mHealth Services, By Participants Mobile Operators Device Vendors Content Players Healthcare Providers Healthcare Analytics Digital Health Systems EHR E-Prescribing Systems Digital Health Market - Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Software Hardware Services Digital Health Market - Component Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Russia Asia Pacific China India Japan Australia Singapore South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina MEA South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE List of Key Players of the Digital Health Market Cerner Corporation (Oracle) Allscripts Apple, Inc. Telefonica S.A. Mckesson Corporation Epic Systems Corporation QSI Management, LLC AT&T Vodafone Group AirStrip Technologies Google, Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. HiMS Orange Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Softserve MQure Computer Programs and Systems, Inc. Vocera Communications IBM Corporation CISCO Systems, Inc. Check out more market research studies published by Grand View Research: Digital Biomarkers Market - The global digital biomarkers market size is expected to reach USD 13,966.16 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 21.9% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Due to the rising acceptance of recent advancements and remote technologies, the market for digital biomarkers is anticipated to expand throughout the forecast period. Development of the remote data collecting technologies, which make up the largest segment of the market for digital biomarkers, has been propelled by the improvements in wearable and mobile technology. Additionally, this market segment is being further assisted by the growing use of the internet. The global digital biomarkers market size is expected to reach by 2030, registering a CAGR of 21.9% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Due to the rising acceptance of recent advancements and remote technologies, the market for digital biomarkers is anticipated to expand throughout the forecast period. Development of the remote data collecting technologies, which make up the largest segment of the market for digital biomarkers, has been propelled by the improvements in wearable and mobile technology. Additionally, this market segment is being further assisted by the growing use of the internet. Healthcare Digital Twins Market - The global healthcare digital twins market size is expected to reach USD 3.5 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 25.6% from 2022 to 2030. Digital twins are digital models or real-time replicas of an object or process that incorporates and updates all the available data in real time. - The global healthcare digital twins market size is expected to reach by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 25.6% from 2022 to 2030. Digital twins are digital models or real-time replicas of an object or process that incorporates and updates all the available data in real time. U.S. Digital Therapeutics Market - The U.S. digital therapeutics market size is anticipated to reach USD 10.5 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a lucrative CAGR of 24.8% from 2022 to 2030. Growing healthcare consumerism, the availability & development of DTx products, and the rising number of market players are driving the regional market. Browse through Grand View Research's Healthcare IT Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. MILWAUKEE, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual is celebrating eight Wisconsin-based financial advisors earning rankings on the 2023 Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors "Best-In-State" list. Forbes receives more than 30,000 advisor applicants annually, and only a small percentage are named among the best wealth advisors in their state. Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors are nominated by their firms and undergo a series of comprehensive interviews, questionnaires and vetting by SHOOK Research. SHOOK considers a variety of qualitative and quantitative metrics when evaluating nominees, including industry experience, compliance records, revenue produced and assets under management. The following advisors who ranked on the 2023 Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors "Best-In-State" List are: These Northwestern Mutual advisors and thousands more nationwide not only deliver outstanding service to their clients, but were also the driving force for the company's outstanding 2022 business results. In February, Northwestern Mutual announced a record number of total clients (more than five million), full-time financial professionals (nearly 8,000), revenue ($35 billion), surplus ($37 billion) and permanent life insurance sales. Additionally, in 2022 Northwestern Mutual Investment Services was ranked the sixth largest independent broker-dealer by total revenue by InvestmentNews and the seventh largest by Financial Advisor. Northwestern Mutual is a leading provider of wealth management and investment solutions with a growing number of clients turning to the company's financial advisors to help them protect and grow their wealth. The company's broad range of investment options, combined with its industry-leading risk protection solutions, gives clients the ability to achieve better long-term financial outcomes. About the Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors & Best-In-State Lists Forbes recognizes the top wealth advisors in America based on a set of qualitative and quantitative criteria, including in-person interviews, best practices, service and investing models, compliance records, revenue trends and assets under management. All advisors have a minimum of seven years' experience. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor their research partner SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With more than $558 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, nearly $35 billion in revenues, and $2.2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 97 on the 2022 FORTUNE 500. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. Advisors who utilize a different firm name do so as a marketing name for doing business as a representative of Northwestern Mutual. Marketing names are not registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, insurance agencies or federal savings banks. Advisors are insurance agents of NM. Investment advisory services provided as Advisors of NMWMC. Investment brokerages services provided as Registered Representatives of NMIS. SOURCE Northwestern Mutual NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The electric head scalp massager market size is expected to grow by USD 516.69 million from 2021 to 2026, progressing at a CAGR of 5.6%, as per the latest Technavio market research report. APAC is estimated to account for 33% of the market growth during the forecast period. China and India are the key markets for the electric head scalp massager market in the region. Another region offering significant growth opportunities to vendors is North America. The growth of the market in the region is facilitated by factors such as the steady rise in the number of spa centers. Furthermore, the growing awareness of and the need for healthy lifestyles contribute to the demand for wellness and fitness treatments, anti-aging treatments, and other wellness practices, thereby driving the market growth. For more insights on the market share of various regions - Download a sample report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Electric Head Scalp Massager Market 2022-2026 Electric Head Scalp Massager Market: Increasing use of electric head scalp massagers to reduce anxiety and promote hair growth to drive growth The rising use of electric head scalp massagers to reduce anxiety and promote hair growth drives the electric head scalp massager market growth significantly. Vendors invest in innovative electric head scalp massagers, which aim to serve multiple purposes. Innovative electric hair scalp massagers allow users to brush through hair and massage the scalp painlessly. Furthermore, the soft bristles make it simple and convenient to massage the scalp without hurting the scalp or causing damage to the hair. The bristles also promote the development of healthy hair by increasing the blood flow to the scalp, and the electric head scalp massager relieves tension and gives a soothing massage to the scalp, getting rid of dead skin cells and improving the health of the hair. Hence, all these benefits associated with using electric head scalp massagers increase their demand, which will drive the growth of the electric head scalp massager market during the forecast period. Electric Head Scalp Massager Market: Leveraging Internet Platforms to Create Awareness Leveraging Internet platforms to create awareness is an emerging trend in the market. The availability of details regarding a wide range of electric head scalp massagers on online platforms provides users with a unique platform to compare prices and product promotions. Individual users get to interact with fellow consumers and know their feedback on the products. With the advent of the internet, the electric head scalp massager market has been growing steadily. The internet allows manufacturers to market electric head scalp massagers to potential users by optimizing the search engine. The aggressive marketing tactics implemented by vendors help reach out to potential consumers and expand the existing consumer base. Hence, such factors are anticipated to boost the growth of the global electric head scalp massager market during the forecast period. To know about more drivers, trends along with challenges - Download a sample now! Why Buy? Add credibility to strategy Analyzes competitor's offerings Get a holistic view of the market Grow your profit margin with Technavio buy now Some of the key Electric Head Scalp Massager Market Players: The electric head scalp massager market is concentrated, and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. Breo Technology USA LLC, Comfier, Cotsoco, Lumi Therapy Co., OSIM International Pte. Ltd., Panasonic Holdings Corp., and Xiaomi Inc are some of the major players in the market. Electric Head Scalp Massager Market: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the electric head scalp massager market by product (handheld and helmet) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America). The market share growth in the handheld segment will be significant for the market growth during the forecast period. A handheld massager mainly works on heat therapy. It helps relieve anxiety and headache issues by maintaining proper blood circulation in the targeted area. The massager helps users get rid of their anxiety and boosts the overall health of the head and scalp. The steady growth of the segment can be attributed to factors such as rising disposable income, increasing customer awareness, and the proliferation of technologically advanced products from vendors. For additional information on the market contribution of each segment - Grab an Exclusive Sample Report What are the key data covered in this Electric Head Scalp Massager Market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the electric head scalp massager market between 2022 and 2026 Precise estimation of the size of the electric head scalp massager market and its contribution to the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the electric head scalp massager market across North America , Europe , Asia , and Rest of World (ROW) , , , and Rest of World (ROW) 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 electric head scalp massager market vendors Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Related Reports: The hair spray market size should rise by USD 3.78 billion from 2020 to 2025 at a CAGR of 10.27%. The report extensively covers market segmentation by product (hair styling spray and dry shampoo) and geography (US, Canada, Germany, China, and UK). The evolving fashion trends in hair styling are notably driving the hair spray market growth. 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 rising hair-related issues among consumers are notably driving market growth. Electric Head Scalp Massager Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.6% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 516.69 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth 2021-2022 (%) 5.2 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 33% Key countries US, Canada, China, India, Germany, and Italy Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Breo Technology USA LLC, Comfier, Cotsoco, Lumi Therapy Co., OSIM International Pte. Ltd., Panasonic Holdings Corp., and Xiaomi Inc 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's Consumer Staples Market Reports Key Topics Covered: 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 Product 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 Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product 5.3 Handheld - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Handheld - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Handheld - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Handheld - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Handheld - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Helmet - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Helmet - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Helmet - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Helmet - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Helmet - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Product ($ 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 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on South America - 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 Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 83: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 84: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 85: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.14 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 86: 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 87: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 88: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 89: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 90: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 91: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 92: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Breo Technology USA LLC LLC Exhibit 93: Breo Technology USA LLC - Overview LLC - Overview Exhibit 94: Breo Technology USA LLC - Product / Service LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 95: Breo Technology USA LLC - Key offerings 10.4 Comfier Exhibit 96: Comfier - Overview Exhibit 97: Comfier - Product / Service Exhibit 98: Comfier - Key offerings 10.5 Cotsoco Exhibit 99: Cotsoco - Overview Exhibit 100: Cotsoco - Product / Service Exhibit 101: Cotsoco - Key offerings 10.6 Lumi Therapy Co. Exhibit 102: Lumi Therapy Co. - Overview Exhibit 103: Lumi Therapy Co. - Product / Service Exhibit 104: Lumi Therapy Co. - Key offerings 10.7 OSIM International Pte. Ltd. Exhibit 105: OSIM International Pte. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 106: OSIM International Pte. Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 107: OSIM International Pte. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.8 Panasonic Holdings Corp. Exhibit 108: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Overview Exhibit 109: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 110: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Key news Exhibit 111: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 112: Panasonic Holdings Corp. - Segment focus 10.9 Xiaomi Inc Exhibit 113: Xiaomi Inc - Overview Exhibit 114: Xiaomi Inc - Business segments Exhibit 115: Xiaomi Inc - Key news Exhibit 116: Xiaomi Inc - Key offerings Exhibit 117: Xiaomi Inc - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 118: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 119: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 120: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 121: Research methodology Exhibit 122: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 123: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 124: List of abbreviations About Technavio 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. Contacts 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 LARGO, Md., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Employ Prince George's (EPG) in partnership with Prince George's County Government, the Faith-Based community and Reentry stakeholders recognize the month of April as National Second Chance Awareness Month in Prince George's County, Maryland by hosting a series of events dedicated to helping returning citizens get back into the workforce as they transition back to a place, we all call home. "Ensuring that the residents of Prince George's County can reenter our workforce and secure livable, high wage jobs is the main priority for Employ Prince Georges," says EPG President and CEO Walter L. Simmons. During National Second Chance Awareness Month, we are committed to being intentional with our efforts to meet the community where they are and to support returning citizens by hosting a Job and Resource Fair, Expungement Fairs, and community events throughout the county. We started the month off with our Pathways to Government Job & Resource Fair on April 6, 2023, at Palmer Park Community Center. The fair was a fantastic opportunity for job seekers to connect with government employers and explore career paths into the public sector. On April 13, 2023, Employ Prince George's is hosting the Second Chance Month Expungement Fair at Cedar Heights Community Center starting at 10 am. At this expungement fair, attendees will have the chance to meet with legal experts who can provide guidance on the expungement process and help them understand their rights. They will also have the opportunity to connect with local organizations and agencies that offer support and resources to help them get back on their feet. Our next community event of the month is the Second Chance Month Job & Resource Fair, also at the Cedar Heights Community Center at 10 am. This fair will feature local employers, community organizations, and resource providers offering employment opportunities, training programs, and supportive services for returning citizens in Prince George's County. To learn more about these opportunities and to register, please visit EmployPG.org/events. To close out the month, we will host a Returning Citizens Summit powered by the Returning Citizens Affairs Division (RCAD). RCAD is a division within the Office of the County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Their duties are to coordinate, strategize, and monitor everything that supports residents who are returning home from incarceration that live in Prince George's County. On Saturday, April 29, 2023, they will host the Returning Citizens Summit where there will be a series of conversations and workshops on what the transition from incarceration to home is for our citizens. After being birthed just 12-months ago, this summit will introduce the new ecosystem of support to serve Returning Citizens for years to come. Experts will come together to share their viewpoint, experiences, scope of services, and resources that focus on reducing recidivism and improving public safety by ensuring that our returning citizens have access to the necessary resources, support, and opportunities to successfully transition home. Attendees can expect a host of subjects to be discussed during panel discussions and phenomenal Keynote Speakers to address the barriers when coming back home to Prince George's County. The MC is national reentry advocate and social influencer Wallo267, Co-Host Autumn Joi (on air personality with WHUR 96.3), Joe Clair (on air personality Fox 5 DMV Zone), and two national powerhouse criminal justice reform advocates Topeka Sam and Marcus Bullock. For more information or to register for the Returning Citizens Summit, please visit https://tinyurl.com/SecondChanceMonth Employ Prince George's (EPG) provides workforce intelligence and solutions for the job seeker and business. EPG's mission is to contribute to the economic vitality of Prince George's County by providing a demand-driven system that delivers qualified workers to business and provides job seekers with opportunities for careers in high-demand/high-growth industries. For more information, please visit www.EmployPG.org. SOURCE Employ Prince George's Patent-Pending Solution Delivers Unique Employer Preview Functionality for Enhanced Customization and Visibility ATLANTA, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Equifax (NYSE: EFX) launched a new pre-employment verification solution, Talent Report Employment Flex , designed to help employers and background screeners more easily verify a candidate's specific employment records in support of more informed hiring decisions. With its patent-pending design and functionality, Talent Report Employment Flex allows users to customize the report output, with the option to preview all of a candidate's available employer names and choose only the desired records. This provides greater flexibility and control for those who may only want to verify a candidate's employment with specific employers that are most relevant to the job. "Employers recognize that pre-employment screening can help them identify the best possible candidates for their open roles," said Joe Muchnick, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Employer Services and Talent Solutions at Equifax Workforce Solutions. "At the same time, candidates expect to move through the hiring process at an increasingly rapid pace. With Talent Report Employment Flex, our unique preview functionality gives background screeners and employers more control over the report output while helping to expedite the screening process, helping employers make hiring decisions faster in a competitive market for job applicants." Talent Report Employment Flex provides verified employment data from The Work Number database, leveraging 604 million employment records across 2.6 million contributing employers. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credentialed verifiers with permissible purpose may use Talent Report Employment Flex to preview a list of a candidate's employers and choose the desired employment records. Talent Report Employment Flex is patent-pending. The product joins a full suite of pre-employment verification solutions offered by Equifax Workforce Solutions to help meet the diverse needs of employers and background screeners. Consumers can access and manage their employment and income data stored in The Work Number database by clicking here . For more information on Talent Report Employment Flex, please click here . ABOUT EQUIFAX INC. At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com FOR MORE INFORMATION: Daniel Jenkins for Equifax [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. The state highway between Eureka and Carlin has been closed by the Nevada Department of Transportation due to flooding. State Route 278 was posted as closed Tuesday afternoon. The Eureka County Sheriffs Office reported Monday evening that the water was a foot deep in the southbound lane at one spot in Pine Valley. A post on the Nevada Department of Transportation website said Water over the roadway. Lanes reduced to one with the use of flaggers. Slow down and use caution and move over for highway equipment and personnel. NDOT also reported water over the highway at the Elko County line, just south of Interstate 80. Eureka Sheriff Jesse Watts described the highway as washing out. "The northbound lane has collapsed in two separate areas and is UNPASSABLE. Water has completely submerged the highway in another area that spans over 100 yards, and is damaging it in that location as well," he said Tuesday evening. Minor flooding was reported on parts of the highway farther to the south a month ago, during initial snowmelt that threatened the town of Eureka and prompted installation of a temporary flood barrier. The snowmelt accelerated this week after temperatures climbed well above normal. Eurekas high of 74 degrees on Monday was 4 degrees below the previous record high set in 1989. The mercury stopped only one degree short of a record in Elko. The high of 76 on Monday nearly matched the temperature on this date in 2012. Temperatures are expected to dip back to normal levels in the upper 50s on Wednesday and then plunge into the mid-40s Thursday. The National Weather Service is predicting a slight chance of snow showers Wednesday night, before temperatures rebound into the 60s by the weekend. DUBLIN, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Europe Floating Power Plant Market Size, Segments, Outlook and Revenue Forecast 2022-2027 by Power Source Type, Platform Type, Connectivity, By Capacity and Major Countries" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The floating power plant market in Europe is expected to grow at a rate of about 10% CAGR over the next five years (2022-2027) and reach US$ 740 Mn by 2027, due to the rising demand for clean energy sources, lack of power infrastructure, and need for secondary power sources. Awareness of clean energy is increasing around the globe day by day and many countries want to become carbon neutral in the future. Europe is investing more to make its power sector carbon neutral. Floating power plants are mobile in nature so they can be transported to any remote location near the sea or ocean and can supply power. Demand for power is increasing simultaneously with the shortage of power infrastructure. Floating Power Plants don't require that much infrastructure and it eliminates the risk of land acquisition. These reasons are driving the growth of the Floating Power Plant market in Europe. According to Eurostat, the production of electricity from Renewable energy and biogas sources in the EU increased from 0.94 million GWh in 2018 to 1.07 million GWh in 2021. However Floating Power Plants involve high initial costs and as they float in the ocean and deep sea, they are uniquely vulnerable to certain weather phenomena, which is a major barrier for the Floating Power Plant market. For Instance, the Cost of a floating offshore wind project is 2X that of a fixed bottom offshore project and offshore wind turbines are significantly more expensive at 7.22 to 12.11 US$/KWh whereas onshore wind turbines range between 3.93 and 8.27 US$/KWh. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the renewable energy sector. One of the major problems was the disruption in the delivery of components and modules to the manufacturers. Unlike conventional power plants, floating power plant requires less infrastructure and less time to supply power as well as they are mobile and flexible. Competitive Landscape The Europe Floating Power Plant market is highly competitive with ~100 players which include globally diversified players, regional players as well as a large number of country-niche players Most of the country-niche players are floating structure manufacturers. Large global players control about 60% of the market in terms of revenue, while regional players hold the second largest share. Some of the major players in the market include General Electric, Siemens, Ciel et Terre, Principle Power Inc., Man Energy Solutions SE, BW Ideol, SeaTwirl, Floating Power Plant A/S, Wartsila, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Caterpillar, Vestas and among others. Recent Developments Related to Major Players In June 2021, Siemens Gamesa and Siemens Energy have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with Odfjell Oceanwind to collaborate on the development of Mobile Offshore Wind Units for uninterrupted power supply. In May 2021, GE researchers unveiled that it is partnering with Glosten to design and develop advanced controls to support a 12 MW floating offshore wind turbine. This will lead the floating offshore wind industry toward becoming a commercially viable solution. In Nov 2021, Ocean Winds (a joint venture between ENGIE and EDP Renewables) and Principle Power have entered into a collaboration to work on the design of the floating platforms for France's first commercial-scale floating wind tender. In December 2021, Wison Offshore & Marine has signed a deal with MAN Energy Solutions to collaborate on power barge and floating LNG-to-power projects worldwide. In May 2022, BW Ideol, JERA, and ADEME Investissement sign an investment agreement for financing the co-development of offshore wind projects using BW Ideol's patented Damping Pool technology over the next 5 years. This will lead to the development of many new floating offshore power plants in Europe. In May 2019, Floating Power Plant A/S signed a memorandum of understanding with The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) to investigate and develop a potential deployment of Floating Power Plant's technology in the PLOCAN test facilities in Gran Canaria. This will demonstrate the commercial scale version of their hybrid floating wind and wave energy device. Conclusion Europe Floating Power Plant market will continue exponential growth during the forecast period primarily driven by rising demand for clean energy from all major industry sectors and countries to become carbon neutral and to solve the lack of power infrastructure issue. 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 Europe Floating Power Plant Market Industry Value Chain and Ecosystem Analysis Market size and Segmentation of Europe Floating Power Plant Market Historic Growth of Overall Europe Floating Power Plant Market and Segments Competition Scenario of the Market and Key Developments of Competitors Porter's 5 Forces Analysis of Europe Floating Power Plant Industry Overview, Product Offerings of Key Competitors Covid 19 Impact on Overall Europe Floating Power Plant Market Future Market Forecast and Growth Rates of Total Europe Floating Power Plant Market and by Segments Market Size of Application/End User Segments with Historical CAGR and Future Forecasts Analysis of Floating Power Plant Market in Major European Countries Major Production/Consumption Hubs in the Major European Countries Major Production/Supply and Consumption/Demand Hubs in Each Major Country Major Country-wise Historic and Future Market Growth Rates of the Total Market and Segments Overview of Notable Emerging Competitor Companies within Each Major Country Major Companies Profiled in the Report General Electric Siemens Ciel et Terre International Principle Power Inc Man Energy Solutions SE BW Ideol SeaTwirl Floating Power Plant A/S Wartsila Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Caterpillar Vestas EWE AG HOCHTIEF Solutions Hydrosolar SSE plc Bretagne Ocean Power HelioRec Hexicon Flowocean AB Saitec Offshore Greenalia Floating Energy Floating Solar BV Scope of the Report By Power Source Type Renewable Floating Solar Panel Offshore Wind Turbines Non-Renewable Gas turbines IC engines By Platform Type Floating Structures Power Barges Power Ships By Connectivity On-grid Off-grid By Capacity 1 MW- 5MW 5.1 MW- 20 MW 20.1 MW-100 MW 100.1 MW-250 MW Above 250 MW By Country Germany U.K France Spain Sweden The Netherlands Rest of Europe Russia Denmark Italy Portugal Others For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pjdfh9 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 VANCOUVER, Wash., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Evermed and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have announced the launch of ACC Anywhere, a new content hub that provides cardiologists around the world with on-demand access to the latest clinical knowledge. The hub contains original content from five conferences including ACC's 2022 and 2023 Annual Scientific Session, with additional conferences to be added in the future. Evermed was selected to collaborate with ACC due to its advanced AI-powered recommender engine and its ability to effectively deliver medical education content 365 days per year. In addition, Evermed's technology will help drive yearlong engagement to ensure that users are able to consume content anytime, anywhere, and take full advantage of all that ACC Anywhere has to offer. ACC Anywhere is a new content hub that provides cardiologists with on-demand access to the latest clinical knowledge. Tweet this The combination of ACC's premier content and Evermed's modern technology will ensure that cardiologists around the world can stay up-to-date on the latest advances in the field and provide better patient care. "Education from live conferences is the cornerstone of ensuring cardiovascular care team members are current on the newest research and practices in the field and able to provide the highest quality care to their patients," said Katie Berlacher, MD, FACC, ACC Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee Chair. "Through our collaboration with Evermed, we're ensuring that the premier educational content provided by the ACC is available on-demand and accessible to clinicians around the world." "We are proud that our technology was chosen by one of the most influential cardiology associations in the world," said Bozidar Jovicevic, MD, MBA, CEO of Evermed. "Cardiologists are pressed for time more than ever, hence personalized, Netflix-like content curation combined with a modern, intuitive user interface enables them to stay up-to-date despite their busy schedule." To learn more about ACC Anywhere, which is available to health care providers around the world, visit www.acc.org/accanywhere. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. Through its world-renowned family of JACC Journals, NCDR registries, ACC Accreditation Services, global network of Member Sections, CardioSmart patient resources and more, the College is committed to ensuring a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or follow @ACCinTouch. Evermed's mission is to use technology to amplify medical education. Evermed does this through software licensing that enables life sciences organizations globally to launch their own, on-demand, personalized Netflix-like content hubs within 30-90 days so they can engage HCPs and patients directly and repeatedly. HCPs from more than 120 countries have accessed content through Evermed-powered hubs over the past four years. SOURCE American College of Cardiology GAVLE, Sweden, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Mackmyra Muddus" is a limited small batch with exclusive content, as well as an exclusive appearance. The flavor profile comes from casks that previously carried wild raspberry wine and cloudberry wine. The whisky, which is only available in 3017 bottles, has a character typical of Mackmyra but is unique in its kind. Mackmyra Muddus is the first release in the new small batch concept. The whisky is handcrafted with extra love and has a new look that speaks of luxury and elegance. Quite simply, it is an exclusive piece of Swedish whisky history for the collector and connoisseur of life who places high demands on craftsmanship, taste, and design. "This whisky is inspired by and named after the national park of the same name. An untouched place where cloudberries and wild raspberries grow side by side in the wild. We thought that if we could encapsulate some of the uniqueness and beauty of Muddus in a bottle, we would have a very exciting whisky," says Lii Johnson, Blender at Mackmyra Swedish Whisky. The aroma is floral and rich with prominent spicy citrus notes. The longer the whisky is allowed to air, the more vanilla and caramel emerge, along with subtle notes of cloudberry and raspberry jam. The taste ranges from oriental spices to sweet berries. The cloudberry lands further back in the mouth and is complemented by caramel and vanilla, creating a complex flavor profile with several surprises. The finish is long and balanced, with spicy heat along with cloudberry and spicy yuzu. Mackmyra Muddus is available on the European market from April 25th, 2023. Mackmyra Muddus Limited to: 3017 bottles Sales start: 2023-04-25 ABV: 43,7 % RRP: 82,99 Mackmyra Small Batch is the defined, rare and unique. Outstanding casks that deserve the extra attention - bottled for a few to enjoy. For additional information and high resolution photos, please contact: Patrick Bjorsjo, Head of Marketing & Customer Experience Email: [email protected] Tel.: +46 (0)705 701272 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/411/3749165/1977262.pdf Pressrelease Mackmyra Muddus ENG https://news.cision.com/mackmyra-svensk-whisky/i/mackmyra-muddus-bottle-giftbox-cision-pressmeddelande,c3165697 Mackmyra Muddus Bottle Giftbox Cision Pressmeddelande SOURCE Mackmyra Svensk Whisky - MSP Increases Its Presence in Florida to Three Clinics - TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MedSpa Partners Inc. ("MSP") is proud to welcome Jennifer and Michael Puleo and their team to its top-tier North American medical aesthetics platform. Located in Tampa Bay, Florida, Faces of South Tampa is widely recognized as one of the most successful medical aesthetics clinics in the United States. Operating out of a beautifully restored century-old mansion, Faces of South Tampa combines the historic warmth and charm of South Tampa with the sophistication and energy of a cutting-edge medical aesthetics clinic. From the beginning, Faces of South Tampa has resolutely adhered to a model of impeccable service combined with undeniable, superior results. At the center of those superior results is Jennifer, who, as an APRN, has been at the forefront of medical aesthetics for over twenty years. Her thought leadership has been recognized by Allergan, where she is a member of their Aesthetic Leadership Forum and clinical advisory board for Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm. Speaking on their reasons for joining MedSpa Partners, Jennifer and Michael shared, "We are so proud of everything the team at Faces of South Tampa has accomplished since we first opened in 2009, and we know there is still so much more that we can do. When considering partners who could help us take our practice to the next level, the single most important decision factor was finding a group that would value our team and patients as much as we do. MSP is that group. They have a strong track record of working closely with their clinics to understand what makes each one so unique, and ensuring that those values and practices are not just preserved but enhanced. We are excited about how this partnership will benefit everyone at Faces of South Tampa." MSP CEO Dominic Mazzone commented, "Providing Michelin Star patient experiences is at the core of what makes MSP clinics so unique, so when choosing which clinics we are going to acquire we put a lot of value in what their patients are saying. Two things really stand out about Faces of South Tampa. First, how consistently their patients talk about how they feel valued, listened to, and treated as an individual. In meeting Jennifer, Mike, and their team, it is immediately clear why this is the experience they all genuinely care about their patients and about each other. Together they have made Faces of South Tampa a place where people feel more like family members than patients or colleagues. In addition, Faces of South Tampa has to be one of the best managed medical aesthetic clinics we have encountered, and it is a credit to Mike and Jennifer to have built something so successful. We are thrilled to have the Faces of South Tampa family join our larger MSP family." About MedSpa Partners Inc. MedSpa Partners is acquiring North America's leading Medical Aesthetics clinics, with the goal of allowing our industry-leading partners to achieve their personal and professional aspirations by creating world-class customer experiences through support, collaboration, and community. MSP is a portfolio company of Persistence Capital Partners, the leading private equity fund exclusively focused on high-growth opportunities in the healthcare field. Additional information on MSP is available at www.medspapartners.com, or contact: Nathaniel Barnes VP Marketing & Growth MedSpa Partners Inc. E: [email protected] SOURCE MedSpa Partners Inc. The Miami space will support cross-functional teams across the industry-leading HR tech SaaS company. MIAMI, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Factorial, an HR software company that streamlines people management, is thrilled to announce that it has chosen Miami, Florida as the location for its new US headquarters. The announcement comes on the heels of a $120M C round and $1B valuation. Factorial Founders Pau Ramon, Bernat Farrero, Jordi Romero The move for Factorial, a newly minted tech unicorn, comes on the heels of its unprecedented growth in the HR tech sector. The new office will serve as the company's regional headquarters for the North American region, providing support to its growing customer base in the area. Spearheading the growth as Head of North America is Peter Santis, seasoned sales executive and go-to-market expert. With the team's recent growth and its ongoing recruitment efforts, Factorial is well-positioned to continue its rapid expansion in the region. "Factorial is placing a big bet on Miami as its North American hub and with that, we are thrilled to support the fast-growing tech ecosystem in Miami," said Jordi Romero, co-founder and CEO of Factorial. "This facility will allow us to better serve our customers and partners in the region, and to provide a great work environment for our employees." "Factorial's decision to open their headquarters in Miami is a testament to the work we have done to build an ecosystem that brings high-paying careers to Miami," said Mayor Francis Suarez. "We are enthusiastic to see how their success continues to unfold from the Magic City, and to witness their positive impact within our community." The 5,000-square-foot Factorial Miami hub will be located in the Latitude One space. The location provides easy access to the city's major transportation hubs and key business and residential areas. Factorial will be kicking off their Miami arrival by attending eMerge Americas April 20-21 2023 at Miami Beach Convention Center. About Factorial Founded in 2016, Factorial offers people-centric solutions for HR teams, automating processes so they have more time to dedicate to the people within their organization. With over 75,000 users across 65+ countries, Factorial serves clients such as KFC, Booking.com, and Whisbi. Factorial became Europe's newest Unicorn in 2022 following a Series C investment round. For more information, please visit FactorialHR.com . Media Contacts Kylie Grant [email protected] (1) 888-317-4687, Ext. 705 SOURCE Factorial NEW YORK , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global expert services and consulting firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG) announced today that financial economist and econometrician Dr. Albert Metz has joined the firm's New York office as a managing director in its Antitrust & Competition Policy and Financial Services Litigation & Investigations groups. Metz is an economic and litigation consulting expert with deep expertise in credit markets, bankruptcies, asset pricing, monopolization, market manipulation, fixed income securities, and various debt derivatives. His experience spans numerous industries with a focus on cryptocurrencies, multisided transaction platforms, insurance, healthcare, telecom, real estate, and financial institutions. Metz has worked on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. He has testified several times on event study methodologies and market efficiency on behalf of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and defendants in bankruptcy proceedings. Metz is the latest addition to BRG's world-leading antitrust and competition practice, following the recent appointments of renowned experts Dr. David S. Evans and Dr. Rosa M. Abrantes-Metz, and the September appointment of distinguished antitrust economist Dr. David Sunding. "Albert is an important addition to our fast-growing antitrust and competition practice given his modeling work in fixed-income securities and complex debt and equity derivatives," Sunding said. "His expertise will be incredibly valuable to BRG clients. I look forward to working with him as we continue to grow our antitrust and securities litigation capabilities." Commenting on his appointment, Metz said, "It's an exciting time to join BRG as the firm expands its antitrust and competition practice as well as its securities litigation capabilities. I look forward to contributing to the group's continued expansion." Prior to becoming a consultant, Metz was the Managing Director of the Global Methodology Development Group at Moody's Investors Service with responsibility for developing all credit rating models and methodologies. About Berkeley Research Group Berkeley Research Group, LLC is a global consulting firm that helps leading organizations advance in three key areas: disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement and advisory. Headquartered in California with offices around the world, we are an integrated group of experts, industry leaders, academics, data scientists and professionals working across borders and disciplines. We harness our collective expertise to deliver the inspired insights and practical strategies our clients need to stay ahead of what's next. Visit thinkbrg.com to learn more. SOURCE Berkeley Research Group, LLC WASHINGTON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Shennie Patel, a former U.S. Department of Justice enforcement and investigations attorney, has joined Crowell & Moring as senior counsel in the Environment & Natural Resources Group, where she will lead large-scale, complex environmental enforcement defense matters. Shennie Patel Patel brings over two decades of experience at the Justice Department, including the past 14 years as a trial attorney in the Environment and Natural Resource Division's Environmental Crimes Section. In that role, she prosecuted cases against individuals and entities accused of violating federal environmental laws. Patel uncovered and successfully prosecuted trafficking of endangered species, worker safety violations, international smuggling rings, entity-wide systemic civil rights violations, and matters threatening national security. She has extensive experience leading large teams of lawyers and investigators through all phases of a case, from initial information requests through navigating the grand jury process, and ultimately, resolving via a judgment or settlement. At Crowell, Patel will add strength to the firm's environmental enforcement defense practice on both civil and criminal matters. She will assist clients in responding to government investigations, including from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies enforcing environmental laws; achieving efficient and comprehensive resolution of agency enforcement actions; and avoiding criminal liability. Patel will assist clients with regards to key provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act, as well as the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. "Shennie is a wonderful addition to our group as she is one of a handful of attorneys in Washington with senior level experience in the Environmental Crimes Section," said Thomas Lorenzen, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Environment & Natural Resources Group. "The key is she knows exactly how prosecutors and agency investigators think, and what information would be relevant to them. This will be a benefit to clients seeking to miminize risk as they navigate government investigations." Patel earned her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and her undergraduate degree from the University of Houston. She also served as a law clerk for Judge Lucius D. Bunton III on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Patel received numerous recognitions during her tenure at the Justice Department, including a Bronze Medal for Commendable Service at the EPA and several Special Achievement Awards from the U.S. Attorney General. Patel has extensive presentation experience teaching environmental crimes courses throughout the United States and in overseas venues, including the International Law Enforcement Academies in Botswana and Hungary and State-Department workshops in West and Central Africa. "Who I work with is important, and when I saw the time and effort that Crowell & Moring puts into supporting clients, I knew I had found the right place for me," Patel said. "I pride myself on being able to demystify the environmental enforcement process, criminal or civil, for non-prosecutors, and I look forward to working with clients so they understand what agency investigators and prosecutors are looking for, and how to handle negotiations with the government. Crowell offers a great opportunity to bring my public service experience to the table and make sure clients are prepared. I am excited to join this diverse and dedicated team." About Crowell & Moring LLP Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with offices in the United States, Europe, MENA, and Asia. Drawing on significant government, business, industry and legal experience, the firm helps clients capitalize on opportunities and provides creative solutions to complex litigation and arbitration, regulatory and policy, and corporate and transactional issues. The firm is consistently recognized for its commitment to pro bono service and its programs and initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Media Contact: Email: [email protected] SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP Fusion Education Group Hosts Informative Webinar Series to Help Families Make Post-Secondary Plans GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --College admission to highly selective universities, the benefits of a gap year, and the relevance of standardized tests are all hot topics on deck for Fusion Education Group's (FEG) Spring College Week from April 17 through April 21. Families are welcome to attend the webinars intended to help students from eighth through twelfth grade successfully plan for their next educational chapter. FEG's Fall Virtual College Week is free and open to all high school families. Students do not need to attend a FEG school to attend. "Students do best when they feel in control of their educational journey," said Stafford Slick, FEG PSC Director. Tweet this Fusion Education Group (FEG) is hosting its Spring College Week April 17 - 20. Families are welcome to attend the webinars intended to help students from eighth through twelfth grade successfully plan for their next educational chapter. The week's events are free and open to all high school families. Students do not need to attend a FEG school to attend. "At Fusion, our students do best when they feel in control of their educational journey," said Stafford Slick, Director of Post-Secondary Counseling for Fusion Education Group. "Identifying the right option for students after high school evokes questions, presents obstacles, and can create confusion for both parents and students. College Week reflects our commitment to help all families acquire the knowledge and confidence to best support their high schooler." Slick said questions about admissions remain front and center for most families, and FEG is pleased to partner this year with the nationally renowned College Essay Guy team. Community Manager Tom Campbell will lead families through the admissions process and focus on highly selective colleges. Campbell previously served as a private school counselor and as the Assistant Dean of Admissions at Pomona College (currently, seven-percent acceptance rate). Families can find the entire week of events here (all events are EDT in US and Canada). Monday, April 17 , at 7 p.m. High School Course Planning for College-Bound Students . The academic rigor of a high school student's class load is a reliable predictor of their future college success. Megan Schlafer , Director of Student Development at Fusion Academy Sugar Land, and Annette Moran , Fusion Post-Secondary Counselor of the Southwest Region, will provide the academic framework for college bound students. Register here . . The academic rigor of a high school student's class load is a reliable predictor of their future college success. , Director of Student Development at Fusion Academy Sugar Land, and , Fusion Post-Secondary Counselor of the Southwest Region, will provide the academic framework for college bound students. . Tuesday, April 18 , 3:30 p.m. The Journey Continues: Fusion Alumni Panel . Listen to a panel of Fusion Academy alumni describe how the one-to-one academic model readies students for the collegiate environment. Register here . . Listen to a panel of Fusion Academy alumni describe how the one-to-one academic model readies students for the collegiate environment. . Tuesday, April 18 , 7:00 p.m. Gap Year 101: Featuring Gap Year Solutions . Curious parents and students alike want to know why a gap year option might be their next best decision. Katherine Stievater , of Gap Year Solutions, will discuss how a gap year can be transformational and provide students practical skills, real-world learning, networking, and travel. Catherine Keightley , Fusion Academy Alexandria Head of School, will share her experience collaborating with Gap Year Solutions for her own daughter. Register here . . Curious parents and students alike want to know why a gap year option might be their next best decision. , of Gap Year Solutions, will discuss how a gap year can be transformational and provide students practical skills, real-world learning, networking, and travel. , Fusion Academy Alexandria Head of School, will share her experience collaborating with Gap Year Solutions for her own daughter. . Wednesday, April 19 , 7:00 p.m. Navigating the College Search for Students Who Learn Differently . Every student learns differently, consequently parents need to ask questions unique to their child. What does college look like for the student whose challenges derive from ADHD, executive function, ASD, or a learning disability? Families will gain the knowledge and tools to effectively assess their student's needs, evaluate colleges, and successfully prepare for the transition. Register here . . Every student learns differently, consequently parents need to ask questions unique to their child. What does college look like for the student whose challenges derive from ADHD, executive function, ASD, or a learning disability? Families will gain the knowledge and tools to effectively assess their student's needs, evaluate colleges, and successfully prepare for the transition. . Thursday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. College Essay Guy Presents: College Admissions Fundamentals and Highly Selective Programs . It is never too early to start planning for admission to a highly selective college, but what does it take? College Essay Guy Community Manager Tom Campbell's presentation will help families understand how to plan, what to focus on, and hopefully ease nerves, too. Register here . . It is never too early to start planning for admission to a highly selective college, but what does it take? College Essay Guy Community Manager presentation will help families understand how to plan, what to focus on, and hopefully ease nerves, too. . Friday, April 21 , at 12:30 p.m. SAT & ACT 201: All You Need to Know About the Changing College Admissions Testing Landscape. To test or not to test? Which standardized test matters? What will the digital SAT look like? Alex Chip, Founder of Top Score Education, will offer answers to the preceding questions and delve into testing accommodations, and more. Register here. Summer is the perfect time to partner with a post-secondary counselor at Fusion. Learn more here. In addition to post-secondary counseling, FEG offers more than 250 summer courses for students interested in remediation, courses for credit and executive functioning. Families can take advantage of a limited time 20-percent discount by registering for PSC counseling or enrolling in summer courses here. Families interested in previously recorded college and post-secondary webinars should visit the resources pages here. About Fusion Education Group: Fusion Education Group (FEG) is an innovator of personalized education. FEG provides accredited personalized education for more than 10,000 middle and high school students annually at Fusion Academy, with 80 campuses that offer one-to-one instruction; Barnstable Academy, which offers traditional college prep in a small school setting in New Jersey; and Fusion Global Academy, which offers one-to-one personalized education through a completely virtual campus that currently serves students in all 50 states and 35 additional countries. SOURCE Fusion Education Group Moratorium Process will Assist Exploration of Strategic Alternatives Process WILMINGTON, Del., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FTX Trading Ltd. (d.b.a. FTX.com) and its affiliated debtors (together, the "FTX Debtors") today announced that the Board of Directors of debtor FTX Europe AG, the holding company of the FTX European business, has filed a petition for a Swiss moratorium proceeding (the "Moratorium"). A Swiss court granted the Moratorium on April 11, 2023. FTX Europe AG notes the Moratorium process will facilitate the exploration of strategic alternatives, including the previously disclosed potential sale of its business pursuant to U.S. Bankruptcy Court-approved bidding procedures. Importantly, the previously announced process for confirming customer balances in preparation for allowing the withdrawal of funds from FTX EU Ltd. is unchanged by the Moratorium. In its order granting the Moratorium, the Swiss court appointed an administrator for FTX Europe AG. FTX Europe AG is also a debtor in the Chapter 11 proceedings in Delaware. Advisors The FTX Debtors are represented by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as legal counsel and are assisted by Alvarez & Marsal North America, LLC as financial advisor, Perella Weinberg Partners LP as investment banker, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP as special counsel and Landis Rath & Cobb LLP as Delaware counsel. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1950453/3982061/FTX_Logo.jpg SOURCE FTX BEIJING, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Asset Management Forum (GAMF) Annual Conference 2023 kicked off on March 18th in the capital Beijing, China, drawing big names from the United States, European countries and China to participate. How to respond to the changing global landscape with high-level opening-up topped the annual meeting agenda, and the prospects of global economy and financial industry, as well as the high-quality development were also in the focus during the two-day conference. The GAMF Annual Conference is acknowledged as one of the most significant conferences in the field of finance and asset management, which is held in China and has received wide support and active response from the international community. Nearly 100 distinguished speakers from China's ministries or government departments, global leading industries and financial institutions were present and delivered their keynote speeches, and over 300 experts, entrepreneurs, government officials, representatives of international organizations and sovereign funds, principals of financial institutions, industry elites and media from all around the world were cordially invited at the GAMF 2023. The GAMF 2023 was co-organized by GAMF organizing committee, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Local Financial Regulation and Supervision and School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University, and special sponsored by Chaoyang District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, with China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC) and CICC Wealth Management as the strategic partners, and E Fund Management Co.,Ltd. as the supporting unit. Mr. LOU Jiwei, Chairman of GAMF and former Minister of Finance of China and Mr. JIN Wei, Vice Mayor of Beijing delivered welcome remarks in the opening of the conference. China's regulatory leaders, Mr. SHI Yaobin, Chairman of Budgetary Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of NPC, Mr. XIA Xiande, Deputy Minister of Finance of China, Mr. XUAN Changneng, Deputy Governor of People's Bank of China, Mr CAO Yu, Vice Chairman of China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission addressed. Heads of international organizations and sovereign funds, Mr. JIN Liqun, President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Mr. CHEN Wenhui, Vice Chairman of National Council for Social Security Fund, Mr. JU Weimin, Vice Chairman, General Manager and CIO of China Investment Corporation made keynote speeches. Leaders from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Bank of Communications gave addresses as well. Leaders of governments, representatives of banks, insurers, asset managers and principals of other financial institutions worldwide, including Mr. Nicholas LYONS, Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr. Jean LEMIERRE, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BNP Paribas, Mr. Roy GORI, President and CEO of Manulife, Mr. Charles F. LOWREY, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), Ms. Mary C. ERDOES, CEO of JPMorgan Asset and Wealth Management, Mr. Rob SHARPS, CEO and President of T. Rowe Price Group, Mr. Scott C. GEARY, Vice Chair of Wellington Management, Mr. Daniel J. HOUSTON, Chairman, President and CEO of Principal Financial Group, Sir Douglas FLINT, Chairman of Abrdn PLC and Mr. Tobias C. PROSS, CEO of Allianz Global Investors, delivered insightful speeches on dozens of topics at the GAMF Annual Conference 2023. Mr. Howard MARKS, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital opened a summit dialogue with Professor Mr. BAI Chong-en, Chair of GAMF Executive Committee, Dean of School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University. The prospects of global financial market were their central topics, but they discussed a lot more the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, weighing in on macroeconomic situation, investment strategy and asset allocation, China's growth model and new messages for further financial opening-up. Mr. LOU Jiwei had an in-depth communication with Mr. Graham Tillett ALLISON Jr., Douglas Dillon Professor of Government of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. They agreed that cooperation is much needed between China and US to avoid the Thucydides's Trap and cope with the current and common challenges. The Global Asset Management Forum (GAMF) is a non-governmental global think tank initiated and founded by School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Sun Yefang Economic Science Foundation and China Wealth Management 50 Forum (CWM50) amid increasingly deepened financial opening-up in China, aiming to promote international business and financial dialogues, enhance mutual understanding and reciprocal cooperation, and boost development of the financial industry. The GAMF has thus far covered 100-plus financial institutions, industry associations and international organizations across the world. Since its inception, the GAMF has held many large-scale thematic summits and closed-door thematic seminars, which have attracted great attention of business circles both at home and abroad. SOURCE Global Asset Management Forum ELKO The founder of Yee Yee Nation and award-winning country music star Granger Smith is heading to Elko for the eighth annual Country Under the Stars concert June 8 at the Elko County Fairgrounds. Smith, who announced his upcoming retirement from music on Monday, will make Elko a stop on his Like A River Tour that kicks off this week. Known for hits such as If the Boot Fits and Happens Like That, he had one of the Top 10 most played country singles with Backroad Song that was certified RIAA Platinum. His tenth album, Country Things, was released in 2020. That was followed up with Moonrise last year. Additionally, Smith has garnered more than 12 million social media followers and one billion online video views from music videos and his familys YouTube series The Smiths. He owns Yee Yee apparel and has written two books If Youre City, If Youre Country and an upcoming memoir Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache, to be released on Aug. 1. Smith, with his wife Amber, also lead the River Kelly Fund that brings awareness to investing in children in need, arts and education, wildlife preservation, the military, veterans and first responder assistance, donor affiliations and more organizations in honor of their 3-year-old son River Kelly Smith who died in a drowning accident four years ago. Sponsored by Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions and the Boys and Girls Club of Elko, the show features Ned LeDoux as the opener with Smith featuring his alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr. Gates open at 5 p.m. at the Elko County Fairgrounds and the concert starts at 6:30 p.m. Dancing and music continue following the concert with an after party featuring Reckless Envy. Tickets can be purchased early online, starting at $40 for general admission and $50 for VIP access in front of the stage, with a $5 increase at the gate on the day of the show. Reserved box seating is also available by calling 775-738-2759. Tickets are available at https://countryunderthestarselko.com/tickets All proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Elko. Smith, a Texas native, made news early this week when he announced he would be leaving country music after the conclusion of his Like a River tour to focus on a career in the ministry and serving his church located outside Austin, Texas. In an interview with People Magazine, Smith said he has a new passion, a new focus, a new direction that I believe is going to allow me to focus more on individual people and their lives, which is why I started music touring in the very beginning. This is an even more micro-focused position in that. Im not going anywhere, he continued. On his social media, he explained to his followers he wanted to serve in his local church, to be used to help people find their purpose and said he was encouraged and hopeful and excited and joyful about the next chapter. I have no idea what it will look like. I just want to glorify God the best way that I can. Details competitive advantages, strategic priorities, and multi-year outlook at its first Investor Day LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE: GBX) ("Greenbrier"), today hosted its inaugural Investor Day in New York, during which members of the company's leadership team discussed Greenbrier's market-leading position and diverse capabilities, strategic priorities, and multi-year outlook. Lorie Tekorius, Chief Executive Officer & President said, "We are pleased to have shared our vision and long-term plan with the investment community during our first-ever Investor Day. Building on Greenbrier's long history, we continue to evolve the company to keep improving its performance over economic cycles. As a result of our actions, we expect Greenbrier to maximize its financial performance during periods of strong market demand and stabilize performance at higher levels when demand is less favorable. We are executing multiple initiatives to deliver these outcomes. By achieving these goals, we will continue our long history of delivering value to shareholders." Topics discussed during the Investor Day included Greenbrier's: Leadership position in North American, European, and Brazilian freight railcar manufacturing markets; Diverse manufacturing capabilities and long track record of innovation; Robust lease origination capabilities and unique syndication model; Increase in financial performance across economic cycles; Actions underway to improve margins in its Manufacturing segment; Heightened commitment to grow recurring revenue base through lease fleet investments; and Balanced capital allocation strategy focused on returning value to shareholders. Additionally, Greenbrier unveiled long-term financial targets, including: Growth of +100% in annual recurring revenue from its Leasing and Management Services segment; Aggregate gross margin in the mid-teens by fiscal 2026; and Return on invested capital of between 10% and 14% by fiscal 2026. A webcast replay of the Investor Day will be available for 90 days at investors.gbrx.com following the live presentations. About Greenbrier Greenbrier, headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is a leading international supplier of equipment and services to global freight transportation markets. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries and joint ventures, Greenbrier designs, builds and markets freight railcars and marine barges in North America, Europe and Brazil. We are a leading provider of freight railcar wheel services, parts, maintenance and retrofitting services in North America through our rail services business unit. Greenbrier owns a lease fleet of 12,300 railcars that originate primarily from Greenbrier's manufacturing operations. As of March 31, 2023, Greenbrier manages 438,000 railcars and offers railcar management, regulatory compliance services and leasing services to railroads and to other railcar owners in North America. Learn more about Greenbrier at www.gbrx.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements that are not purely statements of historical fact. Greenbrier uses words, and variations of words, such as "capability," "continue," "evolve," "execute," "expect," "grow," "keep," "long-term," "target," "underway," and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and important factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, the following: an economic downturn and economic uncertainty; inflation (including rising energy prices, interest rates, wages and other escalators) and policy reactions thereto (including actions by central banks); disruptions in the supply of materials and components used in the production of our products; the war in Ukraine and related events, and the COVID-19 pandemic, variants thereof, governmental reaction thereto, and related economic disruptions (including, among other factors, operations and supply disruptions and labor shortages). There may be other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and factors described in more detail in the Company's filings with the SEC, including in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date hereof. SOURCE The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. In-store retail media network launches 32" Front End digital displays, offering retailers and brands impactful touchpoints with their audience throughout the shopper journey. AUSTIN, Texas , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Grocery TV today announced the addition of 32" digital displays to its new Front End product line, which is located in one of the most high-traffic areas of the store. Currently launched in a group of ShopRite supermarkets within the NYC DMA, Grocery TV's new displays will continue being installed in more stores across its network. Grocery TV's 32" Front End displays, located in one of the most high-traffic areas of the store. "As marketers look for ways to better communicate with household decision makers throughout the physical store, we're proud to create offerings that both improve the shopper experience and create high-impact touchpoints for retailers, brands, and agencies to better connect with their customers," said Mike Pollack , Chief Revenue Officer at Grocery TV. Grocery TV's dynamic Front End displays are highly visible to shoppers walking through the aisles, passing by the front perimeter of the store, and those waiting in line to pay providing access to brand or retailer messaging and helping reduce perceived wait time. They're also likely to be seen multiple times throughout the shopper journey. Similar to the company's broader network, these Front End displays can be bought programmatically, have full video capabilities, and can target audiences on a national or regional level. Grocery TV has run advertising campaigns for world-class brands including AT&T, Hershey, Pepsi, and Chase Bank. The company recently expanded its product line to include the store entrance , and is rolling out digital in-store media for all major areas of the store, including service departments, center store, and pharmacy. For more information, visit www.grocerytv.com . About Grocery TV Grocery TV is an in-store retail media network with over 19,000 displays. Brands leverage Grocery TV to reach over 43 million shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores that receive 274 million monthly visits. Through integrations with all major demand-side platforms (DSPs), Grocery TV makes it easy for brand marketers to launch and manage digital advertising campaigns throughout the grocery store, where the majority of purchases occur. Retailers partner with Grocery TV to connect their in-store retail media strategy, engage with shoppers, and generate incremental revenue. Please reach out to Ashley Nickell ([email protected]) for press inquiries. SOURCE Grocery TV MEXICO CITY, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 28, 2023, Grupo IDESA, S.A. de C.V. (the "Company") announced the commencement of an exchange offer and consent solicitation (the "Offer and Solicitation") for any and all of its outstanding 9.375% Senior Notes due 2026 (the "Existing Secured Notes") held by Eligible Holders (defined below) for 6.500% Senior Notes due 2028 (the "New Secured Notes") to be issued by the Company and cash consideration, as applicable, and accrued and unpaid interest on the Existing Secured Notes through, but excluding, the settlement date of the Offer and Solicitation to be paid in cash. Terms used but not defined below have the meaning assigned to them in the Offering Memorandum dated March 28, 2023 (the "Offering Memorandum") related to the Offer and Solicitation, as supplemented by the First Supplement dated April 12, 2023 (the "First Supplement"). Global Bondholder Services Corporation, exchange and information agent for the Offer and Solicitation, advised the Company that as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 11, 2023 (the "Early Tender Date") approximately US$286 million in aggregate principal amount of Existing Secured Notes, representing approximately 92% of the outstanding Existing Secured Notes, were validly tendered with (i) approximately US$116 million in aggregate principal amount of Existing Secured Notes electing Early A Consideration and (ii) approximately US$170 million in aggregate principal amount of Existing Secured Notes electing Early B Consideration. Based on the aggregate principal amount of Existing Secured Notes tendered as of the Early Tender Date, Eligible Holders electing Early A Consideration will receive approximately 86% and 14% of the Early A Consideration in cash and New Secured Notes, respectively. Additionally, the Minimum Tender Condition was satisfied as of the Early Tender Date. The Offer and Solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 25, 2023 (the "Expiration Date"), unless extended by the Company in its sole discretion. Existing Secured Notes validly tendered and accepted for exchange on or after the date hereof but at or prior to the Expiration Date will only receive the Base Exchange Consideration consisting of New Secured Notes, as described in the Offering Memorandum and the First Supplement. Existing Secured Notes tendered and Consents delivered in the Offer and Solicitation will be irrevocable, except to the extent of any withdrawal rights required by applicable law. The other terms of the Offer and Solicitation remain unchanged from those described in the Offering Memorandum, except that the First Supplement (i) adds a covenant preventing the company and certain of its subsidiaries from making payments on the Financing Agreement if an Event of Default has occurred with respect to the New Secured Notes, (ii) clarifies the definition of "Subsidiary Guarantor Collateral" and "Permitted Investments" and (iii) provides supplemental information regarding Braskem Idesa. The Offer and Solicitation are being conducted upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum, as supplemented by the First Supplement, and beneficial owners of Existing Secured Notes should carefully read the Offering Memorandum and the First Supplement regarding the relevant procedures and timing to tender their Existing Secured Notes. The New Secured Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. Therefore, unless so registered, the New Secured Notes may not be offered or sold except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Company intends to apply to list the New Secured Notes on the Official List of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and for trading on the Euro MTF Market. The Offer and Solicitation are only made, and copies of the offering documents will only be made available, to a holder of the Existing Secured Notes who has certified its status as (1) both a "Qualified Purchaser" for purposes of Section 3(c)(7) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act or (2) a person who is not a "U.S. person" as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act who is not a "Disqualified Non-U.S. Holder" (each, an "Eligible Holder"). THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITY. THE OFFER AND SOLICITATION ARE BEING MADE SOLELY BY THE OFFERING MEMORANDUM THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE EXCHANGE AND INFORMATION AGENT AND ONLY TO SUCH PERSONS AND IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS AS IS PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. ANY PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES TO BE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE MADE BY MEANS OF A PROSPECTUS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE COMPANY OR THE SELLING SECURITY HOLDER THAT WILL CONTAIN DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The New Secured Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act. The Offer and Solicitation are made in the United States only to U.S. Persons that are qualified purchasers for purposes of Section 3(c)(7) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") who are also "qualified institutional buyers" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to a person who is not a "U.S. person" as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act who is not a "Disqualified Non-U.S. Holder." The New Secured Notes are also being offered outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Company, as issuer of the New Secured Notes, has not been registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. THE OFFER AND SOLICITATION IS NOT BEING MADE IN MEXICO. THE NEW SECURED NOTES HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED WITH THE MEXICAN NATIONAL SECURITIES REGISTRY (REGISTRO NACIONAL DE VALORES) MAINTAINED BY THE COMISION NACIONAL BANCARIA Y DE VALORES (NATIONAL BANKING AND SECURITIES COMMISSION OF MEXICO, OR THE "CNBV") AND, THEREFORE, THE NEW SECURED NOTES MAY NOT BE PUBLICLY OFFERED OR SOLD NOR BE THE SUBJECT OF BROKERAGE ACTIVITIES IN MEXICO, ABSENT AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION UNDER THE MEXICAN SECURITIES MARKET LAW (LEY DEL MERCADO DE VALORES). AS REQUIRED UNDER THE MEXICAN SECURITIES MARKET LAW, THE COMPANY WILL NOTIFY CNBV OF THE OFFERING OF THE NEW SECURED NOTES OUTSIDE OF MEXICO. SUCH NOTICE WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE CNBV TO COMPLY WITH A LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE DELIVERY OF SUCH NOTICE TO, AND THE RECEIPT OF SUCH NOTICE BY, THE CNBV, DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ANY CERTIFICATION AS TO THE INVESTMENT QUALITY OF THE NEW SECURED NOTES, THE COMPANY'S SOLVENCY, LIQUIDITY OR CREDIT QUALITY OR THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFERING MEMORANDUM HAVE NOT BEEN FILED WITH THE CNBV, AND THE CNBV HAS NOT REVIEWED OR AUTHORIZED THE CONTENT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR THE OFFERING MEMORANDUM. Eligible Holders that wish to obtain additional information with respect to the Offer and Solicitation, including accessing the Offering Memorandum, please visit: https://gbsc-usa.com/eligibility/idesa Exchange and Information Agent Global Bondholder Services Corporation 65 Broadway Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 212-430-3774 (Banks and Brokers) 855-654-2015 (toll free) [email protected] Attn: Corporate Actions SOURCE Grupo IDESA, S.A. de C.V. One Application Can Now Unlock a Full Spectrum of Insurance Options CHICAGO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Guaranteed Rate Insurance LLC, one of the fastest growing national insurance brokers, backed by the nation's second-largest retail mortgage lender, Guaranteed Rate, now offers customers a convenient way to compare and purchase home, auto, life and other insurance policies from more than 50 top-rated carriers, all at once, with a single online application. The new digital insurance marketplace is embedded into Guaranteed Rate's home financing application process, offering an additional way to get to the closing table faster. The insurance marketplace has been designed to integrate with other business partnerships outside of mortgage to make purchasing insurance that much easier for customers. "This platform is another example of how Guaranteed Rate Insurance is driving fintech innovation," Guaranteed Rate Head of Insurance and Executive Vice President, Jeff Wingate, said. "Our goal is to create a seamless and easy-to-use digital experience to meet our customers' fast-paced lifestyles." The application process is simple: Customers can enter basic demographic information to receive a variety of quotes for home and auto insurance coverage. Anyone facing sticker shock with their latest insurance bill can quickly check to see if better and more affordable coverage options are available. To create this new insurance marketplace, Guaranteed Rate's Insurance Product and Technology team leveraged their nearly 30 years of insurance technology expertise to build an innovative, proprietary, secure and intuitive end-user digital experience. "As we continue to rapidly innovate, our goal is to continue to provide customers with best-in-class online tools that simplify the process of shopping for, comparing and purchasing insurance. That's our commitment," said Ryan Haggard, Guaranteed Rate Insurance's Vice President and Head of Insurance Product and Technology. Guaranteed Rate Insurance will continue to expand its digital insurance marketplace throughout 2023 and beyond, offering additional carriers and integrated products to the platform providing customers with more options and even faster results. "Our parent company has long been a technology pioneer and leader in home mortgages," Wingate added. "We are now perfectly positioned to offer a digital insurance marketplace to ensure that our customers are properly covered and confident in their insurance options." The Guaranteed Rate Insurance marketplace is available online at rate.com/insurance with agents readily available to help guide and advise coverage to customers throughout the process. About Guaranteed Rate Insurance Guaranteed Rate Insurance is a national insurance brokerage, licensed in all 50 states, that offers comprehensive personal, commercial, specialty, and life insurance products. Founded in 2008, Guaranteed Rate Insurance is owned by Guaranteed Rate, the second largest retail mortgage lender in the country. Guaranteed Rate Insurance has built a reputation on providing customers with impeccable service as demonstrated by its 98% customer satisfaction rate*. Combining a growing team of insurance agents and a robust digital platform, Guaranteed Rate Insurance searches for great rates from more than 50 top-rated insurance carriers, while providing a "personal shopping" experience. Visit rate.com/insurance for more information. *98% Customer Satisfaction: Data Source is Guaranteed Rate's Client Satisfaction Surveys (Averaged 2020-2021) SOURCE Guaranteed Rate Insurance Calgary-based proptech startup achieves market traction and accelerated growth CALGARY, AB, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Today, Virtuoan innovative service that provides move and home concierge services to homeownersannounced their 10,000th customer. Virtuo works with homebuilders, brokers and other real estate service providers to make the move in, live in and build on experiences easy and exceptional. The 10,000th customer moved into a community in Edmonton, AB built by Hopewell Residential. "We're really excited about this milestone," said Casey Kachur, CEO and co-founder of Virtuo. "The sustained growth in our business is awesome, but we've also been able to scale our team and systems, all while increasing customer satisfaction to industry-leading levels." "I'm so proud of the Virtuo team and this success," said Sanders Lee, Executive Chairman of The Hopewell Group of Companies and an early investor in Virtuo. "Their model was innovative from the start and it's been great seeing them grow and start expanding to more and more home services. And it's especially exciting that they achieved the 10,000th milestone with a family moving into one of our communities." Virtuo used two key strategies to achieve this milestone: Developing a scalable people and platform approach to their business. Homebuyers use a mobile app to engage with a real, human concierge. Their concierge uses a combination of direct relationships with service providers and an advanced backend to source, manage and direct everything the homeowner needs. approach to their business. Homebuyers use a mobile app to engage with a real, human concierge. Their concierge uses a combination of direct relationships with service providers and an advanced backend to source, manage and direct everything the homeowner needs. A relentless focus on consumer experience. Their team is consistently engaging with homebuyers, capturing data and refining their service to ensure that it is always excellent for the buyer and easy to grow for the builder. About Virtuo, Inc.: Virtuo, Inc. was started in 2017 to make the home-buying experience easy, seamless and amazing. With over 30 homebuilder partners across North America, Virtuo operates in multiple cities. Their advanced technology platform uniquely enables real, human concierges to help homeowners with everything they need, from initial purchase, through move-in, possession and well beyond. HTTP://www.virtuo.com. SOURCE Virtuo Inc. SEATTLE, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The following notice is being jointly issued by the law firm Barnow and Associates, P.C. and Ahdoot & Wolfson, PC and has been authorized by the Superior Court of the State of Washington in and for the County of King, in Easter v. Sound Generations (No. 21-2-16953-4 SEA). A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against Sound Generations ("Defendant") relating to a cyberattack against Defendant's computer systems that Defendant publicly reported on or about December 7, 2021 (the "Data Incident"). The computer systems possibly affected by the Data Incident potentially contained personal and protected health information of certain individuals. Plaintiffs claim that Defendant was responsible for failing to prevent the Data Incident and assert claims such as negligence, negligence per se, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, and violation of the Washington Consumer Protection Act. Defendant denies all of the claims. Who is Included? You are part of this Settlement as a Settlement Class Member if your personal information was potentially compromised in the Data Incident or you previously received a notification from Defendant pertaining to the Data Incident. Settlement Benefits. The Settlement provides: reimbursement of up to $130.00 for Documented Economic Loss; two (2) hours of lost time that resulted from the Data Incident if you also suffered Documented Economic Loss; and up to two (2) years of credit monitoring and identity protection services. Alternatively, you may submit a Claim for a cash payment of about $25.00, subject to proration. The Settlement also requires data security enhancements to be implemented by Defendant. The Only Way to Receive a Monetary Benefit or Credit Monitoring is to File a Claim. To get a Claim Form, visit the website www.SGDataSettlement.com, or call 1-844-510-2004. The claim deadline is July 11, 2023. Other Options. If you do nothing, you will remain in the Class, you will not be eligible for benefits, and you will be bound by the decisions of the Court and give up your rights to sue Defendant for the claims resolved by this Settlement. If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself by May 29, 2023. If you stay in the Settlement, you may object to it by May 29, 2023. A more detailed Notice is available to explain how to exclude yourself or object. Please visit the website or call 1-844-510-2004 for a copy of the more detailed Notice. On July 14, 2023, the Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing to determine whether to approve the Settlement, Class Counsel's request for attorneys' fees of up to $345,000.00 to include reasonable litigation costs and expenses, and a service award of $2,500.00 for each of the two Representative Plaintiffs. The Motion for attorneys' fees will be posted on the website after it is filed. You or your own lawyer, if you have one, may ask to appear and speak at the hearing at your own cost, but you do not have to. This is only a summary. For more information, call 1-844-510-2004 or visit www.SGDataSettlement.com. SOURCE Sound Generations Data Incident Claims Administrator CALGARY, AB, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion", "We", "Our", "Us" or the "Company") (TSX: VET) (NYSE: VET) is pleased to announce that leading independent proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis") have each recommended Vermilion shareholders ("Vermilion Shareholders") vote "FOR" all the proposed resolutions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") to be held on May 3, 2023 at 3:00 pm MT. How to Vote (CNW Group/Vermilion Energy Inc.) Related Documents View PDF Independent Proxy Advisory Firms ISS and Glass Lewis Recommend Vermilion Shareholders Vote FOR All Proposed Items at the Upcoming Annual General Meeting (CNW Group/Vermilion Energy Inc.) The Board of Directors of Vermilion recommends that Shareholders vote in favour of all the proposed items At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to fix the number of directors at ten, elect the board of directors, appoint the auditors for the ensuing year, as well as approve an advisory resolution to accept the Company's approach to executive compensation. Independent Third Party Proxy Advisor Recommendations Two leading independent, third party proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis") have both recommended that shareholders vote FOR all the proposed resolutions. As an independent proxy advisory firm, ISS has approximately 3,400 clients including many of the world's leading institutional investors who rely on ISS' objective and impartial analysis to make important voting decisions. Glass Lewis is an independent proxy advisor to institutional investors, covering 30,000 shareholder meetings each year, across approximately 100 global markets. Their customers include the majority of the world's largest pension plans, mutual funds, and asset managers who collectively manage over $40 trillion in assets. YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT PLEASE VOTE TODAY The proxy voting deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on May 1, 2023 How to Vote Voting is important and easy. Shareholders are encouraged to vote online or by telephone. Annual General Meeting and Webcast Details Vermilion will hold its Annual General Meeting on May 3, 2023 at 3:00 pm MT. Our Meeting will be held as a virtual only shareholder meeting with participation electronically as explained further in the Management Information Circular. As a reminder, proxies must be received by 3:00 pm MT on Monday, May 1, 2023. Shareholders can participate electronically at https://web.lumiagm.com/#/272271947 . Please see our Virtual Meeting Guide at https://www.vermilionenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Lumi-Meeting-Guide.pdf for detailed instructions on how to access the meeting, vote on resolutions and submit questions. Following the formal portion of the Meeting, a presentation will be given by Dion Hatcher, President & Chief Executive Officer of Vermilion. Guests may also view the event at https://web.lumiagm.com/#/272271947 by registering as a guest. The live webcast link, webcast slides, and archive link will be available on Vermilion's website at https://www.vermilionenergy.com/invest-with-us/events-presentations . Please visit the Annual General Meeting page on our website under Invest with Us for complete details and links to all relevant documents ahead of the Meeting at https://www.vermilionenergy.com/annual-general-meeting . Questions If you have questions about the Meeting matters, the voting instructions or require assistance completing your proxy form, please contact our strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill, toll-free in North America at 1.877.452.7184, outside North America at 1.416.304.0211, or by email at [email protected] About Vermilion Vermilion is an international energy producer that seeks to create value through the acquisition, exploration, development and optimization of producing assets in North America, Europe and Australia. Our business model emphasizes free cash flow generation and returning capital to investors when economically warranted, augmented by value-adding acquisitions. Vermilion's operations are focused on the exploitation of light oil and liquids-rich natural gas conventional and unconventional resource plays in North America and the exploration and development of conventional natural gas and oil opportunities in Europe and Australia. Vermilion's priorities are health and safety, the environment, and profitability, in that order. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the public and those who work with us, and the protection of our natural surroundings. We have been recognized by leading ESG rating agencies for our transparency on and management of key environmental, social and governance issues. In addition, we emphasize strategic community investment in each of our operating areas. Vermilion trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VET. SOURCE Vermilion Energy Inc. Clean data centers. Clean electricity generation. Clean hydrogen production. MIDDLEBURG, Va., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Green Energy Partners LLC of Virginia (GEP) is a property and project development company that is passionate about generating sustainable carbon-free energy. GEP has secured 641 acres in Surry County, Virginia, and plans to create the nation's first fully integrated Green Energy Center. The facility's official name is Surry Green Energy Center (SGEC). This ambitious project includes the building of 1-gigawatt of data centers, establishing a Green Hydrogen Hub, and, over time, deploying four to six small modular reactors (SMRs) each generating on the order of 250 MWe each. The SGEC may also incorporate energy storage capabilities to balance supply and demand at the fully integrated site. Conceptual Illustration of Surry Green Energy Center The first of its kind green data center in America The SGEC vision is to begin constructing the data centers now, with electricity provided by the grid. In the future, the data centers would interconnect to new, carbon-free sustainable power from the co-located on-site SMRs. Today's reliable SMRs and advanced reactors, like the recently approved NuScale VOYGR SMR, can not only create carbon-free electricity, but can also be used to power highly efficient electrolysis processes converting water to green hydrogen fuel used on-site or transmitted off-site by blending into natural gas lines that currently cross through the property. The SGEC exhibits the ideal combination of clean hydrogen production, hydrogen consumers and energy-intensive customers (the data centers) all in proximity with a connective infrastructure. These green data centers can ultimately benefit not only from on-site SMR electricity production, but also hydrogen-fueled generator backup power. The need for this project is clear. For example, the data centers in Loudoun County, Virginia alone use about 20% of Virginia's power capacity while handling upwards of 70% of the world's data traffic. Considering the exponential data and energy growth today, the Surry Green Energy Center will provide much-needed support to America and the world's internet traffic with positive national security implications at a site that is highly suited for new nuclear today. A hydrogen hub that turns water into carbon-free fuel The Surry Green Energy Center site has, by all accounts to date, the infrastructure and transmission attributes needed to produce and distribute hydrogen with oxygen as the only byproduct. The SGEC's Surry location promises ample water supply to produce hydrogen as well as for cooling. This facility will be a sustainable model nationally for green data centers, carbon-free electricity, and hydrogen production. Surry County Economic Development and the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory have cooperated with knowledge and various levels of support as this first-of-its-kind green energy center is realized. Key Local, State and Federal stakeholders have also been kept in the loop. Green Energy Partners of Virginia is aligning with the most accomplished SMR vendors, data center builders and hydrogen hub production experts to lead the world in these carbon-free energy goals. The SGEC project is estimated to create more than 3,000 jobs in the Surry area, boosting the local economy by generating millions of dollars in annual salaries and green energy revenue. For further information contact: Mark Andrews, COO, Green Energy Partners, 1 West Federal Street, PO Box 425 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 Email: [email protected] Phone: 757-870-4255 Website: water2.energy Bill Puckett, VP Strategic Development, Green Energy Partners, 1 West Federal Street, PO Box 425 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 Email: [email protected] Phone: 703-328-9192 Website: water2.energy "Surry County's optimal location lets companies easily locate in the nation's first green integrated energy center. The county's strategic investments in growing its energy workforce have made it even more attractive to companies who want to expand and grow in a community which embraces sustainable carbon-free energy." Melissa Rollins, Surry County Administrator "We encourage visionary companies like Green Energy Partners of Virginia who step up with efforts and resources as America leads the green energy movement in our world." John Moorehead, Idaho National Laboratory "The health of humanity and the world is at stake. Locations like this 641-acre green energy hub will protect millions of acres of forestry, wildlife, and human lives by reducing carbon in our atmosphere. Jack Andrews, CEO Green Energy Partners of Virginia SOURCE Green Energy Partners LLC of Virginia IRD will supply three Virtual Weigh-In-Motion systems on I-69 & I-465 in Indiana The Virtual Weigh-In-Motion systems will monitor road use and protect roads from damage by overweight vehicles SASKATOON, SK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - International Road Dynamics Inc. (IRD), a Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill") company (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), announced today that the company has been awarded a contract for three Virtual Weigh-In-Motion ("VWIM") systems for the Indiana Department of Transportation ("INDOT") valued at $1.9 million. The new systems will be used by INDOT for infrastructure protection and planning purposes. All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. IRD will supply and supervise the installation of the VWIM systems on newly paved sections of I-69 and I-465. The VWIM sites will provide high-accuracy traffic and load data to the State for planning, roadway design, and weight compliance purposes. VWIM systems provide a streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective solution for weight monitoring and enforcement and will support INDOT's efforts to preserve roads and bridges against premature wear. The VWIM sites will be monitored using IRD's Virtual Weigh Station software, an industry-leading, web-based solution for remotely viewing vehicle records. IRD's iSINC roadside WIM controller forms the core of the system, acquires data from the weigh-in-motion sensors, and determines vehicle class and weight compliance. All three sites will be equipped with cameras to provide an overview of the checkpoint locations and capture license plate numbers to aid in law enforcement efforts. "We are pleased to see INDOT once again select IRD's Virtual Weigh Station solution for newly commissioned VWIM sites in the state," said Rish Malhotra, IRD President and CEO. "VWIM systems were introduced in the late 1990s to help state DOTs cope with ever-increasing commercial vehicle traffic, and this technology continues to be essential to their plans for vehicle data collection and weight enforcement. With a proven software platform, coupled with advanced roadside electronics, IRD continues to lead the commercial vehicle compliance and enforcement market with trusted solutions." About IRD IRD is a dynamic technology company engaged in developing key components and advanced systems for the next generation of transportation networks. Together with subsidiaries PAT Traffic and IRD Europe (ICOMS Detections, Sensor Line and VDS), IRD supplies Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to private corporations, transportation agencies, and highway authorities around the world. IRD's systems make highways safer, greener, and more efficient. Known globally as a trusted partner providing sales, service, and installation support on major ITS projects for over 40 years, IRD contributes to creating smarter cities by empowering engineering and urban planning professionals to access reliable traffic data. For more information: www.irdinc.com About Quarterhill Quarterhill is a leading provider of tolling and enforcement solutions in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry, as well as, through its Wi-LAN Inc. subsidiary, a leader in Intellectual Property licensing. Our goal is global leadership in ITS, by organic growth of the Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC and International Road Dynamics Inc. platforms and by continuing an acquisition-oriented investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS and its adjacent markets. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information, please visit www.quarterhill.com Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding IRD, Quarterhill and their businesses. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by IRD and/or Quarterhill in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and the expected effects of new business strategies, as well as other factors that IRD and/or Quarterhill believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting IRD and/or Quarterhill, including, without limitation, the risks described in Quarterhill's March 22, 2023 annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the "AIF"). Copies of the AIF may be obtained at www.sedar.com. IRD and Quarterhill recommend that readers review and consider all of these risk factors and notes that readers should not place undue reliance on any of IRD's forward-looking statements. IRD has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Quarterhill Inc. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Highstreet Insurance Partners ("HSIP") announced today that it has acquired Milestone Risk Management ("Milestone"). Irvine-based Milestone will join the HSIP's West Region and will report to Scott Goodreau, President. "We are delighted to have the talented team at Milestone join us and help continue to grow our presence on the west coast," said Goodreau. "With the addition of Milestone, we continue to be even better positioned to address the diverse insurance needs of our clients." John Hoefer, Agency President of Milestone, commented, "We are excited to be partnering with one of the industry's most innovative brokers. Milestone's local expertise combined with Highstreet's deep resources and platform means more choice and support for our clients." Highstreet, one of the fastest growing insurance agencies in North America, has now completed 146 transactions since forming the company in mid-2018. Milestone is the sixth transaction of 2023. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Highstreet Insurance Partners Highstreet Insurance Partners (HSIP) is a full-service independent insurance agency. Founded in 2018, the Traverse City, Michigan-based company provides a broad array of business insurance, employee benefits, personal insurance, retirement services, and specialty risk solutions that are delivered through community focused agencies. Additional information can be found at www.hsip.com. SOURCE High Street Insurance Partners Experts voice optimism in improving relations, countering decoupling ideas French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China last week has been applauded as a great success in promoting peace and cooperation. Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said that the relationship between Europe and China is critical for peace, environment and economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. "President Macron's visit to Beijing provides a lot of optimism for improving relations and a strong counternarrative to all negative decoupling ideas. Trade and cooperation will increase," he said, referring to Macron's words last week that he opposes moves to decouple from the world's second-largest economy. Solheim, a Norwegian politician, said that Europe, led by France, and China, can be partners in peace. He added that the huge Chinese diplomatic success in bringing Iran and Saudi Arabia together and moving toward a settlement of the Yemen crisis was a brilliant backdrop for a most successful visit. During Macron's three-day visit to China, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian agreed in Beijing on Thursday to resume their diplomatic relations and reopen embassies in each other's country within 60 days. The thaw in relations between the two former archrivals in the Middle East has raised hopes of putting an end to the yearslong Yemen conflict, a de facto proxy war between the two countries. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who served as French prime minister from 2002 to 2005 under then-president Jacques Chirac, accompanied Macron during the visit. "I participated in more than 20 Sino-French state visits. The one just made by the French President (Macron) seems to be one of the most important," he said in a tweet on Sunday. Former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr also weighed in on Monday, relating Macron's message to Australia's situation. "Europe will avoid involvement in Taiwan says Macron. Not Europe's fight. A message to Canberra to ignore ridiculous talk about NATO in Asia," he said in a tweet on Monday. In an interview on his flight from Beijing to Guangzhou, Macron told the media that Europe should not get caught in a crisis between China and the United States over the Taiwan question. Tomasz Michalski, associate professor of the Economics and Decision Science Department at HEC Paris, said that the European Union nations' recent growth model is based on the peace dividend after the Cold War and worldwide trade. Mutual cooperation "France sees the solution to many important world problems, such as energy transition and limiting climate change and lowering Earth's pollution, as only possible through mutual cooperation," Michalski said. A 51-point joint declaration between China and France issued on Friday covers a wide range of areas for cooperation, from strengthening political dialogue, promoting political mutual trust, global security and stability to economic exchanges to relaunching human and cultural exchanges and jointly responding to global challenges. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined Macron on the China visit, her first visit to China since assuming the post. Entry-level cybersecurity certification is now accredited to the highest global standards alongside other globally recognized (ISC) certifications like the CISSP ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC) the world's largest nonprofit association of certified cybersecurity professionals today announced that the (ISC) Certified in Cybersecurity certification has received accreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) meeting ANSI/ISO/IEC Standard 17024. This achievement follows the latest growth milestone of more than 15,000 Certified in Cybersecurity holders worldwide since the certification was introduced seven months ago. ANAB accreditation assures current and future Certified in Cybersecurity certification holders, as well as private and public sector employers, that the certification program was developed and will be maintained to the same rigorous standards as all (ISC) certifications. (ISC) was the first cybersecurity certifying body to meet the requirements of ANSI/ISO/IEC Standard 17024, which is a global benchmark for certifying qualified professionals. By extension, this means that Certified in Cybersecurity is now accepted as IAF-approved, which will bring broader recognition to the certification throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. "The Certified in Cybersecurity certification prepares a new generation of cybersecurity practitioners from recent university graduates to career changers to IT professionals to join the field by providing an entry-level career path," said Dr. Casey Marks, Chief Qualifications Officer at (ISC). "By achieving ANAB accreditation, it provides assurance for career hopefuls and job seekers that the certification is held at a premier standard, like CISSP, for assessing one's knowledge, skills and abilities." Certified in Cybersecurity is also recognized by the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) and has evaluated and recommended two credit hours for candidates successfully passing the exam. ACE CREDIT helps adult learners gain academic credit for courses and examinations taken outside of traditional degree programs. Growing Demand for One Million Certified in Cybersecurity (ISC) launched One Million Certified in Cybersecurity to provide free training and educational resources, as well as a free Certified in Cybersecurity exam to one million new cybersecurity professionals, and more than 190,000 people have enrolled since its launch in late August. To meet the growing demand, (ISC) has increased the availability of Certified in Cybersecurity by adding new languages in Chinese, German and Spanish, with Japanese and Korean coming soon. With increased interest in the certification program, (ISC) has also expanded the number of test administration centers available for exam takers in the U.S. and the U.K. To learn more about the (ISC) Certified in Cybersecurity certification, please visit: www.isc2.org/Certifications/CC . To review a full list of accreditations and endorsements conferred upon (ISC), please visit: https://www.isc2.org/about/Accreditation-Recognition-and-Endorsement . About (ISC) (ISC) is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, (ISC) offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our association of candidates, associates and members, more than 365,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation The Center for Cyber Safety and Education . For more information on (ISC), visit www.isc2.org , follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn . 2023 (ISC) Inc., (ISC), CISSP, SSCP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks, and CC is a service mark of (ISC), Inc. Media Contact: Amanda Steinman Senior PR Manager (ISC) [email protected] SOURCE (ISC)2 HIGHLIGHTS Expected to be immediately accretive to distributable cash flow per unit 1 Targeted oil and gas mineral and royalty interests on approximately 60,000 gross acres concentrated in the Northern Midland Basin Expected to add approximately 1,901 Boe (6:1) per day (77% oil, 12% natural gas, 11% NGL) in next twelve months ("NTM") run-rate average daily production Estimated $43.3 million of NTM cash flow at strip pricing as of April 11, 2023 reflects a transaction multiple of approximately 3.3x 2 of NTM cash flow at strip pricing as of reflects a transaction multiple of approximately 3.3x Expected to increase Kimbell's run-rate average daily production to over 19,000 boe/d (6:1) and to decrease Cash G&A per Boe by 11% 3 Following the transaction, Kimbell expects to maintain a peer leading five-year PDP decline rate of approximately 13% Expected to add 2.06 net DUCs and net permitted locations ("net wells") to Kimbell's inventory Following the transaction, Kimbell expects net wells needed to maintain flat production to modestly increase from 4.5 net wells to 4.9 net wells Reinforces Permian Basin position as the leading basin for Kimbell in terms of production, active rig count, DUCs, permits and undrilled inventory Maintains conservative balance sheet metrics with expected pro forma net leverage4 of approximately 1.0x following transaction close FORT WORTH, Texas, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP (NYSE: KRP) ("Kimbell" or the "Company"), a leading owner of oil and gas mineral and royalty interests in approximately 16 million gross acres in 28 states, today announced that it has agreed to acquire mineral and royalty interests ("acquired assets") from MB Minerals, L.P., a subsidiary of Sabalo Holdings, LLC (a portfolio company of EnCap Investments), in a cash and unit transaction valued at approximately $143.1 million5, subject to purchase price adjustments and other customary closing adjustments (the "Acquisition"). The purchase price for the Acquisition is comprised of $48.8 million in cash (approximately 34% of the total consideration), approximately 5.4 million newly issued common units of Kimbell Royalty Operating, LLC valued at $85.4 million, and approximately 0.6 million newly issued common units of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP valued at $8.9 million. For the next twelve months, Kimbell estimates that, as of April 1, 2023, the acquired assets will produce approximately 1,901 Boe/d (1,459 Bbl/d of oil, 219 Bbl/d of NGLs, and 1,338 Mcf/d of natural gas) (6:1). The acquired assets are concentrated in northern Howard County and southern Borden County. The Acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions, and the effective date is expected to be April 1, 2023. Asset Highlights: Significant development activity across acreage provides line of sight to substantial near-term production Approximately 806 Net Royalty Acres (6,445 NRA normalized to 1/8 th ) on approximately 60,000 gross unit acres located in Northern Midland Basin ) on approximately 60,000 gross unit acres located in Northern Midland Basin High-interest contiguous footprint with 1.55% average unit Net Revenue Interest High confidence in established operator spacing and well performance in de-risked zones in the Spraberry and Wolfcamp Wolfcamp Management estimates 5.3 MMBoe in total proved reserves, reflecting a purchase price of approximately $26.97 per total proved Boe 97% of estimated first year cash flow from PDP and PDNP wells 3 active rigs on the acreage as of March 31, 2023 Mineral and Overriding Royalty ownership in over 100 horizontal DSUs , 100% Held-By-Production Over 300 total producing wells Liquids-focused asset base expected to strengthen Kimbell's oil weighting from 29% to 34% of daily production mix Kimbell Continues Its Role as a Leading Consolidator in the U.S. Oil and Gas Royalty Sector Assuming the Acquisition is consummated as described in this news release, Kimbell is expected to have over 16 million gross acres, over 125,000 gross wells and a total of 97 active rigs on its properties, which represents approximately 13%6 of the total active land rigs drilling in the continental United States. In addition, over 97% of all rigs in the continental United States are located in counties where Kimbell is expected to hold mineral interest positions following the consummation of the Acquisition. Advisors White & Case LLP and Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP acted as legal counsel to Kimbell. TenOaks Energy Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor and Bracewell LLP served as legal advisor to MB Minerals, L.P. About Kimbell Royalty Partners Kimbell (NYSE: KRP) is a leading oil and gas mineral and royalty company based in Fort Worth, Texas. Kimbell owns mineral and royalty interests in over 16 million gross acres in 28 states and in every major onshore basin in the continental United States, including ownership in more than 124,000 gross wells with over 48,000 wells in the Permian Basin. To learn more, visit http://www.kimbellrp.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition, the expected timing of the closing of the Acquisition, operational data with respect to the Acquisition, involve risks and uncertainties, including risks that the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition are not realized; risks relating to Kimbell's integration of the Acquisition assets; risks relating to the possibility that the Acquisition does not close when expected or at all because any conditions to the closing are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all; and risks relating to Kimbell's business and prospects for growth and acquisitions. Except as required by law, Kimbell undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this news release. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in Kimbell's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These include risks inherent in oil and natural gas drilling and production activities, including risks with respect to low or declining prices for oil and natural gas that could result in downward revisions to the value of proved reserves or otherwise cause operators to delay or suspend planned drilling and completion operations or reduce production levels, which would adversely impact cash flow; risks relating to the impairment of oil and natural gas properties; risks relating to the availability of capital to fund drilling operations that can be adversely affected by adverse drilling results, production declines and declines in oil and natural gas prices; risks relating to Kimbell's ability to meet financial covenants under its credit agreement or its ability to obtain amendments or waivers to effect such compliance; risks relating to Kimbell's hedging activities; risks of fire, explosion, blowouts, pipe failure, casing collapse, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, environmental hazards, and other operating and production risks, which may temporarily or permanently reduce production or cause initial production or test results to not be indicative of future well performance or delay the timing of sales or completion of drilling operations; risks relating to delays in receipt of drilling permits; risks relating to unexpected adverse developments in the status of properties; risks relating to borrowing base redeterminations by Kimbell's lenders, risks relating to the absence or delay in receipt of government approvals or third-party consents; risks relating to acquisitions, dispositions and drop downs of assets; risks relating to Kimbell's ability to realize the anticipated benefits from and to integrate acquired assets, including the assets acquired in the Acquisition; and other risks described in Kimbell's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC, available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Contact: Rick Black Dennard Lascar Investor Relations [email protected] (713) 529-6600 1 Since the Acquisition has an effective date of April 1, 2023, the cash flows from the acquired assets and related accretion will be recognized beginning in Q2 2023. 2 Illustrative cash flow multiple based on expected NTM acquired assets production and average realized cash margin of $62.22 / Boe. Net realized crude oil, natural gas and NGL prices to calculate cash margin $79.84, $2.50 and $32.05, respectively. 3 Based on estimated NTM run-rate average daily production of acquired assets of 1,901 Boe/d, and Q4 2022 production and cash G&A from Kimbell. 4 Net leverage defined as net debt / LTM EBITDA. LTM EBITDA from acquired assets calculated using estimated Q2 2023 net cash flow on an annualized basis. 5 Purchase price and related valuation metrics reflect Kimbell's $15.91 / unit closing price as of 04/11/2023. 6 Based on Kimbell rig count of 94, acquired assets rig count of 3 and Baker Hughes U.S. land rig count of 736 as of March 31, 2023. SOURCE Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP With Reinvented Brand Strategy, Company Aims to Actively Communicate With Customers Beyond Generations and Locations SEOUL, South Korea, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) unveiled a new brand direction and visual identity, which will shed more light on the value of Life's Good with a more dynamic and youthful look across all physical and digital customer touch points. LG New Brand Identity 01 LG New Brand Identity 02 LG New Brand Identity 03 In the company's new Brand Communication Guidelines shared with employees all around the world, LG outlined the new direction for the brand to be loved by customers across countries and generations, including Generation Z, and ultimately establish itself as an iconic brand. The Brand Communication Guidelines reiterate LG's core values of 'Uncompromising Customer Experience,' 'Human-centered Innovation' and 'Warmth to Power a Smile.' The brand slogan, Life's Good, encompasses the message of how the company enables its customers to enjoy a quality life and indulge in precious moments via LG products, services and communication. And, as the brand mission, the company has pursued Innovation for a Better Life, contributing to the shaping of a better life and future for the planet. The newly established brand direction includes a revamp of LG's visual identity, reinterpreting the existing warmth and sense of togetherness of the brand. The company aims to boost interaction with more customers through a new visual identity that adds vitality and interactive elements while putting a new spin on the existing brand image. In the digital space, the company's symbol will come to life, engaging customers with a new level of expressiveness. The brand symbol, composed of the letters 'L' and 'G,' can perform eight unique motions, including nodding, spinning and winking. With its new capabilities, the brand symbol can greet customers with a friendly smile or move along with background music on digital platforms in a variety of witty ways. In addition to its signature LG Red color, the company will be using the more energetic LG Active Red across all customer contact points. Also, various gradient elements in LG Active Red, white and black were also introduced, offering variety as they can be applied according to the unique characteristic of each product or service. The company also designed a new typeface for its Life's Good brand slogan, which will be used more widely as a brand asset in product packaging. Cleverly integrated into the typeface are shapes inspired by various LG products. LG's new brand strategy not only strengthens the company's unique identity, but signals its willingness and capacity to evolve with generations, along with its unmatched commitment to innovating customer experiences all around the globe. The company plans to utilize its one-of-a-kind brand asset at all customer contact points globally throughout the year. "Having a strong, consistent brand strategy enables us to better communicate our value proposition and unique identity, which harmonically blends innovation and warmth," said William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics. "Implementing the new brand strategy, LG aims to become an iconic brand that resonates with consumers transcending generations and locations." About LG Electronics, Inc. LG Electronics is a global innovator in technology and consumer electronics with a presence in almost every country and an international workforce of more than 74,000. LG's four companies Home Appliance & Air Solution, Home Entertainment, Vehicle component Solutions and Business Solutions combined for global revenue of over KRW 80 trillion in 2022. LG is a leading manufacturer of consumer and commercial products ranging from TVs, home appliances, air solutions, monitors, service robots, automotive components and its premium LG SIGNATURE and intelligent LG ThinQ brands are familiar names world over. Visit www.LGnewsroom.com for the latest news. SOURCE LG Electronics AURORA, Ill., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the only writer from mainland China to attend the 2023 London Book Fair, award-winning novelist Xue Mo will be invited to be the guest speaker for an expert dialogue themed "Literature Witnesses Female Power", jointly organised by Ruxue International Media Inc and China International Communications Group. During the event, Overseas scholars will have the opportunity to exchange views face-to-face with Xue Mo, sharing stories of rural villages along the ancient Silk Road, analyzing the typical female characters portrayed by Xue Mo, and exploring such topics as female power from the perspective of literature. Award-Winning novelist Xue Mo will be invited to be the guest speaker for an expert dialogue themed "Literature Witnesses Female Power" According to an official report released by Frankfurter Buchmesse, during the 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair, China's writer Xue Mo ranked No.1 in the list of top topics in the international media, who even outshone the Spanish Guest of Honor and became the most talked-about figure. Xue Mo's Into the Desert was adapted and co-translated by Howard Goldblatt, the world's leading sinologist and translator of Chinese literature, as well as his wife Dr. Sylvia Li-chun Lin. In October 2022, Into the Desert won the Best Translated Book Award issued by China International Communications Group (CICG). This highly valued novel depicts the living conditions of women from western China in the 1990s. "It would be a perfect book for gender interpretation and research for those who are looking for true stories of village women who live in rural China." Professor Du from Knox College regarded Into the Desert as a classic feminist novel. So far, Xue Mo has published 105 literary works and culture-themed publications in total. Besides English, Xue Mo's works have also appeared in French, German and more than two dozen other languages, reaching a large international readership. According to an official report released by Frankfurter Buchmesse, during the 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair, China's writer Xue Mo ranked No.1 in the list of top topics in the international media, who even outshone the Spanish Guest of Honor and became the most talked-about figure. "Xue Mo" and his works have been covered by more than 2,000 media outlets, including The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post and so on. Based on the latest statistical analysis of media presence conducted by Meltwater, the Top 10 print and online media coverage related to "Xue Mo" potentially reached over 1 billion people. It is noted that a special corner will be built to showcase Xue Mo's boutique novels at the China International Book Trading Corporation's booth. Besides, a series of literary works by Xue Mo will be also displayed at booth 7A44, arranged by Ruxue International Media Inc. Ida Liu Ruxue International Media Inc +17736485522 [email protected] www.xuemo.com SOURCE Ruxue International Media Inc NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The liver cancer drugs market size is forecast to increase by USD 5.29 billion from 2021 to 2026, at a CAGR of 14.67%, according to the recent market study by Technavio. The growth of the market will be driven by the increasing incidence of liver cancer, advancements in diagnostic methods, and favorable reimbursement scenario. Technavio offers an up-to-date analysis of the current global market scenario and the overall market environment. View Sample Report Technavio categorizes the global liver cancer drugs market Vendor Analysis: Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Liver Cancer Drugs Market 2022-2026 The global liver cancer drugs market is concentrated, with the presence of a few numbers of global as well as local industry participants. Technavio has extensively analyzed 15 major vendors, including Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Bayer AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eisai Co. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Co., Eureka Therapeutics, Exelixis Inc., F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd., Gilead Sciences Inc., Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Lion TCR Pte. Ltd, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc., and Q BioMed Inc. Vendor Offerings - AstraZeneca Plc - The company offers Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the most common type of liver cancer. The company offers Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the most common type of liver cancer. Bayer AG - The company offers drugs, treatment, and diagnosis for liver cancer. The company offers drugs, treatment, and diagnosis for liver cancer. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. - The company offers drugs and treatment for patients having cancer. Charts & data tables about market and segment sizes for forecast period (2022- 2026) have been covered in this report. Download The Sample Report Key Benefits for Industry Players & Stakeholders The report offers information on the criticality of vendor inputs, including R&D, CAPEX, and technology. It also provides detailed analyses of the market's competitive landscape and vendors' product offerings. The report also provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of vendors to help clients understand the wider business environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key market players. Data is qualitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as pure play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified; it is quantitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak. Expand operations in the future - To get requisite details, ask for a custom report. Get a holistic overview of the endoscopic closure devices market by industry experts to evaluate and develop growth strategies. Download the Sample Market Segmentation: The report extensively covers liver cancer drugs market segmentation by type (immunotherapy and targeted therapy) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)). The market share growth by the immunotherapy segment will be significant for the market growth during the forecast period. Immunotherapy is superior to other cancer treatments due to its high specificity and low toxicity. There are currently three immunotherapies for liver cancer on the market. Merck created the humanized antibody KEYTRUDA. By binding to the PD-1 receptor, this antibody prevents PD L1 and PD L2 from interacting with PD 1, thereby restoring the immune and T-cell responses. During the forecast period, moderate growth is anticipated in the market. Immunotherapy is a particular therapy that utilizes the insusceptible arrangement of the body to battle malignant growth. Market Dynamics: Key DRIVERS: The increasing incidence of liver cancer is notably driving the market growth during the forecast period. One of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide is liver cancer. Depending on the underlying cause, an increase in the risk of liver cancer will result from an increase in the incidence of risk factors like hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis C is present in more than half of patients with certain liver cancers in the United States . Hepatitis B affects about 15% of this group. . Hepatitis B affects about 15% of this group. About 31,000 Americans get liver cancer each year. In the United States , fatty liver is cited as the most common cause of liver cancer, followed by hepatitis C. Long-term alcohol use is also the most common cause of liver cancer. , fatty liver is cited as the most common cause of liver cancer, followed by hepatitis C. Long-term alcohol use is also the most common cause of liver cancer. In addition, the rise in the prevalence of new risk factors like diabetes, obesity, and related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may be linked to the rise in the prevalence of liver cancer. Major Trends: The use of mABs is a liver cancer drugs market trend that is expected to have a positive impact in the forecast period. Monoclonal antibody therapies are a novel and promising strategy for treating liver cancer, as the majority of cases of the disease do not respond to chemotherapy. The lack of understanding regarding tumor-specific targets is the primary obstacle. Antibodies and fragments with high stability and affinity that can target liver cancer tumor-specific antigens are the subjects of ongoing research. The sensitivity and specificity of monoclonal antibodies, which reduce the likelihood of harmful side effects, are their primary advantages. The extremely long shelf life of monoclonal antibodies makes them an attractive treatment option for liver cancer. As of now, just a single monoclonal immunizer is endorsed to treat liver disease. However, a number of monoclonal antibodies are in various stages of evaluation in the pipeline. Key Challenges: The only curative option being surgical resection and transplantation will be a key challenge for the liver cancer drugs market during the forecast period. The stage of the disease and how well the liver is functioning determine the treatment for liver cancer. There are currently no drugs on the market or in development that could potentially treat liver cancer. Due to differences in healthcare systems across the globe, there has not yet been a global agreement that surgical treatment of liver cancer should be recommended. Liver resection can be performed exclusively in competitors who meet the essentials for the medical procedure. However, a high rate of tumor recurrence is frequently linked to surgery. Patients who have tumors that come back are looked at for liver transplants. To get detailed insights about inclusions and exclusions, buy the report What are the key data covered in this liver cancer drugs market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the liver cancer drugs market between 2022 and 2026 Precise estimation of the size of the liver cancer drugs market size and its contribution to the market in focus on the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the Liver Cancer Drugs Market industry across North America , Europe , Asia , and Rest of World (ROW) , , , and Rest of World (ROW) A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of Liver Cancer Drugs Market vendors Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Related Reports: The kaposi sarcoma market size has the potential to grow by USD 20.89 million during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.10%. This report provides a detailed analysis of the market by treatment type (HAART, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy), geography ( North America , Europe , Asia , and ROW), and key vendors. The rising number of organ transplants will drive the global kaposi sarcoma market growth during the estimated period. size has the potential to grow by during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.10%. This report provides a detailed analysis of the market by treatment type (HAART, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy), geography ( , , , and ROW), and key vendors. The rising number of organ transplants will drive the global kaposi sarcoma market growth during the estimated period. The sarcoma therapeutics market size is expected to increase by USD 1.18 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 9%. The report extensively covers sarcoma therapeutics market segmentation by type (soft tissue sarcoma and osteosarcoma) and geography ( North America , Europe , APAC, and Rest of the World (ROW)). One of the factors driving the global sarcoma therapeutics market growth is the patient assistance programs due to the increasing cost of therapeutics for the treatment of various oncology indications. Liver Cancer Drugs Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 14.67% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 5.29 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 10.4 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 42% Key countries US, Canada, Germany, UK, and China Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Bayer AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eisai Co. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Co., Eureka Therapeutics, Exelixis Inc., F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd., Gilead Sciences Inc., Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Lion TCR Pte. Ltd, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc., and Q BioMed Inc. 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's Health Care 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 Type 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: Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors in 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 Type 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Type Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Type Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Type 5.3 Immunotherapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Immunotherapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Immunotherapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Immunotherapy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Immunotherapy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Targeted therapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Targeted therapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Targeted therapy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Targeted therapy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Targeted therapy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Type Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Type ($ 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 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on Germany - 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 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 78: 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 79: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 80: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 81: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 82: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 83: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 84: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 AstraZeneca Plc Exhibit 85: AstraZeneca Plc - Overview Exhibit 86: AstraZeneca Plc - Product / Service Exhibit 87: AstraZeneca Plc - Key news Exhibit 88: AstraZeneca Plc - Key offerings 10.4 Bayer AG Exhibit 89: Bayer AG - Overview Exhibit 90: Bayer AG - Business segments Exhibit 91: Bayer AG - Key news Exhibit 92: Bayer AG - Key offerings Exhibit 93: Bayer AG - Segment focus 10.5 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Exhibit 94: Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. - Overview Exhibit 95: Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. - Product / Service Exhibit 96: Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. - Key offerings 10.6 Eisai Co. Ltd. Exhibit 97: Eisai Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 98: Eisai Co. Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 99: Eisai Co. Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 100: Eisai Co. Ltd. - Segment focus 10.7 Eli Lilly and Co. Exhibit 101: Eli Lilly and Co. - Overview Exhibit 102: Eli Lilly and Co. - Business segments Exhibit 103: Eli Lilly and Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 104: Eli Lilly and Co. - Segment focus 10.8 Eureka Therapeutics Exhibit 105: Eureka Therapeutics - Overview Exhibit 106: Eureka Therapeutics - Product / Service Exhibit 107: Eureka Therapeutics - Key offerings 10.9 Gilead Sciences Inc. Exhibit 108: Gilead Sciences Inc. - Overview Exhibit 109: Gilead Sciences Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 110: Gilead Sciences Inc. - Key news Exhibit 111: Gilead Sciences Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 112: Gilead Sciences Inc. - Segment focus 10.10 Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. Exhibit 113: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 114: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 115: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.11 Lion TCR Pte. Ltd Exhibit 116: Lion TCR Pte. Ltd - Overview Exhibit 117: Lion TCR Pte. Ltd - Product / Service Exhibit 118: Lion TCR Pte. Ltd - Key offerings 10.12 Merck and Co. Inc. Exhibit 119: Merck and Co. Inc. - Overview Exhibit 120: Merck and Co. Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 121: Merck and Co. Inc. - Key news Exhibit 122: Merck and Co. Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 123: Merck and Co. Inc. - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 124: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 125: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 126: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 127: Research methodology Exhibit 128: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 129: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 130: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides 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 WASHINGTON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Medi Guide Chat, a leading provider of clients for psychologists and licensed counselors, has expanded its services to help personal injury attorneys connect with clients who need legal representation in car accidents, slip and fall, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice cases. Medi Guide Chat Lady Logo In today's highly competitive market, personal injury attorneys must strike a chord with their intended audience that is hard to reach at the right time. Effective advertising is critical, and competition for personal injury clients is fierce. Moreover, Facebook and Google's constantly changing algorithms make it hard to reach such a specific audience when needed. As part of its marketing program, Medi Guide Chat focuses on individuals injured in accidents and needing medical assistance. Since these clients typically require legal assistance to deal with their suffering, Medi Guide Chat provides legal help recommendations to support their clients. In doing so, the company helps its clients find help quickly. By adopting this collaborative methodology, Medi Guide Chat is committed to offering a comprehensive solution for individuals seeking medical and legal assistance. Beginning in the summer of 2023, Medi Guide Chat will adopt an invitation-only advertising policy that targets firms with local resources specializing in auto accidents, slip and fall, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice cases. Attorneys interested in joining the network before this policy takes effect have a limited time remaining to do so. This innovation will facilitate a more personalized and targeted approach to connecting attorneys with clients who require their services. With this enhancement, Medi Guide Chat reinforces its commitment to providing clients with a high-quality, individualized experience. Remaining committed to its core mission of connecting individuals with mental health professionals, Medi Guide Chat significantly impacts outcomes through its mental health services. Through its strategic expansion of connecting clients with attorneys specializing in specific areas, Medi Guide Chat is critical in ensuring that these individuals receive the legal representation they require to pursue their cases and obtain just compensation for their injuries. Medi Guide Chat is poised to continue its growth and success as an industry leader, helping psychologists, licensed counselors, and attorneys connect with clients needing their services. Law firms interested in learning more about Medi Guide Chat's services and the new invitation-only advertising program are encouraged to call 202-868-6888 or email [email protected] with any questions. For more information about Medi Guide Chat's services, please visit their website at www.mediguidechat.com. SOURCE Medi Guide Chat New paper in The Lancet Neurology confirms that a key Parkinson's pathology can now be identified by examining spinal fluid from living patients The Lancet Neurology Test validated in the gold-standard Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative demonstrates greater than 90% sensitivity in people with typical Parkinson's pathology, and is frequently positive even before onset of symptoms Findings show differences in disease subtypes and among people with Parkinson's risk factors, providing a novel tool for precision medicine approaches, earlier intervention and improved clinical trial design Michael J. Fox "deeply moved by breakthrough," "making a cure for Parkinson's inevitable" NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A landmark paper published today in The Lancet Neurology journal by leaders of the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), the gold-standard Parkinson's biomarker study sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF), confirms the most significant breakthrough yet in the search for a Parkinson's biomarker: a biological test for Parkinson's disease that demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy, differentiates molecular subtypes and detects disease in individuals before cardinal movement symptoms arise. The new test, known as the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (Syn-SAA), heralds the revolutionary ability for research to define Parkinson's disease biologically, offering a critical tool for clinical trial design and assessment of treatment effects, and for early detection of disease pathology. As authors from PPMI detail in The Lancet Neurology, the test detects synuclein pathology, one of the two biological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (alongside dopaminergic transport dysfunction, which can be visualized using DaTScan). As a result, for the first time since James Parkinson first characterized the disorder in 1817, researchers and clinicians can use biology (vs. clinical assessments and patient-reported outcomes) to identify, define and monitor Parkinson's objectively, based on cellular pathology in the living body. "Validation of this biomarker launches a new, biological era in Parkinson's research," said Kenneth Marek, MD, PPMI Principal Investigator and president and senior scientist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders. "Using Syn-SAA, we are already unlocking new understanding of Parkinson's, which will transform every aspect of drug development and ultimately clinical care. We will rapidly be in a position to test new therapies in the right populations, target the right therapy to the right patient at the right time, and launch studies of agents with potential to prevent Parkinson's disease altogether. This is what PPMI was built to do, and we are especially grateful to the thousands of study participants whose contributions have enabled this watershed moment." The paper, co-led by Andrew Siderowf, MD, PPMI Investigator and Director, Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Pennsylvania and Luis Concha, PhD, Director, Research and Development at Amprion, outlines Syn-SAA results from more than 1,100 PPMI participants including individuals with Parkinson's disease, those with genetic and/or clinical risk factors but not diagnosed with Parkinson's, and control volunteers. The large-scale analysis in PPMI confirms previous reports including from MJFF-funded work that Syn-SAA can distinguish Parkinson's from control volunteers with a stunningly robust sensitivity of 88 percent and specificity of 96 percent. As an objective and reliable biomarker of Parkinson's biology, Syn-SAA will significantly decrease the risk for industry to invest in the development of potential blockbuster therapies, including preventive agents, and increase the speed and efficiency with which these therapies can be developed, tested and brought to market. With Syn-SAA in hand, it will be possible to establish objective endpoints for clinical trials of Parkinson's treatments, ensure study participants exhibit appropriate pathology, and detect therapy-induced changes in their status. This already is reworking the design of clinical trials and can induce greater pharma and biotech investment in the space creating more "shots on goal" to benefit people at every stage of disease. Subtypes of Parkinson's Biology Linked to Genetic and Clinical Factors The authors reported findings related to olfactory deficit, or smell loss (enduring and significant smell loss is a common symptom of Parkinson's often seen years before a diagnosis) and to carrying a mutation in the Parkinson's-associated LRRK2 gene: The assay accurately diagnosed disease in 99 percent (274 of 278) of people with smell loss and sporadic Parkinson's (without a known causal genetic mutation). The proportion of positive results was lower in people with Parkinson's and a LRRK2 mutation [68 percent (83 of 123)]. Positive results also were lower in people with sporadic Parkinson's without olfactory deficit (78 percent). People with Parkinson's, a LRRK2 mutation and normal smell ability were even less likely to show positive assay results. This was particularly true among females; only 12.5 percent of females in this population (three of 24) showed synuclein pathology on the test. In people with Parkinson's enrolled in PPMI who consented to post-mortem examination and who have passed since joining the study, all those with positive assay results (14) showed typical alpha-synuclein aggregation pathology in brain cells; the single such PD participant who did not show positive assay results was a LRRK2 mutation carrier with preserved olfaction. These results suggest that not all cases of clinical Parkinson's symptoms are associated with the accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates as detected by this assay, and that LRRK2 variant carriers, in particular, may not show this pathology. This insight opens new avenues of investigation toward treatments to benefit more people with PD. It also will enable deeper studies of the cellular pathways and cascades occurring in LRRK2-associated Parkinson's, some of which may be protective against synuclein dysfunction and Parkinson's toxicity. This could lead to breakthroughs to benefit everyone with Parkinson's, not just those who carry a genetic mutation. (Three therapies targeting dysfunction in the LRRK2 pathway are currently in clinical trials.) New Evidence that Biological Changes in Synuclein Predate Both Symptoms and Dopamine Dysfunction, Setting Stage for First Prevention Trials The Syn-SAA also has been validated in individuals enrolled in PPMI who have not been diagnosed with Parkinson's, but are age 60 or older and living with increased relative risk of developing Parkinson's due to genetic mutations, smell loss, or diagnosed REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). (RBD is a sleep disorder of acting out dreams by hitting, punching or kicking, and is tied to significant risk of developing Parkinson's or a similar neurodegenerative disease.) PPMI reopened enrollment in 2020 and is building a longitudinal cohort of 2000 such at-risk individuals. Most people with olfactory deficit [88 percent (16 of 18)] or RBD [84 percent (28 of 33)] showed positive assay results. The authors also compared results to dopamine transporter (DAT) brain imaging scans, a tool for assessing dopamine transporter system dysfunction and thereby Parkinson's pathology, including in at-risk individuals. Only about 30 percent of at-risk individuals with a positive seed amplification assay result also had significant dopamine loss. This finding suggests that synuclein pathology could be detectable by this assay earlier than dopamine dysfunction is seen with DAT imaging, extending the window in which it may be possible to intervene with preventive therapies. On the other hand, undiagnosed but at-risk carriers of a LRRK2 or GBA mutation (the most common known genetic link to Parkinson's disease) were less likely to show positive assay results: 8.8 percent (14 of 159) and 7.3 percent (11 of 151) respectively. This finding suggests that RBD and olfactory deficit arise closer to onset of Parkinson's movement symptoms. It also suggests that alpha-synuclein aggregation in spinal fluid is not a life-long trait but rather acquired as part of a disease biology process that ultimately gives rise to symptoms. By exploiting this understanding to intervene in this process, drugmakers hope to make Parkinson's a preventable condition. Biomarker Test Available for Diagnostic Assessment The Syn-SAA was developed when MJFF on-staff neuroscience PhDs approached researchers at University of Texas working on seed amplification assays in Alzheimer's. The Foundation offered funding to experiment with developing an alpha-synuclein assay using PPMI cerebrospinal fluid samples. The University of Texas team that developed the assay has since launched biotech Amprion, which partnered with PPMI on its analysis of Syn-SAA. The company has commercialized the assay as the SYNTap test, which is available for order by physicians for people exhibiting symptoms of Parkinson's or related disorders. When the test is positive, a person likely has Parkinson's or a related disorder of alpha-synuclein, such as Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) or Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). The test, on its own, cannot differentiate between these diseases. It also may not be covered by insurance. But, in conjunction with a doctor's examination, the test might help support a specific diagnosis. "The Michael J. Fox Foundation has always recognized the indisputable need for biomarkers of Parkinson's disease, and has relentlessly pursued them as a mission-critical goal," said Deborah W. Brooks, MJFF's chief executive officer (and a PPMI control volunteer at the University of Pennsylvania since 2010). "It would be difficult to overstate the implications of this discovery. With development and scaling, Syn-SAA can usher in the era of objectively and biologically defining Parkinson's disease revolutionizing every aspect of research and care." Michael J. Fox said: "There are many ways I am involved with the work of the Foundation, but I come to this result first and foremost as a Parkinson's patient. I am deeply moved by this breakthrough and endlessly grateful to the researchers, study participants and funders who have endeavored to bring us this far. When we started PPMI, we weren't casting about for fish we were going after a whale. Now, here we are. Together we are making a cure for Parkinson's inevitable." PPMI: The Study that's Changing Everything MJFF launched the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (www.ppmi-info.org, michaeljfox.org/ppmi) in 2010 at 18 clinical sites in the United States and Europe with a lead gift from the late Mrs. Lily Safra, a visionary friend, partner, and board member of MJFF. A longitudinal observational study, PPMI has built the most robust dataset and biosample library ever assembled in Parkinson's research, which is shared with the broader research community in real time for ongoing discovery and validation studies. Today the study has enrolled nearly 2000 participants and is actively enrolling Parkinson's patients, at-risk individuals and control volunteers at 51 clinical sites around the globe. Study data are downloaded by researchers worldwide for independent studies on average 2200 times a day. With the publication of Syn-SAA, The Michael J. Fox Foundation announced that the tagline of the PPMI study will change from "The Study that Could Change Everything" about how Parkinson's disease is diagnosed, managed and treated to "The Study that's Changing Everything." Major funding for PPMI comes from Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) (www.parkinsonsroadmap.org), a coordinated research initiative focused on accelerating the pace of discovery and informing the path to a cure for Parkinson's disease. ASAP support is enabling the seismic expansion of PPMI to increase recruitment efforts and remote testing for those at-risk for PD as well as expanding assay development efforts to enable breakthroughs such as Syn-SAA. This infrastructure provides a ready platform for future discoveries. In addition to Aligning Science across Parkinsons, PPMI is supported by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, the Farmer Family Foundation, Connie and Steven Ballmer, and Susan and Riley Bechtel. The study is additionally funded by a consortium of more than 40 biotech and pharmaceutical firms providing financial and in-kind support, and by tens of thousands of individual donors to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding $1.75 billion in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; creates a robust open-access data set and biosample library to speed scientific breakthroughs and treatment with its landmark clinical study, PPMI; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. For more information, visit us at www.michaeljfox.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MilkMate Products, Inc. (www.milkmate.com), the Manhattan-based company on a mission to support and empower working moms and the employers who support them, announced that its breast pump and parts for its new turnkey breast pumping solution, designed specifically for workplace wellness rooms, have received market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The MilkMate solution is currently entering a soft launch phase with a select few early adopter customers before its formal launch to the greater Manhattan market this upcoming summer. MilkMate was created on the belief that today's working moms should never have to choose between family and a professional career because of the challenges related to breast pumping in the workplace. The MilkMate breast pumping solution is comprised of modular furniture components that include a built-in multi-user breast pump and single-use parts that come pre-assembled and pre-sterilized, ready for immediate use. The solution is easily adaptable to any existing office space or wellness room and helps employers meet regulatory requirements such as those most recently brought forth by the PUMP Act in December 2022. With MilkMate, working moms are required to bring nothing with them to work saving employees time from having to clean, pack up and transport pump gear to and from work. In addition to securing FDA clearance on its breast pump and parts, MilkMate is pleased to announce a successful close of its Series Seed fundraise round of $5 million. "MilkMate is designed to support both working moms and their employers by offering a more streamlined way for employees to breast pump at work following maternity leave," said Patrice Meagher, Founder and CEO of MilkMate. "As a parent of 4, breast pumping at the office was by far the most inefficient thing I did as a working mom. I knew there had to be a better way and that's why I created the MilkMate solution. We are thrilled to receive FDA market clearance and announce the close of our $5M Series Seed round. Both are huge milestones that will enable us to officially launch this much needed solution for employers and working moms everywhere." For both working moms returning from maternity leave and prospective employers looking for the right solution to address the current challenges surrounding breast pumping in the workplace, please visit www.milkmate.com. Follow us on: Instagram and LinkedIn SOURCE MilkMate Inc. BOSTON , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirah announced today that Jill Donelan, Psy.D., a highly accomplished clinical psychologist, has joined as Clinical Director. She is widely recognized for her expertise in providing evidence-based treatments for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma. In this role, Dr. Donelan will lead a team of clinical psychologists to support customers in implementing and sustaining measurement-based care (MBC), a data-driven approach to mental health treatment that uses standardized assessments to enhance clinical decision-making. She will also collaborate with internal teams to develop MBC technology, clinical practices, and implementation frameworks. Prior to joining Mirah, Dr. Donelan worked as a clinician and academic at several institutions, including Baystate Medical Center in Massachusetts. In this role, she provided individual and group psychotherapy to patients and conducted research on the effectiveness of psychological interventions. "I am excited to join Mirah and contribute to the development of innovative, evidence-based solutions to mental health challenges," said Dr. Donelan. "As a long-time user of Mirah in my previous role, I have seen the power of data-driven decision-making in improving outcomes for patients. I am excited to work with this talented team to bring these benefits to more individuals and organizations." Dr. Donelan has made significant contributions to the field of psychology through her clinical practice, publications, and presentations. She is also the author of the book " Trauma Treatment Toolbox for Teens: 97 Worksheets, Exercises, and Interventions for Trauma Recovery ," which has been praised by mental health professionals and educators alike for its practical tools and innovative approach to treating trauma in teenagers. "We're thrilled to have Dr. Donelan join our team," said Don Jenkins, Mirah's Chief Operating Officer. "She has first-hand experience implementing measurement-based care in clinical workflows. It is this deep expertise and clinical voice that will ensure we provide the best support possible to our growing customer base while we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in mental healthcare." About Mirah: Mirah is empowering providers with data-driven decision-making, helping improve both behavioral health outcomes and access. With a best-in-class platform for measuring and tracking patient progress, Mirah's fully integrated solution offers actionable insights, powerful analytics, and an unparalleled level of precision to help organizations deliver measurement-based care at scale. Mirah combines this enterprise-level technology with an expert clinical support team to drive effective, sustainable implementation of data-informed care across organizations of all sizes. To learn more, visit https://www.mirah.com . Contact: Amanda Young 351.222.4755 [email protected] SOURCE Mirah Leading Auto Defect Firm Issues Letter to Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Urging Action COSTA MESA, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MLG Attorneys at Law is fervently appealing to Congress to take immediate action against automakers Hyundai and Kia, who have yet to issue a recall for their vehicles despite facing mounting legal challenges. This encompasses over 200 class action lawsuits, along with litigation involving nine major cities and more than 25 insurance companies. Most recently a scathing letter from 23 State Attorneys General demanded action from the automakers for the omission of engine immobilizers in their vehicles, the anti-theft technology utilized by all other major manufacturers to protect cars from being stolen. "I witnessed firsthand the power of congressional testimony when General Motors was forced to confront the consequences of their actions," said Jonathan Michaels, principal of MLG Attorneys at Law. "It is absolutely imperative that Congress intervenes with the same intensity and determination to hold these automakers accountable, and I am urging Senator Cantwell to use all powers available to her to force Kia and Hyundai to answer questions from Congress." As Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senator Maria Cantwell possesses the authority to take decisive action on this issue. Historically, the committee has been successful in bringing automakers to testify in front of Congress, as demonstrated during the General Motors ignition defect scandal. The hearings resulted in General Motors issuing one of the biggest recalls in history and facing fines of more than $1.5 billion dollars. The committee also maintains authority over NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), which, according to Michaels, has displayed a concerning lack of urgency in addressing the issue and pressuring the automakers involved. MLG Attorneys at Law has been at the forefront of the legal battle against Hyundai and Kia, leading the charge on the class action lawsuit and efforts to consolidate the class in Orange County Federal Court. The automotive specialist firm is now shifting its focus to representing the mounting personal injury cases arising from the defect. This call for congressional intervention comes after the firm previously called on California Governor Gavin Newsom to take legal action against the automakers in September, when the epidemic was just beginning to gain momentum. Hyundai and Kia thefts surged in multiple U.S. cities in 2022: 836% in Minneapolis compared to 2021, and 1,090% in St. Louis County. In Chicago, 10% of registered Kias and 7% of registered Hyundais have been stolen. Philadelphia reported a 800% increase in Kia thefts and 400% increase in Hyundai thefts from 2019-2022. "The continued refusal of Kia and Hyundai to recall their vehicles is absolutely unacceptable," said Michaels. "These stolen cars are not just used in property crimes; they have also caused the deaths of numerous innocent children and resulted in dangerous accidents. It's time for Congress to take action and put the brakes on this epidemic before more lives are needlessly lost." About MLG Attorneys at Law Located in Orange County, California, MLG is a leading firm for protecting consumers from automotive defects. The firm has litigated cases against nearly every major automotive manufacturer in the world, and has been involved in numerous class actions against automakers for malfeasance. Follow MLG on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact: Sharon Noot Phone: (714) 600-9022 Email: [email protected] SOURCE MLG Attorneys at Law Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will kick off his four-day state visit to China on Wednesday, a trip that is expected to bring bilateral relations, both politically and economically, to a new level and contribute positive energy to the complex international situation. Accompanied by hundreds of businesspeople, state governors, congress members and ministers, Lula will be making his third official visit to China as Brazilian president. The visit was originally set for March but was postponed due to Lula's health at the time. It will also be Lula's first trip outside the Western Hemisphere since taking office for a third term on Jan 1. His visit will take him to Shanghai and Beijing. In Shanghai, he will participate in former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's inauguration as head of BRICS' New Development Bank. In Beijing, Lula will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The two sides have maintained close communication about the visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. "The fact that Lula will lead a large delegation to China on his state visit so soon after his recovery speaks to the high importance both sides have attached to this visit and to our bilateral relations." China stands ready to work with Brazil and take this visit as an opportunity to upgrade mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various sectors and bring more energy for developing countries to coordinate in unity and jointly deal with global challenges, Wang said. According to a statement from Lula's press office, around 20 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. An article published by Valor Economico, a Brazilian financial newspaper, described Lula's visit as "a trip full of expectations". The speed in rescheduling a high-level visit, something unusual given the complexity of the agendas, reflects the political will of both countries to make the meeting happen, it said. The China-Brazil relationship has been closer and trade has increased in a continuous and sustained way since 2004, when Lula first visited Beijing. In 2009, he visited China for the second time. China has been the South American country's largest trade partner since 2009. According to the General Administration of Customs, two-way trade reached $171.49 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. "During the visit, the two countries are expected to consolidate the foundation of existing cooperation in traditional sectors such as infrastructure construction, agriculture and mining, and also expand cooperation in new areas including the green economy, digital economy and high technology," said Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies. Bilateral cooperation has already yielded fruit prior to Lula's arrival. On Feb 7, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi clearing arrangements in Brazil, a move that will bolster bilateral trade and investment facilitation. Since diplomatic relations were established nearly half a century ago, China-Brazil ties have maintained steady growth amid changes in the international landscape and achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation across the board, setting a good example for major developing countries pursuing joint development through solidarity and collaboration. According to Wang of the CIIS, the development of China-Brazil relations will help to push forward China's cooperation with Latin America and deepen China's relations with regional organizations such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. "At a time when the international landscape is suffering systematic volatility and the global governance system is fragmented, the two countries' coordination and interactions on global hot-spot issues will also reveal the independent views of developing countries and important emerging market economies on global security and the international order," he added. DUBLIN, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Multiparameter Patient Monitoring Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global multiparameter patient monitoring market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.06%. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Increasing Demand for Multiparameter Patient Monitoring in Homecare Settings Home healthcare has always been recognized as a life-saving option for patients requiring long-term care to treat chronic diseases. Moreover, the worldwide increase in the geriatric and chronic disease population has led to a growing demand for home patient monitoring. The increase in patient monitoring using multiparameter monitoring devices in homecare settings is expected to fuel the overall growth of the multiparameter patient monitoring market in the coming years. Home patient monitoring is convenient and cost-effective and helps patients monitor their health directly at home regularly. Growing Demand for Portable/Compact Multiparameter Patient Monitors Portable patient monitors are widely accepted in healthcare services. This is due to the flexibility of patient assessment with the portable features of multiparameter patient monitors from hospital care to ambulatory and mobility services. This emergence of technological advances in multiparameter patient monitoring equipment is used in various applications such as transportation and, ambulances, outpatient care. The portable multiparameter patient monitors enable patient mobility and comfort, increasing patient demand. Growing Focus on Integration of Multiparameter Patient Monitors with Wireless and Remote Monitoring Platforms RPM is useful for monitoring patients' acute and chronic conditions and helps reduce the treatment cost. Over the past few years, breakthrough advancements have enabled RPM, virtual patient-physician interactions, and real-time data capture to transmit reality by incorporating passive home and body sensors to patients. Multiparameter patient monitoring devices integrated with RPM and wireless technologies enable us to overcome these limitations and track changes in patient's vital signs without interrupting and visiting healthcare settings. The remote access/wireless monitoring systems enable patient vital signs monitoring even when not admitted to hospitals. Advances in Remote Patient Monitoring Technology The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend by highlighting the need and value of RPM. RPM has caught the attention of many medical professionals. More recently, IoT-enabled monitoring devices have added even more functionality to RPM. Physicians using IoT-enabled RPM systems benefit more from their patients. By combining AI with the Internet of Things (IoT) and RPM, healthcare organizations and practitioners can better serve their patients and provide opportunities for improved healthcare outcomes. Growing Demand for Real-time Patient Monitors in Critical Care Continuous patient monitoring is one of the essential components in intensive care units, first to notice critical changes in a patient's health status and second to guide daily intensive care therapy. Vital signs are important in monitoring patients' health status in emergency and critical care units. Trends in patient monitoring using multiparameter monitors also help physicians to identify the best location for the patient on transfer from EDs. Such factors contribute to the growth of the multiparameter patient monitoring market. Further, several developed countries are currently in the process of reforming their emergency and urgent care systems. Increasing Target Patient Population with Various Diseases The aging population needs regular assistance in terms of their health to avoid fatal situations. Moreover, countries such as Japan, Italy, and Portugal have the highest percentage of elderly population. This increasing number of elderly populations demands advanced healthcare facilities and infrastructure to assist health and avoid fatal emergencies. Globally, chronic diseases are commonly called non-communicable diseases (NCD) or used interchangeably. These diseases are gaining increasing attention as the burden of NCDs has surpassed that of epidemics in the Global South. Globally, heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes are leading causes of death and disabilities among chronic diseases. Enhancements in Multiparameter Patient Monitoring Vendors in the multiparameter patient monitoring market have introduced many advanced and innovative patient monitors globally as per end-users' needs and requirements. Further, manufacturers collaborate with tech giants to integrate their advanced technology solutions. These advanced features also allow medical professionals to deliver improved healthcare to critical patients at home and hospital. Over the past decade, the market has witnessed many technological advancements across all aspects of patient monitoring systems. As a wide range of multiparameter patient monitors, with portable and remote monitoring features, are launched, grabbing the attention of many end-users. SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS INSIGHTS BY DEVICES The global multiparameter patient monitoring market by devices is segmented into portable/compact and fixed devices. The portable/compact held the largest global market share at 57% in 2022. The market is growing faster due to the rising awareness regarding healthcare and increasing concern for the continuous monitoring of real-time health parameters of patients, pre-and post-surgery, which are expected to drive the market's growth. The portable multiparameter patient monitors will dominate the market over the forecast period, owing to growing home healthcare, ease of monitoring post-surgical recovery patients, rising ambulatory care facilities, and increasing adoption of remote patient monitoring. Segmentation by Devices Portable/Compact Devices Fixed Devices INSIGHTS BY ACUITY LEVEL The high acuity level segment dominated the global multiparameter patient monitoring market and accounted for a significant share in 2022. The growth is mainly due to the rising incidence of chronic disease cases, leading to severe health conditions requiring continuous monitoring. High-acuity monitors are mainly used in ICUs, operating rooms, and emergency departments of various healthcare settings to monitor vital signs during surgery. These devices are also used to monitor the real-time vital signs of patients under severe conditions. When this occurs, the demand for high-acuity monitors will likely increase as patient monitoring in high-acuity conditions is a major priority for healthcare providers. Segmentation by Acuity Level High Acuity Level Mid Acuity Level Low Acuity Level INSIGHTS BY PATIENT GROUP The global multiparameter patient monitoring market by the patient group is segmented into a geriatric, adult, and pediatric patient groups. In 2022, the geriatric patient group segment accounted for a 48.27% share of the global multiparameter patient monitoring market. In recent years the increased aging population, and global disease burden, especially chronic conditions, have escalated significantly. Age-related diseases require multiparameter patient monitoring systems due to the patient's immobile and critical nature. Also, the establishment of homecare settings has increased, wherein caregivers take care of patients directly at homes, assisted living centers, and geriatric care centers. Under such a scenario, multiparameter patient monitoring systems become extensively helpful to caregivers. Segmentation by Patient Group Geriatric Patient Group Adult Patient Group Pediatric Patient Group INSIGHTS BY END-USER The hospital end-user segment accounted for the largest global multiparameter patient monitoring market share of 65% in 2022. Healthcare professionals in hospitals use multiparameter patient monitoring devices as advanced monitoring devices for diagnosing patients' vital signs. The market is growing healthy and will likely grow steadily during the forecast period. Majorly due to the adoption of advanced homecare settings by patients with low and mid acuity to avoid problems caused during the hospital stays. The availability of skilled healthcare professionals with knowledge and expertise in handling multiparameter patient monitoring devices, along with the availability of these devices in the intense care units and emergency departments, coupled with the increasing chronic disease prevalence, is driving the demand for multiparameter patient monitoring devices in hospitals across the globe. Segmentation by End-User Hospitals ASCs Homecare Settings Others GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS North America dominated the global multiparameter patient monitoring market and accounted for 39.48% of the market share in 2022. Factors like an increasingly old age population, a moderate increase in ICU admission, and the availability of advanced technology for remote patient monitoring & home care technology contribute to the industry's growth. It was estimated that by 2022, 63 million smart homes would be there in North America for the effective monitoring of vital parameters of the end-user. This huge number of smart homes has increased the demand for remote multiparameter patient monitors, driving the North America market in the upcoming years. Segmentation by Geography North America US Canada Europe Germany France UK Italy Spain APAC Japan China India South Korea Australia Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa & Turkey Saudi Arabia South Africa Key Company Profiles Baxter CONTEC MEDICAL SYSTEMS GE Healthcare Koninklijke Philips Masimo Medtronic NIHON KOHDEN OSI Systems Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Other Prominent Vendors Advanced Instrumentations American Diagnostic Dragerwerk AG & Co. EDAN Instruments EPSIMED FUKUDA DENSHI Halma ICU Medical Infinium Medical Lutech MEDIANA MEDION Mennen Medical Nonin OMRON Opto Circuits ( India ) ) SCHILLER Skanray Technologies Viatom Technology VYAIRE MEDICAL Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 6 Market at a Glance 7 Premium Insights 8 Introduction 9 Market Opportunities & Trends 9.1 Increasing Demand for Multi-Parameter Patient Monitoring in Home Care Settings 9.2 Growing Demand for Portable/Compact Multi-Parameter Patient Monitors 9.3 Integration of Multi-Parameter Patient Monitors With Wireless and Remote Monitoring Platforms 9.4 Advances in Remote Patient Monitoring Technology 10 Market Growth Enablers 10.1 Growing Demand for Real-Time Patient Monitors in Critical Care 10.2 Increasing Target Patient Population With Various Diseases 10.3 Enhancements in Multi-Parameter Patient Monitoring 11 Market Restraints 11.1 False Alarms & Alarm Fatigue 11.2 Increasing Regulatory Complexities 11.3 High Cost of Multi-Parameter Patient Monitoring Devices 12 Market Landscape 13 Device 14 Acuity Level 15 Patient Group 16 End-User 17 Geography 18 North America 19 Europe 20 Apac 21 Latin America 22 Middle East & Africa 23 Competitive Landscape 24 Key Company Profiles 25 Other Prominent Vendors 26 Report Summary 27 Quantitative Summary 28 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gmofds 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 Actress, activist, and entrepreneur Sophia Bush Hughes Actress, writer, host, and activist Jameela Jamil Stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and publisher Phoebe Robinson Amplify Georgia Collaborative and The Women's Centers NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) and NIRH Action Fund is proud to announce the honorees for its Champions of Choice awards luncheon to be held Wednesday, April 26, 2022, from 12:00pm 2:00pm ET at Ziegfeld Ballroom (141 W 54th St.) in New York City. Known as New York's premiere reproductive rights events and attended by more than 500 prominent leaders in philanthropy, business, media, and politics, the annual event recognizes individuals, and organizations for their ongoing commitment and use of influence to advocate for reproductive health, rights, and justice. National Institute for Reproductive Health The 2023 Champions of Choice honorees include Sophia Bush Hughes (actress, activist, entrepreneur), Jameela Jamil (actress, writer, host, activist), and Phoebe Robinson (stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, publisher), who give their continuous support and highlight the fundamental right to reproductive freedom along with Amplify Georgia Collaborative and The Women's Centers. Honorary Chairs include Mila Atmos, Raina Batrice, Amy Brenneman, Candice Cook Simmons, Esq, Cindi Leive, Lara Marcon, Lida Orzeck, Dawn Porter, Chef Grace Ramirez, Alysia Reiner, Favianna Rodriguez, and Nancy Silverman. Past honorees include U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, NYS Senator & Majority leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, NYS Assemblymember & Speaker Carl E. Hastie, and former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Dr. DeShawn Taylor, Kwajelyn Jackson, Amy Hagstrom Miller, Amy Schumer, Whoopi Goldberg, Cecily Strong, Kate Walsh, Amy Brenneman, Joanna Coles, and Lizz Winstead. Reproductive freedom took a major hit in 2022 and millions are still left without abortion access disproportionately harming already marginalized communities. "As we now are in the first year in nearly 50 without the federal protections Roe offered, local and state leaders have a clear mandate to follow the science and meaningfully expand abortion access," explains Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health and NIRH Action Fund. "There is still so much more we can and must do to ensure all who need abortion care can access it and elected representatives have no excuse to not push proactive bills forward. NIRH is tremendously proud to partner with so many incredible organizations and elected officials on the ground across the country as they push for meaningful, equitable safeguards for reproductive freedom, including access to abortion, across the country." Individual tickets and tables for Champions of Choice are available at https://nirhealth.org/events/champions-of-choice-2023/. About NIRH and NIRH Action Fund The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) and the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund (NIRH Action Fund) are advocacy groups that fight for just and equitable access to reproductive health care and build political power for reproductive freedom. We launch campaigns, change policy, and elect candidates, all by working hand-in-hand with reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations in states and cities across the country. We work in the communities the need is great and we can make a difference, so the fabric of reproductive freedom is harder to tear apart. www.nirhealth.org. Media contact: Daphne Ortiz Statement PR 312.488.3472 [email protected] SOURCE National Institute for Reproductive Health WASHINGTON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Press Club, the world's leading professional organization for journalists, has selected Alexa D'Amato of Boxford, Massachusetts, as the recipient of its 2023 Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship. The award is given to an exceptional high school senior who plans to pursue a career in journalism, and includes a $5,000 one-time scholarship. D'Amato impressed NPC judges with her drive, passion for journalism, and keen editorial eye. She joined her high school's broadcasting crew as a sophomore and was elevated later to director. She also served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. In 2022, D'Amato was accepted to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs' Summer Academy for an intensive video journalism camp at Arizona State University's Cronkite School of Journalism. Her work there earned D'Amato recognition on the Student Reporting Labs' 20 under 20 young storytellers list. "I hope that my acceptance into the NewsHour internship inspires my current classmates to produce the highest quality work possible, and that my work establishing its curriculum [in my school] shows future students that journalism isn't a career that is out of reach," D'Amato wrote in her application essay. Recommendation letters from her teachers and supervisors praised her work ethic, integrity, and leadership skills. "Alexa's maturity, high motivation, and passion was evident from day one. In my time working with Alexa, she always shows interest in others, listens with an open mind, and truly enjoys exchanging ideas with others," said Emily Hope Dobkin, StoryMaker Community Manager for PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs. "Alexa carries a holistic, collaborative, and comprehensive approach to creating projects that make a difference for all who are involved." "The writers and broadcasters that Alexa leads respect and look up to her as a leader," said Michelle Siden, an English teacher in the Masconomet Regional School District. "Her positive, encouraging attitude motivates people to get things done. In addition, her personable nature and sense of humor allows writers to feel comfortable coming to her with questions." The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is named for a long-time National Press Club member who died in 2008 and endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. "Alexa is an exceptional student who has already demonstrated excellence in journalism," said Eileen O'Reilly, National Press Club president. "We are thrilled to support her as she starts the next chapter of a promising career in journalism." In addition to funding, scholarship winners are awarded one-year complimentary membership to the National Press Club. National Press Club scholarships are administered by its nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. For press inquiries or questions about the National Press Club scholarship programs, contact Beth Francesco with the National Press Club Journalism Institute at [email protected]. Contact: Beth Francesco, [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club Journalism Institute The amenity-rich, 146-unit senior living community is the newest flagship of the company MINNETONKA, Minn., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New Perspective, a fast-growing Minnesota-based senior living company with locations in eight states, is opening its newest community in the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburb of Arden Hills, Minnesota. Located at 3565 Pine Tree Drive, this expansive 192,000-square-foot community offers residents access to exquisitely designed common areas and an extensive selection of amenities. Among these features are a dance hall, a salon and spa, a warm water swimming pool, various dining areas, as well as on-site physical therapy and wellness services. "Our new Arden Hills building has set a new standard both for our company and the Twin Cities north metro area," expressed Ryan Novaczyk, New Perspective co-CEO. "With a compassionate team, a range of remarkable amenities and luxurious living spaces, this new community is a testament to our commitment to empowering seniors to Live Life on Purpose." In addition to the resident-centered features, New Perspective Arden Hills will also be partnering with Bethel University, the community's next-door neighbor, in providing a variety of campus opportunities for those living in the building. "As a company, our differentiating factor lies in our people," stated Chris Hyatt, New Perspective co-CEO. "Our Arden Hills community is no exception. The team has hit the ground running in providing an unparalleled experience as the new residents begin to move in." New Perspective Arden Hills offers memory care, assisted living and independent living. More information about living at New Perspective Arden Hills, as well as a link to career opportunities, can be found at NPSeniorLiving.com . About New Perspective: Founded in 1998, Minnetonka, MN-based New Perspective is a family-owned company that develops, owns, and operates 40 vibrant senior living communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Its foundational belief that all seniors deserve to Live Life on Purpose and age with dignity was forged from the personal experience of Founder and Chairman Todd Novaczyk and his family. For seven years, they cared for his mother-in-law, Betty Berkeley , in their home as she struggled to maintain her strong, independent spirit while coping with Alzheimer's disease. Learn more at NPSeniorLiving.com . Media Contact: Kevin Hurd 612-351-8442 [email protected] NPSeniorLiving.com SOURCE New Perspective RADNOR, Pa., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed 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 TO VIEW OUR VIDEO, PLEASE CLICK HERE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: MAY 15, 2023 CLASS PERIOD: OCTOBER 28, 2020 THROUGH MARCH 3, 2023 CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS: Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at [email protected] 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 MISCONDUCT For 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 CASE WHO 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, LLP Kessler 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 complaint in this action was 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, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (484) 270-1453 [email protected] SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP CINCINNATI, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual is celebrating Cincinnati-based financial advisor Ben Beshear on earning his ranking on the 2023 Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors "Best-In-State" list. Forbes receives more than 30,000 advisor applicants annually, and only a small percentage are named among the best wealth advisors in their state. Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors are nominated by their firms and undergo a series of comprehensive interviews, questionnaires and vetting by SHOOK Research. SHOOK considers a variety of qualitative and quantitative metrics when evaluating nominees, including industry experience, compliance records, revenue produced and assets under management. Beshear, along with thousands more of Northwestern Mutual advisors, not only deliver outstanding service to their clients, but were also the driving force for the company's outstanding 2022 business results. In February, Northwestern Mutual announced a record number of total clients (more than five million), full-time financial professionals (nearly 8,000), revenue ($35 billion), surplus ($37 billion) and permanent life insurance sales. Additionally, in 2022 Northwestern Mutual Investment Services was ranked the sixth largest independent broker-dealer by total revenue by InvestmentNews and the seventh largest by Financial Advisor. Northwestern Mutual is a leading provider of wealth management and investment solutions with a growing number of clients turning to the company's financial advisors to help them protect and grow their wealth. The company's broad range of investment options, combined with its industry-leading risk protection solutions, gives clients the ability to achieve better long-term financial outcomes. About the Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors & Best-In-State Lists Forbes recognizes the top wealth advisors in America based on a set of qualitative and quantitative criteria, including in-person interviews, best practices, service and investing models, compliance records, revenue trends and assets under management. All advisors have a minimum of seven years' experience. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor their research partner SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With more than $558 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, nearly $35 billion in revenues, and $2.2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 97 on the 2022 FORTUNE 500. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. Advisors who utilize a different firm name do so as a marketing name for doing business as a representative of Northwestern Mutual. Marketing names are not registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, insurance agencies or federal savings banks. Advisors are insurance agents of NM. Investment advisory services provided as Advisors of NMWMC. Investment brokerages services provided as Registered Representatives of NMIS. SOURCE Northwestern Mutual NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market size is forecast to increase by USD 266.78 million from 2021 to 2026, at a CAGR of 5.55%, according to the recent market study by Technavio. The growth of the market will be driven by the rising prevalence of OCD, the launch of new molecules, and awareness programs for OCD. Technavio offers an up-to-date analysis of the current global market scenario and the overall market environment. View Sample Report Technavio categorizes the global obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market Vendor Analysis: Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market The global OCD market is fragmented due to the presence of numerous generic as well as branded drugs. Technavio has extensively analyzed 15 major vendors, including AbbVie Inc., Apotex Inc., Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd., Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd., Eli Lilly and Co., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, H Lundbeck AS, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc, Lannett Co. Inc., Lupin Ltd., Mallinckrodt Plc, Novartis AG, Omeros Corp., Pfizer Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Viatris Inc. Vendor Offerings - AbbVie Inc. - The company offers VRAYLAR which is a prescription medicine used in adults for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The company offers VRAYLAR which is a prescription medicine used in adults for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Apotex Inc. - The company offers Paroxetine tablets that are indicated for the treatment of obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder as defined in the DSM-IV. The company offers Paroxetine tablets that are indicated for the treatment of obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder as defined in the DSM-IV. Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. - The company offers Troriluzole that modulates glutamate in an effort to reduce the severity of anxiety, worry, and functional impairment of people with anxiety. Charts & data tables about market and segment sizes during the forecast period (2022- 2026) have been covered in this report. Download The Sample Report Key Benefits for Industry Players & Stakeholders The report offers information on the criticality of vendor inputs, including R&D, CAPEX, and technology. It also provides detailed analyses of the market's competitive landscape and vendors' product offerings. The report also provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of vendors to help clients understand the wider business environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key market players. Data is qualitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as pure play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified; it is quantitatively analyzed to categorize vendors as dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak. Expand operations in the future - To get requisite details, ask for a custom report. Get a holistic overview of the endoscopic closure devices market by industry experts to evaluate and develop growth strategies. Download the Sample Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market - Market Segmentation: This report extensively covers obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market segmentation by product (SSRI, TSA, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (ROW)). The market share growth by the SSRI segment will be significant for the market growth during the forecast period. The market's expansion is fueled by the abundance of SSRIs like fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, and escitalopram. Due to the high demand for SSRIs, numerous generic versions have been approved by significant nations and organizations, including the United States , the European Union (EU), and Japan . SSRIs with controlled release and sustained release are being developed by some businesses. During the forecast period, the market for these new drugs is expected to grow quickly. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market - Market Dynamics: Key DRIVERS: A key factor driving growth in the obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market is the rising prevalence of OCD. OCD is a mental illness that lasts a long time and is chronic. Due to individuals' drastic lifestyle shifts, OCD is prevalent in high-income nations. For instance, people are more likely to be influenced by fictitious images, intrusive thoughts, and urges when they are exposed to movie technologies. In high-income nations, OCD is ranked as the fourth most common mental illness. Men, women, and children all suffer from OCD. In the early stages of childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, it is most obvious. Over the forecast period, the market is anticipated to be driven by the disorder's high prevalence. Major Trends: The rising use of off-label therapies is obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market trend that is expected to have a positive impact during the forecast period. Prescription pharmacological treatments for OCD include off-label treatments from a variety of drug classes as well as several approved treatments. Off-label treatments like vortioxetine, duloxetine, esketamine, aripiprazole, duloxetine, vortioxetine, and risperidone are available despite the fact that the OCD drug market is dominated by approved treatments. Off-label treatments include vortioxetine, duloxetine, esketamine, and aripiprazole. Due to relapse and refractory to first-line therapies, many OCD treatment guidelines recommend using off-label therapies as second-line treatments. The utilization of off-name treatments will probably increment in the OCD drugs market over the forecast period because of the absence of improvement of new treatments. Key Challenges: The difficulties in diagnosing OCD will be a major challenge hampering the obsessive-compulsive disorder drugs market during the forecast period. OCD is moderately a typical problem, however viable treatment is accessible, nonetheless, it is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated by doctors because of the absence of evidential side effects. The OCD side effects might shift from people due to the non-revelation mindset of the patients, underneath recorded are a few troubles for doctors to analyze the OCD. Absent signs: Due to an inferiority complex and a lack of awareness, patients frequently conceal their symptoms and do not seek assistance. Repeated questioning, difficulty making decisions or completing them, procrastination, and constantly seeking assurance are some of the symptoms. OCD has become a major challenge to identify because it is difficult to distinguish it from other psychiatric disorders because most of them share similar symptoms. To get detailed insights about inclusions and exclusions, buy the report Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform What are the key data covered in this Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market between 2022 and 2026 Precise estimation of the size of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market and its contribution to the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market across North America , Europe , Asia , and Rest of World (ROW) , , , and Rest of World (ROW) A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information about vendors Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market vendors Related Reports: The central nervous system disorders therapeutics market size is expected to increase by USD 24.35 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.44%. The report extensively covers central nervous system disorders therapeutics market segmentation by type (depression drugs, multiple sclerosis drugs, schizophrenia drugs, bipolar disorder therapeutics, epilepsy drugs, and others) and geography (Europe, North America, Asia, and ROW). The increasing prevalence of CNS disorders is notably driving the central nervous system disorders therapeutics market growth. According to Technavio's analyst, the dementia and movement disorder treatment market size is expected to be valued at USD 7.14 billion by 2026 with a progressing CAGR of 6.95%. This report further entails dementia and movement disorder treatment market segmentations, including drug class (MAO inhibitors, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, glutamate inhibitors, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)). The growing geriatric population is notably driving dementia and movement disorder treatment market growth. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Drugs Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.55% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 266.78 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 4.98 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 55% Key countries US, Canada, Germany, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled AbbVie Inc., Apotex Inc., Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd., Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd., Eli Lilly and Co., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, H Lundbeck AS, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc, Lannett Co. Inc., Lupin Ltd., Mallinckrodt Plc, Novartis AG, Omeros Corp., Pfizer Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Viatris Inc. 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's Health Care 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 Product 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 Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product 5.3 SSRI - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on SSRI - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on SSRI - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on SSRI - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on SSRI - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 TSA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on TSA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on TSA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on TSA - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on TSA - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Product ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: 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 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 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 (%) 7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 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 AbbVie Inc. Exhibit 89: AbbVie Inc. - Overview Exhibit 90: AbbVie Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 91: AbbVie Inc. - Key offerings 10.4 Apotex Inc. Exhibit 92: Apotex Inc. - Overview Exhibit 93: Apotex Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 94: Apotex Inc. - Key offerings 10.5 Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. Exhibit 95: Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 96: Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 97: Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.6 Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. Exhibit 98: Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 99: Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 100: Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 101: Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. - Segment focus 10.7 Eli Lilly and Co. Exhibit 102: Eli Lilly and Co. - Overview Exhibit 103: Eli Lilly and Co. - Product / Service Exhibit 104: Eli Lilly and Co. - Key offerings 10.8 GlaxoSmithKline Plc Exhibit 105: GlaxoSmithKline Plc - Overview Exhibit 106: GlaxoSmithKline Plc - Business segments Exhibit 107: GlaxoSmithKline Plc - Key news Exhibit 108: GlaxoSmithKline Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 109: GlaxoSmithKline Plc - Segment focus 10.9 H Lundbeck AS Exhibit 110: H Lundbeck AS - Overview Exhibit 111: H Lundbeck AS - Product / Service Exhibit 112: H Lundbeck AS - Key offerings 10.10 Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc Exhibit 113: Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc - Overview Exhibit 114: Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc - Product / Service Exhibit 115: Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc - Key news Exhibit 116: Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc - Key offerings 10.11 Novartis AG Exhibit 117: Novartis AG - Overview Exhibit 118: Novartis AG - Business segments Exhibit 119: Novartis AG - Key offerings Exhibit 120: Novartis AG - Segment focus 10.12 Pfizer Inc. Exhibit 121: Pfizer Inc. - Overview Exhibit 122: Pfizer Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 123: Pfizer Inc. - Key news Exhibit 124: Pfizer Inc. - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 125: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 126: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 127: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 128: Research methodology Exhibit 129: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 130: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 131: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides 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 Infiniti Research, Inc. Odyssey has been selected to help state leaders roll out ambitious program to provide new funds to Iowa families to support educational expenses DES MOINES, Iowa, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Odyssey, a platform that helps states connect families to public funding and education services, announced today that they have finalized an agreement with the state of Iowa to power its Students First Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). The program enables families to access public funds to cover accredited nonpublic school tuition, fees, and other qualified educational expenses. Applications for the program will be released in the coming weeks and are due on June 30, 2023 for families interested in applying for the upcoming school year. "We are honored to have the opportunity to serve Iowans by providing a seamless and intuitive experience for families accessing their education savings account," said Joseph Connor, founder and CEO of Odyssey. "We are a team of former educators, as well as developers from some of America's most innovative companies, focused on helping Governor Reynolds, the Iowa Department of Education, and state legislators translate their powerful policy ideas into tangible results for families. We look forward to working with Governor Reynolds and leaders across state government to implement their vision for the future of education in Iowa." Iowa is one of at least four states to expand educational options for families in 2023. In the past year, over 20 states have introduced similar legislation to support programs like ESAs or microgrants. Iowa's Students First Act will provide eligible students who attend accredited nonpublic schools with funding equal to per pupil funding allocated annually to the state's public school districts. Funds will be deposited into an ESA and used for tuition, fees, and other qualified educational expenses. Eligible students will receive $7,635 for the 2023-2024 school year. The state will reach universal eligibility for K-12 students by the 2025-2026 school year. More information about the program is available at educateiowa.gov. Odyssey is the first technology platform designed exclusively to support the administration of these types of state programs on behalf of families, vendors, and state leaders. The platform was selected in a competitive process based on its ability to securely administer funds, provide families with direct customer service and support, and offer the state real-time insight into the program's effectiveness. Odyssey will be working with a team including staff from the Office of the Governor, Department of Education, Department of Management, and Office of the Chief Information Officer, to implement next steps regarding the application process and technology platform. About Odyssey: Odyssey is the first platform designed exclusively for education savings account (ESA) and microgrant management. Led by a team of educators and developers, Odyssey takes a unique approach, combining a cutting-edge technology platform for enrollment and payment and high-quality user experience with on-the-ground engagement with parents and providers to increase participation in the programs. A turnkey solution, Odyssey is focused on making ESA and microgrant programs more accessible to families and more transparent for state leaders. Learn more at www.withodyssey.com. SOURCE Odyssey NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OkayMedia, the multimedia organization dedicated to uplifting the artistic and progressive voice of global Black culture, today announced the hiring of Geo Hagan as the new Editor-in-Chief. Geo Hagan Hagan will serve as Editor-in-Chief for both OkayPlayer and OkayAfrica, and report directly to the CEO, Isha Sesay. He's based in NYC, and shuttles back and forth regularly to Ghana, his native country. Throughout his 19-year career, he has led diverse editorial teams and created impactful content for respected print & digital publications including: The Source, Nylon, Bullett, Man of the World, ONE37pm, YRB, and Complex. His accomplishments also expand into the realm of marketing and advertising. He has worked with several global creative agencies including Hudson Rouge/WPP and VaynerMedia, delivering winning campaigns for international brands including Anheuser Busch, Lincoln, Red Bull, and Pepsi. Hagan will be responsible for creating the multi-platform OkayMedia editorial vision for content serving audiences across the African continent, Europe, and the U.S. As part of his new role, Hagan will lead OkayPlayer's year-long coverage of Hip Hop's 50th year anniversary which will include digital covers, video franchises, podcasts, merchandise, and live programming. He will also spearhead the launch of OkayAfrica's brand new fashion, beauty and style vertical which aims to capture the dynamic creativity that has made Africa one of the hottest destinations for fashion designers and style lovers everywhere. Hagan: "I'm thrilled to be joining OkayPlayer & OkayAfrica as Editor-In-Chief during this dynamic era of surging Black creativity, Black culture, and Black media," Hagan states. "It feels like a fitting victory lap for an exciting career journey that began in Hip-Hop journalism, evolved into leading various lifestyle & culture publications, and includes creating winning campaigns for well-known international brands." He concludes, "I'm excited to partner with Isha Sesay and the entire talented OkayMedia team to grow the company into a trailblazing, multi-faceted, global media powerhouse." SOURCE OkayMedia FARMINGTON, Conn., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Otis Chair, CEO & President Judy Marks and Executive Vice President & CFO Anurag Maheshwari will discuss the company's first quarter results and the outlook for 2023. We encourage you to join through our webcast (click here). A corresponding presentation and news release will be available on www.otis.com prior to the call and a recording of the call will be made available on the website later in the day. If you are unable to join the webcast, please contact Otis investor relations ([email protected]) for alternative dial-in information. Please refer to www.otis.com for additional investor updates from time to time. About Otis Otis is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company. We move 2 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.2 million customer units worldwide, the industry's largest Service portfolio. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 69,000 people strong, including 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn , Instagram , Facebook and Twitter @OtisElevatorCo. Media Contact: Investor Relations Contact: Katy Padgett Michael Rednor +1-860-674-3047 +1-860-676-6011 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Otis Worldwide Corporation Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, is accelerating the development of a national computing power and algorithm supporting base with participation of leading information technology companies, and aiming to help drive the digital economy of the country. The Guian data center cluster here now has seven super-large data centers for three telecom giants China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom and tech giants Apple, Tencent and Huawei. Internet bandwidth out of the province reached 38,000 Gbps, linking directly to 32 cities on the internet, data from local authorities showed. By 2025, the cluster will have 4 million servers. In this video, Alina Kurowski from Germany takes on a tour of Guiyang, where she visited the Huawei Cloud Guian Data Center, which is the largest data center of Huawei Cloud and also a green and low carbon data center. Alina also explored Chemi, a company dedicated to smart transportation, and a smart parking lot that makes parking more convenient in old neighborhoods and commercial areas. She ended her tour at an outdoor smart gym in Guanshanhu Park, where she experienced modern technologies such as cloud computing, 5G, and the internet of things that are used to record data and provide advice to users. Click the video to find more about Alinas tour of Guiyang. WASHINGTON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Panelists urged governments and private sector to join force to address climate crisis in a consistence manner on Monday in a high-level session coorganised by the International Finance Forum (IFF) as part of the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C.. The meeting, organised by the IFF along with Bretton Woods Committee, the Paulson Insititute, highlighted the urgency of climate action and the need to mobilise governments and private sector for sustainability financing. File photo of IMF: Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF (3rd from left) together with the panelists at the conference discussing "Scaling up Resilience and Sustainability Financing", organized by the IFF, the Bretton Woods Committee and the Paulson Institute in Washington DC on April 10. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, opened by saying the IMF has loaned to five countries under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) with 44 countries interested in joining. The Trust was established last April to help countries build resilience to external shocks and ensure sustainable growth. The panel discussion, with experts from public and private sectors, included Li Bo, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda, Deborah Lehr, Vice Chairperson of the Paulson Institute, Vera Songwe, Founder and Chair of Liquidity and Sustainability,and Kenneth Lay, Senior Managing Director of RockCreek Group. The Resilience and Sustainability Trust was the first long term instrument of the IMF, said Li, which demonstrated the commitment of IMF member countries. But the available funds are insufficient to address climate issues. "We need urgent action. We need unprecedented global cooperation," urged Li, before adding that the IMF will continue to push the RST so that Climate Change remains top priority for global leaders. Jin Liqun of the AIIB expressed concerns over a lack of public awareness about the Climate Crisis and a sense of urgency by authorities to mobilise resources to deal with climate issues. "Unless you do believe this (climate issues) is going to be a crisis looming large on the horizon, it is impossible to mobilize sufficient resources for that purpose," said Jin. Ndagijimana said governments should equally prioritise climate crisis vis-a-vis Covid 19, with "immediate actions and continuous and consistent measures". The panel also stressed the importance of collaborations between public and private sectors, Multilateral Development Banks and bilateral donors in climate financing. Li of the IMF thinks good policy environments and incentives are essential to crowd in the private sector in climate financing. Moreover, the international community should also work together with low and middle income countries to build these countries' capacity in public finance, public investment management and financial management. Ken Lay of RockCreek suggested that risks in climate projects are holding private funds from pouring into climate financing. Jin pointed out that regulators should improve policy and regulatory environment to reassure private investors. Songwe sees carbon pricing and carbon as the next commodity boom when international communities including MDBs work together to deliver data on carbon pricing and wealth will not only go to finance ministries but also local communities. SOURCE The International Finance Forum (IFF) SUWANEE, Ga., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Inara Patton (DO '26), who emigrated from Russia to America in 2011, is a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist and a registered cardiac electrophysiology specialist. With a BS degree in electrical engineering, she is currently a first year medical student at PCOM Georgia. This is her story about her trip to Turkey in February less than three weeks after the country's devastating earthquake. Nothing can explain the feeling of overwhelming tragedy. Still, these people smiled. They were thankful to see us. Tweet this PCOM Georgia medical student Inara Patton (DO '26) bonds with a child in Turkey following the devastating February earthquake. By Inara Patton Imagine large cities such as Niagara Falls or Sarasota, Florida, being destroyed within 96 seconds. All that is left are ruins--and bodies. That is what happened in Turkey on February 6, 2023. I researched volunteer opportunities as soon as I heard what happened. On February 24 after final exams, I was in the Atlanta airport on my way to Istanbul. Our team met in Turkey to catch a van to Hatay Province, ground zero. There were six of us - two nurses, two paramedics, a middle school teacher, and a cardiac catheterization lab technologist/medical student. Pictures cannot reflect the devastation of the city. Interviews cannot depict the grief of these people. Nothing can explain the feeling of overwhelming tragedy. Still, these people smiled. They were thankful to see us. Two doctors were already on site caring for patients. Turkish translators explained medical terminology and comforted the people. They had the tough job of filtering and interpreting pain and grief. Our team worked approximately 12 hours each day caring for about 225 people. We saw a lot of kids and adults with respiratory diseases, many patients with urinary tract infections, scabies, burns, muscular injuries, broken bones, allergiesand mental trauma. I don't think I will ever forget an elderly lady who cried and wouldn't let go of me because I reminded her of her 25-year-old granddaughter who died during the earthquake. I asked one man if anyone else in his tent had similar symptoms, and he said, "No, all my family is dead. I'm alone". I'll never forget that moment. Read more here. Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated to the healthcare professions. The campus offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and physical therapy and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science, and physician assistant studies. Emphasizing "a whole person approach to care," PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the wider community. SOURCE Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Perr&Knight, a leading insurance consulting firm specializing in actuarial consulting, product development, and state filings, has partnered with Dais, a leading provider of no-code insurance technology, to launch a new solution that automates and simplifies the process of creating and filing workers' compensation deviation templates. Workers' Compensation deviation templates from Perr&Knight allow carriers, MGAs, and other insurance companies to quickly and easily launch customized workers' compensation insurance products. These templates dramatically decrease the time to market for these customers, increasing their profitability and unlocking more addressable markets. The templates can be dropped into the Dais technology to quickly customize insurance products in a fraction of the time that it normally takes to launch a customized product. "We're excited to partner with Dais to offer our deviation templates on the Dais platform," said Bob Cericola, Principal and Director of Insurance Technology Consulting at Perr&Knight. "Our templates simplify and shorten the deviation development process, enabling insurance companies to create and file deviation templates faster than ever before. This helps our customers stay ahead of the competition." The Perr&Knight templates are fully integrated with the Dais platform. Users can create, review, and file deviation templates with ease, speeding up the time to market for insurance products. The templates will be available on the Dais App Store in Q2 of 2023. "Partnering with Perr&Knight to offer workers' compensation deviation templates is another way for us to make it easy for our customers to bring products to market faster than anyone thought possible," said Jason Kolb, CEO of Dais. "Our goal is to help insurance companies react to changing markets and opportunities quickly and easily." About Perr&Knight Founded in 1994, Perr&Knight provides insurance consulting and software solutions to the property & casualty and accident & health industries. Services include actuarial consulting, product development, insurance policy and forms consulting, regulatory compliance, state filings, licensing, technology consulting, statistical reporting, data services, and predictive analytics. Software includes StateFilings.com, a leading cloud-based state filings management solution. With offices in Santa Monica, Boca Raton, the New York Metro Area, and Cincinnati, and more than 140 insurance professionals including over 30 credentialed actuaries, Perr&Knight is among the largest independent actuarial and insurance consulting firms in the United States. About Dais Dais Technology's no-code platform transforms insurance for MGAs, carriers, and reinsurers with unparalleled speed. Supporting all P&C products, our event-based architecture enables seamless bundling, automation, and real-time deployment. Learn more here: https://dais.com/ Contact: Scott Knight Managing Principal Perr&Knight 310-889-0947 [email protected] www.perrknight.com SOURCE Perr&Knight NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The size of the personal care market for men is expected to grow by USD 18.34 billion between 2021 and 2026, progressing at a CAGR of 9.04% as per the latest Technavio market research report. North America is going to have lucrative growth during the forecast period. The region will account for 35% of the market growth. The growth of the regional market is driven by the high demand for innovative products, such as premium serums and organic hair colors. Also, factors such as the rising trend of online shopping and the increasing demand for non-silicon-based and other chemical-free hair care products will contribute to the growth of the personal care market for men in North America. For more insights on the market share of various regions - Download a sample report Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Personal Care Market for Men 2022-2026 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 Personal Care Market for Men: Growing popularity of emerging fashion trends among Millennials will drive growth The growing popularity of emerging fashion trends among Millennials is identified as the major driver in the market. The millennials are the key end-users in the market. The trend of personal grooming and fashion consciousness is high among the millennials, which drives the sales of personal care products, including creams, clay, gels, wax, pomades, pastes, mousse, and hairsprays. In addition, vendors are targeting this population segment by offering a wide range of innovative personal care products for men. They are also adopting marketing strategies such as celebrity endorsements to increase sales. All these factors are driving the growth of the global personal care market for men. Personal Care Market For Men: Use of social media marketing The increasing number of active social media users has encouraged vendors to increase their marketing efforts through social media channels. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are some of the social media platforms used by vendors to promote their products. In addition, increased internet penetration has fueled the demand for a wide range of men's hair styling products available in the market. For instance, in 2021, the total number of active social media users globally accounted for 4.48 billion users, which was approximately 62% of the world population. As a result of these factors, market growth will accelerate during the forecast period. To know about more drivers and trends along with challenges - Download a sample now! Some of the key market players: The global personal care market for men is fragmented because of the presence of several international and domestic vendors. The market is subject to rapidly changing industry demands and preferences. Changing consumer preference patterns could affect vendor performance in the market. It may also be affected by global and regional economic conditions and other demographic trends. Vendors compete based on several factors, such as quality, price, service, brand image, distribution, and marketing. In addition, major vendors are focusing on acquiring other smaller brands to increase their market presence. Hence, the competition in the market will remain moderate during the forecast period. Some of the key vendors covered in the report include: Coty Inc. - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand Hugo Boss . - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand . Johnson and Johnson - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand Dabao. - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand Dabao. L'Oreal SA - The company offers personal care products for men, such as duo foam, cleansing gel, and facewash. - The company offers personal care products for men, such as duo foam, cleansing gel, and facewash. Pangea Naturals Inc. - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand Lumin. - The company offers personal care products for men under its brand Lumin. Amway Corp. Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft Colgate Palmolive Co. Combe Inc. Edgewell Personal Care Co Kao Corp Mary Kay Inc. Newell Brands Inc. Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC Revlon Inc Shiseido Co. Ltd The Avon Co. The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. The Procter and Gamble Co. Unilever PLC Vedix Gain instant access to our 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Personal Care Market For Men: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the personal care market for men by product (skin care, fragrances, color cosmetics, hair color, and others) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa). The market growth in the skin care segment will be significant during the forecast period. The growth of the segment is driven by the increased demand for anti-aging skincare products, moisturizers, skin brightening products, wrinkle removers, and others, among men. In addition, increased skin consciousness and the demand for high-quality and value-added skincare products at affordable prices will drive the growth of the segment. For additional information on the market contribution of each segment - Grab an Exclusive Sample Report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario Related Reports: The anti-acne cosmetics market size is estimated to decline at a CAGR of 2.97% between 2022 and 2027. The anti-acne cosmetics market size is forecast to decrease by USD 460.25 million . The market is segmented by product (cleansers, emulsions, and masks), distribution channel (offline and online), and geography ( Europe , APAC, North America , South America , and Middle East and Africa ). size is estimated to decline at a CAGR of 2.97% between 2022 and 2027. The anti-acne cosmetics market size is forecast to decrease by . The market is segmented by product (cleansers, emulsions, and masks), distribution channel (offline and online), and geography ( , APAC, , , and and ). The cosmetics products market in Russia is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.95% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecasted to increase by USD 1,008.27 million . The market is segmented by product (skincare products, haircare products, color cosmetics, and fragrances and deodorants), distribution channel (offline and online), and end-user (women and men). Personal Care Market for Men: Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9.04% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 18.34 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 7.1 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 35% Key countries US, Canada, China, Japan, India, and France Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Amway Corp., Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft, Colgate Palmolive Co., Combe Inc., Coty Inc., Edgewell Personal Care Co, Johnson and Johnson, Kao Corp, LOreal SA, Mary Kay Inc., Newell Brands Inc., Pangea Naturals Inc., Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Revlon Inc, Shiseido Co. Ltd, The Avon Co., The Estee Lauder Co. Inc., The Procter and Gamble Co., Unilever PLC, and Vedix 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 through Technavio's 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 Product 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 Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product 5.3 Skin care - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Skin care - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Skin care - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Skin care - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Skin care - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Fragnances - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Fragnances - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Fragnances - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Fragnances - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Fragnances - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Colour cosmetics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Colour cosmetics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Colour cosmetics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Colour cosmetics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Colour cosmetics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Hair colour - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 40: Chart on Hair colour - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 41: Data Table on Hair colour - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 42: Chart on Hair colour - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Hair colour - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 44: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 45: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 46: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.8 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 48: Market opportunity by Product ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 49: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 50: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 52: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 53: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: 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 70: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: 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 78: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 83: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 84: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 85: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 86: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 87: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 88: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 89: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 90: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 91: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 92: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 93: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 94: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 95: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 96: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 97: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.14 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 98: 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 99: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 100: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 101: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 102: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 103: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 104: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft Exhibit 105: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft - Overview Exhibit 106: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft - Business segments Exhibit 107: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft - Key news Exhibit 108: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft - Key offerings Exhibit 109: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft - Segment focus 10.4 Coty Inc. Exhibit 110: Coty Inc. - Overview Exhibit 111: Coty Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 112: Coty Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 113: Coty Inc. - Segment focus 10.5 Johnson and Johnson Exhibit 114: Johnson and Johnson - Overview Exhibit 115: Johnson and Johnson - Business segments Exhibit 116: Johnson and Johnson - Key news Exhibit 117: Johnson and Johnson - Key offerings Exhibit 118: Johnson and Johnson - Segment focus 10.6 LOreal SA Exhibit 119: LOreal SA - Overview Exhibit 120: LOreal SA - Business segments Exhibit 121: LOreal SA - Key news Exhibit 122: LOreal SA - Key offerings Exhibit 123: LOreal SA - Segment focus 10.7 Pangea Naturals Inc. Exhibit 124: Pangea Naturals Inc. - Overview Exhibit 125: Pangea Naturals Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 126: Pangea Naturals Inc. - Key offerings 10.8 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC Exhibit 127: Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC - Overview Exhibit 128: Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC - Business segments Exhibit 129: Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC - Key offerings Exhibit 130: Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC - Segment focus 10.9 The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. Exhibit 131: The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. - Overview Exhibit 132: The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 133: The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. - Key news Exhibit 134: The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 135: The Estee Lauder Co. Inc. - Segment focus 10.10 The Procter and Gamble Co. Exhibit 136: The Procter and Gamble Co. - Overview Exhibit 137: The Procter and Gamble Co. - Business segments Exhibit 138: The Procter and Gamble Co. - Key news Exhibit 139: The Procter and Gamble Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 140: The Procter and Gamble Co. - Segment focus 10.11 Unilever PLC Exhibit 141: Unilever PLC - Overview Exhibit 142: Unilever PLC - Business segments Exhibit 143: Unilever PLC - Key news Exhibit 144: Unilever PLC - Key offerings Exhibit 145: Unilever PLC - Segment focus 10.12 Vedix Exhibit 146: Vedix - Overview Exhibit 147: Vedix - Product / Service Exhibit 148: Vedix - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 149: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 150: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 151: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 152: Research methodology Exhibit 153: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 154: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 155: List of abbreviations About Technavio 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. Contacts 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 OSLO, Norway, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO), calls for the annual general meeting of Photocure ASA to be held on 3 May 2023 at 17:00 hours (CEST), virtual through the general meeting portal administered by Euronext Securities Oslo (the "Euronext Securities Portal"). The general meeting will be webcasted live and a link will be available on the company's website in due time in advance of the general meeting. It will not be possible to attend in person. Shareholders may also vote in advance or submit a proxy with voting instructions. The notice convening the general meeting, including the agenda and the board's proposals to the matters to be dealt with, is enclosed with this notification and will be sent to all shareholders with known addresses. Relevant documents referred to in the notice are made available on www.photocure.com . For further information, please contact: Photocure CFO Erik Dahl Tel: +47 450 55 000 Email: [email protected] About Photocure ASA Photocure: The Bladder Cancer Company delivers transformative solutions to improve the lives of bladder cancer patients. Our unique technology, which makes cancer cells glow bright pink, has led to better health outcomes for patients worldwide. Photocure is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). For more information, please visit us at www.photocure.com, www.hexvix.com or www.cysview.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/17498/3749685/1979962.pdf Release https://mb.cision.com/Public/17498/3749685/ab4c38b67c2b1f70.pdf Notice of ordinary general meeting 2023 (English) https://mb.cision.com/Public/17498/3749685/929534392275e8ae.pdf Notice of ordinary general meeting 2023 (Norwegian) SOURCE Photocure Rise in demand for advanced therapeutics, increase in product approval and product development and rise in adoption of strategies by key market players drive the growth of the global plasma protein therapeutics market PORTLAND, Ore., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Plasma Protein Therapeutics Market by product type (Immunoglobulin, Albumins, Plasma Derived Factor VIII and Others), by Application (Hemophilia, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic purpura, Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder and Others) by End User (Hospital and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031". According to the report, the global plasma protein therapeutics generated $26,527.82 million in 2021, and is anticipated to generate $44,296.78 million by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 5.2% from 2022 to 2031. Download Free Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13057 Prime determinants of growth Rise in adoption of key strategies by key players, increase in number of product approvals and product launch and further rise in demand of advanced therapeutics owing to rise in autoimmune disorders and other chronic diseases and surge in demand of effective treatment solutions drive the growth of the global plasma protein therapeutics market. However, strict regulations for handling plasma protein products are expected to restrict the growth of the plasma protein therapeutics market. On the contrary, the growing technological advancement are expected to offer remunerative opportunities for expansion of the plasma protein therapeutics market during the forecast period. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222031 Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 $26,527.82 million Market Size in 2031 $44,296.78 million CAGR 5.2 % No. of Pages in Report 389 Segments covered Product type, Application, End User and Region. Drivers Rise in demand for advanced therapeutics Rise in adoption of strategies by key market players Increase in product approval and product development Opportunities Technological advancements Restraints Strict regulation for handling plasma protein products Covid-19 Scenario Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global lockdowns, the plasma protein therapeutics market faced a downturn. However, after the pandemic restrictions are lifted, it is expected that the supply of plasma will increase, leading to an increase in the production and availability of plasma-derived therapies. The immunoglobulin segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on product type, the immunoglobulin segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for more than half of the global plasma protein therapeutics market revenue, and is and is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.6% during forecast period, owing to increase in availability of innovative immunoglobulin products and developments in therapeutic administration, such as the subcutaneous immunoglobulin products. The hemophilia segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on application, the Hemophilia segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for nearly three-fifthof the global plasma protein therapeutics market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period, owing to the rise in people diagnosed with hemophilia and increase in availability of plasma protein therapeutics options for hemophilia. However, the primary immunodeficiency disorder segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.8% from 2022 to 2031, owing to rise in awareness regarding use of plasma protein therapeutics for the treatment of the primary immunodeficiency and their high prevalence. Procure Complete Report (220 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/plasma-protein-therapeutics-market The hospital segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on end user, the hospital segment accounted for the largest share in 2021, contributing around three-fourth of the global plasma protein therapeutics market revenue, owing to increase in number of patient visits in hospitals suffering from autoimmune conditions such as hemophilia and ease of access of protein therapeutics in hospital. However, the others segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 to 2031, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is owing to cost effectiveness, and ease of scheduling visits. North America to maintain its dominance by 2031 Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2021, accounting for nearly half of the global plasma protein therapeutics market revenue, owing to rise in investments for plasma protein therapeutics research, increase in cases of rare diseases and high prevalence of immunological disorders. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 6.0% from 2022 to 2031, and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to enhancements in healthcare facilities and improvements in patient awareness about plasma protein therapeutics. Leading Market Players: - Octapharma Ag Grifols, S.A. Baxter International Inc. Adma Biologics Inc Bio Products Laboratory Ltd Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited CSL Limited Kedrion, Spa Taibang Biological Group Co., Ltd Bayer AG The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players of the global plasma protein therapeutics market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, acquisition, agreements, product approval and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. 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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: 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 [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Porte Brown LLC, www.PorteBrown.com, a Chicagoland accounting firm, is pleased to announce the firm has been named a Great Lakes Regional Leader by Accounting Today as well as a Firm to Watch in this year's "Top 100 Firms and Accounting's Regional Leaders" report. This survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the accounting industry, benefiting the industry's economy, workforce, and businesses. Accounting Today -- 2023 Regional Leaders Several hundred firms from across the country participate in the annual survey process, which ranks U.S.-based firms by their net revenue. This is the eighth consecutive year that Porte Brown has been named a "Great Lakes Regional Leader," which includes the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. The Great Lakes region is the second-largest region in terms of revenue and "added more than $500 million in 2022 and boosted their average growth rate by almost 5 percentage points, thanks, in no small part, to more than 75% of the firms reporting double-digit expansion." "We are thrilled to be recognized as a Great Lakes Regional Leader once again and also a Firm to Watch," said Joseph A. Gleba, CEO & Managing Partner. "In today's rapidly changing business environment, it's more important than ever to maintain a strong focus on providing a high-quality client experience. Our commitment to delivering top-quality solutions and exceeding client expectations remains unwavering. We are grateful for this honor and look forward to continuing to grow and evolve with our clients." About Porte Brown Porte Brown LLC is a full-service accounting and consulting firm headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, Illinois. For more than 75 years Porte Brown has focused on providing the highest level of service to individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the region. In addition to the traditional accounting services such as tax planning and preparation, audit, business valuations, and retirement plan administration. Porte Brown also provides strategic consulting and leading-edge technology implementation for clients in cloud and non-cloud environments. Wealth management services provided by Porte Brown Wealth Management LLC.* Porte Brown serves accounting and consulting clients from offices in Illinois. For more information, visit www.portebrown.com or call 847-956-1040. *Wealth Management Services provided by Porte Brown Wealth Management LLC. Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM, Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Avantax Advisory ServicesSM. Insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated insurance agency. Contact: Pam Metzger [email protected] 847-956-1040 www.portebrown.com SOURCE Porte Brown BETHESDA, Md., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Precision Value & Health, the industry leader in delivering complementary, integrated and specialized capabilities across the commercialization continuum, today announced that it has acquired Makara Health, a UK-based international healthcare communications agency. The move will expand Precision's European footprint and reinforce the company's market growth position with its core capabilities in Europe. Founded in 2013, Makara has capabilities in learning and development, medical and patient education, PR and brand promotion, offering its diverse roster of healthcare client companies high-quality, strategic, scientifically robust programs, as well as creative delivery solutions. Doug Fulling, Precision Value & Health & Louise Sharp, Makara, a Precision Value & Health team With this acquisition, Makara becomes part of the Precision Value & Health team. The Makara team will work closely with PRECISIONscientia, an agency dedicated to delivering medical and scientific communications that expertly interpret and translate the science of medicine. "Broadening the reach of our services in Europe is one of Precision Value & Health's focused strategies in order to extend our offering to more organizations and healthcare clinicians around the world," said Doug Fulling, president of Precision Value & Health. "Ensuring scientific rigor and accuracy for those responsible for the care of patients is a business imperative for Precision and Makara's proven track record beautifully complements our offerings." The acquisition of Makara further enhances Precision Value & Health's ability to offer pharmaceutical clients in Europe culturally aligned programs, along with tailored senior support to achieve their business objectives. "In considering this move, it was very important for us to align with the right company one that shared our values and would ensure that Makara would continue to offer clients fresh and robust thinking from an experienced and talented team," said Louise Sharp, founder and chief executive officer of Makara Health. "We are excited to say that we have found this with Precision Value & Health, a company that shares our approach and our belief in the scientific story as the foundation of every pharmaceutical brand." Given Precision's breadth of commercialization experience, from market intelligence platforms to value and access solutions, the integration of Makara into Precision Value & Health will provide European customers a broader array of services from Precision, bringing more comprehensive and compelling support for clients worldwide. About Precision Value & Health Precision Value & Health is engineered to bring specialized expertise to every juncture of the innovation and commercialization continuum. With teams harnessing data-driven evidence and leveraging real-world experience, Precision Value & Health partners with life science companies to establish and communicate the clinical, economic, and humanistic value of innovative therapies. Our commercialization capabilities include global pricing and market access strategy, investor relations and ESG solutions, healthcare communications and marketing, evidence generation and strategy, medical and scientific communications, managed-markets marketing, and data-driven analytics and insights. Precision Value & Health is shifting the trajectory and accelerating your success. Visit www.precisionvaluehealth.com. About PRECISIONscientia: "Your Science Is Our Responsibility" Founded in 2002, PRECISIONscientia is an authority in interpreting and communicating the science of today's cutting-edge therapies. With more than 230 employees who have experience in virtually every therapeutic area, PRECISIONscientia provides scientific and medical marketing, medical affairs, and training solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech clients. PRECISIONscientia was founded with the simple belief that the scientific story is the foundation of every pharmaceutical brand. As a result, it seeks out business professionals who deeply understand science and are committed to perfection, superior results, and relationships that transcend brands and companies. To learn more, visit www.precisionscientia.com/ or follow us on LinkedIn. Learn more about current openings by visiting our careers page. About Makara Health At Makara Health, everything we do is informed by integrity, intelligence, and kindness. Set up with an agile model from the start, Makara brings together the brightest minds in the industry to work in partnership with our clients to ask the right questions, explore the possibilities, and inspire change. Our highly experienced team come from a range of diverse backgrounds enabling us to offer clients tailored programmes that encompass elements from our five main offerings: Medical Education, Learning and Development, Brand and Promotion, PR and Communications, and Patient Education. From the smallest project to the largest programme, we care about delivering the highest quality strategy, outputs, and outcomes, supporting our clients as part of their wider team. At Makara, as soon as we're in, we're all in. US Media Contact Kelly Wilder Chief Marketing & Communications Officer [email protected] UK Media Contact: Beth Gaffey Media Contact +44 (0) 7884 318 976 [email protected] SOURCE Precision Value & Health BYON3521 Targets c-MET, Overexpressed in Solid Tumors ADC Currently in a First-in-Human Study NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Byondis B.V., an independent, clinical-stage Dutch biopharmaceutical company creating precision medicines, today announced that Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (an American Association for Cancer Research journal) has published encouraging preclinical data on its investigational, next generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) BYON3521. The article, "Preclinical profile of BYON3521 predicts an effective and safe c-MET-antibody-drug conjugate," suggests that BYON3521 has an encouraging safety/efficacy window with potential for clinical benefit in patients. A First-in-Human dose escalation study is currently ongoing to determine the maximum tolerated dose and recommended dose for expansion (NCT05323045). The study is enrolling patients in leading oncology centers in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The data from in vitro and in vivo studies showed that BYON3521 potently and selectively kills tumor cells expressing c-MET, even at low c-MET-expressing levels. In addition, the nonclinical safety evaluation showed that BYON3521 is well tolerated, predicting a substantial clinical therapeutic window. "The c-MET/HGF pathway is one of the most dysregulated pathways in human solid tumors and is generally associated with a poor prognosis," said Byondis Chief Scientific Officer Wim Dokter, Ph.D. "Being able to use that pathway to deliver clinical benefit to patients will therefore be extra rewarding." c-MET (also called tyrosine-protein kinase MET [Mesenchymal Epithelial Transition] factor or HGFR [Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor]) is a receptor expressed on the surface of epithelial cells of many different organs. Binding of the growth factor HGF to c-MET leads to normal cell division, growth and differentiation, important in the generation of new tissue, e.g., during the development of a fetus, or during growth or wound repair. But in many tumor cells, c-MET activation is dysregulated: too much c-MET is expressed, c-MET is mutated or c-MET is active even without the binding of HGF. c-MET is overexpressed in a variety of solid tumors, such as renal cell cancer, uveal (ocular) melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous cell cancer. BYON3521, a Next Generation Antibody-Drug Conjugate BYON3521 is comprised of the humanized IgG1 c-MET-targeting monoclonal antibody, SYD2884, and a cleavable linker-drug called valine-citrulline-seco-DUocarmycin-hydroxyBenzamide-Azaindole (vc-seco-DUBA or SYD980). The antibody part of BYON3521 binds to c-MET on the surface of the cancer cell and the ADC is internalized. After proteolytic cleavage of the linker in the lysosome, the inactivated cytotoxin is activated, binds to the DNA and DNA damage is induced, eventually resulting in tumor cell death. BYON3521 is considered a form of targeted chemotherapy. Byondis' Distinctive, Proprietary Linker-Drug and Site-Specific Conjugation Technology BYON3521 incorporates Byondis' distinctive, proprietary duocarmazine linker-drug (LD) technology ByonZine and its site-specific conjugation technology ByonShieLD. The characteristic design of the selectively cleavable linker connecting the antibody to the duocarmycin drug leads to high stability in circulation and induces efficient release of the cytotoxin in the tumor. Uptake of the activated payload by neighboring tumor cells with lower or no c-MET expression may improve the efficacy potential through the so-called bystander effect. About Byondis Driven to improve patients' lives, Byondis is a privately held, Dutch clinical-stage biopharmaceutical research and development company creating precision medicines targeting intractable cancers and autoimmune diseases. Byondis' broad development portfolio comprises targeted and immuno-oncology (IO) therapies in preclinical, early- and late-stage clinical phases. These candidates combine Byondis' expertise in linker-drug (LD) technology, antibody-drug conjugation, targeted cytotoxic therapy, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) development. Byondis designs and produces next generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as well as mAbs and new chemical entities (NCEs) that can stand alone or be incorporated in its ADCs. Byondis has a dedicated team of more than 400 employees, including highly educated scientists and skilled technicians working in state-of-the-art R&D laboratories and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production and conjugation facilities on its campus in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The company collaborates with other global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and many leading academic research institutions. For more information, visit www.byondis.com. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1527250/Byondis_Logo.jpg SOURCE Byondis B.V. RAIsonance's Forced Cough Vocalization (FCV) Signature Analysis Technology is Designed to Diagnose Respiratory Illnesses Via a Cloud-Based Diagnostic Platform and a Mobile App User Interface DENVER, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RAIsonance, Inc., the leader in artificial intelligence-powered analysis of FCV, announced today it has been awarded a contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a component of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a U.S. government agency. RAIsonance is a family of companies dedicated to Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based solutions for the safety, security, healthcare diagnostics, and wellness markets. The contract consists of just over $749,000 allocated to the continued development of RAIsonance's AudibleHealth Dx Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). The device is designed to analyze a user's Forced Cough Vocalization (FCV) in the diagnosis of illness, with the current focus on both COVID-19 and Influenza. The cloud-based artificial intelligence processing platform uses a mobile app interface for cough collection and is designed to deliver test results in about 2 minutes within the app. The primary objectives of the contract are to complete the execution of the clinical validation studies for COVID-19 and Influenza and to complete a de novo submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before the end of 2023. "We are elated to have BARDA's support. Their strategic guidance and extensive expertise will speed our efforts to deliver the best possible diagnostic SaMD to market and help ensure that we fulfill our mission to meaningfully impact global health with such an innovative diagnostic solution," said Kitty Kolding, Co-Founder and CEO at RAIsonance. RAIsonance's SaMD is designed to use only software to diagnose disease, without any wet or biological samples of any kind. The non-invasive test requires just 10 intentional coughs, submitted via a uniquely devised mobile application. Tests can be delivered on-demand electronically, are independent of supply chains, and are not limited by shelf-life expiration. The SaMD is scalable able to process 20,000 tests per second an ideal solution for large organizations, colleges and universities, and government agencies. This award is one component of BARDA's rapidly expanding DRIVe Medical countermeasures portfolio; visit https://drive.hhs.gov to learn more. "This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number 75A50123C00015." About RAIsonance, Inc. RAIsonance is a family of companies headquartered in the Denver Tech Center in Colorado, dedicated to Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based solutions for the safety, security, and healthcare diagnostics markets. Originally funded with a grant from the National Science Foundation, RAIsonance has developed breakthrough technology innovations that use signal data signature recognition as a biomarker for human medical diagnostics and to support ground-breaking safety applications. To learn more about RAIsonance Inc., please visit RAIsonance.ai RAIsonance Investor Contact: Jamie Mariani, CFO Email: [email protected] RAIsonance Media Contact: Denise Covington, VP Marketing [email protected] 760-688-6777 SOURCE RAIsonance, Inc. In recent years, the world has faced enormous challenges, and countries around the world have struggled to overcome many difficulties such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the structural imbalance of the global economy, the armed conflicts between countries, the intensification of social inequalities, and climate change. While some countries have met the challenges and difficulties with greater success than others, one thing is certain we are all in the "same boat". That's why attempts to achieve success by implementing individualistic, unilateral policies by some countries will fail and instead have negative impacts on the world. This brings us to Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva taking office after winning a fierce election might have momentarily divided the country, but with him at the helm of affairs, there is hope that the Brazilian government will build a better future by implementing policies to combat discrimination and eradicate social inequality. China and Brazil follow independent foreign policies and both pursue sustainable development. Therefore, nothing could be more welcome than Lula's visit to China, which could help establish a series of Sino-Brazilian partnerships for the benefit of both countries and those beyond. The delegation that accompanies Lula to China is proof of the importance Brazil attaches to the visit. It will include important Brazilian ministers, officials and businesspeople. The idea is to ensure that Brazilian officials already know the outcomes of the talks between Lula and President Xi Jinping and start the process of implementing them as soon as they return home. Perhaps Lula should discuss with Xi how China eradicated extreme poverty on schedule end of 2020 by lifting about 800 million people out of poverty in four decades. We know that, to succeed, a poverty alleviation campaign requires strong economic growth which will increase per capita income and a set of additional measures which will further improve the social conditions of these people. For both presidents, the well-being of the people is a priority. Lula may want to know the details of China's poverty alleviation campaign so he can implement similar measures to eradicate poverty in Brazil. The idea is to properly plan and effectively enforce measures to ensure that the large number of poor in Brazil get what they need, instead of suffering the negative effects of such a campaign. To get an idea of the seriousness of poverty in Brazil, let's look at data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). According to the IBGE, about 17.9 million people in Brazil, or about 8.4 percent of the total population, were living in extreme poverty in 2021. During his presidential campaign, Lula made a public commitment that in the first year of his presidency, he would ask the governors of the 27 federative units of Brazil to focus on three important infrastructure works for the benefit of the people. We are talking about 81 possibilities here. And given its expertise in this field, China will be able to help Brazil a lot. Lula is also likely to ask the Chinese leadership to reinforce China's trade with Brazil. Increasing the trade basket to include products with greater added value from Brazil is necessary, because Brazil needs to boost its economic growth and create more jobs. In the new era, strengthening partnerships and cooperation in different areas of technology will be of great value to both countries. China is focused on realizing sustainable, innovation-driven high-quality development by, among other things, using artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things and biotechnology. The development of these technologies, the availability of commodities and other inputs, and self-sufficiency in food will be key to a country's economic success in the coming years. Besides, strengthening multilateral institutions and economic blocs such as BRICS should also receive special attention from the two presidents, because upholding multilateralism is fundamental to the success of countries. And the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative can play a key role in both upholding multilateralism and improving infrastructure connectivity and trade. The fact that it completes 10 years in 2023 also makes the Belt and Road Initiative important for the two countries. And by welcoming Belt and Road projects, Brazil can help expand the initiative in South America due to its representative status in the region. The environment and ecology are the other area that may feature in the talks between the two presidents, as China is implementing an effective environmental protection and biodiversity conservation program to combat climate change. China can get a close climate partner in Brazil, which has one of the most significant biological reserves on the planet. And together, they can set goals and take joint actions with other countries to the benefit of the world. China and Brazil may also discuss how countries can coexist in peace and harmony. The two sides aim to help maintain global peace and are aware of the priority actions they need to take in order to better protect the environment and eradicate social inequalities. For this reason, the meeting of the presidents raises great hope. SAN MATEO, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regalix and Frost & Sullivan announce a strategic partnership to deliver high-value revenue growth in the context of the Growth Pipeline as a Service (GPaaS) value proposition that Frost & Sullivan will drive with its target clients, which may require the development and implementation of a specific digital solution. Through this partnership, Regalix and Frost & Sullivan will utilize technology to expedite the implementation of enterprise transformation in specialized domains, including but not limited to growth strategy narratives, strategic planning, innovation management and excellence, mega trends, demand generation, emerging markets, competitive strategies, economic development, organizational development, change management, visionary scenario planning, and business digitization. "We are excited to partner with Frost & Sullivan to help their clients drive growth and customer delight at scale," said Vikas Sharan, CEO of Regalix. "Frost & Sullivan's expertise in growth pipeline and strategy consulting combined with our capabilities in revenue operations, sales, and customer success will provide a unique value proposition for all of Frost & Sullivan's clients." The partnership will also provide Frost & Sullivan's clients with the power of AI-powered go-to-market readiness for sales and customer-facing teams, turning strategies into implementation and implementation into measurable growth impact. "We are thrilled to partner with Regalix to deliver comprehensive growth solutions to our clients," said Krishna Srinivasan, Global Managing Partner/Executive Board Member at Frost & Sullivan. "This partnership greatly enhances our ability to drive measurable growth and revenue acceleration for our clients." About Frost & Sullivan For over six decades, Frost & Sullivan has helped build sustainable growth strategies for Fortune 1000 companies, governments, and investors. We apply actionable insights to navigate economic changes, identify disruptive technologies, and formulate new business models to create a stream of innovative growth opportunities that drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. About Regalix Regalix Inc. is a California-based, award-winning global revenue operations company partnering with marketing, customer success, and sales leaders to help them drive growth and customer delight at scale. Founded in San Mateo, CA, in 2005 and with offices in Europe, the USA, and Asia, Regalix has helped over 150+ iconic Fortune 500 brands, including Google, Meta, Amazon, and Reddit, unlock opportunities and business possibilities at scale. Media Contact: Anushree Thamanna Associate Director - Marketing, Regalix Email: [email protected] www.regalix.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2049102/Regalix_Logo.jpg SOURCE Regalix INDIANAPOLIS, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The independent credit rating agency AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Ratings (FSR) of A (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of "a" for the Renaissance Life & Health Group members, which are Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America, Indianapolis, Ind. and Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of New York, Binghamton, NY. These ratings are effective as of January 27, 2023. In addition, AM Best maintained an outlook of stable for these ratings. This is the eighth consecutive year that the members of Renaissance Life & Health Group have received AM Best A ratings. "At Renaissance, we are dedicated to providing outstanding dental, vision, life and disability benefits and service nationwide," says Jeff Kolesar, Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance. "The affirmation of our financial strength and stability during these complex times is a reflection of our commitment to deliver on our promises to brokers, employers and individual policyholders." Renaissance is focused on helping individuals and families stay healthy while saving money. The company specializes in flexible and affordable ancillary benefits options for employer groups and individuals backed by exceptional customer support and secure online portals. 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 the latest ratings, access www.ambest.com. About Renaissance Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America and its sister company Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of New York offer ancillary benefits for employer groups and individuals nationwide. Dental, vision, life and disability insurance comprise the core line of the company's ancillary benefits solutions. With headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., Renaissance is focused on providing its members and partners with outstanding products and service. Visit www.renaissancebenefits.com, and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America NOVELTY, Ohio, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rescue Village is proud to announce the publication of The Cartoons of Rescue Village: Twenty Years of Love and Lifesaving Through the Eyes of Cartoonist Jenny Campbell on May 9, 2023, when copies will go on sale. Campbell is well known to readers in places like Amarillo, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, and Tampa Bay for her nationally syndicated daily comic strip "Flo and Friends." This book is a must-have for anyone interested in animal rescue and the good deed of adopting shelter animals. Tweet this The Cartoons of Rescue Village: Twenty years of Love and Lifesaving Through the Eyes of Cartoonist Jenny Campbell. 2023 Rescue Village. ISBN: 978-0-578-29487-2; LCCN: 2022918231. Hardbound with end papers. 208 pages with 244 black and white and color cartoons. By Jenny Campbell. Edited by Kenneth Clarke. Designed by Wendy Palitz. $24.95 cover price. Bulk order discounts are available. This new book will delight readers of any age with a novel cast of animal and human cartoon characters that tell a light-hearted and humorous story about the serious business of Rescue Village's work in preventing animal homelessness. For more than two decades, Jenny Campbell has captured the essence of Rescue Village's lifesaving work in playful and memorable cartoons. Now, these original cartoons are featured for the first time in a charming book. Fellow nationally syndicated cartoonist Patrick McDonnell of the daily comic strip "Mutts" says: "This is a fun collection of heartwarming cartoons about helping animals. It doesn't get better than that. Bravo, Jenny!" The Cartoons of Rescue Village is a must-have book for anyone interested in animal rescue, the good deed of adopting shelter animals, and a view into what animals might think as they experience homelessness, life in a shelter, and the joy of a new couch to destroy. For more information about The Cartoons of Rescue Village: Twenty Years of Love and Lifesaving through the Eyes of Cartoonist Jenny Campbell, or to schedule an interview with the artist or Rescue Village, please get in touch with Lisa Ishee, Director of External Affairs at 440-999-3974 or [email protected]. Visit www.rescuevillage.org/cartoons for additional information. The Cartoons of Rescue Village: Twenty Years of Love and Lifesaving Through the Eyes of Cartoonist Jenny Campbell 2023 Rescue Village ISBN: 978-0-578-29487-2; LCCN: 2022918231 Hardbound with end papers. 208 pages with 244 black and white and color cartoons. By Jenny Campbell. Edited by Kenneth Clarke. Designed by Wendy Palitz. $24.95 cover price. Bulk order discounts are available. About Rescue Village: Rescue Village is a beloved humane society nestled between Cleveland's eastern suburbs and Ohio's rural communities. It enforces Ohio's animal anti-cruelty laws in Geauga County and produces Woofstock, Northeast Ohio's largest dog festival. Founded in 1974. 15463 Chillicothe Rd Novelty, Ohio 44072. SOURCE Rescue Village APPLETON, Wis., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Schara family announced the official filing of a lawsuit against a Catholic hospital and medical personnel for the death of their daughter. According to the lawsuit, Grace Schara , a 19-year-old with Down Syndrome, died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital (Ascension) after medical personnel administered three drugs that, when given together, are known to hasten severe hypoxia Precedex, Lorazepam, and Morphine. Also, according to the complaint, as Grace slipped into acute respiratory failure and Grace's sister begged for help, instead of starting CPR immediately, the nurses refused; Grace's physician had independently designated her as a "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR). That DNR order was written without the family's consent and in defiance of the Schara family's express wishes that all lifesaving measures be deployed for their daughter with Down Syndrome. We are hopeful this lawsuit will pave the way for thousands of other hospital victims' families to file similar claims. Tweet this Grace Schara died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital after receiving a cocktail of contraindicated drugs Oct. 13, 2021. According to the lawsuit (FILED 04-11-2023 Clerk of Circuit Court, Outagamie County, 2023CV000345), because of the lethal cocktail of drugs and the fraudulent DNR order, Grace died on Oct. 13, 2021. The Schara family filed a first of its kind lawsuit against St. Elizabeth's Hospital (Ascension), and doctors and nurses related to the wrongful death of Grace Schara. The first step in the process was a request for mediation with the Director of State Courts, which was filed in Madison, Wis., March 30. "We are hopeful this lawsuit will pave the way for thousands of other hospital victims' families to file similar claims," said Scott Schara, Grace's father. "This is not a case about financial repercussions. It is a case about shining light on a subject hidden from the American people. It is about stopping the behaviors of medical staff that result in needless, premature deaths." Grace's legal case lays the groundwork for other hospital victims where their right to informed consent was denied and the patient suffered injury and death. The Schara family met with the media to outline the family's legal plans in Appleton, Wis., on March 30, joined by one of their attorneys and another hospital victim. That press conference can be seen here. For media inquires, please contact [email protected] SOURCE Our Amazing Grace's Light Shines On, Inc. Siemens' new Teamcenter app for Microsoft Teams to use AI, boosting productivity and innovation throughout a product lifecycle Azure OpenAI Service powered assistant can augment the creation, optimization and debugging of code in software for factory automation Industrial AI to enable visual quality inspection on the shop floor HANNOVER, Germany, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- HANNOVER MESSE -- Siemens and Microsoft are harnessing the collaborative power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to help industrial companies drive innovation and efficiency across the design, engineering, manufacturing and operational lifecycle of products. To enhance cross-functional collaboration, the companies are integrating Siemens' Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management (PLM) with Microsoft's collaboration platform Teams and the language models in Azure OpenAI Service as well as other Azure AI capabilities. At Hannover Messe, the two technology leaders will demonstrate how generative AI can enhance factory automation and operations through AI-powered software development, problem reporting and visual quality inspection. Siemens and Microsoft drive industrial productivity with generative AI "The integration of AI into technology platforms will profoundly change how we work and how every business operates," said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president, Cloud + AI, Microsoft. "With Siemens, we are bringing the power of AI to more industrial organizations, enabling them to simplify workflows, overcome silos and collaborate in more inclusive ways to accelerate customer-centric innovation." Connecting shop floor workers with teams across business functions through AI-powered collaborative apps With the new Teamcenter app for Microsoft Teams, anticipated later in 2023, the companies are enabling design engineers, frontline workers and teams across business functions to close feedback loops faster and solve challenges together. For example, service engineers or production operatives can use mobile devices to document and report product design or quality concerns using natural speech. Through Azure OpenAI Service, the app can parse that informal speech data, automatically creating a summarized report and routing it within Teamcenter to the appropriate design, engineering or manufacturing expert. To foster inclusion, workers can record their observations in their preferred languages which is then translated into the official company language with Microsoft Azure AI. Microsoft Teams provides user-friendly features like push notifications to simplify workflow approvals, reduce the time it takes to request design changes and speed up innovation cycles. The Teamcenter app for Microsoft Teams can enable millions of workers who do not have access to PLM tools today to impact the design and manufacturing process more easily as part of their existing workflows. Keeping factories running with AI-powered automation software engineering Siemens and Microsoft are also collaborating to help software developers and automation engineers accelerate the code generation for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), the industrial computers that control most machines across the world's factories. At Hannover Messe, the companies are demonstrating a concept for how OpenAI's ChatGPT and other Azure AI services can augment Siemens' industrial automation engineering solutions. The showcase will highlight how engineering teams can significantly reduce time and the probability of errors by generating PLC code through natural language inputs. These capabilities can also enable maintenance teams to identify errors and generate step-by-step solutions more quickly. "Powerful, advanced artificial intelligence is emerging as one of the most important technologies for digital transformation," said Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industries. "Siemens and Microsoft are coming together to deploy tools like ChatGPT so we can empower workers at enterprises of all sizes to collaborate and innovate in new ways." Finding and preventing product defects with industrial AI Detecting defects in production early is critical to prevent costly and time-consuming production adjustments. Industrial AI like computer vision enables quality management teams to scale quality control, identify product variances easier and make real-time adjustments even faster. In Hanover, teams will demonstrate how, using Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Siemens' Industrial Edge, images captured by cameras and videos can be analyzed by machine learning systems and used to build, deploy, run and monitor AI vision models on the shop floor. This collaboration is part of the longstanding strategic relationship between Siemens and Microsoft, built on over 35 years of joint innovation with thousands of customers. Other areas of collaboration include Senseye on Azure, enabling companies to run predictive maintenance at enterprise scale and support for customers that seek to host their business applications in the Microsoft Cloud to run solutions from the Siemens Xcelerator open digital business platform, including Teamcenter, on Azure. Siemens is also partnering with Microsoft as part of its zero trust strategy. Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is an innovation leader in automation and digitalization. Closely collaborating with partners and customers, DI drives the digital transformation in the process and discrete industries. With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, DI provides companies of all sizes with an end-to-end set of products, solutions and services to integrate and digitalize the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific needs of each industry, DI's unique portfolio supports customers to achieve greater productivity and flexibility. DI is constantly adding innovations to its portfolio to integrate cutting-edge future technologies. Siemens Digital Industries has its global headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, and has around 76,000 employees internationally. Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. From more resource-efficient factories, resilient supply chains, and smarter buildings and grids, to cleaner and more comfortable transportation as well as advanced healthcare, the company creates technology with purpose adding real value for customers. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers its customers to transform their industries and markets, helping them to transform the everyday for billions of people. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a globally leading medical technology provider shaping the future of healthcare. In addition, Siemens holds a minority stake in Siemens Energy, a global leader in the transmission and generation of electrical power. In fiscal 2022, which ended on September 30, 2022, the Siemens Group generated revenue of 72.0 billion and net income of 4.4 billion. As of September 30, 2022, the company had around 311,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com. Note: A list of relevant Siemens trademarks can be found here. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners This document contains statements related to our future business and financial performance and future events or developments involving Siemens that may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "looks forward to," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," .... SOURCE Siemens Digital Industries Software SOHAR, Oman, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to drive growth for new and expanding local and international businesses, SOHAR Freezone has extended its competitive rates on General Trade License (GTL), allowing businesses from around to base themselves within the complex at a reduced rate for up to three years. Companies can save up to 50% on the regular rates and begin trading immediately by using SOHAR's electronic portal to secure all required permits through the on-site one-stop. SOHAR Freezone is targeting further growth in 2023 and has extended its competitive rates for new and renewing tenants to encourage trading in an already rapidly expanding SOHAR Port and Freezone. SOHAR FREEZONE INCENTIVES PROVIDE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR LONG-TERM BUSINESS GROWTH Businesses seeking to relocate can also access a complete working solution through Corporate Parks, SOHAR's commercial office partner, which offers a reduction of between 15% and 40% in office rental rates for up to three years to help their operations thrive. Investors can also enjoy 0% personal income tax, 0% import and re-export duties and a corporate tax holiday of up to 25 years, with no minimum capital requirement. Meanwhile, the partnership with Corporate Parks offers businesses access to meeting room space with high-speed internet and utilities included for one competitive annual fee. The success stories emerging from SOHAR Freezone have highlighted its unique value as a rapidly growing business hub. Companies from diverse sectors such as automotive and metals, polymers and chemicals have all benefitted from our strategic position and access to raw materials. The logistical and financial incentives, such as exceptional transport links to key markets and low rates, provide an ideal trade gateway to neighbouring countries and beyond for companies looking to establish a presence in the region and enjoy a multitude of benefits within an environment that encourages long-term business growth. For more information on GTL and office space options, please contact SOHAR on +968 7151 8812 or +968 7992 2998, or email [email protected]. The full range of opportunities at SOHAR Port and Freezone can be viewed at soharportandfreezone.com. About SOHAR Port and Freezone As one of the fastest-growing ports in the world, SOHAR Port and Freezone continues to leverage on its strategic location and enhance its services, positioning itself as a key logistics hub within the region and across the world boasting container, liquids, and bulk terminals. A powerful combination of the expertise of ASYAD Group and the Port of Rotterdam, it is earmarked as one of the Sultanate's mega-projects, home to logistics, petrochemicals, and metal clusters, as well as the region's first dedicated agro terminal. Today, after 17 years of operation, it serves as the main gateway for import and export in Oman, contributing 2.1% of the country's GDP and almost 26,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. With a focus on sustainable development and cutting-edge technology, it is leading the development and modernization of the Sultanate's logistics infrastructure and supporting the economic diversification objectives of Oman's 2040 Vision. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2052638/SOHAR_Port_Freezone.jpg SOURCE SOHAR Port and Freezone Local presence supports commercial relationships following multi-client pilot program. CALGARY, AB, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Summit Nanotech Corporation ("Summit"), today announces the opening of a facility in Santiago, Chile. The multi-year investment will offer additional capacity for the scale up of their denaLi direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, improved services to lithium mining customers, and demonstrates a further commitment into Chilean communities. The new Summit Nanotech Chile location is a continuation of the 2022 deployment of the denaLi DLE pilot program with six lithium mining customers and represents a long-term engagement in helping the industry attain the greenest lithium for the energy transition. "Accessing local lithium resources allowed us to deliver strong pilot results that we can leverage with our new facility in Santiago," says Amanda Hall, CEO, and founder of Summit Nanotech. "Our commitment to consulting with community stakeholders and government to establish sustainable lithium development, reinforces our decision to grow our operations in Chile." The launch of the new location coincides with the Canada Trade Mission to Chile aimed to support sustainable business opportunities in the cleantech sector. The occasion will be marked at the Summit Nanotech Chile facility with a small inauguration celebration including Canadian and Chilean dignitaries. "This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement. Summit Nanotech's commercial solution addresses key components of the Trade Mission: clean energy and green mining. Minister Ng, our Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, values the opportunity to learn more about Summit's technology at this inauguration," shared Renee Plouffe, Trade Commissioner Embassy of Canada to Chile. Summit Nanotech will be exhibiting at the Canadian Pavilion at Latin America's largest mining exhibition, Expomin, from April 24 to 27. ABOUT SUMMIT NANOTECH Summit Nanotech Corporation is a cleantech organization transforming how the world accesses lithium for the global energy transition. Through their patented and sustainable direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, Summit Nanotech is preserving natural resources and optimizing operations for lithium producers in Chile and Argentina. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Summit Nanotech has been awarded to the 2022 Future 50 for fastest growing sustainability companies in Canada, the Foresight 50 for most investable cleantech venture, and the Solar Impulse Foundation's Efficient Solutions Label. Learn more at summitnanotech.com. For further information: Leslie Newell Communications Manager [email protected] SOURCE Summit Nanotech NEW YORK and LONDON and PUNE, India, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Synechron, a leading global digital transformation consulting firm, today announced it has been named a winner of the Business Intelligence Group's Best Places To Work award program 2023. Synechron was one of 28 companies honored with this award, and one of only two companies named within the Large Business awards category. This annual award is important because it is based upon the results of input from a global survey of Synechron employees, conducted several weeks ago. This is the fifth time that Synechron has been honored with this prestigious award. The award recognizes organizations that are doing all they can to improve performance through actively working to challenge employees in environments that make work fun and engaging. The award honors companies for helping their employees accelerate their careers, knowledge and performance. Synechron has been mindful of its full breadth of 14,000+ global team members, and has sought ways to recognize, support and provide them with the tools to excel and build their careers. Notably, Synechron has provided no-cost access to the Udemy 24/7 online learning and development platform, as well as on site and virtual trainings that provide opportunities to both reskill and upskill. Synechron also takes pride in offering its 'Same Difference' diversity, equity and inclusion ('DEI') program, which includes a variety of collaborative, team building and team supporting projects, events and initiatives. Synechron has also forged multiple initiatives and partnerships with several diversity organizations all focused on demonstrating how our talent can enhance and embrace DEI across the entire company. Synechron supports an array of corporate social responsibility programs that contribute to the good charitable work being done by local/regional organizations and the wellbeing of the individuals they serve. "The strength of our team is based on the power and contribution of each individual. And our core values drive what we do every day," said Christin Spigai, Chief Human Resources Officer at Synechron. "We are so honored to have won this prestigious award which demonstrates that our employees themselves, not just an external organization, believe that we are doing great things together." "Congratulations to Synechron for building an organization focused on employee engagement and performance," said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer of Business Intelligence Group. "This clearly was a most challenging year for many companies, and it is clear this is a great place to work and employee feedback is not only listened to but acted upon. Congratulations to the entire team." About Synechron: At Synechron, we believe in the power of digital to transform businesses for the better. Our global consulting firm combines creativity and innovative technology to deliver industry-leading digital solutions. Synechron's progressive technologies and optimization strategies span end-to-end Consulting, Design, Cloud, Data and Engineering, servicing an array of noteworthy financial services and technology firms. Through research and development initiatives in our FinLabs we develop solutions for modernization, from Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence to Data Science models, Digital Underwriting, mobile-first applications and more. Over the last 20+ years, our company has been honored with multiple employer awards, recognizing our commitment to our talented teams. With top clients to boast about, Synechron has a global workforce of 14,000+ and has 40 offices in 17 countries within key global markets. For more information on the company, please visit our website or LinkedIn community. About Business Intelligence Group The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry and, business executivesthose with experience and knowledgejudge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers. For more information please contact: Synechron Rashmi Joshi [email protected] Ph: +91-9560694654 OR SEC Newgate UK, Andrew Adie / Sophie Morello / Matthew Redley Business Intelligence Group Maria Jimenez +1 (909) 529-2737 [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1943591/3758361/Synechron_Logo.jpg SOURCE Synechron LINQING, China, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- From April 8 to 10, 2023, the 8th Linqing China Bearing, Spare Parts and Special Equipment Exhibition & Bearing Industry Summit Forum was held in Linqing city, Shandong Province. Themed "Leading Intelligent Manufacture, Driven by Innovation", the forum attracted delegates from China Bearing Industry Association and renowned enterprises of the bearing industry and experts from research institutes to discuss and explore the new development path for Chinese bearing industry, according to the News Office of the People's Government of Linqing. The bearing industry of Liaocheng Forum site Scene of opening ceremony Known as "joints of industry", bearing is a core part indispensable in machinery equipment, widely applied in every field of national economy. As one of the five bearing industrial cluster districts in China, the bearing industry cluster of Linqing boasts the most complete and vibrant bearing industrial chain in China. Over 1,000 registered individual businesses engaged in bearing production and sales locate here, with more than 100,000 practitioners, producing products of over 5,000 models under 11 categories including category 0-9 and non-standard bearing. The products are exported to countries and regions including Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Zhou Yu, the council director of China Bearing Industry Association, pointed out, with Linqing as the core, the bearing industry of Liaocheng has been keeping growing and developing rapidly with high quality, a batch of backbone bearing enterprises have grown quickly. The Linqing bearing exhibition has been keeping growing in both scale and influence, making a prominent contribution for China's bearing industry to be bigger and stronger. At the forum, the first secondary node of identification and resolution for the Industrial Internet of domestic bearing industry was released, which will further promote the integrated development of bearing industry and information at a broader range, in greater depth and on a higher level. The exhibition was attended by 628 enterprises, with an exhibition area of over 30,000 square meters. As the renowned main engine manufacturers and purchasing agents and clients from all corners of China gathered in Linqing, the exhibition became a comprehensive industrial event integrating finished product bearing exhibition, spare parts at upstream and downstream, numerically controlled machinery tools, industrial robots and bearing digitization. Image Attachments Links: Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439749 Caption: The bearing industry of Liaocheng Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439754 Caption: Forum site Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=439755 Caption: Scene of opening ceremony SOURCE The News Office of the People's Government of Linqing Moseley Architects' shareholders elected three new members to its board of directors. RICHMOND, Va., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- K-12 Principal Ashley Dennis, AIA, is the youngest person ever elected to the board. Since joining Moseley Architects in 2008, Ashley has amassed a portfolio of 47 projects for public school system clients throughout North Carolina. Under her management since 2017, the firm's Raleigh office has grown exponentially: the staff size has doubled, the number of K-12 clients has nearly tripled, and the annual revenue has averaged $3.3 million. In 2022, she served as president of the North Carolina chapter of the Association of Learning Environments. Ashley is a graduate of North Carolina State University's School of Architecture. Ashley Dennis, Vice President Tom Liebel, Vice President Todd Davis, Vice President Multifamily housing Principal Tom Liebel, FAIA, has practiced architecture for nearly three decades. As an author, critic and mentor, Liebel lectures worldwide on sustainable design and historic preservation. His ongoing research explores the relationship between sustainability, preservation and urban design, with an emphasis in utilizing urban adaptive-use projects to promote neighborhood revitalization and civic engagement. He earned the AIA's highest membership honor when he was elevated to the College of Fellows in 2011. AIA Baltimore named him Community Architect of the Year in 2013. In 2022, the Maryland Department of Planning and Maryland Planning Commissioners Association honored Tom with the Citizen Planner of the Year award in recognition of his service as chair of the Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP). Tom earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Arts in liberal arts from The Johns Hopkins University. Todd Davis, CJE, newly appointed leader of the firm's justice sector, is a specialist in jail planning, risk management and operations. Todd has assisted over 50 detention facilities with operations and staffing, planning, feasibility studies, and transitions. Prior to joining Moseley Architects, Todd served as a major in the Alamance County sheriff's department. Todd holds certifications as a jail executive and instructor of criminal justice, corrections, and detention. The National Institute for Jail Operations honored Todd with the Executive Director's Award in 2021. Dan Mace, AIA, and Magda Westerhout, AIA, retired from the board, but remain active as principals and leaders in the firm. About Moseley Architects Moseley Architects provides comprehensive architecture, engineering, interior design, high-performance design and construction administration services to clients worldwide. In a multi-disciplinary studio setting, they strive to enrich communities by collaborating with local governments, public schools, colleges and universities, correctional institutions and private sector clients. Founded in 1969 in Richmond, Virginia, Moseley Architects' footprint includes offices in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. More information can be found at www.moseleyarchitects.com . CONTACT: Lisa Demmel [email protected] SOURCE Moseley Architects Charged with 34 counts offalsifying business records in the first degree, former U.S. President Donald Trump was arraigned recently at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, becoming the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted. The historic indictment revealed that political polarization and fierce partisan fight are aggravating in the United States, further tearing apart American society and causing decline of public confidence in American democracy. Despite facing mounting problems of political dysfunction and social division at home,the U.S., claimingto be the beacon of democracy,has alwayspeddled and imposed its democracy around the globe, only to create instability and chaos for other countries. U.S. democracy suffers chronic ills The myth of democracy the U.S.built around itself has long collapsed. In the United States,deep-rooted problems such as political polarization, money politics, racial discrimination, gun violence, widened wealth gaps, among others,remain entrenched in society. These maladies afflictingAmerican democracyfurther revealed U.S. governance failure and institutional defects. The Brookings Institution concludesin a 2022 report that the once proud American democracyis facing a systemic crisis andisaccelerating its decline. Political polarization, especially the polarization of bipartisan politics, constitutes one of the mostsalientfeatures of American politics. The Democratic and Republican Parties are increasingly atodds in many aspects. Politicians put the interests of their political parties and factions above those of the country and attack and pin blames on each other. Minutes after the indictment was announced last week, Trump, who is running for the White House for the third time, released a lengthy statement calling it part of a "witch hunt." He has repeatedly assailed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and egged on supporters to protest in the past weeks. Republicans have rallied behind Trump, criticizing that the justice system has been weaponized by the Democratic Party for political purposes. The unprecedented indictmentof the former presidentshowcased thedysfunction of American democracy amid increasingly extreme political polarization. "Trump's criminal indictment unleashes a bitter new phase in American politics," wrote Stephen Collinson, a reporter for CNN Politics covering the White House, in an analysis, adding that it "creates a uniquely perilous moment for a polarized republic already repeatedly driven to the brink." Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group listed "Divided States of America" as one of the top risks for 2023 in a recent report, saying the United States "remains one of the most politically polarized and dysfunctional of the world's advanced industrial democracies." The 118th House speaker was elected after four dayschaos and 15 rounds of voting by members of Congress, fully exposing the deep political polarization in the country. Brad Bannon, president of a U.S. political consultancy, put it bluntly, "The impasse in the U.S. House of Representatives over the election of the Speaker is another demonstration of the decline in our political institutions. American elections have become a game for the rich with money in elections setting a new record. According to an analysis published by OpenSecrets, the total cost of the 2022 state and federal midterm elections was nearly 17 billion dollars, the most expensive election in history. "A government of the people, by the people, for the people," the ideal democratic government of the United States depicted by then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in his landmark Gettysburg Address, has become "of the 1 percent, by the 1 percent, and for the 1 percent". American democracy has increasingly degenerated into ademocracy for the few, where only the power-holders, the rich, and the political elite have a final say. Despite a right to vote, the public does not have real sway over politics. Helene Landemore, a political theorist at Yale University, wrote in an article published by the Foreign Policy magazine in December 2021 that American democracy lacks "people's power," and that only the very rich, a very small part of the population, can use their very high economic status to push for a set of policy priorities that serve themselves. Americans are increasingly disillusioned with their own democracy. Up to 67 percent of Americans think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse, showed a poll by The Quinnipiac University Poll on Aug. 31, 2022. According to a Pew Center poll, 65 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. democratic system needs major reforms, while 57 percent believe the U.S. is no longer a model of democracy. Export democracy to bully the world All those deep-rooted democratic ills have made narrative of American democracy even less convincing.How can the self-proclaimed shining city on a hill shine light on others when itisunable to illuminate its ownbackyard? Instead of reflecting on those problems facing its own democracy, the United Statescontinues to export American democratic values to other countries, and use democracy as a tool to serve its own agenda, which has created divisions and chaos worldwide. The recently-concluded second "Summit for Democracy" is nothing but a ludicrous farce exposing Washington's attempt to maintain its dominance under the guise of promoting democracy. The summit, as a matter of fact, split the world into so-called democratic and undemocratic camps by U.S. standards, ina blatant attempt to gang up, draw ideological lines and stoke divisions in the world, thus contravening and trampling onthe spirit ofdemocracy. Harboring Cold War mentality, a hegemonic logic and a preference for bloc politics,Washington is trying to spread the false narrative of democracy versus autocracy,with a view to advance its owngeostrategyunder the disguise of democracy. The U.S.is trying to use "a very narrow concept of democracy as a tool for dividing the world",which is "a very undemocratic approach",noted Josef Gregory Mahoney, an American professor of politics and international relations at the East China Normal Universityin Shanghai. In the name of democracy, the "Summit for Democracy" enforces hegemony in practice, according to Shen Yi, director of the International Research Institute of Global Cyberspace Governance of Fudan University. In an attempt to enforce its hegemony, the U.S.has exported wars and upheavals under the guise of "safeguarding democracy," bringing turbulence and destruction to a number of other countries. Sovereign countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya have suffered numerous disasters due to U.S. invasion and its proxy wars. Under the Biden administration, the U.S.ended 20 years of war in Afghanistan with a hasty withdrawal of troops after shattering the whole country and destroying the future of several generations. Datareleased bythe UK-based monitor group Airwarsshowed thatU.S. airstrikes alone have killed as many as 48,000 civilians in nearly 100,000 bombings in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen since 2001. Worse still, the U.S. has increasingly resorted to unilateral sanctionsandlong-arm jurisdictionagainst other countries such as Cuba and Iran, which have seriously damaged their economic development and people's livelihood in a systematic and massive violation of human rights. AsWilliam Blum, a writer on U.S. foreign policy, pointed out in his book America's Deadliest Export: Democracy,"Washington's ambition for world domination is driven not by the cause of a deeper democracy or freedom, a more just world, ending poverty or violence, or a more liveable planet, but rather by economics and ideology." No one-size-fits-all model of democracy Democracy is humanity's common valueand should not become a tool to advance hegemonic agenda of the privileged few. The essence of democracy should ensure that the people are the masters of their country. Therefore, whether a country is democratic or not and how to better promote democracy should be judged by the people of a country, not to be dictated by few self-righteous nations. As human civilization is diversified, it is natural that democracy takes different forms and develops along varied pathways in various countries. There is no one-size-fits-all modelof democracyfor all countries in the world and each country has the right to choose a path of democratic development that suits its own national conditions. "The basic principle of democracy is not to impose your model and your social values on others," said Marinko Ogorec, a Croatian political analyst, adding that different forms of democracy should be respected just like different values and traditions. "Only when we respect those differences can we talk about democracy,"Ogorec noted. At the time when the world needs unity to solve common challenges, the U.S. should stop peddling its owndemocratic value, reflect on its own problems and respond with practical action to the global aspiration for peace and prosperity. NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual is celebrating twelve New York-based financial advisors earning rankings on the 2023 Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors "Best-In-State" list. Forbes receives more than 30,000 advisor applicants annually, and only a small percentage are named among the best wealth advisors in their state. Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors are nominated by their firms and undergo a series of comprehensive interviews, questionnaires and vetting by SHOOK Research. SHOOK considers a variety of qualitative and quantitative metrics when evaluating nominees, including industry experience, compliance records, revenue produced and assets under management. The following advisors who ranked on the 2023 Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors "Best-In-State" List are: These Northwestern Mutual advisors and thousands more nationwide not only deliver outstanding service to their clients, but were also the driving force for the company's outstanding 2022 business results. In February, Northwestern Mutual announced a record number of total clients (more than five million), full-time financial professionals (nearly 8,000), revenue ($35 billion), surplus ($37 billion) and permanent life insurance sales. Additionally, in 2022 Northwestern Mutual Investment Services was ranked the sixth largest independent broker-dealer by total revenue by InvestmentNews and the seventh largest by Financial Advisor. Northwestern Mutual is a leading provider of wealth management and investment solutions with a growing number of clients turning to the company's financial advisors to help them protect and grow their wealth. The company's broad range of investment options, combined with its industry-leading risk protection solutions, gives clients the ability to achieve better long-term financial outcomes. About the Forbes' Top Wealth Advisors & Best-In-State Lists Forbes recognizes the top wealth advisors in America based on a set of qualitative and quantitative criteria, including in-person interviews, best practices, service and investing models, compliance records, revenue trends and assets under management. All advisors have a minimum of seven years' experience. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor their research partner SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With more than $558 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, nearly $35 billion in revenues, and $2.2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 97 on the 2022 FORTUNE 500. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. Advisors who utilize a different firm name do so as a marketing name for doing business as a representative of Northwestern Mutual. Marketing names are not registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, insurance agencies or federal savings banks. Advisors are insurance agents of NM. Investment advisory services provided as Advisors of NMWMC. Investment brokerages services provided as Registered Representatives of NMIS. SOURCE Northwestern Mutual MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AIP Publishing has signed a three-year Read & Publish agreement with the University of Cincinnati that will provide the university's scientific community with access to 30 of AIP Publishing's leading journals. The agreement will also allow scholarly authors at the university to disseminate their work open access across 28 publications in the AIP Publishing portfolio without having to pay author processing charges (APCs). Founded more than 200 years ago, the University of Cincinnati is a premier public research university considered one of the most innovative in the nation. The Read & Publish agreement, effective through 2025, will bolster the university's efforts to advance knowledge and discovery. "AIP Publishing is proud to continue to support the work of the scientific community at the University of Cincinnati," said Dr. Penelope Lewis, Chief Publishing Officer at AIP Publishing. "Partnerships like these are vital to our mission of making science more open and accessible." "As an Open Agenda leader on campus and beyond, we are proud to have signed this agreement with AIP Publishing to promote open access to publications by authors from its member institutions," said Lori Harris, Interim Dean and University Librarian. "This agreement allows us to provide no-cost open access research article publishing to University of Cincinnati authors as we continue to foster scholarly pursuits and the broader research agenda through a commitment to inclusive and equitable access to diverse information, resources and collections." About the University of Cincinnati Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati is leading urban, public universities into a new era of innovation and impact. As the global founder of cooperative education, UC remains a world-class leader in experience-based learning. U.S. News & World Report ranks UC's co-op/internship program No. 1 in the country among public universities. The university boasts 200 years of history as a research pioneer, with a culture strongly emphasizing collaboration. UC is a Research 1 Institution (Carnegie Classification) and the National Science Foundation places UC at No. 33 among America's public research universities. Learn more at uc.edu. About AIP Publishing AIP Publishing is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the American Institute of Physics (AIP). AIP Publishing's mission is to support the charitable, scientific, and educational purposes of AIP through scholarly publishing activities in the fields of the physical and related sciences on its own behalf and on behalf of our publishing partners to help them proactively advance their missions. SOURCE AIP Publishing HANGZHOU, China, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A ceremony on the debut of the Gate of Classic Chinese Art and the launch of the China Academy of Art's Xianghu Campus kicked off on the morning of April 8, as this year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the China Academy of Art. Situated in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Xianghu Campus will have an overall schooling structure to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art, based on the China Academy of Art's expertise and talents, as well as bountiful culture and resources of Xianghu Lake. The "Gate of Classic Chinese Art" is built by drawing on the merits of the Imperial Painting Academy of the Song Dynasty, traditional Chinese academies and modern academies of art, thus nurturing outstanding talents with "mastery in art and science, skills and practices" and building the most influential cultural hub of China's fine traditional culture. The China Academy of Art Xianghu Campus aims to lead the innovative development of Chinese painting and calligraphy, gather distinguished scholars of humanities and art and develop student training paradigms. It puts the most effort into postgraduate and doctoral programs. Based on its first-class majors of Chinese painting and calligraphy, Xianghu Campus is composed of "four organizations, three museums and four centers" to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art. Among them, "four organizations" refer to the Advanced Institute of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting, Xianghu Academy, Advanced School of Art and Humanities and National Institute of Art/Education, embracing talents of classic Chinese art, drawing inspiration from fine traditions of ancient academies, and helping integrate Chinese painting and calligraphy with classical academics; "three museums" are the Classic Chinese Art Museum, Xianghu Museum and Ancient Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Museum, housing China Academy of Art 's abundant collections of Chinese painting and calligraphy works and crafts, and bringing together domestic and international collections, based on the scenery and long-lasting culture of Xianghu Lake; "four centers" mean Chinese Character Research Center, Landscape Research Center, Philosophy and Technology Research Center and Landscaping Research Center, aimed at carrying forward the China's fine traditional culture by carrying out special research projects on Chinese cultural elements. Besides, a lab of Chinese calligraphy and painting materials, a cluster of master offices and a research center of the global art history will be set up on the campus, to unveil the unique style of Chinese art from a great viewpoint of the global history and create the "visual classic Chinese art" for the Chinese people. The China Academy of Art Xianghu Campus is expected to operate in September 2023. Notably, Xianghu Campus will be one of the venues to feast the public's eyes with stunning art works created by young artists, designers and scholars in summer this year. SOURCE China Academy of Art Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has announced the launch of a new green finance framework for the issuance of green bonds, sukuks, loans and other debt instruments. Proceeds from such issuances will go to eligible green projects, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable water and wastewater management, clean transportation, and terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity. Projects that are being financed under the framework will contribute to Taqas 2030 ESG targets and its long-term net-zero goal. Taqas Green Finance Framework is aligned with the global best practices set out under the four core components of the Green Bond Principles 2021 published by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA). Taqa has also obtained a Second Party Opinion (SPO) from Moodys Investor Services (Moodys). Moodys has also assessed the framework and given it a Sustainability Quality Score of SQS2 (Very Good), the second-highest score under Moodys SPO scoring framework which means it demonstrates a significant contribution to sustainability. Taqas Group CEO and Managing Director Jasim Husain Thabet said the green finance framework was an important mechanism to help the group finance the journey towards achieving its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, as a low carbon power and water champion. "This framework is further evidence of how serious we are about putting sustainability and responsible business practices at the heart of everything we do, as we also support the UAE in achieving its Net Zero by 2050 objective. Our own emission reduction targets are backed by a business plan and credible green projects that will see us play a key role in decarbonising the power and water sector and other industries in the UAE and worldwide," he added. In establishing this Framework, Taqa has received support from Citi, Standard Chartered Bank, MUFG and HSBC as joint sustainability structuring banks alongside First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) as sustainability finance framework advisor. In late 2022, the Abu Dhabi energy group had announced its 2030 ESG Strategy which included interim greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals. A credible step towards achieving its net-zero ambitions by 2050, Taqa has committed to a 25% reduction of scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 across the Group, including a 33% reduction of the UAE portfolio emissions compared to the 2019 baseline.-TradeArabia News Service Pan Yuzhen, a 77-year-old embroiderer, shows her hand-made Miao costume in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Cui Xiaoqiang) GUIYANG, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Pan Yuzhen, a 77-year-old embroiderer, was thrilled to do the catwalk show in her hand-made Miao costumes last week in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. At the opening ceremony of the 17th Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Conference held on April 6, a fashion show featuring signature local ethnic cultures drew rounds of camera flashes capturing images of the delicate Miao embroidery on the latest collection. Pan, of the Miao ethnic group, hails from Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture. She learned the embroidery art from her mother at the age of 5 as an ethnic tradition. But it was way beyond her expectation that the folk craft could present itself on stages at world-famous fashion weeks as it does nowadays and that the embroideries created by her could one day be spotted in the daily lives of families across China as household products, which is now the case. Pan has been to five foreign countries, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom. "Foreigners love our embroideries. They were even willing to queue hundreds of meters long at Christmas, just to buy an embroidered notebook or ornament for their families," she said. Xia Hua, chairman of Eve Group, a Chinese clothing brand, has been devoted to promoting the intangible cultural heritage of China's embroidery industry for more than three decades. Over the past decade, Xia and her team have been committed to the digitalization of ethnic handicrafts and have established databases on Chinese traditional embroidery patterns and ethnic artisans. So far, her company has collected more than 8,000 kinds of embroidery patterns and information about more than 22,000 embroiderers, which has laid a solid foundation for building a digital industrial base for embroidery. "Access to embroidery patterns and embroiderers enables global designers to find appropriate cooperative partners to design and create relevant products," Xia said. Xia's company has teamed up with more than 400 world-renowned brands, including Burberry and over 1,000 international designers, boosting the development of more than 400 small and medium-sized enterprises in China. Since 2017, her company has helped more than 1,700 embroiderers just like Pan to venture beyond the deep mountains to showcase their handicrafts abroad. Xia still remembers the first time she and her embroiderers walked onto London Bridge and into Buckingham Palace. The nearby tourists all stopped to enjoy their ethnic costumes and folk song performances. The ethnic minority women, once stuck in China's mountainous areas for generations, became "big stars" that day and attracted many people who rushed to take pictures with them. "Our handicrafts are well-recognized and loved by tourists at home and abroad, giving us rising confidence," said Pan. At a bazaar held in central China's Wuhan a few years earlier, the sales volume of her embroidery products amounted to more than 600,000 yuan (about 87,255 U.S. dollars) in a single day, she added. Through creative innovation and cooperation with global designers, the local embroiderers have integrated the old craft with modern fashion items including clothing, high heels, bags, and household supplies, with over 10,000 varieties of products launched so far. "We will combine standardized product models and our traditional crafts to roll out modern and fashionable products, bringing the 'China chic' from deep in the mountains to the global stage," Xia said. Editor: GSY Chinas concept of common prosperity is intended not just to subsidize the lower-income people or the poor within the country, but rather to bring them into the mainstream of the economy, said Michael R. Powers, Professor of Finance at Tsinghua University in an exclusive interview with Guangming Online. During the interview, Powers emphasized the potential of rural human capital in stepping up Chinas economic growth in the aftermath of Chinas success in poverty alleviation. China is a very large country, said Powers,and despite some concerns about the aging of the population, the fact is that there are many citizens living in rural agricultural areas, whose talent have not so far been fully utilized. Chinas strategy of rural revitalization will be tapping into this exact potential of human capital in rural areas. According to Powers, when the large amount of population living in Chinas rural areas take full part in Chinas national economy, it can lead to great economic benefits for the country, alleviating pressures imposed by aging problems and rural exodus, which disturb not only China but also many other countries in the world. The economy in their local areas will be improved, and they can work in those areas and contribute to the economy from there, Powers explained. He added that the balance that could be struck by this strategy is attractive in terms of not only equity and ethics, but also economic substance. Editor: WJH Lakhimpur Kheri, April 12 : A 16-year-old boy was critically injured when a tiger attacked him in Pareli village of Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district. The victim, identified as Tausif Ali, was grazing his goats near the Mohammadi Forest range when the tiger attacked him on Tuesday, said the South Kheri Forest division officer Sanjay Biswal. The boy has sustained multiple injuries on his head and neck. The victim was first taken to the community health centre in Gola Gokaran Nath tehsil from where he was referred to the district hospital. The doctors have said that the victim was in a serious condition, but is out of danger. The forest division officer said: "It was noted that this was a tiger attack. The agricultural parts in the proximity of Maheshpur forest beat were used by tigers as their habitat. Now that the sugarcane crops have been harvested, the presence of tigers is visible. This attack appears to be accidental as only the boy was injured." "It is certain that the feline was not a man-eater. In view of the repeated tiger attacks, four camera traps have been installed on the spot, while the field forest teams were deployed to monitor the tiger's movement," Biswal added. He further said that tigers resort to an offensive mode in their own defence upon seeing people due to the vertical appearance of humans, unlike horizontal images of animals, which they comprehend as risky. Notably, this was the second incident of a big cat's attack on humans in a span of three days in the Gola Gokaran Nath area. Earlier on Sunday, a 35-year-old man Vijay Verma of Vishnu Bahera village was mauled by a tiger while he was returning home from his agricultural field. He has been admitted to the district hospital for treatment of injuries. Belfast, April 12 : US President Joe Biden has landed in Northern Ireland's Belfast at the start of his four-day visit to the island of Ireland. Biden's visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement - a peace deal which helped end 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, BBC reported. The US President was greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he stepped off Air Force One at Belfast International Airport on Tuesday night. The two leaders met briefly before the President drove away in an armoured car. Biden will meet Sunak again on Wednesday morning and then make a speech at Ulster University in Belfast, his only public engagement in Northern Ireland, before heading south across the border for three days of pomp and pilgrimage in Ireland, The Guardian reported. Earlier, before taking off in Air Force One, Biden told reporters that he wanted to safeguard the Good Friday agreement, and support Sunak's post-Brexit deal for the region. When asked about his top priority during the trip, he responded: "Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor agreement stay in place, to keep the peace. That's the - that's the main thing. And it's look like we're going to - keep your fingers crossed." Lucknow, April 12 : In the last 24 hours, Uttar Pradesh recorded 402 new Covid-19 cases, marking the highest single-day spike of this year as well as a jump of 128 per cent since the previous day's figure. The new cases increased the state's overall active caseload to 1,498 as of Tuesday, including 338 in Lucknow, where 83 people tested positive in the last 24 hours. In Lucknow, seven patients are admitted to Covid facilities. Meanwhile, one death was also registered in the same period which was reported from Ambedkar Nagar. The state's total death toll now stands at 23,652, according to the Health Department. In order to check the preparedness of hospitals in the state to tackle the resurgence, the first mock drill of the year was conducted in 75 districts of the state on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak observed the drill at the Balrampur Hospital on Tuesday. As part of the drill, a speeding ambulance came to the medical facility. Subsequently, ward boys wearing PPE kits took a dummy patient from the ambulance and put IT on a stretcher. Pathak himself walked along with the 'patient' on the stretcher. As per protocol, the patient's BP, oxygen level, and temperature were checked as soon as he entered the SSB block. As soon as the patient was shifted to bed, the anaesthesia team gave ventilator support to him. Doctors were successful in giving a life support system to the patient brought on the ambulance within just four minutes of his entering the hospital. Pathak stayed at the hospital for about half-an-hour. During this, he also examined other facilities -- including the oxygen plant installed in the Balrampur Hospital. The director of the hospital, Dr Ramesh Goyal, said that the hospital has two oxygen plants to deal with any kind of shortage of oxygen. Chief medical superintendent Dr G.P. Gupta said that one plant is 960 LPM and the other is 500 LPM. Both plants have been set up with the CSR funds of Indian Oil. The focus of the mock drill was to check working conditions of oxygen plants, availability and working of oxygen concentrators in hospitals, and preparation of duty roster, among others. Bijnor, : , April 12 (IANS) Aditya Rana, an absconding criminal carrying a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, was shot dead in a police encounter on the Budhanpur road of Seohara police station around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Half a dozen policemen were injured in the encounter. All the injured have been admitted to the CHC Seohara. Aditya, a resident of Rana Nangla Bijnor, had more than 40 cases registered in various police stations, including murder, robbery. According to the police, on August 23, 2022, the police had brought Aditya Rana from Lucknow jail to Bijnor for the hearing of a case registered at Shivala Kalan police station. While returning from here, Aditya Rana managed to flee from Shahjahanpur's Red Chilli Dhaba by dodging the police. According to Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, the SOG team got information late in the night that Aditya and his companions were on the way to Budhanpur. The team confronted Aditya who opened fire which led to the encounter. So far, the police have arrested more than eight people of the Aditya gang. These include his village head brother Chandraveer Bittu. Those injured in the encounter include Seohara police station in-charge Rajeev Chaudhary, Ajay Kumar Fauji, SOG inspector Jaiveer Singh, constables Arun and Raees. New Delhi, April 12 : United by a shared spirit and a vision of discreet and authentic luxury, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc and Dior, in this way, celebrate their long-standing ties. The two Houses will unveil the Dior Spa Eden - Roc at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Oetker Collection's luxury hotel in Antibes, South of France. This legendary place treasured by the House is celebrated by an eponymous perfume in the Collection Privee Christian Dior. On 14th April 2023, it will welcome a Spa, inspired by and looking out onto nature and the radiant Cote d'Azur light. Embodying the wonderful Mediterranean lifestyle, this mythical luxury hotel meets the inimitable Parisian elegance of Dior this spring, as well as its unique philosophy of beauty and well-being. Overlooking the southern tip of Cap d'Antibes, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc is an absolute legend of the French Riviera. Set on a promontory of white rocks with an unrestricted view of the Lerins Islands, its elegant Napoleonic residence, majestic alleys, and iconic swimming pool set into the cliffside, have shone for over 150 years. This vibrant gem of regal nature is set on grounds of nine hectares, where Aleppo pines, agapanthus, lavender, fragrant roses, and jasmine flourish. This idyllic setting is a symbol of a unique art de vivre. It is a refuge for stars and key figures worldwide, from New York glamour couple Sara and Gerald Murphy, who started the trend for summer breaks on the Cote d'Azur with friends Hemingway and Picasso, to Sharon Stone, Robert de Niro, and Clint Eastwood, as well as Liz Taylor and Richard Burton who came for their honeymoon, (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony launching a series of books that aim to explain classic Chinese literature from a modern perspective was held in Beijing on Monday. The "New Reading of Chinese Culture" series, planned by the International Confucian Association and MoveableType Legacy (Beijing) Co., Ltd., was published by the Sichuan People's Publishing House. To date, a total of 10 books have been released. Li Xuejun, editor-in-chief of MoveableType Legacy (Beijing) Co., Ltd., said that the books aim to use ancient culture and wisdom to solve contemporary problems. The books' authors include Chinese classical poetry master Ye Jiaying, late Chinese economist Li Yining and renowned writer Wang Meng. A book on Chinese landscape paintings in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) was written by poet Xi Chuan. In an interview with Xinhua, he said that what people need now is culture that is alive. So, in his book, he has tried to link the artistic achievements of the Song Dynasty with other areas such as education and politics at that time -- as people view issues now. Gan Chunsong, a professor of philosophy at Peking University, is the author of a book that discusses two concepts: "great harmony" and the state of being "well-off." He noted that the two concepts, having been discussed at different periods in Chinese history, were developed through the passing of time. "These books are not just re-readings of the classics, but also re-interpretations of traditional culture by people today, who, facing new problems in China and the world at large, have formed new understandings," he said. "In this way, they are contributing to the growth of culture." Editor: WJH Kanpur : , April 12 (IANS) A 35-year-old man, accused of kidnapping a 15-year-old girl, injured himself with the sharp edge of a steel mug at the police station. The incident came to light after the policemen found the accused bleeding profusely from neck and crying in pain. Police admitted him to Havaspur Community Health Centre from where he was shifted to Kanpur's Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital. Police said Alok Gupta, of Tikuriya Tola crossing of Kanpur Dehat under Mangalpur police station area, had allegedly abducted a 15-year-old girl on March 27. The same day the girl's father lodged a complaint at Mangalpur police station under IPC sections 363 and 366. On Monday, the police nabbed the accused with the help of surveillance and rescued the minor girl from him. Later, he was brought to the police station where he inflicted injury on himself. Further details were awaited. Sanaa, April 12 : Despite ongoing talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia in Yemen's capital Sanaa to discuss a permanent solution to the years-long civil war, sporadic fightings have erupted in the war-torn nation's Marib province. The oil-rich province on Tuesday witnessed the sporadic clashes and heavy artillery shellings between government forces and the Houthi militia along the Alkasarah and Raghwan frontlines, raising concerns about the outlook of the peace process, a government official told Xinhua news agency. The ongoing talks between the Houthi militia and Saudi Arabia, the primary backer of Yemen's internationally recognized government, signaled a potential turning point in the long-standing conflict that has left the country devastated. A new hope for reaching a peaceful resolution to the conflict was raised by the Saudi-Houthi talks, which focused on renewing the ceasefire, reopening the Sanaa airport and lifting restrictions on the Red Sea port to facilitate humanitarian aid for millions of citizens facing food insecurity and inadequate healthcare. However, the renewed clashes in Marib and other regions highlight the challenges in implementing a lasting ceasefire and addressing the deep-rooted issues that have fuelled the civil war in Yemen. The situation in Marib, a strategic city in northern Yemen, is particularly tense, as it has been the scene of heavy fightings between the government forces and the Houthis in recent months. Despite the setbacks, the recent talks still represent a glimmer of hope for ending the protracted military conflict. Earlier on Tuesday, the Yemeni government announced it is ready for the exchange of prisoners with the Houthis, set to begin on Thursday. The process will be carried out in three phases over three days, and the first exchange will involve 72 prisoners, according to Majed Fadael, a member of the government negotiating delegation. The number of peace initiatives has increased, particularly after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations in rapprochement talks hosted by China in early March. Over the weekend, Saudi and Omani delegations held talks with the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Sanaa to restore peace in the war-torn country, which was praised by the UN as "a welcome step towards the de-escalation of tensions". Yemen has been embroiled in the civil war after the Houthi militia took control of several northern cities and ousted the Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in 2014. The conflict has resulted in a staggering number of casualties and pushed Yemen to the brink of a humanitarian crisis, including widespread famine. The Hague, April 12 : French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of "European sovereignty" during a state visit to the Netherlands. This was first state visit by a French President to the Netherlands in 23 years. Delivering a speech at the Amare Theatre in The Hague on Tuesday, Macron stressed that the concept of European sovereignty is "extremely important", reports Xinhua news agency. "Identity and sovereignty are intertwined," he said. "If you accept to lose your sovereignty, if you accept to depend on other powers, you put yourself in a situation not to decide for yourself, and not to be in charge of precisely continuing preserving and developing your own identity." It means that "we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world", the President noted. "Pandemic and war have just pushed us to discover that we have to reduce our dependency if you want to preserve your European identity," he added. Macron started a two-day state visit to the Netherlands earlier on Tuesday at the invitation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander. The President's visit will "reaffirm the excellent ties between the two countries", the Dutch Royalty said in a statement. The two countries are "working together towards European strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy, which will enhance the European Union's security and make it less dependent", the release said. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Hubballi : , April 12 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday expressed hope of getting a ticket to contest May 10 state Assembly elections from Hubballi-Dharwad constituency. But according to BJP sources, he is likely to return disappointed. While interacting with reporters before leaving for the national capital, Shettar said, "BJP National President J.P. Nadda has invited me and am leaving for the national capital. Am sure that meeting the National President is a good development from the party's perspective." "I haven't had a cabinet post for two years and in spite of this, I have worked and delivered. Am hopeful of getting a positive response from the high command," he stated. Meanwhile, the BJP is giving priority to new faces, and is contemplating to field a new face from Hubballi-Dharwad constituency. Shettar had opted out of the cabinet claiming that he is senior to the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The party high command had invited him to New Delhi and Shettar, a Lingayat leader, is meeting the BJP National President on Wednesday. The ticket to Hubballi-Dharwad constituency is yet to be announced. The sources explain that it is a clear cut sign for Shettar to get ready for the surprise. Following the refusal for the ticket, Shettar had stated that he would contest no matter what, hinting at contesting as an independent candidate. After the release of the first list, Shettar maintained that his name should have figured in it. He said that he had contacted the high command and conveyed the message. Sixty-seven-year-old Shettar had taken a lead of more than 21,000 votes all six times. He was made CM by Yediyurappa after dethroning D.V. Sadananda Gowda in 2012. He failed to emerge as a mass leader and the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2013 Assembly polls. Nicosia, April 12 : A water leak at a server room in the basement of the Finance Ministry in Cyprus knocked off all online services of the country's government, a top official confirmed. The Ministry's Permanent Secretary George Panteli said here on Tuesday that the leak was detected after working hours on Monday and technicians were forced to turn off all the servers for security reasons, reports Xinhua news agency. Panteli also said that the leak was caused by a malfunctioning valve that was supposed to switch off water supply to a storage tank. Visitors to government websites received a message that the page they were trying to visit could not be reached as the server was unavailable. The Deputy Ministry for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy has launched an investigation into why there was a delay of several months in applying last November's cabinet decision to move the servers from the Ministry of Finance basement to a safer place at the premises of the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority. Panteli said that by late Tuesday all servers had been dried and efforts will be made to restart them by Wednesday morning. Thiruvananthapuram, April 12 : Eleven days after a Delhi youth set ablaze passengers on a train bound to Kannur, who has been arrested, not much headway has been made in the case. Even though the questioning is progressing, it appears that the probe team has not been able to extract much information from the accused, Shahrukh Saifi. Though the probe team is tight-lipped, sources said that Saifi was travelling alone from Delhi. He took a ticket to Kozhikode in Kerala, but got down at Shornur on April 2 morning. Then till he boarded the train to Kannur on Sunday late evening. He spent time at Shornur from where he purchased petrol from a fuel filling station, which has also been identified. The auto driver, who took Saifi there, confirmed this with the probe team. After the train that he boarded from Shornur left Kozhikode, Saifi arrived at the D 1 compartment and doused passengers with petrol and set them on fire. While three passengers in fright jumped out of the moving train, who were later reported dead on the impact of the fall, nine others also suffered burn injuries. Saifi then reached Kannur on the same train and after a few hours boarded another train and reached Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. He was arrested in Ratnagiri by a team of the Anti-Terror Squad of Maharashtra Police based on a tip-off from Central agencies on April 5. The next day he was brought to Kozhikode and after a day in the hospital, he has been in the custody of the Kerala Police probe team. In the remand report, the police have held Saifi responsible for the death of the three including a young girl, though he has said he was not responsible for it. Meanwhile, the NIA, according to sources, is also closely monitoring the ongoing probe and in all likelihood to take over the probe. Kathmandu, April 12 : Four Indian nationals were killed in a car accident in Nepal's Sindhuli district, police said. According to the District Police Office, the accident occurred late Tuesday night near Solabhanjyang of Kamalamai Municipality-3 along the Sindhulimadi-Khurkot section of the BP Highway. The accident spot is some 100 km away from Kathmandu. Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Silwal said the car had an Indian registration number and was heading to Kathmandu from the east. The vehicle plunged about 500 metres from the road. While three people died on the spot, one succumbed during treatment at a local hospital. A fifth injured person has been hospitalised. of the District Police Office, Sindhuli, informed Silwal said that a process to establish the identities of the five Indian nationals is currently underway. Tehran, April 12 : Iranian Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi said his country aims to raise annual trade volume with Saudi Arabia to $1 billion in the first step of resuming economic ties. Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Khandouzi said the target was set by the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of Iran and is based on the two countries' capacities, Xinhua news agency news agency reported. The Minister said over the past few days, the TPO has been preparing a roadmap for developing economic relations with Saudi Arabia, adding that it will be finalized soon. Khandouzi said given that Iran and Saudi Arabia are both seriously determined to resume bilateral interaction and cooperation, the launch of the joint chamber of commerce is on the agenda. He stressed that during the past years, the two countries have held a total of seven meetings of the joint economic commission and exchanged 20 trade and cooperation documents with each other. The Finance Minister said the two countries have had no bilateral trade in some years, but last Iranian year, amid the two countries' efforts to ease tensions, the value of Iranian exports to the kingdom reached $15 million. Khandouzi also noted that he will take a trip to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks. China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the two Arab nations had reached a deal that includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions within two months. In a meeting in Beijing last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shia cleric. London, April 12 : Scores of British Pakistanis wrote letters to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to complain about the "racist, unacceptable and inflammatory" comments made recently by Home Secretary Suella Braverman against Pakistani men. Doctors, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, CEOs and founders wrote multiple letters signed by dozens of associations and individuals to Sunak, demanding an apology from Braverman, Dawn news reported. Last week, Braverman came under fire after she repeatedly spoke about "the predominance of British-Pakistani males who hold cultural values totally at odds with British values". In an interview to Sky News, she said that British Pakistani men "see women in a demeaned, illegitimate way, and pursue an outdated and frankly heinous approach to the way we behave". The programme host also highlighted the Home Secretary's comments that "vulnerable white girls are being targeted by British Pakistani grooming gangs", and people have been "turning a blind eye out of political correctness", Dawn reported. Her comments triggered intense criticism on social media, where both Pakistani origin and non-Pakistani commentators called her out for discrimination and politicising a serious issue. A letter signed by medical professionals read: "It is unacceptable for the home secretary to use inflammatory and divisive rhetoric that is sensationalist and contradicts her own department's evidence. "Critically, it enables these heinous crimes to continue by focusing on political exhibitionism instead of implementing impactful action that is evidence-based and requires a whole system response rather than singling out one particular ethnic group." The British Pakistan Foundation also penned an open letter to the Prime Minister. "We are writing to you to share our deep concern and disappointment at the Home Secretary's recent comments and for you not speaking out against them. These comments singled out only the involvement of British Pakistani males in so-called 'grooming gangs' and 'holding cultural values totally at odds with British values'," it said. Muslim associations also joined the criticism against Braverman, penning a letter to 10 Downing Street in which the home secretary's words were criticised, Dawn reported. Belagavi, : April 12 (IANS) In a blow to the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka, party MLC and former deputy Chief Minister Laxman Sangappa Savadi, a powerful leader from Belagavi district, announced that he will resign from the primary membership of the party. He was denied a ticket from Athani constituency by the BJP. Mahesh Kumatalli, who came to BJP through 'Operation Lotus', has been given the ticket instead. Speaking to reporters, Savadi said that the people of Athani constituency are the high command for him and he will have to bow before his voters. "Do I have to beg for the ticket? I am resigning from the primary membership of the party and also submitting my resignation from the post of MLC," he maintained. "I will announce my decision regarding politics and the contest on Thursday evening. I have been in BJP for 20 years and if I had made any mistake, I beg pardon. I had faith in getting a ticket to the contest. An outsider has been given a ticket," he stated. Targeting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, he said, "Bommai has all the characteristics of becoming the Prime Minister of the country. I don't have personal enmity with him." CM Bommai was once ready to join the Congress and he (Savadi) with others had convinced him to stay back in BJP. The Congress has not announced the ticket for Athani constituency in the two lists. Raju Kage, the Congress MLA from Kagawada had met Laxman Savadi at his residence fueling rumors that he is likely to join the Congress. According to sources, 63-year-old Savadi is upset as former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi had gained upper hand in allotment of tickets in Belagavi district. Savadi is also worried over his son Chidananda Savadi's political career. Belagavi district has 18 Assembly constituencies and the development is likely to affect the BJP party. Savadi was the blue-eyed boy of former CM B.S. Yediyurappa. He had to resign from the cabinet following the viral video of his watching porn videos during the Assembly session. Later, the party anointed him to the post of Deputy CM in 2019 which created a controversy and raised many questions within the party even as he lost MLA elections. However, he lost his position when CM Bommai succeeded Yediyurappa. Former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi threatened that if Mahesh Kumatalli was not given the ticket from Athani constituency, he won't contest elections this time. This photo taken on April 9, 2023 shows the 100-megawatt solar thermal power plant generating electricity in Urad Middle Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Li Yunping) HOHHOT, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China's largest trough solar thermal power plant, located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, generated 330 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in the 12-month period ending on March 31 this year. Designed and built by China Shipbuilding New Power Co. Ltd., the 100-megawatt solar thermal power generation and storage project in Urad Middle Banner passed a national acceptance examination in October 2021. Zhu Shengguo, general manager of the power plant, said that in the first quarter of this year, the company solved a technical bottleneck concerning internal cleaning of the system in winter, when the power output increased by 19.5 million kilowatt-hours, compared with the same period last year. The power station is currently working round-the-clock and at full capacity, and is capable of meeting the daily evening electricity demands of 300,000 households. The power plant can provide stable power supply while also serving as a solar and wind shield for local ecological preservation and restoration. This photo taken on April 9, 2023 shows the 100-megawatt solar thermal power plant generating electricity in Urad Middle Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Li Yunping) Editor: WXY Kolkata, April 12 : S.K. Mohammad Ali, inspector-in-charge of the Suri Police station in Birbhum district who was questioned by the ED last month in connection to the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal, has been transferred to an insignificant post. Although the district police authorities have described the transfer as a routine one, Alis new place of posting has raised doubts that it was prompted by the administration's willingness to be over controversies following his interrogation by the central agency sleuths. He has been transferred as inspector of the district enforcement branch, a post which had been vacant for a while. Besides the ED, Ali was also been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a parallel probe in the scam. When the ED had summoned Ali to Delhi for questioning, he was asked to be present with all related documents pertaining to his bank accounts and properties. According to sources, the probe agency came across some properties worth hefty amounts in the names of some of Ali's relatives. He was being questioned about the source of funds for purchasing the high-value properties. New Delhi, April 12 : Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday told the BBC that he would comply with the law of the land in India rather than send his people to jail as the country has "strict social media laws". In a Twitter Spaces interview with the BBC, he was asked about the micro-blogging platform taking down links related to the BBC's controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "India has very strict social media laws. If it's a choice between complying with the laws or going to jail, I'd rather comply with laws than have any of my people go to jail," he said. "We cannot go beyond the law of the country," the Twitter CEO stressed. The first part of the two-part BBC documentary series, 'India: The Modi Question' raised a storm not just in India but also among the diaspora across the world. Looking at the sensitive nature of the documentary, the Indian government banned it from being shown on social media, including Twitter, and elsewhere in the country. Musk also said during the interview that there is less misinformation and hate speech on the micro-blogging platform since he took over. The billionaire has labelled the BBC as a "government-funded media" organisation. After labelling the @BBC account -- which has 2.2 million followers -- Musk tweeted: "What does BBC stand for again? I keep forgetting." However, Twitter did not label the BBC's other accounts like BBC News (World) and BBC Breaking News. The BBC had said in a statement: "We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee." According to Musk, "I do actually follow the BBC" as "they have some great material". Kochi, April 12 : The Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking a court-monitored probe against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold and dollar smuggling case. The petition was filed by a former employer of Swapna (the prime accused in the case) - Aji Krishna, who heads the HRDS, a charity organisation. While dismissing the petition, the court pointed out that a case cannot be based on hearsay and that it has to be substantiated with facts and evidence which the petitioner has failed to do. Krishna approached the court based on Swapna's allegations that Vijayan and his family were involved in the case. At present, the Enforcement Directorate's probe into the case has slowed down, after it put pedal in the probe with regards to the bribery case in the Life Mission case. San Francisco, April 12 : Meta-owned Instagram has announced that it is extending access to elements of the creator marketplace via API (Application Programming Interface), making it easier for brands to discover and continue working with creators on the third-party creator marketing platform they already use. The company is also expanding creator marketplace access to brand agencies. "Today, we're announcing new ways to discover and reach Instagram creators by expanding access to brand agencies and testing integrations with top creator marketing platforms," Instagram said in a blogpost. Instagram launched its creator marketplace last year as a new destination for brands and creators to connect and form branded content partnerships. The first API features 'Prioritised DMs', which will allow brands to easily reach creators in a priority inbox on the creator marketplace -- without ever leaving their preferred creator marketing platform. The second API features 'Project Briefs', which will allow brands to publish structured project briefs to the creator marketplace straight from a third party. The company is testing these APIs with a small cohort of leading creator marketing partners, including Aspire, Captiv8 and CreatorIQ. Moreover, Instagram is also testing dedicated access to the creator marketplace for brand agencies to let them manage creator discovery and collaborations on behalf of their brand clients. The company is testing this access with a small cohort of partners, including Influential, WPromote, Rickhouse Media, Power Digital, Dentsu, OMG and Brkfst. With this expansion, brand agencies will be able to find the best talent for their brand clients, track creator conversations with a dedicated folder, and work with creators effectively and see progress. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Amaravati, April 12 : Senior leader of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy on Wednesday returned from Markapuram in Prakasam district without attending Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's programme after he was stopped by security officials from reaching the helipad in his vehicle. Srinivasa Reddy left for Ongole in a huff without attending the programme even as minister A. Suresh and other leaders tried to pacify him. The incident occurred a few minutes before the arrival of the chief minister at the helipad at Markapuram to attend a programme to release funds for Economically Backward Classes (EBCs). When ministers and other leaders were heading towards the helipad to receive the chief minister, the security personnel stopped Srinivasa Reddy's car and asked him to get down and walk to the helipad. Taken aback by this, the senior leader pulled up police officials. Angry over the behaviour of police, he returned from there in his vehicle even as Suresh, district SP and other leaders tried to pacify him. Srinivasa Reddy, who is the regional coordinator of the ruling party, is also a relative of the chief minister. He was unhappy after Jagan Mohan Reddy dropped him from the Cabinet last year and was reported to be even planning to quit as an MLA. Srinivasa Reddy, who had served as a minister in the Cabinet of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, was angry over Jagan Reddy dropping him while retaining many others who are junior to him. The chief minister, however, had pacified him. Bengaluru, April 12 : Even as the BJP is facing rebellion from some senior leaders, who have not been given the tickets to contest the Assembly poll, the Congress is ready to poach disgruntled leaders, sources have said. BJP MLC and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi has announced that he will resign, and former CM Jagadish Shettar has also stated that he will contest elections no matter what. The rebellious move of both the leaders is expected to cause serious damage to the party in north Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka region. Both leaders hail from the Lingayat community and have been with the BJP party for decades. On the other hand, the Congress party is all set to poach BJP sitting MLAs, who are not given tickets. The party had already approached Savadi and was also in touch with other senior leaders, sources said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai commenting on the developments, stated on Wednesday that he is hopeful of retaining both the leaders in the party. Reacting to Savadi's threat to resign, Bommai said that he has spoken to him. "I have conveyed not to make hasty decisions. I have confidence that Laxman Savadi, who has had an emotional bond with the BJP party for a long time, has a good future in the party. The party has never abandoned him. The decision had been taken to keep the word which was given at the time of the BJP party assuming power in 2019," CM Bommai explained. Shettar is visiting New Delhi after he was denied a ticket from Hubballi-Dharwad constituency. "The high command will speak with him and everything will be alright," the CM stated. CM Bommai clarified that he never wanted to join the Congress and the discussion in this regard is irrelevant. He maintained that after the announcement of the first list, the confidence among party workers and people has only increased. "We will get a majority and also win 10-15 seats more than what is required to attain a majority in the state," he said. New Delhi, April 12 : China has recorded the first death due to avian influenza A(H3N8) virus, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday. China, on March 27, notified the WHO of a H3N8 virus infection in a 56-year-old woman. The woman from Guangdong province fell ill due to the virus on February 22 and was hospitalised for severe pneumonia on March 3. She subsequently died on March 16, the global health body said in a statement. "The case was detected through the severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance system. The patient had multiple underlying conditions. She had a history of exposure to live poultry before the onset of the disease, and a history of wild bird presence around her home," the WHO said. According to reports from health officials, the preliminary epidemiological investigation into this event suggests that exposure to a live poultry market may have been the cause of infection. Health authorities also carried out epidemiological investigation and close contact tracing. They found no other cases among close contacts of the infected individual. "It appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low," the WHO said. However, due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, the WHO stressed the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health. Zoonotic influenza infections in humans may be asymptomatic or may cause disease. Depending on factors related to the specific virus and the infected host, disease can range from conjunctivitis or mild flu-like symptoms to severe acute respiratory disease or even death. Gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms have been reported but these are rare. Human cases of infection with avian influenza viruses are usually the result of direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments. Samples from the patient's residence and the wet market where she spent time before the onset of illness tested positive for H3N8, the UN health body said. This is reportedly the third such case, after China reported two H3N8 cases in 2022 involving a four-year-old boy from Zhumadian City in Henan province and a five-year-old boy from Changsha city in Hunan province. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has enhanced monitoring and disinfection in the surrounding environment of the patient's residence and suspected exposure areas. It has also launched public risk communication activities to improve public awareness and adoption of self-protection measures. Avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses are commonly detected globally in animals. The viruses are some of the most commonly found subtypes in birds, causing little to no sign of disease in either domestic poultry or wild birds. Cross-species transmission of A(H3N8) avian influenza viruses has been reported for various mammal species, including being endemic in dogs and horses. Hyderabad, April 12 : Telangana's Finance Minister T. Harish Rao has advised people from Andhra Pradesh who are settled in Telangana to enroll themselves as voters in Telangana. He said the workers from Andhra Pradesh who are settled here should cancel their votes in Andhra Pradesh and register themselves as voters in Telangana. Stating that there is vast difference between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said the workers from the neighbouring state should transfer their votes. The minister made the comments while laying the foundation stone for Mestri Sangham Bhavan in Sangareddy. "Many people from other states are settled in Telangana. There are many from Andhra Pradesh. You have seen both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. You keep visiting Andhra Pradesh and you know the condition of roads and hospitals in that state," he said. "You have seen all. Then why should you have votes there. Cancel your votes there and enroll here. Chief Minister KCR says all those sweating for development of Telangana towns and villages are children of Telangana," he added. The finance minister also told the gathering that CM KCR will announce good news for them on May Day. He said Karmika Bhavan will be constructed in an area of one acre with a cost of Rs 2 crore in every district. Foundation stone for these buildings will be laid on May Day. Harish Rao's comments are seen as an attempt by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to woo migrant population from Andhra Pradesh in the run up to Assembly elections scheduled later this year. There are an estimated 40 lakh people from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions settled in Telanngana. Greater Hyderabad and surrounding districts have sizeable number of migrants often referred to as settlers. Many workers are engaged in construction sector. London, April 12 : Accounting firm EY has called off its plan called 'Project Everest' to break up its auditing and consulting units, BBC reported. The firm, formally known as Ernst & Young, announced they were "stopping work on the project" because it's US arm decided to not to move forward, BBC reported. The Big Four -- Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC -- dominate the global accounting market share. The plan came as regulators called for major industry reforms over conflict of interest and poor working practices, BBC reported. Had the deal gone through, it would have been the biggest shake up in the accounting industry for more than two decades. Officials initially flagged concerns that the audit arm of the company could not do a fair job for its client who also used its consultancy services. EY's announcement ends a yearlong battle to build internal support to split the units. "We acknowledge the challenges with separating some of our businesses that have the deepest technical expertise in a way that gives both organisations the capabilities they need to compete in the market effectively," according to an internal note seen by the BBC. "We also recognise that we need more time to make the necessary investments to prepare the businesses for a separation." The project cost the Big Four more than $100m (A80.3m) according to the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month, Germany's accounting watchdog fined and banned EY for its handling of Wirecard's audits, the insolvent electronic payment processor. It owes creditors almost $4bn, after admitting a a1.9 never existed on its books as part of a global fraud operation. The ban forbids EY from conducting audits on certain companies for two years, BBC reported. In 2021, the UK regulators called to reduce the dominance of the Big Four after high-profile accounting failures such as Carillion and British Home Stores (BHS). PwC, the US retail chain's former auditor, was fined a record $8m after signing off accounts the industry watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), called "incomplete, inaccurate and misleading" in its report into the aftermath of the collapse, BBC reported. In the US last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged EY $100m, the largest penalty ever against an audit firm for its employees cheating on their CPA ethics exams and misleading their investigation. New Delhi, April 12 : In a step towards opposition alliance, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will meet Mallikarjun Kharge over a luncheon. He is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi too, and sources say that Rahul Gandhi will be present in the meeting as well. The meeting comes after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took the first step to unite the opposition parties ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha election. Kharge on has made calls to leaders of various like-minded opposition parties including M. K. Stalin, Nitish Kumar and Uddhav Thackeray. Kharge has invited these leaders for an opposition meet in Delhi next month to formalise a common agenda. Sources said that leaders interacted over opposition unity and future strategy to challenge BJP. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said on several occasions that he is waiting for the Congress to take the initiative of getting the opposition together. Regional Gas Company (RGC) has connected Ukraine's first biomethane plant with a capacity of 3 million cubic meters of gas per year to its networks. "The enterprise will produce about 3 million cubic meters of gas per year, which will be consumed by about 1,500 customers - the population and industry," RGC said in a press release on Wednesday. RGC resumed work on connecting the biomethane plant immediately after the de-occupation of Chernihiv region in April last year. "The entire connection process from the issuance of technical specifications to the completion of construction lasted less than 6 months. A gas metering unit and gas control equipment were installed for the enterprise, equipped with the best technological solutions from Emerson, Pietro Fiorentini, FMG and Sick, the world leaders in the gas industry," the document says. According to Oleksiy Tiutiunnyk, the director general of RGC, RGC acted as an investor in this project: it advised, developed design and technical documentation for connection, technical conditions, and also performed direct work on connecting to the network. "We can scale this experience in any region of Ukraine. After all, Ukraine has a huge potential or the production of biomethane at the level of the EU, where more than 1,200 plants with a capacity of 3.5 billion cubic meters per year operate," he said. As explained in RGC, the biomethane produced by the enterprise is no different from natural and can be immediately consumed by households and industry. The quality of the final purified methane is controlled by a flow chromatograph, and the gas control station is equipped with a gas sampling device. "At the first stage, gas will be supplied to the network in the autumn-winter period. After the construction of the second stage and the ringing of networks, the supply will become year-round," the company stressed. As RGC informed, the company has developed a universal template of technical specifications for connecting biomethane at a reduced cost of UAH 1 and created a "single window" in the one-stop-shop format for biomethane producers and potential investors. In 2022, a memorandum was signed between RGC and STX, a European biomethane market trader that controls 15% of the European market, for the purchase of biomethane from Ukraine. According to a press release, the biomethane plant in Chernihiv region was put into operation by Gals Agro in 2018 and initially worked for the production of biogas, from which electricity was produced. In 2021, the enterprise was equipped with a biomethane production module. At the beginning of 2023, the biomethane module was installed and connected to the networks of JSC Chernihivgaz. In the second half of 2023, investors plan to install another biomethane production module of the same capacity in Kyiv region. The raw material for the production of biomethane is waste from the agricultural sector. RGC was founded in 2010 and is a leader in the development of innovative and integrated solutions for the gas distribution industry. The company unites 20 GDS operators operating in 16 regions of Ukraine and servicing 250,000 km of gas distribution networks and 47,000 gas control points, as well as providing gas distribution for 8 million customers. RGC provides a full range of services for connecting biomethane plants to gas distribution networks. The company connects the first biomethane plants in Ukraine to its own networks. New Delhi, April 12 : A private school in Delhi was evacuated after an email containing a bomb threat was received by the administration on Wednesday, a police official said. Authorities at The Indian School in Defence Colony told police that they received the email at 10.49 a.m. "The school has been evacuated and a thorough check is being done by a bomb squad," the official added. More details are awaited. Khartoum, April 12 : A UN spokesman said the world body is undeterred from its role in Sudan after a man threatened to kill the Secretary-General's special representative in the north African nation. "I can tell you we are deeply concerned by a video circulating featuring a man requesting a fatwa at a public event in Khartoum to allow him to assassinate the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Volker Perthes," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for the UN chief. A fatwa is a ruling by a recognised authority on a point of Islamic law. Dujarric said the language of incitement and violence would only deepen divisions on the ground. "It will not deter the UN mission from carrying out its duties." He noted that the Sudanese government is responsible and has the duty to ensure the safety and security of the UN mission and all of its members, citing provisions of the 2021 agreement between the UN and the government. "The UN mission including its head Volker Perthes remain committed to supporting the people of Sudan in achieving the political transition to democratic rule, pursuant to its mandate," he said. Perthes remains in Sudan carrying out his work, Dujarric said. There were no further details about the unidentified man allegedly seeking the death of Perthes, nor any possible reasons given. Perthes briefed the UN Security Council two weeks ago. While painting a bleak picture of Sudan and its significant financial and other hurdles, he strongly advocated a more substantial role for women in the country. Kolkata, April 12 : A special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the Ekbalpur-Mominpur clashes in Kolkata on October 9 last year on the occasion of 'Lakshmi Puja', issued a warrant against the seven absconding accused. The NIA has announced an award of Rs 1,00,000 each for anyone who provides information about these seven absconding accused. Even after thorough search, the NIA sleuths have been unable to track them as yet. Those names were also mentioned in the charge sheet filed by NIA at the special count in January this year. A total of 14 persons were named in the 400-page charge sheet, out of whom seven have been arrested by the NIA sleuths, while seven others are still absconding. In the next step, sources said, the NIA sleuths might start the legal procedure of confiscating their property. The NIA sleuths suspect that these seven are hiding anywhere outside West Bengal. The probe in the Ekbalpur-Mominpur clashes had been mired in controversy since the beginning. Before the NIA, a special investigation team (SIT of Kolkata took charge of the investigation and arrested 20 persons. However, surprisingly, all these 20 persons who were arrested by the SIT were acquitted of all charges in the NIA charge sheet. Sources said that NIA sleuths have not received any clue in the case against those 20 persons arrested by the city police earlier. On January 4, the NIA team conducted raids at 17 locations in and around Kolkata in connection with the clash and recovered cash worth Rs 33.87 lakh from certain residences at Bhukailash Road and Mayurbhanj Road during their operations. Sharp-edged weapons and other incriminating items were also seized. During the course of the raid, the NIA team also faced resistance from the local residents. The clashes broke out on the occasion of Lakshmi Puja and in the process of dispersing the violent mob, one officer in the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police was also injured. Police later detained 30 persons. On October 19, the NIA took over the investigation in the matter from the Kolkata Police SIT. On November 10, addressing an administrative review meeting in Nadia, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the NIA of fuelling communal tensions in the state. Hyderabad, April 12 : Fireworks during a meeting of BRS led to a fire accident and cylinder explosion that claimed a life and left eight others injured in Telangana's Khammam district. The incident occurred on Wednesday in Chemalapadu of Karepally mandal. During the ongoing Atmeya Sammelana meeting of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), some party workers burst firecrackers. A nearby hut caught fire after one of the burning crackers fell on it. As a result of the fire, a cooking gas cylinder in the hut exploded killing one person and injuring eight others. A policeman and two journalists were among those injured. Couple of injured people lost their limbs in the explosion. The BRS workers burst the firecrackers to welcome the party leaders, including Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao and MLA Ramulu Naik. The incident sent panic among people. The injured were shifted to government hospital in the vehicles of the BRS leaders. Nageswara Rao told media persons that the incident had nothing to do with the party meeting. He said the incident occurred 200 meters away from the meeting venue. The MP directed the doctors to provide best medical treatment to the injured and if necessary shift them to Hyderabad. He assured all help to the victims. Helsinki, April 12 : Finland's Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen said a discussion about the possible transfer of Finnish fighters abroad is "currently irrelevant". Kaikkonen made the remarks during a TV interview on Ukraine's call for negotiations on handing over F/A-18 Hornet fighters, reports Xinhua news agency. "The fighter jets will be used by our defence forces for the coming years, after which their life cycle will end," Kaikkonen was quoted as saying. The Defence Minister said that Finland had responded to Ukraine's request last week. The matter became public when Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in early March. During their meeting, Marin told Zelensky that it should be possible to discuss the handover of the fighter jets. However, both President Sauli Niinisto and Kaikkonen said they were not aware of the matter in advance. Soon after, Ukraine officially asked Finland for the possible transfer of the jets. Mumbai, April 12 : Known for the popular 2000's track such as 'Angle Eyes' and 'Let's Work it Out', popstar Raghav Mathur released of his latest soundtrack 'Desperado' with 'Jalebi Baby' hitmaker Tesher. The song has Raghav's signature style, his yet-so-fresh vocals and lyrics and the same amaranthine appeal. Commenting on the release of 'Desperado', Raghav said: "This track is really close to my heart as it brought me back to a studio with Mushtaq, who has produced many of my songs during the early days of my career as an artist." "When you go back to work with someone after a considerable gap, you are always questioning whether you can recreate the magic or not. I am beyond thrilled that with Desperado, Mushtaq and I have got the chance to take things to a whole new level. It is indeed overwhelming to see your idea turn into a banger of a reality." Raghav said that he has been itching to compose for the Indian audience for a while and the love and appreciation of some of my age-old tracks on social media just sealed the deal for him. Also, working with Tesher is the cherry on the cake for Raghav. For Tesher, it was a dream come true to work with Raghav. "Raghav is a legend to me, especially as a fellow Canadian. I always thought he was one of the best artists ever to fuse Indian and western elements in a way that didn't alienate either audience, which is what I strive to achieve in my music now. I think the fact that we were able to come together and make this record is honestly a generational moment for the culture." Tesher added: "Sometimes when you're making a song you're not 100 per cent sure if people will like it, but I think people are gonna absolutely love this record." Recently Raghav's two decade old track 'Let's Work it Out'(Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar) trended on social media as Norwegian dance crew 'The Quick Style' chose it for their iconic Mumbai Local Dance video. Shimla, April 12 : The Himachal Pradesh government will soon launch a new scheme, Mukhyamantri Vidhwa Evam Ekal Nari Awas Yojna, to provide financial assistance to widows and single women for the construction of houses. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday said the government would provide Rs 1.5 lakh financial assistance to nearly 7,000 women in this fiscal. To avail benefits, the eligible women must have an annual income of less than Rs 2 lakh. The Women and Child Development Department is finalizing modalities of the scheme. The Chief Minister said the initiative will provide much-needed support to the women who often face difficulties in accessing housing due to financial constraints. With the financial assistance under this scheme, the women will now be able to construct their own homes, which will not only provide them with a safe and secure living space but also a sense of ownership and empowerment of women, he added. Moreover, the houses constructed under this scheme will be equipped with basic facilities such as electricity, water, and other necessary amenities, which would ensure that the women have access to essential resources that are required for their daily lives. The scheme is a step towards improving the living conditions of widows and single women and providing them with the support they need to lead a dignified life, an official statement quoting the Chief Minister said. The government's efforts to address the housing needs of these vulnerable groups would go a long way in promoting inclusive and sustainable development in the state, he added. Dakshina Kannada, April 12 : In yet another blow to ruling BJP in Karnataka, S. Angara, Minister for Fisheries, Port and Inland Water Transport, a six-time MLA from Sullia constituency, has announced his retirement from active politics after being denied ticket to contest upcoming Assembly polls. Angara, who was denied ticket to contest Assembly elections, has decided not to take part in campaigning as well. He is known as the unbeatable king in Sullia constituency. He had suffered defeat once in the beginning and remained unbeatable till date. Bhagirathi Murulya has replaced him. He stated that the present development has brought suspicion among party workers on whom to trust. The development shows the ticket for those who indulge in lobbying and no ticket for those who did not lobby. "I won't complain about the party and leaders. My own move went against me. Enough of politics, this is the end," he stated. This is not the way to respect and honor the practice of honest politics for all these years for the party and for the society without any black marks," Angara explained. "My own honesty has proved to be a setback for me. Lobbying is not my character and this has proved to be a setback," he reiterated. Former minister K.S. Eshwarappa, senior leaders Halady Srinivas Shetty, S.A. Ravindranath had announced retirement from electoral politics. Former DCM Laxman Sangappa Savadi had announced that he will resign from the primary membership of the party. The developments have proved that BJP has a tough task ahead of Assembly polls. Hyderabad, April 12 : Two persons were killed and some others were injured when fireworks during a meeting of BRS triggered a blaze and a cooking gas cylinder explosion in Telangana's Khammam district. The incident occurred in Cheemalapadu village of Karepally mandal under the Wyra Assembly constituency. During the ongoing Athmeeya Sammelanam meeting of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), some party workers burst firecrackers. A nearby hut caught fire after one of the burning crackers fell on it. As a result of the fire, a cooking gas cylinder in the hut exploded killing two persons and injuring six others. A policeman and two journalists were among those injured. A couple of injured people lost their limbs in the explosion. The deceased were identified as Bonuth Ramesh and Angotu Mangu The BRS workers burst the firecrackers to welcome the party leaders, including Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao and MLA Ramulu Naik. The incident sent panic among people. The injured were shifted to the government hospital in the vehicles of the BRS leaders. Nageswara Rao told media persons that the incident had nothing to do with the party meeting. He said the incident occurred 200 meters away from the meeting venue. The MP directed the doctors to provide best medical treatment to the injured and if necessary shift them to Hyderabad. He assured all help to the victims. Meanwhile, BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed deep shock and grief over the tragic incident. Soon after coming to know that two activists succumbed and many others were seriously injured in the cylinder blast at BRS Athmeeya Sammelanam, CM KCR called Khammam district minister P. Ajay and MP Nageswar Rao on phone and enquired about the details. The Chief Minister assured that all kinds of assistance will be extended to the bereaved families of the deceased party activists. CM KCR instructed officials to provide better medical treatment to the injured persons. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao also expressed grief over the incident and assured all support to the families of the deceased and injured. New Delhi, April 12 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off poll-bound Rajasthan's first Vande Bharat express on Wednesday. While launching the train between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment through video conferencing, the Prime Minister lamented that "an important and basic need of the citizens like railways was turned into an arena of politics for a long time". PM Modi said, "India inherited a fairly big railway network at the time of Independence, but political interest dominated the need for modernisation in the years after independence". "Politics was evident in the selection of railway minister, announcement of trains and even in recruitments. Land acquisition was done under the false pretense of railway jobs and many unmanned crossings continued for a very long time and cleanliness and safety took a back seat," he said while alluding to the land for job scam, in which former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members are being probed. "The situation took a turn for the better after 2014 when people elected a stable government with full majority, when the pressure of political give and take receded, railway heaved a sigh of relief and sprinted to new heights," Modi said. This is the sixth Vande Bharat train in the last two months to have been flagged off by the Prime Minister. Incidentally, all the three trains --Ajmer-Delhi Cantonment Vande Bharat express, Rani Kamlapati-Hazrat Nizammuddin Vande Bharat express and Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat express -- cater to the needs of three poll-bound states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana respectively. All the three states are scheduled to witness Assembly elections later this year. Meanwhile, Modi remarked that the railway budget for Rajasthan has been increased 14 times since 2014, from Rs 700 crore in 2014 to more than Rs 9,500 crore this year. Addressing the gathering, Modi congratulated the land of valour Rajasthan for getting its first Vande Bharat Train, which he said, will not only ease the travel between Jaipur Delhi but will also give a push to the tourism industry of Rajasthan, as it will facilitate faster access to places of faith like Theerthraj Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Akhmetov will allocate $1.5 mln to create plan for recovery of Mariupol within Mariupol.Reborn initiative SCM Rinat Akhmetov, the owner of SCM investment group, intends to allocate $1.5 million this year to create a plan for the recovery of Mariupol as part of the Mariupol.Reborn initiative, the press service of the group reported. "To start the transformation of Mariupol today, all of us - Ukrainian and global business, authorities, international institutions - must join forces, attract the best minds and world expertise. I believe in the future of Mariupol, so I decided to allocate $1.5 million to build the Mariupol.Reborn project office, which will work with our partners and engage Mariupol residents to create a common vision for a new Mariupol together," Akhmetov said. According to the report, the funds will be sent to the NGO Mariupol.Reborn. The revival plan should be developed by the end of 2024 in cooperation with citizens and international partners. The Mariupol.Reborn initiative to create the city recovery plan was launched in the fall of 2022 by the Mariupol city authorities in partnership with SCM. As reported, Rinat Akhmetov is initiating arbitration against Russia for seized assets in Donetsk and Luhansk regions to finance the future reconstruction of Ukraine. Canberra, April 12 : Australian Defence Force (ADF) chief Angus Campbell has declined to give details about how many soldiers could face criminal prosecution over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, but warned of "uncomfortable days". In a speech to a think tank, the Chief of the Defence Force said that the investigations continue, and the ADF needed to confront its failures, reports Xinhua news agency. In 2020, Campbell released a four-year inquiry by Court of Appeal Justice Paul Brereton. Credible evidence was found that soldiers from the Australian special forces committed up to 39 murders while serving in the war-torn nation. Altogether 19 soldiers were referred for criminal investigation. The Office of the Special Investigator (OSI), established in the wake of the report, has said it is investigating more than 40 alleged offenses. "The OSI, which is working independently, has seen a first arrest and charging of a former soldier. You won't see me trying to gloss over these things, and I think that there could be some very uncomfortable days coming forward," Campbell added. The 2020 inquiry report blamed the murders of "prisoners, farmers or civilians" in 2009-13 on an unchecked "warrior culture" among some soldiers. It said 25 special forces soldiers had taken part in unlawful killings directly or as "accessories", across 23 separate incidents. It recommended that 36 incidents in total be investigated by federal police. Before Kabul's fall to the Taliban in August 2021, Australia maintained an operation of around 400 soldiers in Afghanistan. New Delhi, April 12 : Amid talks of opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, JD(U) and RJD leaders met here on Wednesday. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. The meeting took place at Kharge's residence. After the meeting, the four addressed the media jointly. Kharge said that they will reach out to like-minded parties. "We have decided to unite all opposition parties and fight the election unitedlly." Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "We will reach out to as many political parties and move forward together." Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, "This is a battle of ideologies and it is a historic step towards the 2024 fight." The meeting comes after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took the first step to unite the opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Kharge has made phone calls to leaders of various like-minded opposition parties, including M.K. Stalin, Nitish Kumar and Uddhav Thackeray. Kharge has invited these leaders for an opposition meet in Delhi next month to formalise a common agenda. Sources said that the leaders interacted on the opposition unity and future strategy to challenge the BJP in the country. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, on several occasions has been saying that he is waiting for the Congress to take the initiative of getting the opposition together. Chennai, April 12 : Kallakurichi district collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath has come under fire after a video of him reportedly asking his assistant to pick up his shoes turned viral. The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Koothandavar temple in Koovagam village near Ulundurpet in the district. As per reports, the collector had gone to the temple to oversee the preparations for the 18-day Chithirai -- the largest festival of the transgender community. The video shows the collector removing his shoes and gesturing to his assistant to carry them. The assistant was seen walking around carrying the shoes. However, the collector denied the incident saying that the video was edited. He told media persons that he had not asked his assistant to carry the shoes. There were several officials from various departments who were part of the team to review the preparations. He said that the video was edited to make it look as if he had asked his assistant to carry his shoes. Melbourne, April 12 : Thousands of devotees from world-over gathered to attend the consecration ceremony at Sri Venkateswara Temple in Helensburgh, about 55 kilometres south of Sydney. Held once every two decades, the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, marking the renovation and expansion of the temple, was witnessed by more than 20,000 Hindus, including 15 priests and visitors from Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius, the ABC News reported. Sacred fires were lit during the event, which concluded on April 10, and priests climbed to the roof of the temple to pour holy water into golden pots. "The significance of that is purifying not only the temple and deities but also the devotees who are watching the ceremony," temple director Subra Iyer told ABC News. The AUS$3 million renovations on the temple, built on top of a hilly area 400 feet above sea level, started in June last year. According to the news report, ten masons and painters were brought from India to construct and repair stone deities that inhabit the temple. The temple has been functioning since 1985 and has been a sacred place for Hindus living in Australia. Chennai, April 12 : The Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday arrested S. Selvakumar, state vice president of the Industrial cell of the BJP, on charge of sharing tweets against public tranquility. According to police, the posts were shared between April 6 and 11. One R.K. Suresh Kumar of Ganapathipudur in Coimbatore district had complained against Selvakumar on Tuesday. He was arrested under Sections 505(1)(b)(with the intent to cause or which is likely to cause fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit a crime against the state or against Public tranquility) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66 (computer-related offenses) of the IT Act. He was arrested by a team of Police officers led by Inspector P.A. Arun. BJP state president K. Annamalai condemned the arrest of Selvakumar and said that the DMK government was trying to muzzle the voices of people who were expressing themselves against the wrongdoings of the government. San Francisco, April 12 : Tech giant Google has become the first Big Tech company to drop its Covid-19 vaccination mandate to enter its buildings, as the pandemic eases. According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Google said it was dropping the Covid-19 vaccination mandate that the company implemented in December 2021, effective immediately. In a memo to employees, the Sundar Pichai-run tech giant cited the "extraordinary time" that has passed since the onset of the Covid pandemic. "We put in place emergency measures such as our Covid-19 vaccine policy to keep everyone safe, but now the world is in a very different place," said Chris Rackow, Google's vice president of global security. The governments worldwide, including in the US, are lifting restrictions and ending vaccination mandates. The Google memo came after US President Joe Biden signed the legislation that seeks to end the national emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 was declared a public health emergency by the health secretary under the Donald Trump administration on January 31, 2020, whereas Trump declared it a national emergency in March. "Covid-19 vaccines have been a critical part of our overall strategy to keep Googlers safe, especially in the workplace. They also have the benefit of reducing the risk of severe disease if you get infected and have helped to protect vulnerable members of our community," the Google memo to employees further read. Rackow urged employees to keep up to date with their Covid shots. "I am proud and grateful for the resilience you've all shown as we navigated so much uncertainty -- for our company and the world -- over the past few years," he mentioned. Panaji, April 12 : South Goa Member of Parliament Francisco Sardinha on Wednesday said that there is no issue giving Mhadei water for drinking purposes, but Karnataka's main aim behind diverting water is for steel plants. Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Sardinha said that if the water is diverted for irrigation purposes, then Goa will suffer. "We have no problem if the water is taken for drinking purposes. But we can't allow it for irrigation purposes. Karnataka's main aim to divert Mhadei water is for steel plants," Sardinha said. "If water is diverted then the environment, flora and fauna will be destroyed. There will be scarcity of water in Goa. Nobody knows what will be a picture (without water). The Goa government should look at our interests," he said. He said that even the Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a statement over Mhadei diversion. Amit Shah during a rally in Belagavi on January 28 had said: "Today, I am here to tell you that the BJP at the Centre has resolved the long dispute between Goa and Karnataka over Mhadei and allowed the diversion of Mhadei to Karnataka to satisfy the thirst of farmers of many districts." "One side Maharashtra is taking water and the other side Karnataka is also taking water. But the government is not speaking on this issue," Sardinha said. Recently Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that he will speak to Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with regard to work which has been restarted on the controversial Virdi dam in Sindhudurg district across the Valvanti river. "Our officers have visited the site of Virdi dam. On our request, Maharashtra has stopped the ongoing work. Maharashtra will also have to take permission from Mhadei Water Management Authority (PRAWAH), before starting the work," Sawant said. BJP leaders in Goa have said that in no circumstances would the state government compromise on the Mhadei issue. Goa and Karnataka are currently battling out a dispute over the Kalasa-Banduri dam project across the water of Mhadei river at a central tribunal. Chandigarh, April 12 : Punjab Police have arrested four alleged smugglers after recovering 35 packets of heroin, weighing 36.9 kg, from their possession in Fazilka district, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday. The arrested persons have been identified as Manpreet Singh, Jaspal singh, Sukhdev Singh and Dyalvinder singh, all residents of Tarn Taran district. The police have also recovered two Sedan cars, which were used to smuggle in drug consignments from Rajasthan. The DGP said that following inputs about the influx of large quantities of heroin from Rajasthan to Punjab, the police carried out an operation in the Lalo Wali village area, where four persons were waiting for someone. On seeing the police party, the accused tried to flee but the police managed to apprehend them. "During checking, the police recovered 23 packets of heroin, weighing 24.295 kg, concealed in the enclosure of their car windows," the DGP said, adding that another chunk of 12 packets of heroin, weighing 12.620 kg, were recovered from the location disclosed by the accused. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ferozepur Range), Ranjit Singh Dhillon, said as per preliminary investigation, the accused were coming from Rajasthan after collecting the heroin consignment which was dropped from across the border using a drone. Senior Superintendent of Police, Avneet Kaur Sidhu, said that further probe is on to find out more people involved in this module and also the Punjab-based receiver of the consignment. More arrests are expected in the coming days, she added. Bengaluru: Dr Rajanandini, daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, joins BJP in the presence of BJP leader and former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa,in Bengaluru,on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.(Photo:IANS/Twitter) Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru: Dr Rajanandini, daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, joins BJP in the presence of BJP leader and former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa,in Bengaluru,on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.(Photo:IANS/Twitter) Image Source: IANS News Shivamogga, April 12 : Veteran Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa's daughter and KPCC General Secretary Rajanandini on Wednesday joined the BJP, just ahead of the Karnataka Assembly polls, scheduled on May 10. Rajanandini wanted a ticket from Sagar constituency in Shivamogga district and had applied for the same. However, the Congress party had allotted the ticket to Gopalakrishna Belur, after which she maintained distance from the grand-old party. After joining the BJP, Rajanandini said she was an office bearer and expected the Congress party would recognise her years of efforts. "The Congress party rejected a ticket to an educated woman belonging to backward classes. Someone has recognised me and given me a hearty welcome. I am a worker. I will work anywhere. My father has been working for the party since 1978-79. Due to age factor, he withdrew from the contest and asked for the ticket for me. His desires were never respected. Now, I have made my own decision," she said. Before induction into the BJP, Rajanandini met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BJP Central Parliamentary Committee member B. S. Yediyurappa, and held talks. On his daughter joining the BJP, Thimmappa said that he had never thought that his daughter would do such a thing. "I have the satisfaction of working for the ideology of the Congress party. My daughter's decision has pained me," he said. "BJP MLA Haratalu Halappa is behind my daughter's move. I will talk to her," he said. Los Angeles, April 12 : English actor Billy Murray has claimed some people in an Audi attempted to "kidnap" his grandchildren while they were out with their mum and his son-in-law. Billy, 81, has taken to social media and claimed the terrifying incident happened close to his home in Essex while his daughter and her partner were enjoying a day out, reports Mirror.co.uk. The star, who also appeared in BBC's 'EastEnders', said that his daughter and his grandchildren were walking when they became separated before a group of men approached them. In a video which has since gone viral on social media, Billy has shared the terrifying ordeal and claimed a group of men got out of an Audi A6. He said: "My daughter and my two grandchildren, and her partner were out yesterday in a little tiny village just round the corner from our little farm. And they were just walking along and picking some wildflowers or whatever and she got kind of separated because a telephone call came for her partner and she just took it and he just stood there for a minute talking. A black Audi pulled up in front of her blocking the way she was walking." The 'Johnny Allen' actor further mentioned, quoted by Mirror.co.uk, "The driver got out and she could see through the screen that there was a passenger and three other guys sat in the back. And he walked up to her and he was very familiar with her or whatever, chatting to her, he was European. It was a black four-door Audi A6." "They kept looking at the children and she had this terrible fear, all of a sudden, came over her and she panicked and she called out to Mick. He looked over and saw exactly what was happening because the guys in the back and the passenger were getting out of the car to approach the children. They were going to kidnap my grandchildren, that's what they assumed anyway. And as soon as Mick, her partner, saw it he yelled and screamed at them to run and he ran over," he added. Italy will continue to support Ukraine and will present a plan for the country's reconstruction on April 26, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said. "During a telephone conversation with Dmytro Kuleba, I reiterated our support for Ukraine," he tweeted on Tuesday. "On April 26, we will present a plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine. We will perform together with our best companies," he said. Tajani also noted that he is in constant contact with the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, and stressed the importance of protecting the occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. "It is extremely important to protect the Zaporizhia power plant," he wrote. New Delhi, April 12 : In the latest development in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, a city court has acquitted a father-son duo accused of rioting and arson. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala presided over the hearing of two cases based on three complaints against Mithhan Singh and his son Jony Kumar. The prosecution had alleged that the duo was part of a violent mob that targeted and set fire to houses belonging to a particular community in lane number 29 of Khajuri Khas on February 25, 2020. However, the judge noted that there was no incriminating evidence against the accused, leading to their acquittal. "Both accused are hereby acquitted of all the charges levelled against them in this case," the judgments passed on Monday stated. The judge noted in both the orders that despite establishing the presence of an unlawful assembly that engaged in rioting, vandalism, and arson, prosecution witnesses did not identify the father-son duo. Therefore, the judge concluded that there was no incriminating evidence against the accused and no need to seek any explanation from them. The Khajuri Khas police station had filed charge sheets against the duo under various offences, including rioting and mischief by fire or explosive substance with the intent to destroy houses, among others. Bhubaneswar, April 12 : To integrate medical science with technology for providing a better and more equipped healthcare service, Bhubaneswar based AIIMS and IIT have signed an MoU to promote academic and research collaboration in various areas of health and technology. Both the institutes have agreed to extend collaboration in advancing research for public health applications like early diagnosis of disease and outbreaks, artificial intelligence and data analytics, biomedical engineering and technology, disease prediction modelling, digital health, development of tools, equipment and strategies for diagnostic and therapeutic use. AIIMS Bhubaneswar executive director Ashutosh Biswas and IIT Bhubaneswar director Shreepad Karmalkar have signed the agreement on Tuesday evening here at AIIMS. This endeavour will aid in finding solutions to the current challenges in the public health and patient treatment in the region. Application of cutting-edge technology into healthcare will have immense translational value in diagnosis and treatment of diseases, said Biswas. The collaboration will focus on application of artificial intelligence with relation to various health disorders, material development, app development, wearable sensor development, image-based diagnostics, AI & amp; data sciences enabled smart health monitoring system, and early warning systems among others, Biswas said. AIIMS executive director Biswas has extended gratitude to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the support to make this MoU a successful one. IIT Bhubaneswar director Shreepad Karmalkar said that several faculties of both the institutions have been looking at possible mutual partnerships for some time. The societal effect of these two institutions in Odisha and throughout the nation will increase as a result of this MoU, which will combine all of these efforts and give them a powerful boost. "We thank Education Minister Pradhan ji for encouraging the creation of this MoU. We shall now endeavour to ensure that this MoU produces concrete results," stated the IIT Bhubaneswar director. The institutes will also focus on dedicated laboratory development. An advanced research centre called Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology which will largely include biomedical signal processing, advanced characterisation, detector fabrication for imaging, additive manufacturing for designed materials, bio tracker and biosensor development for mental health care, is also planned under this collaboration. In addition, both the institutes have agreed to facilitate faculty and student exchange programmes and reorientation/training courses that will bring academic excellence in their respective fields. The institutes also agreed to develop and offer joint academic programmes involving technology and healthcare as well as academic credit sharing mechanism, sources said. Both the institutes will focus on dedicated facility development and explore the use of advanced medical equipment for artificial intelligence enabled patient care services. This will provide joint academic programmes that include short summer courses for MBBS and B. Tech students, and research dissertation and thesis work for doctoral (PHD/M. Tech) students. London, April 12 : A senior Conservative peer has accused Suella Braverman of using "racist rhetoric" after the home secretary singled out British-Pakistani men as being of special concern in relation to child sexual abuse cases, the media reported. Sayeeda Warsi, the first Asian person to chair the Tory party, said Conservatives cannot "use the pigment in their skin as a defence mechanism to say they are not racist", adding "brown people can be racist too", The Guardian reported. Warsi said Braverman's remarks have "got to stop" and called on Rishi Sunak to send a "really strong message that this kind of rhetoric... has got to stop". "I think the prime minister has to get a really strong message that this kind of rhetoric, whether it's on small boats, whether it's the stuff she was saying on the weekend which is not based on evidence, not nuanced, not kind of explanatory in any way, it has got to stop." She added: "I don't think any of my colleagues can use the pigment in their skin as some sort of a defence mechanism to say they are not racist. You know brown people can be racist too", The Guardian reported. Asked if she was calling the home secretary racist, she said: "I am calling her rhetoric racist. I am." Albie Amankona, a Tory campaigner who co-founded the race relations group Conservatives Against Racism For Equality, said on Twitter: "I don't understand how it's possible for one person, Suella Braverman, to find themselves almost weekly, at the centre of so much racial insensitivity. I've said it before, there is something not right there." Warsi's comments follow letters sent to Sunak calling for him to act over Braverman's rhetoric, including from the British Pakistan Foundation, which accused the home secretary of seeking to portray all British-Pakistani men in a "divisive and dangerous way". Patna April 12 : Samastipur police arrested a person in connection with a threat call to bomb Patna airport on Wednesday. The accused is identified as Sudhanshu Kumar alias Mukund. Samastipur police also seized the mobile phone which he used to make the threat call to a senior official of Patna airport. When a team of Samastipur police headed by City police station SHO Chandrakant Gauri went to the house of the accused located at Gali Number 1 of Punjabi colony, the accused attacked them. A constable was injured in the attack. The accused is a government employee and deployed at the block office. The accused made a call at 10.45 a.m. on Wednesday. Soon, district administration Patna came into action and sent a bomb squad with explosive defuse containers to the airport. The officials searched thoroughly but did not detect a bomb or any other explosive. Rajeev Mishra, SSP of Patna said: "Bomb or any kind of explosive was not found at the airport. The phone number used to call was located at Samastipur. A team of Samastipur district police has arrested the accused. During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the accused was drunk. We are coordinating with him." "In the threat call, the accused said that he had planted RDX at the Patna airport. Accordingly, we sent a bomb disposal squad and senior officials of Patna police at the spot. CISF personnel were also involved in the search operation. It has finally turned out to be a hoax call," Mishra said. Bhubaneswar, April 12 : The special task force (STF) of Odisha crime branch has seized a leopard skin and arrested a wildlife criminal in Sambalpur district, police said on Wednesday. On a tip off, the STF team conducted a raid near Champali river embankment under Naktideula police station limits in Sambalpur district on Tuesday and seized the leopard skin from the possession of a person. The accused, identified as Babuli Naik of Naktideula, has been arrested while the seized leopard skin will be sent to WildLife Institute of India, Dehradun for chemical examination, the STF said. Further investigation is on Paris, April 12 : Celebrated French actor Gerard Depardieu, 74, who's already indicted on rape and sexual assault charges in connection to a 2018 case, is now being accused of sexual misconduct by 13 women in an investigative report published by 'Mediapart' and quoted by 'Variety'. The accusations were made by female actors, make-up artists and production staff, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, and allegedly occurred during the making of 11 films released between 2004 and 2022. Mediapart said "one actress has just given her account to the French justice system", according to 'Variety'. None of these 13 women have taken legal action against 75-year-old Depardieu, according to a statement provided to 'Variety' by the Paris prosecutor's office. Depardieu's legal representation Cabinet Temime has denied the accusations and released a lengthy statement saying the actor "doesn't intend on addressing" the article "which appears to mix very diverse topics, including some very subjective appreciations and/or moral judgments". He "formally denies all of the accusations that could be subject to criminal law", the statement continued. One of the accounts was given by a former extra who worked on a film called "The Box" in 2015. She said Depardieu "put his hand under (her) dress" and "tried to get into (her) knickers." After she pushed him, he allegedly became "aggressive" and "tried to push my knickers to one side to finger (her)", 'Variety' reports, quoting 'Mediapart'. The news website quoted "a member of the production team" who said the shoot of "The Box" had to be paused because "an extra said she had been a victim of Gerard Depardieu." The scene was eventually modified so that the extra was no longer standing alongside Depardieu, according to the anonymous production team member quoted by Mediapart. An actor who worked on the film said she heard Depardieu "shouting that he could have who he wanted and that he didn't want her, that she was a 'fat pig'". Sydney, April 12 : Australian grocery delivery startup MilkRun has decided to shut shop and laid off 400 employees amid the gloomy global economic scenario. According to Forbes Australia, its co-founder Dany Milham told the staff that the company will wind down business on April 14. "Since we announced our structural changes in February, economic and capital market conditions have continued to deteriorate, and while the business has continued to perform well, we feel strongly that this is the right decision in the current environment," Milham was quoted as saying. MilkRun in February had announced it would make 20 per cent of its then staff redundant, as part of a move to consolidate its delivery hubs. "We've always been committed to doing things the right way, and winding down the business while we still have a sufficient cash balance enables us to ensure our people and suppliers are paid in full," the co-founder told employees. All staff would be made redundant at the startup MilkRun that was launched during the pandemic in 2021. It secured a $11 million seed round and in early 2022, the startup raised further $75 million that included US-based Tiger Global Management. According to McKinsey, in the first nine months of 2021, nearly $5.8 billion was invested globally into adark convenience stores'. However, as the pandemic waned, the popularity of instant grocery delivery platforms also decreased. Global grocery delivery player Gopuff announced its third round of layoffs in 12 months in March this year. Gorillas laid off more than 100 workers and exited three countries in 2022. New Delhi, April 12 : Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the Maharashtra government's original suit filed in 2004 challenging the transfer of Belgaum, now named Belagavi, to Karnataka in 1956. He is the second judge this year, who has opted out from hearing the matter. On Wednesday, the matter came before a bench of Justices S.K. Kaul, Ahsanuddin Amanullah. and Aravind Kumar. As counsel mentioned the matter and apprised the bench that in the past some of the judges (from the two states - Maharashtra and Karnataka) had recused themselves, Justice Kumar, who hails from Karnataka, recused himself from the hearing and now the matter will be listed before a bench where he is not a member. The court's order said: "List before the bench of which one of us (Hon'ble Mr. Justice Aravind Kumar) is not a member." The matter will now go to the Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud to assign to a new bench. In February, Supreme Court judge, Justice B.V. Nagarathna recused herself rom the matter. After Justice Nagarathna, who hailed from Karnataka, opted out of hearing the matter, another bench was set up to consider the issue. Earlier, in 2019, Justice M.M. Shantanagoudar and Justice S Abdul Nazeer had recused themselves from hearing the case. The Karnataka government had objected to the maintainability of the suit contending there exists no legal right within a state to challenge alterations of its boundary. It had said that the legislative exercise of powers under Article 3 of the Constitution does not vest any right in a state government and when such an exercise is carried out, no consent or concurrence of a state is taken in terms of proviso to Article 3, only views of the state are taken. The conflict between Maharashtra and Karnataka pertains to claims over towns and villages situated along the border of the two states. Previously, the Central government had also questioned the maintainability of the suit and Karnataka had also maintained that only the Centre has been entrusted with the power to reorganise, alter or diminish areas of the states. It had emphasised that this cannot be questioned by the states and argued that the matter was resolved long ago and the settlement of boundaries as per the States Reorganisation Act was final. In 2004, the Maharashtra government filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the State Reorganisation Act, 1956 and sought that 865 villages and towns from five Karnataka districts be merged with Maharashtra. Citing Article 3, Karnataka argued that the apex court does not have the jurisdiction to decide states' borders issues, and the only Parliament has the power to decide matters of this nature. However, Maharashtra had referred to Article 131 of the Constitution, which says the top court has jurisdiction in cases connected with disputes between the Centre and states. Ever since the State Reorganisation Act was passed by the Parliament in 1956, Maharashtra and Karnataka have sparred over the inclusion of some towns and villages along the border. Justice Fazal Ali Commission was appointed in 1953 and submitted its report two years later. The 1956 Act is based on its findings. New Delhi, April 12 : With the University Grants Commission (UGC) releasing the National Credit Framework (NCrF), students and parents from across the country now want to know what it is, what's the need for NCrF and how do students earn credits? Speaking to IANS, UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar answered all these questions related to the higher education system of the country. Excerpts from the interview: IANS: UGC released the National Credit Framework on Monday. What exactly is it? Kumar: The NCrF is a broad enabling framework for all regulatory organizations and all universities, including institutions of national importance. They will be free to notify their detailed implementation guidelines with flexibility for catering to their academic requirements. It is a meta-framework to seamlessly integrate the credits earned through school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education. This meta-framework consists of three verticals: National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF) National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) * National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)IANS: What is the need for NCrF? Kumar: The NEP2020 emphasizes the integration of general academic education and vocational and skill education, providing seamless horizontal and vertical mobility between the two streams for lifelong learning. NCF provides this mechanism while ensuring equivalence within and between these two education streams. IANS: What is credit, and how do students earn credits? Kumar: Credit is the recognition that a learner has completed a prior course of learning, corresponding to a qualification at a given level. Simply put, one credit corresponds to 30 notional learning hours in a year of two semesters. Every semester a student is required to earn a minimum of 20 credits. A student earns 40 credits in one year corresponding to 1200 notional learning hours. But students can also earn more than 40 credits in a year. IANS: NCrF also mentions levels of school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education. What is the meaning of these levels, and how do students progress from one level to another? Kumar: The entire school education for the first time in India has level assignments. School education is assigned Level 0 to Level 4. When a student completes Class V, the student is placed at level 1. After completing middle school (Class VI to VIII), the student reaches level 2. Completion of high school (Class IX and X) corresponds to level 3, and Senior Secondary School (Class XI and XII) corresponds to level 4. The credits earned by a student during his entire schooling will be 160 credits. Higher education levels start from Level 4.5 and end at Level 8. A three-year bachelor's degree will have levels 4.5, 5, and 5.5 corresponding to the first year, second year, and third year. Every year, a student has to earn 40 credits to move to the next level, and by the end of a three-year bachelor's degree, the student will have earned 120 credits. Level 6 corresponds to a 4-year bachelor's degree, Level 6.5 corresponds to a two-year Master's degree for those with a three-year bachelor's degree, and Level 7 corresponds to a two-year Master's degree for those with a four-year undergraduate engineering degree and Ph.D. degree is at level 8. When a student completes a Ph.D., the earned credits would be 8x40 = 320. IANS: What learning modes are permitted in NCrF, and how does one earn credits if the learning methods are different? Kumar: The credit assignment is a function of the total hours of learning put in by a student in a year versus the full credits available in a year. The learning hours, irrespective of the mode of learning (offline, online, or blended), shall continue to follow the broad principles specified in NCrF. This will enhance the extensive use of technology in education. IANS: How do students store and redeem the credits earned by them to obtain the corresponding qualifications? Kumar: Credits accumulated by each student shall be stored in the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) technology platform. ABC enables every student and educational institution to digitally keep a record of all the credits earned and accumulated throughout life in a standard account. ABC can be used to store irrespective of the type of learning, i.e., academic, vocational, or experiential learning. IANS: Does it mean that even experiential learning can be credited and used for acquiring qualifications? Kumar: Yes. NCrF provides the opportunity for creditization and progression pathways for other learnings not credited earlier for awarding a certificate, diploma, and degree for encouraging lifelong learning. IANS: Can you explain how credits earned in one stream can be used while joining another stream? Kumar: For example, an ITI pass out (2 years after 10th) along with an additional language course from NIOS attains equivalence of Class 12th certificate along with ITI-National Trade Certificate, which will enable the student to join a University like any other 12th pass student. Similarly, A 5th-grade student with total accumulated credit points of 200 over the years and undertaking a particular bridge course is eligible to appear for the 8th class examination. Once the student clears it, he will be in grade 8th pass and can continue with 9th grade onwards through mainstream education. IANS: Will other countries recognize our NCrF, and will other countries recognize the qualifications of our students? Kumar: The International equivalence and transfer of credits shall be enabled through various multilateral and bilateral agreements between respective regulators of the countries concerned. New Delhi, April 12 : A Delhi court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing in AAP leader Manish Sisodia's bail plea in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED submitted before the bench of special judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court that Sisodia had planted fabricated e-mails to show that there was public approval for the policy. "We have evidence that Sisodia had e-mails planted. These were received not only in the official e-mail account of the excise department, but even in his personal e-mail account. The content of the e-mails was given by Sisodia which suited his agenda," the ED counsel told the court while opposing Sisodia's bail plea. The directions to send these pre-drafted e-mails were given to Zakir Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities' Commission, who then asked his interns to send the e-mails, the ED told the court. "Fabricated e-mails were sent to show that there was public approval for the excise policy. It was a sham approval. An illegal ecosystem was created to give benefits to the liquor cartels in lieu of kickbacks," the ED counsel said. The ED's special public prosecutor Zoheb Hossain then told the judge that the agency wants to show him the case diary. To this, Sisodia's counsel said that it should not be done so in secrecy. "Sealed cover business should go. If something is used against me to deny me my liberty, if they are relying on something behind my back, it should be shown to me as well," the counsel said on behalf of Sisodia. However, the probe agnecy said that the 60 days given to complete the investigation against Sisodia are not over yet. The ED counsel said: "We will show it to you after 60 days." The court then adjourned the matter for next hearing on April 18. On April 5, the ED had informed special judge Nagpal that it has found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia's involvement in the alleged excise policy scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage. The court had extended the AAP leader's custody till April 17 in this case. Advocate Vivek Jain, representing Sisodia, had told the court that the ED lacked evidence to support the accusation that his client was involved in money laundering. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has launched an investigation into a war crime - the torture and murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by the occupiers - filmed on a video circulated online, the SBU reports. "Yesterday, a video appeared on the network of how the Russian occupiers show their bestial nature - they brutally torture a Ukrainian prisoner of war and cut off his head. The Security Service of Ukraine began a pretrial investigation into this war crime under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the Ukrainian intelligence service said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday. "We will find these non-humans. If necessary, we will get them anywhere, wherever they are: from underground or from the other world. But they will definitely be punished for what they have done," Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Ukrainian intelligence service, is quoted in the message. New Delhi, April 12 : Even as detecting cancer early remains key, a Gurugram-based startup PredOmix has developed a novel blood test that can detect about 32 cancers in both men and women, with 98 per cent accuracy. The company's OncoVeryx-F is a patented technology that combines metabolomics (study of small molecules) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify metabolite signatures of multiple cancers in a single test. "Metabolomics is a particularly suitable technique for cancer detection since metabolic reprogramming constitutes one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. By using appropriate big data algorithms, metabolite asignatures' characteristic of cancer can be accurately extracted from the serum metabolome," Dr. Kanury V.S. Rao, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), PredOmix, told IANS. The test was first launched in 2022 and identified four major female-specific malignancies in a single blood test: breast, endometrium, cervix, and ovary. The company has now upgraded it to 32 cancers of both men and women that are notoriously difficult to otherwise detect. These are pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, brain cancer, and sarcomas. In addition to this, cancers that cause the most deaths in India - breast cancer, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, oral cancer and prostate cancer - are also covered. OncoVeryx-F also aids in determining the presence or absence of cancer as well as the tissue of origin or cancer type, the company said. "The development of this test will have a considerable impact on cancer mortality, especially in situations when the early discovery of the disease might significantly improve treatment outcomes.This test will enable medical practitioners to detect cancer early, leading to more effective treatment regimens and a higher chance of survival," Rao said. "Cancer needs to be addressed immediately because it is the main cause of premature deaths worldwide and the best way to reduce cancer-related mortality is still early-stage detection," he noted, adding that the current screening procedures can only detect a small number of cancers. For example, while the accuracy of mammography for breast cancer screening is between 80-95 per cent, that of either the pap test or colonoscopy for cervical and colorectal cancer screening is only approximately 70 per cent. "Additionally, each of these screening methods is intended to find just one specific form of cancer. Symptoms that only manifest in the later stages of the disease still serve as the basis for the diagnosis of the remaining cancer types. We recognise the need for better screening methods and are proud to announce the expansion of our current cancer screening test to a 32-cancer test for both men and women, including hard-to-detect cancers for the Indian population," Rao told IANS. To test their technology, a field study was conducted with blood samples collected from over 4,000 patients spread across different geographic regions of India. The company said the results were "excellent", and the average detection accuracy was 98 per cent. It has now filed a provisional international patent application with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Clinical trials with over 10,000 people in India have also been initiated by the company in order to validate the results. The company has presently has licence for their software "as a medical device" from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation "Currently this is a laboratory developed test, however we will be completing our Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved clinical trial in the next few months and plan to get DGCI approval soon," the company said. The test for women specific cancers is priced at Rs 12,000, the company said, adding that the cost would be different for the 32 cancers for men, which "is still under development and would be available later this year". Chandigarh, April 12 : Stating that no individual has been detained yet, the Indian Army said on Wednesday evening that a search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine used in the killing of four armymen inside the Bathinda military station in Punjab. "Joint teams of the Army and police will now undertake forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details," the Army said in an evening bulletin. Two unidentified persons in civil dress opened fire at army personnel sleeping in the barracks of the military station early on Wednesday morning, killing four armymen, said Superintendent of Police (Investigation), Ajay Gandhi, adding that 19 empty shells of an INSAS rifle were recovered from the spot. The firing took place at about 4.35 a.m. on Wednesday at the military base -- the largest in Asia -- located some 100 km from the Pakistan border. Gandhi, who is heading the police team probing the incident, refused to comment on the use of weapon/weapons in the crime. "The matter is still under investigation," he told the media. The officer said that 19 empty shells of an INSAS rifle were recovered from the spot, adding that the deceased -- Sagar, Kamlesh, Santosh and Yogesh -- were asleep when the assailants opened fire inside the military barrack. The South Western Command headquarters said the balance number of rounds in the INSAS rifle would only be available after forensic analysis. "The joint investigation with Punjab Police is in progress. All possible assistance is being provided. No individual has been detained or apprehended yet," it added. Earlier in the day, the command headquarters had said in a statement that it has been "ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident". "No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported. The area continues to be sealed and a joint investigation with Punjab Police is being coordinated to establish the facts of the case," the statement said. It added that all aspects, including the possible use of an INSAS rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition that went missing two days back, are being probed. Senior Superintendent of Police (Bathinda), Gulneet Singh Khurana, told the media that "it was not a terror attack and seemed to be some internal development in the military station". The Bathinda cantonment, which houses one of the biggest ammunition depots in the country, is located along National Highway-7 on the Chandigarh-Fazilka stretch that further leads to Rajasthan. Mumbai, April 12 : The Mumbai Police swooped on a factory manufacturing fake products of globally recognised American brand Levi's - of Levi Strauss & Co, California, an official said here on Wednesday. Following a tip-off received on the scam by the Crime Branch Unit 12 in Dahisar, a team of sleuths maintained a week-long surveillance on the garment factory, Smita Enterprises, Dalvi Compound, at Film City Road in Goregaon east, allegedly indulging in the fraud. After verification, the police raided the warehouse of Smita Enterprises on Monday and seized around 300 t-shirts, brand labels, other materials, fusing and printing machinery, totally worth over Rs 16 lakh. The owner of the complainant company, Netrika Enterprises, who was present during the operation, checked and confirmed that the seized goods were all "fake products" intended to cheat gullible customers in the market. The Dindoshi police ptation has detained the prime accused - owner of Smita Enterprises, who has confessed to the crime - and booked him under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Copyright Act, as further investigations are underway. An official in the probe said that the fraudulent cheap products, passed off with the labels of the prestigious American brand, were being sold out in the open markets, in shops, malls and other outlets to dupe unsuspecting customers vying for such big labels. Suspecting it to be the tip of a possibly bigger scam, the sleuths are trying to find out the other associates of the accused, the retail outlets from where they were being sold and the probable fake use of other known international brand names in the entire racket. New Delhi, April 12 : With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections just a year away, the government plans to strengthen its media outreach by hiring consultants on a short term basis till May 2024, who will be stationed in all state capitals and help in effectively promoting the various welfare schemes and measures initiated by it in the last nine years. The aim behind the initiative is to portray the pro-poor and common man friendly image of the government, by highlighting the several people-oriented schemes of the Centre, sources privy to developments said. According to a blueprint which has been prepared by the PMO, highly placed sources said that these consultants will be functioning along with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) officers, who are already deputed in states' capitals and various cities all over the country. The government has also approached retired information service officers of the ministry of information and broadcasting as well as professionals from the field of communication for the major outreach programme, to work as consultants till May 2024, the tenure of the present NDA government, sources said. As per the programme, important state capitals like Mumbai, Chennai and Gandhinagar are likely to have as many as three such media consultants, who will work in tandem with PIB officers of those regions. These consultants will help prepare strategies for sending across an effective message of the positive impact among the masses, of various welfare schemes and initiatives of the Centre during the last nine years, especially those for the poor, women and children. Schemes like Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and MUDRA loans among others, are expected to be aggressively highlighted through these consultants as well as PIB's own media wings in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Chennai, April 12 : Global steel major ArcelorMittal's Indian subsidiary had inked an agreement with wind turbine major Siemens Gamesa to source wind turbines for its 166 MW project in Andhra Pradesh. The clean electricity produced will be used by one of ArcelorMittal's steel plants in India, providing a much-needed boost to the industry's decarbonisation efforts in the country. According to Siemens Gamesa, it has signed the deal to supply 46 SG 3.6-145 wind turbines to AM Green Energy Private Ltd (AMGEPL), a joint venture of ArcelorMittal S.A. and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd (AM/NS India). The wind project will form part of a 989-MW wind-solar hybrid renewable energy project by AMGEPL in Kurnool district of Andhra, said Siemens Gamesa. Large-scale renewable energy investments by the power-intensive steel industry will help reduce carbon emissions and drive a cleaner future. The total power generated from the Kurnool wind farm will be used by the AM/NS India steel plant located at Hazira, in Gujarat, and will enable AM/NS India to meet 20 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable resources, while helping to reduce its carbon emissions by 1.5 million tons each year. "This partnership with the world's second largest steel producer opens up a huge opportunity for the wind industry in India, especially for the power-intensive steel industry which is fast-tracking its efforts to meet carbon emissions goals. We are confident in delivering this landmark project that will help give fresh renewable momentum to the state of Andhra Pradesh," said Navin Dewaji, CEO of the Asia Pacific region for Siemens Gamesa's onshore business. "Large amounts of clean energy are required to accelerate to net zero goals of corporations and countries, and we are happy to have embarked on this journey emphatically in India. Our partnership with Siemens Gamesa for this benchmark model project demonstrates how establishing partnerships and collaborating across the supply chain can help us progress faster towards our decarbonisation targets," said Amit Harlalka, Vice President, ArcelorMittal and CFO, AM/NS India. The supply of wind turbines to this project in Kurnool will commence in the second quarter of calendar year 2023 and the turbines will be manufactured at Siemens Gamesa's plants in India. The company has a blade factory in Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), a nacelle factory in Mamandur (Chennai), and an operations and maintenance center in Red Hills (Chennai). Siemens Gamesa has operated in India since 2009 and is currently the market leader with a 40 per cent market share and an installed base of over 8 GW, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Agartala, April 12 : Bangladesh has been contributing immensely to the economy of India, in particular in the northeast region. The under construction infrastructure projects are going to be engines of growth not only for Bangladesh, but also for Nepal, Bhutan and the northeast as these could be used by them, Bangladesh minister of state for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam said here on Wednesday. The minister said that the under construction Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, the first of its kind in South Asia, the Matarbari and Payra deep sea port, the Matarbari coal-fired power plant with an electricity generation capacity of 1,200 MW, the third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal international airport in Dhaka, and the Padma bridge rail link project will all benefit northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan to a great extent. India receives the highest number of tourists, including medical tourists, from Bangladesh, he told the media. Thousands of Indians are working in various service sectors in Bangladesh that has become one of the largest sources of inward remittance for India, said Alam, who addressed a conclave in Agartala. Alam said that last month, the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh had jointly inaugurated the 'India Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline' by which Bangladesh's diesel imports from India have increased manifold at a much cheaper price. "The total trade between the two countries has increased three-fold during the last decade while there remains huge untapped potential. "We should enhance the bilateral trade in a balanced manner removing the tariff and non-tariff barriers, develop and modernise the infrastructure along the border," he said. The minister said that being geographically contiguous, Bangladesh and northeast India are much more than just next door neighbours. He said that in a bid to accelerate shared economic growth, India and Bangladesh have agreed to restore the pre-1965 connectivity linkages through rail, road, ports and inland waterways. The Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade of 1972 was the first instrument that offered India the use of Bangladesh's inland waterways for carrying goods from other parts of India to the northeastern region, Alam pointed out. The two countries have signed an Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla port for movement of goods to and from India. At the request of India, particularly the government of former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended all support for construction of the "Maitree Bridge" over the Feni river in southern Tripura's Sabroom. This would allow India's northeastern states' easy access to Chattogram port using Bangladesh territory, the minister said. Bangladesh is keen to be connected with the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMTTH) to connect herself with South East Asia, the minister said and hoped that India would facilitate their entry into this trilateral highway that has suffered a setback due to the political situation in Myanmar. The Chattogram port and the Matarbari deep sea port have the potential to become a regional hub for connecting the land-locked northeast India through Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal and onward. The greater involvement of Japan will pave the way for comprehensive development particularly for Bangladesh and northeast India, Alam said. New Delhi, April 12 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday emphasised that building a consensus on the definition of global development challenges and augmenting financial and operational capacity of World Bank Group is critical for the evolution of Multilateral Development Bank (MDB). Sitharaman, who is currently in Washington, participated in a roundtable on "Multilateral Development Bank Evolution: Building Shareholder Consensus" hosted by U.S. treasury secretary Janet Yellen at the World Bank headquarters. The discussion focused on the impact of global development challenges like climate change, pandemics, fragility and conflict on development progress and reforms at the World Bank. Sitharaman stated that the calls to reinvigorate the World Bank present a historic opportunity to make the institution 'fit for purpose' to achieve the SDGs alongside addressing national as well as global development challenges, both present and future. She further said that in the true spirit of multilateralism, the MDB evolution dialogue needs to be inclusive, consensus-based and recognise in full measure, the development perspectives and priorities of client countries. New Delhi, April 12 : Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia presented the 13th AIMA Managing India Awards to the country's high-performing management leaders and institutions for their contribution to nation building. A statement on Wednesday mentioned that Scindia congratulated the awardees and called the awards 'a wonderful portrayal of Indian capability'. "For me, it is a sobering moment but also a moment of tremendous pride because we see in India today the capability of straddling multiple domains with ease," the Minister said. Drawing on the diversity of the awards and awardees, Scindia said that the ceremony projected the vibrancy between the old and the new, between ingenuity and entrepreneurship, and between brick and mortar and technology. "This capability is the essence of the story of new India," he said. He emphasised that India has seen massive structural shifts combined with sustained strategic efforts to create an ecosystem of partnership. "The philosophy today is that in your success lies India's success," he told the country's business leaders. "Today, India has embarked on a tryst with a new destiny, on a new journey from her Amritkaal to her Shataabdikaal," Scindia said and stressed that the new India is predicated on infrastructure development. "India will achieve the target of becoming a developed nation by 2047 by following this very path," he said. Highlighting the achievements in the civil aviation sector, Scindia pointed out that in the last 9 years, 74 additional airports, waterdromes, and, heliports have been built, which has doubled the number of airports to 148. He referred to the 75 per cent increase in the number of aircraft in the country from 400 to 700. Scindia declared a resolve to build more than 200 airports over the next 4-5 years. He also predicted a doubling of the air passenger throughput in the 6 metros to 450 million by 2030. "It is our resolve to bring wholistic growth such that the civil aviation sector can support a $20 trillion economy by 2047," the minister said. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, received the Business Leader of the Decade Award. In his acceptance speech, Birla said: "It is a very special award because it recognises longitudinal contribution over a period of ten years." TV Narendran, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel Ltd was honoured with AIMA JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award on the occasion. Accepting his trophy, Narendran dedicated the award to the company's past and present employees. He pointed out that Tata Steel has many 5th and 6th generation employees, and it is the only company he has known in his 35-year career. He also acknowledged his wife. "My family has sacrificed the most for my professional success," he said. Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv Ltd received the Transformational Business Leader Award. He called the award important because it recognized the endeavour to transform a traditional banking and insurance sector that has not changed much in 200 years into a digitally-led, digitally-first avatar that is relevant to consumers of today. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company was given the Outstanding Institution Builder Award for making the TVS group a major force in the domestic and international automotive markets. The Outstanding PSU of the Year Award went to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) of the UPI fame. Vishwanath Krishnamurthy, Chief Risk Officer and Sampath Rangasamy, Chief of New Product Development accepted the award on behalf of the organisations. They credited the government and the RBI for NPCI's success. ABB India Ltd got the MNC in India of the Year Award. Sanjeev Sharma, Country Managing Director, received the trophy. He pointed out that ABB had been doing business in India for 100 years and manufacturing locally for 70 years. "ABB is well domesticated and we are enjoying growth in the country," he said. Samir Mehta, Chairman, Torrent Group received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He attributed the recent growth of the group to its founder's values. The Young Entrepreneur Award went to the founders of electric scooter maker, Ather Energy -- Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain. "We are engineers first and we are poor in management. So, we are happy to receive this award from a management organisation," Mehta said. Jain said that India needs more entrepreneurs not only in software but also in the areas of hardware and manufacturing. The jury for the awards was chaired by Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group. The jury was made up of eminent business leaders, including Shrinivas Dempo, Harsh Pati Singhania, Sanjay Kirloskar, Rajive Kaul, Sudhir Jalan, Preetha Reddy, Inderdeep Singh, P. Balaji, Vineet Agrawal and Yezdi Nagporewala. AIMA President, Shrinivas Dempo said that this year's Managing India Awards reflected achievements across the entire spectrum of Indian economy -- from conventional economy to avant-garde ventures, from young entrepreneurs to empire builders, from public sector to multinationals. Imphal, April 12 : The Manipur police is probing Sundays looting of arms by suspected militants belonging to the Kuki Independent Army (KIA) who took away 25 sophisticated arms from the armoury of three militant groups staying in a designated camp under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Manipur, the police said on Wednesday. A senior police official said that no one has been arrested so far after the looting of arms by the militants of the KIA (also known as the Kuki Independent Organisation) from the designated camp of three militant groups at Chungkhao in Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar. The Manipur-based KIA is a non-signatory to the tripartite ceasefire pact with the government. "Immediately after the early Sunday incident, a high alert has been sounded and all the concerned police stations and security posts have been asked to remain vigilant to recover the looted weapons and to nab the fleeing KIA extremists," the official said, refusing to be named. The militants of three outfits -- the Kuki National Army (KNA), Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) -- have been staying in the designated camp after the Centre and the Manipur government signed the tripartite agreement and SoO with these outfits on August 22, 2008. The hilly and forested Churachandpur district in southern Manipur, which borders Myanmar and Mizoram, is home to various Kuki-Chin militant groups. The arms loot took place three days after the Manipur police announced a reward of Rs 50,000 to any person, who provides information leading to the arrest of KIA chief Thangkhongam Haokip (40). The Manipur government last month unilaterally pulled out from the tripartite talks and SoO signed with three Kuki militant outfits even though the Union Home Ministry is yet to give its approval to the state government's decision. It was also reported that the cadres of KNA, ZRA and KRA are instigating poppy cultivators in the state against the government, which has been taking action against illegal poppy cultivators, and destroying poppy fields in the forest lands, especially in the reserve and protected forests. However, an umbrella organisation of the Kuki outfits has dismissed the accusations. Kolkata, April 12 : CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday categorically ruled out any kind of understanding, overt or covert, with the BJP against West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress in the forthcoming panchayat elections. The assumption of such a covert grand understanding against the Trinamool had been the recent talking point in the political circles in the state primarily because of the the "no vote to Mamata" slogan coined by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The assumptions of a clandestine grand opposition have also surfaced over the recent statements by other senior BJP leaders like its national Vice President Dilip Ghosh and the state President Sukanta Majumdar, calling for a united opposition of the people against the state's ruling party for the forthcoming rural civic body polls. "Our stand is clear that we are fighting against BJP throughout the country. Now whatever they are saying are their responsibilities. They will say a lot of things to mislead the people. So, no question from our side to have any understanding with BJP," Yechury said while addressing media persons here. He was in Kolkata to attend a two-day meeting of the party to review the preparedness of the party for the forthcoming panchayat polls. In the review meeting of the last two days, the party leadership also cautioned about not getting trapped in such propaganda by BJP especially among the grassroots-level workers. Yechury also said that there is no guarantee that the Trinamool will not again have an understanding with the BJP in future. "As we all know that Trinamool Congress was part of National Democratic Alliance in the past. Is there a guarantee that Trinamool Congress will not again be a part of the alliance in future?" he questioned. Meanwhile, a state committee member of the party said that the party has finalised almost 70 per cent of the candidates for the polls for the three-tier panchayat system. "Besides making hardcore party members the candidates, this time, some non-members with clean image in the locality will also be fielded as candidates," he said. Ukraine has managed to establish warm diplomatic relations with India, head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak wrote for the Indian newspaper The Hindu. "We managed to establish warm diplomatic relations with India, and I believe that I am right when I say that our views are similar in two important aspects. Firstly, we did not seek war with the Russian Federation. Just like India, we only fight when we are attacked. Secondly, we share India's belief that the world has long been experiencing an imbalance in international institutions," he wrote. "Russia has discredited itself as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council by undermining global faith in an outdated structure. Russia kills Ukrainians, kidnaps children, and commits genocide of our people. The Council was created after the Second World War with the mission of maintaining world peace - a task that it clearly failed to fulfill," Yermak said. In his opinion, "however long it takes to deprive the world of Russia's crimes, Mr. Modi's UN reform campaign deserves success. Ukraine also wholeheartedly supports the theme of the current Indian G20 chairmanship, proposed by Mr. Modi." New Delhi, April 12: Sweden has closed its Islamabad embassy indefinitely due to security concerns. The decision will have implications on bilateral relations like trade, education and people-to-people ties besides tarnishing Pakistans image globally as an unsafe country. A short statement posted on the embassy website said: "Due to the current security situation in Islamabad, the Embassy of Sweden is closed for visitors". It did not say when it will resume its operations in Pakistan. The embassy added that the migration section is unable to handle requests of any kind. It also said the embassy cannot send any documents to Swedish consulates, Sweden or "your home address. We understand that this will cause inconvenience, however, the safety of our applicants and staff members is of highest priority". Sweden had informed the Pakistani Foreign Office in advance about its decision to close down the embassy. According to the Pakistani media, Islamabad even advised the embassy to review its decision. It is believed that Sweden took the decision after a comprehensive assessment of the security situation in Pakistan. The South Asian nation has witnessed numerous killings of foreign nationals including that of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara over fake blasphemy charges as well as Pakistani women of foreign nationality. With the closure of the Swedish embassy, relations between the two countries will be impacted severely. Badly affected will be Pakistani students intending to study in Sweden for whom the visa process takes between 4-6 months. The closure will also impact the Pakistani diaspora in Sweden as the to-and-fro visits between family and friends may not materialise easily. The decision may have an impact on other European nations which are cagey about security and terror impacting their citizens. In February this year, China too shut down the consular section of its Islamabad embassy citing poor security. Before closing shutters on its consular section, Beijing advised its nationals to enhance personal safety measures due to increasing attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and the Baloch insurgents across the nation. Chinese nationals have been attacked across Pakistan for a variety of reasons plunging diplomatic relations to new lows. Last month, Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs had informed its embassies globally that it would not be able to pay additional bonuses and allowances to staff and diplomats due to the economic woes it has been facing since last year. The fuel allowance of diplomats has been revoked and travel outside the capital cities has been reduced in missions in the UK, Canada, Europe, Africa, even the Middle East, Central Asia, the Pacific region and the Far East. The Washington embassy seems to be the worst off as allowances were stopped immediately. Moreover, Pakistan decided not to offer lunch, supper, and high tea at its official events in Washington. Another far-reaching decision was to stop events at hotels and organise these at the embassy itself. The decisions by Sweden and China will have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan's global image and relations with other nations at a time when it desperately needs finances to tide over day-to-day finances and provide food to its citizens. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Hyderabad, April 12 : Claiming that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is receiving huge response in Maharashtra, party president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said on Wednesday that the country is waiting for the right leader and the right party. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said the kind of response BRS is getting in Maharashtra is beyond his own expectations. KCR was addressing a 'Dawat-e-Iftar' hosted by the state government at the L.B. Stadium here. Stating that the country is passing through a difficult phase, the BRS chief said that it is a temporary phase and ultimately truth and justice will prevail. He said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was turned into BRS to make an effort to save the country. "The country belongs to all, and we have to save it at any cost. We will fight till the last drop of our blood but will not compromise," KCR told the large gathering. Calling for safeguarding the composite culture of the country, the BRS leader said, "Nobody can change our traditions and history. Those who try will go but the country will remain." KCR, however, stressed the need to act wisely without getting swayed by emotions. "When I was fighting for Telangana, I knew that 'Allah ke ghar der hai, andher nahi'," he said. Referring to the progress made by Telangana across sectors during the last nine years, KCR said the state has no competition. He also said the Central government itself has revealed in the Parliament that Telangana has the highest per capita income in the country. "Our per capita income is higher than that of bigger states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," he said. KCR added that per capita power consumption in the state has doubled in nine years while farmers' suicides have come to an end, and those who had migrated are now coming back to the state. He pointed out that while paddy cultivation in the country is happening on 94 lakh acres, Telangana alone accounts for 56.40 lakh acres. "There is no drinking water and power problem in the state. We are moving ahead, but the country is lagging behind. If the Centre had performed at par with Telangana, our GDP would have been higher by Rs 3-4 lakh crore," he said. KCR also said his government spent Rs 12,000 crore on minority welfare in nine years, while during the preceeding 10 years of Congress rule, only Rs 1,180 crore was spent. Ministers, Muslim leaders from BRS, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, religious scholars and others attended the Iftar party. New Delhi, April 12 : The Congress top brass will be meeting on Thursday morning to discuss the Rajasthan issue. State party in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and briefed him about the situation. Randhawa told the media that "action should have been taken in the past but this time definitely action will be taken." The party is miffed with the Rajasthan situation and Randhawa has returned from the state while former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot is also in Delhi. Congress leader Sachin Pilot after ending his day long fast said that the fight against corruption will continue. "This movement against corruption will continue," he asserted. Talking to the media he said "We had assured people that effective action will be taken against the corruption of the former BJP government in the state when we came to power. I wanted the Congress government to take action against the corruption by the BJP government," he said. Earlier in the day despite the party's objections, Sachin Pilot began his one-day fast at Shaheed Smarak in Rajasthan's Jaipur. Pilot has accused the Ashok Gehlot government of inaction on the corruption allegations against the then Vasundhara Raje government of the BJP. Kutch, April 12 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday recovered 10 packets of 'charas' from Luna Bet, located about 5 km off the Jakhau coast in Kutch district of Gujarat. The packets, which had 'Afghan product' written on them, were found by a BSF patrol team. They appeared to have got washed away along with the sea waves from the Pakistan side before reaching the Indian coast. According to a statement issued by the BSF, since May 2020, a total of 1,548 packets of charas have been recovered by the BSF and other law enforcement agencies off the Jakhau coast and Creek area. This latest seizure highlights the ongoing efforts of the authorities to combat narcotics smuggling in the region. New Delhi, April 12 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed the 2010 Orissa High Court decision to quash acquisition of 6,000 acres of land in 2006 for Anil Agrawal-led Vedanta Resources Ltd to establish a university there. A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari said: "It is not appreciable why the government offered such an undue favour in favour of one trust/company. Thus, the entire acquisition proceedings and the benefits, which were proposed by the state government were vitiated by favourism and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India." It said the most important aspect, which is required to be considered is the non-application of mind by the state government on environmental aspects and passing of two rivers from the acquired lands in question. It is not in dispute that from the lands in question two rivers, namely Nuanai and Nala are flowing, which as such were acquired by the state government, it added. "How the maintenance of the rivers etc. can be handed over to the beneficiary company. If the lands in question are continued to be acquired by the beneficiary company, the control of the rivers would be with the said private company, which would violate the Doctrine of Public Trust," said the bench. It added that the large-scale construction for the establishment of the proposed university as observed by the high court will also adversely affect the wildlife sanctuary, entire ecosystem, and the ecological environment in the locality. "It is a duty of the state to protect the wildlife sanctuary and it may affect the entire ecosystem and the ecological environment in the locality," said the bench. It further added that merely because the Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary is separated from the proposed site by a highway - Pthe uri-Konark Marine Drive, cannot be a ground to acquire the huge lands for the proposed university and as rightly observed by the high court, the same will adversely affect the wildlife sanctuary and the entire ecosystem and the ecological environment in the locality. "The aforesaid aspects have not at all been considered by the state government and/or the Collector and/or the appropriate authority even while considering the proposal and/or even the objections under Section 5A of the Act, 1894," said the bench. The top court dismissed the appeal filed by the Anil Agrawal Foundation against the judgment of the high court and also imposed a Rs 5 lakh cost. The bench said initially, 15,000 acres was proposed to be acquired, which is now reduced to 3,837 acres, meaning thereby, the proposal was for exaggerated demand and this was mala fide intention on the part of the appellant company/foundation. The bench observed that it is required to be noted that the lands were proposed to be acquired at the instance of one foundation/company and the state government was dealing with the lands belonging to the agricultural landowners. "It is required to be noted that the government is holding a public trust and has to deal with the lands belonging to private landowners, more particularly, agricultural landowners in accordance with law. The state government could not have considered the proposal from only one beneficiary/trust. There may be other public trusts/companies, who might be interested in establishing such a university. Even no proper inquiry seems to have been initiated by the government/Collector while considering the proposal by the beneficiary company," said the bench, in its 103-page judgment. The bench noted that the lands to be acquired are agricultural lands belonging to 6,000 families and their only source of livelihood is on the agricultural lands, which cannot be compensated in terms of money, therefore, the proposal made now has to be rejected outright. Citing the detailed findings recorded by the high court, the bench said: "We are more than satisfied that the High Court has not committed any error and in fact the High Court was justified in setting aside the entire acquisition proceedings, which has been vitiated by non-compliance of the statutory provisions under the Act, 1894 and the Rules, 1963 and vitiated by mala fides and favourism and is a clear case of the non-application of mind on relevant aspects. We are in complete agreement with the view taken by the High Court." Gandhinagar, April 12 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday met a delegation of UK MPs who are part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on trade and investment. The meeting, held in Gandhinagar, saw the chief minister invite the best universities in the UK to set up campuses in Gujarat, in light of the successful collaboration between the Biotechnology University in GIFT City and the University of Edinburgh. The delegation consisted of eight MPs from the Labour and Conservative parties, the Scottish National Party and the cross bench, including Bob Blackman, Karan Bilimoria, Martyn Day, Nia Griffith, Rajinder Paul Loomba, and Andrew Rosind. According to a statement, the delegation expressed interest in several projects, including solar rooftop, waste to energy and steel plants. The APPG is in India from April 9 to April 15, covering Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The meeting highlighted the importance of trade and investment between India and the UK, and the potential for collaboration between the two countries in various fields. New Delhi, April 12 : The Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested the man, who allegedly facilitated exit of most wanted gangster Deepak Boxer from the country by providing him a fake passport, a police official said on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Mehfooz Khan alias Bhura Dalal, 47, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad. Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal said that on Tuesday specific inputs were received that Bhura would come at Sector 15, Rohini to meet his associate to deliver fake passports and other forged documents. "Acting on the inputs, a trap was laid and Bhura was apprehended. On being searched, he was found in possession of six passports, two photocopies of passports, and two Aadhaar cards," said the Special CP. On interrogation, Bhura revealed that he had gone underground after reading the news about the arrest of Deepak Boxer, whose forged IDs and fake passport were got prepared by him. "During further investigation and based on the disclosure of Bhura, seven passports, five Aadhaar Cards, seven PAN Cards and six Voter Cards were also recovered from Moradabad at his instance," Dhaliwal said. "The accused further disclosed that he used to book slots for passp ort procedure for his clients through Passport Sewa Kendra, Bareilly, UP and seven other Passport Sewa Kendra Camps located in other parts of the state," he added. "Deepak Boxer's passport was prepared by him on the name of Ravi Antil. On December 14, Boxer had even met him outside Passport Sewa Camp, Rampur UP, where the procedure of passport preparation was completed. On December 19, the accused managed to receive the fake passport in the name of Ravi Antil from the postman of local area and gave it to the associate of Deepak Boxer in Bareilly and further took Rs 8,000 from him. "Further investigation is underway to unearth the entire racket and to identify other persons, who have procured fake passports through the accused Bhura," the Special CP said. He also revealed that Bhura had even enrolled in an LLB course at one point to gain insight into the legal complexities and loopholes of his illegal business. However, he discontinued his studies after two years. In April's first week, the Delhi Police, with the assistance of the FBI, had apprehended 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. New Delhi, April 12 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications in-charge Vijay Nair's bail plea in connection with the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam. Nair was only the media and communications in-charge of the AAP and had no role in the drafting, framing, or implementing of the excise policy in any manner, his counsel argued saying thatA he was being "victimised" for his political background. After Nair's counsel's submissions, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice to the ED and listed the matter for the next hearing on May 19. A Delhi court had, on February 16, denied bail to Nair and four others. Observing that "allegations are quite serious", special judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court had, apart from Nair, denied bail to Sameer Mahendru, Abhishek Boinpally, Sarath Chandra Reddy, and Benoy Babu. He held that there is enough incriminating evidence to show the entire "modus operandi" adopted by the accused persons for the commission of offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On the allegations and role of Nair, the court had said, "Though he was only the media and communication in charge of AAP, it has been revealed during the investigation of this case that he was actually representing the AAP and GNCTD in different meetings that took place with the stakeholders in liquor business at different places. His participation in the meetings in this capacity is to be viewed in light of the facts that he was residing in the official accommodation allotted to a senior Minister of the AAP and once he is even alleged to have represented himself as an OSD in the Excise Department of GNCTD and further that none from the Government or AAP officially participated in these meetings." New Delhi, April 12 : Ragini Yadav, the daughter of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, was questioned for over eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the land for job matter. After siblings Misa Yadav and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Ragini was summoned to join investigation on Wednesday. She had reached the ED's headquarters at around 11 a.m. and left it at around 7.30 p.m. On Tuesday, Tejashwi Yadav was questioned for about eight hours in the matter. The ED said that their investigation has found that 4 parcels of lands allegedly acquired by the family of Lalu Yadav in just Rs 7.5 lakh from Group-D applicants were sold to former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana by Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi for huge gains at Rs 3.5 crore. It said that their investigation has further revealed that a major portion of the amount thus received, was transferred to the account of Tejashwi Yadav. Jaipur, April 12 : Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday approved the much-discussed Right to Health Bill which was passed by the Assembly last month. The passage of the bill had led to an impasse between the government and doctors, who were on strike for 16 days. However, both sides came to an agreement on April 4. The bill was sent to the Governor for approval after the government and doctors agreed on 8 points. Passing of this bill implies that any citizen of the state will have to be given treatment by the state government-run and select private hospitals. Also, the cost of this treatment will be borne by the government. The passing of this bill will help in avoidance of pre-payment -- at the time of road accident, snake or other bite or any other emergency, and the common person will be able to get treatment without any prepayment. Hospitals will not pressurise the patient for any kind of fees. If the person is unable to pay after treatment, then the government will bear the cost. The patient will have the right to collect bills for all types of treatment from the hospital. Also, the patient will have the right to appeal if he/she is not satisfied with the treatment. The hospital will be fined if found guilty. The procedure for appeal and the mode of complaint have also been simplified. Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said that he demanded that the issue of the war crime of the Russians against the Ukrainian soldier, published on the video of the execution, be considered separately at the site of the UN Human Rights Committee. "I, as the Ombudsman of Ukraine, addressed letters to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the UN Secretary General, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to do everything possible so that the perpetrators are punished for every war crime! And also that this case should be recorded separately in all reports of international organizations. I demand that the issue of misbehavior regarding a prisoner of war be considered separately at the site of the UN Human Rights Committee," Lubinets wrote on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. The Ombudsman notes that "the public execution of a prisoner of war is another proof of a violation of the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian law, a violation of the fundamental right to life." Lubinets also said that he had sent this video to his colleagues, the ombudsmen of the world, with a request that "they continue to lobby for issues of support for Ukraine in their countries." "And also for the parliaments of their countries to recognize Russia as a terrorist country, and Russian aggression as a genocide of the Ukrainian people! For the Russian Federation to be excluded from all international organizations, as the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) did, excluding Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova," the Ombudsman said. On April 12, the Security Service of Ukraine launched an investigation into a war crime - the torture and murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by the occupiers - filmed on a video circulated online. New Delhi, April 12 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday queried the Bihar government whether there is a study or any empirical data to show reduction in liquor consumption in the state after enactment of the prohibition law, while pointing out that a lion's share of bail applications from Bihar are due to it, and this is burdening the judicial system. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph, Krishna Murari, and B.V. Nagarathna asked the state government counsel: "Do you know how many bail applications are coming from Bihar to this court? A lion's share of these bail applications is of the state's prohibition act." "Is there any study or any empirical data to show that due to the prohibition act, the graph of liquor consumption in the state is coming down?" it also asked. The top court clarified that it is not questioning the state's intent for the enactment of the law but sharing the fact about the number of bail applications coming to the court, which is putting a burden on the judicial system. It observed that when laws are enacted without any study, then this happens. The Bihar government counsel submitted that an amendment was made in the prohibition law under which the first-time offenders can be released with a fine. The counsel added that it has reduced the burden on the judicial system. The bench was hearing an anticipatory bail plea by Anil Kumar, a resident of Bihar. In 2015, Kumar was allegedly caught with more than 25 litres of foreign liquor in his car. The bench granted anticipatory bail to Kumar, which was opposed by state government counsel. During the hearing, the bench queried the state counsel: "Do you think 25 litres of liquor is a huge quantity? Why don't you take a tour of Punjab then?" Kumar's counsel said his client was falsely implicated in the case as the car was only registered in his name, however he was not in the car when the recovery was made. Kumar had moved the apex court against the Patna High Court, which declined to entertain his anticipatory bail application. Mumbai, April 12 : A Mumbai sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor in a Rs 900 crore money laundering case pertaining to a loan given to the Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL). However, currently lodged in the Taloja Jail in Raigad, Kapoor will continue to be behind bars as he faces several other cases in the court. In the present case, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Kapoor in 2020 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), alleging that Kapoor, his family members and others got huge bribes for sanctioning massive loans when he was at the helm. Of the loans of Rs 30,000 crore approved by Yes Bank, advances of Rs 20,000 crore turned into NPAs. After his arrest, Kapoor had applied for an interim bail on purported medical grounds but it was rejected. Earlier, Kapoor was granted bail in other ED cases linked with money laundering, pending in Mumbai and Delhi. Itanagar, April 12 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing the alleged question paper leak in August last year in Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Wednesday while addressing an interactive session with the representatives of all Community Based Organisations (CBOs). For the first time in Arunachal Pradesh, the state government on Wednesday held an extensive interactive session with the representatives of CBOs of the state active under the umbrella of Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Federation (AITF). Responding to the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) paper leakage fiasco that took centre stage during the discussions, Khandu shared that as per public demand and on the state government's request, the CBI and ED have taken over the case and are investigating the matter independently. The Chief Minister said that cases of corruption are not new, as they have been witnessed since many years. These are in the limelight today because the state government is dealing with each case with iron hands, Khandu said. The Chief Minister said that the CBI and ED coming to the state to investigate the case is a big blow to all corrupt persons roaming freely in the state. "Corruption, drugs, law and order are not new issues. These have been prevailing since the last many years, but no government ever took strong action to curb them. Just because we are dealing with these ills with iron hands, it seems like these are issues of our time," he said. Khandu also said that the cases of corruption and crime have actually come down due to the instant and strong actions initiated by the state government. "However, the government can't do anything alone. The CBOs and the government need to work as a team to thwart these ills," he said. The body of APPSC Under Secretary Tumi Gangkak, who served the Commission as the Assistant Controller of Examinations and was suspended from service after the alleged leak of question paper, was recently found hanging from a tree near the Itanagar Zoo road tri-junction. So far, 41 government employees, including 20 regular employees, 20 under probation and one contractual staff, have been arrested in connection with the paper leak case. All the 20 regular employees have been suspended and a department inquiry has been initiated against them. Patna, April 12 : At a time when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is in Delhi to unite the Opposition parties ahead of next year's general elections, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) President Chirag Paswan claimed on Wednesday that Opposition unity is nothing but an eyewash. Speaking to mediapersons here, the MP from Jamui said that Opposition parties cannot unite in the country. "We have a clear stand that the alliance will be made just before the elections. When elections come, we will form an alliance according to the situation at that time. I personally believe that Opposition unity is an eyewash," Paswan said. Reacting to the statement of Bahubali Lok Janshakti Party leader Surajbhan Singh, who said that if Chirag Paswan and Pasupati Kumar Paras don't come together, it will be a big problem for them, Chirag Paswan said that he should be concerned about the party where he is at the moment. "He had conspired against us for breaking the Lok Janshakti Party. So he should be concerned about the party in which he is now. We have a large number of party workers who will take care of us," Paswan said. On his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, Chirag Paswan said: "After the demise of my father, he was the eldest in the family. Had he accepted me as a son or a nephew, he wouldn't have done what he did to me." New Delhi, April 12 : A man who used to extort money after recording obscene video of victims was held by the Delhi Police. Akash Kaushal, Additional Deputy Commissioner, West Delhi Police, said that the accused was identified as Abdul. His aides are absconding. They only played video of a girl using another mobile and would record it to extort money. The police official added that on March 23, a man lodged a complaint in this regard. He said that he works as a manager in a nationalised bank and had been running a Facebook account. Nearly one month back, he accepted a friend request from a female ID and they started chatting on the Messenger. The woman claimed to be a widow and working one. Once she showed urgent need of funds and the complainant paid her Rs 3,000 in two online transactions. "Victim had displayed his mobile number on his Facebook account and he received normal messages from her. On March 19, the victim received a video call from that girl's mobile number in which she removed her clothes. Next day the victim received a call from a fraudster posing as a police officer who directed the victim to speak to another fraudster purported to be from YouTube. They extorted 11,93,000 from the victim on pretext of deleting his obscene video and not uploading it on YouTube," the official added. On the basis of this the police lodged an FIR under sections 384, 419, 420 120B, 34 of the IPC. During investigation, the police collected all the relevant information, including CDR, Facebook details, account details and Whatsapp chat. After deep analysis and through technical equipments, several raids were conducted. Finally after painstaking efforts the accused Abdul was arrested. On his insistence, two mobile phones and sim cards each used in committing the offence were recovered. "Abdul disclosed that he along with his brother-in-law used to make Whatsapp video call to victims and play video of a naked woman using a second mobile phone and then they used to provoke the victim to do the same and would record the screen," the police said. To commit the offence they purchased SIM cards, mobile phones from West Bengal and managed the fraud bank accounts with the help of other co-accused persons. To threaten the victim, they used to make calls from fraud phone numbers. Chennai, April 12 : A valiant blazing 32 not out off 17 balls by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni went in vain as Chennai Super Kings lost to Rajasthan Royals by three runs in a last-ball edge-of-the-seat thriller in the India Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday. Chasing a target of 176 on a slow turner and with dew coming down in copious amounts was expected to be easy for Chennai Super Kings in what was the 200th match for Dhoni as captain. The CSK skipper made a brave effort by hitting two sixes in the final over but in the end, fell short narrowly. But after recovering from the setback of losing Rituraj Gaikwad, their top scorer so far, for eight runs, but recovering to 78/1 thanks to Devon Conway and Ajinkya Rahane, CSK reached a stage with 40 needed off the last 12 deliveries, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja pulled them to 21 off six and then seven off three deliveries. It boiled down to five runs off the final delivery faced by Dhoni when Sandeep Sharma, who had started the final over with two wides, bowled a good yorker to deny Dhoni the glory on his milestone day. After deciding to bowl first and restricting Rajasthan Royals to what initially looked like a below-par 175/8 in 20 overs, Chennai could manage 172/6 in 20 overs and lost by a narrow margin. Earlier, brilliant bowling by Rajasthan Royals spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2-25) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2-27) off their respective four overs had hampered Chennai Super Kings' chase as they had recovered from losing an early wicket to reach 78/1 in the 10th over. Opener Devon Conway, who had struck Adam Zampa to two boundaries in the fifth over, and seasoned Ajinkya Rahane (31) had repaired the innings but things went downhill for CSK on their home ground after Ashwin had trapped Rahane in front to give Rajasthan Royals the much-needed breakthrough. Ashwin also got Shivam Dube (8 off 9) while Adam Zampa accounted for the dangerous Moeen Ali (7 off 10) and Chahal sent back Ambati Rayudu (1) as Chennai Super Kings slumped to 103/5. Chahal then claimed the prized wicket of Devon Conway (50), and Chennai Super Kings looked down and out. However, skipper MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja struck some big blows as they pulled CSK to 40 runs needed off the last two overs. Dhoni and Jadeja hammered Jason Holder for two sixes and a four as they raised 19 runs from the 19th over. With CSK needing 21 runs off the last over, Sandeep Sharma started with a couple of wides and then Dhoni smacked sixes off the next two deliveries off two low full-tosses and Chennai needed seven from three deliveries. He managed one run off the fourth delivery of the over and Jadeja could take a single off the fifth delivery, leaving it for Dhoni to get five runs off the last delivery to seal the victory. Sandeep Sharma bowled a superb yorker and Dhoni could manage only one run as Rajasthan Royals claimed a thrilling win. Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 175/8 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 52, Devdutt Padikkal 38, R Ashwin 30, Shimron Hetmyer 30 not out; Ravindra Jadeja 2-21, Tushar Deshpande 2-37, Akash Singh 2-40) beat Chennai Super Kings 172/6 in 20 overs (Devon Conway 50, Ajinkya Rahane 31, M.S Dhoni 32 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 25 not out; r Ashwin 2-25, Yuzvendra Chahal 2-27) by 3 runs. Latest updates on IPL 2023 Panaji, April 13 : Goa unit AAP president Amit Palekar on Wednesday said that his party has brought positive politics in the country even as political rivals tried to derail them. Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Amit Palekar said: "Despite all attempts by political rivals to derail the AAP, it has brought out positive politics in the country." "Due to the heightened responsibility that came with gaining national status, we will now focus on fortifying our party in order to provide the people of Goa with a better future. Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the AAP, frequently compares corruption to cancer. AAP Goa has consistently opposed corruption in the state of Goa, and we will do so in the future," Palekar said. AAP leader Deepak Singla while expressing his gratitude to supporters and volunteers said: "AAP has achieved national status in such a short period, which proves that the 'Kejriwal Model' is the future of governance in India. "AAP formed the government in Delhi three times. Last year, it formed the government in Punjab. States like Gujarat and Goa have given us enormous support. It was only through the hard work of our leaders and volunteers that we were able to achieve national status in such a short period," Singla said. AAP Vice President Valmiki Naik said that when the party was formed, many people did not even believe it would have a single MLA. "Today, AAP has grown to be a national party. During the formation of AAP in Goa, we had nothing. In the beginning, the AAP Youth Wing raised funds through the Car Washing Program. We have come a long way. The AAP has not only dreamt of a corruption-free India, but also worked to make it happen," he said. Al Ain Airport, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates [ AAN / OMAL ] If you are planning to travel to Al Ain or any other city in United Arab Emirates, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Al Ain Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Al Ain Airport Map showing the location of this airport in United Arab Emirates. Al Ain Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. 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This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Al Ain Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Al Ain Airport, airlines operating to Al Ain Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in United Arab Emirates. Scroll down to know more about Al Ain Airport or Al Ain Airport, United Arab Emirates. Al Ain Airport Map - Location of Al Ain Airport Load Map United Arab Emirates - General Information Country Formal Name United Arab Emirates Country Code AE Capital Abu Dhabi Currency Dirham (AED) 1 AED = 0.272 USD 1 USD = 3.672 AED 1 AED = 0.248 EUR 1 EUR = 4.028 AED More AED convertion rates Tel Code +971 Top Level Domain .ae Major airlines flying to Al Ain Airport, Al Ain This page provides all the information you need to know about Al Ain Airport, United Arab Emirates. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting United Arab Emirates or traveling to Al Ain Airport. 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AAN - Al Ain Airport IATA Code and OMAL - Al Ain Airport ICAO code Brian brings over 28 years of extensive experience in process and project management, automation, and team leadership to his new role. Prior to M.G. Newell, Brian worked for Gilbarco, Inc. as their Vice-President of Global Forecourt Engineering. While at Gilbarco, Brian led global, multi-geographic teams that focused on growth, product development and process improvement. Brian also brings experience in Electrical Engineering, Controls and System Integration. Brian graduated with an MBA from Elon University and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from N.C. State University. Brian is also a Licensed Professional Engineer (North Carolina). About M.G. Newell Headquartered in Greensboro, NC with divisional offices in Greensboro, Louisville, KY, and Nashville, TN. M.G. Newell is a full-service distributor and systems integrator of hygienic processing solutions for the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. Established in 1885 as a dry goods store, the company has evolved over the years first to a dairy supply business, and later to its present structure. The company proudly celebrated its 135th anniversary in 2020. For more information, visit their website at http://www.mgnewell.com. SAC Health San Bernardino Campus Thanks to the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, we will be able to expand the number of behavioral health professionals, thus increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment. - Jason Lohr, CEO, SAC Health SAC Health announced the award of a $ 1.63 million grant from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information that will help retain existing behavioral health professionals. Through the Community-Based Organization (CBO) Behavioral Health Workforce Grant Program, SAC Health will be able to provide current behavioral health providers, who have been working at SAC Health for over five years, funding to support loan repayments. The grant will also help increase SAC Healths behavioral health personnel through recruitment activities and cultivate professional growth with stipends for clinical master and doctoral education students. The need for therapists, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists is greater than ever. Most of the region that SAC Health serves are deemed a Mental Health Care Professional Shortage Area as defined by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The shortage of behavioral health providers can impact low-income Medi-Cal members with long wait times for patients seeking treatment, limited access to care in certain areas, and overall reduced quality of care. SAC Health continues to expand to meet the needs of the region. SAC Health understands the importance of providing high-quality behavioral health care to our patients. Thanks to the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, we will be able to expand the number of behavioral health professionals, thus increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment, including medication assisted treatment programming, says Jason Lohr, MD, President and CEO of SAC Health. 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. Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi brings together the UAE capitals local community through a series of inspiring dining and spa experiences for the joyous time of Eid. The waterfront property on Al Maryah Island has curated chef-driven dining including a lavish brunch spread at Crust and in Cafe Milano, and an artistic afternoon tea in Al Meylas. Those looking to rejuvenate will also adore bespoke wellness at The Pearl Spa & Wellness Abu Dhabi after checking in on the special Abu Dhabi Getaway 20% off offer including a rooftop pool, complimentary Kids For All Seasons Club, and a personalised Eid welcome amenity crafted by the talented pastry team. Celebrating the dawn of the Eid moon are the culinary dynamic duo of Executive Chef Christian Buenrostro and Executive Pastry Chef Rasika Weerasinghe. Together they create the unexpected for guests with their unique culinary offerings from a selection of live tableside trolleys at Crusts Eid al-Fitr Saturday Brunch to a lavish afternoon tea where sweet and savoury combine in the light-filled lobby lounge Al Meylas. There is no more spectacular place to celebrate the dawn of a new moon than the lobby lounge inspired by the night sky. Crust Eid al-Fitr Brunch: Available on Saturday, April 22, between 1:00 and 4:00 pm, prices start at AED245 per person (soft drinks package). Al Meylas Afternoon Tea: Available between Friday, April 21 and Monday, April 24, from 3 pm until 7 pm. Prices start at AED195 per person per set Travel to Italy This Eid: "Brunch Italiano" awaits hotel guests and the local community at Cafe Milano in the heart of Al Maryah Island. The upscale authentic Italian outlet invites to savour homemade specialties handcrafted by Restaurant Chef Delfino Chiarello. Available on Saturday, April 22, between 12 noon and 4 pm, prices start at AED295 per person (soft drinks package) and AED95 for kids. Celebrity Wellness at The Pearl Spa: The theme of Eid renewal extends to The Pearl Spa & Wellness Abu Dhabi offering the restorative Celebrity Hydrafacial Booster. The latest breakthrough technology from HydraFacial, M-007 booster amplifies the treatment to create faster, more visible results thanks to its regenerative peptides. Depending on the skin needs, The Pearl Spa therapist will complement the guest experience with Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon and television personality Dr Paul Nassif's latest serum, highly concentrated in hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate, and repair the skin while restoring plumpness and addressing the signs of ageing. Guests will feel and look like a Hollywood celebrity this Eid al-Fitr. The experience is priced AED1550 for 90 minutes. - TradeArabia News Service EU: if beheading of Ukrainian POW confirmed, it to be another reminder of inhumanity of Russian war against Ukraine The European Union says that if the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by decapitation is confirmed, it will be another brutal reminder of the inhumanity of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine. All criminals must be held accountable. So on Wednesday in Brussels, press secretary of EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell Nabila Massrali commented on the information. According to her, if this is confirmed, it will be another brutal reminder of the inhuman nature of Russian aggression. The killing of prisoners of war is a very serious violation of the Geneva Convention, and once again demonstrates that Russia has absolutely no respect for international law, in particular, international humanitarian law, she said. Massrali pointed out that Russia must comply with its obligations under humanitarian law and guarantee the humane treatment of prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention, as well as ensure the safety of their lives. The EU reiterates its commitment to bring to justice all criminals and their accomplices for the crimes committed in connection with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, she stressed. Gallaudet University Gallaudet University and U.S. Naval Academy Students to Compete, Collaborate in Unprecedented Bilingual Debate in American Sign Language and English What Two of the nations most historic institutions, Gallaudet University and the United States Naval Academy (USNA), will compete in an unprecedented collegiate debate event in Washington, D.C., to tackle the important question: Should deaf people be allowed to serve in the United States military? Gallaudet University is the leading university in the world for deaf and hard of hearing students. Its debate team is the first deaf collegiate debate team in the United States. The live debate will feature a unique format with each team comprised of one Gallaudet student and one USNA student who will collaborate and communicate in both American Sign Language and English. The debate will be hosted by Gallaudets Center for Democracy in Deaf America, the first center of its kind in the world committed to empowering civic engagement and debate in Deaf America. When Thursday, April 20, 2023 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET Where Gallaudet University Field House 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 Campus map Debaters Trent Mora (Gallaudet) and Jason Santiago (USNA) will debate in the affirmative, and Lexi Hill (Gallaudet) and Roy Choi (USNA) will debate in the negative. Moderators Romel Thurman, Gallaudet University Debate Team captain, and JAC Cook, Gallaudet University alumna Judges Heather Artinian, Attorney, Latham & Watkins, Washington, D.C.; Megan McArdle, The Washington Post columnist; and Dr. Carolyn Washington, Colonel, U.S. Army (retired). Special guests Super Bowl LV National Anthem performer and Gallaudet University alumnus Warren Wawa Snipe; U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum; deaf military advocate and TED speaker Keith Nolan; Gallaudet University President Roberta J. Cordano, and Brendan Stern, Executive Director, Center for Democracy in Deaf America, will be among several special guests in attendance. There will also be a live audience of college students and more than 100 high school students from deaf schools and programs nationwide. Media Interviews and broadcast/filming opportunities will be available to credentialed media. All visitors, including credentialed media for this debate event, will be required to enter through the universitys Florida Avenue and Eighth Street NE entrance and present photo identification. To secure media credentials please contact Robert Weinstock. Media contact: Robert Weinstock Gallaudet University 202-250-2411 301-642-0338 text robert.weinstock@gallaudet.edu FourthSquare, a boutique global, digital and enterprise services company, welcomes Anil Rachamalla as its Vice President Enterprise Applications. Anil comes with a strong ERP background having strong exposure around Six Sigma, PMO, Service Delivery, Practice and Change Management. Anil also brings expertise in HealthChecks, Assessments, Process Engineering and Process Maturity. Anil will be responsible for customer engagement and revenue growth operating across all global locations. "I am delighted to have Anil step into the role to enhance our service offerings for our enterprise customers. said Venkatash Kovela, President & CEO of FourthSquare. "Our clients would greatly benefit from his wide range of expertise and maturity in the enterprise applications space significantly elevating our value proposition to our wide base of global clients. " Mr. Anil stated, It is an exciting time to take the reigns of our Enterprise Applications offerings as we move to empower our clients to transform their businesses to gain top-line growth and operational efficiencies. Throughout the years, FourthSquare has built a platform that puts it in a very strong position to secure opportunities in the growing ERP market. Anils experience includes helping enterprise organizations to build, scale and grow their ERP footprint. He has been part of large scale implementations and support activities at numerous clients across US, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. He has also held leadership positions at several technology service providers such as Apps Guru, Sunera, OSI Digital, NTT Data and GTL Anil Rachamalla is a Founder of End Now Foundation A Non Proft Exclusively Promoting Digital Safety, Ethics and Wellbeing. He has authored over 10 Books and over 450 weekly columns and delivered over 1000 talks for over 65 FM radio talk shows. Anil holds a Bachelor of Engineering and Postgraduate in Project Management. About FourthSquare FourthSquare is a fast growing, boutique global company providing end-to-end solutions from applications to infrastructure for business enterprises. Headquartered in Irving, TX, FourthSquare has multiple offices in the U.S and a global delivery center in India. With its bespoke engagement model, FourthSquare delivers transformational value to its clients across industry verticals. FourthSquare delivers with gold standard, concierge customer service. We are scaled to be your 24/7/365 trusted partner with 360-degree approach to ensure every engagement exceeds expectations. For further information, visit http://www.fourthsquare.com. Media Contact: Venkatash Kovela President Info_us@fourthsquare.com Ph: 972-919-6135 http://www.fourthsquare.com Resolver Wins Best New Threat/Risk Management Application at 2023 SIA New Products & Solutions Awards Were honored to be recognized by the Security Industry Association with this prestigious award. At Resolver, were committed to innovation that serves the needs of our corporate security customers in their aims to keep people, places, and assets safe from harm. Resolver, a Kroll business, was recognized by the Security Industry Association (SIA) as an award winner at the 2023 SIA New Products and Solutions (NPS) Awards, the flagship awards program presented in partnership with ISC West recognizing innovative security products, services, and solutions. Resolver was selected as the 2023 Winner of the Best New Threat/Risk Management Software Application for our Threat Protection Application and honored on March 29 during an award ceremony on the ISC West show floor. Resolver's Threat Protection application uses technology innovation to help security teams detect threats earlier, triage and investigate threats efficiently, complete accurate threat assessments, and drive effective threat response to mitigate risk. The application stands out from its competitors with its proprietary threat intel feed that is powered by AI technology and has been trusted by leading social media companies for over 17 years for the detection of threats, harassment, and online child exploitation. All alerts generated by the system are reviewed and classified by a team of experienced threat analysts, providing clients with better intelligence with fewer false alarms. The centralized database enables security teams to easily consolidate their critical threat intelligence. The market-leading case management software and pre-built threat scoring systems ensure efficient investigation and evaluation of threats. The application's automated alerts, workflows, and operations dashboards enable fast and effective threat response. Resolver's comprehensive dashboard and visualization capabilities provide security leaders with a clear view of program performance, emerging trends, and impact on the organization. Resolver's Threat Protection application fills a critical gap in the market by providing the end-to-end tool set needed to get ahead of incidents and mitigate risks. Were honored to be recognized by the Security Industry Association with this prestigious award for Resolvers Threat Protection Application in the Best NewThreat/Risk Management Software Application category, says Ryan Thiessen, Resolvers Vice President of Corporate Security Products. At Resolver, were committed to continuous improvement and innovation that serves the needs of our corporate security customers in their aims to keep people, places, and assets safe from harm. SIA congratulates the 2023 SIA NPS Awards honorees for being selected in this years competitive program, said SIA CEO Don Erickson. SIA applauds all the 2023 award winners, including Resolver, whose contributions stood out among the impressive field of entrants to earn the Best New Threat/Risk Management Software Application Award recognition. Since its inception in 1979, the SIA NPS Awards have been the security industrys premier product awards program. New products are reviewed by a panel of judges with extensive industry experience, and in 2023, following significant deliberations, the 30+ judges presented awards for technologies covering 26 product and service categories. View the full list of SIA NPS award winners here. About Resolver Resolver gathers all risk data and analyzes it in context, revealing the true business impact within every risk. Its Risk Intelligence Platform traces the extended impact of all types of riskwhether compliance or audit, incidents or threatsand translates those effects into quantifiable business metrics. So, customers can communicate risk persuasively, framing it in terms of the business. And with this changed perspective comes an entirely new role for risk and security teams to play. Finally, risk and security go from being seen as a barrier to becoming a strategic partner driving the business. Welcome to the new world of Risk Intelligence. Fluxergy, a medical diagnostic company focused on multimodal point-of-care testing, updated stakeholders that 115 Fluxergy Analyzers have been installed in the field at the time of this press release. 60 of these installations are in the companys expanding equine veterinary sector, where Fluxergy is the first to launch point-of-care molecular technology. The rising number of Analyzers in use marks large growth for the point-of-care company since its founding in 2013. Fluxergy intends to increase in-field Fluxergy Analyzer installations and develop new testing assays to address biosecurity and general equine health. The recent outbreaks of EHV-1 highlighted the need for equine infectious disease rapid testing, as these outbreaks led to equestrian competition closures and large loss of revenues. Fluxergys platform finds practical application in larger equine veterinary hospitals, show grounds, racetracks, and research labs. Key partners, including the UC Davis Equine Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, provide key R&D insights as well as collaboration in future assay development. Fluxergy currently has over 50 multi-doctor practices in the US, Canada, and EU that are evaluating or using their products. Fluxergy offers a 60-minute* Environmental Salmonella PCR to help protect the veterinary hospital environment. Customer clinics reported more frequent and routine testing with Fluxergys system as a key factor in improved biosecurity. Fluxergys EHV-1 assay is pending USDA approval and is under evaluation with participating clinicians through an experimental permit. Future assays include Streptococcus equi equi, a multiplex equine respiratory panel, a total nucleated cell count, and an inflammation panel. Fluxergy intends to continue developing assays both in-house and through a collaborative model, with partners assisting in creating custom assays to address their specific clinical needs around the globe. Potential applications include reproductive health, endocrine diseases, and enteric pathogens. Fluxergy also announces their partnership with Dr. Nicola Pusterla, (DVM, PhD, D ACVIM, DACVD-Equine) principal investigator of the UC Davis Equine Infectious Disease Research Laboratory as a core scientific advisor. A longtime supporter of Fluxergys technology, Dr. Pusterla brings a wealth of knowledge surrounding infectious equine diseases and diagnostics. With this additional support, Fluxergy strives to better address the lack of rapid testing for equine diseases. The limiting factor for all equine practitioners today is time. By the time a result comes back from the lab, the result is often meaningless when it comes to contagious infectious diseases. We need to change the dogma of sending diagnostic samples to the lab to bringing POC assays to the stall in order to aid in rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Its been exciting working with the team at Fluxergy thus far, and I am eager to continue pushing the science behind their patient-side detection technologies. *60-minutes after enrichment About Fluxergy Fluxergy is a medical device manufacturing company specializing in point-of-use detection technologies with the goal of making affordable diagnostics accessible in all settings. The Fluxergy system uses patented microfluidics and a highly integrated sensor system to produce a more flexible and cost-effective multimodal testing platform. Fluxergy is actively seeking strategic investors, assay development partners, and distribution partners with motivation to improve diagnostic access in veterinary medicine. The Fluxergy Analyzer is available through http://www.fluxergy.com today. For more information, contact: Eric Mendonsa, Director of Business Development +1 (949) 305-4201 ext. 507 Emendonsa@fluxergy.com "By establishing a presence and dedicated team in India, we will be able to respond to strong demand from new customers while, at the same time, delivering excellent service and support to existing Aria users in the region. - Tom Dibble, President & CEO, Aria Systems. Aria Systems, the leader in helping enterprises grow subscription and usage-based revenue, today announced the opening of a new office in India to support the companys continued customer growth across Asia. Located in Chennai, the India office will house Arias engineering, professional services, and customer support teams available to support Aria users while driving continued business expansion across the Asia Pacific region. Large enterprises all over the world continue to adopt Arias cloud billing system to support digital business models and accelerate growth from recurring revenue strategies, said Tom Dibble, President & CEO, Aria Systems. By establishing a presence and dedicated team in India, we will be able to respond to strong demand from new customers while, at the same time, delivering excellent service and support to existing Aria users in the region. Arias growth and global expansion have been fueled, in large part, by the growing recognition among large enterprises that a modern and more sophisticated billing platform is required to support new digital business models and more complex, consumption-based billing engagements with customers. On the heels of being named a leading billing and subscription management platform provider in multiple industry analyst reports, Aria continues to expand its international presence and grow its workforce to support existing and new customers across a wide range of industries. About Aria Systems: Aria enables enterprises to automate complex usage and subscription billing in an agile market environment. Aria Billing Cloud is top-rated by leading research firms, and innovative enterprises including Adobe, Comcast, Experian, Subaru, and Telstra depend on Aria to accelerate ideation, become customer centric, and grow recurring revenues. For more information, visit: http://www.ariasystems.com. Today, Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic, a leader in comprehensive orthopedic services and an M2 Orthopedics (M2O)-backed practice, is announcing the opening of a groundbreaking new facility for orthopedic surgeries, along with the first VELYS Robotic-Assisted knee replacement surgery in an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) in the state of Maryland. The Harborside Surgery Center is well-known in the D.C. area as the premier facility for orthopedic surgeries, and with the launch of the new space, patients with complex cases can be managed more efficiently with large procedure rooms, state-of-the-art equipment, and improved amenities. William G. Hamilton, MD, a fellowship-trained specialist in the field of hip and knee reconstruction and one of the leading joint replacement surgeons in the area, performed the VELYS Robotic-Assisted surgery, which uses intra-operative data unique to each patient. During the procedure, the technology is utilized to increase the accuracy and precision of the knee replacement, allowing patients to get back to their daily routine faster by optimizing surgical outcomes. The state-of-the-art technology simplifies total knee arthroplasty and offers versatile execution, verified performance, and valuable insights to maximize efficiency for surgeons and optimize patient outcomes. This is a hallmark moment for Anderson in our eight decades of serving the D.C. area, we continue to look for new opportunities to expand our services and innovate. The opening of this surgery center and the integration of next-generation robotics in the outpatient setting allows us to serve our patients in even more meaningful ways, said George C. Branche, III, MD, Medical Director of Harborside and surgeon with The Anderson Clinic. As a premium destination for orthopedic surgeries, Harborside boasts some of the best surgeons from the DMV, including top physicians from our own clinic as well as Dr. Cassie G. Root, Dr. Ben W. Kittredge, IV, Dr. Michael Nathan, Dr. David Weintritt, and Dr. Andrew B. Wolff, who all share our commitment to quality care and outcomes. Nearly 60% of surgeries in the U.S. are performed in an ambulatory setting at Harborside, patients have access to top surgeons and a modern, high-quality, and comfortable environment that is an optimal alternative to the traditional hospital setting. Harborside represents the forefront of innovative surgery centers with room for growth and future expansion. The focus on superior care and performance includes upgraded airflow, natural light, and increased privacy. Additional features include: -Improved patient amenities like valet parking, covered drop-off/pick-up, bright and spacious waiting rooms with workstations for guests, and private rooms for overnight stays -Improved physician amenities, including private offices, larger locker rooms w/ showers, bike rack, larger staff lounge, etc. Harborside Surgery Center meets the highest industry standards for top-quality health care, is certified by Medicare, is licensed by the state, and is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). For more information, visit https://harborsidesurgcenter.com/. About Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic is widely recognized as a national leader in comprehensive orthopaedic services. The board-certified physicians of The Anderson Clinic have received specialized training in orthopaedic surgery and in subspecialty areas within the field of orthopaedic medicine and can diagnose and treat the most complicated orthopaedic conditions. For more information, visit https://andersonclinic.com About M2 Orthopedics M2 Orthopedics is modernizing practice management for the nations best orthopedic practices and surgeons so they can focus on patient care. By combining expertise in orthopedics with a unique focus on long-term physician partnerships, M2O supports private practices through enhanced management capabilities and access to capital - empowering practices to sustain their independence and growth. M2O enables physicians to prioritize exceptional care and experiences so everyone has better outcomes - patients win, practices succeed, and ultimately, the broader orthopedic field thrives. For more information, visit http://www.m2orthopartners.com "With Aqua-Tots proven curriculum, weve witnessed the joy and the peace of mind that quality swim instruction can have on young lives." -Mike Steele, Franchise Owner Aqua-Tots Swim Schools, the largest international swim school franchise, is announcing the opening of their 132nd worldwide location in Falls Church, Virginia. Located in the Barcroft Shopping Plaza at 6345 Columbia Pike , Aqua-Tots Barcroft Plaza officially opened their doors ahead of the busy summer swim season on Monday, April 10, 2023. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools has been the leader in the swim instruction industry since 1991, offering year-round, indoor swim classes for children four months to 12 years old. The program includes the highly sought after Parent & Tot swim classes for tots 4-30 months old as well as convenient schedules and flexible make-up lessons. This is the second Aqua-Tots Swim Schools location for Franchise Owner Mike Steele, who is partnering with long-time franchisees, Andrew George, Tommy Fisher and Jesse Rhodenbaugh. The trio also own locations in Georgia and North Carolina. Were passionate about providing the families in our communities a fun, safe and friendly place to learn water safety skills, said Steele. In fact, the National Institutes of Health has found that participation in formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% for children under the age of four. With Aqua-Tots proven curriculum, weve witnessed the joy and the peace of mind that quality swim instruction can have on young lives. The brand-new 5,800 square foot state-of-the-art swim school is ready to serve the families of Falls Church, Annandale, Lincolnia, Alexandria and Lake Barcroft communities. Open seven days a week, Aqua-Tots Barcroft Plaza offers group (4:1 ratio), semi-private (2:1 ratio) or private (1:1 ratio) swim lessons. Additionally, the swim school features the Special Needs Aquatic Program (S.N.A.P.), Fast Track, Swim Club and adult lessons. Families are encouraged to sign up early before the busy summer season. To learn more about Aqua-Tots Barcroft Plaza or to enroll in lessons, visit aqua-tots.com/barcroft-plaza or call 703-719-4456. Aqua-Tots Barcroft Plaza is now hiring swim instructors, front desk staff and an aquatics coordinator. Those interested can send resumes to barcroftgm@aqua-tots.com. About Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Founded in 1991 and headquartered in the Phoenix area, Aqua-Tots Swim Schools is making waves as the largest international provider of year-round, indoor swim instruction, community outreach and drowning prevention education. Its trusted program is dedicated to children of all abilities from four months to 12 years old and features a proven curriculum used to teach more than five million swim lessons each year. Recognized in Entrepreneur's Top 15 Childrens Franchises of 2023, Entrepreneurs Franchise 500, Inc. Magazine's Top 5000 and Franchise Times Top 200, Aqua-Tots has more than 130 locations in 25 states across 14 countries and is rapidly expanding with 90 locations in development. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit aqua-tots.com/franchise-development and for more information about Aqua-Tots or to sign up for lessons near you, visit aqua-tots.com and follow Aqua-Tots on Facebook and Instagram. We are thrilled to have Salvatore Tafuri on board for ENGINE. Born in Sicily and with family from Piedmont, his passion for high-end spirits and his experience in the US will be the right fuel to make ENGINE bigger and bolder! says the Founder of ENGINE Gin, Paolo Dalla Mora. ENGINE Gin, the 100% organic, distilled dry gin made in Italy, has announced its partnership with esteemed mixologist, Salvatore Tafuri. As the former U.S. National Brand Ambassador for Amaro Montenegro and the former Luxury Specialist for William Grant & Sons for South Florida, Tafuri will help bring the world ENGINE Gin to life as the national spokesperson for the brand. I am honored to be joining the team at ENGINE Gin, says Salvatore Tafuri. As a native Italian, I look forward to sharing this uniquely Italian gin with the U.S. market. Hailing from Sicily, Italy, Tafuri began his career in the beverage industry in New York in 2010. He is widely recognized for developing cocktails and assisting with bar design in conjunction with hotels, restaurants and cocktail bars, including Highgate Hotel Group, The Standard Hotel, The Edition Hotel, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Loyal. Since striking into the cocktail scene in 2010, Salvatore has received numerous accolades for his innovative cocktails from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Zagat, New York Magazine, New York Post, Feast and Eater. We are thrilled to have Salvatore Tafuri on board for ENGINE. Born in Sicily and with family from Piedmont, his passion for high-end spirits and his experience in the US will be the right fuel to make ENGINE bigger and bolder! says the Founder of ENGINE Gin, Paolo Dalla Mora. The perfect taste explosion, ENGINE is produced in small batches, and bottled by hand in the Alta Langa region. It is produced with 100% organic ingredients including organic wheat alcohol from Piedmont, juniper from Tuscany, sage leaves from Piedmont, lemons from Sicily, licorice roots from Calabria, Damask rose petals from Piedmont and alpine water from Monviso mountain. As a result, ENGINE stands out with its distinct flavor profile, all against an elegant floral background. ENGINE is available for purchase through https://www.engine.land/en/shop shipping across all states from SRP $34.99. About ENGINE Gin: ENGINE is the 100% organic Italian gin with a disruptive aesthetic that celebrates the connections of the world of motors and the cult myths of the 1980's. Distilled in small batches in a copper John Dore pot still and bottled by hand in the Alta Langa region, the formula pays tribute to Italian and Piedmont tradition in its composition, with rosolios, cordials and liqueurs made from sage and lemon. Explore Engine's interactive Gin Station online at http://www.engine.land/us and follow on Instagram at @GinEngine Companies on the hunt for new talent are turning to reskilling as a viable solution to labor and skills shortages as 70% of hiring managers say they would prefer to train their current employees for different roles before bringing on new workers. This is according to a survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. The preference to reskill workers has dropped back to a level last seen in 2021 (77% in the first half of 2022, 75% in the second half of 2021 and 72% in the first half of 2021) but continues to be supported by the majority of hiring managers. However, when it comes to the question of who is responsible for finding, providing and/or paying for these trainings, surprisingly, U.S. hiring managers and employed Americans agree employers should be responsible for providing and paying for trainings, upskilling and/or reskilling for employees (78% each). Nearly 9 in 10 hiring managers (89%) report their companies provide and/or pay for trainings54% of whom both provide and pay for them. Although, if an employee were to leave the company within a year after starting a training program that the company paid for, more than half of hiring managers (55%) agree the employee should then be required to reimburse the company. Short-Term Solutions The role of training is paramount to solving the labor shortage because its more of a skills gap right now versus shortage of labor, according to Mike Nolfo, a New Jersey Express franchise owner. Interviews have increased more than 50% this year, but there is a major gap between applicants skill sets and what is required from client companies. Either clients have to embrace the upskilling of new hires or new employees must start taking personal steps to fill in their knowledge gaps. The labor shortage is more apparent in Wisconsin where Express franchise owner Matt Sullivan adds that challenges in his market are compounded by not only qualified workers in short supply, but the quantity of any worker is in short supply. The vast number of available jobs can be learned quickly, are not complex and do not require significant experience, he said. For those positions, companies need to throw out their outdated screening approach. Sullivan also suggests that companies could fill vacancies faster, and possibly with more success, if they adopt a working interview approach. A working interview allows both the candidate and company to start working together almost immediately, he said. Working interviews help the company see what the candidate can do and also allow the candidate to determine if the work is what they are seeking. Training Responsibility and Payment In line with the survey results from The Harris Poll, Sullivan agrees that while both employees and companies bear responsibility for training on necessary skills, the responsibility of job-specific training falls on the employer. When an employer is requiring a specific skill set or knowledge base, they should be willing to take on the burden of providing that training, he added. That said, employers will look more fondly at candidates who already possess the required skill set. Smart candidates acquire skills and a knowledge base and leverage those throughout their career. For Nolfo, the worker/employer relationship is crucial to overcoming the labor shortage, therefore employers need to spend the money on training and workers should commit to companies willing to train them. This is a two-way street, but initially, I think companies should invest in their people and pay for the training, he said. Every company and job is differentthere is no perfect employee. However, this will give companies the ability to build their workforce from scratch versus inheriting employees with varied skill sets. Because building that qualified workforce takes time, Nolfo suggests stepping back job opening requirements in the meantime. Hire for the basics, and train on the rest, he said. That will help with filling the jobs, knowing that it may take an additional 3-6 months of training to get someone up to speed. Right now, most employees are impatient with new hires, and patience is key. If the work ethic and culture fit is there, then we can train on the skills. The critical skills gap has only just begun to severely impact the workforce, and almost every industry will continue to suffer if there isnt a turning point soon, according to Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller. This isnt an issue that will be solved overnight or by one person, he added. Young people need to be educated on the lucrative careers in skilled trades, and the government should provide incentives for these careers. Whether the onus of training ultimately falls on the worker or employer, action needs to be taken now on both sides to ensure the stable and balanced workforce of the future. Survey Methodology The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, 2022, among 1,002 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 3.2 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. The omnibus survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Dec. 13-15, 2022, among 2,041 adults ages 18 and older. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. *** If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. About Express Employment Professionals At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 579,000 people globally in 2022 and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com. The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) is ready to participate in the rehabilitation of veterans, Maksym Dotsenko, the director general of the National Committee of the URCS, said. "The new life of patients after injuries and rehabilitation begins, first of all, in communities. This is a long process in which everyone together must provide quality services for a comfortable life for our citizens. The Ukrainian Red Cross Society, in cooperation with the public sector, is ready to create rehabilitation centers for those in need of help," Dotsenko said at the International Rehabilitation Forum in Lviv. The URCS reported on its Facebook page Dotsenko also noted that the mobile medical teams of the URCS can also specialize in rehabilitation, and the social assistants of the society are able to provide veterans with the necessary assistance. "Today, an opinion was voiced at the forum about attracting assistants to veterans. I really like this idea. Our social assistants can also help not only the elderly, but also veterans. By combining our efforts and using our resources and experience, we will be able to help as many citizens as possible," Dotsenko stressed. Through these years, I have been faced with the sad reality that many do not understand the purpose of God for them or know how to walk in it. I am pained to see believers (Kings and Queens) still living below royalty, and not accustomed to their divinity. Author Famous Pullen, MD, invites Christians to use their God-given qualities to live their best lives in Abiding and Fellowship: The Only Way to Growth and Fruitfulness in Christ and in the Kingdom ($15.99, paperback, 9781662874710; $7.99, e-book, 9781662874727). Pullen uses a combination of Bible stories, personal reflection, spiritual exercises and study aids to help believers grow and be fruitful in Christ. Through these years, I have been faced with the sad reality that many do not understand the purpose of God for them or know how to walk in it. I am pained to see believers (Kings and Queens) still living below royalty, and not accustomed to their divinity. This book is an attempt to turn the tide and set believers ablaze in their true calling, said Pullen. Dr. Famous Pullen is a speaker, teacher and fitness consultant residing in Toronto, Canada. He is the founder and president of GEM (Get Equipped Mission), a mission aimed at revealing the kingdom, equipping people, and transforming the world with a vision to see a world dominated by GEMS. Dr. Pullen received his doctorate in Medicine from LSMU, Ukraine, and multiple other degrees and certificates in the Ukraine and Canada. He is married to Chioma Pullen, and together they are building a legacy of Christ and the Kingdom. ### Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Abiding and Fellowship is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. Salesian programs aim to help children live safely while getting the emotional support they need and the education that will help them live independently," said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. "Its a second chance for these children to have hope for a better life. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian and international organizations around the globe in highlighting the plight of homeless children on the International Day for Street Children. The day provides organizations and the millions of street children in countries worldwide with an opportunity to have their voices heard while ensuring that their rights are not ignored. Celebrated each year on April 12, the day was established by the United Nations to raise awareness of issues affecting youth forced to live on the streets. The Consortium for Street Children founded the International Day for Street Children in 2011 and is the leading international network dedicated to realizing the rights of street children worldwide. Salesian missionaries around the globe provide safety, shelter and education for street children, said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. Salesian programs aim to help children live safely while getting the emotional support they need and the education that will help them live independently. Its a second chance for these children to have hope for a better life. In honor of the International Day for Street Children 2023, Salesian Missions is proud to share programs around the globe that provide street children hope for a better life. COLOMBIA A group of past pupils from Don Bosco City, located in Medellin, Colombia, has developed a project to improve food access for street children. The goal is to guarantee at least one decent meal at least once a week for these youth who live in extreme poverty. Thanks to the leaders of this project, Salomon Brand and Alex Sepulveda, other past pupils and friends have joined in to support this initiative. Their project, which has grown to 20 people, is now an example for other past pupils who want to launch projects to support those living in poverty. Brand and Sepulveda are among more than 83,000 youth that Don Bosco City has rescued since it opened in 1965. The organization is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment. GHANA St. Dominic Savio Youth Center, located in Tema New Town, a neighborhood in Tema, Ghana, provides a place for street children to seek shelter, live comfortably and access mainstream education at nearby schools. At the center, which was established in 2003, youth receive a range of support to help them recover from their life on the streets and prepare for a brighter future. The center provides daily education where youth learn reading, writing, comprehension and simple mathematics. They are also provided a hot lunch in the afternoon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the centers oratory had been closed to prevent the spread of the virus. It was finally reopened and oratory activities have resumed. Each Friday, children from different schools come together to play and are assisted with their homework. At the end of 2022, youth at the center were taken on an excursion as part of the curriculum activities and to see beautiful places in Ghana. The 2022 trip was to the Chill River Resort. A Salesian noted, The trip was so refreshing, and the children were very happy. INDIA Don Bosco Veedu is opening a new building to support street children in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The Salesian organization has been educating and empowering children who are homeless and living in conditions of poverty since May 1991. Father Jose Thomas Koyickal, provincial of the Bangalore Province, blessed and laid the foundation stone for the new building. The Don Bosco Veedu center has eight programs to support children and women. The new center building will have various offices, space for teaching short-term skills, a resource center, boarding facilities, a training center and residence for the Salesians. Don Bosco Veedu also runs the Childline hotline in Kerala. The Childline hotline is available 24 hours a day at a toll-free number. The Childline team responds to the needs of street children in crisis situations. Salesian staff works with police, health care, juvenile justice, transportation, and legal authorities along with the media to create awareness on child rights and provide child protection services. Salesian staff works tirelessly every day of the year to ensure the rights of the children in need and give them special care and protection. SOUTH SUDAN Don Bosco Kuajok in South Sudan* was started three years ago on land barely fit for agricultural use. Today, its a thriving Salesian community with a primary school that educates 300 children and employs nine teachers. There is also a program that offers addiction treatment and rehabilitation for street children who are roaming the market in the center of Kuajok. An oratory opens each day and provides for those in distant parts of Kuajok, who are most often internally displaced people. Brother Lothar Wagner, who is now in Liberia, started the rehabilitation of street children in this area. With the support of Don Bosco Bonn in Germany, 150 children have been returned to their families since 2019. Some children have started school. The program has expanded over three years to also include a Salesian house with volunteer rooms and a medical dispensary. Salesians are able to drive people to the town hospital in cases of emergency. *Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Asset Control. About Salesian Missions USA Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Networka worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeopleall dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org. ### Contact: Laura Perillo media@salesianmissions.org 908-406-3413 (text messages OK) Twitter: @MissionNewswire Newswire: MissionNewswire.org Press room: SalesianMissions.org/press Loffler's new branch office in Duluth, MN. Were excited to announce our newest branch office in Duluth, said James Loffler, President of Loffler Companies. Weve served Duluth-Superior area clients for many years and welcome the opportunity to become a more visible member of the community with our new office space. Loffler Companies moved into their new Duluth, Minnesota office at 2332 West Superior St. on April 1st, 2023. The opening of Lofflers new physical branch location will allow them to cater to the increasing demands of clients in the area and continue to provide nationally recognized business technology solutions and services. Were excited to announce our newest branch office in Duluth, said James Loffler, President of Loffler Companies. Weve served Duluth-Superior area clients for many years and welcome the opportunity to become a more visible member of the community with our new office space. Loffler Companies provides the most comprehensive business technology solutions in the country, with experts who build secure and optimized technology environments. Lofflers offerings include IT managed and security services, business security systems, disaster recovery/business continuity, multifunctional copiers and printers, print management services, software and workflow technology consulting,professional IT services/consulting, unified communications and on-site management of print and mail centers. As one of the top Canon and Konica Minolta dealers in the U.S., Loffler Companies also works with leading partners such as Nutanix, Arctic Wolf, Microsoft, Mitel, 8x8, Xerox, HP, Lexmark and FP Mailing Solutions. These wide-ranging products and services exist for one purpose: to help organizations succeed. Lofflers specialized trainers, flexible billing and financing options at all price levels, and award-winning service and support benefits all clients. Founded by Jim Loffler in 1986, and now led by James Loffler, Loffler Companies is nationally recognized as a leader in business technology and managed services. Loffler is among the top office solutions dealers in the US for service and support, with more than 550 employees working every day to exceed the expectations of their clients, partners and the community. For more information about Loffler Companies, call 952-925-6800, email information@loffler.com or visit us online at http://www.loffler.com. Im honored to be appointed to the New York Academy of Medicines Board of Trustees and am proud to represent Mount Sinai and our nurses in this space, said Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Chief Nurse Executive, Mount Sinai Health System Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President, Cardiac Services, Mount Sinai Health System, has been appointed to the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)s Board of Trustees. Dr. Olivers appointment was officially ratified by the full Board at a meeting held yesterday at the NYAM followed by a dinner. Dr. Oliver is the first new Trustee to join NYAMs board in 2023. NYAMs Board of Trustees consists of 19 members, who represent various sectors including health care, finance, marketing, business, law, education, and more. Most of NYAMs board members have backgrounds in health care in some capacity, whether it be clinical care, administration, investment, or other areas. NYAMs Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance of the organization. In her role as a Trustee, Dr. Oliver will work with the full board to manage and protect NYAMs best interests. Im honored to be appointed to the New York Academy of Medicines Board of Trustees and am proud to represent Mount Sinai and our nurses in this space, Dr. Oliver said. I take this responsibility sincerely and look forward to helping create positive change within health systems in our communities. As Chief Nurse Executive, Dr. Oliver is responsible for overseeing the practice of nursing and collaborating with the Health Systems senior executive team and the Chief Nursing Officers of Mount Sinais eight hospitals. Her top priorities include ensuring the safety and quality of care for patients, supporting and advancing the professional development of nurses, and transforming the care Mount Sinai provides around the needs of patients and communities. Additionally, as Senior Vice President of Cardiac Services for the Health System, she leads cardiovascular service line strategy and operations while also being responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality care to Mount Sinai Heart patients. Dr. Oliver has also led numerous cardiovascular health-related community outreach programs in partnership with the American Heart Association. In July 2018, Dr. Oliver was appointed President of the American Heart Associations Board of Directors in New York City, the first nurse to hold the position. The New York Academy of Medicine has been a public health innovation leader for 176 years. Through research, policy initiatives, a historic library, public programming, partnerships, and programs, NYAM looks to create maximum impact to systems by preventing health inequities and ensuring all communities achieve good health. Programs include the Center for Healthy Aging, Center for Evaluation and Applied Research, Center for Community Partnerships and Policy Solutions, and Center for History of Medicine and Public Health. About the Mount Sinai Health System Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, over 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the countrys best in several pediatric specialties. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The Head Start Promise is about increasing equity and opportunity for those who serve our youngest learners. - Dr. Robert Lee, dean of the Sanford College of Education at National University. Today, the National Head Start Association announced an ambitious new collaboration with National Universitys Sanford College of Education, designed to address the shortage of highly-qualified Head Start and Early Head Start professionals. This initiativethe Head Start Promisecreates a focused pathway designed for anyone who is committed to building a better future for Americas historically underserved children, families, and communities. The launch of Head Start Promise comes at a time when the early learning sector has shrunk by 9.7 percent over the last three years. Our nations flagship early learning program, Head Start and Early Head Start, faces an acute shortage of qualified professionals. Results of a recent NHSA survey show 18% of Head Start staff positions vacant nationwide, with 77% of respondents reporting vacancies are higher than usual. Families and communities across the country are feeling the effects of the urgent and unremitting staffing shortage. To close the gap, we must invest in the education and success of those who are just entering this field and looking to make a long-term career in the profession, said Yasmina Vinci, NHSAs executive director. This is about helping high-potential community leadersthose who wake up everyday excited to make a real difference in the lives of the children and families they serveto have viable, long-term, rewarding careers in Head Start. The program will provide a more inclusive, affordable pathway to degree completion for the Head Start workforce, who are 7.7 times more likely than K-12 teachers to be living under the poverty line. Scholarships offered by National University to Head Start Promise Scholars will make enrollment affordable to all eligible Head Start and Early Head Start staff. Promise Scholars who are 100% eligible for a Pell Grant can earn each certificate for less than $900 out-of-pocket. Colleges of education have a unique responsibility to help address the nationwide shortage of talent by developing offerings that meet the needs of the birth-to-five workforce, said Dr. Robert Lee, dean of the Sanford College of Education at National University. The Head Start Promise is about increasing equity and opportunity for those who serve our youngest learners. Its about providing greater recognitionand college credit removing barriers and paving the way to earning a degree. Head Start Promise academic pathway consists of five stackable certificates that provide Head Start and Early Head Start professionals with a flexible pathway to a bachelor's degree along with scaffolded academic support to help achieve their goals. ### About National Head Start Association: The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is a nonprofit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 245,000 staff and 1,600 Head Start grant recipients in the United States. Since 1974, NHSA has worked diligently for policy changes that ensure all at-risk children have access to the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community. Learn more: nhsa.org About National University: National University, a veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diegos largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 125 online and on-campus programs and flexible four-week and eight-week classes designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 40,000 students and 200,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National Universitys new possibilities in education including next-generation education, credential-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu. RealTime Audio To know that our technology will help deliver the healing power of music to those battling this disease leaves me without words. I am just so grateful.Steve Freeman RealTime Audio, the ultra-low latency technology enabling seamless and synchronous remote music performance for both audio and video, today announced their partnership with Teen Cancer Americas Play It Back program. The music technology company will donate RealTime Portals, subscriptions to the RealTime Audio app, and comprehensive technical support to benefit all of the adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors in the program. It is such an honor to be working with the Teen Cancer team, said Steve Freeman, VP of Partnerships & Business Development for RealTime Audio. To know that our technology will help deliver the healing power of music to those battling this disease leaves me without words. I am just so grateful. "It's been our privilege to work with Steve Freeman and the RealTime Audio team, Teen Cancer America's Kenli Mattus said. Our Play It Back music education program connects young people with cancer throughout the USA, educating and supporting them to write songs and produce their own music. It's creative and therapeutic. This technology takes us to a new level by enabling them to record and produce live and perfectly in sync. This is music to their ears and food for their souls!" Kicking off the initiative with an East Coast test, RealTime Audio is providing free subscriptions to the RealTime Audio App, and iCON Pro Audio, the portal manufacturer, is donating portals, mics, and headphones. An expanded nationwide effort will follow. For more information on the rollout of this partnership program, contact Steve Freeman at sfreeman@realtimeaudio.com. For information on RealTime Audio technology solutions, visit RealTimeAudio.com. About RealTime Audio In December 2020, MatchMySound and Taylor Robinson Music formed RealTime Audio, the premier solution on the market that allows for seamless and synchronous remote music performance for both audio and video. RealTime Audio features technology that enables musicians to play or sing together in real-time with an ultra-low latency video and audio platform. Please visit http://www.realtimeaudio.com. About Teen Cancer America Teen Cancer America helps hospitals and healthcare professionals bridge the gap between pediatric and adult oncology care by supporting hospitals and outpatient facilities in the development of specialized units and programs for this age group. TCA brings together physicians and allied healthcare professionals in both pediatric and adult oncology. Age-targeted care for this population is necessary for medical and appropriate psychosocial development. Outcomes associated with some cancers that target this age group have not improved in over 30 years. Teens and young adults with cancer are long overdue for an upgrade and TCA can hopefully light the fire in Americas health systems. Please visit http://www.teencanceramerica.org. Today marks a shift, where Renaissance moves from specific education products to full-service, integrated solutions that champion a teacher-centered ecosystem supporting the whole student," said Chris Bauleke, Chief Executive Officer at Renaissance. Renaissance, a leader in pre-K12 education technology, announces a rebrand and new visual identity reflecting the companys transformational teacher-led learning ecosystem and demonstrating how the right technology can help educators truly see every student. The new brand identity embraces the companys almost 40-year history as a leader in pre-K12 education technology, while taking a fresh and forward-looking approach to the future of Renaissance. Our business has changed dramatically over the past few years, said Sarah DiFrancesco, Chief Marketing Officer at Renaissance. The rebranding marks a new Renaissance, demonstrating how we help every student succeed by providing teachers and administrators with the digital tools they need to unlock personalized teaching. Nationwide, schools and districts face unprecedented challenges from teacher burnout, teaching vacancies, and the pressure to deliver results like never before. In addition, supporting students academic learning is a source of job-related stress for almost half of teachers, according to a RAND Corporation survey. To address these issues, solutions that cater to the unique needs of each student are crucial. Together, Renaissances assessments, instruction, and insights provide a complete, comprehensive solutionwhile keeping educators at the forefront of classroom decisions and instruction. Today marks a shift, where Renaissance moves from specific education products to full-service, integrated solutions that champion a teacher-centered ecosystem supporting the whole student," said Chris Bauleke, Chief Executive Officer at Renaissance. What started as a local education company in Central Wisconsin so many years ago is now an international leader in education. We are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to further our mission of accelerating learning for all, and to impact the future of education for our teachers and students. The new brand identity will be unveiled as part of the companys See Every Student campaign in the coming weeks, which includes a newly designed website, social media campaign, advertising, trade show and conference activities, and a new brand film demonstrating how the right technology can help educators see every student for the unique individuals they are. With Renaissances holistic portfolio of solutions, educators everywhere are empowered to deliver more personalized teaching to each individual student. To learn more about Renaissances new brand identity and teacher-centered learning ecosystem, please visit https://www.renaissance.com/see-every-student. About Renaissance As a leader in education technology, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. For more information, visit https://www.renaissance.com. As data continues to drive innovative solutions and thinking across the financial landscape, new approaches to managing and sharing data are critical to continue to securely take advantage of these opportunities, notes Matt Costello, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton. The Wall Street Technology Association (WSTA), a not-for-profit organization that provides financial technology and business professionals a forum to learn from and connect with each other, will host a virtual educational event on The Data-Driven Enterprise on April 20, 2023. Speakers at this event include Keynote and Panel Moderator: Matt Costello, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton; representatives from financial services; Premier Sponsor: Dataiku and Speaking Sponsor: Lightbend. For more information, visit: https://www.wsta.org/event/data-management-for-financial-services/ As data continues to drive innovative solutions and thinking across the financial landscape, new approaches to managing and sharing data are critical to continue to securely take advantage of these opportunities, notes Matt Costello, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton. Event Description As the lifeblood of your business, data and the practices around using it effectively are more critical than ever. During this session we will be discussing effective strategies for building repeatable insights, sharing data with partners to drive new products and services, as well as the importance of properly securing and governing data to manage risk and compliance. About the Wall Street Technology Association (WSTA) The WSTA facilitates virtual and in-person educational and networking events where members meet and exchange ideas and best practices that assist them in effectively capitalizing on technology advances in areas such as Cybersecurity, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mobility, Wireless, Machine Learning (ML), Data, Cloud, Blockchain, Digital, Architecture, etc. and dealing with financial industry business challenges. Founded in 1967, the WSTA is a not-for-profit association with a long history of evolving to meet the needs of its members. The WSTA hosts seminars, roundtables, panel discussions, and social events. These events offer many opportunities to learn about leading technologies, as well as network and share information with industry colleagues. The WSTAs educational newsletter, TechTrends, provides additional content and information about the WSTA and industry-related activities. The website is a dynamic resource providing access to additional resources including webinars, white papers, videos, and information about other industry events. About Booz Allen For more than 100 years, military, government, and business leaders have turned to Booz Allen Hamilton to solve their most complex problems. As a consulting firm with experts in analytics, digital, engineering, and cyber, we help organizations transform. We are a key partner on some of the most innovative programs for governments worldwide and trusted by its most sensitive agencies. We work shoulder-to-shoulder with clients, using a mission-first approach to choose the right strategy and technology to help them realize their vision. With global headquarters in McLean, Virginia, our firm employs more than 29,300 people globally, and had revenue of $8.36 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2022. To learn more, visit BoozAllen.com. (NYSE: BAH) transcosmos becomes a registered Kawasaki SDGs Partner transcosmos has been promoting the employment of persons withdisabilities. As a business with its footprints in Kawasaki city,transcosmos supports the Kawasaki SDGs Partner program, and is nowregistered as a partner. transcosmos inc. is proud to announce that the company has become a registered Kawasaki SDGs Partner. The Kawasaki SDGs Partner program is run by Kawasaki city. Under this program, Kawasaki city registers and certifies businesses and organizations that take actions to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Today, a total of 3,145 (405 registered, 2,740 certified) businesses, organizations, NPOs, schools and various other members across industries are registered and certified as Kawasaki SDGs Partners. transcosmos has been promoting the employment of persons with disabilities. In Kawasaki city, the company has the headquarters of transcosmos assist inc. (President: Hiroyuki Kohara) - its special purpose company that was approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare that was established as a subsidiary specifically for promoting the employment of persons with disabilities. As a business with its footprints in Kawasaki city, transcosmos supports the Kawasaki SDGs Partner program, and is now registered as a partner. With the aim of creating a sustainable future where no one is left behind, transcosmos will continue to help achieve the SDGs. Kawasaki SDGs Partner Kawasaki citys SDGs registration/certification program (no translation available): https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/170/page/0000126044.html Kawasaki SDGs portal site (no translation available): https://www.goodcity.jp/city.kawasaki Contribution to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs): https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/company/sustainability/sdgs.html Promoting disability inclusion: https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/company/sustainability/rights_labor/diversity/person.html Recruitment information for persons with disabilities (no translation available): https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/saiyou/challenged/ *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/ With a dedicated Los Angeles team, Republic is proud to support the apparel community and plans to add at least 30 more brands in 2023. A designer, manufacturer and wholesaler of missy and junior womens clothes needed a partner and fast to meet the shipping needs of its spring and summer collections. The company turned to Republic Business Credit to stitch together the necessary financing. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company targets women consumers with a line of clothing sold through several different labels at major retailers including Nordstrom, Stitch Fix, Bealls, Dillards and Burlington. The client needed a solution within a few weeks as the contract with the incumbent factoring firm was expiring. The company learned of Republic Business Credit through a referral. Having known this company since its founding more than 20 years ago, it was exciting they reached out to us. Our California team worked quickly to put together the deal for a $6.5 million traditional factoring facility to help build ahead of their busy shipping seasons, Republics SVP, Tae Chung said. We continue to demonstrate our knowledge and experience in the apparel space, which is rewarding. The company specializes in soft knit tops, dresses, cardigans, blouses, pants and skirts. As we looked to ship our seasonal collections, we wanted a stable and credible partner, the company founder said. Republic was there to help in the moment and will be with us in the future as we grow with our brands. Republics Executive Vice President Jason Carmona helped onboard the client during the quick timeline. With a dedicated Los Angeles team, Republic is proud to support the apparel community and plans to add at least 30 more brands in 2023, Carmona said. Being referred into this transaction from several industry insiders is a testament to our support from the community and our momentum throughout the finance and apparel communities. We are committed to supporting brands across various channels of business, and our complimentary product suite of asset-based lending, traditional factoring and e-commerce supports brands throughout their unique growth cycles, Republic President Robert Meyers said. Republic Business Credit partners with accountants, lawyers, private equity, investment bankers, banks, consultants, independent sponsors, Small Business Investment Corporations and other referral partners within the apparel community. Republic supports the working capital needs of companies across the United States with needs up to $15 million. About Republic Business Credit Republic Business Credit is a nationally recognized commercial finance company supporting the working capital requirements of companies nationwide, including private equity and entrepreneurial businesses. Republic provides asset-based lending, ledgered lines of credit, traditional factoring, factoring and Fast AR Funding. Republic partners with its clients to provide up to $15 million in senior credit facilities to rapidly growing businesses, startups and companies experiencing recoverable distress. Republic is recognized by the Secured Finance Network as one of the largest finance companies in the United States. Republic is proud to be headquartered in New Orleans with additional offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston. Republic is a wholly owned subsidiary of Renasant Bank. About Renasant Corporation: Renasant Corporation is the parent of Renasant Bank, a 119-year-old financial services institution. Renasant has assets of approximately $17 billion and operates 198 banking, lending, mortgage, wealth management and insurance offices throughout the Southeast as well as offering factoring and asset-based lending on a nationwide basis. A video of the execution of a Ukrainian serviceman distributed on the Internet demonstrates a brutal war crime committed by a Russian soldier, this is another proof of the brutality of the Putin war, said Vice-president of the Bundestag Katrin Dagmar Goring-Eckardt. The video demonstrates a brutal war crime committed by a Russian soldier against a Ukrainian prisoner of war. This video is another proof of the brutality of Putin's Russia. The perpetrators of numerous war crimes must be brought to justice, she wrote on Twitter. PTI Fact Check: No, Central govt did not lower employees retirement age; Edited screenshot of 2019 newspaper report shared on social media with false claim New Delhi, Apr 11 (Abhinav Gupta / Pratyush Ranjan PTI Fact Check): A Facebook user shared a screenshot of a Hindi newspaper report speculating that the central government was mulling changes regarding the retirement age of employees, in which one would retire after having served for 33 years, even if he hasnt reached the age of 60. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that a four-year-old newspaper report was digitally edited to make it look recent. The claim made in the newspaper clip was false. Claim A Facebook user shared a purported newspaper clip, which claimed that the central government was mulling changes to the criteria for the retirement age of employees. It stated that the government could soon announce a new rule under which an employee would retire if he has completed 33 years of service, even if he has not turned 60. Here is the link and archive link to the April 5 post, and below is a screenshot of the same: Investigation Starting the investigation, the Desk conducted a Google Reverse Image Search on the newspaper clip shared in the social media post. The search results led to an article by a website named Government Jobs UP, published on Sep 24, 2019. 33 60 , , , read the headline of the article, which carried the same newspaper clip as shared in the social media post. An English headline translation read: Now, after 33 years of service, central employees will retire before 60 years; the central government is going to change the retirement rules; click and read the full post. Here is the link to the article, and below is a screenshot of the same: However, the Desk noticed that the newspaper clipping carried in the article did not mention any date, as in the one shared in the social media post. Below is a combination image comparing the two newspaper clippings: Further scanning the search results, the Desk found that the newspaper report carried by the article was genuine, which was taken by the online edition of Amar Ujala in September 2019. The Desk scanned the archived edition of Amar Ujala and found three such articles published online on Sep 17, 18 and 23, 2019. The articles can be viewed here, here and here, and below are their respective screenshots: The Desk found the three articles speculative about the governments decision to lower the retirement age. The news reports quoted sources without naming any government official or minister. Similar reports were carried out by Hindi news portals Patrika and ETV Bharat in September 2019. The reports can be viewed here and here, respectively. In the next part of the investigation, the Desk conducted a customised Google search with the keyword Central Govt to reduce the age of retirement of employees. The search results led to the clarification given by the government in Rajya Sabha on Dec 5, 2019, where it refuted such claims, stating that there is no such proposal to reduce the retirement age below 60 years. We also came across a News18 Hindi report, published on Apr 27, 2020, which quoted BJP leader Dr Jitendra Singh refuting the claims that the government was mulling reducing the retirement age of central government employees. Here is the link to the report, and below is a screenshot of the same: The search results further led the Desk to another response by the government in the Rajya Sabha on Mar 17, 2022, in which it clarified that there was no such proposal under consideration of the government to increase the retirement age of central government employees. Here is the link to the governments response in Rajya Sabha, and below is a screenshot of the same: The Desk then conducted another Google search with the keyword central government employees retirement age but could not find any report supporting the claim made in the newspaper clipping shared in the social media claim. Subsequently, the Desk concluded that an old newspaper clipping, making unsubstantiated speculation on the retirement age of central government employees, was digitally altered to add a recent date to it and shared on social media. Claim The central government was mulling reducing the retirement age of its employees. Fact A speculative newspaper clipping dating back to 2019 was digitally altered to add a recent date and shared on social media. Conclusion A Facebook user shared a newspaper clipping which claimed that the central government was mulling changes to the retirement age criteria of its employees. According to the newspaper report, the government could soon announce a new rule under which an employee would retire if he has completed 33 years of service, even if he has not turned 60. In its investigation, the Desk found that an old newspaper clipping dating back to 2019, which made unsubstantiated speculation, was digitally altered to add a recent and shared on social media with a false claim. You can contact PTI Fact Check on WhatsApp Number +91-8130503759 and share any claim or social media post you think is essential to fact-check and want us to verify. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the highest state awards from the government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in exile - the Order Honor of the Nation (Qoman Sij) and the Order of Dzhokhar Dudayev. The head of the Ukrainian state was honored for outstanding merits and selfless actions for the sake of freedom and democracy throughout the world and for personal merits to the Chechen people, the presidential press service said. "His political firmness and loyalty to his native country managed to rally the people of Ukraine in the face of the looming threat from the age-old enemy in the form of Russia and its bloodthirsty monsters who seized power by terrorist methods," reads the resolution signed by head of the government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in exile Akhmed Zakayev on November 27 last year. Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov personally presented the awards to the President. The Order of Dzhokhar Dudayev is awarded to the knights of the Honor of the Nation order. Chechen politicians Aslan Maskhadov and Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, as well as Lithuanian statesman Vytautas Landsbergis, are currently awarded this order. Deborah Crossland has a PhD in mythological studies with an emphasis in depth psychology. She teaches English and mythology at San Joaquin County Delta College in Stockton, Calif. Her debut YA novel, The Quiet Part Out Loud, a contemporary retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth with a feminist bent, is due out in June from Simon & Schuster. Here, Crossland reflects on why book bans hinder teens most of all by denying access to stories that reflect their shifting identities and the issues they face. The argument for banning books in schools and libraries states that removing books that dont prescribe to traditional values is necessary to protect the innocence of children. Removing books from classrooms and libraries has the opposite effect. Instead of protecting children, we are isolating them and relegating them to an existence they might not appreciate or even want. Book banning drives the idea that one group is more important or powerful than another and leaves people, especially adolescents, with a narrow outlook of the world that doesnt match reality. Ever since humans have written down stories, and probably before, we have gravitated to the same qualities within them. From the bromance in the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Chosen One in stories like Star Wars and The Hunger Games, the same basic plots are reimagined over and over again. Humans need stories, particularly those that center on perennial archetypal themes, on deep universal human experiences and needs. As a mythologist, Ive studied how the mythologies of traditional cultures provide us with stories that connect us to these themes so powerfully that they still speak to us. And as a former high school teacher and current adjunct professor, Ive seen the same connection come through contemporary fiction for my teenaged students. YA novels of all genres answer the contemporary adolescents need for stories that will connect them to the archetypal realm, especially during this transitional period in their lives as they move from child to young adult, which is why the current explosion of book banning hurts teenagers more than any other age group. Teenagers, who typically have less life experience than adults, benefit more than any other demographic from the experiences they glean from narratives directed toward the issues and questions they encounter. Author and psychologist Steven Pinker said that when a story meets our brains criteria, we relax and slip into the protagonists skin, eager to experience what his or her struggle feels like, without having to leave the comfort of home. That means that teens see themselves as the hero or protagonist in the story theyre reading, so as the hero gains moral fortitude, the reader builds empathy. Books that are commonly banned are deemed 'obscene' or 'inappropriate,' but these are the books teens find represent their experience the most. In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell claimed that there are four functions of mythology: metaphysical (or mystical), cosmological, sociological, and, most importantly, pedagogical, which articulate how a person can live a fulfilled human life in their culture and social group. Such myths, or stories, provide the thought patterns that will guide individuals throughout their lives, from birth to death. Today, cultures and social groups engage with each other in ways they didnt in the past, especially in schools. Students grow up engaging with each other, but oftentimes without a true understanding of each others cultures. I live in Americas most diverse city and see examples of this every day in my own classrooms. Reading stories with protagonists who look and think differently than they do can help create much needed empathy for each other. More importantly, students who dont often see heroes and main characters who represent them benefit the most from reading books that reflect who they are or who theyd like to become. Author and story analyst Lisa Cron said that story is the language of experience, whether its ours, someone elses, or that of fictional characters. Other peoples stories are as important as the stories we tell ourselves. Pedagogical myths teach us how to find our inner truths while listening to the guidance of those who have come before us, whether those stories come from a religious tradition, like the many parables of Christ or Muhammad, or from secular stories, like the growing number of diverse YA books on shelves today. Every story we read finds a place within our psyches and helps us become the person we are. Stories not only provide a pathway for instruction on how to survive; they appeal to our desire to be entertained. Or perhaps it is an evolutionary trick that fools us into being entertained while learning how to navigate the human experience. The American Library Association found that books that are commonly banned are deemed obscene or inappropriate, but these are the books teens find represent their experience the most. By acknowledging todays issues of gender, race, and other differences in books, we also acknowledge the teens who wrestle with the issues surrounding them. Removing a book that mirrors a childs lived experience is exactly the opposite of protecting them. It erases them from existence. Thanhha Lai describes the international success of her debut novel in verse Inside Out & Back Again, which fictionalized her early life in Vietnam and immigration to the U.S. after the war, as one of the great surprises of her life. This spring, she will publish a sequel, When Clouds Touch Us, dramatizing the next phase of her heroine Has refugee experience. Lai spoke with PW about how current events led her to revisit the past, writing in prose poems, and about her nonprofit for kids in rural Vietnam. In this book you return to your protagonist from Inside Out & Back Again. What drew you to revisit Has story? The withdrawal from Afghanistan had just happened and I was struck by how remarkably similar it was to the fall of Saigon. You have the rush to the airport, and you have the panic. You have the Taliban coming in, and nobody knows exactly what theyll do, but theres a general feeling that its going to be bad. It was the same thing in Vietnamthe communists are coming. All I saw then was panic and wondered how do we get family out. Everyone rushed the airport, and my family rushed the Navy Yard where we had contacts and we jumped on a Navy ship. There is all this news coverage when the actual fall happens. That is on the front page. And then it falls off. You do not hear about the Afghans anymore, because there are other things going on. But that is when the real story happens. It is the decade after the earthquake. But how do you rebuild? Yes, the Afghans have come here. Yes, they have sponsors. Yes, people will show up at the airport with welcoming signs and balloons. They have got the interpreter they need, they have got the food they need, and they take them shopping. But, still, it will drop off. Then it is really just up to each individual and up to the family. Theres no other way to shortcut reclaiming a self because thats what you have to do. You have to rebuild from the core. And I thought Has story is not over. At the end of Inside Out, she wants to fly-kick and you get the sense that life is on the upswing and everything will be fine. For that moment, absolutely, but the family cannot stay in Alabama, just like my real family did not stay in Alabama. There were no jobs there for refugees that my mother thought could set her children up for life. She heard about a factory in Fort Worth, Texas, that was hiring people to work at in factories on the assembly line without knowing any English. So that is where she ended up, and for $2.30 an hour she sent her children to college, as shocking as that sounds. It took about a decade before everyone felt like we could exhale, and that it was going to be okay. The novel is set two years later, as Has mother decides to move their family from Alabama to Texas for better opportunities. Ha struggles to find friends, confront racism and cultural misunderstandings, adapt to new schools, and face puberty. How did you seek to frame the challenges of this phase of the refugee experience? I have had so long to process what happened to me, so that when I think of Ha as a character, she is no longer me. As a fictional character I knew that I have a 12-year-old girl now instead of a 10-year-old, and theres a vast difference. I have just raised a daughter, so I know. At 10 they truly are still innocent. But then starting at 12 things happenyour hormones are going and you are really able to place yourself in the world and not just within your family unit. I knew Ha was going to start to understand how to make money, and what money means. Money is very important to every refugee family because thats how you reclaim yourself. You have to be financially solvent. They are going to need to get a house. Ha is thinking everyone else is contributing to this house-buying process and I need to, too. So first she tries babysitting, but it paid about two cents an hour. I have her come up with propagating the piggy poop plants that she loves so much. I made her into someone who was going to not only handle herself in this society, but she was going to thrive in it. She already had supreme confidence from her mother, and she is going to take that and just go out to the world. The initial reason for prose poems was that I needed a reader to feel inside Ha's mind. Why did you choose to write in prose poems? And how do these poems change over the course of the novel as Ha matures? The initial reason for prose poems was that I needed a reader to feel inside Has mind. When I started, Ha is living in Saigon, and obviously she is not speaking English. It is Vietnamese you are reading and by literary magic you are able understand it in English. When I wrote it, I was thinking in Vietnamese and what came out of my fingertips onto the keyboard would be English. It is automatic translation and very much inside of the Vietnamese mind. And then for the sequel, I thought it is two years later, she is not completely fluent in English, especially with the weird English verb tenses and parts of speech. But I thought she is definitely fluent enough so I could have switched to prose, but my editor [Tara Weikum] said when it is a sequel, readers want the same thing. And truly at 12 I was still thinking in Vietnamese. You know you are fluent when you dream in the new language and then when you can tell a joke in the new language and have it actually be funny. I was not there yet at 12. So I wrote in prose poems, but they have changed. Because I need to show that the infiltration of this very wordy, gray language has happened to her brain. English comes in and English is the wordiest language. It is very subtle, but I let the poems loosen a little bit to show her evolution. You run a charity called Viet Kids, which gives bicycles to kids in Vietnam. What prompted you to create this organization and how has it grown and evolved? In 2005, I went on a translation trip with a group of doctors who go to the country side to do cleft palate surgery. I talked to the kids and I asked what they wanted and every one of them said a bicycle. They said [they wanted them] so that they could get to school and not walk two hours each way and so that their moms could get to the market. They rig up contraptions to carry extra kids and packages, so that a bicycle becomes like a family car. I thought if a bicycle can change your life that much, we should do it. The bikes cost $75 and come from China. It has been a very popular program and I work with a Buddhist nun who finds these children. We also started a new scholarship program this year. For just $1,000 you can send a kid to college in Vietnam for a whole year, and for $4,000 somebody has a college education. We started with a boy and a girl, our first two scholarship students. With the bicycle kids, I do not know them aside from the cute letters they write me. But I am going to interview these scholarship kids at the end of each year to see how it is going. Maybe there is a book in there. These are very practical kids. They are going to their nearby college to major in something humble but to them is very uplifting, like hotel management, working the front desk, or restaurant work. They are not going to be the next CEO of some amazing startup doing something with AI, but maybe their children will. When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhha Lai. HarperCollins, $18.99 May 9 ISBN 978-1-338-18063-3 Reznikov says leaked documents from Pentagon mixture of true and false info media Files with allegedly leaked secret U.S. military documents that were posted on the Internet "contain a mixture of true and false information," said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, who arrived in Madrid for a meeting with his colleague Margarita Robles. A cache of classified U.S. military documents that have allegedly been leaked and posted online contain a mixture of true and false information, the Sky News quoted Ukrainian defence minister on Wednesday as saying. Speaking in Madrid, Oleksiy Reznikov also said any information that was true in the files is no longer relevant, the ezine says. As reported, the minister said he believed the apparent leaks were an information operation aimed at benefiting Russia and its allies. Hannah Hill at Delacorte has acquired Jenny L. Howe's YA debut Love at Full Tilt, as well as a second untitled YA romance. This joyful celebration of fandoms, amusement parks, whirlwind romance, and plus-size girls follows 18-year-old Lia, who secures a coveted spot in a scavenger hunt at world-renowned theme park Fableland. She's determined to win the prize money and secure the golden ticket into her dream worlduntil fellow competitor Mason upends her plans and sends her heart careening off the tracks. Publication is set for summer 2025; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management sold world English rights. Sara Schonfeld at HarperTeen has bought The Night Owls by A.R. Vishny, a myth-filled romantic debut following two Estriesowl-shifting women vampires from Jewish traditionwho break their oaths to never fall in love in order to face Manhattan's monstruous underworld and save the girl one of them loves with help from the crush of the other. Publication is planned for fall 2024; Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights. Ashley Hearn at Peachtree Teen has acquired Death's Country by R.M. Romero (The Ghosts of Rose Hill), a queer Orpheus and Eurydice retelling in verse, with a polyamorous triad, following two Miami teens who travel to the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend's soul, so they can reunite it with her body before it's too late. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency brokered the deal for world rights. Stacey Barney at Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books has bought The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham by Ryan James Black, a debut middle grade fantasy set during World War II that follows a 12-year-old orphan who accidentally unleashes a shadow monster onto the streets of London and must team up with an unlikely assembly of allies to hunt it down, unraveling a mystery that stretches back hundreds of years. Publication is set for summer 2025; Pete Knapp and Jerome Ellison Murphy at Park & Fine Literary and Media did the two-book deal for world English rights. Alyssa Miele at HarperCollins/Quill Tree has acquired, in a preempt, world English rights to Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy, a middle grade novel-in-verse about 12-year-old Murray whose Jersey shore home is destroyed by a hurricane. Displaced to upstate New York and separated from her beloved ocean, Murray meets a boy named Dylan who introduces her to the magical world of roller skating and drag shows. Publication is planned for summer 2024; Jordan Hamessley at New Leaf Literary & Media negotiated the deal, which includes a second stand-alone novel. Michael Green at Marble Press has bought world rights to One Alley Summer by Anne Ylvisaker, a middle-grade novel in verse about the growing pains of friendship, the triumph of facing one's deepest fears, and the powerful yearning to expand one's childhood beyond walls that try to contain it. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency brokered the deal. Kate O'Sullivan at Clarion has acquired world rights, in an exclusive submission, to Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site author Sherri Duskey Rinker's (l.) Down in the Under, a picture book about the anticipation of spring and the rewards of waiting and patience, illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gomez. Publication is planned for winter 2026; Lori Kilkelly at LK Literary Agency represented the author, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has bought world rights, in an exclusive submission, to The Best Day, a picture book about a girl's excitement getting to celebrate her and her friends at a Disability Pride Parade with her family, and how the neighborhood's accessibility makes it safe and healthy for all, written by disability activist Adiba Nelson (l.) and illustrated by DeAnn Wiley. Publication is set for winter 2026; Jessica Regel at Helm Literary represented the author, and James McGowan at BookEnds Literary represented the illustrator. Wendy McClure at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky has acquired world rights to Five Words That Are Mine, a picture book by Melissa Seron Richardson (l.), illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda, about Mia, a young skateboarder who is reminded of her own strength and resilience when she comes up with five words to describe herself for a school assignment. Publication is scheduled for March 2024; Amy Jameson at A+B Works represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator. Jess Harold at Henry Holt has bought world rights to The Daddy Daughter Dance by Malcolm Newsome (l.), illustrated by Jenin Mohammed. This picture book is about a father and daughter who must find a way to dance together after their event gets canceled. Publication is slated for fall 2025; James McGowan at BookEnds represented the author in the two-book deal, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator. Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Sharing Shalom by Danielle Sharkan (l.), illustrated by Selina Alko (I Is for Immigrants), a picture book about a proudly Jewish girl whose faith is shakenbut ultimately rebuiltafter her synagogue is vandalized. Publication is planned for spring 2025; Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency represented the author, and Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker represented the illustrator. Katherine Harrison at Knopf has bought world rights to Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Cholera by Deborah Hopkinson (l.), illustrated by Nik Henderson. This nonfiction picture book follows the young doctor who would come to be known as "the father of modern epidemiology," who mapped the spread of cholera during London's Blue Death and traced its source to a water pump. Publication is set for summer 2024; Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator. Charlie Ilgunas at Little Bee Books has acquired world rights to Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi's Fight to End Child Labor by Srividhya Venkat (l.), illustrated by Danica da Silva Pereira, a picture book biography about 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi's lifelong mission to end child labor around the world. Publication is slated for summer 2024; Adria Goetz at P.S. Literary represented the author, and Amy Milligan at Illo Agency represented the illustrator. Kayla Tostevin at Page Street Kids has bought world rights to Willow Takes on the Weather by Rachel Noble (l.), illustrated by Annabel Tempest, in which a tenacious girl ready for fun in the sun pushes back against the forces of weather itself. Publication is scheduled for winter 2025; Essie White at Storm Literary Agency represented the author, and Frederica Dawson at the Bright Group represented the illustrator. Sunita Apte at Reycraft has acquired, at auction, world rights to Swish! The Wonders of the Wind by Sophia Gholz (l.) (The Boy Who Grew a Forest), illustrated by Frances Ives, which introduces young readers through free verse to the wind cycle, wind patterns, and the impact wind has on our climate and planet. Publication is planned for 2025; Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency represented the author, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has bought North American rights to Junia: The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (l.), illustrated by David Gardner. The picture book debut takes young readers on the Kentucky Packhorse librarian route alongside Junia, the beloved, cantankerous mule featured in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, paying tribute to dedicated librarians, and to the rich history of the author's native Kentucky. It's set for March 2024; Stacy Testa and Andrea Morrison at Writers House represented the author, and the illustrator was unagented. Ali Fisher at Tor Teen has won, at auction, National Book Award winner Kacen Callender's debut YA fantasy Infinity Alchemist. Featuring a cast of trans and queer characters of color in a polyamorous triad, the story follows a boy who illegally practices alchemy and is blackmailed into helping a college apprentice find the legendary Book of Source, pitting the two against dangerous rivals willing to kill for it. Publication is planned for winter 2024; Beth Phelan at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal for world English rights. Carolina Ortiz at HarperTeen has acquired, in an exclusive submission, Axie Oh's YA romance ASAP. Set in Seoul, the novel follows the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner who must weigh her love for her K-pop star ex-boyfriend against the potential damage to her family and his reputation if the public finds out about their relationship. Publication is scheduled for winter 2024; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights. Tamara Grasty at Page Street YA has bought A Prayer for Vengeance author Leanne Schwartz's fantasy To a Darker Shore, featuring a da Vinci-esque teen girl inventor on a Dante-esque passage through the underworld and a demi hero. Plus-size autistic shepherdess Alesta has two weeks to traverse hell, slay the devil who killed her best friend after he was sacrificed in her place, and end her island kingdom's tithings for goodonly to find him alive but monstrously transformed. Publication is slated for winter 2024; Lee O'Brien at Irene Goodman Literary Agency did the deal for world rights. Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has acquired Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley. When Indira's older sister is murdered after being sent to the prince of a rival land as a captive bride, Indira is determined to avenge herby taking her place as the new bride, in the hopes of destroying the kingdom from within. But everyone around Indira has something to hide, and even her sister had secretsdeadly ones. Publication is set for summer 2024; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management sold world English rights. Sarah Fell at Magination Press has bought world rights to Carol Gilligan and the Search for Voice by Bill Cole (l.), illustrated by Sarah Green, a YA biography of the life and work of groundbreaking developmental psychologist Carol Gilligan. Publication is planned for fall 2024; the author represented himself, and Robbin Brosterman at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired, in a two-book deal, Dust & Grim author Chuck Wendig's Monster Movie!, a spooky middle grade novel about a boy who must face his many fears to save his friends from a cursed videotape. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency sold world rights. Erica Finkel at Abrams has bought The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald (Game Changer). This upper middle-grade novel shines a light on the enormous pressure in youth sports as a baseball player must face the fallout after his father attacks an umpire during a game. Publication is slated for spring 2025; Amy Thrall Flynn at Rubin Pfeffer Content negotiated the deal for world rights. Taylor Norman at Holiday House/Neal Porter Books has acquired the first two books in Kay Healy's Casey's Cases, a debut graphic novel series about a 10-year-old aspiring detective named Casey and her investigations of the new girl at school, her crush's confiscated love note, the origins of a lost neighborhood cat, and other mysteries in the life of an unintentionally hilarious fourth grader. Publication is set for fall 2024; Hannah Mann at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights. Jessica Anderson at Little, Brown/Ottaviano has bought, at auction, Cramming, a semi-autobiographical debut middle grade graphic novel by Brigitta Blair, about the pressures Ari Sharpe and her friends face in eighth grade, including scoliosis bracing, school, sports, gender exploration, and the gift of learning to be at peace in your body, pitched for readers of Swim Team and The Tryout. Publication is planned for winter 2027; Chelsea Eberly at Greenhouse Literary did the deal for North American rights. Mabel Hsu at HarperCollins has won, at auction, With Twice the Love, Dessie Mei, a middle grade debut by Justina Chen. Twelve-year-old Dessie Mei Breedlove moves to Seattle and meets a girl who looks exactly like her. The girls learn they were adopted from the same orphanage in Hunanonly Dessie was adopted into a white family, and her twin adopted into a Taiwanese American one. Publication is scheduled for summer 2024; Steven Malk at Writers House negotiated the deal for world English rights. Andrew Arnold at HarperAlley has acquired, in a preempt, two graphic novels by Brenna Thummler (Sheets & Delicates). Gumshoe is a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel that follows shy Willa, who dreams of becoming a postal carrier, on her run-in with a traveling girl gang, and the power she ultimately finds in connection and staying true to herself. Its slated for winter 2026, and book two is slated for winter 2028; Hannah Mann at Writers House sold world rights. Mekisha Telfer at Roaring Brook Press has bought world rights to The Fig Tree by Costantia Manoli (l.) (Tomatoes in My Lunchbox), illustrated by Leah Giles. This picture book shares the history of Cyprus's "Green Line," a demilitarized zone that has divided the island's population for nearly 50 years following the violent summer of 1974from the perspective of a fig tree growing along the line. Publication is set for 2025; Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency represented the author, and Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator. Elizabeth Agyemang at HarperCollins has acquired world rights to A Rakhi for Rakesh by Nadia Salomon (l.) (Goodnight Ganesha), illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, a picture book about a brother and sister duo who explore the importance of forgiveness, family, and what it means to be a caring sibling as they celebrate the Hindu holiday of Raksha Bandhan. Publication is planned for summer 2025; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and James Burns at the Bright Agency represented the illustrator. Jennifer Greene at Clarion has bought world rights to It's Taco Knight! by Megan Maynor (l.) (Helga Makes a Name for Herself), illustrated by Estrela Lourenco (Counting to Bananas). In this picture book, overly enthusiastic Taco Knight crowds out the other Knights of Dinner, making every night a taco night before learning that variety is key to peaceful Dinner Knightsand happy villagers. Publication is slated for 2025; Minju Chang at BookStop Literary Agency represented the author, and James McGowan at BookEnds Literary Agency represented the illustrator. Alyssa Mito Pusey at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to the first two books in a new picture book series, How to Explain Science to a Grown-Up by Ruth Spiro (l.), illustrated by Teresa Martinez. The series offers graduates of Spiro's Baby Loves Science books a fresh take on favorite topics, as an enthusiastic kid narrator gives readers the tools and language to walk a grown-up through complicated scientific principles. Publication is set for fall 2023 and fall 2024; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary represented the author, and Christine Hong at Astound US represented the illustrator. Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has bought world rights to The Secret of Fall by John Coy (l.) (Where We Come From), about the way autumn reveals its secret each year, illustrated by Kristen Adam. Publication is scheduled for fall 2024; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency represented the author, and Tina Doffing at Astound US represented the illustrator. Birck Nanotechnology Center is the hub for Purdue Universitys cutting-edge research, including the latest work in semiconductors and microelectronics. (Purdue University photo/Charles Jischke) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. From creating microchip clocks to authoring a book series on semiconductors, Purdue continues to forge the future of microelectronics in 2023. Purdue Universitys persistent pursuit of microchip advancement through the innovation, partnerships and programs highlighted in this roundup continues to move the field forward. If you have any questions or would like to speak to a Purdue expert, contact Brian Huchel, bhuchel@purdue.edu. Purdue has been named one of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies for its advances in semiconductors and microelectronics. Fast Company cited Purdue as a renowned and globally recognized leader in semiconductors, from research to training to fabrication to the workforce. as a renowned and globally recognized leader in semiconductors, from research to training to fabrication to the workforce. As the only university ranked in Fast Company magazines Top 50 Most Innovative Companies, No. 16 Purdue follows OpenAI (at No. 1, developer of ChatGPT and Dall-E) and leads NASA (No. 17) and The Walt Disney Company (No. 25) as organizations paving the way for the innovations of tomorrow and setting the standard with some of the greatest accomplishments of the modern world. With the chip workforce just as key to our nations economic future as chip innovation, The Washington Post says Purdue is creating a model for education across the U.S. Chips companies and government officials alike are looking to Purdue for guidance on CHIPS and Science Act implementation that promotes innovation while creating the workforce of the future. Septembers visit from Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, chip companies and semiconductor experts highlighted how a prepared workforce is being built here at Purdue while drawing national attention to chip education. Here is the latest information on Purdues readiness for semiconductors. This overview highlights how Purdue is connecting industry, workforce development and research to create a global impact on semiconductor and microelectronic innovation. Purdue University partnered with Greater Lafayette Commerce to receive $5 million for the development of the semiconductor workforce to create a talent pipeline for the industry. The funding is geared to support the plan by Bloomington, Minnesota-based SkyWater Technology to invest $1.8 billion for locating a major semiconductor manufacturing facility in Discovery Park District at Purdue. to invest $1.8 billion for locating a major semiconductor manufacturing facility in Discovery Park District at Purdue. Purdue President Mung Chiang said, This region that includes Tippecanoe County is well poised to become an engine in creating the hard-tech corridor of our state. SkyWater Technology expects 750 new jobs to be created by the facility within five years. The 600,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is dependent upon receiving funds from the CHIPS Act. SkyWater is the latest company in Discovery Park District at Purdue, joining Rolls-Royce, Saab and others. U.S. economic security depends on developing the talent pipeline in this vital field. The program will create the next generation of semiconductor workforce to reassert American preeminence. The launch allows a Purdue, Ivy Tech partnership to create curriculum, corporate training for a new microelectronics workforce. Purdue researchers are working to fix a weak point in chip manufacturing that requires the separate creation of a timing device, which often occurs overseas. The new approach repurposes data processing transistors into a timing device, addressing the weak point in the supply chain. Purdue researcher Dana Weinstein says, Theres a need for America to advance its capabilities in chip manufacturing, and an advance of this nature addresses multiple concerns in supply chain, national security and hardware security. Purdues College of Engineering, with World Scientific and the American Semiconductor Academy, announced New Era Electronics: A Lecture Notes Series. The book series is a continuation of the Semiconductor Electronics Education Committee notes from the 1960s, which aims to prepare a new generation of semiconductor engineers to advance electronics with foundational knowledge and new directions for innovation. The new book series was announced at a celebration with remarks from U.S. Sen. Todd Young, co-author of the CHIPS and Science Act, and a presentation of Transistors! (the first volume of the series) to Purdue President Mung Chiang. What is chip packaging, and how does it advance the semiconductor field? Purdue researcher Ganesh Subbarayan explains what advanced chip packaging is and how it will keep advancements in this field powerful and cost-effective. The center marks a commitment to addressing societys increasing semiconductor demands and needed talent pool. The design center will be MediaTeks first location in the Midwest. Collaborations on artificial intelligence research and communications chip design are still in the works. Purdue College of Engineering faculty have been tapped for leadership positions in two new research centers launched by the Semiconductor Research Corporation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The centers are part of the Joint University Microelectronics Program 2.0, a public-private partnership that will pursue high-risk, high-payoff research. Purdue faculty will take on lead research roles and lend expertise in semiconductors and hard artificial intelligence to two of the programs seven centers. The demand for faster, more powerful microchips to handle todays consumer demands creates a tightly compacted and incredibly hot semiconductor. Purdue researcher Tiwei Wei proposes a new cooling system, direct liquid jet impingement cooling, which will result in high cooling efficiency. Weis Alpha Lab (All-in-one for Semiconductor Packaging, Heat transfer, and Assembly Lab) is making semiconductor packaging technology into a more efficient, reliable space and unlocking the potential for nanotechnologies to benefit humankind. The $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law on Aug. 9 as an investment in the American ecosystem of microelectronics and semiconductor production. Vijay Raghunathan explains what the act is and what it means for America. Read the latest about microelectronics at Purdue. Purdue microelectronics in the news Chips Are the New Oil and America Is Spending Billions to Safeguard Its Supply The Wall Street Journal U.S. Pours Money Into Chips, but Even Soaring Spending Has Limits The New York Times About Purdue University Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last five years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://stories.purdue.edu. President of European Council on video of murder of Ukrainian prisoner: Accountability must prevail over terror and impunity The European Union will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, European Council President Charles Michel said, commenting on the murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russians. Mortified by atrocious video showing murder of Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian soldier. Accountability and justice must prevail over terror and impunity. The EU will do all possible to ensure that. The EU will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, Michel said on Twitter Wednesday. When a nation newly ascends or returns to the status of a leading international power, it often feels the need to publicly demonstrate its rise through a brief, victorious war. Today, China's increasing strength may tempt it to pursue such a conflict, and not necessarily with Taiwan, if it anticipatesperhaps incorrectlythat victory will be swift, decisive, and demonstrative. The United States did exactly that 125 years ago this month, starting what was called a splendid little war against Spain in 1898. Though Spain was weak and overstretched enough that the war's outcome was not in doubt, the rapidity and decisiveness of the American victory were striking. Before the war with Spain, the United States had been a rapidly growing nation with a vibrant economy, but not necessarily one of the foremost nations in the world; after that war, perceptions of its latent military might and its acquisition of overseas territories made it an equal of the leading powers of Europe. Such demonstrations were a common feature of that era. Prussia's defeat of France in 187071 paved the way for German unification and was a forceful way of demonstrating that the newly established German Empire had joined the great powers. Likewise, Japan's victory over Russia in 19041905 served a similar purpose, announcing the arrival of an Asian power that could be counted among the giants. In the 21st century, Russia's revanchism in Georgia and Ukraine has partly been an attempt to restore its great-power status. A Palpable Symbol of China's Power China may believe a quick and decisive military victory could help to establish the perception that it is not only an economic power of the first rank, but also a military one. As with the American war against Spain, the outcome need not be in doubt. However, it could serve as a palpable symbol of China's re-ascendance to global leadership. It would mark the closure of a series of eras for China: not only the century of humiliation ending in the 1940s, during which China was on the receiving end of Western and Japanese imperialism, but also China's isolation under Mao Zedong (19491976) and its maintenance of a low international profile thereafter. China may believe a quick and decisive military victory could help to establish the perception that it is not only an economic power of the first rank, but also a military one. Share on Twitter China has shifted to a more assertive and aggressive stance over the last decade or so; in 2010, its foreign minister instructed Southeast Asian leaders that, China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and that's just a fact. More recently, it has adopted a confrontational wolf warrior diplomacy, menaced and even rammed other nations' vessels in the South China Sea, and engaged in repeated border skirmishes with India. A quick victory could reinforce popular perceptions that the Communist Party had made China proud and strong, as well as wealthy. The party could also boast that while the Soviet Union's 74th year was its last, the People's Republic of China was still going strong 74 years after Mao proclaimed its birth. The United States had a clear target for its splendid little war 125 years ago. The American public was offended by Spain's brutal mistreatment of its subjects, covetous of its lands, and confident of defeating the decaying Spanish Empire. A pretext was found when an accidental explosion aboard the USS Maine in Havana was deemed a perfidious act of war. India and Vietnam Are Possible Targets Today, China may believe that it has two potentially desirable alternatives, namely India and Vietnam. Neither has alliances with the United States, and U.S. intervention on behalf of either would be extremely unlikely. (It is particularly implausible that a U.S. president would send Americans to die in Vietnam on behalf of the Communists in Hanoi.) China could use its massive ground-centric forces to overrun either country's land border with it, while also testing its burgeoning air, maritime, cyber, space, and electronic warfare capabilities for future use. At a time when China is experiencing copious internal discontent, and when India has supplanted it as the world's most populous nation, defeating India in a limited border war might be a way for China to reassert itself for both domestic and international consumption. China's elevation advantage along the Tibetan-Indian frontier was one of many strengths that enabled it to vanquish India in a limited war in 1962. It might be confidentperhaps overconfidentof doing so again, although India is now a nuclear power, and a new war might not be so limited as the last. China could use various pretexts. There have been numerous clashes along the Sino-Indian frontier in recent years, some of them fatal. Chinese vessels in the Indian Ocean could provoke their Indian counterparts, as they have done to vessels from other Asian nations. Pakistan could stage an incident that drew in Chinese forces, or the two giants could spar over influence in Nepal, Sri Lanka, or other parts of South Asia. Should the Chinese Communist Party attempt to manipulate the identification of the 87-year-old Dalai Lama's next reincarnation, as it has for other Tibetan lamas, it could then claim that India had instigated any resulting Tibetan opposition. Vietnam could also be an opportune target. China launched a punitive invasion of Vietnam in 1979 because Vietnam had invaded Cambodia, though China primarily punished itself as its forces struggled. Thrashing Vietnam in a decisive rematch could bolster the confidence of the People's Liberation Army, Chinese Communist Party, and Chinese public. Maritime Borders Are a Likely Flash Point Disputes over maritime borders and control of islands, which have resulted in numerous clashes at sea, could likely provide a justification for war whenever China wanted to create one. A tiff between Vietnam and either Laos or Cambodia, both of which have been cultivated by China, could also be magnified into a larger Sino-Vietnamese conflict. Chinese forces could even follow the paths of the old Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos and Cambodia to attack South Vietnam. Disputes over maritime borders and control of islands could likely provide a justification for war whenever China wanted to create one. Share on Twitter At a time when the world's attention is transfixed by a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, it is important to keep these other threats in mind. China may anticipate that victory against India or Vietnam would elevate perceptions of its military prowess and enable it to better hone its forces for future combat. However, it may miscalculate the level of difficulty of such a war, its duration, the potential for escalation, or other repercussions; Russia certainly did in Ukraine. The United States can do little to directly influence China's calculus, other than being visibly prepared to impose sanctions and reminding China that wars have a tendency to become protracted; Russia's aggression in Ukraine is merely the latest example. However, both India and Vietnam could seek to sow seeds of doubt about China's ability to rapidly and successfully achieve its aims, by demonstrating their own capabilities and willingness to fight through exercises, military investments, and diplomatic messaging. Deterring a splendid little war would be a noble achievement. Scott Savitz is a senior engineer at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. This commentary originally appeared on Defense Opinion on April 10, 2023. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Property details: 141/143 Taylor Len - 2 for 1 lots ready to build. I a beautiful upscale established residential neighborhood. Approximately 1 hour from Atlanta Airport. Close to Hogansville, Newnan. All utilities on lot or street. Please contact for details!... Price: $ 14,900 Seller State of Residence: Georgia Type: Homesite, Lot Property Address: 141/143 Taylor Len Zip/Postal Code: 30240 Zoning: Residential City: Atlanta metro State/Province: Georgia Location: 302**, Lagrange, Georgia You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Georgia Hawkeye and Mayor of Kingstown actor Jeremy Renner, who has been recovering from serious injuries he suffered in a January snowplowing mishap, attended the premiere of Rennervations in Los Angeles Tuesday night. ADVERTISEMENT The show begins streaming Wednesday on Disney+ It follows Renner and a team of experts who fix up and donate trucks and buses to those who need them. "From the personal challenges -- physical, emotional, health, all of that -- it's come hand-in-hand with the show because the show is also very, very, very personal to me, it's my life," Renner told The Hollywood Reporter as he entered the event. "There's no character, there's no script. This is just cameras investigating what I do for a living in my life." Deadline.com said the actor used a cane when he walked the red carpet and spoke with reporters. "Working on this show is not work. It's always a lot of fun, good laughter and really good causes," Renner told the media outlet. "It really actually moves the needle a lot for people and it certainly moves the needle a lot for me in my life." Last week, Renner posted a photo of himself enjoying a day out with his family at Six Flags Magic Mountain shortly after sitting for an interview with broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer aired on ABC. On Monday, he was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! The 52-year-old actor suffered a broken face, eye socket, ribs, clavicle, right shoulder and both ankles, a punctured lung, and a severe head laceration in the Jan. 2 mishap in which he failed to set the plow's brake properly, then tried to stop it before it could run over his nephew. Amanda Stanton / Instagram By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/11/2023 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. alum Amanda Stanton has scolded fans for repeatedly asking if she's pregnant or wants to get pregnant with husband Michael Fogel's baby."One thing I didn't expect after getting married is that people will immediately start asking you every day if you're pregnant, tell you look pregnant etc," Amanda, 33, wrote via Instagram Stories on Monday, April 10.20 alum, who married Michael in September 2022, continued in her post, "Every time I post a photo these days, at least a couple people ask [if I'm expecting Baby No. 3]. And after I said, 'No I'm not,' someone literally just told me I should 'take a test to make sure!'""People can't really be acting this way in 2023," Amanda added. "STOP ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY'RE PREGNANT."Amanda, who also appeared on multiple seasons of Bachelor in Paradise, already shares two daughters -- Kinsley, 10, and Charlie, 9 -- with her ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio.One week before urging fans to stop asking her if she's expecting, Amanda revealed on April 3 that she and Michael, a real estate entrepreneur, would "love to start trying at some point soon" for another child.And during a late March Instagram Q&A with her followers, Amanda discussed potentially expanding her family.When a person asked if Amanda wants more babies, Amanda replied, 'Yes! I'm not going to lie, though. I'm so nervous," according to BachelorNation.com."I thought we would have started trying by now, but maybe a few more months?!" she added.Amanda, however, elaborated how it's difficult to truly prepare for having a baby."But then I keep thinking, 'Will we ever feel 100 percent ready for another baby?!' Whenever it happens, I'll be so so excited, whether we're ready or not," Amanda said.Amanda also reportedly shared that if she and Michael do try for another baby, she hopes to have a little boy "that is exactly like Michael."Amanda tied the knot with Michael at Kestrel Park in Santa Ynez, CA, on September 2, 2022.Amanda called her wedding "pure magic" on social media, and she told People that she was "so excited and happy" to be a married woman again.Amanda and Michael were reportedly friends for two years before they began dating. Michael popped the question and the couple got engaged in December 2021 "Everything was always so easy with him," Amanda shared with the magazine."It was so nice that we already knew each other. Now, my girls are really excited to officially call him their stepdad!"Amanda was married to Nick from 2012 to 2015 and then competed for Ben Higgins ' heart on 's 20th season one year after getting a divorce.After Amanda introduced Ben to her girls and finished his season in third place, the Lani the Label founder looked for love on Season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise.Amanda accepted a marriage proposal from Andi Dorfman 's ex-fiance Josh Murray during the finale, but they called it quits on their engagement and announced their split in December 2016.Amanda and Josh had a nasty public breakup, with Amanda calling Josh "the worst" and admitting she had mistakenly ignored friends' grim warnings about his personality and character.Amanda decided to search for The One on television again by participating in Bachelor in Paradise's fourth edition the next summer, when former ette star JoJo Fletcher 's runner-up Robby Hayes pursued her.However, Amanda and Robby's romance was short-lived and she confirmed their breakup in September 2017."Robby was somebody who was doing all these sweet things for me and saying that he wants a family and a future, and then we get off the show and all he wanted to do is party and not call me ," Amanda told People at the finale taping.Amanda subsequently got romantically involved -- off-camera -- with Tillow co-founder Bobby Jacobs and the couple went Instagram official in May 2018.Bobby, however, appeared to break Amanda's heart just about one year later. I'm sad. I cried a lot ... I was completely blindsided [by the breakup] and it just happened very suddenly," Amanda told her fans on social media in April 2019.After a series of heartbreak and men letting her down, Amanda told Us Weekly in April 2020 that dating and getting married again weren't high on her list of "priorities" considering she had "so many other things to worry about" in her life.But Amanda proceeded to date attorney Oren Agman in 2020 before finally getting involved with Michael in early 2021.Amanda made her romance with Michael Instagram official during a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in February 2021, Us reported."It's still new, so they're taking things slow and just enjoying their time together," a source told the magazine at the time. "He has met her daughters, of course, since they're with her half the time."Amanda apparently fell hard and fast for Michael, because in August 2021, she said that she was hoping her man would pop the question soon.When an Instagram user asked last summer when she wanted to get engaged, Amanda reportedly replied, "If we're being honest, yesterday."Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group The cooperation of deputies of Ukraine and members of the European Parliament (EP) at the inter-committee level will contribute to full membership in the European Union, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk said. "We held the first joint inter-committee meeting of Ukrainian parliamentarians with MEPs. So, today we have established a structural cooperation between the committees of our parliaments The basis and agenda for the inter-committee dialogue should be made up of road maps of activities in the European integration direction. And this will eventually contribute to Ukraine's promotion to full membership in the European Union," he wrote on his Facebook page following the results of the meeting on Wednesday. Stefanchuk stressed that now every committee of the Ukrainian parliament is becoming essentially of European integration, and every legislative initiative will be considered through the prism of its compliance with certain European standards. "And this should become the new architecture of Ukrainian parliamentarism. Regular meetings, joint events, working contacts between parliamentarians, constant interaction between our secretariats are ahead," the speaker added. The Head of the Verkhovna Rada also called this a historic day for the Ukrainian and European parliaments, and thanked the head of the EP Roberta Metsola for the initiative of such a meeting and support for Ukraine's aspirations to be a full member of the EU. "The process of joining the EU is a painstaking work on adapting national legislation to EU law and I am grateful that the European Parliament is ready to be side by side with Ukraine," he added. As reported, the heads of the committees of the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine held the first joint meeting on April 12 to discuss the process of Ukraine's accession to the European Union. The parliamentarians considered a number of issues, in particular, related to economic policy, the rule of law, the anti-corruption program and budget control, as well as bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with EU legislation and the implementation of EU legislation. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. On Thursday, April 13 at the Jackson Street Building, the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art and the Environmental Ethics Certificate Program hosted a screening of the award-winning documentary UNSPOKEN, directed and filmed on an iPhone by UGA alum Stephanie Calabrese. The documentary uncovers the history of racism in Calabreses hometown of Monroe, Georgia to investigate racial divides that persist in the town today. The event included a moderated discussion with the director, Monroe residents featured in the documentary, and former Georgia Bulldog and NFL Hall of Famer Champ Bailey. Beginning Monday at 9 p.m., the University of Georgia Miller Learning Center will only be accessible via the second floor entrance and will requirement students, faculty and staff to show their UGA ID cards to the security desk, according to fliers posted on the building. This policy is only for night access of the buildings after 9 p.m. The new policy will affect all university libraries, such as the UGA Main Library, the flier said. The change was made for the safety and security [of all] patrons. Keshub Mahindra, a pioneer of Indian auto industry and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd chairman emeritus, died on Wednesday morning. Mahindra, 99, breathed his last on Wednesday morning at home peacefully, the company confirmed. "He was a man of principles and led from the front to preserve the legacy of our founders which has ensured that the organisation has remained rooted in ethics, values and good corporate governance," Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra said. Further, Anand said, "Keshub Mahindra was known for his astute business acumen that helped in transforming Mahindra into a diversified federation of companies. His compassion and people-centric approach made him a global business icon, who was much loved and respected." Keshub had led the Mahindra Group for 48 years as chairman and expanded it from being an automobile manufacturer to other business segments like IT, real estate, financial services and hospitality. He played key roles in forging business alliances with global majors such as the Willys Corporation, Mitsubishi, International Harvester, United Technologies, British Telecom and many others. Born on October 9, 1923, in Shimla, Keshub was a graduate from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA, and joined M&M in 1947 and became the chairman in 1963. In 2012, Keshub Mahindra, who remained as one of the directors on Mahindra & Mahindra's board for 64 years overseeing the group's metamorphosis from a steel trading company to a $15.4 billion diversified group, handed over the baton to his nephew and the then vice-chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra. He had also served on a large number of Boards and Councils in both private and public domain. He was the founder Chairman of HUDCO, and also served on many corporate boards, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC, ICICI and HDFC. Besides, he also held the position of president of Employers' Federation of India and the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He was a member of the Sachar Commission on Company Law and Reforms, a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry and chairman of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. A renowned philanthropist, Keshub redefined good corporate governance in India. He was also a member of the Apex Advisory Council of ASSOCHAM. In 1987, he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Legion d'honneur by the French government. In a statement, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) president Vinod Aggarwal condoled his demise saying the Indian automobile industry has lost one of its pioneers. "His leadership in the early years of the journey of the Indian auto Industry had led to India being recognised as an important player globally and also helped in India becoming a manufacturing hub for the Automobile sector," he added. Mahindra was the president of SIAM in 1964. "SIAM and the Indian Automobile Industry condoles the passing away of a true visionary and pray for the departed soul to rest in peace," Aggarwal said. Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said, "As members of the Auto Retail fraternity, we join in mourning the loss of an Industry Icon whose contributions to the growth of the Indian Economy will always be remembered." Former M&M managing director Pawan Goenka tweeted, "The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to meetings with him and inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti." Advisor-Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation Daria Herasymchuk, at an extraordinary special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, spoke about the situation of Ukrainian children during the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, according to the official website of the President of Ukraine. At the request of the Ukrainian delegation, the presidency of North Macedonia in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) convened an extraordinary special meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE, during which Advisor - President's Commissioner for Children's Rights and Children's Rehabilitation Daria Herasymchuk spoke about crimes against Ukrainian children committed by the Russian Federation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it is said in a message on the website of the President of Ukraine on Wednesday. As reported, Herasymchuk informed the participants of the meeting about the horrifying situation in which Ukrainian children have found themselves because of the Russian occupiers, in particular, about the deaths and injuries of young Ukrainian citizens, about the violence against them, the abduction of Ukrainian children by the Russians, which is part of the crime of genocide against the Ukrainian people. "Our goal is to completely stop the forced removal and deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation and to take all necessary measures for their safe return and family reunification in accordance with the interests of the child and international law," said Advisor, President's Commissioner for Children's Rights and Children's Rehabilitation Herasymchuk. She expressed gratitude for the initiation of the third "Moscow mechanism" of the OSCE in the context of Russian aggression, which will focus on the issue of deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of our country to the Russian Federation, including illegal adoption and assimilation in Russia. "Each of us is waiting for the results of expert missions and their conclusions. Let's protect Ukrainian children together, because tomorrow it could be any child from any country in the world," urged Herasymchuk. Partners from the European Union, Great Britain, USA, Turkiye, Norway, Canada, and Switzerland thanked the Advisor - President's Commissioner for providing detailed information about Russia's violation of the rights of Ukrainian children and expressed their readiness to continue supporting Ukraine, the message reads. 'Silicon Valley people are generally used to layoffs.' 'Every person who has been in the industry for 15-20 years would have been laid off at least 3-4 times.' 'In India, we aren't used to that concept.' 'So when it came here, people were shocked.' IMAGE: Sridhar Vembu, founder and chief executive of the software-as-a-service major Zoho Corporation. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sridhar Vembu/Twitter.com The world is yet to come to terms with the recent collapses of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Credit Suisse. But for Sridhar Vembu, founder and chief executive of the software-as-a-service (SaaS) major Zoho Corporation, the current global downturn is still quite nascent. For the SaaS industry and Zoho, it is "time for caution and not expansion", he said. In an exclusive interaction with Business Standard, Vembu said the industry should be concerned about two big things -- the current global financial situation, including the failure of SVB and Credit Suisse, and the evolution of artificial intelligence. "We have to take time to digest all this," Vembu said. "See, what the shape of future business is. "We have navigated two big crises -- the dotcom bust in 2001 and the global financial crisis in 2007-2009. "Experience shows it is the time for caution, not expansion," he said. With the SVB collapse affecting the banking tech and start-up sectors, it is widely believed this may have a cascading effect on India's tech industry. Asked about the impact the global crisis could have on India, Vembu said: "This downturn is very young. I don't think we have seen much yet." Vembu's comments on expansion come at a time when the company has opened two 'hub' offices in Tirupur and Trichy, and plans to open offices in Tirunelveli and Madurai districts in Tamil Nadu, along with one in Uttar Pradesh. Regarding the recent layoffs in India, the Zoho founder said this was expected in the Indian market too. "We had absolutely crazy stuff going on in the industry -- you leave a job and get a 3x offer and again get a 2x offer, all this was going on in Bengaluru. "We have not seen this in India. "Silicon Valley has seen it and you also know what happens next. "Silicon Valley people are generally used to layoffs. "Every person who has been in the industry for 15-20 years would have been laid off at least 3-4 times. "In India, we aren't used to that concept. So when it came here, people were shocked," he said. He said those who had observed Silicon Valley have come to terms with the fact that "when things go crazy, it is inevitable that they will crash". "GFC was shocking, the entire world financial system nearly collapsed. "Nobody predicted SVB's collapse. So many start-ups are seeking government help now. "Until a month ago, these guys would have been asking for a free market and all that. "They have all turned around now, saying please bail us out," Vembu said. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com 'Vote banks will change affiliations and the BJP will come out with good success in Kerala.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, right, and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, left, in Kochi. Photograph: ANI Photo Former Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who is now in charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign to make inroads in Kerala, is upbeat about the BJP's prospects in the southern state which has so far been a hard nut to crack for his party. In an interview with Rediff.com Senior Contributors Sunil Gatade and Venkatesh Kesari, Javdekar insists that "major turmoil" is on in Kerala where BJP supremo Narendra D Modi's outreach is being hailed by people as there is "no discrimination" in a state where Christians number 18 per cent and Muslims 28 per cent. How do you say that the BJP will emerge as a major force in Kerala known for its bipolar polity divided between the CPI-M-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF? After the new Lok Sabha came into being in which the Congress won 19 out of 20 seats, they (people) changed their attitude and in the subsequent assembly election, the Congress won only 21 out of 146 assembly seats. Since then the Congress is on the decline and it will decline further with Rahul Gandhi as the leader. But what is bringing about a change? On what factors is your optimism based as you claim huge changes politically in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala? Because we have started many good initiatives. First, Modi has shown the practice of good governance which Kerala has not seen earlier. In Kerala, the beneficiaries of a scheme are selected on the basis of the voting pattern, but not so in Modi's case. So, 5 crores 18 lakh vaccine (51.8 million) doses were given free of cost. Then 1.5 crore (15 million) people got 150 kg of rice per person in the last 30 months. Then, Rs 52 lakhs (Rs 5.2 million) of Mudra loans, 31 lakhs (3.1 million) farmers got Kisan Samman Patras and got Rs 26,000 each. 3.5 lakh (350,000) women got benefitted due to the Ujwala Yojana. 3.5 lakh toilets, five lakh (500,000) PM Aawas Yojana houses and 10 lakh (1 million) tap water connections. All this has changed the scenario. Why do you say that Kerala in 2019 was an exception since Modi's emergence on the national scene? Kerala will see a lot of changes in the election outcome of 2024. In 2019, it was a peculiar situation. In Kerala, people are divided into a bipolar polity. On the one side, it is the LDF. On the other, it is the UDF. Muslims and Christians generally vote more for the UDF. Since that is the situation, in 2019, they thought that Modi is a one-time wonder and that he will vanish. Therefore, Rahul Gandhi will become prime minister. So they voted en masse and this resulted in the Congress winning 19 (Lok Sabha) seats out of 20. There was also another aspect. There was anger against the CPI-M on the Sabarimala issue. People thought we must teach a lesson to the CPI-M and for that reason, they voted for the Congress. So the Congress got a lottery type of situation by winning 19 out of 20. After the new Lok Sabha came into being, they changed their attitude. IMAGE: Anil Antony, centre, former defence minister A K Antony's son, joins the BJP in presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal, right, and Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, April 6, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo With Rahul representing Wayanad till recently, the Congress has high hopes from Kerala. Your claim runs counter to that. Christians and other communities have also started looking for other alternatives. Therefore, I see a major drop in the Congress vote bank. There will be major turmoil. Vote banks will change affiliations and the BJP will come out with good success in the Kerala Parliament elections. Muslims and Christians have received in proportion more benefits from Modiji's schemes. Modi's approval rating (in Kerala) is 40 per cent. The majority of this will also convert into votes. He is doing this for empowering the poor. So we don't attach politics to it. When we visit people, they proudly say we got benefits of these-these schemes. Nandi Modi (Thank you Modi). We are going home to home and this is going to make a major change. In the state, there are 18 per cent Christians and 28 per cent Muslims. The prime minister has given a vision of Snehsamvad, Snehyatra. From Christmas, thousands of our workers have visited thousands of Christian families and participated in their joy. Gave them a cake, invited them for lunch or dinner. All were very happy. There was no message of whom to vote or any such thing. Now there is a plan of party karyakartas to visit 100,000 Christian families. More importantly, on the 15th there is Vishu (the Malayali new year), which is the most important function after Onam. Hindu karyakartas will call their Christian and Muslim friends and neighbours to their houses to participate in their festivities. And on Eid, we are definitely going to say Eid Mubarak. In Kerala, there is a mixed population and there is general goodwill that holds in Kerala and that is what the BJP stands for. What other things are helping the BJP? The LDF, which is ruling the state, is known for six things -- crime, corruption, guns, smuggling, liquor and drugs. We have also unearthed a waste management scam. We are taking up all local issues. With people's support, our organisation is growing very fast. We are sure in the 2024 elections we will win at least five seats in Kerala. And on the India level, I am sure Modi will win a third term with a more strong mandate. We will get more than 303 seats and we will also expand the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). We will give good governance. Our agenda in Kerala and all India level also is development, development, development. 'Amritpal was just a plant.' 'We have to be careful that such kind of people do not emerge in Punjab.' IMAGE: Amritpal Singh (in orange shawl). Photograph: PTI Photo "Amritpal Singh doesn't enjoy a popular base in Punjab. But if he had been allowed time to operate; he would have slowly enlarged his base," Ramesh Inder Singh, former chief secretary of Punjab, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih and Nikhil Lakshman in the concluding part of an incisive interview that deconstructs the socio-politico faultlines in the state and the unique sensitivities, vulnerabilities and strengths of Punjab. As a civil servant in Punjab who closely saw the troubled years, how do you see the emergence of Amritpal Singh and the potential for him to attract young people to whatever he believes in? Firstly, it's a very small problem. Amritpal doesn't enjoy a popular base -- barring certain radical elements or disgruntled elements. But if he had been allowed time to operate, he would have slowly enlarged his base. He was not a leader of standing, basically he was just a plant and people will soon forget him. We have to be careful that such kind of people do not emerge in Punjab. Law enforcement and good governance is one answer to prevent such symptoms in any state and more so in Punjab. Two attributes are basic to good governance -- 1. An effective government; and, 2. A just government. For example, [former director general of police, Punjab] K P S Gill was very effective, but he went beyond the law that made him look unjust, which was then exploited. An effective government is one which is perceived by the public as being just. IMAGE: Amritpal Singh's aide Papalpreet Singh, who was arrested by the Punjab police, being taken to Dibrugarh prison, April 11, 2023. Photograph: PTI Photo Do you see Pakistan opening a new front in Punjab? Pakistan will always do that as long as there is no normalisation of relationship with Pakistan. They have their internal problems, but pinching India is part of their strategy. It is a continuous process. Today, the Western world needs us. In fact, the geopolitical conditions are very good for India as on date. Earlier, the world was divided and India was with Russia because the Americans were supporting Pakistan, but today, Russia, and America as well as Canada, Australia, Japan -- all need India because of the geopolitical conflict. Countries are going to be more responsive to India and India has to make the best of this situation. Do you think the central government understands Punjab or does it see it only in terms of electoral gains? Every political party does that. The tragedy of India is that when it comes to gaining and retaining power, all political parties give up ethical values. That is the true nature of our democracy. Democracy, of course, is governance by politics. So we play politics, and that creates its own dimensions and dynamics. Lack of knowledge or lack of understanding of perception is never an issue with governments in power. Photograph: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Ramesh Inder Singh, author of the must-read book book Turmoil in Punjab: Before and After Blue Star, An Insider's Story, at his Chandigarh home. But so did Mrs Gandhi? Mrs Gandhi's [politics] was also electoral. In my book, I haven't said it in so many words, but it leads to that. The chapter 'Administrative collapse' is about the ineffective government even after President's Rule was imposed in in Punjab between 1982-1984. What weapons did the terrorists or militants have at that time? At best AK-47s and they were killing people like you and me on the streets. Couldn't they have been tackled? Why was no action taken when DIG Atwal was killed? Why was the situation allowed to linger? Some historians have not minced words and have said that the situation was allowed to linger keeping in mind the 1985 elections. All political parties play such polarisation politics to gain and retain power and that is the tragedy of our nation. We cannot build a nation by dividing people, irrespective of which political party is in power. That is very crucial because it leaves a legacy. The legacy of what Mrs Gandhi did in Punjab is lingering till today. Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad on Wednesday claimed that he was being harassed in the Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat. IMAGE: A police team from Uttar Pradesh takes gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed from Sabarmati Central Jail for Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case, April 11, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo He also claimed that his family was ruined, but he was safe because of the media. A police team from Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday left with gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad from the high security Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city for Prayagraj by road in connection with Umesh Pal murder case, The team stopped at Survaya police station in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district on Wednesday for about 20 minutes, where media-persons asked questions to Ahmad at around 7 am. My family is ruined. I am safe because of you, the 60-year-old former Uttar Pradesh MLA and Lok Sabha member told reporters. "I am safe because of you people. I have not telephoned anyone from there (inside the jail) as jammers were installed there. I have not hatched any conspiracy and am behind bars for the last six years," he said. When reporters asked him that government has said he will be decimated, Ahmad claimed, They have already decimated me. I am also being harassed in the Sabarmati jail. Earlier, when Ahmad was taken to Prayagraj from the same route on March 26 and that time also the convoy stopped in Shivpuri district. When media-persons had posed a question to him if he feared for his life, he said, Kahe ka darr (what fear). On Wednesday, the police convoy taking Ahmad to Prayagraj entered the Uttar Pradesh border from Jhansi at around 8.45 am. Umesh Pal and his two police security guards were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area on February 24 this year. Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered on February 25 against Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others. The Uttar Pradesh police had on March 26 also taken Ahmad from the Sabarmati jail to Prayagraj to produce him in a court. On March 28, the court there had sentenced Ahmad and two others to life imprisonment in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case. Ahmad was brought back to the high-security jail in Gujarat in a UP police van on March 29, after a nearly 24-hour-long road journey from Prayagraj. In 2006, Atiq Ahmad and his aides abducted Umesh Pal and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal had registered a complaint in this regard. The Supreme Court had in April 2019 directed that Ahmad be shifted to a high-security jail in Gujarat after he was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and assault of a real estate businessman Mohit Jaiswal while in jail. Ahmad has been named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the recent Umesh Pal murder case, the police said. Among the most sensational murders in which Ahmad is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who was shot dead in 2005. Umesh Pal, a key witness in this murder case, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24 this year. Ahmad last month moved the Supreme Court for protection, claiming he and his family have been falsely implicated as accused in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj and he may be killed in a fake encounter by the Uttar Pradesh police. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has announced its second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka, denying tickets to seven sitting MLAs, including Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested on corruption charges. IMAGE: Karnataka BJP leader Jagadish Shettar. Photograph: ANI Photo The party had released its first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday. The latest list released on Wednesday does not include Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, from where former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar wants to contest, and Shivamogga city, where sitting MLA and former Minister K S Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics. Shettar has been asked by the party top brass to make way for youngsters, but he has asserted he wants to contest one last time. The list includes four SC, one ST and two women candidates. There are several new faces in the second list. Ramachandra Gowda, son-in-law of senior JD(S) leader and MLA G T Devegowda, has got the ticket from Sidlaghatta assembly segment. In Harapanahalli constituency, sitting MLA G Karunakara Reddy, who is the brother of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy - the head of newly formed Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha, has been renominated. Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested by Lokayukta Police on corruption charges, was among the incumbent MLAs who were dropped. Shiv Kumar has been fielded from the segment. In Haveri, sitting MLA Nehru Olekar was overlooked and replaced by Gavisiddappa Dyamannavar, while in Byndoor sitting MLA B Sukumar Shetty made way for Gururaj Gantihole. Mudigere sitting MLA M P Kumaraswamy was dropped and Deepak Doddaiah was named in his place. Recently, there was a large-scale protest against Kumaraswamy by a section of party workers in the constituency, when veteran leader B S Yediyurappa had visited there. Kalghatgi MLA C M Nimbannavar (aged 76) has been replaced by Nagaraj Chabbi who quit Congress and joined the party recently, and in Mayakonda Basavaraja Naik has been given ticket instead of sitting MLA N Linganna. Davangere North MLA S A Ravindranath (76) was denied renomination; instead Lokikere Nagraj got the ticket. Discontent seems to be brewing within the ruling BJP in Karnataka, with the party facing the heat after announcing its first list of candidates on Tuesday, with some ticket aspirants who missed the bus openly expressing displeasure on Wednesday. The party has so far announced candidates for 212 out of total 224 seats in the assembly. Voting will take place on May 10 and counting is scheduled for May 13. A school in Delhi's Defence Colony was evacuated on Wednesday morning after an e-mail said there were bombs on the premises, the police said. IMAGE: SWAT team arrives at a school where an email regarding a bomb threat was received, at Sadiq Nagar, in New Delhi, April 12, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The panicked students and parents of 'The Indian School' gathered outside the school as the bomb squad and other agencies inspected the premises for any explosive substance, they said. "This morning, a bomb threat e-mail was received by the school. Immediately all safety protocols were carried out and all children and staff were safely evacuated," Tania Joshi, principal, The Indian School told PTI. She said the police is investigating the matter to identify the perpetrator. "Prima facie, the threat seems to be a hoax," she added. A senior police officer said a person named Brijesh of The Indian School, BRT Road, informed them about the e-mail. The e-mail was received at 10:49 am, the officer said. The police said the school had received a similar e-mail in November last year. Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chandan Chowdhary said, "The school received the e-mail regarding the bomb threat at 10.49 am on Wednesday. They then informed the Defence Colony police station following which the security personnel reached the spot and immediately evacuated the school. "We deployed our bomb squads and also informed the Special Cell and the Special Branch. The SWAT team is also conducting searches inside the premises," he said. Chowdhary further said that the police force has so far conducted two rounds of search and that the third round is underway. "We are looking for the source of the e-mail. In November last year, the school received a similar mail which was sent via a German server," he said. The DCP, however, said the e-mail threat appears to be a hoax. Vigyan, a class 5 student, said he along with his classmates was evacuated from the school building and taken to the ground. "We were asked to go home before lunch. We were not given any information as to why we were evacuated," another student said. A parent waiting outside the school to receive his son said several students told him that they saw bomb squads inside the premises. A message sent by the school administration to the parents reads, "Dear Parents, this is to request you to please come urgently to school to collect your child/children, as per the directions/information received. All parents are requested not to create panic while collecting their children." Britain's Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father King Charles III next month, but his wife Meghan will remain in the United States with the couple's children, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday. The 38-year-old fifth in line to the British throne, who stepped back as a frontline royal and is now based in California with Markle and their kids Archie and Lilibet, will join 2,000 guests at the historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6. There had been a lot of speculation over the delay in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirming whether they would be joining royalty, world leaders and community leaders at the religious service. Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "The Duchess of Sussex (Meghan Markle) will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," it said. The visit follows Harry's controversial revelations of his troubled relationship with Britain's royal family, in a controversial Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare. Archewell, Harry and Meghan's charitable foundation, issued a similar statement to Buckingham Palace soon after. "The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," it read. As the date of the royal coronation coincides with Archie's fourth birthday, speculation had been rife around the couple's journey from the US amid a strained relationship between Harry and his father and older brother William, the Prince of Wales. The decision for Meghan not to attend will inevitably be seen as a sign of unresolved tensions within the family. As Harry is no longer a "working royal", the role he is likely to play in the coronation day's ceremonial aspects also remains uncertain. For Harry's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not take part in the traditional appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony with other working royals. Last month, Harry made an unexpected appearance in London to attend a court hearing in a case against the Associated Newspapers group about allegations of privacy breaches. However, he reportedly flew back to the US without meeting his father or brother. King Charles, 74, who succeeded to the British throne after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year, and his wife Queen Camilla will be formally crowned at a solemn religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey next month. It marks a 70-year gap since this royal tradition was last seen in action for the late Queen in 1953. The coronation is being organised at a grand scale and will be marked by a series of grand events over a celebratory long weekend in the UK between May 6 and 8, including much pomp and pageantry and street parties. India Wednesday "specifically" conveyed to the United Kingdom concerns over pro-Khalistani elements misusing their asylum status to abet terror activities, and requested increased monitoring of extremists and take proactive action. IMAGE: Khalistani supporters attempting to pull down the Indian flag at the high commission of India, in London, March 20, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo India's concerns over the breach of security of Indian high commission last month were also emphasised, an official statement said. These issues were raised at the 5th India-UK home affairs dialogue held in New Delhi, the statement said. Among other issues, both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation, and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing counterterrorism cooperation, extradition, curbing anti-India activities in the UK including pro-Khalistan extremism. Cybersecurity and global supply chains, drug-trafficking and migration issues were also discussed at the meeting. "The Indian side specifically conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UK's asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with UK and increased monitoring of UK based pro-Khalistan extremists and take appropriate proactive action," the statement said. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreeing to deepen bilateral engagement and maintain the momentum for enhanced security cooperation between the two countries. The Indian delegation was led by Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the side was led by permanent secretary, home office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. Last month, the Indian tricolour flying atop the high commission in London was grabbed at by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans leading to an arrest related to the violent disorder. The incident took place after the Punjab Police launched a crackdown on pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Punjab. The "attempted but failed" attack was foiled and the tricolour was flying "grander", officials had said then. The Metropolitan Police said two members of security staff had sustained minor injuries. An investigation has been launched. Soon after the London incident, the British deputy high commissioner based in New Delhi was summoned by the External Affairs Ministry, which demanded an explanation over the complete "absence of security". The ministry of external affairs had said India finds "unacceptable" the indifference of the UK government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK. The banned terrorist organisation, Sikhs For Justice, was also conducting a so-called "Referendum 2020", officials said. The Russian occupiers continue to use the educational institutions of the temporarily occupied territories for their own purposes, equip their military facilities in them, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "The Russian occupiers continue to use the educational institutions of the temporarily occupied territories for their own purposes, equip their military facilities in them, hiding behind a human shield - schoolchildren and teaching staff," the General Staff said on the official Facebook page on Wednesday. It is reported that units of the Russian occupation troops from among the mobilized have arrived in the town of Skadovsk, Kherson region, in recent days. The personnel are placed in the buildings of educational institutions. At the same time, the occupiers force the teaching staff to continue the educational process with mandatory attendance of classes by children. At the same time, as the General Staff informs, a "humanitarian crisis is brewing in Skadovsk, temporarily captured by Russia, due to an increase in the shortage of medicines. The Russian occupation so-called authorities have significantly restricted the supply of all types of medicines to pharmacies" A court in the Bihar capital has asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on April 25 in a defamation suit filed over his purported remark on Modi surname. IMAGE: Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi greets a specially-abled person during a public meeting as party general secretary KC Venugopal looks on, in Wayanad, Kerala, April 11, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The defamation case in the MP/MLA court in Patna was lodged by Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajya Sabha MP and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The MP/MLA court of special judicial magistrate Aadi Dev had passed an order on March 18 asking Gandhi to appear before it on April 12. However, during hearing on Wednesday, the defence counsel sought another date stating that the entire team was busy with the Surat case, in which Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from the Lok Sabha. To this, the judge asked Gandhi's counsel to ensure his physical appearance before the court on the next date of hearing in the case on April 25. Prosecution lawyer Priya Gupta told reporters that statements from the complainant's side have been recorded and all evidence submitted to the court and now only the statement of Gandhi is to be recorded. A Surat court had recently convicted Gandhi over the purported remark and he was later disqualified as an MP from Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday referred to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as a friend and praised him for attending the launch event of the state's first Vande Bharat Express despite the ongoing political crises in his Congress party. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually attends the flagging of ceremony of Vande Bharat Express train connecting Ajmer and Delhi Cantt, from New Delhi, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Photograph: Press Information Bureau of India The prime minister was addressing the flagging-off ceremony of the Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. At the end of his address, Modi pointed to the demands put forward by Chief Minister Gehlot as well as the ongoing political tussle in the Congress. "I express my special gratitude to Gehlot ji as he is going through many political crises these days but despite that, he took out the time for development work and participated in a railway programme. I welcome him," Modi said. The Vande Bharat launch function was organised at the Jaipur junction rail station. It was attended by Railway Minister Ashwinin Vaishnaw, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and others. Referring to the railway minister and the chairman of the Railway Board both being from Rajasthan, the prime minister said, "And I want to say Gehlot ji that you have laddoos in both your hands... the railway minister is from Rajasthan and the chairman of the Railway Board is also from Rajasthan." "The work which should have been done immediately after independence has not been done till now... but you have so much faith in me that you have put that work in front of me today. "This is your belief -- your faith is the strength of my friendship. I thank you for the trust you have in friendship," Modi added. Opposing Rahul Gandhi's plea before a Surat court for a stay to conviction in a criminal defamation case, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and complainant Purnesh Modi has said the Congress leader is a "repetitive offender" who is in the habit of making defamatory statements. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, at his residence, in New Delhi, April 11, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The way Gandhi turned up to file his appeal against the magistrate's order sentencing him to two years in jail showed "extraordinary arrogance" and "a very dirty display of childish arrogance and and an immature act of bringing pressure upon the court," Modi's reply said, referring to the Congress's show of strength outside the court. The sessions court will hear Gandhi's application on Thursday. Purnesh Modi -- whose complaint about Gandhi's 'why all thieves have Modi surname' led to the latter's conviction -- filed his affidavit-in-reply on Tuesday. He also accused Gandhi of making "unfair and contemptuous comments" against the court through his aides, associates and Congress leaders. "The accused is in the habit of making such defamatory and irresponsible statements which may either defame others or may hurt the feelings of others, in the name of freedom of speech and political criticism and dissent," Purnesh Modi stated in his affidavit. The accused is "a repetitive offender" (sic) and facing charges for his defamatory utterances elsewhere too, and the Supreme Court had warned him after he tendered apology in one case, said Modi, a former minister in the previous Gujarat government. In his affidavit, Modi cited as many as 11 cases of criminal defamation and one of 'promoting enmity between different groups' (seven of which are currently pending before different courts) that Gandhi is facing or has faced. A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail after holding him guilty for his remark "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname", made during an election rally on April 13, 2019. Gandhi has filed an appeal before additional sessions judge R P Mogera against the verdict. He has also prayed for a stay to the conviction in the meantime. The court has granted the Congress leader bail till the disposal of his appeal. "The accused, in no uncertain terms, endorses the defamatory statement on the public platform even after the judgment of conviction and sentence. The accused is not only admitting the defamatory statement but capitalising on the same," Purnesh Modi said further in his reply. Pointing to the show of strength staged by Congress when Gandhi arrived to file his appeal on April 3, Modi said this conduct showed "extraordinary arrogance and a very conscious attempt to over-awe and bring pressure on the competent court." "The accused, who was an MP while committing the offence, was/ and still is responsible for making laws applicable in the country. If such MP violates any law, it becomes a more serious concern for the court and the society," he said while arguing against leniency for Gandhi. In his appeal, Gandhi has termed his conviction as "erroneous" and patently perverse. "A parliamentarian in opposition is expected, or rather required, to be vigilant and critical, and the view of the trial court that an MP deserves to be awarded the highest punishment because of his status is wholly unwarranted and manifestly unjust," stated his plea. Gandhi, who was the MP from Wayanad in Kerala before his conviction led to disqualification, made the "Modi surname" remark while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during the Lok Sabha elections campaign. Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Varun Gandhi on Wednesday pitched for the release of a sarus crane from sanctuary and reuniting it with Arif Khan, who had recused and nursed the bird for around a year before the forest department took it away citing laws. Their story is special, Gandhi tweeted with the video of the crane fluttering around excitedly in its enclosure while looking at Arif, a resident of Mandkha village of Amethi district, who visited it recently in Kanpur zoo. Their happiness at seeing each other underscores the innocent and sacred love between the two friends, he said. This beautiful bird is meant to fly freely and not to live in a cage, Gandhi added. "It (bird) should be restored its sky, freedom and friend," the Pilibhit MP said. Authorities had intervened after the happy videos of the sarus crane and its rescuer went viral and took away the bird, arguing that it was unlawful for anyone to keep the bird in his or her possession. They had also started legal proceedings against him. The story has taken a political turn as opposition Samajwadi Party has come to Khan's support and criticised the government action. What is the effect of the report of a commission of inquiry that has been rejected or not accepted by the government, and whether the empirical data which formed the basis of the report can be looked at while determining a constitutional issue, the Supreme Court wondered on Wednesday while considering the question of quotas for Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The court referred to the report of the Rangnath Mishra Commission which had recommended including Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians in the Scheduled Caste list. The government has not accepted the report, calling it "flawed". The apex court was hearing pleas, including those which have alleged that the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 is discriminatory and violative of Articles 14 (equality before law) and 15 (prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste etc) of the Constitution as it discriminates against Scheduled Caste converts to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, as amended from time to time, says no person professing a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste (SC). A bench headed by Justice S K Kaul was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the government has not accepted the 2007 report of Justice Ranganath Misra Commission, which had recommended inclusion of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in the Scheduled Castes list, and has formed a new commission headed by former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan. "Now, they (government) are saying that they have appointed another commission. There is more than enough material on the basis of which the court can proceed. Should this court wait again and again for the government to appoint a commission? There is no reason for this court to await the report of the commission," Bhushan insisted before a bench, also comprising Justices A Amanullah and Aravind Kumar. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, said the commission headed by Justice Balakrishnan is doing its work and relevant material and data have to be collected. "There was Justice Ranganath Misra Commission. It gave its report and you, in your wisdom, said you do not accept it. You constituted another commission. Should we wait till the commission responds?" the bench asked. Nataraj, while referring to a previous judgment of the apex court, said a categorical study is needed and the court should await the response of the new commission constituted to go into the issue. Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for another petitioner, contended merely saying the government has appointed another commission means nothing. "What will be the status of the report of a commission of inquiry which is not accepted by the government?" the bench asked. "My question is, if a report is not accepted, what is the status of findings in the report or the empirical data? Can we rely on the empirical data from a report which is not accepted to deal with the constitutional issue raised?" Justice Kaul wanted to know. The bench also asked can a writ be issued to include something in the Presidential Order. Bhushan, who said the pleas were filed way back in 2004, contended the petitioners have placed on record several authoritative studies apart from the fact that Justice Misra commission went through the material and gave its report. The bench observed the petitioners are seeking to say that over a period of time, there may be different commissions and there are political considerations as well. "The problem is that almost two decades have gone by," the bench said, adding the government has not accepted the report of the Justice Misra commission and many commissions have faced a similar scenario. "The apprehension is, how many commissions of inquiry will be set up?" it said. Nataraj read out the terms of reference of the new commission and said Justice Misra commission had not gone into all the aspects. "Probably you need to check the report. You are making too generalised a statement on a report. The report is not that perfunctory," the bench said. It observed social stigma and religious stigma are different things and social stigma may continue even after a person has converted to another religion. "We cannot shut our eyes when we are considering constitutional questions," the bench observed. During the arguments, Bhushan said in January 2011, the apex court had referred to three constitutional issues which arose in the matter, including whether a Scheduled Caste person professing a religion different from Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism can be deprived of the benefit of Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, in violation of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 25 of the Constitution of India. "There is no difficulty in examining a constitutional question. But what would be the effect if the government does not accept the report of a commission," the bench wondered. Bhushan said the government accepting or not accepting the report is not material. "Another issue that has been flagged is what is the effect of report of a commission of inquiry which is rejected or not accepted by the government. Whether the empirical data which formed the basis of the report can be looked into....," the bench said, adding that these aspects require a debate. It posted the matter for resumed hearing on July 11. In its reply filed earlier in the apex court on one of the pleas, the Centre had said The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 does not suffer from any "unconstitutionality" and the exclusion of Christianity and Islam was due to the reason that the "oppressive system" of untouchability was not prevalent in either of these two religions. The government had told the top court it has not accepted the report of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission as it was "flawed". The Centre had last year appointed a commission headed by former CJI K G Balakrishnan to examine giving SC status to new people who claim to have "historically" belonged to the SCs but have converted to a religion other than those mentioned in the Presidential Orders. One of the pleas has sought reservation for converted Dalits on the same footing as is extended to the Scheduled Castes following Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The Supreme Court has ordered the sacking of a trial court judge in Karnataka, holding that a judicial officer cannot pronounce the concluding portion of a judgment in the open court without the entire text of the judgment having been prepared or dictated. The SC direction came on a plea filed by the registrar general of the high court of Karnataka who had challenged the HC's division bench order on the judge's reinstatement by quashing the termination order passed by its full court. Coming down heavily on the Karnataka high court for "white-washing" serious charges, an SC bench of justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal said the conduct of the judge is unacceptable. "It is true that some of the charges revolve around judicial pronouncements and the judicial decision-making processes and that they cannot per se, without anything more, form the foundation for departmental proceedings. "Therefore, we are ignoring those charges. But the charges which revolve around gross negligence and callousness on the part of the respondent in not preparing/dictating judgments, but providing a fait accompli, is completely unacceptable and unbecoming of a judicial officer," the bench said. The top court said the defence taken by the judge that the lack of experience and the inefficiency on the part of the stenographer has to be blamed was entirely unacceptable. "But unfortunately, the high court not only accepted this Panchatantra (a false or improbable account) story, but also went to the extent of blaming the administration for not examining the stenographer as a witness. Such an approach is wholly unsustainable. "If it was the case of the respondent that the entire blame lay upon the stenographer, it was for him to have summoned the stenographer as a witness. The high court unfortunately reversed the burden of proof," the bench said. The apex court said the high court was swayed unduly by the animosity attributed by the judge to a member of the local Bar and the assistant public prosecutor in granting him relief. "We have not come across a case where the high court, while setting aside an order of penalty, has held that there shall not be any further inquiry against the delinquent. "But in this case, the high court has done exactly the same, creating a new jurisprudence," the bench said. A bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala said on Wednesday that an "unnecessary propaganda" claiming that the Christian community is persecuted in India has been unleashed internationally by vested interests, and it amounted to insulting a great nation. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated with an idol of Jesus Christ by archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto during his visit to Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church on the occasion of Easter, in New Delhi, April 9, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo There are communal organisations among all religious groups, but the ultimate goal of religions and such outfits is different, Geevarghese Mar Yulios, the metropolitan of the Kunnamkulam Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, told reporters in Thrissur. Such vested interests were propagating that there was no religious freedom in the country and that the Christian community was being widely attacked in the nation. "I used to get calls from abroad asking what is happening there (in India)...whether people are being killed, and so on. Of course, India is a big country. There may be some resentments here and there. It should be dealt with legally. Protests also should be staged if required," he said. He pointed out the example of a protest held against the harassment of nuns while he had served in Gujarat some time ago. The bishop said it was proved later that the accused were those who had intruded into India using fake ID cards. "When they were caught (by the investigators), they were not VHP activists or such others. I am not saying that the VHP is good," he added. His remarks assume significance in view of the BJP's bid to reach out to Kerala's numerically strong Christian community ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had organised a programme on Easter Day in which party leaders visited Christian homes as part of an effort to reach out to the minority community. Yulios had recently hit the headlines by stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be blamed for all the internal issues reported in the country. At variance with Bishop Yulios's remarks about "some resentments here and there", when members of some Christian communities had held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 19, which PTI had reported, one of them named Steven who hails from Uttar Pradesh pointed out that there had been "525 cases of atrocities against the members of the community in 2021 and 600 cases in 2022". "In Uttar Pradesh, the number of such cases increased from 70 in 2020 to 183 in 2022," he had claimed, stating, "We are being accused of forcibly converting people to Christianity. Churches are being attacked, our people are being beaten up and arrested. The community members are living in a constant state of panic." The numbers cited could not be independently verified. 'Lalu understands that his words can be used by rivals to consolidate Hindu votes which may damage the prospects of his party's social support base.' IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, right, meets Rashtriya Janata Dal Founder Lalu Prasad Yadav in New Delhi, April 11, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo It is probably for the first time in over three decades that the Rashtriya Janata Dal's vocal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has maintained total silence on communal disturbances in Bihar. Nearly two weeks after communal disturbances were reported in Bihar Sharif, the district headquarters of Nalanda, and Sasaram, the district headquarters of Rohtas, where stands the tomb of medieval king Sher Shah Suri, who challenged early Mughal rulers, Lalu is yet to break his silence. Never before has Lalu remained silent on communal violence in the state, or elsewhere in the country. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has repeatedly claimed that the communal violence was part of a conspiracy to disturb harmony in the state. Kumar said investigations into the violence is underway and announced that stern action will be taken against those involved in the communal disturbances during the Ram Navami processions on March 31 and April 1. Though Kumar did not name any political party or organisation, the police began action against some Bajrang Dal and VHP leaders in Bihar Sharif who surrendered to the police last week. The Bihar police's Economic Offences Unit identified viral social media posts in Nalanda and booked some of those behind it for spreading fake information to create communal trouble. "We have failed to understand what is stopping Laluji from saying something on it. Laluji had never missed a chance to target communal forces," says an RJD leader Lalu has been known for his consistent stand against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party since the early 1990s. He is probably the only leader who did not join hands with the BJP and has been vigorously attacking the BJP for its communal politics. Lalu had repeatedly said in recent months that the BJP wants to destroy the country by pitting Hindus and Muslims against each other. He even demanded a ban on the RSS last September. "It is difficult to imagine Lalu's silence on communal disturbances as he is known for fighting communal forces since he became CM for the first time in 1990. What led him to not speak this time," wonders a social activist. Political commentator Arun Srivastav says that an ailing Lalu, who has been keeping a distance from active politics, is taking care of the political interests of his younger son Tejashwi Yadav. Sensing that the issue can cause polarisation on the ground, Lalu appears to have decided to keep silent this time. "Lalu might be under pressure not to say anything that may harm the political interests of Tejashwi, who will be facing a big challenge in 2024 when the RJD will have to perform well. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the RJD failed to win a single seat," says Srivastav. "Lalu understands that his words can be used by rivals to consolidate Hindu votes which may damage the prospects of his party's social support base, as the socio-political ground has changed in recent years," Srivastav adds. IMAGE: Police personnel stand guard in wake of a clash between two groups following a Ram Navami procession in Nalanda, March 31, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Lalu, who is currently in Delhi where he is recovering after a kidney transplant operation last year, neither used social media nor issued any statement on the communal disturbances. His wife, former CM Rabri Devi, who is an RJD MLC, blamed the RSS and BJP for the communal disturbances. After communal violence erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav targeted the 'Sanghis' attempt to disrupt the state's harmony'. Till date, 141 individuals have been arrested in connection with the communal disturbances and 15 FIRs lodged in three police stations in Bihar Sharif. "The police have interrogated 39 after taking them on remand. They have revealed more information about the planning behind the communal violence," says a senior police official at the police headquarters. Being with Russia means being on the wrong side of history and Kyiv wants closer and deeper relations with New Delhi, Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova said on Tuesday while suggesting that the Russian invasion has lessons for countries with 'difficult neighbours'. IMAGE: Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova speaks during the talk hosted by the Indian Council of World Affairs on 'Russia's War In Ukraine: Why The World Should Care', in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo In an address at a leading think-tank, Dzhaparova said that Ukraine's relationship with Pakistan is not directed against India's interests and that her country's military ties with Islamabad began around three decades ago. Referring to the war in Ukraine, the deputy foreign minister said as a global leader and current chair of the G20, India can play a greater role in bringing peace and hoped that Indian officials will visit Kyiv soon. "Being with Russia, we are again very sincerely saying so, is actually being on the wrong side of history. Supporting Russia means that it is to be in the evil visionary picture of the world," she said. At the same time, the Ukrainian minister said India is witnessing visionary changes and it may take some time for it to build new relations with Ukraine and that the ties should be based on a 'pragmatic and balanced approach'. "I think the suggestion that I brought here is to have a better and deeper relationship with India. And it needs reciprocity. We knocked the door but it is also up to the owner of the house to open up the door," she said. The Ukrainian deputy foreign minister talked about the dangers of not stopping those who prefer to push their agenda with 'impunity', adding India is also having 'difficult' neighbours. She said India should be 'pragmatic and balanced' in its views, while citing its neighbours Pakistan and China. Russia is a 'time-tested' partner of India. New Delhi has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Dzhaparova's visit to India is the first from Ukraine after Russia began its invasion of the east European country on February 24 last year. Ahead of her address at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), the visiting deputy minister held talks with Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi. In a tweet, Lekhi said she and Dzhaparova exchanged views on bilateral and global issues of mutual interest, adding cultural ties and women empowerment also figured in the discussion. 'Ukraine was assured of enhanced humanitarian assistance,' she said. Dzhaparova described the meeting as 'fruitful'. 'Briefed Minister on Ukraine's efforts to fight Russia's unprovoked aggression. Discussed deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, in particular culture,' she said. Replying to a question by reporters on China's aggressive behaviour against India, Dzhaparova said 'any aggression that might question the territorial integrity of any country is a matter of huge concern'. At the ICWA, she said Ukraine's ties with Pakistan are not targeted against India and that her country is ready to overcome pages of history and build new relationships. "The relationship with Pakistan is never directed against the relationship with India. I know there are some sensitivities about military contracts but let me be very clear that we have had the contracts since the 1990s," she said. The deputy foreign minister also invited National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to visit Ukraine. "India may play a greater role. We respect the decisions of sovereign countries. India too is building up relations with other countries. It is for you to decide, it is for you to benefit," Dzhaparova said, noting that Ukraine wants to expand ties with India. "I am here with one very important message that Ukraine really wants India and Ukraine to come closer. Yes, we have different pages in our history, we have Soviet heritage...we will also be happy to welcome Indian leaders and officials in Kyiv," she said. Dzhaparova said the war in Ukraine showed that the Russian military capabilities are not sufficient enough and that its tanks can be 'destroyed in one artillery shot'. The deputy minister said Ukraine is ready to share critical military technologies and expertise with India. She also invoked Mahatma Gandhi's teachings, saying he called for fighting for rights without violence. "Our president has been constantly saying that we have to fight for our rights without stepping on the rights of others. India in many ways has a lot in common with Ukraine. There is huge and untapped potential in our bilateral relations. It is only a start in our dialogue," she said. In response to a question, Dzhaparova said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would like to address the G20 summit in India. Zelenskyy had addressed the Bali summit of G20 through video conference. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a number of times. In a phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on October 4 last year, Modi said that there can be 'no military solution' and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts. Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has conveyed to her Indian interlocutors Kyiv's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with New Delhi. IMAGE: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dzhaparova handed over the letter to Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi during a meeting on Tuesday. The MEA said the next round of foreign office consultations between the two sides will be held in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date. The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine wrapped up her three-day visit to India on Wednesday. It was the first visit from Ukraine to India after Russia began its invasion of the east European country on February 24 last year. The MEA said Ukraine requested for additional humanitarian supply, including medicines and medical equipment. In her meeting with Secretary (West) in the MEA Sanjay Verma, the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. 'Dzhaparova, during her visit, highlighted Ukraine's desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India,' the MEA said in a statement. It said Dzhaparova's visit to India would facilitate cooperation between the two countries. 'Besides holding discussion on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest, she handed over a letter from President Zelenskyy, addressed to Prime Minister Modi,' the MEA said on the Lekhi-Dzhaparova meeting. On talks between Verma and Dzhaparova, the MEA said the bilateral agenda included spheres such as economic, defence, humanitarian assistance, and global issues of mutual interest. 'She briefed Secretary (West) about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date,' it said. The MEA said Verma shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses etc. to Ukraine. The MEA said the next meeting of the Inter-governmental commission between the two sides would be held in India. 'On the issue of Indian medical students, the deputy foreign minister mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile,' the MEA said. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Prime Minister Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy a number of times. In a phone conversation with President Zelenskyy on October 4 last year, Modi said that there can be "no military solution" and that India is ready to contribute to any peace efforts. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Shmyhal discusses with Austin needs of Ukraine for successful counteroffensive Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. "We discussed in detail the urgent needs of Ukraine for the successful conduct of the next counter-offensive operation to liberate Ukrainian lands. As well as working together on new opportunities for the future," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram channel. He noted that Ukrainian soldiers have proved that they can master the latest technology in a short time and use it effectively on the battlefield. "For a speedy victory, Ukraine also needs more weapons: air defense, heavy artillery and equipment, mortars and ammunition for them. He called on the United States to support the provision of longer-range missiles," the Prime Minister stressed. He also thanked the United States and the Minister personally for the powerful military support and efforts to create a Ukrainian contact group. Brattleboro man gets six to eight years for assault and robbery 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. Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & pie, recently achieved a major milestone for the industry as the first cruise line to embark 100 million guests since its first sailing. Carnival President Christine Duffy visited Carnival Sunrise today as guests boarded the ship at Port Miami, where the cruise line was founded, to thank them for choosing fun since 1972 and making Carnival the world's most popular cruise line. The milestone was commemorated as Debbie and David Clifford, who are vacationing from Ohio and representing Carnival guests everywhere as the 100 millionth, boarded the ship with their family. They were recognized with fanfare from Duffy and the ship's team members, who are led by Captain Luca Cherchi. Other guests embarking on the cruise were able to take part in the festivities as well - and take special photos signifying how each is "One in 100 Million." "We're the first cruise line to meet this incredible mark of 100 million guests and I believe it is a testament to the fun, inclusive atmosphere our valued guests and our extraordinary team members have created together on board our ships for the past 51 years," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "There is certainly much more fun to come. We're continuing to grow our operations at a rapid pace - with three ships joining our fleet by the spring of next year." The company's new Carnival Celebration is already proving popular with guests in its first few months of sailing from Miami, and now the cruise line is preparing for another ship to debut in May. Carnival Venezia will expand Carnival's New York offerings from seasonal to year-round and bring to life a host of all-new "Carnival Fun Italian Style" experiences. Later this year, Carnival Jubilee, a third sister ship to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, will join the fleet and sail from Galveston, Tex. In the spring of 2024, Carnival Firenze, sister ship to Carnival Venezia, will begin offering year-round cruises from Long Beach, Calif. TradeArabia News Service BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The simplification of money transfers is a priority for the work of the International Organization for Migration with partners in Azerbaijan, consultant of the international organization for Migration Anna Prokhorova said during the "Strengthening the social and economic effect of remittances in Azerbaijan" event in Baku, Trend reports. According to her, international central banks are still working in this direction to comply with global standards for money transfers. "We are aware that the Azerbaijani Central Bank is also conducting large-scale work to facilitate local and international money transfers, which will ultimately lead to positive results. In addition, we are cooperating with the Central Bank of Azerbaijan on projects to ensure the availability of finance in remote areas, as well as the availability of finance for migrants," she said. "So, for example, we believe that in remote areas where there is no wide coverage of banking services, it is possible to create mobile banking offices, as well as automated chatbots that can solve financial issues without contacting the bank," she added. In turn, the representative of the Azerpost said that almost all post offices (1,250 out of 1,500) are licensed to provide financial services. "There are not a lot of requests for money transfers in post offices, while in remote areas there are hardly any. We are working to expand our services, including alternative remittances," he said. It was also noted that the annual inflow of foreign currency into Azerbaijan from abroad is $3.6 billion, while the outflow of foreign currency from abroad is $700 million. NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images "Saturday Night Live" alumni Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have announced a rehearsal show in Port Chester ahead of their upcoming comedy tour. The "Restless Leg Tour Live Rehearsal" will take place on Thursday, April 27, at the Capitol Theatre. In February, the duo announced a stand-up tour of the northern U.S. that will stop in Boston, Atlantic City, Chicago and Washington D.C. This is Fey and Poehler's first tour together. CT State Police / Contributed GOSHEN Police and medics responded to a motorcycle crash shortly before noon Wednesday on Shearshop Road, the authorities said. State police said troopers were advised "of a collision involving a motorcycle," around 11:55 a.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUNDALK, Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden returned to his ancestral home of Ireland on Wednesday, welcomed back by thousands of cheering people who lined up four and five deep for hours in the cold rain in hopes of getting a glimpse, a photo or even the slightest touch from him. In the town of Dundalk, County Louth's most famous descendant declared: I don't know why the hell my ancestors left here. It's beautiful. Biden's mother's family comes from this part of Ireland, and he appeared overjoyed by the break from Washington's grind and the dive into his Irish heritage, which he often cites as a driving force in his public and private life. The buoyant president popped into several shops and restaurants on Dundalk's town square, and stretched over barricades for hand shakes, small talk and pictures. Children were perched on the shoulders of adults and some people stretched their hands as far as they could, hoping for the slightest bit of contact with Biden. He toured a food hall and later met up with some of his cousins at a pub. A large Welcome Joe sign perched on a rooftop seemed to sum up the town sentiment. It feels like home, Biden said from behind a lectern at Windsor Bar and Restaurant, where he reminisced about the values he said he learned from his parents. His sister Valerie and son Hunter sat in the front row of the small audience. He acknowledged that his ancestors emigrated to the United States to escape famine, but added, "When you're here, you wonder why anyone would ever want to leave. And he jokingly delivered bad news, saying: We'll be back. There's no way to keep us out. A similar scene played out earlier Wednesday a short drive away in Carlingford, a seaside village where the cry of bagpipes welcomed him on a cold, wet and windy afternoon. Biden gazed out at the water from the stone balcony of Carlingford Castle, which would have been the last Irish landmark that Owen Finnegan, Biden's maternal great-great-grandfather, saw before sailing for New York in 1849. A wooden sign on the road to the castle welcomed Cousin Joe. It feels like Im coming home, Biden said as he was led on a tour and looked out over Carlingford Lough, a bay that empties into the Irish Sea. As for the soggy weather, Its fine! Its Ireland! Biden said. County Louth is the home of Biden's mother's family, the Finnegans. According to a genealogy released by the White House, the presidents great-great-great-grandparents lived in Templetown and were married in 1813. Their grandson, James Finnegan, born in 1840, emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 9 years old. The Finnegans settled in Seneca County, New York. James married Catherine Roche in 1846; they were Bidens great-grandparents. Bidens mother was Catherine Eugenia Finnegan. In Dundalk, Jerome McAteer, who owns the Food House with his husband Bobby Wain, said Biden bought lemon meringue, chocolate eclairs, bread and butter pudding, pear and almond cake, as well as a mug with an image of a dog on it. Biden paid with a 50 euro note and gave a 10 euro tip to some of the workers who have special needs, McAteer said, adding that the president talked a lot about his Irish background. Asked if Biden was how he expected, McAteer said: He was taller, he was younger looking, he had amazing teeth." The atmosphere is great, said Sandra Coalme. She was outside with her friend Marguerite Howard, who added that despite the Irish rain, the sun is shining really in our hearts, before she joked that there is no show like a Joe show! People cheered as the motorcade snaked its way through narrow streets adorned with U.S. flags. Hes one of the Irish, hes one of us, said local pharmacist Sheila McQuillan. "It's lovely to see him again. Its wonderful, a big turnout considering the weather. Biden arrived in the Republic of Ireland after an appearance Wednesday in Northern Ireland. He had planned to visit a cemetery in County Louth, but scrapped that because of bad weather. He spent a total of about three hours in Carlingford and Dundalk, about as much time as it took for round-trip drive from Dublin. Biden is spending three days in Ireland on his first visit back as president. He planned to meet with Ireland's leaders, address parliament in Dublin and attend a gala dinner on Thursday, and visit County Mayo, another ancestral area on the west coast, on Friday before returning to Washington. He had visited in 2016, near the end of his term as U.S. vice president, with a much larger contingent of his family, including all of his grandchildren. This time he was accompanied by just his sister and son. His wife, Jill, remained in Washington. Ireland's prime minister greeted Biden on Wednesday after he landed at Dublin's airport. The president then went to a nearby fire station, where children of U.S. Embassy employees held American and Irish flags and signs that said welcome home. According to the Irish Family History Centre, Biden is among the most Irish of all U.S. Presidents. Ten of his 16 great-great grandparents were from the Emerald Isle. Biden is particularly fond of quoting Irish poetry, especially Seamus Heaney. Earlier Wednesday, Biden marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The U.S.-brokered deal brought peace to a member of the United Kingdom where years of sectarian violence known as the Troubles left some 3,600 people killed in bombings and other attacks. But recent political turmoil has left Northern Ireland without a functioning government, rattling the foundations of the Good Friday Agreement. In addition, a top police official was shot and injured in February, an attack that authorities have blamed on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process. The enemies of peace will not prevail, Biden said. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. ___ Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Jill Lawless in London and David Keyton in Dundalk, Ireland, contributed to this report. JERUSALEM (AP) The Israeli military shot and killed two Palestinians who allegedly opened fire at troops from their car in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, authorities said, the latest incident in a wave of deadly violence gripping the occupied territory. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the two men killed in the West Bank village of Deir al Hatab as Saud Abdullah Saud and Mohammed Abu Dira, without saying their ages. The Israeli military said the men shot at an Israeli outpost near the settlement of Elon Moreh, south of the Palestinian city of Nablus. Israeli soldiers on patrol opened fire, killing the two alleged gunmen. Palestinian media reported that a third gunman was in the car during the drive-by shooting and fled the area. Israeli security forces said they were searching for other suspected assailants and found a pair of M-16 rifles and a pistol at the scene. The local armed group of the Balata refugee camp, a militant stronghold near Nablus, identified the two men as militants, sharing photos of them brandishing M-16s in the camp. Saud had previously spent 15 years in Israeli prison, the group said. We fought as soldiers and we promise we will always be soldiers, Saud said in a video after being freed from prison last spring. Tuesday's deaths followed a week of unusually heightened violence in Israel and the West Bank, touched off by an Israeli police raid on Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, the compound home to the Al-Aqsa mosque. Last week, the Israeli military struck sites linked to the Palestinian group Hamas in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip after militants in the two territories fired salvos of rockets at Israel. The mosque sits on a contested hilltop revered as the third-holiest site in Islam and the holiest site in Judaism. Underscoring the ever-combustible situation in the West Bank, two British-Israeli sisters and their mother were killed when their car came under fire near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank last Friday. The mother, Lucy Dee, succumbed to her wounds on Monday and was laid to rest in the settlement of Kfar Etzion south of Jerusalem on Tuesday. Hundreds of mourners packed the funeral, singing and swaying as Lucy's husband, Leo, and his remaining children wept at the podium their family of seven reduced to four. Lucy, I have a choice: I could lament over the next 25 years of marriage that Ive lost, but I actually feel blessed to have had 25 years of a beautiful marriage with you, Leo said, his voice cracking in anguish. He added: If we support the good and reject the evil, then we can all play our part in building a better world. Last week, in a separate incident, an Italian tourist was killed and five others were wounded when a Palestinian's car careened onto a bike path near the beach in Tel Aviv in what authorities described as a suspected terrorist attack. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he offered condolences to his Italian counterpart during a phone call Tuesday. So far this year, 94 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank, according to a tally by The Associated Press, at least half of them affiliated with militant groups. During that time, 19 people were killed in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. With the country battling threats on multiple fronts, Netanyahu on Monday reversed his decision to fire his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who expressed opposition to the governments divisive plans to weaken the judiciary last month. Gallant praised the Israeli military's killing of the Palestinian gunmen on Tuesday. In a step toward deescalating the situation, Netanyahu's office said Tuesday that authorities would bar Jewish visits to Al-Aqsa, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, for the remainder of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. That's standard for the final 10 days of the holiday, when Muslims often pray at the site overnight. 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 stoked anger, particularly because some Jews are often seen quietly praying. The rare convergence of the Jewish Passover festival and Ramadan brought scores of religious Jews to the site last week and fueled tensions that spiraled into unrest in Jerusalem and a regional confrontation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. A criminal case has been initiated following another provocation by the Armenian side, from April 11, the Military Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan told Trend. In connection with another provocation by the Armenian side on April 11, a criminal case was initiated under article 120.2.12 (premeditated murder motivated by national, racial, religious hatred or enmity) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. "Currently, an investigation is underway. In accordance with the requirements of the law, all necessary measures will be taken," the statement said. Deepika Padukone recently returned from her visit to Bhutan. Several pictures of the actress posing alongside fans have been doing the rounds on the Internet. Deepika was also spotted at the Delhi airport late last evening, presumably returning from her trip. Deepika leaves for Bhutan Deepika Padukone was spotted at the Delhi airport, earlier this month, as she was leaving for Bhutan. She was seen dressed in an ankle-length hoodie dress in all-black. With hair tied back in a slick ponytail, Deepika completed her look with a tan handbag and dark wide-frame sunglasses. Before her departure from India, the actress was also seen graciously posing with the staff at the Delhi Airport. Deepika Padukone with staffs of Delhi Airport pic.twitter.com/XTx44W6rux Team DP Malaysia (@TeamDeepikaMY_) April 3, 2023 Deepika clicks pictures with fans Several pictures from Deepika's Bhutan trip have been doing the rounds of the Internet. Deepika obliges several of her fans in Bhutan with their picture requests. In all the photos, the actress can be seen beaming at the camera as she poses alongside her well wishers. One of the first photos that emerged of Deepika from Bhutan, featured her dressed warm, in a sand-coloured co-ord set which she paired with her rustic grey overcoat and pristine white sneakers. The glasses and slick hair seemed to be her look of choice for most of the trip. Deepika Padukone in Bhutan pic.twitter.com/5uNypiX0TM Team DP Malaysia (@TeamDeepikaMY_) April 8, 2023 The actresses time in Paro, Bhutan was commemorated by the kind words of the cafe owner, whose establishment Deepika dined at. Positng several selfies clicked with the actress, the Your Cafe owner wrote, 'Thank you so much for your visit to Neyphug Heritage. Its been a great pleasure to serve you and your family! Such a down to earth soul". Though Deepika was not spotted with her parents, the caption suggests that this may have been a family trip. The actress also made her way to Tiger's Nest. The simple selfie of the fan was accompanied with a caption sharing her experience of meeting Deepika. In the fans own words, "I respected her wishes for privacy and gracious as she is on screen she is gracious off screen and came up to me when she was ready for a pic". Deepika returns to India Late last evening, the actress was seen exiting the Delhi Airport, presumably returning from her trip to Bhutan. For her return to India, Deepika sported an oversized puffer jacket in red, paired with wide leg denim pants and a white high-neck skeevie. Deepika Padukone is currently shooting for Project K and Fighter. She will also be reportedly seen in a cameo appearance in Atlee's Jawan. Four Indian nationals were killed and another person was seriously injured when their car plunged into a ravine in a remote region in Nepal's Bagmati province, media reports said on Wednesday. The accident occurred late Tuesday when the car with the five Indian nationals lost control and plunged some 500 metres off the road in the Sindhuli district of Bagmati province, The Himalayan Times newspaper reported. According to the report, all four deceased were males, but their identities are yet to be ascertained. The car with a Bihar registration was heading to Kathmandu from the east, and its fall resulted in the death of three people on the spot, District Police Office's Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Silwal was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post newspaper. Silwal said that one injured passenger, who was taken to the Sindhuli Hospital, died while undergoing treatment. According to the report, the critically injured survivor was also rushed to a hospital for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased could not be retrieved from the accident site, given the inaccessible geographical area. "It takes over an hour to reach the accident site. So, there is trouble in taking out the bodies," Silwal was quoted as saying in the report. He added that the Nepal Army's support had been sought to retrieve the bodies, and the team was heading to the site. Four Indian nationals were killed and another person was seriously injured when their car plunged into a ravine in a remote region in Nepal's Bagmati province, police said on Wednesday. The accident occurred late Tuesday when the car with the five Indian nationals lost control and plunged some 500 metres off the road in Sindhuli district's Kamala Mai Municipality, along the Banepa Bardibas Highway, police said. All four deceased were males, but their identities are yet to be ascertained. The car, with a Bihar registration, was heading to Kathmandu from the east, and its fall resulted in the death of three people on the spot, District Police Office's Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Silwal was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post newspaper. Silwal said that one injured passenger, who was taken to the Sindhuli Hospital, died while undergoing treatment. According to the report, the critically injured survivor was also rushed to the Dhulikhel Hospital for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased could not be retrieved from the accident site, given the inaccessible geographical area. "It takes over an hour to reach the accident site. So, there is trouble in taking out the bodies," Silwal was quoted as saying in the report. He added that the Nepal Army's support had been sought to retrieve the bodies, and the team was heading to the site. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijani servicemen injured following yesterday's Armenian provocation are evacuated to a medical facility, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. "On April 11, at about 16:20 (GMT +4), units of the Armenian armed forces from positions in the direction of Digh settlement of Goris district, using mortars and multi-caliber small arms, subjected to fire the opposite positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Lachin direction, the ministry said. According to the ministry, as a result of the vigilance of Azerbaijani servicemen, the provocation of the Armenian armed forces was decisively suppressed, their firing positions were suppressed and the Armenian side suffered significant losses. "Two of four of our servicemen, who were injured while preventing the provocation of the Armenian side, are being evacuated from the military medical institution located on the territory to a specialized military medical facility under the strict supervision of professional doctors through an air ambulance," added the ministry. Emphasizing close ties between Indias Northeast and Bangladesh, DoNER Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the Narendra Modi government has taken concrete steps to implement the Act East policy for mutual benefits. The Bay of Bengal is very close to the Northeast and there is a need for cooperation from its immediate neighbour, Bangladesh, for development of the region, he said during the third India-Japan Intellectual Conclave here. Highlighting the Modi governments efforts for developing connectivity, Reddy mentioned the number of airports in the region has increased from nine in 2014 to 17 in 2023. Rs 5 lakh crore has been spent for growth in the region, Rs 1 lakh crore has been spent for road works and Rs 77,000 crore has been invested in railway connectivity in the past nine years, he said. Reddy said Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a vibrant village project in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. The central government has set a target of covering all the isolated and Himalayan areas with telecommunication by this year, he said. The use of Chittagong and Mongla ports will further strengthen the connectivity with Bangladesh. We need to work together for the mutual benefit of both sides, he said. Reddy also thanked Japan for being an important development partner not only for the Northeast but also for the entire nation. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister (State) Shahriar Alam said his country achieved a miracle in the last 10 years with a growth rate of 7 per cent. It has become an example for others. India is our closest friend and Dhaka is ready for business with its neighbours. We have already established 365 days of connectivity with India, he pointed out. Alam also made an offer to have a one-day meeting of ministers of all northeastern states in Dhaka for a discussion on increasing trade and business. Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, threw light on the trade and business possibilities in the Bay of Bengal. Japan and Bangladesh are working closely for mutual benefits with 338 Japanese companies working there. The 7 per cent growth in Bangladesh is phenomenal and it has a good future, he said. With Matabari deep sea port coming up in Bangladesh 2027, Northeast India will be opened up for the whole globe. The days are not long when the Bay of Bengal will be a new industrial hub and Japan is very interested in working in Bangladesh. Dhaka is one of the most benefited nations under Official Development Assistance (ODA) by Japan, he said. In a big revelation, former Additional DGP PK Jain, who supervised the 2006 Malegaon blasts probe, said that the accused in the 2008 blasts were linked to the 2006 blasts without any evidence. He also stated that so many people turning hostile in the case, which is unusual. More than 300 witnesses have been examined in the 2008 Malegaon blast case so far and 34 of them have turned hostile. On Wednesday, a witness was produced before the special NIA court but he was dropped by the special prosecutor citing them as "irrelevant witness". In an exclusive conversation with Republic, Jain said that he was involved in the investigation of 2006 blasts. "In 2006 blasts, we had conducted a fair investigation and certain individuals were chargesheeted based on the evidence we had. This perticular information was also maintained not only by Nashik Police but ATS and CBI subsequently. After 2008 blast, I learned that all accused in 2006 blasts have been discharged and a new set of accused (in 2008 blasts) were shown as accused in 2006 blasts. There was no evidence to link 2006 blasts to 2008 blast accused," he said. Sadhvi Pragya and Colonel Purohit had no role in the 2006 blast: Ex-ADGP On alleged 'Pakistan links' in the 2006 blasts, he said, "There were two individuals who had come via Nepal to orchestrate blasts in Malegaon in 2006...It was only that it was mentioned in the statement of some accused and they left a day prior to the blasts. The blast was carried out by individuals in Malegaon." "When the 2008 blasts took place, the same accused were framed in the 2006 blast. My investigation and that of two different agencies found that the initial accused arrested by us were actually accused. I had no reason to believe why these accused were discharged and why a new set of accused was introduced. Sadhvi Pragya and Colonel Purohit had no role in the 2006 blast," he said, adding, "So many people turning hostile in a case is absolutely unusual and it is not common." China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability." Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington, the U.S. and Philippine defense and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the U.S. was allocating more than $100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes China's claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the U.S. delivery of much-needed defense equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This year's Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, U.S. and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at U.S. security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defense pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedaled from the effort. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase U.S. warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to U.S. and Philippine military officials. Police tackled and detained a protester Wednesday after he ran, shouting, toward Emmanuel Macron as the French president arrived at a University of Amsterdam science campus on the second day of his state visit to the Netherlands. It was the second straight day that protesters targeted Macron, who is facing angry unrest at home over his pension reforms. On Tuesday, demonstrators shouted and held up banners at the start of a speech in The Hague. The incident Wednesday happened as Macron arrived with Dutch King Willem-Alexander at the university's science park to visit its Quantum Gases and Quantum Information Lab to discuss quantum technology. The protester was tackled by a military officer and police before being restrained and taken to a nearby police vehicle. Macron's visit continued after the man and another protester were detained. Earlier, French and Dutch ministers signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in moves to develop digital technology and make the countries' industrial sectors more sustainable. The Pact for Innovation and Sustainable Growth aims to promote partnerships in areas including semiconductors, quantum, critical raw materials, sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure, the Dutch government said in a statement. Later Wednesday, Macron is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and visit a sell-out exhibition of paintings by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Pakistan, which is currently witnessing catastrophic economic and political turmoil, has gone out of its way to criticise India's G20 meet, a forum it is not a part of. After India announced dates for next month's G20 meeting, cash-strapped Pakistan expressed displeasure over New Delhi's choice of Srinagar as the venue for the upcoming G20 Tourism Working Group meeting. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan expressed concern over the scheduling of two other meetings of a G20 consultative forum on youth affairs (Y-20) in Leh and Srinagar. G20, being a global forum comprising the world's top economies, does not include Pakistan owing to Islamabad's dire economic state and continous political turmoil. As far as global politics is concerned, the Indian subcontinent has managed to successfully retort Pakistan's frivolous attempts to lay claim to India's Jammu & Kashmir region, especially at the United Nations. India has highlighted time and again how the Pakistan goverment is at the centre of the state-sponsored terrorism faced by Indians in the J&K region and the hypocritical nature of their discourse. In addition to terrorism, the South Asian nation is facing its worst economic crisis in history, with leaders practically flying from nation to nation asking for financial aid. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself met with several potential international firms seeking a bailout. Experts say that Pakistan will be unable to pay the instaments required for a necessary bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Trying to put the spotlight on one another, the PDM and PTI parties of Paksitan have been shifting blame regarding the country's economic status, so much so that there have been clashes between Islamabad police and PTI workers as the Shehbas Sharif government looks to make sure that former PM Imran Khan does not run for office again. In addition, tensions between the government and the Supreme Court has plunged the country into escalating political crisis. The country's Supreme Court ordered that elections in Punjab will take place on May 14, calling the Election Commission's decision to delay the polls "unconstitutional and illegal". India's G20 presidency The 3rd G20 tourism track meeting, scheduled to take place in Srinagar on May 22-24, will be the first major international event in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Delegates from G20 member states, guest countries, and various international organizations have been invited to participate in the event, as part of India's G20 Presidency. The G20 member countries include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union. India has also extended special invitations to guest countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the UAE. Apart from the delegates representing these countries, officials from international organisations such as UNWTO and the International Labour Organisation are also expected to attend the meeting in Srinagar. Diplomats with knowledge of the matter have revealed that China and Russia are engaged in advanced secret talks with Iran to provide the Islamic Republic with a crucial chemical compound used in ballistic missile propulsion. This information is based on unnamed diplomats who spoke with Politico. This development, if confirmed, would constitute a blatant violation of United Nations sanctions against Iran and could potentially aid Moscow in replenishing its depleted stock of rockets. The alleged discussions between China, Russia, and Iran raise concerns about the compliance of these countries with international sanctions and their potential impact on regional security dynamics. According to the anonymous diplomats, Tehran has reportedly engaged in parallel negotiations with officials and government-controlled entities from both China and Russia, including the state-owned Russian chemical manufacturer FKP Anozit, in an effort to procure significant quantities of ammonium perchlorate (AP). AP is a key ingredient in solid propellants that are used to power missiles. The diplomats have requested anonymity in order to discuss the confidential information. These alleged negotiations raise concerns about the proliferation of missile technology. It isn't clear which Chinese companies are involved According to diplomats familiar with the matter, Sajjad Ahadzadeh, an Iranian diplomat who serves as Tehran's "technology counselor" in China and the broader region, has reportedly been leading the talks to acquire ammonium perchlorate (AP) in Beijing. However, the diplomats have stated that they do not know which Chinese companies may be involved in these negotiations. The amount of ammonium perchlorate Iran is seeking remains unclear While the exact quantity of ammonium perchlorate (AP) that Iran is seeking to purchase remains unclear, diplomats familiar with the matter estimate that it could be enough to construct thousands of rockets, including the Zolfaghar missile with a range of 700 kilometers. The Zolfaghar missile has been previously used by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. If the deal is finalised, there are concerns that some of these rockets could potentially be deployed against Ukraine, as noted by the diplomats. Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has planned to travel to Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique during Japan's Golden Week holidays that begin in late April. This visit will take place before the Group of Seven (G7) summit scheduled to be held in Hiroshima in May, according to an announcement made by Tokyo on Tuesday. During a routine press conference, the Japanese government's main spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, expressed the importance of collaborating with prominent African nations to address global concerns, emphasising that such cooperation holds great significance for Japan, which is currently presiding over the G7 summit in Hiroshima for this year. Sources from the government have reported that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is anticipated to embark on a week-long journey commencing on April 29, marking his maiden voyage to Africa since assuming office in October 2021, reported Japan Times. As the G7 summit approaches, which will be held in the prime minister's home constituency, Kishida has voiced his eagerness to enhance connections with the "Global South," a phrase that encompasses developing countries located south of the equator with numerous of them in Africa. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several developing countries, including African nations, have attempted to remain neutral and avoid aligning with either side in the conflict. 49th G7 summit in Hiroshima The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada (in order of rotating presidency), and the European Union (EU), which is a "non-enumerated member". The dates for the 2023 G7 summit are May 19-21, 2023. This year with its G7 Presidency, Japan will host the G7 Hiroshima Summit. It has significant implications that the leaders of the G7 gather for discussions in Hiroshima, a city that has recovered from the catastrophic damage by an atomic bomb and which continues to seek lasting world peace. "Having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and being faced with Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which shook the very foundation of the international order, the international community is now at a historic turning point. The G7 firmly rejects any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or the threat or use of nuclear weapons and upholds the international order based on the rule of law. I will lead the discussion as Chair and demonstrate the G7s strong determination to the world with historical significance," Japanese PM Kishida has stated in a message on the G7 website. The Swedish embassy in Pakistan has announced that it will be closing "indefinitely" due to security concerns in Islamabad. In a statement, the embassy cited the current security situation as the reason for the closure, stating that it is unable to handle requests of any kind at the moment, including sending documents to consulates or addresses. The embassy acknowledged that this may cause inconvenience but emphasised that the safety of applicants and staff members is of the utmost priority. The statement did not provide any information regarding the potential re-opening of the embassy. Please visit our website for updates on Embassy operations and services. https://t.co/yYpCPVmS73 pic.twitter.com/ppgGHTZeND April 11, 2023 Pakistani students seeking admission to Swedish educational institutions may face significant disruptions as the new academic session is set to begin in August, and the visa processing time typically takes 4-6 months. The closure of the Swedish embassy in Pakistan, citing security concerns in Islamabad, has raised concerns among prospective students and their families. Many Pakistani students are applying for Swedish universities this year asked us about the status We hope they can apply for visa soon Education is an important aspect of our longstanding relationship and students bridge the two countries @SwedeninPK https://t.co/6JuHbPgRyy Pakistan Embassy Sweden (@PakinSweden) April 11, 2023 The Pakistani embassy in Sweden has expressed hope that students applying for Swedish universities will be able to apply for visas in a timely manner, but the uncertainty surrounding the closure of the Swedish embassy has created doubt about these students' educational plans. Many Pakistani students are applying for Swedish universities this year asked us about the status. We hope they can apply for visa soon. Education is an important aspect of our longstanding relationship and students bridge the two countries, a statement from the Pakistani Embassy in Sweden read. It isn't exactly clear what the security concerns are at the moment. The latest bombing should be a clarion call for international sanctions on the sale of jet fuel to the junta. In this image grab from a video, a building burns in the aftermath of the Myanmar juntas shelling and airstrikes on Pa Zi Gyi village, Kanbalu township, Sagaing region on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. A field was strewn with bodies and body parts. As many as 110 were killed, including 30 children, and more than 50 were wounded in the latest act of carnage by the Myanmar military against their own population. The April 11 attack on an office opening ceremony in the strife-torn Sagaing regions Kanbalu township is another junta war crime that looks set to go unanswered by the international community, beyond condemnation from the United Nations, Western governments and rights groups. International vows to hold the regime accountable can be upheld by focusing on the Myanmar militarys increasing reliance on long-range artillery strikes and air assaults. The use of planes and helicopters is increasing, with new jets and rotary wing aircraft imported from both Russia and China. There were at least 600 air attacks by the military between February 2021 and January 2023, a tacit acknowledgment that the Tatmadaw, as the feared armed forces are known in Burmese, is unable to deploy forces in large parts of the country. Light Infantry Divisions, which do most of the fighting, are undermanned and spread thin. Eleven children were killed when a military helicopter attacked this school in Depayin township in Myanmar's northwest Sagaing region in Sept. 2022. Credit: Associated Press The use of jet fighters and helicopter gunships has only increased as the military is bogged down in a multi-front war, against the opposition National Unity Government, their roughly 300 Peoples Defense Forces, and allied ethnic resistant organizations. The military has put 47 of 330 townships under martial law, a sign of its tenuous control. Frustrated with military setbacks, the leadership of the State Administrative Council, the juntas formal name, has begun to relieve officers from command and increased tactics designed to terrorize the population into submission. Jet fuel sanctions The international community could easily do something. You cannot fly jet planes without jet fuel, and Myanmar is 100 percent dependent on imports. In a November 2022 report, Amnesty International concluded that foreign firms could not claim they were simply selling A1 aviation fuel to civilian jetliners, as the military controlled the entire supply chain. Once the fuel was in the tanks in Thaliwa port, no one could not ensure that it was not being diverted to military aircraft. The primary supplier of jet fuel to the country was Puma Energy, the Singaporean-based subsidiary of the Swiss firm Trafigura. Puma established two joint ventures in Myanmar. The first, Puma Energy Asia Sun, was established in 2014. Its local partner, Asia Sun Energy was established in 2013 by U Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung who has close military ties. Puma owned 80 percent of the 91,000m3 jet fuel storage tank at Thaliwa port. Its second venture was a minority stake in National Energy Puma Aviation Services, a joint venture established in 2015 with the state-owned Myanmar Petrochemical Enterprise, which distributed and stored jet fuel at airports. Myanmar Petrochemical Enterprise is responsible for oil and gas exploration and domestic gas transmission. Puma announced it sold its ownership stake in the first firm to Asia Sun Energy in October 2022. The sale of its stake in the second firm is less clear. Some reports claim that Asia Sun Energy also purchased Pumas shares in the distribution venture. Security guards stand near a tanker carrying aviation fuel during the opening ceremony of Puma Energy fuel storage facility at Myanmar International Terminal Thilawa outside Yangon, Myanmar May 6, 2017. Credit: Reuters On March 24 the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Asia Sun Energy and Asia Sun Trading Company, which purchased foreign jet fuel, in an attempt to hurt the militarys war-fighting capabilities. However, the U.S. Government seems to have been unaware that the company had been doing business as, Shoon Energy after purchasing Pumas shares in Puma Energy Asia Sun. And its not clear if the US sanctions apply to the unnamed Shoon Energy. Things like this happen because in a little noticed move in September 2022, Myanmars military government shut down public access to a key part of their Myanmar Companies Online (MyCO) corporate registry in order to shield the shareholdings of the senior leadership and their families, to cover up the redistribution of seized assets, and to safeguard the establishment of front companies to evade international sanctions. Indian, Thai or Singaporean firms that have sold jet fuel to Myanmar in the past, who may be fearful of doing business with sanctioned companies, need only to establish a new corporate front or subsidiary. The ability to do due diligence has plummeted. Even if the international community sanctioned more import and distribution firms, many foreign partners would easily be able to skirt sanctions through new corporate fronts. So what can be done? Earth Rights International and Global Witness, in a February 2023 report about the shortcomings of the international sanctions regime on Myanmar, suggest a page out of the Russia sanctions playbook: namely suspending third-party services, including insurance and financial services to the companies that own the vessels involved in shipping aviation fuel to Myanmar. In December 2022, the United States and the European Union banned protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs from providing insurance to any Russian vessel that was carrying Russian oil above the $60 a barrel price cap. P&I clubs specialize in providing insurance for maritime, large risk, heavy cargo and container vessels. No ship can enter a port and on- or off-load goods without P&I insurance. This is particularly true for tankers carrying oil, due to the enormous financial costs of oil spills. In this image taken from video, a Myanmar air force fighter jet is visible from Tak province, Thailand, June 30, 2022. Credit: Associated Press There is nothing stopping the international community from imposing similar sanctions in Myanmar. A rapacious Indian or Thai seller of jet fuel may have an incentive to sell jet fuel to the junta as they bomb innocent civilians. But if the shipping firms cant get the P&I insurance that they require, theres no way to get the jet fuel to the Thilawa terminal. Lloyds of London, the premier maritime insurance firm, has warned about increasing Russian ship-to-ship transfers to evade sanctions. This, too, could happen with Myanmar, but it does raise the costs, and the potential for being caught and ensuing sanctions could be enough of a deterrent for some shippers. Of course that wont stop the overland supply of jet fuel to Myanmar. But overland border trade is less certain than in the past. The route from Chin State is no longer secure, and overland trade from Bangladesh is conditioned on the tenuous November 2022 ceasefire with the Arakan Army. Chinas main supply lines into Myanmar go through Shan State whose security landscape is quickly evolving as the Taang National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Defense Alliance Army are engaged in more frequent clashes with the Tatmadaw and are increasing their training and support to the NUGs forces. Finally, the pro-SAC Border Guards Forces along the Thai border are increasingly under attack, as seen in recent fighting around Shwe Kokko. The latest bombing should be a clarion call for the international community to sanction the sale of jet fuel to a regime that is waging an air war against its own population. But smart sanctions, such as proscribing P&I insurance to vessels carrying jet fuel to Myanmar, is the most effective way to save innocent lives. Myanmar International Terminal Thilawa outside Yangon is seen in this 2017 photo. Credit: Reuters Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College, Georgetown University or RFA. Two Candlelight Party activists say they were hit with steel batons in Phnom Penh last week. Keat SokChan [left photos], a member of the Candlelight Party youth movement, was beaten April 7 in Phnom Penh by two suspects with a steel baton on his arms, shoulders and head. Candlelight Party Acting Youth Movement Thorn Chantha [right photos] was attacked last week with steel batons. Two attacks on opposition activists over the last week have prompted leaders of the opposition Candlelight Party to renew calls for police investigations into suspected political violence, which appears to be increasing ahead of Julys parliamentary elections. The two incidents are the latest in what party officials claim have been dozens of similar violent attacks on their activists in the capital, Phnom Penh, and elsewhere over the last few years. No suspects have been arrested or charged in any of the incidents, they said. Last Thursday, Thorn Chantha, president of the partys youth movement, was struck by a baton by two assailants who then chased him to his car and smashed the drivers window with a rock. This violence is to intimidate opposition party activists who dare to conduct political activities ahead of the election, Thorn Chantha said. The attack happened on the streets of Phnom Penh as party activists were planning a demonstration in front of its headquarters the first in several years. A couple days later, Keat Sokchan, a member of the Candlelight Partys youth movement, told Radio Free Asia that he was beaten by two suspects who used a steel baton to hit him about 10 times on his arms, shoulders and head. He said earlier this week that he was still being treated at a hospital. My arms are so painful that I cant lift them up, he said. I want the authorities to imprison the suspects for the sake of youth safety across the country. No follow-up from police Party organizers have also faced threats, harassment and arrest on what they say are trumped-up charges as they prepare for Julys parliamentary elections. Authorities still havent followed up on Thorn Chanthas complaint, he told RFA. I dont have any confidence that police can find any suspects in my case and other cases, Thorn Chantha said on Tuesday. So far, they cant find any suspects. Another activist, Nol Pongthirith, told RFA that he was struck on the head in July 2022. He said he also hasn't received any information about an investigation. If the suspects are not brought to justice, political parties activities will be reduced due to security concerns, he said. National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khouen has previously told RFA that police have been unable to find any suspects because victims havent cooperated with authorities. RFA couldn't reach him for comment this week. The spokesman for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, Sok Ey San, denied that there have been politically motivated attacks. In some cases, police have just needed more time to gather evidence, he said. I guarantee you that there is no difference between an investigation to the ruling party and the opposition party, he said. Authorities investigate all incidents. Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The new release of the "Dialogue with Tofiq Abbasov" analytical video project aired on the Baku Network Expert Platform, Trend reports. The guest of the program was Rector of the Baku Academy of Music named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli, People's Artist of the USSR and Azerbaijan, Professor Farhad Badalbeyli. The issues of reintegration of the population of Armenian origin living in Karabakh were discussed during the program. In addition, the importance of restoring dialogue was noted. According to Farhad Badalbeyli, the process is going to be indeed painful, since both sides have a huge number of mutual grievances. "I want this constant hostility to at least gradually begin to dissipate. The result can be achieved only when we sit down with our residents, Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan, at the negotiating table," he said. Trend presents the program: The wife of lawyer Chang Weiping says nobody has seen him since he appeared very thin at his trial last year. The jailing of Chinese dissidents Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi to more than a decade apiece for subversion on Monday has sparked international condemnation, amid fears another lawyer may be in line for an equally harsh sentence. I am very concerned that two prominent human rights defenders in China Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, at variance with international human rights law standards, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement. Human rights law requires that people not be prosecuted or otherwise punished for voicing their criticism of government policies. It also requires respect for fair trial and due process rights, and proper investigations into any allegations of ill-treatment, Turk said, adding that he would follow up with Beijing about the cases. The United States also condemned the sentences 14 years to Xu and 12 years for Ding calling them unjust. These sentences demonstrate the PRCs expansive effort to intimidate and silence all aspects of civil society, the State Department said in a statement on its website, calling for the pairs immediate and unconditional release. In this Jan. 22, 2014 photo, Chinese police stand guard outside the No. 1 Intermediate court in Beijing, ahead of a trial of Xu Zhiyong, one of Chinas most prominent dissidents who founded the New Citizens Movement. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP) We similarly call upon [Beijing] to release others who were unjustly detained or imprisoned, to reinstate the lawyers who were unjustly disbarred, and to allow all individuals to exercise their fundamental freedoms, it said. The Linshu County Peoples Court in the eastern province of Shandong handed down a 14-year jail term to Xu Zhiyong and a 12-year sentence to rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi on Monday after finding both men guilty of subversion of state power a charge often used to target critics of the government after they attended a 2019 dissident gathering. Activists attended a dinner in Xiamen Ding and Xu, the founder of the New Citizens Movement campaign for government transparency, were detained after they attended a dinner with prominent activists in December 2019 in Xiamen in southeastern China. The lengthy jail terms have sparked fears that another lawyer who attended the gathering, Chang Weiping, could also soon receive a similarly harsh sentence, according to his wife, Chen Zijuan. The trial will be held soon, and I worry that my husband will also receive a harsh sentence, she told Radio Free Asia. It seems the Xiamen gathering cases are being wrapped up now, and I expect Chang Weipings sentencing to come soon, she said. In this March 6, 2023 photo, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, center, is seen on a TV monitor speaking during a session of the 52nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP) Chang whose lawyers say he has suffered torture in incommunicado detention was tried in secret on identical charges at the Feng County Peoples Court in the northern province of Shaanxi in July 2022. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a minimum jail term of 10 years. Its clear that the Chinese Communist Party is trying to make an example of [people who went to the Xiamen gathering], and suppress civil society in China with these heavy sentences, Chen said, adding that Changs case, like Xus and Dings, has been subjected to repeated delays. A regular criminal case typically takes about four months to get to trial in China, but in Chang Weipings case, it has been two-and-a-half years, Chen said. They drag these things out because they hope that the international attention will die down, and people will get distracted by the next news story. Chen voiced fears for her husbands health after such a long time in pretrial detention, saying he had lost a lot of weight. But he has also been denied visits from his legal team since last years trial, leading her to fear that he could have been tortured again. The lawyer who saw him during the trial said he was looking very thin, only weighing around ... 50 pounds, she said. What kind of state is his health in now? Why wont the police allow visits? In this March 2023 handout photo, Chang Weipings wife, Chen Zijuan, receives the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights for 2021 on behalf of her husband at the German Embassy in Washington. Zhou Fengsuo, founder and director of the U.S.-based rights group Humanitarian China, said he is very concerned about Chang, Xu, Ding and fellow activist Li Qiaochu, who was sent to a psychiatric hospital in the eastern province of Shandong following accusations of subversion of state power. Chinas human rights record is a threat to the whole world, Zhou said. The international community needs to get tougher on this, not just speaking out, but also coming up with tougher policies. The best way would be to link trade policy with the human rights situation in China, which would make international pressure more effective in the long term, he said. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Matt Reed. The move comes amid an exodus of journalists amid 'a severe crackdown on freedom of expression,' a report says. In this Nov. 8, 2016, photo, Barrister Tim Owen (right) leaves High Court in Hong Kong after a trial unrelated to Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. Jailed pro-democracy media magnate Jimmy Lai, who is awaiting trial under a strict national security law, has launched a legal challenge against the Hong Kong government over its refusal of a work visa to his British barrister. Lai, whose Next Digital media empire and its flagship Apple Daily newspaper were forced to close amid a national security investigation, will be tried on charges of "collusion with a foreign power" and others linked to "seditious publications." His legal team filed a writ calling on the city's High Court to overturn a decision by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security not to grant barrister Timothy Owen the necessary visa to represent In a separate writ, his legal team argued that if the committee is empowered to decide whether any judicial procedure is related to national security, the entire judicial system will collapse given the fact that the committee is not itself subject to any judicial review processes. Last month, Lai's lawyers testified to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva over ongoing criticisms and concerns about the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities treatment of Lai. In this Feb. 1, 2021, photo, Media mogul Jimmy Lai (right) is escorted into a Hong Kong Correctional Services van outside the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong. (AFP Photo) China's National People's Congress ruled in December that top officials in the Hong Kong government have the power to bar foreign lawyers from representing clients in "national security" cases, after three failed bids in the city's courts to get Owen disqualified. The Court of Final Appeal had ruled in favor of Lais application to engage Owen, but Chief Executive John Lee subsequently asked the National Peoples Congress Standing Committee for an interpretation of the national security law regarding overseas lawyers participation in such cases. Trial postponed Lai's trial on several charges of "collusion with a foreign power" -- under a national security law imposed by the ruling Communist Party in the wake of the 2019 protest movement -- has been postponed until September 2023. He is currently serving a separate five-year, nine-month jail term for fraud over the subletting of office space at his Next Digital headquarters. The dispute over Lais hiring of British Kings Counsel barrister Tim Owen to lead his defense team, has highlighted concerns that Hong Kong's promised judicial independence is already rapidly eroding in favor of top-down control by an executive that takes orders from Beijing. Much of the prosecution's evidence -- in a trial that will take place before a panel of government-appointment judges and no jury -- centers on opinion articles published in Lai's now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. The legal challenges came as the government introduced a bill in the city's legislature that would allow the chief executive to rule on whether foreign lawyers can be engaged in national security trials, Radio Television Hong Kong reported. Power controlled by Communist Party Current affairs commentator Sang Pu, who is a lawyer by training, said Lai is unlikely to win either legal challenge, but that the case could force the government to be more transparent about who decides what. He called for an explanation of how the Committee for Safeguarding National Security was able to put pressure on the Immigration Department to deny Owen a work visa. "Even if this challenge is successful ... the [authorities] could just call for the chief executive to issue a decision, and that would be the end of it anyway," Sang said. "All the power is in the hands of the Hong Kong government, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, so there is a limit to what Jimmy Lai can do about it," he said. In this Jan. 31, 2022, photo provided by The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, a message to draw attention to Jimmy Lais case is projected on a building in Washington. (Andre Chung via AP) Justice Minister Paul Lam told lawmakers that it was legitimate, logical and reasonable to make Hong Kong's chief executive the gatekeeper on matters involving national security. "We have to emphasize again that the bill has no adverse impact on the rule of law, the courts' independent judicial powers as guaranteed under the Basic Law, and the parties' right to choose their legal representation and the right to a fair trial," Lam claimed in comments reported by Radio Television Hong Kong. Lam denied the changes would amount to a blanket ban on foreign lawyers taking cases under the national security law. Freedom under attack The move came as an overseas journalists' association described a recent exodus of Hong Kong journalists from the city amid a "severe crackdown on freedom of expression" under the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing in the wake of the 2019 pro-democracy movement. The Association of Overseas Hong Kong Media Professionals estimated in a recent report that hundreds of former Hong Kong journalists are now living overseas, and that the number is growing. The majority of exiled journalists interviewed for the report worked as reporters in Hong Kong, while more than one-third of them had more than 21 years experience in the industry. "The overwhelming majority do not plan to return to Hong Kong in the near future, despite facing problems in their new homes," the group said in a press release attached to the report. It said more than half of respondents are no longer working as journalists, although most would like to. "Many have found a wide range of alternative employment in occupations ranging from car mechanic work, to floristry and employment as a barista," the report said, citing language barriers and other barriers to media jobs overseas. It said many reported suffering from "burnout and in other cases trauma as a result of their experience in Hong Kong." Overall, this survey paints a picture of an exiled media community facing multiple challenges combined with a motivation to maintain the tradition of a free Hong Kong media, albeit in exile," group Chairman Joseph Ngan said. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. The share of Americans who describe China as an enemy has jumped from 25% to 38% in a year, a new survey says. An overwhelming majority of Americans hold negative views about China and think Beijings ties with Moscow and tensions over Taiwan are serious problems for the United States, a new survey says. The survey by the Pew Research Center found that 83% of Americans hold negative views of China, up from the 47% in 2017. At that time, 44% of Americans had positive views of China but now only 14% do. Older Americans are the most likely to say they have negative views of Americas main geopolitical rival, with 60% of those aged over 65 and 53% of those aged between 50 and 64 having very negative views. That compares to the 29% of Americans in the 18-29 age bracket and 37% aged 30-49 who hold very negative views. Those Americans are more likely to hold somewhat negative views (at 45% and 43%). Among all respondents, 90% say Chinas ties with Russia present a serious problem for the United States, while 84% say the same about tensions over Taiwan and 83% about Chinas human rights policies. In this March 21, 2023 photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping toast during their dinner at The Palace of the Facets in the Moscow Kremlin, Russia. (Pavel Byrkin, Sputnik via AP) Concern about tensions in Chinas relationship with Taiwan has also intensified, with a record high share of Americans saying cross-strait tensions are a very serious problem (47%), the Pew report says. Such worries about a strained relationship between China and Taiwan are more common among Americans with a favorable view of Taiwan, as well as Republicans and those ages 65 and older. Bipartisanship Despite the growing bipartisan consensus on China in the U.S. Congress, there is a partisan divide amongst regular citizens, according to the Pew survey: 58% of Republicans have a very negative view of China, compared to 34% of Democrats. But large majorities of all voters hold at least somewhat negative views of China 89% of Republicans and 81% of Democrats. In this Feb. 4, 2023 photo, a large Chinese balloon drifts above the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of South Carolina near Myrtle Beach. (Chad Fish via AP) Where the parties differ most tends to be the intensity of the sentiment, the Pew survey report says. And in terms of ideology, conservative Republicans are often particularly negative toward China, even relative to more moderate and liberal Republicans. Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party, for example, tend to be much more amenable to working with China on all key issues mentioned than Republicans or GOP leaners. Enemy or competitor? After a year of heightened U.S.-China tensions, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosis trip to Taiwan in August, the spy balloon fracas in August and this months trip to the United States by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Americans understanding of their countrys relationship with Beijing has also dramatically hardened. Americans are 10 percentage points less likely than a year ago to describe China as a competitor rather than as an enemy or partner. Thats still the majority view, at 52%. However, the share who say China is an enemy has jumped from 25% to 38%. That has been driven most by Republicans, a slim majority (53%) of whom now describe China as an enemy up 11 percentage points in a year, and now ahead of the 41% who prefer the term competitor. In this April 9, 2023 photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese fighter jet pilot from the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army takes part in combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island. (Mei Shaoquan, Xinhua via AP) But there has also been growth among Democrats who see China as an enemy. That share has grown 12% to 27%, even if a clear majority of Democrats (62%) say the term competitor is more apt. Only 6% of Americans consider China to be a partner, Pew says. Edited by Malcolm Foster. The junta has approved an increase of nearly U.S.$1 billion on defense spending. In this Jan. 4, 2023 photo, Myanmar's military fighter planes are flown during a ceremony to mark Myanmar's 75th anniversary of Independence in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. An increase in Myanmars defense budget of nearly U.S.$1 billion will fuel the countrys brutal civil war and lead to more civilian deaths, observers said Wednesday, calling for urgent action by the international community to cut off the juntas access to income. The increase comes after junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged that the military only effectively controls around two-thirds of the country, despite a nationwide offensive by junta troops who have visited death, arson, sexual violence, and torture on the people of Myanmar in the 26 months since the military seized power in a coup detat. It also follows an Armed Forces Day speech by the military commander in which he vowed to eradicate the countrys opposition. According to the budget, which Min Aung Hlaing approved on April 5, defense spending for the fiscal year 2023-2024 was set at 5.6 trillion kyats (U.S.$2.7 billion). The new figure represents an increase of U.S.$920 million over the previous fiscal years budget of U.S.$1.8 billion. In this March 27, 2021 photo, military vehicles are driven during a parade to mark Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. Credit: AP Photo Thein Tun Oo, the executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, a group made up of former military officers, defended the increase, saying that it is intended not to suppress internal armed conflict, but to upgrade the military to a more modern standard. Its not surprising that the military budget has to be increased in order to keep up with advancing defense technologies, he said, adding that he estimates upgrading the military will require two-thirds of the entire budget. But Aung Myo Min, human rights minister for the shadow National Unity Government, told RFA that the size of the militarys budget is directly proportional to the number of civilian deaths in the country. The more weapons the military buys, the more people suffer because, throughout the period of military expansion, there have been more and more killings of innocent civilians, more air attacks using the jet fuel imported from foreign countries and more burning of civilian properties, he said. Increasing the budget to expand the military under the current circumstances is literally reinforcing the junta with more weapons to kill more innocent people. It will definitely cause more civilian deaths. In this Jan. 4, 2023 photo, Myanmar's junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing inspects a military parade during Myanmar's Independence Day in Naypyidaw. Credit: AFP Photo Aung Myo Min said that the international community needs to take urgent and effective legal action against the junta to hold it accountable for the atrocities it has committed and block the sources of income that enable it to increase its military budget. Fight for control of the country According to Thailands Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), authorities in Myanmar have killed at least 3,240 civilians since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup many during the militarys widespread scorched earth offensive against anti-junta armed groups and ethnic armies. And yet, after more than two years in power, Min Aung Hlaing recently acknowledged that he is only in control of 198 of the countrys 330 townships. Since making the comments, military forces have accelerated clearing operations in Sagaing, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi regions, as well as Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Mon and Shan states. In this Feb. 8, 2021 photo, protesters with a defaced photo of Myanmar junta Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing stand off against riot police in Naypyidaw. Credit: AP Photo Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a political analyst, believes that the increase in the juntas military spending is part of a bid to complete these operations. The military needs a larger budget to meet quotas within its armed forces and to attack the resistance forces more severely, he said. The junta chief announced in his March 27 [Armed Forces Day] speech that the military will crush the resistance forces. He said he will crush not just the increasing number of resistance forces across the country, but also the ethnic armed groups that support those forces. I think that is the reason for the juntas increase in military budget. The junta has increased its defense spending every year since the 2020-2021 fiscal year, when Aung San Suu Kyis deposed National League for Democracy last set the military budget at 3.4 trillion kyats (U.S.$1.6 billion). Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Matthew Reed. The move came in retaliation for a landmine and drone attack on troops by local militias. The remains of burned homes in Kin village are seen on April 12, 2023. Credit: Mahar Revolution Force The remains of burned homes in Kin village are seen on April 12, 2023. Credit: Mahar Revolution Force The remains of burned homes in Kin village are seen on April 12, 2023. Credit: Mahar Revolution Force Myanmars military has torched more than 100 homes in a Mandalay region village as it continues to target civilians thought to be harboring Peoples Defense Forces. Tuesdays raid happened after anti-junta militias attacked troops leaving a monastery they had been stationed at, in Madaya townships Kin village, locals told RFA on condition of anonymity. One resident said reprisals started after local Peoples Defense Forces triggered land mines as the column of around 50 troops moved out. The troops set fire to the village non-stop from 9 a.m. until the evening, the local said Wednesday. Over a hundred houses were burnt down. The junta troops left early this morning. The local defense groups said they killed five soldiers and wounded 12 with landmines and bombs dropped from drones Combined fighters from Mahar Revolution Force; Tike Thane Underground Revolutionary Group; Nat Soe Underground Revolutionary Army; Nagar Nyi Naung People Defense Force; and Daung Sit The said they took part in the attack on the junta column. RFA has not been able to independently confirm the number of soldiers killed and injured. Calls to the junta spokesperson for Mandalay region, Thein Htay, went unanswered. Junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun has told RFA in the past troops never set fire to civilian homes. However, he said Tuesday the junta was behind another attack that day in which as many as 100 civilians were killed in an air strike on a Sagaing region village. He blamed local Peoples Defense Forces for hiding among civilians in that attack, saying the junta only targeted combatants. The juntas slash and burn tactics are widespread across Myanmar and locals said the military torched nine villages in Madaya township last month, forcing locals to flee to other villages and makeshift camps. According to Data for Myanmar, which monitors arson attacks, a total of 60,459 homes have been destroyed by fire across the country in the two years following the February 2021 coup. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn. Wang Dongsheng was responsible for the destruction of a venerated Buddha statue. The 99-foot Buddha statue in Drago county, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwestern China's Sichuan province, is shown sheltered by a white canopy in an undated photo. UPDATED at 1:18 P.M. EDT on 04-17-2023 A Chinese government official of Tibetan ethnicity who approved the destruction of a huge Buddha statue in a Tibetan-majority area has been assigned to another position in the same prefecture, Tibetans inside and outside the region said. Wang Dongsheng, former chief of Drago county, now holds an apolitical appointment as director of the Science and Technology Bureau in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Chinas Sichuan province, they said. Drago county, called Luhuo in Chinese, lies in Kardze in the historical Tibetan province of Kham. A source in India told Radio Free Asia that Wang was promoted to the position in August 2022. After he took office as Drago county chief in October 2021, Wang directed the demolition of the 30-meter (99-foot) Buddha statue there following official complaints that it had been built too high. Dozens of traditional prayer wheels used by Tibetan pilgrims and other Buddhist worshipers were also destroyed. Officials forced monks from Thoesam Gatsel monastery and Tibetans living in Chuwar and other nearby towns to witness the destruction that began in December 2021. Wang had earlier overseen a campaign of destruction at Sichuans sprawling Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Sichuan's Serta county, called Seda in Chinese, in a move that saw thousands of monks and nuns expelled and homes destroyed. [J]ust within a month of taking the office, he initiated the demolition of Tibetan religious sites in Drago, said a Tibetan source inside the region who requested anonymity for safety reasons. Under his leadership the Drago Buddhist school was destroyed. Hotbed of resistance Since 2008, Drago has been a hotbed of resistance against the Chinese government, prompting interventions by authorities, including significant crackdowns in 2009 and 2012. Beijing views any sign of Tibetan disobedience as an act of separatism, threatening Chinas national security. In this satellite image slider, the 99-foot Buddha statue in Drago in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is shown at left sheltered by a white canopy on Nov. 19, 2019. At right is the site on Jan. 1, 2022. Credit: Planet Labs with analysis by RFA Earlier this year, Chinese authorities tightened restrictions on Tibetan residents there, imposing measures to prevent contact with people outside the area, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Wangs term as chief of Drago county ushered in a period of heightened assault on Tibetan Buddhism at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, with the brutal dismantling of important cultural and religious sites. Party leaders who suppress Tibetans and successfully carry out harsh campaigns against the Buddhist minority group are often promoted, said Dawa Tsering, director of the India-based Tibet Policy Institute. This is the norm, and we can see that happen with Wang Donsheng, he told RFA. Lui Pang, an executive member of Drago Communist Party, has been appointed as the new county chief, the sources said. Among Drago countys dozen administrative officials are eight of Chinese origin who hold higher positions, while the remaining four are Tibetans who work as office employees, they said. So far, theres been a slight easing of the harsh campaigns against Tibetans in the region under the new county chief, said another Tibetan inside the region, who declined to be identified for safety reasons. Unlike under former chief Wang, if one does not get involved in any political and sensitive issues and incidents, they [authorities] will not make random arrests as such, the source said. Wang previously served as deputy secretary and county chief of Serta. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. An earlier version of the story incorrectly stated that Larung Gar Buddhist Academy was located in Sichuan's Drago county and misidentified Wang Dongsheng as a Chinese official rather than a Chinese government official of Tibetan ethnicity. For Nefise Oghuz, giving testimony about the illegal imprisonment of her uncle and what she says is the genocide of Uyghurs in western China was her duty. The 20-year-old Uyghur student provided statements in four languages Uyghur, English, Mandarin and Turkish on social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, about how police in Urumqi, capital of western Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, arrested her uncle, Alim Abdukerim, 33, at his home on Aug. 28, 2017. I dared to share this video testimony as I could not bear the sufferings of my people facing genocide, she told Radio Free Asia. I could not accept the fate of my uncle and that of millions of Uyghurs in the concentration camps, and I felt terrible for my nephew, who had not seen his father even once after he was born. Abdukerims family did not know his whereabouts for two years, though Oghuz later obtained information that he was in prison in Korla, known as Kuerle in Chinese and the second-largest city in Xinjiang, two years after he was taken away. My innocent uncle has been in jail for the past six years, Oghuz says in the multilingual videos. I demand the Chinese government release my uncle, Alim Abdukerim, immediately. I could not bear this injustice "My uncle Alim Abdulkerim has been detained in Xinjiang for six years because he is Uyghur. He hasn't been able to see his son, Abdulkerim, who is now six years old. We believe he is innocent and appeal to the Chinese government to release him and reunite him with his family. pic.twitter.com/EdWEMkhVri Nefise Oguz (@NefiseOguzz28) April 2, 2023 The videos have received widespread attention from Uyghurs in the diaspora as well as an outpouring of reactions on social media. Since we could not get any information about him, I could not bear this injustice, Oghuz told Radio Free Asia by phone from Istanbul, where she and her family have lived since 2015. So, I gave this testimony. For the past years, we kept mum, fearing that our testimony would cause harm to other relatives in our homeland, said the sophomore majoring in English journalism at Turkeys Istanbul University, who studied in bilingual classes in Xinjiang until middle school. Although I have not openly advocated for my uncle previously so as not to cause trouble for my relatives back home, I have advocated for my uncle through various channels in a more discreet way, she said. Realizing my uncle had suffered too long, we lost our confidence in the Chinese governments justice and began openly demanding his release. Chinese police detained Abdukerim shortly after he married amid a larger crackdown on Uyghurs beginning in 2017 during which authorities arbitrarily detained ordinary and prominent Uyghurs, such as businesspeople, writers, artists, athletes and Muslim clergy members into re-education camps. China has claimed that the camps were vocation training centers set up to prevent religious extremism and terrorism in the restive mostly-Muslim region. But those who survived the camps say Uyghurs there were subjected to torture, sexual assault and forced labor. The U.S. government, the European parliament and the legislatures of several Western countries have declared that the Chinese governments abuses against the Uyghurs amount to genocide and crimes against humanity. A report issued by the U.N.s human rights body has said that the camp detentions may constitute crimes against humanity. . Reason for arrest unclear Abdukerim, who has a young son hes never seen, was a computer engineer responsible for managing computer and internet-related business at a family-run company called Halis Foreign Trade Ltd. He and Oghuz grew up together. Oghuz said she tried to obtain information about him from relatives in Xinjiang and from Chinese social media sources. We don't know why the Chinese government arrested him, she said. He had never been abroad. I think the Chinese authorities detained him for being Uyghur and Muslim. Following Abdukerims arrest, the familys company closed its doors. His crime and the length of his sentence remain unknown, though Oghuz learned that he is being held at a prison in Korla that operates under the auspices of the Xinjiang Construction and Production Company, a state-owned economic and paramilitary organization also known as Bingtuan. His prisoner number is 3153. I hope the Chinese government releases my uncle and allows him to meet his son, she said. Its OK if I don't see him, but his son needs to see his father. I will not stop being my uncle's voice until the Chinese authorities release him. Different languages Oghuz said she presented testimony in Turkish, hoping that the Turks would pay attention to the sufferings of the Uyghurs, thousands of whom live in the diaspora in the southern European country. She gave it in English, hoping that the international community would also pay attention, at a time when Uyghur rights groups are calling for concrete measures to hold China to account for its actions in Xinjiang. And she gave testimony in Chinese to try to force the Chinese government to respond to her demand. For those who think they cannot give testimony in foreign languages, they may provide it in the Uyghur language, Oghuz said. Your testimony will eventually cause anxiety among the perpetrators, she said. The Chinese will see your testimony and worry that if more people like you speak up, they will expose their crime to the broader global community. Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Activist Nguyen Lan Thang, his wife and daughter attend a protest against the Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics Group, whose factory caused the countrys worst-ever environmental disaster. UPDATED AT 3:49 p.m. ET on 2023-04-12 The Hanoi Peoples Court on Wednesday sentenced prominent political activist and blogger Nguyen Lan Thang to six years in prison and two years of probation the latest conviction in a continuing crack down on dissenting voices in the one-party communist country. Thang, a long-time contributor of blog posts on politics and society to RFAs Vietnamese service, was arrested in July 2022 and charged with spreading anti-state propaganda. He is one of four jailed Radio Free Asia contributors in Vietnam. Only four defense lawyers and Thangs wife, Le Bich Vuong, were allowed inside the courtroom for the trial. Vuong told RFA that he didnt admit to the charge of opposing the State during the five-hour long proceeding. Thang was accused of making, storing, spreading or propagating anti-state information, documents, items and publications opposing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The charge against him came under Article 117 of Vietnams criminal code, which is often used by authorities to suppress free speech on social media. All of my family members were very sad, as we all believe in his innocence, Le Bich Vuong told RFA. What he did was for the betterment of society. RFA President Bay Fang said the conviction was a miscarriage of justice and an assault on free expression in Vietnam and called for his immediate release and for all charges to be dropped. The outrageous harassment he has endured and his sentencing to six years in prison demonstrate the extent to which Vietnamese authorities will go to silence independent journalists and voices, she said in a statement on Wednesday. Security tightened during trial Many of Thangs relatives, friends and activists werent allowed near the court. Some political dissidents and family members of prisoners of conscience were under tight house watch or were followed by local security forces if they left home during the trial. Thang originally feared the case would be held in a closed courtroom and petitioned last month for an open trial. The 48-year-old has written several articles on freedom, democracy and human rights on the RFA Vietnamese blog since late 2013. He has also taken part in protests defending Vietnams sovereignty in disputed areas of the South China Sea and worked to help people affected by floods and storms in the countrys Central Highlands. In April 2022, he wrote for RFA about news reports that Russian ships had been turning off their locator systems to evade being tracked for illegal oil sales. He recalled that during the Iraq War, tycoons from a certain socialist-oriented market economy had repainted oil ships to buy sanctioned Iraqi oil at a discount and became very very rich. The indictment said that Thang allegedly stored several books with anti-State content, including Politics for Commoners and Non-violent Resistance, both written by human rights activist and journalist Pham Doan Trang, who is serving a nine-year jail term on the same charge of propagandizing against the State. Trang also allegedly participated in many roundtable discussions by BBC, which contained contents thought to have sabotaged or smeared the Vietnamese government. He was also said to have published 12 videos distorting the communist regime on Facebook and YouTube platforms. Nguyen Lan Thang shared his perspectives and opinions online with a sense of responsibility and duty, but never with malice or disrespect, Bay Fang said. Nevertheless he is among four RFA contributors in Vietnam who have been ensnared by the government in an effort to censor and purge. Vuong said Thang hadnt made a decision on whether he would submit an appeal. That decision would be made in the next two weeks, she said. Could have faced 12 years imprisonment The government held a closed trial to avoid embarrassment and because officials knew that Thang was innocent and that his family has made many contributions to Vietnams communist regime, said Hieu Ba Linh and independent journalist who lives in Germany. Thang is from a well-known academic family in Hanoi, and his grandfather wrote a popular Vietnamese dictionary. Under Article 117, he could have faced up to 12 years in prison. Apparently, the sentence of six-year imprisonment for Mr. Thang was pretty light, Hieu Ba Linh said. However, for a patriot like Mr. Thang, a day in prison is still a day of injustice and unfairness. His parents told RFA ahead of the trial that Thang has never done anything wrong to his family, country and his own conscience. Earlier this week, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued statements calling on the Vietnamese government to drop the charges and immediately release Thang. On Wednesday, the deputy Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch said the verdict showed once again that there is no justice or respect for human rights in Vietnam. Vietnam is systematically dismantling and imprisoning the network of political activists and NGO leaders who dare exercise their rights to demand reforms and improvements in the country, Phil Robertson said. The Vietnamese people will be the ultimate losers in this game as the party apparatchiks take advantage of the purge of whistleblowers to redouble the crony corruption of the ruling party, he said. According to the CPJ, Vietnam has detained 21 journalists for their professional activities as of Dec. 1, 2022. Before the trial, Vuong told RFA that her husband had only exercised a citizens freedom of expression, press freedom, and responsibilities for protecting national sovereignty, environment, and human rights and fighting against injustice in society. Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Mike Firn, Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. This story has been updated to include reaction to the trial verdict. Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here. I'm RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here's what I've been following during the past week and what I'm watching for in the days ahead. The Big Issue Iran appears to be making headway toward renewing official ties with Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf states that in some cases have been publicly avoiding Tehran for decades. The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia held talks in Beijing on April 6 in a significant step toward restoring diplomatic relations, which were cut in 2016 after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following Riyadhs execution of prominent Saudi Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Iran also accepted an invitation from Saudi King Salman for President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Riyadh, while Tehran said it will send a similar invitation to the Saudi king. Meanwhile, a Saudi delegation traveled to Iran on April 9 to discuss the reopening of the embassy in Tehran and a consulate in Mashhad. The trip came as Iranian media reported on April 8 that a street sign near the Saudi consulate in Mashhad provocatively named after Sheikh al-Nimr had been quietly removed. An Iranian delegation also arrived in Saudi Arabia on April 12 to pave the way for the reopening of Iranian diplomatic missions there. Iran is meanwhile taking steps to improve ties with other countries in the region, naming an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and working to decrease tensions with Egypt and Bahrain. Why It Matters: Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to be pursuing implementation of last months Chinese-brokered agreement, possibly clearing the way for Tehran to de-escalate tensions with other countries that followed Riyadhs lead on a rupture seven years ago. What's Next: Tehran and Riyadh could move surprisingly swiftly toward normalization, but its no sure thing. Abdolrasool Divsallar, a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Milan (UCSC), told me that the political environment between the two regional rivals could encourage the start of military and security talks within months. But Divsallar also warned that opponents at home and abroad could still undermine the agreement. Hard-liners in Iran may act as a spoiler rather than as a supporter of the deal, he said, adding that Israel could do the same. The regional tensions between Israel and Iran, on one side, andbetween Iran, Saudi [Arabia] and the United States, on the other side, are two dynamics that make this process very fragile, he said. Divsallar also suggested that any normalization between Iran and countries with less appetite for a quick restoration of ties, for instance Bahrain, could take longer. They feel more secure under the current status quo rather than immediately normalizing their ties with the Islamic republic and losing their leverage, he said, adding, They may wait to see a major change of policies. Stories You Might Have Missed Irans civil aviation sector has for years been under Western sanctions that prevent it from purchasing new aircraft or spare parts for repairs. Now, Russia's oldest airline, Aeroflot, has sent one of its passenger planes to Iran for repairs for the first time ever. Aeroflot reportedly ran into obstacles at home stemming from Western sanctions over Russias ongoing, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The RBK media group cited an Aeroflot representative and sources close to the company on April 11 as saying that an Airbus A330-300 had been sent to Tehran on April 5 to be repaired by specialists from Iran's Mahan Air. Iranian pensioners staged protests in more than a dozen cities across Iran, demanding higher pensions amid soaring prices. Protests were reported on April 9 in Tehran, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Isfahan, Arak, Qom, Shush, Tabriz, and several other cities where retirees complained of poor living conditions and chanted anti-government slogans. Labor protests in Iran have swelled as the economy deteriorates following years of mismanagement compounded by crippling U.S. sanctions. What We're Watching Prominent Iranian female religious scholar Sedigheh Vasmaghi has challenged Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the Islamic republics mandatory hijab law. In a letter published online, Vasmaghi asked about the reasoning behind Irans strict model for womens dress and said the Koran does not specify the need for women to cover their hair in public. There is no evidence to show that during the time of the Prophet Muhammad women were harassed and punished for not covering their hair or even their bodies, Vasmaghi, who has published several books on Islamic jurisprudence, wrote. Why It Matters: Vasmaghis letter is significant for its timing -- just days after Khamenei asserted that the removal of the hijab in public was religiously banned. But it is also important because it comes from a religious woman who wears the veil while opposing the mandatory hijab, which is seemingly being defied by a growing number of women. That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. Until next time, Golnaz Esfandiari If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday. 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. Title changed Details added: first version posted on 13:12 BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. OSCE will support Azerbaijan in the de-mining process, North Macedonian Foreign Minister, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports. The mine threat was one of the topics which we discussed in detail at our meetings today. OSCE will share its experience with Azerbaijan in this direction, Osmani noted. We must elaborate on the necessary projects to provide support to Azerbaijan in connection with mine clearance and mine risk prevention. Well form such initiatives in the future in connection with communications. Following the 2020 Second Karabakh War, more than 75,000 hectares of liberated territories have been demined in Azerbaijan. More than 85,000 mines and units of unexploded ordnance were found and defused. ALMATY -- After traveling 2,500 kilometers and spending the night outside the Energy Ministry, the unemployed oil workers, some still wearing their coveralls, were met by just three lawmakers from Kazakhstan's newly elected parliament. The lawmakers could "hear [the protesters] out," a correspondent from RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported from the scene, but "admitted that they were not in a position to help." Having briefly listened to the men from Zhanaozen, a town in western Kazakhstan known for labor protests and a deadly government crackdown, the lawmakers left. Around an hour later, black-clad, balaclava-wearing police moved in and detained the demonstrators, triggering fresh solidarity protests back home and in the nearby city of Aktau. After spending the night in custody, on the morning of March 12, the protesters were sent home on a train under police guard. Despite Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev's promises of a new, responsive rule, with an "influential" parliament, it looked more like business as usual for Kazakhstan's authorities, who have brutally cracked down on previous protests in the past. Before heading to the capital, the workers in the energy-rich, economically depressed Zhanaozen took to the streets on April 4, protesting outside the local town hall and demanding new, long-term jobs under the same terms as the ones provided by the company that they used to work for, which laid them off after losing a tender. Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev told journalists on April 11 that the workers had been offered good alternatives but were being manipulated into the protests by their former employers. While workers confirmed they had held talks with the government and with some labor representatives remaining in Astana, they said the positions being offered were poorly paid and only temporary. Zhanaozen is not just any struggling provincial town. In 2011, it was the site of an oil workers' strike that police used deadly force to quell, leaving at least 16 people dead and dealing a serious blow to then-President Nursultan Nazarbaev's reputation. One of the lawmakers who met with the oil workers was veteran opposition journalist and politician Yermurat Bapi, who has been accused by some opposition figures of cooperating with the government. "You can't play with Zhanaozen, the west [of Kazakhstan], and the oilmen. I think the government should understand and know that," Bapi told RFE/RL by telephone. Prior to the detentions, the new parliament had not devoted any time to debating the labor and social unrest that is again rumbling in the west. After the protesters were arrested in Astana, rights activist Bakytzhan Toregozhina appealed to Bapi on Facebook to go to the police station and use his parliamentarian status to try to secure the release of the men. Bapi did not respond to a request from RFE/RL's Kazakh Service asking whether he had done this, although he did criticize the police detentions. It was in Zhanaozen in January 2022 where peaceful protests over an overnight doubling of prices for liquified petroleum gas sparked wider, nationwide unrest that authorities failed to contain. At least 238 people were killed across the country during the state crackdown now known as Bloody January. While Nazarbaev stepped down from the presidency in 2019, allowing his protege Toqaev to take the job, the older man remained a dominant force in politics until the events of January last year. Since coming to power, President Toqaev has described his vision for governance as a "strong president, influential parliament, [and] accountable government." Earlier in his presidency, he called for a "Listening State." Then after January 2022, and in what was widely seen as an attempt to break with Nazarbaev's legacy, he declared a "New Kazakhstan," since eclipsed in presidential communiques by "Just Kazakhstan." In a March 29 address to mark the first session of the new parliament, Toqaev hailed the snap elections 10 days earlier as a major achievement, noting the arrival in the bicameral body of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, a fringe party whose credentials as regime opponents had long been doubted by political observers. He said that the task of all lawmakers was "to be on the front line every day" and to "make decisions and bear responsibility for them in front of the people." After defeating token candidates in a November 2022 presidential election, Toqaev promised voters a more competitive political system for parliamentary elections in March. Single-mandate races were cautiously reintroduced for the national legislature's lower house, known as the Mazhilis, which allowed genuine government critics to campaign. The end result, however, was a parliament dominated by the ruling Amanat party, just like the one before it, as international monitors flagged irregularities and losing candidates alleged vote-rigging in favor of less critical candidates. Since the body began work on March 29, lawmakers have elected unopposed the previous speaker -- a close ally of Toqaev's -- and offered strong backing for the old prime minister to lead a mostly unchanged government. While failing to address the predicament of oil workers in the west of the country, lawmakers have been pursuing a variety of other causes. One lawmaker has hinted she will pursue a tax on Kazakh women who choose to marry foreigners, while another has criticized an animal protection law as protecting animals "better than humans." A third lawmaker has been fending off calls to resign his seat after two of his sons were convicted in an embezzlement case. Meanwhile, in western Kazakhstan, the protests -- and potential unrest -- are expected to rumble on. With most of the demonstrators shunted off home, a few representatives stayed in the capital to continue talks on employment. Zhanaozen residents that were detained on the town's main square for protesting in solidarity with the detained workers in Astana have also been released, although workers from several companies in the area were still on strike with their own demands for the government, an RFE/RL correspondent in the region said. In March, just before the Zhanaozen protests, unemployed residents of a village in the same province of Mangystau protested for six days in a bid to secure jobs at local oil fields. The demonstrators in the village of Zhetybai, some of whom went on hunger strike, eventually dispersed, satisfied that talks with local authorities had yielded progress. Critics argue that the perennial standoffs over jobs in Kazakhstan's oil industry have been made more explosive by government restrictions on trade unions, which were already stifling and grew ever tighter after the bloodshed in Zhanaozen in 2011. This has contributed to a situation where workers are left "face to face with their problems," political analyst Dosym Satpaev said in an Instagram post on April 11, leaving them no choice but to protest. The government's belief that it is in control in such a situation is "self-deception, because sooner or later everything ends with the effect of accumulated social steam, which, finding no way out, blows off the lid," Satpaev argued. Written by Chris Rickleton based on reporting from Nurgul Tapaeva and Saniya Toiken from RFE/RL's Kazakh Service Moscow has come under blistering attack at the United Nations over its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the world was at "a dangerous threshold." As Lavrov, who assumed the rotating presidency of the 15-member Security Council, led a meeting on "effective multilateralism," the UN chief, along with the U.S., U.K., French, and Japanese ambassadors, subjected him to harsh condemnation over his country's aggression against Ukraine, accusing Moscow of atrocities and of "trampling" the UN Charter. Many Western governments and others assailed Russia's decision to call the Security Council meeting -- dubbed "Effective Multilateralism Through The Defense Of The Principles Of The UN" -- amid the backdrop of Moscows war on Ukraine. Lavrov told Security Council members that "as during the Cold War, we have reached the dangerous, possibly even more dangerous, threshold. The situation is worsened with the loss of trust in multilateralism." However, the Western members lambasted Russia's claims of its defense of multilateralism and the UN Charter, pointing directly to Moscow's war in Ukraine. Prior to Lavrov's remarks, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, sitting next to the Russian foreign minister, told the meeting that Moscow's invasion of Ukraine was "causing massive suffering and devastation to the country and its people." "Tensions between major powers are at historic highs. So are the risks of conflict through misadventure or miscalculation," Guterres said. Guterres also urged the continuation of a UN-brokered grain-export deal with Ukraine that Russia has threatened to scupper because of what it calls Western "obstacles" to the export of Russian food and fertilizers. He said that "cooperation is essential to creating greater security and prosperity for all." Later, a UN spokesperson said Guterres handed Lavrov a letter for Russian President Vladimir Putin proposing ways to improve the grain deal. Letters were also sent to leaders in Turkey, which helped broker the deal, and in Ukraine. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that a hearing on effective multilateralism was important, "even if it was convened by a council member whose actions display a blatant disregard for the UN Charter." "Our hypocritical convener today, Russia, invaded its neighbor, Ukraine, and struck at the heart of the UN Charter and all the values we hold dear," she said. "This illegal, unprovoked, and unnecessary war runs directly counter to our most shared principles, that a war of aggression and territorial conquest is never, ever acceptable," she said, while accusing Russia of atrocities and war crimes. "As we sit here, Russian forces continue to kill and injure civilians [in Ukraine]," she said. In direct remarks to Lavrov, the U.S. ambassador urged him to release a U.S. journalist and a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia on what Washington and others call trumped-up charges. "I am calling on you right now to release Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich immediately, to let Paul and Evan come home," Thomas-Greenfield said. U.K. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said that "more than a year into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Putin has brought unimaginable suffering to that country while trampling on the UN Charter." "Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and millions have been displaced," she said, adding that billions of people across the globe had been hit by higher energy prices and food insecurity because of the invasion. Ishikane Kimihiro, the Japanese envoy, blasted Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and demanded an immediate withdrawal of its forces from the country. "It is an irony, even a tragedy, that the Russian Federation, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, continues its unilateral aggression against Ukraine while hosting an open debate on effective multilateralism through the defense of the principle of the UN Charter." "The unprovoked, ongoing aggression by Russia is nothing but an outright defiance of the principle of the UN Charter," he said. "Russia must first and foremost withdraw all of its troops and equipment from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, immediately and unconditionally," a move he said was supported by an "overwhelming" majority of UN members. The United States has imposed sanctions on more than 100 people and entities in a move aimed at further curbing Russias access to the international financial system through facilitators and their businesses. The sanctions announced on April 12 by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) are in coordination with Britain, which also announced sanctions on individuals and companies accused of acting as "financial fixers" for Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov. Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement the new measures targeted those helping the two prominent businessmen to avoid the full cost of sanctions that have been imposed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while the United States said its new sanctions apply to more than 120 entities and individuals across more than 20 countries, including facilitators of sanctions evasion. "We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war," British Foreign Minister James Cleverly said in a statement. "We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his statement that the United States "will continue to take action against Russia and those supporting its war in Ukraine, including further implementing the G7's commitment to impose severe consequences on third country actors who support Russia's war in Ukraine." OFAC said in a separate statement it imposed sanctions on Russian financial facilitators and sanctions evaders around the world, including in Turkey, Hungary, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, and China. The Hungarian individuals designated by the United States are three executives of the Budapest-based International Investment Bank and the bank itself. The sanctions, which freeze any assets the individuals and entities hold in U.S. and U.K. jurisdictions and bar U.S. and U.K. companies and individuals from any dealings with them, come on top of multiple rounds of sanctions packages introduced since the invasion by the United States and its allies. Blinken highlighted in his statement that the U.S. sanctions target two Russian entities that the U.S. State Department said have taken part in the "militarization and indoctrination of schoolchildren." The State Department named the two entities as the All Russian Childrens and Youth Military Patriotic Public Movement Youth Army and the State Budgetary Educational Institution of Additional Education of the Republic of Crimea Crimea Patriot Center. The action also blacklists the Patriot Private Military Company, which the State Department says is associated with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and competes with the Wagner mercenary group, and the China HEAD Aerospace Technology Company, a China-based satellite image reseller that has provided satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to entities affiliated with Wagner, Blinken said. OFAC also targeted King-Pai Technology HK, which it said is a China-based supplier for multiple entities in Russia's military-industrial complex. The U.S. sanctions also target five entities and one individual associated with Rosatom, which Blinken said is in response to Russia's use of energy exports, including in the nuclear sector, "to exert political and economic pressure on its customers globally." Washington also imposed sanctions on Usmanov's company, USM Holdings, along with entities organized under it, the State Department said. This includes Russian mobile phone operator Megafon; Russia's biggest iron ore producer, Metalloinvest, including its Swiss-based and U.A.E.-based subsidiaries; the operator of the Russia-based Udokan copper project; and Usmanov's Uzbekistan-based cement producer Akhangarancement. With reporting by Reuters The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A gay couple in the Russian city of Kazan has been detained for their romantic blog posts and charged with spreading LGBT propaganda after Russia tightened restrictions amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Arrested on April 5, Gela Gogishvili faces a $2,500 fine and Haoyang Xu is awaiting deportation to China. Details added (first published: 12:07) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijani Army serviceman Vidadi Zalov, who became a martyr as a result of the Armenian provocation on April 11, has been buried, Trend reports. He was buried in the Alley of Martyrs of the Saray village in the Absheron district. The funeral, along with the relatives and friends of the martyr, was attended by servicemen and members of the public. On April 11, at about 16:20 (GMT +4), units of the Armenian armed forces from positions in the direction of the Digh settlement of Goris district, using mortars and multi-caliber small arms, subjected to fire the opposite positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Lachin direction. When preventing the provocation, the servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army Vidadi Zalov, Elshad Hasanov, and Sabuhi Taghiyev became martyrs. In connection with this, a criminal case was initiated under article 120.2.12 (premeditated murder motivated by national, racial, religious hatred or enmity) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Urgent necessary investigative measures have been taken. KYIV Vladislav Ammosov says he spent more than 15 years building a career in the Russian military and its intelligence service, known as the GRU. Now he is in Kyiv, ready to take up arms against his homeland. The country to which I swore allegianceno longer exists, he told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, which has examined documents relating to Ammosovs Russian military service record. 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. During a recent stroll through the center of Kyiv, Ammosov stopped to look at a display of destroyed Russian military equipment. These guys did not understand what they were dying for, he said. Im glad they never made it here. Im glad we are standing in a free, thriving city. At the same time, I feel sorry for the guys who were in these vehicles. They could have lived their lives if Russia was a normal country. When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ammosov was among those few Russians who were ready to fight on Kyivs side. I called the Ukrainian Embassy, and I tried to contact the Free Russia legion, he said, referring to a military structure within the Ukrainian armed forces in which Russian defectors and Russian and Belarusian volunteers serve to fight against the Russian military. But it was to no avail. I almost gave up. But, in November 2022, a Russian emigre organization recruiting volunteers to fight for Ukraine, the Civic Council, was formed in Poland. In particular, the group recruits Russian citizens who are not ethnic Russians, including Tatars, Bashkirs, Chechens, and others. Ammosov is an ethnic Yakut from Siberias Sakha Republic, also called Yakutia. 'I Hope...I Will Earn Trust' The Russian security services have a long history of planting spies and provocateurs within the ranks of opposition groups, a practice that goes back to tsarist times, and it is often even said there is no such thing as a former GRU officer. So Ammosov is not surprised when he is asked how he can be trusted. There are never any guarantees, he said. But I hope that, with my service and my work against Russia, I will earn trust. RFE/RL could not independently verify Ammosovs account of his past, but it was supported by the service-record documents. He said that he has been repeatedly vetted by Ukrainian security and military structures. I have passed all imaginable and unimaginable checks, he said. If I am talking to you now, then I passed them. I am ready to go to the territory of Russia, he added, and destroy the enemies there. The enemies of my homeland are those who support Putins government. My compatriots, it turns out, have become servants of dark forces. Moscows unfounded claims that fascists have taken control of Ukraine are risible to Ammosov. There is no state more fascist than Russia, he said. An Imperialist's Progress Ammosovs transformation has been a long time coming, its seeds sown early in his military career. As he describes it, he is a veteran of Moscows two wars in Chechnya, in the 1990s and 2000s, and a graduate of some of the countrys most prestigious military institutes. In retrospect, he says, he was being trained to be an imperialist. I am a product of the Soviet Union, he said. The wars in Chechnya sobered me up, he added. I was influenced by propaganda and thought there were real bandits there. But I saw ordinary people and saw what they were fighting for. It was a peoples war for freedom. He also became disenchanted with Russian officers at that time. I was always taught that officers were the best people in the country, Ammosov said. But then I saw what they were like when they went 10 days without drinking. There were some who just screwed everything up. There were some who sold their weapons. There were some who just betrayed us and sent us to be slaughtered. Nonetheless, he had an inner conviction that he should do his duty and protect the homeland. After his combat experience, Ammosov said, he was recruited into the GRU, where he was trained to use mathematical modeling to find the vulnerable point of a countrys economy. You can find a weak point in any complex technical system, he said. These days, without electricity there is no life. Even turning off all smartphones for a few hours could have a big impact on an economy. The ultimate goal, he concluded, was to destroy entire countries. Fighting Back As an ethnic Yakut, Ammosov said, he frequently experienced racism and chauvinism from ethnic Russians. He said it is not uncommon to be stopped by police or upbraided by passersby in major Russian cities simply for speaking Yakut in public. When I went to Moscow and went into a metro station, I would be stopped immediately, he said. As a non-Russian, only my officers papers saved me. I was treated like a second-class person. Since I have been in Ukraine, I have never been asked for my passport, Ammosov added. I have never been stopped by the police. He was further disenchanted, he said, as Putins Russia became increasingly authoritarian. It was difficult to watch people being beaten, Ammosov told RFE/RL. And people being jailed. I was thinking -- cant we get together and fight back? Ammosov left active service and entered the military reserves before Russias 2014 seizure of Ukraines Crimea region and its fomenting of a separatist war in parts of eastern Ukraine. He said he believes there is a lot of pent-up rage in Russia that is bound to come out at some point as the war in Ukraine weakens Russias highly centralized system. Can you imagine the degree of hatred there will be after the collapse of Russia? he said. People will remember incidents from 100 or 200 years ago. In Ammosovs mind, he said, Moscows aggression against Ukraine in 2014 was the beginning of the end for Russia. I understood it immediately, he concluded. Adapted from Ukrainian by RFE/RLs Robert Coalson based on reporting from Kyiv by RFE/RL Ukrainian Service correspondent Taras Levchenko. Canada and Ukraine will update their free trade agreement, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 11 after meeting in Toronto with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced new sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pledged fresh military support for Kyiv. Shmyhal announced that he and Trudeau signed a joint declaration ending negotiations on an updated Free Trade Agreement. Based on its content, this is an exceptional agreement that will activate our trade with Canada and create unique opportunities for Ukrainian business," he said. The new agreement is to provide for "the most modern regime of liberalization of markets and investments, Shmyhal said. We are moving to the working principle of 'everything that is not prohibited is allowed' in the move to open markets, Shmyhal said. All prohibitions and exceptions are carefully defined and regulated by the articles of the agreement." The new agreement is also expected to update the chapter on digital trade and facilitate the export of Ukrainian goods to Canada. Ukrainian businesses will be able to export products to Canada without tariffs even if the components of these products originate in the European Union, Britain, Israel or within the European Free Trade Association. This approach encourages foreign businesses to create production facilities in Ukraine and includes us in global production chains," Shmyhal explained. 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. The original Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Canada entered into force on August 1, 2017. There was no information on when the updated agreement would be signed. Trudeau announced that Canada will send 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine and impose sanctions on 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities, including security targets linked to the Wagner mercenary group. "We will continue to support Ukraine with everything needed for as long as necessary," Trudeau said after his meeting with Shmyhal. Canada has committed more than 8 billion Canadian dollars ($5.9 billion) to Ukraine in financial, military, humanitarian, and other assistance since January 2022, a month before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Canada is also imposing sanctions on nine entities tied to the Belarusian financial sector to further pressure Russia's "enablers in Belarus," Trudeau said. Trudeau also pointed the finger toward Russia for an outage of some Canadian government websites on April 11, saying cyberattacks were an "unsurprising" act by Russian hackers. "It's not uncommon for Russian hackers to target countries as they are showing their steadfast support for Ukraine," Trudeau said, adding that Canada was not going to be dissuaded by such attacks. With reporting by Reuters Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on April 12 made another major push for modern and sophisticated U.S. weapons in a meeting at the Pentagon with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Shmyhal said Ukraine "still needs intensive military support -- more air-defense systems that minimize the impact of Russian air strikes, more heavy artillery, mortars, and ammunition for them" and asked that the Pentagon "reconsider the possibility of providing Ukraine with...longer-range missiles." 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. Speaking to reporters alongside Austin, Shmyhal said Kyiv applauds the decision of the United States to join a coalition to provide Ukraine with tanks and Bradley and Stryker infantry fighting vehicles, but added, "For our counterattack to be successful, we require an increase in such supplies." He noted that Ukraine has formed a fighter jet coalition and said, "We are inviting the United States to become its most important participant." Ukraine for months has pressed the United States and its allies to provide fighter jets to match Russia in the air. The Pentagon has resisted over concerns about escalating the war. But Shmyhal said on April 12 that in modern warfare, air superiority is crucial, and America can "once again demonstrate its leadership by providing Ukraine with F-15 or F-16 aircrafts." Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said earlier in a statement that Austin and Shmyhal discussed security assistance priorities, such as air defense and artillery, and training for the Ukrainian armed forces. The meeting came as Ukrainian forces continue are defending the eastern city of Bakhmut and preparing for an expected counteroffensive to retake Russian-occupied territory, and as Austin deals with the repercussions of the recent purported leak of classified documents. Austin and Shmyhal discussed security assistance priorities, such as air defense and artillery and training for the Ukrainian armed forces, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a statement. Austin shared with Shmyhal the key objectives of the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group scheduled for April 21 and "commended the bravery of the Ukrainian people and reaffirmed that the United States will continue its support for as long as it takes," Ryder said. The contact group includes more than 50 countries that have supplied equipment to support Ukraine. Austin said the United States will "continue to swiftly deliver security assistance through procurements and from our own stocks," adding that he is confident that Ukraine's allies will meet its defense needs "through this spring and beyond." Ukraine has indicated it will soon launch a counteroffensive. On the battlefield, Russia said its forces struck Ukrainian Army reserves trying to break through to Bakhmut, while the Ukrainian military rejected a Russian claim that its forces have captured more than 80 percent of the besieged city. Ukraine says its forces repelled 72 attacks over the past day by Russian forces in the east as intense fighting continued around Bakhmut. "Despite numerous losses in equipment and manpower, the enemy does not give up waging a war of aggression. It continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka area," the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in a statement on April 12. Serhiy Cherevatiy, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, said the situation in Bakhmut was under control, adding Kyiv would not allow its troops to be encircled. The monthslong battle for Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region has turned into one of the bloodiest since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, announced that ceremonies and parades that normally take place on May 1 and May 9 have been canceled. In addition, he boasted about the defenses of the Russian Army on the illegally annexed peninsula and said that the expected counteroffensive of the Ukrainian armed forces was not frightening. British intelligence has said that in preparation for the counteroffensive the Russian military has built three lines of defense 120 kilometers long to protect the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol, a strategic southern city that has been targeted by Ukrainian shelling in the past. The document leak, which could be the most serious of U.S. military secrets in years, appear to include secret U.S. assessments of the war dating from late February into March. One assessment dated February 23 and quoted by Reuters says Russia is unlikely to be able to take the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. "Russia's grinding campaign of attrition in the Donbas region is likely heading toward a stalemate, thwarting Moscow's goal to capture the entire region in 2023," reads the assessment. Russia and Ukraine have questioned the veracity of the documents, while U.S. officials say some of the files appear to have been altered. With reporting by Reuters BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is important, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov, Trend reports. Osmani noted that the armed incident that occurred yesterday on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and other similar occurrences may trigger an increase in tension within the region. "Once I arrived in Azerbaijan, I learned about the confrontation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. I express my condolences to the families of the victims. Such events can further aggravate the situation. We will provide all the opportunities we have for dialogue and communication," the OSCE chairman said. Furthermore, on April 11, at about 04.20 p.m. (GMT+4), units of the Armenian armed forces fired from positions toward the settlement of Dyg in the Goris district at opposite positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Lachin direction from different-caliber small arms. During avoiding the provocation of the Armenian side, Azerbaijani Army soldiers Vidadi Zalov, Elshad Hasanov, and Sabuhi Tagiyev became martyrs. In regard to the above events that occurred during another provocation of the Armenian side, a criminal case was initiated under article 120.2.12 (premeditated murder motivated by national, racial, religious hatred or enmity) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the necessary investigative actions were taken out without delay. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The EU urges the intensification of negotiations on the delimitation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and continues to stand ready to support this process, Nabila Massrali, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement, Trend reports via the EU. The EU deplores the armed clashes that yesterday led to several servicemen being killed or injured on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Previous commitments must be respected, including those reached in Prague in October 2022 regarding the mutual recognition of territorial integrity in line with the 1991 Almaty Declaration, the statement said. On April 11, at about 16:20, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions in the direction of the Digh settlement of the Gorus region using various caliber weapons subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army's opposing positions stationed in the direction of the Lachin region. As a result of the vigilance of the servicemen, the provocation of the Armenian side was resolutely prevented, and the firing positions were suppressed. During the retaliatory measures taken by the Azerbaijan Army, the Armenian armed forces units suffered significant losses. When preventing the provocation of the Armenian side, the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army Vidadi Zalov, Elshad Hasanov and Sabuhi Taghiyev were killed. "Two of four of our servicemen, who were injured while preventing the provocation of the Armenian side, are being evacuated from the military medical institution located on the territory to a specialized military medical facility under the strict supervision of professional doctors through an air ambulance," the Azerbaijani MoD added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. A phone conversation has taken place between Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Turkish colleague Mevlut Cavusoglu, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Cavusoglu expressed his condolences in connection with the death of the Azerbaijani military servicemen when preventing the provocation of Armenia on April 11. He stressed Turkiye's constant support for Azerbaijan. During the conversation, the parties also discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, and the current situation in the region. On April 11, at about 16:20 (GMT +4), units of the Armenian armed forces from positions in the direction of the Digh settlement of Goris district, using mortars and multi-caliber small arms, subjected to fire the opposite positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Lachin direction. As a result of the vigilance of Azerbaijani servicemen, the provocation of the Armenian armed forces was decisively suppressed, their firing positions were suppressed and the Armenian side suffered significant losses. When preventing the provocation, the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army Vidadi Zalov, Elshad Hasanov, and Sabuhi Taghiyev became martyrs. A DUO who befriended and impressed Californian folk rock legend David Crosby are heading to Rotherham for a show at an intimate venue. Zervas and Pepper got to know the founding member of iconic band Crosby, Stills and Nash after taking refuge from the world to write and produce their fourth album Wilderland in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Crosby hailed their work as mighty fine music and later spent time with the pair after his musical collaborator James Raymond helped record the album in Los Angeles. Paul Zervas and Kathryn Pepper have built up a notable musical reputation in the UK performing live on Radio 2 at the Hyde Park Festival in London, touring with Deacon Blue, and appearing at the Royal Festival Hall as well as Glastonbury and the Symphony Hall in Birmingham and the O2 Apollo Manchester. The Cardiff-based pair have won rave reviews in the music press for the originality of their music with Rolling Stone magazine saying their harmonies are glazed in honey... Zervas and Pepper are appearing at Letwell Village Hall on Saturday April 29, at 8pm. Limited tickets, priced at 15, are available from Martyn and Matt on 07909 960422 or 07746 872 392 or by email to martyndsharpe@aol.com. OLD Moor in the Middle Ages would have looked much like Old Moor today but that gives little clue about the vast changes in between. This 220-acre slice of the Dearne Valley is currently celebrating 20 years of being a nature haven the first urban reserve taken on by the RSPB. But over the centuries, Old Moor has played its part in war efforts, hosted flying circuses, fuelled the industrial revolution with mountains of coal, and had a hand in the establishment of the famous St Leger horse race. Growing reed beds and installing different water levels in the past two decades have brought obvious changes since 2003, with plenty of wildlife returning. But this wetland is how the area would have been during the Middle Ages only this time the environment is man made. Julian Mayston, visitor experience manager at RSPB Dearne Valley, said: The clock is turning back to how this area would have looked back then, when there was wet grassland, reed beds, pelicans, storks, cranes, spoonbill and raptors. Some of those are coming back. Weve had otters in the past five years. They are feared in certain places over the fishing stocks, but they are very good at controlling their own populations as they are fiercely territorial, unlike something like the American mink. Other species appearing here in the last three or four years include the marsh harrier. In this country in the 1970s and 80s you could count them on two hands, but now they are here breeding in the Dearne Valley. Last year we had about 11 of them. Theres bitterns too, which in the 90s and late 80s you would have only had the chance of seeing in Norfolk. Theyre right here, between Rotherham and Barnsley. Nature is in crisis. Everyone understands that now. But with a helping hand, nature can still not just survive but thrive. Volunteer Alvin Hickling, a genealogist, has done much of the legwork for an exhibition about Old Moors history, which is open now. Its taken months, he said. Weve gone way back beyond the 20 years, right back to when this was occupied by the Old Moor farmhouse in 1755. There is evidence of a wooden structure here previous to that. Some of the timber used in the farmhouse could be from as much as a couple of centuries before that and was reused on the roof. So either there was a previous building here on the site or the wood was brought here from a building somewhere else. Old Moor is described as enclosed land in a 1516 survey, when it is mentioned as part of the 1,120 acres owned by Roger Wombwell. The last male heir, William Wombwell, died in 1733, after which it passed to his daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth and eventually to their respective husbands, Colonel Anthony St Leger and Charles Turner. Col St Leger trained horses at Old Moor from about 1770 to 1776, the year when the first annual race in his name was organised. This two-mile race for three-year-old horses was held on Cantley Common the oldest of the five British Classics and the first was won by a horse owned by former prime minister Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, who was a keen breeder. The Brooke familys occupancy of Old Moor begins when George and Ann move to the farm at some point between 1780 and 1784. The Ordnance Survey maps show that there was very little change at Old Moor from 1850 to 1901, but the 15 years after that saw dramatic change. There was coal-mining, the railways and First World War fleets that needed fuelling, said Julian. What is now the Trans Pennine Trail was one of the two rail links, that one was with Manchester and even as far as the 1950s and 60s was taking so much of the coal needed for Manchesters industry. The line became known as Hells Kitchen because of the fires that were breaking out all the time. Subsidence scars due to coal-mining are beginning to become visible on the 1916 map a time of high levels of coal activity to boost the war effort. Anti-aircraft barrage balloons floated in the air above as a defence. Also during the First World War, Old Moor was one of the aerodromes used by the 33 Squadron (Home Defence) Royal Flying Corps, which was responsible for protecting Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North Midlands when German airship raids were a threat. Following on from its use by the squadron and between the wars the airfield at Old Moor was used for a series of spectacular flying circus shows. Before, it was almost folklore as to whether they had taken place, said Julian. Now weve been able to find the hard evidence. At the Don & Dearne Aero Week in 1930, visitors were able to take a flight in a 14-seater Imperial Airways Cross Channel Liner for four shillings. During the Second World War there was a POW camp close to the runway at Old Moor, and the prisoners would be sent to farm the land and collect milk to take back. From 1939 to 1998, Old Moor was farmed by Willis and Alice Gascoigne. Daughter Gwynneth Wood said: It was an organic farm, naturally fertilised with manure from the animals. No pesticides were used. All crops grown were used to feed the animals which were cattle, pigs and hens. The farmhouse and other buildings on the land had no electricity until 1968, so rooms had to be lit by gas lamps. Gwynneth recalls miners coming off their night shift and going to Old Moor to help thresh the corn in exchange for a hearty breakfast. She added: All the threshed corn was ground down as feed for the animals through winter. The 20th century subsidence actually made Old Moor well suited for wetlands, much like it was home to several centuries earlier. Alvin said: Around the time of the pits closing, this was known as the most polluted area in Europe. Waths was the biggest marshalling yard in Britain. Its gone from that to a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The land was capped with topsoil and was opened as a nature reserve in 1998. Barnsley Council had offered the site to the RSPB the previous year but the bird charity had not been looking to take over new projects at the time. Lottery money was invested in the meantime, before the RSPB officially signed to take over Old Moor on March 30, 2003, and has continued to enhance and develop the site ever since. Features of Old Moor through the centuries remain today, for example the pig feeders built into walls outside the mid-18th century farmhouse. Dozens of carvings at the site are thought to have been done much more recently about 30 years ago. They include likenesses of a bear, a farmer, a duck, bats and a human ear. But the stonemason responsible remains a mystery and the Old Moor team are keen to hear from anyone who can shed any more light on the matter. Julian said: The conservation movement in Yorkshire started here. Old Moor, and Wath Ings in particular, was the start of that revolution and were really, really proud of that. You would be mistaken to think that nature has done all this, because its all manmade. Its definitely a story about the people, from the early days of ornithology to what we have now. Nature has returned but its had a bloody good helping hand. A motto of the RSPB is giving nature a home, which is exactly what the staff and volunteers have done at Old Moor. Julian said: Its easy to get depressed about the environment but Old Moor shows that we can make a difference. Theres a corridor of nature reserves in the Dearne Valley, with the likes of Carlton Marsh and Denaby Ings. We have marsh harriers here 100 miles from the coast, which is incredible. We have Cettys warblers in winter as a direct result of global warming because the boundary of where they migrate to has moved further north. Weve only seen those in winter in the past five or six years. We have more dragonflies too, which is another example. There were three new species just last year. Water management is a key part of what has been created at Old Moor in recent years. Different levels mean the efficient movement of water within the site to better accommodate the widening variety of wildlife. Across this micro-ecosystem, different species of birds have different requirements, said Julian. It means we can have small wading birds at the same time as heron or cormorant, for example. The exhibition is open at Old Moor until April 15. Staff are hoping to hold an annual heritage event, and would welcome any further information about the history of the land. Julian said: It has been a real journey of delving into the past. A lot of the information was out there, but its never been all in one place like this before. This is only the start. We would like to have a heritage event every year, with contributions from the community. We could focus on different aspects each time, such as the coal-mining. THE show can go on for Rotherhams TikTokking firefighters despite fire chiefs banning them from using work devices to post fun and educational videos. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has barred staff from using the video-sharing app TikTok on corporate devices but this will not affect Rotherhams world famous content-makers from continuing with their hit videos which often go viral. Steven Locking, IT manager at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service, told a meeting of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority on Monday that the service has adopted the governments policy to ban the app. However, the fire services corporate communications team had previously used personal devices to film and edit TikTok videos so the social media app and content will be unaffected by the decision. Mr Locking told the meeting: We were very aware of the governments policy and we have adopted the same government policy for ourselves, so TikTok is banned from all corporate devices in South Yorkshire now. There are no five service applications or systems that are allowed to get to TikTok at all. If we want to use TikTok, as discussed with our corporate comms team, they have to use separate devices, not corporate ones. Theres no access to TikTok on any corporate devices at all. They can use it on their own personal device, but thats not a risk to South Yorkshire Fire. The Cabinet Office announced last month that the app would be banned on all government electronic devices, following data access concerns. Ministers ordered a security review, investigating the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps on devices and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used by some platforms. SYFRs TikTok account currently has almost 152,000 followers, and went viral last year after posting a video in support of the LGBT+ community for Pride month. As reported in the Advertiser earlier this year, the SYFR account often features Rotherham blue watch duo Adam Dilkes and Anthony Simpson whose posts regularly see the service reach a global audience and clock up millions of views. The pair described TikTok as the perfect platform to share fire safety tips and promote campaigns and events, as well as more light-hearted content. A spokesperson for SYFR said: Like many other public bodies, emergency services and the BBC, we are continuing to use TikTok to engage younger audiences particularly around fire safety and recruitment. Staff in our communication team use their own devices to film and edit videos, as had been the case previously. Caledonia's first-quarter gold output falls due to interruptions at Blanket mine Caledonia Mining produced 16,036 ounces (oz) at its flagship Blanket mine, in Zimbabwe in the first quarter of the year, which was 13% lower than the 18,515 oz produced, a year earlier. The miner said production dropped due to several individually... A unique all-platinum Rolex may fetch $2.2 Mn at the MLG auction A unique Rolex Yacht-Master watch, made entirely of platinum and gifted to ex-Rolex CEO Patrick Heiniger is expected to fetch between $1.1 mn to $2.2 mn. De Beers' first quarter output plateaus De Beers rough diamond production was flat at 8.9 million carats in the first quarter of 2023, according to its parent company, Anglo American. The diversified group said production plateaued as the planned treatment of higher-grade ore and strong operational... Eastern Platinum shareholders mull legal action for unethical chrome sales Eastern Platinum Limited (EPL), a holding company with mining operations in South Africa, is facing a serious legal challenge from shareholders over the unethical sale of 100,000 metric tonnes of chrome concentrate worth hundreds of millions... ECI CEO Sibin C Last date for submission of nominations is April 20, 2023 CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission of India has released the detailed schedule for holding by-elections in Lok Sabha constituency Jalandhar. Giving information in this regard, Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab (CEO) Sibin C said that the notification in this regard will be issued on April 13, 2023 (Thursday), while the last date for submission of nominations is April 20, 2023 (Thursday). He informed that the nominations will be scrutinized on April 21, 2023 (Friday) and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is April 24, 2023 (Monday). He further informed that the voting will be held on May 10, 2023 (Wednesday) from 8 am to 6 pm and counting of votes will be done on May 13, 2023 (Saturday). CEO Said that the election process will be completed on May 15, 2023 (Monday). He said that the nomination papers can be submitted to the Returning Officer from 13.00 am to 3.00 pm on any day except public holidays from 13th April, 2023 to 20th April, 2023. He further informed that Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar is Returning Officer for 04-Jalandhar (SC) Lok Sabha Constituency. The nomination papers for the by-election in 04-Jalandhar (SC) Lok Sabha constituency are to be filled in Form 2A. These forms are available from the Returning Officer. Advertisement A candidate must be registered as a voter in any Lok Sabha constituency to get a Lok Sabha constituency seat. To the satisfaction of the Returning Officer in this regard, the candidates shall produce a certified copy of the relevant entry in the applicable electoral roll. After the nomination form is filled by the candidate and before the date fixed for scrutiny of nominations, the oath/affirmation certificate is to be submitted. CEO said that on 14.04.2023 (Friday) Baisakhi and Dr. BR Ambedkar's birthday. This day is a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Therefore, candidates will not be able to submit nomination papers on this day. He said that 15.04.2023 being the third Saturday is not a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, therefore nomination papers can be submitted by the candidates on that day. As 16.04.2023 is a holiday on Sunday, candidates will not be able to submit nomination papers on that day also. Similarly, 22.04.2023 is a holiday on the fourth Saturday, so nomination papers cannot be withdrawn by the candidate on that day. CEO Told that since 23.04.2023 is a Sunday holiday, nomination papers cannot be withdrawn by the candidate even on that day. He said that the Model Election Code has come into effect in Jalandhar district from the date of announcement of by-elections by the Election Commission of India on March 29, 2023 and it will remain in force till the completion of the election process. Arrest DIG will hold a Press Conference at 1 pm Today Fazilka: In a major achievement, Fazilka police has arrested four along with 23 packets of heroin. Punjab Police is committed to eradicate drug menace from the state. The DIG will hold a press conference at 1 pm and share information regarding this matter. According to sources, the arrested persons are said to be residents of Tarn Taran. Heroin was recovered from the car during the blockade. There is a possibility of matter related to shipment of drugs from Pakistan to India. For Representation Purpose Only Search Operation is still going on in the area BATHINDA: Four people have been killed in firing at Military Station in Bathinda district, said reports. The shooting took place around 4:30 am. A quick reaction team is on the spot. The entire area was cordoned off and sealed. The search operation is still going on. The reason for the shooting is yet to be ascertained. It is not yet known who has carried out this incident. Army officials have reached the spot and are investigating the matter. Army officials have said that the firing took place at 4.35 am on Wednesday. Immediate response teams have been activated in the area. Currently, the entire area has been cordoned off and the search operation is on. Advertisement According to sources, the firing took place in Army Cantt Bathinda All entry gates of Army Cantt have been closed. About 2 days ago, an Insas rifle and 28 cartridges also went missing. Some army personnel are likely to be behind this incident. The army is not allowing the local police to enter the cantonment area. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Russian Foreign Ministry called the role of the EU mission on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border 'destabilizing', Trend reports. "As we have said before, the involvement of other players or structures that have never dealt with the settlement of this long-standing conflict will have neither value nor effect, but will be used instead, leading to aggravations, destabilization, and preventing from achieving the planned peace settlement," said Maria Zakharova, Spokesperson of the Russian MFA, during a weekly briefing. On January 23, 2023, the EU agreed to send another mission to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. As noted, the initial mandate of the mission is for two years, and its operational headquarters will be located in Armenia. EEAS Managing Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) Stefano Tomat will serve as the Civilian Operation Commander. Amritpal Singh Police issued Mobile No's 88378-83836, 82880-75736 for Information BATALA: Punjab Police has intensified the search for fugitive Amritpal Singh. Posters of Amritpal have been put up at Batala railway station. A reward will be given by the police for information about Amritpal Singh. Police have issued mobile numbers 88378-83836, 82880-75736 for information. The Poster Reads, "The above picture is of Amritpal Singh who is wanted by the police in various cases. Anyone who has information about this should inform on the following numbers. Appropriate reward will be given to informer. The informant's name will be kept confidential. Mobile No. 88378-83836, 82880-75736. Advertisement In this regard, DSP Lalit Kumar said that apart from the railway station, these posters have also been put up at other public places. Earlier, Papalpreet, a close associate of Amritpal Singh, was arrested by the police on Monday from Kathunangal in Amritsar. IGP Sukhchain Gill said that the police teams were acting on some important clues during the ongoing special operation. He said that Amritpal Singh's main accomplice Papalpreet Singh has been arrested by Amritsar Rural Police. He further informed that the accused Papalpreet Singh was wanted by the Punjab Police in six criminal cases. Myanmar Army In February 2021, Myanmar Army staged a coup in the country More than 100 people, including many children, have been killed in airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar army on Tuesday. According to ANI, these people had gone to attend a function organized against the military regime. Along with this, the UN human rights chief has condemned the deadly airstrikes in Myanmar. Volker Turk said that the reports of airstrikes on civilians were very disturbing. He said that school children were also present in the program where the bombs were thrown. In fact, in February 2021, the Myanmar army staged a coup in the country. After this he had seized power. Since then, there have been protests against the military rule in Myanmar. Along with this, the army is taking action against the people's protest. According to media reports, more than three thousand civilians have been killed in the last two years. Advertisement According to information, the office of the National Unity Government (NUG) was destroyed in this air strike. He said that at the time of the attack, more than 150 people, including women and children, were present at the incident site, out of which more than 100 people have died. He said that the dead included leaders of armed groups and other political organizations opposed to the military regime. To be based on the existing CB350, new Honda 350cc Cruiser is likely to come with different engine tuning If there is one brand that is dominating the 350cc segment, it is Royal Enfield. It is at the peak of this segment, enjoying a huge market share of over 85%. Rival manufacturers have tried to eat into this market share, but have not found much success yet. Classic Legends Jawa and Yezdi, Honda CB350 and CB350 RS, Bajaj Dominar are some examples. That does not mean rivals have given up. Honda for example, is getting ready to launch a new 350cc motorcycle later this year, which is rumoured to be a cruiser that will take on the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. As of now, Meteor 350 is enjoying a niche in this segment. Now, Honda intends to crash Meteor 350s party by launching a new cruiser based on its CB350. What To Expect From Upcoming Honda 350cc Cruiser? A new variant of CB350 by the end of this year was hinted by Honda while revealing its EV roadmap for India. They have not yet confirmed that it will be a cruiser. There was just a new variant mentioned based on CB350, which could be an ADV as well. One to take on Royal Enfield Himalayan. Or it can be an even more trail-worthy CB350 RS based scrambler with wire-spoked wheels, longer travel suspension and A/T tyres. Rumours in the industry claim that it is more likely to be a cruiser. Because Meteor 350 has more sales volume when compared to Himalayan. For reference, Meteor 350 sales avg about 8k units a month, while Himalayan sales are in the 3k range per month. If trying to cut into an established pie, why not shoot for a larger pie, right? Recently, Honda announced six custom kits with CB350. Out of these, Tourer custom was a tempting proposition for a cruiser. It had knuckle guards, a windscreen, and a luggage rack behind its pillion seats. But there was a missed opportunity for Honda as it should have offered revised rider geometry to suit that of a cruiser motorcycle. That is exactly what Honda might be offering with this upcoming variant of CB350. New Honda 350cc cruiser might offer a lower seat height, extended wheelbase, a longer and more relaxed handlebar, front set foot pegs, a larger fuel tank, smaller wheels and more. This would transform CB350 into a cruiser with a lot more appeal. Something inspired by their Rebel range of motorcycles on offer in the international market would be great. Honda 350cc Cruiser Engine Specs Honda will very likely retain its 348.36cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine. But, there might be a different engine tune to suit a cruisers character by offering more bottom-end torque. Revised gearing and sprockets might be possible too. For reference, on Hness CB350, this engine makes 20.78 bhp of power and 30 Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. While at it, we hope Honda throws in a 20L or even 21L fuel tank to get an impeccable tank range. Even Meteor 350 doesnt get a large fuel tank, which its predecessor Thunderbird 350 did. Other features like LED lighting and retro styling will be retained. Launch will happen by Diwali 2023. Prices of Honda 350cc cruiser will be more that of the existing CB350 range. New Kia Seltos in US gets up to 13 exterior colour and 6 interior trim choices A lot of personalisation options Updated Kia Seltos has been launched in the US. There are a lot of changes on both its exterior and interior. Base LX trim prices start from $24,390 MSRP before options. Top-spec SX trim price starts from $29,990 MSRP before options. US pricing roughly translates to Rs. 20.01 lakh to Rs. 24.61 lakh as per todays currency conversion rates. Everything That Makes The Kia Seltos New Kia is offering 2 different powertrain choices on five different trim levels. These are LX, EX, S, X-Line and SX. The South Korean brand also offers an AWD option coupled with both powertrains. This leads to a multitude of combinations which buyers can choose from. Other choices include up to 13 exterior colours and 6 interior trim options. New Kia Seltos comes off as a much better looker as opposed to its predecessor. There are exterior changes taking inspiration from models higher up the price range in Kias portfolio. There is a new grille, sleeker headlights, vertically laid out ice-cube effect LED elements in lower bumper and bull horn effect faux skid plates lending a muscular look. Kias famed Tiger nose is now sleeker and much better looking. New 18 on top-spec trims alloys look swanky. Telluride and Sorento inspired LED connecting tail lights grab attention, making it look premium. On the inside, new Kia Seltos gets panoramic displays, which are two horizontal screens. One for infotainment and the other for instrumentation. Notable standard features include multi-zone climate control, electronic parking brake, heated front seats, Bose premium audio system, wireless charging, Kia Connect telematics suite and more. Optional payable features include ventilated front seats, smart power tailgate, sunroof and digital key. New Kia Seltos gets Kias ADAS suite as well. This enables auto emergency braking, blindspot detection, smart adaptive cruise control, front and rear traffic detection and avoidance, lane keep assist and high beam assist. Variants, Powertrains, Drivetrains & Colours New Kia Seltos get a total of five trim levels. These are LX, EX, S, X-Line and SX. Out of these, X-Line is pegged as the more outdoorsy adventure lifestyle-oriented variant with utilitarian addons. Base LX gets 17 alloys, AWD, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ADAS functions and more as standard fitment. With EX and S trim levels, AWD is optional and still doesnt get the 1.6L turbo engine option. Speaking of, this 1.6L turbo offering develops 195 bhp of power and 264.4 Nm of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. In comparison to 2.0L NA engine on base models with 146 bhp and 179 Nm mated to an IVT, the turbo is peppier. Both X-Line and SX trim get 1.6L turbo engine and AWD as standard. Kia offers a total of 13 exterior colours including Steel Grey, Fusion Black, Gravity Grey, Snow White Pearl, Mars Orange, Neptune Blue, Dark Ocean Blue, Pluton Blue, Valais green, Clear White/Fusion Black roof, Dark Ocean Blue/Clear White roof, Pluton Blue/Fusion Black roof and Valais Green/Fusion Black roof. Total of 6 interior trim choices are offered too. These are Black Cloth seat trim, Black SynTex and cloth seat trim, Blue & Black Syntex and cloth seat trim, Black SynTex seat trim, Brown SynTex seat trim, Green SynTex seat trim. India is awaiting Seltos facelift as well, which is currently in testing. Launch is expected later this year. First version published on 13:01 BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijan plays an important role in the OSCE, North Macedonian Foreign Minister, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports. He noted that stable peace should be ensured in the region and that Azerbaijan and its people deserved it. "By ensuring the territorial integrity of countries based on consensus in the European region, the OSCE must provide security via its capacity and resources. The role of countries such as Azerbaijan plays a great role here. The OSCE vision should be inclusive and comprehensive. A lasting peace must be guaranteed both for Azerbaijan and for those living in the region," Osmani said. Bayramov and Osmani also held a one-on-one meeting and one in an expanded format. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The next round of Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations may take place in Russia, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said during a weekly briefing, Trend reports. "Our efforts are not weakening in every possible way to assist the efforts of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the preparation of a peace treaty between these countries. The partners accepted our proposals to hold the next round of bilateral negotiations on our territory. Well announce the dates of specific events when everything is finally agreed," she added. Cats get attention from visitors on opening day Saturday at Cat & Craft in Vista. At right are volunteers Heather Thomas and her daughter Keely Thomas, 13. On their first date in 2013, Caroline and Andrew Vaught felt a spark right away. Maybe it was their shared backgrounds in business or perhaps it was the wine. But Caroline thinks something else sealed the deal. Andrew told me he owned a cat and I already had two cats at home, she said. Right away, I thought, well this has potential. On Saturday, the now-married Carlsbad couple combined their shared passions for cats and business by opening North Countys first cat cafe, Cat & Craft, in a Vista shopping center. Advertisement The 1,500-square-foot enterprise is essentially two side-by-side businesses. On the left is a full-service coffeehouse with gourmet drinks, pastries and artisan toasts. On the right is the cat lounge, where visitors can cuddle, play and relax with up to 15 adoptable felines for $12 an hour. 1 / 12 In the cat visiting lounge at Cat & Craft, a cat explores the room from one of many shelves on the centers wall. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 12 Andrew Vaught, 39, and Caroline Vaught, 40, of Carlsbad, are the co-owners of newly opened Cat & Craft, a coffeehouse and cat cafe that opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 12 Coffeehouse visitors, left, watch the action inside the cat lounge, right, at Cat & Craft, a cat cafe that opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 12 A cat watches the action in the room from an elevated viewing shelf at Cat & Craft, a cat cafe that opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 12 Visitors line up to buy coffee drinks and check in for reservations in the cat lounge at Cat & Craft in Vista. Visitors who come to watch the action in the cat lounge can sit at a viewing bar at right. The cat cafe opened on Jan. 12. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 12 Sadie Goldberg, 7, and Marissa Cones, at right, ineract with kitties in the cat lounge at Cat & Craft, which opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 12 A cat named Marilyn plays with a fishing lure-like cat toy at Cat & Craft, a cat cafe that opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 12 Kimmi Bitter and her boyfriend, Willis Farnsworth, get acquainted with a cat named Muffins inside the cat lounge at Cat & Craft cat cafe in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 12 In the cat visiting area at Cat &Craft, owner Caroline Vaught holds a cat named Muffins. She and her husband Andrew own the business, which opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 12 In the cat visiting area at Cat &Craft, owner Caroline Vaught holds a cat named Muffins. She and her husband Andrew own the business, which opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 12 A visitor to the cat lounge at Cat & Craft tries to get the attention of a napping kitty. North Countys first cat cafe opened Jan. 12 in Vista. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 12 The sign for Cat & Craft, a new coffeehouse and cat cafe located in a strip mall near Palomar Airport Road and Business Park Drive in Vista. It opened Jan. 12. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) Despite a steady downpour on Saturday, it was standing-room-only at Cat & Craft. The cat lounge was booked all day with advance reservations, so most latte-sipping visitors just enjoyed kitty-watching from stools at viewing windows in the coffeehouse. Inside the lounge, Brent Bystedt was using a fishing lure-style toy to play with Marilyn, a friendly black-and-white domestic shorthair. Hed reserved a spot that morning with his wife and said they are currently between cats at their Escondido home and looking to adopt another. Were cat lovers, he said. I like cats because theyre playful, loving and cute. Cat & Craft is one of about 230 cat cafes in the United States. The first one opened in Taiwan in 1998 and the concept began spreading internationally in 2005. Most of these businesses in the U.S., including Cat Cafe on Third Avenue in downtown San Diego, are independent mom-and-pop businesses run by avid feline fans like the Vaughts. The cafes arent just tourist attractions. They function as hands-on adoption shelters. All money raised in Cat & Crafts lounge goes toward the care and feeding of the cats as well as rent on the room and its separate air-conditioning system (so theres no chance coffeehouse visitors with allergies will inhale any sneeze-inducing cat dander). The Vaughts said opening Cat & Craft wasnt easy. It took 18 months to find the right location. Some cities and many shopping centers turned down the venue because its such an unusual business model. All of the kittens and cats at the Vista business were rescued from euthenasia lists at high-kill shelters by locally based Love Your Feral Felines (LYFF) organization. The adoption fee is $100. Our goal is to adopt out 500 cats each year, which in effect saves 1,000 lives because every cat we remove from a shelter makes room for another, Caroline said. The Vaughts have three cats at home, and Caroline admits she may not be able to resist the temptation to adopting one more. They are also regular caregivers for a community of homeless cats that live outdoors in Carlsbad Village. The Vaughts became interested in cat rescue back in 2015, when a pregnant feral cat they nicknamed Callie took up residence on the back porch of their home in Atlanta. After months of trying to earn Callies trust, the cat finally allowed Caroline to interact with her kittens. Theres nothing that has happened in my life thats more meaningful than that moment, Caroline said. The Vaughts moved to Carlsbad in fall 2016, but Callie stayed behind. Shes now in the care of the couples former next-door neighbor. In Atlanta, Caroline spent 15 years in marketing, sponsorship and branding for companies including NASCAR, Porsche and Verizon Wireless. Andrew worked as a software product manager in the health and wellness field before starting his own company, Stay Roasted, which home-delivers single-origin coffee beans from more than 50 independent roasters nationwide. Because of Andrews background, the coffee side of the business is more than just a backdrop for cat-watching. He uses beans from Manzanita Roasting Co. in Rancho Bernardo and is creating a rotating program for its pour-over coffees featuring beans from several local roasters including Dark Horse, Ironsmith and Common Good. The cafe also serves pastries from A Delight of France in Escondido and avocado and other toasts with bread from Bread & Cie. The cat lounge, decorated with an eye-catching hand-painted mural by San Diego artist Carly Ealey, is filled with couches, chairs, toys and platforms for the cats to crawl, play and sleep on. There are high shelves and ramps to a getaway room for those cats who want some alone time. But on Saturday, most of the cats were quite interested in interacting with visitors. The cats now available at Cat & Craft range in age from 6 months to 12 years. LYFF senior director Melissa Dunaj said the cats in the lounge were chosen for their comfort level with humans. Dunaj said her group is always seeking foster and forever homes for very young and senior cats. High-kill shelters often euthanize elderly cats because theyre not popular for adoptions and low-weight kittens are euthanized because of their high care needs. Longtime friends Geri Sterling of Vista and Cindy DiPiero of Escondido met at Cat & Craft Saturday to cuddle cats over cappucinos and pastries, which are allowed in the lounge. Sterling wasnt sure if it was her or her croissant that was getting the most attention from Saffron, a curious orange tabby kitten. Sterling, who owns three cats, said she wanted to support the lounge because she donates regularly to pet organizations, including Dog n Cat Rescue Spot and animal rescue programs in Baja. The lounge staff is supplemented with volunteers from LYFF, like schoolteacher Heather Thomas of Temecula and her 13-year-old daughter, Keely. Over the past year, the Thomases have fostered 41 kittens and cats. Keely shares photos and videos of her foster kitties on her Instagram channel @KeelyFostersX , which has 9,500 followers. The Vaughts said that so far theyve been pleased with early response, reservations and the turnout on opening day. Its been overwhelmingly positive, Andrew said. We cant believe how well its been received. There are so many smiling faces. Cat & Craft Coffeehouse hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Cat lounge: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Where: Vista Palomar Park center, 3211-3B Business Park Drive, Vista Cost: Cat lounge reservations are $12 an hour (all proceeds go to cat care) Phone: (760) 295-1181 Online: catandcraftcafe.com pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com Details added (first published: 13:02) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani expressed his support for initiatives promoting Azerbaijan-Armenia dialogue, Trend reports. Osmani made the remark during a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. "I call on the sides to use peaceful mechanisms. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as other conflicts, must be resolved peacefully. As the OSCE Chairman, I support initiatives that promote peace. We have survived these challenges and difficulties, and we know how painful it is. No matter how difficult these conflicts and situations that hinder dialogue are, they can be overcome, and we can protect our people," he said. Osmani urged building trust, staying away from the battlefield, and getting closer to the negotiating table. Today, a one-on-one and extended meeting was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and his North Macedonian counterpart, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani. The Taif Rose made investments in the Saudi market worth more than SR64 million, according to the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA). According to MEWA, Taif roses are being harvested and gathered in Taif governorate's Sarawat mountain in a quantity of 550 million. In honor of its hometown of Taif in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Rose of Taif is a precious reddish-pink Damask rose type. A total of 30 oil-rich petals make up the rose's full bloom, and it emits a strong but delicate powdered rose aroma with sweet a sense of tea and honey. The Taif Governorate, which stretches from the heights of the Al-Hada and Al-Shafa mountains, and Wadi Mahram (Mahram valley), all the way to Al-Talhat, Wadi Al-Amq, Wadi Al-Bani, and other areas, is home to more than 910 farms that grow Taif Rose. More than eighty products derived from roses are extracted and manufactured in over 70 factories and labs to produce various types of aromatic goods and body care products, which are well-liked and have a significant market presence. The Taif Rose Festival's basket, which had more than 84.5 roses from around 26 species of the best roses, was the biggest rose basket ever and made it into the Guinness Book of Records. Details added (first published: 12:45) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Political consultations will be held between the Foreign Ministries of Azerbaijan and North Macedonia, Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said at a joint press conference with his North Macedonian counterpart, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani, Trend reports. The minister noted that cooperation between the two countries as part of international organizations was one of the topics discussed at today's meeting. "We are very positive and optimistic about the prospects of relations with friendly countries, and we believe that today's talks have become a very important step in this format. Azerbaijan has been playing a very active role in the OSCE since the very first days. Relations between a number of OSCE countries are in a state of crisis. The chairmanship of Northern Macedonia falls at a very difficult time," Bayramov said. Today, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani met with FM Jeyhun Bayramov one-on-one and in an expanded format. Phosphate minerals such as those in the apatite group tend to be the dominant forms of phosphorus in minerals on the Earths surface. Phosphates can be created from phosphides during high-energy events, such as lightning and impacts. New research led by the University of South Florida shows that, in addition to formation of metal phosphides, a new phosphite material was formed by lightning in a fulgurite from New Port Richey, Florida, the United States. When lightning strikes a tree, the ground typically explodes out and the surrounding grass dies, forming a scar and sending electric discharge through nearby rock, soil and sand, forming fulgurites, also known as fossilized lightning, said University of South Floridas Professor Matthew Pasek, senior author of the study. In their study, Professor Pasek and his colleagues examined a fulgurite found in New Port Richey, Florida, the United States. In wet environments, such as in Florida, iron will often accumulate and encrust tree roots, Professor Pasek said. In this case, not only did the lightning strike combust the iron on the tree roots, but it combusted the naturally occurring carbon in the tree as well. The two elements led to a chemical reaction that created a fulgurite that looked like a metal glob. Inside the fulgurite, a colorful, crystal-like matter revealed a material never before discovered. We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and space, but weve never seen this exact material anywhere, Professor Pasek said. The study authors then attempted to remake the material in a lab. Their experiment was unsuccessful and indicated the material likely forms quickly under precise conditions, and if heated too long, will turn into the mineral found in meteorites. Previous researchers indicate that lightning reduction of phosphate to have been a widespread phenomenon on the early Earth, said Dr. Tian Feng, a researcher at the University of South Florida. However, there is an environmental phosphite reservoir issue in Earth that these solid phosphite materials are hard to restore. Our research may reveal other forms of reduced minerals are plausible and many could have been important in the development of life on Earth. Its unlikely this material could be mined for uses similar to other phosphates, such as fertilizer, given the rarity of it occurring naturally, Professor Pasek said. However, we plan to further investigate the material to determine if it could be officially declared a mineral and bring additional awareness to the scientific community. The study was published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. _____ L. Bindi et al. 2023. Routes to reduction of phosphate by high-energy events. Commun Earth Environ 4, 70; doi: 10.1038/s43247-023-00736-2 Details added (first published: 12:53) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijan called on the Armenian side to return to the negotiating table, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said at a joint press conference with his counterpart from North Macedonia, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani, Trend reports. The minister noted that as a result of Armenia's destructive approach, face-to-face meetings have not been held since December. "In recent months, international mediators have been taking quite intensive and consistent steps to warn Armenia against this path and bring it back to the negotiating table. Azerbaijan's position is clear, we have always been open to negotiations, and calls have been made from our side for Armenia to return to the negotiating table," he said. Today, Bayramov held one-on-one and expanded meetings with Osmani as well. Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs were diverse and abundant throughout the Cretaceous period, with a global distribution. However, few titanosaurian species are represented by multiple skeletons, let alone skulls. Diamantinasaurus matildae, from the Late Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia, was represented by three specimens, including one that preserves a braincase and several other skull elements. In their new paper, paleontologists from Curtin University and elsewhere described a fourth specimen of Diamantinasaurus matildae that preserves a more complete skull including numerous skull elements not previously known for this species as well as a partial skeleton. Diamantinasaurus matildae lived during the early Late Cretaceous epoch, about 94 million years ago. This dinosaur was first described and named in 2009 based on fossil finds in the Winton Formation of Australia. Diamantinasaurus matildae was a medium-sized titanosaurian, measuring 16 m (52 feet) long and weighing up to 25 tons. Only three specimens, including one that preserves a braincase and several other skull elements, were previously known. Nicknamed Ann, the new specimen preserves a more complete skull, including numerous skull elements not previously known for Diamantinasaurus matildae. Ann is the first sauropod dinosaur found in Australia to include most of the skull, and also the first Diamantinasaurus matildae specimen to preserve a back foot, said Curtin University paleontologist Stephen Poropat. I was lucky enough to be involved in this Australian-first discovery. Being able to lead the research on these fossils was a huge privilege. This skull gives us a rare glimpse into the anatomy of this enormous sauropod that lived in northeast Australia almost 100 million years ago. In analyzing the remains, we found similarities between the Ann skull and the skull of a titanosaur called Sarmientosaurus musacchioi, which lived in South America at about the same time as Diamantinasaurus matildae lived in Queensland. These include details of the braincase, the bones forming the back end of the skull near the jaw joint, and in the shape of the teeth (which are conical and curved). Our research suggests that Diamantinasaurus matildae was one of the most primitive titanosaurs, he said. Gaining a better understanding of this species might explain why titanosaurs were so successful, across so much of the world, right until the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. The findings support previous theories suggesting that sauropods were using Antarctica as a pathway between South America and Australia between 100 and 95 million years ago. We suggest that sauropods were traveling between Australia and South America, via Antarctica, during the mid-Cretaceous, Dr. Poropat said. Warmer conditions that far south might have been favorable for them. The window between 100 and 95 million years ago was one of the warmest in Earths geologically recent history, meaning that Antarctica, which was more or less where it is now, had no ice. Similarly, Australia, which was much further south than today, was warmer with less seasonality. In that climate, Antarctica was forested, and might have been an attractive habitat or pathway for wandering sauropods. A paper on the findings was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. _____ Stephen F. Poropat et al. 2023. A nearly complete skull of the sauropod dinosaur Diamantinasaurus matildae from the Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation of Australia and implications for the early evolution of titanosaurs. R. Soc. open sci 10 (4): 221618; doi: 10.1098/rsos.221618 Babies tumble about with more than 200 previously unknown viral families within their intestines. This large number comes as a surprise to researchers from the University of Copenhagen and COPSAC, who closely studied the diapers of 647 Danish babies and made the first mapping of its kind. These viruses most likely play an important role in protecting children from chronic diseases. Viruses are usually associated with illness. But our bodies are full of both bacteria and viruses that constantly proliferate and interact with each other in our gastrointestinal tract. While we have known for decades that gut bacteria in young children are vital to protect them from chronic diseases later on in life, our knowledge about the many viruses found there is minimal. A few years back, this gave University of Copenhagen professor Dennis Sandris Nielsen the idea to delve more deeply into this question. As a result, a team of researchers from COPSAC (Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood) and the Department of Food Science at UCPH, among others, spent five years studying and mapping the diaper contents of 647 healthy Danish one-year-olds. "We found an exceptional number of unknown viruses in the faeces of these babies. Not just thousands of new virus species -- but to our surprise, the viruses represented more than 200 families of yet to be described viruses. This means that, from early on in life, healthy children are tumbling about with an extreme diversity of gut viruses, which probably have a major impact on whether they develop various diseases later on in life," says Professor Dennis Sandris Nielsen of the Department of Food Science, senior author of the research paper about the study, now published in Nature Microbiology. The researchers found and mapped a total of 10,000 viral species in the children's faeces -- a number ten times larger than the number of bacterial species in the same children. These viral species are distributed across 248 different viral families, of which only 16 were previously known. The researchers named the remaining 232 unknown viral families after the children whose diapers made the study possible. As a result, new viral families include names like Sylvesterviridae, Rigmorviridae and Tristanviridae. Bacterial viruses are our allies "This is the first time that such a systematic an overview of gut viral diversity has been compiled. It provides an entirely new basis for discovering the importance of viruses for our microbiome and immune system development. Our hypothesis is that, because the immune system has not yet learned to separate the wheat from the chaff at the age of one, an extraordinarily high species richness of gut viruses emerges, and is likely needed to protect against chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes later on in life," states Shiraz Shah, first author and a senior researcher at COPSAC. Ninety percent of the viruses found by the researchers are bacterial viruses -- known as bacteriophages. These viruses have bacteria as their hosts and do not attack the children's own cells, meaning that they do not cause disease. The hypothesis is that bacteriophages primarily serve as allies: "We work from the assumption that bacteriophages are largely responsible for shaping bacterial communities and their function in our intestinal system. Some bacteriophages can provide their host bacterium with properties that make it more competitive by integrating its own genome into the genome of the bacterium. When this occurs, a bacteriophage can then increase a bacterium's ability to absorb e.g. various carbohydrates, thereby allowing the bacterium to metabolise more things," explains Dennis Sandris Nielsen, who continues: "It also seems like bacteriophages help keep the gut microbiome balanced by keeping individual bacterial populations in check, which ensures that there are not too many of a single bacterial species in the ecosystem. It's a bit like lion and gazelle populations on the savannah." Shiraz Shah adds: "Previously, the research community mostly focused on the role of bacteria in relation to health and disease. But viruses are the third leg of the stool and we need to learn more about them. Viruses, bacteria and the immune system most likely interact and affect each other in some type of balance. Any imbalance in this relationship most likely increases the risk of chronic disease." The remaining ten percent of viruses found in the children are eukaryotic -- that is, they use human cells as hosts. These can be both friends and foes for us: "It is thought-provoking that all children run around with 10-20 of these virus types that infect human cells. So, there is a constant viral infection taking place, which apparently doesn't make them sick. We just know very little about what's really at play. My guess is that they're important for training our immune system to recognise infections later. But it may also be that they are a risk factor for diseases that we have yet to discover," says Dennis Sandris Nielsen. Could play an important role in inflammatory diseases The researchers have yet to discover where the many viruses in the one-year-olds come from. Their best answer thus far is the environment: "Our gut is sterile until we are born. During birth, we are exposed to bacteria from the mother and environment. It is likely that some of the first viruses come along with these initial bacteria, while many others are introduced later via dirty fingers, pets, dirt that kids put in their mouths and other things in the environment," says Dennis Sandris Nielsen. As Shiraz Shah points out, the entire field of research speaks to a huge global health problem: "A lot of research suggests that the majority of chronic diseases that we're familiar with -- from arthritis to depression -- have an inflammatory component. That is, the immune system is not working as it ought to -- which might be because it wasn't trained properly. So, if we learn more about the role that bacteria and viruses play in a well-trained immune system, it can hopefully lead us to being able to avoid many of the chronic diseases that afflict so many people today." The research groups have begun investigating the role of gut viruses in relation to a number of different diseases that occur in childhood, such as asthma and ADHD. ABOUT BACTERIOPHAGES There are generally two types of bacteriophages. Virulent bacteriophages take over the bacterium and produce 30-100 new virus particles inside it. After this, the bacterial cell explodes from the inside and the new virus particles escape into the environment. Virulent bacteriophages help to keep the intestinal ecosystem in balance. So-called temperate bacteriophages can reproduce by integrating their genetic material into the genome of the host bacterial cell. When the cell divides, so does the bacteriophage. Temperate bacteriophages help transfer new genes to the bacteria so it becomes more competitive. However, there are also studies suggesting that an imbalance in the temperate bacteriophage population is associated with various diseases, e.g., inflammatory bowel disease. ABOUT VIRUSES The disastrous flood that hit Durban in April 2022 was the most catastrophic natural disaster yet recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in collective terms of lives lost, homes and infrastructure damaged or destroyed and economic impact. This is according to a new study by researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the University of Brighton, UK, published in the South African Geographical Journal. Professor Stefan Grab from Wits University and his colleague, Professor David Nash constructed a geographical history of flooding disasters in KZN by sifting through thousands of archived articles held in old newspapers, colonial and government records, early missionary records, and meteorological records which became available from the 1850s onwards. They define extreme flooding events, where major rivers were overflowing their banks, together with one or more significant consequences, such as the loss of human life, livestock, agricultural fields and crops, and infrastructure such as buildings, roads and bridges. The study, which reconstructed the history of floods in KZN since the 1840s, confirmed a widely-held -- yet anecdotal view -- that the April 2022 floods were likely the most catastrophic natural disaster yet recorded in KZN and that flooding events have doubled over the last century or more. "Right after the floods, many commentators like the media, some scientists and others were quick to report that the floods were the most severe ever recorded. Our aim was to place the floods into perspective and see if this and other statements related to the disaster were factually correct by building a historic geographic account of past floods and associated extreme rainfall events for the province of KZN and particularly the greater Durban region," says Grab, lead author of the study. The scientists found that while the floods were indeed the most catastrophic in terms of lives lost, infrastructure damaged, and economical loss, the flood was not actually the biggest in terms of the area affected, homes destroyed, or the amount of rainfall that fell collectively over a few days. "When you look at a natural disaster you need to look at it in context. Whether the April 2022 floods were the 'worst in living memory' is debatable, as a flooding event in September 1987 affected a larger geographic area of KZN and destroyed more homes than the 2022 event," says Grab. Similarly, a catastrophic flooding event in Durban, 1856 -- also in April -- produced a greater quantity of rainfall over a three-day period than last year's floods. In April 2022, the KZN coastal zone, including the greater Durban area and South Coast, received more than 300mm of rain in 24 hours. This led to calamitous flooding, with 459 people losing their lives and 88 people still missing by the end of May 2022. Over 4000 homes were destroyed, 40,000 people left homeless, and 45,000 people were temporarily left unemployed. The cost of infrastructure and business losses amounted to an estimated US$2 billion. In April 1856, 303mm of rain fell in Durban over 24 hours, and a record of 691mm over a three-day period from April 14 to 16. During these historic floods, an unknown number of people drowned, the entire central area of Durban was flooded, bridges were destroyed and roads were closed for several days, cutting off all communication with other parts of the country. The floods extended inland to Howick and the Umgeni bridge was swept away. Over a 16km stretch of beach between the mouths of the Umgeni and Umhlanga rivers, 200 drowned oxen were deposited. "It is difficult to compare the two floods in terms of which was the most severe. We must recognize that back in 1856 Durban was only a town with a much smaller population and economic infrastructure to that of today, and thus the percentage of individuals impacted or percentage economic loss may well have been greater back in 1856. In addition, coping mechanisms and 'outside' support would have been far more restricted during the 19th century," says Grab. It is highly likely that recent anthropogenically-induced global climate warming has contributed to trends of increased flooding as we have demonstrated here, and this trend is likely to continue so in the foreseeable future. However, it is also important to recognize that catastrophic climate events such as severe floods are not temporally restricted to a 'warmer world' as the 1856 floods happened during a much colder climatic period. "With regards flood disasters -- history is repeating itself. We need to prepare for bigger rainfall events in our cities, and that doesn't just apply to Durban, it applies to all South African cities and towns. We must get our infrastructure, especially drainage systems, in order. It is urgent that we better prepare ourselves for the heavy rainfall and flood events that are guaranteed to come in times ahead," says Grab. The research was funded by The Leverhulme Trust with further support from the University of the Witwatersrand. The amount of dissolved oxygen in a river is a matter of life or death for the plants and animals living within it, but this oxygen concentration varies drastically from one river to another, depending on their unique temperature, light and flow. To better understand which factor has the greatest impact on the concentration of dissolved oxygen, researchers at Penn State used a deep learning model to analyze data from hundreds of rivers across the United States. Oxygen concentration is an important measure of water quality because fish and other aquatic organisms require dissolved oxygen to breathe, according to Wei Zhi, assistant research professor of civil and environmental engineering and first author of the study, recently published in Nature Water. "Studies have shown that three major factors -- flow, temperature and sunlight -- influence the amount of dissolved oxygen found in a river or stream," Zhi said. "We wanted to know, at the U.S. continental scale, which of these competing drivers was dominant." According to corresponding author Li Li, Barry and Shirley Isett Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, the common perception is that all three factors matter: how quickly a stream flows impacts how fast oxygen in the air can dissolve in the water; temperature affects how much oxygen the water can pull from the air; and the level of sunlight shining into the water affects how much oxygen the plants in the water can make on their own. "It is challenging, however, to figure out which of these factors is the most important at a continental scale because of different amounts of monitoring data in different rivers at different times," Zhi said. "There has been little consistency in the way dissolved oxygen concentrations have been measured in different rivers. For example, some rivers were measured only in the 1980s in the summers, and some rivers were measured only in the 2000s in the spring." Using 40 years of data from 580 rivers across the contiguous U.S. -- each with unique temperature, flow and sunlight conditions -- the researchers trained a long short-term memory deep learning model to figure out the relationship between the weather conditions and dissolved oxygen. "Traditionally, it has been very difficult to predict the dissolved oxygen levels on such a large scale, simultaneously with one model," Li said. "But with a deep learning and big data approach, we can do that. Deep learning models enable large-scale systematic analysis of patterns and drivers." The model revealed that, at a continental scale, temperature outweighed light and stream flow in controlling the dissolved oxygen dynamic. Light was the second-important factor on dissolved oxygen levels, while stream flow had minimal influence, according to the findings. "Temperature is the predominant driver of daily dissolved oxygen dynamics in U.S. rivers," Zhi said. "Fairly accurate predictions of oxygen concentration can be made by temperature alone. Dissolved oxygen is declining in warming rivers, which has important implications for water security and ecosystem health in the future warming climate." This project was supported by the Barry and Shirley Isett professorship from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State and by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the U.S. Department of Energy. Chaopeng Shen, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Penn State, and Wenyu Ouyang from Dalian University of Technology in China also contributed to this research. For the last six years, Indiana University researchers and collaborators from around the world have sought to answer important questions about the most basic laws of physics that govern our universe. Their experiment, the Majorana Demonstrator, has helped to push the horizons on research concerning one of the fundamental building blocks of the universe: neutrinos. The experiment's final report was published in Physical Review Letters in February. Neutrinos -- subatomic particles similar to an electron but that have no electric charge -- are the second most abundant particles in the universe after light. However, they are some of the hardest particles to measure because they do not interact the way other particles do. "Neutrinos have a profound impact on the universe and physics at every imaginable scale, surprising us down at the particle interaction level and having broad impact up through the cosmic scales," said Walter Pettus, an assistant professor of physics in the IU College of Arts and Sciences. "But they are also the most frustrating to study because we know so much about them, yet we have so many gaps." The Majorana Demonstrator, a collaboration of 60 researchers from 24 institutions, was designed to fill many of those gaps at the same time, probing into the most fundamental properties of neutrinos. One aspect they hoped to observe was whether the neutrino could be its own antiparticle -- a subatomic particle of the same mass but with the opposite electric charge. Since the neutrino is uncharged, it is the only particle in the universe that could be its own antiparticle. Understanding that would provide insight into why the neutrino has mass in the first place -- information which would have wide-spread impacts in understanding how the universe was formed. To determine if the neutrino is its own antiparticle, the researchers needed to observe a rare occurrence called neutrinoless double-beta decay. However, this process takes a single atom at least 1026 years -- significantly longer than the age of the universe. Instead, they chose to observe nearly 1026 atoms over the course of six years. To observe this incredibly rare decay, the researchers needed the perfect environment. In the Sanford Underground Research Facility in the Black Hills of South Dakota, located a mile underground, they built one of the cleanest and quietest environments on Earth. Extremely sensitive detectors were made of a high-purity germanium and were packed in a 50-ton lead shield and surrounded by materials of unprecedented cleanliness. Even the copper used was grown underground in their lab with impurity levels so low they couldn't be measured. Pettus and a team of IU students were responsible primarily for analyzing data from the experiment. Graduate student Nafis Fuad, undergraduate senior Isaac Baker, sophomore Abby Kickbush and Jennifer James, a student with the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, have been involved in the project. Their focus has been on understanding the stability of the experiment, analyzing details of the recorded waveforms and characterizing backgrounds. "It's like looking for a tiny needle in a very, very, very big haystack -- you have to carefully get rid of all the hays (a.k.a. backgrounds) possible, and you don't even know if there's actually a needle in there in the first place or not," Fuad said. "It's very exciting to be a part of that search." While the researchers ultimately did not observe the decay they hoped for, they did discover that the neutrino's scale for decay is longer than the limit they placed on it, which they will test further during the next phase of the experiment. In addition, they recorded other scientific results -- ranging from dark matter to quantum mechanics -- that helps provide a better understanding of the universe. Through the project, the researchers proved that the techniques they utilized could be used at a much larger scale in a potentially game-changing search that could help explain the existence of matter in the universe. "We didn't see the decay we were looking for, but we have raised the bar on where to look for the physics we're going after," Pettus said. "True to its name, the Demonstrator advanced critical technologies that we are already leveraging for the next phase of the experiment in Italy. We may not have broken our picture of physics yet, but we've certainly pushed the horizons, and I am very excited about what we have accomplished." The next phase of the project, called LEGEND-200, has already begun taking data in Italy, with plans to run over the next five years. Researchers aim to observe the decay happening at a magnitude higher sensitivity than the Majorana Demonstrator. Beyond that, thanks to support from the U.S. Department of Energy, the team is already designing the successor experiment, LEGEND-1000. Pettus is excited about the future of this work and looks forward to involving more students on the project, both in data analysis and hardware development for LEGEND-1000. "If we discover the neutrino is its own antiparticle, there will still be ground under our feet and stars in the sky, and our understanding of physics doesn't change the reality of the physical laws that always have and continue to govern our universe," Pettus said. "But knowing what's down there at the most fundamental level and how the universe works gives us a richer, more beautiful world to live in -- or possibly just weirder -- and that pursuit is fundamentally human." The Majorana Demonstrator was managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Physics, with support from the National Science Foundation. North Carolina State University researchers have shown that adding a small amount of a chemical used in perfumes -- nonanal -- to a two-chemical combination of other sex pheromones helped increase the cocktail's effectiveness in mimicking female fall armyworm "come hither" calls to males. The findings could eventually help farmers better detect, monitor and control fall armyworm populations, which negatively affect some 350 plant species -- including crops like corn and cotton as well as turfgrass and other cultivated grasses. "Nonanal is emitted by people, birds and even apples," said Coby Schal, Blanton J. Whitmire Distinguished Professor of Entomology and co-corresponding author of a paper describing the research. "It is a universal attractant that, by itself, doesn't have much of an effect. But when a certain percentage of nonanal is added to the multi-chemical attractant mixture discovered nearly 40 years ago, it has a highly stimulatory effect -- in this case attracting male fall armyworm moths in the lab and then attracting male moths to traps in field experiments." Fall armyworms are found mostly in warmer climates; after originating in South America they spread to North America and then to sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, China, and, most recently, Australia. Arguably one of the world's most devastating pests, fall armyworm caterpillars can rapidly chew through crops and lawns. The researchers started examining ways to attract and then trap male moths as part of a "mating disruption" strategy. "When you see fall armyworm moths you know that -- two weeks later -- you're going to have caterpillars," Schal said. "So controlling the early flying adults is key. Mating disruption is the way to go when using pheromones, as males will find traps rather than females. Pests have been eliminated from wide areas using several approaches including mating disruption -- like pink bollworm, a major cotton pest in the Southwest." Other uses of the pheromone include detection of the fall armyworm in areas not yet invaded by this pest and lure-and-kill, where the pheromone attracts the fall armyworm to an insecticide or a pathogen. The researchers used gas chromatography, in which chemical compounds are separated in a controllable oven, to test whether the fall armyworm males would respond to other chemicals besides the known blend of chemicals. By connecting this instrument to the antennae of fall armyworm males and monitoring their electrical activity, the researchers saw that nonanal stimulated male fall armyworms. The researchers then tested the blend with nonanal in other lab tests. Males were somewhat attracted to the traditional pheromone blend, but adding the "right amount" of nonanal to the blend greatly increased the response. The right amount turned out to be about 1% percent of the total blend, as adding too little nonanal increased the response over the traditional blend, but not by much. Finally, the researchers used bait-and-trap experiments on NC State cotton and sorghum research fields in Raleigh and Clayton, where they tried to use different pheromone blends to capture male moths. There, they showed that nonanal by itself had no effect on males. Higher doses of nonanal in the traditional blend -- at 2% and 4% concentrations -- reduced the compound's effectiveness. Again, 1% nonanal in the blend emerged as the most effective, capturing more males. Interestingly, the shape of the trapping device also affected the success rates in capturing males. Cone-shaped traps did not perform as well as bucket-shaped traps. The field studies also showed few other insect species -- or female fall armyworms -- trapped. "We have tweaked this system to make it highly species-specific, which is especially important in places where similar moth species live," Schal said. The researchers filed a patent on the discovery and have exclusive licensing agreements with industry partners that will further test nonanal's effectiveness when added to the traditional pheromone blend. The study appears in Pest Management Science. Ahmed M. Saveer, Eduardo Hatano and Ayako Wada-Katsumata from NC State co-authored the paper, as did Robert L. Meagher from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Funding was provided by a N.C. Biotechnology Center Flash Grant (2020-FLG-3809), by the USDA Southern IPM Center (2021-1645), by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF IOS1456973) and by the Blanton J. Whitmire Endowment at NC State. Details added (first published: 12:56) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Armenia's attempts to interfere in the normalization process are unacceptable, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said at a joint press conference with his counterpart from North Macedonia, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani, Trend reports. "Unfortunately, Armenia's destructive approach is not limited to taking some contradictory steps at the negotiating table. We are also witnessing various political and military provocations in the context of the aggravation of the situation in the region. The last such provocation occurred yesterday," Bayramov said. The minister briefed his North Macedonian counterpart on the steps taken in order to reintegrate individuals of Armenian origin living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan into Azerbaijani society and to hold meetings. He also mentioned the proposals made by the Azerbaijani state to continue negotiations in Baku and to ensure the sustainability of such meetings. "Armenia has no reason to interfere in the process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations or in the process of reintegrating people of Armenian origin living in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region into Azerbaijani society. This has a negative impact on both processes in general, and such an approach is unacceptable for the Azerbaijani side," he said. Today, a one-on-one and extended meeting was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and his North Macedonian counterpart, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani. First version published at 12:33: BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his counterpart from Northern Macedonia, OSCE Chairman, Bujar Osmani held a joint press conference at the Azerbaijani MFA, Trend reports. As Bayramov said during the press conference, Azerbaijan has always demonstrated its commitment to the OSCE principles. The minister noted that years ago Azerbaijan was exposed to serious aggression by another OSCE member state, despite the fundamental norms and principles of the organization. "For a long time, this aggression caused painful consequences, as well as a negative impact on the Azerbaijan and its society. Despite all this, Azerbaijan has always demonstrated its commitment to the principles of the organization, international law, primarily the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, inviolability of borders. Azerbaijan's position has always been principled and consistent not only in the framework of the former Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, but also in the context of all other conflicts in the OSCE area," Bayramov said. Osmani, in turn, pointed out that Azerbaijan plays an important role in the OSCE. According to him, stable peace should be ensured in the region because Azerbaijan and its people deserve it. "By providing the territorial integrity of countries based on consensus in the European region, the OSCE must ensure security via its potential and resources. The role of countries such as Azerbaijan is significant here. The OSCE vision should be inclusive and comprehensive. Stable peace must be guaranteed both for Azerbaijan and for those living in the region," Osmani said. VIDEO: Title Changed Details added (first published: 12:25) FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. Huge work has been done as part of the preparation of city-planning documents for Azerbaijan's Fuzuli district, said First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Gummatov, Trend reports. He made the remark at a meeting of the Working Group on Urban Planning, operating under the interdepartmental center of the coordination headquarters, held today at the Fuzuli International Airport. He said that on March 18, 2023, the general plan for Fuzuli was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. According to him, the town-planning justification of the village of Devletyarli, which will be built based on the 'smart village' concept, has been approved. He also added that the concept of the villages of Pirahmadli and Dedeli has been developed, and approval of these documents is expected in a short time. "Construction work in the village of Devletyarli is scheduled to begin in August of this year, and in the villages of Pirahmedli and Dedeli - in October of this year. In 2023, it is planned to prepare the design of 7 more villages in the Fuzuli region - Garghabazar, Juvarli, Gochahmedli, Garakollu, Garakhanbeyli, Horadiz and Mirzajamalli," he said. Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia. A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. a photo illustration of Mia and her son James, which are not their real names. James, 16, is a Kalamazoo resident who has been shot twice in the past two years. Photo illustration by Kristie May/NowKalamazoo A receptionist at an in school clinic where students get help with physical and mental health concerns. Courtesy of Grace Health A Way Through: Strategies for Youth Mental Health, a solutions-focused reporting series of Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative. The collaborative, a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism and reporting on successful responses to social problems, launched its Mental Wellness Project in 2022 to cover mental health issues in southwest Michigan. James Henry, right, discusses children's cases with CTAC staff members. Photo courtesy of Western Michigan University. Three Rivers middle schoolers participate in a TRAILS session during their sixth-grade team leadership class. Margot Weiner, 8, was a participant in a March sibshop at ASK Family Services in Kalamazoo. Children's Trauma Assessment Center at Western Michigan University The hiring of a mental health services coordinator at Portage Public Schools SibShops, a program for the siblings of children with severe physical or mental health problems a photo illustration of Mia and her son James, which are not their real names. James, 16, is a Kalamazoo resident who has been shot twice in the past two years. TRAILS, a program developed by University of Michigan to help school-age children manage their emotions being implemented in Three Rivers and other communities Battle Creek Central High School school-based health clinic A program to support young victims of gun violence A receptionist at an in school clinic where students get help with physical and mental health concerns. Mental health issues among American youths are a growing concern for parents, educators, health officials, and the children themselves.New data from the federal Centers of Disease Control indicates that 37% of U.S. high school students experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% of students report feeling persistently sad or hopeless sometime during the previous year.Local trending mirrors whats happening nationally.Over the past several years, all the school districts in the county (Kalamazoo) have seen an increase in anxiety and depression for students. When we look at students who were functioning well in the past, those are students who are now needing extra support, says Marianne Joynt, Portage Public Schools mental health initiatives coordinator.It's unclear how much of the surge in reported mental health problems is a result of stresses related to the pandemic and how much is from decreasing stigma, which makes youths more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.Whatever the reason, youth mental health has become a priority for policymakers, who are pushing for strategies to improve access and treatment.The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, through its Mental Wellness Project, is profiling six approaches that address the issue through its new solutions-focused reporting series,Stories in the series look at whats working for children struggling with mental health, and they cover these programs and pathways, many located right in schools:The reporting collaborative also has assembled a downloadable resource guide, Kid Grid , to help parents of children with mental health issues.The goal is to shine a light on one of the most critical issues of our time and for our community.According to CDC Acting Principal Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry in a March: "The COVID-19 pandemic has created traumatic stressors that have the potential to further erode students' mental wellbeing. Our research shows that surrounding youth with the proper support can reverse these trends and help our youth now and in the future." Title changed Details added: first version posted on 11:32 BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his counterpart from Northern Macedonia, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani have held a meeting, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. According to the ministry, at the meeting, the views of Azerbaijan regarding the OSCE were brought to the attention of the North Macedonian delegation. It was noted that the issues of restoring peace and security, preventing conflicts, promoting cooperation, supporting sustainable economic growth and environmental cooperation are on the spotlight of the North Macedonia Chairmanship. The ministry said that Azerbaijan positively assesses such priority areas during the North Macedonia Chairmanship as support for the OSCE member countries, issues related to mine action, cyber security, communications, gender equality, climate change and energy security, and the fight against corruption. During the meeting, the importance of strengthening dialogue and interstate partnership on the bilateral agenda in such areas as the economy, trade, transport, energy security, education and tourism was emphasized. In particular, the importance of mutual visits and high-level meetings, including cooperation within the framework of bilateral and international organizations was spoken about. Confidence was expressed in the successful continuation of joint efforts to deepen ties between Azerbaijan and North Macedonia and further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the interests of the friendly peoples. The parties also discussed Azerbaijan's efforts to overcome the consequences of the past Karabakh conflict, priorities in the post-conflict reconstruction, reconstruction and reintegration [of Armenian residents of Azerbaijans Karabakh to the country]. In particular, the point of view of Azerbaijan on the normalization of interstate relations with Armenia through the signing of a peace treaty, which is the main goal, was brought to the attention of the delegation members. Besides, the guests were informed about the obstacles and military-political provocations of Armenia, which deal a blow to the above efforts. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate California beachgoers might be encountering an unusual sight over the next few months tiny, bright blue, jelly-like creatures spotting or even covering the shoreline. The creatures scientific name Velella velella, also known as by-the-wind sailors may look like jellyfish but are actually hydroid polyps, according to officials at Point Reyes National Seashore, where hundreds of the tiny creatures turned up last week. They are flat and oval shaped, with a transparent triangular sail sticking upright from their body, and spend their lives at the surface of the ocean in warm and temperate waters around the world. Their nickname comes from how their sails propel them across the water, a spokesperson for the Monterey Bay Aquarium said. Velella usually live on the surface of the open ocean, so when winds are heavy, they get pushed by their tiny sails to shore in great numbers, the spokesperson said. Hence their nickname, by-the-wind-sailors. While there havent been many reports of mass wash-ups of velella around the Bay Area or in Monterey this year, they tend to happen in the late spring and early autumn, experts said. In spring, shifting strong Pacific winds often drive thousands of these creatures on shore from British Columbia all the way to California, said Point Reyes public information officer Christine Beekman. Sometimes beaches are covered by several inches of velella turning the beaches blue. This year, there have been several reports of velella on Southern California beaches. The California state parks Orange Coast district said Monday on Facebook that the creatures had been showing up at Crystal Cove, near Newport Beach. By-the-wind-sailors are colonial, floating in large numbers all together on the open sea and because they have no way to fight the salty wind and ocean currents, they sometimes wash ashore in great groups, the agency wrote. The creatures arent harmful to humans, as their tentacles, used to collect zooplankton or fish eggs to eat, dont have a strong enough sting for a human to feel. But the California state parks agency warned that its best to leave them be just in case. Everyones tolerance for their sting is different so it is best to leave these intriguing sailors where youve found them on the sand, officials said. While beachgoers might come across a few of the creatures every year, its hard to predict when or if thousands at a time will wash up on shore, experts said. And the colorful sight doesnt last long the creatures lose their color as they dry out in the sun. You may come across a fresh wash-up of Velella, tinging the stretch of shoreline blue, but if theyve been there a while, they will look like crinkly and dry ovals of cellophane, the Point Reyes National Seashore wrote on Facebook. After that, the Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson said, they wash away with the next high tide. Detectives from the Santa Cruz Sheriffs Office said they have at long last identified a young man who was murdered more than two decades ago, though the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery. Just after Christmas Day 1998, the body of a man was found wrapped in a tarp on a hillside on Bear Creek Road, a rural and winding route that wraps around the Santa Cruz Mountains, officials wrote in a news release. Through an autopsy, officials deduced that the victim had suffered significant blunt force trauma, but the body was so decomposed that the majority of its soft tissue was gone. Even the arrest and conviction of three suspects did not yield further leads on identifying the victim, whose name would not be discovered for more than 20 years. Now it has been. Through expanded forensic genealogy technology, officials identified the man as Eric P. Cupo, who was 22 years old at the time of his murder. Its unclear why he was targeted. Santa Cruz Sheriffs Office officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. According to detectives, Cupo was born in California but as a young child was adopted by a family from Philadelphia, later moving to Florida with his adopted father. At 18 he moved back to Philadelphia to live with his adopted mother, but eventually he moved around the country and lost contact with his family. He is believed to have lived in Arizona, Ohio and, ostensibly, later in California. Cupos adopted family and biological relatives were made aware of his identification. They are grateful to the Sheriffs Office for their dedicated and tireless investigation to identify Eric Cupo and bring resolution as to his whereabouts, according to the release. This is the second cold case discovery the Sheriffs Office has made in the past year. In September officials said they had made a DNA match identifying the killer of Joette Marie Smith, a well-known restaurant owner in Ben Lomond whose body was found floating in a river in 1983. Smiths body, bruised and cut, was found snagged on a tree along the San Lorenzo River. She was wearing one nylon on her leg, a black boot and a strand of pearls, with the rest of her clothing stashed a quarter of a mile away. After extensive attempts to confirm her killer, officials were able to tie a DNA match to a man they had suspected but never had the evidence to charge: Eric David Drummond, who took his own life before detectives could obtain a warrant for his arrest. Eighteen California condors in Arizona are suspected to have died from a highly contagious strain of the bird flu, sparking concern among California caretakers of the endangered birds that are still returning from the brink of extinction. Six California condors in the Arizona-Utah population are confirmed to have died of highly pathogenic avian influenza, and 12 from the same flock have died of what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suspects to be the disease, according to a Wednesday update. Five other condors in the Southwest flock are currently in treatment and undergoing testing, according to the service. Though avian flu has yet to be detected in California and Baja California populations, those who have worked tirelessly for their recovery are worried the disease could spread from other bird species to the California flock. Everyone in the California condor recovery program is watching and planning for the worst and hoping for the best, said Tiana Williams-Claussen, the Yurok Tribes wildlife department director and lead for the reintroduction of California condors in Yurok ancestral territory. The 2022 population count of California condors was 561 347 in the wild across California, Baja California, Arizona and Utah and 214 in captivity, said Joanna Gilkeson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife public affairs officer. The birds, which are scavengers, are renowned for their massive wingspan. The deaths are a massive blow to the Arizona flock of California condors, which number only a little over 100 or so, said Kelly Sorenson, executive director of Ventana Wildlife Society, an organization working to restore bald eagle and California condor populations in Monterey County. Prior to the three confirmed cases of avian flu in California condors in northern Arizona last week, it was unknown whether California condors could contract the disease, Williams-Claussen said. Its the last thing a critically endangered species needs, Sorenson said. Until this event, no other event has taken so many condor lives in such a short period of time. Because California condors are not really a migratory bird, the primary threat to the California flock comes not from the potentially affected birds in Arizona, but from wild bird species in California, Williams-Claussen said. And in California, avian flu is very much present: 363 birds have tested positive for avian flu in California, the third most in the country behind Minnesota and Florida, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. Thats likely just a fraction of the real count: Most wild birds, of course, are not tested. Its unknown how the California condors in Arizona contracted avian flu, Gilkeson said. The disease can spread via bird-to-bird contact, infected feces or by eating an infected dead animal, Gilkeson said. Over the last five days, the Ventana Wildlife Society has raised $80,000 to pay for 10 quarantine pens, which the organization will place with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Monterey County, Sorenson said. They plan to use the pens for vaccination of the birds when available and treatment if needed, but for now are planning just to capture wild birds and put the highly social animals in isolation an unprecedented step to protect against a potentially devastating outbreak, Sorenson said. The current bird flu outbreak, which began in early 2022, is the largest in U.S. history. The virus has been detected in every state except Hawaii and killed tens of millions of chickens earlier in the year, pushing up the price of eggs across the country. Potential exposure to avian flu is expected to rise in the spring as birds migrate north to their breeding grounds, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The strain of the virus that killed the California condors in Arizona, H5N1, is considered low risk to the general public, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has recorded one human case in the U.S. in someone who was directly exposed to bird flu last year while culling poultry. California condors scavengers with 9-foot-long wingspans almost completely disappeared in the 1970s because of habitat destruction, hunting and lead poisoning: In 1982, only 22 were left, Gilkeson said. Federal biologists captured the few birds that remained and tried to restore the species with a captive breeding program, gradually reintroducing individual birds to the wild. Lead poisoning continues to remain the main cause of death, contributing almost 50%, mostly from birds ingesting spent lead ammunition, Williams-Claussen said. Lead ammunition for hunting purposes was banned in California in 2019. One of the largest flying birds in the world, California condors also have naturally low reproductive rates and are still not recovered yet, Williams-Claussen said. The species is protected as endangered under both state and federal law. Thats because California condors are not yet a self-sustaining species, meaning that if biologists stopped releasing captive birds into the wild, populations would decrease as death rates exceed the birth rate, Sorenson said. California condors are a pretty iconic species. People all across the country recognize them. I feel like people in California really identify with them, and we want to continue to keep that population healthy, Gilkeson said. When Chef Ray Lee took over his familys restaurant, Akikos, near Union Square in 2009 and brought it into the modern age, remodeling the dining room and streamlining the menu, there was one hurdle: a 100 amp circuit breaker. Lee added some new technology, like sous vide gadgets, and hoped to incorporate more, like a dry ager solely reserved for fish, but the buildings limitations prohibited his ambitions. Visiting the new Akikos (theyve dropped the apostrophe), which has moved to downtown San Franciscos East Cut neighborhood, I dont think Lee is dealing with electricity issues anymore. The revitalized restaurant, which opened in early 2023, screams luxury; a sleek, sprawling 24-seat chefs stage, as Lee calls it, is right in the middle the dining equivalent, I imagine, of stadium floor seats. The new Akikos puts a big spotlight on its use of dry-aged fish, their hanging flesh prominently displayed in a glowing fridge a piece of technology that might have caused a power outage at the first location. The omakase ($250) features dry-aged morsels like sashimi slices of madai (red seabream) and sweet snapper nigiri, with options for add-ons. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Top: Weyman Li, chef and head of research and development, presents an uni hand roll at Friends Only, a new omakase restaurant from the owner of Akikos. Above left: Tostada with sea urchin, local spiny lobster, and golden Kaluga caviar. Above right: King crab donabe, folded with black truffle shavings and rice. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Top: Weyman Li, chef and head of research and development, presents an uni hand roll at Friends Only, a new omakase restaurant from the owner of Akikos. Above left: Tostada with sea urchin, local spiny lobster, and golden Kaluga caviar. Above right: King crab donabe, folded with black truffle shavings and rice. Salgu Wissmath / The Chronicle This new phase of Lees restaurant arrived in two parts: Akikos in SoMa, and another, smaller and more exclusive sushi counter on Nob Hill, called Friends Only, where most of the innovation happens. Dinner is more expensive at Friends Only ($325) and harder to book (if online reservations have disappeared, try email) but its worth every cent, from the jump. In Akikos previous life, it was celebrated for its intimacy and innovation, a place where in-the-know diners visited for off-menu bites like mullet roe, flounder and other dry-aged fish Lee was experimenting with. Now, Lee appears to have split the original concept into two separate entities, like the left and right side of his brain. Where Akikos is grand and boisterous in its setting and presentation, Friends Only is more contained and reserved, and the funding goes into exploring the cutting edge and crafting excellence. Lee said he set up the restaurants so diners will likely visit Akikos first and he would funnel the most interested parties to Friends Only. My advice is to skip that path entirely and go directly to Friends Only, the more exciting restaurant of the pair. Its where I had one of the best meals of my life, setting new standards of richness I didnt know were possible. Aging fish is not a new practice; in fact, almost all sushi chefs age fish to develop better flavor and texture. Dry-aging sometimes called conditioning is the same practice but in a more controlled environment, specifically an aging fridge. In essence, the fish are kept near freezing temperature at high levels of humidity to slowly draw out moisture from their flesh. The difference between aging fish and beef is that aged beef develops a concentrated flavor, where aged fish creates better texture. Lee considers dry-aging to be sushis new frontier; he started tinkering with the practice about four years ago at the first location. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Lee may not be the first to work with dry-aging or conditioning Los Angeles and New York have a handful of restaurants that have adopted it but he might be among the first to use it so extensively. And its marvels indulgent aged fatty tuna that liquifies in your mouth or supple, out-of-season young sea bass is on full display at Friends Only. Dinner commences with a lavish sucker punch in the form of a nori tostada, topped with spiny lobster, uni and Kaluga caviar. (Its a far cry from Akikos opening salvo, a lackluster, mushy fish dumpling soup.) That was followed by a sashimi course that flexed the muscles of the dry-aged fish program, with some cuts conditioned for two weeks and others for up to 30 days. The result was astounding. The fish had a slightly firmer texture but its melting properties increased exponentially. The fried dish, amadai (tilefish) with its scales still on, seared until slightly bubbly and served with yuzu sancho (mild pepper paste), was gently smoky and crisp the kitchen referred to it as gluten-free fish and chips. Next was a chawanmushi, which made an appearance at both restaurants. At Akikos the steamed egg dish was remarkable, packed with maitake mushrooms and sea urchin; but Friends Onlys chawanmushi took it to a new plateau. Along with the ultra-smooth, savory custard, the chawanmushi was decked out with decadent slivers of duck liver, adding an extra layer of gamey richness. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Above left: A Kentucky Luau cocktail, with pineapple, bourbon, and habanero hot sauce, yellow Chartreuse and bitters. Above right: Dry aging fish hangs from a fridge at temperatures slightly above freezing. Salgu Wissmath / The Chronicle Above left: A Kentucky Luau cocktail, with pineapple, bourbon, and habanero hot sauce, yellow Chartreuse and bitters. Above right: Dry aging fish hangs from a fridge at temperatures slightly above freezing. Salgu Wissmath / The Chronicle Dry-aged fish dishes at Friend Only were the highlights of my meal, whereas those dishes at Akikos were the most disappointing moments (and the most hilarious). Akikos had a smoked salmon dish topped with roe served over an unexplained ceramic fedora. Confused, I asked the staff if the chef was a hat guy; no, they replied, offering no further context. The dish that best illustrated the gap between the two restaurants was the zuke, soy-cured medium fatty bluefin tuna. At Akikos, the fish performed as expected, with a lightly melty mouthfeel, but at Friends Only one bite unleashed a waterfall of gushy fat. Akikos zuke was aged only a week and Friend Onlys version was aged closer to a month. It became quickly apparent that Friends Only valued unpredictability more than its big sister restaurant, though Im not sure I could have predicted Akikos fedora. As the Friends Only meal continued, my expectations constantly shifted. Just when I thought I had reached a climactic point, I encountered another transformative nigiri. A peppery king crab dish, folded with black truffle shavings and rice, was a life-affirming intermission between pieces of nigiri. Next came an aged akamutsu (blackthroat sea perch) nigiri, torched and electrified with lemon juice; it was like biting into softened butter I almost fell to my knees. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Top left: Chawanmushi, savory custard decked out with decadent slivers of duck liver. Top right: An uni hand roll is an unforeseeable display of excess at Friends Only. Bottom left: Zuke nigiri, 30-day aged, soy cured bluefin tuna. Bottom right: At the new Akikos, smoked salmon dish topped with roe. Salgu Wissmath / The Chronicle Top left: Chawanmushi, savory custard decked out with decadent slivers of duck liver. Top right: An uni hand roll is an unforeseeable display of excess at Friends Only. Bottom left: Zuke nigiri, 30-day aged, soy cured bluefin tuna. Bottom right: At the new Akikos, smoked salmon dish topped with roe. Salgu Wissmath / The Chronicle That led to what I consider the zenith of the dinner, a rice dish crowned with two types of luminous uni, both from Hokkaido. Half was the highest grade and the other was unprocessed, with no preservatives. Each was exceptional, boasting a fruity, oceanic brightness, though the unprocessed uni had an even smoother, cool consistency like ice cream. At this point in the nearly three-hour dinner, I thought things were winding down. There were, in fact, three more laser-sharp pitches left. The first two were fastballs: butter-poached snapper, chased by the obligatory (and common omakase closer) otoro nigiri, or fatty tuna belly. But there was a secret knuckleball after that, an uni hand roll. An unforeseeable display of excess, it contained an entire row from a wooden box of sea urchin (about 10 pieces). By that point, my head was in the clouds, but even the final food dish, an excellent lobster dumpling in a crab soup changeup, was thoroughly comforting. Akikos closer was an otoro nigiri, which was predictably rich, something akin to ending a set list with Free Bird. Akikos is for diners who go to shows and only want to hear the hits; the food is good, but not enough to justify the price tag. Youre paying for the concert fees of a grandiose setting to match the opulence of the meal. Friends Only, on the other hand, with its minimal design and scant 10 seats, is for diners who want to hear the deep cuts, the food nerds, the stans. Recipes researched and developed at Friends Only, if theyre successful enough, could eventually arrive at Akikos, like an act making its way from indie venue to stadium. So you could potentially experience Friends Onlys magnificence at Akikos one day, although, I suspect, the innovative restaurant will already be onto the next thing. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle Friends Only 1501 California St., San Francisco. Hours: 5:30-11:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Email: reso@akikosrestaurant.com Accessibility: Ramp by the entrance. High bar seating. Noise level: Quiet to mild. What to order: Omakase ($325). Transportation: Near cable car stop; 101 and 27 bus routes. Street parking. Drinks: Beer, wine and cocktails. Best practices: Try the Kentucky Luau ($30) cocktail. San Franciscos newest Tunisian restaurant is looking forward to showcasing an ancient cooking technique. Gola begins serving customers Wednesday, April 19, at 819 Valencia St. with a menu of modern Tunisian dishes. But the main event will be dishes prepared in the namesake, millennia-old pots, known as gola, which nomadic tribes used to cook and transport water during desert treks. The restaurant is the newest project from chef Rafik Bouzidi, who ran his previous Tunisian restaurant La Marsa in San Franciscos Union Square, which closed in 2022. Dishes cooked inside the gola include halal lamb with vegetables, chicken with herbs and a seafood-tomato stew with octopus, clams, mussels and shrimp. Bouzidi will be using Tunisian spice blends like tabil, an aromatic mix of seeds, flowers and herbs, and three types of harissa the prized chile paste considered Tunisias national condiment. The harissa ranges from a smoky, umami-forward blend to a fiery, spicy one. Bouzidis mother made the tabil he is using during the restaurants opening. Whoever was coming from Tunisia, I asked them to bring me something, Bouzidi said. His brother brought spices and harissa, and Bouzidi will attempt to make his own harissa and tabil with dehydration machines. Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle Golas will come in three sizes: a small for two to three people to share, a medium for four to five guests, and a large pot for up to 10 people. While golas traditionally open upright and from the top, the ones Bouzidi bought lie on their side to make serving food easier. Bouzidi places the pots in his pizza oven overnight to cook, then puts them in the refrigerator in the morning. At dinner service, he reheats a pot in the oven when an order comes in, sealing the opening with a thin bread dough. Bringing a pot up to serving temperature and baking the flaky seal takes about an hour. Because of the long preparation process for golas, Bouzidi said, they will only be available at dinner and served in limited numbers. He could save time, and space, by simply cooking to order without golas, but Bouzidi insists the faster process doesnt allow for the flavors to really blend together and for the meats to be served tender straight from the oven. On top of that, regular plating doesnt have the same wow factor for diners as cracking open the dough seal and letting out a dishs reawakened aromas. Bouzidi imported 180 golas from Tunisia to be able to offer his dishes every night, but the process of shipping two large pallets of fragile ceramics halfway around the world was not easy. Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle It wasnt until an importer friend in Orange County had space in a shipping container that the golas found their way stateside. But then transportation delays stretched the already months-long process. When the pots landed in February, he had to drive through a winter storm to pick them up. People were asking me what the name of the restaurant was going to be, but I couldnt tell them when I didnt even know if the golas were going to be here, he said. The restaurant will offer its golas roughly two weeks after its opening day. Not every dish will come inside a gola. Appetizers and small bites will include dishes Bouzidi offered at La Marsa. The popular 24-hour braised lamb riblets, a grilled octopus salad with red onion and capers and Tunisian deviled eggs, topped with shrimp and a spice blend, will all be making a comeback. La Marsa, the former restaurants namesake dish, a turmeric cream with shrimp and scallops brightened with lemon zest, will also return. Other dishes include shakshuka, poached eggs in a fragrant tomato stew intensified with Bouzidis umami harissa and a choice of seafood or sausage. Desserts will include creme brulee made fragrant with orange blossom water and baklava with hazelnut and almonds. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Cocktails will be traditional but with a Tunisian vibe, Bouizidi said, incorporating flavors like prickly pears, dates and figs. A few beer selections will be available. Bouzidi would like to feature Tunisian wines and boukha, a Tunisian fig brandy, but he has not found a distributor offering them. The communal table at the center of the dining room will host people coming in for drinks, leaving bar seating for parties of two or solo diners. The remodeled dining room, which seats 49, is quite a change from its previous tenant, the techy Brew Coop with its self-serve beer stations and many monitors. Bouzidi says almost everything is imported from Tunisia from the ceramics on the walls and hanging copper lamps to the dishware and patterned wool lining the banquettes. Whatever isnt imported, he and his brother Samir built or repaired, from the plumbing and tilework, to the tables and bar top. Having a bit of paint left over after months of interior work, Bouzidi cross-hatched turquoise and orange lines in a mural representing the Mediterraneans encounter with the Sahara. Its fun to be hands-on, he said. Gola. Opening Wednesday, April 19. 819 Valencia St., San Francisco. 5-10 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday. 5 p.m.-2 a.m., Friday-Saturday instagram.com/golarestaurantsf/ Google has become one of the first major technology companies in the Bay Area to eliminate the mandate that employees and visitors entering its buildings must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Mountain View company said on Tuesday that it was dropping the policy, implemented in December 2021, effective immediately, citing the extraordinary time that has passed since the onset of the pandemic. In a memo to employees, Chris Rackow, Googles vice president of global security, acknowledged that the world is now in a different place, with most people having some level of immunity against the disease and case rates and hospitalizations remaining stable for several months. We put in place emergency measures such as our COVID-19 vaccine policy to keep everyone safe, but now the world is in a very different place, Rackow said in the company-wide email that was shared by CNBC. He added that governments worldwide, including the United States, are lifting restrictions and ending vaccination mandates. The memo was issued a day after President Biden signed legislation ending the national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic a month earlier than planned. Other major tech companies in the region, such as Apple and Facebook parent Meta, have so far retained their vaccination entry policies. When Google initially implemented the mandate, it told employees that noncompliance with the COVID-19 vaccination policy could result in loss of pay or potential termination. While the company relaxed several of its pandemic-related requirements, such as mandatory testing and social distancing, early last year to bring workers back to the office, only those who could provide proof of vaccination were allowed to enter company sites. COVID-19 vaccines have been a critical part of our overall strategy to keep Googlers safe, especially in the workplace, Rackow said in the memo. They also have the benefit of reducing the risk of severe disease if you get infected and have helped to protect vulnerable members of our community. He also urged employees to keep up to date with their shots while emphasizing that the company will comply with regional regulations that may override its policy. Weve come through an extraordinary time, which called on us to adapt and come together in ways we couldnt have imagined, he said. I am proud and grateful for the resilience youve all shown as we navigated so much uncertainty for our company and the world over the past few years. Recently, theres been an abundance of attention around residents being fed up with San Francisco and several tragic acts of violence that have happened here recently. Given the myriad of issues the city faces, a number of people have left either during or as we have come out of the COVID pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic, I considered leaving, too. I was privileged to have a job that allowed me to work remotely, and I was far away from family on the East Coast. Though I enjoyed San Francisco, when I wrote my rent check each month, I felt the burden of the citys high price tag and wondered if life would be easier elsewhere as a single woman. Then, one day, as I walked the Panhandle, I approached two guitarists playing in the grass, with people from all walks of life stopping to listen, some sitting, others standing, all socially distanced, wearing smiles as their bodies flowed to the music. It was the San Francisco Id grown to love: intimate, creative, open. I lived in New York City for a decade before I moved to San Francisco knowing only two people in the Bay Area. While I initially compared the two cities, once I let go that Muni was never going to be the New York City subway system and accepted that finding late-night food took more effort, my appreciation for the soul of San Francisco became evident. I actually knew and hung out with my neighbors. Id close down restaurants sharing stories with the bartenders or owners, often making friends along the way. I took stand-up improv and pottery classes. I lived near the Haight and felt its history all around me. And when I first drove across the Golden Gate Bridge heading north, my body could feel the bridges majestic strength. I thought, This is home. Im not going anywhere. I wanted to support and keep building community instead of running away. And I was privileged to be able to do so given my circumstances. I ordered books for curbside pick up from the Booksmith. I sat bundled up outside at the Page or Madrone, nursing a beer as Karl rolled in, making small talk with fellow bar patrons. I practiced yoga virtually nearly everyday with Yoga Garden (now Folk). I took other virtual classes, like candle making with Workshop SF and writing classes with the Writing Salon and organized virtual writing groups at the end of courses. I walked along Ocean Beach offering hellos to strangers. I continued to walk loops around the Panhandle. When I first moved here, an old-timer described San Francisco to me as provincial, which I find to be endearing and true in the best ways. Theres space to breathe here and an intangible spirit of curiosity, experimentation and love that is allowed to grow here into whatever version of yourself youre growing into. Yes, there is a lot that is broken in this city and in this country. My family and friends in New York City are experiencing increased homelessness, violence and fears of being in a harder cycle that all urban cities go through. Sometimes these challenges feel insurmountable. Our government must do a better job finding workable solutions to address homelessness, affordable housing and urban violence. Every resident deserves to feel and be safe and protected. You shouldnt have to make a six-figure salary to live here comfortably. Companies and nonprofits also have roles to play in supporting our communities. I often ask myself, whats the role I play in all of this? What can I do? I care about community and neighbors and contribute whenever I can. I encourage younger generations to engage in service and tell them nonprofit organizations, such as Coro, do amazing work. I volunteer with Girls on the Run, a nonprofit that teaches elementary and middle-school girls fundamentals of self-esteem and supports them in training for a 5-kilometer run. Supporting local businesses is especially important to me, too, so I get my manicures at the Nail Hall, a female-run business in the Mission. Ive taken painting classes at Root Division and supported local artists through venues like SoFar Sounds. Much of this is about reconnecting with human beings and supporting community. I became attached to my phone during the pandemic, so now I intentionally pull myself away from it walking the citys streets, noticing the purples, pinks, blues and grays of our houses, and many skies. Instead of scrolling while waiting in line, I stand and wait sometimes I make eye contact with someone and say, hi. Sometimes theres a short conversation about how good all this rain was and how its nice to see the sun again. Will I stay here forever? I do not know. Life is uncertain. But whether youre a San Francisco native or a relative newbie like myself, I believe every day we get to choose how we will be the heartbeat of this magnificent city. FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. A regular meeting of the Working Group on Urban Development has been held in the administrative building of Azerbaijans Fuzuli International Airport, Trend's Karabakh bureau reports. The meeting has been chaired by the Head of the Working Group on Urban Planning, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Hummatov. Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories of the Karabakh economic region (except the Shusha district) Emin Huseynov, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Nusrat Suleymanov, Chairman of the Board of the Karabakh Revival Fund Rahman Hajiyev, and Executive Director of the Reconstruction, Construction Service and Management in the Karabakh Economic Region Ovsat Hamidov took part in the event. Besides, head of department at the State Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Agency Ilham Suleymanov, Director of the Technical Department of Azerishig OJSC Vusal Ganbarov, Head of the Planning and Design Department of Azersu OJSC Bahadir Kangarli, Chief Consultant of the Investment and Project Management Department of Amelioration and Water Farm OJSC Elmar Orujov also participated in the meeting. During the meeting, issues regarding the status of work carried out on infrastructure facilities in the settlements of the Fuzuli district being restored in accordance with the Action Plan of the "First State Program of the Great Return" to the liberated territories of Azerbaijan were discussed. Previously, the meeting of the working group on transport, communications and high technologies of the Interdepartmental Center operating at the Coordination Headquarters was held in the Fuzuli International Airport on March 6 this year. The airport was inaugurated on October 26, 2021 by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Samantha Laurey/Samantha Laurey / Special to The Chronicle Pamela Price handily won election as Alameda County district attorney after campaigning on the promise of overhauling the criminal justice system. In her first few months of attempting those reforms, Price, the county's first-ever Black D.A., is already facing harsh criticism. On this episode of the It's All Political on Fifth & Mission podcast, Chronicle reporter Joshua Sharpe joins host Joe Garofoli to discuss the high-profile cases she's contending with, and why she's staying mum on her strategy. The state Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed minority workers at Teslas assembly plant in Fremont to seek a court order requiring the electric-car manufacturer to acknowledge a climate of racial discrimination at the plant and take steps to end it. The justices unanimously denied review of Teslas appeal of a lower-court ruling in January that allowed two Black employees to sue the company for damages, rather than going to arbitration, for their treatment at the factory. That ruling, by the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, also allowed them to request a public injunction that would require Tesla to change its practices for all workers. The appellate ruling, apparently the first in California to authorize a public injunction against racial discrimination in the workplace, became a binding precedent for trial courts statewide after the Supreme Courts action Wednesday. Bryan Schwartz, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the court rejected Teslas latest attempt to stall the prosecution against the company for its despicable race discrimination and harassment against Black workers. He said the damage suit would proceed as a class action, potentially on behalf of thousands of present and past employees. A representative of Tesla was not immediately available for comment. Tesla, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been hit with multiple claims of racial bias at the Fremont plant. The California Civil Rights Department has filed a suit accusing the company of violating state laws against racial discrimination. Last week, a federal jury in San Francisco awarded $3.175 million in damages to Owen Diaz, who said he was repeatedly called racist names and subjected to abuse during 9 months of employment at the Fremont plant. In court filings, Tesla denied any knowledge of racist acts against Diaz, also denied failing to protect Black employees and said it did not hesitate to address racial abuse at the factory when it arose. In Wednesdays case, lawyers for the company argued that the two workers were required to take their individual discrimination claims to an arbitrator, rather than suing for damages on behalf of themselves and others, based on the contracts they signed when they were hired. Arbitration proceedings are held in private, the decisions are virtually unappealable, and studies have found that arbitrators rulings usually favor businesses their frequent customers. But the appeals court said the injunction the employees were seeking would have effects far beyond the individual relations with Tesla that they had agreed to arbitrate. Employment discrimination harms the public at large, Justice Mark Simons wrote in the 3-0 ruling. An injunction against further employment discrimination would inure to the benefit of not only current Tesla employees, but to the benefit of their families and their communities, as well as to the benefit of future Tesla applicants and employees. The case is Vaughn v. Tesla, S278613. A federal judges decision to overturn the governments 23-year-old approval of the medication used in more than half of all abortions in the United States faces an uncertain future in higher courts. But if the ruling is upheld, it could result in a nationwide ban on abortions not just by pills, but by surgery as well. In Fridays ruling, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Texas asserted that the Food and Drug Administration had overlooked the dangers of the drug mifepristone to pregnant women and had caused havoc in the medical community. But the legal bedrock of his decision was the Comstock Act of 1873, which made it a crime to send anything that was obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or vile through the mail, including any substance designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion. Federal courts since at least the 1930s have read the Comstock Act to prohibit only the mailing of drugs that would be used for illegal abortions, an interpretation endorsed by the Justice Department last December in a legal memo to the U.S. Postal Service. But Kacsmaryk said such a reading is at odds with the plain text of the Comstock Act, which contains no such limitations. In other words, it could criminalize abortions performed with the use of anything delivered by mail, including medicines and surgical equipment, said Mary Ziegler, a UC Davis law professor whose fields include health care and reproductive law. Kacsmaryks interpretation opens the door to a ban on any abortion, even in states where it is legal, since every such procedure relies on drugs and devices that might be mailed to clinics, hospitals and doctors offices, Ziegler said in a column Monday in the Los Angeles Times. And, as she noted Tuesday in an interview with The Chronicle, the plain text of the statute is extraordinarily broad. If the case reaches the Supreme Court, Ziegler said, that may be enough for a group of justices opposed to abortion rights who consider themselves textualists, bound by the laws literal wording regardless of its history or consequences. That is a very logical implication of how (Kacsmaryk) reads the Comstock Act a zombie law that has now sprung back to life, said another law professor and veteran legal commentator, Michael Dorf of Cornell University. The Supreme Court has never ruled on the meaning of the 1873 law, sponsored by Anthony Comstock, an anti-obscenity crusader who was appointed that year as a U.S. postal inspector. In 1961, the court dismissed a related law in Connecticut, which banned contraceptive devices, on the grounds that no one had been successfully prosecuted under the law since it was passed in 1879. Justice John Marshall Harlan II wrote an opinion in that case referring to the so-called Comstock Law and said it apparently reflected public opinion of a bygone day. Dorf said Harlans words were a forerunner of the courts 1965 ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, which struck down the state law and declared a constitutional right to privacy, the basis of Roe v. Wade eight years later. Kacsmaryk put his ruling on hold for a week to allow the Biden administration to appeal to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. That court, one of the nations most conservative, is due to decide by Thursday whether to issue a further stay while it considers the case. The administrations request to maintain the status quo in the meantime has drawn support in filings by California and other Democratic-led states and by a group of local governments from around the nation, including the cities of Oakland and Santa Cruz. While polls say a majority of Americans support the right to an abortion, federal lawmakers have been deadlocked on the issue for many decades. After the Supreme Court declared a constitutional right to abortion in Roe v. Wade in 1973, opponents called for a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling, while supporters sought to codify the decision in federal law in case the justices reversed course, as they did last June. Neither side has succeeded. That could change, Ziegler said, if Kacsmaryks ruling becomes the law of the land. I think Democrats would relish the chance to have lots of hearings on Comstock, Ziegler said. She noted the series of recent statewide votes in favor of abortion rights not just in California, but in states as conservative as Kansas and Kentucky. Since the Supreme Courts ruling last year, she said, Senate Republicans have been running scared from the abortion issue. The last thing they want is to be called on to defend the Comstock Act. That doesnt mean Republicans wont defend it. But I think it will cost them enough seats that eventually Comstock will or could be repealed. The sky was raining wildfire ash as Iain Johnston and Michael Sedlacek left San Francisco in August 2020. Like so many restaurant workers, Johnston, 39, and Sedlacek, 35, had been laid off during the pandemic. Both had good jobs in San Francisco. Johnston was the general manager of Trestle and then helped open the Vault before working as a daytime server at the Vault and an evening server at Frances-SF making over $110,000 a year. Sedlacek was bar manager at Gingers, a gay bar known for its drag shows and DJs. The couple had been saving money for their wedding. But, in the end, they were married in their Cow Hollow apartment via a Zoom connection to San Francisco City Hall, rather than throwing a big party. One week later, they left town, using their wedding savings to relocate to New York. Sarah Blesener/Special to The Chronicle As pandemic-fueled job resignations swept the nation, peaking in November 2021, hospitality was among the industries most devastated. San Francisco saw a stunning 55% drop in the number of people who work in food service or food handling from 2019 to 2022, according to census data. The diminished numbers are due to several factors: workers who moved away, those who switched to other professions and those who left the workforce altogether. The San Francisco metro area which comprises San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland saw a 30% decline in food workers during the same time period. But many who left say they may never return, citing the desire for a better quality of life or the need to find a less taxing career. Even before the pandemic, the restaurant industry had a staffing crisis, said Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage, a national organization of 300,000 restaurant and service workers and 2,500 restaurant owners that seeks to improve pay and working conditions. It was becoming increasingly impossible for restaurant workers to live anywhere near the restaurant that needed them. In the Bay Area, you practically have to live in Tracy to work at a San Francisco restaurant. While the loss of workers is a national phenomenon, the effects were particularly pronounced in the high-cost Bay Area. A lot of places in California have a similar bad news story for low-wage workers, but San Francisco seems to be the worst among large counties, said Ted Egan, San Franciscos chief economist. When the first pandemic shutdown happened, We saw a lot of workers throw up their hands and say, Why would I ever come back to this industry? Jayaraman said. They started leaving the industry and the region. The press was calling it the great resignation; our members call it the great revolution. Sarah Blesener/Special to The Chronicle Rafael Mora, 39, has worked at all sorts of food-related jobs: busser, bartender, line cook, prep server. But hes soured on the industry and doesnt want to return. Its a love-hate type of thing, he said. A part of me misses that pace of work, the intensity, the long hours. But the moneys not good, the benefits are not good, especially the older I get. When you work in a restaurant you dont have any control over your schedule. If they need you on a holiday youll work on a holiday. His impetus to change jobs and leave the Bay Area was an injury. Mora was working as a bread delivery driver in the pandemics first year, but he popped something in his back, and found out that a disc in his neck was pressing on his spinal cord. He had just moved into a new shared house in Berkeley, and was worried about making rent. So he packed all his stuff in his 1997 Toyota Corolla and moved back to the safe harbor of his parents Orange County home in late 2020. Allison Zaucha/Special to The Chronicle Now hes pinning hope on getting into technology. He attended a tech boot camp a few years back, and recently landed a data-entry job at a nonprofit. In addition, hes working part-time as a vocational instructor for people returning to the workforce after injuries who need to learn computer skills and often ESL. Im still passionate about food and cooking, but I dont want to go back to restaurants, he said. And he has no plans to return to the Bay Area. I wish I had the finances to stay up there, he said. For the Bay Area food workers who remained or returned, there is an upside: better wages and benefits. Restaurant owners say they are pulling out all the stops in the scramble to lure and retain workers, raising salaries, enhancing benefits, adding new benefits and increasing opportunities to scale the career ladder. Its important for us to pay people what it takes to try to live here, said Matt Brewer, co-owner of Che Fico and Che Fico Alimentari, which have around 90 employees in San Francisco. Investing in your team and paying wages commensurate with the city we live in is very important. SFNext is Chronicle coverage devoted to the city's most vexing problems. To become involved: Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@SFChronicle.com Among the benefits its added or enhanced: a 401(k) with a match up to 4%, profit sharing, traditional health insurance plus the OrderUp service, which provides fundamental health needs for free of charge including a clinic, generic prescription drugs, mental health, physical therapy. We wanted to make sure that when people came back, we paid them more, provided more benefits, more professional opportunities, Brewer said. We made that decision early on, and that really helped us as we reopened. Still, the shrinking pool of workers has been felt. Hiring has been brutal for most (restaurants), really difficult, said John Clark, co-owner of Foreign Cinema in the Mission. There are a lot fewer workers around, thats quite true. During the pandemic, Clarks restaurant furloughed employees (rather than doing layoffs) and paid their health benefits, as well as crowdfunding for some extras. Staff who had been with us for 15 or 18 years, we werent going to lose them over this, he said. We felt we would invest in saving staff even if it came out of the panerships pocket, which it did. When Foreign Cinema reopened, only about 50 employees out of 135 pre-pandemic wanted to return. Easily 40 or 50 people had moved away during the pandemic, Clark said. So many people got freaked out in the city and moved away from this area because of the cost of living and fears of contagion. The Get Involved calendar Search for public meetings on top San Francisco issues so you can add your voice. Wages are ever-rising, up 20% to 25% since before the pandemic for people working back of house, he said, with more raises coming. Egan said the wage increases are a double-edged sword. Its good for the people getting the increased wages who are still here, but it has constrained the recovery of the leisure and hospitality sector, he said. It is the sector still most down in the city, a combination of demand and rising costs, especially labor costs. Receipts at fine-dining restaurants in San Francisco are down 21.6% from the final quarter of 2019 to the same period in 2022, according to sales-tax data. Quick-service restaurants, meaning fast food, are down 44.5%, while fast-casual restaurants are down 15.9%. By contrast, grocery receipts are up 13.7%. My impression is the margins are getting squeezed on fine dining, as it is very tied to the corporate market, Egan said. If you dont have the office workers, the demand for it is down. Alfonso Duran/Special to The Chronicle Living in the beating heart of San Francisco was fine when they both had jobs. But when Nancy Martinez, 40, and Matt Titman, 35, were laid off during the pandemic she was a server at Zuni Cafe and he was an expeditor at Gary Danko suddenly they were home all day with their toddler and Goldendoodle in a tiny Tenderloin studio. Although their home was a plant-filled sanctuary, outside was a different story. Youd look out the window and see drug dealers and drug abusers, hear ambulances and fire trucks, Martinez said. People were passing out in the street, or shooting up. When we walked the dog, there were needles everywhere and the smell of pee and poop. It hurts your soul to see all these things happening. Alfonso Duran/Special to The Chronicle So they decided to visit Titmans father, a retired firefighter, in Florida. They liked it so much they ended up staying. We live in Plantation, 20 minutes away from the beach, and his dad lives 10 minutes away from us in a gorgeous home with lots of land, Martinez said. We have high ceilings, a garage, and a gorgeous view of a huge lake. There are some drawbacks. Both were used to working in upscale restaurants, which dont exist in their new community. So Titman commutes 45 minutes each way to Miami to work as an expeditor, the person who manages and prioritizes the flow of waiters orders to the kitchen, the same job he did in San Francisco. His $90,000 salary makes him the family breadwinner, while Martinez is working as an administrator at a nearby preschool, attended by their 4-year-old son, Mylo. The pay is nowhere near as good as it was being a server in a nice restaurant, she said. Her starting salary: $9 an hour, just a tad over Floridas then-minimum wage. Its higher now, but still far shy of the generous tips she earned in San Francisco. When we left, Matt said, We can come back when everything is over, Martinez said. In my head, I was like, Why are we coming back? I left happy because I was so ready to leave. Alfonso Duran/Special to The Chronicle Johnston and Sedlacek, the newlyweds who fled pandemic-marred San Francisco for New York, landed an apartment on the water in Brooklyns Greenpoint neighborhood. While they miss people and places from their West Coast life, they dont think they will return. San Francisco is a small beach town compared to New York and we love the big city so this is probably our forever home, Johnston said. Sedlacek found a great footing, as his husband put it, as a bartender in the West Village. Johnston used the lockdown time to attend a boot camp for tech sales. Two years later, Im still entry-level, but the tech job is big capital letter Career, with potential to go beyond anything I could earn in a restaurant, he said. Still, as an extrovert, he missed aspects of waiting tables. The restaurant filled me with life, he said. I was having trouble working remotely, not being around people, being ripped away from the social aspect of bars and restaurants. So now he works a couple of nights a week as a server at Le Rock, a buzzy new brasserie overlooking the skating rink at Rockefeller Center. Its so much fun, he said. But the couple are also realistic about longevity or lack thereof in the restaurant industry. Sarah Blesener/Special to The Chronicle Its standing on your feet, eating all the salty food, super noisy, Johnston said. If youre not earning profits as an owner, how much more can you take? Earning tips is a hustle. In your 50s will you still be working five shifts at a restaurant? Their long-term goal is to own their own restaurant, a bar with food. Its in the works for our 50s, Johnson said. For San Francisco, its possible that the scarcity of restaurant workers will continue and have ripple effects on the overall economy. The citys overinflated housing market is a huge impediment to increasing the low-wage labor force. Im worried that the people who moved out were able to live here because of rent control, and now will find it harder to afford to live and work in San Francisco, Egan said. That might lead to a greater share of restaurant workers commuting from outside the city, which of course adds to their costs as well. We may be stuck with a reduced supply of labor for these industries that everyone wants to grow for the citys health and vitality (and that give people) a reason to come downtown. San Francisco supervisors and activists are pressuring City Attorney David Chiu to use more than $130 million the city is set to receive from pharmaceutical companies in opioid litigation to open supervised drug consumption sites. Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who is leading the charge to open the sites, has accused Chiu of standing in the way. Chiu has said he wants nonprofits to pay to supervise drug consumption to shield the city from liability. Thats because such sites are technically illegal under federal law, and the Trump administration sued a Philadelphia nonprofit that tried to open one. But under President Biden, a New York City organization has run two sites without repercussions for more than a year, and Rhode Island is set to open its own by the end of this year using opioid settlement dollars. Chiu repeated in an email statement Tuesday that he supports the New York model, which uses no city funding, property or staff to supervise drug use. A local nonprofit raised money to pay for supervision and used public funds for all other services. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2022 Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show Less But the three San Francisco nonprofits that could run sites told The Chronicle they either cant raise the nearly $2 million a year per site needed to pay staff to supervise drug consumption or are unwilling to take on the legal liability without full city support. There are problems that are worth taking a risk for, Ronen told The Chronicle on Tuesday. And I say that two people dying a day of drug overdoses and children having to see so much really traumatic drug use on their streets are two issues worth taking a risk for. SFNext is Chronicle coverage devoted to the city's most vexing problems. To become involved: Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@SFChronicle.com Advocates for years have wanted to open sites where people could use drugs under medical supervision, arguing research shows sites around the world have reduced the risk and frequency of drug use without increasing public drug use. Critics contend sites enable addiction without pushing for abstinence or prosecuting drug dealing. The debate is heating up as opioid settlement dollars flow into city coffers. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors had been set to approve two more payouts one with CVS and another with Walmart that would bring in between $7 million and $19 million. The range depends on how many other jurisdictions sign on. On Wednesday, the board approved two more payouts one with CVS and another with Walmart that would bring in between $7 million and $19 million. The range depends on how many other jurisdictions sign on. The amount would add on to half a dozen other settlements that could tally up to at least $130 million. The city has already received $7 million. While its up to supervisors to decide how to use the opioid settlement funds, Chiu has power to approve contracts, which the city would need in order to run a site with a nonprofit. Chiu said Tuesday that he shares the supervisors frustration with the current state of the law, but said, Its my job to legally defend the City and County of San Francisco. He said he believes in the ability of overdose prevention sites to save lives. As a former state Assembly member, he was the principal co-author of a law that would have allowed San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles to open pilot supervision programs and protected medical professionals who worked at the centers from being stripped of their licenses. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the law last year, citing unspecified unintended consequences. After the veto, Chiu publicly came out in support of the New York model and said he has advised San Francisco policymakers to move forward since visiting New York Citys sites in 2021. I believe that overdose prevention centers can open in San Francisco under this model, he said. The Get Involved calendar Search for public meetings on top San Francisco issues so you can add your voice. Advocates disagree with Chius opinion that opioid settlement dollars are public funds that would pin liability on the city, since most of the money comes from private lawsuits. The Public Defenders Office also contested the legal risk of opening sites in a memo, arguing that a ruling in the ongoing Philadelphia case doesnt apply because its in a different jurisdiction. Supporters also push back on the notion that the New York model, which is struggling financially, is not feasible. Chiu and supervisors are set to discuss the use of funds from opioid lawsuit settlements and related legal matters behind closed doors on April 18. Ronen said she has the support of Mayor London Breed, and told The Chronicle on Tuesday that city Policy Director Andres Power told her that her office would support using opioid settlements for supervised drug consumption with the city attorneys blessing. Breeds office, in an official email statement Tuesday, reiterated the mayors support for the New York model. The office said it continues to seek federal legal clarity on the use of public funds to open a site, wont use them until they get it and deferred to the city attorney to determine what funds are eligible. Ronen and others point out that the city already funded an unofficial supervised consumption site last year at the Tenderloin Center in U.N. Plaza. Staff allowed visitors to use drugs in an outdoor area and reversed 333 overdoses. Breed closed the site after 11 months, saying it was a temporary measure that didnt link as many people to housing and treatment as she hoped. Overdose deaths jumped after that, which experts suspected was linked to the closure. The S.F. health department said it would open smaller similar centers, but Breed's administration pulled the rug on two locations last year, arguing they were still waiting on federal legal guidance. Lydia Bransten, executive director of the Gubbio Project, one nonprofit set to open a site, said on Tuesday she was asking Chiu to support this cause in an act of civil disobedience with us to save the lives of people who are using drugs. She said her nonprofit has an annual budget of around $500,000 and expressed frustration that San Francisco concluded it was too risky to fund and then told small nonprofits to fundraise with that risk. The big city isnt going to help bear the liability; youre going to ask the little guy to. Its not fair, she said. Gary McCoy, spokesperson for HealthRight 360, said the nonprofit has been trying to raise funds to open a site, with no luck yet. He and Laura Thomas with the AIDS Foundation, another organization that wants to run a site, said they believe its the citys responsibility to fully support sites. Supervisors did pass an exemption to city law last month that allows Breed and her staff to fundraise for supervised consumption sites. At the time, Breeds office said they were working to identify funds, but didnt have an update on any progress Tuesday. The effort to name wild parrots the official animal of San Francisco didnt quite take flight this week, as two common culprits in this city, property crime and bureaucracy, temporarily grounded the effort. Wild parrots won a Chronicle contest to name the citys official animal after Chronicle culture critic Peter Hartlaub and I learned the city strangely had none. We offered up 16 contenders, including the Mission blue butterfly, the San Francisco garter snake and the Golden Gate Park bison, and online voters narrowed the field each week in March until parrots were the last animal standing. Or flying. Supervisor Myrna Melgar quickly authored a resolution making it official, and Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safai joined the effort. But they soon faced turbulence. First, the board on Tuesday recessed its meeting after a vandal spliced a fiber-optic cable owned by Comcast, meaning the meeting couldnt be broadcast on local TV as required. Hartlaub and I speculated the culprit may have been a sea lion, the contest heavyweight that won the first three rounds of voting before falling to the parrots in the final hours. No arrests, human or otherwise, have been made. Martin Gee/Special to The Chronicle The board meeting resumed Wednesday, and public speakers parroted Melgars musings about the wild birds representing the city perfectly. Mark Bittner, the star of the documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, described them as colorful, intelligent and energetic. I know some people are concerned with the fact that theyre nonnative, Bittner told the supervisors. But the original environment is gone. We live in an artificial environment, and theyre a really colorful representative of what we have created here. I consider them my friends. Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who spends much of his time talking about the fentanyl epidemic and police understaffing, said its crucial to sometimes honor the fun, whimsical side of our city, too. Its important for city leaders to remind people that we can debate public policies and take seriously the serious problems were facing and we can celebrate the blessings of our city, Dorsey said. In the end, the parrots faced no pushback from supervisors and got unanimous support. They were two worthy candidates in a very tight race, Peskin, the board president, mused from his dais. The parrots prevailed. The resolution is adopted. He slammed his gavel. But the parrots havent soared into the history books just yet. Turns out Melgar introduced a mere resolution, and it takes an ordinance to change the administrative code. As Jennifer Kwart, spokesperson for the city attorney, explained, Todays resolution reflects the boards intention to introduce an ordinance to amend the administrative code to make the designation legally binding. So all the board did was unanimously say they plan to make wild parrots the official animal of the city at a later date. The administrative code is where all the other official emblems of our city colors, a tree, a band, two songs and more are enshrined, and Melgar said the parrots deserve no less. She said shell submit an ordinance and get it approved by the city attorney and that itll likely be heard in the Government Audit & Oversight Committee in a few weeks. But were not squawking. The cable splicing and bureaucratic bumbling makes the animal contest even more San Francisco. Winter and spring continue to clash over the Bay Area this week as the regions fog quickly gets stomped out by Wednesdays low-pressure system. This systems winds are set to kick up a coastal jet similar to the one from Tuesday, only this time its looking to draw in drier air from Oregon. This weather setup will lead to cooler temperatures across the region, despite sunny skies overhead. The system also known as a dry Pacific storm will have all the qualities of storms that slammed Northern California back in the winter, including a cold front and strong winds. The one thing it will be missing is an atmospheric river. But even without the moisture, this system will likely raise some hazardous winds across portions of the Bay Area as the day goes on. A rainless storm Unlike storms in March that ushered in downpours and blinding snow to Northern California, the system on Wednesday will operate a little differently. Thats because winters constant flow of atmospheric rivers has largely faded. But this system is still technically a storm. Thats because it will hold a deep center of circulation as it approaches the Bay Area, sweeping the region with a cold front Wednesday afternoon. Baron/Lynx The lack of atmospheric rivers will be in full display as the low-pressure system taps into what little moisture is available. Weather models forecast a few stray showers off the coast on Wednesday morning, with most of them fizzling by the time they reach the Peninsula. The European and North American forecasting models suggest there will be enough moisture for drizzles in some Bay Area hillsides by evening, similar to misty conditions earlier this week. For now, the chance of drizzles remains low, with accumulations amounting to a few hundredths of an inch. But that doesnt mean this dry low-pressure system can be shrugged off. A windy afternoon The cold front will usher in cold, northwest winds to the coastline, raising gusts up to 50 mph in Point Reyes and Bodega Bay. Some of this will spread into San Francisco and the Peninsula, with gusts up to 45 mph possible. Wednesday afternoons winds will also gradually spill into the wider Bay Area, though in the 25 to 30 mph range. Baron/Lynx Despite some sunshine, it looks like Wednesday will be the coldest day of the week. These chilly northwest winds are forecast to drop temperatures by 5 to 7 degrees compared with Monday and Tuesday. This means daytime highs are likely to only reach the upper 50s by the water and lower 60s along San Francisco Bay. Winds are looking to gradually drop off in the evening as the cold front trails off into Southern California, but pay attention to any wind advisories and warnings from the National Weather Service. Wednesday breakdown San Francisco: Rounds of long, wavy stratus clouds or high fog are forecast to spill into parts of the west side, Twin Peaks and Mount Davidson this morning. Sunshine will burn off most of the fog after 9 a.m. Another round of cold, northwest winds will be looking to pick up after 11 a.m. These winds are likely to last through the day, gusting to 45 mph between Ocean Beach and 19th Avenue. Expect 35 mph across most of the west side, including around the zoo and Lake Merced. Residents between Munis Forest Hill and Montgomery stations can expect gusts to 30 mph this afternoon. Because of Wednesdays winds, temperatures are looking to stay in the mid-50s by the water and hillsides and upper 50s in downtown and the Mission. Calmer conditions are slated for the evening, with gusts ramping down and temperatures falling to the mid-40s east of Sutro Tower and upper 40s on the west side and to the south. Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Patches of fog are slated for Highway 1 between Pacifica and Pescadero and along Highway 92 between Half Moon Bay and San Mateo this morning. Most clouds will clear out after 10 a.m. as northwest winds kick up. Look for 35 to 45 mph gusts, with 20 to 30 mph possible along the San Bruno Gap including Daly City, Millbrae and San Francisco International Airport. Expect partly cloudy skies this afternoon as these winds raise humidity levels and keep highs in the mid-50s. Lighter breezes and sunnier skies are on tap along the I-280 and 101 corridors south of San Mateo, which will allow for temperatures to reach the upper 50s to lower 60s. After sunset, expect temperatures to fall to the mid-40s along the hillsides of the Peninsula while residents closer to the coast and bay can look for lows in the upper 40s. North Bay: Residents are in for a roller-coaster of temperatures, with the weather forecast calling for cool, morning fog in the Santa Rosa, Napa and Petaluma valleys. Most of it will burn off after 10 a.m., allowing temperatures to soar from the 40s to the upper 60s by the afternoon. This warmth will extend into most of the inland valleys, though forested areas around Healdsburg and Guerneville are likely to only get to the mid-60s. This warmth will spread to the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains and spill into portions of Solano County by midday, raising highs to the upper 60s and lower 70s in cities like Fairfield and Vacaville. The rest of the region will deal with northwest winds off the coast, with gusts reaching 50 mph at Point Reyes and Bodega Bay by afternoon. Some of these winds will reach Mount Tam and the Marin County coastline, but gusts along San Francisco and San Pablo bays are looking to stay below 40 mph. Look for 15 to 25 mph gusts across most of Tiburon, San Rafael and Sausalito. Daytime highs here are looking to remain closer to the lower 60s. Expect lows in the mid-40s in the inland valleys and upper 40s by the water. East Bay: Stray clouds and patchy fog are on tap this morning for the area around the Dublin-Pleasanton BART Station, with most of the San Ramon and Livermore valleys expected to see sunnier skies by midday. The sunshine will help raise temperatures to the lower 60s across Alameda and Contra Costa counties, with a few upper 50s on tap for Albany, Richmond and Oakland International Airport. Residents in Oakland and along the I-880 corridor will likely experience breezy afternoon conditions, with gusts reaching 20 mph. These winds will die down by evening. Thanks to humidity, there is a brief chance for the lightest of drizzles on the Oakland and Berkeley hills this evening. Expect nighttime lows in the upper 40s by the bays and delta and mid-40s in the inland valleys. South Bay and Santa Cruz: Residents in the Cupertino Hills are likely to wake up to rounds of patchy fog as cool, moist air from the Santa Cruz Mountains spills into the Santa Clara Valley. Fog is likely to spill into some of the mountain valley communities west of Highway 17, including Felton, Scotts Valley and Ben Lomond. Most of these clouds will clear out by 9 a.m., making way for sunnier afternoon skies. But highs are looking to stay in the upper 50s across the Santa Cruz Mountains and the foothills that surround San Jose thanks to a light breeze off San Francisco Bay. This breeze will flow along Highways 17 and 101, keeping most of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties from exceeding 60 degrees. A little bit of warming from light winds off the Sierra de Salinas will help raise temperatures in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel above 60 degrees for a brief hour or two this afternoon, but temperatures will quickly drop to the upper 50s as the breeze off Monterey Bay comes ashore after 2 p.m. FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. The total length of the street network in Azerbaijans Fuzuli city will be 87.5 kilometers, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Hummatov said, Trend reports. Hummatov made the remark at a meeting of the Working Group on Urban Development under the Interdepartmental Center of the Coordination Headquarters in the Fuzuli International Airport. According to him, design work on 18 kilometers of this network has been completed and transferred to the Main Department of State Expertise of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan. "At the end of this month the project is expected to be approved and the construction of the street network in Fuzuli city will begin, the official noted. He reminded that in 2022, 1,536 hectares of land were de-mined in Fuzuli. The decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, issued in January this year, envisions de-mining of 2,620 hectares of territories in the settlements of Fuzuli district. In the first quarter of this year, 622 hectares were de-mined. All this creates conditions for the start of intensive construction work," Hummatov added. Previously, the meeting of the working group on transport, communications and high technologies of the Interdepartmental Center operating at the Coordination Headquarters was held in the Fuzuli International Airport on March 6 this year. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images A Bay Area man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after flying halfway across the country to have sex with a minor, prosecutors say. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Missouri, Edson S. Ortiz, 30, used Snapchat and WhatsApp to send sexually explicit messages to a Missouri girl, who was 14 when they began corresponding. A California man whose disappearance in Mexico two months ago spurred a major search by friends and family was found dead last week, officials said. Wilmer Dean Trivetts body was discovered in a clandestine grave near Todos Santos, a small town on the Pacific Coast of Mexicos Baja California peninsula, Daniel de la Rosa Anaya, prosecutor for the state of Baja California Sur, said in a press conference April 5. A specially trained dog helped with the search. De la Rosa said a local man and his sister were arrested in connection with the killing, which he said apparently stemmed from a dispute over a traffic accident dating back to 2019. Jewels Nation, a friend of Trivetts who lives in Todos Santos, told KCRA that Trivett accidentally reversed his camper van into a car in a grocery store parking lot in Todos Santos. After the crash, Trivett paid the man and woman about $2,500 for damages, but de la Rosa alleged the pair decided it wasnt enough and later abducted and killed him. The suspects face homicide charges, he said. Mexico State Search Commission/Handout Trivett, an 80-year-old retiree, was living in the Sierra town Markleeville at the time of the disappearance, but he traveled to Mexico nearly every winter, Barnett English, a close friend, told SFGATE on the phone. Trivetts brother, Rick Trivett, told KCRA that this was his brothers first road trip to Mexico alone since his wife died in 2019. Trivett was first reported missing on Feb. 11 in Todos Santos, where he had been staying in his camper van near the beach and visiting his friends in town. Our friends down in Mexico knew he was missing that morning because hed walk down the beach with his dog every morning, but on Feb. 11 his dog showed up and he did not, English said. They knew right then something was wrong. They walked up to where he was camped and his vehicle was gone. Friends and family launched a massive effort to find Trivett, spreading the word on social media and searching on the ground. People were searching on both sides of the border, people on horseback, drones, lots of social media, Barnett said. English met Trivett 30 years ago at Kirkwood Resort while Trivett was standing at the ski resorts entrance greeting skiers. I thought, What is up with this guy? said English, who lives in Joshua Tree. He honestly could befriend almost anyone. He would meet you and embrace the best of what you had to offer. While Trivett was 80 years old, English said that he could run circles around people half his age. On a recent visit to Joshua Tree, English said that his friend went on a 5-mile hike. He was in no way ready to be done living, he said. He was incredibly vital, he was swimming in the ocean daily in Mexico and walking. English is the founder of the Joshua Tree Music Festival that Trivett attended annually. On May 19, friends and family will celebrate Trivetts life at the festival. If you know him, then you know his zest for life is a next level, off-the-charts phenomenon, English wrote in a Facebook message announcing the event. Hes a big-hearted force of nature. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Peter Unger/Getty Images A Tuesday meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was re-scheduled after a Comcast cable box a few blocks from City Hall was vandalized, according to multiple reports. The box is located on Hyde and Geary streets. Online images posted by NBC Bay Area show that the box's cover had been removed, exposing the cables inside. A spokesperson for Comcast told The San Francisco Standard that a fiber enclosure in the box had been "completely destroyed." "A fiber enclosure in an underground vault was completely destroyed, disrupting services to customers served by that portion of Comcasts network," the spokesperson told the Standard. "Comcast is working quickly and diligently to restore services for customers impacted by the damage to our network." Meetings of the Board of Supervisors are broadcast on Comcast cable channels 26 and 78, and because the meetings are supposed to be broadcast to the public, the supervisors had to postpone their meeting which was scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday to Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. "Some view property crime as minor. Its not. Garage break-ins, auto vandalism, etc., have real impacts," state Sen. Scott Wiener wrote on Twitter after the incident. "Here, property crime literally shut down the Board of Supervisors, in addition to interrupting internet for some San Franciscans (who may rely on internet for work)." An SFGATE request for more information sent to the San Francisco Police Department was not returned in time for publication. The destruction of the box in the city's downtown area comes amid a broader discussion in San Francisco about crime. On Monday, the Downtown Whole Foods Market at 1185 Market St. announced that it would be closing this week, citing concerns over crime in the area. It's closure comes a little more than one year after it opened. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Billionaire Warren Buffett assured investors Wednesday that Berkshire Hathaway will be fine when he's no longer around to lead the conglomerate. Buffett said that after Vice Chairman Greg Abel takes over, Berkshire will still follow the same model of allowing its subsidiaries to largely run themselves while looking for other companies to buy with the substantial cash reserves it keeps on hand at all times. The problem for our board of directors is the day Im not around and Gregs running it, I am not giving him some envelope that tells him what to do next, Buffett said. Buffett said Berkshire is so damn lucky to have Abel ready to take over as CEO. The 92-year-old says he has no plans to retire, but Abel has been designated as the successor ever since Buffett's partner Charlie Munger let it slip at the 2021 annual meeting. Abel already oversees all of Berkshire's non-insurance businesses. Buffett and Abel appeared together Wednesday on CNBC from Tokyo where they are checking on several companies Berkshire has invested in, and to promote the conglomerate Buffett leads. Wednesdays appearance was the first extended television interview Buffett has done since before the pandemic. He used to regularly appear on the cable business news network to answer questions for three hours at a time, several times a year. Buffett and Abel fielded a variety of questions Wednesday, including regarding the recent bank failures and whether railroads, including Berkshire's BNSF railroad, need to improve safety in the wake of several recent high-profile derailments. Buffett said more banks will fail over time because some managers will continue to do dumb things to boost short-term profits, but most people shouldn't worry because their money is protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which is paid for by the banks not the federal government. Were not over bank failures, but depositors havent had a crisis, Buffett said. Banks go bust, but depositors arent going to be hurt. Berkshire sold off most of its bank investments in recent years except for a major Bank of America stake because of Buffett's concerns. I dont like it when people get too focused on the earnings number and forget what in my view is basic banking principles, he said. There has been an intense focus on improving railroad safety in the wake of the fiery Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment outside East Palestine, Ohio, that prompted evacuations and lingering health concerns after hazardous chemicals were released. Buffett said Norfolk Southern handled it terribly and was tone deaf in their initial response to that derailment. He pointed out that after a recent BNSF derailment, CEO Katie Farmer was on a plane right away to respond to the crash. Norfolk Southern's CEO Alan Shaw has repeatedly promised to make things right in East Palestine, but he was slow to meet with residents after the derailment and the railroad missed one of the initial community meetings to answer residents' questions. Norfolk Southern didn't respond directly to Buffett's comments, but a spokesman noted that Shaw was in East Palestine in the days right after the derailment when officials decided to release chemicals from several tank cars and burn them to prevent an explosion. Buffett and Abel said it's impossible to ensure there will be no derailments because of everything that's involved in running a railroad in all sorts of conditions, but the industry is generally getting safer over time, and it will get better now. Theres no question theres lessons to be learned for the industry as a whole and theres room for improvement, Abel said. Addressing the broader economy, Buffett said inflation remains a concern and that the reports he sees from Berkshire's businesses point to a economic slowdown. But he reiterated his longstanding philosophy that Berkshire doesn't make investing decisions based on macroeconomic factors. We havent changed our course in 58 years," Buffett said. "We want to buy good businesses that are run by people we like and trust at a decent price, and well keep doing that. And well keep buying treasury bills every Monday. Buffett did reconsider a $4 billion investment he made last year in chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor after he said he re-evaluated the geopolitical risk that China could intervene in that country and disrupt the company's operations. But Buffett remains one of Apple's biggest backers even though that company relies heavily on Chinese suppliers because he believes that most iPhone users would refuse to give up their Apple devices even if someone offered them $10,000. That customer loyalty makes Apple, which is Berkshire's biggest investment, attractive. The famously tech-averse Buffett said thanks to his longtime friendship with Bill Gates, he did have a chance to play around with one of the latest artificial intelligence tools, ChatGPT, a few months ago. He came away impressed after asking ChatGPT to rewrite the song My Way in Spanish, but unsure about the implications of the technology. I think this is extraordinary, but I dont know if it is beneficial, he said. One thing Buffett is pretty sure is a bad idea is Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He said people are essentially gambling on cryptocurrencies that he doesn't believe have much value, but he can't predict when the speculation driving those prices up will end. Ive seen people do stupid things all my life, he said. Berkshire owns dozens of businesses besides BNSF, including Geico insurance, a number of large utilities and an assortment of manufacturing and retail businesses. It also holds more than $300 billion of investments, including major stakes in Occidental Petroleum and Coca-Cola. SEATTLE (AP) A judge has ruled against a suburban Seattle gun shop owner who sold high-capacity ammunition magazines despite a state ban. The King County judges decision last week granted state Attorney General Bob Fergusons motion for partial summary judgment, finding Federal Way Discount Guns and owner Mohammed Reza Baghai in violation of Washingtons Consumer Protection Act, The Seattle Times reported. Ferguson sued the shop and Baghai, and another King County judge previously ordered the retailer to stop selling the magazines. Federal Way Discount Guns chose to violate a law that makes our communities safer, Ferguson said in a statement. (The) ruling is an important step toward holding them accountable. Since July 2022, it has been illegal under Washington state law to manufacture, distribute, sell or offer for sale gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, with limited exceptions. Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, said at the time the law could reduce the carnage seen in mass shootings because people could have the chance to escape or stop a shooter in the time it takes that person to reload a weapon. The shop argued in King County Superior Court filings that Baghai didnt brazenly disregard the ban. Instead, he listened to law enforcement officials who told him the ban was unconstitutional and, therefore, wouldnt be enforced, court documents said. The filings in late March argue the Second Amendment grants Baghai and his shop a right to sell weapons, including the magazines. The documents had asked Superior Court Judge Wyman Yip to dismiss Fergusons request for partial summary judgment, noting two pending lawsuits in Washingtons federal district court challenging the state ban. The gun shop didn't respond to requests from the newspaper for comment. Ferguson sued the shop and its owner in December for violating the law after an investigation into gun retailers across the state found Baghai was illegally selling high-capacity magazines, which were on full display. Yip ruled the shop violated Washingtons Consumer Protection Act, according to the Attorney Generals Office. Baghai did not contest that the shop sold at least 2,600 high-capacity magazines in the months before Ferguson filed the December lawsuit. Baghai faces a maximum penalty of $7,500 for every high-capacity magazine offered for sale and another $7,500 fine for every high-capacity magazine actually sold. Washington state in recent years has expanded gun purchase background checks, created extreme risk protection orders, banned bump stocks, increased the age to buy semi-automatic weapons and prohibited the open carry of weapons near permitted demonstrations. Several gun bills this legislative session including a ban on semi-automatic rifles are expected to make it to the governor's desk as well. FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. Huge work has been done as part of the preparation of city-planning documents for Azerbaijan's Fuzuli district, said First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Gummatov, Trend reports. He made the remark at a meeting of the Working Group on Urban Planning, operating under the interdepartmental center of the coordination headquarters, held today at the Fuzuli International Airport. He said that on March 18, 2023, the general plan for Fuzuli was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. According to him, the town-planning justification of the village of Devletyarli, which will be built based on the 'smart village' concept, has been approved. He also added that the concept of the villages of Pirahmadli and Dedeli has been developed, and approval of these documents is expected in a short time. "Construction work in the village of Devletyarli is scheduled to begin in August of this year, and in the villages of Pirahmedli and Dedeli - in October of this year. In 2023, it is planned to prepare the design of 7 more villages in the Fuzuli region - Garghabazar, Juvarli, Gochahmedli, Garakollu, Garakhanbeyli, Horadiz and Mirzajamalli," he said. Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia. A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. BOSTON (AP) Seven men who authorities said worked with the speed and efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew" to steal catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, resulting in losses estimated at $2 million, were arrested Wednesday, federal prosecutors said. The men frequently targeted as many as 10 vehicles per night, and on one night stole from 26 vehicles, Rachael Rollins, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said at a news conference. The suspects worked like a NASCAR pit crew" using skill and speed" to jack up vehicles and cut out the catalytic converters, Rollins said. Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem across multitudes of states, local and federal jurisdictions, she said. Five of the men are from Springfield, Massachusetts, one is from Holyoke, and the alleged ringleader, Rafael Davila, 35, is from Agawam, authorities said. The defendants face a variety of charges including interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering conspiracy. Davila's federal public defender said in an email he had no comment. Catalytic converters are a part of a vehicles exhaust system that help control toxic emissions. Thefts of the exhaust emission control devices have jumped nationwide as prices for the precious metals they contain have skyrocketed. The devices contain metals such as platinum that are more valuble than gold and when cut from a vehicle's undercarriage can fetch more than $1,000 on the black market, federal authorities said. One of those metals, rhodium, sells for $8,200 an ounce, Rollins said. The thefts cause headaches for families and businesses that have to pay to have them replaced, she said. ConsumerAffairs.com says they can cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars to replace, not including labor. Authorities suspect the crew was responsible for at least 471 catalytic converter thefts this year and last. Dozens of local police departments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire were involved in the investigation, dubbed Operation Cut and Run, and some noticed that at in many instances, a maroon Acura was involved in the thefts. That car was eventually traced to Davila, prosecutors said. Federal authorities allege that one of the defendants, Jose Torres, 37, sold up to $80,000 worth of stolen catalytic converters per week to scrap dealers, who are also facing charges. An email seeking comment was left with Torres' attorney. Some of the defendants are also alleged to have stolen bank cash machines and committed burglaries at two New Hampshire jewelry stores. Currently Reading Alert: NPR says it will stop using Twitter after the platform labeled its main account "government-funded media" PARIS (AP) A French investigative news website claims that actor Gerard Depardieu has been accused of harassing, groping or sexually assaulting 13 young women, mainly extras. Most of the claims reported by the Mediapart website relate to film shoots between 2004 and 2022. None of the women has filed a complaint. Depardieu himself has denied any criminal behavior. Depardieu, 74, is among Frances most well-known stars. He was placed under investigation in December 2020 for rape and sexual assault, reportedly at his Paris home, following claims by an actress in 2018. The investigation is ongoing. Mediapart, which is regarded as a reliable website, published the accusations in an article on Tuesday. They feed into the long-standing stereotype of an industry full of dirty secrets where silence is golden. The incidents allegedly took place in public places, mainly on film sets. In a Manhattan cabaret for the filming of the 2015 movie Big House, Depardieu allegedly tried to fondle three non-French extras. One of them, then aged 24, recounted to Mediapart, I felt his fingers trying to slip in to get to my knickers. The wardrobe assistant for the 2015 movie Big House, Isabel Butel, told Mediapart of her shock at the reaction on set. It was kind of Oh thats Gerard, hes a bit mischievous! she was quoted as saying. Another extra, identified as Helene Darras, then 26, went to the police last year, 14 years after Depardieu allegedly kept grabbing her buttocks during filming of the 2008 comedy Disco. Darras stayed silent at the time, not wanting to make an enemy of casting directors. She eventually gave her account to police because the film world is full of Gerards and we have to speak up, she said. Those interviewed, be they actresses, location assistants or others, said they complained about Depardieus vulgar remarks, groans and straying hands but drew only silence, or laughs, from others. People are afraid, Mediapart quoted one casting director as saying. She said her colleagues and friends unanimously reacted to her decision to talk to Mediapart by saying, Are you crazy? Lawyers for Depardieu, from the law firm Temime, formally deny all allegations that (could) concern criminal law, Mediapart wrote, and called the allegations a veritable indictment to which the actor has no intention of responding. Depardieu, who has appeared in 200 films over six decades, is one of only a few French actors who have made a name for themselves in Hollywood. He won a Golden Globe for his performance in Green Card, a 1990 English-language romantic comedy co-starring Andie MacDowell. Depardieus first big hit in France was Les Valseuses, (Going Places), Bertrand Bliers classic farce about two wandering thugs. Before crossing the Atlantic to star in Green Card, Depardieu played an array of roles, ranging from Jean Valjean, the thief-turned-saint in Les Miserables, to Christopher Columbus. In 2014, he played the leading role in Welcome to New York, the film inspired by the life of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former director of the International Monetary Fund who was accused in 2011 of sexually assaulting a hotel maid. The charges against Strauss-Kahn were later dropped. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES (AP) A former Los Angeles auctioneer has agreed to plead guilty in a cross-country art fraud scheme where he created fake artwork and falsely attributed the paintings to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The paintings ultimately wound up at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida before they were seized by federal agents last year in a scandal that roiled the museum and led to its CEO's departure after he threatened an art expert and told her to shut up. Basquiat, a Neo-expressionist painter whose success came during the 1980s, lived and worked in New York before he died in 1988 at age 27 from a drug overdose. The Orlando Museum of Art scandal came in 2022 when a federal raid ended in the seizure of 25 paintings whose authenticity had been in question for a decade. The museum had been the first to display the artwork, and its former director had previously insisted the artwork was legitimate. Defendant Michael Barzman, 45, was charged Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles with making false statements to the FBI during an interview last year, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. He has agreed to plead guilty and faces up to five years in prison. Barzmans court date has not been scheduled. Barzman admitted that he and another man, identified only as J.F. in court papers, had created the bogus paintings and agreed to split the sales proceeds. Mr. Barzman was drowning in medical debt after battling cancer for decades, his attorney Joel Koury said in a statement Tuesday. In desperation, he participated in this scheme because he was afraid of losing his health insurance. Since then, he has cooperated and done everything asked of him to compensate for his poor judgement. Mark Elliott, the chairman of the Orlando museum's board of trustees, said in a statement that the museum has recommitted itself to its mission to provide excellence in the visual arts with its exhibitions, collections, and educational programming in the wake of the scandal. Barzman admitted to the FBI after repeated denials in interviews with federal agents, leading to Tuesdays felony charge that he made a false provenance for the paintings by claiming in a notarized document that they had been found in television writer Thad Mumford's storage locker. Barzman previously ran an auction business where he bought and resold the contents of unpaid storage units. He bought Mumford's locker in 2012. Mumford, who died in 2018, told investigators he had never owned any Basquiat art, and the paintings were not in the unit the last time he had opened it. Experts pointed out that the cardboard used in at least one of the pieces included FedEx typeface that wasnt used until 1994, about six years after Basquiat died, according to a federal search warrant. The artwork had been marketed as painted in 1982. Barzman and J.F. would make the paintings on cardboard with various materials and then age them outdoors so the artwork would look like it was painted in the 1980s, according to Barzman's plea agreement. But on the back of one of the paintings seized from the Orlando museum, a crucial clue remained: A mailing label bearing Barzman's name, painted over. Whole Foods announced Monday that it will be closing a San Francisco location at at 1185 Market St. "for the time being" because of safety concerns. The company did not provide specifics on what the safety concerns were, but District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who represents the mid-Market neighborhood the store is located in, told SFGATE on Tuesday it's what one might expect: retail theft and individuals suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse having outbursts in the store. "That was my supermarket and you see that stuff all the time," Dorsey said. "Those are issues Whole Foods employees shouldnt have to deal with. Do I wish Whole Foods had talked to us and found a way to stay? I do, but I refuse to blame them for responding to an issue we should have been addressing all along." Almost immediately after the news of the closure broke, Dorsey, who was a spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department before being appointed supervisor last year by Mayor London Breed, revealed that he is working on a charter amendment that would mandate a minimum number of police officers in the city. That announcement is significant, as a charter amendment would require the approval of San Francisco voters in the next citywide election (slated for March 2024), as opposed to merely adoption by the Board of Supervisors. It's also likely to be a controversial proposal, as progressives on the board have been skeptical of increasing the size and funding of the city's police department. The amendment will hit the ballot outright if the Board approves it. If they don't, or if the board insists on revisions Dorsey and his co-author, District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani, do not find acceptable, Dorsey said he's ready to gather signatures to place his preferred version on the ballot. "Im committed to do it if I have to, I think I have the support for it," he said of a signature-gathering process he estimated could cost $1 million. "I'm not facing my own election for a few years and I'm happy to do the heavy lifting." Dorsey said he's convinced that adding more police officers would ameliorate the problems that led to the Whole Foods closure. He said that when the department is understaffed the amount of full-duty officers is the lowest it's been in decades it diverts resources to higher priority calls such as homicides and assaults, as opposed to retail theft. As for whether police want to be responding to mental health or substance abuse calls? "In my experience they understand police work is about keeping order," he said. "We do conflate behavioral health issues with people overwhelming a supermarket to steal, but what we saw at that location is what appears to be addiction-driven theft." The charter amendment is still in its early stages. Dorsey said details such as the methodology used to set a minimum number of officers as well as a mandatory recruitment and retention fund will be ironed out over the coming months. Critically, the amendment would enshrine these requirements into the city's charter, thus removing the issue from the board and mayor's annual budgeting process. "I dont have a lot of confidence that City Hall is going to solve this problem," he said. "I have pulled the research, looked at all the mayors' proposed budgets over the years, and see that the police budget is often the first people look to cut." It has the all makings of the city's next major political fight, and Dorsey believes that in the end, the voters will be on his side. His optimism isn't unwarranted: He won re-election over challenger Honey Mahogany last year after leaning into public safety concerns, and elsewhere in the city, District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio branded his opponent Gordon Mar as out-of-touch on crime and won. And of course, progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin was recalled thanks to voter fears on public safety. "I'm on my 11th month as a supervisor and 80% of the calls I get from people come back to some answer that includes, 'We dont have enough police officers for that,'" he said. "Im tired of saying, 'Were working to solve that.' In good conscience, I felt I had to announce this now." Crewmembers at a Trader Joes store in Oakland have filed two unfair labor practice charges that allege the grocery chain is union busting. The filings were made late last month by two employees at the Trader Joes location at 5727 College Ave., which petitioned to unionize in March. Both employees claimed Trader Joes had violated Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act by threatening to retaliate against employees if they joined or supported a union. One of them additionally claimed that within the previous six-months, the Employer has interfered with, restrained, and coerced its employees in the exercise of rights protected by Section 7 of the Act by engaging in surveillance or creating impression of surveillance of employees' union activities and that Trader Joes had also violated the law by interrogating employees about their union activities. SFGATE reached out to Trader Joes for comment about the allegations but did not hear back by the time of publication. Last month, employees at the same Oakland store, which is in the Rockridge neighborhood, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize in part due to a rat infestation that took two years to abate, among other operational issues, the Los Angeles Times reported. Crewmembers shared with the LA Times that they hoped the grocery store giant could address physical safety and financial security for its staff. Its not the first time Trader Joes employees have accused the popular chain of unfair labor practices. Last year, a Trader Joe's store in Boulder, Colorado, tried to unionize. According to the Guardian, Trader Joes announced a companywide increase in employee wages and benefits within the same month that the union campaign at the Boulder store was underway. We believe that was in response to union activity not only in this store, but the other stores around the country, Jim Hammons, organizing director at United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 7, told the Guardian. That in itself is illegal, they cant do that. UFCW Local 7 also claimed that Trader Joes retaliated against a union-supporting crewmember at the Boulder store by removing them from their regular Sunday shift and replacing them with an anti-union worker, the Guardian reported. Trader Joes separately made headlines in August when it abruptly closed the Trader Joes wine shop in New York City. A sign posted outside the storefront read that Trader Joes would explore other locations around New York, but HuffPost reported a few days later that the closure may have been related to unionizing efforts by crewmembers. Trader Joe's denied the claim in a statement to a separate outlet. Shannon Smith had been to Bali before, but it was her first trip back since the pandemic. This time, the Cairns, Australia, resident had come to Indonesia's "Island of the Gods" for a work conference in Nusa Dua, a resort hub at Bali's southern tip. While bouncing between Nusa Dua and popular tourist areas such as Kuta and Seminyak, Smith, who works in hotel management, noticed a few changes. There was more traffic on the roads, fewer visitors from Asia and more Russians. But the Balinese people were as welcoming as ever, and the place was still rife with rowdy tourists. "If I wanted to hang out with drunken Australians, I'd stay at home," Smith said. The image many outsiders have of Bali - the one depicted in the 2010 Julia Roberts blockbuster "Eat Pray Love" - still exists. Bali remains covered with deep green rice paddies and golden sand stretching into turquoise water. Warm locals still banter with beach bar-loving foreigners. But it's not as tranquil these days. In a little over a year since Bali reopened for international travel, an uptick in unruly behavior from tourists has removed some of the magic from paradise, pushing national and local officials to think up new ways to address offenders. --- Reckless driving, social media flashing From the country's capital city, a top minister recently advocated for a tax on foreign tourists entering Indonesia to discourage "low-income" visitors. The Bali Tourism Board is promoting an ad campaign asking travelers to behave more respectfully. The local government has recently proposed banning visitors from renting motorbikes to curb reckless driving, CNN reported. And the Indonesian immigration department has been busy deporting foreigners who have been working illegally on tourist visas or breaking local laws. Bali Governor Wayan Koster said in a news briefing he has proposed revoking the visa-on-arrival program for travelers from Russia and Ukraine, who have been arriving in bigger numbers since the two countries have been at war, although plenty of people of other nationalities have been involved in recent incidents. Immigration officials announced last week they deported a Russian man who posted a widely circulated photo to social media that showed him with his pants around his ankles atop Mount Agung, a sacred site for Hindus. Another Russian man was deported in late February for working as a photographer in violation of his residence permit. Tourism statistics recorded by Bali province show 22,104 Russian visitors came this January, a total second only to Australia, which had 91,254 citizens arrive in the island getaway. From November 2022 to January 2023, Russian tourists accounted for 5.6 percent of Bali's nearly 997,000 foreign visitors, slightly larger than the 4.8 percent share of visitors from Russia in January 2020. Reports in foreign media have also covered the traffic accidents and reckless driving, fights with local authorities and immigration violations, topless driving and indecent exposure. There was the foreigner working illegally on a tourist visa to teach Balinese dance and meditation, and the group of foreigners who filed a complaint against crowing roosters in a local neighborhood. The latter incident baffled Bali native Megah Bintaranny, a product manager for Rainforest Cruises' Southeast Asia market. "How do you complain about that? We cannot control chickens," Bintaranny said. If the foreigners had been staying at a luxury hotel in a tourist hot spot, that would be one thing. But they were staying in a guesthouse in a residential area where the noises of rural life abound, roosters and all. "When you choose to live in a local area," Bintaranny added, "you need to accept [local noises]." --- Overtourism on 'party island' Bali is part of a growing number of popular travel destinations fed up with overtourism. Hawaii is considering a bill to dissolve its government-sponsored tourism marketing agency. Amsterdam has been trying to reduce rowdy tourist behavior in its Red Light District, rolling out a ban on pot-smoking on the streets there, reducing hours for restaurants and brothels, and tightening some alcohol restrictions. Italian authorities have been fining tourists in Rome, Florence and Venice for littering, camping, vandalism and traffic violations. Like Hawaii, Amsterdam and Italy, Bali is also fed up with tourists who aren't breaking any laws, but show little respect for local life. "We have a lot of tolerance here . . . but it's this behavior of 'I am the more important person. Look at me,'" said Fatmawati, an Indonesian personal assistant and freelance photographer who moved to Bali from the island of Java nine years ago. (Fatmawati uses only one name, which is common in Indonesia.) "It's disgusting - people are tired of it. I'm tired of it." Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the head of the Bali government tourism office, told The Washington Post in a written statement that Balinese culture is a source of happiness for locals, so "of course they would be angry" to see foreigners disrespect it: "Destroying their culture means destroying their life." When Ravindra Singh Shekhawat, Intrepid Travel's general manager for Bali operations, moved to Bali in February 2022, "the roads were empty, hotels were empty," he said. Tourism has increased significantly since then. Intrepid's bookings in Indonesia have recovered to 2019 levels, and in Bali, "it's definitely very busy," he said. "There are tourists everywhere." He blames some of the recent issues on ignorance. "To a lot of people, Bali is considered more like a party island," Shekhawat said. "That could be one of the reasons that people are not very aware about how traditional local people are." Being an expat himself, Shekhawat feels disappointed seeing cases like the foreigner who went viral after "having a heated argument" with local people over a traffic detour due to a religious procession - a common occurrence in Bali. "As an outsider, you may have your opinion, but local people's opinion should matter as well," Shekhawat said. "It's their land, it's their island, and they should be allowed to follow their culture and tradition as they want to." Justin Smith, owner of the luxury travel-planning company the Evolved Traveler, acknowledges Bali has been known for decades as a "bohemian destination" where foreigners were welcome to behave and dress as they like. He believes it's often lost on visitors that Bali has expectations for respect and modest dress. "It was acceptable to a point, but it has now gone too far," Smith said. "There's an absolute lack of respect for the destination and for Bali to be pushed to that extent, that means this bad behavior is pretty extensive." --- Calling out illegal workers on Instagram Bintaranny thinks shocking behavior is becoming more frequent because of social media. People seem to be pushing boundaries for internet fame, seeing sacred sites as "sexy for their Instagram," she said. "And for them, it is probably not a big thing, but for Balinese . . . it's just an insult." While social media may amplify each example of misbehavior, Shekhawat believes the majority of visitors aren't disruptive. Febria Diah Retnoningsih, a counselor of social, cultural and information affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, agreed that the "bad behavior is just one drop in the ocean." But the government doesn't endorse visa abuse or dangerous driving. "It's the same as other countries," Shekhawat said. "You cannot work without a work visa, and there are strict regulations to operate a vehicle." Pemayun says it's important to curb bad behavior, even though the number of offenders is small, to avoid having the issue "spread to other tourists" and "damage the image of Bali tourism in the world." Bali has a program to welcome remote workers, but the so-called "second-home visa" comes with a number of requirements, including proof of the equivalent of nearly $129,000 in savings. The current frustration isn't directed at such residents, but foreign workers competing with locals for jobs. There are various Instagram accounts that document examples; the one that Fatmawati says creates the biggest stir among locals anonymously reposts content from foreigners advertising their services, presumably without the proper visa. Under the satirical guise of supporting local small business, the (currently suspended) account @moscow_cabang_bali and its backup account share public ads (mostly from Russians, hence the name) selling swim lessons, hair cuts, surf instruction, tattoos, yoga classes and villa rentals. "They're bragging about it," Fatmawati said of the ads. "What is really crazy is that they're taking jobs like nannies, renting motor bikes. Can you imagine taking jobs from locals? Nannies?" --- Asking for respect Even in the current climate, Fatmawati says tourists to Bali won't encounter any angst from locals or authorities if they don't break basic rules, and Pemayun said "Balinese people feel very happy" with the return of tourism. Shekhawat says that's been the case for Intrepid Travel's group tours. Locals seem to welcome the tourists, Shekhawat said, and are understanding that sometimes travelers "may not behave 100 percent as they want them to - but there is a limit to everything." To be a better visitor on Bali, Pemayun encourages travelers to "respect cultural values, traditions and local wisdom." He would like visitors to behave in an orderly manner, be environmentally friendly, stay longer, spend money on local businesses and make repeat visits. Shekhawat also recommends reading up on cultural norms before your trip, and exploring less-visited areas of Bali than the most popular spots like Seminyak, Ubud, Canggu and Uluwatu. That may entail heading to the northern and western parts of the island, like West Bali National Park, a wildlife oasis with 160 recorded species of birds. You could also take a ferry to nearby Gili and Lombok islands, where you'll find more sun, sand and surf - and fewer tourists. Wherever you go, "please respect our culture," Retnoningsih said. "That's what makes Bali, Bali - its rich culture." KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing another student at a Kansas City middle school last year. The boy, whose name has not been released, pleaded guilty Monday in Family Court to voluntary manslaughter, according to a Jackson County Court spokeswoman. He was charged after 14-year-old Manuel Guzman was found injured in a bathroom at Northeast Middle School in Kansas City on April 12, 2022, and died at a hospital. The boy, who was 14 at the time Guzman was killed, was initially charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. The boy is being detained at the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center. He will have a disposition hearing May 17 to determine his future treatment. Police said the two boys had a confrontation but have never publicly disclosed a possible motive for the stabbing. On Easter Sunday in 1993, hundreds of inmates started the largest prison riot in Ohios history. When it was over, one guard and nine inmates were dead. More than 400 inmates took control of L-block at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. What followed was 11 days of negotiations, kidnapping and murder. The authorities needed help to end the riot and turned to the news stations. Watch the video above to see how the media had a role in ending the Lucasville Prison Riot. FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. A total of 2,904 people will be returned to Azerbaijans Fuzuli, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Hummatov said, Trend reports. Hummatov made the remark at a meeting of the Working Group on Urban Development under the Interdepartmental Center of the Coordination Headquarters held in the Fuzuli International Airport. According to the action plan of the State Program to ensure the return of the population and ensure its integration in the territories in the Fuzuli district, until 2026, it is planned to build and commission a total of 5,678 housing facilities 3,352 private houses and 2,326 apartments According to him, a total of 399 houses will be built in 2023, 447 in 2024, 2,317 in 2025, and 2,515 in 2026. Some 2,904 people will be accommodated next year in the 846-apartment residential complex built by the State Housing Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. "In general, it is planned to relocate 21,593 people to the Fuzuli district, including 8,009 to the city of Fuzuli. In addition, work on the design of a professional lyceum, a central hospital, a central park, and an administrative building is continuing at an accelerated pace in the Fuzuli district," Gummatov said. Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia. A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) An eastern Missouri man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the stabbing deaths of two women and a 7-year-old boy nine years ago. Prosecutors in Warren County sought the death penalty for Shawn Kavanagh, 32, but Judge Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey on Tuesday sentenced him to four consecutive life terms. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the sentence prompted sobs in the courtroom that was filled with famiy and friends from both sides. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) A 1-year-old Australian shepherd took an epic trek across 150 miles (241 kilometers) of frozen Bering Sea ice that included being bitten by a seal or polar bear before he was safely returned to his home in Alaska. Mandy Iworrigan, Nanuq's owner who lives in Gambell, Alaska, and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St. Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found. About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in Wales, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Savoonga on Alaskas western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. My dad texted me and said, Theres a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales, Iworrigan said. She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound. I was like, No freakin way! Thats our dog! What is he doing in Wales? she said. The events of Nanuqs journey will likely always be a mystery. I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting, Iworrigan said. Im pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds, too. He eats our Native foods. Hes smart. She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School Districts Native Youth Olympics tournament. Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with both she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy. Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we dont know, because its like a really big bite, she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY A New York man who is accused of killing two pet German shepherds in Ridgefield last year had his case continued on Wednesday. The last time Michael Konschak, 61, was in court, a judge denied his request for accelerated rehabilitation, a pretrial diversionary program that would have dismissed the charges if successfully completed. In state Superior Court in Danbury Wednesday, Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Deborah Mabbet read into the record that the case was continued to May 23. Judge Charles M. Stango said in court that attorneys in the case are trying to get more information on the case before proceeding. The Caviola family, who had owned German shepherds Cimo and Lieben since they were puppies, and representatives from Desmonds Army Animal Law Advocates, an animal welfare organization, were in attendance Wednesday. Erin Caviola said she is grateful for the outpouring of support. As the trial continues, her family is trying to remember their happy memories with their pets while fighting to get them justice. Cimo and Lieben would've turned 10 years old this year. The incident occurred on Nov. 18, 2022 when Cimo and Lieben escaped their Ridgefield backyard after an animal, possibly a bear, tore down the property's 6-foot fence. In what his attorney described as a "hunting accident," Konschak said he believed the two dogs were coyotes and shot them with a crossbow. He then skinned the dogs and attempted to tan them, allegedly wanting "their pelts as rugs," according to Danbury State's Attorney David R. Applegate, despite two taxidermists informing Konschak that the canines were most likely not coyotes, his arrest warrant stated. After searching for the missing pets for weeks, the Caviola family was contacted by someone who said photos of her dead dogs were shared with a taxidermist. When the investigation began, Konschak, of Carmel, N.Y., initially told an officer that he discarded the dogs' remains on the Ridgefield property where he hunted, according to his arrest warrant. After a search yielded no results in January, Konschak told police he discarded one of the pelts in Ridgefield and the other, including the remains, near his home in Putnam County, according to his arrest warrant. Erin Caviola said in an interview last month that her family has received some of Cimo and Lieben's remains. Police believe Konschak discarded the dogs' remains after he was informed of their investigation, according to the arrest warrant. Authorities also said Konschak forged documents to have written authorization to hunt on a property near where the dogs were killed. Police said the property owner had only given Konschak verbal permission to hunt on the grounds. Konschak was charged with various hunting violations in connection with the dogs' deaths. Konschak was charged in February with two counts of tampering with evidence, forgery, interfering with an officer, two counts of archery hunting deer (private land)/failing to have written consent from the landowner and two counts of violating wild game hunting regulations (behavior and actions of hunters domestic animals), judicial records show. Caviola and her family want Konschak to be "held accountable for his actions," which includes him being charged with animal cruelty, a felony. Danbury State's Attorney David R. Applegate said in court last month that his office is still determining whether additional charges are appropriate. Shelley Davis packed shorts, bathing suits and sunscreen for a weeklong cruise with her husband, Greg, and their 13- and 15-year-old daughters. The morning before boarding the ship in Port Canaveral, Florida, the family from Mesa, Arizona, soaked up the sunshine and played in an arcade. When it came time to board the bus for the cruise terminal, Shelley had a headache. Once on board the ship, she headed straight to her stateroom for a nap. "I took the girls out to look around the ship and when we went back to the room, Shelley was really ill," Greg said. She joined her family on the main deck for a life jacket drill. Greg planned to find a nurse once the demonstration was complete. However, he noticed that when he asked her questions, she answered with only yes or no. Sensing something was off, he asked, "Do you know what your name is?" "Yes," she said. "Tell me your name," Greg said. Shelley just looked at him. He immediately went for help. Shipboard medics took Shelley to the infirmary. An exam determined she needed advanced medical care. Fortunately, the ship was still docked. An ambulance was called and Shelley was transported to the nearest hospital. By the time she reached the emergency room, the right side of her face was drooping and she couldn't move her right side. Even though Shelley worked as an occupational therapist helping stroke survivors during their recovery, the then-46-year-old never considered that she was having a stroke. Further examination revealed that the cause was a carotid artery dissection, when the layers of the carotid artery in the neck separate, and blood flow to the brain is compromised. Shelley had 100% blockage of blood flow. She was airlifted to a nearby trauma hospital. Doctors gave her a 20% chance of survival. "When we saw her in the hospital, the reality set in that this was a life-or-death situation," Greg said. Shelley had emergency surgery to restore blood flow to her brain. The stroke was attributed to fibromuscular dysplasia, a rare disease that causes medium-sized arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow and possibly leading to aneurysms. Instead of spending a week cruising between Caribbean islands and enjoying shipboard activities, Shelley was in the intensive care unit. But she knew she was lucky to be alive. "I remember waking up and I could move my right arm slightly, and I knew that was a really good sign for recovery," she said. "I was so grateful that it happened when it did and not hours later when we were out to sea." Surgery was just the first step in a long recovery process. Shelley returned home to Arizona and received months of outpatient therapy. Even though she was able to regain strength in her right side, speech remained a challenge. She relied on her family to help her communicate. "It was very frustrating when the phone would ring at home," she said. "I couldn't answer it because I couldn't communicate. Or when I had the strength to go grocery shopping, I couldn't go to the deli and tell them what I wanted. It motivated me to do another set of reps for speech exercises." Three years after her stroke, which happened in 2015, Shelley returned to work, helping stroke survivors relearn how to do everyday activities. She tells them about her own experience to help motivate them. "My patients get so frustrated because they want to be totally recovered as fast as possible, but I know from being in that situation that you have to take it a day at a time, a week at a time," she said. "Every year, I'm still progressing with speech and strength. It's nice to have that unique perspective of being a health care provider and a stroke survivor because I can empathize and show them that recovery is possible." Stories From the Heart chronicles the inspiring journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, caregivers and advocates. 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. MILFORD More than a dozen criminal cases against a Shelton man accused of illegally contacting a domestic violence victim 69 times after pleading guilty to several felonies could be resolved next month, attorneys involved in the case said Tuesday. The suspect, Gordon Cole, 27, appeared briefly at Superior Court in Milford Tuesday before Judge Peter Brown. Cole was charged last month with contacting a person who had a protective order against him dozens of times when he was locked up following a Dec. 29 arrest on charges of violating a protective order. At the time of the Dec. 29 arrest, he was free on bond while awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to three counts of violating a protective order, as well as second-degree reckless endangerment and motor vehicle charges in connection with arrests in March, September and December 2021. In court Tuesday, Assistant States Attorney Alanna Paul said that Coles more recent arrests complicate his prior plea agreement. The prosecutor said she had met with Coles lawyer, Benita Lee, and the judge Tuesday about a path to resolve these cases as a whole. She said she and Lee would meet again prior to Cole being brought back to court next month. Well try to meet before that next court date to see if we could come to an agreement, Paul said. The prosecutor also said the alleged victim in the case has asked that a protective order be modified to allow contact with Cole, but Paul said she doesnt support the change. The judge said the issue could be addressed when Cole, who is currently being held in lieu of bonds totaling $600,000 is scheduled to return to court May 11. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Cole and the victim talked in codes using a pseudonym during phone calls while Cole has been incarcerated following his Dec. 29 arrest. The warrant said Cole made a total of 69 calls to phone numbers for the alleged victim. Cellphone video of the arrest prompted protests at the police department, after which Shelton cops released bodyworn camera video of the incident and said an internal review into the use of force used to arrest Cole was ongoing. In a letter to Mayor Mark Lauretti Lee shared Tuesday, she called the incident horrific. The body camera images are so disturbing it invokes an emotional response, Lee said in the letter, calling into question an internal review and instead calling on the mayor to try to work together for a solution. As you are aware, Black males are dying at the hands of police officers around the country, Lee wrote. What I recently witnessed by way of body camera via the Shelton police department, had the potential to add to that number. The lawyer said her client was a victim of bad policing, inadequate training, excessive force and police misconduct." Lauretti said Tuesday he had not seen the letter, but said he had watched video of the incident and defended the actions of police. "If you watch the video I think our guys acquiesced way too long," he said. "They were more than willing to try to amicably remove him from the house." He blamed Cole for not obeying officers' commands. "This whole issue, the knife cuts both ways," Lauretti said. "There has to be cooperation on both ends. You cant continue to resist and provoke and push people." Hearst Connecticut Media Group has requested a copy of any materials connected with the police departments use of force review. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SHERMAN Town resident Joanna Wozniak-Brown faced education board members last week with strong emotion in her voice. She referenced repairs needed at the Sherman school and said she hopes the district can develop the best plan "to make the school as safe as we possibly can," she said, as her voice broke. Additionally, a sixth-grader called into the meeting virtually and also became emotional, saying, "I really do not want to see the school go. I'm very good friends with a lot of people in the school." Many other impassioned voices were heard at the April 5 meeting, which was held in response to recent conversations the school might have to close due to up to $50 million in repairs needed. The Sherman School, which has about 270 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, is the only school in the town, and if it were to close, Sherman would be the only town in the state without a school, according to a state Department of Education spokesperson. At the 90-minute meeting which had about 90 people in attendance both in person or watching virtually, school administration explored several options for students and also discussed costs involved to repair the school. After the meeting, Sherman Schools Superintendent Pat Cosentino said "none of the town leaders or the administration are in favor of closing the Sherman School or tuitioning out our students but we understand our responsibility to do our due diligence to cost out all of the options." To 'reassure' the community Aside from over half a dozen parents who spoke in favor of saving the school at the meeting, Sherman education board chairman Matt Vogt said the board received a handful of emails against closing the school. He added the board didn't get any letters supporting redistricting students, which could involve sending students to Region 12, which serves students from Roxbury, Bridgewater and Washington. Vogt said he wants to "reassure" the community that town officials don't want to redistrict. "There's concern that this has to do with fear mongering but I'll say for myself, personally, I am in no way, shape or form in support of anything like regionalization or changing the school structure as it is," he said. "That would not change, even if the money was there to save quite a bit of it out of our budget," he added. Board members, however, are still crunching the numbers to examine all the costs involved with redistricting. Once those costs are solidified, they'll be presented at a future education board meeting. Vogt said the costs involved with redistricting are not just ones that can be calculated into the district's budget, such as busing costs. "It also has to do with the cost to the town in terms of home values ... but also ... our experience, the makeup of our town, who's in it, what the town has to offer them," he told Hearst Connecticut Media. "A budget advantage or a cost advantage to taxpayers has to be pretty significant to offset a lot of those things. And frankly, it's just not there," he added. The repair process School administration is looking into different repair options and it's too early right now, Vogt said, to know exact costs for each one. "It has to do with the total square footage of the building itself as a direct impact on the cost," he said. "What we're doing now is putting together a few different layouts essentially of the building." The district is working with architects Antinozzi Associates PC in Bridgeport on possible options, which range from "bare bones" to fixing everything that's needed, he said. All work needed at the school is "intertwined," he said. "That's why we end up with this large full-scale project at the end of every conversation because no matter how hard you try, there's no really efficient way to do it by just selecting a few things to do at once." Alternative options Aside from redistricting to Region 12, alternatives for students were addressed at the meeting including regionalization or a process called "tuitioning out," which is what the district does with its high schoolers. Vogt said Sherman could make the school from kindergarten to fifth grade. Students in grades 6 to 12 would be tuitioned out to Shepaug Valley School in Washington. Vogt said, however, there are concerns with that option. "There's a state statute that allows us to tuition out our high schoolers. There is no state statute specifically for middle school students," he said. "If we were to try to do something like that, it would be unprecedented. (It's) not necessarily impossible but there's certainly a question brought up by the Board of Ed counsel as to whether or not it's even legal to do just that." A spokesman for the state Board of Education could not be reached for comment on Friday. Another option is regionalization, which involves a legal agreement contracted in partnership with another town, to share resources. It involves a very long, legal process, town approval by the state Board of Education and can take many years to accomplish. Next steps By the end of April, cost estimations for the main three or four idea plans for repairing the school will be available to the public, Vogt said. The school's building committee and other town officials will then can weigh the pros and cons of each option and then get feedback from the community. Ultimately, the option that is selected would go to a referendum. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN Investigators are looking into the city police departments botched child pornography raid last week at the apartment building of Long Wharf Theatre staffer Tim Yergeau who died by suicide on Tuesday, officials said. The person who died was definitely the suspect in a child pornography investigation and the person who committed suicide, New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson told Hearst Connecticut Media Group on Wednesday. The chief has requested an internal affairs investigation after members of the Special Victims Unit investigating the child pornography case broke down the door of Yergeaus neighbor and handcuffed the woman before realizing they raided the wrong apartment. They obviously hit the wrong door, Jacobson said. The internal affairs investigation will also examine how Yergeau wound up taking his own life five days later, the chief said. Unfortunately, a mistake was made, Jacobson said. We feel for the woman and were going to do everything we can to make it right. The investigation is part of holding my department accountable and transparent, he added. Jacobson, who said he plans to reach out to the woman, declined to confirm Yergeau was the suspect in the child pornography investigation. But Yergeaus neighbor and the state Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner both confirmed he died Tuesday morning. The medical examiner also confirmed Yergeau died by suicide. Yergeau was hired in August 2022 as the Long Wharf Theatres marketing and communications director, according to the organizations website. We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn the developments of the last 24 hours, a spokesperson for the theater said Wednesday in an email. Given the difficult news, it would be inappropriate to comment further. According to the Long Wharf Theatre website, Yergeau had previously done marketing and strategic communications for Planned Parenthood of Southern New England and the New Haven Free Public Library Foundation. Jacobson said there are still two open investigations into the matter and police are not going to release the application for the search warrant or information about what was found in Yergeaus apartment until they are certain no one else is involved in the case. The state could also decide whether or not to release the warrant. The raid, which occurred on the morning of April 6, traumatized Yergeaus neighbor, Stacey Wezenter, when officers broke down her door and handcuffed her before realizing they had the wrong apartment, she said. Every time I walk down my hallway, I relive it, said Wezenter, whose two children, ages 20 and 4, were home when police barged through the door. What if I had a gun permit? What if I came down the hallway with a gun? Would I have gotten shot? What if my 4-year-old had woken up? Would they have shot him? Wezenter said Wednesday. You just dont do that to people. Wezenter heard a boom around 6 a.m. and realized police had taken down her door and were systematically going through her apartment with guns drawn, she said. I started running down the hallway, it was just like a movie. They had guns and flashlights on me, Wezenter said. They put me against the wall and handcuffed me. I was crying and saying, 'Whats happening? ' Wezenter could hear the officers yelling, clear, clear, every time they entered a room, and they kept asking her where the man was located, she said. I was like, 'What man? Im here with my children,' she said. They asked, 'Whos Tim? ' and I said thats my neighbor downstairs. When they saw her sons toys, they realized they were in the wrong place, she said. Wezenter said the officers told her they had been conducting surveillance of her neighbor who was the focus of their investigation. They literally came up to the third floor. If they had been watching him, they would have seen my son and I coming and going, she said. After last weeks raid, Wezenter, who said she filed a complaint on Tuesday, said police tried to connect her with mental health services, but she declined. Wezenter said she pulled together a plate of Easter leftovers that she planned to bring Yergeau Monday evening, but she fell asleep with her son. I was planning on going down there and talking to him, she said. I just thought that maybe a small act of compassion might help. To report cases of child exploitation, visit www.CyberTipline.com. 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. Related video above: Toxic waste from East Palestine train derailment being shipped out A truck carrying 40,000 pounds of toxic soil from an Ohio train derailment crashed and spilled Monday. State officials in Unity Township, Ohio, told WFMJ that roughly 20,000 pounds of soil from the site of the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, spilled onto the roadway as a result of the crash. Officials reported that the spill did not threaten nearby waterways because it was contained. The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash. Officials with Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency responded to the scene. The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit against Norfolk Southern last month, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act and seeking damages over the train derailment and subsequent environmental disaster. The derailment spewed poisonous fumes into the air, killing thousands of fish and leaving residents to wonder if it was safe to return to their homes. CNN contributed to this report. WINDSOR LOCKS A former resident accused of sexually exploiting teenage girls pleaded guilty to related offenses Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. Justin McKenney, 29, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven on July 11, the U.S. attorney's office said. McKenney was arrested in Boston on March 17, 2022, and has been detained since. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) has shared information on the mine explosion in Lachin, Trend reports via the agency. A mine exploded in the uncleared area of the Lachin district. A civilian was injured following the incident, which occurred as a result of crossing into an uncleared area while grazing. As previously reported, today in the village of Sus, Lachin region, a person hit an anti-personnel mine. As a result, Ramil Azizov, born in 2001, suffered a leg injury. He was taken to the hospital by police officers stationed in the area. Currently, an investigation is underway. By Bay City News A 33-year-old man has been convicted of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a San Francisco Department of Public Works employee who was painting over graffiti when he was shot in the city's Mission District in 2016, prosecutors said Tuesday. A San Francisco Superior Court jury found Michael Higginbotham guilty of the murder charge and allegations involving the personal use of a firearm and firing the gun from a vehicle in the killing of Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, as Jackson painted over graffiti on an electrical box near 25th and Vermont streets on Nov. 30, 2016, according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Higginbotham was arrested in Vallejo later the same day, police said. "After years of delays, our team earned a conviction ensuring that Mr. Higginbotham will finally face consequences for this callous murder," District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a news release about the case. Higginbotham faces a possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole but his sentencing hearing has not yet been set, prosecutors said. Public works officials said Jackson had been a laborer apprentice with the department for more than a year at the time of the shooting and left behind two young children. Copyright 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2023 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. By Bay City News A man suspected of the sexual assault of a woman in Palo Alto last weekend was taken into custody on Tuesday, authorities said. Daniel Widyanto Condronimpuno, 34, of Palm Beach, Fla., was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of several felonies, including attempted rape by force, sexual penetration by force, assault with an intent to commit rape, forcible sexual battery, false imprisonment, battery, assault with deadly weapon and robbery, the police said. Palo Alto police received a call around 2:49 p.m. on Sunday from a passerby who discovered a woman who had been sexually assaulted under the California Avenue pedestrian underpass. According to police, the woman had been walking her bicycle east through the underpass when she was passed by a man walking the opposite direction. The woman was struck from behind, fell to the ground and was assaulted. When she yelled for help, the man stole her cell phone and fled. On Tuesday morning, detectives from the Palo Alto Police Department spoke with investigators at UC Berkeley, who said they believed they might have a suspect in the Sunday attack under observation. At 12:40 p.m., UCPD officers arrested Condronimpuno on campus at Memorial Glade. Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to call Palo Alto Police at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984. Copyright 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2023 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. This winter's massive Sierra Nevada snowpack could lead to devastating floods, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley and Tulare Lake Basin, as spring and summer snowmelt volumes pick up speed with the arrival of warm weather and sunshine, according to state water prognosticators. In its April to July snowmelt forecast, the California Department of Water Resources is predicting river systems up and down the state will receive volumes of water well above average, sometimes dramatically so. The large amount of water isn't unexpected given the incredibly wet winter conditions and dam operators, water system managers, flood control districts and emergency response officials are working to coordinate how much water to move through the state's storage and delivery systems at specific times to capture as much as possible for urban, agricultural and environmental uses while also trying to reduce flood risks. The statewide snowpack level is 233 percent of average, with the Northern Sierra at 209 percent, the Central Sierra at 243 percent and the Southern Sierra at 320 percent -- a record-breaking level for the southern region. A body was found floating in the water at the Berkeley Marina Monday evening, police said Tuesday. Someone called police at 6:49 p.m. about a body floating near Hs Lordships Restaurant, which is closed. Officers responded and located a body floating against the rocks, Berkeley police spokesperson Jessica Perry said. The body was that of a woman, who was pronounced dead after medical personnel tried to revive her. Perry couldn't say yet whether police suspect foul play. The name of the woman was not available Tuesday afternoon from the Alameda County coroner's bureau. Seven earthquakes ranging from magnitude 2.5 to 4.4 shook the Bay Area Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The first one at 10:40 a.m. was measured at 3.0 near San Martin in southern Santa Clara County. At 7:42 a.m., a 3.3-magnitude quake struck west of Gonzales in the Gabilan Range in San Benito County. The seismic activity move north for the rest of the evening and included five quakes in less than an hour in the northwest corner of Sonoma County along the border with Lake County in the Mayacmas Mountains. People who attend illegal fireworks shows in San Mateo County would find themselves facing a fine, in addition to those who set off the fireworks, following a vote Tuesday by the county's Board of Supervisors. The board amended the county's existing fireworks ordinance to make spectators of illegal fireworks subject to a fine of $500. Spectators are defined as anyone within 200 feet of an illegal fireworks discharge who is there to observe them. Repeat violators within 12 months of a prior citation would be fined $1,000. The revised fireworks ordinance would also hold parents or guardians liable for the illegal fireworks set off by minors. Violators will also be responsible for the cost of having law enforcement and firefighters respond to illegal firework events. A man suspected of the sexual assault of a woman in Palo Alto last weekend was taken into custody on Tuesday, authorities said. Daniel Widyanto Condronimpuno, 34, of Palm Beach, Fla., was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of several felonies, including attempted rape by force, sexual penetration by force, assault with an intent to commit rape, forcible sexual battery, false imprisonment, battery, assault with deadly weapon and robbery, the police said. Palo Alto police received a call around 2:49 p.m. on Sunday from a passerby who discovered a woman who had been sexually assaulted under the California Avenue pedestrian underpass. At 12:40 p.m., officers arrested Condronimpuno on campus at Memorial Glade. Police in Oakland are investigating two shootings that occurred Monday. Around 9:43 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Hegenberger Road on a report of a shooting. Police located a man who was suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital and is listed as being in stable condition, police said. Two men were arrested on suspicion of the shooting, but the police department has not released their names. At 9 p.m., a second shooting occurred in the 700 block of 52nd Street. Police received a call from a local hospital reporting a walk-in gunshot victim. The victim is in stable condition and is expected to survive, police said. No suspects have been identified. The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for sunny and breezy conditions Wednesday. Daytime highs are expected in the high 50s to low 60s with overnight lows in the 40s. Dry, breezy and seasonably cool temperatures should continue through midweek, before a subtle warming trend returns late in the week and into the weekend. Copyright 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2023 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Currently Reading Alert: County commission in Memphis votes to return expelled Black lawmaker Justin Pearson to Tennessee House MANILA, Philippines (AP) China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability." Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington, the U.S. and Philippine defense and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the U.S. was allocating more than $100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes China's claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the U.S. delivery of much-needed defense equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This year's Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, U.S. and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at U.S. security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defense pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedaled from the effort. Left-wing activists and nationalists have steadfastly opposed American military presence in the Philippines, a former U.S. colony where America remains popular among Filipinos based on independent polls. The Philippines is caught in an inter-imperialist conflict between the U.S. and China, Renato Reyes of the left-wing Bayan alliance said. We are merely being used as a footstool for American power projection and provocation in the region. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase U.S. warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to U.S. and Philippine military officials. AP The father of a a Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has been extradited from Belarus back to Russia, a human rights group reported Wednesday. He faces two years in prison there. Alexei Moskalyov fled house arrest just before his sentencing hearing last month in the town of Yefremov, south of Moscow. He was detained in Belarus two days later. According to the Belarusian human rights center Viasna, when visitors tried to find Moskalyov in a Belarussian prison on Wednesday, they were told he had been extradited to Russia. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BONN, Germany (AP) The German government dismissed calls Wednesday for a last-minute delay in shutting down the country's last three nuclear power plants this weekend. Opposition politicians and even some members of the Free Democrats, a libertarian party that's part of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing alliance, have demanded a reprieve for the remaining reactors, which were already operating without requisite safety checks. The nuclear phase-out by April 15, that's this Saturday, is a done deal, Scholz spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said. Successive German governments planned a phase-out of nuclear power. The last three plants originally were scheduled to shut down on Dec. 31, 2022. Scholz ordered a postponement last year amid concerns that Germany might face an energy shortage due to the war in Ukraine. Lawmakers approved the extension on the condition the plants, which began operation more than 30 years ago, would cease operating by mid-April of this year. Critics argue that switching off the nuclear plants now deprives Germany of a source of low-emission power and requires the country to keep operating fossil fuel plants that contribute to climate change. Wolfgang Kubicki, deputy leader of the Free Democrats, said in an interview with the Funke Media Group that Germany has the safest nuclear power plants worldwide and switching them off would be "a dramatic mistake" with painful economic and ecological consequences. Other members of his party have called for the nuclear plants at least to be maintained as a fallback in case they are needed at a later date. But doing that would be both illegal and costly, according to Environment Ministry spokesperson Bastian Zimmermann. The ministry oversees nuclear safety in Germany. Zimmermann said the three reactors Emsland, Neckarwestheim and Isar II last underwent safety checks in 2009 and such inspections normally need to occur every 10 years. The requirement was only suspended due to the shutdown planned for the end of 2022, he said. Any further lifetime extension for the plants would require comprehensive and lengthy security checks again, Zimmermann said. The country is still searching for a location to permanently store almost 2,000 containers of highly radioactive waste for thousands of generations. The Economy Ministry dismissed concerns that Germany won't be able to meet its energy needs without the nuclear power plants, which currently produce about 5% of the country's electricity. Ministry spokesperson Beate Baron said recent studies showed Germany would be able to maintain its power supply with coal and gas-fired power plants and renewables such as wind and solar, while remaining a net exporter of electricity. Baron said the government wants to phase in the use of hydrogen that can be produced without greenhouse gas emissions and fired up quickly on days when there's little sun or wind for renewables. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the climate and environment at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) New Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said Wednesday he will follow through with his predecessors plan to challenge the British government over its decision to block a law that makes it easier for people in Scotland to change their gender on official documents. A legal challenge is now our only means of defending our Parliaments democracy from the Westminster veto, Yousaf said. If unchallenged, it sends a signal that the U.K. Government can veto any legislation they disagree with, at a whim. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeons vow to defend the legislation was left in question after her abrupt resignation created a bitter battle last month to replace her as leader of the Scottish National Party. Yousaf, a close Sturgeon ally, was pitted against two rivals who opposed the gender bill. Yousaf did not commit to challenging the veto in court when asked Tuesday, saying he was considering legal advice. Passage of the bill in December was hailed by transgender rights activists but vetoed by the British government, which argued it could undermine U.K.-wide equality legislation that guarantees women and girls access to single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and shelters. The bill would allow people aged 16 or older in Scotland to change the gender designation on identity documents by self-declaration, removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. It would also speed up legal recognition of the change from two years to three months for adults and to six months for people aged 16 and 17. In the rest of the United Kingdom, a medical diagnosis is needed before individuals can transition for legal purposes. Scotland is part of the U.K. but, like Wales and Northern Ireland, has its own semi-autonomous government with broad powers over areas including health care. The veto was the first time a U.K. government blocked a Scottish law since its government and parliament were established a quarter-century ago. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that the U.K. government had taken very careful and considered advice on the issue before invoking the rarely used veto power. He said the government would follow through with any court case. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher accused Yousaf of trying to distract from a scandal unfolding over SNP finances after the arrest last week of Sturgeon's husband, who had been the party's chief executive for more than 20 years. Peter Murrell resigned just after his wife left office, after admitting that the party had been claiming to have 100,000 members when membership had plunged to 70,000. Police have also been investigating how 600,000 pounds (about $750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign were spent. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so the beleaguered first minister has reached for the nationalists playbook and is manufacturing grievance with the UK government," Gallacher said. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A sharp rise in the number of Connecticut inmates, including convicted killers, who have had their prison sentences reduced in the past year has led to an uproar over the power wielded by the state's relatively obscure Board of Pardons and Paroles. Gov. Ned Lamont this week replaced the chair of that board, the Rev. Carleton Giles, after the former Norwalk police officer acknowledged unilaterally instituting a policy change that resulted in a rise in commutations, from an average of about three per year to 71 in 2022, lawmakers said. Those included 44 commutations for convicted murders, who had an average of 15 years shaved off their sentences, according to lawmakers. The state Senate on Wednesday voted 21-14 to reappoint Giles as a regular member of the board, following a lengthy debate. The vote was largely among party lines, with most Democrats supporting him. His appointment and four others approved by senators now head to the state House. Sen. John Kissel, the ranking Republican on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, was among those who opposed the reappointment. Giles decided to issue a commutation policy on steroids, like we have never seen here in the state of Connecticut, Kissel said. Giles declined to comment Wednesday. But during his confirmation hearing in March, he testified that the decision was part of the state's ongoing second-chance society initiative to reform the prison system. Giles said he and two other board members reviewed the applications and approved the commutations. He acknowledged he did not notify lawmakers or the governor of the change beforehand. The enabling statues allow the Board of Pardons and Paroles to make its own policy, he testified. Democrats who supported Giles noted that prisoners must still undergo both a prescreening and a hearing process before being approved for a commutation. "The process in place is not to just let everybody out of the prisons, said Sen. Gary Winfield of New Haven, who co-chairs the Judiciary Committee. State Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, appeared with the families of several murder victims on Wednesday and called on Lamont to ask for a moratorium on commutations until he and lawmakers can review the issue. Some were, for example, in multiple murders with guns that were involved that were given 100-year sentences and their sentences have been commuted to 28 years, she said. Thirty years seems to be the magic number for the Board of Pardons and Paroles. It does not seem that they want anyone to spend longer than 30 years (in prison)," she said. Lamont spokesman Adam Joseph said in a statement that the governor, a Democrat, has called a meeting to discuss the commutation policy before the board's next meeting "to determine if its process can be improved, and to ensure that (the) commutation process balances the importance of second chances for Connecticut prisoners, the perspectives of victims, and public safety considerations. The increase in commutations came during an unusual flood of applications more than 450 total by inmates over the past two years, said Richard Sparaco, who runs the Board of Pardons and Paroles' day-to-day operations as its executive director. It isnt exactly clear why there were so many more applications, Sparaco said, but it could be linked to the fact the board didnt accept any between 2019 and 2021 while the policy was being revised. Martin Looney, the Democratic president pro tempore of the Senate, said there were only about 10 commutations between 1995 and 2021 and that the average age for the offenders who received commutations was 23. He said it is important that commutation remain an option. We can't accomplish ongoing justice on the single day of sentencing, he said. Because as long as life goes on beyond that sentencing day, circumstances may change. Some defendants during the course of their incarceration really are transformed, grow and mature and become very different kinds of people. ___ Associated Press writers Dave Collins and Susan Haigh contributed to this story. FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. It is planned to resettle about 8,000 former internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Azerbaijan's city of Fuzuli, and about 22,000 in total to the Fuzuli district, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, head of the working group on urban planning, Namig Hummatov said, Trend reports. He noted that the construction of the first residential quarter carried out by MIDA in Fuzuli is proceeding rapidly. "The construction of a 960-seat school is also proceeding at an accelerated pace with the support of Uzbekistan, as is the Kurmangazy Center for Creative Development of Children with the support of Kazakhstan. In the near future, it is planned to begin construction of a city hospital, a central park, and a kindergarten in Fuzuli. At the same moment, the construction of 3 villages - Pirahmadli, Dedeli, and Devletyarli, will begin in the Fuzuli district in a short time. In total, 10 villages are planned to be restored by 2026," Gummetov said. According to him, the first residential block under construction by MIDA consists of 846 apartments: "We hope that in 2024, former internally displaced persons will return to Fuzuli. It is planned to resettle about 3,000 former IDPs in 846 apartments. Furthermore, until 2026, it is planned to relocate about 8,000 former internally displaced persons to the city of Fuzuli, and about 22,000 in total to the Fuzuli district," the representative of the committee added. Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia. A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Former President Donald Trump sued the key witness in his criminal case on Wednesday, accusing onetime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen of vast reputational harm for talking publicly about the hush-money payments at the heart of the case. The lawsuit, filed in Miami, offered a preview of arguments that are sure to be featured in Trumps defense against charges that he falsified internal business records to disguise payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters. The suit accused Cohen of breaking a confidentiality agreement he signed as a condition of his employment, violating ethical standards for lawyers and spreading falsehoods" about Trump with malicious intent and to wholly self-serving ends. It seeks over a half-billion dollars from Cohen. Trump isnt specifically suing Cohen over his grand jury testimony in the criminal case, but he cites it in support of an argument that his ex-lawyer sought to profit from his role through the publication of two books, a podcast series and media appearances. Cohen's spokesman, attorney Lanny Davis, said the lawsuit will not deter Cohen's cooperation with prosecutors. Mr. Trump appears once again to be using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen, Davis said. It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him. The suit is the latest effort by Trump to use the legal system to go after his political enemies and is another example of the former president turning on a once-loyal aide after their relationship imploded. A judge in Florida sanctioned Trump and one of his attorneys in January, ordering them to pay nearly $1 million for filing what he said was a bogus lawsuit against Trumps 2016 rival Hillary Clinton and others. Davis predicted this lawsuit would also fail. "Is there anyone in America, aside from a shrinking minority base of believers, who takes Mr. Trump seriously when he files these apparently frivolous lawsuits? Davis asked. The criminal case against Trump, brought last week by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, accuses the former president of falsifying 34 business records at his company to hide the true nature of 11 checks paid to Cohen to reward him for work covering up Trump's extramarital affairs. Those checks, prosecutors said, reimbursed Cohen for a $130,000 payment he made on Trump's behalf to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who had been in negotiations to sell her story of an alleged sexual encounter with the Republican. Cohen also played a role in arranging payments to the Playboy model Karen McDougal and to a Trump Tower doorman. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and says the alleged encounters with Daniels and McDougal never happened. Bragg's office on Wednesday declined to comment on Trump's lawsuit against Cohen. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax evasion, lying to Congress, and campaign finance violations regarding the payments to Daniels and McDougal. He was sentenced to three years in prison, although the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled him to serve the majority of the sentence under house arrest. Although federal prosecutors referenced Trump in the charges against Cohen, they chose not to pursue a criminal case against the Republican. Neither did investigators in the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, who conducted a wide-ranging probe through much of Trumps presidency. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Leaked U.S. intelligence documents suggesting Washington spied on South Korea have put the country's president in a delicate situation ahead of a state visit to the U.S., the first such trip by a South Korean leader in 12 years. The documents contain purportedly private conversations between senior South Korean officials about Ukraine, indicating that Washington may have conducted surveillance on a key Asian ally even as the two nations publicly vowed to reinforce their alliance. Since taking office last year, conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol has put a bolstered military partnership with the United States at the heart of his foreign policy to address intensifying North Korean nuclear threats and other challenges. The April 26 summit with President Joe Biden is seen as crucial to winning a stronger U.S. security commitment and resolving grievances over the Biden administrations economic and technology policies. The leaked documents were posted online as part of a major U.S. intelligence breach. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Koreas National Security Council grappled with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine. The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States' ultimate goal. South Korea, a growing arms exporter, has a policy of not supplying weapons to countries at war. It has not provided arms directly to Ukraine, although it has shipped humanitarian aid and joined U.S.-led economic sanctions against Russia. Yoons government said it discussed the leaked papers with the United States, and they agreed that a considerable number of the documents were fabricated. The South Korean government avoided any public complaints about the U.S. and did not specify which documents were faked. Theres no indication that the U.S., which is our ally, conducted (eavesdropping) on us with malicious intent, Kim Tae-hyo, Seouls deputy national security director, told reporters Tuesday at Dulles Airport near Washington at the start of a trip aimed at preparing for the summit. Senior Biden administration have discussed the leaks with allies at high levels and sought to reassure them of the U.S. governments commitment to safe-guarding intelligence. The administration also sought to downplay the impact the leak would have on Yoons upcoming visit. Our commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad, and President Biden looks forward to welcoming President Yoon to the White House for the upcoming state visit to discuss their shared commitment for a strong and deeply integrated U.S.-ROK Alliance that maintains peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the White House National Security Council said in a statement, using South Korea's official name. The Yoon government's stance invited criticism from liberal rivals, who called on the government to lodge strong protests with the U.S. They also suspected what they call Yoons hasty relocation of his presidential office to a Defense Ministry compound in central Seoul may have left the office vulnerable to wiretapping. As a sovereign nation, we must sternly respond to the spying of state secrets, even if it was committed by an ally with whom (South Korea) has bonded over blood, said Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party. In an official statement, Yoons office said it maintains tight security, including anti-eavesdropping systems. It called the opposition partys attempts to link the office relocation to the spying allegation diplomatic suicidal acts that shake South Koreas national interests and its alliance with the U.S. The situation is unlikely to threaten the country's alliance with the U.S. that was forged during the 1950-53 Korean War, many experts say. No big damage is expected on the Korea-U.S. alliance as it seems both governments share the view that they would focus on the alliance, more concretely on a successful state visit by Yoon, said Bong Young-shik, an expert at Seouls Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies. If Yoon returns with some achievements, Koreans will conclude that he put up with the spying allegations because bigger matters were at stake, Bong said. But if the visit amounts to a pomp-only trip," people could question whether South Korea "made lots of concessions. One possible achievement for Yoon would be if South Korea takes on a role in the management of U.S. nuclear weapons in the face of North Koreas advancing nuclear arsenal. Other wins would be securing U.S. benefits for major South Korean businesses involved in the making of electric vehicles and easing U.S. restrictions on technology exports to China, which has been a major manufacturing base for South Korean chipmakers. If the U.S. intends to help Yoon, "the latest incident on the documents could end up strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance and helping South Korea win something from the U.S, said Kim Yeol Soo, an expert at South Koreas Korea Institute for Military Affairs. Kim Tae-hyung, a professor at Seouls Soongsil University, said the exposure of possible U.S. spying could help Seoul maintain its existing policy of not supplying weapons to Ukraine. But its also possible that the Yoon government reconsiders that policy now that the U.S. demands are public, Kim said. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, South Korea has agreed to provide billions of dollars' worth of tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and other weapons to Poland, a NATO member. An American official said in November that the United States had agreed to buy 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, although South Korean officials have maintained that the munitions were meant to refill depleted U.S. stocks. Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership, said its also no secret that allies spy on each other, as well as their adversaries. The U.S. wiretapping activities are something that everyone already knows, although it becomes a more sensitive matter when the practice is made public, Choi said. "I think South Koreans also try to wiretap (U.S. officials) as well, Choi said. People feel animosity toward the word wiretapping. But in other words, its called intelligence gathering. ___ Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are looking to create stricter rules for how long people can receive unemployment benefits and what they have to do to get them. The package of unemployment bills up for public committee hearings on Wednesday was introduced after more than three-quarters of voters in the statewide April election supported a non-binding ballot question asking whether people should be required to look for work to receive government assistance. LONDON (AP) A man who allegedly piloted a small boat packed with migrants that capsized while crossing the English Channel in December has been charged with four counts of manslaughter. Ibrahima Bah, 19, is due to appear at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Thursday to face the charges related to the Dec. 14, 2022 capsizing. His nationality was not made public. MEXICO CITY (AP) The Inter American Human Rights Court ruled Wednesday that Mexico violated the rights of two men who were held in pre-trial detention for 17 years before being convicted of homicide. The court, which is a branch of the Organization of American States, said such extended detention violates the right to personal freedom and the presumption of innocence, among others. It ordered the Mexican government to make amends to Daniel Garcia Rodriguez and Reyes Alpizar Ortiz, who were arrested in 2002. Alpizar Ortiz's conviction was later overturned on appeal. The court also said Mexico should review the practice of pre-trial detention for a long list of crimes. Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said the government would review the ruling. It has a year to comply. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has sparked debate in Mexico by expanding the number of crimes considered ineligible for bail, and he has publicly called on the Supreme Court not to release more people pending trial. Mexico does not have cash or property bail like the United States. Instead, for those it does release before trial, there are more than a dozen mechanisms aimed at ensuring they show up in court, ranging from electronic monitoring devices to confiscation of passports to periodic check-ins. The list of charges that allow a suspect to be detained pending trial has grown to 16 in Mexico, among them abuse of authority, corruption and electoral crime. Even some non-violent crimes home burglary and freight and fuel theft bring automatic pre-trial detention, with no bail or house arrest allowed. Mexicos Supreme Court has been debating the no-bail policy, with some justices arguing it violates international treaties that say pre-trial detention should be used only in exceptional cases to prevent suspects from fleeing justice. Only about two of every 10 people accused of a crime in Mexico are ever found guilty. That means that of the estimated 92,000 suspects held in cells pending trial in 2022, often with hardened criminals, around 75,000 will spend years locked up in Mexicos dirty, crowded, dangerous prisons, unlikely to be convicted. Mexicos prison population has risen by about 30% since Lopez Obrador expanded the number of no bail offenses in 2019. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) A U.S. special envoy on countering global disinformation says that countries in the western Balkan region have been "pretty seriously poisoned by Russia's influence campaigns. James P. Rubin, who heads the State Department's Global Engagement Center, traveled to North Macedonia on a tour that also includes stops in Montenegro and Albania. The main source of the threat in this part of the world is Russian-generated disinformation, often repeated and acting as a hub through Serbian media platforms and then repeated and promulgated here in the Western Balkans, Rubin told a group of reporters late Tuesday in the capital, Skopje. I would say that (this region) is pretty seriously poisoned by primarily Russian disinformation." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment of Rubin, a 63-year-old veteran diplomat, last December, worried that disinformation campaigns engineered by Russia had intensified due to the war in Ukraine and Western support for Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir "Putin thought that he could take over the Ukrainian government and divide Europe. He failed in all of these aspects, Rubin said. "But that doesnt mean Russia isnt continuing to try to spread the poison of disinformation and division ... designed to divide people from each other, divide countries from each other, to divide communities from each other, to bring discord. Rubin said he was working in coordination with many European governments and the European Union, and said the West is just beginning to come to grips with fighting back against the new threat. A US federal government body, the GEC says it helps allied governments identify disinformation campaigns targeting their countries, providing assistance with analytics and research, and technology support. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia said Rubin also discussed efforts by China "and other malign actors who deploy disinformation to undermine democracy and national security around the globe. On his final stop in Tirana, Albania, Rubin will join meetings with U.S. ambassadors from across the Western Balkans. JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Three suspected Uzbek militants escaped from an immigration detention center in Indonesias capital after fatally stabbing an officer and seriously injuring four others, police said Wednesday. Two were later recaptured and the third drowned in a canal while being pursued by police, said Aswin Siregar, operations chief of the elite counterterrorism police group known as Densus 88. The three men were among four Uzbek nationals detained by Densus 88 on March 24 following a tip from Uzbekistans state security service that they were believed to be members of the al-Qaida-linked militant group Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, Siregar said. He said they arrived in Indonesia from Turkey in February and authorities detected that they were spreading propaganda and recruiting followers on social media. They were detained and held in an immigration detention center in western Jakarta while awaiting deportation proceedings. Three of men broke through the ceiling of their detention room on Monday and attacked officers who were having their predawn meal during the Ramadan fasting month, Siregar said. The fourth man did not join the escape attempt and remained in custody, he said. He said an immigration officer was fatally stabbed after the three men grabbed knifes from a pantry. Four officers, including two Densus 88 members, were hospitalized with serious injuries, he said. A preliminary investigation showed that the attack was triggered by fears among the men that they would be deported to their home country after they were visited by consular officers from the Uzbekistan Embassy, Siregar said. They had tried to flee because they did not want to be sent back to Uzbekistan and face harsher punishment, Siregar said, We are still investigating this case, but they will be tried in Indonesia for the killing. He said two of the suspects had traveled to Syria and joined a militant training camp there. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since bombings on the tourist island of Bali in 2002 by the Jemaah Islamiyah network killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. The network was neutralized following the arrests of hundreds of its members. But new threats have emerged from Islamic State group-inspired radicals who have targeted security forces and local infidels instead of Westerners. Since March 2022, Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, a splinter faction of the Uzbek-led militant organization Jannat Oshiklari, has been on a U.N. Security Council sanctions list for being associated with al-Qaida. The Security Council said the group has about 500 fighters and operates under the umbrella of the international extremist organization al-Nusrah Front in the Syrian provinces of Hama, Idlib and Ladhiqiyah. In 2016, the group organized an attack on the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, according to the U.N. The sanctions imposed by the Security Council include a travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. In Novembers Alameda County district attorney race, Pamela Price, a civil rights lawyer, defeated longtime Assistant District Attorney Terry Wiley, 53% to 47%. Price and Wiley were competing to replace outgoing Alameda County DA Nancy OMalley, whose 13-year tenure was typical of tough-on-crime Democratic Party prosecutors: She lobbied against statewide criminal justice reform ballot measures and embraced the financial support of police unions. On the campaign trail, Price, a Black woman, spoke of how her life experiences shaped her views about how a reform-minded district attorney should operate; her 10-point plan was well-known to voters. In the end, Alameda County voters decided to break with the policies of OMalley, which wouldve largely continued under Wiley, and instead backed Prices unapologetically progressive platform. Barely three months into Prices term, a handful of media members have fixated on the new DA, posturing as if theyre doing objective, community-oriented journalism and even worse, adopting the holier-than-thou stance that their beliefs and biases arent shaping whom they choose to interview and how they choose to report stories. Theyre using loaded, pro-punishment rhetoric about public safety, boldly assuming the very constituency that just elected Price would of course immediately find her policies to be out of step; theyre acting like its newsworthy that a selection of Alameda County prosecutors some of whom donated to both OMalley and Wiley would choose to resign from office when a DA with radically different politics became their new boss; and theyre also highlighting gruesome anecdotes, thrusting vulnerable families of brutal crimes into the limelight to cynically dissuade the public from thinking critically about the larger impacts of criminal justice reform. It's frustrating to watch this conversation in the media, and I equate it to climate change, said Cristine DeBerry, founder of the progressive nonprofit Prosecutors Alliance of California. We spent decades debating whether climate change was real or not. And finally, we've gotten to this place where, OK, the data is in: Climate change is real. It's time to do the same thing in criminal justice. The data is in: [Mass incarceration] did not succeed. It is no longer up for debate. The question is how do we get to a better place? And why are we condemning the people who are trying to get us there? The Washington Post via Getty Images With some exceptions, I think journalists can be effective at their jobs regardless of their political persuasions, as long as theyre transparent and show their work. I'm a leftist; my politics of course instruct my worldview. I believe journalism is supposed to be for centering the voices and stories of the most vulnerable among us. At its purest, it's an essential tool to combat the propagandized narratives of powerful interests and institutions. It's my opinion bolstered by research and reporting that reforms to the criminal justice system are broadly popular, and theyre quite effective, too. For this reported column, Ive weaved in the testimonies of a few former prisoners, all of whom are Black or Latino, because I believe their perspectives have too often been omitted from media coverage in favor of anonymous prosecutors with a bone to pick. You can decide for yourself how persuasive you find their anecdotes, coupled with incarceration data and my critiques of other media members coverage. If nothing else, you know exactly where I stand and what my aims are with this piece. The same cannot be said for ABC7 reporter Dan Noyes, who, as far as I can tell, would bristle at the idea of publicly admitting to his political ideologies, including on issues like criminal justice. But his editorial choices, and his sources list, speak for themselves. Noyes seems to have never reported on Prices candidacy, or even Wileys candidacy, before this year. In March alone, he wrote four breathless stories about Price. The first was titled, Judge rejects Alameda Co. DA's plea deal for murder defendant accused of killing 3 people. The implicit framing of the piece was that it would be out of step and absurd for Price to lower the potential sentence of a then-18-year-old implicated in a triple homicide from 75-to-life to 15 years. Reporter Emilie Raguso, whos guilty of many of the same one-sided reporting techniques as Noyes, took a similar stance at her publication, the Berkeley Scanner, which is dedicated to writing up the grisly details of neighborhood crimes. Both Noyes and Ragusos reporting on the triple-homicide case has relied on the disgust of Alameda County Judge Mark McCannon, who denied Prices 15-year plea deal. Since McCannons move, Price has announced that shes moving to disqualify him from overseeing her cases. Noyes called Prices decision an extraordinary action, but Prices predecessor, OMalley, took the same action with a judge less than a year ago. What neither Noyes nor Raguso bothered mentioning in their coverage is that OMalleys office left this triple-homicide case floundering for years, dating back to 2015, because there are questions about whether the evidence would sustain a conviction. And McCannon is not some apolitical figure. In fact, he was an Alameda County deputy district attorney for 16 years under Tom Orloff and then, yes, OMalley. He even donated to OMalleys campaign in 2009. Hes an elected official and someone who was once deeply involved in the office Price is attempting to reform. Whats more, neither Noyes nor Raguso noted that recidivism rates for prisoners with longer-term sentences are much lower compared with the rest of the prison population or how expensive it is to keep people in prison indefinitely. Robert Hernandez and his wife Gina can attest to how spending 15 years in prison feels. Robert was released just a few months ago after serving 16 years. His original sentence, for severely injuring someone in a bar fight, was actually 27 years, because it was his second strike under Californias three-strikes law and because he had a gang enhancement tacked on. Gang enhancements can add lots of time to a prison sentence, and according to DeBerry, 98% of the cases where gang enhancements are applied involve Black or Latino people. Hernandez got out early only because OMalley lessened his sentence on her way out the door. Hes now in his late 50s; his son, who was 5 years old when Hernandez went to prison, is now 21. After 10, 15 years, you for sure paid for your crimes, Hernandez, who just found a job and is learning how to use a smartphone, told me. Most of those people are really old. If you ever go to San Quentin and see the people, you will realize, man, this is crazy. Some people deserve to be in there, don't get me wrong. But there's a lot of people that got caught up in the system. So, so, so many people that are just broken down and hurt and trying to find a way out. Now they got the DA that's willing to give them a chance, at least hear them. Gina Hernandez is of course grateful that her husband was resentenced by OMalley, but she still voted for Price over Wiley, a decision she doesnt regret in the slightest. We have been impacted by those [sentencing] choices, where people just want to say, well, this group is hopeless; there's no worth to their life. And that's not the case, she said. Compare the Hernandez familys measured explanation of the carceral system with how Raguso originally reported on Prices potential plan to shorten a swath of prison sentences and focus on promising rehabilitation outcomes. While criminal justice reforms remain critically important across the state and nation, she wrote, numerous people from the DA's office have told the Berkeley Scanner that this approach is not the right way forward. For the rest of the piece, anytime a statistic or data point about reform policies started to read as sensible, Raguso made sure to drop in a quote from an anonymous dissenter at the DAs office. Its not just anonymous dissenters Raguso and Noyes both rushed to interview Charly Weissenbach, a prosecutor who comically told the Berkeley Scanner shes not comfortable in the spotlight, as she sat down for feature profiles and on-camera interviews about her very public resignation. I spent about three minutes looking Weissenbach up; she has a 2018 Facebook profile photo calling for the reelection of OMalley, and she donated $2,074.58 to Wileys campaign. Why is it newsworthy that she doesnt want to work for the DA who convincingly beat her preferred candidate? MediaNews Group/East Bay Times v/MediaNews Group via Getty Images While Raguso and Noyes have relied on angry prosecutors to make their points, Noyes separately has a penchant for dramatically inserting himself into his investigative reporting adventures. On ABC7 segments and on Twitter, Noyes has theatrically spoken of trying and failing to corner Price for an interview. His on-the-ground sleuthing resulted in other disgruntled employees feeding him drivel like how Price took the extraordinary step of closing her offices for a day for team-building exercises. As part of what he called an EXCLUSIVE report, Noyes discovered that Price asked staffers to bring pens and paper and crayons to an off-site retreat. (He did not reveal the colors of the crayons.) Noyes has the ideal mentor for these self-absorbed shenanigans in his colleague, Dion Lim, who perfected the routine of chasing around a progressive DA (in her case, Chesa Boudin). Lim has waded into Prices tenure as well, recently interviewing the family of Jasper Wu, a 23-month-old who was killed by gunfire on Interstate 880 in Oakland. Lim explained in her report that Wus alleged killers might keyword might receive a lesser sentence because Price is against sentencing enhancements; one of Wus parents responded by telling Lim that they do not believe in second chances and they disagreed with the idea of eliminating those enhancements. It is not my place to weigh in on how Wus parents feel here. What I will say is this: Lim framed the potential removal of sentencing enhancements as obviously morally reprehensible, and used a distraught family as a prop and proof that her stance is unimpeachable. I find that despicable. In the past week, Lim went back to Wus parents for more gut-wrenching quotes, and her reporting seems to have compelled a small protest against Price at the Alameda County courthouse, even though again Price hasnt announced any final decisions about the case. According to Dorsey Nunn, a criminal justice reform organizer who spoke to SFGATE about his advocacy work and his own time in prison, some media members only bring up those frightening stories when they haven't gotten any real evidence that actually the crime rates went up or down, he said. I think that they would prefer to rest on the notion that if you punish somebody, it's going to actually produce some real dramatic change, a drop in crime thats going to make people feel safer. When you run out of those stale arguments, they're going to start talking about, I need a sense of closure. But in order for you to have closure, should we as a society be practicing brutal revenge? Lance Wilson, a communications assistant at the progressive comms firm The Worker Agency, was in prison for four years, from 2017 until 2021, on a drug conspiracy charge. He wouldve been released in 2020 had he not had a gun enhancement added to his case (he said the gun was found at the home he was arrested at, but it wasnt his gun). As a result, he was stuck in prison at the height of the pandemic, when he and almost every person he knew caught the coronavirus. It could have been a death sentence for me, he said, all because of this hideous, sneaky thing that prosecutors use to try to just tack more time onto your sentence. Wilson told me that certain media members ideologically motivated critiques of Price have made him sick to his stomach. Nobody wants to give you a second chance, he said. Nunn expressed something similar during our conversation. At what point will they see me as having integrity, or see people like me as having integrity, and [having] something wonderful that they could add to society? he asked. I cant answer that question for the media members discussed above. All I can do is reiterate that theyre doing a disservice to the public. Already, Noyes is touting a Change.org petition to kick out Price. The Change.org petition carries no official weight, but its not hard to read the tea leaves here: An actual recall effort coaxed by the press looks increasingly inevitable. Price might turn out to be an abject disaster for any number of reasons, but theres nothing tangible to base that on yet. You dont have to be a supporter of criminal justice reform to acknowledge the scary implications of already knowing, after barely three months, that a politician who won their race fair and square, who hasnt even fully instituted their suggested policies yet, seems to be on a collision course for a media-backed recall. Sure, some of you will read this column, and youll call me biased, a left-wing advocate, whatever else. What you cant accuse me of is not being upfront, of not showing my work. I told you how I was going to write up this story, my thought process behind my sourcing list, and I tried to contextualize my reporting, too. The journalists who are ideologically opposed to progressive district attorneys? Theres no transparency to be had. Theyll continue releasing selective tidbits about high-profile cases, ignoring inconvenient truths about those cases and the criminal justice system at large, and then theyll anoint themselves martyrs when theyre critiqued for their nakedly pro-incarceration framing. Their routine is tiring. No need to overthink it: Pamela Price is a progressive district attorney, and some media members dont like that. Those media members have responded with fear-mongering over following the facts. Worst of all, what theyre doing may very well work. Editor's note: This column was updated at 11:45 a.m., April 12, to clarify information on gang enhancement statistics. Details added (first published: 12:45) FUZULI, Azerbaijan, April 12. A total of 2,904 people will be returned to Azerbaijans Fuzuli, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Namig Hummatov said, Trend reports. Hummatov made the remark at a meeting of the Working Group on Urban Development under the Interdepartmental Center of the Coordination Headquarters held in the Fuzuli International Airport. According to the action plan of the State Program to ensure the return of the population and ensure its integration in the territories in the Fuzuli district, until 2026, it is planned to build and commission a total of 5,678 housing facilities 3,352 private houses and 2,326 apartments According to him, a total of 399 houses will be built in 2023, 447 in 2024, 2,317 in 2025, and 2,515 in 2026. Some 2,904 people will be accommodated next year in the 846-apartment residential complex built by the State Housing Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. "In general, it is planned to relocate 21,593 people to the Fuzuli district, including 8,009 to the city of Fuzuli. In addition, work on the design of a professional lyceum, a central hospital, a central park, and an administrative building is continuing at an accelerated pace in the Fuzuli district," Gummatov said. Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia. A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. EY has scrapped plans for a radical breakup of its global operations after internal disputes over the potential structure of the new businesses. The company started laying the groundwork for separating its audit and advisory businesses under the codename Project Everest last year, as the big four accounting firms faced mounting criticism about conflicts of interest between the two divisions. Guardian Ministers have been urged to ramp up spending on public transport in England and Wales to tackle the climate emergency, and to unlock a 50bn a year boost to the economy, in a report by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The report released by the TUC, a federation representing 48 unions, argues for a radical increase in investment calling for 18bn more a year to be spent on operating trains, trams and buses to help cut car use by 20%, improve quality of life and boost the UK economy. Guardian Tesla is in advanced talks to snap up part of a vast warehouse site in Milton Keynes as Elon Musk seeks to accelerate sales of its electric cars in Britain. The electric vehicle (EV) maker is preparing to sign a lease for a newly built logistics space in the city, property website React News reported. Telegraph The troubled investment group behind a failed bid for Audioboom, the podcast company, has launched legal proceedings against Robert Bonnier over a previously undisclosed loan it provided to the financier. All Active Asset Capital said it was suing Bonnier, one of its key associates, for his alleged failure to repay 1.3 million related to a short-term secured loan it had provided in March last year. The Times A judge in the United States has rejected a request by Jes Staley, the former JP Morgan executive, to sever the banks lawsuit accusing him of concealing what he knew about Jeffrey Epstein, the American sex offender and financier, from two related legal cases against the bank. The decision in New York is a defeat for Staley, who had said the trial for all three cases scheduled for October 23 left him too little time to defend himself against the banks slanderous accusations. The Times BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Azerbaijani Food Safety Agency has spread information on the preliminary results of studies conducted in regard with the deterioration of the health condition of seven students from lyceum No. 20 named after A.Huseynzade in Baku's Yasamal district after eating in the school cafeteria, Trend reports via the agency. During the inspection it turned out that on April 6, seven students from different classes of the specified school ate fried chicken (nuggets) sold by TAIS IKF LLC, serving the school canteen, while another student ate doner. According to the agency, after eating, the children felt pain in the epigastric region, nausea, headache, and dizziness. Right away after providing them with primary health care, an emergency ambulance was called the school's medical center. During the inspection conducted at the lyceum regarding this event, it turned out that TAIS IKF LLC operates in the canteen on the basis of a lease agreement, and these products were packed in thermal boxes and delivered to the school in finished form. These products are offered for sale in storefronts. Also, during the inspection at the school, it was found that after the food was delivered to the school, the corresponding temperature and humidity indicators were not monitored. At the same time, samples of 26 various types of food products, swab samples from the hands of six employees and from 20 different surfaces, used tools and equipment were taken during the inspection. They were transmitted to the testing laboratories of the Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute. The agency also continues unscheduled inspection activities at the food preparation and delivery enterprise owned by TAIS IKF LLC and located at Narimanov district, 5 A.Gaibov Street, Baku city. Additional information about the result of the audit will be provided to the public. Furthermore, the agency, during 2022-2023, conducted inspections in 174 educational institutions provided with a food unit, within which the compliance of food units with sanitary and hygienic standards, and the requirements for the supply, storage, labeling and packaging of food products in food units, as well as the quality and safety indicators and availability of accompanying documents, were checked. According to the results of the inspections, the relevant acts were drawn up. During the inspection, various shortcomings were identified in 172 educational institutions, 42 of them - shortcomings that do not entail administrative responsibility (lack of registration of food safety), and 130 shortcomings that cause administrative responsibility. As a result, the responsible persons of the educational institution were brought to administrative responsibility. One of these inspections was carried out at the full secondary school No. 20. Thus, during the inspection conducted on from January 16 through January 18 this year, violations of the requirements of technical regulatory legal acts in the field of nutrition were revealed, a measure of administrative responsibility was taken against a school official, and mandatory instructions were given to eliminate deficiencies. The list of institutions where inspections were carried out can be found in the table. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. SMEs wishing to start a business and expand their entrepreneurial activities in Azerbaijan can use the services of the SME Development Centers within the Azerbaijan Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) free of charge to improve their knowledge and skills in this area, the SMBDA told Trend. According to the agency, the services include trainings, consultations, support in developing a business plan and others. From January through March 2023, the SMBDA organized 69 trainings in order to increase the level of business knowledge of SMEs and awareness about the field of entrepreneurship. These trainings were used by 825 SMEs and persons wishing to start a business. They mainly cover areas such as sales, marketing, accounting, personnel management, branding, business innovation, business plan development, project management, and others. In the first quarter of this year, 243 business entities were provided with consulting services on the creation and development of business. During this period, the agency provided appropriate support for the development of 47 business plans. The SMBDA was established under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated December 28, 2017. The going on negotiations for a free trade deal between India and the European Union have been addressed by the trade ministers of France and India. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was here to participate in the India-France Business Summit and CEOs roundtable meet. He held bilateral meetings with several CEOs and the French minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht. The ministers discussed priority areas related to India EU FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations where issues related to market access were deliberated, it said. Goyal also said India is looking to buy 2,000 commercial aircraft in the next 10 years and there is a huge opportunity to make commercial aircraft in India to meet domestic and international demand. With the purchase of Rafale and the recent Airbus order, more value has been added to this partnership, he added. In January last year, India and the EU resumed negotiations for a free trade agreement, investment protection and Geographical Indications (GI). Becht mentioned that bilateral trade was USD 15.1 billion in 2021-22, doubled in the last decade; and foreign direct investment (FDI) has been USD 10 billion from France which is a topforeign investor in India. There is a will from French companies to invest in India, he added. Goyal highlighted that by breaking language barriers trade can further be expanded. He also invited the French minister to India along with the French community on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers meet in Goyal also addressed a CEOs roundtable meet on April 11. More than 50 CEOs from Indian and French companies participated at the roundtable. Sectors such as agriculture, tourism, defense, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and aerospace were represented at the meet. Along with both the ministers, perspectives were shared by Ambassador of India to France Jawed Ashraf; Vice-President, CII and Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Sanjiv Puri; Executive Director, International Energy Agency Faith Birol; and CEO, Danone Antoine de Saint-Affrique. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said that there is a huge delta of opportunities in India, which is on a growth trajectory. Goyal, who is currently on a tour of France, while addressing the India-France Business Summit and CEOs Roundtable in Paris said: "We are one of the largest consumers of goods and services. Exports of goods and services are growing by over 50 percent, and we hope to continue this growth trajectory. We hope to see our exports of goods and services triple from $765 billion to $2 trillion by 2030." The minister further said that both India and France attach the highest importance to building a green future. "Both countries have ambitious climate goals. Building a green future creates enormous market opportunities, but it also requires huge investments and technological breakthroughs. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in investments, collaborations and joint ventures, especially from France to India, in green technologies," he added. The Embassy of India in Paris, in association with industry body CII, the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) and the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), organized the India-France Business Summit and CEOs Roundtable. French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, Olivier Becht, said that he is confident that both sides will foster bilateral and multilateral meetings. "India, being the world's most populous country, has the potential to attract numerous manufacturing activities. Already, many French companies are actively engaged in India, and there is tremendous untapped potential for further collaboration," he said. More than 50 CEOs from Indian and French companies participated in the CEOs Roundtable. Keshub Mahindra, India's oldest billionaire and chairman emeritus of Mahindra & Mahindra, passed away on Wednesday aged 99. Mahindra had a net worth of $1.2 billion. After retiring from his position as Chairman, Mahindra Group, on August 9, 2012, he handed over the reins to his nephew, Anand Mahindra. During the 48 years of his chairmanship, the Mahindra Group expanded from being an automobile manufacturer to other business segments like IT, real estate, financial services and hospitality. He played key roles in forging business alliances with global majors such as the Willys Corporation, Mitsubishi, International Harvester, United Technologies, British Telecom and many others. "The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to mtgs with him and was inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti," Pawan Goenka tweeted. Mahindra graduated from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA. He joined the company in 1947 and became the Chairman in 1963. He has also served on several Boards and Councils in both the private and public domain, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC and ICICI. Mr. Mahindra was also the Founder Chairman of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited); Vice-Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd; Chairman Mahindra Ugine Steel Co. Ltd; Director of Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited. Contrasting half-centuries from Axar Patel and captain David Warner carried Delhi Capitals to 172 in 19.4 overs against Mumbai Indians in match 16 of IPL 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi were in trouble at 98/5 in 12.3 overs, and Axar walked in to smack 54 off 25 balls, hitting four fours and five effortless sixes in what was his first IPL fifty. Warner began well but struggled to accelerate and played an anchor role to make an unconvincing 51 off 47 balls. Mumbai's bowling struggled in power-play, but veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla got turn from a dry pitch to pick 3/22, while left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff finished with 3/23 as Delhi's last five wickets fell for just seven runs, with two balls left unused. Pushed into batting first, Delhi were off to a decent start by racing to 29/0 in the first three overs. Shaw got off the mark by presenting the full face of the bat to punch-drive down the ground off Behrendorff. He would time two more flowy drives off Arshad Khan and Hrithik Shokeen, but Shaw would fall to the latter after sweeping straight to square leg. Warner initially nailed his pulls and slogs while being severe on anything having width from the bowlers. From the other end, Manish Pandey was great in his on-drives while using his feet well against spinners, and had some luck in edges going for boundaries. Post the first time-out, Pandey danced down the pitch to loft off Chawla, but holed out to long-off in the ninth over. In the next over, Yash Dhull's IPL debut lasted four balls as his flick off the hips off a slower ball from Riley Meredith was caught by running deep mid-wicket. More trouble followed Delhi as Chawla's googly trapped Rovman Powell plumb lbw in the 11th over. After paddle-sweeping off Green in the 12th over, Warner got a life as Chawla couldn't hold on to his catch at mid-off and couldn't effect a run-out despite a mix-up between him and Lalit Yadav. Chawla made up for the shelled chance by luring Lalit through flight and uprooting his leg-stump with a slower googly. Warner then nailed a slog-sweep off Chawla for four, before bringing up his half-century in 43 balls. From the other end, Axar showed his fine touch with the bat by carting Shokeen for back-to-back inside-out sixes, before striking Green through cover and down the ground for a brace of fours. Axar then smacked consecutive sixes over long-on off Behrendorff, second of which Suryakumar Yadav dropped and was hit on the face, walking off the field immediately. He took on Meredith by hooking through short fine leg for four, followed by smacking a six straight down the ground on a no-ball to get his fifty in 22 balls. But Mumbai bounced back in the 19th over as Behrendorff had Axar holing out to deep square leg, Warner giving a top-edge to short third man and Abishek Porel miscuing to mid-off, apart from Kuldeep Yadav being run-out by mid-on. Meredith castled Anrich Nortje in the final over to make it the first time a side batting first has been bowled out. Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 172 in 19.4 overs (Axar Patel 54, David Warner 51; Piyush Chawla 3/22, Jason Behrendorff 3/23) against Mumbai Indians BROOKLYN, N.Y. A 25-year-old Brooklyn man has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old man from South Beach on a subway in Downtown Brooklyn last week. Mark Smith, 25, of the 800 block on Linden Boulevard, faces manslaughter, assault and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon charges, according to police. The victim, Isiah Collazo, of Winfield Street, South Beach, allegedly got into a dispute with Smith onboard a northbound D train, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported. The male suspect stabbed Collazo with an unknown object before fleeing in an unknown direction. When officers responded at around 11:30 p.m to the 4th Avenue and Pacific Street station, they observed Collazo with a stab wound to the abdomen. EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No weapon was recovered from the scene, police said. A possible motive for the stabbing has not yet been determined and an investigation remains ongoing, police said. Attorney information for Smith was not readily available as of Tuesday evening. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities say a 35-year-old man had a loaded gun when he chased an individual on an avenue in South Beach. Markim Quick, of Lamport Boulevard, was arrested in the incident that occurred at 4:44 p.m. on March 14 in the vicinity of 141 Norway Ave. The South Beach Houses are located at the address provided by authorities. The criminal complaint, based on an investigation by Narcotics Borough Staten Island, alleges that police saw the suspect had a loaded firearm when he was chasing after an individual. The black gun, a .40-caliber Hi-Point, was pointed at the victim during the encounter, police said. Officers allegedly saw Quick throw the gun to the ground. A member of Narcotics Borough Staten Island recovered the gun that was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and three rounds in the magazine, according to the criminal complaint. The sedative alprazolam in the form of white, rectangular pills marked GG249, was recovered from the suspects person, according to the criminal complaint. Quick has been indicted on charges that include criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a weapon that is a loaded firearm, criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a firearm, according to public records. The suspect is being held at Rikers Island, according to public records. Bond has been set at $1 million/$500,000 cash for the suspect, who is due to be arraigned in Supreme Court on April 26, according to public records. Quick pleaded guilty to robbery in the second degree in Westchester County Supreme Court and was sentenced in July 2018 to five years in prison. He was released in August 2021 on parole that expires in December 2024, according to public records. Attorney Thomas Reilly, who is representing the suspect, declined to comment at this time. OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS: >> NYPD: Woman sought for questioning in Staten Island hair-pull robbery of car keys >> NYPD: Remains of woman, 43, shot to death found in Staten Island home >> Man, 22, accused of groping woman on MTA bus last week on Staten Island, NYPD says >> NYPD: Man, 29, arrested in the fatal shooting of John Pena Sr. in Stapleton on Staten Island >> Man, 46, arrested in connection with alleged bat attack on Staten Island; 2nd individual sought, NYPD says >> NYPD seeks tips in robbery reported in Elm Park >> Man, 22, accused of shooting at strip mall on Staten Islands Forest Avenue, NYPD says >> Staten Island man accused of handcuffing, shackling, raping woman on bus where he lived STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The Newark Police Department has asked for the publics help to locate a 46-year-old man from that community in New Jersey who has connections to Staten Island. Michael Charles, who also is known as D.J. Mike, was reported missing on March 27, according to a post on the Facebook page for Newark Police. Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage said in a statement issued on Wednesday that Mr. Charles has not yet been located and his whereabouts remain under investigation. He was last seen at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday, March 10, 2023 in the 600 block of Elizabeth Avenue in Newark, NJ. He was reportedly headed to Staten Island. No further information is available at this time. Police said in the Facebook post that Charles may have traveled to Staten Island. Charles is described by Newark Police as standing about 6 tall and weighing about 200 pounds with a dark-brown complexion, black hair and brown eyes. He was seen wearing blue jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. Anyone with information is asked to call the Newark Police Divisions 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-695-8477 (NWK-TIPS). All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward. Anonymous tips may also be made using the Police Divisions website at https://npd.newarkpublicsafety.orgNewark Police Division or through the Smartphone App available at the App Store. Search Newark Police Division to download the App. OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS: >> NYPD details 3 glass-break burglaries of businesses on Staten Island >> NYPD seeks tips in church burglary on Staten Island >> NYPD: Woman sought for questioning in Staten Island hair-pull robbery of car keys >> NYPD: Remains of woman, 43, shot to death found in Staten Island home >> Man, 22, accused of groping woman on MTA bus last week on Staten Island, NYPD says STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Police are asking for the publics assistance identifying an individual wanted for questioning in connection with a robbery that occurred at a business in Grasmere. According to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, the incident occurred on Friday, April 7, at about 5:20 p.m., when an unknown individual entered a commercial establishment located at 1192 Hylan Blvd. Convenience Plus is located at the address provided by police. Once inside, the individual displayed a firearm to a 23-year-old female employee while demanding money. The employee handed over approximately $200 in merchandise. The individual then fled the location southbound on Hylan Boulevard on foot. The employee did not sustain any injuries, police said. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are kept strictly confidential. RELATED COVERAGE: Staten Island crime news >> NYPD: Woman, 27, arrested in violent Staten Island bus mugging >> NYPD: Shots-fired incident reported on Staten Island >> Alleged shooter of reputed Staten Island gang leaders father is arrested. Heres what we know NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Mayor Eric Adams alongside NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and other law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday the deployment of several new technological updates including a robotic mobile K-9 device. Other updates presented were StarChase GPS tag attachment system and the K5 Autonomous Security Robot (ASR). In every era, we have maximized public and officer safety through emerging technology and that approach continues today. It is time, again, for the NYPD to adapt, to improve, and to continue exceeding public safety expectations, said Sewell in a statement. But we want to be clear: The implementation of these technologies will be transparent, consistent, and always done in close collaboration with the people we serve. Our job is to fight crime and keep people safe, and these tools are significant steps forward in that vital mission. Heres how these technologies will work: StarChase Star GPS deployed on a squad car. (NYC Mayor's Office) The GPS tag system provides a means to track vehicles by using a projectile that attaches a GPS enabled device which can then be tracked remotely. It provides real-time information about the vehicles location. This technology will allow NYPD officers to track a tagged vehicle remotely, avoiding a high-risk vehicle pursuit in the crowded streets of New York City. Digidog (Spot) Digidog is a remote-controlled, highly mobile K-9 robot for use in investigating high-risk, hazardous situations and locations. They are tools that will undoubtedly save lives both of the public and the police, the NYPD said. The NYPD expects to begin deploying this technology in the summer of 2023. K5 ASR K5 ASR robot. (NYC Mayor's Office) The K5 Autonomous Security Robot (ASR) will provide additional camera coverage of confined public areas, such as transit facilities, police said. The device is leased from the manufacturer, and the NYPDs pilot program is set to begin in the summer of 2023 and last approximately seven months. The K5 ASR has been used by law enforcement agencies, college campuses, corporations, shopping malls, etc. across the country to provide security and deter crime. MORE ON SILIVE >> NYPD releases window-smash video, asks for help IDing individual sought in Staten Island burglary pattern >> NYPD probes brick-toss burglary at eyeglass shop on Victory Blvd. on Staten Island >> Disheartened and frustrated, restaurant owners outraged at spate of break-ins | Pamelas Food Service Diary >> NYPD responds to burglary at restaurant on Staten Island; 2nd heist at eatery on Bay Street >> NYPD meets with jewelry stores at Staten Island Mall, month after smash-and-grab nets $100K in watches STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) colleges will end the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate for students and staff, the higher education institutions both announced Tuesday. CUNY, which includes the College of Staten Island in Willowbrook, announced that in the wake of significant advances against COVID-19 and consistent with the federal governments plan to end the public health emergency, it will end the emergency vaccination mandate for students, faculty and staff. The change is effective on the final day of the current spring semester, which for most colleges is May 23. It will allow students to enroll in classes regardless of vaccination status starting with summer sessions. We are confident that this is the appropriate time for CUNY to lift the COVID vaccine requirement as a condition of enrollment or employment, though we continue to encourage all students, faculty and staff to stay up to date with vaccinations, said CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez in a statement. Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently put health and safety first, while balancing it against our core mission of providing access to higher education to the greatest extent possible. We will continue to consult with public health experts, closely monitor data and adhere to all pertinent federal, state and city guidance should policies need to be modified moving forward. Additionally, CUNY will also end its testing program and close testing sites on campuses and in the central office by the end of June. SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. also announced that a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNYs 64 campuses, effective for summer courses. Vaccinations for the coronavirus will continue to be strongly encouraged for students, faculty and staff. The safety of SUNYs students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us, said King. Across SUNY we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students. The decision came at the recommendation of SUNYs Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health and neuroscience. According to the updated SUNY guidance, campuses may choose to keep the current policy in place, or impose additional vaccine requirements, such as boosters. SUNY campuses, at their discretion, may also continue to provide surveillance testing programs of all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. CUNY and SUNYs vaccination mandates were instituted in fall 2021, requiring students to submit proof they were fully vaccinated in order to enroll in classes that were in-person, or hybrid. It also applied to faculty, non-teaching instructional staff and employees at CUNY and SUNY colleges. School Zone: A new newsletter with the updates you need as our schools try to get back to normal. Enter your email address here and hit "subscribe" to receive this weekly newsletter: FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Americans should reconsider plugging their phone into public charging stations, even if the device is at 1% battery. Earlier this month, the FBIs office in Denver, Colo., posted a tweet warning the public of the potential dangers of connecting their phone to free public charging stations, which have become the latest target for savvy cyber criminals. Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead, the tweet reads. The FBI has said that the tweet was not prompted by a new threat, but rather was intended as a regular reminder of the ongoing cyber security issue known as juice jacking. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also issued warnings about the dangers of juice jacking, where cyber criminals load malware onto public charging stations that allows them to access personal data and passwords. If your battery is running low, be aware that juicing up your electronic device at free USB port charging stations, such as those found in airports and hotel lobbies, might have unfortunate consequences. You could become a victim of juice jacking, yet another cyber-theft tactic, according to the FCC. The FCC offered the following tips to avoid becoming the next victim of juice jacking. Avoid using a public USB charging station. Use an AC power outlet instead. Bring AC, car chargers and your own USB cables with you when traveling. Carry a portable charger or external battery. Consider carrying a charging-only cable, which prevents data from sending or receiving while charging, from a trusted supplier. If you plug your device into a USB port and a prompt appears asking you to select share data or charge only, always select charge only. The agencies also warned residents of the dangers of connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, which are another way that cyber criminals target travelers and steal personal information. Be careful when connecting to a public Wi-Fi network and do not conduct any sensitive transactions, including purchases, when on a public network, according to the FBI. ADDITIONAL TRAVEL NEWS Southwest Airlines Companion Pass lets friends fly free: Heres how it works From getting a passport to using travel apps, experts offer tips for traveling abroad post-pandemic Spring Break 2023: Which are the most popular travel destinations? Spring Break 2023: U.S. issues Do Not Travel advisory for Mexico amid crime, kidnappings Uber unveils new features to assist spring break travelers Nearly 85% of American adults expected to travel this summer, survey finds Travelers in these states experience the most flight delays, study shows. Where does New York rank? Which U.S. airports have the most delayed flights? These are the 10 airlines most likely to delay your flight, data shows STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The MTAs crackdown on toll evasion continues, with agency officers seizing dozens of vehicles with unpaid tolls and fines exceeding $1.5 million during two recent enforcement blitzes. On Wednesday, the MTA announced that its two latest targeted enforcement efforts, on April 6 at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and on April 11 at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, resulted in a combined 63 vehicles being interdicted and impounded with unpaid tolls and fees of more than $1.5 million. The effectiveness of these targeted operations is reflective of the successful collaboration that takes place between MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers and our law enforcement partners, said MTA Bridges and Tunnels Interim President Catherine Sheridan. During Tuesdays enforcement efforts at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge alone, violators owed a combined $955,236, with the top offender, the driver of a Lexus RX4, owing over $86,000. In addition to the many toll evaders, agency officers arrested a driver using a fake Georgia license plate on his Mercedes Benz SUV, a common tactic used to avoid toll payments. The MTA works collaboratively with regional partners, like the Port Authority, NYPD and the Sherriffs Office, to inform Bridge & Tunnel officers on the ever-changing types of bogus plates used by scofflaws. In addition to suspended registrations, we are focused on covered, obstructed, and counterfeit plates. These enforcement efforts are critical in securing toll revenue, but most importantly send a message to those who drive unregistered vehicles and those who are intent on breaking the law, Sheridan said. Aprils efforts are just the latest in a long line of enforcement blitzes conducted by MTA Bridge & Tunnel officers so far this year. On Jan. 18, the MTA interdicted and impounded 17 vehicles at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge for unpaid tolls and fines totaling over $400,000. On Feb. 9, the agency nabbed 32 vehicles, 28 of which were at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, for unpaid tolls and fines totaling $900,000. Then, on March 20, officers seized 20 vehicles with unpaid tolls and fines nearing $600,000. The repeated efforts highlight the emphasis the agency has placed on ramping up enforcement and recovering toll revenue over the past year-plus. In 2022, the MTA suspended the registration of roughly 15,000 vehicles for unpaid tolls, impounding about 1,800 vehicles and recovering approximately $21 million in tolls and fees owed, all of which represent single-year records for the agency. Recouping unpaid tolls is critical for the MTA, with the agency facing severe financial challenges due to continued low mass transit ridership since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Providing revenue for the region to ensure that we maintain a state of good repair at our facilities, as well as assisting New York City Transit financially, thats been a big mission of ours. That hasnt changed since we went over to open-road tolling, weve just changed the way in which we do it, and weve actually gotten a lot better at it as the years have gone on, MTA Bridges and Tunnels Vice President & Chief of Operations Richard L. Hildebrand II told the Advance/SILive.com in March. The MTAs Bridge and Tunnel officers use a combination of technology and keen observational skills to identify and intercept toll evaders as they attempt to cross the bridge. Drivers who repeatedly fail to pay their tolls and associated fines, despite repeated warnings, have their vehicle registration suspended by the state, allowing officers to quickly identify such vehicles when they make their way over the bridge. When vehicles with a suspended registration for unpaid tolls pass under the cashless tolling gantries, officers receive an alert and immediately move to interdict the vehicle. Bridge and Tunnel Officers are on the lookout for persistent toll violators and the bottom line is if you use fake plates, you may be arrested and if you dont pay your tolls, we will pull you over and have your vehicle towed, Hildebrand said. In January, the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com spoke with David Rivera and Reginald Ledee, MTA Bridge & Tunnel officers who have been stationed at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge since 2018. The two officers heavily contributed to Januarys enforcement blitz, impounding 10 vehicles in a 24-hour period. The officers said they receive mixed reactions when interdicting persistent toll evaders, with some admitting to their violations, others playing dumb, and some even breaking into tears. A lot of them say they didnt know their registration was suspended or think they were pulled over for something else, Rivera said at the time. Some people say you got me, or I know that Im suspended ... and actually I had a gentleman cry today and say, I have my dad on the phone and he wants to talk to you. ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION NEWS NYC parking meters: How much does it cost to park across the city? What is a Space Act agreement, and why is the Port Authority partnering with NASA? Tickets for cell phone use while driving down nearly 90% on Staten Island in past decade, data shows NYC comptroller sets higher wages for Staten Island Ferry engineers NYC congestion pricing: Bipartisan congressional caucus formed to combat controversial program Cell phone use, speeding and more: A breakdown of Staten Islands moving violations in 2022 NYC congestion pricing pushed back to 2024, costing $250M in revenue, MTA says Speed cameras on Verrazzano? Staten Island lawmakers unanimously oppose state proposal MTA nabs 32 toll evaders with fines totaling $900K in record-setting day STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Guinea pigs on pet store shelves may soon be a thing of the past in the five boroughs after the City Council voted Tuesday to ban shops from selling them. A pandemic spike in sales, and the subsequent influx of the animals at local shelters spurred lawmakers to add guinea pigs to a local law that also bans the sale of rabbits. Prohibiting the sale of guinea pigs in pet shops will bring relief to animal shelters. Other rescuers have experienced a surge in abandon and surrender guinea pigs in the past three years, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said. Though small in stature, the tiny rodents require a big effort to care for and maintain. When owners realized how difficult caring for them was, the guinea pigs found themselves in the citys animal shelters. Adoption of the animals remains legal, so New Yorkers will still be able to get the animals. The City Council bill passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday, but most of the Councils Republicans and a few Democrats opposed the legislation. City Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) explained that his opposition came because he felt the bill punished store owners for what was ultimately, the pet purchasers mistakes. I never imagined defending the virtues of guinea pigs, although they are delicious, Borelli said in reference to Peru where the animals are treated as a delicacy. Were taking bad behavior by customers and owners of these pets and transferring the punishment onto pet shops, so that is why were against it. The legislation will now go to the mayor for his signature or veto. MORE LEGISLATIVE NEWS NYC law would ban discrimination based on persons height, weight Hoping to catch Trump trial on TV? Heres what you should know New Yorks minimum wage would reach $21.25 if some lawmakers have their way If passed, NY state law would make some MTA buses in NYC free to ride Past due on your property taxes? A new NYC law may be able to help STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. President Joe Bidens administration on Wednesday designated xylazine, an animal sedative penetrating drug supplies and complicating efforts to reverse opioid overdoses, as an emerging threat to the United States. The shift comes after the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said it was tracking the use and effects of the drug, which is also known under the street labels tranq, the zombie drug and sleep-cut. Federal regulators issued an alert late last year warning health professionals to be on alert for xylazine. The public declaration will jumpstart a process to publish a government-wide response, including evidence-based prevention, treatment and supply reduction. The Office of National Drug Control Policy said it is convening an interagency working group to develop the national plan. As a physician, I am deeply troubled about the devastating impact of the fentanyl-xylazine combination, and as President Bidens drug policy advisor, I am immensely concerned about what this threat means for the Nation, said Dr. Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. By declaring xylazine as an emerging threat, the White House is applying the designation for the first time since Congress passed the SUPPORT Act of 2018 that enabled the office to take action against developing drug problems. Officials have expressed stark concern over the presence of xylazine in combination with other substances, like heroin and fentanyl. Xylazine has life-threatening side effects similar to the ones typically observed with opioid use, making it difficult to distinguish between the two. However, because the drug is not an opioid, the overdose-reversal treatment naloxone is not effective in cases involving xylazine. People who overdose on a fentanyl-xylazine combination may then remain in a sedated state even after receiving naloxone, making it difficult to combat the proliferation of the drug. The Drug Enforcement Administration said laboratory xylazine detections rose in all four U.S. regions between 2020 and 2021. The increases were most start in the South and West, which saw confirmed tests jump 193% and 112%, respectively. Overdose deaths that included xylazine spiked by 1,127% in the South, 750% in the West, over 500% in the Midwest and more than 100% in the Northeast. By declaring xylazine combined with fentanyl as an emerging threat, we are being proactive in our approach to save lives and creating new tools for public health and public safety officials and communities across the Nation, said Gupta. To parents, loved ones, community leaders, and those affected by xylazine use: I want you to know that help is on the way. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended health care professionals continue to administer naloxone when apparent opioid overdoses occur but to consider xylazine exposure if patients are not responding, adding that severe, necrotic skin ulcerations are a tell-tale sign of repeated injection of the drug. There is a bipartisan push to elevate xylazine to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon previously said the legal gray zone of xylazine makes it impossible for prosecutors to bring forward charges directly related to the presence of the sedative, similar to the way fentanyl analogues fentanyl-like substances that are outside the states jurisdiction skirt around the strongest penalties of the law. Our bipartisan bill would take important steps to combat the abuse of xylazine by giving law enforcement more authority to crack down on the illicit distribution of this drug, including by putting stiffer penalties on criminals who are spreading this drug to our communities, Sen. Maggie Hassan, (D-New Hampshire, said in a statement. Drug overdoses have become an unwavering problem in the U.S. exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationwide trends shows overdose deaths have reached record-highs in recent years, with older adults experiencing the highest per-capita impact. New York City Health Department provisional overdose fatality data showed deaths in 2021 rose sharply throughout the five boroughs since the start of the pandemic. There were 2,668 overdose deaths throughout the five boroughs in 2021, a 27% increase from the 2020 total of 2,103 fatalities, and a 78% rise from 2019s tally. Staten Islands death toll reached 146 in 2021 up from a total of 133 in 2020. RELATED COVERAGE: Illicit drugs and overdoses on Staten Island. Many thanks to Tom Wrobleski (Wake Up call I Dont Need), who expressed exactly how I was feeling at 4:30 a.m. Saturday when I thought I was dreaming. When I was awakened by the horrible cacophony, I looked around the perimeter of my house in Arrochar. I did not see anything. I thought perhaps I was hearing things. When the squawking continued, I happened to look up on the Con Ed wires, and lo and behold, I saw a huge turkey, shrieking loudly and defecating profusely all over the at-one-time pristine sidewalk outside my property. Should we be concerned about pathogens carried by these wild turkeys? Is it my imagination, or is it possible that the turkey population is catching up with the Staten Island human population? Has Staten Island become an unofficial wild turkey sanctuary and have we become complacent about this? Citizens need to yield to the turkeys that block the streets and sidewalks, sometimes causing accidents. Does this bother anyone? The other day as I was paying my respects at the grave site of my parents at St. Marys Cemetery, trying to place artificial flowers at their grave (because the turkeys eat the live flowers), a rafter of turkeys had the run of the cemetery. Several were fighting, others seemed to be fornicating (I did not want to gawk and be rude), others were romping around, making it difficult for me to visit and pray at my parents grave. I had to wear plastic bags on my shoes to avoid bringing turkey turd into my car and my house (ick!). This situation is unacceptable. The turkey problem has escalated beyond belief. Is there anyone who is responsible for leading the borough in rounding up these creatures? Who is in charge? Does anyone else think we NEED HELP to solve this truly disgusting turkey problem? (Dr. Frances R. Curcio is an Arrochar resident.) 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! BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Hungarian MOL Group, which has recently made the first-ever shipment of oil from Azerbaijans Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block of fields to its own Slovnaft refinery in Slovakia, may use Azerbaijani oil regularly, Slovnaft told Trend. "This shipment was based on a spot transfer, but the option is there to potentially make it regular. We now have the flexibility to decide whether to sell our share of the crude oil produced from the ACG field or transport it to our refineries, which improves the security of supply in Slovakia as well as our core region," said Slovnaft. MOL Group is transporting crude oil produced at its co-owned oilfield, the AzeriChiragGunashli in Azerbaijan all the way to Slovnaft Refinery in Bratislava. This is a major step for the companys efforts to increase its crude sourcing flexibility. Also, the arrival of the Seavelvet tanker from the Port of Ceyhan in Turkey to Omisalj in Croatia and then transporting the 90,000 tons of crude oil to Bratislava through the Adria pipeline is a success story for MOL Group: it constitutes well-to-wheel integration of its value chain as it will process and sell petroleum products refined at one of its own refineries using crude oil produced at a field it co-owns. The shipment is transported from the Sangachal oil terminal near Baku to Ceyhan via the BTC pipeline, also co-owned by MOL Group. Test production of petroleum products using the Azeri Light produced at the AzeriChiragGunashli oil field of which MOL Group owns 9.57% - will begin in April. This comes after successful testing at Slovnaft Refinery of several types of oils from Middle East and Caspian region. MOL Group holds 9.57 percent share in Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block. Total ACG production for the full year of 2022 was on average about 415,400 barrels per day (b/d) (about 152 million barrels or 20 million tonnes in total) from the Chirag (25,200 b/d), Central Azeri (104,100 b/d), West Azeri (106,400 b/d), East Azeri (64,000 b/d), Deepwater Gunashli (76,300 b/d) and West Chirag (39,400 b/d) platforms. The total volume of oil production in Azerbaijan in 2022 amounted to 32.6 million tons. During the reporting period, the country exported 26.3 million tons of oil. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn In a thermal runaway of burning money, Milkrun the start-up star of grocery delivery collapsed yesterday. Hundreds of staff lost their jobs. The tale is all that remains. For four months I was a part-time Milkrunner on my trusty Zoomo bike. I have received soakings so severe that my toes threatened to re-web, and been called champ more times than a PE teachers firstborn son. Food delivery riders at Milkrun, which will close its doors on Friday. Credit: Louie Douvis I have been high-fived by an exceedingly high trio who paid an exorbitantly steep price for one bag of sour squirms. The munchies are more dangerous than they used to be now there are no phone-summoned strangers to drop off your cravings. I have been late to three deliveries because of a cat called Roger. I have (mostly) held my own when precocious eight-year-olds demanded who I was and what I was doing outside their house. I have buzzed the wrong apartment number and been let in. Gina Rinehart isnt the type to be duped by scammers. Yet con artists seem irresistibly attracted to Australias richest person. The mining magnate had to go public, again, after fraudsters tried, again, to use her name to swindle wannabe crypto investors out of their hard-earned cash. Responding on Wednesday to fake news articles on social media claiming Rinehart invested in a start-up cryptocurrency platform that could make you rich in seven days, the billionaires people warned punters to steer clear. Mrs Rinehart has not made the alleged investment or recommendations or quotes set forth in these adverts, the billionaire miners people said in a statement. This is a scam designed to use Mrs Rineharts positive corporate image to lure people in to invest. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Even if you think youre not familiar with food writer and internet personality Alison Roman, you might know some of her recipes, the most popular of which are known simply by titles such as (hashtag optional) #ThePasta, #TheStew and #TheDip. Roman, a pastry chef and recipe tester turned cookbook writer, has long been an avid social media user, and began sharing her recipes on Instagram in 2011. Her first cookbook, Dining In, was released in 2017. That book features unfussy, chatty cooking instructions for everything from steak to bean salad, but it was her salted butter chocolate chunk shortbread recipe that was the first to earn its own hashtag, going viral as #TheCookies in late 2017 as Romans fans began sharing photos of their own batches of the shortbread. Then in her early 30s, Roman, who is in Australia next month for a series of appearances, including the Melbourne Writers Festival, soon became the darling of Millennial home cooks who enjoyed food but were often restricted by budget and a lack of fancy culinary implements. The Brooklyn-based Romans recipes, her wry writing style, social media presence and in particular the photos shed share of her kitchen at the time an ageing stovetop in a cramped space devoid of marble benchtops were, as marketing department types like to say, relatable. Even her books contain the occasional burnt pie crust. Food writer Alison Roman: People have said Im polarising [but] I think any individual on the planet elicits different responses. After more of her recipes were prefaced with a definite article, The New York Times hired Roman, who had previously worked as a food editor for Bon Appetit, as a freelance contributor, and her star continued to rise. In 2019, she released a second cookbook, Nothing Fancy, focusing on simple dinner party fare (this one launched #TheStew). Shes long been polarising; even the New Yorker once described her as home-cookings most relentless polemicist. Advertisement But seven months later, in May 2020, as her recipes were being shared by an even greater audience now embracing cooking during the pandemic, Roman was abruptly cancelled after an interview with US online newsletter New Consumer in which she talked about model turned food writer Chrissy Tiegen, and Japanese decluttering queen Marie Kondo. Roman, who was collaborating with a cookware company on a range of vintage-inspired spoons that she plugged in the same interview took aim at Kondo as capitalising on her fame, and described Tiegen, who quickly moved from cookbooks to a Target product line, as having people running a content farm for her. That horrifies me, and its not something that I ever want to do, Roman said in the piece. I dont aspire to that. Ultimately I was like, well, I make food and I make recipes for people and thats the work that I do and I want to keep doing it. Alison Roman The backlash, typically, was immediate; first for Romans seeming hypocrisy, and then for the fact that both the women she commented on were Asian. Roman was branded a perpetrator of the food medias structural racism; the candour that had made her so popular was her undoing. The requisite Twitter controversy, a thousand think-pieces and social media users searching her accounts for historical transgressions ensued. Roman issued a public apology to both women, and her New York Times column was suspended (she was officially dropped from the paper in December that year). But for such a high-profile cancellation, Roman wasnt banished for long. A month or so later, she launched her newsletter (called A Newsletter) and by the end of the year, she started her YouTube series Home Movies, videos in which she cooks a recipe from scratch, bantering away unscripted. I didnt really go away at all, says Roman over Zoom from the US. And I mean, it was the pandemic, so a lot of people went away. Advertisement Even so, it was a quick recovery from such a public fall from grace. I think its commensurate to like, punishment, crime. Ive talked about it so much already in so many interviews and all the information kind of exists out there, she says. I think any time anyone feels embarrassment or public shame, the instinct is to kind of hide your head, and you know, stay quiet for a little bit, which I definitely felt, but ultimately I was like, well, I make food and I make recipes for people and thats the work that I do and I want to keep doing it. And the people that like me and want to follow it can follow it and they do. Id rather have somebody say Im annoying than my food is bad, says the polarising food writer. Credit:Chris Bernabeo Her YouTube channel has 220,000 subscribers; her Substack newsletter has 236,000, from, she says, around 150 countries. I think the beauty of YouTube and the internet in general, is that things become widely shared, she says. Its my goal to make sure its accessible to anyone, whether youre living in Spain or India or Japan or the US, I think its cool that you can make the shallot pasta, or the stews or the soups. I get a lot of questions saying, oh, where I live we dont have buttermilk, or we dont have this, so I end up also learning whats available in different places, which is very cool. A recent profile in Londons Telegraph magazine labelled Roman the worlds coolest cook. Her celebrity followers include Reese Witherspoon. Closer to home, Michaela McGuire, artistic director of the Melbourne Writers Festival, invited her to join the line-up after becoming enamoured of Romans no-nonsense recipes. Nothing Fancy is the cookbook that changed my weeknight and dinner party offerings from competent but unremarkable to deceptively distinctive and delicious, McGuire enthuses. Yes, Alison made it glamorous and fun to cook in a small kitchen, but most of all she made it relaxing. Her recipes arent fussy; her One Pot Chicken with Dates and Caramelised Lemon takes 10 minutes to get in the oven and is a showstopping combination of all Alisons favoured flavours and textures: salty, lemony, jammy, chilli-flaky, tangy. Advertisement Halfway through Nothing Fancy theres a pep talk titled, when things dont go well, which reminds you that cooking and having people over is meant to be fun. She gives you permission to make something thats amazing, if not perfect. Last month Roman published her third cookbook, this time focused on desserts. Sweet Enough adheres to her effortless chic schtick, and features sweet dishes that look much more complex to prepare than they are. A dessert book seems a logical step for Roman, who, after dropping out of college, trained as a restaurant pastry chef, and worked at Sona in Los Angeles (where she grew up) and the much awarded dessert chain Milk Bar in New York, among other places. Not #TheCookies, but Romans Perfect salted shortbread from her new book Sweet Enough. Credit:Chris Bernabeo Yet Roman declares herself not a dessert person. What? Im not! When I go out for dinner, I dont really order dessert. If Im having breakfast, its always savoury, she says. I prefer to cook, rather than bake its just not in my personality. She concedes that given her pastry background, she does feel a connection to desserts, just not in the same way as someone whos like, oh Im absolutely defined by my love of sweets. Advertisement Even as a kid, Roman wasnt much of a sweet-tooth. I loved matzo balls, broccoli the sweetest I would eat was oatmeal in the morning. All my cereal was unsweetened. Thats what I gravitated towards, like, a bagel and cream cheese, lox, salmon, whitefish; Jewish deli culture. Everything was savoury! I wanted salt and butter and onions. Which might explain why even in a dedicated dessert cookbook (admittedly one that she describes as for dessert agnostics), Roman has sneaked in a small savoury chapter. I think its nice to have dessert from a perspective of somebody who tends to favour those types of foods, she says. And for people who are, ugh, Im not really a dessert person, Im like, even you, every now and then, are going to need to bake a cake for someone, or cookies, or youre bored and youre like, what am I going to do, maybe Ill bake a cake I feel like this book is for those people. Loading And perhaps also for people who enjoy her recipes but not necessarily Roman herself. Lots of her newsletter subscribers accidentally hit reply when they mean to forward the email on, and recently Roman had one with a message someone thought they were sending to a friend, that said I really cant stand her, but her recipes are the best. Yeah, people have said Im polarising [but] I think any individual on the planet elicits different responses. I have yet to meet a single human on this beautiful planet that 100 per cent of people like, she says. Advertisement First published in the Sydney Morning Herald on April 14, 1993 The familiar blue-and-white livery of Australian Airlines will start to disappear from Australias skies next month as the domestic carrier is renamed Qantas, taking on the image of its international parent. An Australian Airlines Airbus A300-B4. January 24, 1993. Repainting its fleet of 31 small Boeing 737 jets in the red-and-white flying kangaroo colours will start next month, the Qantas Group chairman, Mr Gary Pemberton, said last night. The Qantas board decided on the change last Thursday, opting also for a new uniform for all staff who deal with customers. Landlords and real estate agents are testing the limits of Sydneys red-hot rental market by asking inflated prices that have to be quickly reduced to secure a tenant amid a rental crisis in which vacancy rates have plunged to 1 per cent. But the head of the Real Estate Institute, which represents agents, blamed the practice on the previous NSW governments decision to ban soliciting rental bids, saying it forced property owners to start high and work their way down instead. In Bronte, a two-bedroom flat originally listed at $1800 in mid-February is still on the market two months later at $1500. A new report by a housing advocacy organisation found Sydney unit rents are now so expensive they account for as much as 90 per cent of some essential workers weekly award wage. The Herald found several listings whose initial asking prices had to be lowered despite the hot market, mainly at the upper end. A two-bedroom apartment in Elizabeth Bay listed at $2000 a week early last month is now advertised at $1600. In Bronte, a two-bedroom flat originally listed at $1800 in mid-February is still on the market two months later at $1500. An employee of a state government agency has been charged for allegedly sharing private data in connection to the alleged kidnapping of a man in Sydneys west in March. At about 5.20am on March 9, police said a group of armed men forced entry to a home on Brenan Street, Smithfield, where they allegedly grabbed a 26-year-old man and bundled him into a car before fleeing. Detectives from the State Crime Commands Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, assisted by Fairfield City Police Area Command, established Strike Force Kkuoa to investigate the incident. Five days later, on March 14, tactical police forced entry into a house in Belmore and freed Peter Vuong, 26, who had been allegedly abducted from his own home. Two men have been charged with murder after a three-year investigation into an alleged attack on an elderly married couple during a home invasion in Sydneys north-west. Emergency services were called to a home on Tallowwood Avenue, Cherrybrook, about 12.30am on April 29, 2020, following reports two men had forced entry. Homicide squad detectives have arrested and charged two men over an alleged home invasion and the murder of an elderly man. Credit: NSW Police Police found Kalim Saliba, 86, and Shahidy Saliba, 83, with serious head injuries, allegedly from a single blunt instrument. The couple were treated at the scene before being taken to Westmead Hospital, where Kalim died. A Herald report that assaults across all NSW schools have risen 50 per cent in the past decade is a harrowing outcome for education authorities, governments and parents who invest so much time, effort, money and hope into improving students lives and outcomes. The latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data tracks the rise of violence in our schools: police had to be called on 1297 occasions in 2013, but by last year that had jumped to 1992. The violence seems to have been turbocharged by COVID-19 with reported assaults leaping by 500 incidents last year as many schools relaxed standards for students returning to full-time classes. On average, police are now notified of school assaults 10 times each school day. Last month, a teacher from Maitland Grossmann High School was charged after being filmed allegedly assaulting a student. Last November, two girls were filmed bashing a classmate from Elderslie High School at a bus stop, and in August, police said students filmed brawling outside LaSalle Catholic College in Bankstown were armed with knives and knuckle dusters. A mass brawl was filmed at a school in the Orange region; in the Wollondilly area, a staff member was assaulted by a student with a weapon and a student was significantly injured in a fight in the St George region. NSW Secondary Principals Council deputy president Denise Lofts said the rise in serious assaults resulted from disagreements that students had during out-of-school hours and on social media which spilled over onto school grounds. These unprecedented levels of student violence have imposed a sort of Lord of the Flies reality on NSW schools where co-operation and collaboration have been replaced by competitive and brutal behaviours as students struggle to find their place in the pecking order. The school violence keeps mounting despite consistent attempts to deal with unruly conduct by authorities. In a bid to help public, private and Catholic schools improve increasingly difficult student behaviour, the Perrottet government appointed Emeritus Professor Donna Cross as the states first chief behaviour adviser a year ago. The Perrottet government also reduced its own tougher suspensions and send-home regulations after an outcry over the number of Indigenous students and students with disabilities disproportionately affected. Now the new NSW Education Minister, Prue Car, has announced a review into that very suspension policy, not least because some educators claim it undermines teacher authority. Loading The surge in violence in NSW schools comes as a federal inquiry begins hearings this month to examine the issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms. Terms of reference for the Senate inquiry include an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development study from 2018 which identified that Australia had some of the most unruly classrooms in the world, ranking 69 out of 76 jurisdictions worldwide. Historically, NSW public schools carried unruly students as private and Catholic schools routinely unloaded them early to stop them from distracting year 12 studies. The former Nationals MP, former education minister and educationalist academic Adrian Piccoli said public schools appeared to still suffer from more negative publicity about violent incidents. But, he noted, private and Catholic schools did not have the same reporting requirements. What is happening in schools is a reflection of what is happening in the broader community; nobody is encouraging students to engage in these behaviours in school, he said. Boxes of Coca-Cola promoted as a Meal of the Month in a Walgett store. There isnt a suburb in Sydney where Sydney Water would deliver drinking water without taking action to treat it. Leslie said the local council did not have the rates revenue to fund a solution. It has to come from the state government, he said. Virginia Robinson, secretary of the Dharriwaa Elders Group, said the towns water infrastructure needs urgent attention. These threats to our public health would not be tolerated in Sydney so why is it acceptable that we have to live with it in Walgett?, she said. The state government built a reverse osmosis system in Walgett in May 2020, but it was closed four months later because of problems related to its operation and waste management. We need a multi-agency taskforce to improve Walgetts water quality and security comprising local, state and national agencies that includes experts from local Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, Robinson said. We are calling for a taskforce led by an independent expert endorsed by Walgett Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. Water quality in Walgett is comparable to that in Bangladesh and Guatemala. Credit: Brendan Esposito Wendy Spencer, who works at Dharriwaa Elders Group said she and her partner were among community members spending up to $30 a week for drinking water. Im buying at least three 15-litre water containers a week for my household and there is only me and my partner, she said. I am spending a minimum of $30 a week. The Dharriwaa Elders Group and Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service has become increasingly concerned about this public health issue, the right to clean and safe drinking water. We refuse to put up with it any longer and have reached out to our partners at the University of NSW from different faculties to help us compile the evidence we need to convince government that this needs to change. Vanessa Hickey, who brought up her three children on bottled water, said she grew up in the 1980s drinking water out of the tap in Walgett. Were paying more for water and less for fizzy drinks and that should be vice versa, she said. We shouldnt even be buying water. Today we are paying between $1.50 to $2 for fizzy drink and paying between $3 to $5 for a small bottle of water. Virginia Robinson, secretary of the Dharriwaa Elders Group The taste of the tap water is really salty for a few years now. The smell, the sliminess, its not good. I cant believe we have to live like this in 2023. Hickey said her community had always lived off the river. Weve seen our two mighty rivers, the Namoi and Barwon, deteriorate over time, she said. I see the cotton industry getting bigger, the coal seam gas and nothing being given back to our rivers. The local supermarket and service station often provide specials on sugary fizzy drinks which can make them cheaper to buy than some water brands including Mount Franklin. This week, a 1.5 litre bottle of Mount Franklin was $2.85 and a 1.25-litre bottle of Coke was $2.79. The local service station offered two bottles of Mount Franklin for $4.50 and cans of coke for $2 each. Coca-Cola Amatil also owns and manufactures Mount Franklin bottled spring water. Paresh Patel who runs the IGA supermarket in Walgett said it sold 600 ml bottles of Community Co water in packets of 24 for $9.90 which was cheaper than equivalent Coca-Cola packs which cost $22.99 to $28. A 1.5-litre bottle of Frantelle water was $1.35. He said a staff member had mistakenly stacked 24-packs of Coke under a meal of the month promotion in a space that a monthly cooking demonstration occupied. I know the water quality is bad. Thats why I use a RO [reverse osmosis] filter at home, he said. There isnt a suburb in Sydney where Sydney Water would deliver drinking water without taking action to treat it. Professor Greg Leslie, director of the UNSW Global Water Institute Spencer said Walgett was just one town representing a wider problem in remote Indigenous communities. Good clear, clean drinking water is not as accessible as it should be and so the sugary drinks are more attractive. So people are drinking them more, she said. We are determined to do what we can to improve our communitys access to good free drinking water, she said. We are appealing to the new governments both at state and federal level to bring about the change that is needed. Walgett has been hit hard by water shortages. The Namoi River (pictured) ran dry in 2019. Loading A spokesman for the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the Australian government was very concerned about the security of water for communities. Which is why it is critical that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is implemented in full, including NSWs full suite of water resource plans that set the rules on how much water can be taken from the system, he said. While the Australian government is a significant investor in water infrastructure, state and territory governments are responsible for the regulation, planning, management, and supply of water resources. London: Joe Biden has called on Northern Irelands political leaders to restore power-sharing at Stormont, the provinces devolved parliament, vowing the United States would be a partner for peace. Speaking at Ulster University in Belfast on Wednesday, the US president made a direct call for the unionists and republicans to return to a central pillar of the Good Friday Agreement which was a shared government between those who want to remain part of the United Kingdom and those who favour a united Ireland. US President Joe Biden delivers his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast. Credit: PA He marked this weeks 25th anniversary of the 1998 accord, which ended three decades of conflict known as The Troubles, by dangling a 5 billion ($9.3 billion) carrot in front of Northern Irelands leaders with a promise to boost the countrys economy with US investment if the power-sharing government was restored. The Democratic Unionist Party collapsed the executive in May 2022 over objections to post-Brexit trading arrangements. Biden met Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUPs leader, before his speech, as well as the leaders of other major Northern Irish parties. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has supplied 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Italy in the first quarter of 2023, Trend reports via TAP AG consortium. The total volume of gas transportation to this country via TAP stood at 18.5 billion cubic meters since the start of commercial supplies on December 31, 2020, reads the latest data shared by the consortium. As the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP has the capacity to transport approximately 10 billion cubic meters of gas per annum (bcm/a) to several markets in Europe. The pipeline is also designed with the potential to expand its throughput capacity up to 20 bcm/a. TAP is strategically and economically important to Europe and essential in providing reliable access to a new source of natural gas. TAP plays a significant role in boosting Europes energy security, supply diversification, as well as decarbonisation objectives. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn H.E. Antonio Guterres Secretary General of the United Nations 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017 Date: April 11, 2023 Subject: Objection to the Netherlands appointment of Governor of island Bonaire, Mr. Rijna as Special Envoy to UN Excellency, With this letter we Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) and Nos Kier Bonier Bek Foundation (NKBB), object to the appointment as Special Envoy of the present Lieutenant Governor of the public entity Bonaire (a colonial representative of the Monarchy of the Netherlands), Mr. Edison Enrique Rijna. Mr. Rijna has been governor for the last nine years. He will retire and will start working for the Netherlands from April 18, 2023, in the top diplomatic position in the UN for Caribbean Netherlands for EU and UN funds. (https://english.rijksdienstcn.com/latest/news/2023/march/27/edison-rijna-appointed-special-envoy) Kindly note that King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands brought him to the recent Water Conference at the UN (22-24 March) in his delegation alongside the elected Prime Ministers of Curacao, Aruba, and St Maarten, the semi-autonomous islands of the Kingdom trying to deceive the United Nations that Mr. Rijna is an democratic elected leader. He is not; he is the controversial Lieutenant Governor of Bonaire. This was yet another attempt to manipulate the UN about Bonaire. The governor is representing the King and the Dutch government who appointed him: he is not elected by and not representing the Bonaire people. Mr. Rijnas appointment at the UN by the Netherlands can be considered controversial, unethical, a breach of good governance, and of the practice of diplomats and the values of the United Nations. Mr. Rijna will be unable to represent the peoples of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba and their interests due to a notorious track record of corruption and links to criminal acts as he was/remains under investigation of the Dutch RST (Investigation Collaboration Team) and the Public Prosecutor. It seems that Mr. Rijna will be used for international deception against its own Bonaire peoples rights to democracy and self-determination. Please see the list below to corroborate these incriminations.: In 2009, Mr. Rijna was one of the three board members of the Foundation Pro Directe Banden (Foundation Pro Direct Link) together with Mr. Evo Angelo Cicilia and Mr. Simon Dirk who were reported by the local and Dutch press to have received over half a million guilders from the Dutch political party CDA to corrupt the local Bonaire politicians and to bribe Bonerians participating in elections and a self-determination referendum. In 2019, as Governor Mr. Rijna breached and violated the criminal laws by causing an accident by driving under the influence of alcohol, destroying the property of citizens, driving away after this, and not notifying the property owner nor the police. Only after a day, on the advice of his close friends, to whom he confessed, he went to the police station. Also in 2019, Mr. Rijna went on temporary leave as governor as a suspect in the Caldera corruption investigation ordered by the Public Prosecutor. Mr. Rijna was interrogated by the Dutch RST (Investigation Collaboration Team) in Curacao. In 2022, Mr. Rijna was ordered suspension for two weeks following a motion by the island Council as an independent integrity investigation, and Follow The Money journalists implied Mr. Rijna as the main suspect of breach of integrity in the Chogogo and Sunset Beach case, a corruption case involving the illegitimate issue of permits and breaching applicable zoning laws. This case is still under investigation today. In 2014, Mr. Rijna abused his power as Lieutenant Governor in violation of our human rights, to stop a peaceful protest. Human Rights activist James Finies protested for 222 consecutive days for a referendum for the people of Bonaire when Mr. Rijna unlawfully ordered the police to stop the peaceful protest by removal by force, contravening the human right of freedom of expression. At beginning of 2015, Mr. Rijna as Lieutenant Governor and as such head of the police failed or did not follow up, helped to cover up, and did not order an investigation or prosecution of a paid attempt to assassinate Human Rights activist Mr. James Finies when he was protesting. The claims of a planned assassination attempt were substantiated with the names of the perpetrators involved exposed in the public media. In 2019, Mr. Rijna abused his power and unlawfully ordered the arrest of Human Rights activist James Finies for the distribution of an information newspaper according to his human right of freedom of expression. With the order to arrest Mr. Finies, Mr. Rijna went against his own written acknowledgment of Mr. James Finiess notice of a passive action of awareness. Mr. Rijna cooperated with false and contradictory unilateral police declarations and denied Mr. James Finies the possibility to exercise his human right to a public trail. This UN nomination as Special Envoy of Bonerian Lieutenant Governor Rijna is a deliberate action of the Netherlands to contravene BHRO and NKBB awareness missions of the last twelve months to relist Bonaire as a Non-Self-Governing-Territories on the list of the United Nations in the Caribbean region and Latin America and UN, exposing the Netherlands serious breach of the values of the United Nations by violations of articles 1, 55, 73 and 103 of the Charter of the United Nations and resolutions 742, 747, 945, 1514 and 1541 et al. that affirm the inalienable rights of the people of Bonaire to self-determination. It highlights the systematic encroachment of several of our Bonaire peoples international legal instruments: the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Decolonization Declaration, The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on All Forms of Racial Discrimination, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We trust that this information will help shed light and help stop another historical Dutch move to cover up their continuous heinous acts against the people of Bonaire, as we denounce the motives of this nomination which is under Dutch government duress to maintain our people under colonial domination, depriving them from their unalienable human right to self-determination and decolonization, to be free and equal as every other human being. With utmost trust in the Justice and Equity of your Honorable Guterres, Sincerely, Mr. James Finies, President Nos Kier Boneiru Bek Ms. Davika J. Bissessar, President of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset hosted the Level Up Workshop at St. Dominic High School. The Level Up Workshop was established as a means to encourage and assist in the progression of the youth, post-high school. The workshop offered six sessions comprising Effective Communication presented by Mr. Jeffrey Sochrin; Budgeting presented by Mrs. Shineca Ravenburg-Carty; Time Management presented by DTM Rolando Tobias; Resume Writing/ Interviewing presented by Ms. Ishka Jose; Entrepreneurship Mindset presented by Ms. Ife Badejo; and Building Your Self-esteem presented by President Kimberley Duzong. A total of twenty-five students from the Charlotte Brookson Academy, Milton Peters College, Learning Unlimited, St. Dominic High School, and Sundial School attended the workshop, in business casual attire, which was a requirement of the workshop. At the end of the sessions, there was a Level Up Workshop Runway. The winners Rodisha Richardson and Jenarle Samuel each won an Amazon gift voucher. Students were given the opportunity to receive valuable information that goes beyond what is being taught in the classroom. The topics were carefully selected to truly help students who are preparing themselves for life after high school. The sessions were well-received, and the feedback was positive. Every year, we are looking forward to impacting high schoolers and making this event better and better with valuable topics, stated President Kimberley Duzong. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to thank all schools and students for assisting and taking part in the workshop. In addition, a special thank you goes out to the management of St. Dominic High School for allowing the club to utilize the venue. 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. PHILIPSBURG:--- In a post on social media on Tuesday, MP Wescot calls on the Ministers of Justice and Finance respectively to pay Justice workers at least the amount allocated for retroactive payments to the workers in the 2023 budget. This is not a new call. Several members of parliament, including myself asked repeatedly if the budgeted amount could be paid to Justice workers, once the budget was approved, MP Wescot stated. The Justice minister at the time was resolute. Even with approved budget funding for payments, the legal basis was yet to be established via a decree containing general measures (LBHAM) and individual decrees, was her opinion. The minister, when the 2020 payout to Justice workers was referenced was also resolute in her response, There was no legal basis then either. My social media post was a simple question, stated MP Wescot. Because while I understand the LBHAM saga for the legal positioning and function book of the justice ministry and I understand the tedious calculations and placement offers, I also understand that in January 2020, being nowhere close to where we are today, workers received a pay-out. While we can continue to debate the legalities of the 2020 payouts and the politics of that time, what is being overlooked is the role of the Finance Ministry. The Ministry of Justice did not execute the payments in 2020, that was the purview of the Finance Ministry. The latter must have had some level of comfort that the payment request was doable and thus this ministry executed. It was never made clear whether there was a national decree, a ministerial decree, or a COM decision underpinning the 2020 payments, the MP continued. Or if any of these required the co-signature of the Governor. Today I, therefore, question why the 2 ministries can not find a common basis for a payout. We have an approved budget with over 2 m. guilders budgeted, just like we had in 2022. We have a parliament motion instructing a payout. Still, we hear from the Minister of Justice in her most recent parliament debate that she will have to consult with legal. And then we read on Tuesday from the workers legal counsel, Cor Merx that another MP has become involved in the matter with a number of proposals on Saturday. What does this say of the Minister of Justice and her legal counsel? Were they even present in these negotiations? To the minister, I, therefore, ask, How much further will we allow this to escalate? What more legal research is necessary to pay a part (up to the budgeted amount) of what is owed to the Justice workers? Union officials are being accused of playing politics. So what would we call these latest political shenanigans? SABA:--- Dutch State Secretary of Justice and Security Eric van der Burg arrived in Saba late Tuesday afternoon, April 11 for an introductory visit. Island Governor Jonathan Johnson and Interim Island Secretary Henk de Jong were at the airport to welcome the State Secretary and his delegation. The official part of the working visit starts on Wednesday morning, April 12 with a meeting with the new Executive Council, followed by meetings with the Social Affairs and Labor (SZW) unit and the Immigration and Naturalization Department IND. In the afternoon, the State Secretary and his delegation will meet with the Saba University School of Medicine to discuss the entry policy and the IND process. After that, a visit to the Fort Bay Harbor is planned, where the State Secretary will meet with members of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee and Customs officials. A meeting is scheduled with the management of the Makana Ferry before the departure from Saba to St. Eustatius on the same ferry. This is the first visit of State Secretary Van der Burg to Saba. On Tuesday, he visited St. Maarten for meetings and on Thursday, April 13 he will be in St. Eustatius for an introductory visit. The State Secretary concludes his working visit St. Maarten on Friday, April 14. PHILIPSBURG:--- This year, the Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS) Class of 2023 has met and exceeded all expectations regarding college applications, acceptances, and scholarships. 100% of the Class of 2023 has been accepted to top-quality four-year degree programs at some of the finest colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. LU students have earned more than a million dollars in scholarship funds thus far with more on the way. LU students have been accepted at renowned US institutions such as The Ohio State, Colorado State, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Michigan State, Louisiana State University University of Madison at Wisconsin, Loyola University in Chicago, DePaul University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Kentucky, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, University of Central Florida, the Florida Institute of Technology, Nova Southeastern University and Pace University and many more. Several of our students are on their way to Canada to begin their studies in a breadth of locations across many disciplines. LU students have been accepted at McGill University, Concordia University, Dalhousie University, the University of Waterloo, and Queens University among others, Mark Beland Dean of Academics said. Additionally, a contingent of LU graduates will be heading to the Netherlands to begin their studies in the business world at institutions ranging from the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Hague University of Applied Sciences, and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. And, finally, LU students have been accepted to a number of schools in the UK including Brunel University, Met Film School, and the Birkbeck University of London. As is evident, Learning Unlimited Preparatory School has yet again succeeded in preparing its students to be true "global" citizens of the world and we look forward to hearing from them in the future, knowing they will be well-equipped, well-seasoned travelers in the next phase of the education and career journeys! Beland said. Millennial Potash Corp. Starts Exploration at its Banio Potash Project Millennial Potash Corp. (MLP: TSX.V) (aMLPa aMillenniala or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/millennial-lithium-corp/ ) is pleased to provide an update regarding exploration activities at its Banio Potash Project in Gabon.A The Company has made significant progress in its mobilization program including rehabilitation of the exploration camp with modern communications, initiating construction of the access road to planned drillhole BA-004, prepping and upgrading rotary drill rig equipment on site, initiating seismic re-interpretation studies, and resampling previous drillholes. Farhad Abasov, Millenniala?s Chair, commented aWe are pleased with the excellent progress at our Banio Potash Project in Gabon.A The camp is now up and running, complete with power, tent accommodations for 30 people, catering, medical facilities, and satellite communications.A Preparations for drilling are advancing and we hope to be drilling the upper part of hole BA-004 shortly.A Sample pulps from previous drilling are undergoing re-analysis and are expected to confirm the KCl content and the presence of carnallite and sylvite seams providing reliable data that may be utilized in any future mineral resource estimates.A Similarly, the seismic data re-interpretation is underway, and we have initiated our ESG program for the project.A We look forward to the arrival of the core rig at the project and to delineating additional potash horizons at the north end of the property.a Camp rehabilitation is complete with new tent accommodation and container office and catering and medical services in place.A Satellite communications with internet capabilities have also been established and power facilities are up and running. Initial field activities include clearing a 4km historic road to the new drill site for BA-004.A This work is ongoing.A The rotary drill rig on site is undergoing servicing and preparation for drilling.A Upon completion this rig will move to the site for BA-004 to drill the upper sedimentary units to the top of the salt sequence, estimated at a depth of approximately 320m.A This hole will be extended to 700m with PQ core upon arrival of the new core drill rig.A The new core drill rig is enroute to the project having disembarked in Gabon from Europe in early April.A Estimated arrival of the new core drill rig at the project is late April-early May. For assistance with its ESG initiatives at Banio the Company has engaged consulting group ESS (Environmental and Social Sustainability).A ESS has extensive experience in West Africa including Gabon and will assist with preparation of our Health, Environmental and Social Management Plans, with planning environmental baseline studies, preparation of environmental impact statements and communication with local authorities to ensure compliance with Gabon regulations, and international best practices.A In addition, ESS will assist the Company with its community outreach programs and consultations with all stakeholders in the region. Millennial has engaged Ercosplan Ingenieurgesellschaft to assist with the planning of the current exploration programme including the resampling of the historic drillholes on the project to confirm potash intervals.A Millennial was able to source and secure the sample pulps from the previous drillholes (2017-2018 drill program) on the project from ALS Global, and Ercosplan has confirmed the pulps are well preserved and acceptable for re-analysis.A Approximately 450 samples will be analyzed, and results will be available for a maiden mineral resource estimate planned for later this year. Additional review of historic data from the project is ongoing.A The data from seismic surveys acquired by French oil and gas company Maurel and Prom in 2011-2012 is currently being reviewed by Geo People, a geophysical consultancy based in the UK with extensive experience in Gabon, to confirm the basic geology of the Gabon Basin evaporite sequence.A Geophysical survey data consist of approx. 275km of 2D seismic lines and re-interpretation of this data will assist with planning of new drillholes and will allow correlation of the evaporite stratigraphy, and possibly carnallite seams, between drillholes. This news release has been reviewed by Peter J. MacLean, Ph.D., P. Geo, Director of the Company and a Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. To find out more about Millennial Potash Corp. please contact Investor Relations at (604) 662-8184 or email at info@millennialpotashcorp.com. MILLENNIAL POTASH CORP. aFarhad Abasova Chair of the Board of Directors In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch 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.A This document may contain certain aForward-Looking Statementsa within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words aanticipatea, abelievea, aestimatea, aexpecta, atarget, aplana or \planned\, aforecasta, \intend\, amaya, aschedulea and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals including approvals of title and mining rights or licenses and environmental, local community or indigenous community approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, changes in laws, rules and regulations in Gabon or any other jurisdiction which may impact upon the Company or its properties or the commercial exploitation of those properties, currency risks including the exchange rate of USD$ for Cdn$ or CFA or other currencies, fluctuations in the market for potash or potash related products, changes in exploration costs and government royalties, export policies or taxes in Gabon or any other jurisdiction and other factors or information. The Companya?s current plans, expectations and intentions with respect to development of its business and of the Banio Potash Project may be impacted by economic uncertainties arising out of any pandemic or by the impact of current financial and other market conditions on its ability to secure further financing or funding of the Banio Potash Project. Such statements represent the Companya?s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, environmental and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Scientists and researchers from 95 countries submitted 3,532 scientific articles to the upcoming International Astronautical Congress in Baku, Deputy Chairman of the Azercosmos OJSC Dunay Badirkhanov said during a media briefing dedicated to the International Astronautical Congress, Trend reports. "Azerbaijan also submitted a record number of scientific articles - 214. Our country is among the top five countries that submitted the largest number of scientific articles after the US, Italy, India and China," he said. According to him, the goals of the International Astronautical Congress are to create a platform for establishing international cooperation in the field of space, exchange experience and knowledge, demonstrate various new projects, and increase the interest of young people in the space sphere. The deputy chairman also added that highly qualified specialists from more than 75 countries of the world are expected to attend the congress. The International Astronautical Congress will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. The International Astronautical Congress has been held annually since 1950 under the auspices of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law with the support of the International Astronautical Federation. The history of the International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan dates back to 1973. So, at the initiative of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, on October 7-13 of the same year, the country hosted the 24th International Astronautical Congress under the motto of "Space research - penetration into science and technology". Thus, Baku became the first city in the region where this event was organized. On October 25-29, 2019, at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, Baku won the right to host the most prestigious event of the International Space Industry for the second time. Thus, on October 2-6, 2023, the 74th International Astronautical Congress under the motto of "Global challenges and opportunities: Let's give chance to space" will be held in the Azerbaijani capital, organized by the Azerbaijan Space Agency - Azercosmos OJSC. Azercosmos OJSC owns two communication satellites - Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2, as well as the low-orbit satellite Azersky. In 2022, the income of the company from the sale of satellite and telecommunications services amounted to $26.6 million. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. A number of agencies and organizations working in the space sector confirmed their participation in the upcoming International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Baku, Rana Jafarova, Project Manager for the IAC of Azercosmos OJSC, said during a media briefing dedicated to the congress, Trend reports. "The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Boeing Company, Airbus - one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world, and the European Space Agency have already confirmed their participation in the International Astronautical Congress in Baku," she said. The International Astronautical Congress will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. The International Astronautical Congress has been held annually since 1950 under the auspices of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law with the support of the International Astronautical Federation. The history of the International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan dates back to 1973. So, at the initiative of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, on October 7-13 of the same year, the country hosted the 24th International Astronautical Congress under the motto of "Space research - penetration into science and technology". Thus, Baku became the first city in the region where this event was organized. On October 25-29, 2019, at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, Baku won the right to host the most prestigious event of the International Space Industry for the second time. Thus, on October 2-6, 2023, the 74th International Astronautical Congress under the motto of "Global challenges and opportunities: Let's give chance to space" will be held in the Azerbaijani capital, organized by the Azerbaijan Space Agency - Azercosmos OJSC. Azercosmos OJSC owns two communication satellites - Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2, as well as the low-orbit satellite Azersky. In 2022, the income of the company from the sale of satellite and telecommunications services amounted to $26.6 million. Elon Musk says 'many mistakes' made since Twitter takeover San Francisco, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 Twitter boss Elon Musk said running the social media network has been "quite a rollercoaster" and acknowledged "many mistakes" along the way, six months after he bought the company for $44 billion. In a live interview with the BBC after agreeing to a last-minute invitation for the "spontaneity" of it, Musk appeared to tacitly acknowledge that one of those errors was the decision to label the broadcaster's account "government-funded media". He said he would change the designation on the BBC's Twitter handle after the broadcaster objected. "We want it as truthful and accurate as possible -- we're adjusting the label to 'publicly funded'," Musk said. Britain's national broadcaster is predominantly funded by an annual license fee set by the government but paid by individual households. The labeling spat follows an earlier controversy over a similar move involving US radio network NPR, which Twitter briefly branded "state-affiliated", the same way it styles government-run Chinese and Russian platforms. NPR stopped tweeting in protest. Twitter now tags NPR, which has nearly 9 million followers, "government-funded media", and applied the same label to the BBC's account. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emails sent to the site's main media address. Speaking with the BBC late on Tuesday, he also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were verified as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. "I'm hopeful that this can be more a case of the public choosing the narrative, as opposed to the media choosing the narrative," he said. Twitter, he said, would "treat everyone equally". Musk, in assessing his time in charge of the social media network since he took over in October, said it had been "a stressful situation over the last several months". "Were there many mistakes made along the way? Of course," he said. "But all's well that ends well. I feel like we're headed to a good place." He said the company was now "roughly breaking even" with the return of advertisers. When pushed on who was Twitter's new CEO after he stepped down in response to a poll on the site, he named his dog, Floki. bur-lb/pbt BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Within the framework of the joint project of UNDP and the Turkmen Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza", a working meeting on the development of "green" construction in the country was held in Turkmenistan, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmen media. According to the information, during the meeting, the first version of the "green" construction standard for the construction of hotel buildings and living complexes in Turkmenistan was discussed. Furthermore, the parties discussed the use of eco-friendly construction and finishing materials, energy efficiency of the building throughout its operation, energy supply from renewable sources and greenhouse gases, rational water use, landscaping, reuse of liquid and organic waste, safety and comfort of buildings. Meanwhile, the "green" construction project is being implemented by Turkmenistan within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement. Yellen urges further World Bank reforms this year Washington, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 The World Bank should take on added reform measures over the rest of this year, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday, after initial steps to update its mission and boost its financing capacity. The revamp of the bank comes under a push for it to meet global challenges such as climate change. "We should use the rest of the year to undertake additional reforms through a staged implementation approach," Yellen said, at the start of a roundtable discussion on development lenders' evolution. The bank's mission now "highlights the importance of inclusion, sustainability and resilience to global shocks," she said, outlining various changes in the pipeline. But she maintained that such goals remain "interconnected" with the World Bank's existing work of poverty reduction and development. Shareholders have also "agreed to undertake reforms that could add up to $50 billion in financing over the next 10 years -- while protecting the bank's credit rating and long-term financial sustainability," she added. Yet, there needs to be efforts for further progress, Yellen added. And global leaders can tap upcoming events such as the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in September to "keep the momentum strong," she said. The United States is the largest shareholder of the World Bank Group. In an interview with AFP ahead of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's spring meetings in Washington this week, Yellen said that key changes are expected to be unveiled at the gathering. UK slams Etihad Airways ads over green claims London, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 A UK watchdog on Wednesday slammed two Etihad Airways video advertisements for "misleading" and "exaggerated" environmental claims concerning flights with the UAE carrier. The Facebook ads, which ran in October 2022, featured a plane while claiming Etihad understood "the impact flying has on the environment" and took a "louder, bolder approach to sustainable aviation". But the Advertising Standards Authority said in a statement on Wednesday that there were "currently no initiatives or commercially viable technologies in operation within the aviation industry which would adequately substantiate an absolute green claim such as 'sustainable aviation'". ASA "concluded... that the claim exaggerated the impact that flying with Etihad would have on the environment and the ads breached" the regulator's advertising code. The watchdog asked Etihad to clarify the basis for any future claims "to ensure that their ads did not give a misleading impression". It noted Etihad was taking "steps to reduce the environmental impact of its service" -- but contrasted this with the "high levels" of damaging emissions produced by aviation. "We acknowledged Etihad's comments about the use of modern aircraft and flight practices to reduce emissions," it said. "We understood, however, that air travel continued to produce high levels of CO2 and non-CO2 emissions which were making a substantial contribution to climate change." One of the ads also stated Etihad was cutting back on single-use plastics as part of its measures. Yet the ASA said that such initiatives were "not adequate substantiation to evidence a 'sustainable aviation' claim". In response, Etihad highlighted climate initiatives and its target to reach "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050. However, the ASA argued that "many of these initiatives were targeted to only deliver results years or decades into the future". Major companies are frequently accused of "greenwashing" by environmentalists, who call out corporate efforts to promote often spurious environmental measures to boost their reputation. ASA had last month slammed German airline Lufthansa for a "misleading" poster advertisement claiming it was "protecting" the planet. str/rfj/bcp/lth Meta US broadcaster NPR quits Twitter after 'state-affiliated' row Washington, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 US radio broadcaster NPR on Wednesday said it would "no longer remain active" on Twitter, accusing the platform owned by Elon Musk of undermining its credibility and sowing doubt over its editorial independence. National Public Radio's clean break from Twitter comes after the highly respected news broadcaster had already suspended tweets from its main account when it received a label on the platform that said it was "state-affiliated media." That designation is the same as given to state media in authoritarian countries such as Russia and China, and after some pushback Twitter modified its label for NPR to "government-funded media," which it applied to Britain's BBC as well. In a short statement, NPR said all its organizational accounts "will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent." It added that "there are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPR's news, music, and cultural content," urging users to other platforms. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emailed inquiries from journalists. The tycoon indicated in a BBC interview on Tuesday that the label decision was a mistake and that he would consider changing it to "publicly-funded." He also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were verified as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. arp/st US broadcaster NPR quits Twitter as Musk admits 'many mistakes' San Francisco, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 US radio broadcaster NPR on Wednesday said it was quitting Twitter, in the first significant defection by a major news outlet since Elon Musk's tumultuous takeover of the platform. The exit caps a week-long row over Twitter's decision to label National Public Radio as a "state-affiliated media," branding it the same way as it does as major media outlets in authoritarian countries such as Russia or China. Highly-respected in the US, NPR had already suspended tweets from its main account as it waited for Twitter to change course, which it did only by modifying its label for NPR to "government-funded media," a tag it also applied to Britain's BBC. In a short statement, NPR said all its organizational accounts "will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent." It added that "there are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPR's news, music, and cultural content," urging users to other platforms, which it linked to in a final tweet. Musk has expressed deep disdain for news media for years and recently installed an automatic response of a poop emoji to emailed inquiries from journalists. But despite this, news organizations have struggled to ween themselves from the platform, which remains a main communication exchange for celebrities, politicians and pundits. A spokeswoman for NPR told AFP that its journalists, as well as its affiliate radio stations "will be able to decide on their own if they want to stay on the platform." NPR's departure came hours after Musk indicated in a BBC interview on Tuesday that the label decision was a mistake and that he would consider changing it to "publicly-funded." He also addressed Twitter's controversial move to strip the New York Times of its blue verified check mark after the company refused to pay to keep it. From April 20, any legacy verified accounts on Twitter -- which were established as authentic under the company's old ownership -- will have to pay to subscribe to Twitter Blue. One of the reasons for this, Musk said, was that he does not want Twitter to boost "some anointed class of journalists" who determine what constitutes news. - 'Rollercoaster' - In the interview, Musk said running the social media network has been "quite a rollercoaster" and acknowledged "many mistakes" along the way, six months after he bought the company for $44 billion. Musk, in assessing his time in charge, said it had been "a stressful situation over the last several months." "Were there many mistakes made along the way? Of course," he said. "But all's well that ends well. I feel like we're headed to a good place." He said the company was now "roughly breaking even" thanks in part to the crushing round of layoffs that slashed the payroll to 1,500 staff from 7,000 before the sale. He however pushed back at reports and studies that misinformation and hateful content were seeing a resurgence on the site since his takeover. "You said you see more hateful content, but you can't even name a single one," Musk said. "You just lied!" Upholding his image as a hard-charging workaholic who sacrifices his personal life for his job, Musk said he often slept on a couch at Twitter headquarters. When pushed on who was Twitter's new CEO after he pledged to find someone to fill the role, he named his dog, Floki. bur-arp/st Russia will use International Space Station 'until 2028' Moscow, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 Russia said Wednesday it planned to use the International Space Station until 2028, an apparent reversal of an earlier announcement to quit the orbiting laboratory after 2024. In July last year, Moscow said it was leaving the International Space Station "after 2024" as ties unravelled between the Kremlin and the West over Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine. On Wednesday, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, said Moscow's participation in the international space project had been extended. "By the decision of the government, the operation of the International Space Station has been extended until 2028," Borisov told President Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting, referring to the Russian segment. He said the "time has come" to discuss the creation of a Russian orbital station. "Time is running fast and we cannot take a break from manned spaceflight under any circumstances," Borisov told the Kremlin chief. The ISS was launched in 1998 at a time of increased US-Russia cooperation following the Cold War "Space Race." ISS partners -- the United States, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan -- are for the moment only committed to operate the orbiting laboratory until 2024, though US officials have stated they want to continue until 2030. The space sector is a rare venue of cooperation between Moscow and Washington since Russia sent troops to Ukraine. Space experts say the construction of a new orbital station could take more than a decade and Moscow's departure from the International Space Station would deal a significant blow to its programme of manned flights. bur/jj Yellen urges further World Bank reforms this year Washington, April 12 (AFP) Apr 12, 2023 The World Bank should take on added reform measures this year, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday, after initial steps to update the global lender's mission and boost its financing capacity. The revamp of the bank comes amid pushes for it to meet global challenges such as climate change. "We should use the rest of the year to undertake additional reforms through a staged implementation approach," Yellen said, at the start of a roundtable discussion. The bank's mission now "highlights the importance of inclusion, sustainability and resilience to global shocks," she said, outlining various changes in the pipeline. But she maintained that such goals remain "interconnected" with the World Bank's existing work of poverty reduction and development. Shareholders have also "agreed to undertake reforms that could add up to $50 billion in financing over the next 10 years -- while protecting the bank's credit rating and long-term financial sustainability," she added. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who attended the roundtable with Yellen, said afterward that there is a "historic opportunity" to bring the necessary financial resources to developing countries -- through the reform of development lenders. He noted the need to narrow the growing gap between developed and developing countries, adding that "the situation now has become really critical." On Wednesday, Yellen said there needs to be efforts for further progress. Global leaders can tap upcoming events such as the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in September to "keep the momentum strong," she said in her speech. The United States is the largest shareholder of the World Bank Group. In an interview with AFP ahead of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's spring meetings in Washington this week, Yellen said that key changes are expected to be unveiled at the gathering. Other key issues on the spring meetings' agenda include debt restructuring, and leaders at a global sovereign debt roundtable committed Wednesday to further efforts to help speed up restructurings. The debt roundtable is co-chaired by the IMF, World Bank and India, which currently holds the G20 presidency. EAST HARTFORD Police officers and firefighters topped the town's payroll for fiscal year 2021-22, in part due to overtime costs related to the COVID pandemic, officials said. Topping the list was East Hartford Police Officer John Zavalick, who has since retired, with a total compensation of $247,542, including overtime listed by the town at $161,456.69, according to payroll data obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Officer Steven Camp was second on the list with gross wages of $211,672, including $108,564 in overtime, the data shows. Firefighters Matthew Flor (gross pay of $191,781, including $30,079 in overtime) and David Noyes (gross pay of $189,713 and $47,372 in overtime) were the fourth- and fifth-highest paid East Hartford employees, according to the data. Among the top-15 highest paid town employees, nine were police officers and five were firefighters, the data shows. Former Finance Director Linda Trzetziak, who retired, was the third-highest paid town employee with a total compensation of $210,287, which included a lump sum for unused sick and vacation time required by her union contract, Mayor Mike Walsh said. Trzetziak's base salary was $165,000. Police Chief Scott Sansom ranked 14th with a compensation of $167,828, Fire Chief Kevin Munson's pay was $138,462 and Walsh earned $66,919.66. Munson did not reply to a request for comment. Officer Marc Caruso, a spokesperson for the East Hartford Police Department, referred to comments Walsh made earlier this year about overtime pay for 2021-22. Both the police and fire labor contracts have minimum staffing provisions to ensure employee safety, Walsh said. The police contract requires at least eight patrol officers on the street and the fire department's contract requires 26 members for each shift. As police officers and firefighters were forced to quarantine during the pandemic, overtime related to minimum staffing increased, Walsh said. Although East Hartford was not hit as hard as some other communities, staffing shortages also drove up overtime, he said. Private duty jobs paid by construction and utility companies also increased overtime hours, the mayor said. Walsh said contractual retirement payouts that included sick days, compensatory time and unused vacation time also boosted total wages for some police officers and firefighters during the past fiscal year. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. Today's press conference of Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, became memorable for an interesting dialogue with an Armenian journalist, Trend reports. The latter asked a provocative question about Zakharova's earlier statement that Russia had helped de-escalate the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Referring to the MPs from Armenia's ruling party, he stressed that there were no mediation efforts from any of the sides. Zakharova replied that Russia respects the work done by the parties, yet said that it would've been fair to see Russia's efforts assessed not only by individual representatives of political movements but also by representatives of the ruling authorities. "Such assessments I can share, not share, comment on, etc," Zakharova said. "Otherwise, these are just various opinions." Journalist replied that the mentioned comment was made by a representative of the ruling party, to which Russian official said that democracy in Armenia allows people to express their point of view. To this, the journalist said he was a little skeptical [about the democracy in Armenia]. STAMFORD Japan, Italy, Costa Rica, Oxford and Houston are some of the places Stamford teachers will travel as part of a fellowship program designed to help them bring lessons back home to their schools. In all, eight Stamford Public Schools teachers received fellowships through the Fund for Teachers this year. They join 131 teachers across the state who received the grants, which went to 69 individuals and 30 teaching teams. The fellows will be traveling to destinations in the United States and more than 50 countries through the grant, which allows teachers the opportunity to design their own professional learning experiences. The Stamford recipients include a teacher from Turn of River Middle School and educators at all three high schools: Stamford High, Westhill and the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering. Stamford schools Superintendent Tamu Lucero described the Stamford teachers as "an inspiration for the entire district" in a news release from the school district. The fellows include Susan Dougherty and Robert Lutz from Stamford High; Drew Denbaum and Robin Konrad from Westhill; Vincent Urbanowski from AITE; and Caitlin Sheeran from Turn of River. Kristina Lawson and Jenel Iyer, from Stamford High, received the fellowship as a team. They will travel to Sonora Yoga in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, to learn about mindfulness techniques, yoga, journaling and art and dance as therapy tools to better support English Learner students in crisis back in Stamford. Dougherty will attend NASA's LiftOff alumni teacher development in Houston and will participate in Cubes in Space Rocketopia at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington, D.C. Lutz will visit four Italian cities to study the historical and cultural influences on multiple Shakespearean dramas. Denbaum will travel to Kyoto, Japan, to observe the educational system there and identify why high schools in that city have some of the highest rankings in the world for student performance and happiness. Konrad's fellowship will take her to the Florence, where she will participate in the Academy of Art's portrait techniques and traditions class. Sheeran, the lone middle school winner, will participate in the International Round Table Symposium at the University of Oxford to explore mental health, education and the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on students of color and students living in poverty. Finally, Urbanowski will continue his work with Caltech astronomers to explore methods of working with freely available astronomical data to bring access to students in Stamford. These fellowships empower our teachers to enhance their practice while amplifying their impact on the students in their classrooms, said Charmaine Tourse, Stamford school's director of talent recruitment and retention, in the release. As a district, we encourage all staff members to take advantage of every unique opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence while continuing to push the boundaries of their personal and professional growth." Connecticut DCJ Cold Case Unit/Facebook HARTFORD Two federal prisoners have been charged with fatally shooting a man in his 20s more than a decade ago. Melkuan Scott, also known as Mel, Young God, Young and YG, 32, and Arthur Stanley, also known as Wig, 33, are accused of killing Serafin Velez deliberately, maliciously and with premeditation during a drug trafficking crime in Hartford on Feb. 16, 2012, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Scott and Stanley pleaded not guilty Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, the U.S. attorney's office said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MEXICO CITY (AP) The head of Mexicos National Immigration Institute will face criminal charges for a fire that killed 40 migrants in a locked cell, the federal Attorney Generals Office said Tuesday night. The office said in a statement that the head of the immigration agency, Francisco Garduno, was criminally remiss in not preventing the fire, despite earlier incidents showed the situation at the country's migrant detention centers needed correcting. Several other officers of the agency will also face charges for failing to carry out their duties, the statement said, but prosecutors did not explain what specific charges or identify the officials. Prosecutors said the case showed a pattern of irresponsibility, their statement released just hours after Mexico's president said two guards seen fleeing when the fire broke out did not have keys to the cell door. The press office of the immigration agency that Garduno heads did immediately respond to messages and phone calls requesting comment. Prosecutors said that after a fire at another detention center in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration agency knew there were problems which needed to be corrected. but alleged they failed to act. There have long been complaints about corruption and bad conditions at Mexico's migrant dentention facilities. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's comments about the guards in last month's fire in Ciudad Juarez came on the same day that the bodies of 17 Guatemala migrants and six Hondurans killed in the fire were flown back to their home countries. It was unclear what effect Lopez Obrador's comments might have on the trial of the guards, who were detained previously over the fire, which shocked the country. The door was closed, because the person who had the keys wasn't there, Lopez Obrador said. A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the fire started in late March inside the cell holding migrants. The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the facility, and they did not appear to make any effort to release the migrants. Three Mexican immigration officials, a guard and a Venezuelan migrant are being held for investigation in connection with the fire. They face homicide charges. The migrant allegedly set fire to foam mattresses at the detention center to protest what he apparently thought were plans to move or deport the migrants. In Guatemala City, relatives of the victims gathered at an air force base with flowers and photos of the deceased to mark their return. My son, my love, a female voice could be heard calling out, amid sobs from those present as the coffins were unloaded and placed in a line, and relatives were allowed to approach them. Mexican military planes carried the bodies six migrants to Honduras and 17 to Guatemala. Authorities say 19 of the 40 dead were from Guatemala, but two bodies were still in the process of having their identities confirmed. An additional 11 Guatemalans were injured in the fire. Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro accompanied the bodies, which were to be taken overland to their hometowns in nine different provinces. Some bodies of Salvadoran migrants were returned to El Salvador last week. So far, 31 bodies have been sent back to their home countries. HARTFORD In a lightning-fast 15-minute discussion on Wednesday, the Senate approved an arbitrated award of $50 million for state employees who worked during the first year of the pandemic. The resolution, which easily passed the House last week, does not require the governor's signature. More than 34,500 state workers will receive a range of bonuses, averaging about $1,470, under the award. The measure passed 32-3, with Republican opponents including Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich, Sen. Eric Berthel of Watertown and Sen. Rob Sampson of Wolcott. Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, took a slap at majority Democrats who rule the General Assembly with a 98-53 edge in the House and 24-12 in the Senate, saying that while state employees reap the bonuses, average workers in the state's private have received little. "Those individuals are getting a $1,000 benefit, if they are lucky," Kelly said. "Once again the majority favoring government itself, not recognizing the true difficulties that Connecticut families, the working and middle-class families of Connecticut who are struggling on a daily basis. While I will support this today I will continue to echo that voice, the voice of the frustrated, the voice of the working and middle-class families who aren't getting the same deal that the government is getting. I think government has gotten enough. As a matter of fact they have taken too much from those struggling families." "We are acknowledging the heroic efforts made by people who were in grave danger when they went to work in the early stages of the pandemic," said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. "There was risk every single day and the people were at their stations, and did the work they had to do. Everything would have fallen apart and been chaotic if they hadn't have done that." Looney pointed out that last year, Democrats and Gov. Ned Lamont approved $650 million in tax breaks. "I think the important thing is to recognize that most of the members of the minority party voted against tax relief," Looney said. "It's sort of like a hungry person refusing a sandwich because it wasn't two," Looney continued. It didn't make a lot of sense but it was part of the political debate at that time. It is the majority party, it is our party that stands for working people and the middle class in the state of Connecticut. We are the ones who support progressive tax policy. We are the ones who support progressive spending. And the state workers who are benefiting from this are, of course, part of the hard-working middle-class in the state of Connecticut. They are not government, per se." Eligibility includes state employees who did not work remotely, as well as the National Guard. Some employees in quasi-public agencies such as the lottery, will also receive money. The funding is through the state's federal American Rescue Plan awards. To get the bonus, workers had to put in at least 180 hours between March 20, 2020 and March 27, 2021. Checks range from $125 for low-risk workers to $3,126 for those who faced high-risks and worked overtime. The money is in the current state budget, which runs through June 30. "I appreciate all the work that our frontline workers did," said Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the co-chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. "I think there's a level of unfairness to it," Berthel said. "I've spoken to constituents who went to work everyday. They put their families at risk. They rose to the challenge of keeping the businesses that they worked for open and able to serve, and this includes employers like nursing homes and some of our great acute-care hospitals in Connecticut." "I appreciate the concern for the private sector but in no way should that influence our vote here today, because there is no question that we as a state need to set an example for private employers and for municipal employers, for everyone that it is our obligation not just to call people heroes and to drive by their homes and put up signs in our windows and honk our horns and thank them," said Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, the co-chairwoman of the legislative Labor and Public Employees Committee. "It really needs to be appreciated in the kind of arbitration award that we are voting on here today." "A lot of times people forget what happened during the pandemic and don't recall how difficult that was and where people were," said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. "In a lot of ways, the work of state government needed to continue in varied ways and in very important ways. At that time. people were looking toward state government to solve a lot of problems." L loyds Banking Group has pledged to double the proportion of staff with disabilities in senior management jobs, in the first commitment of its kind from a UK bank. The move is part of efforts from the UKs biggest lender to be a more inclusive workplace. Currently 6% of Lloyds employees at senior management level have reported having a disability including musculoskeletal conditions, hearing loss and neurodiversity such as ADHD and autism, as well as mental health conditions according to its internal diversity surveys. But the banking group wants to double representation to 12% by 2025, Lloyds told the PA news agency. If the goal is reached, it would mean the number of senior managers who identify as having a disability across the business increases from around 450 to 900. If you cant see yourself at a senior level of an organisation then you dont know how you can get there Building society Nationwide has publicly set its own disability target for senior staff of 8% by March 2028. Lloyds says it is the first UK bank to make the more ambitious public commitment regarding disability representation. The company plans to make its office spaces, technology, and recruitment process more accessible and inclusive to reach the target. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial or long-term negative effect on a persons ability to do normal daily activities, according to the Equality Act 2010. Charlie Nunn, Lloyds Banking Group chief executive, said: Todays announcement to double the representation of colleagues with disabilities in senior management roles demonstrates our commitment to become more inclusive, and we will continue to challenge ourselves to be a more accessible, supportive and inclusive place to work. Fiona Cannon, Lloydss group sustainable business director, said the diversity targets are a way to help reduce some of the myths and stigma surrounding disability. She told PA: I think it is really important to demonstrate that having a disability is not a barrier to progression, either in our organisation or others, and there are lots of people living very successfully with a disability. If you cant see yourself at a senior level of an organisation then you dont know how you can get there. She added that it is important as a customer-facing business to reflect its customers, who are incredibly diverse. Lloyds Bank was the first company in the FTSE 100 stock exchange to set a public target for female representation in 2014, and then for black, Asian and minority ethnic employees in 2018. It wants half of senior roles at the bank to be held by women by 2025. At the end of 2022, 39.4% of positions were held by women. Lloyds has also set a target for 13% of senior roles to be held by black, Asian and minority ethnic people by 2025. The business uses internal data and a dedicated forum to determine how many employees have a disability, what disabilities they have, and consequently which policies to put in place. Belarus and Hungary will develop cooperation on the use of Russian nuclear technologies, which are used at nuclear power plants in both countries. This is stipulated by the agreement concluded on Wednesday following a meeting of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in Budapest, Trend reports citing TASS. The Memorandum of Understanding concerns the VVER-1200 nuclear reactors, which operate at nuclear power plants in Belarus and are to be installed at the Paks-2 nuclear power plant in Hungary. The document was signed by representatives of the Hungarian company Paks-2 and the Ministry of Energy of Belarus in the presence of Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and his Belarusian counterpart Sergey Aleinik. "This is a very important agreement for us, as we are going to build the same power units that are already used in Belarus," Szijjarto said, reaffirming his country's commitment to the development of nuclear energy. C omfortable sofa seats and a menu of pizzas, wine and hot honey halloumi have helped profit grow at premium cinema chain Everyman, while lower-priced rivals struggle. CEO Alex Scrimgeour hailed the success of the company, which started in Hampstead and has 14 cinemas in London, saying its proposition feels as relevant as ever. He added that it was looking to add more sites, both organically and with acquisitions. We were encouraged by strong growth in admissions in the year, marking a return to business as usual, he said. Everyman remains a popular and affordable choice for consumers, combining great film, hospitality and atmosphere to provide an exceptional cinema experience. Revenue jumped 60.8% to 78.8 million, while profit grew by 64.8% to 14.5 million, thanks in part to food and drink spend rising to 9.34 per person. The independent cinema business has outperformed its rivals with superior food and drink, comfortable sofa seats and high-end screens which has helped drive numbers up, Gowling WLG leisure partner Jocelyn Paulley said. Everymans success comes in stark contrast to market leader Cineworlds recent struggles. That brand filed for bankruptcy protection last year, eventually agreeing to a restructuring deal in which creditors take full control of the business. Although other cinema chains are struggling, the experience Everyman offers has made it worthwhile for customers, Paulley said. She added that a pipeline of high-grossing new releases mean the business is set up well for the rest of the year. However, Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, was less optimistic. He warned that Everyman could be hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis as customers cut back spend. Posh cinema operator Everyman Media has a tricky path to navigate through the cost-of-living crisis, he said. It needs to keep prices low enough that it remains an affordable luxury for a large enough audience, while at the same time maintaining the quality and standards which help incentivise film-lovers who can stream most films they want at the click of a button to go out and pay to see the latest releases on the big screen. The companys model is also reliant on people taking advantage of the opportunity to order food and drink to their seats. If people decide they cant afford to do anything other than rock up and watch the film that could weigh heavily on profit. Shares are up by 1% to 66.1p. T he Ince Group - once Londons largest listed law firm - is set to enter administration after a protracted auditing process meant it has still not published its financial results for the year ended 31 March 2022. The 150-year-old company, formerly known as Gordon Dadds Group, said a lengthy auditing process, after BDO LLP determined there were matters outstanding with its accounts in Hong Kong, put increasing pressure on its cash flows. As a result, Ince said it had held discussions with its main lender and with HMRC to establish their levels of support. Now it has said a major creditor had revealed it would no longer support the business, which left the Ince board with no choice but to place the company into administration. The Aldgate-headquartered firm, which employed over 700 staff and had revenues of over 100 million in the year to March 2021, was at one point the largest listed law firm in the UK. Ince was forced to raise emergency funds after it became the victim of a major cyber attack in March last year, which it said had cost as much as 5 million to resolve. Attackers stole personal data and threatened to publish the information online if Ince did not agree to pay a ransom. The company suspended its shares at the end of December last year after delays to the publication of its annual report after its auditor BDO complained what it called the complexity of historic and legacy accounting issues. Ince repeatedly said its audited results could be expected soon, but missed four seperate deadlines it had set for their publication. It had since sold off a string of subsidiaries in a bid to shore up its finances, including selling a Bristol-based personal injury law practice for 1.3 million. As well as legal and advisory services under the Ince name, the group also owns eLegal Technology Solutions, Hanover Financial Management and Wandsworth based Alen-Buckley Solicitors. R evenue at luxury fashion and alcohol conglomerate Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) jumped by 17% to 21.04 billion in the first quarter of 2023 as the end of Covid-19 restrictions in Asia led to a rebound in demand. Long lockdowns had led to a decline in revenue from wealthy Asian customers, but the company said it saw a significant rebound in Asia in Q1. Revenue in Japan jumped by 34%, while in the rest of Asia it was up by 14%. Fashion continued to bring in the majority of the Paris-based giants revenue, at 10.73 billion, thanks to the success of brands including Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Loro Piana. LVMHs selective retailing arm, including beauty shop Sephora and some travel retail brands that were hit hard by the pandemic, was its fastest-growing division. Sephora opened a shop in Westfield during the quarter, marking its return to the UK after a 17-year absence. Revenue was up across all divisions, though its wines and spirits arm saw only 3% growth, as the company said the economic environment in the US hit sales of Hennessey, leading to a decline in cognac and spirits sales. LVMH boss Bernard Arnault is widely considered to be the worlds richest man, with a fortune of just under $200 billion, overtaking Elon Musk last year after Tesla shares lost almost 70% of their value in the space of nine months. Most of Arnaults net worth comes from his stake in LVMH, through a combination of shares held directly and those owned by fellow fashion giant Dior, which Arnault also owns. In total, Arnault owns almost half of LVMH. T he cost of childcare is forcing one in four UK parents to give up their job or drop out of education, according to a new study. More than 7,000 parents and carers from the UK, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Nigeria, Turkey and the US with children under the age of seven were questioned for global childrens charity Theirworld. The research found 23% of UK-based parents had either quit work or dropped out of their studies to avoid childcare costs, compared with 17% of their counterparts in Brazil, 16% in Turkey and 13% in Nigeria. Some 74% of parents in the UK said they find it difficult to meet childcare costs, compared with 52% in India, 57% in the Netherlands, 59% in Nigeria, 68% in the US and Brazil, and 72% in Turkey. Theirworld chairwoman Sarah Brown, who is married to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, is calling on governments to urgently prioritise spending on the early years. The survey has laid bare the scale of the global early years crisis and its impact on children in rich and poor countries alike and change is needed because early years childcare is as essential to a countrys infrastructure as roads, hospitals and telecommunications, Mrs Brown said. Sixty-five percent of UK parents questioned said they have had to make major financial changes, including taking on more work and spending less on food, in order to afford childcare. Some 22% said they spend between 30% and 70% of their income on childcare. Theirworld said children from wealthier and educated backgrounds tend to begin primary school ready to learn, but there are nearly 250 million children in low- and middle-income countries who are at risk of not reaching their full development potential due to poverty, inadequate nutrition, exposure to stress, and a lack of early stimulation and learning. The charity noted that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made childcare a central part of his Budget, providing an extra 4 billion over three years. He also announced that in all eligible households in England every child under five will receive 30 hours a week of free childcare from the moment maternity leave ends. However, critics have pointed out that this will not be in place until September 2025. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee last month, denied that the childcare system is in crisis. He said: I think that announcements in the Budget were warmly welcomed by the childcare sector for what theyre going to do, which is to increase the funding for childcare as it is now, but also expand the provision to cover some of the gaps in the existing system and move us into a internationally quite generous position relative to our peers on childcare. Elvira Grob, 41, who is a lecturer in design on a zero-hours contract, has been left feeling close to burnout as she and her partner Michael spend 975 a month on childcare for their 10-month-old daughter, Yoomi. The London-based couple do not want to give up their daughters place at nursery to save money because she loves it there and it is good for her development. Ms Grob, who is also retraining and studying for a degree, returned to work two days a week when Yoomi was six months old. She said: I work in the evenings, I work when Yoomi sleeps, and I work at weekends. My income covers Yoomis childcare but I have rent to pay, and I also have to pay for my studies. Its got to a point where Im considering dropping my degree to help us pay our bills. Providing for children in their early years must be treated as a public good, not a private test of a familys financial strength Mrs Brown added: For a child, the first five to six years are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but this is being squandered on a global scale. Providing for children in their early years must be treated as a public good, not a private test of a familys financial strength. Parents around the world should no longer be reduced to hoping for the best, crossing their fingers that the inadequate care they are often forced to use isnt a risk to their childs safety or their future prospects in life. We need to see a revolution for the early years that brings together governments, businesses, international agencies, parents, frontline workers, civil society, youth campaigners and grassroots groups to improve the lives of the worlds youngest children. A total of 7,226 parents or childcare professionals took part in the survey carried out for Theirworld by Hall & Partners. J oe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland may go down in history as a case study in expectations versus reality, and one nearly as cinematic as this classic scene from the film (500) Days of Summer. Expectations: A multi-day presidential jaunt across the country. An historic address in front of a packed Stormont Assembly A joint press conference between Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak full of smiles, backslapping and mutual praise A surprise announcement of that sought-after UK-US trade deal Reality: Sure, none of this was a total shock. The Northern Ireland part of Bidens visit to the island of Ireland is so brief because, in the absence of a functioning Executive in Belfast, there isnt as much to cheer about. The Windsor Framework, the deal reached between the UK and EU to reform the Northern Ireland Protocol, has not brought the DUP back to the table. Ive written previously about the genius of the Good Friday Agreement. Not only how it helped bring about an end to The Troubles and establish a new power-sharing government, but how it empowered each and every citizen in Northern Ireland to live their lives with their identities respected. But the nature of power-sharing has made politics inherently unstable. Indeed, the absence of a functioning Executive is nothing new. Stormont has not sat for roughly 40 per cent of its existence, since its inception in December 1999. From the very beginning, the Executive was beset with disagreements and collapses relating to IRA decommissioning and later the Irish language. Today the stumbling block is about checks in the Irish Sea. Its a shame, because there is a genuine economic prize on offer were devolution restored. Northern Ireland could expect to welcome greater investment, particularly from the US, thanks to its unique position of being inside the UK and the EUs single market for goods. But that promise remains on hold for now. The 25 years following the Good Friday Agreement have been challenging and at times infuriating. Progress has been stop-start, devolution has repeatedly given way to direct rule or government without ministers. But progress has been undeniable. Belfast is a city transformed. The Northern Ireland economy has grown by more than a quarter in real-terms. Violence and intimidation, though not fully eradicated, has given way to politics and the principle of consent. But the story isnt over. The Good Friday Agreement was a marvel, heralded the world over as a blueprint for how to resolve seemingly intractable conflicts. But its not a magic wand. It required compromise and imaginative solutions then, just as it needs them now. In the comment pages, Ayesha Hazarika reveals she was shocked by Labours attack advert with what she calls its inadvertent racial subtext. Anne McElvoy says the SNP is learning exactly where arrogance and leadership cults lead. Homes & Property Editor Prudence Ivey suggests that soaring house prices have led buyers to shake off some their postcode prejudice. While John Darlington notes that geography, consistency, diversity, creativity and tolerance are the keys to Londons success but warns only the former is guaranteed. And finally, Josh Barrie remains undefeated in his dishes that can do one series. In this weeks firing line, the novelty burger more a circus than a pleasurable dining experience. 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. A ir Force One touched down in Belfast last night for the start of US President Joe Bidens four-day visit to the island of Ireland. The trip marks the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, and is in many ways a homecoming for a man proud of his Irish heritage. The visit is also about politics. Biden is spending only hours in Northern Ireland, before flying to the Republic. This is partly because of dysfunction in NI. It is a matter of great regret that Stormont, the power-sharing institution made possible by the Agreement, is not sitting meaning there is no functioning government. Biden is therefore making no address to Assembly Members. He has been warned by Sir Tony Blair, an architect of the 1998 peace deal, to be careful about intervening in Northern Irelands politics. The former PM, who worked closely with the Americans to secure the historic agreement, has made clear that they ought only to come in at the right moment and in the right place. The atmosphere certainly remains delicate. Bidens visit comes as police recovered four suspected pipe bombs from a cemetery in Londonderry where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday. And the terror threat has been raised to severe, meaning that an attack is highly likely. A return to devolved government remains critical, both to maintaining peace and to securing all the economic benefits within reach, thanks to Northern Irelands unique status which means it stays inside the EUs single market for goods. But progress depends on an end to the Stormont stalemate, something Bidens visit does not change. Scandal stalks CBI The Confederation of British Industry prides itself on being the voice of UK business. That voice has been drowned out in recent days by the scandal facing its now former chief executive. Tony Danker has been dismissed with immediate effect following the first phase of an independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Mr Danker said allegations against him were distorted but that he recognised he unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable. Allegations have been made against other CBI employees, including one of rape at a boat party in 2019, as well as a separate claim of attempted sexual assault. The CBI touts its ability to embrace change. It must clean up its act or risk its reputation and wider position. Musks mad world Elon Musk has admitted that running Twitter has been quite painful many users growing accustomed to the site under new management know the feeling. Though few have taken a financial hit like Musk, who has been deposed from the top spot of Forbess Real-Time Billionaires List following his acquisition of the social media giant. Musk suggested that it is really his dog Floki who is the new CEO. What a time to be alive! I knew those adverts had achieved cut-through when one of my aunties from India asked me on WhatsApp if Labour seriously thought Rishi Sunak supported child abusers. The good news is that Labours advertising campaign has gone global. The bad news is that lots of people think Labour is calling him a patron of paedophilia. To be fair, thats basically what Boris Johnson did to Keir Starmer about his time as DPP and Jimmy Savile (Sunak has never apologised for that horrible smear) which means the art of political debate in Britain is each party yelling nonce at the other. Weaponising paedophilia for political advantage is grotesque. Ironically, many bigots look at our Prime Minister and will lump him in with Asian groomers. I dont buy the lazy argument that theres no racism towards him. Ive seen it. Being rich, Tory and brown doesnt insulate you from the crudest form of prejudice and innuendo. So when Labours advert with Sunak dropped, I was pretty shocked. I thought it was a reaction to Bravermans comments and felt queasy, as did many other people especially from ethnic minority backgrounds. I have now learned that this was not the case and that the timing of the adverts was not done in response to the Home Secretary linking Asian men to sex abuse the coincidence was unfortunate and has caused a lot of anger and confusion. The counter-argument from Labour goes like this. The Tories have got form on this kind of racialised attack just look at how Sadiq Khan was basically called a terrorist sympathiser when he first ran against Zac Goldsmith. Look at what Johnson said about Muslim women and about Starmer. What Braverman says about Pakistani men and blaming Labour councils. All fair points. But Labour should be better than the Home Secretary. And words matter from our leaders. They send a signal to the public. There are horrible real-life consequences, sadly already happening. Just look at the abuse high- profile British Asian men are getting online, like GMB presenter Adil Ray. I dont think Labour intended the racial sub-text of that advert but its not a good look. However, I have no problem with Labour attacking the Government on their record over the last 13 years Sunak is now the face of that failure. The Tories are the masters of merciless, hardcore negative campaigning. As a former Labour adviser, I watched my bosses get unfairly ripped to pieces and often felt frustrated that we didnt punch back hard enough. Why should Labour be the nice losers yet again? It sometimes feels like Labour turns up to a knife-fight armed with a home-made, gluten-free flap jack. So go hard on the parlous state of our NHS, schools, living standards and yes law and order but steer well away from any dog whistles about Sunaks race, intentional or not. Its nasty, unnecessary plus theres an embarrassment of riches to attack him on. Quite literally. Succession is like a crazy dream If you havent seen the latest episode of Succession, AVERT YOUR PRECIOUS EYES NOW If you have, youre probably still flabbergasted. As the actress J.Smith-Cameron, who plays Gerri, tweeted I was there, and Im still in shock. I genuinely thought it was a wind-up. A new low from Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox, aided and abetted by slimy Tom to pretend he was carking it on the plane to get one over his kids in their incessant game of corporate cat and mouse. But no. RIP Logan Roy. Dundees finest export since Lorraine Kelly. The audacity and confidence of the superstar writing team led by Jesse Armstrong to kill off the central character so early in this final series makes us quiver over what lies ahead. I cant help thinking that because it all happened over Easter, perhaps there will be some kind of rising? Or maybe its all a crazy dream and Logan will rock up in someones shower like Bobby Ewing although nobody needs to see that. B ankcrupties, as Ernest Hemingway put it, happen in two ways gradually and then suddenly. That quip captures the tragi-farce playing out in the SNP. The party which rode the high horse of Scottish nationalism as the governing party at Holyrood since 2007 also captured support south of the border. Those southeners enjoyed seeing a punchy Nicola Sturgeon give the Tory government a bloody nose over everything from Covid regulations to Boris Johnson a disgrace to the office and gender politics. Now the boot has switched foot. Even the native Glaswegian Armando Iannuccis comedies about the pile-up of absurdities which politics can produce look like pale imitations of the SNPs plight. The in previous episodes review tells us that Sturgeon resigned before she was pushed. A heady mix was brewing of internal score-settling and concerns over allegations of financial mismanagement aimed at Peter Murrell, her husband and chief executive of the party. An ongoing investigation into Murrells activities has resulted in the police towing away a large caravan from his parents home in unexplained circumstances. The hastily elected new SNP leader, Humza Yousaf, is starting to look like a transitional candidate. He had the humiliating task of revealing that he had no idea that the partys own financial auditors had resigned six months ago and no other firm could be found prepared to take on the job. Kate Forbes, narrowly defeated in a leadership contest held at breakneck speed, was iced out for her fruity fundamentalist views on abortion and divorce. She is now rattling out columns and speeches urging the party to disinfect itself of the taint of sleaze. This is before we get to the polarising matter of the SNPs prospective challenge to the Government at Westminster over transgender matters. Frankly that is now looking like a sideshow to the main event of a wholesale implosion of the governing party in the Scottish parliament. Given the haste with which the election to succeed Sturgeon was held, Yousaf may soon find his position challenged and a call for the contest to be re-run. Murrell has been released by the police after questioning and investgations continue. He, along with Sturgeon and others caught in a whirlwind of accusations, deserves a fair hearing. But what Forbes called the disinfectant of sunlight is rarely a benign dousing for parties as long in power and rigid in their hierarchies as the SNP. The Sturgeon era has ended in an almighty splat and a reality check against predictions of imminent Scottish independence. The idea that the UK was about to break up on the ragged shores of Brexit was always more wishful thinking than settled direction. A combination of deeper geo-political challenges over Ukraine and China/Taiwan and more threadbare economic times mean the EU has urgent preoccupations greater than its dwindling interest in secessionist movements. The SNP is a lonelier force than it likes to imagine and the more so now that it has Augean stables to clear out. A machine politics approach to wielding unchallenged power with little room for constructive criticism or fresh policy thinking alienated many natural independence supporters. The beneficiary, ironically, is Labour, which saw its vote base collapse when it too was seen as the one-party state of the Nineties and early 2000s in Scotland. Now it has a chance to go all out for the confident win it needs there to gain an overall majority at the next general election. Chaos, infighting and a cloud of suspicion over alleged malfeasance make the SNP look less like the party that is dug into its fiefdoms. Instead it looks more like one which is strugging to dig itself out of a multiplying number of holes, with members leaving in disgust. Whatever the outcome of the present reckoning and whoever finally carries the can, the movement for more self-rule for Scotland is foundering on arrogance and a leadership cult indulged for too long. The Sturgeon fan club around London and beyond is a smaller association than it was too. The SNP built itself a fortress of opaque dealings, rigid authority and unquestioned practices. But when the rot sets in, walls come tumbling down. Somewhere in the rubble, truths will out. Anne McElvoy is Executive Editor at Politico Review at a glance S outh London photographer Gabriel Moses first exhibition, Regina, is located two staircases down, in a long windowless room that has been painted black. Theres a giant white cross in the far corner, next to a poem scrawled across the wall that starts, Mumsy, It was never mine, Always ours. Lining the walls are around 50 photographs from across his short but dazzling career; the self-taught photographer was only 18 when Nike offered him his first directing role. Now, just a few years later, and numerous magazine and brand contracts later, his debut exhibition is being held at 180 The Strand. Its easy to see why Moses has experienced such meteoric success: each of his photos is utterly beguiling. While many are fashion images, Moses has a knack for making his photos simultaneously work as a commentary on family, memory, culture and women. Some of his subjects sprawl across the floor, some are contorted into odd poses, others look the camera straight on and his women are all decisively strong. Gabriel Moses His signature of deep, rich and densely pigmented shades remains consistent throughout; stark but rich monochrome interrupted and contrasted with a shock of turquoise, lime green or red. There are portraits of celebrities: Zinedine Zidane and Pharell Williams have never looked so good as in Moses intense tones but these are the least interesting images. Other images in the exhibition include two men dressed wearing cowboy hats one laughs while the other holds a gun to his head; four young women who are seated, staring straight ahead their white lace dresses contrasting against the heavy green background; elsewhere two women lie on a black rug, gazing fiercely at the camera. Two beautiful films are the heart of the show: Regina, the name of Moses studio, and Ijo, a name used to describe people who inhabit the Niger delta. Regina is made up of short video clips taken from various photoshoots some of the still images from those shoots are also hung around the gallery. But somehow Moses subjects are even better in motion: the colours remain as exquisite and deep toned, but he has fun with his models and friends as they move from a pose to another: one suddenly screams, another smokes, another picks up a phone. A shot from Ijo / Gabriel Moses Ijo is more cohesive. The film, which was commissioned by 180 Studios, focuses on a group of young ballet dancers at an academy in Lagos, some of whom dance together in a studio, some of whom practice a routine outside. The film also features some of the boys from the academy sitting together and talking, and a mother figure sitting with her ballet dancer son, first in a living space, then in their dance studio. The series of vignettes very clearly speak to Moses inspirations, which include black-and-white ancestral photography from artists such as Malian photographer Malick Sidibe, Moses family and his Nigerian heritage. But although the storyline is ambiguous, with some of the slowly unfolding scenes being highly choreographed, others more natural, the film delivers a moving exploration of childhood and motherhood, ambition and family. The aural experience is just as affecting, with a moody score composed by James William Blades studio. Regina isnt just for fashion fans: the exhibitions images transport you far beyond the clothes and the sets. And whats most exciting about the stunning collection, is that this is really only the very beginning for Moses. Gabriel Moses: Regina at 180 The Strand, to April 30; 180thestrand.com/gabriel-moses E lizabeth Holmes is set to begin her 11-year sentence at the end of the month. The former biotech entrepreneur, who was once worth around $4.5 billion, was denied her request to stay out of prison while she appeals against her convictions. On Monday US District Judge Edward Davila said that although Holmes is not likely to flee or pose a danger, Holmes had not managed to prove that her appeal would warrant a new trial. 39 year old Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud and conspiracy for her involvement in her biotech startup, Theranos, in January. The company once promised to be able to deliver a wide range of test results from just a couple of drops of blood, but this was found to be untrue. The case was the subject of 2019 HBO documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley and was turned into a 2022 Disney+ series, The Dropout, which starred Amanda Seyfried as Holmes. As Holmes prison date approaches, here we look at some of the most astonishing con women of all time. Anna Sorokin (b.1991) After Elizabeth Holmes, Anna Sorokin is without a doubt the worlds most famous living con woman. The New York socialite, who went by Anna Delvey, gained a reputation in the city for her lavish lifestyle (which involved living at several upscale hotels), funded, she claimed, by her ultra-rich father who would wire her money from her trust fund, and her big plans to create a private members club in one of New Yorks most exclusive buildings. But her life was a lie and the house of cards quickly came crashing down as unpaid bills started to pile up. In an interview before her 2019 sentencing, Sorokin famously said: Id be lying to you and to everyone else and to myself if I said I was sorry for anything. After being sentenced to four to twelve years in jail she made a $320,000 deal with Netflix for her story, which she used to pay her legal fees and restitutions to different banks. Shonda Rhimes Inventing Anna, which starred Julia Garner as Anna, was released in February 2022 and became a huge hit. Something about Annas wreckless ambition spoke to people and the con woman gained as many fans as critics. Samantha Azzopardi (b.1988) Australian Samantha Azzopardi was sentenced to two years in prison in 2021 for conducting a series of scams in Australia, Ireland and Canada. They reportedly involve Azzopardi pretending that she was Dakota Johnson and applying for two schools in Brisbane and posing as a student, when she was at least 21. In 2013, in Dublin, she spent weeks in a childrens hospital after being found outside a museum in Dublin and indicating that she was a young teen. Then, in 2014 in Canada, she pretended she was someone called Aurora Hepburn who was a victim of sexual assault and abduction. In 2016, when she was 28 years old, she enrolled in another school pretending to be a 13-year-old girl. And so the cons go on. Whats fascinating about Azzopardis many exploits is that, unlike other con artists on this list, its more difficult to comprehend her motivations, which dont seem to be particularly financial or social. Her story was investigated in a four-part documentary from Paramount+, Con Girl, which one reviewer called quite possibly the most astonishingly outlandish story ever told. Elizabeth Holmes (b.1984) Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in 2022 / Getty Images The jury is still out over whether Elizabeth Holmes deserves to be on this list. Some believe Holmes was a genius who only did what any entrepreneur would do on their way to the top in the ever-competitive Silicon Valley. Others including the American justice system, which successfully convicted her for conspiracy and wire fraud in 2022 see her as a fraudster and liar who put hundreds of lives at risk through promising biomedical technology that her company could not provide. Holmes company Theranos was once worth $9 billion. It claimed to have devised simple blood tests that would provide users with a range of results from a very small amount of blood. The idea was to cut out the middleman: imagine how much cheaper it could be, and how many lives could be saved, if people could do their own blood tests for a range of issues illnesses including cancer, kidney disease and diabetes. Undoubtedly an inspired proposal, the issue was that Theranos was not able to create the technology. Linda Taylor (1926-2002) Linda Taylor is best known as a scammer who cheated the American welfare system. She became so famous for her extensive frauds that Ronald Reagan even used her in his 1976 presidential campaign as an example of the flaws of the system, which he criticised. In order to con people, Taylor changed her ethnicity, job role and age and went under a dozen different names including Linda Jones, Constance Loyd, Linda Lynch, Linda Mallexo and Linda Ray. She used her multiple identities to receive multiple welfare payments. When she was finally arrested, shed reportedly created as many as 80 different aliases, and shed received as much as $100,000 in welfare payments. Amy Bock (1859-1943) Bock is not only New Zealands most famous con woman, but was also described by writer Fiona Farrell as the countrys most unusual and energetic con artist. She spent her entire life trying to scam people out of money and her frauds varied in grandeur and success. In the most outrageous case, she pretended to be a man in order to marry the daughter of a wealthy family. She nearly pulled it off, too: she did indeed marry Agnes Ottaway, but was arrested three days later and the marriage was annulled. Ottaways father apparently said: Well, it might have been worse. Over the course of her life Bock spent 16 years in prison. She would employ every trick in the book to be given money and property and then abscond. But most often, once she was caught she would admit everything and return her takings. She was also a school teacher, but even then got up to mischief, doctoring how many kids were in attendance (which boosted her salary) and taking constant sick days. Elizabeth Bigley (1857-1907) Elizabeth Bigley, who is best known by her con name Cassie Chadwick, was a Canadian fraudster who astonishingly managed to scam banks out of between $800,000 and $1.3 million by pretending to be the illegitimate daughter of Andrew Carnegie. A newspaper article published in 1955 said she had used a letter from an attorney in London which said she had been bequeathed $1,800. She lived on credit provided by merchants (very Sorokin, or rather, Sorokin was very Bigley) until she was eventually found out and arrested. The newspaper said: At her trial, she made faces at the witness. The jury, convinced she was insane, acquitted her. She married a doctor, but he chucked her out only 11 days later after debt collectors came round to collect money for expensive wedding gifts she had been buying. Bigleys stories go on and on, each as incredible as the next: one scam involved worthless notes and a clairvoyant; she spent lavishly, under one guise buying eight grand pianos; one bank was even forced to close after its president had lent her $240,000 four times the banks capital stock. By the time of her trial, she was incredibly famous. She was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but died two years into her sentence. Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Remy (1756-1791) Although Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Remy, who went by Comtesse de la Motte, did not conduct any frauds on the scale of Theranos, or Bigleys exploits, she deserves to be on the list because of her involvement in one of Frances biggest scandals, the Affair of the Diamond Necklace. The scandal is often named as one of the factors that led to the downfall of King Louis XVI. Like so many of the con women on this list, Comtesse de la Mottes main initial aim was raising her social status. She was born into an impoverished family but managed to marry Nicholas de la Motte, who claimed to be a nobleman (though its not clear that he actually was). She started hanging around the palace in the hope of speaking to Marie Antoinette to ask for a more generous royal pension, but the Queen, who had been warned about Jeanne, avoided her. Jeweller Charles Auguste Boehmer was trying to sell a necklace that was so expensive that only the King was able to buy it. But the King didnt want it. Jeanne saw an opportunity to make some money so asked her lover, Retaux de Villette, who happened to be a master forger, to write letters from The Queen to the Comtesse saying that she wanted the necklace but that the King wouldnt buy it for her. In the letters The Queen asked the Cardinal to lend her money so she could secretly purchase it and said that Jeanne was her agent. The cardinal, believing the letters to be true, purchased the necklace and gave it to Jeanne who then took off with it and started selling the diamonds. She, her husband and her lover, all of whom were in on the scam, were eventually found out and arrested, but the damage had been done at court. Marie Antoinettes reputation was on the rocks, and the public trial of the con artists (a decision made by the King and Queen to try and reinstate their honour) in the end only reinforced preconceived ideas about the royal family and their lavish spending. People felt sorry for Jeanne, and had a kind of admiration for her chutzpah, as centuries later people have sympathy for Sorokin and Holmes. Barbara Erni (1743-1785) Its hard to work out where the legend around Erni starts and her real-life story ends. Sounding like a character from a Celtic legend rather than one of the worlds greatest con women, the story goes that Erni was strong with red-blonde hair and apparently carried a large treasure chest on her back. At night a man popped up out of the chest, would steal all the objects in the room and off Erni and the man would go again. In truth, she was a skilled thief, who would steal from inns across Lichtenstein and Western Europe using a confidence trick. She and her accomplice who history has not remembered were arrested and trialled in 1784. She was sentenced to death and beheaded in 1784 in front of approximately 1,000 spectators. She was the last person ever executed by the Liechtenstein state. China issued a new set of guidelines on Wednesday regarding the use of face masks by the general public to prevent COVID-19 infection, stating that it is now no longer mandatory to wear face masks when using public transport, Trend reports citing Xinhua. The guidelines from the joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism of the State Council aim to clarify situations and circumstances where people should, can choose to, or may choose not to wear face masks. People are advised to put on face masks when using public transport and entering supermarkets, movie theaters, and other indoor places with large gatherings. Individuals have the discretion to choose whether or not to wear face masks in outdoor locations such as public squares and parks. Students are not required to wear face masks at school, according to the guidelines. However, in certain circumstances, the use of face masks is mandatory. These include when a person has tested positive for COVID-19 or is displaying relevant symptoms, during local outbreaks, and when visiting medical institutions and nursing homes. A sex predator who raped a 12-year-old schoolgirl in disabled toilets at Kings Cross station has been jailed. Alvin Tuitt, 24, initially befriended the youngster at Maryland transport hub in Newham. He then loaned her a power pack to charge her phone and paid for her onward ticket to central London on October 10 last year. However, despite chatting to her on the journey, upon arrival at Kings Cross Tuitt took her to a disabled loo where he raped her and then attempted to rape her again. She reported it to police later that day and Tuitt, of Boone Street, Lewisham was arrested charged and remanded within 24 hours of the offence taking place. At Inner London Crown Court on Tuesday, Tuitt was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for rape, with a five-year extended sentence on licence, and eight years to run concurrently for an additional count of attempted rape on the same girl. He is also subjected to a life-long sexual harm prevention order and notification requirement for life. The judge commended the victim for her bravery in coming forward and reporting the matter to British Transport Police. Detective Constable Mark Pink said: The victim in this case was 12-years-old and extremely vulnerable. She has been extremely brave in telling police what happened and providing testimony to assist the investigation. The effect that this incident has had on her life and that of her family cannot be measured. Tuitt is a predator with a previous conviction for a similar offence and he rightfully now faces a long time behind bars. A man FaceTimed his girlfriend while he beat his 74-year-old grandfather to death at his home in south east London, a court has heard. Jack Forde, 25, has admitted killing Christopher Martin at the home they shared in Wild Goose Drive, New Cross, in the early hours of May 28, 2021. Forde video called his girlfriend on FaceTime during the attack, and she witnessed some of the violence. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, wearing a blue and white Puma jacket as he denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. Prosecutor Julian Evans, KC, accepted the plea and said the case would not proceed to trial. A post mortem gave Mr Martins cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head, chest and abdomen. Forde was arrested at 4.45am on the day of the attack, and was taken to hospital due to his erratic behaviour. He is due to be sentenced on May 12. Judge Anthony Leonard, KC, ordered psychiatric reports ahead of his sentencing. A devil worshipper who stabbed his teenage cousin to death has absconded from a mental health hospital for a second time in four years. Mosa Jamal Abid, 26, was on escorted leave at a newsagents in Ealing when he ran off from staff employed at a nearby secure facility around 3pm on Monday. He is believed to have fled eastbound along Uxbridge Road before possibly entering Brent Lodge Park. Metropolitan Police officers searched the area but Abid could not be found. In June 2017 he was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of his cousin on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The self-confessed devil worshipper, then 22, wrote a rambling letter to Satan before carrying out the attack on 18-year-old Moamen Settarr in October 2016. Abid went to Mr Settars home in Wembley and took a large knife from the kitchen before repeatedly stabbing him. The victims younger sisters, aged nine and 15, heard screams from their brothers bedroom before Abid left the house laughing with the knife hidden behind his back. Abid then went to his fathers flat to change into a new shirt, before he was found sitting on a bench by police next morning, reported ITV at the time. When police raided his home in Northolt they found documents, including the letter to Satan. He first absconded while receiving out-patient treatment at Homerton Hospital in Hackney, east London in October 2019 before being recaptured. Scotland Yard said extensive CCTV enquiries are now ongoing and officers are continuing to search the area around a secure hospital in Ealing. Abid was last seen wearing a navy hooded jacket, with black trousers and blue trainers. A spokesman said: Mosa can be violent and, if seen, he should not be approached by the public. Abid requires medication for a health condition and might attend a hospital for help. It is also possible he may approach local mosques during the Iftar period for food or drink. Police are liaising with hospitals and mosques to keep them informed. Detective Inspector Alistair Stillgoe, from the local policing team in west London, said: I recognise this will cause concern in the community, however I want to assure you that we have officers working round the clock to find Mosa and return him to hospital as soon as possible. Anyone with information is asked to call 999, quoting CAD 3873/10Apr immediately. A British hospital has become the first in the world to trial the use of wearable tech for inpatients with Parkinsons disease. The CUE1 device, worn on the chest, delivers vibrations that can help to reduce several symptoms of the incurable brain disorder. Parkinsons is the worlds fastest growing neurodegenerative condition and causes tremors, balance problems and difficulties with movement. It affects more than 140,000 people in the UK. Addenbrookes Hospital, in Cambridge, has purchased ten of the devices through its charitable trust. Dr Alistair Mackett, who specialises in Parkinson's disease at Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, told the BBC: I felt that it was exciting to trial the CUE1 devices as they have been shown to be safe with almost no side-effects, yet potentially helpful with mobility and a reduction in falls. In the UK almost 1,000 people already use the device. We are the first hospital in the world to use them with inpatients. The pilot will allow us to collect data and understand how best to use the CUE1 device in people with Parkinson's who have been admitted to hospital. CUE1, which is manufactured by British company Charco Neurotech, works by delivering localised vibrations to the chest that in turn send signals to the nervous system. Previous research has found that it could help to reduce symptoms such as slowness, stiffness and problems with balance. Addenbrookes currently treats between 20 and 30 inpatients with the condition, Dr Mackett said. My hypothesis is that we might be able to see an improvement in mobility, allowing patients to better participate in therapy and hopefully go home quicker, he added. CUE1 was founded in 2019 by Lucy Jung, then a student at Imperial College London, and physician Dr Floyd Pierres. Ms Jung said CUE1 offers a novel, non-invasive approach to minimising the symptoms of Parkinsons, adding: More than 92 per cent of participants displayed an improvement in their motor symptoms such as (but not limited to) stiffness, slowness and freeze of gait when using the device. The device uses a rechargeable battery powered motor to produce its buzz, and can be controlled using a smartphone app. Patients are advised to use CUE1 when they are experiencing symptoms of the disease. Symptoms of Parkinsons are most commonly treated with drugs and physiotherapy. T he British Medical Association (BMA) has held talks with the independent conciliation service Acas in a bid to break the deadlock in negotiaitons with the Government over a pay dispute. Acas said it is well prepared and ready to help after the BMA said we do need someone to start brokering realistic talks. The service previously assisted the union during the previous junior doctors strike in 2016. Acas chief executive Susan Clews said: We have a team of experts who are well prepared and ready to help. For negotiations to begin, both sides will need to agree to conciliation. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has not commented on the potential involvement of Acas but previously claimed that the BMA would need to drop its 35 per cent pay demand for negotiations to begin. Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of council at the BMA, told Times Radio: I have been talking to Acas about the possibility of breaking down some of the preconditions that have been put on the juniors by this Government to try and get this dispute resolved as quickly as possible. He denied that the 35 per cent figure was a precondition of talks, adding: It is a misleading assumption that this is a figure that cannot be discussed within a negotiation and how one can get to that figure. Meanwhile, junior doctors returned to work at a struggling hospital on Tuesday night over patient safety fears as health bosses warned that the situation in the NHS would become more challenging each day that the strike progresses. The British Medical Association (BMA) announced that several doctors would come off the picket line to staff the hospital's emergency department as more than 47,000 members of the union began a second day of strike action in a bitter dispute over pay. It is the first time that the BMA have agreed to a derogation during the dispute and comes amid fears that other hospitals may need to partially close emergency departments or request assistance from the union due to inadequate staff cover. The Government and the union appeared to be deadlocked after Downing Street insisted that no talks would be opened until the BMA dropped its demand for a 35 per cent pay rise. The BMA has said that the figure is a starting position for talks, rather than a "pre-condition" as suggested by ministers. Elsewhere, Tory MPs escalated a war of words with the BMA after it emerged that one of its junior doctors committee co-chairmen, Dr Robert Laurenson, was on holiday during the strikes. In a statement, the BMA said Dr Laurenson was fulfilling a long-standing commitment to attend the wedding of a family friend and had booked the time off as annual leave. Tory MP Paul Bristow, member of the Health and Social Care Committee, told the Telegraph that Dr Laurenson should be "round the table representing his members" - but the BMA insisted he was still actively involved in the planning of the dispute. Meanwhile, some doctors at a hospital in Weston-Super-Mare were asked to return to work last night due to staff shortages in the emergency department. The BMA claimed that "poor planning by local management" at Weston General Hospital had left the A&E department "exposed" and that seven doctors would return to work following discussions with the Trust. Under NHS contingency plans, hospital leaders can request for doctors to return to work for a limited time in certain circumstances to maintain safe patient care. Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said health chiefs were particularly concerned about securing cover for night shifts. This is going to be a very long, difficult week for the NHS. Due to the timing of the strike, a number of senior doctors are unable to provide cover as they did in the previous three-day strike last month. NHS Englands national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: As the week goes on, we expect to see staff cover stretched as those who worked tirelessly over the Easter holiday take leave, which will pose a huge challenge to an already depleted workforce. One chief executive of a trust in the West Midlands told the Health Service Journal: We have minimal safe staffing levels for [doctors] across the trust. Should we have [staff] sickness or extreme surges then we are stuffed. Dr Chris Streather, Medical Director for the NHS in London, warned Londoners to use the NHS wisely during the strikes and to avoid A&E unless they were in a life-threatening condition. Some 5,700 members of the BMA in London are involved in the strike, with over 50,000 operations and procedures expected to be cancelled in the capital. The strike, which began at 7am yesterday, will last until Saturday morning. The BMA is seeking a pay rise of 26 per cent for junior doctors to restore a real-terms fall in income since 2008. Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMAs junior doctors committee, said: We just want them to come to the table in an honest and meaningful way. The Government has not even tried to meet us anywhere in the middle, it hasnt given us a counter-offer at all. T hree rescues after e-bike and e-scooter fires across London over Easter weekend has prompted a warning from firefighters, as cases spike this year. London Fire Brigade (LFB) rescued a man from a home in Dalston after a converted e-bike caught fire in the early hours of Sunday. Half of a staircase was damaged in the property on Middleton Road, and a man was treated for smoke inhalation. Another person escaped the house before firefighters arrived. On the following day, two men had to be led to safety down an internal staircase after a smoking e-scooter caused a blaze on the ground floor of a three-storey house in Streatham. A woman and three children left the property before firefighters arrived. The two incidents have prompted renewed calls over the danger of charging lithium batteries inside homes. In 2023, e-bike and e-scooter fires have jumped by 60 per cent compared to the same time last year, equating to one fire callout every two days, the London Fire Brigade said. Deputy Commissioner Dom Ellis said: "Investigators believe a converted e-bike caught fire at the house in Dalston and we understand the bikes batteries were purchased online second-hand. "The bike was on charge at the time and due to where it was being charged, blocked an escape route and a man had to be rescued by our firefighters via a short extension ladder. It is vital that you never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. And the only way to be sure of a legal, safe and reliable e-bike is to buy one in complete form, from a trusted and reputed retailer. Meanwhile, at the incident on Barrow Road, a smoking e-scooter was moved by an occupant from a room to a communal area of the house where the fire then spread. Moving the scooter significantly increased the risk to everyone inside the house and reaffirms our advice, which is if you suspect there is a fire involving these types vehicles, leave it, shut the door, get out and call 999. Firefighters were called to more than 150 blazes caused by e-bikes and e-scooters in London in a little over a year. Figures obtained by the Standard reveal that the LFB was called 87 fires related to e-bikes and 29 caused by e-scooters. According to data collected by LFB, most people injured in e-bike and e-scooter fires are in their 20s. Often the fires are in homes where multiple adults are living together without children. The most risky time for e-bike and e-scooter fires to take place is when charging lithium batteries, the LFB warned. This is the time that batteries are most likely to fail. Cheaper batteries bought online may not meet UK safety regulations. DIY installations can also lead to damage of the kit, increasing the chances of battery failure and a fire. Lithium batteries store a significant amount of energy in a very small space and are much more powerful compared to other types of batteries. If that energy is released in an uncontrolled way, then a fire or explosion may result. If there is overheating, crushing, penetrating or overcharging, then a fault can occur within damaged battery cells which may cause the battery to catch fire and/or explode. T he Ulez expansion is likely to make it harder for Sadiq Khan to win a third term as Mayor, Tory election chiefs believe. They claim he already has a problem in a number of suburban boroughs and believe opposition to the widening of the ultra-low emission zone to the Greater London boundary will give them the best chance in more than a decade to win back City Hall. But allies of the Labour Mayor said he would be proudly campaigning on his record of having helped clean up the capitals air and highlighted the Tory struggle to find a mayoral candidate to stand against him. Londoners will vote for the next mayor on May 2 next year with Mr Khan aiming to become the first to secure three consecutive terms and remain in power until 2028. But the Conservatives believe City Hall is in its grasp for the first time since Boris Johnsons second mayoral victory in 2012 due to the controversy around the Ulez expansion and the scandals involving the Metropolitan police. The Tories are not expected to select their mayoral candidate until later this year, Tory chairman Greg Hands told the Evening Standard. But he believes the Ulez expansion due to happen on August 29 this year will be an election issue, particularly in those outer London boroughs where Sadiq Khan already has a problem. Mr Khan defeated Tory rival Shaun Bailey by 1,206,034 votes to 977,601 in 2021. But Mr Bailey outpolled Mr Khan in Bexley and Bromley, Croydon and Sutton, and Havering and Redbridge, all of which will be directly affected by the Ulez expansion. A change in the voting system to first past the post will mean Mr Khan will be unable to rely on almost 200,000 second preference votes that boosted his winning margin in 2021. Mr Hands, the MP for Chelsea and Fulham, said: We outperformed expectations with Shaun Bailey two years ago and I am very upbeat about our chances of defeating Mayor Khan, who really has failed to deliver for London. Paul Scully, the Minister for London, and London Assembly members Andrew Boff and Nick Rogers are among those interested in becoming the Tory candidate. Another hopeful, Samuel Kasumu, has promised outer London boroughs a referendum on whether to remain within the Ulez. Battle bus: Greg Hands and Nickie Aiken believe the Tories can regain City Hall / Ross Lydall Nickie Aiken, the Tory MP for the Cities of London and Westminster and the partys deputy chairman, has ruled herself out, to focus on her parliamentary career. It is possible that the General Election could be held on the same day next year. Being mayor of London would be a huge honour, but Ive got a job to do, Ms Aiken told the Standard. She said: We have got to realise that this is in our grasp. Shaun came very close. With the ongoing failure of Mayor Khans administration, I think people want a change. I think we need somebody who is experienced in running bigger organisations, [who is] involved in politics. Its going to be a very, very tough campaign. Khan is not going to give up. We somebody who has very strong resilience. We have probably a stronger chance than we have had for a long time because Khan has done such a dreadful job and people are crying out for a better mayor. I think his record speaks for itself. The Metropolitan police service has been put in special measures. Read the Casey report [on the catastrophic extent of wrongdoing in the Met]. Its Sadiq Khan who has been responsible for the police service for seven years. The Ulez expansion, he has completely read wrong if you ask people what they think and then ignore them, then questions have got to be asked about your ability to run a city. Its the poorest households who are going to pay the most for this, and I think that is really unforgiveable in a cost of living crisis. A Labour source: Londoners know exactly what the Tories are about a cost-of-living crisis, soaring housing costs, huge cuts to public services, and opposing measures to clean up our dirty air. When the Tories manage to find a candidate, Sadiq will be proudly campaigning on his record delivering for Londoners, despite the actions of this woeful Government. S uella Braverman has been accused of using racist rhetoric by a Conservative former co-chairwoman of the party. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi hit out at a number of remarks the Home Secretary has made, and said it has it has got to stop. The Tory peer did not specify which specific remarks she was referring to as racist, but highlighted Ms Bravermans comments on small boats crossing the Channel, and her singling out British Pakistani men over concerns about grooming gangs. It follows letters sent to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling for him to act on Ms Bravermans rhetoric, including from the British Pakistan Foundation, which accused the Home Secretary of seeking to portray all British Pakistani men in a divisive and dangerous way. Speaking to LBC, Lady Warsi said: I think the Prime Minister has to get a really strong message that this kind of rhetoric, whether its on small boats, whether its the stuff she was saying on the weekend which is not based on evidence, not nuanced, not kind of explanatory in any way, it has got to stop. And you know, again today, weve woken up to a story where shes having a go at the police for removing golliwog dolls from a pub. Later in the interview, she said: I dont think any of my colleagues can use the pigment in their skin as some sort of a defence mechanism to say they are not racist. You know brown people can be racist too. Asked if she was calling the Home Secretary racist, she said: I am calling her rhetoric racist. I am. She went on: I say that as somebody who was subjected to racism growing up, you know, in the 70s and 80s. This is not a term that I use loosely. And its certainly not a term that I use easily when I talk about another woman of colour. Another Parliamentarian of colour. But I think that somehow we have to call this out. The Tory peer also told the Mirror: I genuinely felt with the change in leadership with Rishi Sunak becoming Prime Minister that we were going to return to some level of grown up politics. I just think the Home Secretary keeps dragging him back into the gutter. She said: I think we need to make it clear that this isnt going to be our strategy for the next 18 months racist rhetoric and rabble rousing. Further criticising Ms Bravermans remarks, Lady Warsi added: Theres either an issue of deliberate divisive rhetoric or theres an issue of competence, but either way the Prime Ministers got to get a grip on this. Essex Police has denied being directly reprimanded by the Home Secretary for sending five officers to seize a collection of dolls considered racist from a pub. On April 2, Ms Braverman was speaking about Government measures to tackle grooming gangs when she singled out British Pakistani men as a major source of concern. Ms Braverman drew criticism for repeatedly alluding to cases including in Rotherham and Rochdale that involved groups of men of mainly Pakistani ethnicity. She described a 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 pursue an outdated and frankly heinous approach in terms of the way they behave. Her language was criticised by some campaigners, with the NSPCC emphasising that only considering race could create new blind spots. A Home Office spokesperson said: The Home Secretary has been clear that all despicable child abusers must be brought to justice. And she will not shy away from telling hard truths, particularly when it comes to the grooming of young women and girls in Britains towns who have been failed by authorities over decades. As the Home Secretary has said, the vast majority of British-Pakistanis are law-abiding, upstanding citizens but independent reports were unequivocal that in towns like Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford cultural sensitivities have meant thousands of young girls were abused under the noses of councils and police. Thats why we have announced a raft of measures, including a new police taskforce and mandatory reporting, to ensure this horrific scandal can never happen again, and bring members of grooming gangs to justice for the victims. The Pakistani army killed three terrorists during an operation in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Wednesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua. Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the Loesum area of Bajaur district of the province on the presence of the terrorists, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. "During conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists," the ISPR statement said, adding that three terrorists were killed during the intense clash. Weapons and ammunition were seized from the killed terrorists, who had been actively involved in multiple terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and target killings of innocent citizens, the ISPR said. On Tuesday, three terrorists were killed in a counter-terror operation in Bannu district of the province, according to the Pakistani military. C uts to unnecessary red tape will see the police spending less time recording rude but non-threatening messages and more time investigating crime on the streets, the Government has said. The move is part of a wider set of rule changes to how forces record crime, aimed at freeing up police time. Home Office minister Chris Philp said the department had listened to police forces and was making the changes so that officers can better focus on solving and preventing crime. The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said a review of productivity has found that 443,000 officer hours are spent filling in forms and dealing with unnecessary administrative tasks, equivalent to attending 220,000 domestic abuse incidents or 270,000 burglaries. Mr Philp said: Overall crime, excluding fraud and computer misuse, has halved since 2010, but we are determined to go further. Victims must always be at the centre of our response to crime. Listening to forces and cutting unnecessary red tape will mean police officers can focus on solving crime and delivering justice for victims, as well as preventing it from happening in the first place. We are confident that we will reach our target to have the most police officers in history. With less unnecessary admin, we want them to be our most effective police officers in history too. The Home Office said the changes will save police time by no longer recording cases of messages that might offend someone or where a public disturbance occurred but has been resolved. But this will require sign-off by a supervisor, such as a police sergeant. The Home Office said officers should be on the streets investigating crimes such as burglary, rather than investigating comments made online. And it said the police would be empowered to consider whether such issues should be dealt with by social media companies instead. Another change to how crimes are recorded will see reported crimes for a single incident consistently recorded under the principal offence, rather than as multiple entries on a database that effectively re-records the same incident. But the Home Office said police will continue to pursue all offences involved. And it said another change would make it easier to cancel the recording of a crime where there is enough evidence that none was committed, which would also depend on appropriate sign-off. The Government said the changes will come into effect in the coming weeks, and follow recommendations from review by the NPCC lead for crime data integrity, Chris Rowley. Chair of the NPCC Gavin Stephenson said: Police officers must be totally focused on keeping people safe and ensuring they feel safe. We want to provide the best possible policing to the public and the work of the police productivity review is aimed at removing barriers and improving effectiveness. The review has already identified that 443,000 officer hours are spent filling in forms and dealing with unnecessary administrative tasks. These equate to the equivalent of attendance at 220,000 domestic abuse incidents, 270,000 burglaries, or almost 740,000 antisocial behaviour incidents. Any move to free up our frontline to serve our communities is welcome. Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Marc Jones said: As the publics representatives to policing we have long called for changes to the way crime is recorded, to ensure it is more transparent and less bureaucratic. We welcome these changes. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: This announcement is simply too little, too late. People are losing confidence in the police because of Conservative mismanagement. He added: The Conservatives are failing to tackle crime and people up and down the country know this announcement will make little difference to that. U S president Joe Biden is not anti-British, the White House insisted as he began a series of engagements on the island of Ireland. In Belfast, Mr Biden said he was there to listen as he had a cup of tea with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The pair met for around 45 minutes on Wednesday, with Mr Sunak telling broadcasters that the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. The White House said he would use the trip to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement, 25 years after the peace deal was reached, and to encourage the restoration of powersharing something that collapsed due to the DUPs protest over post-Brexit rules. At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Mr Sunak, smiling, sat at a table with the US president as the pair met over cups of tea. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnson, and prime minister Truss as well. Ms Sloat went on: President Biden obviously is a very proud Irish-American, he is proud of those Irish roots, but he is also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK, and not only on a bilateral basis within Nato, the G7, on the UN Security Council, and we truly are working in lockstep with the British Government on all of the pressing global challenges that our countries are facing. The US president will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to the objections of the DUP, the largest unionist party. However, the White House said there will not be formal talks with Northern Irelands political leaders. Ms Sloat said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the four-day trip, which will include visits in Ireland linked to his family history. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish president Michael D Higgins on Thursday. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina the presidents great-great-great grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks to the cathedral in 1827, which helped him to afford to buy tickets for himself and his family to sail to America decades later in 1851. U S president Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast later during a historic four-day trip to the island of Ireland. The meeting at the Grand Central Hotel in the regions capital will be the third in-person meeting between the two leaders. Their discussions are expected to focus on Northern Ireland, the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the war in Ukraine. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove on Tuesday night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris was also present as Mr Biden alighted from the aircraft with US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. In a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, said it is not anticipated that Mr Biden and Mr Sunak will discuss a free trade agreement. I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that thats where theyre meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues, she said. Ms Sloat said the two leaders had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be furthered and deepened when they meet in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she added. The US President will later meet the leaders of Northern Irelands main political parties before he delivers an address at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus. The Stormont powersharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland. However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders. Ms Sloat was asked what Mr Bidens strategy will be to encourage the DUP to end its boycott of the Stormont Assembly. She said the US leader would like to see the devolved institutions back up and running, but really the main focus of his visit is to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The main message of the President to all parties, to all people of Northern Ireland, is to reaffirm support for the Good Friday Agreement and the devolved institutions here in Northern Ireland are a fundamental part of the Good Friday Agreement, and so I think the Presidents message as he said on St Patricks Day, and I expect he will reaffirm today is the United States strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically-elected powersharing representative governance, she said. Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Bidens keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be low-key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are accompanying him for the trip. A major security operation is in place for Mr Bidens visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday. It has been announced that Dublins Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm on Wednesday to facilitate the visit. Mr Higgins official residence is within the parks grounds. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle on Thursday evening. The US Presidents trip will conclude with a visit to Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Mr Biden will then make a public speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina. U S President Joe Biden sent a clear message to the DUP, Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle ONeill has said. During a visit to Northern Ireland, Mr Biden said he hoped the Assembly and the Executive will soon be restored, adding it could draw even greater opportunity in the region. The powersharing institutions have been effectively collapsed for more than a year while the DUP refuse to participate until their concerns around the Brexit Protocol are addressed. Mr Biden briefly met the leaders of the five largest parties before making his address at the new Ulster University campus. Ms ONeill said she felt his message was on the right note. I think he sent a very clear message that everything that has been achieved over the past 25 years is something to be celebrated, but he very much was future focused, he was looking forward to the next 25 years, it was about the hope and the opportunity, but I think his message was clear, we need peace, we need stability and we need prosperity, those things all go hand in hand, she said. I think his message was very much on the right note. She added: I think the message here from this visit is going to be one about peace, prosperity and about stability, and that means we need the political leg of things to work as well. Im committed to making it work. Where Im focused is about trying to get Stormont up and running again, and make politics work. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long praised a positive and balanced message from the president. During our brief discussion, I spoke to President Biden about Northern Irelands economy and also the need for political stability, she said. Between both that and his later speech, the president gave a positive and balanced message that was optimistic for both our economy and future. He was also well aware of the challenges facing the restoration of the Assembly and Executive, but was keen to see that happen as soon as possible. When one of the largest economies in the world spends its time, effort and money showcasing us, we need to grasp that opportunity with both hands. However, we cant do that at present due to the political impasse and those causing that need to reflect on their actions. Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the visit of the US President is an indication of the scale of opportunity that stands to be grasped for our people. I believe this opportunity must be grasped by a restored Assembly and Executive, he said. Whilst today there was rightly reflection on the importance of the Belfast Agreement in securing the peace we have enjoyed for 25 years now, there was also a welcome focus on prosperity. The next 25 years must be about delivering opportunities and prosperity for all our people. I believe the USA can play an important role in helping to deliver this and I will work with the presidents administration to make this a reality. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said, during his meeting with the president, Mr Biden was very clear that the US administration and US businesses are ready to come and invest but work should go on to restore the Assembly. I reminded him that John Hume used to say the best peace process was a job, and of course he agreed with that, he said. Weve seen great strides over the last 25 years but I can tell you from outside of Belfast, places like Derry, there is a lot further to go yet and we really need investment. F ootage of Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden sharing a handshake appears to show the US president turning away from Mr Sunak - and his car blocking him from view entirely. The US President is currently on a four-day trip tour of the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. In photographs of the highly-choreographed visit released by No10, Mr Sunak can be seen warmly greeting the US president as Air Force One landed in Belfast. But footage of the moment seemed to show a less cosy picture, with Mr Sunak being blocked from cameras by his presidential car, often nicknamed the Beast. Another clip shows Mr Biden turning his back on Mr Sunak and talking to others instead. It comes as the White House insisted Wednesday that Mr Biden is not anti-British as he began his series of engagements across Ireland. One of the pictures released by Downing Street / Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street In Belfast, he said he was there to listen" as he had a cup of tea with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The pair met for around 45 minutes on Wednesday, with Mr Sunak telling broadcasters that the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities" for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UK's relationship with the US as being in great shape", describing them as very close partners and allies". At the meeting with Mr Sunak in a Belfast hotel, Mr Biden faced a volley of questions from reporters - including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the heck of a view" from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Senior unionist figures in Northern Ireland have criticised Mr Biden, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British" while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK". This was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: It's simply untrue - the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. And before that, the president had numerous calls and meeting with prime minister Johnson, and prime minister Truss as well. U S President Joe Biden expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. In a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast, Mr Biden praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The presidents visit to Northern Ireland comes as the region marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Good Friday peace accord that created Stormonts powersharing institutions. The DUP, which is currently blocking those institutions in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has said the framework does not go far enough to address its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden met Stormonts political leaders before making the speech at the universitys new campus in Belfast city centre. Earlier, he had a 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a Belfast hotel. As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, the President said. Its a decision for you to make, not for me to make, but it seems to me they are related. An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity in this region. So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens, along with the institutions that facilitate north south and east west relations, all of which are vital pieces of the Good Friday Agreement. For in politics, no matter what divides us, if we look hard enough, there are always areas that are going to bring us together if we look hard enough. Standing for peace and rejecting political violence must be one of those things. The lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who briefly met the President before his speech, described Mr Bidens remarks as measured but he insisted they would not alter the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. He said that would only be achieved if the UK Government took further steps to address his partys concerns about Brexit trade barriers. It doesnt change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland, we know what needs to happen, said Sir Jeffrey. We believe the Government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom and our ability to trade within the UK internal market and thats what needs to happen now to enable us to move towards the restoration of the political institutions, we need the Government to deliver what theyve said they will do, which is to protect our place in the United Kingdom. In his speech, President Biden said the response of Northern Irelands political leaders to Februarys shooting of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh showed the enemies of peace will not prevail. Mr Caldwell was seriously injured in the dissident republican murder bid. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God, said Mr Biden. The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild. But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most. Mr Biden said Brexit had created complex challenges for Northern Ireland. I encouraged the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that served Northern Irelands best interest, he said. I deeply appreciate the personal leadership of Prime Minister Sunak and European Commissioner (Ursula) Von der Leyen to reach an agreement. The Windsor Framework addresses the practical realities of Brexit and it is an essential step to ensuring the hard-earned peace and progress of the Good Friday Agreement that they are preserved and strengthened. Negotiators listened to business leaders across the UK and Ireland who shared what they needed to succeed, and I believe the stability and predictability offered by this framework will encourage greater investment in Northern Ireland, significant investment in Northern Ireland. Mr Sunak welcomed the Presidents visit and said it was a reminder of the US contribution to the peace process. The Prime Minister, who did not attend Mr Bidens speech at Ulster University, said a key focus of their earlier meeting was leveraging more economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. We spoke in particular about the incredible economic opportunities that are there in store for Northern Ireland and we talked about the investment potential that is there, the companies that want to invest in Northern Ireland, he said. I think that is incredibly exciting, it will bring growth, jobs and prosperity to Northern Ireland and I know he shares my ambition to see the institutions here back up and running, that is what people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve. At the outset of Mr Bidens half-day of engagements in Northern Ireland, the White House insisted the President is not anti-British. Mr Biden, who is intensely proud of his Irish ancestry, has been criticised by senior DUP figures, with MP Sammy Wilson claiming the president has got a record of being pro-Republican, anti-Unionist, anti-British while former first minister Baroness Foster has suggested he hates the UK. But the suggestion he was anti-British was rejected by Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, who said: Its simply untrue the fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK. Following his address in Belfast, Mr Biden headed for the Republic of Ireland where he will spend two and a half days in an itinerary that will include political engagements in Dublin and visits taking in his ancestral roots in counties Mayo and Louth. J oe Biden has paid tribute to the pioneering politicians who helped bring peace to Northern Ireland as he called for a restoration of power sharing at Stormont. The US president is on a four-day visit to the island of Ireland to mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. He spoke about his own familys Irish roots and said the future of Northern Ireland was Americas future during a keynote speech at Ulster University on Wednesday. I believe the democratic institution established in the Good Friday Agreement remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland, he said. He added that an effective, devolved government that reflects the people and is accountable to them would help draw even greater opportunity to the region. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, he said. Thats a judgment for you to make, not me. I hope it happens. Mr Biden celebrated the pioneering women who said enough and demanded change, political leaders and the determined efforts of former US senator George Mitchell in bringing about the landmark peace deal in 1998. Every person killed in the Troubles left an empty chair at the dining room table, a hole in the heart that was never filled for the ones they lost, he said. Peace was not inevitable, we cant ever forget that. The peace deal created Stormonts power sharing institutions. But the DUP is currently blocking those in protest at Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The party says the framework does not go far enough in addressing its concerns over sovereignty. Mr Biden, who earlier in the day met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, insisted that a stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the region. He said: Your history is our history, but even more important your future is Americas future. Todays Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland and is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity and investment, from communities across the UK, across Ireland, across the United States. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together. The 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Irelands gross domestic product has literally doubled. The president said that figure would only improve if things continue to move in the right direction. Mr Biden added: There are scores of major American corporations wanting to come here, wanting to invest. T he amount of time parents spend helping their children with homework contributes much less to their progress in school than the familys social class, a study has suggested. The effects of parents class, wealth and education on teachers perception of a pupils progress in school far outweighed those of the time they spent with their children, the analysis found. The study, by researcher Lin Ding, from the University of Manchester, analysed data on more than 8,000 children from the UK at the ages of seven and 11. Data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which involves a nationally representative sample of people born between 2000 and 2002, was used to analyse the teachers assessment of childrens progress in maths and creative subjects, and the amount of time parents spent with them on activities. The research, which will be presented at the British Sociological Associations conference in Manchester, found that having parents with degrees or who are well-off or from a high socio-economic class approximately doubles the chance of children being assessed as above average by their teachers. The effect of various parenting activities is much less significant than parents class, income and educational level The time parents spent helping primary-aged children with their maths work and reading to them had only a small positive effect on their school progress as rated by teachers, the research found. At age seven, children who received daily help with maths from their parents had only a 1.8% increased chance of being assessed as above average, according to the study. Meanwhile, parents reading to their children and going to libraries had a small positive effect on their teachers assessment, but time spent on musical or physical activities had no effect. The data showed that for children aged seven, nearly two in five (39%) of those from the highest class families were seen by teachers as above average in maths, compared with only 21% of those whose parents were manual workers the lowest of five classes used in the analysis. When considering creative subjects, 28% of the children from the highest class were perceived as being above average by teachers, compared with 14% of those whose parents were manual workers. The figures were similar when comparing children with parents from the richest class and poorest class, and those with parents with degrees and those without qualifications. Ms Ding, who carried out the research as part of her PhD studies, will tell the British Sociological Associations conference on Wednesday: The effect of various parenting activities is much less significant than parents class, income and educational level. Family income has a greater impact on childrens performance in core subjects than in creative subjects. The relative insignificance of parenting activities in these models may be due to the fact that high frequency of parenting activities does not necessarily equate to high-quality parenting. The method and quality of parenting may be crucial. For example, parents from different social classes may all read to their children, but the selection of reading materials and the explanation that comes with reading may differ. This study clearly shows that socio-economic disadvantage is a key determining factor in educational outcomes and reinforces the importance and urgency of a new national strategy to tackle this issue She will add: Middle-class parents may have more advanced educational methods that may better involve their children in academic activities, mainly by helping them adapt to the school environment earlier. On the other hand, lower-class parents may be more inclined to focus on and take remedial measures only when their children encounter learning difficulties. Ms Ding found that teachers assessment of pupil performance accurately matched the maths scores students achieved in tests at age seven and 11. Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: This study clearly shows that socio-economic disadvantage is a key determining factor in educational outcomes and reinforces the importance and urgency of a new national strategy to tackle this issue. James Bowen, director of policy at school leaders union NAHT, said: Parents play an absolutely crucial role in their childs education. We would strongly encourage all parents to engage with their childs school in terms of how best to support their childs learning. J oe Biden sought to reach out as a friend to Unionists in Northern Ireland on Wednesday amid warnings against America intervening in the power sharing row. The US president was on a brief visit to Belfast with the main focus on marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). He was also due to hold talks with the five main political parties, as well as what was billed as a bi-latte coffee meeting with Rishi Sunak. Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe on the US National Security Council, said: The presidents message, I expect he will reaffirm today... is the United States strong support for that (the GFA) and belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have democratically-elected, power-sharing representative governance. The president comes here very much as a friend, as a supporter of Northern Ireland, and supporter of peace in Northern Ireland, to convey a message of support from the United States for those institutions and for the process here. However, Ms Sloat stopped short of denying that Mr Biden backed Irish reunification, as suspected by some Unionists. Asked about this, she responded: The president is a strong supporter of the Good Friday Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement includes mechanisms by which the people of Northern Ireland can make that decision for themselves. As he had a cup of tea with Mr Sunak, Mr Biden said he was in Northern Ireland to listen. At the meeting in a Belfast hotel, the US president faced a volley of questions from reporters - including if he had a message for Northern Irish parties and why he was not discussing a trade deal while on his visit to the UK. But he declined to answer, instead commenting on the "heck of a view" from the upper floors of the Grand Central Hotel. Later in a speech at Ulster Universitys 350 million Belfast campus, Mr Biden was expected to float the prospect of more US investment in Northern Ireland with no conditions, such as power sharing being restored. But in a sign of tensions over his visit, hardline Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson warned the president, who is proud of his Irish heritage, against coming to the province to lecture political leaders about democracy. Accusing Mr Biden of being extremely partisan, he told Talk TV: He would not accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments. The Stormont power-sharing Assembly, which was established in the peace deal, is not operating due to a DUP protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements. But Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald stressed that Mr Biden could bring energy, purpose and urgency to getting Stormont working again, where her party would hold the top post. She added: I hope that we see the DUP rise to the occasion, respond to the moment and above all else respond to the democratic wishes of the people. Things cannot drag on without government for much longer. Mr Biden was set to spend only around 17 hours in Belfast, with his meeting with Mr Sunak expected to last around 30 minutes and to cover Ukraine, Brexit, Northern Ireland trade but not a US-UK free trade deal, before heading south. Ms Sloat said the two leaders had the opportunity to touch briefly on economic issues when they met recently in San Diego, a conversation which she said will be furthered and deepened when they meet in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she added. In Dublin, Mr Biden was already being hailed as the most Irish president since JFK (John F Kennedy). Irish government minister Neale Richmond told Times Radio: Its a big deal for us... an important opportunity to showcase Ireland to the US but also to undermine a really important alliance. We hope that President Biden leaves Ireland later in the week knowing that this is a country that is continuing to be a strong ally of the US, a strong economic partner. Hes effectively the most Irish president since JFK. He explained the lack of a government in Northern Ireland as being the reason for Mr Bidens brief stay there. Mr Sunak greeted the US president after Air Force One landed at RAF Aldergrove last night ahead of engagements across the week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland in 1998. The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow. Mr Sunak was not due to attend Mr Bidens keynote university speech, with Downing Street denying that the engagement between the pair would be low key. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. The presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip, as is US special envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. A massive security operation was in place for Mr Bidens stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on sealed off streets around the presidents hotel and the Ulster campus. The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed. Mr Biden was due to travel this afternoon to the Republic of Ireland, where he was carrying out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. First, he will cross the border to attend engagements in County Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. He is then expected to visit Irish president Michael D Higgins tomorrow. The White House said Mr Biden would take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patricks Day. Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow night. The presidents trip will conclude with a visit to County Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The person involved in the case of corruption in the European Parliament (EP), the so-called "Qatargate", the former deputy chairman of the EP Eva Kaili will be released from prison and will remain under surveillance with an ankle monitor, Trend reports via RTBF TV channel. This decision was made on Wednesday by the investigator Michel Claes, the channel notes, citing the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, which did not raise objections to house arrest as a preventive measure for Kaili. The MEP, who has been in prison on remand since December 10 last year, is charged with corruption, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organization as part of an investigation into suspicions of interference by Qatar and Morocco in decision-making by the European Parliament. From the very beginning, Kaili denied her guilt. She did not have the opportunity to use parliamentary immunity, since the EP considered that she was caught red-handed: bags with banknotes were found in her apartment. Earlier, the Brussels lawyers announced the decision of the judiciary to release another person involved in the "Qatargate" on the same conditions - the former Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella, who also constantly declared his innocence. Last week, the Euronews TV channel reported that the former member of the European Parliament from the Italian socialists, Pier Antonio Panzeri, who is considered the mastermind of the criminal group and who made a deal with the investigation in order to reduce the prison term that threatens him, will also be released with an ankle monitor. U S President Joe Biden has arrived in Dublin on Air Force One ahead of meetings with high-ranking Irish politicians and visits to his ancestral homelands. Mr Biden crossed the border from Northern Ireland on Wednesday and he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The US President was also met by pouring rain and cold winds, with staff holding umbrellas for Mr Biden as he shook hands with Mr Varadkar. He travels to Co Louth by motorcade, after bad weather halted plans for the president to travel by helicopter. His arrival in the Republic came followed his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the Presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US President, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the President, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. During his stay in the Republic of Ireland, the President will tour Carlingford Castle in Co Louth an area Mr Biden has traced his ancestral roots to. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the President is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. J oe Biden will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a keynote speech in Belfast as he kicks off the first day of his historic trip to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The US presidents four-day trip marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely brought an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1998, and is the first from a US president in a decade. Mr Biden also wants to make sure the recent Windsor Framework deal between the European Union and Britain remains in place. That deal has so far failed to convince the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - one of the biggest parties at Stormont - to end a boycott of the devolved power-sharing government, a key part of the 1998 peace deal. The DUP has said Mr Bidens visit will not pressure it to end its more than year-long protest at the trade rules that treat the province differently to the rest of the UK. While Mr Biden is expected to greet representatives of the DUP and the other four main Northern Ireland political parties, it is unclear if they will hold separate meetings. Mr Sunak greeted his US counterpart on Tuesday evening when he landed in Belfast, and the pair will meet again for talks around 11.30am on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace. His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip. Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland 1 / 24 Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland AFP via Getty Images REUTERS AFP via Getty Images REUTERS Sky News REUTERS AP AFP via Getty Images REUTERS PA AFP via Getty Images Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street AP REUTERS Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street REUTERS Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street A major security operation is in place for the visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland. Following talks with Mr Sunak, the US President will deliver a keynote speech at Ulster Universitys new 350 million Belfast campus, where he is expected to hail the tremendous progress made since the landmark peace deal. Mr Sunak will not attend the keynote speech. National security council co-ordinator for strategic communications John Kirby said the presidents speech would underscore the readiness of the United States to preserve those gains and support Northern Irelands vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities. Mr Biden will also travel to Co Louth, where his great-grandfather James Finegan was born, and tour Carlingford Castle before spending the night in Dublin. He will then meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday and take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain, before meeting the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and addressing a joint session of the Irish parliament. The trip comes as police recovered four suspected pipe bombs from a cemetery in Londonderry where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday. It follows scenes of violence in the Creggan area of the city when a number of missiles, including petrol bombs, were hurled by young people at a police Land Rover monitoring the pre-commemoration parade. Youths throw petrol bombs at a PSNI vehicle ahead of a dissident Republican parade in the Creggan area of Londonderry on Easter Monday / PA Wire The illegal parade started when a number of masked men in paramilitary-style dress formed a colour party carrying the Irish flag and a host of republican flags. There was another reminder of Northern Irelands violent past when it was announced on the eve of the Presidents visit that a west Belfast man alleged to have been the British Armys top mole in the Provisional IRA has died. Freddie Scappaticci, who was aged in his 70s, always denied he was the agent Stakeknife but was widely described as the leader of the IRAs notorious nutting squad who interrogated and murdered suspected informers during the Troubles. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said it was a big own goal the Northern Ireland Assembly is not operating for the visit of the President. L iz Truss risked re-opening Conservative Party wounds over Brexit after criticising the government for not moving fast enough to remove EU laws from the statute books. The former Prime Minister, who lasted just 49 days in office, also used her speech, delivered to a right-wing think-tank in the US, to call Emmanuel Macrons visit to China a mistake and accuse the French president of drawing a moral equivalence between China and the West. Speaking about the extent of EU laws post-Brexit, she said: I liken it to a situation of getting divorced and still living in the same house as your ex-husband. The Government has previously said it is still committed to passing the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill which would remove most remaining EU law. In a Q&A after her speech at the right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation in the US, the former prime minister said the world needed to be sceptical about promises made by China which she described as a totalitarian regime. She said it was a mistake and a sign of weakness to ask for Chinas help in ending the war in Ukraine as she hit out at President Macron during a speech focusing on the need to defend western capitalism and freedoms. Earlier this month, Mr Macron, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, met with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Ms Truss pointed to Russian president Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, and Chinas President Xi and the build-up of armaments in China and the menacing of Taiwan. And all this time, what weve seen, is weve seen accommodation and appeasement by the West of these authoritarian regimes, she said. She said later in her speech: Putin and Xi have made it very clear that they are allies against western capitalism. Thats why I think it was a mistake for western leaders to visit President Xi and ask for him to intervene in seeking a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. I believe that was a sign of weakness. Its also why its wrong for President Macron to suggest that Taiwan is simply something not of direct interest to Europe. I dont agree with that at all. It is of direct interest to Europe. And I think we should be doing all we can to make sure Taiwan has the support it needs to defend itself. M any believe that cuckooing, an act recently highlighted in the popular BBC series Happy Valley, should become a criminal offence. Labour MP Jess Phillips and former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith are leading calls for it to be criminalised as part of an overhaul of the 2015 Modern Slavery Act. The Centre for Social Justice think tank, which has gathered cross-party backing for the call, conducted a poll that revealed one in eight people have observed signs of cuckooing in their communities. But, what exactly is cuckooing and why do people want it to be criminalised? Heres what we know. What is cuckooing? Cuckooing is when offenders take over other peoples homes and use them for their own purposes, often to store weapons or drugs. Victims usually become the target because they have some sort of vulnerability like having an addiction, being disabled or being at a defenceless age. Talking to the Centre for Social Justice think tank, the North Wales police said that out of the 54 cuckooing victims they had identified between March 2021 and April 2022, 44 were believed have substance misuse problems, 10 were disabled or had a learning disability and 39 were unemployed. Cuckooing is when criminals take over innocent peoples homes to store their drugs and weapons / Paul Faith/PA Archive Why do people want it to be criminalised? Those who want the act to be criminalised believe that innocent people are being exploited and then unfairly prosecuted for it. Labour MP Jess Phillips explained: We must outlaw this exploitation of vulnerable people, threatened and manipulated by drug gangs who take over their home. We cannot leave them any longer to suffer behind closed doors at risk of being prosecuted themselves. Similarly, MP Iain Duncan Smith said that the invasion of someones home by gangs for criminal purposes is not right. This isnt a drug crime or a property crime, it is a crime that devastates vulnerable people in the very place that should be their sanctuary, he added. The Crown Prosecution Service said cuckooing could be out of the reach of the Modern Slavery Act if the victims are not forced into labour, or threatened or attacked. Simply being coerced into letting drugs or weapons be stored in their home doesnt count as modern slavery. Therefore, the proposal asks that cuckooing is added to an updated version of the modern slavery law. The Government is already planning on updating the Modern Slavery Act to strengthen the protection and support for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery and increase the accountability of companies and other organisations to drive out modern slavery from their supply chains. However, currently, there are no plans to include cuckooing. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said she will be the ideal candidate to succeed Sir Jeremy Fleming and become the 17th director of the Cheltenham-based intelligence agency. Anne Keast-Butler has an impressive track record at the heart of the UKs national security network, helping to counter threats posed by terrorists, cybercriminals and malign foreign powers, Mr Cleverly said on Tuesday. Sir Jeremy said: Annes appointment is fantastic news for the organisation. I have worked with Anne for decades and think she is a brilliant choice with deep experience of intelligence and security in todays technology-driven world. Ms Keast-Butlers appointment was made following an all-Government hiring procedure chaired by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case. I was privileged to work in GCHQ a few years ago, so I know I am again joining a world-class team of people from diverse backgrounds with a broad range of skills, who share a singular focus on making our country safer, more secure, and more prosperous, Ms Keast-Butler said. So who is she and what role was she in previously? Heres all you need to know. Who is Anne Keast-Butler? The current Deputy Director General of the UKs domestic intelligence service, MI5, Ms Keast-Butler spent two years on secondment to GCHQ. At that time, she was serving as the Head of Counter Terrorism and Serious Organised Crime at the agency. She then went on to serve as its Director of General Strategy. GCHQ said this meant she was responsible for all enabling functions that supported MI5s operational activities. GCHQ, the acronym for Government Communications Headquarters, focuses on the UKs cybersecurity and keeping the nation safe. It collects intelligence through communications to prevent cyber attacks, terrorism and espionage. In the past year, the agency has provided intelligence on Russias invasion of Ukraine, helped to disrupt terror plots and tried to stop ransomware attacks, Ms Keast-Butler said. She will begin her new role in May. The Financial Times reports that GCHQ has had 16 chiefs, all of them men, since it was founded in 1919 when it was known as the Government Code and Cypher School. Ms Keast-Butler will be the first woman to lead a UK intelligence agency since Eliza Manningham-Buller retired from MI5 in 2007. Ms Keast-Butler, who grew up in Cambridge, earned a degree in mathematics from Merton College, the University of Oxford. She is married with three children. GCHQ says outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and walking her dogs. Anne Keast-Butlers National Cyber Security Programme work Ms Keast-Butler also spent a decade in secondment in Whitehall. She helped to launch the National Cyber Security Programme, which covers the protection of the UKs critical services from cyber attacks and manages major incidents. Who was the former director of GCHQ? Ms Keast Butlers predecessor, Sir Jeremy, was appointed in 2017. Before working at GCHQ, he joined MI5 in 1993, where he gained extensive operational, investigative and leadership experience across the full range of national security work. As MI5s Assistant Director General, he oversaw its preparations for the London 2012 Olympics. He had led the rewriting and release of the Government's Contest counterterrorism strategy. He also helped to shape MI5's reaction to the terrorist attacks in London in 2005. While at GCHQ, Sir Jeremy oversaw the establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre. This was with the goal of making the UK the safest country in which to live and conduct business online. GCHQ said it has established itself as a global leader in bringing together the Government, business, and other nations to confront cyber threats and educate the public. With the establishment of a strategic basis in Manchester and an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, Sir Jeremy has presided over a considerable period of expansion for the agency. The real long-term threat to UK national security, Sir Jeremy says, is China, despite the fact that Russia is a more urgent danger. Beijing, he said, was deploying its ideologies in ways that we think are against our national interests. A new phone line has opened as part of an investigation into former BBC Radio 1xtra DJ Tim Westwood over allegations of sexual offences. Anyone wishing to come forward about Westwoods sexual conduct, and the BBCs knowledge of it, can share their experiences anonymously and in confidence. The telephone line will be in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for four weeks on 08000 121 838. Alternatively people can email here. Last year, a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC News published allegations about a range of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour made by several women against Westwood, who worked at the BBC. The 65-year-old has been interviewed under caution by the Metropolitan police in relation to five sexual offence allegations dating back more than 40 years. He was first interviewed in March in relation to allegations of historical sexual offences, which were alleged to have happened in London between 1982 and 2016. He was then questioned again last week under caution over the same alleged incidents. A total of 18 women have detailed their stories to BBC News. Some women said they encountered Mr Westwood when they were under 18. One said that she was only 14 when Mr Westwood first had sex with her. Tim Westwood has denied all allegations. Heres everything we know about him. Who is Tim Westwood? Westwood grew up around East Anglia, the son of Bill Westwood, who later became the Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, and attended a private school in Norwich, then a state secondary. He started his career as a DJ in London and moved into radio and then television. What was Tim Westwoods role at the BBC? Westwood started his radio career at Kiss FM, which he co-owned, and then moved on to mainstream radio station Capital FM from 1987. He then moved to the BBC after a presenter shake-up in 1994 and was the first person to host a rap show on the station. He stayed at the BBC for nearly 20 years and became known as a leading hiphop DJ who fraternised with leading names in the business. When was Tim Westwood shot? In 1999, Westwood was shot by gunmen on a motorbike who pulled up alongside his Range Rover in Kennington, south London. Previously speaking about the shooting in an interview, he said: A bullet went through the back of my seat an inch from my spine. Another bullet went through my arm and missed the nerves, which would have left me paralysed. The guy in the back seat had his kneecap blown off. Am I not blessed? Thank God Im alive and everyone survived. How old is Tim Westwood? This has been a point of contention for a while and he has often been accused of lying about his age to make himself seem younger. In 2000, at the age of 43, Westwood insisted to a Guardian journalist that he was just 27 years old. When was Tim Westwood on Pimp My Ride? Westwood fronted the UK version of MTVs Pimp My Ride, the car makeover show, from 2005 to 2007. The show featured weird and wacky customised cars, with flashy colourful paint and the latest in gadgets. A senior Washington official on Wednesday refused to comment on a mass leak of classified US documents that suggest British special military forces have been operating inside Ukraine. The UK had as many as 50 highly trained military personnel in Ukraine between February and March, according to files which appeared online. Other Nato members also allegedly have more than a dozen special forces members in the country, including Latvia (17), France (15) and the US (14), the document dated March 23 suggested. The leak was revealed as President Joe Biden began a four-day visit to Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Amanda Sloat, a special assistant to the President and the National Security Councils Senior Director for Europe, refused to comment on how it was impacting conversations with her European counterparts. In a press conference on Wednesday she said she would like to focus here for now on [Mr Bidens] trip to Belfast. UK special forces, regarded to be among the most capable in the world, are made up of elite military units with distinct areas of expertise. The files appear to confirm speculation that has circulated since Russia launched its full scale invasion last February. It is likely to be seized upon by Moscow leaders, who have argued in recent months that they are not just challenging Ukraine but Nato as well. The disclosure of the papers has also rocked Washington, exposing extensive details of US intelligence gathering. Some files marked top secret reveal sensitive information about the war and Kyivs preparations for a spring counter-offensive. Others show that Egypt allegedly had plans to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia in secret and that South Korea was torn about selling weapons for use in Ukraine. The disclosures prompted questions about how the US was able to intercept such a high-level conversations between foreign leaders and diplomats. The British Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the leak on Wednesday. But it previously warned against taking the allegations in the papers at face value. The widely reported leak of alleged classified US information has demonstrated a serious level of inaccuracy, the MoD said. Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation. The British Government did not elaborate on which documents it was referring to. One file detailing the number of casualties suffered by both Russia and Ukraine published on messaging app Discord appeared to have been doctored. Pentagon officials have said the documents are real and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that the Department of Justice had opened a criminal investigation to find the source of the leak. We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it, he said. D onald Trump has claimed court officials were crying as he was indicted on business fraud charges last week. The former US president said many of the staff at the Manhattan court last week were in tears or close to it in his first interview since the historic arraignment, in which he also said hed not drop put of the 2024 presidential race if convicted. The former president pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records over hush money payments when he appeared in court last Tuesday as the first former president to face criminal charges. During an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News at Mr Trumps Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, he described how he was processed at the court by officials, including police. He said tears were pouring down their eyes. Donald Trump spoke to Tucker Carlson / Fox News They were incredible, he said. When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and Ill tell you people were crying. People that work there. Professionally work there that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody. Its a tough, tough place and they were crying. They were actually crying. They said, Im sorry. In the interview, Mr Trump maintained he is innocent and argued there is no case against him. He insisted he would never drop out of the presidential race even if he got convicted of a crime, saying Its not my thing. I wouldnt do it. He suggested Joe Biden would be the one to drop out of the race. Much of the interview focused on foreign policy. Mr Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin was very smart, praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a brilliant man and called the leaders of Saudi Arabia great people. The ex-president also said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un get along great to this day. I talian prosecutors said a bear that killed a 26-year-old runner in the Alps last week previously attacked two other people. Local authorities have asked for the animal to be put down after the attack on Andrea Papi, whose body was found on April 6 in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige. They had applied for the bear to be euthanised in 2020, when it attacked a father and son near the same area but a court ruling overturned the decision at that time. The incident has reopened a debate on human-wildlife conflict in an area that was re-populated with bears, which are a protected species in Italy, from 1999 under an EU-funded programme. Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin met local authorities on Tuesday to discuss a response to the attack, including the use of anti-aggression sprays as well as the mass relocation of Trentinos bear population to other Italian regions or even abroad. The bear population in Trentino has surged from three to approximately 100, according to data provided by the province, since the species was reintroduced in the region about two decades ago. China cultivates multiple high-end foreign fruits People's Daily Online) 10:39, April 10, 2023 In recent years, various high-end fruits from around the world have been successfully cultivated in China thanks to enhanced research and development (R&D) efforts. Photo shows golden papaya trees at a fruit planting base of the Window of the Worlds Tropical Fruits, a modern agricultural industrial park in Dalu township, Qionghai city, south Chinas Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) Fruit trees from regions such as Central America, South America, and Africa, including white sapote, yellow dragon fruit, and fluted pumpkin, have been planted at a fruit planting base of a modern agricultural industrial park popularly known as the Window of the Worlds Tropical Fruits in Dalu township, Qionghai city, south Chinas Hainan Province. The industrial park, built by Hainan Grand Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd., is a key project of the national pilot zone for agricultural opening up and international cooperation. The project has so far brought in 500 kinds of foreign fruits such as finger limes originally from Oceania and mamey sapote, and has successfully planted more than 350 kinds of fruits. Over 20 among them have been cultivated on a large scale. We have introduced 30 kinds of fruits since the beginning of 2023, said Zhao Dezhen, sales manager of Hainan Grand Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd. Villagers check on the growth of guava, a tropical fruit, at a greenhouse in Kanda village, Oujiang town, Guidong county, central Chinas Hunan Province. (Peoples Daily/Deng Renxiang) Tropical fruits including yellow dragon fruits, finger limes, and white sapote are planted on 30,000 mu (2,000 hectares) of land in Hainan, including about 5,500 mu in Qionghai city, which helps bring wealth to locals, according to Li Yuan, deputy administration manager of the company. An increasing number of Chinese farmers have also planted Shine Muscat grapes, which originated in Japan, because it is one of the fruits with the highest profit margin per mu introduced from overseas. The grape variety has gained a great reputation in the market. Wu Huaping, an executive of Huaxiao Agricultural Planting Co., Ltd. , brought Shine Muscat grape seedlings from places including Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest Chinas Yunnan Province and Shijiazhuang, capital of north Chinas Hebei Province and planted the grape variety in 2016 by using modern large-scale planting techniques such as protected agriculture at a planting base in Qilin district, Qujing city, Yunnan. A worker picks Shine Muscat grapes at an agricultural science and technology demonstration park in Qilin district, Qujing city, southwest Chinas Yunnan Province. (Photo/Liu Wujun) It was not easy for Wu to produce high-quality Shine Muscat grapes. After learning grape planting techniques from the internet, experts, and growers at planting bases in east Chinas Shandong Province, Wu decided to plant Shine Muscat grapes in greenhouses by employing organic farming methods, such as the application of organic fertilizer and soil improvement. Eventually, Wus premium Shine Muscat grapes have been marked as green foods. To ensure higher-quality Shine Muscat grapes, growers need to improve field management and follow strict standards for the cultivation of the grape variety, Wu said. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of Chinese enterprises, domestically grown foreign fruits are sold to overseas markets because of their high quality and reasonable prices. Li said finger limes from the planting base of the modern agricultural industrial park in Dalu township won a silver award at the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition, and obtained a green food certification of China and a Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification of the European Union (EU) in 2021. The industrial park has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the EU-China Commission (EUCNC) to export finger limes. It has exported 2,000 mu of quality finger lime seedlings to countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Its plantation for finger limes has become the largest planting base in Asia. Visitors view tropical fruits from the Window of the Worlds Tropical Fruits at the 2022 China (Hainan) International Tropical Agricultural Products Winter Trade Fair in Haikou city, south Chinas Hainan Province, Dec. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) Adhering to technological R&D is key to ensuring the high quality of domestically grown foreign fruits. The plating base of the industrial park has also shouldered the responsibility of R&D on fruit seeds and seedlings. It has carried out comprehensive cooperation in the industrialization of milk fruits with the Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology. In collaboration with Hainan University, it has completed the genetic sequencing of more than 120 kinds of tropical fruits. Wus company has installed sensors and other greenhouse environment monitoring devices and realized real-time management through a platform that supervises the quality of and tracks the origins of cold-chain agricultural products by cooperating with Qujing Applied Technology School . With the help of information technologies, consumers can confirm the authenticity of our grapes by scanning a QR code on each bunch of grapes, and we can grasp the situation, including soil conditions and fertilizer application, in our greenhouses in real time, Wu said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Nine people were killed after dozens of shooters arriving in boats and taxis opened fire at a port in northern Ecuador close to the Colombian border, the public prosecutor said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Al Arabiya. Interior Minister Juan Zapata told the Ecuavisa television channel that the attack was carried out by 30 heavily armed people and related to organized crime gangs. He said the attackers arrived in two boats and in vehicles. Zapata said there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people in the port at the time of the morning shooting. The attack happened because fishermen preferred the security of one criminal organization and were targeted by another in retaliation, added Zapata. In a tweet, the public prosecutor said seven bodies were recovered from the Artisanal Fishing Port in Esmeraldas district, and two more from a nearby health center, and taken to the local morgue. One of the taxis used to transport attackers was found abandoned in the port and was seized by police, the prosecutor said in another tweet. Impoverished Esmeraldas province has been under a state of emergency since March 3 due to high levels of crime and violence. Ecuador is located between Colombia and Peru, the worlds two largest producers of cocaine, much of which is sent to the United States and Europe from Ecuadoran ports. Consequently, Ecuador has seen a recent rise in violence and murders related to drug trafficking. Its murder rate almost doubled from 14 per 100,000 citizens in 2021 to 25 a year later. V ladimir Putins army has built complex defences in southern Ukraine which could prove formidable obstacles if they are properly manned and supported by artillery, British defence chiefs said on Wednesday. They believe his generals have ordered the three-layered defensive formations as they are convinced Kyiv is considering an assault towards the city of Melitopol. In its latest intelligence update, the Ministry of Defence in London said: Over recent weeks, Russia has continued to develop extensive linear defences in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. The area is highly likely the responsibility of Russias Southern Grouping of Forces (SGF). Russia has now completed three layers of defensive zones across approximately 120km (75 miles) of this sector. These consist of a front line of forward combat positions, and then two zones of nearly continuous, more elaborate defences. Each zone is approximately 10-20km (six to 12 miles) behind the one in front. The briefing added: Russia has probably put significant effort into these defensive works because it is convinced Ukraine is considering an assault towards the city of Melitopol. The defences have the potential to be formidable obstacles, but their utility almost entirely depends on them being supported by sufficient artillery and personnel. It remains unclear if the SGF can currently muster these resources. A Ukrainian counter-offensive is widely expected to be launched within weeks after Putins spring advances failed to make any significant breakthroughs. Ukraine said on Thursday that Russian forces had made some gains inside the eastern battlefield town of Bakhmut, but at a heavy price in lives lost. Bakhmut has been the site of the bloodiest infantry battle in Europe since World War Two, with Russian forces seeking their first victory since mid-2022. Ukraine has been on the defensive for nearly five months but says it is planning a counter-offensive soon. Enemy forces had a degree of success in their actions aimed at storming Bakhmut, the Ukrainian General Staff said in an overnight report. Our defenders are holding the (town) and are repelling numerous enemy attacks. The report gave no details of the Russian gains. The Institute for the Study of War think tank said Russian troops and Wagner mercenaries had captured territory in the south and southwest of the town over the past two days, and Wagner had occupied a metal plant in its north this week. Russian forces have been advancing slowly inside Bakhmut in intense street fighting. A month ago, Kyiv seemed likely to abandon the town but has since decided to stay and fight for it, hoping to break the attacking force. Deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar said in a social media post that losses were inevitable, but the enemys losses are many times greater. Serhiy Cherevatyi, a Ukrainian military spokesperson, told national television: Bakhmut remains the epicenter of military activity...Its still constantly hot there. As winter has turned to spring, the pressing question is how much longer Russia can sustain its offensive, and when or if Ukraine will strike back. Putins invasion has destroyed Ukrainian cities, towns and villages and set millions of refugees to flight. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides have died. R ussias parliament has approved legislation to allow conscription papers to be served online. Previously, men were called up to the army by serving papers in person or via an employer. Now, Russian MPs have approved legislation where this will be done via a well-used government portal. The papers will be deemed served as soon as they appear on a special State Services portal named Goshlugi. The government portal is already widely used by Russians to apply for new passports, pay bills and fines, or make GP appointments. Those who fail to attend their local conscription office will be banned from leaving the country, be unable to buy or sell property, and have their driving licence invalidated. Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian parliaments defence committee said: The summons is considered received from the moment it is placed in the personal account of a person liable for military service. The Kremlin has denied that the move is a second mobilisation of Russian men, or is an attempt to stop widespread draft-dodging. President Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said: This is simply to improve military records. The system has to match modern requirements. Last October, defence minister Sergei Shoigu announced a mobilisation plan to recruit 300,000 men to the army. The plan to increase numbers comes as leaked intelligence from Washington stated that Russia has suffered between 189,500-223,000 casualties. Of that number, up to 43,000 are said to have been killed in action. Washington has begun an investigation into the leak and doubted the validity around Ukrainian and Russia losses, although other documents detailed frontline positions and levels of ammunition. C hina is preparing to launch a war against Taiwan, a senior politician from the island nation has warned. After Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen met with US speaker of the house Kevin McCarthy last week, Beijing conducted military drills around the island as part of what China called a stern warning to Taipei. Following the end of Chinas military drills around the island, Taiwans foreign minister Joseph Wu told CNN: Look at the military exercises, and also their rhetoric - they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan. The Taiwanese government looks at the Chinese military threat as something that cannot be accepted and we condemn it. The warning comes amid reports that China is planning to a impose a no-fly zone north of Taiwan next week, Reuters reports. Yan Yu-hsien, deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence from Taiwans defence ministry, said the no-fly zone would fall within the countrys air defence identification zone (ADIZ), about 85 nautical miles north of its shores. An ADIZ is a section of international airspace countries can arbitrarily define as theirs to monitor. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he was unaware of the situation. Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen meets the US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy / REUTERS Earlier on Wednesday, China said Tsai was pushing Taiwan into stormy seas after meeting with Mr McCarthy. China views Tsai as a separatist and has rebuffed repeated calls from her for talks. The Taiwanese president says she wants peace but that her government will defend the island if it is attacked. Tsai Ing-wen brought danger to Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen almost completely sided the United States, pushing Taiwan into stormy seas, Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said on Wednesday. Taiwan split from China following the civil war in 1949. Despite this, the ruling Communist Party has pledged to regain the island. While the US has no official relations with Taiwan, Washington maintains informal and commercial ties with the island and has agreed multiple arms deals to supply Taipei. Review at a glance L ook, Ill level with you. Where I really wanted to go this week was Sheesh, the Chigwell import thats opened opposite the Wolseley and has a perma-queue of vajazzled Lambos outside. Its getting rave reviews from the likes of, er, Ollie Murs, but Ive fielded accusations of shooting fish in a barrel before and besides, what I suspect is spray tan in restaurant form hardly needs the publicity. And so instead, I found myself in Battersea, wondering who in their right mind would open a restaurant somewhere that by all rights should be selling second hand rugs. In SW8, not N19, Archway is named for its vault under the Overground, which feels something of a last resort rather than a choice, but apparently isnt, being the restaurant front for long-standing catering company Spook. Spooks Emily Few Brown has drafted in Alex Owens to head the kitchen, who trained at The Ledbury and the Harwood Arms before putting in a four-year shift at the River Cafe, which means her boss is offering something of a novel proposition might Battersea finally have a new opening thats any good? Dont even try it with the phone-it-in places at the Power Station. The dining room with its seaside-ish panelling, glinting kitchen and commitment to candles is a beauty. Restaurants beneath railways tend to appear temporary; Archway is more deliberate. There is poise here, mood and a loud, laughing atmosphere think Sessions Arts Club if it swam the Thames. Not an atmosphere available to anyone who went all in on the hot cross buns this weekend, it should be said. Tiny tables and chairs are crammed in together so small and close that no lucid diner would risk overeating for fear that the fire brigade might need ringing about the time the coffees come. Perhaps this is why pints only come in two-thirds, to lessen the risk of anyone bloating up and ending up marooned. And yet, Owens monthly-changing menu seems hell-bent on impelling gluttony; its one of those lists where, in a daydream of increased income, you consider an insouciant wave to the waiter: Well have two of everything. In a daydream of increased income you might consider an insouciant wave to the waiter: Well have two of everything The River Cafe steer is evident in the Italian inflections, in the cavatelli and maltagliati and burrata, in the simplicity of presentation. It is not, perhaps, a menu to stir thrills youve had anchovy butter on a flatbread before, Id imagine. But it takes its place beside other recent openings, like Bouchon Racine, where novelty is set aside in favour of familiarity with finesse. Yet where Racine does its chicken livers or tete de veau with bellowed enthusiasm, Owens is cooking as though on a leash. Deep-fried lamb sweetbreads should be brazen but here they come timid, hiding among a hairball of wild garlic. Prawns, themselves fleshy and satisfying, paddle in nduja butter that agitates with its indifference. A roast chicken leg laid on polenta is cooked beautifully, though what should be the star of the dish the morels are drowned, lost to an unwelcome sea of butter. This is true too for mussels that bob without hope of being tasted in the straightforwardly-delicious sauce of tomato and oregano that coats orecchiette. Not a looker, not that it matters: the mixed grill (grigliata mista) of rabbit, sausage and quail / Adrian Lourie But there is an adroit touch here: a mixed grill of rabbit, sausage and quail may not be a looker, but where most mixed grills suffer from their entire conceit different meats cook at different paces here each is faultless. Were there room to get up without knocking the tables over, the feeling is frustration, the urge to stand and shout to Owens to have more confidence in how damned talented she obviously is. In other words: let loose, live a little. The wine list is meant to be a sell and in fairness, the mark-ups are extremely reasonable but the less said about our bottle of Gaglioppo, the better. Though in the end the fire brigades jaws of life were not required to exit the premises, there was the urge to call the police when the coffee arrived every sip felt like an assault. But the feeling, on leaving, was not that heading here is a bad call; Archway may in fact still be the areas best new restaurant. But in those glimpses revealing just what Owens is evidently capable of, something else sharpened into focus: a feeling she is being held back, as though there is a hand on her shoulder that does not push but restrain. She should shrug it off. I dont suppose Sheesh is much into subtlety. Arch 65, Queens Circus, SW8 4NE. Meal for two plus drinks and service, about 150. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 6pmmidnight; archwaybattersea.co.uk R ylan Clark has announced he is leaving Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two after four years co-hosting the show. The BBC has said it will announce a new presenter for the BBC Two programme in due course. His replacement will likely be paired with former Strictly pro Janette Manrara, who joined the programme in 2021 replacing Zoe Ball. Here is a look at the runners and riders who could replace Clark. Aljaz Skorjanec Slovenian pro dancer Skorjanec, who is married to Manrara, announced he was departing Strictly in March last year after nine years on the show. The 33-year-old has since been taking acting lessons and auditioning for roles to trying to get his foot in the door of Hollywood. This leaves the door open for him to join It Takes Two as co-host and create a husband and wife presenting team. AJ Odudu The TV presenter, 35, competed in the 2021 series of the programme but was forced to withdraw from the final after suffering a torn ligament. She also had to pull out of the live tour over the injury and was replaced by 2020 finalist Maisie Smith. Joining It Takes Two as co-host would see her overcome those disappointments with a return to the world of Strictly. Stacey Dooley Dooley, 36, was famed for her hard-hitting investigative documentaries before triumphing during the 2018 series of Strictly alongside her now-partner Kevin Clifton. She has since gone on to present an episode of Panorama, titled Stacey Meets The IS Brides, Stacey Dooley: Locked Up With The Lifers, and a programme titled Stalkers. The couple announced the arrival of their first child together, a daughter called Minnie, earlier this year. Ore Oduba TV presenter and stage actor Oduba, 37, won the 14th series of Strictly in 2016 and has also served as the host of the shows annual arena tour. This makes him well-placed to replace Rylan as co-host of It Takes Two. Helen Skelton Presenter Skelton, 39, has fronted rural and animal shows including Countryfile, Live: Summer On The Farm, This Week On The Farm and Big Week At The Zoo. She narrowly missed out on lifting the Glitterball trophy in 2022 with wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin beating her in the final. However, she was still a hit among viewers throughout the series and a return to the franchise could be on the cards. Clara Amfo One of the BBCs most prominent presenters, Amfo has been a regular on Radio 1 and 1Xtra for a decade and also presented The Live Lounge. The 38-year-old was a contestant on the 2020 series of Strictly where she was partnered with Skorjanec and eliminated in week six. Popular among viewers, she could be in the running to secure a spot on It Takes Two. Brendan Cole A fan favourite for many years, New Zealand ballroom star Cole appeared in the first 15 series of the BBC One programme but his contract was not renewed for 2018. The 46-year-old served as a judge on his native countrys version of the show and he was touted as a potential judge on the UK edition over the years, although the role never materialised. A return to co-host It Takes Two would mark a surprising turn for the dancer. G reg James has claimed he was once hit on the head by a bus and verbally abused by the driver afterwards. The Radio 1 DJ, 37, recalled that the incident happened after the driver pulled into a bus stop so quickly that the vehicle collided with his head as he stood on the pavement. The London-born broadcaster went on to claim that he was told to shut up by the driver after he said he had been hit as he spoke about the incident on the How To Fail With Elizabeth Day podcast. He explained: I got really cross at a bus driver once. I was waiting for a bus because Im incredibly down to earth and take the bus. He swooped in so quickly he hit my head. He actually hit my head. Greg James also opened up about suffering with moments of self-doubt / Getty Images I was on the pavement and I went, Mate, you just hit me in the head with your bus. He went, Oh shut up. I said, What do you mean shut up? You hit me with your bus, look how big your bus is. I do get riled at transport. Elsewhere in the podcast, James who is married to journalist Bella Mackie admitted to suffering with moments of self-doubt when he is tired and stressed. He continued: Transport problems aside, the darkness comes when Im tired, stressed and over-worked. I have really horrible moments of crippling self-doubt sometimes. But I think theyre normal and its good to talk about these things. There are times where I feel I cant do it. I wake up and think, How am I going to do this show today? Am I any good? Ive been doing it for ages, maybe I should be doing something else. A ctor Pedro Pascal is a household name in Hollywood but early in his career he went by another moniker, before a dramatic event prompted him to change his stage name. Heres what you need to know. What is Pedro Pascals original name? The Chilean-American actor was born Pedro Balmaceda. Why did Pedro Pascal change his stage name? After the death of his mother by suicide in 2000 when he was 24, he decided to use her maiden name Pascal professionally to honour her, the 48-year-old said in an interview with Esquire. And also, because Americans had such a hard time pronouncing Balmaceda, he said in an earlier interview with Variety. It was exhausting. Pascals close friend fellow actor Sarah Paulson opened up about his difficulty in landing roles after his return to New York following his mothers death. Hes talked about this publicly, the American Horror Story star said, but there were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself. It was about 14 years later, in 2014, when he secured his breakthrough role as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thronesthat he then found lasting success. What shows is Pedro Pascal in? Lately the actor has appeared in HBOs hugely successful apocalyptic series The Last of Us and the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, which catapulted him to fame. Pascal most recently returned as the title character on the third season of Disney Pluss The Mandalorian. Just last week, the shows producer reflected on the shows season three, discussing the dilemma he had with Pascals character, whose name is Grogu. The Hollywood star said much of the work that went into the popular shows was not on my shoulders and he was fortunate to make the contributions that I can make. I think it is amazing to feel the fortune of being part of a show like this that works as well as it does people have been waiting a long time for season three. Asked about the specific appeal of The Mandalorian he added: I think that what is so special about the Mandalorian in particular is that Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni and all the people theyve brought in and the love that goes in is reflected back through its fans. Thats the ultimate thing to make it as beloved as it is and they keep on outdoing themselves. Its kind of unbelievable. S arah Paulson has revealed she helped Pedro Pascal financially while he was struggling to land acting roles in the past. In a new profile of The Last of Us actor, the American Horror Story star, 48, discussed her and Pascals long time friendship and revealed that she used to give him money to feed himself. She told Esquire: Hes talked about this publicly but there were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself. The Oceans 8 star went on to share what she believes is Pascals je ne sais quoi, explaining that theres something about him that makes you want him to succeed. She continued: And that, to me, is the sign of a major movie star. Im ready for him to take the reins from the guys from romantic comedies [of the] past, like Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson and all these guys. He can be all that. Lets remake Die Hard with Pedro. Remake all the Lethal Weapon movies with Pedro. Paulson opened up about her and Pascals friendship / Getty Images Reflecting on their past, Paulson revealed that she and Pascal would go to see movies together and get so lost in them. She reflected: I think there were things we wanted to escape mentally, emotionally, spiritually. In recent years, Pascal has received recognition for his acclaimed performances in HBO shows such as Game of Thrones and The Last of Us. The actor, 48, will next appear alongside Ethan Hawke in acclaimed director Pedro Almodovars short Western, Strange Way of Life. The film, Almodovars second work in the English language, will receive its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month, followed by a theatrical release in the UK later this year. E arlier this morning, Elon Musk sat down for an impromptu 90-minute talk with BBC North America Tech reporter James Clayton to discuss the chaotic first six months of his ownership of Twitter. Within moments, Musk stated that the BBC would no longer be labelled state-affiliated media . There were plenty of other revelations over the course of the chat, which was also broadcast on Twitter Spaces. Here are some of the more eyebrow-raising points. He bought Twitter only because he thought a judge would make him Last year, Elon Musk stated he wouldnt be buying Twitter for the agreed $44 billion (35bn), claiming that the site was full of bots . He eventually went through with the purchase, just as Twitter was taking him to court for trying to cancel the deal . Musk, who also runs car maker Tesla and rocket firm SpaceX, repeated his claims about fake accounts during Wednesdays interview in quite strong terms. Lets say you buy a warehouse full of goods, and youre told that less than 5 per cent of the goods in the warehouse are broken, he said. But then you actually get to the warehouse and find 25 per cent of goods are broken youre like: huh, thats not what you said. That explains the cold feet, but not the eventual purchase. Did you do that because you thought that a court would make you do that? asked Clayton. Yes, replied Musk, laughing. Yes, that is the reason. When pressed on whether he wanted to buy the site at all, his response was revealing: Well, not at that price. Analysis: This is what plenty of people assumed at the time, but something that Musk himself had not acknowledged until now. Given even Musk accepts that the site is worth half that now , it seems he acknowledges that he paid significantly over the odds. But he claims he wouldnt sell it today even if offered $44bn Someone comes in and offers you $44 billion for Twitter right now, would you take it? asked Clayton, later in the interview. No, replied Musk after a long pause. He then clarified that it depends on who the theoretical buyer is. If I was confident that they would rigorously pursue the truth, then I guess I would be glad to hand it over to someone else. When he added that he didnt care about the money, Clayton pointed out that, as one of the worlds richest men, he could just give it away to someone he trusted. Musk deflected this by asking who should run Twitter, before adding: Its a hard job. Analysis: While nobody can know whats going on inside Musks head, this answer will raise a few eyebrows. Given he acknowledges he overpaid for the platform and that he didnt want to have to sell valuable Tesla shares to do so, its hard to believe he wouldnt treat such an offer as a handy rewind button. Twitter has slashed 81% of its workforce Twitters workforce has been shrinking since the day Musk bought it, but confirmed figures have been hard to come by. According to Musk , when he joined there were just under 8,000 staff members and now the number is at the 1,500 mark. Thats a drop of 81 per cent. How difficult is it to cope with such a sudden drop in person-power? Its not fun at all, Musk said. He added that it can be painful. And no, he didnt fire all of those people personally. Its not possible to talk with that many people face to face. Analysis: Thats fewer remaining employees than suggested by most external estimates, with the New York Times putting it around the 1,800 mark in February. Notably, this doesnt include contractors where an estimated 4,400 of its original 5,500 have been let go , mainly in content moderation. Blue ticks will be gone by next week Blue ticks the way of verifying whether Twitter users identities will become a paid feature from next week, Musk said. That means that anybody with a blue tick from the old regime (celebrities, athletes, journalists and other noteworthy types) will lose them if they dont pay up. This will possibly pave the way for a wave of impersonation. Analysis: Well see. This was originally supposed to happen at the start of the month, and then didnt. The company needs to be careful, though. The introduction of paid-for verification resulted in a fake Nintendo account sharing a swearing Mario , and made a US pharmaceutical companys shares plummet with false offers of free insulin . He doesnt believe hate speech and misinformation have increased When asked about hate speech, Musk went on the offensive, asking Clayton to give specific examples. When he couldnt, Musk refused to engage with the premise of the question. Then I say, sir, that you dont know what youre talking about, he said. You cant name a single example of hateful content, not even one tweet, and yet you claimed hateful content was high. Thats false. He also stated that he thought misinformation was declining because of a reduction in bots. Obviously not all misinformation spreading is automated, though. Analysis: Asking for specific examples is an effective gotcha in an interview it immediately puts the person asking difficult questions on the backfoot. Even if Clayton had given an example, the line between unpleasant trolling and hate speech is extremely poorly defined and its easy to get lost in the weeds. However, organisations from the Centre for Countering Digital Hate to Amnesty International agree that hate speech is surging on the platform. That conclusion is extremely plausible, given the job cuts in content moderation and Musks commitment to free speech including reinstating accounts of those previously banned for hateful conduct . He regrets some of his tweets When asked about his own unintended spread of misinformation the tweet promoting a conspiracy theory about the husband of Nancy Pelosi Musk accepted that some of his tweets were poorly judged. "Have I shot myself in the foot with tweets multiple times? Yes. I need bullet-proof shoes at this point. But does he have more responsibility to think twice before tweeting, now that hes in charge? "I think I should not tweet after 3am, or maybe 2am," Musk responded. Analysis: Musk deleted the Pelosi tweet pretty quickly. But generally, you get the impression that, like Donald Trump, he enjoys the instant response generated by a controversial tweet, be it a meme or a political statement. Indeed, for a time his tweets were algorithmically amplified , allegedly to ensure more people saw his tweets than Joe Bidens. Musk didnt vote for Donald Trump Musks politics have become a lot more public since purchasing Twitter. Plenty of the people he interacts with regularly on the site are extremely pro-Trump . Despite this, and encouraging his followers to vote Republican in the mid-term elections , Musk says he didnt actually vote for the former US president. "Definitely close to half the country voted for Trump," he said. "I wasnt one of them, I voted for Biden." Analysis: Before the 2020 election, Musk was flirting with voting Republican , and Trump himself has claimed that Musk gave him his vote. But then the former presidents casual relationship with facts is the reason Twitter introduced fact-checking in the first place, so who knows? He doesnt take interviews entirely seriously As you might expect for the kind of eccentric CEO who ensured that the press email address automatically replies with the poop emoji , Musk didnt always treat the exchange entirely seriously. Not only did he twice insist that his dog, Floki, was the CEO of Twitter, but he also, after opening the floor to comments from listeners, spent a good while trying to persuade Clayton to say he loved BBC. This is an acronym used in the online porn community, and very different from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Analysis: Perhaps unsurprisingly for someone who built his love of Twitter on memes, Musk clearly likes to troll in real life. Whats surprising is how he veered from serious topics to frivolous asides perhaps a side effect of co-hosting the chat on Twitter Spaces, rather than dropping by a BBC studio. The Strategic Missile Forces of Russia have carried out a test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar training ground in Russias Astrakhan Region, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, Trend reports citing TASS. "On April 11, 2023, the combat crew of the Strategic Missile Troops successfully launched the intercontinental ballistic missile of the land-based mobile missile system from the Kapustin Yar State Central Multiservice Training Ground in the Astrakhan Region," the report said. The launch was aimed at testing the advanced military supplying of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the ministry noted, adding that "the launch permitted proving that the <> solutions used in the development of new strategic missile complexes are correct.". The exercise head hit the hypothetical target at the Sary-Shagan proving ground in Kazakhstan to the specified accuracy, according to the report. "The launch fully dispatched its mission," the Defense Ministry said. S mall boat crossings have led to a sharp increase in diphtheria cases in the UK and across Europe, according to scientists. Researchers at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) said outbreaks seen across the continent over the past year have been mostly linked to incoming migrants. Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection which can be fatal, is rare in the UK because babies and children have been routinely vaccinated against it since the 1940s. The ESCMID report for England uses figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and is based on genomic testing of hundreds of cases across 10 countries in Europe, including 59 in England. Linked to an increase in migrant arrivals via small boat in the summer of 2022, the UK experienced a sharp increase in diphtheria cases caused by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae last year It highlights how 73 cases of the disease were recorded in England in 2022 overall up from 12 cases the previous year and one further case was recorded in 2023. Most of the patients (97%) were young Afghan males aged under 18 with unknown vaccination history although the UKHSA notes that this group may be over-represented due to greater clinical awareness and case ascertainment among the demographic. Around half of those infected (51%) presented with skin problems caused by the disease, which can include blisters on the legs, feet and hands, and large ulcers. Some 12% had no symptoms, and the disease in these cases was picked up through screening or contact tracing. The authors said: Linked to an increase in migrant arrivals via small boat in the summer of 2022, the UK experienced a sharp increase in diphtheria cases caused by toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae last year. Speaking about data for Europe as a whole, they said there had been evident transmission among migrant people which they believed had occurred during travel within migrant facilities. They added that a lack of proper vaccination among the migrant people was the reason for the outbreaks. To avoid future diphtheria outbreaks, the researchers recommended increased awareness among physicians who provide care to migrants, thorough vaccination protocols and timely screening of at-risk individuals. They added: Further monitoring of this situation using molecular typing and genomic approaches will be key to define the source and routes of this resurgence. The research was led by Dr Helena Seth-Smith, from the University of Zurich, and Dr Sylvain Brisse, of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, who worked with scientists from across Europe including at the European Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The ESCMID said the report has been peer-reviewed, but it has not yet been submitted to a medical journal for publication. The data was published at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Loading.... Elizabeth Holmes was once compared to Steve Jobs, but the disgraced founder of failed blood-testing start-up Theranos once worth billions will begin her prison sentence at the end of April. A California judge denied Holmes her request to remain free while she appeals her conviction. Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud and conspiracy related to Theranos in January 2022. Twitter owner Elon Musk has been discussing the stresses of buying the social network in a deal worth $43 billion. At the same time, Musk says he will update the BBCs government-funded media tag after the broadcaster objected to the label. An Esa spacecraft is due to launch from Earth this week on the hunt for alien life as far afield as the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter. But it will take eight years for the European Space Agency probe, called Juice, to reach its mission goal after flying 4.1 billion miles - and when it arrives, the craft will make a series of fly-bys of Jupiter and its moons Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. Police in New York City are deploying two real-life trundling robocops and a Digidog to patrol streets and subways. It comes after an earlier NYPD scheme with a Boston Dynamics robot dog was scrapped and labelled racist over its deployment to neighbourhoods that are home mostly to people of colour. A team from Australias Curtin University have been investigating a nearly complete 95 million-year-old skull belonging to a long-necked dinosaur found in Queensland, to better understand the giants anatomy, relationships to other sauropods and feeding habits. The team says their analysis supports theories suggesting sauropods used Antarctica as a pathway between South America and Australia between 100 and 95 million years ago. Plus, UV shines light on hidden 1,500-year-old Bible chapter, human brains sharper competing against robots and AIs weird and dangerous fork ideas. Listen above, and find us on your Spotify Daily Drive or wherever you stream your podcasts. The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul failed to inspect vessels within the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on Tuesday, and it plans to resume them on Wednesday, April 12, according to a statement by Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric, Trend reports citing TASS. "The Joint Coordination Centre has not been able to conduct inspections today as the parties needed more time to reach an agreement on operational priorities. Following intensive discussions within the JCC, supported by the United Nations and Turkiye, routine inspections are planned to resume tomorrow, Wednesday, 12 April. We urge all involved to meet their responsibilities to ensure that vessels continue to move smoothly and safely in the interest of global food security," he said. "As of today, there are 50 vessels waiting to move to the Ukrainian ports. The JCC has overseen and enabled the safe export of more than 27.5 million metric tons of food since the Initiative was signed, contributing to the lowering of food prices. This critical work is done against the backdrop of the ongoing war and active hostilities. We do not underestimate the challenges, but we know they can be overcome," the spokesman noted. The UN team is working closely with all sides, taking into consideration all parties concerns, he stressed. "The global humanitarian benefits of the Initiative are evident and are not limited to exports to specific low-income countries. It is in everyones interest to keep it going," the statement reads. When audiences last saw Gray Powell on stage at the Shaw Festival, it was for one of the most amazing displays in the companys 60-year history. Powell was front and centre as Jack Tanner for 2019s production of Shaws Man and Superman, with the rarely performed third act Don Juan in Hell. In the nearly five-hour production, Powell is on stage for most every scene, requiring jaw-dropping feats of memory. The show only ran 17 performances, but Powell will always have a hallowed place in Shaw Festival history for it. It was one of the most challenging, amazing experiences I ever had in the theatre, says Powell, on the line from his Niagara-on-the-Lake home. And one of the most daunting things I ever faced. I learned a lot and Im really proud and happy to have done it. And then it was over. The Shaw Festivals entire 2020 season was wiped out by the pandemic, and when productions resumed in 2021, Powell wasnt among the ensemble. Not for 2022 or 2023 either. Things change, he says. Its been a crazy three years, as you know. I was supposed to come back for this season because theyre doing both shows that I was in in 2020 that got postponed. But in the meantime, I ended up getting a (TV) series and that kept going. Unfortunately, due to scheduling, Ive been out of the theatre. The TV series is the CBC show Sort Of, which airs on HBO in the U.S., in which Powell plays the boss of a non-binary millennial. He also did six episodes of the Canadian reboot of The Hardy Boys for Hulu. On the big screen, Powell can be seen in the Canadian comedy The End of Sex, and will appear at the films Niagara Falls opening at Niagara Square Cinemas April 29 for a Q&A with the audience for the early evening screening. Directed by Sean Garrity, the film stars Jonas Chernick and Emily Hampshire as a young married couple who send their kids off to camp so they can dabble in some sexual adventures to find their passion again. Powell stars as Hampshires ex-boyfriend who gets caught up in their awkward plan. You dont see many comedies like this in theatres anymore, he says. If its not Marvel or big stuff. This is kind of in that nice middle ground. I hate to use the word charm, but its got a great heart to it. But it cracks open a bunch of times, too, and theres a real brutal honesty as they sort of confront their relationship. It marks the second time this month a local performer makes an appearance at Niagara Square Cinemas, following the red carpet event for Niagara Falls director April Mullens Simulant over the weekend. Powell says it requires a different muscle working for TV and film. He hopes to return to theatre soon, including the Shaw Festival, where his wife Molly Atkinson directs this seasons production of Prince Caspian. I go where the work takes me and right now the work is just elsewhere, he says. But I miss the theatre. SHARE: The sunshine may be bright and the air summer-like warm, but water temperatures at lakes and ponds across Niagara are anything but. As residents head out to enjoy the weather, firefighters are cautioning people to be careful interacting with the extremely cold water. Cold water can certainly leads to rapid hypothermic response or compromise somebody who enters the water abruptly, said Welland fire Chief Adam Eckhart. We dont encourage anyone to go into the water, enter the water, until its time to do so and its certainly not that time. In the meantime, firefighters are taking advantage of the quiet lakes and warm weather. This week, St. Catharines Fire Services has a recruit class going through basic training on the water in Port Dalhousie, part of its 14-week in-house training course, said deputy Chief Trevor Parker. Recruits will go over a number of water procedures and head out for practice on its water rescue boats. With the nice weather, its nice to get all the training done before you get that influx of people heading to the beach or down to the different areas of the city where they can get into the water, said Parker. Its a good time for us to take advantage of that space. Firefighting crews will also be out and on the water in the coming weeks, refreshing their knowledge and going through water rescue skills and land-based exercises. A few months ago the same crews took part in ice rescue exercises, but while the techniques are comparable, it is also quite different, said Parker. Without the ice, we actually have to go in the water, which is our last resort. But we still use the inflatable raft to get to any person thats in the water, and well pull them out of the water, he said. Its very similar to ice only, obviously, you dont have that base to work off. Eckhart said his crews just finished their own cold-water rescue and submersion training, part of an annual sign-off. Full-time firefighters practise a minimum of twice annually. In the months leading to summer, Welland crews will go through their annual swim tests, practise donning protective equipment and run through a series of self-rescue tests in the event a firefighter ends up in trouble during a rescue as well as a series of rescue scenarios. Eckhart said firefighters practise rescues based on the upcoming waterway activities. We are a shore-based department with a capacity of a go-rescue, so we will don a firefighter in a Mustang survival suit who will then enter the water in a go-rescue tethered to shore, and they do that throughout the year, he said. We practise them in those scenarios, in different weather conditions. But while firefighters might be on the water, Parker and Eckhart are reminding residents to steer clear as they enjoy the warmer weather. In addition to the cold water Lake Erie is about 3 C and Lake Ontario about 5 C the melt from the winter months as well as upcoming spring rain will see a fluctuations in water levels throughout the region. Use extreme caution, said Eckhart, as water levels can rise quickly, even small streams or currents. And always have a safety plan in place use a buddy system, watch and monitor the area, and communicate with others about where you are going and what you are doing. Dont underestimate the power of water, he said. SHARE: In a push for higher wages and the ability to work remotely, one of Canadas largest national labour unions has threatened to strike after receiving the green light from an overwhelming number of the federal government workers who voted. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) announced Wednesday morning that it had received the strike mandate after a majority of its 120,000 eligible union members voted on the matter over the past two months. PSAC national president Chris Aylward said the workers are now in a legal strike position, meaning they could walk out immediately. However, the union said it wouldnt launch the work stoppage before talks with the Treasury Board, which employs the workers, are scheduled to wrap up on Friday. The cost of living has hit highs we havent seen in 40 years, and people are struggling, he said in a news release. Today, PSAC members are sending a clear message that they wont be taken for granted, they wont fall further behind, and theyre ready to fight for better. In response, the Treasury Board called for compromise. It remains our goal to reach an agreement at the bargaining table as soon as possible, it said in a news release. Over the past week we made significant headway, addressing many union demands. If they decide to strike, Aylward predicted the major labour action one of the largest in decades would have ripple effects across the country. Heres what you need to know. Who might go on strike? The approximately 123,856 workers represent four different bargaining groups program and administrative services; operational services; technical services; and education and library science made up of public service workers employed by the Treasury Board of Canada. They include people in a wide array of jobs, from administrative workers at federally run services and departments to research librarians, teaching aides, plumbers and hospital workers. But while they may support the action, some of these workers are not eligible to strike because of the essential nature of their jobs. These are not high-paid, senior executives, Aylward said in a press conference on Wednesday. The majority of our members are women making between 40 and $65,000 a year. According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian income in 2020 was $51,300. What do they want and what has the government offered? PSAC is pushing for a wage increase of 13.5 per cent over three years. The government is offering 8.25 per cent over four years a proposal PSAC previously described as insulting and out of touch with the soaring cost of living. Aylward has described the governments offer as a pay cut when factoring in inflation. Last year, Statistics Canada said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) an average measure of consumer goods and services rose by 6.8 per cent, the highest climb since 1982. In February, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, an impartial tribunal, suggested Ottawa increase wages by nine per cent over three years. The union is also seeking protections around remote work, more inclusive anti-racism and harassment training, and ending the contracting out of services. Last year, the Treasury Board mandated employees return to work at least twice a week. How could a strike affect you? If PSAC workers strike, Aylward predicted slowdowns at the border and airports, as many administrative workers within Canada Border Services Agency would be off the job. Passport and immigration applications would likely be interrupted, too. Canadians can also expect delays accessing other government services, including Veterans Affairs. And as ports, trains and airports would all be impacted, the union said trade would likely slow, as well. Wait, didnt Canada Revenue Agency employees just threaten to strike a few days ago? Yes. Wednesdays announcement came five days after 35,000 CRA workers, who are represented by PSAC and a subcomponent called the Union of Taxation Employees, also voted in favour of a strike mandate. They will be in a legal strike position as of Friday, Aylward said. Could that delay my tax return? Yes. According to a PSAC spokesperson, a CRA strike could cause a complete shutdown of tax season. If both groups decide to strike, how many workers could walk off the job? Of the 159,000 workers, roughly 120,000 or about one-third of all federal public service workers will be eligible to strike, Aylward said. Those unable to strike include firefighters and Coast Guard workers, as well as those involved in national security and income distribution programs. Correction April 17, 2023: This file was updated to correct that there are 159,000 PSAC workers, not 155,000 CRA and PSC workers. With files from Raisa Patel SHARE: OTTAWA - The Opposition Conservatives are asking Twitter to apply a government-funded label on accounts associated with the CBC, even as other broadcasters decry the tag for not making clear their editorial independence. On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted a copy of a letter addressed to the company making the request. In the letter, Poilievre asked that the label be applied to CBCs English news-related accounts. But he did not mention Radio-Canada, the broadcasters French-language arm. The social-media giant currently defines government-funded media as outlets that may have varying degrees of government involvement over editorial content. Poilievre said he believes that applies to CBC. But CBC said in a statement on Wednesday that is clearly not the case, adding that it cannot comment on the motives behind Poilievres letter. As every Canadian knows, CBC/Radio-Canada is publicly funded. Its editorial independence is protected in law in the Broadcasting Act, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said. The office of Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the way the broadcasters public funding works, members of Parliament only vote on the sum of money it receives they dont guide its editorial decisions. It is an independent, arms-length Crown corporation, said Laura Scaffidi, Rodriguezs press secretary. She called Poilievres comments an attack on journalists. Other media outlets have raised concerns about the difference between phrases such as government-funded and publicly funded and what each implies. After initially labelling BBC and National Public Radio as state-affiliated a term usually reserved for government-run propaganda outlets in countries such as Russia and China the platform shifted its language to government-funded. With the British broadcaster continuing to find fault with that phrasing, Twitter made yet another change on Wednesday to call the BBC publicly funded. Elon Musk, who owns the platform, had promised the shift in approach during an interview with BBC on Twitter Spaces on Tuesday. Musk said that if Twitter used the same words that the BBC uses to describe itself, that presumably would be OK, and that he respects the broadcaster, which is funded by the British public through a licensing fee. FRIENDS, a public broadcasting advocacy group, said Poilievre seems to have zero qualms about comparing CBC to the likes of Russias Sputnik TV. These tactics are irresponsible, dangerous and undermine the democracy that public institutions like CBC/Radio-Canada are desperately trying to uphold. NPR announced Wednesday that it would quit using Twitter after its accounts were inaccurately labeled. The United States public radio outfit said its credibility was being undermined by the platform falsely implying that we are not editorially independent. NPR does receive U.S. government funding through grants from federal agencies and departments, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. But the company said that accounts for less than one per cent of NPRs annual operating budget. We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the publics understanding of our editorial independence, a spokesperson for NPR said Wednesday in a statement. Its the first major news outlet to make such a decision following Musks takeover of Twitter last year, with the social media company facing new scrutiny over how it filters out the spread of false information. The platform also recently stripped the New York Times of its verification check mark, with the newspaper saying it would not pay a monthly fee to maintain it. CBC said it hasnt made a decision yet on whether it will continue to use Twitter if the company decides to label it as government-funded, saying it cannot comment on hypotheticals. In 2021-22, the CBC received more than $1.2 billion in government funding, a decrease from about $1.4 billion in 2020-21. CBC also makes money through advertising, subscriptions and syndication. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. With files from the Associated Press. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAThe Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation says it is launching an independent review of a $140,000 donation that had a potential connection to the Chinese government, as the scholarship charity is engulfed in an ongoing political firestorm over Beijings alleged interference in Canadian politics. In a statement Wednesday, the Montreal-based foundation said its board of directors unanimously agreed to stage an investigation before they resigned en masse this week, with an official explanation claiming the political climate had made the charitys work impossible. One source with direct knowledge of the situation said an internal feud erupted in recent days after the organizations attempt to refund the donation failed. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the failure prompted a desire for an independent investigation, but there were disagreements among board members about how that review should play out. The Trudeau Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday about the sources concern. Several officials at the charity did not respond to interview requests, while others declined to speak when contacted by the Star. In its statement Wednesday, the foundation said the review of the donation will be conducted by an accounting agency that will be instructed by an outside law firm. The statement attributed to board chair Edward Johnson, a former Liberal operative and business executive did not name either firm, but said neither of them has worked with the charity before. Though it was originally billed as a $200,000 donation, Johnsons statement said the Trudeau Foundation received only $140,000 of the pledged money. It also said the charity issued a refund cheque under the donors name, but did not confirm whether the money was successfully returned. A reimbursement cheque was issued in the name of the donor which made those payments and to which (Canada Revenue Agency) charitable receipts were issued, Johnsons statement said. Another source with knowledge of the situation also told the Star the charitys attempt to refund the donation failed, after Montreals La Presse newspaper reported an internal foundation document which the Star has not seen said the money could not be returned because the name on the donation cheque didnt match the actual source of the funds. Trudeau distances himself With the Opposition Conservatives demanding an investigation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again tried to distance himself from the charity under his fathers name on Wednesday, while at the same time decrying Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for approaching the situation with snarkiness. The Conservatives have latched on to reports of the Trudeau Foundation donation, arguing it raises questions about whether officials with ties to the charity which Poilievre labels as Beijing-funded should be probing alleged foreign interference for the government. That includes Morris Rosenberg, a former civil servant who was head of the foundation when the donation was made in 2016, and who penned a recent report on foreign interference in the 2021 election. It also includes former governor general David Johnston, who is a foundation member tasked with examining the issue and recommending whether a public inquiry which opposition parties are demanding is necessary. Asked Wednesday if it would be better for the charity to change its name or cut ties with his family, Trudeau told reporters in Winnipeg he has had no involvement at all with the foundation for 10 years, and that its important that the foundation itself answers these questions and reflects on how it can continue doing the important work that it does. Politics have dogged the foundation before Established in 2001, a year after Pierre Trudeaus death, the foundation received a $125-million endowment from the federal government in 2002. The idea was to support the research of more than 100 scholars every year to honour the late prime ministers memory. But with the ascent of Justin Trudeau from Liberal MP to prime minister, the foundation came to be seen by some under a more political lens. After the Liberals took office in 2015, the government came under fire for so-called cash-for-access fundraising, in which the party sought donations at events where contributors could hobnob with cabinet ministers or even Trudeau himself. Chinese businessman Zhang Bin reportedly attended such an event with the prime minister. Then, in 2016, according to a news release from the Universite de Montreal, Zhang and another person identified as a fellow businessman Niu Gensheng donated $1 million to commemorate Pierre Trudeaus ties with China. On Wednesday, university spokesperson Genevieve OMeara confirmed the schools faculty of law was slated to receive $750,000 of this money, with another $50,000 going toward a statue on campus of Pierre Trudeau, who attended and taught at the university. But the statue was never built, and the school only ever received $500,000, OMeara said by email. Another $200,000 of the money was slated for the Trudeau Foundation. Suspicions of attempted influence The Trudeau Foundation donation raised questions in 2016. Then interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose demanded an ethics investigation into whether donors were giving money to the foundation as a back-channel to access and influence Justin Trudeau. The National Post also reported some donors had ties to organizations that were actively lobbying Ottawa. Based on the charitys annual reports, a $200,000 donation would be significant for the organization. Its yearly donations jumped from $62,882 in 2012 to $253,992 in 2013, the year Trudeau was elected Liberal leader. They increased to $731,753 in 2016 before dropping to $72,098 in 2020 and increasing again to $632,592 last year, annual reports show. The 2016 donation, however, grew more controversial this year, after the Globe and Mail reported it was part of a suspected campaign of foreign influence by the Chinese government. The revelation added to the ongoing political firestorm involving allegations of Beijings election meddling and interference in Canadian politics that has troubled the Liberal government for months. And in response, the Trudeau Foundation declared on March 1 it had refunded all money received from the 2016 pledge, after learning of a potential connection with the Chinese government. While the foundation now says it has issued a cheque under the donors name, the Universite de Montreal still hasnt decided what to do with the $500,000 it received. We are indeed considering all of our options in the light of new information, OMeara said. Read more about: SHARE: Romania's accession to the Schengen Area is a very important topic for the entire set of measures that are taken at the European level, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Wednesday, adding that such a decision will facilitate the European Union's efforts in support of all the countries on the eastern flank, as well as Ukraine and Moldova. Ciuca held a joint news conference at the Government House with visiting European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton. "I discussed with the commissioner the subject of Schengen, which is very important not only for our country, but for the entire set of measures that are taken at the European level. And, once we acquire that status, there is a whole series of aspects that facilitate all the steps taken at the level of the European Union regarding the achievement of the support objectives of all the countries on the eastern flank, as well as of Ukraine and Moldova. (...) I also want to mention what I explained to Mr commissioner in connection with the relevance that our country would acquire when becoming a full Schengen area member. There is no doubt that this is not only about the freedom of movement of the citizens, as there is also the freedom of movement of businesses and of services, an aspect that will really greatly facilitate the efforts being made at the level of the European Union to support both Ukraine and Moldova," said Ciuca. The Deputies on Wednesday adopted a draft law according to which the Guarantee Fund will protect insurance creditors from the consequences of the insolvency of a Romanian legal entity insurer, as well as in the case of an insurer authorized in another member state carrying out activity on the territory of Romania through a branch opened in our country. The Deputies cast 168 votes "in favour," 47 votes "against" and 33 abstentions in this case. The Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Wednesday, a draft law on the approval of GEO no. 102/2021 for the modification and supplementing of no. 213/2015 on the Guarantee Fund for insured persons and for the modification of other normative acts. According to the draft bill, the Fund can conclude cooperation agreements with similar bodies from other states, national auto offices and other entities, or can mandate them in order to fulfill its legal duties. Also, the Fund protects the insurance creditors provided for in the draft bill, by paying insurance claims representing compensations/indemnities owed by the European insurer as a result of the occurrence of the risks insured through the insurance agreements concluded by it through the Romanian branch in the framework of the activity carried out on the territory of Romania and for which it has the obligation to contribute to the fund under the conditions stipulated in the draft bill, in the event of the opening of a liquidation procedure based on insolvency at the respective European insurer. Under the terms of this law, the following insurers are obliged to contribute to the fund: insurers authorized by the Financial Supervisory Authority, including for the activity of their branches that carry out their activity on the territory of another member state of the European Union; the European insurers, for the insurance activity carried out on the territory of Romania through the branches established in Romania, in compliance with the legal provisions. The project was adopted by the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies being the decision-making body. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12. The goal is to bring Turkiye's national income to $2 trillion, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara, Trend reports via TurkicWorld. According to Erdogan, he sees the country reaching an income of $1.5 trillion and then to $2 trillion, with the corresponding economic growth rate. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Turkiye's national income in 2023 will exceed $1 trillion ($1.029 trillion) for the first time. The per capita income will be $11,931. Turkiye's national income is expected to rise to $1.087 trillion in 2024, with a per capita income of $12,460. 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. The European official will also visit the future headquarters of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), together with Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Transformation Sebastian Burduja. Also today, Breton will tour two important defence equipment factories together with Romanian Minister of Economy Florin Spataru: the Plopeni Mechanical Plant and the Dragomiresti Special Products Plant. At the end of the visit, the two officials will hold a joint news conference. The minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, received, on Wednesday, Admiral Rob Bauer, the president of the NATO Military Committee, with whom he discussed the preparation of the Summit in Vilnius in July and the implementation of the decisions of the allied meeting in Madrid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) reports. According to the MAE, minister Aurescu stressed "the vital importance of strengthening the allied position on the entire Eastern Flank, in the regional security context severely marked by Russia's aggression against Ukraine". He appreciated the effort of the NATO Military Authorities for the continuous adaptation of the allied response to the security threats generated by Russia's aggression on Ukraine, with an emphasis on the transformation of the deterrence and defense system on NATO's Eastern Flank. During the meeting, the stage of preparation of aspects in the field managed by the Allied Military Authorities of NATO for the Vilnius Summit on July 11 and 12 was addressed. Minister Aurescu emphasized Romania's interest in this event having "significant and concrete results in the sense of implementing the decisions of allied political leaders made in Madrid and adopting new decisions to strengthen NATO". In preparing the Vilnius agenda, the Foreign minister pointed out that progress in strengthening the defense and deterrence posture on the entire Eastern Flank to ensure coherent and united advanced defense, as well as the allied presence especially in the Black Sea region, is essential for ensuring regional and Euro-Atlantic security. He also emphasized the need to continue the measures at the operational level, including regarding the Battle Groups on the Eastern Flank, of which the one in Romania is a part. From this perspective, the head of Romanian diplomacy requested the appropriate approach at NATO level to the security situation in the Black Sea region, including regarding the resumption of the allied presence in the Black Sea. The minister reiterated the request to develop a common approach at allied level for the Black Sea, in accordance with the strategic importance of this region for Euro-Atlantic security. He presented "Romania's constant support for Ukraine, as well as the importance of firm political messages and coherent practical support for the Republic of Moldova which faces the most severe threats to its security".AGERPRES The humanitarian shipment from Romania to Turkey, with several types of products from the rescEU reserve, has reached its destination. "The humanitarian transport was carried out on the basis of the decision of the National Committee for Emergency Situations, following the request addressed to Romania by the European Commission, through the European Civil Protection Mechanism (ECHO-ERCC), to provide the Republic of Turkey with several types of products from the RescEU reserve on Romanian territory, given the responsibilities of our country, as part of the Romanian ShelterCapacity (RO-Shelt) project. (...) This morning, our colleagues started their journey to Romania," the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) informed on Wednesday. On April 10, rescuers from USISU, ISU Galati, ISU Mures, ISU Iasi, ISU Constanta and the IGSU Logistics Base, with 10 technical means, carried out a humanitarian transport consisting of 16,000 hygiene kits, 10 dining tents and 32 lighting towers. At the same time, the Turkish civil protection staff was trained on how to set up and operate this equipment. The Romanian ShelterCapacity (RO-Shelt) is the European Commission's action to create a temporary shelter capacity available for the European Civil Protection Mechanism missions. Through this programme, products can be made available to countries facing major emergencies and, on the basis of requests for international assistance, equipment/materials can be transported, under the aegis of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, to countries heavily affected by various emergencies. Romania is interested in doubling the capacity of the Plopeni Mechanical Plant and the Dragomiresti Special Products Plant, to ensure production for NATO countries, and we will work together with European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton to arrange for support for these investments, Economy Minister Florin Spataru said on Wednesday. "The 800 million RON already earmarked from the state budget for investments in the defense industry, but also the future investments in partnership with the European Commission, will represent the basis for the development of the defense industry. We have prepared solutions both for the gunpowder plant, and for the production lines in Plopeni and Dragomiresti," Spataru told a press conference at the end of the visit to the two facilities. The minister specified that the Romanian authorities are ready to invest and also have the technical documentation ready to increase the production capacity both for large caliber ammunition of over 100 mm, and for the gunpowder production unit. Spataru explained that he also discussed with Commissioner Thierry Breton about the support the Romanian industry can receive through state aid schemes, against the backdrop of the temporary crisis, but also for the development of basic industries: steel and aluminum, the automotive industry, the industry of building materials, so as to be prepared to jump to Ukraine's support when the reconstruction of this country begins. European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, who is on an official visit to Romania, went on Wednesday to two defense industry facilities accompanied by Economy Minister Spataru - Romarm subsidiaries Plopeni Mechanical Plant and Dragomiresti Special Products Plant. AGERPRES National Defence Minister Angel Tilvar and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, will meet on Wednesday with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Robert Bauer. He is paying a visit to Romania from April 11 to 14. According to a National Defence Ministry (MApN) press release, discussions are planned on the security situation in the Black Sea region, the dynamics of the implementation of allied deterrence and defence measures in the Euro-Atlantic area, NATO operations and missions, as well as major training events this year. The statue of the Hungarian poet Kolcsey Ferenc, author of the Hungarian anthem, was unveiled on Wednesday in northwestern Carei, in the presence of several hundred people, local and county authorities and the president of Hungary, Novak Katalin, and the Deputy prime minister of the Romanian Government Kelemen Hunor. The event started with the singing of the Romanian and Hungarian anthems, followed by speeches held by officials and a poetry recital. The mayor of Carei, Kovacs Eugen, said in his address that the event was held under the patronage of the president of Hungary, Novak Katalin. "Carei is the centre of that radius of about 50 kilometres where Kolcsey spent most of his life. On the other hand, it was here in Carei that he became a politician. Although Kolcsey was considered a loner, his life was like that of many in this region. He was at the same time a scholar, a poet, a literary organizer and a politician, because that was how it was back then. A scholar, a poet was required to be concerned not only with language, but also with the nation, not only with writing, but also with the homeland. (...) Kolcsey became an important figure of Satu Mare County, and later, in his status as a deputy of the county, of national politics and it is not an exaggeration to say - an important figure in the history of Hungarian politics," said Kelemen Hunor in his speech. He mentioned that this is a second statue of Kolcsey Ferenc in Carei, the first one having been vandalised and beheaded with a saw, 40 years after it was placed in the town. Throughout the entire celebration, a group of several dozen protesters waved Romanian flags, booed and repeatedly chanted "Romania" and "Long live, long live and flourish, Moldova, Transylvania and Wallachia.". Born in Satu Mare county, Kolcsey Ferenc was a Hungarian poet, literary critic and politician, member of the Hungarian Parliament between 1832-1835, his poem Himnusz (1823) being used as the text of the Hungarian national anthem. The statue located in front of the Town Hall of Carei is the work of the sculptor Lajos Gyorfi and was realized by the EGTC Gate of Europe, at the initiative of the local administration of Carei, with the support of the Hungarian Government.AGERPRES The European Commission has identified 15 companies in 11 countries where production capacity in the defence industry could be increased, and Romania is one of these countries, said European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton who visited on Wednesday, at the invitation of the minister of Economy, Florin Spataru, two of the defence industry factories, subsidiaries of Romarm, namely Plopeni Mechanical Plant and Dragomiresti Special Products Plant. "All European countries have unanimously decided to support Ukraine's requests, to help Ukraine defend itself against this aggression. And we will continue to do so. Of course, we know that in order to do this we have to provide Ukraine with equipment and also ammunition. It is important that we provide the quantities requested by the Ukrainian authorities and we are determined to do so. We have decided, together with the Ministries of Defence and the European Commission, to launch a major tender, worth over one billion euros, to buy the ammunition that is needed and we want to do this with the European defence industry. We have identified 15 companies from 11 countries in Europe that can respond to this request for increased capacity to produce what is needed and Romania is one of these countries," Breton told a conference at the end of his visit. He stressed that after visiting the two factories he was impressed by the dedication of the people, their skills and the equipment they saw, something that gives him confidence that Romania will be part of this tender, "which is important both for Ukraine and for our own security". The Commissioner for Internal Market explained that there are three pillars through which Member States and entities can be supported in relation to the current requests to supply ammunition to Ukraine. "The first is a billion euros that we are using from the European Peace Facility to reimburse member states that donate part of their own ammunition stocks and we are encouraging member states to do so. The second pillar is another billion euros whereby we would like to launch a tender for companies in the European defence industry to deliver what is needed, on the one hand to replenish the ammunition stocks of the member states that have donated part of their stocks to Ukraine, and also to maintain a certain level of ammunition stocks. And the third pillar, to make sure that we can strengthen and increase the capacity of the defence industry to meet these demands and here I am about to finalise an instrument, if we come to the conclusion that we need more financial support, including to invest in new production lines," explained Thierry Breton.AGERPRES The deputies of the Save Romania Union (USR) and those of the Forta Dreptei (Force of the Right) demand in the simple motion submitted on Wednesday to the Chamber of Deputies the dismissal of the minister of Agriculture, Petre Daea, "in order for agriculture to become the strong point of Romania". "Agriculture must become a strong point of Romania, and for this to happen, an efficient management is needed at the top of the relevant ministry. And for this to happen, Petre Daea must be dismissed and never, but never, brought back to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture. He's already exhausted three chances to prove he can do something. The reality is that he cannot," is shown in the text of the simple motion dubbed "From the breadbasket of Europe to the shame of Europe. Minister Daea is permanently destroying Romanian agriculture". According to the signatories, Petre Daea "is the usual minister of the PSD in Agriculture, whenever the party gets to the government" and although he has been a minister twice before, "he remained unchanged". "In this mandate, too, he is equally useless, unprepared and overcome by the problems of Romanian agriculture. Daea has remained consistent in convincing us that he is the weakest minister of agriculture in the last 30 years. For 'uncle Petrica' Daea, as he is called in a DNA (anti-graft directorate) investigation, and his predecessor, Adrian Chesnoiu, the only priority of their mandates was to hire their relatives and fill the ministry and state agencies with incompetents from the party, with friends and others, all obligations. If they were so useful and skilled, there was certainly no need for the ministers to arrange their contests in order to grab the job. Otherwise, as far as agriculture is concerned, Petre Daea missed all the big projects in this area: he missed funding from the PNRR, he missed the National Strategic Plan, he missed the European funds for the Romanian farmers, he lost compensations for imports from Ukraine. Failure from top to bottom," the deputies of the USR and the Force of the Right say in the motion. They also say that "the failure of support from Brussels to compensate for the losses" in the case of the cereals crisis in Ukraine has led to the largest protest by Romanian farmers against Daea. Finally, the signatories of the motion also refer to the Tomata (tomato, ed. n.) government programme, which they say "is only good on paper", because "in reality, our country is the largest market for selling tomatoes produced in Turkey. If we also look at the labels on the other fruits and vegetables, we realize that the Romanian supermarkets are actually an international store. Although through the Tomata programme, the government has been giving subsidies from 2017 - since (former PSD leader) Dragnea's time - in 2022, Romania has imported the tomatoes from Turkey worth 65 million euros. Therefore, we can say that 'Tomata of Turkey' is the mark of minister Daea. The government's tomato is nothing more than a new theft. From the money from the Government, more criminal cases remained than greenhouses with tomatoes. We ask you, minister Daea, to present to us today the results of the Tomata government programme, from the beginning of it until now. We want to find out if the robbery of the public money allocated for investments has continued in your mandate and that of Mr. Chesnoiu", the text of the motion reads. Federal prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or AGGA dental device, following a recent KFF Health News-CBS News investigation, according to a motion filed in federal court. Multiple lawsuits allege the device has caused grievous harm to at least 20 patients and the FDA is now investigating its safety, KFF Health News and CBS News have reported. The AGGA is a retainer-like device promoted by some dentists as an option for expanding adult patients jawbones, beautifying their faces, and curing common ailments like sleep apnea. The lawsuits have alleged patients suffered damaged gums, eroded bone, and, in some cases, lost teeth. The criminal investigation of the use of the AGGA was revealed in a court motion that seeks to delay the largest of the lawsuits pending the outcome of any criminal proceedings. The motion was filed this month by attorneys for AGGA inventor Dr. Steve Galella, his company, the Facial Beauty Institute, and AGGA manufacturer Johns Dental Laboratories, who said the investigation is being conducted for the purpose of potentially bringing criminal charges against their clients. The attorneys said in their court filing that there is no doubt the investigation arose at least in part from the KFF Health News-CBS News coverage of the AGGA. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Justice is currently conducting a criminal investigation which, it is anticipated, will ultimately result in the presentation of evidence to a grand jury relating to the facts in this case, the attorneys state in the court filing in support of the motion. None of the court records suggests what criminal charges could result from the investigation. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Memphis, which generally does not discuss ongoing investigations, declined to comment. Scott Charnas, an attorney representing many AGGA patients, also declined to comment. Attorneys for Galella, the Facial Beauty Institute, and Johns Dental did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. The AGGA, which was recently rebranded as the Osseo-Restoration Appliance, uses springs to apply pressure to the front teeth and upper palate, according to a patent application filed in 2021. Galella has said pressure from the device causes an adults jaw to remodel forward, which he described, in training footage produced in discovery in an AGGA lawsuit, as the key to possibly curing patients and making them more beautiful. You can sell good health. You can help people and at the same time youre going to make a wheelbarrow full of money, Galella tells dentists in the video footage. And its all OK, and its all fair. Were not cheating anybody and were not being greedy, but that just comes with the territory. The KFF Health News-CBS News investigation of the AGGA involved interviews with 11 patients who said they were hurt by the device plus attorneys who said they represent or have represented at least 23 others and dental specialists who said theyd examined patients who had experienced severe complications using the AGGA. The investigation also found no record of the AGGA being registered with the FDA, despite the agencys role in regulating medical and dental devices. Galella has said in a sworn court deposition that the device was never submitted to the FDA, which he believes wouldnt have jurisdiction over it. The FDA announced late last month that it is evaluating safety concerns about the AGGA and other similar devices. Galella has declined to be interviewed by KFF Health News and CBS News. His attorney, Alan Fumuso, previously said in a written statement that the AGGA, when properly used, is safe and can achieve beneficial results. All the AGGA lawsuits are ongoing. Galella and the other defendants have denied liability in court filings. The plaintiffs do not allege in their lawsuits that Galella treated them but allege he or his company consulted with each of their dentists about their AGGA treatment. CBS News producer Nicole Keller contributed to this article. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. USE OUR CONTENT This story can be republished for free (details). White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss Yemen, the China-backed deal between Riyadh and Tehran, and Irans nuclear program, according to a White House statement on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Al Arabiya. The call between Sullivan and Prince Mohammed comes on the heels of a trip to Saudi Arabia last week by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Bill Burns. Mr. Sullivan highlighted the remarkable progress in Yemen over the past year, during which fighting has nearly ceased under a UN-mediated truce, the White House said. Sullivan welcomed Saudi Arabias extraordinary efforts to pursue a more comprehensive roadmap for ending the war and offered full US support for those efforts. On Iran, Sullivan reaffirmed US President Joe Bidens unwavering commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon. Separately, a senior Republican lawmaker met with Prince Mohammed and other senior Saudi leaders on Tuesday. I just had a very productive, candid meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and his senior leadership team. The opportunity to enhance the US-Saudi relationship is real and the reforms going on in Saudi Arabia are equally real, Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement. Graham praised the recent deal between US planemaker Boeing and Saudi Arabia, which could be worth $37 billion. He said the investment in Boeing 787s, made in South Carolina, are game changers. He added that he was looking forward to working with the Biden administration and congressional Republicans and Democrats to see if we can take the US-Saudi relationship to the next level. JEFFERSON CITY Gov. Mike Parson's push to widen traffic-clogged sections of Interstate 70 remains on track as members of the Missouri House are poised to begin debate on a key piece of the state budget. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, unveiled the latest list of brick-and-mortar projects Tuesday, including $15 million for a pharmaceutical center in St. Louis, $3 million for Kirkwood's community center, $1 million for Powell Symphony Hall and $859 million to upgrade the interstate near Wentzville, Columbia and Kansas City. Earlier versions had taken some of that amount for projects on Interstate 44, but in the latest spending blueprint, those also are funded at about $48 million. All told, the construction spending outlined in the plan amounts to $2.8 billion. The state is currently sitting on a surplus estimated at about $5 billion. And new revenue figures show the state could add another $1 billion in unspent tax receipts before the end of the fiscal year, giving budget writers even more of a cushion heading into the final weeks of the legislative session. Under Parson's plan, crews would add lanes to I-70 through Boone County in central Missouri and extend the sections with three lanes west of St. Louis and east of Kansas City. The widening of those perpetually busy segments is a cheaper alternative than the estimated $2.7 billion it would cost to widen the entire stretch across the state from four lanes to six lanes. Smith acknowledged that the widening projects will not be completed in one year and said that could open the door to an influx of federal funding to help defray the costs. "Hopefully over the course of some years we can pick up some federal assistance," Smith said. Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, who is the ranking minority member of the budget committee, said he believes the funding for I-70 is part of a negotiating point between the House and the Senate. He said the Senate is likely to add additional projects to the construction list using some of the surplus that has built up in the state treasury. If that is the case, he said House Democrats likely will push their colleagues in the upper chamber to add more local projects. "I'd love to see some investment in public transit as well," Merideth said, pointing to a north-south MetroLink line under discussion in the region. While the Missouri Department of Transportation will see an influx of dollars for the interstate project, the agency will not be selling its historic headquarters adjacent to the Capitol for $44 million. Smith said he axed the building purchase because there is not a plan for the building if MoDOT moves out. "We should have a coherent plan," Smith said. Another road project included in the proposal is a $6.6 million earmark to upgrade Missouri Route 370 and Salt River Road in St. Peters. The plan also proposes $15 million in matching funds for a pharmaceutical manufacturing innovation center in St. Louis and $7.5 million to build a psychiatric hospital for children in St. Louis County. St. Charles County could receive $7 million in matching funds to upgrade the emergency dispatch call and phone system. Kirkwood will receive $3 million to help improve the city's community center. The plan also includes $1 million in matching funds to renovate Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis. The legislation is House Bill 19. Kurt Erickson 573-556-6181 @KurtEricksonPD on Twitter kerickson@post-dispatch.com HAZELWOOD A man was charged with murder Wednesday after authorities say he killed his mother and father before firing at officers and shooting himself, authorities said. Joseph H. Moore, 31, is accused of fatally shooting his father, James Moore, 63, and his mother, Norma Moore, 70. The couple died at their home in the 7000 block of Woody Court on Tuesday night. Norma Moore had called dispatchers just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and said, My son ... hes got a gun. Then dispatchers heard two gunshots, according to court documents. Hazelwood police rushed to the home. An officer saw Joseph Moore in the street with a pistol. The officer ordered him to drop it, but instead, he fired a shot at the officer, who wasnt hit. The officer shot back and missed, and at the same time, Joseph Moore shot himself in the head, police said. He was hospitalized in serious condition from the self-inflicted wound but is expected to survive. After Joseph Moore shot himself, police found the bodies of his parents. Norma Moore was in a pool of blood in the carport, and James Moore was found dead just inside the residence, according to court papers. Hazelwood police Capt. Tim Burger said Joseph Moore lived with his parents at the home on Woody Court. The street is a cul-de-sac with a half-dozen homes northeast of North Hanley Road and Latty Avenue. St. Louis County prosecutors charged the son with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action. Missouri law defines second-degree murder as when someone intentionally, or in attempt to cause serious physical harm to another person, causes the death of another person. Joseph Moores bail was set at $500,000 cash. Police havent revealed a possible motive for the killings or said if officers had been called to the home before for other family disturbances. Police were in the area before the shooting and heard the gunshots. They saw a man in his 30s running from the scene but could not capture him. Gamble was lying on the street with several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. ST. LOUIS Missouri Attorney General Andrew Baileys office spoke on behalf of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardners office in a hearing Wednesday despite waging an ongoing campaign to remove Gardner as the citys top prosecutor. The attorney generals office is seeking to overturn the dismissal of robbery and murder cases against two St. Louis-area women Rachel Nixon, 34, and Karen Ann Quinn, 44 who were among four charged in a fatal 2018 robbery plot in the citys Bevo Mill neighborhood. The cases were dismissed last year when City Circuit Judge Michael Noble found that city prosecutors had failed to turn over key evidence, including a report of Quinns statement to federal investigators. Such evidence problems have been increasingly common as Gardners understaffed office, which has lost lawyers by the dozen in recent years, has struggled to prepare for trials. Prosecutors have been sanctioned and scolded by judges, and theyve frequently dismissed and refiled cases to restart the legal process when they were not ready to proceed with trial. The evidence problems in Nixon and Quinns cases were cited in Baileys lawsuit to remove Gardner from office, filed in February. During Wednesdays hearing, Judge Gary Gaertner questioned whether Richard Starnes, the lawyer representing Baileys office, had a conflict of interest in representing St. Louis prosecutors. Starnes argued it was not a conflict, in part because they were asked to represent Gardners office long before the lawsuit was filed. And, he said, it is standard practice for the office of the attorney general to represent local prosecutors offices on appeals. Starnes acknowledged mistakes were made by the Circuit Attorneys Office in handling evidence, as outlined in the removal lawsuit, but the attorney generals interest was to seek justice. In a statement, Bailey reiterated the office was not defending the circuit attorney. We are standing in the gap to make sure that accused murderers are put in prison because the circuit attorney has failed to do her job yet again, he said. Starnes said in court the cases should not be dismissed because prosecutors were not required to turn over the evidence in the case because they didnt have it: It was in the hands of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, he said. Attorneys for Nixon and Quinn were granted extra time to file briefs to argue whether there was a conflict of interest. They also argued that Judge Noble was correct to dismiss the cases because prosecutors are legally required to obtain key items from law enforcement and turn them over to the defense. Judges will later make a decision about the case and any potential conflicts.Editors note: This story was updated at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday with a statement from Attorney General Andrew Bailey. JEFFERSON CITY Senate committees heard testimony Wednesday in support of one proposed law designed to stop kids from carrying guns in public and another that would allow more school personnel to carry guns in schools. The first measure, sponsored by Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis, would set the minimum age for knowingly possessing a concealable firearm to 18. The proposal would still allow juveniles to possess a concealable firearm or handgun under adult supervision. It comes as St. Louis and Missouri continue to grapple with high levels of gun violence, including a school shooting in St. Louis in October. There have been 15 mass killings in the U.S. this year, including one in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this week and another two weeks ago at a Christian elementary school in Nashville. Lawmakers, business groups and juvenile justice experts told members of the Senate General Laws Committee that it is not right that police are handcuffed by current state law to arrest minors who are in public with a firearm. Its something that needs to be handled, said Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, adding that its a particularly bad situation in the St. Louis region. Pat Kelly, executive director of the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis, said visitors to the city have faced high levels of gun violence when they are going to restaurants or other businesses. We have a real issue and problem in our area, Kelly told the panel. It gives us a black eye, Beck added. Most states set age requirements for firearm possession. Federal law puts the minimum age for handgun possession at 18. But Missouris 2021 Second Amendment Preservation Act declares invalid federal gun laws that arent on the books in Missouri. The proposal, which was not voted on by the committee, would make possession of a handgun by a minor a misdemeanor, giving police an avenue to arrest a teenager. The arrest would be handled in juvenile court. When a person turns 18, their record would typically be sealed. Marcia Hazelhorst, executive director of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association, said young people, whose brains are still developing, should not have unchecked access to firearms. They present a risk to public safety, Hazelhorst said, adding that the change in law would also have a deterrent effect on minors. Meanwhile, members of the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Commission heard testimony on a House bill that would allow more school personnel to carry hidden guns into classrooms as a line of defense against attackers. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Chris Dinkins, R-Lesterville, would expand the states school protection officer program to any school personnel, ranging from custodians to school lunch workers. Currently, the program offers security training resources for teachers or administrators who want to carry a firearm in school in a security capacity. Dinkins told members of the panel that the proposal gives locally run school districts more flexibility to appoint more people beyond teachers and principals to protect students. In the rural communities, it often takes 45 minutes for a law enforcement person to get there, Dinkins said. The proposal requires any additional school protection officers to complete 112 hours of basic firearms training and an additional 18 hours every two years. The measure earlier won approval in the House on a 120-25 vote. ST. LOUIS The city's top prosecutor doubled down Tuesday on a defense that she cannot be personally blamed for failures by her subordinates and argued a lawsuit seeking her removal should be dismissed. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner accused Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey for a second time of waging a politically motivated campaign to oust her after he filed suit in February. She argued Bailey didn't allege she committed "intentional corrupt acts" that could trigger her removal. Gardner denied that she or her staff committed any misconduct and said she is "proud of her hardworking staff and the work they do for the people of Missouri." Still, in response to multiple examples cited in Bailey's petition, she blamed decisions by assistant circuit attorneys or other subordinates for any potential problems. "Not a single one of the actions alleged is ascribed to Ms. Gardner, herself, personally," the motion states. "All that is alleged are possible mistakes by subordinates and otherwise ordinary prosecutorial conduct." Gardner has faced criticism for years over dysfunction and understaffing in her office, but all of the complaints came to a head in February when a 17-year-old volleyball player from Tennessee was caught in a serious crash downtown that resulted in both her legs being amputated. Police blamed the crash on a man who, it turned out, was a suspect in a pending robbery case, out of jail despite violating his bond dozens of times. Bailey filed suit that same month to remove Gardner. Then, late last month, he added seven new claims and 100 pages to the effort, contending she had "lost the trust of the people" by failing to prosecute cases, refusing to review police use-of-force incidents and creating a "toxic work environment" where she yelled at and failed to train subordinates. On Tuesday, Gardner's attorneys filed a response to the new petition and another motion for its dismissal, citing a list of previous removal attempts that failed because officials did not prove a "willful or fraudulent violation" of office. "Ouster under (state law) is 'a drastic remedy,'" Gardner's attorneys wrote, "which always has been limited to the grossest cases of intentional corruption." A hearing is set for April 18, when a judge will hear arguments about the petition, subpoenas and motions to dismiss. Egypt has released $23 billion worth of imported goods, merchandise and products from the countrys ports and customs since January, announced Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait on Monday. GRANITE CITY Schools in Collinsville and Granite City were among 21 schools in Illinois to receive unfounded threats on Wednesday. Students at Granite City High School were dismissed early Wednesday. Police responded to Collinsville High School out of caution but did not release their students once the threat was deemed unfounded, according to a release from the school. Granite City High School was placed on lockdown as police began searching it around 9:30 a.m., and all students were deemed safe soon after. The district did not say what, specifically, the threat was. "Law enforcement, public safety, and private sector security officials are encouraged to remain vigilant and report all suspicious behavior to local police agencies," Robinson wrote in an email. Hundreds of parents and students milled about on the sidewalks in front of the school and in the parking lot of a nearby strip mall as they sought to pick their children up and get confirmation the thread was not real. Several parents said they first heard of the threat on social media or through a friend or family member. Students were all released from the high school before noon. ST. LOUIS Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a Woodson Terrace man with fatally shooting another man after an argument at an apartment in north St. Louis. John A. Jones, 25, is facing charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Demond Lee on April 2 in a first-floor apartment at 3054 Marcus Avenue. Witnesses told police that Jones and Lee were arguing and conflict had been ongoing between the two for at least a year, charging documents said. When he was arrested, police found Jones with two assault rifles. Jones is also facing charges of trafficking drugs, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest in a separate case. He is being held in the downtown St. Louis jail without bond. JEFFERSON CITY Missourians would be able to visit a physical therapist without a doctor's referral or prescription under a plan that won final passage Wednesday in the Missouri Legislature. The plan sailed to Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, on a 146-2 vote in the Missouri House after previously clearing the Missouri Senate with bipartisan support. Missouri patients currently need a referral from a doctor or a prescription before they can get physical therapy. Proponents said getting approval from a doctor before treatment can take time and costs money, which has become a hurdle for patients seeking care. The proposal only applies to physical therapists with doctorates in physical therapy or at least five years of experience in the field. Physical therapists also would need to refer the patient to another provider if the patient doesn't show "measurable or functional improvement" within 10 visits or 30 days, whichever is sooner. If a patient has shown improvement after 10 visits or 30 days, whichever comes first, and the physical therapist believes continued sessions would help the patient, the physical therapist would be required to consult with another health care provider before continuing. The legislation is Senate Bill 51. JEFFERSON CITY A state lawmaker from south St. Louis said Wednesday he was "mulling" a run for St. Louis mayor in a brief interview with the Post-Dispatch. "When that mulling process is over, I will definitely have comments to make," said Rep. Steve Butz, a Democrat from Holly Hills. If Butz does decide to run in the next mayor's race, candidate filing begins in November 2024 for the spring 2025 race, which will include a nonpartisan primary and runoff election. Butz would face incumbent Mayor Tishaura O. Jones if both ultimately decide to run. "No comment," Butz said when asked what would distinguish him from the incumbent. Butz has staked out a moderate reputation in the Legislature, opposing abortions except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's health is at risk. He was one of a handful of Democrats this year to vote in favor of a state takeover of the St. Louis Police Department, which Jones has opposed. Butz drew a primary challenger from his left in the August 2022 Democratic primary for the 81st House District, but he defeated progressive Alderman Bill Stephens 60% to 40%. A rumor of Butz's "mulling" was reported by Missouri Scout on Wednesday morning. According to statistics, more than 400-plus children have been killed by gun violence from Jan. 1 through March 29, and this is only the first quarter of the year. Gun violence is the leading cause of death of children in the United States. In my mind, those who favor the sale of guns want to hunt animals, kill people, protect themselves against the government or protect themselves from threats of violence. Im sure there are other reasons. To date, according MSNBC, 20% of scientists who work on the coronavirus and other scientific projects in our country have been threatened with gun and/or sexual violence. At the very least, I believe we need to prohibit all assault weapons, require universal background checks for the purchase of guns and require that guns be stored safely. Many of those who are killing children and/or adults are mentally ill, or they experience the psychological ramifications of feeling isolated and all alone. Some are fending for themselves, not feeling emotionally invested-in by their parents or guardians, nor by anyone else for that matter during their childhood. Parents are not ensuring their guns are kept inaccessible to children. Other adults are leaving it up to the teens to get rid of the guns they acquire, as if the parents have no responsibility. Consciously or unconsciously, they are complicit in the possibility of gun violence. Unfortunately at this time in our country, principals, deans and teachers are burdened with being teachers, deans or administrators, along with being security guards and bodyguards, and psychotherapists for children, young adults and/or parents. In some cases, they have to serve as grief counselors, along with all the other roles and responsibilities they must assume. I believe we need to have more parental gatherings or meetings as well as individual meetings between parents and school counselors and teachers so that parents feel supported and have someone available to them to discuss their concerns about their children, the school environment and family challenges. Parents may themselves feel they also have not been emotionally invested in. They may be struggling with overwhelming emotional and or practical challenges. I also firmly believe that having strict control over who may carry guns is only one of the many factors involved in very complex, interwoven, engrained issues. On top of all this, parents now must face the tremendous anxiety about their children going to school at a time when the threat of mass shootings is an inescapable reality. Will my childs school be next? Then theres the overwhelming anxiety children and young adults face going to classes in this environment. Theres the anxiety adults feel about going to the supermarket, a mall or anywhere else where the scourge of gun violence might surface. If I had unlimited resources, there would be a therapist to support every principal or administrator. There would be separate support meetings for therapists to support and talk with teachers. There would be a clinician available for parents meetings as well as for individual children. Finally, there are the traumas of being afraid to go to school, losing classmates by death, or witnessing a shooter on a rampage. Those traumas may last for years, not just for the child but also for his or her parents. Ongoing mental health support needs to be available to administrators, teachers, children and parents to metabolize the traumas as well as to understand the thoughts and feelings about challenges experienced by the entire community all along the way. Diane S. Kopp is a psychotherapist in St. Louis County. The ongoing controversy at Stanford University Law School over the student shout-down of a conservative speaker underscores precisely how progressive cancel culture is helping feed exaggerated Republican narratives about progressivism run amok. Republicans are just as guilty of silencing opposing views, as was immediately evident last week in the Tennessee legislatures expulsion of two Black lawmakers who dared to speak out against the guns used in a Nashville school mass shooting. What distinguishes the Stanford case is that it occurred in an environment dedicated to the civil debate of diametrically opposing views. In law school as well as in the courts where those law students ultimately will practice, the whole idea is to present the best case possible in hopes of persuading a jury and/or judge. Self-righteous Stanford students instead opted to yell over their invited speaker to deny him the right to be heard. This was, in a microcosm, a glimpse of where America is heading unless cooler heads prevail. On March 9, conservative federal appeals court Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan attempted to address a packed seminar room full of Stanford law students. Progressives were upset because Duncan was a guest of the student chapter of the conservative Federalist Society. He had defended a Louisiana ban on gay marriage as well as a North Carolina law requiring transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender they were assigned at birth. Duncan was barely able to get out a few sentences before being heckled loudly. He stopped and started repeatedly, finally appealing to someone in the faculty to intervene. Instead, law school Associate Dean Tirien Steinback took the podium and, as protesters cheered, began lecturing Duncan about the harm his rulings have caused. It was only after a lengthy dressing-down that she reminded students of the importance of listening and letting guests speak. She told them they could leave if they didnt want to listen, and about half or more of the audience marched out. This should have been a teachable moment, but in the opposite way that Steinbach used it. (Shes now on leave.) Law school is supposed to be a place where students immerse themselves not only in the fine points of the law but also how to use their best rhetorical tools to win an argument. In court, heckling the other side or the judge would yield a swift contempt citation. Sometimes lawyers have to represent clients whom they personally regard as reprehensible. Those clients still deserve the best defense the lawyer can provide. Law school Dean Jenny Martinez apparently now recognizes how badly Steinbach missed the moment. Martinez apologized to Duncan and stated in a March 22 letter that although she agreed with the protesters sentiments, their behavior was incompatible with the training that must be delivered in a law school. Its also incompatible with the civil discourse thats required for this democracys survival. Hotels might charge extra for breakfast or amenities like bike rentals. Some force contentious resort fees upon travelers even if they dont use the amenities. But a fee to have your hotel room cleaned? Thats practically unheard of. But when it comes to vacation rentals booked through websites like Airbnb and Vrbo, cleaning fees are the norm. Those websites allow owners to decide whether to charge one and, if so, how much. A 2022 NerdWallet analysis looked at 1,000 U.S. Airbnb reservations with check-in dates in 2022 or 2023 and found that 84% of listings had cleaning fees. The median cleaning fee per listing for a one-night stay was $75. The practice of charging cleaning fees is controversial, even among Airbnb hosts. Some hosts say the fees cover the high cost of maintaining properties. Cleaning is between 25% and 30% of my fixed expenses each month, says Cameron Dunlap, who owns a vacation rental service called Aussie Man Rentals. We don't have a huge in-house laundry service to get laundry done quickly, and we don't have the storage to have multiple sets of linens and towels available. And Airbnb encourages us to pay cleaning crews a living wage. But other hosts say that cleaning fees lead to poor reviews and guest complaints. Some say that guests leave properties with cleaning fees in poor shape, adding that guests are more likely to treat properties without fees like their own home. If they pay a cleaning fee, they sometimes leave the place looking like its been lived in and uncleaned for months, says Dennis Shirshikov, an Airbnb host who owns a rental property in upstate New York. How do Americans prefer additional vacation rental fees? A recent NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll sought to understand how Americans feel about seeing additional fees at vacation rentals, such as cleaning fees, amenity fees, taxes and other surcharges. Of the Americans who intend to travel in 2023 and have ever looked at vacation rentals, 60% say they prefer to see one total price that includes all charges rather than a base price plus separate line items, like cleaning fees. Meanwhile, 31% of 2023 travelers who have looked at vacation rentals prefer to see fees like cleaning fees broken out from the nightly rate (9% say they werent sure how they prefer to see costs), according to the NerdWallet survey. Vacation rental websites are taking new approaches to cleaning fees In December 2022, Airbnb began rolling out a toggle option for travel bookers browsing the website, where they can opt to see the total listing price (aside from taxes) on Airbnbs map, filter and listing pages. NerdWallet reached out to Airbnb, and its press team would not share how many users have activated the toggle to display the final price. The changes dont eliminate cleaning fees, but it does allow travelers to fairly compare listings based on the total price. Once guests get to the booking page, theyre presented with a breakdown of line items. Also late last year, Airbnb adjusted its search algorithm to rank listings by best total price rather than nightly rate alone. This change removes previous incentives for hosts to promote low nightly rates but high cleaning fees to improve visibility in the platform. Similarly, Vrbo now lets customers choose to filter properties by nightly rate or by total price, the latter of which includes cleaning and service fees. Why do vacation rentals charge cleaning fees? If people dont like cleaning fees, then why charge them? Instead of advertising a vacation rental at $200 per night with a $50 cleaning fee, why not just list it as $250 per night, given that its the same cost to the buyer? The reasons vary depending on whom you ask. Making prices fairer for longer stays Cleaning fees are usually a one-time charge, and the cleaning costs are largely the same whether guests stay three nights or seven. Thus, a single cleaning fee could be a fairer representation of the actual cost versus charging higher overall nightly rates to guests who stay longer. In fact, NerdWallets 2022 study of Airbnb prices found that the nightly rate for a seven-night Airbnb stay averages 32% cheaper than the nightly rate for a one-night stay, largely due to the impact of cleaning fees. Airbnb does allow hosts to set lower cleaning fees for short stays of only one or two nights (instead of the fee charged for all other stays), though it doesnt account for trips of other durations. Attracting more customers Then theres drip pricing, where hosts advertise only part of a product's price and reveal other charges later throughout the buying process. With a lower base rate, a traveler might discover a listing they wouldnt otherwise consider, particularly as hosts compete with listings nearby and try to catch the attention of travelers who sort potential listings by price. Of course, those travelers end up owing more than they might have intended once they learn of the cleaning fee. And the practice of drip pricing might slow as travelers use features like total price display. Looking for more avenues to profit And then theres perhaps the most straightforward reason of them all. Some within the vacation rental industry suspect that hosts use cleaning fees as a mechanism to milk more profit. Some say the problem has grown more frequent at the dedicated vacation rentals run by property management companies, as opposed to the listings from individuals renting out a spare room in their own home as was the initial spirit of Airbnb. Julie McIlwain, who works as an independent contractor cleaning vacation rentals in Sonoma, California, said in an email to NerdWallet that the cleaners dont always see the full cleaning fee amount. If youre being charged a $200 cleaning fee, the cleaner may see $125 of that, she said. While not necessarily true of all operations, McIlwain said she pays for expenses, such as cleaning supplies and gas between properties, out of her own pocket. Allyson Ballou, who has worked cleaning rentals near Joshua Tree, California, for the past three years, says that there are some misaligned expectations on all sides about the costs of Airbnbs both from guests seeking cheap stays and property owners seeking to maximize profits. Owners want everything to run smoothly without their involvement, and travelers don't want to pay cleaning fees or they think they're too high, she says. But they still want impeccably clean rentals. Erin El Issa contributed to this report. Methodology This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of NerdWallet from Feb. 7-9, 2023, among 2,080 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, among whom 1,502 plan to vacation in 2023 and have looked at vacation rentals. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Lauren Nash at lnash@nerdwallet.com. Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: sfrench@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SAFmedia. by Austin Bay April 12, 2023 On Aug. 31, 2021, as the world witnessed via live television the Biden administration's Afghanistan debacle, Reuters published a partial transcript of a July 23, 2021, phone call between President Joe Biden and Afghan government then-president Ashraf Ghani. Before reading the quote, remember Biden held and still holds command authority over all branches of the U.S. government. He bears leadership responsibility, especially in defense and foreign affairs. UNDISPUTED FACTUAL STATEMENT BY BIDEN ACCORDING TO REUTERS: "...I need not tell you (Ghani) the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things aren't going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban. And there's a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture." Translation for Ghani and dominant media: Ignore reality; ignore my command responsibility; go with a flat-out lie that benefits me, Joe Biden. Translation for everyone else: The Wizard of Oz Ploy. Even though the curtain has fallen, ignore the nattering fool behind the curtain. In late July 2021 even Wiz Joe knew the situation in Afghanistan was a mess. By the third week of July 2021, it was clear the American withdrawal from Afghanistan was a history-damaging calamity in progress on Joe's watch. The Joint Chiefs of Staff warned him. Joe was, and is, on the hook for the disaster. Confident propagandists -- like the Wizard of Oz and Joe Biden -- love to play "Nothing to see here, move along" and variants that slickly ignore essential context or suppress key facts. Instead of punishing the Taliban and aiding the Afghan government in order to secure the evacuation of U.S. citizens and deserving Afghan nationals, Biden was concerned with his own political viability. In Joe's brain his own political viability took precedence over broader American security and the lives of American military and embassy personnel on the ground in Afghanistan. In honest future history -- and honest histories will be written about Biden's fiasco, because it was bloody, inept and has huge consequence -- the Reuters report will foreshadow the Biden administration's epitaph: Even though it's an outright falsehood, we must project a pro-Biden picture and babble a pro-Joe narrative because because because. Fact: Biden's advisers know dominant leftist media is a complicit ally in their falsehoods. Consequence of that fact: On April 6, the Biden administration confidently released a 12-page National Security Council open-source propaganda spiel concocted to erase the Afghanistan disaster as (1) an issue in the 2024 election and (2) a historical fact that damages Joe and his underlings. And Biden, like the Wizard of Oz, resists the Afghanistan disaster's disabling facts, because because because (to mimic the musical's song) they know the dominant media will let them get away with it. To be blunt, the Biden administration and its media allies wage perception warfare on the American people. Leftist media doesn't disable America's enemies. America's enemies use leftist media to disable America. On April 10, Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, told Fox News: "Since Afghanistan fell, we have projected weakness instead of strength." McCaul is right. The huge Afghanistan foreign policy failure convinced Vladimir Putin he could attack and absorb Ukraine into his new imperial Russian state. It also emboldened communist China. Biden's April 6 flimflam is an example of gaslighting as a crime against the American people and honest history. Gaslighting is generally defined as psychological manipulation forcing a target audience to question memories and perceptions of reality. Gaslighters deflect and divert. Biden's April 6 crock says, "President Biden's choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor." That damnation of Donald Trump is utter bull. From late January 2021 on Joe Biden had constitutional control of the Pentagon and the State Department. Biden was free to change policy and execute operations as he saw fit. Hence the critical diagnosis psychologists regard as the gaslighter's greatest moral and intellectual crime: denial of responsibility. Gaslighters refuse to take responsibility for their actions. They blame others for their failures. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and UAEs Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan discussed means of boosting Emirati investments in Egypt in various fields, especially energy, transportation, ports and tourism. El-Sisi received on Sunday Sheikh Abdullah with the attendance of Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, CEO of Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ Mohamed Hassan Al-Suwaidi and Emirati Ambassador to Cairo Maryam Al-Kaabi, Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement. El-Sisi and Sheikh Abdullah discussed enhancing bilateral relations at all levels, especially economic ties and investments. The president highlighted the special relations between Egypt and the UAE, which have extended for decades since the late UAE President Sheikh Zayed Al-Nahyan, hailing the Emiratis supportive stances toward Egypt during many historical milestones. The meeting comes a month after the UAEs government announced allocating an investment fund of $10 billion run by the state-owned ADQ for joint projects with Egypt and Jordan as part of a newly launched partnership industrial initiative. Egypt, UAE and Jordan launched a joint initiative of integrated industrial partnership for sustainable economic development in Abu Dhabi late last month to achieve sustainable economic development among the three countries. Strategic ties, regional issues The Emirati FM underscored his keenness to enhance strategic relations with Egypt in a way that achieves the two countries joint interests and enhances security and stability in the region. This comes in light of the Egyptian efforts to preserve security and peace in the region during the current critical period marked with growing challenges, the statement read. El-Sisi and Sheikh Abdullah discussed developments in regional situations and issues of mutual concern. In this regard, the Emirati FM praised Egypts pivotal role in the region as a main pillar of security and stability in the Arab world. He hailed Egypts role in enhancing solidarity among African countries and boosting joint Arab work. For his part, El-Sisi hailed the important role played by the UAE and the Emirati leadership in the face of challenges facing the Arab countries. Boosting investments Egypt and UAE have shared warm relations, including at the economic level, over the past decades, maintaining a consensus on regional issues. The UAE has been keen to boost investments in Egypt in various fields over the recent years. The volume of Emirati investments in Egypt amounts to $20 billion and is expected to rise to $35 billion within five years, Secretary-General of the UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC) Jamal Al-Jarwan said in a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Abu Dhabi late in May. Trade volume between Egypt and the UAE hit more than $3.6 billion in 2021, according to earlier data released by the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Emirati FMs visit to Egypt comes a day after Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani concluded a visit to Cairo, where he affirmed to El-Sisi his keenness to continue boosting Egyptian-Qatari cooperation in various fields by maximising investments in Egypt. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also made a two-day visit to Egypt last week as part of a regional tour that included Jordan and Turkey. During the visit, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed 14 investment agreements worth $7.7 billion in several fields, including petroleum, renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and cyber security. Saudi Arabia plans to make investments worth $30 billion in Egypt, according to a joint Saudi-Egyptian communique issued in light of the crown princes visit. Search Keywords: Short link: CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance Inc. (Dynamic Capital) recently funded a $5,000,000 term loan through the utilization of its own in-house financing for client Crude Master Transport Inc. (Crude Master), turning Crude Master into one of the largest fluid hauling operations in Western Canada. Late March 2023, Crude Master acquired all shares and assets of Excel Oil and Water Hauling Ltd. (Excel). Through leveraging Excel's assets as well as Crude Master's, Dynamic Capital was able to fund 100% of the financing in-house. This was made possible by significant equity in Crude Master's fleet. "We are a private, independent Canadian-based equipment finance company with a direct lending portfolio approaching $200M, and a total of $400M in assets under management. With the support of a diverse range of committed funding facilities, we are growing and supporting Canadian Entrepreneurs across Canada in a broad range of heavy industries. Our Direct, Vendor, TPO, Structured, and Fleet platforms provide Capex, M&A, Working Capital, and Debt Restructuring options for great companies like Crude Master daily," explains Dustin White, CEO of Dynamic Capital. Crude Master, based out of Lloydminster, AB since 2005, has built a fleet of over 90 trailers including Super B-Trains and Tridem trailers that carry and haul Heavy Crude Oil, Produced Water and Condensate. Given the difficulty of finding the equipment and people needed to grow Crude Master organically, Excel became a clear target to accomplish meaningful growth based on its reputable brand, key employees, and subcontractors, as well as its fleet of 45 trailers including Super B's and Tridem units. With the help of Dynamic Capital, Crude Master was able to seize the opportunity to grow its business. "We have trusted Dynamic Capital with our financing needs for about five years now. The speed, service, communication, and work ethic to get deals done is why we continue to partner with Dynamic. We are proud of our recent purchase of Excel Oil & Water Hauling Ltd. Since 2012, the team at Excel has grown an exceptionally strong business and together we look forward to serving our community and beyond. We are excited for the future," says Heath MacDonald, Owner of Crude Master. The combined entity that is Crude Master and Excel will now be amongst the largest fluid hauling operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan - the business will remain family-run as Crude Master continues to support the community of Lloydminster and surrounding areas. Dynamic Capital offers its sincerest congratulations to the Crude Master team. We're proud to have had the opportunity to help Crude Master continue to grow and know Crude Master will achieve nothing but success in the coming years. Dynamic Capital's ideas, advice and solutions are designed to help its clients achieve both their short- and long-term goals. If you are interested in exploring funding solutions for your business, your clients, or if you are wanting to join this exciting, growing company, visit www.dynamiccapital.ca. Contact Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance w. www.dynamiccapital.ca | e. [email protected] Contact Information Luke McKinlay Account Manager [email protected] 587.438.1497 SOURCE: Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance View source version on accesswire.com: NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Last week, Banco CNH Industrial and New Holland Agriculture presented the 31st Curitiba Festival , the largest theater festival in Latin America. The event involves more than 350 attractions, theatrical productions, musicals, debates, lectures, workshops and food-related activities. Across Curitiba, the capital city of Paran, Brazil, free presentations are also offered in public places to promote access to culture. The companies' support for the festival is linked to their alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goals include ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. "We believe that culture is directly linked to education and can change the lives of people of all ages. Supporting the Curitiba Theater Festival means bringing art to people's lives, fostering its production as well as aiding the democratization of culture across Brazil," said Heberson Jose de Goes, President of Banco CNH Industrial. For Eduardo Kerbauy, Vice President of New Holland Agriculture for Latin America, supporting the festival strengthens the brand's ties with the state and brings the countryside and the city closer together. "We have been present in Parana for almost 50 years. We want to reinforce our commitment to social responsibility. Without a doubt, culture is one of the most democratic ways to bring people together," he said. Food collection To reinforce their commitment to social responsibility, New Holland Agriculture and Banco CNH Industrial also held a food collection during the event. The proceeds will be forwarded to the Solidarity Union Project, which supports children undergoing cancer treatment. Gastronomix Gastronomix unites gastronomy and culture, bringing together renowned chefs and artists in a space where cuisine and art complement each other. During the event, the public could try dishes created by the chefs and experience various artistic creations. To promote access to culture for children and young people, the companies also supported the Guritiba Program and Cultural Caravan. Guritiba Program The program offered a series of theatrical shows, workshops and other activities aimed at fueling young participants' creativity, imagination and reflection. It supports education and the expansion of cultural access for public school students in Curitiba's Metropolitan Region. Cultural Caravan At the Cultural Caravan, there were performances of plays and visits from travelling cultural acts, who tour cities beyond Curitiba, such as Sao Paulo. Banco CNH Industrial and New Holland Agriculture support 31st Curitiba Festival View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CNH Industrial on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: CNH Industrial Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cnh-industrial Email: [email protected] SOURCE: CNH Industrial View source version on accesswire.com: LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Dr. John Kahen has recently announced the issuance of a U.S. patent (no. 10,456,422-B2) for his Smart PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy, a revolutionary solution for hair restoration surgery. This patented remedy involves healing the surgical wound from the transferred hair follicles, which should result in a high survival rate for the hair follicle graft. The SmartPRP therapy utilizes the body's own tissue to stimulate fresh follicles, promoting natural hair color and density while improving scarring for a more organic healing process. Dr. John Kahen Dr. Kahen is a world-renowned hair transplant specialist who has performed thousands of hair transplant procedures, including for many celebrities and international clients. His scientific approach is the new state-of-the-art technique for hair restoration. "I have been using SmartPRP exclusively during my hair transplant procedures for over a decade," states Dr. Kahen. "The infusion of platelet-rich plasma has increased the survival rate of the follicles and expedited the healing process, resulting in thicker, more voluminous, and stronger and healthier hair for my patients." Smart PRP therapy is a quick 30-minute procedure performed on-site at Dr. Kahen's practice facility in Beverly Hills, California, with no downtime for patients, allowing them to resume their regular activities immediately after treatment. About Dr. John Kahen Dr. Kahen is a world-renowned hair transplant specialist located in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Kahen entered private practice exclusively as a hair restoration surgeon in 2007, proudly retaining membership with the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. Dr. Kahen created SmartPRP to achieve impeccable hair restoration results. Dr. Kahen garnered massive respect from the plastic surgeon community, winning the "Aesthetic Award" for three consecutive years. Dr. Kahen's expertise in the science of hair restoration has made him the most sought-out hair restoration expert in the profession. For more information, visit www.beverlyhillshr.com or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. About Beverly Hills Hair Restoration (BHHR) Beverly Hills Hair Restoration (BHHR) is a world-class clinic committed to enlightening our patients' despair from hair loss, with groundbreaking surgical and non-surgical practices. Our clinic is the pioneer of PRP for hair restoration and one of the first in the world to rejuvenate follicles with that system. We have revolutionized Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) stem cell technologies such as SmartPRP, which has afforded our clients with unmatched hair loss solutions. For more information or appointments, visit www.beverlyhillshr.com, and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Contact Information Media Beverly Hills PR [email protected] SOURCE: Beverly Hills Hair Restoration View source version on accesswire.com: AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 11, 2023 / A Business Agreement was mutually signed by CIPHER CORE, Co., Ltd. a Japanese Corporation ("CC"), 100% a subsidiary of CIPHER-CORE, Inc. US publicly held company (OTC PINK:CFCI) and Prabhu Bank Ltd.(PBL) a Nepalese leading banking and financial service group located in Nepal which has a Class A Financial Institution license and regulated by the Central Bank of Nepal. Whereas CC will provide its Overseas Remittance Service in Japan using CC's software, "CIPHER REMIT" previously called "COMPASS" providing convenience, safety, quickness and drastically less expensive, enabling the customers to transfer their money through Smart-Phone without visiting the bank, wallet to wallet. Whereby Prabhu Bank Ltd. (Merged with Century Commercial Bank) will be designated as a receiving company or an intermediary delivery company to deliver the Transfer Amount to the beneficiaries in the Territory. It is said that as of today 100,000 Nepalese are working in Japan who are monthly transferring their earned money of 100,000 in average (about US$ 770 equivalent) to Nepal. Mr. Takstoshi Nakamura CEO/President of CIPHER-CORE, Inc. said that CC's ultimate goal is to have Central Bank of Nepal evaluate the value of CC'S software called "CIPHER CASH PLATFORM" for its Central Bank Digital Currency program. Invited to Katmandu, Nepal, Mr. T. Nakamura lectured to major officers and executives of Central Bank on software of "CIPHER CASH PLATFORM" how it works more appropriately to their CBDC project saying that the ledger systems currently used for the above two online settlement methods is not only time consuming but already reaching its limits to perform accurately the current batch & offset processing without error. We will provide correct and effective solutions to use "digital cash" without using the ledger system in various financial fields using "complete cipher" that protects even Quantum computer attacks. Mr. Nakamura's lecture was highly accepted and was invited to join the Work Shop. Investor Relations: Claire Singleton Tel: 801-580-9928 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.cipher-core.com/en SOURCE: CIPHER-CORE, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: Coeur d'Alene Bancorp (OTC Pink:CDAB), the parent company of bankcda, is pleased to announce its results for the first quarter 2023. COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Coeur d'Alene Bancorp, today reported net income of $405,285 or $0.21 per share for first quarter 2023, compared to $231,255 or $0.12 per share for the first quarter 2022. All results are unaudited. As of March 31, 2023, total consolidated assets were $238.5 million, a decrease of $13.86 million or 5.5% compared to March 31, 2022. The decrease in total assets was the result of declining cash balances related to declining deposits, and increased investment purchases and loan demand. Gross loans ended the period at $107.3 million compared to $86.3 million as of March 31, 2022, an increase of $20.98 million or 24.3%. Investments ended the period at $111.4 million compared to $98.5 million as of March 31, 2022. Total deposits were $214.7 million as of March 31, 2023, compared to $228.1 million at March 31, 2022, a 5.9% decrease. "Given recent changes in economic and banking conditions and overall economic uncertainty, we implemented several strategies this quarter to better position the bank for a broader range of economic scenarios. We continue to be in a good position from a liquidity standpoint. The duration of our investment portfolio remains short, providing consistent monthly cashflow, with $8.8 million expected in the next two quarters. The recent bank failures had minimal impact to our deposit base and day-to-day operations. We were active in the investment market during the quarter to strengthen our liquidity position and increase the yield within our portfolio, which had a negative effect on earnings. Our balance sheet remains well positioned to take advantage of today's higher rate environment with strong cashflow that should allow us to increase our net interest margin over the next several quarters." Said Wes Veach, President, and Chief Executive Officer. Financial Highlights: Diluted earnings per share were $0.21 for three months ended 2023 versus $0.12 per share for three months ended 2022. Net book value per share ended the quarter at $9.94 compared to $9.91 from one year ago. Annualized return on average asset (ROAA) was 0.67% and annualized return on average equity (ROAE) was 9.09% for three months ended 2023 compared to 0.37% and 4.54% for three months ended 2022, respectively. Total assets ended the period at $238.5 million compared to $252.4 million as of March 31, 2022, a decrease of 5.5%. Totals assets decreased $6.0 million, or 2.5%, during the first quarter of 2023. Gross loans were $107.3 million at quarter end, versus $86.3 million on March 31, 2022. Total deposits were $214.7 million, compared to $228.1 million as of March 31, 2022, a decrease of 5.9%. Deposits decreased $7.9 million representing a 3.5% decline for the first quarter. For the 3 months ended March 31, 2023, net interest margin was 3.54% compared to 2.23% for 3 months ended March 31, 2022. Asset quality remains strong with nonperforming assets to Tier 1 capital of 0.08% as of March 31, 2023. Continue to be FIVE Star-rated from Bauer Financial, which is their highest rating. We continue to far exceed the minimum community bank leverage ratio. Coeur d'Alene Bancorp, parent company of bankcda, is headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with branches in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, and Kellogg. For more information, visit www.bankcda.bank or contact Wes Veach at 208-415-5006. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains, among other things, certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words "may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "projects," "outlook" or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current belief and expectations of the Coeur d'Alene Bancorp's management team and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond Coeur d'Alene Bancorp's control). Although Coeur d'Alene Bancorp believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, Coeur d'Alene Bancorp can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by Coeur d'Alene Bancorp or any other person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by Coeur d'Alene Bancorp will be achieved. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Coeur d'Alene Bancorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Coeur d'Alene Bancorp does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made, except as required by law. Balance Sheet Overview (Unaudited) Mar 31, 2023 Mar 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2022 Assets: Cash and due from banks $ 11,630,434 $ 59,476,200 $ 18,371,277 Securities available for sale, at fair value 111,440,827 98,494,866 110,519,021 Net loans 105,281,362 84,534,247 105,345,227 Other assets 10,157,167 9,859,765 10,260,762 Total assets $ 238,509,790 $ 252,365,078 $ 244,496,287 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity: Total deposits $ 214,730,653 $ 228,096,801 $ 222,596,015 Borrowings - 220,140 - Capital lease liability 455,017 473,802 420,493 Other liabilities 4,524,832 4,869,989 4,096,477 Shareholders' Equity 18,799,288 18,704,346 17,383,302 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 238,509,790 $ 252,365,078 $ 244,496,287 Ratios: Return on average assets 0.67 % 0.37 % 0.85 % Return on average equity 9.09 % 4.54 % 11.97 % Community bank leverage ratio (1) 11.34 % 10.05 % 10.48 % Community bank leverage ratio 9.57 % 8.44 % 9.06 % Net interest margin (YTD) (1) 3.54 % 2.23 % 2.79 % Net interest margin without PPP (YTD) (1) N/A 2.23 % 2.79 % Efficiency ratio (YTD) (1) 60.09 % 76.80 % 61.90 % Nonperforming assets to tier 1 capital (1) 0.07 % 0.63 % 0.27 % Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.01 % 0.06 % 0.03 % Nonperforming assets to tier 1 capital 0.08 % 0.75 % 0.31 % (1) Denotes bank-only ratios Income Statement Overview (Unaudited) For the three months ended Mar 31, 2023 Mar 31, 2022 Interest income $ 2,288,793 $ 1,398,475 Interest expense 257,998 115,993 Net interest income 2,030,795 1,282,482 Loan loss provision 45,000 - Noninterest income 212,982 231,964 Salaries and employee benefits 771,428 654,616 Occupancy expense 157,433 156,064 Loss on sale 253,295 - Other noninterest expense 467,822 407,865 Income before income taxes 548,800 295,901 Income tax expense 143,515 64,646 Net income $ 405,285 $ 231,255 SOURCE: Coeur D Alene Bancorp View source version on accesswire.com: NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. (TSX-V:OKAI) ("EvokAI" or the "Company") (formerly known as Sebastiani Ventures Corp., TSX-V: SBS.H), is pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced acquisition (the "Acquisition") by Sebastiani Ventures Corp. ("Sebastiani") of all of the issued and outstanding shares of EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. ("EvokAI Privco"), which constitutes a reverse takeover transaction under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Acquisition was completed pursuant to the terms and conditions of the business combination agreement dated September 22, 2022, as amended March 23, 2023, among Sebastiani, its wholly owned subsidiary, Sebastiani Mergerco Inc. ("Subco"), and EvokAI Privco (the "Merger Agreement"). In connection with the Acquisition, Sebastiani changed its name to EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. and completed a consolidation of its common shares on a 2.6628503-for-1 basis (the "Consolidation") such that it had 8,414,268 common shares ("Post-Consolidation Sebastiani Shares") issued immediately prior to closing of the Acquisition. As part of the three-cornered merger pursuant to the Merger Agreement, EvokAI Privco merged with Subco pursuant to the laws of the British Virgin Islands, with the merged company continuing as a wholly-owned subsidiary of EvokAI, and holders of all EvokAI Privco shares were issued an aggregate of 51,500,000 Post-Consolidation Sebastiani Shares at a deemed price of $0.75 per share as consideration in exchange for 100% of the EvokAI Privco shares outstanding immediately prior to closing of the Acquisition. Effective at the opening of the market on April 14, 2023, the common shares in the capital of EvokAI, as the resulting issuer, (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") will commence trading on the Exchange under the symbol "OKAI". The new CUSIP number for the Resulting Issuer Shares is 30053J101 and the new ISIN is CA30053J1012. For further information on the Acquisition, please see the Company's Filing Statement dated March 27, 2023, which was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Exchange and filed under EvokAI's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Financing In addition, immediately prior to completion of the Acquisition, on satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions, the aggregate of 6,666,667 subscription receipts of EvokAI Privco (the "Subscription Receipts") issued pursuant to the previously announced private placement financing for aggregate gross proceeds of $5,000,000 (the "Financing"), were automatically exchanged for units of EvokAI Privco, which were immediately converted into an aggregate of 6,666,667 units of EvokAI (each, a "Resulting Issuer Unit") for no additional consideration. Each Resulting Issuer Unit consists of one Resulting Issuer Share and one-half of one Resulting Issuer Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Resulting Issuer Financing Warrant"). Each Resulting Issuer Financing Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Resulting Issuer Share at a price of $1.25 per Resulting Issuer Share until April 11, 2025. All securities issued by the Company in connection with the Financing are free trading. The proceeds of the Financing will be used to fund the Company's development costs, potential acquisitions, and for general working capital purposes. Description of EvokAI EvokAI is a medtech artificial-intelligence-powered company headquartered in Allschwil, Switzerland. EvokAI is dedicated to the development of transformational and innovative technologies for the modern health care sector. It deploys machine learning models to search medical data and uncover insights to help improve health outcomes, patient experiences, drug development, preclinical and clinical decisions, and provide more accurate diagnoses. EvokAI tailors its AI algorithms across the whole health care system, from hospitals, private clinics, research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations to medical professionals, patients, healthy individuals aiming at preventing and early detecting any kind of disease and beyond, protecting the aging genome. Board of Directors and Management Changes In connection with the completion of the Acquisition, the Company's Board of Directors and management team has been reconstituted to include four directors and management comprised of the following individuals: Alejandro Antalich - Director and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Ackerman - Director, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, Peter Dickie - Director, and Rick Cox - Director. Share Capital The current share capital of the Company consists of: 66,580,953 Resulting Issuer Shares issued and outstanding, including an aggregate of 48,858,114 Resulting Issuer Shares which are subject to escrow and will be released over 36 months from closing of the Acquisition; 3,575,000 options with an exercise price of $1.00, expiring five years from closing of the Acquisition, which were granted on closing of the Acquisition to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company (the "Resulting Issuer Options"); 425,000 restricted share units of the Resulting Issuer which were granted on closing of the Acquisition to certain directors, officers and a consultant of the Company; and 4,585,124 Resulting Issuer Share purchase warrants consisting of (a) 1,251,791 with an exercise price of $0.266 per share, expiring June 1, 2023, of which 500,716 are subject to escrow, and (b) 3,333,333 with an exercise price of $1.25, expiring April 11, 2025. Early Warning Disclosure As a result of the Acquisition, Union Group Ventures Limited ("Union"), a private company indirectly controlled by Juan Sartori, has ownership and control over 34,541,775 Resulting Issuer Shares, representing 51.9% of the issued and outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares (or 35,358,441 Resulting Issuer Shares and 52.5% of the Company's then outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares on a partially diluted basis, assuming exercise of Union's Resulting Issuer Financing Warrants and Resulting Issuer Options). Arvesa Corp. ("Arvesa"), a private company also indirectly controlled by Juan Sartori, owns 5,995,780 (9.0%) Resulting Issuer Shares. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company after reasonable inquiry, does Union or Arvesa have knowledge of any material information concerning the Company or its securities which has not been generally disclosed. The Company has been advised that the securities were acquired by Union and Arvesa for investment purposes and Union and Arvesa have no present intention to acquire further securities of the Company, although Union and Arvesa may, in the future, acquire or dispose of securities of the Company through the market or otherwise, as circumstances or market conditions warrant. To obtain a copy of the early warning report filed under applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation, please go to the Company's profile on SEDAR. For more information, please contact Alejandro Antalich, a director and CEO of the Company, at +358 50 5512 848 or email: [email protected]. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. Alejandro Antalich, CEO EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. Phone: +358 50 5512 848 Email: [email protected] 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. Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning EvokAI's plans, intentions, and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forwardlooking statements". Forward-looking statements include, among other matters, the Company's proposed use of proceeds from the Financing. Forwardlooking statements may be, but are not always, identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forwardlooking statements, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties (including geopolitical risk, regulatory and exchange rate risk) that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forwardlooking statements. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate or that management's assumptions underlying such statements, including assumptions concerning the Company or future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this new release and the Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE: EvokAI Creative Labs Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: KENILWORTH, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Diversified, a leading global technology solutions provider, announces Jared Timmins has joined its Media Solutions business as Vice President of Innovation. As a highly regarded media technology executive and strategist known for his ability to drive disruptive innovation in the industry, Timmins will focus on consulting clients on the latest advances in technology and advising them on how to stay ahead of market demands. Jared Timmins Industry Veteran Jared Timmins Joins Diversified as Vice President of Innovation for Media Solutions "Jared has already made a positive impact advising our clients on how to connect their audiences to the content and experiences they seek," said Eric Hutto, CEO of Diversified. "He is one of industry's most forward-thinking leaders, and I am confident he will drive significant outcomes for our clients." Timmins was the first hire of Mathew "Mat" Newfield, who recently joined Diversified as President of its Media Solutions business unit, the largest design-build integrator of on-premises media-centric technologies in North America. Newfield has more than 20 years of leadership experience at several technology companies and deep expertise in security and cloud solutions that complements Diversified's media and broadcast expertise. "Mat's tech background is a true asset for Diversified's media and broadcast clients," said Hutto. "His leadership will help them connect with their audiences in meaningful ways using secure, cloud-centric solutions." Newfield's leadership team includes Brad Baldwin, Vice President, Media Operations; Jason Kornweiss, Vice President, Media Strategic Solutions; and Steve Stubelt, Vice President, Media Sales. Together, the leadership team will ensure Diversified's comprehensive suite of solutions are engineered to help clients build connections that make a difference - whether by inspiring viewers, motivating audiences, or streamlining and safeguarding operations. Diversified leaders will attend the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas, April 15-19. Please reach out to Carrie Lake to speak with them onsite about the latest industry trends. About Diversified At Diversified, we leverage the best in technology and on-going advisory services to transform businesses. Our comprehensive suite of solutions are engineered to help clients build connections that make a difference - whether by inspiring viewers, engaging associates, motivating audiences, or streamlining and safeguarding operations. We connect people, technology and experiences, where and when it matters most. Our solutions reach millions every day. Founded in 1993, we're a global organization serving local needs with 2,000+ employees worldwide. Learn more at onediversified.com. About Tailwind Capital Tailwind Capital is a private equity firm with a sector-focused approach to investing in U.S. lower middle market services companies within Infrastructure Services, Supply Chain and IT Services. Tailwind's value creation model is centered on its Buy and Build investment strategy, which seeks to scale lower middle market businesses through accretive acquisitions and operational investments, including foundational resourcing, professionalizing operations, implementing technology capabilities and investing in talent. Since inception, Tailwind has invested $4 billion in over 250 acquisitions, including 51 platform companies and over 200 add-on acquisitions. For more information, please visit www.tailwind.com. Contact Information Carrie Lake Communications Consultant [email protected] 7036247300 SOURCE: Diversified View source version on accesswire.com: Not for distribution to United States news wire services or for dissemination in the United States VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Lucky Minerals Inc.(TSXV:LKY)(FRA:LKY) ("Lucky" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a consulting agreement (the "Agreement") dated March 21, 2023 with Intuitive Pty Ltd.("Intuitive"), pursuant to which Intuitive will assist the Company's management with its strategy for introducing and finalizing new strategic and investment opportunities and assist in creating awareness and lead international investor relations for the Company. Intuitive will also assist with marketing/networking initiatives. As consideration for the investor relations services to be provided by Intuitive, the Company has agreed to pay to Intuitive a fee of CAD$4,150 per month, plus reimbursement of all reasonable expenses and pre-approved expenses over $500. In addition, pursuant to the Agreement, the Company shall also pay, subject to TSXV Venture Exchange ("TSXV") acceptance, a fee (the "Financing Fee") of up to 7.0% of the proceeds raised from investors introduced to the Company by Intuitive payable, at the election of the Company, in cash or shares of the Company or combination thereof, to Intuitive and in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. In addition, pursuant to the Agreement, the Company shall also pay, subject to TSXV acceptance, a fee (the "M&A Fee") of up to 7.0% of the proceeds raised from a cornerstone investor introduced to the Company by the Intuitive and/or help facilitate a merger or takeover transaction acceptable to the Company payable, at the election of the Company, in cash or shares of the Company or a combination thereof, to Intuitive and in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. The Agreement is for a 12 month term, commencing on receipt of TSXV approval of the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Agreement can be terminated by either party upon giving 30 days advance notice to the other party. Intuitive, of Victoria, Australia, is a full service investor relations firm representing small, medium and large cap public companies. Mr. Peter Nesveda, Managing Director of Intuitive, will be providing the services to the Company. Peter Nesveda brings over 30 years plus of international investor relations and corporate affairs experience having worked with over 120 public and private companies in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore, Canada and the USA. Intuitive has advised that neither Intuitive nor Mr. Nesveda presently have any interest, direct or indirect, in Lucky Minerals Inc. or its securities. The Agreement is subject to TSXV approval. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Franois Perron" Chief Executive Officer About Lucky Lucky is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world class deposits. Lucky owns a 100% interest in the Fortuna Property. The Company's Fortuna Project is comprised of twelve contiguous, 550 km2 (55,000 Hectares, or 136,000 Acres) exploration concessions. Fortuna is located in a highly prospective, yet underexplored, gold belt in southern Ecuador. Further information on Lucky can be found on the Company's website at www.luckyminerals.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting Francois Perron, President and CEO, by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (866) 924 6484. Or by contacting: Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Kerry Schacter: [email protected] Tel: (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989 www.renmarkfinancial.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 Statement Regarding Adjacent Properties and Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related to exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labor relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations also include risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will not update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements unless required by Canadian securities law. SOURCE: Lucky Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: Over 475 brands with over 245+ new to show, daily live music and special guest Jessie James Decker will share her steps to launching a successful business in a panel discussion with Rachel McCord. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / MAGIC Nashville is returning to the Music City for its second annual wholesale fashion event April 26-27. The April edition of MAGIC Nashville will take place at the Music City Center for two full days of fashion, music and immersive activations. MAGIC Nashville showcases a curated assortment of brands and products from top selling categories including women's sportswear, young contemporary and trend apparel, footwear and accessories brands. Delivering the experience MAGIC is known for with a Nashville twist with new and influential retailers from boutique and specialty stores to big box, online and key regional retailers can explore the latest trends, discover differential product offerings to meet demand for incremental revenue and connect with the MAGIC community of established and emerging brands. MAGIC Nashville will host daily panel sessions at the MAGIC Social House, where experts will speak on current topics facing the fashion industry including the "2023 Trend Presentation" hosted by Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets Fashion, Jordan Rudow, Vice President of MAGIC and Rachel McCord, Founder of the McCord List. Country music star, author, and fashion innovator Jessie James Decker and Rachel McCord will host a panel in which Jessie James Decker shares her thoughts on launching a business on April 26th at 1:00 P.M.* "Nashville and MAGIC are both known for their vibrant energy, and we aim to capture the opportunity the unique southern market has to offer with a mid-season meeting point to do business. MAGIC Nashville has doubled in size in just one year and we anticipate the momentum to continue." Says Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets Fashion "The show is growing, and so is the expanding list of top-tier international and domestic retailers." Twice the footprint of its inaugural show, MAGIC Nashville is expecting over 200 new to show brands and a 91% increase in women owned collections expected on the show floor in the apparel, footwear, accessories, home, gift and beauty categories. Mink Pink, Driftwood, Z Supply, Bobi, Barefoot Dreams, Dolma, LiverpoolJeans, Hobo, Steve Madden, Frye, Gigi Pip, Dolce Vita and Poppy & Pout will all be on-site along with international representation from Rolla's of Australia, Spanner from Canada, Vero Moda of Denmark, Dantelle from Trkiye and Stivali from Columbia. Top retailers registered include VICI, Apricot Lane, Dillard's, Altar'd State, Free People, Zappos, Hemline, Fashion Nova and Lulus as well as international retailers from INA International, Island Activewear, Silver Icing, Amazon Mexico and Editorial Boutique. "Over 430 brands are coming to MAGIC Nashville, which fills the need for the regional event where noteworthy retailers can find designers offering immediates for key holiday season demand." says Jordan Rudow, Vice President of MAGIC. "The brand list offers everything Nashville is known for: charm, bright colors, boho feels, embellishment, all the high notes and international designers that capture this essence. Chic and trendy on-site experiences are going to keep our MAGIC community IMMERSED in the Nashville fashion scene and you are going to have so much fun while shopping the floor." On-site activations will keep the MAGIC vibe going strong, in classic southern hospitality style, as attendees can take in the live music daily from local Nashville talent and gain access to the activation lounge where guests can get customized necklaces by Kinsey Designs, permanent jewelry by BRACHA and hair and makeup touch ups by Agency of Beauty. The opening night party sponsored by Fate on April 26th will be held at The Stage on Broadway from 6-10 pm with live music. Guests must present show badge for entry. Register today at www.magicfashionevents.com. * The appearance of Jessie James Decker made through UTA Speakers, New York, NY" About MAGIC: MAGIC is a high-energy fashion experience and home to the industry's largest selection of trend-driven and young contemporary apparel, footwear, and accessories. Fusing scale with curation to drive commerce, creativity, and connections, MAGICjoins a global audience of retail buyers - from big-box to boutique - with influencers, media, and industry thought leaders. More than just events, MAGIC is a deeply rooted community, and a place brands and retailers call home. For more information, please visit: www.magicfashionevents.com. About Informa Markets: Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Engineering, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world's leading exhibitions organizer, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, visit www.informamarkets.com. Contacts: Kristin Borland Informa Markets Fashion [email protected] SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - FASHION View source version on accesswire.com: KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Tryp Therapeutics Inc. ("Tryp" or the "Company") (CSE:TRYP), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing intravenous-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) for diseases with high unmet medical needs,is pleased to announce a private placement (the "Private Placement") for a minimum aggregate principal amount of AUD$2.0 million, with the ability to accept oversubscriptions of AUD$1.0m, of secured convertible debentures (the "Debentures"). In connection with the Private Placement, the Company has entered into an engagement agreement (the "Engagement Agreement") with Westar Capital Limited ("Westar"), to act as lead manager for the placement and to provide ongoing services related to capital markets activities. The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to advance Tryp's research and development programs and for general working capital purposes. Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or about April 19, 2023 and is subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Debentures will be denominated in Australian Dollars, will have a term of 18 months (the "Maturity Date"), and will be interest free during the initial 8 months following the date of issuance. During the period between the date that is 8 months from the date of issuance and 18 months from the date of issuance, the Debentures shall pay interest of 20% per annum. The Debentures shall automatically convert, as to principal and accrued interest, into common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the earlier of: (i) the Maturity Date, or (ii) the time the Company is completing a liquidity event. The price at which the Debentures (including any accrued but unpaid interest thereon) shall be converted into Common Shares (the "Conversion Price") will vary depending on various scenarios as set out in the debenture and at a conversion price fixed in accordance with CSE policies. The Debentures are secured by a general security interest over substantially all of the present and after-acquired personal property of the Company. The Debentures and the underlying Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation. In accordance with the terms of the Engagement Agreement, Westar is entitled to a cash fee of up to 6% of proceeds raised under the Private Placement and will be issued warrants (the "Broker Warrants") equal to 10.05% of the Company's total undiluted issued and outstanding shares on closing of the Private Placement. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price equal to the greater of: (i) the closing market price of the Common Shares on the date of issuance and (ii) the price implied by an AUD$15 million equity valuation on an undiluted basis, for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The Company shall retain the ability to cancel up to 60% of the Broker Warrants in certain circumstances. It is currently expected that a director of the Company will participate in the Private Placement, acquiring Debentures on the same basis as other subscribers. In addition, this same director is entitled to receive certain fees from Westar in connection with the Private Placement and the transactions contemplated in the Engagement Agreement. Consequently, the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions in MI 61-101 from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements. The Company relied on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement. 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 Tryp Therapeutics: Tryp Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing proprietary, novel formulations for the administration of psilocin in combination with psychotherapy to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Tryp's lead program, TRP-8803, is a proprietary formulation of IV-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) that alleviates numerous shortcomings of oral psilocybin including: significantly reducing the time to onset of the psychedelic state, controlling the depth and duration of the psychedelic experience, and reducing the overall duration of the intervention to a commercially feasible timeframe. The Company has initiated a Phase 2a clinical trial for the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder at the University of Florida, where an interim analysis showed an average reduction in binge eating episodes of greater than 80%. The Company is also planning for Phase 2a clinical trials with the University of Michigan for the treatment of fibromyalgia and with Mass General Hospital for the treatment of abdominal pain related to irritable bowel syndrome. Each of the studies are utilizing TRP-8802 (synthetic, oral psilocybin) to demonstrate efficacy in these indications. Where a preliminary clinical benefit is demonstrated, subsequent studies are expected to utilize TRP-8803 (IV-infused psilocin), which has the potential to further improve efficacy, safety and patient experience. For more information, please visit www.tryptherapeutics.com. Investor & Media Contact Peter Molloy Chief Business Officer Tryp Therapeutics [email protected] Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release, including statements relating to the anticipated closing date of the Private Placement, constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Tryp as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Tryp's final prospectus available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Tryp; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and Tryp expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. SOURCE: Tryp Therapeutics View source version on accesswire.com: The special relations between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates represent an important basis for preserving Arab security and interests in the region, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said in a meeting with Emirati Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid on Monday. The meeting came on the sidelines of the World Government Summit (WGS) 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi which starts today. During the meeting, El-Sisi expressed appreciation for the Emirati invitation to Egypt to take part as a guest country in the summit. He added that Egypts partaking in the summit through a high-level delegation reflects the special relations between the two countries, El-Sisi added. El-Sisi said the WGS contributes to generating creative ideas that represent an inspiring way to face the various regional challenges. The Egyptian president affirmed his appreciation of the strong, deep and brotherly relations and historical ties binding the two countries and their peoples at all levels. This reflects positively on the intensive mutual coordination between the two sides on priority issues to achieve their joint interests and goals. For his part, Mohammed bin Rashid hailed Egypts pioneering role in defending Arab causes as well as the Egyptian political leaderships wise positions at the domestic and international levels. Mohammed bin Rashid also underscored the special status of Egypt and Egyptians in the hearts of the Emirati people. This years WGS is being held under the theme Shaping Future Governments with the participation of 20 presidents as well as more than 250 ministers, and 10,000 businessmen, government officials, global experts and thought leaders from around the world, according to the Emirati news agency WAM. On the sidelines of the summit on Monday, El-Sisi participated in a roundtable with a number of officials and major companies specialised in several fields, including technology applications, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and sustainable resource management. El-Sisi also met today with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva. The Egyptian president arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday where he was received by his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the airport. Search Keywords: Short link: Company Confirms Presence of Higher-Grade Lithium in Shallow Soils Throughout Second Hole; Identifies Significantly Thicker Zone of Higher-Porosity Sand-Conglomerate Zone at Basin Bottom Overlain by Massive Interval of Evaporites VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Usha Resources Ltd. ("USHA" or the "Company") (TSXV:USHA)(OTCQB: USHAF)(FSE:JO0), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of drill-ready lithium and other battery and precious metal projects, is pleased to provide an update on its on-going drill program at the Jackpot Lake Lithium Brine Property ("Project"). Highlights: Lithium is present in drill hole JP22-02 at a grade of up to 820 ppm, with an average of 334 ppm Li in thirty samples collected from shallow surface soils ( Similar stratigraphy has been encountered in JP22-02 as that in drill hole JP22-01, suggesting that the favourable stratigraphy identified in drilling is present throughout the basin as the two holes are 2.75 km apart. Identifying these similarities, especially in the basal conglomerates and evaporites, is a key finding that continues to support that Dry Lake, within which Jackpot is hosted, is a similar geologic setting to that of Clayton Valley. Significant evaporitic crystallization, indicative of a brine-forming environment, is present throughout JP22-02 with a notable interval of 146 feet of massive evaporites identified from a depth of 1,346 to 1,504 feet in addition to the interbedding, veining and inclusions found throughout the sediments above. Their presence supports that the Dry Lake Basin is a brine forming environment as crystallization of evaporites would not occur in a freshwater system. A large zone of higher-porosity sand and conglomerate has been identified at the bottom of JP2202, with at least 273 feet of a potentially pumpable aquifer present into which fluids from the zones above should drain. Per the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed by Pure Energy Minerals for their Clayton Valley project, their sand and conglomerate zone was identified to contain a large volume of brine with superior grades[ii], and so the Company is making the identification of this zone throughout the basin a priority for its drill program. Assay Results Drill hole JP22-02 has been completed to a depth of 1,801 ft (core length). The Company is pleased to report that this drill hole has returned the highest grades of lithium encountered in drilling and reported historically to date on the Property, with shallow soils within the upper 500 feet averaging 334 ppm Li, almost twice the historical reported average of 175 ppm, and a high of 820 ppm, almost four times the historical average and 50% higher than the historical reported high of 550 ppm. The core assay results from JP22-02 demonstrates the potential for Jackpot Lake to host higher-grade intervals at deeper depths within the basin and confirms that lithium-rich sediments are present in the upper portion of the basin which could theoretically concentrate and enrich a brine at depths over time. "These drill results continue to demonstrate and validate the immense potential we saw when we first reviewed Jackpot Lake." said Deepak Varshney, CEO of Usha Resources. Mr. Varshney continued: "We have always looked to Clayton Valley as a reference for our own geological model and the leaching of enriched lithium clays within a basin is one of the primary mechanisms by which lithium is believed to have been introduced into the brine at Albemarle's Silver Peak operation. Our reported historical average of 175 ppm Li in the surficial soils illustrated the potential of our project as it was very comparable to the reported average of 100 ppm for the Esmeralda Formation, one of the potential sources of the lithium enrichment in Clayton Valley. These higher grades further confirm our belief that there is a strong potential source for brine enrichment across the entire Jackpot Lake basin as well." Geological Summary The Company is also pleased to announce that it has also encountered very favourable stratigraphy in the second hole, with evaporitic crystallization, indicative of a brine-forming environment, present throughout the core similar to the first hole as interbedding, veining and inclusions but also as a thick layer of massive evaporites from 1,346 to 1,504 feet. Furthermore, the second hole has a thicker zone of the higher-porosity clayey sand, sand and conglomerate, with at least 273 feet of this zone present in an interval that begins at 1,528 feet that extends to the bottom of the hole at 1,801 feet. The conglomerate encountered at 1,696 feet and below grades from smaller to larger clast sized at depth and is supported with a sandy matrix, creating a thick basal conglomerate sequence. The identification of a larger sand-conglomerate zone within the second hole is a key finding as it demonstrates that this zone, which should contain the greatest porosity within the basin aquifer, is present in both drilled locations at sufficiently large intervals to serve as a potentially viable pumping zone for a large operation and is further evidence the basal conglomerate will persist across the entire basin floor. Per the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed by Pure Energy Minerals for their Clayton Valley project, their sand and conglomerate zone was identified to contain a large volume of brine with superior grades, and so the Company is making the identification of this zone throughout the basin a priority for its drill program. "The core from the second hole was a significant part of our decision to exercise our 100% option at Jackpot Lake prior to receiving assays." said Deepak Varshney, CEO of Usha Resources. "The drilling to date has provided strong support that the Jackpot Lake system is in a similar geologic setting to that of Clayton Valley. Almost 150 feet of evaporites overlying several hundred feet of higher-porosity sand and conglomerate shows that this area not only has the right conditions for the formation of enriched brines, but that we also have a significant zone into which these fluids could drain and be pumped from. We are very much looking forward to completing this hole and proceeding with sampling as we work towards what we believe will be the next American lithium discovery." Drilling and Sampling Update The Company also announces that, after reviewing the findings of the drill program to-date and discussion with the drill contractors, the Company has elected to use a larger, more powerful rig to install a deeper exploration well, instead of completing a shallower well installation at the current depth of 1,801 feet. Usage of this new rig will allow for drilling to continue to a depth of 2,000 feet, thereby expanding on the 273-foot interval of sand and conglomerate already identified in JP22-02 where the Company believes the best potential brines may be present. Furthermore, the Company is also pleased to announce that, as a gesture of goodwill, the drill contractors, Harris Exploration Ltd., an Earth Drilling Co. Ltd. Company, has confirmed that they will also advance JP22-01 to a depth of 2,000 feet using the larger rig at no cost to the Company, thereby potentially greatly expanding on the 99-foot higher-porosity sand and conglomerate zone already identified in JP22-01. Based on the conceptual basin model, JP22-1 is approximately 200 feet closer to the eastern basin edge than JP22-2, which should result in a thicker basal conglomerate than JP22-2, so there should be another 170 feet of basal conglomerate at JP22-1 (JP22-1 was terminated at 1,728 feet). Because bedrock has not been encountered in JP22-2, 170 feet of additional basal conglomerate in JP22-1 may be a conservative estimate and this zone may extend beyond the maximum drilling depth of 2,000 feet. The rig is anticipated to arrive within the next two weeks and the Company anticipates that both holes will be completed to 2,000 feet and sampled within the first half of May. Finally, the Company also wishes to advise that it has not yet received further assay results from the first hole and that samples submitted to the analytical laboratory are still undergoing analysis. Figure 1 - Core taken from 1734 to 1744 feet in JP22-2. Reaching this sand-conglomerate zone was a high priority for the program as it should contain the greatest porosity within the basin aquifer and serve as a pumpable zone into which the fluids above can drain. Per the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed by Pure Energy Minerals for their Clayton Valley project, a sand-conglomerate zone was identified in their project to contain a large volume of brine with superior grades of lithium. Figure 2 - Conceptual basin model illustrating the theoretical location of boreholes JP22-01 and JP22-02 with respect to the deposition anticipated in a geologic setting as that of Clayton Valley. The stratigraphic column on the left, taken from Pure Energy's PEA, shows the stratigraphy of borehole CV-8, located in a similar position within the Clayton Valley basin. The general stratigraphy of CV-8 consisted of lacustrine sediments (clays, silts) overlaying a zone of sand and conglomerate where superior grades of lithium were identified which is similar to the stratigraphy observed in JP22-01 and JP 22-02. Figure adapted from Coffey et al. 2021[iii]. Jackpot Lake Lithium Brine Property USHA's Jackpot Lake Lithium Brine Project is located within Clark County, 35 kilometres northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and is comprised of 442 optioned and staked mineral claims that total 8,714 acres (approximately 35.3 km2). The Project's geologic setting is similar to that of Albemarle's Silver Peak Nevada Lithium Mine, the only producing lithium mine in North America, which has operated continuously since 1966, where sediments from lithiumrich surrounding source rocks accumulate and fill the deposit leading to a potential concentration of lithium brine due to successive evaporation and concentration events. Considering the elevated lithium concentrations identified in historic soil samples, such events could theoretically concentrate lithium as rainwater passes through these materials, developing enriched brines at depths. The Company has permitted 2,700 metres over six holes and has commenced a maiden drill program with the goal of defining a 43-101 resource. The Project target was identified based on geophysical studies and 129 core samples collected by the USGS with an average lithium value of 175 ppm with a high of 550 ppm. Samples from the first two holes of its drilling program have identified lithium is present at a grades of up to 820 ppm within shallow surface soils ( Modelling indicates that the Project target comprises the entirety of the Company's core optioned claim block (2,800 acres; 11.3 km2) and is open in all directions for expansion. The target is shallow, predominantly above bedrock depths of 600 metres, and is approximately 450 metres thick. The total basin within which the target is situated is estimated to be approximately 10,900 acres of which the Company now controls 8,714 acres. The Project's Qualified Professional (QP) is Michael Rosko, a professional geologist with over 30 years of experience, with extensive experience with world-class lithium brine projects including Tier 1 projects such as Galaxy's Sal de Vida Deposit, Millennial Lithium's Pasto Grandes Deposit, and Lithium America Corp's Cauchari-Olaroz Deposit. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Seth Cude, P.G., CPG. RM, M.Sc., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). About Usha Resources Ltd. Usha Resources Ltd. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality battery and precious metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Based in Vancouver, BC, Usha's portfolio of strategic properties provides target-rich diversification and consist of Jackpot Lake, a lithium project in Nevada; White Willow, a lithium project in Ontario; Nicobat, a nickelcoppercobalt project in Ontario; and Lost Basin, a gold-copper project in Arizona. Usha trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol USHA, the OTCQB Exchange under the symbol USHAF and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol JO0. USHA RESOURCES LTD. "Deepak Varshney" CEO and Director For more information, please call Tyler Muir, Investor Relations, at 1-888-772-2452, email [email protected], or visit www.usharesources.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements: This news release may include "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and are based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking information are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. [i] Monk, L. et al. 2011. Geochemistry of Lithium-rich brines in Clayton Valley, Nevada, USA. Society of Geology Applied to Ore Deposits Bi-annual Meeting, Antofogasto, Chile. [ii] Pure Energy Minerals, 2018. NI 43-101 Technical Report. Preliminary Economic Assessment (Rev. 1) of the Clayton Valley Lithium Project. Esmeralda County, Nevada. [iii] Coffey, D.M. et al. 2021. Lithium Storage and Release From Lacustrine Sediments: Implications for Lithium Enrichment and Sustainability in Continental Brines. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 22, e2021GC009916. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GC009916. SOURCE: Usha Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com: VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / Zimtu Capital Corp. (TSXV:ZC)(FSE:ZCT1) (the "Company" or "Zimtu") announces it has signed an agreement with Interra Copper Corp. to provide its ZimtuADVANTAGE program (https://www.zimtu.com/zimtu-advantage/). Zimtu has received $150,000 for the duration of the one-year contract. ZimtuADVANTAGE is a program designed to provide opportunities, guidance, cost savings and assistance to clients covering multiple aspects of being a public company. The services of this program include the following: Zoom with Zimtu; Zimtu Connect - all major news/events/important updates sent to email distribution list, Lead Generation campaigns; Blog Posts; Digital Awareness campaigns; Influencer Marketing; Social Media Distribution of company news/important updates through Zimtu accounts including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube & Instagram; Rockstone Reports & Distribution; Video News Releases - major news releases will be translated to video format, which will be distributed on all social media platforms and to Zimtu Connect subscribers; and Zimtu Question Period. About Interra Copper Corp. Interra Copper Corp. is a junior exploration and development company focused on creating shareholder value through the advancements of its portfolio of highly prospective exploration assets that include the Tres Marias and Zenaida projects in Antofagasta Region of Chile, Pitbull in the Tarapaca Region of Chile, and the Thane and Chuck Creek projects in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Interra's leadership team is comprised of senior mining industry executives who have a wealth of technical and capital markets experience and a strong track record of discovering, financing, developing, and operating mining projects on a global scale. Interra Copper is committed to sustainable and responsible business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which we operate. See the latest Rockstone Research Report: https://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/6056-A-Masterstroke-of-a-Deal-Tightly-structured-for-a-major-copper-porphyry-discovery-by-first-class-management-team. About Zimtu Capital Zimtu Capital Corp. is a public investment issuer that aspires to achieve long-term capital appreciation for its shareholders. Zimtu Capital companies may operate in the fields of mineral exploration, mining, technology, life sciences or investment. The Company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ZC" and Frankfurt under symbol "ZCT1". For more information visit: www.zimtu.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors ZIMTU CAPITAL CORP. "David Hodge" David Hodge President & Director Tel: 604.681.1568 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Zimtu Capital Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: Aon plc (NYSE: AON ), a leading global professional services firm, today announced that Sarah E. Smith , a former member of the Management Committee of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective April 15, 2023 . "We are pleased to welcome Sarah to Aon 's Board of Directors," said Lester B. Knight , chair of Aon 's board. "Her past roles as a chief accounting officer and chief compliance officer will enhance our Board's financial and regulatory expertise. Combined with her deep knowledge of financial services and professional services, she will be able to offer essential insights across Aon 's business as the firm continues to deliver innovative solutions to help clients make better, more-informed decisions in an increasingly complex environment." Smith joined Goldman Sachs in 1996 and was named managing director in 1998 and partner in 2002. During her tenure, she served as the controller and chief accounting officer of the firm until 2017 and subsequently as the chief compliance officer from 2017 to 2020. Smith then served as senior advisor to Goldman Sachs from 2020 until her retirement in 2021. She also served on several governing committees of the firm, including the Firmwide Risk Committee, the Commitments Committee and the Firmwide Investment Committee. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Smith worked in the National and Audit practices of KPMG in both London and New York and held several finance positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb . "I am excited to join Aon 's board at a time when there is significant opportunity to help organizations make better decisions as they face heightened volatility and interconnected risks in every facet of their operations," Smith said. "I look forward to working with my fellow Board members as Aon helps address these emerging risks and accelerate innovation on behalf of clients globally." Smith is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation , the parent organization of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) since September 2020 . Smith attended City of London University (Dip. Acc) and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales . She is a trustee of the Nuveen Churchill Private Capital Income Fund and also serves as a board member for three private companies: Klarna Bank A.B. , Via Transportation and 98point6. For more information about Aon 's corporate governance practices and Board of Directors, please click here. About Aon Aon plc (NYSE: AON ) exists to shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business. Follow Aon on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts here. Media Contact Nadine Youssef [email protected] Toll-free ( U.S. , Canada and Puerto Rico ): +1 833 751 8114 International: +1 312 381 3024 AON) exists to shape decisions for the better - to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business. Follow Aon on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts on Aon.com. (PRNewsfoto/Aon plc)" alt="Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better - to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business. Follow Aon on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts on Aon.com. (PRNewsfoto/Aon plc)" src="https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1632623/Aon_Logo.jpg" /> View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aon-appoints-sarah-e-smith-to-board-of-directors-301795500.html MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of bbb+ (Good) of AVLA Seguros de Credito y Garantia S.A. (AVLA) (Chile). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. These ratings reflect AVLAs balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. AVLA began operations in Chile in 2013 as AVALCHILE, before changing its name to AVLA in 2016. The company is majority owned by Inversiones AVLA Seguros S.A., which holds a 90.27% stake, with the remaining 9.73% held by the groups ultimate parent, AVLA S.A. AVLA specializes in financial guarantees, credit insurance and surety; it ranks first in Chile in surety and financial guarantees and third in credit insurance, based on market share. AM Best considers AVLAs business profile to be neutral. The company has been able to successfully redefine its risk appetite through adverse market conditions and has reacted promptly to take advantage of the economic rebound during 2021 and 2022. In AM Bests view, managements capabilities remain key to adjusting its product offering amid the evolving market conditions. AM Best views the companys operating performance as adequate; results as of December 2022 are characterized by a recovery in underwriting quality with premiums and revenues growing. The economic growth prospects are favorable for the underlying industries in which AVLA operates, creating the potential for growth. For 2023, AM Best will continue to monitor AVLAs results and underwriting quality as Chiles economy recovers. AVLAs balance sheet strength assessment is strong given its solid capital base for the risks it undertakes, as reflected in its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). However, financial leverage at its holding company level limits AM Bests view of the companys balance sheet strength to the strong level, given the parents reliance on the company in terms of revenue and profits. This strong balance sheet strength assessment level also recognizes the willingness and proven history of capital contributions made by its shareholders to support AVLAs growth, with the latest one taking place in 2021, which was equivalent to approximately one third of its reported equity at year-end 2020. Negative rating actions could take place if AVLAs market environment limits its operating performance or creates significant volatility in its underwriting metrics, especially if it affects the companys capital position through continued negative bottom line results. 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/20230412005686/en/ Eli Sanchez Associate Director, Analytics +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 122 [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. 108 [email protected] Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098 [email protected] Source: AM Best OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of a- (Excellent) of KW Specialty Insurance Company (KW Specialty) (Wilmington, DE). The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect KW Specialtys balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The revision of the outlooks to stable reflects KW Specialtys good 2022 operating results, as the company successfully executed on its plans to write program business on a direct basis with prudent underwriting. In late 2021, KW Specialty entered into a loss portfolio transfer agreement with a Delaware captive 100% owned by its parent company, Kramer-Wilson Company, Inc., ceding all of its loss reserves from a handful of assumed programs that the company exited in 2021, which generated poor results for KW Specialty in prior years. The development from these programs no longer affects KW Specialtys operating results; AM Bests view is that the company is on track again toward meeting its original business plans. The companys expense ratio is currently quite high from building out systems and hiring staff as part of the startup process; however, AM Best expects it to gradually decrease as the company builds out its premium base in the next 2-3 years. 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 Best's 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/20230412005665/en/ Edward Zonenberg Senior Financial Analyst +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5135 [email protected] Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 [email protected] Jieqiu Fan Associate Director +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5372 [email protected] Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098 [email protected] Source: AM Best WEST DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) announced today that it will release first quarter 2023 earnings and other financial results after the close of market on Monday, May 8. The first quarter earnings release and financial supplement will be posted on the American Equity IR website at https://ir.american-equity.com/ at that time. American Equity will hold a conference call on Tuesday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m. CT to discuss its first quarter financial results and its financial condition, business, investments, operations, and strategy. The call may also include forward-looking statements regarding future performance using terms such as believe, expect, intend, may, plan, strategy, will, or similar words, as well as specific projections of future results. These statements will be based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the "Risk Factors" the Company describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The Company's future results could differ, and it has no obligation to correct or update any such statements. There is a simplified event registration that provides two ways to access the call. Via Telephone Interested parties may register for the call with the form available at this link, and upon submission (and via follow-up email) will receive the dial-in number and a unique PIN to access the call. Registration is available now or any time up to and during the time of the call. Registration is also available by visiting our IR website at https://ir.american-equity.com/. Via the Internet Interested parties who wish to listen to the webcast may register to access it on our IR website at https://ir.american-equity.com/. An audio replay will also be available via the same link on our website shortly after the completion of the call for 30 days. ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL), we think of ourselves as The Financial Dignity Company. Our policyholders work with independent agents, banks and broker-dealers through our wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, to choose one of our leading annuity products best suited for their personal needs to create financial dignity in retirement. To deliver on its promises to policyholders, American Equity has re-framed its investments focus building a stronger emphasis on insurance liability driven asset allocation and specializing in alternate, private asset management. American Equity is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa with a satellite office in Charlotte, NC and a satellite office in New York, NY. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005702/en/ Steven Schwartz | Head of Investor Relations American Equity Investment Life Holding Company 515-273-3763 | [email protected] Source: American Equity Investment Life Holding Company Earnings release dates for remainder of 2023 SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions and the leader in the digital transformation of its industry, today announced that it will host a conference call on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 11 a.m. EDT. The call will follow the release of the companys earnings results for the first quarter of 2023, which is scheduled earlier that day at 6:45 a.m. EDT. The conference call, which will also be broadcast over the internet and is open to investors, members of the financial community, the media and other members of the public, can be accessed online at http://www.firstam.com/investor or by dialing toll free 877-407-8293. Callers from outside the United States may dial +1-201-689-8349. An audio replay of the conference call will be available through May 11, 2023 by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13738122. An audio archive of the call and a copy of the first-quarter 2023 earnings release, including the financial information contained therein, will also be available on First Americans investor website. At the present time, the company expects to issue press releases announcing subsequent quarterly financial results on the following dates: Thursday, July 27, 2023 Second-quarter results Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 Third-quarter results The company will host a conference call on these dates at 11 a.m. EDT. About First American First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions. With its combination of financial strength and stability built over more than 130 years, innovative proprietary technologies, and unmatched data assets, the company is leading the digital transformation of its industry. First American also provides data products to the title industry and other third parties; valuation products and services; mortgage subservicing; home warranty products; banking, trust and wealth management services; and other related products and services. With total revenue of $7.6 billion in 2022, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents throughout the United States and abroad. In 2023, First American was named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine for the eighth consecutive year. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005680/en/ Media Contact: Marcus Ginnaty Corporate Communications First American Financial Corporation (714) 250-3298 Investor Contact: Craig Barberio Investor Relations First American Financial Corporation (714) 250-5214 Source: First American Financial Corporation BRISBANE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced technology investor PPK Group Limited (ASX: PPK) is pleased to announce its portfolio company BNNT Technology Pty Ltd (www.bnnt.com.au) has signed its first defence sector collaboration agreement with survivability systems specialist TenCate Advanced Armor (www.tencateadvancedarmor.com). Entry into this agreement follows two years of continuous improvements by the BNNT team which has led to significant progress in automation and process efficiency, resulting in a material reduction in the underlying cost of BNNT to enable wider industry market adoption. Under the terms of the agreement, TenCate will purchase 250 grams of Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNT) for infusion and testing into an agreed set of TenCate's products during 2023 to test and validate improvements in protection performance. TenCate will also be able to distribute BNNT to other global defence customers and raw material suppliers. PPK Chairman Robin Levison said the agreement was an important step towards the full commercialisation of BNNT in the defence industry vertical. We look forward to working with TenCate to develop independent validation of the unique properties of BNNT as well as a range of commercial defence applications, he said. Collaborating with global organisations like TenCate provides a clear path to product validation and large-scale commercialisation of BNNTs. TenCate Advanced Armor is a global provider of lightweight, mission-critical survivability and protection solutions. Its portfolio of bespoke, highly-engineered composite products covers personal protection, platform protection (vehicles and vessels), and military and civil aircraft protection. BNNTs are considered the world's strongest and most advanced fibre. They are extremely flexible, excellent thermal conductors, optically and infrared transparent, chemically stable, able to withstand extreme temperatures, have neutron shielding capability and are electrical insulators. They are stronger than any metal or carbon fibre and have a range of commercial applications. TenCate CEO Steen Tanderup said: TenCate as a company is heavily focused on product innovation and excellence. We believe BNNT technology has the potential to give us a significant strategic advantage in protection performance, both for our own products and with our raw material suppliers as a distributor of BNNT". BNNT Technology Pty Ltd Chairman Glenn Molloy said: The Board has designated this partnership as a key priority, and we will have a significant focus on the delivery of BNNT product into this large global market with TenCate." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005479/en/ Media enquiries to: Ben Ready [email protected] Source: PPK Group Limited BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: EAF) (the Company) will hold its First Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call and Webcast on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The call will be hosted by senior management to discuss financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023 and current business initiatives. These financial results will be released on Friday, April 28, 2023 before market open and will be available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com. The conference call dial-in number is +1 (888) 886-7786 toll-free in North America or +1 (416) 764-8658 for overseas calls, conference ID: 19627539. Live audio of the conference call will be available via webcast on our website or can be accessed at: https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1605475&tp_key=4ac9c0da88. Archived replays of the conference call and webcast will be made available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com. About GrafTech GrafTech International Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrode products essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Company has a competitive portfolio of low-cost, ultra-high power graphite electrode manufacturing facilities, including three of the highest capacity facilities in the world. We are the only large-scale graphite electrode producer that is substantially vertically integrated into petroleum needle coke, our key raw material for graphite electrode manufacturing. This unique position provides us with competitive advantages in product quality and cost. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230410005333/en/ Michael Dillon 216-676-2000 Source: GrafTech International Ltd. Donation will support community healing and bolster mental health resources in Louisville LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Humana Foundation, philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), is investing $1 million to bolster mental health resources in its hometown of Louisville, Ky., following the aftermath of Mondays mass shooting in downtown Louisville. The donation will support victims and families, but also others in the community struggling from ongoing hardship and trauma that the city has endured in recent years. The donation is part of the Humana Foundations commitment to health equity and creating healthy emotional connections for the communities it serves. Two fatal shootings occurred in Louisville on Mondayat Old National Bank and outside Jefferson Community & Technical College. Mondays news hit our Louisville family hard, said Bruce Broussard, Humanas President and CEO. We are a close community and we are in mourning for our friends, colleagues and others who have been impacted by these tragedies. We are also humbled and grateful for the courage of the first responders who kept a bad situation from being even worse. There is a lot of healing to do. The Humana Foundations $1 million investment will go to organizations who can help drive equitable access to mental health services, aid with trauma support and help build a sense of community. We are devastated by the loss of our neighbors and friends due to Mondays senseless shootings, said David A. Jones, Jr., the Humana Foundations Chairman of the Board of Directors. Violence is a public health issue and one that is significantly impacting the mental health of our community. It is hindering the growth and prosperity of Louisvillea fact that was called out in the recent Greater Louisville Project report. We must find ways to work together to build a better, and safer, city. We understand violence and trauma permeates a community and impacts how people work, play and live, added Tiffany Benjamin, CEO of the Humana Foundation. The Humana Foundation stands with Louisville as we seek a path forward together one focused on trauma-informed care, decision-making, community convening around challenging issues, and compassion for one another in times of need. Crisis Support Line Available To support Louisville residents and people across the U.S., Humana and the Humana Foundation have partnered with Telus Health to activate a Community Crisis Support Line in response to Mondays mass shooting. The Crisis Support Line is open 24/7 and can be reached at 1 877-757-7587 in the United States. By calling, individuals will receive professional emotional support and/or referral to community resources. This resource is available to anyone in the United States. About The Humana Foundation The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org. Humana Inc. and The Humana Foundation believe everyone should have access to the tools and support needed to have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Our commitment to improving health outcomes for all our members and patients, employees, the communities we serve, the healthcare system, and the environment - is the foundation of our Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact platform. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005747/en/ Marvin Hill Humana Corporate Communications 502-580-3950 [email protected] Source: Humana Inc. Last Thursday, Ethiopia announced that construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was 90 per cent complete. Satellite pictures show that Addis Ababa has opened one of the gates of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in order to release nearly 50 m3 of water without consultation with downstream countries Sudan and Egypt. The move aims to clear water in preparation for raising the height of the middle wall of the dam ahead of the July rainy season. Preparations for the fourth filling started at the end of February, said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity, and underline Addis Ababas insistence on taking unilateral steps when it comes to GERD. Addis Ababas announcement that the dam is 90 per cent complete came days after Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri issued a fresh warning to Ethiopia against unilateral action on the dam. All options are open, and all alternatives remain available. Egypt has its capabilities, and its foreign relations, said Shoukri. He pointed that after years of tripartite negotiations, Ethiopia has failed to reach a legally-binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, saying Egypt signed the Declaration of Principles with Ethiopia as an expression of goodwill, but it has not been met with flexibility on the Ethiopian side. Ethiopia dismissed Shoukris remarks as irresponsible. A statement issued by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry described them as a flagrant breach of the UN Charter and Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU), claimed they were a clear violation of the agreement on the Declaration of Principles, and demanded Egypt stop its malicious and unlawful pronouncements. The statement called on concerned parties to take note of Egypts flagrant violation of principles of international relations, adding no interest can be advanced through threats and intimidation. The statement also urged the parties to re-engage in AU talks to reach a negotiated solution, a call the diplomat described as procrastination and an attempt to buy time on the part of Ethiopia. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab League (AL) both took a supportive stand towards Egypt. Meeting last week, the GCC rejected any measures that would affect Egypt and Sudans rights to Nile water and described Egyptian and Sudanese water security as an integral part of Arab national security. It called for an agreement to be reached in accordance with international law and the UNSC presidential statement issued in 2021. Meeting in Cairo early March, the AL Council agreed to place GERD on its agenda as a pressing issue, a decision Shoukri described as underlining the joint Arab approach to the issue. In response, Addis Ababa accused the AL members of politicising the Nile dam issue, acting as the spokesperson of one state and disregarding international law. Over the last three years, Ethiopia has unilaterally implemented three fillings of the dam and last year started the partial operation of the first turbine despite objections by Egypt and Sudan. Khartoum and Cairo fear Africas largest dam will reduce their share of Nile water and have repeatedly called on Addis Ababa to sign an agreement on the filling and operation of the dam that secures their water rights and protects the interests of their populations. In his speech before the UN 2023 Water Conference this week, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam said Egypts already compromised water security was being compounded by the absence of a legally binding agreement on GERD. He described transboundary water cooperation as an existential issue for Egypt. Its absence threatened the livelihoods of 150 million citizens in Egypt and Sudan and could lead to the exacerbation of irregular migration. These unilateral, non-cooperative practices violate international law, including the 2015 Declaration of Principles, and are not consistent with 2021 UN Security Council presidential statement, he said. He also pointed out that Egypts per capita share of water had fallen to 500 m3 annually, half the figure the UN has determined is necessary. Sewilam said Egypt had invested huge sums to raise the efficiency of its water system, including $10 billion during the most recent five-year plan. The UN Water Conference, held last week in New York and co-hosted by the governments of the Netherlands and Tajikistan, aimed to raise awareness of the global water crisis and agree a raft of international water-related targets. In 2015, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan signed the Declaration of Principles which prioritises cooperation and the peaceful settlement of disputes over water and called on Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to agree on guidelines and rules for the first filling of GERD. Multiple rounds of talks between the three governments have failed to produce an agreement over the filling and operation of the dam. * A version of this article appears in print in the 30 March, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Heather Dillion has joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a Partner in the Labor and Employment practice group in its Southern California office, the international law firm announced today. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005795/en/ Heather Dillion has joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a Partner in the Labor and Employment practice group in its Southern California office. (Photo: Business Wire) California is a key market for serving our clients in employment law matters, and Heather Dillion is an excellent addition to our team to meet the growing demand for sophisticated and strategic counsel, said Bill Stoeri, Managing Partner of Dorsey & Whitney. Heather advises clients on workplace law compliance matters, tailoring policies for their individual business needs. She also advises clients on pre-litigation claims and defends clients in litigation. She works to understand her clients goals to minimize risk, limit financial impact, and achieve the best outcome whether defending claims involving employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, or wage and hour violations. Prior to devoting her practice to employment law, the Best Lawyers Ones to Watch honoree gained experience across a range of business law areas and industries, which she applies to a variety of workplace law issues. I am incredibly honored to join Dorsey, which is such a vibrant law firm, said Heather. I look forward to teaming with its exceptional attorneys and growing the labor and employment department. Heather joins Dorsey from Jackson Lewis Orange County, California office. She received her J.D. from Loyola Law School and her B.A. from the University of Southern California. About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey as a valued business partner since 1912. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides results-oriented, grounded counsel for its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including banking & financial institutions; development & infrastructure; energy & natural resources; food, beverage & agribusiness; healthcare & life sciences; and technology. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005795/en/ Carmen Ramson-Herzing 612.492.5194 [email protected] Source: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Hosted by OneLegacy, Thousands Expected to Gather to Celebrate the Power of Donation and Transplantation and to Inspire Others to say Yes to Donation LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Every April the donation community celebrates National Donate Life Month, and annually OneLegacy closes the month out with their OneLegacy Run/Walk and Family Festival. This year the event will take place at Azusa Pacific University on April 29 and include several competitive and non-competitive runs, an opening ceremony, dozens of exhibitors, musicians, community groups, food trucks and a family festival. Thousands of Southern California residents traditionally attend the event to support and over a hundred and fifty teams already signed up this year. Teams include families of donors that gave the gift of life, many hospitals including Cedar-Sinai, UCLA, Keck Hospital of USC, fitness enthusiasts and local community members. Along the course, which weaves through the hills of Azusa, donors remembrance signs dot the stunning scenery. Participants can enjoy a leisurely 1K/5k or opt in for a timed bib to complete a more competitive run. The opening ceremony will kick off the show, hosted by Phillip Palmer, a living donor and ABC7 News Anchor. This year Chloe Temtchine headlines the event as the main musical guest. Chloe, a double lung recipient, will share her inspiring story and powerful voice by premiering a new song written for her donor. Other speakers include Civic Officials and Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott. Corporate sponsors for the event are Cedar Sinai, Providence, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Keck Medicine of USC, UCLA Health, UCI Health, Specialist Direct, PNG Builders, Community Tissue Services, Maxs Mexican Cuisine, Raising Canes, Avas Heart, Community a Walgreens Pharmacy, Universal Reprographics Incorporated, The Orchard, BAZIC Products and Powers Furniture. Southern California residents of all ages gather to enjoy the scenic course, as well as a Family Festival with food trucks, raffles, childrens activities, vendors and more. Registration is now open for individuals and teams as are opportunities to join the list of caring sponsors of this inspiring event. Registration and other information is available at www.donateliferunwalk.org About OneLegacy OneLegacy is the nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in seven counties in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern. It serves more than 200 hospitals, 10 transplant centers, a diverse population of 20 million donors and families across the region and waiting recipients across the country. Becoming an eye, organ or tissue donor is easy and can be done by registering online at donateLIFEcalifornia.org/OneLegacy or by checking YES at your local DMV. For more information, visit OneLegacy.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005742/en/ Sarah Fahey (213) 518-9820 [email protected] Source: OneLegacy Prime Health Services is one of the largest national PPO networks in the country Prime Health Services and Sana will provide quality services to a larger audience while simultaneously optimizing resources and reducing costs The partnership will allow both companies to expand their coverage to a larger number of individuals, increasing the number of provider locations in Sanas all-access network from 1.2 million provider locations to 1.7 million provider locations FRANKLIN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sana, a health care company that provides Fortune 500-level health benefits to small businesses at affordable prices, today announced a partnership with Prime Health Services, a national cost management solutions company. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005552/en/ Sana Announces Partnership with Prime Health Services, Expands All-Access Network to 1.7M Provider Locations (Graphic: Business Wire) Through this partnership, Sana and Prime Health Services will be able to expand their coverage to a larger number of individuals, increasing the number of provider locations in Sanas network by over 40 percent. Joining forces will give both companies the ability to provide quality services to a broader audience, while optimizing their resources and reducing costs. A key component of Sanas mission is to make high-quality healthcare more accessible, said Sana co-founder and CEO Will Young. Through Sanas partnership with Prime Health Services, we are expanding the number of provider locations members can access by over 40 percent nationwide. Providing easy access to first-rate providers is a critical step toward improving the overall health of our member population. Strategic Partnership with One of the Largest PPO Networks in the U.S. Prime Health Services is one of the largest national PPO networks in the country and is particularly strong in 80 percent of the states in which Sana operates. Sana customers will be able to discover providers in the Prime Health network and the HealthSmart network through Sanas internal Find Care tool. Our new partnership will enable us to expand our coverage to a broader number of individuals while also achieving cost savings, said Prime Health Services COO Scott Nocon. Joining forces will allow us to expand the number of people we provide with quality services, while optimizing our resources and reducing costs. We are looking forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring, and the positive impact it will have on our customers and our bottom line. Sana has made strides in recent years to improve its health service and insurance offerings to the communities it serves. In 2022, Sana opened Sana MD, the companys first primary care health center for members. Located in Austin, Sana MD provides employees with access to $0 comprehensive onsite primary care, urgent care, labs and care coordination, as well as virtual primary care. Sana has also announced partnerships with Bloom, Carrum Health and Little Otter, making this partnership with Prime Health Services the latest expansion to the growing Sana Care ecosystem. To learn more, visit https://www.primehealthservices.com/markets/group-health/ About Sana Sana provides small businesses with dependable health plans at prices they can afford. Through value-based care, the Sana Care ecosystem of world-class providers, direct primary care, and more, Sana is reducing the cost of high-quality care. Sana makes it easy for employers to administer benefits and offers members simplified health plans and top-notch customer service. For more information, visit www.sanabenefits.com. About Prime Health Services Prime Health Services, Inc. is a strategic health care technology partner supporting clients with tailored services for minimizing the rising cost of health care. Since 2001, our medical cost containment services help clients in auto liability, group health, indigent care, personal injury, and workers compensation. Our tech-focused nature allows insurance carriers, TPAs, self-insureds, employers, and government entities to take advantage of our flexibility while not compromising on bill processing speed, data integrity, or access to care. When it comes to customization, we are second to none. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005552/en/ Antony Simakov Marketing Manager 866-348-3887 [email protected] Source: Prime Health Services, Inc. SCHOTTs infrared glass, manufactured in its Duryea, PA facility, is used in launch tube windows for air defense systems provided to the U.S. Army SCHOTTs recent order was the result of congressional funding for the U.S. Army Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA), who was instrumental in securing the contract, attended a press conference and production tour at SCHOTTs Duryea facility DURYEA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SCHOTT, the international technology group and inventor of specialty glass, has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract from a leading defense contractor for infrared glass. The order supplies glass for launch tube windows, a critical component of air defense systems provided to the U.S. Army. The contract was secured through the advocacy of Rep. Matt Cartwright, from Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district, who has long supported a robust defense budget. SCHOTTs Duryea, Pennsylvania facility will manufacture the specialty glass, as it does for other products that support the U.S. Department of Defense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005684/en/ U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) inspecting a launch tube window for the U.S. Army Air Defense System (Credit: SCHOTT) SCHOTT is already producing launch tube window parts for an existing order and will now be able to extend production and further support employment at its site in Duryea. The company has been working with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) programs since 1969 as a leading developer of high-tech materials and components and is eager to continue its support of the department. The security and defense industry requires high-performance base materials and optical components to enable reliable and precise defense systems. Our expertise in creating specialty glass suitable for defense applications has earned the trust of the U.S. Army and the DoD, and were appreciative of the chance to show why they keep turning to us, said Christopher Cassidy, President of SCHOTT North America. This contract not only supports our production site of over 150 employees in Duryea, but also strengthens our commitment to supply the U.S. defense and security market. We especially want to thank Congressman Cartwright for his continued support of SCHOTT and the entire Northeastern Pennsylvania community. America's security and defense require the best materials available, and were able to build them right here in Pennsylvanias 8th Congressional District, said Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08), a senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee. SCHOTT has proven its mettle with a history of innovation, and its expertise allowed us to bring federal funding back to this district. Rep. Cartwright visited SCHOTTs Duryea facility Wed. April 12 and highlighted the importance of this contract and its impact on the local community. SCHOTTs U.S. Innovation and Technology Hub, also located in Duryea, continues to be a leader in the research and development of high-tech materials. Its participation in basic materials research has helped create the supply of dual-use products for both civilian and military applications. The company's glass-ceramic ZERODUR has been used in space telescopes since 1968, and SCHOTT has supported NASAs lunar missions with optical lenses for cameras since the early 1960s. Learn more about SCHOTTs infrared glass and the capabilities that make it applicable to a variety of uses. About SCHOTT Pioneering. Responsibly. Together. These attributes characterize SCHOTT as a manufacturer of high-tech materials based on specialty glass. Founder Otto Schott is considered its inventor and became the pioneer of an entire industry. Always opening up new markets and applications with a pioneering spirit and passion this is what has driven the #glasslovers at SCHOTT for almost 140 years. Represented in over 30 countries, the company is a highly skilled partner for high-tech industries: Healthcare, Home Appliances & Living, Consumer Electronics, Semiconductors & Datacom, Optics, Industry & Energy, Automotive, Astronomy & Aerospace. In the fiscal year 2022, its 17,200 employees generated sales of 2.8 billion euros. SCHOTT AG is owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the oldest foundations in Germany. It uses the Group's dividends to promote science. As a foundation company, SCHOTT has anchored responsibility for employees, society and the environment deeply in its DNA. The goal is to become a climate-neutral company by 2030. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005684/en/ Press: Rina Della Vecchia Schott North America, Inc. [email protected] Matt McLoughlin Gregory FCA [email protected] 610-228-2112 Wendy Wilson Office of Congressman Matt Cartwright [email protected] 570-840-0878 Source: SCHOTT Hubs are one-stop centers where families can access maternal health education, classes, social support, and baby essentials PETERSBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Urban Baby Beginnings, a Richmond-based nonprofit whose maternal health hubs provide one-stop access to a range of maternal health services, celebrated the opening of their latest hub in Petersburg yesterday, with support from an $825,000 grant over three years from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005601/en/ Urban Baby Beginnings celebrated the opening of their latest hub in Petersburg alongside Governor Glenn Youngkin, First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, and Anthem leadership. (Photo: Business Wire) The grant supports Project ReByrth, an initiative that creates community-based centers where expectant and new mothers can receive perinatal and postpartum services in addition to early childhood support, workforce development, and access to needed baby supplies. On top of its funding for the new Petersburg hub, Anthems grant is helping to enhance existing centers in Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk. For 28 years, Urban Baby Beginnings has provided maternal health hubs that reduce adverse outcomes and isolation for families throughout prenatal, postpartum and early childhood periods, said Stephanie Spencer, Executive Director, Urban Baby Beginnings. Thanks to funding from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, this latest hub will provide a safe, welcoming, and supportive space for moms and families throughout Petersburg and surrounding communities. The grand opening featured a ribbon cutting with remarks from Governor Glenn Youngkin, an open house, Urban Baby Beginnings leadership, Anthem leadership, First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04), Secretary of Health and Human Services John Littel, Petersburg City leadership, and legislators from across the Commonwealth, as well as a variety of community partners. The First Lady and I are proud to support the partnership between Urban Baby Beginnings and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation as they work to ensure safer, healthier pregnancies, childbirth, postnatal and newborn care for Virginia families, said Governor Youngkin. Last month, I was honored to sign key legislation that helps support our expecting mothers and ensure they have the needed financial support to take that next step towards creating a family. Promoting quality maternal health care not only enhances the wellbeing of moms and babies, but also serves as a critical public health resource that bolsters entire families and communities throughout the Commonwealth, said Governor Youngkin. In communities served by Urban Baby Beginnings since 1994, hubs have helped to nearly eliminate the historic racial disparities of program participants when it comes to preterm births, maternal mortality, infant mortality, and breastfeeding at discharge. Throughout my time in office, I have worked tirelessly to address disparities and systemic issues that contribute to poor maternal health outcomes for women, especially in communities of color, said Congresswoman McClellan. As a Black mother who nearly died in childbirth, I am keenly aware of the challenges and increased risks women of color face when having a baby. I am proud to stand with Urban Baby Beginnings and Anthem as they work to narrow maternal health gaps in Virginia by improving access to quality maternal healthcare, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. In 2018, Virginia ranked in the bottom half of states with a maternal death rate of 16.0 per 100,000 births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More broadly, the United States ranked last among industrialized countries with a rate of 17.4 deaths per 100,000 births in 2018 per The Commonwealth Fund. Anthem is focused on improving the whole health of communities across Virginia, and our Foundations grants to Urban Baby Beginnings are a key pillar to help us advance health equity, especially in maternal and child health, in Virginia, said Jennie Reynolds, President of Anthem HealthKeepers Plus. Since beginning this grant with Urban Baby Beginnings back in 2022, we are thrilled to see early results with this latest hub opening. This partnership is emblematic of our ongoing commitment to address key social drivers of health and advance health equity so that every pregnant woman and child has an opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Anthem has served Virginia for nearly 90 years, and we currently provide access to affordable healthcare for more than 3 million employer-based, individual, Medicaid, and Medicare health plan members across the Commonwealth, said Kurt Small, President, East Region, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Fueled by our commitment to address health disparities, Anthem and our charitable foundation have made a $30M commitment toward grant programs that advance equity in maternal health across the country, including Urban Baby Beginnings here in Petersburg. Urban Baby Beginnings was among four Virginia-based grantees selected since 2022 by the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation to receive a total of $1.78 million over three years. Nationally, the Foundation has committed $90 million to organizations across the U.S. making positive impact and improvements in areas of maternal health, substance use disorder, and hunger over the next three years. About Urban Baby Beginnings Urban Baby Beginnings (UBB) is the leading non-profit providing community support services specifically for pregnant and parenting families in Virginia. UBBs mission is to reduce adverse outcomes and isolation experienced by families during the prenatal, postpartum and early childhood years by increasing access to maternal health hubs which provide community support, workforce development, and advocacy for birthing and postpartum families. For over 28 years, UBB has provided an environment that respects the inherent dignity and strength of families and celebrates their successes. UBB believes that through collaboration and strong community-based support systems, families will thrive. UBB has numerous certifications and, in 2018, UBB joined Health Connect One and the Perinatal Task Force establishing a "safe spot" for families free of judgment; creating a place where moms, family members, and the community can connect and feel supported. Through this partnership, a workforce innovation program to train perinatal health workers and community doulas who graduated from the community cares program was created. To learn more about UBB, please visit: https://urbanbabybeginnings.org/. About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a philanthropic arm of the Elevance Health Foundation. The Foundation works to address health equity by focusing on improving the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships and programs in our communities with an emphasis on maternal child health; mental health; and food as medicine. Additionally, the Foundation also responds to disasters when our communities need us the most. The Foundation coordinates the companys year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. To learn more about the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and the Elevance Health Foundation, please visit www.elevancehealth.foundation and its blog at www.medium.com/elevancehealthfoundation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005601/en/ Michael Perry 617.519.6206 [email protected] Source: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation With commitment to best-in-class customer experience, Weave is honored as a finalist for Customer Service Transformation of the Year LEHI, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Weave (NYSE: WEAV), the all-in-one customer communication and engagement platform for small- and medium-sized businesses, has been named a finalist for Transformation of the Year in the 2023 Excellence in Customer Service Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group. Weave was recognized alongside B2B tech leaders such as Square, Bluehost and Seismic. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005011/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) The Excellence in Customer Service Awards recognizes companies and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to providing exceptional customer service and support. The awards are judged by a panel of industry experts and focus on customer experience, customer satisfaction, and customer retention. Our entire organization is focused on delivering an experience that turns customers into champions, which is why we are so honored to be a finalist for this years Transformation of the Year award," said Brett White, CEO of Weave. "Over the last few years, we have doubled down on Customer Support, and we hear daily from our customers that our investment is noticeable and appreciated. Average wait times are down to a historic low, and more customer requests have been resolved during the first call than ever before." Through an internal initiative dubbed Project Better, Weaves Customer Support team has reduced the average call wait time to under 60 seconds while also adding new customers to the Weave platform every day. 92% of customer requests are resolved during the first call. These changes are a result of Weaves customer-focused mentality, additional employee training, and the creation of an in-depth knowledge base for its all-in-one platform so Weaves 130,000+ users can access training and support on their most common questions. Dedication to excellent customer service starts with creating an award-winning culture that values its customers. Last year alone, Weaves people-first culture was recognized through multiple awards, including Great Place to Work, Top Workplace USA, and Inspiring Workplaces. To learn more about Weave visit www.getweave.com/newsroom. About Weave Weave is the all-in-one customer communication and engagement platform for small- and medium-sized businesses. From the first phone call to the final invoice and every touchpoint in between, Weave connects the entire customer journey. Weaves software solutions transform how local businesses attract, communicate with and engage customers to grow their business. Weave has set the bar for Utah startup achievement & work culture. In the past year, Weave has been named a G2 leader in Patient Engagement, Optometry, Dental Practice Management and Patient Relationship Management software. To learn more, visit getweave.com/newsroom/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005011/en/ Kali Geldis Sr. Director of Communications, Weave [email protected] Source: Weave SHENZHEN, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ZOVOO, a worlds leading compliant disposable e-cigarette brand has been honored with a 2023 Red Dot Award. This award has been won by its DRAGBAR Z700 GT, an ultra-thin disposable e-cigarette. The DRAGBAR Z700 GT is recognized for its innovative design and exceptional functionality that delivers a smooth and satisfying vaping experience. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411005528/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) The Red Dot Award is one of the most prestigious design competitions in the world, organized by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany. Recognizing outstanding products in various categories such as Industrial Design, Communication Design, and Product Design. As a reward that is dedicated to innovative design, DRAGBAR Z700 GT features a sleek and modern design, with a thickness of only 9mm, the Z700 GT is one of the thinnest vapes on the market. The design is rewarded as a model of industrial design for its ultimate aesthetic appearance. This ultra-thin disposable vape is compact and portable, making it the perfect option for those who are always on-the-go. Although it has an ultra-thin and light design, the device can provide up to 700 puffs, and with a 2ml e-liquid capacity, users have a longer-lasting vaping experience. Its pre-filled e-liquid system is available in a wide variety of flavors, ensuring users can find the perfect taste to match their preferences. Despite its appearance design, DRAGBAR Z700 GT also wins its place in technological innovation. It is one of the few e-cigarettes in the market that adopts an exclusive self-developed technology-GENE TREE ceramic coil technology, which allows the product to produce consistent flavour and most puffs for larger volume cloud with efficient nicotine delivery and at the same time generate harmless zero dust for a pure vaping experience. Moreover, DRAGBAR Z700 GT is not only outstanding in design and technology but also compliant with TRPR&TPD regulations. Besides DRAGBAR Z700 GT, DRAGBAR Z700 SE is an upgraded version of the former. Based on the previous design, ZOVOO's product team designed a transparent oil tank, which adds extra convenience for customers to check the oil remain. It hit 2 million pieces sold during its first launch in one week. For more information on the DRAGBAR Z700 GT Ultra-Thin Disposable e-cigarette and other ZOVOO products, please visit their website at izovoo.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411005528/en/ Company: ZOVOO (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. Contact Person: Aries Yang Email: [email protected] Website:https://www.izovoo.com/ Source: ZOVOO (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced today that it has agreed to extend the merger agreement with PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM) through July 20, 2023. The extension will allow the companies time to continue to work together through the regulatory review process in New Mexico. We remain committed to the merger of AVANGRID and PNM Resources, which will bring more than $300 million in benefits to the customers and communities of New Mexico and more than $16 million in rate relief to Texas customers, said Pedro Azagra, AVANGRID CEO. Together, we will accelerate Texas and New Mexicos clean energy futures and increase the focus on reliability and resiliency for customers. We also understand that we are an anchor institution in the communities we serve, beyond just the services we provide. Through this merger, we will contribute to the economic development of the regions and support their continued vibrancy and prosperity. The merger has received approval from five federal agencies and the Public Utility Commission of Texas. AVANGRID and PNM Resources together with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) filed a joint motion at the New Mexico Supreme Court in March 2023 to dismiss the companies appeal of the December 2021 NMPRC denial and remand the case back to the NMPRC. About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $41 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, AVANGRID owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, AVANGRID owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs more than 7,500 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022 and 2023 as one of the JUST 100 companies a ranking of Americas best corporate citizens. In 2023, AVANGRID ranked first within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment. The company supports the U.N.s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the Worlds Most Ethical Companies in 2023 for the fifth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. AVANGRID is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements in this release may relate to our future business and financial performance and future events or developments involving us and our subsidiaries that are not purely historical and may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as may, will, should, would, could, can, expect(s), believe(s), anticipate(s), intend(s), plan(s), estimate(s), project(s), assume(s), guide(s), target(s),forecast(s), are (is) confident that and seek(s) or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives and intentions, outlooks or expectations for earnings, revenues, expenses or other future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations, or the impact of legal or regulatory matters on business, results of operations or financial condition of the business and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current reasonable beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of our management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Important factors are discussed and should be reviewed in our Form 10-K and other subsequent filings with the SEC. Specifically, forward-looking statements include, without limitation: our ability to close the proposed merger with PNMR, the anticipated timing and terms of the proposed merger, our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed merger and our ability to manage the risks of the proposed merger; future financial performance, anticipated liquidity and capital expenditures; actions or inactions of local, state or federal regulatory agencies; adverse publicity or other reputational harm; and other presently unknown unforeseen factors. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Other risk factors are detailed from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, and we encourage you to consult such disclosures. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005786/en/ MEDIA: Sarah Warren [email protected] 585-794-9253 Source: AVANGRID, Inc. Genius Group Limited (NYSE American: GNS) is changing the date of its planned extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the EGM) from April 28, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. ET (8:00 p.m. Singapore Time) to May 16, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. ET (8:00 p.m. Singapore Time). The proposals to be submitted for shareholders' approval at the EGM are to consider and vote on the resolutions for the adoption of the new constitution and the proposed capital reduction and distribution of shares in Entrepreneur Resorts Limited to shareholders. Details related to each of the two proposals are available on a Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2023. Participation The EGM will be held as a digital meeting only, with no in-person attendance for shareholders. Shareholders will be able to watch or listen to these proceedings through a live video feed on Zoom via their mobile phones, tablets or computers (Live Webcast). To participate, shareholders will have to follow these steps: Shareholders (whether Beneficial Shareholders or Shareholders of Record) who wish to watch or listen to the EGM must pre-register their participation using the following URL https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ODAUUXVRu2Q49L_fW-hPw no later than 11:59 p.m. (Singapore time) on 13 May 2023 (Registration Cut-off). Upon successful registration, Shareholder or its corporate representative will receive an email containing a link and a toll-free telephone number to access the Live Webcast, together with the relevant log in details and instructions, as well as instructions on how to watch or listen to the Live Webcast. Shareholders who have pre-registered in accordance with the steps above but do not receive an email with a Zoom meeting invitation link by 11:59 p.m., May 13, 2023 (Singapore time) should contact the Company for assistance via email to [email protected] Shareholders (or corporate representatives) must not forward the abovementioned link to other persons who are not Shareholders and who are not entitled to participate in the EGM. About Genius Group Genius Group is a world leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, with a mission to disrupt the current education model with a student-centered, life-long learning curriculum that prepares students with the leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills to succeed in todays market. The group has a group user base of 4.3 million students and users in 200 countries, ranging from ages 0 to 100. Investor Notice Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See Forward-Looking Statements below. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as may, will, plan, should, expect, anticipate, estimate, continue, or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 20-F, as may be supplemented or amended by the Companys Reports of a Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise. Contacts Investors:Flora Hewitt, Vice President of Investor Relations and Mergers and AcquisitionsEmail: [email protected] Media Contact:Adia PREmail: [email protected] US Investors: Dave GentryRedChip Companies Inc1-800-RED-CHIP[email protected] Source: Genius Group Limited LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the worlds leading high-quality products group, recorded revenue of 21 billion euros in the first quarter of 2023, up 17% compared to the same period of 2022. Organic revenue growth was 17%. LVMH had an excellent start to the year, within a geopolitical and economic environment which remains uncertain. Europe and Japan, which enjoyed strong growth momentum, benefited from robust demand from local customers and international travelers; the United States, a market which continues to grow, had a steady performance. Asia experienced a significant rebound following the lifting of health restrictions. Revenue by business group: Euro millions Q1 2023 Q1 2022 % Change Q1 2023/Q1 2022 Reported Organic* Wines & Spirits 1 694 1 638 + 3 % + 3 % Fashion & Leather Goods 10 728 9 123 + 18 % + 18 % Perfumes & Cosmetics 2 115 1 905 + 11 % + 10 % Watches & Jewelry 2 589 2 338 + 11 % + 11 % Selective Retailing 3 961 3 040 + 30 % + 28 % Other activities and eliminations (52) (41) - - Total LVMH 21 035 18 003 + 17 % + 17 % * with comparable structure and constant exchange rates. The structural impact and currency effect for the Group was zero. The Wines & Spirits business group recorded revenue growth of 3% in the first quarter of 2023 (+3% organically). The Champagne business once again recorded strong revenue growth, driven by the continuation of its value creation strategy. Hennessy cognac showed resilience against the economic environment in the US and despite continued high stock levels among distributors subsequent to various disruptions observed at the end of the year. Among Provence rose wines, Chateau d'Esclans enjoyed an excellent performance and an important partnership was signed with the prestigious domain Minuty, one of the worlds leaders. Joseph Phelps Vineyards, one of the most respected wine estates in Napa Valley, California, was integrated for the first time in the first quarter accounts. Glenmorangie whisky and Belvedere vodka recorded good growth. The Fashion & Leather Goods business group recorded 18% revenue growth in the first quarter of 2023 (+18% organically). Louis Vuitton had an excellent start to the year, still driven by exceptional creativity and the quality of its products. The latest women's ready-to-wear fashion shows designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere were a great success. The appointment of Pharrell Williams as Men's Creative Director was announced. The Maison continued to surprise with its highly creative new collaboration with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, an ode to art and craftsmanship. Christian Dior continued to perform remarkably well across all its products. Maria Grazia Chiuri celebrated the wealth of know-how and excellence in embroidery at her latest fashion show in Mumbai in India. The new Lady 95.22 bag revisits the Maisons heritage, with a modern twist. After Egypt, the latest Parisian men's ready-to-wear show by Kim Jones was remarkably well received. Celine continued to enjoy very strong growth thanks to the success of Hedi Slimane's creations and his powerful vision. Loewe, driven by the bold creativity of J.W. Anderson, unveiled a new collaboration with Studio Ghibli. Fendi opened new stores in Tokyo and Seoul. Loro Piana, Rimowa, Marc Jacobs and Berluti also had an excellent start to the year. The Perfumes & Cosmetics business group continued its strategy focused on highly selective distribution, delivering an 11% increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2023 (+10% organically). Christian Dior achieved a remarkable performance and continued to strengthen its lead. Its iconic Sauvage, Miss Dior and JAdore fragrances were significant channels of growth. Make-up and skincare also contributed to the performance of the Maison. Guerlain benefited from the success of its Aqua Allegoria line. A new liquid foundation enriched the iconic Terracotta collection. Parfums Givenchy unveiled its new fragrance Gentleman Society. Benefit successfully expanded its The Porefessional skincare range, while Fenty Beauty benefited from the strong visibility given to the brand by Rihanna during the American Super Bowl. In the first quarter of 2023, the Watches & Jewelry business group achieved revenue growth of 11% (+11% organically). In jewelry, Tiffany & Co. had an excellent start to the year as preparations were made for the upcoming reopening of the Landmark in New York. The new Lock jewelry collection, whose success is growing, continued its worldwide rollout. Bulgari, showing strong growth, celebrated the 75th anniversary of its iconic Serpenti line. High jewelry enjoyed a very good performance. Chaumet and Fred made remarkable progress. To maintain and enrich its longstanding roots in art and culture, Maison Chaumet created a new engagement program, Echo Culture Awards, which aims to support women who enhance the culture through their actions on the ground. The LVMH watchmaking Maisons maintained excellent progress and unveiled many new products at the Watches & Wonders trade show, including innovations from TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith. In Selective Retailing, revenue growth was 30% in the first quarter of 2023 (+28% organically). Sephora saw exceptional performance over the quarter and continued to gain market share. Momentum was particularly strong in North America, Europe and the Middle East. The brand continued to expand its distribution network, particularly in the United Kingdom where, already present online, its first store in London enjoyed an excellent start. DFS benefited from the recovery of international travel and, in particular, from the gradual return of travelers to the flagship destinations of Hong Kong and Macao. In an uncertain geopolitical and economic context, LVMH remains both vigilant and confident at the start of the year. The Group will continue to pursue its strategy focused on the development of its brands, driven by a sustained policy of innovation and investment as well as by a constant quest for quality in its products, their desirability and their distribution. LVMH relies on the talent and motivation of its teams, the diversity of its businesses and the good geographical balance of its revenue to further strengthen its global leadership position in luxury goods in 2023. The House of Representatives provisionally approved on Wednesday legislative amendments under the 1975 law regulating naturalisation to ease requirements for acquiring Egyptian nationality. The amendments will be put up for a final vote in the upcoming session. Parliament will take an 18-day break and is scheduled to reconvene on 30 April. The amendments are meant to help foreign women and their children acquire an Egyptian nationality if they are born in Egypt. They also allow foreign nationals to acquire Egyptian citizenship upon buying real estate units, making investments in the country or making certain deposit sums in the Central Bank of Egypt. A report prepared by the House's National Security and Defence Committee said "the amendments are in line with the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) ruling that Article 6 of the 1975 law on Egyptian nationality be amended to put foreign women and men on equal footing in terms of acquiring Egyptian citizenship. "Currently, children born to foreign men (not women) are allowed to acquire the Egyptian nationality. The law will be amended in line with the SCC ruling and international human rights conventions to give the same right to children born to foreign women," read the report. "The amendments will also allow foreigners who buy property from private sector real estate companies to acquire Egyptian nationality, a privilege which is currently limited to foreigners who buy property from government-owned real estate companies," added the report. One of the objectives of the amendments is to increase the attractiveness of investment in Egypt to support the economy - in terms of opening the door for foreigners to acquire Egyptian citizenship as long as they invest in Egypt or buy real estate in foreign currency, it said. Speaker of Parliament Hanafy El-Gebaly said the amendments are in line with articles 6 and 11 of Egypt's 2014 constitution which obligates the state to achieve equality among men and women and observe international human rights conventions in this respect. "The amendments will give foreign women and men who have an Egyptian nationality the right to pass it down to their children who are born in Egypt. It is up to the Egyptian government to decide in this respect because it is a matter of national sovereignty," said El-Gebaly. Search Keywords: Short link: Paid press release content from Evertise Financial. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. Some of the services offered to ensure quality assurance and compliance include the following: Goods Inspection EC Global Inspection provides comprehensive inspection services to verify product quality, quantity, and specifications before shipment. This can help businesses ensure that their products meet regulatory requirements and customer expectations. Factory Audit EC Global Inspection conducts factory audits to assess the quality management systems, production processes, and compliance with industry standards. This can help businesses identify areas for improvement and ensure that their suppliers meet their requirements. 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EC Global Inspection is also familiar with the industry standards of various regions and countries and the quality technology of multiple products in international trade. EC Global Inspection has worked with numerous clients across various industries, and some of our clients include well-known brands such as Walmart, Adidas, Philips, and Samsung. ISO9001 Certification EC Global Inspection has obtained ISO9001 certification, an internationally recognized quality management standard. This certification demonstrates our total commitment to quality and ability to provide reliable and consistent inspection services to all our clients. Council Member of the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Appraisal In addition to ISO9001 certification, we are a council member of the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Appraisal. This membership indicates that a company has met the strict requirements and standards of the council, which enhances credibility and reliability. A Team of Highly Skilled and Experienced Inspectors We have a team of highly skilled and experienced inspectors who are knowledgeable in various industries, including consumer goods, electronics, textiles, and toys. The inspectors use advanced inspection tools and techniques to make sure that products meet the required quality standards and regulatory requirements. Our experience and technical certificates attest to our commitment to quality and compliance in product inspection. By working with EC Global Inspection, businesses can be assured that their products meet the necessary standards and regulations, which can help to mitigate risks and ensure customer satisfaction., states of one of the key managers. Some Tips to Ensure Quality Assurance and Compliance with EC Global Inspection Services Here are some tips to ensure quality assurance and compliance with us: 1. Understand Your Industry Standards and Regulations Familiarize yourself with the regulations and standards applicable to your industry. EC Global Inspection Services can help you understand these regulations and standards and ensure that your operations are compliant. 2. Communicate Your Requirements Clearly Endeavor to communicate your requirements clearly when working with us. Make sure we understand your specific needs, so we can develop an inspection plan that meets those requirements. 3. Schedule Inspections In Advance Plan ahead and schedule inspections with EC Global Inspection Services in advance. This allows you to coordinate your operations with the inspection schedule and minimize disruption. 4. Address Non-Compliance Issues If non-compliance issues are found during an inspection, address them promptly. EC Global Inspection Services can help you identify the root cause of the issue and develop a plan to address it. 5. Use the Inspection Report to Improve Operations Use the inspection report we provide to identify areas for improvement in your operations. This can help you optimize your processes and reduce the risk of non-compliance in the future. Working with EC Global Inspection Services can help ensure that your operations meet industry standards and regulations. You can optimize your processes and reduce risk by communicating your requirements clearly, scheduling inspections in advance, addressing non-compliance issues, and using the inspection report to improve operations. You can rely on our experience, technical certificates, and council membership for credibility in ensuring product quality and conformity to government and industry requirements. With our commitment to quality and our team of skilled inspectors, we are an ideal partner for businesses looking to maintain high-quality standards in their products. Contact: Address: 1733 Lianhua Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, China Tel: (86) 021-34203962 E-mail: [email protected] FILE PHOTO: Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett rides on a golf cart through the exhibition hall as investors and guests arrive for the first in-person annual meeting since 2019 of Berkshire Hathaway Inc in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. April 29, 2022. REUTERS By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -Warren Buffett said people should not be panicked about the banking industry or the safety of U.S. bank deposits, despite the recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. The billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc said that while more banks "will go bust," the industry's recent problems do not resemble those that helped trigger the 2008 global financial crisis. "People shouldn't be worried about losing their money and their deposits they have in an American bank, but the message has gotten very confused," Buffett, 92, said on CNBC. "You don't need to turn a dumb decision by managers into panicking the whole citizenry of the United States about something they don't need to be panicked about," he added. Berkshire's equity portfolio includes several banks, including a $34.2 billion year-end stake in Bank of America Corp. The Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate also owns dozens of businesses including the BNSF railroad and Geico insurance. Silicon Valley Bank, which had an unusually high amount of uninsured deposits, collapsed on March 10 after a wrong-way interest rate bet left it with big investment losses and a shortage of capital, causing a bank run. Signature Bank failed two days later, after having made a play for cryptocurrency deposits. By March 19, two other banks on the edge got help, with First Republic Bank receiving a $30 billion deposit infusion from other banks, and Credit Suisse Group AG selling itself to UBS AG. Buffett says banks have "mismanaged" assets and liabilities for a long time, and "every now and then it bites them in a big way." He said banks' directors should ensure that top executives face consequences for mistakes that hurt shareholders. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp insures deposits for up to at least $250,000 per depositor per FDIC-insured bank. Buffett also said he would bet $1 million that no American depositor would lose money from a bank failure in the next year. He proposed that if someone wagered the other way, the loser would donate the combined $2 million to charity. "That's a firm offer," he said. Buffett spoke from Tokyo, where he was visiting five large Japanese trading houses in which Berkshire invests. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jason Neely and Chizu Nomiyama) FILE PHOTO: 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the VMware cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission on Wednesday said U.S. chipmaker Broadcom's proposed $61 billion takeover of cloud computing company VMware could restrict competition in the market for certain hardware components. The Commission said it had informed Broadcom of its objection that the deal could restrict competition in the global markets for the supply of so-called fibre channel host bus adapters (FC HBAs) and storage adapters, by limiting access for competitors' hardware to VMware's software. Broadcom said it remained confident that regulators will eventually conclude that the takeover does not present any competition issues, and said it expected to close the deal "in fiscal year 2023". The EU's objections follow an investigation into the deal opened in December last year, over concerns it would give Broadcom the opportunity to restrict competition in the market for certain hardware components which interoperate with VMware's software. Sources told Reuters in February Broadcom was set to receive an EU antitrust warning about the possible anti-competitive effects of its billion bid. Broadcom has the opportunity to reply to the Commission's objections and to request an oral hearing. (Reporting by Bart Meijer. Editing by GV De Clercq and Jane Merriman) Lima, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lima, PERU, April 12, 2023 -- Credicorp (NYSE: BAP), today announced that it will host a hybrid Investor Day on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in New York City. Credicorp management team members participating in the event will discuss how the Group is powering sustainable growth through its consistent focus on innovation, talent and sustainability. The event will begin at 8:30 am ET with breakfast, followed by presentations starting at 9:00 am and concluding by 12:00 pm. The Investor Day is open to the investment community and pre-registration is required by Monday, June 12, 2023. To pre-register for the event, please visit www.credicorpday.com. Confirmation and additional event details will be provided to registered attendees. An archived replay of the webcast, as well as a copy of the slide presentation will be available following the event. About Credicorp Credicorp Ltd. (NYSE: BAP) is the leading financial services holding company in Peru with presence in Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Credicorp has a diversified business portfolio organized into four lines of business: Universal Banking, through Banco de Credito del Peru BCP and Banco de Credito de Bolivia; Microfinance, through Mibanco in Peru and Colombia; Insurance & Pension Funds, through Grupo Pacifico and Prima AFP; and Investment Banking & Wealth Management, through Credicorp Capital, Wealth Management at BCP and ASB Bank Corp. For further information please contact the IR team: [email protected] Investor RelationsCredicorp Ltd. Source: CREDICORP LTD. C/O BANCO DE CREDITO TORONTO, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Firan Technology Group Corporation (TSX: FTG) today announced financial results from its first quarter 2023. Financial Highlights First quarter bookings of $33.0M were up 28% over Q1 2022 and up 2% over Q4 2022. This was the 9th sequential quarter of bookings growth. FTG first quarter revenues of $24.6M were up 20% over Q1 2022, as FTG ramps up production to meet customer demand. FTG achieved Net Earnings in Q1 2023 of $4.1M, which was up $4.8M from Q1 2022. Earnings included $3.4M of U.S. government support in Q1 2023 compared to $0.3M in Q1 2022. FTG has net cash on the balance sheet of $20.6M as of Q1 2023 as compared to $12.3M as at Q4 2022. Business Highlights Starting last year, FTG went on offence after two years of playing defence, and this has continued in the first quarter of 2023. The company has invested in technology in our existing sites, grown the business organically, announced two acquisitions and bought back stock. Through all these actions, FTG is strategically deploying its strong cash balance in ways that will drive increased shareholder returns for the future in both the near-term and long-term. Specifically, FTG accomplished many goals in Q1 2023 that continue to improve the Corporation and position it for the future, including: Achieved a 1.34:1 book-to-bill ratio for Q1 2023 resulting in increased backlog of $74.2M compared to $65.5M at the end of 2022. FTG added 12 staff in Q1 2023, including operations leadership, to help increase throughput. On November 17, 2022, the Corporation entered into an agreement to acquire IMI, Inc. (IMI) based in Haverhill, Massachusetts, north of Boston. The closing of the acquisition is subject to approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other customary closing conditions. FTG will acquire 100% of the common shares of IMI for cash consideration of approximately $2.0M, subject to typical closing adjustments. It is expected that the CFIUS review will be complete in Q2 2023. On December 24, 2022, the Corporation entered into an agreement to acquire Holaday Circuits, Inc based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The closing of the acquisition is subject to approval by CFIUS and other customary closing conditions. FTG will acquire 100% of Holaday for cash consideration of approximately $24.0M and contingent consideration up to $6.0M, subject to typical closing adjustments. It is expected that the CFIUS review will be complete in Q2 2023. FTG received $3.4 million in Employee Retention Credits (ERC) for its U.S. sites as they retained their staff through the pandemic. FTG received funding of $0.6 million in the quarter for a total of $2.5M received to-date under the Canadian Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI) program. In the quarter, FTG was awarded up to $2.6M of funding from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade pursuant to the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC) program. This funding will be a conditional loan against qualifying investments made by FTG during a 33-month period ending November 30, 2024. The conditional loan will be non-interest bearing through November 30, 2024, with up to $0.5M forgivable upon achievement of specified objectives. The loan is repayable in quarterly instalments, with interest, from February 2025 through November 2028. Table 1 / Key Financial Metrics Three months ended March 3, March 4, (in thousands of dollars except per share amounts) 2023 2022 Sales $24,639 $20,461 Gross Margin 9,785 4,242 Gross Margin (%) 39.7 % 20.7 % Net Earnings to FTG Equity Holders $4,072 ($733 ) Adjusted Net Earnings (Loss)(1) Government Assistance (3,441 ) (256 ) Acquisition and divestiture expenses 358 - $989 ($989 ) Earnings (Loss) Per Share Basic $0.17 ($0.03 ) Diluted $0.17 ($0.03 ) Adjusted Earnings (Loss) Per Share Basic $0.04 ($0.04 ) Diluted $0.04 ($0.04 ) (1) Adjusted Net Earnings (Loss) is not a measure recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Management believes that this measure is important to many of the Corporations shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders. The Corporations method of calculating Adjusted Net Earnings may differ from other corporations and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other corporations. For FTG in Q1 2023, overall sales increased by $4.2M or 20.4% from $20.5M in Q1 2022 to $24.6M in Q1 2023. Increased revenue in Q1 2023 is the result of robust demand across our markets and specifically increased Simulator product activity. The average foreign exchange rate in Q1 2023 was 6% (8 cents) higher than in Q1 2022, with a positive impact on sales of $1.0M. The Circuits segment sales in Q1 2023 were up $1.4M, or 10.0% compared to last year. The sales increase was mainly driven by the commercial aerospace market. For the Aerospace segment, sales in Q1 2023 were up $2.3M or 29.1% compared to last year. Aerospace segment sales in Q1 2023 included $3.2M of revenue from Simulator products as compared to $0.2M in Q1 2022. Gross margin in Q1 2023 was $9.8M or 39.7% as compared to $4.2M or 20.7% in Q1 2022. Excluding government assistance, the gross margin rate improved to 28.0% in Q1 2023 from 19.5% in Q1 2022. The increase in the gross margin rate is due to the operating leverage of increased sales volumes, favourable exchange rate from Canadian to U.S. dollars and operational efficiencies. Net earnings after tax at FTG in Q1 2023 was $4.1M or $0.17 per diluted share compared to a net loss of $0.7M or ($0.03) per diluted share in Q1 2022. Adjusted net earnings was $1.0M or $0.04 per diluted share in Q1 2023 as compared to an adjusted net loss of $1.0M or $0.04 per diluted share in the prior year quarter. The $2.0M increase in adjusted net earnings is the result of higher sales volume, operational efficiencies and a more favourable foreign exchange rate. The Circuits segment earnings before income taxes and interest was $3.4M in Q1 2023 as compared to $0.2M in Q1 2022. Higher sales and higher government subsidies for the U.S. sites drove the increase in earnings. The Aerospace segment earnings before income taxes was $2.2M in Q1 2023 versus $0.1M in Q1 2022. The increase in earnings was driven by higher sales of Simulator products and increased government assistance for our Chatsworth site. Table 2 / EBITDA Three months ended Trailing 12 Months March 3, March 4, (in thousands of dollars) 2023 2022 EBITDA(2) Net earnings to equity holders of FTG $4,072 ($733 ) $5,503 Add: Interest, accretion (8 ) 117 318 Income taxes 763 332 2,005 Depreciation/Amortization/Stock Comp. 1,470 1,613 5,724 $6,297 $1,329 $13,550 Adjusted EBITDA(2) Government Assistance (3,441 ) (256 ) (3,498 ) Acquisition and divestiture expenses 358 - 881 $3,214 $1,073 $10,933 (2) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Management believes that these measures are important to many of the Corporations shareholders, creditors and other stakeholders. The Corporations method of calculating EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may differ from other corporations and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other corporations. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for FTG in Q1 2023 was $6.3M or 25.6% of sales compared to $1.3M or 6.5% of sales in Q1 2022. Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2023, which excludes the ERC government assistance and expenses related to the two pending acquisitions, was $3.2M or 13.0% of net sales, as compared to $1.1M or 5.2% of net sales in Q1 2022. The increase in profitability is driven by increased operating leverage from higher sales and a favourable foreign exchange impact. For the trailing twelve months, EBITDA increased to $13.6M due to the improving results each quarter since Q1 2022. As at March 3, 2023, the Corporations net working capital was $42.6M, compared to $30.5M at year-end in 2022. Net cash at the end of Q1 2023 was $20.6M compared to net cash of $12.3M at the end of 2022, after completing the Aerospace Chatsworth facility sale leaseback transaction for net proceeds of $8.5M and receiving $3.4M from the U.S. Employment Retention Credit program (ERC), receiving an additional $0.6M in ARRI funding from the Canadian Government, partially offset by increased working capital usage to meet customer commitments. The Corporation will host a live conference call on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 8:45am (Eastern) to discuss the results of Q1 2023. Anyone wishing to participate in the call should dial 416-764-8646 or 1-888-396-8049, Conference ID 33407347 and identify that you are calling to participate in the FTG conference call. The Chairperson is Mr. Brad Bourne. A replay of the call will be available until May 13, 2023 and will be available on the FTG website at www.ftgcorp.com. The number to call for a rebroadcast is 416-764-8692 or 1-877-674-7070, Playback Passcode 407347#. ABOUT FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION FTG is an aerospace and defense electronics product and subsystem supplier to customers around the globe. FTG has two operating units: FTG Circuits is a manufacturer of high technology, high reliability printed circuit boards. Our customers are leaders in the aviation, defense, and high technology industries. FTG Circuits has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Chatsworth, California, Fredericksburg, Virginia and a joint venture in Tianjin, China. FTG Aerospace manufactures and repairs illuminated cockpit panels, keyboards and sub-assemblies for original equipment manufacturers of aerospace and defense equipment. FTG Aerospace has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Chatsworth, California and Tianjin, China. The Corporation's shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FTG. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are related to, but not limited to, FTGs operations, anticipated financial performance, business prospects and strategies. Forward-looking information typically contains words such as anticipate, believe, expect, plan or similar words suggesting future outcomes. Such statements are based on the current expectations of management of the Corporation and inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including economic factors and the Corporations industry, generally. The preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by the Corporation. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions with respect to the Corporation and not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as may be required by law, FTG disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information please contact: Bradley C. Bourne, President and CEOFiran Technology Group CorporationTel: (416) 299-4000 x314[email protected] Jamie Crichton, Vice President and CFOFiran Technology Group CorporationTel: (416) 299-4000 x264[email protected] Additional information can be found at the Corporations website www.ftgcorp.com FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) March 3, November 30, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2023 2022 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 24,290 $ 15,666 Accounts receivable 16,586 16,615 Contract assets 486 504 Inventories 23,040 19,664 Prepaid expenses and other 1,361 1,201 65,763 53,650 Non-current assets Non-current assets held for sale - 8,471 Property, Plant and equipment, net 11,212 11,015 Right-of-use assets 11,916 9,463 Intangible and other assets, net 360 399 Deferred tax assets 835 748 Total assets $ 90,086 $ 83,746 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 16,257 $ 14,906 Provisions 1,157 823 Contract liabilities 2,924 4,423 Current portion of bank debt 736 866 Current portion of government loan 72 47 Current portion of lease liabilities 1,875 1,360 Income tax payable 174 712 Income tax payable - - 23,195 23,137 Non-current liabilities Bank debt 401 532 Government loan 2,466 1,883 Lease liabilities 10,888 8,899 Total liabilities 36,950 34,451 Equity Retained earnings $ 23,579 $ 19,521 Accumulated other comprehensive income (1,182 ) (867 ) 22,397 18,654 Share capital Common Shares 21,343 21,357 Contributed surplus 8,363 8,319 Total equity attributable to FTG's shareholders 52,103 48,330 Non-controlling interest 1,033 965 Total equity 53,136 49,295 Total liabilities and equity $ 90,086 $ 83,746 FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss) Three months ended (Unaudited) March 3, March 4, (in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) 2023 2022 Sales $ 24,639 $ 20,461 Cost of sales Cost of sales 13,576 14,734 Depreciation of plant and equipment 969 1,128 Depreciation of right-of-use assets 309 357 Total cost of sales 14,854 16,219 Gross margin 9,785 4,242 Expenses Selling, general and administrative 3,786 3,018 Research and development costs 1,332 1,392 Recovery of investment tax credits (150 ) (177 ) Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 51 57 Depreciation of right-of-use assets 16 10 Amortization of intangible assets 33 31 Interest (income) expense, net (153 ) 9 Notional interest expense on government loan 24 - Accretion on lease liabilities 121 108 Stock based compensation 107 24 Foreign exchange (gain) loss (246 ) 169 Total expenses 4,921 4,641 Earnings (loss) before income taxes 4,864 (399 ) Current income tax expense 733 296 Deferred income tax expense 30 36 Total income tax expense 763 332 Net earnings (loss) $ 4,101 $ (731 ) Attributable to: Non-controlling interest $ 29 $ 2 Equity holders of FTG $ 4,072 $ (733 ) Earnings (loss) per share, attributable to the equity holders of FTG Basic $ 0.17 $ (0.03 ) Diluted $ 0.17 $ (0.03 ) FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) Three months ended (Unaudited) March 3, March 4, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2023 2022 Net earnings (loss) $ 4,101 $ (731 ) Other comprehensive earnings (loss) to be reclassified to net earnings (loss) in subsequent periods: Change in foreign currency translation adjustments 71 (60 ) Net gain (loss) on valuation of derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges (463 ) 637 Deferred income taxes on change in valuation of derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges 116 (160 ) (276 ) 417 Total comprehensive income (loss) $ 3,825 $ (314 ) Attributable to: Equity holders of FTG $ 3,727 $ (320 ) Non-controlling interest $ 98 $ 6 FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity Three months ended March 3, 2023 Attributed to the equity holders of FTG Accumulated other Non- (Unaudited) Common Retained Contributed comprehensive controlling Total (in thousands of Canadian dollars) shares earnings surplus income (loss) Total interest equity Balance, November 30, 2022 $ 21,357 $ 19,521 $ 8,319 $ (867 ) $ 48,330 $ 965 $ 49,295 Net income - 4,072 - - 4,072 29 4,101 Stock-based compensation - - 44 - 44 - 44 Repurchase and cancellation of shares (14 ) (14 ) - - (28 ) - (28 ) Other comprehensive loss - - - (315 ) (315 ) 39 (276 ) Balance, March 3, 2023 $ 21,343 $ 23,579 $ 8,363 $ (1,182 ) $ 52,103 $ 1,033 $ 53,136 Three months ended March 4, 2022 Attributed to the equity holders of FTG Accumulated other Non- (Unaudited) Common Retained Contributed comprehensive controlling Total (in thousands of Canadian dollars) shares earnings surplus income Total interest equity Balance, November 30, 2021 $ 21,881 $ 19,391 $ 8,352 $ 478 $ 50,102 $ 940 $ 51,042 Net income (loss) - (733 ) - - (733 ) 2 (731 ) Stock-based compensation - - (7 ) - (7 ) - (7 ) Other comprehensive income - - - 413 413 4 417 Balance, March 4, 2022 $ 21,881 $ 18,658 $ 8,345 $ 891 $ 49,775 $ 946 $ 50,721 FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Three months ended (Unaudited) March 3, March 4, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2023 2022 Net inflow (outflow) of cash related to the following: Operating activities Net earnings (loss) $ 4,101 $ (731 ) Items not affecting cash and cash equivalents: Stock-based compensation 107 24 Loss on disposal of plant and equipment 30 - Effect of exchange rates on U.S. dollar bank debt (18 ) (30 ) Depreciation of plant and equipment 1,020 1,185 Depreciation of right-of-use assets 325 367 Amortization of intangible assets 33 31 Amortization, other (15 ) 6 Notional interest expense on government loan 24 - Deferred tax expenses 30 236 Accretion on lease liabilities 121 108 Net change in non-cash operating working capital (4,288 ) (1,023 ) 1,470 173 Additions to plant and equipment (1,119 ) (1,369 ) Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment 8,382 - Recovery of contract and other costs 8 3 Proceeds from disposal of plant and equipment - - 7,271 (1,366 ) Net cash flow from operating and investing activities 8,741 (1,193 ) Financing activities Proceeds from government loan 603 - Repayments of bank debt (246 ) (231 ) Lease liability payments (367 ) (427 ) Repurchase and cancellation of shares (30 ) - (40 ) (658 ) Effects of foreign exchange rate changes on cash flow (77 ) (135 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash flow 8,624 (1,986 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period 15,666 20,196 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 24,290 $ 18,210 Disclosure of cash payments Payment for interest $ 15 $ 25 Payments for income taxes $ 1,152 $ 248 Source: Firan Technology Group Corporation Record mill throughput rate VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gatos Silver, Inc. (NYSE/TSX: GATO) (Gatos Silver or the Company) today announced production results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023 with record mill throughput at its 70%-owned Cerro Los Gatos (CLG) mine in Mexico. Dale Andres, CEO of Gatos Silver, commented: The CLG mine continues to perform extremely well. Production in the first quarter of 2023 was similar to the year earlier period as higher mill throughput offset an expected decline in the metal grades. Mill throughput achieved a quarterly record as a result of debottlenecking and optimization efforts. The first quarter results are aligned with our 2023 production guidance, which anticipates higher silver output in the first half of 2023 compared with the second half of 2023, due to planned grade reductions. Our priorities continue to focus on mine debottlenecking and plant optimization. We are also focused on advancing mine life extension opportunities including accelerating definition drilling on the mineralization recently discovered at depth in the new South-East Deeps zone, and continuing exploration of the extensive land package in the highly prospective Los Gatos district. Production Results (100% basis) CLG comparative production highlights are summarized below: Three Months Ended March 31, CLG Production (100% Basis) 2023 2022 Tonnes milled (dmt) 260,428 234,985 Tonnes milled per day (dmt) 2,894 2,611 Feed Grades Silver (g/t) 329 353 Zinc (%) 3.93 4.13 Lead (%) 1.86 2.22 Gold (g/t) 0.30 0.30 Contained Metal Silver ounces (millions) 2.43 2.39 Zinc pounds - in zinc conc. (millions) 14.0 13.8 Lead pounds - in lead conc. (millions) 9.5 10.3 Gold ounces - in lead conc. (thousands) 1.38 1.30 Recoveries(1) Silver - in both lead and zinc concentrates 88.3% 89.7% Zinc - in zinc concentrate 62.2% 64.3% Lead - in lead concentrate 88.6% 89.2% Gold - in lead concentrate 55.3% 57.1% (1) Recoveries are reported for payable metals in the identified concentrate. Silver production was 2.43 million ounces in the first quarter of 2023, 2% higher than the 2.39 million ounces in the first quarter of 2022, driven by higher mill throughput rates and offset by lower silver grades as expected in the mine plan. Zinc production increased by 2%, lead production declined by 8%, and gold production increased by 6%, compared with the first quarter of 2022. Mill throughput averaged 2,894 tonnes per day during the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 11% compared to the first quarter of 2022 and setting a new quarterly record. Recoveries for the first quarter of 2023 were marginally lower than in the comparable quarter for 2022, the result of lower feed grades and the metallurgical characteristics of the material processed for the quarter. Increased mill throughput was supported by continued debottlenecking and optimization efforts focused on achieving higher mining rates through increased productivities and improved mine plan flexibility. The paste plant operated well during the quarter and exceeded the design stope filling rates. The paste plant is expected to help increase operational flexibility and productivity as well as help to lower operating costs going forward. Construction of the zinc concentrate leach plant is progressing well and is expected to be commissioned during the second quarter. As previously disclosed, silver production is expected to be higher in the first half of 2023 than in the second half of 2023 based on sequencing of the mine plan. Zinc and lead production are expected to be higher in the second half of the year than in the first half. About Gatos Silver Gatos Silver is a silver dominant exploration, development and production company that discovered a new silver and zinc-rich mineral district in southern Chihuahua State, Mexico. As a 70% owner of the Los Gatos Joint Venture (LGJV), the Company is primarily focused on operating the Cerro Los Gatos mine and on growth and development of the Los Gatos district. The LGJV consists of approximately 103,000 hectares of mineral rights, representing a highly prospective and under-explored district with numerous silver-zinc-lead epithermal mineralized zones identified as priority targets. Qualified Person Scientific and technical disclosure in this press release was approved by Anthony (Tony) Scott, P.Geo., Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Technical Services of Gatos Silver who is a Qualified Person as defined in S-K 1300 and NI 43-101. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute forward looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. and Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding expected production and output, future debottlenecking and plant optimization at CLG, mine life extension, definition drilling at CLG and exploration of the Los Gatos district are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on managements beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, and such other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities commissions. Gatos Silver expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which such statements are based unless required to do so by applicable law. No assurance can be given that such future results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Investors and Media Contact Andre van Niekerk Chief Financial Officer [email protected] (604) 424-0984 SINGAPORE, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Group Limited (NYSE American: GNS) (Genius Group or the Company), a leading entrepreneur edtech and education group, is changing the date of its planned extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the EGM) from April 28, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. ET (8:00 p.m. Singapore Time) to May 16, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. ET (8:00 p.m. Singapore Time). The proposals to be submitted for shareholders' approval at the EGM are to consider and vote on the resolutions for the adoption of the new constitution and the proposed capital reduction and distribution of shares in Entrepreneur Resorts Limited to shareholders. Details related to each of the two proposals are available on a Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2023. Participation The EGM will be held as a digital meeting only, with no in-person attendance for shareholders. Shareholders will be able to watch or listen to these proceedings through a live video feed on Zoom via their mobile phones, tablets or computers (Live Webcast). To participate, shareholders will have to follow these steps: Shareholders (whether Beneficial Shareholders or Shareholders of Record) who wish to watch or listen to the EGM must pre-register their participation using the following URL https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ODAUUXVRu2Q49L_fW-hPw no later than 11:59 p.m. (Singapore time) on 13 May 2023 (Registration Cut-off). Upon successful registration, Shareholder or its corporate representative will receive an email containing a link and a toll-free telephone number to access the Live Webcast, together with the relevant log in details and instructions, as well as instructions on how to watch or listen to the Live Webcast. Shareholders who have pre-registered in accordance with the steps above but do not receive an email with a Zoom meeting invitation link by 11:59 p.m., May 13, 2023 (Singapore time) should contact the Company for assistance via email to [email protected] . Shareholders (or corporate representatives) must not forward the abovementioned link to other persons who are not Shareholders and who are not entitled to participate in the EGM. About Genius Group Genius Group is a world leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, with a mission to disrupt the current education model with a student-centered, life-long learning curriculum that prepares students with the leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills to succeed in todays market. The group has a group user base of 4.3 million students and users in 200 countries, ranging from ages 0 to 100. Investor Notice Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2022. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See Forward-Looking Statements below. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as may, will, plan, should, expect, anticipate, estimate, continue, or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 20-F, as may be supplemented or amended by the Companys Reports of a Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise. Contacts Investors:Flora Hewitt, Vice President of Investor Relations and Mergers and AcquisitionsEmail: [email protected] Media Contact:Adia PREmail: [email protected] US Investors: Dave GentryRedChip Companies Inc1-800-RED-CHIP[email protected] Source: Genius Group Limited Jackson, Mississippi, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jackson State University student Maisie Brown has been named a Truman Scholar, the first in the universitys history. The junior political science major is one of 62 new Truman Scholars selected from 705 candidates nominated by 275 colleges and universities. Brown was one of only two HBCU students up for the award. "It is such a surreal feeling to receive this scholarship because I suffered from imposter syndrome and almost dissuaded myself from applying. I hope this shows Jackson State students and other HBCU students that we are just as well equipped and capable of receiving the same honors as everyone else. I hope to help other students who wish to apply and encourage them to step out on faith. Just do it," said Brown, whose grassroots advocacy has been recognized by BET, CNN, Morning Joe, MSNBC, Essence and more. Brown was surprised by the news from JSU Acting President Elayne H. Anthony, Ph.D. while surrounded by JSU administrators. "What we wanted to do as a "Thee I Love" family was to tell you that you have been awarded the Truman Scholarship," Anthony informed Brown in the president's conference room. Brown said she was overwhelmed and excited to learn she was a recipient. "Oh my gosh. My nerves have been so bad about it. I've been checking my email every day," she said. The Truman Scholarship will help financially support the post-graduate academic endeavors of those in public service leadership. To continue her higher-education journey, Brown has her sights on Georgetown University due to their transformational education master's program. "I'm really interested in the intersection between social justice, education and policy. That's my top choice right now, but I'm going to seewhere the money resides, I guess," she said before laughing. Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Bessie House-Soremekum, Ph.D., said she is absolutely pleased that Brown is now a Truman Scholar. "This is the first time we have had this happen at Jackson State University. I am thrilled that you are a student in the College of Liberal Arts, one of the leading colleges on the campus," said Soremekum. "You exemplify so many good things that our students should look up to. You are a sterling scholar, and you have been able to succeed despite the odds that you have faced." Anthony shared that she hopes Brown's achievement will entice other students to look at scholarship opportunities such as Truman and for others to know what JSU students are all about. Mother to a one-year-old daughter, Brown is setting the standard on how to balance life, service and academia. In addition to her co-curricular activities, Brown holds a 3.5 GPA. Political Science Professor D'Andra Orey, Ph.D., has been one of her biggest supporters. He acknowledges the servant's heart that Brown has personified since she was a Jackson Public School youth. "Maisie has been on the ground working all her life. From helping to organize the second-largest civil rights protest in Mississippi's history as a high school student to being the public face of the Jackson water crisis, she has managed to do all of this while at the same time excelling in academics. She is the epitome of what this scholarship embodies," said Orey. Director of Honors Student Services and Activities Pamala Heard, Ph.D., echoes Orey's sentiments. The director encouraged Brown to apply and complete the intense Truman Scholar application and vetting process. I am so proud of Maisie. She is a fantastic student that accepted the challenge and received the award. She is a history maker, the first finalist for the Truman Scholarship from Jackson State University, and the first Truman Scholarship recipient from Jackson State University. She is an example of what students can do if given an opportunity," said Heard. Established by Congress in 1975 as the living memorial to President Harry S. Truman and national monument to public service, the Truman Scholarship carries the legacy of the 33rd President by supporting and inspiring the next generation of public service leaders. When approached by a bipartisan group of admirers near the end of his life, President Truman embodied this commitment to the future of public service by asking Congress to create a living memorial devoted to this purpose rather than a traditional brick-and-mortar monument. The Truman Foundation has fulfilled that mission for over forty years: inspiring and supporting Americans from diverse backgrounds to public service. This year's 62 awardees join a community of 3,504 Truman Scholars named since the first awards in 1977. Join the conversation online using the hashtag #Truman23. Follow the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation on Facebook @TrumanScholarship, Twitter @TrumanApp, and Instagram @TrumanFoundation. # # # Attachments SYDNEY, Australia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IAG Firemark Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of IAG, the largest general insurer in Australia and New Zealand, announced today that it has invested in Planck, a global insurtech platform that provides real-time answers to underwriting questions to the global Commercial Insurance Industry. The investment is aimed at supporting Planck's global expansion into the Australian and New Zealand commercial insurance market, with a vision that the technology could potentially be embedded in IAGs brands, CGU and NRMA. Planck's cutting-edge technology utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to provide insurers with real-time risk insights that superpower underwriters efficiency and facilitate automation. The platform is designed to help insurance companies streamline their underwriting processes, reduce manual errors, and improve efficiency. By working with carriers in automating the underwriting process, Planck enables them to make better-informed decisions, reduce underwriting friction and grow premiums whilst reducing loss ratios. IAG Firemark Ventures investment in Planck is part of IAGs ongoing commitment to innovation and technology, said IAG Firemark Ventures General Partner Scott Gunther. The investment will enable Planck to further develop its underwriting automation services in the Australian and New Zealand commercial insurance market, providing IAG with a competitive advantage in the industry. "Plancks proven technology and demonstrated success with other global insurance carriers, could also potentially provide IAG with real time risk insights that could revolutionize our underwriting processes and drive efficiency for our business. Having a better understanding of our customers risks will lead to improved insurance and risk solutions for commercial customers in our markets. Planck is excited to partner with IAG to expand our underwriting automation operations in the Australian commercial insurance market," said Elad Tsur, CEO of Planck. Our cutting-edge technology will help IAG and other insurers in Australia to improve their underwriting process, reduce manual errors, and improve efficiency. As Planck has accomplished in other countries, collaboration with leaders in a region, such as IAG, enables us to deliver innovative solutions that will benefit the entire insurance industry." About IAG IAG is the parent company of a general insurance group with operations in Australia and New Zealand. IAGs main businesses underwrite over $13 billion of insurance premium per annum under many leading brands, including: NRMA Insurance, RACV (under a distribution agreement with RACV), CGU, SGIO, SGIC and WFI (Australia); and NZI, State, AMI and Lumley (New Zealand). For further information, please visit www.iag.com.au About Planck Planck is a global insurtech platform that provides unprecedented underwriting insights and, underwriting automation services to insurance companies. The platform utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to provide real-time data analysis and risk assessments, enabling insurers to make better-informed decisions and streamline processes. Planck's cutting-edge technology streamlines the underwriting process, reducing manual errors and improving efficiency. Planck is committed to helping insurers stay competitive by providing innovative solutions that improve their overall business performance. Contact Information: IAG - Media Relations Katherine Jimenez M: 0411 011 117 E: [email protected] Planck - Media Relations Joel Lagan Planck Resolution Ltd. Head of Marketing & Business Development [email protected] SHANGHAI, China, April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (Junshi Biosciences, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, today announced that a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase III clinical study (FLAMES Study, NCT04169997) investigating the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, senaparib (product code: JS109/IMP4297), had finished its pre-specified interim analysis. Senaparib was jointly developed by Junshi Biosciences and IMPACT Therapeutics, Inc. (IMPACT Therapeutics), as a maintenance treatment following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III/IV ovarian carcinoma, fallopian tube cancer or primary peritoneal cancer who achieved a complete response or partial response. The Independent Data Monitoring Committee (the IDMC) concluded that the primary endpoint had met the pre-defined efficacy boundary. Junshi Biosciences and IMPACT Therapeutics will communicate with regulatory authorities regarding a new drug application for the drug in the near future. Dr. Jianjun ZOU, President of Global Research and Development at Junshi Biosciences, commented on the positive results of the FLAMES study. "As the first phase III clinical study of a domestically developed PARP inhibitor that has achieved positive results for advanced ovarian cancer maintenance treatment following first-line therapy, the FLAMES studys interim analysis results show that senaparib can significantly extend the progression free survival (PFS) of patients with advanced ovarian cancer, regardless of the patients breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) mutation status. We will collaborate with our partner IMPACT Therapeutics to engage in communication with regulatory agencies and look forward to expanding our commercial cancer drug portfolio to provide more effective treatment options at a lower cost for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is one of the most commonly fatal malignant tumors affecting the female genital tract. According to GLOBOCAN 2020 data, around 310,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed across the world annually, resulting in roughly 210,000 deaths every year. As the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are hidden and non-specific, around 80% of the patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, with a five-year survival rate of only 40%. Although primary platinum-based chemotherapy can help alleviate ovarian cancer, most patients inevitably experience cancer relapse. Over the years, PARP inhibitor has revolutionized the treatment of ovarian cancer. In particular, PARP inhibitor maintenance treatment can extend the response time following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and delay cancer relapse. About the FLAMES Study The FLAMES Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase III clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of senaparib as monotherapy maintenance treatment following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with FIGO stage III/IV ovarian cancer who have achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR). About Senaparib As a novel targeted anti-tumor drug, senaparib is a PARP inhibitor. The clinical study of senaparib was supported by the national special project for innovative manufacturing of major new drugs under the 13th Five-Year Plan, and the inspection and acceptance procedures were completed smoothly. In August 2022, the fixed dose combination capsules of senaparib and temozolomide for the treatment of adult patients with small cell lung cancer was granted orphan-drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In August 2020, Junshi Biosciences and IMPACT Therapeutics entered into a joint venture agreement to form a joint venture company. The joint venture company mainly engages in the research and development, and commercialization of small molecule anti-tumor drugs, including senaparib. IMPACT Therapeutics contributed the asset rights of senaparib within the joint venture territories of mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Region. The Company and IMPACT Therapeutics each owns a 50% equity interest of the joint venture company. About Junshi Biosciences Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA monoclonal antibody for the treatment of various cancers was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and has since entered Phase Ib/II trials in both China and the US. Its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA. In the face of the pandemic, Junshi Biosciences response was strong and immediate, joining forces with Chinese and international scientific research institutions and enterprises to develop an arsenal of drug candidates to combat COVID-19, taking the initiative to shoulder the social responsibility of Chinese pharmaceutical companies by prioritizing and accelerating COVID-19 R&D. In 2021, JS016 (etesevimab), Chinas first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 administered with bamlanivimab, was granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) in over 15 countries and regions worldwide. Meanwhile, VV116 (deuremidevir hydrobromide), a novel oral nucleoside analog anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug designed to hinder virus replication, has been approved for marketing in China and Uzbekistan. The JS016 and VV116 programs are a part of the companys continuous efforts towards innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic. Junshi Biosciences has about 3,000 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com. Junshi Biosciences Contact InformationIR Team:Junshi Biosciences[email protected]+ 86 021-6105 8800 PR Team:Junshi BiosciencesZhi Li[email protected]+ 86 021-6105 8800 Source: Junshi Biosciences Clashes between Arab and non-Arab groups in Sudan's Darfur region have left at least 24 people dead, dozens of homes burned, and thousands displaced, an official said on Wednesday. Related Sudan political deal on civilian rule delayed again The latest violence in Sudan's westernmost region near Chad erupted between members of Arab tribes and the Masalit non-Arab group in the town of Foro Baranga, about 185 kilometres (115 miles) from Geneina the capital of West Darfur state. "The death toll has reached around 24 people on both sides," according to Mohammed Hussein Teeman, of the Foro Baranga community council. He said the fighting broke out Saturday. The violence prompted Sudanese authorities to declare a night curfew and a month-long state of emergency across West Darfur. Security forces have been dispatched over the past days and the situation had calmed by Wednesday, he said. About 50 homes were burned in the Foro Baranga area, "leading to the displacement of an estimated 4,000 families (about 20,000 people)," according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Ethnic clashes often break out in Darfur, a vast region the size of France which was ravaged by a civil war that erupted in 2003. That conflict pitted ethnic minority rebels against the Arab-dominated government of then-president Omar al-Bashir. Khartoum responded by unleashing the notorious Janjaweed militia, recruited from among the region's mainly Arab nomadic peoples. Around 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million displaced, according to the United Nations. Experts have said tribal conflicts increased in Sudan after the 2020 end of a UN-African Union peacekeeping mission, and in a security vacuum following the 2021 military takeover led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Throughout Sudan last year, such conflicts killed around 900 people and displaced almost 300,000, OCHA said. Last April, senior Janjaweed militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb, faced the Hague-based International Criminal Court in its first trial for war crimes in Darfur. Bashir, who has been in custody in Khartoum since his 2019 ouster, has been wanted by the ICC for more than a decade over charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Search Keywords: Short link: GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProStar Holdings Inc. ("ProStar" or "the Company") (TSXV: MAPS) (OTCQX: MAPPF) (FSE: 5D00) ("ProStar" or "the Company") a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions, is pleased to announce that Pat Clawson has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors ("Board") effective April 11th, 2023. In connection with this appointment, the Board will be increased from 5 to 6 directors. My expertise is helping early-stage technology companies like ProStar to execute and become successful, stated Pat Clawson. In fact, after doing my research and working with the team, I feel that most of the heavy lifting was behind them and that their focus could shift to attaining three critical goals that include increasing market share, driving revenue, and realizing profitability, which might sound pretty straight forward but it requires 100% buy-in at every level of the company and the implementation of a proven strategy which I have had experience leading in the past 20 years. What excited me the most and why I agreed to join the board at ProStar is that they have an incredible team with a disruptive product that resolves a widespread global issue." Pat Clawson is the former CEO of Terbium Labs and Blancco Technology Group (BLTG.L). Clawson also served as Chairman and CEO of Lumension Security and CyberGuard Corporation, a security software company he successfully grew and positioned for acquisition by Secure Computing. Prior to CyberGuard, Clawson served as Senior Vice President of Business Development at Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, a provider of clinical software and information systems. Prior to Allscripts, he was Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at MasterChart, a health information technology company. Clawson was also a former member of the board of directors for eDMZ which was sold to Quest Software (now Dell) and served on the board of directors for Prolexic which was acquired by Akamai. Pat is a dynamic leader offering substantial talents and proven performance in providing board leadership as well as operational guidance and strategic direction, stated Herb McKim, Chairman of the Board. Pat is a welcomed addition as he brings a proven track record and strategic formula that has helped several software companies excel in revenue performance and operational excellence. About ProStar:ProStar is a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions and is creating a digital world by leveraging the most modern GPS, cloud, and mobile technologies. ProStar is a software development company specializing in developing patented cloud and mobile precision mapping solutions focused on the critical infrastructure industry. ProStars flagship product, PointMan, is designed to significantly improve the workflow processes and business practices associated with the lifecycle management of critical infrastructure assets both above and below the Earths surface. ProStars PointMan is offered as a Software as a Service (SaaS) and seamlessly connects the field with the office and provides the ability to precisely capture, record, display, and manage critical infrastructure, including roads, railways, pipelines, and utilities. Some of the largest entities in North America have adopted ProStars solutions, including Fortune 500 construction firms, Subsurface Utilities Engineering (SUE) firms, utility owners, and government agencies. ProStar has strategic business partnerships with the worlds leading geospatial technology providers, data collection equipment manufacturers, and dealer networks. The Company has made a significant investment in creating a vast intellectual property portfolio that includes 20 issued patents in the United States and Canada. The patents protect the methods and systems required to digitally capture, record, organize, manage, distribute, and display the precise location of critical infrastructure, including buried utilities and pipelines. ProStars Executive management team has extensive experience in the management of both early-stage and Fortune 500 technology companies in the private and public sectors. For more information about ProStar, please visit www.prostarcorp.com. On behalf of the Company,Page Tucker on sales / corporate news releases, CEO and DirectorContact:Joel SutherlandInvestor Relations970-822-4792[email protected] Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the Company's future strategic focus. 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 state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; the state of the technology sector; recent market volatility; 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 reader is referred to the Companys recent Annual Managements Discussion & Analysis filed on SEDAR on April 14, 2022, for a more complete discussion of applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Companys issuer page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Source: ProStar THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: REI) (Ring or the Company) today announced that 14,512,166 of its outstanding warrants have been amended to lower their exercise price to $0.62 per share in exchange for early exercise of the warrants, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of $8,997,543 and the issuance of 14,512,166 shares of common stock. After the full exercise of the above warrants, there remain outstanding warrants to purchase 78,200 shares of common stock. Mr. Paul D. McKinney, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, We are pleased with the early exercises resulting from the premium inducement. The accelerated receipt of approximately $9 million in warrant proceeds contributes to our relentless goal to strengthen our balance sheet. We believe that clearing out the warrants simplifies our capital structure, as well as should improve trading liquidity and increase our float. The warrants were issued as part of a registered direct offering in 2020 and were exercisable for shares of the Companys common stock at an initial exercise price of $0.80 per share. The issuance of the common stock upon exercise of the warrants by the Company, and the resale of the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are covered by a registration statement, as amended, previously filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Truist Securities acted as exclusive financial advisor to the Company. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Ring Energy, Inc. Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the conventional development of its Permian Basin assets in West Texas and New Mexico. For additional information, please visit www.ringenergy.com. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties, and include, without limitations, statements with respect to the Companys strategy and prospects. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Companys reports filed with the SEC, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and its other filings with the SEC. Readers and investors are cautioned that the Companys actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Contact Information Al Petrie Advisors Al Petrie, Senior Partner Phone: 281-975-2146 Email: [email protected] Source: Ring Energy, Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, today announced Trevor Noah, comedian and best-selling author, and Bethenny Frankel, founder and CEO of Skinnygirl, will deliver highly-anticipated keynotes at the upcoming Meltwater Summit, June 21-22 in New York City. Meltwater Summit, now in its third year, offers an opportunity for marketing and communications professionals to hear from speakers, industry experts, and top brands and learn how to cut through the noise for more meaningful connections with customers. In addition to keynote speakers Noah and Frankel, the Meltwater Summit will welcome more than 30 industry thought-leaders and brands to discuss a variety of topics impacting marketing and communications professionals today, including executive thought leadership, influencer relationships, social listening, measurement, purpose-driven communication and more. Among the speakers at Meltwater Summit 2023 will be: Selman Careaga , President, the Coca-Cola Company , President, the Coca-Cola Company Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan , Editor at Large, Inc. Magazine , Editor at Large, Inc. Magazine Chris Chiames , Chief Communications Officer, Carnival Cruise Line , Chief Communications Officer, Carnival Cruise Line James Wright , Global CEO, Red Havas , Global CEO, Red Havas Dayan Candappa, Chief Content Officer, Newsweek Chief Content Officer, Newsweek Zaria Parvez , Global Social Media Manager, Duolingo , Global Social Media Manager, Duolingo Stacie Barrett , Director of Internal Communication, Domino's , Director of Internal Communication, Domino's Sheila Mulligan , Managing Director, Edelman , Managing Director, Edelman Danny Gardner , Social Intelligence Lead, Haleon , Social Intelligence Lead, Haleon Rose Jia , Head of Growth Marketing, Amazon , Head of Growth Marketing, Amazon Miri Rodriguez, Senior Storyteller State & Local Gov., Microsoft We are thrilled to have such an incredible lineup of talented industry experts in attendance at the Meltwater Summit this year, said John Box, Chief Executive Officer, Meltwater. We know how challenging it can be to effectively reach audiences in our digital world, and our goal is to help marketing and communications professionals Engage with Impact by building trust and loyalty with their customers. Sponsors participating in Meltwater Summit 2023 include Red Havas, Converseon, 3BL and more. Learn more about the Meltwater Summit and register here: www.meltwater.com/summit Contacts: Jenny Force VP Marketing, Meltwater [email protected] Jacob Gnieski Account Supervisor, Red Havas E: [email protected] A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers has filed a measure that would compel the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to allow seriously ill patients to use psychedelics and cannabis. The bill would clarify that gravely ill individuals have the right to access alternative treatments under federal Right to Try (RTT) laws that allow them to use schedule 1 drugs if they dont get any relief from traditional treatments. An RTT policy signed into law by President Donald Trump when he was still in office already Read More>> NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the companys newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC 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. The European Commission has informed Broadcom of its preliminary view that its proposed acquisition of VMware may restrict competition in the market for certain hardware components which interoperate with VMware's virtualisation software. Broadcom is a hardware company that offers, among other products, Network Interface Cards (NICs'), Fibre Channel Host-Bus Adapters (FC HBAs') and storage adapters. Broadcom is the leading supplier of such products worldwide. It has recently started expanding into software markets, mainly for security and mainframe applications. VMware is the global leading supplier of server virtualisation software in the on-premises and private cloud environments which interoperates with a wide range of hardware, including FC HBAs and storage adapters. The companies' portfolios are largely complementary. The Statement of Objections In December 2022, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess if Broadcom's acquisition of VMware may restrict competition in the market for the supply of NICs, FC HBAs and storage adapters. In addition, the Commission had concerns that Broadcom may: (i) hinder the development of SmartNICs by other providers, and (ii) start bundling VMware's virtualisation software with its own software and no longer offer VMware's virtualisation software as a stand-alone product. The Commission has conducted a wide-ranging investigation to understand the market and the potential impact of the deal. This investigation has included, among others, analysing internal documents provided by the parties and gathering views from server users and manufacturers, as well as from virtualisation software suppliers. As a result of this in-depth investigation, the Commission is concerned that Broadcom may restrict competition in the global markets for the supply of FC HBAs and storage adapters by foreclosing competitors' hardware by delaying or degrading their access to VMware's server virtualisation software. Broadcom is the leading supplier of FC HBAs and storage adapters. The markets are very concentrated. If the competitors of Broadcom are hampered in their ability to compete in these markets, this could in turn lead to higher prices, lower quality and less innovation for business customers, and ultimately consumers. Companies and products Broadcom is a US based hardware company active in the production of NICs, FC HBAs and storage adapters, amongst other products. NICs are server components that provide an interface between the server and other computers and equipment on a network. FC HBAs are storage adapters that connect servers to storage located outside the server on a storage-area network using the fiber channel protocol, typically through a switch. Storage adapters connect servers' central processing units to storage directly. VMware is a US based software company that mainly offers virtualization software, whichenables IT operators to create virtual versions of computer resources (e.g. hardware, operating systems, storage devices, or network resources) known as virtual machines. This enables IT organizations to run more than one virtual system and multiple OS and applications on a single server at the same time. Background A Statement of Objections is a formal step in an investigation, where the Commission informs the companies concerned in writing of the objections raised against them. The sending of a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. Broadcom now has the opportunity to reply to the Commission's Statement of Objections, to consult the Commission's case file and to request an oral hearing. The transaction was notified to the Commission on 15 November 2022. The Commission opened an in-depth investigation on 20 December 2022 and now has until 21 June 2023 to take a final decision. The Commission has the duty to assess mergers and acquisitions involving companies with a turnover above certain thresholds (see Article 1 of the Merger Regulation) and to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it. As part of a general effort to increase transparency and enhance our communications on the most complex investigations, the Commission has taken the decision to start publishing press releases upon the issuance of a Statement of Objections in Phase II merger proceedings. The Commission believes issuing a press release at this stage in a Phase II procedure provides added value, and clarifies the status of the case to the public. The vast majority of notified mergers do not pose competition problems and are cleared after a routine review. From the moment a transaction is notified, the Commission generally has 25 working days to decide whether to grant approval (Phase I) or to start an in-depth investigation (Phase II). In addition to the current transaction, there are currently eight on-going Phase II merger investigations: (i) the proposed acquisition of OMV Slovenija by MOL; (ii) the proposed acquisition of Alumetal by Hydro; (iii) the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft; (iv) the proposed acquisition of eTraveli by Booking; (v) the proposed acquisition of Lagardere by Vivendi, (vi) the proposed acquisition of Inmarsat by Viasat; (vii) the proposed acquisition of Asiana by Korean Air; and (viii) the proposed the proposed transaction Orange and Masmovil. More information will be available on the Commission's competition website, in the Commission's public case register under the case number M.10806. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - 1844 RESOURCES Inc. (TSXV: EFF) (the "Company" or "1844") announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 40,000,000 units (the "Units"), at $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Units will consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). The Warrants are exercisable for a period of 36 months from closing of the Offering (the "Expiry Date") at an exercise price of $0.075. In connection with the Offering, the Company will pay 8% cash finders fee and 8% non-transferable share purchase warrants, each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.05 per share for a period of 12 months from closing. 1844 will use the net proceeds from the Offering in connection with its option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project, for exploration on the Hawk Ridge Project and for general corporate purposes. Mr. Sylvain Laberge, President and CEO of the Company commented: "The option to acquire a 100% interest in the Hawk Ridge Project is transformational for 1844. Hawk Ridge is expected to become one of the flagship properties of the Company and is expected to add to our existing portfolio of copper and other critical mineral projects in coastal Quebec." The Offering will be conducted under available exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities legislation and participation in the Offering will be available to existing shareholders in qualifying jurisdictions in Canada in accordance with BC Instrument 45-534 - Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA Notice 45-313 - Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof (collectively, the "Existing Security Holder Exemption"). The Company has set April 10, 2023 as the record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to participate in the Offering in reliance on the Existing Security Holder Exemption. Qualifying shareholders who wish to participate in the Offering should contact the Company at the contact information set forth below no later than April 18, 2023. If the Offering is over-subscribed for, Units will be allocated pro-rata amongst all subscribers. All subscription materials must be provided to the Company no later than May 8, 2023. The Company may close the Offering in several tranches during the Offering, the first of which the Company intends to close no later than May 22, 2023. In addition to conducting the Offering pursuant to the Existing Shareholder Exemption, the Offering will also be conducted pursuant to other available prospectus exemptions. Insiders may participate in the Offering. The aggregate acquisition cost to a subscriber under the Existing Security Holder Exemption cannot exceed $15,000, unless that subscriber has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment and, if the subscriber is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada, such advice is obtained from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in the subscriber's jurisdiction. In addition to the Existing Security Holder Exemption and other available prospectus exemptions, a portion or all of the Offering may be completed pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318 - Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer ("CSA 45-318") and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof in the participating jurisdictions (collectively with CSA 45-318, the "Investment Dealer Exemption"). Pursuant to CSA 45-318, each subscriber relying on the Investment Dealer Exemption must obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer. There is no material fact or material change of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after closing of the Offering. Completion of the Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, receipt of all regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). None of the securities issued in the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. Certain insiders of the Company are expected to participate in the Offering. This participation by insiders in the Financing constitutes a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). However, the Company considers such participation would be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Units subscribed for by the insiders and the consideration for the Units paid by such insiders, would not exceed 25 per cent of the Company's market capitalization. For more details on the Company's option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project, see the Company's news releases dated March 6 and 7, 2023 (copies of which are available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com). The Company's option to acquire the Hawk Ridge Project remains subject to Exchange approval. About 1844 Resources Inc.: 1844 is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gasp, Chibougamau Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits. 1844 RESOURCES INC. (signed) "Sylvain Laberge" Sylvain Laberge President and CEO 514.702.9841 [email protected] resources.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's option on the Hawk Ridge Project and the Offering. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; and Exchange approval. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include exploration or other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162122 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX: BTE) (NYSE: BTE) ("Baytex") announced today that it intends to offer US$750 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2030 (the "Notes") in a private offering (the "offering"), subject to market and other conditions. The Notes will pay interest semi-annually in arrears. The final terms of the Notes will be determined at the time of pricing of the Notes. The gross proceeds of the offering will be deposited into escrow pending satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions, including the consummation of the previously announced merger (the "Merger") with Ranger Oil Corporation ("Ranger"). Upon satisfaction of the escrow release conditions, Baytex intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with borrowings under its credit facilities, to fund the cash portion of the consideration for the Merger, to repay certain outstanding indebtedness of Ranger and Baytex, and to pay fees and expenses in connection with the Merger. The Merger is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The closing of the Merger is not conditioned upon completion of the offering. If the escrow release conditions are not satisfied prior to October 15, 2023, or, to the extent the Merger Agreement is amended to remain in effect until a later date, such later date (but in no event later than December 31, 2023), or upon the occurrence of certain other events, including the termination of the Merger Agreement, the Notes will be subject to a special mandatory redemption at a price equal to 100% of the initial offering price of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the issue date of the notes to, but not including, the payment date of such mandatory redemption. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any Notes, nor shall there be any sale of Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification of the Notes under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Notes will be issued in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements provided by Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and, outside of the United States, only to non-U.S. investors pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. None of the Notes have been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Forward-Looking Statements In the interest of providing Baytex's shareholders and potential investors with information regarding Baytex, including management's assessment of Baytex's future plans and operations, certain statements in this press release are "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 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "intend", "may", "objective", "ongoing", "outlook", "potential", "project", "plan", "should", "target", "would", "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, events or performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date thereof and are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: (i) the Merger and its expected timing and closing; (ii) the terms and timing of the offering; (iii) the escrow arrangements; and (iv) the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the offering. Although Baytex believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because Baytex can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the ability to obtain shareholder, and regulatory approvals of the Merger; the ability to complete the Merger on the anticipated terms and timetable; the completion of the offering on the terms anticipated or at all; the terms of the Notes may change from that disclosed herein; the use of proceeds from the offering may change from that disclosed herein; the risk that the Notes, if issued, may be subject to the special mandatory redemption; changes in business and market conditions; and the risk factors discussed in our Registration Statement on Form F-4, initially filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 7, 2023 (Registration No. 333-271191) and our management information circular and proxy statement dated April 3, 2023 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.There may be additional risks that Baytex presently does not know, or that Baytex currently believes are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the assumptions below prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on certain key assumptions regarding, among other things, the ability of Baytex and Ranger to satisfy all conditions to closing of the Merger; the completion of the Merger on the timing anticipated, and the anticipated terms of the Notes, including the use of proceeds therefrom. Readers are cautioned that such assumptions, although considered reasonable by Baytex at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. The above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements has been provided in order to provide shareholders and potential investors with a more complete perspective on Baytex's current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. There is no representation by Baytex that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those referenced in such forward-looking statements and Baytex does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. No Offer or Solicitation This communication relates to the proposed Merger between Baytex and Ranger. This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the Merger or otherwise, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities in the United States shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933. Baytex has filed a copy of the merger agreement on its profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Further, Baytex has mailed to its shareholders a management information circular and other relevant documents as of the record date established for voting on the Baytex shares to be issued pursuant to the transaction, which contain important information about the Merger and related matters. Shareholders of Baytex are advised to read the management information circular in connection with Baytex's solicitation of proxies for the meeting of Baytex shareholders to approve the Merger. Baytex shareholders may obtain copies of the management information circular on Baytex's SEDAR profile (www.sedar.com). Important Additional Information and Where to Find it In connection with the proposed Merger, Baytex has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4 (the "Registration Statement") to register the Baytex securities to be issued in connection with the proposed Merger (including a prospectus therefor). Baytex and Ranger also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed Merger. This communication is not a substitute for the Registration Statement or the prospectus or for any other document that Baytex or Ranger may file with the SEC in connection with the Merger. U.S. INVESTORS AND U.S. HOLDERS OF BAYTEX AND RANGER SECURITIES ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED MERGER (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS) BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BAYTEX, RANGER AND THE PROPOSED MERGER. Shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement, proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about Baytex and Ranger through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of such documents may also be obtained from Baytex and Ranger without charge. Participants in the Solicitation Baytex, Ranger and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Baytex's shareholders and the solicitation of proxies from Ranger's shareholders, in each case with respect to the Merger. Information about Baytex's directors and executive officers is available in the Annual Information Form published February 23, 2023 and in the Registration Statement. Other information regarding the participants in the solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in the Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials that have been and will be filed with the SEC regarding the Merger. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers should read the proxy statement/prospectus carefully before making any voting or investment decisions. Baytex Energy Corp. Baytex Energy Corp. is an energy company based in Calgary, Alberta. The company is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of crude oil and natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and in the Eagle Ford in the United States. Baytex's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BTE. For further information about Baytex, please contact: Brian Ector, Vice President, Capital Markets Toll Free Number: 1-800-524-5521 Email: [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162165 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 11, 2023) - Clear Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: CFA.H) (the "Company" or "Clear Gold") is pleased to provide the following corporate updates: Effective January 22, 2021, the British Columbia Securities Commission has revoked its cease trade order issued against Clear Gold on November 14, 2015, for failure to file certain continuous disclosure documents. The Company has disposed of all its mineral properties in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. All held and optioned mining claims held by the Company were permitted to lapse. As of the date hereof, the Company is analyzing several potential transactions in the mining sector. The Company previously announced its intention to complete a share consolidation (see news release dated April 26, 2021). The consolidation as proposed has been postponed indefinitely. Trading in the Company's securities will be reinstated Friday, April 14, 2023. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to Clear Gold's plans, objectives and estimates within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements concerning financial projections, financing activities, product development activities and sales and licensing activities. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, are sometimes identified by words of condition such as "should," "could," "expects," "may," "plans," or "intends," and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those intended or anticipated. Such risks include, without limitation: problems securing the necessary financing to continue operations, failure to identify a suitable transaction or consummate the transaction on acceptable terms or at all. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Clear Gold makes no commitment to update any forward-looking statement or to disclose any facts, events, or circumstances after the date of this release that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Jeremy Ross, Chief Executive Officer CONTACT INFORMATION Clear Gold Resources Inc. Jeremy Ross, CEO 604 428-6128 [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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162096 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 11, 2023) - Destiny Media Technologies Inc. (TSXV: DSY) (OTCQB: DSNY), the makers of Play MPE, a cloud-based SaaS solution for promotional music marketing, today announced that the Company will hold a live webinar on Monday, April 17, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) to discuss financial results for its second quarter ended February 28, 2023. The Company plans to release financial results for the quarter before market open on April 17, 2023. The live webinar will include comments from President, Chief Executive Officer, Fred Vandenberg, and Director of Business Development, Allan Benedict. Date: Monday, April 17, 2023 Time: 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) Attendees are encouraged to register prior to the scheduled time at the following: https://investors.dsny.com/investors/financials/ or directly on the REGISTRATION FORM by clicking here. Attendees viewing the webinar can voluntarily submit either verbal and written questions during the live presentation. Attendee cameras will remain off throughout the presentation. Attendees' microphones will remain off unless the attendee voluntarily selects to engage in verbal questions similar to the format available on traditional conference call format. The webinar format will provide the Company an opportunity to present visual information and provide attendees an opportunity for written questions. For those without internet access, the webinar can be accessed via the following dial in details: Direct dial in: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 253 215 8782 Webinar ID: 850 1233 0609 Attendees participating via dial in will not have access the webinar video stream, and will not have access to question and answer functions. A recording of the webinar will be available after the event on https://investors.dsny.com/investors/financials/. About Destiny Media Technologies Inc. Destiny Media Technologies Inc. ("Destiny"), provides software as service (SaaS) solutions to businesses in the music industry solving critical problems in distribution and promotion. The core service, Play MPE (www.plaympe.com), provides promotional music marketing to engaged networks of decision makers in radio, film, TV, and beyond. More information can be found at www.dsny.com. Contacts: Fred Vandenberg CEO Destiny Media Technologies, Inc. 604 609 7736 x236 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162080 Geneva-based environmental organization issues formal support for the company's Earth Day Pledge Program, designed to reward participant companies with financial and promotional incentives while helping them meet their Net Zero emissions goals Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - DevvStream Holdings Inc. (NEO: DESG) ("DevvStream" or the "Company"), a leading carbon credit investment firm specializing in technology solutions, today announced the formal endorsement of its current decarbonization program by Green Cross International (GCI), a global non-governmental organization founded by President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. With affiliates in 30 nations, GCI is the international governing body of Global Green, a DevvStream partner with over 50 prominent organizations in its network, including Fortune 100 companies, academic institutions, international groups and private foundations. Receiving full GCI approval marks an important step for the program, a first-of-its-kind decarbonization model that offers immediate benefits to participant organizations-carbon credits, ESG tokens, global publicity opportunities, and more-while helping them achieve their climate goals via advanced emissions-reducing technologies from the Company's partner ecosystem. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8494/162103_39a4498c240b2af2_001full.jpg The Earth Day Pledge Program consists of four possible pledge tiers: $1 million, $500,000, $250,000 and $100,000. Each tier contains both revenue-generating and promotional incentives, including opportunities for social media amplification by Global Green's A-list celebrity supporters and advocates. The Program will culminate with a celebrity-hosted gala event held in Los Angeles, followed by a VIP reception at GCI's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to honor all participant companies. For more information, please visit www.earthdaypledge.org. "We're honored to receive the official endorsement of Green Cross International, a visionary organization with an impressive history of environmental advocacy," said Sunny Trinh, CEO of DevvStream. "Backed by their support, we are confident that our Pledge Program will help participants make real, measurable progress toward their climate and social impact goals while providing rewards such as carbon credits, tokens, and game-changing marketing opportunities." "We're pleased to offer DevvStream the full support of Green Cross International and its affiliates," said William Bridge, Chairman of Green Cross International. "DevvStream's ecosystem of green technologies offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the health and well-being of our global communities while helping our partner organizations decarbonize their operations in a much shorter time frame than previously thought possible." About Green Cross International Green Cross International (GCI) is an environmentalist organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. Today there are member organizations in 30 countries. Its primary mission is to "respond to the combined challenges of security, poverty and environmental degradation to ensure a sustainable and secure future." For more information, please visit www.gcint.org. About DevvStream DevvStream is a technology-based ESG company that advances the development and monetization of environmental assets, with an initial focus on carbon markets. DevvStream works with governments and corporations worldwide to achieve their sustainability goals through the implementation of curated green technology projects that generate renewable energy, improve energy efficiencies, eliminate or reduce emissions, and sequester carbon directly from the air. DevvStream also helps these organizations meet their net zero goals by providing them access to high-quality carbon credits. For more information, please visit www.devvstream.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Sunny Trinh, CEO For further information please contact: Focus Communications Tel: +1 647 689 6041 Email: [email protected] Disclaimer This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements that are not historical facts. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, and which are described in the Company's public filings available under its profile at www.sedar.com. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not intend to update any of the included forward-looking statements except as required by Canadian securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162103 Egypt has accused Ethiopia of attempting to "buy time" to continue filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam unilaterally without reaching a deal, while also emphasising that Addis Ababas continued claim of Egyptian "politicisation" of the GERD issue is an attempt to "evade legal responsibility." It is regrettable that Ethiopian officials continue to express their willingness and desire to resume negotiations under the auspices of the African Union (AU) in a new attempt to buy time and continue filling the dam without an agreement, Egypts Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs Hamdy Loza said on Wednesday. Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating for over a decade with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding and comprehensive deal on the GERDs construction, which Addis Ababa started to build on the Blue Nile in 2011. The two downstream countries have repeatedly affirmed that "Ethiopian intransigence" was behind the failure of the AU-sponsored GERD talks, which had been initiated in 2020s summer and stalled in April 2021. The continuation of the negotiations for ten years without result is evidence of the Ethiopian intransigence, a statement by the ministry quoted Ambassador Loza as saying. Lozas remarks came in response to the Ethiopian minister of state for foreign affairs recent claims that Egypt attempts to politicise the Nile River water file and the GERD issue, the statement read. The ministry condemned the Ethiopian ministers remarks by saying, Ethiopias continued claim of Egypts politicisation of the GERD issue is an attempt to evade legal responsibility and reflects [Ethiopias] indifference to the principles of the international law and good neighbourliness. It is not the first time Ethiopia has made such claims. In 2021, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister claimed that Egypt and Sudan attempted to exert unnecessary pressure on Ethiopia through the internationalisation and politicisation of technical issues concerning the dam." At the time, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry responded by saying: If there is internationalisation, then it has happened with the consent of Ethiopia and the involvement of the African Union... Moreover, Ethiopia agreed and participated willingly in the [GERD] negotiations last year [in 2020] in Washington". Ethiopian media quoted on Wednesday the Spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Meles Alem, as saying that Addis Ababa has no obligation to request permission from anyone to fill the Renaissance Dam." Alem added in a press conference that Ethiopia is committed to resolving the dam dispute with Egypt and Sudan under the auspices of the AU, rejecting Egypts attempts to internationalise the issue. The spokesperson also claimed that GERD has not caused any harm to the two downstream countries, saying that Egypt and Sudan should have helped Ethiopia build the dam. In response, Loza affirmed in the foreign ministry statement that Egypts concerns regarding GERDs repercussions on Egyptian water security are genuine and based on documented scientific studies. Ethiopia's remarks regarding its absolute freedom to continue the dam filling regardless of the downstream countries rights are another evidence of unilateralism that goes beyond the scope of negotiation, Loza said. Despite the Egyptian and Sudanese concerns regarding the dam, Ethiopia has continued the unilateral filling of the dams 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir over the past three years and is preparing for the fourth phase of filling the dam in July. Ethiopia also started generating electricity from the dam in 2022 without reaching a deal with both countries. During his speech at the UN 2023 Water Conference in March, Egypts Minister of irrigation and Water Resources Hani Sewilam said that the building of the dam has been ongoing with no consultation and without conducting adequate studies on safety or its economic, social and environmental effects on the riparian countries." Sewilam said Ethiopia has unilaterally begun the GERDs building, filling and operating process. These unilateral, non-cooperative practices violate international law, including 2015s Declaration of Principles and are not inconsistent with 2021s Security Council presidential statement. Moreover, their continuation could pose an existential threat to 150 million citizens [of Egypt and Sudan]and could have a disastrous effect, Sewilam said. Egypt, whose annual share of water has reached 500 m3 per person at a time when the United Nations defines water scarcity at 1,000 m3 of water per person per year, has repeatedly voiced concerns regarding the "existential threat" that the GERD poses to its people if a deal is not reached on the filling and operation of the dam. More than 98 percent of Egypts renewable waters flow from the River Nile, 75 percent of which meet the nutritional needs of the 104.7 million Egyptians through agricultural production, Sewilam said. Egypt has a water deficit of up to 55 per cent of its water needs, which is 120 billion cubic metres, according to Sewilam. On Monday, Sewilam emphasised that the GERD places "significant pressure" on Egypt's water resources during a meeting held by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Cairo titled "Water Management Strategy in Egypt". However, he affirmed that discussions with Ethiopia regarding the dam and efforts to find ways to cooperate are still ongoing. "Egypt continues to engage in negotiations and discussions with Ethiopia, presenting various proposals to address the issue and solutions to provide energy," Sewilam stressed. Throughout the decade-long negotiations, Egypt proposed 15 different scenarios that guaranteed the GERD would continue to generate at least 80 percent of Ethiopia's electricity output, even during the worst droughts, but Addis Ababa rejected them all, former Egyptian irrigation and water resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati said in 2021. In 2022, Abdel-Ati reiterated that Egypt supports development in Africa and is not against the construction of dams, including the GERD but only seeks to reach a legally binding agreement on the Ethiopian dam. Egypt is keen that the operation of the GERD is in accordance with international agreements, the former Egyptian stressed. Search Keywords: Short link: Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) (OTC Pink: ISVLF) (FSE: IKL) ("IMPACT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it is amending and increasing its previously announced non-brokered private placement of $7 million to 29,629,630 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.27 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds of up to C$8,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one whole Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall be exercisable to acquire one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.35 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for exploration, development and general corporate purposes. The securities to be issued under the Offering will be offered by way of private placement in each of the provinces of Canada and such other jurisdictions as may be determined by the Company, in each case, pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about the week of April 17, 2023 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Units to be issued under the Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day from Closing. The Company may pay finder's fees or commissions on a portion of the Offering, subject to compliance with the policies of the Exchange and applicable securities legislation. A director and an officer of the Company is expected to participate in the Offering. This participation by an insider in the Offering constitutes a related-party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 -- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. However, the Company considers such participation would be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Units subscribed for by the insiders, and the consideration for the Units paid by such insider, would not exceed 25 per cent of the Company's market capitalization. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. ABOUT IMPACT SILVER IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) is a successful producer-explorer with two mining projects in Mexico. Royal Mines of Zacualpan Silver-Gold District: IMPACT owns 100% of the 211 km2 Zacualpan project where four underground silver mines and one open pit mine feed the central 500 tpd Guadalupe processing plant. To the south, the Capire Project includes a 200 tpd processing pilot plant adjacent to an open pit silver mine with an NI/43-101 inferred mineral resource of over 4.5/million oz silver, 48 million lbs zinc and 21 million lbs lead (see IMPACT news release dated January 18, 2016 for details and QP statement, and footnote4 for report reference); Company engineers are reviewing Capire for a potential restart of operations. Over the past 17 years, IMPACT has placed multiple zones into commercial production and produced over 12 million ounces of silver, generating revenues over $241 million. Plomosas Zinc-Lead-Silver District: IMPACT signed a purchase / sale agreement with Consolidated Zinc Limited (ASX: CZL) of Australia to purchase the Plomosas property and mining operations for US$6 million (cash and shares) plus a 12% NPI (net profit interest) and a third party 1% NSR royalty. Plomosas is a high-grade zinc-lead-silver producer with exceptional exploration potential. Upon closing of the transaction, IMPACT plans to upgrade the mill and mine with the aim to recommence operations in the near term followed by plans for expanding operations. Exploration potential at Plomosas is exceptional with only 600m of the 6/kilometre long structure assessed plus other exploration targets including untested copper-gold targets. Regionally, Plomosas lies in the same mineral belt as some of the largest carbonate replacement deposits in the world. On behalf of IMPACT Silver Corp. "Frederick W. Davidson" President & CEO For more information, please contact: Jerry Huang CFO | Investor Relations (604) 664-7707 or [email protected] (778) 887 6489 Direct 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 and Cautionary Statements This IMPACT News Release may contain certain "forward-looking" statements and information relating to IMPACT that is based on the beliefs of IMPACT management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to IMPACT management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to future silver prices, interpretation of drill results, future work plans, the timing of closing of the Offering, proceeds received and use of funds, the potential of the Company's projects, and potential and plans for the Plomosas project, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expected use of proceeds of the Private Placement. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks and assumptions, including with respect to, without limitations, exploration and development risks, expenditure and financing requirements, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events. There are no assurances the Company will close the acquisition of the Plomosas project. Should any one or more risks or uncertainties materialize or change, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and forward-looking statements may vary materially from those described herein. IMPACT does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. The Company's decision to place a mine into production, expand a mine, make other production related decisions or otherwise carry out mining and processing operations, is largely based on internal non-public Company data and reports based on exploration, development and mining work by the Company's geologists and engineers. The results of this work are evident in the discovery and building of multiple mines for the Company and in the track record of mineral production and financial returns of the Company since 2006. Under NI 43-101 the Company is required to disclose that it has not based its production decisions on NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource or reserve estimates, preliminary economic assessments or feasibility studies, and historically such projects have increased uncertainty and risk of failure. 303-543 Granville Street Telephone (604) 664-7707 Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 1X8 www.impactsilver.com Twitter LinkedIn NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162166 Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Liquidity Summit 2023, one of the most anticipated events of the year and the first of its kind for the digital asset industry, is set to take place on April 11, 2023, in Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong. LTP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8199/162150_0c2faf5c04ea883b_001full.jpg Liquidity 2023 will mark the first of what is planned to be a yearly event hosted by LTP, with this year's program presented in collaboration with Kronos Research. This annual grand gathering of elite global institutions brings together institutional traders, professional trading teams, quantitative funds, hedge funds, and private equity funds to meet, share best practices, and engage in discussion regarding the latest information, technological innovations, and market trends. The summit is honored to have the support of esteemed sponsors Cobo, Bluefin, and Alibaba, as well as valued supporting partners WOO Network, Orderly Network, and JZL Capital. In addition, Foresight News will serve as the strategic media partner, with additional media coverage from BlockBeats, Odaily, Chain Catcher, Techflow, and PANews. With a focus on innovation, industry development, regulation, and market opportunities and challenges, Liquidity Summit 2023 will feature a roster of industry leaders, top trading institutions, digital currency asset banks, exchanges, custodians, investment banks, and regulators. Participants will have the unique opportunity to exchange views, share experiences, and promote industry cooperation and development. This year's meeting, themed "Rebuilding Trust and Improving Security for a Better Future," will tackle cutting-edge trends and vision for the future of the digital asset field, from the perspective of institutional traders. By providing an interactive platform, Liquidity Summit 2023 will seek to inspire new ideas, foster collaboration, and bring together a community of forward-thinking individuals who welcome the opportunities and development of the new year in the digital asset field. Panel Discussion 1: Deeper Liquidity Through Security, Trust, and Transparency Lennix Lai | OKX | Managing Director Samuel Yim | 1inch Network | Head of APAC Louie Lee | Prosynergy | Managing Director Jack Poon | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Professor Yusen Chau | Pythagoras Investment | CIO, Head of Research Keynote Speech: Alibaba Cloud Makes Financial Trading Smoother and Simpler Zhou Ming | Alibaba Cloud | Financial Services Industry Solutions Expert Panel Discussion 2: Third-Party Custody: How to Build a Secure and Transparent Digital Asset Trading Environment? Amy Zhang | Fireblocks | VP of Sales, APAC Takatoshi Shibayama | Copper.co | Head of Sales, APAC Steven Bowman | Bitgo | Managing Director, Head of APAC Athena Yu | Ceffu | VP of Custody Junde Yu | Cobo | Head of Global Sales Panel Discussion 3: Is the Future of Finance Decentralized? Gracy Chen | Bitget | Managing Director Amos Zhang | MetaWeb Ventures | Managing Partner Kevin Feng | WOO Network | Head of DeFi Victor Wang | Bluefin | Head of Business Development Sam Lam | Nomura Laser Digital | Investment Principal Panel Discussion 4: Infrastructure Revolution for Sustainable DeFi & CeFi Development Lin Chen | Deribit | Head of Business Development, Asia Sijie Han | AWS | Solutions Architect Regional Leader Discus Fish | Cobo | Co-Founder, CEO Ran Yi | Orderly Network | Co-Founder Hao Xia | LTP | Co-Founder, CGO Panel Discussion 5: Insights Into Institutional Trading: Observations and Perspectives on the Market Vincent Liu | Kronos Research | COO Jaden Chan | Flow Traders | Investor, BD Lead Junfei Ren | Pando | Founder Alex Pei | SAIF Creek Labs | Director Richard Go | Gate.io | Head of Institutional Growth and Global Business Development Through a diverse range of thought-leading speakers, attendees can expect to gain actionable insight on the future of institutional digital asset trading. "We are thrilled to bring together some of the brightest minds and top institutions in the digital asset industry for Liquidity Summit 2023. With a focus on rebuilding trust and improving security, this year's summit will foster community building. This year we are happy to have Kronos Research on board. We look forward to promoting the growth of the digital asset ecosystem, for a better future for all," saidJack Yang, Founder and CEO of LTP. "The Liquidity Summit, the first of its kind, will draw key institutions in the digital asset industry from different parts of the world. This highlights the industry's rapid growth and strong appetite among key players in this region. It is an honor to partner with LTP in leading the discussions on the most important issues that would allow for deeper market liquidity," said Mark Pimentel, Co-founder of Kronos Research. About LTP LTP, or LiquidityTech Protocol, is a premier digital asset prime broker that connects centralized and decentralized exchanges. With over 300 institutional clients and an annual trading volume exceeding $300 billion, LTP offers sophisticated trading services to clients worldwide. Their suite of services is fast, low-cost, and efficient, supported by cutting-edge technology and top-tier security. LTP is trusted by institutions of all kinds including exchanges, platforms, quant funds, hedge funds, family offices, and professional traders. Through partnerships with leading exchanges and custodians, LTP provides custody, clearing, and settlement solutions that are revolutionizing the digital asset industry. These solutions foster a more transparent multi-party supervision system, facilitating security by design and contributing toward a safer industry. To learn more about Kronos Research, visit Website: www.liquiditytech.com LinkedIn: @LTP | LiquidityTech Protocol Twitter: @LTP_primebroker About Kronos Research Established in 2018, Kronos Research is a cutting-edge cryptocurrency market maker and quantitative trading firm, fueled by data research and intelligent algorithms, generating billions of US dollars in trading volume a day. Kronos's proprietary trading includes high-frequency, arbitrage, CTA strategies and also offers stable asset management services. In addition to this, Kronos also provides liquidity services to exchanges, DeFi protocols, and crypto projects like WOO Network, dYdX, and Orderly Network etc. To learn more about Kronos Research, visit Website: https://kronosresearch.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kronosresearch/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ResearchKronos Media Details: Company Name: LTP Email: [email protected] Person Name: Mnica Yuan City: Singapore Country: Singapore To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162150 Vancouver, British Columbia and Johannesburg, South Africa--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (TSX: PTM) (NYSE American: PLG) ("Platinum Group", "PTM" or the "Company") reports the Company's financial results for the six month period ended February 28, 2023 and provides an update and outlook. The Company is focussed on advancing the Waterberg Project located on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa (the "Waterberg Project"). The Waterberg Project is planned as a fully mechanised, shallow, decline access palladium, platinum, gold and rhodium ("4E") mine and is projected to be one of the largest and lowest cost underground platinum group metals ("PGM" or "PGMs") mines globally. The Company's near-term objectives include the advancement of the Waterberg Project to a development and construction decision, including the arrangement of construction financing and concentrate offtake agreements. The Company is also advancing an initiative through Lion Battery Technologies Inc. ("Lion") using platinum and palladium in lithium battery technologies in collaboration with Anglo American Platinum Limited ("Anglo") and Florida International University ("FIU"). For details of the condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the six month period ended February 28, 2023 (the "Financial Statements") and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the six month period ended February 28, 2023 please see the Company's filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or on EDGAR (www.sec.gov). Shareholders are encouraged to visit the Company's website at www.platinumgroupmetals.net. Shareholders may receive a hard copy of the complete Financial Statements from the Company free of charge upon request. All amounts herein are reported in United States dollars unless otherwise specified. The Company holds cash in Canadian dollars, United States dollars and South African Rand. Changes in exchange rates may create variances in the cash holdings or results reported. Recent Events On March 30, 2023, the Company reported positive results from a completed infill drill campaign at the Waterberg Project. Assay results for sixteen planned F Zone boreholes were disclosed. During February 2023, recovered drill cores were logged and mineralized intercepts were sampled and sent for assay by Intertek Genalysis Minerals in Australia. Results will be incorporated into a definitive feasibility study update now underway and described more fully below. On March 24, 2023, the directors, and shareholders of Waterberg JV Resources (Pty) Ltd. ("Waterberg JV Co.") approved a stage two budget of $3.6 million (the "Stage Two Budget") for continued work on the Waterberg Project. The Stage Two Budget, covering the period from April 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023, is a subcomponent of the $21 million Work Program (as defined below) approved in principle on October 18, 2022. On February 21, 2023, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued FIU a fifth patent, No. 11,588,144 B2, entitled "Battery Cathodes for Improved Stability". The patent involves the fabrication of cathodes using palladium as a catalyst in carbon nanotubes. The carbon structure provides a barrier between the catalyst and the electrolyte, thereby increasing the stability of the electrolyte during charging and discharging of a battery. Further patents are currently applied for. Under an agreement between Lion and FIU (the "Sponsored Research Agreement"), Lion has exclusive rights to all intellectual property being developed by FIU including the patents granted. On January 26, 2023, the Company reported positive results from the infill drill campaign at the Waterberg Project. Assay results for sixteen planned T Zone boreholes and one of sixteen planned F Zone boreholes were disclosed. Recovered drill cores were logged and mineralized intercepts were sampled and sent for assay by Intertek Genalysis Minerals in Australia. On November 10, 2022, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal (the "Supreme Court") dismissed an August 31, 2022 application by Africa Wide Mineral Prospecting and Exploration Proprietary Limited ("Africa Wide") seeking leave to appeal the June 14, 2022 South African High Court (the "High Court") ruling dismissing their challenge to the 2018 sale of the Maseve Mine and awarding costs to the defendants. Costs were again awarded to the defendants. Africa Wide has no further avenues of appeal or review. On October 18, 2022, the directors and shareholders of Waterberg JV Co. approved in principle a pre-construction work program (the "Work Program") for the Waterberg Project amounting to approximately $21 million over a 23-month period ending August 31, 2024. From the Work Program an initial budget (the "Initial Budget") of approximately $2.5 million was approved for expenditure by March 31, 2023. On October 13, 2022, the South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy ("DMRE") ruled to dismiss a series of appeals filed in 2021 against the grant of the Waterberg Mining Right. In its ruling the DMRE provided the regulatory reasons why each appeal was denied and confirmed the DMRE's assessment that Waterberg JV Co. has complied with Black Economic Empowerment requirements and Social and Labour Plan community consultation procedures. On October 4, 2022, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued FIU a fourth patent, No. 11,462,743 B2, entitled "Battery Comprising a Metal Interlayer". The patent involves the use of palladium as interlayer in batteries to stabilize and enable lithium metal anodes in various existing and emerging lithium battery technologies. Further patents are currently applied for. Under the Sponsored Research Agreement, Lion has exclusive rights to all intellectual property being developed by FIU including the patents granted. On July 27, 2022, the Company entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (the "Canadian Agent") and BMO Capital Markets (the "U.S. Agent" and together with the Canadian Agent, the "Agents") for a new at-the-market equity program (the "2022 ATM") to distribute up to $50.0 million (or the equivalent in Canadian dollars) of Common Shares (the "Offered Shares"). The Offered Shares will be issued by the Company to the public from time to time, through the Agents, at the Company's discretion. The Offered Shares sold under the 2022 ATM will be sold at the prevailing market price at the time of sale. The net proceeds of any such sales under the 2022 ATM will be used for general working capital purposes, including the Work Program as described above. As of April 12, 2023, the Company has issued 1,043,569 Common Shares, through the U.S. Agent on the NYSE American pursuant to the 2022 ATM, at an average price of $1.82 for gross proceeds of $1.85 million. Directly attributable fees and expenses related to the 2022 ATM of $0.26 million were incurred in the six month period ended February 28, 2023. On June 21, 2022, the Company filed a final short form base shelf prospectus (the "Shelf Prospectus") with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada and a corresponding registration statement on Form F-10 (the "Registration Statement") with the SEC, under the Multijurisdictional Disclosure System established between Canada and the United States. Pursuant to the Shelf Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the Company may offer and sell Common Shares, debt securities, warrants, subscription receipts, or a combination thereof up to an aggregate initial offering price of $250 million (or its equivalent in Canadian dollars) from time to time, separately or together, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined based on market conditions at the time of the offering and as set out in an accompanying prospectus supplement, during the 25-month period that the Shelf Prospectus and the Registration Statement remain effective. Results For The Six Month Period Ended February 28, 2023 During the six month period ended February 28, 2023, the Company incurred a net loss of $2.81 million (February 28, 2022 - $5.95 million). Cash based expenses for the six month period were 54% lower than for the same period in fiscal 2022. General and administrative expenses during the current period were lower at $2.03 million (February 28, 2022 - $2.44 million), with the higher expense for the six month period ended February 28, 2022 being primarily due to legal expenses for our successful defense at trial against claims by Africa Wide, which took place during October 2021 and February 2022. Interest expense was $Nil in the current period versus $1.65 million in the comparable six month period of fiscal 2022. The Company repaid all its remaining debt in February 2022, thereby eliminating related future interest expense. The foreign exchange gain recognized in the current period was $0.30 million (February 28, 2022 - $0.06 million loss) due to the U.S. Dollar increasing in value relative to the Canadian Dollar during the current period. Joint venture expenses related to battery research and development work by Lion were $0.29 million during the six month period (February 28, 2022 - $0.25 million). Stock compensation was $1.11 million during the period (February 28, 2022 - $1.28 million). At February 28, 2023, finance income consisting of interest earned and property rental fees in the period amounted to $0.32 million (February 28, 2022 - $0.05 million). Loss per share for the current period amounted to $0.03, as compared to a loss of $0.07 per share for the six-month period ended February 28, 2022. Amounts receivable at February 28, 2023, totalled $0.45 million (August 31, 2022 - $0.38 million) while accounts payable and accrued liabilities amounted to $0.90 million (August 31, 2022 - $1.12 million). Amounts receivable were comprised mainly of value added taxes repayable to the Company in South Africa. Accounts payable consisted primarily of Waterberg engineering fees, infill and geotechnical drilling costs, accrued professional fees and regular trade payables. Total expenditures on the Waterberg Project, before partner reimbursements, for the six month period ended February 28, 2023 were approximately $2.0 million (February 28, 2022 - $1.9 million). After accounting for foreign exchange gains or losses related to the U.S. Dollar, at February 28, 2023, $39.9 million in accumulated net costs were capitalized to the Waterberg Project (February 28, 2022 - $43.2 million). Total expenditures on the property since inception from all investor sources to February 28, 2023 are approximately $82.9 million. For more information about the Waterberg Project, see Note 3. of the Financial Statements, "Mineral Properties and Exploration and Evaluation Assets". Outlook The Company's primary business objective is to advance the Waterberg Project to a development and construction decision. PTM is the operator of the Waterberg Project as directed by a technical committee comprised of representatives from joint venture partners Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. ("Implats"), Mnombo Wethu Consultants (Pty) Ltd. ("Mnombo"), Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (formerly Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation) ("JOGMEC") and Hanwa Co., Ltd. ("Hanwa"). Before project financing and a construction decision can be undertaken, arrangements will be required for project concentrate offtake or processing. On October 18, 2022, Waterberg JV Co. approved in principle the pre-construction Work Program (as described above) of approximately $21.0 million over a 23-month period ending August 31, 2024. The Work Program is focussed on project infrastructure including initial road access, water supply, essential site facilities, a first phase accommodation lodge, a site construction power supply from state utility Eskom and advancement of the Waterberg Social & Labour Plan. An update to the 2019 Waterberg Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS Update") is also planned, including a review of cut-off grades, mining methods, infrastructure plans, scheduling, concentrate offtake, dry stack tailings, costing and other potential revisions to the project's financial model. From the Work Program, an Initial Budget of approximately $2.5 million was approved for expenditure by March 31, 2023. The Initial Budget included thirty-two infill boreholes and several geotechnical holes. The Stage Two Budget for $3.6 million in work was approved for expenditure on March 24, 2023. The Stage Two Budget includes DFS Update engineering, pre-construction engineering, electrical power supply engineering and the permitting and licensing of construction aggregate borrow pits identified near the Waterberg mine site. The Initial Budget and the Stage Two Budget are being funded pro rata by the joint venture partners. Subsequent expenditures in accordance with the Work Program are subject to expected approvals for the next sequential time period beginning September 1, 2023. The Company continues to work closely with regional and local communities and their leadership on mine development plans to achieve optimal outcomes and best value to all stakeholders. The Company is considering commercial alternatives for mine development, financing and concentrate offtake. Obtaining reasonable terms for Waterberg concentrate offtake from an existing smelter/refiner in South Africa is considered the preferred option and discussions with such parties are ongoing. As an alternative to a traditional concentrate offtake arrangement, the Company is assessing the economic feasibility of constructing a matte furnace and base metal refinery, either with or without partners, to process Waterberg concentrate. The NI 43-101 definitive feasibility study technical report for the Waterberg Project entitled "Independent Technical Report, Waterberg Project Definitive Feasibility Study and Mineral Resource Update, Bushveld Complex, South Africa" dated October 4, 2019, stated that "Additional smelting capacity may need to be constructed in the industry to be able to treat the flotation concentrate from Waterberg and the other potential Platreef miners". A matte furnace and base metal refinery as described above is envisioned as a separate business from Waterberg JV Co. that could provide fair market concentrate offtake terms to Waterberg JV Co. and possibly to other PGM miners. Discussions with potential participating partners and investors are ongoing. As the world seeks to decarbonize and look for solutions to climate change, the adoption of battery electric vehicles is forecast to reduce the future demand for PGMs used in autocatalysis. The unique properties of PGMs as powerful catalysts are being applied to various technologies as possible solutions for more efficient energy generation and storage, which may create new demand for PGMs. The Company's battery technology initiative through Lion with partner Anglo represents one such new opportunity in the high-profile lithium battery research and innovation field. The investment in Lion creates a potential vertical integration with a broader industrial market development strategy to bring new technologies to market which use palladium and platinum. Research and development efforts by FIU on behalf of Lion continue. Technical results from Lion's research may have application to most lithium-ion battery chemistries and the scope of Lion's research work is being expanded. Environmental, Social and Governance In November 2022, Platinum Group received its second annual Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") disclosure report from Digbee Ltd. ("Digbee"), a United Kingdom based company that has developed an industry standard ESG disclosure framework for the mining sector providing a right-sized, future looking set of frameworks against which they can credibly disclose, track, compare and improve their ESG performance. Digbee ESG has been developed in consultation with mining companies, ESG specialists and capital providers and is endorsed by leading financial institutions, producing mining companies and other industry stakeholders. Digbee's reporting framework is aligned with global standards, including the Equator Principles. Regulatory As well as the discussions within this news release, the reader is encouraged to also see the Company's disclosure made under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended August 31, 2022 ("AIF") as filed with Canadian securities regulators and annual report on Form 40-F for the year ended August 31, 2022 ("Form 40-F") as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Qualified Person Rob van Egmond, P.Geo., a consultant geologist to the Company and a former employee, is an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. van Egmond has reviewed, validated and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release and has previously visited the Waterberg Project site. About Platinum Group Metals Ltd. and the Waterberg Project Platinum Group Metals Ltd. is the operator of the Waterberg Project, a bulk underground palladium and platinum deposit located in South Africa. The Waterberg Project was discovered by Platinum Group and is being jointly developed with Implats, Mnombo, JOGMEC and Hanwa. On behalf of the Board of Platinum Group Metals Ltd. Frank R. Hallam President, CEO and Director For further information contact: Kris Begic, VP, Corporate Development Platinum Group Metals Ltd., Vancouver Tel: (604) 899-5450 / Toll Free: (866) 899-5450 www.platinumgroupmetals.net Disclosure The TSX and the NYSE American have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release, which has been prepared by management. This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "may", "plans", "postulate" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the success of the Company's objective to advance the Waterberg Project to a development and construction decision, the completion of the various phases of the Work Program, the planned DFS Update, the plan for and development of the Waterberg Project and the potential benefits and results thereof, financing and mine development of the Waterberg Project, potential commercial alternatives for mine development financing and concentrate offtake, financing and mine development of the Waterberg Project, the size and cost of the Waterberg Project, the economic feasibility of establishing a Waterberg matte furnace, the possible implementation of dry stack tailings methods and results on water consumption, work with local communities, the development of new battery technologies and the potential benefits of utilizing palladium and platinum therein, the commercialization thereof and Lion's development of next generation battery technology, a the market demand outlook for PGMs, the success of Lion's and FIU's research and development efforts, the expansion of Lion's research work into additional battery chemistries, the Company's ability to better access capital markets due to its ESG practices, the results of the Company's infill drill program at the Waterberg Project, and the Company's other future plans and expectations. Although the Company believes any forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements 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 possible adverse impacts due the global outbreak of COVID-19, the Company's inability to generate sufficient cash flow or raise additional capital, and to comply with the terms of any new indebtedness; additional financing requirements; and any new indebtedness may be secured, which potentially could result in the loss of any assets pledged by the Company; the Company's history of losses and negative cash flow; the Company's properties may not be brought into a state of commercial production; uncertainty of estimated production, development plans and cost estimates for the Waterberg Project; discrepancies between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources, between actual and estimated development and operating costs, between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries and between estimated and actual production; fluctuations in the relative values of the U.S. Dollar, the Rand and the Canadian Dollar; volatility in metals prices; the uncertainty of alternative funding sources for Waterberg JV Co.; the Company may become subject to the U.S. Investment Company Act; the failure of the Company or the other shareholders to fund their pro rata share of funding obligations for the Waterberg Project; any disputes or disagreements with the other shareholders of Waterberg JV Co. or Mnombo; the ability of the Company to retain its key management employees and skilled and experienced personnel; conflicts of interest; litigation or other administrative proceedings brought against the Company; actual or alleged breaches of governance processes or instances of fraud, bribery or corruption; exploration, development and mining risks and the inherently dangerous nature of the mining industry, and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks and other risks and uncertainties; property and mineral title risks including defective title to mineral claims or property; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and South Africa; equipment shortages and the ability of the Company to acquire necessary access rights and infrastructure for its mineral properties; environmental regulations and the ability to obtain and maintain necessary permits, including environmental authorizations and water use licences; extreme competition in the mineral exploration industry; delays in obtaining, or a failure to obtain, permits necessary for current or future operations or failures to comply with the terms of such permits; risks of doing business in South Africa, including but not limited to, labour, economic and political instability and potential changes to and failures to comply with legislation; the Company's common shares may be delisted from the NYSE American or the TSX if it cannot maintain compliance with the applicable listing requirements; and other risk factors described in the Company's most recent Form 40-F annual report, AIF and other filings with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com, respectively. Proposed changes in the mineral law in South Africa if implemented as proposed would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business and potential interest in projects. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, 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, future events or results or otherwise. The technical and scientific information contained herein has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, which differs from the standards adopted by the SEC. Accordingly, the technical and scientific information contained herein, including any estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources, may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies subject to the disclosure requirements of the SEC. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162151 Bedford, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - Sylla Gold Corp. (TSXV:SYG) (OTCQB: SYGCF) ("Sylla Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce positive gold assay results from a drilling program of 19 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes totalling 2330 m completed within the Company's Niaouleni Gold Project ("Niaouleni") (Figure 1) in Southern Mali. Drilling was predominantly carried out at the Niaouleni South target located in the Niaouleni-Kobada Sanankoro Corridor (Figure 2). Extends the strike length of mineralization to 700 m at Niaouleni South. 7 high priority drilling target areas defined on the property. Drilling Highlights: 4.92 g/t Au over 15 m from drill hole NSRC23-068 including 14.9 g/t Au over 4 m and 2.56 g/t Au over 7m from drill hole NSRC23-068 and 2.56 g/t Au over 7m 4.28 g/t Au over 6 m from drill hole NSRC23-060 including 17.7 g/t Au over 1 m from drill hole NSRC23-060 2.26 g/t Au over 8 m from drill hole NSRC23-059 including 10.6 g/t Au over 1 m from drill hole NSRC23-059 1.09 g/t Au over 10 m from drill hole NSRC23-073 1.13 g/t Au over 9 m from drill hole NSRC23-063 4.47 g/t Au over 2m from drill hole NSRC23-076 A summary of significant gold assay intercepts of these holes is shown in Table 1 and collar locations and depths for RC drill holes NSRC23-058 to NSRC23-076 are shown in Table 2. Niaouleni South Drilling This drilling was successful in extending the high-grade zone of mineralization at the Niaouleni South prospect for over 700 metres open at depth and to both the north and south. The Niaouleni South mineralized zone appears to occur along a substructure of the Kobada Shear which hosts the adjacent Toubani Resources' Kobada deposit which is located approximately 6 km north of Niaouleni South. South Extension of Kobada Shear drilling In addition to the drilling at Niaouleni South, hole NSRC23-076 was drilled near the northern boundary of the Niaouleni licence on the interpreted extension of the Kobada Shear and intersected 4.47 g/t Au over 2 metres. This hole was drilled as a follow up to mineralization outlined through previous AC drilling. Further drilling in this area is being planned. Figure 1: Prospect location map of the Niaouleni Gold Project in southern Mali To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6472/162155_15714972049289b4_001full.jpg Regan Isenor, President and CEO of Sylla Gold, commented, "Our work at Niaouleni continues to build on our original hypothesis that this property has the potential to host multiple near surface gold deposits at the Niaouleni project on known shears and their subsidiary structures. This RC program has again been successful in identifying gold grades over significant widths in 18 of the 19 holes drilled, since beginning exploration on the property in April of last year the company has drilled a total of 76 RC holes encountering anomalous gold in 66 of those holes, suggesting the potential of the land package to host significant gold mineralization. The Niaouleni Gold project is located in a structurally complex gold mineralized corridor as shown in Figure 1. We are especially pleased with the results from hole NSRC-23-68 which extend the gold mineralized footprint due south of the main area of drilling at Niaouleni South In addition, the technical team has identified several target areas that require follow up drilling." Figure 2:Niaouleni South Prospect Area To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6472/162155_15714972049289b4_002full.jpg Technical Overview of RC Drilling Program The purpose of the Niaouleni Project AC and RC drilling program is to: Continue to confirm previously defined wide zones of high-grade gold mineralization intersected in historical drilling programs completed by previous operators. Define the structural characteristics of the mineralized shear zones on the property. Test extensive termite mound and soil anomalies that lie both on strike from the adjacent Kobada deposit owned by Toubani Resources and in other areas of the property. Test the many other soil and termite anomalies on the land package. Test all target areas identified. All gold-bearing intersections are hosted in metasedimentary saprolite with quartz veins. Geological interpretation for these drill holes is still preliminary and ongoing. A potential dilational flexure rendering the Niaouleni South trend close to N-S, compared to the NNE regional structural trend is interpreted. Inside this flexure, the highest grades appear to be hosted in E-W vein / veinlet clusters. 3D geological modelling has been started in an attempt to define N-S and E-W mineralization domains within the N-S trending mineralized corridor. It is apparent that this gold mineralized corridor that hosts the Niaouleni and other gold deposits is structurally complex extending into Guinea and appears to have received several episodes of gold emplacement. Drilling Targets The Company has recently completed a target delineation program identifying 8 target areas at the Niaouleni Project (Figure 3) for drilling follow up. The targets areas are defined as: Niaouleni South and Lebre plateau The focus of the Company's RC drilling has produced numerous high-grade intercepts. Open to the north and south the Niaouleni South and Lebre plateau target area represents a strike length of 1.5 km. See map Fig 2. Kankou Moussa Prospect Sylla drilled 5.34 g/t over 3m (see Sylla press release dated September 13, 2022) at Kankou Moussa. The prospect is located within the Kobada Shear roughly 2km on strike of the Niaouleni South & Lebre Plateau target. Niaouleni West On the Company's recently acquired licence, the Niaouleni West target sits on the extension of the Kobada Shear with extensive artisanal workings. Past explorers on the property have produced exceptionally high anomalous gold values in soil samples. This is a high priority target. Niaouleni Northwest Prospect Historic work includes strong soil and termite mound geochemistry, the target area contains artisanal gold workings. Samaya South Located 3.5 km west of the Kobada deposit the Samaya South target area is host to extensive historical soil and termite mound sampling. The target area contains surface artisanal workings. Goingoindougou East and Sananfara prospect. Located within the inferred extension of the Kobada East Shear the Goingoindougou East and Sananfara prospect contains regional arsenic anomalies and artisanal gold surface workings. Niaouleni East and Goingoindougou High grade gold RC intercepts including 7m of 3.89 g/t (see Sylla press release dated September 13, 2022). Previous operators have encountered anomalous gold over wide widths at the target. Located on the inferred extension of the Gosso Shear the Niaouleni East and Goingoindougou prospect area is defined by a larger gold in soil and termite anomaly. The Company's technical team is currently designing drilling programs to test each of the target areas. Figure 3: Drilling target map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6472/162155_15714972049289b4_003full.jpg Table 1: Significant RC drilling assay intercepts for Niaouleni Project (NSRC23-058 to NSRC23-076) Hole ID FROM (m) TO (m) INTERVAL (m) AU (g/t) NSRC23-058 74 75 1 0.98 NSRC23-059 6 14 8 2.26 including 6 7 1 10.6 NSRC23-059 29 30 1 0.72 NSRC23-059 101 103 2 1.84 NSRC23-060 48 54 6 4.28 including 52 53 1 17.7 NSRC23-061 29 32 3 1.27 NSRC23-062 112 113 1 1.2 NSRC23-063 78 87 9 1.13 NSRC23-064 9 10 1 0.88 NSRC23-064 16 22 6 1.04 NSRC23-065 29 30 1 0.58 NSRC23-065 70 71 1 0.53 NSRC23-065 89 90 1 0.82 NSRC23-065 95 96 1 1.15 NSRC23-065 100 101 1 1.02 NSRC23-065 104 105 1 0.53 NSRC23-066 6 7 1 0.78 NSRC23-067 no significant results NSRC23-068 86 101 15 4.92 including 89 93 4 14.9 NSRC23-068 104 111 7 2.56 including 105 106 1 10.8 NSRC23-068 115 116 1 0.82 NSRC23-069 20 21 1 0.93 NSRC23-069 24 30 6 0.62 NSRC23-070 75 76 1 0.84 NSRC23-071 17 20 3 1.02 NSRC23-071 30 31 1 0.58 NSRC23-071 36 51 15 0.78 NSRC23-071 75 78 3 0.76 NSRC23-072 110 113 3 0.49 NSRC23-073 35 36 1 3.71 NSRC23-073 98 100 2 0.67 NSRC23-073 105 110 5 1.13 NSRC23-073 115 125 10 1.09 NSRC23-074 80 82 2 0.9 NSRC23-075 44 45 1 1.01 NSRC23-076 38 39 1 1.05 NSRC23-076 47 48 1 0.63 NSRC23-076 51 52 1 0.69 NSRC23-076 81 82 1 0.63 Hole ID FROM (m) TO (m) INTERVAL (m) AU (g/t) NSRC23-076 90 92 2 4.47 including 91 92 1 7.88 SIGNIFICANT RESULTS AC (all other AC holes NSV) NSAC23-219 76 78 2 2.02 NSAC23-224 6 8 2 0.64 Notes: A cut-off 0.5 g/t Au was applied with maximum 2 m of internal dilution; no high-cap cut-off was applied. True width of the sampled intervals has not yet been determined. Figure 4:E-W quartz vein cluster in the N-S corridor at Niaouleni To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6472/162155_15714972049289b4_004full.jpg Table 2: RC drill hole collar table for Niaouleni South (NSRC22-019 to NSRC22-057 Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (m) Azimuth () Dip () Hole Depth (m) NSRC23-058 543765 1281460 379 270 -55 120 NSRC23-059 543715 1281460 373 270 -55 120 NSRC23-060 543665 1281460 381 270 -55 120 NSRC23-061 543615 1281460 377 270 -55 120 NSRC23-062 543775 1281180 372 270 -55 120 NSRC23-063 543725 1281180 378 270 -55 120 NSRC23-064 543675 1281180 375 270 -55 120 NSRC23-065 543625 1281180 380 270 -55 120 NSRC23-066 543575 1281180 383 270 -55 120 NSRC23-067 543775 1281140 376 270 -55 120 NSRC23-068 543725 1281140 377 270 -55 120 NSRC23-069 543675 1281140 374 270 -55 120 NSRC23-070 543625 1281140 381 270 -55 120 NSRC23-071 543575 1281140 380 270 -55 120 NSRC23-072 543655 1281540 366 160 -55 150 NSRC23-073 543658 1281605 383 160 -55 126 NSRC23-074 543650 1281640 370 160 -55 150 NSRC23-075 543720 1283695 383 270 -50 100 NSRC23-076 543390 1283600 382 270 -50 100 NSAC23-213 543775 1281040 362 270 -50 80 NSAC23-214 543735 1281040 370 270 -50 80 NSAC23-215 543695 1281040 374 270 -50 80 NSAC23-216 543655 1281040 369 270 -50 80 NSAC23-217 543615 1281040 368 270 -50 80 NSAC23-218 543575 1281040 375 270 -50 80 NSAC23-219 543535 1281040 372 270 -50 80 NSAC23-220 543775 1280940 360 270 -50 80 NSAC23-221 543735 1280940 358 270 -50 80 NSAC23-222 543695 1280940 359 270 -50 80 NSAC23-223 543655 1280940 362 270 -50 80 NSAC23-224 543615 1280940 362 270 -50 80 NSAC23-225 543575 1280940 366 270 -50 80 NSAC23-226 543535 1280940 367 270 -50 80 NSAC23-227 543700 1281650 365 270 -50 80 NSAC23-228 543660 1281650 372 270 -50 80 NSAC23-229 543620 1281650 374 270 -50 80 NSAC23-230 543580 1281650 374 270 -50 80 NSAC23-231 543540 1281650 383 270 -50 80 NSAC23-232 543500 1281650 384 270 -50 80 Notes: Collar coordinates are in UTM WGS84 Zone 29 and determined using a handheld GPS unit. True width of the intervals has not yet been determined. Drilling, QAQC, and Sampling and Assay Procedures RC drilling was completed by Forage FTE Drilling of Bamako, Mali using an Atlas Copco T3W Reverse Circulation drilling rig. RC samples weighing approximately 2 kg were bagged at the drilling rig and transported to the camp by Company personnel. Blanks, certified standards, and field duplicates were inserted into the sample stream every 15 samples. Samples were then transported by truck by Bureau Veritas to their laboratory in Bamako, Mali where they were logged, dried (105C), and crushed (75% passing 2mm). 1 kg of crushed material was split and pulverized (85% passing 75). Fire assay using atomic absorption finish was performed on a 50 g sample. All assay results greater than 10 g/t Au were re-assayed with gravimetric finish. Bureau Veritas is registered to international quality standards through the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards and is independent of Sylla Gold. The Company and its geological consultants confirm all assay results reported herein have passed QAQC protocols. About the Niaouleni Project The Niaouleni Project consists of 4 permits totalling 17,200 hectares in size and accessible by paved highway and includes extensive artisanal mining activity within the gold bearing structures and their potential extensions. Past exploration at Niaouleni includes termite mound and soil geochemistry surveys, and reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling that have identified several structural gold-bearing zones that appear to extend from the adjacent Kobada gold deposit. The Kobada gold deposit is situated approximately 3km north of the northern limit of the Niaouleni exploration licence. Historical exploration and drilling results were compiled by Sylla into a digital database and interpreted for the purposes of designing an RC and AC drilling program to further test these interpreted structural gold-bearing zones and possibly extend them further into the project area. Further information on the Niaouleni Gold Project is available in the Company's NI 43-101 technical report on the Niaouleni Project with an effective date of September 28, 2021, and available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Data Verification and Qualified Person Statement Gregory Isenor, P. Geo., Director for the Company, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same. This news release also contains scientific and technical information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties to the Niaouleni Project, which the Company has no interest in or rights to explore. Readers are cautioned that information regarding the geology and mineralization on adjacent or similar properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Company's property. For more information, please contact: Regan Isenor President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: (902) 233-4381 Email: [email protected] 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 Information Statement This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and includes those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162155 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2023) - XAU Resources Inc. (TSXV: GIG) ("XAU" or the "Corporation"), is pleased to announce that it has received positive results from the bulk leach extractable gold (BLEG) stream sediments sampling program conducted on its Noseno property in northwest Guyana. The sampling program was successful in highlighting several areas with significant gold anomalism corresponding to favourable geology which warrants follow up exploration (Figure 1). Results Highlights The field sampling team collected 142 samples from early fall through to December of which 9 samples (95th percentile) returned BLEG values greater than 60ppb up to a high of 141ppb gold, and 27 samples (80th percentile) returned values greater than 45ppb gold. (Figure 1). "We are pleased with the encouraging results of our BLEG program as the anomalous samples confirm geologically prospective areas (target areas 1 to 3). We look forward to continuing our sampling in the southeast and southwest corners of the Noseno property as well as first-pass soil sampling over the most prospective target areas identified by the recent BLEG program in our next exploration campaign," stated Peter Hambro, Chairman of XAU Resources. XAU BLEG Stream Sediment Sampling Program The program's goal was to obtain stream sediment samples from stream drainage channels across the Noseno property as a first-pass assessment of the geological potential of the property to host significant gold mineralization. The survey method chosen, the "bulk leach extractable gold" also known as "BLEG"- style of stream sediment sampling and analysis was selected because the method is an extremely sensitive gold detection technique that can detect gold values down to one part per billion and can distinguish traces of gold in stream sediments up to 10 kilometres downstream of mineralization. Subsamples were also submitted for ICP multi-element analysis to determine enrichment in other economic and pathfinder elements potentially associated with gold. The results and methodologies are explained below. Results The anomalous sample results are clustered in several parts of the property validating perceived areas of geological prospectivity (Figure 2). The strongest anomalism occurs in the northeast part of the property (target area 1), along the interpreted strike of the Noseno prospect where previous explorers Riva Gold Corporation conducted a limited diamond drilling program (2010) that returned up to 1.63 metres of 98.89 g/t Au (uncut), including 0.5 metres of 273.69 g/t Au from quartz veining in sheared, altered amphibolite. No formal exploration on or near the Noseno property has been undertaken since then. Unpublished Report: "Technical Report on the Exploration Program in the Noseno Area" by E.A. Vida, December 31, 2010, for Mammoth Minerals Guyana Inc. a subsidiary of Riva Gold Corp. Target area 2 is second highest in gold tenor occurring over the central part of the property where a smaller granitoid has intruded the middle of the Noseno district greenstone rocks. Target area 3 sits on the southeastern flank of the property along an approximately north-south trending granite contact, and target area 4 is situated in the northwestern corner of the property over volcano-sedimentary rocks. Geological observations made during the sampling program noted outcrops of mafic, andesitic, and porphyritic volcanics, intermediate to felsic volcanics, arenites, siltstones and mudstones plus granite, diorite, gabbro and feldspar porphyry; a diverse assemblage of geology. Shearing and quartz veining was also locally observed, as were large extents of presently inactive historical alluvial workings up to several kilometers long. Prospecting yielded 19 rock chip samples as the focus of the field teams was to complete the stream sediment sampling program before Christmas. Rock chip sample assays returned weakly anomalous gold with one sample from quartz rubble at an artisanal site returning a value of 99ppb gold. The results of the ICP multi-element analysis of the stream sediment samples did not return significant anomalism in other elements and the correlations between gold and typical orogenic-gold pathfinder elements was weak. The Noseno stream sediment sample gold anomalism coincident with areas of interpreted geological prospectivity is encouraging such that future work programs will include first-pass soil sampling over the most prospective target areas 1 through 3. In addition, the southwest and southeast areas that were not accessed will be sampled during the next program. Sampling and Analytical Methodology, QA/QC The stream sediment sampling program at Noseno utilized a "BLEG"-style sampling and analytical method. Very fine stream sediments were sampled from the quieter sections of active stream channels and coarse-sieved on site with a 12-mesh screen. The samples were bagged and kept secure in the Noseno camp until the end of the program, and from there the samples were securely transported under XAU Resources staff supervision by ATV and truck to Port Kaituma and then shipped to Georgetown. Samples were submitted to Actlabs in Georgetown for BLEG (bulk leach extractable gold) analysis. Actlabs is an ISO9001-2015 certified laboratory. At Actlabs the stream sediment samples were dried, sieved, crushed and pulverized to 95% passing 105 m, and a 1kg split was bottle-rolled in cyanide solution for 24 hours with the gold concentration of the solution measured by AA (atomic absorption) with a lower detection limit of 3 ppb Au. In addition to the BLEG Au analyses on the Noseno stream sediment samples, 4-acid digestion ICP-OES (induced coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy) was conducted on the samples for 36 trace elements. Subsamples of approximately 30g of the processed stream sediment samples were obtained at the Actlabs laboratory in Georgetown prior to BLEG analysis and these were then shipped to the Actlabs laboratory in Zacatecas, Mexico for ICP-OES analysis. The rock chip samples collected from Noseno were analyzed at Actlabs laboratory in Georgetown by 30g Fire Assay and atomic absorption (AA) finish. For the QA/QC protocol, certified standards and blanks (from OREAS) and field duplicate samples were inserted into the sample stream at a rate of approximately one in eight samples. A total of seven standards and six blanks were used and six field duplicate samples were obtained for a total of 19 QA/QC samples in 142 stream sediment samples. The QA/QC results were determined to be acceptable. There were no QA/QC reference materials used in the analysis of the rock chip samples, as the total number of samples was 19 and the final assays results were less than anomalous. Figure 1. Noseno Stream Sediments BLEG Au Results on Topography* *1 arc-second SRTM DEM, streams from Guyana Survey Department 1:50K topo sheets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6447/162125_6785f9d0441ce931_001full.jpg Figure 2. Noseno Stream Sediments BLEG Au Results on Geology** with Target Areas **Geology from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission 1:1,000,000 Geological Map of Guyana, 2005 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6447/162125_6785f9d0441ce931_002full.jpg Mr. Kevin Thomson, P.Geo. (Ontario), Consulting Geologist and author of "NI-43-101 Technical Report on the NOSENO Property, Guyana", dated effective 28 February 2021, is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Thomson reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release. For more technical information, please see the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the NOSENO Property, Guyana filed on XAU's Sedar profile at sedar.com. About XAU Resources Inc. XAU Resources is a TSX Venture Exchange-listed company that has the 152.25 km2 Noseno land package in the Trans-Guyana gold belt. The property is in the same greenstone terrane that hosts the largest gold deposits in Guyana, the Aurora Mine and the Toroparu Project. Limited modern exploration has been undertaken on the property although the property has a 100-year history of small scale hard rock and placer mining. The property lies 210 km west of the capital, Georgetown and 75 km south of the regional supply centre at Port Kaituma (inland port). 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. For further information please contact: Gary Bay Chief Executive Officer Tel: 647-339-4301 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the future business and operations of XAU. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and the delay or failure to receive applicable Board or regulatory approvals. 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. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and XAU disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/162125 On Tuesday, April 25, the premier name in convenience and independent Franchise owners will host recruitment event across the U.S. IRVING, Texas , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, April 25 , 7-Eleven , Speedway and Stripes, along with participating independent Franchise owners and operators, are hosting a National Hiring Day event across more than 13,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada . The convenience retailer is looking to hire motivated, customer-obsessed employees to fill 50,000 positions across its family of brands ahead of the summer season. Those interested can apply at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes store locations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time or by visiting careers.7-eleven.com and speedway.com/careers . Same-day interviews are available for in-person, store-level applicants. "Every year, National Hiring Day marks an exciting time for our brands. Expanding store teams with the addition of 50,000 new roles will help our brands gear up for the busy summer season and our favorite day of the year, Slurpee Day," said Treasa Bowers , Senior VP of Human Resources at 7-Eleven . "We're proud to offer our newest employees at corporate-owned locations a variety of career benefits including flexible work schedules and competitive pay, and we're looking forward to growing our 7-Eleven , Speedway and Stripes family." As summer approaches, newly hired employees will help meet the surge in demand both in-store and through orders made online via the 7NOW Delivery app, which offers over 3,000 of customers' favorite beverages, snacks, and more. With real-time tracking, the 7NOW app lets customers know when to expect their orders, typically in 30 minutes or less. 7-Eleven also has corporate openings across IT, maintenance, technology, and other areas. Visit careers.7-eleven.com to view and apply for those opportunities The 7NOW delivery app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play , or by visiting 7Rewards.com . About 7-Eleven, Inc. 7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name in the U.S. convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas , 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada . In addition to 7-Eleven stores, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates and franchises Speedway, Stripes, Laredo Taco Company and Raise the Roost Chicken and Biscuits locations. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality sandwiches, salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings and mini beef tacos. 7-Eleven offers customers industry-leading private brand products at an outstanding value. Customers can earn and redeem points on various items in stores nationwide through its 7Rewards and Speedy Rewards loyalty programs with more than 80 million members, place an order in the 7NOW delivery app in over 95% of the convenience retailer's footprint, or rely on 7-Eleven for other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/7-eleven-speedway-and-stripes-to-fill-50-000-roles-on-national-hiring-day-301794772.html Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great HANGZHOU, China , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On its 95th Anniversary Day, Gao Shiming, President of the China Academy of Art , announced a series of academic events to be held for this particular occasion and declared that starting from this year, April 8 will be the day of the annual event CAA Launch. The CAA Launch Brings forth a Creative Festival, Launching "1 School, 2 Platforms and 2 New Things" for the First Time CAA kicked off a series of academic events to mark the 95th Anniversary of its founding on April 8 th, 2023, its Launch Day. Starting from this year, CAA has designated April 8 as the CAA Launch Day each year. The CAA Launch will become a festival for the creative circle, a public platform for all art creators, a creative festival for the society, and an "artistic engine" that drives social innovation. It happens to be the Academy's 95th anniversary. The Academy has prepared three items for the first CAA Launch. First, it establishes the CAA School of Calligraphy In 1963, artists and educators, such as Pan Tianshou, Lu Weizhao , Sha Menghai set up the first calligraphic education major in Chinese higher education. As calligraphy art continued to develop, a major adjustment was made by the authorities in the classification of artistic disciplines in 2022, and the discipline of Fine Arts and Calligraphy has hence become a first-level discipline. Second, it establishes two academic platforms, namely China Cinematic Arts Institute and the School of Social Aesthetic Education to shoulder the responsibility for creating public culture and promoting social aesthetic education. Building on the CAA's profound artistic foundation, China Cinematic Arts Institute is dedicated to further elevating the status of Chinese movies in the world, enhancing their international influence, and promoting the development of dynamic image technology, striving to become a new engine for artistic innovation of Chinese movies. The School of Social Aesthetic Education carries on the original aspiration Cai Yuanpei proposed at the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art (now China Academy of Art ), that we should transform people's hearts with the heart of beauty so that they could obtain a true life. It advocates all-round and lifelong education, promotes traditional Chinese culture and nourishes the souls of the general public. The School will collaborate with other institutions of higher education, government departments, enterprises and industry associations to realize the integration, investment and transference of quality resources and deliver aesthetic education results throughout society. Third, it releases two new things, the CAA Cosmos and Meta Art Academy . CAA Cosmos is an online art community that allows real-time multi-person interaction. Users can learn, socialize, and play games by creating their own digital identities, sharing their original artworks, and organizing and participating in art activities. CAA Cosmos builds virtual spaces and social scenarios with infinite possibilities, providing an innovative and interactive platform for artists, designers, and creators around the world. Meanwhile, by continuously exploring and applying AI and other new technologies, CAA Cosmos will bring a more wonderful meta social app full of imagination to its users. Meta Art Academy (MAA) is a mixed reality interface for single-person immersive experience. With hyper-immersive theme world courses, realistic audio-visual exhibition and performance sympathetic theater and mixed reality entrances transcending every dimension, MAA creates a virtual art academy that offers one multiverse to each person, and one thematic world for each lesson. With the Gate of Classic Chinese Art Debuting by the Xianghu Lake , the CAA's Xianghu Campus is Launched A ceremony on the debut of the Gate of Classic Chinese Art and the launch of the CAA's Xianghu Campus kicked off on the morning of April 8 , as this year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CAA. Situated in Hangzhou , Zhejiang Province , Xianghu Campus will have an overall schooling structure to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art, based on the CAA's expertise and talents, as well as bountiful culture and resources of Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan District , Hangzhou . The "Gate of Classic Chinese Art" is built by drawing on the merits of the Imperial Painting Academy of the Song Dynasty , traditional Chinese academies and modern academies of art, thus nurturing outstanding talents with "mastery in art and science, skills and practices" and building the most influential cultural hub of China's fine traditional culture. The CAA Xianghu Campus aims to lead the innovative development of Chinese painting and calligraphy, gather distinguished scholars of humanities and art and develop student training paradigms. It puts the most effort into postgraduate and doctoral programs. Based on its first-class majors of Chinese painting and calligraphy, Xianghu Campus is composed of "four organizations, three museums and four centers" to carry forward China's fine traditional culture and inherit classical Chinese art. Among them, "four organizations" refer to the Advanced Institute of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting , Xianghu Academy , Advanced School of Art and Humanities and National Institute of Art/Education , embracing talents of classic Chinese art, drawing inspiration from fine traditions of ancient academies, and helping integrate Chinese painting and calligraphy with classical academics; "three museums" are the Classic Chinese Art Museum , Xianghu Museum and Ancient Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Museum , housing CAA's abundant collections of Chinese painting and calligraphy works and crafts, and bringing together domestic and international collections, based on the scenery and long-lasting culture of Xianghu Lake ; "four centers" mean Chinese Character Research Center , Landscape Research Center , Philosophy and Technology Research Center and Landscaping Research Center , aimed at carrying forward the China's fine traditional culture by carrying out special research projects on Chinese cultural elements. Besides, a lab of Chinese calligraphy and painting materials, a cluster of master offices and a research center of the global art history will be set up on the campus, to unveil the unique style of Chinese art from a great viewpoint of the global history and create the "visual classic Chinese art" for the Chinese people. The CAA Xianghu campus is expected to operate in September, 2023. Notably, Xianghu Campus will be one of the venues to feast the public's eyes with stunning art works created by young artists, designers and scholars in summer this year. Themed Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great, the Research Project "Grand Masters of the Century" is Launched. With a legacy spanning close to a century, the Academy has witnessed master predecessors springing up, lighting up the sky of Chinese modern art history, who constitute the CAA's spirit and academic foundation. The theme "Get Firsthand Knowledge from the Masters, Follow the Footsteps of the Great" implies the way to make innovations by drawing inspiration from the past. Specifically, tradition gets developed and evolved as it passes down, and thus it may lead to innovations. Since 2023, the Academy has launched its academic program "Grand Master of the Century" until the centennial of the CAA's founding in 2028. In the second half of 2023, the CAA will host a "memorial exhibition of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Zhu Lesan ", a "memorial symposium of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Lin Wenzheng ", a "grand memorial exhibition of the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Wu Dayu " and other academic events. It will also hold "The Centennial Exhibition of Mr. Zhao Wuji's Masterpieces" during the 19th Asian Games. In memory of those art masters and wise predecessors, the events dive into the history and philosophy of Chinese modern art and art education. Since 2000, the CAA has its every "fifth" anniversary celebrated in the second half of that year. Each theme of the anniversaries is beyond the CAA's history and revolves around frontier academic topics. In 2023, the core academic event of the 95th anniversary of the CAA's founding is "Inter-World-View: World Civilizations Forum ", an international art campaign comprising "teaching, creation, action and communication". Under the framework of mutual learning among civilizations, we will go to 12 crucial historic sites of world civilizations to experience spectacular histories through the dialogue of worldview. sessions distributed in different places will be delivered and a themed short video shot to form the forum and exhibition. This event is to drive a real "Institute Campaign" in the post-pandemic era and to progress toward the centennial of "CAA's founding". It intends to fathom the origin of art and education from the perspective of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations by exploring the historical sources of majors and paying homage to all "pioneering" moments. Meanwhile, a present-focused mindset is emphasized. The development and potential trends of human civilization, especially science and technology in the 21st century will be probed into. By doing so, the event provides an opportunity to cultivate young artists with a global view, historical awareness and artistic ambition. In the second half of 2023, Liangzhu Campus, CAA will be fully opened. As the subject of design will be introduced here, "2023 Design, Start Again" is planned to be held. Progresses in the technological revolution, technology iteration and social improvement are expected. The event is to create a 21st-century historical mission book through design. In other words, it is to rebuild design in the dialectical integration of art with technology and aesthetic with ethics. Also, it represents everyday life in the general network of "information, technology, capital and power", thus driving social innovation. Cai Yuanpei, a famous Chinese educator, delivered his famed speech Academies Should Be Set up Only for Academic Research on April 8, 1928 at the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art (now China Academy of Art ), in which he proposed that "the University Council (the then Educational Ministry ) set up an academy of art along West Lake , to create beauty, so that people in the future could get rid of superstition, harbor the love for beauty and eventually obtain a true life." His speech opened a new chapter of China's higher education of fine arts. Since its establishment, the China Academy of Art (CAA) has been an academy with lofty education ideals and great artistic concerns. 95 years have flown by. The CAA has never stopped responding to the most fundamental education ideals and artistic concerns. It constructs a "Campus Realm", advocating an outlook of building a university with an emphasis on both space and spirit. It upholds the spirit of "thinking as virtuosos, and acting as craftsmen", and illuminates the Vision of the East with the artistic practices done with virtuosity and combining knowledge and action. The CAA has always been "driven by global and domestic vision, and empowered by culture and tech education". The Academy's mission is to nurture individuals who are masters in character and knowledge, in the art and the science, in the classics and the contemporary, and in everything Chinese and beyond. 95 years have passed by. The CAA has developed itself into a national institution of higher education in fine arts with the most comprehensive disciplines and the fullest scale. 95 years later, the CAA continues to promote its development as a world-class academy by trekking the pioneering journey of Chinese art, building a core site of art education and upholding the manifesto of academic ethos. It has grown into a university with five campuses and over 10,000 students and faculty: Nanshan Campus, Hangzhou : A modern art education center that connects the contemporary and classic art between the East and the West Xiangshan Campus, Hangzhou : A frontier public art and mass culture area open to the public Liangzhu Campus, Hangzhou : An international design hub that bridges science, art and business Xianghu Campus, Hangzhou : The Gate of Classic Chinese Art that passes on Chinese cultural elements to make today a better day Zhangjiang Campus, Shanghai : An artistic design innovation hub on the international frontier, and an innovation incubator open to all CAA graduate students View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/95th-anniversary-of-founding-of-china-academy-of-art-series-of-academic-events-kick-off-on-its-launch-day-301795350.html CHARLESTON, S.C. , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Project Next Gen is a new program launched by the Biden administration aimed at accelerating the development of new coronavirus vaccines and treatments. With a budget of over $5 billion , the program aims to protect against the evolving nature of the virus and potential future coronaviruses that may pose a threat. Drawing on the success of Operation Warp Speed, a Trump-era program that facilitated the rapid development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in 2020, Project Next Gen will also partner with private sector companies to expedite the development of vaccines and therapies. In parallel with the Project Next Gen announcement, an amendment to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Broad Agency Announcement ('BAA") BARDA BAA-18-100-SOL-00003 was released, as well as a Request for Information (RFI) from The Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical) related to the development of advanced manufacturing capability for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The following funding areas were updated in the BARDA BAA: For Area of Interest #8: Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (IEID) Vaccines: Added new AOI 8.4 COVID-19 Immune Assay(s) Development and Implementation, with a full proposal due date of May 3, 2023 For Area of Interest #9: Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (IEID) Therapeutics Added new AOI 9.8 COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), with a due date for White Papers of April 21, 2023 Added new AOI 9.9 COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for Treatment with a full proposal due date of May 17, 2023 AOI 8.4: COVID-19 Immune Assay(s) Development and Implementation BARDA is seeking proposals for advanced research and development of immunogenicity assays and sample collection technologies for COVID-19 vaccine development. The assays should analyze clinical study samples and measure immune responses to both ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern. Assays of interest include lentivirus-based virus neutralization assays, multiplexed antigen panels, and MSD-based ACE2 receptor blocking assays. Validation as per FDA guidelines and documentation in the Drug Master File (DMF) is required, and assays should be updated based on emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. AOI: 9.8: COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) BARDA seeks to advance the development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as a rapid pre-exposure protection against SARS-CoV-2, particularly for special populations like immunocompromised adults and pediatrics. Proposals should focus on mAbs with potency against MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, targeting 95% conserved residues. A plan for achieving a half-life extension of at least 35 days should be outlined, and mAbs should be potent enough for intramuscular and/or subcutaneous administration with no more than two injections every six months. AOI 9.9: COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics for Treatment BARDA is seeking proposals to support the manufacturing, FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and regulatory licensure of new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a focus on special populations. Proposers should have an active Investigational New Drug (IND) with the FDA, safety and toxicology data, and a demonstrated manufacturing process for clinical trials. The regulatory strategy should target EUA in Q3 2023, with supporting documentation for FDA buy-in on regulatory flexibilities. Priority will be given to U.S. -based manufacturers, and in vitro potency data against human coronaviruses, a manufacturing strategy for commercial availability by the end of 2023, and risk mitigation plans are required. "Given the success of Project Warp Speed, it is no surprise that BARDA would try to build on that success," stated EverGlade Consulting Founder, Eric Jia-Sobota . In addition to the new opportunities outlined in the BARDA BAA, the RFI released by JPM CBRN is aimed at expanding U.S. manufacturing of pharmaceutical ingredients for military medical countermeasures against chemical and biological threats. They seek innovative technology to improve processes that currently rely on foreign suppliers and large-scale batch manufacturing. The request for white papers targets U.S. companies with advanced manufacturing capabilities that can develop APIs and drug products meeting cGMP requirements within a time frame of 36 months. If you are developing a product that you think might fall under one of the areas mentioned above, EverGlade can help you make that determination and pursue a successful contract. EverGlade Consulting is a national consulting firm helping clients navigate the federal landscape. We work with technology-driven companies whose focus is to secure non-dilutive funding through the federal government. We offer services ranging from opportunity identification and proposal support through the implementation of systems to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, ASPR, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, and DARPA. For additional information about EverGlade Consulting, visit: https://www.EverGlade.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/everglade-consulting-funding-alert-biden-administration-announces-launch-of-successor-program-to-operation-warp-speed-accompanied-by-the-release-of-new-funding-opportunities-for-the-development-of-vaccines-and-therapeutics-301795761.html SOURCE EverGlade Consulting - MSP Increases Its Presence in Florida to Three Clinics - TORONTO , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MedSpa Partners Inc. ("MSP") is proud to welcome Jennifer and Michael Puleo and their team to its top-tier North American medical aesthetics platform. Located in Tampa Bay, Florida , Faces of South Tampa is widely recognized as one of the most successful medical aesthetics clinics in the United States . Operating out of a beautifully restored century-old mansion, Faces of South Tampa combines the historic warmth and charm of South Tampa with the sophistication and energy of a cutting-edge medical aesthetics clinic. From the beginning, Faces of South Tampa has resolutely adhered to a model of impeccable service combined with undeniable, superior results. At the center of those superior results is Jennifer, who, as an APRN, has been at the forefront of medical aesthetics for over twenty years. Her thought leadership has been recognized by Allergan, where she is a member of their Aesthetic Leadership Forum and clinical advisory board for Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm. Speaking on their reasons for joining MedSpa Partners, Jennifer and Michael shared, "We are so proud of everything the team at Faces of South Tampa has accomplished since we first opened in 2009, and we know there is still so much more that we can do. When considering partners who could help us take our practice to the next level, the single most important decision factor was finding a group that would value our team and patients as much as we do. MSP is that group. They have a strong track record of working closely with their clinics to understand what makes each one so unique, and ensuring that those values and practices are not just preserved but enhanced. We are excited about how this partnership will benefit everyone at Faces of South Tampa ." MSP CEO Dominic Mazzone commented, "Providing Michelin Star patient experiences is at the core of what makes MSP clinics so unique, so when choosing which clinics we are going to acquire we put a lot of value in what their patients are saying. Two things really stand out about Faces of South Tampa . First, how consistently their patients talk about how they feel valued, listened to, and treated as an individual. In meeting Jennifer, Mike, and their team, it is immediately clear why this is the experience they all genuinely care about their patients and about each other. Together they have made Faces of South Tampa a place where people feel more like family members than patients or colleagues. In addition, Faces of South Tampa has to be one of the best managed medical aesthetic clinics we have encountered, and it is a credit to Mike and Jennifer to have built something so successful. We are thrilled to have the Faces of South Tampa family join our larger MSP family." About MedSpa Partners Inc. MedSpa Partners is acquiring North America 's leading Medical Aesthetics clinics, with the goal of allowing our industry-leading partners to achieve their personal and professional aspirations by creating world-class customer experiences through support, collaboration, and community. MSP is a portfolio company of Persistence Capital Partners, the leading private equity fund exclusively focused on high-growth opportunities in the healthcare field. Additional information on MSP is available at www.medspapartners.com, or contact: Nathaniel Barnes VP Marketing & Growth MedSpa Partners Inc. E: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/faces-of-south-tampa-joins-medspa-partners-301795919.html SOURCE MedSpa Partners Inc. The Phoenix Based Entrepreneurial Investment Firm Plans to Expand The Presence of GlobalMeet and Offerings PHOENIX , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The renowned and resourceful Pivotal Group, a Phoenix -based multi-strategy investor and leader in technology, real estate and other business investments, just announced a major asset acquisition of the country's premier interactive webcast company, which will launch under the name GlobalMeet. The assets were previously a part of PGi, which was located in Atlanta . The global presence of GlobalMeet and its expected growth over the next decade is significant," said Francis Najafi . The assets were purchased for an undisclosed 8-figure sum last week. Founded by Francis Najafi , who is part-owner of the Phoenix Suns, Pivotal Group has been an active investor in technology companies including: SnapNurse, Network Solutions, NX Systems, Global Capacity and Megapath. In addition to its technology investments, Pivotal Group envisioned, owns, and operates the internationally acclaimed Promontory, a luxury lifestyle mountain community located in Park City, Utah offering its residents and members unparalleled access to exceptional and award-winning amenities for every season. With expertise to assess complex investments, Pivotal Group focuses on opportunities and companies that lead in their market segments, show growth potential, and exhibit attractive margins. Pivotal funds its investments with internally generated capital, allowing speed, flexibility, and patience to deliver today's most innovative products and services to the market. "We look for highly differentiated and unique platforms to invest in and partner with management. That's why we are thrilled to have acquired the assets that are now used to operate the GlobalMeet business," said Francis Najafi , Founder and CEO of Pivotal Group. "The global presence of GlobalMeet in the marketplace and its expected growth over the next decade is significant. We are elated to elevate the GlobalMeet business by expanding its offerings and footprint as a global leader in the webcast industry." Michele Dobnikar , President of GlobalMeet, commented, "The asset acquisition and deployment by Pivotal Group is a testament to GlobalMeet being the most scalable and secure interactive webcasting platform for any global company. We are excited by this new endeavor, enabling us to bring even greater levels of services to the world's largest companies as their go-to virtual event platform." As the premium webcasting solution for large audiences or high-touch events, GlobalMeet is poised to accomplish the straight-forward goal of empowering people and businesses to communicate confidently. The company will strive to meet the ever-changing communications landscape with versatile technology and real-world expertise, focusing on executing polished, versatile communications at scale. Under Pivotal Group, GlobalMeet looks to grow its footprint. Its services allow for live and on-demand / pre-recorded video and audio webcasts for up to 100,000+ attendees via a proprietary, scalable cloud platform. Five of the USA's largest US banks will use GlobalMeet as their webcast company of choice. Similarly, 23% of the world's top 40 banks will use the GlobalMeet Webcast platform. It will also be used by numerous other businesses around the world. For media inquiries, please contact: Jennifer Parks-Sturgeon , [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-investor-pivotal-group-acquires-assets-to-launch-one-of-countrys-largest-webcast-companies--globalmeet-301795970.html SOURCE The Pivotal Group The White House said on Tuesday that "it has seen no indication" that Egypt is providing lethal weapon capabilities to Russia, a day after a reportedly leaked Top Secret Document found its way to the press. It was the first official comment from the White house on a reportedly leaked Top Secret US document alleging that Cairo was planning to supply Moscow with lethal weapons. In a press conference held on board Air Force One on its route to Ireland, White House officials were asked on whether Washington addressed Egypt after the Washington Post cited in a report on Monday on leaked Top Secret US document which purportedly indicate that Egypt was planning to supply 40,000 missiles to Russia secretly. I am not going speak about the validity of these documents, but I will tell you is that we have seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weapon capabilities to Russia, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. I am not going to talk about it all about the details of diplomatic conversations we are having. We are reaching out and speaking properly with our allies and partners, Kirby added. The United States Military has a long-standing defence relationship with Egypt that goes back many years. Egypt helps play a useful role in terms of some of the negotiations that have been going on in the region, particularly in these meetings that happened between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which Egypt played a role in and the US is grateful for that, he added. Earlier today, an informed Egyptian source denied in statements to Al-Qahera News claims that Egypt was supplying Russia with lethal weapons, describing the leaked documented as a fabrication. Also on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports about Egypt's alleged missile supplies to Russia looked like another misinformation campaign and should be treated as such. Cairo has maintained open lines of communication with both Kyiv and Moscow in an attempt to encourage negotiations and a peaceful settlement. Cairo has also called on several occasions for an immediate cease of operations in the war in Ukraine to open space for a political solution. The documents, which were posted on sites such as Twitter and Reddit, are labeled secret and resemble routine updates that the U.S. military's Joint Staff would produce daily but not distribute publicly. The New York Times was the first to report about the documents on Friday. Later Friday, the Times reported that more documents involving Ukraine as well as other sensitive national security topics such as China and the Middle East had begun appearing on social media. The documents, which are more than one hundred pages that date from 23 February to 1 March 2023, provide what appear to be details on the progress of weapons and equipment going into Ukraine with more precise timelines and amounts than the US generally provides publicly. Pentagon officials said that the leak poses a very serious risk to national security and an investigation was opened to determine its source. Nevertheless, these officials declined to confirm or refute the content in those leaked documents. Search Keywords: Short link: In honor of one of the earliest documented "women in American whiskey," the fund will help budding entrepreneurs kickstart new businesses NEW YORK , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jefferson's Bourbon - renowned for balancing innovation and heritage - launches the Marian McLain Entrepreneurial Fund* contest to inspire and empower innovative minds with the tenacity exemplified by founder Trey Zoeller's 8th generation grandmother, Marian McLain . Spearheaded by two prominent entrepreneurs - Zoeller in partnership with Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran - the $25,000 in awards hope to motivate budding entrepreneurs looking to kickstart new business ventures. Jefferson's Bourbon Founder Trey Zoeller And Business Mogul Barbara Corcoran Launch Marian McLain Entrepreneurial Fund After Marian's husband died in the Revolutionary War and to support her five children, she turned to the illegal production and distribution of liquor. Then, in 1799, she became one of the earliest documented women in American whiskey as a result of being arrested for bootlegging and moonshining. Her tenacity ultimately became the inspiration for the Jefferson's brand, and now, with the help of Corcoran, the brand wants to inspire others to do the same. "Just like Marian, I took big risks to create something for myself, and for my family, even when it was incredibly hard," said Corcoran. "But with big risk comes big reward - that's what being an entrepreneur is all about! - and that's why I'm partnering with Jefferson's Bourbon to bring the Marian McLain Entrepreneurial Fund to life." Also echoing Marian, Trey Zoeller and his father, Chet, continue to operate at the frontier of whiskey, challenging the definition of bourbon while never forgetting its past by honoring tradition. The Fund's launch is also perfectly timed with the release of Jefferson's newest bourbon - Marian McLain - a bold blend of five unique bourbons: 21% 14-Year-Old Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey; 40% 11-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; 14% Wheated Double-Barrel; 17% Rum Cask Finish; 8% 8 Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. One for each of her five children - the final blend is complex and delivers a notable degree of impressive intensity - just like McLain herself. "We started Jefferson's on a shoestring budget and with Marian's vivacious spirit in mind - it's why we do what we do," says Zoeller. "This entrepreneurial fund is our way of helping other people who, like Marian and Corcoran, are risking everything to pursue their dreams." On the Jefferson's website, small business hopefuls are welcome to submit their innovative business ideas with a short video. The grand prize winner, handpicked by Zoeller and Corcoran will receive $20,000 in funding to kickstart their venture, as well as a congratulatory call from Corcoran, and a "shop talk" interview with Trey. Five runners up will also be selected to win $1,000 awards - the amount Barbara Corcoran started her business with; small budgets can build big dreams! Submissions open on April 11, 2023 , closing on May 7, 2023 . For all details and information about the fund contest and how to enter, visit Jeffersonsbourbon.com/MarianMcLainFund. ABOUT THE JEFFERSON'S BOURBON MARIAN MCLAIN FUND CONTEST No purchase necessary to enter or win. Purchasing a product will not improve your chances of winning. Must be legal resident of the (50) U.S. or D.C., age 21 or older as of date of entry. Registration begins at 12:00a ET on 4/11/2023 and ends at 11:59p ET on 5/7/2023. To enter, and for complete official rules including eligibility, prize descriptions, ARV and questions/comments, visit www.JeffersonsBourbon.com/MarianMcLainFund . Odds of winning based upon total number of eligible entries received, skill of entrant and decisions of judges. No alcoholic beverage is part of any prize award. Void wherever prohibited or restricted by law. Sponsor: Pernod Ricard USA, 250 Park Avenue , New York , NY 10177. ABOUT JEFFERSON'S MARIAN MCLAIN Bold tasting notes like vanilla, caramel, pepper, cinnamon, red fruit, and brown sugar all shine through in this unforgettable blend, which serves as a true testament to the innovative and adventurous spirit of Marian McLain and is the bedrock upon which Jefferson's stands for. Jefferson's Marian McLain is bottled at 51% ABV (102 PROOF) and is available nationwide at fine spirit shops and restaurants/bars, starting April 2023 (SRP: $300 / 750ML). PLEASE SIP RESPONSIBLY Jefferson's Marian McLain. 51% ALC/VOL (102 PROOF) 2023 Pernod Ricard USA, New York, NY ABOUT JEFFERSON'S Since its launch in 1997 - Jefferson's Bourbon has continued to make its mark on the category. As the brainchild of Trey Zoeller and his father Chet, a famed bourbon historian, they were continuing a family whiskey tradition that goes back to Trey's 8th generation grandmother who was arrested in 1799 for the "production and sales of spirituous liquors." His curious and experimental mindset has allowed him to push the boundaries of bourbon whiskey. Upholding tradition, yet always discovering new possibilities. Trey's unique and sometimes unorthodox approach to the maturation process and the art of blending have allowed him to achieve the distinct characteristics and unique flavors Jefferson's is known for today. With Jefferson's new releases constantly pushing the boundaries of bourbon while upholding the traditions that define the spirit, this is one bourbon brand that will forever continue to operate at the frontier of whiskey, challenging the definition of bourbon while never forgetting its past striking a perfect balance between innovation and tradition. The Jefferson's portfolio consists of Jefferson's Very Small Batch, Reserve, OCEAN, OCEAN Rye, Reserve Single Barrel, OCEAN Cask Strength, Reserve Pritchard Hill Finish, Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish, Reserve Twin Oak, Chefs Collaboration, Rye Cognac Finish, OCEAN Wheated Voyage 29, and The Manhattan . For more information please visit at https://jeffersonsbourbon.com/ and follow the brand on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jeffersonsbourbon ABOUT PERNOD RICARD USA Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S. , and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France -based Pernod Ricard SA., the world's second-largest spirits and wine company. Pernod Ricard employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI) and is part of the CAC 40 index. The company's leading spirits include such prestigious brands as Absolut Vodka, Avion Tequila, Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Kahlua Liqueur, Malibu, Martell Cognac , Olmeca Altos Tequila , Beefeater Gin, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Monkey 47 Gin, Plymouth Gin, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin , Malfy Gin, Hiram Walker Liqueurs, Midleton Irish Whiskey, Powers Irish Whiskey, Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Aberlour Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Lillet; Smithworks Vodka, Jefferson's Bourbon, Smooth Ambler Whiskey, Rabbit Hole Whiskey, Pernod and Ricard; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek, Kenwood Vineyards, Campo Viejo and Brancott Estate ; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier-Jouet Champagne, G.H. Mumm Champagne and Mumm Napa sparkling wines. Pernod Ricard USA is headquartered in New York, New York , and has more than 700 employees across the country. As "creators of conviviality," Pernod Ricard USA is committed to sustainable and responsible business practices in service of customers, consumers, employees and the planet. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active program to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.responsibility.org Press Contact: Cork + Knife Communications Bridget Feeley , [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jeffersons-bourbon-founder-trey-zoeller-partners-with-business-mogul-barbara-corcoran-to-launch-new-marian-mclain-entrepreneurial-fund-301796008.html SOURCE Jeffersons Bourbon BEIJING , April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 7th of April, JinkoSolar , one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, announced it introduced its new generation liquid cooling utility-scale energy storage system SunTera to 2023 ESIE (the 11th Energy Storage International Conference and Expo ) in Beijing as increased performance and safety continue to make stationary energy storage an attractive solution for utilities and businesses and around the world. SunTera is a powerful solution designed for peak-shaving, microgrid, demand management, and other grid-supporting applications. These solutions are aimed at solving the challenges of the mismatch between energy demand and generation. Ultra Safe Safety is the most important part of SunTera. JinkoSolar designs and engineers its liquid cooling ESS which is specifically for utility-scale projects to exceed safety standards level. On top of which is a liquid cooling thermal management scheme to perfectly ensure temperature uniformity within the cabinet. Multiple layers of safety enhancement solutions such as an active ventilation system for anti-explosion, earlier detection and alarming of abnormalities, fire suppression system and water injection unit. The new liquid cooling ESS SunTera is globally certified in all of its components from the cell-pack-rack level to the enclosure level and introduces higher standards to the industry. High Energy Density Each container-modularized SunTera comes from the factory fully assembled with up to 3.44-megawatt hours (MWh) of storage (6.88MWh / 40' container) and a 25% increase in energy density compared to other traditional utility applicable ESS to achieve significant cost and time savings. High Reliability and Longer Life During the integration process, SunTera adopts multi-level and system-wide protection from the cell to the system. Based on SunTera's advanced liquid cooling technology, the temperature of cells can be more precisely controlled, which can extend the service life of cells by more than 10%. Reduced Power Consumption Accurate and precise multi-level cooling management modes save power consumption by 20%. Easier Install SunTera is a compact and all-in-one solution that simplifies the installation process and minimizes onsite labor. Pre-assembled containerized energy storage system reduces onsite labor and installation time by 40% and installation cost by 30%. Intelligent O&M All SunTera connect to JinkoSolar's own software hub, an advanced monitoring and control platform for large-scale utility projects and micro grids. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jinkosolar-showcases-liquid-cooling-utility-scale-energy-storage-solutions-at-esie-301795072.html Plan harms hotels; ignores similar pay for teachers, city workers SACRAMENTO, Calif. , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The $25 an hour minimum wage proposed today by Los Angeles City Council Member Curren Price is a short-sighted, industry-specific mandate for political gain, that ignores accepted living wage policies and far less pay for teachers and city workers. "Why is it that city leaders push onerous financial burdens on our still fragile hospitality community, without demanding similar pay for Los Angeles teachers and city staff?" said Lynn S. Mohrfeld , President and CEO of the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA). "It is proposals like these that have led to the city's reputation as a difficult place to do business and to work. Enough is enough. LA leaders have to do better." "As the largest hotel owners association in the world, AAHOA is committed to looking out for the best interests of small, family-owned LA hotels," said Laura Lee Blake , President and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. "Increasing the minimum wage would be a significant hardship for our family-owned businesses who care deeply about their employees. This $25 minimum wage proposal is a lose-lose situation for all involved." "We know LA needs a lot of support and our 500 Los Angeles hotels have always been there for the community," said Heather Rozman , President and CEO of the Hotel Association of Los Angeles (HALA). "We ask that the City Council set aside this political expediency and help the entire tourism industry recover from the pandemic so that Los Angeles regain its role as a global destination." In recent years, Los Angeles hotels have endured numerous costly burdens imposed by city leaders, including: Failure to protect participants and hotel properties during Project Roomkey, in which LA hotels offered more than 40,000 rooms, but the city failed to provide protective and much-needed mental health services for unsheltered individuals. Instituted the costly Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance last year, which was sponsored by special union interests to mandate square-footage restrictions that aren't based on safety or health-related facts. last year, which was sponsored by special union interests to mandate square-footage restrictions that aren't based on safety or health-related facts. Did little to ease the burden of LA hotels who were closed for 18 months during the pandemic yet paid taxes, maintained facilities, paid utilities, and kept paying our employees as long as we could without having any income. Allowed an absurd measure to go on next year's ballot that will mandate hotels house unsheltered individuals next to paying guests with a voucher program. And now, Price's $30 per hour minimum way that's what it will become by 2028 will be a hardship for LA's hotels, a majority of which are family-owned small businesses. To stay in business, they will be forced to reduce costs, offer fewer services, and no longer fund community activities. The hypocrisy of this minimum wage proposal is obvious. Price's proposal is for hotel workers only. Yet, it doesn't cover far less pay for union members, teachers, and city workers. Last month, after a three-day strike the Los Angeles Unified School District union agreed to a minimum wage of $22.52 an hour, outpacing the City of Los Angeles and the State of California . union agreed to a minimum wage of an hour, outpacing the and the . UniteHere, the union supporting Price's proposal, offers $19.71 an hour for a grievance negotiator. an hour for a grievance negotiator. Many City workers and Council staff members make less than $25 an hour. City leaders and union supporters have sought to place blame on hotels for the high costs and lack of housing in Los Angeles . LA hotels do not set planning, design or construction policy. Hotels do not set policies for unsheltered individuals. That role lies with elected leaders. Contact Pete Hillan [email protected] 831-227-5984 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/la-25-wage-proposal-puts-politics-over-policy-say-chla-aahoa-hala-301796010.html SOURCE The California Hotel & Lodging Association View in browser Education, outreach, and clinics nationwide focus on communities with low vaccine uptake Vaccine Uptake Initiative grantees, now numbering 104 local organizations, will conduct tailored outreach, host vaccine clinics, and offer services to help older adults and people with disabilities get the latest COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine. grantees, now numbering 104 local organizations, will conduct tailored outreach, host vaccine clinics, and offer services to help older adults and people with disabilities get the latest COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine. Funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living , the initiative supports trusted community messengers in expanding vaccine access to older adults and people with disabilities. for , the initiative supports trusted community messengers in expanding vaccine access to older adults and people with disabilities. The grantees, located in 30 states, Washington, D.C. , and Puerto Rico , range from senior centers to state and local health departments to community clinics. ARLINGTON, Va , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the national voice for every person's right to age well, has awarded 97 new grants under its Vaccine Uptake Initiative , funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, bringing the total number of current grantees to 104. "The COVID-19 virus remains a real danger for older adults, especially those with chronic conditions." -- Ramsey Alwin The new granteeslocated in 30 states, the District of Columbia , and Puerto Ricorange from senior centers to state and local health departments to community clinics. They will use the funding to conduct tailored outreach, host vaccine clinics, and offer services like transportation and appointment scheduling to enable older adults and people with disabilities to get the latest COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine. Combined, the 104 grantees are expected to reach more than 163,500 individuals. "While the COVID-19 public health emergency is ending, the virus remains a real danger for older adults, especially those with chronic conditions who are at greater risk of complications," said Ramsey Alwin , NCOA president and CEO. "Through these grants, life-saving vaccines will reach older adults via local organizations they know and trust. The new grantees range from small nonprofits that focus on underserved ethnic groups and rural areas to large organizations with a wide geographical reach." A full list of grantees is available on NCOA's website . Since the pandemic began, nearly 850,000 people age 65 and over have died from COVID-19, yet only 42% of older adults have been boosted, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , the COVID-19 virus continues to change, and the best way for individuals to protect themselves is to get the latest bivalent booster. This COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Uptake Initiative for Older Adults and People with Disabilities Notice of Funding Opportunity (HHS-2023-ACL-AOA-HDRC-0043) is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $50 million with 100% funding by ACL/HHS. The content is that of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. government. About NCOA The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person's right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @ NCOAging . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-council-on-aging-funds-104-local-partners-to-ensure-older-adults-stay-updated-on-covid-flu-shots-301795752.html SOURCE National Council on Aging Features Special Guests from Benefits Broker, Bennie, and Insurance Carrier, Ameritas SAN FRANCISCO , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Noyo, the leading benefits data platform, today announced its webinar, Build, Buy, API: Powering Real-Time Experiences for Benefits Administration, designed for leaders at insurance carriers and benefits software platforms to help them understand the competitive edge of investing in faster, more accurate data management and automated member enrollment technology. "Investing in technology alone won't move the needle new systems and ways of thinking are also required as employers, consumer members, and brokers migrate to the software that delivers the best experiences," said Gary Davis , National Practice Leader at Noyo and webinar host. "In this candid discussion with Jake Bendler , Division Vice President, National Accounts and National Partners, at Ameritas, and Greg Autuori , Senior Vice President, Operations at Bennie, we'll be sharing how buy vs. build API strategies can yield the best results and why." This webinar is perfect for benefits leaders including those in senior roles in Innovation, Partnerships, Distribution, and Technology. Webinar participants will learn: Why better data management is needed to deliver the modern enrollment experience consumers expect. What should inform strategies as benefits organizations make this shift. How building and maintaining new data management technology compares to partnering or buying. The live webinar will be held April 19 at 10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 pm EDT . To register for the webinar, click here. About Noyo Noyo is the benefits data platform providing the modern data infrastructure to make frictionless employee benefits possible. Founded by leaders in benefits, insurance, and API technology, Noyo is the first company transforming the underlying infrastructure of the benefits industry through seamless digital connectivity. With Noyo, crucial benefits data is synchronized and made instantly available anywhere it's needed, unlocking new possibilities for how benefits are designed and delivered and enhancing them for all. To learn more about how Noyo's industry-leading technology is powering the next generation of employee benefits, visit www.noyo.com . Media: Mardi Larson, Amendola for Noyo, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/noyo-hosts-webinar-for-benefits-leaders-aimed-at-making-the-shift-to-api-solutions-to-power-modern-enrollment-experiences-301796011.html SOURCE Noyo DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PSG, part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a global pump, metering and dispensing-solution expert, is proud to announce the creation and launch of its new PSG Biotech brand. This new brand brings together PSG's leading pump, flow-measurement and flow-metering technologies that have been relied upon for more than 20 years in Life Science and biopharmaceutical production applications. "Every day, millions of people around the world depend on biologics, medicines and therapeutics, which must be produced safely and reliably to ensure efficacy and patient safety," said Michael Franco , Director, Global Biopharma Sales for PSG Biotech. "At PSG, we take 'Caring For Every Drop' seriously, which is why we have brought together our best-in-class pump, measurement and flow-metering technologies under the new PSG Biotech brand, with the ultimate goal of helping our clients achieve optimal results." The PSG Biotech brand includes: Quattroflow Quaternary (Four-Piston) Diaphragm Pumps: Quattroflow pumps are designed to facilitate the safe, efficient and reliable transfer of biologic materials. The quaternary-diaphragm technology transfers shear-sensitive aqueous solutions and biologic products gently, safely and securely while also being clean-in-place (CIP) and sterilize-in-place (SIP) capable. The single-use models are equipped with a product-wetted plastic pump chamber that can be replaced as a complete unit for disposal. This capability enables a quicker and time-sensitive production process by eliminating the need for complex, expensive and time-consuming sterilization and cleaning validation procedures. Quattroflow pumps are designed to facilitate the safe, efficient and reliable transfer of biologic materials. The quaternary-diaphragm technology transfers shear-sensitive aqueous solutions and biologic products gently, safely and securely while also being clean-in-place (CIP) and sterilize-in-place (SIP) capable. The single-use models are equipped with a product-wetted plastic pump chamber that can be replaced as a complete unit for disposal. This capability enables a quicker and time-sensitive production process by eliminating the need for complex, expensive and time-consuming sterilization and cleaning validation procedures. em-tec BioProTT Flow Meters/Sensors: em-tec's BioProTT product range of flow-measurement devices has been designed to be an optimized solution for contact-free, non-invasive clamp-on ultrasonic flow-measurement systems that are used in bioprocessing applications that demand reliable and precise flow measurement in accordance with strict hygienic-manufacturing requirements. The new BioProTT FlowSU System features an innovative single-use sensor that allows flow measurement and air-in-line detection, and an easy-to-connect holder profile with built-in electronics. This enables seamless system integration, shear-free product transfer and low-maintenance operation. em-tec's BioProTT product range of flow-measurement devices has been designed to be an optimized solution for contact-free, non-invasive clamp-on ultrasonic flow-measurement systems that are used in bioprocessing applications that demand reliable and precise flow measurement in accordance with strict hygienic-manufacturing requirements. The new BioProTT FlowSU System features an innovative single-use sensor that allows flow measurement and air-in-line detection, and an easy-to-connect holder profile with built-in electronics. This enables seamless system integration, shear-free product transfer and low-maintenance operation. Malema Mass Flow Meters: Headlining the Malema product offering is the first-of-its-kind SumoFlo Single-Use Coriolis Mass Flow Meter, which offers superior flow-measurement performance and accuracy while reducing the potential for measurement error and eliminating the need for calibration in time-sensitive and contamination-intolerant production environments. Malema rounds out its flow-measurement family with Ultrasonic, Vortex and Paddlewheel-style flow-meter technologies, along with a full range of flow switches, pressure sensors and pressure-relief valves. The PSG Biotech brand will be unveiled in-person in Booth No. 1027 at the upcoming 2023 INTERPHEX Show, which will be held from April 25-27 at the Javits Center in New York, NY . For more information on the ways that PSG Biotech can optimize performance in your most critical Life Science and biopharmaceutical applications, please visit psgdover.com/biotech. About PSG: PSG is the global pump, metering and dispensing-solution expert, enabling the safe and efficient transfer of critical and valuable fluids that require optimal performance and reliability in applications where it matters most. Additionally, PSG is a leading provider of flow meters designed to reduce waste and downtime while accurately measuring, monitoring and controlling the distribution of fluids. Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL , USA, PSG is comprised of several world-class brands, including Abaque, All-Flo, Almatec, Blackmer, Ebsray, em-tec, Griswold, Hydro, Malema, Mouvex, Neptune, PSG Biotech, Quantex, Quattroflow, RedScrew and Wilden. PSG products are manufactured on three continents North America , Europe and Asia in state-of-the-art facilities that practice lean manufacturing and are ISO-certified. PSG is part of the Pumps & Process Solutions segment of Dover Corporation. For additional information on PSG, please visit psgdover.com. PSG: Where Innovation Flows. 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. PSG Contact: Christopher Walsh (331) 277-8137 [email protected] Dover Media Contact: Adrian Sakowicz, VP, Communications (630) 743-5039 [email protected] Dover Investor Contact: Jack Dickens , Senior Director, Investor Relations (630) 743-2566 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/psg-introduces-new-biotech-brand-301795880.html SOURCE Dover High resolution images can be downloaded from the following link: https://dam.gettyimages.com/s/8vcfjqr9wgrt88c6rr4htx4 The Royal Mint has revealed a range of commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming Coronation The commemorative coin range features the first official crowned coinage portrait of His Majesty The King , designed by Martin Jennings The range will go on sale at 9am ( UK time) on Monday 24 th April 2023 . An uncrowned version of the 50p designed by Royal Mint designer Natasha Jenkins , is set to enter circulation later in 2023 LLANTRISANT, Wales , April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Mint, the official maker of UK coins has today unveiled a range of commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming Coronation including a 50p and 5 coin. The commemorative coronation coin range features a crowned effigy of His Majesty The King designed by artist and sculptor Martin Jennings - the first crowned effigy of His Majesty to feature on a coin. The effigy of King Charles III for non-commemorative coins was unveiled following His Majesty's Accession late last year and in line with tradition, The King is shown not wearing regalia. The new, crowned coin effigy has been created specifically for the Coronation, ahead of the historic event on May 6 th and will feature on the commemorative range produced by The Royal Mint to mark the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla . The crowned effigy is reserved specifically for collectable, commemorative coins and will be reserved for very special collections moving forwards. The portrait features the Tudor Crown which was personally selected by His Majesty The King for the portrait. Although the Tudor crown was destroyed in the 1640s it is still used heraldically and has been used on previous crowned portraits of Kings from the 20th century. The Tudor Crown also features on His Majesty's cypher. Martin Jennings comments: "Following my work on the uncrowned coin effigy of His Majesty, I am delighted to have had the opportunity to work on a crowned version for the coronation range. Each detail of the crown has to be scrupulously correct so it has taken considerable work to get it right. I'm proud to have had the opportunity to realise a design that is both dignified and celebratory for this historic occasion." The new, highly collectable 50p featuring the iconic Westminster Abbey has been designed by Royal Mint designer Natasha Jenkins . Natasha has worked for The Royal Mint for nearly seven years, and this is the third time one of her designs has been selected for use on a UK coin. Natasha Jenkins , Product Designer at The Royal Mint, comments: "I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to work on this project. I was inspired to feature Westminster Abbey as it plays such an iconic role in the coronation, so I chose to opt for a stylised line drawing of Westminster Abbey that is instantly recognisable with Britain , along with King Charles' cypher and crown to mark him being crowned as King. I am always aware of finishing touches during the design stage. This is why I chose a linear design, as I knew the negative areas of the design would be polished, and the relief areas would be frosted. This will give the coin a lot of opportunity for light play." In the future I will be able to look back and show my children this coin that I designed for the Coronation and feel proud." Five million 50ps are set to enter circulation later in 2023 featuring the original, uncrowned effigy of King Charles by Martin Jennings . This follows the five million memorial 50ps that have already entered circulation the first circulating coinage of the new monarch, that will co-circulate along with that of Queen Elizabeth II . The Coronation range also includes a 5 coin features the crowned coinage portrait of His Majesty on the obverse and a beautiful design by Timothy Noad on the reverse, featuring the St Edward's Crown. The range also features a number of ounce coins, that are available in several editions and sizes, each featuring the crowned coinage portrait of His Majesty on the obverse and a beautiful design by John Bergdahl on the reverse. Rebecca Morgan , Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint, comments: "The Coronation range is a celebration of the Coronation and His Majesty The King 's formal investiture, exhibiting exemplary British craftsmanship, with a range of price points making it accessible for all. We're particularly excited to unveil the unique crowned effigy, making this range highly collectible and a wonderful keepsake of such a historic occasion." Rebecca continues: "The Royal Mint has struck the coins of the monarchy since the times of Alfred the Great. The Royal Mint has played a role in coronations for years, traditionally producing coins and medals for previous monarchs. We are marking a moment in history and a new chapter in British coinage. This is a wonderful opportunity to grow an existing coin collection or to start collecting for the first time." The range will go on sale at 9am ( UK time) on Monday 24th April 2023 . For more information about the range, visit The Royal Mint's website. The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 5 Commemorative Coin Specifications Coin title The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5 Silver Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5 Silver Proof Piedfort Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5 Gold Proof Coin Denomination 5 5 5 5 Issuing Authority UK UK UK UK Alloy Cupro-Nickel 925 Ag 925 Ag 916.7 Au Weight 28.28 (g) 28.28 (g) 56.56 (g) 39.94 (g) Diameter 38.61 (mm) 38.61 (mm) 38.61 (mm) 38.61 (mm) Obverse Designer Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Reverse Designer Timothy Noad Timothy Noad Timothy Noad Timothy Noad Quality Brilliant Uncirculated Proof Proof Proof Edge Inscription N/A GOD SAVE OUR GRACIOUS KING GOD SAVE OUR GRACIOUS KING GOD SAVE OUR GRACIOUS KING Additional Features N/A N/A N/A N/A Limited Edition Presentation Unlimited 12,500 3,250 500 RRP 14.50 95.00 180.00 2,995.00 The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 50p Commemorative Coin Specifications Coin title The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 50p Brilliant Uncirculated Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 50p Silver Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 50p Silver Proof Piedfort Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 50p Gold Proof Coin Denomination 50p 50p 50p 50p Issuing Authority UK UK UK UK Alloy Cupro-Nickel 925 Ag 925 Ag 916.7 Au Weight 15.50 (g) 8.00 (g) 16.00 (g) 8.00 (g) Diameter 27.30 (mm) 27.30 (mm) 27.30 (mm) 27.30 (mm) Obverse Designer Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Reverse Designer Natasha Jenkins Natasha Jenkins Natasha Jenkins Natasha Jenkins Quality Brilliant Uncirculated Proof Proof Proof Additional Features N/A N/A N/A N/A Limited Edition Presentation Unlimited 12,500 3,250 500 RRP 11.00 59.50 110.00 1,220.00 The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 Gold Proof Ounces Coin Specifications Coin title The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1/40th oz Gold Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1/4oz Gold Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1oz Gold Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 2oz Gold Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5oz Gold Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1kg Gold Proof Coin Denomination 50p 25 100 200 500 1000 Issuing Authority UK UK UK UK UK UK Alloy 999.9 Au 999.9 Au 999.9 Au 999.9 Au 999.9 Au 999 Au Weight 0.80 (g) 7.80 (g) 31.21 (g) 62.42 (g) 156.30 (g) 1005.00 (g) Diameter 8.00 (mm) 22.00 (mm) 32.69 (mm) 40.00 (mm) 50.00 (mm) 100.00 (mm) Obverse Designer Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Reverse Designer John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl Quality Proof Proof Proof Proof Proof Proof Additional Features N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Limited Edition Presentation 2,023 1,250 500 300 100 15 RRP 85.00 750.00 2,770.00 5,305.00 12,725.00 77,565.00 The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 Silver Proof Ounces Coin Specifications Coin title The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1oz Silver Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 2oz Silver Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 5oz Silver Proof Coin The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 2023 UK 1kg Silver Proof Coin Denomination 2 5 10 500 Issuing Authority UK UK UK UK Alloy 999 Ag 999 Ag 999 Ag 999 Ag Weight 31.21 (g) 62.86 (g) 156.30 (g) 1005.00 (g) Diameter 38.61 (mm) 40.00 (mm) 65.00 (mm) 100.00 (mm) Obverse Designer Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Martin Jennings Reverse Designer John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl John Bergdahl Quality Proof Proof Proof Proof Additional Features N/A N/A N/A N/A Limited Edition Presentation 17,500 1,000 1,500 200 RRP 99.50 190.00 480.00 2,390.00 About The Royal Mint With a history spanning more than 1,100 years, The Royal Mint is Britain's oldest companies and the original maker of UK coins. Today The Royal Mint is a premium British maker, providing carefully crafted coins and precious metal products for the UK and overseas. Based in Llantrisant, South Wales it has three main focuses as a business: Currency, Consumer (collectable and rare, historic coins) and precious metals investment. Images The Royal Mint retains copyright ownership of all images. These may only be used for editorial purposes and cannot be sold or used for other marketing purposes without the permission of The Royal Mint. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1492158/Royal_Mint_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royal-mint-reveal-celebratory-coronation-range-ahead-of-the-coronation-on-6-may-301796030.html SOURCE The Royal Mint Now in its fourth year, this summer The Externship will offer an 8-week virtual curriculum designed to help college students, new advisors and career changers succeed in the financial planning profession. DALLAS , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hannah Moore , CFP, creator of The Externship, announced today that registration is now open for The Externship, the only online training program focused on a career in financial planning. The 2023 summer program will run from June 5 - July 28 , with registration ending on June 1 . Externs who complete the program earn 180 CFP experience hours from the CFP Board. The Externship is opening the doors to financial planning and providing a chance for the next generation of planners to see inside the industry. The Externship's Story and Impact First created in 2020 as a response to Covid, The Externship was originally designed for college juniors and seniors who lost their internships. However, it quickly became clear the program was attracting more than just students. "We realized we'd stumbled into something amazing," said Moore. "Since day one, we've had college students considering changing majors or adding a new skill set and also career changers, people reentering the workforce, entrepreneurs, and even current financial planners looking for professional development opportunities." Four years later, The Externship is positioned as a must-attend rigorous training program for future, new and established planners alike. Because it is both virtual and experiential, it shows participants what their career could look like and gives them the framework, knowledge and skills to succeed. The 2023 Program This year's program and curriculum includes: An 8-week program, taught by more than 50 financial professionals and industry experts who instruct on critical areas such as retirement planning, investment management, and tax and estate planning. Coming from many locations and specialties, experts represent a wide spectrum of the profession. Real-life client scenario case studies that follow actual clients and their planners through multiple meetings and important financial decisions. Assignments that allow Externs to step into the role of planner. Feedback on those assignments means Externs can make meaningful strides in the quality of their deliverables. Access to industry-leading technology tools that help with real life workflows. New to the program this year include: Special content and extension courses available that include the explaining the various roles available within an advisory firm. A place for partnering companies to post job opportunities. A tool kit and guide to help firms utilize The Externship curriculum in order to amplify their own summer internship programs. "We hear from firms large and small that companies want to give their summer interns meaningful experiences, but that they don't have the personnel or curriculum to make it a reality. This new program is designed to do just that," said Moore. Supported by Strategic Partners Some of financial planning's prominent voices and companies are partnering with The Externship this year, ensuring the best possible content is showcased, scholarships to the program are available and there is free access to some of the industry's leading software and tools. Along with lead partner, Charles Schwab and their RIAConnect program, The Externship is pleased to count eMoney Advisor, the CFP Board, Kaplan, XY Planning Network, Income Lab , Asset Map, LPL Financial, Morningstar, Redtail and the FPA as partners. Proof of the Industry's Diverse Future The Externship is opening the doors to financial planning and providing a chance for the next generation of planners to see inside the industry. Registrant data indicates there is a great amount of interest from underrepresented groups in a career in financial planning. "The Externship program expands on Schwab's work to increase gender, diversity and generational diversity in the RIA profession," said Sherri Trombley , director, business consulting and education at Schwab Advisor Services. "We are always looking for ways to reach students and career changers and help connect them with firms whose vision aligns with their goals." In 2022, nearly 700 students registered for The Externship, and the demographics provide a real look into what the future of the financial planning profession can look like. The results are significantly higher than the current industry average. Nearly 42% identified as female 11% identified as Black or African American 10.5% identified as Asian 9.7% identified as Hispanic "I hope this data shows firms and hiring managers in our profession all the potential that exists," said financial services executive and advisor to the Externship, Suzanne Siracuse . "Based on the interest I'm seeing from The Externship in 2023, I believe the future of our industry is bright." "This is a gamechanger for the profession," said Moore. "The Externship is proud to be a catalyst for the financial planning profession to be more representative of the people it serves." About Amplified Planning Founded by financial planner Hannah Moore , CFP, Amplified Planning is on a mission to provide guidance, education and resources to current and future financial planners. Learn more about Amplified Planning and The Externship at Externship - Amplified Planning High-resolution images of Hannah Moore are available here. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-externship-the-only-online-training-program-focused-on-a-career-in-financial-planning-announces-2023-registration-is-now-open-301795571.html SOURCE The Externship Latest Event in PaleyLive Series Features an Exclusive Conversation with Cast and Creative Team, Including Show's Creator, Shonda Rhimes , and a Special Screening of the First Episode of the New Original Series. NEW YORK , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned cultural institution The Paley Center for Media is celebrating the highly anticipated original series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, from Netflix and Shondaland, with an exclusive conversation with the show's creator Shonda Rhimes and the stars and creative team of the show, including a screening of the first episode of the series. This special event, A Night of Elegance and Intrigue: Join Shonda Rhimes and the Stars of Queen Charlotte at the Paley Center, will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 pm ET at The Paley Museum in Midtown Manhattan. Panelists for the conversation include: Shonda Rhimes , Creator, Executive Producer Creator, Executive Producer Betsy Beers , Executive Producer Executive Producer Tom Verica , Executive Producer, Director Executive Producer, Director Golda Rosheuvel, "Queen Charlotte" "Queen Charlotte" India Amarteifio , "Young Queen Charlotte" "Young Queen Charlotte" Corey Mylchreest , "Young King George " "Young " Arsema Thomas , " Agatha Danbury " " " Moderator: Sheinelle Jones, Co-host, 3rd Hour of TODAY Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is the highly anticipated prequel to the hit series Bridgerton and is centered on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power. The series tells the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked a great love story and societal shift to create the world of the Ton, inherited by the characters in Bridgerton. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres on Netflix on Thursday, May 4 , and consists of six episodes. "Audiences young and old have embraced the critically acclaimed Bridgerton series, created by the brilliant Shonda Rhimes , her creative team, and brought to life by an extraordinary cast," said Maureen J. Reidy , President and CEO of The Paley Center for Media. "We are thrilled to host this special conversation around the highly anticipated prequel, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and celebrate its rich storytelling and multicultural world." As we get ready for our Bridgerton prequel event, The Paley Museum is pleased to screen the first and second seasons of the highly acclaimed and popular Bridgerton series in the Bennack Theater. The sixteen episodes will be presented from April 26 to May 3 . To purchase tickets to the event, please visit paleycenter.org The Paley Center's Membership offers free admission to The Paley Museum in New York City ; exclusive ticket presale and discounts to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including PALEYFEST and PALEYLIVE; conversations with celebrities; VIP invitations; access to the Paley Archive with an international collection of more than 160,000 television and radio programs across genres; access to the PaleyGX Gaming Studio and VR Experience; and more. For more information about Paley Membership, visit paleycenter.org/membership. For additional information, please visit: https://www.paleycenter.org/ About The Paley Center for Media The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly made its home in NYC for over 45 years and operates the iconic Paley Museum. Through its respected programming, the Paley Center leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of media, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the media community. The general public can participate in Paley programs in both New York and Los Angeles that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the talent, and the leaders who are shaping media. The public can also access the Paley Center's permanent media collection, The Paley Archive, often referred to as a national treasure, containing over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley , a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information about The Paley Center for Media, and to learn about the Paley Center's acclaimed programming, please visit www.paleycenter.org View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-paley-center-for-media-celebrates-queen-charlotte-a-bridgerton-story-an-original-series-from-netflix-and-shondaland-301796120.html SOURCE The Paley Center for Media BOWLING GREEN, Ky. , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul purchased the former Lost River Storage LLC facility in Bowling Green to better meet the moving and self-storage demands of Warren County residents. The property was acquired on March 1 . U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lost River is located at 2823 Nashville Road and is being managed by on-site personnel. Thanks to the five-acre acquisition, U-Haul customers have access to 673 self-storage units; truck and trailer sharing; moving supplies and boxes; and much more. Storage customers can attain extended hours access. "This location was already a self-storage facility, so it's a seamless transition for us to bring U-Haul products and services here," said Jonathan Nipps , U-Haul Company of North Nashville president. "We're pleased to put our trusted brand behind this location and offer more storage solutions to the Bowling Green community." Contact U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lost River at (270) 904-7604. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday; 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday ; and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday . Reserve equipment at uhaul.com or contact Reservations at 1-800-GO-UHAUL. "Our ultimate goal is to save U-Haul customers time and money," Nipps added. "We're going to provide a clean, secure and well-maintained storage product for our neighbors' belongings." U-Haul dealers in and around Bowling Green continue to be available to serve DIY movers. U-Haul has partnered with independent dealers to provide communities with accessible mobility since 1945. During these challenging times, more than 21,000 small businesses across the U.S. and Canada are generating supplemental income by partnering with U-Haul. When customers rent from their local U-Haul dealers, they are directly supporting small businesses in their community. Because there is no financial investment from dealers, they are not U-Haul franchises. They are simply small businesses with enough lot space to park U-Haul equipment and enough time to welcome more customers while meeting the mobility needs of their neighbors. Learn how to partner with U-Haul at uhaul.com/dealer. About U-HAUL Founded in 1945, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 186,000 trucks, 128,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America and offers 913,000 rentable storage units and 78.1 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S. , and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America. Contact: Andrea Batchelor Jeff Lockridge E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-263-6194 Website: uhaul.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/u-haul-opens-at-former-lost-river-storage-facility-in-bowling-green-301795955.html SOURCE U-Haul President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport as the Emirati leader starts an official visit to Egypt. President El-Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed last in February in the UAE during the president's participation in World Government Summit in Dubai. Egypt and UAE enjoy a close political relationship, with the two countries maintaining regular consultations on key regional and international issues. The two countries also share strong cultural and economic ties. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians live and work in the UAE, sending billions of dollars in remittances back home over the years. Meanwhile, the UAE is one of the largest Arab Gulf countries in investments in Egypt, with over 1,250 Emirati companies operating in all fields in the country. Last year, the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations under the slogan Egypt and the UAE: One Heart. "Egypt-UAE ties are not confined to brotherhood and real friendship only, but also to the true, deep as well as accurate understanding of conditions in the region and the world," President El-Sisi said in a recorded speech during the golden jubilee ceremony. Last year, Egypt and the UAE, along with Bahrain and Jordan, founded a massive industrial partnership mechanism that aims to boost sustainable growth and explore opportunities for joint investments in all four countries. Egypt, as the host of the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022, is currently cooperating with the UAE to ensure the success of the COP28 which will be hosted by the UAE in Dubai from 30 November until 12 December of this year. Search Keywords: Short link: WILMINGTON, Del. , April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Wellness Natural USA Inc. of Wilmington, DE is expanding their voluntary recall of its SimplyProtein Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bar, which is sold in a 15-count variety pack that contains two other flavors, because it may contain undeclared cashews. The initial recall which included a single lot has been expanded to include all lots within expiration, the Best Before dates are indicated below. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashews run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled products were only distributed in Costco stores nationwide in the United States . The product comes in a 15-count variety pack which includes 5 Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars. The product is marked with a Best Before date and Lot number on the bar wrapper (UPC 6 86207 00914 7) and on the outside carton (UPC 6 86207 80906 8). The photographs below indicate the location of Best Before date markings. Any product with the Best Before date between 11 APR 2023 and 14 MAR 2024 is included in this expanded recall. The recall was voluntarily initiated due to a consumer complaint, which is the only reported reaction to date. It was determined the product may potentially contain undeclared cashew. The expansion comes following a decision by Wellness Natural USA Inc. to exercise an abundance of caution while the root cause of the contamination continues to be investigated. Costco stores in the United States who are in possession of the product are urged to stop sales and distribution immediately, contain and isolate the affected products, and contact Wellness Natural USA Inc. for verification and disposal instructions. Consumers who have purchased the impacted products and have a sensitivity to cashew should not consume the product and return them to Costco for a full refund. This product and the two other flavors in the carton, which declare cashew as an allergen, are safe to consume for people who do not have a sensitivity to cashew. Any questions or concerns should be directed to [email protected] between the hours of 9:00 5:00 EST , Monday thru Friday. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wellness-natural-usa-inc-expands-allergy-alert-on-undeclared-cashews-in-simplyprotein-peanut-butter-chocolate-crispy-bars-301795001.html By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Meat companies should examine their supply chains for evidence of child labor, the Biden administration said in a letter sent to top meatpacking companies on Wednesday. The letter is part of an effort by several agencies, led by the Department of Labor, to curb the use of illegal child labor across sectors. Since 2018, illegal employment of children has risen 69% in the U.S., according to the agency. In February, the Labor Department found that more than 100 children had been illegally employed by Packers Sanitation Services Inc, a company that contracts with meat-packers to clean slaughterhouses. The company was fined $1.5 million. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asked meat and poultry companies in the letter to determine whether illegal child labor is being used in their supply chains and to adopt stronger child labor standards for subcontractors. "Companies in food manufacturing particularly those with significant market power need to be vigilant about the standards of their suppliers to help reduce systemic violations and abuses," Vilsack said in the letter. The letter was sent to 18 companies that represent about 70% of meat and poultry production by volume, including Tyson Foods Inc, Smithfield Foods Inc, JBS USA Llc, and Perdue Farms Inc. The Department of Agriculture is exploring enforcement mechanisms that would allow stronger oversight of child labor use in food supply chains and plans to take future steps on the issue, an agency spokesperson said. (Reporting by Leah Douglas) FILE PHOTO: Deutsche Bank logo is seen in this illustration taken March 12, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration (Reuters) -Deutsche Bank is looking for ways to minimise business disruption as it reduces risks from its Russian technology operations in line with the law, Germany's biggest lender said on Wednesday. The comments by a bank spokesperson followed a report in the Financial Times that the bank was winding down its remaining software technology operations in Moscow and St Petersburg as it looks to end its decades-long reliance on Russian IT expertise. "We continue to de-risk our operations in the Russia technology centre," the spokesperson told Reuters in an email. Wider options on offer to employees included leaving by mutual agreement alongside relocation and remaining on the platform, the spokesperson added. "This process is being conducted in a way that minimises business disruption and is in full compliance with relevant Russian legislation." In a surprise move last year, the bank had said it would wind down its Russian business following criticism by some investors and politicians in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". The bank has offered individual severance packages to the 500 IT professionals still left on its payroll in Russia and wants to shed the staff in the next six months, the newspaper said, citing sources familiar with the matter. After unveiling its plan, the lender started relocating several hundred Russian IT experts to Berlin, with the Handelsblatt newspaper reporting that a mid-three-digit number had moved by June last year. Deutsche Bank has not yet made the formal decision to completely shutter its Russian IT operations, but the move is considered a done deal internally, the Financial Times added. (Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh and Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paul and Clarence Fernandez) Discord logo is seen in this illustration taken November 7, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Instant messaging platform Discord said on Wednesday it was cooperating with U.S. law enforcement's investigation into a leak of secret U.S. documents that has grabbed attention around the world. The statement comes as questions continue to swirl over who leaked the documents, whether they are genuine and whether the intelligence assessments in them are reliable. The documents, which carry markings suggesting that they are highly classified, have led to a string of stories about the war in Ukraine, protests in Israel and how the U.S. surveils friend and foe alike. The source of the documents is not publicly known, but reporting by the open-source investigative site Bellingcat has traced their earliest appearance to Discord, a communications platform popular with gamers. Discord's statement suggested it was already in touch with investigators. "In regards to the apparent breach of classified material, we are cooperating with law enforcement," the statement said. "As this remains an active investigation, we cannot provide further comment at this time." The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Although the documents only began drawing attention recently, Bellingcat said it found evidence that at least some of the files had been floating around on social media as far back as March or even January. Bellingcat cited Discord users who it said gave similar accounts of the documents' provenance but cautioned that it was unable to independently verify all the information they shared. Reuters could not immediately corroborate Bellingcat's reporting; attempts to reach former members of the server via the social media site Reddit and other servers on Discord were not immediately successful. (Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Josie Kao) FILE PHOTO: Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda attends his last news conference as Japan's central bank chief at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo, Japan April 7, 2023. Toru Kawata/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo TOKYO (Reuters) - Former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has received a job offer from a prestigious university in Tokyo, days after retiring from the helm of the central bank, a university official told Reuters on Wednesday. Kuroda will become a senior academic fellow at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), a job aimed at making use of his rich experience for teaching students, many of whom are from Asia, the official said. "We have commissioned the post of senior fellow to Kuroda as of yesterday. His job is based on basic research, but he will also give lectures from autumn, as per his intention," Takahiro Okamoto, a GRIPS official told Reuters, adding that details have not yet been decided. Kuroda could not be immediately reached for comment. Kuroda served as BOJ governor from March 2013 to April 8, after having been the Asian Development Bank president and Japanese vice finance minister for international affairs. (Reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto; Writing by Tetsushi Kajimoto) Former U.S. President Donald Trump departs from Trump Tower on the day of Trump's planned court appearance 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, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Multiple witnesses were asked whether former President Donald Trump showed them a map containing classified information that he took from the White House when he left office, as part of a U.S. Justice Department investigation, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. It is unclear what the map depicted beyond "sensitive intelligence information," the Times reported, citing four people familiar with the matter. Trump is being investigated by the Justice Department for his handling of classified documents after he left office in 2021. In particular, investigators are focusing on whether he improperly stored boxes of documents containing sensitive information at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. FBI agents seized thousands of government records, some marked as highly classified, from Mar-a-Lago in August. The investigation is one of two criminal inquiries into the former president being led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Trump, who was indicted in late March in a separate inquiry in New York, has denied any wrongdoing in the cases and describes them as politically motivated. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell) FILE PHOTO: A Great Egret looks for fish as it hunts in the waters of the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Huntington Beach, California, U.S., June 24, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo (Reuters) -A federal judge in North Dakota on Wednesday temporarily blocked implementation of a Biden administration rule establishing protections for seasonal streams and wetlands in 24 states, according to court documents. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the states' request for a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the United States rule, which was finalized in December. In the order, Hovland said the states would "expend unrecoverable resources complying with a rule unlikely to withstand judicial scrutiny." The rule protects waterways that have a "significant nexus" to navigable U.S. waters - a standard that ranchers, developers and other industry groups have said is overly broad and creates burdensome permitting and regulatory hurdles. West Virginia and 23 other Republican-led states sued the EPA and other federal agencies in February, alleging the rule violates the U.S. Constitution and sows confusion for landowners. An EPA spokesperson said the agency is reviewing Wednesdays ruling and called the Biden administration rule the best interpretation of the Clean Water Act. Representatives for West Virginia and North Dakota issued statements praising the injunction, saying the rule would hurt industry and jobs without achieving environmental protection goals. The case is part of a protracted battle over the scope of the Clean Water Act and what waterways the federal government has the authority to regulate. Texas and industry groups led by the American Farm Bureau Federation separately won a limited injunction last month halting implementation of the rule in Texas and Idaho. Previous efforts by the Obama and Trump administrations to define the law's scope also faced numerous legal challenges. In Congress, Republicans led an effort to repeal the water rule last month, with limited support from across the aisle including four Senate Democrats and independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, vetoed that measure earlier this month. The U.S. Supreme Court is also considering the scope of the law, and heard oral arguments in a case challenging an earlier interpretation of its reach in October. (Reporting by Clark Mindock and Nichola Groom; editing by Jonathan Oatis) FILE PHOTO: A person walks next to a damaged car in the aftermath of deadly shelling of an army office building, amid Russia's attack, in Sloviansk, Ukraine, March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura/File Photo NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India said on Wednesday that Ukraine has asked for more medicines and medical equipment and has invited Indian companies to help rebuild the country battered by Russia's invasion. Ukraine made its request during a four-day visit to India by First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova that ended on Wednesday, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement. Dzhaparova held talks with Indias junior foreign minister, Meenakshi Lekhi, and handed over a letter from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ministry said. It gave no details of the letter. "Rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, the ministry cited Dzhaparova as saying. India has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the war, including medicines and medical equipment. Dzhaparova's visit was the first by a high-ranking official from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. India has not been as critical of its old ally Russia as some other countries for its invasion and it has increased its purchases of Russian oil.India has sought a diplomatic solution to the conflict while Modi, in comments seen as mildly critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told him in September that now was not an era of war. Dzhaparova, in comments to media during her visit, said Ukraine wanted India to be more involved in helping resolve the conflict and Ukraine looked forward to welcoming Modi to Kyiv "one day". India holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 and Dzhaparova said Ukraine expected India to invite Ukrainian officials to G20 events and that Zelenskiy would be keen to address a G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, as he did by video during the grouping's last summit in Indonesia. The Indian ministry did not refer to these requests in its statement. India does not want the war to overshadow G20 events, Indian officials have said, but the first two G20 ministerial events India hosted, in February and March, saw rifts over the war between G7 nations, one the one hand, and Russia and China on the other. (Reporting by Krishn Kaushik; Editing by YP Rajesh, Robert Birsel) FILE PHOTO: Community members attend a vigil at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church following a mass shooting at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. April, 10, 2023. REUTERS/Jeffrey Dean By Julia Harte and Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) - The mother of the 25-year-old bank employee who killed five people and wounded nine others in a shooting rampage at his Kentucky workplace on Monday had frantically called 911 to report her son's intention, emergency calls released on Wednesday showed. The calls, one of which came from an employee who witnessed the attack while on a video conference meeting, were shared by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department hours before hundreds of residents gathered to mourn at a vigil at the city's Muhammad Ali Center. Police identified the shooter in Louisville as Connor Sturgeon, who was employed at the Old National Bank's downtown branch at the time of the shooting. He was killed by police on Monday. Monday morning, amid a flurry of calls coming in from panicked bank employees as the shooting unfolded, a woman who identified herself as the suspect's mother called in to the city's emergency line. Between shaky breaths, she told the operator she had heard from her son's roommate that he had left a note indicating he had a gun and was heading toward the bank. "He's never hurt anyone, he's a really good kid," the woman, whose name was omitted from the recording, said. "We don't even own guns, I don't know where he would have gotten a gun." Monday's shooting brought the number of people killed by gun violence in Louisville to 40 in 2023 so far, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in his remarks at the vigil. "We are all in pain right now," Greenberg said at the vigil. "Whether you knew some of these wonderful people who were killed on Monday or not we come together this evening to acknowledge that every violent death is tragic." There have been 146 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2023, the most at this point in the year since 2016, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The nonprofit group defines a mass shooting as four or more shot or killed, not including the shooter. Barely two weeks before the Louisville massacre, a former student at a private Christian school in Nashville shot and killed three 9-year-old students and three staff members. While mass shootings have become commonplace in the U.S., the shooting stunned the Tennessee city and the country. The family of the gunman, in a statement released on Wednesday, said he had suffered from mental health issues that they had been "actively addressing" before his rampage. In the statement, released to a Louisville television station, the family said there were "never any warning signs or indications he was capable" of carrying out a mass shooting. The station, Fox-affiliated WDRB, posted the statement on its website after receiving it from an attorney for the family on Tuesday evening. Reuters could not independently verify the statement, and the station did not provide the lawyer's name. Greenberg and other speakers at Wednesday's vigil called for action from the deeply divided U.S. government to end the country's crisis of gun violence, noting mass shootings as well as individual acts of violence and firearm accidents. But first, the community needed to acknowledge its grief and agony. "This is a time to ask each other, 'How are you doing? What do you need?" Greenberg said. Dr. Muhammad Babar, a physician at the University of Louisville hospital that treated victims including wounded police officer Nickolas Wilt, begged listeners and politicians to come together to address the problem of gun violence. "It does not matter whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, whether you live in urban spaces or rural communities, whether you own a gun or not," he shouted in a voice choked with emotion. "Please do something." (Reporting by Julia Harte and Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Leslie Adler) By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said France's position on Taiwan had not changed and that he favoured the current "status quo" in respect of the island, after he was asked to clarify comments that prompted a backlash in the United States and Europe. In an interview with news outlet Politico and daily Les Echos, Macron had cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction." That brought criticism from some politicians and commentators in Europe and the United States, with former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of "kissing ass" to Beijing. "The French and European position on Taiwan is the same one. We're in favour of the status quo. This policy is constant and hasn't changed," Macron told a news conference during a state visit in the Netherlands. "It's the One-China policy and a Pacific resolution of the situation. That's what I said in my one-to-one meeting with Xi Jinping, that's what was said everywhere, we haven't changed," he said. Macron did not mention Taiwan in his public statement to the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last week, an omission that commentators criticised. The French leader also said he shared a vision of an "open Indo-Pacific region" with U.S. President Joe Biden, even if they each had their own approach on China. "I can tell you he wants to avoid any escalation in spite of the current tension," Macron said. Macron added that a French military ship had gone through the Taiwan Strait in recent days despite Chinese military exercises around the island and demonstrated France's robust engagement in the region. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control. "So no, France does not support provocations, does not engage in fantasy politics and considers the status quo, respect and clarity are the best allies of European strategic autonomy," Macron said. He said Trump's comments were an example of the escalation sought by some. A French diplomat told reporters earlier that Macron did not want to get drawn into the "tension" strategy of the Republican leadership of the U.S. Congress on Taiwan. The meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week - prior to China's drills - was a "provocation", the diplomat said. The Dutch Prime Minister, who was hosting Macron for a two-day state visit, said he had a very successful meeting with Macron and did not distance himself from his guest's comments, but reaffirmed his belief in the Western alliance. "Our strong transatlantic relation is there for very good reasons, the U.S. is an essential partner for our freedom and safety," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. "But at the same time, we agree that an open and strategically autonomous Europe should be capable to develop those relations also with other parts of the world. To be a player, and not the playing field," he added. (Reporting by GV De Clercq, Tassilo Hummel, Michel Rose in Paris and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; editing by John Stonestreet and Bill Berkrot) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi agreed with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the need to continue joint efforts between the two countries to strengthen cooperation and solidarity among Arab nations to face growing challenges on all levels. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi agreed with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the need to continue joint efforts between the two countries to strengthen cooperation and solidarity among Arab nations to face growing challenges on all levels. This came during a meeting between the two leaders to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries in Cairo on Wednesday. Earlier today, El-Sisi received Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed at Cairo International Airport at the start of an official visit to Egypt. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed ways of developing Egyptian-Emirati cooperation frameworks and mechanisms in all fields, according to a statement released by Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy. The two leaders also discussed developments in various regional issues, Fahmy added. They reaffirmed that Egyptian-Emirati cooperation and coordination are key to establishing regional security, stability and development, said Fahmy. El-Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also discussed various international issues, reaching a mutual understanding on means to address them, added the presidential spokesman. During the meeting, President El-Sisi expressed Egypts appreciation for the relations with the UAE and the historical ties binding the two countries. For his part, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed stressed the UAEs keenness to enhance distinguished brotherly relations with Egypt. I had the pleasure of meeting with my brother President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, in Cairo today. We explored opportunities further to strengthen the deep-rooted ties between the UAE and Egypt and discussed our shared interest in promoting regional stability and progress. pic.twitter.com/CFTk2q8gmw (@MohamedBinZayed) April 12, 2023 Egypt and UAE enjoy a close political relationship, with the two countries maintaining regular consultations on key regional and international issues. The two countries also share strong cultural and economic ties. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians live and work in the UAE, sending billions of dollars in remittances back home over the years. Meanwhile, the UAE is one of the largest Arab Gulf countries in investments in Egypt, with over 1,250 Emirati companies operating in all fields in the country. Last year, the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations under the slogan Egypt and the UAE: One Heart. "Egypt-UAE ties are not confined to brotherhood and real friendship only, but also to the true, deep as well as accurate understanding of conditions in the region and the world," President El-Sisi said in a recorded speech during the golden jubilee ceremony. Also last year, Egypt and the UAE, along with Bahrain and Jordan, founded a massive industrial partnership mechanism that aims to boost sustainable growth and explore opportunities for joint investments in all four countries. Egypt, as the host of the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022, is currently cooperating with the UAE to ensure the success of COP28, which will be hosted by the UAE in Dubai from 30 November until 12 December of this year. Search Keywords: Short link: FILE PHOTO: Representative Justin J. Pearson speaks to media after Representative Justin Jones was reinstated days after the Republican majority Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel both of them for their roles in a gun control demonstration By Omar Younis and Jonathan Allen MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Reuters) - Local government officials in Memphis, Tennessee, voted on Wednesday to return the second of two Democratic state lawmakers who were expelled last week for protesting gun violence on the chamber floor. In a rare rebuke last week, Republicans who control the state House of Representatives voted to kick out Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black men in their late 20s who had recently joined the legislature, over their rule-breaking peaceful protest on the floor on March 30. Jones has already been sworn back in after councilors in Nashville, where his district is located, voted unanimously on Monday to restore him on an interim basis until a special election can be held for the remainder of the two-year term. On Wednesday afternoon, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, where Democrats hold a supermajority, voted in favor of doing the same for Pearson at a special meeting in Memphis, where Pearson's district is located. Seven of the board's 13 councilors were present for the meeting, and all seven voted in favor of Pearson's return. "You can't expel hope," Pearson said at the meeting after the vote. "You can't expel justice. You can't expel our voice." He is expected to return to the State Capitol in Nashville on Thursday to be sworn back in. 'UNFORTUNATE' In announcing the meeting, Mickell Lowery, the board's chairman and a Democrat, had called the expulsions "unfortunate." "I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods," Lowery said in a statement. Jones and Pearson helped lead the demonstration on March 30 in the well of the House floor, disrupting a legislative session, along with Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, a fellow Democrat. They were supported by angry Nashville residents outraged by a mass shooting at a school in the city earlier in the week in which a former student killed three 9-year-olds and three staff members. Johnson narrowly escaped also being expelled for breaching House decorum rules. She told reporters after the votes that she believed she survived because she is white, and all three have called the expulsions anti-democratic. The expulsions drew national attention to Jones and Pearson, including a visit last week by Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, to show support, and animated many voters in the Democrat-leaning cities they represent in a largely Republican-favoring state. Democrats in the U.S. Senate have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether the expelled lawmakers' constitutional rights were violated. The Tennessee Democratic Party has already taken in more than $400,000 in political contributions since last week, more than the party received during the previous three months combined, according to the state chairman, Hendrell Remus. Before marching with supporters to the commissioners' meeting, Pearson, joined by Jones and Johnson, addressed a crowd of about 500 outside the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. "This is a democracy that they're scared of," Pearson said of the cheering crowd before him, "because this is a democracy that changes the status quo." Jones said he and Pearson would head to the House in Nashville on Thursday and call on House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, to resign, calling him an "enemy to multiracial democracy. "Rather than pass commonsense gun laws, they passed a resolution to expel the two youngest Black members in the General Assembly," Jones said. Sexton did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, the House Republicans, who have a supermajority, issued a statement saying they will "welcome" back any expelled state lawmakers returned by county-level governments, so long as those members follow the legislature's rules. (Reporting by Omar Younis in Memphis and Jonathan Allen in New York; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Mark Heinrich and Aurora Ellis) FILE PHOTO: People gather ahead of the "Festival of Fantasy" parade at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine (Reuters) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's newly formed oversight board is seeking to assert control over development in two cities where Walt Disney World Resort is located, the latest twist in a battle for authority over the company's Florida theme parks. A resolution, seen on Tuesday by Reuters, would give the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board the power to review and evaluate development in the 25,000-square acres of property in and around Walt Disney Co's theme parks. The district would hold "superior authority and control" over planning, zoning and other land use in the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, under a Florida law that formed the state-appointed oversight board. Disney's major theme parks -- The Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom -- are within the city limits of Bay Lake, while the Disney Springs retail area sits in Lake Buena Vista. Some had speculated that Disney would use its influence over these two municipalities to maintain its autonomy over its resort. A hearing on the resolution is scheduled for April 19. A spokesperson for Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. A spokesperson for the oversight board referred inquiries to an attorney, who was not immediately available for comment. State Republicans last year targeted Disney after it publicly clashed with DeSantis, widely considered a 2024 presidential candidate, over a law that restricts classroom instruction of gender and sexual orientation. In a move that current Disney CEO Bob Iger called retaliation, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that ended Disney's virtual autonomy in developing 25,000 acres in central Florida where its theme parks are located. But before the takeover by DeSantis's appointees, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limit the board's action for decades. DeSantis has asked the Florida inspector general to investigate what he called "collusive and self-dealing arrangements" that aim to nullify recently passed legislation, and "defy the will of Floridians". He said the prior boards actions appear to represent improper delegation of authority, among other violations. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Editing by Sonali Paul) FILE PHOTO: Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki delivers remarks with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris before their meeting in her ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington, D.C., U.S. Apri WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland aims to become the service centre for U.S.-made Abrams tanks in Europe, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday during a visit to the United States. "I want a service centre for Abrams tanks for the whole of Europe, for maintaining their battle readiness, to be located in Poland. This is possible, I am in talks regarding this...," Morawiecki told a press conference in Anniston, Alabama broadcast by Polish public television. "We are also striving for the production of depleted uranium ammunition cores for the Abrams to be located in Poland." Poland, a close ally of the United States within NATO, has ordered 250 state-of-the-art Abrams battle tanks in addition to 116 modernised ones. "...I have confirmation that by June at the latest 14 Abrams tanks will be delivered to Poland...", he said, adding that these would replace Soviet-era tanks his country had donated to Ukraine to help fight off Russia's invasion. (Reporting by Karol Badohal and Pawel Florkiewicz, editing by Mark Heinrich) MOSCOW (Reuters) - A rapid overhaul to Russias conscription system rushed through parliament on Wednesday has underlined a scramble for additional manpower for its forces fighting in Ukraine. On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the extremely important law was intended to solve what he called a mess in Russias draft centres that had been exposed by a partial mobilisation in September, when the government was forced to retract a number of wrongly-issued draft papers. In some ways, the new laws are harsher than Septembers decree on partial mobilisation, whose enforcement was patchy, and varied from region to region. Whereas in September conscripts, whose draft papers were only considered valid once physically presented to them, could avoid the draft simply by avoiding picking up their summons, the new law would make that all but impossible. Draft notices were made difficult to miss by serving papers on Russias near-ubiquitous Gosuslugi (state services) platform, which Russians use for a wide spectrum of everyday tasks, from registering their children for school, to requesting doctors appointments and paying their taxes. Moreover, the law allows for any draftee still ignoring their online summons after a seven-day period to be legally declared a fugitive, banned from leaving Russia, and have their assets frozen. One potential draftee, 23-year-old Artyom, told Reuters he was thinking about deleting his Gosuslugi account, and had hired a lawyer to appeal his draft status. "I think it will be tougher than usual. It is going to be much more difficult to dodge," said Artyom, who asked for his surname to be withheld. Even so, Artyom said he had not yet decided whether to leave Russia. "God knows what I'd do abroad," he said. "Plus, my grandma is here and I need to help her on the allotment." The new law appeared part of a renewed push to generate more manpower for Russias military in Ukraine, where analysts say a much-anticipated winter offensive appears to have fizzled out without meaningful gains for Moscow. On March 30, British Defence Intelligence said that Russia planned to recruit an additional 400,000 professional soldiers, echoing Russian media reports. MANPOWER DEPLETED BY BATTLEFIELD LOSSES Western analysts have suggested that the recruitment drive was driven by heavy personnel losses in a grinding, months-long battle for the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, alongside a costly failed attack on the town of Vuhledar which badly depleted Russian strength in the Donbas region ahead of a widely anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive. Mike Kofman, an expert in the Russian military at the U.S.-based CNA think-tank, has said that only a small proportion of Russia's troops in Ukraine are capable of offensive operations. For some weeks now, Russian authorities have been pushing publicly to recruit more contract soldiers. On the homepage of the Gosuslugi online platform, where draft papers are set to be issued, a large button in the centre of the display invites users to enlist as professional contract soldiers. Meanwhile, a physical recruitment drive is being rolled out across Russia. In Moscow, Reuters saw posters promoting military service displayed in shops, restaurants and bus stations. Elsewhere in the Russian capital, leaflets were being handed out by military recruiters. They offered soldiers deployed to the front in Ukraine monthly salaries of between 210,000 roubles ($2,581.44) and 340,000 roubles ($2,581-$4,179) - many times the average Russian monthly wage of around 64,000 roubles. Separately, the Wagner Group mercenary army, which has handled much of the fighting around Bakhmut, is conducting its own recruitment drive with billboards and mobile recruitment centres offering six-month contracts with the once secretive private military company. However, despite the ramping-up of recruitment and the new laws, there is none of the widespread panic among military-age men that greeted the announcement of a partial mobilisation in September. In contrast to Septembers rapid exodus of anti-war Russians, no immediate rush for the borders was apparent on Wednesday. Air tickets to popular emigrant bolt-holes like Armenia and Kazakhstan were available at normal prices, and there were no reports of queues at the land border with Georgia, where tens of thousands crossed over in the autumn. However, anti-conscription activists said they had seen a spike in interest since the passage of the new laws. Grigory Sverdlin, head of Go by the Forest, a group that offers advice on how to avoid being drafted, told Reuters that the organisation had received between five and seven times more requests than usual in the day since the new laws were approved by the State Duma (parliament). He said many seeking help wanted to know if they should delete their Gosuslugi accounts. Sverdlin said he expected the new recruitment push to eventually provoke a new wave of Russians to flee the country, even after many of those most willing and able to leave had already done so. If we are talking about a second wave of emigration, I am sure it will happen, he said. I think that in a week or two we will most likely see queues again at (Georgian border post) Verkhny Lars, at border checkpoints with Kazakhstan and other popular destinations. ($1 = 81.3500 roubles) (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Mark Heinrich) FILE PHOTO: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at Taoyuan International Airport upon returning from a trip to the U.S. and Central America, in Taoyuan, Taiwan April 7, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo (This April 12 story has been corrected to remove reference to satellite in paragraph 2) By Yimou Lee and Liz Lee TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Taiwan said on Wednesday it had successfully urged China to drastically narrow its plan to close air space north of the island, averting wider travel disruption in a period of high tension in the region due to China's military exercises. China has not commented on the no-fly zone but South Korea, which was also briefed on the plans, said the decision was taken due to a falling object related to a launch vehicle. Beijing initially notified Taipei it would impose a no-fly zone from April 16-18, but Taiwan's transport ministry said this was later reduced to a period of just 27 minutes on Sunday morning after it protested. The ministry published a map showing what it labelled China's "aerospace activity zone" to the northeast of Taiwan and near a group of disputed islets call Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan. That would be close to civilian aviation routes between Taiwan and China as well as between Taiwan and South Korea, among others. Japan's Kyodo news agency, citing a government source, said China's no-fly zone included what Japan claims as its exclusive economic zone around the Senkakus. The development follows days of intense military drills that China has staged around Taiwan in response to President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week. Beijing said the drills - in which it practised blockading the self-ruled island that it claims as its own - were "a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces". It was against this backdrop that word of the air space closure stoked fears of travel disruption across the region. When China imposed air space restrictions during military drills last August, there were significant disruptions to flights in the region, with some aircraft required to carry extra fuel, according to OPSGROUP, an aviation industry cooperative that advises on flight risks. A senior Taiwan official familiar with China's no-fly move told Reuters that given the potential disruption, Taipei had used "multiple channels" including diplomacy, intelligence and aviation authorities to persuade Beijing to rein in its original plan. The official said Taiwan had informed all parties that would be impacted by the Chinese request, including some Group of Seven (G7) countries whose foreign ministers are set to travel to Japan for a meeting from April 16-18. "Everyone found that to be unbelievable," the official said. Yan Yu-hsien, deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence at Taiwan's defence ministry, said the no-fly zone would fall within the country's air defence identification zone (ADIZ), about 85 nautical miles north of its shores. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he was unaware of the situation when asked at a regular daily press conference on Wednesday. Graphic: Taiwan's ADIZ https://www.reuters.com/graphics/CHINA-TAIWAN/byprlxqbdpe/graphic.jpg 'STORMY SEAS' China said on Wednesday that Tsai was pushing Taiwan to "stormy seas" after she met with McCarthy during an overseas trip which also included stops in Guatemala and Belize. The trip infuriated Beijing, prompting days of military drills designed to show it could forcefully take control of the democratic island. "Tsai Ing-wen brought danger to Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen almost completely sided (with) the United States, pushing Taiwan into stormy seas," China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said. 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. Beijing has continued military activities around Taiwan, despite announcing that three days of drills had ended as scheduled on Monday. Taiwan said earlier on Wednesday that in the previous 24 hours it had detected 35 Chinese military aircraft and eight navy vessels around Taiwan. Of those aircraft, 14 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to a ministry-provided map; the line normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides. China says it does not recognise the existence of the line. Tsai, who returned to Taiwan a day before the drills began, appeared relaxed as she met Canadian lawmakers on Wednesday, saying her overseas trip had been a success in winning support against an aggressor that was threatening the island's freedom. "Through this trip we again sent a message to the international community that Taiwan is determined to safeguard freedom and democracy, which won acknowledgment and support from our democratic partners," Tsai said as she met the lawmakers. "Faced with continued authoritarian expansionism it is even more critical for democracies to actively unite," she added. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee in Taipei, Liz Lee and Laurie Chen in Beijing, Sakura Murakami and Tim Kelly in Tokyo; editing by Tom Hogue, Gerry Doyle and Mark Heinrich) FILE PHOTO: United Parcel Service (UPS) vehicles are seen at a facility in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S., May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union on Wednesday said it would not begin national contract negotiations with United Parcel Service as planned next week unless regional supplemental contracts are completed. The largest private-sector labor negotiations covering some 340,000 Teamsters-represented workers at UPS are scheduled to begin on Monday, April 17, in Washington. That national contract expires on July 31. "UPS will be in Washington, D.C. next week ready to negotiate with the Teamsters on the National Master Agreement and the supplemental agreements," the company said in an emailed response. The Teamsters said that only 10 of 40 supplements to the national contract have been resolved since those regional talks started in January. The union blamed delays by UPS. "We have clearly stated our intentions to UPS from the beginning that there would be no national negotiations until these regional contracts are completed," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said in the statement. Teamsters-represented UPS workers are also covered under supplemental agreements, riders and addenda that are specific to the region where they work. Those contracts define provisions not included in the national agreement, including paid time off, overtime, work hours, seniority and discipline language. UPS said discussions around national negotiations and supplemental agreements often take place at the same time. It said it has bargained in good faith since the beginning and would continue to review and consider all proposals that are brought to the table. "We are committed to reaching an agreement that provides wins for our employees, the Teamsters, UPS and our customers," UPS said. "Taking care of our people and delivering for our customers is our top priority." (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Sandra Maler, Nick Zieminski and Jonathan Oatis) FILE PHOTO: Mount Everest, the world highest peak, and other peaks of the Himalayan range are seen through an aircraft window during a mountain flight from Kathmandu, Nepal January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Monika Deupala//File Photo/File Photo By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Three Nepali sherpa guides are missing on Mount Everest after an avalanche swept down and buried them in a crevasse on Wednesday, a Tourism Department official said. The avalanche hit the most popular Southeast Ridge route to the summit of the worlds tallest mountain. Three guides who were ferrying climbing gear for their clients were caught at an unspecified site between the Base Camp and Camp I on its lower parts. The Everest Base Camp, which turns into a tented city during the March-May climbing season, is located at an altitude of about 5,350 metres (17,552 feet) and Camp I is pitched across the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, the first major physical hurdle to the peak, at an altitude of about 6,050 metres (19,850 feet). "A block of snow fell and buried them," Tourism Department official Yubaraj Khatiwada told Reuters. Wednesdays disaster was the first on Mount Everest during this years climbing season, when hundreds of foreign and Nepali climbers are expected flock to the mountain to attempt to reach its 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) peak. Mount Everest was first climbed by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and his climbing mate Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Thousands of climbers have scaled the peak since then and about 300 climbers have perished on its slopes so far. Khatiwada said a search helicopter had been mobilized for the sherpas who are believed to have been buried in a 50 metre (164 feet) crevasse. A ground search team also failed to locate the missing climbers so far,Khatiwada said. Nepal, tucked between China and India, is home to eight of the world's 14 tallest peaks including Everest. Climbing Mount Everest and many other smaller peaks is a popular adventure sport in Nepal as well as a source of employment and income to the cashed-strapped nation. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Angus MacSwan) By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on three top officials of the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank in Budapest on Wednesday after it said Hungary had ignored U.S. concerns raised over the "opaque Kremlin platform". The three names added to the U.S. sanctions list are Russian nationals Nikolay Kosov, the bank's former chairman, and Georgy Potapov, as well as Hungarian national Imre Laszloczki, the latter two high-ranking officials on the IIB's management board. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia ended their participation in the IIB. The Hungarian government took no measures against the bank, which moved operations to Budapest in 2019. Hungary, a NATO and European Union member, has fostered good ties with Moscow since 2010 under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has avoided personal criticism of President Vladimir Putin despite condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His stance has been criticised by U.S. and European allies. "The presence of this opaque Kremlin platform (IIB) in the heart of Hungary threatens the security and sovereignty of the Hungarian people, their European neighbours, and their NATO allies," U.S. Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman told a news conference in Budapest after the announcement. Pressman said the U.S. had raised concerns over the presence of the bank but that unlike other NATO allies, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government dismissed these concerns and remained committed to hosting the IIB. "We have concerns about the continued eagerness of Hungarian leaders to expand and deepen ties with the Russian Federation despite Russias ongoing brutal aggression against Ukraine and threat to transatlantic security," Pressman said. "With this announcement, the United States is demonstrating that we will take action in response to Hungarys choices and to curb the access of Russia and sanctioned Russian persons to the international financial system." The Hungarian government's chief spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. A U.S. Treasury statement said the IIB's presence in Budapest had enabled Russia to enhance its intelligence presence in Europe and "could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations". Landlocked Hungary is heavily reliant on Russian natural gas and crude oil imports, and it has criticised EU sanctions on Russia, saying they have failed to weaken Moscow meaningfully while risking destroying the European economy. Shortly before Wednesday's U.S. announcement, Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, accused the U.S. Embassy of directly campaigning for a change in Hungary's stance on Russia. "In recent days, in the streets, everyone has been confronted with the fact that it is no longer the opposition that is campaigning with U.S. money, but the U.S. Embassy directly campaigned in Hungary," Gulyas said, in comments posted on Twitter by a government spokesman. "The U.S. has not given up trying to squeeze Hungary into the pro-war position shared by many of our allies, but Hungary remains convinced that peace is the only common interest." Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited Moscow this week for talks on gas and oil supplies, and an ongoing project by Rosatom to expand Hungary's nuclear plant. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Krisztina Than and Alan Charlish; editing by Kate Holton and Mark Heinrich) Texas National Guard vehicles are pictured along the U.S.-Mexico border in downtown in El Paso, Texas, U.S., January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Paul Ratje By Matt Spetalnick and Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Cuban officials discussed migration issues on Wednesday as the Biden administration braces for the end of COVID-era border restrictions that have blocked Cubans in recent months from crossing into the United States from Mexico. The high-level meeting in Washington followed one held in Havana in November and comes a year after the Democratic administration of U.S. President Joe Biden resumed migration talks after a long hiatus under former President Donald Trump, a Republican seeking reelection in 2024. The U.S. State Department offered few details about the latest discussions, saying in a statement the talks "highlighted areas of successful cooperation on migration, while also identifying issues that have been obstacles." The head of the Cuban delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, said beforehand that "extreme and inhumane measures" have hurt Cuban livelihoods and spurred emigration, a reference to the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba and other sanctions. Asked about the accusation, a State Department official stressed that the embargo is enshrined in congressional law and includes exemptions for exports of food, medicine and other humanitarian goods heading to Cuba. The U.S. embassy in Havana resumed full immigrant visa processing and consular services in January for the first time since 2017 in a bid to stem record numbers of Cubans trying to enter the United States from Mexico. After Biden adopted more restrictive border security measures in January, the number of Cubans and other migrants caught at the border plummeted. However, the Biden administration is preparing for a possible rise in illegal crossings with COVID restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border set to lift on May 11. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler) FILE PHOTO: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan walks to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis(not seen) at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, August 25, 2022. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi CAIRO (Reuters) - United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Wednesday, the UAE state news agency (WAM) reported. The reason for his visit was not immediately clear. The UAE, alongside Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, sent Egypt billions in grants, cash and fuel shipments in the months after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, then army chief, led the overthrow of his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Mursi in 2013. The money propped up Egypt's economy. But ten years later, the economy is again under severe pressure and oil-rich Gulf monarchies have indicated that their no-strings attached aid policy days are over. Sheikh Mohammed, known as MBZ, was met at the airport by Sisi, according to footage shown on Egyptian state TV. The two allies have maintained close political and economic ties. Cairo secured a $3 billion financial support package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in December while it has devalued its currency by half since March 2022 after fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine exposed its economic vulnerabilities. (Reporting by Alaa Swilam; writing by Maha El Dahanediting by John Stonestreet) The Department of Commerce building is seen before an expected report of new home sales numbers in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday it is imposing export controls on more than two dozen companies in China, Turkey and other countries for supporting Russias military and defense industries. In total, 28 additions were made to the U.S. "Entity List", which means suppliers are barred from shipping U.S. technology to entity-listed companies unless the suppliers can procure a difficult-to-obtain license from the Commerce Department. Five Chinese entities, two Russian and two Turkish companies were named for attempting to evade export controls and acquiring, or attempting to acquire, U.S.-origin items in support of Russias military. The Chinese companies named include STK Electronics, Wynn Electronics Co, ETC Electronics Ltd, Avtex Semiconductor Limited, Yongli Electronic Components and Newsuntech Electronics Limited. The companies could not immediately be reached, or did not respond to requests for comment. Other companies are being added for coordinating flights, assisting in the transfer of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles, personnel, and related equipment from Iran to Russia, while 16 companies were targeted for seeking items on behalf of Russians already designated on the red flag list, or covered by U.S. Treasury sanctions. This included seven others in China. The U.S. imposed new restrictions on Russia starting in early 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine. The Commerce Department has added about 400 entities to the list since February 2022 in connection with Russia. The department says the Russian defense industry has been hit by a "tech shortage" as a result. "Export controls have hampered Russias ability to sustain, repair, and resupply its weaponry," the department said in February. The announcement was part of a "third-country evasion crackdown" in coordination with the State and Treasury Departments to prevent Russia from access to U.S. technology through other countries. Other companies named are based in Singapore, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. "The United States is acting with speed and coordination in response to Putins egregious violation of international law, said Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves, referring to the Russian president. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sharon Singleton) U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) arrives at the Senate floor to take part in consideration and a vote on a bill to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iraq on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 21, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis By Gram Slattery and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican U.S. Senator Tim Scott launched a presidential exploratory committee on Wednesday, taking a step toward challenging former President Donald Trump for the party's nomination in 2024. As the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, Scott has frequently cited his own experience as the impoverished child of a single mother as proof of America's promise. He has sought to focus on his ability "to disrupt the narrative" of race, while criticizing President Joe Biden and other Democrats on crime, inflation and other issues. "This fight is personal. I want every American to have the same opportunities I had," Scott said in a Twitter post announcing his plan, adding in a video: "This is personal to me. I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional." Scott, 57, often stresses the need for political unity and strikes an upbeat tone, in contrast with many other declared or prospective Republican candidates, who have portrayed the United States as a once-great nation in deep decline. His announcement video was filmed at Fort Sumter off Charleston, South Carolina, where the state militia in 1861 attacked federal troops, starting the Civil War, in which South Carolina and other Southern states fought to defend slavery. Scott called for the United States to once again overcome its deep political divisions. "America's soul was put to the test," he said. "And we prevailed." An exploratory committee will allow Scott to raise his national profile and continue fundraising with fewer regulatory limitations than a formal campaign. The senator on Wednesday will visit Iowa, the lead-off state in the Republican presidential nominating process, before heading to New Hampshire on Thursday and South Carolina on Friday. On Saturday, he will give donors and prominent supporters a "political update," according to an invitation seen by Reuters. Scott has taken a leading role on police reform efforts and has spoken frequently on racial issues. He often called out Trump over racially charged comments during his presidency and blocked several of Trump's judicial nominees for such reasons while also accusing Democrats of exploiting racial tensions for partisan gain. Scott has described being a victim of racial prejudice but has insisted, as he put it in a 2021 speech, that "America is not a racist country." With about 2% support in national polls, Scott has his work cut out for him if he decides to formally launch a campaign. Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not declared a bid but is expected to do so, are the two front-runners by a significant margin. Scott could benefit from the political calendar because South Carolina is historically the third state to host a Republican nominating contest. But he will have to compete with another candidate from his home state: Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador who announced her own White House bid in February. Trump held a campaign event in the state in January to showcase his support there, while DeSantis is due in South Carolina later this month. Scott has already demonstrated an ability to win the votes of white conservatives who constitute the majority of the Republican electorate. As a Black conservative, he is a rarity in a country where politics are sharply divided along racial lines. Some 92% of Black voters backed Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, while 55% of white voters backed Trump. The son of a single mother, Scott says he struggled in school until the owner of a fast-food franchise gave him his first job at age 13 and encouraged him to work and study. Before entering politics, he worked in insurance and real estate. In the Senate, Scott has a solidly conservative voting record. He was tapped by Republican leaders to develop police reform legislation in 2020, after several high-profile police killings of Black people spurred nationwide protests. However, bipartisan talks collapsed the following year after Democrats said his proposals were inadequate and he said they were more interested in scoring political points than reaching a compromise. Other legislative efforts were successful: reducing the severity of some drug-related prison sentences and creating a tax break to encourage investment in low-income neighborhoods. Scott has also defended Republican efforts to tighten voting laws, which Democrats say are designed to discourage Black participation. The Republican nominee would likely face Biden, who on Monday told NBC News' "Today" program he planned to seek a second four-year term but was not yet ready to formally announce it. Trump lost his re-election bid to Biden in 2020. (Reporting by Gram Slattery and Andy Sullivan, additional reporting by Kanishka Singh and Susan Heavey; Editing by Scott Malone, Gerry Doyle, Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis) FILE PHOTO: Felix Mutati, when he was Finance Minister of Zambia, poses for a photograph during an interview with Reuters in London, February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Karin Strohecker By Chris Mfula and Rachel Savage LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia is planning to finish tests that simulate real-world cryptocurrency usage by the end of June to help it create regulations that balance citizens' safety with innovation, science and technology minister Felix Mutati told Reuters. The southern African country also needs digital infrastructure, including digital identities, before cryptocurrencies can be introduced, Mutati said in an interview on Wednesday. The Central African Republic surprised investors last year by making bitcoin legal tender and launching its own cryptocurrency token, but other African countries have been warier, with Nigeria banning banks from handling crypto assets. "Our main goal in the area of cryptocurrency is to strike a balance between innovation in terms of digital payments ... against citizens' safety, particularly given that cryptocurrency is very volatile," Mutati said. "The central bank is simulating that to see what would happen in the real world. The results will assist us (in) the formulation of the regulation." Prices of digital currencies plunged last year amid the collapse of exchange FTX and a number of other companies, though they have recovered some of the losses this year. "What we are seeing is increased appetite to invest in Zambia," Mutati said, when asked whether any investments under his purview had been delayed, suspended or cancelled due to Zambia's long-delayed debt restructuring. Zambia, which was the first African country to default in the COVID-19 era in 2020, could lose gains made from economic reforms, if the restructuring of $18.6 billion of external debt is further delayed, the country's Treasury secretary said on Wednesday. Creditors from China, which has been accused by some Western officials of slowing down the restructuring process, hold the largest portion of Zambia's external debt - about $5.7 billion at the end of 2022, according to government data. Mutati said the way Chinese loans were contracted during his tenure as finance minister between 2016 and 2018 depended on the project. He said state power utility Zesco approached China's Sinohydro about building the Kafue Lower Gorge hydropower project, funded by a $1 billion loan by the Export-Import Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The government initiated the new Lusaka international airport, he said, while Chinese investors started the Chambishi economic zone. (Reporting by Chris Mfula and Rachel Savage; Editing by Leslie Adler) A mixed martial arts fighter has been charged with manslaughter in the death of an airman from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., according to police and media accounts. Ross Johnson, 23, of Carterville, Ill., was charged in the death early Monday of Airman 1st Class Dayvon Larry, 31, of Malone, Fla., according to police in Panama City Beach, Fla. Police alleged that Johnson punched Larry once around 12:30 a.m. during a fight outside the Coyote Ugly Saloon, police Sgt. Nick Tomlinson told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday evening. Larry was not involved in fights that erupted inside and outside the bar prior to the altercation with Johnson, but may have known someone else involved, NBC News reported Tuesday. Sunday was the conclusion of spring break in the area, a period that typically attracts tourists and college students for parties and recreation. Tomlinson said a friend told police that Johnson is a mixed martial arts competitor, but the sergeant had no further information on why Johnson was in town. After security broke up the fight outside, they called first responders who treated Larry at the scene, according to Tomlinson. Larry died at a hospital, according to NBC, which cited an incident report from the Panama City Beach Police Department. Surveillance camera footage identified Johnson, who provided conflicting accounts but eventually admitted striking Larry, NBC reported. A spokesperson for Tyndall Air Force Base could not be reached Tuesday evening. Coyote Ugly Saloon also could not be reached for comment. Malone is about 80 miles north of Panama City Beach and 75 miles from Tyndall, where Larry was stationed, according to police. Tyndall is about 20 miles south of Panama City Beach. RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany The Air Force is moving a small expeditionary team from Europe to a vast logistics exercise this summer in the Western Pacific region, in a demonstration of flexibility that comes months after the services general in charge of mobility warned of potential conflict with China in the near future. This is the first time that Mobility Guardian, which will include thousands of U.S. service members and others from partner nations, will be held outside the United States since the biennial exercises inception in 2017. The 1,800 airmen will practice moving personnel and gear in conflict scenarios, as well as airlifts, air refueling and medical evacuations. In a conflict or humanitarian disaster, small teams of aerial porters, aircraft maintainers and others would join contingency response forces, airmen who are first on the ground to open airfields. Mobility Guardian is part of a larger effort to transform air mobility operations from a network of stationary hubs to small, agile units that can lift and shift at a moments notice, Maj. Gen. John Klein, commander of the Air Force Expeditionary Center, said during a recent interview. We want to speed that whole thing up to allow contingency forces to then go forward to another location and open up another airfield, Klein said. The Air Forces mobility wings have trained together in the past. But this is the first time a team will swing to the other side of the world to support mobility operations, said Col. Dan Cooley, commander of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing at Ramstein. It shows that the command is not restricted by lines on a map, he said, adding that the task is not as simple as getting on and off a plane. We cannot expect the permissive environment we operate in today to be as permissive in a future conflict, Cooley said. The 521st has nine squadrons that support U.S. and coalition forces from 19 locations around Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Its main hub is at Ramstein. In the past two years, it has played a big role in evacuating Afghan refugees and providing logistical support for NATO following Russias invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The operations were a little bit more ad hoc in that we would just send folks to respond to a request, said Chief Master Sgt. Jeremiah Grisham, the command chief of the wing. He cited the recent supply of aid to Turkey after earthquakes in the south-central part of the country killed tens of thousands of people. About 25 mobility airmen from Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases jumped on a C-130 to help airmen in Turkey with the initial influx in the days after the first major quake Feb. 6, Grisham said. But while the Europe-based logistics airmen have kept busy on the Continent, the Middle East and in Africa, the Indo-Pacific region remains the Pentagons long-term overseas priority. China this week sent dozens of military aircraft, an aircraft carrier and other ships close to Taiwans east coast in a show of force that followed Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens visit to the United States. China claims the democratic, self-governing island as its own, and has used military might to reinforce islands throughout the region that also are claimed by some U.S. partners and allies. In January, a memo to airmen from the head of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Mike Minihan, predicted fighting with China in 2025. I hope I am wrong, Minihan said in the memo, which received plaudits from some on Capitol Hill who urged taking Chinas military moves more seriously. However, the Pentagon said the memo did not represent its view, while other lawmakers cautioned against framing conflict with China as inevitable. This story has been corrected YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan Gassing up at the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo got a little cheaper Wednesday when an on-base filling station brought back regular unleaded fuel. Fussa Express, one of two gas stations at Yokota, started selling 87 octane fuel for $3.54 a gallon on Wednesday morning. In recent years the only gasoline option for motorists at the base had been premium 93 octane gas, which is still available at Yokotas East Side Express at $4.34 a gallon. This is a great Quality of Life enhancement for service members and their families, Air Force Col. Jason Beck, the Army and Air Force Exchange Services Pacific Region commander, said in a statement Wednesday. The exchange also sells regular gasoline at other U.S. military bases in Japan, including Camp Zama in Kanagawa prefecture, the headquarters of U.S. Army Japan, about 25 miles from Yokota. Gasoline prices on U.S. military bases in Japan have soared in recent years. Premium grade gas hit $5.31 a gallon at Yokota in March 2022, prompting some military motorists to head off base, where regular gasoline, subsidized by the Japanese government, was selling for 159 yen a liter, or $4.71 a gallon. Regular was still selling for 159 yen a liter at a service station just outside Yokotas main gate on Wednesday. The change to regular will help the Fussa Express compete with off-base retailers, said Ray Morris, a customer account specialist for Defense Logistics Agency Energy Japan, ahead of a ceremony marking the change at the gas station. Demand will likely be high once the Yokota community hears about the cheaper gas, he said. Regular was sold at Yokota until about four years ago when the base pumps converted to premium, Morris said. AAFES wanted to bring the cheaper product back last year; however, it took time to find a vendor who could deliver to the base, he said. One of the first to gas up on regular at Yokota was Air Force spouse Sarah Minor. The mother of four paid $45 to fill up her Honda Stepwagon with 12.7 gallons. It used to cost $80 to fill up, she said. The change will make a big difference for airmen, Col. Andrew Roddan, commander of Yokotas 374th Airlift Wing, said at the changeover. Most U.S. personnel stationed in Japan dont drive new cars, he said, and the change will put money back in our airmen and families pockets. Fueling an engine designed for premium fuel with regular gas will not harm it, if its done occasionally, but regular gasoline may cause engine knock that speeds up engine wear and tear over time, according to an Aug. 5, 2021, article on The Drive website. The exchange sets overseas pump prices based on the U.S. Department of Energys weekly average for each grade of gasoline in the continental United States, plus the unique, incremental costs the exchange incurs in each overseas market, according to AAFES statement. AUSTIN, Texas The legal team for an Army sergeant convicted of murdering an armed Air Force veteran at a Black Lives Matter protest has requested a new trial because of alleged juror misconduct during deliberations, according to the motion filed in court Tuesday. Sgt. Daniel Perry, 35, was found guilty in a Travis County, Texas, courtroom for shooting Garrett Foster, 28, while the Air Force veteran was marching in a BLM protest in downtown Austin on July 25, 2020. An affidavit filed in Travis County court said that one juror alleged in a sworn statement that another juror brought in research from the Texas Penal Code that he conducted online during an overnight break from the two-week trial. Jurors were not permitted to consider evidence or information not submitted during the trial. All jurors names were redacted from the public court records. The Travis County District Attorneys Office said in a statement it has confidence in the jurys verdict. These motions are standard motions filed by the defense following a guilty verdict. We applaud the defense team for making use of the procedural safeguards that are available to defendants in our criminal justice system. However, we continue to stand by the jurys unanimous decision to convict Daniel Perry for the murder of Garrett Foster, according to the statement. The motion was filed with Judge Cliff Brown, who presided over the trial. The trial veered into politics over the weekend as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, called for the state Board of Pardons and Paroles to expedite its review of the trial so he could pardon Perry. "Texas has one of the strongest 'Stand Your Ground' laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney," Abbott said. The board, which is appointed by the governor, announced Monday it had begun the review. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, who was elected as a Democrat, said Tuesday he has asked to schedule a meeting with the board to present evidence considered by jurors. He also asked board members to speak with Fosters family before making a final recommendation to the governor. Perry has not yet been sentenced and faces up to life in prison. Perry, who was previously assigned to Fort Hood in Texas, turned his car into a group of protesters while working a second job for a rideshare company. The group surrounded his vehicle, including Foster, who was legally carrying an assault rifle in a sling across the front of his body. Perry said he saw Foster raise the rifle at his car and responded by shooting his own revolver five times and killing him. The soldier, who is being held at the Travis County Jail, has since been reassigned to Fort Wainwright in Alaska. The affidavit stated that a juror told others that he had conducted his own research online and presented a printed document that he said was taken from the Texas Penal Code. He then told his fellow jurors that the document described that Perrys defense had to prove he acted in self-defense. To me this indicated he felt, based on his own research, that the defense had the burden of proof regarding self-defense, and this is what he conveyed to me and other jurors, according to the affidavit. By one juror bringing this information into the jury room, the deliberations were subject to outside influence, Perrys attorneys Clint Broden and Doug OConnell wrote in the court filing. The jurors affidavit also stated that an alternate juror, who was not allowed to participate in deliberations, did so by using body language and audible noises each time other jurors discussed points that Perry should not be found guilty. While she did not actually talk during deliberations, she did snort, huff, gasp and make other noises expressing her displeasure with juror comments that were inconsistent with finding Mr. Perry guilty, according to the affidavit. I did not realize that [the alternates] non-verbal expressions of displeasure regarding comments related to a not guilty finding could constitute participation. The defense attorneys also wrote in the motion that evidence that was not allowed in court that would have proved Foster was the first aggressor, and would have bolstered their argument of self-defense. The evidence included video, photos and testimony from witnesses about previous protests in which Foster used his wifes wheelchair to block cars, which allowed other protesters to then surround the vehicle. Another video excluded from trial showed Foster stating that he carried the assault rifle to intimidate people who disagreed with the social justice protests. Two Black Hawk helicopters collided in midair during a nighttime training flight before they went down in a field in Kentucky two weeks ago, killing nine soldiers, Army investigators said in a preliminary report. The helicopters which belonged to the 101st Airborne Division at nearby Fort Campbell were participating in a night exercise on March 29 when they crashed in Cadiz, Ky. Five soldiers were riding in one Black Hawk and four were inside the other. Cadiz is located about 25 miles northwest of Fort Campbell, which straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border. While conducting night training in a military operations area/special use airspace, two HH-60 aircraft collided midair, the Army Combat Readiness Center said in a Preliminary Loss Report. The collision resulted in nine fatalities and the total loss of both aircraft. A Centralized Accident Investigation team from U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is leading the investigation. The report is the first time military officials acknowledged that the helicopters collided. The HH-60 is a Black Hawk variant thats often used for medical evacuation purposes. Investigators with the ACRC from Fort Novosel in Alabama have been studying the crash and were still in Kentucky as recently as last Thursday, officials said. Fort Novosel is the former Fort Rucker, which formally changed names on Monday. According to the preliminary report, there have been an average of seven Class A flight mishaps a year since 2018. During the same span, an average of five soldiers have been killed per year in on-duty flight accidents. A Class A mishap is one that creates substantial property damage or causes death or serious permanent injury. This was the fourth Class A aviation mishap of [2023] and one above the number of similar mishaps during the same time last year, the report added. Black Hawks have been in service for more than 40 years and are considered some of the most reliable utility airships in the U.S. military. Before the preliminary report, two retired Black Hawk pilots told Stars and Stripes it was a virtual certainty the helicopters in Kentucky had collided with each other in some way. It almost had to be a midair collision for something like that to happen, said Elizabeth McCormick, a former Army chief warrant officer 2 who flew Black Hawks until she left the service in 2001. The blades could shred apart and could go through the engine. Its not a good thing. [Black Hawk manufacturer] Sikorsky has done a good job of building an aircraft that protects the human beings inside, added Chris Marvin, a retired Army captain and Black Hawk pilot who flew until he retired from service in 2009. In Army aviation, there are only specific instances where everybody will die because of the way the aircraft crashed. Due to the ongoing investigation, the Army and Pentagon have both given only limited details about the crash so far. There is a bunch of stuff we can eliminate just because of the fact everybody died, Marvin said. In order for every single person on these aircraft to die they must have been flying at a substantial airspeed and they must have put the aircraft itself into a significant impact. Marvin said the Kentucky crash brought back memories of a personal experience when his Black Hawk crashed in Afghanistan in the 2000s. He said that helicopter was traveling at a decent speed and was flying at a decent altitude when it went down. But in that incident, only one crewmember was killed. There were 15 people on board and we had one fatality. Fourteen people survived, he said. When it landed, it hit on the ground and flipped upside down. It did a bunch of stuff when we were flying. Thats a credit to Sikorsky and what they built. Over the years, numerous Black Hawk variants have been produced for the different services. The Coast Guard, for example, flies the MH-60 Jayhawk for search and rescue missions. Both McCormick and Marvin told Stars and Stripes that flying Black Hawks in formation can be extremely difficult, especially if there are additional obstacles like limited visibility due to lack of sunlight or inclement weather. Flying multi-ship, you definitely leave the flight tired, McCormick said. It requires a super, super high level. And it could be freezing cold outside at the end of a two-hour flight and youd be drenched in sweat just because of the level of focus and attention required in that flight mode. Investigators recovered both of the helicopters flight recorders, known as black boxes, at the crash site. They record technical data while the airships are in flight, and both should tell investigators precisely how the helicopters were operating at the time of the crash. The boxes would not, however, reveal non-technical factors such as human error. We may never know if it was pilot error, or a malfunction of the aircraft or something else, but I do think we will understand a little bit more about what the aircraft were doing, Marvin added. Hopefully this will give us another lesson in how to make aviation more safe. On Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged the Army and Air Force to quickly adopt recommendations from a safety study he ordered after a Black Hawk crashed in Rochester, N.Y., in 2021, killing three crewmembers. The Government Accountability Office report said there were almost 300 aircraft accidents in the Army and Air National Guard between 2012 and 2021. It also says more than 90% of the crashes involved human error and makes several recommendations such as making sure pilots receive enough training, tracking incidents and compliance, and adding more maintenance techs so repairs can be done quicker. The Kentucky crash was the second involving a Black Hawk in a little more than a month. On Feb. 15, two veteran Tennessee Army National Guard pilots were killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk they were flying crashed during a training flight near Huntsville, Ala. WASHINGTON Army and Air National Guard helicopter pilots are on average failing to meet training hour goals, contributing to human errors that have caused nearly 300 accidents in the past decade, according to a watchdog report released Wednesday. The Government Accountability Office report commissioned by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blamed most of the accidents on failure to follow training standards, overconfidence, poor communication, and lack of awareness. Schumer ordered the safety review after a medical evacuation helicopter crash near Rochester, N.Y., killed three service members in January 2021. The reports findings and safety recommendations have taken on new urgency following last months deadly collision of two Army Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters during a routine nighttime training exercise in Kentucky, Schumer said. All nine soldiers aboard the helicopters died. The Army and Air Force must act swiftly to implement the straight-forward and achievable safety practices outlined in the GAO report. These recommendations will save lives, Schumer said in a statement. I will keep fighting to make sure that no community has to suffer through the same preventable tragedy. The Army and Air National Guard reported 298 helicopter accidents during search and rescue missions, disaster relief and other non-combat flight operations from 2012 to 2021. About 45 of those were considered serious and resulted in the deaths of 28 National Guard personnel, according to the report. More than 90% of the accidents were caused by human error, the GAO said. Despite established flying hour goals, training pilots in the Army and Air National Guard were not flying enough on average to meet them, according to the report. A variety of issues, including a lack of aircrew availability, maintenance problems and limited or no simulator access, prevented pilots from racking up enough hours in the sky. For example, having too few maintenance personnel limited the number of helicopters available for training, the report stated. The Army and Air Force, including their National Guard components, have taken steps to mitigate these challenges, such as conducting formal studies, but these steps have not fully addressed the identified challenges. The report also pointed out shortfalls in the Army National Guards oversight of training, noting that there is no system to regularly evaluate pilot performance. Both the Army and Air National Guards risk management procedures have also not been continuously evaluated and workload and staffing issues have hindered other safety protocols, according to the report. Schumer sent a letter Wednesday to the secretaries of the Army and Air Force urging the services to improve flight safety training programs and implement other recommendations cited by the GAO. The report calls for more maintenance crews to expedite helicopter repairs and give pilots more opportunities to fly as well as the creation of a database to track accidents and the implementation of post-crash recommendations. Schumer said the flight training facility in Rochester does not have a simulator and asked the secretaries to evaluate the need for additional simulators at all facilities. It is clear that if these fundamental issues are addressed, a reduction in human error crashes would likely follow, he said. I am dedicated to providing the Army and the Air Force with whatever resources needed to improve helicopter safety, including purchasing more simulators and hiring more maintenance crews. (Tribune News Service) The largest space rocket ever built could splash down around the Hawaiian Islands within the next two weeks. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted Monday that his company's massive Starship rocket will conduct its first orbital launch "near the end of third week of April, " assuming it receives final regulatory approval. The Federal Aviation Administration also issued a notice then that the launch could occur Monday. According to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission, the rocket will launch into orbit from Starbase, Texas, and make a "soft ocean landing " about 62 miles off of Kauai's northwestern coast. The Coast Guard also has issued a local notice to Hawaii mariners about the potential splashdown in the islands. The Starship is the largest rocket ever constructed at 394 feet tall standing upright. It is powered by 33 engines that together are expected to surpass the thrust capacity of NASA's Space Launch System, which previously was considered the world's most powerful rocket. SpaceX has proposed to use Starship for crewed and cargo launches in support of building the Starlink internet constellation, a series of satellites currently operated by SpaceX. The company also claims that Starship is capable of "point-to-point transport on Earth, enabling travel to anywhere in the world in one hour or less." SpaceX also has claimed the rocket will be fully reusable, and capable of carrying crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon and Mars. It would be the first fully reusable rocket. Long-term development goals are for the Starship to be refuelable in orbit before traveling to destinations that require more change in velocityparticularly Mars. Musk, who until recently was the world's richest person, has had a long fascination with space and with the red planet in particulareven before founding SpaceX in 2002. He has pledged that his company will not only send the first crewed mission to Mars, but has said that he intends to colonize the planet. In 2022 during an interview with TED Talks head Chris Anderson at Musk's Tesla Gigafactory Texas, the billionaire said he hopes to send a million people to Mars by 2050. But it's not a sure thing that Starship will even make it to Hawaii. Four of the five previous Starship high-altitude test flights ended in explosions, with the fifthin May 2021being the only time a prototype landed in one piece. Musk himself has previously estimated the current Starship rocket has only a 50 % chance of even successfully reaching orbit. SpaceX is the first private company to send humans into orbit, which it did in May 2020. But while the company is privately owned, itand Muskhave benefited greatly from federal funding. Much of its work is in taxpayer-funded government contracts with agencies like NASA and the Department of Defense. (c)2023 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. EgyptAir, the country's national carrier, announced on Monday that it will start two weekly direct flights between Cairo and Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on 14 May. To celebrate the launch, Business and economy class travelers will receive a 50 percent discount on the first day of the start of the new route, according to a statement released on by Ihab Tahtawi, the CEO of EgyptAir. Visas to visit Bangladesh can be acquired in less than 48 hours, EgyptAir noted to all those interested in visiting the southeast Asian country. Meanwhile, Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas Helmy explained that the launching of the Cairo-Dhaka route reflects the distinguished cooperation between Egypt and Bangladesh in the last half century. "Egypt attaches great importance to its relations with Asian countries in east and southeast Asia," added Helmy. Search Keywords: Short link: NAHA, Okinawa A Japanese appeals court has upheld the drug-smuggling conviction of a ringleader who funneled cocaine and cannabis into Japan through the U.S. military postal system on Okinawa. A three-judge panel from the Fukuoka High Court on Tuesday dismissed claims by Satoshi Kominami, 30, that he did not know the seized packages held narcotics. He has 14 days to appeal to the Japan Supreme Court. Kominami, who is unemployed and has no fixed address, was sentenced Sept. 30 in Naha District Court to 13 years in prison and fined about $35,000 for organizing the importation of approximately 5 pounds of cocaine, a half-gallon of cannabis liquid and nearly 4 ounces of dried cannabis flower. Mislabeling customs forms was done to avoid inspections, Presiding Judge Yutaka Taniguchi said in court on Tuesday. It is easy to conclude that the defendant, who oversaw and controlled all these shipments, was aware of the illegal drugs. Kominami, whom police mistakenly referred to as Ken after his sentencing last year, was arrested in October 2021 after U.S. military authorities alerted Japanese police to suspected drug-smuggling. In all, 10 people were arrested in connection with the alleged ring. Government spokespeople in Japan customarily speak to the media on condition of anonymity. The investigation snared one Marine and a Marine Corps civilian employee who were sentenced to prison in separate cases in Naha in late 2021 and early 2022. Cpl. Nicholas Garner received two years in prison and an approximately $4,000 fine in February 2022 on a conviction of receiving a half-gallon of cannabis liquid and nearly a quarter-pound of dried cannabis flower by mail at Camp Foster. Civilian employee Dominique Williams was sentenced in December 2021 to four years in prison and fined approximately $9,000 for receiving more than 4 pounds of cocaine at both Camp Kinser and Foster. Kominami was charged with violating Japans Narcotics Control Law, the Cannabis Control Act, the Stimulant Control Law and the Customs Act. He pleaded not guilty at trial in June. At sentencing, Naha District Court Judge Hironobu Ono said evidence showed Kominami led the ring and gave instructions to unnamed senders in the United States and the receivers on Okinawa, the Okinawa Times reported Oct. 4. In court Tuesday, Taniguchi detailed the evidence against Kominami, including his instructions to the drug recipients, the mislabeling of customs forms, large payments for the shipments and that he tried to cancel a shipment to Garner, who had trouble collecting it. He also kept some of the drugs in a locked safe. U.S. troops deployed to Bahrain are taking part in a two-day stand-down as the Navy seeks to increase awareness of and access to mental health services at the strategic Middle East command. The event, which started Wednesday, includes information booths and presentations by mental health professionals and command leaders, among them Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet. The involvement of Cooper and other leaders is vital in communicating the importance of mental health and demonstrating that the well-being of personnel is a priority for the command, said Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for NAVCENT/U.S. 5th Fleet. The stand-down helps inform them and their families about expanded mental health resources and services at the base under a two-year pilot program established in February 2022. The new options under this pilot program enacted last year have reduced the number of patients who would have been evacuated to the U.S. for treatment by 40%, which enables more personnel to remain on duty here in Bahrain and with their family members that are with them, Hawkins said. Those services include an improved waterfront resiliency center offering military family life counseling and workshops, among other resources, the Navy said in a June 14, 2022, statement. Additionally, the Navy has removed some barriers to services. For example, people no longer need a primary care doctors referral to seek help at a walk-in clinic, and service members and dependents can stay in Bahrain to receive inpatient therapy through on off-base provider. On average, 5th Fleet coordinates inpatient mental health support for about 100 service members or family members each year, he noted. It is not just the responsibility of mental health professionals to provide the support, Hawkins said. It is a command, it is a leadership function to take care of our people, he said. Naval Support Activity Bahrain is home to NAVCENT/U.S. 5th Fleet and a Coast Guard unit. It has nearly 8,000 troops stationed at the base and throughout the fleets area of responsibility, including about 6,000 active-duty and reserve service members, he said. Introduction of the pilot program followed a Navy push to address mental health treatment needs as the service grapples with concerns about the number of suicides among sailors. In 2022, 70 active-duty sailors died by suicide. There were 59 and 65 suicide deaths of active-duty sailors in 2021 and 2020, respectively, according to data on the Navys website. In 2018, the Bahrain base saw the suicide of Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, who was serving as commander of NAVCENT/U.S. 5th Fleet. WASHINGTON In his first public remarks about the leak of sensitive military information online, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday hes making every effort to assess the damage and minimize the impact on the war in Ukraine. Austin made the comments during a joint news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Philippine counterparts following the first 2+2 ministerial meeting between the two countries in several years. Austin underscored the importance of getting to the bottom of how and why the documents were posted online. They purportedly contain information about Ukrainian troops and weapons during the conflict with Russia. The first photographs of the documents were posted to Twitter and Telegram last week. Additional sensitive materials were found a couple of days later. We will continue to work closely with our outstanding allies and partners, and nothing will ever stop us from keeping America secure, Austin said during a news conference following the ministerial meeting. The Pentagon has said its working to mitigate damage from the documents, but it hasnt said yet whether all the records posted online are authentic. A spokesperson said this week that some appear to be altered and some appear to contain classified information. Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said during the news conference the leak does nothing to harm U.S.-Philippines relations. The United States seized the country from Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898 and controlled the islands until full independence in 1946. I really dont want to jump to any speculation or jump to any conclusions at this stage, Manalo said. We have full confidence in the investigation. Just let me say that we are confident of the strength of our relationship and our growing partnership, he added. During the ministerial meeting, the leaders said the U.S. and Philippines agreed to new steps to bolster mutual defense, expand intelligence sharing and carry out joint sails in the South China Sea. They also discussed interoperability involving four new U.S. military sites in the Philippines that were announced in recent weeks. Two are just across the sea from Taiwan, which is a sore spot for China because it considers the island a breakaway territory. We all reaffirmed today that our mutual defense treaty remains the bedrock of our cooperation, Austin said, emphasizing that the pact would apply to any attack on U.S. or Philippine forces in the South China Sea. The meeting came as the United States and Philippines kicked off their largest military exercises in three decades. The Balikatan exercises will involve more than 12,000 American troops and almost 5,500 Filipino troops, and include live-fire missile launches, urban and aviation operations, boat-sinking and counterterrorism drills and humanitarian assistance, officials said. Balikatan, which means shoulder to shoulder in Tagalog, will run until April 28. CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea Seoul has agreed to lend Washington hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to shore up its inventory, South Korean media outlets said Wednesday in reports that government officials have declined to address. South Koreas Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said Seoul agreed in March to lend 500,000 155 mm artillery shells to the U.S. military. Yonhap News Agency, citing government and defense officials, reported the same day that the deal involved at least 330,000 shells. The Dong-A Ilbo report cited unnamed government sources who said officials from both countries had struggled to devise an agreement in which South Korea could help the U.S. support the war effort in Ukraine without violating South Koreas policy of not exporting lethal aid. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol so far has donated humanitarian aid to Ukraine but has publicly declined to send arms directly to the embattled nation at war with Russia since February 2022. Seouls trade policies say exports must be used for a peaceful purpose that do not affect international peace, safety maintenance, and national security. Government spokespeople in Seoul were close-lipped about the media reports. A Ministry of National Defense spokesman declined to comment and said by phone that the U.S. and South Korea were still discussing measures to support the protection and freedom of Ukraine. A spokesman for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, South Koreas defense research and procurement agency, also declined to comment. The New York Times first reported last week that what appeared to be classified U.S. military documents were posted on social media platforms. A Times review of the documents revealed senior South Korean officials discussed sending artillery shells to Poland, Ukraines ally, to placate the U.S. request for support. The U.S. previously made a deal to purchase 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korea, unnamed U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal for a Nov. 10 report. Discussions to resupply Washingtons ammunition stockpile were still ongoing, the Ministry of National Defense said at the time. The U.S. has supplied Ukraine with more than one million 155 mm artillery shells, 160 howitzers and 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket systems, according to a Department of Defense factsheet from February. That commitment has led military leaders to express concern for the U.S.s ammunition stockpile. Im concerned, I know [Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin] is, and you are correct to point this out, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers during a budget hearing on March 29. Weve got a ways to go to make sure our stockpiles are prepared for the real contingencies. RIGA, Latvia When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a mobilization in the fall to commandeer reinforcements for the war against Ukraine, thousands of men fled the country or went into hiding. But tough new measures approved by Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday will make it almost impossible for Russians to dodge conscription in the future. The law provides for electronic military summonses with bans on draftees leaving the country, making it possible to quietly sweep up thousands more men to fight even as the Kremlin is denying plans for a controversial new mobilization. The State Duma, which is the lower chamber, approved the legislation with just one abstention. The upper house, the Federation Council, is expected to adopt it Wednesday, and send it on to Putin for his approval, which is widely expected. Last year's chaotic mobilization in which military officers were obliged to physically hand out paper notices created scenes of young men being grabbed from the streets and at subway stations, or wrestled to the ground in shopping malls. In some cases, passersby filmed men fleeing military officials. Under the new rules, electronic summonses will be issued to conscripts under Russia's compulsory military service for men ages 18 to 27, but also potentially to members of the Russian military reserve and others. Under Russian law, conscripts must not be deployed to Ukraine, however complaints have surfaced that in some cases they have been sent there and killed in action. Andrei Kartopolov, head of the State Duma defense committee, spelled out tough penalties for those who do not respond to electronic summonses, including potential bans on driving, registering a company, working as a self-employed individual, obtaining credit or loans, selling apartments, buying property or securing social benefits. These penalties could apply to the thousands of men who are already outside the country. The electronic summons will be issued via a government services portal, Gosuslugi, used for all manner of state payments and services including taxes, passports, housing services, social benefits, transport documents, medical appointments, employee insurance and countless other matters. Under the law, personal data of conscripts including identity documents, personal tax numbers, driver's license details, phone numbers and other information will be transferred by Gosuslugi to military enlistment offices. Universities, business employers, hospitals and clinics, government ministries, law enforcement agencies, the electoral commission and the tax authority are also required to transmit data to the military. With the Kremlin anxious to avoid unpopular mobilization measures, the new rules highlight Russia's need for more military personnel, after a largely ineffective winter offensive that gained little ground despite high casualties, and ahead of an expected new Ukrainian counteroffensive ahead. As the Kremlin prepares Russians for a long war, the need to continually reconstitute depleted Russian military units could drag on for years. Russia's Ministry of Defense has recently recruited hundreds of prisoners on 18-month contracts to fight in the war, according to Russia Behind Bars, a prisoners' rights group, after the Wagner mercenary group was blocked from recruiting in jails. The military has also been offering Russian passports to foreigners who join the Russian armed forces and has been running a voluntary recruitment campaign. In December, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to increase the size of Russia's military by 30 percent to 1.5 million servicemen, including 695,000 volunteer contract soldiers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the new law is "absolutely necessary" but added that it is not connected with the mobilization of more Russian men to fight in the war. "We need to improve and modernize the military accounting system," Peskov said. However, Putin's written mobilization decree was never rescinded and legally remains in force. Last year's mobilization triggered anger and public protests, with many conscripts drawn from Russia's most impoverished regions, while the privileged sons of officials such as Peskov and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said they would not fight in Ukraine, when contacted by members of the team of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russian political analyst Andrei Kolesnikov, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in a recent analysis that the Kremlin's claim it was fighting the West, not Ukraine, had created a "people's war," in which citizens are expected to lay down their lives for victory and critics of the war or the Kremlin are branded traitors. The goal of defeating the West much like the goal of building communism in Soviet times is ever receding into the future, he continued. "The specific parameters of what such a victory would look like or how it may be achieved remain entirely unclear, but the rest of eternity can be spent moving toward that horizon," Kolesnikov wrote. The new measures follow a flurry of denials from Russian officials that summonses would be issued through the state services portal. Once an electronic summons is issued, a citizen is bound by it until his military duty is discharged. The deputy chairman of the Duma's defense committee, Yuri Shvytkin, told Russian media that conscripts who deleted their accounts on the state services website would be deemed to be draft dodgers and face arrest and punishment. "It was just one of the goals, to minimize the percentage of dodgers," he told Russian media outlet Ura.ru. The bar on departing the country takes effect from the moment the draft notice is electronically sent. Military draft offices can register draftees in the military in their absence, ditching the current practice where conscripts and draftees appear in person to sign forms and undergo medical examinations. The new measures come with mobilized soldiers from regions across Russia posting dozens of videos on Russian media complaining that they are sent to the slaughter in near-suicidal assaults on Ukrainian positions without adequate training, arms or equipment, a problem that has haunted Russia throughout the war. State Duma member Andrei Lugovoi, one of the bill's developers, said on Telegram that problems during last year's mobilization operation had proved the need for a more efficient way of calling men up for military duty. "There were so many complaints about the military registration and enlistment offices, people erroneously mobilized, and those who were able to hide under the pretext of a non-received summons," he said. The bill allows the military to "put things in order" and "eliminate any inconsistency or erroneous actions in the future." The move to bar real estate sales makes it difficult for conscription evaders to flee the country without losing assets. It also means that those who fled Russia last year to avoid fighting in Ukraine will not be able to cash out of their Russian property. Although conscripts are not supposed to be deployed to combat zones, including Ukraine, those completing their compulsory military service have come under intense pressure from superiors to sign military contracts making them eligible for deployment to the front, according to Russian independent media interviews with the mothers of conscripts. The war is hitting Russia's economy, depleting the nation's ranks of young workers. Last year's combination of migrants fleeing Russia and the military call-up led to a sharp decline in the number of Russian workers younger than 35, which dropped by 1.3 million workers from 22.83 million, including mostly men, according to a study of Russian state statistics published on Tuesday in RBC newspaper. The drop was most apparent among workers ages 25 to 29, falling by 724,000 to 7.2 million workers. Natalia Abbakumova contributed to this report (Tribune News Service) Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss will warn Western nations not to appease China over its claims to Taiwan, following a series of Chinese military exercises around the island. We need to make sure Taiwan is able to defend itself, the U.K.s shortest-serving leader is due to say in a speech during a visit to Washington on Wednesday. We need to put economic pressure on China before it is too late. Truss, who is also a former U.K. foreign secretary, has kept a relatively low profile since her premiership imploded last year, when her economic plan triggered market turmoil and she lost the confidence of her Conservative Party. But she has continued to make interventions in support of her agenda, which includes a hawkish stance on China. Its awkward for her successor, Rishi Sunak, whose more pragmatic approach to the U.K.s relations with Beijing has riled a significant Tory faction that includes Truss. During the Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Heritage Foundation free-market think tank, Truss will say too many in the West have appeased and accommodated authoritarian regimes such as China and Russia. She will also say that Western nations shouldnt look to China for help stopping Russias war in Ukraine, remarks that are likely to be seen as a critique of French President Emmanuel Macron, who urged Chinas Xi Jinping to use his influence to help end the conflict last week. It is a sign of weakness, Truss will say, according to her office. Despite being forced out of office in a record 49 days last October, Truss has not backed away from the combative style that took her to 10 Downing Street. During the Tory leadership campaign, she infamously said the jury was still out on whether Macron was a friend or a foe despite France being a key U.K. ally. She has also not changed her mind about the low-tax agenda that triggered her downfall. In her speech she is also expected to say that the Anglo-American economic model is being strangled into stagnation, and that the OECD-led minimum tax agreement is a global cartel of complacency. 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ROME Italys right-wing government on Tuesday declared a six-month national state of emergency to help it cope with a surge in migrants arriving on the countrys southern shores. State TV said a special commissioner was expected to be named. Initial funding of 5 million euros (nearly $5.5 million) was also approved as part of the measure approved by Premier Giorgia Meloni and her Cabinet. In a statement after the Cabinet meeting, the government said the state of emergency was deemed necessary to carry out with urgency extraordinary measures to reduce congestion at an overwhelmed migrant shelter on a tiny Italian island in the Mediterranean. Also needed are new structures, suitable both for sheltering as well as the processing and repatriation of migrants who don't have the requisites to stay in Italy, the government statement said. During the COVID-19 pandemic Italys governing coalitions also imposed a state of emergency, enabling the Cabinet to mandate many coping measures by decree, temporarily bypassing the usually long parliamentary process for funding and regulations. Let's be clear, this doesn't resolve the problem, whose solution is tied to a mindful and responsible intervention of the European Union, Civil Protection and Sea Policies Minister Nello Musumeci was quoted as saying by the Italian news agency ANSA. Largely unsuccessfully, Meloni's government, like several others before, has pressed for more solidarity from fellow EU countries, which often don't make good on pledges to accept some of the asylum-seekers hoping to find relatives or work in northern Europe. Since the start of this year, some 31,000 migrants, either rescued by Italian military boats or charity ships or reaching Italy without assistance, have disembarked, according to Interior Ministry figures. That's nearly four times the roughly 8,000 for the same period in each of the two previous years. The arrivals of migrants, who set out in unseaworthy vessels launched by smugglers from northern African shores, seem destined to swell. Early on Wednesday, a smugglers' boat, crowded with some 700 passengers, was expected to pull into the port of Catania, a major city in eastern Sicily. Italian coast guard boats had been escorting the distressed fishing vessel toward shore when a breakdown forced it to need towing, slowing its advance. The coast guard had already transferred some 100 of the passengers when rough seas made that operation too risky, and the decision was taken to leave the rest of the migrants aboard until the vessel could reach port. On one recent day alone, 26 migrant boats, many of them without needing rescue, reached the Lampedusa, a tiny Italian island south of Sicily. The facility on Lampedusa which shelters migrants so they can be provisionally identified as a first step toward any asylum application, was reeling under the relentless stream of arrivals. The shelter is meant to accommodate about 350-400 people, but in recent days, there were 3,000. Italy chartered empty commercial ferries to transfer hundreds of them to Sicily or the mainland. On Tuesday, some 1,600 migrants were staying in the Lampedusa structure, and authorities were hoping for weather to improve so that by evening some 400 could be ferried off the island. There are many women with small children, plus there are unaccompanied minors, the migrant center director, Lorena Tortorici, told Italian Sky TG24 TV. We are in an emergency situation. The staff are trying to do what they can. The biggest number of migrants arriving so far this year are from Ivory Coast, followed by people from Guinea, Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia and Bangladesh, according to the Interior Minister's tally. For years, most of the smugglers' boats plying the dangerous central Mediterranean route set sail from western Libya. But recent months have seen many of the voyages start from eastern Libya or from Tunisia. Another route starts from Turkey, aiming to reach Calabria or Puglia in the southern end of the Italian mainland. An Air Europa flight arrived at Sphinx International Airport (SPX) on Tuesday coming from Madrid, Spain, in the first such flight by that Spanish flag carrier to the airport. Air Europa will operate two flights a month to SPX. The Sphinx International Airport, inaugurated in January 2020, is located on the desert road between Cairo and Alexandria 45 kilometres from the Pyramids of Giza. The location of SPX was selected to service visitors to the country who arrive on one-day trips to the historic sites in Giza. SPX also aims to relieve congestion at Cairo International Airport and lower traffic jams in the capital. After expansion works, the airport's total area is 24,000 square metres, up from 4,500 square metres. Meanwhile, the airport can now receive one million passengers per year after its capacity was expanded to 900 passengers/hr, up from 300 passengers/hr. The Egyptian Airports Company has recently eased all procedures to accommodate passengers at SPX as part of the governments plan to attract 25-30 million visitors by 2028, up from the current 14-15 million figure. Egypt has recently eased tourist visa requirements from China, Iran, India, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Israel as part of efforts to boost tourism in the country. These facilities go hand in hand with the facilities already offered to holders of a valid and used entry visa from Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, according to Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa. Egypt received 11.7 million tourists in 2022, up from eight million in 2021, marking a 46.2 percent increase, according to statements by Issa in mid-March. The number of visitors to Egypt is expected to increase by 28 percent this year to 15 million, according to the minister. Search Keywords: Short link: ISLAMABAD The Taliban's chief spokesman said Wednesday there are no obstacles for the U.N. to function in Afghanistan, after they barred Afghan women from working at the global body. Last week, the country's Taliban rulers took a step further in the restrictive measures they have imposed on women and said that female Afghan staffers employed with the U.N. mission can no longer report for work. The ban is being actively enforced by the country's intelligence agency, which reports to the Taliban's leadership in Kandahar. The U.N. says it cannot accept the decision, calling it unlawful and an unparalleled violation of women's rights. It says women are crucial for the delivery of life-saving aid to millions of Afghans, and has instructed its national staff, male and female, to stay at home. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-led government's chief spokesman and part of the supreme leader's inner circle, denied authorities were to blame for Afghanistan's many crises. The decision to bar Afghan women from working at the U.N. was an internal matter and should be respected by all sides, Mujahid said, as he set out the Taliban's position and demands to the international community. "This decision does not mean there is discrimination here, or that the activities of the United Nations are blocked. On the contrary, we are committed to all the rights of all our countrymen, taking into account their religious and cultural interests. "Considering the emergency situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary for the member countries of the United Nations to resolve the problem of frozen Afghan assets, banking, travel bans and other restrictions as soon as possible so that Afghanistan can progress in economic, political and security areas. Afghans have the capacity to stand on their own feet." Aid agencies have been providing food, education and health care support to Afghans in the wake of the Taliban takeover and the economic collapse that followed it. But distribution has been severely affected by a Taliban edict banning women from working at non-governmental organizations and, now, also at the U.N, allegedly because they weren't wearing the hijab, or Islamic headscarf correctly, or following gender segregation. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, called the order barring Afghan women from NGO and U.N. work "an internal values-based issue" that is not harming others. The United Nations' head of mission in the country, Roza Otunbayeva, has "initiated an operational review period" lasting until May 5 in response to the ban, according to a U.N. statement. During this time, the U.N. will "conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes," a veiled suggestion that it could move to suspend its mission and operations in the embattled country. The U.N. has warned that its Afghan operations are also under threat because of a severe funding crisis, putting millions of lives at risk. "Already, the food basket has had to be cut to half due to insufficient resources. If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease & death," its office for humanitarian affairs said in a tweet Wednesday. No country has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and the country's seat at the U.N. is held by the former government of President Ashraf Ghani. WASHINGTON Republican lawmakers are demanding answers from the Defense Department over the recent ousting of a longtime Roman Catholic religious services provider at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that they argue has left patients with insufficient pastoral care. The hospital terminated a nearly 20-year contract with Holy Name College Friary on March 31 and issued a cease and desist order to the community of Franciscan Catholic priests and brothers shortly before Holy Week, according to the Archdiocese for the Military Services. A group of 11 Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, blasted the decision in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and are asking the Pentagon to explain why a for-profit, secular company received a contract to replace Holy Name College Friary in providing Catholic pastoral care. We have made promises to our service members and veterans that if they take care of us, we will take care of them. This extends to not just providing quality healthcare at our nations military medical facilities, but by also providing the ability to freely practice their religion to those under the care at these facilities, the lawmakers wrote. The DoDs actions to deny Catholic Pastoral Care from service members and veterans at Walter Reed goes against the morals, way of life, and rights that make up the fabric of our great nation. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, a diocese established by Pope St. John Paul II in 1985, has called the termination of the Franciscans contract a violation of the constitutional right to free exercise of religion. The Archdiocese said the secular defense contracting firm tasked with taking over for Holy Name College Friary cannot provide Catholic priests and is incapable of carrying out the required work. This is a classic case where the adage if it is not broken, do not fix it applies, said Archbishop Timothy Broglio in a statement. I fear that giving a contract to the lowest bidder overlooked the fact that the bidder cannot provide the necessary service. I earnestly hope that this disdain for the sick will be remedied at once and their First Amendment rights will be respected. One Catholic Army chaplain performed liturgies during Holy Week at Walter Reed and remains assigned to the hospital, but he is in the process of separating from the military, according to the Archdiocese. Republican lawmakers said pastoral care requires more than just one active duty priest and argued patients would be deprived of certain practices that can only be carried out by an ordained Catholic priest, including celebrating Holy Mass and hearing confessions. They also took a swipe at doctors at the Defense Health Agency, which oversees Walter Reed, for advocating for minors to receive experimental gender transition procedures but failing to advocate for Catholic patients. Republicans have often taken aim at Pentagon policies that they say promote woke liberal ideologies at the expense of readiness, such as diversity and inclusion efforts. Depriving service members and veterans, who are receiving care, of the ability to enter into the Paschal Mystery with priests is utterly unconscionable, the lawmakers wrote. No one seems to be advocating for the right of our service members and veterans to receive the most important sacraments during this most sacred time of year. They are asking Austin to explain what factors led to Holy Name College Friarys ouster and how service members and veterans at Walter Reed were able to celebrate Holy Week. Walter Reed did not respond to a request for comment but told Fox News in a statement on Sunday that the pastoral care contract is under review to ensure it adequately supports the religious needs of our patients and beneficiaries. Charles Armitage can easily remember the date his heart stopped beating during the Vietnam War March 25, 1968. It was his mothers birthday. A Marine Corps infantryman assigned as the machine gunner for Mike Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, he was stationed near the Demilitarized Zone when the troops took incoming mortar fire in the morning. Shrapnel struck Armitage in the lower chest. One corpsman came by and said I was dead, so he toe-tagged me. My platoon corpsman came by and said, He aint dead until I say hes dead, recalled Armitage, now 73 and living in Conroe, Texas. The medic got Armitages heart beating again and rushed him out for emergency surgery. That was 55 years ago, yet the veteran still gets emotional thinking about the corpsman who saved his life while so many others didnt make it back home. The U.S. became involved in Vietnam in 1955 to protect the countrys south from falling into communist control by the north. The United States withdrew all combat forces in 1973 and South Vietnam collapsed two years later. During the war, 40,934 American troops died in combat, with 11,501 of those losses coming from the Marine Corps, according to the Defense Department. A lot of young men and women did not come back, Armitage said in a video produced by the Department of Veterans Affairs in honor of Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29. Thats why if I see a veteran, young or old, I tell them, Thank you for your service. Armitage had hoped to make a career of the Marine Corps his dream since he was 5 years old but the injuries he suffered damaged his lungs, and he could no longer meet the standards for running three miles. Instead he left the service in 1972 and went into construction. After moving to the Houston area he married Pam, and became a father to her three children. About 30 years after his time in Vietnam, a woman from California brought Armitage right back to the day he was nearly left for dead on the battlefield. During the corpsmans efforts to restore Armitages pulse, hed cut off Armitages uniform, including his dog tags. One of the identification tags traveled with Armitage to surgery and the second was lost. Stacey Mitchell, then a 30-year-old firefighter in San Jose, Calif., visited Vietnam in 1999 and while looking through the gift shop of the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, she saw American dog tags for sale. She thought it was wrong to see them there instead of home with the troops who wore them. I bought them all, she said. Mitchell began going into shops across the country and buying up any dog tags she could find. On a second trip to Vietnam in 2004 she did it again. In all, she estimates she bought more than 1,000. On her days off, she began tracking down the names of troops on the tags to see if she could mail the tags back to them. I really had a tiny little window of time to make the person on the other side realize I was real and legit and that there was nothing fishy or weird, Mitchell said. When she found a veteran willing to talk, she heard all kinds of stories. Some said they would hand them out to Vietnamese kids in the streets, or had lost them while playing volleyball or swimming. One man said he was in the shower when he got the call to move out and left his tags behind. Most said they never thought much of losing them because it was easy to get replacement tags. Im just so glad I did it when I did it, she said, becoming emotional about the memory. The guys who got it back, I could just feel how much it meant, and that's what it was all about. When Armitage received his tag in the mail from Mitchell, he cried. I opened the envelope up, and the dog tag fell in my hand. I lost it, he said. Armitages wife Pam said she made sure to send Mitchell flowers in return. The dog tag is now framed in a shadowbox with Charles Armitages service photo and medals. Its become a jumping point for the couples nine grandchildren to ask questions and learn about the military service of their grandfather, whom they call Pops. Now retired, Charles Armitage has returned to his service roots, this time as a volunteer for several organizations in Conroe, which is about 50 miles north of Houston. He volunteers for the Marine Toys for Tots as well as Gods Garage, a nonprofit that donates cars to single moms, widows and military spouses of deployed troops, and the food pantry at the citys Community Assistance Center. Hes also part of the Marine Corps League and Pam is in her fourth year as chairwoman of the local detachments annual ball. Charles Armitage said he spends this retirement this way to be in service to his community. Its not far from the reason he gave for serving in Vietnam. I didnt do it for myself, he said. I did it for my fellow countrymen. Good news for cash-strapped Pakistan, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is likely to give written assurance to Islamabad for external financing of $1 billion this week. According to the reports of media channels Islamabad has been negotiating with the IMF since the end of January for the release of $1.1 billion from a $6.5 billion bailout package agreed upon in 2019. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had demanded of the Pakistani government to get a written guarantee from the friendly countries for the deposit to unlock the stalled loan programme. The development follows after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar specially requested UAE authorities for assurance, the reports said. They further say the finance secretary will brief the IMF officials during a meeting with them in Washington. On April 6, it was reported that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed that it has received confirmation from Saudi Arabia on $2 billion in additional deposits to Pakistan. They further said that the Saudi authorities are all set to make a public announcement, probably during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the kingdom. Egypt has announced a 20 percent increase in the local wheat procurement price for the upcoming harvest season, raising it to EGP 1,500 per ardeb (1 ardeb = 150 kg) from EGP 1,250, as previously announced in January. In January, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly revealed the first incentive for the 2023 harvest season, raising the 2022 local wheat procurement price from EGP 880 to EGP 1,000 and later adding an additional EGP 250 per ardeb as an incentive. The country aims to purchase 4 million tons of local wheat from farmers during the upcoming harvest season, down from 4.2 million tons last season, which came short of the announced target of 6 million tons by government officials in early 2022. Egypt, which consumes up to 18 million tons of wheat and imports around 12 million tons annually, has been encouraging farmers to supply more wheat to the government in light of disruptions in global food supply chains and rising commodity prices. In 2020, Egypt imported 12.885 million tons of wheat at a cost of approximately USD 3.2 billion, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS). In January 2023, the value of Egypt's imports of wheat and corn amounted to USD 546.378 million, as reported by CAPMAS. Wednesday's decision, following directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, aims to support Egyptian farmers, encourage the expansion of strategic crop cultivation, and reduce the import bill, said Nader Saad, the official spokesperson for the Egyptian Cabinet. Egypt, which imports 65 percent of its basic food needs, is preparing 3.5 million feddans for agricultural projects to strengthen food security and reduce the import gap of strategic commodities. These projects include the New Delta (2.2 million feddans), Toshka (1.5 million feddans), and Middle Sinai (460,000 feddans). Search Keywords: Short link: Gary Hurley (39) said he and his housemates had chipped in to buy the drugs online in bulk as an experiment when they could not go out during Covid lockdown. Gary Hurley (39) said he and his housemates had chipped in to buy the drugs online in bulk Paddy Cummins - IrishPhotodesk.i A father caught with cocaine and ecstasy in a safe in his wardrobe claimed he was being a responsible parent by storing the drugs there to keep them away from his young son. Gary Hurley (39) said he and his housemates had chipped in to buy the drugs online in bulk as an experiment when they could not go out during Covid lockdown. Judge Paula Murphy found him guilty of possession of drugs with intent to supply and gave him a nine-month suspended sentence. Hurley, a stage technician and father-of-three of Cherrywood Drive, Clondalkin, had admitted simple possession but denied the supply charge. Dublin District Court heard gardai discovered the drugs while searching the house separately for evidence of forgery and fraud on June 15, 2020. An electronic safe was open and contained a plastic lunchbox with two plastic bags of cocaine and 32 pink ecstasy tablets. There were also drugs paraphernalia, including weighing scales, 141 small plastic bags and 31 small brown envelopes. Hurley said it is what it is, Garda Philip Byrne said. Hurley told the court one of his housemates figured out that drugs could be ordered online, and it all arrived in a pack with the baggies. The scales were to see if what we ordered was right. They put the drugs in the safe because Hurleys son was living there so I wasnt going to have a party or anything like that. Hurleys lawyer said each housemate purchased and had access to their own portion and the accused was not supplying it. He was being a responsible parent not wanting to expose his child to that, when he stored it in his safe, she said. A state solicitor said it was ludicrous to suggest Hurley was acting responsibly and there was nothing to corroborate his version. I dont see how in any way an open safe is a responsible approach, Judge Murphy said. Gilligan was arrested and cautioned at an address in West Dublin this morning Darren Gilligan, son of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan, has appeared before the High Court in respect of a extradition request issued by the Spanish authorities. The Dublin court heard that 47-year-old Darren Gilligan's surrender is sought in relation to an offence of breaching Public Order and Safety. He was detained on foot of an SIS Alert issued by the Spanish Authorities, which informs the Gardai that a European Arrest Warrant seeking his surrender has been made in respect of Mr Gilligan. The Schengen Information System (SIS) alert is an information exchange system used various authorities in Europe. The court heard that in Mr Gilligan's case the EAW has not yet arrived from Spain. Following his arrest by members of the Garda extradition unit on Wednesday morning Mr Gilligan appeared before Mr Justice Anthony Barr during Wednesday's vacation sitting of the High Court. Giving details of his arrest, Detective Garda Adrian Murray told the court that he arrested and cautioned Mr Gilligan at an address in West Dublin on Wednesday morning. The Detective told the court that when he asked Mr Gilligan if he knew what the allegations contained in the SIS were about, he replied "Yes" and that it came "from being in the wrong place at the wrong time over nothing I done." In reply to counsel for the state Simon Matthews Bl the detective said that the Gardai were opposed to Mr Gilligan being granted bail at this time. Mr Gilligan, who was accompanied in court by members of his family, was represented during the hearing by Mark Lynam Bl. Mr Lynam told the court that prior to his arrest his client had purchased tickets to fly to Spain in the coming days, where he is due to appear before a Spanish Court on another matter. Counsel said that his client is willing to consent to his surrender to the Spanish authorities but cannot do so until the EAW has been provided to the Irish Authorities. Mr Lynam said Mr Gilligan was not seeking to be granted bail at this point of the proceedings. His cleint also intends to apply to have his legal fees covered under the state's Custody Issue Scheme Mr Justice Barr, having being satisfied that the person before the court is the person whose surrender is being sought in the SIS, remanded Mr Gilligan in custody. He will return before the court later this month. Fiyori Kesete, now established to be aged 24, is charged with attempting to murder her female social worker with a knife Court proceedings against a woman refugee accused of attempting to murder a social worker have been delayed, after she claimed the alleged victim attacked her. Appearing for a committal hearing at Dungannon Magistrates Court today was Fiyori Kesete, now established to be aged 24. She had claimed to be child refugee, however her real age has since been established. Kesete first appeared before Dungannon Magistrates in November last year charged with attempting to murder a female social worker after allegedly attacking her multiple times with a knife. Fiyori Kesete She appeared todayvia video-link where the committal proceedings initially got underway, relayed to her by an interpreter. But issues arose when asked if she understood the charge, to which Kesete replied: Just to make things clear they are saying I tried to murder her but it was the opposite. It was her who tried to kill me. Deputy District Judge Sean OHare enquired if time was needed for legal consultation and suggested it may be better if all parties including Kesete were present in court as opposed to by video-link. The defence agreed and the committal was adjourned to allow this to be arranged for a date to be fixed next week. Judge OHare remanded Kesete in continuing custody. At a previous hearing last November, a detective constable explained Kesete is a refugee who travelled to Northern Ireland by herself in 2021 from Eritrea in East Africa. Without any parental or responsible adult input, she was assigned support by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust 14+ Team, residing in specialist accommodation in Dungannon. Prior to the incident she was reported missing seven times including the days running-up to her arrest. On that occasion, she was located in Belfast by police who alerted her social worker and took her to her accommodation, which had been cleaned and prepared for her return after being missing for several days. The court heard she entered the property with her social worker who went into the kitchen and began unpacking groceries telling her, Ive bought you all your favourite things. It is alleged Kesete without warning, Immediately struck the social worker to the back of her head with a knife. The victim screamed and was struck again to the head, then once to the neck and twice to the arm. The social worker was rushed in an ambulance to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. At that stage the court was told Kesetes identity remained unconfirmed and there are five different dates of birth and six variations of her age registered with the Home Office. She was remanded into youth custody while the case was being fast-tracked toward committal for trial, because she is a child. However, following assessment Kesetes correct date of birth was established and last month an emergency application was made to transfer her from youth custody to Hydebank Womens Prison. Gilligan (47) was remanded in custody today after he appeared before the High Court in respect of an extradition request Darren Gilligan, the son of notorious mobster John Gilligan, was working as a delivery driver for Amazon in Dublin despite being a high profile fugitive from authorities in Spain, it can be revealed. Darren Gilligan (47) was remanded in custody today after he appeared before the High Court in respect of an extradition request issued by the Spanish authorities. Earlier he had been arrested at the Greenogue Business Park in the Rathcoole area of west Dublin at around 11am by members of the garda extradition unit. It is understood that Darren Gilligan has been working for Amazon, the online shopping company that offers a delivery service for around a year. Amazon employs around 5,000 people in Ireland and last year opened a new warehouse and processing facility in Dublin. Gilligan has been primarily living at addresses in Clondalkin, Blanchardstown and Roscommon since returning to Ireland from Spain last year. Gardai announced details of his arrest this evening. On the morning of Wednesday, 12th April 2023, members of the Garda Extradition Unit, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) arrested a male (47 years) in West Dublin, a spokeswoman said. The arrest was made on foot of a Schengen Information System (SIS II) Alert issued by Spanish authorities for offences related to drug trafficking and organised crime. The male was brought before the Four Courts this afternoon, Wednesday 12th April 2023, and was subsequently remanded in custody until the 25th April 2023, she added. John and Darren Gilligan The High Court heard today that Darren Gilligans surrender to Spain is sought in relation to an offence of breaching Public Order and Safety. He was detained on foot of an SIS Alert issued by the Spanish Authorities, which informs the Gardai that a European Arrest Warrant seeking his surrender has been made in respect of Mr Gilligan. The Schengen Information System (SIS) alert is an information exchange system used various authorities in Europe. The court heard that in Mr Gilligan's case the EAW has not yet arrived from Spain. Following his arrest by members of the Garda extradition unit on Wednesday morning Mr Gilligan appeared before Mr Justice Anthony Barr during Wednesday's vacation sitting of the High Court. Giving details of his arrest, Detective Garda Adrian Murray told the court that he arrested and cautioned Mr Gilligan at an address in West Dublin on Wednesday morning. The Detective told the court that when he asked Mr Gilligan if he knew what the allegations contained in the SIS were about, he replied "Yes" and that it came "from being in the wrong place at the wrong time over nothing I done." In reply to counsel for the state Simon Matthews Bl the detective said that the Gardai were opposed to Mr Gilligan being granted bail at this time. Mr Gilligan, who was accompanied in court by members of his family, was represented during the hearing by Mark Lynam Bl. Mr Lynam told the court that prior to his arrest his client had purchased tickets to fly to Spain in the coming days, where he is due to appear before a Spanish Court on another matter. Counsel said that his client is willing to consent to his surrender to the Spanish authorities but cannot do so until the EAW has been provided to the Irish Authorities. Mr Lynam said Mr Gilligan was not seeking to be granted bail at this point of the proceedings. His clinet also intends to apply to have his legal fees covered under the state's Custody Issue Scheme Mr Justice Barr, having being satisfied that the person before the court is the person whose surrender is being sought in the SIS, remanded Mr Gilligan in custody. He will return before the court later this month. - In October 2020, John and Darren Gilligan were arrested in the Alicante area by Spanish police among with a number of other people including a notorious Irish criminal. John Gilligan (71) was charged with four crimes following his arrest in October 2020 at his former home in Torrevieja. State prosecutors demanded an 18-month prison sentence for unlawful weapons possession. Prosecutors also said in a pre-trial indictment they wanted John Gilligan jailed for another two years if convicted of smuggling cannabis into Ireland, four years for illegally exporting powerful sleeping pills and 10 months for membership of a criminal gang. His conviction on all four charges could result in a prison sentence of eight years and four months. Prosecutors say the drugs included cannabis and thousands of prescription-only sleeping pills dubbed zimmos which heroin addicts use to help them sleep and numb pain. The specialist police operation involved phone taps and car follows by an organised crime unit. While significant John Gilligans 2020 drug dealing network was certainly a far cry from his operations in the mid 1990s which brought him to the attention of crusading journalist Veronica Guerin when he was importing tonnes of cannabis via Cork Port. The crime reporter paid the ultimate price for attempting to expose Gilligans gang when she was shot dead on June 26, 1996 by the mob. Gilligan was cleared of masterminding Ms Guerins murder in March 2001 after a 43-day trial but handed a 28-year prison sentence for importing a huge haul of cannabis resin. He was released from high security Portlaoise Prison in 2013 after 17 years. At the centre of the Spanish case against Gilligan is the theory he had left Ireland for Spain and that he was trying to re-establish himself in the drugs trade there. Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias is facing the death penalty over claims she smuggled 3kg of cocaine into the country Ms Farias has been in custody since January. (Photo:Newsflash) A teen girl is facing the maximum penalty of death by firing squad in Indonesia over claims she smuggled 3kg of cocaine into the country. The trial of Brazilian woman, Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias, is underway in south east Asia where prosecutors are pushing for the maximum sentence under the countrys harsh anti-drug laws. Davi Lira da Silva is Ms Farias lawyer, who claims the young girl was tricked into carrying the drugs by older smugglers. They said that she could pray in the temples to ask for her mother's healing, he said. Ms Farias has been in custody since January. (Photo:Newsflash) Prosecutors allege the lingerie worker was working with a drug gang to smuggle cocaine into Bali. But Mr da Silva said Ms Farias was only in Bali to visit temples where monks pray for the sick, as her mother recently suffered a stroke. Her lawyers said she was going to seek Buddhist prayers for a cure. Mr da Silva claimed the teen was tricked into co-operating after the gang who hired her told her of the temples to win her trust. Her lawyer also claimed her client sold womens underwear and perfume for a living but was tricked by people she trusted. They also claimed that the gang had promised to pay for surf lessons for the young woman once she arrived in the country. If Ms Farias manages to escape the firing squad, she would still face life imprisonment in Indonesia. Her bleak fate serves as a warning to tourists visiting the holiday paradise. The death penalty exists for many crimes in Indonesia including drug smuggling. Drug possession and banned activities such as smoking in a public place and gambling also can result in jail time. 'Penalties for drug offences include heavy fines, long prison sentences and the death penalty. Police target tourist destinations,' one Australian report stated, as a warning to travellers in the region. 'You may face heavy fines or jail for possessing even small amounts of drugs, including marijuana, the report concluded. Cannabis-based products such as cannabis oil, hemp, CBD, THC, hash and edibles are also banned in Indonesia, including for medicinal purposes. The son of a Holocaust survivor has labelled the sale of the items as scandalous An Irish auction house is selling a compass with a swastika on it and the death mask of a "German military leader, with a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler. The son of a Holocaust survivor has labelled the sale of the items, which are up for auction this weekend, as scandalous. Oliver Sears, from Holocaust Awareness Ireland (HAI), said hes furious with the auction of Nazi memorabilia, particularly at a time when anti-Semitism is rising alarmingly on a global level. Matthews Auctioneers in Kells, Co Meath, has advertised the death mask online for auction on April 15 for an estimated value of 200 to 300. The auctioneers detailed the item as bronze death mask from a German military leader on its website. German military leader However, Mr Sears, a London-born Dublin based art dealer, said that it is clear the mask carries the face of Hitler. Its completely disingenuous to label this as a German military leader, its disgraceful, Mr Sears added. Matthews Auctioneers has also advertised for auction a German military bronze cased compass for an estimated value of 30 to 50. The compass case bears the date 20 July, 1944 and a swastika symbol. Mr Sears said this is a Nazi item and the date is symbolic as it corresponds to the six week period during which 437,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered at Auschwitz, which was the peak of the industrial murder there. The Irish Independent contacted auctioneer Damien Matthews for a response. Mr Sears said: I spoke to Mr Matthews this morning in an attempt to reason with him", but he claimed the auctioneer was completely uninterested in hearing my point of view. He said it was an "unpleasant" interaction as he tried to explain to the auctioneer that his own mother had survived the Holocaust. When the the Irish Independent contacted Mr Matthews the auctioneer said: Im too busy to dilly dally. Youre not the best reporter in the world, if thats all you can do, then hung up. Another attempt was made to contact Mr Matthews. The auctioneer claimed the journalist had not identified themselves then hung up again. Requests for responses from the auctioneer have also been made via email but there has been no response. Mr Sears' mother Monika Sears (84) from Poland - who survived the catastrophic brutality of the Nazis, only managed to speak about her experience in her middle age - such was the horror of her memories. As a small child, she was thrown from a train on its way to the Treblinka extermination camp in 1943. This was an act carried out to save her life. Her son wants to see all Nazi artefacts banned from sale. He said: While most of us in our industry endeavour to run our businesses ethically and legally, its always of grave concern whenever I encounter a colleague in Ireland selling Nazi memorabilia. The arguments for trading in this material are very thin. Theres an abundance of such material in museums around the world and, if there is a place for these items, that is surely where they belong. However, making money out of such material is immoral and unethical. Theres a very good reason why most auction houses refuse to handle this material, including Sothebys and Christies. Simply put, this material is tainted beyond any mitigation or redemption. He added: Some of this Nazi material is acquired by extremists who deploy it in their own warped propaganda. "This is prevalent in the American market for this material. Theres only one reason to go ahead with the sale and that is to make money, regardless of the circumstances. The very idea that anyone should make money out of the suffering of the millions murdered in the Holocaust is shameful. Mr Sears said a number of auctioneers now no longer sell Nazi items after his campaigning raised awareness. Last month, Mullens Auctioneers in Bray, Co Wicklow, made headlines when it announced it was to auction a cast-iron plaque of Hitler and a cast-iron novelty money box in the form of Hitler saluting, along with a collection of other Nazi items. Stuart Purcell from Mullens defended the sale of the items to The Pat Kenny Show at the time, stating they were historical memorabilia, militaria, sporting memorabilia. Brendan Vaughan, who has been living in London for the past 41 years, is raffling a Massey Ferguson 135 tractor that was donated to him by a Donegal family The K9 Search and Rescue Team at the launch of the tractor raffle A cousin of one of the Creeslough explosion victims is raffling off a tractor in a bid to raise funds for the volunteers who assisted during the tragedy. Donegal native Brendan Vaughan, whose cousin, Hugh Kelly, lost his life on the day of the explosion, is adding to the other numerous recent fundraisers that have been organised to help the devastated community. Brendan, who has been living in London for the past 41 years, is raffling a Massey Ferguson 135 tractor donated to him by a Donegal family, also living in the city. Brendan told the Donegal News that the four charities he is raising money for are all voluntary responder charities that are self-funded. Critical Emergency Medical, K9 Search and Rescue, Mevagh Fire Service and SARDA Ireland North are the beneficiaries of the draw, he said. The Creeslough explosion devastated the community Critical Emergency Medical provides pre-hospital emergency care to critically ill and injured patients. The K9 Search and Rescue dog team recently flew to Turkey to assist with the search and rescue mission following the latest earthquake. While the Mevagh Fire Service is a voluntary fire service in Carrigart, Donegal and SARDA Ireland is an emergency search and rescue organisation. Brendan launched the raffle at the Creeslough shop Nearby on Friday, where they have already raised a massive amount of money. Although nicknamed Tiny Brendan Vaughan has been is described by Fr John Joe as being the tiny man with a massive, kind and most generous heart. As well as the 50,000 he has raised 50,000 for the Inishowen flood relief, he also helped raise another 100,000 for the treatment fund for the late Rocco McGinley. Brendan is calling for volunteers to help him sell raffle tickets as he is keen to raise as much money as he can. Those who are interested in helping Brendan sell tickets for this very worthy cause can contact him on 0044 7941 045767. The tractor, which is being transported by JD Transport, will be at various locations in both Donegal and London in the next couple of weeks so keep your eyes peeled. Raffle tickets cost 10 and the final draw will take place on November 26, 2023. I asked people to consider if we didnt have the Agreement how many people would have lost their lives? Johnny Adair in the Shankill Estate in 1999 after being released from jail Johnny Adair in the Shankill Estate in 1999 after being released from jail. Picture by Kelvin Boyes. Former loyalist terror chief Johnny Mad Dog Adair is convinced that the Good Friday Agreement has saved countless lives. And thats why 25 years later he still supports it as much as he did on the day it was signed. Now living in Scotland, Adair was sent down for 16 years when he was convicted of Directing Terrorism but he continues to keep a close eye on events on this side of the Irish Sea. And as far as he is concerned, the Good Friday Agreement is the only show in town. Speaking to the Sunday Worldthis week, the Shankill Road UFF chief outlined why he still supports the deal which brought peace to this part of the world. In reference to the Agreement, without it we would have had hundreds if not thousands of people killed in the last 25 years. That is what the Agreement has achieved. Surely most people would agree, thats better than anything else, he said. Im well aware theres a lot of criminality and a threat from dissident republicans, but even that is not on a par with what it was before the Good Friday Agreement. Johnny Adair in the Shankill Estate in 1999 after being released from jail He added: I asked people to consider if we didnt have the Agreement how many people would have lost their lives? Adair, who will be 60 later this year, once headed the notorious C Coy of the UFF based in the lower Shankill area. His men were responsible for terror attacks which targeted leading republicans as well as ordinary Catholics. But he is convinced people on both sides of the community will agree with him that the Agreement helped bring peace. I even say to the haters and bigoted people against it, that if we didnt have it, how many more dead people would we have? I think any right-thinking people both loyalist and republican would agree with that. The former terror boss said he was aware people had been traumatised by what happened and it was why we should make sure violence never returns. He said: We had nearly 4,000 dead in a very small country. Thats some amount. People should remember it in the context of what everyday life was like over there. Thats just the deaths. Its not counting the bombs, which was turning the place into rubble. You dont get any more involved in terrorism than I was. Thats a fact. I was at the nerve centre of the Ulster Freedom Fighters. But then when you get an opportunity to pitch for peace, I took it, Adair explained. We were trying to stop the IRA from doing what they were doing. Thats why my people became involved. And then the politicians came together and worked out a framework to create a way forward. Of course I was going to put my hands up. I knew it was best for the people on both sides. When the GFA was signed I had just been sentenced to 16 years. I was there for the long haul. But when it was signed, I wasnt demanding to be released. I knew it had to be negotiated. Everything comes from the huge loss of lives and what the families went through. It wasnt just about loyalists killing a man who was in the IRA. We were aware his whole family was affected. We knew it also affected his wife and family. But it also damaged his mother and father and his aunts and his uncles. We could see this happening. There were lots of victims lost in this conflict. I mean if it had gone on for another 25 years, how many more people would have lost their lives? How many broken families? he said. He added: The Good Friday Agreement did what it said it would do and it brought peace. Adair said he still didnt see any sign of the united Ireland so prized by republicans in Northern Ireland. I dont see it, he said. But I tell you what I do see. I see a lull in violence, bombs and killings and it wont come back. Belfast city centre is booming. Its not full of loyalists and republicans, it is full ordinary Protestant and Catholic young people who are getting on with their lives. He added: They have learned that they dont have to shoot each other, they have to share together. We need to live together, thats what the Good Friday Agreement has brought about. The shattered communities of Annaghdown and Headford in Galway will come to a standstill this week and pay their respects as 14-year-old Kirsty Bohan is laid to rest. Lucas Joyce (14) and Kirsty Bohan (14) were killed early on Monday morning. Kirsty's funeral is due to take place in Headford on Friday The first funeral for two teenagers killed in a horror road crash in Galway will take place on Friday. The shattered communities of Annaghdown and Headford in Galway will come to a standstill this week and pay their respects as 14-year-old Kirsty Bohan is laid to rest. The second-year student at Presentation College in Headford was killed alongside fellow student Lukas Joyce, also 14, from nearby Annaghdown, following the collision on the N84 between Galway and Castlebar. Kirsty, from Ballyfruit, close to where the single-vehicle accident happened shortly before 6am on Monday morning, will be laid to rest on Friday in Donaghpatrick Cemetery in Headford, following her funeral mass in the Church of St Patrick and Cuana at noon. She is survived by her parents Christy and Theresa, and her sisters Martha and Ava, who are also students at Presentation College Headford. Funeral details for Lukas, who died at the scene, have yet to be announced. The scene of the tragic road incident that claimed the lives of two teenagers in the early hours of yesterday. Photo: Pat Ryan Two teenagers who survived the crash, a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, are continuing to be treated at University College Hospital in Galway city for multiple injuries. They are understood to face a long road to recovery but their families are hopeful. All four teenagers were pupils at Presentation College. It comes as the acting principal of the school, Orla Jackson, urged parents of affected classmates to keep a watchful eye over their children in the coming days as they grapple with the enormity the tragedy that has struck them. Ms Jackson said the school was very concerned about some of the less savoury comments circulating on social media about the tragedy and advised parents to remove their childrens phones. She said: This is a time to be home safe with your family and I think I would encourage all parents to perhaps remove their childrens phones at the moment. Presentation College, Galway I feel it would be terribly detrimental to their mental health at the moment to read some of the comments, some of the conjecture and some of the downright lies that are being written. This is an extremely personal, tragic situation and I dont think it is for any social media commentary whatsoever. From early morning yesterday, staff prepared a table of reflection with candles and flowers in the main reception area. The school later posted photographs of a table of remembrance with photographs of Kirsty and Lukas, and the message, The whole PCH community holds the family and friends of Kirsty Bohan and Lukas Joyce in our thoughts and prayers. May their gentle souls rest in peace. Ms Jackson said the whole guidance team, and members of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) teams would be available as well as the school chaplain and local parish priest. We will be with them every step of the way and we will be guided by them, she said. We will also stay in contact with their parents. She described the tragic pupils as two beautiful young people, who were full of life and full of fun. She said they both had a wide circle of friends and were two particularly pleasant and smiling youngsters. It is understood that the car the teens were travelling in belonged to a relative who was unaware it had been taken in the early hours of Monday morning. A distraught relative of one of the deceased, who became worried after they realised they were missing from home, came upon the scene after emergency services arrived. All day yesterday in the pouring rain and under the grey clouds that matched the mood of the community, people arrived at the crash site to lay flowers, candles and Easter eggs. Local parish priest Fr Ray Flaherty told reporters that the community would rally around the families, friends and the school as they come to terms with the death of the two teenagers and the serious injuries to the other two students. There is disbelief in the area, people are still shocked and there is great sadness, he said. The school and the community will support the families and friends of these young people. Access will be denied to the public, including any rough sleepers seeking refuge in the park. Gardai speaking to people living in tents at the entrance to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Sunday. A number of homeless people and their tents were removed from Dublins Phoenix Park on Sunday ahead of US President Joe Bidens visit. Mr Biden will meet his Irish counterpart, Michael D Higgins, at Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park tomorrow before he addresses both Houses of the Oireachtas at Leinster House. He will also be hosted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at a banquet at Farmleigh House, the State guesthouse, in the Phoenix Park. The park will close for 24 hours from 5pm today while the official visit takes place, the Office of Public Works has said. Access will be denied to the public, including any rough sleepers seeking refuge in the park. Over the past number of weeks statutory agencies have been engaging with people living in tents in the park and three people had voluntarily left the area at the end of last week, according to gardai. Gardai speaking to people living in tents at the entrance to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Sunday. Read more On Sunday, gardai visited the entrance to the park on Conyngham Road and spoke to three remaining people. One of these has found a place in emergency accommodation in the city, gardai confirmed. The remaining two people removed their belongings and tents and left the area. They were given advice and contact information for support agencies and accommodation services. Dublin City Council staff also visited the park and removed waste that had been left behind. The Phoenix Park has become an increasingly popular location for rough sleepers, where its woodlands provide privacy. A spokeswoman for the Office of Public Works (OPW) said: The Office of Public Works did not request the removal of tents from the entrance to the Phoenix Park on Conyngham Road. However, the OPW is aware that Dublin City Councils Homeless Section had been liaising with the individuals concerned in recent weeks, she added. The Irish Independentcontacted the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive for comment. The latest figures from the Department of Housing show that there are now 11,742 homeless people relying on emergency accommodation across the State. While 8,588 of these are in Dublin and that number is set to swell rapidly, according to the Dublin Simon Community. Upon request from gardai, all gates, including pedestrian gates will be closed to the Phoenix Park on Wednesday, however, access will be provided to essential staff working within the Park. The closure of the park is likely to affect traffic with thousands of vehicles passing through Dublins Phoenix Park every day as one of the main routes from the city centre to the western suburban commuter towns. Meanwhile amenities in the park will be closed during the period, including Dublin Zoo until 9.30am on Friday. The US President touched down in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening and will make his way to Dublin later today, where he will be able to unwind in the citys Conrad Hotel. Joe Biden will spend the night in a ritzy Dublin hotel this evening as part of his historic Irish visit. The US President touched down in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening and will make his way to Dublin later today, where he will be able to unwind in the citys Conrad Hotel. The 5-star hotel, owned by Hilton Worldwide, is located near St Stephens Green at Earlsfort Terrace. The area has been closed off entirely until Saturday, Goss.ie reports. Its likely that Biden will be put up in the Conrads lavish Presidential Suite for the night, which comes with a hefty price tag of at least 1,742 (1,981). The award-winning suite is the largest in the hotel and boasts incredible views over Dublin city. The views from the Presidential Suite It is described as a quintessential hideaway and a comfortable home-from-home" with a show-stopping baby grand piano, two flatscreen TVs, and a walk-in wardrobe. Guests staying in the Presidential Suite can also be treated to a special dinner prepared by the Conrads chefs as the room offers a private kitchenette. Biden will get star treatment too as the suite comes with its own VIP check-in desk and concierge service. The Presidential Suite's lounge area But prior to his check-in at the Conrad on Wednesday night, the 80-year-old will meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast before giving a speech at the new student accommodation for the University of Ulster. He will then travel to Co Louth, the birthplace of his great-grandfather, where he is expected to head to Carlingford to visit King John's Castle. The Conrad Hotel Biden will also visit the nearby Dundalk for a walkabout of the town centre before moving on to Dublin for his overnight stay at the Conrad Hotel. On Thursday, the Pennsylvanian native will meet President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, hold a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Farmleigh estate, and attend a banquet dinner in Dublin Castle later that evening. He will fly into Ireland West Airport to spend the final day of his Irish visit in Co Mayo, visiting the Knock Shrine and the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Biden will conclude his visit with a speech at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina before travelling back to Dublin Airport for his returning US flight. These objects were traversing the skies in split seconds Chris Mellon; former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Staff Director of the Senate Intelligence Committee A triangular shaped UFO is seen in a still from a video recorded by US Navy; confirmed by Pentagon to be authentic. Wexford man, Rob Kennedy, saw UAP above White's Hotel in the south east of the country. As the US waits for further Congressional hearings into UFOs expected later this year, one Irish man has recalled his close encounter in 2014. Wexford native, Rob Kennedy, was returning home one winter evening when he encountered two UFOs. I was walking back from a lecture in the local library, he told sundayworld.com. It was eight oclock in the evening, December 2014. There is a foot pass that goes past the Arts Centre and Whites Hotel in Wexford. It was cold. I looked to my right at what were two stars. I looked a bit closer and they started to move. They started to move at incredible speeds, ridiculous speeds, traversing the night sky in split seconds. They got brighter, these two white objects. They were three times the size of Sirius, the brightest star in northern hemisphere, Rob said. They shot around for about two minutes; I was totally dumfounded. I had a phone, but no battery. I didnt want to take my eyes off this thing that was happening. They stopped and shot towards the east, gone. Its very interesting what is happening in America with the information being leaked, Mr Kennedy added. It comes as an official EU memo warned unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) or UFOs, are critical events that could threaten aerial security in Europe. The information was revealed in a document addressed to an Irish citizen who had enquired about the matter. Former Italian defence chief, Mr Claudio Graziano, highlighted in the memo how serious the subject is taken in Brussels. UAPs are critical events that could threaten the air traffic and aerial security in Europe. I agree we must pay more attention to that, the General wrote. Mr Graziano pointed out how each country in Europe deals with its own air space and reporting methods for UAP. I have to underline that aerial security and defence remain a strict national jurisdiction and all the European countries have already some reporting procedures in place. In my capacity as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, I can only raise this issue to the attention of the Chiefs of Defence of the Member States while recommending a closer co-ordination among them and a possible data-sharing with the concerned EU institutions. We require more consciousness from the EU citizens on those issues, the General wrote. Strange lights filmed over North Atlantic in 2019. Dublin man, Chris Gaffney, was in correspondence with General Graziano. Mr Gaffney is an Irish representative for ICER the International Coalition for Extraterrestrial Research, an organisation comprised of academics, scientists and researchers. I was pleased, I got what I wanted, which was a recognition from the top General in Europe at the time just how seriously he takes this subject, Chris told sundayworld.com. Mr Gaffney subsequently sent an FOI freedom of information - request regarding UAP to the Irish Defence Forces and Department of Transport. These FOI requests were declined, though granted in part. I have considered the potential adverse effects that may arise because of the disclosure of the requested information, wrote Anthony McKenna, Major General Deputy Chief of staff. The information not released relates to the specific section of the Defence Forces that deals with assessing potential threats to the State. "While the expectation that adverse effects will occur is low, it is not unreasonable, Mr McKenna said. Correspondence was subsequently released from the Aviation Safety and Security Division of the Department of Transport, where two officers discussed an ongoing UFO incident. A triangular shaped UFO is seen in a still from a video recorded by US Navy; confirmed by Pentagon to be authentic. A call was received from Kilcock reporting mysterious lights to the south of a house from 04:00 04:30 am for the past week. "Im not sure what the follow up is here, but I figured this was in the domain of space, wrote one officer in an email. A reference was subsequently made to the security aspect of this and further correspondence over which section had jurisdiction regarding air navigation. Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Intelligence, Chris Mellon, also recently spoke about UFOs on his personal blog, saying we know they exist. Unbeknownst to most Americans, President Biden just signed into law far-reaching legislation that could soon confirm the existence of an alien presence", he revealed. Chris Mellon; former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Staff Director of the Senate Intelligence Committee The new legislation directs the new AARO- All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office- to develop a UAP science plan to assess the mysterious and mind-bending capabilities being reported. It also provides a secure process for anyone who has signed an official US government secrecy agreement related to UAP to come forward. We know UFOs exist; this is no longer an issue. The US Navy has acknowledged the fact that they exist. The issue now is: why are they here, where are they coming from and what is the technology behind these devices we have been observing? he asked. He kicks off his four-day trip on Tuesday in Belfast, with his itinerary also including visits to Co Louth, Dublin and Co Mayo. What you need to know about the Irish sights Joe Biden is visiting The American President will start his four-day trip in Belfast, before visiting Co Louth, Dublin and Co Mayo. US President Joe Biden is very much looking forward to his Ireland visit, according to a White House spokesman. He kicks off his four-day trip on Tuesday in Belfast, with his itinerary also including visits to Co Louth, Dublin and Co Mayo. The trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and Biden has close links to Ireland. Officials in India where cases have exploded 13-fold within a month are already running mock drills The new strain is on its way The most contagious variant of Covid-19 yet discovered is believed to be behind an explosion of cases in India with some researchers predicting it will spread worldwide in the near future. Arcturus, a spin-off of Omicron, is not thought to be more lethal than other types currently circulating, which cause a much milder disease that closely resembles the flu. But officials in India where cases have exploded 13-fold within a month are already running mock drills to check how prepared its hospitals are for another wave of patients. And in some areas face masks have been brought back in public settings for the first time for more than a year. 'Arcturus' is the name that has been given to Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, which a spin-off strain, similar to that of the Kraken variant (XBB.1.5). Since it emerged in March and it has been identified in 22 countries, but the largest outbreak by far is in India wher there has been a surge in cases. The Word Health Organisation says 'Arcturus' has mutations on its spike protein that could increase its ability to infect people as well as trigger disease hie Japanese researchers have suggested it is 1.2 times more infectious than the already super transmissible Kraken. There is no evidence it increases severity of disease and early results suggest 'Arcturus' does not have any increased ability to evade protection from vaccines compared to other Omicron spin-offs However, India's Ministry of Health said there were 40,215 active Covid cases on April 12, up by 3,122 in just one day, while separate figures from the Oxford University-run platform Our World in Data show that new daily cases hit 3,108 on April 4, up from 242 one month earlier. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid technical lead, said it had been in circulation for a few months. We haven't seen a change in severity in individuals or in populations, but that's why we have these systems in place, Dr Kerkhove said. It has one additional mutation in the spike protein which in lab studies shows increased infectivity as well as potential increased pathogenicity. Dr Van Kerkhove added that while XBB.1.16 had been detected in other countries most sequences were from India, where it had replaced other variants. She also said that thus far there had been no reported change in disease severity in XBB.1.16 infections. But a pre-print study by Japanese scientists from the University of Tokyo suggested Arcturus is 1.2 times more infectious than the closely related Kraken Covid strain. Uploading their findings to the biology research website bioRxiv, they wrote that this advantage suggests the new variant will spread worldwide in the near future. They attributed this to mutations that could make it more difficult for the immune system to tackle and increase its growth rate. However, they said there is no evidence that Arcturus had any greater ability to evade the protection offered by vaccines or prior infection compared to Kraken. Kraken was the dominant strain in the UK by the end of February, causing 50.4pc of cases, according to ONS data, while Orthrus was behind at 19.7pc. Technically XBB.1.5, the Omicron spin-off was considered the most infectious Covid variant yet and sparked concern after triggering a surge in cases in several countries. However while it triggered more cases, the new strain did not cause more severe disease than its ancestor Omicron, already considered a 'milder' version of Covid. The rise in cases triggered by Arcturus has led the Indian state of Haryana, in the north of the country, to reintroduced masks in public places due to the 'significant upsurge' in Covid cases. Veena George, Health Minister of southern state Kerala, on Saturday reintroduced masks for pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying conditions. On Monday and Tuesday, hospitals across India took part in mock drills to test their preparedness. US President Joe Biden has landed in Northern Ireland as he begins his four-day visit to the island of Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greeted Mr Biden on the runway of Belfast International Airport. Biden disembarked Air Force One minutes after it landed and shook hands with Mr Sunak. Following the initial brief encounter, Mr Biden saluted a representative of Britains King Charles before there was a short exchange with Special Envoy Joe Kennedy. A longer exchange then ensued as delegates got into official vehicles. The Beast rolled off the runway with Joe Biden inside around 15 minutes after Air Force One landed. Air Force One touched down at Belfast International Airport at around 9.20pm on Tuesday evening with the US President on board. He will stay in a Belfast hotel overnight. The US leader will then give a speech at Ulster University tomorrow afternoon before travelling onwards to the Republic for further events. PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne told the Policing Board that the major operation to police a series of events around the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement will see 300 police officers from other parts of the UK travel to Northern Ireland. The price tag for the Presidents visit is expected to exceed 7million. He (Mr Biden) arrives in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening, 11 April, and leaves on Wednesday, 12 April, said Mr Byrne. Engagements have been planned for a number of parts of the Greater Belfast area and the Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak) is also expected to visit Northern Ireland during this time. While the itinerary is subject to change, security sources have indicated that upon leaving Northern Ireland on Wednesday, the US president will go for a walkabout in Dundalk. The US president is then due to arrive into Dublin on Wednesday evening and will visit Mayo on Friday. PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne then spoke about the second phase of the policing operation. This second phase will be between 17 and 19 April, when a number of politicians who were in office at the time of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, as well as current office holders, will be in attendance at these events in Northern Ireland. The Chief Constable noted that a high-profile cyber conference was also happening in Belfast during this second phase between 17 and 19 April. He said: The policing operation will be significant and our role, obviously, is to facilitate all of these events in a safe way and to provide protection to the variety of visitors, politicians and participants, and also to keep the venues safe. Mindful of the threat level, a theme which runs throughout these plans is to assure the safety of our officers and staff while we continue to police the country. Byrne said the PSNI did not have the capacity to resource all of the events without assistance from other forces. Fresh clashes with M23 rebels erupted Wednesday near the eastern DR Congo city of Goma, according to officials, rupturing weeks of relative calm in the troubled region. A Tutsi-led group, the M23 has won a string of victories against the army and enemy militias since re-emerging from dormancy in late 2021, capturing swathes of North Kivu province. The group also triggered a vast humanitarian crisis as it closed in on the provincial capital Goma, a trade hub of over one million people. On Wednesday morning, armed men claiming to be Congolese patriots attacked M23 positions near Kibumba, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Goma, according to an army official who requested anonymity. M23 fighters repulsed the attack and the army later arrested the assailants, the army official added. Fataki Sebatutsi, a civil society leader in Kibumba, also told AFP that clashes had occurred. A precarious calm had reigned for several weeks prior to the attack, with troops from the regional East African Community (EAC) military force deploying to the region to oversee an intended M23 withdrawal. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa tweeted on Wednesday that the "Kinshasa government coalition" had attacked its positions. Kibumba marked the furthest extent of the M23's advance towards Goma, but the group announced a withdrawal from the settlement on December 23, which took place under the supervision of the EAC force. The M23 retreated from the settlement but stayed put in the surrounding hills. The group has since withdrawn from several other areas that it conquered, but the Congolese army has cast such retreats as diversion tactics. The EAC force comprises Kenyan, Burundian, Ugandan, and South Sudanese troops, with many contingents arriving in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo only within the last several weeks. It is meant to supervise a staged withdrawal of the M23 from the region, but many locals are disappointed that the force is not taking the fight directly to the rebel group. Search Keywords: Short link: The UFC star officially took ownership of the Lamborghini Technomar last year after seven months of waiting Conor McGregor has posted a new picture on Instagram of one of his favourite toys his 3 million Lamborghini 'super yacht'. Posing on top, McGregor added just the words Lamborghini 63 a reference to the length in feet of the massive vessel, nicknamed the supercar of the sea. The UFC star officially took ownership of the Lamborghini Technomar in May of last year after seven months of waiting for the vessel to be ready. He obviously could wait to give it a test run as fiancee Dee Devlin joined him in Monaco to mark the occasion and brought along their three children: Conor Jr, Croia and baby Rian. At the time a thrilled McGregor admitted that he was still trying to find the words to express his delight as he shared the first photo of the yacht on his Instagram page. In that snap, the Dubliner was seen admiring his new toy as it sat docked in the marina. 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 Later that evening, he posted a series of photos of him taking the yacht out for a spin on the Mediterranean Sea. Other photos showed the boat sailing along the turquoise sea as well as Dee and the kids waving to McGregor from the yachts upper deck. He then shared a professional compilation video of the yachts first time at sea, where he can be seen speeding along behind the wheel with an entourage beside him. The father-of-three was all smiles as he shouted with glee with music blaring in the background. Captioning the video, he wrote: The Supercar of the Sea! Last July as the Notorious turned 34 he had the Lamborghini Technomar 63 join him in the Balearic Islands for the party. McGregor had packed out his yacht with up to 500,000 worth of customisation - mostly featuring his Proper Twelve branding, named after the whiskey he promotes. He also owns a triple-deck super yacht with an inflatable water slide, a climbing wall, and a sea pool, which was scheduled to greet him in Ibiza. The birthday boy took to Instagram to tell his followers that his yachts were making their way across the sea, while sharing some videos of the vessels on their voyage. My yachts are on their way to Ibiza for my birthday, he said. McGregor previously referred to 4000-horsepowered, dual engine, twin turbo, rocket ship as the best purchase he has ever made. I am honoured to secure the Number 12 edition of just 63 to be made, he revealed on Instagram last year. 1963 being the year Lamborghini first began, and 12 being, well you know Twelve! "Thank you Giuseppe Constantino and the entire team at The Italian Sea Group for your amazing work! Excited to see the finished result during next seasons yachting season. When later asked by MMA journalist, Aaron Bronsteter, what was the best purchase he ever made, McGregor said: I would say my Lamborghini yacht. It's currently in Italy at the minute. It's ready for post-fight. I've a bit of work to be done after this bout, across the United States, and then I go to Italy. I'm going to christen my son in Italy with the family and some friends, and then I'm going to pick up my Lamborghini yacht. It's some vessel so I'm really excited to get into it and rally it around. I look forward to setting records on it also." Conor was the previous owner of a yacht, The 188, which refers to the amount in euros to social welfare McGregor got, before he became famous. The five-time All-Ireland winner, who also lit up TV screens when he won Dancing With The Stars in 2017, serves a community garda in Tralee. Kerry GAA legend and garda Aidan OMahony was warmly welcomed at a local mosque over the weekend. The five-time All-Ireland winner, who also lit up TV screens when he won Dancing With The Stars in 2017, serves a community garda in Tralee. He visited the towns mosque over the bank holiday weekend, where he met with its Imam, who leads prayers and teaches Islamic beliefs. In a photo shared to the GardaInfo Twitter account, OMahony posed beside the Imam and another member of the faith inside the mosque as he held up a poster from An Garda Siochanas latest recruitment campaign, It's A Job Worth Doing. Being a police service that reflects the diversity of the communities that we proudly serve is important to us. Community Garda, Aidan O'Mahony was warmly welcomed at the Mosque in Tralee over the weekend where he met with the Imam, Mustafa Patel.#ItsAJobWorthDoing pic.twitter.com/ID6PSEp7GF Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 11, 2023 The caption read: Being a police service that reflects the diversity of the communities that we proudly serve is important to us. Community Garda, Aidan O'Mahony was warmly welcomed at the Mosque in Tralee over the weekend where he met with the Imam, Mustafa Patel. #ItsAJobWorthDoing. OMahony recently opened up about having to seek help over a mental health crisis. He recalled how he became very depressed after he found himself at the centre of a doping scandal and then faced backlash over allegations that he over-dramatised an injury on the pitch. The Rathmore man also suffered from depression after being left out of several games by Kerry. My life was like a routine where there was no enjoyment. I wasnt seeing the good in sport, I was very distant from my family. I wasnt a nice person to be around at the time. I wasnt enjoying work, it was just like a routine, he said in the TG4 documentary Laochra Gael. He told of how he drove in his car and broke down in tears. I was at home and just in a dark place and my family had seen it, he recollected. They had probably seen it in the years and months coming up to it, sitting at home at the breakfast table with my parents. It was like the moment I realised I needed help. My sister Nora came down, who is my godmother, and she is always very close to me and she knew I needed a lot of help. I needed to step away from reality, society... Everything that happened externally over the years had crept in and I had a decision whether I wanted to go down a dark path or go and get help about it. He visited a rehabilitation clinic and has since become an advocate for positive mental health. I was very fortunate to have a loving family, who were able to see a person in a broken state. That helping hand was given to me and I took it. Vinny Jr is stepping up on big brother duties Kodaline drummer Vinny May has welcomed a new baby with his wife Carina, naming their little one Louie May. The Irish musician (33) took to Instagram to announce the arrival of their baby son. Vinny shared the first snaps of Louie May shortly after birth as well as a cute image of their eldest son Vinny Jr, two, helping to feed with a bottle. The drummer wrote: 'Welcome to the world Louie May. 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 'Once again in awe of my amazing wife @carinaelliott15 and Vinny Jr is stepping up on big brother duties.' The musician looked every bit the devoted father as he held their baby in the hospital in one photograph, while in another Carina beamed as little Louie slept in her arms. The family enjoy a stroll. The happy couple tied the knot in July 2017 in a lavish wedding at Lough Rynn Castle in Mohill. The drummer's followers took to the comment section to share congratulatory messages. One wrote: 'Congrats welcome to the World. Carina looks wonderful'. Another added: 'Massive congrats to you both', while a third follower said: 'Super news. Congratulations to you all'. 'Wishing all the best to the new life of your family. Congratulations,' wrote another follower. Kodaline are an Irish rock band comprising Steve Garrigan, Mark Prendergast, Vincent May and Jason Boland. Originally known as 21 Demands, the band adopted their current name in 2012 because of their changing music. They have released four albums: In a Perfect World (2013), Coming Up for Air (2015), and Politics of Living (2018). Their fourth studio album, One Day at a Time, was released on 12 June 2020. Kodaline released their first live album Our Roots Run Deep last year. The pair previously feuded with the Dancing With the Stars contestant after she accused them of racism several years ago. Nobody is forced to listen: Casper and Eskimo (Casey Walsh and Alex Sheehan) of Versatile. Photo by Ceilim Robinson Casey Walsh and Alex Sheehan, who go by the names Casper Walsh and Eskimo Supreme, make up two-thirds of Versatile with producer and friend Evan Kennedy. The pair previously feuded with Dancing With the Stars contestant Erica after she accused them of racism, which came to a head shortly after the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020. She had shared photos of Walsh in blackface dressed as Ice-T and shared lyrics from their song Dublin City Gs in which they made stereotypical remarks about black women. Walsh was also the subject of controversy after he allegedly blocked her into a parking space to intimidate her. This prompted her to call out his behaviour on social media in a lengthy video, subsequently earning a public apology from Walsh, although she later slammed this as bulls**t. The rivals have mostly kept quiet about each other since then, but Versatile seem to have reignited their feud by poking fun at Erica in an Instagram post. The group shared a photo on Sunday with Snoop Dogg backstage at the 3Arena after spending weeks opening for the US rapper as part of his I Wanna Thank Me world tour. The post, which was captioned Hahahahaha life is beautiful, also featured a screenshot of some of Erica Cody's activity on Twitter. The tweets in question, which date back to July 2020, see the R&B star slamming Versatile for their offensive lyrics and calling for them to be de-platformed from streaming services. She explicitly mentions that shes definitely not cool with the group being Snoop Doggs opening act as she calls on her followers: Wanna help? Unfollow them on all social media, report their music thats still up on (Spotify), email their management and promoters both here and in Europe. Singer Erica Cody Versatile fans enjoyed the groups jab at Erica in their braggy Instagram, with one person commenting that shes jealous that her career is going nowhere. Erica spoke out against Casey Walsh in an IGTV video where she accused him of trying to publicly humiliate her. I was sitting in my car just minding my own businessand from the corner of my eye I could see him, and I was like its grand, Im just going to drive off, she explained. So I reach down to put my AirPods back in my bag and I look up and hes sitting there blocking me into my car parking spot with his girlfriend and her mate. This is not acceptable and its not the first time youve tried to publicly humiliate me or intimidate me. Im not going to sit here and take it anymore because Im really angry. This is minor harassment. When I look up and see you blocking me in my car parking space, with your phone out in your hand taking a video of me and laughing at me thats crossing a line. You know exactly what youre saying and what youre doing and you stand by it. Im strong yes, but Im a person. Im a human being with feelings. Just because I call you out for being racist? How about you just take it on the chin and look at yourself? she asked. In an apology video, Walsh shared CCTV footage of the incident and said: Id just like to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I thought I was being funny by getting my camera out and saying Whats up? to you. It clearly wasnt funny. Im sorry if you felt intimidated or threatened by my behaviour, but there was no malicious intent. I didnt try to block your car in and I wasnt trying to intimidate you. I dont believe in intimidating women, Im strongly against it, the Ringsend man added. Refunds totalling $22,000 were issued after the last-minute cancellation of a reopening event for the Sir Howard Morrison Centre, a new Rotorua Lakes Council report reveals. Details of what happened in the 4.5 hours before the decision to call off the second night of the ticketed Whakatuheratanga Nui gala, and the steps taken since, are laid out in the agenda for todays Community and District Development Committee meeting. The performing arts centre was closed for five years while it underwent a $36.5 million makeover and earthquake strengthening. Celebrations planned for its long-awaited reopening included a VIP grand opening gala on February 16 and 17, followed the next day by a public open day. But what Rotorua Lakes Council considered teething problems with the venues sound system on opening night continued and the second gala night was called off shortly after doors were due to open. At the time, it released a statement that said ticketholders would be refunded and options to try and carry on had been exhausted, leaving staff and performers devastated. Council culture heritage and mahi toi manager Stewart Brown wrote a report on the incident for todays meeting. In it, he said the purpose of the opening show was to showcase the facilitys capabilities and local artists across a range of genres. But there were technical difficulties with the sound during the first night of the gala. These were considered to be teething problems as a result of some artists not being available for rehearsals. This made the first night quite challenging to deliver to the standard that [centre] staff aspire to. He said efforts were made during the next day to resolve the issues and claimed that artists were pressuring the centres technical team to work with their own sound technician to make their own changes to mitigate some of the previous nights issues. The system was configured to give the artists sound technician remote access to allow him to tweak settings. The remote configuration was untested as staff had not expected to need to use it for the show, Brown said. The change caused two audio devices on the network to create a broadcast storm of continuously looping data. This built up over time and led to all connected devices failing. It took time for the system failure to begin, however, so the fault was not immediately linked back to the reconfiguration. At the same time, the centres technical team were informed the council network was down and they noticed council IT staff making a change in the patch room. This led the team down a different route to troubleshoot the problem than if they had known the issue had stemmed from the [centre] networks, Browns report said. This left only 60 minutes until the scheduled show start time. The technical team worked against the clock to transition to an analogue set up to deliver the show, however there was not sufficient time available to complete the work and necessary testing required to confidently deliver the performance. The issues were escalated to council community wellbeing deputy chief executive Anaru Pewhairangi and, after meeting with people on site, the cancellation decision was made and communicated to the mayor, performers, audience members, and the general public. The team worked into the night to get the theatres ready for the whanau open day the next day, and Brown said there were no further incidents. His report said other factors that contributed to the failures included delays in equipment arriving, claims that team members were being pressured and distracted by the visiting sound engineer and artists while trying to problem-solve, key staff being tired after working 11-16 hour days in the lead-up to the reopening, and poor manufacturers documentation for sound equipment. Communication issues were also identified in the investigation by the councils IT and centre teams. Brown said the teams had already improved their communication culture and understanding of each others requirements. Job training, network access changes and documentation improvements would also help avoid future issues. The centre had 24 shows, conferences and other events booked over the next two months. -Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. A former Tauranga nurse is doubling her hourly earnings by moving to Australia. She is also not paying for accommodation, gets a $560 tax free allowance for food, has meals available on shift, and can reach as high as $140 AUD an hour when working overtime. The proud Kiwi is one of about 5000 nurses to take up lucrative short-term contracts in Australia since August last year, which can earn expats up to $8500 NZD per week. These fruitful contracts are designed to remedy Australias own critical shortages, by poaching New Zealand nurses with deals which seem almost too good to be true. But its not all sunshine and rainbows. With many Kiwis eager to make the move, a health recruitment specialist has warned the grass may not be greener on the other side of the Tasman. So are these contracts as good as they seem? SunLive speaks to the former Tauranga nurse to find out. The good In Tauranga, the nurse says she earned $34 NZD an hour. In her new role as a travel nurse near Perth, she earns a minimum rate of $70 AUD an hour. This $70 rate goes up if she works night shift on a weekend. Any overtime above two hours is $120 an hour, and then $140 if four hours of overtime is accrued. She says her best fortnight earned her a total of $8000 after tax, after working overtime both weekends. The difference between nursing in Australia and in New Zealand in her eyes is huge. In practice nursing, there is no capacity to earn overtime or penal rates, as the job is regular working hours. She says New Zealand hospitals often dont get overtime as the system doesnt want to pay. The next nurse on shift is just expected to pick up all the stuff which the nurse before didnt get a chance to do, as well as the workload of her own shift. Waking up to her new job in an Australian hospital is an absolute joy. I finally feel the skills I have are being valued and all the education I have undertaken is being valued. They have also invested in me and trained me up to be able to triage patients coming in to the ED, and also helped me gain experience in advanced life support despite me not even being a permanent staff member. She also says working in smaller environments gives her time to get to know her patients, and is a lot less stressful than working in New Zealand hospitals. So much information that can guide our nursing care can be elicited from our patients when we just have the time to sit and chat with them. This is now a luxury for NZ nurses, when it is one of the cornerstones of nursing. The bad Despite taking up a contract which can earn up to four times as much per hour compared to New Zealand, the former Tauranga nurse says she misses her country dearly. I miss my partner, my family and my friends. I miss being in my own environment, with the freedom to live my life as I normally do. But, getting ahead in New Zealand now is becoming a distant memory for most. I plan on doing another three short term contracts in Australia and will be looking for permanent work again in December in New Zealand. Hopefully by then, our Government would have pulled its head in and prioritised spending in the health system to retain and attract nurses. Tauranga nurses striking for better pay in August last year. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive. If nursing conditions dont change in her eyes, she says its always nice knowing she can do another stint in Australia as a travel nurse. If people are looking into joining the 5000 Kiwi nurses across the ditch the former Tauranga nurse suggests looking at a variety of contracts before going all in. All agencies and states pay differently and different contracts come with different incentives. If you want something specific, ask! The outback One difficulty for Kiwi nurses moving to Australia is being placed in locations away from big cities. Tonix Health Recruitment managing director Kate Nattrass says she hears many nurses working in outback Australia feel isolated. Some of these nurses are feeling professionally unsafe. Theyre left a lot in isolation and they dont feel that well supported. Taurangas ex nurse says she feels supported, but the lifestyle can be quite lonely and a bit boring without a car. You are expected to hit the ground running as an agency nurse, so dont expect much hand holding from the permanent staff. I wouldnt recommend this type of job to nurses with minimal experience. -Additional reporting by Rowan Quinn/RNZ. Aemet activates yellow warnings for strong winds and high waves in Andalucia today The weather alerts will be in force along parts of the south coast of Spain this Wednesday (12 April) Europa Press Malaga Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Spains state weather agency Aemet has issued yellow alert level warnings this Wednesday, 12 April, for coastal phenomena in the Andalusian provinces of Granada and Almeria. As detailed on its website, the notices will be in force from 4pm to midnight on the coasts of Granada and the Poniente, the Levante and the city of Almeria, due to a force seven westerly wind. It is forecast to blow at a speed of 50 to 60 kilometres per hour and whip up waves that could reach up to two and three metres in height. For the rest of the region, Aemet is forecasting a day of slightly cloudy or clear skies, with increasing amounts of medium and high clouds during the afternoon. Ampliar Malaga province forecast - 12 April 2023. SUR On the coast and at the mouth of the Guadalquivir, intervals of low clouds and mist are expected. The minimum temperatures will see little change, while the maximums will be on the rise on the Mediterranean coast and drop slightly in the rest of the region. Gibraltar minister advances cruise line marketing plans at Florida fair Vijay Daryanani met with 25 cruise lines at Seatrade Global in an attempt to reconnect with the sector Sur in English Gibraltar Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Gibraltar's minister for Tourism and Business, Hon Vijay Daryanani, led the Rock's delegation to the Seatrade Global cruise trade fair in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last weekend. Seatrade is the largest annual cruise gathering worldwide, with over 13,000 professionals getting together to innovate, uncover new trends and secure partnerships. The trip was an opportunity for the Gibraltar government to reconnect with this sector, putting forward its case for increased cruise calls and setting out its ambitions within the industry. Daryanani was accompanied on the trip by Kevin Bossino, CEO of Gibraltar Tourist Board, and John Ghio, Captain of the port. Ampliar Daryanani said the trip was "an intense few days of marketing and networking in what is a seriously challenging industry". He added, "We know we have to work hard all the time, non-stop, for this to happen in what is a dynamic and ongoing situation. I am not prepared to settle for what we currently have and that is why I will continue to take every possible opportunity to put Gibraltars case forward." He said that Gibraltar's presence at events like Seatrade was "necessary" and that the government's commitment to the cruising sector was "unquestionable". Ukraine has asked India to supply medicines and medical equipment and help it rebuild war-damaged infrastructure, Indias External Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday. The request was conveyed by Emine Dzhaparova, the deputy minister of foreign affairs and Ukraines most senior official to visit India since Russia's invasion began a year ago. During her visit this week, she highlighted Ukraines desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India, the ministry said in a statement. She also handed a letter by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Details of the letter were not immediately known. Modi and Zelenskyy have spoken over the phone in the past year, but India has refrained from condemning Russias invasion and has abstained several times from voting on U.N. resolutions against Moscow. India has maintained high-level contacts with Russia and is one of Moscow's key trade partners in the defense and oil industries. New Delhi has stressed the need for diplomacy and dialogue on ending the war and has expressed its willingness to contribute to peace efforts. Apart from providing medicines and medical equipment, India would also supply school buses to Ukraine, the Indian statement said. Dzhaparova proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, the statement said. India can play a bigger and greater role and Ukraine would welcome any effort that is directed at resolving the war, she said in a speech Tuesday at the Indian Council of World Affairs, a think tank in New Delhi. The sides agreed to hold the next round of foreign ministry consultations in Kyiv on a mutually convenient date, the Indian foreign ministry said. Search Keywords: Short link: This is how the new 17-million-euro roof to make Malaga cathedral watertight will be installed The Bishopric has released a video explaining the construction process of the new roofs and the location of the two large tower cranes that will be used Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram The Bishopric of Malaga has released a video explaining how the construction process of the gable roof for the cathedral designed by the architects Juan Manuel Sanchez La Chica and Adolfo de la Torre Prieto will be carried out. The short film has been produced by the two construction companies awarded the contract by the diocese for this unique project: Hermanos Campano and Grupo ORP. This details how two tower cranes will be placed in Calle Postigo de los Abades for the installation of the roof which is being carefully planned so as not to affect the entrance of the Holy Week processional floats. The works, valued by the diocese at more than 17 million euros and expected to take 28 months to complete, will begin with the demolition of the 'brick skin' that was applied to the outside of the vaults of the cathedral in 2009 and which proved to be unsuccessful. The brick layers will be removed and the lead sheeting that was laid as a base will be left in place to protect the building in the event of rainfall. While the 'brick skin' is being removed, preparations will begin to lay the wooden beam structure on which the roof will be built. In a workshop at street level, the different parts will be assembled. Once the structure and the deck of the new roof guarantee that the rains will not cause deterioration in the lower area, the lead sheets will be removed and the vertical enclosures, cladding and finishes of the roof will take place. This process will begin with the baroque part of the cathedral, that is, from the facade on the Plaza del Obispado to the east, towards the transept. It will then continue along the ambulatory (the curved part that frames the main altar) and the north and south transepts, next to the doors of the patio de los Naranjos and Calle Postigo de los Abades. Juan Carlos, who will first hold a private meeting with King Charles III in London, does not plan to travel to the Zarzuela palace in Madrid to meet family members this time S. Rodriguez Madrid Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram In August 2020 former king Juan Carlos took up residence in Abu Dhabi with the intention of returning periodically to Spain, but the complicated judicial situation in which he was immersed prevented him from doing so. It was not until last May, with the three cases being studied in the Supreme Court having been shelved, that the Emeritus King fulfilled his wish to return to Spanish soil when he took part in the Sanxenxo sailing regatta in Galicia. Now, once again, Juan Carlos I is preparing to return to Spain. He will do so on Wednesday 19 April. And the chosen destination will again be Sanxenxo. He is returning to compete with the Bribon crew in the Spanish Cup in the six-metre class. It will be a whirlwind visit, from Wednesday to Sunday, the day on which he plans to return, on a private flight, to Abu Dhabi. And this time the former king is not expected to conclude his trip with a family lunch at the Zarzuela palace, as happened in May last year. The Royal Household, for the moment, is keeping quiet about Don Juan Carlos' visit to Spain, although it is aware of it, to the point that it advised him not to travel in mid-May, as he had planned, so that his stay would not coincide with the election campaign for the municipal and regional elections on 28 May. Before arriving in Pontevedra, Felipe VI's father will make a stop in London, where he will meet King Charles III at a private lunch. This meeting is due to the strong friendship and family ties that unite the current King of England with Don Juan Carlos. In fact, it was at the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, last September, that the first public meeting between King Philip and his father took place. In March 2020, Felipe announced he was renouncing his inheritance from Don Juan Carlos and at the same time withdrew the allowance the former king had been receiving from the Crown until then. Reports of the emeritus' hidden fortune led the King to cut off his father in order to try to put a firewall between the scandals of Juan Carlos I and the Royal Family. Russia's deputy foreign minister on Wednesday acknowledged that detained US reporter Evan Gershkovich had not been granted consular access, two weeks after his arrest. The Wall Street Journal journalist was arrested in Russia on claims of espionage, which he denies. "The question (of consular access) is under review," Sergei Ryabkov was cited as saying by state-run agencies. "We are acting in accordance with our laws, taking into account consular conventions of course," Ryabkov also said. "We won't tolerate any attempts to put pressure" on Russia, he said. The US State Department has said it has sought consular access to Gershkovich since learning of his arrest. On Tuesday US President Joe Biden declared the imprisonment "illegal" after the State Department classified the reporter as "wrongfully detained". Ryabkov said "for us, the status assigned in Washington does not matter." Gershkovich's arrest is seen as a serious escalation of Moscow's crackdown on the media. His publication and officials also denied the charges against him. Russia has classified his case as "secret", which limits the information available on it. Search Keywords: Short link: Russia's upper house of parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial bill to create a digital draft system that could bar men from leaving the country amid Moscow's offensive in Ukraine. Senators backed the bill after parliament's lower house, the State Duma, passed the legislation on second and third readings on Tuesday. The bill has next to be signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. Kremlin critics say the bill will greatly facilitate mobilizing men to fight in Ukraine and clamp down on those avoiding the draft as Russia's assault on Ukraine stretches into a second year. The Kremlin insists it is not planning another mobilization drive and there is nothing unusual about the speed at which the legislation is being passed. At parliament's upper house on Wednesday, only one senator voted against the legislation, with 163 in favor. Under the proposed changes, a draftee would be banned from leaving Russia and would have to report to an enlistment office once electronic call-up papers are received. Currently, such notices have to be delivered in person, and many Russian men have managed to dodge the draft by refusing to pick up their orders and fleeing abroad. Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of parliament's upper house, the Federation Council, appeared to defend the legislation but also pointed to the controversy surrounding it. The veteran politician referred to "tempestuous comments" online and argued that the new system would be more "convenient" for Russians. Putin's spokesman said the legislation was needed to "put in order the system of registration and conscription of those who must serve in the army." "When the special military operation started, we saw that there was a mess in our enlistment offices," Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, using the official Russian term for the offensive in Ukraine. He defended the swift adoption of the bill, saying that "experts" had worked on it and that it was approved "in accordance with the procedure of the Duma." Search Keywords: Short link: Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. The State University of New York college system has ended its emergency Covid-19 vaccine mandate, a day after President Joe Biden ended the U.S. emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., announced Tuesday that it is no longer mandatory for students to be vaccinated in order to attend classes at all 64 campuses across the state. The safety of SUNYs students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us, King said in a statement. Across SUNY we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students. WBNG reports the decision, made in conjunction with New York state health officials, will go into effect for summer classes and following semesters. Approximately 77.5% of New Yorkers ages 18-25 have completed their primary vaccination series, along with 79.8% of people ages 26-34. Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution Monday, ending the nations Covid emergency declaration weeks before it was scheduled to expire on May 11. The Associated Press notes many measures had already been phased out, but changes include the Department of Housing and Urban Development ending its mortgage forbearance program and the Department of Veterans Affairs returning to a requirement for in-home visits to determine eligibility for caregiver assistance. More than 1.13 million people in the U.S. died from Covid over the past three years, according to the CDC, including 1,773 people last week. The World Health Organization has not declared the pandemic over. As of Friday, only 13 counties in the nation have high Covid community levels, according to the CDC. None are in New York, where most counties are at low levels. Syracuse, N.Y. Family, neighbors and community activists gathered Tuesday outside the house of Baby Diors aunt in Syracuse. They laid out candles, flowers and stuffed animals next to pictures of the 11-month-old who is the youngest known victim to gun violence in Syracuse. Dior Harris was killed two years ago when a gunman fired at a car she was in on Grant Avenue. A 3-year-old and an 8-year-old girl were also injured in the shooting. As activists spoke Tuesday, it was on the heels of a shooting on the citys Near West Side that left a 10-year-old shot in the leg after getting a haircut at a barber shop and two months after 11-year-old Brexialee Torres-Ortiz was fatally shot while bringing home a gallon of milk. For many kids in Syracuse, activists said the scars that come with gun violence that affect their peers is hard to cope with. Our children have to grow up in different circumstances, Mered Billue, of Rebirth SYR, said Tuesday. Our children thats getting shot are never going to be children again. 7 A vigil for 11 month old Dior Harris killed Sunday evening in Syracuse Gun violence affects childrens education and their trust in those they expect to protect them, the activists said. And it happens too often, Hasahn Bloodworth said. Before Dior and Brexialee, there was 20-month-old Rashaad Walker and the Rye Day shootings that left a 17-year-old dead. Bloodworth said to make change its not enough to organize only when tragedies strike. This is year No. 2, he said. Usually in Syracuse what happens is we have a vigil and a week later everything is forgotten. Were going to keep Dior alive, Bloodworth said. Were going to continue to say her name. More coverage from Syracuse.com Syracuse man charged with firing shots that killed Baby Dior two years ago Judges words send Syracuse family of murdered Baby Dior clapping excitedly in court Hunt on for new suspect in murder of 11-month-old Baby Dior after DNA clue How blue car, denials led to arrest in Baby Dior murder. Youre lying, bro! suspect yells Syracuse man faces 125 years to life in Baby Diors murder. But are others involved? Judge jumps into courtroom chaos, begs murdered babys mom to calm down: Take off the handcuffs! I tried to save you: Community mourns Syracuse baby shot and killed Man charged with murder in connection with shooting of Syracuse baby She made everything better: Family IDs Syracuse baby fatally shot Syracuse police ask public for help in solving babys death in citys Ground Zero for violent crime DA: Two moms uninjured in shooting that killed 11-month-old girl, wounded 3- and 8-year-old sisters Baby killed, 2 children injured in shooting in Syracuse Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him: Email | Twitter or at 315-690-6950. A new movie shot in the Syracuse area promises a big, emotional journey and a cute little dog. Sendero, written, directed produced by and starring Michael Flores, centers on a young couple, Sol (Flores) and Gina (Nicki Valastro), who dream of travel and adventure. But when Gina is killed in a school shooting, Sol takes a road trip in a vintage RV with their dog, Rosie Perez (named after the famous actress), with hopes of keeping his wifes memory alive by helping others and rediscovering his Mestizo (Hispanic and Native American) heritage. Sendero, which is Spanish for Path, was shot almost entirely in Central New York. The cast includes local actors and Jon Proudstar, best known for playing Leon on FXs Reservation Dogs. I am very proud to be a part of this film, Proudstar said in a statement. According to a press release, the film was primarily conceived as a festival piece with themes and an engaging storyline. Student Academy Award winner and civil rights filmmaker Brad Bailey called it an act of courage and representation. There is enough intrigue, peril and heart to satisfy mainstream viewers drawn to such movies as Nomadland, Nebraska, and, more recently, A Man Called Otto, Flores said. Sendero combines dramatic quality with huge commercial potential. Flores is a local filmmaker who has contributed to productions like A Quiet Place Part II, Paper Spiders, The Binge, The Night House, and Banana Split. He also co-founded Nomad Cinemas, which sets up outdoor movie screenings at places like the Everson Museum and the Syracuse Inner Harbor. Sendero will premiere this Friday, April 14, at 6 p.m. at American High (Syracuse Studios), the former A.V. Zogg Middle School and Liverpool high school located at at 800 4th Street, Liverpool, N.Y. There will be a Q&A with Sendero immediately following the screening. To attend the premiere, email SenderoMovie@gmail.com for the official RSVP signup list. A limited number of seats are available. See the trailer for Sendero: Sign up for the CNY Arts, Culture & Entertainment Newsletter Enter your email address to get weekly updates on CNY music, theater, arts and more delivered to your inbox: MORE: Murder Mystery 2: CNY filmmaker nabs biggest opening weekend yet with new movie New film commission in Utica aims to make more movies in Central NY Manodrome reviews: New Syracuse movie has critics talking about Fight Club A popular jam band is returning to Central New York to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Umphreys McGee is bringing its 25 Year Tour to Utica for an Aug. 19 concert at Saranac Brewery. Doors open at 5 p.m.; special guest Tauk will open the show at 6:30. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 14, at 10 a.m. through Creative Concerts. Prices start at $35; a limited number of VIP Brewery Experience passes are also available, including a pre-show party in 1888 Tavern, snacks, early entry, and a private bar and viewing area. Umphreys McGee, which formed at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, is a long-time touring group thats performed a wide range of shows, from the Bonnaroo festival to more intimate Headphones & Snowcones shows. The band mixes several music styles including progressive rock, metal, funk, jazz, blues, reggae, and folk, including on new album Asking for a Friend. Umphreys performs in Central New York frequently, including at Syracuses Landmark Theatre last year, Lafayettes Apple Valley Park in 2021, Baldwinsvilles Paper Mill Island in 2018 and the F Shed in 2016. Other upcoming concerts at Saranac Brewery including a June 24 performance by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads) and Adrian Belew (of King Crimson). Sign up for the CNY Arts, Culture & Entertainment Newsletter Enter your email address to get weekly updates on CNY music, theater, arts and more delivered to your inbox: MORE: Why youll be pouring out your drinks at the Red Hot Chili Peppers JMA Dome concert New York states best beers and top brewery for 2023: The winners are ... Syracuses newest music/events venue sits atop its oldest brewery Lake Luzerne, N.Y. The prospect of a drag queen story hour at an Upstate New York library has sparked a heated discussion, bringing a furious national debate into a small Adirondacks community. The debate began when the Rockwell Falls Public Library announced plans Saturday to host its first-ever drag queen story hour with Scarlet Sagamore, a drag queen from the Capital Region. The story hour is slated to take place at 10:15 a.m. Saturday and is set to include stories, songs and the crafting of crowns. This gives us the opportunity in sticking with our vision statement to be at the programming forefront within SALS (Southern Adirondack Library System), providing opportunities for our patrons to participate in cultural growth, the library wrote. Wed love to see you there. The announcement posted on the Lake Luzerne librarys Facebook page quickly garnered hundreds of impassioned comments. The gamut of opinions ranged from people excited to attend storytime with Scarlet Sagamore to commenters who opined bringing children to a drag show should be considered a crime. Enough of this sexualization of children nationwide with drag shows and all this other BS, one angry commenter wrote. Another commenter applauded Rockwell Falls. These people dress up as characters from the stories, do voices and sing to the kids. They bring the stories to life. If anything, its more like what broadway plays do, its not sexual, the commenter wrote. Go be mad about real problems, like kids dying in school on the regular. The fervor-filled discussion moved from the internet into a Rockwell Falls Public Library board meeting on Tuesday, where town residents voiced both adamant support and fervent disapproval of the planned event, reported The Post-Star. At the end of the meeting, the librarys director said she would review a formal request to cancel the story hour with the board and staff, the newspaper said. The debate in Lake Luzerne, a small town in Warren County, comes as some conservative groups work to ban drag shows in public settings across the United States. That push has included protests of drag queen story hours. As of Wednesday afternoon, no decision about the event at Rockwell Falls had been announced. In her most recent Instagram post, shared two weeks ago, Scarlet Sagamore glitters in creamsicle colors. The drag queen captioned the smiling portrait with a statement: Nothing about this is a crime. READ MORE Upstate NY drag queen Darienne Lake releases new standup comedy special NY AG Letitia James to host Drag Story Hour event amid controversy Syria will reopen its diplomatic mission in Tunisia and appoint an ambassador there, Damascus and Tunis said in a joint statement Wednesday after more than a decade of strained ties. Syria's decision followed a similar move by Tunis on April 3, when Tunisian President Kais Saied instructed his foreign minister to begin procedures to appoint an ambassador to Damascus. "In response to the initiative of the President of the Tunisian Republic... the Syrian government... decided to reopen the Syrian embassy in Tunisia, and to appoint an ambassador soon," Syria's official news agency SANA said quoting the statement. Tunisia's Saied had said last month he planned to restore diplomatic relations with Syria. It was the latest example of Arab outreach to the internationally isolated government in Damascus that has gathered pace since Syria and Turkey were hit by a devastating earthquake in February. Since the quake, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has received calls and aid from Arab leaders, momentum analysts say he could leverage to bolster regional support. Assad has visited the United Arab Emirates, which restored ties in 2018, and Oman this year, and last month Saudi Arabia said it has started talks with Damascus about resuming consular services. Tunisia expelled Syria's ambassador in 2012 over the government's repression of peaceful protesters that triggered more than a decade of civil war which has killed around half a million people and displaced millions more since 2011. The Syrian government was bolstered when Russia intervened on its side from 2015 and has since regained control over much of the territory it lost in the early stages of the war. The diplomatic rupture with Tunis, undertaken when former president Moncef Marzouki was still in office, was strongly criticised by the Tunisian opposition at the time. In 2015, Tunisia took a step toward re-establishing relations when it designated a consular representative to Damascus to "follow" the situation of Tunisians in Syria. Nine Arab countries are set to meet in Saudi Arabia later this week to discuss moves to end Assad's decade-old isolation. The Arab League, which suspended Syria in 2011, is expected to hold a summit in Riyadh in May. Search Keywords: Short link: Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account. A Belgian judge agreed on Wednesday to release Greek MEP Eva Kaili, charged with corruption under the Qatargate graft inquiry, from custody and into house arrest pending her prosecution. "She is under house arrest in Belgium and placed under electronic surveillance. The investigating judge has just made the decision," Antoon Schotsaert, a magistrate at the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, told AFP. Kaili, who has become the public face of a scandal that rocked the European Parliament, was the last suspect still in pre-trial detention, four months after her arrest last year. Search Keywords: Short link: Ovais BHPian Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: Islamabad, Paki Posts: 30 Thanked: 1,127 Times re: Honda 1.3L Engine swap into a Suzuki Alto Quote: BeemerBug_06 Originally Posted by It's pretty interesting to learn and know about how some of the most popular cars sold in India are distinctly different across the border. I had no idea the Alto got the F10A motor, was under the impression that it had the F8B there as well. The F10A was sold here with the Maruti 1000 (Suzuki Margalla for you) and the early Maruti Gypsies (Suzuki Potohar). The swap looks to be very neat indeed. Looking forward to hear more about it from you. PS : Would be great if you can share some videos of the car in action once it's done. Would definitely be worth a watch ! Do keep this thread updated . What an interesting an unique project. I would never have even thought that someone would undertake such a build. Thank you for taking out the time to articulate it all here.It's pretty interesting to learn and know about how some of the most popular cars sold in India are distinctly different across the border. I had no idea the Alto got the F10A motor, was under the impression that it had the F8B there as well. The F10A was sold here with the Maruti 1000 (Suzuki Margalla for you) and the early Maruti Gypsies (Suzuki Potohar).The swap looks to be very neat indeed. Looking forward to hear more about it from you. PS : Would be great if you can share some videos of the car in action once it's done. Would definitely be worth a watch !Do keep this thread updated . Thank you so much for the kind words, means a lot! Yes, that is correct, the Alto came with an F10a with a 5 speed manual transmission and so did the Suzuki Potohar/SJ410 and the Margalla/Swift Sedan came with a G13 engine. The Suzuki Mehran, known as the Maruti 800 for you and the Suzuki Bolan/Ravi which are a van and a pickup, they came with an f8b engine. I'll share videos of the performance once I have those. Quote: Jeroen Originally Posted by very interesting and well executed. It will be interesting to find out how it drives and handles when you are done. Good luck, look forward to see some more. Jeroen Thank you so much! Quote: frankmehta Originally Posted by Greetings to our neighbour brother with the same wavelength! Love the attention to detail and the love for the car! Honda i-dsi/ivtec engines are available dime a dozen here (heck, I have a brand new 1.2 ivtec lying in my garage from the 1.5 L15A7 swap in my Honda Brio {CRIO}). Thanks for putting dirty thoughts in our heads, and entertaining us with this wet dream of a car. Please keep updating the thread with videos of engine and exhaust notes and a flyby, maybe. KUDOS! I will definitely share videos once I have them. Quote: Yash390 Originally Posted by This is why I love TeamBHP, members doing things the common public wouldn't even think of, sharing their endless knowledge, skills and passion with everyone. This website is the first I open when I start my day, and today I had to rub my eyes pretty hard to actually digest the thread title. I recommend everyone to sit with a tub of popcorn and go through this thread. Thanks for sharing ! Thank you so much for the appreciation! I'm glad that you feel that way about the thread! Quote: ExplorerXIII Originally Posted by The replacement engine probably produces twice as much power and torque as the original. Do you have plans to fortify chassis, breaks and wheels? That is correct, the power and torque are twice as much as they were before. The chassis will be fortified with a bottom cross member and a strut bar made out of 1 inch diameter steel bars. This car originally didn't come with a bottom crossmember, but I will be adding one to reduce chassis flex. Regarding the brakes, a brake upgrade is definitely on the cards. I intend to use bigger brakes on the front eventually, I'll see what car's brakes I can use with minimal modification. Regarding the wheels, I already have 13" 5JJ wheels on the car with wider tyres. I might switch to alloy wheels some time down the road if I can find a good deal on some Japanese alloy wheels because the market is flooded with non-rated wheels. Thank you so much for the kind words, means a lot! Yes, that is correct, the Alto came with an F10a with a 5 speed manual transmission and so did the Suzuki Potohar/SJ410 and the Margalla/Swift Sedan came with a G13 engine. The Suzuki Mehran, known as the Maruti 800 for you and the Suzuki Bolan/Ravi which are a van and a pickup, they came with an f8b engine.I'll share videos of the performance once I have those.Thank you so much!Thank you so much for the appreciation! You are too kindI will definitely share videos once I have them.Thank you so much for the appreciation! I'm glad that you feel that way about the thread!That is correct, the power and torque are twice as much as they were before. The chassis will be fortified with a bottom cross member and a strut bar made out of 1 inch diameter steel bars. This car originally didn't come with a bottom crossmember, but I will be adding one to reduce chassis flex. Regarding the brakes, a brake upgrade is definitely on the cards. I intend to use bigger brakes on the front eventually, I'll see what car's brakes I can use with minimal modification.Regarding the wheels, I already have 13" 5JJ wheels on the car with wider tyres. I might switch to alloy wheels some time down the road if I can find a good deal on some Japanese alloy wheels because the market is flooded with non-rated wheels. Xaos636 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Down South Posts: 459 Thanked: 2,806 Times re: Venue comes home | My Hyundai Venue Turbo-GDI DCT Review | EDIT: 55,000 km up Hi readers, just to update, my Venue SX+ DCT completes 50,000 kms in a little over 2.5 years and have done the 50k service as well. Apart from a few niggles like the sound from Steering area(worm shaft replaced under warranty), the car has been pretty good. Compared to my previous Maruti Suzuki cars, the Venue has stood up really well without any vibrations from the dashboard or anywhere else. Vibrations are one thing I hate and I am impressed with this behavior of the car and believe its put together really well. Dual Clutch Transmission Life test Not sure how many are aware, but Hyundai software helps you to determine how much of the clutch have been used so far. I believe checking this at regular intervals could give a good indication if the clutches/gearbox are about to fail, but would not recommend to just rely on this as of now, as its just a software. Below is the judder test result. If the system picks up an unregular Judder during these tests, then we have to go to the next step of replacing a few parts/changing transmission oil etc. to resolve the issue. Mine passed the test. The remaining life of both the clutch. Along with this, there are a few more tests which can determine issues related to Hyundai's DCT. So far, the software shows my gearbox works absolutely fine. Yes, the same software does duty on Seltos 7DCT, Creta 1.4 DCT, i20 DCT/N-Line, Kia Sonet, Venue N-Line, Carens etc. The Traction control error and ABS light came on after the 50k service. The scan showed steering calibration issue has triggered these lights. They have now calibrated the same again and cleared the codes and going good so far. The milestone. Straight to Madhus for alignment and balancing at 50k kms. In good company with @krishnaprasadgg's Stage 3 RS230. The service bill. The fuel filter was changed as its a recommended replacement by Hyundai at 50k kms. A parting shot. The remaining life of both the clutch.Along with this, there are a few more tests which can determine issues related to Hyundai's DCT. So far, the software shows my gearbox works absolutely fine.Yes, the same software does duty on Seltos 7DCT, Creta 1.4 DCT, i20 DCT/N-Line, Kia Sonet, Venue N-Line, Carens etc.The Traction control error and ABS light came on after the 50k service. The scan showed steering calibration issue has triggered these lights. They have now calibrated the same again and cleared the codes and going good so far.The milestone.Straight to Madhus for alignment and balancing at 50k kms.In good company with @krishnaprasadgg's Stage 3 RS230.The service bill. The fuel filter was changed as its a recommended replacement by Hyundai at 50k kms.A parting shot. Special mention to KVR Hyundai service, Calicut , Kerala for giving me a really good experience yet again and doing things proactively. SVC manager Sreekanth and SA Naveen has been very responsive in giving timely updates and never unnecessarily adding works on the car just for the name of it, as some service centers do. NOTE: I am no way related to KVR Hyundai and the experience is based on my interactions with them and cannot guarantee this would happen always. My Venue DCT Completes 50,000kms in 2.5 years.Hi readers, just to update, my Venue SX+ DCT completes 50,000 kms in a little over 2.5 years and have done the 50k service as well. Apart from a few niggles like the sound from Steering area(worm shaft replaced under warranty), the car has been pretty good. Compared to my previous Maruti Suzuki cars, the Venue has stood up really well without any vibrations from the dashboard or anywhere else. Vibrations are one thing I hate and I am impressed with this behavior of the car and believe its put together really well.Not sure how many are aware, but Hyundai software helps you to determine how much of the clutch have been used so far. I believe checking this at regular intervals could give a good indication if the clutches/gearbox are about to fail, but would not recommend to just rely on this as of now, as its just a software.Below is the judder test result. If the system picks up an unregular Judder during these tests, then we have to go to the next step of replacing a few parts/changing transmission oil etc. to resolve the issue. Mine passed the test.Special mention to KVR Hyundai service, Calicut , Kerala for giving me a really good experience yet again and doing things proactively. SVC manager Sreekanth and SA Naveen has been very responsive in giving timely updates and never unnecessarily adding works on the car just for the name of it, as some service centers do.NOTE: I am no way related to KVR Hyundai and the experience is based on my interactions with them and cannot guarantee this would happen always. WizTree is a high speed disk space analyzer utility for Windows. It scans your hard drive and shows you which files and folders are using the most disk space. Your entire hard drive's file system is displayed visually, making it very easy to locate large files and folders. Use the information WizTree provides to quickly locate and remove "space hogs" from your hard drive. Which file system does WizTree support? WizTree scans all hard drive types supported by Windows (NTFS, FAT, FAT32, network, etc). Storage devices in phones and cameras can also be scanned when connected via USB. Is WizTree free? Yes, WizTree is free for personal use. If you want to use it commercially, you can purchase a "supporter code" or an enterprise license. Is WizTree compatible with macOS? WizTree is Windows only, but an alternative for macOS called GrandPerspective works similarly. Are there other good alternatives to WizTree? Other recommended disk space analyzers for Windows include Space Sniffer, DiskSavvy, WinDirStat and TreeSize. All of them are free. Why do I need WizTree? WizTree scans your storage drives in real time and lets you visualize how your files and folders are structured and which files are taking the most space. WizTree is great for identifying big apps or files you can delete to recover space on your storage drive. When scanning NTFS formatted hard drives (most modern hard drives use this format), WizTree reads the hard drive's Master File Table (MFT) directly from the disk. The MFT is a special hidden file used by the NTFS file system to keep track of all files and folders on a hard drive. Scanning for files this way completely bypasses the operating system (Windows) and provides a huge performance boost. WizTree can also scan non NTFS hard drives, network drives, USB drives and individual directories. Features Disk Space Analysis Quickly identify what's using up the space on your hard drive and optionally delete files and folders to free up space. Extremely Fast! WizTree reads the Master File Table (MFT) directly from NTFS formatted drives (similar to the way Everything Search Engine works) Multiple File Systems WizTree can scan all hard drive types supported by Windows (NTFS, FAT, FAT32, network, etc). MTP/PTP devices like smartphones and cameras can also be scanned when connected via USB. Visual Treemap The visual treemap displays all files and folders visually based on their size. This allows you to spot large files and large collections of smaller files at a glance. Find Largest Files The "File View" lists every individual file and folder on your hard drive in order of size. File Name Search Quickly locate files by name or type using the file view search filter. Wildcard searches also supported (e.g. *.mp3) Export File and MFT Data All or selected file information can be exported to CSV (comma separated values) file or copied to the clipboard. MFT files can be extracted and dumped to a file. Import File and MFT Data Exported CSV and dumped MFT files can be imported back into WizTree for viewing. Great for tracking file system changes over time. Command Line Support Exports of CSV and MFT files can be done via command line parameters. Great for automated auditing of hard drives. It's free WizTree is free for personal use. However you can help support further development and use it commercially by purchasing a "Supporter Code". Large organizations should purchase an Enterprise license for unlimited use. What's New A Lebanese judge will lift a travel ban imposed on the country's embattled central bank chief, who has been summoned for a hearing in Paris next month, two judicial officials said Wednesday. Riad Salameh is part of a political class widely blamed for Lebanon's unprecedented economic crisis that the World Bank says is of a scale usually associated with wars. He is the target of a series of judicial investigations both at home and abroad on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and illicit enrichment, among other allegations, including in France where he has been summoned for a hearing on May 16. "Judge Ghada Aoun will lift the travel ban on Riad Salameh tomorrow," the first judicial official told AFP, requesting anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Aoun slapped Salameh with the ban in January last year after an activist group filed a lawsuit against the central bank chief, alleging financial misconduct. A second judicial official, also requesting anonymity, confirmed the restrictions would be lifted on Thursday. "He will have no excuse not to go to France" for the hearing, the second official added. France, Germany and Luxembourg in March last year seized assets worth 120 million euros ($130 million) in a move linked to a probe by French investigators into 72-year-old Salameh's personal wealth. Salameh, who denies wrongdoing, is also being investigated by Lebanese authorities on suspicion of financial misconduct including possible embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion. Lebanon opened its own probe into Salameh's wealth in 2021, after the office of Switzerland's top prosecutor requested assistance with an investigation into more than $300 million allegedly embezzled out of the central bank with the help of his brother Raja. Both Salameh brothers have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. A source close to the French investigation said Raja, Salameh's former assistant Marianne Hoayek and his son Nady Salameh were mentioned as potential accomplices but have not been charged with a crime. A French judge is also investigating Marwan Kheireddine, head of Al-Mawarid Bank, which is suspected of having bypassed proper checks on Salameh's accounts, the source said. Kheireddine is being probed for potential financial crimes including criminal association with the aim of embezzling public funds, aggravated breach of trust and corrupting a civil servant, according to the source. Search Keywords: Short link: A hot potato: The New York Police Department has welcomed back one of its former officers: Digidog, a heavily modified Spot robot dog from Boston Dynamics. Its return comes two years after the NYPD canceled its contract with the robotics company after a backlash over Digidog's potential surveillance abilities and the fact that it reminds people of the Metalhead robot from dystopian TV series Black Mirror. NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced the return of Digidog in press conference yesterday, claiming that the remote-controlled machine could "save lives." It's a stark contrast to former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's spokesperson, Bill Neidhardt, who in 2021 said it was creepy, alienating, and sent the wrong message to New Yorkers. Spot did see some success during its first spell at the NYPD. It was deployed during a 2020 incident for reconnaissance purposes when a gunman holed himself up in a basement following a shooting. It was used in the same capacity a year later to investigate a house during a home invasion before officers entered. But it was video footage of that second incident that led to criticism over Digidog's use, led by US House of Representatives member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Then-mayor de Blasio told the NYPD to "rethink" how it used the robot. The force quickly terminated its $94,000 contract with Boston Dynamics. .@NYPDnews has always been on the cutting edge of public safety. They upgrade, evaluate and innovate new ways to protect our city. Today we saw that in action in @TimesSquareNYC. https://t.co/T9JhptafL1 Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 11, 2023 But Digidog is back, and with it comes two other forms of security and surveillance tech being used by the NYPD: StarChase's vehicle-mounted/handheld GPS launcher that deploys a GPS tracking tag onto a suspect's vehicle; and Knightscope's K5 ASR, a "fully autonomous outdoor security robot." You might remember how the previous versions of this robot once allegedly knocked down a toddler, and in 2017 threw itself (or fell) into a fountain. There was also an incident in which a man punched one of the robots to the ground. He was said to be drunk at the time but still managed to take the 300-pound machine down with his fists. "This is the beginning of a series of rollouts we are going to do to show how public safety has transformed itself," Adams said. "A few loud people were opposed to it, and we took a step back that is not how I operate. I operate on looking at what's best for the city." The NYPD will acquire two robot dogs for a total of $750,000. They will only be used in life-threatening situations such as bomb threats, writes the New York Times. Not everyone is pleased to see Digidog's return. The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP)'s executive director, Albert Fox Cahn, said, "The NYPD is turning bad science fiction into terrible policing. New York deserves real safety, not a knockoff robocop. Wasting public dollars to invade New Yorkers' privacy is a dangerous police stunt." TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust Recap: Every second Tuesday of the month, Microsoft rolls out its latest collection of security fixes. The unofficial 'Patch Tuesday' definition has been used by Microsoft in the last 20 years to describe the company's release of security fixes for Windows and other products. For April 2023, the company's update focuses on closing multiple vulnerabilities as well as a nasty zero-day flaw. According to Microsoft's official security bulletin, patches released in April 2023 provide updates for many Windows components including the Kernel, Win32K API, .NET Core, the Azure cloud platform, Microsoft Office applications, Visual Studio, and Windows Active Directory. All things considered, the latest Patch Tuesday fixes 97 security flaws. Seven vulnerabilities are classified with a "critical" risk level, as they could be abused to remotely execute potentially malicious code. The Patch Tuesday flaws are classified as follows: 20 elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, eight security feature bypass vulnerabilities, 45 remote code execution vulnerabilities, 10 information disclosure vulnerabilities, nine denial of service vulnerabilities, and six spoofing vulnerabilities. The list doesn't include 17 security flaws in Microsoft Edge that were fixed a week ago. A complete report on all the flaws and related advisories has been published by Bleeping Computer. Besides security fixes, on Patch Tuesday day Microsoft also rolled out cumulative, non-security updates for Windows 11 (KB5025239) and Windows 10 (KB5025221, KB5025229). The single zero-day vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2023-28252, or 'Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.' An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain system privileges, Microsoft explains, meaning that they could achieve the highest access level available on a Windows OS. According to security researchers, cyber-criminals are already trying to exploit the CVE-2023-28252 bug to spread the Nokoyawa ransomware to organizations belonging to wholesale, energy, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. The flaw is similar to another privilege escalation bug supposedly fixed by Microsoft in February, which according to Zero Day Initiative's researcher Dustin Childs implies that the original fix wasn't enough and that attackers have found a new way to bypass it. Microsoft rolled out its latest patches via Windows Update, update management systems such as WSUS, and as direct downloads on the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Other software companies releasing security updates in sync with this month Microsoft's Patch Tuesday include Apple, Cisco, Fortinet, Google, and SAP. TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust In a nutshell: Like the rest of the world, China is rushing to implement regulations for generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. Unlike other countries, however, the East Asian nation's watchdog wants its AIs to "reflect the core values of socialism, and must not contain subversion of state power, overthrow of the socialist system, incitement to split the country." Yesterday, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country's internet watchdog, published the Administrative Measures for Generative Artificial Intelligence Services, a document containing the draft rules for what content AIs can generate. In addition to ensuring their products uphold Chinese socialist values, businesses that provide generative AI services must prevent them from outputting discriminatory content, false information, and content that harms personal privacy or intellectual property, writes the South China Morning Post. Additionally, violence, obscene and pornographic information, promotion of terrorism, extremism, and ethnic hatred is also prohibited. All generative AI products should also pass a security assessment by the CAC before being released to the public, meeting a requirement for all online information services that have the ability to influence public opinion, writes the watchdog. Users of these AI services must also provide their real name, and anyone who uses a provider's content for "engaging in network hype, maliciously posting and commenting, creating spam, writing malicious software, and implementing improper commercial marketing" must be suspended or have their access to the service terminated. In February, it was reported that Chinese search engine giant Baidu said it would complete internal testing on its generative AI, called Ernie, in March, but the reveal was underwhelming. Local companies Alibaba Group Holding and AI firm SenseTime are also launching generative AIs similar to ChatGPT. The Reg notes that while ChatGPT isn't blocked in China, users need to sign up with a phone number. Numbers from China aren't accepted, though, making it difficult for locals to gain access. Following China leader Xi Jinping's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, the countries released a joint document listing, among other things, their tech ambitions. One of these was to become global leaders in AI, but China, which has tight restrictions and regulations on crypto, video games, internet use, and more, may struggle to reach such lofty heights. Live TV was previously massive on cable or satellite but then came streaming and it almost took over the entire media industry, but the likes of Google TV are making it available again through its internet-based platform. The latest push of Google TV to expand more experiences centers on its updated lineup, with 800 free live TV channels now available. Google TV Expands Live TV Lineup to 800 New Free Channels (Photo : Google Keyword ) Google has recently announced in its blog post the addition of 800 new live TV channels, along with the integration of popular streaming services Plex, Tubi, and Haystack News. The new feature was initially launched with the integration of Pluto TV, which added 300 live TV channels to Google TV. With the new update, Google TV users will have access to a wider selection of live TV content under the new Live tab which the company claims to be easily navigatable on your devices. The addition of new live TV channels and streaming services are part of Google TV's efforts to provide users with a more comprehensive streaming experience. By integrating live TV, on-demand content, and streaming services in a single interface, Google TV is making it easier for users to find and watch the content they want. Read Also: Google Acknowledges Complaints from its Viewers, Improved Some Areas in the Software Live Tab and Premium Tab Side-by-Side on Google TV Google made its TV product segmented, by putting the right service on a specific tab that will help users navigate the app better and lead them to their preferred section. In addition to the Live tab, Google TV now features a Premium tab for users who subscribe to paid streaming services like YouTube TV and Sling TV. These services offer access to additional live TV channels, as well as on-demand content and other features. Streaming in the Present Age of the Internet Google is one of the companies which center on delivering a streaming experience for users with its massive platforms, not limited to YouTube. It joins the many streaming companies in the present, with Netflix, Disney+, Roku, Apple TV+, and more. Like Google TV, other companies provide live TV streaming access including Hulu+ and DirecTV. Google TV, which was launched in 2010, is a smart TV OS with a streaming platform that combines live TV, on-demand content, and streaming services in a single interface. It remains a massive drive from Google towards streaming, giving TV users a more familiar interface that is with Android capabilities, to bring the experience to more users. Google TV is available on a variety of devices, including Chromecast with Google TV, select Android TV devices, and smart TVs from various manufacturers. The platform is free to use, with paid subscription services available for those who want access to additional content and features. The addition of 800 new live TV channels and popular streaming services like Plex, Tubi, and Haystack News is a significant expansion of Google TV's offerings. With the new Live tab and Premium tab, users have even more options for finding and watching their favorite shows and channels. Related Article: Google TV Introduces Parent-Controlled Watchlists and AI-Generated Suggestions for Kids 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A 1,750-year-old translation of Matthew's Gospel has yielded a new Bible chapter thanks to medievalist Grigory Kessel's work. According to IFLScience, the mysterious chapter was discovered using ultraviolet photography on manuscripts housed in the Vatican Library. The remarkable discovery was made as part of the Sinai Palimpsests Project, a research initiative dedicated to recovering erased and overwritten texts from the 4th to 12th centuries CE. How Medievalists Are Restoring the Ancient Religious Text Due to the scarcity of writing materials at the time, manuscripts were frequently repurposed, resulting in palimpsest manuscripts in which previous text was washed or scraped off before new content was added. Modern researchers, however, can illuminate these ancient manuscripts and decipher the original text buried beneath by using fluorescence and different wavelengths of light. Additionally, advancements in imaging called spectral imaging have allowed researchers to read erased texts lost for centuries. Spectral imaging works by taking pictures of an object under different light colors and using complex technology to bring out information otherwise invisible to our eyes. This has led to the recovery of a significant amount of information from previously erased texts, which can now be read and studied again. Uncovering the Secrets of the Ancient World So far, the team has successfully deciphered 74 manuscripts, with the most recent discovery being particularly significant. The hidden translation predates the oldest known Greek translations by a century and has yet to be released. This exciting development sheds new light on Syriac Christianity's tradition of producing multiple Old and New Testaments translations. Until recently, only two manuscripts were known to contain the Old Syriac translation of the Gospels, according to Kessel. In related news, Axios reports that former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman is offering a $250,000 prize to anyone who can use machine learning and computer vision to decipher the Herculaneum papyri, which were buried nearly 2,000 years ago by the Mount Vesuvius eruption. Read Also: Ancient Volcanic Eruption in Pompeii Caused Heat Waves Turning People's Brain to Glass: Study The scrolls were discovered in 1750 as part of a library in a villa owned by Julius Caesar's father-in-law. However, early attempts to open and decode them destroyed many scrolls. X-rays have recently allowed the remaining scrolls to be virtually unrolled but unreadable. Knowledge of Ancient Texts Claudia Rapp, Director of the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Institute for Medieval Research, praised Kessel's discovery, emphasizing the importance of combining modern digital technologies with basic research in medieval manuscripts. Kessel's knowledge of old Syriac texts and script characteristics was critical in uncovering the hidden chapter, demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing research. Finally, this latest discovery adds to our understanding of early Christian traditions by shedding light on a centuries-old translation. This discovery was made possible through the collaborative efforts of experts from various fields, demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary research in uncovering the secrets of our past. You can read about Kessel's research here. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Related Article: 1,100-Year-Old Hebrew Bible to Sell for $30-$50 Million: One of the Oldest Bibles Ever 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The new LinkedIn verification feature is unlike Twitter and Meta since it is free! While Elon Musk threatened Twitter users so that they would subscribe to the new Twitter Blue, LinkedIn decided to introduce free verification options. LinkedIn explained that they are rolling out three additional verification methods since authenticity matters to them. "On LinkedIn, when you show that you're the real you, you'll have an even greater chance of finding the professional opportunities that matter to you and your community," said the social media platform in its official blog post. New LinkedIn Verification Feature is Completely FREE! According to Tech Crunch's latest report, one of the new verification of LinkedIn is through CLEAR, a reliable identity platform. Also Read: LinkedIn Launching Clubhouse-Style Audio Events with Video Version | Currently in Beta The social media company said the CLEAR verification feature is being rolled out in the United States this April. The second LinkedIn verification option is through users' company email addresses. This feature allows users to verify their workplace. The third LinkedIn verification option is through the Microsoft Entra Verified ID platform. This will benefit organizations leveraging Microsoft Entra to issue digital workplace IDs to their staff. New LinkedIn Verification Options are Better! LinkedIn already has other verification methods, such as phone numbers and email addresses. However, these methods don't provide users with verification badges. This is why the employment-focused social media company decided to work on the three new verification options. Unlike the first two methods, the three additional options will offer users badges so employers can easily see they are verified. LinkedIn said that online verification should be available to all users without cost. "We hope you're as excited to use these free features as we are, all in service to keeping your experience an authentic and trusted one," said LinkedIn Product Management VP Oscar Rodriguez If you want to learn more about the new LinkedIn verification features, you can click this link. Here is other news about applications that we recently covered: Previously, Google Maps received a new feature that includes national park assistance, which is expected to roll out on April 22. We also reported WhatsApp's latest update, including the seamless Facebook Story sharing capability. For more news updates about LinkedIn and other popular apps, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: LinkedIn Brings Ai-powered Writing Suggestions, Job Descriptions 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Elon Musk's BBC interview is now going viral on the internet after he shared unbelievable things. If you are a fan of the billionaire, then you already know how his actions are sometimes weird. Although this is the case, he is still quite open to the public, sharing most of his opinions and activities on Twitter. Now, this attitude of his was seen again during a recent interview with BBC. Here are the unusual things he shared. Elon Musk BBC Interview Goes Viral! According to Gizmodo's latest report, one of the weirdest things Musk shared during his BBC interview is that his dog, Floki, is acting as Twitter CEO. Also Read: Elon Musk Says Twitter 'press@twitter.com' to Reply to Queries with Poop Emoji Of course, this is a joke coming from the tech CEO. Aside from having his dog run Twitter, he also revealed his daily schedule. He said that he has a habit of sleeping in the office of his Twitter HQ. Musk said this is just among the consequences he experienced after taking over the social media platform. Elon added that it is a "pain he wouldn't wish on anyone." Another thing he shared during the interview is the reason behind his Twitter acquisition. Musk explained that he only bought the social media giant for $44 billion because a judge would soon force him to do it. If you want to watch the viral BBC interview of Elon, you can watch the official BBC YouTube video below: Elon Musk to Give BBC New Twitter Label Of course, the Twitter tag on BBC's account was one of the main discussions fans expected in the interview. Recently, Musk and the U.K.-based news company had an issue after BBC's official Twitter account tag stated that it is a government-funded media. To solve this problem, Elon said that he would change it since they are trying to make the platform more accurate. "I know the BBC, for example, is not thrilled about being labeled state-affiliated media," said the Twitter CEO via BBC News. He added that he actually has a lot of respect for the media company. In other news, Elon Musk said he is open to acquiring the Silicon Valley Bank. We also reported on how Musk's tweets affect the reputation of Tesla. For more news updates about Elon Musk and other billionaires, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Elon Musk Apologizes for Mocking Disabled Twitter Worker, Claims 'Misunderstanding' 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Samsung Keyboard App could be draining your Galaxy Smartphone's battery. Before Samsung confirmed the issue, many users thought the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 were the only models affected by the battery drain problem. However, it turns out that the Samsung Galaxy smartphones running the latest One UI 5.1 are also affected. These include the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Samsung Keyboard App Drains Battery! According to Sam Mobile's latest report, Samsung confirmed that the Keyboard App causes the battery drain issue on the One UI 5.1 version. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy F54 Certification Reveals 6000mAh Capacity with 25FW Fast Charging A Samsung support agent shared this detail in a Samsung community forum for Thailand. "We have confirmed that the keyboard app Samsung included in the latest version (One UI 5.1) has increased battery usage," explained the employee. The Samsung staff explained that Galaxy smartphones running One UI should update their Keyboard App to the latest version (v 5.6.10.31). He added that the application's additional features, such as stickers and emojis, consume more energy than usual. How to Update Samsung Keyboard App? Updating the Samsung Keyboard App is a piece of cake. Usually, the One UI system will send a notification message if the Keyboard App already has a new version that users can update to. But, if you ever missed this message, here are the steps you need to follow to update the app manually. First, visit the official Galaxy Store app. After that, search for the Samsung Keyboard App or check the Updates section. Once in the Keyboard App, click the update button and check if that version is v 5.6.10.31. If the battery drain issue still affects your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can best contact the gadget maker via its official Facebook page. To do this, search for Samsung and the country you are located in. After that, send them a DM and wait for the company's reply. As of writing, some Galaxy owners still experience the battery drain problem despite updating to the latest Keyboard App version. If you are one of them, the best thing you can do is wait for Samsung's further announcements. In other news, rumors claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE would be cheaper than the S21 FE. We also reported the rollout of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold April 04, 2023 update. For more news updates about Samsung and its Galaxy smartphones, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple Explains Why iPhone Batteries Become Less Efficient! Here's How to Check Your Battery Health 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. E-cigarette maker Juul has agreed to pay $462 million to settle claims that it illegally marketed its products to minors in six US states, Reuters reports. This settlement brings Juul's total payment to 45 states to more than $1 billion. Juul Accused of Marketing Campaigns Targeting Minors The states accused Juul of using glamorous advertising campaigns to target minors and falsely marketing its e-cigarettes as less addictive than cigarettes. As a result of the ensuing public health crisis, minors who thought they were doing something harmless became addicted to the products. Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and the District of Columbia were all part of the agreement. The New York Times reports that attorneys general in those states conducted investigations that revealed Juul executives were aware that their initial marketing enticed teenage users to buy their vaping pens but did little to address the issue as the adolescent vaping rate blew up. In the latest settlement, Juul claimed that the use of its products by people under 18 had dropped by 95% since the fall of 2019 when it changed its marketing practices as part of a company-wide reset. More Lawsuits Despite this agreement, Juul is still facing a lawsuit from Minnesota, where a trial is currently taking place, as well as lawsuits or open investigations from Florida, Michigan, Maine, and Alaska. Read Also: [BEWARE] Smartphone Addiction Linked to Nomophobia; New Study Reveals Other Serious Health Consequences In addition to the state settlements, the company agreed to pay $1.7 billion last year to settle thousands of lawsuits from local governments and individual consumers. Under regulatory pressure, Juul withdrew most of its flavors from the market in 2019 and suspended much of its advertising. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) briefly banned the products in June, but it later suspended the ban and agreed to reconsider the action after the company filed an appeal. According to federal health officials, an estimated 2.55 million US middle and high school students used e-cigarettes four months earlier in 2022. Furthermore, 42.3% reported using them regularly, and 27.6% reported using them daily. Nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. The CDC has noted that using nicotine in adolescence may raise the risk of future addiction to other drugs. Claim Juul Settlement Before the latest settlement, a $255 million payout for JUUL product buyers in the United States who bought their products on or before December 7, 2022, was already announced. The settlement aims to compensate eligible class members for JUUL-related damages and injuries. Class members who wish to receive payment from the settlement must file a claim through the designated website. Those who received an email or a postcard about the settlement can make a claim by clicking on the link in the email or returning the postcard. Class members may also request a paper claim form from the Settlement Administrator if they prefer. However, the deadline to file a claim for the settlement payment is July 14, 2023. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Related Article: FTC Fines Supplement Maker 'The Bountiful Company' for Hijacking Amazon Reviews 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. ESA's JUICE mission will soon blast into outer space to find life on Jupiter's moons. While NASA and other space organizations focus on Venus and Mars, the European Space Agency decided to put its efforts into the natural satellites of the gas giant. ESA will use its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer to observe any sign of life on Jupiter's icy lunar neighbors. Here's what we know so far about the upcoming ESA JUICE mission. ESA JUICE Mission: What We Know So Far Sky News' latest report shows that ESA will launch its JUICE mission on Thursday, April 13, at 1:15 p.m. U.K. time. Also Read: ESA: ADEO-N 'Angel Wings' For Satellites to Help Expedite Re-Entry, Reduce Space Garbage The lunar explorer will be launched by the Ariane 5 rocket from ESA's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The JUICE spacecraft will be active for around eight years, doing flybys of Earth and Venus as it tries to reach Jupiter. JUICE's intrepid engineering team was tasked to work on solar cells that can operate in super dark conditions. Thanks to their efforts, the JUICE spacecraft can perform efficiently once it reaches Jupiter's icy moons. Aside from advanced solar cells, ESA will also rely on remote sensing and geophysical tools integrated into the JUICE craft. Once the JUICE mission is launched, ESA expects it to reach Jupiter's region by 2031 or later. How to Watch ESA Juice Launch On its official website, ESA confirmed that fans could watch live streams of its upcoming JUICE launch. Interested viewers can go to the ESA Web TV or visit the official YouTube channel of the European Space Agency. Aside from this, a French livestream version on Web TV channel two will also be provided. You can click this link to learn more details. In other stories, Elon Musk said that the SpaceX Starship is waiting for the launch license. We also reported about the 50th orbit made by the NASA Juno mission around Jupiter. For more news updates about ESA and its upcoming space missions, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: ESA's New Space Tech to Detect 4-Leaf Clovers! Here's What to Know About Lucky Clover Project 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Developing countries, including Egypt, have to reduce energy subsidies as the quickest way to achieve savings amid the ongoing global challenges and also amid the oil production reduction, the Deputy Director of Fiscal Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Paolo Mauro told Ahram Online. Mauros remarks came during the press briefing the IMF held on Wednesday to release its Fiscal Monitor Report. He was responding to a question by Ahram Online on the way the recent decision of some oil exporters to cut production places more pressure on developing countries budgets and fiscal policies management. In Egypt, the goal is to reduce the debt-to-GDP-ratio in the medium term, and the way to achieve that is to maintain primary surpluses above the 5.5 per cent of GDP, that is the objective to be achieved through securing more revenues as well as spending reductions that preserve support for the vulnerable, Mauro stressed. Egypt is currently engaged in an IMF-Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, for 46 months, that allows Egypt to secure $3 billion in loans. Egypt filed for this loan in March 2022 to address the severe repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Under the programme, Egypt has committed to fully implement the fuel price indexation mechanism by refraining from applying any formulaic decreases in fuel prices until fuel subsidies for each product subject to the mechanism have been eliminated in the FY 2021/2022. In order to reduce Egypts debt under the loan programme, the government set a ceiling on the gross debt of GDP ratio of 92.1 percent of GDP by the end of the current FY2022/2023. Egypt targets a primary surplus of 2.1 per cent of GDP in FY 2023/2024 and 2.3 percent of GDP in FY 2024/2025 and FY 2025/26. It aims to curb this ratio to about 83 per cent of GDP by FY 2026/2027. To achieve this, the government committed to increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio, through its Medium-Term Revenue Strategy (MTRS), during the current FY2022/23 by around two percent over the medium term. During that time, Egypt will focus on both improving the progressivity of the tax system and avoiding unduly constraining productive activity and exports. The IMFs and World Bank Groups annual meetings (spring meetings) are being held in Washington DC through 16 April under the theme The Way Forward: Building Resilience and Reshaping Development. Search Keywords: Short link: Google on Tuesday announced that it is introducing a new live TV experience that will allow users to browse more than 800 free TV channels across a number of providers, all available for free. The new offering will bring in 800+ free live-streaming channels that will be organized in an easy-to-use TV guide positioned in the redesigned Google TV Live tab. Together with the existing line-up of channels from Pluto TV, Google will also be integrating access to free channels from Tubi, Plex, and Haystack News directly into the Live tab over the next few weeks, which will be accessible from Google TV itself. Further, the company is also releasing free built-in live channels from Google TV that can be viewed without downloading or launching the app. In addition to local news and channels like NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX, users can also tune into programming from around the world that will be available in more than ten languages, including Spanish, Hindi, and Japanese. From breaking news to blockbuster movies and everything in between, theres something for everyone. And with no subscriptions or fees, its never been easier to jump in and start watching, Google explained in a blog post on Tuesday. Moving to the redesigned Live tab, the company says that the new TV guide brings all the new free TV channels together, and organizes them by topic and genre for easier and faster browsing eliminating the need to jump from app to app. Users can save their favorite channels at the top of their guide for quick and easy access next time as well as browse recommendations. Also, those who have a premium live TV subscription from YouTube TV or Sling TV, or access to over-the-air channels, can use the Live tab to view these too. The new live TV experience is rolling out to all Google TV devices in the U.S., including Chromecast with Google TV and televisions with Google TV built in from providers such as Sony, TCL, Hisense, and Philips. The company also added that it has plans to bring the new TV guide and free channels to eligible Android TV devices later this year. People all over the world have been getting a kick out of the new products powered by generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Bings AI. But what happens when bad actors people bent on doing harm harness the technology for their own negative uses? At ITEXPO 2023, one presenter compared the move to generative AI with the introduction of automobiles. "It sure is exciting," she said, "but the horses are scared to death." "It's amazing it's here, but we will need some traffic lights, and maybe some drivers' licenses," metaphorized Barbel Wetenkamp, CEO of The Swiss Quality Consulting GmbH. Wetenkamp is also a professor in master studies at a university in Munich, Germany. In 2021, just 1% of content on the internet was created using generative AI. That figure is expected to zoom to more than 10% of all content in two years. "Yes, I think there will be some lost jobs," she said, "but I also think there will be new jobs created." "Generative AI will help us to scale our businesses and get more output," Wetenkamp asserted. On the other hand, the possible use of generative AI to create despicable content is worrisome. "There will be abuse," she projected. "Imagine hard-working mothers and fathers pictured doing the unthinkable, and then their children see it online." Wetenkamp's three top fears for the immediate future of generative AI include: Deep Fakes Right now, it's nearly impossible to determine whether an image is real or if its a Deep Fake image, she said. As the victim herself of a photo that was altered and shared, she realizes firsthand the damage a Deep Fake can do. Copyright What are the rules regarding copyright infringement made by a robot? What is your recourse if you are slandered or libeled by a robot? Copyright law as its written is not ready for generative AI, she said. Malicious Use With generative AI, bullies and bad actors now have another avenue for damaging somebody's reputation. The malicious use of generative AI is another lawful issue that hasn't yet been addressed. Wetenkamp told the expo sessions audience she harbors no grudge against generative AI itself. "There's nothing wrong with it," she said. "We just need to mitigate the risk of using it." Wetenkamp's three top tips for mitigating the immediate dangers posed by generative AI include: Ethics Adoption Developers and users need to agree upon an ethical framework for employing generative AI, Wetenkamp said. The recent report by Garner on AI Trust, Risk and Security Management is a good place to begin. Bill of Rights People who are affected by AI i.e. all of us - need protection from bad actors. "Everyone who crates and uses generative AI should be held responsible for what happens, Wetenkamp said. Awareness Campaigns Business in the generative AI world should be required to fund awareness campaigns, just like tobacco companies were. She noted that Open AI, the company behind ChatGPT, said they are working on a way for users to distinguish between generative AI content and original human content. "I think it's a good thing. Its something we need. Overall, regulation needs to precede development, because the issue is so important to us all. Edited by Alex Passett According to the Women in Tech Network, it will take 133 years to close the economic gender gap. In recognition of International Womens Day 2023, unified communications company Ringover shines a light on two of its newest female talents. Recently appointed Brooke Hammel, sales support manager and Angela Clodfelter, US channel management director, discuss their experiences and challenges as women in tech and what they hope for the future female workforce. This years International Womens Day theme is embracing equity. Simply providing equal opportunities is not enough. Instead, we must provide inclusive opportunities that help people of all backgrounds to thrive. In the U.S., nearly half of the workforce is female, but only 27% make up the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce, according to the United States Census Bureau. More specifically, women made up 28% of the tech industry workforce in 2022. With over 50 years of combined experience working in the tech and telecoms industry, Hammel and Clodfelter have had turbulent, yet insightful careers, climbing the ladder to achieve success and lead them to where they are today. Finding your feet Making waves early on in her career, Angela Clodfelter founded two telecom companies in the late 1990s. She saw success early on, achieving recognition as one of the first female-owned and operated companies in the Southeast to successfully implement an international VoIP call center. Clodfelters expertise varies from account management, through to the technical installation of infrastructure including some of the first Private Branch Exchange (PBX) lines installed in the US. Angela Clodfelter The constant change within telecoms is what attracted me to this industry, said Clodfelter. I like being kept on my feet. One of the most notable changes I witnessed was the introduction of voicemail and IVR. Considering businesses used to take messages by hand, voicemail was one of the first steps to improving business communications and management. Hammel began her career in 2000 working for telecoms equipment supplier Lucent Technologies, before moving over to Avaya for ten years, where she worked in roles including support manager and business operations analyst. My relationship with the tech and telecoms industry was formed when I realized that communication is the most fundamental ability in human nature, said Hammel. We can literally attribute the transformation of our culture and society to technology and I wholly believe that technology is the key for business expansion and development. Although Hammel and Clodfelter have achieved longstanding careers in this industry, its been found that, generally, retention can be difficult. Deloittes 2021 Women at Work study , which polled 500 women in the global technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) workforce found that almost a quarter of women are considering leaving their roles due to workload increases affecting their wellbeing. The report also indicates that only 38% of women feel sufficiently supported in their roles by their employers. Breaking biases According to McKinseys Women in the Workplace 2021 report, only 86 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men at the same level. But the gender gap for women in technical roles is even more pronounced with just 52 women being promoted to manager for every 100 men. However, its worth noting that the tides are beginning to turn. HP, for example, has pledged to reach gender parity in roles at director level and above by 2030. The obstacles that women encounter in technical fields begins long before they reach the promotion stage. At the start of my career, operating in a time where all the decision makers were men, I found myself having to prove I was worthy of doing the same job as my male peers, said Clodfelter. The biases towards women were very present. Ive experienced situations in the workplace where my knowledge and achievements have been dismissed because I am a woman, added Brooke Hammel Hammel. It can be a difficult pill to swallow when you realize you arent viewed as equal or as having the capability to effectively execute your role because of your gender. Attitudes like this can be damaging and hinder womens progress in the workplace, but perseverance is key. International Womens Day 2023 This years theme of equity is poignant when you consider that not all students have the same access and opportunities to STEM programs and initiatives, said Hammel. The case is that more opportunity is available for children in private school education which isnt accessible for most of America. There needs to be more opportunity across the U.S. so that every child, regardless of their socioeconomic position, has access to STEM programs, said Hammel. Children are the future and its so important to nourish their interests and provide them with equal opportunities, said Clodfelter. We need more voices championing the opportunities in STEM and TMT roles and I hope that this years International Womens Day makes that realization. When discussing their tech heroes, it wasnt the tech giants that sprung to mind. In fact, both Hammel and Clodfelter acknowledge their heroes as fellow women in the industry. I felt like I was not able to achieve in a male dominated industry until I worked with Paulette Carter, a local contact center leader, said Hammel. I met her when we both worked for Avaya, and she saw in me what I , myself, did not. She has extensive experience in transforming businesses customer experience and operations and I attribute where I am today to her. Karin Fields is my inspiration, said Clodfelter. She was an owner of MicroCorp, one of the largest telecom services brokers in the U.S. I relate to her so much because she was a woman in the late 1980s and early 1990s, who dove into the world of telecom and was able to achieve great things in a male-dominated environment. Marilyn Dooley is also another inspiration who took me under her wing in the late 90's, Clodfelter added. She built a very lucrative regional TSB and was a great mentor. Offering her advice to the younger generation of the workforce, Clodfelter opined: If you set your sights on it, dont give up. The notion of women holding mostly male-dominated roles is changing. There is more of an opportunity for everyone to succeed. All someone can say is no. Reflecting on what International Womens Day means to them, Hammel explained, It doesnt matter where youre based in the world, history and statistics show that women have experienced unfair biases because of our gender. To finally be celebrated with occasions like International Womens Day is extremely important for us. Clodfelter added, The world is finally recognizing women for what they are superheroes, each and every one of us. As we celebrate International Womens Day, we must acknowledge that women are still hugely underrepresented in many STEM and TMT roles across the U.S. However, IWD is a celebration that provides the opportunity for women to share their stories, giving a voice to those that need it and offering hope to the next generation of the female workforce. Edited by Erik Linask Nowadays, the topic of climate change is an economic, social, and most notably an environmental concern that can no longer be considered theoretical. As of July 2021, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 )????????in our atmosphere reached 416 parts per million, and nearly 40 percent of US CO 2 pollution comes from power plants burning fossil fuels. This has led to an increased emphasis on sustainability from enterprises of all industries, and even consumers and investors as well. Among the new priorities related to sustainability, the inefficient use of heat has become one of the more pressing issues. Heat is the largest energy end-use, as it provides heating for homes, industry and other applications, which accounts for around half of total energy consumption. However, in 2021 direct emissions from heating buildings grew by 5.5 percent, reaching a new high of 2500?Mt CO 2 , which made up 80 percent of direct CO 2 emissions in the buildings sector, a number that enterprises are now searching for ways to drive down. Currently, the most promising solution for driving down heat consumption is the use of thermal batteries. These are physical structures used for the purpose of storing and releasing thermal energy, allowing for energy available at one time to be temporarily stored and then released at another time. Thermal batteries offer longer-term thermal stability and longer life cycles thanks to energy storage, as well as enhanced portability, and most importantly for enterprises, increased cost savings. Overall, the global thermal energy storage market was valued at $23.7 billion by the end of 2021, but experts expect the market to grow at a CAGR of 9.45 percent, reaching a predicted market value of $53.4 billion by 2030. However, as the world continues to preach the importance of sustainability for a safer, healthier future, these numbers are sure to grow as more organizations begin to adopt thermal batteries for the environmental, and of course monetary benefits. Recently, thermal battery company Sunamp signed an agreement with Sheen Parkside, an infrastructure arrangement and operations group, to work together on establishing mobile heat networks across the UK. These will use Sunamps Plentigrade phase change material technology in Central Bank container-sized thermal batteries. Heating with natural gas accounts for 37 percent of the UKs territorial carbon footprint. At the same time, the UKs low-carbon waste, biomass and nuclear thermal power stations today throw away 80 TWh a year of direct, accessible heat, at 90 percent lower carbon than gas. The main reason this heat isnt used is that its in the wrong place. This is an approach thats scalable around the world. Sunamp is the perfect fit for this project. Their heat storage technology is well established, world leading, and commercially proven. Combined with well-understood techniques for accessing heat by CHP, we can de-risk a simple, high impact and novel concept: moving low carbon, affordable heat in physical stores, said David Carter, Managing Director, Sheen Parkside. This concept is something that Sunamp has been looking at across various projects, including moving heat generated by spare renewables capacity in Orkney, and moving heat by barge in Bristol. We plan to build on that technical know-how, with long experience of delivering first of a kind infrastructure projects at scale. Sheen Parkside and Sunamp will initially work with waste-to-energy plants, to either access spare heat, or retrofit these power stations to provide direct heat, known as Combined Heat and Power or CHP. This heat will be used to charge Sunamps thermal batteries, holding multiple MWh each, which will then be transported by electric vehicles, rail or barge, to provide thermal energy for district heat networks, commercial and industrial users. Discussions are underway with several heat providers and users. Sunamp has already produced over 20,000 thermal batteries, principally for domestic use, but increasingly for a range of industrial applications. These use Plentigrade, a technology developed over a 15-year R&D project with the University of Edinburgh. Over 250 patents have been granted and are pending, worldwide. The Sheen Parkside team has already delivered some of the most challenging infrastructure and energy projects around the world, including the London Olympics and Crossrail in the UK. When we realized it could be possible to tap unused heat from Energy from Waste plants in Avonmouth and transport it by road, rail or barge to district heating in central Bristol, avoiding the costs of tens of miles of heating pipes and thousands of wayleaves, it opened up huge potential for new ways of tackling fuel poverty and decarbonising that can be replicated globally, said Andrew Bissell, Sunamp CEO. There is worldwide potential to transport heat from industrial sources in containers using existing infrastructure such as road, rail, canal and short-sea networks, and to use it for heating and hot water in other residential and commercial developments. We look forward to working with the highly experienced team at Sheen Parkside to roll out the concept for the first time at scale in the UK and prove it for the world. Edited by Erik Linask Hungary signed new agreements Tuesday to ensure its continued access to Russian energy, a sign of the country's continuing diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow that have confounded some European leaders amid the war in Ukraine. Speaking at a news briefing in Moscow, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Russian state energy company Gazprom had agreed to allow Hungary, if needed, to import quantities of natural gas beyond the amounts agreed to in a long-term contract that was amended last year. The price of the gas, which would reach Hungary through the Turkstream pipeline, would be capped at 150 euros ($163) per megawatt hour, Szijjarto said, part of an agreement that will allow Hungary to pay down gas purchases on a deferred basis if market prices go above that level. Szijjarto's trip to Russia's capital was unusual for an official from a European Union country. Most members of the 27-nation bloc have distanced themselves from Russian President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine and sought to wean their countries off of Russian fossil fuels. The Hungarian government has lobbied heavily in the EU to be exempted from any sanctions imposed on Russian gas, oil or nuclear fuel, and also has threatened to veto proposed EU actions against Moscow. Szijjarto is one of the only officials from an EU country to have met with Russian officials in Moscow since the war in Ukraine began more than a year ago. A February trip also made the minister the first senior official from an EU country to visit Belarus since the nation's authoritarian president, an ally of Putin's, initiated a harsh crackdown on opposition in 2020. While in Moscow, Szijjarto met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Alexander Novak and the chief executive of Russian state nuclear energy company Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev. During the news briefing, he insisted that access to Russian energy supplies was crucial for Hungary's security regardless of political considerations brought on by the war. As long as the issue of energy supply is a physical issue and not a political or ideological one, like it or not, Russia and cooperation with Russia will remain crucial for Hungarys energy security, Szijjarto said. Search Keywords: Short link: Listen to the story of Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, a great French neurologist of the nineteenth century, told by historian Virginie Girod. Thanks to his groundbreaking work on hysteria and hypnosis, Jean-Martin Charcot is considered the founder of modern neurology. What were the ambitions of this very secretive character? Why was his research criticized? In this episode of the podcast "Au cur de l'Histoire" produced by Europe 1 Studio, Virginie Girod paints a portrait of this mythical figure of psychiatry and medicine more generally. Egypts Ministry of Supply partnered with Visa Inc. and Commercial International Bank (CIB) to develop the countrys first digital business registry and identification system. The new registry will provide each of Egypts 4.3 million businesses with a unique QR code and digital identification card, Supply Minister Ali El-Moselhi said in a statement. The cards can be used for various transactions including business license renewals, openings new branches and withdrawals from ATMs. The new system aims to boost Egypts digital transformation and financial inclusion, said Ibrahim Ashmawy, a senior official at the ministry. Business registrations in the first quarter of 2023 increased 5 percent from a year earlier to 1.5 million. The digital registry is part of Egypts broader push to modernize its economy and reduce costs for companies. Telecom Minister Amr Talaat said last year the country invested USD 3.2 billion in digital infrastructure upgrades and tech projects. Visa and CIB, Egypts largest bank, will help link the business registrys databases and 108 offices nationwide. The registry will eventually replace paper licenses for members of the countrys chambers of commerce and industry groups. The changes are "set to significantly streamline business practices in Egypt and drive greater levels of efficiency and financial access," said Tarek Fayed, Visas general manager in North Africa. Search Keywords: Short link: Four inspiring Egyptian women shared their groundbreaking achievements in the public domain and all the learning they have acquired in a special seminar on Monday. The seminar, held under the auspices of Nevine El-Kilany, the Egyptian Minister of Culture, and Hisham Azmy, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Culture, the seminar, was run by Professor Adla Ragab. "The idea was to share the achievements of these four bright stars in the realm of the public domain," explained Professor Nevine Mossad, the moderator of the seminar, as she introduced them in alphabetical order. Gihane Zaki: Awareness, Identity and Belonging Gihane Zaki, a professor of Civilization and Religion of Ancient Egypt and History of Art, has held numerous national and international posts in the realm of heritage. In 2011, she became UNESCO's regional office consultant for World Heritage. A year later, she became the first woman to hold the prestigious position of Director of the "Accademia di Belli Arti dEgitto a Roma". "It was a very big challenge, for all 13 directors before me were male artists, and I was the first woman who practiced art management," she said. She added that another major challenge she faced was from the radical religious regime in power at that time, which threatened to sell off Egypt's section in the Venice Biennale. "It was all about preserving our identity on a foreign platform through arts and culture so we launched the Egyptian Replicas Art effects of Tutankhamen that put Egyptian heritage upfront on the Touristic Map of Rome as well as the Italian public schools. In 2013, we also managed to establish an art and cultural connection with the Vatican, which was soon followed by the historic visit of Azhar Grand Imam to Pope Francis," she added. Zaki has recently started her initiative to raise cultural and heritage awareness among the children of security guards in her community. She believes that the only way to preserve our identity is to raise awareness of our heritage and hence increase our sense of belonging. Mona Zulficar: "In Egypt - All Dreams Are Possible" Known as "the Lawyer of Unprecedented Legal Deals," founding partner and Chairperson of Zulficar and Partners Law Firm, Chairperson of EFG Hermes, VP of constitution Committee, and Chairperson of the Egyptian Federation for Financing MSMEs-MSMFS, international corporate lawyer, Mona Zulficar's name has always been affiliated with human and women's rights laws and the Egyptian constitution. Being the daughter of renowned Egyptian actor Salah Zulficar, she was asked during the seminar on why she was never tempted to try a career in the arts. "You see, law is an art and every day I stand on the stage and defend a cause," she said. She noted that she was a leading actress in college where she won the golden cup for two successive years. However, she added that acting was taking away too much time from her studies and she decided to focus on academia. After graduation from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science in 1969, Zulficar started her career at the United Nations. She was then appointed a manager at the prominent Shalakany Law Offices where she would facilitate communication between clients and lawyers when English was a barrier at that point. Soon after, she studied law and found herself drawn to women's causes. Womens causes came naturally to Zulficar given her family background. "My father was the producer of films that empowered women, such as Merati Modir Am (My Wife is the General Manager) and Oreed Halaa (I Want a Solution). My mother was one of the founding members of the Women's Association for Health Improvement," she noted. In a time when there were no national councils for women or human rights, Zulficar collaborated with prominent figures of civil society, such as Aziza Hussien, and drafted a booklet on women's legal rights theory and implementation. "I introduced the new marriage contract in this booklet that was highly opposed because it included the woman's rights to add new conditions in the contract. I argued that conditions added in old marriage contracts date back to the 15th century and we should not be opposing new ones." Zulficar was the woman behind the Khul3 law, which allowed Egyptian women to divorce husbands, to name but a few of her achievements. As founder and chairperson of Al Tadamon Microfinance Foundation, she set a successful example of microfinance that changed the lives of 5 million Egyptians. "In Egypt, all dreams can come true; it needs patience, perseverance, and partnership," she concluded. Mona Omar: The key word is Passion Ambassador Mona Omar, former assistant minister of foreign affairs for Africa and member of the Advisory UN Committee on Human Rights and the National Council of Women, has always had a passion for Africa. After attaining her college degree in 1975, she embarked on a diplomatic career, holding multiple posts in Africa. "I have always believed that Africa is the future of Egypt and it is the backbone of economic and political security for Egypt," Omar noted. She was based in South Africa during turbulent times before the election of Mandela in the early 1990s. She also served during the Rwanda massacres in the mid 1990s. Omar explained the critical circumstances she was put in and how she managed to navigate through it all. Love and passion are the driving forces behind her successful journey, she stressed. Naglaa El-Ahwany: Willpower Professor of economics and former minister of international cooperation, Naglaa El Ahwany, is also a board member of the ERADAA (Egyptian Regulatory Reform and Development Activity) initiative. "As the minister of international cooperation, we overcame many difficulties such as bureaucracy while cooperating with other ministries. We also faced a lot of resistance from several European countries when we applied to become members of the EuroBank," El Ahwany explained. Every big achievement comes with overcoming obstacles. We do not possess the luxury of failure," she concluded. Search Keywords: Short link: The Louisiana Association of School Libraries sees enough crap going on that there's a line on the organization's home page asking librarians with concerns to contact them: "Thank you to all of our librarian colleagues who are doing their best for every child in Louisiana. If you are a school librarian who is being attacked, please reach out to the LASL Executive Board at geauxlasl@gmail.com." Eleven countries have actually launched a digital currency, with Chinas pilot reaching 260 million people and set to expand to the entire country this year. China has also been trialling a cross-border platform for digital currencies with other countries in its region. Loading The sense of urgency and inevitability is evident, which makes the key challenges raised by the prospect of central bank-issued digital currencies starker and more political. Obvious concerns The most obvious concerns from a central bankers perspective are financial system stability and cybersecurity, given the chequered history of cryptocurrencies. Both those involve technology and design solutions. Whether the CBDC operates on an account-based or token-based platform and whether it is available only at a wholesale level to banks and other institutions or is issued directly to individuals are vital issues, but there appears to be a range of options for dealing with them. Most of the major central banks appear to be focusing on the less radical and less disruptive course of adopting a wholesale CBDC, where existing institutions would retain ownership of the customers and their data, and the existential threat existing intermediaries would face if they were cut out of the process by their central bank issuing currency directly to their customers would be reduced. Both US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Fed chair Jerome Powell have made it clear that they are not yet convinced a CBDC is needed. Credit: AP The more sensitive and complex and more political of the issues the central banks confront in persuading politicians and communities of the benefits of CBDCs (assuming they themselves have been convinced) is the one that DeSantis and other Republicans have seized on. Whether the CBDC is issued at a wholesale or retail level, there will be some centralised collection of transaction data that could be used to surveil private citizens financial transactions. In China, that would be a core appeal of the CBDC to its authorities. In Western democracies, privacy issues loom larger. Government agencies in those democracies, of course, already collect and analyse a lot of individuals financial information. Anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing laws require banks and other financial institutions to identify suspect transactions and alert the authorities. CBDCs, however, could take the collection of data to another level and, while there are tools that could be used to authenticate transactions in CBDCs while shielding the identity of those involved, that would be unacceptable to governments because of the potential for criminal activity. Trade-offs and compromises From the moment central bankers started taking digital currencies seriously, privacy issues were identified as a major stumbling block to the issuance of CBDCs because it was very clear that there would need to be trade-offs and compromises if privacy concerns and the risk that data could be used inappropriately by authorities were to be addressed. Inevitably, there will be compromises. The European Union and others have suggested that there could be anonymity for lower-value payments, which couldnt be seen by the central bank or anyone not identified by the user, with higher-value transactions subjected to the existing thresholds for anti-money-laundering and terrorist financing checks. In other words, while the technology underlying the payments system might have changed radically, and CBDCs substituted (albeit not entirely) for cash that carries inherent anonymity, from the users perspective not that much would change. Banks can and do monitor their customers transactions in real time today. They can and are required to hand over information to the authorities if they see suspicious activity. There are, however and would be in a CBDC environment legal and regulatory protections to balance individual privacy rights and the authorities desire for a level of transparency. In well-functioning democracies like Australia, the UK, Western Europe and (most of the time) America, those protections would be legislated and policed. Indeed, a CBDC couldnt be issued here, the UK or in the US without legislation. The privacy concerns about CBDCs in well-functioning democracies are probably over-blown when viewed against the intrusions already faced by consumers, whose financial transactions are not only available to their banks and other financial institutions but increasingly to social media and e-commerce companies. In most of the jurisdictions considering CBDCs, the debates about their design have been left to the central banks and those in the community with a particular interest in digital assets and currencies, which isnt surprising given the technological complexities and the as-yet inconclusive nature of the discussion of the values, like privacy, that will have to be incorporated into whats essentially a completely new payments system architecture. Ramadan television series Ramadan comes with a number of new TV series. Check list of the series and their trailers here. Engrams of a Lunar Calendar exhibition Until 30 April Gallery Takhshinai, Goethe-Institut, Downtown Cairo A solo exhibition by Rana El-Nemr, a transdisciplinary artist, whose work is anchored in questioning what it means to experience place and time. In this exhibition, she uses different materials, combined with various projections and printing techniques. She traces forms, patterns and sources of knowledge and invites visitors to reflect on the processes of absorbing them individually and collaboratively. Shubbak El Fann The Stories of the Origamist, a performance for children - 8pm Mesk band - 10pm Goethe-Institut Kairo, Dokki Mesaha, Cairo Thursday 13 April The Origami performance provides a trip into the paper world with OzOz-Ossama Helmy and his bird friend. The performance follows adventure of the origamist and his magical powers in folding paper into shapes and transforming them into characters of his stories. The play is produced by the Arab Origami Center, performed by: OzOz, Bora and Nesma Abd El-Aziz Founded by Ahmed Mesk, Mesk band is a contemporary fusion between Western harmonies and Oriental tunes to lyrics resonating with all people, and touching on love, compassion, happiness, etc. Hazem Shaheen Friday 14 April, 9pm Rawabet Art Space, 5 Hussein Basha Al-Meamari, Marouf, Cairo Hazem Shaheen was born in Alexandria and graduated from the Higher Institute for Arabic Music in 1999. He then became one of the first graduates of the Arabic Oud House, founded by Iraqi composer Naseer Shamma. He is best known for his works with Eskenderella band, which he co-founded in 2005. Shaheen released his first music album Al Aysh Wal Malh in 2006 with Masar band, while his first solo album, Things That I Miss, came out in 2009. Andromida Friday 14 April, 9pm El-Sawy Culturewheel, 26th of July Street, Zamalek, Cairo The band will perform a concert themed Nights Of Wonder featuring repertoire by Pink Floyd. Andromida is one of the oldest Egyptian bands performing alternative rock since its founding in the 1980s until now. Storytelling Evening: Tales of Popular Egyptian Folk Sayings Saturday 15 April, 9pm MASQ - Maqad of Sultan Qaitbey, Darb El-Sakiya St., City of the Dead, Cairo Have you ever wondered about the stories behind famous Egyptian folk sayings? Do you remember your grandmothers stories and jokes full of rare and funny sayings? Have you wondered where all of this intangible heritage came from? Nesma Medhat will guide the audience through this heritage in a very unique storytelling evening. Irtigalia Sunday 16 April, 9pm ROOM Art Space & Cafe, New Cairo Irtigalia is a live improvised and interactive comedy theatre performance, directed by Ramzi Lehner, with no script or preparation. All sketches are decided by the audience during the show and in some sketches, the audience is encouraged to join the performers on stage. Saad El-Oud Monday 17 April, 9pm Room Art Space, New Cairo Saad El-Oud plays songs representing authentic Egyptian heritage in his remarkable way of interacting with the audience. Search Keywords: Short link: Manic Pixie Dream Goblin is on at Campari House until April 23. Contradicting the misogynistic voiceover that alludes to the idea that women and comedy are incompatible, Kaur runs through a set list of topics that appear to affirm stereotypes perpetuated by men, but in fact, end up subverting them. From talking about race to sex to periods to ghost tours, Kaurs jokes are relatable and intelligent, delivered in a deadpan fashion designed to eventuate in an unconventional punchline. Comparing ghosting to a tardy period and deciding to bridge the orgasm gap by leaving a man hanging after she climaxes, Kaur uses clever metaphors, statistics and real-life anecdotes to make astute observations about gender dynamics and everyday life. Her tale about a brothel is a highlight. Kaur is a quirky goblin, and the witty antithesis of Zooey Deschanel and every other manic pixie dream girl. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Garry Starr | Greece Lightning Comedy Republic, until April 23 The bumbling Garry Starr the brainchild of comedian Damien Warren-Smith is on a mission to drive tourism to his Hellenic homeland, deep in the throes of an ergonomic procession. What ensues is an hour of hilarity full of malapropisms, the best puns, superb use of expertly crafted props, excellent sound design and plenty of audience participation as Starr performs the entire history of Greek mythology. No row is immune in Starrs show, but its testament to the safe space Starrs created that the sausages are up for almost anything. Greece Lightning is on at Comedy Republic until April 23. Youll struggle to catch your breath and wipe your tears as Starr moves from one sequence to the next at an electrifying pace. Hercules punctuates the show with progressively zanier shows of strength. Atlas leaps off Gaia, a big bouncy ball, in a G-string. Oedipus raps to a masterfully reworked version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. A Uranus joke (you know it) is carried out to its most unbelievable conclusion. Starrs rambunctious antics belie how intelligent and tightly structured this exhilarating hour of sidesplittingly funny physical comedy is never has Mount Olympus been so joyfully resurrected. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Sonny Yangs Incredibly Stupid Adventure Game Trades Hall Music Room, until April 23 Sonny Yang sits silently on stage while operating a dual screen with his laptop, taking audiences on a choose-your-own-adventure journey that looks a lot like an 80s video game. Like Carmen Sandiego, audiences piece together clues through a series of multiple-choice options in order to find Yangs fictional lost nephew. Sonny Yangs Incredibly Stupid Adventure Game is on at Trades Hall until April 23. Initially reckless in their choices, making selections based on impulse and curiosity, the crowd starts to get into the rhythm of the caper, becoming more risk-averse with their directives as time starts to run out. The concept is simple yet clever, combining lo-fi pixelated images and robotically voiced characters to create ridiculous scenarios and obstacles from an open mic night to a neo-Nazi encounter to repeatedly thwart Yangs mission to retrieve the child. This show is incredibly fun for those that enjoy escape rooms and solving puzzles. An addictive, wacky idea thatll test your fortitude and mental aptitude as Yang toys with you along the way. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Tim Key | Mulberry Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 It takes some balls for a Brit to bring a show about lockdowns to Melbourne. In the most locked down city in the world, it was always going to be risky material. Mulberry is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. The funny thing about iso is, it has a way of bending time. It matters not whether you endured nine weeks or nine months. We all experienced the equivalent of ordering a live cow on the internet, sewing an AI assistant to a teddy bear for company, or graduating from beer to champagne to glue. There are many layers here, woven with poetry, poignancy and, of course, masterful live comedy. Keys schtick of reciting absurdist musings, written on playing cards pulled from his pocket, is still one of the most refreshing things youll see at the festival. The knowing delivery and self caricature are dynamite. Looming beneath it are sadness, loneliness and the reproachful glare of ones identity in freefall. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Guy Williams | Comedy Plus Time Equals Tragedy The Westin Two, The Victoria Hotel Banquet Room, until April 23 I f--king hate Australia, hey, roars Guy Williams as he chastises the crowd for their tepid applause before castigating Australia for its coal, genocidal history and Liberal Party. The audience loves it. Comedy Plus Time Equals Tragedy is on at The Westin Two until April 23. The show is billed as straight left-wing propaganda its central conceit is a renunciation of the argument that cancel culture has gone too far. Williams deftly delivered punchlines reveal that cancel culture doesnt go far enough: Donald Trump was elected president, Louis CK has reprised his comedy career, racism still exists meaning mediocre white men like himself can talk at people for an hour. And therein lies Williams charm hes a peculiar mix of self-deprecation and raging bluster. His vitriol is reserved for white people, comedians and, by extension, himself. Comedy equals tragedy plus time is subverted with the aid of a whiteboard to underline the tragedy of comedians ageing poorly due to their objectionable views. A towering 66 with a voice so thunderous his microphone is superfluous, Williams aims his rapier wit and furious indignation at Nazis, the Winter Olympics and a laundry list of cancelled men. You never know what hes building up to, and occasionally it doesnt work, but when it does, its magic. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Scott Limbrick | Journey to the Infinite Void TIC Swanston (The Nicholas Building), until April 23 You hear his booming American drawl before you see him. His ego is both big enough to power the space vessel known as the Thunder Phoenix and incredibly fragile. Scoot Lambrock: Journey to the Infinite Void is on until April 23. Commander Scoot Lambrock, simultaneously full of machismo and vulnerability, is comedian Scott Limbricks latest creation and a joy to spend an hour with. A treat for fans of character comedy, its a multilayered, incredibly well-constructed show about one mans journey to conquer his ego. Addressing audience members who double as his space vessels crew, Scoot outlines his dangerous mission: an expedition to the infinite void. Limbrick has created a captivating, cohesive and clever narrative that captures the zeitgeist in what it pokes fun at: therapy speak, toxic positivity, the inability to afford a home. Befitting a futuristic story, the technological and visual prowess of this show is unparalleled. A giant space computer lends verisimilitude to the unfolding narrative. Scoots AI system PAL not dissimilar to HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey is a crucial secondary character. The room lights up in stark shades of red, blue and green at various junctures throughout, heightening the dramatic effect. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Andrew Hamilton | Jokes About The Time I Went To Prison Victoria Hotel, until April 23 Ever wondered whether someone could have a good time in jail? Andrew Hamilton reckons he did. He used his time wisely (by getting into comedy), which serendipitously led to an early release from the big house in a decision of rare leniency. So how did he get here? Well, before he blew up on TikTok doing prison food reviews, Hamilton was doing very well for himself as a pizza entrepreneur in Sydney, accruing a load of cash but also blowing obscene amounts of it on the pokies due to a gambling addiction. This led him into a life of crime, supplying party drugs for 15 years until he was arrested. Jokes About the Time I Went to Prison is on at Bards Apothecary until April 23. Hamiltons wordplay and low-key confidence have a dependable, Carl Barron meets Danny Bhoy-esque characteristic. He has the warm patter of a bloke at the pub who just wants to tell you some stories which are probably more truthful than Chopper Reads admitted embellishments. The jocular chap has the knack for a ripping anecdote without letting it overstay its welcome. He delivered tight shiv bit after tight shiv bit to his first sell-out crowd, on what was supposed to be the shows closing weekend. Reviewed by Mikey Cahill Wil Anderson | Wiluminate Comedy Theatre, until April 23 Have you ever sent yourself a reminder email only to be surprised by its arrival 0.2 seconds later? The inimitable Wil Anderson gambled that doing so with a bunch of flowers would be a nice treat during Sydneys lockdown (acknowledging Melburnians will scoff). Instead, it nearly broke him. Wiluminate is on at Comedy Theatre until April 23. Perhaps his most unguarded show yet, the Gruen host and author of I Am NOT Fine, Thanks bares all about loneliness, his fear of emerging and the fact were all in denial about COVID-19s continuing ubiquity. Unsold on Roald being a real name, or people who flap about editing racism out of old kids books, hes a proud social justice warrior whos all for environmental activists chucking soup at the Mona Lisa. If this sounds terribly worthy, fear not. A gifted showman, hes on top of his game, leaning into hysteria to deliver a hilarious hour thatll hit you in the feels. Reviewed by Stephen A Russell Maisie Adam | Buzzed Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 Britains Maisie Adam is putting her show Buzzed to bed. By the close of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, she will have performed it 98 times, here and overseas. Buzzed is on until April 23. Adam gets the room sniggering by dissing Adelaide, the only other Australian city shes visited. She promptly addresses the elephant in the room her hairstyle. Its a buzz-cut in the back and full fringe with long bob-like wisps at the front, otherwise known as The Chelsea. Shes super upbeat and captivating. Her stories are top-shelf fun. Theres the one about the proposal. Then insights into wedding preparations. Followed by mirth-inducing extrapolations about who should and shouldnt be giving wedding speeches. She skilfully retains likeability, even after deriding AFL. Reflections on Zoom gigs, COVID chats and her granny Muriel elicit more giggles. Adams explanation of where she will honeymoon is hilarious. If you do happen to catch the final performance in the Melbourne Town Hall Cloak Room (yep, she refers to it as a cupboard) or the penultimate performance (moved to the larger space of Lower Town Hall), her overzealous use of the word genuinely may grate. Overall, a slick hour of jolly good, mostly clean fun. Reviewed by Donna Demaio Greg Larsen | Slurps Up!! ACMI, until April 23 Greg Larsen was shortlisted for the most outstanding show award at last years comedy festival, but since then, it hasnt been all gravy. From the confusing push-pull of simultaneous panic attacks and depression, to a double-whammy gastroscopy-colonoscopy, we get to see inside his mind, his digestive system and his nasal cavity. Sandwiched between gags aplenty, Larsen discusses mental health stuff with levity and laughs but, importantly, not without self-compassion. For anyone struggling to talk about their own issues, Id recommend trying it wrapped in a big bear hug of blokeyness and Maccas binges. Slurps Up!! is on at ACMI until April 23. Along the way, Larsen flings his beefs at various ombudspeople, gesticulates with a tiny knife at useless but expensive psychiatrists and gets himself banned from all Uber apps. Some of the best bits rely on his new sample machine or pre-filmed jokes. But in all, it goes down pretty well. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Annie Louey | Gold Chinese Museum, until April 23 The fact of being an Asian comedian performing at the Chinese Museum is not lost on Annie Louey. In fact, shes hired actors and created a skit about it for her show. Gold is on at Chinese Museum until April 23. Gold is a confident debut of new material for Louey, delivered with a wry smile and morbid humour. Alongside the cultural comedy audiences would expect, Loueys content is refreshingly broader, discussing sex, dating, ageing and death. Pursuing comedy since she was 16 shes now 30 her ability to recover when audience engagement or punchlines dont go her way is impressive and evidence of her years of experience. Fun games keep the audience on their toes, including interpreting couples sex lives based on their first names; guessing ages based on Chinese Zodiac signs; creating pneumonic cues for licence plates (411 Sexy Slut Bitches); and, a running gag about dating red flags, signalled by playing Split Enzs I See Red chorus and Louey yelping flags! at the end. Maths may not be her forte, but comedy is. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Best of Comedy Zone Asia Arts Centre Melbourne Fairfax Studio, until April 23 Showcasing comics from Malaysia, Singapore, India and Indonesia, Best of Comedy Zone Asia is a meticulously curated mix of emerging and seasoned talent that lays bare cultural differences while highlighting the universality of certain experiences. Best of Comedy Zone Asia (from left): Fakkah Fuzz, Sonali Thakker, Douglas Lim, Anirban Dasgupta and Sakdiyah Maruf. Effortlessly funny and assured, host Fakkah Fuzz of Singapore warms the crowd up for the platter of different varieties of Asians with jokes about being a bad Muslim, entering ones 30s and well-crafted punchlines that though only someone who grew up in Singapore or Malaysia would understand the context elicit laughter across the room. Its a laugh a minute with the wry Mumbai-based Sonali Thakker, who delivers punchline after punchline about being constantly surveilled by her cool mum, practising judo to win the approval of her dad, and being the toxic one in a relationship. Her style is conversational as her keen eyes sweep across the room. Loading Mumbai-based Anirban Dasgupta has an endearing habit of chuckling good-naturedly at his own jokes. Touching on how hard it is to do comedy in India India is so funny already Dasgupta jumps between topics like working from home, being a new father and drinking too much, while delving into cultural and socio-political specificities of life in India. Indonesias first female Muslim stand-up comic, Sakdiyah Maruf, takes a mirror to her conservative upbringing, paralleling the global experience of a pandemic to growing up in a strict family. Shes unafraid to poke fun at either herself or her community in a self-deprecating manner, with her voice climbing to a crescendo when shes elucidating her points. Headliner Douglas Lim expertly works the room, true to his moniker of Malaysias king of comedy. Stoking the fire of Malaysia and Singapores rivalry before launching into topics as multifaceted as Michelle Yeoh, corruption, and Hong Kong serial Square Pegs, Lim roams across the stage with an irrepressible energy and congenially goads the crowd into performing a memorable chant. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Note: No star ratings are applied to group shows Aidan Jones | The Morning After Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 Aidan Jones has effortless charisma, disarming honesty and a sharp, curious mind. Those three things help if youre a stand-up comedian but only get you so far. Aidan Jones performs The Morning After at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. Thankfully, the Adelaide-bred cheer-jerker knows how to weave a hell of a narrative. Last years Taco was about meeting his Colombian biological father for the first time. This year its all about how and why he quit drinking ... and what comes next. Through embarrassing pictures and wickedly explained anecdotes, Jones takes us into his heady youth of pills and endless after-parties, right to the glaring realisation he needed to kick the booze following a night where he acted borderline creepy. Its a vulnerable admission and the show benefits from it. His snigger and comfy asides ensure we never leave the narrative and there are some great callbacks regarding the amount of time he spent horizontal in a kitchen on a one-night-stand. Jones creates a widescreen experience talking to us about his mum, step-dad and friendship circles. Wait for the salsa classes showstopper too and the line: Theres a full-length mirror so you can see yourself destroying the culture youre trying to connect with. Reviewed by Mikey Cahill Danny Bhoy | Now Is Not A Good Time Athenaeum Theatre, until April 23 Danny Bhoys nan told him, find a job that you love and youll never work a day in your life. Her words became a prophecy in 2020. Its Bhoys first time touring outside the UK in several years, and hes too disenchanted by everything happening on the home front (refer to Josie Longs show) to tie everything together in a poignant, optimistic ending. What remains unchanged is his unsurpassed storytelling skills, amiable on-stage persona and the physicality of his comedy, which leans on impersonations, mimed gestures and the re-enactment of dialogue. Now Is Not A Good Time is on at Athenaeum Theatre until April 23. Biblical jokes abound each of them funnier and more original than the next. Scotlands culinary nous (or lack of) is mercilessly pilloried in a punchline no one (except perhaps the Scots in the audience) see coming. Frequent references to living in a castle (Bhoy doesnt really, hes at pains to emphasise) recur throughout the set to great comedic effect. Bhoy is a master at subverting expectations and going down the rabbit hole of meandering tangents, never once losing himself in the labyrinth of narratives that propel his set onwards and upwards. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Tom Ballard | It Is I Victoria Hotel, until April 23 It Is I is on at The Victoria Hotel until April 23. Its no secret Tom Ballard loves to skewer the powerful, the rich and the right wing, having been cancelled by the ABC more than once for being, well, offensively leftist. If nothing else its been a brilliant branding exercise. His audience knows where to find him and what to expect a very strong hour of acerbic comedy with a socialist bent. From Rupert Murdochs jowls to the high-society hippos running Australias economy, hes putting them all in a bin fire and dancing on the ashes. The late Queen Elizabeth II comes in for a particularly good roasting. Theres a little less anger and darkness here, a little more glee and levity than in some previous shows, and it is welcome. Perhaps hes happy about his new TV comedy special and the release of his debut book: I, Millennial One Snowflakes Screed Against Boomers, Billionaires and Everything Else. That should give you a clue as to the shows content too, if you hadnt got it by now. Reviewed by Hannah Francis The Listies | Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark Arts Centre Melbourne, until April 15 Zombies? Nuns? Ninjas? Dinosaurs? This kidult comedy gives us a Hamlet like nothing youve seen before. Its a wild introduction to theatre for kids always vocal in their enthusiasm for The Listies and a hoot for parents too. Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark is on at Arts Centre Melbourne until April 15. Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly are a classic comedy duo. Their dynamic mirrors and lampoons the adult/child binary the former the straight man, the latter a rambunctious buffoon. Here, they appear as two ushers at a production of Hamlet. Due to a smelly backstage crisis, the ushers stop ushing and perform the play themselves, with their stage manager (Olivia Charalambous) stepping in as Ophelia and rewriting one of Shakespeares more anaemic female roles. Purists neednt worry. Pretty much everyone onstage still dies, and the curated chaos delivers a potted version of the plot, teasing youngsters to explore Shakespeare later on, while going all out on visual gags, bad puns, dad jokes, toilet humour, and hilarious physical clowning all the anarchic antics that make The Listies so much fun. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead Chris Parker | Lots of Love The Westin One, until April 23 Full marks for exuberance. Chris Parker is a bundle of energy, bouncing around the stage in a sweat-inducing frenzy, all the while dropping jocular observations. Lots of Love is on at The Westin One until April 23. Parker, a mighty fine storyteller, brings physicality and fun to tales of woe and low-level despair. Eternally ebullient, he launches into a cheery litany of modern-day observations, including lifes quirks and dealing with millennials. Parker ponders driving skills, extreme sports, tow-truck drivers, weddings and the end of the world. Masterful ad-libbing ensues after a brief audience interaction. The crowd is in stitches at every turn. A singular frustration is missing potential laughs, when a few phrases are too garbled to decipher. The hour rounds off with Parker deducing that about 80 per cent of the audience is from New Zealand. Tell an Australian to come to the show, he implores. Reviewed by Donna Demaio Grace Jarvis | This Is The Last Goldfish That I Am Going to Eat For You Trades Hall, until April 23 Grace Jarvis isnt blending in, and its wonderful. In this tight, polished show Jarvis re-examines her attempts to make friends as a child through the lens of being diagnosed with autism as an adult and having come out as queer. Her litany of tales about not blending in in a religious school and regional Queensland town artfully skewer the cliches applied to autistic people and the attempts of her school and peers to shame her into fitting in. This Is The Last Goldfish That I Am Going to Eat For You is on at Trades Hall until April 23. In trying to quash the weird out of Jarvis, they also overlooked the wonderful parts of autistic life the enthusiasm, the joyful self-expression and the pull to justice. Fortunately, Jarvis has remained resolutely both weird and wonderful, finding freedom in a diagnosis that affirms she was never the problem. Watching Jarvis embrace the things that bring her delight and invite us in to enjoy them with her is in turn delightful for the audience. This is a show from a performer who will clearly grow in talent with time. Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton He Huang | Bad Bitch Victoria Hotel and Mantra on Russell, until April 23 Watching He Huang feels like a political act. Bad Bitch is on at The Victoria Hotel until April 23. The Chinese expat moved to Australia three years ago on the eve of the global coronavirus pandemic, the air thick with bushfire smoke. Since then, shes swapped the leftover lady label for internet fame via Australias Got Talent, raising the ire of Chinese mainlanders for viral jokes about her mother country. There are some good quips on Dans dictator moniker as well as her own name the whiteys in the audience get an amusing lesson on pronunciation, which Huang deftly subverts with gags about pronouns, zoom etiquette and her various English aliases. Her strongest material charts her sexual liberation, from clumsy first encounters as a young exchange student in the US to a full-blown embrace of X-rated Aussie slang and democracy sausages. Its a joyous and empowered celebration of sexuality, and a strong solo debut. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Jordan Raskopoulos | The Fool Greek Centre, until April 16 In this age of disinformation, Greek-Australian comedian Jordan Raskopoulos wants us to know that Rock, Paper, Scissors is a crock of shit. Paper is not doing the heavy lifting. The Fool is on at Greek Centure until April 16. Joking that this was the abandoned theme of her 2017 TED Talk (actually delivered on her anxiety, now joined by an ADHD diagnosis), shes a giving performer happy to lean into the ups and downs of her life. Just dont, if youre a nosy radio host, pry into her transition journey, otherwise you might get a fabulously frank ditty about a rhyming word you might not want to go to air. A rag-tag sketch show with PowerPoint prompts, The Fool may be a bit rough around the edges, but Raskopoulos rocks it with her pop breakout performances, sassy delivery and a particularly disturbing slash fiction tale involving dinosaurs of both the pre-history and contemporary corporate world variety. Youll roar with laughter. Reviewed by Stephen A Russell Dan Rath | All Quiet Carriage Along The Inner Western Line Victoria Hotel, until April 23 One of Dan Raths protean strengths is the way he both commits to the bit and doubts the hell out of himself. You bring the shiraz, Ill bring the pizzazz, he suggests as a come-on then instant paranoia cloaks any proper attempt at seduction of the audience. All Quiet Carriage Along The Inner Western Line is on at The Victoria Hotel until April 23. Raths first 15 minutes are straight fire. The joke-writing is Kitsonian-level wordsmithery as he tells us things arent going so well but its all water off a cucks back. He explains his neurodiversity succinctly using the plot of the movie Titanic: I emphasised with the boat. Similarly, one must hear his bit comparing the comeback chances of Jeffrey Dahmer to Ellen DeGeneres (one of the top jokes of the festival) and another eviscerating take on J.K. Rowlings TERF status: Its better to dismember than misgender. Raths jittery delivery makes us love him easily until the Sydney comic decides to try to banter with the crowd about what they do. Ba-bow. Perhaps on other nights his eccentric Russian doll wishes will cumulatively stack the crowds affection towards him rather than keep us all oddly removed, and fatally wound the shows pacing. A reassuring long-game prediction? With a decent life coach, Rath could one day win the festivals Most Outstanding Show award. Reviewed by Mikey Cahill Michael Shafar | Well Worth the Chemo The Toff in Town, until April 23 Michael Shafar needs to viciously cut down the first 10 minutes of his latest hour. Well Worth the Chemo is on at The Toff in Town until April 23. Beginning with anecdotes about the domestic minutiae of newly married life, its meandering at best. At worst, it seems like an utter waste of time once he hits his stride with perforating cultural and societal material. Be it juxtaposing the levels of evil between Hitler and the Queen or Pauline Hanson, the physical experiments that a cisgendered male must undertake to prove their heterosexuality, or the difficulty in recognising Australias colonialist past, Shafar is far from politically correct but never derogatory or disrespectful. He walks a tightrope deftly. For a lesser comedian, a misstep here could see them fall into the oblivion of being cancelled (or worse, roped in with adolescent shock-jocks such as Isaac Butterfield or Alex Williamson). The strong implementation of a red pen would see this show rise a half-star. (A final sour note: be it the fault of performer or venue, beginning 15 minutes late will ruin the evening for punters who have stacked multiple shows upon themselves. A definite festival faux pas). Reviewed by Tyson Wray Ashley Apap | Outer Child Digital on Demand at comedyfestival.com.au until April 23 The Improv Conspiracy Theatre until April 23 Ashley Apap wants us to get in touch with our inner child, and shes got a six-step program to help us. With her guidance, well be led to understanding and self-compassion. Or we would have if her inner child hadnt become a little more out than in. Outer Child is on digitally and in person until April 23. As Child Ashley hijacks Adult Ashleys seminar, were served monologues, songs and characters that dish up the grotty (and entertaining) reality of returning to the childlike state before our adult insecurities kick in. In this digital version of her live show, shes upped the ante with outstanding production values, working to the advantages of digital performance and storytelling to make a dynamic hour for the home viewer. The film clips accompanying her witty comedic songs are a particular highlight. For punters still unable to get to live performances, shows like Outer Child are a godsend, giving you the chance to whet your comedy-loving whistles. Apaps attention to accessibility continues through closed captioning, and a live performance on April 23 that is wheelchair-accessible and has Auslan interpretation. Everyones inner child deserves an outing like this. Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton Geraldine Quinn | Broad Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 Geraldine Quinn is a powerhouse performer. Accompanied by pianist Cameron Thomas, Broad is a sass-filled hour of uplifting songs of sisterhood and solidarity. Broad is on at Trades Hall until April 23. With an exquisite vocal range, stunning Broadway ballads and a glam rock chic (45 minutes worth of make-up is applied before every performance), theres no doubting her commitment to giving the audience their moneys worth. However, theres an underlying theme of self-pity that runs rampant and severely detracts from the show. Quinn constantly laments that her career never took flight to the levels that she believes she deserves. She was never picked up by a talent agency, nor given a plush regular television gig. In terms of the ratio of being nominated for awards and actually winning, plus the success that follows, its a case of always being the bridesmaid. Broad is a show that should be so much more, but its bold and brazen nature is muddled through the ego of the performer and constant airing of grievances. Reviewed by Tyson Wray Ange Lavoipierre | Your Mother Chucks Rocks And Shells The Butterfly Club Downstairs, until April 23 In her latest fever dream of a show, Ange Lavoipierre expertly evokes the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness. That this time of night is often referred to as the witching hour is the apt backdrop to the shows secondary preoccupation: The Exorcist. Your Mother Chucks Rocks And Shells is on at The Butterfly Club until April 23. A drowsy Lavoipierre enters the stage in her PJs armed with a pillow. After unsuccessfully attempting to sleep (including on audience members), she converses with her brain and the internet (both expertly voiced by comedian Jane Watt) searching for anything that will cure her insomnia: guided sleep meditation, ASMR, a trailer of The Exorcist. Thats when things get absurd. Characters from The Exorcist most notably Pazuzu are interwoven into films and TV shows of the past in re-enactments of surreal dreams. Theres a lot going on, from a bag of ASMR sounds (a highlight of the show) to a political reading of The Exorcist. But just as dreams can lack coherence, Lavoipierres sketch show is hard at times to follow. Lavoipierre has a strong, commanding stage presence, but the show could benefit from more signposting and a clearer structure. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Prue Blake | Unfriended Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 Prue Blake has had a dream progression to her first solo show, Unfriended. From winning Raw Comedy in 2021 to hosting Comedy Zone in 2022, shes got solid comedy chops. Unfriended is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. It bodes well for this first full solo show where she explores friendships, or more specifically, friendship break-ups. For some of us friendships have always been hard, she argues. What comes when friendships go awry is even harder the friend break-up can be shattering. From a parent whose mantra is Im not your friend, Im your mother to navigating the tricky terrain of finding and maintaining friendships as an adult, Blake is able to mine this material for solid laughs. She is a natural storyteller with a particular knack for making her own friendship dramas feel relatable. With self-assured delivery and a commitment to going the extra mile to make a gag work, this is a thoroughly enjoyable show. Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton William Wang | Favourite Only Child Club Voltaire, Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets, until April 23 Whether its jokes about baby formula, fake Louis Vuitton handbags or the perception that Asians are good at maths, China-born comedian William Wang is skilled at leaning into stereotypes only to dismantle them or make light of them. William Wangs Favourite Only Child is on at Club Voltaire until April 23. Wang is a newly minted Australian citizen who has pivoted from engineering to comedy. But there are many things he still doesnt understand. Australians spider eviction methods. Camping. Delivered in an offhand manner and with a self-effacing smile, his best bits revolve around cultural expectations, being an only child, learning a new language and drug consumption. But not all the jokes land, and Wang occasionally swallows his words when delivering punchlines. Performing in what Wang calls a comedy cellar has its challenges loud music from upstairs encroaches on his set towards the end and Wang seems acutely aware of the comparatively quiet audience. But he brings it home with a strong finish. The show is at its best when Wang is skewering stereotypes and unleashing his observational humour. A more polished delivery and tightened set would elevate it to the next level. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Nick Schuller | Fire Brand Chinese Museum, until April 23 With the vocal pace of a sloth, Nick Schuller has immaculate delivery but not enough material to make it land over a full hour. Fire Brand is on at the Chinese Museum until April 23. Fire Brand is loosely tied together by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019 which incinerated Schullers childhood home. While his inclusion of sad music over his brief recollections of the trauma work surprisingly well as a quasi-mash-up, they seem forcefully injected for the sole reason of attempting to form a narrative in a debut show a trope he admits is needed to win awards. His elocution is deader than a morgue and more monotone than a test pattern. The experiments in multimedia and faux sponsorship ads are touch and go. To make his persona work he needs, ahem, more rapid-fire gags. Think Tim Vine without the cheese. Schuller has the ability. Watch this space. Reviewed by Tyson Wray Lauren Bok and Jay Wymarra | An Evening With The Wymarra-Boks Melbourne Town Hall Backstage Room, until April 23 Lauren Bok and Jay Wymarra open the show as a subversive 1920s aristocratic couple hosting a dinner party, the audience being their unexpectedly punctual guests. An Evening With The Wymarra-Boks is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. The comedians have distinct styles Bok is expressive and adopts the physicality of her characters while Wymarra is a storyteller, always quick to return with a dirty retort. Theyre still ironing out the rough edges of their solo components, with Bok referring to her cheat sheet occasionally and Wymarra stumbling at times while ad-libbing. There are parts that run for longer than necessary, including the introductory faux couple bit and Boks demonstration of her varied MC styles. Boks confidence has grown in the past few years. Her performance is strongest when shes bouncing off Wymarra, a compatible scene partner who sets up her best improvised lines. Wymarra, a foul-mouthed yet articulate Tolkien fan with a tropical Far North Queensland twist, is simply divine. A fun appetiser to an evening of comedy. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Ting Lim | Every Ting or No Ting Greek Centre, until April 23 Festival trends can set knees a-knocking, so know that the easel-bound giant notebook that greets you at Ting Lims hour doesnt result in the kind of instructional hand-drawn whimsy that was on-trend 15 years ago. If anything, Lim harks back to the nights of Melbourne standup in the 90s, when comedy was synthesised from all over the globe into something new. Every Ting or No Ting is on at Greek Centre until April 23. Lim left Singapore for Queensland 14 years ago and found her stand-up feet in Brisbane. It shows. The comedy scene there is newer than Melbournes and instead of our chin-stroking it tends to be both more provocative and forgiving. Like many in the Brisbane scene, shes in-your-face while remaining on your side. Shes not here to educate, though. You might learn a bit about krav maga and Singapore noodles and cat-walking in passing. Her finest bit concerns a doctors visit to ascertain problems with certain fundamentals. Theres no takeaway, or even a resolution, but youre in good hands all the while. Reviewed by John Bailey Melissa McGlensey | The Briefing Campari House, until April 23 Love fake news. Fake news is great when it aligns with your values. Take this press conference with Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Melissa McGlensey). Total fakesauce. You can tell because the real Sanders held fewer pressers than any White House press secretary since the internet became a thing. The Briefing is on at Campari House until April 23. Credit: Maddie Royce Photography Plus, the Trump apologist, former Fox News talking head, and current Governor of Arkansas has been too busy to head Down Under. Shes got her hands full facilitating an erection a planned monument at the Arkansas Capitol building, commemorating all the fetuses aborted during the Roe v Wade era. Uh-oh. That paragraph is all actual bona fide fact-checked real news. Which raises the question. When conservative politics in the US is already such a tragic farce, how do you make satire from it? Loading McGlenseys answer combines keen impersonation (not inferior to Alec Baldwin as Trump on SNL), outright mockery (including below-the-belt sexual invective), and unscripted audience involvement. Acting as a press corpse uh, corps spectators provide amusing gotcha moments. Sanders responds with slippery improv, clutching her power pearls to defend the indefensible. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead Kimmie Lovegrove | Yarnz Queen Victoria Womens Centre, until April 15 Ngarrindjeri comedian Kimmie Lovegroves Yarnz promises an open-mic night featuring funny First Nations performers, however, the reality was quite different. Yarnz is on at Queen Victoria Womens Centre until April 15. Performing alongside her cousin, Gunditjmara Ngarrindjeri comedian Aden Hitchins, Lovegrove jokes about decolonising by dating white men and her mothers deception about her Aboriginal heritage. Investing in story set-up and variety would make Lovegroves routine more comprehensive and less repetitive (there are only so many times a joke about the legalities of having sex with your cousin can land). Speaking of cousins, Hitchins was so debilitated by the anti-feminist undertones of his jokes given the context of performing at a womens centre his routine became incoherent, despite starting strong by dancing to Fred Said Rights Im Too Sexy. Lovegrove took a punt and its admirable to create a space for experimentation. It didnt pay off this time, but it will be interesting to watch her contribution over time. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Leo Reich | Literally Who Cares?! Melbourne Town Hall, until April 23 Its a funny thing, stand-up comedy. You can be rocking in your seat and rolling in the aisle and then something can happen: a person can outlast their welcome. Literally Who Cares?! is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. Leo Reich has had a sweet trajectory. He was nominated for Best Newcomer at last years Edinburgh Fringe and on tonights showing hes whip smart with both visual gags (various mock-up memoirs land well) and baitn switch comic timing example: They said it literally with their eyes. But after 20 minutes of presenting himself as Gen Zs Emperor with few clothes, his central question of why we should bother with the rat race runs its course. What starts so well becomes insufferable, with the performer coming off like Troye Sivans catty, half-charming, half-charmless cousin. Reich lines up jokes about being queer and Jewish (Deutsche Bank and Nazis both cop it) and gives nearly every bit a contradictory kicker. His best gear uses the film Call Me By Your Name is offset by two things: shushing the crowd every time we wanted to give an applause break (this got very tired) and him singing approximately five songs. A bright future for sure, once Reich chooses to read and (more importantly) respect the room. So shouty. Reviewed by Mikey Cahill Paul Foot | Swan Power The Famous Spiegeltent, until April 23 Seeing a Paul Foot show is like having a conversation with your uncle at Christmas. If your uncle is a regular dabbler in acid and crack. However, having performed at the festival for well over a decade, the UK comedians shtick has now drained the well of goodwill and become painful. While the well-delivered walk-on introduction for himself is the best Ive seen this festival, due to hypothetical scenarios of Prince Andrew having an accident on a go-kart, his material this year is especially macabre. Paul Foot performs Swan Power at The Famous Spiegeltent until April 23. There are references to the massacres in Dunblane and Port Arthur, putting down of pets, familial suicide on Christmas and a series of advertisement ideas to pitch as a marketer from Specsavers (they all revolve around death). Combined with his sometimes seemingly endless repetition of innocuous lines and the possessed-like oscillation of his upper body, his mannerisms have become borderline uncomfortable to watch. Reviewed by Tyson Wray RAW Comedy National Grand Final Melbourne Town Hall, April 16 For those unaware, the RAW Comedy National Grand Final is akin to watching the Oxfam Gala five years in advance. Having launched the careers of the ilk of Hannah Gadsby, Ronny Chieng and Celia Pacquola, the festivals nationwide search for the next generation of comedic superstars comes to its crescendo here, as the state finalists dish out their best five minutes of material. Winner and runners-up in the RAW Comedy National Grand Final, 2023. Clockwise from left: Jacquelyn Richards, Rapha Manajem, Henry Yan (winner) and Meg Jager. Credit: Nick Robertson Kicking off proceedings was sommelier Jarryd Prain with R-rated material comparing his job to his sex life. Hadi Kilman poked fun at racist hiring companies who wont give him a look-in due to his Arabic name, and Ginny Hollands looked on the bright side of being born with only 16 per cent of full eyesight she never has to be the designated driver. Nicole Shi took sharp aim at her Chinese heritage, and added a borderline horrendous joke about her dog giving her comfort in lockdown, Jack OSullivan mined tinnitus, Tasmania and morse code to varying results, and Scott Northover spoke about the eroticisms of swimming terms. Elysia Hall savaged hens parties for straight women, Trish Hurley detailed how everyone hates hypochondriacs, while William Wang described attaining his citizenship after seven years and how he chooses the origin of his Asian descent depending on cultural preferences of job interviewers. Loading There was a three-way tie for runner-up: Jacquelyn Richards with deliciously dark quips about being a widow; Rapha Manajem tackling racism and being mistaken for a Sri Lankan, and Meg Jager who brought extreme not-safe-for-work Becky Lucas-vibes, taking aim at private girl schools, her father and Bendigo. But there was a clear standout. With self-deprecating jokes about his own comedy, the inability to be a gangster and why physics means Ironman is a feminist movie, Henry Yan took home the grand prize and will head to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to showcase his talents in the prestigious So You Think Youre Funny? competition. The future of Australian comedy is in deft hands. Catch them now before theyre headlining the Town Hall. Reviewed by Tyson Wray Note: No star ratings are applied to group shows A Victoria University student is fighting to study all her law classes online, saying her disability and chronic health issues mean coming to university is not safe or accessible. Alison Brown De Moreno began studying a bachelor of laws during the 2021 COVID-19 lockdown. After restrictions were wound back, she was told she must attend some classes in person something she said was unreasonable due to her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and being in a wheelchair. Alison Brown De Moreno is fighting to have all of her Victoria University law degree classes online. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui She chose Victoria University because of its innovative block model, where students learn one subject at a time. About 7 per cent of Victoria University students declare a disability when they enrol, with about 2 per cent saying they require support to succeed with their studies. Brown De Moreno said she had been prepared to attend classes in person and bought a more practical wheelchair, but the risk became too great when Omicron hit. A new agenda to help struggling workers improve their basic skills will be launched by the federal government out of concern that 3 million Australians lack the literacy and numeracy required to gain better jobs and increase their wages. In a blunt warning about a growing skills crisis, the government is ordering more work on the problem to help it target spending on programs assisting people to not only boost their chances in the workforce, but also improve the reading and writing they need in everyday life. The federal government wants to focus on adult literacy and numeracy to help people get better-paying jobs. Credit: James Alcock Skills Minister Brendan OConnor wants the new programs to overcome barriers to education, including the shame and embarrassment some people feel when they attend courses that are meant to help them. As a First World nation, a wealthy nation, its unacceptable that we have such a very high proportion of adults unable to read, write or be digitally literate, OConnor said. The Victorian Liberal Party lost the seat of Aston in this months byelection because it is still reeling from the disasters of the Morrison government almost a year after the Coalition was defeated, according to a senior member of the partys governing body. Ian Quick, a member of the powerful administrative committee, posted the candid missive on his private Facebook page last week after party president Greg Mirabella told Liberal members the Victorian division was unelectable and have no one to blame but themselves for voters abandoning them in the countrys second-largest state. Quick identified three major reasons the party lost the seat of Aston: parachuting in the candidate Roshena Campbell, running a poor local campaign, and voters negative perceptions of former prime minister Scott Morrison that were exacerbated by revelations he held secret ministerial portfolios. The Aston result, in my view, was caused by three major things, said Quick, a former vice president of the Victorian Liberal Party. Taipei: Taiwan said that it had successfully urged China to drastically cut its plan to close airspace north of the island, averting wider travel disruption in a period of high tension in the region due to Chinas military exercises. China has not commented on the no-fly zone but South Korea, which was also briefed on the plans, said it was due to an object falling from a satellite launch vehicle. In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese fighter jet pilot takes part in military drills around Taiwan last weekend. Credit: AP China initially notified Taipei it would impose a no-fly zone between April 16-18, but Taiwans transport ministry said on Wednesday that was later reduced to a period of just 27 minutes on Sunday morning after it objected. The no-fly zone follows days of intense military drills it has staged around Taiwan in response to President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week. Singapore: Taiwans ruling party has elected William Lai as its candidate to replace Tsai Ing-Wen in next years presidential election, throwing the former mayor into the centre of a race that will be watched closely in Beijing, Washington and Canberra. Lai, the 63-year-old son of a mining family, was named as the Democratic Progressive Partys [DPP] candidate on Wednesday, making him the frontrunner in a presidential contest that will help define the next decade of geopolitical tension in Asia. Taiwans Vice President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai. Credit: AP The announcement followed three days of military drills by the Peoples Liberation Army that encircled the island of 24 million for the second time in the past 12 months. Taiwans Defence Ministry on Wednesday said China was planning to impose a no-fly zone to the north of the democratic island that Beijing claims as its own. But an initial three-day imposition was later downgrade to one hour. Im very honoured to be nominated to shoulder the mission of protecting Taiwan, Lai said at the DPP headquarters in Taipei. EV-Motoring: The Inequities Of Electric Vehicles - Lower Income People Unplugged Originally Published August 11, 2021 SEE ALSO: Will Electric Vehicles Really Make Our Planet Better? SEE ALSO: EV's and the less fortunate SEE ALSO: The Moral Case for Internal Combustion Engines Powered By Ethanol +VIDEO SEE ALSO: Broken Charging Stations Could Be Stalling the EV Movement Editors Note: We believe that without misguided tax subsidies for EV's, the well to do suburbanites will quickly stop considering buying EVs affecting the manipulated sales numbers the politicians have been led to believe to justify the investment in The Emperors New Clothes. The Auto Channel guarantees that the sales of boutique EV's will drop like a blown fuse...It happened in China and will happen everywhere...wave Buh-bye to the US Govt making THE CHOICE of your future's mobility. UPDATE Chicago Car Guy Larry Nutson Notes that the Biden EV subsidy will be given to EV buyers who don't even have a total of $7,500-$12,500 in federal tax liability, will get the difference refunded to them. For example, if an individual total federal tax liability is $5,000, that would become zero and the difference of $2,500-$7500 would be refunded to them by check...talk about the Government sticking its nose into places where it don't belong. From, Ashley NunesPolicy Director, Competition Policy Ashley Nunes is the Director of Competition Policy at the R Street Institute and a Research Fellow at Harvard Law School. In this post, he argues that the rush to adopt electric vehicles may end up widening existing inequities in American society. The race to go green is heating up. A week ago, President Joe Biden signed [1] an executive order calling for half of new auto sales in the US to be electric by 2030. The move which has the blessing of auto execs and union leaders is a crucial test of the Presidents climate agenda, one that proved popular with voters last November. When it comes to the auto industry, the need for climate action is pressing. Fossil fuel powered vehicles are a significant cause of global warming, emitting [2] roughly 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of gas burned. Electric cars do make a difference. Over its life cycle from digging up the raw materials to eventually laying the car to rest an EV will emit [3] fewer greenhouse gases than its gasoline powered counterpart. This comparison explains ?car guy Bidens enthusiasm for all things electric. At a Ford assembly plant last May, the President said [4], were going to set a new pace for electric vehicles. Similar sentiments were echoed by his press secretary who declared [5], the future of the [auto] industry is electric. Everyone will tell you that. Maybe, but heres something they wont tell you: going all-in on EVs trades one type of inequity in for another. Auto ownership isnt cheap. Insurance, maintenance and fuel costs make up a households second-largest expense, after lodging according to a working paper [6] from the International Council on Clean Transportation. This burden is particularly significant for low-income families. Switching to EVs should help in the long run because these vehicles are cheaper [7] to operate, and the federal government has through generous [8] handouts sought to further decrease EV ownership costs. But when it comes to going green, cost isnt the only concern. Ease of use matters, too. While gas guzzlers can be topped up by the estimated 150,000 gas stations across the US, EVs need charging stations. Good luck finding [9] those. And, when you do, be prepared [10] to deal with broken chargers, confusing payment systems and less-than-appealing electricity rates. Existing EV owners, most of whom [11] are upper-income, dont seem to mind this extra effort. Why should they. Having cash on hand means being able to splurge on, among other things, a personal garage, which is where most [12] EVs are topped off. If youre rich enough, you can just set it and forget it. Even if you cant charge, its likely you also have a second car as backup. Poor Americans have no such luck, often living in dense urban housing that lacks reliable electricity access, let alone dedicated parking spots. The proposed solution is a nationwide network of chargers. The US Senate recently clinched [13] bipartisan infrastructure deal that provides $7.5 billion for charging infrastructure along major highways and corridors, the goal being to make charging stations as ubiquitous as gas stations. A related effort [14] aims to promote equitable EV recharging through accelerated public investment. But whats equitable about the rich person charging their car at home while the poor person stands in the rain? And how long should Americas poor spend at public charging stations? While topping off a gas tank takes a few minutes, fully charging an EV can take hours [15]. Fast chargers are often offered as a fix. But even those take longer than gasoline refills. Thats time Americas poor simply dont have. Low-income parents already endure [16] longer than average commutes, something which hinders their childrens ability to enter better schools, participate in extracurricular activities and achieve maximum lifetime earning potential. Expect this to worsen should this demographic be asked to idle on the side of the freeway in the name of green energy. Going electric admittedly has perks. EVs are definitively greener, cleaner and better for the environment than gas guzzlers. Using EVs also benefits poor communities who disproportionally suffer climate change related effects. But switching from pumps to plugs for the poorest Americans at least perpetuates inequities of its own. After signing the executive order at the White House, President Biden jumped into a waiting EV and went for a spin. He asked Americans to follow suit, calling EV adoption an act [17] to save the planet. That it may be, but lets not pretend it will leave everyone better off. Bidens ambitious plan to phase out gas cars Is This Ethanol Basher Seeking a Seat on the V.I. Wall of Shame? She's FUBAR - 'Forbed' Up Beyond All Recognition I love it, love it, love it when people with incredibly fantastic academic and professional credentials show that they know absolutely nothing about the subject matter they are discussing. Such is the case of Diana Furchtgott-Roth and her recent Forbes article titled "Higher Ethanol Mandates Are A Lose-Lose For Americans." According to one published bio: "Diana Furchtgott-Roth is director of the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment and the Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at The Heritage Foundation. She is an Oxford-educated economist, a frequent guest on TV and radio shows, and a columnist for Forbes. "Diana worked in senior roles in the White House under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. She has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation; Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury; Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor; Chief of Staff of the Presidents Council of Economic Advisers; and Deputy Executive Secretary of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Diana is the author or coauthor of six books and hundreds of articles on economic policy, including Regulating to Disaster: How Green Jobs Policies are Destroying America's Economy (Encounter Books, 2012). Her most recent book is United States Income, Wealth, Consumption, and Inequality (Oxford University Press, 2021). She received degrees in economics from Swarthmore College and Oxford University." WOW! Ms. Furchtgott-Roth must know a lot. Unfortunately, when it comes to ethanol fuel I'd say she is as dumb as all the other nitwit academics andthat I regularly lampoon on the issue of ethanol. She can't be just outright stupid, so she must be so far up the rear-end of the oil industry's PR war chest that she's as blind as if she drank a cocktail made with gasoline. As everyone knows, ethanol bashers are modern-day versions of village idiots. Forbes has been responsible for consistently publishing some of the worst, and most incorrect anti-ethanol stories. But this article is a new low point for them. In fact, it's even worse than the recent anti-ethanol article written by Michael Lynch that Forbes published this past June 2022. What makes Michael Lynch's June article so outlandish is that my online debate with him three years ago proved that he knows very, very little about ethanol fuel and its benefits. The passage of time shows that he's not learned anything, and he must have figured it was safe to stick his nose back into this arena. It wasn't, I just didn't have the time to address his latest nonsense last summer. But Diana's rubbish was enough to energize me into writing this rebuttal. She starts her anti-ethanol comments with: "At a time when President Biden is pushing the nation towards electric vehicles, and when he seeks lower gasoline prices for drivers, it makes no sense to increase the amount of ethanol required to be used." While I would never, ever defend any action or statement made by Joe Biden, here's why it makes sense to increase the required/mandated/suggested amount of ethanol fuel to be used: WITH EACH DROP OF GASOLINE AND DIESEL FUEL USED THERE ARE MORE POISONOUS EMISSIONS SPEWED INTO OUR AIR AND LUNGS. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE STOP USING PETROLEUM OIL FUELS IMMEDIATELY. And, because any swap to electric vehicles from internal combustion engine vehicles will take many years to complete, this means that MILLIONS, even BILLIONS, of internal combustion engine vehicles will continue to fart out the deadly gasoline/diesel fumes and particulate matter. Ethanol reduces the amount of poison, and the change over to more ethanol doesn't have to take months, years, or decades, it can be done right this minute! If a mandate for ethanol was high enough, it could eliminate the continuing problems caused by petroleum oil fuels almost entirely, very quickly. Diana's next paragraph dives deeper into her pool of ignorance. She claims: "Ethanol reduces gas mileage for drivers and raises the price per gallon because refiners are required to purchase renewable fuel standard (RFS) compliance credits, called renewable identification numbers (RINs), which add to the price of gasoline." Any reduction in gasoline mileage because of the inclusion of 10% or 15% ethanol is almost always offset by the lower price of E10 or E15 compared to E0. The lower price of E10/E15 often makes its use a net gain. This is simple economics. Among Diana Furchtgott-Roth's professional credentials is that she is an economist. WTF happened, Diana, did you miss Economics class the day the professor explained how this works? Additionally, if ethanol-gasoline blends were increased to E30 to E50, many vehicles would actually gain mileage per gallon, as well as benefit from higher increased savings on each gallon purchased. If Diana Furchtgott-Roth did any real research on ethanol she would have known this - of course, she may know it but simply hoped no one would notice the gaffe. Yeah, well I noticed it! Sorry, Diana. Furthermore, the lower price of ethanol brings down the price of the fuel blends, despite whatever RINs cost. The reason for RINs in the first place is that we can't trust the oil industry to use the renewable fuel additive that they are supposed to use. If we left it up to the oil industry, they would lie about how much ethanol is being used. To bolster her argument about RINs, Diana uses quotes from two construction industry guys...CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY...not the energy industry, not the automobile industry, not the financial industry. WTF are they supposed to know? She could have just consulted a Magic 8 Ball? I'm quite sure that this handy gadget could answer any question about fuel and RINs economics at least as accurately as either of these two guys. Gasoline and diesel fuel prices have not risen because of ethanol and RINs, but because of the outrageously high price of domestic and foreign crude oil. Any attempt to blame ethanol for the increase in the price of oil is outright stupid. Next, pseudo-economist Diana misstates the reasons and the effects of the Renewable Fuel Standard. She writes: "In the mid-2000s, when Congress imposed renewable fuel mandates to make America independent from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), adding ethanol to gasoline was seen as a way to reduce gasoline consumption, reduce oil imports and even curtail tailpipe emissions." In reality, Congress mandated a change in most gasoline twenty years earlier, in 1986, when they finally banned tetraethyl lead (TEL). The ban should have occurred 60 years earlier in the 1920s, but the largesse of the oil industry's wallet was too great for our elected officials to refuse. The deleterious effects of tetraethyl lead from those 60 years caused the permanent illness and death of hundreds of millions of people around the world. (SEE: "Horrific New Video Identifies Man Who Killed The Most People In History") The neurological damage caused by TEL is still with us today and its the cause of why each succeeding generation of humans is dumber and dumber. My criticism of Diana's mis-history lesson doesn't end here. Congress made rumblings about ways "to reduce gasoline consumption, reduce oil imports and even curtail tailpipe emissions" in the 1970s, in response to the oil crisis caused by OPEC and supported by the entire oil industry (that's right, the 1970s oil crisis was supported by, and allowed by the oil/gasoline companies because they knew that it would allow them to dramatically increase their revenue and profits). Because of the Congressional pressure, MTBE was used starting in the late '70s. Using MTBE was an oil industry decision. It was known as being harmful even then, but what the hell, the oil industry had been poisoning the public for so long and were allowed to get away with it that they probably didn't give a damn about what they fed us. (SEE: "The Oil Industry Has Been Poisoning Us For Decades, and They've Always Known It") A decade and a half after the banning of TEL almost everyone was against the continuation of MTBE use. Gradually some states started to restrict it and use small amounts of ethanol to act as the anti-knock oxygenate required to increase gasoline's octane level. The enactment of the Renewable Fuel Standard did not mandate the use of ethanol, it mandated the use of a BIOFUEL to "...reduce gasoline consumption, reduce oil imports and even curtail tailpipe emissions." It was the oil industry that chose to use ethanol as the additive. They chose ethanol because, despite their public anti-ethanol statements, they knew that ethanol was cleaner, healthier, safer, less expensive, and more powerful than gasoline or any other crap refined from petroleum oil. How do I know that the oil industry knew all about the benefits of ethanol? Simple, I wrote an extensive report about this that documents the benefits. (SEE: "The Hypocrisy of Big Oil and API") It is now just shy of 5 years since I wrote and published "The Hypocrisy of Big Oil and API." Not one person associated with the oil industry has ever stepped forward to challenge me and my report, not even a whisper in contradiction. Diana continues to show off her ignorance of the subject matter when she cites ethanol subsidies. She wrote: "In 2012, the subsidy of 45 cents a gallon expired, along with the 54-cent tariff for imported ethanol. What keeps the ethanol industry afloat in 2022 is the mandate for the American economy to consume ethanol." When I read this paragraph, I thought to myself, "Diana Furchtgott-Roth better hope that the schools she attended never read this statement because otherwise they'll demand their diplomas back." She added: "What keeps the ethanol industry afloat in 2022 is the mandate for the American economy to consume ethanol" She seems to write this as if this was a brilliant lesson in economics. Hey Diana, the gasoline industry was allowed to succeed and be kept successful in all the years since gasoline was first invented in the late 1800s because of government taxes that priced alcohol too high, then the government made it illegal to manufacture alcohol, then the government subsidized the entire oil industry to the tune of billions, if not trillions, of dollars. Included in these subsidies is providing the oil industry with a global security force for free. Watch the video below: The ethanol subsidies she refers to were not actually ethanol subsidies, they were subsidies that went to the oil industry for blending ethanol with gasoline. Farmers and distillers didn't receive these funds, and when the oil industry urged for the removal of the subsidies, thinking that it would push the price of E10 higher than gasoline and make consumers angry, they only hurt their own blenders. E10 ethanol-gasoline fuel continued to be lower than the price of E0 gasoline. They cut their greedy snot-noses and spited their ugly filthy faces. At this point, I guess Diana must have been feeling her oats, or someone else's oats, because she felt confident enough to venture into the "food vs. fuel" debate. She wrote: "Of 90 million acres of corn in America, about 45 percent is dedicated to ethanol, shrinking supplies that go into food. "In sum, EPAs efforts to raise the fraction of ethanol in a gallon of gasoline above 10 percent of pumped gasoline has raised prices for American consumers." The entire food vs. fuel argument against the use of ethanol is preposterous, ridiculous, inane, idiotic, childish, and boorish. I realize I could have just said that the food vs fuel argument is stupid, but I've used the word stupid too much already. Obviously, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, and whoever her advisors are, never read my debate-ending essay on the issue. (SEE: "BAM! Closing the Door to the Food vs. Ethanol Fuel Argument") Once this rebuttal is published I'll try to make sure that they become aware of it. Lastly, but certainly not least-ly, this person with what should be unassailable professional and academic credentials, tells the world which vehicles are safe to use ethanol and what the ethanol levels should be. Let me be clear on this: ALL, and I mean ALL, spark-ignited internal combustion engine vehicles in the world - regardless of age and manufacturer - can safely, efficiently, and economically use ethanol-gasoline blends significantly higher than E10 or E15. And, all vehicles that have had their onboard computer software (or an inexpensive conversion device) installed can safely, efficiently, and economically use E85 and higher blends. All negative comments about ethanol are incorrect. They are either lies, exaggerations, or myths. They were mostly invented by the petroleum oil industry. If someone is disseminating negative information about ethanol they are WRONG! I don't care who they are, where they went to school, or who they know; there are no negatives to using ethanol fuel. What I just don't understand is why ethanol bashers with such outstanding academic and professional careers are so willing to sully their reputations by making so many wrong, idiotic claims against ethanol. Welcome to your seat on the Village Idiot wall, Diana. What was supposed to be a peaceful time of the year in which followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism all celebrate their holiest feasts has turned into a nightmare due to the reckless decisions of the current Israeli government. Living up to its extremist orientation, that government is intentionally sparking tensions in the region to overcome its own domestic problems. The horrific, shocking images that surfaced late last week could not be more provocative. They show Israeli soldiers violently storming Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem twice in two days, desecrating the premises and brutally beating up male and female worshipers during the holy month of Ramadan, firing tear gas and stun grenades that threatened to set the entire building on fire. Israels friends and foes issued strongly worded statements condemning the behaviour of occupation forces. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was shocked and appalled by the images he saw of the violence and beating by Israeli security forces inside the Al-Qibli Mosque in Jerusalem. Palestinian resistance groups responded to this flagrant Israeli aggression on one of three holiest sites to one billion Muslims by firing rockets from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. While Israel reacted by firing missiles, the relatively limited response did not please the right wing, extremist ministers in the current Israeli government, who have been calling for more brutal violence against Palestinians, expansion of illegal settlements. Denying the existence of Palestinians as a people in the first place, members of that government have called for wiping out their villages. Leading those extremists is the Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for a harsher response. Hamas rockets require more than blasting dunes and empty sites. Its time to rip heads off in Gaza, he said in a tweet. He also voiced his complete backing of the police and their swift and determined actions. Ben-Gvirs statements came as no surprise, considering his long history of support for Jewish extremists who have committed massacres against Palestinians, or his insistence on violating the sanctity of Al- Aqsa Mosque by personally leading groups of religious extremists to conduct prayers in its vicinity even after taking an official position in the current government. Such repeated provocations have increased since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office early this year, and are in clear violation of the agreement reached with Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, since the city was occupied in 1967. This agreement calls for preserving the status quo in Al-Aqsa, considering it a Muslim holy site which followers of other religions can visit, but where they should not be allowed to worship. Aware that the holy month of Ramadan has traditionally been a tense time in Jerusalem due to Israels policy of limiting the number of Palestinians allowed to pray at Al-Aqsa, neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, the first two countries to sign peace agreements with Israel, held two rounds of talks in Al-Aqaba with Israeli officials along with senior US diplomats, in order to prevent the current, tense situation from getting out of hand. Understandings were reached that the Israeli government would not take any measures that would further spark tensions during Ramadan, working to prevent extremists from storming Al-Aqsa Mosque and provoking Palestinian worshippers. Israel also agreed not to expand or build any new illegal settlements in Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, and to stop the nearly daily raids of Palestinian towns, killing scores of Palestinians. Unfortunately, none of these commitments have been respected while Israel continues with its daily aggression and provocation, confirming further that the main priority of the current Israeli government is to stay in office by pleasing extremist ministers who make up a majority of its members. Seeking a new round of confrontation with Palestinians and bordering countries in Lebanon and Syria is yet another playbook tactic by which consecutive Israeli governments have diverted attention away from their own domestic problems. After weeks of nearly daily mass demonstrations by Israelis who oppose Netanyahus plan to contain the judiciary and give the upper hand to the parliament where he maintains a majority, a clash with Palestinians over Al-Aqsa Mosque could be the perfect way to rally public support. While the Arab League and the United Nations Security Council held meetings to discuss the dangerous escalation in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon after raids by the Israeli army against Al-Aqsa Mosque, there is a dire need for more concrete action to provide protection for Palestinians and to restrain extremists especially since the end of Ramadan is approaching and thousands of Palestinians are expected to flood the holy sites in Jerusalem to perform prayers ahead of Al-Fitr Feast. Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock have always been and will remain a red line for all Arabs and Muslims, and the current Israeli government must not be allowed to play with fire. We call for the respect of the basic rights of Palestinians, topped with the right to worship peacefully at one of Islams holiest sites. Meanwhile, images of the inhumane beating of worshippers inside the mosque will continue to haunt the whole world, showing them, once again, the real, ugly face of the racist occupation which Palestinians have been suffering for 75 years. * A version of this article appears in print in the 13 April, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: There are no guarantees that containment diplomacy will win out in Palestine given continued Israeli provocation The weeklong Passover celebration, which for some extremist nationalist Jews includes prayers by the Western Wall, ends on 13 April. The day coincides with the beginning of the last week of Ramadan when many Muslim Palestinians pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The fortuitous timing should limit the chances of confrontations occurring in Al-Haram Al-Sharif. Egypt and Jordan, among other mediators, have requested the Israeli government take all necessary measures to avoid a recurrence of the recent confrontations around Al-Aqsa Mosque that began with far-right Israelis behaving provocatively at the holy site at the beginning of Passover week. We have made it very clear to the Israelis that the situation is really tense and there is a limit to the effect of our intervention should provocations continue, especially during the last days of Ramadan, said an informed Egyptian source. Jordan has done the same. The Jordanians also spoke with the Americans and shared concern over what might happen if the provocations continued. The source declined to disclose the Israeli response, noting only the unpredictable and highly provocative moves from some far-right Israeli cabinet members like [Itamar] Ben-Gvir and [Bezalel] Smotrich, the Israeli ministers of national security and finance, and the fact that the message had been conveyed very clearly. On Monday, Smotrich joined several other Israeli cabinet ministers in leading thousands of far-right Israeli demonstrators to the West Bank site of an illegal Israeli settlement, the construction of which was halted by the Israeli government in 2021, to call for its re-establishment. The demonstrators clashed with Palestinian protests. When Israeli security forces intervened, one Palestinian was killed and many others wounded. Mondays clashes followed a week of escalating tension that began with the Israeli army storming Al-Aqsa Mosque on the evening of 4 April, and again on 6 April. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, deputy Palestinian prime minister and minister of information, called on the international community to contain Israeli aggression, a call echoed by an Arab League meeting that convened at the level of permanent representatives. Statements calling for de-escalation were also issued by the US, the UN, and several Arab capitals. For four days the calls went unheeded. Not only was there continued confrontation in and around Al-Aqsa, Israel launched raids on Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon after rockets and drones were launched against Israeli border areas and Israeli-occupied territories in the Golan Heights. Israel also imposed a blockade on Gaza and the West Bank which was supposed to end on Wednesday evening, the last day of Passover. Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and UN bodies working on the Middle East acted quickly in an attempt to contain the situation. According to two informed sources, messages from Hamas and Jihad in Gaza and Hizbullah in Lebanon and Syria disassociating the organisations from the rocket fire were conveyed to Israel. Israel, nonetheless, attacked what it claimed were Hamas targets in Gaza and south Lebanon, and the facilities of terror groups in Syria. It also accused Iran of being behind the escalation. I think the Israelis knew that neither Hizbullah nor Hamas were directly involved in the attacks launched from Syria or from Lebanon, said one of the sources. He added that it was probably quite alarming for the Israelis to have to face such multi-front attacks, minor as they were, for the first time in decades. According to the source, Egypt and Jordan worked closely with the leaders of Hamas, Jihad, and the Palestinian presidency to make sure that wisdom would prevail. He said it was clear from the talks between Egyptian officials and Palestinian leaders in Gaza and the West Bank that there was no appetite for a confrontation with Israel and that Palestinian leaders fear Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking for an exit from his internal problems and could use the tensions to take things to an extreme. Netanyahu has been facing huge opposition in Israel over his plans to overhaul the judiciary, give the government greater control over the appointment of judges and curtail the mandate of the supreme court. As protesters took to the streets in huge numbers, expressing concern that the overhaul would erode the separation of judiciary and executive powers, concerns shared by Israels allies, not least Washington, Netanyahu was forced to shelve the amendments. Diplomatic sources in Cairo have few doubts that Netanyahu will attempt to resurrect the plans, if only to shield himself from the ongoing charges of corruption he faces. They fear that, given the extent of domestic opposition to the changes, he may try to engineer a maximum-security alert situation to detract from his legal and political woes. In Cairo and Amman, the fear is that the far-right cabinet ministers in Netanyahus cabinet, coalition partners on whom he depends to remain in power, could push the situation to the edge, leading to a new Intifada in the West Bank that will be more difficult to contain than any military escalation. It is impossible to overlook statements like those made by Smotrich in which he claimed that there is no Palestinian identity, says Mohamed Ibrahim, an expert on the dynamics of Palestinian-Israeli relations. In March, speaking in Paris, Smotrich claimed that there was no such thing as Palestinian nationhood or a Palestinian people, which were inventions of the last century. A few weeks earlier, Smotrich had called for a West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara to be erased. Ibrahim sees such statements as an invitation to more violence, especially given the Netanyahu government has erased any peace process from its agenda. He argues that the only way out is a resumption of political talks, with the support of the US. Hisham Youssef, Washington-based senior fellow at the US Institute of Peace, is sceptical about the willingness of the US administration to expend any political capital on the Middle East. The initial reaction of the US administration, Youssef said, was lukewarm. It took Washington a while to say that it is working with its allies in the region to contain the situation. It does not seem that the administration is willing to move beyond fire brigade diplomacy even with tensions so high. Youssef argues that the Israeli government expects to suffer some political losses as a result of its far-right policies. Countries like Egypt and Jordan with peace treaties with Israel, and countries that subscribed to the Abraham Accords, including the UAE which was at the forefront of the normalisation momentum, are making it clear that they cannot continue with business as usual given the level of provocations coming from cabinet members. Youssef notes that in January, in response to Ben-Gvir leading a march to the Al-Aqsa compound, the UAE decided to delay Netanyahus scheduled visit to Abu Dhabi. The UAE, currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, also worked to formulate a collective Council position on Israels provocations. Holy Muslim sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque, are a very sensitive matter for all Arab countries, says Youssef. While he expects attempts to contain the crisis will be put to the test during the remaining days of Ramadan, he also worries that there are limits to the success of containment diplomacy when provocations are ongoing. * A version of this article appears in print in the 13 April, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Hyundai and affiliate Kia will invest W21 trillion by 2030 to boost electric vehicle production in Korea to 1.44 million a year (US$1=W1,266). That will account for 45 percent of their global EV production goal by then. It is about half of Hyundai-Kia's total car production and more than six times EV output in Korea last year. The aim is to shift the focus of the domestic auto industry to eco-friendly vehicles. "In 2030, Hyundai will manufacture a large proportion of EVs at plants in Ulsan, Asan and Jeonju and Kia at its Gwangmyeong, Hwaseong and Gwangju factories," an insider said. In comparison, the two carmakers in May last year pledged to spend US$7.4 billion to expand their EV production in the U.S. by 2030. At present, Hyundai's Ulsan No. 1 factory rolls out the Ionic 5 and Kona EVs, while plants Nos. 2-5 also make one EV model each. Altogether each plant manufactures four to six models. French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday outlined his vision for European economic and industrial sovereignty during a visit to the Netherlands, following criticism over recent remarks about China and the United States. Speaking at a Dutch research organization in The Hague, Macron said it was essential the European Union carve out an independent stance on five key areas, including trade, competitiveness and European industry. Embedded across all, he said, should be European values and goals in areas such as climate change. "We want to be open," said the president. "We want allies, we want good friends, we want partners. But we always want to be in a situation to choose them. Not to be 100 percent dependent on them." Macron said Tuesday the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's war on Ukraine helped drive the need for an independent European strategy -- not reliant, for example, on either Chinese or U.S. technology. "Defending sovereignty doesn't mean to shy away from allies," he said. "It means we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny, rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world." Macron made his remarks during a state visit to the Netherlands -- the first by a French president in more than two decades. The comments follow a controversial interview with French and U.S. media, when he reportedly warned against Europe becoming entangled in unrelated crises -- apparently referring to Taiwan -- and becoming too dependent on the United States for defense. Free One-on-One Mobile Device Tutoring Available At Casper Senior Center Natrona County residents can receive a free one-on-one tutoring on their cell phones and other mobile devices thanks to high school students participating in the SkillsUSA Conference in Casper from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Casper Senior Center. The event, called Senior High Tech, is a collaboration between SkillsUSA students from around the state, AARP Wyoming and the Casper Senior Center. The training is free and there is no requirement to be an AARP member or over age 50 in order to take part in the event. In addition to the tech tutoring, a free lunch, courtesy of AARP Wyoming will be available at the Casper Senior Center on April 25. The program is free, but registration is encouraged by going to: https://events.aarp.org/event/9eedab9e-79ec-4bcb-8af0-a615f7fd8d46/summary SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. We provide educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education (CTE) in the nations classrooms. AARP Wyoming has been sponsoring Senior High Tech events since 2018 with the first series of Senior High Tech events happening thanks to a collaboration between AARPs Goshen County Community Group, The Goshen County Senior Friendship Center, as well as students from Lingle-Fort Laramie High Schools student council and Future Business Leaders of America groups. At each event, a group of students from the local high school provides one-on-one tutoring sessions to those age 50 and over in the community. During past Senior High Tech events, high school students have helped citizens with questions such as finding old emails, sending photos to loved ones, or adding apps to the phone. These are typically easy answers to offer and the library does have WIFi, allowing for work online. AARP Wyoming supports the events as they help address issues with social isolation, both in-person at Senior High Tech events, as well as by helping those age 50 and over to better engage online. According to studies, social isolation has the same health impact as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Senior centers, or service organizations interested in holding a Senior High Tech in your community can contact Avery Yak at: ayack@aarp.org. Cheyenne, WY (82001) Today Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. Thunder possible. High 41F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with rain and snow this evening. Rain and snow will become intermittent overnight. Thunder possible. Low 33F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 70%. "In order for us to protect our sovereign territory, we really have to drill and exercise how we are going to retake an island that's been taken away from us," Philippine exercises spokesman Colonel Michael Logico told reporters after the opening ceremony at a military camp in Manila. Balikatan will include military helicopters landing on a Philippine island off the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, nearly 300 kilometers from Taiwan, and the retaking of another island by amphibious forces. It will be the first time the exercises have been held under President Ferdinand Marcos, who has sought to strengthen ties with the United States after his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte trashed the alliance. The drills follow Monday's conclusion of a three-day Chinese military exercise that simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Nearly 18,000 troops are taking part in the annual exercises dubbed Balikatan, or "shoulder to shoulder" in Filipino, which for the first time will include a live-fire drill in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely. The Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever joint military exercises Tuesday, as the longstanding allies seek to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. In recent months, Manila and Washington have agreed to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea and struck a deal to expand the U.S. forces' footprint in the Philippines, which has infuriated China. U.S. troops will be allowed to use an additional four Philippine military bases under the pact, including a naval base not far from Taiwan. The Philippines' proximity to the island could potentially make it a key U.S. partner in the event of a Chinese invasion. At a joint news conference Tuesday, both armies did not address questions about the Taiwan tensions and a possible role for the Philippines if China invaded Taiwan. News of the expanded base access had prompted China to accuse the United States of "endangering regional peace and stability." "Countries in this part of the world must uphold strategic independence and firmly resist the Cold-War mentality and bloc confrontation," China's ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, said last week. Boosting Military Tactics About 12,200 American, 5,400 Filipino and just over 100 Australian soldiers will participate in the two weeks of Balikatan exercises -- about twice as many as last year. About 50 leftwing protesters staged a rally outside the opening ceremony venue, calling on the Philippine government to scrap the exercises. As part of the exercises, troops will stage an amphibious landing on the western island of Palawan, the closest Philippine landmass to the Spratly Islands, where Beijing and Manila have rival claims. The Americans will also use their Patriot missiles, considered one of the best air-defense systems in the world, and the HIMARS precision rocket system, which has helped Ukrainian forces fighting the Russian invaders. The two armies originally planned to fire live rounds at sea off the northern province of Ilocos Norte, about 355 kilometers from Taiwan's south coast, but had to move the exercise further down the South China Sea, Philippine Army Major-General Marvin Licudine said. The original site was "not sufficiently prepared" for unloading the needed equipment, he added. The new venue is less than 300 kilometers east of the Chinese-held Scarborough Shoal. The exercises will enhance "tactics, techniques and procedures across a wide range of military operations," said Philippine military spokesman Colonel Medel Aguilar. Soon after the opening ceremony in Manila, the Philippine defense and foreign ministers will jointly meet their U.S. counterparts in Washington. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Rain...mixing with snow overnight. Low around 35F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 90%. The presidential office on Tuesday denied revelations in leaked documents that U.S. intelligence agencies eavesdropped on the Office of National Security as "absurd and false." After U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin phoned his Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup to discuss the leaks, the presidential office in a statement claimed most of the leaked documents were "fabricated." The Defense Ministry said Austin "explained" to Lee the details of the latest incident and pledged to "communicate and cooperate closely" with the Korean government. The presidential office claimed it was told by former presidential security chief Kim Sung-han that details of conversations between top Korean security officials that according to the leaked documents had been obtained by wiretapping were "mostly different from the truth." "The two countries have the same assessment -- that much of the information disclosed is altered," his successor Kim Tae-hyo told reporters before boarding a flight to Washington. The section relating to Korea shows the Office of National Security agonizing that artillery shells bound for the U.S. could find their way to Ukraine, which would fly in the face of government policy not to send arms to conflict zones. Korea has officially only offered civilian support to Kiev. There are signs that some of the leaked documents, which consist of photos of pdf printouts, were altered before the cache was leaked on social media. An intelligence source told the Chosun Ilbo, "Looking at the documents, the Ukrainian casualty numbers are greatly exaggerated, while there are signs that they tried to mimic CIA report formats." "There is a chance that forces hostile to the U.S. mixed real and fake information and made it look like classified documents and leaked them to media." The U.S. appears to have been spying on other allies as well, but Israel, France and Canada also deny the veracity of the leaked information. Hyundai on Tuesday broke ground on its first new factory in Korea since 1994. President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the ceremony in Hwaseong south of Seoul and pledged full support for the auto giant to lead the future-mobility business. The plant will be Korea's first dedicated electric vehicle factory and the world's first making purpose-built vehicles or modularized commercial vans. It sits on a 100,000 sq.m plot and will cost W1 trillion to build (US$1=W1,322). Once completed in 2025 it will be capable of rolling out 150,000 cars a year. The 'Into You' hitmaker - who was speaking just before heading to work on the set of 'Wicked' - went on to remind her 30 million followers that they "never know" what someone is going through at any given time and insisted that everyone is "beautiful" no matter what. Have you ever looked at your furry friend cozy in their dog bed without a worry in the world and wished that you could have what they have? 10 House Republicans Support Texas AGs Bid to Block Omnibus Spending Bill U.S. Capitol Police officers stand at the base of the steps to the House Chambers as the House votes on a $1.7 trillion spending package in Washington on Dec. 23, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Ten House Republicans have backed a lawsuit that aims to prevent implementation of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill passed in December by striking down the congressional practice of proxy voting. In an April 11 amicus brief obtained by The Epoch Times, the lawmakers supported Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the application of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which passed the House on Dec. 23 largely due to proxy voting, as a majority of the chamber was absent. Republicans who signed on to the brief included Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Matt Rosendale of Montana, and John Rose of Tennessee. The House of Representatives adoption of proxy voting rules was unconstitutional on the day that it was announced; this Court therefore has the powerindeed the dutyto review and adjudicate the constitutionality of legislation enacted due only to proxy voting, the legislators contended. In doing so, it should hold that the Plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits, because the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 cannot be sustained as a proper exercise of Congresss power to enact legislation. The House instituted proxy voting rules in May 2020 under the leadership of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new rules allowed members of Congress under quarantine or otherwise unable to vote in person due to the pandemic to designate colleagues to vote in their stead. The controversial practice continued for more than two years until Jan. 21, when Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) officially declared an end to it. Complaint Paxtons lawsuit (pdf), filed in February, argues that the Quorum Clause of the Constitution requires members of Congress to be physically present to vote on legislation. According to that clause, Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each house may provide. Only with a quorum may either House do business, the complaint notes. In context, that necessitates physically present members. The power to compel the attendance of absent members, would make little sense if the Constitution did not require physical attendance. Supreme Court precedent supports this construction of the Quorum Clause, the filing adds. The Court has held that to constitute a quorum necessary to do business, the Constitution requires the presence of a majority, and when that majority are present the power of the house arises. However, on Jan. 24, the Supreme Court declined to hear another legal challenge to the practice of proxy votinga lawsuit filed by McCarthy that was rejected by the lower courts. Bipartisan Practice McCarthy, who has never voted by proxy, has criticized Democrats for their frequent use of the practice. Yet despite Republicans protestations, members of both parties took advantage of the opportunity while they could, and not always because of the pandemic. For instance, in March 2021, some Republicans received backlash from other members of their own party when they voted by proxy while attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida. Proxy voting is an unconstitutional attack on a functional Congressallowing members to avoid their responsibility to meet in D.C. to do their jobs, Rep. Roy told Politico at the time. But even a number of my GOP colleagues are now complicit and have given in to the Democrats recklessness. If, as I do, you believe its unconstitutionaland wrongthen you shouldnt do it, even if its hard. Legal Proceedings The judge assigned to Paxtons case is U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee. However, the Department of Justice has requested a transfer of venue to either the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas, holding that those would be a more suitable fit. Venue is not proper in this District because neither Defendants nor Plaintiff reside here, and no part of the events giving rise to this case occurred in this District, the department holds in one filing (pdf). In recent weeks, similar change of venue requests have been rejected in other federal lawsuits filed in Texas. Paxton, meanwhile, has requested a preliminary injunction, holding that the state of Texas will be harmed if the Consolidated Appropriations Act is enforced. Texas would be continuously subjected to the costs, hassles, harms, and attendant risks of administrative proceedings, investigations, and lawsuits that comes from both private individuals and the federal government, the motion (pdf) states. Meanwhile, the federal government is not harmed. Accordingly, the balance of equities and the public interest weigh heavily in favor of Texas and against the Defendants. Alex Berenson Sues Biden, Pfizer Board Member Over Twitter Ban Former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson on April 12 sued President Joe Biden and a Pfizer board member over the pressure placed on Twitter to ban him. Berenson, now an independent journalist, was suspended from Twitter in 2021 after top Biden administration officials and Pfizer board member Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urged the social media company to take action against him. Twitter initially resisted the pressure but ultimately banned Berenson from the platform. Berenson later settled a suit with Twitter, which acknowledged that it shouldnt have banned him. Now, hes targeting the officials who pressured Twitter, including Gottlieb and Dr. Andrew Slavitt, a one-time White House COVID-19 official. Slavitt and other White House officials questioned during one meeting with Twitter why Berenson hadnt been kicked off from the platform, a Twitter employee said in an internal message. Rob Flaherty, one of the officials, recently recalled Slavitt expressing his view that Twitter was not enforcing its content guidelines with respect to Alex Berensons tweets, and that employees from Twitter disagreed with that view. Slavitt, who has called Berenson a conspiracy theorist, was updated by Twitter about Berensons suspensions, emails released by Berenson in the suit show. Gottlieb tried to get Twitter to censor multiple people, including Dr. Brett Giroir, a former acting FDA commissioner, and Berenson. Their actions violated Berensons First Amendment rights, according to the new lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District Court in New York. The government Defendants specifically targeted Mr. Berensons constitutionally protected speech and journalism, it states. The violations may and are likely to recur unless the government Defendants are enjoined, it added. The suit asks the court to block the government from targeting Berenson and award him damages. The defendants are Biden, Flaherty, Slavitt, Gottlieb, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, Pfizer, and Gottlieb didnt respond to The Epoch Times requests for comment. Slavitt couldnt be reached. The Twitter logo on the exterior of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco on Oct. 28, 2022. (Constanza Hevia/AFP via Getty Images) COVID-19 Vaccine Critic Berenson has been a prominent critic of the COVID-19 vaccines, pointing out that theyve failed to stop infection or transmission. It doesnt stop infection. Or transmission, he wrote in a tweet. And we want to mandate it? Insanity. Berenson has often provided links to studies or other data sets in his posts. Twitter claimed that Berenson violated its policies multiple times, resulting in a ban, or permanent suspension. The ban harmed both Mr. Berenson and a clearly identifiable class of nearly 100 million Americans whose interests he helped representAmericans who either had questions about the vaccine or did not want to be forced to take a shot that they feared had been rushed through development and lost its ability to prevent COVID-19 infections within months, the new suit states. Berenson previously sued Twitter in federal court in California, alleging that the company breached its contract with him as a user. The suit led to a settlement and Twitters admission that Berenson shouldnt have been banned. Another Lawsuit Filed Challenging Biden Admins Pause on Student Loan Repayment The Biden administration has been hit with another lawsuit that contests its decision to renew its pause on repayment of federal student loans that Congress enacted as a pandemic-relief measure when former President Donald Trump was in the White House and which has been continued eight times without congressional approval, most recently on Nov. 22. New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free market and limited government think tank, against the U.S. Department of Education on April 6 (pdf). As presented in the NCLA suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the initial loan deferment that Congress passed and which Trump signed on March 27, 2020, was scheduled to last for six months. Yet, when the act expired on Sept. 30, the Department of Education (DOE), without constitutional authority, kept the moratorium in place, as it continues to do, at expense to taxpayers. Challenging Constitutionality of Policy We have no problem with the first pause; it was done through Congress and signed by President Trump, said Sheng Li, litigation counsel for NCLA, in a conversation with The Epoch Times. But when that six-month period expired, the Constitution requires that Congress pass an extension, and that is because Congress controls the power of the purse, and every month that the federal student loans are not repaid, the interest on that loan is forgivennot paused, as is the case with the principal of the loan, but forgivenand that money is not recoverable; its a gift. Under the Constitution, the Department of Education cannot unilaterally authorize extending the pause on student loan repayment, Li said. There were two extensions during the Trump administration, and six in the Biden administration. Every month that the repayment moratorium continues, the government loses $5 billion it otherwise would have collected, Li said. The 30 extra months, beyond the original six months passed by Congress, of the pause on student loan repayment has cost $150 billion. And the cost keeps rising. People rally in support of the Biden administrations student debt relief plan in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Feb. 28, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Patrick Wright, vice president for legal affairs at the Mackinac Center, spoke to The Epoch Times about the issue. The unconstitutional pauses have cost the taxpayer $135 billion, he said. Its well past time to enforce the separation of powers. Congress has the right to appropriate money. The president and the administrative state do not. National emergencies are not an excuse to blatantly ignore the Constitution. A specific harmful consequence that the Mackinac Center points to is that continuing the payment pause weakens and undermines a recruiting and employee-retention incentive that the organization and other nonprofits hold. The incentive is provided through the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which went into effect in 2007, and makes available the forgiveness of the balance of student loan debt to those who work for a nonprofit for 10 years and make qualifying monthly payments on that loan debt over the period. As the Mackinac Center contends, if the debt moratorium remains active, the draw and attraction of debt relief that PSLF affords through employment in the nonprofit sector is removed. The White House has cited the U.S. Supreme Courts ongoing consideration of two landmark cases challenging the constitutionality of the Biden student loan forgiveness planwhich itself remains on hold after court challengesas a reason for the DOEs most recent renewal of the loan repayment pause. Though the conservative-leaning court is expected to rule against the DOE, with the decision most likely to be issued in June, the administration said it is prolonging the pause because it would be unfair for borrowers to continue to pay on debt that may be canceled. The present extension is set to expire on June 30, or 60 days following the decision of the Supreme Court (expected to be issued in June), whichever comes first. Second Lawsuit Filed in 2 Months One of the biggest private student loan lenders in the United States, SoFi Technologies Inc., filed a lawsuit on March 3 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Biden administration over the most recent extension of the payment suspension. SoFi claimed in the complaint that the moratorium harms its student loan refinancing business. Two of the most ardent and public supporters of student loan forgiveness and the extended payment pauseSen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)co-signed an April 5 letter to SoFi CEO Anthony Noto that was scathing in its criticism of SoFis lawsuit and requested information and answers to questions submitted in the letter (pdf). Your companys attempt to use the courts to enact a backdoor repeal of this payment pauseat the same time the Supreme Court debates whether it will halt President Bidens student debt cancellation plan, and while touting your values as a company that will do the right thing,is unconscionable and you owe your customers, and the American public, an explanation for these actions, the lawmakers wrote. The third launch of the homegrown Nuri space rocket has been set for May 24, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Tuesday. Unlike the first two launches, the next liftoff will see the rocket carrying real satellites instead of a dummy. It will take off between 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to ensure that the payload can enter orbit at an altitude of 550 km. Appeals Court Questions Issue of Mootness in Lawsuit Challenging Bidens COVID-Era Travel Mask Mandate A U.S. court has ordered parties in the Biden administrations appeal of a lawsuit challenging the legality of its travel mask mandate during the pandemic to file briefs on whether or not the appeal is now moot due to the termination of the COVID-19 state of emergency. The order comes after a Florida federal judge in April 2022 blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) requirement that passengers on planes, trains, and other forms of public transportation wear masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate was originally issued in 2021. Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, a Trump appointee, ruled at the time that the CDC exceeded its authority with the mandate and inappropriately did not seek public comment before imposing the order. The Biden administration, including the president, the secretary of Health and Human Services, the CDC and its Director Rochelle Walensky, and the Department of Health and Human Services subsequently appealed the ruling, arguing that the mask mandate should be reinstated. The original lawsuit challenging the Biden administrations travel mask mandate was bought by the Health Freedom Defense Fund, a Wyoming Not-for-Profit Corporation, and two Florida residents who had argued that the CDC exceeded its statutory authority and failed to abide by the federal Administrative Procedure Act (APA) which governs the process by which federal agencies develop and issue regulations. However, Biden on Tuesday signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring the national COVID-19 state of emergency to an end after three years, meaning that the governments response to the virus will be overhauled. Issue of Mootness That now throws into question whether the lawsuit and appeal have any practical relevance as there is no longer controversy surrounding the issue, meaning they could possibly be dismissed. In an April 11 court order (pdf), Clerk of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, David Smith, noted that the parties in the CDCs appeal of the original lawsuit and ruling now have 21 days to submit a brief on the issue of mootness, which should be no longer than 10 pages. Leslie Manookian, president of the Health Freedom Defense Fund, said on Twitter that the nonprofit believes the case is not moot, citing comments made by U.S. Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan in January of this year during an appeal hearing on the matter. As Judge Jordan commented during oral arguments on Jan 17, 2023, CDC obviously appealed it wants the power to do something similar in the future, she wrote. We believe removal of the mask order does not moot the consequential issue of whether CDC has the power and authority to force millions of healthy Americans to don a medical device, or as CDCs reading of its authority would have it, mandate ANY other sort of medical intervention, Manookian said. CDC Recommends Masks As we successfully argued in the district court, & as we have maintained during CDCs appeal, 42 U.S.C. 264(a) [Public Health Service Act of 1944,]a statute that was enacted in 1944 to authorize certain measures in aid of quarantinedid not confer & was never intended to confer such sweeping authority over the lives of individuals, she added. The government has argued that it had the authority to implement the travel mask mandate under the Public Health Service Act of 1944, which allows federal officials to enforce regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the States or possessions, or from one State or possession into any other State or possession. Such regulations can include inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, among others that are deemed necessary. Despite the travel mask mandate being blocked last year, the CDC still recommends that individuals in medium or high community levels of COVID-19 wear a high-quality mask or respirator, particularly if they are at higher risk for severe illness. The health agency also states on its website that, wearing a high-quality mask while you travel can help protect you and others. This public health recommendation is based on the currently available data, including an understanding of domestic and global epidemiology, circulating variants and their impact on disease severity and vaccine effectiveness, current trends in COVID-19 Community Levels within the United States, and projections of COVID-19 trends in the coming months, the CDC website states. The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for comment. Arnold Schwarzenegger Repairs LA Pothole After Waiting Weeks for the City Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger repairs a pothole on a street in his Los Angeles neighborhood on April 11, 2023. (The Office of Arnold Schwarzenegger via AP) Arnold Schwarzenegger took matters into his own hands and repaired a pothole in his Los Angeles neighborhood, after waiting weeks for the city to respond to his request for repairs. The frustrated actor and former California governor posted a video on his Twitter Tuesday of him and a helper using packaged concrete to repair the road in the Brentwood area. Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole thats been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it, he wrote on Twitter. I always say, lets not complain, lets do something about it. Here you go. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger repairs a pothole on a street in his Los Angeles neighborhood on April 11, 2023. (The Office of Arnold Schwarzenegger via AP) A neighbor who drove by as the actor was covering the hole rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star. Youre welcome, Schwarzenegger said, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket, and shades reminiscent of his role in Terminator. You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks Ive been waiting for this hole to be closed, he said. Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for Schwarzenegger, had said Brentwood residents made repeated requests for repairs since winter storms opened up potholes and cracks on local roads. California has experienced an increase in the number of potholes throughout the city and county, due to the recent winter storms. Mayor Karen Bass spoke about her plans to repair potholes in Los Angeles County during a press conference on April 6. For Angelenos who have hit a pothole its more than an inconvenience, its a financial burden, Bass said. Our city is increasingly unaffordable, and these damages could mean missed days of work and unaffordable costs that create tradeoffs at home. Since the massive rainstorms hit California roadways, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs, and as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes, officials said during the briefing. City workers are pulling out all the stops, not to just prepare for every pothole that is reported, but also to be proactive, Bass said. That means driving around the city, throughout this district and all others, to assess the conditions of our streets and identify and repair the damage right away. Bass has recommended that people call 311 to report a pothole or file a report through the citys 311 app. Keith Mozee, executive director and general manager of the Bureau of Street Services, said that crews are making their best efforts to respond as quickly as possible to the increasingly high number of repair requests. Repairing potholes is a daily task for us, Mozee said during a news conference in the San Fernando Valley. Were making good progress, but its not good enough for anyone whos been impacted by a pothole. Michael Cox, the maintenance division manager at the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services, said the heavy amount of rainfall has been the main reason for the damaged roads. Rain is one of asphalts worst enemies. So what happens is it just gets into the cracks and it begins breaking down the material, thus forming puddles, Cox said in a statement to local abc7 news. After Schwarzeneggers video repair went viral, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works told NBCLA the hole actually wasnt a pothole. This location is not a pothole, a spokesperson told NBCLA. Its a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May. As is the case with similar projects impacting City streets, SoCal Gas will be required to repair the area once their work is completed, the spokesperson added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Attorneys for Daniel Perry File Motion for New Trial After Murder Conviction, Say Evidence Omitted From Trial Showed Self-Defense Attorneys for Daniel Perry, a U.S. Army sergeant, filed a motion for a new trial days after Perry was convicted of murder. The legal team said key evidence was omitted from Perrys trial that showed he acted in self-defense and that the jury was subject to outside influence. Perry, 37, had fatally shot Garrett Foster, who had approached Perrys car with a rifle during a Black Lives Matter demonstration, in Austin, on July 25, 2020. Perry, who was working for Uber, was traveling to Austin for work at the time before his car was surrounded by protesters, one of whom was Foster. During his trial, Perrys legal team said he had shot Foster in self-defense, only after Foster raised his rifle. Meanwhile, prosecutors alleged that Perry had provoked the shooting by driving into the crowd of protesters that night. The jury found Perry guilty of murder on April 7. Court Excluded Key Evidence In the 26-page motion Tuesday, the lawyers said a new trial is needed because the court had erroneously excluded key evidence from the jury about Foster and the other protesters. The evidence showed that Foster was the first aggressor and that Perry had faced multiple assailants when his car was surrounded, they said. For example, Perrys attorneys attempted to introduce evidencewhich included photos, videos, and testimoniesof three incidents that they said showed Foster had, in previous incidents, unlawfully tried to intimidate cars on public streets. Perrys lawyers also repeatedly tried to introduce into evidence a video recording of Foster, taken by a protester witness on the morning of July 25, 2020. The video showed that when Foster was asked if he felt like hed need to use his AK-47, he said: Na. I think the uhI mean if I use it against the cops, Im dead. I think all the people that hate us, and you know, wanna say [expletive] to us are too big of a [expletive] to stop and actually do anything about it. According to Perrys attorneys, the evidence showed that Foster and fellow protesters routinely harassed vehicles that attempted to interfere with their efforts to take the streets.' [T]hese incidents show that Mr. Foster and his fellow protestors were not the intimidatees when dealing with cars on the public streets, but, rather, they were the intimidators. In other words, the protestors did not swarm Sgt. Perrys car because they were intimidated by Sgt. Perrys car, but rather to intimidate Sgt. Perry just like they attempted to intimidate [other motorists.] Likewise, the excluded evidence would have helped show that Foster did not approach Sgt. Perrys car to protect his fellow protestors, but rather, approached Sgt. Perry to attempt to intimidate him just like he [previously] attempted to intimidate [other motorists]. The excluded evidence would have also shown that the protest that night was not peaceful, unlike the impression left by several protestor witnesses that the protest was typical of other protests in which Foster and others allegedly always acted peacefully, Perrys lawyers stated. Court Didnt Let Defense Include Police Report Attorneys also argued in the motion that the court had erred by not allowing the defense to introduce the police report into evidence. The police report of more than 900 pages showed that the homicide detective, Joe Fugitt, concluded after a lengthy investigation that Perry had the right to be on the public roadway and that he did not provoke an armed encounter with Garrett Foster or engage in criminal activity other than a traffic violation [ran a red light], and reasonably acted in self-defense. Sgt. Perry was denied the opportunity to have jurors review the report and determine for themselves what was missing and what was included, Perrys lawyers said. Outside Influence Affected Jury Perrys defense team also argued the motion for a new trial should be granted because a juror conducted his own internet research and shared what he found with the other jurors, which meant that the jury was subject to outside influence. Specifically, the juror researched the Texas Penal Code, and Perrys attorneys say that based on the research, the other jurors would have been left with a completely wrong view of the law of self-defense as it relates to the burden of proof. Separately, attorneys for Perry also noted that an alternate juror participated in jury deliberations by making noises such as snort, huff, gasp to express her displeasure with comments made by other jurors that were inconsistent with finding Mr. Perry guilty. Perrys lawyers noted that while new trial motions are normally filed after sentencing, defense counsel believed it was important to bring the outside influence facts to the Courts attention as soon as they were learned. Banks Spend Billions on Climate, Racial Equity JPMorgan Chase CEO calls for industrial policy This combination of file photos of bank branches of Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citibank. (AP Photo) In this years annual reports to shareholders, Americas largest banks proclaimed their allegiance to climate activism, racial equity, and other progressive causes, spending billions in shareholders money to support this agenda. Similar in vein to BlackRock CEO Larry Finks annual letter, which often pushed other CEOs to get in line with initiatives like renewable energy, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimons most recent letter to shareholders declared: The window for action to avert the costliest impacts of global climate change is closing. Dimon called for governments, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations to unite behind a massive global investment in clean energy technologies. We may even need to evoke eminent domain, he writes, taking other peoples property where permitting issues or local resistance gets in the way. JPMorgan Chase is Americas largest bank, followed by Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo. Regarding social justice, Dimon said the bank spent $30 billion on its racial-equity commitment, which includes preferential treatment of Black, Hispanic, and Latino suppliers, homeowners, and small-business owners. Dimon ventured into politics by writing that we need to find a way to more rapidly reorganize our government for the new world, calling for the United States to embark on an industrial policy to foster industries vital to our national security, such as batteries, rare earths, semiconductors, or EVs. Industrial policy, he stated, means the federal government, through incentives and policies, drives American industry. However, Dimon writes, rest assured your CEO is a red-blooded, patriotic, free-enterprise, and free-market capitalist (properly regulated, of course). Similarly, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihans shareholder letter says the company operates according to the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics developed by the World Economic Forum, which measure how well a company supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stakeholder capitalism means that CEOs prioritize the goals of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, where previously they had focused primarily on enhancing shareholder returns. Moynihan writes that a transition to clean energy technologies will require a significant investment; some estimates are as high as $275 trillion over the next 30 years. Accordingly, the bank intends to deploy $1.5 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030, $1 trillion of which is aligned to the environmental transition and $500 billion to inclusive social development. This includes a $2 billion Equality Progress Sustainability Bond, which Bank of America issued in 2022 to help advance racial and gender equality, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability. Like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America also provided financing to certain favored races on preferential terms. Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf reported that his company spent $150 million to advance racial equity in homeownership, with an additional $100 million investment toward this racial equity effort announced in 2023, and also launched a $60 million program to address systematic barriers to homeownership for people of color that will create 40,000 new homeowners of color by 2025. Internally, Wells Fargo commissioned a racial equity assessment, which will report later this year on how well the bank is complying with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria. While the bank also announced a separate plan called Dream.Plan.Home to help homeowners based on their income, the bulk of its assistance efforts appeared to focus on skin color. In addition, Wells Fargo issued its second Inclusive Communities and Climate Bond, a $2 billion bond that will finance projects and programs supporting housing affordability, economic opportunity, renewable energy, and clean transportation. Citibank CEO Jane Frasers shareholder letter stated: Our commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion goes well beyond Citis walls, and includes a $1 billion Action for Racial Equity initiative. Citibanks annual report states that it became the first major U.S. bank to set a recruiting goal for LGBTQ+ candidates and set 2030 emissions reductions targets for energy and power lending portfolios as part of Citis net zero commitment. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 29 green-lit a shareholder proposal to investigate an alleged disturbing trend of politicized debanking and discrimination against conservative and religious customers at JPMorgan Chase. The SEC allowed this proposal to go to a shareholder vote at the banks annual meeting in May over the objections of JPMorgan Chases management. Beijing Backdown: CCP to Review Tariffs on Australian Goods China changes tone after 3 year dispute over trade sanctions Farmer inspects a dead Barley crop on his farm in Parkes, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2006. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images) Beijing appears to be backing down from its aggressive stance on Australian goods after the Chinese regime offered to expedite a review of barley tariffs that are subject to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) action. Since 2020, Beijing has targeted Australia with an economic coercion campaign on beef, lamb, barley, seafood, wine, coal, timber, honey, and wheat following calls from former Foreign Minister Marise Payne for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Regarding barley, Beijing placed 80.5 percent worth of duties on Australian exports, hamstringing the goods from entering the market. The trade was worth about $916 million in 2018-19. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on April 11 that Australia had offered a pathway toward resolving the dispute. Following recent constructive dialogue at all levels, we welcome Chinas agreement to undertake an expedited review of the duties over a three-month period, which may extend to a fourth if required, Wong said. This dialogue has taken place in parallel to Australia continuing to prosecute our national interests through the World Trade Organization (WTO). Australia has agreed to temporarily suspend the WTO dispute for the agreed review period. The Australian government has been clear in our view that there is no justification for these duties and that it is in both countries best interest for all trade impediments to be removed. Wong also noted that if the duties were not lifted at the end of the review period, Australia would resume the WTO dispute. The Albanese governments approach has been to cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in our national interest. This pathway reflects that approach, she said. Wong also did not indicate that any of the other exports under a trade barrier would be relaxed. Beijings Move May Be About Food Security However, the change in diplomatic relations may have been more about survival for Beijing than normalising relations. In January, Rabobank revealed that China could see a deficit in its corn production, which will require the country to import grain. Due to lower production and recovering demand, the deficit in Chinas corn is projected to widen in 2022/23, calling for imports. Large quantities of Brazilian corn are expected, Rabobank said. If the relationship between China and Australia improves, Australian feed barley will also be an option. In February, Reuters reported that China had become the largest purchaser of Brazilian corn, with Chinese importers buying 983,684 tonnes from Brazil following Beijings authorisations for Brazilian sales of the cereal in late November. Chinas decision to purchase grain comes after the Chinese Communist Partys National Bureau of Statistics alleged that the country had a bumper year with grain production overcoming droughts, floods, and zero-COVID hurdles this yearregistering a record-high harvest of 686.53 million tonnes, up 0.5 percent over 2021. But despite growing friendliness towards Australia, the federal government has taken a cautious approach, advising that it will continue to pursue a policy of trade diversification, which has seen Australia strike a plethora of new free trade agreements with countries like India, the UK, Japan, and the European Union. Wong noted that the Albanese government will continue to pursue Australias national interests and use all opportunities, including the WTO dispute mechanism, to get the best outcomes for Australias world-class producers and farmers. The foreign minister also shared in her statement that the barley process would be considered a trial of Chinas sincerity in dropping trade sanctions against other Australian products. We remain confident in the outcome of Australian wine at the WTO. If todays agreement is successful in providing a pathway for lifting duties on barley, we expect a similar process to be followed to remove trade barriers for Australian wine, she said. Beijings campaign of coercion against Australia has raised concerns globally, with the U.S. government calling for an anti-coercion coalition to combat Beijing. U.S. envoy to Japan Rahm Emanuel said on March 27 that collective action is needed to address instances where a country utilises economic measures to penalise another country over its political stance, the Japan Times reported. Economic coercion is political warfare by other means, Emanuel said. It is the use of economic tools, whether thats embargoes, tariffs, and other types of tools, to politically target a country that you disagree with and try to coerce them into changing their political stance and their political independence, he added. Emanuel said that Beijing is a persistent purveyor of such tools, and only through a coordinated response by countries can such actions be checked. If the world does not organise against economic coercion, Beijing will continue to prey on other countries and their economies, large or small, developed or developing, near or far, he said. The world today must develop a comprehensive collective response to combat economic coercion equal to the collective comprehensive actions that China has taken, the U.S. envoy added. Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report. Beijing Officials Probed Over Persecution of University Students Parents Beijing officials in Australia have faced probing by the Australian government over the Chinese Communist Partys persecution of Chinese human rights advocates and religious adherents, including the missing parents of university student Leah Guo following their arrest in February. Guo, who is currently studying at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, is terrified she will never see her mother, Guo Xiaoyun, 48, and father, Huang Yiqin, 51, again after they were illegally detained by Chinese officials on Valentines Day. Her parents were allegedly arrested after they had done a neighbourhood mailbox drop of flyers promoting Falun Gongalso known as Falun Dafaacross part of the Chinese southern city of Taizhou. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice that helps uplift mental and physical health through slow-moving meditative exercises and inner refinement, with spiritual teachings centred on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Adherents of the practice in China have faced an ongoing regime-sponsored campaign of persecution for over 20 years, which has subjected an estimated 70 to 100 million Chinese individuals to various types of abuses, including harassment, arbitrary arrests, forced labour, brutal torture, and organ harvesting, in an attempt to force them to give up the practice. Guo, who said her parents last known whereabouts were at the Taizhou City Detention Centre (Jiangsu Province), is highly concerned about the treatment they are facing in detention. I phoned the Chinese detention centre more than 12 times, but nobody let me speak with my parents, and eventually, they totally stopped answering calls. They just claimed they would treat my parents legally and fairly, which, in previous cases, resulted in Falun Gong adherents being sentenced, she said. I learnt they could get a prison sentence of up to two years. She decided that she would reach out to the Australian government for help, despite knowing that, as an international student, she is not guaranteed any consular assistance. Ive heard that when overseas governments raise specific cases of Falun Gong adherents with China, it can result in their release or ceasing of torture because the communist party knows the world is paying close attention, she said. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Raises Issue with Chinese Officials Guos belief in the Australian government paid off, with The Department of Foreign Affairs deciding to help by raising the case with the Chinese embassy in Canberra. On behalf of China legal issues section director Victoria Young, I wish to update you that we had the opportunity to raise Leahs parents case with the Chinese Embassy, a spokesperson said in a communication to Guo on April 6. We let them know our broader concerns in relation to religion and belief, and also raised the particular cases involving Leahs parents and referred them to the media stories, including the Brisbane Courier-Mail. We hope it brings some positive change. John Andress, a spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Association of Australias Queensland branch, is confident that the federal support will make a difference for Guos parents. Speaking out to defend freedom of belief sends a clear message that torture, arbitrary detention, and forced organ harvesting are unconscionable and unacceptable, he said. Grassroots support, along with governments speaking up, will help end the persecution in China. Guos Parents At Risk of Organ Harvesting Guo told The Epoch Times that one of her greatest concerns is the possibility that her parents could be put into the CCP regimes organ-harvesting program, which according to United Nations (U.N.) human rights experts, is targeting Falun Gong, Uyghur Muslim, Tibetan Buddhist, and underground Christian adherents in mainland China. If my parents would be sentenced for a long time, they will definitely be required to do blood tests, organ examinations and have their results entered into a database so police will know my parents blood type, Guo said. Their organs will be forcibly harvested if their blood matches some patients who need organ transplants. Such procedures occur without general anesthesia, often resulting in the donors death, and I could lose my parents completely. In a media release, seven U.N. special rapporteurs expressed deep concern and alarm over credible information that prisoners of conscience are forcibly subjected to blood tests and organ examinations without informed consent to facilitate live organ allocation in China. Forced organ harvesting in China appears to be targeting specific ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities held in detention, often without being explained the reasons for arrest or given arrest warrants, at different locations, they said. The most common organs removed from the prisoners are reportedly hearts, kidneys, livers, corneas andless commonlyparts of livers [often resulting in the unwilling donors death]. This form of trafficking with a medical nature allegedly involves health sector professionals, including surgeons, anaesthetists and other medical specialists. Biden Admin Proposes Reducing Water Supply From Colorado River Basin Amid Drought The Biden administration has proposed a federal mandate to reduce the supply of water to 40 million Americans who live in western states dependent on the Colorado River Basin to address long-term severe drought and low run-off conditions. A draft report by the Department of the Interiors (DOIs) Bureau of Reclamation proposes to revise the current guidelines for the near-term operation of the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams. According to the DOI, the move forms part of the Biden administrations efforts to invest in climate change resilience for the Colorado River Basin and all the communities that rely on it. The draft report explores different alternatives to ensure continued water deliveries and hydropower production for the 40 million Americans who depend on the river system. Two manmade reservoirs along the UtahArizona border, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, have dropped to dangerously low levels, threatening to reach a dead pool state in which water can no longer flow out of them. This would threaten the water supplies and hydropower-generated electricity of tens of millions of Americans. A sign showing where Lake Mead water level was in 2002 is posted near the Lake Mead Marina in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, on Aug. 19, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) DOI Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said failure to act isnt an option. Recognizing the severity of the worsening drought, the Biden-Harris administration is bringing every tool and every resource to bear through the Presidents Investing in America agenda to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System now and into the future, Beaudreau said in a statement. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin have worsened over two decades. To meet this moment, we must continue to work together, through a commitment to protecting the river, leading with science and a shared understanding that unprecedented conditions require new solutions, Touton said in the same statement. Proposed Action Alternatives The draft report proposes two ways to change how the dams are operated. Both involve using less water from the Glen Canyon Dam and dealing with additional water shortages. The main difference between the two proposals is how the shortages would be distributed. The first option, referred to as Action Alternative 1, models the shortages based on who has the highest priority water rights. The second option, referred to as Action Alternative 2, models the shortages being shared equally among all water users in the Lower Basin. Both proposals predict that there will be more water shortages as the water level in Lake Mead gets lower and that there will be bigger shortages in 2025 and 2026 than in 2024. But the total amount of water shortages in 2024 is limited to 2.083 million acre-feet because this was the maximum amount analyzed in the 2007 Interim Guidelines final environmental impact statement, and to analyze greater shortages would require more detailed analysis and coordination between stakeholders. Water intake towers at the Hoover Dam stand next to a dry spillway at Lake Mead in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Arizona, on Aug. 19, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The DOIs first proposed action would benefit the agriculture industry in California but would disproportionately negatively affect junior water rights holders, such as an Arizona entity that supplies water to Phoenix. The DOIs second proposed action would result in even water supply reductions across the Lower Basin states regardless of seniority. Both actions would entail progressively deeper supply reductions based on how much Lake Meads level declines. According to the DOI, the alternatives analyzed in the draft report address potential shortages in the event that such measures are required to protect Glen Canyon and Hoover dam operations, system integrity, and public health and safety in 2024 through 2026, after which the current operating guidelines expire. The draft report will be available for public comment for 45 days, and a final decision is expected to be made this summer. US Unveils Toughest-Ever Car Emissions Rule in Bid to Force Surge in EV Purchases A line of electric vehicles of the model Y during the start of the production at Tesla's "Gigafactory" in Gruenheide, southeast of Berlin on March 22, 2022. (Patrick Pleul/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) President Joe Biden further accelerated the nations switch to electric vehicles by announcing two proposed federal rule changes aimed at reducing greenhouse gases and other pollutants in motor vehicle emissions. The changes, announced on April 12, would affect virtually all gasoline-powered vehicles on U.S. highways, save consumers an estimated $12,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the life of a vehicle, and avoid almost 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions through 2055, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The move aims to further the presidents goal of having 50 percent of all new cars and light trucks and 30 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered zero-emission vehicles. The EPA estimates that approval of these rules would result in 67 percent of new passenger vehicles and light trucks being EVs by 2032, along with 50 percent of buses, 35 percent of short-haul freight tractors, and 25 percent of long-haul freight tractors. Critics have claimed that the move, which will increase the price of new cars, was made without consideration of the ability of the nations supply chain to meet the demand. The Biden administration has spent roughly $31 billion on the development of so-called clean transportation over the past two years, including the development of a network of EV charging stations, improving the supply chain for materials needed to produce EV batteries, and making loans to companies that manufacture EVs and EV components in the United States. U.S. car manufacturers and a number of states have been voluntarily moving the market toward electric-powered vehicles. General Motors, Ford, and Stellantisthe maker of Chrysler, Fiat, Ram, and Jeep brandsstated in 2021 that they would aim to reach EV sales of at least 40 percent of all their new vehicle sales by 2030. The rule change comes 10 months after six major automakers pledged to stop selling gas and diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040. In November 2021, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chinese automaker BYD pledged to stop selling diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040. In 2022, the state of Washington followed California in announcing a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035. Washington enacted a law in 2020 to follow Californias vehicle emissions standards. Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington D.C. also have adopted Californias vehicle emission standards. GOP Reaction Republican lawmakers immediately criticized the announcement. First President Biden came for our gas stoves. Now he wants to ban the cars we drive, said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the ranking Republican member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His misguided policies are hurting American families while helping China. The presidents disastrous energy transition is making us more reliant on our enemies while driving up prices for Americans. The electrification of everything is not a solution. Its a road to higher prices and fewer choices. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) wrote on Twitter, Today, the Biden administration made clear it wants to decide for Americans what kinds of cars and trucks we are allowed to buy, lease, and drive. She noted that the Biden administration did not consider that the average price of an electric vehicle was roughly $65,000 last year, more than the household income of 46 percent of American families. Auto Industry Automakers around the world have announced plans to invest $1.2 trillion in creating EVs by 2030, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. Yet even that may not be enough to meet the aggressive goals set by the Biden administration. The number of charging stations is currently insufficient to meet demand, the Alliance noted in an April 6 statement. Of the nations 3,100 counties, 39 percent had no chargers installed as of 2022, and 63 percent had five or fewer. Minerals needed to supply the battery market may also be in short supply, according to the Alliance. North America is projected to produce only about 3.5 percent of the supply needed by 2030, which could increase dependence on China if the situation isnt altered, according to the statement. Automakers are committed to the shift to EVs, the Alliance stated, but how fast that shift will happen largely depends on factors outside their control. The question isnt whether it can be done, its how fast can it be done and how fast will depend almost exclusively on having the right policies and market conditions in place to achieve the shared goal of a net zero carbon automotive future, the group stated. Biden Administration Seeking to Attract More Skilled Migrants to Address Labor Shortage, Official Says U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ur Jaddou delivers remarks during an event in Camp Springs, Md., on Nov. 9, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The Biden administration is seeking to make changes to the immigration process in an effort to help attract skilled workers to the United States to address the labor shortage, according to a top immigration and citizenship official. Migration Policy Institute conducted its webcast on April 11, delving into the topic of global skills and talent needs as the United States experiences a labor shortage. The virtual event brought together several senior policymakers and experts, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou, to discuss the potential role of immigration in addressing current and future workforce needs. Experts discussed how demographic pressures, technological advancements, economic shifts, and pandemic disruptions have caused labor shortages and skills gaps to become increasingly pressing issues in the United States and globally. Among the successes listed by Jaddou and credited to the Biden administration include the issuance of a growing number of employment-based immigrant visas, as well as making more supplemental H2B worker visas available than before, in collaboration with the Department of Labor. Jaddou also noted that USCIS had published a comprehensive menu of options for STEM professionals who want to work in the United States and provided policy guidance for those seeking certain statuses that allows them to self-petition. This isnt just a matter of course of improving the economy and our skills matching, Jaddou said. Its beyond that. Every job filled by an immigrant represents the story of someone searching for a better opportunity for themselves for their family for their community. According to the director, her agency has published useful information for employees facing termination and a menu of temporary and permanent options for non-citizen entrepreneurs who want to work in the United States. USCIS has also published policy guidance and a pathway designed for high-potential startup founders, recognizing that visa holders who wish to work in the United States are also allowed authorization for their spouses to work. The agency has also established a process for healthcare and childcare workers to expedite the process to work, and expanded the permit applications pipeline for global talent. Jaddou touted the Biden administrations transparency and efficiency, which she asserted were achieved through executive orders given by President Joe Biden since taking office. She also said that the United States is committed to getting the workers it needs by improving processing times, getting rid of unnecessary barriers and rebuilding trust in the immigration system. We recognize theres a lot more to do to eliminate the unnecessary barriers and restore faith in the immigration system, Jaddou said. We remain committed to these goals and expect more progress as we continue to attract the necessary talent that we all need to meet the labor market needs. The aim of the webcast was to explore the extent to which immigration policies can be adjusted to address these issues and meet the fast-changing markets human capital and competitiveness needs of the labor markets. Canadas Christiane Fox, deputy minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, also outlined her countrys efforts to overhaul their immigration system. She discussed Canadas aim to expand the electronic travel authorization scheme to promote visa-free travel to low-risk persons. Fox also said they had placed over 130,000 Ukrainians and family members in Canada since the conflict and would resettle at least 40,000 Afghans. She also, however, noted the strain the refugees are putting on Canadas immigration infrastructure. According to Fox, the nation currently has 800,000 employment openings and is looking for a streamlined way to recognize some refugees as economic migrants. The event marked the launch of MPIs Global Skills and Talent Initiative, which seeks to investigate the ways in which immigration and immigrant integration can support high-growth sectors and address labor shortages. During the webcast, experts discussed the first two research publications under the initiative, one of which examined the actions the U.S. executive branch could take to facilitate the migration of needed workers. The other publication focused on how governments could factor labor shortages into their economic immigration policies. Biden Warns of the Danger Posed by Enemies of Peace During Speech in Northern Ireland U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) BELFAST, Northern IrelandU.S. President Joe Biden has urged politicians in Northern Ireland to sort out their differences and restore the power-sharing executive that was a key part of the Good Friday Agreement, warning of the threat posed by the enemies of peace. Biden told an audience at Ulster University on April 12 that the 1998 Good Friday Agreement had taken hard work to achieve. There were no guarantees that the deal on paper would hold, no guarantees it would be able to deliver the progress we celebrate today, he said. I know the UKs departure from the European Union presented complex challenges here in Northern Ireland and I encourage the leaders of the UK and the EU to address the issues in a way that serve Northern Irelands best interest. The president referred to the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in February and said the way politicians in Northern Ireland united in the wake of the shooting showed that the enemies of peace would not prevail. U.S. President Joe Biden poses for a selfie photograph after delivering a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) The New IRA claimed responsibility for the attack on Caldwell, although nobody has yet been charged in connection with the attack. Biden, who was accompanied by U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy, said: As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe the democratic institutions established by the Good Friday Agreement remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland. So the decision youre going to make is not for me to make. He said Northern Ireland needed a devolved government, one accountable to the people and that works to find ways to solve hard problems together. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. But thats a judgment for you to make, not me, he said. Preserving Good Friday Agreement Brings America Together Biden also said: Preserving the Belfast Good Friday Agreement is a priority for Democrats and Republicans alike in the United States. And that is unusual today. Because weve been very divided on our parties. This is something that brings Washington together. It brings America together. Biden arrived in Belfast on the night of April 11 with the political process in Northern Ireland still deadlocked and the power-sharing executive at Stormontwhich was set up as part of the Good Friday Agreementsuspended as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) protests against post-Brexit trading arrangements. U.S. President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on April 11, 2023. (PA) During his speech, Biden emphasised the willingness of the United States to support Northern Irelands economic potential. He said, Todays Belfast is the beating heart of Northern Ireland that is poised to drive unprecedented economic opportunity, investment for communities across the UK, across Ireland, across the United States. Biden is the fourth sitting U.S. president to visit Northern Ireland, after Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. After giving his speech, Biden was scheduled to travel to Dundalk and then on to Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. Biden, the second Irish Catholic president of the United States after John F. Kennedy, is expected to visit County Louth, located on the northeast coast of Ireland, where his great-grandfather James Finnegan was born. After that, the president is scheduled to visit Kilwirra Cemetery and tour Carlingford Castle. And in the evening, Biden is expected to visit Dundalk and participate in a community gathering. Biden expressed deep pride in his Irish roots at the Annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon on Capitol Hill on St. Patricks Day. As many of you know, 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 how Ive been raised. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and U.S. President Joe Biden talk in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on April 12, 2023. (PA) White House Denies Biden Is Anti-British Earlier, the White House rejected claims that Biden was anti-British as he met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for talks in Belfast about the political situation in Northern Ireland. It was the third time the pair had met since Sunak took over from former Prime Minister Liz Truss in October 2022. The former leader of the DUP, Dame Arlene Foster, said she thought Biden hated Britain and told GB News: I dont think theres any doubt about that. And I just think the fact that he is coming here wont put any pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party at allquite the reverse, actually, because he is seen by so many people as just simply pro-republican and pro-nationalist. Sammy Wilson, a DUP MP and the partys chief whip at Westminster, also accused Biden of having a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British. Wilson said, [Biden] wouldnt accept any interference in the affairs of America by outside bodies or outside governments, and I dont think he should expect us to respond to that either. But in a briefing to journalists, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the U.S. National Security Council, said, The track record of of the president shows that hes not anti-British. She said it was simply untrue and pointed out he was engaging with Sunak for the third time in three months. Biden himself, as he arrived for the meeting with Sunak, shouted to reporters that he would be listening to all parties. Incredible Economic Opportunities in Northern Ireland After the talks, Sunak said he had spoken to Biden about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland and described Britain and the United States as very close partners. Sloat said Northern Ireland was the focus of the meeting between Biden and Sunak, but she said they would also be discussing the war in Ukraine. I dont anticipate that the two leaders are going to be talking about a free trade agreement on this trip, she said. I think their conversation is going to focus primarily on the situation in Northern Ireland given that thats where theyre meeting, as well as the chance to touch base on Ukraine and some other issues. Sloat said they had discussed economic matters when they met in San Diego in March and that conversation would be furthered and deepened when they meet again in Washington in June. Were continually looking for ways to engage with the UK on a whole range of economic issues, she said. Bidenwhose son Hunter is also accompanying himis due to meet the Irish prime minister, or taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, on April 13, and he is due to visit some distant cousins who live in Ballina, County Mayo, on April 14. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 31 million Americansalmost 1 in 10claim Irish ancestry, and in some parts of the country, as much as 30 percent of the population does. More than 3,600 people died during The Troubles in the second half of the 20th century, when the Provisional IRA declared war against the British state in an attempt to force a united Ireland. A small minority of Irish Americans supported the Irish Northern Aid Committee, which raised money for IRA prisoners and also allegedly funded the purchase of weapons for use in the armed struggle. PA Media contributed to this report. Former President Park Geun-hye visited the Donghwa Temple in Mt. Palgong in Daegu on Tuesday in her first public appearance since she was pardoned and moved into a fortress-like compound in her home city a year ago. Accompanied by bodyguards and her lawyer Yoo Yeong-ha, Park was met by a crowd of some 300 Buddhists and die-hard supporters. Bodega Clerk Charged With Murder After Stabbing Attacker in Self-Defense to Testify at House Judiciarys NYC Field Hearing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a press conference following the arraignment of former U.S. President Donald Trump in New York City on April 4, 2023. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images) The House Judiciary Committee will hear from victims of violent crime in New York City, featuring as one of its main witnesses a bodega employee charged with murder while acting in self-defense. The former bodega employee, Jose Alba, who was assaulted behind the counter on July 1, 2022, will testify before the committee regarding Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs policies during an April 17 hearing. Alba is expected to testify that Braggs policies have contributed to rising crime and made residents feel insecure during the hearing entitled Victims of Violent Crime in Manhattan. Madeline Brame, chairwoman of the Victim Rights Reform Council and mother of a homicide victim, and Jennifer Harrison, an advocate for victims rights in New York, will also provide testimony. Republicans said the hearing will examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents. The charges against Alba were dropped several weeks after being filed, following widespread outrage over what was seen by many as self-defense. Alba, 61, killed Austin Simon, 35, after Simon shoved Alba and stood over him while Alba was sitting against the wall. Alba tried to get past Simon, which could be seen in the video, but eventually grabbed a knife and stabbed Simon several times. Following an investigation, the People have determined that we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was not justified in his use of deadly physical force, said a motion filed on July 19 by Braggs office. As such, the People will not be presenting the case to a Grand Jury and for the reasons provided in the attached memorandum, hereby move to dismiss the complaint. Bragg has been consistently in the headlines due to his involvement with the indictment against former President Donald Trump. Since that time, the House Judiciary Committee, which Republicans currently control, has chosen to investigate some of Braggs policies. The Manhattan district attorney has sued the committee chair Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), alleging the Republican member has launched a campaign meant to intimidate him. Jordan, a Republican, has launched a transparent campaign to intimidate and attack District Attorney Bragg, making demands for confidential documents and testimony from the District Attorney himself as well as his current and former employees and officials, Bragg, a Democrat, claimed in the new suit, lodged in federal court in New York on April 11. However, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, turned down Braggs emergency request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Jordan. The Court declines to enter the proposed Temporary Restraining Order and Order to Show Cause, Vyskocil said, noting that she had not yet received several documents that were referenced in Braggs filings. Despite her rejection of Braggs request, she has ordered Jordan and other defendants in the case to respond to the lawsuit and scheduled a hearing for April 19. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Boeing Delivers 130 Planes in Q1, Beating Airbus by 3 Jets A Boeing 78710 Dreamliner taxis past the Final Assembly Building at Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston, S.C., on March 31, 2017. (Randall Hill/Reuters) WASHINGTONBoeing on Tuesday announced 130 airplane deliveries over the first quarter of 2023, inching past rival Airbus, which delivered 127 jets. Boeings deliveries were up almost 27 percent from a year earlier, when it delivered 95 jets. The U.S. planemaker delivered 64 aircraft in March, 36 percent more than the 41 jets transferred to customers in the same month last year. The 737 MAX made up 52 of that sum, with United Airlines and Southwest Airlines each taking ownership of 12 MAX jets. Widebody deliveries picked up after a slow January and February, in part caused by a weeks-long halt on 787 Dreamliner deliveries ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration in February. After receiving FAA approval to restart deliveries in mid-March, the company transferred 7 Dreamliners to customers last month. Other deliveries included one P-8 Poseidon aircraft, one 767 freighterits first 767 delivery of the year, made after Boeing resolved a fuel tank quality problemand three 777s. Airbus handed over 127 jets in its first quarter including 61 deliveries last month, the European planemaker announced on Tuesday. Quarterly deliveries were down 11 percent from 142 physical deliveries a year earlier, or down 9 percent compared with an adjusted year-ago total of 140, Reuters previously reported on April 7. Boeing and Airbus have been close to level on deliveries over the past three months. Each handed a total of 66 jets to customers in January and February. Airbus aims to deliver 720 airplanes this year, while Boeing has only set targets to deliver at least 400 737 MAXs and 70 787s. Boeing is on track to meet its 737 MAX delivery target, having delivered 113 jets so far this year. But with only 11 787s delivered so far, the company will have to pick up the pace to meet that goal. In March, Boeing booked gross orders for 60 aircraft, which included 40 MAXs and 20 787s. That sum was offset by cancellations of orders for 16 MAXs and six 787s, resulting in 38 net orders. Its backlog fell to 4,555 orders from 4,559. By Valerie Insinna Bogus Charity Stole $131,000 Meant for Toxic Rail Derailment, Ohio Lawsuit Alleges A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) An organization raked in $141,000 but pocketed nearly all of that amount instead of using it to help East Palestine, Ohio, residents struggling with toxic fumes and contaminated water after a train derailment and fire, the states top law official says. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit alleging that a Leetonia, Ohio, man named Mike Peppel has solicited donations to a nonprofit organization that he founded last month but diverted the money away from its intended purpose. Ohio Attorney General David Yost (Courtesy of ohioattorneygeneral.gov) Peppel represented that donations to his Ohio Clean Water Fund would be used to provide residents with emergency aid and bottled water, Yost said in an April 11 news release. Instead, when money poured in from more than 3,000 donors, Peppel and others kept all but about $10,000, Yost alleges. The idea that somebody would so brazenly exploit a disaster situation and the good hearts of people who want to help is unconscionable, Yost said. Im mad as hell about this, and were going to make sure this sham charity gets shut down. The Epoch Times has asked attorney Kimberly Land, who is listed as the charitys statutory agent in Columbus, Ohio, for comment. No response was received prior to publication time. Yosts lawsuit against Peppel was filed April 10 in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court. In the suit, Yost is asking a judge to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Peppel. That order is intended to prohibit him from engaging in additional charitable solicitations and preserve existing charitable assets, Yosts statement said. Partnership Non-Existent On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern Railway train went off the tracks in East Palestine. The situation turned into one of Americas worst environmental disasters after emergency officials decided to burn the trains carloads of hazardous materials. State and national agencies have been assisting with air and water testing since then. Yosts office has sued Norfolk Southern, accusing the company of negligence. The controversy involving Peppels fund came to light after representatives of Second Harvest Food Bank complained to Yosts office that they had not authorized any partnership with Peppels organization, as he had claimed in mass emails and text messages, Yosts release said. The food bank urged Peppel to stop advertising the non-existent partnership, Yost said. Since then, Peppel has paid about $10,000 to the food bank, about 7 percent of the amount raised, Yost said in the release. Heres a message for anybody else who might hope to profit from the situation in East Palestine: Dont even think about it, Yost said. Yosts office has a Charitable Law Section dedicated to such cases. He encourages people who are wishing to make charitable donations to visit two internet pages on his website, ohioattorneygeneral.gov, which show whether charities are in good standing. People can check the Good Giving Guidelines and Research Charities webpages. Other smart steps to take include internet searches and asking friends and family if theyve ever heard of the charity or know anyone the organization has helped. Boy, 17, Gunned Down in Botched Robbery in Koreatown LOS ANGELESA gunman who fatally shot a 17-year-old boy during a failed robbery attempt in the Koreatown area remained at large April 12. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the teen was sitting in the passenger seat of a car parked on 7th Street near Berendo Street at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when a man approached in what is believed to have been a robbery attempt. The driver began to pull away, prompting the suspect to open fire, striking his passenger, the police department reported. Police said the driver attempted to drive to a hospital but spotted LAPD officers at Olympic Boulevard and Burlington Avenue in the Westlake area, and stopped for assistance. The officers attempted life-saving measures, but the teen was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, the LAPD said. The victim was identified Wednesday by the Los Angeles County coroners office as Dylan Ramirez of Los Angeles. The suspect was last seen fleeing along 7th Street on foot, police said. He was described as a male in his early 20s. Anyone with information on the crime was urged to call 877-LAPD-247. California Bill That Would Provide Free College for Foster Youth Advances Students move between classes at the University of CaliforniaSan Diego, San Diego, Calif., on May 15, 2018. (Yang Jie/The Epoch Times) A California Senate bill that would provide free college tuition for the states 60,000 foster youth advanced in the Senate Education Committee last week. The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved the bill during a March 29 hearing and referred it for a hearing in the state Senate Committee on Human Services in the coming weeks. State Senate Bill 307, introduced by state Sen. Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento) and Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) in February, would establish the Fostering Futures Program as a part of the states existing Middle Class Scholarship Program. The program would cover 100 percent of tuition for foster youth enrolled in associate degree or certificate programs at a community college or in a four-year program at a California State University or University of California campusincluding food, textbooks, and housing. The funds would be available after other state and federal aidusually the Cal Grant, which covers a portion of tuition for all California residents, and the Chafee Grant, which covers a portion of tuition for foster youthis applied, according to the bill. Every foster youth deserves the opportunity to achieve their college dream, but in too many cases, that dream is out of reach due to financial barriers and extreme challenges that come about in the foster system. This is simply unacceptable, said McGuire in a Feb. 7 press release. During the March 29 hearing, Ashby told the committee that the bill is intended to help provide foster youth with the resources they need to support themselves after they age out of the system. [This bill] will give foster youth agency to take care of themselves, Ashby said. Imagine being able to tell a 14-year-old whos lost everything, including their parents, that if they can just focus on school, that theres a way out for them in the future. Ashby said that housing instability and homelessness are a top concern among foster youth once they turn 18. Nationwide, an estimated 20 percent of young adults who are in foster care become homeless the moment theyre emancipated at the age of 18and additionally, about 50 percent of the homeless population spent time in foster care, according to data from the nonprofit National Institute of Foster Youth. Ashby also said that the bill would redirect approximately $21 million from the Middle Class Scholarship Program to cover the cost of college attendance for foster youth. Several youth and education organizations spoke at the meeting to support the billincluding City Youth, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, and California Charter Schools Association. There were no speakers in opposition to the bill at the hearing. California Bill Would Prevent Deportation of Illegal Immigrant Crime Victims, Witnesses With Criminal History A new California bill that would expand protections against deportations for illegal immigrants who are victims or witnesses of crimeincluding those with a criminal history and gang membership is being supported by Los Angeles officials, including District Attorney George Gascon. Assembly Bill 1261, named the Immigrant Rights Act, was authored by Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) in February, but Los Angeles officials held a press conference in support of the bill on April 10. Far too often undocumented victims of crime and witnesses to crime are afraid to come forward because they are afraid of deportation. Your immigration status should never be a barrier to safety, Gascon said during the media briefing. Public safety for everyone and equal access to the justice system is possible if we protect those that are most vulnerable. Santiago said during the April 10 press conference the bill will reduce crime and also protect some of our most vulnerable community members, who may be victims of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and trafficking. Fear of detection, deportation, dismissal, or humiliation often prevent undocumented crime victims or witnesses of crime from seeking assistance from law enforcement agencies, Santiago said in an April 11 filing of the bills analysis. Former Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, who served from 2000 to 2012, told The Epoch Times the proposed bill is vastly expanding the protection to a whole new array of crimes and persons. Maybe Gascon ought to stop protecting criminals and start advancing the interests of true victims, he said. This bill includes criminals with criminal records, both federal and state and works against the federal governments legitimate exercise of their powers to deport people illegally in this country, particularly criminals. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, also in support, said during the press conference illegal immigrants are more likely to be victims and survivors of crime than their citizen counterparts. Under current federal laws, there are petitions that can be sought for temporary immigration benefitsknown as a U Visa if someone is a witness to or informant of a crime. But the proposed bill would expand protections to allow undocumented immigrantsregardless of criminal history and immigration statusto be certified by an official as a witness or informant on the federal petition form if they have important information about a crime, are willing to share it with law enforcement, and their presence in the United States is important for solving it. The billwhich is currently being discussed in the Assemblys Public Safety Committeeis also supported by Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Koreatown Youth & Community Center, Thai Community Development Center, and the Chinatown Service Center. Santiago and Gascon were not immediately available for comment by press deadline. Canadas Heritage Ministry Says It Supports Drag Camp for Kids Aged 711 The Carousel Theatre hosting a drag camp for children in July 2023 receives funding from all levels of government. Canadas heritage ministry says it supports a drag summer camp for kids aged as young as 7 in Vancouver, B.C. The camp, hosted by the Carousel Theatre for Young People, will have children dress in drag, with drag makeup starter kits provided. The Carousel Theatre is sponsored by the Government of Canada, so The Epoch Times asked the heritage ministry how it responds to critics who say drag camp is not suitable for children and shouldnt be government-funded. The Department of Canadian Heritage is committed to advancing inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. We support inclusive and equitable artistic and cultural experiences for all ages and backgrounds, such as those offered by the Carousel Theatre for Young People, the ministry said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times on April 11. The Government of Canada values 2SLGBTQI+ rights as human rights and upholds the values of diversity and inclusion as key to building a better and more prosperous Canada for everyone, it said. The theatre has received a combined $407,632 in federal funding since 2014, with $41,000 last year, according to government grants data. It also lists as sponsors on its website the B.C. provincial government and the Vancouver municipal government. Backlash Maxime Bernier, Peoples Party of Canada leader, said in a tweet on March 31: This is utterly disgusting. Camps indoctrinating kids as young as 7 with gender ideology and sexual confusion are now being promoted and subsidized by all government levels. The theatre has received backlash over hosting the camp, staff told local publication Vancouver Is Awesome. The theatre did not reply to The Epoch Times inquiry as of publication. The theatres website says, You might be wondering, is drag for kids? It responds to the question: Drag is for everyone! It is hosting a junior drag camp for ages 711 and a teen drag camp for ages 1217 in July. In a March 21 Facebook post, the theatre describes its drag camps: Dig deep and find that inner queen, king, thing, and everything in between! Campers will spend a week exploring drag, drag history, and crafting their very own drag personas to put on a performance at the end of the week! The theatre says it also has a drag spring event for teens, including a weekend of workshops and planning before returning two weeks later for a performance of their very own. Other Drag Events for Kids It isnt the first childrens drag camp in Vancouver. The Havana Theatre hosted one in 2019. It was the first all-ages drag camp in the city, according to the theatre. Drag story hours at public libraries and other venues have met with protest nationwide. Calgary passed a bylaw in March banning these protests near libraries and recreation centres. Vancouver MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert tabled a private members motion titled Violence Against Drag Artists and Performers in the legislature last week, seeking for similar action against protests. Some lawmakers in the United States have proposed legislation outlawing these performances. Tennessee was the first to pass such a bill into law, in March. Other states are mulling the legislation, including Texas, where the Senate passed a bill last week that is now headed to the House. Canadian Parliamentary Delegation Meets Taiwan President, Aims to Learn to Repel Chinese Interference The Canadian parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan met with President Tsai Ing-wen Wednesday, committing to boost unity with the democratic ally and also to learn from its experience in pushing back against foreign interference from communist China. Liberal MP John McKay, who led the ten-member cross-party delegation to Taiwan, expressed gratitude to Tsai for making time to meet with the group, saying that its a very unusual gesture from the president at a time when another nation has been very aggressive towards your very existence, which is a reference to China. The delegations visit, spanning from April 9 to 15, came on the heels of a three-day military exercise launched by the Chinese military that simulated a blockade of Taiwan, protesting Tsais recent meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy while she was en route to Guatemala and Belize, countries with diplomatic ties to Taiwan. The Chinese military sent 91 aircraft and 12 naval vessels surrounding the island on the final day of its military drill on April 10, according to Taiwans National Defense Ministry. In the face of continued authoritarian expansionism, it is critical that democracies stand united, Tsai told the MPs in a press conference on April 12. Canada is a very important democratic partner to Taiwan. We will do our utmost to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy with Canada and other like-minded international partners. A pleasure to meet with the Canadian delegation led by @JohnMcKayLib & see a consensus on bolstering #Taiwan#Canada ties. The words of Mr. McKay, Taiwans issues are Canadas issues & vice versa, remind us to continue deepening our partnership to protect our shared values. pic.twitter.com/j6OFuIQDvc Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) April 12, 2023 While speaking to reporters in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked if he supported the MPs visit to Taiwan. Committees and parliamentarians make their own determinations, but I think its extremely important to show our support for democratic values and principles around the world, he said at a press conference on April 12. Chinas aggressive actions in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan are problematic and we really hope that therell be a deescalation of tensions in the region. We will continue to stand for our values, we will continue to stand up for democracies everywhere around the world, because thats what Canadians expect us to do. Heightened Awareness The Canadian delegation featured MPs with national security and foreign affairs backgrounds, and has openly expressed its mission to learn from Taiwans experience in pushing back against Chinas interference. Now as youve rightly noted, our committee here is heavily weighted to defence and security; necessarily so. And all of these members of the delegation occupy significant positions in their party or on their committees, McKay told Tsai. It is a testimony to the concern that Canada has for the ongoing viability of Taiwan, that we are here to identify that Taiwans issues are Canadas issues and Canadas issues are Taiwans issues. He also pointed to Chinas interference in Canada, which ranges from meddling in federal elections to operating alleged secret police stations on Canadian soil, according to recent media reports. That has heightened our awareness of these times and brought us together as nationsdemocratic nations who are facing this menace, McKay said, adding that the delegation is looking to learn from Taiwans experience on how it upholds its democracy despite massive efforts on the part of the Peoples Republic of China. MP Ken Hardie, who chairs the House CanadaChina committee, presented to Tsai a copy of a parliamentary report entitled Canada and Taiwan: A Strong Relationship in Turbulent Times, saying that the MPs from all major political parties are in solidarity with not only what we found, but the deeper meaning behind it, which he said was the democratic values shared by Taiwan and Canada. Apart from McKay and Hardie, the delegation includes Liberal MP Randeep Sarai, Conservative MPs Michael Chong, James Bezan, Raquel Dancho, and Cheryl Gallant, NDP MPs Heather McPherson and Lindsay Mathyssen, and Bloc Quebecois MP Stephane Bergeron. Canadians Feel Less Safe Now Than Before the Pandemic, New Poll Suggests Two passengers wait for a transit train in Calgary on March 18, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) A new poll suggests Canadians feel less safe now than before the pandemic, while a majority said provincial and federal governments are not adequately addressing crime and public safety issues. In an online survey conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, 1,517 people were asked about their feelings on safety in their community now, three years after the pandemic hit. Almost two-thirds of survey participants said they felt the situation was worse, with 32 percent saying crime and violence are a little worse, and an equal number saying it is much worse. One-quarter of those surveyed said the situation was the same as before COVID, and eight percent were not sure. Only two percent of Canadians said the crime situation was a little better. Of those surveyed, women living in cities were more likely to respond that they feel less safe now. Regional Disparity Seventy-two percent of B.C. residents said crime and violence are worse since the pandemic, while Quebec residents were the least likely to report that being the case, at 54 percent. Quebec residents polled were also the most likely to say things have not changed. Survey participants were asked if they knew someone who experienced an unsafe situation, such as vandalism, theft, or physical assault, or had experienced such an incident themselves. The majority said no. Five percent of survey participants said they had been the victim of a physical assault, and another five percent said they had experienced a hate crime. Some participants, about 20 percent, said they had experienced aggressive behaviour, such as yelling and making threats, while 19 percent said that they had been afraid for their own safety in the last six months. Another 20 percent said they knew someone who had been assaulted, and 17 percent said they knew someone who had been subject to a hate crime. The majority of those polled said police and their city were properly addressing public safety. However, this number dropped significantly when asked about the performance of other levels of government. Only 39 percent said the provincial governments were doing a good job with crime and violence while 33 percent said the federal government was doing a good job. Quebec residents and Canadians over the age of 55 were most satisfied with the police, while less than half of Atlantic Canadians said police were doing a good job in addressing crime. Ontario participants were the most unhappy with the provincial governments response to crime, while Manitoba and Saskatchewan residents were the most unhappy with the provincial government from all provinces polled. On the topic of gun laws, 47 percent of those surveyed said stricter legislation would make them feel safer, while 42 percent said it would not change how safe they feel. Some respondents, about 75 percent of those asked, said adding more police to the streets would help address the problem, while 72 percent said improving the housing crisis would reduce crime. The survey was conducted online between April 6 and 10, 2023. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. Canadians Trust in Police, Government Has Dropped Following COVID: North America Poll People wear face masks as they walk along a street, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world, in Montreal, on Nov. 29, 2020. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) The trust of Canadians in city officials, provincial and federal governments, and the police and military has dropped by 810 percent in Canada since COVID-19, according to a new poll. More than half of Canadians polled56.6 percent of COVID-vaccinated and 58.6 percent of COVID unvaccinatedalso said that relations between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals have worsened during COVID. These were some of the key findings of a survey carried out by the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS), which released a report on April 5 with data on the socio-economic impact of COVID. The report surveyed 8,000 people across North Americain Canada, the United States, and Mexicofrom February to March 2022. ACS polled people on COVID vaccination, their trust in authorities, economic impacts of COVID, fear and worry, mental health, and other topics. According to ACS, vaccinated individuals in the United States were much more likely than unvaccinated people to believe that their relations with anyone unvaccinated had worsened. The survey found that those under 45 were more likely to try and persuade or argue with someone unvaccinated about the issue. However, older respondents over the age of 65 were less likely to attend gatherings with unvaccinated people and less likely to think that someones COVID vaccine status was a private matter. The highest majority, 58.3 percent of people aged 3544, responded that whether someone was vaccinated or not was private information. When asked, Do you care if non-vaccinated people get COVID, 50.6 percent of Canadians responded that they did care, while 62.5 percent of Americans said the same. In Mexico, 73.7 percent of respondents indicated they cared. Trust Of the Canadians who participated, 51.2 percent indicated trust in the police/military, and a minority, 47.9 percent, said they trusted the media and journalists. This was lower than in the United States, where 54.8 percent of participants had trust in the police/military. Canadians also saw drops ranging from 8 to 9.8 percent when it came to having trust in their respective provincial government, the federal government, or city or municipal authorities. Across North America, trust in immigrants or newcomers, and religious leaders was low, with only 38.6 percent of Canadians saying they trusted immigrants, and 26.1 percent responding that they trusted religious leaders. Individuals were also surveyed about what the ACS called myths/unproven statements regarding COVID-19. To the statement The COVID-19 vaccine can affect fertility, 10.7 percent of Canadians said that was true, while 39.1 percent replied, I dont know. In Canada, 22.8 percent of survey respondents agreed that researchers rushed the development of the COVID-19 vaccine so its effectiveness and safety cannot be trusted, compared to in the United States where 29.8 percent of individuals said that was true. The statement The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are dangerous had 20.4 percent of Canadians agreeing it was true, and 27.2 percent of Americans. Older respondents to the survey, over age 65, were more likely to not believe these statements. Japan once again described Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo as "indigenous territory of Japan" in its latest Diplomatic Bluebook published on Tuesday. It also claims that Korea continues an "illegal occupation" of the islets, much like previous documents. The Foreign Ministry here strongly protested against the claim and called on Tokyo to withdraw it immediately. Naoki Kumagai, the deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, was summoned for a dressing-down. But the annual report on diplomatic activities and policy objectives also calls Korea an "important neighbor with which Japan should cooperate to deal with a variety of issues in the international community." It stresses the importance of strengthening Japan's strategic and security relationship with Korea and the U.S. The report also quotes Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi's appraisal of the Korean government's proposal in March of a compensation solution for victims of wartime forced labor, calling it "an effort to return the bilateral relationship to a wholesome state." It quotes him as predicting the solution will pave the way for exchanges between the two countries "to expand vigorously in various fields." But it omits Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's pledge last month to honor the "historical perceptions of previous governments" with regard to Japanese atrocities in World War II as a whole. The Manhattan prosecutor leading the case against former President Donald Trump is suing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in an effort to block the judiciary chairmans recent subpoena. A few top lawmakers have gained access to classified documents found at President Joe Biden and Trumps homes. What they did do to pressure the Justice Department, which refused to turn over the documents at first? Was the White House involved in the FBIs raid on Trumps Mar-a-Lago home? America First Legal Foundation tells us what theyve discovered so far. We have the special counsel leading the investigation to discuss. The latest on those leaked documents that appear to be from the Pentagon: several countries are now saying the information in the documents isnt true. Whats the United States doing to prevent another leak? Republicans are ramping up investigations into the Department of Justice over allegations of the FBI targeting Catholics. We hear from a legal expert on how this could affect not only the DOJ, but also the Republicans overall image. A new economic forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not so pretty. Its actually the lowest medium-term forecast from the IMF since the 1990s. We dissect the current economic situation and the federal governments role in it. China Using Checkbook Diplomacy in Latin America to Alienate Taiwan as Invasion Threat Rises: Analysts FILE - In this file photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, then outgoing Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, left, exchanges gifts with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan on Nov. 13, 2021. Taiwan says it has recalled its ambassador to Honduras on Thursday, March 23, 2023, amid moves by the Central American country to establish formal diplomatic ties with China. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File) The list of Taiwans diplomatic allies in Latin America continues to shrink as China tightens its grip on the region. Though beyond trade maneuvers, some analysts believe Chinas isolation of Taiwan in the region also aims to secure favorable votes before taking aggressive action against the island nation. The assessment couldnt be more timely. On April 10, Chinas military announced it was ready to fight after three days of extensive combat drills that imitated the sealing off of Taiwan. During the April 11 announcement, the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) military said it was ready to fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts. Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu speaks during a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 26, 2023. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, another one of the island countrys dwindling allies in Latin America has switched its alliance to Beijing. On March 25, the leftist-wing Honduran government announced severing official ties with Taiwan. The Honduran Foreign Ministry posted on Twitter theres only one China and that the CCP is the only legitimate government. The move leaves Taiwan with just 13 diplomatic allies in the world. Most of these are in Latin America and the Caribbean. And with the looming threat of a CCP military invasion that many fear would be shades of Russias attack on Ukraine, Taiwans diplomatic situation looks bleak. One China Principle Theres a common thread in these countries defections. Chinas sizeable investments, coupled with high debt loads in Latin Americaparticularly in socialist-led countrieshave prompted a political exodus from Taiwans list of allies. During a March 26 news conference, Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu claimed Honduran President Xiomara Castro planned the switch well before the 2021 presidential election. China invested $298 million in a dam project in Honduras in January 2021. A year later, the socialist president Castro was sworn into office. Her administration didnt waste a moment demanding more investment from Taiwan, which was already owed $600 million by the Central American nation. These investments have granted China a greater voting bloc in the UN General Assembly and caused more member states of the UN to move away from Taiwan in line with what Beijing calls the One China principle, Dr. Glen Duerr told The Epoch Times. Duerr is a professor of international studies at Cedarville University and has authored multiple works in the political science arena. He says the CCPs heavy investment in Latin America presents an opportunity to achieve multiple goals simply by writing a check. El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele speaks during a press conference at Rosales Hospital in San Salvador, on May 26, 2020. (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images) Purchasing allegiance to the One China principle has been ongoing for the past two decades, with special attention paid to leftist leaders in the region. The term comes from Beijings popularisation of the phrase after the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758 in 1971. The resolution gave Beijing the official diplomatic seat at the UN and legitimized the CCP government. Since then, Duerr said China has targeted various pink tide leaders in Latin America for its own benefit. This becomes pivotal if the CCP decides to escalate military aggression with Taiwan. While many heads of state in Western countries would denounce an armed invasion or attack, many expect sympathetic leaders in Latin America to side with China. Based on the openly vocal support Beijing has from countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador, Venezuela, Cuba, and now, Honduras; support for One China is a growing echo in the region. In the wake of Honduras shift in alliance, Chinas Foreign Minister Qin Gang said, We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and is doomed to a dead end. Checkbook Diplomacy China invested nearly $160 billion in Latin American countries between 2000 and 2020. Combined with the rise of CCP-friendly regimes over the past three years, the deck is stacked against Taiwan. And nowhere has this become more visible than in Paraguay, where the upcoming presidential election has put ties with Taiwan on the chopping block. Front-runner candidate Efrain Alegre told Reuters in January he would break ties with the island nation to boost agricultural exports if he wins the April 30 election. Moreover, an ominous statement from the nations current president, Mario Abdo Benitez, captures the reality of China versus Taiwan alliance dilemma. Last year, Paraguay literally asked Taiwan to invest $1 billion to remain allies, which indicates the countrys relationship is almost entirely pragmatic and transactional, Irina Tsukerman, regional security analyst and founder of Scarab Rising, told The Epoch Times. Tsukerman pointed to the notorious interview Benitez gave the Financial Times in September 2022, which triggered an uproar in the international community. The subsequent media pressure forced the head of state to backpaddle on his comment that a $1 billion investment from Taiwan would ensure Paraguayans felt the benefits of the strategic alliance. Chinese-chartered merchant ship Cosco Shipping Panama crosses the new Agua Clara Locks during the inauguration of the expansion of the Panama Canal. (Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images) Officials in Taiwan denounced the use of what it called checkbook diplomacy in Latin America as a thinly veiled attempt by China to purchase allies. But despite investing millions in countries throughout the region, Taiwan cant compete with Beijings wallet. In a region where more than 32 percent of the population lives in poverty, its easy to see how China got its foot in the door. China has also financed billions in loans to countries in Latin America with a long-standing history of defaults, like Argentina, Venezuela, Honduras, and Bolivia. Chinas influence in Latin America is focused on two issues: off-setting regional impact by the United States, and expanding its political influence on key issues which include Taiwan, Tsukerman said. Some have accused China of creating debt traps in economically struggling countries to exert greater influence over regional governments. Along these lines, Duerr said, With Beijing defending its action in the region erstwhile decrying the label of debt traps; there are natural questions about what happens if [or] when a country cannot pay China back. Lesson In Freedom While Latin American leaders are distracted by the prospect of a big payday, analyst and author Dr. Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat said they should keep an eye on their freedom. After spending years tackling the methodical erosion of liberty through communism in Cuba, he urged caution to Latin Americans enamored with Chinas big investments. I think the goal of the CCP is to eventually be the hegemon of the world system, Boronat told The Epoch Times. The CCPs goal is to replace the United States as the leading power. However, once on top, the CCP, to prevail as hegemon, would need to change the system to suit their mutant totalitarianism. He said that the United States is benign compared to Chinas authoritarian approach, especially regarding debt securities. Its something he says regional leaders need to think hard about when considering the long-term outlook. Further, Boronat noted the Republic of China, also known as Taiwan, is a role model for holding out against communism. Latin Americans have historically been very zealous of their freedoms and culture, even at the cost of their stability. ROC-Taiwan is a far better model of development for Latin America. It is amazing for how long ROC-Taiwan has endured the diplomatic onslaught of the CCP, he said. Court Rejects Braggs Request for Restraining Order Against Jordan Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks in New York City on April 4, 2023. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs urgent request to enter a restraining order against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was rejected on April 11, the same day it was filed. U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, turned down Braggs emergency request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Jordan, at least until a hearing is held. The Court declines to enter the proposed Temporary Restraining Order and Order to Show Cause, Vyskocil said, noting that she hadnt yet received several documents that were referenced in Braggs filings. She ordered Jordan and other defendants in the case to respond to the motion and scheduled a hearing on the matter for April 19. On April 11, Bragg sued Jordan for allegedly infringing on state sovereignty. Jordan has subpoenaed a former Bragg deputy and demanded documents from Braggs office regarding the prosecution of former President Donald Trump, who was indicted by a grand jury after being presented with charges by the Democrat district attorney. Jordan has no power under the Constitution to oversee state and local criminal matters, Braggs suit stated. Braggs office also asked the court to enter an order that would block Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee, which Jordan chairs, from enforcing the subpoena to former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz and prohibit Pomerantz from complying with it. The Judiciary Committees subpoena to Mr. Pomerantz marks the first time in our nations history that Congress has used its compulsory process to interfere with an ongoing state criminal case. The District Attorney is likely to succeed on the merits because the subpoena exceeds Congresss authority and obstructs New Yorks sovereign right to enforce its criminal law, prosecutors said in a filing in support of their motion for a temporary restraining order. The subpoena would also irreparably injure the District Attorney by, among other things, interfering with an ongoing criminal case, compromising grand jury secrecy and the attorney-client privilege, and disrupting his preparation for trial. Finally, the balance of the equities and the public interest favor the District Attorney because the subpoena undercuts federalism principles and the fair administration of justice by injecting politics into a state criminal case. The defendants havent yet lodged any filings. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) speaks in Baltimore on Sept. 12, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Theyre Obstructing Jordan said on Fox News that Bragg is obstructing a legitimate congressional investigation. Theyre obstructing our investigation, Jordan said. We have a constitutional duty to get to the facts, particularly when you have a district attorney interfering with the most important election we have, which is the election of the commander-in-chief; the president of the United States. Trump, who was president until early 2021, is running for a second term in 2024. Bragg has asserted that Jordan and other members of Congress lack the authority to probe the Trump prosecution; Jordan disagrees, pointing to how federal funds were used to investigate Trump. First, they indict a president for no crime. Then, they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it, Jordan said in a statement. Pomerantz wrote in his book that he left Braggs office because he was upset that Bragg wasnt preparing to bring charges against Trump. Jordan wrote in a letter accompanying the subpoena to the former prosecutor that Pomerantz had no basis to decline to testify because of the book. Based on your unique role as a special assistant district attorney leading the investigation into President Trumps finances, you are uniquely situated to provide information that is relevant and necessary to inform the Committees oversight and potential legislative reforms, he wrote. Jordan noted the books contents as he questioned the new lawsuit. He takes us to court because we want to talk to someone who left the DAs office a year ago, who went out and wrote a book on this very subject, Jordan said on Fox. Its unclear whether Pomerantz will comply with the subpoena. Jordan initially requested voluntary cooperation, but Pomerantz said in a letter that Braggs office had instructed him to not provide any information or materials in response to Jordans request. Jordan has also said that a subpoena for Bragg himself is an option. Everythings on the table, he said in one interview. Dana Nemcova, Leading Czech Anti-Communist, Dies at 89 Dana Nemcova attends the presentation of her book in Prague on Dec. 6, 2021. (Ondrej Deml/CTK via AP) PRAGUEDana Nemcova, one of the leading Czech dissidents and human rights activists from the communist era, has died. She was 89. She died on Tuesday morning, according to the Olga Havel Foundation, a charitable organization with which she was associated for many years. No details about the cause of death were given. Born on Jan 14, 1934, Nemcova was one of the first people to sign Charter 77, a human rights manifesto inspired by Vaclav Havel, a fellow dissident who later became president. Nemcova herself became one of the charters spokespersons. The document was a rare expression of resistance to the hard-line communist regime that took over after the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia which crushed the liberal reform period known as the Prague Spring. The charter united opponents of the regime, including religious activists, ex-communists expelled from the party after the 1968 invasion, and also rock musicians, intellectuals, and pre-World War II democrats. Its signatories braved persecution from the regime, exercising what Havel dubbed the power of the powerless. Nemcova, the mother of seven and a psychologist by profession, was among them. In 1979, she spent six months in detention before receiving a two-year suspended sentence for subversion of the republic. She was banned from practicing as a psychologist and only allowed to take menial jobs, such as cleaning. Nemcova and her husband, Jiri Nemec, turned their apartment in Prague into one of the centers of anti-communist resistance, but had to face repeated interrogations and raids. She once said that signing the charter was a means for her to maintain identity and dignity. Nemcova also co-founded the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted, which supported those facing oppression by the state, from police harassment to unjust prosecution. After the 1989 anti-communist Velvet Revolution led by Havel, Nemcova served as a lawmaker in the parliament of Czechoslovakia until 1992. She later chaired the board of the Olga Havel Foundation established by Havels first wife, which focuses on helping disabled and abandoned people, as well as those facing discrimination. In the 1990s, she established an information center for refugees and a migration center, working especially with those fleeing the wars in the former Yugoslavia. In 1998, she was awarded a state honor by Havel, who was by then president. Dana Nemcova was an extraordinary person, brave and deeply human who with her persistent and consistent defense of human rights contributed significantly to our freedom and democracy, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. By Karel Janicek DNC Parts Ways With Marc Elias, the Clinton Campaign Lawyer Behind Steele Dossier The headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington on Aug. 22, 2018, after reports indicated that the DNC notified the FBI of an attempt by hackers to infiltrate the organization's voter database. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is ending its longtime partnership with lawyer and election strategist Marc Elias, who paid for the notorious dossier falsely accusing the Donald Trump presidential campaign of colluding with Russia. The divorce between the national organization of Democrats and its top lawyer over a number of strategic disagreements was first reported by Punchbowl News, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. This appears to only affect the DNC, considering that Elias still represents a slew of federal- and state-level Democratic campaign arms, such as the DSCC, DAGA, and DLCC. The DNC works with a number of law firms on voting rights litigation, compliance, contracting and more. The DNC is appreciative of Elias Law Groups years of work in service of the values we share, a DNC spokesperson said in a statement. A spokesperson for Eliass firm, the Elias Law Group, also lauded the New York lawyers previous work for the DNC, noting that he will continue providing services to Democrat clients. Elias Law Group is proud of the work it has done for the DNC. We look forward to continuing to represent the Democratic Party as well as helping citizens vote, and progressives make change, the statement read. Elias is best known as the man behind the Steele dossier. Serving as general counsel for the Hilary Clinton campaign during the 2016 presidential election, Elias hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS to commission a dossier on Republican candidate Donald Trumps alleged collusion with Russian government operatives. Fusion GPS entrusted the task to retired British spy Christopher Steele, who eventually fed the dossier to the FBI in 2017. The dossier and its core allegations now have either been debunked or deemed unverifiable, but were key to the FBIs investigation of Trump, as well as the mainstream medias narrative about Moscow meddling with the 2016 election. The role Democrats played in the dossier wasnt exposed until much later in 2017, amid a House Republican-led probe into the documents origin. In the latest aftermath of the scandal, the Federal Election Commission in March 2022 ordered the DNC and Clinton campaign to pay a $113,000 fine for improper finance disclosure. According to the federal agency, the DNC and Clinton campaign together paid Fusion GPS more than $1 million to fund the dossier project, but labeled the payments as legal expenses instead of opposition research. The DNC and Clinton campaign agreed to pay $105,000 and $8,000 in fines, respectively, but admitted no wrongdoing. No fine was issued against Marc Elias, Fusion GPS, or Christopher Steele. Elias was also involved in some controversies in more recent election cycles. On last years Election Day, he joined the John Fetterman campaigns lawsuit in a last-minute attempt to overturn a Pennsylvania election law rejecting undated or misdated mail-in ballots. In 2021, he tried to convince Democrat majorities in Congress to invalidate Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks victory in Iowa, claiming to have found extra ballots for his client, Democrat Rita Hart. Congress eventually certified the election results in favor of Miller-Meeks. California to Squander Record Rains, Snowpack in Deluge of Regulations, GOP Lawmakers Say Pipes on Feb. 14, 2023 were used to conduct millions of gallons of water from the 602-foot Lake Shasta Dam in Northern California. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Californias Central Valley constitutes 1 percent of the agricultural land in the United States yet it harvests nearly a quarter of the nations farmed products. The 50-mile wide, 450-mile-long breadbasket is irrigated by an intricate series of river impoundments and canals that are regulated by federal and state agencies. California, like much of the West, withered during a multi-decade drought that, over its past three years, featured the regions driest span on record. Water was so scarce that Central Valley irrigation was often scaled back with farmers forced to rely on groundwater, where and when available. This aerial image shows a truck as it drives across a flooded road past Central Valley farmland along the Tule River in Tulare County during a winter storm near Corcoran, Calif., on March 21, 2023. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) But now the valley, like much of California, is flooded after a three-month spasm of atmospheric rivers swamped previously parched farmlands, citrus orchards, nut groves, and livestock grazing pastures. With a record snowpack in the Sierra Madre Mountains looming to the east, a spring and summer of sustained snowmelt flooding await. As this excess water seeps into the sea, meanwhile, San Diego is paying $38 per acre foot to desalinize seawater. Little of winters abundant rains and snowpack will be impounded and retained for use in a future where, as Californias hydrologic record confirms, drought is certain. All this water will flow into the sea over soil that was dust months ago and will be dust again because there is little additional capacity to impound or divert water for storage in Central Valley despite dozens of water retention and flood control projects over the decades being proposed and, in some cases, tentatively approved. In essence, key regional water storage projects are drowning in paperwork, Central Valley water district managers and farmers told a Congressional panel on April 11 during a two-hour field hearing at World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. The hearing before the House Natural Resources Committees Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee was staged by the chambers Republican leadership to kickstart $10 billion in projects stymied in permitting, opposed by Democrats, and entangled in federal regulations being aggressively applied by the Biden administration. Water in California has always been complicated and controversial, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said. Some people want to reverse that order. Two Bills To Stem Regulatory Flood House Republicans are backing two bills they say will help Californias Central Valley and water managers throughout the West advance water infrastructure projects. Central Valleys three river basinsSacramento, San Joaquin, and Tulare Lakecomprise the Central Valley Project (CVP), which is managed by federal agencies and under California State Water Project (SWP) regulations. The CVP includes 20 dams and reservoirs that hold nearly 12 million acre-feet (AF) of water, including about 5 million AF to irrigate about 3 million acres, or roughly one-third of the agricultural land in California. HR 215, the proposed Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms for California Act, or WATER for California Act, filed by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), and co-sponsored by all 11 of fellow California House Republicans, would authorize funding of projects approved under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. Central Valley WIIN projects include a $2 billion approved plan to raise Shasta Dam by 18-and-a-half feet to store an additional 634,000 AF, a $4 billion plan to build the preliminarily endorsed 1.5 million AF Sites Reservoir, and $23 million to build the proposed 8,000 AF Seaborne Reservoir. Rep. Doug La Malfa (R-Calif.) on his property in Californias Central Valley on Sept. 17, 2022. (The Epoch Times) The proposed water storage reservoirs have all been extensively litigated, especially in reference to the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). All CVP waters are subject to biological opinions (BiOps) regarding two ESA-listed speciesthe 3-inch Delta smelt, regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and salmon, regulated by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The two BiOps require Shasta Dam to meet flow requirements for smelt and salmon with some water requirements for each conflicting with the other, according to Valadaos bill, which occurred when the USFW demanded Shasta release water when it was at 50 percent capacity for a winter salmon run at the same time that NMFS was ordering a halt to releases to protect delta smelt. In late 2019 and early 2020, the Natural Resources Defense Council and California filed separate lawsuits challenging the updated BiOps for raising Shasta Dam and enlarging its Sacramento River impoundment claiming the project violated federal and state ESAa. California Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration issued a new state Incidental Take Permit for the SWP, creating conflict and uncertainty about the Shasta project. The Biden administration is now insisting on new reviews of the 2019 USFWS and NMFS biological opinions in the CVP, which would require Shasta Reservoir to provide temperature controls downstream, new spring outflow requirements, and changes to water export amounts. With the Shasta Dam Raise effectively halted, the CVPs Los Vaqueros expansion and Sites Reservoir project are in the regulatory pipeline limbo because the Biden administration is seeking new BiOps. The proposed WATER For California Act would uphold the 2019 BiOps and essentially greenlight the projects to bypass the red tape. The bill is proactive to be better prepared for these weather events and for drought, to increase storage, streamline operations, and bring much-needed accountability to how our water is managed, Valadao said, calling the Shasta Dam project the most cost-effective water storage enlargement project in California. Bureaucratic Tyranny The simultaneous contradictory release-dont-release directives from two federal agencies are the inspiration for the second bill on the field hearings agenda, HR 872, the proposed Federally Integrated Species Health Act, or FISH Act. Introduced by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) and six California co-sponsors, including Democrat Rep. Jim Costa, the FISH Act would consolidate all ESA regulations under the USFWS. The current structure of two federal regulatory agencies adopting single-species and uncoordinated BiOps can lead to a contradiction of management operations for water projects, the bill states, citing as examples the CVP and the Klamath Project in southern Oregon. The purpose of the bill is to ensure two agencies dont conflict with one another, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said, reading from the bill memo. I am going to read that again, he said, we need to pass a law to ensure two agencies regulating endangered fish species dont conflict with one another, by consolidating them into one agency. A sign calls for solving Californias water crisis on the outskirts of Buttonwillow in Californias Kern County on April 2, 2021. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Were in the greatest country in the world, Westerman continued, and weve got two different agencies trying to manage fish species in two different ways and it creates gridlock and a grinding halt. We can do much better than that. San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority Executive Director Chris White called HR 872 long overdue and said adopting it would be a win-win for the fish, the environment, the federal government, and stakeholders. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) said the bill may not be necessary if the regulatory reforms in HR 1, an omnibus energy package adopted by the House last week, advance through the Senate. But regulatory over-reach is endemic across the spectrum of federal affairs, he said. Why cant we have one-stop shopping for permits? LaMalfa asked. Its just a constant spanking line of having to go through all these lettered agencies in order to get anything done. Friant Water Authority Chief Executive Officer Jason Phillips blamed Congress for forcing commerce, industry, and consumers to endure spanking lines of bureaucratic abuse. To reallocate water away from communities and people to comply with old environmental laws, [those] decisions were made by unelected agency staff in Washington, he said, delegated the responsibility for the most significant policy area we face in the state of Californiahow to best manage the states limited water resourcesby a Congress that failed to do its job. Phillips praised both bills because they place accountability for creating man-made droughts on elected officials. We are dealing with agencies, we have to call it out as it isthese are simply the lords of scarcity, Rep. John Duarte said. They gain power over us by keeping us on the edge of privation. Yet were taking Gods probably greatest agricultural gift, the largest watershed in the world. We have to be champions of abundance and call out these agencies for what they areanti-human scarcity mongers and theres really no happy way to put that. This is just mean. Not Acts Of God But Of Man Chair Rep. Chris Bentz (R-Ore.) said with 40 million people, 15 percent of the nations GDP, and 70 percent of its domestically grown fruit and vegetables, California is obviously terrifically important to America. Valadao said sustaining the Central Valleys $22.5 billion agricultural output is not just critical to Californias economy but to feed the nation. Food security is national security. Without a reliable water supply, our ability to feed the nation will be in jeopardy, he said. While we cannot control the weather, we can control the laws and regulations that govern our water and ensure we are using it with the most common sense possible. If we dont take time to address some of the misguided policies that prioritize fish over people, Valadao continued, the entire country will be in trouble. Bentz and Westerman said Department of Interior Secretary Debra Harland was invited to the hearing but declined. Also invited were representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of Reclamation, USFWS, NMFS, and the California Fish and Game Department. That is disappointing and unacceptable, Westerman said, noting hell be sending a letter to Appropriations [House Appropriation Committee] regarding the budgets for those agencies that dont have time for Congress. All but one subcommittee Democrat, Costa, chose not to come, he said. Bentz said federal agencies submitted written statements that they do not support either bill but did not elaborate on why. Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority General Manager Jeff Sutton called such delay and intransigence irresponsible. These crises are predictable. Its going to stop raining again and were going to experience droughts, but theyre preventable if we make the right investments, he said, stressing the sooner the better. The system is broken, Sutton said. We got to fix it. Both of these bills are steps in the right direction. The water is streaming down the hills and into the sea, across floodplains that will soon be dusty flats, said DG Bar Ranches owner Tony DeGroot of Hanford, California. God has given us an open door to act, he said, citing floods in 1969, 1982, and 1997 and fears he is witnessing another wasted blessing go by. Weve done it to ourselves, McClintock said. We are not suffering from acts of God. Were suffering from acts of man. Elizabeth Holmes to Report to Prison at the End of April After Losing Bid to Remain Free A U.S. judge on April 10 denied Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes request to remain free on bail while she appeals her conviction on charges of defrauding investors in the failed blood-testing startup that was once valued at $9 billion. A jury ruled Holmes guilty of three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in January 2022. Prosecutors in the case said she misled investors about the success of her blood-testing technology from her company Theranos. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila sentenced Holmes to 11 years and three months in prison in November. Holmes asked Davila to postpone the sentence while the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reviews her case. Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes (C), walks into federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Nov. 18, 2022. (Nic Coury/AP Photo) Davila concluded that even if Holmes won her appeal to challenge the Theranos technology evidence, it wouldnt result in a reversal or a new trial for all the counts of which she was found guilty. Contrary to her suggestion that accuracy and reliability were central issues to her convictions, Ms. Holmess misrepresentations to Theranos investors involved more than just whether Theranos technology worked as promised, he said. The U.S. District Court of Northern California ruled that while Holmes is not seen as a danger to the community or a flight risk, she has not successfully presented new evidence (pdf). Holmes Appeals Conviction In her appeal, Holmes argued she did not promote a faulty product, though the court ruled these disputes do not directly pertain to the conduct for which Ms. Holmes was convicted. Holmes, who recently gave birth to her second child, had also argued that she should remain free to care for her newborn baby. Ms. Holmes had also made several misrepresentations such as those regarding the companys financial status, reliance on third-party and commercially available devices, partnership with Walgreens, and validation by pharmaceutical companies, the courts opinion said. Holmes had previously booked a one-way flight to Mexico and was accused by prosecutors of attempting to flee the country, according to court documents (pdf). Her attorneys called the claims baseless, saying she had booked the trip with her husband prior to the verdict with the hope she would be found not guilty and be able to attend a wedding. Referring to the planned Mexico trip in his order on Monday, Davila said the booking had been ill-advised. Booking international travel plans for a criminal defendant in anticipation of a complete defense victory is a bold move, and the failure to promptly cancel those plans after a guilty verdict is a perilously careless oversight, Davila said. Certainly, this incident has invited greater scrutiny of Ms. Holmess personal affairs and further speculation into her motivations. But Davila acknowledged that after reviewing her attorneys communications from the time in question, it appeared she was telling the truth about the trip. The Court accepts Ms. Holmess representation that the one-way flight ticketwhile ill-advisedwas not an attempt to flee the country, Davila said. Faulty Technology Holmes, 39, founded Theranos in 2003 when she was an undergraduate student at Stanford University. The company guaranteed that its technology could screen patients for diseases with a sample from a single finger prick of blood instead of taking a full blood draw from patients. Holmes received nearly $1 billion in investments, but the results were often faulty, and the company frequently relied on commercially available blood analyzer machines to conduct its tests, according to court documents. During the sentencing, Davila questioned Holmes decision-making. This case is so troubling on so many levels, Davila said. What was it that caused Ms. Holmes to make the decisions she did? Was there a loss of a moral compass? Holmes let the Judge know that she accepted responsibility for her actions and would continue trying to help others in a more positive way. I regret my failings with every cell of my body, Holmes said. Another former Theranos executive and Holmes ex-boyfriend Ramesh Sunny Balwani was also convicted for his involvement in defrauding investors and patients, and he was sentenced to almost 13 years in prison. He was ordered to report to prison on April 20, while Holmes is ordered to report to prison on April 27. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Elon Musk Accuses Major Media Outlet of Spreading COVID Misinformation, Ignoring Vaccine Injuries Elon Musk has defended Twitters decision to terminate a policy where posts on the platform would be accompanied by a misleading information warning label if the content related to COVID-19, saying the pandemic is no longer an issue. The microblogging service, which was taken over by the billionaire industrialist last year, said in a report that, effective Nov. 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the COVID-19 misleading information policy. Musk commented on the matter during an interview with BBC reporter James Clayton that was broadcasted on April 11. In the confrontational interview, Musk pivoted Claytons question when the journalist asked the Tesla executive about the platforms warning labels for false and misleading tweets related to COVID-19. Has the BBC changed its COVID misinformation? Musk reacted fiercely to the reporters question. In response, Clayton said that he was asking Musk about Twitters policies as the interviewer stressed that the discussion is about the social media company, not about the broadcasting corporation. The BBC does not set the rules upon Twitter, so Im asking you, Clayton said. You changed the labels, the COVID misinformation labels, there used to be a policy, but it then disappearedwhy do that? he added. Look, COVID is no longer an issue, Musk responded. Does the BBC hold itself at all responsible for misinformation regarding masking and side-effects of vaccinations, and not reporting on that at all, the SpaceX founder added. Musk went on to say that the BBC allowed itself to be put under pressure by the British government to change its editorial policy. Are you aware of that? Musk asked Clayton, who did not answer the question. Instead, he shifted the conversation to a different topic, while also noting that hes not a BBC representative and is unable to speak on behalf of the companys editorial policy. NTD reached out to the BBC for comment. Musk has been a longtime critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, lockdowns, as well as other measures enforced by the government. In May 2020, the 51-year-old sent Tesla employees back to work at the automakers plant in California in defiance of local shelter-in-place orders, which he described as forcible imprisoning. Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me, Musk said in a post on Twitter at the time. During an interview with TIME in December 2021, Musk said he and his eligible children are vaccinated against COVID-19 and that the science is unequivocal, but he also stressed that he is against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Twitters policy, which was introduced to curb the spread of harmful misinformation related to the pandemic, resulted in nearly 100,000 pieces of content being removed from the platform and led to more than 11,000 account suspensions between January 2020 and September 2022. Since taking over Twitter, Musk has vowed to dial back the platforms censorship policies which many conservatives have alleged are discriminatory and amount to suppression of free speech. At the same time, Musk pledged that he would not allow Twitter to become a free-for-all hellscape where anything could be said, with no consequences. Doctors Sound the Alarm Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the first COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020, governments around the world and much of the media have insisted that the medicines developed in record time are safe and effective. However, numerous studies and medical experts have disagreed with the governments official messaging, suggesting COVID-19 vaccines can lead to an excess risk of spike protein-induced diseases. Dr. Joseph Fraiman, an emergency physician based in Louisiana and the lead author of a peer-reviewed study that reexamined the original Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines, told the National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) on March 17 that the vaccines have been associated with an excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest in about one in every 565 people. That is quite a high number of serious adverse effects from a vaccine. We typically have withdrawn vaccines for one in 10,000, said Fraiman, who spoke virtually at the event on the second day of the hearing held in Canada. The authors found that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were, respectively, associated with an excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest of 10.1 and 15.1 per 10,000 vaccinated over placebo baselines of 17.6 and 42.2. Combined, the mRNA vaccines were associated with an excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest in 12.5 per 10,000 vaccinated, or one in 565. German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach, meanwhile, said last month that adverse reactions can occur at a rate of one in 10,000 [doses], adding that COVID-19 vaccines have caused severe disabilities to German citizens. However, the countrys top health official also noted that he believes the benefits still outweigh the risks, saying: Its not like [vaccine] injury is common. Ive always been aware of the numbers and theyve remained relatively stable one in 10,000 [are injured], Lauterbach said, citing official data (pdf) from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut that was released in December 2022. It has to be noted that the health minister said COVID-19 vaccines can cause serious injury in one in every 10,000 doses, not people. Matthew Horwood contributed to this report. From NTD News Federal Judges Decision Against Abortion Pill May Not Survive Appeals, Legal Experts Say A woman looks at an abortion pillRU-486, or mifepristonedisplayed on a smartphone in Arlington, Va., on May 8, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) A federal judges recent ruling striking down U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of abortion pill mifepristone is not likely to survive on appeal, legal experts told The Epoch Times. The court decision is one of many to have followed across the country in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision in June 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and found there was no right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution. The ruling returned the regulation of abortion to the states. After the ruling by a federal judge in Texas, it was reported that California and New York are stockpiling supplies of misoprostol, another pill used in medication abortions. Misoprostol is also approved for the treatment of gastric ulcers. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, condemned the ruling at a press conference on April 11. One judge in Amarillo, Texas, thinks he knows better than thousands of doctors and scientists and experts. And not to mention the countless women whove used this medication safely for decades, Hochul reportedly said during a joint event with Planned Parenthood. This isnt just an attack on abortion, its an attack on democracy. Courts have never before revoked a science-backed decision made by the FDA, she said. On April 7, Texas-based Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, found in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA that the agency was wrong to approve mifepristone for public use in 2000 and that the FDA had stonewalled opponents of the drug for years. The judge issued a preliminary nationwide injunction retroactively staying FDA approval of the drug but also stayed his own order for seven days to give the federal government an opportunity to appeal the ruling, something it has subsequently done. This is not a final ruling and the case remains pending in Kacsmaryks court. Risks Not Properly Assessed Kacsmaryk described mifepristone, which is also known as RU-486 or mifeprex, as a synthetic steroid that blocks the hormone progesterone, halts nutrition, and ultimately starves the unborn human until death. Because mifepristone alone will not always complete the abortion, FDA mandates a two-step drug regimen: mifepristone to kill the unborn human, followed by misoprostol to induce cramping and contractions to expel the unborn human from the mothers womb, the judge added. Kacsmaryk wrote that the FDA had not properly assessed the risks posed by the drug before approving it, buckling under political pressure to get it on the market. In this case, the FDA acquiesced on its legitimate safety concernsin violation of its statutory dutybased on plainly unsound reasoning and studies that did not support its conclusions. There is also evidence indicating FDA faced significant political pressure to forego its proposed safety precautions to better advance the political objective of increased access to chemical abortion. The FDAs failure to impose restrictions on the use of the drug resulted in many deaths and many more severe or life-threatening adverse reactions. Anticipating criticism, Kacsmaryk explained why it took two decades for judicial review in federal court and blamed the FDA. Simply put, FDA stonewalled judicial reviewuntil now. Before [the] plaintiffs filed this case FDA ignored their petitions for over 16 years even though the law requires an agency response within 180 days of receipt of the petition. But FDA waited 4,971 days to adjudicate [the] plaintiffs first petition and 994 days to adjudicate the second. Had FDA responded to [the] plaintiffs petitions within the 360 total days allotted, this case would have been in federal court decades earlier. Instead, FDA postponed and procrastinated for nearly 6,000 days, the judge wrote. Jim Burling, vice president of legal affairs for the Pacific Legal Foundation, a national not-for-profit public interest law firm that challenges government abuses, said the court seemed to be creative in finding that the parties had standing to challenge a two-decade-old approval for a drug. You could argue that FDA was perhaps a little aggressive in the way it approved this drug, certainly compared to the way it denies other drug uses cutting it some slack that it would not cut for other medications that take a long time to approve, Burling told The Epoch Times in an interview. I dont think this decision is long for this world, he said. I think it is going to be difficult for it to withstand the scrutiny of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, where the case is now, he added. Cautious Decision Making Although the 5th Circuit is one of the most conservative circuits around, it is probably going to say were just going to keep the status quo, Burling said. The circuit is going to be very cautious in deciding what to do next, he said. The court will likely opt to keep the drug on the shelves until it can conduct what will probably be an expedited, emergency hearing at which it accepts briefings from both sides, he said. This is a dramatic opinion that basically covers new ground on the issue of standing and covers new ground on the issue of the disapproval of a drug that was approved 20 years ago, Burling said. Kacsmaryk made it clear that he is upset with the FDA because in his view the agency was acting badly in probably deliberately stretching things out, but that doesnt necessarily have a bearing on the underlying question of whether the initial approval was correct or not, or the question of whether the challengers had standing or not, Burling said. Legal commentator Curt Levey, president of the conservative Committee for Justice, said Kacsmaryks decision likely has a limited shelf life. The conservative-leaning 5th Circuit may affirm the decision but it will probably go up to the Supreme Court, Levey said in an interview. People in the pro-life community are celebrating the judges decision but it is not clear how long the decision will last, he said. I cant make any predictions about what the Supreme Court would do, he said, adding that a very high bar [must be] overcome. Levey said there may not be five votes on the nine-member Supreme Court to undo a drug approval from 20 years ago. It is also possible that challenges to mifepristone could be initiated in the states, although that is not the issue in this case, Levey added. Former Orange County Sheriff Denies Allegations in ICE Detainees Lawsuit Former Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois denies the allegations made against him and others by ICE detainees in a new federal lawsuit. The lawsuit filed on April 4 by six former and current ICE detainees alleges inhumane jail conditions and retaliations against inmates who dared to speak out under DuBois and the current county sheriff, Paul Arteta. It further claims that the above-alleged acts violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. There have been multiple litigations over the past few years that have been repeatedly unfounded, DuBois told The Epoch Times. ICE representatives visit the facility on an almost daily basis, and the multiple, repeated accreditation audits speak for themselves. DuBois retired in December 2022 after serving as county sheriff for 20 years. Under his helm, the sheriffs office started a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2008 to house immigrant detainees in return for feesa practice still in place today. Dubois told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that the ICE contract brought in millions of dollars of revenue for the county every year. It also made it easier for inmateswho might end up in southern states had his office refused to house themto see family members from New York City. The county jail is the only local facility working with ICE in the New York Metropolitan Area. DuBois added in the previous interview that the county jail offers a high-standard condition as an accredited facility. The facility was accredited by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. Then-Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois in his office in Goshen, N.Y., on Nov. 19, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Toward the end of DuBoiss last term, the jail held 54 ICE detainees out of 300 inmates. The sheriffs office brought in gross revenue of $5.8 million on the contract last year, according to a recent county public safety committee meeting. However, the lawsuit alleges that due to a mindset of maximizing revenue, DuBois failed to provide adequate care for ICE inmates. Other defendants in the lawsuit are the Orange County government, Arteta, former Undersheriff Kenneth Jones, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Acting ICE Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. County attorney Richard Golden told The Epoch Times that the Orange County government categorically denies that it acted in an unconstitutional or otherwise illegal manner. The county jail is a highly credentialed and model facility, he said. The plaintiffs lack of merit in their allegations will be proven in court. The sheriffs office and Jones didnt respond by press time to requests for comment. Arteta said at a January county public safety committee meeting that he is reevaluating the ICE contract from a cost-and-benefit perspective. We are crunching the numbers, he said at the time. It may be more beneficial to remove all the ICE prisoners due to the costs. Associated costs include staff overtime, officer injuries, legal fees resulting from complaints and lawsuits from ICE detainees, and prescription medication expenses. Orange County Jail in Goshen, N.Y., on Nov. 19, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Lawsuit Allegations The lawsuit, filed with the help of the New York Civil Liberties Union and Brox Defenders, alleges inhumane jail conditions in three main areas. The first is medical neglect. The plaintiffs allege that they were denied care for mental health issues, severe symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic diseases, among others. Based on the ICE contract, the county jail provides inmates with basic food and health care services and is reimbursed on a per person and per diem basis. The second is that food, allegedly foul-smelling and occasionally rotten, caused gastrointestinal problems for some plaintiffs. The last is alleged racist harassment by jail staff. One officer allegedly called a plaintiff pinche mexicano and pinche animal; several officers allegedly told a plaintiff that they would have killed him if they had encountered him at the border. In 2021, plaintiffs began speaking out about the jail conditions, including filing grievances and administrative complaints, as well as contacting elected officials, reporters, and advocates. These efforts were allegedly met with swift attributions by jail staff, including dragging, beating, segregated confinement, and the threat of deportation. On Feb. 16, 2022, following failed attempts to improve jail conditions, all six plaintiffs and several dozens of inmates resorted to a hunger strike, according to the lawsuit. The six plaintiffs are Nahum Gilberto Ortiz, Denny Molina Cantor, Lucas Palacios Alvarado, Jeremias Lopez, Elmer Moscoso Guerra, and Luis Gonzalez Carbajal. The plaintiffs also claimed they faced escalated retaliation, including cell searches, restricted digital access to attorneys and family members, and transfers to facilities far away in Mississippi and Louisiana. The lawsuit asks for a stop to alleged retaliation and monetary compensation. Two plaintiffs, Ortiz and Carbajal, are now out of custody and reside in New York. The definition of what constitutes a star in 21st-century Hollywood has changed. And Im sorry to report, [its] for the worse [...] The real reason certain actors become stars and others do not is regrettably not so glamorous studios manufactured stars to suit the fears and fantasies of the day, giving faces to paradigm shifts, and therefore historical consequence to their chosen personae. And so it has always been. Since the era of Hollywoods first stars, American moviegoers have been devouring a steady dosage of self-image. Thus begins Californian journalist Sam Wassons Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffanys, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman. The book which was written in 2010 and revised in 2021 focuses on the movies creation of a female archetype that transcended Hepburn herself and has little to do with the Holly Golightly described by Truman Capote in his original novel. The film made Hepburn herself a huge star, and audiences viewing Audreys Holly Golightly in 1961 experienced, for the very first time, a glamorous fantasy life of wild, kooky independence and sophisticated sexual freedom; best of all, it was a fantasy they could make real, argues Wasson. Until the release of Breakfast at Tiffanys, only bad girls enjoyed sex in Hollywood movies. With few exceptions, good girls in the movies had to get married before they earned their single fade to black... But in Breakfast at Tiffanys, all of a sudden because it was Audrey who was doing it living alone, going out, looking fabulous, and getting a little drunk didnt look so bad anymore, Wasson explains. Being single actually seemed shame-free. It seemed fun. Still, the major social change that the film brought about nearly didnt happen. Capote himself was the first to torpedo the movie and he never stopped complaining about the adaptation. The author had wanted to bring the story to the screen when he wrote the novel in 1958, but that spirit was impossible to capture in the film industry of the day. There were other problems as well: Hepburn initially rejected the role, censorship almost sank the script, the producers did not want to use the song Moon River, George Peppard never understood the story (in reality, he didnt comprehend that he wasnt its star), Blake Edwards filmed two endings because he did not know how to finish the movie and Paramount generally suffered during production because everything seemed aligned against the film. George Peppard and Audrey Hepburn on a break from filming 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' in New York. Keystone Features (Getty) Hepburns participation in the film makes the whole underlying message of Breakfast at Tiffanys acceptable. She received the offer to star in the movie when she was at the first major crossroads in her career, which had been going full-steam ahead since poor nutrition during World War II had prevented her from becoming physically fit and thriving as a dancer, her dream. Hepburns first impulse, fueled by her manipulative husband, Mel Ferrer, was to turn down the role. In the end, she accepted the part for several reasons, one of which was George Axelrods script, which might have been of lesser importance in the original decision but ultimately proved crucial to her success. Truman Capote, in Portofino in 1955. Giancolombo (Must Credit: Giancolombo/Writer Pictures) Axelrod was stuck in his career. After writing The Seven Year Itch, Rally Round the Flag, Boys! and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, the screenwriter was defined by vulgar jokes Boobs and boobs. Dumb guys and curvy girls as Wasson notes in Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. At the time, Billy Wilders The Seven Year Itch was defined as an I want to, but I cant film. If Axelrods original theater play was risque in depicting the adultery of a guy whose family is away for the summer, by taking it to the silver screen and turning that sexual drive into a dream to evade censorship, Wilder and Axelrod watered down the message. The final scene in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. The screenwriter understood what propelled Breakfast at Tiffanys: sophistication, wit and progressive sensibility. He was not the first person hired to do the adaptation, but he received the assignment because he created a traditional romance with sex for the new generation, which Capotes novel concealed. He also understood that if in Doris Days films the conflict that hinders the love story is desire (there are no relations until the wedding), in Breakfast at Tiffanys the conflict would have to be changed: Holly Golightly sleeps with men for money (in the movie, she becomes strictly straight as opposed to her bisexuality in the novel), so the obstacle became an issue of commitment. The two protagonists do not end up in bed right away because Paul Varjak (Peppard), like Golightly, has sex for money; he is a gigolo. He cant afford to pay for a night with her, and she cant afford to pay for a night with him... So their conflict? Leaving a steady life of fiscal security for one of love, Wasson muses. At last, Axelrod would pitch a sex comedy with sex. Audrey Hepburn sings 'Moon River' in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. Many of Hollys characteristics from the novel were jettisoned in the movie to highlight her dreamy side. The movie emphasized her innocent past as a girl from Texas and eliminated her pregnancy and abortion, as well as her trips abroad to accompany men for work. But her figure remained the same: Holly Golightly was a skinny girl with a flat little bottom, hair sleek and short as a young mans, and a face beyond childhood, yet this side of belonging to a woman. Capote had wanted Marilyn Monroe, who exuded sex at every turn, to play the part, but the producers understood that only someone like Hepburn would make the censors allow the film. Blake Edwards and Audrey Hepburn, on the set. In an interview with Playboy after the film premiered, Capote said that The film became a mawkish valentine to New York City and Holly and, as a result, was thin and pretty, whereas it should have been rich and ugly. It bore as much resemblance to my work as the Rockettes do to Ulanova. True, but in 1961 such an adaptation could not have been done. Nor did Capote appreciate that Axelrod and Blake Edwards, who also directed the film, had captured the zeitgeist of the United States. A moment from the party scene in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' At the turn of that decade, there were already Holly Golightlys on the streets of the Big Apple. With that film, we became grownups. This was not an age of innocence anymore. Suddenly we had the ability to come edging out in the open with sex. It was getting to be the sixties, wrote critic Judith Crist. This new breed of cinema also included The Apartment and Splendor in the Grass. Audrey Hepburn and her husband Mel Ferrer attend a bullfight in Malaga, Spain, on March 15, 1964. EFE Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. emphasizes the sentiment by including the statements and memories of women who were beginning their professional careers at the time. For example, journalist and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin, who founded Ms. magazine with legendary feminist Gloria Steinem in 1971, was just starting her first career as an executive in the publishing world: When Breakfast at Tiffanys came out, it blew me away. In those years, I really considered myself an alter ego of Holly Golightly. First of all, because she was so unlike the usual Hollywood caricature of a woman. She was a woman you wanted to be. Of course, she didnt have a profession and I was career oriented, so that was a little troublesome, but the fact that she was living on her own at a time when women simply werent, was very validating to me. It was very affirming. Hubert de Givenchy with Audrey Hepburn in 1983. Cordon Press And then there was the simple, perfect black dress designed by Hubert de Givenchy, Hepburns couturier since Sabrina (1954). Givenchy and Audrey gave us a very realistic, very accessible kind of class, designer Jeffrey Banks says in the book. All of a sudden, in Breakfast at Tiffanys, chic was no longer this faraway thing only for the wealthy. Givenchy based his dresses on the female figure as it was, not idealizations of it. That was a kind of first in fashion and it took glamour from the remote and unattainable and made it practical. After Tiffanys, anyone, no matter what their financial situation, could be chic everyday and everywhere, Banks adds. Previously, black clothing had been limited to night and mourning periods. Because of the little black dresss efficient simplicity, thousands of urban working women bought one or had one made for them in the years that followed: it was the uniform of the new woman. A Christie's employee holds Audrey Hepburn's 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' script. AFP After the films release, Blake Edwards could finally do the type of filmmaking he wanted. The party scene in Breakfast at Tiffanys hints at the style he would develop years later in The Party; Axelrod (who argued with Edwards over the compromise ending of Breakfast at Tiffanys, which audiences ended up loving) wrote librettos more aligned with his own tastes like The Manchurian Candidate; Henry Mancinis jazz would be considered the epitome of cool (and his Moon River, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, became an instant classic), and Hepburn divorced Ferrer and filmed other masterpieces, such as Two for the Road. Named after the first line in the movies script, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. also discusses those who later disappeared, like Peppard, although he subsequently enjoyed success on television with The A-Team. The book also addresses Capotes friendless demise. Finally, it discusses the legendary films blemishes (for instance, the character of the racist Japanese neighbor, played by Mickey Rooney, which was one of Edwardss initiatives). But above all it argues that the iconic Audrey-as-Holly character changed Western womens lives by showing them independence on screen and opening the door for them in real life. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Four Legs Good, Two Legs Cosmetic People read books at Hong Kong Central Library after democracy activists' books were taken down due to the national security law in Hong Kong, on July 6, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Commentary Some people in Hong Kong think that cultural issues are apolitical. Unfortunately, it is not true. The seemingly neutral treatment of Hong Kong culture in the secondary school history curriculum, for example, the coexistence and interaction of Chinese and foreign culture, glossed over trends such as the increasing westernization from the 1970s onwards. A landmark event was the Marriage Reform Ordinance which mandatorily introduced Western monogamy and outlawed concubinage, a Qing practice that had been there since the opening of Hong Kong. This trend concurs with parents preference for English-medium schools for their kids, as proficiency in English is believed to be a prerequisite for a successful career. However, in new Hong Kong, all these are now seen as a national security threat. The social status of the West and China in the former colony must be reversed, and the revival of the nineteenth-century mentality of Chinese learning as substance is of the highest priority in all government departments. In the education sector, the replacement of Liberal Studies by brainwashing Citizenship and Social Development (CSD) as a compulsory subject and the introduction of mandatory mainland study tours are essential ideological deployments. The first tours set off on April 3. Some of the students interviewed said they had to hand in an essay after the tour, and the question was, How can the Greater Bay Area help the young people of Hong Kong. This question raises even more questions. Conceptually, Hong Kong is part of the Greater Bay Area, known as the Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Does the above question allow discussions on Hong Kong? If not, the question is politically incorrect at best. Pedagogically, any question should allow objective and multi-perspective discussions, like what Liberal Studies has been doing. However, this questions design confines an answer to a single perspective that intends to write China positively rather than objectively. Politically, it is a secondary-school version of a political thought report. Communists submit such reports regularly to assure their supervisors that they align with the party line. Now, three years after the 2019 Anti-Extradition Protest, no matter how rebellious the students had been, the new CSD strives to ensure that they appreciate how loving China is to them and will duly write it down with gratefulness in their homework. In other words, rational and critical thinking needs to give way to Chinese and communist-style stereotypes, as has been emphasized in the past. Things about the West will degenerate into an embellishment, like political cosmetics. A good example in my mind is a leftist school in Hong Kong. Formerly known as Mongkok Workers Children Secondary School, it was renamed in 2018 as Scientia Secondary School to give a less proletarian and more foreign flavor, after the famous Latin quote scientia potentia est (knowledge is power). However, except for the school name, all the common elements of the school remain in placethe school emblem using the communist symbol of the gear wheel and the school song with lyrics such as labor creates the world and workers children are vigorous. The official statement for the schools renaming announced that its official abbreviated name is SSS. I sincerely hope that all the students will work industriously; otherwise, they and Hong Kong may be in great trouble if they miss anything in the class and reduce SSS into SSSchutzstaffel, meaning protection squads under the Nazis. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. How the great American traversed the Roman path In August 1755, George Washington had been made commander in chief of Virginias colonial forces. A year later, however, the 25-year-old commander became incensed at being passed over for a royal commission. He was also bitter over the manner in which his fellow Virginians, those who had behaved like men and died like soldiers, had been treated by the British. The Virginia Regiment had been the first to enter into the fray of the French and Indian War. Your endeavors in the Service and Defence of your Country must redound to your Honor, therefore pray dont let any unavoidable Interruptions sicken your Mind in the Attempts You may pursue, warned George William Fairfax in a letter to Washington in April of 1756. Your good Health and Fortune is the Toast at every Table, Among the Romans such a general Acclamation and public Regard shown to any of their Chieftains were always esteemed a high Honor and gratefully accepted. Washington, who had a hand in starting the war at Jumonville, had constantly put his life on the line for the British and colonists. During the Battle of the Monongahela, he had two horses shot out from under him and had four bullet holes in his hat and uniform. At the end of 1758, with the war still several years from conclusion and having survived battles, smallpox, malaria, dysentery, and pleurisy, Washington resigned his commission. His entrepreneurial spirit would supersede his military passions, but according to historian Ron Chernow, Washington had acquired a powerful storehouse of grievances that would fuel his later rage with England. The Roman Chieftains Senator Catilines conspiracy to overthrow the Roman government in 63 B.C. was prevented and exposed by Cicero. Seated left is Catiline in The Catiline Conspiracy, 1792, by Jean-Francois Janinet after Jean-Guillaume Moitte. Etching. National Gallery of Art, Washington. (Public Domain) Cato the Younger and Julius Caesar had their first standoff in 63 B.C. debating the allegations of the Catiline Conspiracya conspiracy to overthrow the republic, led by Lucius Sergius Catiline, who had just lost the election to consul for the second time. Cato and Caesar argued in the Senate whether to dispense with constitutional proceedings and execute the conspirators, which included several senators, or abide by the constitution, preserve their lives, but once found guilty, sentence them to life in prison and confiscate their properties. The Senate initially agreed with Caesars proposal of constitutional adherence, but Catos rebuttal won the day. It is hard to say which decision was the right one. What resulted after the executions and the defeat of Catiline was a continuation of political upheaval and backroom dealings that led to a civil war, the death of Cato, and the dictatorship of Caesar in 46 B.C. Though Caesar would be assassinated in 44 B.C., the republic could not be saved and would soon recede into the irretrievable past, giving way to the rule of emperors. The Death of Caesar, between 1673 and 1736, by Victor Honore Janssens. Oil on canvas. Private Collection. (Public Domain) The age of Julius Caesar is one of historys greatest dramas. One of Shakespeares tragedies is based on the events centering around Caesars assassination. The colonists in America, Washington among them, were well acquainted with Shakespearethey were British, after all. There was another British playwright that Washington enjoyed: Joseph Addison. His play Cato, a Tragedy, which premiered in London in 1713, was a British sensation that carried over into the colonies. Cato had been a staunch republican; Addisons version was even more so. The play was a source of inspiration for Washington, who quoted from it often. Washington was well-versed in the real and the fictive versions of both Cato and Caesar. When King George II died two years after Washingtons resignation, the choice to become either of those great Roman chieftains would soon present itself to Washington. A Man of the Field: Farm and Battle After Washingtons victory at Trenton, he was poised to become a Caesar. General George Washington at Trenton, 1792, by John Trumbull. Gift of the Society of the Cincinnati in Connecticut; Yale University. (Public Domain) Mere weeks after resigning, Washington married Martha Custis. His farm life would expand. His entrepreneurial ideas and land speculations increased. He had transitioned from bloody fields to fertile soils, exchanging gunpowder for tobacco leaves. When the war ended, France lost its lands west of the Mississippi River, except New Orleans. In September 1763, Washington and 19 others created the Mississippi Land Company in hopes of claiming 2.5 million acres in the Ohio Valley. The following month, though, King George III issued a royal proclamation banning British colonists from expanding west of the Appalachian Mountains. The troubles with the Crown would soon amass. With each passing year, attempting to pay off its immense war debts, the British government continued to issue new taxes on the colonists. The colonists felt less strongly about taxation than they did about being taxed without representation. Their rights as British citizens were ignored, though their protestations would at times result in the Crown altering course. Over the following decade, more acts would be passed, interspersed with flare-ups like the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Boston Tea Party in 1773. A final straw was the Quartering Act of 1774, a far more invasive version of the one passed in 1765. This act allowed British soldiers to be housed in private homes and businesses, like taverns and inns. The abuse by the worlds greatest power had gone far enough. Washington met with other leaders of Fairfax County, Virginia, on July 18, 1774, to demand that their rights be restored as British citizens and Descendants not of the Conquered, but of the Conquerors. The Fairfax Resolves, written by him and George Mason, were a thorough rebuke to the British Crown and Parliament. Less than two months later, 56 delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress. After more than a decade of what the colonists viewed as being ignored, abused, and reduced under absolute despotism, a conflict seemed inevitable. The inevitable took place on April 19, 1775, with the Massachusetts battles of Lexington and Concord. The proverbial Rubicon had been reached. Exactly two months later, Washington would be commissioned to lead the Continental Army across it. Cato Versus Caesar Statue of Cato reading the Phaedo (Platos dialogue recounting the last hours of Socratess life) before committing suicide, 1840, by Jean-Baptiste Roman and Francois Rude. Carrara marble. Louvre Museum, Paris. (Public Domain) There are arguments to be made in defense of both Cato and Caesar. Their actions were noble in their own way. Although Cato had chosen expediency over the constitution during the Catiline Conspiracy, the rest of his life was dedicated to sustaining the republic and ending political corruption. Cato hoped to retain the republic as it stood, but convince the senators to refrain from corruption. Caesar, on the other hand, had favored the constitution, but now believed that the only way to cleanse the republic of its corruption was through dictatorship. Cato was the champion of Roman tradition. Caesar was the champion of the Roman people. Cato deplored Caesar; Caesar revered Cato. To Cato, Caesar was the harbinger of tyranny. Caesar confirmed that suspicion on January 10, 49 B.C., when he crossed the Rubicon with his army and marched on Rome. It lit the fires of civil war and, retrospectively, signaled the end of the Roman Republic. Washington: Both Cato and Caesar Washington Crossing the Delaware, 185671, by George Caleb Bingham. Oil on canvas. Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia. (Public Domain) The salutary neglect practiced by the British monarchy for 150 years had given the British Americans a near unequaled freedom in the world. When the new king made it clear that those times were over, Washington personified the qualities of both Cato and Caesar. He believed, as Cato did, that nothing was more sacred and necessary than liberty. He also believed, as Caesar did, that the established government had reached its expiration. This dual conception is reflected in his statement that America was either to be drenched with Blood or Inhabited by Slaves. Washington walked with a sense of destiny. He aspired to attain the glory of the great military leaders of the past, having ordered busts of the duke of Marlborough, Frederick II of Prussia, Prince Eugene of Savoy, Charles XII of Sweden, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar. Adhering to this sense of destiny, he portrayed an air of invincibility, which was reaffirmed during the winter of 177677. After splitting his army into three groups on Christmas Day, Washington crossed the Delaware River into Trenton, New Jersey, during a snowstorm and defeated the Hessians despite missing two-thirds of his army. During the Battle of Princeton days later, Washington, on his white horse, charged within 30 yards of the enemy. The British and Continentals fired, an officer described, with Washingtons important life hanging as it were by a single hair with a thousand deaths flying around him. When the smoke cleared, Washington was unharmed and unfazed, yelling to his men, The day is our own! The miraculous events of those two battles caught the attention of the imperial world, stirring Frederick the Great of Prussia to extol Washington and his armys successes at Trenton and Princeton, saying that they were the most brilliant of any recorded in the annals of military achievements. The Caesar in Washingtons sails was proving to be the prevailing wind. But as 1777 progressed, that wind began to change. Washington and his army had plummeted to near defeatsaved only by the stunning victory, sans Washington, at Saratoga. Huddled in the confines of Valley Forge throughout the winter of 177778, the great general conceived to inspire his men by way of his alter ego: Cato. With both him and Martha in attendance, Cato: A Tragedy was performed for the troops. The Continental Army had triumphed in victory and suffered in defeat, but their struggle for liberty in a world made for Caesar, as Addisons Cato stated, would continue for several more years. John Kemble as Cato in Joseph Addisons Cato: A Tragedy. Drawing by George Cruikshank and engraved by Kirkwood in 1822. (Public Domain) Washingtons Final Choice Through the actions of a Caesar and the intentions of a Cato, Washington maneuvered America closer to victory and independence. Reminiscent of his Trenton and Princeton moments, Washington would emanate Caesar a final time at the Battle of Yorktown in September and October 1781. He personally initiated the relentless cannonade by firing the first shot. The surrender of Gen. Charles Cornwallis signaled the end of the war, though the Treaty of Paris would not be signed for another two years. The moment of Washington accepting the surrender of Cornwallis was captured in all its glorythe glory of a conquerorby painter John Trumbull. Trumbulls painting captures the glory of a conqueror, as Washington accepts Cornwalliss surrender after the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, 1820, by John Trumbull. Capitol Building, Washington. (Public Domain) Immediately, rumors swirled concerning Washingtons next political move. He had marched on the British and won. Would America dethrone one king just to submit to another? Would Washington use his military might to establish his new empire, just as Caesar had done? Col. Lewis Nicola proposed to Washington the idea of becoming the new nations first monarch. Washingtons response indicated that he had left the Caesar persona on the blooddrenched field of Yorktown: If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself, you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable If you have any regard for your Country, concern for yourself or posterityor respect for me, banish these thoughts from your Mind. On Dec. 22, 1783, a celebratory dinner was thrown by Congress in Washingtons honor. The following afternoon, he stood before the Continental Congress and resigned his commission. Having now finished the work assigned me, said Washington, I retire from the great theater of action. The light of Cato could not have shone more brightly. Trumbull captured this moment as well, and upon reflection recalled: What a dazzling temptation was here to earthly ambition! Beloved by the military, venerated by the people, who was there to oppose the victorious chief, if he had chosen to retain that power, which he had so long held with universal approbation? The Caesars, the Cromwells, the Napoleons, yielded to the charm of earthly ambition, and betrayed their country; but Washington aspired to loftier, imperishable gloryto that glory which virtue alone can give, and which no power, no effort, no time, can ever take away or diminish. General George Washington Resigning His Commission, 18171824, by John Trumbull. Oil on canvas; 12 feet by 18 feet. U.S. Capitol, Washington. (Public Domain) It may not have been a surprise in America that Washington resigned. Across the Atlantic, however, the decision invoked both perplexity and awe. King George III was quite certain that Washington would simply take his place as ruler. When he was informed by Benjamin West, the court history painter, that Washington had in fact resigned, the king responded, If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world. Washington wasnt the worlds greatest man because he was a Julius Caesar or a Cato. He was the greatest because he was both, consistently alternating between the two out of strategic necessity in order to defeat his enemies and inspire his troops, but never out of personal ambition. Graham Praises Very Productive Meeting With Saudi Crown Prince Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks during the Vision 2024 National Conservative Forum at the Charleston Area Convention Center in Charleston, South Carolina, on March 18, 2023. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) softened his earlier stance on Saudi Arabia following what he described as a very productive meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his senior leadership team on April 12. In a Twitter thread after the meeting, Graham said that the opportunity to enhance the U.S.Saudi relationship is real and the reforms going on in Saudi Arabia are equally real. The positive comments represent a significant shift in Grahams views on the Saudi regime. Previous Harsh Words The South Carolina Republican previously criticized the kingdom in 2018 after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, calling the incident a betrayal and indicating that he would support sanctions against the Saudis. The circumstances surrounding Khashoggis death placed suspicion on the Saudis, who the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has ruled responsible for the assassination. At the time, Graham stated, If the prince truly loved his country he would not have put his country in this position. If he truly respected the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia he would have never thought of this. Now, however, Graham seems to be more open to the idea of improving relations with the Saudis, expressing a desire to take the U.S.Saudi relationship to the next level. He emphasized that a stronger partnership between the nations could lead to a tremendous economic benefit to both countries and bring much-needed stability to a troubled region. Graham also praised Saudi Arabias recent decision to purchase two Boeing 737s built in South Carolina, a deal worth $37 billion. Investments like this are game changers, Graham said. Modernize and Reform While some may criticize Graham for shifting his stance on Saudi Arabia, the senator argued that his new perspective is based on the kingdoms efforts to modernize and reform. Saudi Arabia has in recent years undertaken a series of reforms, including loosening restrictions on womens rights and lifting a decades-long ban on movie theaters. Despite its controversial social policies, Saudi Arabia has long played the role of one of the most important U.S. allies in the region, in part due to the two nations shared adversaries like Iraq and Iran. Grahams meeting with the crown prince comes as U.S. prestige on the world stage has been threatened by an unprecedented leak of classified documents, including some documents that only those with the highest security clearance could access. At the same time, other key U.S. global rivalsmost prominently Russia and Chinahave upped their aggressive posturing toward Ukraine and Taiwan. Increasing U.S. anxiety in the region, China recently aided Iran and Saudi Arabialongtime regional rivalsin restoring normal diplomatic relations, suggesting a threat to U.S. diplomatic supremacy in the region. While Parkinsons disease is known to affect movement, balance, and coordination, sometimes patients also develop Parkinsons disease dementia. People with this condition can experience a disturbing condition called sundowning, which typically begins in the late afternoon and lasts into the night. Affects Up to 80 Percent of Parkinsons Patients According to the Weill Institute for Neurosciences Memory and Aging Center, most people with Parkinsons start experiencing movement symptoms when theyre between 50 and 85 years old, although some show signs earlier. Dr. Isabella Park, associate medical director and director of geriatrics and palliative care at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, part of Northwell Health in New York, told The Epoch Times that a majority of patients with Parkinsons disease will develop dementia, and those who do are at higher risk of experiencing sundowning. Sundowning can occur at any stage of dementia but is more common during the middle and later stages. Sundowning symptoms include: Insomnia Anxiety Pacing Hallucinations Paranoia Confusion Irritability and screaming Sundowning can cause different behaviors in varying degrees, said Park. It can start out as subtle and can increase if not redirected or if the sleep pattern is not corrected. Up to 80 percent of people with Parkinsons eventually develop dementia, according to the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. The average time from the onset of movement problems to the development of dementia is about 10 years. The exact cause [of sundowning] is complex and poorly understood, but it is thought to be a disruption in the biological clock caused by dementia, said Park. She explained that it could be triggered by various things, such as being overly tired, hungry, thirsty, or bored. Other triggers can include: Sleep deprivation Medication side effects Physical illness Pain Dehydration 5 Ways to Help Someone Experiencing Sundowning Here are some practical tips on how to help someone experiencing Parkinsons disease-related sundowning. 1. Establish a Regular Routine Parkinsons disease can disrupt the bodys internal clock, leading to sleep disturbances and other symptoms. By establishing a regular routine, we can help regulate the bodys internal clock, making it easier to manage sundowning. People living with sundowning should wake up and go to bed at the same time each day, eat meals at regular times, and schedule their activities and rest periods throughout the day. A 2019 study concluded that a lack of routine may cause symptoms of depression in older adults. Depression has been found to aggravate preexisting cognitive conditions. 2. Create a Calm Environment According to a review in Psychiatry Investigation, sundowning can be triggered by overstimulation, so its important to create a calm and relaxing environment. Some ways to do this are by reducing noise levels and eliminating distractions that could cause anxiety or confusion. Any calming alternative methods such as essential oils, massages, and healing touch can ease anxiety and stress for the person, said Park. Relaxation techniques such as meditation and visualization can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. A recent randomized clinical trial found that mindfulness meditation appears to be a feasible and promising strategy for managing depressive symptoms and maintaining emotional stability, and significantly benefits cognitive performance. 3. Encourage Physical Activity Exercise is an essential component of Parkinsons disease management and can help improve sleep quality and reduce sundowning symptoms. A large study from the Parkinsons Foundation (pdf) shows that people with Parkinsons who start exercising earlier in their disease for at least 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life compared to those who start later, and that establishing early exercise habits is essential to overall disease management. The Parkinsons Foundation recommends an exercise program for Parkinsons should include: Aerobic activity Strength training Balance, agility, and multitasking Flexibility 4. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol Cut back on caffeine, sugar, and even liquids towards the evening to minimize bathroom needs overnight, Park advised. Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep patterns and exacerbate symptoms of sundowning. Limit caffeine to the morning hours, and alcohol should be avoided since it can add to confusion and anxiety. 5. Consider Certain Supplements There are herbs and supplements that can be helpful, said Park. Chamomile, melatonin, vitamins B, C, E, etc. are shown to calm and lessen sundown symptoms. Research suggests that taking melatoninthe naturally occurring hormone that makes us sleepyalone or with exposure to bright light during the day could help ease sundowning. A 2014 review found that melatonin could help reduce agitation at night and improve sleep in people with dementia. A randomized, controlled trial found that chamomile extract significantly improves sleep quality among elderly people and is a safe way to promote healthy sleep. This can prevent sleep problems associated with the condition. Low vitamin B levels are often observed in patients with dementia and supplementation has been shown to improve memory and slow the progression of brain atrophy. Other research finds that vitamin C deficiency impairs cognition, and also that supplementing with vitamin E has specific protective action against Parkinsons. When All Else Fails, Consider Medication Sometimes if the symptoms are too difficult, other medications may need to be considered for the safety of the person and to help them reset their sleep cycle, Park said. Levodopa, a drug commonly used to manage symptoms of Parkinsons disease, may also help relieve sundowning symptoms by increasing depleted levels of dopamine typical of the disease. Research suggests that sundowning in Parkinsons patients might be caused by the depletion of dopamine in the brain. According to the Psychiatry Investigation review, another class of medication used to manage symptoms is antipsychotics. These drugs are used to treat people experiencing severe agitation, aggression, or distress from symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Theyre often used as a last resort to relieve symptoms. Learn From Each Experience Park pointed out that the most effective way to deal with someone who experiences sundowning is to learn from each experience, and its helpful to keep a journal of the symptoms. Questions like what may have triggered them? How was this day different from others? What physical signs did they show? How long did the episode last? What worked to calm them this time? are important to ask, said Park. Using what youve learned from each occurrence will make it easier to deal with the next one. Perhaps you will be able to lessen each episode or reduce the frequency of the experiences, which will make it easier to manage, she said. There are notable moments in history when the overlords of this world go too far in their exercise of power and commit a crime that is a glaring expression of their arrogance. Such a crime is memorialized and becomes symbolic of their tyranny. Decent people are shocked by the spectacle of it and conclude that the overlords no longer have any legitimate claim to rule. I woke up this morning thinking about the complicated ideas of justice, redemption, and forgiveness. The final concept, forgiveness, can only happen after those who have committed a crime are publicly identified and held accountable for it. Dr. Theresa Anne Lawrie, director of the Evidence-based Medicine Consultancy Ltd in Bath, England, was one of the most formidable proponents of early treatment for COVID-19, especially using ivermectin. Her experience of the bio-pharmaceutical complexits ruthless and homicidal smearing and suppression of early treatmentis one of the most harrowing moments in the entire dreadful saga, documented in the short film Dear Andy, which I strongly recommend watching. Dr. Lawrie has had enough of the gangsters who are responsible for creating SARS-CoV-2 and the organized criminal response to it. A few days ago, she issued a clarion call to mankind to hold the gangsters accountable. Like Queen Elizabeth I, Dr. Lawrie is a delicately built redhead, and her bold message reminded me of the formers famous speech to her soldiers at Tilbury, when it appeared that Spain was about to invade England. I hope the people of the United Kingdom (and everywhere else) will be roused by her exhortation. The time has come to demand (using lawful methods) that those who are responsible for creating SARS-CoV-2, and orchestrating the criminal response to it, be arrested and tried for their crimes. NOTE: Dr. Lawrie delivered the message. The screenwriter was fellow Substack author Margaret Anna Alice. Intelligence Leaks Could Be Targeted Disinformation, Top Russian Official Asserts Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov looks on during a press conference following talks with U.S. counterparts on soaring tensions over Ukraine, in Geneva, on Jan. 10, 2022. (Eloi Rouyer/AFP via Getty Images) The recent leak of classified U.S. documents by unknown actors could be a targeted disinformation campaign designed to mislead Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said. When asked by reporters about Moscows position on the source, motive, and authenticity of the documents, he said: We dont have a position. It may be interesting for someone to scrutinize these materials to see whether they are [genuine] documents or fakes, the diplomat said, according to Russias TASS news agency on April 12. Maybe its deliberately targeted disinformation. Volunteer soldiers prepare to fire toward Russian positions close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 8, 2023. (Libkos/AP Photo) Scores of classified U.S. documents, mostly dating from February and March, first appeared last month on online forums such as Discord and 4Chan. But they didnt make made headlines until late last week, when The New York Times, citing senior Biden administration officials, reported their appearance on Twitter and Telegram. Most of the documents purportedly contain classified information related to Russias invasion of Ukraine, now in its second year. Others pertain to key U.S. allies, including Israel, South Korea, and Egypt. There is no question that [the leaks] present a risk to national security, U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters earlier this week. Both the Pentagon and Justice Department are now trying to find the source of the leaks amid fears they could harm relations with allies and compromise undercover intelligence assets. According to Patel, Washington is engaging with allies at the highest levels to stress its commitment to safeguarding intelligence and securing partnerships with these countries. Hybrid Warfare Many of the leaked documents pertain to U.S. and NATO plans to bolster the Ukrainian military in advance of a planned counteroffensive by Kyiv. Within this context, leaked information purportedly includes arms delivery schedules, troop numbers, ammunition expenditure rates, and other critical data related to the conflict. For example, one document appears to suggest that the supply of munitions for Ukraines S-300 air-defense system currently stands on the verge of depletion. But according to Ryabkov, the leakswhich have dominated headlines since late last weekcould be part of a hybrid warfare campaign conducted by U.S. intelligence agencies. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speak at the White House press briefing in Washington on April 6, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times) The term hybrid warfare, coined in 2007, refers to a strategy that combines conventional, irregular, and cyber warfare to accomplish military goals, political goals, or both. Other aspects of hybrid warfare include the dissemination of propaganda (fake news), the weaponization of legal systems (lawfare), and the manipulation of electoral processes. Given that the United States is a party to the conflict [in Ukraine] and is waging a hybrid war against us, its possible that such ploys may be used to mislead the Russian Federation, Ryabkov said of the leaks. Various scenarios and models are not beyond the realm of possibility. The State Department didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on Ryabkovs assertions. Media Brouhaha Since the NY Times broke the story, the Western press has dropped a number of leak-related bombshells, drawing spirited denials from several capitalsincluding Washington and Moscow. On April 10, The Washington Post reported that, according to one leaked document, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had ordered the production of thousands of rockets to be covertly delivered to Russia. The document, dated Feb. 17, further asserts that Sisi instructed subordinates to keep the plan secret to avoid problems with the West. A leading recipient of U.S. financial and military aid, Egypt has long been regarded as a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. Cairo was quick to dismiss the claim as having no basis in fact, and a Kremlin spokesman described it as yet another falsehood. Soon afterward, Washington also appeared to cast doubt on the documents veracity. Weve seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weaponry capabilities to Russia, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on April 11. He described Egypt as a significant security partner in the region with which the U.S. military has a longstanding defense relationship. When asked how long it would take for federal agencies to ferret out the source of the leaks, Kirby said: Wed like to get answers as quickly as we can. But it would be foolish for anybody to try to guess how long thats going to take. Regarding the media frenzy surrounding the leaks, Ryabkov voiced skepticism, The extent to which all this brouhaha has any kind of grounding in reality remains open to question. Japan Signs Contracts With Mitsubishi to Mass-Produce Long-Range Missiles Amid China Threat Japan on April 11 signed contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the nations top defense contractor, to develop and mass-produce long-range missiles as the country seeks to acquire counterstrike capabilities amid communist Chinas growing military threats. Japans Defense Ministry awarded Mitsubishi with four contracts worth 378 billion yen ($2.8 billion), including mass production of ground-launched Type 12 guided missiles and a hypersonic ballistic missile. Mitsubishi also will develop enhanced versions of Type 12 guided missiles that can be launched from land, aircraft, and ships. Janes reported that the new missiles will have a range of up to 621 miles. While the deployment of these weapons has been scheduled for 2026 and 2027, according to the ministrys statement, it didnt specify the number of missiles that Japan intends to deploy. The move is aligned with the National Security Strategy released last year, which includes acquiring counterstrike capabilities to bolster defense amid regional security challenges from China, North Korea, and Russia. In February, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan would bulk-order Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States that are capable of striking targets as far as 621 miles away. Hamada didnt specify how many missiles Japan intends to buy, but local media reports state that Japan wants 500 missiles. Military Threats The move to acquire counterstrike capabilities is widely seen as a departure from Japans post-war constitution, which renounces war or the use of force in settling international disputes. However, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said that Japan would maintain its exclusively defense-oriented policy, which states that defensive forces can only be used in the event of an attack. We have written in detail the counterattack capabilities that we have decided to possess, including their definition and the circumstances under which they can be used, in the National Security Strategy, Kishida told reporters on Dec. 16, 2022. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during his press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2023. (Stanislav Kogiku/Pool Photo via AP) Kishida said hes concerned that what happened in Ukraine may happen in East Asia in the future and that Japan should be prepared to face any emergency arising because of countries who trample on the peace and security of other countries. Without naming China, he said international law isnt being followed in the South China Sea, while in the East China Sea, where Japan is located, there are increased attempts to change the status quo by force. Peace across the Taiwan Strait has also been threatened, he said. Kishida had also urged the government to increase defense spending to 2 percent of its gross domestic product to bolster the countrys military capabilities. JapanChina Military Hotline Japan and China have established a direct military hotline to prevent maritime and air clashes as tensions grow over competing territorial claims in the East China Sea. Japanese coast guard vessel and boats (rear and right) sail alongside Japanese activists fishing boat (center) near a group of disputed islands called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan on Aug. 18, 2013. (Emily Wang/AP Photo) We will utilize it not only for responding when unforeseen circumstances occur but also for building trust between the two countries, the Japanese Defense Ministry stated. Local media reported that the line would soon be operational and would link the leadership of Japans Self-Defense Forces at the nations Defense Ministry with Chinese Defense Ministry officials. Disputed islandscalled Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by Chinain the East China Sea have long been a source of friction between the two countries. The Chinese regime claims the uninhabited islands as its territory. Over the years, Japan has protested repeated intrusions by Chinese vessels in the area, which are under Japanese control. Venus Upadhayaya and Reuters contributed to this report. Joe Rogan Issues Warning After AI-Generated Version of His Podcast Surfaces Joe Rogan enters the octagon during the UFC 225: Whittaker v Romero 2 event at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 9, 2018. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images) Joe Rogan has warned of the growing threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) after a version of his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, was created entirely through the use of AI technology, sparking concern among listeners. This is going to get very slippery, kids, Rogan wrote on Twitter on April 11 in response to a video of the fake show shared on the social media platform by content creator Farzad Mesbahi. The fake video is titled Joe Rogan AI Experience Episode #001 and features guest Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the creator of the artificial intelligence system ChatGPT. A disclaimer on the video noted that the contents depict a fictional podcast between Rogan and Altman, with all content generated using AI language models. The ideas and opinions expressed in the podcast are not reflective of the thoughts of Joe Rogan or Sam Altman, the disclaimer reads. It adds that the use of AI technology to generate the video is solely intended as an exploration of the capabilities of language models and should not be misconstrued as a genuine conversation between the individuals depicted. Fake Guest Talks Elon Musk Throughout the fake podcast, the AI-generated host Rogan and AI-generated guest Altman discuss various subjects including the future of AI, ethical issues surrounding such advanced technology, whether or not advanced AI could take jobs away from American workers, and, rather ironically, concerns regarding fake AI content, among other issues. At one point, Altman even discusses his work with Elon Musk. Musk founded OpenAI with Altman in 2015 but has in recent months led calls for AI labs to immediately pause training systems that are more powerful than Chat GPT-4 for at least six months, citing concerns over their possible risks to society and humanity. Im curious to know what its like to work with Elon Musk, the fake Rogan asks Altman on the show. Hes such a controversial and influential figure in the tech world and Im sure it must be an interesting experience to work with him. Can you tell me a bit about your experience working with Elon and your thoughts on him as a person and a leader? Its definitely been an interesting experience working with Elon, hes definitely a very intelligent and driven person and he has a lot of great ideas and insights, hes definitely someone who is always thinking about the future and how to make the world a better place and I really respect that about him, the fake Altman responds. At the same time, hes also someone who is very passionate about his beliefs and ideals and hes not afraid to speak his mind and challenge the status quo. That can definitely be both a strength and a weakness depending on the situation, the AI-generated Altman continues. Rogan Fans Concerned Overall I think Elon is a brilliant and innovative leader and Ive learned a lot from working with him, its definitely been an interesting and rewarding experience, fake Altman added. Rogan fans expressed their concerns over the AI-generated show, with many noting how realistic it is. Others shared their worries about the pace at which AI technology is progressing. Content creator Mesbahi urged people to press government officials to address the issues posed by advanced AI, noting that the fake podcast is just one example of what the technology can do. Imagine in, one year, five years, 10 years, he wrote. The video comes as experts have warned of limited planning and management regarding advanced AI systems despite companies in recent months racing to deploy more powerful AI technologies. Last month, the Microsoft-backed OpenAI released the long-awaited update of its AI technology Chat GPT-4, the most powerful AI system ever. Also in March, Google announced it had launched its AI app, known as Bard, for testing in the United Kingdom and the United States, although the company has taken a slower approach to releasing the technology, saying it needs more feedback about the app and must address certain challenges such as its inaccurate, misleading, or false information. Juul Labs Agrees to Pay $462 Million Settlement to 6 States and DC Packages of Juul e-cigarettes are displayed for sale in the Brazil Outlet shop in Los Angeles on June 22, 2022. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) NEW YORKElectronic cigarette-maker Juul Labs Inc. will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia, marking the largest settlement the company has reached so far for its role in the youth vaping surge, the attorneys general in several states announced Wednesday. The agreement with New York, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia is the latest in a string of recent legal agreements Juul has reached to settle lawsuits related to the way it marketed addictive nicotine products. Critics said Juul was trying to lure children too young to smoke. Like some other settlements reached by Juul, this latest includes restrictions on the marketing and distribution of the companys vaping products. For example, it is barred from any direct or indirect marketing that targets youth, which includes anyone under age 35. Juul will also limit the amount of purchases customers can make in retail stores and online. Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that its harmless, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. Today they are paying the price for the harm they caused. New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference in New York on Sept. 21, 2022. (Brittainy Newman/AP Photo) A spokesperson for Juul said with Wednesdays settlement, the D.C.-based company was nearing total resolution of the companys historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future. The spokesperson added that underage use of Juul products has declined by 95 percent since 2019 based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) though, since surveys were administered online instead of on school campuses during the pandemic, the results cannot be compared to prior years. Juul rocketed to the top of the U.S. vaping market about five years ago with the popularity of flavors like mango, mint, and creme brulee. But the startups rise was fueled by use among teenagers, some of whom became hooked on Juuls high-nicotine pods. Parents, school administrators, and politicians have largely blamed the company for a surge in underage vaping. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a statement that Juul knew how addictive and dangerous its products were and actively tried to cover up that medical truth. In September, Juul agreed to pay nearly $440 million over a period of six to 10 years to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products to young people. That settlement amounted to about 25 percent of Juuls U.S. sales of $1.9 billion in 2021. Three months later, the company said it had secured an equity investment to settle thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts, city governments, and Native American tribes. The vaping company, which has laid off hundreds of employees, recently agreed to pay West Virginia $7.9 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company violated the states Consumer Credit and Protection Act by marketing to underage users, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Monday. Last month, the company paid Chicago $23.8 million to settle a lawsuit. Minnesotas case against Juul went to trial last month with the states Attorney General Keith Ellison asserting that the company baited, deceived, and addicted a whole new generation of kids as youth cigarette smoking rates fell. By Karen Matthews Hard to Reconcile Leesers Reasons for Resigning Commentary When your opponents start praising you, its worth taking stock and examining your position. The shadow attorney-general and spokesman for Indigenous affairs, Julian Leeser, may well reflect on the accolades and bouquets coming his way from his political opponents after his resignation from the opposition front bench over its decision to oppose The Voice. Julian Leeser MP, the member for Berowra in Sydney, is a decent, well-meaning, and considered individual. In short, he is an asset to the Australian Parliament. It is to be hoped he continues to serve. That said, his resignation from the front bench over his support for the concept of a Voice is both understandable and yet difficult to understand. Understandable because Leeser has been a long-term advocate for constitutional recognition of Australias Indigenous people in the Constitution. Yet he also recognises the design being proposed is flawed. In those circumstances, he was in a cleft stick, and something had to give. With Leeser, opportunism or a frontbench position would never be a motivator. As he presented in announcing his resignation from the frontbench, he agrees with and supports his party and leader Peter Dutton, but on this particular issue, he respectfully, and one suspects regrettably, disagrees with his colleagues. Many a Liberal has found themselves in such a position and chose to leave or cross the floor in a dignified manner without pulling the house down on the way out. In short, the behaviour of a dignified and respectful individual, for which Leeser deserves admiration. The front entrance of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 4, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) It is to be noted the other side of Australian politics does not afford such flexibility. With the Australian Labor Party, you are absolutely locked into campaign against its position leads to immediate and automatic expulsion. Leeser, thankfully, was not confronted with such an ideological straitjacket. Still a Surprising Decision, All Things Considered What is difficult to understand is that Leeser is willing to support the Yes case for The Voice despite knowing its flaws, which he has expressed. Changing the Constitution is no small thing. Unforeseen consequences cant simply be rectified over a cup of coffee. Once in the Constitution, the issue is difficult to resolve, or amend, if poorly drafted. Correcting a flaw will be long and tortuous. With the plethora of expert legal voices outlining the practical problems with the proposed Voice, let alone the principle of all Australians being treated equally, it is difficult to reconcile Leesers resignation. Perhaps he has expended so much of his own energy and effort over a long period of time that he cant step back sufficiently to acknowledge the dangerous flaws littered throughout this particular proposal. While the excitement of some Labor government operatives on learning of Leesers resignation from the frontbench might reflect on the fact that their own members with misgivings arent afforded such an opportunity. It seems though that Leesers heart and emotion held sway over his head and analysis. Most Australians, while initially motivated by a sense of goodwill, should, and one suspects will, analyse The Voice and vote on its fabric and not its vibe. Vote With Head or Heart? Recent polling indicates a decline in support for The Voice and, most tellingly, shows the strong No supporters have gained the ascendancy over Yes supporters. This trend is also reflected in the crowd turnout at two recent functions for both campaigns held by the Liberal Party in Western Australia. One addressed by Ken Wyatt, the former Indigenous Affairs minister advocating for the Yes case attracted just 20 attendees. The No function addressed by Indigenous Senator Jacinta Price attracted eight times the number. Country Liberal Party senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and 22 Indigenous community leaders at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on March 22, 2023. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) It seems the longer the campaign continues, and the deeper the assessment of The Voice by the public, the more people are beginning to come to the same conclusions Leeser did. Yet unlike Leeser, they wont let their heads be taken over by their hearts. They rightly see the imperative to get the wording correct. Completely correct without any hint of ambiguity. Forcing it into their Constitution, however well-meaning it might be, has really damaging consequences for the functioning of Australian governments and Parliament. Leesers frontbench resignation does provide a much-needed distraction from the sagging support for The Voice, and some respite for the proponents who continue to flounder on its substance. Many of them continue struggling to explain how will it work in practice: What its impact on the executive and Parliament will be? How it improves the lives of Indigenous Australians? And why it shouldnt simply be legislated rather than implanted into the peoples Constitution? Little wonder Leesers actions gained him praise from Voice supporters. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. In 1913, Krazy Kat appeared to change the course of comic history. For the next 31 years, the cartoon strip published in the New York Evening Journal newspaper depicted the stormy relationship between a carefree, gender-switching cat named Krazy and a perpetually angry mouse named Ignatz. The mouse despised Krazy and wasted no opportunity to throw bricks at his crime partners head. True to his romantic nature, Krazy interpreted these brick lobs as gestures of affection. This seemingly inane relationship masked an ironic undertone about the issues facing American society in those days. In 1924, critic Gilbert Seldes called the Krazy Kat cartoon strip the funniest, most fantastic and satisfying work of art produced in America today. Years later, The Comics Journal, a prestigious American trade magazine, chose Krazy Kat as the best comic of the 20th century. Krazy Kat creator George Herriman was the enigmatic son of mixed-race parents who grew up in Los Angeles in the late 1800s. One of the first creators to publish his work as a newspaper comic strip, the new venture was immediately successful and helped drive newspaper sales in the early 20th century. Herrimans strips soon became popular for their blunt, irreverent tone. He invented a new language, said Michael Tisserand, the author of Krazy: George Herriman, A Life in Black and White (Harper Collins, 2016), a critically praised biography of the cartoonist. A 2017 exhibition of George Herriman's work in Spain's Reina Sofia National Art Museum. Joaquin Cortes/Roman Lores My interview with Michael Tisserand takes place in a cafe in New Orleans colorful Treme neighborhood, where George Herriman was born and lived until he was 10. Finding it was easy everyone knows everyone in the citys cultural circles. Tisserand is a professor at the University of Minnesota who makes frequent trips to New Orleans, where he once lived. He maintains strong bonds with the city and even has his own Mardi Gras parade troupe. Tisserand often writes about New Orleans: The Kingdom of Zydeco is about the musical genre that evolved in southwest Louisiana among French Creole speakers; and Sugarcane Academy is about how a New Orleans teacher and his students created a new school in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Michael Tisserand is an affable Krazy Kat fan who smiles a lot. The cafe where we talked over coffee is very close to where Herriman was born. His work is better understood in the context of his childhood in Treme before his family moved to Los Angeles, said Tisserand. The first African-American neighborhood in the United States left an indelible impression on the Krazy Kat creator, who grew up in a mixed-race Creole family. The cartoon captured the atmosphere of the times when oppressive racism and segregation stifled non-white communities. You cant explain his work, his use of color, even his views on issues like race and gender, without considering his Treme origins. In October 2017, the Reina Sofia National Art Museum in Madrid exhibited Herrimans work, including Krazy Kat, of course. The exhibit often referred to Tisserands biography of Herriman, which has become an indispensable source about an influential comic creator. Herrimans artistry and dialogue captivated some of the best cartoonists of the 20th century, including Elzie C. Segar (Popeye), the renowned Walt Disney, counterculture legend Robert Crumb, and Art Spiegelman, the acclaimed creator of Maus. Herriman is truly the godfather of the modern graphic novel. Spiegelman often mentions his debt to Krazy Kat, just like Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, said Tisserand. But Herrimans work also inspired writers like Amiri Baraka, Langston Hughes and Jack Kerouac. Sipping his coffee, Tisserand says there are two crucial elements to understanding Krazy Kat. George Herriman was very active in social issues that remain relevant today. His ancestors were not slaves, but his Creole (an ethnic group of Louisiana French, West African, Spanish and Native American origin) family did not have the same civil rights as white people. In that context, his use of black and white and color in the comic strips, and the sexual ambiguity of his characters are loaded with meaning. The sexual tension between Krazy and Ignatz is heightened by a third protagonist Offisa Pupp a dog and police officer who tries to protect Krazy from Ignatzs bricks. A strange love triangle evolves. George Herriman's Krazy Kat work on display at the Reina Sofia National Art Museum in Madrid in 2017. Joaquin Cortes / Roman Lores Tisserands smile gets wider when our conversation turns to music. His book, The Kingdom of Zydeco, has become a reference text for fans of a musical genre little known outside Louisiana. It stands at a crossroads between Cajun music, rhythm and blues, blues, rock, rap, gospel, swamp pop and country... all melded through an accordion. Its a blend of traditional music played for generations with the latest popular sounds. Its always been like that it defines this cultures uniqueness generation after generation, said Tisserand. Its a sound that encourages people to dig deep into lifes problems and produce the most joyful music you can imagine. It has roots in West Africa, the Caribbean and the traditions of indigenous peoples. Its a shining star in Louisianas musical greatness. Talking about the famous New Orleans jazz, Tisserand harkens back to Herrimans comics. One of the first times the word jazz appeared in newspapers is in Krazy Kat. It was a sound effect when one of the Ignatzs bricks hits Krazys head. When the comic strip was adapted for the theater in 1922 by John Carpenter, the show was named Krazy Kat: A Jazz Pantomime. Tisserand last words before we leave the cafe: George Herriman was related to Jelly Roll Morton [a pioneer of New Orleans jazz], and in a self-portrait he sits at his drafting table with a radio playing in the background. Music was everywhere in his work! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition London Mayor Faces High Court Challenge Over ULEZ Expansion Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks after being reelected in the London mayoral election, at the City Hall in London on May 8, 2021. (Henry Nicholls/Reuters) A legal challenge led by rival councils against London Mayor Sadiq Khans decision to expand the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) around the capital has been authorised by the High Court. Khan has announced plans to extend the ULEZ, which imposes a charge on drivers of vehicles that do not meet certain emissions standards, to cover the entire city by 2023. However, the expansion has faced fierce opposition from some local councils, which argue that it will disproportionately affect lower-income households and small businesses. City Hall Conservatives, members of the London Assembly, wrote in a statement on Wednesday, The High Court has now ruled there is sufficient evidence that Sadiq Khans ULEZ decision may have been unlawful. The Mayor clearly does not have the legal grounds to proceed with his ULEZ tax plans and must now explain his actions to the court, they added. London Mayor Sadiq Khan at City Hall as Transport for London (TfL) launch their consultation on expanding the ULEZ London-wide on May 20, 2022. (Karis Pearson/PA Media) Councils Concerned Over Expansion London councils Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Surrey County Council announced in February that they would challenge the ULEZ expansion on the grounds that relevant statutory requirements were not complied with, expected compliance rates in outer London were not considered, and the proposed scrappage scheme was not consulted on. They have also raised concerns about thousands of cameras using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to detect entry being fitted across London without warning. Transport for London (TfL) is running a 110 million scrappage scheme that offers a maximum of 2,000 for cars that dont meet the standards. However, according to an analysis from Auto Trader in February, London households face a shortage of cheap used cars to avoid being hit by ULEZ fines. Khan claims that each year 4,000 Londoners die prematurely each year because of long-term exposure to air pollution, with the greatest number of deaths in outer London boroughs. A spokeswoman for the mayor told The Epoch Times by email that the judicial review was a misguided legal challenge and said that the majority of the grounds for review were refused. The mayor is pleased to see the court has refused permission for the majority of the grounds. We will continue to robustly defend his life-saving decision to expand the ULEZ and continue with preparations without delay, she said. It is a shame that some local authorities have chosen to attempt this costly and misguided legal challenge instead of focusing on the health of those they represent, she added. This is a health emergency and the mayor is not prepared to stand by and do nothing while Londoners are growing up with stunted lungs and are more at risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia due to our toxic air, she said. A sign at the expanded boundary of Londons ULEZ pollution charge zone for older vehicles on Oct. 25, 2021. (Yui Mok/PA) ULEZ Standards The ULEZ is an area in which vehicles that do not meet certain emissions standards must pay a daily charge of 12.50 to drive or face fines. It covers 4 million people, around 44 percent of Londons population. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced the worlds first Ultra Low Emission Zone in 2015 when he was London mayor. The scheme currently covers the areas within Londons North and South Circular roads. It is set to expand to the whole of Greater London from Aug. 29, 2023. To avoid the ULEZ fee, diesel vehicles, which make up the vast majority of vansmust be Euro 6 standard, which generally covers those registered from 2016. A delivery van driver or tradesperson entering the zone in an older van every working day will rack up more than 3,100 a year in charges. Drivers who fail to pay face a 160 penalty each day, which is halved if paid within a fortnight. The Ultra Low Emission Zone is to expand to the North and South circulars from 2021. (Transport for London) Challenging the Science Last month a report by environmental critic Ben Pile, a collaboration between the Together Declaration and Piles campaign group Climate Debate UK, challenged the science behind Khans claim that thousands of people will die from toxic air. The report says that neither the UK Health Security Agency nor the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants found evidence of a link between the air pollution scientific literature and the 4,000 deaths claim. It also claimed historical data show radical improvements in air quality since the middle of the last century. At the time, a spokesperson for the mayor challenged the claims and said that rather than engaging in legitimate discussion and debate about this air quality policy, its disappointing to see some opponents trying to mislead the public by seeking to call into question the scientific evidence. em>PA Media, Alexander Zhang, and Lily Zhou contributed to this report. Mainstream Media Outlets File Lawsuit Over Jan. 6 Footage Released to Tucker Carlson Protesters gather at the police line on the west side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Special to The Epoch Times) A group of news organizations filed a lawsuit Wednesday demanding access to surveillance footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach that was released to Tucker Carlson earlier this year. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) handed over more than 40,000 hours of surveillance footage to the Fox News host, who aired clips from the surveillance. The new video footage, Carlson said, raises significant questions about the official narrative around the Capitol breach. The Associated Press, the New York Times, Advance Publications, CBS, Gannett, ProPublica, CNN, Scripps, and Politico signed onto the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asking (pdf) the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys administrative office to hand over the footage via an expedited Freedom of Information Act request. They assert that federal officials havent produced the footage and now want a federal judge to intervene. They are seeking all closed-circuit camera footage captured on Jan. 6. The Speakers Office has since provided only a single cable television program access to the Capitol Surveillance Videos, while indicating that it plans eventually to release the videos in some manner to the press and public, the lawsuit stated. Plaintiffs have continued to press the Speakers Office for access to the videos as quickly as possible and on equal terms with other media requestors, only to be told that the Speakers Office will not even provide a timeline for when such access might begin, it also said. Lawyers for the media outlets said that federal officials have repeatedly denied the plaintiffs attempts to diligently, cooperatively, and successfully pursued and obtained access to thousands of videos of the Capitol riot that have been used as evidence or otherwise become judicial records in more than a hundred cases in this District against those charged with organizing or participating in the riot. In their request for relief, the organizations asked a federal judge to declare that the Jan. 6 footage are public and must be disclosed and make them available for the plaintiffs without delay. Plaintiffs further request that the Court issue an order enjoining the FBI from withholding the Capitol Surveillance Videos in full, directing the FBI to properly search for the records, and compelling their production, it says. During his show last month, Carlson claimed that Democrats and legacy news outlets are lying about what actually happened on Jan. 6. The Fox Host said that footage appears to show Capitol Police officers escorting Q Shaman Jacob Chansley through the halls of the Capitol, even apparently opening locked doors for him. Jacob Chansley outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images) The defenders of democracy are defending democracy again, Carlson said last month. Theyre telling you its really, really dangerous. And anyone would get to see the thousands of hours of surveillance footage from January 6, which has been hidden from the public for two years as a tiny group of people gets to make up stories about what happened that day and change the country on the basis of those stories. Late last month, Chansley was moved to a halfway house in Phoenix, Arizona, according to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons official. His release came after Fox News aired the clip of him walking through the Capitol building. A portion of the Jan. 6 footage showed Chansley entering the Senate chamber, where he and others were seen kneeling in prayer. Chansley said during the prayer that he thanked the Capitol Police officers for letting us into the building. McCarthys move to release the footage to Fox News led to anger from Democrat lawmakers, who accused McCarthy of violating the security of the Capitol. The U.S. Capitol Police said it had reviewed just one clip that Carlson had aired on his popular nightly program on March 6. No, McCarthy told reporters when asked if he regretted granting Carlson access to the tapes. I said at the very beginning, transparency. And so what I wanted to produce for everybody is exactly what I said. The people could actually look at it and see whats gone on that day. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) last month said that he believes that releasing the footage into the public domain is troubling and tantamount to an egregious security breach. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also claimed McCarthy was needlessly exposing the Capitol complex to one of the worst security risks since 9/11 with the move. Middletown School District Board Member Kevin Gomez Runs for Reelection Kevin Gomez, an attorney and father of four children who attend the Middletown City School District, is seeking another three-year term on the local school board. During the past six years, Gomez said, he has used his board post to raise awareness on issues that he considers important, including school safety, full state funding, and state mandate reform. As the chair of the school districts Fair Funding Committee, he drafted a resolution calling for the state government to adopt an independent budget line for school safety, which board members later adopted. Having annual state money earmarked for public safety can ensure reliable funding for local school districts in the long run, Gomez said. School safety should not be subjected to the ups and downs of a budget. It should not be a negotiating chip. It should always be a priority, he told The Epoch Times. A student waits at the building entrance of Middletown High School after dismissal in Middletown, N.Y., on Sept. 20, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Its the very issue that motivated him to run for the school board in 2017, he said. At the time, the district had discontinued the practice of having school resource officers inside school buildings and on campuses, which concerned him as a parent. A school resource officer is a sworn police officer responsible for safety and crime prevention in schools. One year later, on the heels of the high-profile mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, the Middletown school board approved a budget with $740,000 allocated for seven new school resource officers, according to a Times-Herald Record article. Another issue that Gomez advocated for is full funding of foundation aid, a main source of state money for about 730 school districts across New York. Created in 2007 as a direct result of a lawsuit, the foundation aid formula requires the consideration of school district income levels in state funding distribution. However, the state government failed to fully fund the program for almost a decade. By 2019, school districts in Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan counties were owed at least $220 million in foundation aid from the state, according to Gomez. Presidential Park Elementary School in Middletown, N.Y., on Feb. 21, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) He drafted and passed a board resolution calling on the state to make up for the shortage. In 2021, a lawsuit by New Yorkers for Students Educational Rights forced the state to fully fund the program, resulting in a historic influx of money into low-income districts, such as Middletown. While advocating for state funding, Gomez remains wary of state mandates, especially unfunded mandates that pass costs onto districts and taxpayers. The state should allow the local school districts to be able to come up with their own initiatives and ideas to address problems with freedom, he said. Through an op-ed in the Times-Herald Record, he called for allowing districts to apply for a waiver when a mandate is no longer needed, or a less expensive means can be found. Board Diversity Gomez said other members dont always agree with his opinions, which is precisely the beauty of having a diverse school board. Some of us are more conservative, and some are more liberal, he said. As a board member, I advocated for my positions, but if I lose, it is also my duty to stand behind the decisions of the boardthat is the way the board operates. He said his job as a board member is to make the district more competitive in the education market. I personally support school choiceI dont believe that just because you are in a public school system, you must be against private schools, he said. We just have to make our system competitive so that at the end, we all balance each other out. Twin Towers Middle School in Middletown, N.Y., on Feb. 21, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times) Running for another term, he hopes to continue to advocate for more academic opportunities for first-generation immigrant students, programs for special needs kids, and vocational courses for high schoolers. He is the only Hispanic American on the nine-member school board in a district where 60 percent of the student body is Latino. The district serves around 7,200 students in the City of Middletown, the Town of Wallkill, and a small portion of the Town of Wayayanda. Background A Brooklyn native, Gomez attended Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and Brooklyn Law School before working as a prosecutor at Kings County District Attorneys Office. After he got married, he moved to the Bronx, where he taught law classes for about six years at Bronx Leadership Academy, a public high school founded by the South Bronx Churches. The school was a result of a local community effort where people came together and said we are not happy with the status quo, and we want to empower our children to pursue the American dream, he said. In 2006, Gomez and his family moved to Middletown for a better life for his children, he said. He worked as a social studies teacher in the Middletown City School District for a year and then as a prosecutor at the county district attorneys office for two years. He also has a private law practice specializing in family law, criminal practice, and immigration. Dear Dr. Chloe, My Boyfriend Is Still Married and Though Separated for Years After Only Being Married for One Day, He Says Needs the Income He Gets From Her My Son Has a Gun: Mother of Louisville Bank Attacker Made 911 Call During Rampage People look at a makeshift memorial set up on the steps of the Old National Bank, site of the April 10, 2023, shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 12 2023. - Suspected gunman Connor Sturgeon, a 25-year-old bank employee, opened fire at the bank Monday, killing five people and wounding at least eight others in a livestreamed attack before police shot and killed him. After an initial death toll of four, Louisville authorities announced in the evening that a fifth victim, a 57-year-old woman, had died of her injuries (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) The mother of the man who shot co-workers at a Kentucky bank on April 10 called 911, newly released audio shows. Lisa Sturgeon reached a dispatcher on Monday morning, after her son Connor, 25, opened fire with a rifle at Old National Bank in Louisville. My son apparently has a gun and hes heading toward the Old National, Lisa Sturgeon said. This is his mother. Lisa Sturgeon said she was getting details secondhand from her sons roommate, who had conveyed that her son had left a note. We dont even own guns, she said. I dont know where he would have gotten a gun. By the time the call was made, officers had already responded to the bank. Other calls had alerted law enforcement to the shooting. Connor Sturgeon purchased the weapon he used legally on April 4, according to officials. I dont know what to do. I need your help. I think hes never hurt anyone; hes a really good kid, Lisa Sturgeon said. She also described her son as non-violent and said she was shaking. When she asked whether she should go to the bank, the dispatcher said no. I dont want you to go to the location, we have a situation thats going on down there right now, the dispatcher said. Weve already had calls from other people and I do not need you to go to the location at this time. Its dangerous there. Connor Sturgeon was shot dead by responding officers after opening fire during a morning meeting. Five people in addition to the attacker died, while three people, including Officer Nick Wilt, remain in the hospital. Police have said the shooting was targeted, noting that Connor Sturgeon was employed by the bank. Details from the note he left behind have not been made public. Connor Sturgeon conveyed to at least one person that he was suicidal, according to Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.). The Sturgeon family has said Connor Sturgeon was dealing with mental issues. The redacted 911 audio was released by the Louisville Metro Police Department. In images from video, Connor Sturgeon stands inside Old National Bank in Louisville, Ky., on April 10, 2023. (Louisville Metro Police Department via The Epoch Times) Other Calls Multiple witnesses called 911, describing how a shooting had occurred. A shooter came in, first floor, shotgun, one man, who fled to a nearby dentist office, told a dispatcher. The man said that the shooter fired approximately 15 rounds, and that there were about 14 people in the room. Please get people there fast, please. And ambulances, please, the man said. We have an active shooter in our building, another man told 911. Get here now! A woman hiding in a closet said that she knew the shooter because the man worked for the bank. Hes a young male, she said. Another witness described seeing the shooting unfold as she attended the meeting remotely. We heard multiple shots and everybody started saying Oh my God, and then he came into the board room, the witness said. The shooter was in and out of that room very quickly. Witnesses described a white man with dark hair wearing khakis. He was estimated to be about 6 feet tall. His mom put him at 64. Another person called, saying shed been in her car and spotted a man with a gun. I was driving down the street and I dont know if I was seeing things but I saw a man with a some type of like assault rifle walking around, the woman said. He was like, kind of like jogging around like he was like, trying to get somewhere in a hurry. Officers later made contact with Connor Sturgeons father and roommate and cleared the mans house, according to a dispatcher. Police officials have said they executed a search warrant on Monday and recovered multiple items. New Zealand Extends Mandatory COVID-19 Isolation as Rest of the World Moves On A generic image of a person using a SARS CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test in Canberra, Australia, on Nov. 2, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) The New Zealand government has decided to keep its current COVID-19 restrictions for mandatory seven-day isolation and mask-wearing in health settings for at least another two months. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said that while the country will eventually reach a point of removing all COVID-19 restrictions, isolation rules currently helped to relieve pressure on the health system. We are heading towards a point where COVID-19 will become normal, he said at a press conference on April 11. I would expect, certainly at the latest, by the end of the winter, well be into that zone. The Cabinet had asked for further progress in looking at allowing people who are not symptomatic or are mild cases to return earlier than the seven days, Minister for Health Ayesha Verrall said. Isolation remains effective in managing spread and keeping case numbers down, and it also helps reduce pressure on our hospital services, she said. But we need to make sure our settings are right and look at examples of what is working around the world. A test to return to work rule for lower risk or mild or asymptomatic cases could help reduce the strain on some workforces this winter. Cabinet will consider advice on this within the next two months. Modelling by COVID-19 Modelling Aotearoa (New Zealand) suggested that an end of mandatory isolation would cause a 13 to 25 percent increase in hospital admissions and deaths in the subsequent six months. Infections would then settle after four to six months at a level only slightly higher than if mandatory isolation was maintained. This modelling assumes that the behavioural change in response to any policy update occurs immediately. If, instead, the behavioural change occurs more gradually, this would reduce the size of the initial peak and lead to a more gradual transition onto the same long-term trends, it said. The model results suggest that, beyond the four to six months following a policy change, long-term outcomes are relatively insensitive to the timing of any decision to end mandatory isolation. New Zealand Is a Kind of Hermit Kingdom The ACT party was critical of the decision, describing New Zealand as a global oddity and a kind of Hermit Kingdom redux. Not only is the isolation requirement draconian and out of touch, but it is also ineffective. Nobody knows the true compliance rate, least of all the Government, ACT leader David Seymour said. In the 14 months since last February, the rest of the world has moved on. In the UK, isolation has been voluntary since last September. Australias National Cabinet ended mandatory isolation requirements last October. National MP Chris Bishop called the decision overly cautious and said the country should move on to treat COVID-19 precisely like the flu. Most New Zealanders have moved on people have moved to a model of self-care, and thats the right way to go, he said, reported RNZ. The Green Party said the government made the right decision. Self-isolating for seven days when we have COVID is a clear and simple step we can all take to keep others safeand the government is right to keep the requirement in place, said Teanau Tuiono, Green Party spokesperson for COVID-19 response. Restrictions in Other Countries Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope said he understands the governments cautious approach as the country heads to winter but noted that many other countries had dropped their restrictions. Our self-isolation requirements are longer and are still mandatory, he said. In other countries, there is guidance around self-isolation, but its essentially no longer mandatory. We should certainly look at those examples. Australia and the UK have removed mandatory isolation periods at the national level. In the United States, isolation rules are determined at the state level. For example, California has a five-day mandatory isolation requirement for people who test positive for COVID-19. While most European nations have scrapped COVID restrictions, but Italy continues to have some of the strictest quarantine requirements in the region, with a five-day self-isolation requirement. No Rainbow Pride Crosswalk in Cold Lake After Majority of Public Reject Idea During Consultation Cold Lake, Alberta, will not be creating a rainbow-coloured pride crosswalk in the city, after more than 50 percent of the public indicated they were against the idea following a public consultation process. At a City Council Corporate Priorities Meeting on March 21, Cold Lake Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Nagoya presented council with the results of a public open house and open survey held in February. The public was asked to provide feedback on painting a pride crosswalk in support of LGBTQ, and potentially a 7 Feathers indigenous symbol crosswalk. The rainbow crosswalk was requested by Lakeland Safe Space Community to help bring awareness of the Pride Group within the community, according to a city notice announcing public consultation on Feb. 1. The city said at the time it was anticipating a request for the indigenous crosswalk in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation, as well as Canadas Residential School Legacy. Over 50 percent of the public was not in favour of a pride crosswalk or a 7 Feathers crosswalk. The survey received 588 responses, with a total of 33 people (5.6 percent) identifying as living outside the community. Three out of the 33 non-community members said they were former residents. Something like this has to be given a lot of consideration at planning to ensure its success, said Mayor Craig Copeland on Feb. 1, when announcing the consultation process. Giving the public an opportunity to voice their thoughts and ideas on a rainbow crosswalk can only help ensure the best result. There is a rainbow crosswalk at 4 Wing Cold Lake, the busiest military fighter base of the Canadian Armed Forces in Canada, at the behest of the Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization and the Cold Lake Pride Community. It was installed in 2020. The forces base also has a 7 Feathers Crosswalk. Council The city council, with six out of seven members present, heard that public responses that were clearly antagonistic to individuals, organizations, or identifiable groups were discarded. The consultation process also locked people out if they were not in favour of the crosswalk, so they could not make suggestions for locations, according to Nagoya, who presented at the March 21 meeting. Of those who responded, 44.3 percent were in favour of the indigenous crosswalk. Fewer than 39 percent of respondents were in favour of both the rainbow pride crosswalk and the 7 Feathers. Copeland said at the meeting: Any comments? You guys want to just push it off? Or do you want it in? More than 50 percent of residents are not in support, so it definitely went out to the community on this one. Councillor Adele Richardson spoke at the meeting and said, You know, we really wanted engagement from the community. She said that with over half not being in favour, I definitely think thats something we should take into account. Another councillor, Chris Vining, said he was supportive of proceeding with the pride crosswalk. It is a bit of a split, like I know some of the emails and such that we got, he said. I think theres a good opportunity here for the community to show its inclusivity. Vining added it was a good opportunity to create some education around it, and to educate on what these symbols mean. Bill Parker, another councillor at the meeting, said that with the numerous international visitors to Cold Lake, it would be muddled to have a crosswalk not designated with the symbols of a crosswalk. After the brief discussion, a motion was made to defer the matter of pride crosswalks indefinitely, with four votes in favour from Mayor Copeland and Councillors Adele Richardson, Bill Parker, and Bob Mattice. Chris Vining and Ryan Bailey opposed the motion to defer. It was passed unanimously at a March 28 regular city council meeting. I cannot speak about the future but for now council has deferred the request as the community spoke on the request and a slight majority of the residents do not feel our City should have themed crosswalks, Copeland told The Epoch Times. This article has been updated with comments from Copeland. NPR Quits Twitter Amid Spat With Elon Musk Over State Media Label National Public Radio (NPR) left Twitter after it was labeled by the social media firm as a state-affiliated media, according to the public broadcaster in an article published Wednesday. However, as of Wednesday morning, NPRs account was still online. The outletcurrently labeled as government-funded Mediaposted several consecutive Twitter posts telling users that they can download the NPR app, sign up for its newsletter to [walk] you through all the stories you need, to sign up for specific email-based newsletters, and to access it on other social media platforms like Facebook or TikTok. Its not clear if NPR, which critics say has exhibited a strong left-wing bias over the years, will delete its account or will simply not post. In an NPR article published around the same time, officials with the public broadcaster attempted to portray itself as the first major news organization to go silent on the social media platform. Officials also said that the reason for the decision to leave Twitter is because it labeled the broadcaster as state-affiliated media, similar to Chinese Communist Party mouthpieces like Xinhua or CCTV, or Russian-backed outlets like RT and Sputnik News. The downside, whatever the downside, doesnt change that fact, NPR CEO John Lansing said in the article. I would never have our content go anywhere that would risk our credibility. Lansing said that even if Twitter dropped the government-funded label, its not clear if NPR would return in the near future. Lansing said that individual NPR staffers and reporters can leave Twitter or not, although its not clear if any had done so as of Wednesday morning. It would be a disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards, he told staffers, according to NPR. At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter, he also asserted in an apparent criticism of owner Elon Musk. I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again. Lansing says individual NPR journalists and staffers can decide for themselves whether to continue using Twitter. There has been debate over how much federal funding NPR actually receives. While NPR has claimed that only about 13 percent of taxpayer dollars go to the outlet, some have argued that the number may be far higher and is hidden in the form of grants; NPR has disputed such claims. The National Public Radio (NPR) new headquarters at 1111 North Capitol St, NE, Washington, D.C., is seen on Sept. 17, 2013. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Decades ago, NPR was primarily funded by the U.S. government, although there was a move to change its financial structure starting in the 1980s. Influence Watch, a conservative-leaning group, says NPR gets some 1 percent of its yearly budget from the federal government, while about 10 percent of its budget comes indirectly from state, federal, and local governments. Musk Comments Musk told an NPR reporter earlier this week that the state-affiliated media label may not have been accurate after he was told that the organization has editorial independence from the federal government. The operating principle at new Twitter is simply fair and equal treatment, so if we label non-U.S. accounts as government, then we should do the same for U.S., but it sounds like that might not be accurate here, Musk told the outlet. Under the previous ownership, Twitter in 2020 labeled a number of accounts as state-affiliated, including Russian state media like RT and Sputnik News as well as Chinese Communist Party mouthpieces such as the New China News Agency and Xinhua. Reporters with those outlets also received those designations. When it comes to conversations with government and state-affiliated media accounts on Twitter, were helping to make the experience more transparent, Twitter wrote in August 2020, adding that the platform doesnt allow state-affiliated outlets to advertise. Well now use two distinct profile labels for these types of accounts, so you can easily identify them and their Tweets. When asked for further comment via email on Tuesday, Twitters media email account responded with an automated message that included a single poop emoji. Obama-Era DOJ Official Matthew Miller Named as State Department Spokesman The U.S. Department of State is seen in Washington on Jan. 6, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on April 11 that he has appointed Obama-era Department of Justice spokesman Matthew Miller as the State Departments new spokesman. In a statement announcing the news, Blinken said that he had benefitted greatly from Matts wisdom, his experience in government, and his deep understanding of foreign policy when he oversaw Blinkens nomination to be secretary of state. He added that Miller had joined the National Security Council at the White House, to lead the whole of government communications and outreach after Russias invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. Matt stepped up once again in the early months of Russias further invasion of Ukraine when he took leave to join the National Security Council to lead our whole of government communications and outreach as part of our support for Ukraines sovereignty and defense, Blinken said. Having previously served as Director of the Office of Public Affairs and spokesperson to Attorney General Eric Holder at the Department of Justice, Matt is no stranger to navigating and communicating on complex, global challenges like those we face today, he added. Millers appointment comes after Blinken announced in March that former spokesman Ned Price, the longest-serving federal agency spokesman in the Biden administration, would step down from his role at the end of the month but would continue working directly with Blinken in a new capacity. His deputy, Vedant Patel, has served as the departments interim spokesman since then. Blinken in his announcement on Tuesday thanked Patel, not only for stepping up as Acting Spokesperson but for his continued work as Principal Deputy Spokesperson. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a press conference at State Department in Washington on April 11, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times) About Miller Matt, along with Vedant and rest of the Office of the Spokesperson, will continue the Departments commitment to access and transparency, the secretary of state said. I am grateful to Matt for once again agreeing to serve his country and look forward to once again benefitting from his counsel and expertise. Miller is currently a partner at the United States and Mexico-based strategic advisory firm, Vianovo, which, according to its website, was founded in 2005 and works on high-stakes brand, policy, and crisis issues. For more than a decade, we have helped some of the worlds most recognized names shape public opinion and media conversation, win legislative fights and investor battles, manage crises and litigation, and expand across markets and borders, the firms website states. Our bipartisan team has its roots in big-time politics. Vianovo has served on various presidential campaigns and Capitol Hill, held senior positions at the White House and Department of Justice (DOJ), and worked for startups and major corporations, according to its website. At Vianovo, Miller advises boards, management teams, and public figures on complex matters such as government investigations, congressional inquiries, high-stakes litigation, activist campaigns, and social and political issues. Miller previously served as director of the office of public affairs at the DOJ in the Obama administration, and has also worked as communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), as well as for various political campaigns, including the 2004 John Kerry presidential campaign and former President Barack Obamas 2012 campaign. He is also an MSNBC analyst and has written for various publications including The Washington Post, Time, and Politico, according to his official biography. Officers Plead Not Guilty in Ronald Greenes Arrest Mona Hardin, (C), mother of Ronald Greene, addresses members of the media outside the Union Parish Courthouse in Farmerville, La., on April 11, 2023. (Nancy Bergeron/Ruston Daily Leader via AP) FARMERVILLE, La.Five Louisiana law enforcement officers pleaded not guilty Tuesday to state crimes in the 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene. The arraignment came nearly five months after a grand jury handed up a list of charges ranging from negligent homicide to obstruction and malfeasance, the first indictments related to Greenes death on a roadside in rural northeast Louisiana. Greenes family and several supporters attended the brief proceedings in Union Parish, calling for justice to be served. Charged in the case are four current and former Louisiana State Police troopers and one Union Parish sheriffs deputy who responded to Greenes arrest. Facing the most serious charges, including negligent homicide, is Master Trooper Kory York. The others who face various counts of malfeasance and obstruction. The officers have denied wrongdoing. District Attorney John Belton said no trial date has been set but the officers are expected back in court next month. The U.S. Justice Department conducted an extensive investigation into Greenes death but has yet to bring any charges. It is a quiet dawn in Complexo da Mare, a group of favela slums on the northern outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The previous day, a police operation brought chaos and a storm of gunfire to the area, but now the usual atmosphere of tense calm is back. Little by little, an old industrial warehouse that has been used as a cultural center for years fills up with colored mats. In a few minutes the hustle and bustle of the street will give way to a little over an hour of deep relaxation: it is the yoga class of the Yoga na Mare Institute, a social project that for eight years has been revolutionizing daily life in these favelas, one of the most violent areas of the city. This practice, previously seen as exotic, elitist and out of reach, is now embraced by countless neighbors mostly women who enthusiastically strive to perfect their asanas. It all started with Ana Olivia Cardoso, a young Portuguese woman living in Rio who always dreamed of using yoga as a transformative element. The concept was immediately welcomed, thanks to the crucial help of word of mouth. Now, between the virtual and the traditional classes, she has almost 200 students. Those who attend in Mare share a WhatsApp group where they are notified early in the morning if there is a shooting, which forces them to cancel or take extreme precautions. Once they are together, they create a parallel reality. Neither the heat nor the occasional racket of a motorbike can disturb them. Peace reigns. Ana Olivia Cardoso, founder of the Yoga na Mare Institute. Leonardo Carrato After class, surrounded by her chatty students, Cardoso explains: The day after a [police] operation, the students are super stressed. We have to improvise frequently, work more on the breathing... Its not magic, but it helps a lot. The violence is horrible, dramatic, but since there are things we cant change, at least we can try to change the way we deal with those problems. One time the police burst into the class with their guns in their hands, right at the end, when the students were lying down with their eyes closed, in a moment of maximum relaxation. I thought about getting them out of there. Instead of chanting the final mantra I asked them to move slowly towards the wall with their eyes closed. When they were safe, I told them about the operation. At least it wasnt so traumatic, she recalls. The daily violence of these favelas in a state of permanent war is the cause of a mental health epidemic that hides, invisible, behind the dark headlines about death and gunshots. Cardoso says that 80% of her students have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, anxiety and panic syndrome. Many of them have been taking medication for years, and thanks to the classes they are finally gaining the strength to abandon the pills. Cheerful Creuza dos Santos is one of the pioneering yogis: The movement of the body is beautiful, that relaxation, we travel without leaving the place. And to think that at my age, 66, I feel young. I feel more renewed every day. We have really improved our quality of life, she says proudly as she showers her teacher with praise. She even has an affectionate nickname for her: beija flor (hummingbird). Women practice yoga in Complexo da Mare. Leonardo Carrato Cardoso adds that the positive effect of the classes reaches all the way to their families. Many of the students are housewives or heads of families in difficult environments, who, thanks to yoga, have been able to put a stop to insomnia or irritability. In the end everything balances the family core. Not just her as an individual. Even if the son or the husband dont come, they are being touched by it, says the teacher. Although the classes are rigorous with the teaching of yoga and all that it implies (body awareness, philosophy, mantras and so on), the crucial element here is inclusion and a sense of community. So much so that most of the students arrive earlier and stay a while later, because the moment of hugging, of asking a friend how life is going, is an essential part of that moment of self-care. Nobody here grabs their backpack and runs off. One Friday a month they share a breakfast, and they also have vegan food workshops, mountain retreats and trips to the touristic parts of Rio, where they hold massive open-air classes. Yoga took root very quickly in Complexo da Mare. One of the first students was also one of the most illustrious neighbors: activist and councilor Marielle Franco, who was brutally murdered in 2018. With the growth in the number of students, the social project went one step further and four years ago inaugurated the Nubes center of wellbeing and health, a small house in an alley where a more individualized kind of treatment can be found, from massages and acupuncture to art therapy. Then another leap in scale occurred a few weeks ago when 16 students officially graduated as yoga teachers. In this way, one of the initial goals was fulfilled: that the practice causes a shock wave and becomes an alternative for the future for the residents of the neighborhood. Josierica Mendes, one of the new teachers, admits that although she was convinced right from the beginning, she had to face a lot of prejudice from the evangelical churches, which number in the dozens around these parts. The pastor told me that I was going to worship other gods: the one with the elephant head, the one with many arms. I went through a crisis, but it was a time of learning. In the end I left the church and focused on the yoga, she concludes. Mendes worked hard and after 15 months became one of the new teachers. It was not an easy feat: the Covid-19 pandemic got in the way and delayed everything. To waste as little time as possible, Cardoso taught part of the classes online, with the students doing their best in tiny houses with unstable internet connections and surrounded by noise. Now Mendes teaches in a gym and in a health center, and she is training to teach yoga for children, to help alleviate the anxiety of the younger residents of Complexo da Mare. Im already a seed, she says, grinning from ear to ear. Ana Olivia Cardoso guides a group of women at the Centro de Artes da Mare. Leonardo Carrato After this first group of teachers, the Yoga na Mare Institute continues to dream big, although the challenges they face are as big as their ambitions. Both the training courses and the day-to-day classes are free; so far, everything is financed with individual donations, and the lack of resources is the main obstacle that prevents them from having their own permanent headquarters. There is even a project to open an Ayurveda laboratory and a group of psychologists. Even though the pandemic brought a boost in followers on their YouTube channel, as well as more donors, the yogis still dream of some patron that helps them make a leap in scale but always respecting the local way of doing things. Teacher and students work together, helping each other; it is a horizontal relationship that Cardoso wants to preserve. I want this more and more, to highlight the power that there is here. I didnt come from outside to save anyone. Mare has a lot of power, all this was already here, I only woke it up through yoga, she says with certainty. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Poilievre Criticizes Former Governor General Johnston Over Trudeau Foundation Links Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is criticizing former governor general David Johnston for his previous membership with the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation, which has received funding from the Chinese regime in the past. Johnston was recently appointed independent special rapporteur by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to investigate Chinese interference in Canadas elections. How will you investigate Beijings donation to the Trudeau Foundation when you were part of the Trudeau Foundation? Poilievre wrote in a letter addressed to Johnston and posted on Twitter on April 12. A spokesperson from Poilievres office confirmed to The Epoch Times that the letter was sent to Johnstons office. Johnston became a member of the Trudeau Foundation in 2018 and resigned following his appointment as special rapporteur on March 15. The foundation, which describes itself as an independent and non-partisan charity established in 2001 as a living memorial to the former prime minister [Pierre Elliott Trudeau], the father of the current prime minister, received a $125 million endowment from the federal government in March 2002. The foundations purpose is to provide scholarships and mentorship to develop future Engaged Leaders who inspire innovative approaches as they blaze new trails in the Social Sciences and Humanities. In the wake of numerous reports raising allegations of interference by the Chinese regime in Canadian elections and institutions over the past several years, Johnston has been tasked by the Liberal government with investigating foreign interference in Canadas 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Johnstons duties as special rapporteur involve reviewing investigations done by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, and recommending any additional mechanisms or processes he believes necessary for preventing future foreign interference. Trudeau Foundation The Globe and Mail reported on Feb. 28 that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had uncovered a 2014 plan by the Chinese regime to donate to the Trudeau Foundation, according to a national security source. The foundation said a day after the report was published that it would return the money, stating that it could not keep any donation that may have been sponsored by a foreign government. However, a report on April 12 by the French-language news outlet La Presse alleged that the foundation had not returned the donation from Beijing because the name on the cheque did not match that of the real donor. The report was based on interviews with unidentified individuals who resigned from the Trudeau Foundation because of the internal crisis resulting from the Chinese donation. In Winnipeg on April 12, reporters asked Trudeau if he believes Johnston should remain in his role as special rapporteur given his previous membership with the Trudeau Foundation and the potential conflict of interest that could arise should Johnston investigate the Chinese funds previously sent to the foundation. David Johnson is a man of great integrity, Trudeau said. Hes the perfect person to look into the complicated issue of foreign interference in our political system. I continue to have total confidence in him. Noe Chartier contributed to this report. Prairie Provinces Announce Deal on Fostering the Development of Trade Corridors Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to foster the development of trade corridors between the provinces in order to bolster economic growth and unite them in advocating for their mutual interests with the federal government. The Saskatchewan government announced on April 11 that the provinces will focus on four aspects of collaboration: improving the efficiency of inter-provincial highway and rail networks, seeking federal infrastructure funding and national supply chain solutions, keeping their economies competitive and growing capital investment, and harmonizing regulations to support businesses, industries, and shippers. Devin Dreeshen, Albertas minister of transportation and economic corridors, said the provinces are taking a nation-building approach to establishing the corridors. Alberta is proud to partner with Saskatchewan and Manitoba, taking a leadership role in building new trade corridors that will help our provinces and our country, he said in a news release. New nation-building projects need government cooperation and political will. We need to cut red tape. We need to get building things like we used to. We need to make good jobs and an affordable life a priority. At a press conference on April 11, Dreeshen was joined by Saskatchewan Highways Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Manitoba Transportation Minister Doyle Piwniuk. Cockrill echoed Dreeshens remarks, noting that transportation is essential to the landlocked provinces whose economy leans heavily on export. Most of what we produce travels south through the United States, east through Manitoba, or west through Alberta and British Columbia. Economic corridors that enable supply chains are our lifeline, he said at the press conference. Advancing Mutual Interests Dreeshen said that the MOU will also help the provinces to advance mutual interests, pointing to regulatory delays caused by Bill C-69, the Federal Impact Assessment Act. Before it received royal assent in June 2019, the legislation had been dubbed the no more pipelines bill, as it allows Ottawa to evaluate the environmental impacts of intra-provincial pipelines and other energy development, and veto certain projects. This federal legislation is a common concern for Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as the four other provinces that actually have joined Alberta in appealing this bill at the Supreme Court, Dreeshen said, adding that his province will continue to call on Ottawa to prioritize approvals and the completion of nation-building projects to enhance our trade infrastructure. The Prairie provinces are challenging the laws power to regulate provincial energy and natural resource development projects, arguing before the Supreme Court of Canada on March 21 and 22 that the act infringes on the division of powers enshrined in the Constitution. Dreeshen said the provinces will also keep pushing for the implementation of recommendations made by the federal Supply Chain Task Force, which was introduced in 2022 to examine the issues affecting Canadas supply chain operations that suffered disruption by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few years. Piwniuk said Saskatchewan and Alberta are natural key partners for the task of improving trade through transportation. Manitobas unique gateway and hub initiatives cannot develop in isolation, that is why external cooperative partnerships will leverage our initiatives for success, he said. Tara MacIsaac contributed to this report Provisional IRA Has Largely Disbanded but Paramilitaries Have Not Gone Away: Expert 'Underbelly of harm' remains in many parts of Northern Ireland A young boy plays near a loyalist paramilitary mural on the day that the new Loyalist Community Council was launched at the Park Avenue Hotel, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Oct. 13, 2015. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) The Provisional IRA has been largely disbanded but Irish republican dissident groups and loyalist paramilitaries remain a sinister and criminal presence in many parts of Northern Ireland, according to an expert. U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Belfast on Tuesday night for a five-day tour of the island of Ireland timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement which brought The Troubles to an end. Colm Walsh, an academic at Queens University who has researched paramilitaries and criminal exploitation, said Northern Ireland was very different from how it was in 1998, but groups like the New IRA, the UVF, and the UDA still exerted a malevolent influence on young people in their communities. On Monday groups of young people threw petrol bombs and other missiles at police vehicles on the Creggan estate in Londonderry, a republican stronghold where blogger Lyra McKee was shot dead by the New IRA during disturbances in April 2019. Walsh told The Epoch Times: When we see what happened on the Creggan, and what happened in Newtownards a few weeks ago and what happened two years ago across Northern Ireland, in terms of the spreading riots then, is that young people are very clearly being groomed and coerced or manipulated into engaging in this type of violence by paramilitaries. A police car and a British Army truck at Derry City Cemetery, which was temporarily closed as a check was carried out for bombs, following a dissident republican parade in the Creggan area of Londonderry on April 11, 2023. (PA) More than 3,000 people died in The Troubles as the Provisional IRAwhich broke away from the Official IRA in the early 1970s and became the most dominant republican groupwaged a terrorist war first against the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the six counties of Northern Ireland, and later against a variety of civilian and military targets on the British mainland and even as far away as Gibraltar. Two loyalist groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA)both of which were opposed to a united Irelandalso attacked republican targets as well as innocent Catholic civilians, and by the end of the conflict were actually claiming more lives than the Provisional IRA, often known as the Provos. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the Provisional IRA, the UVF, and the UDA all agreed to disband and decommission their weapons. But one group of republican dissidents formed the Real IRA and on Aug. 15, 1998 detonated a massive bomb in the centre of Omagh, which killed 29 people, including unborn twins. A week later the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)a smaller republican groupingdeclared a ceasefire. Another paramilitary group, the blatantly sectarian Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF)whose leader Billy King Rat Wright had been murdered in the Maze prison by three INLA prisonersalso put down its weapons. Prisoners from all the paramilitary groups, many of whomlike Wrights killershad been given life sentences, were released from jail and encouraged to reintegrate into society. But there was more bloodletting to come. In 2000 a feud broke out between the UVF and the UDAs C Company, led by Johnny Mad Dog Adair, which led to four deaths. Adair was eventually expelled from the UDA and moved to England. Now, in 2023, while the bombs, the shootings, and the army patrols have gone from Northern Ireland, the acronyms remain, and not just in the form of graffiti and murals. Paramilitaries Involved in Drugs and Extortion Walsh said all of the former paramilitary groups were now involved in criminality. He said: Theyre involved in drugs. Theyre involved in extortion. Theyre involved in the coercion of members of their own community. Theyre still engaged quite heavily in the act of violence, mostly against their own community. All of this as part of the control and the coercion over their own community. People taking part in a rally against paramilitary violencefollowing the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwelloutside the courthouse in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. (PA) Dissident Irish republicans were also drawn into the underworld feud in Dublin between Gerry The Monk Hutch and Daniel Kinahan, according to Hutchs recent trial. Walsh said: By and large, Northern Ireland is in a much better place than we were pre-Good Friday Agreement. Theres no doubt about that. But the other reality is that theres an underbelly of harm, of contextual harm that exists, that has endured in some communities. The recent disturbances in Newtownards were linked to a feud between different factions of the UDA, and in February the New IRA was implicated in the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell. In 2021 the Loyalist Communities Council, an umbrella group which includes the UVF, the UDA, and the Red Hand Commando, wrote an open letter to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Irish leader Micheal Martin, warning of permanent destruction of the Good Friday Agreement if the Northern Ireland Protocolwhich set up a de facto border in the Irish Seawas not amended. Walsh said in 2021 there were riots in many loyalist parts of Northern Ireland, which was fed by paramilitaries creating the illusion that their identity was at risk. He said: That message fed through to people within the communities and what we saw was that mostly young people, predominantly young men, were encouraged to take up weapons including bricks and bats and petrol bombs and attack members of the police. Walsh said: I grew up in west Belfast in the early 1990s. When I was growing up you would run the risk of being ambushed and your car being taken off you by groups who were creating roadblocks and burning cars. I remember seeing snipers, on the roofs of buildings, taking shots at the police or the army. Young People Living in a Very Different Time Young people post-Good Friday Agreement are generally not exposed to any of that, by and large, and so theyre living in a very different time, he added. A fire burns in front of the police on the Springfield Road as protests continue in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on April 8, 2021. (Jason Cairnduff/Reuters) In April 2021 the Northern Ireland governments Department of Justice set up a programme aimed at tackling paramilitaries and organised crime in the six counties. Launching it, the then-Justice Minister Naomi Long said, People have had to live with paramilitary control, violence, threats, and exploitation for far too long. Life is hard enough without this. Families, communities, and businesses are all desperate to return to normal after COVID-19 and the last thing they need is the negative influence of paramilitary gangs seeking to exert control, often for financial gain, she added. Walsh said the programme was doing good work and he said it was needed now more than ever. Whenever we look at who is most actively involved in this type of violence, its mostly young men and it can create a bit of an adrenaline rush and there is a bit of a buzz around it. But actually, whenever I speak to any of the young people who have been involved in this type of violence, most would say actually if they had an option, they wouldnt want to be there, he said. So I dont think that the majority of young people are politically-minded, politically-motivated, certainly not sharing the same cause as the people who are exploiting them, added Walsh. Rep. Jordan Subpoenas FTC Over Twitter, Musk Investigation Elon Musk arrives at the justice center in Wilmington, Del., on July 13, 2021. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo) Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on April 12 subpoenaed Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, stepping up the conflict between House Republicans and the agency regarding its approach to Twitter in the Elon Musk era. The Epoch Times has reviewed the subpoena. The subpoena comes after a March 10 letter to Khan from Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the ranking Republican member of the Senate Commerce Committee. Lina Khan, then-nominee for commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), speaks at her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 21, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS) The two sought documents related to the FTCs intensified scrutiny of Twitter after it was acquired by Musk. We reached out to Committee staff to begin discussions about this request, and we provided a letter on March 27, Jeanne Bumpus, director of the FTCs Office of Congressional Relations, said in March 29 testimony before the Judiciary Committees oversight subcommittee regarding her agencys responsiveness. Bumpus testified that the FTC would keep working with the House on its many requests for information while ensuring the FTC can continue to protect the independence, integrity, and effectiveness of the Commissions law enforcement efforts and core agency processes. To date, your voluntary compliance has been woefully insufficient, Jordan wrote in his April 12 cover letter for the subpoena, which requests documents from Khan and the agency by April 26. The FTC respects the important role of Congressional oversight. We have made multiple offers to brief Chairman Jordans staff on our investigation into Twitter. Those are standing offers made prior to this entirely unnecessary subpoena, FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in response to the subpoena. According to the FTC, those briefings would include nonpublic information. Jordan and Cruzs first request to the FTC was triggered by a 113-page report to the Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) raises concerns about Phillip Washington, nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration, as Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), committee chair, reacts during a U.S. Senate hearing in Washington on March 1, 2023. (Janice Hisle/The Epoch Times via video screenshot) The FTC entered into a consent agreement with Twitter in 2011. The agreement was revised in May 2022, before the South African-born billionaire entrepreneur completed his takeover of the platform, after the tech giant was accused of exploiting user data under deceptive pretenses and fined $150 million. Yet, the March 7 report accused the agency of overreach to harass Elon Musks Twitter, citing numerous demands made of the company in the wake of his purchase. The timing, scope, and frequency of the FTCs demands to Twitter suggest a partisan motivation to its action. When Musk took action to reorient Twitter around free speech, the FTC regularly followed soon thereafter with a new demand letter, the report states. The report claims that information already gathered by the Judiciary Committee makes clear that the FTC has inappropriately stretched its regulatory power to harass Twitter. The FTC is doing so consistent with the approach that partisan actors and interest groups have urged it to do: misusing a revised consent decree between the FTC and Twitter to justify its campaign of harassment. In March 9 testimony to the weaponization subcommittee, journalist Michael Shellenberger said he and his fellow Twitter Files investigators had helped uncover a censorship-industrial complex involving Twitter, the government, and government-funded nonprofits. Michael Shellenberger, author of San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities. (York Du/The Epoch Times) Our government built a cozy relationship with Big Tech, Jordan said during that hearing. Jordans latest subpoena comes just days after he subpoenaed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who indicted former President Donald Trump on April 4. Bragg responded through a lawsuit of his own in a New York federal court, accusing Jordan of launching a campaign to intimidate. In February, Jordan subpoenaed FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, part of a long series of oversight requests by House Republicans worried about the politicization of federal law enforcement. The congressman on April 10 announced another subpoena of Wray, this one motivated by a January FBI memo linking traditionalist Catholics to violent extremists. Residents Group Publishes Kerb Crawlers Car Number Plates on Social Media Locals in Leeds say crime has soared in area despite the scrapping of a scheme that made sex work legal in the area in a UK first. Women stand in The Blade area of Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 8, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Fed-up residents living in a former legal red-light district in Britain are using social media to shame kerb crawlers. Pictures of punters vehiclesalong with registration platesare being uploaded to social media by Leeds inner-city locals who say predatory men soliciting sex are leaving women and children in fear. The group claims a former initiative, which made Holbeck the first area in the UK where sex work was legal, has actually left the streets less safe, despite the scheme being scrapped two years ago. Managed Approachbacked by Leeds City Councilbegan in 2014 and allowed sex workers to operate freely between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Advocates said the innovative methods would provide much-needed support for sex workers. However, a year after its launch, a Polish sex worker was murdered in the so-called managed prostitution area. Diara Pionko, 21, died in hospital after being found with serious injuries on Springwell Road in Holbeck. She had been attacked by 24-year-old Lewis Pierre, who was later sentenced to 22 years in prison for her murder. The scheme was eventually shut down in 2021 after years of tireless campaigning by locals including residents group Save Our Eyes. Rise in Crime The group claims crime has soared in the Holbeck and Beeston Hill areas since the scrapping of the scheme, with claims girls have been followed by men in cars. There have also been reports of thefts carried out by prostitutes, including the attempted mugging of an elderly lady inside a local church. Another member claimed to have been robbed of cash as they were handing over money for food inside a take-away. Used needles and condoms are also being left on the streets where residents and their children are witnessing sex acts. The group has now taken to social media to out those soliciting prostitutes by publishing pictures of their vehicles and number plates. Save Our Eyes also runs a tongue-in-cheek Punter of the Week award shaming regular visitors to sex workers in the area. The Facebook posts include the warning: Remember that if you come kerb crawling in Holbeck you are deemed to have consented to have your details published and should expect a visit from the police. Red-Light Legacy In a joint letter to police and the council last year, Save Our Eyes, along with another group Voice of Holbeck, said that while there had been a reduction in prostitution since the scheme ended, locals were still living with the legacy of the legal red-light zone. Every day residents and their children still witness soliciting, sex acts and find used condoms in the streets, the letter said. This is accompanied by the relentless kerb crawlers and men who roam the street on foot looking for women to buy sex from. The zone made the residents of Holbeck far less safe as it drew predatory men from a wide area into Holbeck looking for sex. The letter said that there around 30 sex workers were working around shops and a community centre which draws predators into the residential streets and into contact with local women and children. It added that residents said the ending of the scheme should have been advertised nationwide as predators had been travelling to the area from all over the UK. We believe that further efforts could be made to publicise the risks of kerb crawling in Holbeck to the predators who attend the area. We need to ensure that predatory men are treated the same way in Holbeck that they would be in other parts of Leeds. The groups suggested the introduction of Public Space Protection Orders in Leeds to curtail the kerb crawling. They also said an increase in police numbers would help tackle the issues. The Epoch Times contacted the group on Wednesday, but no one was available to comment on the issues raised. A number of councillors for the area were also contacted about the residents concerns. Scheme Should Stay In 2020, an independent review of the Managed Approach scheme recommended it stayed in place. There are currently no alternative models or approaches that promise to be more effective and which fit within existing UK law on sex working, it stated. The report (pdf) tracked the development of the initiative from its introduction in 2014 with few resources, through the introduction of the dedicated reporting phone number, the intensive cleansing regime, and the dedicated policing team in October 2018. Alongside these resources, the report recognises the increasing input from and engagement from residents. Researchers spoke to key agencies and organisations in the area, as well as many residents at various Listening Well events. They reported that 70 percent of residents they spoke to agreed that: The Managed Approach should remain but needed to change in some way. Professor Jason Roach, who led the review, said residents recognised progress but didnt associate that progress with the approach itself. He said: The penultimate question was always: Do you think things have got better over the last 6-8 months? To which most people would say yes. The last question was: Should the Managed Approach stay? No. He summed up residents views as, Things have got better, but we just dont want on street sex working in Holbeck. 1954 | PG | 1h 53m | Comedy, Drama, Romance Some of the greatest romantic comedies were undoubtedly from the Golden Age of Hollywood (approximately 1934 to 1959). In many cases, part of the cinematic alchemy that made these films so successful was the natural chemistry and behind-the-scene comradery between their leading actors. A case in point would be the sublime pairing of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in the classic rom-com such as 1938s Holiday, as well as The Philadelphia Story, produced in 1940. Grant and Hepburn appreciated each others talents off-screen and were on very friendly terms, which led to both their comedic and romantic vibes to seem natural and effortless to viewers. However, in other cases, off-screen friction between the lead actors of movies (and sometimes even the directors as well) have led to uninspired and even downright terrible performances. But sometimes, fate would have it that the talent on hand is so deft that you would never have known that was the case. A perfect example is in 1954s rom-com drama, Sabrina, helmed by legendary director Billy Wilder (who was also one of the writers). The film was the adaptation of a play titled, Sabrina Fair, in 1953. Sabrina is an interesting twist on the Cinderella story. Even its opening narration sequence sounds fairytale-esqe: Once upon a time, on the north shore of Long Island, some 30 miles from New York, there lived a small girl on a large estate. The estate was very large indeed and had many servants The estate in question belongs to the Larrabees, a wealthy family that includes brothers Linus (Humphrey Bogart) and David (William Holden). The two siblings are polar opposites: While David is a free-wheeling playboy who likes to tool around in his fancy roadster and has been married and divorced three times, Linus is ambitious, somewhat cold, and is married to their familys businesses. Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) returns to her father, Thomas Fairchild (John Williams), the Larrabee familys chauffeur, in Sabrina. (Paramount Pictures) Also living on the sprawling estate is Thomas Fairchild (John Williams), the Larrabee familys chauffeur, and his young daughter, the titular Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn). Sabrina is an awkward girl who liked to gawk at David from afar to the extent that, when she spies him flirting with other women, she becomes both jealous and saddened. Not only is she somewhat of a tomboy, but the class difference between the Larrabees and her father would never permit any sort of union between her and David. Besides, David barely even notices Sabrina when he stumbles across her on the property. A widower, Thomas wants Sabrina to have more realistic aspirations and sends her off to an excellent cooking school in Paris to become a cook just like his late wife. There, she meets a well-off older gentleman named Baron St. Fontanel (Marcel Dalio), who is brushing up on some cooking recipes. St. Fontanel notices Sabrinas dour demeanor and inspires her to live life more fully and blossom into an elegant woman. By the time Sabrina returns to Long Island, she is the picture of poise and sophistication. In a hilarious scene, when David spies her waiting for her father at the local train station, he almost breaks his neck staring at her as his cars tires screech to a halt. He is immediately smitten by her but doesnt realize its the same young girl he used to ignore, and invites her to a Larrabee family party. Love is in the air: David Larrabee (William Holden) and Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn), in Sabrina. (Paramount Pictures) After witnessing Sabrina and David ogling each other like lovebirds, Linus soon realizes that his strategic plan of having David marry a wealthy businessmans daughter may be in jeopardy. In a shrewd tactic, Linus sabotages Sabrina and Davids blossoming romance by attempting to seduce the gorgeous, reinvented girl. But are Linuss machinations strictly business related? Behind the Scenes Like the aforementioned Holiday, much of the humor in this film is of the more subtle variety, with a few exceptions here and there. It also touches on matters that deal with class and forbidden love. However, there were some fiery fractures going on behind the scenes. Bogart and Holden didnt care for each other at all and, while Bogart also disliked Hepburn, Holden was mad about her. Bogart was also angry at Wilder for being the directors second choice for his role; Cary Grant was Wilders first choice but Grant turned down the part. Having watched the film before even knowing about all of this ill-will going on off-screen, I found it fascinating that it seemed like such a smooth production. Both the romantic chemistry and comedic timing also seem very natural. Linus Larrabee (Humphrey Bogart) and Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) meet, in Sabrina (Paramount Pictures) But, in the end, I realized that, between the acting chops of these phenomenally talented leads, as well as the incredible guidance by one of filmdoms greatest directors, Sabrina was destined for not only critical praise but financial success. Sabrina is available on Hoopla, Redbox, and Apple TV. Sabrina Director: Billy Wilder Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden Not Rated Running time: 1 hour, 53 minutes MPAA Rating: PG Release Date: Sept. 23, 1954 Rated: 4 stars out of 5 San Diego Supervisors Approve No Confidence Vote Against Nathan Fletcher The San Diego County Board of Supervisors pass a vote of no confidence in Supervisor Nathan Fletcher in San Diego on April 11, 2023. (Screenshot via San Diego County) The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a vote of no-confidence in fellow Supervisor Nathan Fletcher April 11, after he admitted to cheating on his wife and said he would check into a treatment facility for alcohol abuse, trauma, and post-traumatic stress. Although the board has no power to forcefully remove Fletcher the 40 vote demonstrates his colleagues do not support him as a leader in the county. By his own statements, Supervisor Fletcher has demonstrated he has not upheld the principles of integrity expected in his position as a member of the County Board of Supervisors, the supervisors motion reads. San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher speaks at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 7, 2023. (Screenshot via San Diego County) Fletcher announced last month he would resign from his role at the end of his medical leave on May 15. Supervisor Jim Desmond called for Fletchers immediate resignation earlier this week, saying he shouldnt be receiving a current salary of around $30,000 while he is on medical leave. The supervisors said they were eager to move on from this issue and get back to addressing concerns in the county. Weve got a lot of work to do here at the county, Desmond said at the April 11 meeting. Weve got a lot more other things to focus on, homelessness, mental health, and our crumbling infrastructure. This follows a lawsuit of Fletchers alleged sexual harassment of Grecia Figueroa, a former county employee. While Fletcher admitted last month to cheating on his wife, he denied any instance of sexual assault or harassment. The simple truth is that Ms. Figueroa pursued my client, their interactions were consensual and Mr. Fletcher does not and never had authority over her employment, Fletchers attorney said in a statement March 29. Fletchers staff will continue to serve District 4 until his resignation. Additionally, county residents and leaders have recently increased pressure on Fletcher after documents obtained by KUSI News revealed the county spent almost $2 million on a personal security detail for him since September 2021. Fletcher was provided security after reportedly receiving death threats for his COVID-19 policies. The monthly charges for services provided by Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Inc. increased significantly in January 2022, from tens of thousands of dollars to over $100,000 after a fire was found in a trash can outside of Fletchers City Heights home, according to KUSI. Also, Fletcher said in a direct message to Figueroa, I could ditch security guys to go for late night walk but couldnt be gone long, according to KUSI. Whether youre trying to eat more cabbage or just need to use up that remaining half head of savoy cabbage sitting in the back of your fridge, one of my favorite ways to dish it up is in a simple saute. Here, mild-mannered Savoy cabbage leaves are sauteed in butter for an easy side dish that goes well with just about anything youre cooking, from roasted sausage to pork chops to salmon. Its low-effort, totally satisfying, and hits the table in under 20 minutes from start to finish. Tips for Cutting Savoy Cabbage Savoy cabbage has the most beautiful deep-green hue and very crinkly leaves, with a shape thats similar to green and red cabbage. Because of this, you can prepare Savoy cabbage the same way: Remove any tough or browned outer leaves, cut out the core, and chop the leaves into whatever size and shape you like. Can You Cook Savoy Cabbage Like Regular Cabbage? While the leaves arent quite as crisp as regular green cabbage, savoy cabbage can be cooked the same way. The biggest difference is that savoy cabbage will cook a little fasterin about 12 minutesbecause the leaves arent as thick and sturdy. Other Delicious Ways to Enjoy Savoy Cabbage In addition to serving it as a simple side dish, Savoy cabbage can be used in a wide array of recipes, such as stir-fries, soups, slaws, and cabbage rolls, just to name a few. Savoy Cabbage Serves 4 Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds savoy cabbage (about 1 small or 1/2 large head) 2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions 1. Remove and discard any very tough or browned outer leaves from 1 1/2 pounds savoy cabbage. Quarter the cabbage through the core, then cut the core from each piece and discard. Chop into rough 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups) and separate any leaves that are stuck together. Mince 2 garlic cloves. 2. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 12-inch or larger high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened and fragrant (do not let the garlic brown), about 30 seconds. 3. Add the cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well to coat the cabbage. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the cabbage is tender, wilted, and lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Recipe note: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days. Copyright 2023 Apartment Therapy. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SEC Diversity Report Offers Glimpse of Federal Workplace Culture A flag outside the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters in Washington on Feb. 23, 2022. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Gender and skin color count when seeking work or contracts with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where leaders are working to build a workforce with well-balanced diversity. A recently released annual report to Congress shows that diversity, equity, and inclusion permeates many facets of the SECs culture (pdf). The information is tracked through the SECs Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), which was established in 2011 under former President Barack Obama as a requirement of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. While the U.S. Treasury must provide Congress a report each year, other federal departments, agencies, and commissions within the U.S. government are not mandated to prepare a report. That is why other departments are in various stages of tracking this diversity, equity, and inclusion data. Some just started writing guidance in 2021 or 2022 for how to collect and present the data. Others provide different pieces of data, making comparison across the entire government impossible. This is our biggest complaint as a diversity watchdog group for government, Mark Hanis, co-founder of Inclusive America, told The Epoch Times. It is 100 percent apples to oranges. No one is [tracking]. Or those that are [tracking], are not doing it in a standardized way. Weve been trying to fill that gap and advocating that government should maintain a dashboard for real time demographic information. Hanis describes Inclusive America as a nonprofit, working to make sure the government looks like its people. He says some of the best government jobs are never publicly advertised, and that applicants have to know someone to get hired. We always talk about a government that is of, for, and by the people, Hanis said. Government is not a level playing field. Were not allowing the opportunity for everyone to raise their hand and say, I am qualified. Id like to be considered for this position. Slight Changes in SEC Diversity The SEC has slightly more minorities, accounting for 35.9 percent of its workforce in 2022, compared to 32.5 percent in the civilian labor force, for which the report used 2018 as the most recent available data. The report covers fiscal years 20202022. During that time, there were 4 percent fewer white supervisors and managers at the SEC; 11.9 percent more black supervisors; 15.3 percent more Asian supervisors; and 19.6 percent more Hispanic supervisors and managers. As for gender, there were 0.2 percent fewer men and 2.5 percent more women. It is helpful to consider the actual numbers that go with the above percentages. In 2022, SEC supervisors and managers numbered 551 men, 367 women, 649 white, 94 black, 55 Hispanic, and 113 Asian, plus seven employees in the other category, which is likely multiple races. The report offers similar numbers for other worker categories. Diversity goes beyond the workforce. It is considered when awarding contracts. By promoting increased use of minority-owned and women-owned businesses, these businesses saw more government contracts year-over-year. The report shows a slight increase in awards from fiscal year 2021 ($226.9 million) compared to 2022 ($233.5 million). Some of its hiring contractors are using recruitment teams exclusively focused on expanding a diverse applicant pipeline, the report said. Another pipeline comes from relationships OMWI maintains with 20 minority- and women-focused professional associations and educational organizations. These diversity partnerships provide opportunities for outreach and recruitment. Some partners include the Association of Latino Professionals for America; D.C. Diverse Partners Network Inc.; National Association of Asian MBAs; National Association of Black Accountants; United Negro College Fund; White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and the Womens Bar Association. Cookbook for Diversity In addition to tracking employee skin tones and genders, through OMWI, taxpayers provided the following courses to managers and employees in 2022: Language of Inclusion; Gender Inclusive Language: What It Means and Why Your Use of Pronouns Matters; and Understanding and Mitigating Microaggressions in the Workplace. Hundreds of SEC employees attended these trainings, the report said. Another inclusion effort is the SECs formation of the 60-person Diversity Council which meets bimonthly. In 2022, the council heard various presentations and formed two subcommittees tasked with writing equity reports. And to increase connectedness and a sense of belonging, the Diversity Council recently launched SEC Favorite Family Cookbook: Holidays and Special Occasions. This is a follow-up to the SECs highly successful 2020 SEC Favorite Family Recipes Cookbook, which allowed SEC employees across the agency to share what they have been making during the pandemic or their favorite recipes, along with any stories or photos they wanted to share, the report said. The mission of the SEC is to oversee about $115 trillion in securities trading on U.S. equity markets annually. The SEC also formed the UnCovering Task Force, an agency-wide cultural change effort designed to encourage employees to bring their authentic, whole selves to work. In 2022, the UnCovering Task Force hosted an open house and a separate briefing and training on Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work to Foster a Connected Culture. The training, attended by 114 employees, offered sessions on being more authentic at work; increasing job satisfaction; and improving productivity and mission effectiveness. OMWI also launched a resource portal for easy access to educational material, reading, training, and videos on diversity, equity and inclusion. The SEC also provides SEC University, which has on-demand web-based courses and virtual classroom training related to diversity and inclusion throughout the year. Employee Affinity Groups Employee affinity groups bring together people in the workplace who have something in common, to cultivate a workplace culture that attracts diversity. This is done by separating employees, except for white employees, according to race or other minority identifier. In fiscal year 2022, the following employee affinity groups were active at the SEC: the African American Council; American Indian Heritage Committee; Asian American and Pacific Islander Committee; Caribbean American Heritage Committee; Disability Interests Advisory Committee; Hispanic and Latino Opportunity, Leadership, and Advocacy Committee; Pride Alliance; Veterans Committee; and Womens Committee. These groups helped coordinate more than 43 SEC-sponsored programs in observance of their affinity. For example, the report said, the SECs Pride Alliance hosted Lets Celebrate Pride Month with Justin Yoder, founder and president of LGBT Outdoor to kick off the June celebration of Pride Month by sharing his organizations efforts to encourage and enable members of the LGBT community to get outdoors and connect with nature and the world around them, the report said. Second Tennessee Democrat Reinstated to Seat He Was Ousted From Justin Pearson (C) and his fiance Oceana Gillian arrive at the Shelby County Board of Commissioners building in Memphis, Tenn., on April 12, 2023. (Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal via AP) The second Tennessee Democrat ousted from his House seat last week in the Tennessee General Assembly was reappointed to serve until a special election can be held later this year to fill the seat for the rest of his term. Justin Pearson, who represents parts of Memphis in Shelby County, was reinstated in a vote of 70 in a special called meeting of the county commission on Wednesday afternoon, April 12. On Monday, the other expelled Democrat, Justin Jones, was reinstated to his seat by the Metro Nashville Council. Jones and Pearson will serve in their seats until a special election is held later this year. Both Jones and Pearson are eligible to run in the special elections. Tennessees constitution calls for special elections in the event of vacancies if there are more than 12 months until the next general election. It is up to the governor to call for the special election and state law provides it must be scheduled within 55 to 60 days and a general election to fill the seat must be held within 100 to 107 days. Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, has not yet announced plans for the special election. Commission Votes The Shelby County Commission is made up of 13 members, nine of them Democrats. Two of those Democrats were out of the country during the vote. No Republicans were present at the meeting. Pearson, 29, was one of the two black Democrat lawmakers expelled by the Republican-controlled Tennessee General Assembly over their participation in a gun control protest on the House floor in the days that followed a deadly school shooting. A third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, was spared expulsion by one vote. Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery, a Democrat, called for a vote to be held immediately, skipping a public comment portion and the nomination of other candidates. What you see right now is a vote, he said. After this there is a lot of paperwork that needs to be done. We need to get that to Nashville as soon as possible. Also remember in this chamber its thumbs up or thumbs down [to express opinions]. However, do understand that youll be speaking to the choir here, because were all with you. Pearson addressed the commission after the vote. Nashville thought they could silence democracy, but they didnt know the Shelby County Commission, he said. Filled with some courageous leaders, who through threats of not giving us resources would not stop. Their threats about withdrawing or stopping funding wouldnt stop. They didnt know that Justin J. Pearson was only standing with the moral courage of people who he came from. Only standing with the moral courage that was built in Memphis, Tennessee. Pearson went on to say there is a problem in Nashville and gun violence in the state. Protesters gather inside the Tennessee State Capitol to call for an end to gun violence and support stronger gun laws, in Nashville, Tenn., on March 30, 2023. (Seth Herald/Getty Images) Weve got a problem in this state, he said. Weve got a proliferation of gun violence because of policies and practices and legislation coming from the state legislature of Tennessee Weve got a problem in Nashville and its called a promise that theyre holding onto with this status quo. See, their allegiance is to the way things are. Their allegiance is to business as usual. Their allegiance is to the National Rifle Association. Their allegiance is to the Tennessee Firearm Association. Pearson met with supporters earlier in the day at the National Civil Rights Museum, marching with them to the Shelby County Commission building. Hundreds of his supporters walked along with him, alongside Jones and Johnson. It is reported Jones will be sworn in in Nashville Thursday at the Tennessee State Capitol before the House goes into session for the day. Pearson Expelled Pearson gave an intense speech surrounded by his Democrat colleagues, speaking of a spirit of not giving up. My people have yet to quit, he said just before the vote to expel him. They were witnesses, as you have been witnesses, to what has been happening in the anti-democratic state of Tennessee. He added that while it may seem like the NRA and gun lobbyists might win, he had good newsthat Sunday always comes; resurrection is a promise, and it is a prophecy that came out of the cotton fields, the lynching tree, and still lives in each and every one of us in order to make the state of Tennessee the place that it ought to be. Ive still got hope because I know we are still here, and we will never quit, he said to raucous applause from the gallery. He was also removed in a party-line vote and officially declared expelled from the chamber by House Speaker Cameron Sexton. Pearson Clashed with House Leadership Previously Pearson previously clashed with leadership and Sexton for breaking the House dress code by wearing a West African traditional outfit called a dashiki. Wearing this dashiki on the first day and being sworn in, wearing it is paying homage to the ancestors who made this opportunity possible, said Pearson on his first day in the legislature, according to a Memphis NBC affiliate. Pearson, after being criticized on the floor, said in part: a white supremacist has attacked my wearing of my dashiki. Resistance and subversion to the status quo ought to make some people uncomfortable, according to the outlet. Tennessee House Republicans said at the time House decorum rules were unanimously approved by House members, adding on Twitter: If you dont like the rules, perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity thats main purpose is not creating them. Maria de los Angeles wanted to organize a three-day vacation with her family to Cancun. She searched on Facebook and found a profile called Lilith Travel and Experiences that was highly recommended by other users. The woman she spoke to promised her a fantastic trip: a driver would pick them up from the airport and take them to the hotel where they would stay for the next three days. She only asked for one thing: 11,000 pesos ($550) in advance. The money disappeared, along with the agency, as soon as the transfer was made. These scams are particularly rife during holiday periods such as the recently ended Easter, when thousands of people desperately search for a nice and affordable place by the beach where they can take a few precious days off. To avoid the hassle of worrying about reservations, hotels and transfers, many turn to travel agencies to organize the vacation for them. And this is how victims can be scammed by ghost travel agencies fake companies that offer below-market prices for holiday packages that include airport transfers, hotel accommodation and an itinerary of activities. As soon as a victim transfers an advance to the alleged companies, it disappears. More information Mexico puts soldiers on its beaches to guard vacationers The Citizen Council of Mexico City, is in charge of receiving many of these complaints during vacation periods. In the past two years this type of fraud has skyrocketed in Mexico, according to this agencys figures. In 2021, the council received 77 cases. By 2022, the number had jumped to 244 a rise of 271%. This year, it has already received 53 complaints, and by the end of the year, it is expected to be its highest yet. Most of the scams are run via Facebook and involve destinations such as Acapulco or Cancun, which are the two most-popular holiday spots in Mexico. It seemed like everything was going well, but the trip is two days away and she isnt answering, Maria wrote right before the Easter holiday in a Facebook group created to denounce travel scams. She doesnt answer calls or messages, the [Facebook] page has disappeared and so has the private chat group we were in. In the Facebook message, Maria explained that she called the hotel where she was meant to be staying, and was told that her reservation had been cancelled and that the person who booked the stay was not from any agency. When asked about the deposit, the hotel told her that it had not been paid, and that the credit card that had been used for the reservation was not operational. She swore to me several times that she was not a scammer, said Maria in the post. The General Attorneys Office of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo where Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen are located has launched an initiative to crack down on these fraudulent agencies. Authorities are already investigating 50 agencies that are suspected of fraud, but there could be many more, says Oscar Montes de Oca, the head of the office. The scams happen online, so we cannot know exactly how many victims there are, but it is something that we must be addressing because this crime is also committed internationally, he said. The Citizen Council of Mexico City recommends that people exercise caution when offered all-inclusive vacation packages at below-market prices. It also suggests that travelers research the agency online and on social media, and confirm their reservations with the airlines and hotels. While many of these scams are carried out via Facebook, the social media site is also where victims go to report the scams. The Facebook group called Travel agency and scams lists dozens of travel agencies that have been accused of fraud, including Lilith Travel and Experiences. Maria de los Angeles initially trusted the company because its first visible Facebook comments were very positive, such as highly recommended. However, after she sent the money, the woman at the agency started to give her confusing answers. When Maria asked about her itinerary and plane ticket, the alleged travel agent replied: Payments and accommodation are pending. Then she stopped answering, and the bogus agency deleted its Facebook account and the posts that it had shared up until then. To denounce the scam, Maria shared a screenshot of her private chat with the agent. When will you give me the two rooms and the itinerary? reads one of her messages. Did you block me from your discount travel group? But no one replied. EL PAIS unsuccessfully tried to reach out to the travel agency. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Senate Democrats Ask DOJ to Probe Expulsion of Tennessee State Legislators (LR) State Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson arrive at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., on April 7, 2023. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP) Congressional Democrats want the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate whether the Tennessee legislature violated federal law or the civil rights of two state representatives expelled for their part in March 30 protests in the Tennessee House. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on April 12, requesting an investigation into the April 7 expulsion of Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis. Both men have been reinstated by their respective county and city officials. State Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville escaped expulsion by one vote. According to the letter, the three participated in peaceful protests calling for stricter gun control after the March 27 shootings at the Covenant School in Nashville. The letter claims the state cited minor procedural violations as pretextual excuses to remove democratically-elected representatives. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters after a meeting with President Joe Biden at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 2, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) There are no allegations that these democratically-elected officials engaged in any violent or illegal conduct, the letter reads. The letter requests that DOJ investigate the rights of voters in Memphis and Nashville, the cities represented by Pearson and Jones, to be represented by the legislators of their choice were violated. It also requests an investigation into whether Jones and Pearsons First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated. The Senators set a deadline of Friday, April 28, 2023, for the DOJ response. The Senators point out that Johnson, who is white, was allowed to retain her seat while the two black representatives were expelled. Compared to 1966 Julian Bond case They compared the expulsion to a 1966 Supreme Court case in which the Georgia legislature prevented Julian Bond, a newly-elected black representative, from taking his seat because of his public opposition to the Vietnam War. The Georgia House decided that Bonds position on the war would make him unable to adequately uphold the state and federal Constitutions. The Supreme Court ruled that legislators enjoyed the same First Amendment rights as ordinary citizens and that Bond could not be barred because of statements he had made. This is un-democratic, un-American, and unacceptable, and the U.S. Department of Justice should investigate whether it was also unconstitutional, the letter reads. Trio participated in gun control protest The trio reportedly led protesters in shouting pro-gun control chants on the floor of the House. According to the expulsion resolution filed by Republican Reps. Bud Hulsey, Gino Bulso, and Andrew Farmer, the three lawmakers, participated in disorderly behavior and did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives. A former student of the school killed three 9-year-olds and three adults on March 27. The shooter was a 28-year-old woman who reportedly identified as a transgender man and used male pronouns on social media. Police have not publicly identified a motive for the crime. Stanford University Stops Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination Cyclists ride by Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus in Stanford, Calif., on March 12, 2019. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) As of April 10, Stanford University is no longer requiring people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter its campus unless they work in a health care facility. The vaccine was a requirement to step onto campus for the past two years. All Medicare- or Medicaid-certified facilities, including the Vaden Health Center, Stanford University Occupational Health Center, and Stanford hospitals and clinics, still require the vaccine. Stanford is also starting to phase out onsite testing. The testing ended March 24 for faculty but is still available until June 18 for students. After that, they will offer rapid tests. The university is continuing its wastewater analysisthat is, analyzing sewage samples to detect the virus. According to its website, general trends of these samples over time have been consistent with trends in clinical cases. In addition, it has revised its recommendations for what to do if you test positive. Positive cases are still required to be reported, but now students or faculty can return after the sixth day if theyre fever-free and symptoms are improving and if they tested negative for five days or if they wear a high-quality mask for 10 days after experiencing their first symptoms. The school also ended the COVID-19 meal delivery protocols in March due to the reduction in cases. Students who test positive for COVID-19 no longer receive UberEats meal credits. The students are now instructed to wear a K95 mask, pick up meals from dining halls, and eat either in their rooms or outside, away from others. Before March 17, students received reimbursements for meal deliveries for the entire recommended 10-day isolation period. The university is still providing free K95 masks. Stanford also has a website called Potential Exposure Building List, where you can see possible exposures. Since October, masks are no longer mandatory in classrooms. However, individual instructors can make them required in classes if they choose. For the most part, the students and faculty that The Epoch Times spoke with are okay with the vaccine requirement being eased. Samuel Montagut, a student at Stanford University. (Michelle Morales Torres/The Epoch Times) Im pretty indifferent to it, to be honest, said Samuel Montagut, 21, an aerospace engineering major and an employee at Stanfords Arrillaga Outdoor Education and Recreation. I supported the requirement. I wasnt really against it. He thinks the requirement was needed during the height of the pandemic, though he said it went against American ideals and bodily autonomy. But it was an emergency situation, and so now that the situation is not an emergency anymore, I guess we can go back to the same ideals, he said. Montagut is from Columbia, Ohio but currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Its just like during wartime emergencies, and some rights had to be taken away, but as long as they come back when the emergencys over, I think its pretty standard, he said. Rinnara Sangpisit, a student at Stanford University. (Michelle Morales Torres/The Epoch Times) Another student, Rinnara Sangpisit, said she had mixed feelings about it. I think this is a hard issue, said Sangpisit, 21, an economics student from Taiwan. Personally, I prefer for people to have vaccines. She doesnt feel strongly about masks now, but she thinks vaccines are somewhat important. But I also respect the decision made, said Sangpisit. I prefer people to have vaccination, although I feel like most people already have it. Ryan Johnson, manager of the Civil Environmental Engineering Department at Stanford University. (Michelle Morales Torres/The Epoch Times) A staff member also agreed with Stanfords decision to end the requirement. I feel basically okay about it. I think this university has been following federal guidance and prioritizing the safety of everyone in the community during the whole pandemic, said Ryan Johnson, manager of the Civil Environmental Engineering Department. I imagine theyre making the right decision. Taiwans President Tsai Says China Not Being Responsible With Drills TAIPEI, TaiwanTaiwans President Tsai Ing-wen has condemned Chinas military drills in the Taiwan Strait, saying Tuesday that China did not demonstrate the responsible behavior of a major Asian nation. Chinas three-day, large-scale drills that ended Monday were retaliation for Tsais meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week on her tour of Taiwans official and unofficial allies. As the president, I represent our country in the world, whether its a visit to allied countries or stopping through in the U.S. and interacting with our international friends, and not only has this been going on for years, its the Taiwanese peoples shared expectation, Tsai said in a statement. But China used this as a pretext to start military drills, creating instability in the Taiwan Strait and region. This is not the attitude of a responsible major nation in this region. The Chinese regime sees such meetings as encouraging Taiwanese voters and politicians who support formal independence for the island, a step the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) says would lead to war. The sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and the CCP says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if necessary. The CCP does not recognize Taiwans government institutions, has cut off almost all communication with Tsais government since shortly after her initial 2016 election and has blocked Taiwans participation in most international organizations, beginning with the United Nations. Surveys show a strong majority of Taiwanese back the current state of de facto independence, while Tsais government says a declaration of formal independence is unnecessary because the island already enjoys the status of a sovereign nation, despite the CCPs attempts to isolate it diplomatically. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises. Its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts, the Eastern Theater Command, responsible for contingencies involving Taiwan, said in a statement. In recent years, the CCP has been increasing its military presence in the Taiwan Strait, with warplanes being sent on a near-daily basis and military drills being conducted in the waters and skies near Taiwan. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the CCP conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island itself, which landed in Japans exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. Despite having only unofficial relations, the United States is Taiwans most important ally and source of military assistance. U.S. law requires Washington to regard all threats to the islandincluding a blockadeas matters of grave concern, although it does not explicitly require the commitment of forces. The exercises this time have focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwans defense ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, citing the Chinese military, said the exercises simulated sealing off the island and striking important targets in waves. Tsai also urged the public to not believe any disinformation about Taiwans defenses, saying the military was fulfilling its duties and the public should encourage the forces. Our nations soldiers and national security team will continue to stand fast at their posts to defend our country, she said. Taiwans defense ministry said eight Chinese navy vessels were still in the waters surrounding the island as of Tuesday morning. Tennessee Republicans in Congress Introduce Bills to Provide Security to All Schools Body camera footage of police responding to an active shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., on March 27, 2023. (Metropolitan Nashville Police Department via AP) Three Tennessee Republicans who expressed heartbreak over the recent mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville have introduced legislation in Congress to improve security in U.S. schools. U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who introduced similar legislation in the prior Congress, and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) proposed the Securing Aid for Every (SAFE) School Act (S. 1107) on March 30. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) introduced H.R. 2491 as a companion bill in the House. The legislation would establish a $900 million grant program that will allow both public and private schools to train and hire veterans and former law enforcement officers to serve as school safety officers, hire off-duty law enforcement officers, and provide funding to harden schools and increase physical security. I am beyond heartbroken at the shooting that occurred at the Covenant School in Nashville, Blackburn wrote in a statement. No parent should have to endure what these families are experiencing. Schools should be places where children are safe to learn, play, and be children. This legislation will allow both public and private schools to train and hire veterans and former law enforcement officers to serve as school safety officers as well as increase physical security measures to harden schools. By providing these critical funds, we can help protect our precious children and secure our schools. Hagerty said: The Covenant School community, the city of Nashville, and our home state of Tennessee have suffered unspeakable, heartbreaking loss this week, and I join the families of the victims and all those affected in mourning this incomprehensible tragedy. The heroic bravery of law enforcement officers and first responders who quickly ran into danger, as well as the actions of teachers, staff, and students who deployed security measures, saved many other lives and underscore the critical role of school-security planning and personnel in the face of depraved, evil acts. Thats why Ive joined Senator Blackburn in introducing this legislation to provide additional security resources to keep our schools and children safe. Fleischmann wrote in a April 11 statement: The shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville broke my heart and the hearts of every Tennessean and American. We must protect our nations schools and children from evil individuals who seek to cause senseless harm to others. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) in his official congressional portrait. (U.S. Congress) Under the plan, schools could hire military veterans and former or current law enforcement officers. The program would also provide grants for states to establish and run training programs so that the officers can receive official certification. I sincerely hope that my colleagues in Congress and President [Joe] Biden see the importance of this commonsense bill and quickly pass it into law, so we can keep our children safe, Fleischmann said in a statement. Six people, including three 9-year-olds, were killed in the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School. Authorities identified the children as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney. The adults were substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, head of school Katherine Koonce, 60, and custodian Mike Hill, 61. Police identified the shooter as Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old woman and former student of the school. Police Chief John Drake said Hale identified as transgender and used male pronouns on social media. Hale was armed with at least two semiautomatic rifles and a handgun, which she legally obtained. Nashville police officers swiftly cleared the first floor and then moved to the second floor, where they shot and killed Hale at about 10:27 a.m., about 14 minutes after Hale first entered the school. Teslas Dependency on China Very Concerning: US House Committee Chair A Tesla sign at its factory in Shanghai on May 13, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters) Teslas announcement to build a megapack factory in Shanghai has prompted questions about the American electric carmakers dependency on China, and a U.S. representative finds it very concerning. Tesla seems entirely dependent, A, on the largesse of the federal government via tax breaks, and B, upon access to the Chinese market, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) told Reuters on April 10. Gallagher, chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), expressed concern about how Tesla would balance its operations in China with the support it receives from the United States. The sort of deals theyve struck there seems very concerning. Id just be curious to know how Elon Musk balances both of those, he said. Gallagher said he hoped to discuss with Tesla the companys dealings in China, which would be similar to his meetings with Apple, Google, and Disney last weekall of which had businesses in China. Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) listens during a hearing of a special House committee dedicated to countering the Chinese Communist Party, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, on Feb. 28, 2023. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) However, Gallagher indicated that lawmakers may need to consider issuing subpoenas to Tesla or other companies if we reach roadblocks and we get to a point where lawyers are getting involved with answers. His remarks came as Tesla said on April 9 that it had struck a deal to build a megapack factory in Shanghai, which will produce 10,000 megapack units per year, equivalent to 40 gigawatt hours of energy storage. Our next Megafactory will be in Shanghai capable of producing 10k Megapacks per year pic.twitter.com/KlVGq5gYOg Tesla (@Tesla) April 9, 2023 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stated on Twitter that Teslas decision to build a megapack factory in Shanghai is concerning as the company seems to be doubling down with the CCP. When were all forced to drive electric vehicles, the real master wont be Elon. Itll be [CCP leader] Xi Jinping, and the name Master Plan 3 is eerily spot-on, Ramaswamy stated. Companies should [and] will continue to do whatever allows them to be most successful, but its the job of U.S. policymakers not to let American companies sell Xi Jinping the rope today that hell use to hang us tomorrow, he added. Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded by saying that his company was increasing production rapidly in Texas, California, and Nevada. Our competitors require subsidies, not us. That said, if competitors get subsidies, Tesla should get them too. Teslas competitive position would improve if all subsidies ended, Musk said on Twitter. Tesla planned to expand the Gigafactory Shanghai, its most productive automaking plant, to add an annual capacity of 450,000 units, Reuters reported last May. The U.S. company, however, had grappled with rising inventory in Shanghai as demand started weakening in the third quarter, leading to aggressive price cuts in its major markets globally in January. Teslas Profit In October last year, Morgan Stanley analysts said that Teslas shares should trade as a Chinese tech stock because half of Teslas profit comes from the Chinese market. They assessed that Teslas dependency on the Chinese market could last until 2030. We estimate Tesla generates as much as one-half of its profitability from the Chinese market, arguably making the stock a derivative of a Chinese Tech stock, the analysts said, Business Insider reported. Last December, the Shanghai plant sold nearly 42,000 electric cars in China, a drop of 40 percent compared to December of the previous year. Tesla even suspended production at its Shanghai plant on Dec. 23, scaling back its production capacity. According to Troy Teslike, who tracks Teslas production and sales, Teslas backlog of orders dropped by 85 percent in the six months from its high point in July 2022 to the end of the year. As of the end of last year, the backlog of orders in North America had been cleared, and orders for delivery in China were close to zero, Teslike said via Twitter. Anne Zhang, Lynn Xu, and Reuters contributed to this report. Thats a Lie: Musk Blasts BBC Reporter on Twitter Hate Speech Issue Elon Musk on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos in an illustration on April 28, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters) Twitter CEO Elon Musk criticized BBC reporter James Clayton during an interview after the journalist consistently tried to insist that Twitter was enabling the proliferation of hate speech, but then failed to provide any proof of such content. In the interview on April 11 at Twitter headquarters, Clayton insists that hate speech content has risen on Twitter. But when Musk asked him to provide an example of such content, Clayton was unable to do so. Id say that you dont know what you are talking about because you cant give a single example of hateful content. Not even one tweet. And yet you claimed that hateful content was high. Thats false. Thats a lie, Musk said. The reporter then went on to claim that there are many organizations that say that that kind of information [hateful content] is on the rise on Twitter. Musk once more asked Clayton to give one example. You literally cant even give one, the industrialist stated. Clayton then claimed that he hasnt actually looked at the Twitter feed. Musk countered, Then, how would you know there is hateful content? The reporter then switched topics, moving to COVID-19 misinformation. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, Twitter implemented a slew of measures, including warnings and labels on tweets, that it labeled as misinformation. Musk took over Twitter in late October 2022. And on Nov. 23, Twitter announced that it was no longer enforcing the COVID-19 misleading information policy. In the interview, Clayton asked Musk why Twitter decided to do away with the misinformation labels. Musk pointed out that COVID-19 is no longer an issue. The CEO asked Clayton whether the BBC holds itself responsible for misinformation regarding masking and the side effects of vaccinations. And what about the fact that the BBC was put under pressure by the British government to change its editorial policy? Are you aware of that? Musk asked. Clayton did not answer these questions. Instead, he simply claimed that he is not a representative of BBCs editorial policy. The BBC pushed out so much misinformation about COVID vaccines and masking and they were under pressure from the British government to lie to the public. Elon Musk absolutely destroyed him and turned the tables on this interview, social media influencer Ian Miles Cheong said in a tweet on April 12. BBC Twitter Label In his interview with Clayton, Musk also confirmed that Twitter is planning to designate BBCs account on the platform to publicly funded media rather than the government-funded media label currently active. BBC had earlier contacted Musk regarding the designation. The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee, the outlet said. In an email to BBC, Musk wrote: We are aiming for maximum transparency and accuracy. Linking to ownership and source of funds probably makes sense. I do think media organizations should be self-aware and not falsely claim the complete absence of bias. However, the BBCs claim that it is funded by the public is not fully accurate. U.K. law requires citizens of the United Kingdom who watch live television to pay 159 ($197) annually as licensing fee to the BBC irrespective of whether they watch the channel or not. If a resident fails in paying the license fee, they could face criminal fines and even jail time. In 2022, licensing fees paid by U.K. residents accounted for 3.8 billion, or 71 percent, of BBCs total income of 5.3 billion. The rest of the funding came from royalties, rental income, and grants. BBC receives more than 90 million annually from the government. A stunning, rare 17th-century dress, once worn by a wealthy West Country British woman to the royal court, has survived for over 360 years in pristine condition thanks to the historians and curators that have preserved it. The Silver Tissue Dress, once belonging to Lady Theophilia Harris of Bath in England, is comprised of a whalebone bodice and skirt handmade from fine silk woven with real silver thread, the silver tissue from which the dress gets its name. Dating from around 1660, the dress is a rare artifact that testifies to the culture of womens fashion that preceded the elaborate dresses we see on the red carpet today. The Silver Tissue Dress, an English court dress from the 1660s, is on display at the Crown to Couture fashion exhibition at Londons Kensington Palace from Apr. 5 to Oct. 29, 2023. (Courtesy of Fashion Museum Bath) The Silver Tissue Dress is comprised of a whalebone bodice and skirt handmade from fine silk woven with real silver thread. ( Historic Royal Palaces / Fashion Museum Bath) It is one of the earliest surviving, if not the earliest surviving dress in an English collection. It is one of the real treasures of the collection of Fashion Museum Bath, who have kindly lent it to us, Historic Royal Palaces curator, Polly Putnam, told The Epoch Times. Like on the red carpet today, your dress was used to express status, wealth, and your political alliances. Like the red carpet, some of the most spectacular items of clothing ever made were worn to court. The Silver Tissue Dress would have been worn to the Georgian Royal Court during the reign of King Charles II as a status symbol and is the earliest example of its kind, according to Putnam. As was the custom of the time, Lady Theophilia, the wife of the Member of Parliament Sir Arthur Harris, First Baronet of Thayne, would have also worn her hair shoulder length and tightly curled with a center parting. The most fashionable jewelry of the era was pearls. The Silver Tissue Dress has been intricately decorated with silk bobbin lace. ( Historic Royal Palaces / Fashion Museum Bath) The Silver Tissue Dress. ( Historic Royal Palaces / Fashion Museum Bath) Charles II was responsible for introducing many of the customs and rituals of the royal court after his return from exile in Europe. Any court attendee with respectable social standing was freely invited to attend morning levee, meaning they could watch the king get dressed, and the absence of formal invitations to attend court persisted from 1714 for over 100 years. It is incredible that the Silver Tissue Dress has remained intact since this era. The fact that we have the bodice and skirt is a remarkable thing, because the way the skirt was fashioned, it could have been repurposed, because this material is so precious. These dresses were often reworked as the fashion changed, Anne-Marie Britton, textile conservator at Historic Royal Palaces, said in a short film about the dress on YouTube. Using delicate entomological pins, Britton has lovingly restored the silk of the dress by rehydrating the fibers with a fine water mist, known as ultrasonic humidification, and leaving it to stretch and settle around a foam mold to help recreate the puffed sleeves and full bodice of the past. Its a real privilege to work on this dress, she said. Besides her now world-famous dress, much information about Lady Theophilias life has been lost to history. We dont know much about her, Putnam told The Epoch Times. She was born Theophilia Turner. We dont know the date of her birth, but she died childless in 1702, outliving her husband by nearly 50 years. Both the Turner and Harris families were allegedly friendly with the famous diarist, Samuel Pepys, and Lady Theophilia made her first appearance in Pepyss diary on Jan. 1, 1660, as a child, when the diarist joined the Turner family for supper. Author Claire Tomalin wrote in her book, Samuel Pepys: The Unequal Self: [S]he was a precocious, indulged, and confident child and something of a brat. At nine she was ordering her own harpsichord and refusing to give Pepys a lesson on it when he asked her (although he could play several string and wind instruments, he never mastered a keyboard). The Silver Tissue Dress became part of the Fashion Museum Bath Collection in 1964. ( Historic Royal Palaces / Fashion Museum Bath) The spectacular Silver Tissue Dress was handed down through generations of Lady Theophilias family and became part of the Fashion Museum Bath Collection in 1964, on loan from the Vaughan Family Trust. Owing to its rarity, the dress was exhibited almost immediately and single-handedly shines a spotlight on the lesser-known history of the Georgian Royal Court. The Silver Tissue Dress has been paired with a dress worn by actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn, made by Givenchy, worn during the film Roman Holiday and again at the 1954 Oscars ceremony, where Hepburn collected her award for Best Actress. It will appear at the Crown to Couture fashion exhibition at Londons Kensington Palace between Apr. 5 and Oct. 29, 2023. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Obama, Clinton Paid Fines for Campaign Finance Violations, But Trump Was Indicted Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, in New York on April 4, 2023. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) The prosecution of former President Donald Trump in New York stands out as an anomalyand thats not just because the defendant is the first ex-U.S. president ever to face a criminal indictment. Its a historic case fraught with concerns over legal sufficiency and political animus against Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Many people are trying to understand how a financial-misclassification case against a federal candidate generated criminal charges in a state courtroom. Such cases against federal candidates typically come from the U.S. Department of Justice, sometimes via referral from the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), Bradley Smith, a former FEC chair, told The Epoch Times. Yet that rarely happens. More often, serious controversies over federal candidates spending are resolved with agreed-upon fines through the FEC. That is what happened with Trumps 2016 political rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton. And with Democrat President Barack Obama. In 2012, Obamas campaign agreed to pay $375,000, one of the most substantial fines in FEC history. That 2008 election-cycle case centered on record-keeping deficiencies and his campaigns acceptance of $1.4 million in contributions that exceeded federal limits. An excessive contribution claim also plays a role in Trumps case. And theres a striking underlying similarity between the Clinton and Trump cases. Both involve allegations that campaign-related expenses were improperly recorded as payments for lawyers services. Figuring out the difference depends on whom you ask, which factors they emphasize, and how they interpret laws. But Smith and other experts say prosecutorial discretion, prosecutors near-absolute power to decide whether to pursue charges, could play one of the most significant roles. Opposition Research In 2022, the FEC found probable cause to believe that the Clinton campaign violated federal election laws by misreporting the purpose of payments made via a Clinton-retained law firm, records show. More than $1 million was paid to a strategic intelligence firm, Fusion GPS, during Clintons unsuccessful 2016 campaign. But campaign records classified the Fusion GPS payments as fees for attorneys work, not opposition research. That research project produced a major effect. Fusion GPSs connection to former British spy Christopher Steele produced a dossier that helped touch off a two-year federal probe of Trump, who dubbed it The Russia Hoax. Investigators found no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia to sway the election. In reality, it was the Clinton-backed Democratic machine that conspired with foreignersto manipulate the election, The Coolidge Reagan Foundation alleged in a 2018 FEC complaint against the Clinton campaign. To settle such complaints about the Fusion GPS payments, Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid fines totaling $113,000; both denied wrongdoing. Fusion GPS contractor Nellie Ohr (C) arrives for a closed-door interview with investigators from the House Judiciary and Oversight committees in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Oct 19, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) A Key Difference? Dan Cassino, professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, opined that alleged criminal intent differentiates Trumps case from several other federal candidates spending controversies, including Obamas and Clintons. In those cases, there wasnt any allegation that the candidates were trying to cover up malfeasance, as we have in the Trump case, Cassino told The Epoch Times via email. Put another way: Those were civil offensesnot filing paperwork correctly or in a timely mannernot criminal offenses. Trumps indictment accuses him of purposely falsifying New York business records to cover up a hush-money payment, which New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges was an illegally large campaign contribution. Cassino offered an analogy: If you dont file your taxes on time, or you mistype something on your tax forms, youll get a letter from the IRS telling you to fix it, and maybe a fine. If you pretend that you have a bunch of deductionsor make up some dependents, youre likely to get charged with a crime. But Smith, FEC chair from 2000-2005, says Americas campaign-finance laws are vague and subject to varying interpretations. A primary reason Trump faces prosecution could boil down to prosecutorial discretion, said Smith, who is now a professor at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. People applauding Trumps indictment cite it as proof that no one is above the law.But Smith counters: I dont think anybodys saying Trumps above the law. He sees this as the real question: Should a District Attorney target someone for prosecution because of who he is? And is that what happened to Trump? What if Trump were, for example, a city councilman who unsuccessfully ran for re-election three years ago? Would such a case have been pursued? I think the answer is no, Smith said. So, I think the question is not just Trump, but the law. Smiths analysis of the law contradicts the legal theory that Bragg has advanced. An Alleged Crime Instead of a Fine Two Republican FEC commissioners cited prosecutorial discretion when they declined to further pursue allegations against Trump in 2021. Those accusations arose from the same scandal that led to Trumps indictment under Bragg, a Democrat. Just before the 2016 election, Trump attorney Michael Cohen paid Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels, $130,000 to silence claims that she had an extramarital affair with Trump a decade earlier. Famous people, in the face of sordid allegations, often negotiate nondisclosure agreements with their accusers. Those agreements are legal. But Bragg alleges the Clifford payment constituted an illegally large campaign contribution to Trump. Then Trump wrote checks to reimburse Cohen throughout 2017, paying fake invoices for Cohens legal services, Bragg said. Trump has pleaded not guilty. But Bragg said Trump went to great lengths to hide the Clifford transaction and Cohen payments. Trumps purpose was to hide unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election, Bragg said. Smith points out: Under federal law, any expenditure, donation or anything for the purpose of influencing an election must be classified as a campaign expense. Therefore, Bragg seems to be arguing that the Clifford payment was illegal because it wasnt recorded as a campaign contribution or expenditure. Case closed, right? Nice and simple, Smith said. But Smith sees several problems with that theory. Some revolve around Cohen. Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, speaks to the media before departing his Manhattan apartment for prison on May 6, 2019. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) No Crime, in Spite of Plea? When news of the Clifford payment broke, Cohen said his own money was used to pay her. His lawyer wrote a letter to the FEC, stating: Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transactionand neither reimbursed Mr. Cohen for the payment directly or indirectly. Cohen later stated otherwise. To avoid a long prison term, Cohen pleaded guilty to several federal charges, some unrelated to the Clifford payment; one charge, however, stated the payment constituted an excessive campaign contribution. Because Cohens case concluded with his guilty plea instead of a court decision, it is not necessarily a precedent under the law, Smith said. And, Smith said: You cant convict Trump on the basis that Cohen said, Im guilty. Each defendant is entitled to his own defense, his own day in court. You cant hold Cohens confession against Trump; Trump gets a chance to raise any defenses he wants to raise, Smith said. One of those defenses might be to assert that what Cohen did was not a crime at all, Smith said. That was Trumps contention in August 2018, when he wrote on Twitter: Michael Cohen (pled) guilty to two counts of campaign finance violations that are not a crime. President Obama had a big campaign finance violation, and it was easily settled! In the New York criminal case, Smith says Trumps argument could go something like this: Cohen plea-bargained, but Trump didnt agree it was a crime. And he didnt agree he was trying to cover up Cohens payment because Trump didnt think it was a crime. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference after the sentencing hearing of the Trump Organization at the New York Supreme Court in New York on Jan. 13, 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) A section of campaign-finance law, known as the personal-use provision, expressly forbids candidates from converting donors money to personal use. Prohibited uses of campaign money would include hiring a lawyer to seal records of a messy divorce or paying off people who threaten to file lawsuits, Smith said. Those actions could benefit a candidates campaign and influence the election. But still, people take such actions to protect their reputations even if theyre not running for office, Smith said. In contrast, people dont pay for campaign advertisements or rent campaign headquarters unless they are seeking to win an election. Thus, those are clearly expenses coverable by campaign contributions. Smith said the personal-use test turns on this question: What kinds of things does a person do if theyre campaigning, but not otherwise? Some people disagree with Smiths analysis. But he said, Theres really almost no judicial decision interpreting this provision of the law, leaving it open to interpretation. Despite the flaws Smith cites in Braggs case, Trump remains in great legal peril. The prosecutor has got a tough row to hoe, but thats the danger Trump hasthat he makes it all stick, Smith said. Many people agree that, in Democrat-heavy New York, Trump faces an uphill battle in seating fair-minded jurors. Theres a pretty good chance that, even if Im right on the law and everything, which I believe I am, the judge is gonna let it go to trial, and a jury can convict him, Smith said. Trump, however, would likely win a reversal on appeal, Smith believes. But Trump risks hurting his case with his tendency to talk, Smith said. Hes got to shut up and let his lawyers handle the case. President Donald Trump talks with reporters at Andrews Air Force Base after attending a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pa., at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Sept. 3, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) A Major Missing Piece Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized Braggs case, saying it appears to be built on a shaky legal foundation. But supporters say he likely has more solid evidence than might be apparent publicly. Bragg also faces criticism for the seemingly uneven administration of justice. Bragg has doggedly pursued felony financial charges against Trump while reducing violent felony charges to misdemeanors for other suspects. Although Braggs office has prosecuted dozens of people for falsifying business records, experts have said that Trumps case could be the states first involving a federal campaign. To elevate misdemeanor charges to felonies, Bragg coupled state law with an allegation that Trump falsified business records with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime. But Bragg has only hinted at what the other crime might be; it isnt revealed in Trumps 34-count indictment, nor its accompanying statement of facts. Some legal analysts, including Ohio attorney Mike Allen, a former prosecutor, think that glaring omission may have fatally flawed the indictment. But Cassino, the New Jersey professor, sees it as a possible strategic move for Bragg. It seems that they have multiple theories as to what the underlying crime could be and they dont want to commit to either before they have to, That way, if one theory gets tossed out, they have the other one to fall back on, Cassino said. Thus, omitting the underlying crime may buy Bragg some time and flexibility, Cassino said. Bragg seems to be going with a belt-and-suspenders approach here, he said. Hell probably have to commit to one theory or another eventually, but hell put it off as long as he can. By hitching his legal wagon to an invisible horse, Bragg created conundrums. If the unnamed charge falls under state law, is it really a crime without a prior conviction of Trump on that charge? Or, if the unnamed charge instead falls under federal campaign finance law, does Bragg, as a state-system prosecutor, have proper jurisdiction over it? But for many ordinary citizens, such technical issues fail to address whether Trump was unfairly singled out. As Smith wrote in a 2018 Reason magazine column: Increasingly, campaign finance laws now illustrate the classic situation where the government can always get you for somethingits just a question of what theyll get you for. Treating Californias Fentanyl Crisis as an Epidemic Commentary More than the rest of the country, California continues to suffer large numbers of fentanyl deaths. The Feb. 15 update on the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, run by the state government, shows the numbers for 2021, the last full year data are available. There were 7,175 deaths related to any opioid overdose, of which 5,961 were deaths related to fentanyl overdose, or 83 percent. Interestingly, there also were 14,777,578 prescriptions for opioidsthat is, legal use, including fentanyl prescriptions. Ive know people, such as those with cancer or who are in post-operative care, for whom an opioid prescription is the difference between a tolerable life and extreme suffering. Although abuses happen, such uses are legitimate. Its well known the source of the illegal fentanyl is Mexican cartels, which import the chemical precursors from Communist China. Would competent diplomacy take of that problem? It seems to me it would. In any case, its not being done. Also effective would be strong border control. But the Biden administration is giving us effectively open borders. Fentanyl notoriously is highly condensed, far more than heroin and other opioids. If the government wont stop illegal immigrants entering, how can it possibly stop the packets of fentanyl many of them carry? The Border Patrol Chiefs testified before Congress in February that Bidens border crisis is overwhelming. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection canine team checks automobiles for contraband in the line to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Ysidro, Calif., on Oct. 2, 2019. (Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images) A new problem was reported April 10 by the Los Angeles Times, Tainted pills from Mexican pharmacies kept killing Americans even after U.S. knew of threat. Theyre often tainted with fentanyl. Well, with the border basically open, as supported by the L.A. Times editorial pages, its hard to see how that can be halted, either. Military Solution? Some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, have called for U.S. military attacks on the cartels in Mexico. That presents numerous problems. The first is it effectively would be a declaration of war on Mexico. The second is it would encourage the cartels to infiltrate the U.S. military more than they already have. Former DEA Deputy Administrator Jack Riley says the infiltration already has begun. Another problem is the U.S. military already is overstretched and tasked with too many different missions all around the world. And the U.S. Army has fallen 25 percent short of the its recruiting goals of 60,000 new soldiers. That is, 15,000 short. Attacking the cartels in Mexico would be a difficult mission that, for example, might end up targeting civilians, with cell phone pictures of the carnage broadcast around the world. The cartels also, if they infiltrated the U.S. military, could use it to target rivals. A drug user displays a fentanyl hit before usage in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Fentanyl as an Epidemic We just went through an epidemic, COVID-19. It took the arc epidemics almost always take. First, the most vulnerable die quickly. In this case, it was the elderly and the weak. In the case of the 1918 Spanish Flu, it actually was healthy young people. Next, those with some immunity or endurance die in some cases, but many survive. Eventually, the virus mutates and becomes weaker, enduring as part of the usual round of sickness thats always with us. There also was the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s. Because it was a social epidemic, it also led to social problems such as deadly gang warfare and government crime crackdowns, such as Californias Three Strikes initiative, Proposition 184, in 1994. Which was watered down by Proposition 36 in 2012. At the federal level, the 1994 Crime Bill signed into law by President Clinton, among other things, increased penalties for crack cocaine distribution and possession far higher than those for regular cocaine. As a Brennan Center summary noted, Overall, though, the law is now seen by many as a major driver of mass incarceration. For that reason, policymakers who played a role in pushing it forward, including presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, have been attacked for supporting it. The crack epidemic ended not because of these efforts, but because those most likely to be susceptible to using it died from overdoses, or from the violence. Those who could get help from social agencies, church and other charities, or who could kick it on their own, did so and survived. Crack still is out there, but fewer people suffer from it. Briefly, there was also the heroin epidemic in American cities in the 1960s, dramatized in the 1971 movie The French Connection. And in the late 19th century, there was a previous cocaine epidemic whose most famous fictional user was Sherlock Holmes. A real-life user was Sigmund Freud. It almost killed him. When launched in 1886, Coca-Cola contained cocaine, hence the name. In those days, it was legal. The first national law outlawing such drugs was the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914. Pictures of people who died from a drug overdose line a fence at the Laguna Niguel Skate Park in Laguna Niguel, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2020. (Chris Karr/The Epoch Times) Conclusion The problems: The U.S. State Department is incapable of negotiating strongly with Mexico City and Beijing. The border is wide open and not closing soon. Military action against the cartels in Mexico would be counterproductive. And theres little desire for a new war on drugs. That means the only thing left to do is to ride out the fentanyl epidemic. Those most vulnerable, including unfortunately even young people not aware fentanyl was laced into a less deadly drug, will die in large numbers until the epidemic dissipates. In a positive development, a man in Orange County, Jim Raugh, whose son died of fentanyl, is putting up billboards around Southern California reading, Fentanyl is the number one cause of death for Americans age 18 to 45. I forget where I saw it, but a nurse who deals with addicts said heroin junkies can go on for years, even decades, but fentanyl addicts dont last more than a year or two. Its terrible. Especially as, at this point, fentanyl has killed so many people, most of us know at least one victim. Just as most of us know someone who died of COVID. Its sad but thats the way it is. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Trudeau Foundation Didnt Return Chinese Donation as Previously Claimed: Report Canadian and Chinese flags are seen prior to the meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Dec. 5, 2017. (Fred Dufour/Pool via Reuters) A day after the leadership of the Trudeau Foundation resigned citing the political climate surrounding a donation received from a Chinese regime insider, the news outlet La Presse reported that the money hadnt been returned as previously claimed. This caused an internal crisis among the foundation directors and is what led to their resignation, not the political climate, the French-language report said. La Presses April 12 report is based on interviews with five unidentified individuals who resigned from the Trudeau Foundation the previous day. The outlet says it also obtained an internal document indicating that the $200,000 donation from Chinese businessman and regime insider Zhang Bin in 2016 was never returned. The Globe and Mail reported on Feb. 28 that according to a national security source, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had uncovered a 2014 plan by Beijing to donate to the Trudeau Foundation through Zhang. The day after the report was published, the foundation issued a statement saying it would return the money. We cannot keep any donation that may have been sponsored by a foreign government and would not knowingly do so, CEO and president Pascale Fournier said at the time. It turns out the foundation could not return the donation, since the name on the cheque wasnt the name of the real donor, reported La Presse. The foundation couldnt reimburse the real donor since his name did not appear in the organizations accounting books, and as such the reimbursement would have been illegal, the internal document reportedly says. This led board members not with the foundation at the time of the donation to request an independent investigation. They also asked that those who were board members at the time recuse themselves. They reportedly refused. Anyone who was on the finance committee or the audit committee at the time of the donation has a conflict of interest because they accepted cheques, La Presse quotes one source as saying. Therefore they should not be part of an investigation of the matter. They should have recused themselves. And they refused. The source said an independent investigation would have determined who was the true donor and if there were strings attached to the donation. We lost confidence in the ability of the organization to deal with this file with transparency, integrity, and accountability, said one source. This is what led one source to qualify the foundations claim of a difficult political climate as the reason for the leaderships resignation as a bunch of lies. The Trudeau Foundation announced in an April 11 statement that Fournier and the board of the directors were resigning. The circumstances created by the politicization of the Foundation have made it impossible to continue with the status quo, it said. In a statement to The Epoch Times on April 12, the foundation said it will launch an independent review of the donation with a potential connection to the Chinese government. The review will be conducted by an accounting firm with no previous involvement with the foundation. As reported recently, the Foundation received two payments of $70,000. A reimbursement cheque was issued in the name of the donor which made those payments and to which CRA charitable receipts were issued, the statement also said. The foundation was established in 2001 to honour the memory of former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and received a $125 million endowment from the federal government in March 2002. It provides scholarships and mentorship to develop future engaged leaders. The foundation says it is independent. The Minister of Innovation can appoint up to six of its 30 members, and two seats on the board of directors are also reserved for appointments by the minister. The organizations 2021-2022 annual report shows one member and one director were ministerial appointees. No Involvement: Trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a succession member of the foundation along with his brother Alexandre Trudeau, but the prime ministers status is inactive since he became involved in politics. Trudeau was asked at a press conference on April 12 whether the foundation should cut all links with his family and even change its name given the current turmoil. He replied that he has no involvement at all with a foundation that carries my fathers name. I think its important that the foundation itself answers these questions and reflects on how it can continue doing the important work that it does, he said. The previous day, Trudeau said Conservative politicians were trying to score political points by increasing polarization and partisanship in this country by launching completely unfounded and ungrounded attacks against charities or foundations. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre called for an investigation into the foundation after news broke of its leadership resignation. We need to know who got rich; who got paid and who got privilege and power from Justin Trudeau as a result of funding to the Trudeau Foundation, he said on Twitter on April 11. Poilievre and other opposition leaders have called for a public inquiry on the issue of Chinese interference in the last two elections, after allegations such as those reported by the Globe began surfacing last November. Trudeau has rejected calls for a public inquiry, and instead appointed former governor general David Johnston as special rapporteur to examine the situation and make recommendations, one of which could be to hold an inquiry. Poilievre has questioned Johnstons ability to review the matter impartially given that he is a family friend of Trudeau and was previously a member of the Trudeau Foundation. How will you investigate Beijings donation to the Trudeau Foundation when you were part of the Trudeau Foundation, Poilievre asked Johnston in a letter addressed to him on April 12. Johnston became a member of the Foundation in 2018 and resigned following his appointment as special rapporteur on March 15, the foundation previously told The Epoch Times. Trudeau defended Johnstons appointment again on April 12, saying hes a man of incredible integrity. Johnstons office previously told The Epoch Times he is currently not commenting on matters related to his appointment. Editors note: This article has been updated with comments from the Trudeau Foundation. Matthew Horwood contributed to this report. The State Duma, the Russian lower house of parliament, on Tuesday approved a series of measures to prevent citizens called up by the Army from avoiding the draft. The changes aim to prevent people from leaving the country once a digital notification reaches their account within Russias government services website, regardless of whether they open the message or not. Not yet. And no, Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, replied when asked if the authorities are considering a new call to arms in their war against Ukraine. The hastily approved reforms, which still need approval from the upper house, raise fears that the Kremlin may be preparing a second mass conscription of citizens to send to the front. This [the legal reform] has nothing to do with a conscription, said Peskov on Tuesday. Eight days before the previous draft, on September 13 of last year, Peskov categorically denied that the Kremlin was going to take that step. Yet soon after that, Putin signed a decree that mobilized an undisclosed number of citizens. According to the Ministry of Defense, up to 300,000 citizens were called to the recruitment points, although several independent Russian media outlets reported that presidential sources raised the figure to around one million people. The Duma has passed the new legal reform at full speed. The bill was introduced before noon and by 4 p.m. its three readings had already been approved by overwhelming unanimity: 394 votes in favor and one abstention. Nina Ostanina, a lawmaker for the Communist Party, said that many of her Duma colleagues did not have time to familiarize themselves with the legal text. Approving a complete law after listening to some interviews on television and looking at the text for two hours sitting inside this room... Neither I nor my colleagues remember anything like this before, lamented Ostanina as she addressed the Duma. One of the few remaining opposition parties in Russia, Yabloko, has denounced the approval of this law. None of the Duma deputies opposed it (five Putin parties in disguise!), and only one abstained, one of Yablokos best-known politicians, Boris Vishnevsky, wrote on his personal Telegram channel. They are trampling on constitutional rights again in order to fill the army with new recruits, he added, before warning that there will be a massive flight of talent and young people from Russia. The authors of this law know exactly what they are doing: deliberately depriving the country of a future. Rumors about a new mobilization have not died down, even though the first one supposedly concluded at the end of October. The lack of progress on the front and the prospect of a long war have fueled this fear. In addition, the Kremlin never issued a decree officially ending that first conscription, saying that Putins word would suffice for this. A man walks past an army recruitment advert on a billboard reading 'Who if not us' outside St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 11, 2023. Dmitri Lovetsky (AP) Electronic summons The chairman of the Defense Committee of the State Duma, former commander Andrei Kartapolov, specified that the reform affects not only new recruits who must complete compulsory military service, but also reservists and everyone else with ties to the army. But he left out mobilized civilians because he said that the government is not considering another conscription. The new legislation addresses summons at recruitment points, a loophole that allowed many Russians to dodge the draft last fall and flee the country. For this reason, one of the amendments will now equate certified mail with electronic notices sent through the popular government services website Gosuslugi. Unlike physical letters, the delivery of which is only validated if the recipient signs a receipt, an electronic summons will be considered received the instant it arrives in the recipients inbox, regardless of whether he opens it or not. Likewise, a summoned citizen will not be able to dodge the draft even if he deletes his profile from Gosuslugi and does not open the door to any mailman. The new legislation states that summoned citizens will be included in a special registry after seven days have elapsed from the delivery of their notice. One of the key points of the law is the prohibition to leave the country as soon as the summons is delivered. If the affected individual does not show up at his local recruitment point after 20 days, he will be subjected to further restrictions that include revoking his drivers license and preventing him from taking out loans and registering companies or real estate. Another important aspect of the reform is the creation of a single military registry that will contain all kinds of personal data about citizens who have served or should serve in the armed forces, including information about their place of work, their education, and their health condition. The Ministries of Health and Education are just some of the organizations that will provide this information. Burning of recruitment centers The conscription decreed by Putin on September 21, 2022 triggered the second mass flight of Russians following the start of the war. Hundreds of thousands of people left the country in the first two weeks after the call-up. According to Forbes magazine, some 700,000 Russians left the country between that day and the beginning of October, although this figure has been denied by the Kremlin. Simultaneously, the call-up descended into chaos. The vagueness of the decree and Putins promise that only civilians with prior military experience would be recruited clashed with the forced conscription of thousands of ineligible Russians, especially in regions with ethnic minorities. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu acknowledged months later that it could have been done much better. Meanwhile, protests were quickly suppressed, although a wave of fires spread through the Russian enlistment points. On Tuesday of this week, a military court in Yekaterinburg, in the central part of the country, sentenced an employee of the Emergencies Ministry, Alexei Nureyev, and a National Guard driver, Roman Nasriyev, to 19 years in prison for setting fire to a recruitment center. Both men broke a window of the center and threw a Molotov cocktail inside, which burned down an information stand. The case was reclassified as a terrorist act after initially being considered a misdemeanor. I knew that actions like this were being carried out throughout the country. I knew that no one was hurt. With this I only wanted to show that in our city there is disagreement with the mobilization and the special military operation. I wanted my voice to be heard, said Nasriyev at his trial, according to the human rights organization Zona Solidarnosti. Trump Vows to Never Drop Out of 2024 Race, Even If Convicted Former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 31, 2022. (The Epoch Times) No matter how many accusations Democrats throw at him, former President Donald Trump vows to keep campaigning for the 2024 presidential election. I would never drop out. Its not my thing. I wouldnt do it, Trump declared on Tuesday during his first post-indictment interview. He spoke from his home at Mar-A-Lago, Florida, with Fox News Tucker Carlson for over an hour. Trump also revealed some behind-the-scenes details of his court appearance a week ago in New York. Trump said court employees grew emotional as they put a former president through the machinations of criminal booking procedures for the first time in U.S. history. They signed me in, and Ill tell you: People were crying, people that work there, professional workers that have no problems putting in murderers, Trump said. Former President Donald Trump arrives at court in New York on April 4, 2023. (Mary Altaffer/AP Photo) He pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges in a Manhattan courtroom. Trump is accused of falsifying business records in violation of state law and in furtherance of an unspecified underlying crime. In his interview with Carlson, the Republican former president also said that the Democrat-led prosecution is a weaponization of our justice system. Trump said its the latest example in a seven-year string of bogus investigations targeting him, all intended to sabotage his political endeavors. Trump described the Manhattan courts criminal charges booking area as a tough, tough place, but said the court employees were apologetic for having to do certain things. He called the court workers phenomenal and said that, even though his arraignment represented a sad day for him and for America, in one sense, it was beautiful, because of how the employees treated him. But, Trump said, in another sense, it was nasty. Wryly, Trump remarked that nothing in his past experience prepared him for that procedure. I went to the Wharton School of Finance We didnt have a class on an arraignment, he said. Those court employees and the American people can see through the hoaxes that are still being perpetrated against him, Trump said. During the first two years of his presidency, 2017-2019, Trump was investigated on false allegations that he conspired with Russians to sway the 2016 election in his favor. That investigation crippled U.S.-Russia relations, Trump told Carlson. Disinformation Trump said Democrats are the party of disinformation. He was responding to some Democrats asserting that if Trump is again selected as the Republican presidential nominee, President Joe Biden or another Democrat could beat him in the 2024 election. So what they say is, We want to run against Trump,' when they actually would prefer not to face him as a presidential contender, Trump said. People need to know that Democrats often say the opposite of what they really want, he said. Support for Trump has seemed to increase since the FBI conducted an unprecedented raid on his Mar-A-Lago residence in August and climbed further after his indictment, Carlson acknowledged. And, at his recent speeches and the March 25 rally in Waco, Texas, held under a cloud of the looming indictment, support for him hasnt waned, he said. Former President Donald Trump greets supporters gathered in Waco, Texas, for his first official rally of the 2024 presidential campaign on March 25, 2023. (Courtesy of Donald J. Trump for President) The enthusiasm is more now than Ive ever seen, Trump said. Trump said he gave Carlson an opinion poll showing that he is outpacing Biden by 9 percentage points. Asked to comment on whether Biden will actually run for re-election, Trump, who is often criticized for speaking too boldly, said it would be almost inappropriate to say what he really thinks. But Trump did say that, based on Bidens communication difficulties during televised speeches, I dont see how its possible for Biden to pursue the presidency. Its not an age thing, said Trump, who, at 76, is close to Bidens age, 80. I just dont see Biden doing it from a physical or a mental state, Trump said. But its been a crazy period of time in the world of politics. Trump Seeks Delay of Defamation Trial Due to Media Frenzy Caused by His Indictment Former President Donald Trump appears in court at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on April 4, 2023. (Steven Hirsch/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Former President Donald Trump wants his upcoming defamation trial delayed, arguing that his recent indictment has stoked a media frenzy that warrants a cooling off period. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts on April 4. He is scheduled to go on trial on April 25 for allegedly defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll. The start of the trial should be pushed back for four weeks because of the deluge of prejudicial media coverage concerning Trumps indictment and arraignment, Joseph Tacopina and Alina Habba, lawyers for Trump, wrote to the court. Trump was the first former president indicted and was arraigned as hundreds of demonstrators and reporters gathered outside the courtroom, they noted. Holding the trial of this case a mere three weeks after these historic events will guarantee that many, if not most, prospective jurors will have the criminal allegations top of mind when judging President Trumps defense against Ms. Carrolls allegations, they added. Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s. Trump said she made up the story and that Carroll is not my type. Trumps statements amount to defamation, Carroll charged in a civil lawsuit. The case survived a motion to dismiss and is set to move to trial. Trump was indicted on felony charges after allegedly falsifying business records to hide payments he made to a lawyer who had paid an adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, not to talk about her alleged affair with Trump. While Trump is regularly covered by the media because hes campaigning and a former president, the indictment caused a spike in stories and broadcast coverage, evidenced by a jump in Google searches, Trumps lawyers said. They also said that because the indictment and the civil suit relate to purported sexual misconduct, a cooling off period is warranted. A four-week delay should be ordered to allow the media frenzy to recede, according to the lawyers. A short postponement of the trial will allow the recent surge in media coverage to subside and increase the likelihood that President Trump receives a fair trial, they said, asserting that the criminal case is unlikely to set off fresh coverage until August, the deadline for the parties to file motions. Carrolls lawyers have not yet replied to the request, which was made to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judge, a Clinton appointee overseeing the case, set the trial date in February, after rejecting a motion to dismiss the litigation. Twitter to Relabel BBC as Publicly-Funded A phone screen displays a photo of Elon Musk with the Twitter logo shown in the background in Washington on Oct. 4, 2022. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) The BBCs government-funded media Twitter tag will be relabeled after the broadcaster objected to it, according to platform owner Elon Musk. On Monday, the BBC protested Twitters decision to label its main account as government-funded media. The BBC contacted Twitter last week after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. In an interview with the BBC, Twitter owner Musk said he has the utmost respect for the organisation, adding, We want [the tag] as truthful and accurate as possiblewere adjusting the label to [the BBC being] publicly fundedwell try to be accurate. He previously described the BBC as among the least biased news organisations. In a statement released in the wake of the government-funded media designation, the broadcaster said: The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee. The label links to Twitters help centre which says government-funded media are outlets where the government provides some or all of the outlets funding and may have varying degrees of government involvement over editorial content. The BBCs headquarters in London, in an undated photo. (Ian West/PA) Licence Fee The BBC is principally funded through a licence fee paid by UK households. The licence fee raised 3.8 billion in 2022 for the BBC, accounting for about 71 percent of the BBCs total income of 5.3 billion. In March, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced that it is giving an extra 20 million to support the BBC World Service over two years. On social media, some disputed Twitters labelling, saying that while the BBC is funded by the British public through the licence fee, its operations and editorial decision-making are independent of the government. The BBCs impartiality is also set out in its Royal Charter and framework agreement. The BBC said that collection of the licence fee and enforcement of non-payment is carried out by private companies contracted by the corporation, not the UK government. In a follow-up article, the editor of The Spectator magazine, Fraser Nelson, argued that the BBC undoubtedly is government funded and to say that it is publicly funded is a bit Orwellian. The BBCs Jesuitical excuse is that a private firm, Capita, does the dirty work, wrote Nelson. But the power behind this licence fee is, of course, governmental, he added. Twitter Tag As of Wednesday, the BBC still has the government-funded media tag. Last week, NPR, which critics say exhibits a far-left bias in its reporting, was designated state-affiliated by Twitter. Labeling NPR state-affiliated media is wholly inaccurate and untruthful. NPR gets LESS THAN 2 percent 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, wrote NPRs Ashley Westerman. However, some argued that much of NPRs funding is hidden in the form of grants, which suggests that the often-claimed 2 percent figure is far higher. On Tuesday, Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre told Twitter in a letter that the Canadian public broadcaster CBC should be labelled as government-funded media on Twitter. Poilievre noted that CBC receives the majority of its funding from the federal government, to the tune of $1.24 billion. As a result, and in the interest of transparency, I believe that Twitter should apply the Government-funded Media label to the CBCs various news-related accounts, including @CBC, @CBCNews, and @CBCAlerts, he wrote. BBC Interview In a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday with BBC tech reporter James Clayton, Musk disputed claims that so-called hate speech has become more prevalent on Twitter since his takeover. In March, the BBCs disinformation and social media team talked to former Twitter employees who claimed that under Musks ownership, the company is no longer able to protect users from trolling, state-co-ordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation. Musk asked Clayton for an example of offensive content but the journalist was unable to give one. I say, sir, that you dont know what you are talking about, because you cannot give me a single example of hateful content, not even one tweet, said Musk. You claimed that hateful content is high. That is false, you just lied, he added. PA Media, Jack Phillips, and Noe Chartier contributed to this report. US Condemns Heavy Sentence Handed to Chinese Human Rights Lawyers A police officer walks past placards of detained rights activists taped on the fence of the Chinese liaison office, in protest against Beijings detention of prominent anti-corruption activist Xu Zhiyong, in Hong Kong, China, on Feb. 19, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images) The United States has condemned Chinas sentencing of two prominent human rights lawyers to more than a decade each in prison. Lawyers Xu Zhiyong, 50, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, and Ding Jiaxi, 55, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and deprived of political rights for three years by a court in eastern Chinas Shandong Province on April 10, for supporting internationally recognized freedoms such as freedom of assembly and speech. They were first detained in December 2019. Xu and Ding, both prominent members of the New Citizens Movement, were charged with subversion of state power by authorities for meeting in early December 2019 to discuss current affairs with Chang Weiping and other citizens and lawyers in the seaside city of Xiamen in southeastern Fujian Province to discuss Chinas future and their experience in promoting the construction of civil society. These sentences demonstrate the PRCs expansive effort to intimidate and silence all aspects of civil society, U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement on April 11, using the acronym for the Peoples Republic of China. We urge the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release these two unjustly detained human rights defenders and to cease any harassment of their family members, he said. We similarly call upon the PRC to release others who were unjustly detained or imprisoned, to reinstate the lawyers who were unjustly disbarred, and to allow all individuals to exercise their fundamental freedoms. The United States will always stand with the brave individuals in the PRC and around the world who defend human rights. Legal scholar Xu Zhiyong on July 17, 2009. (Greg Baker/File/AP Photo) On Dec. 26, 2019, authorities launched a massive interprovincial search and arrest action of those involved in the Xiamen gathering. More than 20 citizens and lawyers were either disappeared, summoned, or detained and tortured. They were accused of subverting state power and picking quarrels and provoking trouble, a vaguely defined offense thats used to muzzle dissent. This incident is regarded as the largest targeting of a Chinese citizen movement since the 709 incident, in which the communist regime unlawfully arrested hundreds of rights lawyers beginning on July 9, 2015. Most of those involved in or who attended the Xiamen gathering and were detained by police were released on bail pending trial, while Xu and Ding were officially arrested. However, labor and womens rights activist Li Qiaochu (who was also Xus girlfriend) was summoned repeatedly by police and secretly detained for publicly speaking out on behalf of Xu and other detained lawyers. She hasnt been heard from since being taken away by Beijing police on Feb. 16, 2020, according to the rights group Human Rights in China. Lawyer Chang Weiping, an attendee at the Xiamen gathering, was secretly detained twice and tortured before being officially arrested. Human Rights in China reported that Chang is currently jailed in a detention center in a remote mountainous area in Shaanxi Province. Zhang Zhongshun, Dai Zhenya, and Li Yingjun, who also were involved in the gathering, remain at a so-called Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL), which is described by rights-group Safeguard Defenders as Chinas system of state-sanctioned kidnapping. Condemnation The sentencing of Xu and Ding has attracted wide condemnation in the international community, including by rights group Amnesty International (AI). The disgraceful sentencing of prominent Chinese human rights defenders Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi is a blatant violation of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly, said AIs China researcher Alkan Akad. They should be released immediately and unconditionally. Sophie Luo Shengchun, the wife of jailed Chinese human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, poses with a photo of him at her home in Alfred, N.Y., on July 28, 2022. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) Renowned Chinese lawyers and activists posted on Twitter to condemn the sentencing and show their support for the lawyers. Yu Wensheng, a Beijing human rights lawyer, posted: Strongly condemn the heavy sentence given by the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to Dr. Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi! Salute Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi who have worked hard for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law! I believe that a better China will surely come true in the future. Wang Qingpeng, a human rights lawyer based in the United States, posted: I met lawyer Ding Jiaxi in 2017. He had been to the United States after he was released from prison in 2016. I asked him, since the CCP let you out, why did you come back [to China]? Lawyer Ding said if everyone left, who would build a better China? I just learned that lawyer Ding was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and I was so angry that I couldnt speak! The CCP is running wild before reaching the end! Chen Jiangang, a human rights lawyer based in the United States, said people shouldnt have any illusions about the CCPs tyranny. The CCP sentenced Ding Jiaxi to 12 years in prison and deprived of political rights for 3 yearshave the Chinese ever had political rights? Well-known pro-democracy activist Wang Dan, a student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen democratic movement, posted on Facebook: This also reminds us not to have any illusions about this evil regime. If they are not overthrown, China will never have room for progress! Tried in Secret Xu and Ding were tried in secret in the Linshu County Court of Linyi City in Shandong Province on June 22 and 24, 2022, respectively, but no verdict was pronounced at the time. On April 7 and 8, Ding Jiaxis wife, Luo Shengchun, who lives in the United States and has long campaigned for their release, publicized the oral manuscripts prepared by Xu and Ding before they were tried in secret. I long for a free country, a China without power mongers running amok: We have freedom of belief. What religion and doctrine we believe in is a personal nature We have freedom of speech, and theres no large-scale censorship on social media posts and accounts. There is no restricted area for political speech, and no one will be imprisoned for expressing political opinions, Xu said in the manuscript. A battle between democracy and autocracy is unfolding, Ding said in his manuscript. Their lifelong dictatorship and long-term one-party dictatorship are coming to an end. Even encircled by the high wall, I can clearly feel it. Xia Yu contributed to this report. US Forces Capture ISIS Attack Facilitator in Syria Helicopter Raid A mural bears the logo of the ISIS terrorist group in the village of Albu Sayf, Iraq, on March 1, 2017. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images) U.S. Central Command troops carried out a helicopter operation in eastern Syria, late in the evening on April 8, and captured Hudayfah al Yemeni, an ISIS attack facilitator, and two of his companions. No civilians were hurt or killed. The organizations capacity to plan and carry out actions will be hampered by the detention of al Yemeni and his associates, according to Central Commands April 12 press release. Operations against ISIS are important for the security and stability of the region, said Col. Joe Buccino, a CENTCOM spokesperson. ISIS remains a threat to the region and beyondthe group retains the capability to conduct operations in Iraq and Syria with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East, and its vile ideology remains a threat. Operations such as this one reaffirms our commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS. U.S. Central Command, along with its coalition and other partners, conducted a total of 37 D-ISIS operations against the terror group in March 2023. According to a recent report by the military website, these movements resulted in the death of nine ISIS operatives and the detention of 18 others. The report reflects the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism by the United States and its allies. The majority of these undertakings took place in Iraq, with 28 partnered operations and no U.S.-only operations. In Syria, there were nine partnered operations and no U.S.-only operations. The military moves in Iraq and Syria targeted ISIS members responsible for planning attacks, including plans to attack ISIS detention facilities in Syria. Of the 18 detained ISIS militants, at least eight were found to have been involved in the planning of the attacks inside Iraq and Syria. These actions were conducted under the authority of the CENTCOM commander, who has retained authority for acts against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. They were carried out by the Combined Joint Task ForceOperation Inherent Resolve, with the assistance of local partners who play a vital role in the fight against terrorism. In Iraq, CENTCOM troops work alongside Iraqi Security Forces, including the Kurdish Peshmerga, to combat ISIS. In Syria, CENTCOM partners with the Syrian Democratic Forces to continue the fight against the terror group. The report highlights the competence, professionalism, and dedication of these local partners, which allows for continued pressure against the group. The fight against ISIS continues, said Buccino, according to the groups press release. Though its capability is degraded, ISIS retains the ability to direct and inspire attacks in the region and abroad. US Urges Burma Junta to End Horrific Violence After Airstrikes Kill Villagers One of the houses that were destroyed in an airstrike by the military junta in the Khuafo village, located north of the Chin State town of Thantlang, Burma, on March. 30, 2023. (Free Burma Rangers) The United States on April 11 urged the Burmese military junta to cease its horrific violence against civilians after more than 50 villagers were killed in the juntas latest airstrike in the northwestern Sagaing region. A junta fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto a house where villagers had gathered for a housewarming ceremony in Pazigyi village, Sagaings Kinbalu township, The Irrawaddy reported. Other reports stated that the building was a new administration building set up by a local peoples defense force that opposes the junta. The attack reportedly killed 50 people and wounded 30 more, according to The Irrawaddys report, while The Associated Press put the death toll at 100. The Epoch Times couldnt independently confirm the figures. At the moment, its hard to say exactly how many casualties there were. We havent been able to retrieve bodies and body parts, as the area where the airstrike occurred is still burning, an unnamed resident told The Irrawaddy. The military junta also launched airstrikes on Webula village in Chin States Falam Township on April 10, killing at least seven people and injuring six others, a Free Burma Rangers spokesperson told The Epoch Times. The spokesperson said that a village pastor died from a heart attack shortly after the attack, and four homes were completely destroyed. Another village, Hmunli Village, was also attacked, but the bombs overshot the village and exploded outside the village. No casualties or buildings damaged [reported], the spokesperson said in an email. The Epoch Times is unable to independently verify these claims. U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed grave concern over the airstrikes and urged the junta to abide by its obligations under international law to protect civilians in Burma (also known as Myanmar). These violent attacks further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup, he said in a statement. The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma. Children Feared Among Dead Volker Turk, the U.N. human rights chief, was horrified by the incident and said the victims appeared to include schoolchildren performing dances at the opening ceremony. A helicopter gunship then reportedly fired on those fleeing the hall, Turk said in a statement. Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law. Turk called on all parties to take feasible precautions to protect the civilian population from the effects of attacks, such as avoiding locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas. There are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since Feb. 1, 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, he said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attacks and called for those responsible for the airstrikes to be held accountable, according to a statement released by his spokesman. Worst Situation in 30 Years Burma has been plunged into turmoil since the military junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyis elected government in a February 2021 coup, with violence flaring in several regions as opposition groups clash with the military. Villagers gathered to mourn the victims killed in a junta airstrike in the Khuafo village, located north of the Chin State town of Thantlang, Burma, on March 30, 2023. (Free Burma Rangers) David Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, said the situation in Burma is the worst he has seen in 30 years, with more than 30 airstrikes launched against civilians in Karenni state in February alone. Ive never seen the Burma army come with such speed and force as they have now with Russian aircraft, jet fighters, attack helicopters, armor, multiple launches, rocket systems, and heavy artillery, he told The Epoch Times on April 1. Eubank said at least 2.5 million people in Burma had been displaced since the military seized control, with internally displaced persons camps being the targets of many attacks. Almost every hiding place was hit by bombers, not military places, [but internally displaced persons] hiding places and also churches and schools, averaging about once a week, he said. The report was updated with additional information. Virginia Donors Use New Website to Fight Richmond Universitys Radical Ideology Family keeps pursuing $3.6 billion for institution taking ancestor's name off law school The bronze statue of Lieutenant General A.P. Hill is removed from its pedestal in Richmond, Va., on Dec. 12, 2022. (John C. Clark/AP Photo) Descendants of a University of Richmond donor are continuing to demand $3.6 billion in restitution from the institution for stripping their ancestors name from its law school. And they have launched a website to fight the universitys woke ideology. The website URwoke.net and its accompanying foundation were launched earlier this month by the family of T.C. Williams, who donated to the universitys law school in the mid-1800s. It was the familys latest move in an ongoing public battle with the university after The Epoch Times reported the story in February. Attorney Robert Smith launched a new website and foundation in April 2023, in an ongoing battle with the University of Richmond for removing his ancestors name from the law school because he reportedly owned slaves. (Courtesy of Robert Smith) Last year, the institution removed the Williams name from its law school, citing student complaints that he owned slaves more than 175 years ago. Robert Smith, who graduated from the law school that formerly bore his great-great-grandfathers name, told The Epoch Times the website exposes the hypocrisy of the universitys focus on gender and sex, instead of education. Under the banner of Fighting Against a Captured Institution, the website details the universitys decision to remove the name of their Civil War-era ancestor. The website reports on the universitys woke activities with articles and videos detailing events such as Pleasurefest and required reading such as Conjuring the Sex Positive: Witches, Sluts, Feminists. Pleasurefest, according to a flier shown on the site, was an event series that builds sex positivity, increases tools for pleasure in a variety of forms, and promotes healing on campus through radical self and community care. The week-long festival in March included a presentation such as Sex-Ed a Go Go with Dirty Lola. I think we owe it to ourselves to expose the lunacy to whats going on at college campuses, Smith said. According to the URWoke website, the university would not exist but for the generosity of the Williams family. This site exposes the universitys lack of gratitude, its ignorance, and cowardice to confront radical cancel culture on its campus, according to the site. The fight over the law school name began during the 202122 school year. Thats when the university formed a commission of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and trustees that recommended naming guidelines for buildings, programs, and professorships, according to a Sept. 23, 2022, notice on the universitys website. The notice details the history of T.C. Williams Sr., born in 1831, who operated tobacco businesses in Richmond and elsewhere in Virginia, including Patterson & Williams and Thomas C. Williams & Co. The university cited records from the 1860 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedule, which shows 35 enslaved men and boys under the name of Patterson & Williams in the Richmond area. Pleasurefest flier for March 2023, detailing the schedule of events connected with the University of Richmond. (Courtesy of Robert Smith) The notice said personal property tax records show Williamss businesses were taxed on 25 to 40 slaves. A newspaper account placed by Thomas C. Williams & Co. advertised a reward for the return of two company slaves, Todd and Alex, who escaped a Danville-area farm. Williams attended the university, then named Richmond College, from 1846 to 1849. According to the notice, he served as a college trustee from 1881 until he died in 1889, and became a university benefactor. In 1890, the Williams family made a memorial gift of $25,000 to the university, creating an endowment that established a strong foundation for the law programs development, the university statement reads. Several of Williamss childrenone of whom succeeded him on the schools board of trustees and remained until 1929also supported the university and the law school. And in 1920, when Richmond College was rechartered as the University of Richmond, the law school began consistently using the name T.C. Williams School of Law, according to the notice. Smith said his family had given extensively to causes in Richmond and the university for almost 200 years. He said the good his family has done is ignored by those who want to virtue signal. Jesse Williams, the father of T.C. Williams, donated building materials to the First Baptist Church, Smith said. Smith wrote in his January letter that the family patriarch also donated masonry and other materials for the neighboring First African Baptist Church. Jesse Williams also contributed to the building needs of the University of Richmond when its campus was started, he added. The Williams family contends the university ignores the mores of a time when slavery was common. Smith told The Epoch Times in February that if the family name is no longer good enough for the university, neither are the familys financial contributions. The Williams family said the University of Richmond should give back donations their ancestors made throughout the years, with interest, in the amount of $3.6 billion. Since then, Smith said the family discovered at least another $20 million in Williams family trust funds that were earmarked for specific uses. Portrait of T.C. Williams Sr., who was instrumental in establishing the law school at The University of Richmond. (Courtesy of Stuart Smith) Smithfounder of the legal and financial firm Chartwell Capital Advisors in Richmond, Virginiasaid the university has yet to respond to his demands for a refund or his request for information on the trust money. He said legal action remains on the table. As Baptists, the financial gifts from the Williams family were meant to further Judeo-Christian values Smith feels the university no longer supports. Smith said neo-Marxists have taken over the university, and parents might start questioning paying $81,000 per year in tuition at a campus fixated on far-left ideology. Many universities either renamed or removed statues of historical figures after the death of George Floyd in 2020. Protest groups nationwide demanded racial justice and called for the removal of historical statues of priests, Christopher Columbus, and even Abraham Lincoln. Critics contend that removing statues is part of a Marxist-based cultural revolution that seeks to portray the United States as a systemically racist country founded on slavery. So far, public response to the Williams family stance has been positive, Smith said. Since the story began circulating, he said people have applauded him for standing up. Smith said that supportive emails from as far away as England, Italy, and Africa have landed in his inbox, adding only a few have been negative. Its been overwhelming. I get emails from all over the world, he said. The University of Richmond has not responded to requests for comment. Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton Diagnosed With Parkinsons Disease Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton announced on World Parkinsons Day on April 11 that she has been diagnosed with the disease but is feeling good and staying strong. The 54-year-old took to Twitter to share a video revealing her diagnosis and the ways in which the disease has impacted her, but insisted she is doing well and urged people not to feel sorry for her. If theres one thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on, its that Parkinsons disease sucks. Today, on World Parkinsons Day, Im here to tell you that Ive come to learn this firsthand. And thats because Ive learned that I, too, have Parkinsons, or what some people call PD for short, said Wexton, a Democrat. Ive got a positive attitude and Ive got the strong support of so many family, friends, and loved ones, Wexton said. The lawmaker said the disease has primarily impacted her speech and the way her mouth moves, adding that people may notice she speaks faster now. Dont Feel Sorry for Me Wexton, who has since 2019 represented Virginias 10th Congressional District, which covers parts of northern Virginia, said Parkinsons has also impacted the way she walks and keeps her balance. Despite the way in which the disease has impacted her, the congresswoman insisted, Dont feel sorry for me, adding that she is working with her doctor on a treatment plan that addresses her symptoms. Wexton said despite the diagnosis, she has been focusing on legislation in Congress, traveling around her district meeting with her constituents, and visiting local businesses and schools as she normally would. Im not going to let Parkinsons stop me from being me, she declared defiantly. I am confident that as I work with my doctor to get the treatment I need, I can continue being a working mom and an active member of our community I hope to keep serving you for many years to come. The treatment process is one that involves time and commitment, so youre going to see me have some good days and some days that are not so good. But I want you to know this: my head and my heart are 100 percent committed to serving the people of Virginia, and especially my constituents in the 10th Congressional District, she said. Parkinsons Disease Symptoms The congresswoman concluded her video by noting that she is generally a private person when it comes to personal issues, but that she wants to use her platform to bring more awareness to the disease and help bolster resources in the search for a cure. Parkinsons disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as tremors or shakes, rigid limbs or muscle stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. As the disease progresses, people may also experience speech difficulties. Symptoms of Parkinsons disease typically develop slowly over years and while there is currently no cure, there are a number of treatments that can help relieve symptoms, such as medications, surgical treatments, and lifestyle adjustments, according to the Parkinsons Foundation. It is not clear what causes the disease, which impacts more than 8 million people across the globe according to the World Health Organization, but researchers believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors may play a role. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, PD is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder in the United States, behind Alzheimers disease. In the United States, where approximately 500,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD, the cost of treating the disease is estimated to be $14 billion annually. Wexton is not the only member of Congress to be diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. In 2019, former Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) announced that he was retiring from Congress following a diagnosis, noting that while the disease was not impacting his work, he anticipated that it would eventually take a toll. The Questions That Must Be Asked Before We Vote on The Voice Indigenous Anangu children play with a camera during a ceremony marking the permanent ban on climbing Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia's Northern Territory on Oct. 27, 2019. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Commentary With a referendum approaching, people will be asked to vote yes or no to the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In this article, I propose other questions worthy of consideration before the referendum, which in my opinion, have not received the attention they deserve. Like the president of the federal Young Liberals, Dimitry Chugg-Palmer, said, I, along with many other Australians, just want to get a few more answers and a bit more clarity on what exactly it is that were voting on. My first question starts at the beginning and addresses why we need The Voice. The demand for The Voice is premised on the claim that Indigenous Australians currently lack a voice in politics. Unfortunately, this claim is typically never clarified. However, using her voice, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney has said that under our Constitution, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have had no voice and no say in the matters that have affected our communities. Really? Despite there being a swathe of Indigenous organisations and advisory structures within government departments already dedicated to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians. Understandably, with such an army of voices, many from the Yes camp are asking the reasonable question: Well then, why are far too many Indigenous Australians needlessly suffering? I do not believe problems persist because of a lack of goodwill towards them or a shortage of skilled people working in Indigenous affairs who could make a real and meaningful difference. The Aboriginal and Australian national flags fly together on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2023. (Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images) These good people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are hampered due to the bugbears of the mechanics of the bureaucratic process, identity politics, poisonous ideologies, and political correctness. Do these bugbears seem to characterise current discussions about The Voice? I believe, yes. If The Voice does get up, is it possible we will see more of what we are already seeing? Again, I believe, yes. These bugbears have existed for decades across successive governments and contribute to the arterial plaque that weakens the heartbeat of Indigenous communities, and resulting in dysfunction and preventable deaths. As a result, many of these communities are on life support. Questions That Need Answering The questions I propose should be discussed before a referendum date is set. This could ensure greater public support. However, I suspect it is going ahead in its current proposed form regardless. The questions asked here have not received much attention. Instead, much of the discussion has centred around what are the possible implications and unintended adverse consequences of a change to the Constitution. While its important to discuss how this could affect both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, I do believe it should be discussed only after asking these fundamental questions: Ronald Ringo Terrick, an elder of the Wurundjeri tribe, sits on the steps of Parliament House during Sorry Day in Melbourne, Australia, on May 26, 2007. (Simon Fergusson/Getty Images) Are the fundamental needs of Indigenous Australians the same as those of non-Indigenous Australians? Are non-Indigenous Australians just as capable as Indigenous Australians when it comes to understanding and helping Indigenous Australians? Are the problems affecting Australias most disadvantaged Indigenous Australians more the result of race than place? In other words, Is remoteness a major factor that disadvantages too many Indigenous Australians? Given an estimated cost of $170 million for the referendum, could this money be better spent in ways that bring about lasting real and meaningful change to the lives of those Indigenous Australians who are most disadvantaged? These questions can promote discussion that contributes to eradicating disadvantages among Indigenous Australians and is not contingent on The Voice being implemented. However, if The Voice gets up, I hope its members consider all the questions posed in this article. If The Voice does not get up, then we know what should be done. Either way, we must proceed knowing that differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians should only be addressed after first understanding the more significant commonalities between the two groups. We must ensure that the most disadvantaged Indigenous Australians have access to the same opportunities that the most advantaged Indigenous Australians and other Australians have. Most importantly, we must see all this as Australians helping Australians because this is what Aussies do best. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Young Chinese Reserve Burial Plots in Advance as Graves Cost More Than High-End Property A boy stands between graves during the annual Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, at a public cemetery in Shanghai on April 6, 2015. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images) Chinas cemetery real estate industry has become more lucrative than its residential property market. The phenomenon has led many young people to preorder burial plots to cope with the soaring prices. Due to the high demand for burial plots, the price per square meter of some plots in Shanghai is already much higher than residential property in its city center. According to a report by Chinese media outlet Time Finance on April 5, a Shanghai resident surnamed Liu visited two cemeteries during the Qingming Festivala traditional festival when Chinese people honor their deceased loved ones by sweeping their tombs. He was surprised that the price of burial plots went up, already higher than the price of housing in Shanghai. One plot in the suburbs was priced at 180,000 yuan (about $26,000) per square meter, while another in the more remote Nanhui District was priced at 130,000 yuan (about $18,000) per square meter, the report said. The staff told Liu that the burial plots were only available for sale to local residents, while there were no such restrictions in the past. Another Shanghai resident surnamed Chen saw even higher prices for a burial plot, the report said. Recently, he looked for a double burial plot for his parents in advance, only to find the cheapest one was priced at 370,000 yuan (about $53,000), followed by 490,000 yuan (about $71,000). He decided to buy the more expensive plot at a 5 percent discount because the other one was too small. The 21st Century Business Herald, a Chinese finance newspaper, reported on April 6 that in Shanghai Songheyuan Cemetery, burial plots were priced as high as 763,000 yuan (about $111,000) per square meter last month, much higher than the cost of homes located in central areas of Shanghai. A woman pours beer on her husbands grave during the Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, at a cemetery in Beijing on April 5, 2018. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) Young People Reserve Grave Spaces Young people are taking notice as the high demand for cemetery plots continues to drive up prices. According to Time Finance, many are buying plots in advance, anticipating future price surges. A Beijing resident surnamed Chen, 34, bought a 2.5-square-meter grave space for himself at the citys Jiugong Mountain last year. He told Time Finance that four years ago, his friend in another city purchased a burial plot for his father that cost 47,000 yuan (about $6,800) per square meter, and the price had risen to over 70,000 yuan (about $10,000) per square meter by 2022. An employee at a cemetery in Guangzhou city, Guangdong Province, confirmed that the price of burial plots has been increasing, and he has seen clients as young as 29 years old purchasing graves in advance. Factors Linked to Soaring Cemetery Prices Lu Tianming, a Chinese-American political and economic analyst, told The Epoch Times on April 7 that two factors fuel cemetery prices in China. The first is the impact of supply and demand, which is the main reason, he said. The pandemic in recent years has caused a lot of deaths in China. The Chinese Communist Party [CCP] has been covering up the death toll. But from various sources of information, it can be seen that there were a large number of deaths. Cemetery plots are in short supply [due to high demand]. So most of the revenue and profits of the funeral industry are skyrocketing. Since November 2022, China has been hit by a nationwide resurgence of COVID-19. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claimed that only 37 people had died from the disease between Dec. 7 and Jan. 8. However, crematoriums throughout the country have been overwhelmed. On Chinese social media, numerous stories of tragedy and the loss of loved ones have been shared by netizens, indicating the deaths far surpassed the official count. Chinas official COVID-19 figures have been met with widespread skepticism. International media outlets have also questioned the accuracy of Chinas reported data. Obtaining accurate information is difficult as the Chinese regime has abandoned collecting relevant data and banned any mention of COVID-19 in patient records. The other factor is policy-related, which is the CCPs land sale problem, Lu said. In China, local governments conduct auctions to sell land, which is not limited to real estate developers but also includes cemetery plots. As land sale is an important source of revenue for local governments, land prices in China have always been high. Now that there is a shortage of cemetery plots, I think land prices will continue to increase. The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions aimed at Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, targeting the financial network of one of Russias wealthiest businessmen. Usmanov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been subject to U.S. and European Union sanctions since shortly after the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine last year. The Treasury Department said the new designations, being coordinated with sanctions announced by the British government, aim to reinforce existing penalties and further disrupt Russias importation of critical technologies used in its war against Ukraine. The action by the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control involves 25 individuals and 29 entities in 20 jurisdictions. As the Kremlin seeks ways around the expansive multilateral sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine, the United States and our allies and partners will continue to disrupt evasion schemes that support Putin on the battlefield, Brian Nelson, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. He said the move shows the U.S. is honoring the commitment by the Group of Seven leading industrial nations to impose severe costs on third-country actors who support Russias war. Usmanov was an early target of Biden administration sanctions aimed at key Russian sectors and individuals close to Putin. In addition to the individuals and entities penalized by the Treasury Department, the State Department designated 80 entities and individuals connected to Usmanov, other Russian billionaires and efforts to evade sanctions. The Treasury Department was also citing the International Investment Bank, a Russia-controlled financial institution in Budapest, Hungary. Three current or former executives of the bank Russian citizens Nikolay Nikolayevich Kosov and Georgy Nugzarovich Potapov as well as Hungary national Imre Laszloczki were designated for sanctions. A Treasury Department statement said the bank enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlins malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations. Germany had previously seized Usmanovs superyacht, known as Dilbar. The yacht, named after Usmanovs mother, has an estimated worth of between $600 million and $735 million, according to the Treasury Department. Dilbar has two helipads and one of the worlds largest indoor pools ever installed on a yacht, and costs about $60 million per year to operate. The oligarchs private jet, a custom-built 209-foot Airbus A340-300 passenger liner, is believed to have cost between $350 million and $500 million and was previously leased out for use by Uzbekistans president. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Zelenskyy Calls on West to Seize Russian State Assets to Rebuild Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, on Jan. 11, 2023. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 12 reiterated his call for Ukraines international partners to confiscate the resources of Russia and its allies. The long story of Russian impunity must finally stop, Zelenskyy said during a video call to the World Bank in Washington. Ukraine will prevail in this warit is only a matter of time until Russian aggression is defeated, Zelenskyy said, comparing the Russian state to a terror organization. But the evil state should not have any chance to win with ruins. Thousands of facilities in Ukraine have been ruined. Zelenskyy continued, telling the summit of international bankers that the world has an opportunity to charge the Russian state and its allies for the damage done to Ukraine. Zelenskyy cited a report by the World Bank that found Ukraine has suffered $411 billion in losses as a result of the Russian invasion. These losses, Zelenskyy suggested, could be covered by seizing the assets of the Russian state and also of individuals connected to the Russian state and the invasion. Potential aggressors are now looking: Will you do the right thing? Zelenskyy said, calling on the international community to confiscate assets connected with the ruling elite of the evil state. In February, Switzerlands government announced that confiscating private Russian assets in the country to help rebuild Ukraine would run contrary to Swiss law. The European Commission had earlier pushed for the seizure of Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine. The expropriation of private assets of lawful origin without compensation is not permissible under Swiss law, according to a Swiss government statement on the issue. The confiscation of frozen private assets is inconsistent with the constitution [and] violates Switzerlands international commitments. Even U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, a vocal supporter of Ukraine, has acknowledged that theres no legal pathway to such a confiscation. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy told the World Bank that such a move is realistic, and encouraged the West to move ahead with a confiscation so that life in Ukraine can be restored. Russia must feel the full price of its aggression, Zelenskyy added. The Russian economy already has been hammered by sanctions for its aggressive posturing in Ukraine, most notably being removed from the SWIFT international payment processing system. Zelenskyys comments came after Russia said it would move nuclear-capable missiles to the border of Moscow ally Belarus with NATO neighbors, increasing concern of a major escalation. Chynna Mamawal never loses an opportunity to promote Philippine fashion on the global stage. Described as a Designer to The Stars in her homeland, Mamawals commitment to her craft and her country has made her one of the most respected fashion designers in the Philippines. She continues to push the boundaries of Philippine fashion with her work, said Jamal Abdourahman, the founder/producer of Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW), which opened its Fall/Winter 2023 season this week. Mamawal collections will be showcased April 12-16th at David Lam Hall, 50E Pender St, Vancouver along with 41 designers over five days. Chynnas collections are inspired by her countrys resplendent culture, and are recognized for their vibrant colors, luxurious and intricate beadwork; and flowy, lacelike silhouettes, said Jamal. She is ready to break the glass ceiling for Filipino designers as she debuts her work in the international fashion scene. Joining her on the runway will be Jobert Cristobal, an emerging young Filipino fashion designer who has a flair of fusing African cultures through his work. He combines local Filipino fabrics with Ankara prints, fabrics from Africa, to come up with unique combinations of color, structure and texture, said Jamal. Cristobal gets his inspiration and explores African culture through the experiences of his elder sister, Jas Cristobal, who is working in Nigeria as an Overseas Filipino Worker. For his collection at the Vancouver Fashion Week, his first international fashion show, Cristobal has themed his designs to reflect the diverse marine life in the Philippines and African coastlines. He names this collection Lobusta, a term in Yoruba, one of the languages spoken in Nigeria, which means lobster, said Jamal, who traces his origins to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. We have designers this year from all over the world whose work reflects the cultures of their homelands. In its 23rd year, the Vancouver Fashion Week, is the largest and longest-running event of its kind in Canada and the second-largest fashion show in North America, right after New York Fashion Week. It has two major events in Vancouver every year. Jamal and his team have also initiated the Global Fashion Collective (GFC) to provide a bigger stage for young and promising local designers. These special events run alongside shows at the New York Fashion Week, Tokyo Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week. VFW also has a special Kids Fashion event. Our mission at VFW is to showcase emerging and established designers from around the world and give them a platform for their craft with ongoing opportunities for commerce and growth, said Jamal. Among the collections for the latest edition of VFW are the designs that come through the group Enterprising Women Making Art (EWMA), a development initiative supporting women in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside. Blending art, community and social entrepreneurship, EWMA works with emerging women artists and artisans in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, said Jamal. Other designers for this weeks show come from Canada, Ukraine, Japan, India, Korea, Mexico, USA and the United Kingdom. The opening day event will feature a nod to the resilience of the Ukrainian people whose lives have been devastated by Russias invasion of their country. BJP will return to power by winning over 300 LS seats DIBRUGARH (Assam), UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that the BJP will win more than 300 Lok Sabha seats across the country in next years general elections and return to power for the third consecutive term with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm. Addressing a rally in Dibrugarh, where he laid the foundation stone for the Upper Assam zonal BJP office, Shah exuded confidence that the saffron party will win 12 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the north-eastern State. Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term with the party winning over 300 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said. There are 543 seats in the lower house of the Parliament. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the senior BJP leader said, North-East was once considered a fortress of the Congress but despite Rahul Gandhis yatra (Bharat Jodo Yatra), the party failed to perform well in the recent assembly elections in three states in the region. Assembly elections were recently held in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. The BJP formed the Government in Tripura, and came in power as alliance partners in the other two states. Shah thanked the people of Assam, which was the first state in the Northeast to give mandate to the BJP. Alluding to Rahul Gandhis controversial remarks during his visit to United Kingdom, Shah, who arrived here from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, said, He (Gandhi) insulted India from foreign soil. If he continues defaming the country and the government by peddling lies, Congress will be white-washed from the entire country just like the party was shown the door in the North-East. 15-yr-old girl from MP set to appear for BAfinal exams; recalls PMs encouraging words Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Indores Tanishka Sujit during a meeting in Bhopal. INDORE : TANISHKA Sujit, a bright and meritorious student from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, is set to appear for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) final year exams at the age of 15 and she aims to further study law and become the countrys Chief Justice. The teenage girl, who lost her father and grandfather to COVID-19 in 2020, recalled her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhopal a few days back and how he encouraged to pursue her dream. Sujit, a student of Indores Devi Ahilya University, told PTI on Monday that she will appear for her B.A. (Psychology)finalyearexams to be held from April 19 to 28.She hadclearedtheClass 12 exams at the age of 13 straightaway after passing Class 10 in first division. Rekha Acharya, Head of Department of Social Science Studies at the Devi Ahilya University, said Sujit was given admission in B.A. (Psychology)first year atthe ageof13aftersheperformed well in the entrance testtaken by the university for her as a special case. Sujit met PM Modi during his visit to State capital Bhopal on April1for the Combined Commanders Conference. The girl said during the meeting, which lasted for around 15 minutes, she told the PM that she wanted to study law in the US after clearing her B.A. exams and dreamt of becoming the Chief Justice of India some day. On hearing about my aim, the Prime Minister advised me to go to the Supreme Court and watch the arguments of lawyers thereasitwouldmotivateme to achieve my goal. Meeting the Prime Minister was a dream come true for me, she said. Her mother Anubha said her husband and father-inlawdiedin2020due tocoronavirus, but she fought and overcame the grief for the sake of her daughter, who continued to excel in academics. Cong will join hands with all like-minded parties to defend Constitution: Sonia NEW DELHI, FORMER Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said with the Narendra Modi Government bent on misusing every power and elections approaching in several key States, her party will take its message directly to people and join hands with all like-minded parties to defend the Constitution. In an Op-Ed in The Hindu, Gandhi also accused Prime Minister Modi and his Government of systematically dismantling the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, saying their actions demonstrate a deep-rooted disdain for democracy. She also alleged that the Prime Minister ignores the rising tide of hatred and violence, egged on by BJP and RSS leaders, and has not once called for peace or harmony or acted to reign in the offenders, let alone bring them to justice. Religious festivals seem to have become occasions to intimidate and bully others -- a far cry from when they were occasions for joy and celebration. Instead, there is intimidation and discrimination only on account of their religion, food, caste, gender or language, Gandhi said. Gang of thieves targeting Officers Quarters in CAF Battalion Colony in Bhilai Staff Reporter BHILAI, A GANG of thieves seemed to be active in Officers Quarters area of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) Battalion Colony in Bhilai and it is targeting locked houses in the area within Smriti Nagar Police Post limits. As per the reports, over six burglaries and thefts were reported in past few months. Now-a-days, the family members of CAF officer families are a worried lot, owing to the increasing number of burglaries and thefts in their residential colonies. They appealed the police for increasing vigil and police patrolling for effectively checking the reports of burglaries in Officer Quarters area. The gang of thieves breaks open the locked houses and made their way with booty, consisting cash, gold and silver jewelries. Umesh Kumar Dixit, Company Commander, CAF Battalion, Bhilai informed that recently unidentified thieves broke into his house and decamped with cash and valuables worth over Rs 75,000 from the house within an hour. He also informed that thefts are unchecked in the colony and more than three thefts were reported in the past few months. He urged police for increasing patrolling and vigil in the area. Another resident from CAF Battalion Colony told the newspaper about four more thefts occurred within few months. When contacted, Pramod Shrivastava, I/c Police Officer, Smriti Nagar Police Post asserted that the police have already initiated intensive investigation in the reported thefts and burglaries, and is also maintaining strict vigil for checking thefts and burglaries within the police post jurisdiction. Jaiwardhan Singh could play bigger role if Congress comes to power: Experts By Bhavana Aparajita Shukla Although seasoned Congress leader Digvijay Singh has ducked the question about who will be Congress Prime Ministerial candidate for Lok Sabha elections 2024, he ascertained that in Madhya Pradesh his party will touch majority mark and form the next Government. He has also brushed aside the rumours about change of leadership and candidate for Chief Ministers post in upcoming elections. The Assembly elections will be contested under Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Naths leadership and he will be Chief Ministers face in this battle. The party will won on 116 seats in upcoming assembly elections, he claimed. After shouldering new responsibility of Vindhya and Madhya regions seats, this senior leader has intensified his visits to the seats where the party had dismal performance in last elections. Party insiders shared with The Hitavada that around 66 seats have been listed as weaker one. In these constituencies the party could not win the last five elections. It can be termed as the BJP stronghold. The Political Affairs Committee has shouldered the responsibilities of challenging seats to Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh. In this series, Digvijay Singh will visit Bina this month. He has visited Khurai, Rehali and Surakhi. In view of his political acumen, he has been asked to settle discontentment among workers and leaders. Who have been either sidelined or have become dormant since a few years. At many places partymen are levelling allegations that some of the workers have become victims from influential people belonging to the ruling party by misusing administration and police force. Digvijay Singh will interact with such workers and will try to infuse confidence in them. This senior leader will try to overcome their phobia, if any. In house turf war is still prevailing in the party. Whether it is Nimar or Vindhya, politics of sabotage were visible during the last Assembly and urban body elections. For the Malwa region, Kamal Nath is making efforts and has been scheduled to make frequent visits. Indore is also known as the saffron bastion. In the 2018 elections, there was a tough fight with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress had won the elections with a razor thin victory margin. It could only form a government with the support of Independent candidates. It is being said that although the Government was led by Kamal Nath in 2018-19, but Digvijay Singh had played a major role in organisation. On other hand, repeated episodes of Jyotiradiya Scindias disappointment with the organisation and party remained unheard. At last, the latter had switched to saffron camp. Digvijay Singh becomes successful to get assigned important portfolios of urban administration and housing ministry to his son Jaivardhan Singh. This time too, There cant be denial from the possibility that if a Congress government is formed, then this new leader will have to play a bigger role, a political analyst told The Hitavada. Military airstrikes on Myanmar village feared to have killed 100 BANGKOK, AIRSTRIKES by Myanmars military on Tuesday killed as many as 100 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule, said a witness, a member of a local pro-democracy group and independent media. The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule, which began in February 2021 when it seized power from the elected Government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 3,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed since then by security forces. A witness told The Associated Press that a fighter jet dropped bombs directly into a crowd of people who were gathering at 8 a.m. for the opening of a local office of the countrys opposition movement outside Pazigyi village in Sagaing regions Kanbalu township. The area is about 110 kilometres (70 miles) north of Mandalay, the countrys second largest city. About half an hour later, a helicopter appeared and fired at the site, said the witness, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities. Initial reports put the death toll at around 50, but later tallies reported by independent media raised it to about 100. It was impossible to independently confirm details of the incident because reporting is restricted by the military government. There were no immediate reports about the attack in state-controlled media. In past cases, the military Government has said it does not use disproportionate force. About 150 people had gathered for the opening ceremony, and women and 20-30 children were among the dead, he said, adding that those killed also included leaders of locally formed anti-government armed groups and other opposition organisations. Water flows down the Colorado River downriver from Hoover Dam in northwest Arizona, on August 14, 2022, near the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday of competing plans for how seven Western states and tribes reliant on the dwindling water supply from the Colorado River should cut their use but declined to publicly take a side on the best option. On one side is California and some tribes along the river that want to protect their high-priority rights to the rivers water, which they use for drinking and farming. On the other side are the other six states Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico who say its time to come up with an approach that more fairly shares the river. The Interior Department did not say how states should get to deeper water cuts, but defended its authority to make sure basic needs such as drinking water and hydropower generated from the river are met even if it means setting aside the priority system. Failure is not an option, Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau told The Associated Press. The 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) powerhouse of the West serves 40 million people across seven Western states, which spans tribal land, and Mexico, generates hydroelectric power for regional markets, and irrigates nearly 6 million acres (2,428 hectares) of farmland. A multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse has sent water levels at key reservoirs along the river to unprecedented lows. Thats forced the federal government to cut some water allocations, and to pay farmers and cities billions of dollars to dramatically reduce their use. Officials expect some relief this year from a series of powerful storms that blanketed California and the Western Rocky Mountains, the main source of the Colorado Rivers water. But its not clear how that amount of precipitation is affecting negotiations. On Monday, Beaudreau denied that a sense of urgency had gone away after the winter storms, but gave no indication to how the seven states should reach agreement before August, when the agency typically announces water availability for the following year. The snow is great. Its a godsend. But were in the midst of a 23-year drought, Beaudreau said. He said states, Native American tribes and other water users recognized that it would be in no ones interest to stall talks because of the winters healthy snowpack which stands at 160% of the median in the Upper Colorado River Basin. In January, six of the seven U.S. states that rely on the Colorado River Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado outlined how they would conserve significantly more water, but California disagreed with the approach. California, the largest user of the rivers water, released its own ideas a day later. Both plans heeded a call last year from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the major dams in the river system, for states to propose how they would cut their water use by roughly 15% and 30% in addition to existing water cuts agreed upon in recent years. Each achieve about 2 million acre-feet of cuts, which is closer to the 15% threshold. An acre-foot of water is roughly enough to serve 2 to 3 U.S. households annually. The lengthy environmental analysis released by the Biden administration on Tuesday explores both options, as well as a third option that includes taking no action. States, tribes and other water users now have until May 30 to comment before federal officials announce their formal decision. Beaudreau gave no indication of whether the department prefers one approach over the other. Among the main differences between the two plans is whether states should account for the vast amount of water lost along the Colorado River basin to evaporation and leaky infrastructure as it flows through the regions behemoth dams and waterways. Federal officials say more than 10% of river water evaporates, leaks, and spills yet Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico have never accounted for that loss. California roundly disagreed with that approach. Thats because the state has senior rights to Colorado River water and because of its location, would lose a significant amount of water if such losses were counted. The further south the river travels, more water evaporates meaning that if evaporation losses were counted, California, Arizona, and Mexico would stand to lose more than states further north. The Quechan tribe along the Arizona-California border also opposes that plan because of its priority water rights. Weve got senior water rights and last we checked, we still live in a priority-based system, said Jay Weiner, the tribes attorney. The six states and California also disagree about when more water cuts should be triggered at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the largest human-made reservoirs in the U.S. that serve as barometers of the rivers health. Arizona and Nevada have more junior water rights than California, and supported a plan that shared water cuts amid worsening drought on a pro-rata basis. California said it would protect its senior water rights, which allows the state to have its water supply cut later, and would likely pursue legal challenges if the government used the six states approach. Reclamation also didnt say how Mexico might contribute to the savings. The country is entitled to 1.5 million acre feet of water each year under a treaty reached with the U.S. in 1944. In recent years, it has participated in water savings plans with the U.S. amid worsening drought in both countries. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Modi Govt committed to security, devpt of border areas: Shah KIBITHOO, THE Narendra Modi Government is committed to the security and development of border areas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. He made the remark after a meeting with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and others at this village located along the border with China. This morning at Kibithoo, had an engaging discussion with CM @PemaKhanduBJP, Dy. CM @ChownaMeinBJP, BJP President @BiyuramWahgeBJP, Minister Bamang Felix, MP @TapirGao and MLA Smt. Dasanglu Pul. Modi Government is resolved for the security and development of our border areas, Shah tweeted. On Monday, Shah had said the era when anyone could encroach Indias borderlands has passed and now, not even land equal to sui ki noke (inch of land) can be encroached. He launched a Vibrant Village Programme for all-round development of border areas here on Monday. The Chief Minister told PTI that they discussed various issues related to development of Arunachal Pradesh. Later, the Home Minister paid tributes at the Walong War Memorial. The tales of their supreme sacrifice for the motherland will forever resound in Indias history and remain inspiring generations to come, to live a life dedicated to the nation. Paid tributes to the brave heroes of the 1962 War at the Walong War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh, he tweeted. NATOs expansion BY ASAD MIRZA FINLAND formally became a member of NATO on April 4 during a scheduled summit, finalising the fastest accession process in the treatys history. Last week, the blue-and-white flag of Finland was raised alongside those of its western partners outside NATOs headquarters in Brussels after the Nordic country formally became the 31st member of the transatlantic defensive alliance. Guests at the ceremony, including the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and the Finnish President, Foreign and Defence Ministers applauded and shouted bravo at the ceremony, which marked a historic realignment of Europes security landscape. US President Joe Biden warmly welcomed the completion of Finlands accelerated accession process, saying NATO had shown itself more united than ever after Russias invasion of Ukraine. The two Nordic countries, Finland and Swedens inclusion in NATO was being watched as the war of nerves between the West, represented by the US and its allies and the Communist-Socialist bloc led by Russia. Though initially Russia showed less apprehension about the inclusion of these two Scandinavian countries in NATO, however, after Finland becoming the latest member to join the alliance, Kremlins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said that NATOs embrace of Finland was an encroachment on our security and on Russias national interests, adding that Moscow would watch closely for any NATO military deployments there. The Ministry added that the development marked a fundamental change in the situation in northern Europe, which had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world. Russia said on Monday it would bolster its military capacity in its western and north-western regions in response to Finlands accession. Sweden and Finland together share a 1,340 km-long border with Russia, and both submitted simultaneous membership applications last May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment to seek security as NATO members after the Russian invasion. The Guardian has commented that joining NATO means Finland falls under the alliances Article 5, a collective defence pledge that stipulates that an attack on one NATO member shall be considered an attack against them all. Finland is one of the few European countries to have retained a conscription army through decades of peace, wary of its eastern neighbour Russia after the former Soviet Union tried to invade the country during WW II. Finlands ground, naval and air forces are all trained and equipped with one primary aim - to repel any Russian invasion. Finland has what it calls Western Europes strongest artillery that includes some 1,500 weapons: about 700 howitzers and cannon, 700 mortars and about 100 heavy and light rocket launchers. By joining the NATO now it can purchase more arms from diverse sources such as Israel. NATO has an open-door policy, meaning that any country can be invited to join if it expresses an interest, as long as it is able and willing to uphold the principles of the blocs founding treaty. However, under the accession rules, any member state can veto a new country from joining. Turkey and Hungary, presumably at the behest of Russia tried to stall this process for the last one year. Turkish President Recep TayyipErdogan accuses Finland and Sweden of housing Kurdish terrorist organisations, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed they were spreading outright lies about his countrys rule of law record. However, there was a limit to which both could stall the process and with many behind the scenes manipulations at last they bowed down to the NATOs pressure. Turkey and Hungary later softened their stance on Finlands accession, opening the door to its membership earlier this month. However, they remain opposed to Sweden joining -- at least for now. Ankara accuses Stockholm of sheltering Kurdish militants, while Budapest has grievances about Swedish criticism of the rule of law in Hungary. Finland joining NATO marks one of the most significant geopolitical consequences of Russias invasion of Ukraine to date and represents a dramatic realignment of Europes security framework. Russia has repeatedly blamed NATO expansion, among other grievances, for what in reality was an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Despite Russias complaints, Ukraine was not on the formal path to join NATO at the time, and there wasnt a big push among the alliances members to expand. But now, as a result of invading Ukraine, Russia has seen its land border with NATO double in size. Last week, ministers formally convened in a NATO-Ukraine Commission format - a symbolic move acknowledging Kievs aspirations for a closer relationship. Hungary, which has long blocked the body from meeting, grudgingly attended the session but vowed to continue opposing Ukrainian integration. NATO pledged in 2008 that Ukraine would eventually join the alliance, but the process stalled. In the current situation, numerous Western capitals argue that the priority now is helping Ukraine win the war -- and that discussion of NATOs political relationship with Kiev should wait. But we cannot discount Ukraine too joining NATO sooner or later. If and when that happens, that would strategically translate into Russia spreading thin its military resources, which have already taken a strong beating in the on-going Ukraine war. This may add to Russian President Vladimir Putins headaches, but we also cannot discount its close ties with China and say that Russia has been pushed into a corner. In case of any direct confrontation with NATO, Russia can always be sure of support from China, and if it really happens that it may not augur well for the global peace. Ruckus in Budget meet over allegations against Mayor Staff Reporter The Budget meeting of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC), on Tuesday witnessed huge uproar over allegations against the Mayor, budget provisions and absence of senior officials. The meeting was marred by pandemonium right from the beginning. The chaos erupted when BJP Corporator Loveleen Anand addressed Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh as Ghoshanveer, which led to a heated argument between both ruling and opposition members. Defending himself, the Mayor said that if he is being honored with such title, then soon the Congress Corporators will use the same word for Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the House. Despite attempts to restore order, the ruckus continued and Ghoshanveer's speech was uninterrupted. Likewise, the absence of senior officials from the meeting also trigged chaos. Opposition members raised the issue that the officers were not present and blamed them for prioritising their own interests over the development of the city. When they demanded to adjourn the meeting, the Mayor dismissed it saying such occurrences are unacceptable and assured that officials will be present in future meetings. Anyway, the House re-assembled on Tuesday to continue discussion over the provisions mentioned in the budget for the year 2023-24. The provision for construction of a Film City in the budget was the key issue of contention. Opposition Corporators expressed surprise at the amount allocated for the project, remarking that it seems as if a ropeway needs to be built between the Municipal Commissioners office and the Mayors office. However, the Mayor did not provide any response to the oppositions questions on this matter, promising to address them point-wise later. Later, the absence of officials from the meeting became another the matter of uproar. Opposition members raised the issue and blamed officials for giving priority to their vested interests over city development. When the matter was brought up for adjournment, the Mayor assured the House that it will not happen in future meetings. The budget meeting of JMC was marked by allegations against the Mayor, a heated argument between both opposition and ruling party members and concerns about budget provisions for Film City and ropeway construction. The absence of officials from the meeting was also a point of contention. The Mayor promised to provide point-wise answers to the opposition's questions in the next meeting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A court hearing was pushed back until next week for an Alaska children's book illustrator charged with terroristic threatening after authorities said he posted around the capital city transphobic notes that referenced shooting children. Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, but Assistant District Attorney Rexene Finley asked that it be moved to April 21. She said she expected an indictment prior to that date. State District Court Judge Kirsten Swanson granted the request. Watley's attorney, Nick Polasky, declined comment to reporters. Watley spoke a few words in court, acknowledging that Swanson had pronounced his name correctly. Court records show his wife posted $10,000 bond in his case last week. Watley is accused of leaving business card-size notes at a grocery store, state office building and a Costco with an image of an assault rifle, the colors of the transgender flag and the text Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children," according to the complaint filed in the case. He was arrested April 2, after several notes were found at a Costco and officers reviewed security footage that showed a man, later identified as Watley, leaving a note in the store, the complaint alleged. The first notes were found March 31, the International Transgender Day of Visibility. That prompted the school district and law enforcement agencies to take heightened security measures, according to the complaint. Police have also said that prior to the reports, there were plans for an additional police presence at schools due to national rallies/attention to recent school violence incidents. 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, according to the complaint. The notes appeared during a period of increasingly hostile rhetoric, amid legislative proposals and laws targeting transgender people across the country. They were found days after a school shooting in Nashville that left six dead. Social media accounts and other sources indicate the shooter identified as a man. Police have said the shooter was assigned female at birth but used male pronouns on a social media profile. Police have continued using female pronouns to describe the shooter. Watley is known for illustrating several children's books written by his wife, including I Would Tuck You In and You Are Home With Me. Their publisher, Sasquatch Books, owned by Penguin Random House, last week said it has ended its publishing relationship with Watley and would discontinue selling their books. Several book sellers in Juneau also pulled Watley's works. The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates of any developed nation and, between 2018 and 2021, that rate increased. In 2021, the maternal death rate among Black Americans was 2.6 times higher than the rate for white Americans. And those trends are playing out right here in Connecticut. In New Haven, Black women are seven times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related complications, Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, told a crowd of legislators, advocates, and community members gathered Tuesday morning in Hartford to kick off Black Maternal Health Week. The press conferences co-organizers, Porter and Rep. Trenee McGee, D-West Haven, spoke about how Black people bear the brunt of the countrys maternal mortality crisis. Several people spoke in favor of Senate Bill 986, a proposal that bolsters access to care for pregnant people by, among other measures, creating a certification pathway for doulas, licensing free-standing birth centers and directing state agencies to design a program for nurse home visiting to help improve access to services early in an infants life. Many focused on how the proposals provision to certify doula services, in particular, could improve experiences and outcomes for Black pregnant people. Doulas offer physical and emotional support throughout pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. They also act as advocates for parents during and after pregnancy and help facilitate communication between their clients and hospital staff. The bill was passed out of the Public Health Committee and must now go before the Senate. It would need to be approved in the House as well and be signed by Gov. Ned Lamont to become law. A recent report by the Century Foundation outlines the critical historical role that doulas played in the birthing process, particularly within the Black community. Doula care has a rich cultural history for Black women and birthing people. Throughout the dehumanizing history of slavery in the United States, enslaved people preserved many traditional African birth practices, for which birth workers, such as midwives and doulas, were of vital importance. Even following Emancipation, Black birth workers continued to bridge the gap between their disenfranchised communities and the U.S. health care system, wrote Vina Smith-Ramakrishnan, a senior policy associate. Last year, Connecticut appointed an 18-member panel to provide input on the doula certification process. The certification process proposed in SB 986 came out of that panel. Whitney Anderson, a young, Black mother, who gave birth to her son three years ago, said having an advocate would have made her birthing and postpartum experience less traumatic. My birthing process definitely did not go the way that I had planned, said Anderson, who ended up having an emergency C-section after doctors said they found an issue with her placenta. She spent 12 days in the hospital in recovery. To have that professional, certified person that has been doing this for years and years and understands the Black woman and her place during this birthing process, it would definitely make a difference, she said. Studies show that the presence of doulas can increase patient satisfaction for those giving birth and improve certain measures of health for newborns. This whole challenge that we have bypasses your economic status, your educational status and every status you can imagine, said Sen. Saud Anwar, D-East Hartford, co-chair of the Public Health Committee, as he closed out the press conference, citing research that Black people with a college degree die from pregnancy-related complications at higher rates than white women without a high school degree. Race is not a biological risk factor. Race is a social construct, said Anwar. Last month, Connecticut's U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy took to Twitter to warn that ChatGTP had taught itself advanced chemistry without prompting. Something is coming, Murphy warned. We arent ready. Murphy spoke to CT Insider last week about his feelings on technology. But questions remain about the potential impact of AI programs like ChatGTP on sensitive issues like medicine. What happens when AI expands into the medical industry? I think you are 100 percent going to see this in medicine both on the patient-facing side and the provider side, said Dr. Perry Wilson, director of the Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator at Yale School of Medicine. What is ChatGTP? Before getting into specifics of what ChatGTP might do in medicine, we should define what it is. ChatGTP is a large language model, which is a type of computer program that is fed large amounts of contextual information, like text, images and audio. ChatGTP was fed off of data scraped from the internet. The model assigns billions of parameters to the information it has been fed. When a user enters a prompt, the model uses those parameters to predict what output would make the most sense. A prompt can be anything from "Tell me a story" to "Write me a five-paragraph essay about leukemia treatments." The program will compose a response that seems plausible. These programs act like magic mirrors, remixing and reflecting bits of the world, human artistry and language back on us. It is an illusion of coherence and creativity. Fundamentally, they merely guess what we want to see. Consequentially, they are very good at formulaic text generation and rote recitation of information contained in their training data. They can write form letters but not jokes. Humans think on an abstract level that large language models cannot, Rory Mir, associate director of community organizing for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Theres a big incentive to mechanize the human mind to be simply a language model that doesnt have life experiences but our minds arent things that can just be boiled down to those pieces. Writing form letters Wilson explained that where he saw large language models intervening in medicine first is in navigating the bureaucratic communications between health care providers and insurance companies. He said he anticipated plug and play AI applications that would take diagnostic criteria for billing codes and turn those into prior authorization communications. If I can have ChatGTP fill in all the nonsense I usually have to fill in to satisfy the people in the C-suite that were billing appropriately, well, thats a huge time saver, Wilson said. Thats something that could be streamlined by something like ChatGTP. Other experts in the digital medicine space identified some other applications for large language models, like assisting doctors in translating medical terms to plain language, assisting in health care paperwork, or drug discovery. But these applications are tools. They should not be understood as replacements for human beings. They are powerful in-betweeners capable of efficiently and creatively narrowing down the vastness of possible responses to the most likely ones, wrote Stefan Harrer, an artificial intelligence ethicist and researcher at the Digital Health Cooperative Research Center of Melbourne, Australia, in the journal EBioMedicine. But they cannot assess whether a prompt was meaningful or whether the models response made any sense. The danger Harrer outlined several problems with using large language models in health care. Particularly, that large language models have no means to assess their outputs for false or inappropriate information. Harrer points out that ChatGPT neither knows nor cares whether the information it produces is true. AI researchers call this kind of misinformation hallucination. An example of AI hallucination can be seen on MedPage Todays TikTok, where editor-in-chief Dr. Jeremy Faust queries ChatGTP about a hypothetical diagnosis. While the diagnosis it gave for a condition was plausible, the program spat out an entirely false reference when asked for a citation. When you get into specific things like a citation, it may have seen enough to know that it has to start with a number, then type some things that sound like a scientific title, a journal number and a date, Wilson said. Theres never a part of the training that says Oh, go back and check to see if thats real, or scan Pubmed for actual citations. Mir told CT Insider that hallucinations make large language models no better than going down a WebMD rabbit hole of self-diagnosis. I would say its actually worse because youre even less clear about where this information is coming from, Mir said. Theres a greater likelihood of hallucinations being mixed in with legitimate claims, so it becomes harder to decipher. Privacy and transparency issues Mir said these problems with accuracy were compounded when you consider that the training data for programs like ChatGTP is not public. The training data could include misinformation, private information, sensitive information and correct information, all jumbled together. Any information in the model could be spat out in response to a prompt. For anything public-facing, the safest thing for anyone to do is making the training data public, said Mir. If you arent OK with putting that data out publicly, then it shouldnt be in the training data to begin with. Mir referenced the discovery of images a doctor took as part of medical records in the popular LAION-5B image data set. An AI artist discovered her face before-and-after a procedure within the dataset. LAION scrapes images from the internet for image generation. It brought up the issue that, particularly for rare medical conditions, can you prompt an image-generating AI in a way that it shows a (real) person with this medical condition? Mir said. Beyond leaking sensitive medical information that shouldnt be leaked, using data that shouldnt be used and providing inaccurate answers, theres a danger to AIs similar to those posed by search engines. Sebastian Zimmeck, a computer science professor and the director of the privacy-tech lab at Wesleyan University, said that the act of using services like ChatGTP could expose things about the user simply by using the service. Maybe you look for a particular disease you suspect you have say you have a cold, Zimmeck said. And then you reveal to the provider (of the AI) that you do have a cold because why else would you ask that question. Zimmeck said that while this was similar to the vulnerabilities provided by search data, it poses a unique challenge in the AI context. Since large language models are prediction engines, this provides the model with a way to make predictions about specific users. If the AI program were being used by an insurance provider, that could be bad for a patient, especially if the AI was supposed to work as a therapist. It might make correlations that are obvious, but maybe there are correlations that are less obvious, Zimmeck said. Making these kinds of predictions can reveal private information. The Telegraph EDWARDSVILLE An Alton man faces multiple counts of child pornography after charges were filed Monday by the Madison County States Attorneys Office. Christopher L. Page, 36, was charged with seven counts of child pornography, a Class X felony. The case was presented by the Illinois Attorney Generals Office. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 Indonesia AirAsia has recently launched direct flights from Jakarta to Phnom Penh and Perth, Western Australia, to strengthen the tourism industry and bilateral relations between all the countries involved. The direct flights to the Cambodian capital followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism cooperation at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh on Monday, as reported by The Phnom Penh Post, a member of Asia News Network. The direct flights to Jakarta will operate as scheduled services four days per week, using the Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft, according to Chea Aun, permanent secretary of state at the Cambodian State Secretariat of Civil Aviation. 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 Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference after the arraignment of former president Donald Trump in New York on April 4, 2023. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sued Representative Jim Jordan on Tuesday, an extraordinary move as he seeks to halt a House Judiciary Committee inquiry that the prosecutor contends is a transparent campaign to intimidate and attack him over his indictment of former President Donald Trump. Bragg, a Democrat, is asking a judge to invalidate subpoenas that Jordan, a Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has or plans to issue as part of an investigation of Braggs handling of the case, the first criminal prosecution of a former U.S. president. Braggs lawsuit, a forceful escalation after weeks of sparring with Jordan and other Republican lawmakers in letters and media statements, seeks to end what it says is a constitutionally destructive fishing expedition that threatens the sovereignty and sanctity of a state-level prosecution. Congress lacks any valid legislative purpose to engage in a free-ranging campaign of harassment in retaliation for the District Attorneys investigation and prosecution of Mr. Trump under the laws of New York, the lawsuit says, citing the lack of authority in the Constitution for Congress to oversee, let alone disrupt, ongoing state law criminal matters. In response, Jordan tweeted Tuesday: First, they indict a president for no crime. Then they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it. The Judiciary Committee recently issued a subpoena seeking testimony from a former prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, who previously oversaw the Trump investigation and sparred with Bragg over the direction of the probe before leaving the office last year. The committee has also sought documents and testimony from the DAs office but Bragg has rejected those requests. The committee is scheduled to hold a hearing in Manhattan on Monday on crime in New York City and what it alleges are Braggs pro-crime, anti-victim policies. The DAs office, however, points to statistics showing that violent crime in Manhattan has dropped since Bragg took office in January 2022. In response, Bragg said that if Jordan, who is from Ohio, really cared about public safety, he would travel to some of the major cities in his home state, where crime is reportedly higher than in New York. Bragg is represented in the lawsuit by Theodore Boutrous, a well-known First Amendment lawyer who has also represented Trumps estranged niece, Mary Trump, in legal clashes with her famous uncle. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee who previously served as a federal bankruptcy court judge. In his lawsuit, Bragg said hes taking legal action in response to an unprecedently brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York State criminal prosecution and investigation of former President Donald J. Trump. Trump was indicted on March 30 with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations that he had extramarital sexual encounters. He has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty at an arraignment last week in Manhattan. Republicans have been railing against Bragg even before Trumps indictment, with Jordan leading the cause by issuing a series of letters and subpoenas to individuals involved with the case. Pomerantz refused to voluntarily cooperate with the committees request last month at the instruction of Braggs office, citing the ongoing investigation. Jordan sees Pomerantz and Carey Dunne, who were top deputies tasked with running the investigation on a day-to-day basis, as catalysts for Braggs decision to move ahead with the hush money case. Braggs lawsuit sets up what is an already tenuous fight over the scope and limits of congressional oversight powers into new territory. House Republicans have argued that because the Manhattan case involves campaign finance and what prosecutors say was a conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election, Congress has direct oversight. Many expected that Jordan would subpoena Bragg by now but it appears the forceful back-and-forth between the two elected officials has come to a head. Jordans committee has come at Bragg hard in recent weeks, but a court fight over a committee subpoena could impede its momentum and amplify criticism among Democrats that the panel is playing politics instead of addressing substantive issues. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 Retailers reported a jump in sales last month as consumers apparently entered a spending mood before and during Ramadan. A Bank Indonesia (BI) report based on preliminary data and released on Wednesday showed that its retail sales index jumped 7 percent in March, more than making up for the 3.4 percent month-to-month (mtm) drop in February. The improvement was attributable to all commodity groups, led by information and communication equipment, cultural and recreation goods, as well as food, beverages and tobacco [FBT], BI spokesman Erwin Haryono stated in a press release published on the central banks website. 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 Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 07:00 13 d5259e4d93052b0e76bee70b0544169b 4 Companies APRIL-Group,climate,restoration,public-private-partnership Free As the world faces the critical challenge of climate change, building nurseries has become one of the key ways to mitigate its effects through reforestation and restoration efforts. In Indonesia, a notable project is the Rumpin Nursery in Bogor, which has emerged as a prominent model of public-private partnership in supporting Indonesia's FOLU Net Sink initiative. Established in 2022, the Rumpin Nursery was inaugurated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo and is the result of a collaboration between the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Public Works and Housing Ministry, and APRIL Group, a pulp and paper producer. APRIL Group's nursery system in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau province, inspired the Rumpin Nursery development, which has the capacity of planting approximately 200 million new seedlings per year. The company continues to invest heavily in research and development to increase plantation fiber productivity. Over the next three years, the Indonesian government plans to build 30 nursery centers, each with an annual production capacity of 10 to 12 million seedlings, which will result in a combined annual production of 360 million seedlings. These seedlings will be used to rehabilitate and restore degraded lands, to be planted on critical land, areas with high landslide potential and upper reaches of river basins (DAS). The Rumpin Nursery was inaugurated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo along with Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar. (APRIL Group/.) The Rumpin Nursery has successfully grown and planted thousands of native tree species, including Manglid, Sengon, Salam and Sirsak. Since President Jokowi's inauguration last year, the nursery has begun distributing seedlings in a number of locations such as the Ciliwung River. Following the Rumpin Nursery's successful collaboration, the government is currently focusing on developing additional nurseries in other regions, including Danau Toba, Likupang, Mentawir and Bali. By replicating and scaling up such models, Indonesia can unlock the potential of nurseries and other nature-based solutions to achieve its ambitious climate goals. This public-private partnership has enabled the Rumpin Nursery to align with the Indonesian government's target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 31.89 percent unconditionally by 2030, as per the updated NDC. As part of its efforts to support Indonesia's restoration and forestry goals, the APRIL Group recently earned an appreciation award for its role in the public-private collaboration that established the Rumpin Nursery. PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, the operating arm of APRIL Group, also received an appreciation award for its work to improve the performance of industrial forest plantations. Both awards were presented by Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya and received by Sihol Aritonang, president director of PT RAPP. Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar and PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper president director Sihol Aritonang shake hands. APRIL Group was named best partner during the development of Rumpin Nursery. (APRIL Group/.) "APRIL is proud that our technology and seed management system can serve as a reference for nursery development in Indonesia. Through the Rumpin Nursery, we show our continuous support for one of the government's activities in achieving FOLU Net Sink 2030," said Sihol. Indonesia's Forestry and Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink is the newest forest policy in Indonesia that identifies the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) absorption targeted to be equal or higher than emissions in the FOLU sector in 2030. The Net Sink FOLU is projected to contribute up to 60 percent of the Net Zero Emission target by 2060 as part of the country's efforts to achieve its climate goals under the Paris Climate Agreement and to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The key targets of Indonesia's FOLU Net Sink 2030 include efforts to ensure reduced deforestation and forest degradation, the importance of sustainable forest management, social forestry and land rehabilitation, biodiversity and ecosystem preservation. This article was published in collaboration with APRIL Group. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Julie Capelle (AFP) Amsterdam, Netherlands Wed, April 12, 2023 The atmosphere was tense as residents confronted Amsterdam's mayor on a controversial plan to move legal prostitution from the city's historic red light district to a suburban "erotic centre". In a meeting hall in the south of the city, hundreds of angry locals who don't want a "mega brothel" on their doorstep found themselves unexpectedly on the same side as sex workers who want to stay in their red neon booths. In the middle of the row is Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema, who is sticking to a plan that few people seem to like despite being branded a "brothel madame" by opponents. 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 Sofia Miselem (AFP) Oxkutzkab, Mexico Wed, April 12, 2023 06:44 13 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc45b81e 2 Lifestyle Mexico,language,TikTok,culture,people,influencer Free Santos Tuz bids his followers farewell with a smile in Maya and Spanish on social media, where the young Mexican teacher shares his Indigenous language with thousands of people. The 21-year-old, from the southeastern state of Yucatan, discovered his vocation to keep the words of his ancestors alive during the COVID-19 lockdown. His TikTok account @tuzsantos322 has 343,000 followers and 3.1 million likes. "Green on the outside, yellow on the inside, what is it?" he asks. "We're referring to the avocado, which in the Maya language is called 'oon'," Tuz said, wearing an embroidered guayabera shirt and white hat typical of the Yucatan region. Like many members of younger generations, his teenage sisters have only a rudimentary knowledge of the language, Tuz told AFP. "I realized that many young people stopped speaking the Maya language. However, they do speak it in their homes. Why? Because they're afraid. It's not that they feel shame. They're afraid of being discriminated against," he said. Maya is spoken by 860,000 people, the majority in the Yucatan Peninsula, making it the second most widespread Indigenous language after Nahuatl, according to official figures. Some 7.3 million Mexicans -- 6.1 percent of the population -- speak an Indigenous language. Tuz said that when he was a child, schools blocked the admission of students who only spoke Maya. Although public education is now officially bilingual in the Yucatan, Indigenous language teaching is only just being introduced. "Parents began to stop teaching their children Maya for fear that they would be rejected," added Tuz, who shares knowledge of the language with his students on his own initiative. Doing it on social media was not easy at first. Tuz received mockery and criticism, but also messages from people happy to have found him, including old people who regretted not speaking the language of their ancestors. He has followers as far afield as the United States, Canada and Australia. Tuz records his videos with a cell phone, a camera and a tripod that a digital content producer from the United States gave him as a gift. The videos of him are short and colorful, sometimes in the countryside, at his house, visiting a historical site or tasting a typical dish. He comes from a low-income family and is just beginning to earn money from his videos. Despite often being asked for selfies, he does not consider himself a full-time influencer. Topics : Mexico language TikTok culture people influencer Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Shim Kyu-Seok (AFP) Seoul, South Korea Wed, April 12, 2023 First, he lost his child in Seoul's Halloween crowd crush. Then came a torrent of online abuse, upending his family's once-private life and making him an internet-wide figure of mockery. In October, Lee Jong-chul's 24-year-old son was among more than 150 people killed in the disaster in the city's popular Itaewon district. Grief-stricken, he spoke to media, pleading with South Korean politicians to take action. Then, as has happened after incidents from the Sandy Hook mass shooting to the disappearance of British woman Nicola Bulley, an internet mob formed: Lee and his family's personal tragedy was mocked, belittled and misrepresented online. 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 Juliette Collen (AFP) Kourou, France Wed, April 12, 2023 Could vast, long-hidden oceans be teeming with alien life in our very own Solar System? A new chapter in humanity's search for extraterrestrial life opens on Thursday as Europe's JUICE spacecraft blasts off on a mission to investigate the icy moons of Jupiter. First discovered by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei more than 400 years ago, these ice-covered moons are so far from the Sun that they were long dismissed as possible candidates to host life in our backyard. 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 Front Row (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 15:43 13 0de7eba49861a560f8b2ec6fa5394392 4 Front Row cloud,technology Free Global technology media company W.Media is delighted to announce that it will be hosting the annual Cloud & Datacenter Convention 2023 held in Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta, on May 11. The largest convention in Jakarta will bring together over 1,300 IT leading experts, thought leaders, innovators and W.Media has drawn up a strong agenda of keynote speeches and discussions by industry veterans to deliberate the future of data centers, explore the latest technologies, share insights and best practices in Indonesia. A keynote setting out the key trends that impact data centers and cloud companies in Indonesia will kick off a full days line-up of engaging and fruitful discussions, after an opening by W.Medias head of Singapore and Indonesia Sam Narby. Breakthrough technologies in the data center industry that guide the deployment of energy, manpower, and cybersecurity will also be raised during the conference. At W.Media's Cloud & Data Center convention in the vibrant city of Jakarta, we unite with a shared purpose: to explore, exchange, and evolve our understanding of the digital infrastructure landscape, said IndoKeppel. By participating in this gathering of brilliant minds, we contribute to shaping the future of technology, driving progress, and fostering a more interconnected world. Notable industry players in colocation, cloud and data centers will be in attendance and some will present their latest innovations at their own booths on the event floor. The conference will be wrapped up with networking drinks and intimate sharing sessions among top industry players. Our team enjoyed participating in the Indonesia Cloud & Datacenter Convention 2022. It was a great opportunity for us to showcase our new Mitsubishi Generator R Series to our potential clients and nicely arrange networking sessions with industry experts sharing insights on latest industry trends, said Christopher Ng, head of brand and marketing, Asia at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine System Asia. It created a chance to establish our commitment toward uninterruptible continuous power supply where data center industry demand continues to grow." W.Medias annual convention seeks to gather the worlds cream of the crop in the data center and cloud industry. Held at over 20 locations globally, top-level business executives with expertise in IT and data center fields converge at the W.Media event to set the direction for advancements within the industry, on top of being the first to gain market insights and stay ahead of the curve in rapid market changes. A big shout out to W.Media for all the unbelievable achievements. Apparently, CDCs by W.Media are the best and most influential conferences, invigorating and energizing the APAC cloud and data center industry, said CEO of Onion Technology and Onion Software, Chang Cho. Its a great privilege to be a partner again this year. Over 1,300 senior IT professionals globally, including end-users, consultants, hyperscalers, and vendors/service providers within various IT industries form the audience at W.Medias conventions, creating an unrivaled ecosystem of stakeholders across all its communities worldwide. "As a company that values innovation and staying ahead of the curve, KoolLogix sees the Cloud & Data Center Convention hosted by W.Media as the perfect opportunity to explore new business opportunities in this dynamic field and contribute to the growth of the industry," said KoolLogix. With revenue in the local data center market projected to reach US$3.1 billion in 2023, Indonesia is poised for continued growth as the physical and digital infrastructure continues to provide opportunities for both local and global businesses. The population size and land space for renewable energy, as well as legislation, and the strategic location of Indonesia all lead to signs of further growth and innovation and facilitated collaboration across the region, said Sam Narby. To view the full agenda, speakers and sponsors and to register for W.Medias Cloud and Datacenter Convention 2023 in Jakarta this coming May, purchase an event ticket at https://w.media/events/indonesia-cloud-datacenter-convention-2023/. Check out all of W.Medias events in Southeast Asia at https://w.media/category/events/southeast-asia-events/. Topics : cloud technology Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fikri Harish (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 On the heels of his controversial dismissal of former investigations director Endar Priatoro, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri has been accused of leaking official documents to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, with critics demanding his removal. Protesters from a group called the Indonesian Youth Activist Community (KAMI) demonstrated against Firli in front of the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. They released several mice during the protest, an animal that has become symbolic of corruption in the country. The day before, former KPK commissioners and advisors, graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and other civil groups held a similar protest in front of the building after reporting Firli to the KPK supervisory board. 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 Dio Suhenda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 The month of Ramadan is a time when millions of Indonesian Muslims give back to the community by organizing charity events or giving alms to those in need. But a man in Jakarta has been accused of preying on the goodwill of the faithful to line his own pockets. Police say he went to dozens of mosques in the capital to funnel donations straight into his own bank account. The man in question, Mohammad Iman Mahlim Lubis, has been accused of replacing mosques charitable Quick Response Indonesia Standard (QRIS) codes, which can be scanned with a smartphone to make cashless payments, with ones connected to his own newly created bank account, called Mosque Restoration. 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 Dio Suhenda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 The Jakarta High Court has upheld both the conviction and death sentence of former two-star police general Ferdy Sambo for the premeditated murder of his aide-de-camp Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat and for tampering with evidence to orchestrate a cover-up. Presiding judge Singgih Budi Prakoso said on Wednesday that the appellate bench agreed with the South Jakarta District Courts February verdict and death sentence, which exceeded the prosecutions demand of life in prison. After the panel of judges at the appellate court reviewed, studied, scrutinized and examined carefully the entire case file [...] the judges are of the opinion that the [South Jakarta District Court ruling] has been thoroughly considered and is legally correct, Singgih said. 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 An unknown number of people have been able to access Pentagon intelligence documents posted on social media and online gaming platforms since early March. The leak the most serious since WikiLeaks published 250,000 State Department cables in 2010 and the 2013 Edward Snowden leak of National Security Agency (NSA) classified information has revealed sensitive information about important U.S. allies, such as Canada, South Korea, Israel and Egypt, straining relations with those countries. Ukraine has also been forced to amend some of its military plans, as the leak contained information on its planned counteroffensive to liberate the Russian-controlled east of the country. While the Justice Departments continues its investigation into the case, Washington has two priorities: finding out the source of the leak and plugging it immediately. The Pentagon has described the online leaks as a very serious risk to national security. Clues left online may help determine the source of the leak, since they narrow down the number of possible suspects. What has been posted to the internet are photographs of printed documents some with crumpled paper about the war in Ukraine, the Middle East and Asia. Officials and analysts believe that the fact that photographs were used suggest that the cache of around 100 documents was leaked, not hacked. In the images posted online, the files appear stacked on top of magazines and surrounded by objects such as glue, paper clips and nail clippers. The first impression is that the documents are briefing material for senior officials, prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the CIA. More information Leaked documents may have origin in chatroom for gamers Some sources claim that part of the material may have been published on the video game chat platform Discord as early as January. In March, documents were posted on a closed chatroom called Minecraft Earth Map and another server run by the fans of Filipino YouTuber WowMao, before spreading to 4Chan and later to Twitter and Telegram. For weeks, these social media users joked about the leaks, unaware of their significance. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was first informed of the leak on April 6 hours before The New York Times broke the story when files began appearing on a Telegram channel related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These tracks may provide a partial or complete answer to investigators main questions: who accessed the documents and published them online, why did they do so, and how much damage has it caused. We dont know whos behind this. We dont know what the motive is, John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said on Monday. We dont know what else might be out there, he added, indicating that the White House may be in store for more surprises. The documents which appear to be authentic contain highly classified and sensitive information. Some of them, however, appear to have been altered, such as a military intelligence report on casualties in the Ukraine war that seems to have been edited to reduce the number of Russian troops killed. An image of this document was released last week and widely shared on Telegram, which is very popular in Russia. The reports on the war in Ukraine are especially detailed, with maps, inventories of battlefields and other confidential information. Some provide details on Ukraines special forces, which is made up of a hundred soldiers from the U.S., U.K., France, Latvia and the Netherlands. Others show the extent to which U.S. military intelligence has penetrated the Russian army (it intercepted its plans to attack Odessa and Mykolaiv in March) and the Wagner paramilitary group, which allegedly tried to covertly buy weapons from Turkey. A February 23 report confirms what defense and military analysts have been saying in public: that the fighting in the east of Ukraine is a campaign of attrition that appears headed for a stalemate. But containing the damage caused by the leak is more complex than simply tracing IP servers or tracking down online communities. The classified documents suggest that the United States is spying on its allies, including Ukraine, and that Russia could win the war due to the weakness of Ukraines air defense system less-than-reassuring messages that have wide-ranging consequences. In a bid to contain the damage, Washington has reached out to the allies it has allegedly spied on, including South Korea. According to a statement from the office of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III phoned his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-Sup on Tuesday and said the U.S. would closely communicate with South Korea on the issue. The suspicion of eavesdropping in the Yongsan Presidential Office is a false suspicion, it added. According to the leak, the CIA intercepted a conversation between high-level South Korean officials on whether to sell weapons that could be used in Ukraine. Seoul, however, insists that for now it will maintain its policy of providing only humanitarian aid. As the British Defense Ministry warned on Twitter on Tuesday: Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread misinformation. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nur Janti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs has lent its support to a joint task force formed by a senior minister to dig into some Rp 349 trillion (US$23.4 billion) in suspicious payments that have been flagged at the Finance Ministry. Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD announced the creation of the task force on Monday. It will prioritize an investigation into the alleged laundering of Rp 189 trillion through imports of gold bars. The team consists of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the Finance Ministry, the National Police, the Attorney Generals Office (AGO), the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the State Intelligence Agency and Mahfuds own office. 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 News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12, 2023 The local branch of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in Depok municipality, West Java has thrown its weight behind a proposal to nominate President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's youngest son Kaesang Pangarep as mayor of the city. Chairman of the PDI-P Depok municipal branch Hendrik Tangke Allo said on Wednesday that the party was open to the idea and had even picked a running mate if Kaesang decided to run in the local election. "It will be great if Kaesang runs as Depok mayor, we will pair him with Bang SS," Hendrik said, referring to Depok municipal secretary Supian Suri. 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 Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java Wed, April 12, 2023 12:23 13 0de7eba49861a560f8b2ec6fa535e839 1 Archipelago rhinoceros,white-rhinoceros,Taman-Safari-Indonesia,conservation,endangered-animal,West-Java Free Taman Safari Indonesia (TSI) wildlife park in Bogor, West Java, celebrated the birth of a white southern rhinoceros over the Easter weekend. Twenty-year-old white rhino Juma gave birth to a female calf, which the park officials named Ramadani Jumat Agung, or Raja for short. We chose the name because it was born during the Ramadan month and on Jumat Agung [Good Friday], Dodik Widjanarkan, advisory board chairman of the Indonesia Rhinoceros Foundation (YBI), said on Tuesday. Rajas father is Merdeka, a male rhino that is also about 20 years of age. Southern white rhinos are currently listed as "Near Threatened" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and their population is in decline. The IUCN estimates that there are a total of 10,080 remaining in the wild, facing significant threats such as poaching and the illegal trade of rhino horns. The southern white rhinoceros is a subspecies of the white rhinoceros. While these white rhinos also reside in zoos and private nature reserves worldwide, they are found almost exclusively in southern Africa from Angola and Namibia eastward through Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique, with smaller populations made up of introduced animals in Kenya and southern Zambia. Jansen Manansang, YBI chairman and TSI founder, said he hoped the Indonesian public would continue giving attention to rhinoceros. We also hope for full support from the government and citizens to rhino conservation, especially for the Sumatran and Javan rhino, he said. (dre) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ridha Aditya Nugraha and Yaries Mahardika Putro (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Surabaya Thu, April 13, 2023 03:14 12 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc473544 3 Academia space,satellite,exploitation,ASEAN,LAPAN,fisheries,agriculture,EU,unity,funding,independence Free By Jakarta/Surabaya ASEAN countries have an extensive background in outer space exploration. For decades, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have actively participated in outer space activities. Indonesia pioneered space endeavors in this region as demonstrated by the establishment of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) in the 1960s and the Palapa A1 satellite success launch in 1976. In addition, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to establish a ground-based receiving station in 1971, with the purpose of utilizing data from NASAs Earth Resources Technology Satellite-1. The highlight of the Southeast Asian space race was Vietnam's participation in the Interkosmos program run by the Soviet Union in 1979, which was a big success. Pham Tuan is the first Asian to participate in space exploration. ASEAN is blessed with geographical advantages when it comes to utilizing space technology. Southeast Asia is geographically surrounded by seas, where fisheries is a major source of income for the region's inhabitants. Subsequently, ASEAN member states also rely on agriculture for subsistence. Satellite technology can play a significant role in the production of fisheries and agricultural goods. Using satellite technology to monitor fish movement, fishermen can easily pinpoint fishing locations. This will, of course, propel the economic wheels of the region. Several ASEAN member states are geographically located below the equator, along the Ring of Fire. Such advantages lead to strategic locations for spaceport development pertaining to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) or Geostationary Orbit (GSO) satellite launches. Less gravity means less fuel is needed. Being located in the region of the Ring of Fire increases the likelihood of natural disasters caused by volcanic eruptions. Remote sensing technology can be utilized to lessen the impact of such natural disasters. Despite the advantages and historical background, progress on outer space activities in the region is rather insignificant because each member state lacks a sense of regional unity. As an example, certain ASEAN nations are busy pursuing bilateral cooperation with non-ASEAN counterparts rather than with fellow group members. Intra-ASEAN cooperation in the space sector is absent because there is no forum at the regional level to discuss space-related issues. The Sub-Committee on Space Technology and Applications (SCOSA), a subcommittee of the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation (COSTI), is in charge of space technology and activities at the regional level. The SCOSA's 2016 to 2025 priorities include the utilization of satellites for geoinformatics, the development of micro and nanosatellites and space technology implementation. There are strong grounds to consider the establishment of an ASEAN or regional space agency on the basis of regional cooperation. At present five ASEAN member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor Leste, are not members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS). Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste have not even signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, billed as the magna carta of space law. Taking into account the current ASEAN member states capabilities in space activities, it appears the scope of regional cooperation should be limited to primary needs, namely satellite utilization. ASEAN countries are not yet at the stage of furthering space exploration such as space mining. Therefore, the fact that five ASEAN states are not the parties to the UNCOPUOS should not hinder efforts to realize regional cooperation. The regional space agency establishment could instead become a catalyst in encouraging the countries to ratify the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and join the UNCOPUOS. The shooting of Chinese balloons by the United States a few months ago shows that the UNCOPUOS plays an essential role in determining the delimitation of airspace and outer space. This was merely an academic debate a decade ago, but now it has come to reality. The establishment of an independent regional space agency is not new. The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (ARABSAT) are two long-standing examples. Reflecting on the ESA experience, agency independence implies that the organization is not hierarchically subsumed by the European Union, but remains bound through a number of cooperation agreements. One of the examples is the Galileo Program pertaining to the global navigation satellite system that went live in 2016. Financial independence can be achieved by an ASEAN space agency. Learning from ARABSAT and the ESA both funding sources directly come from each member states space agency, rather than from the Arab League or the European Union. The ASEAN space agency can choose the funding model of the ESA. The formation of an ASEAN space agency can provide Southeast Asia with more and fair access to space activities. It could create two categories of space programs, namely mandatory and voluntary. The design, launch and operation of satellites should comprise the primary interests of all ASEAN member states. At the next stage, a further objective is to promote autonomy in conducting space activities in the region. Programs involving biomedical research and microgravity, for example, will only be implemented for those who are interested. The ASEAN space agency could play its role in facilitating data exchange and technology transfer. This year Indonesia takes the helm of ASEAN. This is an opportunity for the biggest ASEAN member to encourage further outer space cooperation in the region. Indonesias vast experience in outer space activities, including its active role at UNCOPUOS, is a basic capital. The establishment of an ASEAN space agency shall lead the region to more opportunities to advance science, technology and eventually the people's welfare. *** Ridha Aditya Nugraha teaches Air and Space Law Studies in Prasetiya Mulya University. Yaries Mahardika Putro is a lecturer of Air and Space Law at the Faculty of Law in Surabaya University. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Topics : space satellite exploitation ASEAN LAPAN fisheries agriculture EU unity funding independence Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yvette Tanamal (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12 2023 Indonesias focus within ASEAN on strengthening regional finances by improving payment connectivity and promoting the use of local currencies will likely have both advantages and disadvantages, analysts say, amid calls from some nations to find alternatives the United States dollar for world commerce. ASEANs economic digitalization agenda, the analysts said, could benefit the region especially if it could successfully establish an overarching system to bring divergent national regulations into accord. The past few years have seen Jakarta push for the digitalization of the economy, an ambition that was also featured as part of its Group of 20 presidency last year. Within ASEAN, trade ministers have come together this year to negotiate the Digital Economic Framework Agreement and the Trade on Goods Agreement. 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 Alasdair Pal (The Jakarta Post) Reuters/Sydney Wed, April 12 2023 Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday, the latest sign of improving ties between the trade partners. China's tariffs of 80.5 percent on Australian barley all but wiped out imports of the grain by the world's biggest beer market, prompting a formal complaint by Australia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2020. Until then they had ranged between A$1.5 billion (US$1 billion) and A$2 billion a year. 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 Fikri Harish (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12 2023 With the 2023 mudik (exodus) season expected to see a record of more than 120 million Indonesians traveling across the country, the Public Works and Housing Ministry plans to temporarily open 11 new toll roads across Java and Sumatra to accommodate travelers. The 11 toll roads, consisting of seven roads in Java and four in Sumatra with a total length of 222 kilometers, will only be open during the mudik period, Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT) secretary Triono Junoasmono said in a press release published on Monday. For now, were still conducting some last-minute work scheduled to be completed 10 days before Idul Fitri. 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 Fikri Harish (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12 2023 On the heels of his controversial dismissal of former investigations director Endar Priatoro, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri has been accused of leaking official documents to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, with critics demanding his removal. Protesters from a group called the Indonesian Youth Activist Community (KAMI) demonstrated against Firli in front of the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. They released several mice during the protest, an animal that has become symbolic of corruption in the country. The day before, former KPK commissioners and advisors, graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and other civil groups held a similar protest in front of the building after reporting Firli to the KPK supervisory board. 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 Sophie Makris (Agence France-Presse) (The Jakarta Post) Berlin Wed, April 12 2023 Germany will shut down its three remaining nuclear plants on Saturday, betting that it can fulfill its green ambitions without atomic power despite the energy crisis caused by the Ukraine war. The cloud of white steam that has risen since 1989 over the river in Neckarwestheim, near Stuttgart, in Baden-Wurttemberg state, will soon be a distant memory, as will the Isar 2 complex in Bavaria and the Emsland plant in the northern state of Lower Saxony. At a time when many Western countries are ramping up nuclear power in their transition to greener energy sources, Europe's biggest economy is resolutely sticking to its plans, though not everyone is in agreement. 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 Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12 2023 We understand and appreciate Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudis avoidance of publicity in her role as ASEANs special envoy to Myanmar during Indonesias chairmanship of the regional bloc this year. The minister seems to be following the old adage that silence is golden, not least in delicate diplomatic situations. The Myanmar question is unlike any of the other diplomatic issues Indonesia will seek to address this year as chair. The sensitivities and divided interests of the competing factions within Myanmar, as well as of the ASEAN nations observing the crisis from without, mean real consensus will be hard to reach and the benefits of large, open discussions may be limited. Nonetheless, Indonesias silence on the issue has raised concerns that it will repeat the failures of previous ASEAN chairs Brunei and Cambodia to do anything to improve the situation. 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 By Takuya Karube, KYODO NEWS - Apr 12, 2023 - 10:40 | All, World, Japan The United States agreed Tuesday to help the Philippines modernize its armed forces while committing to redouble efforts to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law. With China increasingly challenging the existing U.S.-led liberal international order, the agreement to bolster interoperability and shared defense capabilities, especially in the maritime domain, was struck in Washington at a meeting between the defense and foreign secretaries of the longtime security allies. "We all reaffirmed today that our mutual defense treaty remains the bedrock of our cooperation," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a joint press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their respective Philippines counterparts, Enrique Manalo and Carlito Galvez. As part of efforts to strengthen the alliance, Austin said they agreed to complete a road map on U.S. defense assistance for the Philippines to advance the delivery of priority equipment, including radars, military transport aircraft and drones, over the next five to 10 years. He said the commitments will further integrate their "strong bilateral ties into multilateral networks including with Japan and Australia." The United States and the Philippines held so-called two-plus-two talks for the first time since 2016, in yet another sign that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration is continuing its pursuit of a different approach to former leader Rodrigo Duterte. A statement released by the four secretaries urged China to end its "threatening and provocative activities" in parts of the South China Sea where the Philippines has sovereign rights, and stressed the importance of maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait as an "indispensable element of global security and prosperity." In February, Marcos granted the U.S. access to four more military bases, increasing the number that American soldiers can use to nine. Manalo told reporters that the nations are not at a stage where they can answer how the additional bases might be used, but noted he believes Manila and Washington have already reached an understanding that the main purpose is dealing with potential humanitarian or climate disasters. In his six years in office until June 2022, and especially in the early years, Duterte repeatedly threatened to sever the Philippines' longtime security relations with the United States and made efforts to cozy up to China and Russia. China disregards a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated its territorial claims to the South China Sea, home to important shipping lanes and rich fishing grounds. But Duterte often ignored China's illegal incursions into the waters, where not only the Philippines but also several other Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan have overlapping claims with Beijing. Philippine officials have said they are keen to boost defense cooperation with other countries in the region, including Australia and Japan. The joint statement said the U.S. and Philippine navies are finalizing plans to sail together in the South China Sea and also discussing the idea of conducting multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded countries in the area later this year. In a symbolic move, the allies began their largest yet annual military exercises in the Philippines and its nearby waters also on Tuesday. The annual drills known as Balikatan, meaning "shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog, involving a total of about 17,600 personnel, will run through April 28. The United States and Japan think closer ties with the Philippines will boost deterrence against China and prepare for a potential crisis over Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and to be brought under control by force if necessary. The United States and Japan plan to launch a three-way dialogue involving their own and the Philippines' national security advisers as early as this month, officials familiar with the idea said last month. Related coverage: Japan, Philippines, U.S. to set up 3-way security framework Subic, Clark bases not included in pact with U.S.: Philippine pres. Japan, Philippines to boost economic, security ties amid China rise Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dio Suhenda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 12 2023 The joint Indonesian Military (TNI) and police rescue team hunting for abducted New Zealand pilot Phillip Merthens in Nduga regency, Papua Highlands, has captured a suspect thought to be responsible for burning Merthens aircraft some two months ago. Head of the team, codenamed Peaceful Carstensz, Sr. Comr. Era Adhinata of the Papua Police said in a statement on Monday that authorities had detained Yomse Lokbere, believed to be a subordinate of West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) commander Egianus Kogoya, last week. Aside from burning the Susi Air aircraft, Era said that Yomse was thought to have taken part in at least four other criminal incidents. 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 Joan Faus (Reuters) (The Jakarta Post) Madrid Wed, April 12 2023 Volkswagen and Renault plan to request funds from a revamped Spanish government scheme aimed at encouraging electric vehicle (EV) production in the country, while Stellantis and newcomer AEHRA may do so, the carmakers told Reuters. Madrid will launch a new, more flexible version of the PERTE scheme around July, worth 2 billion euros (US$2.18 billion) after the initial funding round in 2022 flopped, with only 27 percent of an earmarked 2.9 billion euros allocated. It hopes the program, which draws on European Union pandemic support funds, will help Spain Europe's second-largest car producer stay in the EV race after losing out on investment to rivals in the region and further afield. 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 AFP Bangkok, Thailand Wed, April 12, 2023 One of Thailand's oldest railway stations is facing demolition as the kingdom presses ahead with a long-delayed Chinese-backed high-speed line that has caused unease about lost heritage and closer ties to Beijing. Concrete piers supporting the new elevated track tower over bright green rice paddies, cutting a strip through a quiet corner of Thailand's poor, rural northeast. The $5.4-billion line aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 -- another piece in Beijing's vast "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative that sprawls across Asia. 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 BTCS Inc. (OTCMKTS:BTCS Get Rating) CEO Charles W. Allen sold 100,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1.20, for a total transaction of $120,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 4,096,521 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,915,825.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. BTCS Trading Up 34.5 % Shares of OTCMKTS:BTCS traded up $0.39 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $1.54. The company had a trading volume of 650,770 shares, compared to its average volume of 134,945. The company has a fifty day moving average of $0.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $0.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.21 million, a P/E ratio of -1.22 and a beta of 1.72. BTCS Inc. has a 12 month low of $0.57 and a 12 month high of $4.12. Get BTCS alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On BTCS A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in shares of BTCS by 39,627.8% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 7,151 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 7,133 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of BTCS by 103.5% in the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 20,973 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 10,669 shares in the last quarter. Vident Investment Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in shares of BTCS in the 1st quarter valued at $47,000. State Street Corp purchased a new stake in shares of BTCS in the 1st quarter valued at $59,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of BTCS by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 367,884 shares of the companys stock valued at $552,000 after purchasing an additional 30,900 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 4.81% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes BTCS Company Profile Separately, HC Wainwright reissued a buy rating and issued a $3.00 price target on shares of BTCS in a report on Tuesday, April 4th. (Get Rating) BTCS, Inc engages in the digital currency ecosystem and blockchain technologies. It manages an online marketplace where consumers can purchase merchandise using digital currencies such as bitcoin. The company was founded by Timothy Sidie and Michal Handerhan in 2008 and is headquartered in Silver Spring, MD. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BTCS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BTCS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Iridian Asset Management LLC CT boosted its position in BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR Get Rating) by 4.4% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 1,911,559 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 81,145 shares during the period. BellRing Brands makes up about 4.7% of Iridian Asset Management LLC CTs holdings, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Iridian Asset Management LLC CTs holdings in BellRing Brands were worth $49,012,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BRBR. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of BellRing Brands in the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. Macquarie Group Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of BellRing Brands by 70.7% during the 2nd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 2,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $72,000 after acquiring an additional 1,201 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of BellRing Brands by 1,612.5% during the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 3,288 shares of the companys stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 3,096 shares in the last quarter. First Manhattan Co. acquired a new position in shares of BellRing Brands during the 1st quarter valued at $76,000. Finally, Advisor Group Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of BellRing Brands by 1,839.2% during the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 3,413 shares of the companys stock valued at $78,000 after acquiring an additional 3,237 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.40% of the companys stock. Get BellRing Brands alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of BellRing Brands from $32.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of BellRing Brands from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Cowen started coverage on shares of BellRing Brands in a report on Wednesday, December 14th. They set an outperform rating and a $31.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $38.00 price target on shares of BellRing Brands in a research note on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, Cowen started coverage on shares of BellRing Brands in a research note on Wednesday, December 14th. They set an outperform rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $36.30. BellRing Brands Price Performance BellRing Brands stock traded up $0.39 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $33.88. 366,535 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 957,995. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $31.37 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.93. The firm has a market cap of $4.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.87. BellRing Brands, Inc. has a 1 year low of $20.20 and a 1 year high of $35.40. BellRing Brands (NYSE:BRBR Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 6th. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $362.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $342.98 million. BellRing Brands had a net margin of 8.29% and a negative return on equity of 36.56%. The companys revenue was up 18.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.25 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that BellRing Brands, Inc. will post 1.23 EPS for the current year. BellRing Brands Company Profile (Get Rating) BellRing Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides various nutrition products in the United States and internationally. It offers ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, other RTD beverages, powders, nutrition bars, and other products primarily under the Premier Protein and Dymatize brands. The company sells its products through club, food, drug, mass, eCommerce, specialty, and convenience channels. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BRBR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BellRing Brands, Inc. (NYSE:BRBR Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for BellRing Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BellRing Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE:CS Get Rating) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the fifteen research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have issued a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $3.63. CS has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of Credit Suisse Group in a report on Friday, January 27th. They issued an equal weight rating for the company. StockNews.com cut shares of Credit Suisse Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, April 4th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Credit Suisse Group from CHF 4 to CHF 2.90 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 13th. Royal Bank of Canada assumed coverage on shares of Credit Suisse Group in a research report on Monday, December 19th. They issued a sector perform rating on the stock. Finally, Citigroup lowered shares of Credit Suisse Group from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, February 16th. Get Credit Suisse Group alerts: Credit Suisse Group Stock Performance NYSE CS opened at $0.90 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.32 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a 50 day moving average of $2.28 and a 200-day moving average of $3.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.47. Credit Suisse Group has a 1-year low of $0.82 and a 1-year high of $7.74. Credit Suisse Group Increases Dividend Credit Suisse Group ( NYSE:CS Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The financial services provider reported ($0.28) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.22) by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.30 billion. Credit Suisse Group had a negative return on equity of 3.99% and a negative net margin of 33.10%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Credit Suisse Group will post -0.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.0547 per share. This is a boost from Credit Suisse Groups previous dividend of $0.05. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 10th. This represents a yield of 4.5%. Credit Suisse Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -1.43%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in Credit Suisse Group by 6.8% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 49,762 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $195,000 after purchasing an additional 3,164 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its holdings in Credit Suisse Group by 70.3% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 7,931 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 3,273 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in Credit Suisse Group by 84.5% in the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 7,318 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $166,000 after purchasing an additional 3,351 shares in the last quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Credit Suisse Group by 8.7% in the third quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 44,306 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $174,000 after purchasing an additional 3,540 shares in the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in Credit Suisse Group by 8.9% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 50,292 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $395,000 after purchasing an additional 4,130 shares in the last quarter. 11.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Credit Suisse Group Company Profile (Get Rating) Credit Suisse Group AG is a holding company, which engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following four divisions: Wealth Management, Investment Bank, Swiss Bank and Asset Management and four geographic regions: Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Americas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Credit Suisse Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Credit Suisse Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk (OTCMKTS:PPERY Get Rating) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (NYSE:SMFG Get Rating) are both large-cap finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, earnings and risk. Valuation & Earnings This table compares PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Groups top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk $8.58 billion 3.66 $2.79 billion N/A N/A Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group $36.62 billion 1.53 $4.54 billion $0.92 8.88 Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group has higher revenue and earnings than PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk N/A N/A N/A Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 15.18% 7.45% 0.36% Dividends This table compares PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Groups net margins, return on equity and return on assets. PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk pays an annual dividend of $0.50 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group pays an annual dividend of $0.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.4%. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group pays out 30.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk 0 0 0 0 N/A Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 0 0 3 0 3.00 Insider and Institutional Ownership 0.0% of PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.7% of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.0% of PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Volatility & Risk PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk has a beta of 0.76, indicating that its share price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group has a beta of 0.67, indicating that its share price is 33% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group beats PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk on 8 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk (Get Rating) PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk engages in providing general banking services. It operates through the following business segments: Corporate; Commercial; Retail; Treasury & Markets; Head Office; Subsidiaries-Insurance; and Other Subsidiary. The Corporate segment includes loans, deposits, and other transactions by corporate customers. The Commercial segment consists of loans, deposits, and other transactions by medium scale commercial and business banking customers. The Retail segment comprises of loans granted to business entities or individuals with micro-scale to small; and products or other services such as deposits, payment transactions, and other transactions belonging to micro and small customers. The Treasury & Markets segment offers treasury activities of the bank including foreign exchange, money market, and fixed income; and international banking, capital markets, and supervision of the foreign office. The Head Office segment manages the assets and liabilities of the group other than those managed by other operating segments. The Subsidiaries-Insurance segment covers all transactions conducted by subsidiaries engaged in life insurance, health insurance, and general insuran About Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (Get Rating) Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. operates as a holding company, which engages in the management of its subsidiaries that provide financial services. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Banking, Leasing, Securities, and Consumer Finance. The Commercial Banking segment consists of consumer banking, middle market banking, wholesale banking, retail banking, international banking, and treasury units. The Leasing segment provides leasing services that include equipment, operating, leveraged, and aircraft operating leases. The Securities segment offers financial products, investment consultation and administration services to individual and corporate customers. The Consumer Finance segment handles domestic credit card business, consumer loans and loan guarantee businesses. The company was founded on December 2, 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Receive News & Ratings for PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Devon Energy Co. (NYSE:DVN Get Rating) have earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty-one brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $72.84. DVN has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on shares of Devon Energy from $80.00 to $52.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. Raymond James dropped their price objective on shares of Devon Energy from $80.00 to $67.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on shares of Devon Energy from $84.00 to $71.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 16th. Mizuho reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $71.00 price objective on shares of Devon Energy in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Devon Energy in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Get Devon Energy alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Richard E. Muncrief acquired 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $53.28 per share, for a total transaction of $532,800.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 1,973,977 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $105,173,494.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Devon Energy news, Director John E. Bethancourt bought 3,765 shares of Devon Energy stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $53.06 per share, for a total transaction of $199,770.90. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 94,669 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,023,137.14. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Richard E. Muncrief bought 10,000 shares of Devon Energy stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $53.28 per share, with a total value of $532,800.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,973,977 shares of the companys stock, valued at $105,173,494.56. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Devon Energy Devon Energy Stock Up 1.7 % Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of DVN. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Devon Energy in the first quarter worth about $364,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Devon Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $188,000. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its position in shares of Devon Energy by 52.1% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 99,120 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $5,861,000 after acquiring an additional 33,936 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. boosted its position in shares of Devon Energy by 9.2% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 414,354 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $24,500,000 after acquiring an additional 34,870 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in Devon Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.08% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE DVN opened at $54.30 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $35.51 billion, a PE ratio of 5.95, a P/E/G ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 2.33. Devon Energy has a 12-month low of $44.03 and a 12-month high of $79.40. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $53.92 and its 200 day simple moving average is $61.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 15th. The energy company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $4.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.29 billion. Devon Energy had a return on equity of 52.20% and a net margin of 31.38%. The firms revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.39 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Devon Energy will post 6.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Devon Energy Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a None dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 15th were issued a dividend of $0.89 per share. This represents a yield of 9.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 14th. This is an increase from Devon Energys previous None dividend of $0.49. Devon Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.77%. About Devon Energy (Get Rating) Devon Energy Corp. engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties. It develops and operates Delaware Basin, Eagle Ford, Heavy Oil, Barnett Shale, STACK, and Rockies Oil. The company was founded by J. Larry Nichols and John W. Nichols in 1971 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Devon Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Devon Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Everence Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in American Tower Co. (NYSE:AMT Get Rating) by 13.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,322 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 1,600 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in American Tower were worth $2,822,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Pinnacle Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Tower in the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Tower in the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. EWG Elevate Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of American Tower in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Activest Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of American Tower by 379.3% in the 3rd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 139 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the period. Finally, Tortoise Investment Management LLC lifted its position in American Tower by 76.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 145 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. 89.65% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get American Tower alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of American Tower from $219.00 to $224.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, January 23rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of American Tower in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Moffett Nathanson raised shares of American Tower from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and lowered their price target for the company from $244.00 to $234.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of American Tower from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $215.00 to $245.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group lowered their price target on shares of American Tower from $251.00 to $244.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $257.76. Insider Activity at American Tower American Tower Stock Performance In related news, Director Samme L. Thompson sold 1,739 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.59, for a total transaction of $380,128.01. Following the sale, the director now owns 22,099 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,830,620.41. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In related news, Director Raymond P. Dolan sold 1,619 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $233.92, for a total value of $378,716.48. Following the transaction, the director now owns 17,473 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,087,284.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, Director Samme L. Thompson sold 1,739 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.59, for a total transaction of $380,128.01. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 22,099 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,830,620.41. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 6,552 shares of company stock valued at $1,498,420 over the last 90 days. 0.24% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Shares of AMT stock traded up $0.82 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $211.20. The company had a trading volume of 58,868 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,057,164. American Tower Co. has a one year low of $178.17 and a one year high of $282.47. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $204.54 and a 200-day moving average price of $209.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.75, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.54. The firm has a market cap of $98.35 billion, a PE ratio of 54.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.57. American Tower (NYSE:AMT Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The real estate investment trust reported ($1.47) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by ($3.63). The business had revenue of $2.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.68 billion. American Tower had a net margin of 16.49% and a return on equity of 15.80%. American Towers revenue for the quarter was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.18 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that American Tower Co. will post 9.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. American Tower Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Investors of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of $1.56 per share. This represents a $6.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. American Towers payout ratio is 162.50%. American Tower Company Profile (Get Rating) American Tower Corp. provides real estate investment services, and owns, operates, and develops multi-tenant real estate properties. It offers leasing of space on communications sites to wireless service providers, radio and television broadcast companies. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for American Tower Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Tower and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP Get Rating) shares saw an uptick in trading volume on Monday . 1,992,151 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 34% from the previous sessions volume of 1,482,707 shares.The stock last traded at $11.02 and had previously closed at $11.24. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently issued reports on FBP. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of First BanCorp. from $14.00 to $12.50 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of First BanCorp. in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Get First BanCorp. alerts: First BanCorp. Stock Down 1.3 % The company has a market cap of $1.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firms 50 day moving average price is $12.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $13.73. First BanCorp. Increases Dividend First BanCorp. ( NYSE:FBP Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 27th. The bank reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.41 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $219.46 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $241.17 million. First BanCorp. had a net margin of 31.85% and a return on equity of 20.58%. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.36 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that First BanCorp. will post 1.45 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 24th were issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 23rd. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.07%. This is a boost from First BanCorp.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. First BanCorp.s payout ratio is currently 35.22%. Insider Activity at First BanCorp. In other news, Director John A. Heffern acquired 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 15th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $11.61 per share, for a total transaction of $34,830.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 84,895 shares in the company, valued at $985,630.95. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 2.10% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Maven Securities LTD grew its holdings in First BanCorp. by 62.2% during the third quarter. Maven Securities LTD now owns 60,256 shares of the banks stock valued at $824,000 after purchasing an additional 23,100 shares during the period. AXA S.A. acquired a new position in shares of First BanCorp. in the third quarter valued at approximately $3,259,000. Algert Global LLC boosted its holdings in shares of First BanCorp. by 6.6% in the third quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 294,880 shares of the banks stock valued at $4,034,000 after buying an additional 18,356 shares during the period. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of First BanCorp. in the third quarter valued at approximately $873,000. Finally, Yorktown Management & Research Co Inc boosted its holdings in shares of First BanCorp. by 18.9% in the third quarter. Yorktown Management & Research Co Inc now owns 60,400 shares of the banks stock valued at $826,000 after buying an additional 9,600 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.38% of the companys stock. First BanCorp. Company Profile (Get Rating) First BanCorp (Puerto Rico) is a holding company, which engages in the provision of personal, commercial, and corporate banking services. It operates through the following segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Mortgage Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for First BanCorp. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First BanCorp. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KYODO NEWS - Apr 12, 2023 - 19:23 | All, Japan Japan's population shrank by 556,000 in 2022 from a year earlier to 124.9 million for the 12th straight year of decrease, as the number of Japanese nationals saw its largest drop on record, government data showed Wednesday. As of Oct. 1, the population, including foreign residents, stood at 124,947,000, with the number of Japanese nationals down 750,000 to 122,031,000, the largest margin of decline since comparable data were made available in 1950, the data said. The trend indicates an urgent need for Japan to establish a social system to cope with the dual challenge of a declining birthrate and a graying population. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference that the government will address the country's falling birthrate "with the highest priority." All of Japan's 47 prefectures except Tokyo posted a fall in the number of residents in the year to October last year, with deaths outnumbering births in all prefectures for the first time, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The growing number of foreign residents living in Japan, however, has in recent years helped offset the country's overall population decline. The foreign population rose by 194,000 to 2,916,000 in the reporting year following the relaxation of strict border controls put in place to mitigate imported coronavirus cases, the data showed. By prefecture, Okinawa's population shrank by 0.01 percent, the first time it has fallen since its reversion to Japanese rule in 1972. Tokyo saw its population increase by 0.20 percent, rebounding from the first drop in 26 years last year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that slowed the traditional influx of people to the capital region. The working population, or people between 15 and 64, dropped by 296,000 to 74,208,000, accounting for 59.4 percent of the overall population. The percentage was on par with the record low from a year earlier. Those 14 and under accounted for a new all-time low of 11.6 percent of the total population, while people 65 and over made up a record high of 29 percent. Related coverage: Japan vows to boost child allowances to tackle falling birthrate Japan looks to scrap foreign trainee program for new system Kenmare Resources plc (LON:KMR Get Rating) declared a dividend on Wednesday, March 22nd, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share on Friday, May 19th. This represents a dividend yield of 8.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 13th. This is a positive change from Kenmare Resourcess previous dividend of $0.11. The official announcement can be accessed at this link. Kenmare Resources Stock Up 0.5 % Shares of Kenmare Resources stock opened at GBX 488 ($6.04) on Wednesday. The firms 50 day moving average price is GBX 474.72 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 444.56. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 4.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.28. Kenmare Resources has a 52-week low of GBX 370.80 ($4.59) and a 52-week high of GBX 533 ($6.60). The company has a market cap of 462.77 million, a P/E ratio of 285.59, a PEG ratio of 0.03 and a beta of 0.45. Get Kenmare Resources alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Berenberg Bank cut their price objective on shares of Kenmare Resources from GBX 780 ($9.66) to GBX 760 ($9.41) and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. Kenmare Resources Company Profile Kenmare Resources plc, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells mineral sand products in China, Europe, the United States, and internationally. It operates the Moma Titanium Minerals Mine located on the northeast coast of Mozambique. The company's products include ilmenite, zircon, and rutile; and concentrates, including secondary zircon and mineral sand concentrates. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Kenmare Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kenmare Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of M&T Bank (NYSE:MTB Get Rating) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Saturday. Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on M&T Bank from $165.00 to $155.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. Wedbush raised M&T Bank from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $170.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 3rd. DA Davidson assumed coverage on M&T Bank in a research note on Wednesday, December 21st. They issued a neutral rating and a $160.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on M&T Bank from $160.00 to $125.00 in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on M&T Bank from $255.00 to $175.00 in a report on Friday, January 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $172.32. Get M&T Bank alerts: M&T Bank Stock Performance Shares of MTB opened at $118.19 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $139.25 and a 200 day moving average of $153.79. M&T Bank has a 12 month low of $110.00 and a 12 month high of $193.42. The company has a market capitalization of $19.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.26, a PEG ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 0.78. M&T Bank Increases Dividend M&T Bank ( NYSE:MTB Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 19th. The financial services provider reported $4.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.47 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $2.51 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.37 billion. M&T Bank had a return on equity of 11.41% and a net margin of 23.15%. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.37 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that M&T Bank will post 17.56 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 6th were given a $1.30 dividend. This is a boost from M&T Banks previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.40%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 3rd. M&T Banks payout ratio is currently 45.14%. Institutional Trading of M&T Bank Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. First Hawaiian Bank boosted its position in shares of M&T Bank by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 8,193 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,444,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Xponance Inc. boosted its position in shares of M&T Bank by 20.0% in the 4th quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 20,998 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,046,000 after purchasing an additional 3,494 shares in the last quarter. Prudential PLC boosted its position in shares of M&T Bank by 12.8% in the 3rd quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 5,192 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $915,000 after purchasing an additional 590 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates lifted its position in M&T Bank by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 245,119 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $43,221,000 after acquiring an additional 9,266 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its position in M&T Bank by 42.2% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 31,086 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,481,000 after acquiring an additional 9,220 shares in the last quarter. 84.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About M&T Bank (Get Rating) M&T Bank Corp. operates as a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of retail and commercial banking, trust, wealth management and investment services. It operates through the following segments: Business Banking, Commercial Banking, Commercial Real Estate, Discretionary Portfolio, Residential Mortgage Banking, and Retail Banking. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for M&T Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for M&T Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund (NYSEAMERICAN:EAD Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Monday, April 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.0497 per share by the closed-end fund on Monday, May 1st. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.26%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 13th. Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 0.8% annually over the last three years. Get Wells Fargo Advantage Funds - Allspring Income Opportunities Fund alerts: Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund Stock Performance EAD opened at $6.44 on Wednesday. Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund has a 12 month low of $5.95 and a 12 month high of $7.77. Institutional Trading of Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund About Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EAD. Raymond James & Associates raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund by 49.3% during the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 27,614 shares of the closed-end funds stock worth $218,000 after purchasing an additional 9,122 shares during the period. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC lifted its stake in Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund by 10.1% during the first quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 46,122 shares of the closed-end funds stock valued at $364,000 after buying an additional 4,245 shares in the last quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund by 20.0% in the first quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 12,000 shares of the closed-end funds stock worth $95,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares during the period. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund by 19.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 356,187 shares of the closed-end funds stock worth $2,814,000 after purchasing an additional 56,911 shares during the period. Finally, Rivernorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Allspring Income Opportunities Fund during the 1st quarter valued at $404,000. (Get Rating) Allspring Income Opportunities Fund is a closed-end management investment company. It seeks current income and capital appreciation through investment in below investment grade debt securities, loans, and preferred stocks. The company was founded on December 3, 2002 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo Advantage Funds - Allspring Income Opportunities Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo Advantage Funds - Allspring Income Opportunities Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited (CVE:WI Get Rating)s stock price traded up 7.6% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$0.36 and last traded at C$0.36. 1,000 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 97% from the average session volume of 29,630 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.33. Western Investment Company of Canada Trading Up 7.6 % The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.76, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a current ratio of 0.08. The stocks fifty day moving average is C$0.37 and its 200 day moving average is C$0.37. The stock has a market cap of C$10.75 million, a P/E ratio of -17.75 and a beta of 1.07. Get Western Investment Company of Canada alerts: Insider Activity at Western Investment Company of Canada In related news, Director Scott Tannas sold 75,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$0.38, for a total value of C$28,500.00. 11.26% of the stock is owned by insiders. Western Investment Company of Canada Company Profile The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited, is a private equity firm specializing in buyout and middle market investments. It seeks investments in retail and distribution, human services, agriculture and related services and special situations. The firm prefers to invest in USA and Canada with a focus in companies which are headquartered in Western Canada like Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Western Investment Company of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Western Investment Company of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KYODO NEWS - Apr 12, 2023 - 20:37 | World, All, Japan China has notified Taiwan that it will establish a no-fly zone north of the island on Sunday morning for "aerospace activities," Taipei said, amid high cross-strait tensions that have seen the Chinese military continuously send warplanes and vessels near the territory. China plans to close the airspace in an area about 85 nautical miles from the island's north shore for 27 minutes from 9:30 a.m., Taiwan authorities said Wednesday. Beijing initially said it would be a three-day closure through next Tuesday but the plan was adjusted following a protest from Taipei, they added. The no-fly area to be set within Taiwan's air defense identification zone covers many international flight routes, linking such destinations as Japan, South Korea, and the United States, the island's Defense Ministry said. The ministry also said Chinese space activities may involve satellite launches. In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Wednesday that Beijing has informed Tokyo about the planned airspace closure, but the area is outside of Japan's territory. The area includes a part of Japan's exclusive economic zone near the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands, according to a Japanese government source. Cross-strait tensions have been rising following talks last week in California between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Communist-led China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be brought into its fold by force if necessary, conducted a three-day military drill near the self-ruled democratic island through Monday and continued to send warplanes and ships to the area even after the end of the exercise. Beijing has increased its military pressure on Taiwan since a visit to the territory last August by McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi. China and Taiwan have been separately governed since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. Beijing has opposed any official contact between the island and the United States. Related coverage: Japan dismisses speculation of China link to SDF chopper accident China deploys aircraft carrier Shandong in drill near Taiwan China starts 3-day military drill around Taiwan after Tsai U.S. talks That release could not be found. Prof Chinyere Okunna, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Paul University Awka, has revealed that the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, was last Friday, reportedly detained in London by UK immigration officials. Obi was said to have been detained for hours, and interrogated by the officials, after his British Airways flight landed in Heathrow Airport on that Friday morning. Prof Chinyere Okunna, a Mass Communications scholar and also a confidant of Obi, made this known on Wednesday morning. Okunna, who worked with Obi as commissioner for information, commissioner for economic planning and coordinating commissioner for development partners, said Obi who lived honourably in the UK narrated the ordeal to her in private, and expressed pain about his ordeal, and others, which is meant to hound and chase him out of Nigeria. Okunna said: I suppose he told me all this confidentially. My very sincere apologies, Your Excellency, for breaking this confidentiality, but History beckons and I CANNOT KEEP QUIET. Obi spoke to me at the Official Opening of the Specialist Hospital of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Sisters, Nkpor (on Tuesday). He had arrived at the event after flying in from London. I actually had no idea he had travelled out of the country, until the ovation over his presence in a London Church went viral on the Internet. He arrived at Heathrow Airport and joined the usual queue to pass through Immigration, and that was when his ordeal began. He was stopped and questioned for a long time and subsequently handed a detention note and told to wait for further interrogation and investigation. This was terribly unusual for a man who had lived honourably in the UK for a long time. In the face of this harassment, some well-meaning Nigerians, knowing who he is, raised their voices in protest, demanding to know why he was being treated that way. Okunna revealed that in the face of seeming protest by some Nigerians, the immigration officials revealed that someone was impersonating Obi in the country. The shocking revelation by the Immigration Officer was that his (Obis) identity was duplicated. This revelation has definitely set off alarm bells. For people who are knowledgeable about such matters, this is a very dangerous development because the implication is that someone is impersonating Peter Obi. And that someone could implicate Obi in all manner of dubious and even criminal activities, and rope him into any number of offences; he could get Obi framed for one criminal act or another. The frightening scenario of what can happen is unimaginable!!! This is the height of it all for a man who has been under sundry intimidation and emotional torture: Bugging of his phone and those of his wife and children; keeping him constantly under surveillance; calling him names; putting him under severe pressure to leave (run away from) the country; wrongly accusing him of negative things he knows absolutely nothing about, etc. As he was telling me his Heathrow tale of woe at Nkpor today, I could see a man who was in severe pain and under unbearable stress, who many would expect to be at the point of despair. But, as he confirmed, he is ready to suffer this pain and is as determined as ever to pursue the path which he has chosen to enable him arrive at the destination which well-meaning people in Nigeria and far far beyond are expecting him to arrive at. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the presidential election petitions tribunal that President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress won the February 25 election and was validly returned as the winner without needing to get 25 per cent of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). INEC stated this in its reply by its lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, to the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before the tribunal. Nigerias electoral umpire said the APC candidate met all the legal requirements to be so announced as the winner of the election, arguing that a candidate must not secure 25 per cent votes in the FCT to be declared winner because the FCT was not accorded any special status in the constitution as being erroneously portrayed by some political parties and candidates who lost the election. On why it returned Tinubu as the winner, INEC said the APC candidate scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the federation. Having scored at least one-quarter of the valid votes cast in 29 states, which is over and above the 2/3 states threshold required by the constitution, in addition to scoring the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, the second respondent was properly declared winner and returned as the president-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, INEC explained, adding that Mr Tinubu, having scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the 29 states, has satisfied the requirement of the constitution to be declared winner of the presidential election, thus rendering the requirement of having 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory unnecessary. It also argued that the declaration and return of Mr Tinubu were not wrongful and were made in accordance with the provisions of section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution, having scored one-quarter (25 per cent) of the valid votes cast in 29 states which is beyond the constitutional threshold for such declaration. The first respondent denies that scoring 25 per cent of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory is a condition precedent to the declaration and return of a candidate in the presidential election, it said. INEC added that by the margin of lead, it did not act hastily, as claimed by Mr Abubakar and the PDP in declaring Mr Tinubu, the winner of the election. It stressed that Mr Tinubu scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the federation (Ekiti, Kwara, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Lagos, Gombe, Adamawa, Katsina, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Kogi, Bauchi, Plateau, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Taraba, Borno and Rivers). While faulting Mr Abubakar and his partys claim on the status of the FCT, INEC argued that the provisions of the constitution apply to the FCT as if it were one of the states of the federation. The commission also argued that the use of the word and in section 134 (2) of the Constitution indicates nothing more than that in construing two-thirds of the states of the federation in which a candidate is required to score one-quarter of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory. It argued that by the constitutions provision, the FCT has the status of a state and ought to be recognised as if it was a state of the federation. It added that the FCT, beyond being the countrys capital, has no special constitutional status over and above the other 36 states of the federation to require a candidate in the presidential election to obtain at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT before being declared winner of the presidential election. INEC pointed out that the Federal Capital Territory is regarded as the 37 states of the federation, and as such, a candidate needs to score 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in at least two-thirds of 37 states ( to be declared as winner in the presidential election). The electoral body further stated that, as against the request by Mr Abubakar and PDP, he could not be declared the winner by the tribunal because he failed to fulfil the constitutional requirement, stressing that the former vice-president failed to score, at least, one-quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory and as such could not have been declared the winner of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February 2023. As against the claim by PDP and its presidential flag bearer, INEC stated that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices and that Mr Tinubu was duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the election and his declaration and return as the winner of the presidential election conducted on February 25, 2023 is lawful, valid and in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act, 2022. Having satisfied the requirements of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the return of the second respondent as the winner of the presidential election conducted on 25th February 2023 is lawful, valid and constitutional, said INEC, Mr Tinubu was at the time of the election qualified to contest the election. INEC told the tribunal that PDP and Mr Abubakar neither scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election nor scored not less than one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory and therefore the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election conducted on February 25. INEC, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the petition. Mr Abubakar, the first petitioner, and PDP, the second petitioner, in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023, had listed INEC, Mr Tinubu and APC as first to third respondents, respectively. They are seeking the nullification of the election victory of Tinubu in the February 25 presidential poll. Mr Tinubu, who defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the election, scored 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates. Mr Abubakar came second with 6,984,520 votes in the poll; Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes. PDP and Mr Abubakar are asking the tribunal to set aside Mr Tinubus victory and to declare the former vice-president winner of the election. They want an order mandating INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate or, in the alternative, conduct a fresh election. Mr Abubakar and PDP are contending that Tinubu was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast during the poll and that INEC violated its own regulations and provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the election conduct. (NAN) Cobourg police say a 33-year-old woman has been charged with distributing intimate images without consent. On April 2, 2023, the Cobourg Police Service said police commenced an investigation after receiving a report regarding alleged non-consensual distribution of intimate images. On April 6, 2023, as a result of an investigation, police said a 33-year-old Cobourg woman was arrested and charged with the following offences: Four counts of distribute intimate image without consent contrary to section 162.1(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC.) Two counts of indecent communications contrary to section 372(2) of the CCC. None of these charges have been proven in court. The accused was released on an undertaking with a future court date, reported police. No other details were provided by police. SHARE: A 29-year-old Port Hope woman is facing charges after Cobourg police say they responded to a report of possible impaired driving. On April 10, 2023, at about 12:30 a.m., the Cobourg Police Service said police received a report of a possible impaired driver in the area of William Street at King Street. Police said they located a vehicle matching the description provided travelling northbound on Westwood Drive and conducted a traffic stop after allegedly observing driving behaviours indicative of impairment. Police said they arrested the driver for impaired operation after the accused was allegedly exhibiting signs of impairment by alcohol. The driver was transported to the police station, where she provided two breath samples into an approved instrument/screening device, reported police. Police said as a result of an investigation, a 29-year-old Port Hope woman was charged with the following: Operation while impaired contrary to section 320.14(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC.) Operation while impaired blood alcohol concentration (80 plus) contrary to section 320.14(1)(b) of the CCC. Possess illicit cannabis contrary to section 8(1)(b) of the Cannabis Act. Driving while under suspension contrary to section 53(1) of the Highway Traffic Act. Drive vehicle with cannabis readily available contrary to section 12(1) of the Cannabis Control Act 2017. None of these charges have been proven in court. The accused was released on an undertaking with conditions and a future court date of May 3, 2023, reported police. SHARE: The Muslim community in Peterborough is coping but left feeling vulnerable, says one official, after a hate-motivated attack on a mosque in Markham last week. It causes stress and sorrow across the community, said Hassan Mohamed, president of the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association (KMRA). On Thursday morning, a man not believed to be Muslim arrived at the mosque in Markham. Qasir Nasir Khan, president of the Islamic Society of Markham, told reporters at a Toronto news conference on Monday that the man uttered Islamophobic remarks and threatened to burn down the mosque. The man tore a copy of the Quran in front of worshippers before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle and attempting to run people down in the mosques parking lot and then fled, according to York Regional Police. York Regional Police tracked a suspect to a residence in Toronto. A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged with uttering threats, assault with a weapon and dangerous driving. York Regional Police told reporters in Toronto that the individual is not part of an extremist group and that there is no threat to community safety. On Tuesday, York Regional Police arrested a 47-year-old Richmond Hill man in a separate hate-motivated asssault at a Markham mosque on Sunday. In Peterborough, KMRA reached out to the Islamic Society of Markham. We said, If you need space to pray, were here, Mohamed said. But thats all we can do. The attack occurring during Ramadan an important time of fasting and prayer leaves the community even further distressed: Its pretty sad that it happened at this time people are feeling vulnerable, he said. Thats partly because its a reminder that Peterboroughs only mosque, Masjid Al-Salaam on Parkhill Road West, was deliberately set ablaze in 2015: a window was broken, an accelerant was placed inside and the building was set on fire. Peterborough Police called the arson a hate-motivated crime. No arrest was ever made. City police spokesperson Sandra Dueck said in an email Tuesday the case is closed as unsolved, but that city police is always willing to accept new information/evidence should some be brought forward. Mohamed said Tuesday the community still hopes for an arrest. Since the 2015 arson, the mosque damage has been repaired and the community has grown. Although KMRA started in 1991 with just a few Muslim families, there are now about 1,000 members and theyre fundraising to expand the building. They bought the current mosque building at 784 Parkhill Rd. W. a former church in 2002, and have recently purchased the residential property next door at 776 Parkhill Rd. W. for an expansion. KMRA is fundraising now on its website to add onto the mosque; Mohamed said they plan to submit development applications soon to the city. In the meantime Mohamed says KMRA sometimes rents space at the Sport and Wellness Centre on Brealey Drive when they want to gather as a whole community, since their current space is outgrown and the parking is tight. However even as the community flourishes, Mohamed says Muslim people in Peterborough sometimes face racist comments. Women are particularly vulnerable to this because they wear the hijab, he says: his own wife, as well as his best friends wife, have both been told by strangers to go home, for example. It affects our families, Mohamed said. But he added that religious communities can continue to work on rooting out the evil that motivates hate crimes. Its the heart, we need to change, he said. One way to strengthen ties is to invite guests to your place of worship, he said. KMRA does this inviting city councillors or police officers to feast, for example and Mohamed sees that as important. Have people come and see the love and passion people have for each other and for their religion, he said. There is no us-and-them. Its us. joelle.kovach@peterboroughdaily.com SHARE: FREDERICTON - The personal belongings of the family of a man who laid claim to land in New Brunswicks Kouchibouguac National Park are being removed, says Parks Canada. Jackie Vautours familys belongings are being carefully boxed and securely stored outside of the national park, Parks Canada said Tuesday evening in a statement. Vautour died in 2021 and the Crown agency said it will ensure his family has the details on how to retrieve their belongings. Parks Canada had given the family until March 31, 2022, to remove their belongings from the park. A year ago, Parks Canada respectfully requested that the illegal occupation of Kouchibouguac National Park be brought to a conclusion within a reasonable period of time, it said. We offered to work with the Vautour family to help transition Mrs. Yvonne Vautours belongings and structures to a desired location outside of the national park. This offer was refused. Vautour was compensated by the New Brunswick government for the expropriated land in 1987, said the statement. He was given two parcels of land totalling 44.5 hectares outside of Kouchibouguac National Park and $228,000, it added, noting it was an amount significantly more than the average amount received by the other expropriates. Despite accepting the money and the land and signing an agreement to relinquish his claim on the land, Mr. Vautour returned to occupy lands in the park, it said. The Vautours have claimed they are Acadian-Metis and have the permission of Steven Augustine, a hereditary chief of the Mikmaq Grand Council, to remain on the property for more than 50 years. However, Mikmaq chiefs in New Brunswick have said they hold title to the land that includes the park and the rights have not been extended to the Vautours or the Acadian-Metis. The Societe de lAcadie du Nouveau-Brunswick also issued its own statement in support of the Mikmaq chiefs. Parks Canada said that over the past few years, New Brunswick courts rejected claims by Vautour and his son, Roy, of Indigenous harvesting rights as Metis in Kouchibouguac National Park. The courts determined that there is no historic rights-bearing Metis community in existence in the area of what is now Kouchibouguac National Park, it said. Mr. Vautour made a request to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, which was denied in 2017. On Tuesday, Parks Canada said it had temporarily closed Route 117, which runs through the park and suspended all visitor services until further notice. New Brunswick RCMP spokesman Cpl. Hans Ouellette said the Mounties were assisting Parks Canada with the road closure. About 250 families were displaced through expropriation when the park was created in 1969. Parks Canada acknowledges that the past practice of expropriation in the establishment of national parks and national historic sites greatly affected many families and individuals, it said. The families and communities of what is now Kouchibouguac National Park remain an important part of the history of this region of Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: CALGARY - A man has been taken to hospital in life-threatening condition and two others are in custody after a shooting on a Calgary Transit bus in the citys downtown. Officers were called around midday Wednesday for reports of a fight on a city bus parked in front of the Central Library in the East Village neighbourhood. Police said in a news release that its believed the fight between several people who knew each otherstarted when the bus was moving, but that the driver stopped when the shooting occurred. Several bystanders, it added, tried to help the injured man. Its very disconcerting, obviously, police Chief Mark Neufeld told reporters later in the day. Someone was bear sprayed, obviously there were shots fired and somebody to the hospital in life-threatening condition, so thats very problematic. Officers were still at the scene, which is also near city hall, Wednesday afternoon searching for another suspect. The shooting comes a week after the Alberta government said it would provide money for Calgary and Edmonton to hire 100 more police officers in the next 18 months to tackle violence on their public transit systems. Calgary also boosted security at its light-rail transit stations earlier this month after several stabbings and other violent crimes in recent weeks. Neufeld said there has been a lot of concern recently about transit safety. Our folks have been out on the transit lines and will continue to be, but thats why all along Ive been framing this larger than just transit, larger than just LRT, he said. This is going on all over in our city, so at the end of the day, we continue to be committed. Its still a pretty rare event but impactful and certainly at high noon, down around the library and a firearms crime thats a major, major issue and so we continue to be committed to that and Calgarians safety. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: CALGARY - A man accused of targeting women in Calgarys sex trade is to be back before a judge Friday. Richard Robert Mantha, 59, faces 13 charges including kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault with a weapon and sexual assault causing bodily harm. Police have said they cordoned off a rural property east of Calgary last week looking for evidence after at least three sex workers were drugged, and physically and sexually assaulted. Investigators also brought in cadaver dogs, but no bodies were found. Mantha is accused in three separate assault cases beginning in August 2021, as well as two dates in April 2022. One of the assaults allegedly involved a firearm, another a knife, and the third choking, strangling or suffocating. Mantha wore a blue jail jumpsuit when he appeared in court by video Wednesday. His lawyer, Kim Arial, expressed concern her client was having difficulty accessing phones at the Calgary Remand Centre, which made it difficult to plan ahead and discuss options for bail. Mantha addressed the judge as his case ended. Thank you maam. Bless you. Police said they are still investigating and urged any other potential victims to come forward. Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld was asked at a news conference Wednesday whether other people could have been operating out of the rural property. He said investigators are keeping an open mind. Based on what we know now, there could be other people on the property, hence the reason for the search, Neufeld said. Hence for the call out as well for people to come forward if theyve had any dealings or know anything about that particular situation. We always have to be mindful that there could be others as well. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWATop officials at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation resigned en masse Tuesday, blaming the unfair politicization of the charity in recent weeks. But that didnt stop the federal Conservatives from lambasting the organization as being Beijing funded and calling for an investigation into its activities amid a furor over alleged Chinese interference in Canadian democracy. We need to know who got rich; who got paid and who got privilege and power from Justin Trudeau as a result of funding to the Trudeau Foundation, said a post on Twitter by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party has argued those with past ties to the charity cannot be trusted to examine allegations of foreign interference. A spokesperson for Poilievre later explained the Conservative leader is raising questions after a media report in the Globe and Mail linked a single $200,000 donation in 2016 which has since been refunded, the foundation says to a suspected influence campaign by the Chinese government. The Star has not independently verified that report. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in Toronto to meet with Ukraines prime minister on Tuesday, decried such unfounded and ungrounded attacks on the foundation, which he defended as a charity that does good work to support Canadian thinkers. It is a shame to see the level of toxicity and political polarization that is going on in our country these days, Trudeau told reporters. Those people who are trying to get short-term political gain by increasing polarization and partisanship in this country, by launching completely unfounded and ungrounded attacks against charities or foundations, must not succeed. Based in Montreal, the Trudeau Foundation is a non-partisan private charity that supports academics research and development, and reported receiving $632,592 in donations last year. It was established in 2001 in memory of Trudeaus father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who died in 2000. The foundation did not respond Tuesday to questions and a request to interview outgoing president and CEO Pascale Fournier. In its statement announcing the resignations, the foundation said the political climate surrounding the 2016 donation which it refunded after the alleged link to Beijing was reported this winter has put a great deal of pressure on the Foundations management and volunteer Board of Directors, as well as on our staff and our community. The situation prompted Fournier to resign after five years as president and CEO, along with six members of the volunteer board of directors, three of whom will stay on in an interim basis so the foundation can continue its work, the statement said. The circumstances created by the politicization of the Foundation have made it impossible to continue with the status quo, the statement said. The donation to the Trudeau Foundation is just one element of the political firestorm that has emerged over the past few months, as news reports citing national security sources and documents have detailed allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian elections. Officials have publicly stated that while interference is a problem, it did not alter the results of the past two federal elections. The RCMP was also not investigating any allegations of interference, a parliamentary committee was told this winter. After the Globe reported on the alleged Beijing-linked donation this winter, the Conservatives argued public figures with links to the Trudeau Foundation could not be trusted to participate in any study of political interference in Canada. In a statement on March 1, Poilievre cast doubt on Morris Rosenberg, a long-serving bureaucrat under Tory and Liberal governments who penned a report on interference campaigns in the 2021 federal election, because he was head of the Trudeau Foundation when it received the $200,000 in 2016. The Conservatives also questioned the reliability of former governor general David Johnston who was appointed to that post by Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper in 2010 as the governments chosen special rapporteur to examine foreign political interference amid the current controversy, in part because he was a member of the Trudeau Foundation. The Liberal government, in turn, has accused the opposition of raising doubts about Canadas institutions for partisan gain. Yet all three opposition parties have pressed for a public inquiry, something the government has so far resisted. Under pressure to provide more information about what it knew, and when, about alleged Chinese interference, the government agreed to allow Trudeaus long-serving chief of staff, Katie Telford, testify at a parliamentary committee studying the issue. Telford is expected to appear Friday. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Prairie premiers of distorting the words of his justice minister after comments David Lametti made at a meeting of Assembly of First Nations chiefs last week. Lametti told the meeting he would commit to looking at federal-provincial natural resource transfer agreements, after some chiefs called for Ottawa to repeal the law that gives the four western provinces control over resource development. The premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba released a joint statement asking Trudeau to immediately retract these dangerous and divisive comments, saying the agreements are fundamental to the provinces economic autonomy. Meanwhile, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs praised what they took as Lamettis commitment to review the law. With First Nations rights to self-governance, royalties and compensation for extracting renewable and non-renewable resources should flow directly to First Nations for resources such as potash, oil, gas and minerals, the federation said in a statement. Lametti later said that he only promised to listen to Indigenous partners, and did not commit to reviewing areas of provincial jurisdiction. Trudeau said at a news conference in Winnipeg that the federal government knows it needs to move forward on reconciliation, but premiers are elevating fears that have no grounding in truth. He said the federal government is committed to acting on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and working with Indigenous Peoples to develop land and build a strong economy. This is something that, unfortunately, we have seen conservative politicians across the country not take as seriously as either our moral responsibilities or our economic responsibilities would require, he said. The drama started after Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte of the Prince Albert Grand Council asked Lametti to rescind the Natural Resources Transfer Act during a question-and-answer session at the special chiefs meeting last Thursday. I obviously cant pronounce on that right now, Lametti said in response. But I do commit to looking at that. It wont be uncontroversial is the only thing I would say, with a bit of a smile. Prairie premiers and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that response was a threat to overturn the constitution and take federal control over provincial resources. The federal government cannot unilaterally change the constitution, the prairie premiers said in their joint-statement. They should not even be considering stripping resource rights away from the three prairie provinces. Poilievre said on Twitter that he would put westerners in control of their resources and lives. On the same platform, Lametti released a statement that said its his job to listen to First Nations chiefs concerns, but the governments focus is aligning Canadian laws and policies with the UN declaration. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: By Mariko Tamura, KYODO NEWS - Apr 12, 2023 - 11:46 | Arts, Feature, All, Japan With "Our Sounds," a sound-only documentary film about a group of foreign students that confronts audiences with a black screen, Japanese director Hiroshi Habu wants to show people how to see in a new way. The 55-minute film is structured around a multilingual group of foreigners studying Japanese in the city of Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture as they collaborate on writing a song about their experiences of living in Japan. Shot in segments over around 15 days in 2021, it is a patchwork of unscripted interactions among the students, whom Habu was teaching Japanese. Some of the dialogue is in the students' native tongues, but enough Japanese is spoken for audiences to understand what is taking place. The director, who is also a musician and community activist in the western Japan city, hopes audiences will end up paying more attention to the film's subjects than they would if they also had something to see with their eyes. With no visual aids, they must rely on their ability to listen carefully to grasp where the story will lead them. Everyone's interpretation is different, he says. "It's a movie where if you don't listen intently, it doesn't make sense," Habu said of the film, which was completed in 2022. Habu likens the experience he hopes audiences will have to meditation. "If you look at things with your eyes only, you're probably not seeing it," Habu said. The unseen group of 10 class members are mostly Vietnamese technical interns, but they also include an American and a French student. Habu also hopes that by getting the audience to make a concerted effort to understand the people in the film, they will place themselves in their shoes and thus overcome preconceived notions they might hold about foreigners living in Japan. "The story is not the focus, but the focus is the participants' lives," Habu said. "It is a simple and positive film." The film opens with Habu and Vietnamese students trying to understand each other during an online Japanese class where they have difficulty catching each other's words. Habu says the song the students compose emerged "organically," with everyone offering input, from the tune to the lyrics. "It is about being away from your country and working people's lives in Japan," Nguyen Thi Xuyen, 27, who works at a machinery parts plant in the city, told Kyodo News. While coping with isolation -- many miss their families and friends back home -- the group members also discover joy by connecting with other people and finding solace in the natural surroundings of the mountainous region. Nguyen, who said she "sang her heart out," joined the production in the early stages after arriving in Japan. "Japanese culture and words are different so it was confusing at first, but the more I understand Japanese, the more I came to like it." An American participant, Seana Magee, said the film showed the importance of curiosity and wanted people in rural cities like Takahashi to understand that foreigners also contribute to their communities. "I would hope that people would see more of the connection rather than the disconnection and also realize what it is like to step, even for ten minutes, into our shoes," added Magee, who teaches English in Takahashi. "(Our Japanese) language is not perfect, but try to understand, try to communicate with us," she said. The director also wants Japan to be more welcoming to foreign residents, and says that while the government touts the slogan of "multicultural community building," many people just pay lip service to "diversity and inclusion" as mere concepts. Saying he felt embarrassed that not one of his students had been invited to a Japanese home in Takahashi, which has a population of roughly 30,000 people, he said he hopes that his film will be like a "seed," helping communication between Japanese and foreigners. "Everyone will take away a different message from the film," Habu said. "I hope people will talk about their thoughts among themselves and create new communities." The director also plans to show the film across Japan, possibly at mini-theaters and cafes, and overseas. He said that a small showing in February at a Boston church in the United States received some praise. The screening included a translation for the audience since the "base" language is Japanese. Habu hopes to return to the United States for his next project and make a similar film as an Asian living in a predominately white country. ==Kyodo Government offices to close for five-day Songkran PHUKET: With an extra public holiday for Songkran to be observed next Monday (Apr 17), a five-day festive break is ahead for all government offices and many state and private companies in Phuket starting tomorrow (Apr 13).. By The Phuket News Wednesday 12 April 2023, 11:35AM Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and Phuket Immigration Chief Thanet Sukchai welcome Songkran in front of Chartered Bank House on Apr 11. Photo: Phuket Immigration Songkran, Thai New Year, is traditionally celebrated April 13-15 each year, but the Government traditionally tends to make the holiday period longer to encourage festive tourism and spending. This year most official agencies will come back to work only on Tuesday (Apr 18). Most government offices on the island will be closed from Apr 13-17, including the Phuket Immigration Office, Employment Office, Land Transport Office and the islands three District Offices. All main bank branches will be closed, except branches in shopping centres, which will remain open as normal. Police stations across the island will remain open for the public and some local consulates will also be open to serve their respective citizens on this holiday. There will be no ban on alcohol except for public events such as Songkran celebration on Dibuk Rd on Apr 13. Phuket officials have already ushered in Songkran celebrations joining a ceremony to pour water on a Buddha statue and offer water blessings to the elderly at the Chartered Bank House in Phuket Town yesterday (Apr 11). The event was presided over by Governor Narong Woonciew and his wife Boonwandee Woonciew, who serves as the President of the Phuket Red Cross Society. Governor Narong was joined by dozens of Phukets top-ranking officials, such as Col Thanet Sukchai of Phuket Immigration Bureau. Governor ushers in Songkran with water blessing ceremony PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew ushered in official Songkran Thai New Year celebrations at the Chartered Bank House on Damrong Rd in Phuket Town yesterday (Apr 11) by leading a ceremony to pour water on a Buddha statue and offer water blessings to the elderly. culture By The Phuket News Wednesday 12 April 2023, 09:35AM The historical house, which had been abandoned for decades, is the former official residence of the manager of the Chartered Bank in Phuket, and recently underwent a B28 million renovation. Joined by his wife Boonwandee Woonciew, who serves as the President of the Phuket Red Cross Society, Governor Narong led dozens of Phukets top-ranking officials at the ceremony, which was followed by the sharing of food as part of the Together We Share policy, and a handful of cultural shows. The house is now ready to serve as another tourist attraction of Phuket, noted an official report of the ceremony. The Sino-Portuguese style structure and newly landscaped surrounds are ready to open for the public to use together, the report said. Police chief transferred as murders manhunt continues SURAT THANI: The Khirirat Nikhom police chief has been transferred pending an investigation into the lethal attack by three gunmen, led by an officer under his command, on a familys home in his district on Saturday (Apr 8), deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said on Monday. corruptiondeathmurderpoliceviolence By Bangkok Post Wednesday 12 April 2023, 07:36AM Deputy police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakpak, seated right, interrogates Manop Wang-ngan, seated and wearing a wide-brim hat, at Khirira Nikhom police station in Surat Thani after his arrest on Monday afternoon (Apr 10). Photo: Supapong Chaolan Pol Gen Surachate said four people were involved in the attack. They were Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn Wichian, his elder brother Thammarat, his son Atthapol, and Manop Wang-ngan. Three of them stormed into the house and were believed armed with two M16 rifles and one 9mm pistol. Atthapol was the driver of the car that took them to the house, reports the Bangkok Post. Four people were killed - Thammarong Nilniyom, the house owner, his wife Nilthip Palakachen, Pornsak Phetchu, and one of the gunmen, Thammarat. Thammarat was believed to have been shot dead by one of the victims, who returned fire. On Sunday, the Surat Thani Court approved warrants for the arrest of Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn, who is stationed in Khirirat Nikhom district, and Mr Manop on murder charges. On Sunday night, Atthapol, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporns son by a former wife, was found dead in a car parked inside a temple in Ban Takhun district where funeral rites for Thammarat were being held. His hands were tied and he was shot in the right temple. On Monday morning, Panida Nilniyom, Thammarongs only daughter and Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporns wife, was found dead at a resort in tambon Tha Khanon, Khirirat Nakhom district. She was shot in the mouth. On Monday afternoon, Mr Manop, one of the two prime suspects, was arrested in Thap Put district, Phang-nga province. Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn remained at large as of yesterday morning. Pol Gen Surachate said Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn had fled with an M16 rifle and a 9mm pistol. He was armed and dangerous. He had ordered Khirirat Nikhom police station to report to him about the distribution of weapons since the two M16s reportedly used in Saturdays attack might belong to the station. Pol Lt Gen Surapong Thanomchit, the Provincial Police Region 8 commissioner, had issued an order transfering Pol Col Kriangkrai Ketkaew, the Khirirat Nikhom police chief, to assist at the Region 8 operations centre, pending an investigation into Saturdays attack and the deaths of the six people. Pol Gen Surachate said Thammarong had previously been shot and wounded by an assailant using a military-grade weapon on Dec 31, 2022, but police did not investigate the incident. The investigation panel would find out whether it was related to Saturdays attack, he said. In Bangkok, national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas on Monday night confirmed the arrest of Mr Manop in Phang-nga province. From evidence in hand, forensic examination of those killed and the timeline, it was initially believed Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn killed his wife Panida at the resort before going with the three other suspects to the house in Khirirat Nikhom district where four people were killed, he said. A feud between Pol Snr Sgt Maj Atthaporn and his father-in-law Thammarong might be the motive for the attack, he said. Wichit Municipality honours the elderly for Songkran PHUKET: More than 1,200 people turned out to join an event held to honour senior citizens in the Wichit area yesterday (Apr 11), including the pouring of water over the hands of elderly local residents as part of traditional Songkran festivities. culture By The Phuket News Wednesday 12 April 2023, 10:19AM Leading the event, held at the Taphao Yai Building in Moo1, Wichit, was Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotiwitpipat joined by Buranan Chumrak, President of the Wisdom Valued Club in Wichit, as well as a host of Wichit Municipality council members and local government officials. Mr Buranan explained that Wichit Municipalitys High Value Elderly Project aimed to promote the development of the quality of life for the elderly according to the core criteria of aging, high value, together to develop Thailand 4.0, as well as to promote and support the expression of respect love and gratitude towards the elderly. The project is to provide opportunities for the elderly to play their powerful roles. and the transmission of folk wisdom, Including making money for yourself and your family, he said. The activities at the event yesterday included cognitive exercises for the elderly, recreational activities and the traditional pouring of water over the elderlys hands as a sign of respect and blessings for Songkran. The event also saw the elderly stage performances of their own, which brought a lot of colour and happiness for the participants, said one report of the event. Some property owners in Cambridge will be able to access funding to promote active transportation. To encourage active transportation along the Central Transit Corridor, property owners living within 800 metres of the future ION light rail transit route can apply for one-time funding of up to $30,000 from the Transit Oriented Development Grant (TODG) program. The funding is geared to create transit-oriented spaces within the city and increase ridership ahead of Stage 2 ION, according to a city release. Funding must be used to enhance the property in a way that supports active transportation, including adding bicycle racks, indoor bike parking, benches, sidewalks and screens displaying transit times. The application deadline is June 1. In February, city council approved a new Transit-Oriented Development Community Improvement Plan to establish the TODG program. The TODG is funded by the Region of Waterloo to the tune of $250,000 as part of the Transit Supportive Strategy for Cambridge. To find out more, go to investcambridge.ca/TODG. SHARE: A teacher works with a student at Oak Bridge Academy. In support of programs and services for students, small not-for-profit and independent school Oak Bridge Academy will be hosting its third annual Rock for Oak Bridge, featuring locals bands The Brink, Electric Crush, Flash Johnson, SourStrutt and The Blue Nova later this month. Local rock band The Brink performs at Rock for Oak Bridge 2022. A NEED FOR OAK BRIDGE ACADEMY Five years ago, Oak Bridge Academy was founded on the understanding and core belief that all children are able to learn and make progress when provided with the appropriate support, stated Kathie Shaw, Oak Bridge Academy Principal and founder, for Our Kids, Canadas guide to private schools, camps and children's programs. On their website's About section, Shaw emphasizes that though academics are at the forefront of Oak Bridges education programs, their schooling prioritizes mindfulness, initiation, tolerance to change and other skills, which can be critical for neurodivergent children and youth navigating a neurotypical world, according to a 2019 report on neurodivergent children and youth needs by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Oak Bridges approach stands out from standard schooling, where students with exceptionalities may be first identified as underachieving academically or lacking in social skills as consistent with a learning disability, according to the Ministry of Educations definition, before a supportive schooling experience such as additional classroom support, or a special education program referral is provided. Such was the experience for one mother, who provided a testimonial for Oak Bridge Academy, witnessing her son's experience. Suzi Dylan Testimonial Oak Bridge Academy Video embed by Maria Rosales Gerpe on Canva, obtained from Oak Bridge Academy Testimonials website. Furthermore, the typical Canadian school environment does not accommodate for sensory issues that include light and hearing sensitivities that are more commonly seen in children and youth with neurodivergent brains, such as those with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the aforementioned report by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Oak Bridge's approach prompted a couple to enrol their son, who lives with both ASD and ADHD, at into the academy. Laura Martin, another parent of a student of Oak Bridge Academy, said, our son has autism, and typical school environments have never worked for him, or us." Martin mentioned that Oak Bridge Academy was the first time her son felt a sense of belonging while receiving specialized support to empower him to be successful in the future. "I dont know what we would do without Oak Bridge Academy, added Martin. ABOUT THE ROCK FOR OAK BRIDGE FUNDRAISER The benefit concert, on April 29 at 7 p.m. at Newfoundland Club (1500 Dunbar Rd.), is part of the schools larger fundraising efforts. With $89,662.27 raised to date, this years You Make an Exceptional Difference campaign aims to raise $250,000 by August, according to the school's website. RELATED STORIES Spearheading extraordinary to the ordinary: Cambridge business is fully staffed by people on autism spectrum The first concert fundraiser organized by Oak Bridge Academy kicked off on the schools second year since being established (2019), and raised an astounding $15,855. The fundraiser was on hiatus until last April, when public health restrictions were less stringent than at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rock for Oak Bridge will be held near Cambridge Centre, at the venue for the Cambridge Newfoundland Club charity that promotes fellowship and social activities among Newfoundlanders in Ontario, and where many Cambridge events such as weddings have been held in the past. According to a press release, door prizes, raffle and a 50-50 draw will make the night even more exciting. To find out about the event and learn more about Oak Bridge Academy, visit www.oakbridge.ca. SHARE: Painting all of council with one brush had Coun. Mike Devine bristling. Looking at a citizen committee recommendation for councillor remuneration on April 11, Devine said lumping the mayors job in with councillors for a 3.59 per cent annual raise from 2022 to 2026 which would add $9,500 to the 2023 budget paints a picture contrary to what the citizen group intended. The recommendation stated the mayors salary should remain at $110,000 as she also earns about $46,000 as a regional councillor and to receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment based on the consumer price index (CPI), as well benefits and OMERS contributions paid by the city and $8,000 car allowance in lieu of a city leased vehicle. Councillors will also receive annual cost-of-living adjustment based on the CPI. After City Clerk Danielle Manton confirmed the mayor is considered a member of council as well, Devine said a raise for that position just widens the wage inequity gap. A Cambridge city councillor makes a part-time wage of about $43,000 a year. We are way behind, Devine said, trying to make his case. We have to look at the report as it was tabled. The mayor does a pile of work in this city, an absolute pile. But Im not convinced that 3.59 per cent in this case is what should happen. When youre doing catch-up and youre trying to get equality, you dont give the top end the same increase. The gap is only going to grow. Devine made a motion to vote on councillor and mayor remuneration separately; that was voted down 8-1. The most glaring part of the recommendation report by the citizens committee wasnt even given a sniff by councillors: whether they should be categorized as full time. The committee felt with the work involved, including answers constituents questions, liaising with city staff and more preparation for longer council meetings, councillors were working full-time hours. A questionnaire sent to councillors confirmed the feeling as well, with some saying the hours worked makes it difficult to have a full-time job. The recommendation also stated promoting councillors to full-time would attract more people to run for the position. The suggested salary was $85,000 to $100,000 a year. What council did decide on, though, is to defer the portion of the report dealing with councillor expenses to September, while getting the city clerk to prepare the proper bylaw for April 25 for remuneration. It will start and be presented to council that day. The recommendation for expense budgets from 2023 to 2026 is set at $2,500 for councillors and $4,300 for the mayor. As well, mileage and business travel reimbursement will be increased to $1,000 a year; meal per diems will increase to $20 for breakfast, $25 for lunch and $50 for dinner; and there is an opt-in for a monthly transit pass at $90 and $80 for home internet. One of the new eligible expenses for mayor and councillors this term is home security. Council members are eligible for the purchase and installation of a home security system up to a maximum of $1,000, with a maximum reimbursement of $50 a month, plus HST, for system monitoring. The recommendation stated home security was necessary as the committee regretfully recognizes that public service in todays political climate brings about extra security and personal safety concerns. Members of council should be provided with peace of mind provided by home security, which may also act as a deterrent to those looking to cause harm. It was noted, There will be no need for notification from the Waterloo Regional Police Service of a verifiable incident or perceived threat to the safety of the mayor or a member of council. It was also recommended council should formalize a process is selecting a deputy mayor, whether it be on a rotation basis through council or one dedicated councillor. That person should also be compensated with an extra pay of $1,000 a week. SHARE: Cambridge city council directed staff to examine mandating a certain number of parking spots for electric vehicle charging stations in all new developments, retail location and city lots. The direction came after a motion by Coun. Scott Hamilton on April 11, who noted a global movement in the automobile sector to build zero-emission electric vehicles is occurring to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the effects of climate change. He stated with 7.8 million of the vehicles sold worldwide in 2022, and draft regulations requiring that 100 per cent of all new passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in Canada after 2035 be electric zero-emission vehicles, a certain number or percentage of parking spots for the charging stations should be designed, including accessible spots. The change is coming, Hamilton said of electric vehicles, noting as of 2026, 20 per cent of all new vehicles produced in Canada will be electric. Im not calling out any developers specifically, but there can be hundreds and hundreds of proposed parking spots, and the question is how many of these have electric charging stations, and the answer is typically none. Or the conduits will be in place but were not putting anything in yet. It makes sense for us both environmentally and in terms of cost savings to the taxpayers to take this on today. Coun. Sheri Roberts agreed doing something right the first time around is cheaper and easier on everyone involved. The bottom line is, this is happening, she said. We are moving towards electric vehicles; theres going to be more of them. I can see mandates coming down the road to where this has to happen, so I think by having the infrastructure in place really does make sense. Part of the motion included having the percentage of charging stations rise in accordance with federally mandated numbers of electric vehicle ownerships rates to ensure the city can provide the green infrastructure. There is a projected growth in Cambridge alone of 70,000 residents over the next 30 years. SHARE: KYODO NEWS - Apr 12, 2023 - 22:48 | All, Japan, G7, Feature Leaders of non-governmental organizations aiming to influence discussion at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima urged Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday to engage in substantial debate on nuclear weapons. The Civil 7, made up of NGOs from 72 countries and over 700 people, also urged G-7 leaders to meet with atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and include in the final communique commitments such as unequivocally condemning threats to use nuclear weapons. The NGOs are calling for G-7 leaders to launch urgent negotiations to achieve the complete elimination of nuclear weapons before 2045. In a meeting with representatives from the C-7 at his office, Kishida vowed to have "sincere discussions" at the G-7 summit and said he will "consider what form I could include these commitments in the communique." Amid rising global nuclear tensions sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kishida has chosen Hiroshima, a city once devastated by an atomic bombing in 1945, to hold the annual leaders meeting. He has said he intends to make "a world without nuclear weapons" a theme of this year's meeting. Satoshi Tanaka, director of a Hiroshima prefectural group representing survivors of the atomic bombing, said he told Kishida during the meeting that his vision should "not be just a slogan" and also urged him to "put everything he has into making this summit a historic one." Mariko Kinai, who is head of the steering committee for this year's C-7, said the prime minister "accepted our proposals in good faith." The C-7 had decided to make proposals on nuclear disarmament this year in addition to those on other international challenges as the G-7 summit is held in Hiroshima. The NGOs will hold their own summit Thursday and Friday in Tokyo, to be followed by an additional meeting Sunday and Monday in Hiroshima, to focus on ways to promote nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. The May 19-21 summit of the G-7 will bring together leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union. KITCHENER Four Kitchener youths have been charged in connection to an alleged hate-motivated assault. The incident occurred on April 3 when a male youth walking in the area of Fischer-Hallman Road and Forest Hill Drive was assaulted by several male youths. The victim suffered minor injuries, and Waterloo Regional Police said it was being treated as a hate-motivated incident. Police have since charged two youths with assault and two others with assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. SHARE: CAMBRIDGE A pedestrian was transported to an out-of-region hospital with serious injuries after she was involved in a collision on Main Street. On Tuesday at around 6:20 p.m., emergency services were called to the area of Main Street and Franklin Boulevard for a crash. A 67-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle while trying to cross Main Street, Waterloo Regional Police said. The investigation into the collision is ongoing and Waterloo Regional Police are asking anyone with information to contact 519-570-9777, extension 8856. Anonymous calls can be made to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. SHARE: SHIJIAZHUANG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- An international furniture fair, which concluded on Monday in Bazhou City of China's Hebei Province, drew more than 100,000 buyers from both home and abroad. Founded in 2007, the fair has become one of the largest furniture exhibitions in northern China. An Italian businessman, who has been engaged in China-Europe trade for years, expressed his confidence in China's furniture industry. As a major furniture manufacturing base in China, Bazhou has more than 4,000 furniture companies, whose products are exported to over 130 countries and regions. Produced by Xinhua Global Service This photo taken on April 11, 2023 shows the exterior view of the Vientiane station of the China-laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos. The cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to be launched on Thursday has been regarded as a historic event, which will be a significant achievement of the China-Laos cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.(Photo by Chen Chang/Xinhua) by Chanthaphaphone Mixayboua, Zhang Jianhua, Lin Hao VIENTIANE, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to be launched on Thursday has been regarded as a historic event, which will be a significant achievement of the China-Laos cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. As the only landlocked country of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with mountains and plateaus that account for about 80 percent of its land area, Laos has realized its dream of becoming a land-linked hub in the region with the cross-border railway, Director General of Lao News Agency (KPL) Khampheuy Philapha told Xinhua on Monday. The China-Laos Railway is a docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub. "Cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway will support the Lao government's policy to transform itself from being a landlocked country into a land link, as a regional one or even a global one," Khampheuy said. He added that it would greatly benefit Laos, given its significant role in bolstering the Southeast Asian country's economic development. As a major part of the trans-Asian railway network, the China-Laos Railway will also become a "golden key" for Laos to connect with China and other ASEAN members, which will positively impact the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation. "The launch of the cross-border passenger service will be a historic milestone in the cooperation between Laos and China," Vanxay Tavinyan, deputy chief of the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, told Xinhua. "The cross-border passenger train will make cross-border travel between Laos and China more convenient and boost cultural exchanges between the two countries. It will also facilitate foreign visitors' travel to and from China," he said. Tourism experts predicted that millions of Chinese tourists will visit ASEAN nations, and many will travel on the China-Laos Railway. Vanxay believed that the cross-border train will bring more tourists, especially Chinese, to Laos, create development opportunities for tourism-related industries and help improve local people's livelihood. The China-Laos Railway, which links the Lao capital Vientiane with Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, has brought great benefits to the Lao people and opened up a new path for Laos' development and prosperity. The railway marks a monumental and historic milestone in developing modern infrastructure for Laos, said Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith at the launching ceremony on Dec. 3, 2021. Editor-in-Chief of the local daily Vientiane Times, Thonglor Duangsavanh, told Xinhua on Monday that the cross-border passenger service will greatly promote Laos' national socio-economic development, adding that the cross-border service facilitates people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbors. "That's going to be a proud moment for the Lao people since it will be a historic milestone in the cooperation between Laos and China. Moreover, Lao people can travel to China more conveniently by using the railway," said Thonglor. The first cross-border passenger service between Vientiane and Kunming will be launched ahead of the Lao New Year holiday, which falls on April 14-16. Passengers can buy train tickets for cross-border service starting on Tuesday via the Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) ticketing mobile app, which allows passengers to book and manage their journeys on mobile phones, according to the LCRC. The start of cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway has also made the headlines on social media in Laos, with the public expressing their excitement. "I am ready to travel to China by train!" "Welcome Chinese visitors to Laos! We hope you enjoy staying here," said Lao netizens. "I hope the cross-border passenger train will help Lao people, especially students, save time and money when traveling to China to study." "Very good news! The railway is fast and cost-effective. Traveling to China will be more convenient now." The China-Laos Railway, which began operation in December 2021, has offered domestic passenger services, while trains regularly carry freight across the Laos-China border. The Lao government is taking steps to prepare for the start of the cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to ensure the safe and smooth travel of all travelers. Passengers purchase tickets at the ticketing office of the Vientiane station of the China-laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, April 11, 2023. The cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to be launched on Thursday has been regarded as a historic event, which will be a significant achievement of the China-Laos cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.(Photo by Yang Yongquan/Xinhua) A passenger purchases ticket at the ticketing office of the Vientiane station of the China-laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, April 11, 2023. The cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to be launched on Thursday has been regarded as a historic event, which will be a significant achievement of the China-Laos cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.(Photo by Chen Chang/Xinhua) A Chinese passenger displays the cross-border train ticket she has just purchased at the ticketing office of the Vientiane station of the China-laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, April 11, 2023. The cross-border passenger service on the China-Laos Railway to be launched on Thursday has been regarded as a historic event, which will be a significant achievement of the China-Laos cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.(Photo by Yang Yongquan/Xinhua) Police in Norfolk County say a man set fire to a car parked in Simcoe late Sunday evening. And then a few hours later, police allege, he did it again. Officers arrested a 60-year-old Norfolk man just before midnight, after the second alleged arson on Talbot Street North, according to an OPP release. The address and the car were known to police, because nearly four hours earlier officers had responded to a report that someone was trying to set the same car on fire, the release said. The accused was held in police custody in advance of a court appearance to answer to two counts of arson and one count each of making or possessing explosives for an unlawful purpose and intent to destroy or damage property, place, or throw an explosive substance. No injuries were reported. J.P. Antonacci s reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com SHARE: A months-long weapons investigation in Norfolk County led the OPP to seize more than 40 guns from an address in Townsend. The weapons are a mixture of handguns and long guns, along with a crossbow and ammunition. According to police, the investigation began in February and is ongoing. Officers from the Norfolk-Haldimand community street crime unit executed the search warrant and arrested a 70-year-old Norfolk man. He is charged with two counts of careless storage of a weapon or ammunition, and six counts of not reporting a lost firearm or weapon. The accused has a court date pending. J.P. Antonacci s reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com SHARE: When Vladyslav Sukharyev heard the early-morning explosions outside his family home in southern Ukraine, questions he never imagined answering were suddenly all he could think about. What do you do in these situation? What do you take? he recalled of Feb. 24, 2022, as Russian forces edged closer to his hometown of Kherson. It is a very strange feeling to leave all your life. Ultimately, Sukharyev, his wife and three children loaded what they could in their car, escaping via traffic-jammed roads to Poland, where theyd remain for nine months anxiously waiting for a favourable turn in the war. That never happened. Instead, almost a year after being forced from his home, Sukharyev found himself in a place hed barely ever heard of: Canada. The 37-year-old and his family arrived a few months ago, settling in Hamilton after hearing of its strong Ukrainian community and work prospects. All I knew about Canada and information about Canada was information I read on the internet 10 years ago, said Sukharyev, a former seaman. I read there were good people here, but I didnt expect so many good people. Its taken just a few weeks for Sukharyev to breathe life into his new beginnings. Hes got a job on the Hamilton Harbour discharging cargo and loading port vessels, and secured a rental unit for his family on the Mountain. But there are challenges for newcomers beyond employment and lodging, he said, like learning a new language, finding a school for kids, and understanding how to obtain an OHIP or SIN card. Thats where Wesley Urban Ministries comes in. The local non-profit has helped Sukharyev and at least 800 Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion adapt to life in Hamilton over the past year, providing them with settlement plans tailored to their needs, said Rashed Afif, senior director of newcomer, housing and employment services. These are very individualized plans because every family has different needs, said Afif. Some people have higher English levels or higher levels of education and might not need as much help; they just need guidance and information. But some families need more assistance. Afif said case workers are assigned to families and hear about their challenges before pointing them to available supports. Some of those resources are broad, such as weekly online workshops for English and financial literacy, while others are more individualized to specific families. Some people need to find a family doctor, financial assistance, employment, housing, SIN cards and OHIP cards, and we assess those needs and help with whatever is necessary, like applications, Afif said, noting the agency is ready to assist the hundreds of Ukrainians expected to arrive in Hamilton in the coming years. Take Sukharyev, who, while managing fairly well on his own, said Wesleys guidance has helped him gain a better understanding of whats required to access different services and how to reach them. They help me open bank account, set up insurance, get SIN number; they also make appointments with schools for my kids. In Ukraine, he added, these would be simple errands, but in unfamiliar settings they become tough to navigate. Wesley was super helpful because they give you the information and they explain to you where you must go and what you must do, he said. My mind now has changed totally in the last year, because what was important to me before when I was in Ukraine is not important to me now, and its very nice to get help with these things. Indeed, whats important to Sukharyev now is laying the foundation for a stable future for his family, he said. That means continuing his employment, but also supporting his wife and kids as they adapt to a new language and culture. My wife is taking English courses and it is very hard to learn new language, but you must keep trying, he said, noting she is taking courses hosted through Hamiltons branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. My kids started school two or three weeks ago, he added, and they really like it because its totally different system than Ukraine. The teachers there always push the children and they are afraid to go to school. Here its fun and its very nice. Perhaps most difficult about his transition has been accepting his life has turned a new page, one he didnt necessarily ask for. I had whole life built in Ukraine; I bought a house three years ago. Then in one second, everything is totally destroyed, and I begin empty page of my life, he said. But here I dont have to escape anything again. I want give to my kids a quiet future without war. Quiet but not without fun or adventure. A few weekends ago Sukharyev took his family sightseeing to Niagara Falls, hoping to show them their new home is more than just friendly faces. We expect some small little falls, you know? But they were very, very big. It left good impression on us. Read more about: SHARE: No, its not a scene from Thor. But McMaster researcher Andrew Gadsden and his team are flinging a hammer (or rather HAAMR) to the high heavens, non-fiction style, in an effort, ultimately, to help save the world. Theyve developed a highly specialized robotic mount for a highly specialized telescope, to be deployed 70,000 feet in the sky, a chip shot from outer space. Thats even higher than the spy balloons were flying at, says Gadsden. The data that the telescope will accumulate and it cant do it without their mount will be used by NASA to determine the best ways to understand and address climate change. The code name of the first generation of the mount is ARTEMIS, which stands for Autonomous Robotic Telescope Mount Instrument Subsystem. Its unrelated to NASAs project of the same name thatll take Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen to lunar orbit and eventually place people back on the moon. In fact, this project was named before the moon mission. Gadsden, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, along with graduate student Alex McCafferty-Leroux and research engineer Andrew Newton, are already fine-tuning it with a second generation called HAAMR (High-Altitude Aircraft Mounted Robot). The telescope will capture measurements and data from reflected moonlight. Without the mount, the telescope would not be reliably able to withstand the effects of extreme cold (average temperatures of minus 60 C) and constant motion at such high altitude. The mount will ensure that the telescope stays tracked on the moon while in flight. Measuring the moonlight accurately is important because the moon is relatively stable and unaffected by disturbances and changes in the atmosphere and by local conditions and climate that can corrupt the data from less stable satellites. So it serves as a benchmark for Earth-observing satellites. These satellites, among other sensors and sources, are vital to studying our planet in order to accurately predict and track the consequences of climate change, says Gadsden. NASA will use the data collected by their Earth-observing satellites to better understand what is happening here on our planet. This knowledge will then be used to build more accurate climate change models. This project is at the intersection of science and engineering, says Gadsden. We are providing the engineering tools to collect all this data and then we pass the results of that off to science to analyze the data and understand what it means and how to initiate change from it. NASA, near outer space, robotics, software, code names, environmental relevance. Does it get much better for ambitious young pioneers in the fields of engineering and future dreaming? Were doing what we love, Gadsden says. Just the idea of being connected with NASA is the kind of thing one fantasizes about, says McCafferty-Leroux, whos doing his masters thesis at McMaster. ARTEMIS started about seven years ago when Gadsden was in Baltimore with the University of Maryland, Maryland also being home to the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He started working at McMaster (his alma mater) in 2022, and since then he and the team have perfected the mount to the point where it has been taken up by NASA, as well as NIST. ARTEMIS works splendidly well, passing various high altitude tests with flying colours. But on one there was turbulence a rare occurrence at 70,000 feet and the system didnt perform as well. Gadsden knows there is always scope for improvement. Hence, HAAMR, the second generation, which is coming along. Its a nod to Hamilton, says Gadsden with a smile. The Hammer. The improvements embodied in HAAMR should enable a doubling of our tracking accuracy and maintain target lock during bumpy portions of the flights, says McCafferty-Leroux. The mount they have developed and are continuing to perfect was built in-house at McMaster, with a double-gimbal control mechanism that corrects for motion during flight, ensuring accurate tracking. Theres a lot of custom work on this mount, explains Newton, a research engineer in Gadsdens lab. Its not built with off-the-shelf components. Almost everything is custom engineered. The project that the mount is part of is the 2021 Robert H. Goddard award-winning airborne lunar spectral irradiance mission, air-LUSI. The mount and telescope get flown up on the wingpod of a Soviet-era ER-2 spy plane. HAAMR will be delivered to the team at NIST in Maryland in July for integration with their telescope, and next January it will be deployed to NASAs Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (Palmdale, California) for an extended air-LUSI Operational Flight Campaign. Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. jmahoney@thespec.com SHARE: If you see smoke at High Park on Thursday, no need to fear. The city will be doing a prescribed or a controlled burn in some parts of the park. Vehicles will not be able to enter the park starting at 7 a.m. The closure will continue till the smoke dissipates, which city officials believe will be in the early evening. Areas of the park where a controlled burn is set to take place will be restricted due to safety concerns. Why is the burn happening Thursday The city said it is doing the burn Thursday because of the optimal weather forecasted. What is happening before the burn on Thursday Prior to the controlled burn, Indigenous Elders Vivian Recollet and Henry Pitawanakwat will lead an opening ceremony and smudge. Drumming and dancing will also occur in areas of the park that will undergo a controlled burn. The city said it is working towards including Indigenous knowledge and practices into the burn, acknowledging in a news release that prior to European settlement, controlled burns were used by Indigenous people to manage and maintain fire-dependent ecosystems including the black oak savannahs in High Park. The High Park burn has been named Biinaakzigewok Anishnaabeg which means the responsibility for a cleansing fire by all Native Peoples in Anishinaabemowin, according to the city. The name for the burn was done in partnership with the Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle and Elder Pitawanakwat. How long have burns been taking place? Controlled burns in High Park have been occurring for nearly 20 years. The city says the fires in controlled burns are low to the ground and consume dried leaves, small twigs and grass stems without harming larger trees. The controlled burns are part of the citys conservation efforts of Torontos black oak woodlands and savannahs. The city said it has hired a fire boss with extensive experience in complex prescribed burns to come up with a burn plan for this year and implement it with city staff. The city also said Toronto police and fire have been made aware of the burn at the park and will assist if required. Anyone in the area during the burn with asthma or those who are highly sensitive to poison ivy are being urged to stay inside and close their windows. Under ideal weather conditions, smoke from the burn would lift and not affect nearby neighbourhoods, according to the city. Edward Djan is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @EdwardDjan1 SHARE: Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. "We're projecting (for China) 5.2 percent growth in 2023. That's up from 3 percent last year," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, director of the Research Department of the IMF, told a press briefing Tuesday on the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report. Given the size of the Chinese economy, that would be a key contributor to global growth in the coming year, Gourinchas said, adding that it is "one of the great (pieces of) news for 2023" that China's economy is seeing a rapid reopening with a strong rebound. "As COVID-19 waves subsided (in China) in January of this year, mobility normalized, and high-frequency economic indicators, such as retail sales and travel bookings, started picking up," said the IMF in the WEO report. "The reopening and growth of its economy will likely generate positive spillovers, with even greater spillovers for countries with stronger trade links and reliance on Chinese tourism," it added. According to the IMF forecast, the world economy will grow 2.8 percent in 2023, 0.1 percentage point lower than its January forecast. "A return of the world economy to the pace of economic growth that prevailed before the bevy of shocks in 2022 and the recent financial sector turmoil is increasingly elusive," said the IMF. Global growth is estimated at 3.4 percent in 2022, to fall to 2.8 percent in 2023, before rising to 3 percent in 2024, it added. The growth of advanced economies will decline by half in 2023 to 1.3 percent, before rising to 1.4 percent in 2024, said the IMF. "About 90 percent of advanced economies are projected to see a decline in growth in 2023," it said. "With the sharp slowdown, advanced economies are expected to see higher unemployment, a rise of 0.5 percentage point on average from 2022 to 2024," said the IMF. China and India are "two exceptions to the slowdown" that the global economy is expected to experience this year, said World Bank Group President David Malpass in a media call ahead of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings week. "India and China are expected to account for half of global growth in 2023. But others face a steeper climb," said Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva at a recent event in Washington D.C. Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas (2nd L) speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas (2nd L, Rear) attends a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas speaks at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 11, 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected on Tuesday that China's economy will grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) York Mills Collegiate Institute and the Toronto District School Board marked International Day of Pink on Wednesday with an in-person and virtual celebration attended by a Stonewall Riots survivor and a champion drag queen. Outside, protestors and counter protesters clashed over the message the event was, or wasnt, promoting. This is a small group (of protesters), said gay rights activist and Stonewall Riots survivor Martin Boyce in an interview after his keynote address to students. In my time, it was the whole world. We know where we stand on the idea of righteousness, individuality and togetherness. Boyce, now in his 70s, is one of the last known survivors of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, which are considered to be the watershed protests that opened the doors for the gay liberation movement and the fight for gay rights in the U.S. and in Canada, and the precursor to Torontos Bathhouse Raids of 1981. Boyces talk focused on LGBTQ liberation in the face of increased hate toward that community, and how its important to know the history of such to ensure it doesnt repeat itself. Its about courage, and individual courage, he said to students. They are fighting us, but were ready. Were on the right side of history. He, along with a group of other advocates, speakers and performers, were brought to the North York school to mark the International Day of Pink a day similar to Pink Shirt Day that seeks to end anti-LGBTQ+ bullying, and to commemorate the Stonewall Riots and the birth of World Pride. York Mills Collegiate Institute was decked out in pink for the occasion, from balloons to streamers to tinsel. Open for students from Grades 7 to 12 to participate in, parents were informed in advance of what the assembly would include, TDSB said, and could decide whether their children should attend. And despite some backlash from outside the school community, students seemed to really enjoy themselves, said TDSB spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz. It was so powerful we really have to advocate for inclusion, which is what this is about. Deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie was in attendance, along with Colleen Russell-Rawlins, the director of education for the TDSB; Isaiah Shafqat, an Indigenous student trustee; Srgt. Robert Chevalier, the 2SLGBTQ+ liaison for Toronto Police; and Omid Razavi, the executive director of It Gets Better Canada. Each spoke of love and acceptance for all students, but especially those who are members of the LGBTQ community. Icesis Couture, the 2021 winner of Canadas Drag Race, also gave a performance, but it wasnt one that would be seen at a typical drag show for adults. Fitted in a chartreuse dress with a large bow and a black beret, Icesiss performance to Meghan Trainors Mother was a hit with students and faculty, and was arguably the one performance students were most enthusiastic about while watching. Protesters and counterprotesters rallied outside the school Save Canada, a youth-run Christian organization based in Nova Scotia, protested to end grooming outside of the school during the event. The organizations website says it was inspired by former president Donald Trump and his message to Save America. Josh Alexander, 17, of Save Canada, said Tuesday the organization is disappointed the board is hosting Boyce and Icesis Couture, adding its not fit for an educational setting and that the grooming is incredibly inappropriate. Speaking with media outside the school after the assembly, he echoed the same message. In recent years, the term grooming has been used against members of the LGBTQ community, with some saying without proof members of that community, especially drag queens, contribute to the sexualization or grooming of children. Police cruisers and officers surrounded the school and the demonstration, which remained mostly peaceful, save for a few incidents where people were pushing. The TDSB said Tuesday it was aware of the planned protest and said they would have extra security on hand and had notified the local police division just in case. Some students appeared to have joined the protest after the assembly, while others wearing pink shirts hung around the area during their lunch break. A counterprotest against Save Canada's message also occurred simultaneously. At one point someone grabbed a Trans flag from a demonstrator and ran away with it. When the lunch bell rang at 1:05 p.m., the crowd dispersed and most students returned to class, while Save Canada protesters handed out their last copy of the Bible. With files from Kevin Jiang SHARE: Riders on Torontos busiest subway line may soon have to wait longer for a train. The TTCs Line 1 subway is among 14 routes where service could be reduced next month according to a draft service memo from January obtained by transit advocacy group TTCriders. If the proposed service changes come into effect, the frequency of trains on the Yonge-University line would decrease from every 3 minutes to as much as 4 minutes during weekday rush hour, from 3 minutes to as long as 6 minutes during midday and evenings, and from 5 minutes to as much as 8 minutes from 10 p.m. to the end of service. Riders on Saturday mornings and evenings would wait for as much as 8 minutes instead of the current 6 minutes. On Sundays, the wait for trains could be as long as 8 minutes, instead of the current 5 minute wait, depending on the hour of the day. TTC memo is a draft of possible service changes in May The information in the draft memo, which TTCriders obtained through a freedom of information request, is not final, but gives an idea of what the transit agency is considering. The TTC said the full list of routes will be published in the next week. The planned service changes, which would begin in May, will be the second round of cuts the TTC has made in three months as part of a plan to reduce service by five per cent this year to make up for decreased revenues due to lower ridership. The TTC is focused on matching capacity to demand, ensuring we are addressing the busiest routes and corridors at the busiest times of day while adding seasonal service, spokesperson Stuart Green said in a statement. Our service is also planned with an equity lens to protect and preserve as much service as possible in areas that are heavily reliant on transit. Service reductions are also proposed for streetcar routes including 512 St. Clair and 506 Carlton/College, and bus routes including 32D Eglinton West and 52G Lawrence West. TTC cuts are widespread, says transit advocacy group This shows the cuts are widespread, impacting all modes and all neighbourhoods, said Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of TTCriders. It is especially concerning that the list of proposed cuts was not made publicly available before city council voted on the budget in February, she said: There is a real concern around transparency. Chloe Tangpongprush, an urban planning student at Toronto Metropolitan University, said the proposed cuts are very concerning to me as someone who takes Line 1 every weekday to get to my classes. I dont have a choice, just like many other Torontonians. We depend on the TTC to get us around. TTC cuts make riders feel less safe Tangpongprush said the planned cuts will not only make her commute more difficult, but will make her feel less safe, since shell have to wait longer in stations late at night. Worse service will also discourage people from taking transit, she said. It makes me worry that this is the beginning of a transit death spiral. A transit death spiral occurs when a transit agency reduces service in response to lower ridership, which in turn drives away riders, necessitating more cuts, and so on. TTC cuts may be the start of death spiral These proposed cuts indicate that process is already in motion, according to one transportation expert. This is how a spiral starts, and when that spiral starts its very hard to get off that cycle, said Matti Siemiatycki, professor of geography and planning at the University of Toronto. This year, the TTC faces a $366-million funding shortfall due to COVID impacts that so far federal and provincial governments have not agreed to cover. Were now at the moment where the financial situation thats been flagged for many years is now coming to fruition, said Siemiatycki. While reducing train frequency by a minute here or a minute there may not seem like much, these cuts chip away at the quality of the TTCs service as a whole, he said. Over time people will see the implications of that. SHARE: Youve heard of car, bike and scooter-sharing services, but what about boats? Skipperi, a company billing itself as the worlds first boat-sharing app and smart fleet, announced it will open ten locations across Lake Ontario beginning May 1. For a subscription fee, the Finland-based startup allows unlimited boating from all its harbours in the GTA and around the world. They currently have 40 vessels available on Lake Ontario and operate in five other countries. Skipperi takes care of all the hassle of owning your own boat, such as the maintenance, the winterization, the storage, the insurance, all the stuff that people dont want to deal with, said Keven Dextradeur, general manager for Skipperi Canada, to the Star. We take care of that so that people can only enjoy the fun parts of boating. In Canada, the service runs from May 1 to Oct. 31, with its early bird pricing starting at $475 a month. Customers must commit to paying through the full 6 month season they cannot sign up for just one month, according to the companys website. The regular membership only applies to weekdays; weekends will cost an extra $280 a month. Experienced skippers can opt to pay another $143 a month for access to larger pontoon boats and additional training. Weve been seeing our members using our vessels, on average, 4.3 times per week, Dextradeur said. But we have had some members going out every day and even sometimes multiple times a day. The first step to becoming a member requires one to get their pleasure craft operator card. Issued by Transport Canada, the card costs $42 and involves passing a boating safety course, but is good for life. Dextradeur said new members will also get a one-on-one training session as part of their onboarding. Its a one-on-one practical training with a licensed captain, and he shows you how to do everything from docking the boats to essentially showing you how to check in, check out using your app, he said. The app facilitates the entire boat rental process, using AI to help members check in and out, assess their vessel for damages and monitor boats that may be breaking the law, like exceeding the speed limit, Dextradeur said. You have to take pictures before and after (rental), and our AI is able to analyze if the boat has any potential damage, he continued. ...We have the ability to monitor any members that are going off, essentially, from what is being asked of them. The boats can drive up to 35 nautical miles, about 65 kilometres, though they must be dropped off at their original ports. The ten ports include: Toronto Harbourfront East- Queens Quay E/Yonge Toronto Harbourfront Centre- Queens Quay W/York Toronto Harbourfront West- Queens Quay W/ Bathurst Toronto Toronto Island Marina Scarborough Bluffers Park Marina Hamilton Harbour West Marina Niagara Port Dalhousie Pier Marina Pickering Frenchmans Bay Marina Mississauga (not yet open) Port Credit Harbour Marina Oakville (not yet open) Bronte Harbour Marina Read more about: SHARE: York Regional Police are asking for the publics help in identifying the suspects involved in an overnight double shooting in Vaughan. Police received a call around 1 a.m. Wednesday about a shooting at a parking lot in the area of Islington Avenue and Steeles Avenue West. A 23-year-old man and a 17-year-old teen were found with gunshot wounds and taken to a trauma centre. Another man, 24, was physically assaulted according to a news release from police. All three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police believe the attack was targeted and said there is no threat to the public at this time. The suspects fled the scene in a white BMW sedan with front-end damage. Its unclear how many suspects were involved in the incident, but police said there were several of them. Roads in the area are still closed for the investigation. Police are asking any witnesses or those with video recordings of the area during the time of the incident to speak with them. Anyone with information is being asked to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423 at extension 7441, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online anonymously at 180022tips.com. This is a developing story. Read more about: SHARE: The father of a a Russian girl sent to an orphanage after drawing an antiwar sketch at school has been extradited from Belarus back to Russia, a human rights group reported Wednesday. He faces two years in prison there. Alexei Moskalyov fled house arrest just before his sentencing hearing last month in the town of Yefremov, south of Moscow. He was detained in Belarus two days later. According to the Belarusian human rights center Viasna, when visitors tried to find Moskalyov in a Belarussian prison on Wednesday, they were told he had been extradited to Russia. 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. 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 an orphanage. 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. Moskalyov was fined and convicted over his social media posts. The Kremlin has been cracking down on dissent, targeting anyone who criticizes the war. Read more about: SHARE: NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) A week of floods has displaced thousands of families in a part of western Burundi where a river separates the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said Wednesday. More than 4,000 families living in the village of Gatumba were displaced by flooding, Mutimbuzi district chief administrator Simeon Butoyi said. Some said they were spending nights out in the cold. Judith Nibigira, a villager who sells fish to support her four children, said she felt devastated. My house has been destroyed. It was built by a benefactor living abroad, she said. A local community leader, Lucie Gahimbare, said every rainy season produces such losses when the Rusizi River overflows. Even children are used to this. This is the third consecutive time in three years, she said. Western Burundi faces flooding due to what experts say is abnormal rainfall in the region near Lake Tanganyika where 800,000 people live. Humanitarian agencies have in the past raised alarm over the significant rise of water levels. A polio epidemic was declared in Mutimbuzi district in March the first time the disease has been reported in the country in 30 years. Flooding has forced nearly 40,000 people to move to camps in Gatumba the last three years. At least 7,000 others have relocated out of Gatumba to safer areas, according to a report by the Burundian government issued before the latest floods. Brigadier General Anicet Nibaruta, who heads civil protection and disaster management, said camp residents could be relocated to neighboring Rumonge province and Bujumburas Kabezi district. Nibaruta told reporters Tuesday that the government was working to address the perennial floods by seeking money to build dikes that would prevent the Rusizi River from overflowing. SHARE: BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday removed the national police director who had talked about using exorcisms to catch fugitives. Neither Petro nor the Defense Ministry elaborated on reasons for the dismissal of Gen. Henry Sanabria, a staunch Catholic who was appointed by Petro in August of last year. But Sanabria was under an internal investigation by the ministry over whether he had inappropriately allowed his religious beliefs to infringe on his duties. Sanabria had unleashed a debate about the impact of his faith on the police after his statements in an interview last month including that police had used exorcisms to catch drug kingpins and guerrilla leaders. He also issued a strong condemnation of abortion, which is legal in Colombia. Although Colombia is a predominantly Catholic country of conservative and religious traditions, it is a secular state under its constitution. Petro, who was sworn in as the countrys first-ever leftist president last August, said that Sanabria would never be persecuted over his religion, but that there must be separation between religious beliefs and the state. Interior Minister Alfonso Prada said Wednesday that Sanabrias departure had nothing to do with his expressions of his religious beliefs, since the government respects freedom of thought. He said only that the dismissal was part of a new start for the national police force. In a Twitter message, Petro thanked Sanabria for his work without referring to the reason for his removal. Sanabria will be replaced by a retired general of the police force, William Salamanca, who currently is Colombias consul in Miami. In an interview in Semana Magazine last month, Sanabria said that the police forces carried out exorcisms to catch top leaders of drug trafficking gangs and guerrilla groups. He also spoke out strongly against abortion, which has been legalized in Colombia by the Constitutional Court since February of last year. Sanabria said that abortion is a very serious sin because it implies killing a little person who is being formed. SHARE: MANILA, Philippines (AP) China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijings core interests. In Washington, the U.S. and Philippine defense and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that were even better prepared for future crises, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the U.S. was allocating more than $100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes Chinas claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the U.S. delivery of much-needed defense equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This years Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, U.S. and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at U.S. security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defense pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedaled from the effort. Left-wing activists and nationalists have steadfastly opposed American military presence in the Philippines, a former U.S. colony where America remains popular among Filipinos based on independent polls. The Philippines is caught in an inter-imperialist conflict between the U.S. and China, Renato Reyes of the left-wing Bayan alliance said. We are merely being used as a footstool for American power projection and provocation in the region. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase U.S. warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to U.S. and Philippine military officials. SHARE: NEW DELHI (AP) A firing incident inside a military station in northern India killed at least four soldiers early Wednesday, an army statement said. The statement didnt give details, saying only that quick reaction teams were activated, and the area cordoned off and sealed. Indian media reports quoted state police officers as saying that the incident in the army camp in Bhatinda in Punjab state bordering Pakistan did not appear to be a terror attack. The shooting took place as the state was on a high security alert a day ahead of Baisakhi, a major Sikh and Hindu festival marking the start of the harvesting season. Punjab had suffered a bloody insurgency in 1980s that led to the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards at her official residence in New Delhi in 1984. It triggered deadly violence against Sikhs in northern India by her Hindu supporters. India accuses neighboring Pakistan of supporting the insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Punjab, a charge Islamabad denies. Read more about: SHARE: BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and vice president of the European Commission, will pay a visit to China and hold the 12th round of China-EU high-level strategic dialogue from April 13 to 15, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Wednesday. MOSCOW (AP) Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in failing health because of a new suspected poisoning and is back in a punishment cell after a few days in regular confinement, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Anna Veduta, a Washington, DC-based vice president of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, told The Associated Press the 46-year-old Navalny fell ill last Friday when he was let out of the punishment cell and put in a conventional cell. He had lost about 18 pounds over the past 15 days. On Monday, Navalny wrote on Twitter, he was put back in a punishment cell for another 15-day term. An ambulance was called early Saturday because of acute stomach pains but Navalny received no diagnosis, one of his lawyers, Vadim Kobzev, wrote on Twitter after visiting him in prison. We believe he is slowly being administered low doses of poison in pills he is given without identification, Veduta said. A video documentary about Navalny won an Oscar last month. The documentary portrays Navalnys career of fighting official corruption, his near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent in 2020 that he blames on the Kremlin, his five-month recuperation in Germany and his 2021 return to Moscow, where he was taken into custody. He was later sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and last year was convicted of other charges and given another nine-year term. Navalny has faced unrelenting pressure from Russian authorities, and has been in and out of isolation in a tiny punishment cell. He is allowed to write letters or have his lawyers visit occasionally. German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said Wednesday that Germany took note of reports about Navalnys worsening health with great concern. She added that Berlin wants the inhuman treatment that he is apparently suffering in prison to be lifted, and wants Russian authorities to ensure he gets access to medical treatment and is released. Read more about: SHARE: JERUSALEM (AP) The Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday accused Israeli police of infringing on the freedom of worshippers with heavy-handed restrictions on how many pilgrims can attend the Holy Fire ceremony amid soaring tensions. Israeli police said the limits are needed for safety during Saturdays celebration at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a holy site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Saturdays Holy Fire celebration comes during a recent spate of violence in the Old City, touched off by an Israeli police raid on Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, the compound thats home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The tensions spiraled into a regional confrontation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and were punctuated Friday when two British-Israeli sisters and their mother were killed after their car came under fire near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank. The mother succumbed to her wounds on Monday. Israel, which imposed similar restrictions on the Holy Fire event last year, says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd stampede in 2021 at a packed Jewish holy site left 45 people dead. Christian leaders say theres no need to alter a ceremony that has been held for centuries. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that on the Saturday before Easter, a miraculous flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The Greek patriarch enters the Holy Edicule, a chamber built on the traditional site of Jesus tomb, and emerges with two lit candles. He passes the flame among thousands of people holding candles, gradually illuminating the walls of the darkened basilica. The flame will be transferred to Orthodox communities in other countries on special flights. The source of the Holy Fire has been a closely guarded secret for centuries, with an abundance of skeptics. Church officials told reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday that negotiations with the police over their heavy-handed restrictions had failed. After many attempts made in good will, we are not able to coordinate with the Israeli authorities as they are enforcing unreasonable restrictions on access to the Holy Sepulcher, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, calling the limitations heavy-handed. We will hold the ceremony as customary for two millennia and invite all who wish to worship with us to attend, said Father Mattheos Siopis of the Greek Orthodox Church. We leave the authorities to act as they will. The churches will freely worship and do so in peace. Israeli police officials acknowledged that they are increasing security and blocking some routes into the dense Old City and that attendance is limited in the ancient church and courtyard. But in a conference call with reporters, officials said the attendance limits 1,800 people inside the church which Greek Orthodox officials said was a fraction of previous years were set by the church. Chief Superintendent Yoram Segal of the Jerusalem District Police told reporters during a conference call that the polices top priority is safety on a day when Muslims, Christians and Jews are celebrating their own holidays in the square-kilometer (square-half mile) Old City. We are going to regulate the movement of crowds, Segal said, adding that the holy fire ceremony will be available throughout the city on video screens and that meetings with the churches are ongoing. Since the rise this year of Israels most right-wing government in history, Christians say their 2,000-year-old community in the Holy Land has come under increasing attack. ___ Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Read more about: SHARE: TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey authorities on Wednesday arrested a small-town police chief, charging him with sexually assaulting subordinates over more than a decade, while also announcing misconduct charges against another police chief who recently retired. Attorney General Matthew Platkin said that Manville police Chief Thomas Herbst, 55, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, was arrested earlier Wednesday and faces multiple counts of sexual assault, official misconduct and other similar charges. Herbsts lawyer, Jim Wronko, said in a phone interview that his client categorically denies engaging in nonconsensual sex with any woman. He said Herbst was released from jail after an initial court appearance. Platkin also said official misconduct, tampering with records and witnesses and other charges were filed in state court against former Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, 49, of Farmingdale. Robert Honecker Jr., Kudricks attorney, said in a phone call that his client denies the allegations and that Kudrick had fallen into political disfavor. He intends to vigorously defend against these charges, he said. The charges were announced together, though the cases are unrelated, to show police couldnt get away with abusing the power their positions give them, the attorney general said. I have a clear message: The badge doesnt make you untouchable and your office does not give you a right to act with impunity because at the end of the day we all stand equal before the law, Platkin said. The case against Herbst made headlines last year when one of the women who said he sexually assaulted her filed a lawsuit against him. Hes been on paid leave since then. Wronko, his attorney, said he expects the leave to become unpaid as of Wednesday. According to Platkins office, Herbst was sexually inappropriate toward at least three women. And from 2008 to 2021, he regularly groped, exposed himself to and sexually harassed and assaulted a department employee who reported directly to him, according to the attorney general. The attacks happened while on duty and around police headquarters, Platkin said. The case against Kudrick stemmed from a special labor counsel investigation in Howell Township that was launched because news about a suspected romantic relationship between Kudrick and a subordinate had come into the open, according to the attorney general. Shortly before a police captain who knew about the relationship was set to speak to the special labor counsel, Kudrick threatened to launch an illegitimate internal affairs investigation into the officer, Platkin said. It was an effort to intimidate the captain from being truthful with the labor counsel, he added. Kudrick also falsely denied having an intimate relationship with the subordinate in violation of the townships policy against engaging in romantic relationships with subordinates, Platkin said.. Manville is a borough of nearly 11,000 people in Somerset County. Howell Township, Monmouth County, has a population of more than 53,000. SHARE: SALEM, Ore. (AP) An emotionally charged debate over Oregons gun-related legislation recently brought lawmakers on different sides of the issue near tears, reflecting a passionate divide over gun rights that is also playing out nationwide. One of the most sweeping bills being proposed in the politically diverse state the one that led to highly personal speeches from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers at a committee hearing last week would increase the purchasing age to 21 for AR-15s and similar types of guns, impose penalties for possessing undetectable firearms and allow for more limited concealed-carry rights. Republican lawmakers in Oregon said community safety depends on access to firearms, while Democrats conversely called for greater restrictions in the name of safety. The debate in the Oregon State Capitol comes as Democrats and Republicans across the country spar over gun rights, and as the number of gun violence deaths nationwide has risen to 11,767 so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. I have a beautiful 19-year-old daughter and I want to know, what did she do wrong to have this imposed on her? Republican Rep. Greg Smith, his voice cracking with emotion, remarked of the proposed restrictions. I want to know, what did my beautiful daughter do wrong to where she cant protect herself? I dont get it. Meanwhile, Sen. Lew Frederick, a Democrat from Portland, said when he sees someone in his neighborhood with a long gun over their shoulder, I wonder who theyre hunting. Portland experienced 268 shootings during the first three months of this year, compared with 392 for the same time frame last year, according to the Portland Police Bureau. Legislation in state capitals across the nation this week similarly highlights the red-blue divide on guns: __ In Washington state, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign, as early as this week, legislation going through the Democrat-majority state Legislature that would ban many semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15s and other rifles that fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload. The bill passed both the state House and Senate but needs an additional vote in the House. __ In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is scheduled to sign legislation Thursday that will implement stricter background checks and safe storage requirements for firearms. The legislation is part of an 11-bill gun safety package that was introduced after a gunman killed three students at Michigan State University on Feb. 13 the states second mass shooting in 15 months. __ In Florida, a bill passed by the Republican-dominated statehouse allows people to carry concealed firearms without a permit, and without training or a background check. Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this month, it takes effect July 1. __ In Kentucky and Tennessee, each of which experienced a mass shooting in the past two weeks, GOP lawmakers who dominate both statehouses have long resisted limiting gun access. However, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee asked lawmakers Tuesday to pass legislation that would keep firearms out of the hands of people who could harm themselves or others. One of those killed in the March 27 school shooting in Nashville was a close friend of Lees wife. In Oregon, the Joint Ways and Means Committee sent the broad gun safety bill to the House floor for a vote last week after a wrenching debate. An extraordinary number of Oregonians about 1,000 submitted written testimony for or against the 17-page measure. In a nod to hunters, the bill doesnt prohibit a person at least 18 years of age from possessing a single-shot rifle; several types of shotguns; a repeating rifle that has a bolt, lever, pump, or revolving action; a rifle with an attached magazine for .22-caliber rounds; or a muzzleloader rifle. Those are your guns that are traditionally made for hunting, Rep. Jason Kropf, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said in an interview Wednesday. In my mind, there are guns that are made for hunting. And if youre under the age of 21, you can have those. There are guns that are made for shooting people, and were going to limit access to those. Democrats say Republicans who raised concerns about losing the rite of passage of taking a teen hunting are missing the point. The rite of passage that drives me nuts is the rite of passage that my neighbors have to go to funeral after damn funeral, Frederick said, banging the table with his fist. The Oregon bill would also make the manufacture or importation into the state of an undetectable firearm a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000. Possession of a so-called ghost gun, such as one made with a 3D printer, would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and/or a fine up to $6,250. In 2021, the Legislature gave local school districts the authority to prohibit firearms on school grounds. The new bill would expand that, giving locally elected governments the ability to adopt rules restricting firearms and concealed carry in their facilities and adjacent grounds. The measure was scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Wednesday. But bills are stacked up because minority Republicans have insisted that each one be read in full, to slow the Democrats agenda. A machine is being used to speed-read the bills. Passage by the House would send it to the Senate for consideration. ___ This story has been updated to correct Portland shootings data. ___ Associated Press reporters Lisa Baumann in Seattle; Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan; and Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed. SHARE: AUSTIN, Texas (AP) An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts rush for a pardon is an egregious overreach to wipe aside the jurys unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who was in his car working as a ride-share driver when he shot 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who had been legally carrying an AK-47 while marching with demonstrators through downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. I just think its a travesty, Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon. Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governors move highly unusual and prosecutors condemned it as troubling. Abbott made his intentions known on Twitter less than 24 hours after the verdict and amid outrage from conservative voices on social media and television over the conviction. I just thought it was an egregious overreach of power, Dowell said. Its undermining due process. Its undermining democracy. I was upset, honestly. Perry, who was on active duty at the time of the shooting, is still awaiting sentencing from a judge. He faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who said she has not previously supported the three-term governor politically, said she worried that Abbott wading into the case could cause other jurors to second-guess their decisions. She said the verdict was strictly based on evidence, following 17 hours of deliberation, and politics did not factor in. If your governor is coming out and saying you made the wrong decision, that may make you think twice about what you said or what you felt, she told AP. The AP has attempted to reach all jurors who served during the weeklong trial in Austin. Others have declined to speak about the case or not returned messages. Spokespersons for Abbott did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The trial had received little national attention prior to Fridays verdict and Abbott had not previously commented on the case publicly. He has has not elaborated on how he reached his conclusion about Perrys case, and his office on Monday referred questions to his statement on Twitter. The encounter leading up to the shooting began when Perry turned onto a street and into one of the demonstrations that swept the country after Minneapolis police killed of George Floyd. In video that was streamed live on Facebook, a car can be heard honking amid the downtown crowd. Then, several shots ring out, and protesters begin screaming and scattering. Perry drove off, later calling police to report the shooting, and officers arrived to find Foster shot. What led up to the gunfire was a core question in the trial that resulted in Perrys conviction. Dowell said her confidence in the verdict was based in part on testimony that Fosters gun was pointing up close to his ear moments before the shooting and that Foster was at least a foot away from Perrys car. She said prosecutors also presented text messages between Perry and a friend, exchanged prior to the shooting, discussing other cases in which protesters had been shot and whether it amounted to self-defense. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle at Perry, and prosecutors said the sergeant could have driven off rather than opening fire with a handgun. Perry didnt testify. But his defense attorneys have said Foster pointed his gun at the driver and that the shooting was self-defense. I look forward to approving the Boards pardon as soon as it hits my desk, Abbott tweeted Saturday. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, whose office prosecuted the case, said Wednesday in an interview on CNN that it appeared clear that neither Abbott nor his staff had watched the trial. Garza, who ran as a progressive when he was elected in 2020, has previously been a target of criticism from the governor. The district attorney said he did not know why Abbott was pushing for the pardon: I dont know whats in the governors mind. Garza has requested to meet with the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and present evidence. The board did not immediately respond to questions emailed Wednesday. Clint Broden, Perrys attorney, has said they did not petition the governor for a pardon prior to Abbotts tweet. He has also filed a motion seeking a new trial. ____ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Jim Vertuno and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. SHARE: LOS ANGELES (AP) Two former Los Angeles-area police detectives have been charged in the 2020 shooting of an unarmed man that left him paralyzed from the waist down, the district attorney said Wednesday. Former Whittier detectives Cynthia Lopez and Salvador Murillo opened fire on April 30, 2020, as Nicholas Carrillo ran from them. Two bullets struck him in the back one severing his spinal cord as he climbed a fence to escape. Although he was lucky to survive, his life was forever changed and he must now begin using a wheelchair, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday during a news conference. Murillo is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and two counts of assault under color of authority. Lopez faces two counts of assault under color of authority, one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday. The detectives were in plainclothes and in an unmarked car when they spotted a sedan that had been supposedly used during an unarmed robbery the month before, Gascon said. A woman was the suspect in that robbery at a Walmart, where a television was stolen. Carrillo was alone in the car on the day he was shot. The detectives followed the sedan into an alley, and emerged from their vehicle with their guns drawn. The sedan reversed and collided with the detectives car, Gascon said. Lopez fired into the sedans rear windshield, prosecutors said. Carrillo then ran from the car and Lopez and Murillo opened fire as they chased him. He was not armed. They are expected to be arraigned Monday. Attempts to reach their attorneys were not immediately successful Tuesday. The detectives are no longer employed by the Whittier Police Department, which directed media inquiries to prosecutors. The Whittier Police Department, which is committed to responsible and accountable policing, will provide assistance to the District Attorneys Office as needed, Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said in a statement after the charges were announced. The Whittier Police Officers Association, the union that represents the departments rank-and-file officers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Whittier is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Whittier case comes two weeks after Gascon's office charged seven California Highway Patrol officers and a nurse with involuntary manslaughter in the 2020 death of a man who screamed I cant breathe while multiple officers restrained him as they tried to take a blood sample. SHARE: NEW YORK (AP) Former President Donald Trump sued the key witness in his criminal case on Wednesday, accusing onetime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen of vast reputational harm for talking publicly about the hush-money payments at the heart of the case. The lawsuit, filed in Miami, offered a preview of arguments that are sure to be featured in Trumps defense against charges that he falsified internal business records to disguise payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters. The suit accused Cohen of breaking a confidentiality agreement he signed as a condition of his employment, violating ethical standards for lawyers and spreading falsehoods about Trump with malicious intent and to wholly self-serving ends. It seeks over a half-billion dollars from Cohen. Trump isnt specifically suing Cohen over his grand jury testimony in the criminal case, but he cites it in support of an argument that his ex-lawyer sought to profit from his role through the publication of two books, a podcast series and media appearances. Cohens spokesman, attorney Lanny Davis, said the lawsuit will not deter Cohens cooperation with prosecutors. Mr. Trump appears once again to be using and abusing the judicial system as a form of harassment and intimidation against Michael Cohen, Davis said. It appears he is terrified by his looming legal perils and is attempting to send a message to other potential witnesses who are cooperating with prosecutors against him. The suit is the latest effort by Trump to use the legal system to go after his political enemies and is another example of the former president turning on a once-loyal aide after their relationship imploded. A judge in Florida sanctioned Trump and one of his attorneys in January, ordering them to pay nearly $1 million for filing what he said was a bogus lawsuit against Trumps 2016 rival Hillary Clinton and others. Davis predicted this lawsuit would also fail. Is there anyone in America, aside from a shrinking minority base of believers, who takes Mr. Trump seriously when he files these apparently frivolous lawsuits? Davis asked. The criminal case against Trump, brought last week by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, accuses the former president of falsifying 34 business records at his company to hide the true nature of 11 checks paid to Cohen to reward him for work covering up Trumps extramarital affairs. Those checks, prosecutors said, reimbursed Cohen for a $130,000 payment he made on Trumps behalf to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who had been in negotiations to sell her story of an alleged sexual encounter with the Republican. Cohen also played a role in arranging payments to the Playboy model Karen McDougal and to a Trump Tower doorman. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and says the alleged encounters with Daniels and McDougal never happened. Braggs office on Wednesday declined to comment on Trumps lawsuit against Cohen. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax evasion, lying to Congress, and campaign finance violations regarding the payments to Daniels and McDougal. He was sentenced to three years in prison, although the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled him to serve the majority of the sentence under house arrest. Although federal prosecutors referenced Trump in the charges against Cohen, they chose not to pursue a criminal case against the Republican. Neither did investigators in the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, who conducted a wide-ranging probe through much of Trumps presidency. Read more about: SHARE: Into the high stakes poker game that is Alberta politics comes a wild card. Maybe even something of a joker. Not a political party but a conservative political movement that calls itself Take Back Alberta. It could play a significant role in the outcome of the May 29 election, though perhaps not in the way many people think. TBA is decidedly in favour of Premier Danielle Smith and the United Conservative government, but it could yet prove to be an inadvertent catalyst for the NDP. TBA is a right-wing group boasting 25,000-30,000 members that happily takes credit for organizing the demise of Jason Kenney last year and bills itself as a grassroots movement built to advance freedom and transfer power from the ruling elite to the people of our province. In other words, its a populist movement so right-wing that members saw Kenney as something of a lefty who needed to be turfed out and replaced with someone more to their liking: Danielle Smith. It has made headlines by flooding UCP nomination meetings to elect TBA-friendly candidates and last fall managed to get nine TBA-supported candidates to the UCPs 18-member provincial board. The founder of TBA, David Parker, says hes hoping to one day have all 18 members aligned with his organization. Born during the pandemic in 2022 to oppose COVID-19 restrictions and mandates, its membership supports, among other things, a sovereign Alberta with a provincial police force, revenue agency and pension plan. And it loudly condemns the NDP as a socialist menace. TBA is registered with Elections Alberta as a third party advertiser that can spend money to promote or oppose political parties. In that context, TBA should be a good thing for Smith, as the province gears up for the general election in May. But its not that simple. Take Back Alberta is making headlines and raising eyebrows on several fronts. Besides taking control of UCP constituency associations, the organizations chief financial officer, Marco Van Huigenbos, is facing a charge of mischief over $5,000 related to last years Coutts border blockade. The right-wing group has become such a headline-grabber that more than a few Albertans are getting nervous, not just New Democrats, but United Conservatives who think TBA will frighten moderate Conservatives away from the party. The more that voters like me hear about (Take Back Alberta), the less likely we are to vote, said Ken Boessenkool, a well-known Conservative strategist in Alberta. Boessenkool says TBAs support for Smith is helping her attract separatists and other fringe voters but is starting to repel the all-important moderate voters in battleground Calgary. Mainstream people are gonna walk away, and I think youre seeing that. This is not a new phenomenon in Alberta politics. In the 2004 election, Conservative voters were so tired of Ralph Klein that 200,000 of them stayed home compared to the previous 2001 election. They did not vote for anybody else. Klein still won the election but thanks to stay-at-home Conservatives, he lost 11 seats to the Liberals. This election promises to be so close that victory or defeat might be determined not simply by who turns out to vote, but by who doesnt. Parker, the founder of Take Back Alberta, isnt sure what all the fuss is about. In an interview for this column, he refused to pigeon-hole TBA as anything other than a grassroots movement focused on getting more people involved in politics. Parker, 33, lives in Red Deer. He knows a thing or two about organizing political movements. He says he was a staffer for a decade with Stephen Harper and was national director of field operations for Erin OToole. Parker even helped organize Jason Kenneys successful UCP leadership campaign in 2017. He was a Kenney supporter until the pandemic hit. Parker thought Kenney went too far with restrictions. Parker says pandemic mandates were discriminatory against the unvaccinated and he supports Smith because she is of a like mind. He rankles at suggestions the TBA is organizing hostile takeovers of local UCP riding associations by flooding nomination meetings. And he says hes proud that TBA-backed members control half of the UCPs provincial board. Hes blunt about TBAs fundraising ability: it is struggling. He hasnt met his goal of getting members to chip in $4 a month. Hes discovered its one thing to get people motivated to show up at meetings, another for them to hand over money. Im scraping by, he says, but adds were ramping up. He acknowledges his movement is a small player in terms of members and in fact says it is a minority vocal opinion but he says his members are following the most basic tenet of politics: they are showing up. People are kind of definitely getting on board with understanding that the reason things are the way they are is because they havent been involved in politics. And theyre starting to get involved. Indeed, getting people to show up is how Smith won the UCP leadership race last year. She targeted a disgruntled group of Albertans and Parker says many of them were TBA members and convinced them that even though their numbers were small they could make a big difference in Alberta politics. And they did. Parker says he understands and respects the fact that many people might not like what TBA supports. In that case, he says, they should organize against him. But Parker is being modest. He and TBA are proving to be something of a force in Alberta politics, pushing the UCP further to the right. If Kenney hijacked the Conservative movement in Alberta to form the UCP and Smith hijacked the UCP, Take Back Alberta might end up hijacking Smith. Or at least hold her as something of a hostage, metaphorically speaking. Smith needs to keep them onside. She is keenly aware they helped topple Kenney last year. And even if Parker says hes not lobbying the government, Smith can likely still feel his breath on her neck. If Smith were to prove as big a disappointment to TBA as did Kenney, Parker says they would take action: There would probably be a grassroots movement to remove Smith if she didnt do what she said shed do. Take Back Alberta has been described by one pundit as the power behind the throne. Smith might think its better portrayed as a Sword of Damocles hanging over her head. She ignores it at her peril. Read more about: SHARE: Last month, I joined tens of thousands of Georgians in the streets of Tbilisi, the rugged capital of a democracy fighting to distance itself from its Soviet past. The crowd of mostly young pro-Westerners rallied against the Georgian Parliaments proposed security legislation that would have aligned the country closer to the Kremlin. For now, the bill is defeated, but it succeeded in proving that Putins hybrid war against democracy can be fought on many fronts and that we must be vigilant against authoritarian encroachment wherever it exists. Following two days of violent protests, the bill was unconditionally withdrawn by Georgian Dream (GD), the countrys ruling party, whose patron oligarch is Bidzina Ivanishvili, a man who amassed his billions of dollars in Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union. The security bill would have required many of the countrys NGOs, media, and pro-democracy watchdogs to register as foreign agents, stigmatizing and effectively neutering civil societys supervisory function in the run-up to next years parliamentary elections. The bill was described by EU High Representative Josep Borrell as incompatible with EU values and its passage likely would have dashed any hope of Euro-Atlantic integration. Meanwhile, Georgias very constitution enshrines a legal commitment to full integration into the EU, an aspiration that 85 per cent of Georgians support. As one protester described to me: This is the civilizational choice of the Georgian people. Yet, Tbilisis ruling authorities appear ready to turn their backs on the pro-European status quo. Given that it would all but guarantee the countrys incompatibility with the EU, Georgian Dreams security agenda marks, at best, a disavowal of the European consensus and, at worst, an overt return to Russias sphere of influence. Its no surprise then that its withdrawal was met with disturbing reactions by Kremlin spokespeople, including barely veiled threats of military intervention and mischaracterizations of the March protests as an attempted coup. During the second night of protests, I met Tamar Jakeli, 27, a Green activist and queer-feminist organizer of Tbilisi Pride. Curious, I asked her what her motivations were for showing up. To keep Georgia pro-European, and to make sure what happened in Russia for the last 10 years doesnt happen here [ ] it means fighting for the pro-Western path of Georgia, she shouted over the sound of whistles, fireworks, and detonating stun grenades. Behind the Parliament building, I ran into Giorgi Sioridze, a 35-year-old law lecturer at Georgian National University. Since 1990, Georgian people have experienced civil war and three territorial wars and, of course, Russia was always intervening, he told me. But now we still stand up and strike back. The protesters have defined their political lives in opposition to foundational traumas. Although most are too young to remember life in Soviet Georgia, many are haunted by childhood memories of Russias invasion of their country in the summer of 2008 an incursion that saw 224 Georgians killed and some 230,000 displaced as internal refugees. Were scared because 20 per cent of Georgia is occupied by Russia [and that] one day, either de jure or de facto, we will wake up and become part of Russia, said graduate student Nukri Jintcharadze, 27, at a makeshift first aid station. We had just flushed tear gas from our bright red eyes. The word agent carries strong associations in the post-Soviet world. Leonid Karas, Georgi Markov and Andrei Sinyavsky are the names of just a few dissidents shot dead, imprisoned, or otherwise disappeared by Moscow under the pretence of foreign agency. This months protests prove that young Georgians refuse to join them without a fight. As in Ukraine and Moldova, its in Moscows interest to anchor Georgia in its orbit. Putin understands that this can be achieved without a single tank on Georgian soil, or a single bullet in a Georgian heart all he needs is for Tbilisi to build itself in Moscows image. Although Georgia is an imperiled democracy, it remains a beacon of freedom, whose youth are more Western in orientation than most westerners. We shouldnt sit idly while Georgia turns toward the authoritarian path of their neighbours, in a region where democracy is as rare as it is fragile. As liberal democrats, we would fail the Georgian people to look the other way. Liam Hunt is a Canadian writer based in Eastern Europe. He writes at goodperson.substack.com SHARE: HANGZHOU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Aided by a 5G-powered robotic surgery technology, a surgeon has successfully removed the inflamed gallbladder of a female patient residing thousands of miles away in northwest China. The remarkably efficient long-distance surgery was completed in just 30 minutes on Feb. 16. Liang Xiao carried out the procedure using a robot console at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. Meanwhile, the patient was in a hospital in the city of Alaer in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, nearly 5,000 km from the surgeon's location. "When I made instructions from the operating platform, the four-arm endoscopic robot at the hospital in Alaer responded in sync," Liang said. The surgery proceeded seamlessly, with a negligible lag between the surgeon and the device, he added. This surgery not only cured the ailment that had been plaguing the patient for days but also demonstrated how this lightning-fast wireless technology can provide patients in remote regions of China with more access to high-quality medical services. Hospitals in some inland regions, far from the eastern coastal regions rich in medical resources, face a shortage of well-trained personnel and advanced equipment. Patients from far-flung areas who suffer from critical illnesses often face significant challenges and time constraints when it comes to traveling to big cities for treatment. As a result, local hospitals would usually seek the assistance of prominent doctors from leading medical centers to conduct surgeries to cater to the needs of their patients. However, this entire process is equally arduous for medical staff. Previously, doctors in Hangzhou had to travel nearly nine hours by air followed by another 30-minute bus ride to reach the hospital in Alaer. Thanks to the surgical technology enabled by 5G, this problem can now be effectively addressed. Liang began to undergo training on robotic operations in 2015 and has completed 606 minimally invasive operations assisted by robots so far, holding the provincial record for hepatobiliary and pancreatic robotic surgeries. "Gallbladder removal is now a routine surgery for us," Liang said. Apart from training doctors, his hospital has also accumulated rich experiences in developing medical tools for remote operations. Liang and his colleagues were part of a research project involving the 5G robot used in the surgery, in which they offered clinical suggestions and carried out animal trials. China Telecom has provided technical support for this robotic surgical procedure, with its Xinjiang branch assisting in the establishment of operation rooms with 5G coverage. Chinese medical robot manufacturers are currently working to improve the technology to further break the limit of space. Liu Yu, executive vice president of Shanghai MicroPort MedBot Group, the maker of the 5G robot used in the surgery, said the engineers at the company plan to test their robot products in Tibet and other high-altitude regions with challenging environmental conditions. The 5G technology could save time for both the doctors and the patients and enhance treatment efficiency, according to Cai Xiujun, president of the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, which is affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine. But the biggest advantage will be having specialists from top hospitals assist more doctors from distant areas. With well-trained local staff, patients can avail timely medical consultations at lower costs at clinics near their homes, Cai added. Students of history should be forgiven if their faith in humanity is sometimes deeply shaken. Given our collective past is so rife with mass atrocities, its easy to despair about the darkest sides of the human condition. No event makes people shudder at the human capacity for evil more than the Holocaust. Next week, on one of the most solemn dates on the Jewish calendar, Israel and Jews around the world will mark Yom HaShoah, in memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. If the Holocaust brought out the worst in far too many people, it also brought out the best in far too few people. Among the latter are heroic individuals the Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center officially designates as Righteous Among the Nations for having saved Jews at great personal risk to the rescuers and their families. In 1963, Yad Vashem began this program of recognition. Since then, it has honoured nearly 28,000 people from 51 countries, in connection with more than 10,000 authenticated rescue stories. New cases continue to come to light. Last month, the Israeli Consulate in Toronto presented the Righteous Among the Nations medal and certificate to the family of the late Stanislaw Kolodziejski, whose descendants live in Canada. He rescued a Jewish woman and her young daughter from the Warsaw Ghetto. The Righteous are the focus of a powerful new documentary film produced by the Canadian arm of the March of the Living, a Holocaust-related educational program. Its title, Saving the World Entire: Rescuers During the Holocaust, is derived from the Talmud in which its written, Whoever saves a single life, saves the world entire. Early in the 24-minute film, an elderly, white-haired woman, Czeslawa Zak, refers to what her late parents did during the Holocaust in risking their lives to save three Jewish families from the Nazis, who threatened to kill anyone helping Jews. It was just a normal human impulse, says Czeslawa, who was a teenager when her family hid 14 Jews in their modest apartment in central Warsaw. It was obvious we had to save them. Tragically, saving Jews was not a normal human impulse for most of humanity during the Second World War. In Nazi-occupied Europe, it was anything but obvious to most people to help Jews evade capture and near-certain death in concentration camps. Eli Rubenstein, the Toronto-based National Director of the March of the Living, lends his voice to Saving the World Entire. In the film, he describes an incident from the 2008 March. As thousands of young people assembled at the infamous Auschwitz death camp on Yom HaShoah, they showed their appreciation for a Righteous Among the Nations after one of the Jews she had saved 65 years earlier introduced her to the crowd. All the people standing there applauded her, but not just once, says Rubenstein. The applause came in waves. Time after time, just as the applause would die down, it rose again. It was if the people there didnt want to let go of that beautiful moment of hope, of kindness and humanity. I realized how important it is to always give people hope, to understand that in the darkest of times, amidst all the terrible horrors visited by Nazi Germany on the Jewish people and others, there were still people who gave us reason to never give up hope in humanity. Sadly, with the passage of time, most of the Righteous and those they saved are no longer alive. As distant as their stories may seem, the lesson we should learn from them is anything but remote in todays toxic reality of pervasive hate, much of it fuelled by social media. The courage, compassion and moral fortitude demonstrated by each of the Righteous are a poignant reminder that in the face of injustice, we must all be upstanders, not bystanders, and embrace allyship in defence of a more just society. That message is always relevant. Michael Levitt , a Toronto-based freelance contributing columnist for the Star, is the president and CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC). @LevittMichael Read more about: SHARE: Judith Taylor seems to believe that the only meaningful way for Jews to talk about Israel is to agree with her. She ignores the most recent example that completely refutes her argument when she talks about the actions of the current Israel government without mentioning the ongoing protests they have generated, with crowds as large as 650,000, ranging across the population spectrum. We are two of 300 Canadian Jews who signed a letter expressing concerns about the contemplated judicial changes that ran in both Canadian and Israeli newspapers. It also expressed our love and commitment to the State of Israel, because we know the history, which is not as simplistic as Taylor suggests. Having visited Israel 15 times, we have met with Arab Israelis and Palestinians, including the student to whom we provide a scholarship at Hebrew University, which has some incredible programs to ensure diversity and inclusion. Jews are standing up. Have a look around. Marcia and Arthur Zalev, Toronto Read more about: SHARE: It is a relatively lesser known fact today that the day the firebrand revolutionary in Indias freedom struggle Bhagat Singh was hanged, thousands of households from Lahore to Kanyakumari went hungry. People were grief-stricken, stunned and distraught at the sheer insensitivity of the British rulers in hanging the iconic youth of Indias freedom movement. At the same time they also lamented the fact that Gandhiji, the leading Congress leader of the day, did not do his bit to save the lives of not only Bhagat Singh, but also Rajguru and Sukhdev from the gallows. Whether Gandhi tried to persuade the then Viceroy Lord Irwin with full sincerity of purpose to commute the death sentence is a matter of debate till today, but what is not so debated is the fact that in our history textbooks the role of armed revolutionaries in the freedom struggle is not given due recognition. Historians have appeared reluctant to think beyond the one-sided non-violence narrative while assessing and analysing Indias struggle to get rid of the British rule in the country. Since Independence, countrymen have been fed only one viewpoint through history books, educational curriculum and hearsay, whereas many other individuals, ideas and organisations, in spite of their tremendous and truly inspiring roles in achieving freedom, have been overlooked. The stellar contributions of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rashbehari Bose, Chandrashekhar Azad and countless others have been blissfully forgotten by our famous historians and curriculum makers; attempts have been made to present revolutionaries as terrorists in school textbooks, and gigantic events like the Mutiny of 1857 and the Naval Revolt of 1946 have been presented either in a lesser light or through distorted optics. Consequently, many martyrs and their crucial roles have been thrust into mere footnotes, deliberately deleted or edited to keep the focus solely on the key figures of the manufactured narrative. Yet it is hard to completely wipe out legends, icons and heroes from the nations collective consciousness. They live on in public memory and folklore. One such unsung hero was Ullaskar Dutta. The saga of Ullaskar Dutta (1885- 1965) is one that is part of the neglected narrative of gunpowder and gumption. He is among those brave young Bengalis who chose the path of armed resistance to end British rule. Dutta was a revolutionary associated with Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar, and was a close associate of Aurobindo Ghoshs brother Barindra Nath Ghosh. He had expertise in bomb-making. When the British police arrested members of the Jugantar Party like Khudiram Bose and Barin Ghosh, Ullaskar was also arrested for being involved in the Alipore Bomb case where an attempt was made to kill the ruthless British magistrate Douglas Kingsford. He was sentenced to death by hanging in 1909, but later the death sentence was reduced on appeal and he was deported to Cellular Jail for life. Ullaskar survived the excruciating tortures of the jail authorities and he lived till 1965. Ullaskar has been in the news recently as his sesquicentennial ancestral house in Bangladesh is at last going to be free from encroachments. The Sheikh Hasina government has taken an admirable step by deciding to preserve the residence of Ullaskar Dutta at Brahmanbaria since this house in Kalikachha village has historical significance as a witness to his life and work. For many months prior to the government declaration, a number of human chains were organised in front of Ullaskars birthplace and prominent Bangladeshi nationals, organisations and media outlets had been vocal in demanding action to evict encroachers and declare the building as a heritage house. But peoples remembrance of the revolutionary has not been restricted merely to his birthplace. Every year the Ullaskar Dutta Academy, a research group, based in Kolkata, solemnly observes 16 April, Duttas birthday, with an objective not just to pay homage to the fiery revolutionary, but to remember, read, discuss and re-discover the forgotten legacy of armed revolutionaries who shook the mighty foundations of the British Empire. All this shows the passion, love and respect people still cherish for Ullaskar in Bangladesh and in West Bengal. Ullaskars profile is truly amazing. He hailed from an affluent Baidya family in the village of Kalikachha in present-day Bangladesh. His father Dwijadas Duttagupta was a member of the Brahmo Samaj and had a degree in agriculture from London University. Ullaskar was a meritorious student and had a great passion for Chemistry, but he could not complete his studies at Presidency College, Calcutta because he was rusticated from the college for hitting his British professor Russell who made derogatory remarks about Bengalis. It was a time when the British did not respect any member of the Indian community and could speak contemptuously of Indians without any fear of being prosecuted. Ullaskar could not stomach such insults. At that time, many young Indians were inspired by Bipin Chandra Pal and began to join the Swadeshi Movement in large numbers. Ullaskar was no exception. He gave up his foreign clothes and adopted traditional Bengali attire. Dutta joined Anushilan Samiti in 1908 and later the Jugantar group and acquired knowledge in bomb-making. Khudiram Bose used a bomb made by Ullaskar and Hemchandra Kanungo to kill the magistrate Kingsford. Earlier, a bomb made by Dutta was used to kill Andrew Fraser, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. Ullaskar was awarded a death sentence. Though unwilling initially to sign an appeal against the order, he later filed it on the advice of fellow revolutionaries like Barin Ghosh and his own parents. When Ullaskar was sent to Cellular Jail, he was subjected to torture and is said to have lost his mental balance. He was transferred to the islands lunatic ward at Haddo, and held in an asylum for 14 years. In 1920, when the British authorities set him free, Ullaskar came to Calcutta. But he was again arrested in 1931 and sent to jail for 18 months. After Independence, Ullaskar went to his birthplace and married the widowed daughter of Bipin Pal. He breathed his last at Silchar on 17 May, 1965. In his book Amar Karajiban (My Prison Life), Ullaskar chronicled the horrible days of his jail life and the barbarities inflicted by British police on prison inmates. In the Cellular Jail, prisoners, instead of bullocks, were yoked to the handle of the turning wheel of the oil-mill for crushing oil from coconut and sesame. And they had to run round the oil-mill unremittingly from morning to evening with a brief interval for a bath and morning meal. If anybody was found relaxing at any point of time, he would be bludgeoned. Ullaskar was once asked to glean three litres of oil in a day. He refused on the ground that even oxen could glean not more than two litres a day. Angered by his refusal, the prison keepers fettered his arms raised to the ceiling and feet to the ground. He stood motionless for three days. When they untied him finally, he collapsed senseless. He went insane when he woke up. Not only that, he was also given electric shocks in his semi-conscious state and as a result, as Ullaskar recollected in his book, every nerve, fibre and muscle in the body seemed to be torn by it. An account of his prison life is also found in the books written by Savarkar and Barin Ghosh. Matching his name, Ullaskar was a fun-loving person who was praised for his optimistic vision even by the trial judge. He had an intellectual bent of mind and in the jail he would often make his fellow inmates forget about their pain and desolation by telling them jokes and lighter verses. It is sad to see that todays generation knows so little about Ullaskar Dutta. No study or narrative of the freedom struggle can be called authentic or comprehensive if it, deliberately or inadvertently, excludes, negates or neglects the contributions of Ullaskar and countless other revolutionaries who staked their lives in search of freedom from the colonial masters. (The writer, a Ph D in English and a freelance writer, teaches English at the Governmentsponsored Sailendra Sircar Vidyalaya, Shyambazar, Kolkata.) Any suggestion that unruly behavior on board flights is the exclusive preserve of Indians, or that some aspect of travelling on Air India unleashes the animal in its passengers, must be rejected quite simply because it is untrue. And yet it is a fact that at a time when Air India, under a new management, ought to be focused on reclaiming its position of eminence, the airline finds itself on the front pages for reasons that embarrass sensible Indians and cause discomfort to those availing its services. The recent incident where an Air India flight from Delhi to London had to return because a passenger became unruly and caused physical harm to two crew members is a case in point. Coming not very long after a mid-career executive chose to relieve himself on a co-passenger and brought shame to all Indians, this incident serves as a reminder of how perilous air travel can sometimes be. The early morning service to London had been in the air for less than two hours when its pilot decided to return; in other words, consumption of alcohol could not possibly have been the reason for the passengers behavior. Anecdotal evidence, buttressed by some hard facts, suggests that postCovid airline travel has led to an increase in instances of such unruly behaviour, and not just in India. In 2021, Americas Federal Aviation Authority recorded a sharp rise in cases, which included several involving passengers who refused to wear face masks, but also of a woman who had to be tied with duct tape when she tried to open the door in mid-flight, and of a 22-year-old man who had to be similarly restrained after he tried to grope two air hostesses. In another instance, an eleven-year-old boy who started to punch his mother in the face had to be tied up and the pilot was forced to turn back to Hawaii. Disruptions caused by such incidents severely inconvenience passengers who uncomplainingly suffer the other travails of travel. The return of the AI flight to Delhi would have thrown plans of all passengers out of gear, and while the miscreant was arrested, those travelling with him were also punished. One solution may be to mandate the deployment of sky marshals on all international flights and not a few as is the case now, to ensure that unruly passengers are professionally restrained until. Many countries including Singapore already deploy such personnel, and Indian authorities should consider expanding this measure, which was introduced on some flights after the hijack of an Indian aircraft to Kandahar. The other is to ensure that bad behaviour which causes tortious interference in the rights of other passengers is made accountable in both civil and criminal law. Putting a miscreant on a nofly list is by no means enough. Aspirants of central government jobs in the city have good news. Over 250 youths are to get the appointment to central government jobs in various ministries this week. The appointments will be under the Rozgar Mela in Kolkata, which is going to be organized on 13 April at Dr BC Roy Auditorium of Eastern Railway at Sealdah. According to the railways, the Rozgar Mela is expected to act as a catalyst in further employment generation and provide opportunities to the youth for their empowerment in national development. The appointees will also get an opportunity to train themselves through Karmayogi Prarambh. A museum to highlight the freedom movement in India and the role of Chandannagar in it will be set up inside Chandannagar College, said Debashis Sarkar, principal of the college. Chandannagar College is the countrys only educational institution that had remained closed from 1908-31 in view of the revolutionary activities. Though it was a French colony that became a part of India in 1950, the college had to remain closed due to the pressure put by the British government. There are 18 revolutionaries, who were either born in the city or took shelter or spent most of their years in Chandannagar for their revolutionary activities. The museum will be set up in a building set up by the French, 200 years ago. The West Bengal Heritage Commission declared the building as a heritage building and the state public works department thoroughly repaired the structure, said Mr Sarkar, who took the initiative to set up the museum. Once the museum is set up, it will be the only educational institution in the country that will have a freedom movement museum. Sri Aurobindo left Kolkata and stayed in Chandannagar from where he left for Pondicherry (now Puducherry) where he stayed till the last. Rashbehari Bose had left for Japan and set up the Indian National Army (INA). He later made Netaji as the commander-in-chief of INA. Bose was born in Chandannagar. A statue of Bose will be kept at the museum. The other revolutionaries were Motilal Roy, in whose house Sri Aurobindo stayed for quite some time. Then there was Charu Chandra Roy. Kanailal Dutta, who was hanged for killing Narendra Goswami, had become an approver in the Alipore bomb case. The others were Shreesh Chandra Ghosh, Basanta Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Narendranath Bandyopadhyay, Upendranath Bandyopadhyay, Suneeti Ghosh, Tinkori Mukhopadhyay, Suhasini Ganguly, Makhanlal Ghosal, Jyotish Chandra Ghosh, Heerandra Kumar Chattopadhyay, Deenesh Chandra Majumdar and Kaleecharan Ghosh. The British government had set up the sedition committee, under Justice Rowlatt to find out why educated Bengali youths had joined the revolutionary movement. In the report, the names of several revolutionaries who had either born or took shelter in Chandannagar have been mentioned. Mr Sarkar said the college has set up a Centre for Heritage Studies. The Centre will look after the museum that will highlight the history and cultural heritage of the region which is often called mini-Europe as well as various other aspects of indigenous literary and cultural history. The centre will conduct a survey of the important historical and archaeological monuments. It has also offered a certificate course on heritage studies. Mr Sarkar maintained that all old furniture that had been dumped in the college have been repaired and are being used. The podium in the auditorium is nearly 200-year-old. The repairing of the building is underway, he pointed out. A meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be held on April 26 for the election to the posts of mayor and deputy mayor. An official MCD notice said, The Ordinary April (2023) Meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 11 am at Aruna Asaf Ali Sabhagar, 4th floor, A-Block, Dr SP Mukherjee Civic Centre, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, New Delhi for the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Earlier on Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj had said that Mayor Shelly Oberoi has set the date of April 26 for the mayoral polls. Talking to a news agency, Bhardwaj, who is a nominated member of MCD, had said, It is necessary to conduct the election in April. Incumbent Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has set April 26 as the date for this. Bhardwaj, however, had refrained from commenting about the name of the party candidate for the mayors post. The matter regarding standing committee members election is pending in the court. I have no idea about the partys candidate for the mayor post, and a final decision on the same will be taken by the partys high command, he added. AAP leader Shelly Oberoi completed her 38-day tenure as a Delhi Mayor on March 31. As per the norms, the election process needs to be completed before April 30. Earlier this year, Shelly Oberoi was elected mayor of Delhi in the fourth attempt after much wrangling between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and AAP. The last three attempts to elect the Mayor failed due to the political bickering between the Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party. They met for the first time on January 6, second on January 24 and last on February 6. The municipal elections in Delhi were held on December 4 last year and the results were announced on December 7. The Aam Aadmi Party won 134 seats out of 250. A private school in Delhis Defence Colony was evacuated on Wednesday morning after an email containing a bomb threat was received by the school administration, a police official said. According to the Delhi Police, an email was sent to The Indian Public School this morning claiming that a bomb was planted on its premises. Authorities at The Indian School informed the police that they received the email at 10:49 am. However, no explosive device was found during the check at the school premises. The school has been evacuated and a thorough check is being done by a bomb squad, the official added. A minute and thorough checking of the school premises (The Indian School) was undertaken by the bomb disposal squad, bomb disposal team and the SWAT teams after evacuating the premises. The email threat appears to be a hoax, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Chowdhary said. The Special Cell and the Special Branch were also informed about the email. The SWAT team is also conducting searches inside the premises. The police have so far conducted two rounds of search and that the third round was underway. Police teams are looking for the source of the e-mail. In November last year, the school received a similar email which was sent via a German server, the police officer said. Drills were conducted in hospitals and medical colleges across north Bengal today to assess the preparedness for treating Covid19 patients. The mock exercise followed an advisory issued by the Union health ministry. A fresh spike in cases in some states has prompted the government to ask for the exercise. Health department sources said nine super specialty hospitals, district hospitals and medical colleges in north Bengal reviewed the infrastructure today. According to the officer on special duty for public health in north Bengal Dr Susanta Kumar Roy, the exercise had helped check the operational readiness and plug gaps if any to strengthen healthcare facilities in the region. Biomedical engineers, technical staff, nursing staff, and assistant superintendents examined the 110-bed Covidblocks-1 at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital(NBMCH), the premier health institute and referral centre in the region. In a separate arrangement, 30 beds of the paediatric intensive care unit are functional there. NBMCH authorities had dis banded the unit and Covid patients had been admitted in the block till early February last year. Many instruments and beds are gathering dust in lack of use and cleaning, while some beds were not in proper place, sources said. The NBMCH authorities, however, claimed that all the equipment had been taken good care of. In the block, there were 18beds for critical care and high dependency. All 110 beds are oxygen supported of which 18 beds have ventilators, the sources said. NBMCH sources said the total bed strength of the Covid facilities were 241, including in the Covid block-2. The facilities have enough arrangements and are well prepared to handle any crisis like situation, Dr Roy said. According to NBMCH principal Prof Indrajit Saha, the medical accessories were functioning properly. Covid-19 cases are being reported. Therefore, we have to keep ourselves ready to ensure medical equipment and other infrastructure are functioning properly. Clinical readiness at hospitals is crucial, Prof Saha said. Meanwhile, Siliguri Mayor Gauttam Deb said they will resume public awareness programmes on Covid-19. Mr Deb expressed concern that only 40 percent of the people in the civic body area had taken the booster shots of Covid vaccine. Some Covid cases have surfaced. Only 40 percent of the population has been vaccinated with the third dose. People should not neglect the disease. We need to be extracautious, he said. Villager Cai Hengwei checks the growth of strawberries at his greenhouse in Diyinhe Village of Zhuanghe City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2023.(Xinhua/Zhang Boqun) DALIAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Beaded with sweat on his face, Cai Hengwei is busy picking strawberries grown in his greenhouses in Diyinhe Village of Zhuanghe City, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Inside the greenhouses, the red strawberries and green leaves complement each other. "This strawberry season will end in May, so we have to hurry up to get a good harvest," said Cai, with eyes looking at the strawberry plants to search for ripe ones. "My family has rented two greenhouses covering about 0.33 hectares. Today we picked some 40 kg of strawberries," Cai noted. After being put in plates and weighed, the strawberries are loaded onto a truck parked at the doorstep of the greenhouse. Based on the purchasing price of the day, the strawberries are sold for over 800 yuan (about 116 U.S. dollars). "From planting seedlings in September last year to harvesting the last season in May, excluding the cost of renting and seedlings, among others, the gross profit of these two greenhouses can reach 200,000 yuan, which is better than being a migrant worker," said Cai. Diyinhe used to be a low-income village and the villagers couldn't earn much money by farming. To improve the family income, they usually chose to take a job away from their home village, and Cai was one of them. "After I graduated from middle school at the age of 17, I went to work in Dalian City, and took various jobs," Cai said, "After more than 10 years of working away from home, I got married and had children, and I thought about going back to my hometown to start a business." In 2020, Diyinhe constructed greenhouses with the support of government funds to develop strawberry planting. Cai, who just returned home, immediately signed up. "Although I was born in the village, I had never planted strawberries. I knew nothing about strawberry planting at first," Cai recalled, saying that the strawberry seedlings were all dead due to infection less than a month after he planted for the first time in September 2020. Looking at the withered strawberry seedlings in the field, Cai was determined to learn strawberry planting techniques. "I learned from scratch, and I learn from whoever grows well," he said. From planting seedlings to fertilization, every step of strawberry planting involves technical work. After unremitting efforts, Cai has gradually mastered the "secrets" of planting, and the strawberries he planted are plump and sweet in taste now. "Inspired by Cai, some villagers also joined in to plant strawberries and increased their income," said Li Xiao, a village official. Not long ago, Li invited strawberry planting experts to give a lecture in the village, attracting some 20 villagers to attend. Following the advice of the experts, Cai has new expectations. "Next year, I plan to introduce a new variety called 'Snow White,' which is more expensive and sells better," he said. This photo taken on April 3, 2023 shows a greenhouse for planting strawberries in Diyinhe Village of Zhuanghe City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.(Xinhua/Zhang Boqun) The president of the Joint Action Council (JAC), Santa Pradhan, today put down his papers as the chief of the panel that was formed to discuss the controversy in Sikkim that surrounded the Supreme Courts verdict of January 13, 2023, on the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim (AOSS) vs Union of India case. A retired bureaucrat, Mr Pradhan had been nominated as the JAC president after the resignation of his predecessor TN Dhakal then. Stating the reasons for his resignation in a press release, Mr Pradhan said, I hereby resign as the president of the Joint Action Council (JAC)due to health reasons with immediate effect. I thank the advisors, members of the executive councils, all members, well-wishers and the Sikkimese people forgiving me an opportunity to serve them during this crucial hour when our very identity and survival came under threat. I extend my sincere best wishes to all the members of the Joint Action Council for all their endeavors in the service of Sikkim and Sikkimese people. I continue to pray for Sikkim and the Sikkimese People, Mr Pradhan said. Meanwhile, Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP), in a press release, said that the Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) government in the state had, in the special session of the Legislative Assembly yesterday, accepted the dilution of the term Sikkimese. As per the Government of Sikkim statement released on their Facebook page on 10 April2023, the Golay government has accepted that the Sikkimese definition has been diluted andthat the only way to return our distinct identity is to amend the Finance Act 2023, forwhich we will have to rely on the mercy of the central government, the party said. Now that the government of Sikkim has accepted that the Finance Act has deeply hurt the feelings and sentiment of the Sikkimese, why did they mislead the people of Sikkim that there was nothing to worry about and that the opposition was creating an issue out of nothing?, said HSP chief Bhaichung Bhutia. He further questioned SKM saying, You were saying that Article 371F has not been touched, then why are you seeking this clarification? This clearly shows that the Government of Sikkim also accepts that as per the Finance Act, the Sikkimese no longer only includes Lepcha, Bhutia, and Nepali of Sikkimese origin only, this has been diluted, he added. According to Mr Bhutia, the Sikkimese definition has been diluted and the Finance Act should now be amended again to return the distinct identity of the term Sikkimese. The All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) has severed memorandums to universities across the state in protest against the new system of Four-Year Degree Courses to be introduced at the college level. As part of their protest programme, AIDSO leaders, along with students of the Panchanan Barma University in Coochbehar today served a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor there. According to the AIDSO leadership, students associated with their organisation will also stage a demonstration and serve representations at the college level across the state throughout this month. According to them, the states higher education department is preparing to introduce four-year degree courses at the college level, following the recommendations of the National Education Policy2020.Serving the memorandum to the VC of Panchanan Barma University, AIDSO leaders demanded that the four-year degree course should not be started in any way. AIDSO district committee leader Sampa Burman said she is also a student of the History department in the University, and that the Trinamool Congress state government had opposed the central government on various issues, but it had agreed on the issue of education. Students pursuing a four year degree course in the college have to bear the burden of additional fees. Drop outwill increase. We demand the cancellation of this disastrous National Education Policy-2020, Ms Barman said. On the other hand, Puja Sarkar, a student of English in the University, and also a member of the AIDSO district committee, said, The state government is opposing the BJP government at the Centre, but in fact, the central government is applying the education policy against the interests of the students in the state. Regarding higher education curriculum in the state incompliance with the UGC directive, the state education department announced a few days ago through a directive that henceforth the curriculum of undergraduate degree courses is being fixed for four years. According to these guidelines, the facility of multi plenary and exit will be available only after the first year out of these four years. Even marks obtained from different colleges can be accumulated in the form of credits to earn total credits after four years. In fact, within this announcement of the state government, there is an overall plan to make students the buyers in the education market. The new system will convert the three-year degree course into a four-year course and burden the students with one year of additional cost. Higher education will become more expensive unaffordable for students from economically backward families. As a result, drop out will increase, Ms Sarkar added. This is how the entire education system will be run. The dress code for changing electives every year is the multidisciplinary system~that is, collecting credit in any subject regardless of discipline, destroying the science- based interdisciplinary of subject selection. In fact, this approach will completely destroy the quality of education in higher education, turning colleges into infrastructure- less degree buying and selling Streaming giant Netflix and the creative teams behind the new dark comic series Beef have chosen to seek Emmy Awards consideration as a limited or anthology series instead of a comedy. Starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, the series dropped on the streaming platform on April 6, garnering positive reviews from critics and audiences, reports Variety. Created by Lee Sung Jin, best known for writing and producing Silicon Valley, was announced in March 2021 and commissioned as an anthology series for Netflix. A move into limited doesnt mean Beef wont return. On the contrary, while a second season has yet to be announced, shows in the limited or anthology race have frequently returned with or without the original cast or story intact. HBOs The White Lotus swept the limited categories in 2022 and is now seeking Emmy attention for its sophomore season. However, despite being subtitled Sicily, it was deemed ineligible to return in the limited/anthology series categories, primarily due to Jennifer Coolidges Tanya character returning. In 2021, the Television Academy defined limited or anthology series as stories that must be resolved within its season, with no ongoing storylines/cast allowed. As a result, The White Lotus will be vying in the drama categories. Beef tells the story of two people, Danny Cho (Yeun) and Amy Lau (Wong), who allow a chance road rage encounter slowly consume them, with hopes of seeking revenge. The move to limited is just what the Emmy doctor ordered in a race thats been less than exciting thus far, unlike previous years. The would-be contender can easily find space in a probable five-allotted lineup (which is based on the total number of submissions) that currently has two sure-fire inclusions Apples prison drama Black Bird and Netflixs hit serial killer study Dahmer Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Other possibilities include Fleishman is in Trouble, Daisy Jones & the Six and the upcoming Love & Death and White House Plumbers. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday lashed out at TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu accusing him of posing for fake photos in a selfie challenge. A few days back Naidu had taken a selfie in front of an incomplete housing project in Nellore and issued the selfie challenge asking the chief minister to take selfies with the achievements of his government. He had also said that the condition of the project was a testimony of YS Jagan Mohan Reddys rule in the past four years. Today, speaking in a rally in the Prakasam district where he disbursed Rs 658.6 crore as financial assistance to 4.39 lakh economically backward women in the age bracket of 45 to 60 years hailing from upper classes under the YSR EBC Nestham scheme, he lashed out at the former chief minister for cheating the farmers and women with empty promises. Shame on you for using fake photos in the selfie challenge! I urge the public to ask Naidu what he did for you? said the chief minister. How dare he come and put stickers in front of the houses of poor people? Do you know whats a good selfie? When the YSRCP cadre goes to each household and the people bless us by saying thank you for all the work we did thats called a good selfie! said Reddy. He also asked the gathering to take a firm stand against Chandrababu Naidu who had promised he would waive the farm loans unconditionally. Reddy extended Rs 15,000 benefit to each woman belonging to the upper classes in the age bracket of 45 to 60 saying that his government will always support women. My government will always be pro-women. Our mothers and sisters should always be supported. That is our aim. This is the only government in the country to distribute EBC Nestham and there is no caste and religion for the poor. Telangana BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with a plea to probe into the statement of conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar that he had handed over Rs 15 lakh to Arun Pillai at the headquarters of BRS. The BJP MLA also wrote to the Election Commission of India seeking cancellation of the registration of the regional party over allegations of money laundering. In its reaction to the complaint, the BRS hit back at the saffron party by calling Chandrasekhar a BJP agent. Rao, the BJP MLA from Dubakka, also handed over a copy of the complaint to the ED in Hyderabad. He wrote, Mr Sukesh Chandrasekhar has given a statement that he handed over Rs 15 crores of cash to a black Range Rover car bearing number 6060, within the compound wall of Telangana Bhavan, Banjara Hills, he wrote. Pointing out that the conman currently lodged in jail was ready for Polygraph test and Narco analysis. In this regard I request the ED authorities that as a huge money laundering occurred within the compound wall of Telangana Bhavan, the matter may be properly enquired and persons who are involved in money laundering may be prosecuted. In a separate letter to the Election Commission of India, the BJP MLA wrote about Sukesh Chandrasekhars statement that he handed over Rs 15 crore to Arun Pillai on the instructions of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the premises of Telangana Bhavan at Banjara Hills. He sought an inquiry and the cancellation of the registration of BRS as it was involved with money laundering. I expect an expeditious inquiry into the matter regarding the statement given by Sukesh Chandrasekhar and an appropriate inquiry on why the registration of BRS should not be cancelled, read the letter. The BRS immediately hit back at BJP accusing it of making up the chats and using Sukesh Chandrasekhar to settle its political battles. Party leaders defended Kalvakuntla Kavitha who is currently on bed rest after suffering an avulsion fracture. The chat conversation allegedly released by a BJP agent shows pathetic English sentences which are more like those of BJP WhatsApp university students and not Kavithaji. Amit Shahji we know who is writing Sukesh Chandrus letters, wrote BRS spokesperson M Krishank on Twitter. Disgraceful BJP is madly obsessed about power in Telangana and hence stooped to a low level harping on the comments made by a conman, imprisoned criminal and a covert of BJP to attack BRS. No ED or CBI can deter us from our fight against Modi, said another BRS leader Srravan Dasoju. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the education imparted by teachers of schools is the most potent tool to make a positive impact not just on their students but also on the entire society. Virtually addressing a government schoolteachers induction ceremony organised by the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday, the prime minister urged the newly-appointed teachers to never let go of the inquisitive child inside them. He said although the teachers are now in a new role, they must always keep learning so that they can pass on their knowledge to their students. Appreciating the efforts of the BJP government in MP, Modi said MPs ranking on the education scale has immensely improved and the state has now advanced to the fifth position from its 17th ranking previously in the country. He said that the appointment of such a large number of teachers in MP would particularly go a long way in benefitting the students in the rural and remote areas of the state. Speaking at a function organised at the chief ministers official residence here, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed that the state government has appointed more than 22,000 government teachers across the state in March this year. Chouhan said that the teachers would be paid 70 per cent of their monthly salary each month during the first year of their service and from the second year onwards they would start getting their full salary monthly. He called upon the teachers to take teaching like a mission and not just a job. He asked them to become ideal examples for their students through their actions and deeds. Chouhan asserted that the teachers have to decide whether they want to work like ordinary educators or create history through their teaching and play a crucial role in the foundation of the future generation. Amid talks of Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. Janata Dal (United) President Lalan Singh was also present at the meeting held at the Congress chiefs residence. The Bihar chief minister, who arrived in the national capital last evening, is also expected to meet several other leaders to give an impetus to the efforts being made by the Opposition to put up a united front against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. Rahul, who has been trying to bring the Opposition under one umbrella immediately, took to Twitter to say; In this ideological battle, one historic step has been taken to unite the Opposition. We are standing together, we will fight together for India. Kharge also tweeted, Rahul Gandhi ji and I had a meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders. We reiterated our resolve to jointly raise the voice of the people and give a new direction to the nation. Nitish Kumar also stated; We will try to unite as many parties as possible and work together in the future. Tejashwi Yadav was already in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. Todays meeting came a day after Nitish Kumar met RJD supremo Lalu Prasad in Delhi. During their meeting, Yadav and Kumar discussed the current political situation and steps to strengthen the Opposition unity. Nitish Kumar said he had been in touch over the phone with Lalu Prasad, who had undergone a kidney transplant recently, about his health and it was important to meet him physically. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said instead of requesting the Centre for compensating the farmers for crop loss due to unseasonal rains, the state government will bear the entire expense of the burden being faced by the farmers due to the cut being imposed by the Union government on damaged wheat grain. We are not going to request the Centre to not impose the cut but we will extract compensation for the interests of farmers when Centre will seek supply of grains in terms of wheat and paddy for the national food pool, said the CM while addressing the gathering at Nihalgarh (Sangrur). He said farmers have suffered huge losses due to incessant rains but the Central government has not done anything to bail them out. Rather, he said that to rub salt into the wounds of farmers, the Centre has imposed a cut on the damaged, slightly damaged, shriveled and broken grains along with those having high moisture content. Mann said the limit of shriveled and broken grains has been relaxed up to 18 per cent under uniform specifications. He said the value cut is not applicable on wheat having shriveled and broken grains up to six per cent whereas value cut of Rs 5.31 per quintal will be deducted on wheat having shriveled and broken grains above six per cent and up to eight per cent. Urging the farmers not to worry, the CM said the state government is competent to secure the rights of the farmers and they will not beg the Centre to help the food growers. However, he said that instead of bailing the farmers in this hour of crisis, the Centre has decided to impose a cut on damaged, slightly damaged, shriveled and broken grains. Mann said the state is solidly with the farmers in this grave situation and the Punjab government will bear the entire expenditure for the loss being suffered by the farmers due to cut by the Centre. The CM said the state government has announced 25 per cent upward revision in the compensation for the crop loss to the farmers. He said that in case the loss is more than 75 per cent then the state government will compensate the farmers with Rs 15,000 per acre. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla directed scientists to come out of their institutes and sensitise the farmers about natural farming in their fields and assist them to adopt this method completely. The governor, during his first visit to the Regional Horticulture Research and Training Center (RHR&TC), Mashobra near Shimla on Wednesday, evinced keen interest in the display orchards at the center, which has been developed as model of natural farming. Impressed by the method developed, he congratulated the scientists associated with Horticulture University and officers of Subhash Palekar Natural Farming Project for their effort in this direction. While presiding over an interaction programme of farmers and scientists on Natural Farming-Safe Option at the Center organized by Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni the Governor said the farmers adopting natural farming today were not only increasing their income but also helping in raising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state. Apple economy of the state is near about Rs 5000 crore. If anyone is working to make the state a developed state of the country, then it is our farmers and fruit growers, said Shukla. While expressing his desire to visit the fields of the fruit growers, he said, The World Bank is coming forward to help the fruit growers practising natural farming and people from Japan and other countries were also visiting their farms. Even today, the big growers were in a position to provide self-employment. He expressed confidence that Himachal would emerge as a model State in natural farming. The governor said that this center has played a pivotal role in horticulture development and meeting the practical problems and basic needs of the temperate fruit industry. This center has proved to be a milestone especially for the apple industry, he added. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned and praised Himachal several times regarding natural farming and now it was our responsibility to fulfill his expectations. On the occasion, the Governor and Lady Governor Janaki Shukla also planted saplings in the premises of the Centre. Earlier, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel welcoming the Governor said that for the first time such an agricultural system of natural farming has been developed in the country which has been prepared in coordination with farmers and scientists. Natural farming method has been implemented by providing training to the farmers at the center. On the occasion, Project Director, Naresh Thakur said that under the project model farms of natural farming would be developed in every Panchayat and 100 such villages would be selected this year where every farmer would adopt natural farming. He said that the state government was also promoting natural farming and for this provision has been made in the budget. With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav meeting him and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as part of efforts to forge a common front against the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that it was a historic step towards opposition unity and for an ideological fight. Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of Kharge and him with JD-U and RJD leaders, said they are standing together, will fight together for India. In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards opposition unity. (We are) standing together will fight together for India! Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Janata Dal-United president Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh was also present at the meeting held at Kharges residence. The meeting is being seen as an attempt by Congress and other opposition parties to take forward their unity displayed during the budget session of Parliament session that concluded on April 6. The session saw continuous disruptions over the oppositions demand for a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. The opposition parties also slammed the government over disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha following his conviction by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case. Kharge had earlier this month telephoned Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in an effort to build on unity displayed during the budget session of Parliament. Opposition leaders have in the past made efforts to forge a broad unity to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Congress is a junior part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar which also includes JD-U and Rashtriya Janata Dal. While Nitish Kumar leads the government, Tejashwi Yadav is the state Deputy Chief Minister. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is happy to see and support more exchanges between young people across the Taiwan Strait, and is willing to create any sort of conditions for that purpose, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. Furthering exchanges between the young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait can instill vitality and vigor into the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, said Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference. The mainland will provide services and platforms for young people from Taiwan in terms of their internships, employment and entrepreneurship on the mainland, help them take part in the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, and share with them the opportunities arising from the mainland's high-quality development, Zhu said. As COVID-19 prevention and control on the mainland has entered a new phase, the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office will encourage various localities and departments to provide job internships this summer for young people from Taiwan and host exchange events featuring internship, employment and business start-ups, based on their needs, the spokesperson added. However, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have been keeping Taiwan schools at different levels from exchanging with mainland schools, and restricting mainland personnel from going to Taiwan for exchanges, which is the biggest obstacle to the exchanges between young people across the Strait, Zhu said. Such restrictions from the DPP authorities are unreasonable and inappropriate, and should be immediately rescinded, she said. The mainland has been actively working on the resumption of normal personnel exchanges and regular cooperation in various areas between the two sides of the Strait, which is the common aspiration of compatriots from the two sides, Zhu said. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he is believed to have briefed the latter on the situation in the war-torn country and sought additional humanitarian supplies, including medicines and medical equipment. The letter was handed over by First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova to Minister of State of External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi here yesterday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Modi and Zelenskyy have spoken over the phone in the past year, but India has refrained from condemning Russias invasion and has abstained several times from voting on UN resolutions against Moscow. The two ministers held discussions on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest. The Ukrainian minister is also understood to have expressed her countrys keenness to be invited to the G20 Summit to be hosted by India in September this year to explain the consequences of the Russian military offensive in the country. However, New Delhi has preferred not to comment on it. On the issue of Indian medical students, the Ukrainian minister told Lekhi that her country would allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile. She also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies. During a meeting with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the MEA, the Indian official explained to her the medical aid provided by India to Ukraine so far and also informed her that New Delhi would provide school buses etc. to Ukraine. Dzhaparova highlighted Ukraines desire to build a stronger and closer relationship with India. Latin America is a laboratory of social and political experiments and a rich library of ideas. New thought experiments and innovative democratic practices are currently under way in many countries. The region is also a promising base for theory development. Latin American thinkers have created models, frameworks, mechanisms and theories which have captured global attention. Latin American scholars have come out with alternative theories of development, growth, technology, coloniality, indigenous cosmovision and epistemologies. They have also questioned Wests ontological assumptions. Among the many innovations in recent decades, buen vivir (good living) has attracted the maximum attention globally. Buen vivir is the Spanish translation of Kechua word Sumak kawsay which is diametrically opposed to the Western image of man and nature, in which the wellbeing and prosperity of the individual come first. The buen vivir is post-development in action. It is a reflection of the Andean indigenous cosmology. It also has elements from Aristotelian philosophy, ecologism, Marxism, feminism and Gandhis Gram Swaraj. Good living can only be reached with others through solidarity, reciprocity and communion. Living better is rejected as a common goal as better implies in comparison with others at the expense of others. Buen vivir expresses harmonious relations between humans, on the one hand, and humans and nature, on the other. It is a model of politics that seeks to replace extraction from nature with harmony with nature and hierarchy among humans with conviviality. It revolves around the construction of a plurinational state. It means distribution of power and control over territories among fully recognised nationalities in a unified State. Constructing a plurinational state is to broaden the institutionalisation of state. As proponents of plurinationalism maintain, a vertical state only legislates. For the indigenous and marginalized, the state hasnt arrived. The state must be pluri-national in that it recognizes each one of the existing nationalities in the country. Ecuador and Bolivia have adopted new constitutions by incorporating some of the principles of buen vivir. The 2008 Ecuadorian constitution is a major departure from the past. It grants nature the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution. None of the 188 constitutions in the world confers as many rights on the indigenous community. The indigenous discourse in Latin America on the climate crisis has been a significant step towards an international charter for the protection of the planet, Mother Earth and all forms of life. What a western linear perception of history condemns as a turning back of the clock is viewed in the Andes as the redemption of the future, a past that can yet turn the tables. Latin American states have also taken combined steps to create new models of sustainable development. In 2018, as many as 24 Latin American and Caribbean states signed a legally binding environmental rights pact containing measures to protect land defenders. The new treaty obliges states to guarantee a safe and enabling environment for persons, groups and organisations that promote and defend human rights in environmental matters. The treaty, which was stewarded by Chile, Costa Rica and Panama, also guarantees the right to a healthy environment. Colombia has become the first country in Latin America to pass a law that recognises the existence of forced internal displacement due to causes associated with climate change and environmental degradation. At a time when more and more countries are suffering from democratic backsliding, Latin America seems to be swimming against the tide. It has a far better track record in innovative politics. The region is not only faring better than other regions, it is doing it differently. Instituto Update which studies and fosters political innovation in Latin America, maintains that Latin Americans tend to believe that only through constant innovations can the regions chronic problems like economic inequality, social injustice, corruption, racism, sexism, and environmental degradation be addressed. What is remarkable about political innovations is that these are the results of citizens own initiatives. Citizens groups have mobilized funds and resources to push for social change. Brazils Secundarista Movement pushed educational reforms in Sao Paulos public schools which spread across the country. Mexicos # Yo Soy 132 movement by students protested massively against political corruption during the 2012 presidential elections. Though the movement achieved little except perhaps a social catharsis, it marked the beginning of the end of the one party system. The citizens groups have adopted innovative ways to explain complex issues to the people. Ni Una Menos (Not One Less) which started as a hashtag quickly grew into a movement, pushing womens rights to the top of the agenda in Argentina. It soon spread across South America. Elected officials have sought to make institutions more participatory and inclusive. measures like DemocracyOS (Argentina) and LinQ (Ecuador) to Brazils Internet Bill of Rights have made great progress in giving voice to the people in the policymaking process. Moreover, to monitor and hold politicians and corporations accountable, civil society organizations have used technology and open data. Groups like Paraguays A Quienes Elegimos (Who We Choose), Argentinas Chequeado (Checked), and Chiles Del Dicho al Hecho (From Said to Done) are using online tools which organise public protests to insist on transparency from the government. Chile is currently engaged in a new constitution-making process after the rejection of the draft text finalized by the 2021- 22 Constitutional Convention. The climate and ecological crisis are receiving a lot of attention from delegates to the Constitutional convention. Latin American countries are never shy of taking a road less travelled. For example, the previous Chilean convention deliberated on questions like who owns Chiles water, what exactly is water and is brine, the saltwater beneath the desert, technically water? Why do Latin Americans continue to construct alternative utopians? Peruvian novelist Santiago Roncagliolo seems to have the answer. He says that there is a feeling in Latin America that good ones were not so good and the bad ones were not so bad. Dreams and imaginations never die and Latin American intellectuals, novelists and writers dare to be a Daniel and dare to stand alone! (The writer is director, Institute of Social Sciences, Delhi) North Korea remained unresponsive to daily routine calls with South Korea through an inter-Korean liaison communication channel for a sixth straight day on Wednesday, Seouls Unification Ministry said. The North was unresponsive to the 9 a.m. routine opening calls, and has not answered the calls from the South since April 7, according to the Ministry. Seouls opening call via the militaries East and West seas communication lines also went unanswered, reports Yonhap News Agency. The two Koreas typically hold two phone calls daily, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., as part of communication between liaisons. In July 2021, the North restored the inter-Korean hotline, about a year after it severed the contact channel in protest of Seoul activists leaflet campaigns critical of Pyongyang. The liaison line was again cut off in August that year for about two months in apparent protest against Seoul-Washingtons military exercises. The latest suspension of the hotlines comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following the Norths recent weapons tests in protest of joint military drills between South Korea and the US. On Tuesday, South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Young-se issued a rare statement expressing strong regret over the Norths unilateral and irresponsible move. Ukraines First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has handed over a letter from President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the Indian government, requesting for additional humanitarian supply, including medicines and medical equipment. The minister, who was on official visit to India between April 10 to 12, handed over the letter from the Ukraine president addressed to Prime Minister Modi, to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry on Wednesday. On the issue of Indian medical students, Dzhaparova mentioned that Ukraine will allow foreign medical students to take the Unified State Qualification Exam in their country of domicile. During her meeting with Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry Sanjay Verma, Dzhaparova briefed him about the prevailing situation in Ukraine. The Ukrainian minister also proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies, official sources informed further. Verma shared that India has provided medicines, medical equipment and would provide school buses among other things to Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Kiev on a mutually convenient date. During bilateral talks with Verma, Dzhaparova discussed issues of economic, defence, humanitarian assistance as well as global issues of mutual interest, sources said. During the Ukraine ministers meeting with Lekhi, it was agreed that the next Inter-Governmental Commission between the two countries would be held in India on a mutually convenient date. Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6) Today Mostly cloudy this morning with showers developing this afternoon. High 52F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China issued a new set of guidelines on Wednesday regarding the use of face masks by the general public to prevent COVID-19 infection, stating that it is now no longer mandatory to wear face masks when using public transport. The guidelines from the joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism of the State Council aim to clarify situations and circumstances where people should, can choose to, or may choose not to wear face masks. People are advised to put on face masks when using public transport and entering supermarkets, movie theaters, and other indoor places with large gatherings. Individuals have the discretion to choose whether or not to wear face masks in outdoor locations such as public squares and parks. Students are not required to wear face masks at school, according to the guidelines. However, in certain circumstances, the use of face masks is mandatory. These include when a person has tested positive for COVID-19 or is displaying relevant symptoms, during local outbreaks, and when visiting medical institutions and nursing homes. Ukraines president is renewing his call to confiscate Russian Central Bank assets held around the world and use them to help rebuild Ukraine President Joe Biden has said Northern Ireland must not go back to the violence that scarred it for years and urged politicians to resolve a political crisis that has left the region without a functioning government China says recent air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters In this photo provided by the Massachusetts State Police, several catalytic converters suspected stolen from vehicles in Massachusetts and New Hampshire are piled in the back of an SUV. Seven men who authorities said worked with the speed and efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew" to steal catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, resulting in losses estimated at $2 million, were arrested Wednesday, federal prosecutors said. NED BRISTOL is a retired editor of The Sun Chronicle who writes occasional columns for the newspaper. Drop him a line at news@thesunchronicle.com . BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's leading agricultural and food company COFCO Corporation has invested over 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in Brazil since 2014, according to data released by the company. COFCO Corporation has become one of Brazil's major exporters and processors of corn, soybeans and raw sugar. In 2022, the company sold 33 million tonnes of agricultural products in Brazil and recorded a sales revenue of 5.4 billion U.S. dollars. For the past three years, COFCO Corporation has imported 34 million tonnes of agricultural products from Brazil, with a total import value of 19 billion U.S. dollars. Importing high-quality Brazilian agricultural products to China not only solves the issue of agricultural product sales for Brazilian farmers, but also meets China's domestic demand for agricultural products, thus achieving mutual benefits and win-win results, according to the company. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) For several months, Fox News treated Donald Trump like yesterday's news. But now the former president has come roaring back at the popular network for conservative viewers, most notably since his indictment in New York on hush-money charges. The Trump revival was on display Tuesday night, when Tucker Carlson devoted his entire prime-time program to a historic interview with him, promising more excerpts on Wednesday. It was two weeks after Sean Hannity similarly gave Trump extensive airtime. Left unmentioned were Carlson's two-year-old private text message s, revealed in a defamation case against the network, in which he disparaged Trump and talked eagerly of putting the former president behind him. In one of the exchanges, from Jan. 4, 2021, Carlson wrote that we are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights and I truly cant wait. Trumps return reverses what some had been calling a soft ban by Fox News, which had no on-air interviews with him between Sept. 22, 2022, and Hannity on March 27. The short answer is, they need each other, said Jane Hall, a journalism professor at American University and author of Politics and the Media: Intersections and New Directions. He's getting attention, he's getting ratings, and cable news needs it because they've been down, Hall said. Records released as part of Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billion defamation case against the network and its parent company, Fox Corp., show that Fox repeatedly aired false allegations about the 2020 presidential elections as part of a bid to win back viewers angered that the network had called Arizona for Joe Biden on election night. The lawsuit also revealed how Fox executives and many of its star hosts, including Carlson, didn't believe those claims but aired them anyway. The judge presiding over that case said Wednesday he was inclined to order an independent review to determine whether the network had improperly withheld evidence A week ago, Fox News Channel carried in full Trump's speech from Mar-a-Lago on the day he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges that he falsified business records to conceal payments made ahead of the 2016 election to silence a porn star who says she and Trump had an extramarital sexual encounter years earlier; Trump denies the two had sex. The speech reached 6.7 million viewers, or about double the typical audience Carlson generally receives at the same time, the Nielsen company said. Fox says Trump's return is because of the news, not ratings. The Hannity interview was billed as Trump's first after his indictment, Carlson's the first after his arraignment, when the former president pleaded not guilty to the charges. Fox personalities and commentators leapt to his defense when news of the grand jury indictment came out. Trump's higher profile also coincides with his growing strength in polls of Republican voters, according to the network. While Fox News continues as the top-rated cable network, its prime-time viewership was down 18 percent in the first three months of the year, compared to 2022. CNN was down 34 percent in the same measurement and MSNBC was down 8 percent, Nielsen said. They're in the business of fan service and right now conservative politics is all the Trump show, said Charlie Sykes, a conservative and founder of the Bulwark website. If the show is back in town, Fox can either try to counterprogram or buy into it. Right now, what is the counterprogramming? Trump's return was always inevitable, said Sykes, also an MSNBC contributor. They can't quit him. Fox knows what its audience wants and what its audience will accept. If Fox wasn't quitting Trump, it surely had been pulling back. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, viewed as Trump's chief GOP rival, has made 12 appearances on Fox News this year but none since March 13, according to the liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America, which monitors Fox. March 5-11 was the first week this year where the name DeSantis received more mentions (177) than Trump (142) on Fox, Media Matters said. Others recognized Trump's potency for their viewers as well: The same week, Trump was mentioned 925 times on MSNBC, compared to 268 for DeSantis. Back on Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch wrote in an email to a former Fox executive that the network was pivoting. We want to make Trump a non-person, Murdoch wrote, according to documents revealed as part of an elections technology company's defamation lawsuit against Fox. The trend away from Trump accelerated following the midterm elections when candidates he supported did more poorly than he expected. When he announced in November he was running again for president, Fox didn't carry his speech in full. Other Murdoch-controlled media properties were even harsher: The New York Post headlined its story: Florida man makes announcement. Following the midterms, a Wall Street Journal editorial was headlined, Trump is the Republican Party's biggest loser. Yet, as spring neared, Fox warmed again to the former president. The network carried Trump's entire 90-minute speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee live on the network March 4. Tuesday night, understandably, Carlson didn't talk about his critical texts and emails directed at Trump following the 2020 election, as seen in court papers related to the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit. Back in January 2021, when Carlson said his show was close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. he wrote, I hate him passionately." Carlson said in an interview with WABC radio last month that a wounded Trump had called him, seeking an explanation after the text messages became public. Carlson said he'd been angry about election information passed on by Trump's team that proved false. He told the radio station that he found Trump funny and insightful and that he spent four years on the air defending his policies. ___ More on Donald Trump-related investigations: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump EDWARDSVILLE An Alton man has been charged with multiple counts of child pornography as part of a collaboration between local, state and federal authorities. Christopher L. Page, 36, was charged Monday with seven counts of child pornography, all Class X felonies. The case was presented by the Illinois Attorney Generals Office. Child pornography is a reprehensible crime. The individuals who disseminate these horrific images must be held accountable to ensure innocent children are protected from exploitation that can potentially leave life-long emotional scars, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. These charges highlight the vital efforts of my offices Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which works tirelessly to identify and track down individuals who assault and exploit children. Raouls investigators, with the assistance of the Alton Police Department, the Edwardsville Police Department and the United States Secret Service, conducted a search of Pages residence in the 2700 block of Sanford Avenue in Alton and arrested him after discovering evidence of child pornography. According to court documents, on Dec. 11-12 Page was found to be in possession of multiple computer files showing children under the age of 13 engaging in sex acts. The case is part of the ongoing prosecution of child pornographers by the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant. ICAC investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child pornography, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2021, reports to the ICAC increased by 42 percent over 2020. This is another example of effective policing being done through a multijurisdictional team effort, said Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford. The Alton Police Department was happy to assist the Illinois Attorney General's Office with this investigation, as it should be a warning to all that crimes against children will not be tolerated, whether that be in person or through the use of the internet. Illinois ICAC Task Force is one of 61 throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 285 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service. The U.S. Secret Service remains committed to supporting our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who work collectively to protect our communitys children, said U.S. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Stephen Webster. These dedicated agencies working in such seamless partnership with each other ensure that alleged predators are brought before our judicial system to answer for their charges. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 24,100 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 408 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney Generals ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 1,840 arrests of sexual predators. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to more than 962,779 parents, teachers and students, in addition to more than 23,250 law enforcement professionals. Online child sexual exploitation can be reported at www.cybertipline.com, and child abuse can be reported at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at www.childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org. BLOOMINGTON Help in controlling the growing number of black vultures is being offered for Illinois livestock farmers. In recent years the black vulture population has increased in Illinois, particularly in the southern portion of the state. The birds often prey on young livestock, causing injury and sometimes death while creating major financial losses for livestock farmers. As migratory birds, black vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, state laws and regulations. They cant be killed or destroyed without a migratory bird depredation permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and a class B nuisance wildlife control permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The Illinois Farm Bureau is offering livestock farmers help in obtaining the required permits. "We are hopeful that this effort will help reduce conflict between the black vulture population and livestock production," said IFB President Richard Guebert. Black vultures have a dark gray head and are aggressive, compared to their larger, less aggressive red-headed relative, the turkey vulture. While turkey vultures are found throughout Illinois, black vultures live in southern regions of the state but are expanding further north, according to the Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau will issue sub-permits to livestock farmers experiencing problems with black vultures and provide help in securing the IDNRs required permit. Approved applicants will be allowed to remove up to three birds, determined after consultation with the USDA Wildlife Services. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is continuing to cooperate with the Illinois Farm Bureau and USDA Wildlife Services to develop a simple process for livestock producers to receive federal and state permits for removing black vultures that can be harmful to their operations, said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said. I am glad we were able to continue the process created two years ago that provides relief to Illinois stockmen while still meeting our obligation to conserve protected species. Interested livestock producers may request a sub-permit application by contacting Illinois Farm Bureau Associate Director of Commodity and Livestock, Tasha Bunting, at tbunting@ilfb.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) Authorities urged people to evacuate Tuesday near a large industrial fire in an Indiana city near the Ohio border that sent massive clouds of black smoke into the sky. The fire occurred at a former factory site in Richmond, 70 miles (112.6 kilometers) east of Indianapolis, that lately had been used to store plastics and other materials for recycling or resale, Mayor Dave Snow said. They were under a city order to clean up and remediate that site, Snow told The Associated Press. We knew that was a fire hazard the way they were storing materials. Snow described it as a serious, large-scale fire" that apparently started in a tractor-trailer parked onsite and spread quickly. He said the fire had been contained on three sides by early evening. The cause was not immediately known. This is an indoor and outdoor storage facility very, very large, the mayor said. There were no reports of injuries. But hundreds of people living within a half-mile (0.80 kilometer) of the fire were told to leave. People outside that radius who live downwind of the fire were advised to keep windows closed and pets inside. Wind from the west blew black smoke across the state border into Ohio. Bethesda Worship Center in Richmond offered temporary shelter for people forced out of their homes, while other agencies were trying to arrange hotel rooms if necessary, Pastor Ken Harris said. Snow said state and federal regulators were at the scene to assess air quality and other environmental impacts. Richmond has a population of 35,000. ALTON Alton Little Theater will conclude its 89th season at the Showplace with love and laughter. The theater group has waited six years to produce the French farce, Ding Dong also known as My Just Desserts, which is a rom-com. Since the play calls for using the subtitle "My Just Desserts," ALT will be awarding gift certificates from Alton's very own famous restaurant aptly named My Just Desserts. Also, a raffle basket chock full of pampering goodies and gift cards for a yummy feast- also will be a part of the celebration of love. The show will be presented in all its glamour and calamity, said ALT Executive Director Lee Cox. There will be eight performances May 5-14. And there will be special tributes to mothers on the final Sunday matinee on Mothers Day, May14. The play was translated for American stages by Marc Camoletti and Tudor Gates. It premiered at the Community Theater in Naples, Florida, where it was held over for three months in 2017. The production values, costs, and change of publishing houses during 2020-2021, prevented ALT from going forward with the production until now. Cox will direct the production along with featured season directors, popular regional actors and brand new talent who had "acting at ALT" on their bucket list, Cox said. Kevin Frakes, Gail Drillinger, Josh Sarver, Kathy Piercy, Darla Hooks and Joan Marie Woods will entertain audiences with all the classic elements you would expect from a fast-moving farce and a few surprises, Cox said. Ding Dong is set in Paris and the cast has drawn inspiration from the success of the popular Netflix hit Emily In Paris, Cox noted. She said the set decor will transport the audiences imagination to the City of Lights, from an apartment across from the Eiffel Tower to the costumes. Frakes built the set. Tickets for the production cost $20 per person. Ding Dong is recommended for PG-13 audiences. Call 618-462-3205 for tickets or go to altonlittletheater.org. File photo ALTON The Illinois Department of Transportation has announces lane restrictions are planned on the U.S. 67/Clark Bridge beginning at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 12. Weather permitting, the northbound right lane will be closed on the bridge over the Mississippi River in Alton. The lane restrictions are needed to perform emergency bridge deck patching by IDOT District 8 Operations forces. ALTON The law firm of MillerKing LLC in Alton has named Bryan A. Dooling as a partner. Along with Dooling, the firms attorneys are Stephanie A. King, Patrick G. King, William R. Miller, Anthony E. Dos Santos, and Andrea N. Schrader. Dooling represents clients in transactional matters such as estate planning, probate, trusts, small business, real estate and municipal, as well as litigation cases such as business disputes, contracts, insurance claims, trust administration and probate administration. Dooling is a member of the Alton-Wood River Bar Association, the Madison County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association. He is a graduate of St. Ambrose Grade School and Marquette Catholic High School. He earned a Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign a law degree from Appalachian School of Law in Virginia. After graduating from law school, he returned to the Riverbend where he resides with his wife, Rachel, and their children. MillerKing is located at 2410 State St., Alton. They can be reached online at www.MillerKingLaw.com and by phone at 618-462-8405. ROME (AP) ChatGPT could return to Italy soon if its maker, OpenAI, complies with measures to satisfy regulators who had imposed a temporary ban on the artificial intelligence software over privacy worries. The Italian data protection authority on Wednesday outlined a raft of requirements that OpenAI will have to satisfy by April 30 for the the ban on AI chatbot to be lifted. The watchdog known as Garante last month ordered the company to temporarily stop processing Italian users' personal information while it investigated a possible data breach. The authority said it didn't want to hamper AI's development but emphasized the importance of following the European Unions strict data privacy rules. OpenAI, which had responded by proposing remedies to ease the concerns, on Wednesday welcomed the Italian regulators' move. We are happy that the Italian Garante is reconsidering their decision and we look forward to working with them to make ChatGPT available to our customers in Italy again soon, OpenAI said. Concerns are growing about the artificial intelligence boom, with other countries, from France to Canada, investigating or looking closer at so-called generative AI technology like ChatGPT. The chatbot is trained on huge pools of data, including digital books and online writings, and able to generate text that mimics human writing styles. Under Italy's measures, OpenAI must post information on its website about how and why it processes the personal information of both users and non-users, as well as provide the option to correct or delete that data. The company will have to rely on consent or legitimate interest to use personal data to train ChatGPT's algorithms, the watchdog said. The Italian regulators had questioned whether theres a legal basis for OpenAI to collect massive amounts of data used to teach ChatGPTs algorithms and raised concerns the system could sometimes generate false information about individuals. San Francisco-based OpenAI also will have to carry out a publicity campaign by May 15 through radio and TV, newspapers and the internet to inform people about how it uses their personal data for training algorithms, Italy's watchdog said. There's also a requirement to verify users' ages and set up a system to filter out those who are under 13 and teens between 13 and 18 who don't have parental consent. Only in that case will the Italian SA (supervisory authority) lift its order that placed a temporary limitation on the processing of Italian users data .... so that ChatGPT will be available once again from Italy, the watchdog said on its website. WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- One man died and three other people were hurt in a shooting at a funeral home in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Police said the gunfire erupted around 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1630 GMT) in northeast Washington shortly after a funeral ended for someone who was fatally shot in March. At least four people were shot, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee. One man died at the scene and three more people -- two men and a woman -- were reportedly taken to the hospital in critical condition. "At this point, it appears that several people who were in the block were specifically targeted," Contee told reporters. "We're unsure why that is, why these people were targeted, more or less why they were targeted at a funeral," he continued. "We don't understand that." Police have made no arrests in the case. The shooting came a day after five people were killed and eight injured after a shooting at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The shooter, an active employee of the bank at the time of the shooting, was shot and killed by police. Authorities have confirmed that the Louisville gunman had bought the AR-15 style rifle used in the attack legally. There have been 147 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter. Meanwhile, more than 11,650 people have lost their lives to gun violence in the past few months, the website's data showed. Experiences with gun-related incidents are common among U.S. adults. One in five say they have personally been threatened with a gun, and a similar share say a family member was killed by a gun, including death by suicide, according to a new survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TORONTO (AP) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more military aid to support Ukraine in its war with Russia while hosting Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Toronto on Tuesday. The new military assistance includes 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition. We are preparing for our counteroffensive. We need more ammunition, we need more weaponry, we need more military equipment, Shmyhal said. Shmyhal thanked Canada for its support since Russian forces invaded in February 2022, which has included billions of dollars in economic and military aid. Trudeau also said Canada is imposing new sanctions on Russian and Belarusian authorities and organizations in retaliation for the ongoing invasion. Ukraine is fighting for the values and the principles that underpin all of our democracies, Trudeau said. We will continue to do everything necessary to ensure Ukraine prevails. Canada also provided a $2.4 billion Canadian (US$1.78 billion) loan to the government of Ukraine to support essential services, including pension payments and restoring damaged energy infrastructure. Canadas total commitment to Ukraine has surpassed $8 billion Canadian (US5.94 billion). Trudeau was also asked about the prime ministers Web site being down on Tuesday. There have been a slew of denial-of-service attacks by pro-Russia hacktivists on Ukraine, its European allies and U.S. websites since Russia invaded its neighbor last year -- few having significant impact. Denial of service attacks consist of a coordinated flooding of a targeted website with junk data to make it unreachable. The attacks are not hacking, though they sometimes can be used to divert attention from network intrusions. Trudeau said it's not uncommon for Russia to target countries as they are showing their steadfast support for Ukraine and as they are welcoming Ukrainian delegations. "The timing isnt surprising, Trudeau said. But in case anyone is wondering, Russia being able to bring down an official government of Canada webpage for a few hours is in no way going to dissuade us from our unshakable support of Ukraine. Its the year before a presidential election, which means its once again time for a group to call for a unity ticket of a Democratic and a Republican for president and vice president or for an independent candidate to avoid the dysfunction of the parties entirely. This happens just about every four years. There are lessons to learn from past seasons, especially in these extremely polarized times. The effort by the No Labels group to get a presidential ballot line in all 50 states for 2024 is being treated as something of a novelty, but weve seen something like this in most modern presidential elections. Just four years ago Unite America was proposing a bipartisan unity ticket for 2020, pushing the major parties to commit to having a vice presidential candidate of a party different from their own. In 2012, there was Americans Elect, which wanted to use a nonpartisan, national online presidential primary to find common-sense solutions and candidates. Back in 2008, the Unity08 organization was trying to make a Sam Nunn/Michael Bloomberg ticket a thing. There was even a concerted effort to forge a Kerry/McCain ticket back in 2004. These efforts didnt get very far. It wasnt for lack of resources or energy but, rather, because these efforts are founded on a substantial misreading of American politics. Often, efforts like this begin with claims about Americans dissatisfaction with the two-party system and with the choices they get in elections. This view is supported by polling. But its also a misleading view. Americans are often dissatisfied with their choices in presidential elections. The major parties themselves have been viewed unfavorably by the public for many years. And yet party voting is as high as its ever been. Ninety-four percent of Democrats voted for Joe Biden in 2020. The same percentage of Republicans voted for Donald Trump that year. Some 99% of partisan offices in this country from president on down to state legislature and some city councils are held by Democrats or Republicans. Americans may say they want other options, but they dont vote that way. Groups like No Labels point to the growing number of independent voters today about 45% of voters consider themselves independent, far outpacing affiliation with either of the major parties. This is true but, again, misleading. Even if many voters choose not to call themselves a Democrat or a Republican, we know that a great many of those lean toward one of those parties. The percent of Americans who are truly independent those who actually jump back and forth between the parties is still a little less than 10%. That hasnt changed over time. Whats more, that segment of the population is far less likely to turn out to vote than the partisans are. There are so many people who dont like the major parties, so why do they tend to vote with them anyway? A lot of this has to do with a pattern that political scientists call Duvergers Law. The quick version is that in election systems like ours representation done by district, in which whoever wins even the narrowest plurality of votes wins the whole election voters tend not to want to waste a vote, or to cast a vote that could make the party they like least more likely to win. You tend to see a strong two-party system in places with such election rules. Adding to the situation is our intense level of polarization. There are very sharp ideological differences between the major parties today that didnt exist a few decades ago. One consequence of that is that the costs of the other party winning are far higher than they used to be. Even Republicans who dislike Donald Trump tend to stick with him in general elections, because having Democrats control the government just seems too horrible to them. Joe Biden has plenty of detractors within the Democratic Party, but they nearly all vote with him for the same reason. Theres another concern with a group like No Labels and other similar groups: Its not clear what they stand for besides creating another ballot line. Joe Lieberman, an advocate for No Labels, frequently touts the organizations common-sense, moderate, independent platform, but their website mainly talks about giving people more choices, not having a Biden-Trump rematch, people voting for rather than against a candidate. What is this platform they want candidates to adhere to? Is it just the midpoint between the Democrats and the Republicans? Where is that midpoint? Now, maybe one would think this effort even if it doesnt win the White House is worth the time and investment, if only to take a stance against polarization. But theres some chance that this symbolic effort could change the outcome of 2024. A third-party ticket probably wouldnt pull from both major parties equally. And it wouldnt take very many votes in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona or elsewhere to change who gets that states electors and who wins the presidency. That outcome would not move the nation more toward moderation. Third party efforts, whether in the form of an independent candidate or a unity ticket or something similar, may sound appealing, but they stand little chance of winning and could well scramble the results of the 2024 presidential election. A stream of more than 30 cars and trucks roared down the dirt road, honking their horns and then stopping at our farmhouse just south of Galesburg. Don Swedlund, the dairy farmer down the road, got out and hollered, Were having a shivaree! For the uninitiated, a shivaree is a rural matrimonial custom where the newlyweds are serenaded on their wedding night. Sometimes the bride or groom is kidnapped and hazed. In my parents case, it was just the name neighbors chose to call a surprise anniversary party. I remember thinking that warm summer night in 1974, Twenty years is an awfully long time more than twice as long as I had been alive. Next week, my wife, Joan, and I will have reached that milestone that my childhood neighbors believed warranted an impromptu celebration. Yes, we will hit the platinum mark, two decades. I met Joan on a blind date in 2001. The twin towers had tumbled a couple months earlier, our mothers were battling cancer and I had pretty much altogether soured on dating. It hardly seemed an auspicious time to begin a romance, but five weeks later we were engaged to be married. Since I was 38 and entering the world of matrimony a bit later than most, well-meaning friends felt the need to offer advice. When she does something that annoys you, dont hold anything back and let her know just what you are thinking, advised a twice-divorced college buddy. On the other hand, a fellow statehouse reporter told me, The secret to a long marriage is inertia. I remember giving him a blank look in the Senate press box and thinking, So, your marriage has lasted because it wasnt worth the effort to get a divorce? He and his wife have since split. Even the governor at the time, George Ryan, felt the need to provide some marital wisdom before we began an interview, he said, The secret is picking the right gal. Ryan was on to something. His wife Lura Lynn stuck with him for 55 years. Even when George was in prison, she visited him regularly and worked to see that he was released. She died of cancer the day after their wedding anniversary. Her husband remained incarcerated but anyone who knew them will tell you they were very much in love. And there is the rub, when you fall in love the world is all puppy dogs, jelly beans and unicorns. But marriage is a lot more than that. While most of the advice I received was unsolicited, I do remember asking a veteran wedding photographer if he had a good idea at the wedding which couples marriages would last. He laughed and said, Nobody gets sprinkled with fairy dust. You never know. All that I can say is that its never a good sign if the groom has been sleeping with one of the bridesmaids. When State Sen. Denny Jacobs heard about our impending nuptials, he walked up to the press box and said, What do reckon marriage will be like, Scott? I replied, A lot of fun. His response: Marriage isnt about fun. As he said fun, he repeatedly thrust his pelvis and gyrated his hips pantomiming a couple in sexual congress. His act may have drawn the attention of his senatorial colleagues including a future president of the United States. I could hear them wondering, What on earth is Denny talking to that reporter about?" After he finished his performance, he leaned forward and almost snarled, Marriage is not about fun, its about commitment. The senator from East Moline must have known something; he and his wife, Mary Ellen, have been married 68 years. I do suspect there has been some fun there over the years along with the commitment. Spouses don't come with instructions and I'll admit that even after 20 years, I'm at times bewildered as to how to respond to some situations. More than a few times Ive exclaimed, Honey, I cant read your mind. But I do know this: She is the love of my life and puts up with me despite my many shortcomings. She completes me. Right before we wed, one relative opined: "Marriage is something you should go into with your eyes wide open and through with them half shut." When I ran this adage by my father, who ultimately was married to my mother for 58 years, he would just smile. His folks were married 74 years, and my mother's parents' marriage lasted until the eve of their 50th anniversary, when a bad heart felled my grandfather. They set good examples. I only hope my wife, Joan, and I can provide an even better example for our three daughters. If they ever ask the secret to a happy marriage I'll say this: love, forgive and never give up. Happy anniversary, Dear. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Sinopec, China's biggest oil refiner, said it signed an agreement with QatarEnergy on Wednesday to acquire a 1.25 percent stake in the latter's North Field expansion project. With a total investment of 28.75 billion U.S. dollars, the expansion project is the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and is expected to begin production in 2026. It will boost Qatar's annual LNG exports from 77 million tonnes to 110 million tonnes, Sinopec said. QatarEnergy is one of Sinopec's most important partners. The cooperation will help optimize China's energy consumption structure and enhance the security, stability and reliability of China's clean energy supply, said Ma Yongsheng, chairman of Sinopec. In November 2022, Sinopec signed a 27-year deal to buy LNG from QatarEnergy. According to the agreement, QatarEnergy would supply 4 million tonnes of LNG to Sinopec annually. A doyen of Indian industry, one of the tallest personalities in Indian industry, extraordinary, warm and compassionate... Tributes are pouring in from far and wide following the demise of billionaire Keshub Mahindra, the chairman emeritus of Mahindra and Mahindra. He died on Wednesday at the age of 99. With a net worth of $1.2 billion according to Forbes, Keshub Mahindra was India's oldest billionaire. Keshub Mahindra served as the chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra for 48 years. Under his leadership, Mahindra and Mahindra transformed from its beginnings as a steel trading firm to an automobile giant. Over the years, it also entered other businesses like information technology, hospitality and financial services. A graduate from Wharton University, USA, Keshub Mahindra had retired as chairman in 2012, handing over the reins to nephew Anand Mahindra. Keshub Mahindra was and will always remain a source of inspiration for him and the entire Mahindra Group, said Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group. "He was a man of principles and led from the front to preserve the legacy of our founders which has ensured that the organisation has remained rooted in ethics, values and good corporate governance. Mr Keshub Mahindra was known for his astute business acumen that helped in transforming Mahindra into a diversified federation of companies," he said. He further added that Keshub Mahindra's compassion and people-centric approach made him a global business icon, who was much loved and respected. "The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to meetings with him and was inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters," Pawan Goenka, the former managing director of Mahindra and Mahindra said. Born on October 9, 1923, Keshub Mahindra joined the company in 1947 and became chairman in 1963. Apart from heading Mahindra and Mahindra, he also served on the boards of many companies such as Sail (Steel Authority of India), Indian Hotels, Tata Steel, and ICICI among others. He was also the founder chairman of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) and vice chairman of HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corp). He had been appointed by the government of India to serve on many committees as well. "I shall always cherish the memory of Keshub Mahindra, a doyen of Indian Industry. It was an honour to receive my degree from him at IIMA. I remember his kind words at the start of my career. Years later I was to experience his inspiring leadership at Mahindra," wrote SP Shukla, the chairman of Mahindra Aerospace and Mahindra Defence. Other industry leaders also mourned Keshub Mahindra's demise. "Keshubji lived a glorious life guiding the growth of Mahindra group for nearly five decades. With his endearing personality, he could navigate many a challenging situations. My deepest condolences to the family, employees and well wishers of Mahindra Group," wrote Gautam Singhania, chairman and MD of Raymond. He was an extraordinarily warm compassionate person who led by example and put India first always, said TV Mohandas Pai, the former Infosys director. C.P. Gurnani, the MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra, said he would remember Keshub Mahindra for building a Mahindra for India, and building India with Mahindra. "His legacy will be about what businesses can do, when their heart is in the right place," he said. Mahesh Babu, CEO of Ashok Leyland's unit Switch Mobility, said the Indian industry lost a great leader. "He revolutionised Indian industry with human touch," he noted. Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot will arrive in Delhi on Wednesday, a day after he held a day-long fast despite the Congress leadership warning him against it. Pilot, who opened a new war front against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot through his protest, will likely meet party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The senior party leaders are likely to hear Pilots side of the story before making its next move as the state Assembly elections are fast approaching, reported The Indian Express. It is also unclear whether Pilot would meet Rahul Gandhi, who will fly back from Wayanad on Wednesday along with AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and organisation general secretary K C Venugopal. Gehlot's press meet Gehlot, meanwhile, has called a press conference on Wednesday. Though he has been silent since Pilot announced the strike on Sunday, the chief minister posted a video in which he lists his government's welfare policies and thereby projecting himself as a "pro-poor, common man's chief minister". Rajasthan will be No. 1 by 2029," Gehlot said. He also declared price rise as an election issue. The video was shared separately by the official Twitter handle of the Congress party. Many think the video hinted at Gehlot's plan to project himself as the chief minister candidate again and Pilot's fast was an apparent attempt to stall this in the run-up to the polls. There are also speculations that Pilot planned to leave the party. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) has urged Pilot to form a new party and expressed interest in forging an alliance with him for the Assembly elections. RLP chief Hanuman Beniwal said he is open to allying with any party against the Congress and the BJP. "I have suggested earlier also that if Sachin Pilot forms his party, then RLP is ready for an alliance for the elections," Beniwal told reporters. "I can only give suggestions. If he forms the party, we will do an alliance. If he does not make his party, then it is his wish. Our doors are open for alliance with any party against Congress and BJP," the Nagaur MP said. Clarity is yet to emerge in a baffling shootout incident that took place around 4:35 am on Wednesday morning near the Officers Mess at the army base in Punjabs Bathinda where four soldiers were gunned down. The fallen soldiers, whose families had been informed, belonged to an artillery unit. An INSAS rifle, missing for the last two days, was found abandoned inside the military cantonment with no trace of the perpetrator(s). Even as the army establishment remained tightlipped on the details, an investigation is already underway which will also look into whether there is a link between the attack and the INSAS rifle that had gone missing two days ago from the base along with 28 rounds of ammunition. Asking the media to refrain from speculating considering the sensitivities involved, the Indian Armys Jaipur-headquartered South Western command said in a statement: A search team has located the INSAS rifle along with the magazine. Army and Police Joint teams will now be undertaking forensic analysis of the weapon for ascertaining further details The balance number of rounds in the weapon will only be available after forensic analysis. Punjab Police, which has been indicating the incident to be fratricidal, is part of the joint probe team along with the Army. State Additional Director General of Police, SPS Parmar, told agencies: It is not a terrorist attack, it is not an attack from outside. It is a fratricidal incident. We are in touch with the Army authorities. However, the fratricide theory may not hold true on several counts. One, such fratricidal incidents are usually spur-of-the-moment incidents arising from a hot-tempered exchange, which apparently does not seem to be the case here. The INSAS rifle missing for two days may mean that it was a planned incident. The very early morning timing of the incident is unlikely of a fratricidal incident. Moreover, there is no clarity on the number of shooters. If it is more than one, a fratricidal incident can possibly be ruled out. Also the puzzle as to how the attacker(s) is still not being found and apprehended given the fact that the cantonment was sealed off almost immediately by the Armys Quick Reaction Teams. The Army statement also denied reports of one shooter being nabbed. It is reiterated that NO individual has been detained or apprehended, it said. Punjab has been in the news in recent months because of re-emergence of elements of the separatist Khalistan movement with many individuals being rounded up and detained even as one of the main leaders, Amritpal Singh Sandhu, continues to evade the security forces and has been declared a fugitive. A returnee from Dubai, Amritpal is a self-styled religious preacher and leader of the Waris Punjab De (Heirs of Punjab) who is reported to have stockpiled illegal weapons and raising a private militia named Anandpur Khalsa Fauj. Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova, who is on a maiden visit to India, has urged New Delhi to consider the participation of Ukraine officials at the events of G20, stating that the warn-torn country's president Vlodomyr Zelenskyy would be happy to speak. During her address at a think tank in New Delhi, Dzhaparova said that India can bring the crisis in Ukraine to the forefront through its G20 presidency by inviting Ukrainian officials to the G-20 events and summit. "Our expectations are quite clear. We believe that discussion about the economy and future economy, the economic situation in the world is not possible without the discussion about the repercussions of the war of Russia against Ukraine", said the minister. "Because it has an impact on the economic growth and to the economies of G20. So, our message to India is to consider the participation of Ukraine officials at the events of G20, be it side events or the Summit, the one on the parliament level, or the September summit that will take place in New Delhi. I believe that my President will also be happy to speak up on behalf of the Ukrainian people", she added. "Today India plays a very important role in the world. The presidency of G20 brings additional responsibility. India may take this leadership by involving Ukraine in its agenda and helping Ukraine to bring its story. People-to-people contact is the best way to communicate," said Dzhaparova. She also said that the Crimea episode had a lesson for India which too "has a difficult neighbourhood with China and Pakistan." Dzhaparova said that whenever impunity happens and if it is not stopped, it becomes bigger. However, she claimed that Ukraine's relationship with Pakistan "is not directed against India's interests." The minister said her country's military ties with Islamabad began in the 90s. "The relationship with Pakistan was never directed against the relationship with India. I know that there are some sensitive messages about military contracts, but let me reiterate that we had contracts since the 90s..two decades ago", said the minister. Dzhaparova also hoped that Indian officials, including national security adviser Ajit Doval who visited Moscow in February and held talks with President Vladimir Putin, will also visit Kyiv. "We expect the visit of Ajit Doval. Russia has more time to make visits. We are facing a war. We have to defend. Sometimes you may want to do something but can't. My visit is a mark of friendship for a better relationship with India, but it requires reciprocity. We would be happy to welcome Indian officials to Kyiv," said the minister. "Now people of Ukraine closely watch the comments of different leaders as well as PM Modi and the travels of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. When he went to Moscow three times, of course, it's not a question if he would come to Kyiv. We would be happy to welcome leaders and officials of India in Kyiv," added Dzhaparova. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Wednesday announced that it has launched a trade barrier investigation into trade restrictive measures that China's Taiwan has placed on products from the Chinese mainland. On March 17 this year, the MOC received an application to conduct the trade barrier investigation, submitted jointly by the China Chamber of Commerce of the I/E of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products; the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters; and the China Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Textiles. Based on relevant laws and regulations, the MOC reviewed the validity of the applicants, the application form and the evidence materials, and decided to launch the trade barrier investigation on April 12. The investigation involves 2,455 product items, as well as relevant measures formulated and implemented by the Taiwan region to ban products from the mainland, according to the MOC. The investigation will end on Oct. 12 this year, and may be extended to Jan. 12 next year if exceptional circumstances arise. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the party has taken a 'historic step' towards bringing together opposition parties to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He was addressing media after a meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. We will develop the vision of the opposition parties and move forward. We will all stand together for the country, Rahul said, adding that they will take this vision to the people as they fight 'the ongoing ideological battle' together. The Congress leader said that a lot of issues were discussed and we decided that we will unite all parties and fight the upcoming polls in a united manner. The meeting at Kharge's residence comes amid talks of like-minded opposition parties coming together on a common platform to defeat the BJP in next year's Lok Sabha elections. Reiterating Rahul's stand, Nitish Kumar said that the parties will make all efforts to decide the future course of action. JD(U) president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present at the meeting. According to reports, JD(U), RJD and the Congress are in talks to bring other opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray recently. Soon after taking charge as the Congress chief, Kharge had said his party will try to forge an alliance of like-minded parties. Speaking at the Congress's 85th plenary session in February, Kharge alleged the there is a 'conspiracy to destroy democracy' and said that the Congress is working to unite everyone. The Congress's meeting with Nitish and Tejashwi also comes a month after the meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav where they hinted at a possible' third front', without the Congress party. India on Wednesday conveyed its concerns on the misuse of the United Kingdom's asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India. During the 5th India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue (HAD) held in New Delhi, the Indian side also emphasised its concerns over the breach of security of the Indian High Commission in London. The Indian side specifically conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UKs asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with UK and increased monitoring of UK based Pro-Khalistan extremists and take appropriate proactive action, the home ministry said in a statement. The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the UK delegation was headed by Permanent Secretary, Home Office, Matthew Rycroft. Both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps to be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security and global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, anti-India activities in UK including pro-Khalistan extremism among other issues. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing partnership and agreed to deepen bilateral engagement and maintain the momentum for enhanced security cooperation, the MHA said. Last month, India had summoned a senior UK diplomat in Delhi to seek explanation after the Indian High Commission was attacked by a group of pro-Khalistan activists. The tricolour flying atop the high commission building was pulled down by the protesters who also tried to hoist a Khalistan flag. Hours after the BJP released the first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka elections, protests erupted in many parts of state as leaders expressed discontentment over being left out. In the first list of 189 candidates announced Tuesday night, the BJP has dropped 21 sitting MLAs and chosen Congress turncoats. Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who was among those dropped this time, is heading to Delhi to meet the central leadership. Shettar said he will meet with party chief J.P. Nadda and is expecting positive things will happen. In a fresh jolt to the saffron party, former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from primary membership of the BJP, a day he, too, was denied him a ticket. He added that he will take a "strong decision" on Thursday evening and will start working from Friday. There is speculation that he may join the Congress. A powerful Lingayat leader, Savadi is a loyalist of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. The party had directed veteran leaders to not contest the polls and pave way for new faces. The BJP, which fielded 52 new faces in the first list, is pushing for a generational change and strengthen the party structure in key regions. Of the 189 candidates, 32 belong to OBCs, 30 Scheduled Castes and 16 Scheduled Tribes. The candidates have been selected to bring in a new generation leadership and fresh ideas, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is Karnataka poll-incharge for the party, said on Tuesday. The Opposition Congress has been targetting the ruling BJP over the delay in releasing the candidate's list. The BJP aims to retain power in the southern state by winning a majority in the 224-seat assembly. The single-phase polls will held on May 10 and results will be declared on May 13. Maruti Suzuki Jimny's TV commercial, being shot in Ladakh, has met with resistance after the local MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal termed it 'irresponsible.' Sharing the footage of the shoot on Twitter, Namgyal, BJP MP, hit out Maruthi for its "irresponsible advertisement act." "The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary. Let's preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future gen," Namgyal added. The footage shared by Namgyal shows the much-anticipated SUV speeding through the lake in Ladakh, hinting at its ability to navigate tough terrains. The TV crew was also seen nearby. I condemn @Maruti_Corp's irresponsible advertisement act. The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary. Let's preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future gen. pic.twitter.com/2IaC4vUkcI Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (@jtnladakh) April 10, 2023 While a few users supported Namgyal's stance, others called out his "double stance," asking how the shoot happened without the permission of the local administration. "Maruti_Corp is least bothered about the environment or safety. They are last in setting an example for both!! MIB_India please take action!" one user wrote. "What do you mean by condemn, if they are violating some rules, fine them in crores .. let the ad be costly!" another said. Many also called out the administration for making the TVC a big deal where numerous tents are coming up near Pangong Lake. "By allowing more and more industries to set up plants which destroy Ladakh? Height of double standards," one reacted to the issue. "Stop all flights to Leh: exhaust gases are bad for fragile ecosystem Stop all diesel vehicles: exhaust gases are bad for Ladakh's fragile ecosystem Come on Mr Namgyal: didn't the local authorities know this before giving permission? I see no harm here. Lovely backdrop!" another user reacted. This comes as the automobile giant plans to launch the vehicle next month in the country. The vehicle will hit the market in seven colours, including the Kinetic Yellow shade, which was seen in the commercial. Besides Kinetic Yellow, Jimny comes in Sizzling Red, Nexa Blue, Bluish Black, Granite Gray, and Pearl Arctic White. The five-door Jimny lifestyle SUV was unveiled by Maruti Suzuki at the 2023 Auto Expo in January of this year. There are speculations that the car will go on sale in the second week of May 2023. Maruti Jimny is expected to cost between 9 lakh and 15 lakhs. The Congress' in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa met with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge here on Wednesday, a day after Sachin Pilot observed a fast in Jaipur demanding action in cases of alleged corruption under the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in Rajasthan. Randhawa met with Kharge for about half-an-hour at his 10 Rajaji Marg residence here, sources said. Pilot also reached Delhi on Wednesday. There was speculation that he might meet Randhawa and other senior leaders, but sources close to Pilot said no meetings were scheduled. Taking strong objection to the call of undertaking a daylong fast by Pilot, Randhawa on Monday evening had said that any such protest against its sitting government would amount to anti-party activity. The party, however, maintained silence on Tuesday when Pilot observed the fast. As Pilot was leaving the site where he held the fast in Jaipur on Tuesday, he told reporters that Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and other opposition parties have united over corruption and financial irregularities, and claimed that his fast will speed up this movement. The former deputy chief minister also said that he wrote two letters on this issue to Gehlot last year but received no reply. Late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar's grandson on Wednesday approached a court in Maharashtra with a criminal defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing him of making false allegations against Savarkar during his address in London. The grandson, Satyaki Savarkar, said his lawyers have moved the Pune court with a complaint under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. "Since the concerned court officer was absent today, they asked us to come again on Saturday to get the number of the case. We have not received the case number yet and we will receive it on Saturday," Satyaki Savarkar told PTI. Speaking about the content of the complaint, Satyaki Savarkar said Rahul Gandhi during his interaction with the Indian diaspora in London had raised Savarkar's topic. "Rahul Gandhi told the gathering that V D Savarkar had written a book in which the latter stated that he and his five to six friends were beating a Muslim man and he (Savarkar) felt happy. "Rahul Gandhi, while speaking about this incident, asked if it was not a cowardly act. First of all, this incident, as narrated by Gandhi, is a fictional one. No such incident had taken place in the life of Savarkar who was a man of scientific temperament. He believed in democracy and had advised Muslims to adopt a scientific approach," Satyaki Savarkar said. He added that Rahul Gandhi's statement about V D Savarkar was false, malicious, and aimed at insulting him. "After this attempt to defame Savarkar, we decided not to sit silent and approached the court with a criminal defamation case under sections 499 and 500 of IPC against Rahul Gandhi. "V D Savarkar had not written such things in any book, so let this thing come up in the court as to in which book Rahul Gandhi read this incident," Satyaki Savarkar said. He claimed a video of Rahul Gandhi making these statements during the interaction is available and will be submitted in court. Advocate Anirudh Ganu, one of the two layers representing Satyaki Savarkar, said, "Since the court officer (assistant registrar) was not there in the court, they told us to come on Saturday and the case number will be issued". A metropolitan court in Surat on March 23 convicted Rahul Gandhi of criminal defamation for his 2019 remark, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?", and sentenced him to two years in jail, leading to his disqualification as a Lok Sabha member. Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi moved the sessions court which granted him bail on April 3 and kept the hearing on his plea for a stay of conviction on April 13. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the UGC-NET December 2022 cycle results on Thursday (April 13). The exams were held in five phases for 83 subjects from February 21 to March 16. "NTA will announce UGC-NET results by tomorrow. For details, you may please visit ugcnet.nta.nic.in ," UGC chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar tweeted. NTA will announce UGC-NET results by tomorrow. For details, you may please visit https://t.co/M3TNVmUeco Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) April 12, 2023 More than eight lakh students appeared for the exams held at 663 centres in 186 cities. The NTA had release the answer key on March 23 and given candidates time till March 25 to raise objections, if any. The NTA conducts UGC-NET exams twice a year. The exam is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor in Indian universities and colleges. Awarding of JRF and eligibility for Assistant Professorship depends on the aggregate performance of the candidate in Paper-I and Paper-II of UGC-NET. The candidates qualifying only for Assistant Professorship are not to be considered for the awarding of JRF. Candidates who qualify the eligibility test for Assistant Professorship are governed by the rules and regulations for recruitment of Assistant Professor of the universities/colleges/state governments concerned, as the case may be, as per information published on the NTA website. China warned on Wednesday that a deepening security alliance between the United States and the Philippines should not harm its security and territorial interests and interfere in long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on the combat exercises between American and Filipino forces that started on Tuesday in the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday issued a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, who said that such drills should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability." Wang did not say how China would respond if it concludes that the US-Philippine security cooperation was hurting Beijing's core interests. In Washington, the US and Philippine defence and foreign secretaries met on Tuesday to discuss the development of nine Philippine military camps, where American forces have been allowed to stay indefinitely under the 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that we're even better prepared for future crises, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said. He added the US was allocating more than USD 100 million to build infrastructure at the sites, where Americans would be stationed. China has strongly opposed that agreement, which would allow American forces to establish military staging grounds and surveillance outposts in the northern Philippines across the sea from the Taiwan Strait and in western Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety on historical grounds. Washington disputes China's claims. Austin said he also discussed with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, the US delivery of much-needed defence equipment, including radars, unmanned aerial systems, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems to Philippines over the next five to 10 years under a security assistance roadmap. This year's Balikatan exercises between the treaty allies are the largest since the two sides started joint military combat-readiness exercises in the early 1990s. They will run until April 28 and involve more than 17,600 American and Filipino personnel and a small Australian contingent. About a dozen countries including Japan and India but not China were sending observers, organizers said. In a live-fire drill the allies will stage for the first time, US and Filipino forces will sink a ship in Philippine territorial waters off western Zambales province on April 26 in a coordinated coastal artillery bombardment and airstrike, Col. Michael Logico, a Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, told reporters on Tuesday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been briefed about the live-fire drill and plans to watch it, Logico said. In Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the exercises will involve beach assaults and retaking an island seized by enemy forces, Logico said. Marcos, who took office in June last year, has nurtured closer relations with Washington than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who often lashed out at US security policies while praising China and Russia. Duterte tried to abrogate a key defence pact that would have restrained American forces from entering the Philippines for large-scale war drills but later backpedalled from the effort. Left-wing activists and nationalists have steadfastly opposed American military presence in the Philippines, a former US colony where America remains popular among Filipinos based on independent polls. The Philippines is caught in an inter-imperialist conflict between the US and China, Renato Reyes of the left-wing Bayan alliance said. We are merely being used as a footstool for American power projection and provocation in the region. The drills are the latest display of American firepower in Asia, as the Biden administration strengthens an arc of alliances to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan, an island democracy that Beijing claims as its own. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under Marcos to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing drills, which started in the early 1990s, will showcase US warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers and anti-tank Javelins, according to US and Philippine military officials. According to a classified Pentagon document, Serbia, the only European country that has refused to impose sanctions on Russia has agreed to send arms to Kyiv or has sent them already. Serbia has been a staunch ally of Russia. Belgrade's refusal to join the EU in sanctioning Moscow is a sticking point in Belgrades relations with the West. In what's being deemed as one of the most serious leaks of US papers, contain other information like summary of European governments responses to Ukraines requests for military training and lethal aid or weapons. The leaked papers document assessed positions of 38 European governments in response to Ukraines requests for military assistance, Reuters reports. Serbia has denied sending arms or lethal aid to Ukraine. It doesn't negate the possibility that Serbian-made arms may have found their way to the war with Russia. Defence minister Milos Vucevic denied the Reuters report, sourced from a leaked Pentagon document. The document dated March 2, is marked NOFORN, indicating it cannot be made accessible to foreign intelligence services and militaries. In the meantime, the justice department is investigating the leak and the Pentagon is assessing the damage to US national security. Mexico's top immigration official will face criminal charges in a fire that killed 40 migrants in Ciudad Juarez last month, with federal prosecutors saying he was remiss in not preventing the disaster despite earlier indications of problems at his agency's detention centres. The decision to file charges against Francisco Garduo, the head of Mexico's National Immigration Institute, was announced late Tuesday by the federal Attorney General's Office. It followed repeated calls from within Mexico, and from some Central American nations, not to stop the case at the five low-level officials, guards and a Venezuelan migrant already facing homicide charges in the case. Anger initially focused on two guards who were seen fleeing the March 27 fire, without unlocking the cell door to allow the migrants to escape. But President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador said earlier Tuesday that they didn't have the keys. The Attorney General's Office said several other officers of Garduo's agency will also face charges for failing to carry out their duties, the statement said, but prosecutors did not explain what specific charges or identify the officials. Prosecutors said the case showed a pattern of irresponsibility" The press office of the immigration agency that Garduo heads did respond to messages and phone calls requesting comment. Prosecutors said that after a fire at another detention centre in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration agency knew there were problems which needed to be corrected but alleged they failed to act. There have long been complaints about corruption and bad conditions at Mexico's migrant detention facilities, but they have never been seriously addressed. Lpez Obrador's comments about the guards in last month's fire in the border city of Ciudad Juarez came on the same day that the bodies of 17 Guatemala migrants and six Hondurans killed in the fire were flown back to their home countries. It was unclear what effect Lpez Obrador's comments might have on the trial of the guards, who were detained previously over the fire. The door was closed, because the person who had the keys wasn't there, Lpez Obrador said. A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the fire started in late March inside the cell holding migrants. The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the facility, and they did not appear to make any effort to release the migrants. Three Mexican immigration officials, a guard and a Venezuelan migrant are being held for investigation in connection with the fire. They face homicide charges. The migrant allegedly set fire to foam mattresses at the detention centre to protest what he apparently thought were plans to move or deport the migrants. In Guatemala City, relatives of the victims gathered at an air force base with flowers and photos of the deceased to mark their return. My son, my love, a female voice could be heard calling out, amid sobs from those present as the coffins were unloaded and placed in a line, and relatives were allowed to approach them. Mexican military planes carried the bodies six migrants to Honduras and 17 to Guatemala. Authorities say 19 of the 40 dead were from Guatemala, but two bodies were still in the process of having their identities confirmed. An additional 11 Guatemalans were injured in the fire. Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bcaro accompanied the bodies, which were to be taken overland to their hometowns in nine different provinces. Some bodies of Salvadoran migrants were returned to El Salvador last week. So far, 31 bodies have been sent back to their home countries. QUITO, April 11 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed on Tuesday in an armed attack on a small fishing port in the northwest Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas, on the border with Colombia, said the State Attorney General's Office (FGE). Authorities recovered seven corpses at the scene and two more from a nearby hospital, and took them to a forensic center, said the FGE, adding it was investigating "to find those responsible for this crime." According to local media, a group of assailants armed with pistols and rifles arrived at the port in the morning, and began shooting at merchants and employees working at the warehouse before fleeing the scene. Interior Minister Juan Zapata told news website Primicias the attack was carried out by 30 assailants, and at least four people were injured in the incident. Investigation is underway into whether organized crime groups were behind the attack. Meanwhile, the military said via Twitter it would support the police in their "search by air and land for those involved in the shooting." The government of Esmeraldas province declared a state of emergency in March, which is still in place, due to rising crime and violence. Mumbai, Apr 12 (PTI) A special Mumbai court, while granting bail to Yes Bank co-promoter Rana Kapoor in a money laundering case, held that the alleged laundered" amount never came to him and there was nothing to show he received kickbacks. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court also noted that even though economics offences are different in nature an accused in such cases cannot be kept in prison without trial. Special PMLA court judge M G Deshpande granted bail to Kapoor on April 1 in the money laundering case linked to alleged diversion of Rs 200-crore bank loan, while a detailed order was made available on Wednesday. However, the banker could not walk out of jail as he is an accused in several other cases too, including one related to alleged fraud at the private lender he co-founded in 2004. Kapoor, 63, has been lodged in a Mumbai jail since March 2020 after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged financial irregularities and purported kickbacks paid to him and his family members in return for certain dubious loans provided by Yes Bank to a number of high-profile borrowers. The case in which he has been granted bail pertains to a Rs 200 crore loan granted to a company called Mack Star Marketing Pvt Ltd by Yes Bank. The role of Kapoor, who once served as managing director and CEO of the bank, in sanctioning this loan is under the scanner. Mack star is a joint venture promoted by Ocean Deity Investments Holdings Ltd (ODIL), registered under Mauritius law, and a private firm owned by Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan, promoters of Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd. (HDIL). The ED had claimed that through Mackstar, the Wadhawans had obtained six loans worth Rs 200 crore from Yes Bank and this amount was used to clear other liabilities and credit facilities in violation of norms. In the bail plea, filed through advocates Vijay and Rahul Agarwal, Kapoor sought relief under relevant provisions of the CrPC, the PMLA as well as on medical grounds. The ED had opposed the bail plea, saying the banker was actively involved in the offence of money laundering. The central probe agency also contended that the offence alleged against him was serious in nature. Therefore, considering the gravity and magnitude of the alleged offence, bail cannot be granted to him. The court after hearing both sides, noted that a normal loan proposal always goes through detailed scrutiny and scanning as per norms of the bank and is sanctioned only after meeting the mandatory requirements. Whenever a loan amount is huge, different departments of the bank are in-charge and responsible for its sanction, said the judge. In the instant case, unless clearances from each and every department and their heads are made, such huge loans of Rs 200.3 crore from Yes Bank would not have been sanctioned, the court noted. The bail granted to co-accused has never been challenged by the probe agency till date, allowing it to attain finality, it observed. The applicant (Kapoor) stands on the same footing. Alleged laundered money had never come to him...nor there is anything to show he received any kickback for the same, the court said. When all other accused in the case, including the main accused Wadhawans, have been released, Kapoor is entitled to be released (on bail) as a matter of parity, as the progress of trial is in dark", it added. The court noted that the ED stand clearly indicates the Wadhawans are the main accused and had been guilty of an offence under the PMLA yet they were not arrested in the present case. The Wadhawans, too, are in judicial custody in multiple cases being probed by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The special judge said the ED may mould the discretion given under the PMLA as per their wish, but the court has bounden duty and is under legal obligation to not allow undue incarceration of any undertrial prisoner. The court further noted it is evident that the applicant (Kapoor) had undergone undue incarceration for 73 per cent of the minimum punishment of three years provided under section 4 of the PMLA. Economic offences are different in nature and have to be looked at from the perspective of its gravity and magnitude. That does not mean that an undertrial prisoner should be kept without trial and should be dragged to undergo a minimum sentence without trial, the special judge observed. Undue incarceration of the applicant for 2 years, 2 months and 3 days (in the loan fraud case) without trial is the price he has paid for the alleged gravity, magnitude and different nature of the economic offences against him, the court said. Agartala, Apr 12 (PTI) Transit and transhipment of cargo between Northeastern India and Bangladesh using Chittagong port will start soon, the neighbouring country's Minister of State for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said here on Wednesday. Tripura is set to become the 'Gateway of North East' with access to Chittagong port of Bangladesh, which is just 70 kilometres from Sabroom in the northeastern state, he said. We are ready for the start of transit and transhipment of goods between Bangladesh and the northeastern region of India through Chittagong. Trial runs were completed and all arrangements for immigration and customs formalities on the Bangladesh side are also ready, Chowdhury told PTI. The Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO), required for the movement of cargo from Bangladesh to India, will be issued by the National Board of Revenue. "This is, however, awaited till now," said the minister who is here to attend a programme. The immigration office on the Indian side is almost complete and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha recently inspected the site at Sabroom. A 1.9-km-long Maitree Setu, the friendship bridge over the river Feni, connecting Sabroom with Bangladesh, was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on March 9, 2021. This will facilitate movement of passengers and goods from Chittagong Port. After the bridge is made operational, it will also help Bangladesh's trade with Nepal and Bhutan, Chowdhury said. The Bangladesh minister said a new deep sea port is also being developed by the government of Japan at Matarbari in Coxs Bazar near Chittagong port and this would be completed by 2027. This too would help the carriage of goods from Bangladesh to Tripura. The relationship between Japan, Bangladesh and India is cordial and after the completion of the Matarbari port, a huge investment is expected there which will assist in developing Bangladesh and Indias northeastern region, he added. Chowdhury said Ashuganj port on the river Meghna, about 50 km from Tripura capital Agartala will be jointly revamped by the governments of India and Bangladesh. Recently we have procured land for developing the port. For developing infrastructure like construction of jetty and other works, the Indian government has agreed to spend Rs 400 crore and after it releases the money, full-scale works would be started, he said. Agartala, Apr 11 (PTI) Emphasizing close ties between Indias Northeast and Bangladesh, DoNER Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday asserted that the Narendra Modi government has taken concrete steps to implement the Act East policy for mutual benefits. The Bay of Bengal is very close to the Northeast and there is a need for cooperation from its immediate neighbour, Bangladesh, for development of the region, he said during the third India-Japan Intellectual Conclave here. Highlighting the Modi governments efforts for developing connectivity, Reddy mentioned the number of airports in the region has increased from nine in 2014 to 17 in 2023. Rs 5 lakh crore has been spent for growth in the region, Rs 1 lakh crore has been spent for road works and Rs 77,000 crore has been invested in railway connectivity in the past nine years, he said. Reddy said Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a vibrant village project in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. The central government has set a target of covering all the isolated and Himalayan areas with telecommunication by this year, he said. The use of Chittagong and Mongla ports will further strengthen the connectivity with Bangladesh. We need to work together for the mutual benefit of both sides, he said. Reddy also thanked Japan for being an important development partner not only for the Northeast but also for the entire nation. Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister (State) Shahriar Alam said his country achieved a miracle in the last 10 years with a growth rate of 7 per cent. It has become an example for others. India is our closest friend and Dhaka is ready for business with its neighbours. We have already established 365 days of connectivity with India, he pointed out. Alam also made an offer to have a one-day meeting of ministers of all northeastern states in Dhaka for a discussion on increasing trade and business. Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, threw light on the trade and business possibilities in the Bay of Bengal. Japan and Bangladesh are working closely for mutual benefits with 338 Japanese companies working there. The 7 per cent growth in Bangladesh is phenomenal and it has a good future, he said. With Matabari deep sea port coming up in Bangladesh 2027, Northeast India will be opened up for the whole globe. The days are not long when the Bay of Bengal will be a new industrial hub and Japan is very interested in working in Bangladesh. Dhaka is one of the most benefited nations under Official Development Assistance (ODA) by Japan, he said. Will anchor Early Spring, a new early-stage fund being set up by Spring Marketing Capital Will offer expertise and experience enabling founders to build strong, sustainable companies MUMBAI, India, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) today announced that it will be investing INR 100 Crore in Early Spring, a new INR 300 Crore early-stage consumer fund being set up by Spring Marketing Capital (Spring). GCPL will anchor the fund in addition to offering its expertise and experience to help founders build strong, sustainable companies. Spring is creating a skin-in-the-game, brand-first investment franchise that aims to back and support founders who are building the brands of tomorrow. Enabling companies leverage marketing expertise along with capital, Spring's first fund of INR 150 Crore continues to invest in companies at Series A and beyond. The Early Spring Fund will be investing INR 5 Crore to INR 20 Crore in each company, from seed to pre-series A stage. Commenting on the development, Omar Momin, Head M&A, GCPL, said: "In sync with GCPL's purpose of bringing the goodness of health and beauty to consumers, we are excited to collaborate with new-age companies in the home & personal care and health & wellness space along with Spring Marketing Capital. We intent to leverage our understanding of consumer space and learnings over the last decades to enable early-stage founders focused on building strong offline as well as online presence by offering differentiated products in India." He further added, "I would urge new-age companies in these categories to connect with and leverage Spring's expertise and experience across the spectrum of brand building, manufacturing, product development, distribution and future capital raises." Spring is helmed by a trio of founders Raja Ganapathy, Arun Iyer and Vineet Gupta who bring together decades of investing and brand building experience. ABOUT GODREJ CONSUMER PRODUCTS Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company. As part of the 125-year-young Godrej Group, we are fortunate to have a proud legacy built on the strong values of trust, integrity, and respect for others. At the same time, we are growing fast and have exciting, ambitious aspirations. Today, our Group enjoys the patronage of 1.2 billion consumers globally, across different businesses. GCPL ranks among the largest Household Insecticides, Air Care and Hair Care players in emerging markets of India, Indonesia, and Africa. In Household Insecticides, we are the leader in India, the second largest player in Indonesia, and are expanding our footprint in Africa. We are at the forefront of serving the hair care needs of women of African descent, the number one player in Hair Colour in India and Sub-Saharan Africa, and among the leading players in Latin America. We rank number two in Soaps in India and are the number one player in Air Fresheners and Wet Tissues in Indonesia. But for us, it is very important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, much- loved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in our Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health, and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our 'Good & Green' approach to create a more inclusive and greener India. At the heart of all of this, is our talented team. We take much pride in fostering an inspiring workplace, with an agile and high-performance culture. We are also deeply committed to recognising and valuing diversity across our teams. Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2051503/OmarMominInterview.mp4 (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, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited (IPM India), a country affiliate of Philip Morris International, Inc. (PMI) in India, today announced that it has successfully obtained the EQUAL-SALARY Recertification from independent, not-for-profit, EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. This certification is a strong display of IPM India's commitment to equality and gender balance whilst continuing to build an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees around the world. As the company transforms, it recognizes that diverse teams and an inclusive culture are needed to drive innovation and be successful. Commenting on the achievement, Alexander Reisch, Managing Director of IPM India said, "We are honoured and proud to receive Global EQUAL-SALARY Recertification from EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. Success of our organisation lies in our talented and diverse workforce, and we believe in providing fair and equal remuneration to men and women for equivalent work. Achieving gender balance at all levels of the company is one of our top priorities. We set ourselves a goal to achieve 40% women representation in management positions, by the end of 2022 and are proud to achieve this goal. Going forward, we aim to maintain 42% female representation globally and have a maximum of 60% of any gender identity in management positions in most of our business functions/regions by the end of 2025." "At IPM India, we are committed to tackling the gender gap first, and understand the role this plays as an enabler for PMI's vision of a smoke-free world," he further added. Commenting on the announcement, Noemie Storbeck, co-CEO, EQUAL-SALARY Foundation said, "We are pleased to announce that IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited has obtained EQUAL-SALARY Recertification. This reaffirms IPM India's commitment towards achieving global wage parity and contributes to the broader challenge of closing the gender pay gap." Jasneet Kaur, Director People & Culture, IPM India said, "We are delighted to receive the global EQUAL-SALARY Recertification from independent, not-for-profit, EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. The recognition reinforces our commitment to empowering culture, fair and equal remuneration for men and women and inclusive workplace. At IPM India, we believe in constantly evolving and adopting best practices to address the needs and aspirations of a diverse global workforce." IPM India received EQUAL-SALARY certification from the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation in 2018. This achievement was an important building block for IPM India to create a more inclusive gender-balanced workplace and continuing IPM India's reputation as a top employer. For more information on PMI's Inclusion & Diversity efforts as part of its wider sustainability work, visit here. About IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited is a joint venture between Philip Morris Brands Sarl of Switzerland and two Indian partners, Godfrey Phillips India Limited (GPI) and K.K. Modi Investment & Financial Services Private Limited. About EQUAL-SALARY Foundation The EQUAL-SALARY Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation whose objective is to provide companies with a label certifying equal pay for female and male employees. Developed in 2005 in collaboration with the University of Geneva, the EQUAL-SALARY certification was financially supported by the Swiss Confederation through the Federal Office for Equality. Today, it offers companies an effective way to verify their wage policy, thanks to a statistical analysis combined with a qualitative audit. This procedure provides an impartial evaluation system and proposes, if necessary, ways of improving to achieve the objective of equal treatment for women and men in terms of pay and, by extension, a balance in recruitment and promotion practices. For more information about EQUAL-SALARY Foundation, click here Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1798524/PhilipMorrisInternational_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 Indore, Apr 12 (PTI) Software exports from four information technology (IT) Special Economic Zone (SEZs) in Madhya Pradesh's Indore jumped 66 per cent to Rs 2,925.60 crore during FY23, a commerce and industry ministry official said on Wednesday. The largest share in the overall shipments from the SEZs has been of IT giant TCS with 51.6 per cent. The official said in the FY22, software worth Rs 1,761.19 crore was exported from these four IT SEZs. During the financial year ended March 2023, software exports worth Rs 1,509.80 crore were made from TCS SEZ, registering a growth of about 74 per cent. Exports from Infosys SEZ grew more than three times to Rs 444.80 crore during the period, while the outbound shipments from Impetus SEZ more than doubled to Rs 330.77 crore, the official said. According to the official, during FY23 software exports from Crystal IT Park SEZ reached Rs 640.23 crore, registering an increase of about seven per cent. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has urged the Union power ministry to pursue Punjab and Haryana for nominating candidates for their appointments as members in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). AIPEF has urged the Union power minister to fill the posts of Member (Power) and Member (Irrigation) on nomination basis from Punjab and Haryana respectively at the earliest, an AIPEF statement said. Padamjit Singh, Chief Patron, AIPEF, has shot off a letter to power minister R K Singh on April 10 and demanded that Punjab and Haryana should be directed to form a panel of 2 or 3 senior power engineers and irrigation engineers, respectively, as per previous practice so that the ministry of power can select Member (Power) and Member (Irrigation) of BBMB. The Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 makes it clear that since posts of Chairman, Member (Irrigation) and Member (Power) are whole time, these posts must be occupied on a full time basis without any dual charge. The body said that on 30th December, the government approved the current duty charge (CDC) of the post of Member (Power) to S S Dhadwal, Chief Engineer Generation, till the date of his superannuation on February 28. Similarly S D Sharma, Chief Engineer, BSL project, has been given the current duty charge for a maximum period of six month (for Member-Irrigation). The term of BBMB Chairman is also expiring on Ist July and the government has reportedly received 25 applications for the post, it stated. The new Chairman of BBMB should be selected before the expiry of term, the body pleaded. The post of Member (Power) of BBMB has been lying vacant since February 28. The post of Member (Irrigation) is also lying vacant as dual charge has been given to Chief Engineer BSL, it stated. "It seems that from 1st July, the BBMB would be without Chairman, or Member (Power) or Member (Irrigation). This is against the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966," it stated. The government of India must complete the selection process in time to avoid an approaching crisis in the BBMB during the paddy season, it stated. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Keshub Mahindra, a pioneer of Indian auto industry and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd Chairman Emeritus, died on Wednesday morning in Mumbai due to old age. Mahindra, 99, breathed his last on Wednesday morning at home peacefully, said a person close to the family. He had led the Mahindra Group for 48 years as Chairman and expanded it from being an automobile manufacturer to other business segments like IT, real estate, financial services and hospitality. He played key roles in forging business alliances with global majors such as the Willys Corporation, Mitsubishi, International Harvester, United Technologies, British Telecom and many others. A graduate from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, USA, Mahindra had joined M&M in 1947 and became the Chairman in 1963. In 2012, Keshub Mahindra, who remained as one of the directors on Mahindra & Mahindra's board for 64 years overseeing the group's metamorphosis from a steel trading company to a USD 15.4 billion diversified group, handed over the baton to his nephew and the then Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Anand Mahindra. He had also served on a large number of Boards and Councils in both private and public domain. He was the founder Chairman of HUDCO, and also served on many corporate boards, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, IFC, ICICI and HDFC. Besides, he also held the position of President of Employers' Federation of India and the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He was a member of the Sachar Commission on Company Law and Reforms, a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry and Chairman of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In a statement, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Vinod Aggarwal condoled his saying the Indian Automobile Industry has lost one of its pioneers. "His leadership in the early years of the journey of the Indian Auto Industry had led to India being recognised as an important player globally and also helped in India becoming a manufacturing hub for the Automobile sector," he added. Mahindra was the President of SIAM in 1964. "SIAM and the Indian Automobile Industry condoles the passing away of a true visionary and pray for the departed soul to rest in peace," Aggarwal said. Former M&M Managing Director Pawan Goenka tweeted, "The industrial world has lost one of the tallest personalities today. Shri Keshub Mahindra had no match; the nicest person I had the privilege of knowing. I always looked forward to mtgs with him and inspired by how he connected business, economics and social matters. Om Shanti." Noida/Ghaziabad, Apr 12 (PTI) Ghaziabad police on Wednesday said they have launched a probe after a real-estate developer alleged fraud by a finance company and another builder to usurp its land in Noida. The police have booked 18 people, including current and former officials of Indiabulls Housing Finance and developer M3M India, on charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy, among others, according to the FIR. The FIR was lodged at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad on April 9 after a complaint by a representative of Shipra Estate Ltd. The FIR has been lodged after instructions from a local court. The police have launched a probe but in matters like this when the amount of alleged fraud is big, the cases are investigated by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) or an SIT (special investigation team). The case is in the process of being forwarded to either the EOW or an SIT, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans-Hindon Ghaziabad) Vivek Chandra Yadav told PTI. According to the FIR, Shipra Group representative Amit Walia claimed his group had to complete residential and commercial projects for which Indiabulls approached it in 2018 and offered a loan of Rs 1,939 crore. Walia claimed his group was provided only Rs 866 crore and shortly thereafter asked illegally to repay Rs 1,738 crore within seven days. He claimed it was done intentionally to take over his group's 73-acre land in Noida's Sector 128. In July last year, the DLF group had challenged the deal to sell this land to M3M in the Delhi High Court. When contacted, Gurgaon-based M3M rejected the allegations and said the matter is sub-juice. "M3M is a law-abiding company and we do our business following best practices with highest level of integrity and corporate governance," the company said in a statement to PTI. "Since the current matter is subjudice, we would not like to comment further," it added. The Mumbai-headquartered Indiabulls Housing Finance could not be contacted immediately. Colombo, Apr 12 (PTI) The Sri Lanka Navy said on Wednesday that it has joined the Kankesanthurai harbour facility expansion to aid the passenger ferry service project between the island nation and India, set to start later this month. The Sri Lanka Navy is building a passenger terminal at Kankesanthurai. The passenger ferry service project is scheduled to start by the end of April, Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said last month. The project will connect the port of Kankesanthurai and Puducherry and provide an economical and convenient mode of transportation between the two countries, the Sri Lanka Navy press release said. "Following the directives of the Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, the Sri Lanka Navy has taken an active role in supporting the expansion of the Kankesanthurai harbour facility by enabling its manpower and expertise, in response to a request of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation," the Navy said. The project got underway on February 1 "with skilled manpower and industrial expertise enabled by the Navy," the press release said. The Navy commenced facility expansion of the harbour to accommodate more traffic and provide better infrastructure, it said. The construction of a 1,000 square metre passenger terminal for immigration and customs clearance of people who intend to use the ferry service was undertaken by the Navy, the press release said. The Navy said that a group of 60 naval personnel were engaged in the passenger terminal's construction under the supervision of a naval civil engineering officer. It added that upon the facility's completion, it would be handed over to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority for operational purposes. On April 29, the ferry service between Karaikal and Kankesanthurai in port in Jaffna district would begin. Each passenger would be allowed a 100 kg baggage allowance at a very concessionary rate, Minister de Silva said last month. The vessels under the new service will carry 300 to 400 passengers on a trip which will take about three and half hours between destinations, according to ferry owners. A contestant competes during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) A contestant competes during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) A contestant competes during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) A contestant competes during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) A contestant competes during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) A judge checks a pizza baked by a contestant during a pizza competition at the 2023 Restaurants Canada Show (RC Show) in Toronto, Canada, on April 11, 2023. A total of 30 contestants from across Canada took part in the competition on Tuesday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) London, Apr 12 (PTI) An Indian-origin mastermind of a fake designer clothing scam, accused of trying to steal around GBP 97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones with the help of a criminal gang, has been convicted of tax fraud in the UK. Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, was found guilty in what Britain's tax department has described as one of the countrys largest ever "carousel" tax frauds. Patel was found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering following a 14-week trial at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday. Arif Patel lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the law-abiding majority. Tax crime is not victimless and fraudsters like this pair steal the money that funds the NHS (National Health Service) and other vital public services we all rely on, said Richard Las, Director of the Fraud Investigation Service at His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which was part of a joint investigation with the local Lancashire police. For more than a decade HMRC and our partners have worked tirelessly and together to bring this gang to justice...Our work doesnt stop here. We have more than GBP 78 million of the gangs UK assets restrained and have begun the process to recover all those proceeds of crime, he said. Patel and his gang imported and sold counterfeit clothes that would have been worth at least GBP 50 million had they been genuine and the proceeds were then used to buy property across Preston in northern England and London through offshore bank accounts. A co-accused, 58-year-old Mohamed Jaffar Ali from Dubai, was also found guilty of conspiracy to cheat HMRC and money laundering at the end of the trial this week. Reporting restrictions have now been lifted to reveal for the first time that 24 members of the criminal empire have been convicted in five trials between 2011 and 2014 and jailed for a total of more than 116 years. Arif Patel and Ali are due to be sentenced next month. These guilty verdicts close a significant chapter in one of the biggest tax fraud cases ever investigated by HMRC, added Richard Las. The court heard how Patels Preston-based company, Faisaltex Ltd, was the heart of his criminal empire, from where he ran the counterfeit clothing import operation and false export business. As well as being a major player in the overall criminal conspiracy, co-accused Ali also laundered the proceeds through bank accounts he set up in Dubai and offshore. While presenting himself as a genuine and reputable businessman Arif Patel in fact used stolen taxpayers cash to line his own pockets and fund a lavish lifestyle, said Sam Mackenzie, Assistant Chief Constable, Lancashire Constabulary. Arif Patel travelled to Dubai in July 2011 and failed to return, to be convicted in the UK in his absence. The convictions of Arif Patel and Mohamed Jaffar Ali successfully conclude this part of an immense investigative and prosecution case against an organised criminal group, involved in counterfeit clothing, fraudulent VAT claims and money laundering. The cost to the public purse was tens of millions, money that could have been used for essential public services in the NHS, social care and education, noted Andrew Fox, Senior Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Patel and the Faisaltex group of companies had turned to bulk imports of counterfeit clothing in 2004. During the next three years dozens of containers with fake designer clothing inside were stopped at ports across the UK, including Liverpool, Southampton and Felixstowe. Onward distribution to UK traders was confirmed when a delivery to a Glasgow wholesaler was intercepted by police and revealed to be poorly made designer rip-offs. Patel also used the business to make fraudulent VAT repayment claims on supposed high-value goods and yarns, fraudulently claiming GBP 97 million but the HMRC stopped GBP 64 million of these. Such a scam is known as a carousel fraud, where goods are purportedly sold to genuine buyers, but in fact the whole process is controlled by the criminal, who instigates a paper trail of alleged sales and exports in order to reclaim value added tax (VAT). It emerged in court that Arif Patel frequently travelled to Dubai to meet Mohamed Jaffar Ali and also made trips to China and Turkey to set up deals with manufacturers of counterfeit clothing. The profits were laundered by Ali through freezone companies and bank accounts held in the UAE. Money was sent to British Virgin Island registered companies, which Arif Patel then used to buy property in his hometown of Preston. The HMRC said that Patels criminal enterprise relied on dozens of lieutenants around the UK, including professional enablers. This involved two chartered accountants from a Preston-based practice: Anil Hindocha, 69, from Preston, and Yogesh Patel, 66, from Aylesbury. Hindocha was jailed for 12 years and 10 months in 2014 after being found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the tax department and money laundering. Yogesh Patel was jailed for five years and seven months for the same offences. Singapore, Apr 12 (PTI) A 25-year-old Indian-origin man, allegedly wielding an axe, was charged in court on Wednesday on charges of assault and other offences in Singapore's Central Business District (CBD), according to a media report. In a video posted on YouTube, Manohar Thirunavukkarasu is seen wielding an axe in CBD's Stamford Road on Tuesday morning while crossing the road towards Raffles City shopping mall, The Straits Times newspaper reported. He then walked towards a police car parked at a nearby traffic light, and two uniformed officers point their weapons at him. The man then threw his axe, which landed on an adjacent pavement, the report said. In an earlier statement, the police said they were alerted about a fight on Stamford Road on Tuesday morning. However, it is unclear whether the video was taken before or after the fight. A 25-year-old man was subsequently arrested for possession of (an) offensive weapon, using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty, and using abusive language against a public servant, the daily quoted the police as saying. The police also said that a 71-year-old man was taken to the hospital conscious, while a 29-year-old man is assisting with investigations. Manohar will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for medical examination. His case has been adjourned to April 26. Kathmandu, Apr 12 (PTI) Four Indian nationals were killed and another person was seriously injured when their car plunged into a ravine in a remote region in Nepal's Bagmati province, media reports said on Wednesday. The accident occurred late Tuesday when the car with the five Indian nationals lost control and plunged some 500 metres off the road in the Sindhuli district of Bagmati province, The Himalayan Times newspaper reported. According to the report, all four deceased were males, but their identities are yet to be ascertained. The car with a Bihar registration was heading to Kathmandu from the east, and its fall resulted in the death of three people on the spot, District Police Office's Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Silwal was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post newspaper. Silwal said that one injured passenger, who was taken to the Sindhuli Hospital, died while undergoing treatment. According to the report, the critically injured survivor was also rushed to a hospital for further treatment. The bodies of the deceased could not be retrieved from the accident site, given the inaccessible geographical area. "It takes over an hour to reach the accident site. So, there is trouble in taking out the bodies," Silwal was quoted as saying in the report. He added that the Nepal Army's support had been sought to retrieve the bodies, and the team was heading to the site. Washington, Apr 12 (PTI) The California state assembly has passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to formally recognise and condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India as genocide. The resolution was introduced by assembly Member Jasmeet Kaur Bains, first-ever elected Sikh member of state assembly, on March 22, and was passed unanimously by the state assembly on Monday. It was co-sponsored by assembly member Carlos Villapudua. Only other Hindu member Ash Kalra also voted in favour. Noting that the Sikh community in the US has not recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, the resolution urges the US Congress to formally recognise and condemn the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence as a genocide. The resolution said the 'Widow Colony' in New Delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning and murder of their families, and who are still calling for justice against the perpetrators. In a statement, Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Sikh Caucus Committee and other US Sikh bodies, expressed gratitude towards the members of the California state assembly for introducing and passing the resolution. In 2015, California assembly also passed a resolution,terming the anti-Sikh violence as pograms. Violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India, mostly in the National Capital, in the violence that ensued. Beijing, Apr 12 (AP) Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a serious warning to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, a Chinese spokesperson said Wednesday. The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the US China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead. The People's Liberation Army recently organised and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces," Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. It is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, she said. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary and regularly sends ships and warplanes into airspace and waters near the island. Such missions have grown more frequent in recent years, accompanied by increasingly bellicose language from the administration of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. Any conflict between the sides could draw in the US, Taiwan's closest ally, which is required by law to consider all threats to the island as matters of grave concern. China has kept up military pressure against Taiwan despite the formal conclusion of the drills. On Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it tracked 35 flights by People's Liberation Army warplanes within the last 24 hours, and eight navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. The vast majority of Taiwanese favour maintaining their current de-facto independent status, while Tsai has said there is no need for a formal declaration since the island democracy is already an independent nation. Despite that, China, which does not recognise Taiwan's government institutions and has cut off contact with Tsai's administration, routinely accuses her of plotting formal independence with outside backing generally seen as referring to the US External forces are intensifying their endeavor of containing China with Taiwan as a tool, Zhu said. Zhu also repeated China's assertion that its military threats are targeted at Taiwan's independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and by no means at our compatriots in Taiwan. What that means in practical terms isn't clear, although Beijing has long exploited political divisions within Taiwanese society, which boasts a robust democracy and strong civil liberties. Taiwanese compatriots should clearly recognize the serious harm that the provocation of Taiwan independence forces poses to cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, recognise the interests, distinguish right from wrong, and stand on the correct side of history, Zhu said. The Chinese military issued a threat as it concluded the exercises, saying its troops can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence' and foreign interference attempts. In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island that landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation. The most recent exercises focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwan's Defence Ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes. They also featured the use of China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which launched dozens of J-15 Flying Shark fighter missions during the exercises, according to Japanese officials. That came as the USS Nimitz Carrier group is operating in the South China Sea south of Taiwan and as American and Filipino forces hold their largest combat exercises in decades in Philippine waters across the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. (AP) FZH By Robert OlsonSenior Lecturer of Computing Security, Rochester Institute of Technology New York, Apr 12 (The Conversation) TikTok is not be the first app to be scrutinised over the potential exposure of US user data, but it is the first widely used app that the US government has proposed banning over privacy and security concerns. So far, the discussion has focused on whether TikTok should be banned. There has been little discussion of whether TikTok could be banned, and there has been almost no discussion of the effects on cybersecurity that a TikTok ban could cause, including encouraging users to sidestep built-in security mechanisms to bypass a ban and access the app. As a cybersecurity researcher, I see potential risks if the US attempts to ban TikTok. The type of risk depends on the type of ban. Blocking TikTok in the network Blocking access to TikTok by filtering traffic destined for addresses believed to be owned by TikTok is possible but would be difficult to accomplish. Server addresses can be changed and a TikTok ban could devolve into a game of cat and mouse. Additionally, this sort of block could be bypassed using virtual private networks (VPNs), which encrypt data flowing between servers and devices. VPNs can be used to shield traffic between servers in other countries and devices in the US VPNs were once widely recommended for people using public Wi-Fi, and people are already using VPNs to access blocked streaming services. While security experts no longer recommend VPNs for public Wi-Fi, many people have used them and so are familiar with a tool that would help them bypass a TikTok ban. DNS sinkholes are another technique that could be used in TikTok bans. DNS, the Domain Name System, is a network protocol that behaves like the internets phone book. Computers need to know the IP address of a server in order to communicate with it. DNS allows a computer to look up that address using a name convenient for humans to remember, such as www.google.com. DNS sinkholes stop that lookup. DNS sinkholes dont directly block access to a server. Rather, they stop other computers from being able to look up the servers address. Its fair to think of a DNS sinkhole as removing someones name from a phone book. DNS sinkholes are often used to stop malware and advertisements. They could be used in a TikTok ban. However, DNS sinkholes only work if lookups are confined to DNS servers that are configured to be sinkholes. A ban using DNS sinkholes would likely cover most DNS servers that peoples computers use by default. However, you can relatively easily change DNS settings on your computer to circumvent a ban based on DNS sinkholes. There are many public DNS servers that people could use instead of their current DNS servers, which are commonly maintained by internet service providers. Blocking TikTok with DNS sinkholes would require significant international cooperation to make it difficult for people to find DNS servers that could access TikTok. People circumventing a ban by looking for an alternate DNS server would be at risk. Unless a DNS server uses an uncommon extension named DNSSEC, you cant verify the integrity of a DNS response. A malicious DNS server could reply to a lookup with an IP address of a server thats under criminal control. This opens the door for a number of different kinds of attacks that could put your data at risk. Banning TikTok from your phone Another way TikTok could be banned is by blocking the TikTok mobile app. This would not affect US users ability to access the TikTok website, but it could change how and how often people access TikTok. Blocking the app could address the concern that TikTok could be used without the users knowledge to access other systems on a network that a mobile device is connected to. This has been the motivation for some local TikTok bans. Removing TikTok from app stores is unlikely to succeed by itself. Both Android and iOS devices have the ability to install apps from alternative sources, a technique known as sideloading. While this added step may discourage some people, sideloading tutorials are widely available online, and there is already popular software that must be sideloaded to be used on a phone. Mobile devices assume that mobile apps are coming from a trusted source. Both Google and Apple audit mobile apps prior to the app being available for download. While these reviews arent perfect, they help ensure apps dont contain vulnerabilities or malware. When app stores arent involved, security responsibilities change. Sideloading makes users responsible for verifying an apps legitimacy, and criminals could trick users into installing malicious apps from third-party sources. But what about the millions of people who already have TikTok installed on their phones? Enforcing a TikTok app ban would likely require that it be removed from mobile devices. Apple has long had the ability to remove software from iPhones, and Google could remove apps using Google Play Protect. These tools are important security controls that, at least on Android devices, can remove malware even if it was sideloaded. Enforcing a ban using security controls could motivate users to disable these controls, which would weaken the security of their devices. Users might even be motivated to jailbreak their iOS devices or root their Android devices to prevent Apple or Google from removing the TikTok app, which would further weaken security. Jailbreaking an iOS device allows users to bypass security restrictions in the operating system. Rooting an Android device means gaining the highest level security access, which allows users to make changes to the operating system. Jailbreaking and rooting are prohibited by Apple and Google. Both actions void the users warranty and undermine the security controls that limit criminals access to mobile devices. Security tradeoffs I find it unlikely that a TikTok ban would be technologically enforceable. Even China struggles with content filtering. These difficulties may be why proposed legislation includes significant punishments for bypassing the ban. Even if the punishments are not aimed at the average TikTok user, this proposed legislation aimed at improving cybersecurity could motivate users to engage in riskier digital behavior. (The Conversation) FZH London, Apr 12 (PTI) A British Pakistani diaspora group has written an open letter to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, urging him to clarify the remarks of his Home Secretary Suella Braverman which, they say, stigmatised their community in relation to grooming gangs behind child sexual exploitation. The British Pakistani Foundation (BPF), which claims to represent 18,000 Pakistani diaspora members, called on Sunak to ask his Cabinet minister to withdraw her irresponsible words as it would be perceived as normalising bigotry against the community. Similar letters have also been issued by other Pakistani diaspora groups, all calling for the Indian-origin Cabinet ministers comments to be withdrawn. In a series of television interviews earlier this month ahead of the launch of a new Grooming Gangs Taskforce, Braverman said that the perpetrators of such crimes are "groups of men, almost all British Pakistani". We are writing to you to share our deep concern and disappointment at the Home Secretarys recent comments and for you not speaking out against them, reads the open letter issued on Tuesday. These comments singled out only the involvement of British Pakistani males in so-called grooming gangs and holding cultural values totally at odds with British values', it said. "Words have consequences by stigmatising an entire community, and making it the face of child sexual exploitation, the Home Secretarys remarks will detract attention from perpetrators who dont meet her stereotypes, harming the very victims the Home Secretary ostensibly set out to protect but also further perpetrating violence against minorities, it reads. The letter references a report commissioned by the UK Home Office in 2020, entitled The characteristics of group-based child sexual exploitation in the community, which had concluded that despite some high-profile cases, links between ethnicity and this form of offending cannot be proven. It also references the most recent conviction of 21 men and women of white British ethnicity, who were last week found guilty of sexually abusing young children in Walsall in the West Midlands region of England over a decade. The divisive and dangerous way in which the Home Secretary is seeking to portray all British Pakistani males and insinuating that the community is complicit in their actions is reprehensible, the BPF open letter notes. We, therefore, ask you to immediately clarify the Home Secretarys claims and ask her to withdraw her remarks. We also ask for your prompt engagement with the British Pakistani community, and others, on this issue to ensure that the Home Secretarys irresponsible words, and a government led by you, are not seen as encouraging and normalising bigotry targeted at British Pakistanis, it concludes. Earlier this month, Sunak had condemned the political correctness which prevented action against vile criminals as he unveiled his new taskforce to go after grooming gangs. The safety of women and girls is paramount. 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, he said at the time. Led by the police and supported by the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA), Downing Street says that data analysts will work alongside the new Grooming Gangs Taskforce using cutting edge data and intelligence to identify the types of criminals who carry out these offences, including police recorded ethnicity data. Belfast (Northern Ireland), Apr 12 (AP) President Joe Biden is in Northern Ireland on Wednesday to participate in marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to this part of the United Kingdom, as a new political crisis tests the strength of that peace. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden was stressing that American investment can help fuel economic growth especially if the fractious politicians in Belfast resolve a new political crisis that has rattled the Good Friday peace deal and put Northern Ireland's government on pause. In a speech at Ulster University's new campus in downtown Belfast, Biden will focus on Northern Ireland's vast economic potential, said Amanda Sloat, the Democratic president's top adviser on European affairs. She said Biden will talk about how the last 25 years were focused on peace but the next 25 years should be marked by growth and economic prosperity. US involvement was key to negotiating the Good Friday accord, which largely ended decades of sectarian violence that killed 3,600 people. While that peace has endured, Northern Ireland is currently without a functioning government. Stormont, the seat of its assembly, has been suspended since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Biden's schedule on Wednesday begins over coffee with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and includes short meetings with leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties. Sloat said that while Biden wants to see the Stormont government back up and running, he won't try to strongarm Northern Ireland's politicians back to the table. The purpose of the president's visit today is to mark the Good Friday Agreement, to continue to reaffirm the support of the United States for peace and prosperity, she said. "The president's message ... is the United States' strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically elected power sharing representative governance. The political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britain's departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the UK and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, an agreement welcomed by the US, which had urged London and Brussels to end their post-Brexit feud. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the Windsor Framework doesn't go far enough and has refused to return to government. As he set off for Belfast on Tuesday, Biden said a priority of his trip to Northern Ireland was to keep the peace. While UK officials hope the president's presence can help nudge the unionists back into government, Biden faces mistrust from some unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the UK Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British. The track record of the president shows he's not anti-British," Sloat said, adding that the UK remains one of out strongest and closest allies. Biden is spending less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland for a three-day visit, including an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. He will fly to County Louth, on Ireland's east coast, on Wednesday to visit a cemetery, tour a castle, walk around downtown Dundalk and attend a community gathering. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Biden's visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. "Whether or not Mr. Biden's visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I don't know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. A massive security operation was in place for Biden's stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on blocked-off streets around the president's hotel and the Ulster campus. Last month, UK intelligence services raised Northern Ireland's terrorism threat level from substantial to severe. But Biden said then that not even the heightened risk of an attack would keep him from making the trip. Biden last visited Ireland in 2016, when he was US vice president. Samuel Olufemia, who is studying for a degree in public health at Ulster University, said he was looking forward to meeting Biden on campus. Having him in Belfast here is a privilege, said Olufemia, who is from Nigeria. It's going to be an historic visit, and that's one of the reasons I'm excited. (AP) FZH Belfast (Northern Ireland), Apr 12 (AP) President Joe Biden said a bright future for Northern Ireland is just beginning," pledging enduring American support as he marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The US-brokered deal brought peace to this part of the United Kingdom, but a new political crisis has recently tested its strength. It's up to us to keep this going, Biden said in a speech at Ulster University. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden stressed that American investment can help fuel economic growth especially if the fractious politicians in Belfast resolve a stalemate that has put their government on pause. Your history is our history," he said. "And even more important, your future is America's future. Biden's speech navigated Northern Ireland's complex political currents, referring to his British as well as Irish ancestry, and noting the contribution to the US of largely Protestant Ulster Scots as well as Irish Catholics like his own forebears. US involvement was key to negotiating the Good Friday accord, which largely ended decades of sectarian violence that killed 3,600 people. Biden credited people who were willing to risk boldly for the future by reaching the agreement, reminding the audience that "peace was not inevitable. While that peace has endured, Northern Ireland is currently without a functioning government. Stormont, the seat of its assembly, has been suspended since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. In addition, a top police official was shot and injured in February, an attack that authorities have blamed on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process. The enemies of peace will not prevail," Biden said. "Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. Biden's schedule on Wednesday began over tea with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Asked what he would tell the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties when he meets with them later in the day, Biden responded, "I'm going to listen." Amanda Sloat, the Democratic president's top adviser on European affairs, said that while Biden wants to see the Stormont government back up and running, he won't try to strongarm Northern Ireland's politicians back to the table. The purpose of the president's visit today is to mark the Good Friday Agreement, to continue to reaffirm the support of the United States for peace and prosperity, she said. "The president's message ... is the United States' strong support for that, the belief that the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have a democratically elected power sharing representative governance. The political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britain's departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the UK and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, an agreement welcomed by the US, which had urged London and Brussels to end their post-Brexit feud. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the Windsor Framework doesn't go far enough and has refused to return to government. As he set off for Belfast on Tuesday, Biden said a priority of his trip to Northern Ireland was to keep the peace. While UK officials hope the president's presence can help nudge the unionists back into government, Biden faces mistrust from some unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the UK Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British. The track record of the president shows he's not anti-British," Sloat said, adding that the UK remains one of out strongest and closest allies. Biden is spending less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland for a three-day visit, including an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. He will fly to County Louth, on Ireland's east coast, on Wednesday to visit a cemetery, tour a castle, walk around downtown Dundalk and attend a community gathering. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Biden's visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. "Whether or not Mr. Biden's visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I don't know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. A massive security operation was in place for Biden's stay in Belfast, with a heavy police presence on blocked-off streets around the president's hotel and the Ulster campus. Last month, UK intelligence services raised Northern Ireland's terrorism threat level from substantial to severe. But Biden said then that not even the heightened risk of an attack would keep him from making the trip. Biden last visited Ireland in 2016, when he was US vice president. Samuel Olufemia, who is studying for a degree in public health at Ulster University, said he was looking forward to meeting Biden on campus. Having him in Belfast here is a privilege, said Olufemia, who is from Nigeria. It's going to be an historic visit, and that's one of the reasons I'm excited. (AP) GRS Beijing, Apr 12 (PTI) China on Wednesday waded into controversy over French President Emmanuel Macron's comments in which he called for greater "European sovereignty" by not following the US policy over China and Taiwan. "The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: Is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No," Macron was quoted as saying in the interview after his recent visit to China during which he held extensive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and later Guangzhou. "The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction," Macron said. The comments were made last Friday before China launched large-scale combat drills around Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in response to the Taiwanese president's trip to the US last week. Macron's comments raised questions over the EU's relationship with both the US and China. "We have noticed that President Macron's view that Europe should insist on strategic autonomy and avoid getting involved in group confrontations has attracted some criticism, especially from the United States. We are not surprised by this," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the media here while responding to the controversy over the French President's comments. "What we want to tell you is that some countries do not want to see other countries become independent, and always want to coerce other countries to obey their will," he said. "But adhering to strategic autonomy will win more respect and more friends, while coercion and pressure will only result in more resistance and opposition," Wang said. He said Macron paid a successful visit to China and the two sides reached important consensus, injecting new impetus into deepening China-France and China-EU cooperation. ANKARA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement on Wednesday that it has rescued 77 illegal migrants off the country's western Aegean coast. These illegal migrants, who were found in a rubber boat off the coast of Ayvacik district, Canakkale Province, were handed over to local authorities in Ayvacik for deportation, according to the statement. The Aegean Sea was once the main route for illegal migrants trying to reach Europe via Turkiye, before a deal was signed in March 2016 between Turkiye and the European Union to curb the flow of illegal migrants. With a population of more than 85 million, Turkiye is one of the world's major havens for refugees and is currently home to more than 4 million refugees. Some migrants arrive in Turkey to seek refuge from violence in its neighboring countries, while others hope to immigrate illegally further into Europe. Worsening global economic conditions have tested Turkiye's ability to accommodate the refugees it takes in, and led to tighter border control policies and a higher rate of deportations. London, Apr 12 (AP) Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father, King Charles III, at Westminster Abbey on May 6, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday, ending months of speculation about his presence. Harry's wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain in California with the couple's two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the palace said. The coronation date coincides with their eldest son's birthday. Harry's attendance comes despite the rift within the House of Windsor prompted by Harry's decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book, Spare. The revelations included details of private conversations with his father and his elder brother, Prince William. The disclosures fanned tensions between Harry and his family, which had become public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020. (AP) AMS Mexico City, Apr 12 (AP) Mexico's top immigration official will face criminal charges in a fire that killed 40 migrants in Ciudad Juarez last month, with federal prosecutors saying he was remiss in not preventing the disaster despite earlier indications of problems at his agency's detention centres. The decision to file charges against Francisco Garduno, the head of Mexico's National Immigration Institute, was announced late Tuesday by the federal Attorney General's Office. It followed repeated calls from within Mexico, and from some Central American nations, not to stop the case at the five low-level officials, guards and a Venezuelan migrant already facing homicide charges in the case. On Wednesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that even though the Attorney General's Office was investigating Garduno, prosecutors had revealed few details and it was not exactly clear what they would charge him with. We are going to wait and we are going to make decisions in the (right) moment, Lopez Obrador said. Anger initially focused on two guards who were seen fleeing the March 27 fire, without unlocking the cell door to allow the migrants to escape. But President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said earlier Tuesday that they didn't have the keys. The Attorney General's Office said several other officers of Garduno's agency will also face charges for failing to carry out their duties, the statement said, but prosecutors did not explain what specific charges or identify the officials. Prosecutors said the case showed a pattern of irresponsibility" The press office of the immigration agency that Garduno heads did respond to messages and phone calls requesting comment. Prosecutors said that after a fire at another detention centre in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco killed one person and injured 14 in 2020, the immigration agency knew there were problems which needed to be corrected, but alleged they failed to act. There have long been complaints about corruption and bad conditions at Mexico's migrant detention facilities, but they have never been seriously addressed. Lopez Obrador's comments about the guards in last month's fire in the border city of Ciudad Juarez came on the same day that the bodies of 17 Guatemala migrants and six Hondurans killed in the fire were flown back to their home countries. It was unclear what effect Lopez Obrador's comments might have on the trial of the guards, who were detained previously over the fire. The door was closed, because the person who had the keys wasn't there, Lopez Obrador said. A video from a security camera inside the facility shows guards walking away when the fire started in late March inside the cell holding migrants. The guards are seen hurrying away as smoke fills the facility, and they did not appear to make any effort to release the migrants. Three Mexican immigration officials, a guard and a Venezuelan migrant are being held for investigation in connection with the fire. They face homicide charges. The migrant allegedly set fire to foam mattresses at the detention centre to protest what he apparently thought were plans to move or deport the migrants. In Guatemala City, relatives of the victims gathered at an air force base with flowers and photos of the deceased to mark their return. My son, my love, a female voice could be heard calling out, amid sobs from those present as the coffins were unloaded and placed in a line, and relatives were allowed to approach them. Mexican military planes carried the bodies six migrants to Honduras and 17 to Guatemala. Authorities say 19 of the 40 dead were from Guatemala, but two bodies were still in the process of having their identities confirmed. An additional 11 Guatemalans were injured in the fire. Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro accompanied the bodies, which were to be taken overland to their hometowns in nine different provinces. Some bodies of Salvadoran migrants were returned to El Salvador last week. So far, 31 bodies have been sent back to their home countries. (AP) GRS Toronto, Apr 12 (AP) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more military aid to support Ukraine in its war with Russia while hosting Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Toronto on Tuesday. The new military assistance includes 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition. We are preparing for our counteroffensive. We need more ammunition, we need more weaponry, we need more military equipment, Shmyhal said. Shmyhal thanked Canada for its support since Russian forces invaded in February 2022, which has included billions of dollars in economic and military aid. Trudeau also said Canada is imposing new sanctions on Russian and Belarusian authorities and organizations in retaliation for the ongoing invasion. Ukraine is fighting for the values and the principles that underpin all of our democracies, Trudeau said. We will continue to do everything necessary to ensure Ukraine prevails. Canada also provided a $2.4 billion Canadian (US$1.78 billion) loan to the government of Ukraine to support essential services, including pension payments and restoring damaged energy infrastructure. Canada's total commitment to Ukraine has surpassed $8 billion Canadian (US5.94 billion). Trudeau was also asked about the prime minister's Web site being down on Tuesday. There have been a slew of denial-of-service attacks by pro-Russia hacktivists' on Ukraine, its European allies and U.S. websites since Russia invaded its neighbor last year -- few having significant impact. Denial of service attacks consist of a coordinated flooding of a targeted website with junk data to make it unreachable. The attacks are not hacking, though they sometimes can be used to divert attention from network intrusions. Trudeau said it's not uncommon for Russia to target countries as they are showing their steadfast support for Ukraine and as they are welcoming Ukrainian delegations. "The timing isn't surprising, Trudeau said. But in case anyone is wondering, Russia being able to bring down an official government of Canada webpage for a few hours is in no way going to dissuade us from our unshakable support of Ukraine. (AP) AMS AMS Thane, Apr 11 (PTI) Navi Mumbai police has registered a case of murder against a man for allegedly killing his wife, an official said. As per the woman's brother, she and her husband quarrelled frequently and their divorce case was pending in the court. The couple, who live in Kamothe area of Navi Mumbai, have two children, aged 10 and 12. The woman had told her brother that she feared that her husband could kill her, the official said. On April 8, the woman did not pick up her children from school as usual. When her brother tried to call her, she did not pick up the phone. He went to her house to find it locked from outside. When the door was broken open, the woman was found inside, lying dead in a pool of blood with her head smashed. Police have registered a case against the husband for alleged murder and launched a manhunt for him, the official said. Osmanabad, Apr 11 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday visited some villages in Osmanabad district where untimely rains and hailstorms have damaged crops, and assured financial assistance to affected farmers. He visited grape plantations at Morda village under Tuljapur tehsil and agriculture fields in Dharur and Wadibamani villages of the central Maharashtra district. Shinde inspected grape plantations, water melon fields, vegetables, jowar crops, dragon fruit plantations, chillies, mango crops, sugarcane fields and heard the grievances of farmers. He said the state government would provide relief to the affected farmers at the earliest, and directed officials concerned to quickly conclude damage assessment exercise. The CM was accompanied by Health Minister Tanaji Sawant who also the district guardian minister. Shinde earlier visited the Tuljabhavani Temple in Tuljapur and offered prayers. Lucknow, Apr 12 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted fresh searches in Uttar Pradesh as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation against gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and those linked to him, sources said. The raids are being carried out at a dozen locations, including Prayagraj and its adjoining areas, they said. Ahmad is expected to reach Prayagraj from the Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat for his production in a local court in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. He is being brought by a Uttar Pradesh Police team by road. Pal and his two police security guards were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area on February 24 this year. Based on a complaint lodged by Pal's wife, a case was registered on February 25 against Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on March 26 also taken Ahmad from the Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj to produce him in a court. In 2021, the ED had attached assets worth over Rs 8 crore of Ahmad and his wife as part of the money laundering investigation against them. It had conducted some searches at that time too. The agency had said its probe found that "Ahmad, through criminal activities, used to earn dirty money in cash and it was deposited/placed in his and his relative's bank accounts". "It has also been noticed by ED that funds are being credited in their accounts from various firms and companies being run by his aides," it said. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. The meeting at Kharge's residence comes amid talks of Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 general elections. Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders recently for forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He has reached out to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and may have a meeting with top opposition leaders in the coming weeks. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will soon hold a meeting with the representatives of e-pharmacies that are on government radar over several concerns, including data privacy and irrational use of prescription drugs, official sources said on Wednesday. They said the unrestrained and irrational use of prescription drugs by these e-pharmacies and maintaining the privacy of a patient's data are major areas of concern for them. These pharmacies collect the data on consumption of drugs area-wise, which increases the risks for patient safety, the sources explained. The Union Health Ministry is already mulling regulations and stringent actions on e-pharmacies. The revised draft of the New Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023, which has been sent for inter-ministerial consultation, mentions, "The central government may, regulate, restrict or prohibit the sale or distribution of any drug by online mode, by notification." The draft bill was put in the public domain in July last year for feedback and it contained a provision of taking permission to operate an e-pharmacy. The new legislation seeks to replace the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940. The old bill read, "No person shall himself or by any other person on his behalf sell, or stock or exhibit or offer for sale, or distribute, any drug by online mode (e-pharmacy) except under and in accordance with a licence or permission issued in such manner as may be prescribed." This provision has been removed and replaced in the revised draft bill. In February, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) issued show-cause notices to 20 e-pharmacies including top names like Tata 1mg, Amazon, Flipkart, NetMeds, MediBuddy, Practo and Apollo over the online sale of drugs allegedly in violation of norms. Lucknow, Apr 12 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth on Wednesday paid rich tributes to the late BJP leader Lalji Tandon on his birth anniversary and described him as a man who dedicated his life to public welfare and development. "In all roles and at every stage of life, be it as an activist, party worker, politician or public representative, Tandon Ji worked to fulfil the same ideology, values and principles. "He took forward the path of development of the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His life was dedicated to public welfare and development, the chief minister was quoted as saying in an official release. On the occasion, the chief minister unveiled a statue of Lalji Tandon at the premises of Kalicharan Vidhyalaya, Hardoi Road, Lucknow. Tandon was a former Governor of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Tandon had a long association with Kalicharan College. This campus has been a witness to the freedom movement. This institute has produced eminent writers and scientists, he said. Stating that Tandon's "greatness, gentleness and simplicity" was a reflection of his journey from zero to the top, Adityanath said, "His journey as a party worker, minister, a popular parliamentarian, a governor while ensuring public welfare and taking development forward made him the great personality he was. Adityanath said that only education can become the medium of change in society. "The more we cooperate in this field, the more changes will be seen in every sphere of life," he said. The chief minister appealed to the management of the college to "join the new policy of the government and the government will cooperate with you in improving all the dilapidated buildings here." New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday lauded the city police for maintaining peace and harmony during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations this year despite over a threefold increase in the number of processions and public participation in the festivities. The Lieutenant Governor (L-G), who constantly monitored the ground situation in the run up to the festivals, appreciated the Delhi Police for ensuring prompt law and order in the city during the period, according to a Raj Niwas statement. "The number of processions on Ram Navami, celebrated on March 30 in Delhi, increased from 22 in 2022 to 52 in 2023, and the number of participants increased from 6,100 to 27,500. "This year, the number of processions on Hanuman Jayanti on April 6 increased from 17 in 2022 to 51 this year. The processions were attended by 35,500 people as compared to 5,550 processions last year," the statement said. It further said the increase in the number of participants was noticed particularly in the districts of north west, north east and south east, which are communally sensitive and have been affected by communal violence in the past. In 2022, incidents of stone pelting and clashes were reported from Jahangirpuri area in north west Delhi during a Hanuman Jayanti procession. "Saxena has applauded the Delhi Police for ensuring that law and order prevailed even as certain activities during the festival, known to have triggered flare ups in the past, reached a record high this year," the Raj Niwas statement added. PTI VIT SRY SRY ROME, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Exhibitors from Italy, the guest of honor at the ongoing third China International Consumer Products Expo being held in Haikou, capital city of southern China's Hainan Province, are keen to expand their markets in China. PALATABLE ITALIAN RICE Acquerello, a high-end Italian rice producer among the more than 100 Italian brands showcasing their products at the event, is looking forward to gracing the tables of Chinese consumers and sharing the "rice culture" with them. In the eyes of the company's founder, Pietro Rondolino, China is the biggest potential overseas market and the biggest opportunity to promote its products. "China has a long history and a rich food culture, and we have a better chance of finding recipes to match our products there than anywhere else in the world." "We expect this expo to feature not only advanced technological products but also cultural and natural elements that can shine because today's world needs to understand China's historical culture and enhance the presence of natural elements," he said. Rondolino said that China's influence is pivotal for the global economy, and the world has witnessed the positive changes brought about by China. He believes his products can succeed in the Chinese market. ESPRESSO GAINING FOOTHOLD Italian coffee giant Illycaffe has been doing business in China for many years. For Violante Avogadro, the company's chief communications officer, the consumer expo in Hainan is still "an excellent stage" that will help more Chinese consumers discover and appreciate the quality and potential of Italian coffee. Avogadro believes that for every Italian brand, the Chinese market is crucial, noting that they would love Chinese consumers to discover the full potential and quality of the brand. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua earlier this year, the company's CEO Christina Scocchia said that China's booming coffee market is the best choice for the business exploring overseas markets. Italian coffee has listed expanding its market share in China as one of its core goals, hoping to gain a firm foothold before the Chinese coffee market fully matures. HIGH-END BRANDS INRUSH Altagamma, an Italian foundation of luxury brands, attends the expo with 75 of its high-end brands, including Gucci, Maserati, Lamborghini and Ducati. "The status of guest of honor allows us to exhibit on an unprecedented scale," said Stefania Lazzaroni, general manager of Altagamma, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. According to Lazzaroni, the Chinese market represents a unique opportunity, and the expo is an excellent opportunity for the foundation and its brands to strengthen ties with key Chinese investors and showcase their brand image and culture. "The scale and growth of China's high-end consumer market are difficult to achieve in other countries," Lazzaroni said, adding that a "group" participation in the expo is therefore a perfect choice for Italian high-end brands to strengthen their ties with the Chinese market. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) With the mercury soaring, the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) on Wednesday asked schools to take appropriate measures for protection of children from heat-related illness. The measures include avoiding assembly in schools during afternoon shift, availability of drinking water, extra water breaks during classes and sensitise students to cover their head during direct exposure to sunlight. "Report any case of heat-related illness to nearby health facility/hospital. All DDEs (deputy directors of education-districts/zones) are requested to ensure the compliance of the same," the DoE circular said. The Education department further said that temperature in Delhi crosses more than 40 degrees Celsius during the summer and that it is detrimental to the health of children and adolescents studying in schools. "The rise in temperature in national capital has led to increased instances of heat-related illnesses like exhaustion, dehydration, diarrhea and vomiting among citizens. Since children are one of the most vulnerable groups, all heads of schools under the are directed to adopt measures for circulating awareness and ensure protection of school children," the DoE circular stated. The city recorded a maximum of 36.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the highest this summer season so far. The capital is bracing itself for a prolonged dry spell that is expected to drive temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius at isolated places in the city over the coming week. Jaipur, Apr 12 (PTI) A Dalit man was beaten to death by three people owing to old enmity in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Wednesday, police said. Girab Station House Officer (SHO) Nimb Singh said Kojaram Meghwal (40), a resident of Asadi village, was beaten to death by three people with sticks. He said preliminary investigation revealed that the three men had an old dispute with Meghwal over a piece of land. After the attack, the victim was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, he said. He said no case has been registered in this regard so far, adding that the body has been kept in the mortuary of the district hospital for postmortem. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly extorting close to Rs 12 lakh from a person threatening to leak a private video of him, police said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Abdul, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Akshat Kaushal said. The victim, a bank manager, had approached the police on March 23, complaining someone forced him to shell out almost Rs 12 lakh after recording a video of him removing clothes on the sly. According to the man's complaint, he had accepted a Facebook friend request from a woman around one month ago and started chatting with her, Kaushal said. The woman at some point asked him for some money saying she needed it urgently and the victim gave her Rs 3,000. On March 19, the man received a video call from the woman. During the call, she removed her clothes, and asked him to take his clothes too, the officer said. Next day, the victim got a call from a man who said he was a police officer. He told him to speak to another man, who, he said, was from YouTube. The man from phone extorted 11,93,000 from the victim on the pretext of deleting his video and preventing it from being uploaded on YouTube, police said. Abdul after his arrest revealed that he, along with his brother-in-law, used to make WhatsApp video calls to people and play a video of a naked woman using a second mobile phone, they said. They used to provoke the victim to do the same and then record the screen of the video call and extort money from him by threatening to circulate the video on social media, police said. They purchased SIM cards and mobiles phones from West Bengal and managed the fraud bank accounts with the help of other accused, police said, adding they have found the money trail of over Rs 18 lakh. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The NDMC on Wednesday signed a pact with the State Bank of India and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage to restore buildings in Connaught Place, officials said. As India holds the presidency of G20 countries for a year, this project will enable the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to showcase the unique heritage of New Delhi, they said. The aim of the Memorandum of Undertaking is to ensure the conservation and restoration, including repair work and exterior painting work, of all buildings in the Outer and Inner Circles and radial roads of Connaught Place, officials said. For the project, the SBI has agreed to provide financial support under its Corporate Social Responsibility scheme (CSR) while the NDMC will provide supervision and logistical and administrative support. The NDMC will also supervise the work carried out by INTACH to ensure the quality of work and government guidelines are adhered to. The MoU was signed by representatives from the NDMC, SBI and INTACH in the presence of Amit Yadav, Chairperson, NDMC and Chief General Manager of SBI Kalpesh K. Avasia and Convener, INTACH Anita Singh at Palika Kendra. The Ministry of Urban Development and the Heritage Conservation Committee have given the no-objection certificate for carrying out the work. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to decide within 10 days a representation by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to update in its record the party's amended bye-laws. The order was passed by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav on a petition filed by the AIADMK and its interim general secretary Thiru K Palaniswamy, which claimed that the records of the party were not being updated owing to certain internal disputes pending in the party. Lawyer Sidhant Kumar, appearing on behalf of the ECI, said the representation made by the petitioner on the issue was being actively considered and a final decision would be taken within 10 days. "In view of the stand by the ECI, the court deems it appropriate to dispose of the petition with a direction to the ECI to decide the representation of the petitioner within 10 days," ordered the judge. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the petitioner, urged that the representation be decided by Monday as any further delay would adversely impact the upcoming elections in Karnataka. Nomination in Karnataka will be a problem, the senior lawyer said. The court, however, said it cannot force the election body to take a decision. "We can't direct them. We can request them. We can't force them," the court responded. The counsel for the ECI said the authority will consider the request, if possible. Senior counsel for O Panneerselvam also appeared before the court, saying he was the party coordinator and should be allowed to participate in the proceedings before any relief is granted to the petitioner. Senior advocate S Gurukrishna Kumar, for Panneerselvam, said the cause of action arose in Chennai and the plea cannot be filed in Delhi. While clarifying that all contentions of the parties were left open, the court said Panneerselvam has the liberty to raise his grievances before the authorities. "The EC is bound to hear you also. You can also make a representation... we are not saying anything. The EC will consider and decide in 10 days," the court stated. The petition, filed through advocates Balaji Srinivasan, K Gowtham Kumar and Shiva Krishnamurti, had sought to direct the ECI to consider the representations made by the petitioners and upload the latest amended bye-laws of July 11, 2022 of the party in its records. It asserted that not updating the records is contrary to the various settled legal principles and the earlier stand of the ECI taken by it in relation to the party. The inaction of the ECI has grossly violated the Article 19(1)(c) of the petitioners as petitioner no. 1 (AIADMK) is an association of persons and owing to the inaction of ECI, the petitioner no. 1 is not able to effectively carry out its functions which is the dire need of the hour especially owing to the fast approaching General Assembly Elections to Lok Sabha," the petition said. It emphasised that the ECI has recently announced the schedule for election in state of Karnataka for May 10 and the last date of filing nomination is April 20 and the party puts up its candidates regularly in some of the constituencies in Karnataka and in the past, its candidate has won thrice from Kolar constituency. Without the ECI updating its records and uploading the amended bylaws, the AIADMK will not be able to put up a valid contestant in these constituencies and the party would go unrepresented, which will cause an irreparable injury, the plea stated. Such a conduct on the part of ECI will seriously impact the democratic fabric as a recognised political party having significant presence in the State of Karnataka, will be unable to participate in the elections to the legislative assembly, the plea said. It said the inaction will only cause severe disruption of the activities of the party which will in turn have a serious bearing on the democratic principles of the nation. The inaction of ECI is causing grave prejudice and hardship not only to the AIADMK but also to the primary members of AIADMK and entire citizenry of State of Tamil Nadu for the reason that absolute strangers to the AIADMK are representing themselves as coordinators and other office bearers of party. They are also appointing various unknown persons to the posts of AIADMK and such impersonation cannot be allowed in a vibrant democracy, it said. New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) A judicial officer cannot pronounce the concluding portion of a judgment in the open court without the entire text of the judgment being prepared or dictated, the Supreme Court has said. The top court also directed the sacking of a trial court judge in Karnataka found guilty of pronouncing the outcome of a case without preparing the judgment. The SC direction came on a plea filed by the Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka who had challenged the HC's division bench order on the judge's reinstatement by quashing the termination order passed by its full court. Coming down heavily on the Karnataka High Court for "white-washing" serious charges, a SC bench of justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal said the conduct of the judge is unacceptable. "It is true that some of the charges revolve around judicial pronouncements and the judicial decision-making processes and that they cannot per se, without anything more, form the foundation for departmental proceedings. "Therefore, we are ignoring those charges. But the charges which revolve around gross negligence and callousness on the part of the respondent in not preparing/dictating judgments, but providing a fait accompli, is completely unacceptable and unbecoming of a judicial officer," the bench said. The top court said the defence taken by the judge that the lack of experience and the inefficiency on the part of the stenographer has to be blamed was entirely unacceptable. "But unfortunately, the High Court not only accepted this panchatantra story, but also went to the extent of blaming the administration for not examining the stenographer as a witness. Such an approach is wholly unsustainable. "If it was the case of the respondent that the entire blame lay upon the stenographer, it was for him to have summoned the stenographer as a witness. The High Court unfortunately reversed the burden of proof," the bench said. The apex court said that the high court was swayed unduly by the animosity attributed by the judge to a member of the local Bar and the assistant public prosecutor in granting him relief. "We have not come across a case where the High Court, while setting aside an order of penalty, has held that there shall not be any further inquiry against the delinquent. "But in this case, the High Court has done exactly the same, creating a new jurisprudence," the bench said. Thrissur (Ker), Apr 12 (PTI) A bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala said on Wednesday that an "unnecessary propaganda" claiming that the Christian community is persecuted in India has been unleashed in internationally by vested interests, and it amounted to insulting a great nation. There are communal organisations among all religious groups, but the ultimate goal of religions and such outfits is different, Geevarghese Mar Yulios, the metropolitan of the Kunnamkulam Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, told reporters here. Such vested interests were propagating that there was no religious freedom in the country and that the Christian community was being widely attacked in the nation. "I used to get calls from abroad asking what is happening there (in India)...whether people are being killed, and so on. Of course, India is a big country. There may be some resentments here and there. It should be dealt with legally. Protests also should be staged if required," he said. He pointed out the example of a protest held against the harassment of nuns while he had served in Gujarat some time ago. The bishop said it was proved later that the accused were those who had intruded into India using fake ID cards. "When they were caught (by the investigators), they were not VHP activists or such others. I am not saying that the VHP is good," he added. His remarks assume significance in view of the BJP's bid to reach out to Kerala's numerically strong Christian community ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had organised a programme on Easter Day in which party leaders visited Christian homes as part of an effort to reach out to the minority community. Yulios had recently hit the headlines by stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be blamed for all the internal issues reported in the country. At variance with Bishop Yulios's remarks about "some resentments here and there", when members of some Christian communities had held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 19, which PTI had reported, one of them named Steven who hails from Uttar Pradesh pointed out that there had been "525 cases of atrocities against the members of the community in 2021 and 600 cases in 2022". "In Uttar Pradesh, the number of such cases increased from 70 in 2020 to 183 in 2022," he had claimed, stating, "We are being accused of forcibly converting people to Christianity. Churches are being attacked, our people are being beaten up and arrested. The community members are living in a constant state of panic." The numbers cited could not be independently verified. Bengaluru, Apr 12 (PTI) Discontent seems to be brewing within the ruling BJP in Karnataka, with the party facing the heat after announcing its first list of candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls, as some ticket aspirants who missed the bus openly expressed displeasure. With the BJP denying him the ticket from Athani, former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party. Minister and six-time MLA S Angara from Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district announced his retirement from politics today, after failing to get a ticket again. Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat, who was also overlooked by BJP, said he was deeply pained by the treatment meted out to him by the party. BJP MLC R Shankar, who was an aspirant for Ranebennur Assembly seat, resigned as legislator today after the party ignored his request. After a series of deliberations, the BJP on Tuesday announced its first list of 189 candidates out of the total 224. Reacting to the developments, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the party will speak to all those disgruntled, and will take care of their concerns. "I have certainly made a decision. I have decided to resign from the primary membership of the party," Savadi, a BJP MLC, said in a press conference in the district headquarters town of Belagavi. Amid speculation that he may join the Congress, the 63-year-old three-time MLA said he will make a "strong decision" on Thursday evening and start working on it from Friday. Sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who was backed by BJP leader and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, was given a ticket in Athani in Belagavi district. Kumathalli was among the group of defectors, including Jarkiholi, who helped the BJP to bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019. A visibly aggrieved Angara said that this was not the way an MLA who toiled for the party with dedication was to be treated. "I am not disgruntled for being denied a ticket by the party. But this is not a way to honour (me) for working for the party and society without any black spot.... There is no value for honesty". The 58-year-old said he was retiring from politics and he will not work for the party any more. The BJP has nominated Bhagirathi Murulya as its candidate from Sullia. "I am not sad over the partys decision, but I am pained by the way the party has treated me, Raghupati Bhat said, breaking into tears while speaking to the media. He said not even the district unit president of the party had called to inform him about the partys decision and he came to know of it from television channels. Describing the partys official candidate Yashpal Suvarna as "my boy", Bhat said he had always supported Suvarnas growth in the party. He said he was so shocked that he could not take an immediate decision on his next course of action. According to party sources, while deciding tickets, the BJP seems to have adopted a policy of trying to replace some seniors and those nearing "retirement" (75 years of age), while asking leaders to withdraw from the fray if they want tickets for their children. "This may be seen in the second list too," said a BJP functionary. Former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa had on Tuesday told the party's central leadership that he wishes to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him in the Assembly polls. Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said the party top brass had told him to make way for youngsters but asserted he wants to contest one last time. The party has not announced tickets yet for Shivamogga and Hubballi-Dharwad Central, the seats represented by Eshwarappa and Shettar in the first list. Before leaving for Delhi to meet the central leadership, Shettar in Hubballi today said he wishes to make an exit from politics in a respectful manner and not the way he was asked to make way for others. "No one has contacted me so far after Nadda ji (BJP National President J P Nadda) called me to Delhi for discussions....I'm going with a positive mindset and in the interest of the party...based on what transpires there I will decide on my future course," he said. Shetter who reached Delhi later in the day, conveyed his wish to contest in the May 10 assembly polls in a meeting with party president Nadda, after openly expressing his unhappiness over reports that he may be denied a ticket. After meeting Nadda, Shettar told reporters that he cited his experience, including his six wins in assembly polls, and was told by the party president that the issue will be discussed with other senior leaders. Meanwhile, Eshwarappa's supporters in Shivamogga held several rounds of meetings to put pressure on the party to make him withdraw his retirement, or to give the ticket to his son K E Kantesh. Reacting to allegations by disgruntled leaders and legislators that the party did not treat them with respect, Bommai in Mangaluru said, "We are talking to all of them, the party made them legislators or leaders. The party has treated them with respect and will continue to do so. Also the party will protect their political future." Noting that such reactions are natural during elections, to a question on Savadi, he said, "We share a good bonding and things will be resolved through discussions". While calling Angara a "gentleman politician", Bommai said he will speak to him. At least nine legislators including Ministers Angara (Sullia) and Anand Singh (Vijayanagara), have not been given a ticket. Singh is said to have opted out in favour of his son Siddharth Singh, who has been given a ticket. Gurugram, Apr 12 (PTI) A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour when she was alone at her home in Sector 9A area, police said on Wednesday The accused, a 20-year-old labourer, has been arrested, they said. According to the complaint filed by the victims father, the incident happened Tuesday when he and his wife both were away at work and their daughter alone at home. When they returned home, they did not find their daughter home. They looked for her, and at length, found her at a neighbours house. "She was quite nervous. When we kept asking her what's matter, she revealed that the man had taken her to his room and raped her. He also threatened to kill her," the father, a native of Uttar Pradesh, said in his complaint. On the basis of the girl's statement, Ram Niwas, who is originally from Narnaund in Hisar, was arrested and booked under Section 4 of POCSO Act at Sector 9 A Police Station on Tuesday, police said. "We are questioning him and will produce him in a city court tomorrow," said Sector 9 A Police Station SHO Manoj Kumar. VN VN Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a lychee orchard at a village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, south China's Guangdong Province, April 11, 2023. Xi visited a lychee orchard and a longan and lychee cooperative at the village to learn about local efforts to develop distinctive planting industry and advance rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) GUANGZHOU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said distinctive rural industries have broad prospects. Xi made the remarks on Tuesday while visiting a village in the city of Maoming during his inspection trip to south China's Guangdong Province. He went to the village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, where he inspected a lychee orchard and an agricultural cooperative and commended the villagers' efforts to advance rural revitalization through developing the distinctive lychee industry. Noting that the place is a "hometown of lychees," Xi said it has distinctive features and advantages in growing lychees, which is an effective approach to promoting common prosperity and advancing rural revitalization. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a longan and lychee cooperative at a village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, south China's Guangdong Province, April 11, 2023. Xi visited a lychee orchard and a longan and lychee cooperative at the village to learn about local efforts to develop distinctive planting industry and advance rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers at a village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, south China's Guangdong Province, April 11, 2023. Xi visited a lychee orchard and a longan and lychee cooperative at the village to learn about local efforts to develop distinctive planting industry and advance rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers at a village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, south China's Guangdong Province, April 11, 2023. Xi visited a lychee orchard and a longan and lychee cooperative at the village to learn about local efforts to develop distinctive planting industry and advance rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) The NYPD was investigating after a person was shot in Flatbush, Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened just after 4:30PM, on East 34th Street between Avenue K and Avenue L. Flatbush Hatzolah Paramedics treated the victim, a middle aged African American male, who suffered from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital in serious condition. No suspects were taken into custody, and a motive was not known. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE FLATBUSH SCOOP STATUS CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE FLATBUSH SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF FLATBUSH NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The bank employee who opened fire at his Louisville workplace targeted specific people with the rifle he bought legally a week earlier, police said Tuesday. Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said at a news conference that bank employee Connor Sturgeon, 25, bought the AR-15 rifle on April 4 at a local dealership. Armed with the rifle, Sturgeon killed five people including a close friend of Kentuckys governor while livestreaming the attack Monday on Instagram, authorities said. Another eight people were wounded. Gwinn-Villaroel also said that officers body camera video from the shooting will be released Tuesday afternoon. The chief said that a rookie officer who was shot in the head while responding to the mass shooting remained in critical but stable condition Tuesday morning. Its looking hopeful, Gwinn-Villaroel told WDRB-TV about Officer Nickolas Wilt, who had graduated from training just 10 days earlier. She said Wilt and other officers unflinchingly engaged the shooter at Old National Bank and stopped him from killing more people. Police arrived as shots were still being fired inside the building and killed the shooter, Gwinn-Villaroel said. The act of heroism cant be overstated on yesterday. They did what they were called to do. They answered that call to protect and serve, she said. The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) to the south. That states governor and his wife also had friends killed in that shooting. Four of the injured remained hospitalized Tuesday one in critical condition and three in stable but fair condition, University of Louisville Hospital said in a statement. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he lost one of his closest friends in the shooting. Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad, said Beshear, his voice shaking with emotion. Hes one of the people I talked to most in the world, and very rarely were we talking about my job. He was an incredible friend. Also killed in the shooting were Josh Barrick, Jim Tutt, Juliana Farmer and Deana Eckert, police said. There are no words to adequately describe the sadness and devastation that our Old National family is experiencing as we grieve the tragic loss of our team members and pray for the recovery of all those who were injured, Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan said in a statement. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told WDRB-TV that his focus moving forward would be on trying to unify residents in the city. We cant let the targeted acts of evil violence that we saw yesterday in our city deter us from continuing on the path to make our city the vibrant, safe, strong healthy city that we all know it can be and all want it to be, he said. (AP) Investment analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Almaden Minerals (NYSEAMERICAN:AAU Get Rating) (TSE:AMM) in a research note issued on Monday. The brokerage set a sell rating on the basic materials companys stock. Separately, Alliance Global Partners cut Almaden Minerals from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. Get Almaden Minerals alerts: Almaden Minerals Stock Performance Shares of Almaden Minerals stock opened at $0.19 on Monday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $0.21 and a 200 day moving average of $0.23. Almaden Minerals has a 12 month low of $0.18 and a 12 month high of $0.38. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.21 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.55 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 26.92 and a quick ratio of 26.92. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Almaden Minerals Almaden Minerals Company Profile A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new position in Almaden Minerals during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Almaden Minerals by 564.4% in the 4th quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 233,188 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 198,088 shares during the period. HRT Financial LP purchased a new position in shares of Almaden Minerals in the 4th quarter valued at about $64,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Almaden Minerals by 587.9% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 485,878 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $119,000 after buying an additional 415,244 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Almaden Minerals in the 4th quarter valued at about $119,000. 3.81% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. (Get Rating) Almaden Minerals Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It focuses on the operation of Ixtaca gold-silver deposit. The company was founded by James Duane Poliquin on February 1, 2002 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Almaden Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Almaden Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS Get Rating) in a report published on Sunday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. American Shared Hospital Services Stock Performance Shares of AMS stock opened at $2.87 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 52 week low of $2.18 and a 52 week high of $3.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.66 million, a PE ratio of 13.67 and a beta of 0.86. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $3.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $2.91. Get American Shared Hospital Services alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Shared Hospital Services Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AMS. Canton Hathaway LLC acquired a new stake in American Shared Hospital Services during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake in American Shared Hospital Services by 26.3% during the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 19,321 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 4,021 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in 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 acquiring an additional 5,899 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CI Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in American Shared Hospital Services during the 4th quarter worth $470,000. 13.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. 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. See Also 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. Algoma Steel Group (TSE:ASTL Get Rating) had its price target decreased by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from C$17.50 to C$16.00 in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. Stifel Nicolaus price target indicates a potential upside of 49.81% from the stocks previous close. Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Eight Capital cut shares of Algoma Steel Group from a buy rating to a neutral rating and boosted their target price for the stock from C$10.35 to C$11.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Algoma Steel Group from C$11.00 to C$15.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Finally, Cormark increased their price objective on shares of Algoma Steel Group from C$14.00 to C$15.50 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Get Algoma Steel Group alerts: Algoma Steel Group Stock Up 3.3 % ASTL stock opened at C$10.68 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$1.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.02 and a beta of 1.52. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of C$10.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$9.63. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 3.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.44. Algoma Steel Group has a 52 week low of C$7.70 and a 52 week high of C$14.02. About Algoma Steel Group Algoma Steel Group Inc produces and sells steel products primarily in North America. It provides flat/sheet steel products, including temper rolling, cold rolled, hot-rolled pickled and oiled products, floor plate, and cut-to-length products for the automotive industry, hollow structural product manufacturers, and the light manufacturing and transportation industries; and plate steel products that consist of rolled, hot-rolled, and heat-treated for use in the construction or manufacture of railcars, buildings, bridges, off-highway equipment, storage tanks, ships, and military applications. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Algoma Steel Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Algoma Steel Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Prime Meridian (OTCMKTS:PMHG Get Rating) is one of 318 publicly-traded companies in the State commercial banks industry, but how does it contrast to its rivals? We will compare Prime Meridian to related companies based on the strength of its valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, risk and earnings. Dividends Prime Meridian pays an annual dividend of $0.22 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.0%. Prime Meridian pays out 7.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State commercial banks companies pay a dividend yield of 3.0% and pay out 26.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Get Prime Meridian alerts: Risk and Volatility Prime Meridian has a beta of 0.63, meaning that its share price is 37% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Prime Meridians rivals have a beta of 0.60, meaning that their average share price is 40% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Prime Meridian 0 0 0 0 N/A Prime Meridian Competitors 864 7554 6597 305 2.41 This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Prime Meridian and its rivals, as reported by MarketBeat. As a group, State commercial banks companies have a potential upside of 43.29%. Given Prime Meridians rivals higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Prime Meridian has less favorable growth aspects than its rivals. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Prime Meridian and its rivals top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Prime Meridian $32.67 million $9.68 million 7.76 Prime Meridian Competitors $1.62 billion $329.48 million 8.59 Prime Meridians rivals have higher revenue and earnings than Prime Meridian. Prime Meridian 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. Insider and Institutional Ownership 13.8% of Prime Meridian shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 50.8% of shares of all State commercial banks companies are held by institutional investors. 25.9% of Prime Meridian shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 11.1% of shares of all State commercial banks companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability This table compares Prime Meridian and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Prime Meridian 29.63% 14.82% 1.15% Prime Meridian Competitors 26.43% 12.90% 1.21% Summary Prime Meridian rivals beat Prime Meridian on 7 of the 12 factors compared. Prime Meridian Company Profile (Get Rating) Prime Meridian Holding Company operates as the bank holding company for Prime Meridian Bank that provides various consumer and commercial banking services to individuals and businesses. The company accepts various deposits, such as checking, money market, savings, term certificate of deposit, demand interest bearing and non-interest bearing, health savings, NOW, and escrow accounts, as well as retirement savings plans and time deposits. Its loan products include commercial real estate, residential real estate and home equity, small business administration, construction, equipment, and commercial loans; and consumer and other loans comprising financing of automobiles, boats, and recreational vehicles, as well as issues standby letters and business lines of credit. The company also offers debit and credit cards; mobile banking, remote and mobile deposit, Apple Pay, bank-to-bank transfer, and online banking services; and safe deposit, wire transfer, foreign exchange, direct deposits, notary, night depository, official checks, domestic collections, bank drafts, automated teller services, drive-in tellers, merchant card, and banking by mail services, as well as invests in securities. It operates through four banking offices in Tallahassee, Crawfordville, and Lakeland, Florida. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida. Receive News & Ratings for Prime Meridian Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prime Meridian and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Callon Petroleum (NYSE:CPE Get Rating) and Columbine Valley Resources (OTCMKTS:TRXO Get Rating) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, risk, dividends and analyst recommendations. Profitability This table compares Callon Petroleum and Columbine Valley Resources net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Callon Petroleum alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Callon Petroleum 37.44% 35.68% 15.00% Columbine Valley Resources N/A N/A N/A Insider & Institutional Ownership 83.6% of Callon Petroleum shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.8% of Callon Petroleum shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 18.4% of Columbine Valley Resources shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Valuation and Earnings Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Callon Petroleum $3.23 billion 0.70 $1.21 billion $19.55 1.88 Columbine Valley Resources N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A This table compares Callon Petroleum and Columbine Valley Resources gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Callon Petroleum has higher revenue and earnings than Columbine Valley Resources. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current recommendations for Callon Petroleum and Columbine Valley Resources, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Callon Petroleum 0 5 4 0 2.44 Columbine Valley Resources 0 0 0 0 N/A Callon Petroleum presently has a consensus price target of $58.25, indicating a potential upside of 58.20%. Given Callon Petroleums higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Callon Petroleum is more favorable than Columbine Valley Resources. Risk and Volatility Callon Petroleum has a beta of 2.73, indicating that its share price is 173% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Columbine Valley Resources has a beta of -52.1, indicating that its share price is 5,310% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Callon Petroleum beats Columbine Valley Resources on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About Callon Petroleum (Get Rating) Callon Petroleum Co. engages in the exploration, development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It focuses on unconventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin. The company was founded by Sim C. Callon and John S. Callon in 1950 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. About Columbine Valley Resources (Get Rating) Columbine Valley Resources, Inc. operates as an energy company. It focuses on acquiring, exploring, developing and producing oil and natural gas properties predominately in the central and western United States. The company was founded on February 4, 2004 and is headquartered in Littleton, CO. Receive News & Ratings for Callon Petroleum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Callon Petroleum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Global Business Travel Group (NYSE:GBTG Get Rating) is one of 35 publicly-traded companies in the Transportation services industry, but how does it contrast to its competitors? We will compare Global Business Travel Group to similar businesses based on the strength of its valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk and profitability. Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Global Business Travel Group and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Get Global Business Travel Group alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Global Business Travel Group 0 2 4 0 2.67 Global Business Travel Group Competitors 101 898 1773 31 2.62 Global Business Travel Group currently has a consensus target price of $8.68, indicating a potential upside of 29.99%. As a group, Transportation services companies have a potential upside of 9.57%. Given Global Business Travel Groups stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Global Business Travel Group is more favorable than its competitors. Risk and Volatility Profitability Global Business Travel Group has a beta of 0.28, suggesting that its stock price is 72% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Global Business Travel Groups competitors have a beta of 2.06, suggesting that their average stock price is 106% more volatile than the S&P 500. This table compares Global Business Travel Group and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Global Business Travel Group N/A -2.83% -0.87% Global Business Travel Group Competitors -3,276.52% 3.63% -4.03% Institutional & Insider Ownership 15.9% of Global Business Travel Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 56.2% of shares of all Transportation services companies are owned by institutional investors. 12.9% of Global Business Travel Group shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 18.0% of shares of all Transportation services companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Global Business Travel Group and its competitors top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Global Business Travel Group $1.85 billion -$25.00 million -10.95 Global Business Travel Group Competitors $3.77 billion $226.95 million 3.90 Global Business Travel Groups competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Global Business Travel Group. Global Business Travel Group 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. Summary Global Business Travel Group competitors beat Global Business Travel Group on 8 of the 13 factors compared. About Global Business Travel Group (Get Rating) Global Business Travel Group, Inc. provides business-to-business (B2B) travel platform in the United States of America and internationally. The company's platform offers a suite of technology-enabled solutions to business travelers and clients; travel content suppliers including airlines, hotels, ground transportation, and aggregators; and third-party travel agencies. It manages travel, expenses, and meetings and events for companies. The company is headquartered in New York, New York. Receive News & Ratings for Global Business Travel Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Global Business Travel Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Southern Michigan Bancorp (OTCMKTS:SOMC Get Rating) is one of 318 public companies in the State commercial banks industry, but how does it compare to its competitors? We will compare Southern Michigan Bancorp to similar companies based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, risk, earnings, dividends and institutional ownership. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Southern Michigan Bancorp and its competitors top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Southern Michigan Bancorp alerts: Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Southern Michigan Bancorp $51.51 million $13.49 million 6.12 Southern Michigan Bancorp Competitors $1.62 billion $329.48 million 8.59 Southern Michigan Bancorps competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Southern Michigan Bancorp. Southern Michigan Bancorp 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 Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Southern Michigan Bancorp 26.19% 16.03% 1.11% Southern Michigan Bancorp Competitors 26.43% 12.90% 1.21% Volatility and Risk This table compares Southern Michigan Bancorp and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Southern Michigan Bancorp has a beta of 0.29, indicating that its stock price is 71% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Southern Michigan Bancorps competitors have a beta of 0.59, indicating that their average stock price is 41% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Southern Michigan Bancorp and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Southern Michigan Bancorp 0 0 0 0 N/A Southern Michigan Bancorp Competitors 864 7554 6597 305 2.41 As a group, State commercial banks companies have a potential upside of 43.29%. Given Southern Michigan Bancorps competitors higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Southern Michigan Bancorp has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Insider and Institutional Ownership 50.8% of shares of all State commercial banks companies are held by institutional investors. 11.1% of shares of all State commercial banks companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Dividends Southern Michigan Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.1%. Southern Michigan Bancorp pays out 18.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State commercial banks companies pay a dividend yield of 3.0% and pay out 26.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Southern Michigan Bancorp is clearly a better dividend stock than its competitors, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Summary Southern Michigan Bancorp competitors beat Southern Michigan Bancorp on 9 of the 12 factors compared. Southern Michigan Bancorp Company Profile (Get Rating) Southern Michigan Bancorp, Inc. operates as a bank holding company. It offers individuals, businesses, institutions, and government agencies a range of commercial banking services which include deposit, payment, credit, and other financial services. It also provides time, savings, and demand deposits, safe deposit services, and automated teller machine services. The company was founded in March 1982 and is headquartered in Coldwater, MI. Receive News & Ratings for Southern Michigan Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Michigan Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Beijing, capital of China, April 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States is reportedly frustrated with the China-brokered rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as the detente hints at a developing rift between Washington and Riyadh and reflects decreased American influence in the Middle East, analysts said. China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the latter two had reached a deal, which includes an agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions within two months, almost seven years after Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric. Following the March agreement, in a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, signed a joint statement, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect. EMERGING RIFT WITH U.S. Speaking to Hamshahri Online news website, Iranian international affairs expert Mostafa Khoshcheshm said the Tehran-Riyadh detente was an "absolute defeat" for the United States as it dealt heavy blows to Washington. The main downside of the rapprochement for the United States was that one of its main allies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, reduced tensions with Iran, which is among Washington's enemies, he added. Hossein Shariatmadari, the CEO of Iran's Kayhan newspaper, said the United States is angry at Saudi Arabia's U-turn toward Iran. Saudi Arabia turned a blind eye to the preconditions set and dictated by the United States for resuming relations with Iran and achieved an agreement with Tehran based on logical common demands, he added. He added that Saudi Arabia's decision to normalize ties with Iran has secluded Riyadh from the U.S. camp, which could impact U.S. activities in the Arab state's market, from which the United States used to reap huge dividends in return for empty promises of providing security. Saudi Arabia began to lose faith in the United States after failing to achieve the security components it was seeking through partnership and a 500-billion-U.S.-dollar security deal with Washington, Iran's Borna news agency cited Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, an Iranian analyst and a former member of parliament, as saying. He also noted that a new situation has begun to pervade Riyadh-Washington relations following the inauguration of President Joe Biden and that Saudi Arabia has come to the conclusion that long-term agreements with the United States would not "last long." Khoshcheshm, speaking to Hamshahri Online, shared the same view, saying that during former U.S. President Donald Trump's term in office, Riyadh relied heavily on Washington's support to ensure its security. However, when Saudis realized that U.S. backing was conditional on safeguarding American economic interests and saw the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan, which led to the collapse of the Afghan government in a matter of days, they decided to reduce their reliance on Americans' support. Riyadh has realized that it cannot rely on Washington, Shariatmadari said. Alameh noted that one of the reasons for Riyadh's drifting away from Washington was that the approach adopted by Trump toward Saudi Arabia was based on "holding the latter to ransom." DECREASING CLOUT Almost all the analysts unanimously maintained that the "declined regional influence" was the heaviest blow that the normalization of Tehran-Riyadh ties dealt to the United States. Khoshcheshm said the United States failed to play any role in the easing of the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which is among the reasons why it has been infuriated by the detente. He added that by mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia, China has gained a good political foothold in the region and has increased its influence. Falahatpisheh noted that having been well aware of the U.S. habit and track record of keeping old tensions alive in different parts of the world, Beijing proceeded with its policy of peaceful development. Praising Beijing's role in the rapprochement, Alameh said China is a great country and interacts with other states based on mutual respect, unlike the United States which seeks to dominate other nations, impose its policies on them, and hold them to ransom in bilateral relations. To better illustrate the U.S. frustration, Kayhan newspaper, in an analysis, quoted Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies -- a non-profit think-tank -- as saying that the renewed Iran-Saudi ties were "a lose, lose, lose for American interests." "It demonstrates that the Saudis don't trust Washington to have their back, that Iran sees an opportunity to peel away American allies to end its international isolation," he added. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Get Rating) by 39.3% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 9,268 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,615 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLCs holdings in General Mills were worth $777,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Selway Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. RFP Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. TD Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Mills during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC boosted its holdings in shares of General Mills by 50.7% during the 3rd quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 428 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. 74.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get General Mills alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at General Mills In other General Mills news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The shares were 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 of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,086,571.17. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, insider Bethany C. Quam sold 21,734 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.86, for a total value of $1,866,081.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 47,560 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,083,501.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.33, for a total transaction of $685,199.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 83,049 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,086,571.17. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. General Mills Price Performance NYSE GIS opened at $87.06 on Wednesday. General Mills, Inc. has a 12 month low of $64.94 and a 12 month high of $88.34. The stock has a market cap of $51.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.80, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.27. The companys 50 day moving average is $80.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is $80.91. 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 (NYSE:GIS Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 23rd. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.06. General Mills had a net margin of 14.04% and a return on equity of 24.51%. The business had revenue of $5.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.97 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.84 EPS. The companys revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.23 earnings per share for the current year. General Mills 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 issued a dividend of $0.54 per share. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. General Millss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.65%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts have recently issued reports on GIS shares. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $76.00 price target on shares of General Mills in a report on Friday, March 24th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of General Mills from $88.00 to $96.00 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of General Mills from $84.00 to $86.00 in a research note on Friday, March 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of General Mills from $76.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on shares of General Mills from $77.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $84.12. General Mills Company Profile (Get Rating) General Mills, Inc engages in the manufacture and marketing of branded consumer foods sold through retail stores. The firm operates through the following segments: North America Retail, Europe & Australia, Convenience Stores & Foodservice, Pet, and Asia & Latin America. The North America Retail segment includes grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, drug, dollar and discount chains and e-commerce grocery providers. Further Reading 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. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in iShares Russell 1000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWB Get Rating) by 14.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,870 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 486 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF were worth $815,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Buckingham Strategic Partners lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Buckingham Strategic Partners now owns 2,286 shares of the companys stock valued at $451,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. Stableford Capital II LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC now owns 1,694 shares of the companys stock valued at $349,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. Mycio Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Mycio Wealth Partners LLC now owns 7,501 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,579,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. FORVIS Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. FORVIS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 15,007 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,961,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the period. Finally, Sargent Bickham Lagudis LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Sargent Bickham Lagudis LLC now owns 1,222 shares of the companys stock valued at $257,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the period. Get iShares Russell 1000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 1000 ETF Price Performance IWB opened at $225.05 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $221.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $215.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.92 and a beta of 1.01. iShares Russell 1000 ETF has a 12 month low of $192.01 and a 12 month high of $248.99. iShares Russell 1000 ETF Profile iShares Russell 1000 ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 1,000 largest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell 1000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWB Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 1000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 1000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. State of Michigan Retirement System increased its holdings in Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY Get Rating) by 13.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 140,131 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 16,500 shares during the quarter. State of Michigan Retirement Systems holdings in Annaly Capital Management were worth $2,954,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of NLY. Bank of Montreal Can grew its stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management by 24.0% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 381,525 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,828,000 after purchasing an additional 73,892 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management in the first quarter worth about $199,000. Rhumbline Advisers grew its stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management by 3.3% in the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 1,185,123 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $8,343,000 after purchasing an additional 37,762 shares during the last quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management by 6.6% in the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 97,368 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $685,000 after purchasing an additional 6,043 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management in the first quarter worth about $163,000. 52.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Annaly Capital Management alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have commented on NLY shares. Argus lowered shares of Annaly Capital Management from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on shares of Annaly Capital Management from $22.00 to $20.00 in a report on Monday, April 3rd. Jonestrading started coverage on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a report on Monday, December 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $22.50 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Annaly Capital Management from $20.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 17th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a sell rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $22.28. Annaly Capital Management Price Performance NLY stock opened at $19.15 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $20.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.31. Annaly Capital Management, Inc. has a 52-week low of $15.11 and a 52-week high of $27.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.84, a quick ratio of 4.66 and a current ratio of 4.66. Annaly Capital Management (NYSE:NLY Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.03. Annaly Capital Management had a net margin of 62.09% and a return on equity of 19.23%. The firm had revenue of $135.09 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $426.09 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.12 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 62.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Annaly Capital Management, Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. Annaly Capital Management Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 31st will be issued a $0.65 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 13.58%. Annaly Capital Managements payout ratio is currently 52.21%. Annaly Capital Management Profile (Get Rating) Annaly Capital Management, Inc engages in the investment and financing of residential and commercial assets. It operates through the following investment groups: Agency, Residential Credit, and Mortgage Servicing Rights. The Agency group invests in agency mortgage-backed securities. The Residential Credit group involves non-agency residential mortgage assets within securitized products and whole loan markets. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Annaly Capital Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Annaly Capital Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ready Capital Co. (NYSE:RC Get Rating) Investment analysts at B. Riley increased their FY2023 EPS estimates for shares of Ready Capital in a report released on Tuesday, April 11th. B. Riley analyst M. Howlett now forecasts that the real estate investment trust will post earnings of $1.64 per share for the year, up from their prior estimate of $1.63. The consensus estimate for Ready Capitals current full-year earnings is $1.59 per share. B. Riley also issued estimates for Ready Capitals Q1 2024 earnings at $0.40 EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $0.41 EPS, Q3 2024 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at $0.42 EPS and FY2024 earnings at $1.66 EPS. Get Ready Capital alerts: Several other analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Ready Capital from $13.00 to $12.50 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 28th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Ready Capital in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price target on shares of Ready Capital from $13.00 to $12.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Ready Capital from $11.00 to $11.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 21st. Four research 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, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $13.93. Ready Capital Stock Performance NYSE RC opened at $10.13 on Wednesday. Ready Capital has a 1 year low of $9.36 and a 1 year high of $15.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.37. The firm has a market cap of $1.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.96 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $11.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $11.75. Ready Capital (NYSE:RC Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.41 by $0.01. Ready Capital had a net margin of 27.22% and a return on equity of 11.52%. The firm had revenue of $249.49 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $73.45 million. Ready Capital Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 15.79%. Ready Capitals dividend payout ratio is presently 94.12%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Ready Capital news, Director Gilbert E. Nathan bought 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 7th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $10.95 per share, for a total transaction of $54,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 56,565 shares of the companys stock, valued at $619,386.75. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Ready Capital news, Director Gilbert E. Nathan bought 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 7th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $10.95 per share, for a total transaction of $54,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 56,565 shares of the companys stock, valued at $619,386.75. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Dominique Mielle bought 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average price of $14.15 per share, with a total value of $106,125.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 35,988 shares of the companys stock, valued at $509,230.20. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 1.64% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ready Capital A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of RC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Ready Capital by 21.2% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 811,765 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $12,225,000 after buying an additional 141,736 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates lifted its holdings in shares of Ready Capital by 128.5% in the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 52,765 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $795,000 after buying an additional 29,678 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Ready Capital by 86.6% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 57,701 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $869,000 after buying an additional 26,781 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Ready Capital by 12.0% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 607,299 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $9,145,000 after buying an additional 65,079 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ready Capital in the first quarter worth about $966,000. 62.84% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Ready Capital (Get Rating) Ready Capital Corp. is a real estate finance company, which engages in acquiring, managing, and financing small balance commercial loans. It operates through the following segments: SBC Lending and Acquisitions, Small Business Lending, and Residential Mortgage Banking. The SBC Lending and Acquisitions segment is involved in the SBC loans across the full life-cycle of an SBC property including construction, bridge, stabilized, and agency loan origination channels through wholly-owned subsidiary, ReadyCap Commercial, LLC. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Ready Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ready Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. James Investment Research Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF (BATS:INDA Get Rating) by 253.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,260 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,054 shares during the period. James Investment Research Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI India ETF were worth $178,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of INDA. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 372,165 shares of the companys stock worth $16,587,000 after purchasing an additional 11,099 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 12,901 shares of the companys stock worth $575,000 after acquiring an additional 710 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 22,845 shares of the companys stock worth $1,020,000 after acquiring an additional 1,246 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 15,725,497 shares of the companys stock worth $700,887,000 after acquiring an additional 579,672 shares during the period. Finally, Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $214,000. Get iShares MSCI India ETF alerts: iShares MSCI India ETF Price Performance Shares of INDA stock opened at $40.07 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $4.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.86 and a beta of 0.70. iShares MSCI India ETF has a 1-year low of $30.57 and a 1-year high of $38.21. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $39.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.24. iShares MSCI India ETF Profile The iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI India index, a market-cap-weighted index of the top 85% of firms in the Indian securities market. INDA was launched on Feb 2, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding INDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI India ETF (BATS:INDA Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI India ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI India ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. James Investment Research Inc. trimmed its holdings in The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW Get Rating) by 58.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 748 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 1,053 shares during the quarter. James Investment Research Inc.s holdings in Sherwin-Williams were worth $178,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Roundview Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 8.1% in the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 8,065 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $2,013,000 after purchasing an additional 607 shares in the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 189.1% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 10,409 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,598,000 after acquiring an additional 6,808 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 26.5% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 118,763 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $29,956,000 after acquiring an additional 24,884 shares in the last quarter. Prudential PLC acquired a new position in Sherwin-Williams during the first quarter worth $1,231,000. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers raised its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 2.6% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 11,387 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,842,000 after acquiring an additional 287 shares in the last quarter. 76.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Sherwin-Williams alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Sherwin-Williams news, SVP Bryan J. Young sold 2,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.76, for a total transaction of $607,090.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 7,955 shares in the company, valued at $1,756,145.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, SVP Bryan J. Young sold 2,750 shares of Sherwin-Williams stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.76, for a total transaction of $607,090.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 7,955 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,756,145.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO John G. Morikis acquired 2,207 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $226.70 per share, for a total transaction of $500,326.90. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 231,344 shares in the company, valued at $52,445,684.80. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Sherwin-Williams Price Performance Several research firms have issued reports on SHW. Zelman & Associates lowered Sherwin-Williams from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Loop Capital dropped their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $270.00 to $260.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $245.00 to $220.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Sherwin-Williams from $300.00 to $275.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 27th. Finally, Mizuho lowered their target price on Sherwin-Williams from $267.00 to $255.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $253.39. Sherwin-Williams stock opened at $226.28 on Wednesday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $224.04 and its 200 day simple moving average is $229.39. The stock has a market cap of $58.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.07. The Sherwin-Williams Company has a 12-month low of $195.24 and a 12-month high of $285.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.09. Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 26th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.84 by $0.05. Sherwin-Williams had a return on equity of 90.04% and a net margin of 9.12%. The firm had revenue of $5.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.26 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.34 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Sherwin-Williams Company will post 8.52 earnings per share for the current year. Sherwin-Williams Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 27th were issued a dividend of $0.605 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 24th. This represents a $2.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.07%. This is a boost from Sherwin-Williamss previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. Sherwin-Williamss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.35%. About Sherwin-Williams (Get Rating) The Sherwin-Williams Co engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paint and coatings. It operates through the following segments: America Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coating Group. The America Group segment manages the exclusive outlets for Sherwin-Williams branded paints, stains, supplies, equipment, and floor coverings. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Sherwin-Williams Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sherwin-Williams and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its holdings in Edison International (NYSE:EIX Get Rating) by 0.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 404,960 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 1,488 shares during the period. New York State Teachers Retirement System owned about 0.11% of Edison International worth $25,764,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EIX. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Edison International by 36.8% in the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,732,894 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $401,877,000 after purchasing an additional 1,541,989 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Edison International by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 46,704,150 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,642,521,000 after buying an additional 1,250,820 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC grew its holdings in Edison International by 110.8% during the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,251,924 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $70,834,000 after buying an additional 658,091 shares during the last quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. increased its position in Edison International by 30.6% during the third quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. now owns 2,491,926 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $140,993,000 after buying an additional 583,923 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp increased its position in Edison International by 2.0% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,265,929 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,675,871,000 after buying an additional 562,352 shares in the last quarter. 87.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Edison International alerts: Insider Activity at Edison International In other Edison International news, SVP J Andrew Murphy sold 22,471 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.03, for a total transaction of $1,618,586.13. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 12,989 shares in the company, valued at $935,597.67. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.03% of the stock is owned by insiders. Edison International Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:EIX opened at $72.81 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.86 billion, a PE ratio of 45.51, a P/E/G ratio of 5.18 and a beta of 0.80. Edison International has a 12 month low of $54.45 and a 12 month high of $73.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The business has a 50-day moving average of $68.20 and a two-hundred day moving average of $64.69. Edison International (NYSE:EIX Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The utilities provider reported $1.15 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.07. Edison International had a net margin of 4.48% and a return on equity of 12.05%. The firm had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.61 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.16 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Edison International will post 4.72 earnings per share for the current year. Edison International Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, April 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 31st will be issued a $0.7375 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. This represents a $2.95 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.05%. Edison Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 184.38%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts recently commented on EIX shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Edison International from $72.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Edison International from $73.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on shares of Edison International in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. They set a sell rating and a $66.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group upgraded shares of Edison International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $69.00 to $75.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on Edison International in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Edison International has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $70.58. About Edison International (Get Rating) Edison International is a renewable energy company, which through its subsidiaries, generates and distributes electric power, and invests in energy services and technologies. The company was founded on July 4, 1886, and is headquartered in Rosemead, CA. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Edison International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edison International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New York State Teachers Retirement System lessened its stake in PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG Get Rating) by 2.4% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 243,214 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 6,033 shares during the quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement Systems holdings in PPG Industries were worth $30,582,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Trust Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of PPG Industries by 280.6% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,734,894 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $227,393,000 after acquiring an additional 1,279,104 shares during the last quarter. Putnam Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of PPG Industries by 33.8% during the third quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 2,533,859 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $280,473,000 after acquiring an additional 639,404 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners grew its stake in shares of PPG Industries by 36.2% during the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,985,929 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $219,819,000 after acquiring an additional 527,327 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of PPG Industries by 1.3% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 20,180,199 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,645,019,000 after acquiring an additional 252,358 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1832 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of PPG Industries during the first quarter worth about $32,027,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.04% of the companys stock. Get PPG Industries alerts: PPG Industries Stock Up 0.7 % PPG Industries stock opened at $139.30 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.79 billion, a PE ratio of 32.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.17. PPG Industries, Inc. has a 12 month low of $107.06 and a 12 month high of $141.26. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $130.42 and a 200-day simple moving average of $126.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 1.04. PPG Industries Dividend Announcement PPG Industries ( NYSE:PPG Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 20th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.14 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.12 billion. PPG Industries had a return on equity of 22.55% and a net margin of 5.81%. The businesss revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.26 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that PPG Industries, Inc. will post 6.77 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 17th were given a dividend of $0.62 per share. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.78%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 16th. PPG Industriess payout ratio is 57.27%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, VP Anne M. Foulkes sold 21,757 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.33, for a total transaction of $2,792,075.81. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 10,577 shares in the company, valued at $1,357,346.41. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, VP Anne M. Foulkes sold 21,757 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.33, for a total transaction of $2,792,075.81. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 10,577 shares in the company, valued at $1,357,346.41. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Michael H. Mcgarry sold 61,867 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.96, for a total value of $8,040,235.32. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 183,645 shares of the companys stock, valued at $23,866,504.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.55% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho restated a buy rating and set a $142.00 price target on shares of PPG Industries in a research note on Tuesday, February 7th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on PPG Industries from $159.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on PPG Industries from $133.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, April 4th. Barclays lifted their target price on PPG Industries from $130.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Vertical Research downgraded PPG Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $140.74. About PPG Industries (Get Rating) PPG Industries, Inc engages in the manufacture and distribution of paints, coatings, and specialty materials. It operates through the Performance Coatings and Industrial Coatings segments. The Performance Coatings segment supplies a variety of protective and decorative coatings, sealants, and finishes along with pavement marking products, paint strippers, stains, and related chemicals, as well as transparencies and transparent armor. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PPG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for PPG Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PPG Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Rating) had its price objective dropped by research analysts at Barclays from $104.00 to $88.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Barclayss target price would suggest a potential upside of 3.03% from the stocks current price. A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on PRU. Piper Sandler reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $106.00 target price on shares of Prudential Financial in a research report on Wednesday, February 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Prudential Financial from $112.00 to $114.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. StockNews.com began coverage on Prudential Financial in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and set a $110.00 price target on shares of Prudential Financial in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Prudential Financial from a neutral rating to a sell rating and dropped their price target for the company from $98.00 to $96.00 in a research report on Monday, January 9th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $101.58. Get Prudential Financial alerts: Prudential Financial Stock Up 1.5 % PRU opened at $85.41 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 0.07 and a quick ratio of 0.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -21.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.38. The business has a 50-day moving average of $91.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $97.36. Prudential Financial has a 12 month low of $75.37 and a 12 month high of $122.54. Prudential Financial ( NYSE:PRU Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The financial services provider reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.57 by ($0.15). Prudential Financial had a positive return on equity of 13.31% and a negative net margin of 2.33%. The firm had revenue of $12.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.78 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.18 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Prudential Financial will post 12.17 earnings per share for the current year. Prudential Financial declared that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, February 7th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 2.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 4,126 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.20, for a total value of $409,299.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,241 shares in the company, valued at $1,214,307.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 11,405 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.95, for a total value of $1,151,334.75. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,300 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,241,685. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrew F. Sullivan sold 4,126 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.20, for a total value of $409,299.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,241 shares in the company, valued at $1,214,307.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PRU. Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. bought a new position in shares of Prudential Financial in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Prudential Financial in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in Prudential Financial in the 1st quarter worth approximately $36,000. Heritage Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Prudential Financial by 695.0% in the 4th quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC now owns 318 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 278 shares during the period. Finally, Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd increased its position in Prudential Financial by 160.3% in the 4th quarter. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd now owns 367 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 226 shares during the period. 56.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Prudential Financial (Get Rating) Prudential Financial, Inc engages in the provision of insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both individual and institutional customers. It operates through the following segments: PGIM, U.S. Businesses, International Businesses, Closed Block, and Corporate and Others. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Prudential Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prudential Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MV Oil Trust (NYSE:MVO Get Rating) announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, April 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, April 17th will be given a dividend of 0.345 per share by the oil and gas producer on Tuesday, April 25th. This represents a $1.38 annualized dividend and a yield of 10.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 14th. MV Oil Trust has raised its dividend payment by an average of 28.4% per year over the last three years. Get MV Oil Trust alerts: MV Oil Trust Stock Up 0.3 % NYSE:MVO opened at $12.97 on Wednesday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $12.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is $13.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $149.16 million, a PE ratio of 6.79 and a beta of 0.95. MV Oil Trust has a twelve month low of $8.38 and a twelve month high of $16.41. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Institutional Trading of MV Oil Trust Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on MV Oil Trust in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in shares of MV Oil Trust by 207.5% during the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,297 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,550 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in shares of MV Oil Trust by 446.1% during the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 9,830 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 8,030 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MV Oil Trust during the first quarter valued at about $128,000. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA bought a new position in shares of MV Oil Trust during the first quarter worth about $137,000. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC raised its position in shares of MV Oil Trust by 61.6% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 19,998 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $249,000 after acquiring an additional 7,623 shares during the last quarter. 4.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About MV Oil Trust (Get Rating) MV Oil Trust is a close-ended investment trust. It engages in acquiring and holding a term net profits interest for the benefit of the trust unitholders. The company was founded on August 3, 2006 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for MV Oil Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MV Oil Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers a speech at the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on April 11, 2023. Xi on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the PLA. (Xinhua/Li Gang) ZHANJIANG, Guangdong, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed strengthening training and combat readiness and accelerating transformation to boost the armed forces' modernization levels on all fronts. He called on the armed forces to resolutely fulfill the duties entrusted by the Party and the people. At the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command, Xi met representatives of officers and soldiers and posed for group photos with them. He acknowledged the achievements the command's navy has made in improving itself and exercising its duties since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Xi said the armed forces should analyze and address military issues from a political perspective, carry out military struggles in a resolute and flexible manner, and enhance the ability to ensure timely and proper responses to complex situations. He told the military to resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and strive to maintain the overall stability of the country's neighboring regions. Xi ordered the armed forces to strengthen training under combat conditions, innovate the concepts of combat and the methods of combat and training, and intensify force-on-force training based on operational plans. They should develop new types of combat forces and means and accelerate the efforts to incorporate new equipment and new forces into actual combat capacity, he said. Xi stressed the importance of strengthening the Party's leadership over the armed forces and urged relentless efforts to exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance in the military and govern the military with strict discipline in every aspect. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets representatives of officers and soldiers at the navy headquarters of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on April 11, 2023. Xi on Tuesday inspected the navy of the Southern Theater Command of the PLA. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) had its price objective dropped by equities researchers at Barclays from $64.00 to $54.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. Barclayss target price suggests a potential upside of 37.16% from the companys current price. WFC has been the topic of a number of other reports. Odeon Capital Group lowered shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $58.00 to $47.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $60.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Friday, January 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $49.00 to $45.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Finally, Cfra raised Wells Fargo & Company to a buy rating and set a $50.00 price objective for the company in a report on Friday, January 13th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $49.84. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wells Fargo & Company Trading Up 1.9 % WFC stock opened at $39.37 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $42.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $43.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.84. Wells Fargo & Company has a fifty-two week low of $35.25 and a fifty-two week high of $49.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.12. Insider Activity at Wells Fargo & Company Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $19.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.04 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 9.28% and a net margin of 15.91%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.38 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. In other Wells Fargo & Company news, EVP Kleber Santos sold 34,698 shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.27, for a total transaction of $1,605,476.46. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,590 shares in the company, valued at $906,429.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wells Fargo & Company Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Defender Capital LLC. bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 1st quarter valued at $246,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the first quarter valued at about $124,000. Dakota Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the first quarter worth about $222,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. grew its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 0.3% during the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 273,936 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,274,000 after buying an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 24.5% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 9,630 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $467,000 after buying an additional 1,895 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 72.24% of the companys stock. About Wells Fargo & Company (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. Read More 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. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) by 8.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,461 shares of the companys stock after selling 397 shares during the period. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLCs holdings in AmerisourceBergen were worth $739,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. RFP Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of AmerisourceBergen during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH acquired a new position in shares of AmerisourceBergen during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hanseatic Management Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 73.7% during the 3rd quarter. Hanseatic Management Services Inc. now owns 264 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of AmerisourceBergen during the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of AmerisourceBergen by 38.8% during the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 311 shares of the companys stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.79% of the companys stock. Get AmerisourceBergen alerts: Insider Transactions at AmerisourceBergen In other news, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $1,574,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 257,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,695,050. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other AmerisourceBergen news, EVP Gina Clark sold 1,924 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.22, for a total value of $300,567.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,733 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,176,229.26. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Steven H. Collis sold 10,499 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $1,574,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 257,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,695,050. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 28,633 shares of company stock valued at $4,490,081. Corporate insiders own 20.10% of the companys stock. AmerisourceBergen Stock Performance NYSE:ABC opened at $166.55 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $157.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $158.14. The company has a market cap of $33.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.21, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.30, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.91. AmerisourceBergen Co. has a fifty-two week low of $135.14 and a fifty-two week high of $174.63. AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The company reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.62 by $0.09. AmerisourceBergen had a return on equity of 597.57% and a net margin of 0.72%. The firm had revenue of $62.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $62.77 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.58 EPS. The companys revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that AmerisourceBergen Co. will post 11.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. AmerisourceBergen Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $0.485 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 9th. This represents a $1.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.16%. AmerisourceBergens dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.54%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently weighed in on ABC shares. TheStreet lowered AmerisourceBergen from a b- rating to a c rating in a report on Monday, March 6th. UBS Group boosted their target price on AmerisourceBergen from $184.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 31st. Citigroup began coverage on AmerisourceBergen in a research note on Friday, March 31st. They issued a buy rating and a $185.00 price target for the company. Mizuho boosted their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $162.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 2nd. Finally, Argus boosted their price target on AmerisourceBergen from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $180.46. About AmerisourceBergen (Get Rating) AmerisourceBergen Corp. engages in the provision of pharmaceutical products and business solutions that improve access to care. It operates through the Pharmaceutical Distribution Services and Other segments. The Pharmaceutical Distribution Services segment distributes an offering of brand-name, specialty brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, and long-term care and alternate site pharmacies. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AmerisourceBergen Co. (NYSE:ABC Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for AmerisourceBergen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AmerisourceBergen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its stake in DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE Get Rating) by 3.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 116,162 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 3,465 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P.s holdings in DTE Energy were worth $13,653,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in DTE Energy by 3.0% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 23,418,393 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,694,286,000 after acquiring an additional 677,802 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in DTE Energy by 6.5% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 18,213,090 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,095,415,000 after acquiring an additional 1,111,992 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in DTE Energy by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,288,386 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,192,570,000 after acquiring an additional 372,903 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in DTE Energy by 15.8% in the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,431,298 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $509,910,000 after acquiring an additional 605,522 shares during the period. Finally, Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its stake in DTE Energy by 33.8% in the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 2,286,775 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $263,268,000 after acquiring an additional 577,589 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.55% of the companys stock. Get DTE Energy alerts: DTE Energy Stock Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSE DTE opened at $113.91 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $23.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.64, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $110.34 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $113.08. DTE Energy has a 12 month low of $100.64 and a 12 month high of $140.23. DTE Energy Increases Dividend DTE Energy ( NYSE:DTE Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The utilities provider reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.24 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $4.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.07 billion. DTE Energy had a net margin of 5.63% and a return on equity of 12.99%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.05 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that DTE Energy will post 6.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 15th. Investors of record on Monday, March 20th will be given a dividend of $0.9525 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 17th. This is an increase from DTE Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.95. This represents a $3.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.34%. DTE Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.02%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently commented on DTE. TheStreet raised DTE Energy from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, January 13th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $138.00 to $133.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of DTE Energy in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $123.00 to $124.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $126.00 to $120.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $128.44. About DTE Energy (Get Rating) DTE Energy Co operates as a diversified energy company, which engages in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services. It operates through the following segments: Electric, Gas, DTE Vantage, Energy Trading, and Corporate and Other. The Electric segment consists of generation, purchase, distribution, and sale of electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southeastern Michigan. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DTE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for DTE Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DTE Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Americana Partners LLC reduced its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Rating) by 14.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 100,370 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 17,378 shares during the period. Pfizer makes up approximately 0.9% of Americana Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 27th largest holding. Americana Partners LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $5,143,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Lam Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Karp Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Pfizer during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. My Personal CFO LLC purchased a new stake in Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Delos Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Pfizer by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 800 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. 67.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Trading Up 0.1 % NYSE:PFE opened at $41.79 on Wednesday. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $39.23 and a 12-month high of $54.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $235.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $41.57 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.44. Insiders Place Their Bets Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.14 earnings per share (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 business had revenue of $24.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.40 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.08 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.3 EPS for the current year. In other Pfizer news, major shareholder Pfizer Inc purchased 1,811,594 shares of Pfizer stock in a transaction on Friday, March 17th. The stock was bought at an average price of $2.76 per share, for a total transaction of $4,999,999.44. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 5,952,263 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,428,245.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have issued reports on PFE shares. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Pfizer in a report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $43.00 price objective on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Pfizer from $50.00 to $44.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 17th. Bank of America downgraded Pfizer from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $60.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on Pfizer from $55.00 to $53.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. Finally, Credit Suisse Group lowered their price target on Pfizer from $54.00 to $50.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $49.80. 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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Rating). 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. Americana Partners LLC grew its position in shares of ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Get Rating) by 56.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,930 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 1,413 shares during the period. Americana Partners LLCs holdings in ServiceNow were worth $947,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Merit Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of ServiceNow by 1.1% in the third quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,356 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $890,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. SWS Partners increased its position in shares of ServiceNow by 0.6% in the third quarter. SWS Partners now owns 4,753 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,795,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of ServiceNow by 9.0% in the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 350 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $195,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Canandaigua National Corp increased its position in shares of ServiceNow by 0.8% in the third quarter. Canandaigua National Corp now owns 3,601 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,360,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the period. Finally, Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. boosted its stake in ServiceNow by 25.4% in the third quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 148 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.31% of the companys stock. Get ServiceNow alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NOW has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Barclays reduced their price objective on ServiceNow from $496.00 to $495.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on ServiceNow from $550.00 to $575.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on ServiceNow from $500.00 to $510.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on ServiceNow from $500.00 to $525.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price objective on ServiceNow from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $521.97. Insiders Place Their Bets ServiceNow Trading Down 0.6 % In other ServiceNow news, insider Paul John Smith sold 2,301 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $447.22, for a total value of $1,029,053.22. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . In other news, insider Paul John Smith sold 2,301 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $447.22, for a total transaction of $1,029,053.22. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, insider Jacqueline P. Canney sold 1,083 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $461.03, for a total value of $499,295.49. Following the sale, the insider now owns 267 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $123,095.01. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders sold 65,629 shares of company stock worth $29,974,024. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Shares of NOW stock opened at $469.82 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $95.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 293.64, a PEG ratio of 6.31 and a beta of 1.04. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $447.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $414.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.11. ServiceNow, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $337.00 and a fifty-two week high of $534.13. ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The information technology services provider reported $0.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $1.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.93 billion. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 9.37% and a net margin of 4.49%. Research analysts forecast that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 2.65 earnings per share for the current year. ServiceNow Profile (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. Further Reading 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 of Hawaii cut its holdings in shares of Embraer S.A. (NYSE:ERJ Get Rating) by 2.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 57,733 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 1,153 shares during the period. Bank of Hawaiis holdings in Embraer were worth $631,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in Embraer by 148.1% during the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,869,400 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $36,183,000 after buying an additional 1,712,800 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its stake in Embraer by 3,184.0% during the 3rd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,274,200 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $10,958,000 after buying an additional 1,235,400 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in Embraer by 172.0% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,515,750 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $13,037,000 after purchasing an additional 958,585 shares in the last quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC raised its holdings in Embraer by 7,053.4% during the third quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 857,902 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $7,378,000 after purchasing an additional 845,909 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in Embraer by 736.1% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 915,782 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $11,549,000 after purchasing an additional 806,256 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 37.89% of the companys stock. Get Embraer alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently commented on ERJ shares. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Embraer from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday. TheStreet upgraded Embraer from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Embraer in a research report on Monday, January 9th. They set a buy rating and a $14.00 price objective for the company. Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Embraer from $27.00 to $24.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Embraer from $11.75 to $17.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, March 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $19.25. Embraer Stock Performance Shares of ERJ stock opened at $16.33 on Wednesday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $14.10 and its 200-day simple moving average is $11.82. The company has a market capitalization of $3.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 85.95, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Embraer S.A. has a 1-year low of $7.91 and a 1-year high of $16.61. Embraer (NYSE:ERJ Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Friday, March 10th. The aerospace company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.30 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $1.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.02 billion. Embraer had a net margin of 0.78% and a return on equity of 1.02%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Embraer S.A. will post 1.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Embraer (Get Rating) Embraer SA engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of aircraft and its parts for commercial, defense, and executive aviation sectors. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Aviation, Defense and Security, Executive Jet Business, Service & Support and Others. The Commercial Aviation segment is involved in the development, production, and sale of commercial jets; and the provision of support services to regional aviation and aircraft leasing. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ERJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Embraer S.A. (NYSE:ERJ Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Embraer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Embraer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. lifted its stake in Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A Get Rating) by 8.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 102,759 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 7,884 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.s holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $15,379,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in Agilent Technologies by 1.9% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 32,943,190 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $4,004,242,000 after acquiring an additional 629,153 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Agilent Technologies by 1.0% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,955,720 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $3,033,368,000 after buying an additional 257,455 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Agilent Technologies by 0.6% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,152,295 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,598,661,000 after buying an additional 73,495 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 10.7% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 6,478,670 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $787,483,000 after acquiring an additional 627,517 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies by 1.1% in the second quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,361,232 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $280,444,000 after acquiring an additional 24,625 shares during the last quarter. Get Agilent Technologies alerts: Agilent Technologies Trading Up 0.4 % Agilent Technologies stock opened at $138.52 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $112.52 and a 12-month high of $160.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.03. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $141.97 and a 200 day moving average of $143.64. Agilent Technologies ( NYSE:A Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 28th. The medical research company reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.31 by $0.06. Agilent Technologies had a net margin of 19.09% and a return on equity of 30.35%. The firm had revenue of $1.76 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.70 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.21 EPS. The companys revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.68 earnings per share for the current year. Agilent Technologies announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Monday, January 9th that permits the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the medical research company to purchase up to 4.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 26th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 4th will be issued a $0.225 dividend. This represents a $0.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 3rd. Agilent Technologiess payout ratio is presently 20.32%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently commented on A. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Agilent Technologies from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $150.00 to $170.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $170.00 to $174.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. StockNews.com cut Agilent Technologies from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. UBS Group increased their target price on Agilent Technologies from $152.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 20th. Finally, SVB Leerink boosted their price target on Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Agilent Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $163.31. About Agilent Technologies (Get Rating) Agilent Technologies, Inc engages in the provision of application focused solutions for life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. It operates through the following segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers application-focused solutions that include instruments and software that identify, quantify, and analyze the physical and biological properties of substances and products, as well as the clinical and life sciences research areas to interrogate samples at the molecular and cellular level. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Agilent Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agilent Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. trimmed its position in shares of N-able, Inc. (NYSE:NABL Get Rating) by 61.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 760,243 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,212,787 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. owned approximately 0.42% of N-able worth $7,816,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Swiss National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of N-able by 7.1% in the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 105,750 shares of the companys stock valued at $962,000 after purchasing an additional 7,000 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of N-able by 41.5% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 54,388 shares of the companys stock valued at $495,000 after buying an additional 15,943 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its stake in N-able by 15.1% in the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 218,396 shares of the companys stock worth $1,987,000 after acquiring an additional 28,679 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in N-able by 13.2% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,656,901 shares of the companys stock worth $24,177,000 after acquiring an additional 310,465 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of N-able by 53.1% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 690,366 shares of the companys stock worth $6,283,000 after purchasing an additional 239,546 shares during the period. 97.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get N-able alerts: N-able Price Performance Shares of N-able stock opened at $13.47 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.49, a current ratio of 2.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. N-able, Inc. has a twelve month low of $8.12 and a twelve month high of $13.92. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $11.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.90. The firm has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a PE ratio of 149.68 and a beta of 0.49. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Insider Buying and Selling NABL has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Needham & Company LLC upped their target price on N-able from $13.00 to $14.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered N-able from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $13.00 to $11.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 24th. In related news, VP Frank Colletti sold 26,316 shares of N-able stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.59, for a total value of $305,002.44. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 385,210 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,464,583.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, CFO Tim James Obrien sold 8,820 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.78, for a total transaction of $103,899.60. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 550,021 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,479,247.38. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Frank Colletti sold 26,316 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.59, for a total value of $305,002.44. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 385,210 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,464,583.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 53,922 shares of company stock worth $667,210. Insiders own 0.50% of the companys stock. N-able Company Profile (Get Rating) N-able, Inc provides cloud-based software solutions for managed service providers (MSPs) in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's solutions enable MSPs to support digital transformation and growth within small and medium-sized enterprises. Its software platform is designed to be an enterprise-grade solution that serves as an operating system for its MSP partners and scales as their businesses grow. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for N-able Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for N-able and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. increased its position in shares of Raymond James (NYSE:RJF Get Rating) by 16.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 95,368 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 13,194 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.s holdings in Raymond James were worth $10,190,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Czech National Bank increased its position in shares of Raymond James by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 22,660 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,421,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its position in shares of Raymond James by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 12,500 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,336,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Intrust Bank NA increased its position in shares of Raymond James by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Intrust Bank NA now owns 5,344 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $528,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division increased its position in shares of Raymond James by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 8,555 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $914,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wetherby Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Raymond James by 5.0% in the 1st quarter. Wetherby Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,520 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $277,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.77% of the companys stock. Get Raymond James alerts: Insider Transactions at Raymond James In other Raymond James news, insider Jodi Perry sold 6,343 shares of Raymond James stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.30, for a total transaction of $712,318.90. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 7,150 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $802,945. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 9.46% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Raymond James Stock Up 1.5 % Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Raymond James in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Raymond James from $130.00 to $100.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Raymond James from $148.00 to $125.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 4th. Credit Suisse Group dropped their target price on shares of Raymond James from $119.00 to $116.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 26th. Finally, UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of Raymond James from $127.00 to $125.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 9th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $120.43. Raymond James stock opened at $92.63 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 0.98. The firm has a market cap of $19.95 billion, a PE ratio of 12.90 and a beta of 1.03. Raymond James has a twelve month low of $84.86 and a twelve month high of $126.00. The firms 50 day moving average price is $101.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $107.98. Raymond James (NYSE:RJF Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $2.29 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. Raymond James had a net margin of 13.65% and a return on equity of 17.78%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.12 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Raymond James will post 9.27 EPS for the current fiscal year. Raymond James Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 3rd will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 31st. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.81%. Raymond Jamess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.40%. About Raymond James (Get Rating) Raymond James Financial, Inc, a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RJF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Raymond James (NYSE:RJF Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Raymond James Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Raymond James and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Realty Income Co. (NYSE:O Get Rating) by 14.3% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 4,886 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 611 shares during the period. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Realty Income were worth $332,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its holdings in shares of Realty Income by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 47,407 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,007,000 after acquiring an additional 148 shares during the period. Baldwin Brothers LLC MA increased its holdings in shares of Realty Income by 15.0% in the 4th quarter. Baldwin Brothers LLC MA now owns 1,150 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $73,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the period. Redhawk Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Realty Income by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Redhawk Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 5,803 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $396,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. RMR Wealth Builders grew its stake in Realty Income by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. RMR Wealth Builders now owns 5,459 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $319,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Realty Income by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC now owns 18,851 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,097,000 after buying an additional 177 shares during the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Realty Income alerts: Realty Income Stock Performance NYSE O opened at $62.10 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.73, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.80. Realty Income Co. has a twelve month low of $55.50 and a twelve month high of $75.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.85, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $64.01 and a 200 day moving average of $63.31. Realty Income Announces Dividend Realty Income ( NYSE:O Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.98 by ($0.62). The business had revenue of $888.65 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $840.57 million. Realty Income had a return on equity of 3.14% and a net margin of 26.00%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 29.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.94 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Realty Income Co. will post 4.09 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a apr 23 dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.255 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 28th. Realty Incomes dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 215.49%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Realty Income from $68.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. BNP Paribas initiated coverage on Realty Income in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. They set a neutral rating and a $72.00 target price on the stock. Raymond James cut Realty Income from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, January 9th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Realty Income in a research report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a sell rating for the company. Finally, Mizuho lowered their price target on Realty Income from $69.00 to $66.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Realty Income has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $71.60. Realty Income Profile (Get Rating) Realty Income Corp. is a real estate company, which engages in generating dependable monthly cash dividends from a consistent and predictable level of cash flow from operations. The company was founded by William E. Clark, Jr. and Evelyn Joan Clark in 1969 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding O? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Realty Income Co. (NYSE:O Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Realty Income Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Realty Income and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden pointed the fingers at the Republicans over gun violence after Monday's mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky that left six people dead, including the shooter, and nine others injured. "Once again, our nation is in mourning after a senseless act of gun violence," Biden said in a statement. In another shooting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, one man was killed and three other people were hurt at a funeral home when gunfire erupted shortly after a funeral ended for someone who was fatally shot in March. "How many more Americans must die before Republicans in Congress will act to protect our communities?" Biden said. "It's long past time that we require safe storage of firearms. Require background checks for all gun sales. Eliminate gun manufacturers' immunity from liability. We can and must do these things now." However, it is unlikely that the divided U.S. Congress would approve the legislative proposal as the Republicans control the House of Representatives this term and have advocated for "people's right to keep and bear arms." The National Rifle Association, a very influential gun rights advocacy group, tweeted on Monday night that "criminals love gun control because it keeps their victims defenseless." In Monday's mass shooting in Louisville, a 25-year-old bank employee opened fire at his downtown workplace in the morning and live-streamed the attack, according to the police. The shooter, identified as Connor Sturgeon who works at the Old National Bank, was killed by police after a shootout. Following an initial death toll of four, local authorities announced in the evening that a fifth victim, a 57-year-old woman, had died of her injuries, adding to another woman and three men killed in the attack, who were aged between 40 and 64. Nine people, including two police officers, were taken to the hospital. The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) tweeted on Monday afternoon that one officer, new to the LMPD, remains in critical condition after being shot in the head. "Jill and I are praying for those killed and injured in the tragic shooting in Louisville, and for the survivors who will carry grief and trauma for the rest of their lives," Biden said in his statement on Monday. U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, also weighed in, saying that he is "devastated by the news coming out of Louisville this morning." "Thank you to LMPD and our first responders for your bravery at the scene," McConnell said in a statement. "We send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as we await more information." The Louisville bank shooting came only two weeks after three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. "I have gone the full extent of my executive authority to do, on my own, anything about guns," Biden said after the school massacre. The New York Times described it as "a stark and surprising statement by the president, who essentially threw up his hands in the face of one of the most intractable problems facing American society." There have been 147 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter. Meanwhile, more than 11,500 people, including hundreds of children and teens, have lost their lives to gun violence in the past three months, the website's data showed. The number of children and teens killed by gunfire in the United States increased by 50 percent between 2019 and 2021, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the latest annual mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rise in gun deaths among children and teens is part of a broader recent increase in firearm deaths among Americans overall. In 2021, there were 48,830 gun deaths among Americans of all ages, by far the highest yearly total on record and up 23 percent from the 39,707 recorded in 2019. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC decreased its position in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS Get Rating) by 1.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,280 shares of the companys stock after selling 155 shares during the quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLCs holdings in General Mills were worth $1,114,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of GIS. James Investment Research Inc. bought a new position in General Mills during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. bought a new position in General Mills during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Paragon Wealth Strategies LLC raised its position in General Mills by 164.9% during the 4th quarter. Paragon Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 392 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 244 shares during the last quarter. Selway Asset Management bought a new position in General Mills during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Concord Wealth Partners bought a new position in General Mills during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.48% of the companys stock. Get General Mills alerts: General Mills Price Performance GIS stock opened at $87.06 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $51.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.54. General Mills, Inc. has a 52-week low of $64.94 and a 52-week high of $88.34. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $80.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $80.91. General Mills Announces Dividend 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, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.06. General Mills had a return on equity of 24.51% and a net margin of 14.04%. The business had revenue of $5.13 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.84 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.23 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be paid a $0.54 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.48%. General Millss payout ratio is presently 46.65%. Insider Transactions at General Mills In other news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.33, for a total value of $685,199.90. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 83,049 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,086,571.17. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 8,030 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.33, for a total value of $685,199.90. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 83,049 shares in the company, valued at $7,086,571.17. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Bethany C. Quam sold 21,734 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.86, for a total value of $1,866,081.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 47,560 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,083,501.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth GIS has been the subject of several analyst reports. Piper Sandler raised their target price on General Mills from $88.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on General Mills from $73.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on General Mills from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on General Mills from $88.00 to $96.00 in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on General Mills from $81.00 to $83.00 in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, General Mills has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $84.12. 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. Further Reading 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. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) by 4.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 12,228 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 521 shares during the quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc.s holdings in Accenture were worth $3,263,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in ACN. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Accenture by 1.4% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 58,473,666 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $15,045,274,000 after acquiring an additional 816,734 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 0.7% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 46,363,742 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $11,929,391,000 after buying an additional 319,707 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 5.1% during the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 7,296,119 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,877,293,000 after buying an additional 354,513 shares during the period. Polen Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 0.5% during the third quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 5,799,259 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,492,149,000 after buying an additional 29,646 shares during the period. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 4.1% during the third quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 5,598,625 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,440,525,000 after buying an additional 219,573 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.97% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. 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. lifted their target price on Accenture from $311.00 to $314.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, March 24th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on Accenture from $310.00 to $290.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 19th. StockNews.com downgraded Accenture from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their price target on Accenture from $245.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Monday, March 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $314.00. Insider Transactions at Accenture Accenture Stock Performance In other news, COO Manish Sharma sold 3,448 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.32, for a total transaction of $966,543.36. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 6,253 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,752,840.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . In related news, COO Manish Sharma sold 3,448 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.32, for a total transaction of $966,543.36. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 6,253 shares in the company, valued at $1,752,840.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 10,296 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.93, for a total transaction of $2,892,455.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 44,158 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,405,306.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 36,475 shares of company stock valued at $10,225,149. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Shares of ACN opened at $286.33 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $272.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $274.58. The company has a market capitalization of $180.92 billion, a PE ratio of 26.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.25. Accenture plc has a fifty-two week low of $242.80 and a fifty-two week high of $333.95. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 23rd. The information technology services provider reported $2.69 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 the consensus estimate of $15.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.54 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Accenture plc will post 11.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Accenture Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 13th will be given a $1.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 12th. This represents a $4.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.56%. Accentures payout ratio is currently 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. Read More 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. Threadgill Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,582 shares of the business services providers stock, valued at approximately $248,000. Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake 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 valued at $5,925,244,000 after purchasing an additional 1,016,798 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 194.9% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,217,592 shares of the business services providers stock worth $192,988,000 after buying an additional 804,708 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 3,120.2% in the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 600,443 shares of the business services providers stock worth $96,197,000 after buying an additional 581,797 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 18.8% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 3,194,558 shares of the business services providers stock worth $482,604,000 after buying an additional 504,966 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 21.5% in the third quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 2,605,293 shares of the business services providers stock worth $417,394,000 after buying an additional 461,425 shares during the last quarter. 78.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Waste Management alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets WM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Waste Management from $179.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Citigroup lowered their price target on Waste Management from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 2nd. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Waste Management in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. They set an outperform rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock. UBS Group downgraded Waste Management from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $190.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Waste Management from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $185.00 to $171.00 in a research report on Monday, December 19th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Waste Management presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $173.27. Insider Activity at Waste Management Waste Management Price Performance In other news, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 7,515 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $1,164,825.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 46,542 shares in the company, valued at $7,214,010. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In related news, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 7,515 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $1,164,825.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 46,542 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,214,010. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, Director John C. Pope sold 218 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.76, for a total value of $33,737.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 55,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,637,000.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 30,961 shares of company stock valued at $4,796,057. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Shares of Waste Management stock opened at $163.14 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $154.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $157.61. Waste Management, Inc. has a 12 month low of $138.89 and a 12 month high of $175.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $66.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.27, a PEG ratio of 2.51 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 (NYSE:WM Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.39 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a net margin of 11.36% and a return on equity of 32.91%. The company had revenue of $4.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.26 EPS. Waste Managements revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6 EPS for the current fiscal year. Waste Management Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.72%. 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 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 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. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Get Rating) by 3.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 36,800 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,175 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.s holdings in Duke Energy were worth $3,790,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 47,250 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,276,000 after acquiring an additional 581 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 29.5% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,751 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,089,000 after acquiring an additional 2,223 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd raised its position in Duke Energy by 447.8% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,260 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $141,000 after purchasing an additional 1,030 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 5.2% in the 1st quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 6,505 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $726,000 after buying an additional 322 shares during the period. 63.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Duke Energy alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Louis E. Renjel sold 1,900 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction 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 sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $995,703.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Duke Energy Trading Up 0.2 % A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Duke Energy from $111.00 to $103.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 10th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Duke Energy in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on 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. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Duke Energy from $107.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on 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. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $104.70. Shares of Duke Energy stock opened at $99.35 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.56 billion, a PE ratio of 29.92, a P/E/G ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.43. Duke Energy Co. has a twelve month low of $83.76 and a twelve month high of $116.33. The firms 50-day moving average price is $96.96 and its 200 day moving average price is $97.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34. Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The utilities provider reported $1.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.05. Duke Energy had a net margin of 9.11% and a return on equity of 8.45%. The business had revenue of $7.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.27 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.94 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 17.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.62 EPS for the current fiscal year. 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 Stories 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. HighTower Trust Company N.A. lowered its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Get Rating) by 3.1% 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 1,847 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 59 shares during the period. HighTower Trust Company N.A.s holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $315,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,953,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC now owns 3,761 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $620,000 after acquiring an additional 172 shares during the last quarter. First Manhattan Co. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 21.0% in the 3rd quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 1,026 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $169,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 154.9% in the 3rd quarter. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC now owns 57,652 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $9,508,000 after acquiring an additional 35,034 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 214.6% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 17,172 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,994,000 after acquiring an additional 11,714 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 ETF Stock Performance Shares of IWM opened at $177.14 on Wednesday. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a fifty-two week low of $162.50 and a fifty-two week high of $204.80. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $183.33 and a 200-day moving average price of $180.22. About iShares Russell 2000 ETF 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 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. TEHRAN, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism held a ceremony in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday to welcome Chinese tourists visiting the country. The ceremony, held at the Saadabad Cultural and Historical Complex, was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Tehran Chang Hua and Ali Asghar Shalbafian, deputy Iranian minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts and tourism for tourism affairs. In an address to the ceremony, Chang said China and Iran enjoy traditional friendship and their comprehensive strategic partnership has been developing steadily in recent years. Noting that Iran is an ancient civilization with abundant tourism resources, Chang said he hopes that the two countries will further enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. For his part, Shalbafian welcomed the Chinese tourists and assured them of being able to experience unique historical tourist attractions, rich museums, and exciting natural scenery during their stay in Iran. In addition, the tourists would also have the opportunity to experience Iran's most important feature, which is its people's hospitality, he said. Shalbafian also encouraged Chinese tourists to talk with Iranian people and share with their friends, relatives, and acquaintances whatever they find attractive and distinctive about Iran. TEHRAN, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Army Ground Force on Tuesday unveiled 1,084 homegrown military armaments and equipment which are indigenously produced, optimized and overhauled. The unveiling ceremony, held a few days ahead of the Army Day on April 18, was attended by Army Commander Abdolrahim Mousavi and Commander of the Army's Ground Force Kioumars Heidari, according to the website of the Iranian Army. Among the unveiled gears and weapons were new tank transporters named Kian 800, Kian 700 and Kian 600, decks for pontoon bridges, a 30-millimeter grenade launcher simulator, and an electronic warfare system dubbed Arash. They also included a portable radar jamming system installed on the homegrown Mohajer-6 drone, tactical command and control vehicles, transportation vehicles used to set up portable telecommunication stations, a tactical cellular system capable of providing mobile network coverage, and an air defense system named Majid. A series of homegrown missiles were also unveiled during the ceremony, such as Almas, Sahand, Shafaq and Misaq missiles. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Heidari said the Shafaq missile, which can be installed on helicopters, has a range of 20 kilometers and is capable of hitting targets with pinpoint accuracy. Mousavi said the unveiled gears and armaments were only part of the Iranian armed forces' achievements and advances which cannot be fully displayed. He added that more weapons and systems will be unveiled in the spring. GUANGZHOU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said distinctive rural industries have broad prospects. Xi made the remarks on Tuesday while visiting a village during his inspection trip to south China's Guangdong Province. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China has launched its ecological environment satellite monitoring system, according to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). The system is also a satellite constellation of gross ecosystem product (GEP), which refers to the total value contributed by the ecosystem to human welfare and sustainable economic and social development. The ecological environment satellite monitoring system provides a variety of spatial basic data such as ecological classification, water conservation, atmospheric monitoring and carbon sink monitoring, to meet the demand for remote sensing data. The CAST under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the developer of the ecological environment satellite monitoring system. The academy has gradually established a sky-air-land integrated ecological database, built a data-driven artificial intelligence computing center, and constructed a system of whole-area ecological real-time monitoring, accurate analysis, evaluation and trading. The CASC has developed a series of satellites for resource and ecological monitoring to serve China's ecological construction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Viktoria Nikitchuks voice trembled with fear when I spoke with her four days after Russias invasion of Ukraine in the winter of 2022. She huddled with her two daughters in a hotel basement in Kyiv as Russian troops encircled the city and blasts of shelling drew closer. Food and water were running low. On Saturday, the 44-year-old divorced mother of two teenagers spoke from Orleans, Mass., on Cape Cod with optimism, a bright timbre shining through her conversation. I am very happy that we are all together. We overcame many obstacles. We are lucky we made it here, Nikitchuk said. Her experience in the hotel industry helped her land a job as assistant director of housekeeping at Chatham Bars Inn, a luxury beachfront resort. My goal all along was to keep my family safe and together, she said. Nikitchuk chose to settle last August on Cape Cod because her oldest daughter, Maria, 19, had visited her father, Nikitchuks ex-husband, on the Cape, and she loved the locale. We made a good transition. Id call this a big success, Nikitchuk said, especially for her 13-year-old daughter, Eugenia, who enjoys her classes in sixth grade at a local public school. Her daughter is beginning to make friends after coming home in tears following the first day of school. She felt self-conscious because her English was poor and was sad that nobody talked to her. Over the past months, her daughters initial unhappiness turned a corner. She is excited to go to school now. Her English is getting better every day, her mother said. They make learning fun for the kids. I have followed the journey of Nikitchuk and her daughters since the Russian invasion Feb. 24, 2022. They are among 8.2 million refugees from Ukraine who fled the war and registered across Europe. Another 6 million people are displaced within Ukraine, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed. Estimates of the damage to buildings and infrastructure topped $100 billion across a country of 43 million before the war. I was introduced to Nikitchuk by Viktoryia Baum, of Albany. They attended the same college together in Poland, where Baum grew up. Baum called Nikitchuk tough, resilient and an absolutely independent woman. She needed that grit during a harrowing 14-month ordeal that began with terrifying days hiding in a hotel basement during the wars early days as a long column of Russian tanks and a vast army advanced on the capital city of 2.8 million. After agonizing consideration about whether to stay or flee, Nikitchuk and her daughters fled Kyiv during a break in the bombing. Afraid to return to their apartment to retrieve belongings, they carried two backpacks into a hotel coworkers car. They navigated through massive traffic jams, security checkpoints, and throngs of refugees walking along highways. They encountered a chaotic scene at the overcrowded Lviv train station, where all trains were sold out. Nikitchuk managed to buy three bus tickets bound for Warsaw. She knew her way around the city and could speak some Polish. She got a job as a hotel manager and commuted by train one hour each way to work. Her daughters were traumatized and depressed. They did not speak Polish and struggled to adapt to their new life in Warsaw. A friend helped find the refugee family a temporary place to stay, in the home of an affluent Warsaw couple. They offered Nikitchuk and her daughters a spare bedroom in their home. They felt grateful for the couples generosity. They became part of our family, but we all knew it was temporary, Nikitchuk said. We wanted a place of our own. She considered returning to Ukraine, as more than 1million Ukrainians who fled the war did, despite an ongoing war and economic hardship. Nikitchuks elderly parents live in a rural area that has thus far escaped the fighting. They have no plans to leave. We miss my parents, but there is nothing for me to go back to. Most of my friends left or have been killed. So much has been destroyed, she said. A friend in Oklahoma helped sponsor the familys relocation to the U.S. and assisted with helping her move to Cape Cod last summer. Nikitchuk was not prepared for the high cost of Cape housing. She and her daughters stayed for the first months in a cramped one-bedroom unit until she saved enough to upgrade to a two-bedroom apartment. Her older daughter, who resumed her studies online at a Ukrainian university, has her own bedroom. She shares the other with her younger daughter. She got a drivers license and bought a 2015 Nissan Rogue with high mileage. It feels great to have my own car, Nikitchuk said. She has been busy with work and helping her daughters get adjusted and has not had much time to enjoy the Capes famous beaches. I want to get to the ocean more this summer, she said. She traveled by bus to New York City recently to get a new passport for her youngest daughter and stayed an extra day to visit tourist sites, including Central Park and New York City. On the bus, she had time to reflect on how far she has come. She tries to look forward. I am confident we will eventually win the war, Nikitchuk said. But how do we rebuild our country? I dont see a good life for my family back in Ukraine, at least not for a long time. As their bus crossed the Bourne Bridge to return to Cape Cod, Nikitchuk and her daughter shared a hug. We were so happy to be back on the Cape, the mother said. We felt like we were going home. 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 ALBANY New state tests start next week, reflecting new standards that were supposed to go into effect years ago, but were delayed due to the pandemic. Students in grades three through eight will take the English Language Arts test, on two consecutive days between Wednesday and Friday. Last year, the average student spent more than an hour on the first days test and more than 90 minutes on the second day. Third- and fourth-graders spent 70 to 80 minutes on the second days test, while sixth- to eighth-graders spent 90 to 100 minutes on that test, according to state estimates. There are fewer expectations on which to test students in the new assessment, in response to teachers saying there were too many on the previous version of the test, according to a summary of the changes from the state Department of Education. In addition, the state has reset the bar for determining whether schools are showing improvement from year to year on the tests, saying last years much lower results are the new baseline. Among items removed were the requirement for third-graders to read fables and myths. Instead, they must read a variety of genres. In writing, they must use descriptions of actions, thoughts and feelings, but no longer have to include dialogue. In eighth grade, students no longer have to determine how the central theme of a text relates to the characters, setting and plot. Instead, the new assessment requires that they find the central theme and analyze it. Students are also now given more time to learn grammar rules, with rules organized into groups that must be mastered on the test by the end of a three-year period. This leaves more room at the local level to develop instructional programs around these important expectations, the state Education Department wrote in a summary of the changes. Similarly, the math test given in May will have slight changes, largely by removing some items. The changes do not resolve the main complaints from teachers, school superintendents and parents. They have argued the tests take up too much time in school and take too long to grade, with results released months later, after the students have finished the school year. Some school officials want to simply use the tests they already give during the school year, such as iReady, which are adaptive and take much less time. Those tests offer each student different questions, based on their answers to earlier questions, to quickly determine their skill level. Then the computerized system gives teachers a detailed report, showing where each student needs to improve to be on grade level. State education officials said in an interview Friday that such programs cant be used as the final test each year. School districts dont all use the same program, so the results could not be used for statewide comparisons, and they predicted the tests would not meet federal requirements. But a similar test is used in Maine. There, the federal government threatened to sue this year because the test didnt meet the requirement of having questions peer-reviewed. The government agreed to a compromise: Starting this spring, a portion of Maines test will use peer-reviewed questions that are set for each grade level, but the rest of the questions will change based on the students skill level. After this year, Maine expects to release test results within 24 to 48 hours. That quick turn-around time suggests that the test doesnt include writing or open-ended questions, New York State Education Department officials said. Those questions are included in the New York state tests, with students typing in written responses or using a drawing pad on their computer to write out equations in math. (Some students in New York state dont take the test on computers yet, but that requirement is being phased in, starting with fifth and eighth grades.) Menands schools Superintendent Maureen Long isnt concerned about the changes in the new tests, but she wishes they were shorter. Anything that disrupts instruction and we have to take time for testing is certainly an inconvenience, she said. We have 180 days with kids. Lets use that time to provide instruction and other beneficial activities. She noted that the district regularly tests with a program similar to iReady. But given the effects of the pandemic and hybrid education, she said the district could use the data that it will get from the state tests. Any opportunity right now to get an assessment of where our kids stand, coming off of the last couple of years, is an opportunity to help us better guide our curriculum and instruction going forward, she said. SCHENECTADY City Councilman John Polimeni bought a house in Rotterdam last month but insisted Wednesday he has no immediate plans of resigning. I currently own three properties, two of which are in the city, so I dont have any plans of resigning anytime soon, he said Wednesday, adding he is trying to do some investments. Im trying to take care of my family and thats really whats going on. The Democrat is not seeking re-election. His term runs out at the end of December. Public real estate records show that Polimeni, who lives on Randolph Road in Schenectady, purchased a house on Gates Drive for $370,000 in Rotterdam in March. The state Public Officers Law states that to hold a civil office, a person must live in that municipality, according to Andrew Koldin, the citys top lawyer. He said theres similar language in the city charter that says that an individual needs to be a United States citizen and Schenectady resident to serve as mayor or be on the City Council. Polimeni, a college professor, has proven at times during his tenure to be a lightning rod. In December, he criticized the council for not getting things done in 2022, citing issues with the citys budget and the way the city spent millions of dollars in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. More recently, Polimeni has asked an ethics committee to investigate money the city school district for years paid to fellow Councilman Damonni Farley for consulting work he performed while he was an employee of the district. Farleys consulting company, Common Thread, Inc., was paid nearly $600,000 while he worked as an employee of the district. School Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. ended the practice of paying consultants after he took the post last year and scrutinized the districts arrangement with Farley and two other consultants. Polimeni has accused Farley of double dipping. Farley says the district hired his firm legally and the company performed useful work for the district. The matter has been a flashpoint of debate a council meetings since the situation was brought to light in February. A school spokeswoman said earlier this year that the addition of district jobs such as innovation, equity and engagement specialists, parent liaisons, restorative practice specialists and school attendance specialists eliminated the need for outside consultants. Polimeni has also taken aim at Farley for being nearly $30,000 in arrears on state income taxes, which Farley has said he is working to resolve. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ROME (AP) The first three months of 2023 were the deadliest first quarter in six years for migrants crossing the central Mediterranean Sea in smugglers boats, the U.N. migration agency reported Wednesday, citing nations' delays in initiating rescues as a contributing factor. The International Organization for Migration documented 441 migrant deaths along the dangerous sea route between northern Africa and Europes southern shores during January, February and March. In 2017, 742 known deaths were documented in the same period, while 446 were recorded in the first three months of 2015. "The persisting humanitarian crisis in the central Mediterranean is intolerable,'' IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino, commenting on the figures the agency released in a report. With more than 20,000 deaths recorded on this route since 2014, I fear that these deaths have been normalized,'' Vitorino said. States must respond. Delays and gaps in state-led SAR (search-and-rescue areas) are costing human lives." While this year has started out on a distressing note, IOM tallied higher numbers of people dead or missing in the Mediterranean in six other quarters since 2017, with the most documented in the second quarter of 2018, at 1,430 The true number of lives lost among migrants who set out on smugglers' unseaworthy rubber dinghies or decrepit fishing boats is unknown because the bodies of people who perish at sea often are never recovered. Many deaths only come to light when survivors recount that their vessel set out with more passengers than the number who ultimately making it to safety. The International Organization for Migration said it also was investigating several reports of invisible shipwrecks" cases in which boats are reported missing, where there are no records of survivors, remains or search-and-rescue operations. It estimated that the fates of more than 300 people aboard these vessels remain unclear. Without naming nations, the agency blasted policies aimed at complicating the work of rescue boats operated in the central Mediterranean by humanitarian organizations. The report cited a March 25 incident in which members of the Libyan Coast Guard fired shots in the air as a charity rescue boat, Ocean Viking, was responding to a report of a rubber dinghy in distress. State efforts to save lives must include supporting the efforts of NGO actors to provide lifesaving assistance and ending the criminalization, obstruction of those efforts by humanitarian groups, the IOM said. The agency's report said the deaths of at least 127 people so far this year came in six incidents in which delays in state-led rescues in the Central Mediterranean were a factor. The report's authors lamented the complete absence of response in a seventh situation, in which at least 73 migrants lost their live. The authors also cited a boat carrying some 400 migrants that remained adrift in the sea between Malta and Italy for two days before the Italian Coast Guard came to its aid. Italys governments have at times impounded charity-run boats for technical reasons or, as the countrys current right-wing government is doing now, required them to disembark their rescued passengers farther away from the southernmost ports that jut out into the Mediterranean. On Tuesday, Italy's far-right premier, Giorgia Meloni, and her Cabinet declared a six-month state of emergency to cope with the country's latest increase in migrant arrivals. Among the goals of her coalition, which includes the stridently anti-migrant leader of the League Party, are efforts to step repatriation of migrants who aren't eligible for asylum. Many of the asylum-seekers who reach Italy are fleeing poverty not war or persecution and see their applications denied. According to the Italian Interior Ministry, 31,192 migrants had arrived in Italy by sea this year as of Tuesday. The figure didnt include some 700 migrants crowded aboard a smugglers boat that apparently ran out of fuel and got towed Wednesday morning to a port in Sicily under an Italian Coast Guard escort. Migrants aboard that vessel cheered and shouted Beautiful Italy, when they reached Catania, Italian state TV reported. Italy for years has sought to prod fellow European Union nations to take more of the rescued migrants who step ashore in Mediterranean countries, many with the aim of finding jobs or family members in northern Europe. Under current EU rules, the country where asylum-seekers first arrive is responsible for them. The situation in the Mediterranean has been a humanitarian crisis for over a decade now," IOM spokesperson Safa Msehli said Wednesday. "And the fact that deaths continue on its own is very alarming, but the fact that thats increased is extremely alarming because it means that very little concrete action was taken to address the issue. ___ Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this story. ___ Follow APs coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration There was once a popular travel guide series that promised its readers the secrets of how to see the sites of numerous popular destinations around the world for $20 a day, a sum inflation has rendered hopelessly out of date. That pitch, however, might still apply for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who according to an investigative report from ProPublica has been enjoying lavish vacations in Indonesia, the Adirondacks and other beauty spots for what appears to be even less than $20 of his own money, that is. Instead, Justice Thomas and his wife have benefited from the largesse of Harlan Crow, a billionaire Texas real estate magnate whose generosity also extends to a wide range of conservative causes. After initially refusing to respond to ProPublica's questions prior to publication last week, the jurist subsequently issued a brief statement in which he claimed to have completed his disclosure forms based on decades-old counsel from unnamed colleagues and others in the judiciary" who had assured him that high-end travel did not need to be reported when it was merely hospitality from personal friends. Ethics experts of both parties expressed deep skepticism about that claim, as would any thinking human being who understands the difference between having a few friends over for dinner on Saturday night and inviting those friends on, say, a trip through Indonesia on your mega-yacht bookended by air travel on your personal luxury jet. Alas, this editorial board has written before about the blind spots in Justice Thomas' sense of judicial ethics, as well as similar failures by several of his colleagues. As it is with other forms of law enforcement, the problem isn't simply making the bad apples behave better; it's about putting clear and concise rules in place for everyone to follow, or face sanction. Under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court has done an exceedingly poor job of policing itself, and has repeatedly stiff-armed calls to formally adopt the code of conduct that applies to every other member of the federal judiciary. Democrats on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee sent Justice Roberts a letter earlier this week upbraiding him for his laissez-faire attitude toward ethics enforcement on the high court, and promising to conduct a hearing on the topic in light of the reporting on Justice Thomas. The chief justice has in the past expressed his deep desire to defend the court's legitimacy amid a period of tempestuous partisanship. If that's more than a pose, he should start with the panel's internal controls. Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter. As far as Justice Thomas is concerned, there is good news: If his ability to accept free stuff from Mr. Crow has become problematic now that he has agreed to report it, the Thomases can always fall back on the kind of leisure travel he claimed to enjoy in a 2020 documentary on his life that was partly funded by Mr. Crow. "I prefer the RV parks," Thomas said. "I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. Theres something normal to me about it. We wish him happy trails. TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's technical team arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday to prepare the ground for the reopening of its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, said the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The ministry's Spokesman Nasser Kanaani described the visit as a new step in line with the implementation of the Beijing-brokered agreement between Tehran and Riyadh on the resumption of the official bilateral relations and diplomatic activities of their political and consular offices in the two countries, according to a statement on the ministry's website. Kanaani said the Iranian delegation, welcomed by Saudi officials upon arrival, is going to implement the necessary measures for the reopening of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh as well as the consulate general and representative office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah. He said efforts have been underway to reopen the Iranian diplomatic missions before the beginning of the Hajj pilgrimage in late June. On Saturday, the Saudi technical team arrived in Tehran to prepare for the reopening of the kingdom's embassy in Tehran and consulate general in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a deal in March to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions in the two countries within two months. In a meeting in Beijing on April 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement announcing the practical resumption of official diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric. Joe Biden shook hands and greeted well-wishers as he toured Co Louth as he continues his visit to the Republic of Ireland. The US president and his motorcade stopped off in Dundalk on Wednesday evening, with Mr Biden greeted with shouts of Welcome home Joe and waving American flags. Mr Biden had been due to fly by helicopter from Dublin to Co Louth, but plans were changed to a motorcade due to the weather conditions. Earlier, locals had turned out in numbers on motorway overpasses as well as lining road sides approaching Carlingford despite heavy rain in an area Mr Biden has traced ancestral roots to. While there, he was met by Irelands deputy premier (Tanaiste) Micheal Martin, and the pair toured Carlingford Castle together. Delighted and honoured to welcome @POTUS Joe Biden to Carlingford. Great excitement among the crowds in Louth, despite the wet weather. pic.twitter.com/iROB76EKY8 Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 12, 2023 The castle offers a view of Carlingford Lough where Mr Bidens great-great grandfather Owen Finnegan left via Newry port during the Irish famine in 1849 for a new life in the United States. As Mr Biden walked around the castle amid the rain, someone shouted up to ask him what he thought of the weather, to which the president quipped: Its fine, its Ireland. In Dundalk, members of the public in ponchos and raincoats had been waiting to greet the US president with a sign reading Dundalk welcomes President Biden hung above Clanbrassil Street. Mr Biden went into McAteers The Food House restaurant on the same street shortly before 7.15pm, where he chatted with staff. Former Irish rugby player Rob Kearney was among those accompanying Mr Biden as he stopped off in the town. The US president arrived in the Republic of Ireland earlier on Air Force One where he was greeted on the tarmac at Dublin Airport by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It followed a brief visit to Northern Ireland. On Wednesday morning, Mr Biden met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, where the pair spoke about the incredible economic opportunities for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister described the UKs relationship with the US as being in great shape, describing them as very close partners and allies. Mr Biden called for the restoration of powersharing at Stormont during a keynote speech at Ulster University, and praised the work of the UK and EU to strike the Windsor Framework on post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Republic of Ireland leg of the presidents four-day tour of the island will see him travel to the Irish capital, Co Louth and Co Mayo. Mr Biden became the sixth person to travel through Dublin Airport while serving as US president, following Barack Obamas visit to the country in May 2011. Irelands Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason was also among the politicians and officials to greet the president, alongside her US counterpart Claire D Cronin and her husband Ray. The US presidents son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owens are accompanying him for the trip. He is also expected to deliver a number of speeches over the course of his three days in the country, including in Dublin, at St Muredachs Cathedral in Ballina and to the Irish Parliament. Mr Biden is due to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday, followed by a further meeting with Mr Varadkar, whom he recently hosted for St Patricks Day. The White House said Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and the ringing of the Peace Bell at the Presidents official residence, Aras an Uachtarain. Before his departure back to the US on Friday, Mr Biden will visit Co Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins. He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centres family history research unit. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied Mr Biden was anti-British, with Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, saying: Its simply untrue. The fact that the president is going to be engaging for the third time in three months, and then again next month and then again in June, with the Prime Minister of the UK shows how close our co-operation is with the UK, she added. Business Messaging Traffic Destined for Global Growth By Greg Tavarez , Business VoIP Editor Rich communication services (RCS) business messaging is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers by providing a more engaging and interactive experience. A step beyond traditional SMS messaging, RCS messaging enables businesses to send messages that include images, videos, audio files, and interactive buttons, among other things. This means that businesses can use RCS to create more engaging and interactive campaigns, such as personalized product recommendations, customer service conversations, and appointment reminders. As more businesses adopt this technology, a significant increase in the use of RCS for customer engagement and support is expected. A new study by analyst firm Juniper Research predicts that operator business messaging traffic is destined to increase by 45% over the next four years, reaching 2.8 trillion messages by 2027, up from 1.9 trillion in 2023. The main driver of the growth? RCS business messaging, which is expected to exceed 630 million messages by 2023, according to the survey. This plays a crucial role in platform vendors business messaging revenue. The study also listed the vendors that scored well on the comprehensiveness of their platforms and their support for rich media technologies, specifically RCS: Infobip, CM.com, Vonage, Route Mobile and Sinch. The importance of RCS in business messaging has never been higher, said Elaine Rashbrook, co-author of the report. These leading vendors must promote RCS rich media capabilities to maintain revenue growth over messaging channels. However, the report did issue a warning of a potential new challenge in the form of the GSMA's Open Gateway program, which could provide a low-cost alternative to SMS business messaging. The issue with this is that it poses direct competition to authentication use cases like MFA and one-time passwords, causing the growth of SMS revenue for messaging vendors to slow over the next four years. The report suggested that messaging vendors develop and monetize RCS messaging services that leverage the conversational nature of the technology to counter this slowing growth. Please enable JavaScript to view the Edited by Alex Passett [April 12, 2023] Code42 Enhances its Solution to Deliver Effective, Low-Lift Response to the Full Spectrum of Insider Risk Code42 Software, Inc., the Insider Risk Management (IRM) leader, today announced that it is offering a complete set of response controls to allow security teams to respond to all levels of risk, ranging from unacceptable high risk that must be blocked to the most prevalent user mistakes that require correction. Instructor delivers actionable, hyper-targeted lessons to employees engaging in risky behavior, helping to increase data security, while freeing up time for security analysts to focus on higher risk events. Code42 Instructor now offers over 100 lessons and delivers training videos through Microsoft Teams, Slack and email. Data loss from insiders is a growing concern for organizations. In 2023, companies reported a 32% increase year-over-year in the number of insider events, equating to an average of 300 events per company, per year. And it's not slowing down, as 76% of companies expect data loss from insider events to increase in the next 12 months. This growing issue will only create more work for security teams who are already stretched thin. An organization's response strategy is one of the most critical components to successfully stopping data loss from insiders. Yet, traditional data protection tools have provided limited controls which force security teams into binary monitor or block tradeoffs that drain security time and encourage user workarounds. Security teams need ways to manage the full spectrum of risk without disrupting employees or burdening analysts. This requires deploying a wide range of response controls - training, blocking, and containment - and right-sizing them to the severity of risk. The largest volume of security events are low-risk user mistakes. These mistakes steal a significant amount of time from security teams - time that would be better spent on higher risk events. Enter Code42 Instructor Insider Risk Reduction Training. "Insider Risk is one of the most challenging threats to detect and prevent, partially because it involves our colleagues and peers. External threats are always malicious. Internal events can be malicious, but they can also be accidental or careless behavior," said Joe Payne, CEO of Code42. "Education is key to mitigating these risks and Code42 Instructor provides employees ith just-in-time security best practices to change behavior and minimize mistakes. Seeing results from this type of training isn't just a pipe dream. It's making a measurable difference for our customers. Since leveraging Instructor over the past three months, one of our customers has seen a 13% reduction in untrusted Google Drive and Gmail events and a 36% reduction in low and moderate Insider Risk activity overall." When used in tandem, Code42 Incydr and Code42 Instructor reduce the volume of risk events and ease the burden on security analysts by enabling teams to: Automatically send tailored microtrainings to correct employee mistakes as they occur. Contain insider threats and speed investigations via integrated controls, case management and access to file contents. Block unacceptable data movement without the management burden, inaccuracy and endpoint impact of content-based policies. Together, Code42 Incydr and Code42 Instructor enable security teams to effectively manage the dynamic nature of Insider Risk by prioritizing and responding appropriately to the risks that matter the most. Additional Resources Visit the Instructor and Incydr solutions pages. Join the conversation with Code42 on our blog, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Read our 2023 Annual Data Exposure report. Stop by our booth #N-5535 at RSA 2023. About Code42 Code42 is the leader in Insider Risk Management (IRM), offering end-to-end data loss detection and response solutions. The Code42 Incydr product is native to the cloud and rapidly detects data exposure, loss, leak and theft as well as speeds incident response - all without lengthy deployments, complex policy management or blocking employee productivity. The Code42 Instructor microlearning solution and Code42's full suite of expert services accelerate the effectiveness of Insider Risk programs. With Code42, security professionals can protect corporate data and reduce insider risk while fostering an open and collaborative culture for employees. Designed to meet regulatory control requirements, Code42's IRM solution is FEDRAMP authorized and can be configured for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI and other compliance frameworks. Innovative organizations, including the fastest-growing security companies, rely on Code42 to safeguard their ideas. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and backed by Accel Partners, JMI Equity, NewView Capital and Split Rock Partners. Code42 has played a defining role in developing a vision and requirements for the IRM category and is a founding member of the annual Insider Risk Summit and Insider Risk Community. The Company has several offices across the United States, and its clients include large multinational organizations, such as CrowdStrike, Exabeam, BAYADA Home Health Care, Lending Club, MacDonald-Miller, MACOM, North Highland, Ping Identity, Shape Technologies, Snowflake, University of Georgia, User Testing, UTEX and Xactly. 2023 Code42 Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Code42, Incydr, and Instructor are trademarks or registered trademarks of Code42 Software, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other marks are properties of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005358/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 11, 2023] Russell Investments Canada Limited Announces Quarterly Distributions for Exchange Traded Fund Series Russell Investments Canada Limited ("Russell Investments Canada") today announced cash distributions for the ETF Series of certain mutual funds ("ETF Series") for the months of April, May, and June. Unitholders of record of the ETF Series, as of the Record Date, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on the Payment Date. Details of the per-unit cash distribution amount are as follows: Fund Name Ticker Symbol Cash Distribution per Unit ($) CUSIP ISIN Record Date Payment Date Exchange Russell Investments Fixed Income Pool RIFI $0.059 78249T103 CA78249T1030 April 20, 2023 April 25, 2023 TSX May 19, 2023 May 25, 2023 June 21, 2023 June 26, 2023 Russell Investments Global Infrastructure Pool RIIN $0.070 78250R103 CA78250R1038 April 20, 2023 April 25, 2023 TSX May 19, 2023 May 25, 2023 June 21, 2023 June 26, 2023 Russell Investments Real Assets RIRA $0.066 78250P107 CA78250P1071 April 20, 2023 April 25, 2023 TSX May 19, 2023 May 25, 2023 June 21, 2023 June 26, 2023 The Manager, Russell Investments Canada Limited, administers and manages the ETF Series. About Russell Investments Canada Limited Russell Investments Canada Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Russell Investments Group, Ltd. Established in 1985, Russell Investments Canada Limited has its head office in Toronto. About Russell Investments Russell Investments is a leading global investment solutions firm providing a wide range of investment capabilities to institutional investors, financial intermediaries, and individual investors around the world. Building on an 86-year legacy of continuous innovation to deliver exceptional value to clients, Russell Investments works every day to improve the financial security of its clients. The firm has CA$374.6 billion in assets under management (as of 12/31/2022) for clients in 31 countries. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Russell Investments has offices in 17 cities around the world, including London, New York, Sydney, Toronto, and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.russellinvestments.com/ca. Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or dissemination in the United States. Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with an investment in the ETF Series Units. Investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other important information are contained in the prospectus. Please read the prospectus and ETF Facts carefully before investing. The ETF Series Units are not guaranteed, their value may change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. Certain statements included in this news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as or similar to, "expects", "anticipates", "believes" or negative versions thereof. Forward looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are inherently subject to, among other things, risk, uncertainties, and assumptions about economic factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from what is contemplated. We encourage you to consider these and other factors carefully before making any investment decisions and we urge you to avoid placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Russell Investments has no specific intention of updating any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For a summary of the risks of an investment in the fund, please see the specific risks of mutual funds section of the prospectus. Units of ETF Series trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination. Income tax considerations for investors are contained in the prospectus. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. Russell Investments' ownership is composed of a majority stake held by funds managed by TA Associates, with a significant minority stake held by funds managed by Reverence Capital Partners. Certain of Russell Investments' employees and Hamilton Lane Advisors, LLC also hold minority, non-controlling, ownership stakes. Copyright Russell Investments Canada Limited 2023. All rights reserved. Frank Russell Company is the owner of the Russell trademarks contained in this material and all trademark rights related to the Russell trademarks, which the members of the Russell Investments group of companies are permitted to use under license from Frank Russell Company. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411005836/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 11, 2023] Crypto Expo Asia Announces Partnerships with Asia Blockchain Association, Asia Blockchain Gaming Alliance, Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia, Singapore Fintech Association, and More SINGAPORE, April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crypto Expo Asia, one of the regions leading crypto conferences and exhibitions, today announced partnerships with the Asia Blockchain Association (ABA), Asia Blockchain Gaming Alliance (ABGA), Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia (ABI), Singapore Fintech Association (SFA), and the Singapore University of Social Sciences Node for Inclusive FinTech Blockchain Security Alliance (SUSS NiFT) to bolster collaboration with leading industry groups and offer preferential rates to association members. This second edition of Crypto Expo Asia will take place from 7 8 June at Singapores iconic Marina Bay Sands Expo. The event also unveiled its latest line-up of headline speakers, which include Hayden Hughes, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpha Impact; Sidney Macdessi, Head of Institutional Sales at Cake DeFi; Peter Sumer, COO of BITmarkets; Igneus Terrenus, Head of Communications & Business Development at the Mantle Network by BitDAO; Giulio Xiloyannis, CEO of Pixelmon; Chen Zhuling, CEO and Founder of RockX; Pradeep Goel, Founder & CEO of Solve.Care; renowned blockchain strategist and thought leader, Anndy Lian; and more. Media partners for the event include Cointelegraph, Blockhead, CoinCu, Chain Debrief, Jinse Finance, and U.Today. [L R] Hayden Hughes, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpha Impact; Sidney Macdessi, Head of Institutional Sales at Cake DeFi; Igneus Terrenus, Head of Communications & Business Development at the Mantle Network by BitDAO; Giulio Xiloyannis, CEO of Pixelmon; Chen Zhuling, CEO and Founder of RockX; Pradeep Goel, Founder & CEO of Solve.Care; blockchain strategist, Anndy Lian Michael Xuan, Director, Crypto Expo Asia, said: Amid calls for greater regulatory oversight around crypto, it is apparent that now is the time for open dialogue between companies, developers, investors, and governments, to chart the way forward. As with all bleeding-edge developments, intra-industry collaboration is critical to advancing the entire blockchain and crypto ecosystem, ensuring it evolves in a sustainable and responsible manner without stymieing innovation. Speakers and panellists at Crypto Expo Asia will address key trends shaping the global Web3 and crypto industry, including artificial intelligence, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Web3 regulation, blockchain gaming, and what this will ultimately mean for an industry that has undergone scrutiny and seismic change over the last few months. With more businesses trying to navigate the metaverse, we are pleased to announce the inaugural Web3 Expo Asia Summit, a sub-event under the auspices of Crypto Expo Asia. This first summit will introduce pilot sessions for metaverse and NFT-specific panels and discussions, added Michael. Shawn Tham, Co-Chairman, Asia Blockchain Association, said: The industrys recent trials have shown just how important it is for the community to engage in productive discourse, and conferences such as Crypto Expo Asia provide a platform for discussion. Driving conversations and facilitating solutions to the industrys most pressing issues is part of the ABAs raison d'etre, and we look forward to the ideas and solutions that will emerge from the conference this year. Ahead of what is shaping up to be the definitive return for one of Asias most exciting crypto industry events, Crypto Expo Asia has already seen major crypto players including ABX, BEOSIN, BITmarkets, Coinstore, and PurpleFi pledge their support for the event. Organised by international exhibitions and conference company, HQMENA, Crypto Expo Asia is the second crypto-focused event of the HQMENA calendar, following the highly successful second run for Crypto Expo Dubai which ran from 8 9 March 2023. This years Crypto Expo Dubai drew over 4,000 attendees and welcomed representatives from the Blockchain Founders Fund, Chainalysis, Nexo, and more. Interested sponsors, partners, and speakers for Crypto Expo Asia are encouraged to visit the website for more information: https://cryptoexpoasia.com/. END About Crypto Expo Asia Crypto Expo Asia is the premier event for the global crypto ecosystem in Asia, creating an integral platform for the industry to connect and exchange ideas. Attendees gain valuable insight into the global crypto ecosystem and are given a chance to exchange ideas with established thought leaders. Topics discussed include the future of the blockchain-based economy and the possible impacts on industry and society, while attendees are among the first to know about market movements, partnerships and product launches. Crypto Expo Asia is an unrivalled global meeting place for like-minded entrepreneurs, industry insiders and investors. For more information, visit: https://cryptoexpoasia.com/ Wachsman for HQMENA cryptoexpoasia at wachsman.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 11, 2023] WOOFi, bullish on Layer 2s as it joins Hong Kong Web3 Festival HONG KONG, April 11, 2023 /CNW/ -- One of the top 15 DEXs by 24-hour trading volume and 30 most widely used protocols in all of DeFi, WOOFi takes the center stage at the sidelines of the Hong Kong Web3 Festival and speaks about the bullish prospects of Ethereum-based Layer 2 Networks as a result of the Shanghai upgrade and investors' increasing interest. Kevin Feng, Head of DeFi at WOO Network was a panel member at the LiquidityTech Protocol (LTP) Summit to discuss the topic "Is the future of finance decentralized?" where he was joined by representatives from Nomura Laser Digital, Foresight Ventures, MetaWeb Ventures, Bitget, and Bluefin. The summit, which will feature a roster of industry leaders, top trading institutions, digital currency asset banks, exchanges, custodians, investment banks, and regulators, will tackle cutting-edge trends and visions for the future of the digital asset field, from the perspective of institutional traders. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Web3 Festival, expected to attract more than 10,000 participants, will cover other topics in the Web3 space including blockchain, metverse, NFTs, and fintech. "The Shanghai upgrade will be one of the drivers [of DeFi and Layer 2 projects]. Several high-profile projects will go live in the next few months, including Base, zkSync Era, Polygon zkEVM, Scroll, and Linea. This will attract significant user attention and capital. The bullish sentiment is also tied to growing interest in the industry because of its open-source nature, fast innovation, and incessant growth. We're also excited about the level of interest of investors in the region and glad that WOOFi is at the intersection of these developments," Feng said in a statement. Before the formal opening of the Hong Kong Web 3 Festival, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan already said that while the crypto markets have been highly volatile, it's the "right time" to push Web3 adoption in the region. Meanwhile, Feng said barely nine months have passed since WOOFi became the first DEX to deploy one-click cross-chain swaps powered by cutting-edge Stargate technology. He added that the DEX has overseen more than 100,000 cross-chain transactions, grown to support six chains, and saved traders countless hours that would have been otherwise lost in the painful process of manually bridging. Visit WOOFi-related articles here The content above is neither a recommendation for investment and trading strategies nor does it constitute an investment offer, solicitation, or recommendation of any product or service. The content is for informational sharing purposes only. Anyone who makes or changes to their investment decision based on the content shall undertake the result or loss by himself/herself. The content of this document has been translated into different languages and shared throughout different platforms. In case of any discrepancy or inconsistency between different posts caused by mistranslations, the English version on our official website shall prevail. CONTACT: Paolo Lising [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/woofi-bullish-on-layer-2s-as-it-joins-hong-kong-web3-festival-301795090.html SOURCE WOO Network [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 11, 2023] LONGi donates 20kW of Hi-MO 6 modules to Beirut hospital BEIRUT, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LONGi has announced that it has donated 20kW of its newest module product, the Hi-MO 6, to Beirut's Al Zaharaa hospital, in collaboration with AGS International, its local distributor. The project, which is expected to be completed during April, will mark the first solar roof in the Middle East to deploy Hi-MO 6. Al Zaharaa hospital, founded in 1976, is one of Lebanon's largest medical institutions, integrating healthcare, education and research. The project will provide the hospital, currently experiencing frequent power outages due to challenging local conditions, with a stable electricity supply, enabling it to continue to care for patients without frequent interruptions. Middle East branch, commented: "We are delighted to bring renewable energy to Al Zaharaa hospital, contributing to sustainability in Lebanon ." Professor Youssef Fares, hospital CEO, added: "This sustainable and alternative source of energy will be very important for the hospital and will represent a local benchmark given the unstable electricity situation in Lebanon." Ali Shehade, CEO of AGS International, concluded: "It has been a pleasure for us to work on this project for Al Zaharaa hospital with LONGi' s latest technology." About LONGi Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world's leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full-scenario energy transformation. Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero-carbon development. www.longi.com/en View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/longi-donates-20kw-of-hi-mo-6-modules-to-beirut-hospital-301795089.html SOURCE LONGi [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Smart City Expo's Asia Silicon Valley Pavilion Invites You to Create a Sustainable Future through Digital Innovation TAIPEI, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE), Asia's largest smart city tradeshow, was held at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2, from March 28-31. To showcase the achievements of Asia Silicon Valley Development Plan 2.0 (ASVDP 2.0), the Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency (ASVDA) set up the Asia Silicon Valley Theme Pavilion at the event at which it displayed a wide range of smart city solutions covering smart healthcare, smart agriculture, smart energy, and 5G AIoT. The goal is to drive economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship, advance industrial transformation through the application of IoT, and demonstrate Taiwan's strong capabilities in developing smart city applications. ASVDP 2.0 is an important vehicle through which the government can facilitate the development and growth of the IoT sector while enhancing the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The initiative was first launched some 7 years ago and has driven the sector's output value to new heights, reaching NT$2 trillion for 2022. The program has also led to the creation of multiple IoT startups which went on to develop many of the smart city applications. The release to date of 249 smart city application solutions and the successful deployment of over 88 smart systems in other countries and regions are testament to the initiative's success. The exhibition at Asia Silicon Valley Theme Pavilion themed "Accelerating Green Transformation with Digital Innovation for a New ustainable Future" tells the story of how the policies that support smart cities and zero emissions led to the founding of the entrepreneurial startups. Exhibitors include many of the companies that had been most successful including several that have attracted international attention. To cite a few examples, Quadlink Technology's Aquadlink Smart Monitoring System has been installed in 8 counties and cities across Taiwan, including Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan, as well as exported to Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines. iStaging's naked 3D technology can be used with multiple types of hardware, offering shopping mall visitors an immersive AR/VR experience. The technology has already been successfully deployed by such high-end brands as LVMH, Richemont and L'Oreal. The pandemic has proven to be a huge catalyst for the acceleration in the development of AIoT and 5G, with the knock-on effect of delivering smart city solutions, as well as speeding up the digital transformation of many industries. HwaCom, another exhibitor, uses a 5G private network to deploy a VR/MR wind power virtual and real integrated simulation training system to upskill operators in the offshore wind power sector. ADE Technology has developed unobtrusive physiological data sensors that provide bedside behavior management services to frontline caregivers. Xile Technology's solution, in addition to supplying project progress management, ensures workplace safety through the deployment of AI to predict environmental hazards. The solution includes an early warning feature so that once the risk of a future fault is identified an operator can repair the fault well before it causes an accident or a stoppage. Finally, Jorjin has developed one of the first gateway tools to the metaverse: high-performance AR smart glasses that allow users to manage operations via an eye-tracking operation interface. Applications that allow users to manage energy use and reduce carbon emissions have become a necessity in response to global warming and net-zero emission goals. Ubiik, a four-time winner of Taipower's smart meter tender, offers remote, low-power communication systems and cloud services that assist public utilities in their transition to a smart grid. 3Egreen has developed sensors that monitor and collect electricity usage data, helping businesses better understand and manage the carbon footprint of their equipment. Mbran Filtra, winner of the Innovation Awards at CES 2023, rolled out a series of microfiltration membranes that can be used in drinking water filtration, seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and water reuse. In addition, the theme pavilion teamed up with TianYen Technology to create an interactive experience zone using projection mapping to showcase the achievements of Asia Silicon Valley's smart city and smart country initiatives. The pavilion also presented ASVDA College, a platform for anyone seeking to advance their studies in AI, IoT, or digital technology. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/smart-city-expos-asia-silicon-valley-pavilion-invites-you-to-create-a-sustainable-future-through-digital-innovation-301795164.html SOURCE Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Revolutionary DBxe Pump by Kirloskar Brothers Limited: Empowering Global Pumping Needs with the Best of Indian Ingenuity The pump prides itself on being made in India and will be exported to various international markets including United Kingdom , Europe , United States of America , Africa , Southeast Asia , Middle East and Countries in the Indian Subcontinent The product conforms to global standards and boasts of exclusive design parameters such as a back pull-out design, dry shaft design, as well as cylindrical and conical stuffing box The pump is made of optional material of construction such that it provides extraordinary life with its compact design and strong foot for longer life MUMBAI, India, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kirloskar Brothers Limited, one of India's leading pump manufacturing companies, has announced the launch of their latest product, the DBxe Pump. The pump is designed to set new standards in the pump industry with its exclusive design parameters and wide variety of expansive features. Commenting on this latest development, Mr. Alok Kirloskar, Non-Executive and Non-Independent Director, and Managing Director, Kirloskar Brothers International B.V. said: "The DBxe pump promises superior efficiency and high performance. The pump is designed to provide superior value and world-class features that meet the global benchmark of minimum efficiency index. The pump will be manufactured in India with the aim to export the product into ky international markets such as United Kingdom, Europe, United States of America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Countries in Indian Subcontinent. The product conforms to global standard EN733 & DIN24255 and boasts of exclusive design parameters such as a back pull-out design, wide interchangeability dry shaft design, as well as cylindrical and conical stuffing box." The expansive features of the pump includes a temperature range of -10 degrees to 90 degrees Celsius, suction pressure up to 5 kg/cm2, and sealed bearings. In addition, the pump is made of optional material of construction, including CF8M and CF8 impeller in addition to cast iron and bronze, which provides longer life. Furthermore, the DBxe pump leverages decades of experience from the DB platform and is tested to ISO9906 Gr.2B for guaranteed performance while other options are also offered. The pump has delivery sizes of 32 to 150 mm, capacity of up to 550 m3/hr, head of up to 100 metres, with speed of 1450, 2900, 1760 and 3500 rpm. The working pressure of the pump is 16 kg/cm2 (MAWP). DBxe pumps are mainly used for clear liquids which are free from suspended solids/ particles such as water supply, drinking water, air-conditioning, firefighting, industrial water. About Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL) : KBL is the flagship company of the US$ 2.1 billion Kirloskar Group. The company was established as Kirloskar Brothers in 1888 from which various group companies emerged later. Kirloskar Brothers was officially registered as a legal entity into Kirloskar Brothers Limited on January 15, 1920. KBL, a global conglomerate, provides complete fluid management solutions for large infrastructure projects in the areas of water supply, power plants, building & construction, process industries, irrigation, oil & gas and marine & defence. It engineers and manufactures industrial, agricultural, and domestic pumps, valves and hydro turbines. It is also India's largest centrifugal pump manufacturer with eight manufacturing facilities in India along with other international subsidiaries and operations in the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. KBL has 12,700 channel partners in India and 80 overseas and is supported by the best-in-class PAN-India network of authorised service and refurbishment centres. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/revolutionary-dbxe-pump-by-kirloskar-brothers-limited-empowering-global-pumping-needs-with-the-best-of-indian-ingenuity-301794162.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for international support for Mali's counterterrorism efforts. During a Security Council briefing on the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun emphasized the importance of international support for Mali's efforts to counter terrorism and maintain stability, noting it is "the number one priority." "The Malian Government has been vigorously conducting counterterrorism operations, and has launched a strategy to stabilize central regions and made robust efforts to improve the regional situation and ensure the safety and security of its people. Such efforts merit our recognition," he said. "Assistance must be increased in inter alia funding equipment, intelligence, and logistics," he added. The ambassador said that MINUSMA must effectively fulfill its mandate from the Security Council and provide all-round support. "Some countries spoke of the human rights issue. We believe the ultimate purpose of counterterrorism operations is to protect the rights of civilians to life and security and other basic human rights. We object to using human rights as a political instrument to interfere with counterterrorism operations," Zhang said. "And we are not in favor of linking human rights with counterterrorism support and assistance. Doing so would amount to intervention in Mali's sovereignty and would in fact be counterproductive to the protection of human rights," the envoy added. Zhang underscored the importance of "promoting the implementation of the peace agreement," noting that "this is critical to maintaining peace and stability in Mali." "We look forward to concerted efforts by the Malian Government and other signatories. we commend and support Algeria for its mediation and good offices," he said. "The parties should effectively fulfill their commitments, and adopt measures such as high-level dialogue to accommodate each other's concerns and resolve their differences in a collective effort to maintain national sovereignty, security and unity." Zhang said that MINUSMA must provide more support in areas such as the compliance of parties with the ceasefire arrangement, advancing the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration process, and capacity building for the national security forces. "China supports MINUSMA in rolling out the community violence reduction projects and quick impact projects in central and northern Mali and providing more support for water supply, agriculture, infrastructure, vocational training, and so on, to eliminate the root causes of conflicts," he added. Speaking about the political transition in the country, Zhang said that the Malian authorities have engaged in extensive dialogue with the parties and have done a great deal of work in formulating the Constitution, preparing for the general elections, and so on. "The international community should support the parties in Mali in seizing the opportunity of the political transition, resolving their differences through dialogue, and ensuring the smooth holding of general elections, so as to lay a solid foundation for durable stability in Mali," he said. China supports the Economic Community of West African States in its continued good offices and mediating efforts on the basis of respect for Mali's sovereignty and ownership, the ambassador said. "The international community must remain patient, provide more support and encouragement for Mali's political transition, and take practical steps to help Mali tackle any difficulties that may arise in the electoral preparations and other areas," added the envoy. "China supports closer communication between the mission and the Malian authorities to resolve issues through dialogue and consultation," he said, adding that "it is our view that the Security Council should listen attentively to the views of the Malian government, and streamline and optimize the mandate of the mission as necessary to enhance its operational performance." "China is ready to work with the international community to make greater contributions to lasting peace and development in Mali," concluded the ambassador. [April 12, 2023] PQShield collaborates with NCCoE and industry to ease the real-world implementation of quantum-resistant cryptography WASHINGTON and LONDON, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PQShield , a cybersecurity company specialising in post-quantum cryptography, has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), the cybersecurity division part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to develop practices to ease the migration to post-quantum cryptography from current public-key algorithms. The advent of quantum computing technology will compromise many of the cryptographic algorithms widely used to protect digital information today because of quantum machines' power to quickly solve the mathematical problems that underpin them. NIST's work to standardize quantum-resistant public-key cryptographic algorithms is underway, and is expected to be completed in the next two years. The US government has also recognised the seriousness of the quantum threat with the Quantum Preparedness Act , with the NSA requiring all US government agencies who protect National Security Systems (NSS) and related assets to start adopting quantum-resistant cryptography algorithms for software- and firmware-signing by 2025. Furthermore, 'harvest now, decrypt later' attacks contribute to the urgency of the threat, making the transition to post-quantum cryptography an immediate priority for many organisations. However, the migration of cryptographic algorithms is both technically and logistically challenging, and can take years or even decades for a business to complete. Before any changes can be practically implemented, organisations must take steps to identify which hardware, software and services need to be upgraded a process known as crypto-discovery. As cryptography is embedded into so many aspects of an organisation's systems and infrastructure, this can be a complex and time-consuming first step. Moving beyond crypto-discovery to real-world implementation In order to address these challenges, the NCCoE Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography project is leveraging public and private collaborative consortium to demonstrate tools that can assist the process of crypto-discovery. The NCCoE project is also working within its consortium to look at the broader real-world challenges of using post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in the protocols used today to protect communications and information. PQShield has joined the project with this focus in mind, working with NCCoE team members to demonstrate the practical integration of quantum-resistant cryptography into software, hardware and advanced protocols. The company will be leveraging its extensiv team of specialist cryptographers and engineers and building on its experience working with customers like Microchip Technologies, Collins Aerospace and Kudelski Security. PQShield is able to offer practical insights from across the full spectrum, from hardware through to software and secure messaging. Through its partnership with Riscure, for example, the team has already begun ratifying quantum-resistant embedded hardware products' resistance to side-channel attacks (SCA). It has also been a leading contributor to RISC-V's cryptographic library, having developed multiple cryptographic extensions for the RISC-V ISA. In secure messaging, the team's recent white paper on quantum-proofing the Signal Protocol has been well received by the research community. The NCCoE Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography project complements NIST's ongoing process to standardize one or more quantum-resistant public-key cryptographic algorithms. In May 2022, NIST announced the first four quantum-resistant algorithms that will form part of the PQC standard all of which featured contributions from PQShield. CRYSTALS-KYBER (co-authored by PQShield's advisory board member, Professor Peter Schwabe) was chosen as the new standard for public-key encryption/KEMs, while Falcon (led and co-authored by PQShield's Dr Thomas Prest), CRYSTALS-Dilithium and SPHINCS+ (again, co-authored by Professor Peter Schwabe) are set to be standardized for digital signatures.. Ali El Kaafarani, PQShield's Founder and CEO, says: "We are proud to be working with the NCCoE to ease the transition to a quantum future and make post-quantum cryptography accessible to every organisation that needs it. "As the project broadens its scope, we are pleased to join with a laser focus on real-world deployment. Our team has built up world-leading expertise into the practical delivery and implementation of post-quantum cryptography, and we look forward to drawing on this to support the NCCoE in its efforts." William Newhouse, Security Engineer, NIST National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, said: "Previous migrations of cryptographic technologies have taken many years. Adding the experience and expertise of all our collaborators supports our project workstream focused on exploring interoperability and performance considerations when one implements PQC signatures and PQC KEM in protocols such as TLS, SSH, QUIC, X.509 as well as their use in HSM implementations." About PQShield PQShield is a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) company creating the global standards and core technologies to power the future security layer of the world's leading organisations. Its quantum-secure cryptographic solutions work with companies' legacy systems to protect sensitive data now and for years to come. It is the only cybersecurity company that can deliver high-quality secure implementations of quantum-safe cryptography on chips, in applications, and in the cloud, and is also an authority on PQC side channel attack resistance, having built a dedicated SCA test lab with partner, Riscure. PQShield is also a leading contributor to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) post-quantum cryptography standardisation project, and has contributed multiple cryptographic extensions to RISC-V. Headquartered in the UK, with teams in the United States, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan, PQShield is principally backed by Addition, Crane Venture Partners, Oxford Science Enterprises (formerly OSI), Kindred Capital, and InnovateUK. Its latest white papers are available to read here . www.pqshield.com | LinkedIn | Twitter About the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) As part of NIST, the NCCoE is a collaborative hub where industry organisations, government agencies, and academic institutions work together to address businesses' most pressing cybersecurity issues. This public-private partnership enables collaboration in the creation of practical cybersecurity solutions for specific industries, as well as for broad, cross-sector technology challenges. Through consortia under CRADAs, including technology partners, from Fortune 50 market leaders to smaller companies specialising in information technology and operational technology security, the NCCoE applies standards and best practices to develop modular, and easily adaptable example cybersecurity solutions by using commercially available technologies. The NCCoE documents these example solutions in the NIST Special Publication 1800 series, which maps capabilities to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and details the steps needed for another entity to re-create the example solution. NIST does not evaluate commercial products under this Consortium and does not endorse any product or service used. The NCCoE was established in 2012 by NIST in partnership with the State of Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland. Information is available at https://www.nccoe.nist.gov View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pqshield-collaborates-with-nccoe-and-industry-to-ease-the-real-world-implementation-of-quantum-resistant-cryptography-301794694.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Loftware and Epson Announce Partnership to Revolutionize Labeling Workflows Joint solution improves accuracy, enhances productivity, and reduces pre-printed label costs PORTSMOUTH, N.H., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Loftware, the world's largest cloud-based Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management provider, and Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson"), the global leader in color label printers, today announced a strategic partnership that aims to revolutionize customers' labeling workflows. Epson and Loftware will collaborate to develop cloud-based 1-step color printing solutions to improve print efficiency and ease-of-use. The companies will lower barriers for on-demand color label printing through seamless integration with SAP and other leading business systems. The partnership will integrate the Epson ColorWorks series of color label printers with Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud platforms. Businesses will be able to print from NiceLabel Cloud directly to Epson ColorWorks cloud-connected printers. This will improve productivity, reduce customers' reliance on IT, minimize print errors, and decrease the cost and inventory of pre-printed labels. The partnership between Epson and Loftware comes following a sharp increase in demand for high-productivity color labeling solutions as businesses invested in supply chain improvements, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand has particularly grown among companies that employ SAP EH&S ERP systems and who plan to migrate to S/4 HANA and the cloud. These businesses manage production, warehouse, and distribution facilities and operate across multiple industry segments including chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, aerospace, and retail. The Epson-Loftware collaboration meets a growing demand from businesses for the use of color on products, cartons, and pallet labels for identification. Furtermore, companies in the chemical (GHS), medical device, and pharmaceutical segments are faced with the urgent need to comply with international labeling regulations requiring color. Through the integration of Epson color label printers with Loftware's NiceLabel Cloud platforms, companies that use 2-step printing to print color labels can now move to lower cost and error-reduced 1-step on-demand color label printing. "We're partnering with Epson to help businesses of all sizes move their labeling into the cloud," said Paul Vogt, VP of Channel and Alliance Strategies at Loftware. "Businesses are adopting best-of-breed partner labeling solutions and 1-step color label printing to bring radical improvements to their supply chain printing operations. We're delighted to collaborate with Epson to deliver such transformation." The collaboration will bring several important benefits for customers. Businesses will gain the ability to print labels efficiently and quickly without missing production and shipping deadlines. They'll reduce waste by eliminating leftover and unused label stocks when a label's format changes. Additionally, organizations will no longer be required to manage the inventory of urgent procurement or customer label stocks. Finally, customers won't need to purchase higher cost pre-printed customer short-run labels, but can instead use low-cost standard blank label stocks. "Readiness to adapt to cloud trends is critical," said Junkichi Yoshida, Executive Officer and COO of the Printing Solutions Division at Epson. "Our goal is to drive the growth of color on-demand printing in various kinds of businesses and applications by further enhancing the quality of our label print technology and optimizing both hardware and solutions. This partnership with Loftware is essential for our future business development, since by providing Cloud print, our Colorworks printers can connect to the systems of enterprise customers across multiple industries." Learn more on Epson's website here and here. About Loftware Loftware is the world's largest cloud-based Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management provider, offering an end-to-end labeling solution platform for companies of all sizes. Maintaining a global presence with offices in the US, UK, Germany, Slovenia, China, and Singapore, Loftware boasts over 35 years of expertise in solving labeling challenges. We help companies improve accuracy, traceability, and compliance while improving the quality, speed, and efficiency of their labeling. As the leading global provider of Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management, along with Clinical Trials Labeling and Content Management, Loftware enables supply chain agility, supports evolving regulations, and optimizes business operations for a wide range of industries. These include automotive, chemicals, consumer products, electronics, food & beverage, manufacturing, medical device, pharmaceuticals, retail, and apparel. About Epson Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact, and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. corporate.epson/en/ Media contacts: Laura Hindley, Loftware Senior PR & Communications Manager, [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1658239/3979719/Loftware_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/loftware-and-epson-announce-partnership-to-revolutionize-labeling-workflows-301794215.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] TUV Rheinland Headquarters Receives Kingfa Delegation COLOGNE, Germany, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the international independent third-party testing, inspection, and certification organization TUV Rheinland Group received a delegation from Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. The delegation included LI Nanjing, the CEO and Co-founder, DING Zhengya, Vice president of Europe Kingfa, WANG Zelong, Director of BU Toys, and LIAO Mengyuan, Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing Department/Sustainability Expert. A chemical laboratory tour was conducted. Dr. Michael Fubi, CEO of TUV Rheinland AG, Dr. Andreas Kock, Managing Director of DIN CERTCO, and Elke Heyer, Section Manager Central Laboratory of TUV Rheinland LGA Product GmbH, warmly welcomed the delegation. During the meeting, the two sides had in-depth discussions on establishing European high-quality recycled materials industry standards and sustainable new material, product quality, and factory quality management system certification and auditing, and focused on promoting sustainable material applications in the toy industry. The two parties also discussed how to deepen their cooperation in the future, aiming at empowering the global innovation chain and industry chain with a precision layout, and improving the quality and efficiency of the global new material industry ecosystem. Dr. Michael Fubi expressed a warm welcome for the Kingfa visit: "I am pleased to have the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with our Chinese partners again. As the world's second-largest economy, China has continued to grow rapidly and has been a key driving force for global economic growth over the past 20 years. However, the proportion of sustainable material applications of China's new materials in the global market share still has much room for improvement. TUV Rheinland will support Kingfa to increase its research and development efforts in sustainable materials. As always, we will also help standardize and improve its professional management, enabling more high-quality 'Made in China' products to go global." LI Nanjing said: "As a global supplier of new polymer materials, Kingfa is committed to becoming the world's best new material company, with high respect in the industry. We integrate sustainable development ino our daily thinking and actions, and systematically invest in sustainable development, technological innovation in materials, improving the independent controllability of the supply chain of the industrial chain, developing green and low-carbon material solutions, checking the carbon footprint of the entire life cycle of plastic products, promoting continuous emission reduction, and striving to achieve harmonious development of enterprises and society." "In the future, we hope to leverage the strengths of TUV Rheinland to improve the traceability, safety, quality, and green supply chain management level of our new materials; and with the help of efficient international exchanges, cooperation, and coordination, we will be better able to discern general trends, clarify directions, plan for the long-term, and link the upstream and downstream of the global industrial chain in order to make substantial contributions to global green, low-carbon, and sustainable development." Li Nanjing added. Dr. Andreas Kock introduced DIN CERTCO: "As one of the certification bodies of TUV Rheinland Group, we possess rich industry experience, strong technical strengths, and a deep team of professional talent in the field of sustainable materials. We will assist Kingfa to reduce the amount of plastic waste, centralize and optimize waste disposal, and achieve green, low-carbon, and recyclable development. At the same time, with the help of our certification mark, its clients and consumers can clearly comprehend the bio-based content of its materials and obtain information related to sustainable development, supervising it effectively fulfill its social responsibilities." To date, TUV Rheinland and Kingfa have launched a number of cooperation initiatives, including testing, inspection, and certification services for biodegradable plastics and plastic additives, modified plastics, non-powered air-purifying particulate respirators, protective jumpsuits, non-woven fabrics, cosmetic cotton, and other products. This meeting further deepened the solid mutual-trust relationship between TUV Rheinland and Kingfa, and demonstrated TUV Rheinland's belief in adhering to the Group's "Sustainable Development Strategy 2025" and the industry's "Guiding Principles for Environmental and Social Sustainability". Looking to the future, TUV Rheinland will continue to provide professional and high-quality services to global high-tech enterprises, promote the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of global enterprises and industries, facilitate the formation of green and low-carbon production and lifestyles, and the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. About Kingfa Founded in 1993, Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. is an advanced material enterprise focusing on the R&D, production, sales and service of advanced high-performance chemical materials, and providing advanced material solutions for creating a safer, more comfortable and more convenient life. Kingfa is committed to solving the increasingly severe environmental problems, actively responding to the challenges brought about by the changes in the global environment, and promoting the continuous improvement of living environment by balancing economic, environmental and social relations to achieve sustainable development and create a better life. Based in Guangzhou Science City, Kingfa has established 48 subsidiaries across the world, and founded R&D and production bases in overseas regions including South Asia, North America, and Europe. About TUV Rheinland TUV Rheinland stands for safety and quality in virtually all areas of business and life. The company has been operating for more than 150 years and ranks among the world's leading testing service providers. It has more than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries and generates annual revenues of around 2.1 billion euros. TUV Rheinland's highly qualified experts test technical systems and products around the world, support innovations in technology and business, train people in numerous professions and certify management systems according to international standards. In doing so, the independent experts generate trust in products as well as processes across global value-adding chains and the flow of commodities. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.tuv.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/tuv-rheinland-headquarters-receives-kingfa-delegation-301795389.html SOURCE TUV Rheinland Greater China [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] EPIC iO Expands Asia-Pac-Japan Market Presence with Key Executive Hire FORT MILL, S.C., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EPIC iO, a technology leader in applied AIoT (Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things), has appointed Andrew Hubble as its new Global Alliances DirectorAPJ to guide the expansion of the companys sales and partner relationships in the Asia-Pacific region. Andrew comes to EPIC iO with 20+ years of experience in building sales and partnerships focused on IoT and Computer Vision solutions in the APJ (Asia Pacific Japan) region. His previous experience includes senior business development management and sales positions at Dell, EMC, and Cisco. In his new role, Andrew will develop and manage EPIC iO's global strategic partnerships, execute partnership strategies, and form alliances to increase revenue and market share, with a primary focus on the APJ egion. His main goal will be to establish and maintain productive relationships with partners, distributors, and customers, resulting in mutually beneficial outcomes. Andrew has precisely the right track record for taking EPIC iOs presence in the Asia-Pacific-Japan region to new levels, said Ken Mills, CEO of EPIC iO. We look forward to working with him as we continue to roll out new, real-world solutions for important business, government, and social problems.? About EPIC iO EPIC iO's future vision is a world in which IoT use and data intelligence reach their full potential through AI integration. We provide software focused technology that leverages 5G-ready connectivity combined with AIoT solutions to help all businesses become safer, smarter, and more connected. By utilizing our open AI platform, DeepInsights, public sector and private enterprises can extract and intelligently generate and analyze IoT data. This real-time data provides high-value, actionable insights through a single, integrated source. For more information, visit www.EPICiO.com. Contact: Jennifer Spoerri Gallagher PR 415-577-0171 [email protected] [April 12, 2023] 77% of Laid Off Workers in the U.S. Want to Switch Industries Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE: FVRR), the company that is revolutionizing how the world works together, has released new research revealing how workers who were impacted by recent layoffs are managing their finances and what they are prioritizing in their future careers. Fiverr conducted a nationwide study in partnership with Censuswide, surveying 501 U.S. office/white-collar workers who had been laid off in the last 3 months. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005135/en/ Fiverr has released new research revealing how workers who were impacted by recent layoffs are managing their finances and what they are prioritizing in their future careers. (Photo: Business Wire) In addition to expressing interest in changing careers in their next role, the research showed that many recently laid-off workers plan to pursue freelance work. 1 in 3 (33%) respondents said they plan to freelance while looking for a new job and more than a third (34%) plan to keep up a side hustle once they return to full-time work. Fiverr's internal data reveals a similar trend. In the wake of layoffs in the tech sector, sign-ups for freelancers providing programming & tech services were notably higher in January 2023 compared to the same time the previous year. Increases were seen across major tech hubs, including the Silicon Valley (264%), Los Angeles (97%), Denver (43%), Seattle (33%) and New York (127%). "The economic downturn, particularly in the tech sector, and the associated wave of layoffs has initiated a talent migration. Skilled workers are now reconsidering their career priorities and exploring alternative work opportunities," said Micha Kaufman, CEO of Fiverr. "As we have observed in the evolvingcommunity on Fiverr, freelancing has proven to be an appealing option for workers affected by layoffs, who are interested in exercising more control over their careers, offering a more flexible and fulfilling option for full-time or part-time work." Several key themes from the survey include: Laid-off employees are looking for more fulfilling, flexible work in their next job. Over 75% of all respondents reported feeling unfulfilled in their previous role and 74% agreed that their role lacked work-life balance. Close to 80% said they plan to explore a new industry (77%) and practice new skills (79%) in their next role. For laid-off workers, severance packages are often not enough to cover expenses. 34% of respondents plan to tap into savings or investments. 31% said they would move back in with their families, and 32% said they would move to a less expensive area. 34% plan to ask family and friends for financial support. After being laid off, workers are considering becoming their own boss. 1 in 3 respondents said they plan to freelance to increase their earnings while looking for a new job. More than 1 in 3 (34%) workers surveyed said they want to keep up a side-hustle when they find a full-time role. Among those who said they did not want to return to a full-time role, 32% said they don't trust full-time employment anymore, and more than half (56%) said they appreciate the flexibility of not having a 9-5 job. This survey was conducted in partnership with Censuswide among a sample of 501 white-collar or office workers in the U.S. who reported being laid off in the last 3 months. The data was collected between 03.08.2023 and 03.20.2023 Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is based on the ESOMAR principles. About Fiverr Fiverr's mission is to revolutionize how the world works together. We exist to democratize access to talent and to provide talent with access to opportunities so anyone can grow their business, brand, or dreams. From small businesses to Fortune 500, over 4 million customers worldwide worked with freelance talent on Fiverr in the past year, ensuring their workforces remain flexible, adaptive, and agile. With Fiverr's Talent Cloud, companies can easily scale their teams from a talent pool of skilled professionals from over 160 countries across more than 600 categories, ranging from programming to 3D design, digital marketing to content creation, and video animation to architecture. Don't get left behind - come be a part of the future of work by visiting fiverr.com, read our blog, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005135/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] OpenEnvoy Announces Formation of Advisory Board with Former Twitter COO/CRO Adam Bain, Coupa EVP Ravi Thakur, and Coupa CFO Mark Verbeck Inaugural Members Bring Extensive AP Automation Knowledge to Innovator OAKLAND, Calif., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenEnvoy , the Silicon Valley AI company that created the industry-leading solution for AP automation, today announces Adam Bain , Ravi Thakur , and Mark Verbeck are forming the company's advisory board, bringing years of strategic guidance to the team. OpenEnvoy automates costly finance processes, preventing billions of dollars in overpayments. The company goes beyond theoretical promises to deliver significant cost savings with touchless processing of 100 percent of invoices in real-time. OpenEnvoy processes all types of invoices, but stands out for its ability to manage high-volume, variable cost invoices specializing in digitizing and reconciling complex accounts payables. "It's an honor to work with such experienced leaders as Adam, Mark and Ravi," says Matthew Tillman, CEO at OpenEnvoy. "Their collective industry expertise has already been incredibly valuable as we work with customers dealing with complex AP processes, such as those in the advertising and manufacturing industries." OpenEnvoy's advisory board will assist the company's management team as they rapidly execute their go-to-market strategy for accounts payable automation. The board members bring vast experience to OpenEnvoy to drive even more growth and innovation, expanding their market leadership and advancing the automation of costly finance processes ultimately improving financial performance for every customer. Adam Bainis currently Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 01 Advisors, a venture capital investment firm based in San Francisco. Adam was Twitter's COO where he helped scale their business into a massive public company and built their multi-billion dollar advertising business. "OpenEnvoy is exciting because it brings the potential of AI to the accounts payable automation world," says Adam Bain , Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 01 Advisors . "As an investor and advisor to early and late stage companies, I've been looking at how AI can help improve SaaS businesses. OpenEnvoy's technology raises the bar for what finance teams can expect from their AP automation software, as it helps automate human auditing and manual spot-checking of invoices for a faster and more accurate process." OpenEnvoy will also benefit greatly from having former Coupa Software executives Ravi Thakur, former SVP of Business Acceleration and Customer Success, and Mark Verbeck , former CFO, joining as inaugural members of the advisory board. Their deep domain knowledge and years of experience in Fintech will be instrumental as they offer strategic guidance to the executive team to rapidly scale their operations. "Adding OpenEnvoy to the companies I advise is a natural fit given how fast they're accelerating with their unique AI-powered AP automation solution in the enterprise space," says Ravi Thakur, Advisor at OpenEnvoy. "I'm delighted to aid them as they continue to drive their business forward and expand their global footprint." "I'm excited to be on OpenEnvoy's advisory board," says Mark Verbeck, CFO at Cyara . "I'm confident I can help them continue to deliver exceptional value to their customers with best-in-class controls to protect clients from vendor mistakes and/or fraud, and to help streamline vendor relationships with 100 percent accurate invoices." Learn how OpenEnvoy is transforming accounts payable by requesting your AP automation demo with an expert here . About OpenEnvoy OpenEnvoy enables finance teams with visibility, automation, and cash flow solutions. Learn how the company prevents wasted spend by visiting www.openenvoy.com . Gartner names OpenEnvoy leading vendor for AP invoice automation. Read more at Future FinOps or follow @OpenEnvoy on Twitter and LinkedIn . All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies. Press Contact: Gabriela Garner Vice President of Marketing at OpenEnvoy [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/openenvoy-announces-formation-of-advisory-board-with-former-twitter-coocro-adam-bain-coupa-evp-ravi-thakur-and-coupa-cfo-mark-verbeck-301795244.html SOURCE OpenEnvoy [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Corvus and Core Specialty to Deliver Expansion of AI-Powered Excess Tech E&O and Cyber Product Corvus Insurance, the leading cyber underwriter, powered by a proprietary AI-driven cyber risk platform, announced today the launch of a new program with Core Specialty to support the expansion of the Excess Tech E&O and Cyber product with additional capacity. This is Core Specialty's first offering in the Cyber and Tech E&O market and also marks the latest example of Corvus's commitment to building out its key lines of business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005293/en/ This program provides up to $5M in coverage for companies with revenues up to $500MM. The program will be written on Core Specialty's paper and will include Tech E&O coverage, as well as a full suite of Cyber coverages, on an excess basis. The program is supported by a leading panel of reinsurers as well as risk taken through Corvus's captive, Corvus Reinsurance Company. Corvus's in-house team will have full management of the policies - from underwriting to claims handling. This latest announcement follows Corvus's recent launch of Corvus Risk Navigator, which enables underwriters to provide predictive, data-driven insights, superior risk selection and accelerated decision-making, and IT security recommendations. Brokers who are looking to secure Tech E&O coverage stand to gain tremendous benefits from Corvus's data-driven metho of underwriting. Brokers can leverage Corvus's policyholder benefits such as risk management tools and personalized vulnerability alerting on both primary and excess Tech E&O placements. "We are thrilled to have the validation of Core Specialty, a well-known leader in specialty insurance. Both Core Specialty and Corvus put underwriting excellence and results first, so we view ourselves as natural partners," said Corvus CEO Madhu Tadikonda. "Core Specialty's commitment is a testament to Corvus's proven track record combining growth with industry-leading loss ratios. The Corvus formula works - arming the strongest underwriters with best-in-class data and technology means accurate risk selection, better broker experience, and superior underwriting outcomes. We have the best team in the industry and are excited to expand our realm of possibilities with broker partners, thanks to this partnership, including the roll-out of excess capacity." "We chose Corvus for our first foray into Cyber and Tech E&O because of its unique and modern approach to combining skilled underwriting with data-driven technology," said Jeff Consolino, President and CEO of Core Specialty. "We are impressed by Corvus's talented team of cybersecurity underwriters, technology, and data science professionals, and look forward to working together to support a full spectrum of Tech E&O business - starting with this excess coverage. The Tech E&O and Cyber product will complement Core Specialty's Commercial Errors & Omissions Liability products and services for small and medium sized businesses and professionals where we deliver a wide range of protection to help cover loss and defense costs that come from claims of professional negligence, error, or omission." About Corvus Insurance Corvus Insurance is building a safer world through insurance products and digital tools that reduce risk, increase transparency, and improve resilience for policyholders and program partners. Our market-leading specialty insurance products are enabled by advanced data science and include Smart Cyber Insurance and Smart Tech E+O. Our digital platforms and tools enable efficient quoting and binding and proactive risk mitigation. Corvus Insurance offers insurance products in the U.S., Middle East, Europe, Canada, and Australia. Current insurance program partners include Crum & Forster, Hudson Insurance Group, certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London, R&Q Accredited, SiriusPoint, and The Travelers Companies, Inc. Corvus Insurance, Corvus London Markets, and Corvus Germany are the marketing names used to refer to Corvus Insurance Agency, LLC; Corvus Agency Limited; and Corvus Underwriting GmbH. All entities are subsidiaries of Corvus Insurance Holdings, Inc. Corvus Insurance was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices across the U.S., in the UK, and Germany. For more information, visit corvusinsurance.com. About Core Specialty Core Specialty offers a diversified range of property and casualty insurance products for small to midsized businesses. From its underwriting offices spanning the U.S., the Company focuses on niche markets, local distribution, and superior underwriting knowledge; offering traditional as well as innovative insurance solutions to meet the needs of its customers and brokers. Core Specialty is an insurance holding company operating through StarStone Specialty Insurance Company, a U.S. excess & surplus lines insurer, and StarStone National Insurance Company, Lancer Insurance Company, and Lancer Insurance Company of New Jersey, each of which is a U.S. admitted markets insurer. All Core Specialty Insurance entities are rated A- (Excellent); the StarStone companies are Financial Size Category XII and the Lancer entities are Financial Size Category of VII. For further information about Core Specialty, please visit www.corespecialty.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005293/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Caregility to Showcase New Acute Telehealth and AI-Enhanced Solutions for Enterprise Virtual Care at HIMSS23 Caregility, an enterprise telehealth leader dedicated to connecting care for patients and clinicians everywhere, today announced plans to demonstrate new virtual care innovations at the upcoming 2023 HIMSS Global Health Conference and Exhibition in Chicago, April 17-21. In booth 6815 in McCormick Place's North Hall, the company and several of its integration and provider services partners will showcase hybrid care solutions that bring virtual resources into clinical workflows across the care continuum. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005181/en/ Caregility Cloud Ecosystem Partners - Together for Better Healthcare (Graphic: Business Wire) The latest versions of Caregility's telehealth endpoint systems and iConsult and iObserver applications will be featured in four clinical solutions kiosks so visitors can get expert advice on: Virtual Nursing, which addresses clinician burnout and staffing shortages. Inpatient Virtual Engagement, enabling hybrid care at every hospital bedside. Virtual Observation, which helps identify, alert, and react faster to patient needs. Virtual Consultation, empowering clinicians to consult and collaborate everywhere. Many of Caregility's business partners will be on hand at the Caregility Cloud Ecosystem pavilion, where they will display integrations and services that build on the award-winning virtual care platform: Abridge, a leader in clinical generative AI, will showcase Structured Documentation solutions that capture data from patient conversations. Eko Health will demonstrate its line of Virtual Auscultation solutions for remote heart function and lung sound assesment. Equum Medical will engage with visitors on Virtual Care Workforce offerings. Hicuity Health will present information about Acute Care Telemedicine. Oneview Healthcare will feature its Interactive Patient Engagement integration with Caregility's new APS100 telehealth endpoint. Ouva, an expert in computer vision, will demonstrate its clinically validated AI-Powered Observation technology that enhances patient safety and monitors room activity. Philips will review its world-class Hospital Virtual Care offering suite with visitors. Spacelabs Healthcare's Rothman Index team will feature its Virtual Clinical Insights decision support application. Xandar Kardian, an authority in AI-driven contactless patient monitoring, will showcase its Radar-Based Vitals solution that records longitudinal heart and breathing rates. "In the wake of the staffing crisis, our mission is to help health systems modernize care models in a way that improves the experience for both patients and staff," said Caregility President and COO Mike Brandofino. "We are thrilled that so many of our business partners share our passion and are joining us in our booth at HIMSS23. By integrating virtual care resources into bedside care, healthcare organizations can improve patient coverage and safety, reduce pressure on floor staff, and set the stage for Hospital Room of the Future initiatives." HIMSS attendees can demo the flagship Caregility Cloud platform, awarded Best in KLAS Virtual Care Platform (non-EMR) in 2021, 2022, and 2023, at Caregility booth 6815. Caregility's clinically informed software applications support virtual consultations and engagement and continuous patient observation to enable hybrid care programs such as virtual nursing and virtual sitting. Explore purpose-built telehealth endpoint systems designed for a variety of acuity settings and a sophisticated, first-of-its-kind administration portal for centralized telehealth operations and cloud-based device fleet management. To learn more and schedule your meeting with the Caregility team at HIMSS23, visit https://go.caregility.com/HIMSS2023. About Caregility Caregility Corporation is dedicated to connecting patients and clinicians everywhere with its Caregility Cloud virtual care platform. Awarded the Best in KLAS Virtual Care Platform (non-EMR) in 2021, 2022, and 2023, Caregility Cloud powers a purpose-built ecosystem of enterprise telehealth solutions across the care continuum. Caregility provides secure, reliable, and HIPAA-compliant audio and video communication designed for any device and clinical workflow, in both acute and ambulatory settings. Today Caregility supports more than 1,000 hospitals across over 75 health systems with over six million virtual care sessions hosted annually. From critical and acute, to urgent and emergent, to post-acute and ambulatory, as well as hospital-at-home, Caregility is connecting care everywhere. Follow Caregility on LinkedIn and Twitter at @caregility. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005181/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] AIM ImmunoTech Appoints Preeminent Biotechnology Pioneer, W. Neal Burnette, Ph.D., as Chairman of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Companys SAB is comprised of well-established leaders with expertise across biomedical research, academia, and pharmaceutical industry OCALA, Fla., April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) (AIM or the Company), an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, today announced the appointment of W. Neal Burnette, Ph.D., as Chairman of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB"). We are pleased to have an SAB comprised of seasoned individuals with expertise across a wide range of fields and their continued input will provide valuable insight as we continue to advance our full development pipeline. Bolstering that established expertise, we are thrilled to have Dr. Burnette assume the role as Chairman for our SAB. Over the course of his career, he has made world-renowned contributions to our industry and we look forward to leveraging his insight and experience as we continue to advance Ampligen. We believe his leadership and expertise will be a tremendous asset to AIM and we look forward to working closely with him and the other members of our SAB moving forward, commented AIM Chief Executive Officer Thomas K. Equels. About W. Neal Burnette, Ph.D. Dr. Burnette is an experienced biomedical research scientist in academia, industry, and the military, and consultant and corporate executive for development-stage biomedical companies. He received his doctoral training in retrovirology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, was a postdoctoral fellow in molecular biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and was on the research staffs of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Salk Institute. Dr. Burnette was one of the very earliest scientists of Amgen, where he led programs that resulted in the first experimental recombinant vaccines for hepatitis B, pertussis, cholera, and a number of animal infectious diseases. He was subsequently the Director and acting CEO, COO, and CSO of a number of smaller biomedical companies and remains a consultant in vaccine research, biomedical business development, corporate management, and capital acquisition for early-stage companies. Among his other contributions to medical science were the development of the first genetic toxoids for pertussis and cholera, and the invention of the widely used laboratory and diagnostic technique known as Western blotting. Colonel Burnette retired in 2005 from the Army after 35 years in the active and reserve components, where he served in various field medical and combat operations staff and command assignments of ever increasing responsibility. As a reservist with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) in the 1990's, he was a senior infectious disease consultant to the command. Immediately after 9/11, he was again recalled to active duty at Fort Detrick where he laid the groundwork for ID-IDEAL, the first-ever quantitative, algorithmic, acquisition-sensitive assessment of endemic infectious disease threats to future military operations. He was subsequently transferred to the Pentagon as the assistant Joint Services Program Executive Officer for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD), where he oversaw all Department of Defense acquisition programs for medical countermeasures against biological, chemical, and radiological threat agents. Among his responsibilities, he: advised on all issues relating to DoD, national, and international medical CBD requirements; created comprehensive strategies for protecting U.S. and allied forces from Chemical Warfare and Biological Defense (CBW) threats; provided technical and programmatic evaluation of all CBD efforts and products, from conception through advanced development; represented all medical CBD interests within the DoD, with other U.S. Government agencies, the U.S. Congress, civilin industry, academia, and allied nations. Among his contributions in the JPEO-CBD during his tenure were: acquisition of smallpox vaccine; full-rate production and distribution of anthrax vaccine for the DoD, DHHS, and DHS; and responsibility for intra- and inter-agency operability, particularly relating to vaccine/drug acquisition and to Project Bioshield. As a member of President Bush's Interagency Working Group on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Colonel Burnette sat on its senior steering panel and on six separate subgroups (acquisition, requirements, industrial relations, research gaps, diagnostics, and drugs). Likewise, he was a member of the DoD Vaccine Allocation Committee during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Boards of Directors of the JPEO-CBD and USAMRMC and is a Certified Professional Acquisition Officer in Program Management. About the SAB members: William Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Mitchell is a Professor of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and is a board-certified physician. He has published over 200 papers, reviews and abstracts that relate to the pathogenesis of obligate intracellular pathogens, innate and adaptive immune responses, and liquid biopsy cancer (chromosomal instability) diagnostics. He is the inventor or co-inventor of 14 issued US patents as well as derivative foreign patents. Dr. Mitchell has worked with many professional societies that have included the American Society of Investigative Pathology (ASIP), the International Society for Antiviral Research (ISAR), the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), the American Society of Microbiology (ASM), and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Dr. Mitchell is a member of the American Medical Association (AMA). He has served on numerous review committees for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the European Union (EU), and the College of American Pathology (CAP). He served as an independent director of Chronix Biomedical, a genetics based cancer diagnostic company, until acquired by OncoCyte (OCX) in 2021. Dr. Mitchell currently serves as the Chairman of the AIM ImmunoTech Board of Directors. Ronald Brus, M.D. Dr. Brus is a physician with a passion for the biopharmaceutical industry. He currently serves as CEO of myTomorrows, a company he founded that bridges the gap between patients who are searching for treatment options and the pharmaceutical companies who provide them. He is also the co-founder and CBO of Leyden Labs, a company targeting commonalities of respiratory viruses to protect against known and future viral outbreaks. He spent 14 years at Crucell, a biotechnology company specializing in vaccines, serving in various roles including CEO, COO, CBO and EVP of business development. Dr. Brus also formerly served as a member of the executive committee for Galapagos NV. Dr. Brus earned his medical degree from the University of Groningen. Christopher Nicodemus, M.D. Dr. Nicodemus is a well-established Biotechnology educator, physician, researcher who has dedicated his career to research into immune modulation and medicine with fundamental skills in cellular and molecular biology applied to clinical immunology and drug development. His early efforts using peptides as immunogens, led to the study of T-cell reactive epitopes and tolerance induction, which has most recently evolved into study of antibodies to elicit immunity. His original clinical focus in allergy, autoimmunity, and asthma has more recently focused on tumor immunology, with an emphasis on ovarian cancer immunobiology and immunotherapy. Actively publish, lecture and collaborate in the field. He has directed the Research and Development program in the Boston area subsidiary of United Therapeutics with a focus on research and development of innovative cancer immunotherapeutics. Additionally, he founded Advanced Immune Therapeutics and currently serves as Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc., which focuses on the development of novel therapeutics using clinical immunology, with an initial focus in oncology. Philip Ransom Roane, Ph.D. Dr. Roane is an academic leader who remains active in the teaching, research and training programs at Howard University. He currently serves as a tenured Associate Professor of Microbiology, Coordinator for Immunology-Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and the unit head of Virology in the Department of Microbiology at Howard University. He previously served as the Chair of the Curriculum Committee on the College of Medicine from 1998 to 2005. He was a Scientific Advisor and appointed to the Data Monitoring Committee for Hemispherx Biopharma. Over the course of his career, he has received a number of honors and rewards and has authored over 40 publications and abstracts. He is a member of the Society of Sigma Xi, American Society for Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science and the New York Academy of Science. About AIM ImmunoTech Inc. AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, including COVID-19. The Companys lead product is a first-in-class investigational drug called Ampligen (rintatolimod), a dsRNA and highly selective TLR3 agonist immuno-modulator with broad spectrum activity in clinical trials for globally important cancers, viral diseases and disorders of the immune system. For more information, please visit aimimmuno.com and connect with the Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the PSLRA). Words such as may, will, expect, plan, anticipate and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Many of these forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among other things, for those statements, the Company claims the protection of safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only. Investor Relations Contact JTC Team, LLC Jenene Thomas 833-475-8247 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Wedbush Securities Expands into FX Prime Brokerage with the Hire of Michael Stone Wedbush Securities, one of the nation's leading diversified independent financial services providers, announces the expansion into FX Prime Brokerage services directed by industry veteran, Michael Stone as Senior Vice President. The firm will begin this offering in May 2023 and rounds out its multi-asset clearing services. FX will be part of the newly named Fixed Income, Currencies, Commodities, and Securities Finance ("FICCS") Division of Wedbush Securities, led by EVP Bob Fitzsimmons. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005242/en/ Michael Stone, Senior Vice President, FX Prime Brokerage, Wedbush Securities (Photo: Business Wire) Prior to joining Wedbush, Stone spent the past three decades in FX Prime Brokerage, as part of the team at ABN AMRO Bank, one of the first entrants in the FX Prime Brokerage space; and at Prudential Bache (later acquired by Jefferies) to create a similar offering. James Peckham, Ray Cera, and Stephen Lamb, all previously at Jefferies, join Stone in building out the business unit at Wedbush. Stone states, "I, and my team from Jefferies, are very excited to join a firm that is so highly regarded in the Futures space, and look forward to building a business that adds value to mid-level corporates and professional trading groups who are perpetually in need of access to high-quality liquidity on reasonable credit terms." Bob Fitzsimmons adds, "With our launch into FX Prime Brokerage and having one of the best FX teams in the business, this definitely adds an extra level of service and investment opportunities for our clients." Michael earned his bachelor's degree from DePaul University. He will be working out of the firm's FICCS Division office in Chicago, IL. About Wedbush Securities Wedbush Securities is the largest subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services. Since its founding in 1955, Wedbush has been a leader in the financial services industry, providing our clients, both private and institutional, with a wide range of securities brokerage, wealth management, and investment banking services. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California with 100 registered offices and nearly 900 colleagues, the firm focuses on client service and financial safety, innovation, and the utilization of advanced technology. Follow Us: Wedbush Twitter Wedbush LinkedIn Wedbush Facebook Wedbush Instagram View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005242/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said the United States once sought to purchase heavy water from Iran for its "high quality," the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday. Behrouz Kamalvandi, making the remarks in a televised interview, said that in the previous Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, Iran fetched 15 million U.S. dollars from exporting heavy water byproducts. Iran seeks to increase exports of its heavy water products to 100 million U.S. dollars in the coming years, he added. The spokesman stressed "at present, Iran ranks first in the world in terms of the quality of its heavy water, which has attracted international customers." Kamalvandi said that "even during a period of time, the Americans, following the analysis they had conducted, wanted to purchase heavy water from Iran," adding there were relevant documents about the issue. According to a report published by the U.S.-based organization Arms Control Association in June 2016, Washington had agreed to purchase 32 tons of heavy water from Iran in April that year, but an Iranian official said one month later that the export was delayed over Tehran's concerns about receiving payment for the purchase. The United States does not produce heavy water domestically, the report said. Heavy water is used as a moderator of neutrons in nuclear power plants. [April 12, 2023] Kidde Introduces a Smarter Approach to Home Safety in Canada with New Suite of Connected Detection Devices Wi-Fi enabled home safety devices include an industry-first smoke, carbon monoxide and indoor air quality alarm with seamless app connection TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ -- Kidde, North America's #1 home fire safety brand*, has launched new smart devices and detection products in Canada as part of its Healthy Homes program. Connected to the Kidde app by Kidde HomeSafe technology, the smart detection product suite can provide instant notification of home safety threats such as smoke, carbon monoxide (CO), water leaks, frozen pipes and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues. These smart devices can also transform existing hardwired interconnected Kidde alarms into smart ones with an easy and fully integrated solution that offers whole-home detection.** Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. "According to a Maru/Blue survey commissioned by Kidde, more than one third (36%) of Canadians own a smart home device, and 64% of those owners rely on these devices to keep their family safe. We want to help Canadians invest in the right technology to ensure their home is safe and smart," said Isis Wu, Vice President & General Manager, Residential Fire and Healthy Homes, Carrier Fire & Security. "With the launch of our HomeSafe enabled devices in Canada, we're providing greater control, confidence and extra peace of mind when monitoring the safety inside homes." In addition to seamless connection with the Kidde app, the company's smart detection product suite provides technologies and features like compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so Canadians can use voice commands to check their alarm status and connection*** to help protect the people, places and things that matter most. The product suite includes: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Indoor Air Quality Monitor - the first all-in-one smart home safety device to integrate smoke and CO detection with IAQ monitoring , including adverse temperature, humidity levels and total volatile organic compounds. - the first all-in-one smart home safety device to integrate smoke and CO detection with IAQ monitoring , including adverse temperature, humidity levels and total volatile organic compounds. Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm with smart features - detects both smoke and CO with just one device. - detects both smoke and CO with just one device. Water Leak + Freeze Detector - helps prevent potentially costly repairs from water damage and frozen pipes by quickly alerting homeowners of water leaks or temperature drops. Kidde HomeSafe enabled devices are available at major retailers nationwide including The Home Depot, Home Hardware and Canadian Tire. For more product information, visit www.kidde.com/fire-safety/en/ca/products/homesafe-collection/. *Based on total household installations as of December 2021. ** Alarms only connect with other Kidde alarms that have hardwired AC interconnect capability. *** Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are registered trademarks of Amazon Technologies, Inc. First cUL and CSA listed carbon monoxide and smoke detection device with indoor air quality monitoring. Survey Methodology: This Maru Public Opinion survey conducted on behalf of Kidde was undertaken by the sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue. 1,531 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists were surveyed from Feb. 24-27, 2023. The results of this study have been weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding. About Kidde Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and safety accessories, has been keeping the world a safer place for over 100 years. Kidde produced the first integrated smoke detection system a century ago and continues its legacy today by delivering advanced fire-safety technology. Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. For more information, visit kiddecanada.com or follow @KiddeCanada, and on Facebook and Instagram. Contact: Stephanie Berzinski 561-346-9232 [email protected] SOURCE Kidde [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Infobip announces headliners for Shift Conference, Miami Infobip's Shift Conference, one of Europe's most celebrated developer gatherings, is making its North American debut with a lineup of legendary headliners in Miami, Florida, on May 23, 2023. Attendees will hear from some of the most sought-after trailblazers and innovators of the global developer community, including John Romero, the father of FPS games (notably Doom), Joyce Lin Head of Developer Relations at Postman, Gift Egwuenu, Developer Advocate at Cloudflare, Nic Jackson, Developer Advocate at HashiCorp and entrepreneurial coder and influencer Kitze. "Shift is undoubtedly one of the most impressive conferences I've had the pleasure of speaking at. Their upcoming event in Miami is no exception, and I'm eagerly looking forward to it," said Egwuenu, who will give a presentation entitled Powering up Micro-frontends at the Edge. "Based on my amazing experience at Shift Europe, I expect this event to be equally fantastic. I highly recommend attending the conference if you want to stay up to date with the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry. I appreciate how the organizers carefully consider the quality of the speakers, talks, and program. I can tell they put much effort into ensuring the conference is top-notch, which always shows." Along with panels and presentations, this year's program will include sessions, one-on-one labs, and opportunities to engage with Infobip engineers and other developers. With attendees that include developers and engineers, product owners, and startup founders and teams, Shift will establish a standard for hands-on, interactive learning, extensive networking, and the sharing of cutting-edge ideas. Ivan Burazin, Chief Developer Experience Officer at Infobip established the Shift Conference in Europe, where it is immensely popular. "Shift's track record in Europe has made it a must-attend conference for anyone passionate about the developer community," said Burazin. "We are thrilled to bring this gathering to Miami and continue to support the developer ecosystem in North America and Latin America." "After more than 10 years of hosting developer events in Europe, we are excited to expand our reach and bring the Shift experience to a new continent," said Silvio Kutic, CEO of Infobip. "Our mission is to create innovative, inspirational, and immersive in-person and digital experiences and to help bring more information, innovation, collaboration, and conversation to the developer community in the U.S. and Latin America." To learn more about Shift in Miami, May 23, 2023, visit the conference website. About Infobip Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip's omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact center solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty. With over a decade of industry experience, Infobip has expanded to 70+ offices globally. It offers natively built technology with the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices and 'things' in 6 continents connected to over 9,700+ connections of which 800+ are direct operator connections. Infobip was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutic, Roberto Kutic and Izabel Jelenic. Recent award wins include: Infobip named a leader in the CPaaS Leaderboard, Juniper Research (February 2023) Infobip named a leader in the CCaaS Leaderboard, Juniper Research (Aug 2022) Omdia Ranks Infobip as Leader in CPaaS Universe Report (May 2022) Ranked the leading service provider in CPaaS by Juniper Research in its new Competitor Leaderboard CPaaS Vendors (October 2021) Infobip named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) 2021 Vendor Assessment (doc #US46746221, May 2021) Best A2P SMS provider for the fourth year running by mobile operators and enterprises in ROCCO's annual Messaging Vendor Benchmarking Report Best CPaaS Provider of the Year, Best RCS Provider of the Year, and Mover & Shaker in Telco Innovation at the 2021 Juniper Digital Awards About Shift Shift is a tech conference franchise with over a decade of experience in creating and producing technology conferences in multiple industry verticals such as Software Development, Fin-Tech and Artificial Intelligence. Shift's flagship conference Shift Developer is the largest developer event in Southeastern Europe, attracting attendees from over 109 different countries and speakers from all the major global IT companies including Microsoft, Netflix, AWS, Spotify and many others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005327/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Demand for Secure and Private Data Security Architecture Grows as Open Raven Wins New Customers and Investment Open Raven - the data security posture management company helping prevent cloud data leaks, breaches, and compliance incidents - announced increased demand from new enterprise customers like Deserve Inc., a new strategic partner, In-Q-Tel Inc., and expanded multi-cloud capabilities, including support for Google Cloud Platform and Snowflake. The Open Raven Data Security Platform is secure and private by design. Its unique serverless architecture allows deep analysis and accurate classification of cloud data where it lies without opening holes for potential attackers to exploit. Deserve, a leading mobile-first credit card platform built on a cloud-native and API-enabled architecture, chose Open Raven for these reasons, providing full cloud data visibility and control for security teams with touchless data scanning and robust customizations. "In a heavily regulated industry, our data needs to stay where it belongs," said Deserve Chief Information Security Officer Henric Andersson. "Open Raven conducts scanning alongside our data using cost-effective and self-contained serverless functions with account-specific read-only permissions. We maintain control, and our data never leaves our environment." In-Q-Tel, the not-for-profit strategic investor that accelerates the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to U.S. government agencies and their allies, also selected Open Raven for its architecture and entered a strategic partnership with Open Raven. "For more than 20 years, the intelligence and defense communities have relied on our team to anticipate their technology questions and needs, and achieve solutios," said In-Q-Tel Senior Partner, Investment Team Katie Gray. "U.S. intelligence and defense communities need to understand where their data is and how it's secured to execute the administration's Zero Trust initiative. The Open Raven Data Security Platform stood out for its security, privacy, and best-of-breed discovery and classification capabilities." Amidst rapid customer growth and increased investments, Open Raven also announced platform expansion with new multi-cloud capabilities, including support for Google Cloud Platform and Snowflake, and advanced data classification capabilities with support for file metadata and custom composite data classes. "In this rapidly maturing category, we see room for different approaches," said Open Raven CEO Dave Cole. "Our approach satisfies the most stringent requirements for privacy and security, which includes privacy-sensitive organizations such as In-Q-Tel and their sponsors, and the sophisticated needs of engineering-first companies such as Deserve." For more information, read the blog post. About Open Raven Open Raven is the data security posture management company that prevents leaks, breaches, and compliance incidents. For security teams with modern cloud infrastructures to locate and secure sensitive, toxic, and exposed data across clouds within hundreds or thousands of accounts, billions of objects, and petabytes of data, existing tools don't work. The Open Raven Data Security Platform is the secure, private, budget-safe solution that closes data visibility gaps - and just works. Learn more at openraven.com or follow us @openraven. About Deserve Deserve Inc. is a leading mobile-first credit card platform built on a cloud-native and API-enabled architecture, which allows partners to offer superior personalized experiences for cardholders. We partner with financial institutions, fintechs, lenders, and merchant co-brands. Deserve Inc. is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and is a venture-backed fintech whose investors include Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, AssetManagement, Visa, Sallie Mae, Ally Ventures, Pelion Venture Partners, Aspect Ventures, and Mission Holdings. https://www.deserve.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005285/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Bell Law Firm and Steele Adams Hosman File Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Following the Death of 19-Year-Old Utah Woman Bell Law Firm and Steele Adams Hosman today confirm the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit on behalf of plaintiffs Brett Doner and Heather Myers in Third District Court in Salt Lake County against Intermountain Healthcare, Intermountain Life Flight, Murray City, Murray City Fire Department ("MCFD"), Gold Cross Ambulance, United Fire Authority, Utah Highway Patrol, and others, following negligence that led to the overdose and death of plaintiffs' 19-year-old daughter, Gwendolyn Doner ("Gwen"). On April 19, 2021, after Gwen survived a head-on vehicular collision with her brain unhurt, Life Flight and MCFD providers gave her 500 milligrams of ketamine-over 16 times the maximum dose authorized by State and County protocols. As a result, Gwen rapidly went into respiratory arrest. Over the 7-9 minutes that followed, none of the dozens of EMS providers on scene had the capability or equipment to provide Gwen BVM ventilation, ultimately causing a fatal anoxic brain injury. Gwen never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead about 29 hours later. After Gwen was admitted to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray ("IMC"), despite fiduciary and ethical duties requiring transparency, IMC providers and administrators concealed the overdose, respiratory arrest, and anoxic brain injury from Gwen's family. The providers and administrators concealed those facts even after CT imaging confirmed the anoxic brain injury and IMC internally documented the injury as the official cause of Gwe's death. According to Alyssa Wood, an attorney at Steele Adams Hosman, the medication error is a "never event," the type of medical error that should never occur. "As a result of the overdose," states Wood, "a young woman lost her life, and two families lost their daughter and eldest sibling." "This is a tragic and egregious case of negligence," says Lloyd Bell, an attorney at Bell Law Firm. "After bypassing safety protocols, multiple EMS providers administered Gwen a massive overdose of high-risk medication. This case is also unique because the deadly medical errors were caught and preserved on video." Bell Law Firm and Steele Adams Hosman are fighting for justice for Gwen's family, hoping to protect other families from living the same tragedy by holding negligent healthcare organizations and providers accountable for the wrongful acts and omissions that led to Gwen's death. About Bell Law Firm Bell Law Firm is Georgia's leading medical malpractice and catastrophic injury firm. Founded in 1999 by Lloyd Bell, the firm has recovered hundreds of millions for clients and families impacted by medical negligence, including a record $75M verdict, the largest in Georgia history. The firm also achieved a record-breaking $26M verdict against a Columbus hospital and a $15M verdict against the largest healthcare provider in Georgia. In addition to delivering record verdicts, Bell Law Firm was awarded "Personal Injury Litigation Team of the Year" and "Most Innovative Law Firm" by The Daily Report. Lloyd is also the only Georgia attorney in the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 leading trial attorneys in the United States. For more information, visit www.belllawfirm.com or listen to Lloyd's podcast, "Face the Jury." About Steele Adams Hosman Founded in 2019, Steele Adams Hosman is a renowned personal injury law firm located in Salt Lake City and serving clients throughout the state of Utah. Together, our attorneys have more than 35 years of legal experience, and we are known for securing some of the highest settlements and verdicts in the region. We have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of those injured in serious motor vehicle accidents, slips and falls, dog attacks, and more. Most importantly, we recognize that our clients are navigating some of the toughest times in their lives. Because of this, we make it our mission to provide the compassionate, personalized support they need, along with the aggressive advocacy they deserve. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005543/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] More Than One-in-Three Canadian Organizations Experienced a Security Breach in the Past Year Today, CDW Canada, a leading provider of technology solutions and services for Canadian organizations, published findings from its 2023 Penetration Testing Survey to coincide with CDW's annual National Penetration Testing Day. The research found that more than one-in-three (36 percent) Canadian organizations experienced a security breach in the past year. While the vast majority (80 percent) involved an external breach originating from outside an organization's infrastructure, three-in-five (61 percent) reported an internal breach. The high frequency of internal security breaches highlights the crucial importance of implementing and maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture and ensuring employees are educated and trained on security best practices. "With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex, organizations must keep up to identify, evaluate and mitigate their exploitable vulnerabilities," says Julius Azarcon, Vice President, Professional and Managed Services, for CDW Canada. "One of the most effective ways organizations can minimize their cybersecurity risks is through penetration testing to ensure their data remains secure. Organizations that neglect to prioritize their cybersecurity are significantly heghtening their risk of exposure to successful cyberattacks that prey on security vulnerabilities." The survey also revealed the most common types of security breaches Canadian organizations report being victimized by in the past two years, which included ransomware attacks (34 percent), business email compromises (34 percent) and phishing attacks (33 percent). Amongst companies/organizations that have shifted to a remote or hybrid work model, more than half (54 percent) of Canadian IT professionals report that the shift has increased their organization's security risk. Awareness, training and resources remain paramount to combatting cyberthreats. Now in its second year, the CDW survey summarizes the sentiment of 500 Canadian IT decision-makers regarding cybersecurity and the posture of their organizations. With 20 years of industry-leading experience, CDW specializes in helping organizations prepare for and defend against security threats. As a trusted security partner, CDW develops customized solutions and services to address the unique IT security risks of organizations and conducts penetration testing to identify and catalogue vulnerabilities in existing defence systems. To learn more about the state of penetration testing in Canada, please visit CDW Canada's Research Hub. Join the conversation online by following @CDWCanada on Twitter and LinkedIn. About CDW Canada CDW Canada is a leading provider of technology solutions for business, government, education and healthcare. CDW Canada Corp. helps customers achieve their goals by delivering integrated technology solutions and services that help customers navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize the return on their technology investment. Areas of focus include software, networking, unified communications, data centre and mobility solutions. CDW Canada Corp. is on the Channel Daily News' Top 100 Solutions Provider list in Canada, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vernon Hills, Illinois-based CDW Corporation, a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.cdw.ca. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005228/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] RetireOne Partners with Pension & Wealth Management Advisors on a Program to Help Clients Protect Income in Retirement RetireOne, the leading independent platform for fee-based insurance solutions, today announced the launch of Pension & Wealth Management Advisors' (PWMA) Portfolio Income Insurance Program. Based in Waltham, MA, PWMA is a dedicated team of financial advisors offering comprehensive solutions to clients with an approach centered around risk management. Powered by Constance, a contingent deferred annuity (CDA) launched by RetireOne in partnership with Midland National Life Insurance Company, the PWMA Portfolio Income Insurance program offers the firm's advisors a measure of certainty for their risk-averse clients who might otherwise avoid or reduce allocations to equities. The CDA unbundles insurance protections from underlying investments, enabling PWMA advisors the ability to cover their proprietary models with an income guarantee (subject to the claims paying ability of the insurance company). "We're always scouting progressive technologies and solutions like RetireOne's Portfolio Income Insurance Program," said George P. Webb, CEO of Pension & Wealth Management Advisors. "If you have a risk averse client, staying in cash may provide peace of mind but it will ultimately disadvantage them over time. By setting a floor of income with the CDA, we have an innovative tool for boosting clients' confidence and getting them out of cash. Further, we can transfer market risk in their portfolios to an insurance company without moving the asset." The Portfolio Income Insurance Program is designed to provide etirees with a stable source of income, even in the event of a market downturn or economic crisis. Constance offers a flat certificate fee and the flexibility to begin taking income at any time, allocate up to 75% equities, and sever at any time. "No one can control the markets," said David Stone, co-founder and CEO of RetireOne. "What we do know, however, is that they've consistently produced higher gains than cash or fixed-income assets over long time periods, helping countless Americans to achieve their financial goals. We partnered with Midland National to build a CDA that takes some risk off the table so investors can focus on what they can do now and stay on plan." To learn more about Constance and RetireOne's outsourced insurance desk offering, please visit RetireOne.com. About RetireOne Serving over 1,100 RIAs and fee-based advisors since 2011, RetireOne is the leading, independent platform for fee-based insurance solutions. With offerings from multiple "A" rated companies, RIAs may access this fiduciary marketplace at no additional cost to them or their clients. Currently servicing over $1.4 billion of retirement savings and income investments, RetireOne continues to grow in its mission to provide advisors and their clients' valuable retirement solutions that are simple to use, easy to understand, and delivered with outstanding service. Learn more at RetireOne.com and follow us on Twitter @RetireOne and LinkedIn. About Pension & Wealth Management Services Pension & Wealth Management Advisors is a Registered Investment Advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. PWMA provides advisory expertise in Wealth Management, Asset Management, and Institutional Advisory services to help clients optimize their investment opportunities. Learn more at www.pensionwealth.com The Certificate is designed to protect investors who are concerned that, either because of withdrawals over time, poor market performance, or both, their Covered Asset Pool may be depleted during their lifetime. To address that need, the Certificate in effect provides a limited form of insurance against outliving assets. The Certificate has no cash value, surrender value or death benefit. The Certificate is intended for long-term investment purposes. You and your client should consider the risks and expenses of the annuity carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information. You or your client can call 877-575-2742 to obtain a current prospectus for the contingent deferred annuity. Inform investors to read it carefully before investing. Securities offered through EF Legacy Securities, LLC (EFLS). EFLS is a member of FINRA/SIPC, registered in all 50 states and is a licensed insurance agency (resident KY license no. DOI-896601). In CA, EFLS is doing business as EF Legacy Insurance Agency LLC (nonresident license no. 0L01472). The Constance? Group Contingent Deferred Annuity is issued by Midland National Life Insurance Company, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266, offered by EF Legacy Securities, LLC (dba RetireOne), member FINRA and underwritten by Sammons Financial Network, LLC., member FINRA. Sammons Financial Network, LLC., and Midland National Life Insurance Company are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sammons Financial Group, Inc. and are not affiliated with EF Legacy Securities, LLC., and RetireOne. The Constance? Group Contingent Deferred Annuity can play an important role in your retirement plan but may not be for everyone. Before investing, you and your financial advisor should discuss aspects that affect the appropriateness of your situation, including cost, investment timeframe and other retirement assets you may have. The Certificate is intended for long-term investment purposes. Excess withdrawals may significantly decrease and even terminate the benefits provided by the Certificate. NOT FDIC/NCUA INSURED, MAY LOSE VALUE INCLUDING LOSS OF PRINCIPAL, NO BANK/CU GUARANTEE, NOT A DEPOSIT, NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY. NOT INTENDED FOR CONSUMER SOLICITATION PURPOSES. 20230302-EFLS-A047 2816343 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005286/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] 2023 Private Company Boards of the Year From MLR Media Eight private company boards have been honored with Private Company Boards of the Year awards for their business governance excellence by MLR Media. The awards will be presented at the 2023 Private Company Governance Summit, which will take place May 17-19, 2023, at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Washington, D.C. The boards of these companies were selected for recognition: Merritt Aluminum Products Company Neuco Inc. Cargas Systems Etnyre International Lodge Cast Iron Field Fastener Supply ABARTA Griffith Foods Eight private companies were selected for the governance excellence demonstrated by their fiduciary or advisory boards. The awards, which will be presented at a dinner during the Private Company Governance Summit on May 18, 2023, honor private company boards that best serve their stakeholders - owners, shareholders, employees and community - with best practices in their structure and performance. The awards were created to recognize private companies that go above and beyond legal governance requirements and commit to the highest levels of governance, whether through fiduciary or advisory boards. The awards honor the performance of the board as a whole. The eighth annual awards recognize fiduciary boards (those tasked with protecting shareholders, with the authority to vote on decisions that are binding for company management) as well as advisory boards (more informal boards tha have no binding regulations, but often a significant strategic role). Fiduciary board awards were broken down by company revenues and ownership type. The Private Company Governance Summit, now in its eleventh year, is the only national conference focused on the unique governance challenges for owners, shareholders, directors and advisory board members of closely held, family-owned and private equity-owned companies. To learn more, visit www.privatecompanydirector.com. The boards of the following companies were selected for recognition: Merritt Aluminum Products Company Fort Lupton, CO Advisory Board/Family-Owned Less than $100 million in revenues Neuco Inc. Bolingbrook, IL Advisory Board/Family-Owned $100 million to $350 million in revenues Cargas Systems Lancaster, PA Fiduciary Board/Employee-Owned Less than $100 million in revenues Etnyre International Oregon, IL Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned $100 million to $350 million in revenues Lodge Cast Iron South Pittsburg, TN Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned $100 million to $350 million in revenues Field Fastener Supply Machesney Park, IL Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned $100 million to $350 million in revenues ABARTA Pittsburgh, PA Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned $351 million to $999 million in revenues Griffith Foods Alsip, IL Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned More than $1 billion in revenues About MLR Media MLR Media publishes Directors & Boards, Family Business and Private Company Director magazines, and produces The Private Company Governance Summit, the Transitions (Spring and Fall) and Family Business Legacy conferences, Family Business NextGen, and the Transformational Women in Family Business and Character of the Corporation events. www.mlrmedia.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005558/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] ACM Prize in Computing Recognizes Yael Tauman Kalai for Fundamental Contributions to Cryptography Verifiable Delegation and Other Breakthrough Works Have Advanced the Field NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today named Yael Tauman Kalai the recipient of the 2022 ACM Prize in Computing for breakthroughs in verifiable delegation of computation and fundamental contributions to cryptography. Kalai's contributions have helped shape modern cryptographic practices and provided a strong foundation for further advancements. The ACM Prize in Computing recognizes early-to-mid-career computer scientists The ACM Prize in Computing recognizes early-to-mid-career computer scientists whose research contributions have fundamental impact and broad implications. The award carries a prize of $250,000, from an endowment provided by Infosys Ltd. Verifiable Delegation of Computation Kalai has developed methods for producing succinct proofs that certify the correctness of any computation. This method enables a weak device to offload any computation to a stronger device in a way that enables the results to be efficiently checked for correctness. Such succinct proofs have been used by numerous blockchain companies (including Ethereum) to certify transaction validity and thereby overcome key obstacles in blockchain scalability, enabling faster and more reliable transactions. Kalai's research has provided essential definitions, key concepts, and inventive techniques to this domain. More specifically, Kalai's work pioneered the study of "doubly efficient" interactive proofs, which ensure that the computational overhead placed on the strong device is small (nearly linear in the running time of the computation being proved). In contrast, previous constructions incurred an overhead that is super-exponential in the space of the computation. Kalai's work transformed the concept of delegation from a theoretical curiosity to a reality in practice. Her subsequent work used cryptography to develop certificates of computation, eliminating the need for back-and-forth interaction. This work used insights from quantum information theory, specifically "non-signaling" strategies, to construct a one-round delegation scheme for any computation. These schemes have led to a body of work on delegation including theoretical advancements, applied implementations, and real-world deployment. Additional Contributions to Cryptography Kalai's other important contributions include her breakthrough work on the security of the "Fiat-Shamir paradigm," a general technique for eliminating interaction from interactive protocols. This paradigm is extensively utilized in real-world applications including in the most prevalent digital signature scheme (ECDSA) which is used by all iOS and Android mobile devices. Despite its widespread adoption, its security has been poorly understood. Kalai's research established a solid foundation for understanding the security of this paradigm. In addition, she co-pioneered the field of leakage resilent cryptography and solved a long-standing open problem in interactive coding theory, showing how to convert any interactive protocol into one that is resilient to a constant fraction of adversarial errors while increasing the communication complexity by at most a constant factor and the running time by at most a polynomial factor. Kalai's extensive work in the field of cryptography has helped shape modern cryptographic practices and provided a strong foundation for further advancements. "As data is the currency of our digital age, the work of cryptographers, who encrypt and decrypt coded language, is essential to keeping our technological systems secure and our data private, as necessary," said ACM President Yannis Ioannidis. "Kalai has not only made astonishing breakthroughs in the mathematical foundations of cryptography, but her proofs have been practically useful in areas such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Her research addresses complex problems whose solution opens new directions to where the field is headingfocusing on keeping small computers (such as smartphones) secure from potentially malicious cloud servers. A true star all around, she has also established herself as a respected mentor, inspiring and cultivating the next generation of cryptographers." "We are pleased to see one of the world's leading cryptographers recognized," said Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys. "Kalai's technical depth and innovation of her work has definitely made a tremendous mark in this field and will inspire aspiring cryptographers. We are thankful for her contributions to date and can only imagine what she has in store in the coming years. Infosys has been proud to sponsor the ACM Prize since its inception. Recognizing the achievements of young professionals is especially important in computing, as bold innovations from people early in their careers have a tremendous impact on our field." Kalai will be formally presented with the ACM Prize in Computing at the annual ACM Awards Banquet, which will be held this year on Saturday, June 10 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Biographical Background Yael Tauman Kalai is a Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and an Adjunct Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Kalai earned a BSc in Mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an MS in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from The Weizmann Institute of Science, and a PhD in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kalai's honors include the George M. Sprowls Award for Best Doctoral Thesis in Computer Science (MIT, 2007), an IBM PhD Fellowship (2004-2006), an MIT Presidential Graduate Fellowship (2003-2006), and an Outstanding Master's Thesis Prize (Weizmann Institute of Science, 2001). She is a Fellow of the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR). Additionally, Kalai gave an Invited Talk at the International Congress of Mathematics (ICM, 2018). About the ACM Prize in Computing The ACM Prize in Computing recognizes an early to mid-career fundamental innovative contribution in computing that, through its depth, impact, and broad implications, exemplifies the greatest achievements in the discipline. The award carries a prize of $250,000. Financial support is provided by an endowment from Infosys Ltd. The ACM Prize in Computing was previously known as the ACM-Infosys Foundation Award in the Computing Sciences from 2007 through 2015. ACM Prize recipients are invited to participate in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum, an annual networking event that brings together young researchers from around the world with recipients of the ACM A.M. Turing Award, the Abel Prize, the Fields Medal, and the IMU Abacus Medal (a continuation of the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize). About ACM ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over three decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acm-prize-in-computing-recognizes-yael-tauman-kalai-for-fundamental-contributions-to-cryptography-301794755.html SOURCE Association For Computing Machinery, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Mirah Welcomes Jill Donelan, Psy.D., as New Clinical Director BOSTON , April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirah announced today that Jill Donelan, Psy.D., a highly accomplished clinical psychologist, has joined as Clinical Director. She is widely recognized for her expertise in providing evidence-based treatments for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma. In this role, Dr. Donelan will lead a team of clinical psychologists to support customers in implementing and sustaining measurement-based care (MBC), a data-driven approach to mental health treatment that uses standardized assessments to enhance clinical decision-making. She will also collaborate with internal teams to develop MBC technology, clinical practices, and implementation frameworks. Prior to joining Mirah, Dr. Donelan worked as a clinician and academic at several institutions, including Baystate Medical Center in Massachusetts. In this role, she provided individual and group psychotherapy to patients and conducted research on the effectiveness of psychological interventions. "I am excited to join Mirah and contribute to the development of innovative, evidence-based solutions to mental health challenges," said Dr. onelan. "As a long-time user of Mirah in my previous role, I have seen the power of data-driven decision-making in improving outcomes for patients. I am excited to work with this talented team to bring these benefits to more individuals and organizations." Dr. Donelan has made significant contributions to the field of psychology through her clinical practice, publications, and presentations. She is also the author of the book " Trauma Treatment Toolbox for Teens: 97 Worksheets, Exercises, and Interventions for Trauma Recovery ," which has been praised by mental health professionals and educators alike for its practical tools and innovative approach to treating trauma in teenagers. "We're thrilled to have Dr. Donelan join our team," said Don Jenkins, Mirah's Chief Operating Officer. "She has first-hand experience implementing measurement-based care in clinical workflows. It is this deep expertise and clinical voice that will ensure we provide the best support possible to our growing customer base while we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in mental healthcare." About Mirah: Mirah is empowering providers with data-driven decision-making, helping improve both behavioral health outcomes and access. With a best-in-class platform for measuring and tracking patient progress, Mirah's fully integrated solution offers actionable insights, powerful analytics, and an unparalleled level of precision to help organizations deliver measurement-based care at scale. Mirah combines this enterprise-level technology with an expert clinical support team to drive effective, sustainable implementation of data-informed care across organizations of all sizes. To learn more, visit https://www.mirah.com . Contact: Amanda Young 351.222.4755 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mirah-welcomes-jill-donelan-psyd-as-new-clinical-director-301794976.html SOURCE Mirah [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] Merlin Awarded FAA Contract to Deploy Nation's First Air Cargo Network Flown by Non-Human Pilot The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Merlin, the leading developer of safe autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, a $1 million contract to demonstrate a highly automated flight control system in conjunction with a safety pilot. In partnership with the FAA designated University of Alaska Fairbanks UAS Test Site and Everts Air Cargo, the Merlin Pilot will be the first autonomy system integrated into the NAS. Flight trials will run along three test routes serving five destinations. All test routes originate from the FAA designated UAS Alaska test site in Q2 2023. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411006007/en/ Merlin Awarded FAA Contract to Deploy Nation's First Air Cargo Network Flown by Non-Human Pilot (Photo: Business Wire) Last year, Merlin announced a $105 million Series B financing along with key partnerships with the United States Air Force, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, and the FAA. The funding has allowed Merlin to continue developing its integrated hardware and software solution known as the Merlin Pilot. "Alaska's terrain and inclement weather can challenge the most experienced pilots. And yet remote communities rely on air cargo deliveries for vital supplies such as milk, mail, and medicine. Working with Merlin on these flight trials benefits our residents and provides data with each flight that will create not only a safer airspace in Alaska but technology that is applicable worldwide," said Dr. Cathy Cahill, Director of the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the UAF Geophysical Institute. "This program will help thousands of our state's remote residents to acquire supplies necessary to sustain life and it's exciting that the advent of new technologies can drive greater equity and access across our communities," Cahill said. The trials are set to begin in the second quarter of 2023 with an aim of reaching underserved areas of Alaska to enable better access to supplies while reducing the significant safety risk to today's pilots. Merlin will use crewed aircraft augmented with the Merlin Pilot, its integrated hardware and software solution, to serve rural cargo destinations. During the initial testing phase, safety pilots will monitor the experimental flight control system. All routes will originate from Fairbanks and separately fly to Fort Yukon, Galena, Prudhoe Bay, Huslia and Tanana. "The Merlin Pilot is being developed to make the skies safer and more accessible. These initial flight trials are vital to maturing our in-flight capabilities and it's rewarding that this work will also serve a material need in the communities of Alaska," said Matthew George, co-founder and CEO of Merlin. "To date, we have conducted hundreds of missions with our Merlin Pilot on five aircraft types from our dedicated flight test facility in Mojave, California. Alongside the FAA, and our operating partner Everts Air Cargo, we're thrilled that the Merlin Pilot will soon be learning in a real world, complex environment." About Merlin Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Denver, Kerikeri (NZ) and Mojave, Merlin is building the definitive autonomy system for all things that fly. To learn more, visit www.merlinlabs.com or follow us on Twitter @merlinaero. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230411006007/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] DAR ES SALAAM, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A Tanzanian government official told parliament on Tuesday plans were afoot to install open internet WiFi in public areas to encourage the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). Deputy Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology Mathew Kundo said the government was investing in digital information to enable it to support economic development. Kundo said the government recognized the need for providing open internet WiFi to enable the public to engage in socio-economic issues that will help boost development and trade. "To start with, the government has installed open internet hotspots in five centers to promote the use of the technology for various social and economic undertakings," he told the House. Kundo mentioned the five centers as the University of Dodoma's College of Informatics and Virtual Education, the Lungemba College of Social Welfare, Buhongwa in Mwanza region, Tabora market, and Kiembesamaki in Zanzibar. [April 12, 2023] Billy Bishop Airport Sustainability Report Measures Achievements to Cleaner, Greener, Quieter Operations Sixth-annual Sustainability Report spotlights achievements in 2022, including 18 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Billy Bishop Airport) is proud to present its 2022 Sustainability Report, which offers a comprehensive accounting of Billy Bishop Airport's environmental performance, tracking key indicators such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic impact, and measuring the airport's progress within global corporate reporting best practices. The sixth-annual report is presented in a new, interactive format with graphic and video components that help illustrate Billy Bishop Airport's achievements and ongoing efforts to implement sustainable practices, support its community and the wellbeing of its employees, and invest in programs and infrastructure that protect the environment and grow Toronto's economy. In 2022, Billy Bishop Airport made significant strides in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, reporting an 18 per cent decrease in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions. This was achieved in part through the airport's continued use of 100 per cent renewable energy via Bullfrog Power which has allowed the airport to displace more than 19,000 tonnes of CO2 since 2010 and its investment in cleaner technology such as the Marilyn Bell electric ferry. The Marilyn Bell e-ferry is powered by green electricity and its zero-emission operation will reduce the airport's diesel consumption by 196,000 litres. "As an organization, Billy Bishop Airport drives tourism and trade, provides access to critical emergency medevac care and supports thousands of jobs in the Greater Toronto Area, contributing to the economic stability of our region," said RJ Steenstra, President and Chief Executive Officer of PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. "While economic recovery is imperative for a sustainable future, Billy Bishop Airport has demonstrated time and again that our commitment to the environment and to our commnity is of equal importance. In practice, this means choosing to power all of our operations with renewable energy, investing strategically in climate resilient infrastructure, and continuing to work with our neighbours to identify ways we can further contribute to the sustainability of our community and shared Toronto waterfront." Delphi Group, a pioneer in sustainability, reviews Billy Bishop Airport's sustainability reporting and key indicators like greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and helps to measure and report the organization's progress within global corporate best practices. To read Billy Bishop Airport's full sustainability report, click here. Quick Facts In 2022, Billy Bishop Airport renewed its agreement with Bullfrog Power to continue to choose 100 per cent green electricity from wind and solar sources the only airport in Canada to do so. to do so. The Marilyn Bell I , which connects passengers, vehicles and supplies to Billy Bishop Airport, celebrated in 2022 its first anniversary as the only ferry service in Canada to run on a zero-emission power and propulsion system containing no diesel components. The retrofit eliminated greenhouse gas emissions from the ferry's operation and has the capacity to reduce the airport's direct emissions by approximately 530 tonnes per year. , which connects passengers, vehicles and supplies to Billy Bishop Airport, celebrated in 2022 its first anniversary as the only ferry service in to run on a zero-emission power and propulsion system containing no diesel components. The retrofit eliminated greenhouse gas emissions from the ferry's operation and has the capacity to reduce the airport's direct emissions by approximately 530 tonnes per year. In 2022, Nieuport Aviation, owners and operators of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Airport, announced plans to purchase six electric buses to replace the airport's current shuttle bus fleet which offers complimentary service between the airport and Union Station for approximately 500,000 passengers per year. In 2022, a public opinion survey conducted by Environics found that a majority of Torontonians (71 per cent) have favourable views of Billy Bishop Airport, and results indicated strong favourability for Billy Bishop Airport (82 per cent) among waterfront residents. Billy Bishop Airport is committed to investing in the communities in which it operates and helping to build a sustainable city. In 2022, Billy Bishop Airport supported community organizations and initiatives including Hope Air, Not In My City, Repdath Waterfront Festival, The Bentway, The Black Aviation Professionals Network, Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre and ALS Canada . About Billy Bishop Airport Toronto City Airport Offering service to more than 20 cities in Canada and the U.S., with connection opportunities to more than 80 international destinations via our airlines' networks, Billy Bishop Airport is an important international gateway and a key driver to Toronto's economy which traditionally welcomes approximately 2.8 million passengers per year. Billy Bishop Airport is renowned for its unique travel experience, efficiency and customer service and has won a series of passenger-driven awards. With a focus on cleaner, greener and quieter operations, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has made significant upgrades in recent year to achieve its sustainability goals which are reported on an annual basis. Billy Bishop Airport is owned and operated by PortsToronto. SOURCE Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] The Elite Difference: Award-winning Company's Transportation Fleet Hits One Million Electric Miles SPARTANBURG, S.C., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A regional company, Elite Home Care, Day Centers, and Transportation, announced that its EV transportation fleet will surpass one million miles driven in the upcoming weeks. The miles were logged on roads and highways across South Carolina by the fully-electric fleet that provides care for those who are homebound, transportation to Elite Adult Day Care centers, as well as transportation to medical appointments outside of their ten facilities. "Our aim is to deliver the highest level of care while being conscientious of keeping costs contained," said co-owner Chris Russo. "We have found tremendous success with Ford's E Transit line, upfitted with seating and wheelchair lifts to provide transportation solutions for the varied needs of our clients." The company's year-long transformation from gasoline engines to EV vehicles has led them to the one million mile milestone which will be celebrated alongside its Earth Day festivities. The historic one millionth mile will be celebrated at the Greer Day Center on Wednesday, April 19th, 2023 at 3:00 PM EST. The company's owned and operated electric vehicle (EV) fleet is composed of 65 vehicles including Ford Transits and Volkswagen's ID4s. The first electric vehicle was purchased in October 2021. These vehicles are primarily utilized for transporting elderly and disabled clients to the day centers as well as to and from medical apointments. "The change from gas to electric means our clients get to ride in brand new, state-of-the-art vehicles for the same cost to the company as old gas vehicles," said co-owner Andrew Martin. "It's a sustainable model that gives our clients the best ride possible, and continued excellence for Elite." Ford Pro provides the technological opportunity for real-time visibility to vehicles in the fleet. This year, Elite plans to open at least three more adult day care locations and to continue to expand their EV transportation program. About Elite Home Care, Day Centers, and Transportation This award-winning company offers in-home care, adult day care, and transportation needs for seniors, young adults, and the disabled throughout the entire state of South Carolina. Visit their website www.EliteHomeCareSC.com for more details. To schedule an interview, contact Sydney Cook at 864-509-9087 or by emailing [email protected] . CONTACT | Sydney Cook PHONE | (704) 812-8621 EMAIL | [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-elite-difference-award-winning-companys-transportation-fleet-hits-one-million-electric-miles-301795991.html SOURCE Elite Home Care, Day Centers and Transportation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 12, 2023] CELEBRATING SONGKRAN - GagaOOLala now supports Thai A special new monthly rate of only 4.99 USD a month TAIPEI, April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest and Asia's one and only LGBTQ+BL streaming platform was founded in 2017 in Taiwan. It is home to a vast array of queer films, shorts, and documentaries with more than 1,600 titles in its library. Its exciting content has attracted up to 2.5 million subscribers from all over the world, with Thai members ranking third. In addition to English and Chinese, GagaOOLala has now officially launched its brand-new Thai user interface for the benefit of Thai people, who will now beable to consume content, binge-watch their favorite shows, connect with the world, ad access all the latest videos in the most convenient, straightforward and familiar manner. To show just how much GagaOOLala values the Thai market and to celebrate the wonderful Songkran with the Thai people, GagaOOLala is, for the very first time, dropping their price from USD 6.99 for the web-page version and 289 THB for the APP version to USD4.99 and 189THB. Also, they hereby announce that the GagaOOLala APP will be updated on 13th April 2023, which will not only bring forth a better Thai user experience, but also excellent new shows including ??????????? ??????, ????????????, and ????????????????? ??????, along with more quality Japanese and Korean BL shows that you simply cannot afford to miss. GagaOOLala Find yourstory Web: https://www.gagaoolala.com/ Facebook: GagaOOLala Find yourstory IG @gagaoolala.official View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/celebrating-songkran---gagaoolala-now-supports-thai-301795399.html SOURCE GagaOOLala [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rising violence earns push back in the suburbs . . . But still probably brings down home values either way. Check the report . . . The Overland Park, Kansas Police Department says the suspected burglar was shot by the man currently renting the unit, located next to The Bullet Hole shooting range. Advertisement Police say the renter was sitting in the parking lot of the range when he saw the unidentified burglar. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Corporations and billionaires pay politicos to carry out their orders . . . So talk about investing strategy is kinda pointless and mostly serves as a distraction. Still . . . What we found interesting about the Kansas debate on this topic is that even the GOP quickly backed off far more stringed "ESG" rules & regs. A brief overview . . . In Kansas legislation, ESG has a very specific, but limited definition. It defines ESG as giving preferential treatment or discriminating against a company based on a list of factors. The factors include entire industries relating to environmental concerns, specifically energy, agriculture, lumber, and mining. The manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition is also a listed industry, a nod to the Republican base and the broader debate over the Second Amendment. That narrow definition does not prohibit other ESG considerations. Other states have used a broader definition which eliminates the consideration of all non-financial factors . . . The impact of the anti-ESG legislation is also limited, focusing exclusively on actions by the government. The legislation limits how state funds can be invested, prohibiting the consideration of ESG factors. The same applies for the investment of funds in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System . . . The right has been using the phrase go woke, go broke. Some on the left have argued that the use of ESG results in higher profits. The market will decide who is correct. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Let's get this straight before it becomes a more convincing falsehood . . . PRIVATE FINANCING PROMISES FOR PRICEY PUBLIC PROJECTS IS CLASSIC KANSAS CITY TRICKERY THAT ONLY WORKS ON LOW INFO VOTERS!!! Big companies, non-profits and all manner of hucksters typically pledge big bucks to voters in return for support . . . But then . . . THE MONEY NEVER MATERIALIZES. History backs us up on this . . . Remember that the KC Pet Project promised to raise more than 7 MILLION BUCKS for Kansas City's new shelter if only voters would approve GO Bonds??? However . . . The pledge was never put in writing. And so . . . The promise remains unfulfilled . . . And, instead, the middle-class white ladies fired a few old school Black dude dog catchers because they didn't match the group's aesthetic. Not sure if the puppers cared either way. And all of that is merely prologue to the same trick used by suits and so many useful idiot amateur urban planners at their disposal . . . The City Council last week authorized applying to the Missouri Development Finance Board for $15 million in state tax credits to support the 4.6-acre park, which will cap Interstate 670 between Wyandotte Street and Grand Boulevard. Officials said the credits would spur at least $30 million, and perhaps as much as $50 million, in private donations, including from business community members. If the South Loop Link project lands the credits and hits the higher donation amount, it would reach $112.2 million in financing. The park's known funds sit at $47.2 million, factoring in a $28.6 million federal earmark and $18.6 million in private pledges, chiefly from H&R Block Inc. and Loews Hotels & Co. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . South Loop Link project could hit $135M in financing by January, supporters say - Kansas City Business Journal Missouri officials in the near future could review an application by Kansas City for $15 million in state tax credits, which local officials expect will generate $30 million to $50 million in contingent private pledges for the $200 million park capping Interstate 670 in Downtown. Architects showcase new park for the middle of downtown KC KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - In the next few years, the landscape of downtown Kansas City might look extremely different due to a nearly $200 million park right in the heart of downtown. Zack Brown is always in search of areas in downtown Kansas City where he can walk his 3-year-old dog Jack. Developing . . . A bit of irony today . . . Dead-Tree media is sacrificing another forest of trees and creating a ton of garbage in order to protect the environment. Here's a worthwhile passage and more info . . . A Lees Summit trucker who drives local routes for a living, is just one of many Kansas City area residents who have been complaining for years about the garbage on the areas state and interstate highways. Many have wondered who is responsible for cleaning it up. And not a few have pointed out that the trash suggests a distinct lack of civic pride in Kansas City. Theres certain areas of the city, it looks like a landfill, the trucker said. You shouldnt see that in a city that has, you know, Super Bowl teams and World Series teams. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . 'It looks like a landfill': Kansas City area highways have an embarrassing trash problem Editor's note: This story is part of The Star's series "Talking Trash." All of the stories were inspired by questions and concerns we heard from Kansas Citians through listening sessions, an online callout and other conversations in our community. Stories will run throughout April, and you can find them all here. Want to help clean up KC? How to join local litter collection efforts or start your own Editor's note: This story is part of The Star's series "Talking Trash." All of the stories were inspired by questions and concerns we heard from Kansas Citians through listening sessions, an online callout and other conversations in our community. Stories will run throughout April, and you can find them all here. Developing . . . In 2012, the city gave BAI exclusive rights for 20 years to provide the wireless infrastructure on the subway system and sign up the service providers in exchange for $25 million. - Rick Madonik/Toronto Star staff Pius Rotich, general manager of investment promotion and business development at the Kenya Investment Authority, gives a speech during a promotion forum for the upcoming 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, in Nairobi, Kenya, April 12, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) NAIROBI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A promotion forum for the upcoming 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, was held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Wednesday, attracting a wide cast of participants, including senior policymakers and budding entrepreneurs. Held concurrently with a match-making session for 20 local firms that will send delegations to the Canton Fair, the half-day forum took place against a backdrop of concerted efforts to deepen Sino-Kenya economic and trade ties. Pius Rotich, general manager of investment promotion and business development at the Kenya Investment Authority, said the government was keen to leverage the Canton Fair to enhance trade and attract investments from China in line with a new economic transformation agenda. According to Rotich, the Canton Fair provides an opportunity for Kenyan entrepreneurs to explore partnerships with their Chinese peers, and secure the capital, technology and know-how required to spur the growth of key economic sectors like manufacturing and agriculture. "We are keen to partner with Chinese firms, negotiate for technology, financing and machinery required to grow our manufacturing sector, reduce imports and create new job opportunities," Rotich said. He added that other strategic areas where Kenya is keen to explore partnerships with Chinese firms during the Canton Fair include affordable housing, special economic zones, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Kenya will dispatch a 68-person delegation to the Canton Fair, slated from April 15 to May 5, mainly dealing with machinery, new energy and construction materials, said Gao Wei, managing director of the Nairobi-based China Information & Culture Communication Kenya Ltd, a local partner with the Canton Fair. Gao revealed that the first batch of Kenyan entrepreneurs will depart for China on April 15 while the second batch will travel to the Asian nation on April 25, adding that the fair will be held in three phases, each lasting five days. Eva Muhia, director of Varet Products, a Kenyan firm dealing with sanitation equipment, said the fair has been exposing local entrepreneurs to vast business opportunities in China. Attendees talk during a promotion forum for the upcoming 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, in Nairobi, Kenya, April 12, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) A promotion forum for the upcoming 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, is held in Nairobi, Kenya, April 12, 2023. (Photo by Charles Onyango/Xinhua) Guests cut a cake during a promotion forum for the upcoming 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, in Nairobi, Kenya, April 12, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) YAOUNDE, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Three separatist fighters were killed in a military ambush in Cameroon's restive Anglophone region of Northwest, according to local and security sources. The fighters abducted a middle-aged woman in Babessi locality late Monday, but they were waylaid on their way by troops who were alerted by the local population, a military official in the region said. "The troops successfully ambushed and neutralized them and rescued the abducted lady," the official who asked not to be named told Xinhua by phone. The fighters were "notorious" in the locality for the abduction of civilians, some local people told Xinhua. "Every week, they come and kidnap people and demand ransom. They have become a real problem to the community," said a resident of the locality who opted to remain anonymous for security reasons. There has been fighting between government forces and separatist fighters in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest since 2017 after separatists made a bid to create an independent nation in the regions. Munitions for air defense systems promised by Canada are already on their way to Ukraine, an official in the office of Defense Minister Anita Anand told CBC News. An official in her [Canadian Defense Ministers] office reached out to CBC News following the interview to clarify Anand's statement, the report says. According to CBC News, the official said the air defense munitions are on their way to Ukraine not the entire NASAMS system. Canada apparently has reached an agreement with the United States to acquire the sophisticated ground-based launchers but has no plan at the moment for delivery, the official said. Since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion, Canada has announced the allocation of almost $800 million in various military aid to Ukraine. The NASAMS system, which costs about $300 million, is almost half of that amount. Talks about the possible transfer of Finnish combat aircraft to another country currently irrelevant". Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikonen said this in an interview with local media, Xinhua reports, according to Ukrinform "The fighter jets will be used by our defense forces for the coming years, after which their life cycle will end," Kaikonen replied to a question about Ukraine's request for the transfer of F-18 aircraft. According to him, Finland officially responded to Ukraine's request last week. Read also: Canada has already sent air defense munitions to Ukraine In early March, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, during a visit to Kyiv, announced the possibility of transferring Finnish combat aircraft to Ukraine, but the Finnish president and defense minister immediately said they were not aware of such plans. Shortly thereafter, Ukraine asked Finland for the transfer of the aircraft. CAIRO, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and four others injured after a microbus overturned on a desert road of Giza Governorate, southwest of the Egyptian capital Cairo, state-run Nile TV reported on Wednesday. Initial investigation showed that the driver's speeding was the cause of the accident. A total of 15 people, including the driver, were onboard the microbus when the accident happened. The microbus was traveling from Beni Suef province in central Egypt to the northern coastal city of Alexandria. High speed, poor maintenance of roads, and lax enforcement of traffic regulations are the main causes of road accidents in Egypt, which claim thousands of lives in the country every year. In recent years, Egypt has been upgrading its road network by building new roads and bridges and repairing old ones to reduce traffic accidents. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russia has illegally deported 19,384 children from Ukraine. This was reported on Facebook by the press service of the Office of the Ombudsman, Ukrinform reports. "According to the state portal for searching for children "Children of War", as of April 12, 2023 [ in Ukraine], 405 children are considered missing, 19,384 children are deported, 11,243 children are found, and 361 children are returned," the statement said. As reported, on April 10, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that Ukraine was developing options for group returns of children. Pakistan will send 230 containers of defense equipment to Ukraine as early as this month. Thats according to The Economic Times, Ukrinform reports. It is noted that the vessels MV Bokram and MV Kherson carrying military equipment will be heading from the port of Karachi. Ships transporting arms from Pakistan to Ukraine are increasingly flying the flags of the US and European countries, people familiar with the matter told ET. The outlet had earlier reported that ports in Poland and Germany are the main gateways for transporting arms from Pakistan, including tanks and missiles. Read also: FM Kuleba invites Pakistan to join implementation of Peace Formula As the publication notes, Pakistan has become a key supplier of defense equipment to Ukraine. Last year, Great Britain used Pakistan as an air bridge to supply weapons to Ukraine through the territory of Romania. The Economic Times notes that Pakistan is providing aid to Ukraine even as it seeks help from Russia to modernize its own aircraft engines. Spain is planning to send six Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine in the coming days, and their delivery should be completed by the end of April. This was stated by Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles at a joint press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukrinform reports citing El Pais. "In the coming days, six Leopard 2A4 tanks will be sent to Ukraine," Robles said. Read also: Denmark to donate 100 Leopard tanks to Ukraine According to her, the delivery of combat vehicles will be carried out by sea and will be completed by the end of April. In addition to tanks, Spain will also supply Kyiv with 20 armored personnel carriers. "There are four more Leopards that are already being repaired so that they can be delivered as soon as possible," the Spanish minister added. She noted that the purpose of today's meeting was to determine in which areas Spain could continue to assist Ukraine. "And, of course, we will continue our training work. Here in Spain, more than 1000 soldiers have already been trained and are still being trained. I can say that they have shown us all an example of heroism and commitment to Ukraine and peace," Robles said. As reported by Ukrinform, Germany handed over 18 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Ukraine. Ukraine also received three Leopard 2A6 tanks from Portugal. In a video call, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Italian Enterprises and Production Minister Adolfo Urso discussed the ideas for strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries. The relevant statement was made by the Office of the President of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The parties reached a preliminary agreement on the creation and promotion of the national brand Made in Ukraine on the European market with the support of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises. According to Urso, the Italian side would like to help with the definition of those goods that can be identified with the national brand of Ukraine, which will contribute to their promotion on the European market. In his words, the experience of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, which are leaders in the production of certain products, can also be useful for Ukraine. Yermak and Urso emphasized that the conference on the recovery of Ukraine, scheduled for late April 2023 in Italy, would be extremely substantive and filled with meaningful content. Ukraine's energy system had a sufficient reserve of capacity as of April 12, so electricity is being exported to Moldova and, from today, to Poland. Ukraine's National Power Company Ukrenergo said this in a post on Telegram, according to Ukrinform. "As of April 12, electricity production fully meets the needs of consumers. There is a sufficient reserve of capacity. Due to this, it is possible to export electricity to Moldova (30-95 MW at different hours) and, from today, to Poland (up to 75 MW at different hours)," the report reads. According to the report, the key priority for Ukrenergo is the restoration of reliable power supply. To do this, repair crews are carrying out restoration work on all high-voltage network facilities that were hit by Russian attacks. "Since the attack on March 9, five trunk lines have been restored and the equipment of nine substations of various voltage classes has been partially restored. Restoration work is ongoing," the company added. In the last day, electricity supply was restored to 14,000 households in the Donetsk region. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal believes that his visit to Canada on April 11 and the meetings held there were effective and productive. The Head of the Ukrainian government wrote this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "Productive meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers of Canada, representatives of the business community and pension funds of Canada. We continue to work. We are attracting as much support as possible for our victory, reconstruction and post-war development of Ukraine," Shmyhal said. Among the results of the government team's work in Canada, the Ukrainian Prime Minister mentioned the agreement to update the Free Trade Agreement. The deal opens up new opportunities for business and for setting up production facilities in Ukraine. Read also: Ukraine to purchase nuclear fuel from Canada In addition, Canada announced a new military aid package: 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and more than 2.4 million rounds of ammunition. "New sanctions. Canada has introduced another package of restrictions against Russian legal entities and individuals. In particular, on the list of sanctions is the Volga-Dnepr company, which had its An-124 aircraft blocked in Canada. The next step is to confiscate "Ruslan", other assets and transfer them to Ukraine," the Prime Minister highlighted. As Ukrinform reported, Denys Shmyhal was on a working visit to Canada this week. There he met with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada Chrystia Freeland. The Head of the Ukrainian government will visit Washington, D.C. to participate in the annual Spring Meetings forum organized by the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. In Washington, D.C., Denys Shmyhal will meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, as well as with the leadership of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and European Investment Bank. The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations at a meeting in Japan intend to adopt a communique demanding that Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine. That's according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, which saw a draft of a communique to be issued by the G7 foreign ministers, Ukrinform reports. According to the document, the ministers are aiming to condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. They also intend to emphasize their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, express support for the efforts of the UN and other countries to find ways to end the war, and call on third parties to stop supplying weapons and other assistance for Russia's war, in order to close loopholes in sanction efforts. The draft strongly condemns Russia for using disinformation to gain support for its aggression against Ukraine. It says access to quality and trustworthy information is key. The document says the ministers remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China seas, and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. The draft reaffirms the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The G7 foreign ministers are scheduled to meet from April 16 in the town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft law "On Termination of the Agreement between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus on Mutual Protection of State Secrets" (No. 0197) to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration. This was reported on the Verkhovna Rada's website. The text of the draft law and accompanying documents have not yet been made public, according to Ukrinform. The section on "dates and status of passage" indicates that the draft law has been received by the Verkhovna Rada and submitted to the leadership for consideration. Ukraine and Belarus signed the agreement on mutual protection of state secrets on February 19, 2004, and the Verkhovna Rada ratified it on October 19, 2005. As previously reported, Belarus has passively supported Russia in the full-scale war against Ukraine, providing the Russian army with its territory, infrastructure, and military equipment. In contrast, the Belarusian army is not directly involved in the war, although Vladimir Putin is actively encouraging Alexander Lukashenko to do so. ISLAMABAD, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Three terrorists were killed in a counter-terror operation in Bannu district in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Tuesday evening. Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation late Monday night in Nurar area of the district on the presence of the terrorists, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. "During the conduct of the operation, fierce fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists," resulting in the killing of the terrorists, said the statement. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, the ISPR said. SEOUL, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Regarding the U.S. intelligence agency eavesdropping on the South Korean government, a local newspaper said that Seoul must demand swift clarification and apology from the U.S. side. "The recent report that U.S. spy agencies eavesdropped on top South Korean officials is neither new nor totally unexpected. America has done and will continue to do so," the Korea Times said on Tuesday in an editorial titled "Spying on friends." However, Seoul shouldn't let Washington get away with it like before, said the editorial, adding that South Koreans have yet to hear the United States formally admit and apologize for spying on one of its staunchest allies. Citing the 2013 revelation that the United States had been spying on 35 foreign embassies in Washington D.C., the article said there were no explicit expressions of regret or even clarification from Washington then, except for some "behind-the-scenes" requests for understanding. Calling the U.S. spy agencies' wiretapping and eavesdropping "an open secret," the article pointed out that trust is the key even in a relationship between allies and eavesdropping on friendly governments infringes on their countries' sovereignty. 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 Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2023 ) :President Joe Biden on Tuesday called Russia's imprisonment of US journalist Evan Gershkovich on spying charges "totally illegal" and told The Wall Street Journal reporter's family he was working for a release. "We're making it really clear that it's illegal what's happening, and we declared it so. It changes the dynamic," Biden, departing Washington for a trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland, told reporters. The White House said later that Biden had telephoned Gershkovich's family from Air Force One. The president told them he is "focused on securing Evan's release," as well as that of another detained American, Paul Whelan, from Russia, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. "We are encouraged that the State Department has officially designated Evan as wrongfully detained," the family said in a statement. "We appreciate President Biden's call to us today, assuring us that the US government is doing everything in its power to bring him home as quickly as possible." It added: "In addition to being a distinguished journalist, Evan is a beloved son and brother. There is a hole in our hearts and our family that won't be filled until we are reunited." Gershkovich, an experienced reporter for The Wall Street Journal in Russia, was detained in Yekaterinburg, some 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometres) east of Moscow on March 29. Russian news agencies said Friday he was charged with espionage, an allegation denied by Gershkovich and his employer. On Monday, the State Department formally classified the reporter as "wrongfully detained" -- a status that puts the case in the hands of the special envoy for hostages, Roger Carstens. However, the Russian authorities continue to deny Gershkovich access to US consular officials, the White House said. "We want to make sure we get consular access to him, which we haven't had," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. Asked about the reason for the delay, Kirby said "It's a question for Russian officials. But it's not for lack of trying, I can assure you that."The State Department has sought to get consular access to Gershkovich "since the moment we found out he was detained," Kirby added. "We're very early in the process here." Riyadh, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2023 ) :Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy, held a meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday with the Iraqi Minister of Electricity Eng. Ziyad Ali Fadel, during which they discussed the latest developments regarding the electrical interconnection project between the two countries. This comes as an affirmation of the continuous cooperation that would achieve the aspirations of the two countries and their peoples. The Saudi-Iraqi interconnection project will contribute to supporting the reliability of the electrical networks in the two countries, achieving economic savings, enhancing the achievement of optimal energy exchange for electricity production, and achieving optimal investments in electricity generation projects between the two countries. The meeting also discussed opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energy, benefiting from the capabilities and expertise of ACWA Power in this vital field, and its contributions to the development of future projects in Iraq. The meeting discussed the Kingdom's pioneering experience in the field of smart meters, how to transfer it to the Iraqi side, and opportunities for Saudi companies to participate, alongside Iraqi companies, as contractors and manufacturers in developing the infrastructure for smart meters. The Iraqi side was briefed on the financial and regulatory reforms witnessed by the electricity sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the past three years, and the possibility of exchanging experiences between the two countries in this field. Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2023 ) :China's President Xi Jinping called on the country's armed forces to "strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat", state broadcaster CCTV reported Wednesday. Xi's comments, made on a naval inspection trip on Tuesday, come shortly after three days of military drills by China's People's Liberation Army intended to intimidate Taiwan. China launched the military drills in response to a visit last week by Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States, where she met a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Xi on Tuesday told the PLA's Southern Theatre Command Navy that the military must "resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, and strive to protect overall peripheral stability", CCTV reported. Poland wants to host production of ammunition containing depleted uranium for US Abrams tanks, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday WARSAW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) Poland wants to host production of ammunition containing depleted uranium for US Abrams tanks, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday. "We are trying to make Poland a host of the production of ammunition for Abrams tanks, ammunition with depleted uranium, state-of-the-art ammunition," Morawiecki said in a speech, aired by Polish television. WARSAW, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The China International Consumer Products Expo is a platform for Polish companies to explore market opportunities in China and increase export of quality products to the Chinese market, said a Polish business leader. "Of course, it (the Chinese market) is a huge market. There are many opportunities. But I feel and most of my colleagues feel that we are not using this market properly. We should export to China much, much more, because we have many products in a very good quality," Jacek Boczek, vice president of the Polish Chinese Business Council, told Xinhua in a recent interview. The third Hainan expo, running from April 10 to April 15 in Haikou, capital of the southern Chinese province of Hainan, is the first of its kind to see the participation of a Polish delegation. Polish quality products like milk and cosmetics have gained increasing popularity in China over the years, noted Boczek, who has been organizing China visits for Polish entrepreneurs, helping pair up trading partners in the two countries, and providing Polish and Chinese businesses with market information and experience for the past 10 years. Noting that "more and more Chinese people and Chinese companies have come to Poland to invest and import Polish products" since the optimization of China's COVID response, Boczek said he hopes "this will also help Polish products to be exported to China." Meanwhile, Boczek said he welcomes more Chinese companies to invest and expand business in Poland. "If someone is looking for a good gate to Europe, I think Poland is absolutely the best." Besides, Poland and China need to strengthen cooperation, both within and outside the platform of Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, Boczek said. Noting the recent visits of European leaders to China, Boczek said he believes people-to-people exchanges and face-to-face meetings are important, both for national leaders and for ordinary business people. (@ChaudhryMAli88) At least seven troops were killed Tuesday in a cross-border shootout between Armenia and Azerbaijan that took place near the mountain road that links Armenia to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) At least seven troops were killed Tuesday in a cross-border shootout between Armenia and Azerbaijan that took place near the mountain road that links Armenia to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The two South Caucasus nations accused each other of shooting first. The heavy gun battle began at roughly 4 p.m. local time (12:00 GMT) and lasted for several hours. The Armenian Defense Ministry said Azeri troops opened fire on its servicemen while they were carrying out "engineering works," shooting in the direction of the Armenian border village of Tegh and forcing Armenian troops to return fire. "As a result of the Azerbaijani provocation, the Armenian side has 4 killed in action and 6 wounded. The Azerbaijani side has many killed and wounded. As of 8:30 p.m., the situation on the frontline is relatively stable," the ministry said on social media. Azerbaijan's defense ministry accused Armenian forces of an armed provocation that left three of its soldiers dead. It said Armenian troops fired large-caliber artillery rounds at army units stationed at the Lachin pass. "Azerbaijan army's servicemen Zalov Vidadi Nizami, Hasanov Elshad Gabil and Taghiyev Sabuhi Gunduz became Shehids (Martyrs) during the suppression of the Armenian provocation," the statement read, adding Azeri forces "completely control the operational situation." Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over Nagorny-Karabakh, a disputed mountainous region wedged in between the two nations where both have a military presence. Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of illegally blocking the vital Lachin corridor to cut humanitarian access to the ethnic Armenian-majority Karabakh. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) US President Joe Biden may not even be able to run for reelection in 2024, former President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox news, claiming there may be something wrong with the incumbent. "I think it's almost inappropriate for me to say it. I don't see how it's possible. But there's something wrong," Trump said on Tuesday, when asked if he thinks Biden will run for re-election. "I don't think he can." Trump has already announced his candidacy for 2024, while Biden has said he intends to run but is not ready to formally announce his plans. In February, former White House physician Ronny Jackson accused the Biden administration of concealing information about the state of the president's health. Biden, the oldest person to take the presidential oath, turned 80 years old in November 2022. GENEVA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is concerned about the situation around the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and is analyzing its impact on human rights in Ukraine, OHCHR spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. In recent weeks, there has been an increase in the number of attacks on parishioners and attempts to seize churches belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine across the country. The UN human rights office is concerned about these developments and is analyzing their impact on human rights, the spokeswoman said, adding that, the UN calls on all parties involved to refrain from any action that could further exacerbate tensions or lead to a worsening of the situation towards violence. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said on Tuesday that firefighters were battling a 500-acre wildfire near Manchester Township in the Northeastern United States. "@njdepforestfire and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Fire Department is in unified command battling a wildfire in Manchester Township on Federal, state and private property on along Route 539 and Horicon Ave. The fire has reached 500 acres in size and is 10% contained. Forest Fire Service crews have begun a backfiring operation to aide in containment," the fire service tweeted, adding that 25 structures were threatened. The protection of structures was being provided by local volunteer fire departments from Ocean County, the service said. The fire service added that Route 539 was closed between Route 70 and Long Swamp Road, and Horicon Ave was closed at Route 70. The service also said that a mandatory evacuation order was issued for residents on Division Street in the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey. The service also urged against flying drones in fire zones as it interferes with wildfire suppression, adding that "if a drone is detected flying over or near a wildfire, all Forest Fire Service air support will be grounded." (@FahadShabbir) The US state-sponsored media network National Public Radio (NPR) announced on Wednesday that it is ceasing its activity on the social media platform Twitter after the site labeled it a government-funded organization WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) The US state-sponsored media network National Public Radio (NPR) announced on Wednesday that it is ceasing its activity on the social media platform Twitter after the site labeled it a government-funded organization. "NPR's organizational accounts will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent," CEO John Lansing said in a statement. NPR will not put its content on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining its credibility and the public's understanding of its independence, the statement said. Earlier this month, Twitter labeled NPR as "US state-affiliated media" and more recently "government-funded media. " The prior label had typically been applied to Twitter accounts of state media outlets in non-Western countries such as China and Russia that were alleged to lack editorial independence. NPR was founded following passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which issued the congressional corporate charter for NPR's parent organization, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). CPB grants help fund NPR, as well as its television counterpart, the Public Broadcasting Service. NPR made its final post to Twitter on Wednesday, their first since April 4, linking ways to receive their content outside of the platform. US President Joe Biden on Wednesday began a nostalgia-filled tour of the Republic of Ireland, jetting in from Northern Ireland where he pushed for an end to crippling political paralysis in the British province Dublin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2023 ) :US President Joe Biden on Wednesday began a nostalgia-filled tour of the Republic of Ireland, jetting in from Northern Ireland where he pushed for an end to crippling political paralysis in the British province. Biden emerged from Air Force One at Dublin airport to driving wind and rain, and was greeted by the Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar and a sea of black umbrellas. The 80-year-old president, who regularly mentions his Irish roots, calls Ireland "part of my soul" and his visit includes trips to the hometowns of his 19th-century ancestors. He will also meet Irish head of state Michael Higgins and address a joint sitting of both houses of the Oireachtas -- the Irish parliament -- before heading home late Friday. Despite the sentimental nature of his Irish visit, Biden was keen to underscore the seriousness of his trip. The priority, he said, was "to keep the peace" in Northern Ireland, 25 years after a landmark peace agreement that ended three decades of deadly sectarian violence over British rule. He used a speech at a new campus of Ulster University in Belfast earlier on Wednesday to promote the benefits of enduring peace and investment. But he still faced heated criticism from pro-UK hardliners. The UK government also downplayed suggestions his one-night-only trip to Belfast was a snub to the so-called "special relationship". "I hope the (Northern Ireland) Executive and Assembly will soon be restored," Biden said, urging feuding leaders to restore power-sharing government which has been suspended since February last year. - 'Anti-British?' - Biden touted the "unlimited possibilities" for investment and growth offered in Northern Ireland, 25 years on from the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. But, he said, peace and stability must always be guarded, warning that the January 6, 2021, riot at Congress in Washington had proved that in every generation, "democracy needs champions". The president met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said the UK's relationship with the United States was "in great shape" and greeted local political leaders. Senior figures in the pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is under pressure to resume local power-sharing, were strikingly undiplomatic about the president. Sammy Wilson, a DUP member of the UK parliament in Westminster, branded Biden "anti-British", accusing second Catholic US president of having "made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known". Another DUP lawmaker, Nigel Dodds, called Biden's administration "transparently pro-nationalist" while party leader Jeffrey Donaldson said the visit did nothing to change the political dynamic. Power-sharing government is a key plank of the 1998 peace accord, but it collapsed 14 months ago over the DUP's opposition to post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. The party fears that keeping Northern Ireland in the European single market and customs union drives a wedge between the province and Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Despite the UK and the European Union agreeing to overhaul trading rules earlier this year, the DUP is yet to back the new trading terms and allow the restoration of Belfast's Stormont legislature. LONDON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A British media commentator has described as sick the relationship between capitalism and democracy in the West. "I'm not convinced that democratic capitalism is yet broken, but it is certainly somewhat sick when thinking about the relationship between politics and economics," Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the London-based Financial Times, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. The expert spent about five years seeking the answer to whether democratic capitalism is broken and outlined his thoughts in his latest book titled "The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism." Wolf, author of a number of books on world economics, said his new book was a wake-up call on the state of democratic capitalism. "Why did this start coming apart in what I call a marriage, the marriage of complementary opposites... To me the most important reason was that the economy and its development increasingly favored the emergence of a new plutocracy which was able to exercise great political power, so corroding the fundamental assumption of democratic equality," he said. At the same time, the situation made a large number of people fear they were downwardly mobile and the political system was deteriorating because their economic position and jobs were undermined, Wolf said. A lot of that had to do with the decline of the working class and particularly the industrial working class, the expert explained. "These were the consequences of very powerful economic forces. They weren't sort of just a plot, though, there were some real policy mistakes and they were corroding essentially the egalitarian consensus of mid 20th century democratic capitalism," he said. Wolf commented that democratic capitalism is beset by economic and political failures in the West. The marriage of capitalism and democracy has been corroded by the divides of the society and upheavals in the economy, he said. "The failure was not to recognize what was happening and not to respond soon enough to what was happening," Wolf said. "There were policy failures in response. It's a complicated story of primal forces in the world economy and failures of policy and politics to respond to them." For over half a century, the failures culminated in the financial crisis and the huge destabilization it caused, and the unfairness was blatant, Wolf added. It created immense anger which populist politicians were able to exploit, he said. Wolf came to the conclusion that "the common thread of populism, all populist movements, is that they're movements against more or less identifiable elites." People "have lose trust in the existing elites" because they feel betrayed, he said. "Political polarisation is a more or less inevitable consequence of a shared sense that the present doesn't work," Wolf said. Cepek is an internationally respected cultural anthropologist whose research explores the relationship between environmental change, cultural difference and political power in the Andean foothills and Amazonian forests of Ecuador. He is a passionate spokesperson for anthropology who shares with his students the disciplines capacity for the development of critical thinking and social responsibility as well as teamwork, communication and empirical research skills. His effectiveness as a teacher is due to both his passion for the field and his commitment to the welfare of marginalized and oppressed peoples. The impact of Cepeks research and community engagement can be seen most notably in his collaborations with the Indigenous Cofan Nation of eastern Ecuador. Visiting the Cofan nearly every year over the past three decades, Cepek has advanced community-engaged research and activism to educate the world about the Cofans contemporary lives and to aid the tribe in its political struggles. Cepeks work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Fulbright Program. The UTSA researcher is also an accomplished author. His 2012 book, A Future for Amazonia: Randy Borman and Cofan Environmental Politics, examines the Cofans struggle to bring economic resources, academic expertise and political power to their people through partnerships with scientists, conservationists and the Ecuadorian state. His 2018 book, Life in Oil: Surviving Disaster in the Petroleum Fields of Amazonia, assesses how 50 years of oil extraction have impacted Cofan lands and lives and how the Cofan have managed to maintain a meaningful existence in a petroleum-saturated environment. Cepek will use the Guggenheim Fellowship to co-author a third book with his Cofan collaborator and shamanic mentor, Cesario Lucitante. The book, Visionary Violence: Shamanism, Dispossession, and Death in Amazonia, will describe how Lucitante uses his mastery of yajealso known as ayahuasca, Amazonias most important hallucinogento battle violence, sickness and displacement at the hands of settlers from other Ecuadorian provinces. The forthcoming book is already under contract with The University of Texas Press, which published Cepeks first two books. Cepek contributes to efforts that provide direct benefits to the Cofan People. He is president of the Cofan Survival Fund, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that supports Cofan-directed environmental, medical and educational projects in Ecuador. Cepek has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate educations of Cofan students in Ecuadors best schools and universities. Additionally, he produces many works for Cofan political causes, including policy papers, expert reports, amicus briefs and documentary films. He recruited and secured funds for two English-speaking members of a Cofan community to earn their doctorates in anthropology at UTSA. He is advising both students as they study the culture, history and politics of their people to become the first Indigenous Amazonians with doctorates in anthropology from a U.S. institution. Cepek has an extensive record of service to the field of anthropology. He reviews for many journals, presses and funding agencies, and he sits on the editorial boards of Social Analysis: The International Journal of Anthropology and PoLAR: The Political and Legal Anthropology Review. His service to the UTSA community is likewise extensive. He advises eight doctoral students and four masters students. His own grants and fellowships, as well as those of his graduate students, have brought nearly $1,000,000 in external funding to UTSA. When one of my mentors, Kristi Meyer, first encouraged me to think about applying for Truman, I wasnt even sure if graduate school was the right option for me, Duque said. I realized early in my junior year that I was going to need more education to develop the kinds of skills that would best help me to serve students and their families. Now that Ive been selected as a Truman Scholar, Ill not only be able to use my graduate degree to make change for students, but also utilize the Truman Scholar network and opportunities to be a true servant leader in my community. As a Truman Scholar, Duque will receive up to $30,000 to support her graduate studies. She will also have the opportunity to participate in the foundations special advising opportunities, including the Washington Summer Institute, where students intern at a nonprofit or federal agency and network with leading public servants. After she graduates from UTSA in 2023, Duque plans to teach at a public school through the Teach for America program then apply to graduate programs in applied economics and public policy. This summer, the UTSA undergraduate will study at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University as part of the competitive Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute. The program provides a springboard into a graduate degree in public policy, with a rigorous curriculum designed to sharpen students analytical skills. Carnegie Mellon University offers the opportunity to earn a full-tuition scholarship for students interested in using data analytics to address societal problems along leading research centers. During her three years at UTSA, Duque has interned with the SAISD Foundation, organizing book drives for underfunded schools. She also served as a City of San Antonio Ambassador in the office of District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. Following her time in the councilmans office, she worked with the regional economic development organization greater:SATX to assist in launching a college internship program for first-generation college students. Each weekend, Duque teaches French classes at the International School of San Antonio. Through all these activities, she has learned about the needs of her communities and how she can become a servant leader. Kristi Meyer, assistant dean in the UTSA Honors College and director of the Top Scholar program, attests to Duques ability to serve others. Margot has excellent emotional intelligence and a gift for working with people at a myriad of levels, from CEOs and presidents of major organizations to elected officials, intellectuals and policy makers to peers and even small children, Meyer said. She is perpetually positive. She demonstrates an ability to connect with people on a personal level and bring people together, which will contribute to her becoming a dynamic change maker. Jazz Duo to Perform April 17 at UW The University of Wyoming Department of Music will present an evening of jazz with pianist Ben Markley and saxophonist Peter Sommer Monday, April 17. Sommer, saxophone professor at Colorado State University, and Markley, director of UW Jazz Studies, will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts recital hall. The concert is free and open to the public. The two will present a program of standards from the Great American Songbook, including music by Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. Markley, an associate professor, teaches jazz piano and improvisation classes. He also directs the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble and the UW Jazz Festival. Markley is active as a composer and arranger, with many big band and vocal jazz charts published through the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press. Compositions from his first two albums earned him ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards. His album Aris Fun-House was recently honored by DownBeat magazine as one of the best recordings of 2022. He has performed with Brian Lynch, Greg Osby, Eddie Henderson, Terell Stafford, George Garzone and John Fedchock. He regularly performs in the Denver area and along the Front Range. Sommer has contributed his energetic and graceful playing and creative spirit to a wide variety of musical projects -- ranging from mainstream bebop to classic and contemporary concert music to avant-garde improvisations -- at venues across the nation and around the world. He has released six albums as a leader, and he also is active as a concert saxophonist. He has performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, the Fort Collins Symphony and the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has been a featured jazz soloist and performer at numerous national and international conferences. For more information, call Kathy Kirkaldie, UW Fine Arts coordinator, at (307) 766-2160 or email kirisk@uwyo.edu. UW Education Dean Named President of Vermont College Scott Thomas, the John P. Jack Ellbogen Dean of the University of Wyomings College of Education, has been named president of Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vt., effective July 1. With the deans departure, UW Provost and Executive Vice President Kevin Carman will name an interim dean within the next few days and begin preparations for a national search. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Dean Thomas over the past two years. Although his tenure was brief, the impact of Scotts leadership will be enduring, Carman says. I am committed to assuring that the many impactful programs that he initiated will continue to thrive. Although I hate to see him go, he has an opportunity to fulfill a unique personal and professional goal, and I wish him every success. Thomas has been at UW since July 1, 2021, when he began serving in UWs first-ever endowed deanship through the John P. Ellbogen Foundation. Some of his most prominent efforts have been focused on addressing Wyomings teacher shortage through strengthening teacher preparation and better supporting educators across the arc of their careers. While it is bittersweet to bid farewell, I am confident that the College of Education will continue to flourish, guided by its unwavering commitment to excellence in education, Thomas says. I am proud of what we have achieved together and look forward to seeing the durable impact the college will continue to have in shaping the future of education in Wyoming and rural areas across the country. Before coming to UW, Thomas served as dean of the University of Vermonts College of Education and Social Services for five years. Founded in 1958, Sterling College operates as one of only nine colleges and universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a work college, where all residential students are required to work as part of their educational experience. The college is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education to offer degrees in environmental studies. ROME, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Italy's debt and deficit levels are falling, according to new data from the Italian government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, the two authorities hold differing views on the rate of change. The Italian government predicted this week that the country's public debt would fall to 142 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) this year. Next year, it will decrease further to 141.2 percent, before falling to 140.4 percent in 2026, according to the government's budget outline. The IMF was more optimistic, predicting debt would be 140.3 percent of GDP this year, 140 percent next year, and 136.9 percent in 2026. According to the Italian government, its budget deficit will be 4.5 percent of GDP this year, falling to 3.7 percent, 3 percent, and 2.5 percent respectively over the next three years. These are the first full-year economic estimates released since the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni came to power last October. Last year, Italy's public debt was 144.4 percent of its GDP, and the government's budget deficit was 8 percent of the size of the overall economy. Italy is one of the world's most indebted countries in terms of debt as a percentage of GDP. Both debt and deficit levels shot up during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a spike in government spending and a slowdown in economic activity, and a corresponding reduction in tax revenue. Italy's debt and deficit levels are both well above the guidelines given under the European Stability and Growth Pact, which limits debt to 60 percent of GDP, and budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP, in order to maintain the stability of the euro currency. However, the terms of the pact were temporarily relaxed during the pandemic. Italy has called for the pact to be updated, with Meloni stating last month it should be focused more on incentivizing policies aimed at increasing economic growth, and less on macroeconomic data. This is expected to be a topic of conversation at next week's European Council budget committee preparatory meeting, and at the next European Council summit, scheduled to take place in June. Italy is also among the European Union member states calling for a reform of the European Stability Mechanism, established to boost stability in the euro zone by providing fiscal assistance to countries during economic crises. Italy was the largest beneficiary of the mechanism during the pandemic, receiving more than 200 billion euros (220 billion U.S. dollars) in grants and loans which were paid out in tranches dependent on Italy reaching certain reform targets. On Wednesday, European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said in a televised interview that Italy's third payment from the mechanism would be delayed by "a few weeks". How Vietnam Became the Biggest Importer of Australian Cotton The trade tensions between Australia and China have resulted in Australian cotton producers seeking alternative markets. As a result, Vietnam has emerged as the largest importer of Australian cotton, replacing China. Lets take a look at how this shift occurred. The deteriorating trade relations between Australia and China since 2020 has led to Australian cotton producers diversifying their export markets. Consequently, Vietnam has become Australias largest export market for raw cotton after just a few years. Similarly, Australia is one of the fastest growing import sources of raw cotton for Vietnam. Between 2020 and 2021, imports of raw cotton from Australia increased by 899 percent or US$555 million. But this phenomenal growth is not solely due to the strained trade relationship between Australia and China. Vietnam has a number of other advantages over China that Australian cotton producers are able to exploit free trade agreements, a convenient location, and huge demand from apparel manufacturers. Australian raw cotton export to Vietnam vs China, 2016 to 2021 Year Trade value of Australian raw cotton exports ($US) To Vietnam To China 2022 $1,170,216,264 $75,061,987 2021 $615,999,989 $76,861,018 2020 $54,463,286 $169,135,431 2019 $80,962,803 $775,325,664 2018 $346,662,307 $223,749,039 2017 $284,982,384 $249,188,833 2016 $173,031,601 $346,499,550 Source: UN Comtrade Database How Vietnam became popular with Australian cotton exporters Trade tension between China and Australia FIND BUSINESS SUPPORT Gain intelligence about diversifying your Asia supply chain Cotton, along with a range of other Australian exports, was subject to huge tariffs which saw Chinese manufacturers look elsewhere for their cotton. Furthermore, Chinese cotton millers are often granted annual import quotas with tariffs set on a sliding scale between 5 and 40 percent. Buyers of Australian cotton were also at risk of higher tariffs under this quota system. As a result, Australian cotton producers went in search of other markets. Australian cotton producers went on the offensive With the Chinese market increasingly difficult to penetrate, the Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) went on the offensive, sending a delegation to Vietnam to talk up the benefits of Australian cotton. This included displaying garments made of Australian cotton during the Vietnam International Fashion Week and providing Vietnamese spinners with technical skills and know-how. Spinners find Australian cotton more efficient when introduced into the spinning process [They] will get more output from using Australian cotton, ACSA President Matthew Bradd, told the ABC back in March. But an effective marketing strategy and good quality product was only part of the equation. Buying Australian cotton needed to be cost effective and thats where Vietnams appetite for free trade agreements comes in. The three FTAs supporting Australian cotton exports to Vietnam Vietnam and Australia are members of three key free trade agreements (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). Australian raw cotton, when it meets the conditions outlined in Decree 115/2022/ND-CP, Decree 121/2022/N-CP, and Decree 129/2022/N-CP, will receive a preferential import tax under these agreements. Overall, these FTAs have opened up supply chains for Vietnams manufacturers, giving them better access to the raw materials they need to produce their goods. Notably, whereas Australia has a huge ability to produce raw materials, Vietnam has the high-value, low-cost labor needed to turn those raw materials into high-value products. A clear win-win for all involved. Demand for cotton in Vietnam is rising The demand in Vietnam for raw cotton has been another key driver of growth in Australian raw cotton imports. Vietnams textile and garment industry is expected to export in the vicinity of US$46-47 billion of clothing and apparel in 2023. Although Vietnam produces some of its own cotton, its output is not enough to meet current demand. Cotton is usually only grown for artisanal purposes and is not produced on a commercial scale. This has resulted in Vietnam having to import a large amount of raw cotton from other countries. As a result, Vietnam is among the top three largest cotton importers alongside Bangladesh and China. Recognizing this growing demand, Australia has boosted exports to the point that it was in the top three sources of cotton for Vietnam after China and the US in 2021. Geographical proximity With a vast coastline bordering the South China Sea, Vietnam has an excellent location compared to other importers in the Americas and Europe. The shipping time from Australia to Vietnam is faster than between Australia and most other locations it takes only 21 days, which is faster than between Vietnam and Brazil or the US. At the same time, the reduced shipping time also helps importers and exporters minimize logistical costs, thereby lowering operational costs and generating higher profit margins. Will this situation last in the long term? The Vietnamese market is considered a key growth area for Australian cotton merchants. The trade tensions with China, the benefits of a range of FTAs, high demand within the Vietnamese textiles industry, and Vietnams proximity to Australia, have cumulatively allowed Vietnam to swiftly replace China as the largest export market for Australian cotton. However, although Chinese trade barriers have not been removed, the bilateral relationship between Australia and China is improving in the present day, and exports are gradually resuming. For now, both Vietnam and Australia have benefited greatly from the trade-enabling environment set up between their respective markets and there are few signs that this would change in the immediate future. BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The reported leaks of highly classified documents that have been trending online recently shed light on the extensive spying activities conducted by Washington on its allies and foes alike. The exposure of such activities has become increasingly common in recent years, and the latest leaks of documents have raised concerns from U.S.-friendly nations involved, while other allies are also conducting damage assessments to determine if their own sources and methods have been compromised. Earlier this month, reports regarding batches of alleged U.S. intelligence documents that were uploaded on social media platforms such as Twitter and Telegram grabbed headlines. According to U.S. officials, several of the documents are authentic and were believed to have been generated between mid-February and early March. They contain extensive top-secret data related to U.S.-friendly nations including Ukraine, South Korea, and Israel. One leaked memo revealed the U.S. spying on one of its major Asian allies, South Korea, through signals intelligence, which involves electronic eavesdropping and communication interception, and the contents included discussions among South Korean officials about whether to provide weapons to Ukraine under the pressure from the United States. Similarly, Israel, the most important U.S. ally in the Middle East, seems to have also been targeted under Washington's surveillance network. Amidst U.S. investigation into the leak, a "top secret" document reveals an alleged revolt by Israel's top spy service against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul, the Washington Post reported. The document stated that according to signals intelligence, in February, senior leaders of the Mossad spy service urged officials and citizens to protest the reforms, according to the report. "If accurate, this is a dramatic change in the procedure by Mossad's leadership and puts Israel in unprecedented territory," Natan Sachs, an Israeli scholar at the Brookings Institution, was quoted by the Washington Post as saying. The recent leak saga is just a glimpse of Washington's long-standing indiscriminate surveillance of the world. According to media reports, the U.S. intelligence agencies, with an annual funding of 90 billion U.S. dollars, have sweeping powers to tap electronic communications, run spies and monitor with satellites. In fact, the U.S. indiscriminate surveillance of the world is well-documented, earning it a notorious reputation as a surveillance empire with no regard for privacy or international law. In May 2021, Denmark's national broadcaster DR News reported that the Danish Defense Intelligence Service had given the National Security Agency (NSA) open Internet access to spy on senior politicians of neighboring countries, including then German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The NSA purposefully obtained data and thus was able to spy on targeted heads of state, as well as neighboring Scandinavian leaders, top politicians, and high-ranking officials in Germany, Sweden, Norway, and France, the report said, which caused global shock and fury. French President Emmanuel Macron said in May 2021 that this "is unacceptable between allies, even less between allies and European partners," and Merkel said she "could only agree" with Macron's comments. As early as 2013, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed that Washington had been spying on the email and cell phone communications of as many as 35 world leaders. The recently leaked documents have been dubbed by Western media outlets as the "worst intelligence leak" since then. The leak has sparked another crisis of trust between the United States and its allies, complicating their relationships. Opposition parties and lawmakers in South Korea are pressuring the government to demand an apology from Washington over allegations of wiretapping, which they claim violate South Korea's sovereignty and damage bilateral trust. They are also calling for crystal-clear facts, and a promise to prevent recurrence from the United States. Amid mounting domestic opposition and pressure, the office of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said in a statement on Tuesday that suspicions his office in Seoul were monitored are "utterly false." The disclosure of the alleged wiretapping came only a few weeks ahead of the upcoming summit between Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden, scheduled for April 26. The Korean Times has reported that there are concerns that the leak could overshadow their meeting. A prominent Vietnamese journalist who documented protests and human rights violations in the communist-run country was sentenced to six years in jail Wednesday, his lawyer said. Nguyen Lan Thang, an activist and freelance writer who is well-known in Vietnam for his criticism of the government, was convicted of spreading "anti-state propaganda" in the one-day, rare closed-door trial in Hanoi. His lawyer, Nguyen Ha Luan, told AFP that the journalist who was a contributor to Radio Free Asia Vietnamese blog had also been sentenced to two years probation. Vietnam has strict curbs on freedom of expression and the government moves swiftly to stamp out dissent and arrest critics, especially those who find an audience online. Independent media is banned. Thang, 47, was arrested at his home in Hanoi in July last year and has been denied regular family visits since then, according to his relatives. His wife, Le Bich Vuong, wrote on Facebook that she was "shocked" by the sentence. "I had hoped for his freedom because what my husband has been doing is positive, they are good deeds," she said. Born into a well-known family, Thang reported on a range of issues, defending human rights and freedom of religion, and supporting land rights petitioners. He traveled to sites of forced land confiscation to film the authorities' use of excessive force and also participated in many pro-environment protests, according to Human Rights Watch. Thang wrote more than 130 blog entries, the rights group said, quoting him as saying that he wanted to "help expose and demythologize things for common people, so they dare to stand up and demand their rights". In an open letter to judges in the case, Thang's parents wrote that their son was a "patriot." "We believe ... speaking out against inadequacies and injustice, and standing for vulnerable people, is not a 'crime against the government," they wrote. Prior to the verdict, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns Ming Yu Hah called for the charges to be dropped. "Nguyen Lan Thang's trial shows that the Vietnamese authorities are silencing those producing content deemed 'unfavorable' as they seek to ensure subservience to the state, she said. "His lack of adequate access to a lawyer and family visits are a further stain on a deeply flawed and unfair trial." The sentencing comes more than a year after Pham Doan Trang, a high-profile dissident journalist, was given nine years behind bars in the authoritarian state. Most recently, in March, activist Truong Van Dung was sentenced to six years in prison, also for spreading "anti-state propaganda." When Shamsuzzaman Shams walked out of prison on bail last week, his colleagues draped garlands around the Bangladeshi journalists neck. Shams, a reporter for the daily Prothom Alo newspaper, had spent six days in the Dhaka Central Jail over accusations that he published false news about food prices. He now faces two legal complaints under the countrys Digital Security Act, and his colleague, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, is named in one of those cases. The arrest came as analysts noted a rise in the legal harassment of journalists in Bangladesh, often under the security measure. Some media advocates have said that authorities are too quick to use the law instead of the Press Council to mediate complaints involving the news media. Introduced in 2018, the Digital Security Act was drafted to protect against online content deemed to defame or harm the nation. Media advocates say the laws wide provisions allow for authorities to silence critics and stifle free expression. The act allows searches without a warrant and carries sentences of up to 14 years in prison. Between October 2018 and August 2022, the act has been cited in 1,029 cases including cases involving 301 politicians and 280 journalists, a report by the Bangladesh research group, Centre for Governance Studies, found. In Shamss case, the arrest is linked to a mistake that his paper says it tried to quickly correct. Shams had interviewed residents about their lives on Independence Day in Bangladesh. As part of that reporting on March 26, Prothom Alo shared a graphic on its Facebook page that included a quote from a laborer. But an accompanying photograph erroneously showed a child who was also featured in Shams article rather than the laborer, said the papers executive editor, Sajjad Sharif. We removed the graphic card from our Facebook page soon after posting it, fearing that it might confuse readers, Sharif told VOA. And a correction note was also published beneath the online report. Joint editor Sohrab Hassan added that while the outlet tried to correct its error in the graphic, it stands by the reporting. After learning about the story, we took it down from our social media post; however, we do stand by our print story, he said. Three days later in the early hours of March 29 more than a dozen officers came to Shamss home in Savar, a city in Dhaka district. The agents searched the journalists room, confiscated a laptop, mobile phones and a portable hard disk, and detained him. VOA emailed the Information and Communications Technology Ministry for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The minister for law, Anisul Huq, told reporters shortly after Shams arrest that the journalist had misrepresented facts with the mala fide intention of creating discontent. The minister said that the case against the media outlet was not filed by the government and that due process will follow. Sharif questioned why the case against his team was dealt with under the Digital Security Act instead of being referred to the Press Council, which is supposed to handle such matters. The latter body reviews complaints against the news media. It has the power to investigate complaints and issue warnings. The secretary general of the writers group PEN International Bangladesh, Syeda Aireen Jaman, said she believes the arrest is an attempt to create fear. Speaking about the case that led to Shamss arrest, Jaman said, This was just a mistake, nothing else totally unintentional from the journalistic point of view. Referring to the Digital Security Act, she said, I would go so far as to say that its a draconian law created by the government to target individuals they dislike for no justifiable reason, simply because these individuals speak the truth. Faruq Faisel, the regional director for rights organization Article 19, said the rights organization is deeply concerned about the current state of press freedom in Bangladesh, adding that it is disheartening to see an increase in such incidents. Faisel said the lawsuit against the journalists risks creating an environment of fear and that the Digital Security Act seems biased in favor of the government. Bangladesh dropped 10 points on the World Press Freedom Index in 2022. It currently ranks 162 out of 180 countries, where No. 1 represents the best environment for media, according to Reporters Without Borders. The media watchdog described the Digital Security Act as one of the worlds most draconian laws for journalists and said it is often used to keep media workers in prison. President Joe Biden headed Tuesday to Belfast, where leaders will discuss a 1998 peace agreement that ended over a quarter-century of sectarian conflict in British-held Northern Ireland between pro-British Unionists and nationalists who wanted to unite with independent Ireland. That deal is now complicated by the U.K.s decision to leave the European Union. VOAs Anita Powell examines whats at stake. U.S. President Joe Biden told people in Belfast on Wednesday that he hoped Northern Irelands devolved power-sharing government could soon be restored, promising that American corporations were ready to invest in the region. Many have already made homes in Northern Ireland, employing over 30,000 people, he said, adding that in the past decade, American business has generated almost $2 billion in investment in the region. In a speech hailing 25 years of peace in the region, Biden told hundreds of people at Ulster University that the democratic institutions that established the Good Friday Agreement remained critical. The peace deal helped end 30 years of bloody conflict over whether Northern Ireland should unify with Ireland or remain part of the United Kingdom. "An effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland and is accountable to them, a government that works to find ways through hard problems together, is going to draw even greater opportunity to this region, Biden said. So I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored. Biden was referring to the regions place in the U.K., in which the government in London has transferred a wide range of powers to Stormont, the Northern Ireland Assembly where local politicians instead of lawmakers in London make key decisions. Fraught with conflict In practice, power sharing in Northern Ireland has been fraught with conflict, mainly between the two dominant political parties the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which favors continued governance with London, and Sinn Fein, which broadly favors reunification with Ireland. Since it was established in 1998, the government has collapsed numerous times because of boycotts by various parties, the latest one in February 2022 when the DUP boycotted to protest the Northern Ireland Protocol, a post-Brexit agreement between the U.K. and the European Union for Northern Ireland to maintain an open border and allow trade to continue with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member. Under the protocol, while Northern Ireland remains in U.K. customs territory, it is also part of the EU's single market, requiring checks and additional documentation for certain goods imported into Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. Because of the regions history of conflict, many people are uneasy with border checks. The DUP also refused to endorse the Windsor Framework, a deal adopted in March that was designed to fix trade issues, including by reducing the number of checks on goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. Biden-Sunak meeting In Belfast, Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reaffirmed their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and welcomed the Windsor Framework as an important step in preserving peace, according to a White House statement following their meeting. Earlier this week, Sunak called on parties in dispute to get on with the business of governance. Biden was more cautious in his comments on the Stormont logjam. Im going to listen, Biden said in response to a reporters question on what he was going to say to the Northern Ireland political parties that he met later Wednesday. DUPs leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, said Bidens visit would not move his party's position. It doesn't change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland. We know what needs to happen, he said, underscoring that the British government must do more to protect the regions place within the United Kingdom and its ability to trade within the U.K. internal market. Irish heritage Biden, who often highlights his Irish heritage, stayed less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before heading to Ireland, where he will stay until Friday night. Immediately after landing in Dublin, Biden traveled to County Louth, home to his maternal great-great-grandfather, shoemaker Owen Finnegan, and toured Carlingford Castle. According to the White House, that would have been the last Irish landmark that Finnegan saw before departing for New York on March 31, 1849. Finnegans family, including his son James, Bidens great-grandfather, followed him in 1850. Meeting local residents at a pub in Dundalk, Biden spoke fondly of his roots, repeating the story he told during his 2016 visit to Ireland about Finnegan and Joseph Kearney, President Barack Obamas great-great-grandfather who was also a shoemaker from a nearby county and emigrated to the U.S. around the same time. In all of their dreams, I'm not sure they could have imagined that 175 years later both their great-great-grandchild would be president of the United States of America, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, he said. On Thursday, Biden will hold talks with Ireland President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, and deliver remarks to the Houses of the Oireachtas the Irish parliament. Biden will end his trip with a Friday night speech in Ballina, home of his paternal ancestors, on the west coast of Ireland. Ken Bredemeier contributed to this report. The Biden administration is ramping up efforts to address the fentanyl crisis, increasing sanctions on traffickers and announcing plans to set up a global coalition to combat the illicit drug trade. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid painkiller 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Drug overdoses from synthetic opioids killed more than 70,000 people in the U.S. in 2021, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a statement, the White House said it will work with international partners to build a global coalition to prevent illicit drug manufacturing, detect emerging drug threats, disrupt trafficking, address illicit finance, and respond to public safety and public health impacts. This global coalition will develop solutions, drive national actions, and create synergies and leverage among like-minded countries who agree that countering illicit synthetic drugs must be a global policy priority, according to the White House. The initiative includes increasing coordination among U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies and with private sector companies, including chemical industries, shipping and delivery companies in the U.S. and abroad. The White House did not name the countries involved in the partnership. We will have more details about our work with partners in the coming weeks and months, including as we build a global coalition to tackle this scourge, a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement to VOA. A key step in this effort would be to internationally track the shipping of the precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, said Earl Anthony Wayne, former ambassador to Mexico who is now a fellow at the Wilson Center. There's no tracking right now, Wayne told VOA. What you need to do is start building an international consensus to put new limits on these things. That doesn't happen overnight. There is a wide variety of substances that can be used to make fentanyl, and many of them have legitimate uses and are legal to sell, making them difficult to control internationally. The U.S. has been lobbying the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs to place international controls on 14 key fentanyl precursors and fentanyl analogues drugs that have similar chemical structure and mimic the pharmacological effects of fentanyl. Mexico and China The fentanyl crisis has increased Washingtons tension with Mexico and China. The two countries are the primary sources for fentanyl and the precursor chemicals that are trafficked into the U.S., according to a report by the Drug Enforcement Administration. U.S. officials say that since China started controlling fentanyl in 2021, Chinese traffickers shifted to exporting precursors for Mexican drug cartels to manufacture and traffic across the border, making up almost all fentanyl on American streets. They say Mexican cartels often make fentanyl look like other medications, such as Xanax, oxycodone or Percocet, or mix it into other drugs, including heroin and cocaine. Many people who die of overdoses in the U.S. do not know they are taking fentanyl. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador denies that his country produces the drug. "In Mexico, fentanyl is not produced. The raw material for fentanyl is not produced. If China's government says they do not produce it either, then it is interesting. Who is producing it?" he said in a news conference on Monday, referring to Beijings response to his letter requesting that China help stop the flow of the drug. In response to Lopez Obradors letter, China denied involvement in trafficking fentanyl and blamed the U.S. for its drug problems. The root cause of overdose lies in the U.S. itself, and the problem is completely made in the U.S. The U.S. should face up to its own problems and take more substantive measures to strengthen domestic supervision and reduce demand, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last week. China suspended all counternarcotics cooperation with the U.S. in August 2022 as a protest to then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province. White House Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta said the administration will make every effort to invite Chinas cooperation because they can be a part of the solution. They can, on this issue work as global leaders and demonstrate to the rest of the world what a global leader looks like when it comes to counter-narcotic efforts, Gupta said an interview with VOA Wednesday. However in the absence of significant warming in the bilateral relationship, experts say there is little prospect Beijing would resume its anti-drug cooperation with the U.S. China subordinates its counternarcotics cooperation to the geostrategic relationship with the United States, Vanda Felbab-Brown, director of the Brookings Institutions Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors, said in a March congressional hearing on Chinas role on the fentanyl crisis. U.S. punitive measures, such as sanctions and drug indictments, are unlikely to change that. Gupta said the administration is differentiating between the government in Beijing and criminal elements within China who are transporting precursor chemicals Over one hundred sanctions have already been placed on entities and individuals by the Department of Treasury in just the past year. That includes Chinese companies, chemical companies as well as Chinese individuals, he said. So we will continue to take action against those criminal elements who are working to ship these precursor chemicals that are killing Americans." Target Mexico Some U.S. congressional members have been calling on the Biden administration to increase pressure on the Mexican government to crack down on fentanyl trafficking. In March, Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said he would introduce legislation to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and give the U.S. military the authority to stop them. Were going to unleash the fury and the might of the United States against these cartels, he said. The administration rejected the plan. The United States has powerful sanctions authorities specifically designated to combat narcotics-trafficking organizations and the individuals and entities that enable them, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Some Republicans have even called for the U.S. military to target facilities of drug cartels inside Mexico. Legislation to put the U.S. at war with the cartels by authorizing the use of military force has been introduced by Republican lawmakers. We must start treating them like ISIS, because that is who they are, said Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, a co-sponsor of the bill. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the administration is not considering military action in Mexico. We have robust law enforcement cooperation with Mexico, which has enabled us to take successful action against cartels, transnational criminal organizations, drug traffickers and human smugglers, and that will continue, she said in a statement to VOA. Lopez Obrador confirmed that members of his security Cabinet are in the U.S. this week to discuss fentanyl trafficking with U.S. officials. The meeting is a followup of the January summit in Mexico City to discuss better cooperation on various issues, including fentanyl trafficking, between U.S. President Joe Biden, Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Jorge Agobian in VOA's Spanish Service contributed to this report. Since the first meeting between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Chinas leader Mao Zedong in 1972, the U.S.-China relationship has weathered disagreements, often for the sake of mutual profitability. But since 2012, when Xi Jinping came to power, issues such as the trade imbalance, technology competition and human rights have increased tensions between the worlds two largest economies. In November 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in an effort to stabilize relations, but since then, the U.S. shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in February. Then, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met on April 5 in California with Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan a self-ruling island that China claims to be a breakaway province. In response, China staged three days of combat drills to simulate sealing off Taiwan. And from April 5 to 7, Beijing welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron, in part hoping to counter Americas goal of creating a global coalition to resist Chinese policies. How will the U.S.-China relationship unfold over the next 10 years? VOA Mandarin asked four scholars who are longtime observers of the relationship between Washington and Beijing. Here are their responses, edited for clarity and brevity. David Lampton, professor emeritus of China studies, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies: I see no forces at the moment that are pushing us in a more constructive direction, and what we have going on is what I would call an action-reaction cycle, particularly in the security area, weapons development and military buildup. We have more and more forces operating in close proximity to each other. The possibility for accidents is going up, and yet we don't seem to be able to make any moves that would lessen this trend. If you think back to when the last election occurred and the Biden administration came in, there was talk about trying to reduce tariffs, there was talk about more dialogue between the leaders of the two countries, there was talk about arms control, or at least confidence building measures in the security area. There was talk about more military-to-military relations and basically all those developments did not occur. Yan Xuetong, dean, Institute of International Relations, Tsinghua University, Beijing (speaking as part of a panel discussion hosted by Harvard University on April 5): We wont have this competition between China and the U.S. driven by ideology. My understanding is that neither China nor the U.S. have the intention to expand their ideology or political model. Populism is a new momentum, not only in the Western countries but also in non-Western countries. You see now people on both sides understand that the competition is in cyberspace, the core of the competition is digital technology superiority. The ideological confrontation is just an instrument used for that purpose. Ideology is no longer the goal, rather the strategy used for achieving the goal, which is technology superiority. So this is not a cold war because its not a geopolitical competition, its a cyber-political competition. Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer professor of international relations, Harvard University (speaking as part of a panel discussion hosted by Harvard University on April 5): China has notions about what the world order should be. It's not a liberal world order, it's in some respect a much more West-failure world order, hard-shell sovereignty, each country gets to decide, for example, what the definition of human rights is, as opposed to a more universalist conception identity in the United States. What really worries me is that I don't see a serious effort underway at present to develop ways to manage the bilateral relationship. Politicians and intellectuals start to compete for who can be more anti-American or who can be more anti-Chinese. I think one can see those dynamics already happening in both places. I worry about the gradual severing of communication between the two societies, where each side is increasingly trapped in its own bubble, where it tells itself a story about its role in the world. Jerome Cohen, professor emeritus, New York University School of Law: I think we handled the balloon incident badly. China apologized in effect before the balloon got very far, and we should have built upon that and agreed with them how to handle it, even if it meant destroying the balloon over Alaska. We should not have allowed the balloon to get to the continental United States, and we certainly shouldn't have canceled the secretary of states trip to China. That was a mistake, and I just thought we should try to make up for that now. I think President Joe Biden should make a major speech where he honestly recognizes the undesirable effects of the harsh American attitude toward the Peoples Republic of China and calls upon the PRC to make corresponding concessions to us, so we can avoid further downward spiraling and start an upward spiral. As the last American journalist to be detained in Russia and falsely accused of espionage, Nicholas Daniloff has some understanding of what Evan Gershkovich is going through. Its a tough situation to be in, the veteran reporter told VOA. Daniloff was held for about a month during the Cold War in 1986 under circumstances similar to Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Moscow has accused Gershkovich of espionage, without providing evidence. Its a charge The Journal and Gershkovichs lawyer strongly deny. Its very easy to accuse journalists of espionage because some of the work is rather similar, Daniloff told VOA this week. Digging up information, particularly information thats not widely known that gives something of an impression of espionage, although its not. U.S. President Joe Biden has called Russias detention of Gershkovich totally illegal. The president, who spoke with Gershkovichs parents on Tuesday as he flew to Belfast, has condemned the reporters arrest. Were making it real clear that its totally illegal whats happening, and we declared it so, Biden said earlier that day before he left Washington. Few people understand the plight of Gershkovich like Daniloff. The pair are among the lone members of a club no journalist wants to join. Different time, same prison Daniloff had just a few days left of his five-year tour as Moscow bureau chief for U.S. News & World Report when on August 30, 1986, the KGB arrested him in a park while he was saying goodbye to someone he thought was a friend. Daniloff was then accused of being a spy and taken to Moscows Lefortovo prison the same prison where Gershkovich is being held. Its the kind of prison the Kremlin uses to house prisoners when Moscow wanted to make an example of them, Daniloff wrote in a recent article in The Wall Street Journal. Daniloff was released following negotiations between U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze. The reporter and two human rights dissidents were swapped for a Soviet physicist who was caught receiving classified U.S. information in the New York subway. Daniloff, now 88 and living in Boston, Massachusetts, said the memories of that time have started to fade, but he has been thinking about Gershkovich since the reporters arrest. Some of it is very upsetting, he said. Daniloff said his initial reaction on hearing of Gershkovichs arrest was, This stinks. Being arrested and held in the custody of Russian authorities is never a happy situation, he added. But if you speak Russian, which both Daniloff and Gershkovich do, when you are dealing with your jailers, you discover that they also are human beings, Daniloff said. Daniloff said his primary concern about Gershkovich is his physical safety. If I had a conversation with him at this moment, the first thing I want to know is, How are you being treated? Are you being treated like a human being? Daniloff said. 'Or are you being in some fashion denigrated by the folks who are holding you? 'An intimidating signal' Daniloff and Gershkovich are also linked in other ways. Daniloff is the American grandson of a Russian general who fled after the Russian Revolution, whereas Gershkovich is the American son of Soviet-born Jewish emigres. Arresting a journalist who speaks Russian and has family ties to the country is designed to send an intimidating signal to others, Daniloff wrote in The Wall Street Journal. Gershkovichs arrest was likely intended to frighten all foreign reporters still working inside Russia, according to Julia Davis, founder of Russian Media Monitor, which tracks Russian state TV. It serves as a message to other journalists who are still there and who would dare to talk about whats really happening with Russias economy and with its defense industry, Davis said. That if they do that, they will be portrayed as a spy and not a journalist, and might end up being imprisoned, which is especially horrific in a country like Russia that is truly lawless under (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. That apparent lawlessness is what gives Daniloff particular concern about what could happen to Gershkovich. It seems to me that you have to stand up for the things that you believe in as a Western correspondent, which probably will irritate your so-called hosts, Daniloff said. The thing that impresses me are the journalists who find themselves in this situation who dont crumble but who stand up for the values that they have been taught by their Western background and their Western mentors. And I think you need to stick with that. Russias Washington embassy did not reply to a VOA email requesting comment. 'Try to avoid crumbling' Daniloff said the most important thing Gershkovich can do is to remain strong as best he can. The question is, How do you behave when you are in custody? he said. I think that one should try to avoid crumbling. One should try to avoid coming under the sway of your captors. And you should try to speak the language of the free press and so forth. Thats not so easy to do. But I would hope that that would be the stance that one might take. Since Gershkovich was arrested, a lot of attention has been paid to updates on his situation from the media and the U.S. government. Less than two weeks after his arrest, and just a few days after he was formally charged with espionage, the State Department on April 10 designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, a label that unlocks additional government resources to help free the reporter. 'Its important to stand up' Daniloff said he hopes that attention will not wane in the coming weeks. I think coverage of his situation is important. And its important from the point of view of [] journalists who try to tell the truth so they know it. Because on their side of the border, there might well be a temptation to say things that are not completely true, he said. Despite the obvious safety risks facing foreign reporters inside Russia, Daniloff said he still thinks it is important for foreign reporters to do their best to cover the country from within. I think that its important for journalists Western journalists to be there and to try to live by Western standards, Daniloff said. Western standards may well violate customs or perhaps even laws in Russia. Still, its important to stand up and speak out. Residents in northern Ethiopias Amhara region say local fighters briefly took over a police station and seized weapons amid ongoing clashes between protesters and the military. The fighting was sparked last week when Ethiopias government ordered all regional forces to integrate with federal forces or regional police. Amhara residents say gunfights have erupted in cities and authorities have shut off the internet. In the Amhara region town of Mezzezo, residents said they heard heavy gunfire early Wednesday as armed Amhara fighters, known as FANO, took over a police station. One resident who did not want to be identified due to security concerns, told VOA the fighters were after a delivery of weapons. He said at around 4 a.m., there was heavy gunfire at the police station and bullets were raining down on their roofs. "When we asked the police what happened," he said, "They told us 'They (armed fighters) hit us.'" After "a lot" of gunshots, the fighters packed up weapons and left around 5:30 a.m., he said. Protesters attack army camp Protests and clashes erupted in Ethiopias Amhara region last week after the government ordered regional forces such as FANO to integrate into the federal military or police. While the numbers of those injured in the regions clashes could not be immediately confirmed, Reuters news agency quoted the mayor of Kombolcha as saying several people were shot there on Tuesday. Mayor Mohammed Amin told Reuters that protesters attacked an army camp after false rumors spread that federal troops had taken Amhara regional fighters into custody. Witnesses reported casualties in the city of Debre Birhan, 130 kilometers northeast of Addis Ababa, though numbers could not be confirmed. One resident, who would give only his first name, Esayas, told VOA there have been ongoing clashes since Tuesday. "Protesters are refusing to let security forces enter while defense forces are saying they will control the town.," said Esayas. "FANO and the residents of the town have taken up whatever (weapons) they can, such as sticks or machetes, and they are waiting. " Residents told VOA that authorities have taken their usual response of shutting down internet access in cities such as Gondar and Amharas regional capital, Bahir Dar. An explosion at a bar in Bahir Dar on Monday killed two people and wounded several others. Insecurity growing Aid group Catholic Relief Services said two of its staff were shot and killed on Sunday in Amhara as they were returning to Addis Ababa. While it was not immediately clear if the deaths were related to the unrest, they have underscored concerns about worsening insecurity in the region. Yonas Adaye is the former director of the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University. He said the integration of regional forces is needed for a lasting peace. "Nine or eleven special armies, that is really not amicable for Ethiopias economy, social development, and sustainable security," he said. Ethiopia's federal government has not confirmed casualty figures from the clashes and unrest in Amhara. Last week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said regional forces would not be disarmed but vowed their integration would be carried out by force if necessary. Ethiopia is emerging from a devastating two-year war in the north of the country, after the federal government and Tigrayan forces signed a peace deal in November. Amhara forces fought alongside the Ethiopian and Eritrean armies against the Tigrayan rebels in the war, which left hundreds of thousands of people dead and displaced millions. American Enterprise Institute researcher Kitaneh Fitzpatrick on renewed wave of poisonings at girls schools in Iran. University of Washington sociologist Ramin Jabbarli on Iran looking for new ways to pressure Azerbaijan amid rising bilateral tensions. U.S.-based activist Gazelle Sharmahd on joining forces with families of other Westerners jailed in Iran to fight for their release. The office of Mexicos attorney general says it has launched a criminal investigation into the head of the countrys immigration agency in connection with last months deadly fire at an immigrant detention facility. A statement released late Tuesday night said National Immigration Institute (INM) chief Francisco Garduno failed to take steps to prevent the fire at the agencys facility in the city of Ciudad Juarez that killed 40 migrants on March 27. The attorney generals office says the agency knew about problems at migrant detention facilities after a migrant was killed in a fire at another detention center in 2020. Several other high-ranking officials of the INM are also under criminal investigation, but the statement did not specify what charges they are facing. Earlier Tuesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the migrants were unable to escape the fire because the guards who had the keys to the cell door were absent. Five people were arrested last month in connection with a homicide investigation into the blaze after video surveillance footage appeared to show guards doing nothing to help migrants escape the fire engulfing their cell. Ciudad Juarez is a major crossing area for migrants or asylum-seekers wishing to enter the United States. The dead and injured were from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, with Guatemalans being the largest contingent, according to the attorney generals office. Authorities said one migrant is believed to be responsible for igniting the fire. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. NEW YORK, April 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. oil prices saw material growth on Tuesday, thanks to the softening of the U.S. dollar and a benign expectation on weekly U.S. oil inventory data. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery gained 1.79 U.S. dollars, or 2.24 percent, to settle at 81.53 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for June delivery picked up 1.43 dollars, or 1.70 percent, to settle at 85.61 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, lost about 0.4 percent on Tuesday, lending support to U.S. dollar-denominated asset prices. WTI oil gained upside momentum as traders focused on the U.S. dollar's pullback, said Vladimir Zernov, analyst with market information supplier FX Empire, on Tuesday. U.S. commercial crude inventories fell by around 1.3 million barrels in the week ended April 7, according to a survey by Reuters on five industry analysts. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is scheduled to release its weekly oil inventory data on Wednesday. Crude prices held onto earlier gains after a short-term energy outlook report by the EIA didn't contain any massive production shocks and steady demand improvements over the next couple of years, said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA, a supplier of online multi-asset trading services. Global liquid fuels consumption will rise by 1.4 million barrels per day in 2023 and by 1.8 million barrels per day in 2024, according to the latest short-term energy outlook report issued on Tuesday. The forecast is unchanged from the previous monthly report. Broadcaster National Public Radio said Wednesday it would no longer post its news content on 52 official Twitter accounts in protest of the social media site labeling the independent U.S. news agency as "government-funded media." NPR is the first major news organization to go silent on Twitter. The social media platform owned by entrepreneur Elon Musk at first labeled NPR as "state-affiliated media," the same tag it applies to propaganda outlets in China, Russia and other autocratic countries. Twitter then revised its label to "government-funded media," but NPR said that, too, was misleading because NPR is a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence. NPR says it receives less than 1% of its $300 million annual budget from the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. NPR chief executive John Lansing said that by not posting its news reports on Twitter, the network is protecting its credibility and would continue to produce journalism without "a shadow of negativity." In an email to staff explaining the decision, Lansing wrote, "It would be a disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards." He said that even if Twitter were to drop any description of NPR, the network would not immediately return to the platform. "At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter," Lansing said in an article posted by NPR. "I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again." Twitter has also labeled Voice of America, a U.S. government-funded but independent news agency, and the BBC in Britain, as "government-funded media," a description more commonly employed in describing state-controlled propaganda outlets. VOA has not dropped its use of Twitter but said its description of the news outlet left the impression that it was not independent. Bridget Serchak, VOA's director of public relations, said, "The label 'government funded' is potentially misleading and could be construed as also 'government-controlled' which VOA is most certainly not." "Our editorial firewall, enshrined in the law, prohibits any interference from government officials at any level in its news coverage and editorial decision-making process," Serchak said in an email. "VOA will continue to emphasize this distinction in our discussions with Twitter, as this new label on our network causes unwarranted and unjustified concern about the accuracy and objectivity of our news coverage." VOA is funded by the U.S. government and is part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, but its editorial independence is protected by regulations and a firewall. The BBC said it "is, and always has been, independent." Press freedom advocates have also objected to Twitter's labeling of NPR, VOA and the BBC. "The confusion between media serving the general interest and propaganda media is dangerous, and is yet further proof that social media platforms are not competent to identify what is and is not journalism," Vincent Berthier, head of the technology desk at Reporters Without Borders, said in a statement. Liam Scott contributed to this report. An Iranian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Tehran said, to pave the way for reopening diplomatic missions as the Gulf rivals prepare to normalize relations, seven years after an acrimonious split. The announcement came just days after a Saudi delegation made a similar visit to Iran's capital, following a historic meeting in China between the two governments' foreign ministers who vowed to bring stability to the turbulent region. "In accordance with the implementation of the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the resumption of diplomatic activities... the Iranian technical delegation arrived in Riyadh at midday Wednesday and was welcomed by Saudi officials," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani. "The Iranian delegation will take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah as well as the activities of Iran's permanent representative in the [Jeddah-based] Organization of Islamic Cooperation," he said in a statement. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been invited to Saudi Arabia, according to Tehran, in what would be the first visit of its kind since Mohammad Khatami made the trip in 1999. The flurry of diplomatic activity follows last month's landmark, Chinese-brokered announcement that Iran and Saudi Arabia, who have backed opposing sides in conflicts around the Middle East, would work towards resuming ties. Riyadh broke off relations in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr one in a series of flashpoints between the long-time foes. Since the March 10 announcement, the two countries' foreign ministers have met in China and a Saudi technical delegation met Iran's chief of protocol in Tehran last week, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Tehran on Saturday, is due to fly on to Iran's second city Mashhad on Thursday, Kanani said. Yemen truce talks As the contacts grow, Saudi Arabia is also negotiating with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, eight years after launching a military intervention aimed at dislodging them from power in its impoverished neighbor. Saudi ambassador Mohammed Al-Jaber travelled to Sanaa, Yemen's rebel-held capital, this week hoping to "stabilize" a lapsed truce and work towards a "comprehensive political solution" between the Houthis and the ousted government. Saudi Arabia gathered a multinational coalition to fight the Houthis in 2015, after the rebels took control of Sanaa and large swathes of the country, forcing the government to flee. It has become a major battleground of Riyadh's proxy wars with Tehran, which also include conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Analysts say Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, now wants to exit the eight-year war to focus on domestic projects aimed at diversifying its energy-dependent economy. Washington has cautiously welcomed the rapprochement between the Saudis and US adversary Iran despite the role of China, which it sees as its biggest global challenger. An imprisoned opposition activist with Azerbaijan Popular Front Party has been on hunger strike for more than 60 days. Zamin Salayevs lawyer, who last met with his client on April 7, said Salayevs health is deteriorating. There are already lesions on his body, he has lost a lot of weight, Nemat Karimli told VOA, adding that Salayev is not being closely monitored by doctors. According to Karimli, Salayev is determined to continue his hunger strike until he is released. He says either freedom or death. He will continue his hunger strike until he dies, Karimli said. Salayev was detained on February 8 and ordered to serve three months of pretrial detention on charges of hooliganism. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. He was arrested after an unidentified person stabbed a resident of Sahil district, Natiq Suleymanov, in the stomach and hand, and then left the scene. The victim was hospitalized. Qaradagh District Police Department detained Zamin [Alzamin] Salayev as a suspect in the stabbing, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told VOA by telephone. Salayev denies the allegations and says they are politically motivated. His lawyer told VOA: He [Salayev] said the criminal case is fabricated. A person insulted him and attacked him with a knife in his hand when he was getting out of a taxi in Baku's Lokbatan district. A few minutes later police officers detained Zamin. Activists facing hooliganism crimes Azerbaijani authorities often use hooliganism charges to detain opposition activists. In November 2021, Baku Serious Crimes Court sentenced Agil Humbatov, another activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, to 10 years in prison. He was charged with intentionally causing serious harm to health in a generally dangerous manner with the intention of hooliganism. Human rights defenders identify him as a political prisoner. On April 11, Humbatovs wife, Aygun Humbatova, held a protest in front of the Ministry of Justice, claiming that Humbatov was not provided with proper medical care in the penitentiary. "I am very worried about his health, there are problems related to his health. I have appealed many times to the Ministry of Justice, the Ombudsman, the Red Cross, and all they say is that they will take care of the matter, but no one does anything. Agil is dying in prison, she told VOA. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, another prominent Azerbaijani human rights activist, was arrested on December 9, 2022, and also charged with hooliganism and contempt of court. He was ordered by the Khatai District Court to spend one and a half months of pretrial detention. His pretrial detention has been been extended to April 28. On April 7, the Baku Court of Appeal upheld a lower courts decision to deny a petition filed by Karimli to release Salayev on house arrest. Karimli told VOA that the pretrial investigation of the case was completed on April 6 and there is no basis to keep Salayev in prison. Karimli said Salayevs supporters will appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights. International rights groups routinely catalog abuses and dubious charges against opposition politicians and rights activists in Azerbaijan. This story originated in VOAs Azerbaijani service. Tapdiq Guliyev contributed. New developments: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the Pentagon to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine. Ukraine says its forces repelled 72 attacks over the past day by Russian forces in the east as intense fighting continued around Bakhmut, Radio Free Europe reported. Russias defense ministry said it conducted a successful test launch of what it called an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile. Ukrainian officials on Wednesday opened an investigation into a video on social media purportedly showing one of Kyivs soldiers being beheaded. News agencies could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message, "There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill." Zelenskyy said the video showed the execution of a Ukrainian captive and that everyone must react. Do not expect that it will be forgotten, that time will pass. The video appears to show a man in green fatigues with a yellow armband, typically worn by Ukrainian fighters. His screams are heard before another man in camouflage uses a knife to decapitate him. The man in camouflage and another man both speak Russian. Ukraines state security service has opened an investigation, said Vasyl Maliuk, head of the agency. Officials are studying the video to identify those responsible, as well as to identify the victim. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the footage horrible but said that its authenticity needed to be verified. Ukraine's human rights chief Dmytro Lubinets said he will request that the U.N. Human Rights Committee investigate. Lubinets wrote on Telegram that "a public execution of a captive is yet another indication of a breach of Geneva Convention norms, international humanitarian law, a breach of the fundamental right to life." Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of committing war crimes and targeting civilians during its invasion of Ukraine, now in its 14th month, while Moscow says it has only targeted military sites and electrical and water infrastructure. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes in the abductions of children from Ukraine. Andrei Medvedev, a Russian state TV journalist, said the release of the gruesome video on social media was fairly opportune for the Ukrainian army ahead of a spring counteroffensive. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, also linked the video's release to the expected offensive. While Medvedev said it was designed to fire up personnel, Podolyak said it was meant to demoralize the public or change their perception of the war. CIA Director William Burns mentioned the expected spring counteroffensive by Ukraine on Wednesday night at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He said the challenge facing Ukraine on the battlefield, is to puncture that sense of arrogance on Putins part, to convince him and his generals that not only are they not going to be able to advance further into Ukraine, but that they risk losing more and more of what they have illegally seized right now. Burns also said Russias military has its hands full in dealing with Ukraines military and that he does not think Putin is eager for a confrontation with NATO. Burns said U.S. President Joe Biden has also made clear the United States does not want direct involvement in the conflict. But as you know very well there can be inadvertent collisions, Burns said. We saw one of them over the Black Sea recently, as well. And so that puts a premium on communicating very directly and very firmly, what the consequences of some of those can be. VOA national security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. Some material also came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Myanmars ruling junta has confirmed it carried out deadly airstrikes on a village where opposition forces were holding a ceremony. Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said Wednesday the attack in the Sagaing area in northwest Myanmar on Tuesday was conducted during a ceremony by the Peoples Defense Force, the military arm of the National Unity Government, a shadow government made up of members of the civilian government ousted by the military on February 1, 2021. Various news outlets say at least 50 people were killed in the airstrike. Zaw Min Tun said some of those killed were members of the PDF, while acknowledging that some civilians may have been killed as well. Sources connected to the NUG and PDF say as many as 100 people may have been killed in Tuesdays attack. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack in a statement released by his spokesperson, and repeated his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country. Tuesdays attack mirrors a similar attack last October in northern Kachin state when at least 50 people were killed during a concert put on by the ethnic Kachin Independence Army. U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel issued a statement saying Tuesdays attack and a reported airstrike on April 10 that killed at least nine people in western Chin state further underscore the regimes disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma in the wake of the coup, using an alternate name for Myanmar. The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma, Patel said. The military says its overthrow of the democratically elected government was due to widespread election fraud in the November 2020 general elections, won by a landslide by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party. The coup immediately triggered anti-junta demonstrations across Myanmar that have led to the deaths of more than 3,000 civilians and more than 18,000 arrests at the hands of the military, according to an independent monitoring group. The unrest has also evolved into a deadly rural conflict between the military and several ethnic rebel groups who have been fighting for decades for greater autonomy. Pakistans defense minister, Khawaja Asif, has said that Islamabad has warned the Afghan Taliban it will strike terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan if the de facto rulers in Kabul are unable to rein in anti-Pakistan militants. In an exclusive interview with Voice of America, Asif said in his late-February visit to Afghanistan that he reminded Taliban leaders to live up to their cross-border security commitments forbidding terrorists from using Afghan soil to plan and conduct attacks on Pakistan or Islamabad will take action. If that is not done, at some point well have to ... resort to some measures, which will definitely wherever [terrorists] are, their sanctuaries on Afghan soil well have to hit them, he said. We'll have to hit them because we cannot tolerate this situation for long. Since the Afghan Talibans August 2021 takeover of Kabul, Pakistan has seen a resurgence in terror attacks led by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the TTP, an ideological offshoot and ally of the Afghan Taliban. According to the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, the country recorded at least 262 terror attacks in 2022, of which the TTP was responsible for at least 89. Last November, the group ended a unilateral cease-fire after talks with Islamabad broke down. Since then, the country has seen near-daily lethal attacks, most of them targeting members of the military and police. Pakistan alleges TTP leadership is operating from Afghanistan after Pakistani military operations in the border areas a few years ago forced it to flee along with thousands of fighters. When asked if he believed the Afghan Talibans assertion that the TTP is not operating from Afghan soil, Asif said, they still operate from their soil. Asif claimed Taliban leadership responded very well to the recent warning. He said he believes that the Afghan Taliban are trying to disentangle from the TTP, after receiving support from the group to fight the U.S.-led coalition troops. Last April, Pakistan struck what it claimed was a TTP outpost in eastern Afghanistan. However, a large number of civilian deaths in the operation led to a strong reaction by the Afghan Taliban. Asif said he hopes the security threat to his country will not escalate to a point where we have to do something which will be not to the liking of our neighbors and our brothers in Kabul, whom he said Pakistan wished well in their efforts to establish their writ across Afghanistan. But Asif also criticized former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and the previous military and intelligence leadership for allowing thousands of Taliban fighters and their families to return to Pakistan in a bid to continue negotiations with the militants. Intelligence reports say that allowed the terrorists to regroup. In a recent interview with VOA, Khan defended that decision, saying Pakistan did not have many options. Should we have just lined them up and shot them or should we have tried to work with them to resettle them? Khan said, accusing Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies of negligence as terrorists reorganized. Pakistani government and security officials allege TTP fighters attacking Pakistan are using arms and equipment left behind by U.S. troops at the end of the 20-year war in Afghanistan. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet told VOA in February that U.S. officials do not have an independent assessment of that claim. Asif said the TTP was using light weapons, assault rifles, ammunition, night vision goggles and sniper rifles that U.S. troops left behind. When asked if Pakistan had shared any evidence with Washington, Asif questioned how that would help Islamabad as Washington left ... that sort of hardware on foreign soil because they couldn't carry it. Alluding to the Talibans return to power in Afghanistan after two decades of fighting U.S. and coalition troops, Asif questioned Washingtons ability to fight terrorism successfully or the need to request its help to fight terrorism in Pakistan. I do not see any logic in that, he said. My personal view is that we can take care of this ... menace ourselves. After conducting two large-scale military operations against terrorists in 2014 and 2017, Pakistan is once again contemplating a comprehensive plan, including a possible military operation in areas bordering Afghanistan. But Pakistan is also in the throes of an economic crisis as the threat of a default looms due to mounting external debt payments, dwindling foreign reserves and stalled bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. Asif said the economic crisis is the biggest threat for the country right now and the military, which receives the largest chunk of the annual federal budget, is looking at curtailing its expenses. However, he refused to specify where the cuts would be made. He also did not elaborate on where the finances would come from if Pakistan decided to conduct a new military operation. Pakistans military has a history of meddling in politics, a fact the previous army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, admitted publicly last year. Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan accuses the army of orchestrating his ouster a year ago, while his opponents accuse him of coming to power on the militarys back. Asif believes the military will uphold its latest pledge of staying out of politics. I am 100% sure that the next election will ... be [without] any interference, he said. Despite facing a trifecta of crisespolitical instability, an economic meltdown and rising terrorismAsif said he has absolutely no doubt that Pakistans defense is stable. The U.N. special rapporteur for Myanmar says the international community, including the U.N. Security Council, is still failing to provide protection against the Myanmar juntas violent attacks on the people of Myanmar. More than 100 people, including women and children, were killed Tuesday when Myanmars military junta bombed the Kanbalu township in the Sagaing region, according to witnesses contacted by VOA Burmese. More innocent people killed, more children killed, more violations of international law and human rights. We need to stop as an international community and recognize this fact, Tom Andrews told VOA via Skype on Wednesday. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. VOA: How serious are the Myanmar junta's airstrikes against its own civilians under international law? U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Tom Andrews: They're extremely serious. First of all, we've seen a significant uptick, a significant increase in the use of fighter jets dropping bombs, the use of helicopter gunships descending on villages and opening fire. There is an increasing use of these types of weapons. These weapons kill without any kind of discrimination. They wipe out entire villages. I've even seen them [bombs] dropped on the centers [for the internally displaced], where people have gone for safety, and children have been killed. These are the characteristics of war crimes. These are the characteristics of crimes against humanity. This is not only unacceptable from a moral point of view, it is illegal from an international law point of view. So we must do more to stop this carnage and impose the fundamental foundations of international law with respect to Myanmar. The people of Myanmar deserve nothing less. VOA: The junta's spokesperson confirmed the Kanbalu airstrike, in which dozens of civilians were reportedly killed, but he said the attacks there were justified because, according to him, the National Unity Government, which had just opened its local office, is an armed terrorist group. What is your view on the junta's response? Andrews: Citizens are not terrorists. Children are not terrorists. Those who are opposed to the junta and its killing of innocent people are not terrorists. They are patriots. They are those who are committed to a just democracy for Myanmar, human rights for Myanmar. These are not crimes. These should be embraced and applauded by everyone. The people of Myanmar, fighting for their future, trying to create justice and human rights for their children, are not terrorists. They are patriots. VOA: What kind of action should the international community, including the U.N. Security Council, take against the junta to protect the Myanmar people? Andrews: Step one is recognize that what has happened to this point is failing. It's simply not working. And more of the same is going to mean more of the same in Myanmar: more innocent people killed, more children killed, more violations of international law and human rights. We need to stop as an international community and recognize this fact. We are failing the people of Myanmar. That's step one. Step two is to examine all of the options that we have to stop this carnage. The international community, even though the U.N. Security Council was not willing to support an action resolution after the invasion of Ukraine, nevertheless formed a coalition. That coalition formed a coordinated strategy to support the people of Ukraine. And the world has worked together to put maximum pressure on Russia and provide maximum support for the people of Ukraine. This is exactly the approach that we need for the people of Myanmar. The international community, who support the people of Myanmar, who condemn these attacks, who support human rights, democracy, need to form an action coalition not a word coalition an action coalition in which all the options can be put on the table and examined, and everyone can coordinate these actions together. We need to find the vulnerable spots in the junta, identify them clearly and work together to seize this opportunity to deny them the resources that they need, the weapons that they need, the capacity that they need in order to continue these horrific attacks. That's what the international community needs to do. If we don't do this, then we can only expect that there's going to be more attacks, more carnage, more innocent people killed, more violations of human rights. And frankly, if that happens, then we have aided and abetted those horrific actions that are being taken against the people of Myanmar. VOA: The Rohingya repatriation program, which is being coordinated with the U.N., the Bangladeshi government and the junta itself, is being criticized by human rights organizations because they say it isnt safe to return to parts of Myanmar. Can you shed some light on the U.N.'s role in the repatriation process, especially regarding its interactions with the junta? Andrews: No one, including the United Nations, should be supporting a repatriation process in which the Rohingya who are in Bangladesh under very harsh conditions are nonetheless brought to Myanmar in very unsafe conditions conditions that are not conducive whatsoever to a safe, dignified return; repatriation that does not include protection of human rights, protection of citizenship, protection of life and safety. No one should be supporting that kind of repatriation process, because it won't work. It's unfair. We could see even more hardship for those people who are in Bangladesh, who have suffered so much. So, whether it's the United Nations or any other entity, we should not be moving forward with any repatriation process, including a pilot program, under these conditions. VOA: Your position as U.N. special rapporteur has been renewed for another three-year term. What will your main focus be regarding human rights in Myanmar in the short term and in the long term? Andrews: Well, I'm very grateful to have my service as special rapporteur renewed by the Human Rights Council. I will be doing some very basic things going forward with this mandate. Number one, first and foremost, is to listen to the people of Myanmar, those who are providing me with extraordinarily important information and analysis and insight as to what is going on inside of the country, what is going on for those who have escaped the country and what needs to be done, what the United Nations and the international community needs to do. Number two, it is reaching out to those nations who are in a position to provide stronger support for the people of Myanmar and try to engage them in efforts that can do just that. I've been traveling in the region. I was in Thailand this past year. I traveled to Malaysia this past year. I am preparing right now to travel to Japan. I was in the Republic of Korea a few months ago. I'm planning to travel during this year to Indonesia. And I'm going to be doing everything that I can to sit down and work with leaders of the region and leaders throughout the world to make it very clear that it's in no one's interest to allow this catastrophe to continue to unfold before our very eyes. And it's in all of our interests as an international community to work together to support the human rights and justice of Myanmar people and to oppose this military junta. So, that is primarily what is on my agenda as I seek to serve the U.N. Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly in this coming year. The most senior Chinese government official to visit Australia in six years has arrived for talks in Sydney. Ma Zhaoxus visit is the latest sign that diplomatic ties between Canberra and Beijing are easing after years of friction. The visit by Ma, China's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, comes as the two countries agree to resolve a dispute over imports of Australian barley. Ma will hold talks Wednesday with Australian government officials. It is the first visit by a senior Chinese official since bilateral relations started to deteriorate in 2017 over growing concerns about alleged Chinese interference in Australias domestic affairs. There followed further disagreements about Taiwan, freedom of navigation in the contested South China Sea and the origins of COVID-19. China also imposed restrictions on a range of Australian exports. In May 2020, China placed sweeping tariffs on Australian barley for five years, disrupting a trade worth $1 billion a year. David Olssen, the national president of the Australia China Business Council, a business grouping, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Wednesday that Mas visit illustrates a shift in Chinas foreign policy. I think it is clear that the strategies that China has adopted in recent times against Australia have not worked and that combined with, you know, a quite hostile environment for China globally at the moment has caused China to rethink its priorities, said Olssen. It wants to talk to the world. It wants to open up again. It needs to do that from an economic point of view. Mas visit coincides with Australia agreeing to suspend its appeal to the World Trade Organization against Chinas punitive tariffs on Australian barley, which Beijing has agreed to review. Officials in Canberra have said they were confident that China would reverse the tariffs during the three-month assessment. I want to make clear that if this agreement is successful in providing a pathway for the lifting of duties on barley, the Australian government would expect a similar process to be followed in relation to the trade barriers which exist on Australian wine, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told reporters in Canberra Tuesday. China is, by far, Australias biggest trading partner. Chinas demand for natural resources, most notably iron ore a key ingredient in steel making has underpinned Australias recent prosperity. Australias center-left government elected in May 2022 has made a concerted effort to ease tensions with Beijing. Analysts say a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Indonesia last November was a catalyst for better relations. The Taliban on Wednesday said their decision to forbid local women from working for the United Nations in Afghanistan is an internal matter that all parties should respect. The fundamentalist de facto authorities issued their first formal response a week after the ban on Afghan women staff from the U.N. went into effect. It also came a day after the U.N. mission office in Kabul renewed its condemnation of the "unlawful" restriction and warned it could push the world body to cease operations in the country. "The Islamic Emirate does not want to create obstacles for the United Nations," chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement Wednesday, using the official title for his male-only government. "Rather, it wants to make it clear that this is an internal issue of Afghanistan, which does not create a problem for anyone and should be respected by all sides," Mujahid added. U.N. Deputy-Secretary General Amina Mohammed said Wednesday on Twitter that Giving up on women's rights in Afghanistan is simply not an option. The mission noted in a statement that its chief, Roza Otunbayeva, had initiated a review of U.N. operations in Afghanistan that could continue until May 5, instructing all staff to stay away from work during this period. The United Nations said on Tuesday that it could not comply with the ban on its Afghan female staff as it violates its charter and international law. The U.N. has nearly 4,000 staff members in Afghanistan, of which about 3,300 are Afghans. Among them are about 400 Afghan women and 200 international female staffers. Last December, the Taliban banned local female employees from working with domestic and international aid organizations, prompting some to suspend their charity work. The United Nations has said that the Taliban administration would be responsible for "any negative consequences of this crisis" stemming from the ban for millions of Afghans across the country reeling from years of war and prolonged drought. In his statement, Mujahid instead blamed Western governments for the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, calling it an outcome of international sanctions on the country's financial and banking system, the freezing of central bank assets overseas, and travel bans on Taliban leaders. He said removing all restrictions would put Afghanistan on the path to economic and political progress. "Afghans have the capacity to stand on their own feet," Mujahid said. Afghanistan is home to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. The United Nations says 28.3 million people, or two-thirds of the population, need humanitarian assistance. Six million people are on the brink of famine. This year's $4.6 billion humanitarian appeal has received little more than $200 million in funding. The U.N. humanitarian agency warned Wednesday that funding for the Afghan appeal is drying up, putting millions of lives at risk. "If funding is not urgently secured, millions of Afghans will be staring down the barrel of famine, disease, and death." Aid workers fear the Taliban's crackdown on women aid workers could further undermine the U.N. appeal and even force donors to suspend support for the humanitarian assistance program in Afghanistan. The ban on U.N. female staff is the latest in a series of restrictions the Taliban have imposed on Afghan women since reclaiming control of the country in August 2021. They have barred women from accessing higher education, government jobs, and public spaces. Girls are also not allowed to attend school beyond sixth grade. The hardline group rejects criticism of its governance, saying it aligns with Afghan culture and Islamic law. The restrictions have kept the world from granting legitimacy to the Taliban rule. The top defense and diplomatic officials from the U.S. and Philippines agreed on Tuesday to complete a road map on U.S. security assistance to the Philippines in the next five to 10 years, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday. Austin said the long-time allies discussed the delivery of "priority defense platforms" including radars, drones, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems at a so-called 2+2 meeting in Washington, which also involved U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Philippine counterparts. SEE ALSO: A related video by VOA's Carla Babb. Philippines Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told the same news conference the two sides redoubled their commitment to modernizing the Philippines-U.S. alliance in recognition that "our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order." Experts, including former U.S. defense officials, say the United States sees the Philippines as a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Austin said that it was too early to discuss what assets the United States would like to station at military bases in the Philippines under a recently expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. Manalo said the EDCA sites were mainly aimed at improving military interoperability, addressing potential humanitarian disasters "and perhaps respond to other types of security challenges," but did not elaborate. The Pentagon has not specifically said what the additional sites will be used for, except that work would include airport expansion and training involving naval assets. Manalo said on Monday that Washington and Manila will need to discuss what the U.S. may do with its access to the EDCA sites. EDCA allows U.S. access to Philippine bases for joint training, prepositioning of equipment and building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not a permanent presence. U.S.-Philippines relations have warmed considerably under Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the 2+2 meeting underlined that as the first of its kind in seven years. But Manila treads a delicate path with China, the region's economic powerhouse. Marcos assured China on Monday that military bases accessible to the U.S. would not be used in offensive action, stressing that the arrangement with Washington was designed to boost his country's defenses. WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Minister Jing Quan from the Chinese Embassy in the United States recently attended the opening ceremony of a China-U.S. innovation center of soybean products value chain. In his remarks delivered virtually at the event on Tuesday, Jing spoke highly of the fruitful results of China-U.S. trade in agriculture, especially in cooperation in the soybean industry. The minister expressed the hope that the two countries continue to deepen cooperation in the agricultural sector, benefiting farmers and consumers in both countries while injecting positive energy into the China-U.S. relations. The establishment of the center is the result of collaboration between central China's Henan Province and the U.S. Soybean Export Council. It is aimed at deepening cooperation between China and the United States in the soybean processing industry and promoting the high-quality development of the soybean industry in the two countries. Russias cyber operations against Ukraine may not have made as big an impact as some Western officials and cybersecurity experts first feared following the start of last years invasion, but top U.S. officials warn that is no reason to underestimate Moscows cyber exploits. Instead, these officials caution Russias cyber warriors remain actively engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Ukraine, while learning from each attack and preparing, possibly, to expand their operations beyond Ukraines borders. "In cyber, I think people have underestimated really how much game they [Russia] brought, whether it be the Viasat hack to nine or 10 different families of brand-new, unique wiper viruses that have been thrown in that ecosystem, said Rob Joyce, the National Security Agencys director of cybersecurity, to an audience Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "There's continued attacks on Ukrainian interests, whether it's financial, government, personal, individual, business just trying to be disruptive, he added. 'It's a constant fight' Joyce is not alone in his assessment of the ongoing dangers from Russias cyber operations. We haven't seen really any slowdown, a senior defense official told reporters on the condition of anonymity late last month during a briefing to the Defense Writers Group in Washington. It's a constant fight between what the adversary [Russia] is trying to do and what the Ukrainian network defenders are trying to do, the official said. We see and have information shared with us about efforts to continue to compromise various Ukrainian networks from MoD [Ministry of Defense] to critical infrastructure. Weeks earlier, NSA Director General Paul Nakasone told lawmakers that Moscows cyber activities against Ukraine remain under intense scrutiny. By no means is this done, he said. Ukrainian officials have also voiced increased concern, noting the pace of Russian cyberattacks has been increasing, even as Moscow works to better coordinate cyber operations with conventional military strikes. The NSAs Joyce, on Tuesday, agreed Russias tradecraft appears to be improving. There's creative things going on, he told the audience at CSIS. We're watching the Russian hackers log in to public-facing webcams to watch convoys and trains delivering aid, Joyce said. But they're also hacking those webcams where they're looking out the coffee shop security camera and seeing the road they need to see. Joyce also warned that Russias cyber operations have also put U.S. companies in their crosshairs. Most of the pressure is at the defense industrial base and the logistical transport companies who are moving lethal aid [to Ukraine]," he said. They are under daily pressure from the Russians. China cyber ops Joyce also voiced concerns about Chinas ever expanding cyber capabilities. Yes, there is an enormous amount of unsophisticated loud Chinese threat, but there are also elite units that have tools and tradecraft that is very sophisticated," he said. That's the concern as they're able to scale and use that elite set of concepts and tools in a much bigger piece. As for how that could play out should China decide to invade Taiwan, Joyce encouraged private sector companies to start preparing now. "You don't want to be starting that planning the week before an invasion when you're starting to see the White House saying it's coming, he said. As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Vietnam, he must negotiate a diplomatic struggle in which Vietnam and China are competing for the right to develop oil and gas reserves off Vietnams coast in the South China Sea. Blinkens visit follows a call between U.S. President Joe Biden and the chief of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, on March 29, when the two leaders agreed to expand the bilateral relationship. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership. The two countries have been discussing how to advance their ties to the next level a strategic partnership. Vietnam has comprehensive strategic partnerships with Moscow and Beijing. The conflicting interests facing Hanoi navigating a historically fraught relationship with China, bilateral ties with like-minded Russia, and warming relations with the U.S., an enemy defeated less than 50 years ago may test Vietnams three NO's foreign policy no alignment with any countries against a third country, no military alliance with any country, no foreign military base in its territory. Russia's state-controlled oil company Zarubezhneft and gas giant Gazprom, working with a subsidiary of PetroVietnam, the country's state-owned fossil fuel company, operate a gas field in Vietnam's South China Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank in Washington. Chinese coast guard ships have sailed into the areas operated by Russian firms in Vietnams EEZ about 40 times since January 2022, according to vessel-tracking data from Vietnamese research organization South China Sea Chronicle Initiative (SCSCI), an independent nonprofit, according to Reuters. The most recent incident was on March 27, days after Russian President Vladimir and his counterpart Xi Jinping met to reaffirm their no-limits friendship. Moscow has become increasingly reliant on Beijing to break isolation and sanctions imposed by the West over its war in Ukraine. Colin Koh, a research fellow of maritime security issues at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapores Nanyang Technological University, told VOA Vietnamese that he believes Putin brought up the incidents involving the Chinese coast guard vessels in the South China Sea to Xi because working with Vietnam on energy drilling is in Russias interest. Koh expressed doubt that Moscow would give up its energy partnership with Vietnam, as Beijing wants. Hanoi is by far [Russias] most steadfast, most longstanding friend in Southeast Asia, he wrote in a March 29 email to VOA Vietnamese. Will Moscow want to risk pushing Hanoi to the embrace of the West? ... And more broadly, does Russia really want to risk being seen as not only an unreliable partner by Vietnam, but also seen as playing second fiddle to China? he said in the email. It would be a huge blow to Vietnam, especially in weapons procurement, if Moscow aligned with Beijings position in the South China Sea, according to Koh. Even though Vietnam has in recent years diversified beyond Russia for military technologies, the key big ticket military equipment are still Russian in origin, he said, listing an array of military hardware main battle tanks, multirole combat aircraft, surface combatants, submarines and missile systems. Therefore, dissociating with Russia doesnt serve Vietnams long-term interest, considering that fully replacing Russian systems in its arsenal will take a long time and is prohibitively costly, said Koh. Striking a balance However, Hanoi should strike an equilibrium between Russia and the West and should not be seen by Moscow as leaning too much toward the West over the war in Ukraine, Koh said. It does help that its current position on the war in Ukraine has at least been accepted by Russia, he said. In the energy sector, Hanoi can look to Western companies to take over oil and gas projects in the South China Sea if Moscow withdraws, said Koh, who cautioned that any potential replacement must be willing to assume the risk of pressure from China. In 2018, Spains Repsol suspended its energy prospecting off Vietnam in the South China Sea after Hanoi succumbed to a year of Chinese pressure, Reuters reported. The company may have lost up to $200 million, according to The Diplomat. Ha Hoang Hop, Associate Senior Fellow of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and chairman of the VietKnow think tank in Hanoi, told VOA Vietnamese that Beijing could not force Moscow to withdraw from the energy partnership with Vietnam. He noted that between 2017 and 2019, Bejing piled pressure on Moscow but Russia responded each time by making it very clear that the projects were in the waters completely under Vietnams jurisdiction, so Beijing was not in a position to interfere, he told VOA Vietnamese in a phone interview. Hop said, Theres no way Russia compromises its energy projects with Vietnam in the South China Sea despite Beijings pressure given that the oil and gas projects there are also Russian interests. New developments: Russias defense ministry said it conducted a successful test launch of what it called an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns told an audience at Rice University that deepening isolation from the West as a result of its invasion of Ukraine puts Russia at risk of becoming an economic colony of China, Reuters reported. World Bank President David Malpass said Western European governments will need to contribute money in order to achieve the sums needed to rebuild Ukraine after the war Ukrainian officials on Wednesday denounced Russia after a video emerged on social media purportedly showing a man in uniform beheading a man whose clothing included a symbol worn by Ukrainian soldiers. News agencies could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. "There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message he posted Wednesday. Zelenskyy said the video showed the execution of a Ukrainian captive and that everyone must react. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that the video was awful and that its authenticity needs to be verified. Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, renewed criticism of Russias holding of the rotating presidency at the U.N. Security Council and said Russia must be kicked out of Ukraine and the U.N. and be held accountable for their crimes. Indian aid India said Wednesday that Ukraine has asked for its help in the form of humanitarian supplies, including medicine and medical equipment. Indias foreign ministry said the request came in a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered during a visit to India by Ukraines First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzhaparova. SEE ALSO: The Indian foreign ministry statement said Dzhaparova also mentioned during her talks that rebuilding Ukraines infrastructure could represent an opportunity for Indian companies. Dzhaparova tweeted during his visit that Ukraine is counting on India being on the right side at a historic moment. Zelenskyy, in his nightly address Tuesday, called on the people of Ukraine and Ukraines allies to not lose focus or relax at this stage of the conflict. We managed to do a lot together with our partners to protect people, Ukraine, and the whole of Europe, but this doesn't mean it's time to rest on our laurels, Zelenskyy said. The path is ahead. The movement is ahead, something that requires no less unity from us than before, no less focus than before. Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters. (Alexandria, MN) Each Friday legislators from West Central Minnesota call in to KXRA radio to discuss issues relevant to their constituents. Old National Bank, the successor to First Midwest Bank in the Region, said it is focusing on supporting and assisting employees and their families after a mass shooting at its downtown Louisville branch Monday that left five dead and eight injured. The Evansville-based financial institution described the mass murder as a "loss deeply felt," saying "our hearts are with our team members, their families, and the Louisville community." There are no words to adequately describe the sadness and devastation that our Old National family is experiencing as we grieve the tragic loss of our team members and pray for the recovery of all those who were injured, said Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan. He and other Old National executives went to Louisville, a relatively short distance down Interstate 64 from its corporate headquarters in Evansville on the other side of the Ohio River. They offered support to injured workers and their families. The Old National leadership team plans to stay in Kentucky's largest city to provide support in the coming days. 219 News Now: Residents voice concerns after EPA proposes designating former Federated Metals property a Superfund site Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult situation, and our entire focus is on making sure that everyone affected has the support and assistance they need, Ryan said. On behalf of everyone at Old National, I also want to acknowledge and thank Louisville law enforcement, the medical community and state and local officials for their incredible response to this tragedy. And finally, we ask you to please continue to pray for all those affected. The Indiana Bankers Association also expressed its condolences for the bankers who were killed in the mass shooting. "We are heartbroken by yesterday's tragic events at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville that took the lives of five bank employees: Tommy Elliott, 63; Jim Tutt, 64; Josh Barrick, 40; Juliana Farmer, 45; and Deana Eckert, 57. Eight others were injured, including three police officers," Indiana Bankers Association President and CEO Amber Van Til said. Old National Bank has branches in Crown Point, Dyer, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Merrillville, Munster and Saint John. Oh, you like podcasts? Sign up for Vultures new recommendation newsletter 1.5x Speed here. Photo-Illustration: Vulture. This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. Its hard to argue that theres much fresh energy among news podcasts of late. The genres modern generation largely came of age across the Trump era, and it is striking how little it has evolved both in form and in options in the years since. To be sure, this doesnt necessarily constitute a problem. For most earbud-slinging Americans, The Daily remains the most listened-to news podcast, followed not far behind by the familiar public-radio stylings of NPRs Up First, and I dont really get the sense that either program is wavering anytime soon. I myself remain a regular listener. But the settled nature of the category has resulted in a lack of novelty. A healthy media ecosystem is defined by its dynamism, and in my mind, the news-podcast genre has been overdue for something new. That newness may already be here. Lately, my desire for exciting, new news podcasts has led me to an unexpected source of adrenaline. Quietly but surely, more of my listening has been drifting toward a source I never expected to develop a relationship with: The Economist, the stodgy, 180-year-old British weekly specializing in global affairs. The network has more than doubled its listenership over the past three years, from around 2 million in 2019 to about 5 million today. Now, let me be clear: The Economists podcasts are explicitly not for everybody. Aside from their intended audience of present and future power elites, the shows feel most suited for the kind of nerds who would happily submit themselves to the cult of Adam Tooze (if they arent already sated by his own wonky economics podcast, Ones & Tooze, of course). The Economists growing audio portfolio primarily consists of several regularly publishing news shows that span the publications range of staid interests: The Intelligence (its take on the daily news podcast), Checks and Balances (U.S. politics from a U.K. perspective), Money Talks (self-explanatory), Babbage (science and technology), and Editors Picks (selected articles read aloud). None are particularly groundbreaking on paper. In fact, they are almost throwbacks, somewhat devoid of the affable presentation and emotionality of modern American news podcasts. They are incredibly British which is to say genteel, studious, a little awkward, and dry as sand. They also seem to be catching on. A spokesperson for The Economist tells me that its podcasts averaged around 25 million downloads in March. Thats still a fraction of what youd expect from a heavyweight like, say, the New York Times (125 million, according to the industry-measurement firm Podtrac), but the larger story here is one of growth. The network has more than doubled its unique listenership, another salient audience metric, over the past three years, from around 2 million in 2019 to about 5 million today. The momentum is inspiring further investment. This is our fastest-growing platform, said Bob Cohn, The Economists president, over email. Were thinking hard about how to keep adding to the portfolio, likely in the back half of this year. This makes for a striking contrast with other parts of the industry, which has been facing cuts and show cancellations in the midst of navigating a difficult economic environment. The Economists history with podcasts extends far beyond this contemporary iteration. The august British magazine was actually part of the original wave of hype surrounding the mediums inception in the 2000s, back when many observers thought that all this podcast stuff was going to be the next major frontier in media. (That prognostication wouldnt really be validated until another few hype cycles, of course. Podcasts are always the next big thing, just as podcasting has always been dying.) The publications earliest efforts were as rudimentary as you would expect, featuring audio files of professional newsreaders reading stories from the print magazine aloud. The magazines modern podcasting era earnestly began in 2019 with the launch of The Intelligence. Like the publication as a whole, its entry into the daily-news genre is heavy on analysis and proudly esoteric. A recent episode bundled a comparative analysis between Indias and Indonesias economies with stories about abandoned Russian luxury yachts and a logjam of dead fish in Australia. The Economists institutional weight is routinely made apparent. During the opening stages of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Intelligence attained the distinction of being among the first platforms and certainly the first podcast to secure a sit-down with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes personally making the trip to Zelenskyys war room to conduct the interview. The Economists podcasts are pleasantly aloof, even indifferent. Im no Tooze bro, but theres something distinctly appealing about the somewhat unmodern nature of The Economists podcasts. This might simply have to do with how it breaks from much of the contemporary news-podcast environment, which tends to interpret the podcast mediums oft-touted intimacy by collapsing the gap between the show and the listener. Youre conditioned to develop a feeling of closeness with a daily news podcast and its hosts. In style, there is often a lot of hand-holding, informationally and emotionally. This framework of news communication is understandable within the modern American context, reflecting a public-service-driven desire to meet as many listeners as possible on their level. But there are ways in which it can sometimes be off-putting, even condescending. In contrast, The Economists podcasts are pleasantly aloof, even indifferent. Rather than broadly calibrating for whatever common-denominating level of knowledge listeners might have with the subject matter, they often project a sense that its less about them meeting people where they are than it is about people meeting them at theirs. This quality connects The Economists podcasts to something Ive always felt was fundamental about the appeal of great talk podcasts. To put things crudely, the best of such shows evoke a sense of voyeurism, for lack of a better word, or the sensation youre listening into a conversation thats not entirely for you and thats operating somewhat beyond your level of knowledge. Its the same pleasure, I think, that drives the counterintuitively wide appeal of the BBCs relentlessly heady In Our Time, which features the presenter Melvyn Bragg in continuous, rotating conversations with academics about all sorts of esoteric subjects, from the Irish rebellion of 1798 to the religious philosophy behind Deism. Less universally, its also the same pleasure that drives my personal affinity for eavesdropping on scores of roughly made independent podcasts featuring people talking in detail about something I know little about. (Not long ago, I was introduced to a podcast all about the lumber business, and for a small stretch, it was all I listened to when I wasnt checking out shows for my job as a critic.) All this seems to resonate with John Shields, who leads The Economists audio division. I think the flow state of podcasts is being in that sweet spot where youre learning about something but also doing a bit of work to fill in the blanks, he said after hearing my spiel about voyeurism. Shield took his analysis a step further, drawing a natural link between the esoteric appeal of wonky podcast programming, The Economists included, and the titanic popularity of true crime within the medium. People can be so snooty about true-crime podcasts, he said. But the genre is very much about how its your job as the listener to do work. Thats where the satisfaction comes from. In other words, the appeal lies in having to close the gap between you and the show by yourself. Beyond counter-intuition, theres another reason to pay close attention to The Economists nascent adventures in audio. It has begun to display an expanding sense of ambition at a time when podcast studios have grown increasingly circumspect. Nowhere is this more expressed than in The Economists push into audio documentaries. Where numerous other publishers are pulling back from the often expensive limited-run-series format, chiefly in response to the tough economic picture and the speculative podcasting bubbles recent deflation, the magazine appears to be laddering up its operations. Last summer, The Economist launched The Prince, an eight-part series tracing the rise of Chinese president Xi Jinping. Hosted by Sue-Lin Wong, then the magazines China correspondent, the project delivered an expansive look at one of the most powerful people in the world in the run-up to a defining Party Congress that saw him consolidate power even further. The Prince was a hit for the publication, driving 9 million downloads since its fall release and drawing admiration from a broad coalition of listeners. Shields tells me that the former CIA chief David Petraeus sent an email to Beddoes complimenting the show, and the audio documentarian Dan Taberski of Running From Cops and 9/12 fame was spotted talking up the podcast on Twitter. I ate it up, Taberski told me, adding that he would gush if he ever met Wong. The publication later capitalized on The Princes success, spinning out another regularly publishing news show, Drum Tower, focused on covering China. Thats been our most successful launch so far, said Shields. In terms of the speed with which its caught up with our other shows, and the enthusiasm its generated among China watchers and general audiences alike. The magazine has since deepened its push into the audio-documentary format. Last month saw the release of Next Year in Moscow, which follows the Russian-born reporter Arkady Ostrovsky as he explores the effects of the Ukrainian conflict on everyday Russians who oppose their countrys invasion. Whats notable about Next Year in Moscow is how it feels, by itself, like an evolution of The Economists own audio aesthetic more sonically immersive, attuned to a sense of emotion. Nearly 12 hours had passed since the invasion began. I wanted to see how the city had changed, but it hadnt, he narrates in the first episode, conjuring a vivid sense of place. Outside there were no signs of a coup, no obvious evidence that the world had transformed overnight. The same shops, the same traffic, the same cafes. Ostrovskys delivery is quiet, matter-of-fact. In places, you could reasonably mistake the series for a grim journal or a dark travelogue. Tone is something we talk about a lot, said Shields of the new project. We have big arguments all the time about whether a bit is too overdone or too sentimental or too wonky, so much so that we lose the audience. But ultimately, were trying to be authentic to The Economist tradition, where were working to engage both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously, and its an iterative process. Aside from representing another step forward in the publications grasp of the medium, Next Year in Moscow also reemphasizes the innate appeal of The Economists podcasts. The series is dense, heady, and challenging in a way that prompts you to match its vibe. Each episode, and each new project, feels like an evolving variation of that sensibility, with genuinely exciting effect. For the first time in a long while, the news-podcast genre feels like it has a shot of fresh energy once again. Its still early days for us, but were pleased with how successful things have been, said Shields. Were keen to find other spaces where we can own territory that others arent necessarily going to occupy. 1.5x Speed: A Weekly Newsletter of Podcast Recommendations and Reviews Listening notes for the top shows, from Vultures critic Nick Quah. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Photo: Randy Shropshire/Bravo When Jen Shah reported to federal lockup on February 17 for involvement in a telemarketing scheme that targeted senior citizens, it seemed she was still on good terms with her lawyer, Priya Chaudhry. In a statement shared right before her clients incarceration, Chaudhry spoke highly of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City stars commitment to making things right. Jen Shahs resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding. She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community, the attorney, who has also represented disgraced producer Paul Haggis in his civil rape case and actor Jonathan Majors in a recent alleged domestic assault, said in a statement. No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and shes determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted. A little more than one month later, however, Chaudhry and her colleagues asked to withdraw from the case, citing unpaid legal fees and expenses claiming Shah had stiffed them to the tune of $124,422.95. (On Monday, the judge agreed to let them off the case.) The brash TV personality is in a Texas prison camp for about another five and a half years and owes her victims $6,646,251.00 in restitution, raising a big question: Will Shahs former lawyers ever get paid? Several longtime attorneys tell Vulture the outlook isnt sunny for Shahs onetime legal team. Trying to collect would likely involve a complicated legal battle that could wind up costing more than the debt. Its almost impossible, Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said of attorneys trying to collect money from nonpaying clients. Even if youre owed money, you cant collect the money thats owed unless you get a judgment so you have to file a lawsuit against your former client. When attorneys do that, their clients can hit back in messy ways. As soon as you do that, your client is probably going to say that you committed [legal] malpractice for some reason usually. Its super-nasty. For that reason, most lawyers dont even pursue litigation. That said, Jen Shah is Jen Shah. She could be a wild card. Jen Shah is not your typical criminal defendant, Rahmani said. Shes taken some pretty extreme positions. She maintained her innocence up until the 11th hour. As for Chaudhrys chances for actually collecting, Rahmani described them as slim. Chaudhry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rachel Fiset, co-founder of Los Angelesbased Zweiback, Fiset & Zalduendo LLP, explains that her lawyers would have to sue and receive a judgment before they could make moves to collect. Lawyers can put a lien on a clients property, which, in simple terms, is basically a legal claim to assets that would cover the debt. Judges generally have to green-light the lien. Then, Fiset said, the court determines what the appropriate payments are. Its like paying off a debt, Fiset said. Its important for an attorney to know where an ex-clients money is kept or where it could come from in the future. For example, could Shah get royalties for her old Bravo appearances? Does she have any property that could be sold off? Fiset pointed out another twist: If the person who owes money winds up broke and declares bankruptcy, then the attorney can step in line and become one of potentially many people whose prospects of getting paid are questionable. In other words, the possibility of success is iffy, and suing clients is too big of a pain. Julie Rendelman, a longtime New York City defense attorney, said lawyers try to avoid situations like this by getting money before a case is done. There are clients who go to jail and still pay their legal fees that happens all the time, Rendelman said. Still, usually an attorney would try to get their fees completed before their cases are finished. Its easier. An attorney can sue a client if there is a contract in place; however, most attorneys would be loath to take that on because they are now incurring legal fees to pursue the civil case on top of the strong possibility they will never see payment. So its expensive and inconvenient and could lead to more nasty court interactions which leads us to what may be the obvious takeaway when it comes to expensive cases like Shahs. If youre going to take on one of these fraud cases, youve got to make sure youve got a huge retainer to guarantee they can pay your legal fees, Rahmani said. The rep listed on Shahs Instagram page did not immediately respond to Vultures request for comment about the allegedly unpaid fees. We can only hope Shah will include this drama in her purportedly upcoming prison production. Photo: YouTube The latest chapter of the ongoing Scandoval unfolded where one would least expect it should: on this weeks episode of Howie Mandels podcast. Tom Sandoval, looking appropriately somber to match his grim surroundings, revealed a number of details about his recent breakup with longtime partner Ariana Madix to Mandel and Mandels co-host/daughter Jackelyn Shultz. Among the insights from the interview were Sandovals claim that his nine-year relationship was lacking intimacy [and] connection. He elaborated, We would travel more by ourselves than we would together. I would go to weddings by myself, adding, I love Ariana. I still love Ariana and I care about her very much so, but we for a while had been sort of having our own lives. Sandoval also alleged that the couple stayed together in an effort to preserve their brand. We always wanted to make sure and keep the optics that we were a solid and powerful couple, he said. Sandoval went on to claim that, following his lack of intimacy with Madix, having sex with him would be like a 19-year-old [on] his second time. I had no mojo, no game anymore. Cool! During the interview, he also spoke about his first kiss with Raquel Leviss, which happened in the backyard of the home he (still) shares with Madix. (!) It was magnetic, he remembered. I felt something that I hadnt felt in so long, like emotionally. Sandoval additionally corroborated parts of Tom Schwartzs interview on Watch What Happens Live last week, confirming that Schwartz did indeed find out about the affair in August 2022, but pushing back on his timeline of the breakup. Later in the episode, Mandel tries to shave Sandovals mustache for some reason. Watching this interview feels like watching the cursed video from The Ring if I had to see it, so do you. Watch the full interview above. Beef The Great Fabricator / Figures of Light Season 1 Episodes 9 and 10 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * * Previous Next Previous Episode Next Episode Photo: /ANDREW COOPER/NETFLIX Have you noticed that on Beef no one unexpectedly dies? There have been a couple of times where Ive wondered if a character had kicked the bucket, most notably when Fumi fell down the stairs and George got knocked out. In some ways, their deaths would have solved a narrative problem more neatly than having them live on, but Beef isnt interested in neat. It wants its characters to keep living and face the music. Every time I think about how one lands a plane like Beef, I keep thinking that the only way I can predict this shows ending is for Amy and Danny to die. Crash and burn, a giant ball of flame, they go down in hellish glory, etc. But then I must remind myself that the show isnt interested in their death. Its fundamentally interested in portraying their lives with all their flaws and failures. Episode nine, The Great Fabricator, opens with Danny frantically trying to pack to leave for Mexico. Hes accidentally kidnapped June and doesnt know what to do. Paul, who is there with him, isnt much help either. This is just the beginning of their woes; who should suddenly be sprung from prison and come knocking but Isaac? (I think the implication here is that when Amy came clean about everything, she also called the police and told them that the road-rage incident was Danny, not Isaac.) Isaac is murderous with rage; his cousin stole his money and left him to rot in prison. But before he can beat Danny up, he spots June and, thanks to an Amber Alert, puts two and two together, realizing June is Amys daughter. So Isaac hatches a scheme to get his money back before the Filipinos can castrate [him]. (I guess Isaac also owes money?) He calls Amy, who is at Jordan Forsters home on her tour of truth-telling. Jordan doesnt seem to care at all about Amys road-rage incident or her infidelities. It barely registers to her when Amy leaves to take a call, first from George to tell her June has been kidnapped by Danny, and then from Isaac, who demands she comes up with a $500,000 ransom if she wants to see her daughter again. Amy panics; though she would do anything for her daughter, she knows you cant just casually withdraw that kind of cash. She tries to tell Isaac this, but he wont listen, so Amy comes up with a different plan. She tells Isaac to come to Jordans home, which has a collection of ancient crowns. Amy will make sure no one will call the cops so Isaac can go and steal the crowns from Jordans place. I just want to pause here and say this conversation is indicative of so many idiosyncrasies in the characters. First, Jordana Forster is not just the kind of white lady asking if Asians are culturally attentive; shes the kind of white lady who is so wealthy she collects ancient, precious artifacts of sovereignty from other nations. Crazy! Second, if Isaac were a real seasoned criminal, he would know that sure, you can come to steal those crowns, but selling those crowns for cash is a whole different story. Has he not seen the Oceans Eleven movies? For me, its weirdly endearing and confirms that Isaac isnt necessarily an evil mastermind so much as hes a silly, dumb guy who thinks hes an evil mastermind. Isaac agrees to Amys plan. He brings Bobby and Michael and a tied-up Danny and Paul, followed by a totally oblivious June and dog Luca. Danny tries to get Isaac to let June go by rationalizing that Isaacs real beef is with Danny, not Amys daughter, but Isaac refuses June is his only leverage. Meanwhile, Amy calls George and tells him about her deal with Isaac. She needs him to come to Jordans to take June home, and she specifies that he should not call the cops. Even I can tell you that George will immediately call the cops, but I guess the stress is getting to Amy, because she doesnt think twice about involving him. Jordan gives Amy a tour of her crowns and notices Amy is distraught. Thinking the distress is about Amys pending divorce, she tells Amy that everything fades, a direct echo of what Amy told Danny in I Am a Cage. Something resembling a realization breaks across Amys face. Then, with as much ceremony as a game of ding-dong-ditch, the heist begins. Isaac and Michael burst into Jordans house wearing Dick Cheney masks, forcing Naomi, Jordan, and Amy to their knees. They say they want everything in the house worth over $10,000, which Jordan quips is everything in the house, so Isaac and Michael demand more bags, which Naomi gets. (Theyre Goyard! will make me laugh forever.) It seems like the heist will end smoothly as Isaac and Michael clean up, but they hear sirens in the distance. Isaac panics and accuses Amy of calling the cops. This admonition leads Naomi to put two and two together and figure out Amy is involved, but Amy is beyond the point of caring. What ensues is pure and utter chaos. Naomi and Jordan make a break for their panic room. Jordan stumbles while running and, thanks to Naomi preemptively pushing the close button on the panic-room door, gets crushed to death by the steel door. (I take back what I said about no one on Beef dying; only white people die, apparently.) Danny and Paul, who until now were stuck in the van outside with June, Luca, and Bobby, manage to knock Bobby out and put June in Amys car, only to be found by Michael. Danny and Paul are marched at gunpoint back into the house and locked in the outdoor alcove of the Forster home. Amy negotiates to save the Cho brothers by saying shell call George, who shell get to tell the police that it was Danny and Paul who have them hostage, but Amys call with George gets cut short, the cops come in, and a shoot-out occurs. Michael dies, and Isaac and Bobby are marched to police vehicles. Naomi is shaken but fine. Amy, too, is physically unharmed, though shes devastated to learn that George has taken June home and filed an emergency custody order, which also includes a restraining order against Amy. As for Danny and Paul, Danny manages to give Paul a boost over the wall of the alcove theyre locked in. There are so many instances of genuine love from Paul in this episode: when he says he, too, would have taken Isaacs money and left him in jail; when he tells Danny hell look past his mistakes; when he and Danny share a genuine moment of childish joy when Paul successfully scrambles up on the ledge of the wall. But soon, it becomes clear that Danny wont be able to get up there too, so he tells Paul to go without him. Paul refuses, and so Danny pushes him away by confessing the house burned down because of his faulty wiring and that he threw away his college applications. Finally, Paul hears what Danny is saying. Hes been holding him back; like Amy told him on the Las Vegas hotel room floor, Danny is no good for him. Paul drops down from the wall, leaving Danny alone. But just as Danny can breathe a sigh of relief, he hears a cop shouting and two gunshots. He calls for Paul to see if hes still alive, but horrendous silence is the only reply. When Danny manages to shimmy through a grate and escape, Paul is nowhere to be found. Danny steals one of Jordans cars and tries to call Paul, but theres no answer. As he drives, he pulls up next to someone who is also sitting in their car. Its Amy. A chase ensues, reminiscent of the first episodes road-rage incident, but this time its Amy chasing Danny. Together, they drive recklessly in the dark. Its almost romantic when the cars lose control and careen off a cliff, one after the other, taking their drivers down with them. Beefs season finale, Figures of Light, begins with a chase that reminded me of Michael Manns Heat, where Al Pacino and Robert De Niro chase after each other on a darkened airstrip. Somehow mostly unharmed, Amy chases Danny through the dark California underbrush, gun in hand and white coat flaring behind her. It seems like she might have the advantage until Danny ambushes her and pushes her down a hill, where she sprains her ankle. Waking up the next morning with no cell reception, she desperately tries to limp away when she hears rustling in the bushes; she thinks its someone there to save her, but in reality, its just Danny farting into the wind. After shouting at each other from their various perches, they come to an uneasy truce since Amy is hobbled, Danny will carry her while she tries to navigate them to safety. Danny walks around, carrying Amy piggyback as she tries to find their way out of the wilderness. Their dynamic has devolved from grown-up enemies to sibling hostility. Theyre sniping at each other, baiting each other, and for a second it seems like theyll get out of this alive until they stumble across what looks to be the gun Amy had the night before. They wrestle each other for it, and Amy breaks Dannys arm to win it, using a move Paul taught her back in Las Vegas. She waves her gun around and demands Danny go look for edible plants: aloe vera, agave, elderberry. I guess shes qualified to say that sort of thing because she owns a plant business, but the aloe vera and agave combination really feels like something a Los Angeles girl boss would order in a smoothie. Anyway, Danny finds what appears to be elderberries, and the two eat them. For a second, some peace is achieved, but that peace is totally shattered when it turns out that whatever those berries were, they were not elderberries. Theyre poisonous, possibly hallucinogenic, bringing Danny and Amy to their knees to vomit viciously. What follows is a sequence that really shows Yeun, Wong, and Lee Sun Jin on their A game. A sequence where two characters get oddly high in the desert and learn to see past each others facades? Just typing it out sounds corny, but these scenes are far from schmaltz. Yeun and Wong deliver laughter and tears in equal measure as Amy and Danny lapse in and out of lucidity, discussing silly things like why Asians are lactose intolerant. They eventually discuss the deep voids inside of themselves, like how Danny was trying to return hibachi grills meant for his suicide attempt the day Amy flipped him off, or how Amys back tattoo is inspired by Catch-22 because life has always felt like an impossible choice to her. They continue to vomit. Night falls and exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration set in. In their utter defeat and surrender, Amy and Danny curl up side by side like sleeping children. Convinced theyre going to die, they use what they believe to be their last moments to say they see each other. Words simply dont do these scenes justice; the lush, almost velvet quality of the night, the subtle but devastating performances, and the choice to have Yeun and Wong deliver the final minutes of this scenes dialogue in unison and then as each other. Its a beautiful acceptance of each characters circumstances, heartbreak, and limits. But, as I said, Beef isnt interested in Amy and Danny dying. So the two wake up the next morning, laughing, like jubilant children surrounded by piles of their vomit. Theyve found their way to understanding in the night, and together, they climb out of the mountain. Their phones get a signal for a second, and they learn that people are looking for them and that Paul isnt dead. Pauls alive! Leaning on each other for support, they limp down a tunnel and toward the light until who should come running toward them but George. Before Amy can say anything, George raises his gun the same gun that Amy masturbated with, Fumi used on Michael and Bobby when they broke into the Lau house, and George pointed at Danny before Danny accidentally took June. Chekhov, are you watching this? and shoots Danny. The screen fades to black. And yet, Danny, somehow, still is not dead. In the final sequence of Beef, Amy keeps vigil next to Dannys hospital bed, beaten up and in her own hospital gown. Mentally, she replays their first interaction in the Forsters parking lot as if to ask what might have happened if shed never flipped him off, never let her anger out on that fateful day. Amy climbs into Dannys bed and curls up next to him. I said in the first recap that I wanted this to be a rom-com, but we got a love story more complicated than a simple romance. Somehow, these two strangers found each other and engaged in the worst, most awful parts of the other. They played on each others fears, anxieties, depressions, and terrors. But in doing so, they also became less alone. So much so that something like love permeates the screen as Amy clutches Danny. Its not romantic and its not platonic its something deeper. Maybe its that unconditional love Amy was looking for all along. The sun rises, another day dawning on Amy and Danny. As fingers of light reach across the bed, we see Dannys hand curl around Amys back before the show cuts to black for a final time. Whatever happens next, Danny Cho and Amy Lau now have each other. Beef Tips Since watching the finale and writing this recap, video has resurfaced of a 2014 podcast on which David Choe, who plays Isaac, graphically describes coercing a Black woman into sex, a story Choe later said he fabricated, a position hes maintained ever since. As of writing this (April 17, 2023), Netflix, Lee Sung Jin, Steven Yeun, and Ali Wong have not commented on Choes words or the decision to hire him, all of which has me rethinking my enthusiasm for the show. Sexual assault has touched my life in many ways, and I am confident I couldnt have been as effusive about Beef if Id known about Choes words (and potential actions), especially if Yeun, Wong, and Lee knew and still decided to feature him prominently in the series. US expands Russia sanctions 12 April, 09:15 PM Vladimir Putin and Alisher Usmanov (Photo:kremlin.ru) The United States has introduced additional sanctions against Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov and the International Investment Bank in Budapest, Hungary, the U.S. Treasury Department announced in a press release on April 12 The announcement said new restrictions are aimed at individuals and entities helping Moscow evade pre-existing Western economic and financial sanctions. Usmanov is often referred to as Putins favorite oligarch, and has ties to other senior Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev. Video of day Usmanov is known to be close to multiple U.S.-designated, senior Russian officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Dmitry Medvedev, current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia and former President and Prime Minister of Russia, the message reads. Read also: Biden extends sanctions against Russia for one year The list of sanctioned entities includes 120 organizations and individuals across 20 countries, including Usmanov-controlled Metaloinvest metallurgy company and Russias Megafon mobile operator. Read also: Budapest mayor criticizes Hungarian government for making gas deals with Putin The Budapest-based International Investment Bank (IIB) is a Russia-controlled financial institution. The IIBs presence in Budapest enables Russia to increase its intelligence presence in Europe, opens the door for the Kremlins malign influence activities in Central Europe and the Western Balkans, and could serve as a mechanism for corruption and illicit finance, including sanctions violations, the Treasury explains the rationale behind sanctioning the bank. Read also: Biden extends sanctions against Russia for one year Additionally, the list includes Chinese company China HEAD Aerospace Technology, which purportedly supplied satellite imagery reconnaissance to associates of the Wagner Group and its owner Yevgeny Prigozhin. Lichtenstein-based Sequoia Treuhand Trust Reg trust services company was targeted for serving the interests of some of Putins closest allies, such as Gennady Timchenko. Earlier media reports suggested the Uzbekistan was lobbying the EU to lift sanctions from Usmanov. 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 You know, the Irish and the Italians arent really that dissimilar. Consider these stereotypes: predominantly Catholic, know how to hold a grudge, hate the English, are known for their skill at cursing, and have all sorts of weird superstitions. Oh, and they are both hopelessly devoted to their mothers and dont usually move out of the house until they get married. The only difference? Well, have you ever been to an Irish restaurant? I thought not. Okay, fine, theyre nothing alike aside from the Jesus bit, but Im trying to make a connection here because our favorite Italians are off to my motherland. Ireland is a strange trip for these ladies, who are always banging on about their Mediterranean roots. Why not just send them to Florence or something? What ITA Airways didnt want to spend as much as Aer Lingus to get the whole cast plus production plus the extra plane just to carry all the hair extensions, so instead were off to Ireland, the homeland of Doloress pasty prince, Paulie? He gives Do some excellent advice as they prepare for the trip. He says, If you start singing, theyll sing along. If you start fighting, theyll fight along. Ive never seen Teresa try her pipes at Danny Boy, but I have seen her flip a table, so I know how this one ends. Upon arrival at the airport, Meghan King Edmonds, P.I., greets everyone with a tap on the shoulder. Youre my cousin now. Youre my cousin now. Youre my cousin now, she says as they each file toward their Sprinter van. Its a hot car ride to the 400-year-old castle where theyre staying. We find out that Jen Fessler used to fuck James Gandolfini, and this is the most Italian thing to ever happen on the Emerald Isle. I dont have much to add to this other than you better Tony that fucking Soprano, Jenf. As they pull up to Ballinlough Castle, the women shout, Oh, theres staff for us, like its Downton Abbey and the butlers and ladies maids are all lined up for them with their white gloves. No, its just Suzie and Emma, two girls from the local village, shivering in their polo shirts in the balmy Irish summer. Inside, the castle looks pretty grand, but the decor is giving me Grandma Moylans house ten years after she died and no one has changed a wallpaper, a four-poster bed, a chintz wall covering, or a bit of lace on a vanity. When were these rooms decorated? Was it in commemoration of Joan Collinss first face-lift? It feels a bit like the whole cast is about to audition for The Traitors season two. (Rachel is definitely a traitor and will win the whole damn thing.) At lunch, the conversation turns to Jennifers tea-reading party last episode, which nine out of ten dentists agree was so fake that it would give you cavities. Jen finally admits that she called her the night before and might have said things to her that skewed her psychic perceptions. Um, yeah. That or you just wrote her a whole damn script complete with the word endorsement and all this shit about Marges ex-friend Laura. Once the conversation turns to Laura, who is haunting this season like the spirit of a milkmaid forced into a Magdelene laundry certainly haunts this castle, the table goes into a tizzy. Danielle wants to know just what Laura said, and considering everyone rode her about the real story behind her and her brothers bust-up, that seems like a very fair request. Jen says that she said things that I would never repeat. This is the problem right here. If she tells the group there are things she cant say, thats worse than saying the things that she said. Its like when Kim Richards brought up the vague specter of Harry Hamlin at that famous Amsterdam dinner. If they dont say what it is, our minds just wander and we dream up all sorts of insane scenarios rather than what might be a rather lackluster truth. Lauras name is dropped, but in their confessionals, Danielle and Jen have a lot to say about Marges reaction. Jen says that Marge is mad that Laura talked to her. Well, yes, probably, because Laura has an axe to grind and maybe is making up stories about Margaret. Danielle says that every time Lauras name comes up, she sees a rise in Margaret. Well, yes, probably, again, because she may be making up stories about Margaret. They think this proves that Margaret did something bad, but maybe its just proof that Margaret hates Laura, a hatred that might be valid, but we have nothing to go off of. Just like with Danielle and her brother, we have no idea what happened between Margaret and this Laura character whom we have never met, possibly refuses to film (or Marge wont allow her to film), and could just make up anything she wants and Jen and Teresa would believe it because they hate Margaret so much. We cant assess who Laura is, what she knows, or how true she is being because were learning everything about her secondhand and in little dribs and drabs. Again, all the good stuff is happening off-camera. After lunch, Danielle hits up Jennifers room because she needs to know what Laura said. Sis, I would have done the same, so game recognizes game. Jennifer tells her she doesnt want to spill the gossip beans because something very similar was done to me last year and I dont want to be a hypocrite. Yeah, but even by saying she knows something, Jennifer is advertising that it will come out. Even if she doesnt say it, one of us Bravoholics will dig it up. But these sorts of rumors are always a bit of Chekovs gun, and if the producers are showing us, then you know that it will explode just like James Gandolfini in Jennifer Fessler. Sorry, I couldnt help myself. Then Jennifer caves and spills like a drunken butler. Yeah, so Jennifer is a hypocrite. Also, shes coming after Melissa to get revenge on Marge? Jen needs to go to my favorite big-box store because she clearly has no idea what a Target is or how to aim for one. Jennifer says that what she heard was about Melissa. Jen says that Laura says that Marge says that some guy she knows opened the back door of a car, and Melissa was in there making out with another dude. The problem with this method of delivery which Americans would call a game of telephone, but the English would call Chinese whispers because they invented colonialism and refuse to give it up is that it is completely robbed of context. Apparently, the guy who saw it was someone who worked with both Marge and Laura. So did Marge tell her this like, Oh, you know Mike from accounts, who is such a fucking liar? He told me he saw Melissa making out with a guy in a car. Can you believe that? Thats very different from Margaret saying, OMG, Melissa is totally cheating on Joe and I have proof! But we dont know which it is. Danielle thinks that this is the truth and that Margaret has some arsenal of information that she is using to keep all of the women in line, and if they piss her off, she spreads rumors. Um, no, this is not proof of an arsenal. Thats like seeing someone eating a Snickers on the subway and thinking, Wow, they must own a candy factory. One dumb rumor that may or may not have even been from Marge does not an arsenal make. The real problem is that when Laura told them, both Jennifer and Teresa believed it. That night is the big bachelorette party for Teresa in Dublin, the highlight of which was Jackies limerick about Jen Aydin. Teresa deserves a good time because her first bachelorette party was just seeing some male strippers in Long Island. Apparently, one of them was named Adele Dazeem. Jenf asks a benign question about why Teresa decided to add Dolores and Jennifer as bridesmaids. Oh, Jenf. There are no easy questions in this game. Before the gals have even left for Ireland, this topic comes up. Danielle has a pop-up event (which is what I call a spontaneous erection) at Melissas store in New Jersey to sell her line, Boujie Kidz, for the non-speller in you. Jennifer Aydin comes by and asks Melissa if it was weird for her that Teresa made her and Dolores bridesmaids but not her. Melissa says she didnt care and she would never change her mind. She tells Jen, [Teresa] always blames everything on me, not the fact that she started this and she created the life were all living. I am interested in this statement and will give it a close read. Yes, Teresa blames everything on Melissa; that is canon. Its still unclear who started it; some would say Melissa and Joe by going on the show, and some would say Teresa for just, you know, being herself. I want to focus on she created the life were all living. Does Melissa mean the life between the two families and their estrangement, or does she mean were all living like Teresa created the life theyre all living on the show, and she should somehow apologize for that? Im not sure what she means, but I think its revealing either way. Back at the bachelorette party, Teresa explains that Dolores and Jen have always supported her and Luis. Perfect answer, no notes. Four stars, would recommend. But, like most Yelp reviews, Teresa doesnt know when to stop. She then says she was nervous about asking them because she didnt want another thing with her brother. Okay, this is a can of worms that Teresa opened, poured on Melissas head, and then said, in her best Steve Urkel voice, Did I do that? And if those worms werent enough, Teresa then says she didnt want another thing, like with your mom. Great, another batch of worms for Melissa. Wait, Missy G really is trying out to be on The Traitors. Teresa goes back to her old excuse that if Joe had only told her that Melissas mom wasnt invited to the wedding, then she would have invited her. But that isnt the point. Its like if your husband doesnt say, I love you for three weeks. Then you say, Why dont you say I love you? and he says, Well, you never asked. The answer isnt in the act but in the intention. Teresa never intended to invite Melissas mother or make her brother happy and now shes blaming Joe, the very person aggrieved. In her confessional, Rachel says that Teresa is just pouring gasoline on this whole fight by doubling down on this bullshit excuse. To her credit, Melissa is calmly asking her questions and will eventually waive the whole thing off. This season she seems as resigned as a disgraced congressman who needs to spend more time with his family. Teresa says, Im the coolest sister, but then you try to make me look bad. I never throw him under the bus, but he will throw me under the bus. What? She literally threw him under the bus when she said he should have told her to invite the mother. I mean, she just did it and she doesnt even recognize it. She then says, This is the happiest time of my life. My brother should make this my happy time. Oh, dont start with the shoulds, Teresa. You should have invited Melissas mother. (Debatable, but Joe and Missy think she should have.) You should have stood up for your sister-in-law when Laura talked shit about her. You should have told Jennifer, under pain of death, that she never bring it up on-camera. You should take accountability for your actions. You should tell everyone the truth. You should get your lip fillers deflated a little bit. You should do a lot of things, but you wont. You never, ever will, and that is the reason why you are stuck with a red-faced yoga demon until you eventually divorce him and he takes half of everything because, guess what, you really should have gotten a prenup. Belarus calls for ceasefire in Ukraine 12 April, 09:19 PM Sergiy Aleynik (Photo:Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus) Belarus, Moscows closest ally, calls for an immediate truce between Russia and Ukraine, and urges the belligerents to negotiate instead, Belarussian Foreign Ministry said in a Twitter post on April 12. Belarus stance on Ukraine is clear: it is necessary to stop the death of people, immediately declare a truce and start negotiations, and the sooner the better, the post quotes the countrys Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik. Aleinik adds that Belarus and Hungary are on the side of peace, and claims that Minsk will keep trying to de-escalate the conflict. Video of day Since the very beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has made its territory available for Russian forces to launch continued attacks on Ukrainian cities. The minister then repeated the claim that the United States is responsible for the war in Ukraine. We consider the reasons for the start of the conflict in Ukraine to be complex, but we are convinced that it was provoked & stirred up by the United States & its satellites, the official said. They benefit from the situation, whilst everyone else bears the costs. On numerous occasions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that negotiations with Moscow will be possible once Russian troops withdraw from Ukrainian territory. Washington assesses that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin isnt prepared to engage in substantial peace talks for now. 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 Move follows spate of protests in Italy by climate activists. The Italian government on Tuesday unveiled measures to crack down on those who damage or deface monuments and heritage sites, proposing fines of up to 60,000. The move comes amid a series of attacks on cultural landmarks and artworks in Italy by activists demanding more government action to tackle the climate crisis. The bill, subject to approval by parliament, was proposed by culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano following the recent attack by so-called 'eco vandals' on the 17th-century Barcaccia fountain in Rome. "Those who carry out these acts must also accept financial responsibility," stated Sangiuliano, noting that it cost authorities around 40,000 to clean up a spray paint attack on the Italian senate earlier this year. Climate activists dye the water black in the 17th-century Barcaccia fountain at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome.pic.twitter.com/1nmfpxK4BJ Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) April 1, 2023 Under the proposed new law, proceeds from the fines would be used to clean and restore monuments that are defaced or damaged during the protests, many of which have been carried out by members of a collective known as Ultima Generazione. The group's spokesperson Simone Ficicchia told news agency Adnkronos: "We are all very surprised that, instead of dealing with the climate crisis, the government is increasingly active in promoting ad hoc laws to punish non-violent actions put in place by people concerned about everyone's future". The blitz at the Barcaccia fountain, which saw its waters dyed black on 1 April, was the latest in a string of actions by climate activists in Rome and Milan, from staging road blocks in rush hour traffic to gluing their hands to artworks. Approvato in Cdm un disegno di legge per contrastare i sempre piu frequenti fenomeni di vandalismo che colpiscono i beni culturali e paesaggistici, aggiungendo sanzioni amministrative a quelle penali. Chi danneggia il nostro patrimonio artistico non puo e non deve farla franca. pic.twitter.com/wayIRuBAEt Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) April 12, 2023 Last month Florence mayor Dario Nardella intervened personally to tackle activists as they sprayed paint over the facade of Palazzo Vecchio. Climate activists have also made headlines for spraying paint on La Scala opera house as well as emptying bags of flour over Andy Warhol's painted car in Milan and throwing pea soup onto a Van Gogh masterpiece in Rome. Last summer they made international news by gluing themselves to the protective glass in front of Botticelli's Primavera at the Uffizi in Florence. Same bear attacked two people in 2020. Forest rangers are hunting down a bear that killed a 26-year-old jogger in the autonomous north Italian province of Trentino last week, after DNA tests confirmed the animal's identity on Wednesday. The president of Trentino, Maurizio Fugatti of the right-wing Lega party, has ordered rangers to kill the wild animal, a 17-year-old female known to authorities as JJ4. The bear was identified after tests were carried out on bloodied tree branch, believed to have been used by jogger Andrea Papi in an attempt to defend himself in the attack on 5 April. The same animal attacked a father and son hiking on Monte Peller in 2020, prompting Fugatti at the time to order that the bear be killed, a decision subsequently overturned by a court. The bear was fitted with a radio collar however the device no longer shows the animal's whereabouts, reports news agency ANSA. The family of Papi, whose funeral takes place on Wednesday, says it intends to sue the Italian state and the province of Trento for having reintroduced bears in Trentino without adequate consultation with communities living in the area. This is the first case of a bear killing a human since the wild animals were reintroduced in Trentino after being imported from Slovenia in 1999 as part of the Life Ursus project. The scheme had originally envisaged about 50 bears in the province but the population has since swelled to around 100 animals, some of which are deemed "problematic" by regional authorities. Fugatti repeated claims this week that the project has "got out of hand" and called for bear numbers to be reduced to "an adequate level" to guarantee coexistence with local communities. The Italian environment ministry said this week that it is studying plans for a "mass transfer" of bears from Trentino to other parts of Italy. File photo Shutterstock Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share It has taken eight years, cost more than 200,000 lives and drained the exchequer of tens of billions of dollars, but Mohammed bin Salman is hoping nobody will notice that his first foray into foreign policy has been an utter failure. As he seeks a peace with Yemens Houthi militia, Saudi Arabias crown prince and de facto ruler would prefer that we all pay attention to his growing stature as a player in international affairs. In the Saudi telling of the tale, the prince is merely getting out of a minor entanglement, the better to engage with great-power geopolitics. Why spar with Shiite rebels over control of the kingdoms impoverished southern neighbor, when he can apply himself to matters of worldwide import, such as setting the price of oil and playing the US, China and Russia off each other? The narrative out of Riyadh converges with a common perception in Washington foreign policy circles that MBS, as the prince is known, is simply (and smartly) responding to changing American foreign policy priorities. As a succession of presidents have made it their business to disencumber the US from the Middle East, Saudi Arabia can no longer rely on the American security umbrella and must make alternative arrangements such as reach an accommodation with Iran and pull out of the quagmire in Yemen. Advertisement But this ignores the reality that the prince, as much as any president, is responsible for the weakening of the ties that have bound Riyadh and Washington for the best part of eight decades. Since his ascent to power, which began with his fathers accession to the throne in 2015, MBS has repeatedly shown himself to be an unwise leader and unreliable partner. His reckless behavior consider the brutal treatment of rivals at home and the detention of Lebanons prime minister, to take just two examples made him suspect in American eyes long before the murder of the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Then there was his needless conflict with Qatar, an important US ally, and more recently, his manipulation of oil prices against American economic interests. The Saudis have had cause for complaint: President Biden, for one, didnt help the relationship by threatening to make the prince a pariah and seeking compromise with Iran. But the position MBS finds himself in today is to a great extent his own doing. Advertisement The humiliation in Yemen is a good example. MBS was just 30 years old and newly appointed defense minister when he chose to interject in the civil war. His goal was to prevent a Houthi government across the kingdoms southern border: The militia had ties to Iran, Saudi Arabias historic enemy. Leading an Arab coalition that included the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, MBS hoped to bolster the internationally recognized Yemeni government and defeat the Houthis. The coalitions military operations were given grand names Decisive Storm and Restoring Hope and MBS was confident their goals could be achieved in a matter of months, and with very few boots on the ground. The Houthis would be isolated by a sea blockade and bombed into submission from the air. The US provided intelligence and logistics support, as well as weapons systems to the Saudis and Emiratis. MBSs larger goal was to inaugurate an era of muscular Saudi foreign policy, directed mainly at Iran. The prince saw his predecessors as having been too cautious, to the point of timidity, in their dealings with the old enemy. The new man in Riyadh would show the theocrats in Tehran that their threats by proxy would meet a forceful response. Advertisement That is not how it played out, however. Within a couple of years, it became clear that airpower would not defeat the Houthis. As the war dragged on, Yemen became what the World Food Programme called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with several hundred thousand civilians killed and millions made homeless. But the militia remained uncowed. Rather than warn off Iran, the conflict deepened the Islamic Republics involvement. Thanks to supplies of missiles and drones from Tehran, the Houthis developed an aerial threat of their own, capable of striking deep into Saudi territory and damaging its oil infrastructure. After attacks on Saudi production facilities in the fall of 2019 knocked out roughly 5% of global oil supply and caused prices to spike, MBS was prepared to throw in the towel. But the Houthis, now firmly under Iranian patronage, had the upper hand and were not ready to let up. They only agreed to a United Nations-brokered ceasefire last year. Advertisement By then, MBS was crying uncle. With Iraqi mediation, the Saudis began talks with the Iranians, with the goal of ending their seven-year diplomatic freeze. Last month, the two sides announced an agreement to normalize relations. The rapprochement caught the US by surprise: According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration was blindsided by Riyadhs agreement with Tehran. The deal is a major triumph for Iran and, by extension, its Yemeni proxy. For good measure, Riyadh has also signaled its willingness to make nice with another of Tehrans clients: Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Tellingly, the Saudi negotiators have had to go to Sanaa to plead for terms to end the kingdoms involvement. What can they hope to get? MBSs aim of reinstating the internationally recognized Yemeni government seems a nearly forgotten dream. Instead, high on the Saudi list of requests is a buffer zone between the two countries and even that is no more than a fig leaf, given the Houthis growing arsenal of missiles and drones. Advertisement No matter how they spin it in Riyadh, this is a humiliation for MBS. And the prince has only himself to blame. More From Bloomberg Opinion: A Flirtation With China Wont Rock the US-Saudi Marriage: Hussein Ibish The Devils in the Details of Putins Oil Output Cut: Julian Lee OPEC+ Isnt Panicking About Oils Sudden Drop Yet: Javier Blas This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering foreign affairs. Previously, he was editor in chief at Hindustan Times, managing editor at Quartz and international editor at Time. 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 SANTIAGO, Chile Chiles Congress on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to reduce the work week from 45 to 40 hours over five years, a decision hailed by the left-wing government as a breakthrough for workers rights. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The measure passed the lower house 127-14, after being unanimously approved by the Senate three weeks ago. President Gabriel Boric, who took office in March 2022 after making the measure a campaign promise, was expected to sign it into law before May 1. Yes, changes can be made to advance workers rights, Labor Minister Jeannette Jara said after the vote, which came six years after the law was initially presented. It was the second time Chile has reduced its work week. The first was in 2005, when it was cut from 48 to 45 hours. Ana Camayo, a 54-year-old manicurist who works in a department store, said the law is fantastic for women over 30 who have children, referring to herself and her colleagues. She said the extra free time will be spent with her family. Advertisement The reduced work week initially was proposed by communist lawmakers in 2017, but the proposal languished for years. New momentum came after about 200 roundtable sessions between workers and employers of large, medium and small companies and the government. The law is intended to allow Chilean workers to be more rested and happy, said opposition lawmaker Emilia Schneider. Once signed by Boric, the law will be applied in three stages: the first year, the work week will be reduced to 44 hours, the third year to 42, and the fifth year to 40. Employers will have the option of reducing work hours ahead of schedule. Chile will join Ecuador, which already has a 40-hour work week. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share MEXICO CITY A Mexican tourist has been shot to death in the Caribbean coast resort of Tulum in a dramatic robbery at a U.S. chain coffee shop, prosecutors and police said Tuesday. The tourist apparently refused to hand over an expensive watch he was wearing, and was shot by the robbers. Video of the killing posted on social media Tuesday showed men with motorcycle helmets burst into the coffee shop at gunpoint Monday. Another man in the video, reportedly the victims bodyguard, then took out a pistol and opened fire on the robber, who fled. The bodyguard chased the robber toward the street and kept firing at him through the stores door. Police in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said one of the thieves fled was wounded and later arrested at a local hospital. State Prosecutor Oscar Montes de Oca said the bodyguard had been released because he had a weapons permit, and may have been acting in self defense. Advertisement It was the latest chapter of continuing violence on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of the countrys tourism industry. Last week, four men in Cancun, north of Tulum , were killed in a dispute related to drug gang rivalries. Drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname Pantera, or the Panther, was being sought in connection with the killings. The dead men were found 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. A U.S. tourist was shot in the leg in the nearby town of Puerto Morelos in March. 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, in 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. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Puerto Ricos governor declared a state of emergency on Tuesday to fight worsening coastal erosion across the U.S. territory that officials blame on climate change. The government is setting aside $105 million in federal funds to implement nearly two dozen measures to offset the ongoing loss of land and minimize its effects. The measures include relocating homes, creating artificial reefs, planting mangrove trees and adding sand to beaches. This is an ambitious agenda, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said at a press conference. Puerto Rico has nearly 700 miles (1,200 kilometers) of coastline, and two-thirds of the islands 3.2 million resident live along coastal areas. Of that population, more than 20% live in areas at high risk for flooding. A study by the University of Puerto Rico found that more than 60 miles (99 kilometers) of shoreline have migrated inland in previous years. Much of the erosion is blamed on storms including Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that slammed into the island in September 2017, with experts warning that future storms will be more powerful and occur more often. Advertisement By July 2018, erosion was identified in 40% of Puerto Ricos beaches and accretion, which is the accumulation of sand, was found in 60% of beaches, according to the Institute of Coastal Investigation and Planning of Puerto Rico. The measures announced Tuesday will be implemented in municipalities that have been hit the hardest, including Rincon, Cabo Rojo, Isabela and the neighboring sister island of Vieques, all extremely popular with tourists. The islands Department of Natural Resources also was ordered to create a new protocol to deal with coastal erosion and update its coastal zone management plan. Other measures include the creation of a committee charged with fighting coastal erosion, the demolition of abandoned coastal structures and the demarcation of public domain assets in the maritime-terrestrial zone. The announcement comes as activists and environmentalists continue to demand a moratorium on coastal zone construction and decry an increase in illegal coastal structures, some of which judges have ordered demolished. Pierluisi said he would not rule out such a moratorium, but only for certain areas. GiftOutline Gift Article Putin personally approved arrest of WSJ reporter 12 April, 11:06 PM Evan Gershkovich (Photo:The Moscow Times/Handout via REUTERS) Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has personally approved the arrest of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, Bloomberg reported on April 12, citing sources familiar with the matter. Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg on March 29, accused of spying on behalf of the United States. This is the first time Moscow charged a foreign journalist with spying in 37 years. The sources told Bloomberg that the suggestion to arrest Gershkovich came from senior Russian security officials. Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov previously said the Russian president had nothing to with the decision, despite the FSB security service being under his direct control. Video of day The Russian presidents endorsement of the move reflects the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible, the article says. Yekaterinburg-based PR expert Yaroslav Shyrshykov, who accompanied Gershkovich at the time, said the journalist was working on an article about Russias Wagner Group private military company and its involvement in the war in Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal has subsequently denied the accusations and demanded Gershkovich be immediately released. Washington has designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, meaning that the State Department can now negotiate to have the journalist released. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the family of the WSJ journalist, assuring them that Washington is doing everything possible to return him home as soon as possible. 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 President Biden formalized his intent to seek another term with a video announcement, underlining his ambition to turn what he had once pitched as a transitional presidency into something more transformational. MORE COVERAGE Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia Three suspected Uzbek militants escaped from an immigration detention center in Indonesias capital after fatally stabbing an officer and seriously injuring four others, police said Wednesday. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Two were later recaptured and the third drowned in a canal while being pursued by police, said Aswin Siregar, operations chief of the elite counterterrorism police group known as Densus 88. The three men were among four Uzbek nationals detained by Densus 88 on March 24 following a tip from Uzbekistans state security service that they were believed to be members of the al-Qaida-linked militant group Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, Siregar said. He said they arrived in Indonesia from Turkey in February and authorities detected that they were spreading propaganda and recruiting followers on social media. They were detained and held in an immigration detention center in western Jakarta while awaiting deportation proceedings. Advertisement Three of men broke through the ceiling of their detention room on Monday and attacked officers who were having their predawn meal during the Ramadan fasting month, Siregar said. The fourth man did not join the escape attempt and remained in custody, he said. He said an immigration officer was fatally stabbed after the three men grabbed knifes from a pantry. Four officers, including two Densus 88 members, were hospitalized with serious injuries, he said. A preliminary investigation showed that the attack was triggered by fears among the men that they would be deported to their home country after they were visited by consular officers from the Uzbekistan Embassy, Siregar said. They had tried to flee because they did not want to be sent back to Uzbekistan and face harsher punishment, Siregar said, We are still investigating this case, but they will be tried in Indonesia for the killing. Advertisement He said two of the suspects had traveled to Syria and joined a militant training camp there. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since bombings on the tourist island of Bali in 2002 by the Jemaah Islamiyah network killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. The network was neutralized following the arrests of hundreds of its members. But new threats have emerged from Islamic State group-inspired radicals who have targeted security forces and local infidels instead of Westerners. Since March 2022, Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, a splinter faction of the Uzbek-led militant organization Jannat Oshiklari, has been on a U.N. Security Council sanctions list for being associated with al-Qaida. The Security Council said the group has about 500 fighters and operates under the umbrella of the international extremist organization al-Nusrah Front in the Syrian provinces of Hama, Idlib and Ladhiqiyah. In 2016, the group organized an attack on the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, according to the U.N. The sanctions imposed by the Security Council include a travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. GiftOutline Gift Article No matter how many decades it takes for the squillion-dollar AUKUS nuclear submarines to hit the water, the big security agreement will be a rainmaker for the defence industry and its lobbyists. Among those getting in on the action is former defence minister Christopher Pyne, an old Canberra favourite who now heads booming lobbying shop Pyne and Partners. Last week, Liberal Senator James Paterson and Labor MP Meryl Swanson were among a bipartisan defence industry delegation in Washington DC and New York whose flights, accommodation and incidentals were all covered by Pyne and Partners. CBD hears Pyne contacted Paterson and Swanson in putting together the delegation, which included representatives from firms that are already big suppliers to the Australian Defence Force and US military. The delegation was afforded top-notch access to key figures in the US military and national security establishment, including President Joe Bidens Asia tsar Kurt Campbell, US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, and various members of Congress. Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on the workplace, career and leadership in her advice column Got a Minute? This week: a very smelly colleague, how to leave a job that makes you unhappy, and how to leave a job that makes you too comfortable. My colleague has terrible personal hygiene, and I am not convinced they wear deodorant at all. Everyone in the office talks about it behind their back but no one wants to say anything. We really like our colleague but the smell is so bad it makes it hard for anyone to want to spend time with them, and we all try and find ways to avoid them having contact with clients. What should we do? Its an awkward conversation but it needs to happen. Credit: Dionne Gain Having to have a delicate conversation with someone about a topic like this is a situation no one wants to find themselves in, but someone is going to need to. My recommendation is to find whoever they are closest to and trust at work, and see if that person might broach the issue. If you say something like With this hot weather, I have needed to use stronger deodorant. I just wanted to mention this because we are mates, and you might want to check yours too. Even as I write this my stomach churns at the thought of having to say it, however, it is not fair to your colleague that people are talking about them, and it may be an issue that can be resolved. The bottom line is, if you care about your colleague, see if you can find a way to raise this with them compassionately, privately and in a way that leaves them understanding the issue but not feeling they have been personally attacked. I have a full-time job working in a customer call centre. While some callers are great, they are rare and basically, I listen to people complaining all day. I hate my job and I think about quitting multiple times a day. I know lots of my colleagues hate their jobs as well, so you can imagine the mood in our office and our supervisor seems just as unhappy. While I would quit tomorrow, the sad fact is I cant afford to and when I have looked around, the only other roles I seem to be offered are also in call centres. How do I get out of this situation and make a change? Not only are you completely sick and tired of your job, but it sounds like you may be experiencing burn out as well. It doesnt help you are not getting any support from anyone you work with, including your boss. First, please seek any support you can from an EAP provider, if that is on offer. The easy answer would be for me to suggest you get a job any job and get out of there. However, I appreciate financially it doesnt sound like an option. It also sounds like you are not too sure what you would do, if you could, either. So, that is my question for you when you are laying in bed at night dreading going into work the next day, what is it you imagine you would love to be doing? Once you start to visualise some ideas you will find it easier to make conscious and unconscious choices to get there. Loading I realise none of this is a quick solution and sadly, you are also not alone. In recent research, which should make your supervisor and anyone else leading teams like yours act to stem the crisis, 45 per cent of frontline workers in Australia say they are stressed at work at least half the time and 53 per cent say they feel emotionally drained. In addition, 40 per cent of Australian frontline workers consider quitting their jobs multiple times a month. We need to see cultural change in workplaces like yours. That means allowing you to continue in roles in ways that do not cause burnout or else helping provide pathways and skill development to rotate you through different roles. When I started in my job six years ago, I loved it. I was able to experiment with new ways of working, suggest improvements and basically explore a whole new way of tackling complex problems. Now though, my job has become mundane and routine. There is no excitement and I couldnt be bothered looking for new ways to do things. I know I probably need a new role, but it is so comfortable here it is hard to change. Any advice? I think you already know what you need to do. It sounds like you have lost all that initial curiosity and fresh thinking that came with a new role and need a new challenge to spark that fire again. You can be reassured in knowing you are very normal in this respect. One research study showed that we lose 20 per cent of our levels of curiosity after just six months in a new job. It is a staggering statistic and a reminder that we all need to make sure we work hard to mix things up however we can. The great thing about curiosity is even if it feels like it is dormant now, it is always there, waiting to be unleashed. You just need a new role to find that fire again. Change is hard but well and truly worth it. Internal emails have revealed Western Australias environmental regulator called an eleventh-hour meeting with the mines department to flag the risks a Rio Tinto exploration bid posed to drinking water after finding out about it on Facebook. The regulatory gap that allowed the plans to bypass the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the Water Corporation despite extending into safeguarded public drinking water areas was exposed after the correspondence was released to the WA Forest Alliance under freedom of information laws. The permit application lodged over parts of the northern jarrah forest managed to slip past the environmental regulator. Credit: Dave Osborne Rio Tinto applied for exploration permits over 10 tenements spanning 107,000 hectares of the northern jarrah forest with the Department of Mines to survey the area for battery minerals back in February 2022. The search extended into sites Alcoa and South32 have rights to under state agreements, but it also extended into seven priority one public drinking water source areas and six reservoir protection zones. Spain to send Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine within days, minister says 13 April, 12:55 AM Leopard 2 tank (Photo:REUTERS/Ints Kalnins) The Spanish government will deliver six Leopard-2A4 main battle tanks to Ukraine in the coming days, while four more vehicles are still being refurbished, Defense Minister Margarita Robles told Spanish newspaper El Pais on April 12. In the next few days, six Leopard-2A4 (tanks) will depart to Ukraine, said Robles. She specified the delivery will be made by sea and will be complete by end of April. Read also: Ukrainian soldiers complete training in Spain Besides the tanks, Spain will transfer 20 armored personnel carriers, according to the minister. There are four other Leopards that are already under repair so that they can be delivered as soon as possible, Robles concluded. Video of day Spain has trained 40 Ukrainian tankers and 15 mechanics to operate and maintain German-made Leopard tanks at a military base in Zaragoza. 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 South Australian senator Kerrynne Liddle, the only Indigenous MP in the Liberals, has backed Opposition Leader Peter Duttons contentious call to block the Voice to parliament. The senator, who has a close relationship with Dutton and advises him, said the proposed constitutional alteration allowing the Voice to lobby ministers and bureaucrats on matters relating to Indigenous people meant the body could advocate on anything because all policies related to Indigenous people in some way. Senator Kerrynne Liddle was a broadcast journalist, small business operator and resources executive before entering parliament last year. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Voice proponents and legal experts argue the body will focus on matters that have a particular impact on Indigenous Australians, but Liddle argued the wording handed Indigenous people extraordinary rights. The scope is far too wide and it gives Indigenous people a benefit above and beyond other Australians in the founding document, she said in an interview. We keep hearing from people who have been involved in this process that all Aboriginal people believe in the Voice. London: Prince Harry will attend his fathers coronation next month at Westminister Abbey, but will travel to Britain without his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and their two children. The pairs attendance had been subject to weeks of speculation following their Netflix documentary, the release of Harrys memoir Spare in early January and a string of television interviews which deepened rifts in his family. In a statement on Wednesday (UK time), Buckingham Palace confirmed the duke would join more than 2000 guests at the service on May 6, including public figures, world leaders and 450 representatives of charities and community groups. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Palace said. New York: The judge overseeing the $1.6 billion ($2.4 billion) defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News said on Wednesday he was imposing a sanction on the network and very likely would investigate whether Foxs legal team withheld evidence, the New York Times reported. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis issued the sanction after Dominions lawyers revealed instances in which Foxs attorneys did not turn over evidence in a timely manner, the Times reported. Rupert Murdoch could be called to the witness stand as soon as Monday in the US. Credit: Rob Homer This evidence included recordings made by a former Fox employee of Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for former president Donald Trump, saying before pre-taped Fox appearances that he did not have any evidence to back up the false allegations of election-rigging by Dominion in the 2020 race that are at the heart of the lawsuit. Murdoch is expected to be called to the witness stand in Dominion Voting Systems defamation suit against his company as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter. Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is taking significant steps towards modernizing its Customs processes in collaboration with the WCO Anti-Corruption & Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme, supported by funding from the Government of Canada. This move reflects the GRA's commitment to enhancing its Customs activities with by promoting integrity and preventing corruption, in accordance with the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration. As part of the A-CIP Programmes activities, WCO experts conducted a diagnostic mission on Customs Valuation. The mission aimed to assess the alignment of valuation practices with the World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements and standards, identify competency gaps, map integrity risks and make recommendations for modernizing valuation practices. This is in line with the WCO Revised Arusha Declarations key factor on Regulatory Framework, which advocates for the adoption of harmonized international standards so that Customs formalities can proceed without undue burden. Over five days, WCO experts met with key areas of the GRA involved in Customs Valuation, including a site visit to the Georgetown seaport. They also held a meeting with the Customs Brokers Association to identify areas for improvement, noting the private sectors participation in the Customs Integrity Perception Survey (CIPS) conducted last year under the Programme. GRA's senior officials participated in the meeting and discussed issues from a solution-oriented perspective. During the closing remarks, the Association's President described the meeting as an unprecedented initiative, and the Deputy Commissioner of Customs emphasized the need for more regular meetings. On the last day of the mission, the WCO experts presented the key findings and recommendations to the Commissioner of Customs and a group of GRA`s senior officials. The Commissioner highlighted the significance of embedding integrity in core Customs processes such as Valuation to ensure that their operations are efficient and effective, while complying with international standards. GRA recognizes that this integrity initiative is crucial to facilitating trade and enhancing economic growth in Guyana. For more information, please contact : capacity.building@wcoomd.org. China's Q1 new yuan loans hit record high of 10.6 trln yuan Xinhua) 08:08, April 12, 2023 BEIJING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China's new yuan-denominated loans hit a record high of 10.6 trillion yuan (about 1.54 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first quarter of the year, up 2.27 trillion yuan from a year ago, central bank data showed Tuesday. In March, new yuan-denominated loans totaled 3.89 trillion yuan. The figure showed an increase of 749.7 billion yuan from the same period last year, and edged up from 1.81 trillion yuan in February, according to the People's Bank of China. Due to the recovery of credit demand and pro-growth measures adopted by local governments, China's new yuan loans in March continued to expand on the basis of last year's high base, said Wen Bin, the chief economist of China Minsheng Bank. The M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, increased 12.7 percent year on year to 281.46 trillion yuan at the end of last month. The growth rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the figure seen at the end of February and was 3 percentage points higher than that for the same period last year. The M1, which covers cash in circulation plus demand deposits, stood at 67.81 trillion yuan at the end of March, up 5.1 percent year on year. The M0, the amount of cash in circulation, expanded 11 percent from a year ago to 10.56 trillion yuan at the end of last month. Newly added social financing, a measurement of funds that individuals and non-financial firms receive from the financial system, came in at 14.53 trillion yuan during the first quarter, marking an increase of 2.47 trillion yuan from the same period last year. In the first quarter, total yuan deposits increased by 15.39 trillion yuan, up 4.54 trillion yuan from a year ago. "Liquidity is expected to remain reasonably sufficient and credit expansion will be strong throughout the year, thereby creating a sound financial environment for steady economic performance and sustained overall improvement," Wen said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Boutique municipal investment manager taps long-term BlackRock veteran to lead newly formed entity NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 16Rock Asset Management (16Rock), a full-service asset manager specializing in U.S. Municipal Bond investment solutions, announced today that James Pruskowski has been appointed as its Chief Investment Officer and Head of Business Development. Mr. Pruskowski will lead the firm in its next phase of growth building on its history of managing investment funds and separate accounts dedicated to the U.S. municipal market. 16Rock is a newly formed entity of 16th Amendment Advisors LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. 16Rock Asset Management Logo Based at 16Rock's headquarters in New York, Mr. Pruskowski will drive investment strategy and outcome-oriented solutions for institutional and high-net-worth clients worldwide. 16Rock's Chief Executive Officer Jed McCarthy said, "I am thrilled to have James join the firm. He is one of the most respected names in the industry who has worked with clients all around the world to solve some of today's most complex challenges." The firm's President John Lee commented, "James' expertise in asset management will help accelerate our growth, focusing on providing global clients with innovative municipal products and investment excellence." Prior to joining 16Rock, Mr. Pruskowski served as Managing Director, Head of Institutional & Wealth Management for Municipal Bonds at BlackRock. Since 2004 he was the Head Portfolio Manager and served on the department's management committee which is responsible for leading the firm's Municipal Bond department. His career at BlackRock started in 1994 where he was one of the early employees who helped build the firm's solutions, financial institutions business, and its municipal bond franchise. About 16Rock Asset Management 16Rock is an affiliate of 16th Amendment Advisors LLC ("16th Amendment"), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor based in New York. Under the leadership of its founding members, Jed McCarthy and John Lee, 16th Amendment manages the Five Star(1)-rated Vicksburg Municipal Fund, as well as separate accounts for high-net-worth investors. Story continues 16th Amendment and James Pruskowski formed 16Rock Asset Management LLC to build an industry leading asset management firm specializing in municipal bonds. Building on James' decades of experience, 16Rock leverages the trading capabilities of 16th Amendment to provide innovative managed account solutions, transition management services, and alternative investments. Contact 16Rock Asset Management LLC: 212 332 1600; www.16Rock.com Please Note: Limitations . No amount of prior experience or success should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if 16th Amendment or 16Rock (SEC registration pending) is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of 16th Amendment's current written disclosure Brochure discussing its advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request by emailing info@16Rock.com. (1) Source Morningstar Direct, a division of Morningstar, as of March 31, 2023. The 5 Star rating places Vicksburg in the top 10% of similar municipal separate account strategies based on risk adjusted returns. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/16rock-asset-management-appoints-james-pruskowski-as-chief-investment-officer-and-head-of-business-development-301795828.html SOURCE 16Rock Asset Management In this article, we take a look at the 20 best countries to retire overseas where English is spoken. For more such countries, go to the 5 Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken. The Baby Boomer Retirement Wave Baby boomers are retiring by the millions. Born between 1946 and 1964, their transition out of the workforce in droves is having drastic implications for the economy. In 2008, the number of people in this generation over 65 and above was approximately 56 million. Fortune reports that by 2030, it is estimated that this figure will reach over 75 million, a double since 2008. The key concern for this generation is that it lacks the financial resources needed to live a comfortable life after retirement. 45% of the retiring boomers lack retirement savings completely. The other 55% have saved, but 28% of them only have about $100,000 in savings, reports IRI. As a result, more than half of this generational cohort will be living off Social Security Benefits in large part. With more retirees beginning to receive Social Security benefits, it is only a matter of time before the Social Security funds likely get depleted. A report by Social Security Administration (SSA) states that provided no adjustments are made, the OASDI trust will likely run out by the year 2033. Before this happens, the cap on OASDI taxes will likely be raised along with the retirement age. Furthermore, a lack of funds means many boomers plan not to retire and intend to work through the 60s. However, social security benefits max out at 70, which is the age when boomers are likely to leave the workforce for good. As a result, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a labor force growth of only 0.5%, a rather slow rate. This slow growth will further shave percentage points off of annual economic growth. Besides the lack of financial planning, the lack of retirement funds can be attributed to the stock market decline during the Great Recession. Older adults resorted to panic-selling, which decimated their retirement accounts. Low-interest rates followed the latter years, undermining the yields of bonds that were purchased instead. Any yield invested in capital returned minimal interest, and there was nothing to revamp retirement savings in their final years. The final blow, however, was definitely the pandemic-led panic selling in February and March 2020. Story continues The market is also answering to the increasing number of retirements in different ways. Some examples come from Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC), Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) and AmeriSourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC). Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC), for instance, is investing in innovative healthcare solutions for an aging population, and in this regard, the company has partnered with San Diego State University's Center for Excellence in Aging and Longevity. Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL), on the other hand, acquired 33 properties for $0.5 billion in its partnership with StoryPoint senior living community. AmeriSourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) has initiated a $150 million venture fund to finance emerging healthcare companies. Companies like AmeriSourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC), Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) and Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) have sensed the bullish outlook for industries like healthcare and senior-living amid an aging population. Repercussions of the Retirement Trend The 19th Annual Retirement Survey of Workers conducted by the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies reports that the generation has saved only an average of $152,000 for their golden years. Typically spending $48,885 annually on average, people between 65 and 74 will likely need to downgrade their lifestyles to survive retirement. Even worse for this generation is that 2022 is a bad year to retire. The Global Retirement Index Report states that the major culprit behind a bad retirement year is all-time high inflation, eroding the value of the accumulated wealth of millions of people. Besides the huge volume of people retiring, an added concern is how long retirees will live. A report by OECD shows that the average life expectancy for women over 65 reached 21.3 years and 18.1 years for men between 2015-2020. With increased life expectancy rates, it is projected that the over-65 population will likely increase from 17.3% in 2019 to 26.7% by 2050. Greece, Italy, Portugal, Japan, and Korea will have 30% of the over-65 population by 2050. These staggering numbers will likely crumble the retirement systems in economies, as most of them are based on payroll taxes to fund social security benefits. With fewer working people supporting a higher old-age population, the support ratio is likely to fall by 0.26% per year in the U.S. Developed countries will experience a fall of 0.40%, and China will face a fall of 0.80%. As the old-age dependency ratio climbs, which is the number of retired people out of every 100, policymakers will face complex challenges, with retirement benefits competing with an increasing public debt burden. Retirement-Related Movement The U.S. The Department of State reports that roughly 9 million U.S. citizens have been living abroad as of the year 2020. Retirees choose to relocate in their attempt to stretch their dollar and pension benefits. Retiree incomes can go further, with the dollar's strength being an advantage over several foreign currencies. Many retirees are also retiring amidst the aftermath of the global financial meltdown. The decimation of home values and the ravaging of 401(k) has led a large part of retirees to look at foreign countries. Those with milder climates, resilient economies and cheaper living costs have been the top choices for retirees. The Travel Market Report states that as many as 3.3 million Americans are planning to retire abroad. International destinations like Costa Rica and San Jose are much cheaper than the U.S. For instance, consumer prices are 59% lower in Thailand than in Boston. Groceries in Spain are 36% lower than in San Francisco. Other motivations behind retirement moves are cheaper healthcare, a $2000 monthly expense, and a thrust for adventure. Mark Hebner, president and founder of Index Fund Advisors, Inc., has the following to say: "Aside from solely relying on Social Security, looking to downsize your home, moving to a more affordable state, relying on public transportation, and having a robust budget that itemizes discretionary and non-discretionary items are all a good start. The most important thing is that retirees have the right mindset about their lifestyle in retirement. This is why it is important to start making lifestyle adjustments before you retire." 20 Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken Arseniy Krasnevsky/Shutterstock.com Methodology In order to identify the 20 best countries to retire overseas where English is spoken, we have taken a look at ten (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) different sources. Each time a country appeared on a list, it was awarded a score of 1. We then ranked the countries in our list in ascending order of high score. Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken 20. Dominica Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Dominica is one of the best countries to retire to, with its wonderful natural parks, beautiful forests, and breathtaking beaches. The beautiful Caribbean island is ideal for those who wish to spend their golden years away from skyscrapers and concrete. With the cost of living much lower than in Europe and North America, it is a safe country to live in, with stable currency and easy-to-acquire citizenship. 19. Gibraltar Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Gibraltar is a beautiful place to retire, blessed with a Mediterranean climate and lots of sunshine. It is a British overseas territory that offers a special income tax regime, with minimal income tax deductions for those looking to retire with passive income from investments and savings. This country is known to be a bridge between Europe and Africa, having a touch of both cultures and cuisines. 18. Isle of Man Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Isle of Man is a self-governing British crown dependency and is one of the best places for english-speaking retirees, with 86% of people living in the country stating that they are enjoying an excellent quality of life with amazing lifestyle opportunities, according to the Isle of Man Social Attitude Survey Report. Deemed one of the safest islands to live in the British Isles, it is also one of the only island nations to be awarded a UNESCO Biosphere status. 17. Jersey Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Jersey is a channel island boasting a high quality of life and a booming finance sector. It has one of the lowest crime rates, with a safe transport system and friendly people all around. Those retiring to Jersey should know that the income tax is flat at 20% only, and there is no capital gains tax. 16. Vanuatu Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Vanuatu is a popular destination for retirees, with half of the population speaking English. Voted twice as the happiest place on Earth, it has the cleanest beaches, friendliest people, and an all-year-round sub-tropical climate to enjoy. People over the age of 55 who have retired in their country of origin can apply for a residency permit in Vanuatu. 15. Puerto Rico Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Voted as one of the best places to retire, Puerto Rico offers a high quality of life and an easy-to-obtain residency. It is an unincorporated territory of the US. Therefore, it doesn't count as a sovereign country but not as a US state either. That said, it has spectacular cities, low healthcare costs, affordable rental prices, and even low restaurant prices. Overall, living here costs 8.12% less than anywhere else in the U.S. The two most widely spoken languages are Spanish and English. 14. Bahamas Insider Monkey's Score: 1 An English-speaking population, the Bahamas is home to 400,000 people. The country is a tax haven with no capital gains tax, wealth tax, inheritance tax, etc. The people there are really friendly, and the island is home to stunning white sandy beaches. Paradise Landing is a premier location in the Bahamas, offering a secure and private location to retirees. 13. Philippines Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Philippines is one of the best countries to retire overseas where English is spoken. More than 52 million people in the Philippines speak English. With a low cost of living, affordable rent, and cheap restaurants, the Philippines is an ideal place to retire. 12. Islands of Fiji Insider Monkey's Score: 1 The beautiful island nation of Fiji is home to breathtaking waterfalls, beaches, and rainforests. It offers visa options for its retirees as well as applicants who have an assured income. As such, the overall cost of living in Fiji is 43.72% lower than in New Zealand. The welcoming and friendly environment in Fiji makes it an ideal place for retirees to live. 11. St.Kitts and Nevis Insider Monkey's Score: 1 Another ideal destination with tax benefits for retirees to live in is St.Kitts and Nevis. Over 40,000 people in the country speak English. The cost of living is moderate, with rents ranging between $1000-1800 per month. The country also offers free-visa entry, and those wishing to retire can use the citizenship-by-investment option as well. 10. Mauritius Insider Monkey's Score: 2 Mauritius offers its residents an outstanding quality of life. Known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, it is a country known for its breathtaking beauty and unique cultural diversity. Retirees are attracted to Mauritius due to its low tax rates, free public healthcare, and trained medical staff. 9. Belize Insider Monkey's Score:3 Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America. The reasonable cost of living, tropical climate, and friendly people make it one of the best countries to retire. Moreover, it offers a peaceful lifestyle to live on with sun-drenched beaches and soothing tropical waters. The Retirement Persons Incentive Program has made Belize an attractive retirement destination. 8. Cyprus Insider Monkey's Score:3 Retiring in Cyprus means having access to incredible healthcare facilities, warm Mediterranean weather, and a large English-speaking community. It offers its citizens a good quality of life with fresh air, beautiful nature, and an excellent climate. Average property costs are much more affordable in Cyprus, and living costs are low too. 7. Barbados Insider Monkey's Score:3 Barbados is one of the most developed countries in the Caribbean. The small island has excellent infrastructure, healthcare, and easy access to various international cities. Amazing beaches, a safe environment, and breezy weather make it an ideal retirement place. English is the official language here, with over 275,330 people speaking it as a primary language. 6. Ireland Insider Monkey's Score:5 Ireland can be a great place to retire, considering its low corporate tax rate standing at 12.5%. Retirees are also eligible for tax benefits which means retirees can get possible tax exemptions on income received from outside the country. Housing, on average, is 10% cheaper in Ireland in comparison to the US. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: none. 20 Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken is originally published on Insider Monkey. Key Insights Significantly high institutional ownership implies AMMB Holdings Berhad's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions A total of 4 investors have a majority stake in the company with 51% ownership Ownership research along with analyst forecasts data help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock A look at the shareholders of AMMB Holdings Berhad (KLSE:AMBANK) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 32% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). Because institutional owners have a huge pool of resources and liquidity, their investing decisions tend to carry a great deal of weight, especially with individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of AMMB Holdings Berhad. Check out our latest analysis for AMMB Holdings Berhad What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About AMMB Holdings Berhad? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. AMMB Holdings Berhad already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. 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. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of AMMB Holdings Berhad, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too. AMMB Holdings Berhad is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is ANZ Group Holdings Limited, with ownership of 22%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 12% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 9.6% by the third-largest shareholder. Story continues To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 4 shareholders control more than half of the company which implies that this group has considerable sway over the company's decision-making. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily. Insider Ownership Of AMMB Holdings Berhad The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. 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 some shares in AMMB Holdings Berhad. It is a pretty big company, so it is generally a positive to see some potentially meaningful alignment. In this case, they own around RM212m worth of shares (at current prices). If you would like to explore the question of insider alignment, you can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 22% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders. Private Company Ownership Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 14%, of the company's shares. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research. Public Company Ownership We can see that public companies hold 22% of the AMMB Holdings Berhad shares on issue. We can't be certain but it is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Be aware that AMMB Holdings Berhad is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about... 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 It's alleged that some pretty shady stuff went down between a Niagara-on-the-Lake councillor and a prominent developer in that town. It's been reported that an envelope with $10,000 changed hands between developer Benny Marotta and town councillor Gary Burroughs. And we also know actually thats about it. Because everyone even tangentially involved is hiding behind flimsy excuses they claim make it so they cant comment. The two involved parties clamming up makes some sort of sense. They clearly boned up and saying anything else is likely to only dig them further into a hole. But it might be nice to hear from the towns mayor or its chief administrative officer, to get some kinda idea of what the heck is going on over there. Unfortunately, in a bizarre statement that is sorta from NOTL Mayor Gary Zalepa but not actually directly from him, but is attributed to him from the town's communications person (ace comms work, by the way), the mayor claims he cannot provide any further details. And why? In what has become the gold standard for slimy comms crisis management, the town and everyone involved is claiming its simply impossible to speak publicly about this issue because the matter is currently under investigation. Heres the thing about that particular line though: its not true. As Canadians, we have an inalienable right to speak to the media about whatever we want, whenever we want. No exceptions. Increasingly, this hackneyed its under investigation so I cant comment drivel is tossed out by everybody, from politicians, to the police, to people accused of serious crimes. The pervasiveness of this line is growing by the week. On April 1, an NDP MPP, Michael Mantha, was removed from caucus for misconduct. What kinda misconduct gets a 12-year veteran member of parliament ejected? Who knows? NDP Leader Marit Stiles told the Toronto Star she cannot share further details because its under investigation. On March 23, shortly after the Sunshine List revealed that a Windsor police chief was paid $266,000 in 2022 despite having already retired, the citys mayor told the Windsor Star he was not able to comment, and this time he didnt even bother to give a reason. Just not able and thats it. As for the cops, the list of times they claim they cant comment because the matter is currently under investigation from the Special Investigation Unit, is simply too long to even begin going through. All this crummy cant comment, under investigation malarkey is aped from the well worn cant comment as the matter is before the courts nonsense, which, guess what, is also not true. An issue reaching our court system in no way prevents anyone involved from speaking publicly about that same issue. Nowadays, cowardly politicians hide behind integrity commissioner investigations and pretend they cant comment because of the ongoing investigation. Its all BS. These silly institutions we created (the SIU for the cops, the integrity commish for politicians), which are meant to create transparency and hold people in power accountable, are literally doing the exact opposite: giving them a cheap excuse to avoid the accountability they are meant to be accounting for. If nothing else, I hope they at least stop lying and say they wont comment because they simply dont want to, rather than claiming they cant comment because some mystical investigative mechanism prevents them being allowed to do so, because theres a big difference. When my wife nags I mean asks me to do some annoying household husband task, Im not allowed to tell her that I cant do it because Im playing a video game. I could tell her I dont want to do it right now because Im playing a video game; either way, Im probably going to get in trouble with the wife, but at least in the latter scenario, Im not also lying to her. James Culic is the Fort Erie Race Tracks marketing guy. Hes also Niagara This Weeks columnist and his wife never nags him. Email him at james.culic@gmail.com or holler on Twitter @jamesculic. SHARE: SASKATOON - Crown prosecutors have stayed a manslaughter charge against a Saskatoon woman accused in the death of another woman in a fight at a nightclub that was caught on video and shared on social media. Paige Theriault-Fisher, 22, was originally charged with second-degree murder in the Nov. 5, 2022, death of Hodan Hashi at Lit Nightclub, but that charge was later downgraded to manslaughter. The Ministry of Justice said in a statement that Public Prosecutions determined it was a mutual fight and the death was an accident caused by broken glass lying on the floor of the nightclub. It said there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction. Public Prosecutions knows the conclusion is disappointing for many, the statement said. The decision not to move forward with criminal proceedings in this situation does not lessen the tragedy or seriousness of what has occurred. The decision was criticized by some people online who pointed out that Hashi was Black and her family will not see justice. Her sister, Fartun Hashi, posted on social media that she was sad, angry and outraged. My sister will not be receiving any justice. What if the roles were reversed? Fartun Hashi wrote. Theriault-Fisher said she was still processing the Crowns decision, but expects a lot of healing will be needed. This is probably the toughest thing Ive gone through in my life and will be the toughest thing, Theriault-Fisher said at a news conference Wednesday in her lawyers Regina office. She warned other people to be careful when they are out at bars, and expressed her sympathies to Hashis family. This was never meant to happen, Theriault-Fisher said through tears. If I could give everything back, I would take that day back. And I really do wish Hodan was with us today. Theriault-Fisher was advised not to speak about the night of the fight as the Hashi family have filed a civil lawsuit. Theriault-Fishers lawyer, Sharon Fox, said she can appreciate the frustration. But, she said, the videos shared online dont capture everything that happened the night of the fight, which she described as a perfect storm of unfortunate events. Sometimes the correct decision is not the popular decision. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. SHARE: BEIRUT (AP) Syria will reopen its embassy in Tunisia, state media reported Wednesday, as Syrias top diplomat visited Saudi Arabia seeking to restore ties that have been severed for more than a decade. Tunisia has become the latest Arab state to reestablish diplomatic ties with Syria, after cutting off relations in 2012. Tunisian President Kais Saied announced earlier this month that he had directed the countrys foreign ministry to appoint a new ambassador to Syria. His move to appoint a new ambassador to Syria was reciprocated by the Syrian government, a joint statement from the two countries foreign ministries said Wednesday, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The announcement was the latest in a regional trend of rapprochement with the war-torn country, which has picked up pace since the massive Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the Chinese-brokered reestablishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Syria was widely shunned by Arab governments over Syrian President Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on protesters and later civilians in an uprising turned civil war that began in 2011. The breakdown in relations culminated with Syria being ousted from the Arab League. Tunis shut down its embassy in Damascus in 2012. Earlier this year, Assad visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates, two nations that had backed fighters trying to topple his government. The Syrian government is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia to reopen their embassies in Damascus and Riyadh. A delegation headed by Syrias foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks about bilateral relations between the two countries, Syrian state media reported, the first such visit since 2012. Saudi state media reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad was received by the kingdoms Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji. The meeting focused on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves Syrias unity, security and stability, facilitates the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and secures the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected areas in Syria. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, where most states hope to restore Syrias membership, the leagues secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said. SHARE: OTTAWA - More than 300 people from Afghanistan arrived in Canada on Wednesday, bringing the total number of Afghans resettled since the Taliban takeover of that country to more than 30,000, the federal government said. A flight from Pakistan arrived at Torontos Pearson International Airport Wednesday morning. Those on board included people who helped Canadas mission in Afghanistan, family members of former interpreters and privately sponsored refugees. After the Taliban swept to power in August 2021, Canada promised to resettle at least 40,000 Afghans through a number of special programs. Ottawa has faced criticism for its chaotic attempts to get people to safety as the Taliban took over Kabul, with many pointing out that Canada closed its embassy earlier than other countries did. The federal government says it is now on track to reach the 40,000 target by the end of 2023, but it acknowledges in a news release that there will be significant challenges. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about expanding that target Wednesday, but only said the government would look at next steps once 40,000 people are resettled. Were continuing to work on fulfilling those numbers and well look to what we can and must do in the future in other ways, Trudeau said at a press conference in Winnipeg. Canada is prioritizing the most vulnerable Afghans, including woman leaders, human-rights defenders, persecuted and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals and journalists, said a news release from the Immigration Department. As of the end of March, 18,000 people had applied to come to Canada as part of a special immigration program meant for people who helped Canadian diplomats and troops during the mission, as well as their families. So far, 11,990 applications had been approved, but only 9,875 had arrived in Canada by March 30, according to data published by the Immigration Department. Another special program has been created to help the extended family members of former interpreters who are already living in Canada. The government says it aims to bring 5,000 people in through that stream, and 1,285 had arrived by the end of March. Another 15,875 people who fall under government-assisted and privately sponsored refugee programs were in Canada by that time. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA - Members of the public services largest union, which represents more than 120,000 federal workers, have voted in favour of a strike mandate. The Public Service Alliance of Canada can now launch a strike anytime in the next 60 days, with national president Chris Aylward saying workers were prepared to strike as soon as Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that the government believes in collective bargaining and is looking closely to ensure that it can still deliver important services. Trudeau acknowledged that some federal workers are hurting. We know they are challenged with the rising cost of living as so many people are, we see inflation starting to come down and those conversations will continue to happen at the bargaining table, he said. Aylward said at a press conference Wednesday morning that bargaining for fair wages is top of mind and members are prepared to strike for as long as it takes. The majority of our members are women making between $40,000 to $65,000 a year not the kind of salaries that could withstand being rolled back, he said. Our members wages have been stuck in neutral while the cost of living continues to soar. Roughly 35,000 federal public servants within the union are deemed essential workers. If the union decides to strike, it may take a staggered approach such that some workers remain on the job at all times. Still, some reacted to the news on Wednesday with concern about the provision of government services that are already backlogged, including the processing of immigration and employment insurance applications. Our goal is to not go on strike. Our goal is to reach a tentative agreement, said Aylward. The alliance called the strike vote in January following an impasse in negotiations with the federal government and members had until Tuesday to cast their votes. Sharon DeSousa, the unions national executive vice-president, said that in addition to wages, the union also wants to discuss ending contract work and implementing more anti-racism training for all federal workers and managers. The contentious issue of remote work has also been on the list, with the union saying that members have proven working remotely is just as productive as in-person work. Its time to look to the future by enshrining remote work and the right to disconnect in our collective agreements, said DeSousa. Still, the union said it will not compromise on its wage demands for movement on the hybrid workplace. The two sides began mediated negotiations in early April and both parties are back at the bargaining table this week. But Aylward said the talks have not been going well. The parties have yet to address wages in their most recent talks, and he said the way that conversation goes will affect the strike decision. The Treasury Board of Canada said in a statement Wednesday that the government is committed to reaching an agreement with the union as soon as possible. Its statement said there is a realistic path ahead that includes wage increase proposals that align with an agreement already reached with one bargaining agent and that were recently approved for over 90,000 Canadian Forces members. In December, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier approved a new collective agreement with the Association of Canadian Financial Officers that included a salary increase of 11 per cent over four years. Last month, Canadian Armed Forces members signed a new four-year deal with a compounded wage increase of 10.4 per cent. Negotiations between the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada first began in June 2021, with the union declaring an impasse in May 2022. Both parties have filed labour complaints since then. The announcement of the vote result comes after workers at the Canada Revenue Agency voted for their own strike mandate last Friday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Read more about: SHARE: Solicitor General Michael Kerzner is refusing to say why the chair of the Peel Region police services board was abruptly removed this week. The Star has learned that Ron Chatha, a politically connected Brampton businessman reappointed to a second three-year term in January 2022, has quietly had his appointment revoked by Queens Park. We are in the process of renewal, and a replacement is forthcoming, Kerzners junior press secretary, Hunter Kell, wrote in an email Wednesday. Kell declined to elaborate on the reasons for the unexpected move. In a statement, Chatha, a high-profile federal and provincial Conservative, said he was immensely proud of the progress we have made in advancing our vision for a safer community together. A source close to him, speaking confidentially in order to discuss the delicate situation, said he was blindsided by the change Tuesday evening, as were Peel politicians and police brass. Mississauga Coun. Alvin Tedjo (Ward 2) was shocked to hear of Chathas departure. It is a serious action to remove a provincial appointee, and one that was just recently reappointed as chair, Tedjo said, adding he felt very disappointed that Peel Regional Council wasnt notified. It was a surprise to learn (about the removal) through a news story as opposed to the province. Tedjo also called the lack of transparency about Chathas removal concerning. The Peel Regional Police budget is our largest expense item, he said. Without any explanation, it leaves council to speculate. Tedjo said he hopes the solicitor general will provide more information about the decision and the provinces plans for Chathas replacement. The police are doing a lot of important work right now and they are in the middle of some transformational activity, he said. We cant be underserved by not having enough members of the board. Joe Horneck, councillor for Mississaugas Ward 6, brought attention to the critical vote taking place on Thursday, where regional council is set to decide on a citizen appointee for the Region of Peel a police board position separate from Chathas former role. The vote will be held in camera, between two candidates who were put forward after weeks of vetting. I dont know if the two things are connected in any way, he said. Its very interesting timing honestly, its so befuddling. Chatha was gracious in his statement, saying it was a transition away from my role on the board that would allow him to shift my focus to better support my family and grow my business. I am confident that the board will continue to thrive and I extend my best wishes for their continued success, he said. In 2021, Chatha served as national outreach chair for Kevin O Learys campaign for the federal Conservative party leadership. A prominent local real estate broker, he has been an influential provincial Tory in a region where Premier Doug Fords party holds all the seats. At the Jan. 27 Peel police board meeting, the well-regarded provincial appointee was re-elected by board members as chair of the civilian oversight panel. It is my privilege to continue to serve as chair of the Peel Police Services Board, Chatha said at the time. I am honoured that my board colleagues chose once again to place their trust in me and for allowing me the opportunity to serve in this important role, he said. As a board we have tackled some very important issues in our community in 2022, like auto thefts and carjackings and bail reform, and I look forward to working with Chief (Nishan) Duraiappah and Peel Regional Police on focusing on community safety and well-being. The surprise move comes as Kerzner, a rookie cabinet minister elected last June, has come under fire over the governments failure to enact a four-year-old law to stop police officers charged with serious crimes from collecting their pay. He told the legislature last week that the 2019 law cannot be put into force until specific regulations around the changes are completed. The opposition New Democrats and Liberals have blasted the Tories for not moving more quickly. Correction April 13, 2023: Hunter Kell is junior press secretary for Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. A previous version of this article misspelled his surname. With files from Dhriti Gupta Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: SHARE: Georgios Tsichlis / Shutterstock.com Opting to purchase a vacation property in another country has multiple advantages. Not only will you have a foreign getaway to use at your convenience, but you'll also gain an asset that doesn't have any tax-filing requirements in the U.S. I'm a Self-Made Millionaire: These Are the 6 Investments Everyone Should Make During an Economic Downturn More: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000 Some countries, including Turkey, Greece and Portugal, will even grant you second citizenship if you own property there. Plus, there's the possibility of renting out the property when you're not using it to produce an additional stream of income. To help you weigh your options, here are six of the best countries to own vacation properties. RomanBabakin / Getty Images/iStockphoto Italy "Italy is a place where the tourists come and go every year and every day," said Matt Ward Realtor and team lead of The Matt Ward Group. "Most of the vacation rentals in the country remain booked mostly any time of the year. If you are planning to invest in vacation properties, this country would be one of the best places to start with. Any Americans legally can buy a vacation home in Italy with the right amount of money." In the major cities of the country, buying a property outside of the city center will be significantly cheaper than buying in the city center. Take Our Poll: Are You Concerned About the Safety of Your Money in Your Bank Accounts? tanukiphoto / Getty Images Greece "There's no doubt about the fact that Greece is a popular tourist destination," said Kurt Walker, real estate investor at Mill City Home Buyers. "So, it's an ideal location for investors seeking to buy a vacation property. With picturesque views of unspoiled islands and clear blue waters paired with Mediterranean architecture and history, it is the perfect tourist attraction." Walker added, "Additionally, with the country's golden visa scheme, tourists are jumping on the opportunity to visit this beautiful place. This has resulted in a hot real estate market, especially in terms of vacation rentals. More traffic means that more people will book properties for their holiday, making it one of the best countries to own a vacation home. Story continues "Some Grecian islands like Naxos and Paros are super affordable. You can buy as many as five three-bedroom village houses for just a million euros. This affordability has made Greece an attractive destination for people to invest in vacation rentals." ekash / Shutterstock.com Costa Rica "Costa Rica is a great country to invest in; [it's] also called the 'greenest country on Earth,'" said Rashard Alomari, founder and owner of real estate company Fair Cash Deal. "This name was not given to [it] because of [its] scenery, but mainly because it is currently the leading nation in terms of greener environmental practices and sustainable technological advancement. In addition to being the greenest country, Costa Rica also has a low cost of living, which is the main attraction for investors to buy a vacation house in Costa Rica. Vacationers set a budget of $3,000 per month, which is more than enough to live a luxury life in Costa Rica. People have been able to find vacation houses for as little as $40,000, while the most expensive house can only be as expensive as $500,000." KyuJong Park / Flickr.com Turkey "Turkey, despite being a major tourist attraction and a strong economy, offers affordable real estate options compared to other countries," said Samantha Odo, chief operating officer and licensed real estate expert at Precondo. "The pricing of small apartments can start from as low as $55,000-$65,000 USD. The prices are increasing at a slower pace making investing in a property for the long-term ideal." Read: Unplug These Appliances That Hike Up Your Electricity Bill xbrchx / Getty Images/iStockphoto Croatia "Tourism in this country is thriving, and there's been an influx of international tourists coming in to see the towns, islands, castles and much more," said Eyal Pasternak, licensed Realtor and founder of Liberty House Buying Group. "A significant portion of these tourists travel to look at the filming locations of the popular TV series 'Game of Thrones.' That alone is a reason to invest in the vacation properties in Croatia." Pasternak continued, "Property prices have gone up recently because of the boom in the tourism industry. Properties can go all the way up to a million dollars, but you can also find great vacation homes for as low as $150,000. The thing about Croatian property is that its capitalization rate is also going up with prices. This means properties are appreciating well, so you'll see a good return on your investment." SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto Portugal "Portugal [was] considered one of the top places for buying a vacation property in 2022," said Martin Carreon, broker/owner at Soco Wine Country Properties. "The country has a lot to offer with its captivating culture and great nature. The growth of tourist numbers along with the economic growth has been good and steady in the cities like Lisbon and Porto." "Lisbon may be too expensive to buy a vacation property, but the amenities and features offered by the city are magnificent. The other cities near Lisbon would be a good option if you are looking to buy a new vacation home at an affordable rate." More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Best Countries To Own Vacation Property Allentown, PA (18103) Today Sunshine mixing with clouds and rather cool again. High 58F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 35F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. MOSCOW (AP) Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in failing health because of a new suspected poisoning and is back in a punishment cell after a few days in regular confinement, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Anna Veduta, a Washington, DC-based vice president of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, told The Associated Press the 46-year-old Navalny fell ill last Friday when he was let out of the punishment cell and put in a conventional cell. He had lost about 18 pounds over the past 15 days. On Monday, Navalny wrote on Twitter, he was put back in a punishment cell for another 15-day term. An ambulance was called early Saturday because of acute stomach pains but Navalny received no diagnosis, one of his lawyers, Vadim Kobzev, wrote on Twitter after visiting him in prison. We believe he is slowly being administered low doses of poison in pills he is given without identification, Veduta said. A video documentary about Navalny won an Oscar last month. The documentary portrays Navalnys career of fighting official corruption, his near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent in 2020 that he blames on the Kremlin, his five-month recuperation in Germany and his 2021 return to Moscow, where he was taken into custody. He was later sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and last year was convicted of other charges and given another nine-year term. Navalny has faced unrelenting pressure from Russian authorities, and has been in and out of isolation in a tiny punishment cell. He is allowed to write letters or have his lawyers visit occasionally. German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said Wednesday that Germany took note of reports about Navalnys worsening health with great concern. She added that Berlin wants the inhuman treatment that he is apparently suffering in prison to be lifted, and wants Russian authorities to ensure he gets access to medical treatment and is released. READING, Pa. Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and state lawmakers toured businesses in Reading Tuesday. The tour started at the office of state Rep. Manny Guzman (D-127th District). The day included stops at Mi Casa Su Casa Cafe, Stephanie's Beauty Salon and Early Beginnings day care. Guzman helped organize the tour. He says visits like this are important to make sure Reading gets the resources it needs from the state. The lieutenant governor says Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget includes more than $8 million to help Main Streets thrive. "We know Main Streets matter here in Pennsylvania, and if Main Street succeeds, the community will succeed," Davis said. "Our plan is to make significant investments in these communities all across Pennsylvania." Budget talks are taking place in Harrisburg. A final plan is due by the end of June. LSE - Hollie Adams A City law firm with 150 years of history is poised to enter administration months after missing several deadlines to publish its annual results. The Ince Group, once Londons largest listed law firm, said it has no choice but to place itself into administration after a major creditor said it would no longer support the business. The announcement comes after months of disruption for the legal and professional services firm, which was founded in Cardiff in 1866. Shares in Ince were suspended from trading in January after the law firm missed the December deadline to publish its annual audited accounts for 2022 and interim half-year results for 2023. The company cited the impact of Covid disruption, the Ukraine invasion and suffering a cyber-attack as causing the delay. The Aldgate-headquartered firm, which employed more than 700 staff and had revenues of over 100m in the year to 2021, has since repeatedly missed deadlines to release the report. Its auditor BDO had asked for additional time to address historic issues, including matters outstanding with the firms accounts in Hong Kong. In a statement released on the London Stock Exchange, Ince said the auditing process remains uncompleted. It added that the suspension of shares and length of the auditing process has put increasing pressure on the cash flows of the business. The firm said it had been holding discussions with its major lender and other creditors, including HMRC, to determine their level of support. Ince now plans to appoint advisory firm Quantuma as administrator, which it expects will sell the groups business to a third party buyer as soon as possible. The firms UK and international practices were acquired by insurance rival Gordon Dadds in 2019, which became the second law firm to float on the Aim two years earlier. At the time, the merger created the UKs largest listed law firm by revenue. Ince was beset by ongoing issues, however. In July 2021, Ince reported that operating profit had fallen by 59pc to 3.1m, while UK revenue dropped 5pc to 58.7m. Story continues Last year, longstanding chief executive Adrian Biles announced he would step down and resigned from the board after raising 9.5m from investors after the firm reached the limit of its borrowing facilities. The law firm later paid a 15,000 settlement to Mr Biles, who was also managing partner of legacy firm Gordon Dadds, for loss of office after he was also removed from his position as company director due to a possible conflict of interest. Senior lawyers at the firm also came under scrutiny after allegedly mistreating a 22-year-old waitress at a restaurant in Cardiff last May. ALLENTOWN, Pa. The Allentown Planning Commission reviewed a proposal from developer Nat Hyman on Tuesday afternoon at city hall. The plan, offered for 366 W. Allen St., calls for the conversion on an existing vacant manufacturing building into 66 dwelling units. There are additional off-site parking spots proposed. The building has three floor levels: two above ground and one below. "This is probably a building that is in worse condition than any I've ever done in Allentown," Hyman told the commission. "...There are no structural issues with building...I think it's going to be a very contemporary, sleek-looking building." "You have a long-vacant, rundown building that will be reused for a great improvement for the neighborhood," Hyman attorney Erich Schock said. Some planners expressed concerns about the tenants using the proposed off-street parking, noting this is already a challenge in the area. Hyman responded to the inquiry by saying "he's not law enforcement" and that he "can't force them" to use the lot, but tenants would be directed to the lot and given a pass to park there. "The fact there is going to be ample parking available is a plus," Schock told the commission. Planners also expressed concern about "safety issues" with lighting and residents walking to the parking lot. Loading and drop-off areas were also cited. The commission did not render a formal decision, but generally found the plan acceptable. It will now go before the zoning hearing board. Charter school zoning request In other news, the planning commission granted a text amendment to allow elementary and secondary schools to be placed into two industrial zoning districts. The school, known as the Lehigh Valley Steam Academy Charter School, is proposed for 228 S. 12th St. The building is a 40-year-old vacant facility. During the meeting, an attorney for the Allentown School District told planners the request amounted to "spot zoning" and "made no sense" to place an educational facility in an industrial zone. Planners questioned why the applicant did not plan to seek a variance before the zoning hearing board rather than seek the amendment. Planners collectively offered no formal opinion on the request. Restaurant extension request In other business, the commission granted an extension for plan submissions for a Wooshoo Burger/Dunkin' Donuts restaurant proposed for 902 Union Blvd. The extension was granted until April 13, 2024. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - PPL Corp. customers who saw "past due" notices on their online accounts can ignore those, the company said Wednesday after another billing problem popped up. Some customers trying to check their bills saw this message: "Your account is past due. You can avoid future late fees by making a payment or setting up a payment plan." PPL is still trying to resolve a four-month-old billing problem, but the notices are not part of that issue. "The past-due alert online was a website error that has been corrected," according to a company spokesperson. "It is not related to the estimated bills." 69 News has asked PPL to provide a number of how many notices were posted. Many customers' accounts are behind because PPL has billed some customers too little and has not billed some in months. That problem started in December when the Allentown-based utility's billing system did not communicate with meters. PPL sent estimated bills, and then other problems arose. Fixing the problem has taken more time than expected, company officials have said. Four months later, the company has still not billed all customers correctly. Initially, 800,000 users, close to a quarter of PPL's customer base, were affected. That number has been cut to the "tens of thousands." The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is investigating the company's billing practices. PPL's website says that it receives top honors for service. "Our companies consistently rank among the best for customer satisfaction in the regions we serve," according to the PPL website. "Customer feedback is important to us as we look to continuously improve." PPL recommends that customers who face big bills for kilowatt hours used much earlier contact the company by phone or online to set up a payment plan. Meanwhile, it has apologized to customers and added staff to help them. Shares in the company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PPL. At 11:13 a.m. Wednesday, the shares traded at $28.68. The company's market capitalization (current share price times number of shares outstanding) is about $21 billion. HAMPTON TWP., N.J. - Dozens of dead animals were found in a truck outside of a strip mall in New Jersey. Dozens more, alive and covered in fleas and feces, were saved from that same vehicle. "It just smelled like rotten, dirty moldy feces," said Jaime Hall, a volunteer with Eleventh Hour Rescue. "It smelled like death." Eleventh Hour Rescue says there were more than 50 dead cats and dogs stuffed inside the bed of a pickup, at a strip mall in Hampton Township, Sussex County. Inside the vehicle were more than 35 surviving animals with fear on their faces. "It was like a clown car," said Hall. "There's just more under the seats, behind the seats, in carriers." Troopers were called to the Marshalls parking lot at around 4:45 p.m. Monday. They say they found an abandoned Chevy Silverado with all the animals. State Police say the owner, 53-year-old Lynn Leanord of Virginia, then arrived at the scene, and was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. She's been released with a pending court date. That same truck remained behind the store Wednesday afternoon. State Police say the investigation is ongoing. "There were whole containers of dead kittens individually wrapped, labeled," said Hall. "There were two bigger cats in a carrier that had been dead for quite some time. There was a garbage bag wrapped up with a dog wearing a pink sweater that had been deceased for a while." Hall said the many responding rescues were told, "during her move, she decided to take not only all of her living animals, but the deceased pets that she had kept in her freezer." The animals are being nursed back to health at various rescues and shelters throughout the area. Many are expected to be put up for adoption in the coming weeks. Among the survivors at Eleventh Hour Rescue are now-content pups Simone, Alvin and Theodore. SCRANTON, Pa. - Inside the 500,000-square-foot Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, thousands of 155-millimeter shell casings are waiting to deploy. Some will go to Ukraine to be used in howitzer guns for its war with Russia. International weaponry made in Pennsylvania. "Men and women at the plant are very proud of what they do. These folks have been doing it for decades," said Commander Representative Richard Hanson. 2,000-pound bars of steel are forged into 30-inch, 77-pound shell casings. Built in 1912 for steam locomotive repair, it became an ammunition factory in 1953. The plant is government owned. General Dynamics is the third private contractor operating it. More than 240 employees produce more than 11,000 155 mm shell casings daily, aided by robots, working in 2,000-degree heat. Artillery is melted and shaped. What's called a subway allows the shells to cool. More than 30 tests are given to ensure exact specifications. At each stage an inspector gives their mark of approval or sends it to the scrap yard. A $243-million infusion is ramping up production and allowing for sophisticated tests like ultra sound and replicating the 14,000 pounds of pressure howitzers use. "We want to make sure that everything that leaves the Scranton plant does what it's designed to do," Hanson said. General Dynamics has a contract at the plant until 2029. They've been operating at the Scranton plant since 2006. Since the plant started making ammunitions it has produced nearly 29 million projectiles. LEHIGH TWP., Pa. - The beautiful, warm weather in our area also comes with a very high risk for wildfires. In Lehigh Township on Wednesday, the Smoky Bear Fire Danger sign was pointed at "Extreme." The fire commissioner tells 69 News responders wanted people driving by to see the "very high" risk and to take extra precautions. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for all of Pennsylvania, in effect until around sunset. 69 News' weather team says while our regions of New Jersey did not have Red Flag warnings, the risk there is just as high. "Today, the conditions are so ripe, as you would call it, that it's a real high danger," Rick Hildebrand, Fire Commissioner for Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Company Number One, said. Many areas banned outdoor burning, including where the Lehigh Township volunteer fire station is, in Cherryville. Hildebrand says the lack of snow this mild winter season is a large contributor to the risk. Typically, he says, the snow would compress the leaves and start the decaying process. "So the leaves remain fluffy and air dried easily," he said. "And then with this additional direct sunlight, it's just cooking, even drier." The time of year adds fuel to the fire. "There's no leaves on the trees yet," Hildebrand said. "So all the sunlight that we're getting is going right to the ground drying out even more." Hildebrand says even flicking a lit cigarette out the car window could ignite a fire, if the tossed butt hit the right leaf or mulch. He tells 69 News this day in particular poses an additional risk with the gusty winds. "Although there's been some significant fires throughout the area over the last couple of days," he said, "today it would be a wind-driven fire, with the gusts to going 20 miles an hour, maybe even a little bit more that that literally just drives the fire across the woods." In Berks County on Wednesday, a large brush fire drew a response from fire crews as far out as the Lehigh Valley. Multiple brush fires in our region broke out Tuesday, one in Lynn Township, with more than 4,000 power outages reported. Another in Northampton County had crews battling a brush fire in Upper Mount Bethel Township Tuesday afternoon. A brush fire also broke out in Jim Thorpe shortly before noon. In Ocean County Wednesday morning, crews worked hours to contain a massive 3,859-acre wildfire, in Manchester Township, which is near several popular Jersey Shore locations. DOYLESTOWN, Pa. Jean Kwok, an award-winning New York Times and international bestselling author, spoke to the Central Bucks Board of School Directors Tuesday night to defend her book, "Girl in Translation," and asked that it not be banned from the school libraries. The book has been challenged by a parent as being inappropriate, which is a permitted right under a school board policy. Chalfont Borough resident Tracy Suits said she contacted Kwok for a statement, but Kwok instead suggested that she come and speak to the board. "Unfortunately, if you apply policy 109 as written, this book may have to be removed from our schools, as it contains a sex scene," Suits said. "That equates to about half a page in a 300-page book." "The submitted challenge dismisses the focus of the book as a deeply touching and inspiring representation of an immigrant mother and daughter," Suits continued. "The challenge dismisses the value of the story, the conflict and the relationships, the perseverance in pursuit of the American dream, the value of family and reduces the book to half a page of consensual intimacy." Kwok said she flew in from the Netherlands on Monday to speak to the board in person. "When I look around Central Bucks, what I see is a community filled with people who care passionately about education and their children," Kwok said. "I am here to ask you: Do I seem like a person who writes pornography?" Kwok said she has two sons who had school assignments to read "Girl in Translation." "Would I ever write anything that would cause them to go astray, morally or physically?" she asked. "Would I write porn for my kids, as a mother?" "I understand fear and the desire to protect our children. That is commendable and sacred," Kwok said. "Being a parent is a beautiful and tragic thing because when we do it correctly, our children grow up and they leave us. It is our job to equip them as best we can to pass on our wisdom, our morals, our hard-earned advice so that when they are without us, they stay safe." "I am here to tell you that books are one of the most powerful tools we can give to our children," Kwok continued. "A book brings you into the heart and mind of another person. It allows you to see the world in a completely different way a way that might give you insight, knowledge and experience that you couldn't get otherwise." Kwok said that in her book of 85,000 words, there are four so-called "curse words," and that the questionable material comes down to some pot-smoking, non-detailed kissing and a non-explicit sexual encounter. "I wrote this novel based on my own life and childhood when I lived in an unheated, vermin-infested apartment in Brooklyn," Kwok said. "This is a book about resilience, compassion and forgiveness. It's about love between daughters and mothers. It's a book of unity, not of division." "Please don't attack our educators and librarians for their desire to give our children the tools and knowledge to face this difficult world," Kwok said. "Let their voices and those of authors be heard." Board President Dana Hunter said there has been negative media attention with misinformation regarding the book challenge process. "The board is not aware of what books are being challenged and by whom," Hunter said. "We know that a list was leaked by an internal source to the media several months back, but the board is not involved in the book-challenge process." Hunter explained that the review committee is made up of librarians, teachers and administrators. "My hope is that members of the community do not weaponize this process by submitting challenges with the purpose of contributing to a false narrative," Hunter said. "This creates additional unnecessary work for our staff as a result." "We had an author speak last month regarding an alleged challenge of their work, and I have read that we should expect future authors," she continued. "While we respect and encourage authors to visit and speak in the district, we would love for your valuable time to be spent addressing our students and staff about the importance of your work." "Just because a book is challenged does not mean that it will be removed," Hunter added. "A book may be removed for one group, such as elementary, but may be kept for older students. If a book is removed, it is required to be replaced by an age-appropriate book of the same genre. Books also remain in our libraries during the challenge process." Some speakers during the public comment portion of the meeting ignored Hunter's explanation, and went on to condemn the board for banning books. Board member Karen Smith said none of the school's library books are obscene or pornographic. "Our library books are reviewed by teachers, librarians, publishers, library associations all professionals who are trained to determine age-appropriate reading for students," Smith said. "No one is suggesting that elementary students should be reading the same books as a 17- or 18-year-old. No one." "If you're standing here in this room, if you're out in the community, if you're on social media, and you are saying that I or any of the other supporters of our library books are advocating for elementary students to read the same books as high school students, you are lying," Smith added. Several board members interrupted Smith, saying she was making a prepared campaign speech, which caused some heated verbal attacks. Smith is running for re-election to continue representing region 1 on the school board. Hunter quickly ordered that the meeting return to the prepared agenda. HORSHAM, Pa. - A Montgomery County community is in shock Tuesday night. Neighbors in Horsham say they're heartbroken to learn an 11-year-old has died, and his death is being investigated by police. Jarrett Road Park is across the street from where the Montgomery County District Attorney says a young boy was found dead, locked in the master bedroom of his house. Officials say the boy's father called 911 Tuesday morning after finding him. People come to the park to walk, bike, and get fresh air. They say the neighborhood is nice, so the boy's death comes as a complete shock. An 11-year-old found dead, locked inside the master bedroom of his home, leaves neighbors off the 500 block of Privet Road in Horsham saying you just never know what's going on behind closed doors. "It's very tragic," said Ed Smith, a neighbor. "Surprising. Very nice people. Good neighbors." Smith and his wife, Diane, have lived in the community for decades. They say they've known the boy's mom for 43 years. "Since she was a little kid," explained Diane. "She was very nice. She would see our trash can out there and bring it up for us when we're away. It's strange." It's why they were stunned when they heard the woman's black Toyota Highlander was found partially submerged in the ocean off Cape May, New Jersey - some 120 miles away from their neighborhood - while police were still inside the home investigating. "We had public works pull the vehicle out of the ocean," explained Cape May Manager Mike Voll. "Once the police ran the license plate and serial number of the vehicle, we found that the vehicle was wanted in Montgomery County." A short time later, investigators say the woman was found alive in Wildwood Crest. "It's gut wrenching," said Maria Mezzanotte of Chalfont, Bucks County. "It's just horrible to think about." Like many people we spoke with, Mezzanotte has questions about what happened, but she's confident police will get answers. She walks at Jarrett Road Park with her 10-year-old daughter often. "It's not something I would've expected around here," added the mother. "It's quiet around here. It's shocking." Mezzanotte believes it's an isolated incident, citing the fact that police said the public is not in danger. The Smiths are waiting to learn more, too. "Don't want to jump to any conclusions. Let the situation play out," added Ed Smith. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office says the boy had spent the night with his mother before he was found. Neighbors described him as quiet and smart. They'd see him outside playing and helping to shovel snow. As of Tuesday night, no charges have been filed. NORRISTOWN, Pa. - A mother is accused of killing her son in their Montgomery County home, then fleeing to New Jersey, authorities say. Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead was charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 11-year-old son, Matthew Whitehead, in Horsham Township, said the county district attorney's office on Wednesday. Investigators interviewed the 50-year-old Tuesday night, and, according to the criminal complaint, she admitted to everything. She said shortly before Matthew went to bed Monday night, he had been upset and crying about the family's financial difficulties, court paperwork says. DiRienzo-Whitehead is a realtor with Keller-Williams Real Estate, but she told police those financial difficulties were real, and she didn't want her son growing up dealing with them. Detectives say she admitted to strangling her son with a belt while he slept, then fleeing the scene. The boy was found dead Tuesday morning after his father found the bedroom door locked, and the mother and family's SUV gone. The father called 911 and said he believed his wife had killed his son. While police were investigating at the home, police in Cape May discovered the SUV partially submerged in the ocean. They soon found DiRienzo-Whitehead in Wildwood Crest and took her into custody for questioning. Investigators found a men's dress belt on the floor of the driver's side of the vehicle, the DA said. Outside the Montgomery County Courthouse, District Attorney Kevin Steele said there's no doubt in his mind DiRienzo-Whitehead is responsible for killing her son in cold blood. "Autopsy was this morning, where the cause of death was found to be strangulation, which comports with the evidence," said Steele. "Strangulation takes time, so this is a brutal murder of a little boy." "I've got a 12-year-old. To think that someone is capable of taking a belt to their child's neck and strangling them is, it makes you sick," said Steele. Back in Pennsylvania, neighbors are dumbfounded. "You love your grandchildren so much, and your children, it's beyond comprehension," said Ellen Brookstein. "I feel bad for her husband who now lost his own child. I feel bad for the schoolmates who, you know, teachers have to explain what happened to this 11-year-old," said Jill Zipin. The Horsham Township Police Chief said, now that DiRienzo-Whitehead is in custody, the community can begin the process of healing. "Our community is hurting right now, and as a community we're going to help each other get through this," said Chief Scott Fida. She is charged with first- and third-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime. She will be extradited to Montgomery County from Cape May County. When she gets to Montgomery County, she will be held without bond. KNOWLTON TWP., N.J. - A Warren County, New Jersey nonprofit that supports grieving families is looking for a new location. Hayden's House of Healing says Knowlton Township is forcing them out, but local officials say they shouldn't have been there in the first place. "This is my daughter Shailee," Corin Drake, who has attended retreats at Hayden's House of Healing, said as she held up a photograph. "She was born and passed in February of 2016...When I lost her, I lost myself." Drake says Hayden's House of Healing saved her life. The nonprofit creates a community for bereaved families. "The amount of moms and dads that come through here and say firsthand, 'this is the first time I saw my real smile again because I didn't feel judged,'" said Ady Dorsett, the CEO and co-founder of Hayden's House of Healing. "They want to remember their child. They want to be able to say their child's name without feeling like people are feeling awkward or uncomfortable about it." The organization hosts retreats and events. It says since buying the home in 2019, it's provided solace and support to more than 400 grieving parents. Hayden's House tells us it was shocked to get a letter from Knowlton Township in July saying it needed to apply for a variance to continue operating as a "business" in a residential area. "The town was fully aware," said Dorsett. "The neighbors were fully aware. We had been doing it for three years. We were tax-exempt so you know, we went through the town. We didn't know. We're just trying to help people. We didn't really know that there were other pieces to it. Neither did our realtor." Next were the Board of Adjustment's meetings, where the group said it was blindsided by complaints from neighbors. "It was just devastating to hear the things that were being said about us grieving parents," said Drake. "It was a loss all over again." "Everything that came at us, we said we would fix, and it just wasn't good enough," said Dorsett. "It came down to discrimination of our bereaved community being too sad for their families that are here and they just didn't want us here." The board denied the required variance. While the nonprofit claims that was due to the board members' personal feelings on the topic, the board's attorney says the decision was based on evidence surrounding a variety of issues. "Not somebody's personal feelings, but based upon the law, the board had no choice but to make the determination," said Roger Thomas, the attorney for the Knowlton Township Board of Adjustment. "The Board of Adjustment listened very intently." The Township Committee said it can't comment on the Board of Adjustment's decisions, but noted the members are valued volunteers. It says alleged threats and attempted blackmail directed at them are disgraceful. "They should have gone to a zoning officer or to an attorney or somebody to indicate whether or not they had the right to do what they wanted to do," said Thomas. "It is really not the responsibility of the Board of Adjustment to inform them." Hayden's House is now raising money online to find a new space. It is looking in Hope Township. SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AdRoll , the leading marketing and advertising platform to help brands of all sizes grow their businesses, today announced the promotion of Vibhor Kapoor to President of AdRoll, effective immediately. AdRoll Kapoor joined AdRoll, a division of NextRoll, Inc., as Chief Marketing Officer in February 2022 and quickly demonstrated his exceptional leadership, business acumen and vision for driving growth. In January 2023, he took on the role of acting Chief Revenue Officer in addition to his CMO responsibilities, where he successfully led sales, customer success and partnerships. During his tenure, AdRoll more than doubled its platform SaaS revenue in 2022 and brought innovations to market to help digital marketers succeed in a challenging macroeconomic climate. In his new role as President, Kapoor will be responsible for driving AdRoll's revenue growth, overseeing product, strategy, sales, operations, and marketing. He brings to this role almost three decades of industry experience and business leadership expertise in SaaS and cloud platforms. Before joining AdRoll, Kapoor was a Senior Director in Adobe's Digital Media Business and a Vice President of Marketing at Box. With prior roles at Microsoft and General Electric, Kapoor has led businesses and teams through cycles of industry transformations spanning cloud, API platforms, e-commerce and digital design. "I am honored and humbled to assume this position for AdRoll," said Vibhor Kapoor, President of AdRoll. "It is an incredibly exciting time as we build on business momentum from 2022, and I look forward to driving our growth and innovation even further to provide the best possible experience for our customers and partners." Kapoor succeeds Roli Saxena, who was promoted from President of AdRoll to CEO of NextRoll in November 2022. NextRoll's Board of Directors and leadership team are confident that Kapoor will continue to lead the company with the same dedication, focus and excellence that he has demonstrated in his previous roles. Story continues "Vibhor has been instrumental in driving AdRoll's growth and success since he joined the company," said Roli Saxena, CEO of NextRoll. "His passion for innovation, customer success, and leadership make him the ideal candidate to lead AdRoll as President. We are excited to see where he will take the company next." About AdRoll AdRoll is a marketing and advertising platform that helps eCommerce brands grow revenue and save time on one streamlined platform. Make web ads, social ads, and email work together and more effectively run, measure, and optimize your marketing efforts. Powered by industry-leading automation and personalization, the AdRoll platform's machine learning analyzes real-time advertising data to drive traffic and sales. AdRoll helps customers generate more than $246 billion in sales annually and has been used by over 140,000 brands since 2006. AdRoll is a division of NextRoll, Inc. and is a remote-friendly company with offices in San Francisco, Dublin, New York City, and Sydney. Get started today at adroll.com . Media Contact Katie Jewett Public Relations for AdRoll 415-397-7600 adroll@upraisepr.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adroll-names-vibhor-kapoor-as-president-promoting-from-within-to-drive-growth-and-strategy-301795103.html SOURCE AdRoll BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Northern Ireland must not go back to the violence that scarred it for years before a U.S.-brokered peace deal 25 years ago, nudging politicians to resolve a political crisis that has left this part of the United Kingdom without a functioning government. Speaking of the economic growth Northern Ireland has experienced since the Good Friday Agreement ended 30 years of sectarian bloodshed, Biden said: Its up to us to keep this going. On his first presidential visit to Northern Ireland, Biden dangled the prospect of more American investment to help fuel economic growth especially if Belfasts fractious politicians resolve a stalemate that has put their government on pause. The simple truth is that peace and economic opportunity go together, Biden said during a speech at Ulster Universitys new campus in Belfast. He said the glass-clad downtown building would have been unthinkable during the years of bombings and shootings known as The Troubles." Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning, built of glass," he said. Noting that Northern Irelands total economic output had doubled in the quarter-century since the Good Friday peace deal was signed in April 1998, Biden urged people in Northern Ireland to sustain the peace, unleash this incredible economic opportunity, which is just beginning. Biden urged all political parties to get back to work, saying democracy needs champions and that Northern Irelands future is in their hands. I hope the assembly and the executive will soon be restored, he said. Thats a judgement for you to make, not me, but I hope it happens." Biden's visit was timed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday accord, which the U.S. was key to striking. Biden credited people who were willing to risk boldly for the future by reaching the agreement, reminding the audience that peace was not inevitable. Referring to a February gun attack on a senior police officer blamed by authorities on Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the peace process Biden said "the enemies of peace will not prevail. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God. While peace has endured, Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the Democratic Unionist Party, which formed half of a power-sharing government, walked out a year ago over a post-Brexit trade dispute. Biden met briefly before his speech with the leaders of the DUP and Northern Irelands four other main political parties. Biden has faced mistrust from pro-British unionists because of his Irish American heritage. Sammy Wilson, a DUP lawmaker in the U.K. Parliament, told Talk TV that Biden has got a record of being pro-republican, anti-unionist, anti-British a claim the White House firmly denied. Biden's speech carefully navigated Northern Irelands complex political currents, referring to both his British and his Irish ancestry, and noting the contribution to the U.S. of largely Protestant Ulster Scots as well as Irish Catholics like his own forebears. Such things dont go unnoticed in Northern Ireland. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said Bidens reference also to his own British ancestry I think indicates hopefully that we have a president that recognizes the United Kingdom is a close ally and friend of the United States. But Donaldson doubted whether the presidents visit would change the political dynamic. I am clear what needs to happen to make the progress that we all desire and that is that Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom is both respected and protected, and we want to see that in law, he said. Michelle ONeill from Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said Biden had sent a clear message to the DUP about the need to get back to work. Biden also had tea with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his Belfast stopover. The president spent less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before moving on to the Republic of Ireland to begin a three-day visit, scheduled to include an address to the Dublin parliament, attendance at a gala dinner and trips to two ancestral hometowns. U.K. officials denied that the brevity of the visit amounted to a snub. Sunak said he and Biden had a very good discussion about investment in Northern Ireland, along with foreign policy issues. Were very close partners and allies. We cooperate on a range of things, Sunak said. Northern Ireland's political crisis stems, in part, from Brexit. Britains departure from the European Union left Northern Ireland poised uneasily between the rest of the U.K. and EU member Ireland and put the peace agreement under increased strain. After much wrangling, Britain and the EU struck a deal in February to address the tensions over trade, eliminating many of the customs checks that had irked businesses and angered unionists. The Democratic Unionist Party, though, says the agreement doesnt go far enough to address concerns about Northern Ireland's place in the U.K., and has refused to return to government. Biden, who has urged Britain and the bloc to put Brexit squabbling behind them, praised U.K. and EU leaders for trying to sort out the complex challenges created by Brexit. Neil Given, a civil servant who lives in Belfast, welcomed Biden's visit but said his expectations are not great that it would unblock the political logjam. We have prevaricated for well over a year now, and ever since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there have been numerous stoppages of the institutions of Stormont, he said. "Whether or not Mr. Bidens visit can in 24, 48 hours pull people together and perhaps get a message we really do need to get back to government, I dont know. But hopefully he can do that. I know there is no more powerful person certainly to be over that can give out that message. Lawless reported from London. Chris Megerian contributed from Washington. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The second of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight. Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore him to his position. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You cant expel hope. You cant expel justice," Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. You cant expel our voice. And you sure cant expel our fight. The Houses vote last Thursday to remove Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. The Republican leadership denied that race was a factor. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other senators sent a letter Wednesday asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether the expulsions violated the Constitution or federal civil rights laws and to take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nations legislative bodies. After the reinstatement vote, a throng of jubilant supporters greeted Pearson outside in a churchlike celebration. Pearson adopted the cadence of a preacher as he delivered a rousing speech with call-and-response crowd interaction. Accompanied by his fiancee, mother and four brothers, Pearson pumped his fist, jumped up and down and hugged relatives. Theyve awakened a sleeping giant," he said, as a drumbeat and roaring cheers echoed his voice. Pearson is expected to return to the Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, when the House holds its next floor session, and plans to be sworn in there. Republicans expelled Pearson and Jones over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor after a Nashville school shooting that left three children and three adults dead. The Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat. Shelby County's commission has 13 members, but only seven voted all Democrats in favor of Pearson. Two Democrats were out of the country and did not vote. The four Republicans on the commission did not attend the meeting. The appointments are interim and special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they plan to run in the special elections. Marcus DeWayne Belton said he attended the rally outside the Shelby County government building after the vote because he supports Pearsons call for gun law reform. Its not even a Black thing anymore, he said of gun violence. This is Black and white. Any time you go inside a school and youre killing kids, Black and white, its serious. Things are getting worse. The expulsions made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. In the span of a few days, the two expelled lawmakers had raised thousands of campaign dollars, and the Tennessee Democratic Party had received a new jolt of support from across the U.S. Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones on the House floor joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol last month to call for passage of gun control measures. As protesters filled galleries, the lawmakers approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant. The scene unfolded days after the shooting at the Covenant School, a private Christian school. Their participation from the front of the chamber broke House rules because the three did not have permission from the House speaker. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has avoided commenting on the lawmakers expulsion and instead said the controversy was an issue concerning the House. He has since called on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would keep dangerous people from acquiring weapons. In their return to the Tennessee Capitol, Pearson and Jones still face the same political divisions between the states few Democratic strongholds and the Republican supermajority, which were already reaching boiling point before the expulsions. GOP members this year introduced a wave of punishing proposals to strip away Nashvilles autonomy. Others have pushed to abolish the states few community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct and replace them with advisory panels that would be blocked from investigating complaints. Lawmakers are also nearing passage of a bill that would move control of the board that oversees Nashvilles airport from local appointments to selections by Republican state government leaders. Republicans have so far refused to consider placing any new restrictions on firearms in the wake of the Nashville school shooting. Instead, lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to add more armed guards in public and private schools and are considering a proposal that would allow teachers to carry guns. Meanwhile, House Speaker Cameron Sextons office confirmed this week that a Republican lawmaker was stripped of a top committee assignment more than a month after he asked during a hearing if hanging by a tree could be added to the states execution methods. The speakers office declined to specify the reason for removing him from the committee. Rep. Paul Sherrell was taken off the Criminal Justice Committee and transferred to another, and was very agreeable to the change, Sexton spokesperson Doug Kufner said. Sherrell, who is white, later apologized for what he said amid outcry from Black lawmakers, who pointed to the state's dark history of lynching. Sherrell said his comments were exaggerated to show "support of families who often wait decades for justice." Pearson has referenced Sherrell's comments throughout the expulsions and their aftermath. On Wednesday, Pearson said Sexton should resign his post, asserting the House speaker is "more willing to expel people who are asking for the end of gun violence than expel a member of the House who advocated for lynching. Reporters Jonathan Mattise and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville contributed to this report. BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. - It used to be getting your face on a Wheaties box was a big deal. Now, workers in our area are getting honored on a special Cheerios box. Workers at the ShopRite in Bethlehem Township got to see themselves featured on a special edition Cheerios box. They're being honored for helping fight hunger and food insecurity in their community. Those special Cheerios boxes were unveiled Tuesday. The Bethlehem Township store was one of 52 that collected checkout donations for ShopRite's "partners in caring" contest. The program gets stores to engage with their communities and help fight hunger. This year, the crew in Bethlehem Township collected more than $12,000 for area food banks. The store's owner says he's proud of the team for pulling through. "It's a very special event for us and our associates who lead the charge," said Joe Colalillo, store owner. "These folks who are on the box really lead the charge in our stores and we represent them and we celebrate them." This year, in total, ShopRite workers raised over $1 million for food banks. Since the program started in 1999, it has raised more than $62 million for a wide range of charities. And if all this talk of cereal is getting you hungry, those special edition ShopRite employee Cheerios boxes are currently for sale. LONDON (AP) New Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said Wednesday he will follow through with his predecessors plan to challenge the British government over its decision to block a law that makes it easier for people in Scotland to change their gender on official documents. A legal challenge is now our only means of defending our Parliaments democracy from the Westminster veto, Yousaf said. If unchallenged, it sends a signal that the U.K. Government can veto any legislation they disagree with, at a whim. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeons vow to defend the legislation was left in question after her abrupt resignation created a bitter battle last month to replace her as leader of the Scottish National Party. Yousaf, a close Sturgeon ally, was pitted against two rivals who opposed the gender bill. Yousaf did not commit to challenging the veto in court when asked Tuesday, saying he was considering legal advice. Passage of the bill in December was hailed by transgender rights activists but vetoed by the British government, which argued it could undermine U.K.-wide equality legislation that guarantees women and girls access to single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and shelters. The bill would allow people aged 16 or older in Scotland to change the gender designation on identity documents by self-declaration, removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. It would also speed up legal recognition of the change from two years to three months for adults and to six months for people aged 16 and 17. In the rest of the United Kingdom, a medical diagnosis is needed before individuals can transition for legal purposes. Scotland is part of the U.K. but, like Wales and Northern Ireland, has its own semi-autonomous government with broad powers over areas including health care. The veto was the first time a U.K. government blocked a Scottish law since its government and parliament were established a quarter-century ago. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that the U.K. government had taken very careful and considered advice on the issue before invoking the rarely used veto power. He said the government would follow through with any court case. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher accused Yousaf of trying to distract from a scandal unfolding over SNP finances after the arrest last week of Sturgeon's husband, who had been the party's chief executive for more than 20 years. Peter Murrell resigned just after his wife left office, after admitting that the party had been claiming to have 100,000 members when membership had plunged to 70,000. Police have also been investigating how 600,000 pounds (about $750,000) earmarked for a Scottish independence campaign were spent. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so the beleaguered first minister has reached for the nationalists playbook and is manufacturing grievance with the UK government," Gallacher said. Data Bridge Market Research Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the agricultural biotechnology market is expected to reach USD 312.44 billion by 2030, which was USD 136.16 billion in 2022, registering a CAGR of 10.94% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030 OTTAWA, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In-depth research conducted by Data Bridge Market Research delved into the " Agricultural biotechnology Market ," utilizing a qualitative approach. The study included over 100 market data tables, along with pie charts, graphs, and figures that were thoughtfully spread across multiple pages to provide a comprehensive analysis of the market. The Agricultural Biotechnology market research report is absolutely fair and clear research report designed by masters by using top-notch research techniques and tools. SWOT Analysis and Porter's Five Forces analysis helps to find out the threats, opportunities, strength, and weakness present in the Agricultural biotechnology market. The report is a careful examination of the Agricultural biotechnology market and gives bits of knowledge about noteworthy techniques, scope, chronicled data, and accurate data of the general market. It moreover joins foreseen bits of knowledge that are evaluated with the assistance of a sensible game plan of frameworks and speculations. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the agricultural biotechnology market is expected to reach USD 312.44 billion by 2030, which was USD 136.16 billion in 2022, registering a CAGR of 10.94% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030. In addition to the insights on market scenarios such as market value, growth rate, segmentation, geographical coverage, and major players, the market reports curated by the Data Bridge Market Research also include in-depth expert analysis, geographically represented company-wise production and capacity, network layouts of distributors and partners, detailed and updated price trend analysis and deficit analysis of supply chain and demand Story continues Download Sample Copy of Agricultural biotechnology Market @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-agricultural-biotechnology-market Biotechnology is using scientific methods to enhance and change microbes, animals, and plants to increase their nutritional value. The branch of biotechnology which involves applications in agriculture is called agricultural biotechnology. Agricultural biotechnology has been used for a long time to enhance agriculturally significant organisms through selection and breeding. For instance, biotechnology in agriculture has been used for breeding animals with characteristics such as higher disease resistance and quick growth. Agricultural biotechnology plays an important role in growing the resistance of plants to any disease and harsh environmental conditions. Agricultural biotechnology involves using extensive modern techniques to create innovative products with improved quality traits. Conventional techniques have been adopted highly to alter animal and plant genomes. Furthermore, advancements in genetic engineering have allowed controlling genetic changes induced into the organism. Also, the increasing cultivation of biotech plants with the help of agricultural biotechnology will enhance the market's growth during the forecast period. Opportunities for Players: Growing usage of agriculture biotech for marker-assisted breeding Experts have controlled plant and animal development for agricultural interests for thousands of years. However, producing a new crop variety needs an imprecise and lengthy procedure called selective breeding. Novel molecular methods have recently improved the selective breeding tank by adding jet fuel. One method of this is marker-assisted selection, in which DNA markers support, guide, and accelerate plant breeding operations. In addition to increasing plant breeding, the marker-assisted selection offers a great deal more precision than traditional approaches. Then it relies on sophisticated bioinformatics techniques to find markers. All these factors are projected to increase the agricultural biotechnology market size in the upcoming years. Increasing nutritional value of crops expanding horizon Potential to enhance the nutritional value of crop offerings huge opportunities for major players in the agricultural biotechnology market. A prominent case is an increasing demand for biotechnology for improving micronutrient deficiencies, such as genetic engineering of rice increases Vitamin A. Advancements in agriculture biotechnology have been involved in enhancing the nutritional value in multiple ways, such as by increasing phosphates and essential amino acids in grains and increasing the oil and starch components of seeds. The increasing concern about food security is expanding the ample opportunities in the agricultural biotechnology industry Some of the major players operating in the Agricultural biotechnology market are: KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA (Germany) Dow (U.S.) Bayer AG (Germany) BASF SE (Germany) Thermo Fisher Scientific (U.S.) Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd (Japan) MITSUI & CO., LTD. (Japan) Novozymes (Denmark) Yield10 Bioscience Inc (U.S.) Kemin Industries Inc. (U.S.) Valent Biosciences (U.S.) Corteva (U.S.) DSM (Netherland) ADAMA (Israel) Cargill, Incorporated (U.S.) Nufarm Canada (Canada) DuPont. (U.S.) Eurofins (Luxembourg) Get a Full PDF Research Report to Understand More @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/checkout/buy/enterprise/global-agricultural-biotechnology-market Market intelligence platform will help you understand: Identify emerging market trends & dynamics Market intelligence with quality and accuracy Benchmark against competitors & industry Explore competitive strategy & market share Discover regional market opportunities Deliverable formats include PDF, PPT, Excel & Online Dashboard Data Bridge Market Research employs a comprehensive and iterative research methodology focused on minimizing deviance in order to provide the most accurate estimates and forecast possible. The company utilizes a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches for segmenting and estimating quantitative aspects of the market. In Addition, a recurring theme prevalent across all our research reports is data triangulation that looks market from three different perspectives. Critical elements of methodology employed for all our studies include: Our market estimates and forecasts are derived through simulation models. A unique model is created customized for each study. Gathered information for market dynamics, technology landscape, application development and pricing trends is fed into the model and analyzed simultaneously. These factors are studied on a comparative basis, and their impact over the forecast period is quantified with the help of correlation, regression and time series analysis. Market forecasting is performed via a combination of economic tools, technological analysis, and industry experience and domain expertise. The report provides insights on the following pointers: Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios of the top players in the Agricultural biotechnology market Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, R&D activities, and product launches in the market Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of the market strategies, and geographic and business segments of the leading players in the market Market Development: Comprehensive information about emerging markets. This report analyzes the market for various segments across geographies Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Agricultural biotechnology Market Key Industry Segmentation: Agricultural Biotechnology Market Product Type Crop protection products Biopesticides Transgenic Seeds Soybean Maize Cotton Others Synthetic Biology-Enables Products Trait Type Stacked Herbicide-tolerant Insect-resistant Desirable and Virus-resistant Organisms Plants Conventional Techniques Established Genetic Modification New Breeding Techniques Animals Conventional Techniques Established Genetic Modification New Breeding Techniques Microbes Conventional Techniques Established Genetic Modification New Breeding Techniques Application Vaccine Development Transgenic Crops & Animals Antibiotic Development Nutritional Supplements Flower Culturing Biofuels Technology Genome Editing Synthetic Biology Genetic Engineering Marker-assisted Breeding Germplasm Other Technologies To Gain More Insights about this Research, Visit https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-agricultural-biotechnology-market Market Drivers: Agricultural biotechnology Market Growing adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) crops Increasing adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops is expected to propel market growth globally during the forecast period. This is because genetic modification enables the production of food and feed crops with improved characteristics such as high yield, high nutritional value, enhanced food-processing qualities, and resistance against insects and diseases. As a result of all these factors, the demand for agricultural biotechnology will likely enhance market growth. Vast applications of agriculture-integrated biotechnology widen the market scope The vast application of agriculture-integrated biotechnology will likely boost market growth during the forecast period. Agriculture-integrated biotechnology finds huge applications across micropropagation, embryo transfer, tissue culture, cloning, and artificial insemination. Agriculture-integrated biotechnology has helped in livestock and crop enhancement by incorporating advanced tools. As a result of all these factors boosts the market growth. Regional Analysis/Insights: Agricultural Biotechnology Market The countries covered in the agricultural biotechnology market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Global (APAC) in the Global (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Israel, Egypt, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America North America dominates the agricultural biotechnology market due to the increasing genetic techniques acceptance for crops within the region. Furthermore, reducing the usage of insecticides and pesticides in farming will further boost market growth. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing region in the agricultural biotechnology market during the forecast period of 2023-2030 due to the growing focus of farmers on modern farming techniques in this region. Moreover, rising personal disposable incomes and growing demand for food by increasing population will further increase the market growth, The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in market regulation that impact the current and future trends of the market. Data points like down-stream and upstream value chain analysis, technical trends and porter's five forces analysis, case studies are some of the pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, the presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data. Table of Contents: Introduction Market Segmentation Executive Summary Premium Insights Global Agricultural biotechnology Market : Regulations Market Overview Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Product Type Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Trait Type Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Organisms Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Application Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Technology Global Agricultural biotechnology Market, By Region Global Agricultural biotechnology Market: Company Landscape SWOT Analyses Company Profile Questionnaires Related Reports To Check the Complete Table of contents, click here @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-agricultural-biotechnology-market Explore More Reports: Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plant Market , By Type (Conventional Method, Biotechnological Method and Genetic Engineering), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Disease Resistance, Yield Improvement, Temperature Tolerance, Grain 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Argentina, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-biotechnological-plant-breeding-and-crispr-plants-market Latin America Plant Breeding & CRISPR Plant Market , By Type (Conventional Breeding and Biotechnological Breeding), Process (Selection, Hybridization and Mutation Breeding), Traits (Herbicides Tolerance, Disease Resistance, Yield Improvement and Others), Application (Cereal & Grains, Oilseeds & Pulses, Fruits & Vegetables and Other Crop Types), Country (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Rest of Latin America) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/latin-america-plant-breeding-and-crispr-plants-market Plant Breeding and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) Market , By Type (Conventional Breeding, Biotechnological Method), Process (Selection, Hybridization, Mutation Breeding), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Disease Resistance, Yield Improvement), Application (Cereals and Grains, Oilseeds and Pulses, Fruits and Vegetables, Other Crop Types), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-plant-breeding-and-clustered-regularly-interspaced-short-palindromic-repeats-crispr-market Europe Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plant Market , By Type (Conventional Method, Biotechnological Method and Genetic Engineering), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Disease Resistance, Yield Improvement, Temperature Tolerance, Grain Size Improvement, Stress Tolerance, Drought Resistance and Others), Application (Cereals & Grains, Oilseed & Pulses, Fruits & Vegetables, Cash crops, Turf & Ornamental, Herbs & Microgreens, Medicinal Crops and Others) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/europe-plant-breeding-and-crispr-plants-market Asia-Pacific Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plant Market , By Type (Conventional Method, Biotechnological Method and Genetic Engineering), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Disease Resistance, Yield Improvement, Temperature Tolerance, Grain Size Improvement, Stress Tolerance, Drought Resistance and Others), Application (Cereals & Grains, Oilseed & Pulses, Fruits & Vegetables, Cash crops, Turf & Ornamental, Herbs & Microgreens, Medicinal Crops and Others) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/asia-pacific-plant-breeding-and-crispr-plants-market Middle East and Africa Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plant Market , By Type (Conventional Method, Biotechnological Method and Genetic Engineering), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Disease Resistance, 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Resistance (IR), Other Commercial Traits), Crop Type (Corn, Oilseeds, Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-transgenic-seeds-market Genetically Modified (GMO) Seeds Market , By Product (Corn, Soybean, Cotton, Canola, Potato, Sugar Beets, Zucchini, Alfalfa, Sugar Beets, Papaya, Apple, Other Products), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Insect Resistance), Application (Oilseed Seeds, Cereals/Grain Seeds), Sales Channel (Direct Sales, Modern Trade, E-Retailers, Other Retail Outlets), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-genetically-modified-gmo-seeds-market Plant Genomics for Oilseeds and Pulses Market , By Type (Molecular Engineering, Genetic Engineering and Genome Editing, Others), Trait (Yield Improvement, Disease Resistance, Herbicide Tolerance and Insect Resistance, Abiotic Stress Tolerance), Objectives (DNA Extraction & Purification, DNA/RNA Sequencing, Genotyping, Gene Expression Profiling, Marker-Assisted Selection, GMO-trait Purity Testing, Hybrid Purity Testing, Targeted Resequencing, DNA Parentage Testing, QTL Mapping, Genetic Disease),Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-plant-genomics-for-oilseeds-and-pulses-market Genotyping for Agricultural Biotechnology Market , By Type (Molecular Diagnostics, Molecular Markers, Tissue Culture, Vaccines, Genetic Engineering, Others), Application (Transgenic Crops, Flower Culturing, Nutritional Supplements, Biofuels, Antibiotic Development, Vaccine Development and Others), Organism Type (Plants, Animals, Microbes, Others), Product (Crop Protection Products, Transgenic Seeds, Synthetic Biology-Enables Products), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-genotyping-for-agricultural-biotechnology-market Crop Development and Farming Market , By Type (Tobacco Farming, Sugar beet Farming, Sugarcane Farming, Cotton Farming, Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming), Application (Food and Beverages, Fodder), Farming Process (Organic Farming, Traditional Farming) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-crop-development-and-farming-market Agrigenomics for Crops Market , By Type of Sequencing (PCR Based, Whole Genome, Hybridization-Based, Restriction Digest, Sanger Sequencing, Illumina Hi Seq Family, Pacbio Sequencers, Solid Sequencers, Others), Service Offering (Gene Expression Profiling, DNA Fingerprinting, Genotyping, Genetic Purity Assessment, Trait Purity Analysis, DNA Extraction and Purification, DNA/RNA Sequencing, Marker-Assisted Selection. Others), Technology (Real-Time PCR (qPCR), Microarrays, Next Generation Sequencing, Capillary Electrophoresis, Others), End User (Research Organizations, Farmers, Cell Manufacturers, Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-agrigenomics-for-crops-market Specialty Crop Market , By Crop Type (Fruits, Vegetables, Tree Nuts, Herbs, Spices, and Others), Nature (Organic and Conventional), Application (Dairy Products, Bakery, Juices, Nectars & Fruit-Based Drinks, Confectionery, Soups, Sauces & Dressings and Others) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-specialty-crops-market Molecular Crop Breeding Market , By Process (QTL Mapping, Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS), Marker-Assisted Backcrossing (MABC), Genomic Selection, Others), Marker (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR), Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-molecular-crop-breeding-market Bioengineered Crop Market , By Product Type (Vegetables, Fruits, Crops, Others), Trait (Herbicide Tolerance, Insect Resistance), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Rest of South America, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-bioengineered-crop-market About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to forecast what the future holds is to comprehend the trend today! 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Contact Us: Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 888 387 2818 UK: +44 208 089 1725 Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475 Email:- corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com MEXICO CITY, April 12, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of "bbb+" (Good) of AVLA Seguros de Credito y Garantia S.A. (AVLA) (Chile). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. These ratings reflect AVLAs balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. AVLA began operations in Chile in 2013 as AVALCHILE, before changing its name to AVLA in 2016. The company is majority owned by Inversiones AVLA Seguros S.A., which holds a 90.27% stake, with the remaining 9.73% held by the groups ultimate parent, AVLA S.A. AVLA specializes in financial guarantees, credit insurance and surety; it ranks first in Chile in surety and financial guarantees and third in credit insurance, based on market share. AM Best considers AVLAs business profile to be neutral. The company has been able to successfully redefine its risk appetite through adverse market conditions and has reacted promptly to take advantage of the economic rebound during 2021 and 2022. In AM Bests view, managements capabilities remain key to adjusting its product offering amid the evolving market conditions. AM Best views the companys operating performance as adequate; results as of December 2022 are characterized by a recovery in underwriting quality with premiums and revenues growing. The economic growth prospects are favorable for the underlying industries in which AVLA operates, creating the potential for growth. For 2023, AM Best will continue to monitor AVLAs results and underwriting quality as Chiles economy recovers. AVLAs balance sheet strength assessment is strong given its solid capital base for the risks it undertakes, as reflected in its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). However, financial leverage at its holding company level limits AM Bests view of the companys balance sheet strength to the strong level, given the parents reliance on the company in terms of revenue and profits. This strong balance sheet strength assessment level also recognizes the willingness and proven history of capital contributions made by its shareholders to support AVLAs growth, with the latest one taking place in 2021, which was equivalent to approximately one third of its reported equity at year-end 2020. Story continues Negative rating actions could take place if AVLAs market environment limits its operating performance or creates significant volatility in its underwriting metrics, especially if it affects the companys capital position through continued negative bottom line results. 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/20230412005686/en/ Contacts Eli Sanchez Associate Director, Analytics +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 122 eli.sanchez@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Alfonso Novelo Senior Director, Analytics +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 108 alfonso.novelo@ambest.com Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098 al.slavin@ambest.com (Bloomberg) -- Job cuts at Amazon.com Inc.s Twitch division are raising concerns among former employees and content monitors about the popular livestreaming sites ability to police abusive or illegal behavior issues that have plagued the business since its inception. Most Read from Bloomberg Layoffs at Twitch eliminated about 15% of the staff responsible for monitoring such behavior, according to former employees with knowledge of the matter. The company also folded a new team monitoring the ethics of its AI efforts, said the people, who asked not to be identified to protect their job prospects. Since late 2022, technology companies have cut more than 200,000 jobs, including trust and safety positions and contractors, at Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Twitter. Job postings including the words trust and safety declined 78% in March 2023 from a year ago, according to the job-listing site Indeed. Technology companies also thinned their responsible AI and diversity teams. Laying off the trust and safety team can severely hinder efforts to reduce online hate and abuse especially when it comes to radicalization and child safety and could open Twitch up to legal liability, said Kat Lo, who is content moderation lead for Meedan, a nonprofit software company. Trust and safety is also responsible for auditing new features to minimize the potential for abuse. In interviews with Bloomberg News, four former Twitch employees with knowledge of trust and safety or AI operations questioned whether executives at the company or Amazon are appropriately prioritizing moderation and building AI tools consciously. We were seen more as a cost center, not a revenue generator, one former employee said. Story continues With the job cuts, the company lost a lot of institutional knowledge in those teams, one person said. The cuts fell especially hard on people who were in charge of appeals from streamers who had been banned or suspended, another person said. Some of that work will be outsourced, the people said. Executives at Twitch and Amazon are increasingly focused on reducing losses at the livestreaming business. Besides cutting jobs, they have also revamped creator pay. Amazon purchased Twitch for $970 million in 2014. Viewership since then has risen more than sixfold to 2.4 million people at any given time. Over that stretch, the costs associated with operating the service have also ballooned. Although Twitch receives a discounted rate on hosting services from Amazon, running an international livestreaming service is enormously expensive, executives have told Bloomberg. User and revenue growth have not kept pace with our expectations, new Chief Executive Officer Dan Clancy wrote in a March blog post announcing job cuts at the company. The company declined to comment on the record. With Twitch airing 2.5 million hours of live user-generated content daily and no one monitoring videos before they air, the company requires sophisticated policing tools. Several terrorist attacks were livestreamed on the platform, including the 2022 supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York. Twitch has also struggled to protect children and prevent grooming on the platform, a Bloomberg investigation found. Senior Twitch officials met last month with representatives of the UK regulator Ofcom to discuss the companys plans to combat child grooming on the platform. The UK regulator is reviewing whether Twitchs moderation capabilities are robust enough to prevent illegal or harmful material, an agency spokesperson said. We will be closely monitoring the efficacy of these measures as they are rolled out, the Ofcom spokesperson said. For years, Twitch allowed the toxicity associated with gaming culture to run rampant. As the platform became more mainstream, the company invested in moderation tools, including a user-activated feature called AutoMod. Management also hired more full-time trust and safety professionals to evaluate users reports and remove content that violated terms of service or the law. Co-founder and former CEO Emmett Shear, who stepped down days before the March layoff announcement, championed trust and safety efforts, the people said. In addition to streamlining and combining some units, Twitch will increase its reliance on outside suppliers to monitor content and police user activity. One such contractor is Majorel Group Luxembourg SA, a European technology consultant. In 2022, Insider published a report alleging that workers at Majorel endured surveillance and overwork while reviewing gruesome content on behalf of TikTok. In a statement to Bloomberg, Karsten Konig, an executive vice president at Majorel, said that the health and well-being of the companys content moderators is a priority. We demonstrate this every day by providing 24/7 professional psychological support, together with a comprehensive suite of health and well-being initiatives that receive high praise from our people, he said. As part of its recent cuts, Twitch laid off the head of its law-enforcement response team, Jessica Marasa. Marasa was widely respected at Twitch for instituting innovative new policies, like the off-service conduct policy. That allows the company to remove the accounts of users who commit serious offenses elsewhere on the internet or in real life. Marasa also led safety efforts at in-person Twitch events, including the TwitchCon conference, which attracted 30,000 attendees in San Diego last year. The public and politicians are ramping up scrutiny over social-media platforms ability to moderate disturbing, hateful and illegal material, said Lo, the Meedan moderation lead. The firings have left some functions and initiatives intended to tackle Twitchs unique safety challenges up in the air, according to the people. The company was developing plans to help rehabilitate banned creators and educate them on responsible behavior or copyright protocols. It is also working to improve child safety on the platform through new products, the people said Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. BARRON Hundreds of people lined the streets and somberly paid their respects as the flag-draped caskets carrying the bodies of police officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel returned home Monday. Breidenbach and Scheel were killed in the line of duty during a shootout in a traffic stop Saturday in Cameron. Their bodies were taken to Minnesota for autopsies as part of the investigation. A procession of law enforcement vehicles carried both officers from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Officers stood, and will stand, vigil by each officers side until the services are complete. We are carrying our dead. We are mourning, said Marianna Fuentes. We are holding each other up by the skin of our teeth. Breidenbach and Scheel were conducting a traffic stop around 3:38 p.m. Saturday when there was an exchange of gunfire, the Wisconsin Department of Justice reported. Both officers were pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect, 50-year-old Glenn Perry, later died at an area hospital. Officials have not released details of what led up to or how the shooting began. Breidenbach had five years of law enforcement experience, while Scheel had about one year of service under his belt. Breidenbach was engaged to be married and was daughter of former Chetek Police Chief Robert Breidenbach, who was present for the procession Monday. Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said Breidenbach was the departments K9 therapy dog handler and had been with the force since 2019. Our love and condolences go out to both families and all those with whom they served, Ambrozaitis said. We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to Hunter and Emilys families. They will be missed by everyone. Scheels girlfriend, Camryn Gosdeck, wrote a tribute to him on Facebook, describing him as a dedicated partner. We had so much planned for our future and looked forward to growing old with one another. Because of this, I am absolutely heartbroken and never knew I could feel such an immense pain as having my other half ripped from me. My heart hurts for him, for his family and anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, she wrote. Procession held for officers killed in line of duty Close First responders attend a procession Tuesday for Cameron and Chetek police officers killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers' bodies were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. About 500 people turned up to the procession of Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday, including Chetek Mayor Jeff Martin Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Kids with firefighter hats. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. First responders turned up to the procession of Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday.Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Officers stood, and will stand, vigil by each officer's side until the services are complete. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. Locals turned up for Cameron and Chetek police officers, killed in the line of duty on Monday. Both officers were escorted via a law enforcement procession from the medical examiners office in Ramsey County to their respective funeral homes. A line of emergency vehicles moves through Barron during a procession Monday as the bodies of police officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel were returned. +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 'Just too young': 2 northern Wisconsin officers slain in traffic stop shootout Chetek and Cameron are reeling after two police officers and a gunman died in a shootout on Saturday afternoon. Killer of Wisconsin police officers had warrant, history of domestic abuse, authorities say Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek Police Department and Hunter Scheel, 23, of the Cameron Police Department, were killed in a traffic stop shootout. The two police officers killed in a traffic stop shootout in northwestern Wisconsin on Saturday including one whose career began in Stoughton had stopped the gunmans vehicle because he had a warrant out for his arrest, the state Department of Justice said Monday. Emily Breidenbach, 32, of the Chetek Police Department and Hunter Scheel, 23, of the Cameron Police Department, had pulled over the vehicle driven by Glenn Douglas Perry, 50, after they received a report of concerning behavior, DOJ said. Gunfire ensued, leaving Breidenbach and Scheel dead. Perry was taken to a hospital and later died, DOJ said. The reason for Perrys warrant was not immediately available in online court records. The New Auburn resident had pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and domestic abuse in May 2020, according to court records. The Barron County District Attorneys Office, led by Brian Wright, asked the court to dismiss misdemeanor charges of battery and bail jumping against Perry at the time. Perry had no criminal history outside of Wisconsin, according to court records. Since the slayings, theres been an outpouring of support for the officers and their families in Barron County and beyond. Breidenbach was the daughter of former Chetek Police Chief Robert Breidenbach. She was the departments K9 therapy dog handler and had been with the force since 2019, Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said. Our love and condolences go out to both families and all those with whom they served, Ambrozaitis said. We, as a law enforcement family, will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to Hunter and Emilys families. They will be missed by everyone. Breidenbach had been on Cheteks police force for about four years and previously spent nine months with the Stoughton Police Department. Scheel had served as an officer for one year. Kathy and I join the people of Wisconsin in offering our sincerest condolences to the loved ones, friends, and colleagues of Emily Breidenbach of the Chetek Police Department and Hunter Scheel of the Cameron Police Department, who were killed in the line of duty over the weekend. https://t.co/2HC7IjnV7w Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) April 10, 2023 Gov. Tony Evers first identified Breidenbach and Scheel in a tweet on Monday. The governor offered his condolences to their families and said he planned to sign executive orders lowering U.S. and Wisconsin flags in their honor once funeral arrangements have been made. DOJs Division of Criminal Investigation is leading an investigation of the incident with assistance from the Barron County Sheriffs Office, Rusk County Sheriffs Office, the state Department of Natural Resources, State Patrol, State Crime Lab and a DCI crime response specialist. All involved law enforcement officials are fully cooperating with the investigation, DOJ said. State Journal reporter Chris Rickert and Chippewa Herald reporter Audrey Korte contributed to this report. Remembering the 1996 fire that destroyed Madison's Hotel Washington Hotel Washington before the fire Club de Wash before the fire Hotel Washington fire Hotel Washington fire Hotel Washington fire Hotel Washington fire Hotel Washington in ruins People watch Hotel Washington blaze Hotel Washington fire Hotel Washington fire Fighting the fire Extinguishing hot spot Friends embrace Freezing water Hotel Washington fire Barber's Closet fire damage Hotel Washington flowers Gutted hotel with flag Hotel Washington vigil Hotel Washington service Fire investigators Salvaging what they can Washington Hotel steps State Journal front page Feb. 19, 1996 State Journal coverage Feb. 19, 1996 State Journal coverage Feb. 19, 1996 Trumpf Hotel, 1906 Hotel Washington in 1935 TORONTO, April 12, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (TSX: USA) (NYSE American: USAS) ("Americas" or the "Company) is deeply saddened to advise that an incident occurred at the Galena Complex which resulted in the tragic fatality of an employee. The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, when an underground miner was struck by falling ground. Operations have been suspended and an investigation is underway. The Company is working closely with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and local authorities who are onsite. "We are shocked and saddened by this tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and co-workers of our employee," stated Americas President and CEO Darren Blasutti. "Our primary focus is supporting those affected and working to fully understand the circumstances that led to this event and to prevent it from happening again in the future." About Americas Gold and Silver Corporation Americas Gold and Silver Corporation is a growing precious metals mining company with multiple assets in North America. The Company owns and operates the Cosala Operations in Sinaloa, Mexico, manages the 60%-owned Galena Complex in Idaho, USA, and is re-evaluating the Relief Canyon mine in Nevada, USA. The Company also owns the San Felipe development project in Sonora, Mexico. For further information, please see SEDAR or www.americas-gold.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: any objectives, expectations, intentions, plans, results, levels of activity, goals or achievements; and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Inherent in the forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company's ability to control or predict that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in its industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Story continues Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "goal", "plan", "intend", "potential, "estimate", "may", "assume" and "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions, or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of Americas Gold and Silver as of the date such information is provided and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Americas Gold and Silver to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. With respect to the business of Americas Gold and Silver, these risks and uncertainties include: risks relating to mining and exploration activities and future mining operations; operational risks and hazards inherent in the mining industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from this forwardlooking information is available in Americas Gold and Silvers filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators on SEDAR and with the SEC. Americas Gold and Silver does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law. Americas Gold and Silver does not give any assurance that Americas Gold and Silver will achieve its expectations, or concerning the result or timing thereof. All subsequent written and oral forwardlooking information concerning Americas Gold and Silver are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005498/en/ Contacts For more information: Stefan Axell VP, Corporate Development & Communications Americas Gold and Silver Corporation 416-874-1708 Darren Blasutti President and CEO Americas Gold and Silver Corporation 4168489503 St. Johns in Beaver Dam is closing in late May an abrupt decision that marks the end of the 91-year-old establishment. Sources told the Daily Citizen that the decision was made by the congregation through a vote. The churchs holy closing, a service for congregation to offer thanks and acknowledge their separation, will take place on May 28. Church Council President Jamie Stearns did not respond to requests for comment. Churches can close for many reasons, including financial problems and a decline in attendance. A lack of funds, leadership and members have contributed to churches in rural Wisconsin and Milwaukee closing in the last two years. A representative from Beaver Dams other prominent Evangelical Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church, acknowledged that current members of St. Johns had reached out to join their congregation. They added that First Lutheran was in no way attempting to recruit members from St. Johns, but hope that its members can find new homes in any of the citys many churches of varying denominations. St. Johns English Evangelical Lutheran Church held their first worship service in 1932. According to St. Johns, it was the first Lutheran church in the area to hold services in English instead of German. Just a year after the congregation first met, they moved into a building on Maple Avenue near downtown Beaver Dam. Work began on their northside church in 1967, and the dedication of the new building took place in 1968. In 1987, St. Johns became part of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The following year the congregation received a donation which paid off the buildings mortgage, provided seed money for PAVE and left money for improvements to the interior of the building. A group of rural Columbia County school districts have recently received a $5.5 million boost toward their efforts in improving access to mental health services among their students. In January, the Cambria-Friesland, Pardeeville Area, Randolph, and Rio Community school districts formed the Wisconsin Well Bes Consortium, dedicated to school-based mental health resources and programming. In March, the Consortium was awarded the Department of Educations Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant, which, through its five-year distribution of funds, will allow the districts to hire, train, and retain skilled school-based mental health professionals, as well as encouraging students to pursue careers in school-based mental health through the creation of secondary education and human service programs. According to grant writer and Rio Middle High School principal Brittany Cashman, Consortium schools will also be sourcing counseling interns from graduate programs at Mount Mary University, UW-Whitewater, and Winona State University. Guided by district and university supervisors, the interns will work with students one-on-one as well as in small groups, fulfilling their university requirements as well as the social emotional needs of the students. We want to show interns and school based mental health professionals how great it really is to work in a small community, how rewarding it is, said Cashman. Theyll get a taste of what its like to really be a counselor. As someone involved in the education of up-and-coming social workers, Dr. Katherine Drechsler says there is a significant need in K-12 schools for the presence of professionals like her students hope to be. Drechsler is an assistant professor and field coordinator, as well as a certificate program coordinator in UW-Whitewaters School of Social Work, one of the universities collaborating with the Consortium. School social workers are essential, of course, in supporting the success of students in the educational setting, said Drechsler. She points to alarming statistics from Wisconsins Department of Public Instruction, which note the disparities students across the state face in receiving mental health support. In the 2021-22 academic year, the DPI noted that only 32% of Wisconsins school districts employed social workers, and in those that did, the average social worker-to-student ratio was 1 to 1,136. To put that in perspective, the School Social Work Association of America recommended a ratio of 1 to 250. As you can see, there is a significant difference and a gap in the recommended ratios and the actual ratios in Wisconsin, said Drechsler. While the presence of mental health professionals will mitigate the lack of access rural students often face in seeking help, Cashman says she also hopes it will remove another barrier: stigma. While going to therapy or seeing a counselor has become more accepted in the mainstream in recent years, she says conversations about the matter of mental health can be difficult, uncomfortable. Surrounded on all sides by political polarization, still feeling the effects of the pandemic, students, says Cashman, need these resources now more than ever. I truly believe that as a society theres such a need, she said. In a K-12 setting its really nice to see that support on a local, state and federal level, just people talking about the mental health stigma and talking about whats happening to our kids. We see it every day. In his January State of the State address, Gov. Tony Evers declared 2023 The Year of Mental Health, allocating around $500 million of the states budget to the 2023-25 executive budget to expand access to mental and behavioral health services across the state. While the Consortium has been awarded its federal funds, Cashman is aware that some districts are struggling to fulfill their students mental health needs. In utilizing the grant money for their own schools, Cashman says she would like to serve as a model for other districts, providing examples of effective mental health services in academic settings. We know that other school districts dont have this money, but what can we share with them to help them? said Cashman. Its truly a gift to be a part of that. Airtel Africa Plc (LON:AAF Get Rating)s stock price traded up 1.3% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 106.70 ($1.32) and last traded at GBX 106.70 ($1.32). 1,557,980 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 49% from the average session volume of 3,071,159 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 105.30 ($1.30). Airtel Africa Price Performance The company has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 115.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 118.31. The stock has a market cap of 4.11 billion, a PE ratio of 781.09, a PEG ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 114.39, a current ratio of 0.51 and a quick ratio of 0.26. Airtel Africa Company Profile (Get Rating) Airtel Africa Plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications and mobile money services to customers in Nigeria, East Africa, and Francophone Africa. It offers prepaid and postpaid wireless voice, international roaming, and fixed line telephone services; data communication services, including 2G, 3G, and 4G; and mobile money services, such as digital wallet payments systems, microloans, savings, and international money transfers. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Airtel Africa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Airtel Africa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Basilea Pharmaceutica AG (OTCMKTS:BPMUF Get Rating) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $52.00 and last traded at $52.00, with a volume of 0 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $52.00. Basilea Pharmaceutica Stock Performance The businesss 50-day moving average is $52.00 and its 200-day moving average is $49.23. About Basilea Pharmaceutica (Get Rating) Basilea Pharmaceutica AG engages in the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Its products include Cresemba, Zevtera, Derazantinib, BAL101553, and BAL3833. The company was founded on October 17, 2000 and is headquartered in Allschwil, Switzerland. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Basilea Pharmaceutica Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Basilea Pharmaceutica and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Erria A/S Company Announcement No 4 ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESOLUTIONS AT ERRIA A/S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS Date: 12 April 2023 Today, the shareholders of Erria A/S (the Company) held the annual general meeting of shareholders. Advokat Martin Skovbjerg was appointed as chairman of the meeting. The chairman found that the general meeting had been lawfully convened, and noted that 71,7% of the company's capital was represented and more than 2/3rd of the Company's outstanding share capital represented at the general meeting. The Shareholders of the Company resolved as follows: The report by the board of directors of the Company's business for the past year was approved. The annual report for the financial year 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, was approved. The allocation of profit as recommended in the annual financial report was approved. The board of directors and managers was granted a discharge from their liabilities. Sren Storgaard, Kristian Svarrer and Ng Sing King were elected as members of the board of directors. PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Hellerup were elected as auditors of the Company. The shareholders authorized the Board of Directors to acquire, in the period until 1 April 2024, own (treasury) shares up to a maximum of 10% of the Company's issued capital at the time of acquisition, at a price corresponding to the stock exchange price at the time of acquisition, with an upward or downward deviation of up to 10 percent. Changes to the Articles of Association was approved as follows: Proposed amendment of section 4.1 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed new section 4.7 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed amendment of section 18.1 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed amendment of section 18.5 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed new section 18.6 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed amendment of section 19.1 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed amendment of section 19.5 of the Articles of Association was approved. Proposed new section 21 of the Articles of Association was approved and subsequent sections renumbered consequently. Story continues The full version of the new Articles of Association is published on the Companys website. The full minute of meeting (only in Danish) is published on the Companys website. For further information please contact Henrik N. Andersen by phone at +45 33 36 44 00. On behalf of the Company Sren Storgaard Chairman of the Board of Directors Henrik N. Andersen Group Chief Executive Officer Certified advisor Norden CEF A/S John Norden Attachment Community Bank N.A. lifted its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 1.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 206,393 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,004 shares during the period. Bristol-Myers Squibb makes up 2.1% of Community Bank N.A.s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Community Bank N.A.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $14,850,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Boston Financial Mangement LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.9% in the third quarter. Boston Financial Mangement LLC now owns 15,468 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,100,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.9% during the third quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. now owns 15,461 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,099,000 after acquiring an additional 134 shares in the last quarter. Lincoln National Corp raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.4% during the third quarter. Lincoln National Corp now owns 36,282 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,579,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.4% during the third quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 10,053 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $715,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elmwood Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.0% during the third quarter. Elmwood Wealth Management Inc. now owns 13,686 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $973,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.51% of the companys stock. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock traded up $0.40 on Wednesday, reaching $70.43. 2,097,843 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,018,242. The company has a market capitalization of $148.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.54 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. The firms 50-day moving average is $69.69 and its two-hundred day moving average is $72.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.25. Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly 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. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.60% and a net margin of 13.71%. The firm had revenue of $11.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.83 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 10th will be given a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 6th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is 77.29%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In BMY has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price target on the stock. Atlantic Securities boosted their price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target 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. 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 issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $79.69. Insider Transactions at Bristol-Myers Squibb In related news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,625,163.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total transaction of $835,258.27. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,721,081.67. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,625,163.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders. About Bristol-Myers Squibb (Get Rating) Bristol Myers Squibb Co engages in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of biopharmaceutical products. It offers chemically-synthesized drugs or small molecules and products produced from biological processes called biologics. The company was founded in August 1933 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (TSE:GOOS Get Rating) shares traded up 1.1% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as C$24.87 and last traded at C$24.78. 200,827 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 60% from the average session volume of 499,783 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$24.52. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. CIBC decreased their price objective on Canada Goose from C$30.00 to C$27.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Robert W. Baird reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Canada Goose in a report on Wednesday, January 25th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Canada Goose from C$20.00 to C$21.00 in a report on Monday, February 6th. Cowen decreased their price objective on Canada Goose from C$35.00 to C$30.00 in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, CSFB boosted their price target on Canada Goose from C$30.00 to C$36.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$30.70. Get Canada Goose alerts: Canada Goose Stock Performance The company has a 50-day simple moving average of C$25.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$25.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 153.12, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 2.20. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.45, a PEG ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 1.60. About Canada Goose Canada Goose Holdings Inc designs, manufactures, and sells performance luxury apparel for men, women, youth, children, and babies in Canada, the United States, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The company operates through three segments: Direct-to-Consumer, Wholesale, and Other. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Canada Goose Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canada Goose and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canoo (NYSE:GOEV Get Rating) and Continental Aktiengesellschaft (OTCMKTS:CTTAY Get Rating) are both auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, valuation, dividends and risk. Insider and Institutional Ownership 52.5% of Canoo shares are held by institutional investors. 21.9% of Canoo shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Get Canoo alerts: Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Canoo and Continental Aktiengesellschaft, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Canoo 0 1 3 0 2.75 Continental Aktiengesellschaft 0 6 0 0 2.00 Risk and Volatility Canoo currently has a consensus target price of $5.88, suggesting a potential upside of 894.75%. Continental Aktiengesellschaft has a consensus target price of $59.00, suggesting a potential upside of 720.58%. Given Canoos stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Canoo is more favorable than Continental Aktiengesellschaft. Canoo has a beta of 1.21, suggesting that its share price is 21% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Continental Aktiengesellschaft has a beta of 1.53, suggesting that its share price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares Canoo and Continental Aktiengesellschafts net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Canoo N/A -217.13% -111.17% Continental Aktiengesellschaft 0.20% 0.56% 0.21% Valuation & Earnings This table compares Canoo and Continental Aktiengesellschafts gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Canoo $2.55 million 109.81 -$487.69 million ($1.90) -0.31 Continental Aktiengesellschaft $41.53 billion N/A $70.18 million $0.04 179.75 Continental Aktiengesellschaft has higher revenue and earnings than Canoo. Canoo is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Continental Aktiengesellschaft, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Continental Aktiengesellschaft beats Canoo on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About Canoo (Get Rating) Canoo Inc., a mobility technology company, designs, engineers, develops, and manufactures electric vehicles for commercial and consumer markets in the United States. The company offers lifestyle delivery vehicles, lifestyle vehicles, multi-purpose delivery vehicles, and pickups. It also provides multi-purpose platform architecture is a self-contained, fully functional rolling chassis design to support various range of vehicle weight and ride profiles. The company serves to small businesses, independent contractors, tradespeople, utilities, and service technicians. Canoo Inc. was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Torrance, California. About Continental Aktiengesellschaft (Get Rating) Continental AG operates as a holding company, which engages in the manufacture and sale of soft rubber products, rubberized fabrics, and solid tires. It operates through the following segments: Automotive, Tires, ContiTech, and Contract Manufacturing. The Automotive segment comprises technologies for passive safety, brake, chassis, as well as motion and motion control systems. The Tires segment focuses on the provision of tire technology solutions. The ContiTech segment specializes in the development and manufacture of cross-material, as well as products and systems for the automotive industry. The Contract Manufacturing segment is involved in the contract manufacturing of products. The company was founded on October 8, 1871 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Receive News & Ratings for Canoo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canoo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. lifted its position in shares of Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating) by 22.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 169,477 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 31,229 shares during the period. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc.s holdings in Kellogg were worth $12,074,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of K. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P boosted its position in Kellogg by 95.3% during the first quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P now owns 424,951 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,405,000 after purchasing an additional 207,392 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its position in Kellogg by 16.7% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 18,121 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,167,000 after purchasing an additional 2,590 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its position in Kellogg by 6.6% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 34,232 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,208,000 after purchasing an additional 2,119 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. boosted its position in Kellogg by 46.9% during the first quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 8,653 shares of the companys stock valued at $558,000 after purchasing an additional 2,764 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its position in Kellogg by 6.4% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 38,670 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,494,000 after purchasing an additional 2,313 shares during the last quarter. 82.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Kellogg alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently commented on K. Credit Suisse Group reduced their price target on Kellogg from $72.00 to $71.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 10th. StockNews.com raised Kellogg from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Kellogg from $74.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on Kellogg from $73.00 to $69.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 20th. Finally, TheStreet lowered Kellogg from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Thursday, February 9th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $71.44. Insiders Place Their Bets Kellogg Stock Performance In other Kellogg news, VP Kurt D. Forche sold 3,265 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.36, for a total transaction of $226,460.40. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 8,942 shares in the company, valued at approximately $620,217.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . In other Kellogg news, VP Kurt D. Forche sold 3,265 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.36, for a total transaction of $226,460.40. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 8,942 shares in the company, valued at approximately $620,217.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, Vice Chairman Gary H. Pilnick sold 22,197 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.81, for a total value of $1,527,375.57. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 23,464 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,614,557.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 628,437 shares of company stock worth $41,982,511 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.40% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE K traded up $0.17 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $68.55. 280,346 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,144,176. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 0.66. Kellogg has a 52 week low of $63.74 and a 52 week high of $77.17. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $66.59 and its 200 day simple moving average is $69.81. Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $3.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.66 billion. Kellogg had a return on equity of 32.51% and a net margin of 6.27%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.83 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Kellogg will post 4.04 EPS for the current year. Kellogg Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 1st were paid a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 28th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.44%. Kelloggs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 84.59%. Kellogg Company Profile (Get Rating) Kellogg Co engages in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of ready-to-eat cereal and convenience foods. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Middle East Africa. The North America segment includes the U.S. businesses and Canada. The Europe segment consists of European countries. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding K? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kellogg (NYSE:K Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Kellogg Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kellogg and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ensign Energy Services Inc. (OTCMKTS:ESVIF Get Rating) shares shot up 1.5% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $2.21 and last traded at $2.21. 1,620 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 83% from the average session volume of 9,629 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.18. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, CIBC raised their price target on shares of Ensign Energy Services from C$4.75 to C$5.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $5.75. Get Ensign Energy Services alerts: Ensign Energy Services Stock Up 1.5 % The firms 50 day moving average is $2.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.50. Ensign Energy Services Company Profile Ensign Energy Services, Inc engages in the provision oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries. It operates through the following geographical segments: Canada, United States, and International. Its services include drilling, directional drilling, and well servicing. The company was founded on March 31, 1987 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Ensign Energy Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ensign Energy Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Everence Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Get Rating) by 31.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 27,535 shares of the transportation companys stock after buying an additional 6,590 shares during the quarter. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $4,787,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,099,021 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $10,839,176,000 after buying an additional 601,166 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,273,417 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,988,777,000 after purchasing an additional 54,401 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in United Parcel Service by 2.3% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,163,287 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $892,858,000 after purchasing an additional 93,463 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 2.7% in the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,103,236 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $501,354,000 after purchasing an additional 82,716 shares during the last quarter. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System raised its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 7.2% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 2,653,108 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $428,583,000 after purchasing an additional 179,296 shares during the period. 58.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get United Parcel Service alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently commented on the stock. KeyCorp lifted their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 1st. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on United Parcel Service from $181.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Monday, December 19th. StockNews.com upgraded United Parcel Service from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 4th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on United Parcel Service from $165.00 to $180.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 1st. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price objective on United Parcel Service from $196.00 to $199.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 1st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $195.22. Insider Buying and Selling at United Parcel Service United Parcel Service Price Performance In other news, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . In other news, insider Laura J. Lane sold 14,617 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.16, for a total transaction of $2,604,164.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 20,724 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.26, for a total transaction of $3,777,156.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 54,341 shares of company stock worth $9,848,061 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock. Shares of United Parcel Service stock traded up $0.93 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $193.38. 270,553 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,022,272. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.22. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.87 and a 1-year high of $209.39. The company has a market cap of $166.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.58, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.09. The firms 50-day moving average price is $186.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $178.39. United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 31st. The transportation company reported $3.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.59 by $0.03. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 66.10% and a net margin of 11.51%. The firm had revenue of $27 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $28.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.59 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 11.49 earnings per share for the current year. United Parcel Service Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 21st were paid a $1.62 dividend. This is an increase from United Parcel Services previous quarterly dividend of $1.52. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 17th. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.35%. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio is presently 49.09%. United Parcel Service announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, January 31st that allows the company to repurchase $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the transportation company to reacquire up to 3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. United Parcel Service Company 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. Further Reading 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. First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown lowered its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) by 0.5% 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 31,475 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 158 shares during the period. Bristol-Myers Squibb accounts for about 0.5% of First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtowns holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtowns holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $2,265,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Boston Partners raised its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 103.1% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 10,166,384 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $725,297,000 after buying an additional 5,161,226 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.0% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 174,002,852 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $12,369,862,000 after purchasing an additional 3,357,590 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 199,886,585 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $14,209,937,000 after purchasing an additional 3,058,491 shares in the last quarter. Cowa LLC raised its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9,777.8% during the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 1,657,894 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,211,000 after buying an additional 1,641,110 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec lifted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 29.1% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 6,853,418 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $487,209,000 after buying an additional 1,546,164 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.51% of the companys stock. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Insider Activity at Bristol-Myers Squibb In other news, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $835,258.27. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,721,081.67. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 240,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.65, for a total value of $17,916,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 236,104 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,625,163.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Ann Powell sold 11,183 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $835,258.27. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,043 shares of the companys stock, 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. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Up 0.4 % A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Tuesday, January 17th. They issued an overweight rating and a $95.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a strong-buy rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 3rd. Finally, Atlantic Securities raised their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued 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 presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $79.69. BMY stock traded up $0.28 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $70.31. 1,615,111 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,008,699. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market cap of $147.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.45. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1 year low of $65.28 and a 1 year high of $81.43. The firms 50 day moving average is $69.69 and its two-hundred day moving average is $72.79. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.82 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.11. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 51.60% and a net margin of 13.71%. The company had revenue of $11.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.83 earnings per share. Bristol-Myers Squibbs revenue was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.06 EPS for the current year. Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend 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 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 3.24%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) 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. Featured Articles 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. Iridian Asset Management LLC CT grew its stake in shares of Bloom Energy Co. (NYSE:BE Get Rating) by 5.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 29,392 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,599 shares during the period. Iridian Asset Management LLC CTs holdings in Bloom Energy were worth $562,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Bloom Energy during the third quarter worth about $207,000. Capital Impact Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Bloom Energy by 1.7% during the third quarter. Capital Impact Advisors LLC now owns 34,793 shares of the companys stock worth $735,000 after acquiring an additional 584 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bloom Energy during the third quarter worth about $652,000. Jump Financial LLC increased its position in shares of Bloom Energy by 392.0% during the third quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 74,740 shares of the companys stock worth $1,494,000 after acquiring an additional 59,548 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale increased its position in shares of Bloom Energy by 122.7% during the third quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 1,124,560 shares of the companys stock worth $22,258,000 after acquiring an additional 619,560 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.55% of the companys stock. Get Bloom Energy alerts: Bloom Energy Trading Down 0.6 % Shares of BE stock traded down $0.12 on Wednesday, hitting $18.82. 888,892 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,425,147. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.18, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a current ratio of 1.95. Bloom Energy Co. has a one year low of $11.47 and a one year high of $31.47. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $21.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.48 and a beta of 2.86. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Bloom Energy ( NYSE:BE Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The company reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.13 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $462.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $398.36 million. Bloom Energy had a negative return on equity of 194.49% and a negative net margin of 25.14%. Bloom Energys revenue was up 35.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned ($0.16) EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Bloom Energy Co. will post -0.64 EPS for the current year. A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Bloom Energy from $35.00 to $32.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. TheStreet raised shares of Bloom Energy from a d rating to a c- rating in a research report on Thursday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Bloom Energy from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 14th. Raymond James downgraded shares of Bloom Energy from a strong-buy rating to an outperform rating and reduced their target price for the company from $29.00 to $25.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $32.00 target price on shares of Bloom Energy in a research report on Monday, February 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $29.93. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Eddy Zervigon sold 22,797 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.57, for a total value of $491,731.29. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 124,808 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,692,108.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Glen Griffiths sold 2,122 shares of Bloom Energy stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.03, for a total transaction of $38,259.66. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 403,498 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,275,068.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Eddy Zervigon sold 22,797 shares of Bloom Energy stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.57, for a total transaction of $491,731.29. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 124,808 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,692,108.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 338,781 shares of company stock valued at $6,812,799 in the last quarter. Insiders own 2.78% of the companys stock. Bloom Energy Company Profile (Get Rating) Bloom Energy Corp. engages in the manufacture and installation of a solid oxide fuel-cell based power generation platform. Its product, Bloom Energy Server, converts standard low-pressure natural gas or biogas into electricity through an electrochemical process without combustion. The company was founded by K. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bloom Energy Co. (NYSE:BE Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Bloom Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bloom Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEV Get Rating)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $51.33 and last traded at $51.22, with a volume of 24379 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $50.78. iShares Europe ETF Stock Performance The stock has a market capitalization of $1.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.47 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a 50-day moving average of $49.13 and a 200-day moving average of $45.91. Get iShares Europe ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brown Miller Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares Europe ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $347,000. Cypress Wealth Services LLC raised its holdings in iShares Europe ETF by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 33,086 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,655,000 after acquiring an additional 663 shares during the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its holdings in iShares Europe ETF by 21.4% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 8,143 shares of the companys stock valued at $368,000 after acquiring an additional 1,436 shares during the last quarter. OLD Mission Capital LLC acquired a new position in iShares Europe ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $6,464,000. Finally, LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Europe ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $2,563,000. About iShares Europe ETF iShares Europe ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P Europe 350 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P Europe 350 (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the stocks of companies in the countries, which includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (BATS:IGE Get Rating) shares hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as $40.34 and last traded at $40.24, with a volume of 105757 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $40.03. iShares North American Natural Resources ETF Stock Up 1.0 % The firm has a market capitalization of $833.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.98 and a beta of 1.25. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $39.72 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $40.28. Get iShares North American Natural Resources ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC increased its position in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF by 9.5% during the 3rd quarter. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC now owns 431,526 shares of the companys stock worth $14,999,000 after purchasing an additional 37,540 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF by 931.4% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 30,736 shares of the companys stock worth $1,249,000 after purchasing an additional 27,756 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new stake in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $960,000. Well Done LLC increased its position in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF by 18.5% during the 4th quarter. Well Done LLC now owns 99,022 shares of the companys stock worth $4,026,000 after purchasing an additional 15,487 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Wealth Alliance LLC acquired a new stake in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $532,000. About iShares North American Natural Resources ETF iShares North American Natural Resources ETF, formerly iShares S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of U.S.-traded natural resource-related stocks as represented by the S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index (the Index). Read More Receive News & Ratings for iShares North American Natural Resources ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares North American Natural Resources ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AstuteAnalytica India Pvt. Ltd. The Asia Pacific industrial engines market has immense potential due to the region's rapidly growing industrial sector and increasing demand for power generation equipment. The market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years, driven by factors such as urbanization, infrastructure development, and the shift towards cleaner and more efficient technologies. Additionally, the rising focus on renewable energy sources is also expected to create new opportunities for market players. New Delhi, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Pacific Industrial engines market was valued at US$ 32,439.4 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 52,480.6 million by 2031 at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period, 20232031. Get Free sample copy of this report @ https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/asia-pacific-industrial-engines-market The adoption rate of industrial engines has been increasing in recent years, driven by the growing demand for industrial equipment in various sectors such as construction, mining, and agriculture. The number of units sold per annum has also been on the rise, with a projected growth rate of around 5% over the next five years. The major end-users of industrial engines include manufacturers of heavy machinery, energy and power generation, construction, and mining. Key Findings China and Japan are expected to dominate the industrial engines market in terms of revenue, owing to the rapid industrialization and increasing demand for energy and power in countries such as China and India. Power generation is the largest end-user of industrial engines, accounting for approximately 19% of the market share. Other major end-users include the construction sector, the mining sector, and the agriculture sector. Diesel engine segment dominates the market, accounting for approximately 63% of the market share. However, the demand for electric and hybrid engines is expected to increase in the coming years due to the growing focus on sustainability and environmental concerns. Story continues Technological Advancements and Adoption of Eco-Friendly Engines to Boost Asia Pacific Industrial engines market With the global focus on climate change and the need for more sustainable technologies, governments in the Asia-Pacific region have introduced stricter emission norms and regulations. For instance, China implemented the China VI emission standards, which are equivalent to Euro VI standards, to reduce the emission levels of diesel engines. India has also leapfrogged from BS IV to BS VI emission norms in 2020 to curb vehicular pollution. The global green technology market is expected to reach $60 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 27.6%. To capitalize on this growth, companies are increasingly investing in research and development of cleaner and more efficient industrial engines. For example, in 2020, Cummins announced an investment of $500 million in electrified power solutions over three years in the Asia Pacific industrial engine market. Emerging technologies such as clean diesel, hybrid diesel systems, and alternative fuel engines (e.g., natural gas or biofuels) offer significant opportunities for companies in the Asia-Pacific industrial engines market. By adopting these technologies, manufacturers can not only comply with environmental regulations but also differentiate themselves from competitors and tap into new customer segments that prioritize environmentally-friendly solutions. Infrastructure Development and Urbanization to Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunity for Asia Pacific Industrial engines market The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing rapid urbanization, with the urban population expected to reach 3.5 billion by 2050, accounting for 64% of the region's total population. This growth has led to significant investments in infrastructure development projects. Between 2016 and 2030, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to require approximately $26 trillion in infrastructure investments, as estimated by the Asian Development Bank. Governments in the region have initiated various development projects, such as China's Belt and Road Initiative, India's Smart Cities Mission, and Indonesia's National Medium-Term Development Plan. Furthermore, collaboration with construction and infrastructure companies can lead to long-term partnerships, ensuring a steady demand for industrial engines in the region. For instance, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Cummins formed a joint venture, named Hyundai Cummins Engine Company, to develop and manufacture engines for construction equipment in South Korea, targeting the Asia-Pacific market. Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC): https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/asia-pacific-industrial-engines-market Diesel Engines Dominate the Asia-Pacific Industrial engines market The Asia-Pacific industrial engines market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years, driven by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and infrastructure development. Diesel engines have emerged as the most popular choice for industrial applications in the region, capturing more than 63% of the total market revenue. This popularity can be attributed to the efficiency, durability, and reliability of diesel engines, as well as their versatility across various industries. As per Astute Analytica, the ongoing development of advanced diesel engine technologies, such as clean diesel and hybrid diesel systems, presents significant opportunities for industrial engine market growth. These innovations have the potential to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency, making diesel engines even more attractive for industrial applications. On the other hand, the demand for diesel engines major driven by substantial investment in infrastructure development projects, such as roads, railways, and ports. These projects are expected to drive the demand for construction equipment, power generation systems, and other industrial applications, in turn, boosting the diesel engine market. China's Expanding Share in the Industrial engines market China, as the world's second-largest economy, has experienced rapid industrial growth over the past few decades. It is the largest market in the Asia-Pacific region and is projected to see its market share increase from 27% in 2022 to 32% by 2031. This analysis delves into the factors driving China's expansion, supported by relevant statistics and facts. Growth Factors: Rapid Industrialization: China's industrial sector has been growing at an impressive pace, with its GDP contributing approximately 28.1% to the global GDP in 2021. This rapid industrialization has led to an increased demand for industrial engines across various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. The trend is expected to continue, propelling the country's share in the industrial engines market. Infrastructure Development: China's ambitious infrastructure projects, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the nationwide high-speed railway network, have contributed significantly to the demand for industrial engines. The country invested over $8 trillion in infrastructure between 2011 and 2021, which required massive construction equipment and power generation systems, powered primarily by industrial engines. Manufacturing Hub: China is the world's largest manufacturing hub, accounting for 28% of global manufacturing output in 2021. This dominance in the manufacturing sector creates a high scope for industrial engines market to power the machinery and equipment used in various industries, such as automotive, electronics, and heavy machinery. Government Support: The Chinese government has been actively supporting the domestic industrial engine industry through various policies and incentives. For instance, the Made in China 2025 initiative aims to modernize the country's manufacturing sector, encouraging the development of advanced industrial engine technologies. Competitive Landscape of Asia Pacific Industrial engines market: Cummins to Lead with More than 15.4% Market Share The Asia-Pacific has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and infrastructure development. Many companies operate in this market, offering a wide range of products and services. The competitive landscape is characterized by a blend of global and local players, with the top five companies holding a cumulative market share of around 52%. This report presents a comprehensive competitive analysis of the market, focusing on key players, their strategies, and market dynamics. Market Share of Top Players: The chart below illustrates the market share of top players in the global industrial engines market, including both local and small-scale players: Cummins: 15.4% Hyundai: 12.5% CNH Industrial: 10.1% Ingersoll Rand: 8.3% The Asia-Pacific industrial engines market is characterized by monopolistic competition, with a few dominant players coexisting with smaller and local companies. Leading players have adopted competitive strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, geographical expansion, product innovation, focus on environmental sustainability, and strengthening distribution and after-sales networks to maintain their market positions. To remain competitive in the market, companies must continuously innovate and adapt to the ever-changing market dynamics and customer demands. Some of the Top Market Players Are: Caterpillar (engines) USA Changchai Co., Ltd. Chongqing Fuchai Industry Group CNH Industrial Cummins DAIHATSU DIESEL MFG. CO., LTD. Fuzhou Launtop M&E Co.,Ltd., Honda Motor Co.Ltd Hyundai Ingersoll Rand JEEMAR POWER CO., LTD Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Kirloskar Kohler Co. Lifan Power USA Loncin Motor Co., Ltd. Mitsubishi Motorenfabrik Hatz GmbH & Co. KG SIEMENS Energy Shanghai Diesel Engine Co., Ltd. Other prominent players Directly Purchase a copy of report with TOC @ https://www.astuteanalytica.com/inquire-before-purchase/asia-pacific-industrial-engines-market About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost-effective, value-added package from us, should you decide to engage with us. Contact us: Aamir Beg BSI Business Park, H-15,Sector-63, Noida- 201301- India Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) Email: sales@astuteanalytica.com Website: www.astuteanalytica.com Capital Investment Counsel Inc increased its stake in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Rating) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 21,823 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the period. Capital Investment Counsel Incs holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $1,855,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MS. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley by 68.9% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 18,416,436 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,455,083,000 after purchasing an additional 7,514,505 shares during the last quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board bought a new stake in Morgan Stanley during the 1st quarter valued at $451,711,000. Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its stake in Morgan Stanley by 123.3% during the 3rd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 3,183,121 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $251,546,000 after acquiring an additional 1,757,682 shares in the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its stake in Morgan Stanley by 152.3% during the 3rd quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 2,500,681 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $197,539,000 after acquiring an additional 1,509,589 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its stake in Morgan Stanley by 479.4% during the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 1,390,483 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $109,862,000 after acquiring an additional 1,150,483 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.48% of the companys stock. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Insider Activity at Morgan Stanley In related news, CEO James P. Gorman sold 250,000 shares of Morgan Stanley stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.93, for a total transaction of $24,232,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,112,348 shares of the companys stock, valued at $107,819,891.64. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Morgan Stanley news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 24,556 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.23, for a total value of $2,412,135.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 190,440 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,706,921.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO James P. Gorman sold 250,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.93, for a total value of $24,232,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,112,348 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $107,819,891.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 341,699 shares of company stock valued at $33,143,046. Insiders own 0.26% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Morgan Stanley Stock Up 0.8 % Several brokerages have weighed in on MS. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Morgan Stanley from $92.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Friday, January 6th. Barclays cut their target price on Morgan Stanley from $125.00 to $112.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on Morgan Stanley from $107.00 to $95.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 23rd. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on Morgan Stanley from $106.00 to $104.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research cut Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to an underperform rating and set a $92.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, January 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $94.87. Shares of MS stock traded up $0.70 on Wednesday, reaching $85.79. 1,759,734 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,717,274. Morgan Stanley has a 12-month low of $72.05 and a 12-month high of $100.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.79. The company has a market capitalization of $144.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.34. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $92.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $88.74. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $12.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.16 billion. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 12.06% and a net margin of 16.73%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Morgan Stanley will post 7.05 earnings per share for the current year. Morgan Stanley Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 31st were given a dividend of $0.775 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, January 30th. This represents a $3.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.61%. Morgan Stanleys payout ratio is 50.49%. About Morgan Stanley (Get Rating) Morgan Stanley operates as a global financial services company. The firm provides investment banking products and services to its clients and customers including corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. It operates through the following segments: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of New Found Gold Corp. (NYSE:NFGC Get Rating) saw strong trading volume on Wednesday . 77,157 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 59% from the previous sessions volume of 186,251 shares.The stock last traded at $5.47 and had previously closed at $5.42. New Found Gold Trading Up 2.2 % The stock has a 50-day moving average of $4.15 and a 200 day moving average of $3.95. Get New Found Gold alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On New Found Gold Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its stake in shares of New Found Gold by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 3,520,800 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,449,000 after buying an additional 129,709 shares during the period. Integrated Advisors Network LLC increased its stake in shares of New Found Gold by 29.7% in the 4th quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 599,190 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,421,000 after buying an additional 137,100 shares during the period. Regal Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of New Found Gold in the 4th quarter valued at $1,483,000. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in shares of New Found Gold by 110.6% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 212,968 shares of the companys stock valued at $859,000 after buying an additional 111,824 shares during the period. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new stake in shares of New Found Gold in the 4th quarter valued at $214,000. 22.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. New Found Gold Company Profile New Found Gold Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the identification, acquisition, and exploration of mineral properties in the Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario. The company primarily explores for gold deposit. It holds 100% interests in the Queensway project that includes 86 mineral licenses and 6,041 claims covering an area of 151,030 hectares of land located near Gander, Newfoundland; and the Lucky Strike project comprising 11,684 hectares located in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. See Also Receive News & Ratings for New Found Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New Found Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Phoenix Group Holdings plc (OTCMKTS:PNXGF Get Rating) has been given an average recommendation of Hold by the ten ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $739.00. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on PNXGF. Investec upgraded shares of Phoenix Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Phoenix Group from GBX 680 ($8.42) to GBX 720 ($8.92) in a research report on Tuesday, January 10th. Peel Hunt upgraded shares of Phoenix Group to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Berenberg Bank raised their price objective on shares of Phoenix Group from GBX 815 ($10.09) to GBX 820 ($10.15) in a research report on Tuesday, January 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Phoenix Group from GBX 665 ($8.24) to GBX 655 ($8.11) in a research report on Tuesday, March 14th. Get Phoenix Group alerts: Phoenix Group Stock Performance Shares of PNXGF opened at $7.65 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $7.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $7.13. Phoenix Group has a 52-week low of $6.00 and a 52-week high of $8.28. Phoenix Group Company Profile Phoenix Group Holdings Plc operates as a life and pensions consolidator. The firm specializes in the acquisition and management of closed life insurance and pension funds. It operates through the following segments: UK Heritage, UK Open, Europe, Management Services, and Unallocated Group. The UK Heritage contains United Kingdom businesses which no longer actively sell products to policyholders and which therefore run-off gradually over time. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Phoenix Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Phoenix Group 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 during trading 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. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of Pola Orbis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, February 23rd. Get Pola Orbis alerts: Pola Orbis Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $2.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.80 and a beta of 0.60. The companys fifty day moving average is $13.45 and its 200 day moving average is $12.34. Pola Orbis Company Profile 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 Stories 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. Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) (CVE:SKE Get Rating) had its price objective hoisted by analysts at Scotiabank from C$16.00 to C$16.50 in a research report issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Separately, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) from C$15.00 to C$16.00 in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$15.92. Get Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) alerts: Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) Trading Down 5.4 % Shares of SKE stock traded down C$0.15 on Wednesday, hitting C$2.62. The stock had a trading volume of 258,371 shares, compared to its average volume of 416,331. Skeena Resources Limited has a twelve month low of C$0.38 and a twelve month high of C$3.12. The firm has a market cap of C$431.26 million and a P/E ratio of -9.63. The company has a current ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.52. The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$2.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$2.62. Insiders Place Their Bets About Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) In other Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) news, Director Walter Coles Jr. sold 35,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$8.02, for a total transaction of C$280,700.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 809,625 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately C$6,493,192.50. (Get Rating) Skeena Resources Limited, a junior mining exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metal properties in Canada. The company holds 100% interests in the Snip gold mine covering an area of approximately 1,932 hectares; the Spectrum-GJ copper-gold properties covering an area of 43,500 hectares; and the Porter Idaho silver property that consists of 46 crown-granted mineral claims; and Blackdome gold mine property. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Skeena Resources Limited (SKE.V) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thunder Mountain Gold (OTCMKTS:THMG Get Rating) is one of 104 publicly-traded companies in the Metal mining industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Thunder Mountain Gold to similar companies based on the strength of its profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations and earnings. Risk & Volatility Thunder Mountain Gold has a beta of 0.89, indicating that its share price is 11% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Thunder Mountain Golds competitors have a beta of 0.29, indicating that their average share price is 71% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get Thunder Mountain Gold alerts: Earnings & Valuation This table compares Thunder Mountain Gold and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Thunder Mountain Gold $300,000.00 -$1.25 million -4.27 Thunder Mountain Gold Competitors $8.06 billion $2.12 billion -6.13 Profitability Thunder Mountain Golds competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Thunder Mountain Gold. Thunder Mountain Gold is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry. This table compares Thunder Mountain Gold and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Thunder Mountain Gold -415.33% -185.48% -59.67% Thunder Mountain Gold Competitors -400.29% -2.66% -3.18% Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Thunder Mountain Gold and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Thunder Mountain Gold 0 0 0 0 N/A Thunder Mountain Gold Competitors 911 2142 2756 92 2.34 As a group, Metal mining companies have a potential upside of 26.66%. Given Thunder Mountain Golds competitors higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Thunder Mountain Gold has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Insider & Institutional Ownership 0.0% of Thunder Mountain Gold shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 21.7% of shares of all Metal mining companies are owned by institutional investors. 29.5% of Thunder Mountain Gold shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 11.0% of shares of all Metal mining companies are owned by company 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. Summary Thunder Mountain Gold competitors beat Thunder Mountain Gold on 7 of the 10 factors compared. About Thunder Mountain Gold (Get Rating) Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. operates as a mineral exploration company, which engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of premier precious and base metal properties. Its projects include South Mountain located southwest of Boise, Idaho and Trout Creek located in Nevada. The company was founded on November 9, 1935 and is headquartered in Boise, ID. Receive News & Ratings for Thunder Mountain Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thunder Mountain Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TransAlta (TSE:TA Get Rating) (NYSE:TAC) was upgraded by equities researchers at CSFB from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm presently has a C$17.00 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of C$15.00. CSFBs price target would suggest a potential upside of 37.88% from the companys current price. Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Scotiabank cut their target price on TransAlta from C$15.00 to C$14.00 in a research report on Friday, February 24th. TD Securities cut their target price on TransAlta from C$17.50 to C$16.50 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 24th. National Bankshares dropped their price target on TransAlta from C$15.00 to C$14.00 in a report on Friday, February 24th. CIBC dropped their price target on TransAlta from C$16.50 to C$16.00 in a report on Friday, February 24th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group raised their price target on TransAlta from C$17.00 to C$17.50 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, December 15th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of C$16.19. Get TransAlta alerts: TransAlta Price Performance Shares of TransAlta stock traded up C$0.38 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting C$12.33. 1,012,165 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 600,342. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 221.62, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of C$3.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,233.00, a PEG ratio of -0.07 and a beta of 1.13. TransAlta has a 52 week low of C$10.52 and a 52 week high of C$15.28. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$11.67 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$12.04. About TransAlta TransAlta Corporation owns, operates, and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Hydro, Wind and Solar, Gas, and Energy Transition. owns and operates hydro, wind and solar, natural gas-fired, and coal-fired facilities. See Also Receive News & Ratings for TransAlta Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TransAlta and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF (NYSEARCA:TBIL Get Rating) shares were down 0% on Monday . The stock traded as low as $49.93 and last traded at $49.93. Approximately 445,725 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 60% from the average daily volume of 278,968 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.95. US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF Price Performance The firms 50 day moving average price is $49.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $49.93. Get US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $6,792,000. Gries Financial LLC bought a new stake in US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,497,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new stake in US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $2,345,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new stake in US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $121,000. Finally, Adirondack Retirement Specialists Inc. bought a new stake in US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $3,757,000. US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF Company Profile The US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF (TBIL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the ICE BofA US Treasury Bill 3 Month index. The fund is a passively managed, single-bond fund that invests in the most recently issued, on-the-run, 3-month US Treasury Bill. The fund is designed for those specifically required to track the 3-month tenor on the yield curve. Read More Receive News & Ratings for US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WealthTrust Axiom LLC lessened its stake in Sonic Foundry, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SOFO Get Rating) by 21.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 123,373 shares of the software makers stock after selling 34,470 shares during the quarter. WealthTrust Axiom LLCs holdings in Sonic Foundry were worth $99,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Royal Bank of Canada acquired a new position in Sonic Foundry in the 1st quarter valued at $250,000. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. acquired a new position in Sonic Foundry in the 1st quarter valued at $56,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. acquired a new position in Sonic Foundry in the 1st quarter valued at $53,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 6.78% of the companys stock. Get Sonic Foundry alerts: Sonic Foundry Stock Up 3.1 % OTCMKTS SOFO opened at $0.91 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $0.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.95. Sonic Foundry, Inc. has a one year low of $0.76 and a one year high of $3.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.12, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.87. About Sonic Foundry Sonic Foundry ( OTCMKTS:SOFO Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 9th. The software maker reported ($0.34) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Sonic Foundry had a negative return on equity of 266.46% and a negative net margin of 39.40%. The company had revenue of $5.01 million during the quarter. (Get Rating) Sonic Foundry, Inc engages in the provision of video capture, management, and webcasting solutions in education, business, and government. The firm also offers solutions for lecture capture, flipped & blended learning, campus events, learning and development, corporate communications, live events and meetings, corporate YouTube, continuing medical education, procedures, simulations, and grand rounds. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SOFO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sonic Foundry, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SOFO Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Sonic Foundry Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sonic Foundry and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WestEnd Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWT Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 1,578 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $63,000. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EWT. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 351,300 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $21,588,000 after acquiring an additional 9,532 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF by 7.9% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 7,215,636 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $443,401,000 after acquiring an additional 529,394 shares in the last quarter. Edgestream Partners L.P. purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $7,348,000. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. now owns 634,825 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $38,985,000 after acquiring an additional 14,032 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 573,962 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $35,270,000 after acquiring an additional 22,524 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF Stock Performance NYSEARCA:EWT traded down $0.02 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $45.19. 2,049,909 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,062,712. The company has a market cap of $4.13 billion, a PE ratio of 10.02 and a beta of 0.83. iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF has a 1 year low of $39.75 and a 1 year high of $60.02. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $44.65 and its 200 day simple moving average is $44.36. iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF Profile Ishares MSCI Taiwan Index Fund (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Taiwan IndexSM (the Index). The Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAES Infrastructure Commercial operations to begin in April, propelling decarbonization as clean energy accelerates HOUSTON and OVERLAND PARK, Kansas, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BAES Infrastructure, a diversified energy company focusing on the development, construction, and operation of energy transition projects, and Black & Veatch today announced that they have completed the construction of two utility-scale solar projects Crown and Sol in central Texas Falls County. Commercial operations are expected to begin in April with a combined capacity of 270 MWdc. The completion of Crown and Sol reflects our commitment to bringing to life the projects that are enabling the global energy transition, said BAES Infrastructure CEO Jamie Cemm. We are pleased to have partnered with a world-class engineering, procurement, and construction company with expertise in clean energy and a similar focus on advancing decarbonization and sustainability solutions. The construction of these projects involved the installation of more than 600,000 photovoltaic (PV) modules and over 650,000 man-hours worked, with Black & Veatch performing the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services. In addition to underscoring BAES Infrastructures forward thinking in the energy transition, this project demonstrates our commitment to leveraging our deep expertise in clean energy in ways that achieve our clients decarbonization goals, Black & Veatch Chairman and CEO Mario Azar said. Together, Crown and Sol will provide an estimated 500,000 MWh of reliable, renewable energy and avoids emissions of more than 180,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (in Texas), or the yearly electricity consumption of nearly 42,000 average American homes. Both projects have executed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with LyondellBasell to offtake 80 percent of the total plants output. Editors Notes The Engineering News-Records 2022 Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook ranks Black & Veatchs power business second for solar power services while ranking the company second overall for the seventh consecutive year in power services. Black & Veatch has been delivering solar and floating solar photovoltaic (PV) project development and implementation since 1973. For more details about Black & Veatchs solutions in the solar industry, click here. Story continues Media Contacts BAES Infrastructure: baesinfra@fticonsulting.com Black & Veatch: JIM SUHR | +1 913-458-6995 P | SuhrJ@BV.com 24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | Media@bv.com About BAES Infrastructure BAES Infrastructures mission is to build the infrastructure and logistics platforms that will serve the energy needs of tomorrow. BAES Infrastructure is focused on developing early-stage, technology-ready projects across a variety of end products, energy value chains, and investment structures. It will leverage the operating expertise, reputation, customer base, asset footprint and global industry network of Buckeye Partners, L.P. and other stakeholders to develop and invest in the infrastructure solutions enabling the global energy transition. For more information about BAES Infrastructure, visit www.baesinfra.com . About Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2022 were US$4.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 2,760 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $120,000. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 1.3% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 115,121,643 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,641,705,000 after purchasing an additional 1,441,430 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 0.4% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 58,898,088 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,402,820,000 after purchasing an additional 210,054 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 7.9% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 22,052,957 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,172,115,000 after purchasing an additional 1,622,711 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 1.7% in the first quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 17,793,541 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $945,727,000 after purchasing an additional 303,443 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 7.6% in the third 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. Institutional investors own 71.83% of the companys stock. Get U.S. Bancorp alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Oppenheimer lowered their target price on shares of U.S. Bancorp from $77.00 to $64.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 23rd. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of U.S. Bancorp from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, January 27th. Robert W. Baird raised shares of U.S. Bancorp from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $52.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, March 20th. UBS Group downgraded shares of U.S. Bancorp from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of U.S. Bancorp in a research report on Sunday, February 26th. They set a neutral rating for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $51.74. U.S. Bancorp Stock Performance Shares of NYSE USB traded down $0.26 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $35.27. 4,654,641 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 12,752,962. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $42.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $43.22. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $54.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.58, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 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. U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $6.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.61 billion. U.S. Bancorp had a net margin of 21.26% and a return on equity of 16.13%. U.S. Bancorps quarterly revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.07 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that U.S. Bancorp will post 4.86 earnings per share for the current year. U.S. Bancorp Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.48 per share. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.44%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 30th. U.S. Bancorps dividend payout ratio is presently 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. Vast Resources PLC Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 12 April 2023 Vast Resources plc (Vast or the Company) Baita Plai Q1 Production Report and Update Tajikistan Update Settlement Update Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company, is pleased to announce updates on Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine (Baita Plai) (including the Q1 production report), on the Takob mine in Tajikistan, and on the settlement of the historic claim in Zimbabwe. Highlights: Baita Plai Tonnes mined in Q1 increased by 20% despite January and February being short months of production. Positive results from new drilling campaign indicate extension of the skarn at depth. Tajikistan Commercial production of CaF has exceeded the minimum target thus fulfilling Takob contract performance condition. Pb/Zn commercial production at target grade has commenced. First commercial quantities are targeted for shipment in May. As announced on 3 May 2022 Vast will receive a participation equivalent to a 12.25 percent royalty overall sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced from the Takob Processing Project. Zimbabwe Closure of the settlement process in Zimbabwe expected towards the end of April or first half of May. Baita Plai Production: Production continued during the New Year period with minimal down time at the mine as the mine management and staff target reaching operational breakeven, and, by June 2023, name plate capacity of 14,000 tonnes per month. Lower grades in the mine were encountered in March, partly as a result of intense development work in Level 17 and Level 18, and partly because of restriction of access to higher grade ore caused following the new drilling results (see below) by the development of the incline into the lower levels and preparation for drilling in Level 19. Had that not occurred, the Company is confident the mine could have reached operational breakeven in March. Below are the production results for Q1 2023 together with comparisons for previous quarters. The reduction in concentrates sold is due to timing differences. Story continues Quarterly Report Tons Mined Conc Produced Conc Produced Conc Sold Conc Sold Avg.Conc Grade Cu conc Inventory at end of Quarter WMT DMT WMT DMT DMT Q1 2022 12,561 257 229 263 234 19% 6 Q2 2022 13,020 295 268 201 183 22% 91 Q3 2022 15,673 340 309 154 140 17% 260 Q4 2022 17,343 498 453 546 488 23% 225 Q1 2023 20,728 539 475 516 459 23% 241 Baita Plai Drilling: The first two drill holes of the new underground drilling programme contained in the technical report as announced on 27 February 2023 (Technical Report) have been completed. The author of the Technical Report has confirmed that: Based on the data collected from the first two drilled holes, the extension of the skarn is confirmed. The drill holes were from 45m below Level 18 and were of 136m and 94m. Both holes indicated mineralisation at depth. The ore that is being currently mined at Level 18 (45m), sub level 2, was identified in both drillholes with a thickness of 2.3m and 3m and another new layer has been identified with a thickness of 2m at further depth of 20m. This is consistent with achievement of the Exploration Targets as published on 27 February 2023. A technical update on the drilling campaign will be published later this month. Tajikistan: Steady state production of a 95% minimum fluorite (CaF) concentrate has been achieved at the Takob mine in Tajikistan thus achieving satisfaction of a major performance condition of the contract with Korkhanai Boygardonii Takob. Commercial production of a Pb and Zn concentrate with precious metal credits has now commenced and to date the Pb and Zn bulk concentrate quality has exceeded expectations. The Company together with our partners are preparing for the first commercial shipment in May to our strategic offtake partners Trafigura as per announcement dated 6 October 2022. We look forward to advising the market with this milestone event. Zimbabwe: Further to the announcement of 31 March 2023, the Company has received a further communication from Government representatives, via our legal advisors, that indicates that the matter is expected to be finalised during the course of this month or in any event not later than the first half of May 2023. Andrew Prelea, Chief Executive Officer at Vast Resources PLC, commented: Q1 production has seen a significant increase both in mining and in concentrate production as a result of the changes that have been implemented on site during H2 of 2022 and the ongoing upgrades and further development underground. Management strongly believes in Baita Plais increasing performance and our ability to reach the goal of name plate capacity in H1 2023. We expect to see the increased production trend continue throughout 2023. The new drilling programme at Baita Plai is already proving to show that the Technical Report published on 27 February 2023 is indicative of what the mine is capable of producing in terms of grade and ore tonnage. As stated, there is positive indication that the ore continues at depth and giving further scope for increasing the current resources. Tajikistan is now producing commercial quality and quantity of both CaF and Pb/Zn concentrates and the Company is looking forward to updating the market once the first sales have been finalised. Due to the sensitive nature of the process the settlement in Zimbabwe has taken longer than the market has anticipated. However the settlement is following the path of consensual due process and we appreciate the Governments continuing assistance in bringing this matter to a close. Important Notices This announcement contains 'forward-looking statements' concerning the Company that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, the words 'will', 'may', 'should', 'continue', 'believes', 'targets', 'plans', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'anticipates' or similar expressions or negatives thereof identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely. The Company cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited Joint Broker Toby Gibbs / James Thomas (Corporate Advisory) www.shorecapmarkets.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7408 4050 Axis Capital Markets Limited Joint Broker Kamran Hussain www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC Vast Resources plc is a United Kingdom AIM listed mining company with mines and projects in Romania, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. In Romania, the Company is focused on the rapid advancement of high-quality projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines. The Company's Romanian portfolio includes 100% interest in Vast Baita Plai SA which owns 100% of the producing Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine, located in the Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania, an area which hosts Romania's largest polymetallic mines. The mine has a JORC compliant Reserve & Resource Report which underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years with an in-situ total mineral resource of 15,695 tonnes copper equivalent with a further 1.8M-3M tonnes exploration target. The Company is now working on confirming an enlarged exploration target of up to 5.8M tonnes. The Company also owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which the Company is looking to bring back into production following a period of care and maintenance. The Company has also been granted the Manaila Carlibaba Extended Exploitation Licence that will allow the Company to re-examine the exploitation of the mineral resources within the larger Manaila Carlibaba licence area. Vast has an interest in a joint venture company which provides exposure to a near term revenue opportunity from the Takob Mine processing facility in Tajikistan. The Takob Mine opportunity, which is 100% financed, will provide Vast with a 12.25 percent royalty over all sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced. Processing of stockpiled ore on site is expected to commence in mid-2022. In Zimbabwe, the Company is focused on the commencement of the joint venture mining agreement on the Community Diamond Concession, Chiadzwa, in the Marange Diamond Fields. GLOSSARY Dry Metric Tonnes (DMT) Refers to the tonnage minus humidity to determine sales price Grade The relative quantity or percentage of ore mineral content in an orebody. Ore The naturally occurring material from which a mineral(s) can be extracted at a reasonable profit. Orebody A continuous well-defined mass of material to sufficient ore content to make extraction economically feasible. Skarn Lime-bearing siliceous rock produced by the metamorphic alteration of limestone or dolomite Wet Metric Tonnes (WMT) Usually quoted in terms of production for shipping terms CaF Calcium Fluoride Competent Person The technical views made in this announcement is based on information interpreted by Mr Nicolae Turdean, the Romanian Country Manager and a full-time employee of the Company. Mr Nicolae Turdean is a Qualified Person who is a Member in good standing of the: Romanian National Association of Specialists in Mining Industry General Association of Romanian Engineers Romanian National Committee of Mining Engineers Nicolae has 40 years experience in the Romanian mining industry. He was most recently President of the National Agency for Mineral Resources. Prior to this, Nicolae was the Chief Executive of Cupru Min SA, the Romanian state-owned copper producer. Nicolae has worked closely with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Minister of Economy and Finance, and the World Bank, as well as serving on the Board of Administration for a number of companies. Nicolae holds both a Bachelor of Mining Science and a MSc. in the Management of Mining Activities from the Technical University of Petrosani in Romania. 1 driver injured, another cited after wreck sends car down embankment along I-24 in McCracken County Passive investing in an index fund is a good way to ensure your own returns roughly match the overall market. But if you buy individual stocks, you can do both better or worse than that. For example, the Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) share price is down 27% in the last year. That contrasts poorly with the market decline of 7.3%. Longer term investors have fared much better, since the share price is up 21% in three years. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 16% in the last three months. With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies. Check out our latest analysis for Bank of America 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 imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. Unhappily, Bank of America had to report a 11% decline in EPS over the last year. This reduction in EPS is not as bad as the 27% share price fall. So it seems the market was too confident about the business, a year ago. The P/E ratio of 8.83 also points to the negative market sentiment. The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). Dive deeper into Bank of America's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Bank of America's earnings, revenue and cash flow. A Different Perspective We regret to report that Bank of America shareholders are down 25% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 7.3%. 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 1.3% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Bank of America (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Story continues Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American 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 Doctors for Assange, a group of more than 300 medical experts from around the world, issued an open letter on Monday to British Home Secretary Suella Braveman and US Attorney General Merrick Garland, insisting that they immediately halt the state persecution of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and free him unconditionally. The doctors organisation, which has campaigned in defence of Assange since late 2019, explains that it is now composed of psychiatrists, psychologists and other respected and highly qualified healthcare professionals from more than 35 countries. They write that they are deeply concerned that the ongoing extradition of Assange from Britain to the US, and his related imprisonment in London, threatens not only the health of Julian Assange, but also the health of our democracy. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being taken from court in London, Wednesday May 1, 2019. [AP Photo/Matt Dunham] The letter was sent in the aftermath of news that Assange had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 8. The doctors note: Given his chronic lung ailment, Mr Assange may be at increased risk of serious illness resulting from Covid infection. In addition, Mr Assanges mental health is placed at further risk by the solitary confinement that he has been forced to endure since his positive Covid test. Assanges wife Stella, who reported the positive COVID result, explained on Twitter that the response of the Belmarsh Prison authorities in London was to isolate Assange in his cell 24 hours a day. Several days ago, Stella reported that Assange was still testing positive for the virus and was enduring his 10th day of solitary. Yesterday she tweeted the welcome news that Assange had tested negative, meaning that his full-time isolation will be ended and he will be able to again receive visitors, including his family. As the WSWS noted when it first reported Assanges COVID infection, the exposure of the WikiLeaks publisher to the potentially deadly virus was the deliberate and predictable outcome of the actions of the British authorities. They had rejected the warnings from Doctors For Assange that the WikiLeaks founder would be at heightened risk of succumbing to COVID and the accompanying calls for his release from prison in the earliest stages of the pandemic. As repeated COVID waves swept through Belmarsh and the British prison system as a whole, claiming dozens of lives, Assange was excluded from a prison-release program for vulnerable, non-violent offenders. He has been kept in Belmarsh without charge, solely to facilitate the US extradition attempt. The District Court rejected a bail application, even as it initially blocked extradition on narrow health grounds early last year. While Assange has tested negative, there is a growing body of evidence linking COVID infection to long-term health risks, including the heightened danger of heart attacks and strokes. A study published in the journal of the American Medical Association last year found that people who had experienced a bout of the coronavirus were twice as likely as a comparable cohort to suffer from a stroke. Assange, prior to his infection, had already suffered a minor stroke during extradition proceedings last November. In addition, COVID infection can damage the lungs, under conditions where Assange already has a protracted lung ailment. Long COVID, which studies indicate can affect anywhere from 5 to 40 percent of those who have been infected, covers a debilitating series of conditions that can involve almost every organ in the body. Whatever the outcome of his COVID infection, as the doctors note, Assanges health and his very life remains in imminent danger as long as he is imprisoned and the US pursues extradition. Significantly, the doctors present not only a medical indictment, but also a strong political condemnation of the treatment of Assange, with the two elements of his plight inextricably connected. They write that the threats to Mr Assanges health are the cumulative result of extraordinarily cruel, unusual, degrading and inhuman conditions imposed on him. These include more than ten years of arbitrary detention, including his current confinement in Belmarsh, sometimes described as Britains Guantanamo Bay; character assassination campaigns in the media; a relentless persecution that systematically violated the rule of law and due process; illegal surveillance in the Ecuadorian embassy, and being targeted in plans of the CIA to kidnap and assassinate him. The letter includes a sharp precis of the lawless US campaign against Assange which has involved the firepower of at least three government agenciesincluding the Department of Justice overseeing the attempted prosecution, the CIA drawing up plans for kidnap and assassination, and the FBI overseeing and greenlighting computer crimes in Iceland committed by a hacker in a scheme to falsely implicate Mr Assange, as corroborated by the government of Iceland. The latter is a reference to Sigurdur Thordarson, a convicted Icelandic hacker and child molester, who also served as a key witness for the indictment that forms the basis of the US extradition request. Last year, Thordarson admitted that the information he provided largely consisted of lies, proffered in exchange for immunity from US prosecution. The doctors note that Assanges suffering has been exacerbated by the knowledge that he would never receive a fair trial in the US. The letter cites the assessment of former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer that this treatment constitutes psychological torture. Melzers finding, first made in 2020, was based on rigorous medical examinations of Assange. The doctors state that as medical experts, they have a responsibility to speak out against and oppose state torture. They conclude by calling for the recipients of the letter, the British Home Secretary and the US Attorney-General, to urgently intervene to end the extradition process and ensure Julian Assange is promptly released. The letter is the latest in a series that Doctors for Assange has issued to the governments and authorities responsible for the persecution of Assange in the US, Britain and Australia, where the WikiLeaks founder was born and holds citizenship. All previous letters, despite the credentials of their authors and the weight of their indictment, have been either blithely dismissed or simply ignored, as were Melzers findings of psychological torture. That response itself underscores the barely-concealed lawlessness of the US-led campaign to destroy Assange for his exposure of the war crimes of the US and its allies in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Monday, US President Joe Biden signed into law a bill officially ending the COVID-19 national emergency declaration, despite the fact that the pandemic continues to rage across the US and internationally. Each week, nearly 2,000 Americans continue to die from COVID-19 and thousands more are debilitated with Long COVID. Globally, each day there continue to be an estimated 10,000 excess deaths attributable to the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to mutate and evolve into new and potentially more dangerous variants, with the Omicron XBB.1.16 subvariant quickly becoming dominant in a growing number of countries. The bill signed on Monday, H.J.Res.7, was introduced by fascistic Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar on January 9 and adopted by the House with bipartisan support in February. After Biden initially postured as being opposed to the rushed ending of the national emergency declaration, following its passage in the House he changed tack and said that he would sign the bill if it arrived on his desk. This prompted several Democratic senators to join their Republican colleagues in adopting the legislation by a vote of 68 to 23 on March 29. Underscoring Bidens contempt for the American population, the signing of the bill into law was accompanied by a brief 20-word statement from the White House. There was no reference to the over 1.1 million Americans killed by COVID-19, nor the estimated 20 million suffering from Long COVID, nor the ongoing death and debilitation caused by the unchecked spread of COVID-19. Evidently, Bidens offhand remark in January regarding the death toll from the pandemic, I sometimes underestimate it because I stopped thinking about it, remains in effect. The ending of the national emergency declaration is the second of three major legal shifts which will privatize all aspects of the US governments response to the pandemic and make millions of Americans increasingly vulnerable to the virus and its devastating impacts. The first and most consequential shift took place on April 1, when Medicaid disenrollment restrictions associated with the pandemic public emergency measures were lifted. This has initiated what is being referred to euphemistically as the great unwinding of Medicaid. As a result, upwards of 22 million people (including 7.3 million children) are at risk of losing their health coverage by next year. According to the Medicaid.gov website, the unwinding represents the single largest health coverage transition event since the first open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act. It will see millions of poor and disenfranchised working class people lose their only lifeline to otherwise exorbitantly costly health care, including those without health insurance who will no longer be afforded free care if they develop severe COVID-19 infections. An untold number of people suffering from Long COVID will now have no access whatsoever to therapy or support. The national emergency Biden revoked on Monday is less consequential because many of the emergency measures it was previously invoked to implement have already been eliminated. The main tangible impact it will have is the ending of the Department of Housing and Urban Developments COVID-19 mortgage forbearance program, which is now set to expire at the end of May, threatening an unspecified number of Americans with eviction from their homes. The primary purpose of Bidens revocation of the declaration of national emergency is to codify into law the bipartisan, media-backed propaganda campaign to falsely claim that COVID-19 is now endemic and no more harmful than the flu. This has culminated in Bidens lie last September that the pandemic is over now being effected as policy. The third and final legal shift will take place on May 11, when the declaration of a public health emergency (PHE) will formally expire, and the White House will disband its COVID-19 Response Team headed by the mass infection advocate Dr. Ashish Jha. The ending of the PHE will privatize the future distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, forcing roughly 30 million uninsured Americans to pay marked-up prices in full for these life-saving services. The lifting of the PHE will also place restrictions on nursing homes that are already chronically understaffed, requiring nurse aides to undergo at least 75 hours of state-approved training before they can be employed in such facilities. The relaxation of these training requirements due to the COVID-19 emergency will be reversed. Additionally, various telehealth services will gradually be wound down, including the treatment of drug addiction and prescription of life-saving treatments for paralyzing withdrawal symptoms. This threatens to undo thousands of patients recovery from addiction, with many expected to die from this legislative stroke of the pen. Health systems that have become reliant on the broader use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, especially in caring for Medicare patients, will no longer be able to utilize their services and expertise in the same manner, leaving patients in the lurch. Many critical access hospitals, especially in rural areas, will now have to comply with federal rules for Medicare that will further cripple their ability to offer their communities health services. The revocation of the PHE will also allow employers to modify health plans and benefits in order to opt out of covering services related to COVID-19. Workers who are considering changing health plans or jobs may be in a position where the flexibility in their plans will soon lapse, leaving them without critical coverage. If they find themselves ineligible for coverage through Medicaid, they will be dependent on seeking employment-based health coverage to protect themselves and their families from a catastrophic health ailment. The US Department of Labor blog that details some of these issues reads like a threat to workers. Finally, the expiration of the PHE will end any uniform federal requirements by states to report the spread of COVID-19. This is analogous to gouging ones own eyes out while standing on the edge of a precipice. It must be reiterated that the ending of the federal COVID emergency measures has nothing to do with the actual state of the pandemic. Wastewater sampling, the only accurate measure of COVID-19 spread due to the dismantling of testing and data reporting systems, indicates that there remains a high degree of viral transmission across the US. As a result, hundreds continue to die each day and the mass disabling event of Long COVID continues unabated. The unwinding of Medicaid enrollment and privatization of the entire pandemic response amount to the latest in a series of massive crimes committed against the American and world population since the beginning of the pandemic. The same processes have already unfolded in many countries, and the policy shift in the US will be invoked to justify ending the same measures wherever they still exist. Everywhere, public health resources are being sacrificed in the interests of profit and wealth accumulation for a tiny financial oligarchy. The World Socialist Web Site is exposing these ongoing social crimes through the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic, the only independent investigation uncovering the lies and misinformation used to justify policies that needlessly killed millions globally. As world capitalism falsely proclaims the pandemic over and seeks to cover up its malfeasance, this Inquest takes on ever greater urgency. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2023 / bettermoo(d) Food Corporation (CSE:MOOO)(OTCQB:MOOOF)(Frankfurt:0I5A) (WKN: A3D8PP) (the "Company" or "bettermoo(d) Food"), is pleased to announce that following an extensive period of research and development its wholly-owned subsidiary, bettermoo(d) Holdings Inc. ("bettermoo(d)"), has perfected the formulation of its much-anticipated dairy-alternative "Moodrink" (the "Product"), and has set its first commercial production run (the "Production Run") for early June, 2023. After conducting thorough market, and competitor brand analyses, bettermoo(d)'s management and food scientists have carefully and purposefully curated an oat-based dairy-free beverage formulation for its flagship product Moodrink. The formulation rivals and, in many cases, exceeds the nutritional aspects of traditionally consumed cow's milk, as well as many of the leading and well-known dairy alternative beverage brands currently on the market. The Company's inaugural Production Run is expected to yield 192,000 units of Moodrink and following successful quality assurance tests, Moodrink will be set to launch across Canada in the early days of Summer 2023. With demand for plant-based dairy alternatives on the rise, the timing of Moodrink's production run and the product's subsequent launch is very timely; presenting an opportunity for the Company to benefit from the multi-billion-dollar industry that is positioned and estimated to reach $7.25 billion by 2026.1 "This is a very exciting time for the Company," stated Nima Bahrami, bettermoo(d) CEO. "Over the last year, we have worked tirelessly in the development of Moodrink's formulation and packaging with the goal to have our flagship product enter the market with significant impact. As the new kid on the block', we know that to be a leading player in the competitive dairy alternative beverage industry we need to have a superior product than existing players have." Story continues "We also know that to convert existing dairy consumers to dairy-alternative consumers, and create a better planet, we also need a product that also meets or surpasses the benefits of traditionally consumed dairy products. To meet both goals, which I believe we have, we needed to analyze the market from all angles. We listened to and took into consideration the top common concerns of dairy- and dairy-alternative-consumers, alike, identified nutritional and functional deficiencies across dairy alternative beverage competitors, and have developed a product that I truly believe will exceed market and consumer expectations". Moodrink is 100% vegan, is made with gluten free organic oats, has no gums or added sugars, is an excellent source of B Vitamins and calcium, is a high source of fiber and surpasses most leading dairy-alternative beverages in plant-based proteins, without the grittiness that often results when increasing plant-based protein in dairy alternative formulations. In addition to breaking the ceiling for nutritional benefits, when compared to other leading dairy alternative beverage brands, bettermoo(d)'s Moodrink can achieve barista-quality froth without increasing fats and oils - a process commonly utilized by many market competitors to achieve the same effect. "Our commitment to innovation and quality will continue beyond the launch of Moodrink. We have a long-term goal to surpass industry norms and we will continue to build out dairy-free and plant-based food and beverage offerings that are sustainable, and purposely formulated," Bahrami, further commented. ABOUT BETTERMOO(D) FOOD CORPORATION bettermoo(d) Food Corporation is an innovative plant-based dairy alternative food and beverage company based in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, with an established award-winning vegan cheese company located in in Europe, and an anticipated dairy-alternative beverage, Moodrink, that is set to launch across Canada in the early days of Summer 2023. Driven by the motto "What A Cow Eats and A Human Needs" bettermoo(d) seeks to produce dairy alternative products that are good for both people and the planet - ensuring that all products are nutritious and sustainably sourced, and that also emulate the great taste of traditional milk from the Alps regions of Switzerland, France and Austria. Working with food scientists the Company's goal is to conduct continuous food research and development programs with the goal of rolling out a full line of dairy alternative products that are better for YOU and better for the planet. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS Steve Pear Chief Executive Officer and Director bettermoo(d) Food Corporation For further information please contact: Email: investors@bettermoodfoodcorporation.com Website: www.bettermoo.com Phone: 1-855-715-1865 The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain forward looking statements and forward looking information (collectively, "Forward-Looking Statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the anticipated commercial production of Moodrink, are forward-looking statements. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. 1 https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-dairy-alternatives-market SOURCE: Bettermoo(d) Food Corporation View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/748912/bettermood-Schedules-Highly-Anticipated-Commercial-Production-for-Its-Dairy-Alternative-Moodrink Last Wednesday, tens of thousands of construction workers marched in the streets of Australias capital cities. Amid rapid rises in the cost of living and a string of building industry collapses, workers called for real wage increases, improved job security and safety and an end to the countrys pro-business anti-strike laws. Construction workers march in Melbourne on April 5, 2023 [Photo: CFMEU Vic-Tas] The leadership of the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), along with other building industry unions, called the rallies in response to mounting anger and frustration among workers as a means of allowing them to let off steam. Clearly responding to these growing tensions, union speakers played to the crowd with phoney militant rhetoric. Paul Keating, New South Wales (NSW) secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), now a division of the CFMMEU, declared, Nows the time we start organising general strikes, we shut the cities down, we shut the towns down and we fight for whats ours. After the obligatory initial bluster, one union bureaucrat after another spelled out their real plans, to issue plaintive demands to Labor for reforms that are mainly geared towards further entrenching their own role as an industrial police force. The real purpose of these events is to funnel every aspect of workers anger into the safe channel of union-organised protests and away from any challenge to the political establishment. This was reflected in the smorgasbord of issues raised by speakers at the rallies, including award wages, silicosis, sham contracting, corporate insolvencies and the anti-worker Fair Work Act. Workers concerns over all these issues are genuine, but the union bosses pantomime of militancy is not. The bureaucracy is desperately trying to promote illusions that every facet of the increasingly impossible conditions workers face is a hangover from previous Liberal-National governments and will therefore soon be resolved. The timing of the national day of action, just weeks after the NSW state election, is significant. While Labors narrow victory in NSW does not in any way reflect a mass base of support in the working class, the partys vague pledge to slightly increase (in nominal terms) public sector wages was heavily promoted by the unions. Labor now holds power in every state and territory, except Tasmania, as well as federally. This means Labor will come under increasing pressure from workers to deliver on the phoney promises of a better future and a fresh start that they have taken to recent elections. The union bureaucracy knows full well that Labor will deliver nothing of the sort. The governments agenda is one of harsh cuts to wages and social spending, driven in no small part by the need to finance its escalating military expenditure in preparation for a US-led war against China. This means the union apparatus has a vital role to play in suppressing the opposition of the working class to these attacks. CFMMEU National Secretary Christy Cain declared at the Sydney rally, [the Labor government] have to understandwhere did the money come from to get them elected? If theyre not going to deliver for us, were coming for them. In fact Cains reference to the unions financial support for Laborthe CFMMEU donated $4.3 million to the party in the 2021-22 financial yearunderscores that the union apparatus effectively functions as part of the government. The CFMMEUs diversion of millions of dollars of members dues into the coffers of Labor administrations that govern in the interests of property developers is no accident. The union bureaucracy is itself closely tied to the construction corporations, including through CBUS Property, the investment and development business it jointly controls. CFMMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield said at the Sydney rally he was hopeful the state Labor government, who we all supported, support us, sit at the table with us. He said the union would apply pressure to them to start working with us to restore a lot of those things weve lost over the past 12 years. Greenfields message to workers is that drastic action is not necessarythe union bureaucracy will take care of things in back-room negotiations with the Labor government. CFMMEU Victoria Secretary John Setka declared: We have a Labor government but we have a lot of shit laws remaining from [Liberal-National former Prime Ministers] Howard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison and scumbags like that. This is a deliberate attempt to pull the wool over workers eyes. Over the past four decades, Labor, aided and abetted every step of the way by the union apparatus, has carried out the sharpest attacks on workers jobs, wages, conditions and basic rights. This began under the Hawke-Keating Labor governments of 1983-1996, with the prices and incomes Accordsa wholesale assault on the working class, carried out in complete collaboration with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). These included the 1993 introduction of enterprise bargaining, which divides workers workplace by workplace and which has served as the primary mechanism for driving down wages and conditions for 30 years. The Fair Work Act, which the bureaucrats falsely claim to oppose, was introduced by the Rudd-Gillard Labor government in 2009. MUA official Keating appealed to workers with his call to rip up the Fair Work Act. There is clearly substantial opposition to the draconian industrial relations legislation, which makes strikes illegal except during narrow enterprise bargaining windows every three to four years, and with explicit permission from the Fair Work Commission (FWC). In fact, the bureaucrats have no intention of tearing up these anti-strike laws, which the union apparatus was instrumental in drafting and has played the key role in enforcing since their introduction. Instead, they are trying to suppress workers opposition to the FWC by promoting illusions that it can be made fair through the appointment by Labor of commissioners drawn from the unions legal teams. In February, unions lauded the Labor governments move to appoint Adam Hatcher as president of the FWC. Hatcher previously served as chief legal adviser for the NSW branch of the Transport Workers Union. As a vice president of the FWC, he played a leading role in the tribunals decision in November last year to ban all industrial action by workers for six months at tugboat operator Svitzer, after the company threatened to lock out its entire workforce in a provocative and transparent manoeuvre designed to exploit Australias anti-strike laws. The unions likewise supported Labors move late last year to ram through major amendments to the Fair Work Act. The central purpose of these was to give the FWC even greater powers to intervene in disputes and shut down strikes and other industrial action by workers. This underscores the fact that workers cannot possibly fight to overturn the Fair Work Act while they remain shackled to a union apparatus that is the main enforcer of the anti-worker laws. To oppose the deepening attack on their jobs, wages and basic rights, workers need to form their own organisations of struggle, rank-and-file committees independent of the corporatised union organisations, in every workplace. These committees, democratically controlled by workers themselves, are the only mechanism through which the working class can take up the necessary political struggle against Labor, the unions and the industrial courts, which all exist to defend capitalism and serve the interests of the wealthy elite. This will require a turn to the broadest layers of workers, not only throughout the building industry and across Australia, but around the world. The basis for this exists in the escalating struggles of workers globally. The union bureaucracy is conscious of a growing recognition among workers that what is taking place in Australia is part of a global process. This is why Cain noted at the Sydney rally, In the UK they are very close to a national strike. What is it about? The cost of living. Conspicuously absent from Cains account of developments in the UK was that the chief obstacle blocking the path of the British working class is the union bureaucracy. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union leadership is working desperately to ram through a wage-slashing sell-out deal after repeatedly shutting down strikes by tens of thousands of rail workers. A similar betrayal is being carried out by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at Royal Mail, along with countless other examples in Britain and throughout the world. Australian workers should draw sharp lessons from what is taking place in the UK. Less than a year ago, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch was also calling for a general strike, the biggest resistance mounted by the entire trade union movement, rivalling the general strike of 1926, the suffragettes and Chartism. The fraudulent character of these declarations has now been fully exposed. Lynch and the RMT have not only worked to prevent general strikes, but to force through the demands of the Tory government and the rail corporations. The unions in Britain, Australia and around the world play the same role, having universally transformed into an industrial enforcement arm of governments and big business. This underscores the need for workers to build rank-and-file committees and link up with their counterparts around the world, through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees. This is the only means through which workers around the world can build the necessary political and industrial counter-offensive to defeat capitalism, which has nothing to offer the working class but relentless exploitation and endless war. French President Emmanuel Macron has triggered a political crisis by ramming through his deep pension cuts in the face of overwhelming popular opposition. He falsely claimed that there is not enough money for pensions. However, with his call to build a European war economy, it is evermore evident that Macron's pension cuts aim to fund a massive diversion of resources from workers and retirees to the military machine for a global war that is being prepared behind the backs of the people. French President Emmanuel Macron, after proposing a substantial boost in defense spending, visits the Mont-de-Marsan Air Base in southwestern France on Friday, January 20, 2023. [AP Photo/Bob Edme] Last week, Sebastien Lecornu, the Minister of the Armed Forces, presented to the Council of Ministers the Military Programming Law (LPM) for 2024-2030. The budget of the armed forces would increase by 3.1 billion in 2024, then by 3 billion per year from 2025 to 2027. It is expected to increase by 4 billion per year from 2028. As Macron announced in January, the future LPM raises the total budget for the armed forces to 413 billion over seven years. The military budget would reach 69 billion in 2030, compared to 32 billion in 2017. Five billion euros would be invested in drones, 49 billion in equipment maintenance, 5 billion in intelligence and counter-intelligence, 13 billion for overseas operations, and 16 billion to build up ammunition stocks. Macron also wants to spend around 6 billion and 4 billion on the development of the space and cyber warfare, respectively. The French Defense Ministry openly declares that it is preparing for large-scale war that would lead to massive casualties. It states, the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law will allow us to adapt our armies capacities to be ready for a major, high-intensity conflict. It goes from modernizing our equipment to building a war economy. The army is to receive more Scorpion armored vehicles and Caesar heavy artillery, as well as several types of helicopters. The Air and Space Force will continue to buy more Rafale jets and also strengthen its strategic transport fleet. The LPM also includes building a new aircraft carrier to replace the current Charles-de-Gaulle carrier. Lecornu told Le Parisien: It is a cathedral of technology and human skill weighing 75,000 tons: a factory on water stuffed with steam, electronics and nuclear energy. A small airport on water of 2,000 sailors with fighter planes and installed atop two small nuclear power plants. There are only two countries in the world who know how to build and deploy nuclear aircraft carriers: the Americans and us. Fully 60 percent of the 413 billion military budget is reportedly bound up with the modernization of Frances nuclear arsenal: updating warheads and missiles, and Rafale jets and submarines to fire them. This surge in the military budget is directly related to the war Washington and its European allies are waging against Russia in Ukraine. Since the NATO-Russia war began last year, the NATO powers have injected billions of euros and massive quantities of arms and ammunition into the war, sending tanks and fighter jets to back Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys right-wing regime. France has so far supplied Caesar truck-mounted howitzers and thousands of shells, dozens of MILAN anti-tank missiles, AMX-10 RC light tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, and air defense equipment to the Ukrainian military to fight Russia. Last November, Macron announced the creation of a special fund of 100 million for Kyiv to buy directly from our manufacturers the equipment it needs most to support its war effort. The French Defense Ministry argues that this massive increase in the military budget is justified by the very rapid degradation of the geopolitical context, around the war in Ukraine. The French military budget must be taken as a warning to workers in struggle against Macron in France and similar reactionary capitalist governments around the world. The NATO-Russia conflict threatens to escalate into full-scale nuclear third world war, threatening the survival of humanity. The French ruling class, like its counterparts, is responding to deepening economic and political crises by pursuing its imperialist ambitions through military means. In his introductory remarks presenting the LPM, Lecornu said that raising military spending should allow France to face the new threats facing it and to maintain its place among the leading powers in the world. The Defense Ministry declared, The passage to a war economy must allow us to prepare our military machine for future conflicts and to hold in the long term. The LPM will allow us to modernize and adapt our system of requisitioning in times of peace and war. The bill also allows the possibility of constituting strategic stocks or raw materials or components of strategic interest to benefit the army. The LPM will also establish that the delivery of goods and services will go in priority to the military. The looting of the working class to divert massive resources into the armed forces and preparations for catastrophic wars is taking place not only in France, but across all of Europe. Early this year, Poland announced that it would spend 4 percent of its GDP on defense, including massive purchases of fighter jets and tanks from the United States and South Korea, and drones from Turkey. Germany announced a 100 billion increase in its military budget for 2022 to modernize its armed forces. The Baltic States, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden have also announced major increases in their defense spending. The mobilization of the working class against the ruling elites insane war policy, like mobilizing the working class against pension cuts, can only take place through the construction of a mass, rank-and-file movement independent of the union bureaucracies and their pseudo-left allies. These forces, which are giving no perspective to the struggle against Macron's pension cuts, are even more aligned with French imperialist wars. The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) bureaucracy has endorsed the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, calling for a pro-NATO regime change in Russia. As for Melenchon, he has accused Putin of bearing the entire responsibility for the war, covering up NATOs longstanding political and military intervention in Ukraine to build up its forces directly on Russias borders. Mass anger against Macron is continuing to mount, with two-thirds of the French people in favor of a general strike to block the economy to oppose Macron. His preparations of a massive military build-up constitute a further warning on the ultra-reactionary course set by his government. The only way forward is to develop a rank-and-file political mobilization of the working class to bring Macron down in a general strike, and develop a mass, anti-war movement in the French and international working class. Since February 2022, the American public has been subjected to a ceaseless barrage of propaganda surrounding the Ukraine war, which has been aimed at drumming up support for US involvement in a brutal, fratricidal military conflict on the other side of the globe. The print and broadcast media have told the public that the conflict is an unprovoked war and that NATO is not involved. Ukraines goals are defensive. There are no American troops in Ukraine. The next victory is just around the corner, if only the United States will send more money and advanced weapons. Joint Cheifs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley (left) with President Joe Biden (AP Photo/Steve Ruark) [AP Photo/Steve Ruark] All of these lies have been exposed by the reality of the war. More recently, they have been upended by the release of leaked documents from the Pentagon describing the degree of direct NATO involvement in the war and the disastrous military situation facing the Ukrainian government. Despite Bidens declaration that I will not send American servicemen to fight in Ukraine, the documents show that more than 150 US and NATO troops are, in fact, deployed in the country. And despite endless declarations that the war was unprovoked and that NATO is not involved, the documents show that US war planners see the efforts by NATO to encircle Russia and the operations of Ukrainian troops as a single campaign. Among the most pernicious lying has been the effort to distort the military situation in Ukraine, aimed at presenting the Ukrainian military as on the verge of a major strategic breakthrough. This campaign has sought to minimize Ukrainian losses while inflating those of the Russian side, in an effort to justify using more Ukrainian youth as cannon fodder. In an editorial published just two weeks ago, the Washington Post wrote that Ukraine was inflicting a terrible toll on Russian attackers a slaughter-fest, in the assessment of Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It continued, Most Western analysts remain confident that Ukraine, which is amassing a significant arsenal from the United States and its NATO allies, retains and is building a significant offensive capacity. In early February, the New York Times claimed that Russian forces had suffered 200,000 casualties. The number of Russian troops killed and wounded in Ukraine is approaching 200,000, a stark symbol of just how badly President Vladimir V. Putins invasion has gone, according to American and other Western officials. The Times reported: The Russian military is running low on critical supplies and replenishment, said Colin H. Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy. Theyre running low on artillery. Theyre running low on standoff munitions, and they are substituting by sending convicts in human waves into places like Bakhmut and Soledar. Just one week ago, in an article published on April 3, the Times wrote: Ukraine is capable of inflicting losses on the Russian Army that could have far-reaching geopolitical consequences, said Evelyn Farkas, an expert at the McCain Institute. She posited a once-unthinkable outcome: that Ukraine could render Russia a weakened military power, with little leverage in negotiations to end the war. These triumphalist declarations have been shattered by the release of the secret Pentagon documents. The documents reveal that, according to US military estimates, the Russian side has had 35,000-45,000 killed in action, and that, contrary to US claims that Russian munitions are on the verge of being depleted, it is, in fact, Ukraine that is running critically low on ammunition, while Russia is on the verge of achieving air supremacy. In an article entitled, U.S. doubts Ukraine counteroffensive will yield big gains, the Washington Post points to internal assessments by the US military that give a far more dire picture of the situation. The Post writes: Ukraines challenges in massing troops, ammunition and equipment could cause its military to fall well short of Kyivs original goals for an anticipated counteroffensive aimed at retaking Russian-occupied areas this spring, according to U.S. intelligence assessments contained in a growing leak of classified documents revealing Washingtons misgivings about the state of the war. The Post reports on the existence of a secret US intelligence document warning of significant force generation and sustainment shortfalls, and the likelihood that such an operation will result in only modest territorial gains. The article declares, Its a marked departure from the Biden administrations public statements about the vitality of Ukraines military. The Post concludes from these developments not that the government should not have been lying, but that the documents should never have been made public. Indeed, the newspaper declared in an editorial published the same day, The most damaging part of the leaked Ukraine documents is the leak itself. In 1971, the New York Times published the Pentagon Papers, which exposed a systematic US government campaign to deceive the American public about US involvement in the Vietnam War. The US engaged in military operations in Vietnam about which the public was told nothing, while the reasons given for the war were deliberate lies. Today, the Times, alongside most of the US media, sees as its duty not to inform the public, but to facilitate the military objectives of the US government. This is what they see as journalism. The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal were fully aware of the disaster facing the Ukrainian military, yet they persisted in marching in lockstep with the US government as it sought to systematically deceive the public. In this, the media is operating in the spirit of the declaration in 2010 by then-New York Times executive editor Bill Keller: Freedom of the press includes freedom not to publish, and that is a freedom we exercise with some regularity. In contrast to the US print and broadcast media outlets, with their vast resources and dozens of embedded reporters in Ukraine, none of the revelations in the leaks came as a surprise to the World Socialist Web Site. Before the outbreak of the war, the WSWS warned about the massive US military buildup in Eastern Europe, explaining that the United States was seeking to escalate the conflict with Russia. Since the beginning of the US-NATO proxy war in Ukraine we have documented the massive level of US involvement. It is the availability of information contradicting the official propaganda narrative that is behind the campaign to censor the internet, which has resulted in the systematic suppression of left-wing publications on Google, the suspension of Twitter and Facebook accounts associated with the WSWS, and the blocking of WSWS articles on Facebook. The war in Ukraine, which has already killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, must be stopped. On Sunday, April 30, the International Committee of the Fourth International, the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality and the World Socialist Web Site will hold an online global May Day rally to mobilize workers and young people around the world against the war in Ukraine. We urge all of those who seek to oppose the war to register today. Among the dozens of secret documents from the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies now in circulation are reports detailing some of the nefarious operations of British imperialism. One document in particular gives a glimpse of the provocative role played by London in the war in Ukraine against Russia, detailing a September 29, 2022 incident that could have triggered NATOs Article 5 requiring member states to come to the aid of any member state under attack. The Washington Post reported Sunday, Russia nearly shot down British spy plane near Ukraine, leaked document says. A US military document reveals an incident more significant than was previously disclosed and that could have drawn the United States and its NATO allies directly into the Ukraine war, the article reports. The near miss occurred on Sept. 29 [2022] off the coast of Crimea, the heavily fortified Ukrainian peninsula that Russia seized in 2014 and has used to base its Black Sea naval fleet and launch attacks elsewhere in Ukraine, the Post said. The classified Pentagon document, reports the newspaper, refers to the incident as a near-shoot down of UK RJ, a reference to the Rivet Joint moniker common for RC-135 reconnaissance planes. The aircraft is used to collect radio transmissions and other electronic messages. The newspaper reported that the document was printed with headers for the Pentagons Joint Staff, and details surveillance flights over the Black Sea from the day of the reported near-shootdown up to Feb. 26 [2023]. A British RC-135W in 2018 [Photo by Alan Wilson / CC BY-SA 2.0 UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Parliament the following month, One of the Russian jets released a missile at a distance, the Post notes, but he did not describe the incident as a near-shootdown. He instead attributed the missile launch to a technical malfunction and said he had spoken with senior Russian defense officials about it. Last October 20, almost a month after the incident, Wallace told parliament that an unarmed RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint, a civilian ISTARintelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissanceaircraft on routine patrol over the Black sea was interacted with by two Russian armed Su-27 fighter aircraft. He stated that During that interaction it transpired that one of the Su-27 aircraft released a missile in the vicinity of the RAF Rivet Joint aircraft beyond visual range. The total time of the interaction between the Russian aircraft and the Rivet Joint was approximately 90 minutes. Wallace declared then, In the light of this potentially dangerous engagement, he had raised concerns with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who replied on October 10 that it has conducted an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and that it was a technical malfunction of the Su-27 fighter. This explanation was accepted by the Tory government and We do not consider this a deliberate escalation by the Russians. Our analysts would concur it was a malfunction, said Wallace. UK spying operations off Russias coast would continue and the Ministry of Defence has shared this information with allies and, after consultation, I have restarted routine patrols, but this time escorted by fighter aircraft. None of what Wallace said in playing down the seriousness of what is now confirmed to have been a near-shoot down of a UK spy plane by Russia can be taken at face value. The Royal Air Force (RAF) deploys three Rivet Joint planes which it describes as an electronic surveillance aircraft that can be employed in all theatres on strategic and tactical missions. Its sensors soak up electronic emissions from communications, radar and other systems. The spy plane has been deployed extensively for Operation Shader and on other operational taskings. Operation Shader is the code name for the almost decade-long military intervention by the US and Britain, ostensibly to target Islamic State, which consists of constant air strikes and hostile surveillance missions in a host of countries including Iraq, Syria, Libya, Tunisia and Lebanon. Russias action against the RAF spy plane was clearly a warning to Britain and the NATO powers. The near shooting down took place just three days after the September 26, 2022 bombings of the Nord Stream underwater gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. The Russian majority owned Nord Stream pipeline was built to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany. Two months after the bombings, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that its defence ministry had concluded, There is evidence that Britain is involved in sabotage, a terrorist act against vital energy infrastructure. In his detailed expose published February, How America took out the Nord Stream pipeline, Pulitzer Prize journalist Seymour Hersh stated that the explosives that destroyed the pipelines were planted under the cover of NATOs BALTOPS 22 manoeuvres in the Baltic Region. The BALTOPS 22 exercise took place over June 5-17, 2022, involving 47 ships, 75 aircraft and around 7,000 military personnel from 16 nations. Among the Royal Navy vessels participating was HMS Defender, designed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare. The Royal Navy later confirmed that during the NATO wargames Defender was involved in anti-submarine warfare exercises but also operated in her main role in air defence, including leading Task Force Six Four (CTF 64) of the US Sixth Fleet, which deals in defending against attacks by missiles and fighter jets. The Royal Navys June 22, 2022 posting read, The NATO ships and around 90 aircraft the most ever on Baltops pitted their wits against each-other in testing warfare scenarios, battling threats beneath, on and above the waves. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender leaves Portsmouth naval base on May 1, 2021 for exercises in Scotland, prior to deployment to the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Indo-Pacific region as part of NATO's UK-led Carrier Strike Group 21. Just over seven weeks later, on June 23, 2021, HMS Defender was involved in a major provocation with the Russian armed forces in the Black Sea. [Photo: WSWS] HMS Defender played a critical role in NATO provocations against Moscow leading up to Russias invasion of Ukraine. On June 23, 2021almost exactly a year to the day prior to the Royal Navy statement on Defenders role in BALTOPS 22a Russian patrol ship fired a warning shot at Defender in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea. This was followed by the dropping of high-explosive fragmentation bombs in the path of the UK vessel. Russias defence ministry stated the warship had made a 3-kilometre incursion into Russias territorial waters off Cape Fiolent in the south of Crimea. Britain is up to its neck in provoking and then waging NATOs war against Russia, having supplied billions of pounds in advanced military hardware to Ukraine. Wallace boasted in his speech to parliament last October, We have trained 7,000 [Ukrainian troops] so far. We are on target to complete 10,000, and then another 20,000-plus next year, adding, We are now looking at what we can do with larger units, by helping Ukraine to train at company and battalion level. This is only a glimpse of the real picture concerning the UKs involvement. The leaked intelligence documents also confirm that UK special forces troops are operating on the ground, in the Ukrainian war zone. A classified document less than two weeks olddated March 1, 2023labelled secret and headed US/NATO SOF in UKR, appears by its markings to have been prepared for senior US defence officials. It lists Britain as supplying more than half of all 97 western special forces (50), followed by Latvia (17); France (15); USA (14); and Netherlands (1). The Guardian noted, The UKs special forces include the SAS, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, as well as several other secretive military units such as the 18 (UKSF) Signals Regiment. Britains special forces have been involved in the war against Russia from the get-go. As far back as April last year, only two months after Russias invasion, the Times published, British special forces are training local troops in Ukraine: Serving UK soldiers on ground for first time. It reported, Officers from two [Ukrainian] battalions stationed in and around the capital said they had undergone military training, one last week and the other the week before. The special forces are operating alongside conventional Royal Marine troops. Last December, a leading British army general, Lieutenant General Robert Magowan, admitted that Royal Marines have been deployed on discreet operations inside Ukraine. Every element of US President Joe Bidens visit to Northern Ireland Wednesday was strained. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement ending The Troubles, it took place amid a crisis of the political system established by the Agreement exacerbated by the gaping wound in western geopolitics, Brexit. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, accompanied by The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris and The Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim David McCorkell, welcomes the US President Joe Biden to Northern Ireland. Flying Station Aldergrove. [Photo by Simon Walker/No 10 Downing Street / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Northern Ireland has had no functioning devolved government for more than a year, one of the nine years that the Assembly has been suspended during its 25-year existence. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has vetoed the formation of a new executive, a power given to it by the Good Friday Agreement as the largest unionist party. It is protesting a UK-European Union (EU) agreement regulating the movement of goods through Northern Ireland, whose border with EU member state the Republic of Ireland is required to be entirely open. While the Assembly remains gridlocked, the attempt to patch up relations between the UK and the EU after Brexit is at risk. The United States is concerned both for the impact this has on the united NATO war front against Russia and for the threat it poses to the stability of its neighbouring low-tax entry point to Europe, the Republic of Ireland. Given this embarrassment, the Guardian reports that an early consideration of a visit [by Biden] to Stormont [the Assembly building] to meet the political parties was ruled out. Bidens time in Northern Ireland was kept as short as possible, with BBC political editor Chris Mason writing of the blink and youll miss it trip, the president will be in Northern Ireland for around 15 hours, half of which hell be in bed. Until Wednesday morning, it was unclear whether Biden would meet at all with the leaders of the main Northern Irish parties, and until less than two hours before who would be invited to the meeting and where it would take place. In the end, the leaders of Sinn Fein, the DUP, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Alliance Party received a five-minute audience each before he delivered a speech at Ulster University. Bidens task in his speech was to avoid inflaming the crisis, while lightly pressuring the DUP into ending its boycott and scolding the UK government for failing to resolve the situation. He told reporters on Air Force One on the flight over that his priorities were, Make sure the Irish accords and Windsor agreements stay in place. Keep the peace and thats the main thing, adding, remarkably, It looks like were going to keep our fingers crossed. Several leading figures in the DUP issued denunciations. Former leader Arlene Foster and current MP Sammy Wilson were the most explicit, with Foster telling the right-wing GB News that Biden hates the United Kingdom, I dont think theres any doubt about that, and Wilson telling the Telegraph, Hes anti-British. He is pro-republican and he has made his antipathy towards Protestants in particular very well known. Wilson added, I hope that [Biden] doesnt come here and lecture us about democracy and getting the Stormont assembly going I dont think he should expect us to respond to that. DUP peer Nigel Dodds told the Telegraph similarly, Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all. Special assistant to Biden Amanda Sloat was forced to respond Wednesday morning, I think the track record of the president shows that he is not anti-British, stressing his engagement with leaders of all of Northern Ireland parties from both of the two main communities. Biden stated that he was here to listen. In his speech, lasting less than 20 minutes, Biden made similar overtures, specifically referencing Ulster Scots immigrants to the US and stating his commitment to all the people of Northern Ireland. Pressing his agenda, he used the standard levers of US influence over its alliesprestige, platitudes, trade and investment. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was put in his place by having a planned full bilateral meeting with Biden scaled back to a coffee morning, according to the New York Times. A Downing Street spokesperson countered weakly, I wouldnt characterise it as that. Extraordinarily Sunak did not even attend Bidens speech at Ulster University. US aides let it be known that the Tory governments much-pursued post-Brexit US-UK trade deal was not under active discussion and unlikely to begin until 2025 at the earliest, after the next presidential election. While the UK got the stick, Biden dangled the carrot of investment in front of the DUP. His trade envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy wrote in the unionist newspaper the NewsLetter, Over the last decade, political stability has drawn nearly 1.5 billion in new investment from the United States alone. US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley introduced his address at Ulster University by saying, The United States is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland and, as a former businesswoman I can tell you, you invest in something when you believe in it. And we believe in you. We believe in your progress. Biden leaned into the theme, telling his audience Northern Irelands GDP had doubled in the 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement and If things continue to move in the right direction, it will triple, with scores of American corporations ready to invest as long as politicians could sustain the peace and unleash the incredible economic opportunity. Describing the recent Windsor Framework agreement between the UK and the EU on the movement of goods through Northern Ireland as an essential step, he added carefully, As a friend, I hope its not too presumptuous for me to say that I believe democratic institutions established by the Good Friday Agreement remain critical to the future of Northern Ireland. He repeated, A government that works to find ways through hard problems together is going to draw even greater opportunity to this region. So, I hope the Assembly is restores. Thats a decision for you to make, not me. But I hope it happens. The bulk of the Northern Irish population, Catholic and Protestant alike, are not the beneficiaries of US largesse. In the last year, household disposable income in the region fell a staggering 28.7 percent to 95.10 a week on average, twice as fast as the fall for the UK as a whole. Bidens pitch is to the ruling class and the affluent middle class. What impact it will have remains to be seen. Leader of the DUP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he welcomed Bidens reference today to the Ulster Scots and his reference also to his own British ancestry, but explained it would not change the political dynamic in Northern Ireland: We believe the government needs to go further in terms of protecting Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom. Several papers report that the DUP would be more inclined to end its boycott of the Assembly after the local elections scheduled for May, fearing that to do so earlier would see it lose votes to the hardline Traditional Unionist Voicejust as the Ulster Unionist Party lost out earlier to the DUP. Nothing is guaranteed, especially with Biden spending the next two days in the Republic of Ireland in likely less restrained fashion, meeting President Michael Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, making a speech to the Oireachtas (the countrys bicameral parliament), visiting distant relatives and praying at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock. The sectarian framework established by the Good Friday Agreement is an anti-democratic straitjacket on the working class, preventing it from confronting and overcoming its divisions in a joint class struggle for common social interests and putting political life in the hands of DUP and Sinn Fein MPs and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) jostling for sectional interests. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) is holding a meeting in Montreal this Thursday evening titled The war in Ukraine and how to stop it. The meeting details are as follows: Montreal: Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) Pavillon Hubert-Aquin, local A-2835 (2e etage) 400 Sainte-Catherine Est, H2L 2C5 (Near Metro Berri-UQAM) * * * The far-right nationalist Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) is pressing the federal government to censor and suppress anti-war meetings and actions on the basis of the fraudulent smear they constitute anti-Ukrainian hate. In recent weeks, the UCC has been meeting with and otherwise lobbying federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino to demand the Liberal government address what it calls the rising tide of anti-Ukrainian hate and violence targeting the Ukrainian Canadian community. An 11-page briefing document handed over to Mendocino on March 13 outlines a series of demands for a state-led McCarthyite campaign aimed at silencing and effectively criminalizing any organization or individual who speaks out against the Ukraine war or challenges the pro-imperialist narrative justifying the US, Canada and their NATO allies waging war on Russia. Specific UCC demands include that the government: issue a public statement unequivocally condemning the rising pattern of hate-motivated attacks against the Ukrainian Canadian community and supporters of Ukraine and counter any disinformation which incites hatred against Ukrainians. The UCC also wants the government to mount a propaganda campaign to educate Canadians to recognize state-sponsored narratives and online information that is intended to mislead, and is urging police give special attention to the supposed rising incidence of anti-Ukrainian hatred on university campuses, and that hate crime training be supplied to university security personnel. Under Liberal and Conservative governments alike, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) has long had ready access to the corridors of power. Here Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal pose with a delegation of UCC leaders after meeting with them April 11, 2023. [Photo: UCC] In a press release accompanying its briefing note, the UCC boasted that the UCC leadership has met with Mendicino several times. In other words, the close partnership between the Canadian state and the far-right Ukrainian nationalists, which stretches back to the aftermath of World War II, is already working out ways to censor opposition to the war. The assertion that there is a hate campaign directed against Ukrainians, let alone one, as the UCC would have us believe, that is causing widespread fear and anxiety, is a flat out lie. Despite its best efforts, the UCC could list in its briefing paper only 24 alleged hate crimes since the wars outbreak in February 2022. That the list includes public meetings opposing the US-NATO war on Russia not only points to its concocted character. It lays bare the sinister, anti-democratic purpose of the entire UCC campaign. The real crime against the Ukrainian people is being perpetrated by the imperialist powers in Washington, Ottawa and the European capitals, ably assisted by their far-right nationalist accomplices, who are forcing tens of thousands of young Ukrainians to be massacred in a conflict aimed at subordinating Russia to the status of a semi-colony and seizing control of its rich natural resources. The imperialists have no interest in democracy or sovereignty in Ukraine, which the banks and major corporations intend to plunder no less ruthlessly after its population has been bled white by the war. Two incidents among the UCCs alleged hate crimes involved anti-Nazi graffiti which sought to protest against, and draw attention to, the roots of the virulently anti-Russian and anti-communist Ukrainian nationalism espoused by the UCC and the western-aligned Ukrainian government in 20th century fascist movements. The graffiti protests also sought to point to the collaboration of Ukrainian nationalist leaders like Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, celebrated by the UCC and affiliated groups, in the crimes of the Third Reich. Two additional incidents described as constituting hate were an anti-war political meeting at Carleton University in Ottawa and a Facebook post by a group at the University of Victoria in British Columbia that drew attention to the fascist pedigree of contemporary Ukrainian nationalist groups, including the Ukrainian militarys Azov Battalion. The Carleton meeting was focused on pressuring the Trudeau Liberal government to press for peace talks with Russia to end the conflict. Nine incidents involved expressions of support for the Russian side in the war, mostly by Canadians of Russian origin and often involving graffiti using the letter Z, which has appeared on Russian military vehicles in Ukraine. A further six incidents described other acts of vandalism directed against Ukrainian nationalist symbols, such as Ukrainian flags being ripped down. Some allegations were based entirely on hearsay. There were only three alleged violent incidents, including a suspected arson attempt against a Ukrainian priest in Victoria (double-counted in the UCCs list), threats of violence allegedly made in an online chatroom by a deranged individual, and a physical altercation between Ukrainian-Canadians and Russian-speaking immigrants in Edmonton. Contrary to the UCCs portrayal of Canada facing a rising tide of anti-Ukrainian hate, the reality in recent months has been that far-right Ukrainian nationalists, led by the UCC, have waged a systematic campaign of intimidation against any opposition to the war. At the Carleton University meeting cited by the UCC in its briefing document, the only threats were made by Ukrainian nationalists, who repeatedly sought to disrupt the event. In the days leading up to the meeting, they appealed to the university administration to ban it, based on the trumped up claim that Ukrainian and Ukrainian-Canadian students felt unsafe. During the meeting, repeated attempts were made to interrupt speakers and intimidate them. One of the speakers, the radical journalist Yves Engler, was accused of being a Russian puppet because he has been interviewed by the RT television network. A similar experience was made by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth movement of the International Committee of the Fourth International, at the University of Waterloo. After coming under pressure from far-right Ukrainian nationalists, the university tried to cancel the IYSSEs room booking. The IYSSE responded with an open letter to the university published on the World Socialist Web Site and a public campaign that forced the administration to back down. At the event, a team of UCC affiliated activists sought to physically hinder participants from entering and tried unsuccessfully to disrupt the meeting once it was underway. This record makes clear that if the UCCs recommendations were to be adopted, the systematic suppression of anti-war voices and actions would become quasi-official state policyas it is in Ukraine, where all opposition political speech is banned and opponents of the war regularly confront physical violence and worse. The UCCs censorship campaign closely resembles the attempts of the Zionist political establishment in Israel, their imperialist sponsors, and much of the western media to label any expressions of support for the oppressed Palestinians under Israeli occupation as antisemitic hate speech. The political representatives of the Canadian ruling class have embraced this reactionary campaign with the adoption of the fraudulent IHRA definition of antisemitism. It has been used to attack left-wing critics of the Israeli regime, while ignoring and covering up both the growth of a fascist far-right in Israel and a resurgence internationally of antisemitism among the so-called MAGA Republicans and other far-right forces. The UCC campaign gives expression to anxiety within the Canadian state and ruling class that political opposition to its proxy war against Russia in Ukraine is mounting in the working class, and that any public debate over the causes of the war and the aims being pursued by the NATO powers will quickly expose the western imperialist narrative of the war as a pack of distortions and lies. As we extensively documented in our series Canadian Imperialisms Fascist Friends, the UCC has long served, in a subordinate role, to advance the political imperatives of Canadian imperialism. Founded in 1940 as the Ukrainian Canadian Committee under the direct supervision of the Canadian state to support its aims in the Second World War, the UCC merged all of the right-wing, backward and reactionary elements of the Ukrainian Canadian diaspora. During the Cold War, the Canadian state cultivated the UCC as a right-wing political instrument in its fight against socialist influence in the Canadian working class at home. Report from Oct 17, 1949, Winnipeg Tribune on how Ukrainian Nazi collaborators, recently arrived in Canada, attacked a public meeting of Ukrainian socialists in Winnipeg, while police stood by. [Photo: Winnipeg Tribune] After World War II, in which Ukrainian nationalists collaborated extensively with Nazi Germany, including in the crimes of the Holocaust, the Canadian state admitted tens of thousands of Nazi collaborators, former members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and of the Waffen SS Galizien Division, at the urging of the UCC, and over the loudly voiced objection of anti-fascist Ukrainian Canadians. Following the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Canadian ruling elite redeployed the political descendants of the Ukrainian nationalist Nazi collaborators to assist in capitalist restoration. The nexus between far-right Ukrainian nationalists and the Canadian state grew ever stronger as Ukraines geostrategic importance for the imperialist powers in their drive to subjugate Russia grew. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, the granddaughter of World War II Nazi collaborator Mikhailo Chomiak, editor of the fascist newspaper Krakivski Visti, personifies the political influence of the UCC within the Canadian state. This influence has expanded with the recent appointment of former UCC CEO Taras Zalusky to the position of Chief of Staff to Defense Minister Anita Anand. The UCCs most recent demands were doubtless coordinated with these officials, as they reinforce the Canadian states war campaign. The politically fraudulent campaign currently being waged by the UCC and the Canadian state is an attempt to smear all opposition to NATOs war as necessarily expressing support for the reactionary nationalist Putin regime, which represents the interests of the Russian oligarchy. The principled intervention of the World Socialist Web Site and the ICFI, which fights for the independent political mobilization of the working class in irreconcilable opposition to both sides in the war, demonstrates that the UCCs campaign is a filthy smear. However, it is a filthy smear that is being readily embraced by Canadas universities and pro-war sections of the middle class. One example of this was a recent study of allegedly pro-Russian social media posts in which the notorious pro-war nationalist and apologist for Ukrainian and Estonian fascists, Marcus Kolga participated. The report, Enemy of my Enemy released by the Orwellian-named Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Data and Conflict and bearing the imprimatur of the universities of Regina and Maryland, seeks to label any and all critics of the war as Russian stooges. These attempts by Canadian imperialism, and its openly declared stooges such as Kolga and the UCC, to smear and suppress opposition to the war must be vigorously opposed by the working class. This is possible only through the development of an international anti-war movement based upon an understanding of the historical origins of the present conflict and armed with a socialist program to put an end to the war and the capitalist system that has given rise to it. Binance US, the American branch of the worlds leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance, announced that it will delist TRON (TRX) and Spell (SPELL) from its trading platform. Both tokens will be removed from Binance US on April 18. Although withdrawals for TRX and SPELL will still be possible, trading and deposits will no longer be available. The exchange said it will continue to support USDT and USDC stablecoins issued on the TRON network. According to Binance US, the delisting was prompted by a routine review process, during which the company considers a variety of factors such as trading volume, liquidity, and regulatory standing in the U.S. Other factors that may influence a delisting decision include evidence of fraud or unethical conduct associated with the token. At #BinanceUS, we periodically review each digital asset listed to ensure that it continues to meet the standard of excellence we expect. Based on our recent review, Spell (SPELL) & TRON (TRX) will be delisted from the platform on April 18, 2023. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/EJCzM9xZdN Binance.US Customer Support (@BinanceUShelp) April 12, 2023 We operate in a rapidly evolving industry and our digital asset monitoring process is designed to be responsive to market and regulatory developments, Binance US said in a statement. When a digital asset no longer meets our high standards, or industry circumstances change, we conduct a more in-depth review of the affected asset and assess whether further action is necessary (i.e. delisting). Immediately after the announcement, TRX, the market's 17th-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, fell to a three-week low of $0.062 before rebounding to $0.064 by press time. This still represents a 4.7% drop over the day, the steepest decline among the crypto markets top 50 assets, per CoinGecko. Story continues The Tron Foundation didnt immediately respond to Decrypts request for comment. SPELL, the other asset to be delisted from Binance US, is a reward token linked to abracadabra.money, a lending platform that users interest-bearing tokens as collateral to secure loans for its dollar-pegged stablecoin Magic Internet Money (MIM). In a pattern similar to TRX, the price of SPELL declined 4.8% as a result of the delisting decision. SEC Charges Justin Sun, Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan, and Others for Tron-Related Violations The move to delist TRX comes three weeks after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused Tron founder Justin Sun and several celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul, and Akon, of manipulating the price of TRX and BitTorrent (BTT) tokens. The SEC alleged that both TRX and BTT are unregistered securities and that Sun engaged in price manipulation by "orchestrating a scheme to pay celebrities to promote TRX and BTT without disclosing their compensation." The SEC's lawsuit specifically targets Sun's three companies: the Tron Foundation, BitTorrent, and Rainberry. The complaint further alleges that Sun earned illegal profits of $31 million through TRX sales. VANCOUVER, BC, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV) (FRA: 5LB) (OTCQB: BVAXF) ("BioVaxys" or "Company") is pleased to announce that Dasha Enenko has been appointed as its Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"). Dasha is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 12 years of accounting experience working with private, public and non-for-profit entities in a broad range of industries, including e-commerce, technology, manufacturing, food and beverages and real estate. Her responsibilities have included preparation and filling of interim and annual financial statements for publicly traded companies, working with auditors to ensure successful completeness of audit and review engagements, and helping clients with prospectus preparations. Dasha serves as CFO of Nextgen Food Robotics Corp. BioVaxys Technology Corp Logo Craig Loverock, the outgoing CFO of BioVaxys, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of BioVaxys. As a financial expert, Craig will chair the audit and other relevant board committees. BioVaxys thanks Craig for his outstanding work as CFO during his tenure. Craig is filling a vacancy created by the resignation of David Wang from the Company's Board of Directors. David is returning to reside full-time to China and will not be able to commit adequate time to serve as a director of the Company. David has been appointed as an Advisor to BioVaxys to assist the Company with business development in China, including identifying potential licensing, sales, and M&A opportunities with Chinese pharmaceutical companies. James Passin, BioVaxys CEO, stated, "We are delighted to onboard Dasha Enenko as CFO as we continue the work of advancing our product portfolio. We thank Craig for his outstanding work as CFO during his tenure and welcome him to the Board of Directors. We are excited to continue to work with former Director David Wang on opportunities in China." About BioVaxys Technology Corp. Based in Vancouver, BioVaxys Technology Corp. (www.biovaxys.com) is a British Columbia-registered, clinical stage biotechnology company that is developing viral and oncology vaccine platforms, as well as immuno-diagnostics. The Company is advancing vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine based on its haptenized viral protein technology, and is planning a clinical trial of its haptenized autologous cell vaccine used in combination with anti-PD1 and anti-PDL1 checkpoint inhibitors that will initially be developed for Stage III/Stage IV ovarian cancer. Also in development is CoviDTH, a diagnostic for evaluating the presence or absence of a T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. BioVaxys has two issued US patents, and multiple US and international patent applications related to its cancer vaccines, antiviral vaccines, and diagnostic technologies. BioVaxys common shares are listed on the CSE under the stock symbol "BIOV" and trade on the Frankfurt Bourse (FRA: 5LB) and in the US (OTCQB: BVAXF). Story continues ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed "James Passin" James Passin, CEO +1 646 452 7054 Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating the future operating or financial performance of the Company, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things, completion of the animal model study, regulatory approval for a Phase I study of its BVX-1021 Vaccine Candidate in humans and the overall development of BioVaxys' vaccines, including any haptenized SARS-Cov-2 or SARS-CoV protein vaccine. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, primarily the assumption that BioVaxys will be successful in developing and testing vaccines, that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies including, primarily but without limitation, the risk that BioVaxys' vaccines will not prove to be effective and/ or will not receive the required regulatory approvals. With regards to BioVaxys' business, there are a number of risks that could affect the development of its biotechnology products, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital to fund clinical trials, its lack of operating history, uncertainty about whether its products will complete the long, complex and expensive clinical trial and regulatory approval process for approval of new drugs necessary for marketing approval, uncertainty about whether its autologous cell vaccine immunotherapy can be developed to produce safe and effective products and, if so, whether its vaccine products will be commercially accepted and profitable, the expenses, delays and uncertainties and complications typically encountered by development stage biopharmaceutical businesses, financial and development obligations under license arrangements in order to protect its rights to its products and technologies, obtaining and protecting new intellectual property rights and avoiding infringement to third parties and their dependence on manufacturing by third parties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. SOURCE: BioVaxys Technology Corp. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1430981/3815872/BIOVAXYS_Logo.jpg Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biovaxys-announces-appointment-of-cfo-and-board-changes-301795543.html SOURCE BioVaxys Technology Corp. Seed-stage Venture Fund Run Entirely by Women of Color Receives Largest OCF Award OCF is the latest investor to support The BFM Fund's application to the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Program PORTLAND, Ore., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The BFM Fund (Black Founders Matter), an Oregon founded seed-stage venture fund focused on Black and innovative founders, is slated to receive one of the largest investment awards that Oregon Community Foundation has given a Portland-based investment fund. Authorized to receive both public and private funds since 2020, The BFM Fund is leveraging this award of private capital to win federal dollars from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Program. SSBCI provides the opportunity for venture capital programs like The BFM Fund to set-up public-private partnerships for equity investing and provide capital to underserved start-ups to democratize venture capital across various geographies and demographics. This first-time partnership between The BFM Fund and OCF strengthens the fund's application to the SSBCI program, and allows The BFM Fund to allocate OCF's investment to Black and innovative founders across Oregon. The BFM Fund Logo (PRNewsfoto/The BFM Fund (Black Founders Matter Fund)) "This investment opens up so many doors for us," said Himalaya Rao-Potlapally, Managing Director of The BFM Fund. "By earmarking OCF's investment to match prospective SSBCI funds, we're actively paving the way for other private investors and organizations who are interested in this program to partner with our fund. Our main goal is to invest in and nurture early-stage Black and innovative founders and start-ups. OCF's support for The BFM Fund's application to the SSBCI program underscores their unwavering commitment to Oregon's entrepreneurial ecosystem." Oregon Community Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission of improving lives for all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. The BFM Fund's dedication to providing access, resources, and funding for diverse, Oregon-based founders was a key factor in OCF's decision to invest into the Fund. The BFM Fund has been securing private capital over the last few months to strengthen its application to the SSBCI program and ultimately put more capital in the hands of underrepresented entrepreneurs across the state. Story continues "The BFM Fund aligns so well with Oregon Community Foundation's community-led approach," said Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation. In its support of entrepreneurship, the Fund helps prepare Oregon's future Black leaders with a strong pathway to economic success. "Our investment in The BFM Fund brings diverse women to tables where decisions are being made and into leadership positions across Oregon to create transformative change that benefits us all." The BFM Fund is currently led by a full women of color leadership team and has paved the way for many women and women of color to enter the Oregon venture capital ecosystem since its launch in 2020. Rao-Potlapally recently noted that the fund's ability to create a catalytic environment for more women of color to be included in capital allocation is a huge driver of her passion and commitment to this fund's success. The federally-funded SSBCI program has allocated $1.5 billion for business enterprises owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, recognizing that these potential founders have faced barriers to access the capital, markets and networks needed to grow their businesses. The goal of the program is to promote equity, catalyze private investment, and fuel economic growth nationwide. Oregon's 2022 SSBCI allocation is roughly $83.5 million. Recently The BFM Fund announced that it would receive a sizable portion of Bank of America's newest financial investment from its $1.25 billion commitment to advance racial equality and economic opportunity. Led by Bank of America's review and due diligence teams, the arduous selection process required a comprehensive review of The BFM Fund's legal, financial, thesis documentation, and standing. The BFM Fund joins an impressive and growing roster of more than 100 BIPOC, women-owned and LGBTQ+ funds hand-selected by Bank of America since 2022. "I'm incredibly proud of the work that The BFM Fund is doing. The recent investments from Bank of America and OCF are a testament to the current and potential impacts of the Fund," said Chris Magana, President of IMS Capital Management and Limited Partner Advisory Committee (LPAC) member for The BFM Fund. "I have no doubt that with this additional support, The BFM Fund will achieve its goal to transform venture capital into a more inclusive space. Diversifying VC benefits us all, period." The BFM Fund is actively re-imaging the face of successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. If you're interested in learning more or finding ways to partner, please send inquiries to info@bfm.fund About The BFM Fund (Black Founders Matter) The BFM Fund functions as a seed-stage venture investment fund, routinely investing in Black and innovative founders who create startups based in the United States. The fund is returns-focused and seeks scalable ventures across multiple verticals and industries between the Series Seed and Series A life-stage. Beyond capital, The BFM Fund partners with industry-specific lead firms in the Series Seed to Series C stage to help its portfolio companies scale efficiently. To learn more about The BFM Fund, please visit www.bfm.fund or connect with us on Linkedin (@bfmfund). Any inquiries can be sent to info@bfm.fund. About Oregon Community Foundation Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) was founded in 1973 with a big mission: to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. In partnership with donors and volunteers, OCF works to strengthen communities in every county in Oregon through research, grantmaking and scholarships. In 2022, OCF distributed more than $180 million, supporting 3,500 grantees and awarding more than 3,000 scholarships. With OCF, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds that meet the needs of diverse communities statewide. 2023 marks OCF's 50th anniversary. Since its founding, OCF has distributed more than $2.2 billion in community investments, including grants to 10,850 nonprofits and 53,375 scholarships to students. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds to support causes important to them. To learn more, please visit: oregoncf.org Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-black-founders-matter-fund-awarded-early-stage-investment-funds-from-oregon-community-foundation-301795192.html SOURCE The BFM Fund (Black Founders Matter Fund) The LIHTC fund will create 1,081 homes across nine states BOSTON, April 12, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boston Financial, one of the largest and most established syndicators of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits ("LIHTC") in the U.S., today announced the closing of Boston Financial Institutional Tax Credits 58 Limited Partnership ("ITC 58"), a $131 million LIHTC fund. ITC 58 is the first LIHTC multi-investor fund syndicated by Boston Financial this calendar year, representing the firms ongoing commitment to equity initiatives that enable investors to contribute to meaningful social impact strategies and goals in affordable housing developments across the country. ITC 58 secured commitments from five institutional investors, including four regional and national banks and a large insurance company, allowing it to deploy capital across 12 developer partnerships. The fund will provide capital for both new construction and the preservation of existing affordable housing properties in 15 communities across nine states: California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas. ITC 58 is expected to create nearly 1,517 new jobs, bringing an estimated $170 million in wages and business income to the surrounding communities, as well as almost $59 million in tax revenue. Nearly 70% of the properties will bring affordable homes to majority Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) communities, and several properties will have units designated for veterans, seniors, persons with physical and mental disabilities, as well as formerly unhoused people. "Successfully closing this fund in the current economic environment speaks to the extraordinary commitment of our capital partners and the Boston Financial team," said Todd D. Jones, Senior Managing Director, Head of Tax Credit Equity Production at Boston Financial. "We are thrilled with the outcome and extremely grateful to our investor and developer partners for staying the course and helping us deliver on our collective vision of creating a future where everyone has a home, one investment at a time." Story continues Eight of the properties included in ITC 58 will provide supportive services for residents including: veterans services, elder care, case management for formerly unhoused people, employment assistance, care for those escaping domestic violence, health and dental care, food and utility assistance, legal assistance, and childcare resources. These are communities like The Equinox in Portland, Maine, developed in partnership with Portland-based nonprofit Community Housing of Maine and the Portland Housing Development Corporation. The Equinox is part of a larger redevelopment of a historic hospital that will include 95 affordable homes for seniors and families, and 15 units will be set aside for people who have been staying at a local family homeless shelter. Since the beginning of the LIHTC program in 1986, Boston Financial has worked with over 200 investors to preserve or build over 360,000 affordable homes. ITC 58 is Boston Financials first LIHTC multi-investor fund closing of this calendar year, following the firms best year to date in 2022, with nearly $1.4 billion in LIHTC equity closed. About Boston Financial: Founded in 1969 and acquired by ORIX Corporation USA in 2016, Boston Financial is the largest Low Income Housing Tax Credits ("LIHTC") syndicator in the country, managing a $16.2 billion portfolio comprising over 2,100 properties. Boston Financials vision is to create a future where everyone has a home, one investment at a time. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230412005509/en/ Contacts Boston Financial Patrick Duggan Patrick.Duggan@BFIM.COM Tel: 617-488-3565 Warren Buffett restored confidence in banks during the 2008 financial crisis. On Wednesday he offered up some new words of assurance about the turmoil that gripped regional banks in March. People "do not need to be panicked" about the industry and "nobody is going to lose money on a deposit in a U.S. bank," the billionaire who runs Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) said in an interview with CNBC. "It's not going to happen." These were the first public comments from the "Oracle of Omaha" in the month since federal regulators seized Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank following deposit runs at both institutions. The failures, the second- and third-largest in U.S. history, triggered panic that more lenders could be equally vulnerable. Regulators, including the FDIC, stabilized the situation by promising to protect depositors and free up more liquidity for other regional lenders. The FDIC insures depositors up to $250,000 per account and pledged to cover even uninsured depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. The costs of the FDIC fund used to backstop depositors, Buffett added, comes from banks and not from taxpayer money. "Banks have never cost the federal government a dime. The public doesnt understand that." Billionaire investor Warren Buffett offered some new words of reassurance about the banking industry. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) Buffett downplayed any comparison to the crisis in 2008, noting that in this case some banks mismanaged their assets and liabilities. "Some of the dumb things banks do periodically have been uncovered during this period," said Buffett. But "they haven't made the same sort of mistakes as they made back in 2008." He also warned that banks can lose the confidence of the public in seconds and that more could in fact go down. "Were not over bank failures." Buffett has played the role of savior in past banking crises. During the debacle of 2008, Goldman Sachs Group (GS) came to him seeking capital and his stamp of approval. Buffett injected $5 billion into Goldman. Story continues He then injected another $5 billion into Bank of America (BAC) in 2011, when Brian Moynihan was still a relatively new chief executive and the lenders shares were under pressure due to losses from subprime loans. He is still a large shareholder of Bank of America. It was also Buffett who suggested in 2008 to then-Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson that the federal government should inject capital into banks to stabilize the industry. That became an official proposal of $250 billion, even though some of the biggest banks insisted they didnt need the money. Reuters reported last month that Buffett had discussions with the Biden administration about the banks. The exact nature of those talks was not known at the time. Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance FACT.MR Fact.MR provides a thorough overview of the global cast elastomers market from 2021 to 2031 in its recent report. The study uncovers various trends and opportunities affecting demand across leading segments in terms of type, raw material, end-use industry, and region. Rockville , April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global cast elastomers market reached a valuation of US$ 1.4 billion in 2021. Between 2021 and 2031, global cast elastomer sales will rise at a steady CAGR of 5% . By the end of 2031, total market size will reach US$ 1.8 billion. Adoption of cast elastomers is likely to remain high in automotive sector. The target segment will generate lucrative revenues for the market. This is due to rising usage of cast elastomers for making numerous automotive components. Cast elastomers are lightweight and offer resistance against heat, ozone, and oil. Hence, they are being increasingly used to produce a wide variety of vehicle components. This includes bumpers, damper springs, engine mounts, bushings, shock absorbers etc. For Critical Insights on this Market, Get A Free Sample Report: https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=5885 As vehicles become sophisticated, need for lightweight and high-quality materials, such as cast elastomers will increase significantly. Cast elastomers are used in the automotive industry to produce components with superior mechanical properties, durability, and temperature resistance. Rising production and sales of vehicles coupled with high demand for safe, energy-efficient, and reliable cars will bolster cast elastomer sales. According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, global production of cars reached over 61.5 million in 2022. Over the next ten years, this number will significantly improve especially due to rising popularity of electric vehicles. This in turn will fuel cast elastomers demand in the global market. Rising demand for high-performance materials that offer sustainability and cost-effectiveness has become a key driver for the cast elastomers market. Story continues Cast elastomers are lightweight, durable, and resistant to extreme temperatures. As a result, they are gaining wider popularity across industries such as manufacturing, construction, medical, energy, oil & gas, etc. Rapid expansion of these industries will create lucrative opportunities for cast elastomer manufacturers. Further, growing usage of cast elastomers for developing several complex and three-dimensional (3D) parts will boost sales. Demand in the market will remain particularly high for hot cast elastomers. This is because they are processed at high temperatures and pressures, which gives them great strength, flexibility, and durability than other types of elastomers. They are used in a variety of applications due to their ability to resist extreme temperatures and harsh environmental conditions. Regionally, Asia Pacific will remain the leading market for cast elastomers. As per Fact.MR, Asia Pacific is likely to hold around 42% share of the global market during the assessment period. Rising production and sales of lightweight electric vehicles is a key factor driving cast elastomers demand in the region. Similarly, growing awareness about benefits of using cast elastomers is favoring market expansion. The region has already established itself as a leading manufacturer of various types of elastomers. This includes silicone and thermoplastic elastomers. Key Takeaways from Cast Elastomers Market: Global sales of cast elastomers are set to rise at 5.0% CAGR between 2021 and 2031. By raw material, TDI-based cast elastomers segment held 31% share of the market in 2021. By end-use industry, automotive sector is likely to generate significant revenues for the market. Asia Pacific is expected to hold around 2/5 th share of the global cast elastomers market during the forecast period. Cast elastomers demand in China is set to rise at a steady pace over the next ten years. Germany cast elastomers market will expand at a CAGR of 3% through 2031. Growth Drivers: Cast elastomers are in high demand across a range of sectors due to their numerous mechanical and chemical benefits over other materials. Inclusion of modern technology to enhance repairs and logistics between individuals and company settings would drive demand for cast elastomers. Rising applications in booming automotive industry will boost cast elastomer sales through 2031. Growing popularity of new-age technologies such as 3-dimension printing will support market expansion Highly customizable nature of cast elastomers is encouraging their adoption globally Restraints: Implementation of strict rules and regulations and fluctuations in raw material prices are limiting market expansion. Cast elastomers are likely to have a detrimental effect on human health, which would restrain industry growth Get Customization on this Report for Specific Research Solutions https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=5885 Competitive Landscape: Manufacturers are looking to differentiate their products by offering an extensive range of elastomers, with a focus on specialty polymers and polymeric alloys. These companies are also investing in research and development to develop new technologies, meet customer requirements, and stay competitive. As the industry evolves, innovative strategies such as custom-made products, tailored services, and a comprehensive product portfolio, will remain key for manufacturers. For instance, In May 2022 , production of Desmodur 15 prepolymers was started by Covestro in its Spanish site in Barcelona. With this expanded manufacturing, the business can now meet the increasing demand for its high-performance elastomers and provide for a diverse selection of extremely demanding applications. In December 2020, to supply its polyurethane-based DALTOCAST hot casting elastomer solutions, Lintech International LLC and the Huntsman Corporation's Elastomers division entered into a distribution agreement. Key Companies Profiled by Fact.MR Argonics, Inc. BASF SE Coim Group Covestro AG Dow Era Polymers Pty Ltd. Huntsman International LLC LANXESS AG Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Notedome Limited Tosoh Corporation Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd. More Valuable Insights on Cast Elastomers Market In the latest study, Fact.MR offers a detailed study on the global cast elastomers market for the forecast period of 2021 to 2031. This study also highlights key drivers promoting the sales of cast elastomers through detailed segmentation as follows: By Type: Hot Cold By Raw Material: Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI)-based Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI)-based Aliphatic Others (including Polyurethane and Naphthalene-1.5-diisocyanate based) By End-use Industry: Automotive Building & Construction Industrial Process & Material Handling Mining Oil & Gas Energy & Power Others (including Agriculture, Medical, and 3D Printing) By Region North America The United States Canada Europe Germany France The United Kingdom Italy Spain Russia & Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Rest of Europe Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Asia Pacific Chin India Japan Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Rest of Asia Pacific Buy this Premium Research Report (170 Pages, 78 Tables & 144 Figures) https://www.factmr.com/checkout/5885 Key Questions Covered in the Cast Elastomers Market Report What is the projected value of the cast elastomers market in 2021? What will be the growth rate of the global cast elastomers market for the forecast period? Which are the factors hampering the growth in the cast elastomers market? Which region is expected to lead the global cast elastomers market from 2021 to 2031? What factors are driving growth in the cast elastomers market during the forecast period? What is the expected market value of the cast elastomers market during the forecast period? Explore Fact.MRs Coverage on the Chemical & Materials Domain Aluminum Castings Market: The global aluminum castings market is set to expand at 6% CAGR through 2029. Burgeoning automotive production along with high demand for lightweight components made from aluminum across various industries is driving the market. Cement Castable Market: Global demand for cement castables will rise at a significant pace due to their easy availability, affordability, and easy installation. Growing usage in iron & steel industry will provide a revenue-generation opportunity for the cement castables market. Cold Cast Elastomers Market: Increasing adoption of cold cast elastomers in automotive & transportation, oil & gas, and industrial sectors will drive the global market forward. About Fact.MR We are a trusted research partner of 80% of fortune 1000 companies across the globe. We are consistently growing in the field of market research with more than 1000 reports published every year. The dedicated team of 400-plus analysts and consultants is committed to achieving the utmost level of our clients satisfaction. Contact: US Sales Office 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583, +353-1-4434-232 (D) Connect to Author: Mr. Yash Pathak Email: yash@factmr.com Sales Team: sales@factmr.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Theres a reason animal lovers flock to the open waterand a wildlife cruise provides the perfect vantage point. Like a safari by sea, wildlife cruises let travelers admire animals in their natural habitats. Sometimes, its a top-deck dolphin spotting. Other times, its observing a distant polar bear. Its about more than just one animal sighting, though. The best wildlife cruises include multiple unscripted fauna encounterssomething I learned on a recent Galapagos eco-cruise with World Expeditions. In just one week at sea, we snorkeled with sea turtles and sea lions, watched a blue-footed booby mating dance, visited a Galapagos giant tortoise breeding and rehabilitation center, and sat awestruck as a pint-sized Galapagos penguin mouth-fed her crying baby on the volcanic Bartolome Island shore. Distant manta rays leaping during the ships sunset repositioning were a jaw-dropping cherry on top. Sharing waterways with wildlife is awe-inspiring, but it comes with an important responsibility: protecting these pristine ecosystems. The cruise industry has a notoriously large carbon footprint, but its slowly responding to travelers growing sustainability demands. In 2022, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shared new eco-initiatives, including a push for net-zero carbon cruising by 2050. The industry still has a long way to go, but some trailblazing brands have made impressive sustainability strides. Take Norwegian adventure company Hurtigruten, which launched the first hybrid electric-powered cruise ship in 2019. It aims to launch a zero-emission ship by 2030. From eco-conscious Arctic voyages to small-ship Galapagos trips expeditions, here are seven of the worlds best overnight wildlife cruisesincluding the species youll see, and measures the operator has in place to protect them. All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Story continues Watch whales, polar bears, and musk oxen in the Arctic Iceland, Greenland, and Canada The Northwest Passage with Hurtigruten Andrea Klaussner/Hurtigruten Arctic fauna abounds throughout the northwest passage, a sea trail that links the Pacific and Atlantic via the Canadian Arctic. A 19-day northwest passage cruise with Hurtigruten covers a portion of this wild expanse, as well as the coasts of Greenland and Iceland. From Hurtigrutens 318-person MS Fram expedition vessel, you could spot musk ox, caribou, minke and humpback whales, and, if youre lucky, the elusive polar bear. The trips excursions include RIB boat rides, hiking, and citizen science programs. The trips vessel, MS Fram, promises relaxation and enrichment. Theres a science center to learn about Arctic geology, the ships gym to get a sweat in between excursions, or hot tubs to watch for wildlife while unwinding. The recently updated boat features two restaurants plus an outdoor barbecue. The 125 cabins and suites include four classes, from polar inside to top-deck expedition suites with sweeping window views. While any travel to remote regions like the Arctic leaves a carbon footprint, cruising with Hurtigruten is perhaps the best responsible-travel option. The brand supports give-back projects globally, including programs that provide safe spaces for vulnerable children in Greenland. It was also the first company to ditch non-essential single-use plastic in 2018. Book now with Hurtigruten Admire rare species in the mighty Amazon Peruvian Amazon Peruvian Rivers & Rainforest Discovery with Uniworld Uniworld River Cruises Imagine gliding alongside pink dolphins in the Amazon River or eavesdropping on critter calls on a night safari in the jungle. These are among the many experiences on Uniworlds Peruvian Amazon wildlife cruise. The 11-day trip winds from Iquitos, the Amazons largest city, to the Ucayali and Maranon rivers, where the powerful Amazon River begins. Excursions feature a host of bucket-list wildlife experiences, including jungle hikes and skiff-boat rides. The trips 16-stateroom ship promises an intimate Amazon experience, with floor-to-ceiling windows, ensuite bathrooms and walk-in showers, spacious lounge areas, an observation deck, and a top-level hot tub. Families or groups can enjoy four interconnecting suites, while fully air-conditioned accommodations are a welcome treat. Five-star chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino whips up Peruvian delights in the vessels bright and airy dining area. In recent years, Uniworld has made major sustainable wildlife cruising strides. Its the first river cruise line to share its sustainability objectives and its progress toward those goals. Eco-friendly initiatives include reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2025 and incorporating at least one give-back experience per trip. The river-cruise brand also follows a strict animal welfare policy. Book now with Uniworld Follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Galapagos on Solaris by World Expeditions Nigel Leadbitter/World Expeditions World Expeditions The Galapagos Islands are a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. On a seven-day naturalist-led Galapagos cruise with outfitter World Expeditions, youll become immersed in the rare flora and fauna, with the brands signature adventure twist. Guests can snorkel among sea turtles, sharks, and stingrays; hike by sunbathing sea lions; and visit the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Protection and Growing Centre. On board, travelers can enjoy a rooftop deck for lounging, a dining area for buffet breakfast and lunch, and a plated dinner. The first-class Solaris yacht features a mix of queen-bed and single-bed cabins; all come with ocean views and private bathrooms. Travelers access the Galapagos for land-based outings via small RIB boats, with several hours on shore with two land stops per day. Tourism to the Galapagos has more than quadrupled in the past two decades. While park officials enforce strict wildlife protection rules, including heavily regulated land visits, its important to keep your footprint as light as possible. A small-ship and carbon-offset trip, like this 16-passenger adventure, fits this criterion. The team also supports local communities by purchasing local fare, including seafood from local fishers and bread from an island baking cooperative. Book now with World Expeditions Spot whales with Alaskas only Indigenous-owned cruise line Southeast Alaska Ultimate Glacier Bay, Wilderness, and Wildlife with Alaskan Dream Cruises People travel far and wide to enjoy the prolific fauna along Alaskas Inside Passage, a wildlife-dense amalgam of fjords, glaciers, coastal towns, and an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands through the states panhandle. The best outfitter for taking it all in: Alaskan Dream Cruises, the countrys only Indigenous-owned cruise line. If youve dreamed about whale watching in Alaska, sign up for the seven-night Glacier Bay expedition, where youll not only admire the enormous creatures but listen to them communicate via the shipboard hydrophones. The adventure starts in mountain-flanked Sitka and ends in Juneau. Excursions include kayaking among cliffs and alongside rainforests, skiff-boat rides along the whale-abundant Glacier Bay, and later to watch puffins, sea lions, and, if youre lucky, bears. The vessel, Kruzof Explorer, includes six staterooms with windows and a main deck for wildlife scouting. This upcycled crab fishing boat has a central dining room and bar for gathering and plotting the next days activities. Travelers can feel confident their trip supports the local community and ecosystem; Alaskan Dream Cruises runs small-ship outings (around 12 passengers per trip), offers no single-use plastics, and increasingly invests in solar panels for sustainable power. Book now with Alaskan Dream Cruises Float among hippos, elephants, and crocodiles Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana Southern Africa Riverboat Safari with Natural Habitat Adventures Fall asleep to the sound of hippos, wake up to the rustle of feeding elephants. The 11-day Natural Habitat Adventures riverboat adventure through southern Africa is a unique take on the African safari. Its a hybrid boat-land expedition, with three nights on an upscale riverboat, followed by a week on a traditional land-based safari. While on the 14-person boat, youll explore Lake Kariba, which is packed with the regions wildlife: hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and fish eagles. The land-based trip portion includes stops at Hwange National Park, Zimbabwes largest protected area, and Victoria Falls. In addition to daytime excursions, from boating to 4x4 safaris, guests will enjoy relaxation via upscale accommodations throughout the journey. Overnights include the Zimbabwean Dream riverboat, where all eight suites come with floor-to-ceiling windows and access to a top-deck pool and scenic restaurant; the regal, five-star Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe; baobab-flanked chalets at Namibias Kaza Safari Lodge; and waterhole-view Davisons Camp in Zimbabwes remote Hwange National Park. Sustainability-wise, NatHab carbon offsets each travelers journey. Its also the World Wildlife Funds travel partner, which means naturalist guides and WWF scientists work together to share education about the ecosystems you are admiringand how to protect them. Book now with Natural Habitat Adventures Snorkel remote stretches of the worlds largest coral reef system Great Barrier Reef, Australia Citizen Science on the Great Barrier Reef with Coral Expeditions Richard Woodgett/Coral Expeditions Darren Jew/Coral Expeditions Admire one of the worlds seven natural wonders and the colorful sea creatures that flock there on an overnight Great Barrier Reef cruise with local outfitter Coral Expeditions. Support wildlife with your visit on Coral Expeditions 14-night citizen science trip, which starts in Cairns and welcomes up to 72 guests. Citizen scientists snorkel to log marine species sightings; the shared reports aid local conservation groups with biodiversity monitoring. The ship stops at important wildlife conservation facilities, such as the Turtle Rehabilitation Center on Fitzroy Island or the Lizard Island Research Station, for narration about critical conservation projects. In addition to the action-packed itinerary, travelers will enjoy a host of infotainment options on board the Coral Discoverer yacht: guest lectures, a reference library, and open bridge access. Accommodations range from standard porthole window rooms to private balconies in the staterooms. Theres a sundeck lounge, an alfresco bar, communal breakfast and lunch tables, and multicourse served dinners. Coral Expeditions is ecotourism certified by EcoTourism Australia; its also part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authoritys Eye on the Reef monitoring program. The outfitter cut polycarbonate plastics and provides SPF 50 reef-safe-certified sunscreen to all guests. Book now with Coral Expeditions Meet the oceans colossal creatures in Mexicos little Galapagos Socorro Island, Mexico Nautilus Belle Amie with Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Socorro Island, located nearly 400 miles off Mexicos western coast, is known as Mexicos little Galapagos. A 10-night dive adventure on a liveaboard boat with the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) is a chance to see Socorros manta rays, humpback whales, dolphins, and whale sharks. Your trip aboard the 17-cabin Nautilus Belle Amie commences in Cabo San Lucas. Youll have multiple dive and snorkel options per day (dive gear included), as well as night outings to admire the sea life in a different light. The ship welcomes up to 32 guests, with cabins ranging from twin staterooms (lower deck) to superior suites (wheelhouse deck). Guests can relax and mingle in the salon and main deck dining area. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style; dinners are plated buffet or family style. The ships top-level hot tub is the perfect spot to warm up after dives or snorkels. PADI, the worlds largest dive organization, sets the standard for responsible underwater adventures. It enforces strict rules for marine life interactions, including never touching an animal. The PADI AWARE nonprofit also contributes to marine science and ocean cleanups, with up to two million pieces of trash removed from the ocean to date. Book now with PADI Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler Key Insights Ceconomy's estimated fair value is 3.40 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of 2.18 suggests Ceconomy is potentially 36% undervalued Analyst price target for CEC is 1.80 which is 47% below our fair value estimate Does the April share price for Ceconomy AG (ETR:CEC) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for Ceconomy 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. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) 457.9m 462.6m 533.1m 121.0m 100.8m 89.1m 81.9m 77.3m 74.3m 72.3m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x4 Analyst x4 Analyst x1 Est @ -16.66% Est @ -11.62% Est @ -8.08% Est @ -5.61% Est @ -3.88% Est @ -2.67% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 12% 409 368 379 76.8 57.1 45.1 37.0 31.1 26.7 23.2 ("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 12%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = 72m (1 + 0.2%) (12% 0.2%) = 610m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 610m ( 1 + 12%)10= 196m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 1.6b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 2.2, the company appears quite undervalued at a 36% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. 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 Ceconomy as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 12%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. 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 Ceconomy Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Shareholders have been diluted in the past year. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the German market. Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Threat Dividends are not covered by earnings. Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the German market. Next Steps: Whilst important, the DCF calculation shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Ceconomy, there are three relevant factors you should explore: Risks: For example, we've discovered 5 warning signs for Ceconomy that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does CEC'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 A US judge has granted Alec Baldwin permission not to appear in court for the preliminary hearing relating to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 death of Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust. The cinematographer died after being hit with a live round fired from a prop gun held by Baldwin. During the two-week preliminary hearing, due to begin on 3 May, it will be decided whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. A waiver of appearance was filed by Baldwin and his legal team, and approved by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer on Monday. I understand that I am charged with the following offence or offences under the law of the State of New Mexico: Involuntary Manslaughter in two alternatives, the filing read. Alec Baldwin (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) I understand that I am entitled to personally appear before the court at every stage of the criminal proceedings. After reading and understanding the above, I request that the court permit me to waive a personal appearance in court for the following proceedings: preliminary hearing. The news comes after the New Mexico district attorney overseeing the case said she would follow a judges order to step down as a prosecutor. Baldwins attorney had previously called for Carmack-Altwies to be disqualified from the case, claiming as she was too distracted by her role as a state legislator. Mary Carmack-Altwies announced the appointment of lawyers Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis to serve as new special prosecutors in the case. Additional reporting from PA gavel It is a sad day for supporters following the death of Shanquella Robinson. Today (April 12), it was announced that United States prosecutors will not file charges. As previously reported by REVOLT, in late October 2022, the 25-year-old passed away after traveling to Cabo, Mexico with a group of friends. Initially, associates from the vacation reportedly told Robinsons parents that she died from alcohol poisoning. Shortly after their return, a video surfaced on social media showing a brutal fight between the Charlotte, North Carolina resident and one of the individuals who accompanied her. An autopsy report later revealed the young womans neck and back were broken. Mexican authorities eventually classified the incident as femicide (a form of gender-based violence), and an arrest warrant was issued. Department of Justice prosecutors held a meeting with Robinsons family and informed them that after careful deliberation, there was not enough substantial evidence to bring charges, The New York Post said today. As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed, they continued, despite video of Robinson being violently pummeled to the ground in Mexico and suffering severe spinal and neck injuries. Based on the results of the autopsy, and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution, they added. In November 2022, a local prosecutor for the Mexican state of Baja California Sur said, This case is fully clarified. We even have a court order. There is an arrest warrant issued for the crime of femicide to the detriment of the victim and against an alleged perpetrator, a friend of hers who is the direct aggressor. No suspects have ever been taken into custody regarding her death. Trending Stories The Biden administration is considering asking western states along the Colorado River to accept unprecedented cuts to their water allotments, as drought, climate change, and human overuse drain the winding river and water source for 40 million Americans. At a press conference at the Hoover Dam on Tuesday, the administrations Department of Interior announced it is considering two plans: one in which Arizona and California would be hit with equal cuts, despite the latters stronger historical legal claims to the river. That plan, according to the New York Times, could reduce both states allotment by as much as a quarter. The other plan, meanwhile, would see Arizona face the deeper reductions, losing as much as half of its water allotment from the Colorado during dry years, according to Grist. During the event on Tuesday, deputy interior secretary Tommy Beaudreau hinted that Californias claims to the river may not win out. I dont know that Ive ever heard anyone advocate straight priority, he said. But its important for everyone to see what that would look like. The river, which supplies drinking water to millions of people in the US and Mexico, and feeds farm fields throughout the region, is in the middle of a 23-year drought, with flows already down 20 per cent, a dire situation likely to be made worse by the climate crisis. Water levels could fall so low at the Glen Canyon Dam that its crucial hydropower generation capabilities would cease, according to federal projections. The Biden administration avoided taking overt sides between the two plans, one of which is backed by California, and the other which is supported by the six main states that use the Colorado. This approach was praised by some observers. It leaves space for productive negotiations, and now that we have a good snowpack, we have some room for the possibility of those productive negotiations to happen, John Fleck, a Colorado River expert at the University of New Mexico, told Politico. If states cant agree to voluntary water cuts, the federal government could use its legal authorities and mandate emergency action. Richland County Foundation grants help meet emerging needs The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved grants totaling $903,644 at its April meeting. The Foundation is supporting summertime programs focused on children, approving 30 Summertime Kid grants. The grants of up to $2,500 were given to support creative, educational and fun-filled activities. The board approved a Mansfield Rising grant to the Renaissance Performing Arts for Pictures on the Plaza. The Renaissance, Mansfield-Richland County Public Library, Buckeye Imagination Museum and Idea+Works will collaborate to show four outdoor movies this summer in the greenspace between the main theater and Theater 166. Five career technical education scholarships were approved for students to earn a certification at a technical institution. The Scholarship Committee implemented a rolling deadline for CTE scholarships to meet various enrollment deadlines. In aligning with Ohios Attainment Goal, the Foundation wants to help fill the gap between job openings and certified employees as well as lead the way to support workforce development through CTE scholarships. Trustees approved grants for 43 organizations from donor-advised funds, which allow individuals and families the opportunity to make grant suggestions to favorite charities. Donor-advised funds are a flexible and convenient alternative to a private foundation. It also is a way to keep charitable contributions anonymous, at the preference of the donor. OhioHealth to lift masking requirements for most patients, staff and visitors Due to decreasing community spread and higher immunity in communities, OhioHealth will end the masking requirement for asymptomatic individuals in all hospitals, outpatient care centers and physician offices beginning Friday. Masking may be required for visitors based on specific patient situations, such as when a patient is in isolation. Masks also are recommended for visitors if they are experiencing any respiratory symptoms. Story continues Masks will continue to be made available for those who wish to wear them. Upcoming meetings: Shelby Board of Education, 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, conference room, Shelby High School, 1 Whippet Way, Shelby Shelby City Council Utilities & Streets Committee, 3:30 p.m., Thursday, conference room, 5 Water St., Shelby Shelby City Council Finance & Personnel Committee, 3:30 p.m., Friday, conference room, 5 Water St., Shelby Richland County Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services Board, 5:30 p.m., April 18, 87 E. First St., Mansfield This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New Richland County Foundation grants, OhioHealth lifting mask mandate The British and Canadian writers unions are demonstrating solidarity with their American counterpart as the threat of a potential strike looms. The Writers Guild of Great Britain advised their members on Wednesday not to work on projects within the jurisdiction of the WGA for the duration of the strike if the American writers do mount a work stoppage. The WGGB support the WGA in their ongoing negotiations, the union added in its statement. More from The Hollywood Reporter When reached by The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, the Writers Guild of Canada stated that it would issue a similar recommendation to its members later in the week. In the unfortunate event of a WGA strike, WGC members will not accept work that is normally within the jurisdiction of the WGA; for example, US-based productions and productions that are already under a WGA contract, WGC executive director Victoria Shen said in a statement. She added that members of the WGA are our closest colleagues and we respect each others jurisdiction and support one another in advancing the rights of screenwriters around the world. The WGA, WGC and the WGGB are all members of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds, a consortium of writers guilds that offer each other support and resources. It is widely expected that if American writers do decide to go on strike following the expiration of their contract on May 1, the stoppage could lead to an increase in demand for international content. The last WGA strike especially led to an uptick in mid-season pickups for Canadian shows for U.S. networks, as The Hollywood Reporter has previously reported. The unions statements arrive a day after WGA members began voting to authorize a strike. If the majority of members do vote in favor of a strike authorization, that does not mean a strike will occur; instead, it gives the union the option to call a strike if their discussions with employers go sideways. The vote also gauges WGA members willingness to go out on strike. A potential strike could only begin after the WGAs current contract expires on May 1. Story continues The WGA began negotiations with studios and streamers (represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP) on March 20 and have had stop-and-start talks with their employers ever since. The union is seeking to significantly boost writer compensation in this round of bargaining as, it claims, middle-class writers ability to make a living has been significantly eroded in the streaming era amid the rise of short seasons and so-called mini-rooms as well as the dwindling of residuals. The WGGB bargains on behalf of a large swathe of writers working in the U.K., including novelists, video game writers and playwrights in addition to film and television writers. The WGC, meanwhile, represents writers working in film, television and on webseries in collective bargaining April 12, 12:56 p.m. Updated to include a statement from the Writers Guild of Canada. Etan Vlessing contributed reporting. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. It appears that there is a reason why Chris Evans has yet to make his Saturday Night Live hosting debut. During an ET Canada interview that published Tuesday with Evans and Ana de Armas discussing their upcoming action comedy Ghosted, the conversation turned to the fact that the Blonde actress will mark her first time leading SNL with its upcoming April 15 episode. When asked if he would be up for a cameo in the episode that features Karol G as the musical guest, Evans made it clear that a brief appearance would be far more appealing to him than actually hosting the NBC sketch comedy series. More from The Hollywood Reporter Well, now a cameo I can handle, Evans replied. Ive avoided hosting SNL like the plague for years now just because Im so scared. Its terrifying to me. The Avengers actor, who had a breakout role in the 2001 comedy Not Another Teen Movie, explained that he assumes he would battle anxiety while hosting SNL. A cameo sounds great thats perfect, Evans said. But hosting, I tip my hat to her. Shes going to be amazing. But it would provide a lot of sleepless nights for me. Later in the interview, Evans admitted that his concerns may stem from the star previously feeling self-conscious about his ability to get a laugh. Maybe I only feel that because I have very, very funny friends who once told me Im not a funny person, he said. It would just be an everyday anxiety, constant regret: Why did I do this? I could have been comfortable at my house, in my bed, not worrying about this.' Evans and de Armas, who were also both in 2019s Knives Out and last years The Gray Man, star in Ghosted as a couple who bond during a date before realizing there is a lot they dont know about each other, given that de Armas character is actually a secret agent. The film hits Apple TV+ on April 21. Story continues Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. Deafheaven | Photo by Robin Laananen After being announced as part of this years Dark Mofo lineup last month, Californian black metal/shoegaze quintet Deafheaven have now announced a full Australian tour leading up to their festival appearance in Hobart. The tour will kick off Wednesday, 31st May with the first of two consecutive evenings at Max Watts in Melbourne, with shows also booked for Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. The tour will conclude with a performance as part of Dark Mofo on Thursday, 15th June, where Deafheaven will perform their seminal 2013 album Sunbather in full, exclusively as part of the festival. Deafheaven In Blur The band will be joined in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane by Closure in Moscow, with Melbourne metalcore band RUN also performing on selected dates. See dates and venues below tickets are on sale now. Deafheavens return to Australia is a long time coming. The band last toured the country in 2019, with a string of headline shows in addition to an appearance at that years Farmer & the Owl festival. They were set to come back as part of last years edition of Dark Mofo, but were forced to cancel their appearance after a member of their team tested positive for COVID-19. Since they last visited, Deafheaven have released their fifth studio album, Infinite Granite, which arrived in 2021. The album saw the band take a dramatic departure from the black metal influences that had been a core part of their sound from their inception, shifting to a more melodic, shoegaze-oriented style. Deafheaven 2023 Australian Tour with Closure in Moscow* and RUN^ Wednesday, 31st May Max Watts, Melbourne* Tickets: Oztix Thursday, 1st June Max Watts, Melbourne*^ Tickets: Oztix Friday, 2nd June Metro Theatre, Sydney*^ Tickets: Ticketek Saturday, 3rd June The Triffid, Brisbane*^ Tickets: Moshtix Sunday, 11th June Rosemount Hotel, Perth Tickets: Oztix Monday, 12th June Badlands, Perth Tickets: Oztix Tuesday, 13th June The Gov, Adelaide Tickets: Oztix Thursday, 15th June Dark Mofo, Hobart Tickets: Dark Mofo Story continues Further Reading Deafheaven review Sydney Opera House, 2/06/16 Dark Mofo 2023: Black Flag, Deafheaven, Thundercat + More Here Were The Best (And Worst) Genre Pivots Of 2021 The post Deafheaven Announce 2023 Australian Tour appeared first on Music Feeds. One travel writer ventures back to South Africa's Singita Lebombo Lodge in Kruger National Park, where her late father came on safari 20 years earlier. Vanessa Wilkins You know the phrase to take someones breath away? Well thats how youll feel on a safari. You will be so amazed that you literally, and I mean literally, wont be able to breathe. My dad was enthusiastically describing what I had to look forward to after he and my mom decided on a South African safari for our next family vacation. It was fall 2019. My dad was the only person in our family who had been on a safari, and he was very excited to share the experience with us newbies. We had booked four nights for summer 2020 at the Singita Lebombo Lodge where my dad stayed during his first safari nearly 20 years earlier and were counting down the days until our biggest adventure as a family yet. But quickly, everything changed. The pandemic canceled our 2020 trip, and after we rescheduled, my dad was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. He passed away in 2021, leaving my family and me absolutely heartbroken. After my fathers death, my family pushed back our safari vacation several times, and even considered scrapping the trip altogether. However, we ultimately decided that since we couldnt take this trip with my dad, we would take the trip in remembrance of him and his love of travel. My mom, twin sister, and I finally embarked on our family safari in the summer of 2022 as our first annual family vacation in honor of Gerald Wilkins. Arriving in South Africa was bittersweet; we were eager to experience the culture, food, and incredible wildlife the country had to offer, but couldnt shake concerns that our grief would overpower our excitement and ruin the trip altogether. Whatever anxieties we were initially feeling slowly began to melt away as we were welcomed into Kruger Park by the Singita Lebombo staff. Singita Lebombo is situated on a private 33,000 acres inside South Africa's Kruger National Park. The luxury lodge offers a personalized experience with incredible accommodations, private game drives, and extraordinary cuisine. Perched on a rugged cliff, the stunning lodge features a modern design, with open, airy common spaces and wood-lined suites inspired by the natural surroundings. There are 15 open-plan suites and one private villa, all of which include both indoor and outdoor showers, cozy fireplaces, and an outdoor patio with jaw-dropping views of the Nwanetsi River below. After settling into our two-bedroom suite and changing into our best safari attire, my mom, sister, and I grabbed our cameras and binoculars and headed off on our first game drive. Story continues Before heading out into the bush, we met our safari guide and tracker in the lobby of the retreat; this dynamic duo would lead us on our drives for the entire stay. Our guide, Bernard Stiglingh, was a multilingual adventurer, with more than a decade of experience as a field guide. Sunday Ndlovu was our tracker, and given his whopping 17 years of experience, it was clear to us that the Wilkins women would be in good hands for our first-ever safari. After going over a few ground rules and packing up the essential to-go drinks, we loaded into our Land Rover and set off to search for some animals. Vanessa Wilkins Our first drive started off fairly tame, but things took a dramatic turn after Stiglingh got word on his walkie-talkie that a pair of leopard cubs had been spotted in a different part of the reserve. Our guide, determined to not miss this iconic sighting, turned our car around and raced through the bush to see if we could catch up to the cats before they moved out of sight. Luckily, we made it to the cubs just in time, finding one resting on a fallen tree branch and the other lounging nearby. Stiglingh slowly inched the Land Rover closer and closer until we were just a stones throw from the cubs, and we watched in awe as the little rascals played like kids at the park, chasing each other around trees and weaving through the tall grass. Curiosity got the better of one of the cubs and he wandered over to our car, stopping directly underneath me to sniff around. Suddenly, he looked up and locked eyes with me, tilting his head in interest as I snapped a photo. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, and just like my dad had predicted, I was shocked into silence, unwilling to breathe until the inquisitive cub sauntered away. Vanessa Wilkins After the riveting leopard encounter, our group headed back toward the lodge. On the way back, we stopped in a quiet clearing to watch the sunset, a scene that no picture could ever do justice. Yellows and oranges melted together as the sun crept below the horizon, until all that was left was a vibrant crimson skyline. My family toasted to a wonderful first day, and of course, to my dad, who was the only piece missing from this perfect moment. His absence was palpable, but so was our deep love for him. Vanessa Wilkins After a spectacular alfresco, candle-lit meal (called a Boma dinner), my family went to bed agreeing that our first day on safari would be tough to beat. But each new day turned out to be more extraordinary than the last. Over the course of our four-day safari we managed to see those sprightly leopard cubs three more times, as well as the rest of the Big Five (lions, elephants, rhinoceros, and buffalo), and so many more wild animals like giraffes, zebras, hippos, and warthogs. Vanessa Wilkins Ndlovu and Stiglingh were a safari dream team. Ndlovu could spot tracks virtually invisible to the naked eye, and his expert skills led us to the most marvelous sights, like a pride of lions on the hunt for prey, or an enormous herd of buffalo roaming through a grassy field. Stiglingh, with his charming personality and encyclopedic knowledge of South African fauna, helped us understand that safaris aren't just about spotting wildlife, but also about taking in the smells and sounds around you as you search for animals. Along the way hed point out plants, insects, and even bird calls that we would not have otherwise noticed, while also entertaining us with funny stories from his many years as a guide. For my family, the most astonishing part of our game drives was just how close we got to the animals, a delightful surprise for my sister and me, and a nerve-wracking revelation for my skeptical mother. We are sitting ducks, she remarked as Stiglingh parked in a shady clearing just a short distance from a pride of lions lounging in a shady patch of the savannah. When asked how it was possible to get so close to these animals safely, Ndlovu explained that it all comes down to a mutual respect between the humans and animals. We treat them with respect, and they treat us with respect, he explained. The knowledge, experience, and passion of our team made our safari experience so much richer, and infinitely more memorable. In between the morning and evening game drives, my family made the most of Singita Lebombos other amenities. As much as we love each other, we needed some time apart before our relaxing vacation started to resemble an episode of The White Lotus. Thankfully, Singita's wide array of activities made it easy for us to enjoy our downtime at the lodge both together and separately. My mom would relax with a book on the private deck of our suite while my sister and I enjoyed a pinot noir tasting in the sleek wine studio before a massage at the spa. The endless options kept us thoroughly entertained in between game drives. The highlight of our safari happened on our final full day, when we received a masterclass in tracking from the ever-talented Ndlovu. The brilliant tracker picked up the faintest tracks of a hyena, deduced that it was following a predator that had hunted and caught prey the night before. From there, he led our group to a phenomenal sight: an entire pride of lions feasting on a Cape buffalo. Stiglingh drove us as close as he could and we watched in awe while the circle of life unfolded in front of us. We were mesmerized by the remarkable scene; The male lions asserted their dominance as they filled their bellies first, snapping at anyone getting in their way with a blood-curdling growl. After the leaders of the pack walked off, the lionesses and cubs swarmed in to finish off the buffalo. Vanessa Wilkins Later that evening my sister and I ditched the wheels as Stiglingh led us on an exhilarating safari walk. Following closely behind our rifle-wielding guide, we got to experience an even closer and in-depth look at the nature, tracks, and landscape of Kruger Park, even following the call of a honeyguide bird for a few minutes before losing the trail. After meeting back up with our mom and Ndlovu, we ended our trip with one last spectacular sunset, complete with sparkling wine, snacks, and even cake to celebrate my sisters and my upcoming birthday. Vanessa Wilkins Our family safari was as close to perfect as it gets, given the circumstances. Coping with the loss of my dad has been especially difficult for me, but being somewhere that gave him so much joy in life was a beautiful way to feel connected to him, and a special opportunity to reconnect with my family as well. Leaving South Africa, my mom, sister, and I felt much closer than we had been in a very long time, and even felt that we had gained some bonus family members in the wonderful people we met during our unforgettable visit to Singita. Our safari reminded me that there is so much to discover about the world, and that these adventures especially when shared with loved ones are truly what make life worth living. My father always wanted me to experience the very best of what the world has to offer, so I owe it to him to never stop seeking those breathtaking moments. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. You've likely heard of Disneys 2010 "Secretariat" film, but did you know that "The Addams Family" and even "Rocky and Bullwinkle" have shared some screen time with the Kentucky Derby, too? Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the first known footage of the Kentucky Derby's annual run at Churchill Downs. With a little help from the Kentucky Derby Museum, last year I brought you a story about the 15 minutes of priceless Louisville Derby history that are wedged in between a silent, 1922 melodrama called, fittingly, "The Kentucky Derby." That got me thinking, there had to be more films and other Kentucky Derby-related movies and television shows out there. And yes, there are. In fact, Jeff Kennedy, director of technology at the museum, tracked down so many movies and television shows with Kentucky Derby ties that there are enough for you to watch at least one a day, and then some, throughout Kentucky Derby Week. So grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and brace yourself for some classic takes and extremely stretched fictional interpretations on this storied Louisville tradition. Derby 101: Who has won the most Kentucky Derby races? Kentucky Derby trivia facts you should know Just like we indulge in holiday movies in December and spooky flicks in October, these televisions shows and films can help put you in the mood for the 149th Kentucky Derby this spring. 'The Kentucky Derby' (1922) Directors of "The Kentucky Derby" film switched between shots of the actual Derby and also staged up-close shots to capture the excitement of the race. This appears to be a shot of the actual Kentucky Derby race from 1922, which was won by Morvich. Hollywood came to the Kentucky Derby for the first time in 1922, and it brought the Run for the Roses to the big screen. This silent film uses actual footage from Morvich's win during the 48th Kentucky Derby to tell the fictional story of Duke Charles. Copies of this film are exceptionally rare, but courier-journal.com has a short digital clip of the 1922 footage available for viewing. You may like: First footage: Groundbreaking silent film shows the Kentucky Derby as it was 100 years ago 'Sporting Blood' (1931) This Clark Gable film includes newsreel shots of the Kentucky Derby. It's based on the short story "Horse Flesh" by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, which appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, according to Turner Classic Movies. The story follows a horse named Tommy Boy and his multiple owners until he eventually becomes a stakes winner. This film was rereleased on DVD in the early 2000s and is available for purchase on Amazon.com. Story continues 'Kentucky Blue Streak' (1935) This is a classic movie about the Kentucky Derby, but the racing footage was taken at Santa Anita Park in California. The story follows a Kentucky woman, who goes to California to visit her brother, who is a jockey. There is a scandal and eventually a murder. Amid the chaos, the sister returns to Kentucky to enter her horse, Blue Streak, in the Kentucky Derby. The entire film is available to watch on YouTube. Derby 101: What time is the Kentucky Derby? Here's your complete guide to the 2023 race 'Kentucky' (1938) This film is a Romeo and Juliet-style love story but with a Kentucky horseracing twist. This family feud began in the Civil War and then persisted through generations. Walter Brennan won an Oscar for his role in this movie. This movie also features the first known color footage of the Kentucky Derby. You can rent this film on Amazon Prime or watch it on YouTube. 'Glory' (1956) This is the story of a young woman on a Kentucky horse farm, who has a deep affection for a filly named Glory. The heroine tries to prevent the horse's sale, and eventually, she enters her in the Kentucky Derby. This film was produced by Admiral Gene Markey, who ran Calumet Farm with his wife Lucille (Wright) Markey. You can rent "Glory" on iTunes. 'Peabodys Improbable History: The First Kentucky Derby' (1959) During a season one episode of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, Peabody goes back in time to help a fictional horse survive sleeping sickness just in time to race in the very first Kentucky Derby. You can watch this short cartoon on YouTube. Derby 101: Don't want to sound like a Kentucky Derby newbie? Here's how to sound like a true insider 'The Addams Family at the Kentucky Derby' (1973) The final episode of the 1973 Hanna-Barbera Saturday-morning cartoon "The Addams Family" takes the spooky family to the Kentucky Derby to buy Pugsley a horse. The family meets a wobbly horse named "Bones" that the seller tries to pass off as horseracing legend Man-O-War. Pugsley runs Bones in the time trials for the Kentucky Derby. The 20-minute episode is available for viewing at dailymotion.com. The episode can also be rented on iTunes. 'Run for the Roses' (1977) This is a made-for-TV movie that features footage from Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week, but not from the race itself, according to Kennedy, the museum's technology director. It's a story about a young boy from Puerto Rico, who meets a horse that he believes can win the Kentucky Derby. The film is available using the streaming app, Tubi. 'Bluegrass' (1988) This two-part mini-series starring Cheryl Ladd is based on Borden Deal's 1970s novel "Bluegrass." The story is about a woman who tries to break into the elite, male-dominated horseracing culture. Both episodes are available for viewing at archive.org. You may like: The end of his offspring: A day with Secretariat's last known daughter, Trusted Company 'Secretariat' (2010) Nelsan Ellis, background-left, and John Malkovich in a scene from the motion picture "Secretariat." Photo by John Bramley, Disney Enterprises [Via MerlinFTP Drop] Perhaps the most famous of all Kentucky Derby films is Disney's 2010 production of "Secretariat." This film is based on the true story of Secretariat's record-setting Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown win. You can rent "Secretariat" on Amazon Prime. '50 to 1' (2014) Based on the true story of Mine That Bird's wild Kentucky Derby win, this movie follows a group of New Mexico cowboys, who find themselves on a wild adventure their horse unexpectedly qualifies for the 2009 Run for the Roses. You can rent "50 to 1" on Amazon Prime. You may like: Secretariat sired 660+ horses. This woman is tracking them down. Here's how she finds them Features columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky unique, wonderful, and occasionally, a little weird. If you've got something in your family, your town or even your closet that fits that description she wants to hear from you. Say hello at mmenderski@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4053. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby 2023: 10 Derby-themed movies, shows to watch this year A study found ChatGPT was pretty good at determining how news headlines could affect stock prices. PhonlamaiPhoto/Getty Images Florida researchers asked ChatGPT to analyze the sentiment of news headlines to forecast resulting stock moves. They said their study "demonstrates the value of ChatGPT in predicting stock market returns." But ChatGPT still has flaws, and the researchers advise investors to not rely on it for investment decisions. ChatGPT can't see the future, but it already has value for investors looking to predict future moves in the stock market. That's according to a new research paper published Monday in the Social Science Research Network by two University of Florida finance professors. The researchers fed the chatbot over 50,000 news headlines about companies that date back to October of 2021 and asked it to determine whether the headlines were good, bad, or irrelevant news for the companies' stock prices. They used this sentiment analysis to compute a numerical "ChatGPT score" and analyzed whether these scores were predictive of the company's stock market performance the next day. The researchers found a statistically significant positive correlation between these scores and the next-day stock performance for the companies they analyzed. Firms with higher scores tended to see better returns than those with lower scores. The study also found that ChatGPT outperformed other "traditional sentiment analysis methods" that also use data from headlines and social media to forecast stock movements although the researchers admit they did not test every single one of these methods in this study. "In short, our study demonstrates the value of ChatGPT in predicting stock market returns," the researchers wrote. They added: "Our results suggest that incorporating advanced language models into the investment decision-making process can yield more accurate predictions and enhance the performance of quantitative trading strategies." When the researchers compared the performance of ChatGPT with traditional methods, they found that those other models didn't add any predictive power over their ChatGPT-derived sentiment scores. Story continues "Once you use ChatGPT, using the other sentiment measure is not helpful for predicting," Alejandro Lopez-Lira, a co-author of the paper, told Insider. Alejandro Lopez Lira (@alejandroll10) April 10, 2023 Investors should still refrain from relying solely on ChatGPT Lopez-Lira said that in the future, AI tools like ChatGPT could be used to improve the stock market's efficiency by incorporating news faster into stock prices. He also said these tools could replace some investment analysts. Ever since ChatGPT was rolled out last November, users have tested its limits. They've asked it what stocks to invest in, used it to earn money through side hustles, and even asked it to help start a business. As much as the chatbot has amazed, many of its limitations have surfaced as well. Lopez-Lira said that investors should "exercise caution and not rely solely on ChatGPT or similar AI models," in part because there are several areas where the AI needs to improve when it comes to stock market prediction. First, ChatGPT isn't "connected to the internet" and therefore can't access the latest information available. "ChatGPT does not have access to any recent data beyond its training cutoff in September 2021," he said. "This limitation means that the AI model may not know more recent market trends, news, or developments that could significantly impact stock prices and investment decisions." ChatGPT also currently struggles at processing large texts and "number crunching." "It cannot process large amounts of numerical data, such as firms' accounting data," he said. Addressing these concerns, Lopez-Lira said, could "vastly increase the prediction capabilities" of the chatbot. "As the field of AI-driven finance continues to expand, the insights gleaned from this research can help guide the development of more accurate, efficient, and responsible models that enhance the performance of financial decision-making processes," the researchers wrote in the paper's concluding line. Read the original article on Business Insider Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Tuesday that he had a very productive meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, noting that he looks forward to tightening the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. I just had a very productive, candid meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and his senior leadership team, Graham said in a tweet. The opportunity to enhance the U.S.-Saudi relationship is real and the reforms going on in Saudi Arabia are equally real. Graham had previously criticized the crown prince in 2018 after journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul, saying at the time that he felt betrayed by Saudi Arabia. He also criticized the crown princes statement on Khashoggis death, calling his explanation a lie and manufactured. If the prince truly loved his country he would not have put his country in this position, Graham said at the time. If he truly respected the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia he would have never thought of this. The South Carolina Republican also said at the time that he would support sanctions against Saudi Arabia and said that the Saudi crown princes behavior demonstrated disrespect for the relationship and made him, in my view, beyond toxic. In his most recent post, Graham changed his rhetoric, saying he wants to work with the Biden administration and across the aisle in Congress to take the U.S.-Saudi relationship to the next level. He added that a stronger relationship would be a tremendous economic benefit to both countries and bring much-needed stability to a troubled region. Graham also said that he told the crown prince how he appreciated the country buying a set of Boeing 787s. Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase up to 121 airplanes from Boeing last month in a deal that was praised by their Biden administration and worth $37 billion. I also expressed deep appreciation to the Kingdom for purchasing $37 billion worth of Boeing 787s which are made in South Carolina for the new Saudi airline, he said in the tweet. Investments like this are game changers. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Guy Fieri and Lori Fieri have been married since 1995 and share two sons Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Guy Fieri and Lori Fieri have been married for over two decades. The Food Network star met his future wife long before he rose to fame and became the Mayor of Flavortown. The couple got married in 1995 and went on to welcome two sons: Hunter and Ryder. Unsurprisingly, food is a big part of Guy and Lori's relationship. "The first time I cooked for her, she was just like, 'You made all this?' We both love food, so being able to cook, that was one of the things that impressed her," Guy told Delish of the early days of their romance. Over the years, Lori has been by her husband's side for all of his major career moments and the pair have celebrated several milestones together. From their first meeting in a restaurant to a marriage devoted to food, here's everything to know about Guy Fieri and Lori Fieri's relationship. 1992: Guy and Lori first meet at a restaurant Jason Kempin/Getty Guy and Lori first met in 1992, when Lori and a friend stopped by the restaurant Guy was managing at the time in Long Beach, California. While Guy felt an immediate connection, Lori wasn't impressed for a very specific reason. When she showed up at the restaurant, their introduction was tense as Guy was there to do damage control. "Her friend had been let go from the restaurant, and they weren't supposed to be there. I was talking to her friend and saying, 'Hey, listen, wait a few weeks before you come in,' and standing behind her is this blue-eyed, blonde girl giving me this mean mug," he told Delish in 2017. Despite the slightly awkward situation, Guy recalled: "I knew as soon as I saw her. I just knew." As it turns out, Lori was only visiting Long Beach as part of her move from Rhode Island to San Diego. "She never made it to San Diego," Guy said. 1995: Guy and Lori get married Three years after meeting, Guy and Lori got married and officially changed their last name to Fieri. Story continues As he explained in his September 2022 PEOPLE cover story, he was raised by "hippie parents" and grew up with the last name "Ferry" before reverting back to his original Italian surname when he and Lori tied the knot. August 7, 1996: Guy and Lori welcome their first child together Guy and Lori became first-time parents when their older son Hunter was born on Aug. 7, 1996, in Santa Rosa, California. Hunter has since followed in his father's footsteps as a chef and restaurateur, and one day plans on taking over the family business. December 31, 2005: Guy and Lori welcome their second son Joe Corrigan/Getty After more than 10 years of marriage, Guy and Lori expanded their family again with the birth of younger son Ryder on Dec. 31, 2005, in Santa Rosa, California. April 23, 2006: Guy wins The Next Food Network Star Shortly after Ryder was born, Guy won Food Network's competition series The Next Food Network Star, which launched him to international stardom and celebrity status. "I remember thinking, 'Wow, I really hope this works. I sure would like to win this,' " he later recalled to PEOPLE. However, Guy almost didn't pursue the show, but Lori convinced him otherwise. When Guy received a phone call in the asking him to come on the show to compete, he initially considered turning down the offer. Lori, on the other hand, thought he should do it. "I said, 'Listen, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. If you don't try, you'll never know. You need to go,' " Lori told The Press Democrat in 2009. February 19, 2011: Guy and Lori help raise his nephew On Feb. 19, 2011, Guy's sister Morgan died a year after being diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. She left behind a son, Jules, who was 11 years old at the time of her death. Guy and Lori have helped raise his nephew ever since. When Guy got a traditional Polynesian hand-tapped tattoo in 2021, Jules and his son Hunter joined him. The star documented his new ink for Food Network and talked about his sister, saying, "I really loved her so much. The last thing I said to my sister Morgan, I got Jules. I will take care of him like I take care of my kids. He is my son; I've got this." August 2017: Guy and Lori costar on his Family Road Trip show Guy Fieri Instagram In 2017, Guy, Lori and their children filmed Guy's Family Road Trip. The Food Network show followed the couple along with their sons, Hunter and Ryder, as they visited various spots across the U.S. and, of course, ate quite a bit. Guy shared glimpses of the trip on Instagram, posting photos of the entire family and with just his wife. September 7, 2017: Guy shares Lori's signature dish Guy isn't the only one in the relationship with cooking skills. While speaking to PEOPLE, Guy revealed the dish Lori would always cook for him when they first began dating. "She'd make [egg noodles] with ground beef, canned gravy and maybe some onions and a little bit of garlic. But I called it 'Rhode Island Beef and Noodles' because she's from Rhode Island, and it's beef and noodles," he said. He explained that he couldn't help himself and made some upgrades to this dish, adding better meat and red wine: "I remember making the dish, and Lori walked over and goes, 'Well, that's not how you do it. What's going on there?' " "And I'm like, 'This is gonna be awesome.' And it is really, it's fantastic but my kids will have it either way. They still like the old school way too," he concluded. September 4, 2018: Guy reveals the secret to his marriage to Lori Guy talked to Today in September 2018 about his lasting marriage to Lori, saying, "My wife and I have gone from being married at a young age to being where we are now to get here, you have to be willing to adapt and understand." When it comes to the secret of staying together, Guy said, "It's all compromise and understanding." May 17, 2019: Guy is teased by Lori about his hair Joey Foley/FilmMagic While Guy is most known for his skills in the kitchen, he is equally as famous for his signature look: casual clothes, sunglasses, flashy accessories and his spiky, bleach-blonde hair. Speaking to PEOPLE in May 2019, Lori revealed that her husband didn't always look like this and she occasionally teases him for it. "When I first met him, he had no goatee. He had dark hair. He wore a suit to work every day," she said. "Now I look at him, and I'm, like, 'Where's that man I married with the whole clean look?' I always say, 'When are you going to change your haircut?' But it stuck, and it's him." She continued, "I tease him every once in a while. And I do want a little change sometimes. But that's like me changing my hair to black. I mean, I'm not going to do that for him, so." June 2019: Guy and Lori head out on a "rockin road trip" Guy Fieri Instagram Guy and Lori set out on a "#RockinRoadTrip" with their sons in the summer of 2019 that involved "#100DaysofCamping." In photos posted on Instagram, Guy and Lori could be seen hiking with their boys around Prospect and Bend, Oregon, where explored waterfalls, lava caves and river surfers. April 2020: Guy and Lori quarantine with their sons Guy Fieri Instagram Admist the COVID-19 pandemic, Guy and Lori spent time together with their kids in quarantine at their ranch in the Napa, California, area. For the couple, quarantine involved their two sons, "400 goats" who take care of the weeds outside, and, as Guy told the Washington Post, "motion-activated sprinklers to keep the peacocks from coming on our deck." May 27, 2021: Guy and Lori buy a second home in Florida Not long after Guy signed an estimated $80 million contract with The Food Network, the star and his wife bought a new home in West Palm Beach, Florida. "We've been trying for a long time to get a place in Florida," he told PEOPLE. "We've been talking about it, talking about it, and talking about it, and we just happened to be back there shooting Triple D and doing some projects, and we contacted a real estate agent who took us around and showed us some stuff." He continued, "It wasn't because of the contract, but it did coincide. It makes it a lot easier to explain to Lori how I'm buying a house in Florida, when you go, 'I did just do a new contract.' But no, we got an awesome place, and we're super excited." August 28, 2021: Guy and Lori star on another show together Guy Fieri Instagram In August 2021, Guy! Hawaiian Style premiered on Discovery+. The series followed the foodie around Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island of Hawaii, and he was accompanied by Lori, as well as sons Hunter and Ryder and nephew Jules. "Hawaii is one of my favorite places on the planet why wouldn't it be!" Guy wrote on Instagram. "Follow along as Lori, @hunterfieri, @ryderf05, @jfieri and I take on a 20-day adventure of a lifetime by land, air and sea, exploring all the amazing food that Hawaii has to offer!" September 7, 2022: Guy says Lori and his sons are his "first priority" Despite a busy schedule and signing a three-year contract with the Food Network in 2021, Guy has managed to navigate family, work and philanthropy, telling PEOPLE in September 2022 that "family is always the first priority." "Most of my friends will [say] I haven't changed," he said. "I think it's because when I got into television, I'd already done what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a great dad." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Lets get this out of the way: The navy blue dress Katie Holmes wore over jeans last Decemberyou know the onewasnt even a dress. It was a bustier, which, by definition, is a shirt. Didnt anyone bother to notice how short it was? Anyway, it was given to her by her stylist as a cool piece to go out in, and Holmes chose to toss it on with some jeans and sneakers to attend the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball on a Friday night in New York City. Thats it; thats the story. Except, of course, thats not the story. What happened next is the story. The look unearthed a type of collective hysteria that bordered on satire with its earnestness. Twitter almost broke. Seasoned fashion journalists weighed in. The in defense pieces ran rampant. The outfit was called cursed, controversial, disturbing. The New York Times darkly asked us whether we were, in fact, ready for the return of dresses over jeans. The stylist in question, Brie Welch, had to publicly explain the look for those of us who lacked the cognitive tools to process it. Someone thought Holmes should go to prison. I meanwow, Holmes says when I read her some headlines about the outfit over coffee on a sunny March morning. Thats powerful language, her voice heavy with sarcasm. She gamely throws me a few bonesshe says girls in her neighborhood wear stuff like that all the time, the bustier covered only half her behind, so it couldnt be a dress, and yeah, the vitriol was shockingbut its obvious that litigating a three-month-old outfit isnt of interest to her, especially when she says, Come on, women, lets hold each other up here. Lets look a little bit past what were wearing. Thats our duty amongst each other. I feel like the womans journey is deeper. And with that, the book is closed on Bustiergate, and I make a game-time decision to scrap my admittedly dumb question about how the response to that look compared with the fawning we did over 2019s equally viral Khaite cashmere cardigan and bra. Onward! Story continues Before talk turned to clothing, Holmes showed up to Sant Ambroeus, her go-to downtown-Manhattan restaurant, with wet hair and a case of static cling. She fanned out her white blouse before warmly hugging mea person shes never metand slid into a chair. We acquainted ourselves easily, talking about our respective New York neighborhoods (one downtown, one uptown) and our eyesight (both bad, and I hold up my interview notes to show off the laughably huge 24-point font). Its all very nice and easy and normal. She seems as relaxed as everybody else around us enjoying an 11 a.m. breakfast on a Tuesday. If I didnt know the woman across the table was very famous, I might think this was the beginning of a tentatively promising job interview. Its been 25 years since Katie Holmes, teenager from Ohio, became Katie Holmes, global celebrity thanks to Dawsons Creek, arguably the most beloved and influential teen soap of all time. When the series premiered on burgeoning network The WB in January 1998, young people were coming down off the cloying, melodramatic high of Titanic mania; popular televisionSeinfeld, The Practice, Ally McBealskewed so mature that it was difficult to engage with; and news media was just starting to sharpen its knives for a White House intern entangled with the president. Teenagers needed something that felt like it was ours. And we found it in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, where four high school studentsJoey Potter (Holmes), Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams)lived lives that felt, to some extent, relatable. Never mind the Sorkin-level verbal pace and frequent use of laughably big words. The themes (the agony of adolescence, unrequited love, sexuality, class, and friendship) were universal. As with most ensemble teen shows, for better or worse, a female breakout must be crowned, and Holmesapproachably beautiful, quick with a smirk yet visibly introspectivewas the chosen one. But even with the Rolling Stone covers, the teen magazines, and the heaping praise including Robert Downey Jr.s prediction shed become one of the gifted women of her generation, she appeared to lack the desperation to be the next big thing that so many young stars have. If you were following along in real time, you could tell there was strategic consideration behind how she was going to use her newfound fame. When we were doing Dawsons Creek and it was successful, I remember really wanting to grow as an actor and not just do things to capitalize on the moment, Holmes says. I wanted to learn from other people. In the decades sincesave for a brief obligatory dip into the superhero genrethe 44-year-old has stuck to the idea of finding challenges in fairly quiet projects, including 2001s crackling campus dramedy Wonder Boys opposite Michael Douglas and Frances McDormand, a small part she says she felt excited, and lucky, to get. She appeared in the 2005 satirical comedy Thank You for Smoking, starred in the 2010 Guillermo Del Toroproduced thriller Dont Be Afraid of The Dark, stepped into the role of Jackie O, and landed a multiepisode arc on Showtimes Ray Donovan. Shes jumped into live theater, appearing on Broadway in the 2008 revival of Arthur Millers All My Sons and off-Broadway in Anna Zeiglers contemporary twisty drama The Wanderers, which just wrapped its three-month run. Assuming a leadership role on set has been a particular avenue for immense creative fulfillment. Shes about to debut her third directorial movie, Rare Objects, an indie which she cowrote based on the 2016 Kathleen Tessaro novel that will be released by IFC in select theaters and on demand April 14. The plot is charming in its simplicity: A young woman, Benita (played by newcomer Julia Mayorga), gets a job in a Manhattan antiques store as a way to recover after a traumatic event. Holmes plays a socialite who forges a bond with Benita following their stay at a mental health facility. Holmes is visibly excited about the movie, her slightly inscrutable demeanor breaking when she talks about it. She tells me shes been working on it since 2016 and asked for some changes, which the author granted. Luckily, Kathleen knows that a book is very different from a movie, so she gave me total freedom to do it and what I needed to do to make it work for the screen, she says. One substantial change is that the film is set in contemporary New York, not Depression-era Bostona revision Holmes thought was key given the citys ability to bring together people of all types from various walks of life. I felt like that theme of female friendship was so powerful in the book, and thats what I really wanted to focus on in the film, she continues. And the love letter to New York, how you can meet so many people from different neighborhoods and find that sense of friendship and community, and people can help you out. Its an unpredictable way of living when youre in this city. As our conversation rolls on, its hard to not see a woman who has earned the right to be, as the media loves to remind us, exceptionally private. After decades of relentlessly being tracked by the tabloids for her first and only marriage and having to undergo the frequent speculation into whom shes dating and the constant obsession over what shes wearingall the while trying to quietly raise her daughterit would seem strange if she werent guarded. And yet, during this moment in time when we demand our celebrities to give, give, giveon social media, in interviews, on red carpets, on coffee runs, in staged paparazzi momentsits still a novelty that a famous woman is happy to just do the work onscreen and onstage without the distractions that come with being in the headlines for 25 years. And that novelty is, undoubtedly, part of what makes Katie Holmes so compelling. Glamour: Congrats on Rare Objects. Whats it like directing yourself? On paper, it sounds greatIll do what I want!but it must be harder than it seems, especially when youve spent most of your life being directed by other people. Is it more fulfilling? Is it a losing game? Katie Holmes: Its difficult in the sense that youre wearing two hats, but your most important one on set is the director because youre leading the ship. When I stepped into being an actor, in my head, I was [more] aware of time. I was like, I actually have to get this in very few takes because I know what we have left to get tonight. I dont want to hold people up. I worked with an acting teacher prior to prepping the film. So I had my directions in my head for what I wanted to do. Theres a scene early on during which the young lead, Benita, gets assaulted. As I was watching, the only thing I could think of was, Of course a woman directed this film. The scene was perfect in that it did what it needed to do for the story. It wasnt gratuitous; it wasnt overdone. It wasnt played for shock. It was understated in a way I feel isnt always the case with male directors and depictions of sexual violence. Do you know what I mean by that? Yeah, I do. What was most important to me was what it did to [Benita] in the aftermath. To me, unfortunately, [sexual assault] is an understood secret amongst women, so we dont have to share too much to know what were talking about. And I also felt like that. Julia [Mayorga] was so incredible in that scene, and that was really a difficult one to shoot because I just needed her face. I kept telling both of the actors, Its your faces. And so they had to really go there. Everybody was pretty shaken up after. Dawsons Creek turned 25 in January, which is wild. Its funny that theres a lot of Dawsons on TikTokpeople use sound drops from the show to illustrate their videos, like What is a soulmate? Its so interesting how its wound its way into the zeitgeist while still being a vital part of pop culture for people like me who came of age in the late 90s and early 00s. Its a timeless show. Why do you think that is? I was just 18 when we started, and I really appreciated the writing because I felt like, as a teenager, I had so many different feelings, trying to go from being a girl to a woman. And I felt like [creator Kevin Williamson] had this way of putting words to those feelings. So for me, playing that role, I was like, Oh, thats what that means. Oh, I get that. I loved doing it. It was a really fun, profound experience. Have you rewatched any of it? I have. Do you think it holds up? In some ways, yes. Some ways, no. We had our big episode where Jack comes out and Im so glad we had that episode, and Im so sad that that is what was happening for people. And Im so glad that its not happening, hopefully, to that extent in todays world. But I think it [was also] just this combination of Wilmington, North Carolinaso beautiful. There was that sense of innocence. Kevin wrote the simplicity of teen emotions really well. The nature of being a fan was different than it is now. Today, with Instagram and TikTok, the 24-hour tabloid cycle, and online anonymous gossip accounts, fans can get anything at any time, as opposed to waiting for a magazine with stars on the cover and a big headline. Do you think thats something you could have handled or enjoyed 25 years ago? Or are you grateful that you became a household name before social media? In my life now, I dont go on social media that much. I dont scroll that much because I dont want all that information. And maybe because I did come up where there was a time and place for things, even with our showit started airing on Tuesday nights and you had to wait a week. So you got to think about that one episode. The work was limited to that. We also were protected. We were in North Carolina, we were working 14 hours a day, and we were really contained and not really distracted by the outside world, which was to our benefit and to the benefit of the show, so we could do what we had to do. You started working as a teenager and have been doing it steadily, but looking at your resume is fascinating. You never got boxed into playing the sexy young thing or, as you got older, only a mom or a woman who wants to be one. I didnt want to be the sexy young thing. I am not sexy. I used to have a friend of mine come to all my photo shoots to make sure that they didnt try to make me that way. But I feel like surely, especially after Dawsons, people probably wanted you to be that? Yeah, I guess I just wanted to be an actor. Was there ever a role you wanted and didnt get? Or didnt work out? The [2002] movie 40 Days and 40 Nights. Originally, there was a read-through, and it was going to be me and Ashton Kutcher and [American Pie star and Holmess The Wanderers costar] Eddie Kaye Thomas. And I didnt know this, Eddie just told me, but he had gotten into a fender bender on the way to the table read and the reading just didnt go well. There were executives and all that, and you could just feel it. I remember leaving going, Oh, my God, what just happened? It wasnt meant to be. They ended up making it with another cast. I want to talk a little about style. What you wear seems to be a constant source of fascination for people, and for editors at sites like Glamour. You understand fashion and you have a strong sense of personal style, but people get hysterical over how you dress. Last month there were hundreds of stories about the yellow suit you wore to Live With Kelly and Ryan. Why do you think that is? I really dont know. I enjoy [fashion]. I mean, I enjoy the craftsmanship. I enjoy putting things together. And I work with [stylist] Brie Welch, and shes very detail oriented, and that inspires me. I think it is very creative. I love vintage shopping. I love the art of design. During the early days of COVID, you emerged as this source of inspiration for women figuring out how to embrace comfort but still feel put together. We wrote about something you wore in 2020you probably have no recollection of thisbut you were out and about in sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a tailored blazer. It was one of the highest trafficked stories for us that month. Maybe women saw themselves in that look? I think we all want our sweats. Its a funny world because the culture of celebrity and the access that exists now could be quite a distraction from who the person is. Im an actor, so people say, Oh, do you think about what you wear before you go to the grocery store? No, because its not my job. You know what I mean? But yesterday, going and doing a talk show is part of my job. So yes, thats put together. Do you see things your 16-year-old daughter and her friends are wearing that feel reminiscent of what you wore when you were younger? I think the 90s style is exactly back. Makes me feel old. We lived through that already! My mom says she should have saved things. I should have saved things. Speaking ofyoure a mom to a teenage girl. Are there any words to accurately describe that? What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her. Im very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. Shes an incredible person. I was listening to her cover of Blue Moon, which played during the opening credits of the last movie you directed, Alone Together. Its really good. She also sings on Rare Objects. How did that come about? Yes. I hope she always does something on my films. I always ask her. But both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people. And its this safe, beautiful, creative space. So it comes out of love for me to include someone who I love dearly. Thats how I like to work. I like to have that kind of feeling. It was very meaningful to me to have her there, because shes my heart. Whats next for you? Well, Im putting together two films right now. One is a smaller one that Alan Cumming and I wrote together, and itll be the two of us. And then another project that Ill just direct and were figuring out casting. Im always trying to find stories. Its so exciting to have a voice as a woman and put our perspective out there. You reach a certain age and youre like, I think this is interesting. I finally have the confidence to be like, No, I think Im going to say this. I think Im going to do this. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Perrie Samotin is Glamours digital director and host of Glamours What I Wore When podcast. Follow her@perriesamotin. Prop Styling: Jenny Correa On Set Producer: Hannah Kinlaw Originally Appeared on Glamour The former owner of a Kentucky personal-care home has admitted siphoning away more than $80,000 from elderly residents and spending the money on vacations, her daughters beauty-pageant costs and other personal items. Donna Sue Glass, of Greenup County, pleaded guilty to two charges of wire fraud Monday in federal court in Ashland. Glass owned the Glass Family Care Home, which took in elderly people. One resident, a man identified as C.W. in Glasss plea agreement, showed signs of dementia when he lived at the home. At Glasss suggestion, C.W. added her as a signor on his bank account, according to the plea. Over the course of three years, Glass took money from C.W.s account and used it for expenses that included vacations; costs related to her daughters beauty-pageant competitions; tanning-salon memberships; and veterinary care for her pets, according to her plea deal. The indictment in the case said she also spent C.W.s money at Victorias Secret and a limousine service. Another resident at the home was P.M.J., whose physical and mental ailments were so numerous that a court named Glass as her guardian. In that role, the womans monthly retirement check of $1,080 was deposited into Glasss account to use for her, according to the court record. Glass increased the womans rent to $2,500 a month, which was more than she could afford, then claimed the woman owed her money and took it from her savings account, according to the plea agreement. In this way, (Glass) drained P.M.J.s savings, the plea document said. When P.M.J moved to another facility, Glass was still her guardian. Instead of paying the other facility, Glass continued to receive the womans retirement check under the pretense she owned Glass money. Glass owes restitution of $76,251 to the estate of C.W., $8,409 to the estate of P.M.J., and $6,035 to another person, according to her plea agreement. Prosecutors agreed to drop five other fraud charges against Glass as part of her plea. Glass faces up to 20 years in prison on each count, though her sentence is likely to be less under advisory guidelines. U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning scheduled sentencing in August. Dinner and a movie is the theme of the 17th annual Newport Restaurant Week that begins April 14 and runs through April 23. More than 55 restaurants, not just in Newport, but also in in Middletown, Portsmouth, Jamestown and Bristol, will offer dining deals that include fixed price menus, discounted wine bottles, free appetizers, dinners for two and gift card promotions. Plus, there's a lineup of films focused on food that will be screened at the Jane Pickens Theater. The second Foodie Film Festival is in partnership with JPT Film + Event Center. Film lovers can enjoy pop-up food tasting, food trucks, and food focused films. Find a dining deal and follow it with classics like Eat, Love, Pray or "Bottle Shock" or Coffee Wars," a 2023 British film or last year's hit, "The Menu." General admission tickets are $12. Restaurant deals are added to DiscoverNewportRestaurantWeek.org on a rolling basis. Here's a sampling of eight deals. The Safari Room at OceanCliff This is a stunning setting with dramatic waterviews. Their deal is $12 sandwiches (Swordfish Club) and flatbreads (Prosciutto and Fig) and $20 entrees (Truffle in Paradise Pasta). Select bottles of wine are also 50% off. You can dine for lunch or dinner. They are open noon to 9 Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 Sunday as well as 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. 65 Ridge Rd., Newport, newportexperience.com. Yagi Noodles Yagi Noodles changes the menu often. Their Chinese New Year ramen included lobster. For Restaurant Week, they have lunch and dinner deals. Get your "nood on" at the Newport ramen restaurant that offers food by chef Basil Yu who is influenced by techniques from Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Yagi specializes in handmade-from-scratch ramen and other creative dishes which change regularly. Enjoy a fixed price lunch with appetizer, entree and dessert for $30. The deal is available Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Or go for dinner, or even do takeout with four courses for $40, including an appetizer, a kushiyaki grill item, entree and dessert. They have bubble tea and non-alcoholic drinks and are BYOB. 20 Long Wharf Mall, Newport, (401) 324-5098, yaginoodles.com. Story continues Our Table Chef Marc Alexander has a nice touch with beef dishes and offers one on the Restaurant Week menu at Our Table in Jamestown. It's the Jamestown restaurant's first anniversary and they are celebrating Restaurant Week with three courses for $45. Not only does this lovely restaurant have a parking lot, they have an open kitchen so you can watch chef Marc Alexander at work. Entree choices are stellar and include a choice of 16-ounce Ribeye Steak, a Salmon Kale and Quinoa Bowl and a vegetarian option of Wine-Poached Oyster Mushrooms. The dessert from pastry chef Marla Romash is warm apple cider doughnuts. Open Thursday to Monday 5 to 8 p.m. 53 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown, (401) 560-4069, ourtablejamestown.com. Boat House Waterfront Dining A lobster boil for two is the deal being offered by the Boat House Waterfront Dining in Tiverton for Restaurant Week. Head to Tiverton if a lobster boil tickles your palate. The offer is for a three-course fixed-price lobster boil for two for $89. Choices include chowder clam chowder or salad for the first course. Then there are two steamed lobsters to share with PEI mussels, Narragansett littlenecks, corn on the cobb, boiled potatoes, chorizo and drawn butter. Dessert to share is Key Lime Pie with toasted Swiss meringue. The setting is lovely on the water. 227 Schooner Drive, Tiverton, (401) 624-6300, boathousetiverton.com. Diego's Barrio Cantina This casual, waterview dining spot offers a burger and beer combo for $18 for Restaurant Week. The burger is a grilled brisket and chuck patty that is topped with Manchego cheese, grilled pineapple, fried jalapeno and reposado bbq sauce served with crispy potatoes and a 16-ounce Rejects Beer Co. Holy Rhythm Light Lager. 116 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, (401) 619-1717, diegosmiddletown.com. Restaurant Week deals run from April 14 to 23 and include dining in and takeout. Sardella's Italian Restaurant Take a tour with Sardella's fixed-price three course Taste of Italy dinner for $40. There are 10 different choices for this deal, all served in their dining room. It will not be offered on April 20 as that is the restaurant's 43rd anniversary and they are bringing back their prices from that year that night. Dinner is served 4 to 9 p.m. daily. 30 Memorial Boulevard West, Newport, (401) 849-6312, sardellas.com. Buskers Irish Pub & Restaurant Get into some Irish food and enjoy a free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees. You'll order from a select menu. But it's a nice way to start a dinner or lunch of fish and chips. They have more than 20 beers on tap, too. 178 Thames St., Newport, buskerspub.com. The White Horse Tavern The second floor dining room of the White Horse Tavern sits empty with polished silver and glassware as the 1673 building waits for dinners in Newport. Go back in time at the oldest restaurant in U.S. It served its first meal in 1673. The Restaurant Week is deal is three courses from their elegant menu for $50. The dining spaces here speak to the history and the atmosphere stars as much as the food. 26 Marlborough St., (401) 849-3600, whitehorsetavern.com. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport Restaurant Week deals run in RI from April 14 to 23 Movie theater advertising giant National CineMedia has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and struck a debt restructuring deal with lenders to meaningfully strengthen the companys balance sheet and position the company for long-term growth, the firm said late on Tuesday. It filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas. More from The Hollywood Reporter The news comes after Regal owner Cineworld, the worlds second-largest exhibitor, filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection in September and formally filed its reorganization plan at the start of this week with the goal to emerge from bankruptcy protection by mid-year. National CineMedias business was hit by the shutdown of cinemas due to the COVID pandemic, followed by the slow industry recovery since the reopening of theaters and advertising being affected by macro-economic clouds. The company missed an interest payment in mid-February, leading to several extensions of the grace period before Tuesdays Chapter 11 filing. It had also stopped a quarterly dividend to conserve cash. The restructuring calls for all of the companys debt to be converted into equity. National CineMedia listed its assets as being worth $500 million-$1 billion, while its liabilities amount to $1 billion-$10 billion. Under its deal with lenders, National CineMedia said it would assume all of its critical contracts upon emergence (from Chapter 11), ensuring that the company will maintain the largest national cinema advertising network. The restructuring agreement will position us to deliver the strong results our advertisers and cinema partners have come to expect from us today and well into the future, said National CineMedia CEO Tom Lesinski. We are entering this process with the overwhelming support of our secured lenders and key stakeholders, which we expect will enable us to swiftly and responsibly emerge as a stronger company. The firm also highlighted its goal to quickly emerge (from Chapter 11) without disrupting operations or customer relationships. Story continues Exhibitor AMC Theatres on Monday disclosed the acquisition of shares in the cinema advertising firm. A regulatory filing showed its stake amounting to 9.1 percent. Reuters reported that AMC was now the second-largest shareholder of National CineMedia. B. Riley Financial analyst Eric Wold dropped coverage of National CineMedias stock, which has been trading in the territory of pennies, in mid-March. Management confirmed that National CineMedia had secured upfront ad commitments of around 85 percent of the average upfront revenues generated between 2017-2019, he wrote in his final report. While there remains some uncertainty around the economy, supply chain and recovery pace of the exhibition industry, we believe this commitment level from major advertisers (at flattish CPMs versus 2019 levels) demonstrated the attractiveness of in-theater advertising to reach key demographics with advertisements that cannot be skipped by consumers. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. The prince will go without his princess. After much hand-wringing and lengthy discussions, we finally have an answer: Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father, King Charles III, without his wife Meghan Markle, the palace has confirmed. The news comes shortly after reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex missed the events official RSVP deadline. Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the palace said in a statement. More from Robb Report The event will take place over three days, which will include a concert and a volunteer day, according to People. However, Harry isnt expected to appear at events outside of the crowning ceremony. The palace has also made no comment about whether or not Harry will accompany King Charles, Queen Camilla and others on Buckingham Palace balcony after the coronation. King Charless invitation to the ceremony had been extended to both the Duke and Duchess. Meghans decision to skip the coronation may suggest that the feud between the couple and the royal family still simmers. Due to the fact that the Sussexes are no longer working royals, they werent expected to have a formal role in the coronation. The date of the event, May 6, also happens to be the fourth birthday of young Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, Harry and Meghans son. So, the divide-and-coronate resolution allows Meghan to be with the couples son on his special day while Harry pays respects to dad on his. Harry and Meghan previously appeared with the royal family in the U.K. at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II back in September. Harry was also in the U.K. last month due to his lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, which accuses the outlet of illegal information gathering. His appearance at the coronation will surely be under scrutiny as tensions still clearly linger over the couples Netflix series, and Harrys revealing memoir Spare, which sold more than 1.4 million copies upon its release in the US, Canada and the UK. Let the coronation begin. 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. Ready to sympathize with The Sympathizer, the miniseries adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen starring Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey, Jr.? Well, the first trailer for the series from Park Chan-wook and A24 is here. And its a doozy. Watch it above. HBO described the series as an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese Communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States. The show also stars Fred Nguyen, Toan Le, Duy Nguyen, Vy Le and Alan Trong, with Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen and Robert Downey, Jr. in several roles. And it looks wild. HBO head Casey Bloys highlighted the series at an event Wednesday unveiling the new Max streaming service from Warner Bros. Discovery. The series comes from Park Chan-wook, who serves as co-showrunner, executive producer, writer, and director (of the first three episodes); with Don McKellar as co-showrunner, executive producer and writer; Downey, Jr., Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell executive producing for Team Downey. Fernando Meirelles and Marc Munden are the other directors. The series is a co-production between HBO, A24 and Rhombus Media, produced in association with Cinetic Media and Moho Film. Also Read: Game of Thrones Prequel Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Lands Series Order at HBO The Sympathizer marks the first small-screen role for Downey, Jr. since he joined the cast of All McBeal from 2000 to 2002. Originally he was set to star in the HBO reboot of Perry Mason but he ended up ceding the role to Matthew Rhys, staying on as a producer. Park is coming off of his 2022 Hitchcockian drama Decision to Leave and is known for features like The Handmaiden and Oldboy. Park last dabbled in television in 2018 with The Little Drummer Girl, a very different spy thriller that starred a young Florence Pugh, Michael Shannon and Alexander Skarsgard. The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize and inspired a sequel, The Committed, that was released in 2021. Season 2 anyone? Also Read: The Conjuring Drama Series in the Works at Max The Republican-led Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would bar children from attending drag shows with lewd performances, a proposed restriction that follows a national theme in GOP states and that comes a day after a Republican Florida lawmaker called members of the LGBTQ community mutants and demons. Supporters of the measure, titled Protection of Children, argue the state government needs to intervene in certain cases to ensure children are not witnessing sexual content, even in cases when parents approve. Democrats and LGBTQ advocates, however, say the broad language and stiff penalties are designed to stifle drag shows and pride parades, events that organizers say are meant to be joyous community celebrations. Watch for yourself: Florida Senate debates, then passes drag show bill The push to target these performances comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis seeks to punish venues that have hosted drag shows with children present, even in cases when state regulators found no lewd acts. DeSantis, who is expected to launch a bid for president in the coming months, has said sexualized drag shows are dangerous for kids. So far, the DeSantis administration has gone after private venues liquor licenses and all cases remain open. The proposed legislation would broaden the states enforcement powers. It would allow the state to pursue any person who admits a child into a private or public live performance that depicts or simulates nudity or engages in the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts. The penalties up to a year in prison or up to $10,000 in fines could be levied against employees, such as ticket-takers and lobby attendants, and permitted performers at public events, under the proposal. The sanctions would not be waived in cases where a child is accompanied by a parent. The bill also includes criminal penalties for performers who obtain a public permit for an event, and then violate provisions related to lewd performances. Equality Florida advocates and LGBTQ community members fear that provision, added on a week before the Senate vote, is an attempt to stifle pride parades, and to dissuade cities from issuing permits for the events. Story continues READ MORE: We say gay. Bills targeting LGBTQ+ community have some South Florida families worried Critics warn about dangerous rhetoric The bill has drawn criticism from Democrats, drag queens and LGBTQ advocates who worry the broad definitions in the bill will make businesses fearful of hosting drag shows. But even more so, critics worry the effort will foster harassment and hateful rhetoric against the LGBTQ community. Beyond policy, GOP lawmakers have used these bills as vehicles to push bigoted and dehumanizing rhetoric about our community, said former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat running for the state Senate in 2024. Much of the Senate floor debate on Tuesday focused on the climate being fostered by Republican lawmakers who are pushing measures that take aim at many aspects of the LGBTQ community including bans on transition healthcare for minors and restrictions on the use of pronouns in K-12 schools. READ MORE: Army vet, charity fundraiser tell lawmakers why their drag shows shouldnt be restricted In particular, Senate Democrats pointed to comments made by Republican state Rep. Webster Barnaby of Deltona, who on Monday called transgender Floridians demons and imps and compared them to mutants from another planet when debating a bill that would prevent people from using bathrooms designated for the opposite sex. I want to acknowledge that that type of vitriol is coming because that is the type of climate that has been created in this country and that is the type of climate that we are creating in this state, said Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park. We are basically giving people a hall pass to say crazy things like that. What happened yesterday is dangerous, Jones said, worrying that the proposals, including the bill up for debate on Tuesday, could encourage more of that rhetoric and violence against the LGBTQ community. Misty Eyez performs for the crowd during the drag show at Sunday brunch at the Palace Bar on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach on Sunday, June 10, 2012. Republican state Sen. Clay Yarborough, the sponsor of Senate Bill 1438, condemned Barnabys comments and told senators that violence is absolutely not a Christ-like response. READ MORE: Republican legislator calls transgender Floridians demons and imps, then says sorry Yarborough, a Baptist, alluded to Barnabys decision to invoke his Christian faith as he lashed out at the transgender community. Barnabys comments were enough to sway one vote that of Democratic state Sen. Rosalind Osgood, a former Broward County School Board member, who previously supported the bill but changed her vote to show support for all of the LGBT young people that are hurting right now. The Republican majority in the Senate, however, voted in favor of the measure. The only GOP lawmaker who debated in favor of the bill was Yarborough. We are protecting children who cannot unsee or unhear or inexperience this to which they are exposed to, Yarborough said. This legislation sends a strong message that Florida is a safe place to raise children, because we are setting a standard in this state that protects children from being exposed to live performances that depict nudity and sexual activity. The Senate approved the bill on a 28-12 party-line vote. A similar bill is moving forward in the Florida House, but it has yet to reach the floor. Florida is not alone in pursuing restrictions on drag shows. Several GOP states including Tennessee and Arizona are advancing similar proposals. FIU students participate in the Pride Parade on Ocean Drive. The City of Miami Beach held its annual Miami Beach Pride Parade on Ocean Drive from 5th to 15 Street on Sunday, April 10, 2022. Pride parades at risk? On the Senate floor last week, Yarborough was repeatedly asked to clarify whether drag shows and pride parades would be impacted by the regulations proposed in his bill. In most cases, he opted to give a broad answer. I wont make the distinction as to a particular show because it applies across the board but as long as they are not doing anything that we have in the definition nudity, the sexual conduct, sexual excitement, the sexual activities just like it was inside a location or if it is outside, if they are not doing any of these things, then it is not running afoul of the law, Yarborough told senators on April 4. Brandon Wolf, the press secretary at Equality Florida, said the legislation is drafted with intentional vagueness in order to get people to self-censor. I think its clear the intent of this filed amendment is to induce that same chilling effect around pride, Wolf said. Wolf was particularly frustrated with the lack of clarity on whether or not drag queens and pride parades would be specifically targeted, even if the performance is innocuous. Its incredibly frustrating and I think pretty telling that the people who are most adamant that we need this legislation are the ones who refuse to tell us what it actually means, Wolf said. Bruce Horwich, the Miami Beach Pride chairman, is well aware of the efforts in Tallahassee that are taking aim at the LGBTQ community. But he is confident that the annual festivities, which have drawn tens of thousands of people to a big parade on Ocean Drive for 15 years, would not get in trouble because none of the performances are sexually explicit. He is even careful about the language in songs that will be played, because families sometimes show up at the event. I give very direct direction to my stage director and to my entertainers to avoid [explicit] language when theyre doing their songs, Horwich said. Miami Beachs parade is scheduled for Sunday. Attendees of the Pride Parade wave their rainbow flags in celebration of LGBTQ pride. The City of Miami Beach held its annual Pride Parade on Ocean Drive from Fifth to 15th streets on Sunday, April 10, 2022. Carrie West, the president of Tampa Pride, said he thinks the bill could not only affect Tampa Pride, but could spill over and affect other parades as well. He said the pride parades are not sexual, and that drag queens or others on the floats are not doing anything lewd. If blowing kisses out to the audience is offensive, well guess what, they need to grow up, said West. He said the Legislature should focus on feeding people across the state and lowering property taxes, instead of potentially going after pride parades. Lets move forward, West said. This state is more progressive than that. FILE - The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, on March 21, 2023, in Boston. The Italian governments privacy watchdog said Friday March 31, 2023 that it is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) ROME (AP) ChatGPT could return to Italy soon if its maker, OpenAI, complies with measures to satisfy regulators who had imposed a temporary ban on the artificial intelligence software over privacy worries. The Italian data protection authority on Wednesday outlined a raft of requirements that OpenAI will have to satisfy by April 30 for the the ban on AI chatbot to be lifted. The watchdog known as Garante last month ordered the company to temporarily stop processing Italian users' personal information while it investigated a possible data breach. The authority said it didn't want to hamper AI's development but emphasized the importance of following the European Unions strict data privacy rules. OpenAI, which had responded by proposing remedies to ease the concerns, on Wednesday welcomed the Italian regulators' move. We are happy that the Italian Garante is reconsidering their decision and we look forward to working with them to make ChatGPT available to our customers in Italy again soon, OpenAI said. Concerns are growing about the artificial intelligence boom, with other countries, from France to Canada, investigating or looking closer at so-called generative AI technology like ChatGPT. The chatbot is trained on huge pools of data, including digital books and online writings, and able to generate text that mimics human writing styles. Under Italy's measures, OpenAI must post information on its website about how and why it processes the personal information of both users and non-users, as well as provide the option to correct or delete that data. The company will have to rely on consent or legitimate interest to use personal data to train ChatGPT's algorithms, the watchdog said. The Italian regulators had questioned whether theres a legal basis for OpenAI to collect massive amounts of data used to teach ChatGPTs algorithms and raised concerns the system could sometimes generate false information about individuals. Story continues San Francisco-based OpenAI also will have to carry out a publicity campaign by May 15 through radio and TV, newspapers and the internet to inform people about how it uses their personal data for training algorithms, Italy's watchdog said. There's also a requirement to verify users' ages and set up a system to filter out those who are under 13 and teens between 13 and 18 who don't have parental consent. Only in that case will the Italian SA (supervisory authority) lift its order that placed a temporary limitation on the processing of Italian users data .... so that ChatGPT will be available once again from Italy, the watchdog said on its website. Its one of those musical oddities. (Were Gonna) Rock Around The Clock, the record widely held to have brought rocknroll to Britain, didnt even get near the UK Top 10 first time around. Moreover, the man delivering this vital message of teenage rebellion, Bill Haley, was already nearly 30 years old at the time. Conversely, he was only 55 when he passed away on February 9, 1981. But the arrival of Rock Around The Clock in the UK chart, on January 7, 1955, was a major landmark. The recording in question was made at Pythian Temple Studio, at 135 West 70th Street, New York, on April 12 the year before. It wasnt even the first UK chart entry for Bill and his group the Comets, who were simultaneously enjoying a much bigger hit with Shake Rattle and Roll, which climbed to No.4 and had 14 weeks on the chart. The new hit went on to peak at No.17 and was on the bestsellers for precisely two weeks. Youd also have to be something of a trivia expert to know the names of the writers of the song that came to represent the commercial explosion of rocknroll. It was written by Philadelphia composer Max C. Freedman, whod had several successes dating back to the end of World War II, with publisher and promoter James C. Myers, whose career also went back to the 1940s. He used the pen name Jimmy DeKnight for the collaboration. Rock Around The Clock was first recorded by Sonny Dae on the Arcade label in 1954, with Haleys version (cut three weeks later) following that May, but only as the B-side of another track from the same session, Thirteen Women (And Only One Man in Town. In fact, Rock was a chart record in Britain before it was in the US, if only for those two weeks. After being featured in the 1955 movie Blackboard Jungle, it then made the American survey in May, and went on to spend eight weeks at No.1, widely hailed as the first chart-topper of the rocknroll era. Story continues Listen to the 50s playlist for more by Bill Haley and his Comets and other key acts of the decade. That success, on Decca, prompted a re-release on Brunswick in the UK, and this time, the song really took off, spending three weeks at No.1 in November and December. Then Rock showed its staying power, charting again in Britain in September 1956, when it hit No.5. As subsequent generations learned of its importance, it went to No.20 in 1968 and No.12 in 1974. That last outing came after the song was prominent in the movie smash American Graffiti, which also took it back to No.39 in America. Read more about the life of Bill Haley in our interview with his son, Bill Haley Jr. On January 28, 1956, the group entered the US album chart with an LP also entitled Rock Around The Clock, a Decca compilation featuring that and other Haley hits. Buy or stream Rock Around The Clock on Bill Haley and his Comets Universal Masters Collection. For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music. uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Amid the drama over former President Donald Trumps indictment as well as a plethora of recent polls and endorsements from members of Floridas congressional delegation, a new assertion has started to creep into the discussion about 2024. The rumbling is that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis given his messy answers on Ukraine and other matters isnt ready to run for president and may wait things out. This assertion, however, runs counter to everything now moving into place in Tallahassee and beyond. Just start with whats happening in the Florida Legislature, where legislators have been working at a rapid pace to carry out DeSantis long legislative wish list that could be used as talking points on the presidential campaign trail. Those who have worked in this environment universally agree: its never been like this before. Lawmakers including those at the top have come under repeated pressure during their 60-day session to carry out the DeSantis agenda. Some of those in the process have told POLITICO that the governors office has taken so much control over bills that the expression thats Plazas bill has now emerged a reference to the first floor of the Capitol where DeSantis operates. Another sign is DeSantis ever-expanding calendar of out-of-state, and now international, travel, such as a planned trip to Israel and apparently Asia. This is not a governor who ventured a lot outside the state before the pandemic hit. These ongoing visits to promote the book, to promote his "Florida Blueprint" arent being cut back. Just the opposite is happening: The destination list is growing. And of course, the super PAC that is supporting a DeSantis run continues to ramp up and there are other moves at the Republican Party of Florida and elsewhere are also being carried out. There are a lot of people who are snapping into position in anticipation of an expected run. Now it is true that the timing of an official presidential campaign launch remains somewhat fuzzy, with dates in both May and June being floated. And no official decision has been made yet because then federal election laws kick in. But the point is this: Barring some last-minute unforeseen change, DeSantis is on the path to running for president. Some even view that the firepower aimed at the governor by Trumps team in recent weeks as confirmation that hes seen as a serious rival. It would appear that everyone will get to see that play out. Correction: The trooper involved in the crash did not have his lights and siren activated as previously reported by Virginia State police. AUGUSTA COUNTY Virginia State Police said a trooper was seriously injured Saturday night in a crash on Interstate 81 in Augusta County. The incident began when state police received a call at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday from a caller saying his vehicle had been shot at while traveling south on I-81 in Shenandoah County, a press release said. The caller, who was not injured, provided a vehicle description and license plate of the suspect vehicle. A state trooper located the suspect vehicle as it headed south on I-81 in Rockingham County. When the suspect vehicle crossed into Augusta County, a second trooper pulled out from an emergency crossover to assist the first trooper. As the trooper pulled out from the crossover at the 234 mile marker his patrol car collided with a 2020 Kia Sorento that was headed southbound, according to the press release. The trooper did not activate his lights and siren prior to the crash, police said. The trooper was taken to Augusta Health in Fishersville for treatment of serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The driver and passenger in the Kia were also taken to Augusta Health for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, the release said. The crash remains under investigation. The first trooper was able to stop the suspect vehicle in Augusta County. A search of the vehicle resulted in no weapon being located. The driver was released. Staunton's heavy trash collection week to start on April 10 Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on Twitter. This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Trooper injured in Interstate 81 crash in Augusta County Buckingham Palace finally got a decision from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on whether they will be attending King Charless coronation next monthand Meghan is opting out. The Palace revealed this morning that it is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. People got intel from a friend of Harrys regarding his decision. Harry wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life, the outlet wrote, per the friend. The coronation falls on May 6, which is also Archies 4th birthday. People reports that Meghan will be spending that weekend in California celebrating Archies big day with him and his sister, Lilibet, hence her absence. Harpers Bazaar reported that Archies birthday played a role in the decision for Meghan to stay behind. The outlet added that Harry will attend the coronation ceremony but is not expected to attend other events over the weekend. BREAKING: "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." Omid Scobie (@scobie) April 12, 2023 Just a week ago, the couple had not yet decided whether theyd attend the coronation. Their spokesperson informed the BBC that there was no update on whether they were attending. Harry was last in the UK for a lawsuit against the Daily Mails publishers, Associated Newspapers Ltd, in late March. Notably, in his witness statement, Harry delivered blunt words about the royal family and their dealings with the British press. Specifically, he said he felt the institution withheld information from him regarding his phone being hacked by The Suns publishers. Story continues The Institution was without a doubt withholding information from me for a long time about NGNs [News Group Newspapers, the publisher of The Sun] phone hacking, and that has only become clear in recent years as I have pursued my own claim with different legal advice and representation, Harry said. He also expressed dismay over the familys never complain, never explain policy with the British tabloids. When dating Meghan, he revealed he became increasingly troubled by the [royal familys] approach of not taking action against the press in the wake of vicious, persistent attacks on, harassment of, and intrusive, sometimes racist articles concerning Meghan. The family never commented on that statement. While Harry did not personally give exact details on why Meghan and his children would not be joining him at the coronation, security is likely a concern and one he has spoken about before. Harry has been in court trying to fight for his right to pay for royal protection officers when his family is in the UK due to the threats theyve received. (Harry and Meghan forfeited that kind of taxpayer-funded security when they stepped back from their working senior royal family roles in January 2020.) Since the couples last visit to the UK in September, Harry and Meghan lost even more protection. In March, the couples rep confirmed that Charles ordered them to vacate their overseas home, Frogmore Cottage, where they had increased security because it was on the Windsor Castle estate, which is protected by armed police. Royal reporter Omid Scobie stated in Yahoo! UK that the couple was left stunned by Charless decision, per sources. The threat of Charles not seeing his grandchildren didnt bother the monarch enough to change his mind, Scobie added. I think the King is just fed up with the entire situation, a royal source told Scobie. You Might Also Like YORK BEACH, Maine For the first time in its 70-year history, the iconic beachfront Nevada Motel across from Long Sands Beach is on the market. The motel at 141 Long Beach Ave. is impossible to miss, with its unique shape, eye-catching bright teal trim, ocean views and, best of all, the ability to transport guests to a more nostalgic era one of value, simplicity and small-but-mighty family-run operations. Generations of families have grown up visiting this motel, which is currently listed for sale at $2.75 million by Keller Williams Coastal Realty. Alongside the visitors are three generations that have kept the motel running since its original opening in 1951. The Nevada Motel on Long Beach Avenue in York, Maine was put on the real estate market for $2.75 million in July 2021. It has been in the same family for 70 years. Henry de la Pena was the motel's original owner. He named it after the U.S. Navy ship he served on in World War II, the U.S.S. Nevada, according to his obituary. Henry even designed the motel to resemble the flybridge of a battleship, according to his son, Paul de la Pena. Owner of the Nevada Motel Paul de la Pena, 65, poses at the Long Beach Avenue motel in York, Maine on July 28, 2021. Paul said his father left the Navy in 1947 and was inspired by a visit to Florida, where his sister-in-law's husband had opened a motel in Pompano Beach. Henry de la Pena came back to Maine with the idea of opening a motel of his own in Wells. Then he found York. When they took a ride up here, and they came around the corner, he was like, Oh, this is it, this is the place, and then he purchased the empty lot in 1951," said Paul de la Pena. A photo of Henry de la Pena, the original owner of the Nevada Motel, is displayed in the motel office on July 28, 2021. De la Pena died in 2015 at 96 and left the hotel to his three children, Paul, Edward and Jeanette Prues, who are now selling the property for $2.75 million. Motor hotel, a piece of Maine history A series of devastating wildfires in 1947 which became known as the "Year Maine Burned" catalyzed the motel industry's takeoff in Maine, according to the New England Historical Society. At that time, Maine was 90% forested and unequipped to handle the unprecedented wildfire season the state faced. Two hundred fires consumed a quarter of a million acres of Maine forest between Oct. 13 and Oct. 27 that year, wiping out nine entire towns. In York County, the fires destroyed most of the homes in Shapleigh and Waterboro, and then consumed swaths of Alfred, Lyman, Newfield, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel, Dayton, Wells, Biddeford and Saco. In all, the the 1947 fires destroyed 851 homes and 397 seasonal cottages, leaving 2,500 people homeless, according to the historical society. Story continues As communities in Maine rebuilt in the wake of the 1947 fires and automobiles took on increasing importance in American life, motels short for "motor hotels" proliferated up and down the coast of Maine, as they did throughout the United States. By 1951, about 50,000 motels and motor courts were operating nationwide, and the industry peaked in 1961 with about 61,000 motels nationwide, according to the historical society. Today, you'll find perhaps a quarter of those motels still in operation, the society adds. "The mom and pop motel fell to motel chains like Holiday Inn and Best Western, then to discount hotels like Hampton Inn and Marriott," the society continued. "But many still cherish the retro comfort and convenience not to mention the individuality of the mom-and-pop motel." A piece of family history Room keys are seen in the recently for sale iconic Nevada Motel office in York, Maine on July 28, 2021. Paul de la Pena said some of the same families from all over the country have returned each summer to the modestly priced Nevada Motel with their spouses, children, grandchildren and so on. Some have even rented out the exact same room each visit, to relive the experience and create new memories. We're middle-income. We aren't big and fancy. But we're really clean, and we've been a family-friendly place the whole time, Paul said. Three generations of de la Penas have cleaned rooms, washed bed sheets, scrubbed bathrooms and helped guests at all hours of the night, with kids chipping in since they were about 10 years old. Paul said he began working for his father, monitoring beachgoers who paid to park in the lot behind the motel. Shortly thereafter, he graduated to cleaning rooms and moved on to doing laundry and assisting customers. His mom taught him and his siblings how to make beds, and their father taught them how to mow the lawn. Paul would get a running start to crank up the old rotary mower, he said. Paul da la Pena, 65, owner of the Nevada Motel on Long Beach Avenue, points to family photos in the motel office on July 28, 2021 in York, Maine. The motel, which was put up for sale three weeks earlier, is thought to be among the first motels in the state of Maine and has been in the same family for 70 years. Up until high school, Paul de la Pena and his two siblings moved back and forth from York to Pompano Beach, Florida. They would start school in York in September through the end of October, then they would transfer to a Florida school until April 30, and then transfer back to York. That didnt work out well, Paul said, so the family decided ultimately to settle in York. The heights of some youngsters who grew up in this motel Jeanette, Tyler, Catey, Ashley, Laura, Jack, Charlie and others are recorded with faded black and orange lines on a wall that divides the motel office lobby from the maintenance closet and living quarters, with markings dating back more than two decades. The mattress in the office where Paul would rest, so he could assist his customers at all hours of the night no longer has a sheet or a pillow, only dust and boxes waiting to be packed with seven decades worth of memories. The heights of three generations of Paul de la Pena's family who have grown up owning and working in the Nevada Motel on Long Beach Avenue in York, Maine, are seen July 28, 2021, on the wall of the iconic motel which was recently put up for sale. Upon graduating from York High School, Paul and his siblings settled in Florida, but Paul moved back to York full-time in 1986 after his mother, Maria, died, leaving his elderly father to run the business by himself. Since then, Paul said he has not had a single day off in the summer. Henry de la Pena worked the front desk of the motel until he was 92, and he died in 2015 at 96, leaving the business to his three children: Paul, Edward and Jeanette Prues. Edward and Prues still own the property, and Paul continues to run it for the family, along with his wife, Janet, and until recently, his two children. For many years, Paul gave up things others may take for granted, like being able to go eat lunch outside on a beautiful summer day. This year, over the Fourth of July, Paul and Janet were able to go out to lunch for the first time ever during the busy season. A final summer at the Nevada's helm This summer was likely going to be the last season of running the Nevada for 65-year-old Paul de la Pena, who said he planned to retire after so many summers running the family business. Most of the maintenance work and day-to-day operation was handled by Paul and Janet, but they had always hired four or five high schoolers in the summer to work at the motel. This summer, however, not one person applied for a job a reflection, perhaps, of the nationwide worker shortage impacting many businesses this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. After years of dedicating his life to this motel, Paul de la Pena said he took the hiring woes as a sign that it was finally time for him to move on. The realization had been a long time coming in an industry that requires a lot of sacrifice, he said. Paul de la Pena, 65, holds a book referencing the Nevada Motel. The book was authored by Barbara Snell Davis, a guest from Mentor, Ohio, who de la Pena referred to as "Miss Ohio," over the many decades that Davis returned to Pena's family-owned motel. The two-story, 21-unit motel now sits empty, other than Paul de la Pena allowing a few close friends and family members to stay. Paul often soaks up his last days at the Nevada's helm by sitting on the porch, smoking a cigarette and waving to the many familiar faces walking by the idyllic front lawn. Although he said hes looking forward to retirement, he will soak up that unbeatable view for as long as he can. He has a front row seat to the beach, after all. I took it for granted because its all Ive ever known, Paul said. A "for sale" sign went up three weeks ago. Since then, Paul has fielded numerous calls from customers who have returned for as many as four decades, asking why he was selling the place. One guy showed up while the motel was closed and said he remembered Paul from when he was in diapers, sitting on the front lawn back in the early 1960s. This place is packed full of memories. A few offers, a lot of interest Paul da la Pena has worked at the Nevada Motel since he was 10 years old. In 1986, he moved to York full time to help his father run the business and has slept on this bed every night in the summer for the past four decades. Paul de la Pena is retiring at 65 and selling the motel, which has been in the family for 70 years. The outpouring from people who have reached out to tell him how special the Nevada is to them has been a shock, Paul said. A flood of comments on social media community pages, calls, emails and people stopping in to say their goodbyes has been eye opening, he added. Paul said he's already had a few offers submitted from potential buyers, and several people have toured the motel. Although the family, their former guests and other motel admirers have expressed a hope that a buyer will come along and keep the charm of the quaint motel intact, the overall architectural trends in the area may point to different scenario, Paul said. Paul de la Pena, 65, owner of the Nevada Motel, enters Room 5 of the motel in York, Maine, on July 28, 2021. Troy Williams, the listing agent for the property, said he himself worked at the Nevada while growing up in York. Williams said he believes it will take a special person to maintain the charm of the motel. That being said, with just a fresh coat of paint, the rooms would practically rent themselves, he said. Hes never needed to worry about advertising ... the place is iconic and quintessential to the town, Williams said. Williams said the way he feels selling this local treasure is a lot like the way he felt when he listed his own parents' home in York, the place where he had grown up. Up until four summers ago, real estate prices along Long Sands Beach had remained relatively steady, but they have been rising significantly in recent years as demand for oceanfront homes intensifies, Williams said. The view from room 22 at the Nevada Motel on Long Beach Avenue in York, Maine on July 28, 2021. Paul de la Pena said the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to contemplate the fact that he is not invincible, and he came to the realization that he didn't want to spend the rest of his summers tied to a motel 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Paul said he and his wife, Janet, will retire in York, and he'll return to some of his favorite activities he couldn't do while running the motel, like fishing and surfing, two beloved hobbies he gave up when his kids were in school and he couldn't visit Florida. Eventually, Paul said, he dreams of moving to Puerto Rico, but he still has to convince Janet. Stepping out of the Nevada Motel one last time will be a bittersweet transition, Paul said. "It's sad to see it go, but it's time to move on," Paul de la Pena said. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seaside nostalgia for sale: Nevada Motel, York Beach, ME, 50s Art Deco Biden speaks to family of WSJ reporter, says detention by Russia is 'totally illegal' President Joe Biden spoke to the family of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who the United States says is being unjustly imprisoned by Russia, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday. The president "felt it was really important to connect with Evan's family," Jean-Pierre said. "We're making it real clear that it's totally illegal what's happening," Biden told reporters on the tarmac as he boarded the plane to depart for a state visit to Ireland. The Gershkovich family said that it was encouraged by both the State Department's announcement and the president's call. "We appreciate President Biden's call to us today, assuring us that the U.S. government is doing everything in its power to bring him home as quickly as possible," the statement said. "In addition to being a distinguished journalist, Evan is a beloved son and brother. There is a hole in our hearts and in our family that won't be filled until we are reunited." The State Department announced on Monday that Gershkovich, who was arrested on espionage charges in late March that the U.S. adamantly denies, is now officially classified as a wrongfully detained American, a designation that grants additional powers and resources to U.S. officials as they work to secure his freedom. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that as of Tuesday, Gershkovich has not been granted consular access. "When I spoke to Foreign Minister Lavrov about a week ago now--just after Evan was detained--I of course pressed for his immediate release but I also pressed for immediate consular access to him," he said. "The fact that Russia has not granted that access puts it once again in violation of international commitments it's made--commitments that are at the heart of diplomatic relations between countries and the ability of our citizens as well to be able to safely be present in other countries." Story continues Blinken predicted Russia's refusal to grant consular access would "do even more damage to Russia's standing around the world-- standing that has been in freefall particularly since its reinvasion of Ukraine last year." John Kirby, the White House's National Security Council spokesperson, said this was just the beginning of what could be a lengthy battle to bring Gershkovich home. "The determination of wrongful detention, it doesn't start the clock necessarily on communicating with the Russians about getting him released. We're very early in this process here," he said. American diplomats have still not been able to gain access to Gershkovich in detention -- a violation of longstanding agreements between Russia and the U.S. and international law, according to the State Department. Blinken and the U.S. ambassador to Russia have both spoken to their counterparts about Gershkovich's case. Kirby declined to disclose any details about conversations with the Russian government, but he said that officials within the administration were "certainly having discussions about what we can do to get him released." Russian officials have charged Gershkovich with espionage. Gershkovich denies the charges and his lawyers filed for an appeal, which is scheduled to be heard in Moscow later this month. ABC's Justin Gomez and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report. Biden speaks to family of WSJ reporter, says detention by Russia is 'totally illegal' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com When Joshua McLemore's mother couldn't reach her son several states away in Indiana during the summer of 2021, she grew worried. McLemore, 29, had struggled with mental health problems and drug abuse since high school, and had been ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia. But what began as a welfare check on her son quickly evolved overnight from him heading to the hospital to him getting booked into jail instead, after McLemore yanked a nurse's hair at the emergency room and police were called. Because of McLemore's mental state, no initial hearing was held. McLemore was also never photographed, fingerprinted or asked any medical questions for new arrivals; instead, he was taken directly to a padded cell. For 20 days, Jackson County officials kept McLemore in "PAD7," a windowless room, where he was alone and naked, with nearly no human contact, and no medical or mental health treatment, according to a federal civil rights complaint filed Wednesday. While in custody, McLemore rarely slept, ate or drank. He would behave erratically, destroying dinner bags dropped off for him and dumping food on his cell floor. Drinks would often end up on the floor, mixed with food, trash, his feces and urine. On Aug. 10, 2021, after losing nearly 45 pounds from what had been his 198-pound body, McLemore was declared dead. His cause of death, per the autopsy, was "multiple organ failure due to refusal to eat or drink with altered mental status due to untreated schizophrenia." Corrections experts say claims of medical neglect and mistreatment of people with mental illness are a problem endemic to the U.S. penal system, which was never intended or equipped to deal with them. In 44 states, a jail or prison holds more people with a mental illness than the largest remaining state psychiatric hospital, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that aims to eliminate barriers to treatment for people with severe mentally illness. Those with psychiatric health conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are 10 times more likely to be in a jail or prison than in a hospital bed. Research has found that people with serious mental health conditions were more likely to be victims of violence than to be violent themselves. Story continues In this case, the Indiana jail at the center of the lawsuit has seen other deaths linked to a lack of medical care. In one case, four days prior to McLemore's arrival at Jackson County Jail, pretrial detainee, Ta'Neasha Chappell, died "as a result of the same practices," the complaint alleges. Chappell, 23, pleaded with staff for medical care for nearly 16 hours, as she repeatedly vomited blood and grew dehydrated. Her family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit alleging cruel and unusual treatment by jail staff. Another prison death: This mentally ill man was pepper-sprayed, choked and hooded before dying A combination of images shows Joshua McLemore, 29, a pretrial detainee with mental illness. He was jailed for 20 days in a padded cell with nearly no human contact. This is him that first day in jail, left and on the 20th day there, right. He barely ate or drank and lost 45 pounds, before dying. This is him the last day in jail. He was airlifted to a Cincinnati hospital where he died two days later. The blurred image was provided by a law firm representing his estate. "When a jail takes custody of a person, particularly pretrial, that person becomes 100% dependent on the people who are confining them, who hold the keys to the jail cell, to make sure their basic needs are met," said Edwin Budge, an attorney who represents McLemore's estate in the federal lawsuit. "It's the same thing if somebody went into the jail with a heart condition and was complaining about heart trouble." The federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana alleges that McLemore's 14th Amendment rights were violated by Jackson County, its sheriff, jail commander, night-shift sergeant, jail medical staff, and the Tennessee-based private contractor Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. Jessica K. Young, president and chief executive officer for Advanced Correctional Healthcare, said in an emailed statement that the company cannot discuss McLemore's case because of federal health privacy and confidentiality laws. ACH manages contracts to care for more than 34,600 patients in more than 370 correctional facilities across 21 states. None of the remaining defendants responded to requests for comment. The Jackson County prosecutor's office found "no crimes were committed by employees of the Jackson County Jail" related to McLemore's death, according to his written report. "No single person committed an act or omission that constituted a crime. Mr. McLemore most likely died due to a prolonged lack of attention by Jackson Jail staff as a group," wrote Jeffrey Chalfant, Jackson County's prosecuting attorney. Joshua McLemore, 29, suffered from mental health issues and drug abuse, and was a diagnosed schizophrenic. A family friend, Susan Wildin, said McLemore was a wonderful fiance to her daughter, Abby, and intelligent and kind. Sometime in the years after Abby's death, McLemore stopped taking his medication. The lawsuit alleges that county officials and medical staff were deliberately indifferent to McLemore's medical and mental health needs, and that Advanced Correctional Healthcare failed to provide services that met minimum constitutional requirements. "Josh suffered and died because of multiple failures by county staff and supervisors, as well as systemic deficiencies and unconstitutional customs, practices, and conditions at the Jackson County Jail," the complaint states. "His condition was treatable, and his death was preventable." 'Can you help me, please?': Ta'Neasha Chappell begged for medical aid before her jail death Ta'Neasha Chappell: She isn't the 1st prisoner to die at this Indiana jail plagued by crowding Jail failed to follow its own policies The lawsuit alleges that the county failed to adopt adequate policies and procedures to protect people in its custody with serious medical or mental health issues, that it failed to provide adequate medical and mental health staffing and services, and failed to adequately train staff on how to manage people with severe mental illness. The jail was cited in 2019, 2020 and June 2021 by the Indiana Department of Corrections for being out of compliance with a state law requiring it to arrange for 24-hour emergency psychological care, including a written plan with arrangements for the use of appropriate health facilities. And despite jail policy requiring a medical and mental health screening for all people booked into jail, no such evaluations were ever done for McLemore, the complaint alleges. While McLemore was placed on "medical observation" for the entirety of his time at the jail because of the mental state he arrived in, he received virtually no medical monitoring or care during his confinement, the complaint alleges. In fact, the county jail's nurse appeared to ignore McLemore's screams and barely interacted with him, the complaint alleges. The logs, which were required to include 15-minute observations, were only maintained for seven-and-a-half days. McLemore rarely allowed out of cell Despite Indiana law and Jackson County Jail policies that require people in solitary confinement be allowed out of their cell at least one hour a day, jail employees rarely allowed McLemore to leave his padded cell during the 20 days he was there, McLemore's attorneys, who reviewed roughly 400 hours of videotape of McLemore's time in jail, say. Between July 20 and Aug. 8, McLemore was only removed from his jail cell three times for staff to clean it and two of those times to allow McLemore to be wheeled into a shower. And while his cell had a restroom attached to it, the door was locked and only opened once during those 20 days. On the morning of July 25, guards opened McLemore's cell, put him in a chokehold and pinned him to the floor with his hands tied behind his back. Then they placed McLemore, who was not resisting at the time, into a restraint device that binds his legs and ankles together tightly, harnessed him in a sitting position and put a helmet on his head, according to the complaint. McLemore sat there for roughly 15 minutes while staff had another prisoner clean his cell, then guards carried him back in and put him on the floor still in the same bindings. McLemore was kept in the bindings for four-and-a-half hours, mostly while he was alone in his cell, in violation of jail policy and his constitutional rights to be free from excessive force or unreasonable restraint, the complaint alleges. Joshua McLemore, 29, is a pretrial detainee with mental illness. Here he is restrained in a device for four and a half hours. According to the complaint, one guard claimed to have seen McLemore punching himself in the head and slapping his own stomach, which was why the restraints were allegedly necessary; however, a review of the video from that time doesn't show McLemore doing anything to hurt himself, the complaint states. On July 27, McLemore was removed from his cell and strapped naked into a restraint chair as his cell was being cleaned by another detainee. The chair was put under a shower with the water turned on and McLemore was helpless to wash himself, per a review of the video; a guard walked in with a couple paper cups of liquid soap, poured them on McLemore's body and walked away. McLemore was removed again on July 31, to clean his cell and put him in the shower, again, in a restraint chair. "Because the jail had no mental health professional, and because the guards were not trained or equipped to engage with a severely mentally ill person in a safe and humane manner, events unfolded similarly," the complaint states, with the guards resorting to force and restraint. Medics found McLemore naked under a urine-covered blanket On Aug. 8, McLemore's last day at Jackson County Jail, he skipped breakfast and lunch, before being offered a bottle of orange Gatorade. McLemore couldn't reach it and was too weak to hold the bottle to drink it. The jail's nurse got a straw and held the bottom up so McLemore could drink. It was one of 19 or so drinks McLemore would receive during his roughly 20 days of confinement in a small Styrofoam cup or Gatorade bottle much of which ended up spilled, according to the complaint. Then a little later, guards dragged McLemore out of the cell by his arms, hoisted him in a restraint chair and wheeled him away so that McLemore could get cleaned up for the ambulance, the complaint states. Even though McLemore couldn't stand or bear weight because he was so weak and ill, they handcuffed his wrists to the chair, the complaint states. An ambulance wasn't called for at least another hour. When medics finally arrived at Jackson County Jail to take McLemore to the hospital, they found him lying naked on a mat with a urine-covered blanket and urine all over the floor around him, according to the ambulance service's patient care report. "The patient was lethargic and had an altered level of consciousness," the report notes, describing how McLemore would look at the medic and then doze off. When asked questions, McLemore would stare and shake his head. Late that night, an emergency room doctor noted that McLemore was suffering from low levels of oxygen in his tissues, as well as acute renal failure, the breakdown of his muscle tissue, excess sodium in his blood often caused by severe dehydration, and altered brain function. He'd shown up lethargic and "ill-appearing" and looked like his body was wasting away, with sunken eyes, the emergency room doctor wrote per the Aug. 8 medical record. Because the local hospital now lacked the resources to treat McLemore, he was airlifted to a larger hospital in Ohio. Joshua McLemore died Aug. 10 after 20 days in custody at Jackson County Jail, in Indiana, as a pretrial detainee. During that time he barely slept, ate or drank, had nearly no ability to access a toilet and was not treated for mental health issues. He lost nearly 45 pounds. Before he could be airlifted, McLemore was released on his "own recognizance" for the alleged assault he committed three weeks earlier. The release paperwork reviewed by USA TODAY included a "promise to appear" in court on Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. The defendant, McLemore, was "unable to sign," the record shows. Two days after he arrived intubated at Mercy West Hospital in Cincinnati, McLemore was declared dead with his mother by his side. The cause of death was "multiple organ failure due to refusal to eat or drink with altered mental status due to untreated schizophrenia," according to the autopsy report. McLemore's history of methamphetamine withdrawal was cited as a contributory cause of death. 'Poor woman, she died of a broken heart' McLemore's mother, Rhonda, had raised her son as a single mom and member of the U.S. Navy. When her son died, she was "utterly devastated," the family's attorney, Budge, recalled. Rhonda McLemore retained Budge, then died 16 months after her son due to health issues. He now represents her sister, and Joshua McLemore's aunt, Melita Ladner, in the case against the county, its officials, medical staff and the private medical contractor. Ladner declined through counsel to be interviewed but provided written comments. In America, jails are supposed to be humane. But what happened to Josh was cruel and senseless," Ladner said. "Jackson County and the people who were responsible for Josh need to be held accountable. This should never happen to anyone else." Joshua McLemore and his mother, Rhonda, are pictured here. She died 16 months after McLemore, but she told her friend she at least got to hold his hand in the hospital before he passed. Rhonda McLemore had grown close to Susan Wildin, whose daughter Abby Smith was engaged to and living with Joshua McLemore when she died in a car accident in 2019. "He was just the apple of her (Rhonda's) eye, and they just loved each other," Wildin said. "She helped him through Abby's death, she was there for him. I just got the feeling that she was helping hold him up at the funeral." But later, Wildin said, Rhonda McLemore told her her son had quit taking his medications and McLemore didn't know how to help him anymore. McLemore was frantic when she couldn't reach her son and then very grateful when Wildin helped locate him and get him to the hospital. The next day, McLemore learned her son was actually in jail. McLemore called the jail and waited days for somebody to call her back. "She felt guilty because Josh had had some sort of issue with the police in Indiana for something else, like a few months before, and she told him, 'Josh, don't you ever call me from jail,'" Wildin said. "So that stuck with her, poor woman, she died of a broken heart." Budge said McLemore eventually spoke to the jail commander about her son's mental health issues, expecting the information would be acted upon. But she only learned the reality of the situation when she got a call from the Cincinnati hospital informing her of her son's condition. Joshua McLemore and his fiance Abby Smith. Smith, 27, died in a car crash in 2019. The two lived together and his fiance's mother, Susan, became close friends with McLemore's mother in the years after Smith's death. "Nobody deserves what happened to that child," said Wildin, remembering the disturbing images Josh's mother sent her from the hospital of him with blackened body parts and a blank stare. Follow Tami Abdollah on Twitter @latams or email her at tami(at)usatoday.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jail reform: Mentally ill man dies after solitary confinement The sale is running until April 17. Nicolas Economou/Getty Images Air New Zealand is making it cheaper to get to Australia with a spring sale that offers nearly 15 percent off normal fares. The sale, which is available from several cities in the United States, must be purchased by April 17 for travel over select dates from May through November, the airline shared with Travel + Leisure. The exact dates available vary depending on the destination and fare class. The sale is valid from several U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York, and Chicago. Take advantage of these deals to explore the best Australia has to offer, Air New Zealand wrote on its website about the promotion. Stunning coastlines and vibrant city life are ready for your next adventure. Fly roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney starting at just $1,298 in economy or fly from San Francisco for the same price. Travelers can fly roundtrip to Sydney from New York starting at just $1,976, or fly from Chicago for just $1,598. The sale extends to other cities in Australia as well, like flying roundtrip from Los Angeles to Melbourne for just $1,495 or from San Francisco to Brisbane starting at just $1,511. Air New Zealand is also putting its business class seats on sale with the lie-flat seats starting at just $6,998 roundtrip between both Los Angeles and San Francisco and Sydney. As part of the sale, travelers must purchase their flight at least 14 days before traveling and must stay for a minimum of seven days. Air New Zealand flies direct to Auckland from Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York one of the longest flights in the world at about 17 and a half hours. From there, travelers can connect to flights to Australia. Earlier this year, the airline introduced a new Economy Stretch cabin class featuring 39 percent more legroom for a total seat pitch of 35 inches. The airline also offers a Skycouch in economy, which allows passengers to turn three seats into a makeshift bed, and plans to introduce an Economy Skynest, which are several sleeping pods passengers can take turns using. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. An elephant at the Berlin Zoo really likes peeling her bananas. David Guinaldo/EyeEm/Getty Images An elephant named at the Berlin Zoo really likes peeling her bananas. Unlike other elephants, Pang Pha peels the spotty yellow ones, but eats green and yellow ones whole. Researchers said they think she may have developed a taste for peeled bananas thanks to a doting caretaker. An Asian elephant at a zoo in Germany eats her bananas in an unusual way: peeling them with her trunk, rather than eating them whole. Pang Pha, an elephant at the Berlin Zoo, has been captured using her trunk to peel open ripe bananas before eating them, according to a paper published Monday in the journal Current Biology. Video featured in the study shows Pha being handed a spotty banana. After taking it with her trunk, the elephant breaks the banana in half. She then peels each half by picking it up again and shaking it until the soft fleshy interior falls out. She then uses her trunk again to grab it and pop it in her mouth, discarding the peel. The study said Pha would only engage in peeling if handed a yellow banana with brown spots. Researchers were initially stumped by when Pha would choose to peel or not, with weeks going by without her peeling a single banana. They eventually realized it was the ripeness of the banana that determined whether or not she would peel or eat it. When given a green or yellow banana, she will eat the entire thing, peel and all, similar to other elephants. When a banana is totally brown, she won't bother with it. Video from the study showed that Pha rejected the mostly brown bananas she was given, even throwing one of them back at the experimenter who handed it to her. But when a banana is just ripe, or yellow with brown spots? She peels it before eating. Pha will also skip peeling in a social setting, when she is competing for the bananas with other elephants that are present, according to the study. In that setting, she will typically eat spotty yellow bananas whole, just like everyone else except for one. She saves the last banana to peel and eat later, just how she likes it. Story continues Though elephants have been documented using their trunks in many interesting ways, researchers said peeling bananas appeared to be a rare behavior. But they think Pha may have learned from a species that are pros at it: humans. The study said Pha's main caretaker used to take the extra step of peeling her bananas before feeding them to her, and that she may have "acquired peeling by observational learning from her human caretakers." Michael Brecht, a co-author of the study and a neuroscientist at Humboldt University of Berlin, told The New York Times that allowed Pha not to just observe a banana being peeled, but also to develop a taste preference for the peeled version. Learning through observation is common in animals. A zoo in Virginia last month said an orangutan named Zoe who struggled to nurse learned to do it after observing a human zookeeper breastfeeding her own baby. Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider leezsnow / Getty Images/iStockphoto According to Liberty Coin & Currency, most foreign money isnt worth more than face value except for the memories you built while collecting international coins and bills during your travels. But there are some exceptions. $2,000 Quarter? Check Your Pockets Before You Use This 2004 Coin Learn: How To Build a Financial Plan From Zero For example, the Big Maple Leaf is a Canadian coin with a $1 million face value and an actual value closer to $6 million. The biggest coin in the world, it weighs 100 kilograms and is made from the purest gold bullion ever refined. Only 15 were ever made. In 2020, one of only three known gold examples of the Brutus AV Aureus from Ancient Rome minted in 44 B.C. to commemorate the assassination of Julius Caesar sold for $3.5 million. So, it might be time to visit an appraiser if you happen to notice a gold disc weighing 220 pounds or a coin from the Age of Antiquity with the image of the guy who orchestrated the murder of historys most famous emperor mixed in with your pocket change. More commonly, however, foreign coins and bills of value arent always so easy to spot. Here are some real-world examples that can help you understand what to look for. 1911 Chinese Silver Long Whisker Dragon Dollar $3 million With fewer than 25 known examples in the world, the fabled Long Whisker Dragon dollar is one of the most coveted coins in China and the world. In 2022, a collector paid twice the highest pre-auction estimate of $1.5 million to own one. According to Liberty Coin & Currency, coins dont have to be ancient to be valuable, but anything over 100 years old is much more likely to command a high asking price. This coin qualifies, but its rarity and historical significance are more important. Look for anything from the first or last year of a significant historical event, production run or governmental reign. For example, the Long Whisker Dragon was minted during the final year of the Qing Dynasty. Story continues Take Our Poll: Are You Concerned About the Safety of Your Money in Your Bank Accounts? 1927 100-Pound Palestine Bank Note $208,000 This list is packed with currencies that were printed or minted in limited production runs by transitional governments, and the 100-pound Palestine Bank Note is no exception. The Palestine Currency Board was responsible for money in the territory from 1927 nine years after the Allied forces defeated the Ottoman Turks in World War I until 1952, four years after the founding of Israel. In 2022, a collector paid 168,000 pounds about $208,000 to own the fourth known and only previously unrecorded copy in existence. 1659 German Karl Kaspar Gold 6-Ducat Coin $130,000 In 2021, a 1659 6-ducat German gold coin fetched more than three times its estimated pre-auction sale price of $40,000. Part of its worth comes from its age more than 360 years of history can add value to just about any coin. But like so many of the currencies profiled here, it was issued by a government that along with its coins and banknotes was doomed not to last. The coin dates from a time when scattered German states issued their own currencies before Otto von Bismarck unified them around Prussia to form the German Empire in 1871. 1948 One-Million-Pound British Bank Note $85,280 Although it was never legal tender, the last known surviving copy of only nine one-million-pound British bank notes ever issued is obviously incredibly rare and that makes it valuable. They were issued in 1948 as part of the Marshall Plan to help Great Britain avoid bankruptcy after World War II. In 2011, a collector paid 69,999 pounds more than $85,000 in todays dollars for the unique specimen. According to the Daily Mail, the industry was shocked that it commanded so little, considering its rarity and historical value. You probably dont have one lying around, but according to Liberty Coin and Currency, anything that was part of a limited special-issue run like this has the potential to bring in big bucks. 1826 Argentinian 8-Escudos Coin $25,300 Coins from the Spanish and Portuguese colonial period in Latin America are valuable because like most on this list they were issued by governments whose time was limited. But just as currency issued by the authorities on the way out can be worth big money, so too can the first ones issued by the governments that replace them. In 2021, one of more than 100 8-escudos coins from the famous Oro del Nuevo Mundo Collection sold for more than $25,000. One of the collections earliest examples, the 1826 coin dates to the earliest days of Argentinian independence. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Check Your International Bills and Coins They Could Be Worth Big Money Texas will be hosting one of the top 2024 recruits in the country for an official visit from June 17-19. On3s Chad Simmons recently announced the official visit schedule for five-star EDGE Jordan Ross Ross this summer. Ross has locked in official visits to Georgia, Texas and Tennessee. The Vestavia Hills (Birmingham, AL) product is rated the No. 2 edge in the nation for the 2024 recruiting class and the No. 1 overall prospect in Alabama, according to 247Sports. Ross is a priority target for Steve Sarkisians staff at a crucial position of need. At the moment, On3s recruiting prediction machine favors Georgia in his recruitment. 4-star EDGE Jordan Ross has locked in official visits to Tennessee, Georgia and Texas in June More from @ChadSimmons_ (On3+): https://t.co/7mzvSTOndD pic.twitter.com/lf5Yvy9mXd On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) April 12, 2023 Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions. Story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire Top Five: STEM Books for Girls (World Book Day) Every year on April 23, World Book Day highlights the importance of books. Why April 23? It happens to be the day three great writers share, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, passed away on April 23. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) observed World Book Day in 1995 in Paris to commemorate these authors and promote reading worldwide. "Indeed, books are vital vehicles to access, transmit and promote education, science, culture and information worldwide." - Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. As part of their annual themes, UNESCO has chosen Indigenous Languages for 2023. In addition, the United Nations (UN) also declared 2022-32 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Since then, the UN has encouraged and amplified linguistic diversity and multilingualism. The UNESCO website says, "Of the almost 7,000 existing languages, the majority are spoken by indigenous peoples who represent the greater part of the worlds cultural diversity. To celebrate World Book Day's Indigenous Languages theme, here are a few STEM books written or authored by Indigenous women the staff at Built By Girls think you might like. Five STEM books list Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants In 2013, Potawatomi professor Robin Wall Kimmerer published Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, focusing on unconventional perspectives to mainstream scientific methods. The author even recounts intimate moments of reuniting with her cultural heritage in the book. The book has accumulated numerous accolades, including best-selling awards from the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times Bestseller. Native Studies Review called Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, a "book to savor and read repeatedly." Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold, written by Deb Vanasse Shaaw Tiaa, also known as Kate Carmack, was a member of the Tagish First Nation tribe that discovered gold in 1896 on the Klondike River. The narrative describes how Kate married a white man, George Carmack, who tries to take credit for finding the first Klondike gold. Award-winning author Deb Vanasse wrote her biography, Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold, which Pacific Historical Review described as "a riveting story told by a brilliant writer." As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock by Dino Gilio-Whitaker Colville Confederated Tribe member Dina Gillio-Whitaker published As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock in 2019. It focuses on Native American history in the United States from European colonization to today, particularly emphasizing the environment. You'll learn about the contemporary conservation movement excludes indigenous land and environmental stewardship concepts. In addition, discussions concerning the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock in 2016 and 2017. Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, written by Traci Sorell and Illustrated by Natasha Donovan Learn about Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer, Mary Golda Ross, who designed classified airplanes and spacecraft. A lover of Cherokee culture and history, she was also passionate about mathematics, which profoundly impacted her life. Cherokee author Traci Sorell wrote the book, while Metis illustrator Natasha Donovan designed it. Both women's contributions to Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, are described as "a stellar addition to the genre that will launch careers and inspire for generations; it deserves space alongside stories of other world leaders and innovators." Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future As part of her book Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future, author Patty Krawec takes readers on a journey through indigenous and settler history. Throughout the book, Krawec interweaves the story of her ancestors to explore myth, identity, and spirituality. "The invented history of the Western world is crumbling fast, but we can still honor the bonds between us. Settlers dominated and divided, but Indigenous peoples won't just send them all home." - Patty Krawec. A disturbing video was posted online this week showing Florida wildlife officers killing dozens of snakes at a Sunrise reptile facility, including one they mistook for a prohibited python that turned out to be a pregnant boa constrictor. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers last Thursday used a device that launched a charge into the snakes heads, killing more than 30 of the reptiles all but one either invasive Burmese or reticulated pythons according to the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, the snake advocacy group that posted the video. At one point in the video, the officers are seen killing the snake that turned out to be the pregnant boa constrictor, which is legal to have as a pet in Florida. The officers reaction indicates they knew they made a mistake just moments after they killed the snake. You cant fix it. You just killed something that wasnt illegal and had about a hundred thousand dollars worth of [expletive] babies, a man is heard yelling in the background. According to the Reptile Keepers, the officers were carrying out an unannounced raid on the facility. In total, the officers killed 34 snakes, the snake group said in a statement. Daniel Parker, a spokesman with the Reptile Keepers, said the boa was pregnant with 32 babies, which were about a month away from being born. Some had unique color morphs and could have sold for up to $4,000 each, Parker said. The Fish and Wildlife agency said in an emailed statement Tuesday that a full account of the incident may take time, but added its officers went to the facility to check if a python found in the area the day before escaped from there. While they were there, the owner of the facility formally relinquished his reptiles and requested the officers euthanize them on-site at his facility, the agencys statement said. The FWC Division of Law Enforcement is determining the full details of this incident and more information will be released when it is verified and appropriate to do so, the statement continued. Assembling the information and records required to provide a clear picture to the public on the facts of this incident may take time, but the FWC is committed to providing factual information when it becomes available. Story continues Lakeland attorney Curt Harbsmeier, legal advisor to the Reptile Keepers, disputes the FWC statement, however, pointing out that the owner of the facility only owned one of the snakes the boa the officers mistakenly killed. He could not have given consent with anything with these snakes. They were not his snakes, Harbsmeier said. Burmese pythons were introduced to South Florida decades ago, likely through the exotic pet trade. Wildlife authorities want them gone because, with the warm sub-tropical climate and having no natural predators, their population has exploded, especially in the Everglades. State and federal wildlife officials are so concerned about pythons that its basically open season on the non-native reptiles year-round in Florida. Reason for the raid According to Parker, the owner of the snakes, Chris Coffee, had a permit to keep them prior to the state labeling Burmese and reticulated pythons prohibited species in February 2021. After the rule change, the agency gave him five months to find homes for all 120 of the now-prohibited reptiles in his collection, Parker said. Coffee was able to get rid of most of the snakes, but still had almost 40 left by the time the deadline came. In an effort to remain on good terms with FWC, Coffee notified FWC in good faith about a year ago that he was having difficulties rehoming his animals in the short amount of time allowed by FWC, Parker said in a statement. He asked FWC for more time, believing that he had no choice. State Fish and Wildlife officers instead arrested Coffee on 72 charges for keeping the snakes. But they also stuck him in a no-win situation, according to the Reptile Keepers. However, rather than seize the animals, FWC officers told Coffee that he had to continue to keep the snakes in captivity and that he could not rehome or euthanize them or he would be arrested again, Parker said, adding Coffees life has been turned upside down. Prosecutors decided in February not to pursue the charges against Coffee, according to Broward County Clerk of the Courts online records for the case. It was a mistake Coffee was keeping his snakes at the Sunrise facility, which is owned by Bill McAdam, who also owned the pregnant boa constrictor, Parker said. Coffee is the man heard in the background yelling at the officers. He said he told them numerous times not to kill that particular reptile. One of the officers asks Coffee, Is there a way to maybe save the babies? Oh, no dude, Coffee responds. The officer replies, It was a mistake. How? I reminded you. [Expletive]! Coffee says as items can be heard being thrown around. Coffee could not be reached for comment. Big Shirl the snake McAdam told the Miami Herald that he has retained an attorney. This was a big mistake and they need to pay for it, he said. The FWC has power nobody else has and theyre abusing their power. Theyre trampling on peoples constitutional rights, and its wrong. McAdam has owned the 11-year-old boa, which he named Big Shirl, since she was born. She was one of the nicest animals, McAdam said. He said of snake people like himself, they love their reptiles just like dog and cat owners love their furry pets. We are weird, he said. Gun violence: When will we do more than think and pray? April 11 To the Editor: It is 3:11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, and I cant sleep. I keep having the titles of articles on gun violence reverberate in my mind. There are so many, and they are all compelling. Some have refrains of common songs of our nation, such as Gun Violence, when will we ever learn? Others feature the locations of mass shootings, such as at a car wash in Pennsylvania in 2018, or a particular feature of the guns used like learning about bump stocks in the mass shooting on October 1, 2017, in Las Vegas when 58 were killed and almost 500 injured in the deadliest shooting in our country so far. Some titles could of course feature the type of gun: AR-15s, the gun of choice in mass shootings (which the gun rights folks say are not assault rifles, just sporting guns, or tactical rifles, whatever that means). So yesterday, it was a mass killing in Louisville, Kentucky, in a bank. The first thought of most; I hope it was not kids again, not nine-year-old children again like in Nashville just a week or so ago, or six- or seven-year-old children again like in Sandy Hook in December 2012 when twenty first graders were murdered, along with seven adults. No, it was only five adults killed this time, and eight reported injured including three officers, as if that is a consolation. Here are the simple facts of gun violence. The country known for gun violence everywhere around the world is the United States, not Great Britain, or Canada, or Australia, but the United States. We have more than twenty-five times the mass shootings and gun violence of those similar nations. Weve had 377 school shootings since Columbine in 1999 (Washington Post) and we still offer only thoughts and prayers. So far this year weve had 11,628 killed by guns, including 146 mass shootings. So far this year 71 children aged 0-11 were killed and 403 teens aged 12-17 were killed by guns (Gun Violence Archives). We still, as a country, offer only thoughts and prayers. Story continues The political party supporting gun violence is the Republican Party, the party with a scarlet R after their name. The votes that such legislators make repeatedly, in any state (including our New Hampshire Republican legislators and Governor, or in Tennessee, for example) or nationally in Washington DC, are always to keep things basically unchanged. They offer only thoughts and prayers, nothing more. In Tennessee they even expel legislators who are crying, pleading to do something to end this scourge of gun violence, along with thousands in the streets of Nashville crying, pleading for actions, not words. The political party with legislators who have a scarlet letter R after their name do everything in their power to keep things unchanged and to keep the epidemic of gun violence unchanged, with guns unfettered, gun violence undeterred. These are some of the headlines in my mind, some of the horrendous thoughts that are keeping me awake night after night, as gun violence surges through the schools, banks, factories, churches, streets of our nation. It is now 4:49 a.m. and I still cant sleep. When will we ever learn? Leonard Korn, MD Portsmouth LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 10: Law enforcement officers respond to an active shooter at the Old National Bank building on April 10, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. According to reports, there are multiple fatalities and injuries. The shooter died at the scene. (Photo by Luke Sharrett/Getty Images) Bank of America applauds Portsmouth and Portsmouth400 for year-long celebration April 10 To the Editor: After five years of planning and effort by many dedicated people, Portsmouths 400th anniversary celebration is at long last underway. As President of Bank of America New Hampshire and presenting sponsor of the Portsmouth400 (PNH400), I want to applaud the Portsmouth community for coming together to celebrate this important historical milestone for our city and state. The motto of Portsmouth400 is History Lights Our Way. Throughout this year, visitors and residents will enjoy a robust calendar of special events and programs that explore Portsmouths history, and how this history has shaped Portsmouth into the social, cultural, and economic center that it is today. Through it all, Bank of America stands proudly alongside these efforts as the presenting sponsor. Weve committed $50,000 and many volunteer hours to support PNH400s signature events, from the opening ceremony on New Years Eve to the Grand Parade coming up in June to the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show this fall. As a company, Bank of Americas own history in New Hampshire goes back over a century, and our commitment today is stronger than ever. We believe creating meaningful connections in the communities we serve is one of the most important investments we can make. In 2022 alone, Bank of America invested over $1 million in New Hampshire through philanthropic grants and sponsorships to organizations in Portsmouth and other communities we serve. This support is helping to drive economic mobility and social progress, with a particular focus on advancing racial and ethnic equality. Visit about.bankofamerica.com/en/local/new-hampshire to learn more. Please join us in celebrating all that makes the city of Portsmouth and the state of New Hampshire such a special place to live and work by participating in the PNH400 program of events. Find the full schedule at portsmouthnh400.org. Ken Sheldon President Bank of America - New Hampshire Reflections on the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the Thresher April 9 To the Editor: I was assigned to the troop transport ship, USS Paul Revere, when word came that fateful morning of April 10, 1963, that a nuclear submarine was lost at sea, 220 miles east of Cape Cod. For most of us, the news was heartbreaking and we were left with a profound sense of grief for the 129 men who went down with the ship. A shipmate later told me that his brother went down with the Thresher. In Kittery, a 129-foot flagpole was dedicated to mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking, according to the Portsmouth Herald. On this 60th anniversary of the Thresher, the memories of the submarines sinking have faded and there are few left who would recall the heartbreaking news that their sons were lost at sea. But the generations who were left behind can perhaps take comfort in knowing that their loved ones did not die in vain. Brian Stuckey Denver, Co. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Gun violence: When will we do more than think and pray? Letters Photo: WXII 12 In a statement issued Wednesday, officials with U.S. Attorneys Offices in two districts in North Carolina shared that prosecutors will not pursue charges pertaining to the death of Shanquella Robinson. Robinson, who is from Charlotte, died while vacationing with friends in Mexico last October. The statement explained that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI. It also said that the FBI has worked diligently to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of the evidence available in this case. Read more Their efforts were in conjunction with Robinsons family. However, the office explained that the evidence in the case does not warrant charges: As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinsons family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. The statement continued: The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinsons death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. Story continues Shortly after Robinson died in San Jose del Cabo on or about Oct. 29, disturbing video circulated online of what was believed to be the victim in a physical altercation with another woman on the trip. In November, Mexican authorities said they were investigating Robinsons death as a femicide, or the killing of a woman because of her gender. In a statement prosecutors in Baja California Sur gave at the time, they said they were seeking to extradite a woman from the U.S. back to Mexico in connection with the crime. Robinson traveled with a group of six friends, some of whom told Robinsons family she had died from alcohol poisoning. However, the death certificate confirmed that a spinal and neck injury was the reason. More from The Root Sign up for The Root's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The morning after the opening of her solo exhibition The skin of the earth is seamless, Maia Ruth Lee was back at Tina Kim gallery in Manhattan, cup of coffee in hand. I was really surprised at the feedback, says Lee, who relocated from New York to Colorado with her family right before the pandemic. I think people are very curious. People are surprised. Most of the people who know my work, dont know this side of my work at all. So this was really the first time, especially in New York, that they had seen the side of my work especially these paintings. More from WWD The exhibition marks a continuation of Lees Bondage Baggage series that she started in 2018, informed by her childhood growing up in Nepal. The earliest sculptural pieces in that series were shown alongside her glyphs work Labyrinth, a grid of symbols evocative of ancient written language. I have a very strong connection to exploring identities within language and translation, she adds. Lees parents, who work as translators, relocated the family from South Korea to Nepal when Lee was five, and she lived there before relocating to New York as a young adult. Visiting her parents as an adult, Lee took notice of the luggage that came down the airport conveyor belt in Kathmandu: colorful bundles of household materials like bedsheets and tarps secured with tape and rope. She began documenting the luggage over the course of about five years. That sparked the interest of not only migratory experiences, but self-preservation, privacy protection, family, labor, says Lee, adding that the luggage method is a preventative method against airport theft, used by many migrant workers returning to Nepal. On view at Tina Kim gallery are sculptural replicas of the luggage, stacked in piles in the front gallery, as a video plays on one wall. On another wall and continuing into the next gallery space is a series of paintings transformed from the bundle sculptures, along with empty mesh-wire bundles. Story continues When Lee began the series, her studio was based in Brooklyn. Weve definitely questioned Do we come back? But the more we stayed, the more we settled, the more it made sense to have a little bit of distance from this [New York], Lee says. Out west, she had more work space and more isolation and she began experimenting with replacing the tarp in her roped sculptures with canvas, covering them in ink, and cutting the rope. She then unfurled and ironed out the canvas. That process was a big moment for me, of realizing that I could really play with negative space, Lee says. The ropes then get translated into a grid system, which also correlates to this idea of migration. It reminded me of not just fences, but also maps and atlases as well. So this idea of geography came into mind. It was a subtle translation of the sculptures; the 3D objects then become paintings. The video piece features footage recorded by her father in the 90s, when her family was based in the Himalayan region. Both the video, and sculptures, speak to the stories sometimes in the form of objects, or in what gets recorded and saved that people choose to carry with them. The video is the second entry in a planned trilogy. Lee overlays the footage with text pulled from letters that she wrote to friends during the pandemic, when she first relocated to Colorado. The text speaks to feelings of being untethered and not knowing what the next chapter is, Lee says. I felt that really overlaid with what my father was feeling at the time of bringing my family to this new place from Korea, settling into a new place, and being so far from family and community, she adds. This idea of generational experiences of migratory lives. This was [mine and my brothers] natural surrounding as we were growing up. But for [my parents], they were there in their mid thirties, trying to grasp reality which Im trying to do now, being in the States. In the adjacent gallery room, Lees paintings represent her first foray into working with paint color after years of working exclusively with black ink. She started exploring with primary colors, and noted an immediate shift in the energy of the paintings. Over time, Lee has figured out how to manipulate the shapes of her bundles to influence the resulting paintings, which has given her greater agency over the final image. Looking forward, Lee plans to continue following the thread that her Bondage Baggage series has unraveled, in tandem with other work. Because it just keeps going, Lee says. Im excited to see that one thing can be translated over and over again. A look at the Maia Ruth Lees exhibit at the Tina Kim Gallery. Launch Gallery: Inside Maia Ruth Lee's New Exhibit Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. MILAN Italys leading high-end design, furniture and lighting company Design Holding said Wednesday that it appointed Alberto Toni as its new chief financial officer, effective May 2. He succeeds Alessandro Poletto, who has held the position for the past four years. More from WWD In a statement, Design Holding said Toni brings 30 years of experience in mature and emerging markets to the table and served as CFO for several multinational companies including Switzerland-based footwear specialist Bata Group. At Design Holding, Toni will lead the overall finance and legal functions of the group, as well as its portfolio companies, implementing growth strategies across the board. His international background, strategic vision and track record of leading high-performing finance teams will be instrumental in driving the growth and financial performance of our business, further strengthening our role as an industry leader, said Design Holding chief executive officer Daniel Lalonde in a statement. Lalonde told WWD earlier this month that the company is well-poised to make even more acquisitions as it inches toward its long-term goal of becoming the LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton of home. Founded in November 2018, Design Holding comprises leading brands B&B Italia, Flos, Menu, By Lassen, Lumens, Louis Poulsen, Arclinea, Maxalto, Azucena and produces Fendi Casa through a joint venture with the Roman fashion house. It has a presence in more than 130 countries. Alberto Toni, Design Holdings new chief financial officer. Design Holding Courtesy Photo The company closed 2022 with a surge in sales and expects to reach the 1 billion euro mark in just a few years. In the 12 months ended Dec. 31, pro-forma revenues rose 15.7 percent to 867.6 million euros, compared with 2021, boosted by business in the U.S. and Asia Pacific, as well as its high-end contract business. Story continues Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. Trash will continue to pile up in Jackson. Despite a specially called Jackson City Council meeting Wednesday, no agreement was reached that would get the ball rolling for residents of Jackson receiving garbage collection again. New Orleans-based Richard's Disposal Inc. stopped collecting garbage on April 1 after an emergency contact expired. Since then, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and the City Council have been deadlocked in a war that has left Jacksonians with trash piling up for nearly two weeks. On Wednesday, the council voted on several items, but in every instance the tally was 3-3 with one member absent. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes was not in attendance because of a family health issue. One vote was to give Richard's a 1-year emergency contract that would allow for a new Request For Proposal to be conducted to find a vendor. That failed 3-3. Another was for a 90-day emergency contract. That failed 3-3. City council president Ashby Foote, from left, councilman Vernon Hartley of Ward 5 and councilman Aaron Banks of Ward 6 are seen as they vote against amending an emergency contract from 90 days to 12 months at an emergency city council meeting concerning the ongoing garbage crisis at city hall in Jackson on Wednesday. Both the amendment and the underlying proposal failed. Crisis in Jackson: Mayor reiterates support for Richard's Disposal Inc. announces meeting on garbage 'crisis' Yet another vote that would have declared Jackson in a state of emergency also failed on the same 3-3 lines. Every vote had Ward 1 Council President Ashby Foote, Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks on the side against Richard's, while Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay, Ward 4 Councilman Brian Grizzell and Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee in favor of re-starting garbage collection by any means possible. The council is awaiting a ruling in Hinds County Chancery Court on Monday in a case between the council and Lumumba. If the ruling goes the council's way, it could allow the council to negotiate its own contract. Currently, by law, the mayor is the only one in the city who can negotiate a contract. However, the mayor and the city are not sure that a resolution will be reached on Monday. In the meantime, the garbage piles up and scenes like Monday's meeting with packed council chambers and cars circling City Hall with people screaming from their windows will likely continue. Story continues "The City Councils legal fees have been in the headlines recently as they should be," council president Foote said in a statement that was prepared Wednesday morning prior to the special meeting. "The City spends way too much on lawyers and legal matters. The City of Jackson employs 15 lawyers and only 1 engineer. That is not as it should be. The Council has spent over $200,000 on outside counsel over the past year and a half. Why? Because of the mayors illegal actions back in March of 2022 when he abandoned the Solid Waste Collection RFP and gave Richards Disposal the notice to proceed without a valid contract." Municipal Attorney Catoria Martin speaks to the Jackson City Council on Wednesday about garbage collection. Lumumba criticized the council following an executive session, in which some negotiations during closed-door executive session with Richard's failed. "I want to make it clear, that when given the opportunity to negotiate on an agreement that picks up our residents trash, what council members decided to do, instead, was to talk about their personal feelings, not the feelings of the residents. They chose to talk about personal feelings," Lumumba said. "It's not about what is the lowest bid or the best bid, it has been about, 'I don't like you and I don't know you.'" The mayor went on to blame much of the council's action on race. There is one white councilperson, Foote, who is voting against the Black-owned Richard's. Another white councilperson, Lindsay, has voted consistently for Richard's. Hartley and Banks are both Black as is Stokes, who has never voted for Richard's. "I'm not the one introducing race," Lumumba said. "Race has been all in this. When you have so-called North Jackson leaders say things like, 'Northeast Jackson, let's stand strong.' If it was about service. If it was about how to serve the residents, you would say, 'Jackson, let's stand strong.'" City legal budget dwindles: Richard's Disposal lawsuit against Jackson leaves just $400 left in city's legal budget Northeast Jackson, which is where Lumumba lives, is predominantly white. Lindsay, as part of her district, represents Belhaven and much of Fondren, areas that are also predominantly white. "It's a dog whistle," Lumumba said. "They are saying, 'Let's not let this Black company have this contract.'" While all of this is going on, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has relayed to Jackson officials, that "the meter is running" on possible fines for the city. Multiple people during the council meeting referred to fines MDEQ that would range from $25,000 to $75,000 a day. With 12 days of $75,000 fines, the city's penalty could be up to as much as $900,000 already. The mayor questioned that assessment. Lessons learned from Nashville: Jackson is struggling with a garbage crisis. Here is how Nashville solved a similar problem Real estate market impacted: Real estate agents: Every Jackson crisis makes it harder to sell the city JSU entrepreneurs help trash problem: Going on no sleep, two JSU grads help keep Jackson clean during trash standoff The mayor said he was told by MDEQ that "the meter is running" on fines, even though none of have been issued yet, and that it could be more than $25,000 per day depending on how it's interpreted because it is $25,000 "per violation" and you could interpret that as per day on the low end or per household not picked up on the high end. Foote continues to point out the actions of the mayor during the process, which has been going on for nearly two years. "These illegal actions had to be addressed and City lawyers were complicit in the situation, thus the need for outside counsel," Foote said in his prepared statement. "The mayors expensive and tangled legal trail has gone from Special Chancellors to Federal Courts and to the State Supreme Court and now once again the City is being sued by Richards Disposal," Foote said. "Meanwhile, the citizens are without garbage services because the mayor waited until the last 48 hours to bring a contract to the City Council that he had known about for a year and knew full well he might not have the votes. It is either failing to plan or planning to fail. This is a very sad situation which needs to be fixed and it has been the Councils desire to fix it." Lumumba said that the only opportunity to get a deal put together to have trash collected in the capital city in a timely manner was put forth today with the one-year emergency proposal. He said that Richard's was not interested in a three-month deal with no guarantees about the future. Lumumba even offered to put a clause in the deal that would end the one-year deal, at the request of the council, if the courts rule in its favor, which would allow for a new RFP. "I didn't come in here trying to fight today," Lumumba said. "All I wanted was a deal to pick up your trash. So, the next step is court and that is going to be a longer process that the council believes. I also believe things will become much clearer in court. All of this interpretation of the law from people who aren't qualified to interpret the law will demonstrate something totally different. But right now, the residents have trash in the streets." No dumpster appears to have been delivered to the former library site on Northside Drive at Manhattan Road as of Wednesday. Garbage bags are continuing to pile up at the site directly adjacent to an apartment complex to the east, Chastain Middle School to the north, Smilow Prep Charter School to the west, and Manhattan Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and St Richard's Catholic School to the south. Vendor sues city: City Council meeting ends abruptly with no garbage resolution after Richard's files lawsuit 51c99e1b Special Council Meeting Agenda 04.12.2023 Revised2 by USA TODAY Network on Scribd This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS trash: No deal made. Mayor blames issues on race The actor was significantly injured after a New Year's Day accident involving his snowplow Theo Wargo/Getty Images; Jeremy Renner Instagram Jeremy Renner is celebrating the return of his snowplow, which ran him over in a New Year's Day accident that left him severely injured. On Thursday night, Renner, 52, shared two images of his PistenBully snow removal vehicle on his Instagram Story as he wrote that the machine is returning to his home. "She's finally making her way home! ," the Avengers actor wrote in one picture showing three people working with the machine, with one man in the vehicle's driver's seat giving the camera a thumbs-up sign. "The cat get[s] a police escort... Feels like The Green Mile!" Renner wrote over a second video, which shows the vehicle rolling down a paved road with a police cruiser in front of it. Renner broke more than 30 bones and underwent multiple surgeries following the accident at his property outside Reno, Nevada, in January, which initially left the actor in "critical but stable condition" after the vehicle (said to weigh at least 14,330 lbs.) ran him over while he was helping a family member get a "stuck" vehicle out of snow. Related:Jeremy Renner's Nephew Imitates His 'Not Dead Uncle' in Cute Video Message: 'I Can Do the Thing' Jeremy Renner Instagram 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. Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said in a January press conference that the sheriff's department had taken possession of the Hawkeye actor's PistenBully and was analyzing it in order to "rule out any potential mechanical failure of why it may have started to roll." This was a normal process for any of their investigations, Balaam clarified at the time. A report obtained by CNN from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 25 shows that Renner used the machine to help move his adult nephew's truck from the driveway after significant snowfall hit the area when the incident occurred. Story continues The PistenBully snow groomer began to slide, causing Renner to "exit the vehicle without setting the emergency brake," and that's when the machine began to move sideways down a hill and "pulled" the actor "under the left side track" as he attempted to re-enter the vehicle, per a report. Jeremy Renner Instagram The report also found that the snowplow's brake light indicator was not working and "mechanical issues may have been a factor in this accident." "Although the PistenBully had some mechanical issues, it is believed based on our mechanical inspection that the parking brake would keep the PistenBully from moving forward," according to the report. RELATED VIDEO: Evangeline Lilly Gives Update on Jeremy Renner's Recovery: In a Wheelchair, 'Laughing' with Friends Renner last provided fans with an update on his ongoing recovery on Feb. 27, when he shared a clip on his Instagram Story showing one of his legs resting while the other pedaled on a fitness machine while he sits, using his arm and a tool to assist with the movements. "Whatever it Takes," Renner wrote over the video, in reference to a line spoken by his Marvel costar Chris Evans in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. "Leaders from All Walks of Life" *Images available upon request BRUNSWICK, Maine, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenneth I. Chenault, a member of the Class of 1973 and a 1996 honorary degree recipient, and his wife, Kathryn C. Chenault, have made a $2 million gift to Bowdoin College, the bulk of which will be used to establish an endowed fellowship that will bring exemplary leaders to campus to engage with the Bowdoin community. Kenneth I. Chenault (right) presents Dr. Herman S. Dreer with the Afro-American Society's first Outstanding Alumnus Award at Bowdoin College in 1973. The Chenaults have named the fellowship in honor of Herman S. Dreer, Class of 1910, who was the second Black man to graduate from Bowdoin, eighty-four years after John Brown Russwurm, Class of 1826. Dreer's life storyand, in particular, his relationship with the Collegeis revealed in The Blackman at Bowdoin, the history honors thesis Chenault wrote in 1973. Dreer graduated in just three years as the second-highest-ranked student in his class. Even so, he was isolated socially because of his race. In his honors thesis, Chenault wrote that "The fact that he was left alone and not intimidated physically by his classmates was all he could expect or ask for. . . . Slavery may have ended but Dreer was tolerated for the most part rather than accepted socially, just as Russwurm had been eighty-one years earlier." Chenault went on to write that "according to Dreer, he tried through all his actions to convey to Bowdoin the humanity of the Black man. . . . The mere fact of his presence 'exploded' many of the stereotypes of Blacks commonly held by whites at that time." In spite of the significant racism Dreer experienced, he led a remarkable life as an academic, educational reformer, author, minister, and civil rights leader. Chenault wrote that Dreer had "a lifelong mission: helping Black people in any way he possibly could, be it educating them, tending to their spiritual needs, or as he did in November of 1972, engaging in a fierce political struggle to help Blacks gain elective office in St. Louis." Along with historian Carter G. Woodson, Dreer initiated the observance of Black History Month in the United States. Story continues "I stand on the shoulders of people like Herman Dreer who, despite being denied the opportunities they deserved, paved the way and valiantly forged ahead," said Ken Chenault. "Kathy and I are privileged to honor Herman Dreer and give him the long overdue recognition that he so justly deserves. The Herman S. Dreer Leadership Fellowship will ensure that Herman's legacy lives on to inspire future generations of trailblazers." Fifty years ago, in preparation for graduation, Chenault encouraged the Bowdoin Afro American Societyof which he was a memberto acknowledge an African American leader annually at the Baccalaureate ceremony. Chenault presented Dreer with the Afro-American Society's first Outstanding Alumnus Award that year, in 1973. The Herman S. Dreer Leadership Fellowship will support individuals from any professional fieldleaders "from all walks of life"in business, technology, government, law, the arts, the military, the nonprofit sector, and other disciplines. Dreer Fellows will be named for a semester or an academic year, with the general expectation that they will visit campus several times, deliver a public lecture, and engage with students and the greater Bowdoin community, both inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, they may also attend classes at faculty invitation, hold office hours for students to provide career and mentoring advice, and meet with alumni (particularly young alumni). They will be invited to engage in the life of the College by meeting with student groups and by sharing meals with students, faculty, and staff in the dining halls. The Dreer Fellows Program complements the work Bowdoin is doing in several areas of the Collegeacademically, culturally, and in career planningto significantly expand the sense of possibility for students, especially students from under-resourced and marginalized backgrounds, as they consider their professional aspirations, their leadership potential, and their ability to effect change. The College will seek Dreer Fellows from across society, including bringing leaders to campus who rose from similar under-resourced backgrounds. "This is both a generous gift and a beautiful idea that will bring to the fore an incredible alumnus who had largely been forgotten at the Collegea person very important to Ken, whose life he and Kathy want us to understand and celebrate," said Bowdoin president Clayton Rose. "Dreer Fellows will be an essential part of a new and deliberate effort at the College to further develop leadership skills in our students, to underscore that a Bowdoin education prepares them to accomplish anything they want in their lives, and to aim high very high." The president will oversee the selection and visits of Dreer Fellows, working with the campus and alumni community. More information online. Media contact: Doug Cook dcook@bowdoin.edu Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chenault-gift-establishes-new-herman-s-dreer-leadership-fellowship-at-bowdoin-301795622.html SOURCE Bowdoin College Egypt planned to secretly provide rockets, artillery and gunpowder to Russia to support the countrys forces in Ukraine, according to a Washington Post report on the latest batch of leaked Pentagon documents. The Post obtained documents from March and February uploaded to the chat forum site Discord that indicated Cairo sought to provide the munitions to support Russia in its grinding war on Ukraine, while keeping the arms deal secret from western allies. One document says Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ordered 40,000 rockets to be produced and covertly shipped to Russia. El-Sisi allegedly told his subordinates to keep the distribution of the rockets secret in order to avoid problems with the West, according to The Post. The documents also say the Egyptian leader planned to provide artillery and gunpowder. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. had not seen evidence that Egypt followed through on those plans. I dont want to speak to the validity of these leaked documents. But what I will tell you is weve seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weaponry capabilities to Russia, he said. Kirby added that Egypt remained a significant security partner, declining to comment on diplomatic conversations between the countries. A senior Egyptian official told state-run channel Al Qahera News TV on Tuesday that the plan to provide rockets to Russia was false, according to several Egyptian news outlets. The Pentagon is currently reviewing the leaked documents for accuracy, at least one of which was altered to overestimate Ukrainian casualties and reduce the number of Russians killed in combat. South Korea has also disputed leaked documents that indicated the U.S. was spying on Seoul. The Justice Department is overseeing a criminal investigation of the leak. The documents, of which there are at least 100, started appearing online possibly as early as January on Discord and other chat forum sites. Story continues Both Russia and Ukraine are running low on munitions after more than a year of brutal fighting across the country. Russia has looked to other countries facing western sanctions to bolster its war effort, with Iran providing explosive drones and North Korea reportedly has provided artillery shells to private Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group. The U.S. has warned that China may also provide lethal aid to Russia after supplying Moscow with nonlethal assistance. Egypt is a key ally for the the U.S. and NATO in the Middle East and receives around $1 billion in economic assistance each year. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Cairo in January, where he met with El-Sisi and discussed regional peace and security. Egypt also maintains close ties with Russia and is a major buyer of Russian grain. Cairo has attempted to stay neutral during the war in Ukraine. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his counterpart in Russia shortly after the Blinken visit to Cairo. According to The Post, one document says El-Sisi wanted to assist Russia with its war in Ukraine to repay Moscow for helping his country, though it wasnt clear what type of assistance Russia had provided. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A mother-daughter guide to traveling Southeast Asia together for a month. Courtesy of Sophie Dodd When I told my mom I was quitting my job and planning to travel full-time as a freelance writer, I figured shed have some choice words for me. "Ill come, too" wasnt exactly what I expected. But the past few years have taught me that my mom, Lori, is full of surprises. Shes been undergoing a bit of a renaissance since she and my dad split during the pandemic, which ultimately saw her leave the life shed built in Connecticut over the past three decades and start fresh in Seattle, where she has since found new love and a renewed desire to explore the world and herself. She was the one to decide on a monthlong Southeast Asia trip. Despite her tendency to take the lead in planning, she was keen to let me sort our itinerary since shed never taken so far-flung a trip a decision I think she mildly regrets after I booked some budget accommodations and lengthy transit days that pushed her out of her comfort zone. Both of us were excited and unsure of how wed fare traveling together for a month; after all, we hadnt spent this much solo time together since the womb. Living on opposite coasts, weve managed to spend a handful of days together two or three times a year time spent catching up, trying to erase the boundary of different time zones. Of the many parts of traveling together that Im most grateful for, it was the unexpected joy of living day to day alongside my mom again, with all of the exasperation and typical mother-daughter tensions that that brings. Whether Seattle or Siem Reap, its still going to drive me wild when she tells me to make my bed (a fate turndown service often saved us from), and its still going to feel like beautiful, borrowed time when we get to wake up and have breakfast together every day. Heres a breakdown of where we went, which places appealed to our respective sensibilities, and what to keep in mind if youre planning a mother-daughter trip of your own. Story continues Where We Went Bangkok, Thailand While our trip focused on Vietnam and Cambodia, the cheapest flights we found were round-trips to Bangkok. Though that added on extra travel time, we loved having our trip bookended by a few days in the Thai capital. We kicked off our trip together at the Rosewood Bangkok, a spectacularly luxurious 30-story glass tower that was the cushiest landing pad we could have asked for after 20-plus hours of travel. Before wed even stepped into our cavernous suite, my mom was nearly in tears over the glass water bottles we were handed upon arrival. It was such a nice touch, she said. This was one of the first things I learned, or maybe relearned, about my mom during our trip the ways in which it's the small things that move her the most. The leather case for our TV remote was as delightful to her as our having a round-the-clock butler. The hotel has all of the luxury hallmarks youd expect from a Rosewood property, from top-notch service to a tree-lined saltwater infinity pool to a speakeasy bar with a view over the steamy city. But its the "nice touches" that set the hotel apart from Bangkoks nearly endless choice of high-end properties elevator buttons recessed into sculptural podiums and tiny personal saucepans of butter at their drool-inducing breakfast spread. When we returned to the city at the end of our trip, we stayed at The Standard, Bangkok. The two hotels perhaps best exemplified our respective tastes: My mom swooned over the clean, minimalist luxury of the Rosewood, while I had a hard time keeping my jaw off the ground as I explored The Standards ultra-trendy digs. The award-winning hotel, designed by Jaime Hayon and located in the iconic King Power building, is what I dream my nonexistent apartment would look like if I could ever achieve the whole decluttered, maximalism vibe. From a gift shop that resembled a Soho boutique to a geometric tearoom, each corner of the hotel was cooler than the last. It was hard enough to leave my millennial-pink bathroom to check out the hotels sky-high Mexican restaurant, Ojo, and hip 360-degree rooftop Sky Beach bar, let alone to actually explore Bangkok. When we did make it out of the hotel, we spent our time eating everything in sight, from back-alley curries at Jek Pui to Michelin-starred street food vendor Jay Fais famous crab omelet. We also spent hours marveling in the kaleidoscopic splendor of Wat Phra Kaew before exploring Wat Pho and Wat Arun. On our last day in Bangkok, we finished up our temple touring around sunset and hopped on a local ferry boat straight from Wat Arun to Jacks Bar, a divey joint on stilts where you can watch the sun go down on the Chao Phraya while nursing a cold Thai beer. Hanoi, Vietnam Despite the all-caps warnings in every article about paying close attention to the Vietnam visa process, we ultimately ran into an issue with my moms (PSA: Your visa photo needs to be taken within the past six months). We ended up using Indochina Sun Travel, a fast and reliable last-minute service that managed to rush my moms visa for $250 (10 times the cost of the visa itself) and got us on our flight just in time. Once we made it to Vietnam, we were whisked to the newly opened Capella Hanoi, an art nouveau hotel that feels ripped from Gatsbys Pinterest but in reality is the brainchild of designer Bill Bensley. The hotel is outrageously fabulous, decorated in flamboyant 1920s style, with an orgiastic bar mural and themed floors ranging from The Starlets to The Drama. Drama is definitely served at the hotels mirrored swimming pool and in the sultry sake bar, Akio. A visit to the intimate teppanyaki dining experience at Michelin-chef helmed Koki is also a must it remained one of our fine-dining highlights from the entire trip. Our time in Hanoi was spent building up the courage to cross the motorbike-saturated streets, eating bowl after bowl of fragrant, herb-and-chili-laden pho while squatting on tiny stools, trying to locate The Haflington an artful, dimly lit, museum-themed speakeasy and ambling around the gorgeous grounds of the Temple of Literature. Sapa, Vietnam From Hanoi, we took a car a few hours north to Sapa, a valley of rice terraces home to a number of communities at the foot of Vietnams tallest peak, Fansipan. Id planned a homestay with a local family for us on the first night, followed by a half-day guided trek. This was the first hiccup of our trip: While our hosts were wonderful, the lodgings were a bit too rustic for my mom, and I wasnt thrilled by the nonstop barking dogs that camped outside our room all night. The five-hour hike through bamboo forests and rice paddies though absolutely marvelous, even out of season was also a bit strenuous for her. It was a good learning lesson, though: Afterward, we were more collaborative about where wed be staying and how intensive our activities would be. Courtesy of Sophie Dodd While Id recommend going through a homestay to do a trek with a local guide, if youre looking for cozier accommodations, we were enamored with Topas Ecolodge. A 45-minute drive from Sapa town, the property sits on a cloud-covered hilltop with unparalleled views of the surrounding mountains when the fog subsides, that is. Back in town, theres another extravagantly designed Bill Bensley stunner: Hotel de la Coupole. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam Courtesy of Sophie Dodd While you can drive directly from Sapa to the northeastern coast of Ha Long Bay, you pass right through Hanoi anyway, so we decided to break up the otherwise seven-hour drive with an overnight. In retrospect, we would rather have just gone directly condensing the travel days typically felt less exhausting than traveling a few hours each day. Upon arrival in Ha Long Bay, we boarded our two-night, three-day cruise among the lush limestone towers and emerald waters. While there are dozens of cruises to choose from (including day trips and one-night stays), we went with Orchid Cruises because they sailed from Lan Ha Bay, a less-populated, but equally beautiful, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The days we spent kayaking up close to those majestic limestone peaks and watching the orange sunrise from our private balcony were some of our most magical in Vietnam. The cruise was also a relief to my increasingly desperate need for socialization my mom went to sleep early most nights and I typically ended up following suit, rather than hitting the town solo. But aboard the ship, I met several young couples who were keen to stay up, play Uno, and indulge in the endless happy hour on the top deck when my mom wanted to go to bed. Ninh Binh, Vietnam Courtesy of Sophie Dodd After bidding farewell to our new cruise friends, we hopped in a "tourist limo" essentially a comfortable and spacious van to drive 3.5 hours to Ninh Binh, known as "Ha Long Bay on land," thanks to its similar limestone cliffs, which can be explored by boat. While Tam Coc paddleboats drift through the rice paddies, Trang An rowboats focus more on exploring cave networks (best to skip if youre claustrophobic) and ancient temples. You can cover most of the main attractions (like the Bai inh Pagoda, Mua Caves, Hoa Lua, and Bich Dong Pagoda) in two days, especially if you hire a taxi to wait for you at each stop. Hoi An, Vietnam Ranked as one of the best cities in the world by Travel + Leisure readers, Hoi An was a must-see on our itinerary. So many people had told us it was their favorite place in Vietnam that we ended up making it the longest stop on our trip something wed both do differently in retrospect. On my moms end, shed have preferred to stay longer at our next stop a relaxing beach getaway; as a city person, l would have rather spent more time exploring Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Famous for its lanterns and bespoke tailoring, Hoi Ans historic downtown is a charming place to stroll around and grab a drink overlooking the river. But after a few hours, we felt like we were walking in circles, seeing the same stores and constantly being stopped on the street or beckoned into shops. Mostly, we loved riding our bikes through the countryside and over to the beach outside of town, as well as taking a cooking class at Gioan Cookery, where we first picked up fresh herbs from a local market before whipping up banana flower salad, banh xeo (a famous Vietnamese crepe filled with herbs), and chili-lemongrass chicken. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam From Hoi An, we drove into Da Nang and flew to Cam Ranh, where we were whisked through baggage claim and driven to the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay lounge. Upon arrival, we freshened up with a cool lemongrass towel and a tea another nice touch, my mom noted before hopping on a 20-minute speedboat to perhaps the closest to paradise one can get. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay sits in a startlingly blue cove, with secluded accommodations peeking out from the palm-fringed beach, perched up on the mountainside, or in between the rocks all offering expansive views over the sea. The intimate villas feel at once immersed in nature with open-air living rooms, outdoor showers, and private pools but with all of the luxury comforts you could dream of, from a bespoke pillow menu that my mom fawned over to a personal Guest Experience Maker who is on call to help you make the most of your stay. The property was the backdrop to some of the most blissful days my mom and I have ever been lucky enough to spend together. While our respective energy levels sometimes meant we moved through cities at different paces, we were perfectly aligned in our few restorative days of relaxing along the beach. The property also curated incredible experiences for us, from massages over a burbling brook at the jungle spa to a hike to learn more about the resorts conservation efforts with langur monkeys. But the most moving part of our stay came during a sound meditation session led by Ms. Phan, the propertys Integrated Wellness Practitioner. The experience left me with a sense of calm that couldnt have come at a better time after weeks of picking up and moving to new places every two to three days. While thats a type of chaos I enjoy, I didnt realize how much I needed a moment to slow down and soak it all in, and thats exactly what Six Senses allowed me and my mom to do. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam I teared up leaving Six Senses, a place that put me back in touch with myself in a deeper way than Id imagined possible and gave my mom and I space to truly unwind together. From there, we hopped a flight to Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight layover on our way to Cambodia another instance in which it would likely have been better to bite the bullet on a long travel day, rather than break it up overnight. While we had a marvelous time in Ho Chi Minh City Madam Kew was a standout for Cantonese food by chef Bao La and cocktails that are works of art it felt rushed and wed rather have had another night or two, or saved it for another trip entirely. But our visit to the War Remnants Museum felt impossible to miss, a heart-wrenching yet crucial account of the atrocities of the Vietnam War (referred to as the American War there). It was a bittersweet way to gain a deeper understanding of the beautiful country wed spent the last three weeks exploring. Koh Russey Villas, Cambodia After a brief visit to Phnom Penh, we took the brand-new expressway from the capital to Sihanoukville, Cambodias main seaport thats now only two hours away by car. Our destination was Koh Russey Resort, one of a smattering of island properties that offer a relaxing alternative to the backpackers paradise of the Koh Rong islands. Geometrically designed to channel the traditional Khmer scarf, the resort is one of the most affordable in the area for the level of luxury it delivers. While it was only partially reopened during our stay many of the pool villas and the beach dining restaurant were undergoing renovations we enjoyed a few days of walking the copper-sand beach and sipping fresh juices by the pool while catching up on work. If lounging around doesnt appeal, theres snorkeling, paddleboarding, and the option to island hop locally. Siem Reap, Cambodia Courtesy of Sophie Dodd Theres perhaps no more stylish way to be picked up from the airport than in a 1962 Mercedes that previously belonged to the Cambodian royal family. Thats how our Amansara journey began, and we felt like royalty from the moment we arrived at King Sihanouks former guest residence for VIPs like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. With a name that means "heavenly peace," the resort awed us with the '60s Khmer architecture of the main courtyards and the canopy of lush green trees. I felt so giddy watching my mom take it all in she teared up over the stationery, of all things. While its hard to muster up the energy to leave the propertys quiet oasis, we managed to rouse ourselves at 4:30 a.m. to see Angkor Wat at dawn. Amansara offers unparalleled access to the ancient temples, bringing you and your private guide in via an empty backroad while crowds gather on the opposite side to catch the sunrise. To approach the temples in the moonlight and watch daybreak with no one else around was a privilege my mom and I wont soon forget. What to Keep in Mind for Intergenerational Travel Budget some time to adjust to jet lag. My moms body clock needed a bit longer to reset than mine, and we were glad to have two full days of downtime on the front end to get ourselves ready for a month of nearly nonstop movement. Consider the length and frequency of your travel days. While I wouldve been keen to hop on a night train to maximize our days in Vietnam, my mom would never have been able to sleep through the bumpy ride. Instead, we often tried to break up eight-hour travel days with overnights something we both would do differently in the future, as it meant we had very few days when we werent traveling at all. For extended car travel, be sure to ask about air-conditioning. Have a frank conversation about budget. Be upfront about where you prefer to cut costs versus splurge, and where youre willing to compromise. There were several places Id found that my mom wished wed spent the $25 to upgrade to something more comfortable a relatively small price to pay, but one that adds up over a month. Allow space to pursue individual pursuits. For my mom and me, its wonderful and exhausting to be each others primary companion for so many weeks, from sharing beds to sharing stomach bugs. (Pro tip: Ask for separate beds whenever possible, and bring Imodium.) Taking time apart felt crucial to our enjoying each others company. We made sure to book hotels with pools (an easy and affordable task all around), so she could swim while I went to explore town (or hop on a motorbike with the Grab app shh!). Solo time also gave us fresh things to discuss at dinner each night. Take the trip. Like we reminded ourselves on days we perhaps got a bit sick of each other, we will never look back and wish wed spent less time together. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. From a World War II warehouse in Prague to Port St. Lucie, a torah scroll has found a new home at Temple Beth EI Israel. This scroll, which features the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is one of 1,540 that survived the Holocaust. Temple Beth El Israel in St. Lucie West adopted the scroll, technically known as MST860, six months ago from the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London. That organization works to restore, preserve and relocate scrolls to synagogues around the world. Rabbi Bruce Benson contacted the organization and went to Miami to inspect various scrolls before choosing the one that will be on display. Stuart temple speaker: Increasing antisemitism is 'American' not 'Jewish' problem to solve Indian River County: Version of 'Anne Frank' removed from Vero Beach High School library after complaint Column: Saved from the Holocaust, Torah scroll given new prominence at Stuart temple Rabbi Bruce Benson examines the Torah scroll, MST860, with Temple Beth El Israel congregation members. It will be displayed in the synagogue after it is walked to the temple on April 15. The scroll is in fragile condition because of its mistreatment in the hands of the Nazis. "The process (took) over several decades of trying to fix and repair the torahs as best as they could, given that Nazis had in some cases taken cigarettes or cigars and burned holes in pieces of it," Benson said. "The idea is to have it to be able to show it and tell the story of its survival." During World War II, synagogues were destroyed and scrolls were scattered. In 1954, after the war and successful negotiations with the then-Czechslovokian government, the surviving scrolls were relocated from warehouses to the Memorial Scrolls Trust. Temple Beit HaYam in Stuart has had a scroll on loan from the Memorial Scrolls Trust since the 1990s. A Holocaust-era Torah scroll, seen Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, at Temple Beit HaYam in Stuart, will be debuted in a new display at a special Shabbat evening service Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The Torah scroll has been at the temple since the 1990s, but Rabbi Matt Durbin wanted it to be more visible, so a core group of the temple's community raised money for the custom made case so it would be on display. "It's quite humbling," Durbin said of the scroll. "The intent is that (the temple congregation will) see it and connect with it and some way." Did torah scroll come from Bohemia and Moravia? The majority of the surviving scrolls are called "orphan scrolls" because their origins are unknown. Scroll MST860 is believed to be from Bohemia and Moravia two regions of Czechia, also called the Czech Republic where over 60 of the 350 synagogues were destroyed during the war. Story continues Jewish people living in the region were instructed to give up their torahs and other religious objects to Nazis in 1942. The objects were stored at the Jewish Museum in Prague, where Germans had Jewish people catalog the items before sending them to concentration camps. Torah scroll MST860 is one of 1,500 surviving scrolls from the Holocaust. It was recovered from a warehouse in Prague and its origins are unknown. It will be displayed in the synagogue after it is walked to the temple on April 15. A committee at the temple is trying to determine the scroll's origin. "Although we do not know exactly where the torah's original synagogue was located in Bohemia or Moravia, our committee has begun to look at 'assigning' the scroll to a community," said committee member Ellis Bromberg. "But we're in the very early stages of that. We intend to research possible communities, but have yet to draw up a list of criteria or possible cities. That is, essentially, a second phase of the Torah Holocaust project." Temple Beth El Israel will have a scroll procession Temple members will walk the scroll into Temple Beth El Israel beginning at 9:30 a.m. April 15 at the corner of Southwest St. Lucie Boulevard and Bethany Drive. The synagogue is at 551 S.W. Bethany Drive. The scroll will be placed with other scrolls until an exhibition stand is built to display it. The scroll will be read on special occasions hosted in the synagogue. Having this piece of history in the community is a valuable educational opportunity, especially given the recent rise in antisemitic attacks on Jewish people and synagogues, Benson said. "I think it's critically important to make a statement that hate will never succeed," Benson said. "Hate takes too much effort for people to maintain. It's easier just to ignore, to walk away, or to feel kindness, so we're making a statement: "We're here." Gianna Montesano is TCPalm's underserved communities reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on Twitter @gmontesano13. If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Temple Beth El Israel gets torah scroll that survived the Holocaust Participants take part in the annual Hanoi Pride 2019 parade, which champions LGBT rights in the country, in Hanoi on September 22, 2019. MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images A proposed Vietnam law would allow citizens to change their gender identities and get gender-affirming surgery. The proposed law might be included in the government's 2024 agenda, according to Viet Nam News. In 2022, Vietnam said homosexuality is "not a disease" and outlawed conversion therapy, Al Jazeera reported. A proposed law in Vietnam would allow people to change their gender identity, signaling a notable win for transgender rights in the country. Lawmaker Nguyen Anh Tri proposed the law which would allow people to change their gender identity, request a different gender identity from the one assigned at birth, and get gender-affirming surgery, according to The Pink News. The proposed law, which only mentions genders male and female, might be included in the government's 2024 agenda, according to Viet Nam News. As it stands, there are no regulations on gender identity in Vietnam and no laws that prohibit same-sex relationships or activities, but LGBTQ rights remain controversial, the outlet reported. Tri said the law would ensure that legislators are "leaving no one behind" with their policies and that the National Assembly, Vietnam's legislative body, was receptive to the suggested legislation, Viet Nam News reported. "[Society] is relatively open towards the issue already. If we don't soon build a legal corridor, there will be a lot of issues in both institutional and practical dimensions," national assembly secretary-general Bui Van Cuong said, per The Pink News. The country tossed its ban on same-sex marriage in 2015, the outlet reported. In 2022, Vietnam's Ministry of Health said homosexuality is "not a disease" and outlawed conversion therapy, according to Al Jazeera. The struggle for LBGTQ acceptance continues in much of Southeast Asia, where traditional religious and political ideals that are hostile towards gay and trans rights persist, according to the International Bar Association. Read the original article on Business Insider Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, at 358 NW F St. in Richmond. A large industrial fire at a facility in Richmond, Indiana, storing plastics and other recyclables has caused officials to order an evacuation of nearby areas. The fire, at 358 NW F Street northwest of Richmond's downtown area, sent thick, choking clouds of black smoke high enough into the atmosphere they were visible on satellite radar. "Evacuation orders for residents and persons within 0.5 miles of the incident has been issued. Those outside of the 0.5 mile and east/northeast (downwind) of the incident are encouraged to shelter in place. To shelter in place, turn off HVAC units, keep windows and doors closed, and bring pets inside until advised further," an alert from the Wayne County Emergency Management issued minutes before 4 p.m. stated. Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, at 358 NW F St. in Richmond. "We have a serious, large-scale fire with a very thick plume of black smoke in the air," Richmond Mayor Dave Snow said. "Buses are being utilized to evacuate residents who need it." Snow said the inferno at the facility was caused after a tractor-trailer truck caught fire and the blaze spread to the nearby building, which was storing plastic and other recycled materials. Officials have said the smoke is toxic to breathe. According to Snow, the Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) are on site and evaluating any potential hazards resulting from the fire. "We know there are toxic entities when you burn plastics and other types of materials like this," Snow said. "To what degree, that is what the EPA and IDEM are trying to evaluate now." Drove to just a couple blocks over from the fire. This smoke isn't going away any time soon. I'll get more info to y'all when I have it. pic.twitter.com/AmlwXerIV3 Zach Piatt (@zachpiatt13) April 11, 2023 Thousands of Richmond residents evacuate after fire The area within a half-mile radius of the fire was evacuated, affecting as many as 2,011 residents, according to officials with Wayne County Emergency Management. Story continues As crews continue to battle the fire, Bethesda Ministries, 2200 Peacock Road, have opened their doors as a temporary shelter for those displaced in the evacuation zone, according to Wayne County Emergency Management. Chief Mike Britt of the Richmond Police Department called the situation "a huge public hazard." Weve had quite the problem with bystanders moving in close to the fire," Britt said during an interview with the Richmond Palladium-Item. "This has been an explosion hazard since the first flames. Weve had numerous explosions. No residents have been injured as a result of the fire as of early Tuesday evening. One firefighter hurt their ankle while battling the blaze, Wayne County officials stated. How long the fire could burn is still unknown. "The fire chief tells me the fire is somewhat contained on three sides," Snow said at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, adding that fire departments from around the area are offering assistance. "The fire is at least contained on-site as of right now, but it's going to burn for a while," Snow said. Supporting Richmond's fire department is the Wayne County Sherriff's Department, Indiana State Police, Cambridge City Fire Department, Boston (Indiana) Fire Department and Webster Township Fire Department, the Palladium-Item reported. Schools in Richmond canceled after fire Late Tuesday Richmond Community Schools announced classes and e-learning would be canceled for Wednesday. Smoke rises from an industrial fire April 11, 2023, at 358 NW F St. in Richmond. Smoke from Richmond, Indiana, fire seen from space Richmond is located on the Indiana-Ohio border roughly 70 miles from Indianapolis. Smoke from the fire could be seen on radar from National Weather Service in Indianapolis, as well as visible satellite images. Smoke from a large fire near Richmond, IN can be seen on our radar as well as visible satellite images. #inwx pic.twitter.com/2vohXPE2I5 NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) April 11, 2023 John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Zach Piatt is a reporter for The Palladium-Item and contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Richmond industrial fire: School canceled after LONDON Sarabande, the foundation established by Lee Alexander McQueen, is returning to New York in early May for another creative industries event at The Plaza at The Standard, High Line. The event will take place on May 2, with new work by Sarabandes alumni on show; a live performance by Sarabande artist Rosie Gibbens, and a new installation by Sarabande menswear scholar Andrew Davis. More from WWD Sarabande said the aim is to introduce the broader New York creative community to the foundation, and its multidisciplinary artists and creative talents who work across fashion, design and craft. There will also be an auction, with prizes including a one-off Alexander McQueen handbag and a special tour of the Sarabande studios in east London along with a four-night stay at The Standard near Kings Cross Station. Sarabande director Trino Verkade described the foundations London space as a home for creatives from all over the world and said New York has the same multicultural and multidisciplinary heartbeat. She added: Our dream of opening Sarabande studios in New York City is very much our focus. This event is another step forward in sharing Sarabandes world, amplifying the work we do with our creative partners at The Standard hotel, and building our community for the future. Menswear designer Davis, an American from Minnesota, is Sarabande scholar at Central Saint Martins in London. He explores alternative ways to work with common materials. During lockdown, while staying in Colorado, he created a series of Scotch tape sculptures that fused his fashion with figurative sculpture. Warp and Weft was a project that mimicked the real mechanical process of fashion design. Davis wove the fabric from tape, cut the patterns and sewed the fabric as if it were cloth. He filled the final garments with paper, and placed them on mannequins. Story continues His tape sculpture will remain on display at The Standard, High Line through Frieze Week, which runs from May 17 to 21. Last May, Sarabande hosted a fundraising gala at The Standard, High Line and revealed plans to set up its first international outpost in New York City. The Dream with Sarabande dinner marked the start of the foundations activity in New York, where it plans to replicate the studio/gallery model it has in London. Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. Heres what you need to know about visiting Hot Springs, North Carolina, a tiny mountain town known for its historic healing waters. Courtesy of Broadwing Farm Asheville may be the most popular when it comes to Western North Carolina destinations, but its far from the only incredible place the region has to offer. There are mountain towns and communities packed with charm throughout the area, many within close proximity to scenic drives, picturesque waterfalls, and some of the best hiking in the state. Madison County, in particular, is less than an hour from Asheville, and its home to the Pisgah National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, and the resort town of Hot Springs. Tucked along the banks of the French Broad River, Hot Springs has a population of around 500. Small, yes, but this quaint town holds its own when it comes to outdoor activities and tourist attractions. As the name implies, Hot Springs has long been known for its healing mineral springs, which have been drawing visitors since the late 1700s. In fact, its the only place in North Carolina where youll find geothermal springs. That, along with the fact that the Appalachian Trail goes right through town, is more than enough reason to plan a summer or fall getaway to this historic mountain town. Hot Springs Tourism Association Best Things to Do in Hot Springs, North Carolina You can experience the areas therapeutic waters in two places: Broadwing Farm or Hot Springs Resort & Spa. The former has cabins that can be booked for nightly stays, and each one has a private outdoor hot tub filled with fresh mineral water. You can also choose to stay overnight at Hot Springs Resort & Spa (some of the accommodations come with their own hot tubs) or reserve the jetted hot tubs which sit along the banks of the French Broad River and Spring Creek by the hour. The tubs are drained and sanitized after each use, but youll need to bring your own towels. The hot water purportedly helps relieve stress, fatigue, and pain and stiffness of the joints and muscles; after a day of hiking or driving, theres nothing better. Travelers may visit Hot Springs because of its reputation for healing waters, but there are also plenty of other activities, especially in the summer. Book a whitewater rafting or float trip with Hot Springs Rafting if you want to spend a day on the French Broad River. Hiking enthusiasts can access hundreds of miles of trails in the area, many of which are technically part of the Appalachian Trail. The Lover's Leap loop is famous for its panoramic views of the river and downtown Hot Springs. The grassy meadow atop Max Patch is a 20-mile hike from Hot Springs, but you can also drive to the trailhead to embark on the 1.5-mile loop. You can visit the historic Rich Mountain Lookout Tower on a hike or a short drive, depending on your desired activity level. Hot Springs also has opportunities for mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, and even llama trekking tours, a unique way to hike through the valley and into Pisgah National Forest. Courtesy of Broadwing Farm Hot Springs Hotels You wont find five-star lodging in Hot Springs, but there are several cozy and comfortable accommodations to choose from. Along with camping and RV sites, Hot Springs Resort & Spa has cabins and vacation homes available to rent; many come with their own private mineral water hot tubs. Iron Horse Station, right in downtown Hot Springs, has a selection of two-person rooms as well as two covered wagons you can book for overnight stays. For something slightly more upscale, Magnolia House has three luxury cabin rentals including a former manor house. If Airbnb rentals are more your style, youll find everything from a cute stone cottage to a treehouse just five minutes from the resort. Where to Eat and Drink in Hot Springs, North Carolina Start your morning with a hearty breakfast at Smoky Mountain Diner, a casual spot with Southern favorites, or grab coffee and pastries at Artisun Gallery and Cafe. Spring Creek Tavern and Iron Horse Station are both open for lunch and dinner (although exact hours vary by day), and you can grab a slice at the newly opened Vinyl Pies. Big Pillow Brewing and Grey Eagle Taqueria, an iconic Asheville eatery, share the same space downtown, so you can enjoy craft beer, tacos, and live music after a long day of hiking. Specialty market Vaste Riviere Provisions is a multi-story retail shop think meats, cheeses, wine, and coffee with a well-stocked grocery section and a variety of work from local artists. Adam Jones/Getty Images Best Time to Visit To really enjoy everything Hot Springs has to offer, youll want to visit in the warmer months. Summer is the best season for partaking in the areas outdoor recreation activities, particularly rafting and kayaking. Fall, on the other hand, is absolutely glorious for leaf peeping. Hot Springs Resort & Spa is open year round, but the campgrounds main comfort stations are closed in the winter. Getting There About a 50-mile drive away, Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is the closest airport to Hot Springs. American, Delta, United, Allegiant, JetBlue, and Sun Country all serve AVL, and there are nonstop flights from several major cities, including Atlanta, Dallas/Forth Worth, Denver, New York, Las Vegas, and Minneapolis. Downtown Hot Springs is easily walkable, but youll need a car to explore the surrounding area. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. The magical fruit wants to make your summer getaway even cooler. Courtesy of Bush's x National Park Foundation Bush's Beans and the National Parks Foundation want to make your summer vacation an unforgettable one. So, they're working together to give away a few trips to some of America's most beautiful parks. Though if you win, you won't be staying at some lame hotel. Instead, you'll be sleeping in an absolutely massive can of beans. Bush's is offering up its one-of-a-kind 'Canper' aka a camper trailer that's shaped like its famed cans for the excursions. And each one comes fully stocked with all the beans you'd ever want to eat during your adventure. "As a camping staple that fuels outdoor adventures, Bush's is excited to partner with the National Park Foundation and support their mission of protecting and preserving our national parks for current and future visitors," Stephen Palacios, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at Bush's, shared in a statement. "We know many of our fans are outdoor enthusiasts and turn to Bush's Beans as park-friendly fuel with plant-based protein. Additionally, our cans are infinitely recyclable and completely shelf stable, making them the perfect pairing for this unique Canper experience or any national park excursion." Related:Park Rangers Don't Want You Cooking Whole Chickens in Yellowstone's Hot Springs The camping trips will take place near three national parks over the summer: Big Bend National Park in Texas, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The trip includes all expenses (flights, ground transport, and a $200 travel stipend) for the winner and their lucky plus one (though maybe make it someone you love and trust, as there will likely be a lot of beans consumed). The winners will sleep inside the can, which comes complete with full-on bean decor, including Bush's bedding, wallpaper, posters, and even a mural that reads "Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage." Story continues Courtesy of Bush's x National Park Foundation Though, during the stays, the winners won't have to cook for themselves, as the prize package also includes bean-filled breakfasts and dinners made by a private chef, along with to-go lunches so the guests can take their meals into the parks for a picnic. "We're happy to welcome Bush's to the National Park Foundation family," Chad Jones, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at the National Park Foundation, added. "We look forward to fostering a sense of fun and adventure centered on national park experiences this summer." Would-be campers can enter now through April 26 at 11:59 PM CT at www.bushscanper.com. Note: While you can enter to win a stay at more than one park, if you win, you have to choose just one. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. According to a survey of Akamai's partners, customers in Vietnam, Indonesia, and India indicated greatest willingness to spend on cloud (60% and up of IT budget) Customers from Thailand, Japan and Taiwan indicated least willingness to spend on cloud (below 20% of IT budget) JAKARTA, Indonesia, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cloud company that powers and protects life online, today revealed that 95% of channel partners agree that cloud computing is a key priority for their customers' 2023 strategy. However, not all businesses plan to or are able to invest heavily in the space. Willingness to spend varies greatly, with 27% planning to spend below 20% of their IT budget on cloud and 33% planning to spend above 40% of their budget. Akamai Technologies, Inc. logo Results are based on a survey of 386 respondents across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Japan, China, India, Singapore, and South Korea. The survey was conducted to glean insights into partners' perspectives on IT budget priorities, and their customers' 2023 cloud strategy. "In our conversations with partners, we see that organizations are walking the fine line between investing in cloud as well as being frugal in light of the macroeconomic headwinds. We believe the solution lies in working with a developer-friendly cloud and compute ecosystem that can offer them both flexibility and cost-effectiveness, while avoiding bill shock," explained Tatsuya Suzuki, Regional VP, APJ Carrier and Channel, Akamai. "Even as the industry landscape continues to evolve and increase in complexity, Akamai seeks to accelerate the ambitions of our partners as they help their customers harness the potential of the cloud. We will offer expanded product roadmaps in the new year, across the areas of cloud, security, and delivery to achieve the overarching goal of making life better for billions of people, billions of times a day," concluded Suzuki. Understanding cloud priorities across the region Upon analysis of country-specific data, Akamai's findings revealed significant differences in the willingness to spend on cloud despite an overarching agreement on the importance of cloud technology. Story continues Specifically, Vietnam (31%), Indonesia (27%), and India (23%) had the highest percentages in terms of respondents who said the proportion of IT budget spent on cloud would be 60% and up. Conversely, Thailand (50%), Japan (49%) and Taiwan (40%) had the highest percentages for respondents who indicated that the proportion of IT budget spent on cloud would be below 20%. Market Data Points In ANZ, 96% of partners agreed that cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy, with most respondents (48%) estimating that 21-40% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. In Japan, 87% of partners agreed that cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy. However, most respondents (49%) estimated that below 20% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. In China, 98% of respondents agreed that cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy, with most respondents (33%) estimating that between 21-40% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. In India, 97% of respondents agreed that the cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy, with many respondents (48%) estimating that between 21-40% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. In South Korea, 96% of respondents agreed that cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy, with many respondents (50%) estimating that between 21-40% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. In Singapore, 95% of respondents agreed that cloud is important to their customers' 2023 strategy, with many respondents (52%) estimating that between 21-40% of IT budgets would be spent on cloud. "While most organizations acknowledge the importance of cloud, many are apprehensive about investing their IT budgets in this technology, given concerns of costs and how this will affect other overarching IT priorities. These sentiments are clear from the latest insights we have gathered from our partners, and this is why Akamai is investing heavily in scaling our cloud computing capabilities," explained Suzuki. "We believe that organizations need more options for their cloud needs, particularly those that are easy to use and developer friendly with transparent, attractive pricing, and we are able to provision for these needs with Akamai Connected Cloud," he continued. In February, Akamai announced Akamai Connected Cloud, a massively distributed edge and cloud platform for computing, security, and content delivery. As part of the announcement, Akamai plans to launch four new enterprise-scale core cloud computing sites across APJ in Chennai, Osaka, Jakarta, and Auckland by the end of 2023. Additionally, Akamai has identified more than 50 cities globally in which it plans to begin rolling out distributed sites this year, bringing basic cloud computing capabilities into difficult-to-reach locations currently underserved by traditional cloud providers. Partners speak out on priorities for 2023 Most partners, including Wangsu, a China-based company that provides content delivery network and Internet data center services, are seeking a user-friendly public cloud solution, coupled with a transparent pricing structure. "With Akamai Connected Cloud, we really benefited from lower prices as a result of being able to reduce the cost of high outbound traffic. Equally important is that we have been able to save time while achieving our key objectives given the flexibility of the network pool and low traffic costs," shared Mingwei Zhang, Alliance Department Director, Wangsu, China. Meanwhile, security continues to be an overarching priority for partners, with the rise of data breaches in the past months. "In the coming months, we are likely to see an increase in the number and sophistication of cyber-attacks and larger scale data breaches, causing more disruption. There is also a risk of complacency from breach fatigue. Many organizations will focus on improving the security of their supply chain as part of ensuring positive business outcomes," explained Mark Trumble, APAC Head of Portfolio - Cyber Security, Fujitsu Australia, and New Zealand. To account for these challenges, partners are increasingly looking to provide a range of products and services for customers that embed different layers of security and in-depth defense. "Akamai is supporting our customers and partners with our security solutions, including Edge DNS, a global, highly scalable domain name system (DNS) service offering security, resilience from Distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) events, and high DNS responsiveness. As a result, we are able to observe trillions of DNS requests daily and have clear visibility on the latest developments in the threat landscape," explained Dean Houari, Director of Security Technology and Strategy, APJ, Akamai. "We remain committed to protecting our customers and partners and staying ahead of attackers by blocking requests leading to domains serving malware and phishing sites that could steal data," concluded Houari. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/384815/3979745/Akamai_v1_Logo.jpg Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/cloud-is-key-to-2023-strategy-for-95-of-businesses-in-apj-but-vast-disparity-exists-in-investment-levels-akamai-partner-survey-301795121.html SOURCE Akamai Technologies, Inc. WASHINGTON On both sides of the U.S. Capitol, Texas Republicans are emerging as powerhouses. In the upper chamber, Sen. Ted Cruz, the ranking Republican on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, has forced two key Biden administration nominees to withdraw from consideration; meanwhile, Sen. John Cornyn has stepped up as a GOP leader while minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is recovering from injuries suffered in a fall last month. In the House, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, the new chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, is taking on the secretary of state, issuing a subpoena for back-channel communications over the Biden administrations rushed withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, despite being censured last month by state party officials over votes he took that split from the party, is prevailing in the House on border security and effectively stopped Rep. Chip Roy, R-Hays County, from getting a quick vote on a border crackdown that could have jeopardized migrants' ability to seek asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. The reality is that Texas remains the most important red state in the country, said Mark Jones, professor of political science at Rice University. Texans (in Congress) have the gravitas to speak on national issues. Sen. Ted Cruz challenged nominees to lead the Federal Aviation Administration and sit on the Federal Communications Commission, and both withdrew. Ted Cruz rips Joe Biden Cabinet nominees Cruz, who was first elected in 2012 and next year will be up for reelection for a third term, was known as more of a firebrand than a legislator during his first term, when he also sought the GOP nomination for president. This year he has hunkered down as the top Republican on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. A recent perk: participating in NASAs ceremony in Houston naming the astronauts for the Artemis II flight to the moon. Theres a technical term for each of these astronauts: badass, said Cruz, enjoying the high-profile moment last Monday. Cruz has been especially involved in recent Federal Aviation Administration troubles and doubled down on the qualifications of FAA administrator nominee Phillip Washington after a string of air traffic control incidents, including a near-collision at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Feb. 4 between a FedEx aircraft and a Southwest Airlines plane. Story continues I believe your record is woefully lacking, Cruz told Washingtion at his confirmation hearing March 1, and in fact, you have zero aviation safety experience. Washington, the chief executive of Denver International Airport since 2021, is a 24-year U.S. Army veteran with experience in transit system management. He headed Bidens transportation team during the transition after the 2020 election. Washington withdrew his nomination to lead the FAA at the end of March. Since Mr. Washington was nominated last July, its been clear to Democrat and Republican senators, numerous aviation groups, and any impartial observer that Mr. Washington lacked the aviation experience necessary to run the FAA, Cruz said in a statement. The Biden administration must now quickly name someone to head the FAA who has an extensive aviation background, can earn widespread bipartisan support in the Senate, and will keep the flying public safe. Earlier in March, Gigi Sohn, a Biden nominee for the Federal Communications Commission, withdrew after a drumbeat of criticism by Cruz, Senate Republicans and industry officials who took issue with her past liberal statements. The withdrawal of Ms. Sohns nomination is a major victory and represents a strong bipartisan agreement that we need a fair and impartial candidate who can receive the support needed for confirmation, Cruz said. The FCC is not a place for partisan activists; free speech is too important. I would say weve gone about as far as we can go unless somebody identifies some area that we didnt address, Sen. John Cornyn said about gun control after the Nashville school shootings. John Cornyn rises as interim GOP Senate boss Cornyn, meanwhile, has been increasingly visible as a top GOP spokesman during McConnells absence in the Senate since March 9. I think Cornyns filling some of that vacuum, said Jones, the Rice professor. Cornyn was the GOP whip from 2013 until 2019, when he was term-limited. He has been very public about wanting to be GOP leader when McConnell steps down. After the Nashville school shootings March 27 that left three 9-year-olds and three school officials dead, Cornyn delivered the GOP message on gun control. I would say weve gone about as far as we can go unless somebody identifies some area that we didnt address, Cornyn told reporters. The Texas Republican was the GOP leader on a bipartisan deal in 2022 that toughened background checks and provided federal funding for mental health and school safety after the Uvalde school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Cornyn was unusually aggressive during a Judiciary Committee hearing in March when questioning Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the agencys failure to control cross-border illegal trafficking of fentanyl, a dangerous drug known to cause deaths from overdoses, including for several Hays school district students. My constituents are asking whos accountable? Who got fired? Cornyn told Mayorkas during the hearing. Well, you havent been fired. You should be fired. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul has been leading the House Foreign Affairs Committee's investigation into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Michael McCaul turns up heat at State Department In the House, McCaul has been leading the Foreign Affairs Committee's investigation into the chaotic withdrawal of the U.S. from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, 2021. He took the rare step of issuing a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to seek back-channel communications from State Department officials who reportedly strongly protested the way the U.S. was leaving the country. We have made multiple good faith attempts to find common ground so we could see this critical piece of information, McCaul said. Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the dissent cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee. The American people deserve answers as to how this tragedy unfolded and why 13 U.S. service members lost their lives. We expect the State Department to follow the law and comply with this subpoena in good faith. Rep. Tony Gonzales has become a point person in the U.S. House for border security. Tony Gonzales takes on border security, immigration Gonzales, who was first elected in 2020, has drawn attention as an independent thinker. Hes the only Texas Republican to vote for gun safety legislation in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Uvalde, which is in his district, and the only Texas Republican to vote for same-sex marriage in December. Gonzales has become the face of immigration reform for the GOP. His 23rd Congressional District includes 800 miles of Texas-Mexico border, and he is at the center of any move the Republican leadership makes on immigration. As a result, his firm opposition to a border security plan touted by Roy meant that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., held back a bill that had been loudly promised in the first weeks of the new GOP majority to turn away migrants seeking asylum at the border. Its anti-immigrant, Gonzales told the American-Statesman. He had been the only Texas Republican to oppose a multipronged border security package that the other 24 GOP Texans in Congress announced with much fanfare in December. Gonzales wants border security legislation combined with immigration reform and has been working with a bipartisan group of senators, including Cornyn, to shape a bill to address the influx of illegal immigration and drug trafficking. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Republicans flex influence in U.S. Senate, House RapidEye - Getty Images Is toxic masculinity behind many of the road rage incidents and cyclist deaths caused by drivers? Researchers around the world believe that it could be a major factorand some countries are actively trying to spread the message. First, a quick definition of toxic masculinityaccording to the New York Times, toxic masculinity includes suppressing emotions or masking distress, maintaining an appearance of hardness and most worrisome, using violence as an indicator of power. That said, no, not all men are inherently violent. However, there are long-standing societal norms that the American Psychological Association (APA) warns may have led some men to display some of these more negative aspects of masculinity, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Traits of so-called traditional masculinity, like suppressing emotions and masking distress, often start early in life and have been linked to less willingness by boys and men to seek help, more risk-taking and aggressionpossibly harming themselves and those with whom they interact, the APA wrote in a statement. Recently, Streetsblog had researcher and urban planning professor Tara Goddard on their podcast to discuss the concept of toxic masculinity and how it plays out in road safety. (The episode is well worth a listen if youre interested in this topic!) In the podcast, Goddard points out that many countries around the world including the U.S. struggle with the Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities. She argues that this may be because we dont look for the root causes of many of these fatalities, and instead focus solely on infrastructure. But what if culture itself is the problem? Toxic masculinity and the car culture connection Cars and trucks as symbols for masculinity contribute to the issue, certainly. Thats where the toxic masculinity in car culture starts to come in with these potentially really negative effects, whether its this continued arms race, as some people describe it, of buying bigger and bigger vehicles, which we know are less and less safe to people, particularly those outside the vehicle, Goddard says in the episode. Or the effects of saying Were gonna not only keep using gas powered vehicles, or the conspicuous consumption of rolling coal. Those are all different ways that we see toxic masculinity playing out in the transportation environment. (Researchers have even coined this specific issue as petro-masculinity) Story continues Its hard to think of rolling coal as anything other than toxic masculinity, both in terms of the literally toxic fumes andlets be honestthe more metaphorical large smokestacks affixed to the vehicles equipped to do so. (Goddard also cites truck nuts as an example of the car-as-a-symbol-of-masculinity.) Behaviors like this and other aggressive driver tendencies are why France has even launched an anti-toxic masculinity campaign for drivers. According to The Guardian, in France, 78 percent of people killed in road accidents last year were men. 84 percent of people suspected to have caused road accidents were men, and 93 percent of drunk drivers involved in accidents were men. Speed, alcohol, drugs, fatigue what if we need to add masculinity? Asks the new advertising campaign created by the French road safety governing body. The campaign videos are careful to not suggest that all men are bad/aggressive drivers, because that certainly isnt the case. Instead, they try to call attention to potentially harmful behaviors like increased risk-taking or the need to defend ones masculinity at all costs. Whats important about this campaign is that it doesnt stigmatize men, it suggests another vision of men and masculinity, which is not about confrontation, or being aggressive, but about sensitivity, added sociologist Alain Mergier. Does this research apply to cyclists and pedestrians as well? Streetsblog argues that yes, it doesand it may be worth thinking about your patterns of behavior on the bike. You may not subscribe to typical toxic masculinity behaviors, but remember that some of the cultural stereotypes for men could still be putting you in harms way. The APAs caution around risk-taking is key here. According to Streetsblog, eight out of nine cyclists killed in the U.S. are men. Part of this is attributable to the fact that more men ride compared to women, but there may also be a lifestyle component at play: Men are more likely to choose a direct route rather than a safer route, prioritizing efficiency over safety. The same applies to foot travel as well: men are more likely to engage in risky behavior like dashing across a 50 MPH road. Whether youre dealing with a confrontational driver or considering making a tight turn just as a light turns from yellow to red, it may be worth asking yourself what, if anything, youre trying to prove. We can all likely benefit from reconsidering some of our riskier behaviors, whether behind the wheel or in the saddle. You Might Also Like Prosecutors in the United States will not bring charges in what was previously a federal investigation into the death of Shanquella Robinson, a woman from Charlotte, North Carolina, while in Mexico last October. Officials with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in two districts in North Carolina announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday, issued shortly before the woman's family members were scheduled to speak about the probe and Robinson's killing at a televised news conference. "The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI," read the statement issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the western district of North Carolina. "As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed," it continued. "Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys' Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson's family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution." The killing of Shanquella Robinson was being investigated as a femicide, an unfamiliar term for many in the United States as this gender-motivated crime has not been defined by U.S. legislation despite being a global issue. / Credit: CBS News Citing "a detailed and thorough investigation" and an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner's office in North Carolina's Mecklenburg County, officials said they found that "the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution." Speaking on behalf of Robinson's family at Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon, attorney Sue Ann Robinson said they were "disappointed but not deterred" by the outcome of the U.S. investigation and would continue to seek justice in the wake of the killing. The attorney also shared that the decision by U.S. authorities not to press charges partly relied on results of the domestic autopsy, following an initial autopsy conducted in Mexico. The U.S. post mortem exam was conducted after Robinson's body had been embalmed and transported back to America, "which means that there was a delay, obviously," the attorney said, adding that it ruled Robinson's cause of death "undetermined." Story continues Federal prosecutors and authorities at the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a probe into the circumstances surrounding Robinson's death in November, about three weeks after it happened, the FBI confirmed in a statement to CBS News at the time. According to that statement, Robinson died "on or about" Oct. 29 in Cabo San Lucas. The previous week, authorities in Mexico had said that her death occurred in San Jose del Cabo, located about 20 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas in the same Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Mexican prosecutors opened an investigation into Robinson's death a few days earlier. By then, news of her killing had garnered considerable public and global attention owing to a viral cell phone video that showed Robinson being violently assaulted, apparently at the luxury villa where she was staying while on vacation. She had traveled from the U.S. to Mexico with a group of six friends, some of whom initially told Robinson's parents that she had died from alcohol poisoning. However, the death certificate later listed a spinal and neck injury as the cause. The attorney for Robinson's family said on Wednesday that the U.S. autopsy did not identify a spinal cord injury, although she called it "disheartening" that U.S. authorities "allowed there to be such a delay in this case" and noted that delays can lead to "discrepancies." She told reporters that civil action is "certainly" a possibility for Robinson's family moving forward. Authorities in Mexico said in November that they were investigating Robinson's death as a femicide, a crime that refers to the killing of a woman because of her gender. In a statement released at the time, prosecutors in Baja California Sur said they were seeking to extradite a woman from the U.S. back to Mexico in connection with the alleged murder. Second expelled Tennessee lawmaker reinstated Toxic fire continues to burn in Indiana Chilling 911 calls released in Louisville bank shooting UK Dog Show Cancelled for Featuring Dogs With Cropped Ears American Bully dog with cropped ears (Photo credit: alberto clemares exposito/ Getty Images) Officials canceled a UK dog show after allegations that event organizers awarded prizes to dogs with cropped ears. From the BBC, the event was an international dog show organized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) UK. Significantly, the event was previously slated to take place in Coventry, but that event was also canceled. Instead, ABKC organizers intended to have their dog show over the weekend in Manchester. However, after careful consideration and extensive consultation with local authorities, police, and the RSPCA, said a venue spokesperson, we have come to a mutual decision to cancel this weekends ABKC dog show. UK dog show is turning away from ear cropping Although some dog owners see it as a minor cosmetic treatment, ear cropping has long been denounced as unnecessary and cruel. Along with tail docking, these procedures have historical roots but are no longer significant or reasonable. In the UK specifically, both procedures are illegal under the Animal Health and Welfare Act. However, that hasnt stopped certain breeders from continuing the practice. In fact, the recent cancellation came on the heels of a BBC investigative report into extreme dog breeding In that report, journalists discovered a secret market for dogs bred with abnormal physicalities, as well as cropped ears. Notably, many of these unethical breeders use these dogs as vessels to launder money from illegal drug and firearm sales. Ear cropping not for celebration On behalf of the RSPCA, Dr. Samantha Gaines told the BBC she was really pleased to hear the event had been canceled. We raised our concerns with the center and, after considering the impact of holding this event, they have listened and done the right thing. Additionally, Dr. Gaines reiterated that ear cropping was a painful, unnecessary procedure and should not be celebrated. Sadlytoo many people still think this is a desirable cosmetic trait and inflict this on dogs for no other reason than for the look, she added. The post UK Dog Show Cancelled for Featuring Dogs With Cropped Ears appeared first on DogTime. After a year-and-a-half absence, the Western drama Joe Pickett is returning and on a new streaming home. Paramount+ has announced that it will exclusively release Season 2 of Joe Pickett, which used to be a Spectrum Original, starting Sunday, June 4, in the U.S. and Canada. (The series will be available to stream on Paramount+ in Australia starting Monday, June 5; premiere dates for other international markets will be announced at a later date.) More from TVLine Season 2 will premiere with the first two episodes (of 10), followed by weekly releases. Watch a trailer above. An adaptation of the novels by New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box, Joe Pickett stars New Zealand-born Michael Dorman as the titular Wyoming game warden. Season 1 aired in December 2021 on Spectrum, not long after which a second season was ordered. Michael Dorman and Julianna Guill (Paramount+) - Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ In Season 2, Joe Pickett discovers a hunter murdered in the mountains, and realizes it is just one of a series of gruesome murders. To solve the case and catch the killer, Joe must navigate a radical anti-hunting activist, a ghoulish set of twins living off the grid, and his own tortured past. Along the way, Joe and his wife Marybeth (Julianna Guill) discover that the murdered men werent as innocent as they seemed. But when they dig too deep, they are forced to go on the run and fight for their very lives. Want scoop on Joe Pickett, or for any other show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matts Inside Line. Launch Gallery: 'Missing' Shows, Found! The Latest on All Rise, Transplant, Last Kingdom, Wonder Years, Alex Rider and 31 Others Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter Click here to read the full article. Understanding the difference between these tequilas is key to making a better margarita. Goskova Tatiana / Shutterstock Although a number of tequila designations exist, the most popular three are Blanco, reposado, and Anejo and the most nuanced differences land between the latter. While all tequila is produced from fermented and distilled agave, their contrasts begin just after the distillation process. While Blanco tequila is released quite young (generally immediately post-distillation to up to two months after), reposado and Anejo tequilas have lengthier aging regimens. Additionally, reposado and Anejo tequila spend time in oak barrels, rendering them more similar to darker spirits (whiskey, dark rum, cognac) than their Blanco counterparts. A few key things to know: Regardless of designation, all tequila is made from agave across five regions in Mexico, with over 90% of production taking place in Jalisco. To get juice from the agave, local harvesters, known as jimadores, cut the sharp leaves off of the plant and cook their remaining centers, known as pinas. These steamed pinas are then crushed to release their juice, which is fermented in vats prior to distillation and aging. So what exactly makes a reposado different from an anejo tequila? We enlisted the help of three of Mexicos top mixologists to break down everything you need to know about these two barrel-aged spirits. Related:18 Tequila Cocktails Every Home Bartender Should Make What makes a tequila anejo or reposado? Gina Barbachano, mixologist at Mexico City-based Hanky Banky, explains that the biggest difference between anejo and reposado tequila is the time they spend in barrel. Reposado is required to be aged for at least two months, and anejo at least one year, she says. Gabriela Lozada, bar manager at the all-women run bar, Brujas, elaborates on this, adding that reposado tequila spends more than two months but less than one year in barrel, whereas anejo tequila spends more than one year and less than three years in barrel. Story continues What are the main flavors and aromas in anejo and reposado tequila? Tito Pin Perez, creative director at Mexico City-based cocktail bar, Rayo, shares that both reposado and anejo tequila vanilla, oak, and spice, though anejos flavors will generally be much richer. This can be attributed to the longer time in barrel. (Additionally, Perez cites notes of honey in reposado tequila, whereas anejo will show more cinnamon notes.) Both are very delicious, but I prefer reposado because it provides flavor but still has punchy tequila notes, he says. In addition to vanilla, Barbanchino states that reposado tequila will often show more citrus-forward notes, whereas anejo tequila can often present flavors of dried fruits and cooked agave. In terms of hue, Lozada describes reposado tequila as more pale yellow, whereas anejo tequila will generally show a more amber color in the glass. Related:Making Tequila Is a True Labor of Love Is anejo or reposado tequila better for sipping? Both reposado and anejo tequilas are great for sipping solo (or over a cube of ice) its simply a matter of taste and preference. However, regardless of which style you choose to sip neat, Perez recommends enjoying the tequila at room temperature in a snifter glass, so as to let all of the aromas and flavors come to life. When would you choose an anejo over a reposado tequila? While reposado and anejo tequilas are both great for sipping solo and mixing into cocktails, Lozada recommends using reposado for fresher drinks (think variations on brighter classics, such as the French 75), whereas anejos are great for mixing into riffs on more robust drinks, such as a twist on the Old Fashioned. How to use anejo and reposado tequila in cocktails Building on Lozadas tip, Barbanchino recommends using Blanco or Reposado tequila in more citrus-forward drinks, whereas anejo will shine in cocktails made with vermouth, as well as other aged spirits and liqueurs. If sipping Reposado or anejo tequila neat, avoid the lime wedge or sangrita, which are traditional pairings for blanco tequila that work very well, Barbanchino. Instead, pair them with dark chocolate or a butter toffee, which is exceptional with anejo. Lozada agrees, stating that dark chocolate really accentuates the dry notes of the wood in Reposado tequila. In the case of the anejo, I discovered an extraordinary complexity by pairing it with peaches, dates, and dried fruits, she says. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. MANCHESTER, N.J. A fast-moving wildfire that spread to 2,500 acres as of early Wednesday forced authorities to order evacuations for about 170 homes and other structures, the state Forest Fire Service said. About 75 structures were threatened, the service said. The Ocean County Sheriffs Office said in an email alert and text message late Tuesday that all residents between Division Street and Myrtle (Street in Lakehurst) are to evacuate immediately due to a brush fire. The Manchester Office of Emergency Management ordered evacuations along Beckerville Road, Horicon Avenue and Horicon Drive in the Whiting section of the township because of the fire, the township said in a statement. Evacuees were being instructed to report to Manchester Township High School. Smoke billows from across Lake Horicon in Lakehurst where a major wildfire threatened the town early April 12, 2023. The Forest Fire Service and the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Fire Department were operating Tuesday night in unified command as their firefighters battled the blaze 10% contained early Wednesday which theyre calling the Jimmys Waterhole Fire. The inferno was burning on U.S. military, state and private property along Route 539 and Horicon Avenue in Manchester, the state agency said. At the Route 70 and Union Avenue traffic circle in Lakehurst, ash was raining down and conditions were smoky. From Lake Horicon, the roar of the fire could be heard across the water. SAVANNAH FIRE: Third floor collapses at federal courthouse in Savannah; three workers injured INDIANA: Over 2,000 people evacuated after fire in Richmond, Indiana; blaze caused by burning tractor-trailer The Forest Fire Service said its crews had begun a backfiring operation to help contain the fire. Local volunteer fire departments in Ocean County had been deployed to safeguard the threatened structures. April is the peak of the wildfire season in New Jersey. Ninety-nine percent of New Jersey wildfires are caused by people, and 9 out of 10 homes destroyed in wildfires are the result of embers falling on structures, the Forest Fire Service said. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Wildfire in Manchester, NJ, forces evacuations; homes threatened Much of this years news coverage on the state budget has omitted one of the most important investments we will ever have the opportunity to make: providing all New York students with free school meals. Most students in New Yorks public schools come from low- and middle-income families who have been hit hard by rising costs. Since federal funding that provided free school meals for all students expired at the beginning of this school year, school meal debt has skyrocketed across the state, leaving many families unable to afford school meals. Funding universal school meals in this years budget would be a lifeline for all New York families, especially those struggling to make ends meet, saving parents an average of $140 in groceries per child each month. As a result of these savings, households whose children attend schools with universal meals would be three times less likely to experience food insecurity. This is why members of the Governors Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature to fund Healthy School Meals for All as an additional means to improve economic security for New Yorks children and families. Students work their way down the lunch counter at R.P. Connor Elementary School in Suffern Dec. 9, 2019. The positive impact of free school meals is undeniable. Syracuse University found that providing free school meals results in the same learning benefits as six to ten weeks of additional instruction. By ensuring all students have the nutrition they need to thrive, Healthy School Meals For All is proven to boost test scores and improve behavioral health while reducing racial health disparities and academic achievement gaps. Providing school meals to all students is especially important because it eliminates administrative burdens and social stigmas that hold students back from participating in existing programs. Many students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals decline to participate due to the social stigma that comes with a means-tested program. Story continues The impact also extends beyond the classroom. Guaranteeing every student two healthy meals a day has massive physical and mental health benefits that stay with students long after graduation. The best part? We can provide all of these benefits for a relatively small investment. By devoting just 0.1% of the State budget to Healthy School Meals for All, we can massively boost student achievement, put more money back in families pockets each month, and improve health outcomes for generations of New Yorkers. Providing young people with the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and succeed in school will also save the state money down the line on healthcare and other social services expenses. Its a modest investment today that will pay huge dividends for decades to come. Other states have done this math and made the right decision. California, Colorado, Nevada, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Minnesota and New Mexico have all passed legislation providing universal free school meals. New York is one of the largest economies in the world. It is shameful that we are falling behind on providing food for our most vulnerable residents. New Yorkers want this. Almost 90% of New Yorkers support funding free school meals for all students, and the proposal has bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly, from Western New York to Long Island. In todays era of polarized politics, this kind of widespread support is almost unheard of, and it underscores how important this policy is for New Yorkers in every community. Budget season is a time for compromise, but we will not bargain with our kids futures. Hungry kids cannot afford to wait, and no child should ever go to bed hungry. Thats why were coming together to say loud and clear: The Legislature will not back down. New York must fund Healthy School Meals for All students this year. State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, a Democrat, represents the 41st District, which includes Columbia and Greene Counties, and parts Dutchess and Ulster counties. Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, a Democrat, represents the 34th District, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside in Queens. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYS healthy school meals for all Animal rescue groups scrambled to respond Wednesday to the "unimaginable situation" discovered in Sussex County earlier in the week, when almost 100 cats and dogs some living, some dead were found packed into a filthy pickup truck in a strip-mall parking lot. A total of 46 live animals 38 dogs and eight cats were discovered in the vehicle parked near the Marshalls department store in Hampton Township late Monday afternoon, along with at least 40 more that were dead, according to rescue groups. Morris County-based Eleventh Hour Rescue called the scene "an unimaginable situation of animal cruelty" on its Facebook page. The entire truck was soiled with urine, feces and animal remains, and deceased cats and dogs had been stuffed in garbage bags throughout the vehicle, the organization said. Volunteers Jaime Hall, right, and Alex Galdi were called to the pickup truck in Newton on Monday night where they discovered 46 animals in total. Pictured are Alvin, Theodore and Simone at the Eleventh Hour Rescue on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Those interested in adopting can apply at ehrdogs.org. Three rescued kittens were still nursing and "would not have survived much longer," said Darlene O'Connell, president of the Byram Animal Rescue Kindness Squad (BARKS), in an email to the New Jersey Herald Wednesday. The kittens' mother was so dehydrated and malnourished that she could no longer provide milk, she said. Police arrested the owner of the truck, Lynn Leonard, 53, of Bloxom, Virginia. She was charged with animal cruelty and released pending a court date, said State Police Lt. Lawrence Peele. The animals had been living in the vehicle since at least Thursday of last week, according to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, known as RBARI. The Oakland-based organization said in a news release that Leonard loaded the animals into her truck after a house fire in Virginia. Legal weed: Newton moves a step closer to legal marijuana sales and production in town The rescue groups, along with local authorities and animal control officers, spent most of Monday night taking the scared animals out of the pickup one by one. "The dogs and cats inside the truck were terrified, huddled in all corners," the Bergen shelter said in a statement. "It was painful to see the fear in the faces of these innocent animals." Story continues The group joined forces with the Second Chance Pet Adoption League, based in Oak Ridge, to take in six dogs rescued from the truck. BARKS welcomed five cats and a dog, and four more animals went to Eleventh Hour. Father John's Animal House, in Lafayette, has taken in six dogs and three cats and is posting information on its Facebook page as volunteers prepare the animals for adoption. Other assisting in the rescue included the Hampton and Newton animal control offices and animal hospitals in Newton and Blairstown. Three dogs in a cage are among the 48 animals rescued and at least another 40 found dead in a pickup truck in Hampton Monday, April 10, 2023. "As sad as it was to see animals in these conditions, the dedication and efforts of all involved was truly heartwarming," read a post on the Newton Animal Control Facebook page. "All the dogs and cats are safe and on their way to happier lives." The rescue groups are now appealing to the community to help bring the 46 surviving animals back to full health. Eleventh Hour and RBARI posted donation links on Facebook, which raised more than $4,800 combined as of Wednesday afternoon. Eleventh Hour also included its online application to foster an animal during its recovery period. The Byram shelter requested donations of including cat food, bleach, towels, paper towels and Dawn dish detergent, among other items to help care for the animals. Local residents can leave donations at the PetSmart in Hampton or by appointment at the group's shelter at 13 Hampton House Road, both located in the same strip mall where the pickup truck was found. Lawsuits: NY judge sides with lenders against American Dream over $389M O'Connell also invited the public to visit the BARKS website at www.barksinc.com for more information on its animals, including upcoming pet adoption events. Megan Brinster, executive director at the Ramapo-Bergen refuge, called the animals "special survivors, who have just begun their road to healing." That journey, she said in a statement, will be easier due to the combined efforts of the rescue groups. "While (Monday) night was a horrific discovery of animal cruelty, the joining together of different organizations to aid these helpless animals was uplifting amid dismay," Brinster said. "We will keep you posted as this story unfolds, and are grateful that at difficult times like these, we have such an incredible rescue community to lean on." Kyle Morel is a local reporter covering Morris and Sussex counties. Email: kmorel@njherald.com; Twitter: @KMorelNJH This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Sussex County NJ animal shelter describes dogs found in truck Collective Metals Inc. The Landings Lake property is situated in a highly sought after region with multiple lithium deposits nearby. Figure 1 Collective Metals Landings Lake Claim Map Figure 2 Collective Metals Regional Geology & Peers VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COLLECTIVE METALS INC. (CSE: COMT) (the Company or Collective), is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arms length definitive share exchange agreement (the Agreement), dated April 12, 2023, with 1335025 B.C. Ltd. (defined herein) and the shareholders of 1335025 B.C. Ltd. (the Vendors) to acquire (the Acquisition) from the Vendors 100% of the outstanding shares of 1335025 B.C. Ltd. (1335025). 1335025 holds an option to acquire 100% of the Landings Lake property, a Lithium property in Ontario consisting of 154 cells comprising 3,147 hectares. The property is located 53 km east of Ear Falls, Ontario with good highway and logging road access and is in an area where numerous lithium deposits have been delineated to host significant reserves of lithium. Property Highlights Regional significant lithium deposits include The Seymour Lake Lithium Project owned by Green Technology Metals (ASX:GT1) hosts 9.9 Mt grading 1.04% Li2O The Georgia Lake pegmatite field with a resource of over 16 Mt grading 1.15% Li2O owned by Imagine Lithium and Ultra Lithium Separation Rapids Lithium deposit owned by Avalon Advanced Materials with resources of 10.8 Mt grading 1.408% Li 2 O Measured and Indicated and Inferred Resource. Highly accessible through multiple logging and regional roads. Mapping by the OGS in 1959 noted numerous grey pegmatite occurrences in muscovite-bearing granites during lakeshore mapping in the eastern portion of the English River Subprovince We are looking forward to entering the Northwestern Ontario Lithium market, as we feel this area as a whole, is still strongly underexplored, said CEO of Collective Metals, Chris Huggins. With the closing of our recent financing, we are in a strong cash position and excited to commence our work programs. We will also continue to explore for opportunities in this and other regions that we believe we can add value to the Company and strengthen our portfolio. Story continues Collective Metals Landings Lake Claim Map Figure 1 - Collective Metals Landings Lake Claim Map Recently, GT1 reported its maiden diamond drill program has returned thick high-grade lithium assays from the Root Bay prospect, within the companys wholly owned Root Project in Ontario, Canada. Initial drilling at the Root Project focused on the McCombe and Morrison LCT pegmatite systems. Additionally, the companys exploration has now expanded to the Root Bay Prospect, situated 10km east. The company reports the first 3 diamond hole assays received include hole RB-23-001 with 79.7m down dip grade continuity intersections, including 67.1m @ 1.13% lithium oxide (Li 2 O) from 60.9m, 7.3m @ 1.44% Li 2 O from 162m, including 5.3m @ 1.34% Li 2 O from 67.4m. Additionally, Green Technology Metals reports hole RB-23-005 with 13.2m combined down hole pegmatites intersections, including 6.6m @ 1.47% Li 2 O from 129.2m, 4.5m @ 1.34% Li 2 O from 140.5m, and 2.1m @ 1.09% Li 2 O from 149m. Regional Geology Of significance is that the Lithium deposits/projects of Northwestern Ontario are located within 20km of a terrane boundary. These terrane boundaries are deep seated sutures that divide accreted Archean terranes and act as conduits for fertile peraluminous granites. A muscovite-bearing granite is host to the Property, an S-type peraluminous fertile parental granite according to Breaks et al., 2003. The granitic body is in contact with metasediments which make excellent hosts to fractionating fertile parental granitic melts. The Property occurs within 17 km of a sub province terrane boundary, an integral relationship between lithium deposits and structure (Breaks et al., 2003). Mapping by the OGS in 1959 noted numerous grey pegmatite occurrences in muscovite-bearing granites during lakeshore mapping in the eastern portion of the English River Subprovince. A southwesterly regional fault transects the Property making an excellent conduit for fractionating granitic melts. Collective Metals Regional Geology & Peers Figure 2 - Collective Metals Regional Geology & Peers Terms of the Agreement The Acquisition will involve the issuance of 7,700,000 common shares of the Company (the Consideration Shares) to the Vendors (representing 31.2% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company on a post-issuance basis), at a deemed issue price of $0.14 per share, representing aggregate share consideration of $1,078,000, in exchange for all of the outstanding common shares of 1335025, as well as a $50,000 cash payment from the Company to a Vendor. The Consideration Shares will be issued pursuant to s. 2.16 (take-over bid and issuer bid) of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Garry Clark, P.Geo., and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The reader is cautioned that the mineralization on nearby or adjacent properties does not necessarily indicate that any mineral resources may be discovered on the Landings Lake property, or if discovered, that such resources would be economically recoverable. About Collective Metals: Collective Metals Inc. is a resource exploration company specialized in precious metals exploration in the Northwest Territories. Collective Metals is currently advancing the Uptown Gold Project (the Property) 4 km outside of Yellowknife adjacent to high grade past producing mines. The Property is a high grade Archean lode gold prospect adjoining the Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The Property consists of 4 claims covering over 2,000 hectares and borders the west side of the Giant Mine leases. The Property centre is approximately 6km north of downtown Yellowknife and adjoins TerraX Minerals' Yellowknife City Gold Property. The Property is road accessible year-round via the Ingraham Trail (Territorial Highway 4) which runs through the eastern portion of the claims. Gold was discovered on the Property in 1960 and two targets were explored intensively from 1963 to 1966. Social Media ON BEHALF OF COLLECTIVE METALS INC. Christopher Huggins CEO T: 604-968-4844 E: chris@collectivemetalsinc.com FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Forward looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements respecting: completion of the Acquisition; and the expected benefits to the Company from the Acquisition. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release Images accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcebfa59-b697-4ea7-854f-66cf870d3e8f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96d4fbed-8fe3-488a-a7d8-0513fa1b2e1c A Central Bucks teacher is alleging the district and its superintendent suspended him and then involuntarily transferred him to a new middle school in retaliation for his advocating for LGBTQ+ students. Middle school teacher Andrew Burgess claims the Central Bucks School District has continued to retaliate against him, a violation of his civil rights, according to the 37-page lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The suit, which names the district and Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh as defendants. provides the first details surrounding the events before, and after, the sudden, and public, suspension of Burgess a year ago that led to a public outcry from supporters. From left, students, Julien Jones, Rowan Hopwood, Cameron Davis, and Oscar Morpurgo, march with a dozen others students outside Lenape Middle School in Doylestown Borough, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, protesting the recent suspension of Lenape Middle School teacher, Andrew Burgess. The rally drew a small group of students from Lenape and other area schools, chanting phrases like, "Protect trans youth" and "Bring back Burgess." More ACLU complaint against CBSD ACLU alleges 'toxic environment' at Central Bucks School District for LGBTQ+ students Central Bucks Solicitor Jeffrey Garton declined comment Tuesday stating he had not seen the complaint. It was unknown Tuesday if the district would release a statement. The school board and the district have vehemently denied accusations that their recent policies and actions are anti-LGBTQ+ or an attempt at silencing those students and their allies. Burgess is represented by attorneys with the ACLU of Pennsylvania, which filed a complaint last year with the federal Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights, which is investigating the district for alleged discrimination against LGBTQ+ students. The complaint was filed on behalf of seven transgender and non-binary students who allege district policies and practices have subjected them and their supporters to a hostile educational environment. The lawsuit alleges district officials targeted Burgess for discipline because he stood up for LGBTQ+ students who contend the district and its administration have failed to address their complaints of the worsening bullying and harassment in school. More CBSD culture war controversy CB teachers concerned about risk to students vow to defy transgender policy. 'We're not doing it' Story continues More on the suspension of Andrew Burgess 'It stops now': Central Bucks' Lenape principal warns students of police response over protest posts Those alleged actions including students barking at and pushing LGBTG+ student in the hall, throwing objects at them, threatening to beat them up and using the F slur, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit contends that administration is well aware of the problems districtwide, but particularly at Lenape Middle School, where Burgess worked as a social student teacher for 14 years. But Lenape teachers were allegedly told nothing could be done to address the bullying reports because the complaining students wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, the suit alleges. Burgess has a long history of advocating for LGBTQ+ students at Lenape and he has pushed for better anti-discrimination training in the district, the lawsuit said. Its the reason around February 2022 a transgender student at the school reached out to Burgess after the administration allegedly failed to act on his long list of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying incidents. At the request of the Lenape student and his family, Burgess filed a complaint about the bullying against the district with the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights in late March 2022. A month later Burgess alleges he was called into a disciplinary meeting where he was criticized by administrators including Lucabaugh for reporting the bullying and for his actions earlier in the school year regarding district efforts at classroom library censorship, the suit said. In May 2022, Burgess was suspended for the rest of the school year. The district claimed the suspension was because he deliberately failed to follow the proper protocol which would have allowed the administration to address and resolve the alleged bullying conditions, according to the lawsuit. Five days after he was suspended, Burgess filed another OCR complaint, asserting that the district retaliated against him for filing his initial OCR complaint about the unaddressed anti-LGBTQ+ bullying. The lawsuit alleges the districts policies and actions against Burgess have discouraged staff from advocating for LGTBTQ+ students and created an environment of fear among students and facility that they will face retaliation if they stand up to the district and Lucabaugh. Among the examples of alleged retaliation Burgess said he has faced was an involuntary transfer to Unami Middle School, which he learned about one week before the start of the current school year, which was allegedly a violation of the teacher contract rules, the lawsuit said. Burgess also alleges his new seventh-grade assignment required him to teach unfamiliar content and he was assigned a class with more students than any other social studies teacher at Unami, significantly increasing his workload. The suit also alleges that the district and Lucabaugh have continued their retaliation, most recently shortly before Burgess was interviewed by attorneys the district hired to investigate the allegations in the ACLU complaint to the U.S. Department of Education. The new allegations of retaliation are not detailed in the lawsuit because Burgess claims the district ordered him not to discuss them, the lawsuit said. Burgess fears that CBSD may even attempt to place blame for the poor treatment of LGBTQ+ students on him and other teachers who have been these students strongest, and sometimes only, advocates, the suit alleges. Students, faculty rally around teacher Central Bucks LGBTQ students, allies protest over teacher suspension, removal of Pride flags and bullying This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: CB teacher says district suspended him for supporting LGBTQ+ students Joe Mazur, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad president and CEO, talks with U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes on Monday in Peninsula. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroads National Park Scenic and Explorer Program excursions are returning to the rails next month. The rides from Akron to Peninsula will resume May 5, with departures from Akron resuming for the first time in nearly a year, all seating options available from the Peninsula station and two dome cars on all scenic excursions. For tickets, visit cvsr.org/national-park-scenic/. The 26-mile railway has been plagued by erosion issues and shutdowns along the tracks, which run along the Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, over the last year. U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-13, rode aboard the railroads Rail Diesel Car on Monday afternoon to talk with park and railway staff about the issues on a round trip from Akrons Northside Station, with a stop in Peninsula. The visit was part of Sykes efforts to learn more about the rail industry in relation to the bipartisan Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act, which Sykes and U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6, introduced in March to improve rail safety and invest in rail infrastructure improvements after the East Palestine train derailment. East Palestine Ohio train lawsuits: Federal judge consolidates 31 Norfolk Southern lawsuits, names lead counsel U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes is greeted Monday by engineer Chad Winans, right, and conductor Tom Kovach at Akron's Northside Station as Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad CEO Joe Mazur looks on. East Palestine is located in Ohios Columbiana County, which is part of Johnsons 6th Congressional District. The 13th District, which includes all of Summit County and the northwest portion of Stark County, is adjacent to the 6th, which also includes the rest of Stark County. Sykes said the response to the bill in the House has been a little bit of a mixed bag. We got some pushback from the Republican leadership on the two-person crew. They said they would not move the bill with that in there, so we pulled it out, she said. And so now the ball is in their court to move the bill now that it's out, and they get an opportunity to prove whether or not they truly do stand with the people of East Palestine or if they're playing politics as usual. Story continues RAIL Act: After East Palestine derailment, Sykes, Johnson introduce RAIL Act to improve railroad safety Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad erosion The tracks for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad were originally built in 1880 for the Valley Railway. The National Park Service owns and preserves the 26 miles of tracks in CVNP, and the railroad, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, owns and maintains the locomotive and passenger fleet. If you read the history of the Valley Railway, the rivers always been an issue since 1880, CVSR President and CEO Joe Mazur said. So it's just a matter of staying ahead of it, and it's very costly. The railroad suspended all operations last month due to the erosion issues that have been causing safety concerns and modified operations since last year, but started running equipment-only trains without passengers between Peninsula and Akron a few weeks later after engineers determined it was safe. Mazur noted Mondays trip was the first trip on that section of the tracks since October. U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes talks with Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad CEO Joe Mazur, left, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Lisa Petit during a train ride in the national park Monday. The railroad has said that the coordination of running operations from Peninsula to Akron will be elaborate and expensive, including establishing a temporary maintenance shop to service the train, storing event supplies and procuring utilities necessary for passenger travel. The railroad has also said ticket prices won't increase to make up for those costs. Mondays ride included a discussion of the railroads and parks operations, with Sykes asking both Mazur and CVNP Superintendent Lisa Petit what she could do to help. Because we have to move our operations from the train yard in Valley View down to Peninsula, we've got infrastructure we've got to put in just putting power in so we can plug the train in and not run a generator 24/7 is $120,000, Mazur replied. We're looking at about a quarter of a million dollars in additional expenses just to be able to run the rest of the year. I think just your being here today is really a lot (of help) for us, to be able to understand what we offer the public, Petit replied. Sykes said she wants to do what she can to help, noting shes a member of, and the only Ohioan on, the Houses Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Im having a lot more conversations about rail, mostly because of East Palestine, but its given me an opportunity to understand what the rail network looks like across the state These conversations are very helpful to me, Sykes said of Mondays visit. Ohio train derailment: 'I don't want to leave them behind': Families weigh long-term futures in East Palestine U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes talks with Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad President Joe Mazur on Monday in Peninsula. CVNP in October received about $14 million through the Great American Outdoors Act for work near the railroad tracks and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The work, expected to continue through early 2025, will stabilize the riverbank where erosion threatens the Towpath and the tracks. Sykes, Mazur and Petit also discussed tentative ideas for the scenic railroad to extend operations using existing CSX tracks, eventually running all the way to Tower City in downtown Cleveland. We're trying to extend the reach of the park beyond our boundaries, and the train is one of those great ways that we're going to do it to connect people through the rail and RTA. So the idea would be everybody could use RTA to get to Tower City. It'd be a hub that then people could get all the way down to Akron, Petit said. That was the original intention of the national park was to kind of create that connection between both cities, and we were never able to do it. "It's really, I think going forward especially, it's gonna become much more of an alternative transportation, the connection in communities," Petit said. Contact Beacon Journal reporter Emily Mills at emills@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter @EmilyMills818. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad resuming train rides in May Podcast host Ethan Klein is claiming in a series of YouTube videos and tweets that his content creator agency stole over $600,000 from him. Days after making allegations against the agency hes had a relationship with since 2017, he confirmed in an April 12 livestream that he was going to get the money back. What happened between Ethan Klein and BBTV? h3h3productions, which is co-founded and owned by Klein and his wife, Hila, partnered with BBTV in 2017. Klein claimed in a video that the original agreement, which has been in effect since the partnership started, said that h3h3 got to keep 100% of YouTube revenue. BroadbandTV (BBTV) was founded in 2005 on the cusp of the digital video revolution and works to help creators grow their audiences and drive revenue. According to its site, BBTV is the second-largest video property in the world after Google in terms of unique viewers. I never thought Id be the last idiot to get by an MCN, but here I am, Klein said in his first BBTV-related video from April 8. MCN stands for multi-channel networks, which began as management companies. BBTV is an MCN. When you sign up with an MCN, YouTube sends all of your ad revenue everything you make via YouTube to them and they send it to you, Klein explained. Klein reiterated that when h3h3productions originally signed the contract, the deal was that they would get 100% of the YouTube revenue. But if a company came to BBTV and asked to have an ad placed either in a podcast episode or in a video, then BBTV could get a cut of that ad revenue. Klein included in his video what he claimed were screenshots from the original contract he signed with BBTV in 2017. Klein also explained why h3h3productions got involved with BBTV in the first place. Klein and his wife started their YouTube account when they still lived in Israel. AdSense, which monetizes YouTube videos, only allows one account per YouTube channel, so since the couple lived in Israel, AdSense was sending money to an Israeli bank. Story continues After the couple moved to the U.S., Klein claimed the only way they could get their YouTube revenue was by having YouTube send it to an MCN and then the MCN would send the money to them. The only way to get paid in our American bank accounts was to send it to the MCN first, he said. Which is crazy. According to Klein, creating a new AdSense account that would connect to the couples U.S.-based bank could take up to two weeks. That meant that, for two weeks, the couples channel would be demonetized and they would make no ad revenue. For me, I was just like, I dont want to go through that, Klein said. But what happened recently was I got my payment stub from [BBTV] like usual, which shows basically how much they paid us. And when I went into YouTube Analytics I noticed it was significantly off. Klein added that he had been outsourcing the task of going through BBTV receipts to an unnamed accountant who he said left h3h3productions three months ago. It turns out, she wasnt checking it at all, he said. I thought that she was doing it, which is why it went on for so long. Klein said he started looking into the BBTV paystub on April 4 and asked h3h3productions accountant to go over other paystubs to see if there were any discrepancies. According to Klein, the accountant allegedly found that BBTV had skimmed at least $620,000 from YouTube membership money. Klein emailed BBTV the same day and included a screenshot of his email in the video. These are people who are coming to us and showing us their direct support, Klein said. That was the whole point of this program. The h3h3productions YouTube channel has over 6 million subscribers and the H3 Podcast channel has almost 3 million subscribers. To join the H3 Podcast channel, users have the option to pay as little as $4.99 a month to $19.99 per month for extra membership perks that include access to the podcast Discord channel, behind-the-scenes videos, members-only chats and bonus weekly podcast episodes. Its one of our main sources of income, Klein said about the YouTube membership. Part of what pisses me off is [BBTV] went after that money. YouTube memberships were not available in 2017 and its unclear whether Klein or BBTV tried to update the original contract when the H3 Podcast started using them. But YouTube membership money is paid through Google and, per the screenshot Klein included that allegedly came from the contract, BBTV had agreed to 100% of Google net revenue going directly to h3h3productions. But, according to Klein, BBTV told him that YouTube memberships were classified as Other Net Revenue, which, allegedly per a clause in the contract, would only allow h3h3productions to get 70% of the total amount of membership money. But Klein had a problem with using the clause as a reason for BBTV to allegedly keep the $620,000. There was no writing, there was no case-by-case basis, he said. This was [BBTV] silently saying, Oh, theres this huge new revenue stream coming in. Lets fucking steal it secretly, silently, and hope they dont notice. BBTV has not yet made a public statement in response to Kleins accusations. A BBTV representative did provide a statement to Tubefilter, which said: In the 18 years that we have been in business supporting thousands of creators across the world, we have never commented on situations with individual creators. That said, we feel the need to set the record straight in the face of Ethan Kleins numerous factually incorrect statements, egregious and untrue allegations, and defamatory comments about BBTV. We have at all times followed our contractual obligations to the letter and are prepared to defend ourselves against these allegations. Klein has added disclaimers to his allegations, including adding in my opinion almost every time he writes or says something along the lines of BBTV and CEO Shahrzad Rafati stole $620,000 from me. Both BBTVs Twitter and Rafatis personal Twitter accounts are private. Klein concluded the video by claiming that during a phone call with an unnamed BBTV employee, the employee said, as paraphrased by Klein: At this time, we believe, by what the contract says, were justified in keeping this money and we will not be paying you back. When I joined BBTV, they were the biggest MCN at the time and theyre a big company, theyre publicly traded, Klein said. So I never thought these guys are going to be stealing money from me. In response to the alleged phone call with BBTV, Klein said he has since paused the YouTube membership and is trying to make a new AdSense account connected to a U.S.-based bank. I dont want this, Klein pleaded at the end of the video. Just give me the money back. In a follow-up video posted on April 9, Klein said his allegations against BBTV have pushed other creators with similar deals with BBTV to reexamine their paystubs and contracts. Klein also included a tweet YouTuber Kavos wrote on March 14 weeks before Kleins public allegations sharing a screenshot of an email allegedly from BBTV that announced payouts would be pushed back a month. In another tweet, Kavos, who has 1.26 million subscribers on YouTube, claimed that after sending them loads of emails and pressure he was paid on time despite the email. I have been with @BBTV for 5 years. Every month on the 15th of each month I have been paid for 5 years. Today everyone receives this email telling us, ONE DAY before pay day, that the payout has been moved to next month Luckily I can afford to take a hit like this but (cont) pic.twitter.com/0gdkgt6Qwb Kavos (@KavosYT) March 14, 2023 Whats interesting is Im looking at my bank account and [BBTV] did pay me on March 16, Klein said in his second video. It seems like theyre only screwing over some creators. But the fear is, why are you paying some people and then not paying other people? On April 12, in a livestream on the H3 Podcasts YouTube channel, Klein announced that BBTV is paying him back the full amount in one payment. According to Klein, Rafati told him on the phone that the money should be sent to him as soon as possible. In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News follow us here! The post After days of public back-and-forth, Ethan Klein is getting the $620,000 he claims was stolen from him by creator agency appeared first on In The Know. More from In The Know: YouTuber Tana Mongeau opens up on 'H3' podcast about her so-called 'throuple' with Bella Thorne and Mod Sun Who is Ethan Klein? The YouTuber is best known for h3h3 productions How controversial YouTuber Trisha Paytas has transformed their image in 2021 David Dobrik issues second apology after losing hordes of fans and sponsors LANSING A break in mid-Michigan's run of soggy spring weather is causing an altogether different concern: An elevated risk of runaway brush fires leading officials to issue red flag warnings. Fire officials in some area communities issued outdoor burning bans on Wednesday, citing a heightened potential for brush fires caused by dry conditions, strong winds and warm temperatures. The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids issued a "red flag" warning from noon until 8 p.m. Wednesday, saying conditions were prime for brush fires with dry, windy, warm conditions and lots of dry vegetation on the ground. "Be careful with any activities that could potentially lead to a wildfire," the weather service said. "Camping...outdoor grills...smoking materials...chain saws...and all terrain vehicles all have the potential to throw a spark and ignite a dangerous and destructive fire." A handful of brush fires have been reported over the past couple of days in the Lansing area, including a grass fire Tuesday along Upton Road in Clinton County. The fire spread to at least 2 acres, and it took firefighters from four agencies about 90 minutes to put it out, the Bath Township Fire Department said in a Facebook post. Firefighters on Wednesday responded to a report of mulch on fire along Grand River Avenue in Meridian Township. The Grand Ledge Area Fire Department, Meridian Township Fire Department and Delhi Township Fire Department announced Wednesday they were suspending burn permits until further notice. The Mason and Leslie fire departments said outdoor burning would not be allowed on Wednesday because of the red flag warning. Dry, warm conditions are likely to continue until this weekend. Forecasters were calling for highs in the mid- to high 70s through Saturday, with a chance of showers or thunderstorms on Saturday and rain likely on Sunday. Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Red flag warnings across Michigan as wildfire risk soars FORT LAUDERDALE Safe Haven Baby Boxes and A Safe Haven for Newborns are two charities with similar names and the same goal: providing distressed mothers with a safe place to surrender their unwanted newborns instead of dumping them in trash cans or along roadsides.But a fight between the two is brewing in the Florida Senate. An existing state law, supported and promoted by the Miami-based A Safe Haven, allows parents to surrender newborns to firefighters and hospital workers without giving their names. A new bill, supported by the Indiana-based Safe Haven Baby Boxes, would give fire stations and hospitals the option to install the group's ventilated and climate-controlled boxes, where parents could drop off their babies without interacting with fire or hospital employees.The bill recently passed the Florida House unanimously, but there is a long-shot effort to block it in the Senate, where it might be considered this week. Opponents call the boxes costly, unnecessary and potentially dangerous for the babies, mothers, firefighters and hospital workers. Each side accuses the other of being financially driven.The fight is getting extra attention because Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida's GOP-dominated Legislature are expected to soon ban abortions performed more than six weeks after conception, lowering the state's current limit of 15 weeks. FILE - Monica Kelsey, firefighter and medic who is president of Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc., poses with a prototype of a baby box, where parents could surrender their newborns anonymously, outside her fire station on Feb. 26, 2015, in Woodburn, Ind. A fight is developing in Florida's legislature over a measure that would allow fire stations and hospitals to install boxes where distressed mothers could leave their unwanted newborns. The Indiana-based group Safe Haven Baby Boxes is pushing the measure. It passed the House recently and is now before the Senate, where there is an attempt to block it.(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) Similar baby-box bills have been approved recently by lawmakers in Kansas, Montana and Mississippi and sent to those states' governors for approval. West Virginia's governor recently signed such a bill. The boxes were already allowed in nine states, mostly in the Midwest and South, with the largest numbers in Indiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky, respectively. About 145 boxes have been installed since the first in 2016, with 25 newborns surrendered through one, Safe Haven Baby Boxes says. Just one baby has been left in Florida's only box, installed two years ago at a central Florida firehouse without state authorization. The boxes open from outside the building, allowing the parent to place the baby in a bassinet as a bag containing instructions and maternal medical advice drops out. The door locks when it is reclosed and the agency is notified electronically. Safe Haven Baby Boxes says the average response time is two minutes. The process works: Healthy newborn left at Ocala fire complex's Safe Haven Baby box Florida Senate sets strict 'heartbeat' abortion law for vote after rolling over opposition As Florida advances 6 week abortion ban, escorts, protesters at crossroads in Fort Pierce "Giving women an option of (total) anonymity is just that, an option. Why would (opponents) want to take that away from women?" said the group's founder, firefighter Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as a newborn and is an outspoken abortion opponent. She accused A Safe Haven for Newborns of fearing a loss of grants if the boxes are installed, something the group denies.Republican Rep. Jennifer Canady, the bill's lead sponsor, declined an interview request. She said in a statement that her proposed law would be "an important next step to provide options to save lives and protect life at every stage."Joel Gordon, a spokesman for A Safe Haven for Newborns and deputy chief at a suburban Fort Lauderdale fire department, suggested that Kelsey possibly profits from the boxes. She denies that. Her group gets mixed reviews from organizations that monitor charities.Gordon also contended that the bill's proponents have opposed all amendments that he says would make the boxes safer and the program more workable. A Safe Haven trains fire departments and hospitals on how to implement the current law. FILE Monica Kelsey and the town of Woodburn, Ind., dedicated the first Safe Haven Baby Box of its kind on April 26, 2016, at the Woodburn Volunteer Fire Department. A fight is developing in Florida's legislature over a measure that would allow fire stations and hospitals to install boxes where distressed mothers could leave their unwanted newborns. The Indiana-based group Safe Haven Baby Boxes is pushing the measure. It passed the House recently and is now before the Senate, where there is an attempt to block it. (Chad Ryan/The Journal Gazette via AP, File) "It is not an objection to giving the mother as many potentials as possible to help rescue and save these babies. It's the box itself, and the way the box is administered, that gives us concern," Gordon said.Senate Democratic leader Lauren Book, who heads the bill's opposition, added, "We can do better than putting children in boxes. The safe haven law we have on the books currently is working."In 2000, Florida became one of the first states to allow babies to be anonymously surrendered for adoption at hospitals and firehouses. Under it, parents can hand over newborns up to 7 days old, no questions asked, assuming there is no evidence of neglect or abuse. Since its enactment, 370 newborns have been legally surrendered, Gordon said.The new bill would allow but not require fire departments and hospitals to acquire the boxes, which would be leased from Kelsey's group. They cost about $16,000 installed and there is a $300 annual maintenance and inspection fee, paid to Kelsey's charity. Sometimes the installation and fees are paid by donors, she said."Was that baby (in central Florida) not worth the fight we have put up to keep that box?" she said. 'I think it was."Gordon said only five Florida babies have been illegally abandoned since 2018, and in several recent years that number was zero. He argues that a surrendered baby's mother benefits more from direct interaction with a firefighter or hospital worker, who can assess if she needs medical or psychological care. Such contact also provides her with certainty that her baby is safe, he said.Gordon said Kelsey's boxes also don't meet Florida public building safety standards and would allow those who have abused their newborn or kidnapped or trafficked the child a way to escape detection. Gordon and Book also say the boxes give terrorists a spot to place a bomb or toxic substance, endangering firefighters and hospital workers something Kelsey says has never happened."Until it does," Book responded. "I want to make sure that the people who are there to protect and serve our community are kept safe."Book, who was recently arrested for trespassing during a protest against the state's proposed abortion restrictions, said the box bill is part of broader effort by DeSantis and the legislative majority to impose conservative Christian morality on all Floridians, regardless of their personal beliefs."You can't just look at this one piece of policy. You have to look at the whole of what is going on, and I'm just not going to stand for it," Book said.Kelsey accused opponents of "grasping at straws." She said while abusers should be identified and tracked down, it is best for the babies if their parents give them up before the abuse leads to serious injury or death.If enacted, the bill would take effect July 1. This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Florida baby-box bill meets with opposition A sign that reads "Save Bay Shore" is placed in a snowbank outside the Bay Shore Food Market along U.S. 31 on March 27, 2023. HAYES TWP. After residents expressed concern over Indiana-based asphalt paving company Rieth Rileys plan to extract gravel from the green pit near Bay Shore, the Hayes Township Board of Trustees, planning commission and representatives from the company held a meeting on April 6 to address residents' worries and answer questions. The meeting began with a presentation from the township attorney Todd Millar, who gave an overview of the history of zoning ordinances in the township and reviewed the history of the green pit. Some of the major aspects of the situation that Millar highlighted was a 2004 amendment to the 1991 consent judgment which got rid of the required yearly inspection due to the lack of activity at the site. Another part of the consent judgment that Millar pointed out was the section that described the pits schedule as advisory, and would allow Rieth Riley to increase or decrease the schedule depending on demand. The exact language reads: The schedule is advisory only and reflects the goals of the parties in attempting to both mine and restore the subject lands. This schedule is projected based upon past need for gravel by plaintiff H&D, Inc. in supplying various development activities in Northern Michigan. Should the demand change significantly upward or downward, this schedule may be accelerated or decelerated depending on the needs of the industry and plaintiff H&D in particular. More: Hayes Township residents renew fight against gravel pit More: Bay Shore residents pick up 30-year-old fight for quality of life Significantly, Millar and Rieth Riley interpret this language as meaning the 30-year timeframe thought to have been imposed by the consent judgment, was not part of the final agreement. Rieth Riley's area manager of Petoskey operations Jim Pemberton said that with the current schedule of mineral extraction every three to four years, the company could be collecting material from the green pit for another 36 years. Pemberton clarified that 36 years is not a definite timeline and that the company could finish with the site sooner if demand called for an acceleration in extraction. Story continues According to Pemberton, there is currently approximately 600,000 pounds of material in the green pit. Aggregate makes the roads go round Over the last few years, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has pushed for roads to be repaired and improved, the aggregate industry has claimed to be facing a shortage of material caused by COVID-19 supply chain issues and local communities' reluctance to allow aggregate mining near residential areas. A Senate bill package that included bills 429 through 431 was introduced in May 2021 by Senator Jim Ananich. It would take away local governments ability to regulate sand and gravel operations through local permits and instead give that power to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The push to pass these bills was based on a 2016 study commissioned by the Michigan Department of Transportation, which outlined the desperate need for aggregate. However, emails uncovered by the Detroit Free Press in 2019 revealed that the Michigan Aggregates Association, a lobbying group for the sand and gravel industry, influenced the outcome of the study. The bill package was passed by the Senate in July 2021 and referred to the Committee on Local Government and Municipal Finance. Since then, there has not appeared to be any forward movement on passing the bills. Hayes Township residents hold signs opposing the extraction of material from a Bay Shore gravel pit along U.S. 31 in Charlevoix on March 27, 2023. Residents are still concerned After Millars presentation at the April 6 meeting in Hayes Township, Assistant General Council for Rieth Riley Keegan Brennan gave his own presentation where he told residents that Rieth Riley hoped to establish a neighborly relationship. We all know that you don't want this extraction project to move forward. I understand that, I'm not under any illusions, Brennan said. But in my opinion, we can still have a neighborly relationship while we're moving forward. In order to do that, I think we need to establish shared facts, because I've read some things that are concerning, and are not true. Brennan tells the crowd that there have been no registered complaints relating to the green pit since 1994. He went through a timeline of when and how much material Rieth Riley extracted from the pit: 44,000 in 2012, 50,000 tons in 2015 and 55,000 tons in 2019. This pattern of extracting material every three to four years is one that Rieth Riley says is more financially beneficial for them as opposed to extracting all of the material at once. The company collects enough material to sell and use for a few years and then obtains more when it is running out. If the company continues to follow this pattern, it will take approximately 36 years to extract all of the material from the site. The final consent agreement required the company to mine in seven phases. The company is currently in the final phase. On a screen in the Hayes Township Hall, Brennan showed aerial shots of Bay Shore from 1986, 1976 and 1952. The images showed parcels and the Lake Michigan shoreline. A red circle marked where the gravel pit was located but the images did not show enough detail to see what was around the pit. Mining has been active in this area since 1952. We have not opened a pit in a residential neighborhood. There are no residences that I can see around (in the 1952 aerial), so it looks like residences and other businesses sprang up around that area, Brennan said. Rieth Riley has conducted mining operations in Michigan and in Indiana for, were an over 107-year-old company, so many years. We have many mining operations throughout the state and in Indiana. This guy next to me (Pemberton) prides himself on being a good neighbor. I know that as a fact. Rieth Riley has never fouled a water supply or endangered a water supply. We have never created or caused an adverse health issue to local residents, we always made a policy of trying to have good relations with neighbors and we will continue to do that. Subscribe: Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you During the public comment period, several residents stood up to address points made by Brennan and Millar, as well as express ongoing concerns and ask questions to both Rieth Riley and the representatives of the township government. Jim McMahon, a resident of the nearby Michigan Shores neighborhood, asked the board of trustees and the planning commission to trust the science. Today, no new mine would be permitted in close proximity to a community like Bay Shore, it wouldn't happen. This would certainly be a case for environmental justice. Bay Shore was established nearly 150 years ago, Bay Shore existed as a community prior to any mining that took place, by H&D or anybody else. McMahon and other residents expressed concern over health issues caused by silica dust often found in aggregate mining operations. According to Pemberton, the green pit does not contain silica and the workers take precautions to limit dust using water. Silicosis is caused by several years of breathing in silica particles, the 8-week time frame of the green pit operation and the requirement that material be crushed off-site will also help to limit dust exposure. There is little information available about the health impacts of aggregate mines on residents living in proximity to a pit, the majority of research is on industry workers. A recent study by Michigan State University found that Michigan sand and gravel workers who have been in the industry for 15 years or more were visiting the doctor for shortness of breath more than production workers in other industries. The study involved 1,207 of the 3,500 Michigan surface miners. While no cases of silicosis were found, there was an increased number of workers seeing a doctor for shortness of breath, possible work-related asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A Hayes Township resident holds a sign that says "90 trucks a day is unsafe," along U.S. 31 in Charlevoix on March 27, 2023. Kathy Martinchek, one of the original intervenors from the lawsuit in the 1980s, and owner of 20 acres of land that connects to phase seven of the green pit, stood up to offer her thoughts during the public comment period. My concern is for people. My concern is for our health. I went back through my medical records and after a few years of mining, I've developed asthma, I never had asthma in my life, I now have breathing issues, Martinchek said. You're there to make money, I get that. We're there to have a quality of life. We're (not) going to sit on my deck this summer because we have a 26-foot deck overlooking the mine. Ryan Bremmeyr, owner of Subaru by the Bay, a Subaru dealership located along U.S. 31 in Bay Shore, stood up to discuss the impact the gravel pit has had on his business. Bremmeyr said the last time Rieth Riley extracted material, he called the office a dozen times, to report the trucks driving on the side of the road with no covers so that dust flew off the trucks. We had a substantial financial impact, he said. When you got this much dust on every single car out there, I had to walk up and apologize every single time Sorry, this thing looks like this, well get it cleaned up for you right before you take it. According to Bremmeyr, he called the company and the township board to complain, contradicting Brennans statement that there had been no complaints relating to the green pit since 1994. When you say no one complained last time, I would strongly disagree with that, Bremmeyr said. I do believe it's your right to do what you want to do on your property. Just like mine, I don't want to be constricted by a bunch of silly rules and things. However, when it impacts your neighbor, I think that's something that needs to be considered. And we did not have that on the last go round, so to say it's going to happen now, I don't know. In response to Bremmeyr and several other residents' concerns, Pemberton told them all to call the Rieth Riley office if they have any issues relating to the green pit and to report any illegal or unsafe activity by the trucks to the office. According to Pemberton, Rieth Riley contracts another company to transport material between sites and will speak to the drivers if they receive any reports about their conduct. Pemberton said Rieth Riley has multiple crushing operations that are inspected by the occupational safety and health administration, as well as EGLE. Additionally, he said the company performs its own internal safety audits. We're always prepared as a company, Pemberton said. We are all about safety first, quality of products and then production. We are committed, we're ready to go. Contact reporter Tess Ware at tware@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @Tess_Petoskey. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Hayes Township addresses resident concerns over gravel pit For the first time in American history, a former president has been indicted, this time by a grand jury and District Attorney in Manhattan for allegedly making pre-election hush money payoffs to a pornographic actress and a Playboy bunny. In the coming weeks, Donald Trump could be facing a cascading number of additional criminal in Georgia and by the Department of Justice for his scheme to overturn the 2020 election, his hoarding of top secret documents at Mar-a-Lago, and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Trump is the current frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, even though he has called for the termination of the U.S. Constitution, while dining with neo-Nazis and white supremacists. He threatened death and destruction if he is indicted. The most prominent Trump supporter in Indiana to this day in the 2024 cycle is U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, the probable U.S. Senate nominee, who was endorsed by Trump earlier this year. Banks told the Washington Examiner, Donald Trump remains a very popular figure in the Republican Party in each corner of the country. More Howey: Cracking the mayoral glass ceiling in Indiana After Trump chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate and won a freak upset victory in 2016, there were 25 or so Hoosiers who joined the administration. How did that work out for them? Lets call the roll: Vice President Pence: Once Trumps loyal vice president, Pence found himself under pressure to use his ceremonial Senate role affirming the Electoral College count on Jan. 6, 2021, to foil an attempted coup detat Trump was seeking. That resulted in the U.S. Capitol insurrection with seven deaths and 140 injured cops. The mob chanted, Hang Mike Pence as he, his wife, one of his daughters and congressman brother fled for their safety just seconds ahead of the mob. Former President Trump leaves Trump Tower for Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. President Trump was wrong, Pence said in March. 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 history will hold Donald Trump accountable. Make no mistake about it, what happened that day was a disgrace. Story continues Director of Intelligence Dan Coats: The outgoing Indiana U.S. senator joined the Trump administration in the top intelligence post. It wasnt long before Coats began to think that Trump was impervious to facts. To him, a lie is not a lie, Coats is quoted as saying to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Bob Woodwards book Rage. Coats added, Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie. Coats was fired by a Trump tweet in 2019. Woodward writes that Coats believed Trump has no moral compass and couldnt shake the suspicion that Trump must be beholden to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Coats ended up thinking Trump was an unstable threat to their country. More Howey: Remembering Indiana's last Democratic governor, Joe Kernan Former RNC Committeewoman Marsha Coats: She was a clinical psychologist who was initially skeptical of Trump, but helped Pence convince her husband to join the administration. Marsha Coats penned a letter to Trump after he had secured the nomination, raising her concerns. I gave that letter to Donald Trump, Sen. Coats said of a meeting the nominee had with Republican senators. When Trump appeared in Fort Wayne, He sought her out, the senator said. He said, Marsha, I will not let you down. Marsha Coats would say, God is so big he can even humble Donald Trump. In Woodwards book Rage, Marsha Coats confronted Pence at a White House dinner after something outrageous had happened. And I just looked at him, like, How are you stomaching this? Marsha Coats is quoted as saying. "And he just whispered in my ear, Stay the course. Surgeon General Jerome Adams: The former Indiana health commissioner was recruited by Pence to become Trumps surgeon general. After leaving office, he struggled to find a job before then-Purdue President Mitch Daniels hired him. People still are afraid to touch anything that is associated with Trump, Adams told the Washington Post. The Trump hangover is still impacting me in significant ways. HHS Secretary Alex Azar: The former Eli Lilly executive became the second Hoosier to take the helm of the Health & Human Services post. When he resigned following the Jan. 6 insurrection, Azar said that Trumps actions and rhetoric had tarnished the administrations legacy. The attacks on the Capitol were an assault on our democracy and on the tradition of peaceful transitions of power that the United States of America first brought to the world, Azar wrote in his resignation letter to then-President Trump. I implore you to continue to condemn unequivocally any form of violence. Medicaid/Medicare Commissioner Seema Verma: According to NBC News, she told staffers that she was repulsed by the way the vice president was treated outside and inside the administration. It was very disturbing. And it was, it was very, very hard to watch, Verma said of the attack on the Capitol, having witnessed events unfold from her office window. RNC Committeeman John Hammond III: Asked by the New York Times earlier this year if renominating Trump would be a mistake, Hammond said, To win 50% plus one in the Electoral College requires us to find an alternative and I think weve got plenty of good choices. We cant be a cult of personality any longer. The columnist is managing editor of Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs at StateAffairs.com/pro/Indiana. You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter, @hwypol. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Howey: Trump unhelpful for Hoosiers who joined his administration Rishi Sunak greets Joe Biden on his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in County Antrim, Northern Ireland April 11, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The White House has denied Joe Biden is anti-British, as the US president prepared for talks with Rishi Sunak. Biden will hold a meeting with the prime minister in Belfast on Wednesday after arriving in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Downing Street was forced to deny the meeting was low-key after it was reportedly downgraded from a formal bilateral to an informal chat over coffee. One US official joked to the New York Times it was more of a bi-latte. Biden is proud of his Irish heritage and frequently references it, once famously joking to a BBC journalist who asked him a question: BBC? Im Irish. Arlene Foster, the former Northern Ireland first minister and ex- DUP leader told GB News this morning Biden was opposed to unionism and hates the United Kingdom. But in a briefing to journalists today, Amanda Sloat, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, rejected the claim. I think the track record of of the president shows that he is not anti-British, she said. The president has been very actively engaged throughout his career dating back to when he was a senator in the peace process in Northern Ireland and that involved engagement with leaders of all of Northern Ireland parties from both of the two main communities. Sloat said while Biden is a very proud Irish-American and very proud of those Irish roots he was also a strong supporter of our bilateral partnership with the UK. Biden will also travel to the Republic of Ireland, where he will carry out a number of engagements during his four-day stay, including a speech in Dublin as well as visits to ancestral homelands. After he leaves Belfast on Wednesday, Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in Co Louth. The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin. Related... County officials in multiple Michigan communities are testing the boundaries of their legal reach when it comes to limiting the powers of their local health departments. More: Health department board to consider proposal to limit pandemic responses More: 'I just can't stay': Peacock resigns as health officer of Health Department of Northwest Michigan A resolution authored by Rich Ginop, chairman of the Emmet County Board of Commissioners, and submitted to the Health Department of Northwest Michigan Board of Health would require all government emergency measures regarding a pandemic to expire after 28 days. Only a three-fourths vote of the full Board of Health would be able to authorize the continued implementation of such measures and then only on a month-by-month basis. The resolution also states the health department shall not impose, permit or enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates, mandated masking or testing of asymptomatic persons. In a previous interview, Ginop said he was motivated to write the resolution because "I am sick and tired of the so-called authorities lying to us and not revealing the truth about vaccine damages, deaths and injuries that are happening. Emmet County Commissioner Rich Ginop leads a prayer at the opening of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan's Board of Health meeting on April 4, 2023. Even before the resolution went to a full discussion and vote, its legality was in doubt. Officials from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said the proposed 28-day expiration for health measures couldn't be legally applied to mandates from MDHHS or the federal government. "Courts have consistently upheld MDHHS ongoing authority under the public health code. MDHHS will continue to use its powers ... to protect the lives of the people of Michigan," spokeswoman Chelsea Wuth said in response to Ginop's resolution. The boards own advising attorney, Matthew Cross, said the resolution was not consistent with the health code. Any limitations (you're) trying to put on the health officer (are) simply not consistent with the health code ... most of this resolution would be invalidated if it was subjected to a legal challenge, he said. Story continues Eight members comprise the Board of Health two each from the health departments jurisdiction of Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties. The measure failed in a tie vote at the boards April 4 meeting, which saw a strong turnout from members of the public. More: Health board rejects resolution seeking to limit future pandemic responses Over 80 citizens attended the Health Department of Northwest Michigan's Board of Health meeting on April 4, 2023. The meeting isn't the first time the Health Department of Northwest Michigan has drawn a standing-room-only crowd. A school mask mandate issued by then-health officer Lisa Peacock in August 2021 led to months of heated discussion and attempts to remove Peacock from her position. Peacock eventually resigned, citing a hostile work environment. The controversy follows similar veins to an ongoing power struggle in Ottawa County, farther south. The legality of a health officer's authority to issue a school mask mandate was tested in a now-dismissed case during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, in Ottawa County, tensions are especially high the sitting health officer, Adeline Hambley, filed a lawsuit against several members of the county's board of commissioners, later amended to include the board as a whole, after they took action to "constructively terminate" her earlier this year. Ottawa County Health Officer Adeline Hambley looks over her shoulder as she takes her seat in the courtroom Friday, March 31, 2023, at the Michigan 14th Circuit court in Muskegon. Hambley was hired by the former board in December before eight new members took office in January, many backed or associated with Ottawa Impact PAC, an upstart far-right political group borne from clashes over the countys COVID-19 mitigation mandates in 2020. Its founders, Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea, were unsuccessful in suing the previous board of commissioners and the county's former health officer, Lisa Stefanovsky. More: Lawsuit: Health officer says Ottawa Impact commissioners targeted her More: Ottawa Impact commissioners move to toss Hambley lawsuit, claim she was never hired In response, they targeted seats on the board in 2022, recruiting like-minded candidates who agreed traditional Republicans werent enforcing true conservative policies. During the first meeting of the new board, the seven commissioners named in Hambley's lawsuit voted to demote her to "interim health officer" and replace her with an appointee who aligns with the new board's views on COVID-19. Ottawa County Board Chair Joe Moss sits as a defendant in a lawsuit from Health Officer Adeline Hambley on Friday, March 31, 2023. Hambley's lawsuit claims the board is preventing her from doing her job. Since the lawsuit was filed, a temporary restraining order was granted to Hambley, which prevents the board from firing her while the case plays out in court. In late February after Hambley filed her lawsuit Ottawa Impact commissioners voted 6-5 in favor of changing the wording of the resolution that hired Hambley, in essence arguing she had never been properly hired at all. A hearing for the lawsuit took place in Muskegon County on March 31 in Muskegon County after all judges in Ottawa County recused themselves from the case. Judge Jenny L. McNeill heard arguments and will issue a written opinion "as soon as possible." A timeframe was not given. Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Contact editor Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Michigan officials are seeing how far they can push local health departments MORRISTOWN, N.J., April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Crum & Forster (C&F) was honored with the 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Property Casualty Company Award at the recent DEI: Expanding Opportunity in Insurance conference held in Washington, D.C. The award, presented by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), recognizes an insurer committed to promoting initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce, on company boards, and in supply chains. Tamra Johnson, CDP, Vice President of Public Affairs, American Property Casualty Insurance Association (center) presents the 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Property Casualty Company Award to Crum & Forster. The award recognizes companies that are leading efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance industry. Barbra Katz, C&F's Chief Human Resources Officer (right) and Mari Marques-Thomas, Vice President, Inclusion & Belonging at C&F (left) accepted the award on behalf of C&F. Barbra Katz, C&F's Chief Human Resources Officer, and Mari Marques-Thomas, Vice President, Inclusion & Belonging at C&F, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Ms. Marques-Thomas also participated on a conference panel entitled "Keeping Pace: Using Innovation to Expand and Improve DEI Strategies." "Crum & Forster has made great progress on our journey thus far, and we will continue to do more. This award is an incredible honor in recognition of our company's ongoing efforts to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything we do, and to create a culture of belonging," said Ms. Marques-Thomas. "C&F has built a corporate culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion by bringing together people from different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives. It's one of the many things that makes C&F such a great place to work." The conference was sponsored by the APCIA, the American Council of Life Insurers, and the Life Insurance Council of New York. Award honorees were selected from both the Property Casualty and Life industries. About Crum & Forster Crum & Forster (www.cfins.com) is a leading national property, casualty, and accident & health insurer, providing specialty insurance products through its admitted and surplus lines insurance companies. Founded in 1822, C&F is one of the oldest U.S. insurance companies, and today conducts business through a network of independent agents, brokers and wholesalers. C&F had $3.7 billion in gross written premium in 2021 and is rated "A" Excellent by A M Best for 2022. Story continues The C&F logo, C&F and Crum & Forster are registered trademarks of United States Fire Insurance Company. To learn more, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Media Contact Amy Whilldin AVP, Public Relations & Communications mediainquiries@cfins.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crum--forster-receives-diversity--inclusion-award-from-the-american-property-casualty-insurance-association-301795842.html SOURCE Crum & Forster When Kaitlynn and Ian Donahue began looking for a vacation home near Lake Champlain last fall, they never imagined filming the process for the whole world to see. But they did just that. HGTV's House Hunters will feature the Milton couple's search for a lake house at 10 p.m. Thursday, April 13,, giving Vermont a moment in the spotlight on a popular reality TV show. Ian, a mechanical engineer at LN Consulting, and Kaitlynn, a speech language pathologist at South Burlington High School, enjoyed the process of filming the show and are excited and nervous to see the end result, Kaitlynn said in an interview Tuesday. "It's something we'll remember forever," she said. Kaitlynn, Cookie and Ian Donahue pose for a picture. The couple and their dog will be featured on a House Hunters episode on April 13, 2023. How they got on the show The Donahue's real estate agent Leland Ryea originally asked the couple if they wanted to be on the show. It was a huge surprise, Kaitlynn said, and at first she thought it was a joke because it was a show the couple liked watching together. Ian was hesitant at first, she said, but she convinced him to do it. The agent had been approached by a casting associate from House Hunters expressing interest in doing a show in Vermont. Ryea said after he was contacted, the show's directors wanted to make sure he could talk into a camera and appear natural. It took some practice, he said, but he got the hang of it. He then considered his buyers at the time. Ryea chose the Donahues because they were looking for a house on the lake, which would offer more unique Vermont views for the cameras to capture than homes in subdivisions. The best part of the experience, Ryea said, was getting to know the Donahues as they filmed. "You spend a lot more time with your buyers. I was able to create this friendship and this bond that I don't usually get to have," he said. "By the time you're done, you're all exhausted because you're all working 10 to 12 hour days and misery loves company." Ryea, originally from Vermont, is proud that his home state will be featured on a show as big as House Hunters. He said the show offered him an ongoing opportunity to create episodes for the show, and that if Vermonters are interested, they can reach out to him directly. Story continues Kaitlynn, Cookie and Ian Donahue pose for a picture. The couple and their dog will be featured on a House Hunters episode April 13, 2023. Filming and waiting The Donahues will be watching the episode at home with close friends and family. It will be their first time seeing the 30 minute episode along with everyone else after five long days of filming in November. Kaitlynn said being on reality TV is a little harder than you'd expect, but the crew walked them through everything. She's hoping her and husband's personalities show up authentically on the show. "You're not supposed to act, you're supposed to be yourself which is easier said than done with cameras and lights in your face," she said. Michele Donahue, mother of Ian Donahue, got to participate in the filming by being at the reveal at the end of the episode. She said even though they haven't seen the episode, they have their predictions that the couple's 8-year-old shih-tzu-bichon-frise mix Cookie stole the show. "We joked that Cookie the dog got more airtime than any of us," she said. Michele Donahue said her 92-year-old mother watches House Hunters every night before bed and is very excited to see her grandson on the show. She has been keeping the secret about Ian's involvement for months and only told a couple close friends in her Florida senior living community. She'll be watching. Contact Urban Change Reporter Lilly St. Angelo at lstangelo@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @lilly_st_ang. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont homes: HGTV House Hunters to feature Milton couple (REUTERS/Adnan Abidi) Austria will arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he visits the country, pursuant to the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karolina Edtstadler, Austrias Minister for the European Union and Constitutional Affairs said this week. Austria will comply with its obligations under international law and criminal law, Edtstadler said in an interview with Tagesspiegel. If he sets foot on Austrian soil, an arrest must be made. Austria is a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The ICC issued the arrest warrant last month over alleged war crimes in Ukraine as Putin has been accused of illegally kidnapping Ukrainian children. The court doesnt have power to enforce its warrants, so any next steps will only come from other countries being willing to arrest Putin. The move comes as Austria has come under mounting pressure to reassess its military neutrality during Russias war in Ukraine. Austria has condemned the invasion and supported sanctions against Russia, but has avoided military participation. Austria is part of a growing list of countries that have indicated they will be abiding by the arrest warrant. There are signs that even those allied with Russia in the past, such as Armenia, which is a member of the Russian-led defense organization the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), are on the path to enforcing the arrest warrant. Gagik Melkonyan, a deputy of the ruling Civil Contract party in the Armenian parliament, indicated late last month that Putin would be arrested if he comes to Armenia. Russian Ally Warns Putin: Dont Visitor Youll Get Arrested The move for Austria, despite its militarily neutral stance, may not come entirely as a surprise. The Austrian Ministry of Justice reaffirmed its observation of ICC decisions late last month. Arrest warrants issued by the court must be executed, and persons wanted by the court must be arrested. The growing rally around arresting Putin comes as Kremlin ranks appear to be increasingly uneasy at international efforts to shun Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his distaste for encouragements to Russian allies to degrade relations with Moscow. Story continues If Western countries will try to engage in threats, blackmail, will force our allies to undermine relations with Russia to the detriment of their own national interests, then, of course, we will not hide our attitude towards such attempts, Lavrov said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. The kayaker floating down the Colorado River looked up from a peaceful passage downstream as Amtrak's California Zephyr rumbled past. Rolling on narrow rails supporting a pair of 460,000-pound locomotives and several cars, the train banked around a curve just feet from the water's edge and vanished toward California. The #5 had already followed the Colorado River for more than 100 miles through the narrow canyons of its headwaters in central Colorado and would follow it for another 100 miles before diverging in eastern Utah to head to Salt Lake City. Not only Amtrak's passenger trains use the tracks, though loaded freight trains roll alongside the river that supplies more than 40 million Americans with water across seven states, twice as many as are served by the Mississippi River. A kayaker floats down the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon next to Union Pacific railroad tracks. In addition to the Colorado River, train tracks run collectively for thousands of miles along other major waterways, from the White River bordering Vermont and New Hampshire to New York's Hudson River; the Mississippi River in Louisiana; the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon; and portions of the Missouri River. That's why train derailments tangling with waterways are an predictable problem. In the past decades, it's happened in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Oregon, Iowa, West Virginia and other states. Not all of them have led to water contamination or other pollution, but now a series of high-profile train derailments around the country is focusing new attention on this old problem. Decisions made more than 150 years ago about where to run railroad tracks have significant consequences today when trains derail. And some experts say climate change, which is altering rainfall and flooding patterns, could increase the risk of washouts and mudslides on tracks. "Railroads are next to rivers everywhere," said former locomotive engineer Fritz Edler, 69, a spokesman for Railroad Workers United, a union group. "And we don't get to distinguish where we have a derailment." Story continues DATABASE: Hundreds of trains derail every year. Search our database to see how much damage they do. BACKGROUND: Trains keep derailing all over the country. What's going on? Amtrak's California Zephyr train climbs out of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, through Glenwood Canyon, alongside the Colorado River, on its way east to Denver. Why are so many railroads next to rivers? In the rush to build railroads across America, construction engineers often followed rivers, which people had historically used to travel. River ports were where cities initially grew, and European settlers spread out from there, following waterways like the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Further west, rivers like the Colorado helpfully carved paths through the Rockies that railroad workers exploited to lay track. That's why so many of the recent derailments have featured train cars spilling into or near waterways: That's where the tracks run. "And the fact of the matter is that many interstate highways go along the same routes, for the exact same reason you're seeking the path of least geographic resistance," said Paul Hammond, a train historian and executive director of the Colorado Railroad Museum. Hammond said train tracks across the country were often built by competing private companies racing to develop the first connections. That meant dueling railroads sometimes started building track alongside both sides of a river, or raced each other up nearby river canyons to cross mountain ranges. Once completed, railroads upended existing models of trade, allowing people and perishable goods to cross the growing United States in days instead of months. Union workers at railroads have been warning of increased accident risks for more than a decade, but have dramatically ramped up their public comments following a series of derailments from Ohio to Minnesota to Pennsylvania. The most recent major derailment spilled cases of beer into a Montana river. The East Palestine, Ohio, derailment contaminated several creeks along the rails and prompted authorities to monitor drinking water withdrawals from the Ohio River. Amtrak's California Zephyr train climbs out of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, through Glenwood Canyon, alongside the Colorado River, on its way east to Denver. Today's trains are much different than when these railroads were built Federal statistics show trains nationally derail three times a day on average, with most of those derailments happening at low speed in rail yards, resulting in little damage or environmental concern. But railroads have shed 40,000 workers in the past four years while moving roughly the same amount of freight, and union officials predict we're reaching a tipping point where cutbacks inevitably lead to more and worse crashes. "These rail grades I travel were built in the 1860s. We go through tunnels that were built in 1911. It's super steep and you have to be really engaged when you're running that train," said engineer Danny Brewer, speaking trackside from Wyoming. "It takes a lot of attention and professionalism." PHOTOS: Montana freight train derailment dumps cases of Coors Light and Blue Moon beer VIDEO: Train derails in rural North Dakota and spills chemical Freight railroads say heavy investments in technology and better rails have dramatically reduced the number of derailments nationally. According to federal records, trains derailed 1,164 times last year, and 1,095 times in 2021. But in 1979 railroads reported 7,482 derailments, and reported 6,442 in 1980. Union officials like Edler and Brewer say they believe trains remain a safe and effective way to transport freight long distances. But they worry freight rail companies have cut staffing so deeply that more derailments are inevitable due to equipment failures and the increasing length and weight of trains. Today, 200-car trains are common, while the average length in 1929 was just 48 cars, according to federal officials. Train cars vary in length, but many freight trains in the west stretch two miles long, and experts say those longer trains are heavier and harder to control on hills with curves exactly the same kind of scenario alongside the Colorado River. Water pollution has happened will happen again In 2004, a 105-car-long Union Pacific coal train climbing up Glenwood Canyon derailed, spilling at least five carloads of coal into the Colorado River. It's derailments like that which have some Colorado lawmakers concerned about plans to build a new railroad across northern Utah to carry crude oil extracted from the Uinta Basin. That 85-mile-long rail line would connect to the Union Pacific tracks, allowing five two-mile-long trains a day carrying billions of gallons of crude to rumble along the Colorado River on their way to Gulf Coast oil refineries. BACKGROUND: After East Palestine, Ohio, derailment disaster, Utah oil train plan under new scrutiny DATA: Hundreds of trains derail every year. Search our database to see how much damage they do. The line is backed by Utah state and tribal officials, but opposed by many environmental groups who fear the waxy oil could contaminate the Colorado River. Federal officials predict that an accident involving a loaded Uinta oil train would occur approximately once every 3 to 10 years, and that 25% of those accidents would result in an oil spill. Federal officials also noted that trucks are far more likely to crash and leak than a train, although critics point out that a single truck crash is minor compared to a potentially catastrophic train derailment. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, is pushing the Biden administration to block the Uinta railroad. He said the best solution is to just leave the Uinta crude oil in the ground, not build a new rail line, and definitely not run oil trains alongside the Colorado River, even though that's pretty much the only route possible. "There's only river only one Colorado River, one Colorado River that serves 40 million people," he said. "This train has no business bringing oil from Utah through Colorado. Period. Period." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Train derailments and rivers: An old, predictable, dangerous problem The old Noxubee County Jail remains abandoned in Macon, Mississippi on Feb. 8, 2023. Ilyssa Daly examines the power of sheriffs offices in Mississippi as part of The Timess Local Investigations Fellowship. Jerry Mitchell is an investigative reporter who has examined civil rights-era cold murder cases in the state for more than 30 years. Terry Grassaree was dogged for years by questions about how he did his job as a law enforcement officer in Macon, a tiny, rural town near the states eastern border. There were allegations of rape inside the jail that Mr. Grassaree supervised, and lawsuits claiming that he covered up the episodes. At least five people, including one of his fellow deputies, accused him of beating others or choking them with a police baton. Grassaree survived it all, rising in the ranks of the Noxubee County Sheriffs office, from a deputy mopping floors, to chief deputy, to the elected position of sheriff, making him one of the most powerful figures in town. Now, more than three years after losing an election and retiring, and 16 years after a woman first claimed that Grassaree pressured her to lie about being raped, the former sheriff faces criminal charges. A federal indictment filed in October accuses him of committing bribery in 2019, near the end of his eight-year tenure as sheriff, and of lying to federal agents when they questioned him about whether he requested sexually explicit photographs and videos from a female inmate. Grassaree has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. But an investigation by The New York Times and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reportingat Mississippi Today reveals that allegations of wrongdoing against Grassaree have been far more wide-ranging and serious than those federal charges suggest. The investigation included a review of nearly two decades of lawsuit depositions and a previously undisclosed report by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. At a minimum, the documents detail gross mismanagement at the Noxubee County jail that repeatedly put female inmates in harms way. At worst, they tell the story of a sheriff who operated with impunity, even as he was accused of abusing the people in his custody, turning a blind eye to women who were raped and trying to cover it up when caught. Story continues A wall of photos pays tribute to sheriffs in the Noxubee County Sheriffs Department in Macon. Over nearly two decades, as allegations mounted and Noxubee Countys insurance company paid to settle lawsuits against Grassaree, state prosecutors brought no charges against him or others accused of abuses in the jail. A federal investigation dragged on for years, and led to charges last fall, a few weeks after reporters started asking authorities about the case. Even now, no higher authority has reviewed how Grassaree ran the jail or whether his policies endangered women, because in Mississippi, as in many states, rural sheriffs are left largely to police themselves and their jails. In 2006, after Grassaree and his staff left jail cell keys hanging openly on a wall, male inmates opened the doors to the cell of two women inmates and raped them, according to statements the women gave to state investigators. One of the women said Grassaree pressured her to sign a false statement to cover up the crimes, according to the state police report that has never been made public. About a year later, in a lawsuit, four people who had been arrested gave sworn statements accusing Grassaree of violence. Two of the people said he choked or beat them while they were in his custody. A third said he pinned her against a wall and threatened to let a male inmate rape her. In 2019, a jailed woman told investigators that she had been coerced into having sex with two deputies who offered her a cellphone in exchange for her compliance. Instead of punishing the deputies, she claimed in a lawsuit against the county, Grassaree demanded that she send him explicit pictures and videos of herself. The federal indictment also accuses Grassaree of using his cellphone to facilitate a bribe, which experts say could have been the perks the woman says she received. All told, at least eight men including four deputies and Grassaree himself have been accused of sex abuse by women inmates who were being held in the Noxubee County jail while Grassaree was in charge. Over the years, the accusations of rape and other misconduct at the jail have been investigated separately by the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. No rape or assault charges have been filed. The Noxubee County Courthouse is reflected in an abandoned shop in Macon on Feb. 8, 2023. Grassaree has denied all of the allegations against him and has faced no disciplinary action. His lawyer declined to comment further. Holding people accountable for rapes and assaults behind bars is difficult under the best of circumstances. There is little to protect incarcerated victims and witnesses from retaliation for speaking up. When they do come forward, they are often dismissed as not credible, especially if the person accused is a law enforcement officer. What happened inside the Noxubee jail, and how the authorities responded, is a case study in how those difficulties can be even harder to surmount in rural places, where jails are the exclusive domain of a county sheriff who operates largely without oversight. No state agency oversees Mississippis county jails, and no state regulator has the authority to fine a sheriff for endangering people in custody or for failing to train the staff who operate the jail. In 2017, state lawmakers stopped providing funds for jail inspections by the Mississippi Department of Health, removing even the basic requirement that the facilities meet food safety and cleanliness requirements. They are closed-off institutions, and the people held inside them are unpopular and politically powerless, said David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project. That makes them ripe for neglect and abuse that is entirely foreseeable. Scott Colom, the elected district attorney for Noxubee County, took office in 2016 and was not involved in the investigation of the 2006 rape allegations. After learning of the more recent allegations against Grassaree and his deputies, Colom said, he notified federal authorities and worked with them on an investigation. Although he believed the evidence against Grassaree in the case was clear and strong, Colom said he knew it would be tough to seat an impartial jury in Noxubee County. He has twice been forced to cancel criminal trials because there were too few potential jurors available, he said, and neither of those cases involved a public official. Darren J. LaMarca, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, declined to comment on the case and so did others responsible for investigating the alleged abuses in the Noxubee County jail. Grassaree spoke briefly in an interview about his professional history, but would not answer detailed questions about the 2006 rape cases or the more recent allegations related to his federal charges. Mary Taylor, a retired dispatcher who worked full time at the jail from 1988 to 2017, said in a phone interview that in her years at the jail she never witnessed any sexual abuse. She said she wasnt working on the day the two women said the rapes took place in 2006, but that she doesnt believe their version of events. My belief? They werent raped, Taylor said. They did that to get out of jail. She maintained that its impossible for one man to rape a woman, unless shes not moving, unless its a Bill Cosby thing. They could have yelled out and told somebody, she said. You cant rape the unwilling. Building a tough reputation In small cities like Macon, in a rural area along the Mississippi-Alabama border, county sheriffs operate with little or no oversight. When Terry Grassaree was born in Macon in 1962, the idea that he could one day be sheriff seemed far-fetched. In Macon, which briefly served as Mississippis capital during the Civil War, only white men worked as law enforcement officers in those days. The county had a long history of violence against African Americans, including the massacre of 13 Black Mississippians at a church, gunned down by nightriders on a single August night in 1871.The sheriff at the timearrested no one. Though the countys population is mostly Black, every sheriff elected in Noxubee County was white until 1988, when Albert Walker became the first Black man to hold the office. Grassaree, his handpicked successor, was the second. Grassaree started his law enforcement career as a police officer in Macon and in nearby Brooksville, and sold insurance on the side to help make ends meet. Walker hired him as a county deputy in 1992 and put him to work mopping floors, among other duties, at the county jail. Grassaree was also a deputy coroner, paid $85 for each body he handled. He worked his way up to chief deputy, and took on running the jail. In this 2000 photo, Noxubee County Deputy Terry Grassaree kneels on the neck of Teronto Calhoun, a 20-year-old he arrested for resisting arrest. Grassaree, known to keep order by issuing physical threats, said in an interview last year that he drew inspiration from the professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin. Even while they were whipping him, he was still the toughest guy on the mat, Grassaree said. Hes like, Is that all youve got? No matter how long a man whips you, he will get tired. He might think hes winning. The only thing youve got to do is hold out. This idea, he said, became the foundation for how he behaved when he put on his uniform. Early in his career, he beefed his 6-foot-2 frame up to 230 pounds, and people started calling him Big Dog. Not many people crossed him after that, he said. His reputation for being aggressive spread across town. In a 2006 letter to the editor in the local paper, a mother complained that Grassaree had threatened her 16-year-old son. The boy, she wrote, had fought with Grassarees son at school. The editor of the same newspaper, The Macon Beacon, arrived to cover an arrest near a nightclub in 2000 and snapped a picture of Grassaree kneeling on a mans neck. The photo made the front page. People who passed through the jail describe being attacked by Grassaree when he thought they were causing trouble. Four people gave sworn statements about such attacks as part of a 2005 lawsuit against Grassaree and Noxubee County filed by former deputy Kendrick Slaughter. In the lawsuit, Slaughter claimed that Grassaree tried to bribe him not to run for City Council, and then hauled him to jail for talking to the FBI about the alleged bribe. Noxubee Countys insurance company settled the suit for an undisclosed amount. The four sworn statements accuse Grassaree of a number of violent acts, which he has denied committing. One man wrote that while he was handcuffed in a courtroom in 2002, Grassaree beat him until a judge came off the bench to rescue him. Another man said in his sworn statement that Grassaree choked him with his nightstick and warned him to follow his orders. The man said Grassaree told him, Ill shoot you in the head! Im the Big Dog! Im Number One! This my jail! A 19-year-old woman said Grassaree hit her twice with his nightstick and threw her against a wall after accusing her of stealing potato chips from a man held in jail. Grassaree spread my legs apart with his foot, she said in her deposition. Then, she said, he told her that he ought to let the inmate rape her. A jail with no rules The old Noxubee County jail building has been locked and empty since about 2014, when Grassaree and his deputies packed up and began moving to a new jail down the street. The jail that Grassaree oversaw for most of his career sits frozen in time on Industrial Road on the outskirts of Macon, next to the old Purina pet food mill that now produces feed for catfish farms. The building has been locked and empty since about 2014, when Grassaree and his deputies packed up and began moving to a new facility down the street. Inside the old jail, a blackened mix of dirt, rust and mold has crept over the white iron cell doors. Bags of trash and dusty bed linens litter the remaining furniture and the floor. When Grassaree was put in charge of this building in the 1990s, he inherited a jailhouse that essentially operated without rules. Jail workers allowed inmates to come and go from the building without logging the inmates movements or supervising them closely. The only policies about the jail that appear in the 2003 Noxubee County Sheriffs Policy Manual center on the use of force. None tell how to run the jail. For years, certain inmates were let out of their cells to help cook, pass out food trays and clean. Bags of trash and dusty bed linens litter the remaining furniture and the floor of the old jail. Kennedy Brewer, who entered the jail in 2002, was one of the facilitys most trusted inmates. Eyebrows were raised when he showed up at a court hearing on his own, having driven himself to the courthouse without a deputy to escort him, according to Forrest Allgood, the district attorney at the time. Brewer spent five years at the jail waiting to be retried after DNA evidence proved he had been wrongly convicted of sexually abusing and murdering a 3-year-old girl. When prosecutors gave up on a new trial, Brewer was released, and his case was featured in the Netflix documentary series, The Innocence Files. Testifying under oath as a witness in a lawsuit in 2007, Brewer said he served as a jail trusty, or an inmate with special privileges, and had access to keys that opened each cell. He said he would check newly arrested people into the jail and that he once escorted an inmate to a cell with no one else present. Grassaree has denied that inmates were allowed to use jail keys without supervision. On a June day in 2006, Brewer had no problem getting into the womens cell block undetected. He grabbed the jailers keys off the nail hanging on the wall and slipped down the short hallway that ran the length of the jail. In a building smaller than a McDonalds, he and a fellow inmate didnt have to go far. There were no guards patrolling the halls and no surveillance cameras to catch any movements. When Brewer unlocked the cell door, one of the women inside was lying down for a nap. Then Brewer was on top of her, grabbing her arms and forcing her down, according to statements the woman later gave to state agents. No, I dont want to do this, she begged, according to her statements. Then she looked for her cellmate, Jessie Levette Douglas. She told investigators she saw another inmate, Laterris Goodwin, on top of her. It was all over in moments. The woman who originally reported the rapes declined to be interviewed for this article. Douglas died of renal failure in a state prison in 2018. Jessie Levette Douglas, who said she was pressured by Grassaree to lie, died in prison in 2018 of renal failure. When investigators interview rape victims, they are supposed to remain impartial. But when Grassaree, who was chief deputy at the time, found the woman crying on the floor, he stood over her and shouted, the woman said in a deposition taken as part of her subsequent lawsuit against the county.He and another member of the sheriffs office yelled that she couldnt tell anybody about the rape and that she was going to make them lose their jobs and make the department look bad, according to her sworn statement. Douglas sister, Sabrina Campbell, wants the public to know what happened to her sister. I dont want my sister to have died in vain, she said. They kept berating me as if I had done something wrong, she said. When state agents arrived the next day at the request of the sheriffs office, Grassaree handed them everything they needed to dismiss the allegations, including signed statements from two of the men saying the women had invited them to have sex, and more important, a statement from Douglas saying everything she saw and experienced was consensual. If Grassaree and his deputies had been in charge of the investigation, it might have ended there. But when state agents interviewed Douglas, her story changed. She told investigators that she and her cellmate had been raped that day and that she lied in her first statement because Grassaree had pressured her to cover up what happened. Grassaree told me to tell everybody the sex was consensual and that for me to help a brother, referring to Brewer, Douglas wrote in a later statement. He told me to tell everybody that we put on a freak show for the male inmates. In reality, Douglas told the agents, three men incarcerated at the jail Brewer, Goodwin and Michael Slaughter had entered her locked cell at different times on the same day and had raped her. In statements to investigators, Slaughter, Brewer and Goodwin denied that they had raped the women, claiming that the sex was consensual. In an interview from 2022, Brewer denied ever having sex with anyone inside the jail. Neither Slaughter nor Goodwin could be reached for comment. Both women were given polygraph tests, and the examiner concluded that they were telling the truth, according to state investigators records. Goodwin and Slaughter failed polygraph tests; Brewer declined to take one. State agents shared their findings with federal and state prosecutors, and the case was presented to a Noxubee County grand jury. The grand jury decided not to issue charges. Legal experts say Grassaree could have been investigated for obstructing justice in the case. That never happened, and neither did an investigation of practices in the jail, where agents concluded that four rapes had taken place. Noxubee Countys insurance company settled the womans lawsuit in 2009. The Macon Beacon reported that she was paid $375,000. Sabrina Campbell said her sister, Douglas the woman who said she was raped by three inmates and who died many years later wanted the public to know what happened to her. I dont want my sister to have died in vain, Campbell said. The rapes devastated her sister, who never stopped battling nightmares afterward, she said. She was scared all the time. She would tell nieces and nephews about the jail, Dont ever come here, because your life is over. Another round of allegations The current Noxubee County Adult Detention Facility is down the street from the old jail in Macon. Allegations of sexual abuse at the Noxubee County jail did not end with the 2006 case. In 2020, Elizabeth Layne Reed, a woman incarcerated at the jail, made explosive allegations against the men she encountered there. In a lawsuit she filed that year, she accused two deputies, Vance Phillips and Damon Clark, of coercing her into having sex. She said the men gave her a cellphone and other perks so that she would have sexual encounters with them in remote spots around the jail or when the deputies checked her out of the facility. The deputies even put a sofa in her jail cell, she said. Reed said in an interview that she wanted the public to know what happened to her in the hope that others would come forward. It made me terrified to trust anybody, she said. Women in jail and prison need to be protected. According to her lawsuit, Grassaree knew all about his deputies sexual contacts and shenanigans, but did nothing to stop the coerced sexual relationships. Grassaree denied any knowledge of what deputies were doing.Are you a boss? he said. Do your employees tell you everything they do? Instead of intervening, the lawsuit alleged, the sheriff sexted her and demanded that she use the phone the deputies had given her to send him a continuous stream of explicit videos, photographs and texts while she was in jail. She also alleged in the lawsuit that Grassareetouched her in a sexual manner. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount. News outlets in Mississippi made brief mention of the lawsuit, but government officials at all levels, including federal and state prosecutors, were silent for two years about what, if anything, they were doing to investigate the allegations it raised, and whether they had found evidence to support them. A review by the Mississippi Center for Investigative ReportingandThe New York Times of documents filed in the lawsuit, along with documents from the preceding 2019 state investigation, reveals that Ms. Reed accused other deputies besides Mr. Phillips and Mr. Clark of sexual harassment and abuse. None of the other deputies have been charged or named publicly. It is unclear whether the FBI investigated those allegations. Tom Roby, the current Noxubee County sheriff, looking through the old county jail in February. The federal bureaus investigation into Grassaree, Phillips and Clark took more than two years to yield charges, even though investigators had confessions of sexual contact from the deputies as well as text messages between the woman and the three men. In fall of 2022, several weeks after reporters began asking authorities about the case, LaMarca successfully sought indictments against Grassaree and Phillips on bribery charges. Clark has not been indicted. Reed hoped that other deputies, including Clark, would be held accountable, she said. Theyre still walking around free, not worried about any charges. Reed said that she felt sick to her stomach when she found out that neither Grassaree nor Phillips had been directly charged in connection with her allegations of sex abuse. Lawyers for Phillips did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Clark could not be reached for comment. The indictments do not mention sexual abuse. Along with bribery, Grassaree was also charged with lying to the FBI in denying that he had requested and received nude photos and videos from Reed. A trial is scheduled for summer. Julie Abbate, who served as the deputy chief of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division from 2003 to 2018 and reviewed the allegations at the news organizations request, said the federal prosecutors could have explored criminal charges against Grassaree and his deputies for violating the civil rights of women in his facility. The question of whether to bring federal charges in the case may have been complicated by guidance the Department of Justice issued in 2018, saying that law enforcement officers cannot be federally prosecuted for violating a persons civil rights if the person truly made a voluntary decision as to what she wanted to do with her body, particularly if she received a benefit or special treatment in exchange for sex. But Reeds decisions in the episode in the Noxubee County jail were not free-will choices, said Andrea Armstrong, a law professor at Loyola University, and the cellphone Reed received from deputies was the vehicle by which more abuse could be directed towards her. Mississippi law makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to engage in sexual acts with incarcerated people. Prosecutors are not required to prove the victims were physically overpowered or even that they told their abuser to stop. But the district attorneys office that handles criminal cases in Noxubee County chose to pass the 2020 case on to federal prosecutors, instead of seeking charges under the state law, because of worries about getting a fair jury in the county. When asked about federal prosecutors decision to charge Grassaree and Phillips with bribery in the case, the district attorney, Colom, said, I trust federal authorities to use the best statutes. Abbate said the allegations about abuses in the Noxubee County jail were indicative of a larger, pervasive problem at the facility and a harmful culture inside the sheriffs office. That culture, she said, undoubtedly endangered inmates and allowed abuses to continue. The allegations that come to light are almost always just the tip of the iceberg, said Abbate, who is now director of Just Detention International, an organization dedicated to ending sexual abuse in correctional facilities. Referring to the 2006 and 2020 cases, she said, I guarantee you that these two instances are not the only ones. This article was co-reported by The New York Times and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Noxubee County, MS, sheriff faced multiple abuse allegations at jail Stephanie Shildt graduated December 18, 2010, from Penn State University, University Park with a BA in Communications - Journalism, a BA in Theatre, and a Dance Minor Degree. While at PSU, she was a member of the Penn State Dance Company, and hosted a radio show for 3 years on The Lion-90.7 FM. She interned and worked at Froggy Radio and Nancy Mosser Casting Agency. Stephanie was very active in the Kappa Phi Sorority, holding several offices, including Vice-President and Fund Raising Chair. She also traveled with Kappa Phi to Prague, in the Czech Republic to do mission work. As a member of Kappa Phi, she was involved with THON for three years, including being one of the THON dancers (they dance for 46 hours straight) last year, raising almost eight million dollars for the Four Diamond Fund, which benefits children with cancer and cancer research. Stephanie has been accepted into Point Park University to pursue her MBA Degree in September. This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Shildt graduates with three degrees WASHINGTON The leader of the Republican National Committee said Wednesday that the party and Fox News will co-host the first GOP debate of the primary season this August in Milwaukee. The debate is expected to be the first face-to-face meeting between former President Donald Trump and his campaign rivals; the guest list is not yet set because some possible contenders have not officially declared their candidacy. The date of the debate has not been set. "The next President of the United States will be on our debate stage, and we look forward to hosting a fair and transparent platform," said RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who made the announcement on the morning program "Fox & Friends." The GOP picked Milwaukee as the site of the first debate because the Wisconsin city will host the party convention next year. The party did the same thing in the 2016 election cycle, producing a first debate in Cleveland a year before that city hosted the Republican National Convention. The debate over debates:Republican loyalty pledge: RNC chair says 2024 GOP candidates must sign pledge to participate in debates Trump's situation:Trump after arrest: What's next legally and politically for the former president? GOP candidates participate in the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on Jan. 14, 2016 in North Charleston, S.C. Who is running in 2024? Trump, defeated for reelection in 2020, has announced that he will seek the White House again in 2024. He is running while under indictment, charged with false reporting of hush money payments to hide violations of campaign finance laws. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have announced plans to seek the presidency. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not expected to announce his candidacy until at least May. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said Thursday he has created an exploratory committee for a potential 2024 campaign. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also mulling a 2024 presidential campaign. In announcing the sponsorship of Fox News, McDaniel said other debate partners include the Young Americas Foundation and the video platform Rumble. Story continues The announcement also came as Fox News is embroiled in a defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems over news coverage of Trump's election protests in 2020. Trump's legal position at the time of the August debate is unknowable. In addition to the New York indictment, Trump remains under investigation in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta in cases involving the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn his loss in Georgia to President Joe Biden. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fox News, GOP to co-host August debate with Trump, 2024 rivals Unfinished Legacy creator Brema Brema works on Black Lives Matter shirts. Unfinished Legacy streetwear brand is opening its flagship store in the Third Ward, bringing a unique experience that will include DIY screen printing, an art gallery and pop-up events. Founder Brema Brema, 26, was born in Sudan, and at age 5 he moved with his family to a refugee camp in northwestern Kenya to escape an ongoing civil war. In 2010 his family moved to Milwaukee, and shortly after that he started Unfinished Legacy while he was a student at Riverside University High School. He started working on Unfinished Legacy full time during the COVID-19 pandemic, rocketing it to success, as the brand was featured by Vogue and Levi's. In 2021 Unfinished Legacy moved to Los Angeles, where it appeared at events held by Nike, Goodwill, Complex and Shopify. Unfinished Legacy also recently scored a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks to make "Bucks in Six" apparel. Now, Unfinished Legacy is back in Milwaukee and operating a storefront in a top Milwaukee retail neighborhood. "I'm excited," Brema said. "There are days when I walk across the street and I'm in disbelief that this space is ours. It still hasnt hit me." Third Ward space They found the space at 201 N. Water St. while on a visit back to Milwaukee while based in Los Angeles. Brema and his business manager, Jene Tate, saw a phone number on a window in the Third Ward building. "Before we left for LA, it was hard for building owners to take us serious as a small business," Tate said. They called the number and said through the "luck of the draw" they got the space. Unfinished Legacy's space won't just be a storefront. It will also be part gallery, part design studio. "One thing about the brand, I want to run things unorthodox," Brema said. "We're going to create our own structure." That means they will celebrate their soft opening on Milwaukee Day, April 14, but there is no timeline for when the brick and mortar space will reopen to the public, and consistent hours of operation may never happen. Story continues "We like to keep people on their toes," business manager Jene Tate said. "For supporters, we value the quality of our events and product, so that takes time to develop properly. We try to make it as accessible as possible for supporters, but there's an aspect of scarcity too." During the nearly two years the company was in L.A., they rented a studio in the garment district and learned the ins and outs of getting supplies. That helped their online store, which is what they primarily rely on for sales. The in-person aspects are usually made to be more of an event and artistic experience, and that will be true for the new storefront. "I like community and culture, and thats something thats always on the forefront, and profit comes later," Brema said. Before moving in 2021, Unfinished Legacy made itself a known brand around Milwaukee through pop-up events with DIY screen printing, where customers could make their own streetwear, a style made popular by the Black community usually consisting of prints on oversized clothing such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and jeans. Brema plans to continue DIY screen printing in the new space. "Hopefully once a month have an open studio where people can DIY their stuff. Thats part of our brand, the do-it-yourself attitude," Brema said. "We want to partner with schools and bring students here and expose them to the art of screen printing, which was lacking in Milwaukee when I was growing up." Third Ward Black-owned business Brema and Tate, 28, said they are bringing needed diversity as young, Black shop owners in the Third Ward. "Its a conversation we had internally, how it almost doesnt feel like we belong here," Brema said. "We're young. We don't look similar to people around this area. Now we're bringing our community into a place where I didnt feel like we'd hang out growing up, just because of the way Milwaukee is set up." Tim Pocius, store manager of Moda 3, which has sold sneakers and streetwear in the Third Ward for 19 years, said he was excited for Unfinished Legacy to join the neighborhood. "The Third Ward could use some more culture to it as the busy shopping district that it is. It seems to be more and more bigger box stores, so to have someone else come in who is Milwaukee based like us, it's exciting," Pocius said. "They were customers of ours before they started the brand. We've seen those guys grow up." Brema said their return also allows them to be a part of Milwaukee's renaissance. "Milwaukee has so much potential, and we want to be part of that growth with the city of Milwaukee," Brema said. Unfinished Legacy's Milwaukee Day event on April 14 is sold out, but it will be open Saturday, selling clothing and giving the community a glimpse of the plans for the space. Saturday is free to the public, but reservations are required at Eventbrite. Follow Unfinished Legacy on social media to know when the storefront's next opening is. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee apparel line Unfinished Legacy to open shop in Third Ward Caroline Malcolm, Chainalysis' global head of policy. Chainalysis The US may not embrace crypto, but it needs clear regulation, Chainalysis' policy head told Insider. The CFTC recently sued Binance, whose compliance head critized regulators at an industry event. Chainalysis' policy head says Congress needs to pass crypto-specific legislation. Caroline Malcolm, the global head of public policy at the blockchain data company Chainalysis, says there's one thing both crypto's boosters and skeptics can agree on: The US needs better regulation for the industry. Crypto founders have long groused about what they see as the US government's hostility toward crypto. Some have even speculated that recent developments such as the closure of the crypto-friendly Signature Bank are designed to block off the industry from access to financial institutions. The New York state regulators involved in the shutdown of Signature have denied those claims. Similar complaints abounded throughout the Links conference, an industry event recently held by Chainalysis in New York. "At a certain point, you can't work with a regulator or a jurisdiction that doesn't want you," said Noah Perlman, the global chief compliance officer of Binance, which recently got slapped with a lawsuit from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, in an interview on stage. Even if the US government views crypto largely as a scourge, it still has an interest in protecting consumers, said Malcolm. She told Insider that she believes US regulators have gotten too caught up in how to classify crypto a debate is still raging on whether certain cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities at the expense of ensuring that companies operate soundly and ethically. "Even if the only thing you care about is consumer protection, and you think this space is 'bad,' the only path forward is regulation," she said. Malcolm said she believes the US needs a specific framework for digital assets such as crypto that determines capital and custodial requirements from companies, guards against fraudulent trading, and ensures that consumers receive appropriate investment disclosures. Story continues She pointed to other areas, including Dubai and Switzerland, that have created policy frameworks specifically for digital assets, including crypto. Indeed, some founders have suggested that crypto companies may seek to move abroad because they think the US regulatory landscape is increasingly tenuous. On the opposite end of the spectrum, other countries, including China and Egypt, have banned crypto altogether. But that approach hasn't kept people in those countries from accessing cryptocurrencies, according to Chainalysis' data, Malcolm said. China, for instance, returned to the top 10 in the company's Global Cryptocurrency Adoption Index in 2022, a year after the country reinstituted a ban on crypto. But according to Malcolm, the US remains in the murky middle, with no clear regulatory stance. That's not a universally held view, to be sure: Some industry skeptics argue that cryptocurrencies plainly meet the definition of securities and that the industry has chosen to disregard legal requirements. Malcolm said she believes that the issue ultimately needs to be resolved through legislation rather than among the various US regulatory agencies, including the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission, that have pursued enforcement against several crypto companies. "The regulators are working within the mandates that they currently have, but without that clarity from Congress," she said. "Hopefully, some of the events of recent weeks and recent months will provide that impetus." Read the original article on Business Insider The Arts Scene: The windows are still alive in downtown Yakima Business Reporter Joel Donofrio is the business reporter for the Yakima Herald. He was born and raised in the Chicago area, but he and his wife, Cathy, fell in love with the beauty (and low humidity) of the West and moved here in 2009, eventually relocating to Yakima in September 2021. They have two young adult children, Anthony and Joanna, and a dog, Molly. When he is not taking photos of construction sites, tracking down new and relocating businesses or catching up on agricultural trends, Joel enjoys playing guitar, singing, listening to music and playing and watching sports. Education Reporter Vanessa Ontiveros is the education reporter at the Yakima Herald-Republic. She grew up near Los Angeles but has happily made Yakima her new home. She is passionate about reporting stories that serve the community and highlight various aspects of the educational system.She also hosts a podcast that discusses local arts education, Yakima Arts Talk, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The daughter of two longtime public school teachers, she is always looking to include community voices in her work. The Emerald of Siam in Richland, Wash., as seen on Google Streetview. Dairy Council of California Let's Eat Healthy Community Grant Check Presentation to Centennial Farm Dairy Council of California's Maria Frye presents Let's Eat Healthy Community Grant Check to Evy Young from Centennial Farm SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dairy Council of California, a leader in nutrition education and advocacy, has awarded a $5,000 community grant to Centennial Farm in Orange County, California, to enhance the farms community-based agriculture, literacy and nutrition programs. The Orange County Fair and Event Centers Centennial Farm is excited to have been selected as a recipient of the Dairy Councils Lets Eat Healthy Community Grant. Funds will be used to highlight the importance of dairy and nutrition through activities with our existing educational programs including Jr. Farmer Tours, Discovery Days and Ranch After-School Programs with over 5,000 students reached, states Evy Young, Director of Agriculture Programs. Let's Eat Healthy Community Grant Check Presentation Grants advance activation of Dairy Council of Californias Lets Eat Healthy initiative, engaging Lets Eat Healthy champions to support equitable access to science-based nutrition education, as well as food and agricultural literacy that encompasses the role of dairy in sustainable food systems. Funds also help make healthy, wholesome foods, including milk and dairy, more accessible for local California communities. Dairy Council of California CEO Amy DeLisio explains further: The $5,000 Lets Eat Healthy Community Grant is another powerful tool for Centennial Farm to continue to provide access and opportunities where children, families and communities can build positive experiences, connections between nutrition and agriculture, and skills to support a foundation for lifelong health. This year, the Lets Eat Healthy Community Grant program has awarded a total of $20,000 to Lets Eat Healthy partners to assist California school districts and community organizations facilitate innovative and sustainable solutions to foster healthy eating through a myriad of strategies and partnerships to meet their local communities needs. Story continues About Dairy Council of California Dairy Council of California is a nutrition organization working together with champions to elevate the health of children and communities through lifelong healthy eating patterns. Focusing on education, advocacy, dairy ag literacy and collaboration, Dairy Council of California advances the health benefits of milk and dairy foods as part of the solution to achieving nutrition security and sustainable food systems. Learn more at HealthyEating.org. About the Lets Eat Healthy Initiative Launched by Dairy Council of California, Lets Eat Healthy is an initiative that brings together community leaders and stakeholders with expertise in education, school foodservice, public health, health care and agriculture, inviting these change-makers to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Through coordination and collaboration, Lets Eat Healthy strives to provide sustainable solutions to champion community health and make healthy, wholesome foods accessible to all. The Lets Eat Healthy initiative is driven to provide dynamic educational resources and tools, peer networking, amplification of best practices and the latest in nutrition information, uniting individuals and organizations through shared values. Join the initiative and make a difference at HealthyEating.org. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/91b9120f-62e1-40f1-af4e-2cd0b1fb90cd Contact: Meggan Rush Communications Manager Dairy Council of California 916.633.3644 mrush@dairycouncilofca.org Denison Mines logo (CNW Group/Denison Mines Corp.) TORONTO, April 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to announce the successful completion of an internal conceptual mining study (the "Concept Study") examining the potential application of the In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") mining method at the Company's 25.17% owned Midwest project ("Midwest"). The Concept Study was prepared by Denison during 2022 and was formally issued to the Midwest Joint Venture ("MWJV") in early 2023. Based on the positive results of the Concept Study, the MWJV has now provided Denison with approval to complete additional ISR-related evaluation work for Midwest in 2023. View PDF version. Midwest is located approximately 25 kilometres, by existing roads, from the 22.5% Denison owned McClean Lake uranium mill, and is a joint venture owned by Denison (25.17%) and Orano Canada Inc. ("Orano Canada") (74.83%). Orano Canada is part of the Orano Group, which is recognized as a leading international operator in the field of nuclear materials, with activities including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, and other fuel services. David Cates, Denison's President & CEO, commented, "Since the completion of the Wheeler River Pre-Feasibility Study in 2018, Denison has invested in the development of a highly skilled and motivated Saskatoon-based technical team that has demonstrated industry leadership in the evaluation of the application of the ISR mining method to high-grade uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. We are encouraged by the results of the Midwest Concept Study, and we are pleased to continue the further evaluation of the potential application of the ISR mining method to Midwest, with the support of our partner Orano." Evaluation activities planned for Midwest during 2023 include the collection of deposit-specific information and the completion of select preliminary engineering studies to support the further evaluation and de-risking of the key criteria required to further assess the potential application of the ISR mining method, which may result in the preparation of a Preliminary Economic Assessment to support the development, if warranted, of future field tests. Story continues Property Location & History Midwest is situated in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan. The property is approximately one kilometre from the Points North Landing airstrip and about 25 kilometres west, by existing roads, from the McClean Lake mill, which is jointly owned by Denison (22.5%) and Orano Canada (77.5%). Access to Midwest is by both road and air. Goods are transported to the site by truck over an all-weather road connecting with the provincial highway system. Air transportation is provided through the Points North airstrip (See Figure 1). Initial exploration work at Midwest began in 1966, and Denison first became an owner of the project in 1987. In 2007, Orano Canada completed an internal study evaluating the feasibility of mining the Midwest Main deposit via open pit mining methods with processing of the resulting ore at the McClean Lake mill. The MWJV subsequently advanced the project through the environmental assessment process as an open pit mine and the final version of the Midwest Project Environmental Impact Statement was approved in September 2012. Estimated Mineral Resources The Midwest Main uranium deposit ("Midwest Main") is estimated to contain, on a 100% ownership basis, an Indicated mineral resource of 39,900,000 lbs U 3 O 8 , based on 453,000 tonnes at an average grade of 4.00% U 3 O 8 , and an Inferred mineral resource of 11,500,000 lbs U 3 O 8 based on 793,000 tonnes at an average grade of 0.66% U 3 O 8 . Midwest Main is lens to cigar shaped, 600 metres long, 10 to over 100 metres wide, with thicknesses ranging from 5 metres to 10 metres. The deposit consists of a near-massive high-grade mineralized core that straddles the unconformity approximately 210 metres below surface. The high-grade core is surrounded by lower-grade fracture-controlled mineralization primarily in sandstone. Midwest is also host to the Midwest A uranium deposit ("Midwest A"), which is estimated to contain, on a 100% ownership basis, an Indicated mineral resource of 10,800,000 lbs U 3 O 8 , based on 566,000 tonnes at an average grade of 0.87% U 3 O 8 , and an Inferred mineral resources totaling 6,700,000 lbs U 3 O 8 based on 53,000 tonnes at an average grade of 5.8% U 3 O 8 . Midwest A is approximately 450 metres long, 10 to 60 metres wide, ranges up to 70 metres in thickness and occurs between 150 and 235 metres below surface. Mineralization straddles the unconformity contact with minor amounts hosted within basement structures immediately below the unconformity. Thicker zones of mineralization above the unconformity are concentrated in conglomerate units at the base of the Athabasca sandstone. Similar to Midwest Main, a high-grade core of mineralization is surrounded by a lower-grade fracture-controlled envelope. The mineral resource estimate for Midwest (and the technical information herein) is described in the independent technical report, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, titled "Technical Report with an Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Midwest Property, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada", dated March 26, 2018. Concept Study The Concept Study evaluated the potential use of the ISR mining method at Midwest. In an ISR uranium mining operation, a mining solution (lixiviant) is injected into the ore zone through a series of drill holes known as injection wells. The lixiviant leaches the uranium as it travels through the ore zone and is then recovered as a uranium bearing solution ("UBS"), which is pumped back to surface via a series of recovery wells. Once on surface, the UBS is sent to a surface processing plant for the chemical separation of the uranium. Following the uranium removal, the lixiviant is reconditioned and returned to the wellfield for further production. The ISR mining method accounts for a significant portion of uranium mine production globally and is generally considered the lowest-cost uranium mining method in the world owing to the fact that the method eliminates (i) the surface disturbances and costs associated with physically removing ore and waste from the ground, and (ii) the need for conventional tailings treatment and storage, which are normally associated with underground or open pit mining operations. The internal studies undertaken on Midwest are preliminary in nature and there is significant uncertainty with respect to the potential for, and the economic and technical risks associated with, the use of ISR mining for the Midwest deposits. Further technical evaluations may not be advisable or completed if the preliminary results of internal studies are not maintained after further testing and/or analysis. About Denison Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada The Company has an effective 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill that is contracted to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, and a 67.41% interest in the Tthe Heldeth Tue ("THT," formerly J Zone) and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. The Midwest Main, Midwest A, THT and Huskie deposits are each located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Through its 50% ownership of JCU, Denison holds additional interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada, including the Millennium project (JCU 30.099%), the Kiggavik project (JCU 33.8118%) and Christie Lake (JCU 34.4508%). Denison's exploration portfolio includes further interests in properties covering ~300,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region. Denison is also engaged in post-closure mine care and maintenance services through its Closed Mines group, which manages Denison's reclaimed mine sites in the Elliot Lake region and provides related services to certain third-party projects. Follow Denison on Twitter @DenisonMinesCo Qualified Persons The disclosure of scientific or technical information contained in this release has been reviewed and approved, as applicable, by Mr. Chad Sorba, P.Geo., Denison's Director, Technical Services or Mr. Andrew Yackulic, P. Geo., Denison's Director, Exploration, who are Qualified Persons in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained in this news release constitutes 'forward-looking information', within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'potential', 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/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'. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: interpretation of the preliminary results of the Concept Study; expectations with respect to evaluation work and studies, including, scope, timing and the anticipated results thereof; the results and interpretations of the mineral resource estimate; and expectations regarding its joint venture ownership interests and the continuity of its agreements with its partners and third parties. Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For example, the modelling and assumptions upon which the work plans for planned evaluation work for Midwest are based may not be maintained after further work is completed. In addition, Denison may decide or otherwise be required to discontinue testing, evaluation and development work if it is unable to maintain or otherwise secure the necessary resources (such as joint venture approvals, testing facilities, capital funding, regulatory approvals, etc.). Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 27, 2023 under the heading 'Risk Factors'. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this news release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves: This news release may use the terms 'measured', 'indicated' and 'inferred' mineral resources. United States investors are advised that such terms have been prepared in accordance with the definition standards on mineral reserves of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum referred to in Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Disclosure Standards ('NI 43-101') and are recognized and required by Canadian regulations. 'Inferred mineral resources' have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. Effective February 2019, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') adopted amendments to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the Exchange Act and as a result, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "proven mineral reserves" and "probable mineral reserves" to be "substantially similar" to the corresponding definitions under the CIM Standards, as required under NI 43-101. However, information regarding mineral resources or mineral reserves in Denison's disclosure may not be comparable to similar information made public by United States companies. (CNW Group/Denison Mines Corp.) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/denison-announces-completion-of-conceptual-mining-study-evaluating-isr-for-midwest-and-plans-to-advance-efforts-in-2023-301795305.html SOURCE Denison Mines Corp. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2023/12/c1444.html 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. Transparency Market Research Global dentures market growth is driven by the rising number of dental practices, expanding dental tourism in the region, increased research in oral care products, and growing knowledge about oral care. Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at the fastest rate in the forthcoming years. Wilmington, Delaware, United States, April 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Transparency Market Research, the global dentures market size stood at USD 1.3 Bn in 2021, and the global market is anticipated to reach a value of USD 3.1 Bn by 2032. The global industry is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2032. The dental clinics & hospitals segment is anticipated to emerge as the highest revenue-generating segment. Asia Pacific is expected to see the fastest growth in the coming years owing to the expansion of dental practices, development of dental tourism, greater research into products for oral care, and higher awareness about oral health in the region. For Insights On Global, Regional, And Country-Level Parameters With Growth Opportunities By 2032 - Download A Sample Report! Market Snapshot: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue USD 1.3 Bn in 2021 Estimated Value USD 3.1 Bn by 2032 Growth Rate 9.3% Forecast Period 20222032 No. of Pages 250 Pages Market Segmentation By Type, Usage and End-user Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, South America Companies Covered DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc., COLTENE Holding AG, GC Dental, Amann Girrbach AG, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., Mitsui Chemicals Inc., Keystone Dental, Inc., Align Technology, Inc., and VOCO GmbH The precision of complete dentures has increased owing to usage of CAD/CAM technologies. The segment of partial dentures is anticipated to expand at a prominent pace from 2022 to 2032. Partial dentures are used to restore one or more lost teeth. They are less expensive than full dentures. They contribute to the improvement of facial beauty by closing the mouth's cavities. Story continues Global Dentures Market: Growth Drivers Use of fixed and removable dentures is anticipated to increase as oral health issues become more common. Dentures are most frequently used by the elderly population and are associated with various dental issues including gum disease and tooth decay. Increase in prevalence of specific illnesses is likely to drive the market development. FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS HERE Key Findings of Market Report Rise in life expectancy has meant that more people are expected to have missing teeth. Consequently, demand for dental prosthetics, such as dentures, is anticipated to rise in the coming years. Demand for precision detachable dental prosthesis is also estimated to increase due to aging of the baby boomer population, which in turn is expected to drive market development. A major factor influencing the use of set or removable dentures is increasing baby boomer population, which is also a consequence of a rise in the median lifespan. The detachable segment dominated the global market and held 61.5% market share in 2021. Detachable dentures are still the preferred prosthetic alternative. They are often regarded as a less invasive and an inexpensive way of restoring missing teeth. The fixed dentures segment is expected to generate the highest income between 2022 and 2023. Fixed dentures are more expensive than removable ones; however, these do not have to be changed or remade. Fixed dentures help reduce bone loss, as they need not be taken out often, which is anticipated to offer business opportunities for manufacturers. The dental clinics and hospitals segment accounted for 84.9% share of the market in 2021. Most patients visit independent dentistry clinics in order to receive specialized care from professionals. The number of independent dentistry clinics is rising across the globe. This is likely to continue in the next few years, since they are affordable, specialists are readily available, and the settings contain technologically advanced equipment. These factors are expected to drive market demand in the near future. The complete denture segment held 73.4% share of the market, in terms of revenue, in 2021. Full dentures, a form of denture that mimics gum tissue, are frequently suggested for those without any teeth. Increase in geriatric population worldwide is likely to boost the demand for complete dentures. Global Dentures Market: Regional Landscape The U.S. market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.7% during the forecast period and reach value of US$ 990 Mn by 2032. The U.S. dominated the global industry in 2021 due to the highly developed healthcare system, proactive commitment to oral cleanliness and care, and autonomous dentistry clinics in the country. Moreover, advancements in R&D and increase in disposable income are projected to propel the U.S. market. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 25% of adults in the U.S. have one or more untreated dental conditions. Adoption of preventative and restorative dental care is expected to increase as the number of Americans aged 65 and over increases from around fifty million in 2018 to about ninety million by 2060. Global Dentures Market: Key Players Some of the key players in the global dentures market are as follows Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. Align Technology, Inc. DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. Amann Girrbach AG Mitsui Chemicals Inc. Ivoclar Vivadent AG For In-Depth Competitive Analysis, Buy Now@ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=85227